The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1

Title: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1

Directed by: Bill Condon

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser

Genres: Drama, Romance, Sequel, Adaptation

Running Time: 1 hour. 57 minutes

Release Date: November 18th, 2011

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: Once again, I find myself in the midst of Twi-hard mania at midnight on a Thursday night, waiting for the squeals of delight to begin. This being fourth film in the series, the level of frenzy has been building with each installment, and now, almost at the conclusion of the story, the theater is literary vibrating with excitement. Breaking Dawn is the thickest book in the series, and it's packed, so I understand the decision to make it into two films. However, holding off on the second part for another year, might constitute torture for some die hard fans.

The film itself is quite true to the book, and fairly well made (especially compared to the first horrible flick). The special effects have improved exponentially, from crazy road-runner-esque and throughly hilarious home-video quality of effects, to the amazing work we see in this installment. I'm particularly referring to Bella's transformation in this film, which is very well done, and leaves quite a strong impression. The wolves are visually satisfactory, although the portrayal of the pack-mind leaves a little something to be desired. I literary laughed out loud in the theater (not something that was very well received) the first time the pack-mind came on the screen.

The supporting cast of Bella's school friends, although having a very small part in this film, bring their usual funny quips, which got some laughs. We also do get to see a bit more of Bella's new family vampire members, which has been largely missing from the previous films. As in any film adaptation, quite a bit is missing "for movie making reasons", and what we do get to see is alright. I would have liked to have more. The film is not exceedingly long, and I do think they could have included a bit more.

All in all, Part 1 does won't disappoint fans, at least not very much. The wedding is beautiful, the dress is very Bella, Isle Esme is actually just as advertised, and everything that follows is a fairly accurate adaptation of the book. One guaranteed disappointment is the anticlimactic wedding night sex, which due to the MPPA rating was down grated to a mild make-out session, and then skips to the next morning. Although, that is of course exactly as in the book, and the one detail they should have changed in Hollywood. If you haven't read the book, you might find yourself a bit confused, not to mentioned floored by the crazy turn the story takes after the Honeymoon.

Grade: 8.5

Crazy, Stupid Love

Title: Crazy, Stupid Love

Directed by: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

Starring: Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Crystal Reed, Marisa Tomei, Joey King

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Running Time: 1 hour. 47 minutes

Release Date: July 29th, 2011

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: First off, while I rarely watch, and even more rarely enjoy rom-coms, this cast was too good to pass up. I have a special place in my awkward-loving heart for Steve Carrell and Emma Stone, and who doesn't like Ryan Gosling? Well, I didn't before this film, with could be knows under the alternative title "Ryan Gosling Haters Converted to Ryan Gosling Lovers", and thus I have now joined the masses who worship this exemplary male specimen, which actually can act, as it turns out. Regardless, I walked into this one with no expectations to enjoy it, and was very surprised to find that I did.

As always, Steve Carrell portrays the "awkward, lost, confused grown man" extremely well, the man has a gift, and while the subject of divorce is a total bummer, the film turns out to be very heartwarming and, as always with Steve Carrell, quite funny. Furthermore, the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is perfect, and their part of the story has several epic scenes making fun of the usual rom-com fare, without coming across as parody. This film is sweet, and doesn't rely on either raunchy jokes or snark to get by. I surprised to say that I highly recommend it.

Grade: 8.5

Red Riding Hood

Title: Red Hiding Hood

Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Shiloh Fernandez, Gary Oldman, Julie Christie, Maz Irons, Virginia Madsen

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Romance, Suspense, Fantasy

Running Time: 2 hours. 0 minutes

Release Date: March 11th, 2011

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: While I can't say that I am looking forward to another Catherine Hardwick film, after her last one, the story about the little Red Riding Hood is epic, and I'm a sucker for a classic fairy tales. This adaptation looked very visually interesting, so I thought maybe, just maybe, this one has a chance.

