Movie Rewind: JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK (2010)

JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK (2010)
Director: Ricki Stern, Anne Sundberg
Starring: Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Jocelyn Pickett, Bill Sammeth, Kathy Griffin

I first saw Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work a couple of years ago when it first started streaming on Netflix. I had a second viewing of it tonight, but this time there was a somber tone underneath it due to her recent passing. She died at the age of 81, but she was 75 when she was filming the 2010 documentary. For someone that has had their fair share of ups and downs in show business, she opens up about the drive, passion, and commitment she has toward what she does. There are days where I think I am busy. I’m only 31 and wonder why I stuff my calendar so full with various activities, events, or gatherings. I can’t imagine being her age and continuing to live such an active lifestyle. For her, she wouldn’t know what to do otherwise. There is a scene early on where she’s going through her calendar and you see how penciled in each day was for the month and in the upcoming months there are days that are blank with nothing filled in. She lived in fear of an empty calendar. “…nobody wants me. Nobody cares.” She felt a need to work in order to stay relevant and appreciated.

Many people probably know her best as a foul-mouthed comedienne or red carpet fashion commentator. That was never what she set out to do, because she always saw herself as an actress first and foremost. She took acting very seriously and wanted to be known as an actress. My first memories of Joan are as an actress as I grew up watching Spaceballs where she provided the voice of Dot Matrix, the C3PO type character. Early on in her career she co-wrote and appeared in a play called Fun City and was ripped apart for it. Those negative reviews severely damaged her. Part of the documentary focuses on her opening a play based on her life that toured Edinburgh and London. She was very cautious of taking it to New York or Los Angeles because she didn’t want criticism regarding her acting. She had no problems if people ripped apart other aspects of her career, but she didn't want them touching what she cherished the most.

It is quite clear that she was one of the hardest working people in the business. As the camera pans her lofty Maria Antoinette style apartment, it stops upon the filing cabinets full of jokes. There is something astonishing about the fact that she always wrote down her jokes and filed them away. She never wanted to forget them, so she jotted them down in notebooks, on cards, or on other random pieces of paper. She pulls a random joke out of a filing drawer and reads it to the camera. Who knows when she wrote it, but it was still funny as there is a timeless quality to her humor. This is also evident in the multitude of clips of her standup routine. I admire her fearlessness and her audacity to never hold back in the name of comedy. No subject was ever out of bounds. No matter how politically incorrect, crass, or inappropriate it was, she would deliver the joke and stand up for it. She frequently raised eyebrows and would get lambasted for the shockingly vulgar things that she would say. She always believed that was what women should be talking about.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work showcases Joan the person versus Joan the persona who we typically see her being. This is an insightful and fascinating look at the internal pain and struggle she faced in her life and what drove her to continue working. The film covers the shocking suicide of her husband Edgar. Due to the fact that he was a part of her business, she was left without a career, bad debts, sadness, darkness, and also became a single mother after the tragedy. This also came after she was banned from The Tonight Show by her one time friend Johnny Carson despite having been on the show for over twenty years. Even after all of those years of being on the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, you can sense that there was still a vulnerability with Joan. The film also provides a peak into her philanthropic side. There is a very generous side to her that is very rarely showed and discussed. She was very grateful for everything she had in life and always felt very blessed with what she had been given. She loved giving back and helping others by hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a big group of friends and family as well as delivering meals for God’s Love We Deliver which helped HIV/AIDS patients in need.

We lost one hell of a trailblazer when Joan passed away. This documentary is a great way for people who may not know a lot about her life to see a different side of her. Kathy Griffin is interviewed and states how she was a pioneer for female comics. I don’t think we will ever see a comedian these days that could get away with half of the things Joan did. You can catch this rare look into Joan’s life through Netflix Streaming if you have that service. Be warned, the language is extremely R-rated. You will no doubt laugh, and maybe even lower your head in shame for laughing so hard at what this 75 year old dares to say out loud.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? If you didn't know Joan before, you may end up having a better appreciation for her.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: SEX TAPE

SEX TAPE
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Rob Corddry, Ellie Kemper, Rob Lowe

