REVIEW: “The Night Before” – Rogen’s latest is hilariously sweet R-rated holiday fun

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November 19, 2015

Time to add another selection to the list of “watch-them-every-year” holiday movies in your collection, but only if that collection is PG-13 and up. The Night Before is exactly what it looks like in its marketing: a buddy comedy adventure a la The Hangover from the folks that brought you This is the End and Knocked Up, all dressed up in tinsel and Santa colors, waiting under the mistletoe to give you a holiday kiss of laughter. But just because it is exactly what it looks like doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable. On the contrary, it’s among Seth Rogen’s funniest comedic offerings in years, as it does what his best films have always done: make you laugh to the point where your face and belly hurt, while at the same time examining in a light and funny way very real and relatable truths about adult life.

For the past 10 years since his parents died in a car accident, Ethan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has spent Christmas with his two best buds, Isaac (Rogen) and Chris (Anthony Mackie), honoring a very specific set of madcap holiday traditions. But the trio now find themselves faced with the end of an era as each of their lives face big changes: Isaac and his wife Betsy (Jillian Bell, 22 Jump Street) are expecting their first child, while Chris has found success and fame as a pro football star, and so they recognize this as their ‘last hurrah’, the last time they will hit the streets of New York City on Christmas Eve and do their particular brand of Christmas crazy.

Part of that crazy has been seeking out the “Holy Grail” of NYC Christmas Parties, the legendary “Nutcracka Ball”, which every year is held in a secret location that has for the past decade eluded the intrepid trio’s every attempt to locate and crash it. But not so this time: With tickets to the party that he “happened upon” in hand, Ethan sets out with his fellow musketeers to fulfill the promise of their decade-long quest and thus make this Christmas the most memorable of them all. But what Ethan doesn’t know is that Isaac and Chris have thoughts of their own about what needs to happen that night aside from karaoke, toy store hijinks, and party crashing: an intervention of sorts for their friend, who they see as having gotten stuck at a point in the past and not able to move forward in life. Not an easy conversation to have, as they discover, especially when caught up in good times, holiday nostalgia, and all the unexpected mayhem that invariably finds them on this one night every year.

But with a little help from their high school pot dealer, Mr. Green (Michael Shannon), and run-ins with an ex-girlfriend, a scam artist, and a few celebrities, a Christmas miracle for the three friends begins to unfold, one that will help them begin a whole new Christmas tradition that will last for years to come … or result in Isaac divorced, Chris ostracized from his new bunch of football teammate buddies, and Ethan brokenhearted and beaten up by a pair of drunken Santas, among other less-than-ideal outcomes, or perhaps even all of the above.

If The Night Before establishes anything, it’s that Seth Rogen can be really, REALLY funny when he’s allowed to truly cut loose, as he is here. The freak-out Isaac experiences in the course of the evening thanks to intaking a variety of illicit substances, which director Jonathan Levine (50/50) helps audiences experience right along with Isaac through some truly inspired camera effects, easily earns the film’s biggest laughs, only a few of which are hinted in the film’s trailers. Watch for Isaac shooting a cell phone video for his future child shortly after inhaling far too much Bolivian Marching Powder, a very awkward text message and photo exchange that occurs due to his having gotten a hold of the wrong phone, and the vision of the future he glimpses after taking a toke from a very special joint provided by Mr. Green — those moments and quite a few others should very shortly be counted by fans as among Rogen’s funniest scenes on film to date.

But the drugged-out silliness is only about half of what makes The Night Before so enjoyable. There’s genuine warmth and heart here, thanks to Gordon-Levitt’s capable and credible delivery of an everyman stuck in a very familiar place in life for Millennials and many others: watching cherished friends move on with their lives in different directions, happy for them, yes, but also sad at the change and unsure of what direction, if any, their own lives might be headed in. Mackie, who has been a solid and welcome presence in a variety of films this past year, also brings depth and charisma to his work here, while also showing some serious comedic chops. The three leads together have an undeniable chemistry that powers the film through both its lighter and more serious moments, keeping you laughing while also also emotionally invested as the film progresses.

