Category: comedy
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Blockers [2018] ★★½
Funny, vulgar, raunchy. That’s “Blockers” in a nutshell. The film earns its R-Rating right from the start, as we meet three parents (John Cena, Leslie Mann and Ike Barinholtz) who are on a mission: to stop their daughters from having sex on prom night. It’s a silly set-up, and on paper, it doesn’t seem too…
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I Feel Pretty [2018] ★★
I like Amy Schumer. She’s a fearless comedienne who can handle any type of situation. She can also carry a whole movie on her shoulder (see Judd Apatow’s “Trainwreck”), and “I Feel Pretty” is no exception. It would seem like a perfect setup to have her in this film, and though the result is less…
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Game Night [2018] ★★½
Who doesn’t love game night? Now we finally have a raunchy comedy that takes everything we know about game night and makes it even better. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams work well together as a couple who are good at almost every game. That is until Bateman’s brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) “arranges” a murder mystery…
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Wonder Wheel [2017] ★★½
While it doesn’t add anything new to Woody Allen’s fruitful career, it’s difficult to dismiss his latest film, “Wonder Wheel”, just because I had a good time watching it. It has an abundance of eye candy and an amusing cast, making it entertaining enough for any Allen fan. We’re in Coney Island this time around,…
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Downsizing [2017] ★★
Whether he’s teaching us a wine lesson in “Sideways” or simply taking us on a road trip with a father and his son in “Nebraska”, director Alexander Payne has managed to put a personal stamp on everything he does. I didn’t love his newest film, “Downsizing”, and come to think of it this is a…
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Lady Bird [2017] ★★★½
Coming-of-age movies have been around since forever, hitting their peak in the 1980’s with such movies as “Breakfast Club” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. Even Richard Linklater’s masterful “Boyhood” explored that part of adolescence with a keen eye for detail. Is there room for more? The answer is yes and she goes by the…
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Pitch Perfect 3 [2017] ★½
It seems that third time isn’t the charm for Rebel Wilson and the rest of the Bellas. This second (and hopefully last) sequel takes everything that was good in the first two film and ruins it. Wilson gives it her best shot. The movie never does. The plot? Just a silly excuse for a reunion.…
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The Disaster Artist [2017] ★★★½
In 1994,Tim Burton took on Ed Wood, one of the worst directors of all time, and turned his story into one of the best movies of the 90’s. Fast forward 9 years and “The Room”, one of the worst films of all time, opens in one theater in LA to disastrous reviews. You don’t need…
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Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle [2017] ★★★
I was no more than 8 years old when the original “Jumanji” film was released. As an undemanding kid, the movie entertained me, despite its simple story. Now as an adult, I walked in to see “Welcome to the Jungle” with no particular expectations, and what I got in return was a fun ride, fueled…
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Daddy’s Home 2 [2017] ★½
Team up Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg for a comedy movie and you should get something funny right? Wrong. That was Daddy’s Home back in 2015. Now team these two up with Mel Gibson and John Lithgow and you should get something better, right? Wrong again. “Daddy’s Home 2”, and much like “A Bad Moms…
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A Bad Moms Christmas [2017] ★½
The first movie wasn’t innovative in any way, but I had a blast watching it. If you did as well, you’ll feel cheated after watching this God-awful sequel. “A Bad Moms Christmas”, as you might have guessed, is basically set around the holidays and features the same cast from the first film, except they’re not…
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Wonder [2017] ★★★
Want to see a movie that will put you in a good mood, even long after the credits start rolling? “Wonder” is the movie for you. This is the kind of film that gives feel-good stories a good name. I honestly can’t see how anyone could pick a fight with it. Based on the New York…
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The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected) [2017] ★★★
If you’re familiar with writer-director Noah Baumbach, you know that he’s a filmmaker who observes family with an incredible eye for detail. Having tackled similar themes in the past (see “The Squid and the Whale”), Baumbach returns with one of his most ambitious projects yet: “The Meyerowitz Stories”. Can’t spell that title out? Don’t cringe.…
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Home Again [2017] ★★
I love Reese Witherspoon and I have no problem whatsoever with a chick flick written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer (daughter of Nancy Meyers), but even they can’t save “Home Again” from being strictly generic. Many times, you can feel Meyers channeling her mother, but the overall result is just too predictable and shallow. Witherspoon…
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Logan Lucky [2017] ★★½
Critics have been praising director Steven Soderbergh’s comeback movie (he retired 4 years ago after “Side Effects”), and there’s no denying that he’s still got it, even though I didn’t fully embrace the overall result. On the plus side, “Logan Lucky” has a well-cast ensemble and gives us Daniel Craig like we’ve never seen him before.…
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American Made [2017] ★★★
Tom Cruise is on top of his game in this fact-based movie about Barry Seal, a TWA pilot who ended up working for both the CIA and the drug cartel (run by The Pablo Escobar), in the late 70’s and early 80’s. You just can’t make this up, and you just can’t ask for a better…
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The Hitman’s Bodyguard [2017] ★★½
You don’t walk in to see a comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson with high expectations, so I have to give “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” some credits for delivering the goods so many times. In trying to emulate the “buddy cop” genre, director Patrick Hughes relies on Reynolds’ charm and Jackson’s witty one liners…
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The Party [2017] ★★★
“The Party” is potent and entertaining. I walked in with no particular expectations, having read almost nothing about it, and what I got was a showcase for a host of gifted actors, including Patricia Clarkson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall, Bruno Ganz, and Cillian Murphy. The title of the movie is self-explanatory: a cabinet politician (Kristin…
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The Big Sick [2017] ★★★½
From the trailer and poster you might think this is yet another film about culture clashes with absolutely nothing new to offer. But it doesn’t take long for this constantly appealing crowd-pleaser to draw you in, win you over, and make you leave with a big smile on your face. How you can create a…
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Despicable Me 3 [2017] ★★
It pains me to write a negative review about a “Despicable Me” movie, but it seems that third time isn’t the charm for Gru and his Minions. I was charmed, and pleasantly surprised, when I saw the first movie back in 2010. Its enormous success has spawned 2 sequels and an enjoyable Minions spin-off back…
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