This Is The End

COMEDY/HORROR

Last Ditch Efforts

8.25 out of 10 | DVD or RENTAL

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Rated: R  Crude and sexual content, brief graphic nudity, drug use, pervasive language and some violence
Release Date: June 12, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes

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Director: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Writers: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, based on the short film Jay and Seth vs. the Apocalypse by Jason Stone
Cast: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Rihanna

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SYNOPSIS:  While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

REVIEW: Seth Rogen is an actor (The Guilt Trip), a writer (The Watch), and now a director! The Canadian-born star brings his unique bong-y perspective from Vancouver, British Columbia, and teams with long-time collaborating writer Evan Goldberg to adapt the Jason Stone short film that Seth and Jay Baruchel Jason and Seth created in 2007.

Seth Rogen (Green Hornet) waits at LAX for his Canadian childhood pal Jay Baruchel (She's Out of my League) to deplane. After Jay arrives they go back to Seth's house and party up with weed, alcohol, and 3D television and video games. When Seth asks Jay to accompany him to James Franco's housewarming, Jay hesitantly goes. After joining the party and meeting up with Franco (147 Hours), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Craig Robinson (Peeples), Emma Watson (The Perks of Being a Wallflower), Kevin Hart (Think Like a Man), and others, Jay tires of the LA scene and wants to go back to Seth's place. When he and Seth go to a convenience store for more smokes, an earthquake rocks the neighborhood and people are transported Into the sky via blue lights. With the neighborhood – Seth and Jay decide to get back to Franco's house to wait out the coming apocalypse.

What happens when a bunch of actors get together for a housewarming party and end up having to face down the end of the world? When it comes to Rogen, Franco, Baruchel, Robinson, and Hill, they wait out the End of Days with beer, weed, some water, and no idea as to what to do next. Watching these guys muddle their way through the Rapture is like watching a bunch of five-year-olds fight over the last cookie on the plate. Ludicrous, unbelievable, and over-the-top, This Is The End is a hilarious look at how these these weed-toting, liquor-consuming, fun-loving friends could possibly survive.

There's three things that are clever about this movie. The first is that every character that these guys play are themselves… or are the caricatures of what we expect these actors to be in their personal lives. The second is that I never would have expected a film from these guys in the way that they laid it out. Even though Rogen and Franco and crew have come up with some strange tales, This Is The End takes the prize. And lastly Rogan and his crew made a funny movie and seemed to have a great time doing it.

Besides the main cast, there are plenty of other cameo appearances from their acting friends. From Mindy Kaling (The 40-Year-old Virgin) to Emma Watson, to Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and others, each brings their familiar pattern to what we expect from them while pulling back the curtain on the more hidden and explicit parts of their lives.

Starting off like a scene from Less Than Zero, This Is The End quickly turns into an all-out hilarious supernatural, and out-of-this-world, post-apocalyptic nightmare. There are plenty of laughs to be had, from Jonah Hill playing around with a prop gun, to a standoff between James Franco and Danny McBride over Franco's porn magazines, to a discussion as to how six survivors should deal with Emma Watson without being 'rape-y'. There's pretty decent special effects - way beyond anything that the boys have done while making Pineapple Express, Super Bad for some of their other efforts.

This juvenile, vulgar comedy is not for everyone. But if you love Seth Rogen's and his buddies' work on film before now, this film will be a raunchy, fun, entertaining delight.

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Peeples

COMEDY

Fitting In

7.5 out of 10 | Rental

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Rated: PG-13 Sexual content, drug material and language
Release Date: May 10, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

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Director: Tina Gordon Chism
Writers: Tina Gordon Chism
Cast: Craig Robinson, Kerry Washington, David Alan Grier, S. Epatha Merkerson, Tyler James Williams, Melvin Van Peebles, Diahann Carroll, Kali Hawk, Kimrie Lewis-Davis, Ana Gasteyer

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SYNOPSIS:  Sparks fly when Wade Walker crashes the Peeples annual reunion in the Hamptons to ask for their precious daughter Grace's hand in marriage.

REVIEW: Drumline screenwriter Tina Gordon Chism returns to writing duties with a new Tyler Perry produced flick. This time, Chism takes the reigns as the director of her own words, as well.

Wade Walker (Craig Robinson, Hot Tub Time Machine) is in love with reaching youngsters through silly songs, counseling them to be vocal and proud, and in love with a beautiful woman named Grace Peeples (Kerry Washingtion, Django Unchained). When Grace goes out to Sag Harbor in the Hamptons to be with her family for the annual Moby Dick day festivities, she leaves Wade home. Wanting to make a good impression and wanting to propose marriage to Grace, Wade takes its upon himself to venture out to the Peeples residence to meet the parents. When Wade realizes that Grace has never spoken to her parents about Wade or their relationship, Wade finds himself fighting an uphill battle for acceptance. Surrounded by Grace's well-bred rich parents and siblings, Wade finds out more than he bargained of the secrets the Peeples are keeping from each other. Whether Wade can hold his tongue against the backlash from Judge Peeples, or use it to his advantage, will have to be seen.

