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NEWS:
From Vulture: The all-male Ghostbusters reboot, to go along with the all-female Ghostbusters movie, might happen.
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From Vulture: Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige join NBCs upcoming version of "The Wiz."
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From YahooMovie: New Line is plotting a reboot of iconic 70s film, "Shaft."
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From Variety: Tommy Lee Jones joins Matt Damon in the next "Jason Bourne" film.
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From ThePlaylist: Richard Linklater is the frontrunner to direct "The Rosie Project" starring Jennifer Lawrence.
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From BoxOfficeMojo: Because of early estimates, Disney/Marvel is declaring "Ant-Man" as the winner of the 7/24 to 7/26/2015 weekend box office with an estimated take of $24.675 million. If this holds, "Ant-Man," which was #1 at the box office last weekend, will repeat as champ.
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From HuffingtonPost: Bobbi Kristina Brown, the daughter of the late singer, Whitney Houston, and singer Bobby Brown, has died at the age of 22, Sunday, July 26, 2015.
COMICS: Films and Books:
From YahooGames: Mark Hamill gave voice to "The Joker" in the beloved "Batman: The Animated Series." Now, Hamill returns to voicing the Joker in direct-to-DVD adaptation the famous Batman comic book, "Batman: The Killing Joke."
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From YahooNews: Rachel McAdams confirms that she is in talks regarding Marvel's "Doctor Strange" film.
MISC:
From YahooMovies: A wanted fugitive was starring in a horror movie, while on a probation violation.
Showing posts with label Paul Rudd. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Rudd. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
First Look: Paul Rudd in "Ant-Man"
First look at actor Paul Rudd as "Scott Lang" from Marvel's "Ant-Man," due July 17, 2015. Photo by Zade Rosenthal for Marvel.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Negromancer News Bits and Bites: San Diego Comic-Con International 2014 Edition Update #20
I will be posting links to pages with breaking news, announcements, activities, etc from Comic-Con International 2014 on this page from today, Tuesday, July 22, 2014 to sometimes next week or as long as there is relevant news:
The Comic Book Resources (CBR) Comic-Con page is here.
The IMDb Comic-Con page is here.
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From Deadline: Guillermo del Toro talked about his gothic romance, "Crimson Peak" and asked fans to help him get "Hellboy 3" and "At the Mountains of Madness" made.
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From Deadline: There is a planned "Django Unchained-Zorro" crossover comic book, Tarantino told fans at a Comic-Con panel.
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From Previewsworld: Actor Orlando Jones talks to the website of Diamond Distributors (of comics and related merchandise) about his career, which includes a voice acting gig on the "Black Dynamite" animated series on Adult Swim.
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From Variety via Yahoo: Evangeline Lilly and Corey Stoll join "Ant-Man." Stoll will apparently play the villain, Yellowjacket.
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From Hitfix via Yahoo: A detailed description of the "Avengers 2" footage shown during the Comic-Con panel, including the appearance of Ultron and Iron Man's "Hulkbuster" armor.
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From HuffingtonPost: "Avengers 2" footage at Comic-Con.
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From BusinessInsider: For as long as it is online, here is "Batman Vs. Superman" online teaser trailer.
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From the AP via Yahoo: Sexual harassment at Comic-Con.
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From CBR: IDW Entertainment and BOOM! Studios is producing a comic book that will bring the Star Trek and Planet of the Apes franchises together.
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From CBR: Sam Raimi teases that he is writing a television series version of his classic horror film, Evil Dead. Other than naming his collaborators, which include Bruce Campbell, Raimi said nothing else about the series.
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From Hitfix: Paul Rudd on Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man" exit.
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From TheComicsReporter: Your 2014 Will Eisner Award winner.
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From HitFix: Daniel Radcliffe makes Comic-Con debut.
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From Deadline via Yahoo: Three actors exit "Ant-Man."
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From Variety: New image of Ben Affleck as Batman.
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From Variety: Chris Nolan and Matthew McConaughey surprise fans at Comic-Con and talk about "Interstellar."
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From Facebook: Clive Barker art exhibition at SDCC.
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From CBR: "Avengers: Age of Ultron" posters.
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From CBR: "The Walking Dead" panel.
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From CBR: Concept art for Marvel's Ant-Man revealed.
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From TheWrap via Yahoo: Ben Affleck's Bat-suit - well, at least the cape and cowl - for "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" revealed.
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From CBR: David and Meredith Finch become the creative team on Wonder Woman with issue #36. CBR provides a first look at David's art for the series.
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From Deadline: Warren Ellis joins Gale Anne Hurd, the executive producer of "The Walking Dead," on an unnamed television series.
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From CBR: Big changes for Spawn in the next year and a half.
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From CBR: Image Expo Keynote announces plenty of new series including new comics from Warren Ellis, Rick Remender, Jeff Lemire, and many more.
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From CBR: Cameron Stewart talks about working on the Fight Club comic book. Yes, there will be a sequel to the novel, Fight Club, which was adapted into a film in 1999. But it will be a 10-issue comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. The novel's author, Chuck Palahniuk will write the series and Cameron Stewart will draw. "Fight Club 2" is due April 2015.
The Comic Book Resources (CBR) Comic-Con page is here.
The IMDb Comic-Con page is here.
---------------
From Deadline: Guillermo del Toro talked about his gothic romance, "Crimson Peak" and asked fans to help him get "Hellboy 3" and "At the Mountains of Madness" made.
---------------
From Deadline: There is a planned "Django Unchained-Zorro" crossover comic book, Tarantino told fans at a Comic-Con panel.
---------------
From Previewsworld: Actor Orlando Jones talks to the website of Diamond Distributors (of comics and related merchandise) about his career, which includes a voice acting gig on the "Black Dynamite" animated series on Adult Swim.
---------------
From Variety via Yahoo: Evangeline Lilly and Corey Stoll join "Ant-Man." Stoll will apparently play the villain, Yellowjacket.
---------------
From Hitfix via Yahoo: A detailed description of the "Avengers 2" footage shown during the Comic-Con panel, including the appearance of Ultron and Iron Man's "Hulkbuster" armor.
----------------
From HuffingtonPost: "Avengers 2" footage at Comic-Con.
---------------
From BusinessInsider: For as long as it is online, here is "Batman Vs. Superman" online teaser trailer.
-----------------
From the AP via Yahoo: Sexual harassment at Comic-Con.
-----------------
From CBR: IDW Entertainment and BOOM! Studios is producing a comic book that will bring the Star Trek and Planet of the Apes franchises together.
-----------------
From CBR: Sam Raimi teases that he is writing a television series version of his classic horror film, Evil Dead. Other than naming his collaborators, which include Bruce Campbell, Raimi said nothing else about the series.
---------------
From Hitfix: Paul Rudd on Edgar Wright's "Ant-Man" exit.
----------------
From TheComicsReporter: Your 2014 Will Eisner Award winner.
----------------
From HitFix: Daniel Radcliffe makes Comic-Con debut.
----------------
From Deadline via Yahoo: Three actors exit "Ant-Man."
----------------
From Variety: New image of Ben Affleck as Batman.
-----------------
From Variety: Chris Nolan and Matthew McConaughey surprise fans at Comic-Con and talk about "Interstellar."
------------------
From Facebook: Clive Barker art exhibition at SDCC.
-------------------
From CBR: "Avengers: Age of Ultron" posters.
-------------------
From CBR: "The Walking Dead" panel.
-------------------
From CBR: Concept art for Marvel's Ant-Man revealed.
-----------------
From TheWrap via Yahoo: Ben Affleck's Bat-suit - well, at least the cape and cowl - for "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice" revealed.
-------------------
From CBR: David and Meredith Finch become the creative team on Wonder Woman with issue #36. CBR provides a first look at David's art for the series.
