Cloudy, with a chance of good rentals to come

Paul Peterson

So as much as I like Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2, I just can’t find a way to stretch it into a full column. It really is a delightful little animated jewel, although it doesn’t have the same adult appeal that I think we’ve gotten used to thanks to Dreamworks, and Pixar et al.
Still with Thanksgiving weekend barreling down on us like a freight train if you are looking for something to do with the munchkins it is recommended. For the record, I think it’s one of the more imaginative kids features in awhile, and the audiences seem to love it.

Then there’s 2 Guns starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg.
There was a time when I really liked Denzel. He was watchable in anything. Then he seemed to lock into the same role time and time again. It became tedious. Not bad. Just boring. He shook off some of that with Flight, which was one of the underrated films of last year.
Regrettably he’s back to the same old, same old with his role as an undercover cop trying to infiltrate and drug cartel, and suddenly on the run with another undercover agent, the usually interesting Mark Wahlberg.

I’m a huge Wahlberg fan. He is well spoken, smart, creative and owns half of Hollywood. His production company has developed some of the biggest hits on TV – Entourage, Boardwalk Empire among others. The other thing about him is he doesn’t mind making fun of himself. He’ll take roles that are less than flattering or at least have some element of self deprecation.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about 2 Guns is that it’s directed by Baltasar Kormakur. He’s huge in Iceland and has worked with Fridrick Thor Fridrickson. Isn’t that the English equivalent of Peter Batman Peterson. Seriously, I don’t know the guy’s work other than he directed Wahlberg in Contraband which was a decent film.

So here’s the thing.
The director is best known for directing plays and this felt like that.
It’s funny. The dialogue at least.
I found the story murky, but I always find these framed, running from the law, don’t-know-who-the-bad-guy-really-is, films murky.
So like a play which may not have the same story arc, the characterizations were quite good.
A real chemistry develops between the two stars as they dance around who the other really is  and then of course ultimately have to trust each other to get out alive.
Man that sounds weak.
The film is better than I thought but not for the reasons I thought it would be. How’s that for convoluted?
As an action picture it makes a great comedy.
It was fun and quick paced and I forgave it its sloppy story at times because these guys are interesting.
It may have already left theatres near you but it should make a great rental in a month or two.
As always, other opinions are welcome, but wrong. That’s it for this week. The cheque’s in the mail and I’m outta here Paul