We’re on the second of three Cameron Diaz movies slated for release this year following The Other Woman and the Annie remake which is set for a Christmas release. I am predicting right here and now that this will be the best one of the three. What does that say about her choice in film roles? For Annie (Diaz) and Jay (Segel), the peak of their sexual adventures occurred early on in their relationship. They were not afraid to have sex whenever and wherever they wanted. They had a few solid years of pretty hot and heavy action until she got pregnant. After having two kids, they fell into that trap like many parents where their sex drive became non-existent. Sure they think about it, but at the end of the day they are just too tired and exhausted. She’s a mommy blogger with a bit of an edge who has an opportunity to sell it to a larger website and make a load of money on it. He works at a radio station and takes his job of finding new music and creating playlists very seriously.

With Annie’s potential job offer, they decide to send the kids over to grandma’s house in order to have a wild night all to themselves. They come up with the grand idea to make a sex tape as a way of spicing things up. The next morning Annie demands that Jay delete the evidence of their three hour romp. We all know that doesn’t happen because we wouldn’t have the rest of the movie if he actually listened to his wife. Jay learns his lesson the hard way after receiving some anonymous text messages regarding the footage. He realizes the video was saved to the Apple cloud and accidentally synched to various iPads he has given out as gifts to friends and family. They team up with their friends Robby (Corddry) and Tess (Kemper) to track down those tablets and delete the video before the wrong eyes see it.

Sex Tape is a reunion for director Jake Kasdan, Cameron Diaz, and Jason Segel. You may remember they worked on 2011’s Bad Teacher, another rom com with a super creative title. Diaz and Segel have made multitudes of these kinds of movies, so you already know what you’re getting yourself into with this one. Even though Diaz has tried other material that is edgier and harder, this is her niche as these are the types of movies she does best. She gets to be wacky and kooky and be the comedic actress we as an audience have come to embrace. Sidekicks Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Way Way Back) and Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids, The Office) have some of the best scene stealing moments. Leave it to both of them to amp up the humor in some of the more uncomfortable moments and make them hysterical. Rob Lowe plays a potential business backer for Diaz’s character. He starts off very much like his character on Parks and Recreation, but there are a few surprises in store for him. I feel he is the result of some stunt casting due to the fact that he actually made a sex tape that leaked in the ‘80s. If that’s the case, why didn’t they also get the likes of Pamela Anderson, Kim Kardashian, or Paris Hilton? There’s no way a Kardashian would have turned down a chance to make money and be in the spotlight.

This is a short light fluffy 90 minute comedy, which is a bit of a rarity these days in this genre especially when you think of how long Jason Segel movies tend to be. The script was penned by Kate Angelo (The Back-Up Plan), but with Segel and Nicholas Stoller (The Five-Year Engagement) given co-writing credits. I think it’s safe to assume they did some heavy rewrites on the original draft. For a movie about a sex tape, I was surprised by how tame it was in its approach. Maybe I am just getting a bit desensitized in this day and age, but I feel like it really could have pushed the boundaries when it comes to the raunchy factor. Yes, we see the bare butts of Diaz and Segel and there is some talk about the various positions found in “The Joy of Sex”, but if you compare it to other comedies like this, it feels quite innocent. Maybe some moviegoers will appreciate the toned down approach knowing they chose not to go to the extremes, but I feel like it is actually warranted with this plot.

At the end of the day, Sex Tape achieves what it sets out to do. There are a decent amount of laughs to stay entertained and take your mind of a really crappy day at work. It’s a mindless light romp with a simple plot as it takes a look at what happens to some couples after many years of marriage and kids. Sometimes you just need to add a little spark back into the relationship, but it doesn’t always go to plan. I think there is something relatable there that I’m sure many moviegoers could attest to in some way or another.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? While it won't be winning any awards anytime soon, it's better than some of the other comedies released this summer.

