Ant-Man

Okay, it may be officially time to just tip your cap to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the people running it, deciding where to go with the phenomenally successful franchise(s). After bringing Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America and the Avengers to life, the MCU turned to lesser known commodities, including Guardians of the Galaxy (a gem) and 2015's Ant-Man.

Fresh off his most recent stint in jail, cat burglar Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is looking to go straight this time as he tries to look after his young daughter. Lang isn't any old crook though, with his degree in mechanical engineering and his reputation he's gained as a bit of a Robin Hood-esque thief. As an ex-con, he finds holding a job rather tough and resorts to his old ways, teaming up with his old cellmate, Luis (Michael Pena), for a job that seems like a sure thing. Well, it ain't. Breaking into a safe in the basement of an old San Francisco house, all Scott finds is an odd-looking suit. The trick? The owner of the house, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), is a brilliant scientist who's laid a trap for Scott. The odd suit has amazing capabilities as it is able to shrink a man down to the almost microscopic size of an ant and gain access to all sorts of places previously unheard of. The catch is that Pym's former student, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), has replicated Pym's formula for shrinking a man, but his motives for using it are far more sinister.

Okay, one minor rant, and we'll get going. I liked Ant-Man...a lot. It's definitely in consideration for my Top 10 of the year. That said...it's goofy. You have to go along with the premise that Pym and Scott can somehow communicate with ants just by telepathically sending the insects an order. The beauty of it is the entire thing is played straight. The tone is of an action-comedy but just goes with the entire premise. Goofy but playing the potentially goofy completely straight. End of rant. Ah, ants are everywhere!

Like I said, tip your cap to the folks over at Marvel. This was a great flick, fun, entertaining, full of laughs and action with some interesting characters and back stories. It is an origin story, introducing the roots of how Scott becomes Ant-Man but also some history involving Pym's history and his development of the science. Director Peyton Reed, working off a script by Rudd, Adam McKay, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, turns in an excellent addition to the Marvel Universe that -- as mentioned -- did remind me of Guardians. We've got characters we don't necessarily have a huge background with but make them interesting and somewhat sympathetic from the get-go. Sure, things are a tad formulaic among superhero (or quasi-superhero) movies, but why fix what isn't broken? Hugely entertaining from beginning to end in this 117-minute flick.

I love Paul Rudd. He's one of the best comedic actors out there so him getting a crack at an action hero of sorts is great. Following in Chris Pratt's footsteps, Rudd famously said he didn't eat anything for a year to get in great shape for the movie, turning the comedian into a ripped action star. It's a character that allows him to be both funny and an action star, if a somewhat unwilling, questioning star, but that's what the part needs! Rudd's Scott is a brilliant engineer who uses his knowledge to be a hell of a thief. His backstory accounting for how he ends up in jail to start the flick is pretty cool too. In another Guardians comparison, Rudd is similar to Pratt's Star Lord character, a normal guy and not a superhero who's always ready with a one-liner or some smart-ass response but when the chips are down is more than capable of getting the job done. And that's important because Rudd is believable too as an action star. If it felt fake, forced or uncomfortable, the movie would have sunk fast. Lesson learned? Don't doubt Paul Rudd!

Now for one of the more underrated aspects of the MCU, something we just take for granted with one new flick after another...the supporting cast! The universe continues to pull big names in, starting with Michael Douglas in the Robert Redford mode, a screen legend clearly having a ball with the blockbuster flick and a fun part. His relationship with Scott is an interesting one, something I imagine will be explored more in any (SPOILER sorta SPOILER) forthcoming sequels. That dynamic gets some fuel for the fire with Pym's daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly, always a welcome addition!), involved in the potential world takeover by miniature fighters!!! (It's not as ridiculous as it sounds). Stoll is an ideal villain, greedy and sinister without hamming it up too much. None of the four are prototypical actors you'd think would lead a Marvel flick, but there's not a weak link in the bunch.

Who else to look for? If there's a relative weak point, it's the subplot of Scott trying to do right by his daughter (Abby Ryder Fortson), his ex-wife (Judy Greer), and her new husband (Bobby Canavale), who also happens to be a detective keeping his eye on Scott! The best parts though go to Scott's crew of cronies, ex-cons who are all-around dumb but always ready with a one-liner, including the always welcome Michael Pena, rapper T.I. and David Dastmalchian.

What the Marvel Universe continues to deliver on is the all-powerful special effects. CGI can be a movie-ruiner for me when it's not handled right, but Marvel in general (and here specifically with Ant-Man) has found a way to not overdo it while making what we do see pretty immaculate. We're introduced to the shrinking ability that sees Scott in the suit shrunk down and basically falling through an apartment building with all the pratfalls that would mean nothing to a regular size man, but to a man shrunk to the size of an ant would be life-and-death situations. It's comical but serious as Ant-Man springs back to life-size in a flash. His training montage of sorts as he adjusts to the suit has its fair share of laughs off of sight-gags as well, running at a door where he's supposed to shrink down and fly through the keyhole where he'll pop back to normal on the far side. The visual is pretty flawless throughout, impressive CGI that's part of the action and never calls attention to itself. That's what you want and need for it all to jell so effortlessly.

Okay, startling to ramble some so let's wrap this up. I thought the coolest angle of 'Ant' was that sure, there's some world domination at hand, but the heart of the story is a heist flick. Can Scott, Pym, Hope and crew pull off an impossible robbery of sorts? That's a new angle among the Marvel Universe and a welcome one, not same-old, same-old. Also....ALSO, if you haven't seen, Ant-Man will be involved in the Avengers/Captain America movies going forward so look for a cool appearance by Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson (Falcon) along with a scene in the credits previewing Captain America: Civil War. So that's FREAKING AWESOME! There's some other quick appearances too so keep your eyes open! In the meantime, Ant-Man is excellent so give it a chance or watch it again!

Ant-Man (2015): *** 1/2 /****

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

So for anyone who lives under a rock, the sequel to 2004's Anchorman hit theaters recently, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, raking in some solid if not huge numbers. It's a daunting task making an unnecessary sequel that follows an original film that is considered by many -- myself as well -- to be a comedy classic. Oh, and it's been nine years since the original was released? This sequel isn't the most timely of follow-ups, but director Adam McKay and star and fellow writer Will Ferrell waited until they could devote the right amount of time to actually writing the follow-up. Is it worth seeking out? You bet.

