New on Blu-Ray – Nov. 18, 2014

22 Jump Street – After the 2012 comedy raked in over $138 million, a sequel was inevitable and once again, Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill thrilled audiences with a sequel that was just $9 million shy of hitting $200 million. You can lock in “23 Jump Street” any day now. 22 Jump Street (2 Discs) [Blu-ray]

Box office roundup – June 22, 2014 – “Think Like a Man Too” cleans out the box office

Matt Kennedy/Screen Gems
Cedric (Kevin Hart) and the guys reluctantly prepare to take the stage at The Hustler Club to clear a debt.

1. Think Like a Man Too – $30 million [debut week] – The sequel to the breakout 2012 hit didn’t match the $33.6 of its predecessor, but it did earn enough to win this week’s box office. It’s possible the lousy critical response – the film has a terrible 13% freshness rating on rottentomatoes.com – played a part in the film failing to exceed the original’s debut despite being in 210 more theaters.

For star Kevin Hart, this marks his third film this year that’s opened to at least $25 million – a very impressive feat that continues to prove he’s a box office draw.

This marks a record ninth consecutive week where the previous champ failed to hold serve and retain its box office crown. The last film to successfully repeat was back in April with “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” And with the fourth Transformers film coming to theaters next week, a 10th week is a lock for another changing of the guard.

Review: The Wolf of Wall Street

Mary Cybulski/Paramount Pictures
Leonardo DiCaprio is Jordan Belfort in “THE WOLF OF WALL STREET.”

“The Wolf of Wall Street” is like a hyperactive three-year-old. Sure, for a little while the over-the-top antics and outrageous moments are cute, but after three hours, it becomes exhausting and annoying leaving you simply waiting for it to finally be put to bed.

Review: This is the End

Suzanne Hanover/Columbia Pictures
James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and Danny McBride.

“This is the End” is a film that suffers from a serious identity crisis. On one hand, it’s a funny, winking look at celebrities coping with the apocalypse while on the other, it’s a comedy where the filmmakers threw ideas against a wall and used everything that stuck, smeared or stained.

With just a little more focus and restraint, this first-time directorial effort from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the writing team responsible for “Superbad” “Pineapple Express” and “The Green Hornet,” could have been a classic instead of just being unpredictably crass.

New on Blu-Ray/DVD for Nov. 13, 2012

Courtesy Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar Animation
(From left) Lord MacIntosh and his son, Young MacIntosh, Merida, Wee Dingwall and his father Lord Dingwall, Lord MacGuffin and his son, Young MacGuffen, Queen Elinor and King Fergus in “Brave.”

Brave – I didn’t Pixar’s attempt at a heroine all that much, largely because our “hero,”  Merida, doesn’t do anything especially heroic and it’s more of a fairy tale than the animated action/adventure that was promised in the trailers.

Film Flashback: Get Him to the Greek (2010)

Glen Wilson/Universal Pictures
Aaron (Jonah Hill) and Aldous (Russell Brand) panic in “Get Him to the Greek,” the story of a record company executive with three days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert.

It’s rare that a sequel to a successful comedy manages a successful spin-off, but while not the comedic masterpiece of its predecessor,  “Get Him to the Greek” does a good enough job retaining the same spirit of fun. 

Film Flashback: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Glen Wilson/Universal Studios
Resort receptionist Rachel Jansen (MILA KUNIS) and struggling musician Peter Bretter (JASON SEGEL) enjoy a quiet moment on the beach.

Taking a look at one of my favorite guaranteed to get me out of a crappy mood and crying from laughter comedies.

Everyone from Halle Berry to your oddball, smelly cousin has been dumped, which makes “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” so easy to relate to, but it’s the film’s unpredictable nature, great characters and hilarious script that makes it the comedy of the year.