00s Movie Review - Tropic Thunder

Director: Ben Stiller
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2008
Starring: Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Bacl, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, Danny McBride, Steve Coogan, Tom Cruise, Matthew mcConaughey, Bill Hader

Description: Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

Review: We all know the prototype war movie: the brave leader, the cursing black guy with a big heart, the scary newbie and the villainous opponent. We also know the prototype actors: the tough action hero on detour, the lame comedian who only knows to tell one joke in many different ways, the serious Oscar winner and the rapper that wants to explore his acting career. “Tropic Thunder” mocks both of those groups, but also Hollywood, agents, producers and entertainment shows.

The film, that starts after a few fake trailers, is about the filming of war movie Tropic Thunder. It’s the fictive memoire of Vietnam veteran ‘Four Leaf’ Tayback. Director Daniel Cockburn can’t control the actors in his crew. He’s dealing with action hero Tuff Speedman, whose try on more serious acting failed. But also the Australian method actor Kirk Lazarus and the addicted-to-many-things comedian Jeff Portnoy. To control them, they are send to the real jungle, where they unfortunately also have to deal with real drug dealers.

The most interesting and elaborate storyline is the one of Lazarus. An actor who always stays in character and even had a procedure to make his skin darker so he can play the role in Tropic Thunder. It sounds harsh and an easy way to provoke, but it’s deeper than that. The other characters aren’t thought through as much. Jack Black does nothing new, hysterical and over the top. But that doesn’t make it less funny. And Ben Stiller’s character is mocking Tom Cruise, a bit too much sometimes. Tom Cruise himself also shows up, as the fat, bald and cursing producer. Funny? From time to time.

The movie is overall very funny and Robert Downey Jr. is just fantastic in his part. And the many supporting actors, Jay Baruchel, Steve Coogan, Danny McBride, Matthew McConaughey and Nick Nolte, are all good. “Tropic Thunder” is always praised and I like it too. But not as much as most people.

Rating: 3,5/ 5 

10s Movie Review - How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World

Director: Dean DeBlois
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure/ Fantasy
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, America Ferrara, F. Murray Abraham, Jonah Hill, Kit Harrington, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig
 
I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 6: THIRD MOVIE IN A TRILOGY

Description: When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury, he must seek ‘The Hidden World’, a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham) finds it first.
 
Review: Hiccup and his great friend, the dragon Toothless, have a day job freeing captured dragons. A new world is created so that dragons and humans can live together in harmony. When their mode of existence is jeopardized y a new villain named Grimmel, Hiccup brings the all the dragons together to stop Grimmel. 
The “How to Train Your Dragon” series is one of Dreamworks’ more successful series and one of my favorites for sure. The stories of Hiccup with his dragon Toothless capture the imagination of many young viewers. The makers also keep the films light in terms of story and theme. And so does part three, which offers plenty of action and entertainment as well as a light, positive message. In this third part they face a new enemy. 
I love the visuals and the story, the character of Hiccup especially is one that many kids could identify with. And Toothless is of course amazing. I’m a fan of this series and the third installment didn’t disappoint.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - This is the End

Director: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Genre: Action/ Comedy
Runtime: 107 minutes
Year: 2013
Starring: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Robinson, Paul Rudd, Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Kevin Hart, Rihanna, David Krumholtz, Emma Watson

Description: While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

Review: Relaxing with his friend Seth Rogen, smoke some weed, play video games and eat junk food. That’s the weekend Jay Baruchel had in mind in “This is the End”. Sadly for him, that chill weekend ends up in the apocalypse.
Against his will Jay joins Seth for a house warming party at James Franco’s house. The new mansion is filled with Hollywood’s finest. When Jay and Seth quickly go to a store, they witness a weird happening where people are sucked into the sky. It’s followed by a giant sink hole in front of Franco’s house.
“This is the End” is a comedy that can go two ways: you either love it or you hate it. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have proved themselves before, with the comedy “Superbad”. And again they manage to make us laugh. It’s the end of days, packed with simple, tasteless jokes and pretty enjoyable (sorry to say) death scenes of famous movie stars. By mocking themselves and Hollywood, “This is the End” never has a dull moment.
“This is the End” is a film that is self-aware and not to be taken too seriously. The actors exaggerate their own character, and that’s why it’s a fun movie that I love. A guarantee for laughs.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 80: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Director: Dean DeBlois

Genre: Animation/ Family/ Action/ Adventure/ Fantasy

Runtime: 102 minutes

Year: 2014

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington

Description: When Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace.

Review: After the surprising success of “How to Train Your Dragon” in 2010, a sequel was not that surprising. That’s what happens with well received animation movies. The world fell for the adventures of Viking son Hiccup and his dragon Toothless. But a sequel doesn’t necessarily mean it’s also going to be a hit. Sometimes they are made pure for the money, but in this case the makers really care for the characters they created. “How to Train You Dragon 2” is a good example of how a sequel should be made. And to be fair, the sequel is even better!

Since the end of the first movie, five years have gone by on the island Berk. Hiccup and his friends are grown and in a great opening scene we see how they are in the middle of a dragon race. Hiccup’s dad, Stoic the Great, is preparing him to become the next leader of Berk, but Hiccup wants to go on adventures with his dragon Toothless. There is so much more to explore. While being on one of his adventures, Hiccup stumbles upon Drago Bludvist, an infamous dragon hunter, who wants to disturb the peace between man and dragon.

Like the first film, the sequel is based on the book series by Cressida Cowell. Dean DeBlois is the man who managed to translate it to the big screen. The visuals are amazing and the story is strong. The movie is intelligent, but also very funny. The characters make brave and confronting decisions. The movie has light moments, but also doesn’t fear to have so more heavy themes in it. The fact that we know this sequel is part of a trilogy, makes it even more exciting. Maybe DeBlois will make an even better third film!

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Moments: This is the End

This movie could go in two different directions: it was either going to really bad or brilliantly funny. Thank God it was the last, because some of my favorites are in here. James Franco and Seth Rogen are amazing, I really enjoyed this movie. So here are my favorite moments from “This is the End”.

 

Moment # 1: Cleanse

Seth just picked up Jay from the airport. Jay wants to get hamburgers, but Seth tells him he’s on a cleanse. He’s not supposed to be eating glutens. Jay thinks it’s a load of crap and the two start a discussion about it.

Moment # 2: The end begins

Jay and Seth go out to buy cigarettes, then all of a sudden blue beams come from the sky and start sucking people up in the sky.

Moment # 3: Michael Cera dies

L.A. is on fire and Michael Cera starts worrying about his phone. Someone took it. But that’s the least of his worries, because he gets skewered by a telephone pole.

Moment # 4: Milky Way

The guys list their food supplies and start fighting over a Milky Way.

Moment # 5: Emma Watson

Emma Watson shows up at the house and just wants to get some sleep. She overhears a conversation between the guys, but mishears it. She decides to get the hell out of there and take some provision with her.

Moment # 6: Magazine

James gets angry when he finds out someone masturbated onto his porno magazine. It appears it was Danny who did that, so the two start a heated discussion about masturbation.

Moment # 7: Closet

Jonah has been possessed and is now chasing James and Seth. They hide in a closet, but Seth’s a very heavy breather so they soon will be found.

Moment # 8: The exorcism of Jonah Hill

The guys decide to perform an exorcism on Jonah Hill. Jay knows how to, because he saw the movie “The Exorcist”.

Moment # 9: The Backstreet Boys

Jay and Seth made it to heaven and they can make any wish they want. Seth wishes for a Segway and Jay for the Backstreet Boys.

 

 

 

Favorite Moment: Moment # 7 : The Closet