Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Marielle Heller Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E Grant, Dolly Wells, Ben Falcone, Jane Curtin, Steven Spinella, Christian Navarro, Anna Deveare Smith. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is based on a true story about a struggling writer who, in the early 90s, forged a number of letters from prominent celebrities. It's a strange story about the creative process and the hardships faced by writers, but it gives Melissa McCarthy, better known for her raucous comedies, a straight dramatic role that has been earning her plenty of praise. Lee Continue reading
LIFE OF THE PARTY
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Ben Falcone Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Molly Gordon, Debby Ryan, Jack Benward, Jacki Weaver, Stephen Root, Maya Rudolph, Matt Walsh, Chris Parnell, Julie Bowen, Christina Aguilera. In 1986 comedian Rodney Dangerfield went Back To School for one of the better comedies of his career. Thirty years later, comic Melissa McCarthy goes back to school for this flat and largely unfunny and lifeless comedy. Life Of The Party is the third collaboration between McCarthy and her writer/director husband Ben Continue reading
CHIPS
Reviewed by GREG KING Director: Dax Shepard Stars: Dax Shepard, Michael Pena, Vincent D'Onofrio, Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Isiah Whitlock jr, Jessica McNamee, Ryan Hansen, Justin Chatwin, Ben Falcone, Richard T Jones, Jane Kaczmarek, Adam Rodriguez, Maya Rudolph, Rosa Salazar. Producers continue to tap into Gen X nostalgia by adapting classic television shows from the 60s and 70s for the big screen. Often though they get it wrong, by either miscasting iconic roles or by misjudging the tone of the piece or not understanding the appeal of the original, thereby Continue reading
OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY
Reviewed by GREG KING Directors: Josh Gordon and Will Speck Stars: Jason Bateman, T J Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney B Vance, Rob Corddry, Kate McKinnon, Abbey Lee, Olivia Munn, Karan Soni, Jillian Bell, Randall Park, Vanessa Bayer, Matt Walsh, Ben Falcone, Adrian Martinez, Sam Richardson, Fortune Feimster. It seems that writers of mainstream comedies these days have forgotten how to create genuinely funny and witty comedies, and they tend to equate adults misbehaving with comedy. This penchant for raunchy and largely unfunny comedy material seems to have Continue reading