Synopsis:
During a party at James Franco’s house, the apocalypse arrives, as some are saved, and many, many more die horrific and comedic deaths. Holed up inside his swanky pad, Franco, Seth Rogen, Craig Robison, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, and Danny McBride try to survive the end of the world, as well as an extended amount of time with one another.

Who’s in It?
The six characters play themselves – or versions of themselves, all in rather hysterical fashion. The cameos that have been featured include Michael Cera and Emma Watson, but there are others, and they’re all pretty great.

Review:
If this is in fact the end, it’s a pretty fun way to go out. Silly and subversive, our six heroes (or anti-heroes) riff on their public personas, and the vehicle that has them make fun of themselves and each other never seems to run out of steam.

The creative team of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg crafted this idea for a short years ago called Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse. Now fully fleshed out, we find Rogen welcoming his best buddy, the shy and Canadian Jay Baruchel, to Los Angeles for some buddy fun (read: pot and munchies and video games). Rogen wants to party though, and Jay reluctantly joins as they meet up, the passive-aggressive Hill, panty-dropper Robinson, and the pretentious Franco at his new home.

A party filled with many familiar faces, the evening comes to an unexpected and fatal halt when the earth splits open, hellfire rains down, the damned (pretty much everyone in Hollywood) are destined to live in eternal agony (probably forced to star in an M. Night Shyamalan movie or something).

While predictable most of the way, the rapport between the main six (McBride stumbles out later on) makes for (crude) jokes that hit time after time, running in such succession that some are easily laughed over. While the film could have simply settled down in a second act, as the group brood and harasses, carrying on with pot and penis humour (there’s a lot of that), Rogen and Goldberg take a big leap for the finale.

It goes to the places you want it to go to.They are filthy, ridiculous, and even startling at times. Surprisingly well-paced and well-disciplined for a comedy (and one that thankfully doesn’t go Apatow and runs forty minutes too long), This Is The End is welcome fun that doesn’t appeal to just fans of this comedic troupe.

They’re all simply having a good time. As the film opens, a bystander yells at Rogen about always playing the same character – it’s funny, and true, but irrelevant. There is no message, no attempt to reshape celebrity or how the guys are known. This is one they earned, and they go all out for the funniest film of the year so far, and one that may end up with you in tears laughing (and maybe singing…).

Should I See It?
Yes – and then you can tell your friends who saw a summer film with an original concept and no chance for a sequel and fell smug about it (actually, the second part isn’t really true. They made The Last Exorcism, Part II, they can easily make This Is The End, Again).

Memorable Quote:
There are too many good ones to spoil, but here is a taste, so to speak, but you’ll have to watch to see who says it. “Tears. Tears from the tip of my penis.”

[star v=4]