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  • Is it possible that action star Harrison Ford is funnier than comedy veteran Will Ferrell? Well, we're about to find out, because this isMovie Night”!

  • *theme song plays*

  • Hello, and welcome toMovie Night.” I'm your host, Jonathan Paula.

  • Tonight on the program, we'll be taking a look at two films that are brand-new to DVD, the first of which is the big-budget CGI superhero film from Dreamworks Animation, "Megamind."

  • StarringSaturday Night Livealumni Will Ferrell and Tina Fey in the two lead roles, “Megamindis a familiar blend of films we've seen before...

  • mixing together elements from "The Incredibles" and "Despicable Me" for a surprisingly exciting 96 minutes.

  • Ferrell stars in the title role as an evil supervillian who finds himself hopelessly lost after he finally kills his crime-fighting nemesis, Metroman.

  • Not one to sit around and rule Metro City, which he mistakenly refers to as Metrocity, with an evil fist...

  • he instead decides to create his own hero, to give him someone to fight against.

  • Tiny Fey voices local news reporter Roxanne Ritchi, and portrays her Lois Lane, damsel-in-distress character...

  • with a hilarious amount of unaffected sarcasm over her constant kidnappings.

  • At one point, she even requests that her "frequent kidnapping card" be stamped...

  • only to be disappointed when Megamind informs her that they've since "discontinued that program."

  • The film showcases the interesting and often untold perspective of the villain, exploring the "what if" scenario of the bad guys actually winning.

  • By the second act, though, the film quickly descends back to a comfort zone of familiarity...

  • becoming just another animated adventure film of good versus evil. Luckily, though, the action and comedy never let up throughout the film...

  • which, besides thoroughly keeping my attention, did enough to distract me from the predictable plot.

  • All of the characters here receive a good deal of depth, and their real-world counterparts do a fantastic job of bringing them to life with their respective performances.

  • The film is funny, too, and just not because of the slapstick humor you've seen a dozen times in the trailer...

  • but rather from some refreshingly witty and clever lines of dialogue that certainly bring this movie above the bar of mediocrity.

  • It's an exciting and gorgeously animated film that deserves to be seen in high definition, if possible.

  • Dreamworks isn't yet on par with Pixar, but this film is perhaps the closest they've come in recent memory.

  • "Megamind"- "Refreshing family fun, if formulaic."

  • Well, that's what I thought about the movie. Now, let's see what you had to say in the YouTube comments.

  • The Rate-o-Matic now, to show us how we both scored "Megamind.”

  • A “7” and an “8”! This film is perhaps Dreamworks Animations' best film in years, but it's also very predictable. I thought it wascool.”

  • Most of you really enjoyed this film, able to overlook its shortcomings, scoring it a “great.”

  • Tonight's second film is the comedy-drama released last November, "Morning Glory."

  • Rachel McAdams practically carries this movie, starring as Becky Fuller, an energetic producer for a local morning news program...

  • who finally gets the chance of a career when she is offered a job running "Daybreak," a fledging national program...

  • similar to "Today" or "Good Morning America" that needs a huge ratings boost to keep it from getting canceled.

  • Diane Keaton and Harrison Ford star as the veteran co-anchors for this program who seem to constantly be annoying each other when off-camera.

  • Jeff Goldblum is featured as Becky's unscrupulous boss who cares only about ratings, showing little faith in young Becky's abilities to turn the show around.

  • Sadly, though, Goldblum seems mostly wasted here. His normally zippy and ambitious persona is dampened by boring and expositional writing.

  • Luckily, the opposite is true of Ford, who absolutely shines as Mike Pomeroy, a respected and dignified Tom Brokaw-esque anchor...

  • of decades past now forced to host the cheesy morning program because of a clause in his contract.

  • Nearly every laugh in this film comes from Pomeroy's stubbornness and grumpy demeanor, hilariously refusing to report on any story that isn't hard news.

  • Ford is obviously best known for his iconic roles in action-adventure films, but I've also been a huge fan of his work in funnier roles, too...

  • likeSix Days, Seven Nights,” “The Frisco Kid,” andHollywood Homicide,” all movies which...

  • unfortunately, likeMorning Glory," didn't perform very well at the box office.

  • Opposite Ford's scene-stealing charisma is Diane Keaton, who, similar to Goldblum...

  • receives little to do in this story, and is mostly present just to give Ford someone to make fun of.

  • At its heart, though, this film is Becky's story of self-discovery and determination, leaving her small town behind to attempt a fast-paced career in New York television...

  • with her adversarial relationship with Pomeroy serving as the emotional backbone of the story.

  • Relying on an almost excessive usage of musical montage, we are witness to the show-within-a show...

  • asDaybreakgoes from a nearly canceled program in 4th place to a hilariously over-the-top show that uses stunts and gimmicks to compete for ratings.

  • Feeling mostly like a fun, light-hearted romantic comedy sans most of the cheesy romance...

  • "Morning Glory" does plenty here to keep you invested in these characters for 107 minutes.

  • But the film hesitates to really do anything original, staying well within the confines of its genre.

  • While I attended Emerson College in 2007, I served as the director of "Good Morning, Emerson" for a semester, a live morning news show that felt just likeDaybreak.”

  • So, I, for one, really got a huge kick out of this film's sarcastically affectionate portrayal of the TV news industry. But I'm not certain the same holds true for everyone.

  • In any event, "Morning Glory" is "heartwarmingly amusing, but hardly original."

  • Well, those were my thoughts onMorning Glory.” Now, let’s see what you had to say in the YouTube comments.

  • To rateMorning Glory,” let's bring in the Rate-o-Matic.

  • A “goodand analright”! Honestly, this movie wasn't anything terribly special, but Harrison Ford was hilarious; I gave this movie a “6” out of “10.”

  • Although none of you were really impressed by this film, none of you hated it, either. You scored it a “5" out of "10."

  • But that does it for tonight's films. So, now, let's take a look at what's currently playing in theaters, with some Tweet Critiques.

  • Remember, if you're going to the movies this weekend, make sure to submit your Twitter review, using the #JPMN hashtag, to have it featured on an upcoming episode.

  • Next week, we'll be taking a look at "The Next Three Days," an exciting thriller starring Russell Crowe...

  • and "The Tourist," an action/romance movie starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie that is set in Venice, Italy.

  • Both are brand-new to DVD this month, so, as always, I encourage you to buy, rent, or download them before next week's episode...

  • and let me know what you think about them by voting in the polls below, or by leaving me a comment review.

  • Until next time, my name is Jonathan Paula. Thank you for watchingMovie Night.” I hope to see you right back here next Friday!

  • *end credits play*

  • Thank you again for watching tonight's episode of "Movie Night."

  • I recorded tonight's entire episode in front of a live Ustream audience, filming and editing.

  • So, if you'd like to watch the entire process in real time, a behind-the-scenes look at the show...

  • click the link I left you down below, and you can check out the whole process.

  • And you can finally know the answer to whether or not I actually wear pants with this suit top!

  • Again, thank you for watching. I hope to see you next week!

  • *Remember to tune in to the season 10 premiere of the microwave show on April 1st!*

Is it possible that action star Harrison Ford is funnier than comedy veteran Will Ferrell? Well, we're about to find out, because this isMovie Night”!

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