Together Together (2021), Ed Helms, Patti Harrison, Bleecker Street
In new comedy Together Together, a young loner named Anna (Patti Harrison) and a single man in his forties named Matt (Ed Helms) have their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love challenged. All after Anna becomes Matt’s gestational surrogate
Rosalind Chao, Timm Sharp, Bianca Lopez and Nora Dunn are among the key cast while Nikole Beckwith directs.
I’ve seen shows and movies about women deciding to be single parents because the right partner never showed up. This is the first one I’ve encountered that’s focused on a man making the choice.
Even though it seems quite clear how this particular tale will end, I’m in anyway, especially since it’s a a comedy.
Fred Melamed, Vivian Gil, Tig Notaro, Julio Torres, Evan Jonigkeit, Sufe Bradshaw, Travis Coles, Jo Firestone and David Chattam also star.
Taraji P. Henson, Ed Helms, Betty Gilpin and Andrew Bachelor (King Bach) are the stars of Coffee and Kareem. A new comedy about a twelve-year-old ‘s plan to scare his mom’s new boyfriend – police officer James Coffee backfiring, and forcing Coffee and Kareem to work together. All so they can save themselves from Detroit’s most ruthless drug kingpin.
Directed by Michael Dowse, additional key cast includes Terrence Little Gardenhigh, Jesse Hutch, David Alan Grier…
I’m looking forward to this one because I like Helms, Henson and Gilpin. Plus, that slap at 1:21 into this trailer is amusingly crisp and precise. There’s also the above image of Helms in the hat which happens to make me smile every time I look at it.
Chance Hurstfield, Serge Houde, RonReaco Lee, Samantha Cole, Fraser Aitcheson and Garfield Wilson also star.
Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson and Jon Hamm are the stars of Tag, a Jeff Tomsic directed comedy about agroup of former classmates who organise an elaborate, annual game of tag that takes them all over the country…
Is it fair that I compare every movie about three or more adult male friends having a great time together and being a certain kind of outrageous to The Hangover (2009)? I’m sure it isn’t, but I really can’t help myself.
After watching this trailer, the subject matter of Tag seems a tad juvenile to have me especially intrigued, but what a pleasant surprise it would be if I ended up really liking this film. I love a great comedy and want that to be the case here so I’ll want to give Tag a chance.
Annabelle Wallis, Rashida Jones, Isla Fisher, Leslie Bibb and Hannibal Buress also star.
In new comedy Father Figures, Owen Wilson and Ed Helms play fraternal twin brothers who just found out that their father is in fact very much alive, contrary to what their mother (Glenn Close) had told them their whole life. Directed by Lawrence Sher, the brothers set off on a road trip to find their dad…
I think there’s some hope that this will be a movie I can watch and enjoy. I certainly hope so; since the concept isn’t particularly ridiculous.
J.K. Simmons, Kat Williams, Christopher Walken and Ving Rhames also star.
Captain Underpants – The First Epic Movie (2017), Kevin Hart (George), Thomas Middleditch (Harold)
In Captain Underpants – The First Epic Movie, Kevin Hart and Thomas Middleditch are the voices of two mischievous elementary school kids. Directed by David Soren and based on the popular books by Dave Pilkey, the two very naughty fourth graders hypnotise their principal into becoming their comic book creation, Captain Underpants…
I’m intrigued enough to see it. The only question is how distracting it will be that Kevin Hart is voicing a fourth grader and he sounds exactly as his real life adult self.
Nick Kroll, Jordan Peele and Kristen Schaal also star.
