This Is The End: But it is the start of Laughapalooza—Movie

“I don’t want to die in James Franco’s house!” So screams Jay Baruchel to Seth Rogen midway through “This Is The End.” Really? Because if the threat of death is this much fun at casa de Franco, move over, Jay, and make room on the couch for me.

Written and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, based on their short (also written by Jason Stone), “Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse,” “This Is The End” is Rogen and Goldberg’s idea of what the end of the world…or their world…will be like.

The story begins innocently enough. Jay has come to LA and while in town is staying with buddy Seth. With the exception of Seth, Jay seems to hate everything and everyone in Hollywood (especially Jonah Hill), so when Seth tells him they are going to a party at James Franco’s house, he’s not exactly overjoyed. But after a day of smoking weed and drinking ecstasy…yes, drinking ecstasy…he agrees and the two take a cab (see how this is done, Lilo?) to James’ home. His party seems to include every Hollywood A-list person under 40…many of them doing unspeakably disgusting, but hysterically funny acts. Jay finally has had enough and goes out for some air. Seth joins him and the two end up in a convenience store. At the store, all hell literally breaks loose. Monsters appear…people get sucked up, God knows where…and that is just for starters. Let’s not dwell on the woman at the cash register. The two run back to James’ house where all seems well…until it’s not.

Although “This Is The End” is filled with cameos of stars playing themselves, the real action centers on Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride, with lesser roles for Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Rihanna and David Krumholtz. While I don’t know any of these people personally, I can only hope Cera is playing a “bizarro” version of himself.

Somehow the writers have managed to combine horror films, comedy and filth in one fell swoop and have produced one of the funniest and really creative, smart films in a long time. (I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to look at a Milky Way bar the same again.) Even some of the smallest things, like Seth’s breathing, garner big laughs. Yes, “This Is The End” is probably geared more for men than women and contains more d***k jokes than one can shake a stick at…pun intended…but I laughed myself silly.

4 nuggets out of 4

Oz the Great and Powerful: Fun without the Rainbow—Movie

“Oz the Great and Powerful” takes its time getting started, but once it does, watch out.

Directed by Sam Raimi, with screenplay by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire, based on L. Frank Baum’s novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” takes us behind the curtain, cleverly showing us how the Wizard came to be.

Save for Dorothy and her traveling companions, “Oz” is filled with most of the characters we’ve grown to know and love—from the munchkins to the flying monkeys to witches…good and wicked…and we  still can follow the Yellow Brick Road, fear the poppy fields and sail away in  hot air balloons. Even the opening is in black and white. What helps make the movie its own are some endearing new characters—most especially the adorable China Girl (Joey King) and Finley, the flying monkey (Zach Braff), who befriends Oz (James Franco).

We meet first meet Oz as Oscar Diggs, doing his thing as a carnival magician/con man. He is literally blown to kingdom-come, aka Oz, in a Kansas tornado.  Upon landing he meets Theodora (Mila Kunis), a witch, and Finley. They are convinced that Oscar, who soon takes the name Oz, is the great wizard for whom they have been waiting to rule. One hesitates to say much more without giving away the plot. Suffice to say, “A woman scorned is a dangerous thing.”

I may be in the minority, but I loved James Franco as the young Oz. His is an understated performance, but it serves the story well. Franco has a ready sly smile and a twinkle in his eye, so you’re never quite sure what he’s thinking—perfect for a con artist. The witches are also well cast. In addition to Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz as Evanora and Michelle Williams as Glinda are beautiful, spunky and fun.

I saw “Oz” in 3-D, but I don’t necessarily recommend this treatment. 3-D does not further the enjoyment of the movie. In fact, it’s almost distracting. What does work is how China Girl and Finley are brought to life. Whatever the technique, China Girl seems very real in miniature form and Finley’s monkey eyes are eerily human-like. It’s those small, detailed special effects, and the movie has many of them, that serve the movie well, and 3-D is not necessary to view them.

“Oz the Great and Powerful” is just plain fun. So grab some popcorn and enjoy.

3 nuggets out of 4