--------------------
From Deadline: Warren Ellis joins Gale Anne Hurd, the executive producer of "The Walking Dead," on an unnamed television series.
---------------------
From CBR: Big changes for Spawn in the next year and a half.
----------------------
From CBR: Image Expo Keynote announces plenty of new series including new comics from Warren Ellis, Rick Remender, Jeff Lemire, and many more.
-----------------------
From CBR: Cameron Stewart talks about working on the Fight Club comic book. Yes, there will be a sequel to the novel, Fight Club, which was adapted into a film in 1999. But it will be a 10-issue comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics. The novel's author, Chuck Palahniuk will write the series and Cameron Stewart will draw. "Fight Club 2" is due April 2015.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Marvel Reveals "Ant-Man" Poster at Comic-Con International 2014
The above poster was made available to San Diego Comic-Con International 2014 attendees. The art is by Andy Park. "Ant-Man," due Summer 2015 stars Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas.
Friday, April 11, 2014
Review: "Anchorman 2" is Enough... Really
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Running time: 112 minutes; MPAA – PG-13 for crude and sexual content, drug use, language and comic violence
DIRECTOR: Adam McKay
WRITERS: Will Ferrell and Adam McKay (based on characters created by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay)
PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell, and Adam McKay
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Patrick Capone and Oliver Wood (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Brent White and Melissa Bretherton
COMPOSERS: Andrew Feltenstein and John Nau
COMEDY
Starring: Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steven Carell, David Koechner, Christina Applegate, Dylan Baker, Meagan Good, Judah Nelson, James Marsden, Greg Kinnear, Josh Lawson, Kristen Wiig, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Bill Curtis (narrator) and Harrison Ford with Will Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kirsten Dunst, Marion Cotillard, and Joe Washington
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is a 2013 comedy directed by Adam McKay and written by McKay and actor Will Ferrell. The film is a sequel to Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Anchorman 2 finds Ron Burgundy putting the 70s behind him and returning to New York City to take a 24-hour news channel by storm.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues begins in New York City where Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) are the husband and wife co-anchors of WBC News. Then, Veronica is promoted, while Ron is fired. Ron returns to San Diego, but soon gets an offer to return to NYC. GNN – Global News Network – is the world’s first 24-hour news network, and they offer Ron a job.
Ron gets to form his own news team, so he reassembles his old gang: lecherous beat reporter, Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd); Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), the mentally challenged weatherman; and Champ Kind (David Koechner), the chauvinist, racist, and dude-cowboy sports reporter. Back in NYC, Ron discovers that Veronica has moved on from their relationship, and he struggles to connect with his son, Walter (Judah Nelson). GNN also proves to be filled with people that don’t like Ron and are determined to keep him from becoming a star in the big city.
However it worked out, having nine years pass between the first Anchorman movie and the sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, is a good thing. If the sequel had been released even as late as five years after the original, I think it would have been too soon. Nine years later, audiences are again ready for more of the utterly ridiculous antics of Ron Burgundy and his three clownish amigos plus one chick. Yes, there are new characters, but the sequel is more of the same.
The noticeable difference is that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay gleefully poke fun at and mock cable news networks and the non-news, infotainment media junk food that these networks have elevated to top story status over the last two decades. This includes car chases, celebrity scandals, missing white girls, and other lurid news. Without being named, FOX News takes the biggest hits from Anchorman 2.
A lot of Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues made me laugh out loud, but I found that the film was too long at almost two hours of runtime. I was ready for it to be over, even with all the movie star and celebrity cameos that fill the last act like sparkly roaches. Do I want more Ron Burgundy? Ask me in another nine years.
6 of 10
B
Friday, April 11, 2014
The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
"Anchorman 2" Re-Released with 763 All-New Jokes
“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES: SUPER SIZED R RATED VERSION” in Theaters February 28 for One-Week Exclusive Run
For the First Time Ever: Hit Comedy Gets Re-Released with 763 All-New Jokes
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Paramount Pictures and Gary Sanchez Productions today announced an unprecedented theatrical release of an all new cut of the hit film “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” starring Will Ferrell, in theaters in the U.S. and U.K. beginning February 28th for one-week only.
The new version of the film, titled “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES: SUPER SIZED R RATED VERSION,” will feature 763 entirely new jokes from legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy and America’s favorite 24-hour global news team. The film is now rated R.
“When my editor told me we had a whole different version of the movie that was more than two hours long with nearly 800 new jokes, I was shocked. But when Paramount said they were actually going to put it in theaters, I did an 1950’s spit take. If you’re a hardcore Anchorman fan go see this. If you’re not, stay very far away," said writer / director Adam McKay.
“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” a sequel to 2004’s cult film “ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY,” was released in theaters on December 18, 2013 and has earned more than $170 million at the worldwide box office to date.
For ticketing info, go to www.AnchormanMovie.com
With the 70’s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in "ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES," which opened in theaters everywhere December 18. Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy… while taking New York and the nation’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. Produced by Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. Directed by Adam McKay.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB) (NASDAQ: VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
For the First Time Ever: Hit Comedy Gets Re-Released with 763 All-New Jokes
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Paramount Pictures and Gary Sanchez Productions today announced an unprecedented theatrical release of an all new cut of the hit film “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” starring Will Ferrell, in theaters in the U.S. and U.K. beginning February 28th for one-week only.
The new version of the film, titled “ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES: SUPER SIZED R RATED VERSION,” will feature 763 entirely new jokes from legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy and America’s favorite 24-hour global news team. The film is now rated R.
“When my editor told me we had a whole different version of the movie that was more than two hours long with nearly 800 new jokes, I was shocked. But when Paramount said they were actually going to put it in theaters, I did an 1950’s spit take. If you’re a hardcore Anchorman fan go see this. If you’re not, stay very far away," said writer / director Adam McKay.
“ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES,” a sequel to 2004’s cult film “ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY,” was released in theaters on December 18, 2013 and has earned more than $170 million at the worldwide box office to date.
For ticketing info, go to www.AnchormanMovie.com
With the 70’s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in "ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES," which opened in theaters everywhere December 18. Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy… while taking New York and the nation’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. Produced by Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. Directed by Adam McKay.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB) (NASDAQ: VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.
"Super-Sized" Return for "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues"
ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES: SUPER-SIZED R RATED VERSION in theaters February 28 for a one-week exclusive run
For the first time ever: hit comedy gets re-released with 763 all-new jokes!
Watch the new trailer: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/anchorman2/
Jonesing for more? Watch an all-new exclusive clip: http://www.break.com/video/ron-burgundy-crack-pipe-anchorman-2-clip-2579635
With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the newsdesk in ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES," which opened in theaters everywhere December 18. Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street reporter Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy… while taking New York and the nation’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. Produced by Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. Directed by Adam McKay.
For ticketing info, go to www.AnchormanMovie.com
Official website: http://www.anchormanmovie.com
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronburgundy
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anchormanmovie
Saturday, November 9, 2013
New "Anchorman 2" Poster Revealed
With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy…while taking the country's first 24-hour news channel by storm.
Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VdGI5-z_hg&feature=share&list=PLVjwdZylAT2nJXngIdTOyyg-Kvm41fime
In theaters December 20th:
Official site: http://www.anchormanmovie.com/
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronburgundy
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anchormanmovie
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Review: Fun Never Ends in "This Is the End"
This Is the End (2013)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – R for crude and sexual content throughout, brief graphic nudity, pervasive language, drug use and some violence
DIRECTORS: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
WRITERS: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg; from a screen story by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (based on the short film, Jay and Seth vs. The Apocalypse, by Jason Stone)
PRODUCERS: James Weaver and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Brandon Trost
EDITOR: Zene Baker
COMPOSER: Henry Jackman
COMEDY/FANTASY
Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Emma Watson, Kevin Hart, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Paul Rudd, and Channing Tatum with Jason Segel
This Is the End is a 2013 apocalyptic comedy film from writer-directors, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. This black comedy features a number of Hollywood comic actors and celebrities playing fictional versions of themselves. The movie centers on actor James Franco’s house where a small band of survivors are forced to live together after a disaster that could be the end of the world.
