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Can McCarthy Be The Life Of The Party?

Can McCarthy Be The Life Of The Party?

by | May 9, 2018

Melissa McCarthy Heads Back To College To Be The Life Of The Party?

 

Melissa McCarthy has been on a role over the last few years, making her impact in the movie industry. Now, most of the films may not be the movie of the year caliber, but they are films that envoke the human heart and a massive splash of laughter. Something, any soul, can appreciate. One thing is for sure; she is one of the most consistent and successful comedians working in Hollywood today. Her efforts do not stop with her newest film, Life of the Party.

One of the elements of McCarthy’s consistency is the type of particular role that she plays in a specific vein of modern comedy. Roles, where she less occupied in making the viewers laugh out loud than it is making them taste a kind of humorous empathy with characters. She’s used a mixture of her excellent comic timing, honesty and gonzo nature massively over the last decade.

In Life of the Party, she portrays Deanna, newly divorced and remorseful that she never completed her college degree. So, seeing a chance, she registers at the same college her daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon) is attending. This presents opportunities for both problems and mother-daughter bonding.

The tone of the narrative is one that is a topic that is quite common these days. Women in the past have been asked to put their hopes and dreams on hold and let the husband take the lead until the husband abandons her because he is tired of a “boring” life.

As Deanna embraces fulfilling her dreams to be an archeologist, there are moments and situations where things become awkward and even embarrassing for her. Other times, where it is awkward for Maddie, who has her mother is her graduating class with her. The story leaves plenty of opportunities for jokes and scenarios based on Deanna’s age and appearance.

Now I must admit, the beginning of the film seemed abrupt and challenging to hold traction regarding the plot. It seemed a little forced. However, it quickly corrects itself and captivates the attention of the audience.

The film comes full circle, filled with heartfelt emotion and laughs that will leave a smile on your face by the end of it. This is an enjoyable movie, and I recommend it. It has some mild nudity and minimal drug usage, so it is not for little ones. It would serve great as a date night or just a night out.

Blockers, A New Spin On An Adult Teen Raunchy Comedy

Blockers, A New Spin On An Adult Teen Raunchy Comedy

by | Apr 4, 2018

John Cena & Leslie Mann Take The Win In Teen Sex Comedy Blockers

Director: Kay Cannon
Writers: Brian Kehoe, Jim Kehoe
Stars: Leslie Mann, John Cena, Ramona Young 

Synopsis: Three parents try to stop their daughters from having sex on Prom night.

 

Blockers is an adult raunch comedy that revolves around three high school girls who make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night. Little do they know, their parents come together to ruin their plans.

Blockers is the directing debut for the Pitch Perfect screenwriter, Kay Cannon. Cannon pushes the strengths of its cast while capturing the different dynamics in the 3 (sets) of parents and their conflicts.

Single mom Lisa (a substantial role for Leslie Mann) is having denial issues with the imminent departure of her daughter Julie (Kathryn Newton) for college. Next, you have WWE Superstar John Cena, who plays the role of Mitchell. Mitchell is a slightly jacked sized dad but holds some strong feminine qualities mixed with small doses of testosterone(that itself is funny). He tries to have a bonding relationship with daughter Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) as if she was his son but wears a dress. Then there is divorcee dad Hunter (Gideon Adlon) who has not been around since the marriage dissolved. He now recognizes the value of his daughter’s relationship and tries to salvage it by making sure her prom night is a memorable one.

Blockers,John Cena,Leslie Mann,

After the girls leave for prom, the parents stumble upon a confusing bit of emojis that they ultimately discover the sex pact and set out to track them down and stop them from consummating the night.

What ensues as a crazy chase all over town, quite a few disastrous events occur just adding to the drama but keeps you laughing. Even in the midst of all these events, the trio of parents finds a way to work through their dilemmas. Coincidently, the three girls are working through their issues too.

Blockers is more on the rated R side of comedy. Especially with lines like “Penises are more like plungers.” The film also balances teen humor with adult humor. I mean imagine parading through a hough naked and blindfolded chasing your partner down by their own “musk.”

The movie portrays what a typical environment is for today’s teen. They set out to have a great time. In doing so the insecurities of the parents is brought to light, something many parents today can relate to. Even with the teen sex comedy, it highlights, in the end, some rethought decisions that lead to a better scenario for everyone.