Having left San Diego and Channel 4 behind him, legendary news anchor Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) is living the high life in New York City, co-anchoring the nightly news with his wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christine Applegate). Well, he was living the high life. Called in thinking he's getting a promotion to a national network, Ron finds himself out of a job when Veronica is promoted instead. He's in a bad place now only to receive another job offer, a new news station that will be on television 24 hours a day. Ron is able to assemble his old news team, Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Champ Kind (David Koechner) and Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), and heads to New York City to rebuild his reputation. The news world has changed though, and Ron and Co. must adjust. Can they manage it?

There are certain movies where plot descriptions are beyond unnecessary. This is one of them. Do you like Ron Burgundy? Did you like Anchorman? If you said yes to either of those questions, you're going to head out and see this movie, story be damned. Though a sequel had been rumored for years, it finally came to fruition this past year when McKay and Ferrell revealed they had been working on a script, really devoting the time that script deserved to get it to theaters. Some nine years since the original was released, this isn't the most timely of sequels, but it's one that audiences have been looking forward to. We've been carpet-bombed for several months now with ads and appearances from Ferrell as Burgundy, the movie even under-performing some in theaters. If you read nothing else from this review, read this. If you liked the original, you'll like this one. Is it as good? No, but that would be almost impossible to do.

Instead, it uses the similar formula while adding some new wrinkles to keep things fresh and funny. How do they manage? Well, as dumb as the humor may be at times, it's also got some really smart (and funny) moments. Assigned to the graveyard shift on the new 24-hours news network, Ron and the team start to think out of the box. What do audiences want to see? Praise for America, sports highlights of home runs, big touchdowns and ferocious slam dunks, footage of cute animals doing goofy things and anything and everything sexy. Yes, Ron Burgundy can see into the future. Surprise, surprise, the ratings go through the roof, audiences eating up the new approach to the news. There is a subtle smartness here, Ron insisting on more graphics on-screen, showing a car chase live on-air and guessing who's driving and what's going on, even a countdown of the greatest vaginas of the 20th Century. Okay, maybe they're not all smart, but they're funny.

My worry was that the cast would turn their characters into caricatures of themselves, even more so than they already are, but thankfully we avoid that. It's fun to see Ron's development as he starts to realize maybe he's not the great newscaster he thought he was. The story gets pretty ridiculous in terms of a character arc -- really going off the beaten track in the final act -- but above all else, it's for laughs. Single Ron is separated from his wife, but still wants to be close to his son, Walter (Judah Nelson), deals with Veronica's new boyfriend, Gary (Greg Kinnear), a psychiatrist he believes can read his mind, gets semi-controversial with an interracial relationship with his new boss (Meagan Good), plays some jazz flute while ice skating, and eventually, even must fight back from being blind. Yes, you read that right. It's ridiculous. The entire movie is. It commits to being both equal parts really stupid and really smart. Leading that charge is Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, again stealing the show.

The best moments have Ron and the reassembled news team up to their usual hijinks, providing the movie's funniest moments. Finding out what Brian, Champ and Brick have been up to is priceless, a recruiting montage providing some great laughs in a scene you'd expect out of a men on a mission movie, not a screwball comedy. The quartet just has impeccable chemistry, each of the three supporting players given their chance to shine. You like the characters, like their shenanigans and can't help but laughs. Also look for James Marsden as Jack Lime, an established star in the news world who goes up against Ron as a new co-worker, Kristen Wiig as Chani, a secretary at the new station who has a budding romance with the equally odd Brick, and even Harrison Ford (yes, Harrison Ford) as Mack Tannen, a legendary newscaster. It's a ridiculously talented comedic cast.

SPOILERS I'm going to mention a couple scenes here -- one more than the other -- that features some good surprises and twists as the movie develops. Stop reading if you don't want to know. SPOILERS Both scenes are updates of iconic scenes from the original, the first being Brian Fantana's epic collection of condoms, one explanation after another bringing the house down, a nice update on his Sex Panther scene. The highlight though is a ridiculously over the top update of the Newscaster Fight (watch it HERE). The star power is nuts, the ante upped in every way possible. Ron and his team must fight the BBC (Sacha Baron Cohen), entertainment reporters (Tina Fey and Amy Poehler), ESPN (Will Smith), MTV (Kanye West), and the History Channel (Liam Neeson), accompanied by the ghost of Confederate general Stonewall Jackson (John C. Reilly). Oh, and Kirsten Dunst keys up the fight as the Maiden of the Clouds. And the Minotaur is fighting with the History Channel. It is truly nuts, completely ridiculous, and it works so, so well.

If there's a weakness here, it's that at 119 minutes, Anchorman 2 is a tad long. Some bits just work better than others. Ron and Co. driving in a Winnebago...well, cruise control driving, is inspired. A later montage of the team building up their new reputation is perfect, Ron and Brian at one point smoking crack on live TV. Other bits aren't as good. I'm looking at you Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig in some truly painful scenes. For the most part though, it works, one scene more nuts than the last. It's not on the level of the original, but it sure is funny. Enjoy it.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013): ***/****

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Oh, how time flies. I remember 2004 like it was yesterday, me a young college student enjoying everything about 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. One of the most quotable movies ever and one of my all-time favorite comedies in general, it's hard to believe it has been almost 10 years since the comedy's initial release. Rewatching it recently in preparation for its sequel (review coming), I had to go back and revisit it, see if it still holds up. Short answer? Yes.

It's the mid 1970s and no one in San Diego is a bigger star than Channel 4 anchorman Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell). An icon in the city and must-watch every time he's on the news, Ron is riding high, his news team, sportscaster Champ Kind (David Koechner), field reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and weatherman Brick Tamland (Steve Carell) ever at his side. The television ratings are high, the city loves them, and it seems no one can take them down. Well, that could change. Channel 4 has hired a new field reporter, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), who would like nothing more than to become the first female news anchor. Ron and the News Team are going to do their best to make sure she doesn't get to achieve her dream, but there's a catch. Ron really likes Veronica and Veronica really likes Ron. Uh-oh, I sense some late 1970s hijinks on the way.

