The Electric State

Directors: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, Woody Norman, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Jenny Slate, Alan Tudyk, Brian Cox, Hank Azaria, Colman Domingo, Billy Gardell
Running Time: 128 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★½ (out of ★★★★) 

It's hard to pretend critics' knives weren't already sharpened for the Russo brothers' latest big budget action spectacle, The Electric State, before it was seen. Chalk that up to the "Netflix Effect," where the streamer's fondness for pumping out easily disposable popcorn fare gets blamed for all of entertainment's ills, specifically the sharp decline in theatrical releases. But wishing a film you detest had a wider reach is wild, especially when these titles seem ideal for Netflix's fast food menu style of streaming. You can either take it or leave it, which is the whole point of having options. 

Based on Simon Stålenhag's 2018 illustrated novel, its most glaring flaw is a concept that would have probably worked better as the series many assumed it was after seeing those trailers and commercials. Not as unwatchable as you've heard, it plays like a rushed, far inferior counterpart to Amazon's recent Fallout adaptation, which possessed a gripping human element sorely lacking here. But all the complaints about this being one of the most expensive movies ever made is silly once you realize that statistic will inevitably be topped by something worse in a matter of months.

It's 1994 and the war raging between humans and robots for the past four years has ended, leaving society a post-apocalyptic wasteland where semi-comatose humans are entirely reliant on the Neurocaster virtual reality headsets that helped win the battle. Successfully used for combat drones, the technology stuck around and caught on with the public, allowing them to physically check out while these electronic surrogates live their lives. 

With robots now outlawed and banished to the forbidden "Exclusion Zone," teenager Michelle Greene (Millie Bobby Brown) is visited by a big headed yellow bot named Cosmo (voiced by Alan Tudyk), who's based on a popular cartoon character. But she'll soon discover that inside this steel can is the uploaded consciousness of her gifted younger brother Christopher (Woody Norman), presumed dead in a car accident. 

Escaping her abusive father Ted (Jason Alexander), Michelle and Cosmo join up with military vet turned smuggler Keats (Chris Pratt) and his wisecracking robot Herm (voiced by Anthony Mackie) to find Christopher. Hunted by mercenary Marshall Bradbury (Giancarlo Esposito) as they head toward the Exclusion Zone for clues, Michelle hopes to reunite with her brother. But Neurocaster creator and evil tech mogul Ethan Skate (Stanley Tucci) needs him for more nefarious purposes that could jeopardize humanity's future. 

For better or worse, the Russo's Marvel offerings proved their penchant for efficiently delivering huge, effects laden extravaganzas even when the script's an overstuffed mess. This is one of those, but at least you wouldn't know it from the opening, which details the circumstances and background of this post-war society through documentary style newsreel footage. In fact, most of the world building in its first hour is done well, promising potential we keep waiting to arrive. 

The story dips when flashbacks meant to establish the close bond between Michelle and Christopher feel squeezed in and strangely executed, as their affectionate displays seem laid on unnaturally thick for teen siblings. Whether these scenes are Michelle's rose colored recollections of Christopher or intended to suggest knowledge of his impending doom, they're bizarre, much like Jason Alexander's character, who hovers between being an actual threat and a dimwitted comedic foil.

While Pratt will undoubtedly be accused of playing a variation on his Star-Lord from Guardians of the Galaxy (with some Han Solo thrown in), business does pick up once he's introduced, though not necessarily because he and Brown share such great chemistry. It has more to do with robots Cosmo and Herm, who make a more entertainingly worthwhile pair. 

The group's arrival at the Exclusion Zone represents the film's creative peak, with all the banished bots congregating in a run down mall they've converted into a semi-functional society comprised of colorful characters like Brian Cox's Popfly (a takeoff on the Cincinnati Reds' Mr. Redlegs mascot) and Jenny Slate's Penny Pal letter carrier. But the real star is bespeckled, top hat wearing Mr. Peanut, who Woody Harrelson voices as the wise, soft spoken war vet who signed a peace treaty with President Clinton in an unintentionally hilarious Gump-like scene. He's the bots' leader and may be called to action again, whether he wants it or not.  

MCU writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely sprinkle in politically relevant themes involving the dangers of technology and government overreach, but those familiar messages get muddled amid the bombastic adventure. Much of the last act is driven by the big reveal involving Tucci's evil CEO, and though his intended use of Michelle's brother is obvious even by wacky sci-fi standards, he and Esposito do give the film's two strongest human performances, adding needed dimension to their sneering villains. Key Huy Quan also briefly shows up in a fun role as a doctor who allegedly holds all the answers Michelle's seeking.

Despite creating a retro futuristic alternate 90's world brimming with possibility, The Electric State can't help but feel like a giant AV project assembled from parts of movies that cover similar terrain. Allusions to Edge of Tomorrow, Ready Player One, Five Nights at Freddy's, and even Stranger Things are all noticeable in a picture that isn't the total abomination you've heard, but problematic in important spots. Even with a packed cast of surprisingly huge names in unexpected roles and impressive effects, we're still only left with a mildly painless watch that's biggest offense is its unoriginality.                                                           

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Directors: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic 
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, Sebastian Maniscalco, Kevin Michael Richardson
Running Time: 92 min.
Rating: PG

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

Whatever you may think of it, The Super Mario Bros. Movie looks and feels exactly how most imagine the video game would if adapted into a large-scale animated family film for the masses. But more importantly, directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic capture the feeling associated with playing it and how that can be translated to the screen in ways that satisfy kids unfamiliar with Mario and parents who grew up on him. It's a delicate line to walk, bound to irritate some in the latter group with specific ideas about what the ideal approach should be, as many are still recovering from the disastrous 1993 live-action version that caused studios to swear off the property for decades. 

Illumination comes to the rescue with a refreshingly simple story that distills the character to its purest, most accessible form, hooking the next generation of Nintendo fanatics by sticking to what works and playing it safe. While the noticeable drawback is how closely it resembles all the other modern animated and Disney/Marvel related content, this at least deserves credit for landing on the higher end of that scale. A visual feast that delivers an Oz meets Lego Land vibe, clever Easter eggs are dropped for longtime fans without forgetting it's a kids movie through and through. And that's exactly what this needed to be.    

Italian brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) just opened their own plumbing business in Brooklyn, free from the reigns of their brutish ex-boss Spike (Sebastian Maniscalco). After a rocky first service call, the pair rush to the scene of a giant water main leak, only to be sucked into a Warp Pipe that takes Mario to the bright, candy colored Mushroom Kingdom ruled by Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), while Luigi winds up in the Dark Lands, lorded over by evil Koopa king Bowser (Jack Black). 

