The film revolves around a series of thefts committed by a mysterious figure where four teenage mutant ninja turtles find themselves battling this mysterious figure as well as trying to be accepted despite the fact that they’re mutants and their adopted father in a mutated rat in Splinter warns them about humans. It is a film that plays into that these four teenage turtles who want to be part of the world even though they’ve been trained by Splinter in the art of ninjitsu in order to get things from the outside world. Still, there is chaos looming throughout New York City as it relates to a mutagen that was developed by a scientist working for a mysterious corporation as it would play not just how the turtles and Splinter would be mutated but also a mysterious figure known as Superfly (Ice Cube) who would hire thugs to steal things and then kill them as they would be witnesses. The film’s screenplay is largely straightforward with a few backstory as it relates to Splinter, the turtles, Superfly, and his gang while it also play into what is at stake as well as these four turtles who all want to be part of the world and be accepted.
Notably as the turtles themselves are teenagers with different personalities that all want to be in the world as Leonardo (Nicolas Cantu) is sort of the leader of the group but is also awkward and unsure of himself. Raphael (Brady Noon) is brash and sarcastic but is also full of energy and aggression that he needed to let out. Donatello (Micah Abbey) is the nerdy one who knows how to work tech while also wears glasses. Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.) is the goofball in the group who is good at improvising while also wanting to party. Superfly was someone that was cared for by the scientist Baxter Stockman (Giancarlo Esposito) along with other creatures until he was attacked by the corporation he was working for lead by Cynthia Utrom (Maya Rudolph) who wants to weaponized the mutagen for her own reasons as the opening scene is about her gang attacking Stockman with a mutagen canister falling into a sewer on Splinter and these four young turtles. Yet, it was Superfly who would save other animals that were being mutated as they would be part of a gang as they would meet the turtles and realize that Superfly’s plans in dealing with humans might not be the right thing to do. Even April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri) who would meet the turtles after retrieving her scooter as she sees their intention as well a story she is trying to cover in her high school despite a disastrous moment in her attempt to be a news journalist.
Jeff Rowe’s direction is definitely wondrous for not just its story but also a look that is unlike a lot of animated films as it aims for a look that is crude, unpolished, and at times were drawn by children. Yet, it works because it not only adds to the tone of the film but also this world that is off-kilter at times while a lot of its look plays to the fact that it is a film about teenage turtles who are dealing with growing pains but also this need to connect with a world they’ve been sheltered in. With help from co-director Kyler Spears and an immense team of animators that include character designers James A. Castillo, Justin Runfola, and Woodrow White. Rowe would maintain a look and feel to the film as it play into not just the grittiness of New York City but also in the sewers the attention to detail in how it looks thanks in part to the work of production designer Yashar Kassai, along with art directors Arthur Fong and Tiffany Lam in maintaining that look. Even with the work of cinematographer Kent Seki in the lighting as well as the visual effects work of Chris Kazmier and Matthieu Rouxel to help play out the look including the design of the mutants.
Rowe’s direction also has these unique compositions in the close-ups and medium shots as it relates to the turtles and their desire to connect with the world as there’s a scene of them watching a bunch of people watching a scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. There are also some unique wide shots that includes the film’s climax which is grand in terms of what the turtles have to face as it plays into Superfly’s own plans to destroy humanity. Rowe would maintain a massive canvas for the climax as it plays into what is at stake but also what the turtles have to do as they not only get some life lessons about acceptance as well as doing the right thing. Overall, Rowe and Spears craft a riveting and imaginative film about four teenage mutant ninja turtles trying to fit in with the human world as well as take down some bad guys.
Editor Greg Levitan does amazing work with the editing with its fast-cutting style for some of the action and fight scenes but allows shots to reveal what is going on along with stylish moments such as a montage sequence of each turtle fighting bad guys is a highlight of the film. Sound editor Mark A. Mangini does fantastic work with the sound in some of the sound effects for the weapons as well as some of the tech characters use. The film’s music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is phenomenal with its electronic-based score ranging from pulsating, industrial-based themes to some low-key yet plaintive piano-based bits as it is a major highlight of the film. Music supervisor Gabe Hilfer does excellent work in cultivating the film’s soundtrack that largely features 80s/90s hip-hop and other music with contributions from Blackstreet with Dr. Dre and Queen Pen, Wayne Newton, M.O.P., A Tribe Called Quest, BTS, Bobby Vinton, Natasha Bedingfield, Vanilla Ice, Liquid Liquid, De La Soul, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Gucci Mane with Bruno Mars and Kodak Black, ESG, Hugh Masekela, and variations of the 4 Non Blondes song What's Up? that includes a famous remix made for He-Man.
The casting by Rich Delia is great as it features some notable voice cameos from comic creator Kevin Eastman as a human in the film’s climax, Alex Hirsch in a dual role as the voice of a mutated cockroach in Scumbug and a small crime boss who is hired by Superfly, Michael Badalucco as another local crime boss hired by Superfly, Andia Winslow as a TV news anchor, Raechel Wong as a TV news reporter on the scene during the film’s climax, and Giancarlo Esposito in a small but crucial role as the scientist Baxter Stockman who created a mutagen in order to create something unique rather than use it as a weapon Other notable voice performances as members of Superfly’s gang include Hannibal Burress as Genghis Frog, Austin Post/Post Malone as the mutant manta ray known as Ray Fillet, and Natasia Demetriou as the mutant bat Wingnut as they all get the chance to stand out and be funny. The voice contributions of Rose Byrne, John Cena, Seth Rogen, and Paul Rudd in their respective roles as Superfly’s gang members in Leatherhead, Rocksteady, Bebop, and Mondo Gecko are a joy to watch in how they bring in a lot of nuances and humor to the roles with Rudd being the standout as Gecko who seems to find a friend in Michelangelo.
Maya Rudolph and Ice Cube are excellent in their respective roles as the antagonists Cynthia Utrom and Superfly with the former being a corporate executive who wants to weaponized the mutagen as she sees the turtles as a threat while the latter is a more complex individual who is protective of his family but also has some valid reasons into his own hatred for humanity though his plans prove to be extreme for some. Ayo Edebiri is amazing as April O’Neil as high school student who wants to be a reporter as well as becoming the first human friend of the turtles with Edebiri also bringing a lot of charisma to a character that is often sexualized in films as she is presented as a street-smart African-American high school student as it feels fresh. Jackie Chan is brilliant as Splinter as a rat who also becomes mutated by the mutagen ooze as he teaches his turtles ninjitsu but also warns them about not going into the human world due to his own prejudice towards humanity until he would discover about Superfly and his own intentions where he does what he can to make his adopted sons happy.