This movie has the laughs, love, and appeal that make you think of American Pie or hell even any John Hughes film.

While talented and well-known talent casts the roles of the parents, the acting with the teens in the heart of the movie. These up and coming actresses sell their respective parts flawlessly.

The real predicament is whether the parents and the girls can make peace with the fact that everybody has to grow up. In the end, this movie has a bit of everything to keep you entertained. I was glad to see Cena’s acting get stretched. Also noting, Leslie Mann, who probably gives one of her best performances. I would see this movie again for sure.

Spielberg Captures The Heart Of Life In Ready Player One

Spielberg Captures The Heart Of Life In Ready Player One

by | Mar 28, 2018

Ready Player One Set In A VR Masterpiece, Comes To Life In The Eyes Of Steven Spielberg At SXSW

 

Ready Player One, the novel by Ernest Cline, on screen is a brilliant merger of the mind of Steven Spielberg and the adoption of the screenplay. Here is a film that any pop culture fanboy will cherish. With it premiering at this years SXSW Film Festival, the anticipation was quite high.

“I didn’t make this movie just for gamers, I made this for everybody.” ~ Steven Spielberg

Set in a dystopian trailer park in the city of Columbus in the year 2045. Within the trailer park stacks, you have Wade Watts, a real life nobody. In the virtual reality world, the Oasis, Wade finds himself to be a bit more. The Oasis is the primary way of life in the future. It is your entertainment, your fantasies, ambitions, and even your means to financial status. A world where gaming is life. Wade bares some remarkable friendships with some of the gaming elite in the alternative VR world. As you can imagine, he spends most of his time living strapped into his VR headset immersing himself in the Oasis. While there, surrounded by pop culture references that have become a way of life. These references stem from its’ creator the late James Halliday. Following his passing, it is announced that Halliday built one final game in the Oasis known as Anorak’s Quest. The mission calls for players to find three keys through a set of smaller objectives. Upon finding all three of Halliday’s keys, they will be granted the celebrated Easter Egg. This egg will give them full power and ownership of the Oasis and its assets in both worlds.

Wade Watts, whose avatar and handle is Parzival, becomes the first person to receive one of the coveted keys. In doing so draws the attention of legendary gamer, Art3mis, portrayed by Olivia Cooke. Wade also accidentally makes himself a mark for the Innovative Online Industries CEO Nolan Sorrento. Nolan, who is obsessed to take over the Oasis at any cost.

Pop Culture, Virtual Reality & Love Captivate The Hearts Of The Audience

I have to say that the combination of Spielberg, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, and the team at Industrial Light & Magic, knock this one out of the park. Capturing the VR setting and its’ potential to the big screen, to life is not an easy task for any studio. The vibe that the entire massively sized Oasis is derived from any and every fantasy you can conceive is phenomenal. Every landscape that you encounter in this film is full pop culture references, and they just are not part of the background but of the story itself.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this film, is not the incredible visual appeal and abundant references, but also the heart that Spielberg captures in this film. The message ultimately conveys that no matter how hard you try to design an artificial life, you should not lose sight of what the real world has to offer.

Spielberg does capture the character in James Halliday with inspiration and compassion between the struggle following your heart and chasing your ambitions. Not to mention the fellowship and bonds you acquire in life. There is so much emotional overtone mixed into the story that you end up leaving the theater feeling better about life.

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Steinel Embraces The Love Of Juggalos Everywhere In Family

Steinel Embraces The Love Of Juggalos Everywhere In Family

by | Mar 18, 2018

Sxswfamilymoviescreening 2 Noise From The Pit
Steinel Embraces The Love Of Juggalos Everywhere In Family 3

Juggalos Meet Taylor Schilling In Laura Steinel’s Family

Director: Laura Steinel

Writer: Laura Steinel

Stars: Taylor Schilling, Jessie Ennis, Kate McKinnon, Byrn Vale

SXSW is the top premiere spot to showcase a new film coming to the big screen in North America. With this year’s festival having a record number of films premiering, there was considerable buzz generated around Laura Steinel’s “Family.” Now I was a bit partial to this film. Sometime last year, a decent amount of people I knew were cast as “Juggalo” extras in this film. A good handful of those friends and even myself were invited to the red carpet screening at the Stateside Theater. It indeed was an honor to be a fly on the wall for such an event. Thank you Scotty D and Laura Steinel for inviting us all out.

