Tagged with comedy films

Review: Top Five, 2014, dir. Chris Rock

Review: Top Five, 2014, dir. Chris Rock

“At times, Top Five feels like a live wire. That thrumming volatility comes as no surprise—it’s a product of Chris Rock’s bluntly indelicate comic inclinations—but damned if the film’s arrival isn’t, for better or worse, the very definition of “timely.” Writer, director and star Rock orchestrates scenes in which he’s beaten on camera by white … Continue reading

Review: Horrible Bosses 2, 2014, dir. Sean Anders

Review: Horrible Bosses 2, 2014, dir. Sean Anders

“Why does every single Jason Bateman character ever insist on associating with morons? Bateman’s always been the smartest, most hapless schmuck in the room; ever since his days on Arrested Development, viewers have gravitated towards him out of sympathy, wanting to support his innate, down-to-earth likeability. But there’s a point at which an actor’s persona … Continue reading

Review: Butter, 2012, dir. Jim Field Smith

Review: Butter, 2012, dir. Jim Field Smith

I think it’s fair to say that there’s a good, perhaps even great, movie hidden deep within Jim Field Smith’s Butter, one that’s raucously funny and has bite and direction and a sense of identity. It’s just as fair to say that the film Butter happens to be isn’t all that bad, either, but it … Continue reading

Review: Moonrise Kingdom, 2012, dir. Wes Anderson

Review: Moonrise Kingdom, 2012, dir. Wes Anderson

Moonrise Kingdom marks the most singularly Wes Andersony film of Wes Anderson’s career to date. It also represents a perfect vehicle for the quirks and tics that define his vision as a filmmaker– that impeccable and odd sense of style, seen in his set designs, costuming choices, and musical accompaniments, as well as the trademark … Continue reading

Review: In the Loop, 2009, dir. Armando Iannucci

Review: In the Loop, 2009, dir. Armando Iannucci

If one word describes In the Loop, Armando Iannucci’s 2009 political satire, it’s almost certainly “scathing”. If two, that and “unforgiving”. Going further would only yield an entire novella of words meant to convey intense discontent or outright anger, and indeed the only declarative statement I can make about the film in the positive is … Continue reading