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 Neighbors is a frat-house comedy directed by Nicholas Stollar (Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Five Year Engagement). The premise is pretty simple - a young married couple with a new baby (Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne) are worried when a frat house (run by Zac Efron and Dave Franco) moves in next door. The couple at first tries to play it cool, but when they call in a noise complaint to the cops, they spark off an escalating personal-property-destroying prank war. The film also mixes in some empathetic themes about growing up and being cool and all that poo poo. Since no one else has started a thread for it, I will. This film is funny. Like, really funny. Astoundingly, given Stollar's previous history, the film is expertly paced pretty much from start to finish. It still uses some Apatowish conversational humour but it's far more structured and has no meandering, endless third act that sucks out all the goodwill and humour derived from the first two. Seth's good, Dave Franco's good, and Rose Byrne is especially hilarious in this film, or maybe I just think so because I'm so used to women being the shrewish "voice of reason" in gross-out comedies. However, an outstanding Zac Efron steals the film - he hits just the right notes of earnestness, malice, and manic insanity. It also doesn't hurt that he's in the best shape of his entire loving life. Also, keep an eye out for cameos from The Lonely Island and Workaholics. Enjoy the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL5c2szf3E4
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May 11, 2014 06:40
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 03:37 |
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Trailer was alright. That sure was a lot of cg Seth Rogen getting slammed around, though.
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May 11, 2014 15:46
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This film is pretty loving far from outstandingly funny. It's a totally bog standard frathouse comedy, there's been a million exactly like it and there'll be a million more.
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May 11, 2014 16:04
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I loved it. It had a great combination of actors in it and the verbal and physical comedy blended really well together. Also Rogan and Efron's relationship in the movie was fantastic.
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May 11, 2014 16:26
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Kingtheninja posted:I loved it. It had a great combination of actors in it and the verbal and physical comedy blended really well together. Also Rogan and Efron's relationship in the movie was fantastic. I loved Efron's character taking "we crossed the streams!" so seriously.
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May 12, 2014 02:25
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I was totally gonna skip this movie based on the trailer. I'm glad I didn't. It was much, much funnier than I thought it was gonna be. The main cast is great (Rose Byrne is loving hilarious and not the 'serious no fun wife' that always shows up in these kind of movies) but the supporting characters are amazing. I personally find Zac Effron to be as dull as dishwater and even he does pretty well in his role. Anyway, this movie is as raunchy and over the top as you would expect. It is also pleasingly absurd. See it with some friends and have a good time.
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May 12, 2014 03:47
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Mr. Flunchy posted:This film is pretty loving far from outstandingly funny. It's a totally bog standard frathouse comedy, there's been a million exactly like it and there'll be a million more. Oh no, frats! If you weren't interested in a frathouse comedy (which I don't think this actually is, for what it's worth) then why'd you go see it?
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May 12, 2014 04:24
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Mandrel posted:Oh no, frats! If you weren't interested in a frathouse comedy (which I don't think this actually is, for what it's worth) then why'd you go see it? Flunchy runs a pretty well-regarded film blog and was probably obligated to review it, so this argument is invalid. I will disagree with him, however, this is much less of a drat comedy than Old School or Animal House. It's also much darker than I expected, especially when Efron's characters starts "villaining out". While it isn't quite the masterpiece of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it's much better than the borefest that was Five-Year Engagement. Also, Efron is a talented actor and I keep waiting for him to have a decent role.
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May 12, 2014 05:16
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 The film is entitled 'Bad Neighbours' outside of the US, likely so as not to confuse it with much loved Australian soap opera.
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May 12, 2014 08:38
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Don't get me wrong it's not that I think Neighbors is a particularly awful film, just a really unremarkable one. There's a synthetic quality to the way they set-up punchlines that I find very dull, and there's the predictable rhythm of *something crazy happens* cut to *baby reacting cutely* that's so drat worn-out it was cliche in the 30s. I'll admit there's one or two decent gags, but this is about as bland as a comedy can be. That's why I was surprised to see you say it was "astoundingly" funny. Spinal Tap, Withnail and I, Hot Fuzz and (on the vague Apatow Axis) This is the End and 21 Jump Street are all astoundingly funny. This is not remotely in the same league as these films, I'm even a bit bemused that someone cared enough to make a thread about it. If you want to go and see something funny, go and see Frank. That's 5 times the film this is. Incidentally, I saw this a press junket back in March. I was a bit suspicious from the start when they kept giving everyone loads of really strong complimentary cocktails before the screening. Getting the press drunk before showing them a comedy is the oldest trick in the book...
