BALLS UP (2026)

 

Directed By: Peter Farrelly 

Written By: Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese

Cinematography: John Brawley 

Editor: Sam Seig 

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Paul Walter Hauser, Benjamin Bratt, Molly Shannon, Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniela Melchoir, Eric Andre, Eve DeDominici, Chelsey Crisp

Two marketers pitch a bold new condom World Cup sponsorship. After a booze-fueled scandal, they must outrun chaos to survive.

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This film is one of the stupidest of the year, So far intentionally. Though expected to be disappointed. While the film certainly isn’t the best of the year. It is surprisingly hilarious.

Though one of the selling points of the movie is the gross out humor. Which shouldn’t come as a surprise considering it’s directed by Peter Farrelley. While this film certainly fits this formula of early 2000’s gross out comedies that are sensational and over the top. It stays within his wheelhouse. Though it still Manages to shock considering it stars Mark Wahlberg.

This comes across as another paycheck job for him. He tries to have enthusiasm, but he looks tired and exasperated. He seems to lack his usual charm in the lead, but he works in his role.

It ultimately boils down to being a buddy comedy where the two supposed mismatched leads learn to become friends. Though all their troubles and camaraderie. 

The true scene stealer of this film is Paul Walter Hauser. As usual in the co-lead. He stays believable, lovable and the Everyman throughout. Though there are certainly other cast members who have fun with their roles and are standouts such as Benjamin Bratt and Sasha Baron Cohen making a return to the big screen.

If you are not a fan of these types of films, this movie isn’t for you I think what when the audience over as you expected typically silly comedy and that leans more into the stupid and while it certainly stays that way, it’s also the gross out jokes that you’re just not expecting with such a pedigree.

While also having fun about the obsessions of men, people and a country never overly insulting but just ridiculous. It’s never quite off color but it is racing that enjoyable. It’s not a film. You might remember 15 minutes after you watch it though it is something that has definitely re-watchable and a guilty pleasure.

This isn’t the type of film you watch for the filmmaking or the acting it’s more film. You just watched to have fun and have a good time with no matter how ridiculous.

Grade: C 

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA (2024)

 

Directed By: Samir Oliveros 

Written By: Samir Oliveros and Maggie Briggs 

Story By: Amanda Freedman 

Cinematography: Pablo Lozano 

Editor: Sebastian Hernandez 

Cast: Paul Walter Hauser, Walton Goggins, Maise Williams, David Straitharn, Shamier Anderson, Johnny Knoxville, Brian Geraghty, Shaunte Renne Wilson, Damien Young, Patti Harrison, Haley Bennett, Genesis Rodriguez 

May 1984. An unemployed ice cream truck driver steps onto the game show Press Your Luck harboring a secret: the key to endless money. But his winning streak is threatened when the bewildered executives uncover his real motivations.

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I know most of the story just from articles and watching the short documentary on the case and the character on Netflix. BIG BUCKS: THE PRESS YOUR LUCK SCANDAL. The only truth it seems to keep is the memorizing of the patterns of the game board to win.

The story that this film tells has been in development hell since 2000. When bill murray was attached to the film, before aging out and dropping interest in it. 

The film of course didn’t have enough time nor the budget to tell the whole story in multiple events and days that this actually happened during hand on different shows so instead condenses it mostly all into one day and the film taking place in one studio do more to probably the production constraints

The film has a very impressive cast of actors all likable they hear they seem thrown into this production that means well, but ultimately comes across like a TV movie on the subject only with foul language allowed in.

As the film keeps going along at first you wonder is this supposed to be more of a character piece or what is his motivation truly and what it all about while the film shows the slippery politics have not only show business but also production as we see the reaction to his winning from the exact to the behind the scenes production staff to the other contestants, the host and partly the audience, and finally where the film really gets emotional at its heart is in the final 10 to 15 minutes of the film

It’s great to see Paul Walter Hauser have another leading man role as a kind of lovable misfit out there who has tons of get rich, quick schemes, and this one finally might actually pay off that he believes will help solve everything, but only seems to help rip it apart even more.