This Is the End begins with Jay Baruchel arriving in Los Angeles to visit his old friend and fellow actor, Seth Rogen. Seth convinces Jay to go with him to a housewarming party hosted by actor James Franco. Jay is reluctant because he does not like Seth’s L.A. friends, especially actor Jonah Hill. During the party, a catastrophic earthquake occurs, and L.A. falls to fire and chaos. Jay, Seth, James, Jonah, and Craig Robinson survive the destruction, but they are not alone. They slowly learn that the largest earthquake in California history may be more than just a natural disaster.
In his review of This Is the End for Maclean’s, critic Brian D. Johnson basically said that there could be worse ways to experience the apocalypse than with stoned celebrities (go here or http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/06/07/was-armageddon-always-this-complicated/ for the full review). Other than spending it with my family, there is no better way to go through the end of the world than with fun, fictional versions of Seth Rogen and his friends. Also, much of the middle of the film works like a comedy stage play that allows each member of the ensemble to fashion a character that engages the audience.
I like many of the films in which most members of the main and supporting cast have appeared. For the most part, I also like their public personas. They are all really funny in this film, and James Franco’s sardonic humor (which was too understated to work during his gig hosting the Oscars) shines. Once again, Craig Robinson finds a way to turn a supporting comedy part into a co-leading role on the sheer strength of his underrated talent as a light comic actor. Danny McBride steals the show; if any actor deserves an Academy Award nomination as a supporting actor this year because of a comedic performance, it is McBride in This Is the End.
This Is the End was made for me. I liked what the actors did in this movie, and I liked how they were willing to savage their public personas and work in films. This Is the End of the review but not of my love for this movie, which will go on...
8 of 10
A
Saturday, October 05, 2013
The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
New "Anchorman 2" Teaser Poster - June 18, 2013
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy…while taking New York's first 24-hour news channel by storm.
In theaters everywhere December 20, 2013
https://twitter.com/ronburgundy
https://www.facebook.com/anchormanmovie
"Anchorman" Exhibit Opens November 2013
Newseum in Washington, D.C., Announces ‘Anchorman: The Exhibit’ to Open November 14, 2013
‘Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues’ opens nationwide December 20, 2013
It’s kind of a big deal
WASHINGTON — On November 14, 2013, the Newseum, in partnership with Paramount Pictures, will open “Anchorman: The Exhibit,” featuring props, costumes and footage from the 2004 hit comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, prior to the release of its highly anticipated sequel “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” from Paramount Pictures on December 20.
The original film, written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay, directed by McKay, and starring Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner, takes a comic look at a 1970s-era television newsroom and the legendary local anchorman who ruled it until a female reporter arrived to challenge the all-male news team. “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” reunites Ferrell and McKay with the original cast.
Included in “Anchorman: The Exhibit” will be costumes worn by the Channel 4 Evening News team and a number of original props from the movie, including Ron Burgundy’s jazz flute and the whip used by rival anchorman Arturo Mendez during the film’s memorable fight scene between rival news teams. The exhibit also includes a re-creation of the KVWN-TV anchor desk and news set where visitors can pose for photo ops.
“For millions of viewers, the news anchor represents the authority and credibility of television news. But anchormen and women also are popular targets for pop culture laughs,” said Cathy Trost, vice president of exhibits and programs at the Newseum. “The exhibit explores the reality behind the humor of “Anchorman” and tracks the rise of personality-driven news formats in the 1970s.”
Visitors to the exhibit also will have an opportunity to step in front of the camera and participate in an Anchorman-themed TV spot at one of the Newseum’s Be a TV Reporter stations. With lead anchor Ron Burgundy providing a snappy introduction, budding reporters can find out if they have what it takes to become a member of the Channel 4 News team. The exhibit also will feature clips from the movie and special commentary by Will Ferrell.
“I’m literally trapped in a glass case of emotion,” said Ron Burgundy, commenting on his inclusion in the museum’s exhibit.
“Anchorman: The Exhibit” will be on display at the Newseum through Aug. 31, 2014.
About the Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum’s 250,000-square-foot news museum offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded, in part, by the Freedom Forum. The First Amendment Center at the Newseum and in Nashville and the Diversity Institute serve as forums for the study and exploration of the First Amendment. For more information visit newseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
About “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”
With the ’70s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) — all of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy … while taking New York’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. Produced by Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. Directed by Adam McKay.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Review: Likeable Characters Make "The OH in Ohio" (Happy B'day, Parker Posey)
The OH in Ohio (2006)
Running time: 89 minutes (1 hour, 29 minutes)
MPAA – R for sexual content, language, and some drug content
DIRECTOR: Billy Kent
WRITERS: Adam Wierzbianski; from a story by Sarah Bird, Billy Kent, and Adam Wierzbianski
PRODUCERS: Miranda Bailey, Francey Grace, and Amy Salko Robertson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ramsey Nickell (director of photography)
EDITORS: Paul Bertino and Michael R. Miller
COMPOSER: Bruno Coon
COMEDY with elements of romance
Starring: Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Mischa Barton, Miranda Bailey, Liza Minnelli, Keith David, Tim Russ, and Danny DeVito
The subject of this movie review is The OH in Ohio, a 2006 indie comedy from director Billy Kent. The film stars Parker Posey and Paul Rudd as a couple whose problems with the orgasm causes them marital strife.
Pricilla Chase (Parker Posey) has fashioned the perfect life for herself. She married her high school sweetheart, biology teacher Jack Chase (Paul Rudd), and she’s a high-powered advertising executive. Pricilla, however, has left something out of her life – her orgasm, and Jack claims that her inability to have an orgasm has ruined their marriage. While Jack goes off rediscovering his manhood with a smart young coed, Kristen Taylor (Mischa Barton), Pricilla sets off to discover self-pleasure and along the way falls for the unlikeliest lover, Wayne the Pool Guy (Danny DeVito).
The OH in Ohio is an entertaining indie film, one of those that appeals to a much wider audience than the small one that had a chance to see it during a limited theatrical run and film festival showings. Although the script is funny, the strength of the picture comes from the ability of the actors to make the most of their parts – another trait of indie flicks. Each actor takes his or her part, regardless of size, and gives it some zing and zest so that the character engages the viewer and sticks in his mind throughout the movie, even if the character only appears on screen once or twice.
Credit goes to director Billy Kent for allowing his actors to make use of their ability to take characters off the written page and embellish them. Although the leads are good, Mischa Barton as Kristen Taylor and Keith David as Coach Popovitch (hilariously blunt and randy) sparkle in support of the leads. The OH in Ohio is what many indie films are – movies defined by their quirky characters (think Little Miss Sunshine), and this is a movie for people who love characters.
6 of 10
B
Monday, January 15, 2007
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
2nd Annual Critics' Choice Television Award Winners - Complete List
Broadcast Television Journalists Association Announces Winners of the 2nd Annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), an offshoot of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, today announced the winners of the 2nd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards. The star-studded gala awards dinner to acknowledge and honor the best in television was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel earlier this evening.
Homeland took home the prize for Best Drama Series while Community won in the Best Comedy Series category. Best Reality Series went to Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, while Best Reality Show-Competition went to The Voice. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was honored as Best Talk Show, Archer was honored as Best Animated Series, and Sherlock was honored as Best Movie/Miniseries. NBC was the most awarded network with five wins followed by ABC and AMC, which tied with three wins each.