I saw Anchorman in theaters upon its initial release and loved it. L-O-V-E-D it. From director Adam McKay, co-writing the script with good friend Ferrell, Anchorman is either loved or hated among viewers. You don't hear a lot of folks who came away just liking the movie, mildly enjoying it. It's pretty obvious why. The humor -- to say the least -- is the definition of random, pretty off the wall and while not filthy, low-brow certainly comes to mind. I tend to think there's a brilliance to the randomness here (and in the sequel), the twisted minds of Ferrell and McKay finding that perfect outlet to let out that craziness. A review listing the countless memorable scenes would be incredibly easy because there is one laugh out loud scene after another. It deserves its status as one of the best comedies ever, not to mention a status as one of the most quotable movies ever from Brick's "I love lamp" to Ron's explanation of the origin of the name San Diego and a whole lot of other lines in between.

The movie's epic success (in my eyes) begins and ends with Mr. Ferrell as legendary newsman Ron Burgundy. Thanks to Elf and Old School, Ferrell was a rising star in the comedy world making the jump from SNL to movies, but for me, this was the movie that put him on the A-list map officially and for good. Maybe you love the character, maybe you hate him, but Ferrell makes Ron Burgundy a truly memorable character. He's uber self-confident, a ladies man, a master player of jazz flute, a hard-drinker who favors scotch, epically proud of his perfectly coiffed hair, loves his little dog, Baxter, and knows more than anything else that he was born to READ THE NEWS! There's a certain idiotic charm to Burgundy, a man who is all sorts of confident, but he's really dumb too. That's the beauty of the character, the biggest doofus of all to lead a cast full of doofus characters. A great, truly funny part for Will Ferrell.

There really isn't a weakness in the entire cast. Applegate holds her own in the Boys Club, her Veronica wanting to make a legitimate name for herself, not just because people like her. The Channel 4 News Team is perfect, especially Rudd as the epically smooth ladies man and field reporter Brian Fantana. Koechner and Carell too help hold the group together, four freakishly dissimilar folks who bond through their love of the news, partying and carousing. Also look for Fred Willard as Channel 4's producer, Chris Parnell as his nerdy assistant, Seth Rogen as a cameraman, and Danny Trejo as an angry bartender.

There are certain moments here that rise above that same old, same old comedy formula. On top of the countless lines worth quoting, there are certain set pieces that take this comedy to a special place. One of my favorites? Rudd's Fantana revealing his hidden musk/scent display to Ron, especially the illegal Sex Panther (it's got bits of real panther so you know it's good), is ridiculously funny. Ron trying to impress Veronica on their date is priceless, both sitting in his car overlooking San Diego, Ron citing all sorts of "history" about the city. How they finally got a take without laughing I'll never know. There is no doubt about the best scene though, Ron and the Channel 4 News Team engaging in a brutal street fight with rival news teams. The cameos are priceless including Vince Vaughn as hate-filled Wes Mantooth, second in the ratings, Luke Wilson (3rd ranked), Tim Robbins (PBS) and Ben Stiller (Spanish). Words don't describe how stupid this scene is, and that's why it works. It works because it's stupid, it knows it, and it embraces the stupidity. Also look for Jack Black in a quick cameo earlier.

Maybe more than any genre, comedies are subjective because senses of humor can be so all over the place. This is that special kind of bizarre humor, but it works. How could a movie narrated by legendary newscaster Bill Kurtis not be good at least a little bit? Enough talking, it's a classic. Brace yourself for the laughs and lots of them. Stay tuned tomorrow for a review of the Anchorman sequel.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): ****/****

This Is the End

Apocalypse movies have been all the rage for a couple years now. Natural calamities, zombies, vampires, any and all. What else can movies throw at an audience? Well, there's 2013's This Is the End. It certainly goes down a fresh route, having celebrities star as themselves in an end of the world story. It could be self-indulgent, it could be really dumb, but it isn't. It's one of the funniest movies I've seen in years. Oh, and it is dumb.

Having not seen his friend in over a year, Jay Baruchel flies to Los Angeles to visit Seth Rogen, looking forward to catch up and just hang out. They do just that at first, hanging out, getting high and playing video games, but eventually they end up at James Franco's housewarming party that's packed to the gills with other celebrities. Jay is less than psyched, not liking most of Seth's other friends, but that's the least of his problems. An earthquake rips apart Los Angeles, a sinkhole tearing apart the Earth in front of Franco's house, more than a few of the celebrities falling to their deaths. Jay, Seth and James are among the few survivors, forting up in Franco's house until help comes in one form or another. What's going on outside? The L.A. hills are covered in fire, and there seems to be no other survivors. Is it the Rapture? The end of the world? A zombie apocalypse? Can the group survive, maybe just avoid killing each other?

I had two trains of thought when I read about this movie in pre-production. It was going to go one of two ways. One, a self-indulgent, really stupid comedy that would be almost painful to watch. Two, a self-indulgent, really stupid comedy that would be amazing to watch. Yeah, thankfully, it ends up being the second. Of course it's self indulgent. It's a bunch of celebrities playing themselves during the apocalypse for goodness sake! It isn't smarmy or condescending in its humor. The goal from directors/writers Rogen and Evan Goldberg (worked previously together on Superbad, The Green Hornet, Pineapple Express) is to have fun and produce a lot of laughs. Judge it, criticize it for any number of reasons, but 'End' is truly entertaining and genuinely hilarious, one laugh on top of another in a 106-minute movie.

Okay, so it's celebrities playing versions of themselves if not spot-on portrayals (I'm assuming). Rogen and Goldberg's script sees all the possibilities and potential and goes to town. Joining Baruchel, Rogen and Franco as the initial survivors are Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride.They all play up those notions we think we know as an audience. Rogen is the stoner slacker, Baruchel the quirky nerd, Franco a still in the closet gay guy, Hill the angelic do-gooder, Robinson the smooth, cool black guy, and McBride as....well, McBride, the asshole friend we all have and tolerate. Rogen, Franco, Robinson and McBride all worked together in Pineapple Express, and in one way or another (film and/or TV), they've all worked with each other. Friends on-screen or off, this is what comedic chemistry should be. It's effortless, six guys just shooting and spitballing and see what sticks. They make it look easy.