Finally, there’s the quartet of Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, Micah Abbey, and Shamon Brown Jr. in incredible voice performances as Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Rather than having adult actors voice teenagers, the casting of actual teenagers to play these teenage turtles as they all bring this sense of energy but also a realism that adds to the performance as the kids who are just trying to find themselves. Notably as Cantu, Noon, Abbey, and Brown were able to provide a sense of personality and charisma to their respective characters as they are a major highlight of the film.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a sensational film from Jeff Rowe. Featuring a great ensemble cast, inventive animation, a compelling story on the desire to be accepted, gorgeous visuals, and an incredible music score. The film is definitely an animated film that manages to be more than just a fun action-adventure film but also a compelling coming of age film that also has references to past films from other franchises relating to these turtles. In the end, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is a phenomenal film from Jeff Rowe.
Related: (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 film)) – (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze) – (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III) – (TMNT (2007 film)) – (The Mitchells vs. the Machines) – (null 16)
© thevoid99 2023
Directed by Jonathan Levine and screenplay by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah from a story by Sterling, Long Shot is the story of a journalist who accompanies his former babysitter who is now the U.S. Secretary of State as she is mulling a possible run for the U.S. presidency. The film is an offbeat romantic-comedy where a journalist rekindles his friendship with his former babysitter as they also deal with their own feelings for one another just as she is about to step into the spotlight. Starring Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, Alexander Skarsgard, O’Shea Jackson Jr., June Diane Raphael, Bob Odenkirk, and Andy Serkis. Long Shot is a witty and heartfelt film from Jonathan Levine.
The film revolves around a controversial yet unemployed journalist who attends a fundraiser where he meets his former babysitter, now U.S. Secretary of State, as they reconnect as he accompanies her on a world tour to push an environmental initiative that she hopes would mean something as she is also thinking about running for the U.S. presidency. It’s a film that has an idealistic journalist who just lost his job after the company he works for had been bought by a media conglomerate as he helps this U.S. government official trying to get many countries to go on board this environmental initiative that she hopes would help the world. The film’s screenplay by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah explore these two people who knew each other as teens as they’re both at crucial points in their lives where they want to accomplish something but also have to deal with compromises.
For the journalist Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen), he doesn’t believe in compromise as he lives to expose hypocrisies and such where he is first seen infiltrating a white supremacist group. Then he loses his job when he refuses to compromise and work for the immoral media mogul Parker Wembley (Andy Serkis) who buys the publication Flarsky works for. Flarsky’s former babysitter in Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron) is someone trying to make things happen and other duties expected in her job as she learns that U.S. President Chambers (Bob Odenkirk) is not seeking re-election as the former TV actor wants to go into films. Upon meeting Flarsky at a fundraiser whom she remembered as a teenager, she decides to hire him as her speechwriter despite the advice of her chief of staff Maggie (June Diane Raphael) who thinks that Flarsky is a slob. Yet, Flarsky would inspire Field to push her initiative as well as loosen up a bit while Flarsky learns that life is full of compromises and be less judgmental just as the two are to reach a crucial point in their lives.
Jonathan Levine’s direction is largely straightforward as it play into this whirlwind journey of two people who knew each other as teens as well as to try and do some good in the world. Shot largely in Montreal and Cartagena, Colombia with some shots in New York City, Levine doesn’t go for a lot of style in order to tell this simple story while also playing into some of the things that Flarsky would do as a journalist starting with his infiltration at a white supremacist group. While there are some wide and medium shots to establish some of the locations, Levine does create some unique compositions as it play into some of the humor such as Flarsky being humiliated in wearing a traditional Swedish suit suggested by Maggie as he is outside of a palace smoking a cigarette and not feeling happy. There are also moments that are stylized such as a terrorist attack that also plays for laughs including a scene of Field, high on the influence of drugs, negotiating with a world leader over the release of a hostage.
Levine also does some satire as it relates to the Wembley character as he also runs a fake news channel similar to Fox News as he is someone that would play a key role in trying to influence Field in its third act. It play into this dark world of politics as it does go into conventional territory but also some character-revelatory moments for both Field and Flarsky. The latter of which has often been clouded by his own morals and idealism as he has to realize what Field had to do to not just succeed but also to make serious changes for the world. Levine does manage to play with the conventions but also find ways to create a resolution that allow both Field and Flarsky to find a common ground to be together on all-levels without compromising their own beliefs and feelings for one another. Overall, Levine crafts a funny yet endearing film about an unemployed journalist who reconnects with his former babysitter as she deals with possibility of becoming the next U.S. president.
Cinematographer Yves Belanger does excellent work with the cinematography as its usage of low-key lighting for some of the scenes at night give the film a unique tone in its look while being straightforward for the daytime interior/exterior scenes. Editors Melissa Bretherton and Evan Henke do terrific work with the editing as it has a few stylish moments in a montage sequence and a slow-motion part of the film as much of it is straightforward. Production designer Kalina Ivanov, with set decorator Manon Lemay plus art directors Sharon Davis, Donna Noonan, and Zoe Sakellaropoulo, does fantastic work with the look of some of the places that Flarsky and Field stay at around the world as well as Flarsky’s messy apartment and Field’s clean home. Costume designer Mary E. Vogt does nice work with the clothes that the characters wear including some of casual look of Field when she goes out clubbing with Flarsky.
Special effects makeup artists Bruno Gatien and Jonathan Lavallee do amazing work with the look of the Wembley character in the way he looks like certain political figures in the conservative world. Special effects supervisor Mario Dumont and visual effects supervisor Dan Schrecker do brilliant work with the terrorist attack sequence as well as some bits of set dressing for some of the locations. Sound designer Ando Johnson and sound editor Branden Spencer do superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the locations as well as quiet moments in the film that add to some of low-key comical moments that occur in the film. The film’s music by Marco Beltrami and Miles Hankins is wonderful for its usage of strings and electronics to play into some of the humor and drama while music supervisor Gabe Hilfer creates a fun soundtrack that features music from Boyz II Men, the Cure, Roxette, Thunderfist, Sonny Rollins, DMX, Cameo, Blondie, Big Thief, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Ocean, Robyn, the Crystals, Aretha Franklin, Big Boi with Troze, and the Tango Project.
