The Best and Worst of Andy Samberg

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" star Andy Samberg.

Films starring Andy Samberg that I've seen:
Hot Rod
I Love You, Man
Friends with Benefits
What's My Number?
That's My Boy
The Watch
Celeste and Jesse Forever
Hotel Transylvania 
Grown Ups 2
The To Do List
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
Neighbors
Hotel Transylvania 2
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Storks
Take the 10
Brigsby Bear

Best Performance: Hot Rod (2007)
While his early Lonely Island videos/Saturday Night Live sketches made me laugh, Hot Rod was the project that turned me into a hardcore fan of Samberg. Amateur stuntman Rob Kimble was a perfect display of the over-the-top absurdity and effortless likability that has made Samberg a reliably strong comedic presence for over a decade.  

Worst Performance: The To Do List (2013)
As I just stated, Samberg makes me laugh just about every time he appears on screen. This fact made his underwhelming bit part in Maggie Carey's middling sex comedy The To Do List a seriously unpleasant surprise. As a hippie burnout acquaintance of the author of the titular list of goals (the always delightful Aubrey Plaza), Samberg went through some uncharacteristic struggles with the cartoonish persona that has served him well through his career.

Best Film: Hot Rod (2007)
Outside of Anchorman, I've never watched a comedy more than Hot Rod. It's collection of vibrant characters and gleefully dumb yet completely distinct sense of humor never fails to make me laugh my ass off.   

Worst Film: What's Your Number? (2011)
This putrid romantic comedy that mostly stars people I think highly of is an undisputed contender for the film that's been featured most frequently in the three year existence of this series. It seems like every few months, I'm forced to relive the misery of What's Your Number? by writing another string of words railing against it. Hopefully I'll eventually reach a point where I've covered every relevant actor in this ensemble and this god damn abomination will finally drift away from my brain forever. Stay tuned in a month or so when this deep-burning disdain is rehashed for the 86th time.    
 
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again” star Amanda Seyfried.