Film Review: Blockers

Don’t let anyone Block you from seeing this smart, funny comedy

Parents Mitchell (John Cena, l.), Lisa (Leslie Mann), and Hunter (Ike Barinholtz) try to figure out what their daughters are up to on prom night. 

The teen sex comedy is given a refreshing update in Blockers, director Kay Cannon’s feature film directorial debut. Cannon, an actress and screenwriter best known for the Pitch Perfect series, brings a welcome feminine touch to a genre that’s typically directed by men, for a teenage boy audience (e.g., American Pie). Here, though, working from a script by brothers Brian and Jim Kehoe, Cannon’s focus is a trio of teen girls, friends since kindergarten, and their somewhat hastily made pact to lose their virginity on prom night. That the trio’s well intentioned but clueless parents set out to stop them (hence the film’s title) brings a layer of fun to the proceedings that widens the film’s audience from rebellious teens to adults, who may find themselves alternatively relating to the girls or the parents at any given moment. Continue reading “Film Review: Blockers

Film Review: How to Be Single

A modern romantic comedy with its heart and mind (and humor) in the right place.

50 Shades of Singledom
Fifty Shades of Singledom

It’s rare that I’m this nervous to write a film review! Perhaps it’s the fact that How to Be Single surpassed all my expectations. Or maybe its that I feel that by accidentally omitting any aspect that I loved about the film, I’d be doing the film a disservice. Maybe I’m nervous because I feel that my excitement for the film is a byproduct of being caught off guard by its hilarious yet sensitive handling of serious topics, and therefore maybe I’m overhyping it? The fact of the matter is that How to Be Single is one of the best romantic comedies in a long while, and does more than just continue the recent (wonderful) surge in female-led rated-R comedies. How to Be Single balances awkward conversational humor with crude humor exceptionally well and doesn’t let up even when its time for the story to enter ’emotional climax’ mode, all the while sending strong messages about dating through adulthood.

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Film Review: The Bling Ring

Emma Watson dances, but not as much as you want, in The Bling Ring.
Emma Watson dances, but not as much as you want, in The Bling Ring.

The Bling Ring is Sofia Coppola’s fictionalized account of the real life Hollywood Hills burglaries of 2009, when a group of young Los Angelenos spent their nights breaking into the houses of celebrities to steal their high end clothes, purses and jewelry. While it’s technically based on a Vanity Fair article about the crimes, it draws a lot of inspiration from a reality show that starred one of the participants. How familiar you are with this show is going to determine your reaction to the film. That’s problematic. Continue reading “Film Review: The Bling Ring”

Film Review: This Is 40

Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in THIS IS 40
Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in THIS IS 40

starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Annie Mumulo, Robert Smigel, Megan Fox, Charlyne Yi, Albert Brooks, John Lithgow, Chris O’Dowd, Melissa McCarthy, Lena Dunham

written and directed by: Judd Apatow

MPAA: Rated R for sexual content, crude humor, pervasive language and some drug material

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Film Review: “The Change-Up”

Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds in THE CHANGE-UP

starring: Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann, Olivia Wilde, Alan Arkin

written by: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

directed by: David Dobkin

MPAA: Rated R for pervasive strong crude sexual content and language, some graphic nudity and drug use

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