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This Is The End: Would Work Much Better as an SNL Stint

Posted on December 13, 2013 Written by ripitup

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This Is The End cast
This Is The End survivors. Image via ign.com.

 I wasn’t sure about This Is The End. I wanted to see it, because the idea is really cool, and some of my favorite humor has been about celebrities making fun of themselves in TV shows or on live stints. For instance:

Gerard Butler and Saturday Night Live

Writing Humor That Cracks You Up 1: Poking Fun at Oneself Unashamedly (includes Kevin Bacon, Dermot Mulroney and more.)

I didn’t want to see This Is The End because I wasn’t sure I’d be laughing that much at Seth Rogen. I have nothing against the guy, but I’ve liked him a lot more in drama. Same goes for Jonah Hill. Or if he’s doing comedy, I want Channing Tatum and a Johnny Depp cameo, aka 21 Jump Street.

And apparently, I like Jay Baruchel a lot more when he comes with Nicolas Cage, Alfred Molina and Teresa Palmer, aka The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It might be mindless entertainment, but it is very entertaining, and sometimes that’s enough.

Now, I have a soft spot for James Franco because of Freaks and Geeks, as well as Tristan & Isolde. But his character wasn’t any more entertaining than Rogen’s. And maybe a little less annoying than Hill’s.

Also, there’s the chance the humor could/would overuse jokes about weed, guys being around other guys and then sum. Too bad I was more right about my reservations than my enthusiasm.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I hated the movie. I just hated some parts of it (especially if it included Michael Cera. How was that supposed to be funny other than his death scene? That was enjoyable.)

I laughed a bit, but I was more disappointed. I had to fast-forward quite a bit.

On the plus side, writing a review is easy because I don’t have to remember character names. Everyone plays themselves.

Let’s go over the good and the bad.

The Good (Also The Funny & Fun):

–       Two guys (Rogen and Baruchel) having weedy bromance moments and the background music is Backstreet Boys. That’s hilariously weird. And 90s.

–       Seth Rogen being greeted by reporters at the airport and is told he always plays himself.

–       Seth being on a cleanse which includes smoking, weed and hamburgers.

–       Also him thinking gluten is the mother of evil, and not knowing what it actually is.

–       Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel finding themselves in the middle of Armageddon, and screaming like crazy, trying to survive until they head back to Franco’s.

–       James Franco and party folk not having a clue the word outside is falling apart and not believing Baruchel, and Rogen selling out Baruchel to maintain believability.

–       Emma Watson surviving and thinking they are in a zombie apocalypse.

–       Remaining guys shooting a sequel to the Pineapple Express at home and watching it for fun.

–       The ending with the Backstreet Boys cameo. Considering where and when Baruchel makes a wish, it’s too ridiculous not to be hilarious.

*

The Bad:

– Danny McBride: his fictional Danny takes obnoxious to a new level, and I think a character wouldn’t be that obnoxious/selfish/stupid in real world. Or people would have killed him. Seriously.

– The repetitive, unfunny jokes.

-Getting high in the middle of world ending. Yeah, sure, do that. Get extra hungry and thirsty and risk sickness. That’s cool.

– The dialogue in general.

-The Channing Tatum cameo. You want to use Tatum for comedy? Great. Have him scream his head off in a shrill voice when he is faced with real danger. Don’t make him McBride’s bitch. Literally.

*

I have nothing against well-done, R-rated comedies. And I don’t mind political incorrectness. Or actors playing similar characters, if those characters are likeable and plots of the movies vary enough. Some of my favorite comedies of all time are Old  School, Wedding Crashers and The Hangover (the first one). But not all absurd comedies click with you (like The Hangover sequel).

I think the movie would have worked a lot better if it ran for 5-10 minutes instead of 107 minutes.

Hey, all reviews and criticisms are obviously objective. However sometimes the “average” views and ratings baffle you. Like when this gets a 7.0 on IMDB. I’d have been OK with a 4 or 5. If I had seen it at the theater though, I’d have rated much lower (than 5).

*

So have you seen it? What did you think?

 

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: backstreet boys, backstreet boys this is the end, channing tatum, danny mcbride, emma watson, James Franco, james franco this is the end, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, michael cera, Seth Rogen, seth rogen this is the end, this is the end, this is the end cast, this is the end movie, this is the end movie review

Due Date starring Robert Downey Jr. & Zach Galifianakis

Posted on February 2, 2011 Written by ripitup

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Due Date starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis.
Due Date starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. Feat. Juliette Lewis, Danny McBride & Jamie Foxx.

