Streisand and Rogen to Talk "The Guilt Trip"

BARBRA STREISAND AND SETH ROGEN TAKE “THE GUILT TRIP” TO 20 CITIES

THE HOLIDAY FILM FROM PARAMOUNT WILL SCREEN EXCLUSIVELY AT AMC THEATRES ON DECEMBER 2ND IN SELECT MARKETS, FOLLOWED BY A LIVE STREAMING Q&A WITH THE FILM’S STARS

Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, Inc., and AMC Theaters have partnered to bring the upcoming holiday comedy “THE GUILT TRIP” to audiences in 20 cities across the country in advance of its theatrical release on December 19th.

These exclusive screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s stars Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen, to be streamed live via satellite from Los Angeles.

The screenings and subsequent live Q&A will take place December 2nd at participating AMC Theaters in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., Miami, Boston, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.

For more information and to reserve your seat, please visit http://www.gofobo.com/rsvp/landing/11245221

“THE GUILT TRIP” stars Rogen as Andy Brewster, an inventor about to embark on the road trip of a lifetime, and who better to accompany him than his overbearing mother Joyce, played by Barbra Streisand. After deciding to start his adventure with a quick visit at mom’s, Andy is guilted into bringing her along for the ride. Across 3,000 miles of ever-changing landscape, he is constantly aggravated by her antics, but over time he comes to realize that their lives have more in common than he originally thought. His mother’s advice might end up being exactly what he needs. The Guilt Trip is directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Dan Fogelman and produced by Lorne Michaels, John Goldwyn and Evan Goldberg.

“THE GUILT TRIP” opens everywhere December 19th, 2012. To learn more about the movie, visit http://www.guilttripmovie.com


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), 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 Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

"Paul" on DVD and Blu-ray August 9th

PAUL arrives on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital Download on August 9, 2011.

BUCKLE UP FOR A HILARIOUS ROAD TRIP FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SUPERBAD & THE STARS AND CREATORS OF HOT FUZZ AND SHAUN OF THE DEAD - PAUL

OWN THE OUTRAGOUS UNRATED VERSION NOT SHOWN IN THEATERS ON BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK, DVD & DIGITAL DOWNLOAD AUGUST 9, 2011

“Irreverent and hilarious!” – Sean P. Means, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
“Seth Rogen is perfect as Paul.” – Ray Bennett, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Universal City, California, June 7, 2011— One tiny alien makes for big, big trouble in the comedy adventure Paul, coming to Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD August 9, 2011, from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Both versions will feature the theatrical movie, as well as an unrated version of the film, not shown in theaters. The film and its unrated version will also be available day and date for digital download and video on demand.

Paul reunites Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) as two sci-fi geeks on a pilgrimage to America’s UFO heartland, where they accidentally encounter an alien who sends them on an insane road trip that alters their universe forever. Written by Pegg and Frost, Paul boasts a star-studded cast that features Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet, Knocked Up) as the voice of Paul, Sigourney Weaver (Avatar), Jason Bateman (Hancock), Kristen Wiig (Date Night, Knocked Up), Jane Lynch (“Glee”), Bill Hader (Pineapple Express), Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models), Jeffrey Tambor (“Arrested Development”) and Blythe Danner (Little Fockers). Directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad), Paul comes loaded with in-depth, behind-the-scenes features, bloopers, filmmaker and cast commentary and more, to take viewers on a comical journey behind the making of this critically hailed film.

