DvD/Blu-Ray Releases – November 2015

November 3^rd

Inside Out – This is a story about a girl who is guided by her emotions (that live in an imaginary place called, ‘Headquarters’) who recently moves to San Francisco. Perhaps the synopsis isn’t the best selling point but I do know that many really enjoyed this film when they saw it in theaters. I tend to wait for these family movies to be available to rent. This has a 98% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The animated film stars the voices of Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader and Lewis Black.

 

Vacation – Rusty Griswald wants to do a family vacation right and make up for the Wally World vacation years earlier. Shenanigans seem to follow Rusty’s family as they make their way to America’s coolest theme park (that happens to be closing soon). I initially thought this film looked enjoyable but upon the extreme backlash it received from critics (Rotten Tomatoes: 26%), I decided to stay away. Look, I use the aggregator website to make more informed decisions so that I have a better chance of seeing a movie that I enjoy in theaters and not spend $10 a ticket. This is why I’ll likely rent this Vacation sequel. The film stars Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Beverly D’Angelo (original Griswald), Chevy Chase (original Griswald), Chris Hemsworth, and Leslie Mann.

 

The End of the Tour – This is a drama that follows conversations between writer, David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), and journalist, David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), as they journey across the Midwest on Wallace’s book tour. This was a story Lipsky was following for Rolling Stone that was never actually published. The film is directed by James Ponsoldt (The Spectacular Now). I like both of these actors. Why not?

 

Saving Christmas – Kirk Cameron is dropping those silly Left Behind movies and doing a silly Christmas movie! The movie follows a dude named Christian (oh, come on!) that is tired of the commercialization of Christmas and proceeds to be a Scrooge until his brother in-law shows him that Jesus has always been at the center of their family traditions. Have you ever seen how Kirk Cameron celebrates his Birthday? Reason I ask is because the image below details my level of excitement for this ‘film’.

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Digging for Fire – This follows a rather bored couple as they find a gun and a bone that thrusts them into an adventure that has them following clues with ridiculous results. The clues lead the couple to come to a realization about themselves and the meaning of life. The film stars fan favorite Jake Johnson (New Girl), Rosemarie DeWitt, Brie Larson, Orlando Bloom, Sam Rockwell, and Mike Birbiglia.

 

A LEGO Brickumentary – This documentary focuses on how Legos have affected pop culture from kids to ‘master builders’. The film is narrated by Jason Bateman. This looks mildly interesting. There are now Lego movies and video games for fans to enjoy. The term ‘Lego’ is derived from a Danish phrase meaning “play well”. I never really got into Legos. What does that say about me?

 

She’s Funny that Way – Izzy (Imogen Poots) is a Broadway actress that used to be a prostitute. Her former life catches up with her when the director of the play hires her to be an escort. It doesn’t help that the director is married to the star of the play or that the writer is dating Izzy’s therapist. The comedy is directed by Peter Bogdanovich (Mask). And no, that’s not The Mask but the one with Eric Stoltz, Sam Elliot and Cher. This film also includes Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson, Will Forte and Kathryn Hahn. If my ‘description’ didn’t pull you in, I’m not sure what will. Pass!

 

Before We Go – As a woman attempts to get home before her husband does, she ends up missing her train and meeting a street musician who helps guide her on the way home. As they walk the streets of New York, they form a romantic bond as they share perspectives of life and love, etc. This is Chris Evans’ directorial debut in which he also stars alongside Alice Eve.

 

10,000 Days – In this TV looking movie, a comet hits Earth and wipes most everyone out but a few survivors. Twenty seven years later, the Earth plummets into a new Ice Age where a family struggles to survive. We’ve never seen one of these movies before! There aren’t any critic reviews for this film because they were all smart enough to stay away.

 

The Final Girls- This is about a group of people that are sucked into a 1980s Slasher/Horror film and must work together with the film’s camp counselors to try to survive. This actually looks pretty interesting. It at least has a half way original script. The film stars Taissa Farmiga, Malin Akerman, and Adam Devine. I wonder why they are releasing this after Halloween.

