Mr. Popper's Penguins

Released Year: 2011

Directed by Mark Waters

Casted by:

Jim Carrey as Thomas "Tom" Popper, Jr.

Carla Gugino as Amanda Popper

Madeline Carroll as Janie Popper

Maxwell Perry Cotton as Billy "Bill" Popper

Angela Lansbury as Selma Van Gundy

Story:

Thomas "Tom" Popper is a divorced real-estate entrepreneur whose father traveled around the world during his childhood. He learns that his father has died during an adventure to Antarctica and discovers that his father's will asks for his son to be given a souvenir from his last adventure. The next week, a crate containing a gentoo penguin (Captain) shows up at his doorstep. Eventually, five more penguins arrive. Popper intends to give them away but changes his mind when his children, Janie and Billy, think that the animals are Billy's birthday present. That night, Popper meets with New York zookeeper Nat Jones, who asks for the penguins. Popper tries to stall him by asking him to collect the penguins another time. Jones agrees but not before warning that the conditions in Popper's apartment are not good enough to raise penguins. Popper is forced to pay the board of his apartment to keep the penguins in his apartment and lies to his arrogant neighbor Kent about there being no animals in his home.

At work, Popper is given the task of buying Tavern on the Green, an old restaurant where he used to eat with his father as a child, with the intent of tearing it down and building a new development in its place. However, its elderly owner, Selma Van Gundy, will only sell it to a person of true value. Popper has unsuccessful meetings with her, and she refuses to sell to him. Having the penguins around helps Popper become closer to his children. He also begins dating their mother, Amanda Popper, again. The penguins eventually lay three eggs. Two eggs hatch, and one doesn’t. Popper becomes obsessed with seeing the last egg hatch, losing his job in the process when he angers his bosses for not focusing on the tavern.

Upon realizing from Jones that the egg can’t be hatched, Popper feels he is not capable of raising the penguins and donates them to Jones for the New York Zoo. He then is re-hired by his bosses and refocuses on purchasing the Tavern on the Green. His children and ex-wife are disappointed by his decision. The next day, his ex-wife prepares to go to Africa with her boyfriend and leave the kids in his care.

Popper finds a lost letter from his father telling him to hold his children close and love them. Having a change of heart, Popper asks his children and ex-wife to help him get the penguins back from the zoo. He and his family interrogate Jones about the penguins, which Jones claims were separated and traded to other zoos. Popper finds that Jones is lying. He frees the penguins from a cooler in the office and locks Jones inside. When preparing to leave, Popper and his family notice that Jones has escaped and security guards are looking for them. Popper and his family get away with the penguins and flee to the tavern with Jones in pursuit.

Upon seeing how Popper had reunited his family and rescued the penguins, Van Gundy agrees to sell him the restaurant. Rather than tear it down, Popper orders that the restaurant should be renovated and reopened. Jones arrives with the police to arrest Popper for theft of the penguins. After Popper explains the story, the officers agree to spare him from prison if they determine who the penguins love. Jones holds up a sardine for the penguins, but they go to Popper. The police officers arrest Jones instead. Van Gundy protects Mr. Popper from arrest due to her friendship with New York's Mayor, thus leaving Popper in custody of the penguins.

Popper and his family travel to Antarctica with the penguins, allowing them to live with their own kind and promising to visit. Popper's first penguin, Captain, is revealed to have laid another egg. Popper tells his children that they'll visit when the baby is born.

L² Scored: 4/10

L² Comment:

This movie is based on a children's book written by Richard Atwater & Florence Atwater in 1938. I never read the book before, so not sure whether the movie is following exactly or there are lots of changes as well. 

For me, the storyline is kinda so so and it is so predictable. Since this is a Jim Carrey's movie, I expected more laughter from myself but instead I just wish this movie can end fast when I am watching it. Even though Carrey is on comedian side, but I think he really need to change the way of his acting; or even do some other funny expression, this is so the "same him" in all his movie, and I have starting to get tired of it :p

A Christmas Carol

 Released Year: 2009

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Voiced by:
    Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Past, 

Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

    Robin Wright Penn as Belle, Fan Scrooge
    Gary Oldman as Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim

Colin Firth as Fred

 Story:

In 1843, Ebenezer Scrooge, a bitter and miserly old moneylender at a London counting house holds everything that embodies the joys and spirit of Christmas in contempt. He refuses to visit his cheerful nephew, Fred, at his Christmas dinner party with his family, and forces his underpaid employee Bob Cratchit to beg to take the day off for his own family. That night, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley who had died seven years prior on Christmas Eve and is now forced to spend his afterlife carrying heavy chains that were forged from his own greedy ways. Marley warns Scrooge that he will suffer an even worse fate if he does not repent and foretells that he will be haunted by three spirits that will help guide him.

