Cinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.com/media/feedlogo.gifCinematicalhttp://www.cinematical.comen-usCopyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Interesting Interviews: Ricky Gervais Chats with Larry Davidhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/interesting-interviews-ricky-gervais-chats-with-larry-david/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/interesting-interviews-ricky-gervais-chats-with-larry-david/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/07/interesting-interviews-ricky-gervais-chats-with-larry-david/#commentsFiled under: , ,



A friend of mine turned me on to this fantastic interview over the weekend that was part of a Channel 4 special that aired in the UK back in 2008 (or at least that's when it was uploaded to YouTube). In it, Ricky Gervais (The Office, Extras) heads over to Larry David's (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) office for a pretty lengthy chat about, well, everything. And seeing as some of my all-time favorite comedy has come from both of these men, I couldn't resist the urge to lock myself in a room and watch this sucker because I knew how special it would be.

David begins the chat by telling Gervais that the only reason he agreed to do this was because he knew it was only airing in the UK and that no one he knew would be watching. He'd kidding, of course, but there's a certain amount of truth behind that. Larry David doesn't do many relaxed, let-me-pick-your-brain interviews, and so just knowing this existed was a treat in and of itself -- but adding the fact that Gervais was the one chatting him up was the sweet cherry on top of this scrumptious piece of comedic geekdom. The two men discuss everything from cursing to comedic inspirations to their writing process to celebrity and everything in between. The only thing that slows it down a little (for me) is that they sandwich in a bunch of clips, but if you're a fan it shouldn't bother you.

And yeah, I understand this may be a little more suited for our buddies over at TV Squad, but I couldn't resist. If it makes you feel better, Gervais can be seen in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, now on DVD and Blu-ray. There. Now watch the interview after the jump.

Continue reading Interesting Interviews: Ricky Gervais Chats with Larry David

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]]>cinematicalfeaturedlarry davidLarryDavidnight at the museum 2Night at the Museum: Battle of the SmithsonianNightAtTheMuseum2NightAtTheMuseum:BattleOfTheSmithsonianricky gervaisRickyGervaisseinfeldErik DavisMon, 07 Dec 2009 12:45:00 EST'Back to the Future' With a Gay Mom?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/back-to-the-future-with-a-gay-mom/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/back-to-the-future-with-a-gay-mom/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/back-to-the-future-with-a-gay-mom/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Lea Thompson and Michael J. Fox in 'Back to the Future'

Idle thoughts on a Sunday afternoon: How radically different would some movies be if the sexual orientation of a single character was changed? Actress Meredith Baxter revealed last week that she's a lesbian, which made me think of her most famous role as a mother in Family Ties, which made me think of Michael J. Fox, who played her son in that series. And that made me think of his most famous role as a son in Back to the Future, which made me think: what if Marty McFly's mother (played by Lea Thompson) was gay?

That would eliminate the most squeamish element of the movie: Lorraine's attraction to Marty. (When she's admiring him in his Calvin Kleins, yeesh! Get me out of here.) Instead, Marty might have time traveled back to 1955, seen that Lorraine wasn't attracted to George McFly (Crispin Glover), and then gradually come to realize -- with his 1985 perspective -- that his mother wasn't attracted to any of the boys in school, but was nursing a secret crush on one of her female classmates. Recognizing the social pressures against homosexuality in the 50s and battling his own mixed feelings, Marty still maneuvers circumstances so that his mother will decide to remain in the closet and marry George. Marty goes back to the future with a heavy heart, glad to be alive but with the secret, bittersweet knowledge that his self-sacrificing, loving mother may not be not truly happy.

What other movies might be radically changed if the sexual orientation of one of the characters was different?

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]]>back to the futureBackToTheFuturecrispin gloverCrispinGlovergay back to the futureGayBackToTheFuturelea thompsonLeaThompsonmarty mcflyMartyMcflymereth baxterMerethBaxtermichael j foxMichaelJFoxPeter MartinSun, 06 Dec 2009 17:02:00 ESTDemand It: 'Mystery Team' in Your Townhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/demand-it-mystery-team-in-your-town/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/demand-it-mystery-team-in-your-town/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/06/demand-it-mystery-team-in-your-town/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Mystery TeamWe New Yorkers have it really good. We can get anything delivered to us at pretty much any time of the day or night. We have decent public transportation, albeit a system that's overpriced, occasionally breaks down during the rain, and is smelly. And we have our pick of the litter when it comes to new movies.

