10s Movie Review - This is 40

Director: Judd Apatow
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 134 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox, John Lithgow, Albert Brooks, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Lena Dunham

Description: Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are both about to turn 40, their kids hate each other, both of their business are failing, they’re on the verge of losing their house, and their relationship is threatening to fall apart.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2025 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 38: A FILM WITH LESLIE MANN
 
Review: “This is 40” is a personal dramedy by Judd Apatow, a spin-off of “Knocked Up”, which explores the life of a couple that is about to turn 40.

Although my life is very far from theirs, many things are relatable when it comes to turning 40. The film show everyday family life with honesty and doesn’t shy away from topics like the struggles of parenthood, financial issues and relationships.

It is a comedy and it does have some really fun moments, many of the humor feels a bit juvenile and tasteless. Also, the film is over two hours long, which is way too long for a comedy like this.

I think the film is a mixed bag. I like the relatability of the film, and Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann are really good together. But the runtime is too long, and some of the jokes are questionable.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - The Bubble

Director: Judd Apatow
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Karen Gillan, Leslie Mann, David Duchovny Pedro Pascal, Keagan-Michael Key, Iris Apatow, Peter Serafinowicz, Kate McKinnon, Fred Armisen
 
Description: A group of actors and actresses tuck inside a pandemic bubble at a hotel attempts to complete a film.

Review: Judd Apatow directs a film, which can be streamed on Netflix now. A group of actors is stuck in a lockdown situation in a hotel, while trying to finish the movie “Cliff Beasts 6”. The trailer looked fun and Judd Apatow is one of the better comedy directors.

Unfortunately the film wasn’t well-received, by both critics and the audience. And I can actually agree with them and saying this is one of Apatow’s worst movies ever made.

Apatow was inspired by the evets of the filming of the movie “Jurassic World: Dominion” in which the entire cast was stuck for months in the heavy lockdown in Britain, filmind had to be stopped each time die to positive tests and the actors were given a stick up their nose daily.

So too in this comedy, with the fun-loving Karen Gillan playing the female lead. About the movie business, the film can be quite funny at times. But the overall films is just very unfunny. Moreover, the film runs a half hour too lone, and three are fewer and fewer laughs toward the very mediocre finale.

Rating: 2/ 5

10s Movie Review - Blockers

Director: Kay Cannon
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 102 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ike Barinholtz, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Ramona Young, Gina Gershon, Gary Cole

Description: Three parents try to stop their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night.

Review: Blockers is short for cockblockers, an American term that people use when they want to stop someone from having sex. According to Wikipedia the term became popular due to the movie “Superbad”. And like in “Superbad”, teenagers made a pact to lose their virginity at the end of the school year. In “Blockers” it’s about three girls though and the ‘blockers’ are their parents who try to prevent their daughters to make a mistake.
Julie, Kayla and Sam are three best friends that are about to graduate. Julie decides she wants to use her virginity on prom night, to her boyfriend Austin. Kayla wants to join in and picks her lab partner as her date. Sam wants in, because she feels left out and she is secretly a lesbian. When Julie’s mom and Kayla and Sam’s fathers find out about their ‘sex pact’, they try to stop the girls.
The film has some really funny moments, but it also has some typical juvenile comedy like we are used to in films with this theme. John Cena is actually really funny, as the big sportsfanatic dad with an emotional side. And I also liked Ike Barinholtz. The three parents don’t have a lot of chemistry though.
“Blockers” is more fun then I expected.

Rating: 3/ 5

10s Movie Review - How to Be Single

Director: Christian Ditter
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Runtime: 109 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm, Jake Lacy, Colin Jost

Description: A group of young adults navigate love and relationships in New York City.

