TV Show Review - The Four Seasons

Season: 1
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Number of episodes: 8
Year: 2025
Starring: Tina Fey, Will Forte, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Marco Calvani, Kerri Kenney, Erika Henningson   

Description: Three suburban couples vacation together each season, but tensions arise when one couple splits up and the husband brings a much younger woman on subsequent trips.  

Review: A 25-year marriage is hard work, but the love is worth it, the group friends in “The Four Seasons” agree. Until one of them decided to end their marriage.

A trio of befriended couples can’t figure out how you define love after 25 years of marriage. Is it a soulmate? Or just devotion?

When the friend meet up in Spring, one of them decides he wants to leave their partner. He is unhappy and is marriage is boring, he tells his friends. We follow the group of friends a full year; during Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Each season taking up two episodes.

You really fly through this series, since each episode is about 30-minutes long. And you will effortlessly care about these characters. Especially Danny, played by Colman Domingo, and Claude, a role by Marco Calvani, really stole my heart. “The Four Seasons” is a lighthearted, warm and comical series, without becoming bland. Not a series you would expect a shocking twist from, but it does happen.

It's a fun series, that will have a second season, which is needed after that major cliffhanger. A great assemble cast, that portray characters you really care about. Would recommend.

00s Movie Review - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
Genre: Animation/ Family
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2009
Starring: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Mr. T, Bruce Campbell, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, Will Forte, Andy Samberg

Description: Local scientist Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) is often regarded ad a failure until he invents a machine that can make food fall from the sky. But little does he know, that things are about to take a turn for the worst.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2020 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 16: A MOVIE BASED ON A CHILDREN’S BOOK

Review: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is the debut film of Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Flint Lockwood still lives with his father in a town that is known for sardines. In his room, he works on his inventions and every single one of them has turned into a disaster. Until he creates a machine that turns water into food and it actually works. By accident, the machine gets up in the air and all of a sudden it starts raining food.
The set-up is pretty standard. Flint has a struggling relationship with his father, he meets journalist Sam Sparks that also likes ‘nerdy stuff’ and both relationships and Flint’s journey to success are going to develop towards the end. In between there is enough to enjoy both visually and comedically.
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is definitely a fun animation, with an enjoyable story based on the children’s book by Judi and Ron Barrett. A great family film.

Rating: 3,5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Good Boys

Director: Gene Stupnitsky
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Lil Rey Howry, Will Forte

Description: Three 6th grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.

Review: “Good Boys” opening credits take you along the walls and across the desk of a boys' room. It's one like so many, with model airplanes, picture frames and toys lying around. When the main actors and production workers are introduced to the public, the image comes to rest with an average boy, about twelve years old, playing games in bed. And as in so many films of this genre, this kid is going to experience an enormously recognizable milestone in his life. A milestone after which everything will be different, and not in the way he had in mind. Max, as he's called, is going to his first kissing party soon.
The film follows a fairly common, and generally quite successful, pattern. Max goes to the kissing party with his two best friends Lucas and Thor, but not before some increasingly unsolvable problems have been overcome. A number of unlikely and recurring friends, enemies and jokes are made, all of which coincide in an insane apotheosis, in “Good Boys” the kissing party, where everything goes slightly different than planned. Put the course of this film next to that of “Superbad” or “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle”, and the similarities are obvious.
The two pillars on which such films rest are the recognizability of the situations and the quality of the jokes. Unfortunately, in “Good Boys” there is a lot to be said for both, although both aspects certainly have their strong points. For example, writers Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg constantly succeed in making children's experiences recognizable in a playful way. There is nothing in the world as important as that one kissing party. However, this youthful innocence and ignorance are also an important source of jokes. They make fun of the endearing innocence and the bubble the kids are sitting in is pierced repeatedly, usually for a cheap laugh.
At the same time, the second point of criticism: the jokes. In this genre, good humor can keep the whole thing going, regardless of the quality of the rest of the film. Usually the humor is a bit juvenile, but also sharp and on the edge, especially on the edge of good taste. However, the choice of three children as the main characters makes it difficult for the humor to get past the slapstick level. A first kiss and a sneaky sip of beer aren't as outrageous as shooting your virginity or shooting at a police car, although a twelve-year-old might think so. The running gags are good, that is, but not strong enough to keep the whole thing exciting for an hour and a half.