Peter Highman (Robert Downey Jr.) is a successful architect on a business trip who can’t wait to get home to Los Angeles and be there for his wife Sarah (Michelle Monaghan) when she gives birth. All it should have taken was a simple first class ride. Unfortunately Peter met Ethan Trembley (Zach Galifianakis) a “weird” guy who claims to be 23 years old, uses dope for a medical condition and wants to be an actor.

Peter suddenly finds himself on the no-flight list and with no suitcase and no wallet. Ethan comes to his rescue by offering him a ride in his rental. A desperate Peter agrees but of course he just might under-estimated how irrational and weird Ethan might be. More things go wrong leading to hilarious moments.

As the story progresses, the audience starts to wonder whether Peter will able to reach Los Angeles in one piece and/or without killing Ethan…

**

Due Date is 2010-dated comedy from the director of hilarious films The Hangover and Old School. With 3 other co-writers (Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland & Adam Sztykiel) on board, Todd has written and directed a fun road comedy starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis.

Due Date is not as hilarious as The Hangover. Be ready for that. It probably won’t give you that many laughing cramps. But despite a slowish start and some not-so-funny moments, it is a movie that will entertain you and at some parts, it will make you laugh your butt off.

I started enjoying the movie a lot more after the initial 30-35 minutes. While I am not sure Ethan’s “method” for sleeping was really that funny by itself, the dog imitating the owner was hilarious. And the following morning, the movie tunes up its comedy and with the brief addition of Jamie Foxx’s character, it stays hilarious.

My advice? Some parts might be a little dragging but watch it anyway. It is worth your time.

Favorite scenes:

–          The “coffee” at Darryl (Jamie Foxx)’s house.

–          Ethan’s implications about Darryl and Peter’s wife.

–          Everything right before and after Mexico.

Favorite lines:

Ethan (on when Darryl ran into Peter’s wife): February? 9 months ago?

Darryl: 9-10 months ago.

Ethan: 9.

**

Peter (to Ethan): I’m sorry we drank your father.

Ethan: That’s OK. There’s still plenty of him here. Darryl only made 3 cups of coffee and there is about 8 cups of my dad left here.

**

Peter (on the phone to his wife’s voice mail): Ever-faithful husband calling from West Texas. Just checking in…. I actually talked to him (Darryl). He told me about the lovely weekend you guys spent together in San Diego………   If there is something you need to tell me…so that I don’t get surprised in the delivery room…

**

Ethan (throwing his father’s ashes): Dad, you were like a father to me!

**

Fun notes:

–          Co-writer Adam Sztykiel also wrote Made of Honor, a romantic comedy starring Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Dempsey.

–          Due Date features Juliette Lewis in a small role as Ethan’s drug-dealer. She also co-starred in Old School.

–          The Hangover Part II is in the works.

–          Danny McBride makes a funny and annoying appearance as the unhelpful Western Union guy.

Also on Zach Galifianakis

The Hangover

Bored to Death

Also on Jamie Foxx

Law Abiding Citizen starring Gerard Butler & Jamie Foxx

Valentine’s Day starring Jamie Foxx, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner& more

Also on Michelle Monaghan

Source Code starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan & Vera Farmiga

The Heartbreak Kid starring Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman and Michelle Monaghan

Made of Honor starring Patrick Dempsey & Michelle Monaghan

Also on Robert Downey Jr.

Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Mark Strong and Rachel McAdams

Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard

Iron Man 2 starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke

Due Date, Love and Other Drugs, The Tourist: The 3 Comedies to Anticipate This Season

Six Celebrities That Aged Really Well feat. Robert Downey Jr., Tim Robbins, Keanu Reeves….

10 Celebrities to Wear Flats for: Feat. Robert Downey Jr.,  Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon, Jon Bon Jovi and More

Favorite Comic Book Movies by a Girl Who Hasn’t Read The Comics

11 Mel Gibson Films You Should Watch feat. Air America (with Robert Downey Jr.)

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Filed Under: Movies and Actors Tagged With: Adam Sztykiel, Alan Freedland, Alan R. Cohen, comedy, danny mcbride, due date, due date movie, Jamie Foxx, Juliette Lewis, Michelle Monaghan, movies, Old School, old school movie made of honor, robert downey jr, The Hangover, the hangover movie, todd phillips, Zach Galifianakis

In the mood for a fun romcom novel?

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