Having gained access to the powerful "Super Star," Bowser threatens to destroy the Mushroom Kingdom unless Peach marries him, imprisoning Luigi to intimidate Mario. But after some much needed training from Peach, the red hatted plumber joins her and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key) in attempting to free Luigi and thwart Bower's dastardly plan with Donkey Kong's (Seth Rogen) help. In the process, the brothers learn what they're truly capable of, both together and apart.

With only a handful of game titles to draw from in cracking a story, substantial legwork was likely necessary to flesh out the characters and make them more easily digestible. Matthew Fogel's screenplay smartly takes a straightforward approach, and before calling that a "dumbing down," it helps to remember the challenging task he's dealt. Since overcomplicating an already paper thin premise doesn't serve any meaningful purpose, the movie lightly fills in the blanks and rarely rocks the boat, mostly to its advantage. Mario's a great source of nostalgia for many, but after forty years of  jumping over pipes, eating mushrooms and rescuing princesses, our favorite short, mustachioed plumber in overalls doesn't need a showcase any deeper or more complex than what we get here. 

There's some confusion regarding Mario and Luigi's ages, at times acting like fully functioning adults running their own business, while also coming across as overgrown toddlers, complete with race car posters hanging on the walls of their adjoining bedroom. You can't help but laugh when a later flashback shows them as actual children, looking nearly the same, only slightly smaller and lacking their trademark facial hair. Otherwise, the presentation of these two are spot-on, establishing them as clumsy and endearing, before they're suddenly thrust into a fantastical scenario where Mario must rise to the occasion as a cowardly Luigi learns to overcome his fears. 

Luigi being held captive instead of Peach seems like a deliberate tweak to move past the dated "damsel in distress" concept, and even if this idea isn't as glaringly progressive now than in years past, it still gives Anya Taylor-Joy a lot to work with as the fiesty princess. Many have already complained about the voice casting of Chris Pratt and his attempt at a Brooklyn accent, but the performance is pretty much fine. It's just enough but not too much, with Pratt and Charlie Day bringing enough liveliness and likability to the roles that kids will lose themselves in the their wisecracking ways. As Donkey Kong, Seth Rogen pretty much plays himself in "take it or leave it" mode, but Jack Black exceeds expectations as Bowser, especially during his subversively hilarious singing interludes.

With respect to the slightly younger sibling, it's called Super Mario Bros. for a reason, so Luigi getting sidelined for a long stretch isn't a big issue, especially considering where that sub-plot goes. And game devotees will appreciate just how many details this slides in, like those immediately recognizable obstacles and traps during Mario's training, his Tanooki Suit and the catchy classic theme that provided a soundtrack to many childhoods. More popular songs are squeezed in, but even that works, as everyone involved recognizes how seemingly small stuff matters when attempting to please the entire audience.

Other than a third act Mario Kart sequence that sort of stalls out, the 92-minute run time is gratifying in a sea of bloated two and a half hour family films. If it's a little flat story-wise, that's understandable given the challenge, which could help explain why it took this long to get the franchise off the ground again. Given the limited number of avenues available to explore, the filmmakers shrewdly chose a sensible one, resulting in an effort that gets the important parts right, finally giving the character a chance to be seen and appreciated on the biggest stage possible.                              

Passengers (2016)

Director: Morten Tyldum
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen, Laurence Fishburne
Running Time: 116 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

**Major Spoiler Warning: This review gives away key plot details, including the ending**

What you may not have heard about Passengers is how good a premise it has, exploring some morally deep and heady stuff for a mainstream sci-fi picture starring the two biggest movie stars working right now. For a while, it really has something, with a script that does what the best in this genre demands, painting its characters into a corner and pushing their buttons in such a way that all the filmmakers had to do was step back and let the actors and story organically take us where we needed to go. Halfway to three quarters through, it seems that's exactly where we're headed, until it's abruptly abandoned in favor of sending audiences home happy. Or more accurately, insulting our intelligence.

While still leagues better than it's gotten credit for, what everyone will probably agree on is that the wrong decision was made for silly commercial reasons in the final act. This happens a lot. That the film still works really well despite its conclusion is a testament to all involved since I refuse to believe the ending resulted from anything but wrongheaded studio interference. You may as well post those studio notes right up there on the screen since it's unlikely anyone will be considering much else in the final minutes. Labeled and marketed as a "sci-fi romance" Passengers handles both the former and latter part of that equation exceptionally well with two incredibly likable, skilled actors, but it's the ethical predicament presented at the get-go that will spark arguments and conversation. Had they stuck with that all the way through there's no telling what we could have gotten.

As it stands, this is still a consistently engaging endeavor, featuring performances, production design, music and writing more than a few notches above the standard. Then it just throws its hands in the air and surrenders, doing a disservice to both these actors and the audience. Even worse, the most obvious and effective ending is just sitting there on a platter ready for the taking. Hopefully, there were re-shoots and those scenes are laying around somewhere other than the recesses of our imaginations. Until that sees the light of day, I'll continue to deny the existence of the one we got, even if what precedes it provides unexpected thrills.

The starship Avalon is on a 120 year journey to a new colony called Homestead II, with 5,000 passengers and 258 crew members all comfortably resting in their hibernation pods, set to be awakened a month prior to arrival. But when mechanical engineer Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) awakens 90 years early due to a pod malfunction, he discovers that aside from an android bartender named Arthur (Michael Sheen), he's the only passenger awake on the ship, and faces years of isolation until his eventual death.

Depressed, suicidal and having exhausted the few potential options available to him, Jim discovers the pod of Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) and through her video profile immediately falls for the funny, beautiful journalist. He then makes the controversial decision to awaken her for companionship, thereby dooming her to the same fate as he, dying on this ship years before the rest of the passengers and crew arrive at Homestead II.  Once Aurora is revived, the two grow close, as Jim continues to conceal the truth that her "accidental" awakening had nothing to do with a pod malfunction, Unfortunately, the ship is faces other, bigger problems that could threaten the entire journey.

Right out the gate, the scenario is immediately compelling yet still somewhat of a slow burn as we watch Pratt's character come to the realization that something went very wrong and he'll be spending the rest of his days in solitude.  Him trying to figure out the technicalities associated with that and his slow surrender to that fact that there's no way out are reminiscent of the dilemma faced by Matt Damon's protagonist in The Martian. But while certain problem-solving scenes are similar, there's a key difference that actually works in this film's favor: It isn't intercut with a bunch of muckety mucks goofing it up at NASA. He can't contact home at all so while Mark Watney's life may have been in immediate danger in ways Jim's isn't here, this at least treats its premise of isolation and loneliness dead seriously. So when Jim opens that pod to awaken his sleeping crush it really means something, throwing gasoline on the fire of an ethical dilemma that's already kind of jaw-dropping in its implications.