The film’s marvelous ensemble cast feature some notable small roles and cameo appearances from Boyz II Men as themselves, Lisa Kudrow as a polling expert, Lil’ Yachty as himself, Randall Park as Flarsky’s boss early in the film, the trio of Kurt Braunohler, Paul Scheer, and Claudia O’Doherty as Wembley News reporters, Ivan Smith as the Indian prime minister who has issues with the U.S., Aviva Mongillo as the young Charlotte, Braxton Herda as the young Fred, Tristan D. Lalla as Field’s bodyguard Agent M who is among the first to witness Flarsky and Field’s romance, Ravi Patel as one of Field’s key staffer in Tom who is close to Field as he also serves as a mediator between her and Flarsky, and Alexander Skarsgard in a hilarious performance as Canadian prime minister James Steward whom Field is romantically-linked to despite the fact they don’t have any chemistry as Skarsgard plays him for laughs while sporting an incredibly bad Canadian accent.
Bob Odenkirk is terrific as the U.S. President Chambers as a former TV star who played the President on TV as he decides to go into movies yet becomes troubled by Field’s initiative as it threatens his own career prospects. Andy Serkis is fantastic as Parker Wembley as this media mogul who likes to push his own ultra-conservative views to the point that he buys Flarsky’s publication and gets him fired while trying to do whatever he can to stop Field and her initiative. O’Shea Jackson Jr. is excellent as Flarsky’s friend Lance as someone who is trying to help but also give him advice while bringing some revelations about himself that would surprise Flarsky and his own faults. June Diane Raphael is brilliant as Maggie Millikins as Field’s right-hand woman who doesn’t like Flarsky much but does realize his value as she sees how it would inspire Field prompting her to be more concerned for Field’s happiness than ambition.
Finally, there’s the duo of Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as Fred Flarsky and Charlotte Field. Rogen brings a laid-back approach to his character but also someone who is an idealist that doesn’t like to compromise and wants to do good things but is often unhappy until he reconnects with Field as he begins to think about a future that isn’t cynical. Theron brings a realism to her character as someone that is hoping to do something that matters but often has to compromise to get what she wants until reconnecting with Flarsky gets her to loosen up and not be compromised. Rogen and Theron do have this chemistry that is endearing but also allow both of them to be funny as well as having Rogen be straight and Theron being the funny one during a scene she’s high on drugs as she’s negotiating with a foreign minister.
Long Shot is an incredible film from Jonathan Levine that features two great performances from Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron. Along with its supporting cast, offbeat take on the romantic-comedy genre, and its exploration of politics and compromising one’s ideals. It is a film that manages to bring in lots of laughs but also a lot of heart and wit that have audiences be engaged by characters wanting to make the world a better place. In the end, Long Shot is a remarkable film from Jonathan Levine.
Jonathan Levine Films: (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) – (The Wackness) – 50/50 - Warm Bodies - The Night Before (2015 film) - (Snatched)
© thevoid99 2020
Directed by Jonathan Levine and screenplay by Levine, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter, and Ariel Shaffir from a story by Levine, The Night Before is the story of three childhood friends who gather for a traditional Christmas Eve get-together as it might be the last one as two of the men are about to take on bigger steps into their lives. The film is a comedy about three guys who are about to embark on an annual event as they believe it’s the last one where a lot of hijinks and hilarity ensue. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell, Mindy Kaling, Michael Shannon, and narration by Tracy Morgan. The Night Before is a witty and adventurous film from Jonathan Levine.
The film follow three lifelong friends who embark on an annual gathering as it is possible as it might be their last year together as one of them is a famous football player while one of them is becoming a father leaving the third man unsure of what he will do next. Then, a chance to be invited to an exclusive party makes this possible last get-together even bigger as the three men try to find the party but also deal with various issues in their lives. The film’s screenplay follows the live of these three men who begin this tradition in 2001 when the parents of Ethan Miller (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) were killed as his best friends in Isaac Greenberg (Seth Rogen) and Chris Roberts (Anthony Mackie) were around to be there for him as they would get drunk and high for a lot of years. 14 years later, things have changed with Isaac about to become a father and Chris is now a famous football player. Ethan unfortunately has failed in his attempt to be a successful musician while he works at a hotel with nowhere to go as Isaac and Chris are unsure what will happen to him next year as they have so much to do in their own lives.
This party known as the Nutcracker Ball is an exclusive party where only those with an invitation are invited as they have to call a number at a certain time for the secret location. Ethan, Isaac, and Chris would each embark their own paths to the party as well as have their own meetings with a mysterious drug dealer known as Mr. Green (Michael Shannon) who would give them a toke of his supply as it would lead to all sorts of hijinks. For Isaac, he would endure a bad drug trip due to the drugs his wife Betsy (Jillian Hall) had bought while Chris would have an encounter with a fan (Ilana Glazer) that goes horribly wrong. For Ethan, his encounter with his former girlfriend Diana (Lizzy Caplan) forces him to think about the decisions he’s made as well as the uncertainty of his own future since Isaac and Chris are about to embark on starting their own individual lives.
Jonathan Levine’s direction is very stylish as it is set during the Christmas holidays in New York City where the film is set and shot on location as it play into this sense of adventure that goes on throughout the film. While Levine would include some wide shots of the locations including a few landmarks such as the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center. Levine focuses more on intimate shots such as close-ups and medium shots to play into the drama and some of the humor as it also has elements of surrealism as it relates to Isaac’s own drug trip. There are also these moments where Levine takes a break from the comedy and drama as it play into the story as well as the adventures the individual characters would go to. The film’s climax at the Nutcracker Ball is definitely wild but also play into the kind of people Ethan, Isaac, and Chris want to hang out with only to realize how much they all needed each other. Overall, Levine creates a fun and lively film about three guys gathering for one last get-together to an exclusive party before they embark into the world of adulthood.