But! It doesn't have to be that way with Mystery Team, a little comedy from the folks from the DERRICK comedy troupe about three uber-dorks who are called upon by a little girl to find who murdered her parents. In fact, because so many more people demanded it in Phoenix than in New York City, that's where they officially unveiled it first! Mystery Team also stars the always awesome Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Funny People, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) as her crush-worthy older sister. The stars are doing a lot of legwork to promote their film, including giveaways, Q&As, and other good stuff. Don't you want them to come to your own? Dontcha? Demand it now, and maybe you too can join the Sword Club. Demand It worked for Paranormal Activity, and they didn't even have a Sword Club.

If you don't believe me, will you believe Cinematical's awesome EiC, Erik Davis, who caught it at Sundance and wrote, "It's Encyclopedia Brown meets Napoleon Dynamite with a pinch of Ace Ventura... and it's hilarious." You can watch DERRICK's latest short here, which is full of funny and NSFW language.

Next up are shows in Albuquerque, NM, and Chicago, IL. And maybe your town next.

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]]>demand itDemandItmystery teamMysteryTeamJenni MillerSun, 06 Dec 2009 13:02:00 EST'Death at a Funeral' Trailer Causes Death to Funhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/death-at-a-funeral-trailer-causes-death-to-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/death-at-a-funeral-trailer-causes-death-to-fun/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/death-at-a-funeral-trailer-causes-death-to-fun/#commentsFiled under: ,

Oh, Screen Gems, Screen Gems, Screen Gems. You guys just can't crank 'em out fast enough, huh? Last year, you managed to be in the process of remaking [REC] while it was still making the festival rounds, and this year, we see the trailer for next year's more multi-cultural remake of 2007's Death at a Funeral. (It's after the jump.)

Neil LaBute of Lakeview Terrace fame replaces Frank Oz to direct a cast that includes Chris Rock, Danny Glover, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Columbus Short, and a handful of white people - including James Marsden in Alan Tudyk's under-the-influence funeral guest role (inspired casting, I'll admit) and Peter Dinklage in the part last played by... Peter Dinklage. Hell, even the same screenwriter is credited, because the screenplay would appear to be almost identical, save for a few more race-related remarks.

Far be it from me to judge from just two minutes, but the tone of this seems far more broad and slapsticky than its bawdy British predecessor. Oh, well, a black comedy has now become a black comedy in a completely different sense of the word.

DAAF 2.0 lands April 16, 2010.

Continue reading 'Death at a Funeral' Trailer Causes Death to Fun

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]]>alan tudykAlanTudykchris rockChrisRockdanny gloverDannyGloverdeath at a funeralDeathAtAFuneraljames marsdenJamesMarsdenmartin lawrenceMartinLawrenceneil labuteNeilLabutepeter dinklagePeterDinklagetracy morganTracyMorganWilliam GossSat, 05 Dec 2009 17:03:00 ESTTrailer Park: Brooklyn's Finest on a Crazy Man's Chesthttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/trailer-park-brooklyns-finest-on-a-crazy-mans-chest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/trailer-park-brooklyns-finest-on-a-crazy-mans-chest/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/trailer-park-brooklyns-finest-on-a-crazy-mans-chest/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Brooklyn's Finest
Three cops, each trying to get through the day. Richard Gere plays a veteran of the force just days from retirement, Don Cheadle has been working deep undercover for a long time and Ethan Hawke is a husband and father of seven desperate to provide for his family. I'm not sure I buy Gere as uniform cop at his age, and I kept expecting him to say "I'm too old for this sh*t!" Watch for this one on January 16.