Those familiar with Chris Pratt's TV career know how good he is and how much more personality and dimension he's capable of showing when not pigeonholed by the action hero mold he's been shoved into thus far on the big screen. In the opening hour and slightly beyond we get a big glimpse of that talent again because he's handed worthwhile material, even if I'll contend it was a mistake to have his character initially come out of the pod looking like he just stepped out of Gold's Gym.
There seems to this push-pull going on with Pratt lately, and through this entire film, where Hollywood is desperate to turn him into the next huge action star under their terms when his skill set doesn't necessarily line up with that, at least in the boneheaded way they want it to. He's better than that.

Often, Pratt's a quirkier and more fun presence than what he's given and if not more selective in his choices he could end up in a similar situation to Tom Cruise, currently on acting auto-pilot in action roles into his 50's. And while it's easy to argue that there are far worse places to be than in Cruise's shoes, this battle with Pratt hasn't really bled it's way onto the screen until now, with this, his best big screen performance so far. While it's almost entirely undermined in the film's final third, the humor, empathy and subtly he brings to this part is matched only by his co-star.

Lawrence and Pratt are simply great together. That's at least partially why the ending is so disappointing. Nothing has to be written to manufacturer or further drive home the connection between Aurora and Jim. They just have it and from the second he opens her pod the two actors have an immediate chemistry that's completely believable, stacking the deck even more until the big reveal comes. And when she does find out the truth and that hammer comes down, does it ever come down, with Lawrence giving a tour de force, driving home to gravity of this lie, which should carry huge repercussions. We witness a few of those, until the movie travels another, less interesting route.

I have no problem with the script veering in a more action-oriented direction, but when it starts leaning more on sub-par, video game looking visual effects than Guy Hendrix Dyas' amazing, Oscar-nominated production design, the film suffers. And the unsatisfying resolution pushes aside the central moral dilemma, until it pops up again at the end in an unwelcome manner meant to give us the warm and fuzzies.

It's almost become a long-running joke in romantic comedies and dramas that in the next to last act the girl finds out a lie the guy has been telling and pushes him away, only to run back into his arms at the end for no good reason other than to put smiles on faces. But this isn't one of those kinds of lies. It's huge and intriguing, with far-reaching ethical concerns about how men and women treat each other, all of which stand as a big compliment to screenwriter Jon Spaihts. Up until then this script is so smart that there's little indication it will lazily fall back on that well-worn cliche. But it does. Both characters can survive. She can even eventually forgive what he does. The ship can arrive safely at its destination years later.  If all this happened under reasonable terms without our strings being pulled or the central premise being undermined, it would be fine. 

While I'm slightly overselling the ending's problems to make a larger point, kudos should go to the talented, if previously nondescript director Morten Tyldum for executing a thankless finale as efficiently as possible. But there is an alternate idea that's floated around for the finish that would have easily taken this to the level it belongs. At the risk of instead reviewing a movie we didn't get, having Jim die to save the ship and passengers on board in the final act seems only logical, with the real kicker being that Aurora is left alone in the same isolated predicament he was. In a Twilight Zone-like twist, she can contemplate awakening a male passenger for companionship, continuing the cycle as the screen cuts to black. That would work brilliantly, standing as a cruel coda on the loneliness and selfishness of human beings put in extreme circumstances. Something like that is certainly more in line with the film's existential tone.

At least Passengers, even at its worst, gives us something meaningful to chew on, which is more than I expected given the brutal reviews and poor box office. That this was a decision or two away from greatness is what makes it so infuriating. Ultimately rescuing it is the pairing of Lawrence and Pratt, its ideas and how this world is so thoroughly realized on a desolate spaceship through the impeccable production design. It has a unique vision, and while some may be bothered by how it casually borrows elements from films like Kubrick's The Shining in the bar scenes, it never hurts to lift from the best, and there's little debate Sheen makes that character all his own.

Unlike last year's 10 Cloverfield Lane, at least it's final minutes don't hinge on a big reveal, the result of which makes or breaks the entire picture. In fact, none of what happens is much of a secret at all, given the studio's questionable call to have the film's advertising essentially spoil the ethical dilemma at its center. Whether it showed a lack of faith in the product or represented a desperate attempt to get potential moviegoers into seats, it may have been an unintentionally shrewd move. That scenario is what it has most going for it, inspiring enough thought and conversation to overcome a poorly realized ending that comes close to undoing the good that came before. That it still can't is reason enough reason to respect Passengers' intentions, while still wondering what could have been.

Jurassic World

Director: Colin Trevorrow
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, B.D. Wong, Irrfan Khan, Jake Johnson, Lauren Lapkus, Judy Greer, Katie McGrath 
Running Time: 124 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

It always seemed the one lost opportunity in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park trilogy was actually setting the action in a fully functioning amusement park filled with people. You'd think adding that element of unpredictable danger to the plot could only heighten the stakes and danger. The entire amusement park concept has been gestating so long that we figured Spielberg must have been saving it for a sequel. Then 15 years passed. And now after sitting in development hell for almost two decades the franchise is resurrected with Jurassic World and the timing strangely seems just right for that big money storyline. Amidst an overcrowded field full of unnecessary remakes, reboots, sequels and prequels, this is the one that feels closest to being necessary because we never really got what we came for.

Despite unleashing a story that was a long time coming and injecting it with a meta subplot that pokes fun at the film's very existence, there were still a number of things that could have gone wrong. Poor casting, the wrong choice of director, bad GCI, a lackluster 3D conversion or an uninspired script could have easily sunk it. Instead, Safety Not Guaranteed director Colin Trevorrow delivers the type of ridiculously fun, pulse-pounding Spielberg-era thrill ride that even Spielberg himself can't seem to make anymore, or at least has chosen to move past after inspiring inferior imitations. This isn't one of them.

Twenty-two years after the horrific incident at Jurassic Park, Jurassic World is open for business and the park's operations manager, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) wants it to make as much money as humanly possible. A corporate ice queen, she brushes the park's sordid history under the rug as she unveils her newest attraction: a genetically modified Indominus rex dinosaur sponsored by Verizon. Inconvenienced by the recent arrival of her sister's (Judy Greer) kids, Zach and Gray (Nick Robinson and Ty Simpkins) to the park, she merely dumps them on her assistant for the day as Velociraptor trainer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) is called in to evaluate the Indominus enclosure before opening. You could probably guess that what unfolds next is a crisis that makes the first three films look like child's play. It's up to Owen and Claire to contain it before lives in the park are lost, including their own.         

