THE UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING. Big changes are coming in the Lego universe, as Duplo invaders keep terrorizing Bricksburg; Emmett and Lucy will face the Queen behind it all. An intense 3D sequel that can’t quite deliver the freshness of the original, but still makes an attempt to throw every clever idea and pop culture reference … Continue reading The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
IF YOU CAN’T BEAT THE HOUSE, BE THE HOUSE. When they lose a scholarship program that was supposed to fund their daughter’s education, the Johansens (Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler) get involved with a friend’s plans for an underground casino… An unexpectedly weak and lazy comedy, considering the presence of two likable and funny stars. Pretty … Continue reading The House
LONG TIME NO Z. Former fashion icons Zoolander and Hansel (Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson) are reunited after many years to help Interpol find out who’s assassinating pop stars. This belated sequel does everything wrong, even though it closely imitates the original by adding an abundance of cameos and inventing another outlandish plot involving fashion super-villains. … Continue reading Zoolander 2
AN EDUCATION IN INCARCERATION. Wealthy hedge fund manager James King (Will Ferrell) is going to prison for embezzlement; terrified of what that’s going to be like, he hires a black car washer (Kevin Hart) to teach him the ropes. A very contrived comedy that tries to be provocative and make fun of prejudice toward gays … Continue reading Get Hard
THE BIRTH OF A PLAN GONE WRONG. Robert and Sarah Benson (Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig) plan to adopt a child and decide to let its mother (Jessica Lowndes) move in with them during the last months of her pregnancy… but she has ulterior motives. Made for Lifetime as a tribute to the 25th anniversary of … Continue reading A Deadly Adoption
THE STORY OF A NOBODY WHO SAVED EVERYBODY. In the city of Bricksburg, happy-go-lucky construction worker Emmet Brickowoski meets a woman who believes that he is “the Special”, a person who is ultimately capable of stopping a superweapon. It may have looked like a stupid idea on paper, but the Cloudy With a Chance of … Continue reading The Lego Movie
IT’S KIND OF A BIG DEAL. After getting kicked out of a prestigious news job in NYC, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is offered to join the world’s first 24-hour news channel, and gets the old gang back together. Getting this sequel off the ground took its sweet time, and once again it seems impossible to … Continue reading Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
LOST IS A GOOD PLACE TO FIND YOURSELF. When alcoholic salesman Nick Halsey (Will Ferrell) is fired, and learns that his wife is leaving him and has left all his belongings on the front lawn, he sets up residence right there. This indie comedy-drama, more inspired by than based on a Raymond Carver story, was … Continue reading Everything Must Go
Middle-aged watch salesmen Billy and Nick (Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson) lose their jobs and take a chance applying for internships at Google even though they don’t know the first thing about coding. A comedy that may look like mere paid advertising for Google. But on the other hand, the intrigues at the company’s famed campus … Continue reading The Internship
MAY THE BEST LOSER WIN. Four-term North Carolina Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) usually stands unopposed, but this time he’s challenged by a Republican newcomer, the meek-looking Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis). The same year as Jay Roach chronicled Sarah Palin’s path to the GOP vice-presidential nomination in Game Change, he also poked fun at political … Continue reading The Campaign
When two hot-shot NYC cops are killed in action, it is up to desk-bound colleagues Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz (Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg) to pick up the baton. Adam McKay’s buddy-cop spoof is a definite improvement on his Step Brothers (2008); it may be loud and dumb, but at least it’s got plenty of … Continue reading The Other Guys
ONE LOVE STORY. TWO VERSIONS. SERIOUSLY FUNNY. During a dinner, a comedian and a playwright begin discussing two different approaches to the same story, one tragic and the other humorous. An amusing little experiment for director Woody Allen who tries to have it both ways rather than make a traditional decision on how to treat a … Continue reading Melinda and Melinda
HEROES AREN’T BORN. THEY’RE MADE. Two alien babies are shipped to Earth and grow up in Metro City, shaping their future as a superhero, Metro Man, and a super-villain, Megamind. The Madagascar director strikes with a saga that flips the Superman myth and focuses on the villain and his potential for greatness; Guillermo del Toro has also been … Continue reading Megamind