RATING: 3 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: TAMMY

TAMMY
Director: Ben Falcone
Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Bates, Allison Janney, Nat Faxon, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh, Gary Cole, Mark Duplass, Dan Aykroyd

McCarthy. Sarandon. Bates. Janney. Collette. All fantastic actresses that I love. Tammy has to be good, right? Well...You may want to think twice before buying your movie tickets this weekend. On the same day Tammy (McCarthy) is fired from her job at Topper Jacks, her car breaks down, and finds out her husband (Faxon) is cheating on her with the neighbor (Collette). She heads over to her mom’s (Janney) house and ends up going on a road trip with her Grandma Pearl (Sarandon). Their end spot may be Niagara Falls, but along the way they stop by Pearl’s cousin Lenore’s (Bates) house for an all lesbian 4th of July barbeque. Tammy and Pearl both have their issues, troubles, problems, and dirty habits, so the trip along the way is quite the adventure.

Apparently, Tammy has been a pet project for Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone. They have been working on it for years as they both wrote the script and Falcone sits in the director’s chair. Falcone also has a minor role as Tammy’s manager at Topper Jack’s. It’s odd that this is their special project as it doesn’t really have anything new to say. We have seen McCarthy play this type of dirty, crass, and obnoxious character numerous times before like Bridesmaids, The Heat, and Identity Thief. It has become her niche like many other comedians typically do. She is such a talented actress and is far better than playing the same old tired character over and over again. Her character Sookie St. James on Gilmore Girls is nothing like what she has been playing lately. By the way, how come no one ever mentions Gilmore Girls when talking about McCarthy. It’s a wonderful show, so go out and add it to your summer binge list!

The trailers for Tammy have definitely played up this side of her character, but they are a bit misleading as the movie isn’t about how gross she can be. The story is more about the road trip and relationship she has with her grandmother and how the two of them grow and learn from each other. There is a bit of a transformation and growth with Tammy as she isn’t always dumb and getting into trouble. The problem with it is that it’s uneven in its approach. There is a side subplot involving a budding romance with Mark Duplass’ character. I enjoyed it even though it doesn’t quite fit in the movie. It is further proof that McCarthy would be great in a smart romantic comedy. There is a sweet and natural chemistry between the two of them.

The film boasts a wonderful cast of truly talented character actors who have all dabbled in comedies and dramas. We’ve got two Oscar winners (Sarandon, Bates) and three Emmy winners (McCarthy, Collette, Janney) present. They all make the movie tolerable as I typically enjoy whatever they are working on, yet everyone seems to be wasted here. Poor Allison Janney is stuck behind a phone most of the movie checking in with McCarthy and Sarandon’s road trip. I wonder if they are all friends of McCarthy and Falcone who decided to do them a favor by being in the movie. I know Sarandon has appeared on McCarthy’s TV show, Mike and Molly. With McCarthy, Janney, and Sarandon playing three different generations, you have to get over their lack of an age difference very early on. In case you were curious, there is only a twenty-four year age gap between McCarthy and Sarandon. According to IMDb, Shirley MacLaine was originally cast as the grandma but had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts. With Sarandon doing another road trip style movie, this made me want to go back and watch Thelma & Louise again.

I haven’t given up on McCarthy yet like I have done in the past with Will Ferrell, Jack Black, and Adam Sandler. I just think it’s time to retire this character type that she has gotten herself stuck into playing over and over. She is clearly far superior than this material. Since it has been in the works for years, I do wonder if she wrote this movie before she got into this rut. Maybe it would have played better if it had been released years ago.

Is It Worth Your Trip to the Movies? The movie has a couple of laughs, but they were already shown in the trailer. The movie is not nearly as funny as it could have been knowing how funny McCarthy can be.

RATING: 2 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: 22 JUMP STREET

22 JUMP STREET
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Wyatt Russell, Jimmy Tatro, Amber Stevens, Nick Offerman, Peter Stromare

Most movies adapted from television shows rarely work, especially when a new cast and new characters are involved. Who would have thought that 21 Jump Street would have worked so well that a sequel would follow? Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back for another case as Jenko and Schmidt, respectively. The old church at 21 Jump Street that served as the police headquarters in the first film has been converted back to a church. How convenient for them that there is also a church across the street at 22 Jump Street that can now pose as the police headquarters.

