Cuban Fury - 2014 **

I certainly didn't think this was 'infectiously feel-good'. In fact, I felt that the only good thing about it that really made me laugh was Chris O-Dowd in a role where he can properly swear and be a bit of a b******.
Nick Frost is a bit pathetic I think, and I haven't ever been in hysterics over anything he has done. He's a bit like an English Kevin James/Vince Vaughn who always plays a sad and lonely idiot who just wants to do good. Here he's (guess what) a sad and lonely idiot, who can only express himself through his love of Cuban dancing. He tries to win his new boss over by dancing like a lunatic.
That's pretty much the story. And it really doesn't have anything more going on for it than that.
(the dance scenes are pretty good though.)

A Guy Thing - 2003 ***

 

A moderately funny chick flick about a guy who wakes up after his bachelor party to find a strange woman in his bed. He automatically assumes they have slept together and therefore tries to come up with a plan to keep this a secret from his bride-to-be. It's definitely one of those 'old school' chick flicks, with actors who just aren't around anymore, but it's okay and relatively amusing.

9 - 5 - 1980 ***

I've always got the impression that Dolly Parton was very annoying, and after seeing her in '9 to 5' I think my opinion is justified. Not as annoying however as Jane Fonda, whose whimpish, no backbone spouse portrayal had me fuming at the nostrils.
The three women meet at work, and become close, especially when they find out that they all despise their boss for different reasons, but mainly because he is an egotistical, chauvinistic pig who uses each woman to his advantage in his power game at 'the top'. When they decide to pay him back for his behaviour you can see all women watching the film jumping up in their chairs.
I started off not having much respect for any of these women who let themselves get trampled on by a man, but by midway I was warming up to them, and by the end I really liked them.
The theme tune is a belter, so you can't really stop yourself singing along. As one of the 'standout' comedies of the 80s, I think this film could be a lot worse.

The Other Guys - 2010 **

I am becoming more and more impressed with how much Will Ferrell is making me laugh in movies. Some films he has done are hilarious. Unfortunately this isn't a hilarious movie, but it's okay, and Wahlberg wasn't too bad either (you can sense he's a bit cocky though)
Both star as detectives who are stuck together after an accidental shooting sometime ago.
No one respects them or likes them, and even more so when they try and investigate a big case and everything goes wrong.
It was a film that I wasn't too upset about ending, and that usually means it's not high on my list.

The Haunted Mansion - 2003 ***

I've never watched a film based around a ride in a theme park before. Quite interesting idea I think.
Jim is brilliant at his job. So much so that it does tend to interfere with the other areas of his life like his marriage and his children.
After missing his wedding anniversary he promises to make it up to his wife by taking the family away for the weekend, which then goes off the rails when they are contacted by the occupants of a scary old mansion, and asked to go there and do business. Arriving in a torrential downpour, they are greeted by the butler and persuaded to stay the night in one of the beautiful rooms. That's when the fun starts...
For a children's movie, this creeped me out quite a bit, and I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I anticipated i would. Murphy is very funny, and his two children are adorable.

Moving - 1988 ****

I think Richard Pryor deserves more credit for being a comedian than he gets. He's extremely funny, and remarkably versatile when it comes to different characters.
The job of a lifetime comes up for Arlo Pear with a big pay rise, more responsibility, and generally everything he could wish for. The only problem with this is that it means moving his family from their comfy home in New Jersey, to the outskirts of Idaho. Not only does he have to deal with his stubborn teenage daughter, who would rather marry a pimp than up sticks with him,, but he also has to coordinate the psychotic neighbour next door who keeps setting his remote controlled plane on him, as well as a group of thuggish furniture movers who break all his possessions and then demand payment for doing so.
I found this a really funny film, and I hadn't heard of it before doing some research on Richard, so it's a bit of a lost gem as well.

Delivery Man - 2013 **

Only Vince Vaughn could willingly take part in such a stupid film and get away with it.
David is an underachiever who works at his family butcher shop, and earns ridiculously low pay. To make matters worse, he is being chased by scary men who are after a huge amount of drug money from him that he will not be able to repay. Oh, and his girlfriend has just found out that she is pregnant.
Things are not going well for him. But one day when he comes back from work, he is confronted by a lawyer who tells him that because of his regular sperm donations years and years ago he has fathered 533 children.
142 of these children have started a lawsuit against the fertility clinic to release the identity of the man who fathered them.
Eager to see how his brood has turned out, David stalks each of his children, finding any little thing he can do to start a conversation of give them some support.
Before long, the thugs catch up with him, and he decides to sue the sperm bank for damages.
It's a very silly, and completely ridiculous film, and I must say, that although Vince Vaughn is quite funny, I'm getting a bit fed up of him playing the same pathetic characters in each movie.

Labor Pains - 2009 ***

Mildly amusing comedy about a young woman named Thea who fakes a pregnancy to stop herself from getting fired from her horrible boss.
Lindsay Lohan isn't a bad actress (it is after all what she became famous for years ago) and walking around pretending you are pregnant for the whole film isn't the easiest thing to do.
As time goes by, Thea gets caught up in the lie of being pregnant, and even starts to have feelings for a co-worker who takes pity on her when she splits up with her 'fiance'.
It's not going to win any awards, but it's still quite funny, and worth a watch.

The Starving Games - 2013 ***

Obviously it would help if I had actually seen 'The Hunger Games', but even so, this was a silly and satirical look at what happens when you have to fight to the death... on an empty stomach! Winning a chicken and half a pickle will no doubt spur on the contestants, but being starving will inevitably drag the process out.
Funny film.

