The Little Hours

Based on a story from The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio, The Little Hours is the story of a young man who is taken in by a priest to work at a convent unaware that the nuns are anything but celibate. Written for the screen and directed by Jeff Baena, the film is a bawdy take on Boccaccio’s story as it is set during the middle ages with elements of modern-day humor to explore some of the darkest aspects of faith and how insane things can go. Starring Aubrey Plaza, Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Kate Micucci, Jemima Kirke, Fred Armisen, Molly Shannon, Nick Offerman, Paul Reiser, and John C. Reilly. The Little Hours is a wild and offbeat film from Jeff Baena.

The film follows a convent that is need of a new handyman where its priest takes in a young man that is on the run following a tryst with a nobleman’s wife as he pretends to be a deaf-mute leading to all sorts of trouble. It’s a film where a trio of nuns cope with temptation as they meet this young man who intrigues them as they deal with their own sexual repression and other things. Jeff Baena’s screenplay is quite loose where it play into these situations that are absurd as much of the dialogue in the film is improvised where the characters pretty much get to say things that are more direct and modern rather than take on the language of that period. It’s a format that is unique though it does go overboard at times where it would affect the narrative where it wants to be this raunchy comedy that lives up to the text but also a period piece that is true to the times.

Baena’s direction is very simplistic in terms of its compositions as he doesn’t go into a lot of style as it’s more about dialogue and the setting. Shot on location in the Tuscany area of Italy, Baena does use its mountains and forests as a suitable setting for the film that does create a world that is mysterious but also simpler despite the attitude of some of the characters. While Baena would use some wide shots for a lot of the exteriors and in some of the interiors in some creative compositions. Much of the film is approached more intimately with the close-ups and medium shots that play into the interaction with the characters as well as some of the comedy. Though Baena’s approach to improvisation would hamper the narrative a bit in terms of its pacing and its attempt to be shocking. There is still something that does play true to the text as well as showcase a group of nuns struggling to maintain their vow of chastity in a world that is very repressive. Overall, Baena crafts a witty though uneven film about a trio of nuns who go after a man pretending to be a deaf-mute handyman at a convent.

Cinematographer Quyen Tran does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as it is largely straightforward for many of the scenes set in the day as well as the scenes at night with its usage of artificial light and fire. Editor Ryan Brown does nice work in the editing as it’s straightforward to play into the comedy as well as some of the absurd moments in the film. Production designer Susie Mancini and art director Andrew Katz do fantastic work with the look of the sets in many of the interiors for the convents and churches as well as the home of the nobleman. Costume designer Natalie O’Brien does terrific work with the costumes from the look of the nun robes as well as some of the lavish clothes of some of the locals. Sound editor Christopher Barnett does superb work with the sound in capturing some of the chaos that goes in some of the funnier moments as well as the calmness of the exterior locations. The film’s music by Dan Romer is wonderful for its usage of folk-based music of the times with some orchestral music while music supervisor Zach Cowie provide a soundtrack of the music of those times.

The casting by Courtney Bright and Nicole Daniels is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Paul Weitz as a handyman that is verbally-abused by the nuns, Lauren Weedman as the nobleman’s mother that Massetto sleeps with, Jon Garbus and Adam Pally as a couple of inept guards for the nobleman, Paul Reiser as Sister Alessandra’s father who is a patron of the church, Jemima Kirke as Fernanda’s friend Marta who is a real troublemaker, Nick Offerman as the nobleman Lord Bruno who always say very dull things, and Fred Armisen as Bishop Bartolomeo who makes a visit during the film’s third act where he is trying to see what is going on. Molly Shannon is fantastic as Sister Marea as the nun’s leader that is trying to maintain order while John C. Reilly is superb as Father Tommasso as the convent’s head who is trying to help make money for the church while hiring Massetto as the new handyman and have him pretend to be a deaf-mute.

