dvd of the week
In this brilliantly funny satire, it’s Judgment Day, and among the few survivors are Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill and Danny McBride. They’re holed up in Franco’s mansion, trying to escape the gruesome demons loose from hell, and talking shit. Since all of the actors are playing versions of themselves, they are not only fantastic but great sports; Rogen and Goldberg’s script viciously lampoons all of them. Most of the humor revolves around the five of them arguing, and then getting into slapstick physical altercations, and, in lighter moments, telling stories about what they’ve done with other celebrities.
Many of the jokes tend to be so delightfully filthy that they are not repeatable in a respectable newspaper. But, wow, are they funny, as well as residing on the last stop of the train to Wrongville. The humor is centered usually on these men’s fears of emasculation, and while that often involves accusations of homosexual behavior, this is a kinder, gentler gay panic; the nastier the gay joke, the more likely that person telling it will not be saved by the blue light. The good guys are the guys who can joke with their friends and stay friends, through forgiveness and love and respect. And the reward, according to This Is the End, is pretty fantastic.