And 'Red Riding Hood' definitely is visually dynamic, and it is easy to recognize Ms. Hardwick's directorial flavor, last seen in the first movie adaptation of 'Twilight'. Once again, Ms. Hardwick falls short of a great film, although 'Red Riding Hood' is definitely an improvement on her previous work.

Grade: 6

The Adjustment Bureau

Title: The Adjustment Bureau

Directed by: George J. Nolfi

Starring: Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Michael Kelly

Genres: Action/Adventure, Thriller, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Romance, Adaptation, Politics

Running Time: 1 hour. 46 minutes

Release Date: March 4th, 2011

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: I like both Emily Blunt and Matt Damon, and thought this looked like an interesting, clever premise. And it is an interesting film, one that could have been fantastic if it would have been a little braver. As it is now, it is the romance and chemistry between Blunt & Damon that makes this film.

It is definitely worth its 1 hour 46 minutes, but it falls slightly short of where it could have gone.

Grade: 7

Eat, Pray, Love

Title: Eat, Pray, Love

Directed by: Ryan Murphy

Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Viola Davis, Billy Crudup, Javier Bardem

Genres: Romance, Drama, Adaptation

Running Time: 2 hours. 13 minutes

Release Date: August 13th, 2010

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: After having read, and enjoyed, the book, I went and watched this film by myself (I know, shocking since it is a romantic film). I didn't enjoy the film half as much as the book, and literary sat there thinking "this is a terrible adaptation" throughout the film. However, as it ended, I was surprised to actually leave the theater with somewhat of a positive impression. Although most of what connected me to the story as a reader is missing, some parts of the "follow your heart, go your own way, make yourself happy" takeaway was still there, however hard you have to look for it through the Hollywood-ized popcorn film this story has been turned into. The idea of this journey of self-discovery is still accessible, and the scenery is lovely. Further more, some of the supporting performances are quite nice, and Julia is always Julia.

If you enjoy dime-a-dozen Julia romance flicks you should catch this one. If you would like a great story, stick to the book.

Grade: 6

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Title: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Directed by: David Slade
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Green, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Dakota Fanning,
Genres: Drama, Romance, Adaptation, Sequel,
Running Time: 2 hours. 4 minutes
Release Date: June 30th, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13


Review: Once again I thought I would find myself in an unbearable crowd of screaming Twi-hards for the midnight premiere of 'Eclipse', but thankfully, for the 3rd installment of the Twilight Saga my local movie theater have started with "VIP" movie watching passes, which effectively removed the entire pain-in-the-ass aspect of catching that very first, frantic, middle-of-the-night screening (Thanks again, F!). To make the deal even sweeter, they also screened the previous two installments of the saga before the midnight premier. This whole "VIP" passes might be the best improvement to movies since popcorn!

So what about the movie?!? Anticipation has been high for this one, and both Twi-hards & Twi-haters has dubbed it with record-breaking labels. So, where did it fall? Was it "The Best Twilight So Far"? Or was it "The Worst Movie EVER"? For me, it was the best Twilight movie in the series so far, but that does not say much, since its predecessors were not exactly Oscar-worthy.

Some positives: 'Eclipse' is funnier than its prequels, thanks to the addition of witty, self depreciating quips to the dialogue. It is nice to see that these particular Twi-creators do not take themselves too seriously. Jacob and Charlie, in particular, were quite snarky. Also, the increased character development of some of the saga's supporting roles adds a lot of interest to the story. Another addition, that previously has been completely ignored, is the actual dialogues from the book. Both in 'Twilight' & 'New Moon' you see a lot of soundless lips moving while music plays, instead of hearing the actual conversations between the characters. This is something that has annoyed me throughout the film-series, since a lot of these conversations were very important for the story development, and outlined in great detail in the books. Finally the audience actually get to hear these conversations, instead of just seeing them play out silently.