The first spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Past, which shows Scrooge visions of his own past that take place on or around the Christmas season, reminding Scrooge of how he ended up the avaricious man he is now. Scrooge had spent much of his childhood neglected by his father over the holidays at boarding school until he was finally brought home by his loving sister Fan, who died prematurely after giving birth to his nephew, Fred. Scrooge later began a successful career in business and money lending, and became engaged to a woman named Belle, though she later called off the engagement when he began to grow obsessed with accumulating his own wealth. Unable to bear having to witness these events again, Scrooge extinguishes the spirit with its candle snuffer cap.

The second spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Present, which shows Scrooge the happiness of his fellow men on Christmas Day. Among them are his nephew, Fred, who playfully makes jokes with his family at Scrooge's expense, and Bob Cratchit and his family, who are just barely able to make do with what little pay Scrooge gives Cratchit. Scrooge is touched by the Cratchits' sickly young son Tiny Tim and his commitment to the spirit of Christmas, and is dismayed to learn from the spirit that Tim may not have much longer to live. Before dying, the spirit warns Scrooge about the evils of "Ignorance" and "Want," which manifest themselves before Scrooge as two wretched children who grow into violent, insane individuals.

The third and final spirit is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, which toys with Scrooge by chasing him through the streets of London on a carriage before showing him the final consequences of his greed. Scrooge sees in this future that he has died: Fred and his wife are elated to inherit Scrooge's wealth, Scrooge's charwoman Mrs. Dilber is shown to have robbed him and gave his clothes to a fence named Old Joe (Bob Hoskins), and the men who attended his funeral had only gone for a free lunch. Tiny Tim is also shown to have died, leaving Bob Cratchit and his family to mourn him on Christmas. Horrified, Scrooge asks the spirit whether the images he has seen are sure to happen or can be changed. To little response, the spirit reveals Scrooge's own grave, showing his own date of death as December 25 of a forthcoming year, and forces Scrooge to fall into his empty coffin sitting in an deep grave, just above the fires of Hell.

Ebeneezer Scrooge suddenly awakens on Christmas Day to find that all three spirits have visited him in a dream over the course of one night. He then asks a kid on the street what day it is and learns that it is Christmas. Ebeneezer Scrooge gives the kid some money to give to the butcher and have a turkey delivered to the Cratchits. Ebeneezer Scrooge also attends his nephew's dinner coming in during charades. When Bob Cratchit comes to work, Ebeneezer grants him the day off after he has him deliver the money to the bank. As he steps out, Bob Cratchit tells the viewers that Ebeneezer Scrooge has become a kinder person and a second father to Tiny Tim. As it shows Ebeneezer Scrooge carrying Tiny Tim on his shoulders down the streets, Tiny quotes "God bless us, everyone."

   L² Scored: 6.5/10

L² Comment:

Jim Carrey is really a talented guy who can have multiples voices and his tone is so good that you can't even define which voice are sounds by him. Overall i love the characters, but the story is a bit too dull for me. A fiction by Charles Dickens, it is nice and have a huge moral in it, but its more suitable for adults...

I Love You Philip Morris

Released Year: 2009
Directed by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa

Casted by:
Jim Carrey as Steven Jay Russell
Ewan McGregor as Philip Morris
Rodrigo Santoro as Jimmy
Leslie Mann as DebbieStory:

Steve Russell has been marrying his wife Debbie for a few years with kids and always been living in a stable life as a good man. But deep inside his heart, he knows that he is gay and he likes man. On a car accident, Steve knows he has to live for his own. He came out to his wife and live his gay life in fullest.

He has a boyfriend name Jimmy whom he loves a lot. But being gay has been a high expenses life for him. Therefore, Steve started to become a conman and earn a lot of money to make Jimmy happy. But Jimmy does not know what Steve has been up to all the while until he was arrested. Jimmy was angry and sad about Steve. Steve in the meanwhile saw Philip in jail.

Philip the good looking blond has attracted Steve, but Philip was place in another group of cells. Steve tried very hard and finally able to impress Philip and move to stay in the same cell with Philip. Funny Steve has win Philip's heart straight ahead and both couple living happily together in the small little cell until Steve's has set free from jail.

Unable to forget Philip, Steve con again and help to get Philip away from jail. To let Philip stayed in a happy life, Steve con again and earn bunch of money to make their life a superb. But this does not last long as the con was found and Steve was once again put into jail. When he was in the police car, memory flashed back of Jimmy who's in hospital told him to make Steve's new lover a better guy and love him more. Steve wanted to love Philip more and he stab himself with drug. Sending to hospital instead of jail, Steve tried to escape but failed.

