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TN
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I am actually giving this play a 3.5 star review, not a 4 star review. This is the third or fourth time I have had to read this play; the second time for college alone. Oh, and this review may have spoilers to the plot of this play, so if by some chance you haven't read it yet and do not want to know any of the plot points, read at your own risk.

I used to absolutely love this play. It used to be one of my favorite Shakespearean comedies, but I think I've had to study it so many times that I'm getting tired of it.

The class that I am reading it for, my Approaches to Shakespeare class, is really fun. I feel like I am going to start liking the book more the more I study it in this class because we are not just reading it for plot. The first day we were studying it, we went line by line for the first scene and talked about the various possible meanings each word could have meant and that was so much fun to me!

Also, I love the title: Twelfth Night: Or What You Will. It makes Shakespeare seem like he's saying, "Twelfth Night: Or Whatever." I don't know why, but that cracks me up.

I love looking at a text in a new way, and this class is definitely doing that. We are looking at dress and identity, sexuality and identity, the nature of love, setting the scene, the problem of Malvolio, and clown and comedy in the next few weeks that we are studying the play. I think my favorite parts to study are going to be the dress and identity and the problem of Malvolio.

Dress and identity are main aspects of the play. I mean, the entire think is about mistaken identities and disguises, so of course that would be heavily shown throughout the play. But even with this, we are going to look at connections within the characters to see if there are even more layers to this.

The problem of Malvolio is also very important. He is the loose cannon of this play because he does not necessarily fit with the comedic structure. Most of the time in comedies, everything is wrapped up and everyone is happy, but not in this comedy. In this, he seeks revenge on those who messed with him, but why did Shakespeare go so dark with this ending? Especially since he did not do this for the other comedies. That is what I can't wait to find out in my class.

I may do an update after we finish studying this book just in case I get an answer for that question, but that will only be seen in the future.

Overall, this play will always have a place in my heart, but I need to see if time will let it come back to the higher spot it used to have before.
  
Leprechaun Returns (2019)
Leprechaun Returns (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
Characters – Lila is the daughter or Tory (from the original) she is moving back to the same house in the vents of the original to be part of a college sorority, she is clearly the outsider of the group desperate to make new friends after a lifetime of looking after her mother. She learns to start believing what her mother did and proves to be resourceful throughout the film. Katie is the slutty of the friends, Rose is the one trying to make a change and Meredith is the drunk one, while they are meant to be portrayed as smart, they are painfully generic and dumb throughout. The Leprechaun has returned looking for his gold and this time he isn’t going to be a friendly, trying to get his power back. He uses rhymes to try and scare the characters and new powers to make object move to kill.

Performances – Taylor Spreitler does every she can in the leading role, trying to step into the shoes of Jennifer Aniston isn’t going to be easy for anyone, Pepi Sonuga, Sai Bennett and Emily Reid are the basic supporting performances, playing confusing characters. Linden Porco does well as the leprechaun being evil enough.

Story – The story picks up 25 years after the original film where we follow a new group of students that head to the house from the original only to find themselves being haunted by the leprechaun who just wants his gold back. The idea that we are taught to forget any of the sequels is a good thing and arguable the only good thing about the story, the rest just makes the characters seem confusing, with the story wanting to say these girls are smart with what they are doing, but as soon as the horror starts they just become screaming messes. It does keep the tone of a slasher story though it just never captures the tone of the first film enough.

Comedy/Horror – The comedy comes from the painfully rhymes that the leprechaun gives, they are very pun heavy which will often make your eyes roll. The horror does come from the kills which are bloody and one is in fact an original one too.

Settings – The film is set in the same house as the original film, it needs to be rebuilt so people could live there, it shows the evil hasn’t left this place after 25-years.

Special Effects – The effects in the film are easily one of the better parts because we get the unique looking kills that don’t shy away from the camera.


Scene of the Movie – Solar panel

That Moment That Annoyed Me – The characters being confusing.

Final Thoughts – This is a disappoint horror sequel reboot, it is filled with too many puns and tries to be self-aware of everything going on.

Overall: Leprechaun is better off dead.
  
Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)
Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)
2019 | Action, Comedy, Horror
I think it was a fairly safe bet to assume this was going to be entertaining. Comedy hijinks and zombies? Yes please!

