These Ladies Like To Party..."How To Be Single"

How To Be Single (2016)

Rated R

Starring Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Anders Holm, Damon Wayans Jr., Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas,

Directed by Christian Ditter

The Story:

Alice (Johnson) has been dumped by her boyfriend (Braun), so she sets out to get over him with a new job, new friends, and a new attitude in New York City! Her circle of friends include Robin (Wilson), Meg (Mann), and Lucy (Brie) each with their own foibles and crises. Of course, in a town full of eligible bachelors, they ladies run into some interesting characters as well (Holm, Wayans Jr., Lacy, Mantzoukas). But, just when you think you know how these relationships are going to end, stick around, because you might be pleasantly surprised...or disappointed!

It's a tough line to balance an R rated comedy that wants to have both raunch and heart, and this film is no different.

Thankfully, it's a fantastic cast, so it's easy to laugh with, and at, their predicaments.

I won't spoil which couples work and which ones don't, because that's half the fun of the film is watching these characters learn to realize what is most important to them, and who do they want to spend their time with.

Another nice touch, as the film is focused on the ladies as the stars, the guys come off rather well, upending some cliches that often are standard with romantic comedy fare.

As usual, Jason Mantzoukas kills it in every scene he's in. I'm not sure if he'll ever be the lead in a comedy, but as long as they keep casting him as a supporting player, I'll always give that movie a chance!

It's a little long for a comedy, but not unbearably so. There's a bit of wandering in the narrative as well, which seems like a 2 birds with one stone killing could have made a few of the issues go away.


Final Grade: C+

"The Brothers Grimsby" Is Downright Painful

The Brothers Grimsby 

Rated R

Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson, Isla Fisher,

Directed by Louis Leterier

The Story:

Nobby (Cohen) and his little brother Sebastian (Strong) were orphaned growing up, and separated by adoption. Nobby has always been waiting to find his long lost brother, and when the two are finally reunited, he actually blows Sebastian's cover as a top MI6 agent, and now Sebastian is wanted for murder. The brothers have to stay alive and clear their names before their reunion is short-lived.

You know those trailers where you think you probably saw all the good parts already?

Well, if you saw the trailer for The Brothers Grimsby, you were pretty much correct.

As this was my first Sacha Baron Cohen movie, I cannot compare it against his previous offerings to decide if this is along the same lines as those films.

It's enough to make me realize that I'm not Cohen's target audience though.

There are glimpses of a smart, Bond-style parody, and getting Leterier to direct an action-comedy was likely a wise choice.

However, the few smart gags that happen are surrounded by a dozen crude jokes with little or no humourous value in them, whatsoever.

Which is a shame, because it wastes a pretty good cast.

That Isla Fisher chose this over Now You See Me 2, time to fire your agent.

And Mark Strong tries to save the movie by being just plain awesome, but it's too little, too late.

I can't, in any good consciousness, recommend this movie.

I will give it bonus points for thankfully being shorter than most movies.

Do yourself a favor, and go watch Kingsman instead.

Final Grade: D+

Didn't Quite Hit The High Notes Of The First One..."Pitch Perfect 2"

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

Rated PG-13

Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins,

Directed by Elizabeth Banks

The Story:

The Bellas are back, and the 3 time champs are on a roll and performing for the President when a wardrobe malfunction by Fat Amy (Wilson) gets them banned from further competition by the A Capella Governing Board (Higgins & Banks). They make a desperate gamble: if they win the European Championship, they are fully reinstated. It's a big task as no American team has ever beaten Europe's finest.  Can they pull off the greatest upset of all time?

If you've never watched a movie before, the suspense might kill you.

For everyone else, it's a foregone conclusion. :)

I make no apologies that I loved the first film. I don't remember if it made my Top 10 list the year it came out, but it was definitely an honorable mention film.

While just about the entire cast returns for the sequel, much of the charm and fun of the first film is gone, because we know what to expect.

That's not to say you won't enjoy this one, because you will, just not as much.

But this one has a lot of juggling to do as they are ready to let this group of Bellas graduate, but they bring in one lone recruit (Steinfeld) who will need to carry the franchise going forward if there is indeed a Pitch Perfect 3.

If there is, it has to have the duo of Higgins and Banks providing commentary again because they are the brightest spot in the movie, and the two never fail to entertain with their insane and inane commentary.

Final Grade: B-

The Trilogy Concludes..."Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb"

Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb (2014)

Rated PG

Starring Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Rebel Wilson, Dan Stevens, Rami Malek

Directed by Shawn Levy

The Story:

The Tablet that brings the exhibits to life at the Museum of Natural History is beginning to corrode. If Larry (Stiller) hopes to fix the problem, he needs to get the tablet and some of his exhibits to London to see if they can unravel the secret of how the tablet works before it is too late.