Philip same as Jimmy was frustrated with Steve's con life and ran away. Steve has to see Philip again, he pretended he is sick by vomiting out food everyday and become as thin as a skeleton. He con a worker to submit a sick report and stated that he has AIDS. He was then send to a lab for experiment purpose and announced his death to police station. Philip got the news and was sad but surprise to see Steve again. But Steve's con action failed and police came and arrested both of them.

Steve was put into jail for the rest of his life, 23 hours in a cell and only 1 hour for exercise and shower purpose. And Philip was released after a few years. This has ended the love affair of them.

L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment:

OMG~ Jim Carrey & Ewan McGregor kiss!!! That's hot. Its not something new for McGregor coz i think he acted in a few gay character before, but this is definitely something new for Carrey. But if compare to acting, McGregor is much more better than Carrey as Carrey's acting style is very over all these while.

Bravo to Carrey for purposely slim down so much just for the film. Its a real legend which i found quite weird. If that man is so clever in con, he must be really really enjoying a superb life all these while.

Yes Man

Released Year: 2008
Directed by Peyton Reed

Casted by:
Jim Carrey as Carl Allen
Zooey Deschanel as Allison
Bradley Cooper as Peter
Rhys Darby as Norman
Terrence Stamp as Terrence Bundley
Story:

After a divorce with his ex wife, Stephanie, Carl has become withdrawn and preoccupied with his personal life. Carl reject to hang out with his buddy Peter and Rooney in their usual bar where Stephanie will visits, and rather stay at home to watch DVD. Peter even need to drag him out to announce his wedding news to him. But Carl still stick to his "no" words for attending.

One day, Carl met his ex colleagues Nick and he brought him to a motivational talk by Terrence Bundley which later on Carl make a covenant and turn himself from "No Man" to a "Yes Man". It means that Carl has to say YES to every opportunity which came to him. After the talk, Carl was force to fetch a homeless man to Elysian Park which ends up using all his car petrol and phone battery and all his cash in hands. Feeling angry, Carl walk all his way down the hill to buy petrol with his credit card and bump into Allison. Allison loves taking photograph, and she send Carl back to his car with her scooter.

Carl's life change, he say YES to everything, such as open up and fund a tab at their bar with Peter; allowing Rooney to move in; build up a major friendship with his boss Norman; Help Peter's fiancee (Lucy) to throw her a bridal shower' Takes up flying lessons; Bought an expensive mattress; Learn Korean language; Learn guitar; Take part in charity work; Join "PersianWife.dating.com"; Approving all loan applications.

Due to his approval to all the small loans, Carl has help the bank to earn a nice profit and was promoted to work in the management level. While helping Lucy to choose her bridal things, Carl help to rescue a suicide man by persuading him with playing a song with the guitar. Carl also accepted a concert ticket from a promoter and ends up seeing a hilarious concert which the lead singer is Allison. Both of them fall in love and they went photo-shooting while jogging.

Both of them spontaneously fly to Nebraska for a weekend and have lots of fun, when they are avoiding rain, Allison asked Carl to moved in together, Carl paused by say YES to in the end. While buying their fly ticket back, Carl was arrested by FBI. They claimed that Carl is working with the terrorist because he has taken flying lessons, studied Korean, approved a loan to a fertilizer company, met an Iranian mail order bride and bought plane tickets at the last minute to what they deem to be an unlikely holiday destination.

Carl called up Peter who is a lawyer and explain the situation, Allison found out Carl is a YES MAN and was unsure whether the love from Carl is true or just a Yes Man thing. Carl's life takes a turn for the worse and he feel sad about Allison refusing to answer his call. Carl also has to inform Norman about the layoffs and shutdown of branches. Luckily Carl remember Lucy bridal shower in the end which he has forgotten. After the party, Carl received a call from his ex wife Stephanie crying on the phone. When he went over, Stephanie told him that she has broke off with her boyfriend and asked Carl to stay over. But Carl is still thinking about Allison so he said NO and all the bad lucks came.

Carl decided to end his covenant so he went hiding behind Terrence car and Terrence was shock and cause the car to hit in an accident. Terrence then explained that all this is just a motivational talk but not a real covenant. Carl happily went looking for Allison and told her that he does not wanna move in with her but he loves her and win her heart back again.

End of this movie, Carl and Allison are doing a donating charity clothes fund for the homeless by getting all the free clothes from the audience of "YES" talk whom will never say no!!!

L² Scored: 7/10

L² Comment:

Its always fun and exciting in Jim Carrey's comedy film, lotsa lotsa laughter :) When i googled this, i found out Carrey has been doing the bungee jump scene without stunt man, falling on the floor flat by himself which cause him to break 3 ribs bones and speaking korean language and playing the guitar all by himself.

The scene which makes me laugh out a lot is when Jim Carrey say YES to a old lady for sucking him off~ LMAO !!!

This film has won "the best comedy perfomance" for Jim in the MTV awards :) i'm so gonna watch all his film soon~