Do you know what else I can’t believe? Not only did My Fair Lady slide into review number 150, but according to the website stats it is currently the most read post! I am debating serious issues here like MacFarlane vs Judge and the treacherous trio are holding at number one–for now–just remember revenge is a dish best served cold!
Author Archives: JPFmovies
McFarlane or Judge—You be the Judge of this Part I.
The way I see it there are two contemporaries that are at the forefront of satire: Seth MacFarlane and Mike Judge. Judge of course is the creator of such masterpieces as Office Space, Idiocracy and King of the Hill versus McFarlane the creator of Family Guy and American Dad. Perhaps we are splitting hairs here but I think the question needs to be looked at and of course, there is no right or wrong answers, just our opinions. Naturally, my opinion will carry more weight but that is a topic for later.
Let’s start with McFarlane. His original claim to fame was the animated edgy TV show The Family Guy. The Family Guy has an interesting story because it started off on Fox but shortly after the third season aired in 2001, Fox canceled the series and it was difficult to find networks that were interested; the Cartoon Network eventually bought it and the Family Guy appeared in reruns on Adult Swim in April of 2003, immediately becoming the block’s top-rated program, dominating late night viewing in its time period and increased viewership by 239%. The complete first and second seasons were released on DVD the same week as the show premiered on Adult Swim, and the show became a cult phenomenon, selling 400,000 copies within one month and reached 2.2 million copies overall becoming the best-selling television DVD of 2003 and the second highest-selling television DVD ever, behind the first season of Comedy Central’s Chappelle’s Show. The third season DVD release also sold more than a million copies. Fox had realized it had made a mistake based on the show’s popularity in DVD sales and reruns thus rekindling their interest and ordered 35 new episodes of Family Guy making the first TV show comeback based on DVD sales. The show is now entering its 10th season and is remaining relatively fresh in its content and humor. Its unique style of humor is based on the filmmaking technique of cutaways, which occur in the majority of Family Guy episodes and satirize current and past cultural and political icons.
The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian. The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and exhibits much of its humor in the form of cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture.
The family Guy is not without its critics. Many activist groups often complain that the episodes get a little too edgy or tasteless for their beliefs. Obviously, their complaints have fallen on deaf ears (like they should have) as the show continues to be a success without changing its theme or modus operandi.
McFarlane’s next big success was the show American Dad. American Dad follows the events of CIA agent Stan Smith and his family and unlike Family Guy, American Dad does not contain cutaway gags, but relies more on situational humor and non-sequiturs—thus showing some versatility in McFarlane’s repertoire. American Dad does not have quite the interesting history that the Family Guy does and is more traditional. American Dad was officially renewed for a seventh season, bringing the series through 2011–12.
American Dad centers on the domestic life of its nominal title character, Stan Smith, a staunchly conservative, Republican, CIA agent and self-proclaimed patriot. He is married to Francine Smith, a ditzy housewife who is trying to make up for a wild youth. Their two children are Hayley, a liberal college-aged activist who Stan joneses about often, and Steve, a nerdy high schooler who can never really measure up to the high standards in place for him. The Smith family is also in possession of two bizarre nonhumans — Roger, a disguise wearing escaped alien from Area 51 whom Stan is covertly housing in defiance of his employer due to the fact that Stan owes Roger a “life debt” (until he saves Roger’s life and then admits he likes Roger), and Klaus, an anthropomorphic goldfish that the CIA implanted with the brain of an East German Olympic ski jumper, who seems to have a thing for Francine.
The Smith family resides on 43 Cherry Street, in the fictional community of Langley Falls, Virginia in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The town name is a composite of Langley and Great Falls, two unincorporated communities located in Fairfax County.
Plots center on the misadventures of various characters in their respective idioms. Recurring themes include Stan’s desire to see Steve mature properly, Roger’s rampant alcohol abuse, disguises and personalities and desires to establish a life outside of the house, Francine’s desire of breaking out of an overly structured lifestyle, Hayley’s desire to rebel against her father’s politics, and Steve’s desire to finally become one of the cool kids and “get some boob.” Stan’s conservatism is treated as buffoonish and self-deprecating.
No doubt about it, in my opinion American Dad is a great show, in particular I love Roger’s multiple disguises and personalities as he tries to interact with the outside world with a hefty dose of booze to lubricate the social wheels. Here is my favorite episode in its entirety–Enjoy!
Next time we’ll take a look at Mike Judge another satirical icon of our day.
I can’t believe I announced that the next review was JPFmovies’ 150th review and I got back doored with My Fair Lady!
There is treachery afoot! It is clear to me now how I was sandbagged by two girls (8 & 13 years old) and their mother. Conveniently when someone who shall remain nameless (Bonnie) was posting the My Fair Lady review, she obviously stumbled upon the counter showing that JPFMovies was on its 149th review and, after claiming she quote “published it,” after I announced our 150th review extravaganza, all of a sudden, My Fair Lady appeared in the “draft but unpublished” section of the site. Naturally, it was published and became by default review number 150.
Of course, these three fine ladies are feigning ignorance, claiming, among other things, that they just didn’t know that it was not published or how to publish it correctly. I find that hard to believe considering that one of the three has several websites on which she works and is a professional blogger. I have no doubt that the three conspired against JPFMovies to slip My Fair Lady into the prime slot of review number 150. The question is, what can I do about it? Answer: nothing. We will just have to keep a more vigilant eye on the behind the scenes production here at JPFMovies.
I still can’t believe I got sandbagged by those three girls.
–A Defeated JPFMovies
My Fair Lady: “It was funny and it didn’t have a lot of kissing.”