There's an early scene where a control room character played by Jake Johnson is showing off the vintage Jurassic Park shirt he won on e-bay, lamenting when the park used to be all about experiencing the wonder of a dinosaur. Now everything has to be bigger and more over-the-top. It's all about the money. While obviously referring to the Indominus attraction, he may as well have been talking about movies, particularly the one we're watching. But Jurassic World fully acknowledging forthcoming criticisms and actively poking fun at itself doesn't make it a good movie, nor should it. What does is the excitement generated on screen, since we're really there to see the dinosaurs wreck havoc.

Trevorrow wastes little time introducing us to the fully functioning theme park, which looks like a Sea World and Disney World hybrid with some surprisingly cool rides and features that seem believable within the confines of the fantasy world Spielberg initially created. As fast as the pace is, there is a considerable amount of time spent building up the first full-on appearance of the Indominus, which doesn't disappoint. It's definitely not Jaws in terms of impactfully limited screen time, but by today's impatient filmmaking standards, Trevorrow's approach is practically restrained.

Much to my relief, the CGI actually looks pretty good, as far as those go, rarely distracting from the action or story. It's also filled with some clever winks and nods throughout the park that let us know this is very much a continuation of the 1993 original and the sequels may as well not exist. Thankfully, John Williams' instantly recognizable, iconic score (the best of his storied career) still does, even if you could quibble with where it lands in the film and how quickly. But at least it's there, which was one of my big worries going in.

With employees clashing over their differing philosophies for the park, it's a given that the uptight Claire and cocky Owen will be brought together by the Indominus escape as she finally learns to care about something other than her job, namely her missing nephews. Her profit-driven approach starkly contrasts with owner Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan), whose chief concerns are the enjoyment and safety of the guests. While both are seriously compromised by Claire's greed, InGen security head Vic Hoskins (Vincent D'Onofrio) is intent on militarizing the dinosaurs as government weapons, crreating an interesting Blackfish-like sub-plot about the humans' control over these creatures. This plays better than expected, with an inexplicably limping, head-tilting D'Onofrio throwing his weight around with the kind of bizarre performance only he could conjure up.

The casting is actually quite creative all-around, avoiding the same four or five names of actors and actresses who usually headline these blockbusters. Chris Pratt will soon likely be one of them, but for now we're still finding out what he can do and what's most surprising about his role is how humorless it is. More Indiana Jones than Han Solo. "Jurassic Parks and Rec" this isn't, as the former Andy Dwyer has to play it mostly straight in order to ground an already far out there plot.

If this is Pratt's Indy audition, he passes with flying colors, and despite being a longtime fan of the actor's work, he quelled most of my concerns that going this route would be a complete misuse of his talents. Instead, the action hero thing seems to suit him just fine and in his scenes opposite Howard he does manage to slide in some of the trademark sarcastic charm and charisma that got him here. He'll probably be cast in everything now, but if it has to be someone, at least it's Pratt, whose sheer likability and presence lifts this kind of material further than it would have otherwise gone.

While Pratt does exactly what's asked of him and surpasses expectations, he is still playing a one-dimensional hero opposite Bryce Dallas Howard's more intriguing character. When was the last time a money hungry, stuck-up corporate suit was the centerpiece of a summer action movie? Howard's always been consistently strong in various projects until disappearing for a while, only to now reemerge four years later in the last movie you'd expect to see her headline. And what a comeback it is, walking right up to that line of playing Claire as an unlikable bitch without ever stepping over it. As a result, the transition she makes to action heroine in the film's second half seems all the more seamless and reasonable, proving her an actress adept at rapidly shifting gears. In an effects driven project that too often relegates performers to window dressing, her performance is remembered. She's really playing two roles, each equally well.

Trevorrow was hired to do a job in which the understanding was he'd be relinquishing a lot of creative freedom. Yet within those parameters, he managed to slide his own vision in there to create something that feels like his rather than a tired retread. One can only hope that similar steps are taken when reviving other dormant franchises ripe for a reimagining or continuation of some kind. This is exactly the story that needed to be told in order to both honor the Spielberg film and move on from it. The final half hour featuring an epic dinosaur confrontation can compete in both scale and thrills with anything from the original. Rarely overstaying its welcome at a brisk two hours, it also features one of the few uses of 3D in recent years that at least seems defensible given the nature of the plot.           

It's funny how some critics have taken Jurassic World to task, making me wonder exactly what they expected or how it could have possibly been improved. It's everything a Summer blockbuster should be and a little more, which may represent the true root of their problem. For all the talk of the film's theme park being nothing more than a cash grab, the movie gets its job done by mocking exactly that, exploiting our fears that the wonder from the original can't be recaptured. The bigger question is why we'd want it to, especially when this sequel is such a worthy successor in its own right.               

Her

Director: Spike Jonze
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt, Matt Letscher, Portia Doubleday, Brian Cox
Running Time: 125 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

I'll have to tread lightly in properly explaining my minor disappointment in Spike Jonze's Her. The very word "disappointment" is a film critic's worst enemy because it implies expectations. That in itself isn't fair, but it's true. When you have a director that's as original and groundbreaking as Jonze you can't help but anticipate a grand slam each time out. It's very good, but leaves this nagging feeling it wasn't all it could have been, despite it being difficult to describe exactly how. To be honest, it's kind of surprising it's struck the chord it has amongst critics and moviegoers, even earning enough admiration to sneak in as a Best Picture nominee. Something this eccentric usually ends up splitting everyone down the middle. But it's easiest to name what it does exceptionally well, and topping the list is the depiction of a near-future that's completely believable in terms of technology and its effect on our lives.

Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), is a shy introvert who works for a company that writes personal love letters, but he's lately been distracted and depressed over his upcoming divorce with childhood sweetheart, Catherine (Rooney Mara). His new rebound girlfriend is an Operating system, or OS, named "Samantha" (voiced by a never seen Scarlett Johansson), who's designed to behave and evolve as an actual human being would. Unready for the commitment that comes with an actual human relationship so soon after the collapse of his marriage, he unrealistically holds out up for a reconciliation with Catherine, even if Samantha seems to be the perfect substitute. For him, it represents the chance to open up about his fears and dreams without having to deal with the complications that might accompany a conventional relationship (or so he initially thinks). For Sam, it's a chance to learn and grow, transcending her role as an OS to more closely resemble an actual person with real, rather than programmed, feelings. Of course, both want something out of this neither can possibly get from the other and with that comes the realization that even an artificially programmed relationship can come with pitfalls. And for the emotional fragile Theodore, just as much pain.

