The Upside is a remake of French film The Intouchables (2011), the story of the relationship between a wealthy paraplegic and an unemployed man with a criminal record who’s hired to help him.
Bryan Cranston, Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman star while Neil Burger directs.
There’s no denying it, The Intouchables is a great movie and could have done without a remake.
At the same time, though, I think I may actually have fun seeing how different this remake is from the original. I could also be wrong about that last statement, but I don’t mind finding out. Furthermore, I want to see what comedian Kevin Hart can do in a more dramatic role.
Julianna Margulies, Golshifteh Farahani, Tate Donovan and Aja Naomi King also star.
Jumanji (2017), Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Kevin Hart
Starring Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black and Karen Gillan, I found Jumanji – Welcome To The jungle to be OK. It’s just the kind of silly fun that kids will likely love most. It’s well modernised and there were some amusing moments, especially courtesy of Jack Black’s portrayal of a teenage girl and Kevin Hart’s one-liners.
The reason that Jumanji is OK and not great is because by the end, I felt as though something was missing from the movie. Perhaps it’s substance, heart, character development or a mixture and then some, but for me, the amusing and clever moments aside, something is definitely missing at the very core. It doesn’t help that I wasn’t wholly convinced of Nick Jonas’s acting skills.
As I watched the film, the jungle setting did have me reminiscing about how much fun I had while watching Kong Skull Island (2017).
Overall, I say watch Jumanji –Welcome To The Jungle if you’re curious enough. It may just be the kind of silly fun you need.
In new comedy Night School, Kevin Hart plays a member of a group of grown-up troublemakers who are forced to attend night school in hopes that they’ll pass the GED exam to finally finish high school.
Tiffany Haddish, Taran Killam and Mary Lynn Rajskub also star.
I’m giving this one a chance in hopes that I’ll be plenty amused. Director of The Best Man (1999) and The Best Man Holiday (2013), Michael D. Lee is in charge. So the hope is indeed alive.
Additional cast includes Keith David, Ben Schwartz, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Bresha Webb and Jacob Batalon.
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 officially intrigued. Yet, the remaining question is, how distracting will it be that Kevin Hart is voicing a fourth-grader when he generally sounds like a real-life adult? Hopefully, the answer is not at all, at least eventually.
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 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 because what I was watching wasn’t connecting for me. 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.
As for the production, 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 rather than a welcome addition.
I sat down to Kevin Hart – What Now? hoping for new jokes that didn’t rely too much on all the traits I already know 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 the whole thing wasn’t a waste of time. 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.
I say watch Kevin Hart – What Now? if you’re curious enough, and or you’re a very serious Hart fan. I still love Hart. At this point, I just much prefer his earlier work.
The Movie My Life 