The Muppets (2011)

• What's it about?: A Muppet fanboy and his Jason Segel brother help the Muppets get back together to do a telethon, raise money and save their studio from an evil oil baron.
• Thoughts: A great comeback for the Muppets. It's funny, wholesome and tugs on your heartstrings. All the songs are bangers and it manages to decently balance the classic Muppet charm with modern appeal.
• Rating: 9/10
• Recommendation: Highly Recommended
• Tier: A

Supporting Characters

Jack Black
He gets kidnapped by the Muppets to be their celebrity guest host.

Other notable actors: Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones

Legacy Sequel to: The Muppet Movie (1979)

The Holiday (2006)

• What's it about?: An American woman in Hollywood (Cameron Diaz) and a British columnist (Kate Winslet) who both want to just get away after a bad break up swap houses for their vacations and both explore new relationships.
• Thoughts: It's just another sappy romcom. It's not as painful as other romcoms, but the best I can say is it's ok.
• Rating: 6/10
• Recommendation: Maybe
• Tier: C

Supporting Characters

Miles Dumont
Jack Black
A film composer who works with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet's main love interest.

Other Notable Actors: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Eli Wallach, Rufus Sewell

Director/Writer: Nancy Meyers

King Kong (2005)

• What's it about?: This remake goes back to following the plot of the original and staying within the period it came out in.
• Thoughts: Honestly better than the original. The characters and story are much more fleshed out, Skull Island is more terrifying and of course a movie from 2005 with access to more modern filmmaking techniques is going to have better visuals than one from the 30s.
• Rating: 9/10
• Recommendation: Highly Recommended
• Tier: A

Main Characters

Carl Denham
Jack Black
An ambitious filmmaker who just wanted to film a simple uncharted island.

Other notable actors: Andy Serkis, Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Kyle Chandler, Jamie Bell

Director: Peter Jackson

Producer: Peter Jackson

Remake of: King Kong (1933)

King Kong Lives (1986)

• What's it about?: 10 years after Kong was shot down he's somehow revived with an artificial heart and a blood transfusion from a newly discovered female Kong. The two escape to the wilderness where the female is captured by the military and now Kong has to save her.
• Thoughts: A little more underwhelming than the last one, which should have been the end of it.
• Rating: 5/10
• Recommendation: Don't Care
• Tier: D

Notable actors: Linda Hamilton, John Ashton

Director: John Guillermin

Sequel to: King Kong (1976)

King Kong (1976)

• What's it about?: In this version an oil company goes to Skull Island seeking oil and then all the usual King Kong stuff happens. 
• Thoughts: This one just doesn't seem as grand as its predecessor. The gorilla suit doesn't seem as special as stop-motion or mocap and there's a disappointing lack of dinosaurs and giant monster fights.
• Rating: 6/10
• Recommendation: Maybe
• Tier: C

Notable actors: Jeff Bridges, Jessica Lange, Peter Cullen

Director: John Guillermin

Remake of: King Kong (1933)

Sequel: King Kong Lives (1986)

King Kong (1933)

• What's it about?: A filmmaker organizes an expedition to a dangerous unmarked island to find a giant monke. Look man it's King Kong, we all should know what happens in King Kong.
• Thoughts: Pretty good for a film of the era. Stop motion holds up. 
• Rating: 8/10
• Recommendation: Highly Recommended
• Tier: A

Notable actors: Robert Armstrong, Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot

Directors: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

Producers: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

Sequel: Son of Kong (1933)

Remakes: King Kong (1976), The Mighty Kong (1998), King Kong (2005)

Shallow Hal (2001)

• What's it about?: Jack Black has a chance encounter with Tony Robbins who gives him the ability to see people for their inner beauty. This leads to him dating a fat Gwyneth Paltrow.
• Thoughts: It's ok but I have a bit of a bone to pick with it. It's trying to promote this message of body positivity but it still seems like it's implying that fat people and certain body types or features are ugly.
• Rating: 6/10
• Recommendation: Maybe
• Tier: C

Main Characters

Hal Larson
Jack Black
A guy with a very shallow taste in women until Tony Robbins gets him to see the inner beauty in people.

Other notable actors: Gwyneth Paltrow, Jason Alexander, Tony Robbins

Directors: Farrelly Brothers

Writers: Farrelly Brothers

Producers: Farrelly Brothers

The Love Letter (1999)

 

• What's it about?: When a bookstore owner in a small town finds a mysterious love letter she thinks it's from her young employee and gets into an affair with him.
• Thoughts: Just a very boring romcom. I couldn't really bring myself to get invested in any of these characters.
• Rating: 5/10
• Recommendation: Don't care
• Tier: D

Background Characters

Jack Black

Other notable actors: Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Selleck, Gloria Stuart

Bongwater (1998)

• What's it about?: A weed dealer (Luke Wilson) and a crazy chick get into a brief relationship and then breakup. We then watch as they go on their separate journeys.
• Thoughts: It's ok. I can't really bring myself to care about the main relationship, it just seems a bit toxic. Also there doesn't seem to be much pacing, I just feel like I'm wandering aimlessly while watching this. The soundtrack is cool though, especially the song Jack Black sings.
• Rating: 6/10
• Recommendation: Maybe
• Tier: C

Supporting Characters

Devlin
Jack Black
Luke Wilson's friend who runs a stoner retreat in the woods.

Other notable actors: Luke Wilson, Alicia Witt, Brittany Murphy, Andy Dick, Jeremy Sisto, Jamie Kennedy