Crazy on the Outside
Tim Allen plays a recently released convict who has spent three years in the big house, though his mother thinks he was in France, and now he needs to get his life back on track. The premise sounds pretty simple, but there are some laughs here and an interesting cast including Sigourney Weaver, Ray Liotta and Kelsey Grammer.

Continue reading Trailer Park: Brooklyn's Finest on a Crazy Man's Chest

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]]>33 Inch Chest33InchChestBrooklyns FinestBrooklynsFinestCinemaCinematicalCrazy on the OutsideCrazyOnTheOutsideDistrict 13: UltimatumDistrict13:UltimatumMicmacsMoviesMatt BradshawSat, 05 Dec 2009 14:03:00 ESTReview: Everybody's Finehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/review-everybodys-fine/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/review-everybodys-fine/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/05/review-everybodys-fine/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


By: Todd Gilchrist, reprinted from AFI Fest

Several months ago while Quentin Tarantino promoted Inglourious Basterds, he mentioned that he might only make a few more films before he retires because, as he said, he didn't want to make "old man" movies. If anyone is unclear as to precisely what an "old man" movie is, they need look no further than Everybody's Fine, Robert De Niro's latest film, about a father trying to reconnect with his adult children after the death of his wife.

De Niro, once an indisputable fount of actorly integrity and hard work, has in recent years played a series of characters that either demanded little of his oft-discussed commitment, or exploited his persona as an intimidating figure both on and off screen. And while the character he plays here indicates a return to the kind of character work that made him a screen icon, there's no denying that the film itself is the cinematic equivalent of career achievement award, which is why Everybody's Fine is well-done and effective but too treacly to be truly powerful.

Continue reading Review: Everybody's Fine

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]]>everybodys fineEverybodysFinerobert de niroRobertDeNiroCinematical staffSat, 05 Dec 2009 09:02:00 EST'Entourage' Movie in the Works?http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/04/entourage-movie-in-the-works/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/04/entourage-movie-in-the-works/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/04/entourage-movie-in-the-works/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Tired of watching a group of horny male Hollywood-somethings bounce around to various Los Angeles hot spots and make fun of each other while beautiful, half-naked wannabee models-turned-actresses try to have sex with them on the small screen? Don't you think this sort of entertainment deserves the big-screen treatment? Well you may be in luck, as Entourage producer Mark Wahlberg recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the show only has two seasons left under its current contract, and while there could be more seasons of boring plotlines in our future, the possibility of ending it on the big screen is very much alive.

Wahlberg's exact quote: "We'll see; there could be more. But then, a movie." Not much to go on, and this wouldn't be the first television show to tease a potential trip to the big screen, but in reality it is the one that makes the most sense. You'd think a show that was all about Hollywood and movies would stage their final send off on the big screen. It just seems like the obvious choice. Of course, the writing on the current show kinda sucks, so it's hard to imagine a full-length Entourage movie being anything beyond an extended collection of shallow, egocentric pieces of random nothingness. I mean, seriously, do you watch the show? Nothing ever happens! This past season it took I don't know how many episodes (13?) for someone to actually get engaged. And that was like the biggest thing to happen on the show in its history. A freaking engagement!

So, yeah, if Entourage wants to make a successful run at the big screen, then they need to up the ante, give us a plot that's more than Vince maybe-kinda-sorta doing a film that he loves and Ari hates (or vice versa), and give us a reason to actually care about these characters for once.

Thoughts?

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]]>cinematicalentourageentourage movieEntourageMoviefeaturedhbomark wahlbergMarkWahlbergErik DavisFri, 04 Dec 2009 09:45:00 ESTReview: Up in the Airhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/review-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/review-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/review-up-in-the-air/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



By: Eugene Novikov, reprinted from the Toronto Film Festival '09

Sometimes it seems like one of Hollywood's main goals is to make people without spouses and children feel really bad about themselves. If that sort of thing bothers you, I would recommend passing on Up in the Air, which is as strident about the notion that a life without a family is worthless as any movie I've ever seen. Fortunately, it is also brisk, funny, and not enslaved to genre conventions. Parts of the film, in fact, approach comic brilliance. The reason that the film's message-mongering doesn't grate, I think, is that we really do feel sorry for the protagonist - an obsessive frequent flier who begins to realize that his life is an empty, lonely shell of rationalizations and self-delusions.