Jenko and Schmidt are assigned their next case and this time it has them going under cover again as college students at MC State College. A new synthetic drug called WHYPHY is being passed around like candy, and one of the students dies of an overdose. The boys are given a picture of the girl getting the drug slipped to her, but the only identifiable feature of the dealer is a tattoo on his arm. Schmidt feels left out of their partnership after Jenko joins the football team and fraternity as fellow teammates Zook (Russell) and Rooster (Tatro) take him under their wing. Schmidt decides to pursue the case at a different angle by dating Maya (Stevens) who lives across the hallway from the victim.

If you are thinking that this plot sounds exactly like the first movie, but now they’re in college instead of high school, you are correct in your assessment. I was a bit worried when I first saw the trailer as it looked like a carbon copy of 21 Jump Street. In theory, this film should not work. Comedy sequels that completely rip off the jokes and plot of the first outing are typically insulting to the fans. Nick Offerman’s police chief has a not-so-subtle speech toward the guys describing how the police department was so happy with how the first task turned out that they want to send the boys out again on a similar case but with a bigger budget. This is exactly what studio executives pitch after a comedy makes the big bucks at the box office. They want the original cast to come back and make the same kind of movie again. The Hangover Part II is a prime example of why this is typically a horrible idea. That movie was a messy insult as it was the exact same movie as the first one. 22 Jump Street does that exact same thing, yet succeeds and surpasses expectations. Screenwriters Michael Ball, Oren Uziel, and Rodney Rothman have written about this exact commentary in their script. There are copious jokes and references as to how they are ripping off the first one. Even Mr. Tatum makes a reference to the premise of his movie White House Down at one point.

Tatum and Hill have this unique chemistry that completely works and is the reason why this rebooted franchise succeeds. Having two cops that are complete opposites is by no means a new concept, but I think part of the charm and humor is grounded in how well they play off each other. While it may have been funny having Jonah Hill paired up with Seth Rogen or James Franco, it would be a completely different kind of story and tone all together. Schmidt and Jenko are exaggerated stereotypes of the images people label under Hill and Tatum. Hill wrote the stories for the films, so I can assume he played into his persona a bit and made Tatum that good looking but dumb jock frat boy that Hollywood has probably labeled him at some point in his career. Ice Cube returns as Captain Dickson whose moments with Jonah Hill provide some of the best laughs in the movie. I’ll forgive him for making Ride Along. Dave Franco and Rob Riggle are back for cameos as prison inmates who offer some advice and help to Hill and Tatum.

The directing team of Christopher Miller and Phil Lord are the men behind The LEGO Movie and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. The LEGO Movie is another film of theirs that I would not have expected it to be as enjoyable as turned out to be. The laughs are pretty consistent throughout 22 Jump Street which was a surprise and a relief. It's hard not to laugh when Jonah Hill gets in way over his head wtih some of the more dangerous aspects of his job. The movie easily could have gone downhill fast. The comedy isn’t all the clever or original, yet it delivers. This is the baffling thing behind the movie. Everyone involved knows we’ve seen frat movies, spring break scenes, shoot-outs, buddy movies, terrible sequels, franchises, and they make fun of all of that along the way. I give them major credit for pulling this off so well. Make sure to stay through the credits, for a hilarious sequence that left the whole audience in stitches. I’m not sure what was funnier, the sequence or how my mother-in-law completely lost it because she was laughing so loudly.

Is it worth your trip to the movies? If you liked the first one, you will definitely enjoy the sequel. You can sign me up for 23 Jump Street.

RATING: 4 out of 5 TICKET STUBS

Movie Review: A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST

A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST
Writer/Director: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Liam Neeson

Seth MacFarlane is a multi-talented performer who can write, act, sing, direct, and do voice over work. We have seen him do all of that with hilarious results in his television show Family Guy. His first full length film Ted had some pretty funny moments as well. He is pulling quadruple duty in A Million Ways to Die in the West as he produces, directs, writes, and stars in an attempted spoof of the Western genre.

MacFarlane cast himself as the main character, Albert, a sheepherder who can barely wrangle his own sheep or fire a gun. After bowing out of a duel, his girlfriend Louise (Seyfried) decides to dump him and quickly moves as to the mustached Foy (Harris). Foy is far more upstanding as he runs his own “mustachery” store. Albert has his friends Edward (Ribisi) and his girlfriend Ruth (Silverman) nearby at the saloon for comfort and support.

