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American Pie 2 (2001)
American Pie 2 (2001)
2001 | Comedy
9
6.8 (10 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Story: With the boys back together after their first year at college, they spend the summer in a Lake house partying every night. Showing the next step each character has or in some cases has not taken. The story reflects real life, which I think adds something to make this the best in the series. (9/10)

Cast: Jason Biggs as Jim –The loveable loser is back getting himself into trouble again. Starting when his parents walk in on him again, there is also an unfortunate event with some glue. Hasn’t really grown up as much as he would have liked to and is still waiting for a chance with Nadia (Elizabeth). (9/10)

Thomas Ian Nicholas as Kevin – Again comes up with the plan that involves everyone going to the lake for the summer. Only problem is he is still waiting for Vicki (Reid) and hasn’t taken the next step, which he thought he would have done. Sort of the more serious character of the group makes him less interesting on the comedy side of the story. (8/10)

 

Seann William Scott as Stifler – Loud, Rude, Outrageous but we love him, Hasn’t grown up at all Still putting everyone down with one liners and has a new grudge with Finch after the Prom the year before. Stifler has become one of the funniest characters ever created. Star Performance (9/10)

 

Eddie Kaye Thomas as Finch – More cultured more grown up and wiser still waiting for his goddess Stifler’s Mum. Doing Tantra all the way through adds some very comical moments for him. (8/10)

 

Chris Klein as Oz – With his girlfriend Heather (Suvari) going away to Europe for the summer Oz joins the guys. The most grown up of the guys now. (8/10)

 

Eugene Levy as Jim’s Dad –Only because of his speeches are the funniest thing in the whole film because they are always in the most awkward moments. Favourite Character (9/10)

 

Comedy: Another great instalment of comedy though I think the story is better than the original I feel the overall comedy isn’t as funny but still very funny as the scenarios created are way funnier. (9/10)

 

Music: Even better soundtrack than the original (10/10)

 

Suggestion: Out of all the American Pie films this is the one I would suggest to anyone to watch as I feel it is the best. (10/10)

 

Best Part: The lesbian radio scene

 

Favourite Quote: Jim’s Dad ‘I think I bring a new meaning to the word cool’

 

Similar Too: Old School, Road Trip

 

Overall: With the better story moments and some very funny moments, this is another must watch comedy that will leave you in stitches once it’s all over. With the best moments of life after college before you start going into the big world.

https://moviesreview101.com/2012/04/04/american-pie-2-2001/
  
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Ross (3284 KP) rated After Life in TV

Apr 11, 2019  
After Life
After Life
2019 | Comedy, Drama
Gervais tries to break the mould again
Once again we see Ricky Gervais try to break the mould for a sit-com, this time by covering some pretty deep and heavy topics. While the humour is still there, it comes through fairly infrequently and is a little off kilter, when compared to the drama of the series.
Gervais plays Tony, a journalist on a local free paper who has recently lost his wife to cancer. Tony has simply given up on life and, while he cannot bring himself to end it, he seems to have decided to just do whatever he wants, no matter the consequences. He is rude to people in the street, makes his colleagues' working days miserable, and while he visits his dad in a care home regularly he clearly hates it and is just doing it out of duty.
Most of the comedy comes through in Gervais doing what he does best - being rude and nasty and way over the top in insulting people. The humour here is more for the shock value (calling a 6 year old a tubby little c**t for example) rather than a more considered layer of humour. As Tony has decided he can just do whatever he wants and hang the consequences, he takes a stand against stupid rules (the scene where he takes his nephew for tea in a café was brilliant).
I preferred the drama side of the series - him trying drugs, meeting new people and gradually softening over the series were some very touching moments and very well written. However when weighed against the comedy it just seems incongruous. I think Gervais needs to think about whether he wants to write a drama (and tone down the comedy a little more) or a comedy (and try less to push the boundaries).
Tony's epiphany was a little rushed/hard to spot. It seems that after 5 episodes of not caring about anything, the 6th starts off with him suddenly being a changed man out of nowhere. There were small moments where he seemed to soften but there was no sudden realisation big enough to justify the change of heart in the last episode.
This was a pretty hard hitting, emotional series, but I think it lost a little of the impact by having Gervais in it and trying to shoe-horn his sense of humour into it.
  