In some respects, Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) approaches caricature: not only is he wifeless, childless and practically homeless - he has a barren studio in Omaha and spends 320 days a year on the road - but he fires people for a living and occasionally gives motivational speeches urging people to "empty their backpacks" and rid themselves of commitment. But there's a kernel of truth to him, in the sense that there is something compelling, almost romantic about transience. His world of luxury hotels and airline perks - and a hot frequent flier girlfriend (Vera Farmiga) with whom he sleeps with when their paths cross but who asks for nothing more - actually seems kind of cool.

Continue reading Review: Up in the Air

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]]>cinematicalgeorge clooneyGeorgeClooneyjason reitmanJasonReitmanup in the airUpInTheAirvera farmigaVeraFarmigaCinematical staffThu, 03 Dec 2009 21:32:00 EST'The 40 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It' is Sadly Real and Has a Trailerhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-40-year-old-virgin-who-knocked-up-sarah-marshall-and-felt-s/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-40-year-old-virgin-who-knocked-up-sarah-marshall-and-felt-s/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-40-year-old-virgin-who-knocked-up-sarah-marshall-and-felt-s/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When I came across the title The 40 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It on IMDb my brain shut down and went into an automated fear response of rapid Googling to confirm whether or not it was some kind of hoax. It is not. This is a full-on, feature length, distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, motion picture (thank the comedy Gods it isn't getting a theatrical release).

And though you'd rightfully expect that this is a stepchild of the same team who put together cash-in spoofs like Meet the Spartans and both Epic and Disaster Movies, The 40 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It has nothing to do with either Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, which means that we can now add a third name to the list of the horsemen of the apocalypse: Craig Moss.

Moss' sole credit to date is the 8-minute short film Saving Ryan's Privates, which I always thought was a joke title and not something someone had actually brought into the world. It stars Bryan Callen as the Steve Carrell surrogate who gets Mircea Monroe pregnant while proceeding to re-enact every major event from the most notable films to come out of the Judd Apatow camp. And while I would absolutely love to keep going on and on and on about this wonderful, unique cinematic angel on our horizon, I think I'll just let the trailer speak for itself.

Note: Cinematical is not responsible for the severe ocular strain you'll soon endure from an unprecedented amount of eye rolling.

Continue reading 'The 40 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Superbad About It' is Sadly Real and Has a Trailer

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]]>Bryan CallenBryanCallencomedy spoofsComedySpoofsCraig MossCraigMossMircea MonroeMirceaMonroeThe 40 Year Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt SuThe40YearOldVirginWhoKnockedUpSarahMarshallAndFeltSuPeter HallThu, 03 Dec 2009 15:42:00 ESTMovieClips.com Launcheshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/movieclips-com-launches/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/movieclips-com-launches/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/movieclips-com-launches/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tired of searching YouTube for your favorite movie scenes, only to come up empty handed? Yesterday saw the launch of a new site called MovieClips.com, which boasts a collection of over 12,000 film clips, most of them around two minutes in length, in order for fans to call up their favorite movie moments and quotes easily and quickly. Six of the major studios are on board with licensed clips -- Disney is notably absent at the moment -- that can be viewed on MovieClips' site or shared through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The new site is still in the beta stage, so it's not totally perfect at the moment. And you may at first be frustrated with the number of big titles currently missing from the collection. For example, I used AFI's list of 100 greatest movie quotes to see just how thorough MovieClips is, and I was disappointed that many in the top ten, including bits from Gone With the Wind, Sudden Impact and Cool Hand Luke, are as yet unavailable.

Those three movies would be perfect for one of the site's main purposes, expressing your mood via a movie quote on Facebook. Admittedly, I'd like to share Network's "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" on a regular basis. Unfortunately, MovieClips doesn't have it. My guess, though, is that the collection of clips will continue to grow and eventually we'll all be able to communicate through movie dialogue, much in the way the aliens do in Explorers (another film not currently represented on MovieClips).