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack will include a Blu-ray and DVD copy of the unrated and theatrical versions of the film. Additionally, for a limited time only, the Combo Pack also includes a digital copy of the unrated film that can be viewed anytime, anywhere on an array of digital devices. Blu-ray ™ consumers can also access MY MOVIES™, an exclusive feature that allows consumers to stream a bonus movie instantly to their television through any Internet-connected Blu-ray ™ player via BD-Live™ or to their Smartphone and iPad™ using the free pocket BLU™ app. The bonus movie offer will be available for a limited time only. Visit http://www.universalhidef.com/ for more details.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ COMBO PACK:
· Between the Lightning Strikes: The Making of Paul
· Behind the Scenes Featurettes:
o RV Doorway: The Cast of Paul On-Location — The cast is just as funny off-screen as they are in front of the camera.
o Runway Santa Fe: An Interview with Nancy Steiner — Follow Nancy Steiner, the costume designer, as she chooses hilarious T-shirts and wardrobe for the cast.
o Smithereens — Blowing up a house on location causes excitement among the cast.
o 5th Date Level Direction: The Cast on Greg Mottola — The cast talks about the fun of working with Mottola, who also directed Superbad.
o Mexico Zero: The Locations of Paul—Mexico Zero is the nickname the cast gives to New Mexico, where the majority of filming was done for Paul.
o The Many Pauls — To create Paul, the filmmakers used all the tricks of the trade, from capturing Seth Rogen’s facial expressions and movements, to using a child dressed up as an alien while on-set.
o Paul: The Musical — The cast joins together for an impromptu musical version of the film.
o The Traveler Beagle — A look at all the different RVs used on the set of Paul, from fully functioning vehicles to a mock-up on a Hollywood soundstage.

· BD-LIVE™: Access the BD-Live™ Center through your Internet-connected player to watch the latest trailers and more.

· pocket BLU™: The groundbreaking pocket BLU™ app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, Android™, PC and Macintosh to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray™ player. Also available on the iPad®, owners can enjoy a new, enhanced edition of pocket BLU™ made especially to take advantage of the tablet's larger screen and high resolution display. Consumers will be able to browse through a library of Blu-ray™ content and watch entertaining extras on-the-go in a way that's bigger and better than ever before. pocket BLU™ offers advanced features such as:
o Advanced Remote Control — A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
o Video Timeline — Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the film.
o Mobile-To-Go — Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there is a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
o Browse Titles — Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
o Keyboard — Entering data is fast and easy with your device’s intuitive keyboard.

BONUS FEATURES ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD:
· Bloopers
· The Evolution of Paul — An inside look at how Paul became a living, breathing alien.
· Simon’s Silly Faces — Simon Pegg makes an assortment of wildly funny faces for the camera.
· Who the Hell is Adam Shadowchild? — Find out about the legendary sci-fi writer from the characters in Paul.
· Feature Commentary with Greg Mottola, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Hader and Nira Park
· Photo Galleries, Storyboards and Posters

SYNOPSIS
For the past 60 years, an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has been hanging out at a top-secret military base. For reasons unknown, the space-traveling smartass decides to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town—a rented RV containing Earthlings Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost). Chased by federal agents and the fanatical father of a young woman they accidentally kidnap, Graeme and Clive hatch a fumbling escape plan to return Paul to his mother ship. As two nerds struggle to help, one little green man might just take his fellow outcasts from misfits to intergalactic heroes.

http://www.whatispaul.com/

CAST AND FILMMAKERS
Directed By: Greg Mottola
Written By: Simon Pegg & Nick Frost
Produced By: Nira Park, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Executive Producers: Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward, Natascha Wharton, Robert Graf
Director of Photography: Lawrence Sher
Production Designer: Jefferson Sage
Editor: Chris Dickens, ACE
Costume Designer: Nancy Steiner
Music By: David Arnold

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, Joe Lo Truglio, John Carroll Lynch, Jane Lynch, David Koechner, Jesse Plemons with Sigourney Weaver and Seth Rogen

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF
Street Date: August 9, 2011
Copyright: 2011
Selection Number: 61118963
Running Time: 1Hour 44 Min
Layers: BD-50
Aspect Ratio: Widescreen 2.35:1
Rating: R for language including sexual references and some drug use
Technical Info: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish and French DTS Surround 5.1, DVS, English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles

DVD
Street Date: August 9, 2011
Copyright: 2011
Selection Number: 61111728
Running Time: 1Hour 44 Min
Layers: Dual Layer
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Rating: R for language including sexual references and some drug use
Technical Info: Dolby Digital English 5.1, Spanish 5.1, French 5.1, DVS, English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles

NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. Comcast Corporation owns a controlling 51% interest in NBCUniversal, with GE holding a 49% stake.