The supporting cast in The Night Before also deserves quite a bit of love, starting with Jillian Bell as Isaac’s loving, patient, and VERY understanding wife Betsy, who in her own way is responsible for sending Isaac out into the Christmas Eve night primed for debauchery. Also very funny here, although not departing too far from her sitcom persona, is “The Mindy Project“‘s Mindy Kaling, whose character bears the brunt of Isaac’s more out-of-control episodes while attempting to get her own holiday party groove on. And then there’s Michael Shannon, who after all the serious bad-guy and dramatic work he’s turned in over past few years perhaps was truly in need of working on something silly, and makes the most of the opportunity of the enigmatic and eccentric dope dealer Mr. Green. Shannon simply steals every one of the scenes he appears in by playing the intensity he’s become known for as a performer for laughs, and like almost everything else here, it just works.

So is The Night Before one of the year’s best? No, of course not. But it’s one of the best, if not THE best, comedic offerings of the season in theaters thus far, and in the years to come should prove pretty timeless as a grown-ups only holiday favorite. See it for yourself — if you’re not in the holiday spirit yet, you’ll most likely find yourself afterward a whole lot closer to it by the end, in addition to being slightly achy from laughing.

The Night Before
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, Lizzy Caplan, Jillian Bell, Mindy Kaling, and Michael Shannon. Directed by Jonathan Levine.
Running Time: 101 minutes
Rated R for drug use and language throughout, some strong sexual content and graphic nudity.

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Review: ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’ An Unbalanced Finale

By

Dewey Singleton - Film Critic

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November 19, 2015

Leaving the press screening of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2, a feeling of bewilderment overcame me. It seemed that the audience was beyond thrilled after trudging through the one hundred and thirty-seven minutes of monotonous pacing. As we were exiting the theater, I heard things like, “ I loved it” … “Greatest Ever” … “Best in the series,” even my wife gushed about this film. The moment that I began to question parts of the movie, a collection of negative looks were directed my way and my wife proceeded to call me a “Grump.” Have we become so entranced with the exploits of Katniss Everdeen, that the merits of The Hunger Games films have now become distorted?

The good news, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 has far fewer scenes involving people sitting around and for waiting for things to happen that Mockingjay- Part 1. The bad news, Part 2 has a plethora of scenes involving people just waiting for things to happen.

Fans of the books were hoping the decision to split the final film into two would result in an action packed non-stop finale. Well, prepare yourself to be disappointed. Even though Mockingjay- Part 1 seemed to set the table for the grand finale, Part 2 has all the pacing of a snail on Ambien.

Once again Jennifer Lawrence takes center stage as Katniss Everdeen, the symbolic head of the rebellion against Donald Sutherland (President Snow), the dictator of the future world of Panem. Katniss nearly meet her end in Part 1 when Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) tried to kill her. The beginning of the film reveals that Peeta’s brain was infected with Tracker Jacker Venom, and the venom has now turned Peeta into an assassin. Because of this, Katniss is enraged and wants to charge right into the capital and assassinate President Snow. Julianne Moore (President Coin) has other ideas and wants Katniss to stay in District 13 away from the fight so she can be used for propaganda against the capital. We all know that Mrs. Everdeen will throw caution to the wind, she sneaks onto a medical ship and heads to fight on the frontlines as the rebels march into a heavily booby-trapped capital. You are probably reading this and saying to yourself “That sounds like a pretty fantastic movie, I’m starting to see why your wife called you a grump”, but imagine all those juicy bits spread out unevenly over one-hundred and thirty-seven minutes.

One thing that should be noted is how much focus was placed on the powerful female characters. Katniss, Coin, and numerous other supporting cast mates were seen as way more with it and a lot more charismatic than the male counterparts. Probably the one scene that gave me a glimmer of hope in this film was in Panem sewers, it popped with tension and horror. Other than that, Mockingjay – Part 2 was boring. The fact that the blockbuster film is boring truly didn’t add up at first. The production design was top-notch, the dystopian costumes were ravishing, and director Francis Lawrence knows how to use properly large-scale computer visuals The movie has an all-star cast. So what went wrong with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, the editing.

