Movie question - "This is the End"

[thelurkinghorror]

@Hamlet

At least now you seem to “understand it when people talk about taking away the premise of a movie.” The reason I asked about getting rid of that one premise was to get to the very point you’re addressing, was it a good movie without it. For you, the answer is yes. For me, it was a resounding no. Such variety is the spice of life.
Sure. To me, though, that was the only funny part of it. Give me World’s End, Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead, It’s a Disaster, A Boy and his Dog, or a slew of other, funnier, less dickish, movies about the apocalypse instead.

As I said, the World’s End was a slog. And I think that this is the first time in history that a Boy and his Dog is described as not dickish. I mean, maybe you have “good taste.” : D omnomnom.

[mr.jp]

@Equipoise

It actually has 3 premises when you get right down to it.

Famous people played by themselves but not really playing themselves.

An apocalypse-ish something or other, where no one knows what’s going on, and how a group survives together when their food’s running out and a monster (or something) is hanging around outside. Not to mention dealing with Hermione Granger.

To me, the first premise didn’t add much, its this second premise that I think drove the humour. Following people in a very serious situationen who are being dumbasses is hilarious to me.

Some things I thought were funny, chronological order, until 30 mins in:

• Where they got back in the house after seeing the rapture, and Jay couldnt convince anyone that it happened.

• Where they are all being impressed that the TV is in the floor, as if that had any importance at that point.

• Where they are pointing on each other with the gun.

• That they all were so focused on the milky way.
  I understand it’s possible to not find any of these things funny, but none of them have anything to do with recognizing the actors, or actors playing against type.

[Drunky_Smurf]

A couple of bits that really stood out for me.

The Hermione bit.

Franco getting saved at the end and then being dickish and he drops back to Earth. It’s like God was saying, “Oh you wanna be a dick, fine, I was going to save your ass but not now, dick.”

And the Aziz and Craig interaction. When Aziz is in the hole and barely hanging on and he asks Craig to help him but Craig says, “It’s too late for you you’re already in the hole.” totally not giving a shit about Aziz and even kicking him in and then later when they’re hold up in the house he’s acting all emotional and torn up and he says, “I tried to save Aziz.”

[thelurkinghorror]

One thing that was kind of weird. You have:
2 very Jewish actors
2 of mixed Jewish/Christian background (possibly Catholic but I can’t presume)
1 Methodist

And they all take the Rapture as “gospel.” IIRC even before it is completely obvious.

[YogSothoth]

I liked it because:

• It stars people I kind of like, who feel like they could be your buddies, playing exaggerated versions of themselves

We all know Rogen and Franco are potheads, seeing them confirm it finally in a fictional movie is kind of a wink and a nod to the audience. They address Franco’s gay rumors, and have Michael Sera do a 4th wall breaking anti-role of himself. Those jokes make me seem like I’m part of the “in” crowd because I get it, and my enjoyment increases

• They talk like I do

I laughed the most at the part where they are calling each other cocks and pretending to spray cum on each other or something. Also, the Emma Watson “rape joke” was exactly how I think it would have played out, so its funnier when I see it acted out

• Its an end of the world movie that’s not depressing

Giant devil cocks, etc. Other stuff too

• You can imagine things happening exactly like that

Because we tend to think of celebrities as the characters they play. Clooney’s suave, Christian Bale’s intense and humorless, Leo Dicaprio is cool and probably too good for you, etc.

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

@msmith537

I actually enjoyed The World’s End more than Shaun of the Dead, but not as much as Hot Fuzz. Most people seem to feel it’s the weaker of the three.

Huh. I’d probably rank them in that order as well (maybe put Shaun at the top)–but I loved all of them, possibly my favorite comedies of the last decade. Comedies that involve dumb people shouting at each other have to be extra-well written to be funny, and if it’s a bunch of people getting stoned and extemporizing, you’d better be paying me to chaperone them if you want me to watch.

[Rushgeekgirl]

I loved it but I enjoy that kind of humor I suppose.

[jayjay]

@thelurkinghorror

One thing that was kind of weird. You have:
2 very Jewish actors
2 of mixed Jewish/Christian background (possibly Catholic but I can’t presume)
1 Methodist

And they all take the Rapture as “gospel.” IIRC even before it is completely obvious.

“Rapture” is basically general culture knowledge now. If you saw it start happening, and it fit what Rapture is supposed to look like, it would be a natural assumption to say “Whoa…looks like they were right!”