Steinel’s Family Combines Laughter With Love And Acceptance

“Family” is a comedy-drama that focuses on a young teenager, Maddie,(Byrn Vale) looking for acceptance and love. A borrowed concept from the timeless John Candy classic, “Uncle Buck.” Kate(Taylor Schilling) is asked to care for Maddie while her parents go out of town to care for a dying family member. Kate is by no means fit to watch over anyone’s child, much less herself.

Kate is so self-absorbed and blunt in every minute of her day, she does not have the first idea of how to relate to Maddie. When she comes to find out she is being bullied at school, Kate relates from her own childhood. It is at that point the walls she has built around herself slowly begin to chip away. What was originally only supposed to be one night watching Maddie becomes a full week. This takes Kate entirely out of her comfort zone at work. This unexpected change causes her to start neglecting the details to land a huge new client.

Kate is known in the office to be cutthroat, but now that she is distracted trying to care for Maddie, and it begins to backfire on her. A younger and ambitiously hungry young woman named Erin (Jessie Ennis) begins to take a page out of Kate’s playbook. Kate’s focus begins to separate as she begins to focus less on work and more on caring for Maddie. The more she leans towards the nurturing side, the more Kate’s calloused exterior shell starts to crack away.

In the middle of Kate’s failed efforts, Maddie ends up going missing and finds her identity within the Juggalo family. At some point during the search for Maddie, Kate learns that she has made her way to the Gathering of the Juggalos. The Gathering is a music festival which has gained some notoriety and continues to be a topic of discussion in today’s pop culture.

The series of events proposes a moral decision of what is more important to Kate, working on her career or building a relationship with Maddie. By the end of the movie, you will find yourself in the feels. This production was brilliantly put together and structured. It made me quite happy to see Steinel portray Juggalos at their core, which compliments the storyline so well.

Steinel’s Family Will Having You Looking Past The Grease Paint And Faygo While Showering You In Love

When most people think of Juggalos and the whole subculture that surrounds it, many people are quick to pass judgment on them. What most people fail to realize is that most Juggalos can identify with the subject matter of the film. They can relate to people looking down on them. Juggalos have found love and acceptance within each other when the world tosses them aside.

One of the things I adore about this film is how that very same love and acceptance from the Juggalos is captured in this comedy gold classic. This movie captures the essence of family, not only by blood but also by bonds. Leaving the theater left me feeling thankful and cherishing all of the friends who were able to make it out to the premiere and beyond. Furthermore, it was an incredible experience hanging out with Laura Steinel and the rest of the cast. I look forward to seeing this one again. Whoop Whoop!

Unveiling the Powerful Connection between Steinel and the Juggalo Community

As the saying goes, “family is everything.” And for Steinel, a renowned brand in the entertainment industry, family extends beyond conventional boundaries. Steinel has successfully tapped into the vibrant and passionate world of Juggalos, embracing their unique culture, music, and unwavering loyalty. In this article, we will explore the powerful connection between Steinel and the Juggalo community, shedding light on their shared values, collaborations, and the impact they have made together.

The Juggalo Community: A Subculture Like No Other

Before delving into the partnership between Steinel and Juggalos, let’s take a moment to understand the Juggalo community itself. Rooted in the music genre of horrorcore, the Juggalo movement originated from the fanbase of the iconic duo, Insane Clown Posse. Juggalos are known for their fierce loyalty, vibrant face paint, and embracing a sense of belonging that transcends societal norms. They have created a close-knit community that values acceptance, individuality, and a shared love for music that speaks to their hearts.

Steinel: A Brand with a Passion for Music and Unity

Steinel is a brand that prides itself on understanding the power of music to bring people together. With a deep-rooted passion for the entertainment industry, Steinel has become synonymous with quality, innovation, and a commitment to fostering a sense of unity among diverse communities. By recognizing the unique spirit of Juggalos, Steinel has forged a bond that goes beyond traditional brand partnerships.