Kate Micucci is excellent as Sister Ginevra as young woman who often says a lot of things that she sees that she feels could trouble things while dealing with her own issues relating to her sexual presence where Micucci would show a very funny moment in her encounter with a drug. Aubrey Plaza is brilliant as Sister Fernanda as a young woman that is just very intense as well as secretive to the point that she’s extremely defensive due to the fact that she is carrying a big secret. Dave Franco is amazing as Massetto as a nobleman’s servant who gets caught sleeping with his master’s wife only to pretend to be a deaf-mute who falls for Sister Alessandra and later be put into some serious shit with the other sisters. Finally, there’s Alison Brie in a remarkable performance as Sister Alessandra as a young nun who copes with loneliness and ponders what her future will be like until she meets and falls for Massetto which she tries to keep as a secret unaware of the chaos that is around her.

The Little Hours is a stellar though flawed film from Jeff Baena. Despite its attempt to provide a more modern approach to the film’s original text and infuse it with 21st Century humor. It’s a film that does provide enough funny moments as well as its exploration of sexual repression in the 14th Century thanks in part to its very talented cast. In the end, The Little Hours is a pretty good film from Jeff Baena.

Related: The Decameron

© thevoid99 2018

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

Directed by Nicholas Stoller and screenplay by Stoller, Andrew Jay Cohen, Brendan O’Brien, Evan Goldberg, and Seth Rogen from characters created by Cohen and O’Brien, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is the sequel to the 2014 film in which a couple tries to sell their home only to deal with a newly-formed sorority, who had moved next door, where they seek the help from an old nemesis. The film isn’t just a study of adulthood but also sexism as it showcases what sororities could and couldn’t do. Starring Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloe Grace Moretz, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Carla Gallo, Kiersey Clemons, Beanie Feldstein, Selena Gomez, and Lisa Kudrow. Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a witty yet wild film from Nicholas Stoller.

Set two years after the events of the first film, the film follows Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly Radner (Rose Byrne) who are expecting another child as they’re hoping to sell their house with their two-year old daughter Stella (Elise and Zoey Vargas) as they learn that a sorority has moved in next door which makes their attempts to sell the house very difficult. Even as they try to get rid of this sorority, they would get the help from their old nemesis Teddy Sanders (Zac Efron) who is going through an existential crisis where he helps form the sorority only to be kicked out because he’s kind of an adult. It’s a film that explores not just a couple wanting to go into the next step as parents and adults but also question their own worth as parents where they not only have another child coming but also dealing with people younger than them. For Teddy, he’s someone that isn’t sure what to do with his life as his friends are already moving on into adulthood as his attempts to be part of the fraternity/sorority lifestyle was really him just stuck until he decides to help Mac and Kelly who would kind of be a parent for him.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore adulthood and the fear of becoming an adult but it also explores sexism as it relates to this newly-formed sorority in Kappa Nu. Led by Shelby (Chloe Grace Moretz), Kappa Nu’s mission is to have young women have fun and party while not giving into the pressure of being sexualized or treated as objects by men. Shelby, Beth (Kiersey Clemons), and Nora (Beanie Feldstein) would by the house that Teddy’s old fraternity used to live in as Teddy is shocked that sororities aren’t allowed to throw parties. While Mac and Kelly are sympathetic with Kappa Nu’s need to find their identity and independence, they do feel that the sorority has gone out of control as they do whatever to raise money for the rent and all sorts of shit. Even as Teddy tries to help Mac and Kelly in bringing them down once the feud escalates as it also shows how far these girls would go.

Nicholas Stoller’s direction is very straightforward where he doesn’t really try and do anything new except in showing what kind of hijinks women would do. Shot largely on location around Los Angeles and parts of Southern California, the film plays into the world of suburbia and college life where Mac and Kelly are eager to move into a new home and hopefully sell their home to a couple that is interested in buying it. Many of the compositions that Stoller create are straightforward as it also has some elements of style as it relates to the film’s tailgate party sequence and some of the themed-parties that Kappa Nu holds. Even as some of the parties prove to be very funny as well as other moments such as a little subplot in which one of Teddy’s old frat buddies reveal what he does for a living while there are also elements that will push the boundaries.