You only wish the actors had a better film or were given a better script overall or at least a slightly bigger production to be in

It’s a satisfying story, especially if you’ve never heard it before and will induce you to do your own research more into the story but other than that, it’s one of these stories that you feel should’ve been done better or been at least illustrated a little bit better. it’s none of the actor‘s fault who all rise in the occasion. It’s just that by the end it doesn’t quite feel as satisfying as it should, though by the end, it does hit an emotional level. That is unexpected.

Grade: C+ 

THE INSTIGATORS (2024)

Directed By: Doug Liman 

Written By: Casey Affleck and Chuck Maclean

Cinematography: Henry Braham 

Editor: William Goldenberg, Saar Klein, Brett M. Reed and Tatiana S. Riegel 

Cast: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Hong Chau, Ron Perlman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, Jack Harlow, Paul Walter Hauser, Toby Jones 

Rory and Cobby, who team up to rob a corrupt politician but end up in a chaotic escape after the heist goes wrong. Pursued by police and crime bosses, they enlist Rory’s therapist to help them survive.

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Considering the cast involved and the director, this film should’ve been much better.

While he plays like a perfectly good crime caper with a good helping of comedy. It also feels like it’s all over the place, especially totally as when it does try to be more action oriented or gritty crime incomes the more comedic elements out of nowhere and then when it’s resting on its more comedic elements, it’ll have the odd intense action sequence.

Also, with its full cast, it feels like most of them are guest starring in the main plot like this is an ongoing series as very few remain throughout the film and only seemed to be there for a senior or two before disappearing and are quickly forgot not that they’re bad in their roles but again there just doesn’t seem to be that much significance for them even though they are just a piece of the puzzle

So that our main stars Casey act like who also who wrote the film and Matt Damon just seemed to be too strangers thrown into this caver together that ends up being more of a buddy comedy as they are different types of thrown in together just trying to survive all of this. Representing their hometown 

Now this should’ve worked, especially as of course, representing its location of Boston and the characters in the neighborhoods of that town but the film just feels a little too quick paste. It never seems to quite slow down for you to get a grip on what is happening or what has happened. So it’s hard for you to get your bearings, even though it shouldn’t be that confusing.

It just seems to flash here in there in the editing, intense not to focus on anything so it even feels faster than the classic 2000s MTV flash editing which only reminds you that this feels more like content more than an actual film. Which might be the result of having four editors on this film, who each might have been aiming at something different. Asbeverything feels so disposable and familiar even when trying to put a new spin or at least anspin on certain conventions.

Again the leads and cast are likable enough. You just wish that this was a film that wasn’t afraid to take its time had more consequences and was quite a bit tougher as the film is more comedic and not darkly comedic more just comedic.

It has spectacle when the film should’ve been more detailed, smaller and tighter. Noah tries to be gritty. It comes across more as a Hollywood production. Then it should which throws all credibility out the window and turns it more into a romp.

there is a certain irony that lays throughout the film whereas Casey Affleck is a best actor Oscar winner here playing more the co-lead and being more comedic or as Matt Damon, who is more thought of as a serious actor is playing the more serious role here and while he has more prestige, he does not have an Oscar for best actor, even though he does have an Oscar for writing. Yet Casey Affleck who has the acting prestige is the Co-Writer here. 

This obviously isn’t there first pairing on screen they have paired up in various projects, but this is the first time where they’ve been costars as a lead in a more comedic, an original production of their own as they were in the film GERRY as costars, and also really, the only leads in that film, as well as one of the only actors in that film

The film has come across as the type of body crime caper comedy that felt more at home in the 70s and 80s try some modernize it, but it has way too much going on for it to truly ever be centered or quite understandable

Grade: C

THE NAKED GUN (2025)

Directed By: Akiva Schaffer 

Written By: Akiva Schaffer, Dan Gregor and Doug Mand 

Cinematography: Brandon Trost 

Editor: Brian Scott Olds 

Cast: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, CCH Pounder, Danny Huston, Kevin Durand, Busta Rhymes, Liza Koshy, Cody Rhodes. Eddie Yu 

Following in his father’s footsteps, a detective works to solve a murder case and save his police department from closure.