"The Green Hornet" Stings Like a B-Movie

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 47 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Green Hornet (2011)
Running time: 119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of violent action, language, sensuality and drug content
DIRECTOR: Michel Gondry
WRITERS: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (based on the radio series “The Green Hornet” George W. Trendle)
PRODUCER: Neal H. Moritz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Schwartzman
EDITOR: Michael Tronick
COMPOSER: James Newton Howard

SUPERHERO/ACTION/CRIME

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Christoph Waltz, David Harbour, Edward James Olmos, Jamie Harris, Chad Coleman, and Edward Furlong

A masked vigilante, crime-fighter, and superhero, the Green Hornet is a fictional character that first made his debut on radio in 1936. Created by radio station owner George W. Trendle and radio writer Fran Striker, the Green Hornet has also appeared over the years in comic books and movie serials. There was even a 1960s ABC television series probably best remembered for Bruce Lee playing the Green Hornet’s partner/sidekick, Kato.

Released in January 2011, The Green Hornet returned the character to the big screen in an over-the-top, superhero action-comedy movie. The movie is like a juvenile boy’s fantasy of what a superhero movie should have: plenty of explosions, numerous car-crushing car chases, and lots of gunfire, with a pretty girl thrown in for an occasional shot of eye candy. And sometimes, this movie is actually fun and entertaining.

The Green Hornet opens in present day Los Angeles and focuses on spoiled, rich, 20-something, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen). His father is James Reid (Tom Wilkinson), the wealthy and highly successful publisher of The Daily Sentinel newspaper. After James’ sudden death, Britt is trying to figure out what to do with his father’s business and his own life when he meets his father’s personal mechanic, Kato (Jay Chou). They hit it off, get drunk together, and pull a stupid stunt. It is that dangerous stunt that gives Britt the idea that he and Kato should become superheroes.

Britt believes that they should become crime-fighters who pose as criminals in order to infiltrate L.A.’s notoriously violent criminal underworld, so he becomes a masked man named the Green Hornet. Britt also decides to use the Sentinel to publish propaganda that will build up the Hornet’s reputation. Britt even hires Lenore “Casey” Case (Cameron Diaz), a sexy secretary to do criminal research that he can use as the Hornet. However, Britt’s activities as the Hornet bring him into direct conflict with Russian super bad-ass, Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz), a mobster who wants to control all crime in L.A. But Chudnofsky is willing to kill anyone and any hero who gets in his way.

One of the things that immediately stood out to me about The Green Hornet was that Seth Rogen was probably not the right actor to play the Green Hornet. I could believe in him as the spoiled, party boy, Britt Reid, but not as any kind of superhero or masked crime-fighter. I spent the rest of the movie going back and forth on my feelings about Rogen. That’s the problem with this movie. Some of it works, and some of it is lazy and sloppy; even some of the stuff that works sometimes falls flat.

Rogen co-wrote this film with his partner, Evan Goldberg; the two wrote an incredible script for the film Superbad, a film that flowed seamlessly. The Green Hornet isn’t seamless. You can practically see all the giant, noisy set pieces sewn together to create this Frankenstein of an action-comedy. The problem isn’t that some of this movie is over-the-top; it is that The Green Hornet is nothing but over-the-top. There is rarely a moment of this movie that isn’t about violence and vulgarity and assorted rudeness.

I have to give credit where credit is due. While the film wastes Cameron Diaz and her good character, Lenore, it makes the most of Christoph Waltz’s cold-bloodied turn as the really scary Chudnofsky. [It’s best that we not speak of how the filmmakers under-utilized Edward James Olmos]. The film also has a genuine star in Taiwanese pop idol Jay Chou as Kato.

For some reason, Chou actually has good screen chemistry with Rogen, or at least I think so. When they are together as the Green Hornet and Kato, Rogen and Chou take control of the hysteria and bombast. That is why, here and there, The Green Hornet is more action-comedy dynamite than it is film flatulence.

