Game Night 7 out of 10 2018

Game Night 7 out of 10 2018

I liked the concept for this comedy starring Jason Bateman and Rachel Mcadams.   The movie is basically a comedy version of The Game starring Michael Douglas (I need to revisit that film).

A group of friends meet on a regular basis for a competitive game night.   When the main character played by (Jason Bateman) overachieving brother shows up to game night he invites the group to his house the next week to kick things up a bit.  They show up to find out that he has planned an interactive murder mystery that he has hired some company to put on.  The game kicks off as dangerous gangsters show up and attack the brother kidnapping them.  It is clear to the audience right away that this isn't the planned game -  but the game night couples assume it is and continue to sip their wine applauding the drama.   

The couples think that the game is a foot and start following the fake clues unknowingly finding themselves in a dangerous situation.    The story really leans on your ability just go along with it and for much of the film I was able to.   Jason Bateman basically plays the same character he always plays which I'm ok with because he plays that character so well.  His chemistry with Rachel Mcadams was excellent,  they really worked well as a time.  The movie has many funny and excellent especially when they have to go over to the creepy cop neighbor's house to use his computer.   The creepy neighbor is played by Jesse Plemons who was so excellent in the Black Mirror Star Trek style episode.  This dude can act.   This character steals the movie in my opinion.   

I absolutely loved one of the big twists in the film --which in my opinion should have been the ending --the film however decides it isn't over yet and continues into the truly hard to believe territory that I just didn't want to follow.   This actually took the film down a notch for me.    

All in all I would say that if you like Jason Bateman and the comedy style of the Horrible Boss films (the same creative team was behind this film)  --you will enjoy this comedy.

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Office Christmas Party 2016 6 out of 10

Office Christmas Party   2016  6 out of 10

This movie has a great cast that includes Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, T. J. Miller, and Oliva Munn to name just a few.  Unfortunately like so many modern comedies it just never achieves the level of humor of a classic comedies.  This movie is meant to be "The Hangover"  of office comedies, but comes up short. 

The premise of the story features on uptight CEO (Jennifer Aniston)  that threatens to shut down her brother (T.J. Miller) branch.   Profits have been down so she cancels the companies rinky dink wine and cheese holiday party and tells them they will need to layoff 40% of their staff.    Instead they decide as a hail mary to throw a major christmas party in an effort to land a big client that will save the branch.    Like many current day comedies it has funny moments.   Kate McKinnon in particular shines as the follow the rules HR lady.     I love Jason Bateman, but he plays the same character way too many times.  Jennifer Aniston is wasted as the uptight CEO.   

Some of the outrageous politically incorrect party scenes are entertaining, but the plot just falls flat.  The wild party lends itself to a great trailer --but not necessarily a great film.  It especially derails when the branch manager realizes they have failed in their effort and goes on a bender with a pimp that leads to a car crash and ends him up in the hospital with no consequences.  I guess the film makers figured they needed a big action scene.

A couple days before I saw this movie I stumbled across some Re-Runs of the TV show The Office with Steve Carell.  I found myself watching a mini-marathon of this show I used to love back in the day and found myself laughing out loud several times.   The Office Christmas Party didn't get me to laugh outloud.   I would enjoy an episode of a Christmas party episode of The Office more than this movie.

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Horrible Bosses 2 2014 7 out of 10 (Can Unnecessary sequels still be good ?)

Horrible Bosses 2  2014  7 out of 10

A lot of sequels are made just because the first movie made a lot of money.  Hollywood doesn't care whether a sequel is necessary or not just whether it could make money.  As a result of a bunch of movies that really don't lend themselves to sequels get them anyway --whether there is a story to tell of not.   The worst example of this was Miss Congeniality.  Arguably the first one was actually pretty good --but the second one was absolutely uncalled for and unnecessary and was actually quite terrible and unforgettable as a result.  Horrible Bosses 2 was an unnecessary film --but it was still actually pretty good.

Horrible Bosses was a solid sequel despite a less interesting plot than the first one.    It proved that an unnecessary sequel can still be good when the level of the talent is good.  The cast chemistry of Jason Bateman, Jason Sudekias and Charlie Day make this movie enjoyable.  

