This Is the End

Alas, it is the fate of so many comedies - the first half of the movie is great and funny, the second half is 'meh' as the director tries to figure out how to resolve the story lines. I laughed a lot in the first half of this movie - it's so over-the-top and ridiculous that you can't help but laugh. If I were rating the 1st half, I'd give it about a 9/10.

The second half was a different story. Though it had a handful of funny moments, it seemed to drag and was a predictable mess IMO - maybe a 5/10. The first-half comedy was enough to make up for some of that, so I give it a 7/10 overall.

A vanity project for a bunch of Hollywood's highest paid comedic actors, playing themselves in a "stoner comedy". So how do you make that good? By making it an hilarious, smart, insightful, satirical and scathing commentary on religion, celebrity and Los Angeles. And how do you make that successful? By making it a stoner comedy about a hapless group of actors saying and doing the stupidest things.

It actually starts out pretty slowly with a lame story being introduced. Jay Baruchel comes to LA to hang out with his friend Seth Rogen who wants to hang out with his friends James Franco, Jonah Hill and Craig Robinson, but Jay doesn't like his friends and he doesn't think that they like him. Sounds kind of lame doesn't it? The party at James Franco's house delivers the ridiculous, raunchy comedy which the target audience craves but it doesn't yet include the intelligence which the rest of the audience is applauding.

It seems like everybody in Hollywood is at James Franco's house. Michael Cera is doing coke, Jonah Hill is being friendly and everybody else is finding another drug to imbibe. While Jay and Seth are off to buy cigarettes, the Heavens open up and the Earth caves in. And then the real fun begins. Knowing the title of the film, or having read the bible, or really having seen any loose interpretation of the apocalypse, it's pretty obvious what is happening. And we get our first glimpse of the film's take on the celebrity culture and what it does (and what will eventually happen) to those at the center of it.

Our heroes aren't quite sure what's going on. Remember, they are actors in Hollywood. It's probably an earthquake, or it could be a zombie invasion, or it could be the end of the world as described in the New Testament's Revelation. But who believes that stuff?

The majority of the film takes place with our five actors holed up in James Franco's house – which is like a cement cave designed by himself since he's an artist. The jokes are vulgar, crass, silly but also incredibly insightful into who they are and the result is a perfectly written self-parody. You have to get past a lot of penis jokes, but once you do, you'll find an under-current tackling the issues of celebrity status but also of celebrities' biggest detractors, the religious congregation. I don't think "This Is the End" will be successfully duplicated any time soon, but I also don't foresee the apocalypse hitting any time soon.

If you've seen Superbad, Pineapple Express, etc., then you know the type of humor this movie will have. I, for one, could watch James Franco, Seth Rogan, and Danny McBride leisurely eat a sandwich and manage to laugh my butt off. Thankfully this movie is much more exciting than that. It's brilliant that they all just play themselves and manage to poke fun at their own lifestyles. Expect weed and drug humor of course. The plot sets itself up for hilarity, as they all take refuge in James Franco's fortress of a mansion while the world outside them goes up in flames. Cabin fever mixed with dwindling supplies results in hilarious situations and good one liners.

The movie made me laugh extremely hard and had all my favorite people in one film. I only wouldn't recommend this film if you're uptight and religious.

I saw this movie opening weekend but did not review it right away because I was not sure of what I thought of it. It was not really what I was expecting. I was expecting a raunchy but light hearted comedy that took light of a bad situation but instead the apocalypse in this movie is taken very seriously. I was not so sure I liked that. But I've had over a week to think on it and I have decided that Overall I really enjoyed watching This is the End.

I love the cast I think everyone in this movie is talented and really funny. They all have such great chemistry together but also all have something of their own to offer. The funniest part of the movie for me and my friends I think was a several minute long back and forth between Danny Mcbride and James Franco but I would watch the movie again for that scene alone So overall This is the End is a really fun over the top movie.

I give This is the End an 8/10

This comedy where the main stars play versions of themselves is not believable; however, it is very funny. Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, and Craig Robinson are very funny. Danny McBride is viciously brilliant. The film involves a gathering of these stars and friends amidst an apocalyptic event that is the end of the world-thus the title of the film. That event is just the catalyst to expose the shortcomings and quirky behavior of the stars-and it works. There are a ton of cameos from Rhianna to Jason Schwartzman. Michael Cera is very, very funny in the short time he is in it. So is Emma Watson. The story and special effects are not what this movie is about.