Craig Robinson, from The Office and Hot Tub Time Machine, takes on his first starring role in a feature film. His character plays to his strengths with music and singing, and being the overweight fish out of water. Robinson character goes straight from Manhattan Island to the well-to-do town of Sag Harbor a place mentioned in Herman Melville's classic tale of man against sea beast.

Peeples is a cross between Meet the Parents, The Proposal, and Jumping the Broom, focusing on the mismatch of a struggling or misunderstood boyfriend/fiancee dealing and struggling against the superior rich and well-to-do family of the woman he loves. With every family - rich or poor - there's always secrets kept and secrets revealed. David Alan Grier's (Dance Flick) Judge Virgil Peeples is a man to be feared and loved by his family. But in most of the cases fear comes first. Everyone tiptoes around Virgil, creating chaos and dysfunction with both his wife and kids. From wife Daphne (S. Epatha Merkerson, Lincoln) recovering from alcohol and 'herbs', to klepto son Simon (Tyler James Williams, Go On), to sister Gloria (Kali Hawk, Bridesmaids) concerned about revealing her sexual orientation, the Peeple's family as plenty to worry about beyond the problems of Wade Walker brings to their home.

The story is a romantic comedy, although most of the comedy comes from Craig Robinson's physicality and facial expressions, Williams' insistence on being called Sy instead of Simon and his perchance for bedroom rapper as an act of rebellion against his parents, and Wade's brother Chris (Malcolm Barrett, Larry Crowne) brings the 'street' to the harbor.

Peeples is a tamer and lighter version of Meet the Parents. The physical comedy is silly, the situations not too outlandish, and the storyline mostly above board. Robinson shows that he can carry the film as the leading man facing off against David Alan Grier, although it helps to have a decent supporting cast around you.

On a technical note, some of the camerawork was too soft at times, the camera seemingly out of focus for the wrong reasons. And strange cuts to black seemed a few seconds too long, with no consistency to other fades that occur throughout the story. Somewhere in an editing bay a little more fine-tuning was needed.

Peeples entertains in a lighthearted way with a silly story. Not as strong as other films in the genre, It still will appeal to some who want something to chuckle at.

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Hot Tub Time Machine

Blast From The Blast

[John Cusack, Clark Duke, Craig Robinson, Rob Corddry]

Its happened again. The cost of movie-going has gone up. The ticket price for my matinee today went from $8 to $9. The cost of full price tickets and 3D glasses are even worse. I am glad I opted to forego later day movie viewing in favor of the first viewings on the weekend. Now I can enjoy a matinee at Friday night prices! I did not even venture to the concession counter to see the increases there. I guess the cost of a bucket of popcorn will give me a heart attack sooner then the actual popcorn itself!

SYNOPSIS:  Three friends going through hard times with a nephew in tow go back to a ski resort in hopes of reliving some of the craziness of their youth. Instead, they go back in time to their 1986 heyday by way of a hot tub time machine. Do they do the same things they did then in order to keep everything the same, or do they try to make new history?

Hot tubs, time travel, the 80s, friends unhappy with their current lives... what could go wrong? Everything, of course! There have been a myriad of time travel epics, from several "Star Trek" movies to "Time Bandits" to "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure". The hot tub is a funnier prop then Bill and Ted's phone booth, 'cause it's a hot tub! And what's funnier then going to important periods of history, going to the 80s!

John Cusack (Adam), Craig Robinson (Nick), Rob Corddry (Lou) and Clark Duke (Jacob) start the film wallowing in their own mid-life miseries, mostly centered around their lackluster lives and problems with romance. Lou's attempt to "not kill" himself brings the three estranged friends back together. Adam and Nick are guilted into keeping an eye on Lou and decide to take him to the ski resort they frequented in their youth. Unfortunately, the resort is as run down as their current lives. The only highlight seems to be their suite's outdoor hot tub. Of course, in the spirit of defying the laws of physics, the hot tub becomes a time machine to the 80s due to the spilling of some illegal Russian energy drink.

Each of them find themselves back in their young bodies, except Jacob who wasn't even born yet. Early on, they realize that their trip is a paradox since Jacob starts flickering in and out courtesy of a "Back to the Future"-like plot twist. Some of the laughs are based on the characters' references to other time travel film science, notably "The Terminator" and "The Butterfly Effect". Some of the laughs are based on the fact that the 80s were hilarious, especially in hindsight. Director Steve Pink brings us glimpses of "Sixteen Candles" and other 80s essentials. Cusack even breaks out a little "Better Off Dead" for us. Chevy Chase makes a cameo as the time traveler guide trying to fix the glitchy jacuzzi, and "Back to the Future" star Crispin Glover breaks out again for maximum comic effect as the resort concierge Phil with one arm in the present and two in 1986. Every scene we wonder if this is when the detachment occurs!

What do you do when you realize that the 1986 Winterfest is the pivotal point of the rest of lives? Do you retrace it exactly so that you do not make any changes to your already boring present, or do you use your opportunity to change things for the better? The script is smartly written and keeps us smiling and entertained. If the cost of movies were the same as in the 80s, I would definitely recommend this one.

Movies: Matinee

Own: Pass

Rental: Netflix