Cinematographer Brandon Trost does excellent work with the film’s cinematography as much of it takes place at night from the look of the bar where the guys do karaoke to the extravagant lighting for the Nutcracker Ball sequence. Editor Zene Baker does nice work with the editing as it is stylish with a few montages and other rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and some of the stranger moments in the film. Production designer Annie Spitz and set decorator Chryss Hionis do amazing work with the look of some of the places the characters go to including the Nutcracker Ball with its lights and other things expected for an extravagant party. Costume designer Melissa Toth does terrific work with the costumes from the Christmas sweaters the guys wear to some of the lavish costumes at the Nutcracker Ball.
Visual effects supervisor Jeff Campbell does fantastic work with some of the things that Isaac sees during his drug-induced trip as well as a few things to play into the comedy. Sound editor Michael Babcock does superb work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of some of the places the characters go to including the Nutcracker Ball. The film’s music by Marco Beltrami and Miles Hankin is wonderful for its mixture of holiday-inspired music with some hip-hop, rock, and electronic music to provide a different mood for various scenes in the film while music supervisor Gabe Hilfer provides a fun mix of holiday-based music with some non-holiday music from Run-DMC, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, and Britney Spears.
The casting by Henry Russell Bergstein, Kathy Driscoll, Allison Estrin, and Francine Maisler is great as it feature some notable small roles from Miley Cyrus as herself, Aaron Hill as Chris’ teammate Tommy Owens, Helene Yorke as Betsy’s friend Cindy, Randall Park as Ethan’s boss, Jason Mantzoukas and Jason Jones as a couple of Santa Claus who get drunk and give Ethan some shit, Nathan Fielder as Chris’ driver, and Lorraine Toussaint as Chris’ mother who is wondering about what Chris is doing as she knows something isn’t right. Jillian Bell is fantastic as Isaac’s wife Betsy who is aware of her husband’s need to party but also worries about what he’s really feeling about becoming a father. Mindy Kaling is superb as Diana’s friend Sarah whom Isaac converses with as she is hoping to meet a guy named James where Isaac accidentally gets her phone. Ilana Glazer is excellent as Rebecca as a mysterious woman who is a fan of Chris as she is this mysterious individual who spouts a lot of film and holiday references as someone that wants to teach Chris a lesson. Lizzy Caplan is brilliant as Diana as Ethan’s ex-girlfriend who hasn’t seen him in months as she deals with Ethan’s shortcomings and the reasons they broke up.
Michael Shannon is incredible as Mr. Green as a mysterious drug dealer who gives the film’s protagonists a toke of his special weed as it is this very low-key yet charismatic performance from Shannon who is just a joy to watch. Anthony Mackie is amazing as Chris Roberts as a famous football player who is becoming extremely famous and about to have the season of his career where he is carrying a secret as well as dealing with the expectations that he has as a famous player. Seth Rogen is remarkable as Isaac Greenberg as a man who is about to become a father as he tries to deny his feelings by going on a drug-induced trip where he sees some strange things as it play into his own anxieties. Finally, there’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a marvelous performance as Ethan Miller as a failed musician with no idea of what he’s going to do next as he hopes this chance to be at the Nutcracker Ball would give him some answers as he is also forced to face his own faults as a man who is afraid to take a big step into adulthood.
The Night Before is a remarkable film from Jonathan Levine. Featuring a great cast, some hilarious moments, and some compelling themes on adulthood, it’s a film that manages to provide a nice balance of stoner humor in a Christmas setting as it play into the idea of family and friendship. In the end, The Night Before is a marvelous film from Jonathan Levine.
Jonathan Levine Films: (All the Boys Love Mandy Lane) – (The Wackness) – 50/50 - Warm Bodies - (Snatched) – Long Shot (2019)
© thevoid99 2017
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
Based on the biography by Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs is the story about the man who co-founded Apple Computers as the film explores three different periods of his life. Directed by Danny Boyle and screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, the film is an unconventional story of Jobs’ life set in three different presentations of his three creations with behind-the-scenes moments where he deals with his own personal life as he’s played by Michael Fassbender. Also starring Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Katherine Waterston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sarah Snook, and Jeff Daniels. Steve Jobs is an astonishing film from Danny Boyle.
Told in the span of 14 years from 1984 to 1998, the plays into the life of Apple Computers co-founder Steve Jobs as he is to launch three landmark products to the world in three different stage presentations. The film plays into Jobs on a day where he is to present a different product in a different year as he contends with colleagues, last-minute changes, glitches, and his own personal life as it relates to his illegitimate daughter Lisa Brennan. It’s a film told in three different periods in Jobs’ life and career as screenwriter Aaron Sorkin creates a unique structure that plays into Jobs’ life with some flashbacks of events that preceded the launches such as Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) creating the Apple II computer and Jobs hiring John Sculley (Jeff Daniels) to be the CEO of Apple Computers.
The first act revolves around the launching of the Apple MacIntosh where Jobs and his right-hand woman Joanna Hoffman (Kate Winslet) fret over the computer in saying something to a packed house at an auditorium. The second act revolves around the NeXT personal computer four years after Jobs was fired from Apple in which he not only tries to deal with launching a computer that isn’t working on all cylinders but also his issues with Wozniak and Sculley. The third act is about the launch of the iMac just two years after Jobs has returned to Apple where he not only deals with other issues relating to his own ego but also his own personal demons. While Sorkin definitely shows not just how complicated Jobs is as a person where he was in denial over being the father of young girl but also in someone who likes to take all of the credit. It adds to the often contentious relationship with not just those who are close to him but also those who helped him in his ascent.
While Wozniak, Sculley, and Andy Hertzfield (Michael Stuhlbarg) each had their own issues with Jobs, they respected him though it is clear that they often feel slighted by him as Hertzfield is often pressured to meet deadlines and fix whatever technical issues a certain product has. Wozniak is just a guy that everyone likes as he was the brainchild of the Apple II computer which was Apple’s most successful product at that time as he just wants credit. Sculley meanwhile is the man that wanted to help Jobs and be cautious as there’s a key moment in the second act where the two talked about Jobs’ firing from Apple in 1985 where Sculley is called the scapegoat by everyone. Then there’s Joanna Hoffman as she is the film’s conscious as someone who knows Jobs left and right as well as the people in his life including Jobs’ former girlfriend Chrisann Brennan (Katherine Waterston) and their daughter Lisa. Adding to Sorkin’s approach to the narrative is his dialogue as it features lot of monologue and stylish dialogue which definitely says a lot to the characters in the film and their personalities.