Actors Bryan Cranston and Louis C.K. won Best Actor in a Drama Series for Breaking Bad and Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Louie, respectively. Claire Danes was honored as Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Homeland while Zooey Deschanel and Amy Poehler tied for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for their roles in New Girl and Parks and Recreation, respectively. Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series went to Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks for the second year in a row. Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito was named Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Julie Bowen took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy and Ty Burrell won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for their roles in Modern Family. Lucy Liu won Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series for Southland, and Paul Rudd won Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for his role on Parks and Recreation.
Dancing with the Star’s Tom Bergeron and So You Think You Can Dance’s Cat Deeley tied for Best Reality Host. Benedict Cumberbatch was recognized as Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his work in Sherlock, while Julianne Moore was named Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries for her role in Game Change. In addition, The Following, The Mindy Project, Nashville, The Newsroom and Political Animals were honored as Most Exciting New Series.
Acting category nominees in attendance included: Gillian Anderson (Great Expectations), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Alison Brie (Community), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance), Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Max Greenfield (New Girl), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race), Regina King (Southland), Lucy Liu (Southland/Elementary), Justin Long (New Girl), Joel McHale (Community), Julianne Moore (Game Change), John Noble (Fringe), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Carrie Preston (The Good Wife), Danny Pudi (Community), Ashley Rickards (Awkward), Emmy Rossum (Shameless), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Eden Sher (The Middle), Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy), RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag U), Damon Wayans Jr. (Happy Endings), Chloe Webb (Shameless) and Casey Wilson (Happy Endings).
Presenters included: Beth Behrs (Two Broke Girls), Chris Colfer (Glee), Josh Dallas (Once Upon a Time), Emily Deschanel (Bones), Patrick Duffy (Dallas), Donald Faison (The Exes), Sharon Gless (Burn Notice), Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time), Josh Hopkins (Cougar Town), Stana Katic (Castle), Cloris Leachman (Raising Hope), Robert Patrick (True Blood), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), Busy Philipps (Cougar Town), Hannah Simone (New Girl), Kate Walsh (Private Practice) and Shane West (Nikita).
Stars of the five shows acclaimed as Most Exciting New Series were also in attendance including: Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Chris Messina (The Mindy Project), Olivia Munn (The Newsroom), Hayden Panettiere (Nashville), Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom) and Natalie Zea (The Following).
The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) also partnered with thalo Magazine to recognize Smash with the thalo’s Critics’ Choice Inspiration Award, which honors a television show for illuminating the fine arts in its subject matter and production methods, along with the individuals who infuse those productions with their artistic passions.
The Critics’ Choice Television Awards honored programs and performances that aired between June 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012, except for the Most Exciting New Series, which are shows premiering after June 1, 2012. Six new categories debuted this year including Best Movie or Mini-series, Best Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series, Best Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series, Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series, Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series and Best Animated Series. The full winners tally is included below.
The 2nd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards were executive produced by Bob Bain for Bob Bain Productions.
About BTJA
The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) is a partner organization to the Broadcast Film Critics Association. BTJA includes TV, radio and Internet journalists who cover television on a regular basis. For more information, visit: http://www.criticschoice.com/
WINNERS OF THE 2nd ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE TELEVISION AWARDS
Best Drama Series
Homeland – Showtime
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad – AMC
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Danes – Homeland – Showtime
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito – Breaking Bad – AMC
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men – AMC
Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Lucy Liu – Southland – TNT
Best Reality Series
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations – Travel Channel
Best Reality Series – Competition
The Voice – NBC
Best Reality Show Host - TIE
Tom Bergeron – Dancing with the Stars – ABC
Cat Deeley – So You Think You Can Dance – FOX
Best Talk Show
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC
Best Comedy Series
Community – NBC
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Louis C.K. – Louie – FX
Best Actress in a Comedy Series - TIE
Zooey Deschanel – New Girl – FOX
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell – Modern Family – ABC
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Julie Bowen – Modern Family – ABC
Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
Paul Rudd – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Best Animated Series
Archer – FX
Best Movie/Miniseries
Sherlock – Masterpiece on PBS
Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock – Masterpiece on PBS
Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
Julianne Moore – Game Change – HBO
Most Exciting New Series
The Following (Fox/Warner Bros.)
The Mindy Project (Fox/Universal)
Nashville (ABC/Lionsgate)
The Newsroom (HBO)
Political Animals (USA/Warner Bros.)
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), an offshoot of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, today announced the winners of the 2nd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards. The star-studded gala awards dinner to acknowledge and honor the best in television was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel earlier this evening.
Homeland took home the prize for Best Drama Series while Community won in the Best Comedy Series category. Best Reality Series went to Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, while Best Reality Show-Competition went to The Voice. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was honored as Best Talk Show, Archer was honored as Best Animated Series, and Sherlock was honored as Best Movie/Miniseries. NBC was the most awarded network with five wins followed by ABC and AMC, which tied with three wins each.
Actors Bryan Cranston and Louis C.K. won Best Actor in a Drama Series for Breaking Bad and Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Louie, respectively. Claire Danes was honored as Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Homeland while Zooey Deschanel and Amy Poehler tied for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for their roles in New Girl and Parks and Recreation, respectively. Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series went to Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks for the second year in a row. Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito was named Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Julie Bowen took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy and Ty Burrell won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for their roles in Modern Family. Lucy Liu won Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series for Southland, and Paul Rudd won Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for his role on Parks and Recreation.
Dancing with the Star’s Tom Bergeron and So You Think You Can Dance’s Cat Deeley tied for Best Reality Host. Benedict Cumberbatch was recognized as Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries for his work in Sherlock, while Julianne Moore was named Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries for her role in Game Change. In addition, The Following, The Mindy Project, Nashville, The Newsroom and Political Animals were honored as Most Exciting New Series.
Acting category nominees in attendance included: Gillian Anderson (Great Expectations), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Alison Brie (Community), Ty Burrell (Modern Family), Kevin Costner (Hatfields & McCoys), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Cat Deeley (So You Think You Can Dance), Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope), Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), Max Greenfield (New Girl), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race), Regina King (Southland), Lucy Liu (Southland/Elementary), Justin Long (New Girl), Joel McHale (Community), Julianne Moore (Game Change), John Noble (Fringe), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Carrie Preston (The Good Wife), Danny Pudi (Community), Ashley Rickards (Awkward), Emmy Rossum (Shameless), Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), Eden Sher (The Middle), Maggie Siff (Sons of Anarchy), RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag U), Damon Wayans Jr. (Happy Endings), Chloe Webb (Shameless) and Casey Wilson (Happy Endings).
Presenters included: Beth Behrs (Two Broke Girls), Chris Colfer (Glee), Josh Dallas (Once Upon a Time), Emily Deschanel (Bones), Patrick Duffy (Dallas), Donald Faison (The Exes), Sharon Gless (Burn Notice), Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time), Josh Hopkins (Cougar Town), Stana Katic (Castle), Cloris Leachman (Raising Hope), Robert Patrick (True Blood), Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story), Busy Philipps (Cougar Town), Hannah Simone (New Girl), Kate Walsh (Private Practice) and Shane West (Nikita).
Stars of the five shows acclaimed as Most Exciting New Series were also in attendance including: Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Chris Messina (The Mindy Project), Olivia Munn (The Newsroom), Hayden Panettiere (Nashville), Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom) and Natalie Zea (The Following).
The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) also partnered with thalo Magazine to recognize Smash with the thalo’s Critics’ Choice Inspiration Award, which honors a television show for illuminating the fine arts in its subject matter and production methods, along with the individuals who infuse those productions with their artistic passions.
