Girl's Best Friend: The Comic Book Superhero

**This article also appears on RopeofSilicon.com.**

She's the perfect girlfriend. She's funny, smart, complicated in a good way, and she looks better in your t-shirts than you do. Don't let that girl get away; treat her right. If you know she likes resort vacations, get that job you just lost back, because you can't fly to Bali in your Camry. If you know she likes movies, well then, lucky you--your job is half done: Here is your one-stop guide to discovering the only one of your girl’s best friends you're allowed to watch, touch and secretly love (and your chance to admit to the inner girl in you).

Given the paragraph above, you should know that, if you're reading this, I already think highly of your girlfriend. And if I think highly of your girlfriend, then I'm automatically assuming she doesn't twitter away her days discussing nothing but the lighter side of Kate Hudson's film repertoire. A real girl likes real movies. Thus, if your girl really is so great as to deserve a movie date this weekend, she has probably already bought tickets to go see Watchmen. I don't say that because the reviews have been astounding (they haven't) or I've seen an advanced screening and pre-emptively approve it (I haven't); I say it because it's movie history, and any true lover of movies must be at least a little bit curious.

If the lady and you do have plans to see Watchmen, then...I can bet you already know a bit about it. If it's the lady herself who has requested the fanboy sojourn, however, you might do a bit of homework. Read about it here and there, and then ask yourself...what's the appeal? Is it the Historical Movie Moment Factor (TM), i.e., the fact that the most loved comic ever is hitting the big screen? Is it the 300-style, eye-popping graphics and special effects? Is it her not-so-secret Alan Moore obsession? Her slightly curious Billy Crudup obsession? Maybe. But it's also the curiosity wrought from seeing multiple masked women and men of mystery blow up the big screen. Ladies love the superhero.

Let me clarify: not all ladies love collecting material goods based on the superhero, repeatedly discussing the superhero, verbally admonishing the superhero, or in other ways treating the superhero as if he or she were a real person. But...ladies love the superhero.

That fantastically capable demi-god from comic book lore has gotten a lot of face-time recently. With The Dark Knight and Iron Man (and you can throw in the opening number with Hugh Jackman from last month's Academy Awards in lieu of the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine), you might wonder what's left to see out there. Well, let's revisit recent comics-turned-movies that pump up the presence of the atypical superhero: the average guy wronged by life. In the event you want your weekend to go comic book-crazy, here are suggestions of a few adapted greats that any perfect girl would love to watch with you:

OLD BOY (2003)
Plot: After fifteen years in jail, a man embarks to avenge his wrongful imprisonment.
Pluses: He's not a superhero, but you do get to root for the underdog, watch some startling beat-downs, laugh, cry, cringe and be amazed for two full hours.
Minuses: "Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone."
If she likes it, also consider: Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

GHOST WORLD (2001)
Plot: Two post-high school misfits pretend to befriend Steve Buscemi.
Pluses: Scarlett Johansson in one of a small number of roles in which she isn't attempting to break up a marriage.
Minuses: Few from my vantage point.
If she likes it, also consider: Napoleon Dynamite, who really could star in his own comic book.

AKIRA (1988)
Plot: A biker boy amped up by the government goes on a killing spree. Hijinks ensue.
Pluses: Oldie but a goodie. From start to finish, it's one blast of excitement after another.
Minuses: You might risk wetting your pants, which may threaten to wreck the mood.
If she likes it, also consider: Ghost in the Shell

AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003)
Plot: The title says it, really. It's American life in all its splendid normalcy.
Pluses: Paul Giamatti plays our title character, Harvey Pekar, with splendor.
Minuses: It waxes a bit depressing (as does America).
If she likes it, also consider: Persepolis

PERSEPOLIS (2006)
Plot: Based on and drawn by the author of the graphic novels of the same name, this film tells the coming-of-age story of an Iranian girl during and after the Islamic Revolution.
Pluses: It's black and white hand animation, which looks really cool.
Minuses: Will remind you of the glaring fact you are not well-traveled, Bali aside.
If she likes it, also consider: Waltz with Bashir

SIN CITY (2005)
Plot: Basin City is a mess!
Pluses: Fabulously cast, stylistically slick, and with a kiss from Tarantino, visually compelling.
Minuses: Sets you up to expect a really cool sequel, which has yet to be delivered.
If she likes it, also consider: Not seeing The Spirit

X2: X-MEN UNITED (2003)
Plot: United they stand.
Pluses: Bryan Singer.
Minuses: X-men 3: The Last Stand
If she likes it, also consider: Watchmen!