Danny Boyle’s direction is very stylish not just in the intimacy he creates in these three different presentations in the life of Jobs but also in how they’re presented. The first act which revolves around the Apple MacIntosh presentation as it is shown in a grainy film stock to play into the look of the early 1980s as Boyle would use a lot of close-ups and handheld cameras to maintain that intimacy. Even in some of the wide shots of the many stage settings of each presentation has something to say where it is all set in different venues that play into the evolution of Jobs as a man and artist. Each segment would feature a montage of the events that occurred in between the different acts where the presentations in the second and third act would provide a much more polished film stock that doesn’t just play more in Jobs’ evolution but also him trying to prove himself even more.
Boyle’s direction would also use some unique tracking shots to play into many of the events that goes on behind-the-scenes Jobs and his crew are trying to get a presentation ready. Some of it is frenetic which plays into the demands that Jobs wants where the camera is often following him, Hoffman, and whoever but it also slows down for scenes set in the dressing rooms. Notably as it play into some of the private moments that occur between Jobs, Hoffman, Brennan, and Lisa while Boyle would also create some flashback scenes which play into Jobs on the rise and the fall he would suffer once he is fired from Apple. By the time the film reaches its third act with the upcoming launch of the iMac, the look is much brighter but the tension is still there as it plays into some of the dramatic elements of the film as well as how far Jobs has become where he is finally about to achieve some success. Overall, Boyle creates a compelling yet stylish film about one of the greatest figures in the world of computers.
Cinematographer Alwin H. Kuchler does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography as it each act and presentation has a different and distinctive look from the colorful yet grainy look of the first act, the more polished yet colorful look of the second act, and a much brighter and evocative look for the film‘s third act. Editor Elliot Graham does excellent work with the editing as it features some jump-cuts and other stylistic cuts including inserted montages as it help plays into Jobs‘ development as a character and the products he would create. Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas, with set decorator Gene Serdena and supervising art director Luke Freeborn, does brilliant work with the set design for each of the presentation of the auditoriums where Jobs would present his new creations as it helps establish a mood for each sequence as well as the locations of these auditoriums.
Costume designer Suttriat Anne Larlab does nice work with the costumes as it is mostly casual though it does evolve over time as it includes some of the hippie-style clothes Chrisann wears. Makeup designer Ivana Primorac does fantastic work with the look of Jobs as well as Hoffman throughout the years as well as the other supporting characters. Visual effects supervisor Adam Gascoyne does terrific work with some of the visual effects as it‘s mostly minimal for some of the big presentations. Sound designer Glenn Freemantle does superb with the sound to play into frenzy of the crowd awaiting for the product unveilings as well as some key scenes in the conversations and backstage areas. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its orchestral-based score as it features an array of different themes for each act and presentation where some of it is operatic and some of it is low-key while the music soundtrack largely features music from Bob Dylan, the Macabees, and the Libertines.
The casting by Francine Maisler is incredible as it features a few notable small roles from John Ortiz as the journalist Joel Pforzheimer, Adam Shapiro as the software engineer Avie Tevanian for the film’s third act, and Sarah Snook as one of Jobs’ key collaborators in Andrea “Andy” Cunningham. In the dual of roles as the younger versions Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Makenzie Moss and Ripley Sobo both bring excellent performances in their respective roles as the five and nine-year old versions of Lisa where they provide the innocence of a young girl who wants to get to know her father. As the 19-year old Lisa, Perla Haney-Jardine is fantastic as the young woman who reluctantly wants to talk to her father as she deals with his attempts for a reconciliation. Michael Stuhlbarg is superb as the programmer/engineer Andy Hertzfield who was part of the Apple II team as he tries to help Jobs with some last minute things for the MacIntosh presentation as well as comment on some of the things in Jobs’ own life including Lisa.
Katherine Waterston is brilliant as Chrisann Brennan as Jobs’ former girlfriend who reluctantly shows up to the first two presentations asking for money as well as acknowledging that he’s Lisa’s father. Jeff Daniels is amazing as John Sculley as Apple’s CEO for the first two acts who deals with Jobs’ lavish presentation as well as being the scapegoat of getting Jobs out of Apple where he tries to get Jobs to admit his own wrongdoings that forced him out of Apple. Seth Rogen is remarkable as Steve Wozniak as the co-founder of Apple and the brainchild behind the Apple II as he tries to be Jobs’ friend but also want him to acknowledge the Apple II team for what they’ve done for the products Jobs would create for Apple in the coming years.
Kate Winslet is phenomenal as Joanna Hoffman as Jobs’ right-hand woman who is the film’s conscience as she tries to get everything ready while being the one person who tries to get Jobs to establish a relationship with Lisa as well as do what is right for him. Finally, there’s Michael Fassbender in a magnificent performance as the titular character as this man who sees himself as an artist in the world of personal computers as he tries to give the world the best product possible while dealing with his ego as well as his personal life as Fassbender isn’t afraid to make Jobs un-likeable as well as display some humanity into the character as it’s one of Fassbender’s finest performances to date.
Steve Jobs is a tremendous film from Danny Boyle that features an outstanding performance from Michael Fassbender in the titular role. Along with a great supporting cast as well as some beautiful imagery and Aaron Sorkin’s inventive screenplay. The film is a provocative yet ravishing portrait of one of the great figures of the 20th and 21st Century who changed the world with technology as well as someone who was also very complicated professionally and personally. In the end, Steve Jobs is a spectacular film from Danny Boyle.
Danny Boyle Films: Shallow Grave - Trainspotting - A Life Less Ordinary - The Beach - 28 Days Later - Millions - Sunshine - Slumdog Millionaire - 127 Hours - Trance - T2 Trainspotting - (Yesterday (2019 film))
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Kyle Newman and screenplay by Ernest Cline and Adam F. Goldberg from a story by Cline and Dan Pulick, Fanboys is the story of a group of friends who go on a road trip from Ohio to California to try and watch a rough version of The Phantom Menace to fulfill a dying friend’s wish. The film is an exploration into the world of geek culture in the late 1990s where friends who are Star Wars fans try to break into Skywalker Ranch as they would contend with all sorts of people including Trekkies. Starring Sam Huntington, Dan Fogler, Christopher Marquette, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell, and Seth Rogen. Fanboys is a silly but fun film from Kyle Newman.
