Ted

-

Ted
Starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale
Directed by Seth MacFarlane

Growing up, young John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) didn't have any friends, and one Christmas he received a teddy bear he called Ted.  One night he wished that Ted would be real so he would have a friend, and the next day Ted comes alive, and the two become best friends.  Ted's magical transformation also draws attention to national and international news, and he becomes an overnight celebrity, all the while maintaining his friendship with John.

As John grows up, he meets and falls in love with Lori (Mila Kunis), and, after four years of being together, she wants to take things to the next level.  The only issue is that John still has Ted, who has become a bitterly sarcastic, drunk, pot-smoking bad influence on John, who refuses to grow up.  Eventually Lori gives him an ultimatum - either it's her, or Ted. 

Seth MacFarlane, who is best known for creating and voicing the hit Fox series "Family Guy," directs his first live-action film which, currently, holds the distinction of being the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time.  He delivers his "Family Guy" style humor in droves in "Ted," which results in several laugh-out-loud moments, but he also gives a heartfelt undertone to the film that really draws you in, making you totally oblivious of the fact until the end. 

A brilliant blend of humor and heart, yet this film is definitely not geared for a family-friendly movie night.  This is one teddy bear you won't want for your children - but might want for yourself.

My Rating: A

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Major Theatrical Releases May 2019

-
Image
Major Theatrical Releases May 2019 After the hype that is "Avengers: Endgame," May offers a massive collection of differing types of movies, enough to entertain everyone. Here are the major theatrical releases for May 2019. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** **DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**  The Intruder May 3 Dennis Quaid goes from starring the family-friendly "A Dog's Journey" to playing a total psycho in "The Intruder."  When a young couple purchases a home from Quaid's character Charlie, they didn't realize it came with an addition - Charlie himself, who can't seem to let his old home go.  I don't expect any twists or turns in this tale, and this looks like a film better fit for Lifetime than the big screen.  Long Shot May 3 Charlize Theron stars as Charlotte Field, the current Secretary of State and who's running for President.  Seth Rogen stars as Fred Flarsky, a...
Read more

Witch

-
Image
Witch Starring Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Fabrizio Santino Directed by Craig Hinde & Marc Zammit Movies about witches are about a dime a dozen, and follow the same formula: typically set in a time period long ago (since now, fortunately, the stigma of witches has been lessened and the religious fervor has diminished), in a small Puritanical town, a girl is accused of witchcraft which spirals the town into a frenzy filled with suspicion, doubt, and murder until the witch is put to religious justice. While that's not necessarily a bad formula (Robert Eggers' "The VVitch" and Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" immediately come to mind), most films fall by the wayside. "Witch" is a small film that, at first glance, seems to follow the mold before completely shattering it in a second act twist that's daring, provocative, and works in a lot of levels, but could've been more pronounced if given a bigger budget. In the small ...
Read more

Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"

-
Image
Special Review: "Midwest Sessions" Directed by Mario Ricciardi Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way. Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects a...
Read more