There you have it, a small collection of comic books adapted to movies that are snuggle time-ready and girl-approved. Sure, a few are violent, but isn't life but A History of Violence? No matter your comic genre preference, do let me know if there are other flicks you would suggest!

If you manage to set the mood right via any of the films above, you might just go for broke and try to segue into a little Guitar Hero or Halo 3 to finish your evening. That is, if you didn't want to get any below the guitar action. Otherwise, put the lights down low and get ready to watch Neo-Tokyo explode.

Slacking at the bit (rentals & remorse)

Lately, I've been perma-exhausted in the worst way, and I don't even know why. Maybe it's all the lack of sleep. But you know, I would sleep more if I wasn't so busy. I'd be less busy if I didn't have a job. In a crumbling economy, however, the ability to work isn't something over which one should openly fret. It's distasteful. Almost as distasteful as me consistently konking out on the couch while watching TV nearly every evening. What to do to cure this state of accidental-comatose...caffeine? Coffee does tend to make a day pass more quickly. So do movie rentals.

Last week was grand, saw a small number of great flicks. First up, however, I finally--finally--gave up my quest to watch SUPERSTAR. I've more or less seen the movie, in bits in pieces, over the last ten years of my life, but about a month ago, I decided I wanted to, at long last, watch the whole kit-n-kaboodle in one clean squat. Unfortunately...exhaustion swept in. I've tried watching SUPERSTAR, in the last month, about four times. I'm done trying. My tivo is done holding onto it, too. DELETE. I trust it's funny, and you know what? I got the gist. "Sexually nervous girl with a crush on the school dance-jock actually ends up falling for a misfit, stuttering bad boy." YAY.

I also begrudgingly deleted MR. WOODCOCK from my tivo bin (is there a name for that, really? bin? queue? menu? list? or just always, obligatorily "tivo," tout court?). Sorry, Sean William Scott. Billy Thornton. Susan Sarandon. I tried.

Now, onto what I actually did see.

In preparation for the super-fun of TAKEN, I had a hankering to watch some Liam Neeson. Caught the under-the-radar action-comedy GUN SHY (2000), which was quirky and satisfying. In it, Liam plays an undercover cop who witnesses a horrifying gangster coup while he's on duty and hence needs a bit of counseling to coax him to revisit his role as bad guy mediator. Co-stars Sandra Bullock, looking lovelier than usual, and Oliver Platt, playing a guy named Fulvio...which is neat. It was weird, a little unfocused, but witty, and it made for a nice character study.

GUN SHY
plot: A plea for gun control.
thought: When does Bullock get TAKEN?
in five: 3/5
shoot 'em up, wuss: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171356/

Next up was another throw back: Steven Soderbergh's SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE. I didn't realise how far back I was throwing, however--I'd actually been under the impression that SLV was rather recently released, though now I don't know why. The minute James Spader came on the screen, I was like, "Wait, what?" But I still was figuring it for late nineties--until I saw Peter Gallagher. Ok. He's aged well, but this was not Gallagher from "The OC." Clearly, I should have caught the time period from the shoulder pads on Andie MacDowell, but forgive me. Despite its 1989 release, the film feels incredibly modern. The dialogue in SLV is amazing, and the deliberate pacing drew me in remarkably--slow, without a hint of lassitude. Spader's character is not as "realised" as I would like, but I basically forgive it, thanks to the cohesion of every other moment.

SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE
plot: Videotapes and lies about sex
thought: No, really, that's about it.
in five: 4/5
tape it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098724/

Heading in a different direction, thematically (but in the same direction, temporally), I scaled back to 1988 next with BIG, the Tom Hanks starrer that I can't believe I haven't seen until now. It's adorable--and so is David Moscow, who plays Tom Hanks' character's childhood self, the young Josh. I just looked up Moscow to see where he's been all these years since (and what he looks like now, natch), because in BIG, he looked every bit like Kirk Cameron, and I seriously saw him and had a JGL-in-Holy-Matrimony moment...but I guess something went awry, because history has proven me wrong. The world hasn't seen much of Moscow since, well, NEWSIES and that short-lived but kinda funny show on the WB, "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane." Well, at least the world finished off okay--we still got Tom Hanks.

