She's Out of My League (2010)

Jay Baruchel is not a leading man, I'm just going to throw that out there. Television? Sure, but not on film. That being said, this movie wasn't half bad.

Kirk Kettner (Baruchel) is a TSA agent at Pittsburgh's international airport along with his best friend Stainer (T.J. Miller). Kirk just broke up with his bitch of an ex-girlfriend, who still hangs out with his family because now she's dating a friend of Kirk's brother. One day, Molly (Alice Eve) leaves her iPhone at a security checkpoint. When she calls it, Kirk answers the cell and the two arrange to meet up. After that the pair start to date and things are going great. But Kirk is constantly asking himself how he's good enough for Molly. Kirk puts her up on a pedestal while subsequently knocking himself down the ladder. His family and friends aren't much help because they seem to agree that she's way too good looking for him. Kirk's a victim of his lack of self-esteem and it soon starts costing him. All of this is done with some funny consequences.

The movie is not made by Baruchel at all. It's a collective of Alice Eve, Krysten Ritter, Nate Torrence, Debra Jo Rupp and especially T.J. Miller that made this movie as funny as it was. This comedy was not without its problems though. For starters, the plot's been done to death, with this one being about the guy who wants the "more attractive" girl. I've seen a lot of the devices used in this done before, but the one-liners kept some moments fresh. A solid movie, nothing more nothing less. Grade: B-

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

What a fun movie that I feel may be more enjoyable if you're an adult. The details in the plot were something I loved about the flick, but kids may have been lost in them. Still, they probably were just enthralled with the action.

Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) can't do anything right in his town of vikings. He's so small and rail-thin that he isn't able to help the rest of his village out whenever they are attacked by dragons, which happens pretty often. The fact that he isn't a big, bad viking disappoints his father, Stoick (Gerard Butler). By pure chance, he happens to capture a Night Fury dragon. Problem is, he can't bring himself to kill the beast. While tending to the Fury he's injured, he's trying to convince his friends and boss (Craig Ferguson) that he really is becoming a killing-machine. How long can a charade like that actually go on? Or better yet, will the animal tear everyone to shreds once Hiccup fixes its wing?

It's a very simple plot but it takes a few liberties with it. What I was very happy about with this movie was the pacing of it. Normally, kids animated movies rush through the plot when moving from point to point. This film took its time to get where it was going and I appreciated it. The main downfall, Baruchel. I think he's a funny actor, but voice-acting is not his strong suit. In the end, a pretty good movie deserving of an Oscar nod. Grade: B+