It’s not too long before the beautiful Anna (Theron) rolls into town and wins over Albert’s affections. He teaches her about the town’s god-awful bad luck while she shows him how to shoot a gun and have a bit of courage in life. What Albert doesn’t know is that she is married to Clinch (Neeson), an outlaw gunslinger who you do not want at the other end of a duel. Albert’s strength and confidence is put to the test when Clinch arrives into town and finds Anna with Albert.

It’s hard to watch a western comedy and not think of the Mel Brooks classic Blazing Saddles, which is one of the funniest movies of all time. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t even attempt this type of movie, but there will always be comparisons. A Million Ways to Die in the West wishes it was as funny as that, but Seth MacFarlane does not even come remotely close to delivering the jokes that Brooks was able to unleash. We have all seen those movies where all of the funny parts were shown in the trailer. That pretty much applies here. I’m not saying that I didn’t laugh as I still let out a few chuckles at times, but it pales in comparison to other comedies of late. MacFarlane is known for pushing the envelope of politically incorrect humor that can be shocking at times. Sometimes he resorts to cheap, low brow poop and dick jokes. You get more of the latter in this movie. I typically like MacFarlane’s work as I have always been a Family Guy fan. I found Ted to pretty funny for the first half of the film, but it got old after a while. It's disappointing that MacFarlane doesn't seem to try any harder and I know he is capable of smarter and funnier material.

MacFarlane has himself a fun and talented cast many of whom are probably his friends in real life that signed on to this film as a favor. I don't blame them as I guess I would sign on to work with MacFarlane without reading a script. Charlize Theron makes any movie better, and that applies here as well. We haven’t quite seen her do a comedy before, but I think I would rather see her and MacFarlane do a smart and mature romantic comedy over this that wastes both their talents. Family Guy actress Alex Borstein has a small role which should have been amplified as she is a hilarious character actress. Liam Neeson seems to be spoofing that same type of character he has played before which works for this movie. The only big casting beef I had happens to be MacFarlane. He seems oddly cast as he naturally carries with him this charm and good looking nature that didn’t quite fit the character. Both my husband and I thought it would have worked better if Giovanni Ribisi would have been in the MacFarlane role. He can pull off that loser type quality and be believable at it.

Of all of the comedic writers out that push the envelope, have an insightful commentary, and be cheap and crass, MacFarlane would be the one to rival Mel Brooks. It is really unfortunate that he seems to be playing it too safe and easy, which is not what I expect from him. He has written a very thin plot and I kept waiting for something to happen. He has mentioned in interviews that he wanted to write a western where the central character was the opposite of the gun-toting action hero. I see the appeal to that, but you have to have more to your concept that just a loose character description. One of the best parts of the movie happens to the cameos that pop up. I’m not about to spoil those here, but I will say they are an homage to the western genre.

Is it worth your trip to the movie? Absolutely not. I’m sure you can find Blazing Saddles or old episodes of Family Guy playing on some cable channel to watch instead.

RATING: 1.5 out of 5 Ticket Stubs

Movie Review: JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA

JACKASS PRESENTS: BAD GRANDPA
Director: Jeff Tremaine
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicholl, Greg Harris

Do you like watching pranks performed on innocent people? Boy, do I have a movie for you! If you have ever watched MTV's "Jackass" or saw any of the three movies that were spawned after it, you will be familiar with Knoxville's character of Grandpa Irving Zisman. Now he gets his own movie! At the funeral for his wife, Irving's estranged daughter shows up to drop off his grandson Billy (Nicholl) without any warning as she has been ordered back to jail for violating parole. Billy likes to tell people his mother is a drug addict. Irving has no choice but to take Billy on a road trip back to be with his dad and to find a proper burial spot for his dead wife.