The Critics’ Choice Television Awards honored programs and performances that aired between June 1, 2011 and May 31, 2012, except for the Most Exciting New Series, which are shows premiering after June 1, 2012. Six new categories debuted this year including Best Movie or Mini-series, Best Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series, Best Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series, Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series, Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series and Best Animated Series. The full winners tally is included below.
The 2nd annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards were executive produced by Bob Bain for Bob Bain Productions.
About BTJA
The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) is a partner organization to the Broadcast Film Critics Association. BTJA includes TV, radio and Internet journalists who cover television on a regular basis. For more information, visit: http://www.criticschoice.com/
WINNERS OF THE 2nd ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE TELEVISION AWARDS
Best Drama Series
Homeland – Showtime
Best Actor in a Drama Series
Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad – AMC
Best Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Danes – Homeland – Showtime
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito – Breaking Bad – AMC
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Christina Hendricks – Mad Men – AMC
Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series
Lucy Liu – Southland – TNT
Best Reality Series
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations – Travel Channel
Best Reality Series – Competition
The Voice – NBC
Best Reality Show Host - TIE
Tom Bergeron – Dancing with the Stars – ABC
Cat Deeley – So You Think You Can Dance – FOX
Best Talk Show
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC
Best Comedy Series
Community – NBC
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Louis C.K. – Louie – FX
Best Actress in a Comedy Series - TIE
Zooey Deschanel – New Girl – FOX
Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell – Modern Family – ABC
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Julie Bowen – Modern Family – ABC
Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
Paul Rudd – Parks and Recreation – NBC
Best Animated Series
Archer – FX
Best Movie/Miniseries
Sherlock – Masterpiece on PBS
Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock – Masterpiece on PBS
Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
Julianne Moore – Game Change – HBO
Most Exciting New Series
The Following (Fox/Warner Bros.)
The Mindy Project (Fox/Universal)
Nashville (ABC/Lionsgate)
The Newsroom (HBO)
Political Animals (USA/Warner Bros.)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Review: "Clueless" is Best Remembered for Who Was in It
Clueless (1995)
Running time: 97 minutes (1 hour, 37 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sex related dialogue and some teen use of alcohol and drugs
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Amy Heckerling
PRODUCERS: Robert Lawrence and Scott Rudin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Bill Pope
EDITOR: Debra Chiate
COMEDY
Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy, Stacy Dash, Donald Faison, Dan Hedaya, Breckin Meyer, Justin Walker, Wallace Shawn, Jeremy Sisto, and Julie Brown
Clueless is certainly one of the most entertaining “teenaged” movies ever made, and it is thus so because of its creator, writer-director Amy Heckerling. Heckerling (Look Who’s Talking) is well remembered for directing another landmark movie about teenagers, the fantastic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, which influenced the pop culture of at least two generations of teenagers and young people after its 1982 debut.
Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is a pampered Beverly Hills princess who shops for fine clothes, shoes, and accessories almost non-stop. With her friend Dionne Marie Davenport (Stacey Dash), she is the most popular girl in school. When she draws the ire of her father Mel (Dan Hedaya) for poor grades, she decides that she can earn a better grade from one of her teachers, Mr. Alphonse Hall (Wallace Shawn), by setting him up with a girl friend.
That venture successful, she decides to upgrade the looks of the new girl in school, Tai Fraiser (Brittany Murphy), and to find a boyfriend for Tai. It is during her manipulation of other people’s status that she slowly discovers she is really lonely. Her frustrating search for companionship reveals to her that she is the one who is clueless.
Clueless was probably the first film to capture the attention and bucks of the so-called Generation Y baby boomers. Like the out-of-nowhere hit making band Hanson, Clueless was a surprise success. It captured the flavor and essences of Southern California teenagers from well-to-do and affluent families who could indulge their children with expensive toys, clothes, cars, and other material things. Heckerling ably captures the language and style of these teens, simultaneously poking at and documenting them in her fictional film. Her most important achievement was that she took those character types and made a good film out of it.
The performances are actually understated and accomplished considering that the characters are so over the top. Ms. Silverstone, the youthful blond of the moment for a few years, portrays Cher as thoughtful girl, who truly does understand the needs of others, but strictly through her needs. The goal of the movie seems to be to teach her that she doesn’t have to only help people if it benefits her as much, if not more than, the ones she is helping. Ms. Silverstone subtly travels that path of education all the while keeping her character interesting and entertaining. Sometimes a good character can become a bore during the course of a film when the creators are trying to teach that character a lesson.
The rest of the cast is equally up to the challenge of entertaining. Paul Rudd is quite good as Cher’s stepbrother Josh Lucas, and Dan Hedaya’s Mel is the perfect wrangler for his daughter. There is also a wealth of young Hollywood faces and character actors who take their turn making the world of Cher so vivid, so silly, and so joyous.
And that’s what this movie is - joyous.
Fun, silly, irreverent, it is also a sly commentary on particular group of the youth of America, but the film possesses enough charm that the viewer focuses mostly on the comedy and romance. Only the keenest mind of a killjoy would focus on how vacuous this film can be at times. Heckerling has created a bright, sunny movie that is both smart and enjoyable. Part parody, part satire, and a little farce, Clueless is, alas, simply fun to watch.
6 of 10
B
------------------------
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Review: "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" is Still a Steve Carell Showcase
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 133 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux
The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Running time: 116 minutes (1 hour, 56 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive sexual content, language, and some drug use
DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow
WRITERS: Steve Carell and Judd Apatow
PRODUCERS: Shauna Robertson, Clayton Townsend, and Judd Apatow
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jack Green
EDITOR: Brent White
COMEDY/ROMANCE
Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Gerry Bednob, Shelley Malil, Kat Dennings, Erica Vittina Phillips, Cedric Yarbrough, David Koechner, Lee Weaver, Gloria Helena Jones, and Nancy Walls
Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has never “done the deed,” or, to put it more plainly, Andy has never had sexual intercourse. That makes the avid toy collector, video gaming enthusiast, and comic book reader a 40 year-old virgin. When his co-workers: the three randy bastards, David (Paul Rudd), Jay (Romany Malco), and Cal (Seth Rogen), accidentally discover Andy’s situation, they immediately want to help him get his cherry popped.
After a series of misadventures, Andy is once again ready to accept that he will never have sexual intercourse, but fate brings him into contact with Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mother of three children and a grandmother of one. Andy and Trish become very close and decide to have a platonic relationship until they get to know each other. However, when the time finally arrives for them to get intimate, Andy is still having reservations…
The 40 Year-Old Virgin could have been nothing more than a shameless excuse to make a tawdry film aimed at teenagers and 20-somethings – full of bad jokes about virginity, loosing one’s virginity and having awkward first-time sex. Instead the film is only half that. Sure, there is plenty of gross humor and embarrassingly frank discussions of sexuality. In fact much of the sex talk is the kind of triple-blue tales guys tell each other when they’re not in polite company because together they aren’t polite company.
Romany Malco and Seth Rogen gamely lead the charge unleashing a barrage of X-rated storytelling that tops the wretched bragging that is a stable on B.E.T.’s “ComicView,” but Malco and Rogen are 10 times funnier. In fact, this is a breakthrough performance for Malco, who deft plays Jay as both comically and as a hypocrite. Both he and Rogen should have long film careers playing “the buddy” to a big name star’s turn as a struggling romantic. However, the third member of the support trio is limply played by Paul Rudd, but it’s not entirely his fault; the script gives him a few good scenes, and then leaves both him and the audience hanging for more of the obviously complicated David.