BIG
plot: Boy wishes to be big!
thought: Has sex with a woman!
in five: 4/5
they grow up so fast: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094737/

So...in the title of this post, I also promised remorse. I was being melodramatic, perhaps. I do have a bit of remorse--I still haven't written about my visit to ONE SUNSET, where I enjoyed the chef's tasting menu and reached a moderate level of food bliss, nor have I talked about LITERATI CAFE, my new favorite lunch stop on the west side--close to work and delicious, both of which recommend it to my palate. Cheap soups, too. Furthermore, I have yet to discuss my thoughts on TAKEN (loved it), or start posting recipes, a dream I've been toying with for some time now. I cook more these days (thanks, Recession), and I like to experiment. Sometimes I pass...other times, I kinda fail. But listen, don't let anyone tell you not to try.

Voila, there it is, my remorse. I want to write these things, but not sure if I really will. REMORSE! Well, if I don't end up doing it, I've already (sort of) apologised here, so...deal with it, Cate Blanchett. We'll be in touch.

Girl's Best Friend: A Post-Madea America

**This article also appears on RopeofSilicon.com.**

Weren't the Oscars grand? All that song and dance just made you feel like a kid again. Hugh Jackman's opening number also probably reminded you that you never saw The Reader. Well, let me save you the trouble: the film wasn't re-writing history. What you expected should happen at the end of the Nuremberg Trials is exactly what happens. Supwise! So it's officially time to move into the lighter fare of springtime. Whether your lady wants to see Jonas Brothers: the 3D Concert Experience or rent HSM3 (both are STELLAR options), let this be the one-stop guide to discovering The Chick Flick: your girl’s best friend (and the window to the inner girl in you).

The title of this week's post might be a bit misleading. I'm not writing much about Madea, despite the fact that she probably deserves to go to jail by now. What I will reflect on briefly, however, is the fact that, despite the huge success of Tyler Perry's admittedly puerile films, Hollywood is still systematically disconnected from awareness of the draw of the ethnic audience. Word on the street is that Perry is now making plans to take his franchise global. So we're no more in a post-Medea America than we are in a post-racial America, despite the fact that Barack Obama is king.

But separate from the Madea franchise, there is, historically, some great girl cinema with predominantly colored casts. What happened to the days of Waiting to Exhale (which hey, I didn't know at the time, was directed by Forest Whitaker) and What's Love Got to Do with It? And remember How Stella Got Her Groove Back? (A lot of sex with Taye Diggs, that's how!) Now, it's been re-made by Lifetime with Heather Locklear seducing a--supwise--young, white man (the delicious Robert Buckley), and it's called Flirting with Forty. I'm pretty sure it has aired every weekend since it's December release date. Apparently, a lot of women want to flirt once they're forty. But...come on, why the whitening treatment?

This all, in case you were wondering, is coming off the heels of my belated realisation that He's Just Not That Into Monogamy, my GBF from three weeks ago, boasted some starkly uni-color casting, give or take a couple gay men and chatty interview women. I kind of assumed the film was attempting to be representative of the spectrum of modern dating experiences in America...and perhaps I was giving it too much credit there...but having actually quite enjoyed the film, I now am left wondering: Where are the interracial relationships? Why no Blasian babies?

In revolt against this ever-expanding romcom norm, therefore, I'd like you and your lover to consider re-visiting some ethnically and culturally colored romantic classics of the recent past. Beyond the three I've listed above, please consider the following rentals:

VOLVER (2006)
Why I'm recommending it: Single, strong-willed, Spanish females.
What you'll say recommends it:
- Pedro Almodovar directed it.
- Penelope was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her role in this film.
- The entire female cast won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival.
- You don't watch enough films with subtitles these days.
What you might really be thinking: Penelope is hot.
What your girl might be thinking: Penelope is hot.

HITCH (2005)
Why I'm recommending it: Look at that; a bi-racial couple.
What you'll say recommends it:
- It's kind of the guy's version of He's Just Not That Into (Talking to) You
- #1 performing box-office romantic comedy of 2005.
- It's a Will Smith movie, and it can't be any worse than Wild, Wild West.
What you might really be thinking: Eva Mendes!
What your girl might be thinking: You could use some dating training.