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This film comes off as no harm, no foul as it’s a remake but more in spirit and paying homage to the original naked gun and thus police squad movies. There’s nothing wrong with the film though of course it’s going to be more modern. It kind of loses itself as it feels like the character is more random.

Whereas in the original film, Frank Draben is the hero and kind of silly and very stupid, but it gets the job done. Seems to know what he’s doing enough in that universe that he’s a police detective in and feels like more of a full character with a steady history.

Here sometimes it just feels like they throw a lot of stuff at the wall to see what sticks, especially in characters where their history or personalities will change on a dime. So that even though this is a comedy, if there isn’t anything you can really hold onto you’re just throwing in the chaos. It’s a bit more scattershot. As one of the producers is Seth Mcfarlane of FAMILY GUY. It has that kind of random humor at times. That has nothing to with the story really. Eden write it, but it has his fingerprints on it.

Which is where some of the films weaknesses lie where it doesn’t feel like joke so much it feels like those spoof movies that used to come out of every year where they would just try to take down recent trends of the year, maybe television and movies reality stars and there’s a bit of that humor here more than was in the original naked gun. You could call it in evolution of humor, but it also kind of cheapens everything.

Now, while this film has inspired, casting, whereas Liam Neeson has always flirted with comedy. This is one of his first where he goes in the full blown leading character comedy and while he’s good at it, it doesn’t feel as strange or like the stunt casting that maybe it should it’s understandable. Maybe he’s trying to follow and Leslie Nielsen‘s shoes, whereas Leslie Nielsen was a dramatic character actor for most of his career until the airplane movies and then he started slowly going into more silly or spoof in comedy and that being pretty much most of the films he played in

Again, as being so used to seeing Liam Neeson, kind of do this before it doesn’t come across as shocking as maybe it was intended to be or as different, as it was intended to be speaking of stunt, casting not that there’s anything wrong with his performance Danny Huston. it would’ve been at least a little more notable if the villain was played by an actor who we had known previously more as a friendly face or someone who usually plays nice or good guys playing that villainous type of role as at least it would’ve brought something new to the table, but again maybe this is just an evolution of this type of film and franchise

It also would’ve been nice if the descendants of Nordberg originally played by O.J. Simpson had more to do than making an obvious joke in one scene. Then we never see that character again, but that’s more of a nitpick.

Pamela Anderson, Paul, Walter Hauser CCH Pounder all do really well with their roles they do what’s required. Even though they’re more secondary players and it’s nice to see Pamela Anderson on the big screen. As it now seems like she’s getting the movie roles she should have back when her career was red hot. Instead of just becoming a celebrity or more sex symbol who sometimes acted rather than being actress who just happened to be very voluptuous and sexy

The film is fine for what it is obviously you’re not supposed to take any of this too seriously so as long as you’re just looking for a laugh, I don’t think you’re gonna find much disappointment with this film, and it stays within the tradition of the franchise and makes an attempt at a nice reboot, but it just doesn’t feel the same even though it does have scenes of hilarity that will make some laugh hard especially the snowman seen personally

Though if this is your type of humor, I don’t think you’re gonna go wrong with this film.

Grade: C+

PLAYDATE (2025)

 

Directed By: Luke Greenfield

Written By: Neil Goldman 

Cinematography: Darren Tiernan

Editor: Joe Mitacek 

Cast: Kevin James, Alan Ritchinson, Sarah Chalke, Isla Fisher, Alan Tudyk, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Root, Banks Pierce, Benjamin Pajak 

Brian has just been fired from his job. He becomes a stay-at-home dad. He accepts a playdate invitation from another stay-at-home dad who turns out to be a loose cannon.