One thing that The 40 Year-Old Virgin’s screenplay (co-written by the director Judd Apatow and Steve Carell) has going for it is its sense of realness. There is a naturalness to the individual scenes that suggests the truth of real life. What the script lacks is a cohesive sense of honesty. Some things are true; others are just plot contrivances designed to make an outsider tale seem like normal Hollywood fare. In fact, since the writers chose to gloss over the supporting characters, they made the film too long by ten minutes. They could have given those 10 minutes to Catherine Keener so her character, Trish, wouldn’t only come across as a cardboard, sympathetic mother figure and cherry popper – a waste of a powerful actress for sure.
Ultimately, the main reason to see this film is Steve Carell; the seemingly humble actor (at least he comes across that way in interviews) has quietly delivered a number of roles, stunning in how good they are for their smallness, in films such as Bruce Almighty and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Here, he plays a 40 year-old virgin not as a pathetic figure, but a man to be pitied because he has so willingly bought into a life of loneliness. This is especially sad because he’s the proverbial quiet and shy guy who is really a good fellow, and would make a fine pal.
While The 40 Year-Old Virgin’s script is soft, the film’s actors build their roles into characters that the audience wants to like and finally do. Carell, more than anyone else in this film, builds a guy in Andy Stitzer who is so likeable that the audience accepts everything about him, including his many quirks and eccentricities. In the real world, a lot of people wouldn’t recognize or pay attention to a guy like Andy. Carell amazingly turns Andy into an ideal, a perfection of nerd, if you will; Andy is the kind of dork that you could love, root for, cheer, and go out of your way to help.
The 40 Year-Old Virgin has been compared to an earlier 2005 summer hit, Wedding Crashers, but the latter is funnier by far. However, both films make up for crassness with engaging tales of romantic entanglements. Virgin isn’t perfect, and Steve Carell’s performance is more memorable than the film, which in the end may be remembered as a star-making vehicle for him. Although that ending has got to go, the film is daring in so many ways. It’s one of the very few “mainstream” comedies that have almost as many African-American roles as the typical “urban comedy” (comedy with a lot of black characters), and an actress (Catherine Keener) who is older than the male lead (Carell) playing the love interest. That alone makes it a class act.
7 of 10
B+
Saturday, August 20, 2005
The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Running time: 116 minutes (1 hour, 56 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive sexual content, language, and some drug use
DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow
WRITERS: Steve Carell and Judd Apatow
PRODUCERS: Shauna Robertson, Clayton Townsend, and Judd Apatow
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jack Green
EDITOR: Brent White
COMEDY/ROMANCE
Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, Gerry Bednob, Shelley Malil, Kat Dennings, Erica Vittina Phillips, Cedric Yarbrough, David Koechner, Lee Weaver, Gloria Helena Jones, and Nancy Walls
Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has never “done the deed,” or, to put it more plainly, Andy has never had sexual intercourse. That makes the avid toy collector, video gaming enthusiast, and comic book reader a 40 year-old virgin. When his co-workers: the three randy bastards, David (Paul Rudd), Jay (Romany Malco), and Cal (Seth Rogen), accidentally discover Andy’s situation, they immediately want to help him get his cherry popped.
After a series of misadventures, Andy is once again ready to accept that he will never have sexual intercourse, but fate brings him into contact with Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mother of three children and a grandmother of one. Andy and Trish become very close and decide to have a platonic relationship until they get to know each other. However, when the time finally arrives for them to get intimate, Andy is still having reservations…
The 40 Year-Old Virgin could have been nothing more than a shameless excuse to make a tawdry film aimed at teenagers and 20-somethings – full of bad jokes about virginity, loosing one’s virginity and having awkward first-time sex. Instead the film is only half that. Sure, there is plenty of gross humor and embarrassingly frank discussions of sexuality. In fact much of the sex talk is the kind of triple-blue tales guys tell each other when they’re not in polite company because together they aren’t polite company.
Romany Malco and Seth Rogen gamely lead the charge unleashing a barrage of X-rated storytelling that tops the wretched bragging that is a stable on B.E.T.’s “ComicView,” but Malco and Rogen are 10 times funnier. In fact, this is a breakthrough performance for Malco, who deft plays Jay as both comically and as a hypocrite. Both he and Rogen should have long film careers playing “the buddy” to a big name star’s turn as a struggling romantic. However, the third member of the support trio is limply played by Paul Rudd, but it’s not entirely his fault; the script gives him a few good scenes, and then leaves both him and the audience hanging for more of the obviously complicated David.
One thing that The 40 Year-Old Virgin’s screenplay (co-written by the director Judd Apatow and Steve Carell) has going for it is its sense of realness. There is a naturalness to the individual scenes that suggests the truth of real life. What the script lacks is a cohesive sense of honesty. Some things are true; others are just plot contrivances designed to make an outsider tale seem like normal Hollywood fare. In fact, since the writers chose to gloss over the supporting characters, they made the film too long by ten minutes. They could have given those 10 minutes to Catherine Keener so her character, Trish, wouldn’t only come across as a cardboard, sympathetic mother figure and cherry popper – a waste of a powerful actress for sure.
Ultimately, the main reason to see this film is Steve Carell; the seemingly humble actor (at least he comes across that way in interviews) has quietly delivered a number of roles, stunning in how good they are for their smallness, in films such as Bruce Almighty and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Here, he plays a 40 year-old virgin not as a pathetic figure, but a man to be pitied because he has so willingly bought into a life of loneliness. This is especially sad because he’s the proverbial quiet and shy guy who is really a good fellow, and would make a fine pal.
While The 40 Year-Old Virgin’s script is soft, the film’s actors build their roles into characters that the audience wants to like and finally do. Carell, more than anyone else in this film, builds a guy in Andy Stitzer who is so likeable that the audience accepts everything about him, including his many quirks and eccentricities. In the real world, a lot of people wouldn’t recognize or pay attention to a guy like Andy. Carell amazingly turns Andy into an ideal, a perfection of nerd, if you will; Andy is the kind of dork that you could love, root for, cheer, and go out of your way to help.
The 40 Year-Old Virgin has been compared to an earlier 2005 summer hit, Wedding Crashers, but the latter is funnier by far. However, both films make up for crassness with engaging tales of romantic entanglements. Virgin isn’t perfect, and Steve Carell’s performance is more memorable than the film, which in the end may be remembered as a star-making vehicle for him. Although that ending has got to go, the film is daring in so many ways. It’s one of the very few “mainstream” comedies that have almost as many African-American roles as the typical “urban comedy” (comedy with a lot of black characters), and an actress (Catherine Keener) who is older than the male lead (Carell) playing the love interest. That alone makes it a class act.
7 of 10
B+
Saturday, August 20, 2005
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Saturday, January 22, 2011
Review: Top Notch Performances are "The Cider House Rules"
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 141 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux
The Cider House Rules (1999)
Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexuality, nudity, substance abuse and some violence
DIRECTOR: Lasse Halstrom
WRITER: John Irving (based upon his novel)
PRODUCER: Richard N. Gladstein
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Oliver Stapleton (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Lisa Zeno Churgin
Academy Award winner
DRAMA
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Michael Caine, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd, Jane Alexander, Kathy Baker, Erykah Badu, Kieran Culkin, Kate Nelligan, Heavy D, and J.K. Simmons
Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) has lived all his live in an orphanage. His de facto father, the orphanage’s lone physician and director, Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine), has trained Homer to be a doctor, learning the same things that Dr. Larch needed to be effective at the orphanage. One day, the compassionate young man decides to leave his home to see the world after meeting Candy Kendall, an unmarried, pregnant young woman (Charlize Theron), and her boyfriend, Lt. Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd). Wally gets Homer a job picking apples in his mother’s orchard with a crew of itinerant workers. Here, he meets the crew chief Mr. Arthur Rose (Delroy Lindo) and his daughter Rose Rose (singer Eryka Badu), which leads him to make the most important decisions of his young life.