The Collaboration: Celebrating the Juggalo Spirit

Steinel’s collaboration with the Juggalo community has been a testament to their shared values and mutual respect. By embracing the Juggalo spirit, Steinel has created a range of exclusive merchandise, including clothing, accessories, and collectibles that pay homage to this vibrant subculture. Each item is carefully designed to capture the essence of the Juggalo community, celebrating their unique identity and inspiring a sense of pride among Juggalos worldwide.

Impact and Recognition: Steinel’s Commitment Shines Through

The impact of Steinel’s collaboration with Juggalos has been profound. By recognizing and embracing the Juggalo community, Steinel has not only expanded their customer base but also gained immense respect and recognition from Juggalos themselves. This partnership has allowed Steinel to connect with a passionate and dedicated fanbase, fostering a sense of inclusivity, and solidifying their commitment to celebrating diversity within the entertainment industry.

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future Together

As the bond between Steinel and the Juggalo community continues to grow, the future looks promising. Both entities share a passion for music, unity, and acceptance, making their partnership an enduring one. Steinel remains committed to creating innovative products and experiences that resonate with Juggalos, ensuring that they continue to feel seen, valued, and appreciated within the entertainment landscape.

FAQs

Q1: What is the Juggalo community?

The Juggalo community is a vibrant subculture that originated from the fanbase of the horrorcore music duo, Insane Clown Posse. Juggalos are known for their loyalty, face paint, and shared love for music that speaks to their hearts.

Q2: What is the collaboration between Steinel and Juggalos?

Steinel has collaborated with the Juggalo community to create exclusive merchandise that celebrates the Juggalo spirit. This collaboration has allowed Steinel to connect with Juggalos, expand their customer base, and foster a sense of inclusivity within the entertainment industry.

Q3: What impact has the collaboration had on Steinel and the Juggalo community?

The collaboration between Steinel and Juggalos has had a profound impact. Steinel has gained recognition, respect, and an expanded customer base by embracing the Juggalo community. Juggalos, on the other hand, feel seen, valued, and appreciated within the entertainment landscape.

 

Jennifer Lawrence Is Obsessed, Red Sparrow Soars

Jennifer Lawrence Is Obsessed, Red Sparrow Soars

by | Mar 2, 2018

Jennifer Lawrence Dances Her Way On Screen In This Adult Psychological Drama With Red Sparrow

Red Sparrow,Jennifer Lawrence,

Director: Francis Lawrence

Writer: Justin Haythe (screenplay), Jason Matthews (book)

Stars: Jennifer Lawrence,, Joel Edgerton, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeremy Irons

Synopsis: Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to ‘Sparrow School,’ a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. Her first mission, targeting a C.I.A. agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.

 

Red Sparrow, I went into this film not knowing what to expect. This is the first time I have seen Jennifer Lawrence play this sort of role. J-Law portrays a Russian spy in sex-themed suspense/action drama.

Red Sparrow is a wicked piece of work. While it is listed as action and suspense film, it leans more towards a psychological erotic espionage drama that maintains the story through plenty of twists, turns and even points of degradation. This is not a film for the children to watch, considering the nudity, sexual content and not to mention the graphic violence.

The Skinny On The Russian Spy Plot

Jennifer Lawrence lives out her character Dominika Egorova, by taking her to a personal hell that no woman should have to endure. She begins her role as a professional ballet dancer. Her career comes to an abrupt ending due to a debilitating injury. With that being her only means to care for herself and sickly mother, the weight bears down on her. During her recovery her uncle, who has ties to espionage quickly recruits her, pitting her against her new financial struggles. He gives her what is supposed to be just a one-time assignment. However, things go South very quickly, and she is given an ultimatum. She has to pick either a quick demise or to enroll herself in “Sparrow School.” This school is designed to teach young Russians in the skill of spy-craft with an emphasis on seduction. As J-Law boldly states, “whore school.”

Dominika does not exactly make the best impression on her instructor at first. Her defiance and lack of effort to influence the powers that be nearly send her to her death. With a bit of a wake-up call, her compliance comes full circle, which launches her into the playing field. At this point, this is where she lands her first assignment as a Red Sparrow.

