Starting in 2003, with the release of “Old School” then “Anchorman,” a comedy renaissance started with the boom of the Will Ferrell/Judd Apatow/Seth Rogen era (“The 40 Year Old Virgin,” “Superbad,” “Step Brothers” and “Walk Hard.”) Then, the immense success of 2009’s “The Hangover” and 2011’s “Bridesmaids,” which led us to where we are now, which, while despite a few great chucklers having been released, most of the recent comedy releases this past decade have been safe “star-based” movies (think Kevin Hart or Melissa McCarthy).
Read moreBen Stiller: ‘Tropic Thunder’ probably couldn’t have been made today
Comedians like to push and push and push until that very fine line of what is deemed acceptable and unacceptable is somewhat squeezed to its very limit. That, to me at least, is what the very best comedy can do. Regardless of the situation that we find ourselves in today when it comes to what can and cannot be said, which is primarily being lead by 'activists' on social media, we need to be grateful that a movie such as Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" exists in this maddening stratosphere.
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The ‘Smile’ franchise has a new director. David Bruckner, who made “The Night House” and the 2022 “Hellraiser” reboot, has been hired to direct “Smile 3” for Paramount.