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This film is silly and pretty much knows it’s audience wish I could be more of a family film as it seems like it would play more, but it does have its fair share of violence, bad language, and adult juvenile humor. Though strangely it seems like its perfect audience would be teenagers and adults who just like juvenile humor.

It’s an action comedy that once it gets down to the plot line is silly, but I found this from to be quite a guilty pleasure as I found it constantly hilarious throughout no matter how stupid it might seem at times 

What helps is that a lot of the supporting characters are so ridiculous and funny. You wish they had longer screen time or would come back into the film after their scenes are done. Like Isla Fisher’s character you wish as always that there was more of her throughout.

Well, Kevin James plays with his typical type of humor lead character. It does appear that he’s having fun and is affable whereas Alan Ritchinson who takes more of the action sequences is perfectly cast as he reminds one of Sean William Scott when he first came out where it seemed like everything he did even his facial expressions Are humorous only Alan Ritchinson looks like a more muscular version, but has that same comedic and silly spirit that Sean William Scott has and some rules and makes it all his own so that it might remind some people who watched the show BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE what Ritchinson can do specially with an inspired committed character.

This is a film made up of humorous moments that all going into the story, though the moments are more valuable ultimately than the story this is also more of a male bonding film so that fathers and sons watching it together can definitely feel something special watching this film as there are female characters, but they are more put into the background.

This film is a harmless time waster where if the trailer or poster intrigues you this is definitely your type of movie, but if not, this isn’t going to necessarily win you over unless you’re a fan of the lead actors 

It feels on the same level as Hulu yearly John Cena, buddy action comedies only this time playing on Amazon prime so they’re getting their own version 

Grade: C

OLD DADS (2023)

 

Directed By: Bill Burr

Written By: Bill Burr and Ben Tishler 

Cinematography: Sean McElwee  

Editor: Patrick J. Don Vito and Adriaan Van Zulu 

Cast: Bill Burr, Bobby Canavale, Bokeem Woodbine, Katie Aselton, Reign Edwards, Jackie Tohn, Rachael Harris, Miles Robbins, Natasha Leggero, Bruce Dern, C. Thomas Howell, Paul Walter Hauser, Katrina Bowden, Josh Brener 

Three best friends become fathers later in life and find themselves battling preschool principals, millennial CEOs, and anything created after 1987.

QUEENPINS (2021)

Written & Directed By: Aron Gaudet & Gita Pullapilly Cinematography: Andrew Wehde Editor: Kayla Emter 

Cast: Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Bebe Rexha, Paul Walter Hauser, Vince Vaughn, Joel McHale, Eduardo Franco, Dayo Okeniyi, Annie Mumolo, Stephen Root, Paul Rust, Timm Sharp, Nick Cassavettes, Jack Mcbrayer, Greta Oglesby

Loosely Based on a true story. A pair of housewives create a $40 million coupon scam.

RICHARD JEWELL (2019)

 

Directed By: Clint Eastwood Written By: Billy Ray Based Upon the article “American Nightmare: The Ballad Of Richard Jewell” By: Marie Brenner  Based Upon The Book “The Suspect” By: Kent Alexander & Kevin Salwen  Cinematography: Yves Belanger  Editor: Joel Cox 

Cast: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde, Ian Gomez, Nina Arianda, Mike Pniewski 

During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell discovers a suspicious backpack under a bench in Centennial Park. With little time to spare, he helps to evacuate the area until the incendiary device inside the bag explodes. Hailed as a hero who saved lives, Jewell's own life starts to unravel when the FBI names him the prime suspect in the bombing.

I, TONYA (2017)

Directed By: Craig Gillespie 
 Written By: Steven Rogers 
Cinematography By: Nikolas Karakatsanis 
Editor: Tatiana S. Riegel 


Cast: Margot Robie, Sebastian Stan, Alison Janney, Paul Walter Hauser, Julianne Nicholson, Bobby Canavale, Bojana Novakovic, McKenna Grace 


Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the activity is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.