Notably a moment in which the girls would throw something at Mac and Teddy’s home that prove how disgusting women can be. Still, Stoller does find a way to balance the two storylines and multiple characters as well as provide a nice focus on the themes without the raunchy comedy overwhelming it. Especially as it play into the themes of growing pains in not just growing up to be a responsible adult but also trying to maintain that excitement of youth. Overall, Stoller creates a very funny and exciting comedy about a couple and a former fraternity president going to battle against a sorority.

Cinematographer Brandon Trost does excellent work with the cinematography as it is very straightforward for many of the scenes set in the day while it has a nice usage of neon lights for some of the parties at night. Editors Zene Baker, Peck Prior, and Michael A. Webber do fantastic work with the editing as it is stylized with some fast-cutting montages and other stylish cuts to play into the energy while not deviating too much to establish what is going on. Production designer Theresa Guleserian, with set decorator Ryan Watson and art directors Cate Bangs and Erika Toth, does brilliant work with the design of the homes of the Randers as well as Kappa Nu and the places they often go to. Costume designers Leesa Evans and Emily Gunshor does terrific work with the costumes from the casual clothes of the Randers as well as the more youthful and stylish clothes of Kappa Nu including a feminist-themed costume party.

Visual effects supervisor Mark LeDoux does some fine work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects for some key stunt scenes as well as a scene involving a major prank. Sound editor Michael Babcock does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the parties as well as some of the quieter moments in the film. The film’s music by Michael Andrews is wonderful as it’s very low-key in its mixture of jazz and electronics while much of the music soundtrack that is assembled by music supervisors Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe feature an array of music ranging from hip-hop, electronic dance music, and pop from acts such as Kanye West, the Beastie Boys, Eric Carmen, Joan Jett, and many others.

The casting by Francine Maisler is remarkable as it feature some appearances and notable small roles from Kelsey Grammer as Shelby’s father, Brian Husky as Mac and Jimmy’s boss, Billy Eichner as the real estate agent who gives the Kappa Nu girls their house, Liz Cackowski as the Randers’ real estate agent, Sam Richardson and Abbi Jacobson as the couple that is interested in buying the Randers’ home, Hannibal Burress as a local policeman teaching Garfield how to be a cop, John Early as Pete’s boyfriend Darren, Elise and Zoey Vargas as Mac and Kelly’s daughter Stella, and Lisa Kudrow in a very funny one-scene appearance as Dean Gladstone who tell the Randers that she can’t do anything about Kappa Nu due to their independent affiliation.

Other noteworthy small roles and appearances include Selena Gomez as Phi Lambda president Madison, Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in their respective roles as former Delta Psi Beta brothers Garfield and Scoonie, Carla Mamet and Nora “Awkwafina” Lum in their respective roles as Kappa Nu members Maranda and Christine, and Dave Franco as former Delta Psi Beta vice-president Pete who reveals to Teddy that he’s gay. Kiersay Clemons and Beanie Feldstein are fantastic in their respective roles as Beth and Nora as Kappa Nu co-founders trying to create a sorority where they can fit in with Feldstein as the funnier of the two girls. Ike Barinowitz and Carla Gallo are superb in their respective roles as Jimmy and Paula Faldt-Bevins as the Randers’ remarried friends who are also expecting a child as they try to help them deal with Kappa Nu.

Chloe Grace Moretz is excellent as Shelby as a college freshman who is frustrated by the rules set for sororities as she decides to make her own sorority with friends so she can smoke pot, party, and let the women have fun while dealing with the Randers. Zac Efron is brilliant as Teddy Sanders as a former fraternity president who is coping with growing pains as he is unsure what to do where he helps Kappa Nu be formed only to get kicked out as he turns to the Randers for help where Efron is just very funny as someone scared of being an adult. Finally, there’s Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne in amazing performances in their respective roles as Mac and Kelly Rander as the couple trying to sell their house with Rogen being the buffoon of sorts who helps Teddy in becoming an adult while Byrne is the straight-woman who would have some funny moments as she tries to do what is right for her daughter and growing family.

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a marvelous film from Nicholas Stoller. Featuring a great cast and a funny take on themes such as sexism, adulthood, and growing up, it’s a film that manages to provide enough laughs while being very smart in what it wants to say. In the end, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising is a sensational film from Nicholas Stoller.