Our band of merry zombie hunters have been living a great life in what's left of the world since the zombie legion rose, but things are becoming a little too samey. Little Rock is growing up and looking for something more than just their dysfunctional family, so when the first eligible bachelor appears she's all for leaving.

Wichita is set on going after her, the hippy boyfriend was headed to Babylon, a utopia of peace where there's no need of weapons, so that's where they're headed. Trouble is, they're not the only ones.

You can't be mad at this film, it's so much fun. Every time I think of Harrelson's gleeful face as he bodyslams a zombie I get a warm feeling inside. I love the way it mocks itself in the recap intro. I don't think there's a single thing in this movie I didn't like. It was pure pedal to the metal fun and it made a great break from a lot of the serious things I've been watching recently.

I always think that these sorts of things can be judged at least partly on its audience. There were teens and OAPs, couples, loners, groups of friends, it was such a cross-section. From what I could tell we were all laughing and having a good time. Any film that can do that has got its balance right.

The only I could grumble about is actually in the trailer, we get the inclusion of a Bill Murray scene and being that it isn't in the actual film seems like a bit of a daft thing to give away. The full scene is great but I don't know that putting it in the trailer made any difference to anyone wanting to see the film.

Continuing a story so long after the original was going to be difficult but I think the path they chose to go down nicely brought the characters back for us. It made sense where they focused the change and they managed to get across the jump of time really well. I still have my doubts about surviving in an apocalypse, but for the sake of this comedy I'm willing to overlook them.

The cast were great again, though Breslin didn't seem to have much enthusiasm for her part. The star-studded support cast helped to break the film up and add something even dafter into the mix. Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch made fun doppelgangers but the gag might have gone on a little too long.

Double Tap still makes great action like the original, the opening sequence that we partially see during the trailers brought a smile to my face. The all-out murdery goodness really does calm the soul.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/12/zombieland-double-tap-movie-review.html
  
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
2020 | Comedy, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) works in a very well-known art gallery owned by the ever so extraordinary Eva Woolf (Bernadette Peters). It has been a dream of hers since she was very young to work as a curator in a gallery and she is starting as an assistant at “The Woolf”.

She has been seeing Max (Utkarsh Ambudkar), the gallery curator for a while. Helping him with information on the artists as well as the likes and dislikes of Eva. On the night of the latest show launch, Eva asks Lucy to step to the podium and introduce Max so he could open the show. In a matter of minutes, Lucy loses her job and is dumped.

Lucy, having been through a traumatic loss, mistakenly hops into a stranger’s car under the assumption that it was her uber. She then proceeds to tell the driver of her night of disaster without registering that she is in the car of a stranger that is not her uber driver. Come to find out, the driver, Nick (Dacre Montgomery) is a budding hotelier trying to build a small boutique hotel.
He drops her off at the apartment, where her roommates immediately cocoon her in a dance that they have done oh so many times.

She has known Nadine (Phillipa Soo) and Amanda (Molly Gordon) since they were in high school. This trio is the partner in crime type of best friends. The interactions between them is so well coordinated I believed that they have been the closest of friends for ages. The same goes for Nick and his best friend Marcos (Arturo Castro).

.This film is the perfect Romantic Comedy that is very well suited for this moment in time.

It is a well-deserved salve on the dearth of darkness in cinema as of late. The lines are funny, the timing of the responses, quick and clever. It is also quirky and charming as well as emotional and sweet.

Natalie Krinsky, the Writer and Director had cast the characters perfectly. The actors drew me into the film as I laughed at their escapades, vicariously experienced celebrations. This movie was a joy to watch. It was sweet, funny, clever, and heartwarming.

Viswanathan embodied Lucy. The character is of the modern twenty something woman in hipsterville. She showed that Lucy is intelligent, imperfect and at times, insecure, but she is brave and willing to forge through anything.

The soundtrack is fantastic, the songs support the scenes and it is a veritable list of the current pop artists that are played in daily rotation.

Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Halsey, Rita Ora, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez who is an executive producer on the film.
If this is the direction of the modern romantic comedy, I look forward to the development of this genre as it grows. I rarely want to watch most films a second time. If you like the Romcom, this is one that is thoroughly enjoyable. Well worth the time and the ticket.
  
