Ed's Review Dot Com

DreamWorks SKG, Touchstone Pictures,

Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, Cobie Smulders, Britt Robertson, Jack Reynor, Bobby Moynihan

David Wozniak (Vince Vaughn) is a loser. He’s never been able to pull it together. His girlfriend, Emma (Cobie Smulders) tells him she if pregnant, but she’s willing to do it all alone because he just can’t be counted on. But a lawyer approaches him and tells him the 20 years ago he was a sperm donor and he has over 500 children. 142 of them have filed a lawsuit to force the courts to identify their father, even though they signed a paper agreeing that it would be anonymous. The lawyer assures David he will win the case, hands down, but David just can’t help being curious and decides to secretly meet some of these children that are biologically his without divulging his identity.

I really enjoyed Vince in this film. I was a bit surprised that it wasn’t outrageously funny, as I expected it to be. Instead, it was very heartwarming. Vince can play this guy too, who can crack you up one moment, and make you cry the next. I think this character is probably closest to Fred Claus, another film where Vince plays a lovable loser who finds his good side. I was really impressed with his performance here. This is a touching story about failure and redemption, and though it’s probably obvious where it’s going to end up, it’s not the destination, but the journey that is the fun in this film. I recommend it.

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BBC Films, Headline Pictures, Magnolia Mae Films,

Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Fairley, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander, Tom Burke, Perdita Weeks, John Kavanagh

Charles Dickens (Ray Fiennes) is at the height of his career, but bored with his domestic but literary deficient wife when he spots a young actress, Nelly (Felicity Jones) who is very smart. Friendship turns into more as he makes this young woman his mistress, but his morals require him to keep her a secret, and though she lives a lavish lifestyle, the lies and secrets tear her to pieces.

Based on the life of British Author Charles Dickens, this is a very well done story. If there’s a flaw, it’s that it’s very slow to develop, but the story is very interesting, and the performers are very good. There is a scene where Dickens’ wife delivers a message to her husband’s mistress which is very powerful. That one scene makes the movie worthwhile. The self loathing and bitterness about always being hidden away as a terrible secret takes a toll on the poor girl, and her efforts to deal with that is what makes this film so entertaining. It’s set in the late 1800’s, of course, so it’s a period piece of sorts, and that’s something that I normally don’t get into. But I have to admit the story did keep me interested, and the fact that it’s based on the true story helped to keep my interest. The script is very well written and the character development is outstanding, and Ray Fiennes second round of playing Mr. Dickens gives us a lot more into both the good and not so good sides of this revered writer. If you like the biographical drama of times of old and can tolerate the slow and steady way this story evolves, you’re sure to like this tale. If you want lots of action and adventure, stay away!

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Good Universe, Point Grey Pictures,

Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Lisa Kudrow, Craig Roberts, Ike Barinholtz, Jake Johnson, Hannibal Buress, Carla Gallo, Halston Sage

Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) are a newlywed couple with a daughter. They live in a simple suburban home. The house next door is up for sale, and they take a lot of interest to see who the new neighbors will be, but when the guys from the fraternity move in and turn it into a frat house led by fraternity president Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron), things go from bad to worse to worst. They party all night, with loud music that keep everyone awake. At first Mac and Kelly try to be friendly with the boys and try to party with them to make friends and get their cooperation, but when that fails, they start escalating a war with the frat that spirals WAY out of control.

This is a hilarious comedy reminiscent of the old great comedies of long ago. It’s modern and fresh, and unique twist, but the gags run from slapstick to up to date technology gags that are right out of the pages of today’s college kids. To make it even more enjoyable, I have a bit of a story to tell.