 

Tiger House – Kelly, an injured gymnast, decides to surprise visit her boyfriend but finds herself defending the house against a home invasion (I guess?). The house ends up turning into a bloody arena where Kelly must use her skills to escape. Ed Skrein (the new Transporter), Dougray Scott (the bad guy in Mission Impossible 2) and Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) star. I still don’t know why this is called ‘Tiger House’ and I don’t really care to find out either.

 

November 10^th

Trainwreck – Oh, this movie. It started out so well and then took a turn into mediocrity towards the run of the mill 3^rd act. For a full review check here. Amy was taught by her father that monogamy isn’t realistic and lives her life that way until she is forced to do a sports article for her magazine employer. Her subject, Dr. Conners, ends up challenging her conventions on monogamy. The film stars Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Mike Birbiglia, Lebron James and John Cena (who was hilarious). The film wasn’t a total letdown but ended up achieving mediocrity by its end.

 

Terminator Genisys – Arnie is an aging Terminator in this attempt (again) to reboot the franchise. The idea behind this one involves the manipulation of timelines. John Connor (in the future) sends Kyle Reese to protect his mother, Sarah Connor, in 1984. An expected turn of events changes what we know of Sarah Connor. Sarah is no longer a helpless waitress but rather a skilled fighter that has a Terminator guardian by her side (Arnie). Together they must prevent a new future from happening. Blah blah….been there, done that. ‘Genisys’ ended up making $100 million domestically (which is pretty terrible when considering previous installments) and another $300 million (thanks to China). The film more than made up for its budget ($155 million) so you can expect another ‘Terminator’ film sooner rather than later — because money.

 

Mr. Holmes – You can sign me up for whatever Sherlock Holmes. Ian McKellen stars as the aging, legendary detective that tries to solve a case that has eluded him and sent him into retirement. With the help of his housekeeper’s son, Sherlock will have to use his master skills despite having a failing memory. I cannot wait to see this! The film is directed by Bill Condon (Kinsey, Dreamgirls) and co-stars Laura Linney and Milo Parker.

 

Selfless – An aging billionaire (Ben Kingsley) with cancer decides to cheat death and turns to a shadowy corporation that promises him a new lease on life by transferring his consciousness to the cadaver of a young man (Ryan Reynolds). Things begin to go awry when he starts to have flashbacks of the host body that lead him to believe the cadaver was murdered. The movie seems very similar to the film Seconds by John Frankenheimer (French Connection II, The Manchurian Candidate) that starred Rock Hudson. I believe everyone just wants to see Reynolds in Deadpool at this point. It’s clear he can’t really shake the type of character that made him famous – Van Wilder. Also, what is it with Ben Kingsley just saying ‘yes’ to every film project? Anyways, the movie co-stars Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Derek Luke, and Victor Garber and was directed by Tarsem Singh (The Fall, Immortals).

 

Tangerine – A hooker is recently released from jail only to find out that her pimp cheated on her. She races across L.A. during Christmas to uncover the truth behind her lover’s affair. What a strange story. If you cared, the comedy/drama stars Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and Karren Karagulian.

 

Pay the Ghost- Nicolas Cage is at it again in another straight to video movie! In a truly inspiring story, Mike Cole (Cage) loses his son during a Halloween parade and must team up with his estranged wife to locate their child. Both of them soon come to realize that their son’s disappearance is due to a vengeful ghost. Time is ticking as they must rescue their son from the spirit world. The movie is directed by Uli Edel (The Little Vampire).

 

November 17^th

The Man from UNCLE – This seems to be one of those films that didn’t look the best based upon their previews but hit well with critics (for the most part). This is based off the 1964 TV series and forces CIA agent, Solo (Henry Cavill), to work with KGB agent, Kurakin (Armie Hammer), to work together during the height of the Cold War to stop an international crime organization bent on using nuclear weapons to destabilize power worldwide. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes) and co-stars Alicia Vikander, Hugh Grant and Jared Harris.

