[7] Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro headline this ‘comedy of errors’ flick about a male nurse seeking permission from an ex-CIA agent to take his daughter’s hand in marriage. Formula comedies usually fail or succeed on the strength of casting. To that end, Stiller and DeNiro carry Meet the Parents over the finish line. The screenplay conjures up a handful of memorable moments — including …
[5] This dopey but harmless summer camp movie helped lead the charge of ’80s teen comedies that would follow in its wake. It’s tame by comparison, but noteworthy for being the first pairing of director Ivan Reitman and actor Bill Murray, who would later bring us Stripes and Ghostbusters. Fellow frequent collaborator Harold Ramis is even one of the screenwriters here. But there’s not a …
[6] Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn star in this comedy of errors about a con artist (Hawn) who moves into an architect’s empty home and ingratiates herself into his family, his community, and his life. After the initial shock, Martin’s architect character doesn’t mind the con because Hawn’s lies have rekindled interest from an old flame (Dana Delany). Before long, the two stars are in …
[6] Elitist liberals hunt and kill redneck conservatives in this satiric take on The Most Dangerous Game. Betty Gilpin heads up the cast as our hunted protagonist (the horror genre’s ‘final girl’, if you will), while two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank leads our pack of villainous hunters. Gilpin’s droll, reticent, but kick-ass performance reminds me of an old Clint Eastwood anti-hero. We never quite know …
[6] Scarlett Johansson and Jillian Bell lead an all-gal cast in this dark comedy about college friends who reunite for a wild party night that spirals out of control when they accidentally kill a male stripper. It was a little challenging to go along with the movie’s irreverent tone after the stripper dies, but once the ladies begin trying — and failing — to dispose …
[6] Andrew McCarthy and Kim Cattrall have enough intrinsic charm to carry this incredulous comedy across the finish line. McCarthy stars as an artistic loser who can’t keep a girlfriend or a job. But when a department store mannequin comes to life for him, the two fall in love. I love the concept and the leading actors, but I wish the movie focused on them …
[2] This is the worst adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma I’ve seen, with Gwyneth Paltrow’s middling 1996 version coming in ahead, and Amy Heckerling’s Clueless easily taking the crown. This newest incarnation is directed by Autumn de Wilde, a first-time feature director with a string of music videos in her filmography. But don’t expect any visual or aural panache on that account. This Emma suffers …
[7] Eddie Murphy plays an overweight professor who invents a potion that sheds the pounds in a dramatic fashion. Problem is, the transformation also comes with a personality change of Jekyll and Hyde proportions. Murphy thinks he needs the potion to court a young teacher played by the beautiful Jada Pinkett, not realizing that the new alter ego plans to vanquish the professor’s fatter, friendlier …
[8] I think one of the hardest stories to tell is a good murder mystery story. That’s why we see so few of them turned into movies. Rian Johnson’s (The Last Jedi, Looper) Knives Out is a beguiling blend of classic and farce, reminding me at times of both Clue and Murder on the Orient Express. Remarkably, its dark comedy never undercuts its dramatic tension. …
[6] A young boy in Hitler’s youth army (Roman Griffin Davis) finds himself in a moral dilemma after discovering a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) hiding in a secret space behind his bedroom wall. This film written for the screen and directed by Taika Waititi (What We Do in the Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok) has an off-beat, surreal sense of humor that wears thin over time. It’s …
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