Directed by Lasse Halstrom, The Cider House Rules is quite simply a beautiful, well crafted, and superbly acted film. It tugs at all the heartstrings, but the film does so by honestly dealing with emotions and decisions with which the audience can identify. More than anything, it is about making choices and sometimes having to make them when the obvious direction goes against personal beliefs. John Irving adapted his novel of the same title for the screen, and the story readily embraces the idea that a person can do something that makes life better for someone other than himself, even at the cost of personal satisfaction. This could have resulted in a film that was very dry and turned off the audience, but the director and writer weave the situation with such sincerity, grace, wit, and charm that we can’t help but see their view.
The cast is key to this because each actor helps to make his character sympathetic. When the audience sympathizes they will be open to a particular character’s ideas even if it’s counter to what they believe. And The Cider House Rules, which deals with issues of reproductive freedom, adoption, incest, rape, abortion, infidelity, certainly needs likeable characters to make the film enjoyable and not just tolerable.
Maguire is a very good actor; a pleasant young fellow with boyish good looks, he can win the viewer over. He literally carries this film on his back. He does have a kind of facial tick, something like a slight smirk, that seems to pop up at inopportune moments, but otherwise, he endows his characters with a young everyman sort of charm that is both winning and well done.
Seemingly the hardest working actor in the Western world, Michael Caine turns in one of the best performances of his career and earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this role. While Homer’s life seems destined to mimic Dr. Larch’s, Caine’s turn as the doctor sets the philosophical agenda for this film, and he’s more than up to the challenge.
The Cider House Rules is a very good film, and is certainly a high achievement in the pantheon of film rudely called tearjerkers. More than just another weepy, it stands out as an attempt at really conveying something about the human condition, while still being very entertaining.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2000 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Michael Caine) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published” (John Irving); 5 nominations: “Best Picture” (Richard N. Gladstein), “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (David Gropman-art director and Beth A. Rubino-set decorator), “Best Director” (Lasse Hallström), “Best Editing” (Lisa Zeno Churgin) and “Best Music, Original Score” (Rachel Portman)
2000 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Michael Caine
2000 Black Reel Awards: 1 win: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Erykah Badu); 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actor” (Delroy Lindo)
2000 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Michael Caine) and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (John Irving)
The Cider House Rules (1999)
Running time: 126 minutes (2 hours, 6 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexuality, nudity, substance abuse and some violence
DIRECTOR: Lasse Halstrom
WRITER: John Irving (based upon his novel)
PRODUCER: Richard N. Gladstein
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Oliver Stapleton (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Lisa Zeno Churgin
Academy Award winner
DRAMA
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Michael Caine, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo, Paul Rudd, Jane Alexander, Kathy Baker, Erykah Badu, Kieran Culkin, Kate Nelligan, Heavy D, and J.K. Simmons
Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) has lived all his live in an orphanage. His de facto father, the orphanage’s lone physician and director, Dr. Wilbur Larch (Michael Caine), has trained Homer to be a doctor, learning the same things that Dr. Larch needed to be effective at the orphanage. One day, the compassionate young man decides to leave his home to see the world after meeting Candy Kendall, an unmarried, pregnant young woman (Charlize Theron), and her boyfriend, Lt. Wally Worthington (Paul Rudd). Wally gets Homer a job picking apples in his mother’s orchard with a crew of itinerant workers. Here, he meets the crew chief Mr. Arthur Rose (Delroy Lindo) and his daughter Rose Rose (singer Eryka Badu), which leads him to make the most important decisions of his young life.
Directed by Lasse Halstrom, The Cider House Rules is quite simply a beautiful, well crafted, and superbly acted film. It tugs at all the heartstrings, but the film does so by honestly dealing with emotions and decisions with which the audience can identify. More than anything, it is about making choices and sometimes having to make them when the obvious direction goes against personal beliefs. John Irving adapted his novel of the same title for the screen, and the story readily embraces the idea that a person can do something that makes life better for someone other than himself, even at the cost of personal satisfaction. This could have resulted in a film that was very dry and turned off the audience, but the director and writer weave the situation with such sincerity, grace, wit, and charm that we can’t help but see their view.
The cast is key to this because each actor helps to make his character sympathetic. When the audience sympathizes they will be open to a particular character’s ideas even if it’s counter to what they believe. And The Cider House Rules, which deals with issues of reproductive freedom, adoption, incest, rape, abortion, infidelity, certainly needs likeable characters to make the film enjoyable and not just tolerable.
Maguire is a very good actor; a pleasant young fellow with boyish good looks, he can win the viewer over. He literally carries this film on his back. He does have a kind of facial tick, something like a slight smirk, that seems to pop up at inopportune moments, but otherwise, he endows his characters with a young everyman sort of charm that is both winning and well done.
Seemingly the hardest working actor in the Western world, Michael Caine turns in one of the best performances of his career and earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this role. While Homer’s life seems destined to mimic Dr. Larch’s, Caine’s turn as the doctor sets the philosophical agenda for this film, and he’s more than up to the challenge.
The Cider House Rules is a very good film, and is certainly a high achievement in the pantheon of film rudely called tearjerkers. More than just another weepy, it stands out as an attempt at really conveying something about the human condition, while still being very entertaining.
8 of 10
A
NOTES:
2000 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Michael Caine) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published” (John Irving); 5 nominations: “Best Picture” (Richard N. Gladstein), “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (David Gropman-art director and Beth A. Rubino-set decorator), “Best Director” (Lasse Hallström), “Best Editing” (Lisa Zeno Churgin) and “Best Music, Original Score” (Rachel Portman)
2000 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role” (Michael Caine
2000 Black Reel Awards: 1 win: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actress” (Erykah Badu); 1 nomination: “Theatrical - Best Supporting Actor” (Delroy Lindo)
2000 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Michael Caine) and “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (John Irving)
----------------------------
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Alex Gibney Hits the Jackpot with "Casino Jack" Documentary
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 81 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux
Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – R for some language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Alex Gibney
PRODUCER: Zena Barakat, Alison Ellwood, and Alex Gibney
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Maryse Alberti
EDITOR: Alison Ellwood
DOCUMENTARY – Politics
Starring: Tom DeLay, Thomas Frank, Adam Kidan, Bob Ney, Ron Platt, Sue Schmidt, Melanie Sloan, Neil Volz with Stanley Tucci and Paul Rudd
For almost 20 years, Jack Abramoff was an American lobbyist. He was also a businessman, film producer, and political figure. His ascendancy as an influential and powerful man, both as a lobbyist and within the Republican Party, began when the Republicans seized control of both houses of Congress in 1994. Over the next 12 years, Abramoff lobbied Congress for Indian casinos, sweatshop owners in Saipan, and even shadowy Russian interests. He eventually went to prison for defrauding his Native American clients and corruption of public officials.
Written and directed by Alex Gibney, Casino Jack and the United States of Money is a documentary film about Jack Abramoff, his career, his lobbying activities, and the people around him – including Congressmen, congressional staffers, fellow lobbyists, and assorted figures within conservative and right-wing Christian politics. Gibney won an Oscar for his 2007 documentary, Taxi to the Dark Side, but Gibney deftly plumbed the depths of economic and political scandal in the Oscar-nominated documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.
However, Casino Jack and the United States of Money is not just about Abramoff. It is really about the buying and selling of the American government with lobbyists as the go-betweens for the buyers (powerful business interests) and the sellers (Congress). Gibney dazzles with stories of Indian tribal councils spending millions of dollars to keep their casinos and to keep other tribes from having casinos. There is the sex slave industry in Saipan and a murdered Greek casino tycoon. Cold War intrigue mixes with African revolutionaries. Congressmen take lavish, overseas golf trips – transportation by private, corporate jet. But the real story is about the looting of the American government, our broken system of government, and the perilous state of our democracy.