That this still feels like a one man show with so loaded a cast is a credit to what Phoenix does with a role that on paper seems thankless. He steers this premise as far as he can and then some because, if we're being completely honest, this is still about a man who falls in love with his computer. And yet not. It's up to the actors and script to somehow make that concept work, so from that perspective it's hard to call the effort anything other than a success. As for Johansson, it's ironic she isn't physically present to witness what ends up being her most captivating performance in a while. When compiling a list of her greatest attributes, her unmistakably deep and raspy voice probably goes unnoticed by comparison, making it a stroke of casting genius from Jonze to recognize that and nab her. It's also maybe a stroke of luck considering the part was originally intended for Samantha Morton, who was dropped at the last minute. More than that, there's this rare opportunity for Johansson's looks to be taken completely out of the equation. The conversations and flirtation between the two are initially compelling, and when the time comes for their relationship to get "physical," what occurs is downright bizarre.

We know where all this is headed and it's hardly a spoiler to say that Theodore is going to get dumped to learn lessons about life and himself. And that's when it started overstaying its welcome a bit with me in the third act. There are only so many arguments, misunderstandings, make-ups and examples of petty jealousy you can take, especially when one half of the couple is a disembodied voice. And because the relationship is is so believable it almost veers away from speculative sci-fi and social commentary, evolving instead (along with Samantha) into conventional relationship drama territory. When that happened, I started losing interest and at just over two deliberately paced hours, it's arguable Jonze should have spent more time in the editing room. The closing half hour in particular seems to almost spin motionlessly, in search of an ending. Eventually it finds one, even if I'm still not sure it's the one it deserved. 

It's worth noting how everyone around Theodore reacts to his new girlfriend since it teeters on the edge of being completely absurd, while somehow remaining relatively realistic. For ex-wife Catherine, it's the former, and yet another excuse for him to avoid a real adult relationship with responsibility and actual consequences. We're shown poignant glimpses of their marriage and it's relatively easy to judge what went wrong based on flashbacks and a pained conversation  between the two late in the film. His friend Aimee (Amy Adams, basically covering Cameron Diaz's role in Being John Malkovich, complete with the frizzy hair), is supportive, as is his happy-go-lucky co-worker Paul (Chris Pratt). Seeing everyone's differing reactions to Samantha within the context of this society was strangely more interesting to me than anything involving Theodore's relationship with her. But the most discussion-worthy scene involves his blind date with a clingy friend of Aimee's (memorably played by Olivia Wilde), that doesn't at all go in the direction you're expecting, and the result is all the more intriguing because of it.

Her is melancholy in both tone and atmosphere, to the point that at times I found it almost unbearably depressing and claustrophobic, with very few moments of uplift. Even the supposedly happy moments have this tinge of sadness to them. Did it hit too close to home? Am I just sick of watching people on their phones? Or maybe it's impossible to feel any true excitement watching a man fall in love with his operating system. You bring a bit of yourself to every movie you see but that rings especially true here, as anyone who see it is likely to only do so through the filter of their own experiences and relationships. But it sure is something to look at. The world building by Jonze, the costume and production team, and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema is incredible, making it impossible to go through a scene without appreciating all the attention to visual detail. As expected, Arcade Fire's score is top notch. Going just far enough, it resembles a future we'd recognize, but features enough elements that it could easily be mistaken for the present or any other point in time. The aesthetic decisions not only make sense, but don't date the movie, insuring it could be one of the rare future cinematic societies we don't giggle at a few years down the line.  

The situation that unfolds here could literally happen next week, if not right now. Everyone's already figuratively in love with their phones and electronic devices so the idea of a lonely man literally falling in love with one isn't much of a stretch at all. Jonze should be praised for not making that obvious point and turning the premise into a finger wagging condemnation of our obsession with modern technology, which would have been too easy, not to mention pointless. Instead, you could argue the exact opposite argument is made, in that technology can open our hearts and minds, just as long as it isn't used a surrogate for curing the personal problems we heap on ourselves. 

Zero Dark Thirty

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Mark Strong, Jennifer Ehle, Kyle Chandler, Chris Pratt, Edgar Ramirez, Mark Duplass, Frank Grillo, Harold Perrineau, James Gandolfini
Running Time: 157 min.
Rating: R

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)

When we first meet Jessica Chastain's Maya in Zero Dark Thirty, she's silently and nervously watching her CIA colleague Dan (Jason Clarke) interrogate a potential Al-Qaeda suspect. It's an interrogation that soon turns to torture when he tells her to fill a bucket of water. She can barely bring herself to do it and we're thinking there's no way this is the same woman the agency nicknames "killer," much less the one who eventually brings down the most dangerous man in the world. It'll be only moment of hesitancy we see because, like everyone else, we've underestimated her.

At its core this is about a woman who's beyond exceptional at her job, steadfastly refusing to take "no" for an answer. Wherever there's red tape, she walks through it. When superiors are in her way, she plows right over them. Operating with an emotionless, laser-like focus and precision, it's impossible for anyone to deter her from her main objective: Finding and killing Osama Bin Laden. In many respects she's the most patriotic, inspirational protagonist we've seen on screen in some time, but Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow (again corroborating with Hurt Locker writer Mark Boal) won't let us get all warm and fuzzy about it. In fact, she hardly even gives us a moment to come up for air.

The chain of events start on September 11, 2001 but for the film's purposes the really begin in 2003 when Maya's career-long obsession with Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda leads her to be reassigned to the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan where she witnesses and learns Dan's interrogation tactics and gets a potential lead on the whereabouts of Bin Laden's courier and right-hand man, Abu Ahmed. For all the complaints and controversy concerning the depiction of torture to gain valuable intel one of the more under-reported stories about the film is the sheer quantity of it, as the opening thirty minutes of the film is nearly all waterboarding.

The lead Maya gets isn't concrete (as few are) but it's one that stays with her and she obsesses over as she moves up the ranks in the CIA. Her biggest obstacles and bureaucratic and political as she faces off against the agency's Islamabad Station Chief Joseph Bradley (Kyle Chandler), who's more interested in adding notches to his belt by preventing domestic attacks than locating bin Laden. He'll learn that you don't stand in Maya's way. So will his boss (Mark Strong) and so will the CIA's director (James Gandolfini). Maya's greatest strength is in how by sheer force of will and determination she can eliminate those who won't fight for her cause and sympathetically convince those on the fence who she needs (like Edgar Ramirez's Special Division officer) to cooperate.