Continue reading MovieClips.com Launches

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]]>cool hand lukeCoolHandLukegone with the windGoneWithTheWindmovie clipsmovie quotesMovieClipsMovieQuotesweird scienceWeirdScienceChristopher CampbellThu, 03 Dec 2009 14:30:00 ESTInterview: Jason Reitman, 'Up in the Air'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/jason-reitman-up-in-the-air-interview/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/jason-reitman-up-in-the-air-interview/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/jason-reitman-up-in-the-air-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


My interview with Up in the Air director Jason Reitman in October was one of the most meta interviews I've ever done. Before the interview started, Reitman took my photo with his iPhone. He told me only "I'm not sure if that's going to work, what I'm doing with that, but if it does, you'll be thrilled with the results." I'm still in suspense.

In addition, my interview took place right after a Film School Rejects interview (check it out, Reitman name-checks Cinematical) in which Cole Abaius spent 10 minutes discussing the pie charts the Juno and Thank You for Smoking director had been posting to Twitter. Reitman kept track of which questions interviewers asked him most -- I caught him tallying things in a little notebook during our interview -- and posted the stats online frequently. Roger Ebert has also written about the pie charts. Cole and I had been reading Reitman's Twitter feed before our interviews, and not only knew about the pie chart but found out that he had just been enjoying lunch at the Salt Lick, one of the best known BBQ joints in Central Texas.

So that may explain why Twitter, pie charts and barbecue keep creeping into the following Cinematical interview with Jason Reitman. I hope it's as fun to read as it was to be there in person. The above photo is from the red carpet the evening after the interview, when Up in the Air was the closing-night film for Austin Film Festival.

Continue reading Interview: Jason Reitman, 'Up in the Air'

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]]>Cinematicalfilmjason reitmanJasonReitmanmovietwitterup in the airUpInTheAirJette KernionThu, 03 Dec 2009 12:15:00 ESTWatch: Will Arnett, David Cross and Spike Jonze Sell Energy Drinkshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-increasingly-poor-decisions-of-todd-margaret-david-cross-will-arnett-spike-jonze/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-increasingly-poor-decisions-of-todd-margaret-david-cross-will-arnett-spike-jonze/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/03/the-increasingly-poor-decisions-of-todd-margaret-david-cross-will-arnett-spike-jonze/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Back in June, David Cross announced that he had written and shot a pilot for a Channel 4 UK television show called The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, and that it starred Cross' Arrested Development mate Will Arnett and Spike Jonze (who hasn't really acted in anything since the film Three Kings). The show follows a lame temp (Cross) who bluffs his way into a giant job promotion that sends him to the UK to sell energy drinks. Only problem is he has to sell several thousand drinks before his maniac boss (Arnett) visits him in a week.

When Cross spoke about the project earlier this summer, he said the pilot would air sometime in December. Well, it aired on November 27th, the first unbelievably hilarious scene is now on YouTube (watch it after the jump) and you can watch the entire pilot over on the Channel 4 website. (Note: Unfortunately, it doesn't look like those of us in the States will be able to watch the full pilot via the Channel 4 website at this time.) I don't think the series was picked up yet, and if it hasn't then I see no reason why they shouldn't order up a whole boatload of episodes. This thing is bloody brilliant.

We embedded the pilot's NSFW, foul-mouthed opening after the jump. Is there a petition I can sign to get this sucker on the air, like, STAT?

Continue reading Watch: Will Arnett, David Cross and Spike Jonze Sell Energy Drinks

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]]>david crossDavidCrossspike jonzeSpikeJonzethe increasingly poor decisions of todd margaretTheIncreasinglyPoorDecisionsOfToddMargaretwill arnettWillArnettErik DavisThu, 03 Dec 2009 10:05:00 ESTBox Office: Everybody's Armored Brothershttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/box-office-everybodys-armored-brothers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/box-office-everybodys-armored-brothers/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/box-office-everybodys-armored-brothers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

New Moon did 70% less this week but still managed to hold onto first place. Just as interesting is that The Blind Side had an 18% increase from last week while only appearing in 30 more theaters. Old Dogs just didn't have the energy and landed back in fourth with Ninja Assassin taking sixth. Here's the top five:

