This is the End (2013)

This production could easily be retitled as Celebrity Fan Fiction: The Movie. A feature length expansion of the short film Jay and Seth versus the Apocalypse, the story concerns actors Jay Baruchel and Seth Rogen playing versions of themselves grappling with a global 'end of the world event', in this case the biblical apocalypse, including rapture, earthquakes, and giant demons (the theology here is suspect). This movie is loaded with  mostly Apatowian celebrities playing comic takes on themselves in everything from small cameo roles to major parts. Among the featured players here, in addition to Rogen and Baruchel, are James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson and surprisingly Emma Watson. Part of the fun of the film is watching to see which actors get thrust down to hell and which manage to get saved. On the whole though the film is surprisingly dark, feels over-long, and is very self referential, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. Certainly a unique production, and interesting as a novelty, but doesn't leave the best after taste. **