Jack Abramoff was in prison while Gibney was making Casino Jack and the United States of Money, and although he was able to interview Abramoff in prison, Gibney was unable to film the former lobbyist for inclusion in the film. Not having Abramoff is a glaring omission, but this film is really about Casino Jack Abramoff AND the United States of Money. For all that the film covers Abramoff, his career, activities, associates, and business partners, the underlying theme of this documentary is the legalized bribery and influence peddling that has basically turned the American government over to people who can afford to buy it.
Gibney’s gift is to take subjects like accounting, finance, government, and law and make them interesting. Like the Enron movie, this Jack Abramoff movie is about corruption, and Gibney fills the film with interviews of the people involved and the people who are reporting on the takeover. What could be a boring piece of journalism is instead a compelling narrative that will wake up the viewer to corruption about which he should and must care. Gibney convinces the viewer that the corruption matters to him because it affects him and perhaps it will make that viewer become engaged and maybe even outraged.
Gibney can even find the humor in the con game. His interview with former Republican House Majority Leader, Tom Delay, reveals a man in denial about his activities with Abramoff. It is funny to watch Delay deliver half-truths and spin with smooth-as-silk dishonesty, as if he did not unethical, let alone wrong. I don’t know if Casino Jack and the United States of Money will make people take to the streets and demand change (probably not), but it is an important documentary in the modern history of American politics. It exists as a warning, a signpost on the road to American ruin. Ignore it at your peril.
9 of 10
A+
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010)
Running time: 118 minutes (1 hour, 58 minutes)
MPAA – R for some language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Alex Gibney
PRODUCER: Zena Barakat, Alison Ellwood, and Alex Gibney
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Maryse Alberti
EDITOR: Alison Ellwood
DOCUMENTARY – Politics
Starring: Tom DeLay, Thomas Frank, Adam Kidan, Bob Ney, Ron Platt, Sue Schmidt, Melanie Sloan, Neil Volz with Stanley Tucci and Paul Rudd
For almost 20 years, Jack Abramoff was an American lobbyist. He was also a businessman, film producer, and political figure. His ascendancy as an influential and powerful man, both as a lobbyist and within the Republican Party, began when the Republicans seized control of both houses of Congress in 1994. Over the next 12 years, Abramoff lobbied Congress for Indian casinos, sweatshop owners in Saipan, and even shadowy Russian interests. He eventually went to prison for defrauding his Native American clients and corruption of public officials.
Written and directed by Alex Gibney, Casino Jack and the United States of Money is a documentary film about Jack Abramoff, his career, his lobbying activities, and the people around him – including Congressmen, congressional staffers, fellow lobbyists, and assorted figures within conservative and right-wing Christian politics. Gibney won an Oscar for his 2007 documentary, Taxi to the Dark Side, but Gibney deftly plumbed the depths of economic and political scandal in the Oscar-nominated documentary, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room.
However, Casino Jack and the United States of Money is not just about Abramoff. It is really about the buying and selling of the American government with lobbyists as the go-betweens for the buyers (powerful business interests) and the sellers (Congress). Gibney dazzles with stories of Indian tribal councils spending millions of dollars to keep their casinos and to keep other tribes from having casinos. There is the sex slave industry in Saipan and a murdered Greek casino tycoon. Cold War intrigue mixes with African revolutionaries. Congressmen take lavish, overseas golf trips – transportation by private, corporate jet. But the real story is about the looting of the American government, our broken system of government, and the perilous state of our democracy.
Jack Abramoff was in prison while Gibney was making Casino Jack and the United States of Money, and although he was able to interview Abramoff in prison, Gibney was unable to film the former lobbyist for inclusion in the film. Not having Abramoff is a glaring omission, but this film is really about Casino Jack Abramoff AND the United States of Money. For all that the film covers Abramoff, his career, activities, associates, and business partners, the underlying theme of this documentary is the legalized bribery and influence peddling that has basically turned the American government over to people who can afford to buy it.
Gibney’s gift is to take subjects like accounting, finance, government, and law and make them interesting. Like the Enron movie, this Jack Abramoff movie is about corruption, and Gibney fills the film with interviews of the people involved and the people who are reporting on the takeover. What could be a boring piece of journalism is instead a compelling narrative that will wake up the viewer to corruption about which he should and must care. Gibney convinces the viewer that the corruption matters to him because it affects him and perhaps it will make that viewer become engaged and maybe even outraged.
Gibney can even find the humor in the con game. His interview with former Republican House Majority Leader, Tom Delay, reveals a man in denial about his activities with Abramoff. It is funny to watch Delay deliver half-truths and spin with smooth-as-silk dishonesty, as if he did not unethical, let alone wrong. I don’t know if Casino Jack and the United States of Money will make people take to the streets and demand change (probably not), but it is an important documentary in the modern history of American politics. It exists as a warning, a signpost on the road to American ruin. Ignore it at your peril.
9 of 10
A+
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Review: "Anchorman" is Odd and Funny
TRASH IN MY EYE No. 121 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual humor, language and comic violence
DIRECTOR: Adam McKay
WRITERS: Will Ferrell and Adam McKay
PRODUCER: Judd Apatow
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Thomas Ackerman (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Brent White
COMEDY
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steven Carell, David Koechner, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Kathryn Hahn, Luke Wilson, Bill Kurtis, Monique McIntyre, and Danny Trejo with uncredited screen appearances by Jack Black, Missi Pyle, Tim Robbins, Stephen Root, Ben Stiller, and Vince Vaughn
Will the actor/comedian Will Ferrell make a nice, long run of being a comedic leading man? He has a few hits behind him, and even if he ever falters as the star, he’s funny enough to lift quite a few movies to that next level by playing funny and crucial supporting roles.
In Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, a film in which he co-wrote, Ferrell is Ron Burgundy. In 1970’s San Diego, he rules the city as the most popular anchorman of the most popular local TV news broadcast. He’s a legend, mostly in his own mind, and he’s God’s gift to women – if only they knew that he isn’t much of a journalist and his news skills rely heavily on a TelePrompTer.
Burgundy is also the captain of his station’s news team, a fellow cast of cads that includes a lecherous beat reporter named Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), a mentally challenged weatherman, and Champ Kind (David Koechner), a chauvinist, dude cowboy sports reporter. All is well in their world of ladies and parties until Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), an ambitious female with her eye on being a network anchorwoman, arrives to rock their world. For Ron, it’s love at first sight, but all goes bad when Veronica becomes his partner both personally and professionally.
Anchorman is quite silly and filled with lots of belly laughs, but it also has a surprising number of satirical and sardonic moments. The humor recalls the mocking antics of Mel Brooks 70’s classics like Blazing Saddles, but the humor here is often deadpan and blunt. It’s also self-mockingly serious and also flat out hilarious. Too bad, the story is soft and the script is mostly a blueprint for jokes, gags, and general silliness.
Will Ferrell is his usual funny self, but the Burgundy character is a bit odd and off-putting. It’s not one of Ferrell’s more endearing characters, but he has a knack of making the most annoying characters very funny, even when they’re under your skin. The supporting cast is quite nice. Fred Willard embodies 70’s kitsch, and the three actors that make up Burgundy’s crew are fantastic, especially Carell and Koechner who play their parts with a frightening, scene stealing relish. Ms. Applegate’s performance is a bit odd; she plays Veronica in a never where between cardboard character dumb blonde and sly vixen, but with the gumption to make her character surprise us at every turn.
Anchorman will likely stand out as one of the year’s funniest comedies, but in the long run, it may be remembered as an oddity, perhaps a forgotten oddity. But I’m hoping it hangs around, even with some kind of cult status.
7 of 10
B+
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