 

We Are Your Friends – In this ‘film’ Zac Efron stars as Cole, an aspiring DJ that is trying to make a name for himself in Hollywood. He is taken under the wing of an older DJ named James so that he can have his first break. Things get complicated when Cole falls for James’ girlfriend and he must choose between his potential big career or love. This movie made no friends with critics or audiences. It holds a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes and made a dismal $3.5 million at the box office worldwide. It may be a beautiful disaster but not one I’d waste my time with, at least not until my options are limited or someone kidnaps me trying to torture my eyes and brain.

 

The Stanford Prison Experiment- I believe this experiment is examined/discussed in most Psychology courses now right? The experiment was controversial as it raises interesting questions about human behavior and morality. The study was to examine the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. Willing participants signed up for their roles in the experiments but never knew that they fall into a psychological trap where they would really feel that they were in the positions they pretended they were in. Example: Guards were abusing the prisoners and many prisoners accepted psychological abuse. Even Zimbardo, the scientist behind the experiment, was affected by his role as ‘superintendent’. Controversial for sure but not sure what a movie would do for entertainment. The film has an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. I bet the ‘awe’ factor is simply taken away as people like me know the outcome of the infamous experiment. The film stars Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, and Tye Sheridan.

 

Jimmy’s Hall – This movie follows a dude named Jimmy who was exiled from Ireland for ten years and decides to come back and start a dance hall. However, not everyone is happy about it, including the priest. Meanwhile, everyone in the town seems to be in good spirits again with the dance hall. Sounds like a Footloose rip off to me!

 

Trash – This movie is trash! I couldn’t help myself. Actually, this film is about two trash diving guys that seem to have struck gold when they realize a misplaced wallet gets a whole group of people up in arms. The film boosts an impressive cast that includes Rooney Mara, Martin Sheen and Wagner Moura (Narcos). The film is directed by Stephen Daldry (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Hours, The Reader). This might be worth of checking out if you’re a fan of intriguing dramas.

 

November 24^th

No Escape – A family moves to Southern Asia but things get crazy when there is a political coup with new leaders looking to eradicate all foreigners from the country. Owen Wilson (in a dramatic role), Pierce Brosnan (he’s still got it!) and Lake Bell star. The director, John Erick Dowdle, did that Quarantine movie in 2008.

 

Ricki and the Flash – In this box office disappointment, Meryl Streep plays an aging rock star named Ricki that is informed that her daughter is going through a messy divorce. Ricki later comes to a realization that she missed out on her children’s lives while trying to chase stardom. Kevin Kline, Sebastian Stan and Rick Springfield co-star. You may wanna use your time watching something else.

 

Shaun the Sheep Movie – This family adventure follows a sheep (Shaun) that doesn’t always go with his flock. Shaun takes the day off and causes havoc on a farm which ends up leading the rest of the flock to the Big City to find the farmer that left his post due to Shaun’s antics. The film is highly praised (believe it or not) with a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is obviously animated but does have me curious how there would be a live action adaptation.

 

American Ultra – In a really creative premise, this follows a stoner, Mike (Jesse Eisenberg), who is about to propose to his girlfriend, Phoebe (Kristen Stewart), but then begins having panic attacks and is later revealed to be a highly trained sleeper agent that the government wants to get rid of. Mike and Phoebe end up learning further truths while trying to escape the many killers after them. The movie co-stars Topher Grace, Tony Hale, John Leguizamo, Walter Goggins, and Bill Pullman. The action/comedy/drama is on my radar.

 

The Badger Game – In this crime/drama, Alex and Jane are two mistresses that try to blackmail a rich adulterer, Liam, but things don’t go as planned when it is revealed that their bargaining chip is worthless – Liam doesn’t care that his wife knows of his affairs. In a battle of wills, the mistresses must come up with a new plan.

 

Underdogs – This animated film centers on a talented foosball player, Amadeo, who loves foosball and even beats the town bully, Flash. Everything seems right in the world until a few years later when Flash becomes the world’s best soccer player with plans to destroy Amadeo’s village with a new sports stadium. The film is directed by Juan Jose Campanella (The Secret in Their Eyes).

Upcoming DvD Movie Releases for October 2015 (plus expert analysis)

October 2nd

The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron – The box office smash sequel pits the Avengers against a one-dimensional villain. This has moments of awesome but mostly settles as a bloated super hero movie. Full review here.