Review: A film with multiple storylines is a common given in modern day romantic comedies. There is off course so much to tell about love. Since “Love Actually” this concept has almost become a romcom cliché. “How to Be Single” is also set in this format. Not persee a search for love, but the will to live without. And it soon shows there is not a lot to talk about, because the message is clear pretty quick.
In “How to Be Single” we follow four women in New York. All have a difficult time dealing with relationships in their own way. Either because they can’t commit or they simply can’t let go. Alice has decided to take a break from her relationship, in order to find herself. Her older sister Meg is a workaholic with the dream of becoming a mother, without a man. Alice friend Robin lives for parties and having one night stands. Lucy is focused on online dating, without noticing the men surrounding her. And there are plenty of great men in new York. But if you don’t know what you want, it doesn’t help you much. First get to know yourself, before getting to know someone else. This is something that the women in this film don’t really understand.
Alice’s story is the lead, mainly because she is the connection to Robin and Meg. Lucy’s storyline is dangling on the side. And Alison Brie’s talent is underused this way. I will choose Brie’s energetic performance over Dakota Johnson’s anytime. Her character Alice is constantly needing people around her, she is hopelessly naïve and her storyline quickly bores. Her sister’s story has that same effect. And all the male roles lack any depth. Thank goodness for Rebel Wilson, because she is the funny aspect in “How to Be Single”. If it wasn’t for her and Alison Brie, this film would be even worse.
“How to Be Single” does something that has been done so many times before. A very forgettable romcom.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 163: Stealing Harvard

Director: Bruce McCulloch
Genre: Comedy/ Crime
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2002
Starring: Jason Lee, Leslie Mann, Tom Green, Dennis Farina, Megan Mullally, John C. McGinley, Richard Jenkins, Martin Starr, Chris Penn

Description: A middle-class man (Jason Lee) turns to a life of crime in order to finance his niece's first year at Harvard University.

Review: The plot for “Stealing Harvard” is as simple as the film itsel. John once made a primuse to us niece, that if she ever got accepted to college, he would pay for it. When the time arrives, he just got the that money. But he is about to marry his fiancée and buy a house. To keep his promise to his niece, he asks his loser friend Duff for help.
The film isn’t as bad as I would think, especially since it stars Tom Green. Jason Lee plays a likeable character, somewhat reminding me of his character Earl in “My Name is Earl”. Some other supporting roles are for Leslie Mann, Megan Mullally and John C. McGinley, which are fun as well. Tom Green is, as always, over the top and not that funny. At least I don’t find his humor that laughable.
It’s okay, the movie is easy to sit through, but also pretty forgettable.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 118: Vacation

Director: John Francis Daley
Genre: Adventure/ Comedy
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Chris Hemsworth, Leslie mann, Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Charlie Day, Ron Livingston, Norman Reedus, Keegan-Michael Key, Regina Hall, Kaitlin Olson, Michael Peña

Description: Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) takes his own family on a road trip to "Walley World" in order to spice things up with his wife (Christina Applegate) and reconnect with his sons.

Review: We live in a time of reboots and remakes. Superhero franchises, foreign films get an American version and classics are remade. Within the comedy genre there are also some popular films that need a modern touch. “Vacation” is one of them. It’s technically not a remake, but “Vacation” is feeding of its original version from 1983.
Rusty sees that his wife is unhappy and he is worried about the continued bickering between his two sons. The solution: a family road trip to an amusement park.
In the original film the characters where family people, with whom you could identify and you would sympathize with. This doesn’t go for this film. The characters lack depth and it’s hard to feel for them. The humor is at times fun, but it’s mostly juvenile jokes. The movie does have humor, some situation are really funny. The Seal song “Kiss from a Rose” is a funny recurring joke for example. And the guide they meet on the way, that is played by Charlie Day was hilarious. And some thumbs up for the cameos, Chris Hemsworth and Chevy Chase. But they just take it too far sometimes, which makes it unbelievable.
Overall, this comedy does make you laugh but isn’t of a high level. The original 1983 film is far superior, but “Vacation” is fun for one night.

