Category Archives: Acceptable Trash

2009, Acceptable Trash, Comedy, Explicit sex, Explicit sexual discussion, Melodrama, Mostly About Sex, Nudity, Sex Scenes, TV Series

Hung (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Desperate for money after his house burns down, high school basketball coach Ray Drecker (Thomas Jane) makes a drastic decision: He becomes a male escort. With his old flame Tanya (Jane Adams) marketing his “winning tool,” Ray begins servicing the women of Detroit. Meanwhile, he deals with his difficult ex-wife, Jessica (Anne Heche), and her new husband, Ronnie (Eddie Jemison), while trying to help his offbeat teenage kids with their problems.

Ignore the tired joke. This TV series is NOT pornography. In fact there is very little actual sexual activity shown. This series is more a comic soap opera in which a very diverse cast of characters interact. In some ways “Hung” is the Breaking Bad (2008) of the sex world. We are supposed to rationalize Ray Drecker’s new career choice because he has money problems just as we were supposed to justify Walter White’s crystal meth lab because he also has money problems. Just ignore this form of moral retardation and enjoy the fun (in both TV series).

Thomas Jane (Ray Drecker) was 40 when he acted in season 1. Since he was born in Baltimore he MUST be a good actor although I have not yet seen him in anything else.

Jane Adams was Sheila in Little Children (2006). Here she plays Tanya Skagle who is Ray Drecker’s “pimp”. (This is NOT as sordid as it may sound.)

Anne Heche is perfect as Ray’s annoying and neurotic ex-wife Jessica. If I were one of her children, I wouldn’t like her either.

Only one objection comes to mind: Ray and Jessica are physically attractive. So how is it possible that their twin children Damon and Darby are so physically unappealing (to say the least) ? Damon is a Goth who paints his nails black.

2010, Acceptable Trash, Comedy, Gangs, Gay theme, Mayhem, Occasional gore, Super Hero, Suspense, Unusual, Violent, Vulgar

Kick-Ass (2010)

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From NetFlix:

Inspired by his love of comic books, high school student Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) decides to transform himself into a masked crime fighter — a decision that eventually thrusts the teenager into Internet stardom. Soon, Dave’s antics inspire a wave of would-be heroes to don costumes and live out their superhero fantasies. Nicolas Cage, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Chloe Moretz also star in this comic book adaptation from director Matthew Vaughn.

Thanks to my deep-tissue neurological torture-massage specialist Chris Smith (a movie fan) for recommending this outrageous sample of mayhem.

Except for Nicolas Cage, I recognized no other actor. Of course, many of the actors are teenagers. At first my reaction was, “Oh no, not a teenage film !” But stick with the film for awhile and you might enjoy the very, very violent fun in this satire on super heroes. In fact the violence is two things: extreme, and extremely unlikely. Scene after scene the daring duo (Nicolas Cage and the character playing his daughter) perform outrageously impossible feats of marital art, shooting, gun reloading, etc. Without digital techniques this film could not begin to exist.

I am reminded of the 2007 Clive Owen film “Shoot ‘Em Up” in which time after time he performs remarkably impossible shooting sequences. If you enjoyed one of these films, you will probably enjoy the other.

From time to time I really had to laugh at jokes and some slapstick. Warning: this film is not for everyone, and is certainly not for mature audiences, and in fact could easily become another outlandish cult film. Another warning: out of the mouth of the child super hero comes some very vulgar purple prose. Shocking!

Sadly, I enjoyed the spectacle. Shame on me!

2011, Acceptable Trash, Crime, Mayhem, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Violent

The Mechanic (2011)

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From NetFlix:

When his mentor is murdered, lone hit man Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) trains the man’s son, Steve McKenna (Ben Foster), in the ways of the professional kill. Together Arthur and his eager apprentice hunt down those responsible for executing Steve’s father. But the partnership gives rise to new dangers and deceptions. Simon West directs and Donald Sutherland co-stars in this action-packed remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson thriller.

Whoever really performs in the action sequences is a real stuntman athlete. Needless to say, Statham’s firearm aim is always perfect. No matter how many or how big or how well-armed his opponents are, he always wins. So suspend all that disbelief, sit back, and enjoy the well choreographed mayhem.

Expect some completely unnecessary sex scenes. After all, you can’t just have “violence”, you have to have “sex AND violence”.

Actually the story line has a gimmick that works. But who cares ?