Set in late 1998, the film revolves a group of friends who go on a road trip to see a rough cut of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace for a friend who is dying of a terminal illness. Though it is a simple story involving four guys who love Star Wars, it is a film where these guys decide to embark on an adventure for their friend while they cope with the expectations of growing up as one of them is trying to mend fences with his ailing friend. The film’s script does play into a traditional structure where its first act is about the motivations for this road trip and its planning as its second act is about the trip where hilarity ensues where the gang decide to upset a group of Star Trek fans that nearly goes out of control. The trip would also involve numerous references to the world of geek culture and other things as it plays into a world that is just about to be on the cusp of the mainstream. Though some aspects of the script involving some of its characters aren’t that great as well as some lame jokes. The story is still engaging and does get it point across where it is thoroughly entertaining.
Kyle Newman’s direction is quite simple where he pays tribute to not just the Star Wars franchise but also the world of geek culture from comic book stores to sci-fi conventions. Shot on various locations, the film does have the feel of a road comedy fused in with some low-brow humor as Newman keeps many of the compositions simple while putting in as many references to Star Wars just as a tongue-in-cheek tribute that fans of the franchise will know. Newman’s usage of wide shots are evident in many of the road scenes as well a few location spots while he would create framing devices that are similar to what is evident in Star Wars with some moments that includes a Mexican standoff involving memorabilia of films created by George Lucas. All of which plays into how much these geeks have a love for not just this franchise but also what it means to them as friends where they would help a dying friend fulfill a final wish. Overall, Newman creates a very funny and witty comedy about a group of geeks trying to go see a rough cut of The Phantom Menace and piss off some Trekkies.
Cinematographer Lukas Ettin does nice work with the cinematography from the interior look of some of the places such as a bar the guys go to as well as the interiors of Skywalker Ranch. Editors James Thomas and Seth Flaun do excellent work with the editing as it features some transition wipes as well as some rhythmic cutting for the action and comedic moments. Production designer Cory Lorenzen and set decorator Kimberly Wannop do fantastic work with the look of some of the places the characters go to including the Skywalker Ranch where the gang sees all of the film memorabilia. Costume designer Johanna Argan does terrific work with the costumes as most of it is casual with the exception of the Star Wars and Star Trek costumes.
Visual effects supervisors David A. Davidson and Kevin O’Neill do superb work with the visual effects for a sequence where one of the characters get stoned as well as moments that serve as a homage to Star Wars. Sound designer David Acord, with sound editors Michael Kirschberger and Matthew Wood, does brilliant work with the sound in the sound effects for some of the objects the characters have as well as effects that pay homage to Star Wars. The film’s music by Mark Mothersbaugh is wonderful as it‘s a mixture of kitsch jazz with some orchestral bombast to play into the world of sci-fi while music supervisor Michelle Kuznetsky creates a soundtrack filled with music from the late 90s such as Spacehog, the Presidents of the United States of America, Tag Team, Chumbawumba, Black Sheep, Liz Phair, Remy Zero, the Smashing Pumpkins, and the Dandy Warhols plus cuts from John Williams, Menudo, and Rush.
The casting by Anne McCarthy and Jay Scully is amazing as it’s filled with many cameo appearances from such character actors, sci-fi icons, and indie stars like Lou Taylor Pucci and Noah Segan as a couple of Boba Fett fans, Jaime King and Pell James as a couple of escorts, Joe Lo Truglio as a jailhouse cop, Danny Trejo as a mysterious man known as the Chief, Will Forte and Craig Robinson as a couple of Skywalker ranch security guards, and Ray Park as another Skywalker ranch security guard who says a line in reference to a Star Wars character he plays. Other notable small roles include Ethan Suplee as the famed film buff Harry Knowles, David Denham as Eric’s older brother Chaz, and Christopher McDonald as Eric’s father Big Chuck. In a trio of roles, Seth Rogen plays an alien in a surreal scene, a nerdy Trekkie who calls Han Solo a bitch, and a pimp named Roach who is a Star Wars fan.
Kristen Bell is fantastic as Zoe as a friend of the gang who later joins them on the trip as she is lone girl who is quite tough and just as geeky in her love of comics and sci-fi. Jay Baruchel is excellent as Windows as a nerd who has fallen for a mysterious person online as he is clueless about women. Dan Fogler is superb as Hutch as a brash fan who likes to be perverse and crass in everything he does. Christopher Marquette is brilliant as Linus as the guy suffering from cancer as he deals with his illness as he is eager to see The Phantom Menace before its release. Finally, there’s Sam Huntington in a remarkable performance as Eric as the mature one of the group who tries to mend his friendship with Linus after a falling out as he copes with his own attempts to grow up despite his talent in creating his own comic figures.
Fanboys is a pretty good film from Kyle Newman. With an excellent cast and an engaging premise, the film is definitely something sci-fi geeks will definitely relate to as well as get a chance to laugh at how ridiculous fan boy obsessions are. In the end, Fanboys is a superb film from Kyle Newman.
Star Wars Films: Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back - Return of the Jedi - The Phantom Menace - Attack of the Clones - Revenge of the Sith - The Force Awakens - The Last Jedi - The Rise of Skywalker
Related: The Star Wars Holiday Special - Caravan of Courage - The Battle for Endor - The Clone Wars - The People vs. George Lucas
Star Wars Anthology Films: Rogue One - Solo: A Star Wars Story - (Untitled Star Wars Anthology Film)
George Lucas Films: THX 1138 - (American Graffiti)
© thevoid99 2015
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/7/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions
Directed by Greg Mottola and written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Superbad tells the story of two high school boys whose days of high school is about to finish. Deciding to go out in style where they were invited to a party, one of their friends is asked to supply alcohol where after a robbery gone bad, the boy gets the attention of two inept cops who use him to relive their youth. With Judd Apatow as a producer, the film is a raunchier film than Apatow's other material as his cohorts Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg recount the days of their youth. Starring Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Martha MacIsaac, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen. Superbad is a hilarious and boisterous comedy from Greg Mottola.