LOVE & BASKETBALL (2000)
Why I'm recommending it: Sports + sex; what's not to love?
What you'll say recommends it:
- Sports + sex; what's not to love?
- It's better than Something New (sorry, Simon Baker), but it still has Sanaa Lathan.
What you might really be thinking: Window into the pro-basketball possibilities you failed to pursue early in life.
What your girl might be thinking: Yeah, right.

L'AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE (2002)
Why I'm recommending it: A stew of European young adults living the good life.
What you'll say recommends it:
- Cedric Klapisch is a phenomenal director. Romain Duris is a great actor.
- Audrey Tautou is in it. Remember her? From Amelie?
- Again, a +1 to your effort to enjoy reading subtitles.
- The entire film is a metaphor for the formation of the European Union, so it's almost like a history lesson. And it is, in fact, an apt look at European education, careers and the crooked path it takes to get through either.
What you might really be thinking: Audrey Tautou-la-la.
What your girl might be thinking: New summer plan: vacation to Barcelona!

IMAGINE ME & YOU (2005)
Why I'm recommending it: Lovely little lesbian love story (ack! over-kill on the alliteration...), despite the lack of an ethnically diverse cast.
What you'll say recommends it:
- 10th highest grossing rom-com of 2006, for what that's worth.
- Features Piper Parabo doing a fantastic British accent. Features Matthew Goode being a fantastic British man.
- It's not easy coming out...and there's something you've been meaning to tell her....
What you might really be thinking: Don't see nearly enough lesbians on the HDTV these days.
What your girl might be thinking: Yeah, right.

WHY DID I GET MARRIED?
Why I'm recommending it: Since Tyler Perry was my tipping point, thought I should offer something he did...and until the most recent Madea Goes to Jail, this was his best-performing film.
What you'll say recommends it:
- The only two rom-coms that outpaced it in 2007 were Knocked Up and Enchanted, and you already saw both of those (thus becoming, to this day, a lovable mix of McDreamy and Seth Rogen).
- Based on Tyler Perry's stage play of the same name. Love the theatre, but a DVD is easier to bring home with you.
- Addresses a very key relationship question.
What you might really be thinking: Hopefully will answer said question, for the sake of your future relationship(s).
What your girl might be thinking: Are you trying to tell her something?

You know what I notice? Quite simply, as evidenced by HJNTIY, many films before it, and even some of the choices I've listed above, most romantic comedies are more than a little "uni-colored." It is reflective of America, where most couples are still of the same demographic, be that racial, social, monetary, ethnic or religious. I live in a city, so I see more mixing around me, but let's face it--we're usually attracted to those that look like us. Romantic comedies display that. And except for movie stars like Will Smith or, I suppose, Simon Baker, who have managed to cross the color line, most audiences don't want to see mainstream mixing. Why hasn't that changed? Clearly, the need for Madea has not yet diminished.

Well, at any rate, should you pick one of these GBF's to watch this weekend, let me know your thoughts. And if you have other mainstream movies (or those of the wide-released-via-art house persuasion) that you feel have Will Smith'd the big screen, let me know. I'm curious.

Hugh Jackman hosting the Oscars

GREAT SUCCESS.



THR liked you, too.

Good show. I guessed 19/24 categories right, which is an all-time high...but I did not win my Oscar pool. Who invited that clown who guessed 22/24?!

Oh wait. I did.

Sunday night was grand. The empty champagne bottles in my trunk prove it.

THE INTERNATIONAL

Yeah.

It's true.

Clive Owen? He's still hot. Don't act so surprised.

In THE INTERNATIONAL, Mr. Owen plays the part of Louis Salinger, a questionable agent with a questionable past who wants to bring down the largest international bank. Motive? Questionable activity. But really, that's not the point. If you're watching THE INTERNATIONAL, you're clearly in it for the ride, not the destination; the pacing matters much more than the plot. And there, THE INTERNATIONAL shines.

Tight with an accelerated feel aided by a stylishly emotive score, the pulse of this film is its most alluring feature. The soundtrack supports every scene, and even though one might kind of notice a plot hole or two (for instance, how did Salinger get as far as he's gotten in his investigation without any attempts on his life?), for the most part, the score anchors the action so that everything happening does more or less feel right.