October 6th

Magic Mike XXL – Channing Tatum and pals bare it all…again. McConaughey decided to focus on better movies and does not appear in this oversized sequel. Elizabeth Banks, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, and Jada Pinkett Smith co-star.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – This is a movie about two aspiring, young filmmaker friends that end up making a film for a girl that has leukemia. They learn more about their friendship and the fragility of life. The cast includes Hugh “Wolverine” Jackman, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation), Molly Shannon (SNL alum) and Jon Bernthal (The Walking Dead, upcoming 2nd season of Daredevil).

Manglehorn – A dramedy about a locksmith (Al Pacino) that has trouble living in the present. Can we just get a The Devil’s Advocate sequel already?! Pacino seems to be wasting time on these cutesy movies that have a limited audience. Anyways, the movie focuses on how this locksmith mopes through life in a small Texas town and lives in his tragic, lovelorn past when he desperately needs to change his present. The movie is directed by David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Your Highness) and co-stars Holly Hunter.

Insidious: Chapter 3 – In this prequel, a girl tries to contact her late mother so she recruits a reluctant psychic with grave results. For some reason Dermot Mulroney is in this. Why? Rotten Tomatoes: 53%.

Road Hard – This comedy follows a character named Bruce Madsen, a successful actor/comedian, who decides to change things up and go back to his roots and perform in the comedy club circuit. Things don’t turn out as expected which forces Bruce (played by Adam Carolla) to reevaluate his career. This sounds like an auto-biographical snooze fest! Anyways, the movie co-stars David Koechner (Anchorman, Waiting).

Batkid Begins – This follows a five year-old boy, suffering from leukemia that gets a chance to be Batman for a day via the Make a Wish foundation.

10,000 Saints – A group of smugglers learn the hard price of growing up and the value of family in the backdrop of 1980s New York City. The cast includes Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Gattaca) , Asa Butterfield (Ender’s Game, Hugo) , Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Emile Hirsch (The Girl Next Door), and Emily Mortimer. There may be a reason this was released direct to video.

Dark Places – From the author of Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) comes a story about a woman (Libby) trying to run away from her tragic past and her brother, who she blames for murdering the rest of her family. She is then contacted by a group that specializes in unsolved cases. Libby (played by Charlize Theron) must decide if she wants to accept the past or truly find the killer responsible. This movie came and went in theaters. The movie co-stars Chloe Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass), Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men). It holds a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Proceed with caution!

Escobar: Paradise Lost – Nick and his brother move from Canada to Colombia during the 1980s to set up a surf shop. There, Nick falls for Maria, who happens to be the niece of Pablo Escobar. Things get worse from there as Nick is recruited to stash away Escobar’s assets before he serves a jail sentence. I’m slightly interested in this but I have to say that Narcos on Netflix deals primarily with Escobar’s rise/fall and that seems a lot more interesting. This film features Benicio Del Toro (Traffic, upcoming Sicario) as Escobar and co-stars Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games).

Final Girl – Veronica is new in town and becomes a target for a group of boys who hunt and kill women in the woods for sport. The tables are turned when Veronica is actually a trained assassin. Abigail Breslin (Ender’s Game, Maggie) stars alongside Wes Bentley (that creepy video recorder dude from American Beauty, bearded weirdo in The Hunger Games).

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – This is a riveting documentary that chronicles the rise of the Church of Scientology and the followers and defectors that provide insight into the often shocking inner workings of the fastest growing church. Archival footage and interviews with current and former members (that include many Hollywood stars – Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Paul Haggis, etc.) make this a documentary worth catching. My full review is here.

People Places Things – Flight of the Concords alum, Jermaine Clement, stars in this comedy about a happily married professor with two kids that deals with the affair between his friend and his wife. He finds out that the single life with kids isn’t what he was expecting. I happen to enjoy Clement’s sense of humor and may give this a go.

Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! – Talk about beating a dead horse. That wasn’t a request. Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210) and Tara Reid (American Pie) try to hold onto their careers in the popular, purposefully bad SyFy original movie. The outlandish, most once famous cast includes: Frankie Muniz, Bo Derek, David Hassehoff and Mark Cuban (as the President). You know what’s better than a purposefully bad movie? An unintentionally bad movie. See: The Room, Birdemic: Shock and Terror.

What We Did On Our Holiday – As Gordy nears his 75th Birthday, his son and his family decide to visit him in Scotland. Things go awry when his son’s kids are brutally honest and are unable to keep any secrets, which makes an already awkward family trip more awkward. The film stars David Tennant (Doctor Who), Billy Connolly, and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl).

October 13th

San Andreas – Hey, what’s shakin’?! Well, the Rock of course! This is an epic destruction movie for people that enjoy flashy special effects and a sub-par story or…..they just go for the Rock. I don’t blame them. Believe it or not, the movie co-stars Carla Gugino (Watchmen) and Paul Giamatti (Sideways).

Tommorowland – This film probably had the most promise this summer but was an utter disappointment. The marketing was interesting and the director, Brad Bird, has had nothing but success with his earlier films: The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Iron Giant. Check out a full review here.

The Gallows – A group of high school students try to put on a play that failed twenty years earlier and resulted in the death of a student, Charlie. The event is meant to be cathartic for the town on the anniversary of Charlie’s death, but a group of students sabotage the production to help the lead actor avoid stage fright. The group’s actions have grave consequences as Charlie’s story isn’t finished. This story is actually more elaborate than more horror films but still sounds boring.

Dope – We follow a high school student named Butler (Blake Anderson) who tries to stay on the straight and narrow amongst a town (Inglewood, CA) that would rather get by on dealing drugs and making easy money. Butler has aspirations of going to Harvard and leaving the city behind but is tested one night at a party. Lenny Kravitz’s daughter, Zoe Kravitz, costars.

October 20th

Jurassic World – Doctor John Hammond’s future dinosaur world is realized twenty two years later in Jurassic World. Just as any company would do if public interest were waning, they need to innovate new ways to attract people across the world. Of course, if your company happens to be a giant dinosaur zoo, innovation can spell doom in the form of a genetically modified dinosaur, the Indominus Rex. The movie is a lot of fun if you don’t think too much about the story. Check out my full review here. The movie stars Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation, Guardians of the Galaxy), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), and Jake Johnson (New Girl, Let’s Be Cops).

Paper Towns – A high school student, Quentin, has always pined for Margo his entire life and when she breaks into his house asking for his help in a revenge plot, he agrees. After their adventure, Margo has disappeared from their school but not without leaving clues for Quentin to follow that will end up changing how he really feels for her. This is based off the book of the same name by author John Green (who also wrote The Fault in Our Stars). The film stars up and comer, Cara Delevingne (upcoming Suicide Squad) and Nat Wolff. You’d have to drag me to see a movie like this. Quirky, romantic movies irritate me because they are highly unrealistic yet pretend they aren’t.

Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ – I don’t usually cover Japanese anime movies but I guess I’m always a little fond of the Dragon Ball Z tv show (when it aired on Cartoon Network back in the day). This details how big baddie, Frieza, is back after falling to Goku’s Super Saiyan years ago. Frieza is hell bent on revenge, even without an actual body. It’s up to Goku and Vegeta to work together. I’d probably save this for hung over Sunday mornings (before football of course).

The Vatican Tapes – Two Vatican priests are out to exorcise a woman believed to be possessed by the Anti-Christ. They must work to save her soul and for humanity…blah..blah…This uninspired movie stars Dougray Scott (MI: 2), Djimon Hounsou (Amistad) , and Michael Pena (Ant-Man). Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%.

Testament of Youth – Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina) and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) star in this World War I drama. Vera Brittain (Vikander) postpones her studies to become a nurse as her loved ones, including Harrington head to war. Brittain later becomes a writer, feminist, and pacifist. The film doesn’t sound that interesting but is getting decent reviews. Rotten Tomatoes: 81%.

