This Is the End

This Is the End (2013)
Directed by: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

Hey Film Fans!

I just got back from a week long vacation to Virginia Beach so that is why I haven't updated in a while! To kick things back into gear I want to discuss This Is the End. I saw it as part of a double feature at the Star Light Drive-In in Atlanta. It's $7 a person and you get to see two films (the other one we saw was The Heat) so it's a pretty good deal. I didn't really have high hopes for the film because large ensemble comedies have a tendency to fall flat (or completely implode). That is not so for This Is the End.

This Is the End was penned by Rogen and Goldberg who also brought you Superbad, Pineapple Express, The Green Hornet, and The Watch. I liked all of these movies so I was excited for This Is the End. The film starts with Jay Baruchel arriving in Los Angeles on a trip to visit Seth Rogen. The two hangout at Seth's house and catch up (smoke loads of pot and play video games). Seth mentions that James Franco is having a party and that they should stop by. Jay is upset because he wants to spend time with Seth and he despises James. Jay eventually caves and the two go to the party. Almost every twenty or thirtysomething in Hollywood you can think of is at James' house partying hard. Michael Cera is playing pool in a track suit, is coked out of his mind, and is acting very UN-Michael Cera-ey (he keeps slapping Rihanna on the ass and yelling at everyone about his awesome coke). Jay and Seth leave to pick up something from a local convenience store and that is when the world goes to sh*t. Blue lights shoot down from the sky and make select people disappear. What results is a world full of chaos. The ground in front of James' house opens up and several celebrities fall in. Aziz Ansari pleads with people to help him up but eventually succumbs to the hole. The remaining celebrities that have survived regroup inside of the house and go over their supplies.


Everyone then decides to get some rest so they can face whatever comes at them the next day. They are surprised when it is revealed that Danny McBride had been passed out in a bathtub all night and has no idea what is going on. He wakes up and promptly uses almost all of their remaining supplies to make a large breakfast. After some time the group comes to the conclusion that they are in the aftermath of The Rapture that is prophesied in the book of Revelation (no S) of the Holy Bible. If this is true, then a fight with Satan can't be too far off.

I was actually surprised at how coherent the story for This Is the End was. Having seen the abomination that was Movie 43 I didn't have high hopes for the ensemble comedy. I am happy to say that I was wrong. The reason This Is the End works is because outside of the end of the world scenario, it is totally believable. Everyone in Hollywood is connected with everyone else so why wouldn't they all get together and party? What adds to the believability is the fact that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have worked with pretty much everyone in the film. It just doesn't seem far off base to think that when the world goes to Hell, these guys will most definitely witness it together. My favorite parts of the film are James Franco's obsession and devotion to Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill's completely put on admiration and respect for Jay Baruchel. Throughout the film, James makes references to an underlying feeling of love for Seth and it makes for some awesomely awkward moments. For instance, in his home, James has two large portraits hanging on his wall; one of himself and one of Seth Rogen. When the time comes to use them for barricades (or firewood I can't remember) James insists they leave the one of Seth intact and that they take his.

One of the ongoing themes of the film is Jay's unfounded feeling that Jonah Hill hates him. Seth assures him that it isn't true and that Jonah is the nicest guy in the world. During the film, Jonah tries to comfort Jay and win his friendship by killing him with kindness. It is revealed towards the end that Jonah actually does hate Jay and wants him to die. He prays to God asking Him to kill Jay so that he doesn't have to see him anymore.

There is a reason that This Is the End is rated so high on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb; it's a good flick. This is one I think you can justify paying theater prices for, because you'll be laughing with the rest of the audience. Obviously, if you don't like crude humor then you may want to skip this, but if you can't laugh at crass jokes every now and then, why laugh at all?

My Score: 7.5/10

This Is 40

This Is 40 (2012)
Directed by: Judd Apatow
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 50%

This Is 40 is the second "serious comedy" done by Judd Apatow (the first being Funny People). I saw this movie when it hit theaters and I don't think I have laughed harder in quite a long time. Before I go further there is something you, as my audience, must know. I have an unabashed bro crush on both Judd Apatow and Paul Rudd. I would see anything either one puts out (and, for the most part, have). That being said, let's get to it.

This Is 40 is a coming of age story for those in their 40s. Both characters, Pete (Rudd) and Debbie (Apatow's wife, Leslie Mann) are married with two children and each of them is about to hit midlife. With the big 4-0 they feel that they must change things about their lives in order to better themselves. Debbie is to quit her secretive smoking and Pete is to eat healthier. With these self imposed changes comes feelings of anger and frustration with each other because they feel that they have peaked in life. Their two children, Sadie and Charlotte (played by Apatow and Mann's children Maude and Iris, respectively) get caught in the crossfire and in turn begin to act out. During the film, we learn that the record business that Pete has poured himself into is failing and Debbie's boutique is losing money due to employee theft. Turning 40 has caused Pete and Debbie to step back from their lives and reevaluate their changes. It has made them grow up.

I personally enjoyed this movie more than some of Apatow's other "funnier" films. There were moments where I couldn't breathe because I was laughing so hard (due to Paul Rudd's ability to make anything hilarious). Case in point, please feel free to enjoy this clip from Wanderlust. NSFW

In addition to outrageous comedy there are scenes of poignant emotion. You feel that Apatow and Mann have actually had the conversations that Pete and Debbie are having. You wonder if This Is 40 is an autobiographical story that Apatow is telling through his work. All of the actors do a fantastic job (including a semi cameo by Knocked Up co-star Jason Segel). Maude and Iris Apatow are turning out to be great talents and will do so as long as Apatow and Mann continue to nourish their careers. I think that if you enjoy Apatow's brand of humor then you cannot miss this one.

No BS

This Is 40 is crude, raunchy, and every other synonym in the Thesaurus. If you are offended by sexual jargon, nudity and foul language then you should avoid this one. If you want to ease into Apatow's work then start with something more innocuous like The Cable Guy (written by Apatow) and then move into his more recent work such as The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. If you can accept that there are people that talk like his characters do then you can move past the things that make you feel uncomfortable and you can enjoy the films for what they are.

My Score: 7/10