5 of 10
B-

Monday, June 06, 2011

Review: "Superbad" is a Top High School Comedy (Happy B'day, Michael Cera)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 121 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

Superbad (2007)
Running time: 114 minutes (1 hour, 54 minutes)
MPAA – R for pervasive crude and sexual content, strong language, drinking, some drug use, and a fantasy/comic violent image – all involving teens
DIRECTOR: Greg Mottola
WRITERS: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Russ T. Alsobrook
EDITOR: William Kerr

COMEDY

Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, Seth Rogen, Kevin Corrigan, Joe Lo Truglio, Martha MacIsaac, Emma Stone, Aviva, and Erica Vittina Phillips

Sex, drugs, and booze may not necessarily make you happy, but they can make for an incredibly funny movie… in the right hands.

When he isn’t writing and directing hit films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, Judd Apatow finds time to produce hits like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby or the new film, Superbad. It’s the uproarious cautionary tale/coming-of-age story about two socially inept childhood pals. They are about to graduate from high school and go their own way when one panic-driven night reaffirms their super-close friendship.

Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) are two codependent high school seniors. No, Seth and Evan have a ridiculously dependent relationship, but now, they’ll be forced to separate because they’ve both been accepted to different colleges. It seems as if the quiet, sweet, and smart Evan managed to get into Dartmouth, while volatile, foul-mouthed Seth didn’t. Combine this duo with their friend, the arrogant nerd, Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), who also got into Dartmouth, and they form an unholy, horny trinity.

It’s three week before they graduate, and they want to hook up with girls before they go off to different colleges. Thanks to a fake I.D. card that Fogell has obtained, Seth promises Jules (Emma Stone), a girl he lusts after, that he can buy some alcohol for a party she is throwing. Evan makes the same promise to Becca (Martha MacIsaac), the girl he’s always secretly loved. However, after a calamitous night of trying to score booze for the party that involves a convenience store hold up, two crazy cops, and another thoroughly adult party, Seth and Evan find overcoming separation anxiety is a bigger obstacle than getting girls and alcohol.

Before Superbad reaches the ten-minute mark, it already has more coarse and crude language than most mainstream comedies or many R-rated comedies for that matter have in their entire runtime. In spite of the raunchy language and racy subject matter, Superbad rings with honesty. Many viewers will find that to some extent it resembles their own high school lives, especially if they were born after the 1950’s. Writers Seth Rogen (who also stars in the film) and Evan Goldberg are smart enough not to divide the school into jocks and losers. In real high school, even the nerds and geeks know the beautiful people, at least in passing. It’s not as if a “loser” can never get to say “Hi” to the popular people and athletes.

In Seth and Evan, Rogen and Goldberg have created genuine high school kids and genuine high school pals. From the moment the two first appear on screen together, there is a moment of recognition in the viewers who are really paying attention. Seth and Evan’s adventures may be over the top and even dangerous, but we can laugh. In their raunchy verbal jousting, we recognize that the two say what they do because they don’t know crap about sex. We’ve all been there. If we’ve never spoken the vileness that they do, we feel the truth in their friendship and the pain in their coming separation as they enter adulthood.

Now, the overall plot and the thin story don’t amount to much, but that isn’t important. The fine cast of comic actors hits the right notes, and that is what’s important. Superbad feels like the real thing – one the very best high school comedies ever. Superbad is supergood.

7 of 10
A-

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Review: "Kung Fu Panda 2" Brings Awesome Back

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minutes)
MPAA – PG for sequences of martial arts action and mild violence
DIRECTORS: Jennifer Yuh
WRITERS: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger
PRODUCER: Melissa Cobb
COMPOSERS: Hans Zimmer and John Powell

ANIMATION/MARTIAL ARTS/COMEDY/DRAMA

Starring: (voices) Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Gary Oldman, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Haysbert, and Danny McBride

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a computer-animated film from DreamWorks Animation. A martial arts, action-comedy, it is the sequel to the Oscar-nominated 2008 animated film, Kung Fu Panda. The sequel is every bit as good as the original, but the action and fight scenes in the new movie not only surpass the first film, they are also better than anything yet seen in computer-animated films.

Following the events of the first film, Kung Fu Panda 2 finds Po (Jack Black), the giant panda, living his dream as the legendary Dragon Warrior. He protects the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the legendary Furious Five: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Monkey (Jackie Chan). Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) wishes to continue Po’s lessons by helping him pursue inner peace.