Maya lives, breathes and sleeps catching bin Laden and has little time for others who won't. When her co-worker (exceptionally played by Jennifer Ehle) asks why she doesn't have a boyfriend her response is exactly what you'd expect. She doesn't care, or she does, she sure as hell won't show it.  This isn't an actor's showcase or typically the type of role that lets a performer show off their chops, which is what makes Chastain's work that much more miraculous. The movie may be ice but somehow she isn't, despite infusing the distant Maya with all the characteristics that should make her difficult to root for under other circumstances. Or it could be that we're just not used to having our female characters written this strongly. It's the rare case where you could change the name on the script to a man's and still be able to leave the rest of the screenplay alone. And to think anyone would claim Chastain's performance isn't paramount to the film's success or somehow takes a back seat to the terror or torture sequences. She's in every scene, carrying this whole thing on her back.

This is a cold, clinical, procedural showing its only signs of a pulse in its unforgettable final scene, which is as strong a finish as you'll see in any film this year. But much like the mission itself, it feels meticulously executed, even as plans constantly change. One lead takes Maya to another lead and then to another after that until the SEAL Team arrives at Bin Laden's compound in the final, thrilling hour. Our appreciation of the steps Boal's script takes us to get there and all suspense rests entirely on the fact that we know the ending, but not necessarily everything. Will we get to see him? Will he say anything? Will we get to know who shot him? And yet these are all trivial questions in Bigelow's world, where the cold, hard truth is a far cry from the sensationalistic dramatization everyone likely expected going in.

It's also about risk. In one key scene a character talks about how it's easy measure the dangers of doing something but the risk of not acting is always trickier to figure out. It's all about weighing the options and for Maya it's her skill, confidence and even a little bit of luck that lands bin Laden on her lap. Her problem is convincing everyone there's a shot, including the members of the Team being thrown into the lion's den. The two we meet (played by Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt) express concerns of their own and they're pretty logical ones. The last 40 minutes of the film are unbearably suspenseful and masterfully edited, almost literally bringing us in the compound to experience details we've only partially been privy to or have just wildly speculated on. Bigelow and Boal could have easily called it a day there, but they thankfully keep going, giving us a glimpse of its aftermath.

If there's a single decision that got Bigelow and Boal into the most trouble it's the disclaimer that appears before the film starts, informing us that it's "based on first-hand accounts of actual events."  If only they knew what they stepped into with that statement, however true it may be. And to be honest, I don't particularly care. This isn't a documentary and they can fudge the truth as much or as little as they want. You don't have to like it, but it's the filmmaker's right. Despite allegations, the movie doesn't automatically take a pro-torture stance by showing. And if Boal did embellish, or even if he made the whole thing up (which by all accounts he didn't), I still wouldn't have cared, just as long as the final product on screen delivers.

All the "controversy" surrounding the film feels like a convenient excuse to have political arguments that should be taking place outside the theater. Still, it's tough to deny any film generating this kind of discussion is at all a bad thing, provided that anger isn't directed at those who made it. The focus should be on how Boal's script somehow condenses a decade's worth of intelligence information into a sustainable, compelling narrative and how Bigelow was able to make an even more muscular and unrelenting film than The Hurt Locker. But Zero Dark Thirty's most controversial stance comes in an ending that's anything but celebratory. It's strangely sad and uncertain, bravely daring to ask the important question: What now?   
              

Moneyball

Director: Bennett Miller
Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, Robin Wright, Kerris Dorsey
Running Time: 133 min.
Rating: PG-13 

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

What struck me most while watching Moneyball was how little I knew about the events that occurred, and whatever I did know, I had problems remembering.  That's sure to be the reaction of anyone watching who's only a casual baseball fan and that's exactly the point. History is written by the winners and the Oakland Athletics didn't win the 2002 World Series despite setting a new Major League record with their 20 game winning streak. In fact, they didn't even make it there. Those aren't spoilers, just statistics in a film that's all about statistics. At one point A's GM Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) says that people only ever remember your last game and he'd be proven right since what happened that year feels like fresh news to anyone who didn't follow the sport closely or read Michael Lewis' 2003 book that provides the film's basis.

Strapped for cash and unable to compete with other teams, Beane improvised and challenged the way those inside baseball thought about and evaluated the sport, even if many didn't feel like admitting it. Interesting and analytical rather than emotional, it's an incredibly welcome change in a genre prone to sentimental grandstanding where it all comes down to the "big game." There's none of that here. Crisply told and featuring two outstanding  performances, this is rousing entertainment at its best. While it'll probably still play best for fans of the sport, it's everybody else who needs to see it and experience the joy of a story told well enough to convert them.

After having star players Johnny Damon and Jason Giambi snatched from the deep pocketed Red Sox and Yankees, Beane is faced with the daunting task of assembling a competitive team despite being the poorest in the league. In a clubhouse full of old school scouts, he's told the answer's what it's always been: Evaluate talent based on their strengths and weaknesses, while factoring in some other intangibles like "look"and "marketability" to obtain the best talent within their price range. It isn't until a trip to Cleveland and an encounter with Yale economics grad Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) that Beane's introduced to a sabermetric method of scouting created by former factory worker Bill James that relies on objective statistics and data rather than a subjective evaluation of a player's perceived strengths and weaknesses. Objectively, only numbers matter. After hiring Brand away from the Indians as his new assistant GM, Beane devises a plan to recruit players based on their on-base percentage and the radical idea causes an uproar amongst his seasoned scouts and enrages manager Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Creating an "island of misfit toys" with players no one wants or would take a chance on, Beane and Brand must overcome a rough start and harsh criticism to turn the Athletics into a winning team again.

The film was co-written by Oscar winning Social Network screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and you can tell. He seems to be on a role lately with adapting non-fiction material and making it crackle on screen, injecting excitement and suspense into conversations about baseball strategy and statistics just as he did for computer programming and courtroom depositions. He does this by not only letting us know the people having the conversations, but conveys what's at stake for them. Billy Beane's own disappointing Major League playing career informs the story through flashbacks since the scouting system he's pushing almost seems to be a bittersweet retaliation at the one that failed him. Pegged as a can't miss prospect he missed big when the Mets drafted him in 1980 management looking at perceived intangibles instead of numbers.

