This week Lon and Farrell discuss the charming new comedy Cedar Rapids and are shockingly in agreement over the new Jennifer Aniston /Adam Sandler film ‘Just go with it’. In an effort to help guide your cinematic cravings through Netflix streaming they highlight a couple new to streaming films in the Blaxploitation spoof ‘Black Dynamite’ and the romantic Irish myth ‘Ondine’.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @TWiMovies

Hosts

Farrell Roth
Lon Harris

In Theaters

Cedar Rapids

Directed by Miguel Arteta
Written by Phil Johnston
Starring Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr.

When sheltered, naive small-town insurance agent Tim Lippe (Helms) ventures to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for an important convention, he falls under the sway of 3 unpredictable veterans who have some lessons to impart about life, friendship and love.

Lon: The film is a delight. A perfect blend of sweet, good-natured humor and jet-black raunch featuring John C. Reilly’s best comic performance since “Boogie Nights.” There’s also a laid-back tolerance that the film seems to represent…If “Cedar Rapids” has an overarching theme, it’s that everyone is human and we should accept them as they are. That’s just nice.

Farrell: Did not love the film as much as Lon, and felt that some of the raunchy humor made it more of a “guy movie.” Nonetheless, she thought the cast was terrific (particularly Reilly and Ed Helms) and agreed that the film was upbeat and likable.

“Just Go With It”

Directed by Dennis Dugan
Written by Alan Loeb and Timothy Dowling
Starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Brooklyn Decker, Nick Swardson and Nicole Kidman

Wealthy plastic surgeon Danny (Sandler) gets himself in trouble when he tells his super-hot girlfriend Palmer (Decker) he’s in the midst of a divorce. Now he needs his faithful assistant (Aniston) , her two kids and his dopey brother Eddie (Swardson) to go along with the charade, going so far as to fly everyone to Hawaii for a bonding vacation.

Farrell: The movie is unfunny, obnoxious and far too long. Though she does not blame the young actors, who clearly are trying their best, she hated the film’s child performances, particularly the egregious and unnecessary use of a fake British accent by Aniston’s daughter throughout the entire film.

Lon: “This film is despicable trash. A mean-spirited, ugly, shrill, offensive, unfunny, lazy, hacky mess. I hated spending 2 hours with these people. The performances are one-note, the jokes are barely there and the pacing is inexplicably off in every scene.”

This Week in Netflix

LON RECOMMENDS: “BLACK DYNAMITE”

Directed by Scott Sanders
Written by Michael Jai White, Byron Minns and Sanders
Starring Michael Jai White, Tommy Davidson and Nicole Ari Parker

When the mob kills his only brother, kung fu badass Black Dynamite (White) decides it’s up to him to clean up the streets in this affectionate and note-perfect send-up of ’70s blaxploitation movies.

Lon: This is a must-see for fans of parody films, ’70s movies or blaxploitation. It really might be the best parody movie since the Zucker/Abrams/Zucker crew was at their peak. Truly captures the look, sound and feel of the genre and the era. Plus several great, authentic original songs.

FARRELL RECOMMENDS: “ONDINE”

Written and directed by Neil Jordan
Starring Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda and Alison Barry

A lonely Irish fisherman (Farrell) pulls a beautiful, mysterious woman (Bachleda) from the water and on to his boat in Neil Jordan’s contemporary fable. Is she a selkie, a magical seal creature from folklore, or is she guarding some more mundane secret?

Farrell: Neil Jordan builds the film’s central mystery so well, you completely accept it and give yourself over to the narrative. She praised Farrell’s performance and also the tremendous chemistry between him and co-star Alicja Bachleda, which of course led to them coupling off-screen and having a child together.

Closing

Join us next week for reviews of “I Am Number Four” and “The Unknown,” along with more Netflix recommendations!