2009, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Trash, Corny, Imperfect, Melodrama, Sex Scenes

The Other Woman (2009)

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From NetFlix:

Romance becomes reality for Emilia Greenleaf (Natalie Portman), who wins the heart of the handsome object of her affection (Scott Cohen), only to find that the relationship comes with some very real baggage — including her new beau’s troubled son (Charlie Tahan). Don Roos directs the film adaptation of Ayelet Waldman’s compelling novel, co-starring Lisa Kudrow, Lauren Ambrose and Elizabeth Marvel.

As B-level melodramas go, this one is not a complete waste of time. At the very least Natalie Portman (Emilia) is easy on the eyes, although she doesn’t come across as a great actress. For some reason, her speech seemed downright ordinary, as in American high school. Or perhaps I am harsh. Am I correct in assuming that her character was almost purposely a “home wrecker” ?

Scott Cohen was adequate as the husband, although he did not have to do very much but look concerned. He played in Love and Other Drugs (2010) but I cannot remember having seen him.

Charlie Tahan as the precocious son William played Ethan in I Am Legend (2007). Tahan was well-coached and did his part perfectly.

Most fun for me was watching Lisa Kudrow (who in my mind will always be Phoebe from “Friends”). It is hard to believe that she is now 48 years old. She has never been a great actress but in this film she is really believable as a hard-nosed, determined, resentful, controlling b _ _ _ h. Still her character exhibits some almost noble qualities on one occasion.

Sorry, but for me the ending was a bit too “goody good goody”.

2006, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Trash, Comedy, Computer geeks, Flirting, Slapstick, Vulgar

The IT Crowd (2006)

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From NetFlix:

Enter the glamorous offices of Reynholm Industries, then take the elevator to the basement, where you’ll find the decidedly unglamorous IT support team: slacker Roy (Chris O’Dowd), social misfit Moss (Richard Ayoade) and technically ignorant supervisor Jen (Katherine Parkinson). Together, they find nerd-tastic adventures in this hilarious British sitcom from the producer of “The Office.” The program won a 2008 International Emmy for Best Comedy.

British slapstick is its own type of humor (or should I say “humour”): lots of yelling, pratfalls (although strictly speaking a “pratfall” is a fall to one’s buttocks), and references to excrement. But it is worth waiting for some really funny moments that make me LOL (for those of you on Medicare, “LOL” means “laugh out loud”).

One serious note: I marvel at the wonderfully clear speech enunciation of Chris O’Dowd and of British actors in general. O’Dowd is Irish.

Children might giggle at the bathroom humor.

I LOVE TRASH !

2010, Acceptable Trash, Car Chase, Comedy, Conspiracy, Cynical, Detective, Police Story, Vulgar

The Other Guys (2010)

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From NetFlix:

While an elite pair of New York City cops (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) nabs headlines for their amazing heroics, fellow boys in blue Allen (Will Ferrell) and Terry (Mark Wahlberg) toil in obscurity as lowly desk jockeys, until a big break finally gives them a chance to tackle real police work. Rob Riggle, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton and Steve Coogan co-star in this action-packed comedy directed by Adam McKay.

Even NetFlix suggests on their page for this film that the R13 rating is really iffy for 13 year olds. Much of the script is just plain sophomoric or embarrassingly coarse. That being said, through much of the film I just laughed my head off. Clever sight gags always work for me. But more than that, it is the inane and unexpected dialog written for Ferrell and Wahlberg that was at times really very funny. Wahlberg is more or less the straight man to Ferrell’s off the wall speeches. Could any other actor have substituted for Ferrell (after all, it’s the script that counts) or does he have some special comic talent ?

There is a serious subtext running throughout. Using satire, the film is poking fun at the current corrupt financial culture of the United States. Names like AIG and Goldman Sachs keep popping up. Pay attention to the final credits which present an animated lecture showing just how much the financial CEOs profited from the losses of the “little people” (that’s most of us, folks!).

2008, Acceptable Trash, Car Chase, Gangs, Kidnapping, Revenge, Super Hero, Suspense, Torture, Violent

Taken (2008)

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From NetFlix:

While vacationing with a friend in Paris, an American girl (Maggie Grace) is kidnapped by a gang of human traffickers intent on selling her into forced prostitution. Working against the clock, her ex-spy father (Liam Neeson) must pull out all the stops to save her. But with his best years possibly behind him, the job may be more than he can handle. Famke Janssen also stars in this relentless action-thriller from director Pierre Morel.