Rating: 2,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 18: ParaNorman

Director: Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Genre: Animation/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, John Goodman, Leslie Mann, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Casey Affleck, Tucker Albrizzi, Jeff Garlin

Description: In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a boy who can speak to the dead, but no one besides his eccentric new friend, Neil (Tucker Albrizzi), believes his ability is real. One day, Norman's estranged eccentric uncle (John Goodman) tells him of an important annual ritual he must take up to protect the town from a curse cast by a witch it condemned centuries ago.

Review: After “Coraline” in 2009, the same studio brings us “ParaNorman”. The style is the same, the so called stop-motion technique is used here.
The story of “ParaNorman” revolves around the young Norman who has the gift of seeing dead people and communicating with them. It’s actually more of a burden for Norman, because everyone thinks he’s a freak, even his family worries about him. His estranged uncle verifies Norman isn’t crazy, because he tells him about a witches curse. Norman is the one to stop that curse.
“ParaNorman” looks stunning. It’s a dark and raw animation, not suited for all viewers by the way. With the stop-motion technique it is definitely very unique, although the creepy setting reminds you a bit of “Coraline”.
The story lacks a bit of depth, because it’s all just a rescue mission where Norman goes from loser to hero. I love the inside jokes and references to classic horror movies, but I’m doubting if kids understand them. Overall “ParaNorman” is an entertaining and visually stunning animation.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Moments: "The 40 Year-Old Virgin

This movie is so funny and we can thank Steve Carell for that. I don’t think anyone else could have done a better job. Here are my favorite moments from “The 40 Year-Old Virgin”.

Moment # 1: Meet Andy
We meet Andy, who wakes up with a huge boner. He starts working out, making breakfast, talking to his elderly neighbors. Andy is a nice guy with absolutely no social life.

Moment # 2: The guys find out
Andy is invited to a pokergame with his co-worker from Smart Tech. They start talking about sex and when they ask Andy about his sex adventures, they find out he’s still a virgin.

Moment # 3: Andy’s fulfilling life
Andy tries to explain to Dave why he doesn’t need to get laid. He has a very fulfilling life. We see him playing the tuba, painting miniatures, playing videogams, singing karaoke and reading comic books.

Moment # 4: Andy and the drunk lady
Andy picked up a woman in a bar. She had a little to much to drink, but she drives Andy anyway. Seems that she is a very reckless driver and a bit crazy too.

Moment # 5: Waxing
Jay advices Andy to get his chest waxed, so Jay, Dave and Cal join him when Andy goes to a waxing salon. And it hurts like hell.

Moment # 6: Condoms
Andy went on a date with Trish and they end up in her bed. When Trish is going to the bathroom Andy has to put on a condom, but he has no idea how to use them. He uses a lot of them, but it doesn’t work out. And then Trish’ daughter walks in.

Moment # 7: Health clinic
Andy takes Trish’ daughter Marla to a health clinic, to learn about birth control. He sees a model of a vagina and when he picks it up it falls apart and he can’t put it together anymore.

Moment # 8: Heat of the moment
Andy and Trish had a fight and she gets in her car and drives off. Andy follows her on his bike, but Trish is to fast. He takes a shortcut, but when a huge billboard pops out of nowhere he flies trough it.

Moment # 9: Hair medley
After Andy’s big moment, all the characters start singing a medley from the musical Hair.



Favorite Moment: : Moment# 5: Waxing

Top 5 Thursday: Funny Ladies

Today in my Top 5, I will share with you who are in my opinion the funniest women in showbusiness.

5. Ellen Degeneres
Ellen did the voice of Dory, the forgetful blue fish in “Finding Nemo”. Although she was great in this animation, I prefer her as a host and stand-up comedian. She cracks me up everytime.

4. Julie Bowen
I didn’t know her before “Modern Family” but she won over my heart as the loveable Claire Dunphy. I later realized that Julie was also in “Lost”, but she couldn’t really be funny in that show.

3. Christina Applegate
She got famous because of her role in “Married… with Children” as the beautiful but not-so-bright Kelly Bundy. Later on she appeared in several films, like “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”, “The Big Hit” and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy”. And she made the crappy movie “The Sweetest Thing” worth watching because she was the only funny aspect in that film. In “Samantha Who” she again proved us why she’s so funny.

