Frat Boys & Rage

Over the past week I've managed to watch two Will Ferrell movies: Old School and Anchorman.

Old School is a funny parody of frat house life and how some men will never leave the frat, at least in spirit. The basic premise of the show is that when one of the three friends around which the story centers is cheated on by his girlfriend, the other two decide to set-up a frat house to re-live their rowdy college days. (The story line is bit more complex but that's the gist of it.)

Will Ferrell is, as always, hilarious. One of the funniest moments is when he, in a drunken haze following too much time with a Beer bong, decides to "go streaking in the quad". As he saunters down the streets of his town, his wife comes driving up and immediately recognizes the lilly-white backside jiggling its way up the road. Making fun of the whole fat-house lifestyle is fodder for countless movie classics (Animal House, etc.) and this particular movies finds its niche by focusing on the desire of some men to return to their golden youth. I particularly enjoyed the movie's focus on the strange variety of pledges the frat seeks. Instead of the typical jocks, this fraternity picks up the "outcasts" of the college, including geeks, the elderly, the obese, etc. All very atypical types for the typical college fraternity.

Although many of the jokes are very humorous, I have to say that I was turned-off by the gratuitous nudity, foul language and some of the coarse sexual humor. (Hollywood, it is possible to make clean comedies!) Minus a few of the more offensive scenes, this could be a college classic.

Anchorman was not as funny as Old School but I enjoyed the comedic treatment of local news media. It's about time someone (other than Jon Stewart) took a shot at the absurdity of television journalism. All three of the stars of Old School either star in the movie or make an appearance. (In fact, all of the current top movie comedians make some type of a cameo.)

The story centers around Ron Burgundy, the arrogant, idiotic anchor of a local news channel in San Diego in the 1970s. He and his equally-idiotic all-male news crew are faced with the challenge of incorporating a woman into the group. Most of the jokes find their source in the misogynist climate that many women most likely faced when they first entered the predominately-male world of journalism. Although the movie seeks to ridicule sexual harassment and discrimination, I couldn't help but feel that the script catered to those most likely to find such things acceptable. I loved how the idiocy of local news is lampooned by focusing on its more absurd aspects, but I did not enjoy the humor that objectified women.

I also watched a movie genre that I would ordinarily never view but made an exception for a favorite actor (the things I'll do for talented, cute guys!). I watched the horror flick 28 Days Later starring Cillian Murphy. Despite the fact that it was a foreign film (I think it's British) it was quite a hit when it premiered last year. Because of its success, the movie has helped bolster Cillian's career; many more Americans recognize him due to this role. Cillian first caught my eye 4 years ago when he starred in a BBC adaptation of Anthony Trollope's book, The Way We Live Now. As soon as I laid eyes on him I knew he was destined for stardom. (He's set to star in the latest Batman movie due out next year sometime.)

From what I understand, 28 Days Later is meant to have a philosophical message. The story is about a laboratory-created disease that is accidentally released on the public. The highly contagious disease causes the carriers to act like savage beasts within 10 seconds of being exposed to it. In a rage, they immediately start killing those around them. Cillian plays a bike courier who awakes to find himself in a hospital with no recollection of what has happened to him. He has been in a coma and has no idea that England has been ravaged by this killer disease. He fortunately finds some fellow survivors who help him escape from "the infected".

This movie reminds me a lot of Charleton Heston's movie, The Omega Man. If you've seen that movie, then 28 Days Later won't be a new concept. The philosophical message of the movie is that men, under extreme circumstances, will behave in the most brutal manner. Whether or not they have the rage "disease", men are still capable of unimaginable cruelty. In the end, you're left wondering if there is much difference between those who are infected and those who fight for their survival. Although I don't enjoy horror flicks, this was a pretty mild one so I was able to handle it. However, I must warn you that in two scenes you see a *lot more* of Cillian Murphy that you'd probably want to; Europeans are more relaxed in their standards regarding male (and female) nudity. Not a bad film, but not that great either. I can't wait to see Cillian in some more mainstream roles.