Nicholas Stoller Films: Forgetting Sarah Marshall - (Get Him to the Greek) – (The Five-Year Engagement) – Neighbors (2014 film) - (Storks (2016 film))

© thevoid99 2017

Neighbors (2014 film)

Directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O’Brien, Neighbors is the story of a couple with a newborn baby who learns that their new neighbors is a college fraternity who creates trouble for the couple as a war breaks in. The film is a comedy that explores the generation gap of sorts as a couple tries to deal with their new family life as well as the horde of frat boys living next door. Starring Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Lisa Kudrow. Neighbors is a raucous yet hilarious film from Nicholas Stoller.

Being parents and being responsible isn’t easy as the film is about a couple with a newborn baby who learn that their new neighbors is a college fraternity that creates a lot of chaos and such forcing the parents to fight back in order to protect their family. Yet, it’s a film that is much more as it explores not just the fear of growing up but also in being adults and not having the kind of fun they once had as young adults. Particularly as Mac and Kelly Radner (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne, respectively) want to have fun but they have their daughter Stella to worry about. While they try to be cool with the Delta Psi fraternity led by its president Teddy (Zac Efron) and its vice-president Pete (Dave Franco) where they would party with them. It would only cause trouble when Mac and Kelly break a promise from Teddy about not calling the cops as a war between the Radners and the Delta Psi fraternity emerges where things do get out of control.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the themes about growing up, being responsible, and the desire to have fun but the characters themselves as Mac and Kelly do want to be good parents to Stella yet they struggle with missing out on the things some of their friends do. While Mac may be the more jovial of the two, he tries to balance that with being responsible as he has a job while Kelly stays at home as she struggles with wanting to be more outgoing. Upon their encounters with the Delta Psi fraternity, Mac and Kelly don’t want to be the un-cool adults but the antics of the fraternity gets out of control as Teddy wants to do something that would ensure his place among the legends of the Delta Psi fraternity. While Pete has that same goal, he would eventually realize that things have come to far as it would play to not just Teddy’s fear of becoming an adult but also in the fact that he doesn’t want to grow up.

Nicholas Stoller’s direction is very lively throughout as he definitely knows how to keep the laughs going without being too repetitive. While much of the compositions in the close-ups and medium shots are pretty simple, there are elements in the film that manages to be visually-entrancing such as some of the party scenes as it is an ode to Gaspar Noe’s 2009 film Enter the Void. There’s also moments where the antics and the war that goes on do become very physical as well as play to a sense of chaos while Stoller knows when to slow things down. Particularly as the stakes get higher where Teddy and Delta Psi are one step away from being shut down while Mac and Kelly struggle with their own actions as it would affect their relationship. All of which would play into this extravagant climax as it is about not just one great party but how the characters would grow from everything they had done as it mixes humor and action. Overall, Stoller creates a very exciting and very funny film about growing up and wanting to have fun.

Cinematographer Brandon Trost does fantastic work with the cinematography for some of the film‘s nighttime interior scenes filled with dazzling colors and grainy cell-phone camera footage while keeping much of its exterior and daytime interior scenes in a straightforward manner. Editor Zene Baker does excellent work with the editing with its emphasis on jump-cuts and other array of rhythmic cuts and montages to play into the humor and chaotic vibe of the party scenes. Production designer Julie Berghoff, with set decorator Sophie Neudorfer and art director Gary Warshaw, does superb work with the look of the Radner home as well as Delta Psi fraternity house.

Costume designer Leesa Evans does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly straightforward along with the design of some of the costumes the fraternity wears in their Robert de Niro party. Sound editor Michael Babcock does terrific work with the sound from the way some of the party sounded from the Radner home to the sense of chaos that goes on in the pranks that Delta Psi create. The film’s music by Michael Andrews is a wonderful mix of light-hearted folk music with some electronic music while music supervisors Manish Raval and Tom Wolfe create this chaotic soundtrack filled with electronic music, hip-hop, and rock to play into vibe of the fraternity parties.