Z for Zachariah – This tale centers on a lone female survivor (Margot Robbie) of the apocalypse and the last two known men alive (Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chris Pine) who try to court for her affections. The three must find a way to work together in order to survive. So, it seems that this is about how two dudes wanna do it with Robbie. I don’t blame them. What if the movie casted Amy Schumer instead of Margot Robbie? I believe both men would rather roam the Earth looking for another lady.

I Spit on Your Grave 3: Vengeance is Mine – Jennifer is a girl that is just trying to overcome the torture she’s experienced and live a normal life. When one of Jennifer’s friends is murdered and those responsible escapes, she turns on revenge mode while the rest of the city erupts with rapists and serial killers. Pass!

The Wolfpack – This is a documentary that follows six brothers that live the majority of their lives in a New York apartment. They rely on movies in order to understand the real world. They all reenact scenes of their favorite movies. As the brothers get older, they desire interactions with the real world and everything begins to change when one of them runs away. Sounds like this may be worth checking out.

October 27th

Pixels – Adam Sandler is trying to fart on the box office again with this sad attempt at appealing to the thirty something group that relishes arcade games. The story involves how aliens receive golden age transmissions of video games being played, interpret the message as the real thing and declare war on Earth in the form of well-known classic games that include Donkey Kong and Pac Man. The President enlists his childhood friend, Sandler, to beat the aliens at their own game. He also enlists a rag tag group that includes Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, and Kevin James. The film is directed by Chris Columbus (the 1st two Harry Potter movies).

Southpaw – Jake Gyllenhaal gains a ton of muscle to play a left handed boxer who must overcome the death of his wife. After much inner turmoil and with the fate of his relationship with his daughter at stake, he must climb out and be the best boxer he can be so he can be the best father he can be. The movie received mixed reviews but I wouldn’t mind renting this. I mean, it’s Gyllenhaal and after his performance in Nightcrawler, I expect a solid performance.

The Gift – A husband and wife (Simon and Robin) move into a new home and run into an old acquaintance, Gordo, of Simon’s from high school. The couple accepts a gift of wine and invites him to their house for dinner. Gordo begins to leave more gifts and starts to stalk Robin while she’s home alone. Simon tries to tell Gordo that he is not welcome only then to be threatened by a 25 year old secret about Simon. The movie stars Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Rebecca Hall (The Town) and Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Exodus: Gods and Kings). The film is also the directorial debut of Joel Edgerton. I really wanted to see this film but had scheduling conflicts. The film has a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’ll be sure to rent this.

Max – This is supposed to be an uplifting family drama/adventure that centers around a military dog named Max. After Max’s handler, Kyle, is killed, he is then returned to Kyle’s family and ends up helping them heal from their loss. Thomas Haden Church (Sideways), Lauren Graham (Bad Santa), and Robbie Amell (Flash) star.

The Human Centipede III: The Final Sequence – The outrageous idea of a singular digestive system through multiple people is expanded upon in this latest installment from the Dutch filmmaker, Tom Six. This time, they are attempting to utilize 500 people (which are being sewn together a$$ to mouth) to create the largest, singular digestive system the world has ever known. The creepy actor from the original film, Dieter Laser, reprises his role as the crazed doctor. The movie even co-stars Eric Roberts (Best of the Best, The Dark Knight). Not for the easily grossed out.

Trainwreck Is A Bit Of A Hot Mess

Amy Schumer (along with Key & Peele) is already on top of the sketch comedy world right now as star of her immensely popular Comedy Central show Inside Amy Schumer. Now, she can add to her scrapbook a Hollywood writing credit, a leading actress credit, and mostly positive reviews for her new movie, Trainwreck. Before you get too excited about the movie, however, know that the movie is best viewed without any expectations. At first, I found Trainwreck to be incredibly disappointing. However, with the movie receiving very high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, it is clear that most people do not agree with me.

In retrospect, I went in with unrealistic expectations. Inside Amy Schumer is edgy. It’s constantly pushing boundaries, flipping narratives, and delivering biting and social commentary in new and hilarious ways. Between Amy’s TV show and Trainwreck’s trailers that featured joke after joke after joke after joke, I was expecting a movie that was nonstop comedy. Leaving the theater, I wasn’t even sure what Trainwreck was even trying to be, and whether it was Amy Schumer’s own writing or Judd Apatow’s directing that most shaped Trainwreck’s end product.

