R-RATED film Christmas Office Party is set to bring out the raunchy this weekend with its lewd material and obscene language which has found popularity in mainstream movie watching.
movies with Tatira Zwinoira
The stars in the film are Jason Bateman and Todd Miller with support from one of Hollywood’s sweethearts, Jennifer Aniston.
Previously, Aniston and Bateman starred together in the 2014 R-rated comedy, Horrible Bosses 2.
Christmas Office Party kicks off when Zenotek CEO Carol Vanstone (Aniston) tries to close her hard-partying brother’s Clay (Miller) branch after its low performance. This pushes him and his chief technical officer Josh Parker (Bateman) to rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale to save them from facing the axe.
Releasing the film close to Christmas is a way to tap into the holiday spirit, which is a period that attracts older cinema goers looking for more mature films in the United States.
What works in the film’s favour is that Miller and Bateman have a long track record of being in comedies while Aniston has pivoted into R-rated films and found some steady successes.
Bateman was last seen earlier this year in the comedy Central Intelligence alongside Hollywood man of the moment Dwayne Johnson and comedian Kevin Hart.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
With such an impressive cast and factoring the Aniston effect, the film is expected to do moderately well.
Also, having the whole film drag out over a single event keeps audiences more focused as it does not go all over the place.
R-rated comedies rose to mainstream success with the huge hit, The Hangover in 2009.
This started a trend in Hollywood of low budget R-rated comedies with wide appeal attracting mainstream cinema goers who at the time were looking for something different from traditional comedic films.
In fact, since 2009, the number of traditional comedy hits has reduced slightly compared to R-rated films. One might argue against that with December 2015’s comedy Daddy’s Home which was a hit. But, if the undertones in the movie are closely examined, it had elements from R-rated films.
The only downside of such films is that those below the ages of 18 will not be able to watch the film, thus cutting out potential box office receipts.
Film critics have largely remained lukewarm to the film.
As of Monday, Moana was atop the box office charts with $121,2 million while Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them had $184,33 million in the United States. Globally, including the box office receipts from the United States, Moana had $180,96 million while Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them had $608,73 million.
Another film, which was released this weekend is Oscar hopeful, La La Land.
La La Land has received rave reviews, with some Hollywood critics noting the film as a possible Oscar nomination for the two leads, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.
This is the third time the pair has acted as a couple after 2011’s Crazy, Stupid, Love and Gangster Squad 2013.
La La Land tells the story of Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts.
With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, the musical is about everyday life that explores what is more important, a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.
The premise of love or fame has long been told in different Hollywood films.
What is new in La La Land is the chemistry between Stone and Gosling which has often provided the core elements for their previous films.
Watching a film is only as enjoyable as the characters themselves.
Gosling has been previously nominated for an Oscar for 2006’s Half Nelson while he has received multiple nominations at the Golden Globe awards, known as being a precursor to the Academy Awards themselves.
Stone has also been previously nominated for an Oscar and with La La Land is expected to put in an early run for another Oscar nomination.
What works for La La Land is that it is a contemporary musical, meaning it tells a story that is happening at a particular time. Contemporary films are those that deal with current issues.
Despite being a musical, La La Land does more than just use singing in its story telling but also makes use of instruments.
The way to make a musical work is to allow the music to tell the core elements of the story in a way that builds to a satisfying conclusion.
As such, by using both singing and instruments to tell the story, La La Land appeals to the different musical preferences of the audience watching.
International critic site Rotten Tomatoes awarded the film a 95% rating.
The last wide release was Miss Sloane, a politically-charged film that talks about one of the most heated discussions around gun control.
Willing to bend the rules for her clients, Elizabeth Sloane, played by Jessica Chastain, remains one of the most sought-after lobbyists in Washington DC. When asked to help oppose a Bill that imposes regulations on firearms, she instead joins a scrappy boutique firm that represents the backers of the law.
Her defiant stance and determination to win makes her the target of powerful new enemies who threaten her career and the people she cares about.
Gun control is a very heated discussion in American politics, with the backers of gun possession representing the biggest lobby group in Washington DC, the United States capital. Gun control became popular due to an increase in gun-related violence and easy access to the weapons.
No doubt, the movie comes with a bit of controversy as it supports the notion of gun control which will undoubtedly draw criticisms from those against it.
Chastain plays a very well-layered character and has been previously nominated for an Oscar.
What works well in this film’s favour is using a strong lead to carry a widely-disputed topic.
