The Above Average Awards: 2013 Comedy

This year, for the first time, I have decided to divide the Above Average Awards into two separate posts--one for comedic films and one for dramatic films. In the past, when I've crammed them all into one post, I found it to be a bit overwhelming. The dramatic list will be out in the next couple of weeks, so be sure to check back and see who topped that list for 2013. I know I am pretty much the last movie blogger to release his best list, but I wanted to give myself time to see a majority of the films that never made it to Hattiesburg, for accuracy's sake. Anyway, for now, here's to the guys (and gals) who made us laugh hysterically in 2013...

 

I am of the opinion that comedic actors and films are undervalued in the world of film criticism. As the Oscar predictions role in, comedy usually gets lost in the mix, and I really hate it. I know, true comedic films aren't really made to win awards. However, I believe there should be Oscar categories to further recognize comedic films, much like the Emmys. Sure, the Golden Globes have a comedy category, but the films in that category are pretty much limited to really, really dramatic films that may have contained a joke or two. Anyways, I will stop whining, but I just wanted to make it known why I take the time to really recognize the best work in comedic films. So, without further delay, here are my favorites in comedic films and comedic performances from 2013:

 

 

Best Actor

Honorable Mention: Kevin Kline (Last Vegas), Simon Pegg (The World's End)

 

#8 - Danny McBride

(This is the End)

Honestly, I am shocked that Danny McBride was able to make it on to any positive list of mine, but, each time I watch This is the End, he makes me laugh more and more. Typically, I'm not a fan of McBride's failed attempts at Will Ferrell humor, but his interactions with James Franco were so freaking funny in this film. Although I hope that McBride continues to impress me in the future... I'm not counting on it...

 

 



#7 - Johnny Simmons

(The To Do List)

Last year, The Perks of Being a Wallflower took home the top honor from The Above Average Awards, and Johnny Simmons' performance was probably my least favorite of the entire film. However, after watching The To Do List, I'm encouraged that Johnny might find himself a nice career in comedy. He was absolutely hilarious, and I hope to see him pop up in many more future comedies.

 

 



#6 - The Minions

(Despicable Me 2)

Need I say more than "Bottom"?

 

I will say that I am assuming that the Minions are mostly male, categorizing them in the actor category, but who really knows!?!

  

#5 - Will Poulter

(We're the Millers)

Although I am still amazed at the box office success of We're the Millers, there is no denying Will Poulter's amazing performance. In fact, I dare say that he is the most memorable comedic character of 2013. Regardless, Poulter is sure to have a bright future, and we will look back at We're the Millers, wondering how it possibly banked $150 million.

 

 

#4 - Moises Arias

(The Kings of Summer)

As someone who absolutely loves a good coming-of-age tale, The Kings of Summer was, as a whole, underwhelming. However, the hilarious presence of Moises Arias, throughout the entire film, kept a smile on my face. His character was so randomly funny, and that random humor ends to crack me up. Many of you probably remember Arias from his role on Hannah Montana, but let's hope that he continues to go for these goofy roles.

 

 

#3 - Steve Carell

(Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues)

Steve Carell has long been one of my go-to funny guys, ever since I first fell in love with his humor on The Office. And now, finally, I have an opportunity to praise him in my best list! In fact, Brick is one of the funniest characters that I have ever had the pleasure of watching, and I loved his inflated role in the Anchorman sequel. Of course, Steve Carell was dead on, and I think most everyone would agree that his was an amazingly hilarious character.

 

#2 - Michael Cera

(This is the End)

Of all the actors in This is the End, Michael Cera was obviously the least genuine in the portrayal of himself, and I must say that it was absolutely genius. Kudos to Seth Rogen and crew for coming up with the idea to turn Cera into a crack-induced pervert, and kudos to Cera for pulling off one of the funniest performances of 2013 (in less than 10 minutes of screen time).

 

 

#1 - Jonah Hill

(This is the End)

For the second straight year, Hill easily takes home my top spot for comedic performances in 2013, and, this time, he doesn't have to share it with Channing Tatum. While the entire cast of This is the End was absolutely brilliant, Hill just kept the laughs coming, and, like Michael Cera, he actually acted, compared to some of the other stars who played versions of themselves that were exactly like their true selves. Hill has quickly become one of my favorite actors, as evident by the fact that he is the only actor to make the Above Average list each of the three years that I have been blogging. His work in comedy and drama is amazing, and he is greatly deserving of craploads of recognition!

