Release: Friday, December 23, 2016 [Theater] Written by: John Hamburg; Ian Helfer Directed by: John Hamburg My biggest gripe with Why Him? It's actually not that it represents yet another painfully unfunny Christmas comedy. Well, it kind of is. I'm dismayed more because it is a painfully unfunny Christmas comedy starring James Franco and Bryan Cranston. Bryan Cranston! Also … Continue reading Why Him?
#terriblecomedy
Masterminds
Release: Friday, September 30, 2016 [Theater] Written by: Chris Bowman; Hubbel Palmer; Emily Spivey Directed by: Jared Hess Masterminds didn't need to be masterfully made to be effective, but a little discipline could have gone a long way. Directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite; Nacho Libre), the film is a comedic dramatization of the October 1997 Loomis Fargo bank robbery that … Continue reading Masterminds
Special Correspondents
Release: Friday, April 29, 2016 (Netflix) [Netflix] Written by: Ricky Gervais Directed by: Ricky Gervais I'm suspicious of any movie that literally ends with the line "This is like the end of a movie." While exemplary of the meta flavor of comedy that's been en vogue since at least the mid-2000s, that line is also symptomatic of a … Continue reading Special Correspondents
The Do-Over
Release: Friday, May 27, 2016 (Netflix) [Netflix] Written by: Kevin Barnett; Chris Pappas Directed by: Steven Brill I will never be duped by another Adam Sandler movie again. I will never be duped by another Adam Sandler movie again. I will never be duped by another Adam Sandler movie again. I will never be duped by another Adam Sandler … Continue reading The Do-Over
The Brothers Grimsby
Release: Friday, March 11, 2016 [Theater] Written by: Sacha Baron Cohen; Phil Johnston; Peter Baynham Directed by: Louis Leterrier There's something about Sacha Baron Cohen that really makes you feel like a complete idiot. He's become really good at that because here I went, blinded by my own boredom, to a screening where I was the only viewer … Continue reading The Brothers Grimsby
Clinger
Release: Friday, October 23, 2015 (limited) [Vimeo] Written by: Michael Steves, Gabi Chennisi, Bubba Fish Directed by: Michael Steves This review is my third contribution to Mr. Rumsey's Film Related Musings. I'd like to thank James for providing me the opportunity to take a look at this film. Clinger tells a story about an obsessive young man who, after losing his life in … Continue reading Clinger
Frank
Release: Friday, September 5, 2014 (limited) [Netflix] Written by: Jon Ronson; Peter Straughan Directed by: Lenny Abrahamson Any film that strives to turn Domhnall Gleeson into a thoroughly unlikable character is one I'm uncomfortable watching. Frank is just such a film. Focusing on an aspiring musician who stumbles upon an eccentric pop band with an unpronounceable name (they call themselves … Continue reading Frank
Get Hard
Release: Friday, March 27, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Etan Cohen; Jay Martel; Ian Roberts Directed by: Etan Cohen It speaks to the talents of Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart that Get Hard gets funny at all. This is easily one of the most racist and homophobic movies I've ever had the displeasure of reviewing. I'd like to clear … Continue reading Get Hard
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Release: Friday, February 20, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Josh Heald Directed by: Steve Pink I, along with six other brave souls, ended up in a theater that was playing a film titled Hot Tub Time Machine 2 because apparently the original had that kind of effect on me. I'm now doubting all kinds of things about … Continue reading Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Mortdecai
Release: Friday, January 23, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Eric Aronson Directed by: David Koepp Charlie Mortdecai has a sensitive gag reflex. He endearingly calls it a 'sympathetic gag.' After seeing Johnny Depp embrace an entirely new level of bizarre here, I'm pretty sure I've developed something similar, except mine's not out of sympathy. I'm genuinely disgusted by how bad … Continue reading Mortdecai