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May 12, 2014 09:51
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If you watch any films sober you're way off the mark.
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May 12, 2014 09:54
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Mr. Flunchy posted:Don't get me wrong it's not that I think Neighbors is a particularly awful film, just a really unremarkable one. There's a synthetic quality to the way they set-up punchlines that I find very dull, and there's the predictable rhythm of *something crazy happens* cut to *baby reacting cutely* that's so drat worn-out it was cliche in the 30s. Not Anchorman2 "WTF are they going for here?" bewildering-level bad, just as you said - so incredibly bland. Most of the audience in my theatre felt the same way, there were some laughs of course during the gross-out physical gags, but otherwise eerily silent.
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May 12, 2014 12:05
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Rough Lobster posted:The main cast is great (Rose Byrne is loving hilarious and not the 'serious no fun wife' that always shows up in these kind of movies) but the supporting characters are amazing. I dunno, I really liked pretty much everything about this movie. I thought it ended when it should have ended and didn't drag things out or belabour a joke until it wasn't funny anymore, which was kind of what I got from 5 Year Engagement. I don't think I've laughed harder this year than at the climax fight scene when Zac and Seth are battling with dildos, beer cans, and trampolines. But humour is completely subjective so if you don't laugh, you don't laugh. I just laughed more than I expected to - mainly because my favourite jokes were nowhere NEAR the trailers, like the dildo-making scene, the dance-off, Rose Byrne's seduction of Pete and Teddy's girlfriend, the "everybody hurts" hazing montage, anything involving Garf, etc. I also liked the emotional undercurrent of the movie as well, which is a huge strength carried over from previous Stollar (and Apatow) films.
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May 12, 2014 13:45
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I liked this a lot even though I didn't laugh as hard as I have at stuff like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, This Is The End, or 40 Year Old Virgin (to name a few similar comedies). It definitely follows a formula but subverts enough expectations and operates with an economy that makes it really satisfying. The actors all have a great chemistry, too. In fact I was thinking about Seth Rogen's oeuvre and it occurred to me that while he's mostly a one trick pony he does that trick really well by always having great chemistry with whoever he's working with. I would not have thought to put him together with Rose Byrne but it just works. I usually find Dave Franco annoying and even he was pretty good in this. It's not going to go down as an all time great comedy but it's really well made and you could do a lot worse with your time and money when it comes to seeing a comedy. I think my only complaint is not giving Hannibal Burress enough screen time.
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May 12, 2014 19:31
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I enjoyed the film, but the trailer for "let's be cops" got the biggest audience reaction in my theater.
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May 13, 2014 00:50
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There's moments I laughed, but I agree that overall it's middling. About equal parts hit and miss for me. However, as I said in Gen Chat, that party cinematography is top notch. edit: One moment that has stuck with me is when Mac is poking around the house for the remaining airbags. And he goes to test the crib. There's this wounded pause before he prods the crib. It has the potential for the film to suddenly become very dark. Even though it turned out fine, it's this very vulnerable scene, and reminds you that there's a child at stake amidst all of this. TrixRabbi fucked around with this message at 09:00 on May 14, 2014 |
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May 14, 2014 00:36
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I really enjoyed this movie, especially both side's inability to quit the prank war.
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May 14, 2014 11:36
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Jonas Albrecht posted:I really enjoyed this movie, especially both side's inability to quit the prank war. Yeah, especially after Rogen and Byrne give the peace offering of all their weed, and Efron decides to let them in and be cool again. They get away with the break-up plan, but can't leave it at the peace they established. They have to win.
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May 14, 2014 20:35
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A part of me wants to see this one this weekend because there seems to be a drought of summer comedies lately. I remember 10 years ago the summer was loaded with them and this is the only one on the radar.