 

 



 

Best Actress

 

Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), Annette Bening (Girl Most Likely), Leslie Mann (The Bling Ring), Megan Mullaly (The Kings of Summer)

 



#5 - Glenne Headly
(Don Jon)

With the help of the great Tony Danza, Glenne Headly provided many great laughs throughout a mediocre film. Hilarious motherly figures tend to crack me up... so she had that going for her. Nevertheless, her performance is what made the character so great.

 

 

#4 - Sylvia Kauders

(Inside Llewyn Davis)

Of the great performances recognized on both my dramatic and comedic lists, no role was smaller than that of Sylvia Kauders, who played a secretary in Inside Llewyn Davis. Her screen time was probably less than three minutes, if I had to guess, but she certainly made good use of her time. In fact, I couldn't even find a picture of her in the movie. Regardless, I was rolling with every word that came out of her mouth, so kudos to this lovely lady!

 



 

#3 - Melissa McCarthy
(The Heat)

Melissa McCarthy is quickly becoming the queen of comedy, and she was able to provide a number of great laughs in The Heat. Unfortunately, Sandra Bullock's lack of humor brought the film down, as a whole, but McCarthy is worthy of much praise. This recognition marks her second time on my Above Average list, of which I am sure she is immeasurably grateful!

 

 

#2 - Greta Gerwig

(Frances Ha)

 

Ever since I first saw Greta Gerwig in Russell Brand's Arthur, I have been attracted to her free spirit and charm, but her performance in Frances Ha proved that she has a bright future ahead of her. Personally, I had a hard time deciding whether to put her in the dramatic or comedic list. Nonetheless, I decided to put her here, because she did a great job of making me laugh, although her film did a great job of making me think.

 

 

#1 - Allison Janney
(The Way Way Back)

I know I have talked about my affinity for The West Wing on multiple occasions, but I have never taken time out to give praise to the great Allison Janney. Luckily, her amazingly hilarious performance in The Way Way Back gave me a great excuse to give her some praise. In a movie that I was a bit disappointed in, Janney was consistently providing laughs and keeping me interested. She may have had only a minor role, but she certainly gave it her all! That's why I'm choosing her as my favorite comedic actress of 2013.

 

 

 

Best Film

Honorable Mention: The Heat, The World's End

#4 - A.C.O.D.



With an amazing cast and a hilarious topic, A.C.O.D. (Adult Children of Divorce) was able to sneak up on me and provide some great laughs. I would encourage everyone to check this one out at the Redbox. While I can't attest to its accuracy of portrayal (my parents are still married), I can attest to its hilarity, which is really what you want from a comedy.

 



#3 - The To Do List

I don't know how many awkward sex jokes you can fit into a single film, but The To Do List certainly tried to find out! Although it could have been waaay better, the film still managed to provide a ton of laughs, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I guess this means that I enjoy a mass amount of awkward sex jokes, but it is what it is.

 

 

#2 - Last Vegas

Of all 2013 movies, both dramatic and comedic, there was no film that was as surprisingly good as Last Vegas. What was sold to older moviegoers as "a dorky version of The Hangover" turned out to be one of the most hilarious films of the year. I have been waiting months to show this film to my parents, and I finally had the opportunity, the other day. If you missed out on Last Vegas, I promise it is worth your time.

 

#1 - This is the End

 

Contrary to what the Golden Globes may believe, I am of the opinion that a comedy's sole intention is to make you laugh. I know, I already ranted about this topic, but, as an "average" guy, I would never associate the comedy of American Hustle with the comedy of the aforementioned films! Never! So, don't worry... Those films will show up in my drama list. In 2013, the comedy field was not the strongest, but it was much better than 2012. However, there was one film that shone so brightly that I would easily dub it the best film of any kind in 2013, and that film is This is the End. Honestly, if I combined my comedy and drama best lists, This is the End would be number one, by a landslide! If you've yet to see this hilariously outrageous end-of-the-world comedy, you are truly missing out. My opinion may not be a popular one, but there was no 2013 dramatic or comedic film that I enjoyed anywhere close to as much as I enjoyed This is the End! If you want me to say that one more time, I can! The great performances, which have already been mentioned, mixed with the anything-goes attitude of the storyline, makes for one heck of a film that is sure to keep you laughing throughout.