 The original movie featured three friends that all worked for terrible bosses that decide over drinks that if they killed off each other’s bosses their lives could be better.   A crazy and implausible plot that goes horribly wrong.   Think Strangers on a Train meets the Three Stooges.  In the sequel they have gone into business for themselves and get screwed over in a ruthless business deal that causes them to lose everything.    So of course they decide to kidnap the guy's son to get their money back.   Again a very misguided and unbelievable decision that once again goes terrible wrong.

 The best part of the movie is the chemistry of the three main characters.  They work so good and compliment each other so well.   A perfect example of this chemistry is in the scene where two characters are breaking into the dentist office to get laughing gas for their upcoming kidnapping attempt and are communicating with Jason Bateman’s character via Dora walkie talkies and keep mentioning his real name.  This scene has some great dialogue as the characters try to come up with code names mid crime.

 If you liked the first Horrible Bosses then you will most likely enjoy the sequel as well.

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Paul 2011 6 out of 10

Paul 2011   6 out of 10

If you replace Elliot with two British Sci-Fi nerds and you replace ET and his Reeses Pieces with a Pot smoking Alien-----then you have Paul.  The movie is a comic retelling of the ET that tries to be an edgier take on helping an alien get back home again.  

The movie was good, but not great.   

The Cast

 The movie had a great cast of comedy pros which included Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in their third movie collaboration  (Shaun of the Dead,  Hot Fuzz).  It also features the talents of Kristen Wigg and Jason Bateman which I felt were completely squandered in this film.  And then there is Paul the Alien as voiced by Seth Rogen.  All give decent preformances, but it felt like a lot was left on the table.

The Plot

Like I mentioned it was basically a pot smokers/geek version of ET.  The two British nerds stumble across Paul they Alien while out traveling the US UFO areas in an RV. They have to help Paul get to a spot that his Alien pals can rescue him.  It was a decent plot that just should have been funnier. I felt that the comedy was very watered down from what you would expect from a Seth Rogen as pot smoking Alien movie.   I really feel that this movie left a lot of comedy potential that didn't make it into the film.

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Identity Thief 2013 7+ out of 10

Identity Thief  2013 7+ out of 10

Jason Bateman playing the same exact character that he always plays (but quite well as always)  ends up getting his identity stolen from a foul mouthed  Melissa McCarthy.  In a far fetched plot Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman's character) ends up having to track down the identity thief himself in order to save his new job (It doesn't make sense, but just go with it)     This ends up giving us a story that is a twist on the Planes, Trains, and Automobiles story line with Melissa McCarthy in a twisted version of the  the John Candy role.   The cross country road trip leads to action and comedy that entertains, but never really reaches the greatest that was Planes, and Trains.   The movie is at its best whenever the 2 characters are exchanging insults and lies and Jason Bateman's well practiced reaction shots.   Melissa McCarthy is on a role lately ever since her role in Bridesmaids she has become a star,  not only on the big screen, but with a popular TV show as well.  

Identity Thief is definitely worth a rental.

Here is link to my thoughts on  Due Date another Planes, Trains type movie
http://bradgeekness.blogspot.com/2011/06/due-date-2010-6-of-of-10.html


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Couple's Retreat 2009 9 out of 10

 

Couple's  Retreat 2009    9  out 10

 

This is an example of one of those comedies that the first time you see it is pretty good and then you catch it again and like it more each time.  The movie focuses on four couples that all go on vacation together on a tropical island of Eden.  The one couple that convinced them to go is on the verge of breaking up (played excellently by Kristen Bell and Jason Bateman).  They couldn't afford to go on their own, but got a great group rate,  which they convince the other couples to go for the snorkeling and jet skiing.   Of course once they all get there they find out that the couples therapy is a requirement of their stay.  Vince Vaughn is at his best in this film with the great throw away lines and comments and the story about each of the couples is fun to watch.   I've found myself drawn into watching this again when it airs on TV to see certain scenes and dialogue and it has grown to be one of the few comedies in recent years that I have liked enough to watch multiple times.

  The cast is perfect and the story is entertaining which is something I think is rare in most modern comedies.  Check out the trailer and rent this one.