Must every single part of Mockingjay transpire on screen? It would seem that the easiest job on this set was the script writers because all they had to do was transcribe the book. The first Hunger Games is considered to be the best of the four movies because it adapted for the screen. Only after the “super-fans” were up in arms about what was left out the film, that the studio seemed to be considerate about whether or not they forgot a part of the book and not about whether or not the adaptation translates well on screen.

Mockingjay-Part 2 is as rambling and schizophrenic as the Part 1. One minute they are discussing the horrors of war and then the next page the film seems to be reveling in it. Essentially, the flow of the film is choppy at best.

The biggest frustration in all of this is that Mockingjay-Part 2 could have been a fantastic movie. The source material is so rich with action and political intrigue that if they had edited the frivolity from Mockingjay-Part 2; we would have had quite a film to discuss.

Unfortunately, the movie ends up being just another example of Hollywood just streamlining a series of books into a series of films in an attempt to squeeze every last dollar out of us.

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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “Many Heads, One Tale” The Season’s Best Yet

By

Chris Massari

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November 19, 2015

It only took eight episodes into season three for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to finally hit its stride in a cohesive fashion and in doing so, had possibly the best episode of their season thus far. From beginning to the end, AoS moved seamlessly in presenting all of its various plot points, along with twists and turns without getting confusing. It also brought to a head, what will probably be the driving story motivation or premise, moving forward this season and what will culminate into the Secret Warriors.

“Many Heads, One Tale” involved multiple story threads but, they all came to a neat intersecting common ground, in which the series can move forwar. With last week presenting Rosalind as another HYDRA agent under Gideon Malick, Coulson sets his team up to infiltrate the ATCU and find out exactly what the organization is doing with Inhumans while simultaneously questioning Rosalind about her intentions and loyalties. Coulson uses Lance and Bobbi to physically infiltrate the ATCU, while Daisy and Mack feed them information and access, to various parts of the base. On the HYDRA side, Gideon Malick tries to assassinate Ward, who survives this attempt and tracks down a secret vault used by the Struckers. Malick is surprised Ward was able to survive the assassination and find the vault as well. Malick then decides it is best to have Ward as an ally, then revealing to him the secret of HYDRA’s history. These are the two biggest plot threads, with two smaller ones involving Melinda and Lincoln, who both must reconcile with the events that Andrew caused. While the other involves Fitz and Simmons, who are still trying to work through the current bump in their relationship, which finally reaches a turning point many have been waiting for since season one.

To start, I think the misdirect of Rosalind was a great decision on the writer’s part and it pushed the relationship between Coulson and Rosalind, in an interesting direction, both in their personal lives, as well as with their teams or agencies. Coulson’s mistrust, allowed for SHIELD to infiltrate the ATCU, helping to reveal Malick’s involvement in trying to create his own team of Inhumans. While at the same time, it really brought to a head what this season has been about since the beginning, as the Secret Warriors. With what will most likely happen at some point, is Malick and Ward’s team of Inhumans or “super people”, going head to head against SHIELD’s. This could mean anything from guest roles or introductions of more prominent Marvel heroes and villains, plus something closer to the comic counterpart. And since Rosalind is not HYDRA, it also reopens my theory about her having a bigger role in the MCU’s future as the director of SWORD, maybe.

Another huge plus of this episode is the growth and change of the character’s themselves. Ward season one, was largely boring and pretty plain, without many defining or interesting character traits. To then becoming a fascinating villain over the past two seasons, who’s not only badass but, is someone you can love to hate. When Ward has screen time now, you know something big is about to happen.

There’s also, of course, the big kiss between Fitz and Simmons, which many have been waiting for since season one and it finally happened. But what made this moment even more crucial, is what brought them to this point. Simmons was upset that Fitz was being too perfect and too helpful, trying to work through her own feelings about him, as well as with Will. The entire set up to the kiss had emotional weight and will have massive complications in the future for the two characters. Another big change in character over time is Melinda. Who in this episode apologizes to Lincoln for what Andrew did, feeling she should have known beforehand about what he’d become before Andrew killed all of those people and Andrew’s friends as Lash. The way AoS has brought Melinda through the emotional ringer throughout the series thus far and the decisions she’s had to make, bring her to such a vulnerable position now.

