Tag: Comedy

Inside Llewyn Davis review

Director:
Ethan Coen
Joel Coen
Cast:
Oscar Isaac
Carey Mulligan
Justin Timberlake
John Goodman
Rated: R
Trailer

I can’t say that I’m the biggest folk music fan out there, but I wouldn’t mind having the soundtrack to this flick.

“Inside Llewyn Davis” is a film that explores the title character during a week of his life. Davis is a young folk singer living in New York City in the early 1960s and survives by playing at gigs and staying at the homes of his friends. At the same time, he continues to try and get his solo album produced and on shelves to make a living.

Throughout the film, Davis’ life is on full display. On top of his work in the music industry, the movie also examines his relationships, friendships, people he relies on and the overall circular life that he lives.

Continue reading “Inside Llewyn Davis review”

August: Osage County review

Director:
John Wells
Cast:
Meryl Streep
Julia Roberts
Chris Cooper
Ewan McGregor
Juliette Lewis
Julianne Nicholson
Rated: R
Trailer

This movie had more family drama than five Jerry Springer episodes.

“August: Osage County” follows a family living in rural Oklahoma that isn’t on the best terms with each other. After a tragedy occurs, the family gathers at the home of now widow Violet Weston (Streep). Violet’s three daughters, which includes Barbara (Roberts), Ivy (Nicholson) and Karen (Lewis) all arrive bringing their own problems, as do other family members.

Over the next few days that pass by in the film’s runtime, multiple fights and arguments break out and light is shed on various secrets that all of the family members hold. In simple terms, chaos ensues.

Continue reading “August: Osage County review”

The Wolf of Wall Street review

Director:
Martin Scorsese
Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Jonah Hill
Kyle Chandler
Margot Robbie
Rated:
Trailer

Wall Street execs throw crazier parties than the guys from “Old School” and “Animal House” combined according to Scorsese’s latest flick.

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is based on the true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio). Belfort, with the assistance of his eventual friend and business partner Donnie (Hill), open a firm called Stratton Oakmont. The firm becomes a billion-dollar company quickly and with that Belfort has easy access to drugs, alcohol and everything in between.

As the movie progresses, Belfort, Donnie and the firm gets richer and richer and the lifestyles become grander and more outrageous. The only problem is that what Belfort is doing at the firm isn’t considered legal and it doesn’t take long for the FBI to start an investigation.

Continue reading “The Wolf of Wall Street review”

Grudge Match review

Director:
Peter Segal
Cast:
Sylvester Stallone
Robert De Niro
Kevin Hart
Alan Arkin
Rated: PG-13
Trailer

Stallone drinks eggs and tries to punch meat in this movie. Could the jokes be anymore obvious?

“Grudge Match” tells the tale of two boxers, Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp (Stallone) and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen (De Niro). Thirty years ago the two fought a pair of fights against each other, with both of them taking a win. When it came time for a third bout, though, Sharp decided to retire and get out of the boxing world.

This film suffers from simply having far too much going on. If it was just a story of two old fighters wanting to lay it on the line to prove who was better it would have been fine. The problem is that there are so many sub-plots that it makes a person’s head spin.

Continue reading “Grudge Match review”

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty review

Director:
Ben Stiller
Cast:
Ben Stiller
Kristen Wiig
Adam Scott
Rated: PG

Ben Stiller takes zoning out to a whole new level in this movie.

Stiller both directs and stars as Walter Mitty in this film. The lead protagonist lives in what he feels is a rather dull life, working a day job where he processes negatives at Life magazine. Mitty also would like to approach a coworker named Cheryl (Wiig), but is to shy to do so.

Because his life is unexciting and he isn’t able to approach Cheryl on his own, he often fall into fantastical daydreams where he can escape the realities of life.

Continue reading “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty review”

Philomena review

Director:
Stephen Frears
Cast:
Judi Dench
Steve Coogan
Sophie Kennedy Clark
Rated: PG-13

“Philomena” was inspired by a true story of a woman who went on quite a journey to find her son that she was forced to give up for adoption at a young age. Judi Dench stars as the title character in the film, however, the movie opens with exposition of another character named Martin (Coogan). Martin is a journalist whose main focus is on the world of politics. When he is fired from his position, though, he decides to write a human interest story on Philomena and because of this the two go on a journey to find out what became of her son.