1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon $42.8 million
2. The Blind Side: $40.1 million
3. 2012: $17.6 million
4. Old Dogs: $16.9 million
5. A Christmas Carol: $15.7 million

Four new releases this week:

Armored
What's It All About: A group of underpaid armored car drivers join forces to swipe a big pile of loot, though of course nothing goes as smoothly as planned. Matt Dillon and Laurence Fishburne star.
Why It Might Do Well: The success of Ocean's 11 and its sequels would seem to indicate there's a market for heist movies.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Unfortunately this movie lacks the flash and star power of the Ocean's series.
Number of Theaters: 1,900
Prediction: $18 million

Brothers
What's It All About: In this remake of a 2004 Danish film Tobey Maguire plays a soldier believed to have been killed in Afghanistan while his brother helps care for his sibling's family back home.
Why It Might Do Well: With Natalie Portman playing Maguire's wife we've got three amazing leads here.
Why It Might Not Do Well: 56% at Rottentomatoes.com isn't a deal breaker but it doesn't fill me with confidence.
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $16 million

Continue reading Box Office: Everybody's Armored Brothers

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]]>ArmoredBrothersCinemaCinematicalEverybodys FineEverybodysFineMoviesTransylmaniaMatt BradshawWed, 02 Dec 2009 20:15:00 ESTNew to Me: Twilight Zone: The Moviehttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/new-to-me-twilight-zone-the-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/new-to-me-twilight-zone-the-movie/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/new-to-me-twilight-zone-the-movie/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

I'd seen enough episodes of "The Twilight Zone" as a kid to get the gist of it - bite-sized morality tales that always came with a twist and often gave me the willies. However, I hadn't caught up with 1983's Twilight Zone: The Movie until just last night.

Now, I was looking for pictures to go along with my reaction when it became apparent that our own Eric D. Snider had already written about the movie at length two years back. Never content with just keeping my thoughts to myself, I've decided to instead streamline them into a nice, no-nonsense list of bullet points past the jump...

Continue reading New to Me: Twilight Zone: The Movie

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]]>george millerGeorgeMillerjoe danteJoeDantejohn landisjohn lithgowJohnLandisJohnLithgowkathleen quinlanKathleenQuinlannew to meNewToMescatman crothersScatmanCrotherssteven spielbergStevenSpielbergthe twilight zoneTheTwilightZonetwilight zonetwilight zone the movieTwilightZoneTwilightZoneTheMovievic morrowVicMorrowWilliam GossWed, 02 Dec 2009 19:32:00 ESTWatch This: How James Cameron Scored the Effects Cash for 'Avatar'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/james-cameron-avatar-effects/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/james-cameron-avatar-effects/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/james-cameron-avatar-effects/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Fair warning right out of the gate: the below video is A) Not Safe for Work, unless you conduct business in a place in which no one has ears, and B) targeted for a very specific group of people.

If you've been eagerly anticipating James Cameron's Avatar for years, if you think the man who delivered to the world Terminator, Aliens, and True Lies can do no wrong, and if the backlash to the unveiling of Avatar's colorful aesthetics baffles you, you may want to stay clear of Landline TV's spoof on Cameron's addiction to big budget special effects, which portrays the famous director as little more than a CGI crackhead. It's too silly to call mean spirited, yet it's also too acute to call playful ribbing, but those movie geeks among us who are growing tired of a Hollywood that makes grandiose promises but only ever delivers familiar campaigns of supersaturated digital shock-and-awe might get a kick out of what it takes for Cameron to get his motion-capture fix.

However, even if you're a big supporter of Cameron and the bold approach he's taken to bringing us a new, original science fiction property (as I will readily admit I am), a special little cameo by Michael Bay should put a smile on your face. It's crude, but it's short; and what day isn't complete without a little bit of YouTube fun, anyway?