 

 

So, there it is, folks! This is the End joins the likes of 21 Jump Street and Horrible Bosses, at the top of the Above Average. Let me know what you think, in the comment section, and be sure to check back soon for the release of my dramatic list...

This is the End

Expectations:
Aside from Elysium, which comes out in August, there is no summer movie that I was looking forward to more than This is the End. The idea of an entire comedy in which the actors play themselves is just fantastic. Add to that the overused theme of 2013 (the end of the world), and you have me hooked. Jonah Hill and Seth Rogan have each graced my Above Average Awards over the past two years, and, when you team them up with the rest of the crazy gang that this film contains, hilarity is sure to ensue... Right? I certainly hoped so. Most people were pumped for Man of Steel this week, but I couldn't wait for This is the End.

Plot:
As expected, the plot surrounding This is the End was completely over the top and hilariously ridiculous. But, it was just right! Throughout the film, I was wondering when I was going to stop laughing and when the plot was going to take a stupid turn, but it never did. Although he did a great job acting in This is the End, Seth Rogen did an even better job creating this story and directing the film, alongside Evan Goldberg. I really felt like these guys would be just as hilarious if they were hanging out with me during an actual apocalypse. The scene in which we are introduced to some version of these actors own selves was absolutely hilarious, and I loved the use of the various comedic actors who weren't present for the entire film. This is the End was a typical apocalypse film with added hilarity and a ridiculously funny conclusion.

Characters:
With a plot that was expected to be way over the top, I was counting on the greatness of This is the End's comedic actors to carry the film. When the plot turned out to be good, it was an amazing added bonus to have such a great cast as well. There were really very few negatives, as far as casting and characters are concerned, but here we go...

Negatives:
If you know me well, you know my feelings toward Emma Watson. She is one of God's great creations, and I think most would agree. However, her role in This is the End just didn't fit. Every single male character in the film had done some sort of extremely comedic acting at some point in their careers, but the female characters, regardless of their insignificance, were just not funny. Mindy Kaling fit in with the guys, but Rihanna and Emma Watson did not. I would have rather seen Sarah Silverman or Emma Stone show up and provide some laughs. Sure, the focus of the film was on the male characters, which was great, but, it wouldn't have hurt anything to have an actress stick around for more than five minutes.

Positives:
Where do I start?... The entire male ensemble was absolutely great, as these guys just fit together so well, providing laugh after laugh. Jonah Hill lead the way, in my opinion, as he played a very unrealistic and hilarious version of himself, who was very gentle and kind and wanted everyone to love him. Hill has quickly become one of my favorite actors, and I expect him to continue his greatness in the future. Danny McBride, who I usually don't care for, also did a fantastic job in This is the End. He stuck around for just the right amount of time to avoid being annoying, and he cracked me up. Next, Craig Robinson, who I loved in The Office, was a nice addition to Seth Rogen's comedic crew, who usually stick together. Hopefully we will see Robinson in future films with Rogen and crew, as he now has his freedom from The Office. Finally, the character that everyone is talking about........Michael Cera. I'm sure you've seen him in the trailers, but I will avoid ruining anything about his role in the film. Just let me be the 10,000th person to say that he was hilarious.

Conclusion:
This is the End blew my expectations out of the water in a very, very good way! As I said, those expectations were very high, so I am super-pleased with what Rogen and crew were able to accomplish. The only real negative that I found with This is the End is that there was very little room left for a sequel. I didn't realize how funny all of these actors could be, but they were funny enough to entice me to the theater to watch their film twice in one week, so kudos to them. If you like any of the actors in the film, go watch This is the End! If you enjoy laughter of any kind, go watch This is the End! If you have any free time over the next few weeks, go watch This is the End! You will not regret it! So, there it is... Go watch This is the End! I give This is the End 4.45 out of 5 stars. Go watch it!

Great Expectations: June 2013

 

 

The world of laughter has had no help from the film industry over the past year and a half, and, after the flop that was The Hangover Part III, the world of movies really needs a good laugh. Fear not! June is here to save the day! This month, there will be so many comedies that we won't even know what to do with ourselves. Let's just hope that at least one of them is pretty good. If not, the future looks quite dim. Here are a few of those comedies that will be coming your way this month (and Superman)...