Her target is a demoted CIA agent(Joel Edgerton), and she is to seduce him by any means possible. The film begins to leave you guessing at this point, with all of the nail-biting suspense. The direction of the film leaves you wondering if Dominika has fallen for the American or if she is still pursuing her assignment.

Red Sparrow ducks specific metaphors of this genre, as the relationship between the Russian spy and the CIA operative is not some grand love fantasy but merely two charming people who ultimately get sexually entangled with each other. Sure, the film teases with the whole “young Russian girl used as a reluctant pawn of the state is protected by a do-gooder American operative” thing, but the film does not work that theme at full volume. The picture remains relatively clinical about their alleged relationship, and that lack of disdain keeps us on our toes.

My Thoughts On Red Sparrow

Director Francis Lawrence crafts an unapologetically “big” film, giving lush production values, multiple situations, a sense of scale and a grown-up keenness. While the runtime of the film is long, it is certainly worth it. A shorter film may not have had the opportunity for Mary Louise Parker’s delightful glorified cameo. The remainder of the cast all savor the moment to dig into this kind of factor outside of pay cable.

Red Sparrow is a great, sprawling and unapologetically ruthless spy drama. It is more rooted in quality, sex, and violence than action scenes, which I absolutely love. Lawrence is magnificent; seeking to take control of her lot and trying to define what that would look like. I was continuously fascinated by how relentless the film was to all of its heroes and villains, as the film’s savageness and frank sexuality, from a major studio and starring a major female movie star, seems borderline daring in our think piece era.

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Competitive Fun You’ll Love In The Winning Comedy Game Night

by | Feb 22, 2018

Game Night Keeps The Laughs Coming

“Game Night,” a film about competitive game-loving partiers who end up taking their game night to the extreme. It is unquestionably a piercingly hilarious film that takes things to the edge.Directed by John Francis Daley along with Jonathan Goldstein, and written by Mark Perez. This is one of the films, I have been ready to check out this year. Check out my review below.

The main characters, Max and Annie (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams), regularly host a traditional game night at their suburban home. A wittily-edited opening montage shows that games like Pictionary, Scrabble, and charades are the framework of their relationship and drove to their marriage. The other gamers in this movie includes Ryan (Billy Magnussen), a dimwitted friend of Annie’s; Sarah (Sharon Horgan), Ryan’s much brighter date; the husband-wife duo of Kevin and Michelle (Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury); and Max’s estranged brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler), who’s a excels in ways that Max can only fantasize about.

Not only does Brooks project an image of success, but he is always one to out-do his brother, Max. So naturally, he takes over game night by inviting the gang to his mansion for an extreme version of game night. A version modeled by what is becoming more common these days, a murder mystery themed party. Things begin to take things for a roller coaster, taking the audience on consequential flips and turns, leading into straight chaos.

Brooks gets kidnapped in a home attack that everybody else thinks is just part of the game and threatened with murder if the rest do not surrender a cherished Faberge egg to a scary-voiced mastermind who’s giving them commands from afar. The rest of the crew splits up into teams and tries to unravel the mystery in their way, their paths occasionally re-crossing, only to deviate again.

I love how the screenwriter and directors tie the storyline to the psychology of the characters and structure the film as a quest for personal as well as sequential discovery. The brothers’ mutual resentment and rivalry are relevant here, as it helps develop the plot. Max and Annie’s failure to superfetate a child comes into play as well, as do the psychologies and pasts of other game night members. A subplot about Kevin’s infatuation with solving whether Michelle was ever unfaithful to him has an immense payoff.

“Game Night” is a nearly perfect entertainment for adults over a certain age. There’s a daring car chase, a brutal incident that leads to improvised surgery, and a house party with echoes of the masked scene in “Eyes Wide Shut,” but it is all entwined with annotation about aging, failure, doomed romanticism and sibling rivalry. The characters put it all over with flair—especially Bateman and McAdams, who complement each other’s ideas so deftly that they do seem as if they have been married forever, and Plemons, who steals every scene he is in through deft underplaying. Also, while there are a few touching times, the film never tries to set an overly emotional tone.

Even though the movie was a bit predictable at times, it was very entertaining. This movie is the perfect film for a date night or also if you are just looking to laugh. I will probably see it again when it opens up to the public.