Hollywood is going to h377... Literally

Rating: 8/10 (17 October 2014)

It is obvious that many of the reviewers here did not understand the movie at all. Sad, as it's not particularly deep. But it is sublimely funny. It does not show how "cool" Hollywood is, nor is it meant to. It satires how godless, fake, self-righteous, pretentious and worthless most people in Hollywood are, and because of the choices they make in life, if the Bible is to be believed (that's the premise), they are ALL going South. Every single Hollywood person. No one is spared. So much so that the entire A/B list house party didn't even know the rapture happened because NOBODY attending was worth saving.
The judgmental and vapid conversations that take place are true to life. I worked there. I can attest. And yet they all believe that they are the best people in the world. I mean, they have to convince you they are hot even when they are cold at the beach in winter, after all. That's a hard job! That's acting. They deserve to get paid way more than us and to pass judgment on the rest of society... (that's a paraphrase from the film, but it's so true).
Let's make it clear to those who can't understand: these actors are not playing themselves. They are playing characters with the same name as themselves, but for the most part, are various stereotypes of Hollywood people, and are very, very accurate portrayals. From the rescue dog who's owner doesn't believe it knows how to bark, to the belief that gluten is a catch-all phrase that means anything bad for you except pot and alcohol, and the fact that no friends or colleagues challenges these stupid assertions lest they be seen as judgmental, it's an accurate indictment of what passes for intelligence in their business. It's a modern LA Story, except rather than learning how to love in a place where love is meaningless, this group has to learn how to be a selfless person in an industry that is 100% selfish.
Michael Cera is funny in his cameo as "Michael Cera", someone very different from who he really is, and plays the drug addled sex fiend with the lilly-white public persona quite well. Jonah Hill plays the "the more I tell you I like you, the more I hate you" phony perfectly, and only shows his true self when possessed by a demon. Jay plays the "I'm too good for Hollywood" jerk well too. And James Franco does a good over-the-top James Franco (he is like that, but less so in real life). Gotta give him credit for laughing at himself and admitting he's not savable.
Are there some slow parts? Yes. By the nature of the problem of the rapture, they must remain in a house for days while the world around them goes to heck, because they need to figure out how to be saved. And that can't be 100% comedy. But what happens does matter to the plot (and yes, there is one). And Emma Watson robbing them of their supplies was a pretty good twist.
Is this movie funnier to insiders than to people who don't know who any of the actors are and don't pay much attention to Hollywood? Sure, but so what? Not every movie is for everyone, and not everyone will relate to all subject matter. But that doesn't make it a 1 out of 10. That just means you don't get it because it's about something you don't care about. Nothing wrong with that. Just move along.
I hated Black Swan. Doesn't mean it sucked. Okay, maybe it does...