Film Review: “The Humans”

Strong performances anchor awkward stage-to-screen adaptation 

The Blake family gathers for Thanksgiving.

“Boy, the holidays are rough. Every year I just try to get from the day before Thanksgiving to the day after New Year’s,” the late great screenwriter Nora Ephron has Harry (Billy Crystal) comment to Sally (Meg Ryan) in the 1989 classic When Harry Met Sally. “A lot of suicides,” Sally dryly replies. Some 30 years later, Pennsylvania-born playwright and first-time filmmaker Stephen Karam has given us The Humans, a Thanksgiving-set film that illustrates Harry’s point. In keeping with the spirit of the holiday, though, thankfully, the picture lacks Sally’s cynicism.

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Film Review: Snatched

Hawn, Schumer deserve better than middling comedy

Emily (Amy Schumer, l.) and her mom Linda (Goldie Hawn) find themselves in a bit of a predicament when their Ecuador vacation goes awry.

Legendary comedienne Goldie Hawn has not been seen on the big screen since 2002’s The Banger Sisters, so it’s a shame that her return from a 15-year absence is in a mediocre film unworthy of her talents. On paper, the premise for Hawn’s revival movie probably sounded great: an adventure comedy that would pair her with Amy Schumer, the current generation’s hip young blonde comic actress (can a remake of Private Benjamin with Schumer in the lead be far behind?). But the genius of casting the legend as mother to the edgy newcomer only works if the material is fresh, sharp, and funny, and, unfortunately for Hawn and Schumer, Snatched falls short on that front.
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Film Review: Trainwreck

Schumer/Apatow collaboration delivers lots of laughs

Sports medicine doctor Aaron (Bill Hader) is intrigued by magazine writer Amy (Amy Schumer).

Amy Schumer, who in the past year has become comedy’s reigning it girl, breaks on to the big screen today with Trainwreck, the Judd Apatow-directed film that she both wrote and stars in. The Apatow-Schumer combination is as powerful as comedy fans would hope; the film is filled with Schumer’s no-holds-barred, brilliantly edgy funny bits, tempered by the same down-to-earth sweetness Apatow brought to pictures like The 40-Year-Old Virgin. The result is a refreshing, raw romantic comedy that will charm and delight even the most jaded rom-com fans.

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SF Sketchfest Review: Inside Inside Amy Schumer on 2/6/14

inside-amy-schumer2

The name of the panel is Inside Inside Amy Schumer. There were so many deliciously raunchy options that they could’ve gone with. Like, Deep Inside Amy Schumer. But, no. They had to take a beautifully dirty title, and make it, dare I say, CLEAN! I was worried that this meant that we would be getting a watered down version of Amy Schumer tonight’s event. I was worried that maybe this meant that Amy Schumer wasn’t so raunchy on the inside. I’m starting to think that I worry too much.

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A Nerd’s Guide To Sketchfest 2014

Florence Henderson in a sleeping in a nighty, while a dog eats pizza. Just one of the many things you will see live on stage at this year's Sketchfest.
Florence Henderson in a sleeping in a nighty, while a dog eats pizza. Just one of the many things you will see live on stage at this year’s Sketchfest.

Wouldn’t it be great if cloning was already a thing? So we could be at 8 places at once and not have to decide which Sketchfest events you are going to? Well, until science improves greatly, we are stuck with one body and being in one place at a time. Because of this trouble, I have taken the time to dissect the entire Sketchfest schedule and help you out by highlighting the best of the fest. A complete schedule and tickets can be purchased here. A lot of shows have already sold out, and more shows are selling out every day, so don’t forget to purchase in advance!

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