As entertaining as it is flawed, ‘American Ultra’ is sure to divide audiences with its haphazard mix of ultra-violence and heartfelt romance. A gleefully-belligerent experiment in style that thumbs its nose at your expectations.
It’s taken almost seven months, but one movie has finally emerged from the dreary pack as the worst of 2015. That film is ‘Vacation,’ and it’s absolutely dreadful.
‘Do I Sound Gay?’ is a hilarious peek into the gay psyche that proves identity and voice are inseparable, regardless of your sexual orientation.
Nostalgia oozes from every cinematic pore of ‘Pixels,’ as director Chris Columbus weaves these videogame relics into a modern landscape. Unfortunately, rather than fully committing to his elegant premise, Columbus gets bogged down in unconvincing character development. Sandler fans and little kids might enjoy this rollcall of ‘80s game icons, but everyone else should just rent ‘Ghostbusters’ instead.
To put it bluntly, this is probably the best issue of Looking for Group that has been published by Dynamite to date. As expected, Sohmer works plenty of D&D and MMORPG tropes into his script along with a larger dose of comedy, but it is DeSouza’s artwork that truly stands out in this issue. His rendering of Hcitb, Richard, and Little Dick take Sohmer’s funny script into realms of hilarity. Even those comic readers not normally into the sword and sorcery would enjoy this issue for the comic relief alone. Hopefully, once they are snagged that way they will give the rest of the LFG series a shot, because it is a truly good book as fans of the series already know.
‘Magic Mike XXL’ is a thoroughly entertaining trifle that doesn’t have a malicious bone in its perfectly-sculpted body. Director Gregory Jacobs serves up a hilarious slice of All-American beefcake that puts a smile on your face and a wiggle in your hips.
Feig is at the top of his game in this riotous crowd-pleaser.
This is not a warm, snuggly comedy that you can watch with grandma and grandpa. No, this movie is the reprobate uncle that nobody wants to bail out of jail. Yet, despite its unabashed rudeness, Pat Mills’ consistently-funny debut doesn’t have a cynical bone its body.
Get Hard is an episodic comedy that seems determined to botch its ‘can’t miss’ premise. No amount of riffing from Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart can overcome a script that’s obviously cobbled together from multiple projects. Director Etan Cohen’s feature-length debut lacks the big-ticket gags to overcome its flawed execution. Ultimately, this is a ‘star vehicle’ that should have stayed in the driveway.
“This shit’s pretty flat, bro.” So sayeth the rudest man in the world, who just happened to be sitting behind me at the screening for Hot Tub Time Machine 2. He began the evening sitting in front of me; deliberately stealing a seat marked ‘Studio Representative’ so he could talk to the beautiful publicist. Shockingly, she rebuffed his drunken advances. “Whatever, bro,” he dismissively burped, and then ambled to the seat behind me. Yes, he’s the guy who calls both men and women ‘bro.’ He’s also the guy who talks through the entire movie, eats handfuls of popcorn with his mouth wide open (ostensibly, so he can still breathe), and kicks the back of the seat like a bored child. In other words, he’s the target audience for Hot Tub Time Machine 2. It’s a bad sign, then, that he laughed a grand total of two times during the entire film. That was exactly two more times than I laughed.
Top Five Written & Directed by Chris Rock USA, 2014 Chris Rock’s new tour de force, Top Five, is so cleverly written that you don’t even realize it’s a romantic-comedy until the deed is nearly done. By that point, even the coldest, most cynical man is powerless to resist its charms. Smart, nasty and …
While audiences and critics are still debating the unbridled ambition of Nolan’s Interstellar, an equally-madcap film (finally) makes its way into North American theaters this weekend. Japanese auteur, Shion Sono, unleashes his demented ode to cinema, Why Don’t You Play in Hell?, which might be the most uncanny take on filmmaking since The Player. Armed with inspired gags, impassioned characters and enough blood squibs to drown Tarantino, Sono delivers a visual feast that’s destined to be a cult classic.
Dear White People Written & Directed by Justin Simien USA, 2014 Sometimes we need a little anarchy to liven things up. First-time filmmaker, Justin Simien, isn’t interested in lighting any candles with his debut effort, Dear White People. He’s here to curse the darkness… and then criticize the darkness for acting too dark. This …
Lakeview Cabin Hypnohustler PC Private island. Peaceful cabin. Perfect weather. These hardly seem like the elements of a horror game, but Lakeview Cabin manages to turn this scenic vacation spot into the stuff of nightmares. It’s impossible to talk too much about this horrifyingly comedic puzzle game without ruining the plot, so, SPOILERS AHEAD! You have been …
This Is Where I Leave You Written by Jonathan Tropper Directed by Shawn Levy USA, 2014 This Is Where I Leave You is an odd duck. Its haphazard combination of broad sit-com humor and quirky indie earnestness leaves you feeling a bit punch-drunk. On the other hand, a superb ensemble cast wrings just enough …
Our Sunhi, the newest film from Hong Sang-Soo, is enamoured with interconnected romances and the mysteries of affection. A charming and patient comedy, the film excels at presenting the trials and tribulations of desire, offering a rewarding and funny take on the mysteries of love. Though there is nothing exceptional about the title character, Sunhi, she captures the elusive affections of three friends.
It is a blessing and a curse to be a teenager with a wayward imagination, the former because even the most mundane objects in life can be imbued with some sense of mystery and wonder, and the latter because the more fantastical you make the world, the more let down you’ll be when reality sets in.
The Mummy’s Hand Directed by Christy Cabanne Written by Griffin Jay Starring Dick Foran, Peggy Moran, and Tom Tyler USA, 67 min – 1940. “You are very beautiful…so beautiful I’m going to make you immortal. Like Kharis, you will live forever. What I can do for you I can do for myself. Neither time nor …
The Ghost Train Directed by Walter Forde Written by J.O.C. Orton, Val Guest, & Marriott Edgar Starring Arthur Askey, Richard Murdoch, Kathleen Harrison, and Carole Lynne UK, 85 min – 1941. “I say, I wonder if I could teach you to talk. I wonder if you could say ‘Heil Hitler.’ Eh? No, not with a …
Story: Nate Cosby Art: Evan Shaner Letters: Rus Wooton Publisher: Dark Horse Comics “Tolerating your ridiculousness is an assignment which I am no longer capable of preforming” Comedy is very hard to pull off. It takes timing, finesse, restraint, and intelligence. Some people have it, and other’s do not. While many comics have funny moments …
Modest Reception (Paziraie sadeh) Directed by Mani Haghighi Written by Mani Haghighi and Amir Reza Koohestani 2012, Iran After the end credits and their free-jazz accompaniment had come to a close and the curtains began rolling inwards, I and the pair seated beside me exchanged some quick thoughts about what we thought we had just …
100 Bloody Acres Directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes Written by Cameron and Colin Cairnes 2012, Australia Tucker and Dale vs Evil subverted the Evil Hick subgenre of slasher films where others – led by Rob Zombie – were satisfied with mining ever deeper the mythology of the murderous, cretinous backwoods of middle America, the …
Sightseers Directed by Ben Wheatley Written by Steve Oram, Alice Lowe & Ben Wheatley (with additional material from Amy Jump) 2012, UK Either Ben Wheatley is a boiling pot of pent-up rage, or he is the complete opposite and thus finds perverse pleasure in humouring the rage fantasies and violent tendencies of the frustrated working-class …