American Pie (1999)
American Pie (1999)
1999 | Comedy
Story: A quest for four boys to lose their virginity before they go onto college. A comedy about growing up through the awkward high school years. It also shows how important friends can be. A wonderful high school comedy that all will love. (9/10)

Cast: Jason Biggs as Jim – The guy who has no luck what so ever, be it caught watching adult channels by his parents or a web cam incident or some alone time with an apple pie. A very likeable character that you feel through his misfortunes. Star Performance (9/10)

Thomas Ian Nicholas as Kevin – He creates the pact to help himself and his friends. Basically he is the disappointed boyfriend of Vicki (Reid) after his bad timing on words. Slightly selfish character as the pact seems to be more about him. (8/10)

 

Seann William Scott as Stifler – The loud mouth friend who usually host the parties. Always finds ways to put people down. A very likeable unlikeable character. (9/10)

 

Eddie Kaye Thomas as Finch – The man of mystery always tries something outside the box to get the attention of the girls. A more cultured character that is the end is just the same as the rest. (8/10)

 

Chris Klein as Oz – The jock star player on the lacrosse team. Who takes a very different approach to finding a girl; he joins the choir and shows of his feelings. Great character changing role (9/10)

 

Eugene Levy as Jim’s Dad – You never learn his first name, but as he is Jim’s Dad you only ever know him as this. Giving his son the awkward conversations, Brilliant Awkward father role. Favourite Character (9/10)

 

Comedy: A comedy that is outrageous and is a laugh all the way through (10/10)

Music: Great sound track plus a cameo from Blink 182 (10/10)

Best Part: Jim’s Dads speeches are the highlight of the film

Similar Too: Road Trip, Superbad

Overall: One of the best comedies of the generation and also has some very good moments that are very real moments you will have or going to experience in life. It’s one which everyone will enjoy and now looking back on that time in life it was very funny to see how they acted and comparing it to how I acted.

https://moviesreview101.com/2012/04/04/american-pie-1999/
  
The Proposal (2009)
The Proposal (2009)
2009 | Comedy, Romance
If you have ever had an awful boss you will commiserate with Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) executive assistant to fiendish editor Margret Tate (Sandra Bullock). A Canadian, Margret is about to loose her Visa and prestigious job when she devises a plan to stay in the country by marrying Andrew. Realizing that Margret’s deportation also means he will loose his dream chance at becoming an editor, Andrew unhappily agrees.

To make matters worse a tenacious immigration clerk suspects the false conspiracy and threatens fines and felony charges if the bond is not truly romantic. In an effort to make their rouse seem more convincing the two not-so-in-love birds decide to visit Andrew’s family in Alaska.

Through a variety of comedic events and heart to heart discussions their relationship grows. But this new understanding of one another, and appearance of Andrew’s ex-girlfriend, threaten the marriage ploy.

While it is a cute movie the preposterous premise is the core obstacle with the film. Can anyone actually believe a person would ever fall in love with a boss so heinous that the office instant messages warnings of her arrival?

Further detracting from the film’s romantic attempts is the use of disjointed screwball comedy. These scenes, ranging from Ramone’s (Oscar Nuñez) bachelorette strip tease to Grandma Annie’s (Betty White) dancing in the wilderness, would have been more appropriate in “Animal House” than a romantic comedy.
Still the film does have some redeeming qualities; Ryan Reynolds’ bold delivery combines well with Sandra Bullock’s awkward appeal. Also the meritorious supporting cast will surely make you laugh. But if you are looking to be enchantingly swept away this is not the right film.

More funny than romantic the problematic premise makes “The Proposal” simply an OK comedy.
  