Yes, there's plenty of jokes about sex, bodily function in a movie where the tone is not surprisingly pretty goofy to dumb. But mixed in with all those jokes are some moments of brilliance, genuinely smart scenes that had tears rolling down my face. Of the filthier variety is a scene between Franco and McBride that has the duo (drifting apart as friends) screaming back and forth at each other about masturbation. A scene with Harry Potter's Emma Watson is sublime, the six screwballs discussing an issue they have while she can hear just feet away, the payoff an excellent capper with Watson wielding an axe at them. The group also decides to film a homemade sequel to Pineapple Express, much of the cast already there. It's ultra-low budget charm is evident. As well, Franco's penchant for keeping movie props pays off nicely, including his camcorder from 127 Hours and a revolver from Flyboys. That's just some of the more memorable moments from the episodic apocalypse story.

While this group of six dominates screentime, there's a ridiculous amount of other actors/actresses/comedians making appearances as themselves. Michael Cera gets the filthiest part, playing on his clean-cut image and turning himself into a coke-fiend looking to get some action. Also joining him is Superbad co-star Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin) a funny scene with the duo and Hill too. Also look for Mindy Kaling, Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Kevin Hart, Martin Starr, David Krumholtz, singer Rihanna and Aziz Ansari. Oh, because that wasn't enough, Channing Tatum also makes a blink and you'll miss it appearance as himself. Like the rest of the movie, it's bizarre and comes out of left field, but like so much else, it just works. 

Here's where we sit with another comedy. I could list all the really funny scenes that cracked me up, but then you wouldn't have to see it yourself. I don't want to do that. It's a perfectly funny and smart movie with a ridiculous cast that's having a lot of fun doing what they're doing. It's on display from beginning to end, one of the best, most original comedies to hit theaters in years.

This Is the End (2013): ****/****

This Is 40

Released in 2007, Knocked Up was a more than worthy follow-up to director Judd Apatow's surprise success with The 40-Year Old Virgin. It was an uneven if funny flick with a whole lot of talent assembled and a decent amount of laughs. Apatow takes a few key characters from 'Knocked' and hits us with a quasi-sequel, 2012's This Is 40.

Married for 16 years, Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) are about to hit a big milestone....they're both turning 40. Well, Pete's turning 40, but Debbie refuses to admit she could possibly be 40 years old. Their marriage and home life have hit a bit of a rough patch as Pete's record label is struggling to find a niche while Debbie's boutique losing money by the barrel. Back at home, teenager Sadie (Maude Apatow) is mad at everything while younger daughter Charlotte (Iris Apatow) is just trying to grow up and not get killed by her sister. Both Pete and Debbie are struggling to find any sort of norm and with a whole bunch of problems from marriage to family to finances to work, nothing comes easy, and their marriage is paying the price.

Do you notice anything about the plot description? Well, my first thought upon finishing the movie and then starting the review that nothing about it screams funny. I get it. Life's inherent goofiness, craziness and uniqueness can produce some laughs from a natural place. '40' does have its moments. The cast is far too talented not to get some laughs, even if it was by accident. Those laughs come mostly in the meandering first half of the movie that introduces a whole lot of characters and a whole lot of subplots. It is funny. Apatow does know how to write characters and a solid script, but it also goes down a very dark route in the second half. The laughs are left by the wayside, and '40' turns into one depressing, not so enjoyable movie in the second half.

Key supporting players in Knocked Up, Rudd's Pete and Mann's Debbie get their shots at the lead roles here. While it isn't always funny (far from it), the comedic duo does have a very believable chemistry together. That's not always a good thing though for this longtime married couple who has seen their marriage lose some of its luster. Both are talented actors/comedians, whatever you want to call it, but at a certain point this movie becomes Pete and Debbie screaming at each other over and over again. Oh, and again. I haven't been married for 16 years -- I'm 27 as I write this -- so I don't know about all the good and bad of a 16-year marriage. It feels authentic because obviously marriage isn't a walk in the park. As this marriage though hits a rough patch, it ceases to be an enjoyable film. '40' is too downbeat for its own good, and even talents like Rudd and Mann can't save it from its own darkness.

As a director, writer, producer, Apatow is a very talented guy, and people clearly want to work with him. The supporting cast in basically all his movies illustrate that point. Jason Segel returns as Jason, Deb's trainer who's got a way with the ladies. Albert Brooks is a welcome addition to the cast as Larry, Pete's father who keeps borrowing money, while John Lithgow plays Deb's estranged father. Megan Fox shows she's got some comedic chops as Desi, one of Deb's employees while Chris O'Dowd and Lena Dunham (of HBO's Girls) play two of Pete's record label employees. Robert Smigel is memorable as Barry, Pete's friend.

So obviously a lot of talent is on hand here. At a certain point I got the feeling Apatow just ran with the premise that 'Hey, I'm working with (Insert Star's Name here)!' and didn't know what to do with himself. Oh, and there's more names so keep on reading. It's almost schizophrenic in its entirety. Brooks and Lithgow are somewhat necessary to the story. Other than that? Not so much. Segel is a trainer who wants to hook up with Fox who may or may not be stealing from Deb's store. O'Dowd is a goofy quasi-stoner who wants to hook up with Fox. Dunham makes a couple snarky comments. Smigel is perfect in deadpan fashion. There are too many storylines going on here from Deb and Pete's financial troubles, to a subplot with British rocker Graham Parker, to a drug-laced weekend getaway, to problems with the kids at school. Is this life? Yeah, in some fashion, but that doesn't make it a good movie.

The word that came to mind a lot as this movie wore on was 'self-indulgent.' '40' clocks in at a robust, far too long 134 minutes. With an episodic, drifting story, it goes on endlessly and could have been cut by about 40 minutes. The very funny Melissa McCarthy makes an appearance as a foul-mouthed mother, her improvised scene never ending (and uncomfortable to boot). Returning from Knocked Up, Charlyne Yi is ridiculously unfunny as the pill-popping Jodi, delivering a painfully awkward scene under the drug influence. Did Segel or O'Dowd even need to be in the movie? I wanted to like this movie, but I just couldn't get on board with it. A huge disappointment.

