Tag: Comedy

Krampus review

Director:
Michael Dougherty
Cast:
Adam Scott
Toni Collette
David Koechner
Emjay Anthony
Conchata Ferrell
Rated: PG-13

“Krampus” is a horror and dark comedy that centers around a dysfunctional family who have gathered just a few days before Christmas. The youngest in the family, Max (Anthony), is having a tough time with the whole situation, though, because the holiday just doesn’t feel as enjoyable anymore.

In a fit of anger he tears up his letter to Santa and tosses it out the window. It turns out to be a bad decision, though, because it summons the evil spirit Krampus who punishes those who don’t honor Christmas.

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The Night Before review

Director:
Jonathan Levine
Cast:
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Seth Rogen
Anthony Mackie
Jillian Bell
Michael Shannon
Rated: R

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a man named Ethan in “The Night Before,” an average guy who has a tradition of going out the night before Christmas with his two friends Isaac (Rogen) and Chris (Mackie). The tradition was started just after Ethan’s parents died in 2001 and has carried on throughout the years.

The film picks up with the three friends deciding that the current Christmas Eve would be their last night out, though, as life is pulling them in different directions. Because of this, they decide to make it the best night possible by making it to a legendary party.

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Love the Coopers review

Director:
Jessie Nelson
Cast:
Diane Keaton
John Goodman
Ed Helms
Amanda Seyfried
Alan Arkin
Olivia Wilde
Anthony Mackie
Marisa Tomei
June Squibb
Jake Lacy
Rated: PG-13

“Love the Coopers” is a story of a large extended family who are, for the most part, all dreading a Christmas Eve dinner where everyone gets together. The two main characters of the film are Charlotte (Keaton) and Sam (Goodman), a couple who’ve been married for 40 years, however, their relationship is falling apart. This holiday stress coincides with their son Hank (Helms) losing his job, having a strained relationship with his ex-wife and children and their daughter, Eleanor (Wilde) meeting a soldier named Joe at an airport and developing a friendship with him.

These plot threads and more, such as one of Hank’s sons having a teen romance and another where Charlotte’s sister Emma (Tomei) being arrested ,develop for much of the film’s first half until they converge when everyone meets for Christmas.

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The Peanuts Movie review

Director:
Steve Martino
Cast:
Noah Schnapp
Hadley Belle Miller
Francesca Capaldi
Alexander Garfin
Rated: G

It’s a full length feature Charlie Brown!

In this computer animated film based off the classic Schulz comic, Charlie Brown (Schnapp) has a goal of winning the affections of a young girl who just moved to the neighborhood and is in his class.

As usual, though, Charlie runs into troubles, whether they be of his own or other people’s doing.

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Rock the Kasbah review

Director:
Barry Levinson
Cast:
Bill Murray
Bruce Willis
Leem Lubany
Kate Hudson
Rated: R

“Rock the Kasbah” tells the story of Richie Lanz (Murray), a music talent manager who has fallen on hard times. In an attempt to get back on his feet, Lanz travels to Afghanistan for a USO show with his singer Ronnie played by Zooey Deschanel.

Things take an immediate downturn in the country, though, when his act practically abandons him. To get things back on track, Lanz seeks out talent for an Afghanistan TV series titled “Afghan Star.”

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The Intern review

Director:
Nancy Meyers
Cast:
Robert De Niro
Anne Hathaway
Anders Holm
Rated: PG-13

In “The Intern,” Robert De Niro plays Ben, a senior citizen and widower who has become a bit bored in his retirement. He’s taken up hobbies and traveled to other countries, but still feels like there’s more to do. The movie picks up when Ben comes across an ad marketing an intern program for seniors at an online clothes store.

Despite not having much experience with today’s technology or the newest fashion trends, Ben throws his hat in the ring and gets picked up as a new intern at the business. While there, he is tasked with being an assistant to the company’s owner Jules, played by Anne Hathaway. Jules is a bit difficult to work with, though, as she’s under pressure to make a decision regarding hiring a CEO for the company.

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REVIEW: ‘Vacation’

Directors:
John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein
Cast:
Ed Helms
Christina Applegate
Skyler Gisondo
Steele Stebbins
Chris Hemsworth
Leslie Mann
Rated: R

“Vacation” is the sequel to the 1983 film of the same name which follows the character Rusty Griswold. Rusty is the son of Clark Griswold and was part of the many family adventures of the original “Vacation” series and wants to recapture some of that magic with his own family.

To do so, Rusty (Helms) decides to take his family on a road trip to the giant theme park Wally World, with multiple stops at landmarks along the way.

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Trainwreck review

Director:
Judd Apatow
Cast:
Amy Schumer
Lebron James
Bill Hader
John Cena
Rated: R

In “Trainwreck,” Amy Schumer plays Amy (really a stretch), a good writer for a popular magazine who happens to live a promiscuous lifestyle. Her life begins to change, though, when she meets an athlete doctor named Aaron for an assignment.

After meeting for a few interviews, the two start to hit it off and for the first time, Amy seems to be able to hold on to a steady relationship. Old habits die hard, though, as Amy finds it difficult to leave her party lifestyle behind which results in some drama.

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Magic Mike XXL review

Director:
Gregory Jacobs
Cast:
Channing Tatum
Kevin Nash
Joe Manganiello
Matt Bomer
Adam Rodriguez
Rated: R

The first “Magic Mike” released in 2012 was a complete surprise. Instead of simply being a movie focused on the male stripping, Director Steven Soderbergh actually made an interesting character study of what it’s like for a person in that life style who wants to take a different path in the future.

It’s sequel… Not so much. This time around, the male stripper Mike (Tatum) finds out that his friends still in the industry are going on a road trip to a stripping convention and he decides to tag along. The movie follows their trip as they get into various shenanigans.

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Ted 2 review

Director:
Seth MacFarlane
Cast:
Mark Wahlberg
Seth MacFarlane
Amanda Seyfried
Jessica Barth
Rated: R

In the sequel to 2012’s film “Ted,” the titular named bear (MacFarlane) that magically came to life is now (somewhat) happily married and continues spending time with his best friend John (Wahlberg). Problems arise, though, when Ted and his wife try to adopt a child.

Ted soon learns that the government doesn’t recognize the stuffed animal as an actual person and it throws his whole life in jeopardy. In response, Ted and John hire Samantha (Seyfried), a lawyer to fight for the toy’s civil rights.

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