Now, there is a bit off about THE INTERNATIONAL. It's a movie about international banking while most of the world economy is in a recession. It's also a bank thriller where no money actually changes hands. On top of that, it's a movie about bringing down a bank whose lead character spends a lot of money traveling internationally and destroying a lot of expensive things. But hey, let's move past those things temporarily so we can take a long, lingering look at Clive.

More troubled than in movies past, Clive Owen's sporting a fixedly brooding expression that makes his face look like it's been beat with a sexy stick, so clearly, despite his lackluster duo of emotional levels (he can show you "intense" or--wait for it--"intenser"), Owen obviously steals the show. Naomi Watts is sadly just there for filler. Owen's dark gaze is set to "high smolder," and caught up in the smolderyness of it all, you really, really want him to bring this bank down.

But that's one man attempting the impossible. Hate to spoil it for you (if wikipedia hasn't already, that is), but in battles with big business, big business usually wins. Even when some other guy wins, big business wins. How do I figure? Because big business runs shit. And that other guy? He's a little shit. So guess what? Big business runs that other guy.

Clive Owen's character, Louis Salinger, is "that other guy." He works for Interpol (The International Criminal Police Organization), which basically is the world police. They stop people your local sheriff doesn't know about. But they can only move as wide or aim as high as the worldwide corruption of the justice system will allow them to go. And alas, Salinger just doesn't get it. The final showdown between Salinger and the CEO of the fictional International Bank of Business and Credit (played cockily by Ulrich Thomsen) finally impresses upon Salinger his "little shit" status. You can chase, you can fight, you can investigate and hack away at the evidence as much as you want. But cut one arm off, Sali, and it'll grow right back. 'Cause that's how big banks roll.

It's a little...underwhelming to note that as the key takeaway from the film--not because we can't handle the truth, but because we get the sense that Salinger can't. It felt like all this intensity was building and building--and ultimately it was for nothing. Salinger, naive and alone, has driven all his energy into this single quest. And for what? For me to eat stale popcorn and wonder if his eyes are naturally that blue? Fine. Great success. But next time I want to see Clive Owen looking volatile and depressed, I think I'll just watch KING ARTHUR. Can't say no to chain mail.

plot: One man against the bank.
thought: Can I get cash back?
in five: 2.5/5

recess THIS!: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theinternational/site/

Overlooked Greatness: 'American Outlaws' (2001)

**This article also appears on RopeofSilicon.com.**

I can guess what you must be thinking. A cowboy movie? With Colin Farrell? Yes, you’re right. It was an unknown Irishman playing a classic American cowboy—and Jesse James, to boot. It’s everything wrong, and perhaps that’s why, seven years ago when I first heard about it, I was immediately intrigued.

Unless watching gay cowboys who are in love with each other, I’ve never been that much of a Western fan. I’m not saying that to immediately discredit any words I might share about this particular Western (though that might be the result). I’m saying it, in fact, to bolster the film’s credibility. It didn’t spin itself as an historical drama. It’s a popcorn flick with some horses thrown in, and if you think of it that way, you’re already saddled up for a smoother ride. But if you need further convincing, hopefully that’s where the following Five Factors of Greatness come in.

1. Colin Farrell: We know the Hollywood Talent Trajectory™ by now: Early Speculation of Star Status leads to Quagmire of Cocaine, which leads to 100 Years of Solitude, which leads to Awesome Phoenix-Like Rebirth. Note those who spun out early (River Phoenix) and those who have finished the journey (Mickey Rourke). Having just won a Golden Globe for his wonderful portrayal of a hitman with heart in the BAFTA Award-winning In Bruges, Farrell has come out of the quagmire of cocaine and is on his way back to potential Phoenix Status. And I’ll argue that American Outlaws, Farrell’s second American film, was a hint to the masses about what was in store. Though it might be a stretch to say he was “discovered” thanks to this film (he did act for Schumacher a year prior in Tigerland), it definitely helped put him on the HTT ™ and defined him as a heartthrob to watch. In Outlaws we get to see Farrell act two roles: swashbuckling ne’er do well and hopeless romantic. It’s sweet, endearing, youthful and exciting. Someone else might have made more sense for a Jesse James, but Farrell made this Jesse James all his. (And as an aside: Kathy Bates plays his mom. Love her.)