Dog Soldiers (2002)
Dog Soldiers (2002)
2002 | Action, Horror
8
8.2 (26 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Great British cast (3 more)
Black/dark humour throughout
Great one liners
One of the last films I remember to use makeup, costumes, and what looks like actual sausages for special effects and gore.
There is no Spoon
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is just one of those films from my youth that will never look back on with anything but pure joy.

The plot has already been laid out here, the reasons to watch this movie aren't really based around storyline. It's more that a group of "everyman" type British soldiers are thrust into a bat sh*t crazy situation, fighting off seven foot werewolves inside an abandoned farmhouse in the Scottish highlands. Comedy is of course going to come with that.

If the premise doesn't grab you, come for Liam Cunningham (AKA Ser Davos Seaworth) playing a bad guy, it's such a brilliant thing to see his range. If that doesn't do it, come to hear Sean Pertwee say "We are now up against live, hostile targets. So, if Little Red Riding Hood should show up with a bazooka and a bad attitude, I expect you to chin the bitch."

The jokes and quotables are thick and fast, the makeup and costumes of the werewolves is still analogue, and the work put into them must have been immense. They are genuinely menacing, and it's nice to remind yourself that not everything needs to be computer generated to have impact.

As a last point, Id like to point out that besides the great cast, the comedy, and the quotes, this isn't really jump scare, or torture p*rn, it's just an old fashioned run and gun, action comedy horror. It also ends in a way I just haven't seen before, with the use of photographs in a particular "action shot" kind of way, set up during the movie. Excellent.

- Rob
  
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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Babysitter (2017) in Movies

Dec 5, 2019 (Updated Jan 22, 2020)  
The Babysitter (2017)
The Babysitter (2017)
2017 | Comedy, Horror
On the surface, The Babysitter looks like a by the numbers comedy horror, but thanks in no small part to Samara Weaving, it's actually a bit more than that.

Samara Weaving plays Bee, the titular babysitter, who watches over (a not so convincing)12 year old Cole (Judah Lewis) when his parents head off on vacation.
After Cole has gone to bed, he secretly stays up to see what Bee gets up to after hours, and things take a bloody turn when it become apparent that Bee and her friends are part of a Satan worshipping murder cult.
It's a simple and silly premise, but it works pretty well in this instance.

The opening 20 minutes is all out silly comedy. The chemistry between the two leads is clearly strong and a huge highlight. It's obvious that the two of them were having a blast filming this.
When the Satan worshipping murder cult part comes into play, the gore comes thick and fast (there are some genuinely nasty moments), but it continues to be funny.
The Babysitter made me laugh quite a bit, with some ridiculous dialogue and self awareness, especially from Robbie Amell.
Director McG makes a lot of Scott Pilgrim-esque style choices, but never goes too overboard, making sure they land for the most part.

The rest of the characters are portrayed as cliché annoying millennial types, obviously written as characters that we want to die, but the joke wears thin pretty quickly, especially in the case of Bella Thorne's character.
The movie is also guilty of the often seen try-hard pop culture discussion sequences, which are a little cringey, but these kind of complaints are minimal.

With an 85 minute runtime, The Babysitter is a swift and fun horror comedy romp that has a decent lead. A solid 7/10.
  
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Lee (2222 KP) Dec 6, 2019

I completely forgot Samara Weaving was in this!

Keanu (2016)
Keanu (2016)
2016 | Action, Comedy
9
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
When Keegan Michael-Key and Jordan Peele announced that they would be ending their program Key and Peele, I was saddened. Their lively antics, comedic sensibilities, and ability to it on political and social issues in a way that allows them to make America reflect were what their fan base love about them. We saw original, sketch comedy that was actually funny and insightful as missing in today’s environment. As part of their “retirement,” they informed their fans that this was not the end of Key and Peele, just that they were going to entertain other projects.

