Category: Comedy
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Victor Frankenstein (*1/2) Igor is not Igor
Victor Frankenstein – 2015 Director Paul McGuigan Screenplay Max Landis based on the novel by Mary Shelley Starring Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Jessica Brown Findlay, Andrew Scott, Charles Dance, Spencer Wilding, Freddie Fox Rule #3 – The real monster in any monster movie is not the narrator. Rule #54 – There is a pretty girl for everyone, especially if the hunchback is curable.…
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Brooklyn (*****) if only every girl was Irish this way
Brooklyn – 2015 Director John Crowley Screenplay Nick Hornby based on the book by Colm Tóibín Starring Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Fiona Glasscott, Jessica Paré There is a symmetry and beauty in the art in Brooklyn that is rarely seen in film. It’s a straightforward story of the complicated dream of immigration that takes place…
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The Big Short (****) counts on us not liking bad news
The Big Short – 2015 Director Adam McKay Screenplay Charles Randolph and McKay Starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Marisa Tomei, Tracy Letts, Hamish Linklater, John Magaro, Byron Mann, Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong, Finn Wittrock, Melissa Leo There are a whole bunch of facts being spit out in The Big Short. Director and writer…
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Vacation (**) is not fun for anyone
Vacation – 2015 Written and Directed by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley Starring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins, Leslie Mann, Beverly D’Angelo, Chris Hemsworth, Chevy Chase The original Vacation was a work of the upwardly mobile talent of Harold Ramis and John Hughes. It also featured perhaps the last performance of Chevy Chase before it all started going downhill. It’s a…
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Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse (**1/2): Doesn’t try real hard
Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse – 2015 Director Christopher B. Landon Starring Tye Sheridan, David Koechner, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont, Halston Sage, Cloris Leachman, Niki Koss, Patrick Schwarzenegger Screenplay Carrie Evans, Emi Mochizuki, Christopher B. Landon Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse tries to be smart. It tries to have heart. But not that hard. Its mission…
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American Ultra (***): Stoned Identity
American Ultra – 2015 Director Nima Nourizadeh Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, Tony Hale Screenplay Max Landis One of the least appealing aspects about Pulp Fiction is the way Tarantino cuts the legs off the ending about halfway through the film. Seeing that Vincent and Marsellus arrive in tact and uninjured from their…
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Paper Towns (***) – The train in the distance
Paper Towns – 2015 Director Jake Schreier Starring Nat Wolff, Austin Abrams, Justice Smith, Halston Sage, Jaz Sinclair, Cara Delevingne Screenplay Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber based on the book by John Green A gentle teenage road trip movie with plenty of hugging and learning, Paper Towns cloaks irresponsible and reckless behavior as mysterious and awe-inspiring. What it really…
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Pixels (**1/2) – Perhaps you were expecting Tennyson?
Pixels – 2015 Director Chris Columbus Starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Brian Cox, Ashley Benson, Jane Krakowski. Matt Lintz Screenplay Tim Herlihy, Timothy Dowling There will always be films like this. A comedian past his prime is relegated to following trends started by better films (Toy Story, Wreck-It Ralph) as a vessel to do the same film he’s been doing…
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Trainwreck (****) is long, well acted and kind of funny
Trainwreck – 2015 Director Judd Apatow Starring Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, John Cena, Vanessa Bayer, Mike Birbiglia, Ezra Miller, Tilda Swinton, LeBron James Screenplay Schumer It may be for the best, but I had not seen much of Amy Schumer prior to watching Trainwreck. That tactic worked for Ted, because one of the things I heard a lot was it isn’t the same…
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Spy (****) is tailor made for McCarthy
Spy – 2015 Written and Directed by Paul Feig Starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Jude Law, Miranda Hart, Peter Serafinowicz Melissa McCarthy is unique in the world of comedy. If you don’t know why, then you haven’t viewed any sort of social media – or media even – since Bridesmaids. The challenge for her is avoiding the…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 