Rating: 2,5 / 5

Movie Reviews - Booksmart

Director: Olivia Wilde
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Jason Sudeikis, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, Diana Silvers, Billy Lourd

Description: On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined not to fall short of their peers, the girls try to cram four years of fun into one night.

Review: Molly and Amy are not popular at their high school, but they really don’t care about that. The two girls can be found in libraries in the weekends and never at their classmates’ parties. But that’s okay, because in the end they will be the ones going to prestige colleges. When Molly finds out that even their classmates, that don’t care about school at all and party all the time, also managed to get into those schools. And they have let high school pass by like that, without having all the fun. Their plan is to catch up on what they missed out on all those years, but they only have one night to do it in.
“Booksmart” is the directorial debut of Olivia Wilde and it’s an interesting choice for the actress to start with this kind of movie. The genre of high school comedy has, since “Superbad”, not brought us a lot of refreshing movies. And looking at just the plot, “Booksmart” looks like another one of these unforgettable films. But luckily for us, it’s a wonderful film that measures up to “Superbad”. “Booksmart” is clever, innovative, funny and a film with a lot of heart. We don’t only have Olivia Wilde to thank for that, but also the screenplay and cast.
To start with the first: the excellent writing brings dynamic between the two main characters and make it look natural and credible. The dialogues are smart, fast and hilarious. And it constantly avoids expectations and conventions.
The stars f the film are the duo Amy and Molly, portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. Their chemistry is strong, sympathetic and believable. It’s fun to take the trip with them on this crazy night.
Within the genre of the teen comedy, “Booksmart” is a true gem. A hilarious cast and great writing make sure for a film that will speak to a broader audience. An excellent debut for director Olivia Wilde.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 87: Nebraska

Director: Alexander Payne

Genre: Comedy/ Drama

Runtime: 115 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, Stacey Keach

Description: Woody (Bruce Dern) is an aging, booze-addled father who makes the trip from Montana to Nebraska with his estranged son David (Will Forte) in order to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize.

Review: We go on another trip with director Alexander Payne. This time we travel to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the elderly Woody thinks a million dollars is waiting for him. After getting a letter, he seriously thinks he has won a million dollars. Woody is determined to get that money and because no one can change his mind, his son David takes him there. On the way there, they make a stop in Hawthorne, where Woody’s family lives.

This film fits Payne’s oeuvre perfectly. Humor and melancholy alternate. Father and son grow closer during the road trip together. Although the movie shows some similarities with Payne’s previous film “Sideways”, “About Schmidt” and “The Descendants”, it dares to be different because it was filmed in black and white. This gives the film a timeless quality.

The acting is fantastic. Bruce Dern really carries the film as Woody. That Oscar nomination should have been a win. And Will Forte, who is mostly known for little roles in silly comedies, really surprised. His performance is vulnerable and touching. And June Squibb, as Woody’s wife Kate, is hilarious.

Alexander Payne managed to make another great movie, it’s moving and full of heart.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 13: The Watch

Director: Akiva Schaffer
Genre: Comedy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade, Rosemarie DeWitt, Will Forte Description: Four men who form a neighborhood watch group as a way to get out of their day-to-day family routines find themselves defending the Earth from an alien invasion.

Review: It’s a very noble deed: starting a neighborhood watch to help de police out. Evan is the initiator, but only three other people in Glenview want to help him. Soon the four men stumble upon something that’s bigger than any of them: extraterrestrials. That’s basically the story and you shouldn’t take it too seriously. It’s a simplistic comedy with jokes that pass you in warp speed. Occasionally they will make you laugh, but they’re mostly juvenile sex jokes.
Although we’re dealing with a cast who has lots of experience with the comedy genre, they don’t lift “The Watch” to a level above average. Ben Stiller is just being his silly self, Vince Vaughn is overly loud and outspoken and Jonah Hill is constantly proving that he’s not a loser. The one that made me laugh the most was Richard Ayoade, who’s just starting to make a name in Hollywood. But then again he’s British and their humor is almost always better than American humor.
Time goes fast while watching this movie, but when it comes to humor the makers were aiming for quantity instead of quality. “The Watch” isn’t a movie you should expect much from, it’s simple and easy to watch.

Rating: 2/ 5