The Quick and Dirties: Sex Tape, Obvious Child, About Last Night, etc.

On this edition of The Quick and Dirties we're gettin' real dirty. Yup, we're talkin' 'bout sex.

Sex Tape

(2014)

This is a movie more clearly divided into a beginning, middle, and end than any movie in recent memory. The beginning and end are fairly good, if borderline pornographic. They're of the whimsical, soft-core variety, and maintain a sense of fun. Given that one half of our perpetually naked pair during these sequences is Cameron Diaz, I think it's sexy, too. The beginning is particularly solid. While not exactly offering new insight, it does speak volumes to certain demographics. During the end, we get to see much of the titular sex tape and gleam some laughter from all the things the couple in question are trying to do. In the interim, they mostly keep their clothes on and do things that are stupid, but not funny. The plot involves Diaz and Jason Segel as a married couple with a pair of kids. They decide that making a sex tape will put the zing back in their relationship. Instead of erasing it, as agreed upon, Segel accidentally sends it to a bunch of people. The two then go on a wild goose chase to retrieve all the copies. This portion of the movie falls flat. There are a few moments here and theres that work. Most happen when Rob Corddry and Ellie Kemper are on the screen as another married couple who decide to help our heroes on their mission. I don't think it's as bad as everyone else seems to, but it's not good, either. After all, that flat middle makes up the bulk of the movie.

Obvious Child

(2014)

Budding stand-up comedienne and part-time bookstore clerk Dana (Slate) finds herself pregnant after a drunken one-night stand with Max (Lacy). She immediately decides she is going to have an abortion. Her appointment is coming up quickly. During this time Max starts hanging around the club where she does all of her performances. He's unaware of what's going on, but genuinely likes her. She likes him, too, but keeps avoiding him due to her circumstances. What ensues is a quirky rom-com that succeeds largely on the strength of our charming lead character. We walk with her as she tries to navigate her problems. Trust me, she has plenty. However, through it all she's someone we want to give a hug. It helps that she is dealing with her issues in realistic ways. She is far from perfect and even understands that she's making mistakes as she continues to make them. Jenny Slate is wonderful in the role. I don't think she could've played it any better. As a whole, the movie is not often laugh out loud funny, but does keep us with a knowing smile pretty much throughout. It also earns points for both not shying away from the abortion at its core, but not making the movie completely about it, either. For some, this might be too flippant a treatment. Of course, some just aren't going to be able to keep themselves from arguing their viewpoint on the matter. The movie isn't about that, though. It's about a woman going through some things and learning as she goes.

A Snake of June

AKA Rokugatsu no hebi

(2002)

Rinko Tatsumi (Kurosawa) is a counselor for a suicide hot-line. She’s contacted by one of the people she helped who has been spying on her. He blackmails her into carrying out sexual desires in public which she had only previously acted on alone. It’s one of those movies that’s interesting to watch yet has such a anti-climactic ending that it seems like a waste. Pretty much the same feeling I got watching Eyes Wide Shut. The methodical pace & blue lighting – yes the entire movie is shot through what appears to be a blue tinted filter – makes this seem like more of a lyrical exercise than a movie. Its expertly shot and gained some critical acclaim but felt like all style & little substance to me. It seems that because its bazaar some people assume its brilliant. Though I didn’t think it was all that great I also get the feeling that maybe I just don’t get it. So I can’t say don’t watch it only to be open-minded when you do. Subtitled so bring your reading glasses.

About Last Night

(2014)

A pair of buddies, Danny (Michael Ealy) and Bernie (Kevin Hart) each pick up a girl in a bar one night. Danny picks up Debbie (Joy Bryant) and Bernie snags Joan (Regina Hall). The newly formed couples go their separate ways and both wind up having sex that very night. Danny and Debbie soon move in together and go through the normal ups and downs of a relationship. Meanwhile, Bernie and Joan have a rather contentious on-again, off-again affair. Yes, this is a remake of the 1986 movie of the same name. Danny and Debbie's relationship dominates the movie. We get nice earnest performances from Ealy and Bryant making them a likable and believable couple. They're undermined by a script that brings nothing new to the rom-com table. More troublesome are the other two main characters. As unoriginal as they are, Danny and Debbie are at least cool people to spend time with. The same can't be said for Bernie and Joan. They are two unlikable individuals who spend all their time hurling insults at everyone around, especially each other. Then they hop into bed together. There comes a point where the movie wants us to be in their corner, yet we just can't get there because these people are repulsive. As a whole, About Last Night is a middling romantic comedy that mostly paints by numbers. When it's not doing that, it's trying too hard to get laughs through the various insults tossed around. This creates a movie that's heavy on the romance, light on the comedy, and entirely forgettable.

Schoolgirl Hitch Hikers

AKA Juenes filles impudiques

(1973)

Let's get this out of the way quick: there is absolutely no hitch-hiking involved. There are two girls just walking along the woods when they come upon what they think is an abandoned house. They go inside, hop in bed and get it on. Afterwards, they find out some guy is actually living there so they get it on with him. The girls leave the next morning and set up a tent in the woods. it turns out the guy is a small-time thug and tells his boss that the girls have stolen the stash she came to collect. They go get the girls out the woods (which I think are in the backyard). Lots of really tame torture and soft-core gettin' it on ensues. Oh, and a lame shootout and generally dumb things happening. 70s sexploitation at its best...or worse...or best-worst...or...forget it. Let's just call it so-bad-its-awesome.

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