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Love Wedding Repeat (2020)
Love Wedding Repeat (2020)
2020 | Comedy
Disappointing
Whilst the trailer for this didn't wow me, it made me think this film had enough promise to warrant watching. However the end result was rather disappointing.

Cast wise this wasn't bad. Sam Claflin, Eleanor Tomlinson and Olivia Munn are always watchable, although i really can't stand Aisling Bea. The setting and scenery in this are absolutely beautiful, but then you can't really go wrong with Rome. The main problem with this film is the premise of the concept doesn't meet expectations, and the whole thing just isn't particularly funny. It sounds like it should be something similar to Groundhog Day or Edge of Tomorrow, but without spoiling it, it's a bit of letdown. And the laughs are sadly lacking. There are few smart witty quips that raised a smile, but not the full on romcom the trailer promised. Even the romance was rather dull and predictable.

Not one I'd bother to watch again and almost instantly forgettable. There are much better romcoms out there.
  
Ride Along 2 (2016)
Ride Along 2 (2016)
2016 | Action, Comedy
Kevin Hart and Ice Cube reprise their roles in Ride Along 2 which hits theaters this weekend. In the sequel, Ben Barber (Kevin Hart) is a rookie cop seeking to prove his worth as he aspires to become a detective like his soon to be brother-in-law James, played by Ice Cube. After a stakeout to catch a local drug dealer doesn’t go as planned, due to Ben’s meddling, the two stumble upon a flash drive which leads them to Miami to investigate further. Once there, they find themselves facing off with an international drug and gun smuggler (Benjamin Bratt) with the help of tough Miami Detective, Maya Cruz (Olivia Munn).

Fans of the first film will not be disappointed in this sequel to the film which introduced us to the bumbling antics of Ben Barber and the seasoned veteran James Payton. Ride Along 2 succeeds where other “Buddy Cop” movies and sequels have failed in the past. There is great chemistry between Hart and Cube. The film features great comedic timing with the characters, as well as, a healthy amount of dramatic and relatable issues throughout. The jokes are fun, and, at times witty. The humor doesn’t look for the cheap laugh by recycling the same jokes from the previous film. The only real problem with the film is that the plot is too similar to the original in a number of ways. Ben finds himself wanting to prove he deserves to be a cop, not only to himself, but to James, as well.

They find themselves trying to bring down a criminal empire all by the end of the week when Ben is set to marry James’ sister. Despite some of the moments being a bit far-fetched, the film does not rely too many references to the original in order for people to follow along with the story. It can easily stand alone. Fans of the first film, as well, as those who love a good Police themed comedy will enjoy the ride. Hopefully, the Brothers-in-law will return for a third film.
  
Office Christmas Party (2016)
Office Christmas Party (2016)
2016 | Comedy
7
6.9 (12 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Fun Holiday Film
A Branch Manager of a struggling tech company looks to throw the mother of all parties to help recruit a major client. He has to do it under the nose of his jerk sister who is the CEO of the company.

Acting: 10
Stellar cast all around, each of them bringing a different type of hilarity to the film. Kate McKinnon is my personal favorite, playing the role of Office Manager Mary Winetoss. Her against-the-grain role makes you cringe and laugh at the same time.

Jennifer Aniston plays Carol Vanstone, the CEO you love to hate. Aniston, typically an innocent good girl, is actually quite good at being bad. One scene in particular has her squaring up with a little girl in a lounge and it’s easily one of the best parts of the film.

Beginning: 7
Pretty plain lift-off as you are introduced to the majority of the players in the film. It’s not the greatest start, but it still has its moments. Ten minutes was enough to make me want to see more.

Characters: 10
Office Christmas Party would fall short without hilarious characters like Vanstone and Winetoss. They keep the narrative interesting and the party entertaining. There’s random cameos, a crazy black DJ, and a nutty pimp. This film has it all!

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 4
Easily one of the film’s weak spots. The film’s goal is to throw a huge party for a potential client and hope the CEO doesn’t find out. When you think about it, there’s not too much room for conflict here, at least not enough to raise concern. If you go into the film with that in mind, you’ll have a much better time.

Genre: 8

Memorability: 6
There are quite a few fun moments that ultimately save the film. They don’t hit you like machine gun fire, rather they are more sporadic hence the lower score. I did walk away with some good quotable lines that cracked me up (“Something’s happening in my diaper"!).

Pace: 5

Plot: 8

Resolution: 6

Overall: 74
As I’m sitting here watching Olivia Munn and Jason Bateman do their dance routine in giant snowman costumes, I can’t help but think that a few tweaks here and there could have really made this film a classic. I enjoyed Office Christmas Party and have no problem adding it to my holiday rotation. If you’re looking to expand out of the feel good, innocent Christmas films of the year, this definitely one to check out.