The casting by Melissa Kostenbauder and Francine Maisler is incredible as the ensemble features some notable small performances from Halston Sage as Teddy’s girlfriend Brooke, Ali Corbin as Brooke’s friend Whitney, Craig Roberts as a fraternity pledge named Assjuice, Hannibal Burress as the campus officer Watkins, Elise and Zoey Vargas as Mac and Kelly’s baby daughter Stella, and Lisa Kudrow in a small yet terrific performance as the college dean who is concerned about making good headlines while warning Teddy and his fraternity about their actions. Other notable small roles include Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in very funny performances in their respective roles as fraternity members Garf and Scoonie. Carla Gallo is wonderful as Mac and Kelly’s friend Paula who likes to party while Ike Barinholtz is superb as Paula’s ex-husband Jimmy who also likes to party as he helps Mac and Kelly in their plans.

Dave Franco is excellent as the Delta Psi vice president Pete who is Teddy’s right-hand man as he later becomes a conscience of sorts in the film when Teddy’s pranks start to get more out of control. Zac Efron is great as Teddy as the fraternity leader who wants to create the ultimate fraternity party and have a good time while dealing with the fear of life after college as Efron proves to be very funny as he has some great moments with his co-stars. Rose Byrne is amazing as Kelly Radner as this housewife that is trying to balance her in being wife/mother and the cool woman as Byrne shows her comedic chops in very wild ways as she also radiates some chemistry with her co-star Seth Rogen. Rogen is fantastic as Mac Radner as a man who wants to be cool and fun but deals with the responsibility in being a parent as he tries to protect his family but also not be a total villain to Teddy as it’s a role that his Rogen being an adult but also one is quite fun to watch.

Neighbors is a hilarious and wild comedy from Nicholas Stoller that features superb performances from Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, and Rose Byrne. It’s a comedy that keeps on bringing the laughs through and through while also having an engaging story that audiences can relate to. Especially in the way it explores about the fear of adulthood and losing the joy in having fun while having a family. In the end, Neighbors is an excellent film from Nicholas Stoller.

Nicholas Stoller Films: Forgetting Sarah Marshall - (Get Him to the Greek) - (The Five-Year Engagement) - Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising - (Storks (2016 film))

© thevoid99 2014

Warm Bodies

Based on the novel by Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is the story of a zombie who falls in love with the daughter of a zombie-resistance leader as he starts to regain semblance of humanity. Written for the screen and directed by Jonathan Levine, the film is a genre-bending film that takes place during a zombie apocalypse where it’s a mixture of the zombie-thriller meets the romantic-comedy. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Analeigh Tipton, and John Malkovich. Warm Bodies is an extraordinary yet witty film from Jonathan Levine.

The film is set during a zombie apocalypse in which humans are fighting against zombies and skeleton-like creatures called boneys who are hungry for human flesh. Yet, it is a story about one particular zombie whose encounter with the daughter of zombie-resistance leader not only has him falling for her but also regain aspects of his humanity. It’s a strange premise for a film the bends various genres yet manages to work as it’s largely told from the perspective of this zombie named R (Nicholas Hoult) who often narrates the film as he deals with his life as a zombie as he also collects things including vinyl records and such. Notably as R reveals a lot of his own feelings and confusion about being a zombie as he is hungry for human flesh and brains where an encounter with a young resistance group has him eating the brains of someone where he sees memories and such that also features the young woman he captures in Julie (Teresa Palmer) whom he falls for.

Jonathan Levine’s screenplay does have a conventional structure that plays into R and Julie’s eventual romance though it takes its time to build that up where Julie is immediately frightened and confused by R and his kind actions. Especially for the fact that he killed and ate the brains of her boyfriend Perry (Dave Franco) where R sees Perry’s memories to know a lot about Julie as she’s the daughter of resistance leader Colonel Grigio (John Malkovich). With Julie staying at an airplane where R lives, she realizes that R is acting human as he starts to say words as it would rub off on the other zombies including his friend M (Rob Corddry). Yet, the zombies’ reintroduction with their humanity causes a conflict with the more-deadly boneys who not only feed on human flesh but anything that has a beating heart. Levine’s script uses R’s voice-over narration to express his feelings as well as his fascination to humanity where he also reveal the sense of loss that Julie had faced in her life as he becomes confused on whether to remain a zombie or to become human again.