It's near the end of the school year as Evan (Michael Cera) and Seth (Jonah Hill) are hoping to score some chicks and such as they're both set to separate with Evan going to Dartmouth in the fall. Joining Evan to Dartmouth is their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who also hopes to join in a graduation party. When Seth hears that Jules (Emma Stone) is having a party, she asks if he can supply the beer. Seth is excited as he hopes to use the beer to score with Jules while Evan decides to go as after he managed to convince a girl he likes named Becca (Martha MacIsaac) if she wants to go. She says yes and asks him if he could bring a special vodka. Though Evan and Seth don’t have a Fake ID, Fogell manages to score one under the alias, McLovin'.
McLovin' tries to score some beer with a Fake ID only to be assaulted by a robber. With Evan and Seth looking on outside, they're convinced that Fogell is in trouble with the cops as Seth gets hit by a car as the driver named Francis (Joe Lo Truglio) tries to apologize by taking them to a party. Fogell meanwhile, is interrogated by two cops named Slater (Bill Hader) and Michaels (Seth Rogen) as they take McLovin' to some wild shenanigans where he becomes accepted. Seth and Evan meanwhile, arrive at Francis' party where he gets beat up by its host Mark (Kevin Corrigan) while things get crazy when Evan is forced to sing to some drunken guys while Seth has an encounter with Mark’s girlfriend (Carla Gallo) that gets him in trouble. Seth and Evan leave with two detergent containers worth of booze yet the tension between the two boys start to rise over Evan's departure to Dartmouth.
After Fogell's night out with Slater and Michaels, things get tense when an encounter with Seth and Evan lead to some trouble as the three boys finally managed to escape the cops with Fogell carrying the booze he managed to score at the liquor store hours earlier. After arriving to Jules' party, everything becomes great only until Evan and Seth realize their own flaws while McLovin' lives up to his name with some surprising help.
While the film is based on the teenage lives of both its writers and executive producers Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, it does have something relevant to men, teens and adults, who remember their high school lives. The film's plot is simple, two boys wanting to party, get laid, get drunk, and have a whole lot of fun. Yet, there's more to this story as Goldberg and Rogen focus on the film's core story about these two young men and their long-standing friendship that is about to end. That plot device also leads to a conflict between the two boys as the more abrasive Seth is angry at the very sensitive Evan over this departure and as the film develops, secrets are unveiled and they're not really the same people in the beginning of the film.
One subplot that balances the film's study of teenage friendship is the story that involves Fogell and the two cops he hang around, who are trying to relive their own youths after feeling disappointed by in the world of adulthood. Goldberg and Rogen are definitely smart enough to create stories that men can relate to while for women, it gives them an ideas of what guys are and even though it's from the perspective of guys, not men. Women might relate to their own youths of young woman who probably also want to get drunk and party as well. The humor overall is very raunchy, far more raunchier than the films that Judd Apatow directed due to its coarse dialogue that is definitely shocking to some audiences. Yet, teenagers do talk like that, they think about sex, they watch sex, that's what being a teenager is.
Director Greg Mottola understands that as well as his direction is solid throughout. From its opening credits that is in the style of 1970s cinema, the film has a 70s feel of sorts with its funk-drenched music, ode to porno films, and hilarious situations. Yet, there's also a modern feel that plays to the film's humor. A lot of it has a spontaneous feel with the action being a bit unexpected and such. Still, Mottola lets the actors act in a relaxed approach as he gives them a moment from the comedy yet still manage to let them be funny. Even through wild antics as the film definitely brings laugh after laugh after laugh. Overall, Mottola's direction is superb.
Cinematographer Russ T. Alsobrook does some fine work with the film's look, notably the exterior nighttime sequences that are awash with sepia-color tones and yellow lights along with the film's interior scenes for the parties. Editor William Kerr does some nice work for the film's editing as it manages to have a nice, leisurely pace to help with the film's humor along with some great transitional cuts. Production designer Chris L. Spellman & art director Gerald Sullivan do excellent work on the look of the parties including the home of Mark in all of its debauchery while costume designer Debra McGuire does fine work in the look of the clothes that looks very contemporary. Sound editor George H. Anderson is also good with the film’s sound, notably the use of sirens, car squeals, and such to convey the action. The drawings of Seth's penis doodles are wonderfully drawn by Evan Goldberg's brother David.
The score of Lyle Workman is excellent with its homage to 70s funk that is very bouncy courtesy of legendary Parliament-Funkadelic members Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell in their respective playing of the bass and keyboards. The rest of the soundtrack is filled with loads of 70s funk and soul music that includes KC & the Sunshine Band, the Four Tops, The Bar-Kays, Guess Who, Rick James, and other assorted cuts from Ted Nugent & the Amboy Dukes, Nugent by himself, the Rapture, Motorhead, and Van Halen. It's a killer soundtrack that is fun to listen to.
The cast is overall brilliant feature appearances from David Krumholtz and Martin Starr as party guys, Erica Vittina Phillips as the liquor store cashier, Carla Gallo as Mark's girlfriend, and Seth Rogen's father Mark as a man chasing Seth and Evan with a bat. Brooke Dillman is funny as the home economics teacher while Clement Blake is great as a drunken wino, Matthew Bass as a star of a porno Seth, Evan, and Fogell watch with cameos from porno actresses Aurora Snow and Jenna Haze. Roger Iwami as Evan's classmate Miroki, Laura Seay as Jules' friend Shirley, Marcella Lentz-Pope as Becca's friend Gabby, Joe Nunez as a liquor store clerk, and Aviva Farber as Fogell's crush Nicola.
Joe Lo Truglio of The State fame is funny as the creepy Francis, a driver who hits Seth while trying to get them to a party while Kevin Corrigan plays Francis' former friend Mark with a lot of attitude as a dude who doesn't like to be messed with. Stacy Edwards, known to indie fans as the deaf woman in In the Company of Men, is funny as Evan's mother whom Seth seems to have a crush on her because of her cleavage. Emma Stone is amazing as Jules, the girl Seth has a crush on her as she reveals that though she likes to party, she isn't really a wild person. Martha MacIsaac meanwhile, is also good as Becca, the girl Evan likes as she hopes to win him over but in a way that forces Evan to rethink things. Bill Hader and Seth Rogen are hilarious as the two cops Slater and Michaels as two inept men who are trying to relive their youth and wild ways through Fogell.
