Comedy – Page 5 – cinemescope

100 Word Review – In Bruges (2008)

October 6, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., ComedyTagged Action, assassin, Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Comedy, Martin McDonagh, Ralph Fiennes1 Comment

After a botched assignment, two hit men (Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson) head to Bruges in an attempt to avoid the heat in London on the orders of mob boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes). But there is more to this mini vacation than there first appears…

Written and directed by Martin McDonagh (Seven Psychopaths), this may be the most hilariously twisted crime comedy I’ve ever seen.

Be warned, it’s not for the squeamish or the overly politically correct. It is dark, dry and just plain brilliant. The screenplay was nominated for an Oscar and how it didn’t win is beyond me.

Short – Manny Gets Censored

October 5, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in Comedy, Romance, ShortsTagged Comedy, RomanceLeave a comment

Manny Gets Censored from Ticktock on Vimeo.

Short – Command-Option-Dump

October 4, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in Comedy, Sci Fi, ShortsTagged Comedy, computers, dark, Sci FiLeave a comment

Command-Option-Dump (2014) from Jonathan Flint on Vimeo.

Short – The Fly

October 4, 2015March 6, 2016Posted in Comedy, ShortsTagged Action, British, Comedy, crime, darkLeave a comment

The Fly from Short of the Week on Vimeo.

100 Word Review – The Way Way Back (2013)

October 2, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, DramaTagged Allison Janney, Amanda Peet, Comedy, Drama, Jim Rash, Liam James, Maya Rudolph, Nat Faxon, Rob Corddry, Sam Rockwell, soundtrack, Steve Carrell, summer, Toni ColetteLeave a comment

Written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (Community), I was always going to love this film.

Duncan (Liam James) is an awkward teenager on holiday with his mother (Toni Colette), over bearing step-father (Steve Carrell) and step-sister. Befriended by Owen (Sam Rockwell), an employee at a local water park, Duncan finds himself immersed in the easy-going world of Water Wizz.

Co-starring Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet, this is a wonderful feel good film about the joys of summer and finding the courage to choose your own path. It even has an excellent summer soundtrack.

100 Word Review – Men In Black (1997)

September 24, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, Sci FiTagged Action, adaptation, aliens, Barry Sonnefeld, Comedy, Ed Solomon, family, Lowell Cunningham, Sci Fi, Tommy Lee Jones, Will SmithLeave a comment

As a piece of my childhood I find it hard to be objective about this film. Having said that I’ve never met anyone who disliked it.

After seeing a suspect blink sideways, police officer Jay (Will Smith) is inducted into a top secret organisation that keeps the world safe from aliens who already live on Earth, the Men In Black. Tommy Lee Jones co-stars as MIB stalwart, Kay.

Adapted from Lowell Cunningham’s comic by Ed Solomon (Now You See Me, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) and directed by Barry Sonnefeld (Wild Wild West, Get Shorty), this film is brilliant fun.

100 Word Review – Amélie (2001)

September 23, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, Drama, RomanceTagged Audrey Tautou, Comedy, Drama, French, Jean Pierre Jeaunet, Matthieu Kassovitz, philosophical, quirky, Romance, SubtitlesLeave a comment

Romantic and whimsical in a quintessentially French fashion.

Amélie (Audrey Tautou) lives alone in Paris, working at a local cafe. The death of Princess Diana prompts her to find a hidden treasure in her flat. She starts doing good deeds and standing up for the less fortunate when she meets Nino (Matthieu Kassovitz).

Co-written and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (A Very Long Engagement, The City of Lost Children), it is stylishly shot with a truly lovely soundtrack. Quirky, beautiful and funny, it was nominated for five Oscars, including Art Direction and Cinematography, and is currently number 75 on IMDb’s Top 250 films.

100 Word Review – The Goonies (1985)

September 13, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Action, Comedy, FantasyTagged 1980s, Action, adventure, Chris Columbus, Comedy, Corey Feldman, family, Fantasy, Jeff Cohen, Jonathan Ke Quan, Josh Brolin, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Richard Donner, Sean Astin, Steven SpielbergLeave a comment

Hey you guys!

I watched this for the first time last night and was blown away!

Set in a time before parents worried about their children disappearing on bikes into the sunset, a groups of kids (Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Corey Feldman, Jeff Cohen, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton and Jonathan Ke Quan) seek a pirates treasure while being pursued by escaped criminals.

Screenplay by Chris Columbus (Gremlins), directed by Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon) with Steven Spielberg responsible for the story, it’s everything you’d hope for from an 80’s family action adventure film.

You’ll laugh, jump and quote it for days!

100 Word Review – Benny & Joon (1993)

September 12, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, Drama, RomanceTagged Aiden Quinn, Buster Keaton, Comedy, Drama, Johnny Depp, Julianne Moore, Mary Stuart Masterson, mental illness, Oliver Platt, RomanceLeave a comment

This might be my favourite Johnny Depp film.

Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) is mentally unwell. Her father Benny (Aiden Quinn) struggles to protect her the way he feels he should. Then they meet Sam (Johnny Depp), an awkward man with an obsession for silent stars like Buster Keaton.

Masterson is wonderful as the emotionally delicate Joon who is fighting for whatever independence she can get.

This film is perfect. It takes a sensitive and dark subject matter and normalises it, adding in the quirks we would expect from any Rom Com. Look out for co-stars Oliver Platt and Julianne Moore.

100 Word Review – Bad Words (2013)

September 11, 2015April 15, 2016Posted in 100 Words..., Comedy, DramaTagged Allison Janney, Andrew Dodge, Comedy, Drama, Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Philip Baker Hall, spelling bee1 Comment

Who said spelling bees are just for children?

Guy (Jason Bateman), a somewhat obsessive adult, finds a loop hole allowing him to enter a spelling bee. Followed by reporter Jenny (Kathryn Hahn), his is determined to win by whatever means necessary.

The first screenplay by Andrew Dodge and directorial feature debut for Bateman, costars include the likes of Allison Janney and Philip Baker Hall. More sincere than the screwball comedy you might expect; while it manages to remain more grounded, Dodge and Bateman still play off the shock-value for laughs.

Rude, funny and relatable, it’s more intelligent than its cover.