Ted (2012)****

I had a stupid grin on my face throughout the antics of Ted.  It’s a movie aimed at fans of such ‘gems’ as The Hangover and other crudities… and massive 80s nerds (or those that grew up in that era).  The latter applying to people like myself.  With an extra special amount of attention paid to the classic Flash Gordon film (it rules! Who ever says otherwise sucks!), including a special guest appearance by the man himself.

 But I digress.  Ted follows the improbable friendship of John Bennet (Mark Wahlberg) and his Teddy Bear (aptly named Ted) played by Seth MacFarlane (Ace Ventura, Family Guy), who he magically brings to life with a simple wish as an innocent child.

Innocence has no room in this film though.  As young John grows older, so does Ted… into lazy, slobb-ish, Flash Gordon obsessed, stoners.  But don’t jump to conclusions as to who is influencing whom.  While John has a girlfriend, Lori (Mila Kunis) and a job… Ted is practicing how crude and disgusting he can possibly become.  Except he’s not actually practicing.  Needless, to say Lori tires of John’s unbreakable friendship with Ted and issues an ultimatum.

John, loving both Lori and his best friend, tries to juggle them both.  And it seems to be working… until Flash Gordon (Sam Jones) himself shows up.  Cue heartache, decisions, a ludicrous fight-scene and Ted-kanpping. 

It’s the last activity that brings in the incredibly creepy, yet sweet (I’m probably the only one that found him sweet) Donny (Giovanni Ribisi) and his frighteningly freaky son Robert (Aedin Mincks).  Everything about those two screams ‘run for your lives’. 

Ribisi, for me actually steals the film.  Everyone will disagree with me, but his acting is top notch.  All it takes is one scene for him to make you laugh, creep the living daylights out of you and yet even make you feel sorry for him at the same time.  I was in hysterics through the Tiffany dancing scene.

Even though there is an emphasis on the Flash Gordon film and anything and everything from the 80s (including a cameo from Top Gun’s Tom Skerritt), you’ll still laugh even if you don’t get the references.  Though I would watch Flash Gordon before hand so you (like me) can feel superior when the rest of the audience don’t get the jokes.  Seth MacFarlane’s Ted will have you in stitches regardless, as will the other supporting stars and cameos.  Such cameos include a fun, foul mouthed Norah Jones, Ray Romano (Everybody loves Raymond, Ice Age) and Patrick Stewart’s side-splittingly serious narrations (the man needs no itroductions).  The concluding narration is probably the funniest bit of the movie.

So if you like crude comedies and you’re an 80s geek.  Then you’ll love this.  If you’re neither… there’s always Brave.  Excuse me while I go download the Flash Gordon soundtrack (the movie is already on my iPhone).