Some of the negatives: One of the biggest negatives of 'Eclipse' is the lack of a decent soundtrack, which has been one of the notable strengths of the franchise in the past. 'Twilight' started things off decently, and the use of music in 'New Moon' defined the whole film. In 'Eclipse', however, the music is a non-participant, and that really subtracted significantly from the over all experience. Another pet-peeve were the wolves. While the face-colorings have improved in this installment, the general appearance and movement of the wolves has decreased, and their awkward lopes bugged me throughout the film. Then there is the [huge] issue of the creative eye of director David Slade; I can't say that I am a fan of the look that he choose for the film, and compared to 'New Moon' we're definitely moving backwards. The same goes for Slade's territory-marking efforts of altering previously set details, in his efforts to make the story his own.

Overall, though, I was generally pleased with the film. The alterations to the storyline were generally to improve the film-experience, and most of them worked well. All in all, 'Eclipse' doesn't disappoint, and it should do extremely well at the box office.

Grade: 8.5

Knight and Day

Title: Knight and Day
Directed by: James Mangold
Starring: Tom Cruize, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard, Jordi Molla (II), Viola Davis
Genres: Action/Adventure, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour. 50 minutes
Release Date: June 23rd, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG - 13

Review: 'Knight and Day' is precisely what you would expect form a popcorn summer blockbuster starring Tom Cruise; funny, charming, dumb, and full of break-neck-speed action. Adding Cameron Diaz to the mix brings some verging-on-age-inappropriate flirty smiles and skimpy outfits (Cameron is really getting old, and starting to look it!). The end result is perfect for some light entertainment, if you are into that sort of mindless bubble-gum enjoyment. It is not normally my cup of tea, but since it came with AC in the scorching summer heat, it was definitely worth the ticket price.

This is the seconds release this summer with a similar concept, 'Killers' being the first. These movies are different enough that if they weren't released within weeks of each other, they probably would have been able to avoid being compared. As it is, however, I cannot help but to measure the two against each other. I would say 'Knight and Day' outdoes 'Killers' in every single way, and thus, it scores half a point higher than the previous.

Grade: 6.5

Date Night

Title: Date Night
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour. 28 minutes
Release Date: April 9th, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: Both Steve Carell & Tina Fey are usually hilarious, and while 'Date Night' is occasionally funny, sometimes very, it fails to live up the expectations set by the quality of their previous work. The cliches are pouring down throughout, and that gives the movie a tired, and slightly boring feel. But then again, perhaps if these cliches apply to you, the movie will seem more enjoyable. Maybe then, 'Date Night' will be the perfect date night flick.

Grade: 6.5

When In Rome

Title: When In Rome
Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson
Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, Anjelica Huston, Danny DeVito, Will Arnett
Genres: Romance, Comedy
Running Time: 1 hour. 31 minutes
Release Date: January 29th, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: You may wonder why the hell I would be watching movies like these when I am a declared Rom-Com hater? Well, a have a friend that loves going to the movies just as much as I do, the only difference being she has shit taste in movies. We have a every-other picking order worked out, and it just so happens that yesterday's film was her pick. And subsequently, I'm stuck with 'When In Rome'.

And, for what it is, it does not disappoint; 'When In Rome' is cute, cheesy, predictable, and a little bit funny. A good movie? Not in a million years. A cookie-cutter Rom-Com? You bet.

Grade: 4

It's Complicated

Title: It's Complicaded
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Merryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski, Lake Bell
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour. 58 minutes
Release Date: December 25th, 2009
MPAA Rating: R
Review: Don't ask me why I would choose to see a film like this one. I didn't. I hate Rom-Coms, and this is certainly one, although just a little bit different than the usual girl-meets-boy-suffer-set-back-over-comes-gets-married-lives-happily-ever-after fare that makes up the bulk of this genre. 'It's Complicated' is kind of funny, and I bet it would delight with the usual audience. It would be a prefect film to take my mother to, she would love it. I, however, spend most of the film admiring Ms. Streep's lovely Santa Barbara home, and wondering what she puts in her muffins in order to sell enough of them to support her enviable lifestyle. And, SPOILER ALERT, I was kind of miffed over the ending.