As the story goes along Philomena’s past is brought up of how she was forced to live in a convent after giving up her son for adoption. The film also shows both Martin and Philomena traveling to the United States to discover more about her son.

Continue reading “Philomena review”

Nebraska review

Director:
Alexander Payne
Cast:
Bruce Dern
Will Forte
Bob Odenkirk
June Squibb
Rated: R
Trailer

Alexander Payne returns in a great way with his new film “Nebraska,” which examines the dynamics of a family like his previous film, “The Descendants” did.

“Nebraska” picks up with the character Woody (Dern), an old man who believes he won $1 million and is trying to leave his home in Montana and get to where he can claim his prize in Nebraska. His wife, Kate (Squibb), is set against the trip, believing the prize to be a hoax. However, his son David (Forte), despite not fully believing that his father has won a prize, thinks that a road trip could do Woody some good.

The two set off on a trip that goes through the American heartland, but before getting to their destination, they end up stopping in Woody’s old town, where he meets with former friends and family he hasn’t seen in years.

Continue reading “Nebraska review”

Delivery Man review

Director:
Ken Scott
Cast:
Vince Vaughn
Chris Pratt
Cobie Smulders
Rated: PG-13
Trailer

“Delivery Man” isn’t actually an original film, it’s a remake of a French-Canadian comedy.

Vince Vaughn plays David, a man who is just sort of coasting through life. He works as a delivery man for his dad’s meat store and owes a lot of money to some bad people. Early in the movie, he also learns that his girlfriend Emma (Smulders) is pregnant.

As if his problems weren’t enough, he finds out that he fathered over 500 children by anonymous sperm donation 20 years ago. A law suit is filed by 142 of the children to reveal his identity. To deal with the situation, David turns to the help of his friend Brett (Pratt), who is a lawyer. As he does this though, David discovers he may actually want to get to know some of the children he fathered.

Continue reading “Delivery Man review”

Frozen review

Director:
Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Cast:
Kristen Bell
Idina Menzel
Jonathan Groff
Josh Gad
Santino Fontana
Rated: PG
Trailer

Disney’s has made another classic in “Frozen.”

The movie is built on two intertwined character arcs, with the story following the sisters Anna (Bell) and Elsa (Menzel). The plot begins by showing that Elsa has the power to create and manipulate ice. Because of the lack of control over her abilities, her parents decide it’s best for her to hide them from the world, including her sister. After the death of their parents, the movie moves forward to the day of Elsa’s coronation as queen.

Everything seems alright at the coronation for a while, that is until Anna, being the more free spirit that she is, makes a bold announcement that doesn’t sit too well with Elsa. The whole ordeal causes Elsa to reveal her power and flee the kingdom. In the process of running away she freezes the entire land in the middle of summer. To end the cold spell, Anna decides to confront her sister and get her to end the winter that now exists. Along the way she is joined by an ice seller named Kristoff (Groff) and his reindeer as well as a living snowman named Olaf (Gad).

Continue reading “Frozen review”

The Best Man Holiday review

Director:
Malcolm D. Lee
Cast:
Morris Chestnut
Taye Diggs
Terrence Howard
Monica Calhoun
Sanaa Lathan
Rated: R

So much drama in one movie.

Director Malcolm Lee helmed “The Best Man Holiday,” the sequel to his 1999 film “The Best Man.” The film starts with following the main character Harper (Diggs), an author who is having a case of writer’s block right around the time of the Christmas season. When the festive holiday finally arrives, Harper and his wife are invited for a big Christmas party weekend at the home of his former friend Lance (Chestnut).

The first movie revolved around the drama of Harper and Lance and Lance’s wife Mia (Calhoun) and it picks up again here. On top of that, are the many subplots surrounding the rest of the other friends of Lance and Mia’s who are invited to the party. From there, hi-jinx ensue.

Continue reading “The Best Man Holiday review”