 

 

The Internship

June 7

 

 

This is the End

June 12

 

 

Man of Steel

June 14

 

 

Monsters University

June 21

Summer Preview: 2013

 

With the release of Iron Man 3 on May 3, the 2013 summer movie season will officially begin, and it is time to get excited, folks! The summer of 2012 was not the most satisfying, so I'm hopeful that we will see a great improvement in 2013. FYI... I categorize the months of May-August as the "summer movie months," disqualifying any films that are released outside of this broad date range. Below, I have listed five categories of film expectations that I have for this summer. All of the lists are in complete random order, so you get to guess which will top each list! Chachingiest Expectations includes films that I expect to make the most money. This list may be completely wrong, as I did zero research on what films are expected to have high grosses. Lowest Expectations includes films that I don't really think will be worth watching, and I may never know whether they are worth it, because I may not even watch. Bombing Expectations includes films that I believe will fail to meet their monetary expectations (like 2012's John Carter or Battlefield). Finally, my High Expectations categories, for both drama and comedy, include films that I expect to be the best of the summer of 2013. Can these films meet my high expectations? Only time will tell. So, grab your 3D glasses, take them to the theater, buy a 2D ticket, and sneak in to the 3D movie, because it's clever! Happy summer, folks!

Chachingiest Expectations
Fast and Furious 6

Monsters University

Despicable Me 2

Iron Man 3

Man of Steel

Lowest Expectations
The Smurfs 2

The Wolverine

White House Down

World War Z

Bombing Expectations
The Lone Ranger

Grown Ups 2

Now You See Me

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Highest Dramatic Expectations
Elysium

Man of Steel










Star Trek Into Darkness










The Way, Way Back

Highest Comedic Expectations
This Is the End

The Hangover Part III









The Internship

A Look Ahead to 2013

Yet another year of blogging has come and gone, and I can't quite believe it. When I started this thing in 2011, I didn't really know how much I would enjoy it. I mean, come on, what college kid actually wants to write MORE. However, I have greatly enjoyed it, and my hope is that you have as well. So, until people stop reading or I get sick of writing, I'm gonna keep on going.

Sometimes I enjoy doing these odd little posts even more than the usual reviews, because I get to really say whatever I want about whatever I want. But, I do try to make each of them have a purpose, and the purpose of this post is to look ahead to what will be happening in movies and with the blog in 2013. Firstly, there will be no Great Expectations for January, because there are really no new movies coming out that I am planning on watching. In January, I will be focusing on catching up on some movies I have been wanting to rent. However, there may be a review or two, because there are a few movies that I haven't yet been able to watch, due to the busy nature of the Christmas season. Also in January, look for my Notscars list, which should be up early in the month. This list will highlight the worst in movies from 2012 but will be much different (and shorter) than last year's list. My Above Average Awards (I think it clever), which is a list of the best in 2012, will likely be out in early February. I know most people have already forgotten about 2012 by February, but, if I give you that list any earlier, I will feel like it is incomplete, because of the number of movies that I want to watch between now and then. The more movies that I watch, the more accuracy I will have in my list of best actors/actresses/movies.

After I take a nap from all the writing for The Above Average Awards, I will then proceed to review more films, as February and March roll around. Depending on what I do during the summer months (internship?), I may have to take a break from blogging, but I certainly hope not. I gotta keep my people informed! I believe that is all I have for now, so here are a few lists for you (release dates and my excitement are subject to change):

Top 5 movies that I can't wait to see in 2013:

5. This is the End (June 14)

4. The Hangover Part III (May 24)

3. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17)

2. Elysium (August 9)

1. Man of Steel (June 14)

Other huge films out in 2013:

Warm Bodies (February 1)

Oz: The Great and Powerful (March 8)

Carrie (March 15)

The Host (March 29)

Oblivion (April 19)

Iron Man 3 (May 3)

The Great Gatsby (May 10)

After Earth (June 7)

Monster University (June 21)

Despicable Me 2 (July 3)

The Wolverine (July 26)

Enders Games (November 1)

Thor: The Dark World (November 8)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 22)

Anchorman: The Legend Continues (December 20)