Grade: 5

The Young Victoria

Title: The Young Victoria
Directed by: Jean-Marc Vallee
Starring: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Jim Broadbent, Miranda Richardson, Mark Strong
Genres: Drama, Romance, Biopic
Running Time: 1 hour. 44 minutes
Release Date: December 18th, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG
Review: 'Young Victoria' is well acted, well filmed, the costumes are gorgeous, and the story it is based on really is lovely. Emily Blunt is perfect (I've been keeping my eye on this girl for a awhile, and she really is great!), and this love story left me intrigued enough to go straight to pick up some historical books on Victoria & Albert as soon as I left the theater. With some additional and rather heavy-handed editing 'Young Victoria' has the potential to be a great film. Unfortunately, a long long list of drawn-out and unnecessary scenes that should have ended up on the floor of the edit-room were left untouched, and the end results leaves us with a great beginning, and a fantastic end, but too much slow stuff in the middle. A damn shame.

Grade: 7

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Title: The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Directed by: Chris Weitz
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Michael Sheen, Dakota Fanning, Nikki Reed
Genres: Adaptation, Romance, Sequel
Running Time: 2 hours. 10 minutes
Release Date: November 20th, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: I've been holding off a few days to write this review (not somehting I normally do), in order to let the film sink in a little bit. And to recover from my up-all-night New Moon hang-over. Because I am definitely hung over. Holy crap! Apparently, I am getting a bit old for waiting in line for hours on end, just to see a midnight showing of a new movie. Not that I needed this morning's hang-over to tell me that. It was pretty clear last night, as I sat there in line, like an idiot, among the gazillion tweens & teens, all of us dressed for the event (I know, I am so ashamed!), our squeals of delightful anticipation growing louder and louder as the clock ticked closer to 12.01 am.

But yes, since I've already confessed, there I was, and it was fantastic! There is nothing quite like seeing a brand new installment of a popular series with a bunch of screaming fans, all decked out in fan boy paraphernalia. There were squeals of delight, running commentary, ooohs & aaaahs, applauds, and laughter. Some people even cried. Of course, if you are not fanboy material, I would advice staying away from the midnight showings, since I can imagine it gets incredibly tedious otherwise. It is definitely one of those "If You Can't Join Them, Avoid Them" cases, hence the absence of the husband. He got enough of screaming fans at the HP midnight extravaganza a few months ago.

So, now to the film. We all know that the Twilight book series is one of my guilty pleasures, but I HATED the first film adaptation. Hated it. Of course I had high hopes that take 2 would produce a much better film, as well as a faithful story adaptation. And 'New Moon' delivered. It is no action film, and I've heard of plenty of non-fanboys who have been less than impressed by the film, but for fans, I do think it is a win. If you are a Twi-hater, obviously avoid this movie. But if you are a Twi-lover, or even a Twi-read-it-and-kinda-like-it, I would definitely see this one in the theater (and then a gazillion times on DVD. Just kidding... kind of....).

Grade: 8

Away We Go

Title: Away We Go
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Carmen Ejogo, Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Daniels, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour. 37 minutes
Release Date: June 5th, 2009 (limited)
MPAA Rating: R

Review: This quirky, charming, sometimes funny (sometimes so NOT funny), sometimes sad film was definitely worth the trip to the out-of-the-way, artsy fartsy, independent theater - the only place left in the area still offering this film. The film is well acted both by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, who have a very lovable chemistry together, as well as by the often ridiculously hilarious supporting cast.
I have a lot of love for Sam Mendes work, and even though this is no American Beauty, it is definitely worth a look.