This Is 40 (2012): **/****

Wanderlust

Airing between 1993 and 1995 on MTV, The State was an odd mix of weird characters and skits that helped put an impressive list of comedians in the limelight, including David Wain who's become a film director -- among other things -- in the years since. The State crew sticks together though, working together in films like Wet, Hot American Summer, Role Models, and most recently 2012's Wanderlust.

Having bought a micro-loft in New York City, married couple George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston) are forced to improvise on the fly when George's financial company is shut down and Linda's documentary is turned down by HBO. With no money to speak of, the couple heads south to Atlanta to live with George's brother (Ken Marino), who has also offered him a job at his successful port-a-potty company.  Road tripping south, they stop at Elysium, a bed and breakfast spot they soon learn is a hippie commune. Weirded out at first by the commune's general freeness with just about everything, George and Linda then start to see that maybe this out of the way place is what they needed. It gets them away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, reconnecting with what brought them together..........or maybe not.

Anyone who's watched the above-listed movies along with a film like The Ten, comedy groups like Stella and TV shows like Reno 911 knows that the type of humor the extended State group favors is........odd? Off the wall? Eclectic? Random? Yep, one and all. The best example is 'American Summer' for me, ridiculously stupid and random humor that rises above because it embraces the stupidity. I find the humor hit or miss for the most part though in their other ventures. When a bit works, it can be a home run. When a bit fails, it does so epically. Directing this 2012 comedy that struggled in theaters (making just over $17 million), Wain has that typically odd humor with a solid cast. It starts off strong, producing a fair share of laughs, but it struggles to keep up the energy throughout its 98-minute run time.

What is never in question is the strong casting. Rudd is one of the funniest actors currently working in film and television, and he doesn't disappoint. It's not quite a straight man part to the hijinks -- he's given his chances for looniness -- but it's a relatively subdued part. Aniston too is solid if unspectacular, but the duo has some good chemistry together. As George's well-to-do a-hole brother, Marino is a scene-stealer. He has perfected that jackass part dripping with smarminess, Michaela Watkins playing his spaced-out wife. Also look for Keegan Michael Key as an HBO executive, Todd Barry as George's jokey co-worker, and an uncredited/unlisted Ray Liotta playing himself in a scene-stealing appearance in the final scene wrap-up.

It's at Elysium though that the more memorable parts come out, many of them coming from State cast members. Justin Theroux plays Seth, the philosophical Renaissance man running the place with his new-age thinking while Alan Alda plays Carvin, the man who founded Elysium in 1971 and never left. Oh, and acid has torn apart any sort of memory/coherence he has. Just some of the zany folks at the zany commune include Eva (Malin Akerman) who wants to sleep with George, Wayne (Joe Lo Truglio), the nudist winemaker trying to write a novel, Karen (Kathryn Hahn), the hotheaded pacifist, Kathy (Kerri Kenney), the necessarily ultra-odd hippie, and Almond (Lauren Ambrose) and Rodney (Jordan Peele), the white woman dating a BLACK MAN!!!!!

With a whole lot of talent on-screen, much of the humor looks it came from improv. A "truth circle" is a good mix of laughs and drama with a great pay-off courtesy of peyote. The reveal of George playing a didgeridoo with the hippies is similarly a solid pay-off. The hippies rub their fingers together rather than clap because it's "less aggressive." Little things like that go a long way, underplayed to perfection. Unfortunately, much of the humor doesn't lean that way. It's obvious, even a little self-indulgent like Wain and Stella-mates Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black playing a news team with some painfully obvious sexual innuendos. It's so obvious it takes away the humor.

So while there are laughs, it only takes the movie until around the hour mark. From there on in, the laughs are left by the wayside, and things get more predictable. The supposedly pure Seth has his eyes set on Linda?!? I didn't see that coming!!!! Worst than that, some of the humor becomes uncomfortable to watch, like Rudd's improvising dirty talk in front of a mirror is painful. It gets worse later when he tries that with Akerman's Eve. I became increasingly frustrated with this movie as it went along to the point I actively disliked it at times. It's never good when the final wrap-up scene is the movie's highlight, the outtakes over the credits producing the biggest laughs. Capable cast, some funny moments but mostly a disappointment.

Wanderlust (2012): **/****

Wet, Hot American Summer

It is either funny or it isn't, right? That is a comedy at its most simplistic. You either laugh/chuckle/cry or you don't. There's little in between. It's rare you hear someone say 'Well, it wasn't funny, but I liked it anyway.' I'm struggling to come up with a comedy that will be more divisive than 2001's Wet Hot American Summer. There is smart humor and there is stupid humor, and then there's this movie which doesn't really fall into either category. It just is. Yeah, I'm going existential on your asses.

I was introduced to this movie when I was in college, and whenever it comes up in conversation I will recommend it to anyone who listens. I'd like to think it is a really stupid movie that know it is really stupid, and is therefore....really smart. Does that make any sense? Eh, I'm probably over-analyzing this one, but I don't care. I love this spoof/satire of the 1980s summer camp movies. It takes the humor you know and know well and manages to spin it into this odd stratosphere where nothing really is what you'd think. I don't even know where to start so brace yourself.

It's the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood in Maine in August, 1981. Camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) is trying to get all her campers through that one last day, and also stop her camp counselors from completely destroying the camp and themselves in the process.  She's got no idea what is in store for Camp Firewood on this day though. Beth also has started to notice Henry (David Hyde Pierce), an associate professor at a local college living near the camp, but that's the least of her problems. Nothing is going to go as planned today, and there's nothing she can do about it.

To say this movie has an actual plot in the typical sense of the word is misleading.  The movie comes from the mind of star/writer Michael Showalter and director David Wain, both members of MTV's skit show The State that ran between 1993 and 1995. Much of the cast from The State is working together here again, bringing an odd, unexplainable chemistry to this comedy that plays like a series of running gags. Title cards tell you the time as the day moves along (including one epic training montage that takes 15 minutes in real world time, watch it HERE), the antics getting creepier and weirder as the day moves along. One commenter at the above video said it is one of the stupidest, dumbest, most inane movies they'd ever seen. I'm hard-pressed to disagree, but I loved it anyways.

