The Film Crusade

After the National Board of Review awarded Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air” the Best Picture award, the Oscar bells are ringing. Yet despite what many critics are considering to be the next big thing at the Oscars, “Up in the Air” is not Oscar-worthy. Not in any category. And not even close.

Some Hollywood trends are ending, some are changing, and new successes are threatening to become trends. If there’s anything the 2009 year in film has taught us thus far, it’s that sequels keep making money, 3-D is here to stay, and the African-American market is crucial for big box office numbers.

What happens when comedy delivers more than we can stomach? After reviewing “Trading Places,” let’s investigate the current state of comedy.

As Hollywood studios continue to pursue the property rights for classic American board games, action figures and arcade games, nostalgic movie-going masses may no longer feel that once-precious nostalgia.

While most of Apatow’s films are known for their humor, Funny People is actually Apatow’s most serious work to date. And with a title that includes the word “funny” in it, there’s no surprise that humor was on audience-radar.