“Many Heads, One Tale” is the best episode of SHIELD so far this season and it seems the best is yet to come.

While these next points are not as heavy as the others, it always a treat to watch Bobbi and Lance interact with one another, when they’re in the field. It’s so Whedon-esque in how he’s written Marvel characters in the movies, it just happens to be the same now with a couple. I hope they don’t end up overdoing these two in the future, because right now it’s the perfect amount of exposure without oversaturating them. Also, seeing Daisy go from the loner hacker, to essentially a commanding officer of sorts within SHIELD, is something that you probably didn’t expect at the beginning of the series. She’s come a long way, and I look forward to seeing her continue this trend.

To conclude, this is by far AoS’s best episode, as well as its most SHIELD liked episode this season. They focused heavily on espionage action, Marvel style, while heavily developing their characters in the process. Everything about this episode is what AoS does best. Sold storylines, involving misdirects and unexpected revelations but, still relying heavily on the characters they have been developing throughout the series. AoS should pick up from this point onward.

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“Digimon Is Better Than Pokemon” Claims MTV writer

By

Logan Peterson

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November 18, 2015

“Digimon is better than Pokemon” was a phrase I heard a lot when I was in elementary school. Although I also heard a lot of “Pokemon is better than Digimon” as well. I never really chose a side but it seems even today this argument is still being had, and it seems both sides are as passionate as ever.

Before you click the link to the article where MTV columnist Crystal Bell does her speak about a debate we thought was long over, I want you to listen to my thoughts on the subject. For the most part I don’t really enjoy critiquing these kids shows as an adult and holding them up against each other. I mean they are both shows to sell toys. Kind of like most of the American TV shows in the 80’s and 90’s. I think both shows have their strengths and there is a reason that they are still coming up with content for both. But comparing them seems kind of pointless to me. The way I see it is if a grown adult compared different flavors of baby food. Sure they can compare the differences better than a baby can, but in the end it’s just baby food. I don’t want to kick over anyones childhood here, but I think it’s a sign of maturity when we can look back and admit “its just baby food” and that’s okay. We can still like baby food. What we shouldn’t be doing is acting like that same baby food should be critiqued the same way as a filet minion.

Anyway those are just my ramblings about this situation. Click here for the article if you’re interested in joining the fight or just want to hear someone elses view of the argument.

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Run DMC’s Darryl McDaniels To Write A Marvel Comic

By

Nikolai Fomich

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November 18, 2015

Darryl “DMC” Matthews McDaniels, one of the founding members of the legendary hip-hop group Run DMC, will make his Marvel writing debut this February, in Guardians of Infinity #3. The story will see DMC collaborate with longtime creative partner Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez and artist Juan Doe, and will star the Thing and Groot in their search for “a singularly powerful object located in New York City.”

DMC, a lifetime Marvel comic fan, has long spoken about how heroes such as the Hulk and Spider-Man served as his inspiration while beginning his hip-hop career.

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Nic Pizzolatto Has Three Choices for True Detective Season 3

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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November 18, 2015

Nic Pizzolatto is coming back for True Detective Season 3 over at HBO, but after the disastrously bloated, weird, aimless mess that was season 2, it’s easy to understand HBO inserting some stipulations into his contract.

While the very idea that True Detective Season 3 is not a sure thing, assuming it does move forward, HBO has given Pizzolatto three avenues to approach possible redemption according to the report over at Collider.

1. He can bring in a staff of writers.
2. Pizzolatto can bring in a third party to run the day to day.
3. Or he can just keep doing what he’s been doing.

This is a weird trio of choices for Pizzolatto. Because, who wouldn’t go with option three? The only way I can imagine him taking one of the first two choices is if the negative backlash from season 2 got into his head. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he believe in himself. At the same time, the first season of True Detective was dynamite thanks to Pizzolatto’s collaboration with Cary Fukunaga. There’s some debate as to who did what and who made the first season so perfect (beyond the team of McConaughey and Harrelson), but dismissing Pizzolatto’s skills based on a second season that clearly needed editing more than new creative juice isn’t the right approach.