Continue reading Watch This: How James Cameron Scored the Effects Cash for 'Avatar'

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]]>AvatarJames CameronJamesCameronMichael BayMichaelBayPeter HallWed, 02 Dec 2009 17:15:00 EST3D Sequels for 'Zombieland' and 'Jackass' Confirmedhttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/zombieland-and-jackass-sequels-confirmed/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/zombieland-and-jackass-sequels-confirmed/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/zombieland-and-jackass-sequels-confirmed/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Having attended the world premiere at Fantastic Fest, I was positive Zombieland would be a word of mouth hit and the creative gang both behind and in front of the camera would surely be returning to their special post-apocalyptic world in no time. But, in retrospect, my experience was a little bit biased. While I think the movie holds up no matter when and where it's playing, showing Zombieland in a regal, old-school movie palace in front of a festival crowd that takes to zombies like Han Solo takes to a Tauntaun (yes, we often curl up inside the gooey, mushy embrace of the undead to keep warm on particularly cold horror winters), is more than hedging your bet; I can't imagine a better venue.

There were instant talks of sequels at the Q&A following the film, and all involved were clearly game, but then the film went on to be only a mild hit, and not the grandslam one would have expected from the crowd reactions at Fantastic Fest. What seemed like a lock seemed even shakier when Rhett Rheese, one half of the film's writing team, mentioned that Zombieland's stance as the most pirated movie currently on the net had put the future of the should-be franchise in jeopardy.

But all that worrying was for nothing, it turns out, as Sony has gone ahead and penciled in a trip back to Zombieland in their to do list. As of now, stars Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg are in talks to return, but director Ruben Fleischer and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick have all signed on to further flesh out the comedic end of the world. And further out it shall be, as Sony has also confirmed that the untitlted part two will be filmed in 3D.

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]]>3DfeaturedJackassJackass 3Jackass 3DJackass3Jackass3dZombielandZombieland 2Zombieland2Peter HallWed, 02 Dec 2009 13:32:00 ESTThe First Official Images from 'Sex and the City 2'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/sex-and-the-city-2-images/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/sex-and-the-city-2-images/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/02/sex-and-the-city-2-images/#commentsFiled under: , ,



It's time for another super-exciting first official images. On the heels of Harry, Ron, and Hermione looking surprised, we've gotten the above peek at Sex and the City 2, which premiered over at Omelete. There are no hideous '80s fashions to recoil at, just more of the same -- Carrie sporting saucy fashions and more opulence (see a whole bunch of angles of a solo Carrie at Omelete).

In lieu of the rumors of financial woes, it looks like the powers that be are opting to market this as more of the same. Or, perhaps they just want to start off with a little glitz and glamor before laying down the cold, hard hand of financial turmoil. I've got to say, I'm disappointed. As someone who (with reservations) really enjoyed the series, the only thing keeping me semi-interested in this sequel was the hope that they would stop trying to blind with the bling.

Then again, the sarcastic person in me -- the one who is ticked that I actually had high hopes for the first and bothered to surround myself with the masses of fashion-obsessed fans on opening day -- wishes it's all just a rouse. No longer holding fan expectations, I'd like to see an utterly condescending "fiscally responsible" sequel where the girls only buy one pair of Manolos a month instead of 5. The hardship that would bring...

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]]>CinematicalSex and the City 2SexAndTheCity2Monika BartyzelWed, 02 Dec 2009 09:03:00 EST'Office' Writers Acquire Some 'Low Self Esteem'http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/office-writers-acquire-some-low-self-esteem/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/office-writers-acquire-some-low-self-esteem/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/office-writers-acquire-some-low-self-esteem/#commentsFiled under:

If you're a regular viewer of The Office, then you already know that Mindy Kaling is pretty hilarious. Not only is she one of the popular series' long-standing writer/producers, but she's also Kelly Kapur, of course. And dang if Kaling doesn't steal just about every scene she inhabits.

So here's some good news for Kaling fans: Variety reports that she and Office co-writer Brent Forrester are about to sign a deal to bring something called The Low Self Esteem of Lizzie Gillespie to the big screen: "Story centers on a woman whose lack of self-worth has limited her choice in men to losers. Just as she is about to hit the bottom of the barrel, her life takes an unexpected turn when she is pursued by the hottest guy ever." And while casting hasn't begun yet, we are assured that Mindy K. will have an onscreen assignment as well. And that's just more good news.

The project will arrive courtesy of Mandate Pictures and John Malkovich's Mr. Mudd production company, two of the entities that brought us Juno. All I know is that whenever I hear of good sitcom writers moving over to features, I grit my teeth a little. The transition is not always a good one. And that's me being nice.

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]]>Brent ForresterBrentForresterlow self esteem of lizzie gillespieLowSelfEsteemOfLizzieGillespiemindy kalingMindyKalingthe officeTheOfficeScott WeinbergTue, 01 Dec 2009 18:15:00 EST'Mystery Team' Hits New York on Friday - Watch Their New Short!http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/mystery-team-hits-new-york-on-friday-watch-their-new-short/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/mystery-team-hits-new-york-on-friday-watch-their-new-short/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/12/01/mystery-team-hits-new-york-on-friday-watch-their-new-short/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



While it's sadly not going to take home any Oscars and probably won't nudge its way onto too many best-of-the-decade lists, one of my favorite comedies of 2009 has been slowly making its way across the country and is finally set to debut in New York this Friday, December 4th. I first saw Mystery Team (starring the crazy cats of DERRICK Comedy) at a packed midnight screening during the Sundance Film Festival (where I described it as " Encyclopedia Brown meets Napoleon Dynamite with a pinch of Ace Ventura"), and the place was just rolling. Ever since then it's been one of the films I've been championing throughout the year, if only because I know there are people out there (and fans of comedy in general) who would totally love every second of this thing.

This Thursday I'm going to be hosting a pretty cool DERRICK Comedy event at the New York Film Academy, and I look forward to sharing DERRICK's story with a couple hundred students (I also hope to share video of the event with you once it's over). Then, on Friday, Mystery Team opens in NY at the Quad Cinemas downtown and the dudes from DERRICK Comedy will be appearing live at every evening performance for intros and post-screening Q&As. Additionally, if you show up twice and bring your ticket stub, you earn a chance to have your name on the Mystery Team DVD.

Finally, while their film has been spreading like a virus across the States, DERRICK has kept busy filming more comedy sketches. They're definitely NSFW (not safe for work), feature foul language and sexual innuendos. I've posted their latest -- hot off the presses -- after the jump. Check it out.

Continue reading 'Mystery Team' Hits New York on Friday - Watch Their New Short!

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]]>cinematicalderrick comedyDerrickComedymystery teamMysteryTeamErik DavisTue, 01 Dec 2009 15:32:00 EST'Nine', 'Up in the Air' Lead Satellite Award Nominationshttp://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/http://www.cinematical.com/2009/11/30/satellite-award-nominations-nine-up-in-the-air/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

There are a few good reasons to hate on the Satellite Awards. First of all, we really don't need any more end of the year movie and television honors. Second of all, the Satellites seem to be little more than a knock-off of the Golden Globes, which are already pretty unnecessary. Third, they happen way too early, missing out on seeing and thereby qualifying perhaps the biggest film of the year (Avatar).

But over the years I've come to appreciate the Satellites and their bestowing organization, the International Press Academy, for their constant surprises when it comes to nominating and awarding unlikely films and talent. Just look at some of last year's acting winners: Richard Jenkins; Rosemarie DeWitt; Ricky Gervais; Michael Shannon.

Now check out this year's nominees, which continue to prove that IPA voters like to go at least slightly against the grain. Okay, so there are a lot of predictable titles in the lot, including Up in the Air and Nine, which leads with 11 nominations. Yet there are some films I don't expect to be recognized by the Golden Globes, let alone the Oscars, such as The Maid and The Stoning of Soraya M., both of which feature in the Best Actress (Drama) category.

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]]>international press academyInternationalPressAcademyninesatellite awardsSatelliteAwardsthe maidthe stoning of soraya m.TheMaidTheStoningOfSorayaM.up in the airUpInTheAirChristopher CampbellMon, 30 Nov 2009 17:15:00 EST