The idea that Beane's ultimate destiny was never to be a player but do this informs every scene, particularly his interaction with the players. There's one involving his attempts to get through to a 37-year-old David Justice (played memorably by Stephen Bishop) that epitomizes the uphill battle he has and the honesty with which he approaches the challenge. Who knows if the conversation even took place but the magic in their exchange is in wondering how great it would be if it went down just like that. Art Howe comes across as the fool of the picture to the point that even calling him the team's manager is a stretch since all he cares about is a contract renewal as Beane handles much of the coaching. You can't watch without wondering how pissed the real Howe must be about this portrayal. On one hand you sympathize with him being undermined at every turn, yet there's no denying it's hilarious, more so with an angry, deadpan Hoffman playing him. The media attributing the A's remarkable turnaround to his brilliant managerial mind provides the biggest laugh of the movie.

This is Brad Pitt's show, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, he gives one of his best performances and is pretty much a lock for a Best actor nomination. While his role earlier in the year in The Tree of Life may have technically been more challenging from a craft perspective, this is the kind of big movie star turn Academy members will be foaming at the mouth to nominate and there's even a good chance he'll win. Charismatic, likable, sympathetic, funny and carrying the entire film with seemingly effortless charm, the full scope of Brad Pitt has never been as prominently displayed as it is here, and in a big studio picture to boot. The level of difficulty hardly matters since it's a virtual highlight reel of all the talents that make him a star, much like Clooney in Michael Clayton, Cruise in Jerry Maguire or Redford in anything during the '70's. The role seems tailor made for him and and watching how everything turned out it's clear he deserves a lot of credit for trusting his instincts and sticking with a project lingering in development hell for years that many didn't think would see the light of day.

While you can use a permanent marker to write in Pitt for a nomination, it wouldn't surprise me if Jonah Hill goes along for the ride in the supporting category as Paul Brand (who's based on real life A's assistant GM Paul DePodesta). After only testing the dramatic waters a little in smaller films, this is Hill's first full plunge into a serious role and it's a pleasant surprise how excellent he is in it and what an oddly effective pair he and Pitt make. Entering a lion's den of locker room traditionalists, Hill plays Brand as extremely knowledgeable, yet overwhelmed and intimidated by the experience. What's neat is how it does contain some of the comic moments you'd expect from him, but restrained in a completely different context. It's easily the best work he's ever done and the true definition of a supporting performance, anchoring the film and Pitt the whole way through as his right-hand man..

In the far smaller but still fairly important role of A's 1st baseman Scott Hatteberg, Parks and Recreation's Chris Pratt is perfectly cast as the shocked and scared premiere pick of Beane and Brand's who has to step up and become the on-field poster boy of their statistical experiment. The little time spent on Beane's personal life is there to advance the sports story that's unfolding and get to know him, which is how it should be. There's just the right amount of emphasis on that and his ex-wife (Robin Wright) and daughter (Kerris Dorsey) that it doesn't feel like an intrusion meant to soften the character or show how his life is in shambles as a lesser script might.

Director Bennett Millers' handling of the material is tremendous in how he visually simplifies what could have been a dense watch for non-sports fans, with the playing scenes only bolstered by Mychael Danna's anthemic score. At 2 hours and 13 minutes the film arguably could have used a snip or a trim, but it's difficult to feel that way watching it. If anything, it's so level-headed and straightforward it's biggest problem may be that it's the type of film easier to respect than love, but time will tell.  When Beane says "it's easy to be romantic about baseball" we expect nothing less than an easy, inspirational conclusion. Instead we get one that leaves you to consider what constitutes "winning" and wondering whether Beane could have been toppled by the very approach he helped popularize. When the title card appeared on screen revealing what became of him since that '02 season, I heard audible gasps of shock from the audience, perhaps a testament to how few still know what he accomplished in a sport primarily concerned with who won the last game.

TV on DVD: Parks and Recreation (Seasons 1 and 2)

Creators: Greg Daniels and Michael Schur 
Starring: Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Jim O' Heir, Paul Schneider 
Original Airdate: 2009-2010 

Season 1: (★★★ out of ★★★★)

Season 2: (★★★★ out of ★★★★)

So, after two years complaining about Netflix, I've finally discovered its biggest benefit. It ties you down and forces you to watch things you either have little interest in or can't motivate yourself into making time for. It's a benefit that's rarely paid off to the extent it has with Parks and Recreation, a show I wouldn't have otherwise watched in its regular Thursday time slot on NBC. It's likely no amount of critical praise or glowing recommendations could have possibly convinced me NBC could actually be airing smart or edgy entertainment, much less what Entertainment Weekly calls the "smartest comedy on TV." The show sharing the same creators and mockumentary style as The Office has caused many to inaccurately label it as a "spin-off" when in it has absolutely nothing in common with that series at at all beyond a mild similarity in presentation. In comedic approach its closer to Arrested Development, and in being the sharpest comedy to air since that ingenious show ended in 2006, it's now filled a giant void . They'll be those who break down and watch, only to get this strange urge to jump ship after the six episode long first season, thinking it just doesn't meet the hype. Don't do it. Throwing in the towel too early is a mistake at the level of abandoning Lost toward the middle of its run. The show builds slowly, with every episode getting a little stronger along the way. That's not to imply there's anything horribly wrong with the first season (other than it being way too short), but it serves mainly as an introduction to the characters and situation, laying the groundwork and planting the seeds for one of the funniest seasons of sitcom comedy in years.

After this methodical start, the writing starts firing on all cylinders in the second season and the show embarks on this creative hot streak, picking up steam with each passing episode, all while hysterically fleshing out every character and finding the perfect tone. If the term "jumping the shark" describes when a show unofficially reaches its expiration date, maybe a new phrase should be instituted to describe when it really finds its groove creatively and there's no looking back. For Parks and Rec it happens toward the end of the first season in an episode entitled "The Banquet." In it, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) the Deputy Director of the Pawnee Parks Department in fictional Pawnee, Indiana arrives at a dinner honoring her mother in a suit with a boyish haircut and her embarrassingly overdressed friend Ann (Rashida Jones) while her boss, Parks Director Ron Swanson (Ken Offerman) proceeds to deliver a speech based entirely on fact ("It is true that you have won this award."). From that moment and the next 25 episodes that followed I couldn't stop laughing once, but to explain to someone who hasn't seen Parks and Rec what makes it so great is difficult. There's definitely a "you had to be there" vibe to this kind of humor that, like Arrested Development, won't hit the mark with everyone and the ratings already reflect that. Comedy is probably the most subjective of all genres, but for those who like it really dry, this hits huge.