2. Dialogue: There are some truly great lines in this film. From “Hey! You wanna die?” to “It’s going to be a long [insert season],” Outlaws always makes me smile. It is memorably quotable, and the only reason people don’t think about the dialogue’s repeatability is—well, there are two reasons. One, not enough people have seen this movie, and two, when it isn’t Will Ferrell-funny or Meryl Streep-dramatic, less people care to play along. I know quotes from small films like Napoleon Dynamite or Juno have eked through, thanks to the portrayal of the offbeat American family behaving in an offbeat way, so there’s got to be room for an offbeat American western in our memories somewhere. Right? I love “This is one doodle that can’t be undid, Home Skillet” (Juno), just as much as I love, “Younger-James gang? Is there an older James gang?” And that’s why I watch and re-watch this movie every year. The quotes never get old, and the fun never wanes.

3. Robin Hood factor: The heart of this Jesse James story is simple. When the railroad company tries to shoulder its way through his family’s homestead, Jesse and his band unite to bring them down, one bank at a time, while providing their neighbors with both physical and financial security. In short, he and his posse steal from the rich and give to the poor. Well, there’s something about stickin’ it to the Man that always makes for a winning plotline. We like the underdog (or the “slumdog,” if you will), the upstart, the gangster with a heart of gold. And you can’t help but root for him in his quest—especially if he’s got a face like Colin Farrell.

4. Butchering of history for entertainment’s sake: Like I mentioned before, Outlaws never intended—or at least I hope it didn’t intend—to be an historical drama. It is neither a history lesson nor a biopic. Who knows if it got the Jesse James and the Younger Brothers’ story right? I’m going to assume it did, pop some popcorn, and move on with my movie night. It’s this same ability to ignore the details in favor of some amusement that lets us enjoy Shakespeare in Love (another perennial favorite of mine). And though, clearly, Shakespeare is the “better” film, both that film and this one operate with the same premise: get the basics down, and then have a laugh. If you like a bit (or a lot) of cheese with your popcorn, Outlaws will taste just right.

5. The tagline and the trailer. They are both seriously so bad, the film just has to be good. Now, obviously when I say “good,” I don’t mean Amistad-good. But in its own, wonky way, American Outlaws is great, and both the tagline and trailer tell you why. With all the guns and action, Outlaws channels more than a bit of 1988’s Young Guns but it uses one-too-many Moby songs (i.e., one) to get to this point. Watch the trailer, and you won’t be able to figure out if you’re in post-Civil War America or in 2001: A Musical Odyssey, in which the members of the band Saliva decide to become cowboy bank robbers. But filter your confusion towards the tagline of the film: “Bad is Good Again.” Um…that says it all. Outlaws doesn’t take itself seriously, and that’s its strength. Bad is good again. And I’m watching.

I think the leading fault of American Outlaws is that it doesn’t quite embrace a genre. Above, I referred to it as an “offbeat American Western,” but that’s not entirely how it sold itself. Outlaws tight-roped between offbeat and ordinary, and there was its undoing. It wasn’t quite clear if viewers should take the film seriously or not. Was it a true telling of the legend of Jesse James? Was it a farcical remake of an American tall tale? Or was it just another shoot-‘em-up comedy with some famous names haphazardly thrown in? Unwilling to pick sides, Outlaws alienated most critics and viewers alike, succumbing to meager box office receipts and thus, obscurity.

But to this day, American Outlaws is the most watched film I own in my DVD collection. Perhaps that’s a little weird. But that’s not to say it’s my favorite film; it just never really gets old to me. Every time Scott Caan shouts, “Let’s ride!” I get into it all over again. It is familiar and fantastic, and it’s truly so bad it gets better every time.

I am my own Urban Dictionary V

Term: class up

Definition 1: To make classy

Definition 2: To take on the attributes of a social or monetary status higher than your own, at times by way of unnecessary embellishments.

Examples of usage:
1. I like how you classed up your office with those Andy Warhol posters.
2. Mitch tried to class-up his 2001 Sebring by adding nice rims, but alas, he should have just bought a cooler car.