Year One (DVD)

I'm never impressed by critics who fail to engage with the initial premise of a movie. It's no use pontificating that "Carry On Behind" tells you "little about the human condition", or that Schindler's List was "low on laughter": the good film reviewer should initially address what the film sets out to do, and assess for the audience how successful it is or not. Year One is a comedy. Does it make me laugh? Well, a little. But it's no use criticising a Jack Black movie for lacking subtlety or being "low-brow and puerile". Low-brow and puerile are what Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson do very well, and to great ...  Read the complete review

When this film came out in the cinema, i had wanted to go and see it as the adverts made it look like it was really funny and it also starred one of my favourite actors - Jack Black! I never got a chance to see it when it was in the cinema as my boyfriend didnt like the look of it. I am in Tescos dvd rental service so decided to hire out the dvd. It was posted to me a few days ago and i ended up watching it tonight as i was looking for a little bit of light hearted entertainment. The film that i am referring to is Year One. If you have never heard of it, it is a comedy film that came to our screens this year. It was directed by Harold ...  Read the complete review

I can see Michael Cera and Jack Black as an excellent comedy duo but unfortunately that time has yet to come. Cera's dry humourous remarks and Black's mirror opposite level of energy seem to compliment each other almost perfectly but on this occasion, I think the writers have let them down. The script is sarcastic or outright dull and even the funny scenes didn't cause more than happy grunt. I had expected to wet myself to be honest thinking the plot was quite clever but unfortunately it was one of those movies that's trailer comprised all of the decent jokes. Black's character Zed is kicked out of their hunter/gatherer society after eating the ...  Read the complete review

note: also appears in part on Flixster and The Student Room Harold Ramis, Jack Black, and Michael Cera are three rather beloved comic talents, and they each represent a different age and style of comedy. Here, there was a distinct promise that they'd mesh quite well, but this is a film that's sorely disappointing because it's really lacking in bite, and is quite a bland and flavourless outing despite a talented cast. Also, Cera ONCE AGAIN plays the shy, awkward kid, which has by now become quite boring, frankly. Zed (Jack Black) is a hunter, while his friend Oh (Michael Cera) is a gatherer. However, once the shaman (playeds hilariously by Bill ...  Read the complete review

Zed, a clumsy hunter, and Oh, a gentle gather, are cavemen living in the year one. Zed feels like he doesn't belong and has been trying, unsuccessfully, to attract the attention of the beautiful Maya for years . Oh, on the other hand, loves the tribe he is part of but he also has trouble attracting the attention of his true love, Eema. When the pair are banished from their tribe for eating fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they embark on a long adventure which sees them making history in many of the most well-known biblical moments. ~ Cast ~ Zed - Jack Black Oh - Michael Cera Eema - Juno Temple Maya - June Diane ...  Read the complete review