Grade: 7

The Proposal

Title: The Proposal
Directed by: Anne Fletcher
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Denis O'Hare, Malin Akerman, Mary Steenburgen, Betty White
Genres: Romance, Comedy, Family
Running Time: 1 hour. 48 minutes
Release Date: June 19th, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG - 13

Review: I usually avoid most Rom-Coms like the plague, but under the influence of several torturous phenomenons (the sweltering summer heat, our home's lack of AC and sauna-esque construction, my brain boiling in my skull from heat stroke) I found myself in the very same cool, dark and wonderful movie theater, where this flick was showing. Surprising, I know.

Starting off, I was honestly positively surprised by 'The Proposal' - it was funny, likable, Sandra was charming, and Ryan Reynolds sported his signature "sad puppy dog face" in every scene he was in. Furthermore, the home where the majority of the movie takes place was absolutely mesmerizingly gorgeous (hey, what can I say, I'm a traditional girl with classic taste at heart). And kudos to Sandra's wardrobe people on a job well done.

However, it was not long until the movie started to derail with over the top, trying-to-hard-to-be-funny dumb shit, starting with Ganny's Native American camp fire dance, and it is down hill from there. Ms. White's raunchy-old-lady act, which I had heard was so hilarious in this film, felt tired, and more often than not, not at all funny. I started out kind of liking the film, but by the time it was over, I walked away hating it, which is kind of funny given the story line.

The movie is just as predictable as these things tend to be, but if the director would not have felt the need to add the lame shtick, it might have been a somewhat charming cookie cutter film of the genre. I would say skip this one, but then again, if you are normally in to this sort of thing, then it might not disappoint.

Grade: 4.5

Twilight

Title: Twilight
Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Cam Gigandet, and Nikki Reed
Genres: Drama, Romance, Thriller, Adaptation
Running Time: 2 hour.0 minutes
Release Date: November 21st, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: I really wanted this movie to be great, especially after loving the books so much as I read them for the first time just a few days ago. Unfortunately, I was incredibly disappointed with the film adaptation. It is always tough, adapting a fantastic much-loved book into a film, for several [fairly obvious] reasons: One is the individual vision of the story created by the reader, which is not always compatible with the vision of the movie maker. Then there is the limitations of reality, as well as budget. Another challenge is to keep faithful to the source material, which seem to be a challenged for some movie-makers, since it would require said person to resist their urge to "mark their territory" and make the story ever so slightly their own creation. And then there is casting; properly catching the characters are one of the most essential ingredients of any book-to-film-adaptation. And of course, the movie making craft itself, including directing, acting and cinematography, all of which drastically alters the end result.

The film was not all bad, certain scenes and aspects were well created, such as the ballet studio scene, the green environment of Forks, as well as a some of the casting, especially when considering the characters strictly visually. Both Edward & Bella, as well as several of the other characters, are [visually] fantastic, with a few exceptions. The vast majority of the divergences from the source seemed to have been made mostly for the purpose of film adaptation, straight up lack of skill (directorial, as well as acting-wise), or in an effort to hide budgetary constraints leading to lack of other, truer-to-the-story options.

Before I watched the film, I not only read all of the books, but I also read the Director's Notebook, which was interesting. Being able to see the film-making process, and the thoughts and inspirations behind the movie made the film a bit more enjoyable. It was evident (from the Director's Notebook) that the director wanted to capture the essence of the story, but unfortunately, those intentions often fell short, making for a very unsatisfying book-film-adaptation.

I had more than a few complaints with this film. Some issues, such as the laughable special effects, more suitable for a home made movie, as well as the inability to properly re-create every part of a fictional world in reality, are at least comprehensible for a low(ish) budget film. Those issues are [somewhat] forgivable. Other failure are harder to reconcile, such as the frequently atrocious acting (and over-acting), which never should have been allowed by the director, nor should the frequent alterations and additions to the storyline, or the choppy, border-line incoherent, resulting film.

I'm glad I saw it, but I really, really wish it would have been better. I regret that I cannot give this film a better grade. All I thought as the credits rolled was "It's a damn shame", and I still think that sums it up. I'm hoping the next installments, with a new director and a bigger budget, will be much better.