Because there's no way to describe the humor and the cast without some ridiculously detailed descriptions, here's a cliff notes version of what's going on. Counselor Coop (Showalter) is a bit of a nerd and has a major crush on fellow counselor, Katie (Marguerite Moreau), who has a boyfriend, Andy (Paul Rudd), who is in general an asshole. Andy is more interested in making out with Lindsay (Elizabeth Banks). Arts and crafts teacher Gail (Molly Shannon) clicks in an odd way with one of her students as she copes with her recent divorce. Gary (Zak Orth) is trying to hook up McKinley (Michael Ian Black) with any girl, but McKinley's gay and hooks up with Ben (Bradley Cooper) who is also running the talent show with Susie (Amy Poehler).

Meanwhile, Victor (Ken Marino) and Neil (Joe Lo Truglio) are leading a river-rafting trip, but Victor wants to get back to camp to hook up with the slutty Abby (Marisa Ryan). In the kitchen, counselor Gary (A.D. Miles) is dealing with cook Gene (Christopher Merloni), a Vietnam vet who's become unhinged since returning home. That's some, just some, of the chaos going on. Some bits are funnier than others, but the ones that work are amazingly funny.

The humor is of the odd, eccentric off the wall variety. It's the little things that work. Scenes end and characters don't know what to do. Kids run off into the woods, Orth's Gary walks off a pier randomly, Showalter's Coop goes and joins the other counselors standing against a wall. Merloni's Gene spouts the bizarre things he likes to do only to pretend he never said it. A trip into town ends in a crime spree with a drug trip. Rudd's Andy loses two kids to drowning (it's funnier than you'd think) and takes them to a "special pizza party," leaving them in the woods. Andy later pouts over cleaning up his breakfast on the floor...that he threw there. Lo Truglio chases Marino because...well...because he does. The talent show is horrifically awful, saved in the end by a camper (Kevin Sussman) with a special power, especially needed when part of a satellite comes crashing down on the camp. Yeah, you read that right. Satellite crashing into summer camp. Like so much of the movie, all I can say is go with it. 

I realize this is going to sound pretentious as I write this, but this is a movie you either get or you don't. You're either going to go along with the bizarre, schizophrenic nature of the movie, or you're going to question what kind of lunatic made this movie. I've recommended it to people knowing they probably won't like it, but you have to give it a try. If you hate it, I apologize, and I owe you one.

Wet Hot American Summer <---trailer (2001): ****/****

I Love You, Man

Ah, here we are again; a review of a mainstream, recent comedy that was successful in theaters, on DVD, and most recently when it finally reached cable channels for an endless stream of repeats and reshowings. The movie is 2009's I Love You, Man. By all accounts, it is a very funny movie with some great laughs, good performances, and even better bit parts and cameos. But as I rewatched the movie recently, all I'm thinking is 'What do I write about? Should I just list all the funny lines that cracked me up?' Eh, I guess I'm a little better than that because otherwise I'd just provide a link to IMDB's Memorable Quotes (which I may end up doing anyway). But anyways, here we go.

This is another of the R-rated comedies that has thankfully breathed some new life into the comedy genre over the last 10 years or so.  Chicago Tribune movie critic/reviewer Michael Phillips has delved into these movies  a lot, many of them coming from director/producer extraordinaire Judd Apatow -- I Love You, Man is not one of those flicks but it certainly feels like one. They are often enough stories about men in their late 20s and early 30s, that middle point in their lives where they're realizing they aren't kids anymore, but they don't quite want to be grown-up either.  They manage to be smart and stupid at the same time, mixing dry humor with more obvious sex jokes and physical humor. However the formula works, it does, and these movies are great for a laugh.

After eight months of dating, real estate agent Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) decides to propose to his girlfriend, Zooey (Rashida Jones). She accepts, and they start to plan the wedding, but they both realize a little problem Peter has...he doesn't have a best friend, much less any real guy friends. So not wanting to cause his fiance any embarrassment, Peter goes about finding a best friend, immediately realizing that it's harder than it looks. How do you even go about forming a platonic friendship with a guy? He goes down every avenue presented to him, meeting a lot of different and often enough weird individuals in the process before he meets Sidney Fife (Jason Segel), a single guy about the same age with similar interests. They hit it off, becoming fast friends, but can it end well for the friendless Peter?

The movie's success and its laughs rides on the shoulders of Rudd and Segel, two of the best comedic actors around and two of the funniest comedic actors currently starring in movies.  Rudd does awkward like nobody's business, bringing uncomfortable silences and weird nonsense words and phrases to a whole new level. It's funny watching him bumble through this man-love situation, but it is incredibly uncomfortable at times. Through it all though, there's a likable quality to Peter though so you root for him and feel for his situation. I've liked Segel since his Freaks and Geeks days and like him now in How I Met Your Mother where the sitcom parameters limit him. His Sidney is one of my favorite characters, just a genuinely good dude who has a unique way of living and going about life. Separately, they're great characters, but put them together, and they have this great energy and chemistry throughout.

Watch these movies, and you get a feel for a family-like setting in the making of process.  You see the same faces pop up over and over again, most of them just quick one or two scene appearances that in a lesser movie would seem unnecessary or forced. Here though, they fit in like peanut butter and jelly. J.K. Simmons and Jane Curtin and are perfectly cast as Peter's extremely frank, honest parents with Andy Samberg as his younger brother by eight years, a proud gay man if there ever was one. Jaime Pressly plays Zooey's best friend with Jon Favreau as her less than happy husband. Rob Huebel plays Tevin, Peter's smarmy fellow real estate agent, Thomas Lennon is Doug, one of Pete's failed "man-dates," with many more recognizable faces popping up here and there. In a bad movie, these are parts that could have saved you from the badness.  In a good movie, these are parts that bring the movie to another level.