Levine’s direction is pretty straightforward for the most part while he also adds some style into the film. Notably as he maintains some different looks to play into the different world of the zombies and human where the zombie world is a bit discolored whereas the human world and the dream sequences have more color. Levine’s use of close-ups, medium shots, and wide shots does manage to help create some unique images as well as play into the developing relationship between R and Julie. Levine does stick to convention as far as the action is concerned while not straying too far into fast-paced cutting for the action while infusing it with bits of humor in the story. Notably the early scenes of R and M grunting to each other as they’re having a zombie conversation as well as a scene where R goes into the human world and Julie’s home that includes a funny homage to a great romantic comedy. Overall, Levine creates a very stylish yet enjoyable genre-bending film about a zombie who falls for a human girl and regains his humanity.

Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe does amazing work with the film‘s very stylish cinematography by infusing a mostly discolored look for the scenes set in the airport and most of the locations in Montreal to the more colorful dream sequences that R experiences as well as the scenes involving the humans. Editor Nancy Richardson does excellent work with the editing as it‘s very stylized to play with some of action scenes involving the zombies, boneys, and humans as well as a few montages to play into R and Julie‘s developing romance. Production designer Martin Whist, along with set decorator Suzanne Cloutier and supervising art director Gilles Aird, does superb work with the set pieces from the decayed look of the airport as well as the look of the buildings where there‘s little technology and some places are abandoned. Costume designer George L. Little does nice work with the costumes from the red hoodie that R wears to the flannel shirt that Julie wears as it‘s mostly casual.

Special effects makeup designer Dave Elsey does brilliant work with the makeup design in the way the zombies look. Visual effects supervisor Dan Schrecker does fantastic work with some of the visual effects for the shots inside the bodies of the zombies as they regain their humanity as well as the look of the boneys. Sound editor Martyn Zub does terrific work with the sound from the way gunfire sounds to the growl of the boneys and the locations the characters encounter. The film’s music by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders is wonderful for its mixture of folk, rock, and orchestral music to play up the action as well as the romance while music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas create a superb collection of music that includes pieces by John Waite, Jimmy Cliff, the National, Guns N’ Roses, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Feist, Bon Iver, the Scorpions, Roy Orbison, and M83.

The casting by Joanna Colbert and Richard Mento is incredible as it features some noteworthy small performances from Cory Hardrict as a subordinate of Colonel Grigio and Dave Franco as Julie’s unfortunate boyfriend Perry who starts to act more like Julie’s father. Analeigh Tipton is wonderful as Julie’s friend Nora who survives the zombie raid while trying to figure out R’s growing transformation into becoming human as she brings some humor to the film. Rob Corddry is excellent as R’s friend M as a zombie who also regains his humanity as he helps lead a group of zombies to deal with the boneys as Corddry also brings in some humor to the film. John Malkovich is superb as Colonel Grigio who is hell-bent on killing zombies after losing his wife to the apocalypse while trying to protect his daughter as it’s Malkovich being a badass but also being funny.

Finally, there’s the performances of Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer as both of them do amazing work in their respective roles as R and Julie. Palmer brings a quality that allows her character to be engaging as well as funny as this young woman who is fascinated by this zombie she meets while dealing with the fact that he is becoming human again. Hoult is great as this young zombie who laments over his being while suddenly becoming human again as he brings the hope that the human-zombie war might come to an end. Hoult and Palmer have some wonderful chemistry together in the way they interact as well as being their for each other as they’re the highlight of the film.

Warm Bodies is a sensational film from Jonathan Levine that features winning performances from Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer. The film isn’t just a creative genre-bender that is funny, romantic, exciting, and full of some cool action scenes. It’s also a film that takes the zombie film and infuse it with some heart where even zombies have feelings to. In the end, Warm Bodies is a marvelous film from Jonathan Levine.

