This Is the End

Cast of Characters:

James Franco - Himself

Jonah Hill - Himself

Seth Rogen - Himself

Jay Baruchel - Himself

Danny McBride - Himself

Craig Robinson - Himself

Michael Cera - Himself

Emma Watson - Herself

Director - Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg

Screenplay - Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg

Rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence

      Academy Award nominees James Franco and Jonah Hill head an all-star cast of Judd Apatow alumni including Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson in the slacker/stoner/foul mouthed/apocalyptic comedy This Is the End.

      The film opens with Jay Baruchel arriving in Los Angeles to spend some time with his friend Seth Rogen, hoping for a weekend of video games, 3D TV watching, and pot smoking. Seth, planning on attending a housewarming party for James Franco, invites Jay along too considering a number of other friends of theirs will be there as well. Jay, feeling Franco barely knows him and that he doesn't really get along with his old pals as much anymore, is hesitant to go. Seth manages to convince him though.

      Upon arriving at Franco's house, the party is in full swing - sex, drugs, you name it - and is literally a "Hey, look, it's insert graduate from the school of Apatow star here" crowd... and Harry Potter's Emma Watson. Baruchel, not really fitting in with the party scene, has Seth accompany him to a convenient store to pick up some cigarettes. While at the store, Jay and Seth witness the most bizarre abduction of  L.A. residents as they are sucked up by a "blue light" and taken up into the sky. They both race back to Franco's house, puzzled out of their mind as to what has happened. Things get even worse when a giant sinkhole opens up right in Franco's front yard, leading to what appears to be a fiery inferno. It manages to swallow whole many of the party guests; however, Seth, Jay and James, along with Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and a passed out in the bathtub Danny McBride are able to barricade themselves inside Franco's home as they wait out what looks to be the Apocalypse.

      I was definitely looking forward to seeing this film, and I'm just gonna tell you right now that I was not disappointed in the slightest. This could very well be the funniest and certainly the most outrageously crude and crass comedy of the year. Not a single of the lead stars are off limits here as all of them are poked fun at to no extent whether it's James Franco's "uber-artsy" personality, Jonah Hill's pretentious attitude or Jay Baruchel's self-righteousness, as well as poking fun at everything from The Green Hornet and Spider-Man 3 to Your Highness and a hilarious homemade Pineapple Express sequel. Michael Cera has has a few offensively hilarious moments that, despite playing himself, are sure to shed a little bit of that shy, awkward boy image of his, and an axe-wielding Emma Watson proves she can move past the Harry Potter franchise. Along with the top-notch comic cast, we're treated to a number of cameo appearances such as Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Rihanna, Martin Starr, Kevin Hart, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, David Krumholtz, and a surprise cameo near the end no one saw coming. Despite the extended red-band trailer the studios released, what you see in either the edited or unedited trailers doesn't even scratch the surface. There are at least a dozens worth of laugh out loud moments here. In particular, there's an argumentative rant between Franco and McBride that for the sake of not spoiling it for you, and more importantly the content of it, I'll say nothing more other than it had me literally laugh myself to tears.

      As crude, crass and self-deprecating as they humor may be, the film offers a lot more than just that. Credit both co-screenwriters/directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for showing themselves to be competent filmmakers here by also giving us witty insights to the Hollywood lifestyle and culture as well as faith. The character deaths are over the top and for a comedy the set pieces are terrific. Plus, I guarantee you I give this a second watch, I'll laugh just as hard. That's the mark of an excellent comedy. Will it be one of the years top 10 best? Can't say yet, but it definitely has a good shot. I give This Is the End an A (★★★★).