Instant Family - 速成家庭

Instant Family (速成家庭) is an 2018 film. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, and Isabela Moner. The supporting cast include Gustavo Escobar, Julianna Gamiz, Margo Martindale, Julie Hagerty, Tig Notaro, and Octavia Spencer. The movie was a surprise hit of the 2018 holiday season.



A married couple, Pete & Ellie Wagner, are alive and well without children. They seem happy with their careers until a snide remark about them and children send them down the path of considering fostering. The explore it and give it shot. When they like Isabella, they ended up taking her two younger siblings. From no kids to 3 kids. The comedy ensues and the kids test them and their parents. In the end, will these two untrained and unqualified individuals want to stay in the thick of things with these children?



I watched this via digital purchase around Christmas time and my kids have watched it at least a couple more times since. So I feel they really liked the story. I was pleasantly surprised myself as I am not the biggest Mark Wahlberg fan. The kids ended up stealing the show and made for us getting on their side.

An entertaining family movie that you can watch over and over again.

Neighbors - 惡鄰纏身

Neighbors (惡鄰纏身) is an 2014 film. The movie stars Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, and Dave Franco. The movie was made for $18 million and grossed over $268 million worldwide.



Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play a young married couple that just had their first baby. The vacant house next door is rented out the frat run by Zac Efron and Dave Franco. When a huge party goes on they call the police, a story of revenge starts. The frat has the upper hand most of the time and makes for interesting comedy.

This movie is silly funny and raunchy in some parts. What you would expect from a party movie with frat boys. Since the days of Animal House, the tradition goes on, but each generation will put their spin on.

This movie did so well a sequel is in the works. If you don't want to miss out on the sequel, watch the movie that started it all.

The Internship - 實習大叔

The Internship (實習大叔) is an 2013 film. The movie stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. The supporting cast include Rose Byrne, Aasif Mandvi, Josh Brener, Tiya Sircar, Dylan O'Brien, and Tobit Raphael. Will Ferrell makes a cameo and uncredited appearance in the film.

Vince and Owen play a tag team sales troupe for a watch company. When they are about to close on a long standing client, the client tells them that their company has recently shut down. When confronted with little skills outside of selling things, they stumble onto a Google Internship. When they get to Google headquarters, they immediately are alienated due their advance age and lack of computer savvy. However, their positive attitude, outside the box thinking, and dare I say hard work, they start to come around and change not only themselves, but those in their internship.

This movie was so silly. Really, silly. Two sales guys trying to cut it as technical interns. Having been in the internet tech field since the 1990s, the story was a bit far fetched. Although there are no positions on the tech side, the other half of the company is business and it needs lots of sales folks. In reality, sales people don't convert to technical people, they leverage them to close sales. Not that I got that off my chest.



I liked the film. It was a silly coming of age story for both the middle age stars and their post-adolescent interns that they help transfer from socially inept and awkward to confident and ready for the world attitude. A feel good story set in probably one of the best internet tech companies to work for, Google. You'll also see Sergey Brin in a couple of scenes. As some of the things they do are totally on the ball and others are highly imaginary, it hit a cord with me. It's my industry and was familiar ground.