Now you may be saying to yourself, "Since when does a Jackass movie have a plot?" Yes, I am as surprised as you are. All of the other films Johnny Knoxville has done under the Jackass banner have been a collection of gross out gags performed by his buddies on each other. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa weaves together an actual plot working as transition material between all of the gags. There is indeed a script full of dialogue between Irving and Billy in the car throughout their trip. I was pleasantly surprised at this mix of documentary style filmmaking with a faux story thrown in. Borat is another good example of this mix. Let's be real though. The majority of the audience will remember this film for the hilarious gags on its unsuspecting victims. Irving and Billy strike up random conversation with people on the street, the ladies at the bingo hall, restaurant patrons, a male strip club, and even a gang of motorcycle riders.

If you are familiar with the Knoxville canon, you are probably already aware of what kind of humor you can expect. It's a mix of physical comedy, slapstick gags, fart jokes, penis jokes, and old man hitting on younger women jokes. The bits are crass, crude, gross, dumb and everything in between. Some of it seems so ludacris at times you wonder how people are falling for it, but it sure is damn funny to watch it all unfold. If you stay and watch the credits, you get a glimpse into the filming of it and how they were able to pull it all off. I give credit to many of the innocent bystanders that signed over their waivers to appear in the film. I am glad to see people able to poke fun at themselves and be up for showing their more embarrassing moments. I could not help but wonder how many people did not, how many were pissed off at them, and how many people they had to pay off to pay for their damages.

Not every bit or gag is laugh out loud funny; the big ones make it all worth while. I am typically appalled by Little Miss pageants, so I took a bit of pleasure out of Billy performing a lewd dance to "Cherry Pie" to the shock and disgust out of all of those stage parents watching him. Sometimes after you have had a really crappy week or month, a dumb comedy like this can be just the 92 minute release you need from the everyday life. Is it the best comedy of the year? No. Is the the worst? No way. Some may find the humor to be crewd and mean, but the able participation from its victims make it feel a bit more justifiable. You may also be interested in knowing Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Her) produced and helped write the story behind it.

RATING: *** 1/2 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: WE'RE THE MILLERS

WE'RE THE MILLERS
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn, Ed Helms

A drug “smuggling” road trip movie whose characters are on the run from their Mexican drug lords. I feel like I’ve seen this before. Oh wait, I’m sure I have. David Clarke (Sudeikis) is that guy we all know that has never really grown up. He’s not married, has no kids, and lives in a bachelor style apartment. David is also a well-known marijuana dealer. His iPhone is constantly going off and has his supply fully organized and stashed away. I always like someone that is well organized. It is not too long into the movie when he is completely robbed of his weed and the tens of thousands of dollars he had with it.

He must fess up to his dealer Brad Gurdlinger (Helms) that he no longer has the money he owes him. Brad offers David an ultimatum as a way to repay him his debt. Brad tells David to cross the border into Mexico to smuggle back a “smidge and a half” of marijuana. David has no choice but to go along with the plan. He comes up with the idea of posing as a family in a RV in order to breeze through border patrol. Who would suspect a happy-go-lucky-ain’t-life-grand type of family of bringing drugs back into the country? David has no family so he decides to form one by bribing some of his neighbors. Rose O’Reilly (Aniston) makes her living as a stripper but is being evicted from her apartment. She sees no choice but to take David up on his offer as she desperately needs the money. Kenny, the dorky kid next door (Poulter) tags along as he has nothing better to do and wants to score some weed from David. To round out the family is Casey (Roberts), a pierced and tattooed runaway.

The newly formed Miller family heads out on the open road. Their stop inside the compound to pick up their “smidge and a half” is highly guarded with rifles pointing in every direction. The exchange goes rather smoothly despite the fact that the “smidge and a half” turns out to be enough pot to fill every nook and cranny of the RV. They get stopped at border patrol but ease on through after the under vehicle check. For the faux Millers this slight altercation turns out to be the least of their worries. What would a drug smuggling road trip movie be without some other hijinks and crazy characters along the way?

I have mentioned it in reviews past, but I get leery whenever I see more than one or two screenwriters listed in the credits. We’re the Millers boasts FOUR writers. I highly doubt that they all sat in a room together and came up with this script. It is by no means original, and frankly, it is not all that funny. One would think that with four writers the jokes and zingers would just come flying out of each actor’s mouths. There are some good laughs to be had, but I was not busting a gut every time Sudeikis delivered a line.