Perhaps we should rate these kidnap-revenge films by body count. Either Man on Fire (2004) or this film might be clear winners. In fact both films share a common laughable trait: Denzel Washington in the former and Liam Neeson in this film are presented as outrageous superheros who never fail in each encounter with villainous bad guys. Liam Neeson never met a neck he couldn’t break. Only once is our hero trapped (in a Parisian underground auction house for kidnapped virgins to be purchased by shieks) and even then his chains pull miraculously from the ceiling.

Perhaps we should rate these films by stereotypes encountered. In “Man on Fire” Mexico was the cliché target. In this film consider:

  • Albanians are genetically inclined to kidnap well-off young female tourists in order to make them drug addicts and prostitutes.
  • French bureaucrats are mostly corrupt.
  • Wealthy sheiks purchase kidnapped virgins for their evil purposes
  • You really don’t love your daughter unless you give her a horse on one of her birthdays.
  • American spy operatives are in such incredible physical shape that they can outrun automobiles (and speeding bullets).
  • And the list goes on.

My big disappointment was that in the end our hero did not taunt his ex-wife with a really nasty “I told you so!”. And, by the way, the lead up to his agreeing to let his 17 year old daughter travel with a (really dizzy) girl friend to Paris is well done.

Despite all these objections, I was glued to the screen. But then I LOVE TRASH

2006, Acceptable for children, Acceptable Trash, Comedy, Flirting, Made For TV, Sci-Fi

Eureka (2006)

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From NetFLix:

The premiere season of this quirky sci-fi series kicks off with stranded U.S. Marshal Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) wandering into a remote town populated by geniuses, a not-so-sleepy hamlet harboring a slew of government secrets and bizarre mysteries. Assuming the duties of sheriff, Carter navigates the strange goings on in Eureka, including alien abductions, control-freak computers, poisonous pollens and more.

NetFlix offers 4 seasons in 5 packages. Season 3 has parts A and B. Season 1 was a package of 3 DVDs.

Think Warehouse 13 (2009) and you get the flavor of a mixture of (probably very bad) science and comedy. In Eureka Sheriff Jack Carter does friendly battle with his rebellious daughter following his separation from his wife. And he flirts with the not-yet-divorced wife of the directory of the science foundation. There are lots of funny comments: “Do you dream of world domination ? – Well, not all the time.” Not to be taken seriously. It’s just fun sci-fi from the SyFy channel.

Note that Saul Rubinek, who was one of the main characters (Artie Nielson) in “Warehouse 13”, has a part in one of the Season 1 episodes.

2009, Acceptable Trash, Fantasy, Funny at times, Sci-Fi, Suspense, TV Series

Warehouse 13 (2009)

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From NetFlix:

After saving the president’s life, Secret Service agents Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) and Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) receive orders to report to a top-secret location. They soon discover that their new jobs entail guarding mystical items contained in Warehouse 13. They also must monitor unusual events all over the country and track down additional mysterious articles for government safekeeping in this supernatural action series.

This B-grade escapee from the SyFy channel is just mindless fun. Pete and Myka spend their time flirting and searching for dangerous artifacts. Some episodes are better than others, but for the most part I get hooked once the plot gets moving.

As of this writing, only season 1 is available on DVD.

OK for kids.

Call it acceptable escape or whatever, just tune out and enjoy.

I LOVE TRASH!

2008, Acceptable Trash, Explicit sex, Gay theme, Love Story, Made For TV, Nudity, Occasional gore, Psychic Phenomena, Serial Killer, Suspense, Vampire, Violent

True Blood (2008)

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From NetFlix:

Mind-reading waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, in a Golden Globe-winning role) dives into a complicated relationship when she falls for vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) in a world where the undead live openly and drink synthetic blood. Trying to improve their image and legitimize their finances, the out-of-the-coffin bloodsuckers hire PR firms and contribute to influential Republican politicians, among other tactics.

Get ready for two seasons of sex, violence, vampires in a well-made TV series of pure unadulterated fun and trash. From episode to episode the writers just get it right. A very young cast does a superb acting job. After watching for awhile I find myself thinking in a southern drawl. This is not gorn (gory porn). For a series on vampires, the writing is thoughtful and metaphorical. By metaphorical I mean that the premise of the series is that the United States is now in an epoch in which vampires are asserting their constitutional rights as is also the gay population. People now get addicted to the new drug of choice: vampire blood (known as “V”). Eventually characters get unwittingly involved with far-right groups out to attack vampires (and gays). Other oddities appear such as shape shifters. The sex is quite explicit and plentiful.

I LOVE TRASH !