Most of the humor that works here comes from the little bits, the little touches of reality that ring true. Peter and Sydney bond over their love of rock band Rush, holding epic jam sessions in Sydney's man-cave garage. Peter is trying to sell Lou Ferrigno's house in Venice and is having some trouble getting the job done. Talk about pulling a cameo out of your butt.  Lou Ferrigno, the Incredible Hulk? No way that should work, but it's one of the most sublimely perfect cameos ever. In his attempts to be cool, Peter instead kills himself with awkwardness, prompting random nonsense like calling Sydney "Jobin" with other gems like "Totes McGotes," "See you in a jif," "I'll talk to you then or I'll talk to you at another time," highlighting the awkwardness. It's funny though because Sydney goes along with it, embracing it, making it a little far-fetched but still fun to watch. My ramblings aside, I'll add again; this is a truly funny movie.

A huge test for any comedy is quotability. Once that movie is over, can you leave the theater throwing lines back and forth for days on end, and in this case, years later?  I Love You, Man is epically successful in that department. As promised, here is the link to IMDB's Memorable Quotes (read HERE). This is polished, smart and stupid R-rated comedy with a great cast and laughs to burn. You won't be disappointed watching this one if you're looking for a laugh.

I Love You, Man <---trailer (2009): ***/****

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Rags to riches stories, the American dream at its best.  Musicians, athletes, movie stars, so many seem to follow a similar career arc. Whole shows like VH1's Behind the Music followed an almost identical show about rock stars.  Meteoric rise to fame, brief period at the top, and landslide to the bottom.  Movies like Ray and Walk the Line told the true stories of Ray Charles and Johnny Cash, and as was the case with all of the above mentioned things, they were just begging to be spoofed.  It's just too easy not to.  That's where 2007's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story steps in.

In this not so thinly veiled dig at Johnny Cash and Walk the Line (and on a bigger level anything concerning music), every one and every thing in the music business is fair game.  Starring as Dewey Cox is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood -- drama or comedy -- John C. Reilly. Starting with Reilly, the talent involved here is downright impressive including writer Judd Apatow and a huge cast that make spot-on cameos and fill out the supporting roles.  Both equally stupid and smart, this is just a funny movie, pure and simple.

At the young age of 6, Dewey Cox accidentally slices his brother in two at the waist when a machete fight (yes, a machete fight) goes horrifically wrong.  With that trauma hanging over his head, Dewey grows up, turning to music as an outlet.  He takes to it right away, and when he's kicked out of the house at 14 by his resentful father, Dewey (O'Reilly) tries to get into the music business. He skyrockets to the top with his hit song, Walk Hard <---music video, and is on the way to the top.  But his climb to the top comes at a price, and it's only a matter of time before you reach the summit, and there's no way to go but down.  For Dewey, it's a big drop.

Playing Dewey, Reilly gives him this sort of bumpkin charm where he's beyond stupid one second but genuinely funny the next.  He borders that fine line between over the top, idiotic stereotype and a character you actually like.  Reilly is one of the funniest actors in Hollywood right now, combining really broad physical/slapstick humor (Dewey's go-to move when angry is ripping sinks out of the wall) with subtle line deliveries ("I think I'm doing okay for a 15-year old with a wife and a baby").  Helping the character and his rise and fall is that the music is genuinely good.  Sure, the lyrics are usually a joke, but they sound good, especially Walk Hard.  

Following Dewey's career, it's not just Johnny Cash that is in line for some digs.  Dewey goes through phases of country, folk, punk rock, psychedelic rock, disco, and a couple others I'm probably forgetting.  These are some of the movie's most inspired moments.  Dewey becomes a Bob Dylan knock-off (watch/listen HERE) in trying to stay relevant, doing a spot-on impression of Dylan.  We meet Elvis (The White Stripes' Jack White), Buddy Holly (Frankie Muniz), and in the movie's far and away best scene, Dewey visiting the Beatles in India in 1968 during their psychedelic phase.  The Beatles are going through some internal struggles (a rift as Dewey calls it) which produce some of the movie's best laughs.  Watch it HERE. Jack Black plays Paul, Paul Rudd is John, Justin Long is George, and Jason Schwartzman plays Ringo. 

With a story that covers over 50 years, there's a fair share of characters that Dewey comes across during his up and down career.  Just about every comedic actor around gets a scene or two in this flick.  Playing Dewey's long-suffering band are Tim Meadows (his running bit about introducing Dewey to new drugs is priceless), Chris Parnell and Matt Besser. SNL star Kristen Wiig plays Dewey's wife who he marries (at 14) when she's 12 while Jenna Fischer is the true love of his life and fellow singer/performer Darlene. David Krumholtz is his one-note manager, Raymond J. Barry his resentful father, Harold Ramis and Martin Starr as Jewish record execs, Craig Robinson as a rival club singer, and many, many more recognizable faces. Even look for musicians like Eddie Vedder, Lyle Lovett and Jewel making appearances as themselves.

Parts of the movie don't work as well as others, but that's to be expected with a comedy.  It can be hard sustaining that frenetically funny pace over 90-plus minutes. Overall, Walk Hard avoids that pretty well for about an hour.  But when the story hits 1976 and the disco era, the pacing hits a major roadblock.  It knows where it wants to end up but not quite how to get there.  That last half hour is a tad on the slow side without the laughs.  Balancing it out though, that first hour is about as funny as a comedy can be.  It works out in the end, and there's just too much talent here to pass on this movie.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story <---trailer (2007): ***/****

Role Models

As much as I like movies, I find myself actually going to theaters less and less.  It could have to do with the $20 popcorn/pop combo, but the $11 ticket sure doesn't help.  If I do go to movies, I typically prefer action, drama, epics, thrillers while usually avoiding comedies.  It's always seemed like a waste to me to spend that much money on a 90-minute movie, and then if that comedy isn't funny, we're now 0-for-2.  One that I thought looked good but never got around to seeing, 2008's Role Models, I caught up with on Netflix.

Much of the talent working on Role Models came from a 90s cult TV show called The State, a group that has worked together countless times since.  Watch Reno 911 and you'll see just about everyone from the cast working together again with this comedy.  But that's the problem.  There isn't a ton of comedy.  It's a good movie, an enjoyable flick if nothing else, but it goes long stretches without actually producing any laughs.  The cast is beyond talented, and the finale is pretty crazy, but I only came away liking the movie, not loving it.