Jonathan Levine Films: (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) - (The Wackness) - 50/50 - The Night Before (2015 film) - (Snatched) - Long Shot (2019 film)

© thevoid99 2013

21 Jump Street

Based on the 1980s TV show by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell, 21 Jump Street is the story of two former high school classmates who become undercover police officers as they return to high school to uncover a drug bust. Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller with a script by Michael Bacall based on a story by Bacall and Jonah Hill. The film is an updated take on the hit 80s TV show that starred Johnny Depp as it explores new high school social orders and the world of undercover police officers. Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, Ellie Kemper, Nick Offerman, and Ice Cube. 21 Jump Street is a riotous yet very entertaining film from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Two former schoolmates in Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) meet up seven years after senior year in the police academy where they become buddies helping each to become police officers. After being assigned to park patrol where they would encounter a drug trade as they managed to nab a dealer but Jenko forgot to read the Miranda rights. After the screw-up, Captain Hardy (Nick Offerman) has the two transferred to a revived undercover specialty unit led by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) who would have them return to high school to uncover a new drug craze that is spreading around various high school campuses. Living with Schmidt’s parents for the assignment, Schmidt and Jenko learn that the social order of high school has changed as they pretend to be brothers.

With Jenko hanging out with the nerds as he accidentally takes Schmidt’s classes, Schmidt ends up hanging out with the popular kids led by Eric (Dave Franco) who is the main dealer of this new drug. Wanting to impress Eric, Schmidt and Jenko throw a party where they gain Eric’s trust while Schmidt also befriends Eric’s friend Molly (Brie Larson). With Schmidt part of Eric’s inner circle while Jenko manages to get a group of nerds to tap into Eric’s phone to hear conversations. Yet, Jenko becomes upset over Schmidt’s newfound popularity in school as a moment to uncover more of what Eric is doing goes bad. When prom is about to start where a deal is about to happen, the two finally decide to figure out what is going on with some surprising results.

Since the concept of the film is about a group of undercover who pretend to be high school students in order to infiltrate whatever drug culture is out there. The idea of a film based on an old TV show doesn’t seem very promising as a film. However, the result ended up being a whole lot better than its concept suggests by exploring the world of the high school social order where two young men become baffled by these changes. Particularly as one of them was a jock and the other was a nerd back in school where neither of them came out of high school satisfied. Going back would give them a chance to a do-over as well as becoming great cops but the changing times and the new drug craze would have them be in very different positions.

Michael Bacall’s screenplay does follow a formula of sorts that is expected in these action buddy-comedies. Taking that formula and infusing it with the concept based on the TV does allow Bacall to for a lot of bawdy humor in the fact that these two guys are inept cops. Schmidt is insecure due to his physicality, lack of social skills, and can’t really fire his weapon at someone. Jenko is an imbecile who gets by with his looks but can’t remember the Miranda rights while is pretty ignorant about school subjects. Together, they become this unlikely duo where they would start to improve themselves in different ways. Schmidt becomes more confident while Jenko starts to use his brains where they would become this awesome duo.

Bacall’s script succeeds in developing the characters while reveling into how times had changed from the mid-2000s to the early 2010s. Back then, jocks ruled where a guy like Jenko was able to get away with anything, except in academics, while Schmidt tries to be cool by looking like Eminem only to be rejected by a girl. Through some witty dialogue that reaches into lots of raunchy humor and action scenes that revel in a mix of humor and playing with clichés. Bacall creates a truly fantastic yet extremely enjoyable buddy comedy that does more than what its genre suggests.

Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller do an excellent job in creating a buddy comedy that mixes over-the-top violence with frat-boy humor that is pretty wild. While a lot of the compositions in terms of its simpler, light-hearted moments are quite straightforward. They’re still engaging for the way it will play up the drama while they create one of the film’s most hilarious moments involving this drug that takes its time to play up the humor. Notably as it would escalate from one funny moment to something funnier and funnier as the drug itself proves to be very powerful. It’s among the many moments in the film where Lord and Miller are allowed to let the humor play out while getting their actors to be really comfortable in their parts.