Since Pizzolatto has both worked with a collaborator and done it on his own, why not try and bring in a staff of writers? What might be more important than having a slew of fresh minds with great ideas is having different approaches to the material, and people to bounce ideas off of. And someone to say “no” from time to time, which was perhaps the most glaring problem with season two, which had more hot air in it than the Goodyear blimp.

HBO is waiting to hear back from Pizzolatto before emoting forward with True Detective season 3. Whatever choice he decides, there is no doubt I will be there for episode one. No matter how disastrous season 2 may have become, it was certainly never boring.

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Neo-Noirvember: ‘Sexy Beast’, The Ben Kingsley Boulder of Madness

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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November 18, 2015

Anyone with the slightest grip on the idea of metaphors in film can recognize the giant tumbling destruction of a metaphor in the opening scene of Sexy Beast. We see “Gal” (Ray Winstone), a retired thief, baking in the Spanish sun, poolside at his posh villa. He moves with the urgency of a man without a care, loping around his pool to grab a beer, his shoes, and a handheld fan. And then, tumbling down the hillside comes the boulder, a gigantic rolling stone of destruction that launches from the ridge, into the air, just missing Gal, and slamming into the tiles of the pool floor. It’s a comedic moment in a first act full of mirth, but perhaps Gal should have known then, this boulder was an ominous announcement.

Gal is married to Deedee (Amanda Redman), a retired porn star looking to distance herself from her former life just as much as her adoring husband. They are in love, and they enjoy late nights and dinner parties with their two close friends, Aitch and Jackie, two more stowaways from the drabness of a London underworld. This idyllic setting proves too good to be true before long, as a call comes to Aitch from London. A job is on the table and Gal’s old crew has requested his participation. But it’s less about that problem, and more about the problem of the voice on the other end of the phone. The very mention of the caller on the other end, who is heading out to Spain to retain Gal’s services personally, is enough to break apart the serenity Gal and Deedee have so carefully manicured.

It is Don Logan.

The mere uttering of Don Logan – it’s almost impossible for Aitch to spit the poisonous name out of his mouth – pierces the Spanish countryside like a knife, and director Jonathan Glazer wonderfully shifts the tone of the film from carefree and hedonistic, to one of nervous energy and fear. You can see it in all their eyes, their shifting weight, the slack in their face. Without knowing anything about Don Logan, you know he is something horrible, almost inhuman, a myth. But Don Logan is not a myth, he is very much real, and one of the greatest creations in all of crime cinema.

Ben Kingsley plays Logan. The man who once played Ghandi, who played the timid Jewish Accountant Itzhak Stern in Schindler’s List, now embodies a volcanic madman. It’s a 180 for Kingsley, and one of his best performances. Don arrives like a bullet through plate glass, spewing nervous energy, cultivating anxiety and nervousness to everyone around him, and refusing to take “no” from Gal, who is powerless in his presence. With his starched white shirt and smooth bald sheen, Don Logan is the boulder come to life, a reptilian beast, wrecking everything in his path. It’s no coincidence he arrives at the villa just as the boulder itself is being hauled away.

Logan spends two days tormenting poor Gal with threats and insults and hair-trigger psychotic outbursts. It is a frightening turn from Kingsley, a pure joy to behold. Gal refuses the job again and again, but Don will hear none of it. The job itself has its own interesting twists and turns involving orgies, a Turkish Bath, and one Ian McShane as the mastermind. But any of the third act, where Gal arrives to pull off the job for reasons of self preservation, pales in comparison to the lightning bolt of ferocity behind the mad eyes of Kingsley’s Don Logan.

Glazer, a sparse director who’s only features are Sexy Beast, the morose and detached Nicole Kidman film Birth, and the captivating 2013 thriller Under the Skin, shows off gleeful panache here. It’s not just some cold-twisted noir heist film, it is alive with flourishes, frightening dream sequences, and a hard-charged techno soundtrack that almost serves as Don Logan’s personal music. Forgetting the bookends of the film is understandable, but a slight. Sexy Beast can easily be broken into its three acts: the first is a delightful, funny, and charming glimpse into the life of a happy fat cat, the third a desperate play for survival.