Guest reviewers Emma (age 13) and Sally (age 8) have agreed to provide this review of the Audrey Hepburn (with singing by Julie Andrews) and Rex Harrison classic My Fair Lady in interview format. For those philistines who may not have seen this film, it is a remake of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, about a British professor of phonetics who makes a bet that he can transform a flower girl with an atrocious accent into a duchess suitable for presentation at an Embassy ball.
Emma and Sally have chosen their favorite scenes, three of which are clipped below.
How did you like this movie?
Sally: It was funny and it didn’t have a lot of kissing.
Emma: It was weird.
Would you watch it again if you had the chance?
Sally: Yes.
Emma: Probably.
Sally: I gave a definite answer!
Who was your favorite character?
Sally: Eliza.
Emma: Eliza.
What did you think of Henry Higgins’ attitudes toward women?
Sally: Kind of cruel.
Emma: Weird.
What did you think of Henry Higgins’ teaching methods?
Sally: Bad. Very bad. He put marbles in her mouth and when she swallowed one he said he had plenty more.
Emma: Strange.
Sally: Crazy?
What did you think when Henry Higgins’ mother commented, “Henry! What a disagreeable surprise”?
Sally (laughing): It was so funny!
Emma: Well, it was funny.
Is it true in our society that how you talk affects how people treat you?
Sally: No.
Emma: No.
Sally: Not at all. Definitely not at all.
Emma: Only grammar teachers.
Sally: Oh, yeah. But that doesn’t really affect how they treat you.
Emma: Well, they might scold you or correct you.
Did you like how Eliza talked better at the beginning or end of the movie?
Emma: At the beginning.
Sally: Both, they’re equally good — actually, the beginning was funnier.
Which was better, Cinderella’s ball or My Fair Lady’s ball?
Sally: My Fair Lady‘s ball.
Emma: My Fair Lady‘s ball.
Would you rather watch this movie or an episode of King of the Hill?
Emma: That depends. What episode?
Sally: That’s a cruel question! They’re equally good!
Should JPFMovies give this movie a rose, a rosebud, or…?
Sally: A rose because it’s the best.
Emma: A rose.
Sally (singing): A rose a rose a rose, a rose!
What rating do you think JPFMovies would give this movie?
Sally: Well, he didn’t want to watch it, so obviously he wouldn’t like it.
Emma: Has he even seen it? I don’t know.
Final comments:
Emma (upon reading the review): What! We never agreed to provide this review!
Sally: We did not agree to provide information for this review! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Here at JPFmovies our next post will be our 150th!
That is right movie fans, our next post will be number 150. I would like to personally thank all your for keeping me inspired to look at the good, the bad and the ugly films.
Rough Cut (2008)–Since Bonnie Can’t get her act together on Hero.
I apologize to all of our family here at JPFmovies for falling down on the job but I was trying to force bonnie to get her Hero review done before I put anything else up. That was six months ago and just can’t take her inability to post a simple movie review anymore.
Su-ta (Kang Ji-hwan) is an aggressive, arrogant and spoiled movie star who not surprisingly routinely plays yakuza type gangster-roles and has a tendency to throw a punch in real life to increase his fame, but he seriously injures another actor on the set of his new film and the production is suspended as a result no other actor is willing to fill the role of his adversary.
Gang-pae (So Ji-sub) is a real, smooth gangster who despite his youth has risen to No. 2 in his organized crime ring. He is the gang’s troubleshooter and top fighter. He is also a big movie fan, often sneaking off alone to watch flicks. One night, Gang-Pae hears that Su-Ta is drinking in the same bar and he orders one of his men to get Su-ta’s autograph. The short-tempered Su-ta refuses and this leads to a confrontation between Gang-Pae and Su-Ta.
A few days later, Su-Ta critically injures yet another actor while filming a fight scene. Filming now comes to a halt, because no other actors will work with the short tempered and spoiled movie star. Su-ta then thinks backs to his confrontation with Gang-Pae and recalls Gang-Pae mentioning he performed as an extra in a film before. He then contacts Gang-Pae and offers him the co-starring role. Gang-pae agrees, but with one condition: instead of simulated blows, they will fight for real in front of the cameras.
As production of the movie moves forward, Gang-Pae starts falling down on his day job as the deputy chief gangster (as well as kicking Su-Ta’s ass in the scenes). The “chairman” of the gang loses patience and eventually refuses to see him (he is in jail awaiting trial). This is not good news for Gang-Pae and his men are forced to take emergency action to protect themselves and their organization. I am not going to spoil the ending to encourage you to watch the film, but I will say that it concludes with a punch to your nose, and its final image will linger in your memory.
Rough Cut’s interesting premise delves into parallel stories involving Gang-pae’s gangster life, the filming of the movie within a movie, and Su-ta’s shallow personal life. If the story seems convoluted don’t worry, it is linear and doesn’t bother to delve more than skin deep examining those issues. The film’s focus is rather on two men and their violent confrontations on screen. Ji-seob So becomes an incredibly charismatic figure. Using his calm, cool demeanor that houses a monsoon of emotions underneath, Ji-seob So quickly takes over the film until it is literally his movie. His counterpart (and good friend in real life) Ji-hwan Kang, performs satisfactorily as “Su-ta,” but there is a mile difference between their screen presence. Rough Cut has what it takes to win you over with ease.
Watch it, it has all of the elements of a good JPFmovies film—which is hard to come by. And yes Dangerous you will like the choreography of the fights scenes in this film.
J.P.'s I'm Outta Here Movie Thoughts 