The film’s action scenes also have Lord and Miller play up with the clichés as its most notable is this hilarious chase scene involving bikers, traffic jams, and all sorts of things that is expected in the action genre. What is unique about it is the fact that they play with what is expected as the main characters are wondering if something is about to happen and they’re caught off-guard. Notably in the film’s climatic moment where they meet up with the supplier as it would include a surprising mix of over-the-top violence and humor as it proves that Lord and Miller are able to do a lot with these sequences while not going too far into the conventions. Overall, Lord and Miller create a truly exhilarating and funny action buddy comedy that does a whole lot more for its genre.

Cinematographer Barry Peterson does a nice job with the film‘s photography to play up the sunny look of the locations, set in New Orleans, while providing some stylish looks for some of the film‘s nighttime exterior and interior settings. Editor Joel Negrone does an excellent with the editing in creating amazing montage scenes to play up some of the craziness of the humor with swift cuts that aren‘t too fast while maintaining more straightforward cuts for the light-hearted moments. Production designer Peter Wenham, with art directors Scott Plauche and Thomas Valentine as well as set decorator Bob Kensinger, does a superb job with the look of the 21 Jump Street base that Captain Dickson works at that includes a hilarious prop of a Korean version of Jesus Christ. Costume designer Leah Katznelson does a very good job with the costumes from the early look that Schmidt wears in the film‘s first scene to more casual yet stylish looks to play up the many cliques in high school.

Visual effects supervisor Richard Edlund and Helena Packer do terrific work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects scene including some of hilarious montages involving the side effects of what happens when being on the drug. Sound editor Geoffrey G. Rubay does a superb job with the sound work to capture the atmosphere of the party scene as well as the chaos in some of the film’s violent moments. The film’s score by Mark Mothersbaugh is wonderful for the thrilling score that mixes bit of orchestral elements as well as electronic music to play up the energy of the action scenes. Particularly as the film’s soundtrack is a mix of party music for many of the party scenes.

The casting by Nicole Abellera and Jeanne McCarthy is brilliant for the ensemble that is created which does include cameos from a few actors of the original TV show. Notable small roles include Dakota Johnson as an undercover cop, Caroline Aaron as Schmidt’s smothering mother, Jake Johnson as the school principal, DeRay Davis as a drug dealer named Domingo, Nick Offerman as Schmidt and Jenko’s original superior Captain Hardy, and Johnny Simmons as a nerdy kid that Jenko befriends. Rob Riggle is very good as the brash P.E. coach Mr. Walters who always tries to intimidate Schmidt and Jenko while Ellie Kemper is very funny in a small role as science teacher who is sexually attracted to Jenko. Dave Franco is excellent as the laid-back drug dealer Eric who tries to do things low-key in an attempt to be powerful.

Ice Cube is great as the profanity-spouting and intimidating Captain Dickson who always berates Schmidt and Jenko while trying to get them in line as it is Cube going back to his gangsta roots. Brie Larson is wonderful as Molly whom Schmidt falls for as Larson brings a nice charm to her character while proving be just as bawdy as the guys in the film’s third act. Finally, there’s the duo of Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as they really are the heart and soul of the film. In the role of Schmidt, Hill brings a goofy charm to his character that tries hard to be cool while also being inept when it comes to getting physical. For the role of Jenko, Tatum is the film’s real surprise as he brings a real laid-back humor that also goes a little out there as he seems very comfortable playing the role of a dim cop who later becomes smart. Hill and Tatum’s chemistry is a joy to watch in the way they interact and do hilarious things together.

21 Jump Street is a flat-out hilarious buddy action-comedy from Phil Lord and Chris Miller featuring amazing performances from Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Along with amazing supporting work from Brie Larson, Dave Franco, and Ice Cube plus lots of insane gags that will keep audiences laughing their ass off. It’s a comedy that gets it right in terms of taking the premise of the original 1980s TV show and making it feel fresh while paying tribute to that show. It’s also a comedy that isn’t afraid to go the extra edge of being raunchy and inappropriate just so it can get a laugh in the right way. In the end, 21 Jump Street is marvelously-crafted action-comedy from Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

Phil Lord & Chris Miller Films: (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) - The Lego Movie - 22 Jump Street

© thevoid99 2012