Fortunately, I now have a better understanding. Trainwreck is not a two hour long episode of Inside Amy Schumer. It is a romance comedy focused on reversing gender norms and flouting gender stereotypes, but is still at heart a romance comedy.

Amy plays a character named…well…Amy. At the beginning of the movie, Amy and her sister Kim (Brie Larson) listen to a speech about why their mom and dad (Colin Quinn) are divorcing. After a hilarious soliloquy about wanting to play with any doll you like, Amy’s dad has his daughters repeating “Monogamy isn’t realistic!” Fast forward to present day New York City, and Amy most enjoys drinking and philandering, which sometimes leads to showing up late for her job at a S’nuff magazine.

The first third of the movie follows Amy’s exploits, featuring a variety of entertaining sexual escapades. John Cena’s character is perhaps the funniest in the movie. Amy is happy, and there’s nothing to suggest that she’s self-destructing. Like some men and women, that’s just how she likes to live her life. Of course, her actions sometimes have very harsh consequences for people who care about her sincerely. When Cena’s character calls her out for sleeping with a bunch of other guys, she doesn’t even care. Though he likely has some unexplored issues with his sexual identity, he is deeply hurt all the same.

Amy’s lifestyle is contrasted with those of her sister Kim, Dr. Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), and just about everyone else. While Amy followed the ways of her dad, Amy’s sister is a happily married stepmom who’s expecting a baby. Amy’s rom com love interest is Dr. Conners, who’s a surgeon for star athletes, but relatively sexually inexperienced and geared toward monogamy. On one level, the contrast is simply an observation of the characters’ life choices. On another level, the more favorable lens given to Amy’s newly found monogamy evokes the virgin versus whore dichotomy that needs to die.

Despite a professed distaste for sports, Amy’s abrasive but funny editor (Tilda Swinton) sends her to interview Dr. Conners for the magazine.  Amy takes charge in hooking up at the end of the first day, and they unexpectedly find themselves dating. Initially, Amy’s shift away from the lifestyle she led at the beginning of the movie felt a bit confusing. It didn’t feel like it made sense in the context of her character.

But on second thought, nobody ever finds it confusing or surprising when a woman snags a guy who likes to sleep around in romance comedies. That’s almost certainly the point. And that’s the thing about humans, anyway. They’re always doing things that don’t align with a strict narrative based on past behavior. It’s as if they’re free to follow their whims as they please or something.

But this is a review of a romance comedy; not literary analysis or a think piece. I’ll say a few more things in summary.

John Cena was probably the highlight of the movie, followed by a surprisingly hilarious Lebron James. Amar’e Stoudemire was also entertaining. Bill Hader’s acting was great, and I enjoyed the dynamic between his character and Amy. I never questioned Amy as a lead actress, though there were spots where I expected her character to have more to say. Though she appears older in the movie, Brie Larson is only 25 and I hope to see her in more movies. A scene in which Lebron, Marv Albert, Chris Evert, and Matthew Broderick stage an intervention was a particular treat for me.

The first third of the movie does have good comedic pacing, but from there it drops off a cliff, reviving only sporadically. As is the case with some other Apatow movies, Trainwreck is too long, too much of the middle of the movie is serious, and because of that it really drags at times. I watched the trailer again afterward; compared to what the movie was actually like, the trailer felt deceiving and it contains multiple lines that are not in the movie.

Even though Trainwreck has some flaws and it was not what I was expecting, parts of the movie are really funny. It’s also worth remembering that despite the movie not being Inside Amy Schumer, Trainwreck is doing some subtler pioneering. There is still a place for the typical romance comedy.  But Trainwreck adds to the diversity of how women are portrayed in movies. And due to its success so far, it opens the door for other movies featuring women pushing boundaries.

Absent cultural context and based purely on my experience watching the movie, I found Trainwreck to be a decent, but not great movie. And if my review sounds too pessimistic? Go see the movie anyway.

 

Grade: C