The Heat, which marked its tenth anniversary in June, changes up the buddy cop comedy genre by having two female leads. Paul Feig does a fantastic job at directing Katie Dippold’s first produced screenplay. This is a very funny screenplay that is made funnier by what Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy bring to the film. The two actresses built their characters from the ground up to where they have perfect chemistry going into production. Anyway,…
"The Heat: Buddy Cop Comedy at 10"Tag: Melissa McCarthy
The live-action version of The Little Mermaid has awesome music as expected but the film itself is way too long at 135 minutes. Ariel (Halle Bailey) finally comes to the screen in live-action. The studio might call it a reimagining but they keep the basic gist of the story. Ariel is the adventurous young daughter of King Triton (Javier Bardem). Much like the 1989 film, she is a free spirit and always rebelling against the…
"The Little Mermaid: Awesome Music But Too Long"
This is 40, Judd Apatow’s sequel to 2007 hit comedy Knocked Up, marks the 10th anniversary of its theatrical release in 2012. When it comes to Judd Apatow, his films can run long. This film is certainly no exception. It might have made for a great night out ten years ago when every place was closing early. Ten years later, you can really feel its run time. But hey, it’s a Judd Apatow movie and…
"This Is 40 Marks 10th Anniversary"
Bridesmaids, the Oscar-nominated comedy classic directed by Paul Feig, marks the tenth anniversary of its theatrical release in 2011. It’s very hard to believe that it’s been ten years because it feels just like yesterday. The film, written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, has withstood the test of time. Unlike some of the other films produced by Judd Apatow in the early 2000s, Bridesmaids managed to age particularly well. This film has been around…
"Bridesmaids Marks Its 10th Anniversary"
Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer star as a pair of mismatched superheroes in Thunder Force, the newest Netflix original. A comic book panel style montage sets the scene for what’s happening in the film. In March 1983, a massive explosion of interstellar cosmic-rays hit Earth. This led to select humans undergoing a genetic transformation. Unfortunately, the powers were only unlocked in those people predisposed to be a sociopath. Because mutants and meta-humans were already taken…
"Thunder Force: Good Takes On Evil in Chicago"
An artificial intelligence becomes self-aware in the HBO Max comedy, Superintelligence, launching this week on Thanksgiving day. The gist of the film is that Superintelligence (James Corden) studies average Earth human Carol Peters (Melissa McCarthy) and the fate of humanity rests on her shoulders. It’s not unlike Abraham arguing with G-d when it comes to trying to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. If you remember the Book of Genesis, Abraham had to plead…
"Superintelligence: A New A.I. Comedy"
The Kitchen is about a trio of wives who take over protecting the neighborhood while their husbands are serving time in jail. Oscar-nominated screenwriter Andrea Berloff adapts Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle’s comic book series for the big screen. I really wish that I could say that The Kitchen is a good film but it fails along the way. The whole women-take-revenge plot was done so much better in Steve McQueen’s criminally underrated Widows. Where…
"The Kitchen Isn’t The Feminist Thriller We Need"
Melissa McCarthy is virtually unrecognizable while portraying New York writer-turned-forger Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me? Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) is a biographer. When we first meet her, she’s just beginning to write about comedian Fanny Brice. She doesn’t know it yet but her life is about to change when she stole two notes written by Brice. While it’s initially for the better with the amount of money she makes, things soon take…
"Can You Ever Forgive Me?"
The Happytime Murders has taken over the slot–previously held by The Room–of being the single-worst movie of all time. Brian Henson, son of the late Jim Henson, takes what we know about muppets and turns it on our heads. Oh wait. They aren’t muppets but Miskreant puppets from Henson Alternative. It makes no difference what the right term is because the film is the most subversive comedy of the year. If you can call it a…
"The Happytime Murders: The Worst Film Ever"
Starring four of the funniest women on earth, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call honors the spirit of the 1984 classic film. While it would have been nice to have seen the likes of Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Winston Zeddemore pass the baton to a new generation, Harold Ramis’ death in 2014 would forever change the face of the franchise. Never mind just how hard it is getting Bill Murray to sign on board for anything. With that out…
"Ghostbusters: Answer the Call"