Drive Thru Review (2013) - (2)

Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain: Comedian Kevin Hart performs at Madison Square Garden.
Directors: Leslie Small, Tim Story
Starring: Kevin Hart
Comedy

Kevin Hart is one of the freshest comedians today and it his first feature standup routine in Madison Square Garden where he brings us Let Me Explain.

In this 72 minute presentation, featuring a 15-minute prologue with his friends and their travels, we get to hear the man give us a piece of himself.
B+ 
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Copperhead: An Upstate New York family is torn apart with domestic tensions during the American Civil War.
Director: Ron Maxwell
Starring: François Arnaud, Lucy Boynton, Casey Thomas
Drama

Copperhead was a derogatory term against those in the north who refused to take sides in the war or were sympathizers with the south. And in this family drama involving tensions in one particular neighborhood, a lot goes on, but not quite enough to really win our affections until the very end.

The screen-time is wasted in plot segments that don’t advance the movie as a whole and everyone speaks in a way that tries to resemble the longer, quaint sentences of old books, but strike us as scripted instead.

The performances are never quite right, not because they are bad, but because they are always “off” from where they should be. Projected emotions and a lot of social queues are a miss, but a lot is done well, despite it all. Civil War junkies only.
C+ 
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This is The End: While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, and many other celebrities (as themselves) are faced with the apocalypse.
Director: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen
Comedy | Fantasy

With the cast playing themselves facing (of all things) the biblical apocalypse, it is a free-for-all where decency and dignity both go out the window as earth is plummeted by hellish creatures and minotaur-like demons into the abyss of darkness.

It’s a comedy where the expected sexual puns and innuendos fly around liberally, with booze and bong plugs practically everywhere. Between the reluctant bro-mances, stupid talk, and some general Hollywood filler, the fans of these stars will enjoy it. Emma Watson makes a brief appearance.

As for the rest of us, we might also be surprised at a few unexpected turns and twists, but it won’t be much more than a dirty distraction.
C+
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Despicable Me 2: Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal.
Director: Pierre Louis Padang Coffin, Chris Renaud
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt
Comedy

Following the first film’s proud (and adorable) legacy is Despicable Me 2, this time with Gru as the ex-bad guy who knows how to find his villain. When he is recruited to discover the maker of a vaccine that creates monsters, Gru has his work cut out for him (and a few other surprises!)

The script isn’t as smart as the first film, being aimed almost exclusively at the younger viewers - and with the minions this time playing a much larger role than before - it’s just as adorable from beginning to end and timed just right to win audiences of all persuasions. The little kids especially will beg to see it again.
A-
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