Walk Hard (2007)

 Billed as a biopic spoof, it turned out to be much more original that expected.  John C. Reilly, an underrated comic actor stars as Dewey Cox, a singer who comes of age in the 1950s start of rock n' roll and has a storybook rise/fall/rise in the general story of Johnny Cash.  Along the way he checks in Forrest Gump-style to every event along the way.

Best part was the original music.  That time of the 00s had a lot of music creativity along with similar comedic movies Get Him to the Greek and Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  Also it was quite a star-making turn for just about every actor of the day:  Jack Black, Jenna Fischer, Ed Helms, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and all the other Judd Apatow favorites.

Directed by Jake Kasdan and co-written with him and Judd Apatow.

Proudly R-rated!  

He's Just Not That Into You (2009)

 A funny Rom Com from 2009 - 2 decades ago!

Starring Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, among others...

but Ginnifer Goodwin and Jennifer Connelly get top billing?  

As noted things have changed in 2 decades,

but the battles between men and women dating do continue.

Tenet

 Theaters have re-opened!  Cinemark has good procedures in place for social distance, and they took it to the extreme - only 2 people in the theater on a Friday afternoon.

Tenet is a palindrome, spelled the same forwards and backwards.  That is a clue as to this complex time travelling plot.  The Protagonist (John David Washington) and Neil (Robert Pattinson) are members of a shadowy, extra-legal enforcement organization  (like Men in Black, Blade Runner) who travel forwards and backwards fighting evil (so to speak), from a red to a blue world, and trying to figure out if what they do means anything or not.

Very much a Bond movie, John David (son of Denzel) is witty, suave and an athletic fighter, so he does well.  His sidekick Neil is cast in the same mold.

Part of the complexity is the Storm Trooper aspect - you can't tell who is who, good or bad, in many of the group scenes, of which there are a lot.

* * * * of 5.  Worth a rewatch to figure out the details.  

Old School (2003)

 An early effort of the 2000s bro crew, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell, Luke Wilson, each playing their designated role of witty cut-up, over the top physicality, and droll straight man.  Most of the plot is a reboot of Animal House (the fraternity, the schmucks, the dean, the revenge).  But we can't be too hard on the filmmakers whose heart was probably in the right place.

On review, the fun parts were seeing Todd Phillips director cues, which were really developed in The Hangover, a top effort.  Such as the van chase, the supporting characters, and the party scenes.

Good supporting performances by future stars Ellen Pompeo and Jeremy Piven.

A light snack of a movie.

* * *