However, Po and the Furious Five must race stop a powerful new enemy, Lord Shen (Gary Oldman), the exiled son of the late Peacock Emperor. From Gongmen City, Shen plots to unleash a powerful new weapon that threatens to destroy kung fu and help him conquer China. For Po, however, there is something familiar about Shen and his murderous army that paralyzes him whenever he faces them. Suffering from bad dreams, Po must delve into his past, the place he doesn’t want to go. If he doesn’t, Shen will win.

I must admit to being in love with great martial arts fighting scenes. I could watch the fight sequences in films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, and even Ninja Assassin on a continuous loop. The fight scenes are what really won me over with Kung Fu Panda 2. It’s still hard for me to believe that computers can create this kind of character animation and movement with such precision and dynamism. I don’t know if I should call it high tech virtuosity or art as the illusion of life. Kung Fu Panda 2 has some of the most beautiful animation I’ve ever seen and rich hues and colors that sparkle.

This movie is not all about the visual spark, however. Kung Fu Panda 2’s story has heart and also the kind of compelling character writing we’ve come to expect from Pixar’s films. Po’s struggles with identity and his origin and the fear that engenders are genuine to the point that you might start worrying about him as if he were a real person. I can say that same thing about Lord Shen, a thoroughly fashioned character and the kind of complicated, complex adversary usually reserved for films seeking Oscar nominations. Gary Oldman does a splendid job in his voice performance as Shen, emphasizing that while Shen is the contrast to Po, they also have similar issues.

Anyone who tells you that Kung Fu Panda 2 is more of the same may not quite be full of crap, but they’re more than half full. This is a sequel that is a continuation of the original’s excellence, and Kung Fu Panda 2 is one of the year’s best.

9 of 10
A+

Sunday, May 29, 2011

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Review: First "Kung Fu Panda" Kicked Butt

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 43 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Kung Fu Panda (2008)
Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – PG for sequences of martial arts action
DIRECTORS: John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
WRITERS: Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger; from a story by Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris
PRODUCER: Melissa Cobb
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Yong Duk Jhun
EDITOR: Clare De Chenu
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Raymond Zibach
COMPOSERS: Hans Zimmer and John Powell
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/MARTIAL ARTS/FANTASY/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Dan Fogler

Kung Fu Panda is a 2008 computer-animated, martial arts, action comedy movie from DreamWorks Animation. It is the story of a lazy, genial giant panda who dreams of greatness and suddenly finds it thrust upon him.

Kung Fu Panda is set in ancient China, specifically the Valley of Peace (a fictional place), which is inhabited by talking animals. That is where you will find Po (Jack Black), a giant panda who is also a kung fu fanatic. He lives with his father, Mr. Ping (James Hong), a goose and a noodle maker. Mr. Ping, who does not care for kung fu, owns the most popular noodle restaurant in the Valley and wants to one day pass the shop down to his son, Po, who would rather become a kung fu master.

Po gets more than he expects when a kung fu master, the elderly tortoise, Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), suddenly and unexpectedly chooses him to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Po is the prophesied Dragon Warrior! However, the man chosen by Oogway to train Po, the diminutive red panda, Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), is unwilling to believe that Po could be the Dragon Warrior. Even Shifu’s students, the legendary Furious Five: Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Monkey (Jackie Chan), don’t believe in Po.

Po will have to believe in himself and make his dreams of becoming a kung fu master into reality. Shifu’s former student, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard, Tai Lung (Ian McShane), is headed to the Valley of Peace, and it will be up to Po to defend everyone from him.

I consider Kung Fu Panda to be the best film from DreamWorks Animation, to date. Virtually everything about this film is done to perfection. Every voice actor is just right for his or her role, but I must single out my favorite, the wonderful James Hong as Po’s lovable father, Mr. Ping. You can imagine that he does a really good job to get singled out, considering Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, and Ian McShane are superb in their respective rolls. Everyone brings his or her character to life in a way that matches topnotch performances in live action pictures.