And the second, well, the second is simply Don Logan.

Header Photo: [BezerkArtwerk]

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‘The Huntsman Winter’s War’ – Official Trailer

By

Matthew Sardo

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November 18, 2015

Universal Pictures released the first trailer for The Huntsman Winter’s War, Wednesday.

The fantastical world of Snow White and the Huntsman expands to reveal how the fates of The Huntsman Eric and Queen Ravenna are deeply and dangerously intertwined. Chris Hemsworth and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron return to their roles in The Huntsman Winter’s War, an epic action-adventure in which they are joined by Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain, as well as director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. Producer Joe Roth (Maleficent, Alice in Wonderland) once again leads the team in a breathtaking new tale nested in the legendary saga.

Long before the evil Queen Ravenna (Theron) was thought vanquished by Snow White’s blade, she watched silently as her sister, Freya (Blunt), suffered a heartbreaking betrayal and fled their kingdom. With Freya’s ability to freeze any enemy, the young ice queen has spent decades in a remote wintry palace raising a legion of deadly huntsmen—including Eric (Hemsworth) and warrior Sara (Chastain)—only to find that her prized two defied her one demand: Forever harden your hearts to love.

When Freya learns of her sister’s demise, she summons her remaining soldiers to bring the Magic Mirror home to the only sorceress left who can harness its power. But once she discovers Ravenna can be resurrected from its golden depths, the wicked sisters threaten this enchanted land with twice the darkest force it’s ever seen. Now, their amassing army shall prove undefeatable…unless the banished huntsmen who broke their queen’s cardinal rule can fight their way back to one another.

The Huntsman Winter’s War is scheduled for release on April 22, 2016.

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‘Zoolander 2’ Trailer – Will Ferrell On Steroids

By

Matthew Sardo

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November 18, 2015

Paramount Pictures released the trailer for Zoolander 2 starring Ben Stiller as Derek Zoolander.

Zoolander 2 is directed by Ben Stiller and stars Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Christine Taylor, Kristen Wiig, Billy Zane, Fred Armisen, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Olivia Munn, Kanye West, Ariana Grande and Mika.

The film was written by Justin Theroux and Stiller. Zoolander 2 is scheduled to be released on February 12, 2016.

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The Infamous Ween Announces Reunion Show

By

Sam Casale

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November 18, 2015

This past week has been bustling with activity amidst the world of alternative rock and alternative metal. The bands Tool and Primus both announced upcoming U.S. tours, the Foo Fighters, and U2 have canceled shows in France due to the recent terrorist attacks, and President Barack Obama publicly mentioned the band Korn in a speech he delivered during a Medal of Honor ceremony. However, two days ago brought news that many view to possibly be the most important announcement yet. On November 16, 2015, the members of the influential and cult-status alternative rock band Ween announced that the band will reunite for two upcoming shows in 2016.

For those who are unfamiliar with the band, Ween is an American alternative/experimental rock band formed by Mickey Melchiondo Jr and Aaron Freeman, better known by stage names Dean Ween and Gene Ween. The band formed in 1984 and had since achieved a cult following. Their fan base is one of the most consistent and dedicated groups in music, and they are just as if not more active now than they were during the band’s pinnacle moments of success. Although many may not recognize the name of the band, chances are at one point you’ve heard at least one of their songs without realizing it. They even made a song for SpongeBob SquarePants about learning how to tie shoes.

The band broke up in 2012 after a notorious incident from the year before during a show in Vancouver, in which Aaron Freeman became intoxicated and drunkenly sang in the wrong key while lying face down on stage. Freeman has gone on record saying that he left Ween to work on his sobriety. The shows will take place this upcoming President’s Day Weekend in Bloomfield, Colorado. Now after more than three years later, the world will receive at least one more taste of the musical experience that is known as Ween.

Ween ‘Push th’ Little Daisies’

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