[dropzone]

@thelurkinghorror

It was the best of the 3 apocalypse films that came out at the same time - the disappointing “The World’s End” (higher critical rating than I’d expect personally) and “Rapturepalooza” (also starring Craig Robinson(!), this time as the Antichrist).

Damning with faint praise, for my money. I was disappointed by “The World’s End.” I don’t like Rogen, Franco, and Hill, but at least Michael Cera died, so it’s not a total loss.

@Drunky_Smurf

Here’s a hint about This is the End.

It gets better after 15 minutes.

But 15 minutes was enough to get the tenor of the film; it didn’t get any better.

@Siam_Sam

I would not consider 6.8 a “lofty score.” If all I was going by was the score alone on Imdb and had no other information, I’d turn my nose up at anything below a 7.

“Lofty” is a relative term here, considering how bad it was. I was looking forward to it based on the preview, but it was another case of “all the good stuff was in the preview.”

[TonySinclair]

@jayjay

“Rapture” is basically general culture knowledge now. If you saw it start happening, and it fit what Rapture is supposed to look like, it would be a natural assumption to say “Whoa…looks like they were right!”

+1. I’m an agnostic, and an atheist as far as the Bible is concerned, and every so often I’m asked by apologists if anything could change my mind.

Well, if I saw a bunch of people disappearing or flying up into the sky, that would be a good start.

[msmith537]

@Drunky_Smurf

A couple of bits that really stood out for me.

The Hermione bit.

Franco getting saved at the end and then being dickish and he drops back to Earth. It’s like God was saying, “Oh you wanna be a dick, fine, I was going to save your ass but not now, dick.”

And the Aziz and Craig interaction. When Aziz is in the hole and barely hanging on and he asks Craig to help him but Craig says, “It’s too late for you you’re already in the hole.” totally not giving a shit about Aziz and even kicking him in and then later when they’re hold up in the house he’s acting all emotional and torn up and he says, “I tried to save Aziz.”

FUCK THAT! THE LAST PERSON TO STICK HIS HEAD IN THERE GOT IT CHOPPED OFF!

Should have thought about that before you drank a whole can of Ecstasy.

Danny McBride

The Channing Tatum cameo at the end.

Personally, I think the main problem with The World’s End was that it didn’t have as many genre tropes to play off of as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. There just simply aren’t as many alien body snatcher films as there are zombie films or mismatched buddy cop action flicks.

[thelurkinghorror]

@jayjay

“Rapture” is basically general culture knowledge now. If you saw it start happening, and it fit what Rapture is supposed to look like, it would be a natural assumption to say “Whoa…looks like they were right!”

I have to watch again. I don’t remember any bodily assumption except at the very beginning (seen by Baruchel who nobody believes and Rogen who denies) and very end but were using religious terms throughout.

[crypto]

For the sake of this thread, and the criticism that I received for bitching about a movie I only could stomach 15 minutes of (a fair enough criticism considering I opened a thread to ask how anyone could find this funny), I finally sat down and watched it from start to end.

My opinion didn’t change much.

This was a bad movie… Clearly, I am in the minority in this thread, and that’s ok. But i cannot for the life of me find any redeeming parts to this movie, certainly not anything that would make me watch it again, and nothing to alter my original opinion of it.

I tried watching it with an open mind, since there were so many folks saying it was funny. “The funniest movie I’ve seen in a while!” Really? If that is true, either comedy movies have become terrible, or my sense of humor is gone.

Someone mentioned “Hot Fuzz” as a comparison movie. “Hot Fuzz” is great. I have watched it a few times, and I laugh each time. I can sit through it. I can catch a few minutes of it if I find it while channel surfing. I laugh.

This movie? I smiled exactly twice. When McBride called Jonah Hill a “c*nt”, (not that the line was hilarious, I just hate Jonah Hill), and when Franco was dropped when being raised into heaven because he was being a dick to his friends on the way out.

That was it.

The only person I found appealing from an acting POV was Craig Robinson. If these people were playing themselves, Robinson was the only person that I would ever want to meet IRL.

The IMDB rating is 6.8… Not a 9, but still IMO way too high for this steaming pile of dreck.

My opinion hasn’t changed, but at least I can say that I watched it completely, gave it a chance, and can slam it with the knowledge that I didn’t make a hasty judgement before turning it off, like I did the first time.

I think my initial reaction was spot-on.

By the way, did Seth Rogen go to Hebrew School? :rolleyes: