It's a Disaster (2012) User Reviews

You don't need a big budget to make a movie about the world ending

[scottyxl · 7/10 · 10 February 2015]

I quite enjoyed this movie. Usually a end-of-the-world-movie involves lots of explosions but this movie took a whole different view on it.

The plot was genius: put a bunch of friends together, add a new person and make the world end. Taking place in a single house was a real nice idea, the mystery of not knowing what was going on outside really helped the plot.

The interactions the characters had in this film where funny, crazy and believable. Though its not a comedy where you are laughing all the time I found myself laughing more than in most big comedies.

Top notch acting really added to the experience. You normally don't expect such a cast in a low budget movie.

This was a rather nice surprise...

[paul_haakonsen · 7/10 · 31 January 2013]

"It's a Disaster" turned out to be anything but a disaster. This movie really took me by surprise, and turned out to be a really great movie. Especially because of the colorful and interesting characters that were portrayed in the movie.

The story is about a couples brunch that goes totally awry when a disaster strikes downtown, putting the couples patience, trust and friendship to the test.

There is a good amount of laughs in the movie, and they work out well because the scenes are nicely choreographed and planned. But what really makes this movie work is the characters in the movie, and the actors/actresses that were on the cast list to portray these characters. In my opinion, then America Ferrera and David Cross stood out from the others, and did a marvelous job. That being said, I am not saying that the rest of the cast didn't do a great job, far from it. The best character in the movie, however, was Hal Lousteau (played by Todd Berger). It was just a shame that he wasn't in the movie all that long.

The type of comedy found in "It's a Disaster" is the type of comedy that you'll either enjoy tremendously or not at all. Personally, I found it very enjoyable, and the movie really entertained me.

If you enjoy comedies and want something that is not overly Hollywood-mainstream, then give "It's a Disaster" a go - it might just be the thing you have been looking for.

Couples brunch.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 26 May 2016]

Taking a look to see if anything had been added to Netflix UK over the last few days,I discovered that a post-apocalypse Comedy with Julia Stiles was going to be taken off the site in a few days time.Being a fan of the post-apocalypse (and also having enjoyed seeing Stiles in some titles) I decided that it was the best time to visit the disaster zone.

The plot:

For their third date Tracy Scott decides to take her date Glenn Randolph to a couples brunch hosted by her sister Emma Mandrake.Shortly after everyone arrives for brunch,the TV,phone and internet start to shut down.Caught up blaming each other over who has not paid the bill,Emma and Pete Mandrake catch the other couples by surprise,by revealing that they are getting divorced.Reeling from the news,the group get a surprise visit from neighbour Hal Lousteau,who tells the couples that they must stay in the house,due to five,possibly nuclear, bombs having just gone off.

View on the film:

Spending the whole film in the house as the world ends,writer/co- star/director Todd Berger & cinematographer Nancy Schreiber give the movie a warm,free-flowing improvised atmosphere,as rough-edge whip- pans catch relationships in the house ending with the world.Although he does not step outside,Berger does very well at drawing a rough impression of the events taking place outside,,with the crackle of radio/phone calls and the odd front door visit hinting at the disaster unfolding just down the street.

Offering the perfect black Comedy backdrop with the apocalypse,the screenplay by Berger largely leaves comedic set-pieces for a dry,bitter wit being fed by the ripples of Emma and Peter's marriage problems. Casting everyone in the wacky shade,Berger gives each characters weird edges a delicious kooky warmth,which shines from Randolph being completely uncomfortable,to Hal's hilarious matter of fact warning. Joined by the off-beat delights from Kevin M. Brennan and Erinn Hayes,David Cross and Julia Stiles give great performances,thanks to Stiles giving Tracy a sharp shot of level- headed sass,whilst Cross raptures Glen with an unexpected dash of mad sincerity.

Final view on the film:

A movie that is far from disastrous.

Eight Divided By Nerve Gas Equals One Good Tragicomedy

[Cinnyaste · 7/10 · 20 May 2013]

Take three couples with festering issues, add a new beau accompanying a woman on their third date to a brunch with the others, add a nerve gas attack, sit back and enjoy the fireworks.

A low budget effort, "It's a Disaster" admirably examines the group dynamic and the nature of 21st Century commitment. The disaster is, really, the inability of these thirty-somethings to relate in reasonable ways (and a brunch no one wants to attend). There's a swinging couple who not only invite the new beau (a restrained David Cross) into a threesome but who have also bedded, separately, another couple; a couple planning to announce their divorce; an alienated couple who are barely coupled (America Ferrara shines).

Each character speaks in a unique voice from comic book reading conspiracy theorist to dim bulb pretty boy and girl and a commitmentphobe doctor. Well-modulated and spare, their relating never deteriorates into screamfests or expected vitriol. Listen carefully or you'll miss many a terrific line hissed sotto voce. They all take the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it in stride and that's the point. It's their narcissism at the center of the film, not impending death by nerve gas.

This film may also cause certain viewers to seriously reassess their bad habit of arriving late to functions.

"It's a Disaster" is by no means earth-shattering, but it is entertaining, thoughtful, surprising, and maintains the precarious balance between comedy and tragedy. Though a bit abrupt, the end is a hoot that rings true.

Couples who view the film may find fodder in their own relating, and there's enough happening to spark post-viewing debate.

This film may bookend well with "This Is the End" (2013).

Dry like the Sahara......

[FlashCallahan · 7/10 · 2 August 2014]

Eight friends meet for their monthly brunch. What starts as a pseudo therapy session and an airing of domestic grievances takes a sudden turn when the city falls victim to a mysterious attack.

Trapped in the house and unsure of their fates, these seemingly normal people become increasingly unhinged........

Its a bizarre film for sure, and to be fair, you wouldn't want to have brunch with any of these people, as they are a pretty abhorrent lot, but get past all this, and you have a little treat of a film, with some very good performances, and a funny script.

The majority of the film is set in one house, and as the threat gets closer, patience wear all the more thin, and people start to reveal their true colours.

Cross is the best thing about the film as he is the character who has the biggest change of personality in the film. Yes others change, but it's their attitude toward one another, and their desperation. Cross on the other hand is just plain bizarre.

It's not a film for everyone, it took me a while to get over the smugness of the characters, but its unique, funny, and the final scene is pretty genius.

It's a not such a Disaster

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 1 October 2013]

The comedy group The Vacationeers has written a different take on end-of-the-world genre. Four couples meet up for a brunch, only to have it disrupted by a massive attack.

Julia Stiles and David Cross are the newly dating couple only on their third date. They're the big names on this film. Erinn Hayes and Blaise Miller are having trouble with their marriage. Rachel Boston and Kevin M. Brennan are the brash sexual couple. Jeff Grace and America Ferrera are unable to get marry even though they are long engaged.

It takes a while to get the lay of the land with all these couple. Once the incident happens, there is a burst of energy and lots of hilarity ensues. Then the story gets uneven with some slow spots and some funny bits.

The one glaring problem is the guys in the group. The members of The Vacationeers are just not up to the caliber of David Cross. Very few people are, and none of those people are in this movie. They don't have the same screen presence. In contrast, all the girls in this movie are top rate. They all bring a little something different to the table.

This movie certainly had its moments. The energy does dissipate somewhat after the chaos of the attack. So it ends up as a good film that could have been great.

A fun little indie comedy which has the merit of originality.

[theordinaryreview · 7/10 · 7 June 2013]

I came across this movie and thought it looked interesting as I love end-of-the-world stuff. It tends to make life seem more meaningful and brings out a different side to people. Then I realized this film seems to be an indie comedy, and since I hadn't seen any in quite a while, I decided to watch this.

The movie starts off with a couple in a car who are invited for "couples brunch". Tracy is bringing her most recent date, Glenn. The hosts are Emma and Pete who actually decided to get a divorce but are waiting to tell their friends once the brunch is over. Then there's Shane and Hedy. Shane is a total geek and Hedy is a chemistry teacher who have been engaged for 6 years but aren't decided on when to get married. The last couple is Buck and Lexi, two wild party-goers living within their very open relationship and playing in a band. As Shane needs to check eBay for a comic book auction and the men wants to see the score of the game, they realize the TV and internet aren't working. After much debate and pondering, a neighbor knocks at the door, in a full hazmat suit, telling them that there have been chemical bombs released nearby.

It's a Disaster made me laugh a lot. It's not so much the irony of the situation, but in those hypothetical last moments, four couples stuck together can really do damage, or try to repair it. I found the dialogues very cleverly written and it kept me both interested and amused the whole time. The characters are all quite stereotypical but it didn't cause such a problem as I felt they were all believable characters. The absurdity of the chemical event combined with the different personalities made the witty remarks and random happenings really shine through. It is definitely not the typical disaster movie-- in fact, there is very little we know about the actual disaster, which puts us in the same situation as the characters as they are mostly in the dark about their fate.

The movie doesn't hold any spectacular feature or fanciness, but it is well thought and well written through and through, with funny characters, which is exactly what a comedy needs to feel fresh. As much as I tend to be picky about comedies, this one worked for me.

I liked: Mysterious disaster. Good characters development. Funny.

I disliked: Relationships and stereotypes driven sense of humor, which is okay, but goes in a single direction.

72/100 A fun little indie comedy which has the merit of originality.

Read more reviews at: www.theordinaryreview.blogspot.com

Another example of how the low budget under-the-radar movies are better then big Hollywood movies. HILARIOUS!!! I say A-.

[cosmo_tiger · 8/10 · 25 April 2013]

"Johnny-crazy-balls over here is going to save us all from Armageddon." Every now and then a group of four couples get together for brunch at someone's house. Today is that day and Tracy (Stiles) is bringing her new boyfriend Glen (Cross) over to meet them for the first time. The conversation begins to unravel quickly and secrets come out that threaten to ruin the brunch, then they find out that the world may be coming to an end. This is another movie I didn't watch any of the previews for so I wasn't sure what to expect. I have to say that this is one of the funnies indi-comedies that I have seen and I laughed out loud just about the whole way through. The writing is so good and each character had his or her own little quirks which made it really fun to watch. This is the kind of movie where each joke builds on the next one and there is so much going on that you can't turn away nor do you want to. This is one of the funniest movies I have seen in awhile and I highly recommend seeing this. I loved it. Overall, another example of how the low budget under-the-radar movies are better then the big Hollywood blockbusters. I give it an A-.

Enjoyable but broadly written and never excels in any one area

[bob the moo · 23 October 2015]

At times It's a Disaster is a bit hard to stay with, because essentially it is a film that focuses on the 'friends' who are together at one of their periodic 'couple's brunch'. While gossipy asides and barely concealed relationship tensions are present as normal, this particular brunch is marked out by some form of major attack on the US occurring as they sit to their meal. While responding to this is now on the agenda, what that means is different for each person, and of course the former business of the meal also still remains.

Recently I watched the sci-fi film Coherence, where the drama is all played out more or less in one house on one night. This film takes a similar approach and, although there is not really any other connection between the two films, it is interesting to see how the same basic location and ensemble structure can be used to support two such very different films. In this case the focus is the black comedy of the situation and although it is never as smart or as funny as one would have liked, it is consistently amusing in its acerbic characters and extreme background. The writing is a bit broad and it is no real surprise when infidelities and other such secrets emerge from within the group, but mostly it has a solid degree of truth about it all. The downside of this is that the characters are not particularly likable, so while elements of them are recognizable and amusing to observe, there is a lot about them which grate – which is part of the satire, but also a side effect.

The performances are mixed. Cross plays the straight man of the group really well and also allows a character for the viewer to follow, since he is new to the group; Stiles and Ferrera are also both reliable. For the others it was variable but not as memorable as these three. The writing is part of the limit on them, since it is broad across the group, with simpler characters rather than fleshed out ones. Filming around the one set of rooms is well done, and I liked the repeated external shot of the house – and that we never see more of the outside world than this. As a while, the film is too broad to really be brilliant, and it never skewers its characters as it should, or produces great laughs, or something deeper. It works for what it does, but I can understand the mixed response to it, because it is only okay rather than brilliant.

Apocalypse Now

[sol- · 7/10 · 16 December 2016]

Sunday brunch turns chaotic for four couples when a hazmat-clad neighbour informs them of a deadly chemical explosion in the local area in this comedic take on the nuclear apocalypse theme starring David Cross. The finer details of the disaster remain scarce and special effects are minimal as the action is appropriately confined to the house where the couples are brunching and are forced to process the news with a mix of fear, doubt and disbelief. In a clever touch, the news coincides with the hosting couple announcing that they are splitting up and as such the film is both literally and metaphorically about how the characters' lives fall apart as a result of their shock announcement. Not all of the comedy works with lines regarding the TV show 'The Wire' and angels playing harps worth little more than a chuckle, however, there are some excellent black comedy moments in the mix. Most memorably, a fifth couple (who arrive late and are possibly infected) are told "maybe you should learn to show up to things on time!" with the other four couples refusing to let them in. Character development is likewise a little uneven with an out of the blue twist regarding Cross in the final twenty minutes which never quite rings true, but the performers all do well with the material that they have. The film is topped off with a surefire memorable ending; it is a divisive conclusion by all accounts, but one that is neatly foreshadowed early on with a comment regarding Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. On a side note, the film also boasts one of coolest posters of recent time.

Better as a stage performance

[Info-340-323067 · 5/10 · 1 April 2013]

Great blend of characters and relationships and the film manages to steam on through the ninety minutes. The viewer needs to be savvy to this kind of humour to pick up the nuances of the play, which I am sure most will, though some may not and will end up switching off before the somewhat unpredictably predictable end. I feel the drama would work better on stage and can;t honestly see the point in bringing the stageplay to the silver screen. Yes it works realtively well, well acted and some minutely funny parts but at times it does become repetitive and begins to tire. There is only so much one can take in 90 minutes of husband wife partner partner relationship issues and the ensuing trevails. Worth a watch but it is what it is a stageplay on screen. 5 / 10

Witty, filled with knowing clichés, and the brightest dark humor you'll find

[secondtake · 8/10 · 31 August 2013]

It's a Disaster (2012)

You might not click with this movie right away, or at all, if you don't like the very ordinary style and very ordinary people this group of eight is meant to portray. I recognized too many of my friends, or friends of friends, in these clichéd types of people, and thought the acting and the situation very realistic.

Realistic within the bounds of a really funny somewhat absurdist comedy.

At first you have a gossipy parody of a weekend "couples brunch" where four couples converge, and have been regularly converging, to catch up and have fun. Except that secretly many of them really dread it, and there is some posing and whispering. As a viewer you enjoy the repartee, which is often pretty funny in a laugh out loud way, and you also try to figure out who is who, and whose is whose (the couples include at least one case of infidelity between them which complicates that part).

And I admit I might not have lasted an hour and half of this interplay, no matter how well performed. (To be emphasized, all eight are vivid and convincing in their own ways. It's the core of the movie that these are believable types.)

But you won't need patience once the huge (huge) twist comes along. It's a classic "ship of fools" scenario, and it's compressed into a very short space: a bunch of distinctive types of people find themselves trapped together in a crisis. That's just the interesting starting point, because it's how, exactly, those kind of people respond to crisis that makes it fascinating.

It works. We get to know the four or five most important people really quickly and when things shift and reactions mount--and the jokes keep flowing--you'll be right along for the ride. Some might call this a dark comedy since the backdrop becomes exceedingly dire, but the reality of that darkness is never salient. The humor, right to the very last three seconds, is cutting and bright.

Why, quite, this isn't a masterpiece is one of those amorphous mysteries of the movies. It lacks, I suppose, some sense of air, or of knowing-ness, or of a style that suffuses whether you quite realize it or not. Something about the very ordinariness of it all makes it wriggle in a sufficiency that keeps it from rising up, or getting really gritty. I don't think it's a flaw. It might even wear well over the years. But it makes some of the weaker characters and weaker lines glare just slightly.

See this? Yes! If you just hate the characters after ten minutes, you might give up. Even after the big twist about twenty minutes in the movie is very character driven. But if you sort of like their company and their humor, dive in and hang on. It's a hoot.

I can't believe I liked it

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 24 March 2021]

I don't usually go in for end-of-the-world movies, but I watched the preview to see if it would be too scary. I'll try anything with Julia Stiles in it, out of loyalty to all the teen movies she made when I was growing up. The preview was hilarious, so I ended up watching the whole movie. The humor is very dark, quick, and cynical, so if you're not in the mood for it, you don't stand a chance at liking it. But if you like black comedies and think you could handle laughing at the end of the world, you'll probably love it.

A group of friends all get together for usual brunches, but during one brunch, they find out that poisonous gas bombs have been set off and everyone on the planet is going to die. Everyone reacts in different ways, from doubt to laughter to denial to fear to a free-for-all bucket list. All bets are off in the last final hours left to live, and it's actually quite funny. Long-standing grudges and petty fights are brought out into the open. One of the friends jumps into bed with someone else's spouse because, why not? Self-preservation is at its finest when the couple who's always late finally shows up, knocking frantically at the front door and begging for shelter. Julia Stiles refuses to let them in, smirks, and says, "Maybe you should learn to show up to things on time."

Believe me, I'm the very last person you'd expect to enjoy this movie. I'm notorious for hating this genre, either turning the films off or running out of the room in tears. If I actually liked this one and laughed at the unexpected dark humor, it's an enormous compliment. And I'll never hear "In the Hall of the Mountain King" the same way again.

The name says it all...

[johloe11 · 2/10 · 10 January 2015]

Wow this movie was bad, I don't know how they did it but they managed to make a movie about the end of the world boring. I spent half the movie trying to decide whether this was a comedy or not. The atmosphere felt like a comedy but all the so called "jokes" fell very flat. This movie is not worth your time, it was extremely boring, with only one location and very little possibilities. I would have preferred the movie if they took out the disaster and made a movie about a brunch. Then maybe I wouldn't hate all of the characters by the end (because the disaster brings out the worst in all of them, to say the least). And of course the writers couldn't help themselves from throwing in the obligatory religious crazy person. The only problem is they didn't do anything new with it. This movie is essentially one big cliché after another, you can predict most of what happens before it does. It seems to me that the movie can't decide what it wants to be, and ends up failing at all of them. It's not funny enough to be a comedy. They don't leave the house so you don't see the disaster so it's hardly a disaster movie. And said disaster ends all possibilities to be a drama. Do yourself a favor and skip this movie.

I enjoyed this low budget comedy

[shanekadlecik · 6/10 · 24 February 2021]

I enjoyed watching this comedy. The casting of David Cross was really perfect in the end, lol. There's lots of misunderstanding comedy in this that comes from many characters making it feel like it's written by one person or rather one character performed by different actors when it happens. Not sure if I was just sensitive to it. There's also some in group fighting and I don't believe how quickly some of the groups arguments get resolved. This was the first time I've ever seen America Ferrera in anything and I think her performance was good. Glad I took the time to watch this movie.

Funny moments

[jackshrack · 6/10 · 30 April 2013]

While the movie had its moments, it wasn't one that you might remember years to come. But all in all it was entertaining enough to sustain one's attention throughout. At times it was predictable and had moments where it lulled. A few predictable moments and a sense that it really wasn't going anywhere and that the writer didn't really know how to end it. However, overall a 3.5 star movie i feel. The end of the world theme has been done countless times and I had a foreboding feeling that this film would go down the same road as a movie I watched recently with steve corell. But much to my surprise it remained darker and less formated (although it had its moments as well). The problem with "independent cinema" is that it's like alternative music. It gives you a reaction to the mainstream however it is not a genre in and of itself. Much of what is touted as independent remains to be a slightly altered version of the mainstream. I still prefer the quirkier alternative to its forefather but independent film is in my view a misnomer.

I loved this film until it imploded in the last 5 minutes.

[yadaboy · 6/10 · 13 July 2018]

It just doesn't have a decent ending. I hate when that happens.

Clever Idea but Misses Somehow

[dansview · 6/10 · 23 March 2014]

If the people are not religious and never proclaimed allegiance to Jesus, and if some are happy adulterers, how can they go to heaven? Why does the Ben Cross character think they would go to heaven? Why would drinking poison help you go to heaven better than dying from Nerve Gas, if in neither circumstance, did you find Jesus? Having said all that, I like the premise. Apocalyptic stuff can happen when you least expect it. You could be in the bathroom, or at a brunch, or whatever.

In this case, the people could only react to the situation within the context of who they were. With no forewarning, they could just be themselves to the end, without much philosophizing. Whereas if they got a year's notice, they could possibly transform into deeper people.

The reality is that a lot of people have the skills to do some job, but are pretty shallow and worthless otherwise. In this case, these were people who were raised on pop culture and cynicism. Some had skills and all could afford homes and cars. But they had no class.

One reviewer from New Zealand said that was because these people were shallow Americans. But I'm not sure what he's talking about. Would he prefer we beat each other up over soccer matches or wait in long lines for socialist crap? There are a lot of shallow, worthless people all over the world. It's not unique to America. Nice use of dark comedy. I really liked the comic book guy. He had some funny lines and a really quirky way about him. I didn't need to see America Ferrera on the toilet. There's no point to that.

Not one character ever mentioned their parents or siblings.

Wouldn't drinking that poison lead to a tortured and prolonged death just like the nerve gas? Why were they referencing the University of Texas? Was it supposed to be Austin? The writer is from New Orleans. No one had an accent.

I think it did show that couples can stick together, even after betrayal, when they have enough time and equity built into the relationship.

The speech by the America Ferrera character about how the disaster made her realize that she wants out of her relationship was one of the best parts.

The shots of their friends laying dead on the front porch were pretty eerie and a good use of tragicomedy.

I wouldn't recommend this movie. It's depressing and not that funny. It would have to have been either funnier or deeper, to make it worth your while. But there was some good writing and adequate performances. Forget about it.

Fantastic and funny film

[reimagination · 8/10 · 16 October 2012]

I saw this today as part of the New Orleans Film Festival. It is so funny, yet I think still pretty realistic (to an extent). I believe they said it would have a limited theater release in February (the director hopes on Valentines Day because that would be so funny considering the context of the film), and he said it should release on iTunes the same day, so you can see it anywhere. I definitely cannot wait until then so I can see it again. I'd say it's not a movie for everybody because some of the humor is a bit out there, but it's totally my taste, and it's not often I like comedies. The story was well written, and the characters change throughout the film, and it's really interesting how each character handles the disaster differently, and you can really relate to at least one of them. There are even some great surprises throughout the film. I was fortunate enough to hear the director speak about his film afterwards, and he really tuned us in to some of the foreshadowing elements present, and that's one of the reasons I want to see it again. This movie is perfect for anyone who has ever been in any sort of relationship and who doesn't have your conventional sense of humor.

Meh

[angielk316 · 6/10 · 1 May 2020]

I enjoyed it until...







There ending was terrible! No payoff at all!

Don't even watch it

[pjr235 · 3/10 · 20 June 2013]

I decided to give this movie a try, especially after 'Aftershock' turned out so well. But no forget that under the radar crap. The movie was like an unfinished episode of friends. Not funny or quirky like in the trailers and there was no actual ending to the movie. They all solve a bunch of relationship troubles, all the while the much more interesting story of these 'attacks' is pretty much ignored. It leads the story to a point where they all turn on each other, then they love each other, but its all for nothing because supposedly they end up dead. They didn't even show that. So I pushed through all this relationship crap, half-funny moments and empty jokes to get to the end, which had no actual ending.

I'm not gonna rage-quit, but this was a waste of time. And don't watch it thinking you'll see even a glimpse of this terrorist attack/WWIII. You won't. I'm just warning you's because some might think: Oh at least there will be some panic or explosions or running for your life - no, there is none. This is not a disaster flick and it sure as hell ain't a comedy, so I wouldn't even know what to call it besides: A total waste of time. Trust me and skip it. But don't you dare say I didn't warn you (if you do decide to watch it and end up a little more than upset.)

I gave it a three for effort and they all showed up and shot the movie. The camera angles and shots were well done and it was a high quality camera, so it didn't feel college cheap. They had some money and a few 'known' actors. The music used throughout was a few good classics. In a technical sense it was well done, as for the story and the movie itself a big: NO.

Great movie

[preemptiveselfdefense · 8/10 · 23 January 2013]

I came to watch this movie because I'm a David Cross fan and it's the type of premise that appealed to me. I thought it did a great job of depicting the disaster w/out spending a lot of money. Special effects budget was probably somewhere around 200 bucks. It's structured similar to that Jodie Foster/John C. Reilly movie that came out recently, i.e. a couples get-together. Very funny but a lot of it might go over peoples heads if they're into more obvious comedies. It's starts easy, paced well throughout and had a great ending. A really good ending. I really want to mention my favorite parts but I wouldn't want to give any kind of spoiler. David Cross is a good barometer for whether or not you'd enjoy this. If you've heard his stand-up anyways. Watch it, and if you didn't like it, sorry. Just go watch Big Momma's House again and bask in your impeccable taste for comedy and superior intellect. Ciao homies.

Coherent

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 19 January 2015]

I don't know if the makers of Coherence watched this movie (probably not), but it's interesting what you can do with a little set piece and one location/house, with some characters in it. This has some dialog highlights (not sure if I personally would consider the duct/duck tape thing as one of them, but you'll be the judge of that and other smaller conversation pieces, that make this feel sort of real) and the acting is really good.

You may feel like you've been in a situation like this or a similar one, though obviously not with the same outer perimeters. This makes this easy to access and if you like the humor this thing delivers (mostly), than you will have a very good time

Clueless Young Adults Confront Haha Imminent Death

[steve1480 · 1/10 · 30 August 2013]

God-awful, unsatisfying movie about a bunch of really clueless people, each more annoying than the one before, who get caught in a house during a national multi-city dirty bomb attack that is killing everything that comes in contact with the air outside. They tape up the cracks to the outside but at some point come to the conclusion that they are doomed and there is no way they will be able to ride out the gas and it will eventually leak in. One of the group, in an attempt to help everyone have a spiritually benign afterlife, adds rat poison and barbiturates to some wine for everyone to enjoy. When this is discovered a discussion ensues, and it's finally decided that, tho no one believes in the culprit's religious views, drinking the wine will in fact allow them to escape the horrible death from the gas that awaits them. They decide to drink the wine on the count of three and the movie ends abruptly after they twice balk at doing it. This is all sort of played for laughs, by the way, but the ending isn't funny. It's up to us to imagine it.

I feel sure that people don't get to make and market moronic movies like this in the rest of the world. What is wrong with our culture that this kind of thing is brought before us as a major release with talented actors? Someone has too much money.

I'm not going to try and deconstruct the action that takes place during the hour or so before the final scene...what these people go through, the parts they play, the games they play with one another while contemplating the end of their lives...because it is all so clichéd, trite and uninteresting. See for yourself. I will confess to enjoying two or three good lines but all in all a great, great waste of time.

Terrible timing

[bdkwhite · 19 April 2013]

A dirty bomb goes off in Los Angeles. Presumably the entire city is wiped out. Hilarious, right? Just the kind of thing I want to watch after the Boston bombing.

Now, it's always good to find a way to laugh in the face of disaster, and I know the filmmakers were trying to make a funny film about the end of the world. And that's OK, if you do it with a certain level of intelligence.

What's not OK? Every single character in this film. They're horrible people. Vacant. Stupid. Selfish. Totally unlikable. And completely void of any humanity. If that's how you're going to write/edit your characters, then I say just go for it and really show just how awful people can be. Make it a real satire.

I believe another user commented that this would have worked better as a play, and I agree that it might be a decent play if someone punched up the dialogue and cast better actors. However, I give major props to Julia Stiles and David Cross for acting their way through a very mediocre script.

In the end, this film IS a disaster, so I guess the filmmakers got at least one thing right. Oof.