Tag: Jonah Hill

  • Superbad (2007, Greg Mottola), the unrated version

    Singularly hilarious teen comedy about best friend Jonah Hill and Michael Cera having their last chance to hook up with their dream girls before they graduate high school and go off to college. Juxtaposed with their adventures trying to get to the right party, their third wheel Christopher Mintz-Plasse goes off to have a wild…

  • The Invention of Lying (2009, Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson)

    The Invention of Lying is a 100 minute exploration of a gag. In a world without lying–or any fictive creativity whatsoever–co-director, co-writer, and star Ricky Gervais one day spontaneously mutates and lies. He lies for personal gain, only to discover exploiting people doesn’t make him feel good, so he lies to make himself and others…

  • The Watch (2012, Akiva Schaffer)

    The Watch deals in caricature and stereotype. Ben Stiller’s the anal-retentive, Vince Vaughn (can anyone even remember when he tried acting) is the aging bro, Jonah Hill’s the kid in his early twenties who lives with his mom (and hordes guns, which dates the film) and Richard Ayoade’s the deadpan, socially awkward British guy. If…

  • Moneyball (2011, Bennett Miller)

    Moneyball is the traditional American sports movie with all the excitement sucked out of the accomplishment. The excitement isn’t gone because of the story–about how the Oakland A’s applied a statistical theory to how to win baseball games, but more because director Miller wants to make sure everyone is paying attention to the symbolism in…

  • The Sitter (2011, David Gordon Green)

    It’s somewhat shocking, given Jonah Hill’s presence and David Gordon Green directing, The Sitter is such a mess. Would a remake of Adventures in Babysitting with a listless college dropout in the lead instead of Elisabeth Shue be funny? Maybe. Probably even. Sadly, Sitter doesn’t give Babysitting any source credit (although some of the scenes…

  • Knocked Up (2007, Judd Apatow), the unrated version

    Once upon a time, I read how what Apatow really does with Knocked Up is make a film about how men need to change to be acceptable for women. I think the article used stronger language. While that aspect of the film is present, it’s an extreme reading. It could just as well be about…

  • Funny People (2009, Judd Apatow), the unrated version

    Funny People plays a little like Judd Apatow wrote two-thirds of something he really loved so he decided to keep going… adding another two-thirds. So he ended up with four-thirds of a movie and because he’s Judd Apatow, he got to make it without skinning it down. I don’t think I’d even call him on…

  • Get Him to the Greek (2010, Nicholas Stoller)

    From Nicholas Stoller’s writing credits, I wouldn’t have thought him capable of such a funny movie. I hadn’t realized he’d directed Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Get Him to the Greek is a spin-off more than a sequel (though Kristen Bell shows up for a cameo). Stoller’s third act problems–when Greek becomes painfully unfunny and life affirming–aside,…

  • The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005, Judd Apatow), the unrated version

    I don’t get it. I mean, I kind of get it–the movie’s cute and funny–but I don’t really get it. Not the critical acclaim. I think it’s actually my first Judd Apatow movie–I don’t remember Celtic Pride though I know I saw it–and I’m disappointed. It’s like a sitcom. Apatow directs it like a lot…

  • Superbad (2007, Greg Mottola)

    Hilarious teen comedy with an amazing script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who perfectly plot every single joke. They’re not as good with the actual plot, which turns out to be way too simple and way too sentimental, but the constant belly laughs carry it. Mostly. Great performance from Jonah Hill as the raunchy…