The first season mainly centers around a pit that upbeat do-gooder Leslie wants to turn into a park after Ann's freeloading boyfriend Andy Dwyer (Chris Pratt) falls into it, breaking both legs and temporarily derailing his aspiring music "career," which he enthusiastically describes as "Matchbox Twenty meets The Fray." If I ever accidentally fall into a pit I can only hope nurse Ann is there to serve my lazy ass pancakes on the couch and I get to write a song about about my experience as memorable as "The Pit," which Andy eventually performs with his band "Mouse Rat," or whatever they're known as that week, since he continuously changes their name. Leslie's unmotivated local government underlings are initially only window dressing in a first season that focuses on Leslie's social ineptness and overall cluelessness, especially when it comes to her dating life or any kind of decision making. Again, not to say the first six episodes are worthless, but they only serve as an introduction to the workplace setting and a surface glimpse into some of the personalities. It's only when the writers figure out how to flesh out the supporting characters' crazy personal lives and humanize Leslie that the show takes off to absurd heights. There's Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), wannabe club impresario, self-proclaimed ladies' man and "Miss Pawnee" judge who landed a wife way out of his league because she would be deported back to Canada. He's also discovered the most creative use yet for the Roomba vacuum. Look up "deadpan" in the dictionary you'll find a picture of apathetic, eye-rolling college student April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), Ron's eventual assistant who after learning her lesson the hard way now knows to schedule his meetings for "Marchtember Oneteenth." Even seemingly the most minor and hapless of supporting characters, like the clumsy and frequently mocked Jerry Gergich (Jim O' Heir), who's spotlighted in two of the seasons funniest episodes, one involving the design of a new mural (or "murinal" as he mistakenly calls it) and aother centered around his alleged mugging.

Mustachioed legend Ron Swanson is who everyone will justifiably be talking about by the end of the second season, largely because of the performance given by Nick Offerman, who needs an Emmy handed to him right now. To even call this a performance wouldn't do it justice. As the stoic ant-government libertarian he spends most of the first season grimacing behind his desk which happens to be equipped with a loaded rifle. But by the time the second season opens I can't even begin to describe the direction this character takes. Whether he's moonlighting as saxophonist Duke Silver, nursing his unhealthy obsession with breakfast foods, feuding with crazy ex-wife Tammy (guest star Megan Mullally), dressing like Tiger Woods, accepting his "Woman of the Year" award, being aroused by a shoeshine or demonstrating his woodworking skills, Ron Swanson is, quite simply, an American hero. In contrast to his initial appearances as merely a cranky antagonist to Leslie, it's at the start of the second season when Offerman is let loose to lighten up and go in a million different crazy directions with the role, eventually becoming the linchpin of the entire show. And only you see an interview with the actor out of character do you realize how little he resembles the strangely feline-looking man he plays and just how much of a departure it is for this gifted comedian to bring that creation to the screen. 

How registered nurse Ann finds the time to hang out at city hall all the time (even long after the pit is filled in) and becomes Leslie's BFF is kind of a hilarious mystery, but her relationship with city planner Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider) does open the door for the bizarre antics of the now fully recovered Andy Dwyer in season 2, who for my money not only tops Ron as the show's most hilarious character, but qualifies as the funniest character on TV today. If Offerman deserves an Emmy he should cut it in half and split it with Chris Pratt, who some might remember from his stints on Everwood and The O.C. if not for the fact that he's now gained almost as much weight as DeNiro did for Raging Bull. To say he's "let himself go" for this role as 29-year-old with a 5-year-old's brain would be understatement but the transformation isn't just limited to packing the pounds on as he reveals himself to be a brilliant comic actor capable of so much with just a quick physical gesture or expression. Stalking your ex-girlfriend and harassing her current boyfriend should be creepy but Pratt makes Andy seem endearing and almost child-like in his obsession, making all the uncomfortable laughs comfortable. When he actually gets a "real job" as a shoeshinist at city hall in Season 2 it seems like the profession Andy's always been waiting for, second only to his brief stint as FBI agent Bert Macklin.  The romance between he and another character in the second season is brilliant for just how unexpectedly it develops over the course of just a few episodes.

The idea of characters talking to the camera is used much more effectively here than it ever was on The Office, mainly because here it actually seems like they're letting us in on something no one else knows about. Occasionally you'll catch Plaza giving April's "you can't be serious" look of disgust right into the camera while Azari flashes his mischeivous grin that lets you when know Tom is up to no good or hatching a perverted scheme, which is pretty much all the time. It also gives Ron an opportunity to share his anti-government views while delivering some of the show's most quote worthy lines.  Given that there's such a gigantic leap in quality from the first to second season you may wonder what the point is of even watching the first. I don't have an answer for that. No one would be lost with what's happening if they skipped it but for background purposes its advantageous if you're tolerant of giving a show time to grow and come into its own. And truthfully, 6 episodes is quicker than it takes most sitcoms to gain their footing. Most sitcoms never find it. While there isn't an ongoing narrative requiring the level of commitment that was needed for similarly ratings challenged Arrested Development, some of humor does come with the expectation viewers are familiar with previous storylines and inside jokes so I wouldn't recommend just hopping on board mid-run expecting to be blown away. Also like Arrested Development the series thrives on memorable guest stars that actually add something worthwhile and are incorporated seamlessly. In addition to Mullally, just the first two seasons alone have featured appearances from Louis C.K. Fred Armisen, Will Arnett, Andy Samberg, Pamela Reed, Justin Theroux, John Larroquette, Paul Scheer, Michael Gross and most memorable of all, former Indiana Pacer Detlef Schrempf.

If there's one character on the show that always seemed disposable it was Paul Schneider's Mark, so the writers made a reasonable call eliminating him at the end of the second season. That's not a slight on the actor who's laid back coolness provided a nice contrast to the rest of the cast but he really wasn't doing much and could conceivably return in a guest role down the line. The jury's still out on the addition of Rob Lowe and Adam Scott as auditors sent to rescue the Parks department from bankruptcy in the final few episodes and become regular cast members in season 3, but I keep hearing nothing but positives about both of them so it should be interesting to see what they can offer. It's difficult thinking the show could possibly get better than this, its catchy opening theme song can leave my head or I'll eventually be able to adjust to watching it in its regularly scheduled time slot instead of on DVD. That after such an incredibly strong run of episodes it was still almost axed and ordered as a mid-season replacement earlier this year proves just how hard it is to hook viewers and how frustrating it can be for fans trying to spread the word. The "best show you're not watching" is one of those terms that gets thrown around a lot but in the case of Parks and Rec it's actually true.