We Would Love to Spend the Apocalypse With These Guys: Our Review of "This Is The End" (2013)

Directed By: Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (writers of Superbad) 

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill & Danny McBride

Rating: R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence

Run Time: 1 hour, 47 minutes

Synopsis: Jay Baruchel (himself) visits his BFF Seth Rogen (himself) in L.A. for the weekend. Although Jay doesn't quite get along with Seth's newer Hollywood friends, he joins him to a party at James Franco's house, when suddenly the world starts to go to Hell and leaves Jay, Seth, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson alive to fend for themselves while the Apocalypse is going on outside.

REVIEW

Andrew: Hello readers! A couple of weeks ago Sarah and I were able to catch an advanced screening of This Is The End, the apocalyptic comedy starring Seth Rogan, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson…

Sarah: Plus a whole host of their friends and other famous people in various cameos.

A: It’s written and directed by Rogen and his regular writing co-hort, Evan Goldberg. Together they have also written Superbad and The Pineapple Express, but this is their first time directing a film. This Is The End is based on the short-film Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse that this duo co-wrote and that Rogen and Baruchel starred in, with the simple premise being that all the main actors involved are playing exaggerated versions of themselves who all get together at James Franco’s house for a party when the apocalypse starts to go down.

S: They’re definitely playing exaggerated, fictionalized versions of themselves, which I enjoyed. Yes, for the most part it’s just a bunch of guys messing around, but they’re still legitimately trying to tell a story, with the actors actually playing characters – they just happen to be parodies of themselves, essentially.

The Perk of Directing Your Own Novel's Movie - Casting Your Own Characters: Our Review of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" (2012)

Directed By: Stephen Chbosky 

Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd

Rating: PG-13 on appeal for mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references, and a fight – all involving teens

Run Time: 1 hour, 43 minutes

Synopsis: Based on the novel of the same name, Charlie (Lerman) is a teenager just starting high school who is trying to cope with the suicide of his best friend and his own mental problems. When he struggles to find new friends in school, a pair of seniors (Watson and Miller) take him under their wings and introduce him to their group of friends.

REVIEW

Andrew: Hello readers! Last night Sarah and I were able to catch a free screening of the new film adaptation of the hit novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower, directed by Stephen Chbosky, who also wrote the novel that came out in 1999. It stars Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief) as Charlie, a freshman just starting high school who narrates his story through writing letters to a nameless friend; Ezra Miller (We Need To Talk About Kevin) as Patrick, a gay senior who befriends Charlie; and Emma Watson in her second post-Harry Potter role as Sam, Patrick’s best friend and step-sister who also takes Charlie under her wing.

So Sarah, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of our best friend’s absolute favorite book and was very excited about this coming out, and in turn continually told us we would like the book. We didn’t get a chance to read the book before we saw this (sorry Eileen!), but now that we’ve seen the film adaptation, what did you think?

Sarah: I really, really liked it! I did not know that the author of the book was also the director of the movie, so now that I know that I feel more confident that this is the best adaptation from book to screen that you could get.

I absolutely loved this movie. I thought it had such heart but at the same time had a sort of dark undertone that I think will surprise the audience a bit.

A: Especially if they’re unfamiliar with the source material.

S: Yes, especially if they’re unfamiliar with the story. I thought it was going to go in one direction and it ended going in another one, which pleasantly surprised me because I’m not often surprised by movies anymore.

What did you think?