The films by Pixar Animation Studios are so good that it is easy to forget that DreamWorks has become the co-gold standard in computer animated films. While Pixar excels in scriptwriting and storytelling of their films, DreamWorks has come to surpass them in software and tech. Computer-animated films generally do not have the character animation and movement on display in DreamWorks films, particularly those released during the last three years or so.

Kung Fu Panda moves like a Looney Tunes cartoon short – with the chaos of a Road Runner cartoon and the madcap comedy of a Chuck Jones Bugs Bunny short, but it does everything faster; the movement is so much more complex. The most important thing, however, is that Kung Fu Panda is just a great story about a lovable wannabe hero; he must put aside his slacker ways and psychological issues to be the hero he always wanted to be. Po the hero succeeds and along the way, his story, Kung Fu Panda, also reaches the summit.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2009 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film of the Year” (John Stevenson and Mark Osborne

2009 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Feature Film”

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

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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

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Kung Fu Panda 2 Set For May 27 2011

Press release:

 

DreamWorks Animation Presents

 

KUNG FU PANDA 2

 

Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber

Filmmakers: Produced by Melissa Cobb, Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Synopsis: In KUNG FU PANDA 2, Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will Po be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

Release: May 27, 2011

This film has not yet been rated -CREDITS NOT FINAL AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE

VISIT THE OFFICIAL SITE: http://www.kungfupanda.com/

You, Me and Dupree a Triple Threat of Bad

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux

You, Me and Dupree (2006)
Running time: 110 minutes
MPAA – PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity, crude humor, language, and a drug reference
DIRECTOR: Anthony & Joe Russo
WRITER: Michael Le Sieur
PRODUCERS: Owen Wilson, Scott Stuber, and Mary Parent
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Charles Minsky, ASC
EDITORS: Peter B. Ellis and Debra Neil-Fisher A.C.E.

COMEDY

Starring: Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, Seth Rogen, and Michael Douglas

Carl Petersen (Matt Dillon) and Molly Thompson (Kate Hudson) are just married, and they already get stuck with a houseguest. Carl’s longtime friend, Randy Dupree (Owen Wilson), best known to everyone as simply “Dupree,” has lost both his job and home, and Carl offers to let Dupree stay with them for a little while, much to Molly’s chagrin. However, the newlyweds start to believe that Dupree, a free-spirited bachelor, has permanently attached himself to their couch., and the longer he’s living there, the more Carl begins to suspect that Dupree may be making a move on Molly. It doesn’t help that Molly’s father, Carl’s boss, Mr. Thompson (Michael Douglas), is also giving Carl grief.

The brotherly directing team of Anthony & Joe Russo directed several episodes of the critically-acclaimed, but low-rated FOX television series, Arrested Development. They even won an Emmy Award for directed the series’ pilot episode, but Arrested Development was an offbeat series with the appropriate script writing. The Russos’ recent film, You, Me and Dupree, is the first script by new writer Michael Le Sieur to be produced as a feature film.

Ostensibly a romantic comedy about a young couple besieged by a houseguest/pest, it lacks the appropriate writing that would make it funny. The script pretends to be one thing, and then, goes off on many tangents, so the Russo Bros. apparently couldn’t do much to make You, Me and Dupree work either as a comedy or a romance. There are some humorous moments throughout the film, but the romance is dead on arrival. Overall, You, Me and Dupree is just a clumsy effort at being a slapstick, romantic comedy built around the concept of “three is a crowd.”

Even the cast, which is fairly talented, can’t extract much from this, nor do they put forth much effort at doing so. Owen Wilson’s laid-back dude character is mostly listless, and Dupree’s clumsy attempts at beach bum philosophy is… well, clumsy. Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson have no screen chemistry and their pretend romance is… well, too lethargic to call pretend. No sparks start flying when they get together. Dillon phones in his typical vulnerable, tough guy façade, and Hudson barely registers; in fact, any actress struggling to make it could have delivered the same performance as this highly paid Hollywood star for a fraction of the salary.

Also, any movie that has a Hollywood legend like Michael Douglas could at least put the man to better use than having him deliver a desert-dry performance as the jealous father-in-law.

3 of 10
C-

Wednesday, January 31, 2007