2. Leslie Mann
She’s in so many movies and I always like her characters. She stole the show in “The 40 Year Old Virgin” where she appeared in one scene as a drunk woman Steve Carrel’s character picked up. And what about her performances in “Big Daddy”, “Knocked Up” and “Funny People”. This woman deserves more credit.

1. Kristen Wiig
Without a doubt the funniest woman I’ve ever seen on TV. She rocks in every “SNL” sketch she’s in. Especially as the woman of the two A-holes, Ginny, Penelope and one of the sisters from the Finger Lakes. I loved her in “Adventureland” and “Whip It”. I’m a bit ashamed that I haven’t seen “Bridesmaids”, but nobody wanted to go see it with me.

They almost made the top 5: Amy Poehler, Jenna Fisher, Queen Latifah and Jennifer Aniston

Best of... Leslie Mann

I hear you think... WHO??? Well, Leslie Mann is always one of the supporting actresses in a film and she (almost everytime) steals the show with her hilarious appearance. She's mostly famous for her husband, director Judd Apotow, but she has a nice resume of her own. Here are my favorite films.

"The Cable Guy"
Great comedy! Basically we've got to thank Jim Carrey, because Leslie hadn't gotten her fame yet. This movie is so funny and has some great, memorable scenes in it.

"She's the One"
This one was also on the Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz lists. I think not a lot of people remember it very well, but it's a very good and not so standerd romantic movie. Very underrated.

"George of the Jungle"
Not one to take very seriousley, but definitely worth putting on this list. I liked the way this story was told, with a voice-over. It was all a bit over-the-top, but that's why this movie is so enjoyable. It's a parody on Tarzan and fun for young and old audience. One of the first movies I saw Leslie in.

"Big Daddy"
Adam Sandler is the big star here, but I like the interaction between Leslie and Adam very much. Their characters can't stand each other and they delivers us some great jokes and moments.

"Orange County"
Leslie Mann is hilarious is her miniature role as Krista. She playes the new wife of John Lithgow's character and they have a son that doesn't ever listen. That's typical for Mann, no matter how small her role is you never seem the overlook her.

"40 Year Old Virgin"
I think this is my favorite movie and my favorite Leslie role on this list. She's one of Steve Carell's hook-ups and she is crazy as hell. She tries to drunk drive and she curses a lot. I was roling on the ground of laughter.

"Knocked Up"
Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen are the leading stars, but Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd play this uber-funny married couple trying to give the other couple advise. Especially Leslie rocks when she's taking the pregnancy test with her sister.

"Funny People"
She teams up with Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen again. This is a bit different. It's not hilarious humor, a bit more introvert. But I loved this movie very much. Especially when Leslie's character Laura tried to immitate her husbands Australian accent.

"Drillbit Taylor"
Owen Wilson steals the show and so do the kids. Leslie plays the love interest and this is actually a pretty standard movie. But it was fun and I liked Leslie.

I didn't see "I Love You Phillip Morris" and "17 Again" and she's starring in "The Change Up" now with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman. After making this list I realized how many fun and entertaining films she's made.

Movie Tip #7 - The 40 Year Old Virgin

Director: Judd Apatow

Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul rudd, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch

Description: Andy (Steve Carell) at the age of 40 still hasn't had sex. He lets his secret slip at a poker game with his buds from work. After the revealing all his friends are on a mission to help get him laid. Along the way Andy meets a nice mom: Trish (Catherine Keener) who fall head over heels for each other.

Review: Judd Apatow made a fantastic comedy with a very likeable leading man. I just love the way Apatow told the story about a 40- year old man who's still a virgin. He brought it with a lot of integrity though with a lot of humour. You just sympathize Andy and we have to thank Steve Carell for that. Some scenes are memorable, like the wax- scene (auch!!!). It's not hilarious, but the humour is very constant. And the Hair songs in the end are worth waiting for... Go see!