Movie stars guide ticket sales. They're an established presence that instantly makes viewers around the world feel more comfortable (and more inclined to spend). But what exactly is the attraction to a star? Are they endearing because of who they are as people? Or is it talent? Maybe it's a combination, and maybe it's that combination that can make a celebrity mock their own self-representation so awesome.
Better yet, the performers often make their cinematic selves an exaggeration of personality traits that audiences have come to love. This can lead to laughter, admiration for the star's self-awareness and self-deprecation, or a combination of both. Either way, it's a treat when a star appears as herself in a project, and since it will almost always be in a comedy, the winking appearance only adds to the fun.
Keanu Reeves in Always my maybe
If anyone has smartly managed their own career resurgence, it is John Wick's Keanu Reeves. Among other beautiful projects such as Toy story 4 And Bill & Ted Face the Music is from 2019 Always be my maybewhich rightfully lays claim to the best romantic comedy of its respective year.
Most of the runtime is devoted to Ali Wong and Randall Park's childhood friends who want more, Marcus and Sasha. However, Reeves actually gets more time on screen than potential audiences would expect. He enters the movie half way through and plays Sasha's new boyfriend. Naturally, Marcus gets a little jealous. It's clear Reeves is having a good time in the role, and his chemistry with both Wong and Park is palpable.
Al Pacino at Jack & Jill
One of the greatest Hollywood actors - and personalities - of all time, Al Pacino turned in what seems like a laundry list of great performances that ended up being frowned upon by the Oscars. Enter yourself Jack & Jill is not one of them.
Being strong in the fight for Adam Sandler's worst picture is no small feat, but Jack & Jill easily holds the distinction. Seeing him pine for Sandler's insufferable voice Jill Sadelstein is annoying enough, but then seeing him dance through an "Al Dunkaccino" Dunkin' Donuts commercial is the icing on the most disgusting cake in history.
Julia Roberts at Ocean's Twelve
Self-conscious of a mistake, Steven Soderbergh's convoluted sequel to his superior Ocean's Eleven take a big step into the metaverse. Ocean's Twelve features Beatrice Ocean by Julia Roberts posing as none other than her own real life counterpart.
Bruce Willis himself also plays, who seems to be having just as much fun in the sequel as Roberts. Unfortunately, Willis accidentally becomes part of what foils the Ocean group's plan.
Bruce Campbell in My name is Bruce
If STARZ wasn't legitimately phenomenal Ash vs Evil Dead, My name is Bruce would be the audience closest to one Evil Dead IV. The film stars Bruce Campbell as a version of himself not far off The evil deathis Ash Williams, and it is this close characterization that sets the film's plot in motion.
Basically, Campbell gets confused for Ash and is called in to stop a recently unleashed Chinese god of the dead from destroying a small mining town. The overall concept is fairly brilliant, but unfortunately the film's script never quite matches Campbell's formidable energy.
Jean-Claude Van Damme in JCVD
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The "Muscles from Brussels", Jean-Claude Van Damme, took a break from his usual low-budget action fare for JCVD. The movie contains the Difficult target star as a semi-fictionalized version of himself, a fading star caught in the middle of a heist.
JCVD is impressive for reasons beyond Van Damme's martial arts skills. The film shows an actor with impressive comedic timing, comparable to Jason Statham in Spyand it makes viewers hope for similar projects in the action star's future.
Michael Jordan at Space Jam
Most viewers would probably rather forget about the deplorable series of Warner Bros. ads Space Jam: A New Legacy, but the love for the Michael Jordan-led 1996 original remains strong. And Jordan isn't alone in playing himself all the time Space Jamwhile Bill Murray comes along for the ride to top the cartoon Wage melodies.
The film is one of the definitive timepieces of the 90s, only increasing its charm over the years. It's also backed up by a game-playing performance from Jordan, somehow endearing himself more than he already was.
The entire cast in This Is the End
Few could have imagined such a film This is the end might even exist. Dozens of celebrities playing themselves in the middle of an apocalypse is a tall order, especially since it inherently means killing most of their fragile egos in the first act.
And the vast majority of celebrities do die. Like Paul Rudd, who panics after stepping on someone's head, or Michael Cera, who is impaled by a light pole. Speaking of Cera, he's the only cast member to completely deviate from his fairly nice public persona, and the courage it takes to make yourself look like a self-centered jerk is impressive. This is the end is one of Seth Rogen's best films and shows an author trying new things in the world of comedy.
Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Tremendous Talent
Nicolas Cage had to come back at some point, and what better way than a meta-show that serves as a fun analysis of his career's appeal? Of crying during a one-man Paddington2 screening to dabble with Pedro Pascal's Javi Gutierrez, The incredible weight of enormous talent's Nicolas "Nick" Cage is as endearing as a viewer would expect if they met the man in person.
What makes real The incredible weight of enormous talent work is the brutal tone. It's a movie that knows it's a fish out of water, and it leans to laugh that that fish is "Nick" Cage.
Larry David on Curb Your Enthusiasm
Running for an impressive 12 seasons, HBOs Control your enthusiasm functions Seinfeld co-creator Larry David as a semi-fictionalized but still nitpicking and cantankerous version of himself. Whether he's going through a well-deserved divorce or preparing to star in the latest rendition of Mel Brooks' The producers, Restrain features David in top exasperated form.
What makes Restrain work so well is the tolerance of those around David. Someone has to put up with all his nonsense, and Jeff, Suzy and Leon are just the ones who listen to him ad nauseam.
Wanda Sykes on Curb Your Enthusiasm
Control your enthusiasm also has Wanda Sykes around David, but she is much less accepting of his eccentricities than, say, Richard Lewis. The show's version of Sykes doesn't feel far off the persona she's developed over the course of her career, and audiences have no problem believing she's "F*** you, Larry!" as he paced a busy sidewalk in LA.
Other than maybe JB Smoove's Leon Black, Sykes is probably the funniest character on the show. Her refusal to take David's tirades makes her a nice presence in the same room as him. And given that they keep putting each other on the trail - much to Sykes' dismay - that happens quite often.
Kevin Hart on Die Hart
Kevin Hart has had a successful career on stage and the big screen, so it was a little surprising when he moved to the small screen for Die Hart. But the series' first season in 2020 has proven popular enough to warrant both a movie and a second season, both in 2023.
The plot of the series (and movie) puts the actor in a place of internal conflict. Starring in comedies has gone from memory and he wants to shake up his career. With the help of John Travolta's action movie teacher, Ron Wilcox, Hart hopes to become the next Willis or Stallone.
Burt Reynolds on Archer
Archer Season 3's "The Man from Jupiter" put superspy Sterling Archer side by side with his hero: Smokey and the bandit's Burt Reynolds. The episode's plot puts Reynolds in the unenviable position of dating Sterling's mother, Mallory, and he reacts about as immaturely as the viewer would expect.
Specifically, Archer kidnaps Reynolds in an attempt to separate the actor from his mother. Unfortunately for both of them, they also have a Cuban hit squad hot on their heels.
Carl Weathers on Arrested Development
Among the many brilliant little flowers that populate Arrested development's first three seasons is the decision to show Carl Weathers as an extremely improved version of himself. Like other celebrities who appear as themselves in comedic material, the Predator And Happy Gilmore star essentially plays himself as past his prime.
So how does he spend his time now that the major roles have largely dried up? By serving as an amateur acting coach for the talentless Tobias Fünke.
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