This is The End

Welcome to another episode of Lights....Camera....Popcorn!

Today's review is This is The End.

Directed by Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen.

Written by Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen

Screen Story by Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen.

Based on the short film Jay and Seth vs The Apocalypse by Jason Stone.

Review #217

MPAA Rating: Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence.

Run Time: 107 min

This is The End Traliers: Courtesy of Apple's Trailer Page

Hulk Spoils Hollywood Podcast Page

Cast

James Franco...James Franco

Jonah Hill...Jonah Hill

Seth Rogen...Seth Rogen

Jay Baruchel...Jay Baruchel

Danny McBride...Danny McBride

Craig Robinson...Craig Robinson

Michael Cera...Michael Cera

Emma Watson...Emma Watson

Mindy Kaling...Mindy Kaling

David Krumholtz...David Krumholtz

Christopher Mintz-Plasse...Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Rihanna...Rihanna

Martin Starr...Martin Starr

Paul Rudd...Paul Rudd

Channing Tatum...Channing Tatum

Kevin Hart...Kevin Hart

Aziz Ansari...Aziz Ansari

When it comes to comedies. The duo of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have been either a huge hit or a resounding miss. Their first collaboration was Superbad which was hysterical. Since then they hit a wall. Pineapple Express was OK. The Green Hornet was a DISGRACE and The Watch was appallingly bad. So expectations for This Is The End were VERY VERY low. I didn't get sucked into the trailers and clips that they released to promote the film and I though I did want to see it. It would not have crushed me if I missed it.

After seeing it. I would have been crushed if I missed it because this was one of the funnier films I've seen in years.

Plot

While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.  

This movie has a ton of what you'd expect from a cast like the one assembled for this one. Dick and fart jokes up the wazoo. But the smartest thing This Is The End did was have the cast play themselves in this fictional world. It gave the film a lot more reality to a story that deals with the end of the world. There were stories that claimed a lot of this film was improvised. It shows and that is a good thing. A film with this subject matter and a cast playing versions of themselves wouldn't have worked with a script shackling the comedy.

The best bits came from the improvisation. When these guys are interacting with each other you can tell when they're following what's on the page and when they're not. It's noticeable but not a deal breaker. In fact I was laughing so hard at times that it didn't matter that the dialogue back and forth was at times unscripted. All of these performers are gifted comedians who know how to shoot from the hip and take a scene to the next level.

In fact there were several standout performances. Namely Michael Cera and Danny McBride. I'm not that big a fan of McBride. I can handle him in small doses but Cera to me is a genius. His dry wit smacks you in the face. Then to see him play the character he plays here was an absolute treat.One of the best parts about This Is The End is the balance each character gets. The film is set in James Franco's house party and is full of celebrities and for the most part they all get a chance to show off their comedic abilities.

If I had one gripe about this film is how crazy it gets at the end. I realize that's saying a lot considering what it's about but towards the end of Act 3, This Is The End goes for the grand finale and it plays a little over the top. McBride's character takes a strange turn which doesn't help the film's cause but overall the lunacy that the ending gives us is not as bad as I might be making it to be. At this point anyway you're already laughed out and expecting the film to finish up.

I really enjoyed this film a whole lot. Rogen and Goldberg recaptured the slick fast talking comedy that Superbad had in spades. I just hope that they're able to keep this going. Only time will tell.

On the 5 star scale. This Is The End gets 4 stars with a "Worth Every Penny!" recommendation.

That's a wrap for today.

Until Next Episode....I'll Save You A Seat!

"D"