The King of Comedy (1983)
The King of Comedy (1983)
1983 | Comedy, Drama, Mystery
While I vaguely knew the name of the film I'd never seen it and didn't really get the vibe that I wanted to, after seeing the Joker though I was hit by so many comments on it in reviews that I really needed to see it.

Rupert Pupkin dreams of a life as a stand-up comic. Almost every night he's outside the local studio to see his idol Jerry Langford to try and get the big break that will launch his career. Rupert's obsession for success starts to completely run his life and with his newfound "friendship" with Jerry he becomes even more unstable and crosses a line there's no coming back from.

Before I comment on anything specific I want to point out that the rating of the film isn't really anything to do with its quality, it's more to do with me. I absolutely hate awkward comedy and awkwardness in general on screen, it makes me uncomfortable and I would much rather just leave that awkward feeling to my everyday life than have it in my downtime too.

The story idea is a solid one (if it hadn't been then I'm sure Joke would have done more original thinking) and the idea of obsessive fan culture is something I think all generations can get along with. Because of that fact I can see it appealing to a variety of people if they can get past the dated feel to it.

Robert De Niro did a great job as Pupkin, and even in the short clip above you can see that in his behaviour changes to his environment. The dynamic with each individual character changes from confidence to anxious and irritated and you get a sense of what's going on in his head. His performance escalates nicely and when you combine his actions with those of Masha (Sandra Bernhard) you get quite an impact at the end.

I get the feeling it might be a little... bland... for modern audiences at times. That might not be quite the right way to describe it. It plods along at a good pace but there isn't any deviation from its focus on Pupkin and if that doesn't click with you then it might not be something that can keep you interested.


If this hadn't come up in my Twitter polls of films to watch then I probably wouldn't have reviewed it. It's a good film, with solid acting and everything is a perfect snapshot of its era, but it just isn't for me. If I'd watched it years ago and certainly if I'd watched it before Joker came out then I might have been able to engage more with it. I can see why so many people love it but it just isn't for me.

Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-king-of-comedy-movie-review.html
  
The Joe Rogan Experience
The Joe Rogan Experience
Comedy
9
7.8 (33 Ratings)
Podcast Rating
Informative (2 more)
Great guest on all sorts of topics
MMA devoted episodes
What needs to be said about a pod that has over 1000 episodes??
I've been a fan of Joe Rogan for almost twenty years. His stand up comedy is some of the funniest shit I have ever heard. So naturally I become a fan of his podcast as well. Listening to Joe's chemistry with his guests and how well and articulate he speaks makes people forget he's also a full time color commentator for the UFC. The man has a wealth of knowledge at his Beck and call and he shows that. Keeping up with conversations involving astrophysicists, doctor's and Eddie Bravo(insert laugh track here).
His devotion to the pod can give listeners three to four new episodes a week. The vast library of episodes have something for everyone, including but not limited to comedians, doctors, fighters and other sports figures. Joe keeps the listener intrigued and involved and wanting more. Even if it's a goofy episode involving pod regulars and Fighter and the Kid podcasters Brian Called and Brendan Shaub, where the guys do nothing but drink, smoke weed and watch fights. They never just talk about the fights... They cover a wide variety of topics that are both serious and hilarious.
Ear candy for those who want to be informed...or misinformed... Depending how serious the episodes are.
Great podcast. In my top 5 for life.
  
Portal
Portal
2007 | Puzzle & Cards
Level design (3 more)
Character Design
Dialogue
Game mechanics
Relatively short story (0 more)
One of the smartest games around
Portal (2007) is one of the best video games around, and led to an even more successful sequel. The games premise is simple- you wake up in a testing room, with only an homicidal A.I to guide you through puzzles as you try and escape the testing facility. The twist comes in the dialogue, and the story that unfolds around you.
Your character doesn't speak, and her past and future are a mystery, which only adds to the intrigue the story incites.

