Film Review: Vacation

Belated comedy franchise film Vacation has bawdy humour in spades. The film is passably amusing and sufficiently diverting.

With nostalgia for his childhood vacation, grown-up Rusty Griswold tries to recreate the trip with his own family. Rusty takes his wife Debbie and their two sons on a road trip to the Walley World theme park in order to bring the family closer together…

Reference to the National Lampoon series on films is made early on in Vacation, and as Rusty remarks, it is not imperative to have seen the franchise of films to appreciate this latest offering. Vacation is suitably entertaining viewing, functioning appropriately as an independent title.

Writer-directors Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley combine a comedy with the road trip format. The majority of the action takes place as the Griswold family embark on their long drive to Walley World. Overlaying comedic aspects of the film is an emphasis on family and the relationships between the main characters in Vacation.

The main themes in Vacation suggest a family adventure feel to the film. Nevertheless, much of the humour is unmistakably adult. Comedy in the film is often crude, and the language frequently colourful. More often than not, jokes hit the spot, even if the film does have viewers cringing.

This juxtaposition of lewd humour and reflective family moments could easily have felt jarring. Nonetheless, in the hands of Goldstein and Daley, Vacation has a amiable tone. The film charms to a certain extent, despite the toilet humour. Pacing in the film works well, and characters are suitably developed given the set up.

Ed Helms is finely cast as nice guy Rusty Griswold. Christina Applegate is amusing as Debbie, whilst Skyler Gisondo is suitably awkward as eldest son James. Chris Hemsworth, Leslie Mann and Charlie Day are decent in supporting roles.

Vacation is not family viewing, but adult viewers are sure to have a laugh. An entertaining distraction.

Previews: Inside Out TV Spot, Maggie Trailer and More

A cornucopia of film-related goodness in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the latest Inside Out TV spot, a Terminator Genisys featurette, Maggie trailer and lots more…

Inside Out TV Spot

Here is the latest Inside Out TV spot. The Disney Pixar film has been doing fantastic business in the US, and looks certain to replicate that in the UK with its summer holiday’s release. With the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, Inside Out hits UK screens on 24th July 2015.

Terminator Genisys Featurette

The cast and crew of upcoming Terminator Genisys talk about protagonist Sarah Connor in this new featurette. The famous action heroine is played by Game of Thrones‘ Emilia Clarke, who indicates that there will be nods to the original film in this latest instalment of the franchise. Terminator Genisys is released on 2nd July 2015.

Ant-Man TV Spot

Marvel’s latest super hero to receive the big-screen treatment is Ant-Man. From the above TV spots and earlier trailers, the film looks to offer a fair amount of humour. Starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, Ant-Man launches its way onto the big screen on 17th July 2015.

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Poster

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in the five instalment of the Mission: Impossible film franchise. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation sees the IMF disbanded, leaving Ethan and his team trying to combat deadly terror attacks. With Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames also returning, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation bursts into cinemas on 30th July 2015.

Maggie Trailer

Arnold Schwarzenegger must once again play the hero in new thriller Maggie. The film is a teenage girl who is infected during a zombie outbreak, and her father’s efforts to protect her. Also starring Abigail Breslin, Maggie is set for release on 24th July 2015.

Ted 2 Trailer

So teddy bears coming to life is something that I dream about. Ted is a little lewd for my tastes, but the first film was enjoyable enough. Ted 2 reunites Mark Wahlberg and Seth McFarlane, and brings on board Amanda Seyfried as Ted’s lawyer. Ted 2 hits the big screen on 8th July 2015 in the UK.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension Trailer

The trailer for the latest instalment of the Paranormal Activity franchise is here. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension sees a family discover some old VHS tapes which hold a nasty surprise. The conclusion of the horror franchise is scheduled for release on 30th October 2015.

Vacation Poster

Here is the latest poster for upcoming comedy Vacation. The film is the latest in the National Lampoon franchise, and sees a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) taking his family on a road-trip vacation. Also starring Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth, Vacation is release in UK cinemas on 21st August 2015.

The Secret Life of Pets Trailer

I know what pets to all day; the nap and eat and nap some more. That is to say, they live the life. New animated comedy The Secret Life of Pets takes us behind closed doors. Featuring the voices of Louis C.K., Ellie Kemper and Hannibal Buress, The Secret Life of Pets  is set for release on 24th June 2016.

Fantastic Four Photo Shoot

Here are the stars of the new Fantastic Four film looking dapper. Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell star as the superhero quartet in the reboot of the Marvel franchise. Fantastic Four launches its way onto the big screen on 6th August 2015.

Spectre Vlog

Here is the latest blog from the set of new James Bond move Spectre. Director Sam Mendes discusses filming a scene that takes place amidst the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico City. Starring Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz, Spectre will be released on 6th November 2015.

Magic Mike XXL Clip

The marketing for sequel Magic Mike XXL has been wonderful. This latest clip suggests the tongue-in-cheek attitude will continue in the film. Whereas the first film descended into schmaltz, here’s hoping this instalment will keep the tone humorous. The film is, after all, about male entertainers. Magic Mike XXL is released in cinemas on 3rd July 2015.

Previews: Vacation Trailer, Ant-Man Poster and more

This week’s preview of coming attractions features the Vacation trailer, a Jurassic World featurette, plus Absolutely Anything and Ricki and the Flash…

Vacation Trailer

Above is the red band Vacation trailer. The film is part of the National Lampoon’s Vacation series of films, with Ed Helms taking the role of Rusty Griswold. Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo reprise their roles from the original series, whilst Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth join the cast. Vacation is set for release on 21st August 2015.