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May 14, 2014 23:03
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Mr. Flunchy posted:I'll admit there's one or two decent gags, but this is about as bland as a comedy can be. That's why I was surprised to see you say it was "astoundingly" funny. Spinal Tap, Withnail and I, Hot Fuzz and (on the vague Apatow Axis) This is the End and 21 Jump Street are all astoundingly funny. This is not remotely in the same league as these films, I'm even a bit bemused that someone cared enough to make a thread about it. I haven't seen the rest of the films on this list, but the fact you said Hot Fuzz and This is the end are astoundingly funny, yet this sucks poo poo should be on the posters.
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May 15, 2014 02:03
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trashcangammy posted:I haven't seen the rest of the films on this list, but the fact you said Hot Fuzz and This is the end are astoundingly funny, yet this sucks poo poo should be on the posters. What?
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May 15, 2014 02:16
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I went on Tuesday, cheap night so I was only in for $6.25 plus popcorn but I thought it was way too slow getting started. Once it kind of kicked in there were funny parts and some 'oh poo poo' parts but even as frat party, comedy goes it lacked. They got hit with an 18 R so all bets should have been off and they didn't even throw in some jiggly to try and make me horny. Kinda m'eh. I've seen worse for sure but I'm glad I didn't make this my Saturday entertainment.
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May 15, 2014 07:44
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Awfull Ioci posted:They got hit with an 18 R so all bets should have been off and they didn't even throw in some jiggly to try and make me horny. The nudity all seems rather deliberately off-putting. Rose Byrne's swollen breasts. The pube tearing. The dick around Carla Gallo's neck.. It's like it's subverting the nudity you'd expect from a frat comedy by making it all as disgusting as possible.
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May 15, 2014 08:04
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TrixRabbi posted:The nudity all seems rather deliberately off-putting. Rose Byrne's swollen breasts. The pube tearing. The dick around Carla Gallo's neck.. It's like it's subverting the nudity you'd expect from a frat comedy by making it all as disgusting as possible. It feels like the movie has no interest in that, which is pretty understandable. The only tits you do end up seeing are briefly done in the party montage. On that note I think Stoller has legitimate directing chops. He feels like a director making comedies, if that makes sense. You see those Happy Madison productions, or any of Apatow's movies and it's all very much just point and shoot. This is way more vibrant.
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May 15, 2014 20:07
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TrixRabbi posted:The nudity all seems rather deliberately off-putting. Rose Byrne's swollen breasts. The pube tearing. The dick around Carla Gallo's neck.. It's like it's subverting the nudity you'd expect from a frat comedy by making it all as disgusting as possible. What modern "fratty" comedy has had titillating nudity? None of the Apatows, certainly not the Hangover movies, what else are we talking about? The cheery nudity these days is on premium cable. No Wave fucked around with this message at 23:17 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 23:06
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They finally figured out raunchy comedies make more money if everyone wants to see them, not just single straight guys.
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May 16, 2014 04:28
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Wow, the trailer looks surprisingly dark. It kind of seems like it could secretly be a disturbing character study ala Cable Guy.
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May 16, 2014 11:10
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trashcangammy posted:I haven't seen the rest of the films on this list, but the fact you said Hot Fuzz and This is the end are astoundingly funny, yet this sucks poo poo should be on the posters. My reaction to this post is about the same as what I felt when watching men cheerily explain their atrocities in The Act of Killing. I don't understand your brain.
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May 16, 2014 11:37
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Popcorn posted:Wow, the trailer looks surprisingly dark. It kind of seems like it could secretly be a disturbing character study ala Cable Guy. It's nothing like The Cable Guy, but it does care a lot about the characters and has a decent degree of depth to it. Nothing intensive, but more so than something like The Hangover movies care to do. It's not so much subversive as it is a look at aging and maturation. Also, at one point Seth Rogen uses a giant dildo as a pair of nunchucks. It's that kind of movie.
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May 16, 2014 13:45
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That said, it does go to some surprisingly dark places, and most of that is on Efron's shoulders, and he completely pulls it off.
