This Is The End

STARRING

Seth Rogen as Seth Rogen

Jay Baruchel as Jay Baruchel

Craig Robinson as Craig Robinson

James Franco as James Franco

Danny McBride as Danny McBride

Jonah Hill as Jonah Hill

Emma Watson as Emma Watson

Michael Cera as Michael Cera

... yes, I had fun typing all that out.

What can I say about this movie? I just got back from seeing it, and every so often a scene or a line will pop into my head and I'll start laughing uncontrollably. Does that work for you?

The movie starts out with Seth waiting for his buddy Jay at the airport. The two actors are looking forward to a weekend of pot, booze, and video games. Seth suggests they attend a party at James Franco's house, and the cameos start flying by the screen: Mindy Kaling! Jason Segel! Rihanna! Christopher Mintz-Plasse! It's almost overload. When the loner Jay decides he needs to go for a walk to get more smokes, that's when the shit hits the fan. There's a huge explosion, followed by blue lights sucking people up into the sky. Huge sinkholes appear everywhere, and everything goes crazygonuts.

The movie doesn't let up on the laughs from the word go, and when they get to Franco's house it gets even crazier. I will warn you, gentle reader, that this movie features the disgusting toilet humour you've come to expect from Seth Rogen movies. There's a yelling match between Franco and McBride that is particularly disgusting, yet completely hilarious all at once.

Watching these actors play caricatures of themselves is particularly funny, and I really hope none of them really act the way they do in the movie. The Jonah Hill in this movie, for instance, is a sycophantic asshole with somewhat disturbing feelings for Jay Baruchel. Baruchel himself is a conceited hipster jackass who thinks he's above everyone else. Danny McBride is only looking out for number one: himself, while everyone else goes at Number Fuck You. It goes on and on, but the best parody performance - and some of the biggest laughs in the theatre - had to go to Michael Cera. For once, he's not playing a "Michael Cera type" and it's shocking to see... assuming your eyes aren't shut, squeezing out tears of laughter.

I recommend this movie to everyone who wants something different from the movies this year, while feeling a little samey and familiar. If that makes sense.

FINAL REVIEW

This Is The End

3.5 snowflakes out of 5

TL;DR - Funny in a juvenile way, but unless you're feeling superior you'll still laugh. A few gross-out scenes. More cameos than a trilogy of Muppet movies. Check your brain at the door and enjoy yourself.