Absolutely Anything Trailer

This trailer had me at talking dog. Absolutely Anything is a British comedy about teacher who is given the power to do anything he wishes. Starring Simon Pegg, Kate Beckinsale, and the voice of the late Robin Williams, Absolutely Anything will be released in UK cinemas on 14th August 2015.

Ant-Man Poster

Here is the latest poster for upcoming superhero movie Ant-Man, which reveals the main cast. Last week it was announced that the character will make his first appearance with the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, which is due for release next year. Marvel fans get to see the first appearance of the character when Ant-Man is released in cinemas on 17th July 2015.

Ricki and the Flash Trailer

Ricki and the Flash has considerable talent both in front and behind the screen. Meryl Streep stars as rock star returning home to see her grown up children. Also starring Kevin Kline and Streep’s real-life daughter Mamie Gummer, the film is directed by Jonathan Demme and is written by Diablo Cody. Ricki and the Flash is due for release this Summer.

Spy Clip

Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, and Jason Statham, action comedy Spy is about a desk bound agent who volunteers to go uncover on a dangerous mission. The film is directed by Paul Feig, who will be helming the new Ghostbusters movie; it will be interesting to see if he can get action and comedy to work in his latest film. Spy is released in UK cinemas on 5th June 2015.

Jurassic World Featurette

In this nostalgia-filled featurette for Jurassic World, cast and crew of the new movie discuss their memories of seeing Jurassic Park. Expectations are high for the upcoming sequel, in which a dinosaur theme park actually opens. Starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World hits the big screen on 11th June 2015.

Film Review: Hall Pass

Hall Pass is not painfully unfunny. But it is unfunny, and offers little else to redeem itself from this fatal error. The Farrelly brothers have had some hits with their brand of gross-out humour, but Hall Pass is not one of their finer episodes.

Tired of her husband Rick checking out other women, Maggie decides to give him a hall pass; a week off from marriage where he can do whatever he wants. Rick’s best friend Fred is also able to join in the fun, when his wife Grace departs to join Maggie and her children. Relishing the prospect of a week as single men, things don’t go exactly as planned for Rick and Fred, or their wives…

Hall Pass is a shadow of the Farrelly brothers’ earlier work, relying upon tired gross-out humour to entertain. The film offers little else, and as a result will only appeal to a narrow demographic. Written by the Farrelly brothers, Pete Jones and Kevin Barnett, Hall Pass bases its narrative on stereotypes. There seems to be a general consensus that married men are hopelessly immature, ogling every pretty girl they see. Their wives meanwhile are exhausted, pretending to be asleep to avoid being intimate with their husbands. These clichés are weary, and rely upon viewers to either relate to or recognise these constricted traits.

The plot of Hall Pass may be predictable, but the narrative and pacing is a bit of a mess. Characters that feature quite heavily in the first half of the film are no where to be seen in the later half. Hall Pass features a long introduction and build up, but rushes the last part of the film. Much of the action occurs in the last twenty or so minutes, and this feels hurried given the copious amount of time spent building up to these events. The mistake in this instance appears to be trying to cram too many different incidences into the climax. If these events had been spread out earlier in Hall Pass, perhaps the film may have been more enjoyable as a result.

Hall Pass features an array of talented actors that have been quite frankly squandered. Own Wilson, Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate are all good comedic performers, yet the material lets them down. As Maggie, Jenna Fischer is lacklustre, though she cannot be blamed for the poor script. Stephen Merchant is conspicuously absent for most of the film, given his third billing on Hall Pass‘ poster.

With its lame gross-out gags and syrupy ending, Hall Pass is for those who enjoy their comedies predictable and churlish. Everyone else should avoid the film.

Film Review: Going the Distance

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long prove their chemistry works as well on-screen as it does off in this likeable and surprisingly funny romantic comedy.

Erin and Garrett meet in a New York bar and hit it off. As Erin is due to return to her San Francisco home, the couple agree to keep things light. Once they fall for each other, Erin and Garrett embark on a long distance relationship…

On the surface, Going the Distance shouldn’t work. The premise is hardly thrilling; it is the type of love story that has been done numerous times before. However, Going the Distance works pretty well. It is the combination of the humour and the chemistry between the two leads which make it a very enjoyable movie.

Whilst both Barrymore and Long are good comedic actors, much of the humour is derived from the support cast. Dan and Box, best friends of Garrett, bring a lot of the crude but funny but jokes, whilst Erin’s sister Corinne and her husband Phil work equally well as the married odd couple.

The chemistry between Barrymore and Long will leave the audience rooting for the couple. In the initial scenes between the pair, the writing excels, making their initial attraction appear realistic and authentic. Whilst some aspects of the romance and the humour are not the most original, Going the Distance is one of the better recent entries in the rom-com genre because it successfully balances frequent comedy with believable romance and drama.

Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis are well-cast as Garrett’s best friends. There seems to be a natural camaraderie between the pair and Long, which makes their scenes genuinely amusing. Christina Applegate once again shows her flair for comedy as Erin’s highly-strung older sister. Jim Gaffigan compliments Corinne perfectly as her under-the-thumb husband Phil, showing more subtle, but equally effective, comedic style.

Director Nanette Burstein has added a nice touch to Going the Distance by mixing the traditional with the modern. Whilst Erin and Garrett use modern technology to communicate (text messaging and online chat, for example), there are also elements of their courtship that have a more retro feel. The couple meet whilst playing an arcade game, and Erin writes her phone number down on a napkin for Garrett, rather than typing it into his phone. This, coupled with a soundtrack that features The Cure, makes the relationship appear quaint, in a positive sense.

If you are looking for a romantic comedy that is actually lives up to its description, Going the Distance might be just the ticket.