Jonah Hill is very funny as the boisterous, profane Seth as his performance is really the funniest of the film with the excessive use of the word "fuck" while often saying obscene things about sex and body parts. Hill's performance is definitely a highlight as he is the wildest character of the entire film. Michael Cera is great as the more sensitive Evan, the young man who wants to do things right while trying to come to terms about the end of his friendship with Seth. Cera's performance is the perfect counterpoint to Hill's more abrasive performance as the two have great chemistry that it's in the tradition of most comedy duos. The film's best performance and scene-stealer is newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Fogell aka McLovin'. Mintz-Plasse's performance is truly phenomenal as this nerdy, skinny kid who tries to act like the coolest kid in the world yet unwittingly gets himself into a strange situation. Often the foil for Seth's jokes, he ends up becoming the coolest character of the film as he tries to act like a total gangsta while managing to be one of the greatest guys ever on film.
Superbad is a remarkable film from Greg Mottola. Armed with a great that includes Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Emma Stone, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen. It's a film that manages to explore the exuberance and uncertainty of youth while telling it in such a raunchy and uncompromising way. In the end, Superbad is a fun and exciting film from Greg Mottola.
© thevoid99 2015
Directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and screenplay written by Dan Sterling from a story by Rogen, Goldberg, and Sterling, The Interview is the story of two American journalists who have booked an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as they’re asked by the CIA to assassinate him. The film is a humorous take of two bumbling journalists whose job is to kill Kim Jong-un as they also try to befriend him for the interview as the North Korean leader is played by Randall Park. Also starring Seth Rogen, James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Diana Bang, and Timothy Simons. The Interview is a wild and hilarious film from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
When an American talk show host managed to get an interview with Kim Jong-un in an attempt to gain legitimacy, he and his producer friend travel to North Korea as they’re secretly asked by the CIA to kill him. Along with way, the two men do idiotic things where the talk show host Dave Skylark (James Franco) befriends Kim Jong-un through parties and all sorts of shit while his friend Aaron Rapoport (Seth Rogen) is trying to get the interview to happen as well as do the assignment. The film’s screenplay is aware that it doesn’t have a plot while it also portrays Kim Jong-un as someone trying to live up to his father’s legacy to ensure the people of North Korea that he’s a god with no butt hole. While Skylark thinks that Kim Jong-un is a good guy as he never takes his subjects seriously which often brings discomfort to Rapoport who is seen by other journalists and producers as a pariah and a thorn to the true world of journalism. Rapoport’s desire to be taken seriously and do what is right would later cause conflict between him and Skylark until the latter makes some very chilling discoveries.
The direction by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg is pretty simple as it’s not going for anything big but rather play into the world of celebrity news and the idea of what North Korea is to the world. Much of it involves some unique compositions in the wide and medium shots to how Skylark and Rapoport are with each other as they are buddies. The direction definitely has a sense of style in the sense of partying while the use of close-ups are very prevalent once they meet Kim Jong-un. Even in how he’s filmed where he is presented as a mythic figure until it is clear that he likes pussy, margaritas, and all sorts of crazy shit. Much of the film is shot in Canada to play into the look of North Korea and how much of Kim Jong-un wants to make the place feel like paradise. Yet, Rogen and Goldberg also present an air of suspense about what happen if this interview does go wrong as there’s the threat of nuclear war happening where Rapoport and Skylar know there’s a lot at stake once they uncover the truth. Overall, Rogen and Goldberg create a very witty yet entertaining film about two idiots who are asked to kill Kim Jong-un.
Cinematographer Brandon Trost does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the use of interior lights for the scenes at Kim Jong-un‘s palace to the nighttime exteriors in some of scenes in New York City and a crucial scene at night where Rapoport has to retrieve something near the forest. Editors Zene Baker and Evan Henke do fantastic work with the editing as it‘s very stylized with some cheesy TV editing wipes as well as jump-cuts and montages to play into the comedy and sense of fun that is prevalent during the film. Production designer Jon Billington, with set decorator Johanne Hubert and art director James Steuart, does brilliant work with the look of Kim Jong-un‘s palace with its halls and rooms along with the look of the CIA mission control room. Costume designer Carla Hetland does nice work with the look of the North Korean uniforms as well as the suits and casual clothes that Skylar and Rapoport wear.
Makeup artists Laverne Caracuzzi and Andrea Manchur do superb work with the look of Kim Jong-un from the design of his haircut and a few minor features. Visual effects supervisor Paul Linden does terrific work with the visual effects for some of the film‘s action scenes as well as few set dressing scenes to make the film look like it‘s at North Korea. Sound designers Michael Babcock and Eric A. Norris do amazing work with the sound from the way drones sound when they fly above North Korea to the layers of sounds in some of the gunfire that occurs in the film. The film’s music by Henry Jackman is wonderful for its mixture of bombastic orchestral music along with elements of traditional Asian music and a flamenco piece while music supervisor Jonathan Karp creates a fun soundtrack filled with hip-hop and rap music plus contributions by Usher, David Bowie, Isaac Hayes, Scorpions, and Katy Perry.
The casting by Francine Maisler is phenomenal as it features notable small roles from Anders Holm as an old friend of Rapoport who is also a rival producer, Charles Rhai Chun as General Jong, and Timothy Simons as Skylar and Rapoport’s fellow producer/friend Malcolm. Diana Bang is fantastic as a North Korean military officer named Sook who meets with Rapoport on the meeting as she aid him in preparing the interview. Lizzy Caplan is excellent as CIA agent Lacey who prepares Skylar and Rapoport for their meeting with Kim Jong-un as she does have a few funny moments while being the straight person for the two men.
Randall Park is hilarious as Kim Jong-un as this dictator who wants to be seen as a god as he befriends Skylar as he’s a fan of his show where Park brings a lot of humor but also some terror into his character. Finally, there’s the duo of James Franco and Seth Rogen in marvelous performances in their respective roles as Dave Skylar and Aaron Rapoport as the two definitely bring in a lot of laughs as well as display great chemistry. Franco brings an energetic and lively performance as a talk show who is full of himself while thinking he would make history with his interview with Kim Jong-un. Rogen also brings a lot of energy to his performance while being the voice of reason in the film as he copes with what is at stake as well as what Kim Jong-un really is.
The Interview is a fantastically funny and bombastic film from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Armed with a nifty premise as well as not taking itself very seriously as it has bits of satire on the world of the media. In the end, The Interview is an exhilarating and fun film from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
Related: This is the End
© thevoid99 2014
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
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