It was a stroke of genius. They left when all of us were wanting more… and they deliver with their current film Keanu. This buddy action comedy picks right up where they left off with their show. It is a film with a very basic plot where two friends get way in over their heads. The jokes are not cheap and offer us a chance to laugh at the things that make us uncomfortable. The two men, and Keanu the cat give us a film reminiscent of the Wilder and Pryor films.

The jokes and situations will have you laughing throughout the film. In addition, the film and storyline poke fun at stereotypes, generalizations, and tropes in order to make us laugh even more. What many of us thought could be nothing more than random sketches strewn together for cheap laughs turned out to be a well-orchestrated first step into a journey of comedic genius. Comedy fans will love this film. Those looking for a serious turn or a film that involves seamless plotlines, you are going to be disappointed, but only in that aspect.
  
The Full Monty (1997)
The Full Monty (1997)
1997 | Comedy, Musical
I'm sure it's sacrilege saying so, but I got absolutely nothing out of this - in fact I'm deathly sure I hated it. Not because it was exactly awful, per se - moreso because it was just so exhaustively timid, top to bottom. Seldom has a sex comedy ever been more self-conscious of itself, I sat in almost pure impatient silence the entire time waiting for it to end. I mean is it not enough that we rarely ever get to see these tiresome (less than) one note characters actually ever interact as a group? Or that even the overly-familiar sorta-half-jokes have to fizzle out before they're even delivered? And while we're at it, why is the direction so violently bland? And why is the film so indifferent about its own story while also trying to bolster it up as the main selling point? I mean there's hardly any stakes let alone momentum, nor even light fun because everyone just sort of "Yeah sure, whatever"s to everything that happens which is allegedly of consequence. Are we supposed to care? Basically the bone marrow of every sex comedy ever made, stripped down of all the meat and other fixings that made them funny/interesting/charming/memorable. Zero personality, and deliberately stops itself from having any anytime it threatens to use some. At best only mildly amusing, whatever made this entirely pedestrian British 'comedy' get shot up to Best Picture status over something like the mega superior 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘬, 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘬, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘴 I will never grasp. The whole time I just wanted to see the "Always Sunny" gang or even the Broken Lizard troupe take a stab at this premise and give it the non-passive justice it deserves.
  
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
2004 | Comedy, Horror
It's like Spaced with a bigger budget and zombies. (0 more)
It's not as good as Spaced. (0 more)
Spaced on the big screen
In principle, I really don't like comedies. Yes, there are examples of the genre out there that I like, don't get me wrong. But generally-speaking I just don't dig them. I won't go into my anti-comedy rant in great detail here, but I think that one of the main reasons for it is that I love the craft of filmmaking and most comedies are severely lacking in any kind of interesting creative decision that make me appreciate a filmmaker's craft. Now Edgar Wright, there's a director who knows his craft, and it is very much evident in Shaun of the Dead. It is very slickly shot and edited, brilliantly-paced, pitch-perfect in tone and yes - it's funny! There aren't many comedy-horror movies that work, but this one really does. Also, I am a huge fan of Spaced, which is up there in my top 5 tv shows of all time, and this film is very much a spiritual successor to the show.
  
MC
Margaret Cho: PsyCHO (2015)
2015 |
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
she isn't as funny as she use to be
Contains spoilers, click to show
Is it me or has Margaret Cho lost her "funny"? It seems to me that over the course of the last few years that she has become less funny and more mainstream.

Before during with her stand up it was more edgy and hard hitting and funny. Most of her comedy from pre 2003 was amazing and insightful. But now it feels like she just gets on stage and drones on for however long she has been booked.

There were parts of this stand up that were funny, but for the most part it was like sitting in a class waiting for the bell to ring.

Through out her career she has undergone many changes, from coming out to weight loss. And before her comedy reflected the funnier aspects of her life, but now is kind of a sad dribble of what she once was. Don't get me wrong, I will continue to watch her stand up routine in hopes of her making me laugh like she once did. But for right now I don't find her all that funny any more.