We went up for Mother’s Day to UC Santa Barbara. My daughter had to work for a while, so my wife and I went to the theater closest to the school to watch a movie. The timing was wrong for everything else, but Neighbors was coming on at 8:15, so we chose it. We figured a Seth Rogen film would be a few laughs. The theater ended up packed, every seat full, all 20ish college kids. We were the only old people in the theater. Since I work in the IT field, I am up to date on new technology and so I got the jokes. But the frat jokes in particular, especially with the way things are today with the latest web sites and communication devices was especially funny to the young people because they obviously got all the jokes. I imagined watching this back at home in a theater full of adults with many of the jokes just going over their heads. Not this crowd. It was really interesting to see which gags cracked them up and compare to what it would be like seeing this without the theater filled with students. Anyway, needless to say, unlike the teens we often see at home, with the theater packed, the crowd was very respectful, quiet with no one texting or making phone calls and laughing at the right places. Though we were crowded, it was a really enjoyable experience.

Now back to the film. This is the kind of role that fits Seth Rogen perfectly. He plays the kid who’s grown up now and realizing that he needs to take some responsibility, but dropping back into his youth to party with the frat and play childish pranks trying to outdo each other. New parents have the problem of their close friends from the past living a wild and free single lifestyle when they have a child and a job and too much to do. The frat house next door, though a curse, also is a chance to step back into their younger days. The comedy is really good, the jokes are non-stop, and it’s a randy adult comedy that doesn’t let up. I really enjoyed this film and recommend it for comedy fans everywhere.

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CineSon Entertainment, Look at the Moon Productions, North by Northwest Entertainment,

Andy Garcia, Vera Farmiga, Taissa Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco, Nicholas Braun, Tom Skerritt, Peter Riegert, Mirjana Jokovic, Stephen Borrello IV, Daniella Garcia-Lorido

Edith Martin’s (Vera Farmiga) daughter Audrey (Taissa Farmiga) has her heart set on going to Middleton College despite her Mom’s wishes that she go to a more prestigious college because she’s star stuck with a professor she idolizes. George Hartman’s son is reluctant to go anywhere, but is visiting Middleton on an open house day to tour the campus. Edith soon loses interest and wanders off on her own where she keeps bumping into George. George is the uptight kind of guy while Edith is definitely a wild child, but the spend the day together on their own tour and find themselves really attracted to each other.

This is a rather clever little film. It all takes place as a small college on a single day, but as we get to know the two parents and each of their children, we get to know a lot about them. Character development is key in this movie, and it’s very well done. The two parents are completely believable in their roles, and it’s hysterical how they play off of each other. Both of them did a really good job. Meanwhile, the tour guide is a pleasant diversion, and there are so many really funny lines that it keeps you smiling throughout. I had no expectations for this movie, but decided to watch it because it was just out on DVD and I had a spot in my queue for it. I was really pleased that I chose to watch this, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It’s not slapstick or low brow humor, really, although some of the stuff Edith pulls off is much, much more childish than her daughter is. It also does not have a great deal of action, but there are several really memorable scenes that show the pain both these characters are hiding. It’s a charming romantic romp with plenty of laugh out loud moments. They really throw themselves into their roles, and it’s a really well done film. I enjoyed it very much, and I would like to recommend it to anyone who likes a good intelligent movie in the wrapper of a nicely done rom-com. This is one of those hidden gems that I really enjoyed, even though I never heard anything about it before watching.

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Universal Pictures, Blackmaled Productions, Sean Daniel Company,

Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Regina Hall, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa

“The Best Man” of 1999 introduced us to a gang of college friends in a bit of a crisis. Well now it’s 15 years later (really) and they are getting together to celebrate the holidays. Everyone is here with the same jealousies, hangups, grudges, and problems. This is a reunion of sorts, and a time to catch up on all the changes in their lives. A funny, and tragic Christmas story.

This is a fairly decent sequel to the original film, bringing us back to the characters we originally knew. This is one of those films that make you laugh one minute and cry a minute later. There’s a lot of drama and conflict going on here, but a lot of love and caring too. Basically this is not an extremely original story, as there have been lots of these college friends all grown up and seeing each other again after a long absence movies. But it’s got the added plus of being a really decent holiday film. Released around the holidays, this is one that won’t be nearly as enjoyable in the middle of the summer as it would be in December, that is unless you are in the mood for a little Christmas in July fun. All in all, the characters are familiar, and there is some really good humor here, and a lot of heart, and some really good performances. This is not a great movie, but it’s a good one.

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