A 10-year employee of Minotaur energy drink, 35-year old Danny (Paul Rudd) is having a mid-life crisis and on an epically bad day gets arrested with co-worker Wheeler (Seann William Scott) for a long list of felonies and crimes -- mostly minor ones that together add up.  To avoid jail time, the two have to do 150 hours of community service at Sturdy Wings, an organization that pairs adults with little kids who need mentoring (think Big Brothers and Sisters).  Neither is too enthused about the job, even more so when they meet their kids.  Danny gets Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a teenager who is heavily involved in live action medieval/fantasy role-playing while Wheeler gets Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson), a foul-mouthed boy who goes through "mentors" as quick as they're introduced.  

The basis for the community service is ripe for the picking, and in terms of the relationships the story develops between the 'Bigs' and 'Littles' as Sturdy Wings call them, the movie is a winner.  Danny and Augie find out both of them were forced to do this -- Danny by the judge and Augie by his mom (Kerri Kenney) and stepdad (Ken Marino) -- while Wheeler realizes Ronnie is just looking for a friend and ends up being honest with him, including THIS SCENE where they bond over their love of the female anatomy.  This also comes courtesy of a bonding montage set to an ELO song. But for the most part, these scenes produce a chuckle here and there, but they're never hilarious, side-splitting laughs that the previews made this movie look like it was full of.

I've always been a big Paul Rudd fun, but for most of the first half or so he seems to be sleepwalking.  Granted, the character kinda demands it, but he's not that funny either.  His character is depressed, and doesn't have the same energy that his characters usually do like Knocked Up, Anchorman, or Wet, Hot American Summer.  William Scott is the scene-stealer as Wheeler, a dude who loves what he does -- posing as a Minotaur mascot in energy drink presentations -- and ends up becoming a big brother/father figure to Ronnie.  Their early scenes trying to convince kids not to do drugs -- drink Minotaur instead! -- are perfect, especially with Wheeler decked out in a furry mascot costume. Both Mintz-Plasse (of Superbad fame) and Thompson are hilarious and show that kid actors can be as funny as their adult counterparts.

Some other worthwhile supporting players include Jane Lynch as Gayle Sweeney, the former drug addict alcoholic now running Sturdy Wings, a woman who has quite the nose for sniffing out BS when it's presented, and easy on the eyes Elizabeth Banks as Beth, Danny's recent ex and lawyer.  The whole breaking up subplot with Danny and Beth does drag though and takes away from the much-stronger parts of the movie.  Also look for Joe Lo Truglio as Kuzzik, a fellow medieval/fantasy member who speaks as if he was a knight from the Middle Ages.  The finale as the Medieval Battle Royale is priceless as Danny, Wheeler, Augie and Ronnie - dressed as members of Kiss -- do battle for victory.

Not a ton to say about this comedy.  I really liked parts of it, and others fell flat.  It is a funny movie because of the talent involved with the cast and crew, but it as if at a certain point they forgot to put more jokes or one-liners into the movie.  Worth watching, but probably not a rewatch.

Role Models <----trailer (2008): ** 1/2 /**** 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

The first time around with the classic Freaks and Geeks on TV audiences missed out on Judd Apatow's unique sense of humor. All it took to get him noticed was two highly thought of comedies, The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, with a string of other movies to his name as a producer and now moviegoers know who he is. I'm surprised by some reactions to him because I love the sometime bizarre humor his movies have. But looking at them as a whole, most of them have a heart, something comedies too often skip by.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is one Apatow's movies where he's the producer, and it jumps ahead of all his other movies as the funniest yet. Comedies can be difficult to judge because humor is so different from person to person. Something you find hysterical can fly right over someone else's head. But FSM had so many laugh out moments I'd find it hard to believe that it couldn't produce a couple chuckles from even the most serious moviegoer. What works is that the characters are real people placed in real-life situations with some off the wall results.

Peter Bretter (star and writer Jason Segel) just got dumped by his TV star girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). After three weeks of refusing to move on from the break-up, Peter goes on a vacation, going to Hawaii only to discover that Sarah is there with her new boyfriend and the guy she was cheating with, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), an English pop star known for his prowess with women as much as his music. It seems nothing can go right for Peter, but he hits it off with a hotel employee, Rachel (Mila Kunis), and goes from there as he tries to get over his heartbreak.

That plot doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs, but it's these awkward situations that do produce some of the funniest moments. Peter just wants to move on with his life but can't seem to buy any good luck. Some of the humor comes from really quick, lightning fast moments that don't have a lot of build-up, they hit you and move on. Here's IMDB's Memorable Quotes and then some worthy break-up advice from the movie.

Since his role in Freaks and Geeks, Segel's been one of my favorites whether as a supporting player like Knocked Up or his starring roles like here and I Love You, Man. He's funny without mugging for the camera, and it's usually his delivery that sells the jokes. Russell Brand goes down the more obvious route, the over the top sexed-up pop singer, and is hysterical because he commits to being completely ridiculous. Bell has the most serious of the 4 main parts, but even she gets some really funny parts. The big surprise here is Kunis as basically the most perfect girl...ever. Most people know her from That 70s Show where she played a loud, annoying, very shrill teenager, but she shows what she can do with a well-written part. Her looks are not in question, but she's funny, very natural and makes an ideal girlfriend.

The 4 lead roles are solid, but like so many other Apatow movies, it's the little cameo parts that take the movie from funny to hysterical. Bill Hader plays Peter's stepbrother who keeps in touch via webcam, Maria Thayer and Jack McBrayer are Mormon newlyweds staying at the same hotel as Peter, Jonah Hill is an adoring waiter who loves Aldous and just wants to be around him, Paul Rudd is a pot-smoking surf instructor named Chuck or Konuu (Chuck in Hawaiian, 'You sound like you're from London!), and Kristen Wiig plays a sarcastic yoga instructor, check out her scene here. These parts go in and out of the story and aren't key to the main story between Peter, Sarah and Rachel, but they keep the momentum going.

The humor isn't as filthy here as it was in some other Apatow productions, but it isn't exactly clean, good old-fashioned humor either. Check out the gag reel from the DVD for some of the best laughs, especially the last one with Segel and Hader in the bar as much for Segel's reaction as anything else. It's a funny movie all around and should definitely have something for everyone.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall <----trailer (2009): ***/****