The design is simple, a clean high-tech facility, equal parts simple and beautiful. You navigate through this world with use of a portal gun. Strategically placed, these portals can lead to your victory or your doom, and thus begins the most enjoyable 3D puzzle of the past 20 years.
Dialogue, as said, is a clear highlight, somehow balancing comedy and adventure perfectly, much akin to a Douglas Adams novel. It even manages to make G.L.A.D.O.S, a homicidal A.I, a genuinely endearing character, and one that is welcomed quickly, and missed once the game is complete.

Over all, it is clear why this game has so many devoted fans, and why we were all eager for more. This game, while simple has many levels, that make replaying and exploring a thrilling experience that you can have again and again and never get bored.
  
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Erika (17788 KP) rated Deadpool 2 (2018) in Movies

May 20, 2018 (Updated May 20, 2018)  
Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 (2018)
2018 | Action, Comedy
As a superhero movie, the plot was ok, and I thought Julian Dennison did a fantastic job. As a comedy, not so much.
 1) The jokes were tired, and already done in DP1. When everyone was cracking up in the first scenes, I looked at my best friend and asked, 'What is everyone laughing at? This sh** is not funny.' How many times does Ryan Reynolds need to make fun of Green Lantern? Seriously, get over it. 2) It was was too long. That's 2 hours and 10 minutes of my life I can never get back. At least it was free with moviepass. 3) Ryan Reynolds was too Ryan Reynolds, rather than the character. Unless, they're supposed to be one of the same? Don't get me wrong, I love Ryan Reynolds comedies (e.g., Waiting/Just Friends), but it was too much. 4) A lot of the scenes were about 5 minutes too long... The unfunny scene at the end where DP just wouldn't go away (no specifics because that'd be a spoiler). 5) You could tell some of the jokes were inserted after the fact because the quality of the sound on it. Yeah, of course they can get away with it sometimes, since RR is wearing the mask... But it was too obvious.

I am surprised that TJ Miller wasn't completely cut from the film (same with Ready Player One), since that seems to be the norm whenever scandals occur now.
  
The Theory of Happily Ever After
The Theory of Happily Ever After
8
6.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
What’s better for a book than an awesome comedy filled with inspiring messages and sparks of romance? That’s what Mrs. Billerbeck’s new novel has! But, it’s so much more than it! It’s captivating, and on more than one occasion , it had me laughing out loud and people looking funny at me! Each turn of the page brought me a little closer to Maggie and Sam and their quirky, Austenesque story.

What is the meaning of your happiness? Did you have to search it out or did it seek you out? That’s what Maggie Maguire encounters in this fun chick lit novel. I felt myself turning into Maggie, wondering what will happen next, what’s in store, is there a happily ever after. And, when Sam entered the picture, being a fan of Jane Austen, I was instantly pulled to him and his grump like self! The interaction between Maggie and Sam was fun and I was rooting for them the whole way through the story.

This is definitely a 4 star novel and one you shouldn’t miss! You’ll laugh out loud more times than not and you’ll find yourself instantly a part of this well written, inspiring novel of happy ever afters and true love. Well done, Ms. Billerbeck! Definitely a keeper on my shelf for sure!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
  
Tag (2018)
Tag (2018)
2018 | Comedy
Lag
#tag is a drag of a movie that takes a cool concept & does nothing exciting with it at all. #tagmovie from the #trailer looked quite a #fun & #original #film so it was to my surprise when I found myself 40 minutes in without #laughing or with a desire to continue watching. My biggest problem with this movie was I found experiencing it boring/bland & ultimately I was confused as to why a film about such a fun & exciting game was failing to hold my attention so much. Maybe it was the unlikable characters, the non believable relationships, the childish repetitive humour & over used weed #jokes, the silly thoughtless set pieces, the constant plot holes & the lack of any omph/urgency or tension (thus not allowing us to feel the excitement we did when playing this game as a kids). They even have a character around that follows the main ones about that just constantly spurts out exposition & gives a reason to explain the games rules which is exhaustingly monotonous. All in all Tag felt like they made it all up as they went along, not much happens & when it does its #dumb/pointless & just a really uninteresting watch & a big missed opportunity. Overall I can't recommend Tag at all & would of rather took my chances with #patrick instead. #odeonlimitless #odeon #sundayfunday #weekend #cinifile #moviecritic #hot #funny #silly #jeremyrenner #edhelms #islafisher #comedy #moviereview #truestory #game #school #review #playground #stupid