Grade: 4

The Reader

Title: The Reader
Directed by: Stephen Daldry
Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Karoline Herfurth, Hannah Herzsprung, David Kross
Genres: Drama, Romance, and Adaptation
Running Time: 2 hour.2 minutes
Release Date: December 12th, 2008 (limited)
MPAA Rating: R

Review: 'The Reader' is long, a bit slow, but that does not take away from a film that is also original, sad, heartbreaking and telling a captivating story that is not black or white, but all shades of gray. Kate Winslet is fantastic in her role as Hannah Schmitz, and the film is definitely worth seeing, but wait for the DVD, and see it at home. That is about all I will say, I wouldn't want to spoil anything. That, and heads up for the nudity.

Grade: 7.5

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Title: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Jason Flemyng, Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond
Genres: Drama, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, and Adaptation
Running Time: 2 hour.47 minutes
Release Date: December 25th, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: It seems everybody loves this film, and when you watch it, it is not hard to understand why. I totally get why people love this film; the story is great, intriguing, and unique; it totally tugs at the heartstrings; the acting is good; and it comes with a great message. I am sure that most people who see it will enjoy it.
However, 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' has a couple of flaws that brings it down, just a tad:

1. 'Benjamin' is a bit too slow, but not the the point of molasses. It is totally bearable.
2. It is the 2 hrs. 47 minutes that 'Benjamin' runs that is completely unreasonable. A film this long really needs to have you on the edge of your seat, so you do not notice the film's greedy time grubbing. Sadly, that is not the case with this film; and both Hubby & I clearly noted, and were [independently] annoyed by 'Benjamin's' excessive minute-hogging.
   

Even though the film totally was enjoyable, the excessive length still had us squirming in our seats by the end of it, and that is just wrong. With some more editing this film could have been even better, it totally has the potential to be brilliant, but does not quite reach it. And given the director's message about time, I am somewhat surprised to see him waste it like this. 'Benjamin' still receives a great rating, and I totally recommend this film, but [for once] I would have much preferred to have seen it on my own comfy couch instead of in the theater.

Grade: 7.5

Dan in Real Life

Title: Dan in Real Life

Directed by: Peter Hedges

Starring: Steve Carell, Dane Cook, Juliette Binoche, Norbert Leo Butz, John Mahoney, Dianne Wiest

Genres: Comedy, Romance

Running Time: 1 hour. 38 minutes

Release Date: October 26th, 2007

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Review: 'Dan in Real Life' is a total "feel good"movie, with lots of laughs, awkwardness, and charming family drama. It's one of those films that will make your heart smile.

The entire cast put in strong performances, but it is definitely Carrell who carries this film. There is something about Steve Carell and his brilliant ability to be awkward, vulnerable, honest, and messed up that resonates with the audience.

'Dan in Real Life' is a great family film, that should not be missed.

Grade: 8

Knocked Up

Title: Knocked Up

Directed by: Judd Apatow

Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Kristen Wiig

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Running Time: 2 hour. 12 minutes

Release Date: June 1st, 2007

MPAA Rating: R

Review: 'Knocked Up' is the perfect storm of comedies, where all the perfect components, (Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Judd Apatow, Iris & Maude Apatow, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, and Charlyne Yi, to name a few) have come together, to make one awesome and thoroughly hilarious film of epic proportions.

The story is centered on Ben Stone (Seth Rogen), and Allison Scott (Katherine Heigl), who meet on a night of drunken debauchery, and end up having a one night stand. Little do they know the consequences of this night...

The movie takes off as we see these two, oddly matched, unlikely lovers navigate the treacherous ground that is pregnancy, often with hysterically funny results. It is not only Rogen and Heigl who make this film. The entire supporting cast is just as great, and their side stories really add to the likability of this film. The soundtrack is also noteworthy. Bravo, to all involved parties! I can only hope that more films with this crew are to follow.

Pretty please.

Grade: 9.5