Weird Science - 1985 ****

A film I had never seen, 'Weird Science' delivers in all areas. It delivers for laughs, costumes, sci-fi and a beautiful woman.
Two friends, tired of being nerdy and unpopular, decide to create their own perfect woman on the computer (which, as you can imagine has the largest and most dated monitor you have ever seen) with hilarious and touching results. 'Lisa' is not only the most attractive woman they have ever seen, but is willing to do whatever they ask her to.
A funny if rather dated movie now, but definitely worth a watch.

The Birdcage - 1996 *****

The Birdcage is screamingly funny, and to be honest the laughs from Robin Williams and his super camp partner (Nathan Lane) are regular and bounteous. 
Armand (Williams) enjoys his life as the owner of a popular drag club called 'The Birdcage' where his partner Albert performs as 'Starina' on a regular basis.
Apart from their occasional hissy fits, the two live happily together. That is, until Armand's son Val announces that he is getting married. His future father-in-law is a Republican Senator and has very old-fashioned and narrow-minded views about homosexuality. With this in mind, Val suggests that Albert 'disappears' for a few days so that the impression can be given of a 'normal' family when the bride-to-be's parents come to visit. Agreeing to this, Armand decides to track down his ex wife to play the role convincingly, not counting on Albert upstaging the whole evening.
Very funny, enjoyable, easy going and entirely good-natured. Must be watched.

The First Wives Club - 1996 ****

After the suicide of their dear friend over her failed marriage, 3 women decide to get together and form a club based on women who are dumped by their husbands for younger models. Wanting at first to get even, they realise soon after that the best way they can make their ex spouses suffer is to become successful and happy.

A feel good film, with three great actresses all bumping shoulders (and singing too!) 

Loser - 2000 ***

'Loser' is one of the group of 'old school' rom-coms that was very popular in 2000. 

Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari seem to have disappeared into obscurity now, but were immensely popular at the end of the 1990s.

Here, Biggs plays Paul, a nerdy but dedicated student working hard to get a scholarship who falls in love with Dora, a quirky yet troubled student who is finding it hard to make ends meet in her financially, as well as keeping her relationship with her college lecturer quiet.

I liked it, although usually Jason Biggs is too much to bare. 

Zoolander - 2001 ****

'Zoolander' must have the biggest number of celebrity cameos in any film I have ever seen. But when Ben Stiller is around anything is possible. And with Ben Stiller, you know that Owen Wilson will not be far behind.
Stiller is Zoolander, a vain and narcissistic male model who constantly rivals Hansel (Wilson) in the 'top model' stakes. At his latest award show, Hansel steals the title of 'Best Model' from Zoolander, mortifying him, and sending him into hiding (a mean article in the local paper by journalist Matilda doesn't help matters.)
Meanwhile, Mugatu, a prolific fashion mogul, (played campishly by Will Ferrell) decides that he needs to recruit a male model to assassinate the Prime Minister of Malaysia who is trying to put a ban on cheap child labour.
Before long, Zoolander is in the firing line as a possible assassin and can only save himself by recruiting his arch nemisis Hansel.
Rather over the top film, but packed full of humor and quirky moments (it is obvious that Stiller and Wilson are best friends off set, because their chemistry is spot on). Must see.

What's the Worst That Could Happen - 2001 ***

Relatively unknown comedy with Martin Lawrence as an experienced thief named Kevin, who meets his match when trying to burgle rich and crooked tycoon Max (Devito). In return for being burgled by Kevin, Max ends up stealing a precious ring that Kevin was given by his new girlfriend Amber. Desperate to get it back, Kevin enters into a cat and mouse game with Max, with hilarious results. 

I like both Lawrence and Devito as actors, so it was quite a pleasure to watch them both try to outsmart each other with their individual styles of comedy.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa - 2013 ****

'Bad Grandpa' must not be taken seriously. It would be pointless too really, as most of the scenes are so ridiculous and over the top that it would spoil it if you saw it as anything other than a joke. Johnny Knoxville plays the ludicrous but likeable Grandpa Irving who is dealt the task of taking his grandson Billy to stay with his father while his mother is on jail. This takes them both on a road trip of epic proportions (to be honest I'm amazed that he isn't arrested for some of the things he does) and a hilarious climax involving a children's pageant brings it all to a farcical close. 

Funny, and silly. 

Cougar Club - 2007 **

There seems to be a fascination with older women being seduced by younger men in American films. It's very odd. And I suppose this wasn't a bad film as cheesy films go, and the plot didn't rot my brain any more than usual. A couple of Yale graduates decide that they will be be able to earn lots of money hosting exclusive parties that only members of the expensive 'Cougar Club' can attend. It all backfires of course, but is still fairly funny. 

A Few Best Men - 2011 ***

Was a bit hesitant about watching this especially seeing Kris Marshall. He's generally far too over the top for me, but he actually worked here. He meshed well with the other characters - the do holder groom, the hopeless manic depressive friend, and the 'heading for trouble wherever he goes' pal. Olivia Newton-John didn't stand out, but it didn't matter. Some hilarious head trippy scenes ensue,including a gay drug dealer and a cocaine smuggling goat, and it was worth the ride.

Fired Up - 2009 ***

I found this pretty funny to be honest. I've come to realise that american comedy usually goes out its way to objectify women and we have to contend with shot after shot of breasts, arses and fake tan. Instead of moaning about it I may as well just try and grasp what humour there is in the selected film.
This movie is very like that, except most of the shots are cheerleader related as two stupid but loveable jocks find themselves in the centre of a cheerleading squad. It was good.

Gettin' It - 2006 ***

Teen comedy about a shy and unpopular virgin who, after a misunderstanding about his "size" becomes popular beyond his wildest dreams with all the women in his town. It's silly and immature but quite amusing.