Ted 2 (2015) Review

Comedic sequels do not tend to be good. I think there are many reasons for this. One of them is that part of what makes something funny is that it is different. I mean different both in the sense that something can differ from other things of its type, but also in that it can differ from what one was expecting it to be. This uniqueness is strongest when that comedic concept is done for the first time. Not only is it difficult to come up with new ideas and jokes for a sequel but the freshness of the original will not be present. Ted 2 suffers from everything bad comedic sequels suffer from and then some.

I have never been a big Seth MacFarlane fan. I wasn't allowed to watch Family Guy as a kid so when I finally saw that show for the first time I had a lot of other comedy which I had seen, I found it quite underwhelming. I saw the first Ted in a college dorm and was surprised that it was actually pretty funny considering the low opinion I had of Family Guy. Unfortunately, Ted 2 is not only worse than Family Guy, it may be less funny than late period Family Guy.

There are jokes galore here but many fall flat and some don't even make sense. There are also plenty of pop culture nods but they are just that, nods. It's like we're being told  "see how many famous movie scenes I remember". This isn't bad in and of itself but when those homages contain nothing clever or the hint of a joke they become shallow and frustrating.  Also unlike many directors seem to think, watching people smoke marijuana does not by itself constitute a funny joke.

Amidst all of this is a strange plot about Ted trying to gain civil rights. It's played as some sort of allegory for the recent court challenges to gay marriage but it just came off as both ridiculous, in a bad way, and boring to me. Comedic sequels are not easy projects but you have to do better than this 1.5/5

The Departed (2006)

This crime film was the one that finally gave Scorsese his academy award. based on a foreign film called Infernal affairs this story of mob informants, cops, and just plain mobsters is fantastic from start to finish, It keeps audiences glued to the edge of their seats without ever becoming unintelligent. This is how movies should be made.

I was too young to see the Departed when it first hit theaters back in 06 and finally this last week I got a chance to sit down and screen it for myself. I was truly hooked from the opening line to the conclusion. In a day and age where it seems we either sacrifice thrills in our movies for intelligence or vice versa this movie is a refreshing reminder that this doesn't necessarily have to be the case. This film never stops being both interesting and exciting. Offering up scenes of action as well as very compelling characters.

The performances in this film are spectacular. Nicholson's mob boss has to go down as one of the great criminals of the medium. DiCaprio's performance is also equally good. For the rest of the cast including especially Matt Damon, Scorsese's name seems to have attracted the best of the best.

The direction of this film is first rate and really shows a master's touch. From the music used to the action scenes it is quintessential Scorsese and what more could you ask for 5/5!