The Wolf of Wall Street - 華爾街之狼

The Wolf of Wall Street (華爾街之狼) is 2013 film. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill. The extensive supporting cast include Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Jon Bernthal, and Cristin Milioti. The film is directed by Martin Scorsese.



Leonardo plays Jordan Belfort. Belfort is a rags to riches story. Belfort works on wall street out of college and loses his job. As a last resort, Belfort takes a job selling penny stocks. Belfort works his way up the chain and becomes a millionaire. Along the way, he does drugs and lots of women. The Feds start to track him and take him down. Belfort has to find a way to hide his money from the feds too. His firm also has very successful people that are very loyal to Belfort. Who will win this cat and mouse chase between Belfort the Feds?

This was an entertaining movie. A story where you disliked the main character, but wanted to continue. You most likely continued because of how ridiculous it was. How is it that Belfort can get away with this? That was what drew me to the end. I disliked Belfort and his cohorts. Not a lot of redeeming values in their life. They used the system to take advantage of a lot of people. What they did will never be repaid, even time in prison. I watched it once and that's it. Its available on my Amazon Prime and its been on various cable channels recently, but I haven't bothered to watch it.

The Watch - 巡邏驚很大

The Watch (巡邏驚很大) is an 2012 film. The movie stars Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Rosemarie DeWitt. The movie was originally named "The Neighborhood Watch" with a vague comedic premise. But the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood-watch member not only forced the name change, but the delay of an late spring release to late summer.



Ben Stiller plays Evan Trautwig, a Costco store manager and all around good guy. A good guy for the neighborhood. A neighborhood watch is formed when some suspicious activity happens. A mix-match of people join with their own agendas. Along the way, they discover suspicious activities and its Aliens! That leads them on a wild goose chase around the normally quiet suburban town. In the end, all the main characters of The Watch have a mid life coming of age storyline.

This movie is ok. Funny and in my opinion, worth a watch. But that's it. Just watch it once for the laughs and move on. Vince Vaughn and to a lesser degree, Ben Stiller, are producing funny films that don't merit repeat watching. I am hoping for more Dodgeball than this. Maybe a Zoolander or Tropic Thunder to top off their careers before they start to play supporting dad roles.

The Sitter - 保姆奇遇記

The Sitter (保姆奇遇記) is an 2011 film. The movie stars Jonah Hill and 3 kids. Sam Rockwell plays the sensitive drug dealer that has problems.

Jonah Hill plays Noah, a college drop out that has a dead end life. At the age of 20. In a relationship with a girl that he pleasures, but doesn't pleasure him back, we see him as a pushover. But when he gets home to his mom, we see him as selfish loser that is a plain jerk. Add to it that he's lazy. When his mom is set up with a date with a doctor, he reluctantly agrees to babysit for the family doing the set up. Once there, he's introduced to a overly sensative 13 year old, a violent adoptee, and a 9 year old pre-madonna diva. Once there, his "girlfriend" agree to have sex with him, IF he gets her some blow. Nice. So the story goes into drugs, the hood, a night club, and a wild chase. Nice night for a Sitter. The story takes place all within a few hours.

The movie was funny in parts and completely ridiculous in others. If Noah had any ounce of like-ability, it was that he was a complete jerk and kept to it. Because he was a jerk, maybe you felt something for him. I did not and I watched for the funny stuff, but it was far and few. I don't recommend this nor will I be watching it on re-runs.

21 Jump Street - 龍虎少年隊

21 Jump Street (龍虎少年隊) is an 2012 film. The film stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. The supporting cast include Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Ellie Kemper, Rob Riggle, and Ice Cube. Three of the orignial cast members of the television show also make cameo appearances. I will not name them here.



The movie starts in 2005 with Jonah Hill as Schmidt as an Slim Shady copy cat with music and braces in tow. Tatum plays the school's popular kid that's too dumb to know it, Greg Jenko. Fast forward seven years and they meet up in police academy and become friends and partners. Due to their youthful looks, they are sent to the high school undercover division on 21 Jump Street. Ice Cube plays their over the top captain that sends them into school to break a drug ring. While there, all the insecurities of their High School days are brought out in full force. However, its flipped around, Jenko is now the NERD and Schmidt, the popular kid. They inflitrate the ring and bust it.



The story is your standard undercover story. However, the buddy aspect of the film is pretty ridiculous. Basically, I see this as 21 Jump "Superbad" Street. So ridiculous are some of the things that go on that you have to scoff at the pure absurdity of it. The movie goes where gross hasn't gone before and than some. If you thought American Pie was breaking new ground 13 years ago, this is breaking ground for gross out humor in 2012. The Bridesmaids buddy movie of 2012.

Moneyball - 魔球

Moneyball (魔球) is an 2011 film. The film stars Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill. The supporting cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, and a few retired baseball players turned thespians.

The Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, played by Brad Pitt, has limited funds but wants to win badly. Seeing how the scouting team seems to put items like people's girlfriends as a evaluation point, he seems feed up. When Billy visits the Cleveland front office to offer a trade, he notices Peter Brand, played by Jonah Hill, help in a decision to stop a trade. Intrigued, Billy offers Peter the job as the Oakland A's assistant GM. Once Peter arrives in Oaktown, Billy uses his method of evaluating players based on their stats and salary to make some decisions. Essentially boiled down to "buying wins" with their limited funds. Billy feels push back from his scouts and the manager of the team, Art Howe, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. As the season goes on, however, the A's turn it around and make the playoffs.

I don't know if you would like this movie if you didn't understand baseball. It has a lot of sport jargon that needs to be explained. Like ERA, OBA, etc. Things that only baseball freaks understand. Yes, there's the human element of Billy Beane's battle with old boys club of scouts that have run the show for generations. And there's the part of the movie where Billy balances being a exec of a MLB team and that of a father. And there's the human element of how the front office deals with its players whom are essentially assets for their business. All those make the movie something worth seeing as well. But not understanding essentially why the movie is called "Moneyball" may disappoint you. However, if you do understand, you NEED to see this film. And if you're a fantasy baseball junkie, you MUST see this film.