Eight years ago, Night at the Museum arrived, and it was pretty cute, good family fun with a nice supporting cast making the exhibits.

Five years ago, they brought forth a sequel, and aside from remember seeing it, it was rather boring and lackluster.

Needless to say, I was surprised that they made a third installment in the franchise, but after seeing it, I'm glad they did.

It brought back much of the fun and enjoyment from the first one, and allowed the movie to correct the mistakes of the second film, and let the franchise go out on a high note.

I'm assuming it will be the end of the franchise as everyone is older now, and with Robin Williams passing, they are missing a key part of the team.

Traveling to London allows them to introduce a whole new cast of characters and creates a villainous foil in Sir Lancelot (Stevens) who may just unwittingly cause all of the exhibits to cease living after shortly coming to life for the first time.

If you liked the previous installment(s), I think you'll find the conclusion to their story a fitting end to the adventures.

Final Grade: C+/B-

"Bachelorette": Nothing Worse Than A Humorless Comedy.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...

The Story:

Becky (Rebel Wilson) is getting married.  Much to the dismay of her best friend Regan (Kirsten Dunst) who thought she would be going down the aisle first.  Regan becomes the Maid of Honor and spends the next six months organizing the wedding.  The movie mostly takes place at the night before the wedding when all of the bridesmaids are in town, including the girls other two friends, Gena and Katie (Lizzy Caplan and Isla Fisher).  The three insult Becky by mistake, destroy her dress, and then spend a wild night of drugs, alcohol and stupidity trying to fix everything in time for the wedding the next morning.

Man, with friends like that...

First, the school of thought was, if the guys can have a raunchy rated R comedy, why can't girls? 
Thus, we were blessed to receive Bridesmaids, which was amusing, but not hilariously funny.
Though when put in comparison to this film, it was downright hysterical.

Nope, apparently Leslye Headland who wrote it, directed it, and based it off a play, thought her stuff was funny with a capital F.

Having ladies spew obscenities, walk around getting wasted and having sex with anyone they please isn't funny. 

And to be fair, it's not funny when guys do it either.

Unless...

The dialogue is off-the-wall insanely hilarious.

Which it isn't.

Much to the waste of these great actresses, Rebel Wilson who I found hilarious in Pitch Perfect, Kirsten Dunst who was wrong as Mary Jane Watson, but otherwise acquits herself nicely in most anything, and Isla Fisher who was great in Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Here, all that talent was wasted spewing obscenities, snorting coke, or just behaving awful.

Even the always terrific Adam Scott can't rise above the material, though he is about the only bright spot in the movie (other than Rebel Wilson).  Go figure that the two characters that have the most heart and sincerity in the entire film are the bride who is barely used and the ex-boyfriend of one of the female leads.

James Marsden is also wasted in his role as the best man.

So much talent... so wrongly executed.

Now available to steam (typo, but I'm leaving it!) instantly on Netflix.

Final Grade: D+
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Never in a million years...

While Not "Pitch Perfect", It's Pretty Darn Good!

First, let me tell you that I do not watch Glee.

Tried the very first episode, found it to be painfully unfunny, and have never bothered to try it again.


I do however, enjoy singing.


: )

The Story:

Barden College is home to several a capella singing groups.  The Bellas, an all-girl team are trying to recover from a disastrous showing the year prior.  Their main competition is the Treblemakers, and all-male group who won the year before.  The incoming Freshman class will try to break in, and maybe shake up the competition along the way.  The main character, Beca (Anna Kendrick) doesn't want to be in college, or singing, but since her dad is a professor at the school, her education is free. 

Or in other words:

It's "Bring it On = A Capella Style!"

Which is probably how it was pitched, and very much how the movie plays out.

Yes, I admit, I've seen Bring it On.  I watch a lot of movies. :)  But the first one wasn't that bad.  I don't recall having seen any of the subsequent sequels, and I doubt I'll ever catch the Broadway Musical of the same name.

But back to THIS movie.

It's pretty funny.

And the singing is pretty good as well.  I'm assuming all of the actors involved did their own singing, otherwise they lip synch really well for what they are doing.

For a moment, I thought that the main characters were all going to band together and form a rival 5th major singing group, but that didn't happen, and that is probably for the best.

Otherwise, the story takes a logical, and fairly slow hand at watching the groups and characters mature throughout their first year together.  It culminates at the finals, where unlike Bring it On, the team that wins really had the better routine. : )

Thumbs up to the entire cast.  I had only seen a few of them in other roles until this movie, but they all did a great job and I look forward to seeing many of them in future roles on the big screen.

The most memorable performance will undoubtedly go to Rebel Wilson as Fat Amy.  She is hilarious throughout, and has most of the great lines in the film.

Yep, I hate to say it, but I would have to recommend this film for rental.


Don't judge me!

: )

Overall: 4 out of 5 for a Solid B.