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May 16, 2014 14:16
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The milking scene caught me completely off guard and had the theater 50/50 in laughing/being grossed the gently caress out. I loved Rogan's comment at the very end, though. How drained are you? 1%? 2%?
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May 16, 2014 15:47
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Vargo posted:That said, it does go to some surprisingly dark places, and most of that is on Efron's shoulders, and he completely pulls it off. Was actually surprised Efron pulled off his role so well. My honest thought was it was going to be on the level of "College"/"Sex Driver" which featured cardboard cutout like characters. They did though..make the Efron character much more than a stereotypical frat boy villain. He's not really a "villain" at all, more so just a person Rogen and Byrne square off against each other. I would be curious if he could pull off more comedic roles in movies similar to this.
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May 17, 2014 07:21
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Vargo posted:That said, it does go to some surprisingly dark places, and most of that is on Efron's shoulders, and he completely pulls it off. I enjoyed this movie quite a bit, but there was only one exchange that really made me laugh uncontrollably: Pete: "You know, as a child of divorce, I can't help but think what we're doing is really going to screw Stella up." Teddy: "Well, my parents love me and I think it's hilarious." Just this sledgehammer of pitch-black comedy out of nowhere.
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May 17, 2014 07:33
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Rose Byrne really made it work. I like it but its not as funny as the other Seth Rogen/James Franco/NcBride movies. I don't know how this movie make so much money. Is Seth Rogen going to become the next Adam Sandler?
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May 17, 2014 16:45
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Jonny Angel posted:I enjoyed this movie quite a bit, but there was only one exchange that really made me laugh uncontrollably: That is my single favorite line in the movie.
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May 17, 2014 17:21
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Jonny Angel posted:I enjoyed this movie quite a bit, but there was only one exchange that really made me laugh uncontrollably: "IT'S A GIFT AND A CURSE!"
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May 17, 2014 20:22
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Just watched this today. Thought it was pretty average but I was surprised with how well Zac Efron carried his role.
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May 21, 2014 00:58
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As previous posters said, these are the best two lines in the movie: Pete: "You know, as a child of divorce, I can't help but think what we're doing is really going to screw Stella up." Teddy: "Well, my parents love me and I think it's hilarious." and Pete: "IT'S A GIFT AND A CURSE!" This is just an incredibly  film. It's certainly not bad, and it has some solid jokes, but there's nothing memorable about this movie. I'll be surprised if I can remember a single scene from it a month from now. If I do, it'll be the milking scene (which was, uh, unique but not actually funny) or the Keaton/Bale Batman conversation. A lot of the jokes were the kind of improv-ish, rambling conversations that were a little funny but nowhere near enough to make someone laugh aloud. The only few exceptions to that were the Garf/Garfield scene, the AT&T scene and the "I LOVE YOU BRO" scene near the end. Byrne insisting she has "a little Kevin James" in her, at least, wasn't bad either.This is a movie that's trying to be over-the-top, but isn't. It's trying to have all-sympathetic characters, but they aren't. It's trying to be a frat movie, but it's really not. This movie would be absolutely dreadful if it weren't for a solid cast making it work. Also, it felt really, really weird that Rogan and Byrne didn't get ANY type of comeuppance. I mean, they committed multiple crimes and escalated the war after they already got what they wanted. Literally everything working out for the couple is a weird direction to go with. At least have them be caught in the pot-filled house and get arrested or something, poo poo. Oh, and Rogan and Efron suddenly being super-chill with each other at the very end didn't really work for me. It made me think that maybe they were going for a Pineapple Express vibe with the whole diner scene, but there really needed to be an intermediate scene or something between them trying to kill each other and them being BFFs in front of Abercrombie & Fitch.
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May 23, 2014 02:57
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My favourite line was actually one of Franco's and come towards the end. *Someone throws something as a distraction. Franco notices* "Shaggy, Scooby, Jizzface. Let's investigate!" It wouldn't work at all without the intensity that Franco puts into it.
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May 23, 2014 17:40
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The zooms they used for the hooty hoo bit were cracking me up, everyone got so serious.
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May 23, 2014 18:07
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