I sometimes wonder why editors leave the funniest moments and punch lines for the blooper reel. Some of the best laughs of the movie come in the blooper reel. It set in stone the reason why this movie semi-works. This cast is able to take a weak script and run with it themselves to get some laughs out of it. Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn (both from TV’s “Parks and Recreation”) pop up as another RV riding Christian family that the “Millers” meet along the way. They are always funny no matter what project they do. You may not know the name Kathryn Hahn but you will probably recognize her. Another stand-out is British actor Will Poulter as Kenny. He is definitely not afraid to do anything for a laugh. The movie does have an interesting take on the idea of getting to know strangers and not judging the book by the cover. I must admit, the ending did take me by surprise. I assumed I knew what was going to happen within the first half hour, but I am glad that I was wrong. The movie is not terrible, but there are funnier pot movies out there if you are in the need for a late night high fest.

RATING: ** 1/2 (2.5 out of 5 stars)

Movie Review: THIS IS THE END

THIS IS THE END
Writers/Directors: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, James Franco, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, Emma Watson, Michael Cera

Who would have ever thought that the end of the world would be this funny? If more end of days/apocalypse type movies were made in this style they would be far more successful. Seth Rogen is picking up his buddy Jay Baruchel from the airport so he can spend the weekend in LA. Apparently, Jay hates the LA lifestyle and refuses to stay there. Yes, all of the actors are playing fictitious or exaggerated versions of themselves. They spend the afternoon gorging on Carl Jr., smoking dope, and playing video games. That evening they go to a big housewarming party thrown by James Franco. Jay is leery about going, but he tags along anyways to be with Seth. Jay thinks Jonah Hill hates him, which is far from the truth after a warm encounter when they get to the party. All of their friends including: Jason Segel, Mindy Kaling, David Krumholz, Aziz Ansari, Rihanna, and Michael Cera are at this party.

After reaching his breaking point, Jay gets Seth to go with him to the convenience store to buy a pack of smokes. A huge explosion rips open the store and various customers are sucked into the air through a blue orb. They manage to escape and run like hell back to James Franco's party. The rest of LA starts to burst into flames and massive sink holes start opening up leading to the deaths of many of our celeb party guests. The lone survivors of this so-called earthquake/apocalypse are: Jay, Seth, James, Jonah, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, and Emma Watson. Their survival skills and friendship are put to the test as they wait out what is happening outside.

Sometimes when movies start crossing genres, the tone and balance can get out of sync. Movies like Tropic Thunder turn into an action film and the comedy gets left behind. Here, the comedy stays quite present and at the fore front despite the final third of the film turning into a CGI demon/zombie fest. It has the comedy/horror down correctly like Shaun of the Dead did a few years back. I don't want to give too much away, but the script is not all dick jokes and pot smoking. I was pleasantly surprised that Rogen and Goldberg delve into such interesting topics like mortality, how to get into heaven, what heaven is like, etc...Sure, it is done with a more comedic tone than a straight philosophical approach, but I am glad they went for it.

Have I mentioned how funny this movie is? It is literally the funniest movie I have seen all year. The humor is crude, crass, vulgar, and self-deprecating on these actors. What else do you expect from this team? I think it was smart of Rogen and Goldberg to have the actors play themselves. Much of the humor comes from the exaggerated or fictitious versions of themselves and seeing how far they are willing to push the boundaries of their own images. It also helps if you know each of these actors and their careers as they are constantly referencing past films or performances they've given. James Franco keeps hoards of old props in his basement. Jonah Hill has a dramatic voice now that he's an Oscar nominee. Seth Rogen has sold out. These are just a few of the jabs that are thrown toward each other. Michael Cera went so far as to give people the impression he is an ass-grabbing coke fiend. Where the truth lies is probably somewhere in the middle regarding how much of these "characters" are based on their real-life counterparts. You can tell that some of the movie is ad-libbed as the actors will just go off on these riffs and jabs at each other that are some of the best moments in the film. Like many movies that come from these guys, it does feel a bit long at times. At least the humor is consistent throughout.

RATING: **** (4 out of 5 stars)