I wanted Kevin Hart – What Now? to be great, but to my surprise and disappointment, I spent very little time laughing. In trying to figure out why, I’ve reached the conclusion that as someone who’s been a fan of Kevin Hart’s comedy since the days of his earlier standup specials; I’m a Grown Little Man (2009), Seriously Funny (2010) and Laugh at My Pain (2011), I’m at the stage now where I find myself overly familiar with a lot of his jokes. Particularly the ones that reference his father, children, height and the way his vertically challenged status makes him far from a hero whenever his physical wellbeing is threatened. Even though in Kevin Hart – What Now? Hart talks about a few other things including his then fiancé (now wife), I found myself reminiscing about his earlier work. It’s possible that part of the problem is, like any comedy film that could have been better, many of the good jokes and punchlines were heard and laughed at during the promotional phase.
Hart’s use of digital visual aids to help paint a picture for the audience as he delivered his jokes is a refreshing addition to his routine. Unfortunately though,I found it mostly distracting. I went in hoping for new jokes that didn’t rely too much on all the traits I already knew about Hart’s comedy persona/ topics, but it wasn’t to be. I guess things can get stale when you and those close to you are the main source material instead of new and potentially more interesting topics. I.e., what’s happening in the wider world.
Kevin Hart – What Now? (2016), Ed Helms, Halle Berry
Besides the less than expected number of jokes I did laugh at, what I enjoyed most of all was the fifteen minute intro to the main event. Kevin Hart, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, David Meunier and Ed Helms made it fun and funny. Watch Kevin Hart – What Now? if you’re curious enough and / or you’re a very serious Hart fan. I still love Hart. I just much prefer his earlier work.
The Hangover (2009), Zach Gaifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Bradley Cooper
Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha, there’s plenty to love about the The Hangover. In fact, the Todd Phillips directed comedy is one of those movies that left me with nothing bad to say.
Just to be clear though, the above statement is reserved only for this 2009 movie and not the two embarrassing ‘get as much money out of this as possible whilst we still can’ sequels that shamelessly followed. Moving on…
The reasons I love the hangover are obvious. The story is great, I saw exactly none of the surprising twists and turns coming, excellent casting, writing and soundtrack. The music in the movie really fits. There’s the great chemistry between the four main characters. Their depiction of a realistic bromance / brotherhood really went a long way.
Everything that happened in The Hangover felt so real to me. So much so that the brilliant Inbetweeners comedy series (the UK original version) came to mind because, it too has that combination of the believable male friendship dynamic and comedy.
There are too many great moments in The Hangover for me to pick just one. However, who after seeing this movie has been able to say the word ‘retard’ in just one way?
I haven’t watched all the movies of this genre but I’m committing to calling The Hangover one of, if not the most epic ‘bachelor party shenanigans’ movie ever made. The Hangover also helped wake me up to the charms of Bradley Cooper. By ‘charms’ I mean his acting talents. And yes, that suit in the hotel room scene when he and Justin Bartha’s character walk into Stu’s room definitely contributed to my charmed state. Looking that good combined with such evident swagger seldom goes unnoticed. You see, the typos on my blog aside, attention to detail has never been my problem.
Watch The Hangover again and again for an entertaining ride from beginning to glorious end.
Christmas With The Coopers (2015), Olivia Wilde, Jake Lacy
I would describe Love The Coopers as less like Elf (2003) and more like ABC TV series, Brothers & Sisters.
Directed by Jessie Nelson and starring John Goodman, Diane Keaton, Ed Helms, and Steve Martin, Love The Coopers is one of those holiday films that reminds you that every family has its unpleasant tensions and challenging relationships. But the good news is, in this movie, the tense moments are wisely interspersed with humour and cheer.
The character Olivia Wilde plays is my favourite, partly because I find Wilde rather likeable in real life, but mostly I relate most to aspects of her character above all the others in the movie.
I was in the mood to watch something that didn’t demand too much from me and that’s exactly what I got with this movie. Love The Coopers probably won’t make my top 10 favourite Christmas movies list, but it is easy relaxing viewing with a side of romance – and one can always make a little time for something like that, no?
Anthony Mackie, Jake Lacy, Amanda Seyfried and Marisa Tomei also star.
The Movie My Life 