FailureToLaunch Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Cinematical Seven: Most Contrived Rom-Com Scenarios
Filed under: Comedy », Romance », Cinematical Seven », Lists »
Let me make this clear: when I say that I'm compiling a list of the most contrived rom-com scenarios, I'm not saying that they're automatically the worst -- although a glance at the titles doesn't exactly stray far from that correlation. Tomorrow's The Proposal finds Sandra Bullock forcing Ryan Reynolds into marriage for the sake of holding off immigration authorities and keeping her/their jobs (I guess it's not too soon to remake Green Card and Picture Perfect after all), so we're talking about seven plot points along those lines of high-concept, close-quarters thinking, with some (dis)honorable mentions along the way...
Another Movie About the 2012 Apocalypse -- This One is for the Kiddies
Filed under: Action », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Paramount », Family Films », Religious »
In about five-and-a-half years, the world will supposedly end. Don't worry, though, because it will be a lot of fun. That is the impression I get from Nickelodeon Films, anyway. The kid-friendly division of Paramount is making an action-adventure for the whole family that is based on the idea that the apocalypse is coming in December of 2012. Called simply 2012, the movie will be about a family vacation during that fateful month when, according to the Mayan calendar, and some UFO theorists, something devastating is expected to take place. 2012 will be written by Tom Astle and Matt Ember, and it will probably be directed by Tom Dey -- all three of whom were responsible for Failure to Launch. This is the second movie we've heard about so far that has to do with the Mayan doomsday prediction. The first is an adaptation of Whitley Streiber's upcoming book 2012: The War for Souls, which Michael Bay is making for Warner Bros. Though Nickelodeon's 2012 should be much lighter in tone, I have to assume that the whole premise will still be a bit scary for the intended audience -- unless kids these days just aren't afraid of the end of the world as much as I was (and honestly still am). According to Variety, those involved with 2012 have some time before they'll be able to get started on the movie. Currently, Astle and Ember are writing the direct-to-video spin-off Get Smarter: Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control and reportedly Dey is expected to be committing to other projects ahead of this one. The trio better not take too long, though, because they're running out of time. In only six years, either the movie will lose all relevance, or we won't be around to see it.
Tips for Tuesday: New to DVD on 6/27
Filed under: New on DVD », Home Entertainment »
Recent Theatricals- Annapolis (Buena Vista) -- James Franco and Tyrese Gibson invade the Naval Academy, blissfully unaware that An Officer and a Gentleman is still a fairly well-remembered film. (Filmmaker commentary, deleted scenes, two featurettes)
- Failure to Launch (Paramount) -- Professional floozy Sarah Jessica Parker is hired to seduce Matthew McConaughey right out of his parents' home. Of all the movies that show Terry Bradshaw's naked ass, this one's the finest. (Five blathering featurettes)
- Find Me Guilty (Fox) -- I don't care that it bombed and I don't care that it stars Vin Diesel; Sidney Lumet directed it! ("Conversations with Lumet" featurette)
- Madea's Family Reunion (Lionsgate) -- Tyler Perry is the Uwe Boll of urban melodrama. (Director's commentary, deleted scenes, four featurettes)
- Ultraviolet (Sony) -- Milla J. stars in a bunch of stand-alone action sequences that boast some pretty swanky set design. (Jovovich commentary, featurette, 7 minute-longer "extended" cut)
Review: Failure To Launch
Filed under: Comedy », Romance », New Releases », Paramount », Theatrical Reviews », New in Theaters »
Anyone who enjoys movies keeps a secret tally of any movie's strengths and weaknesses. Like an Olympic judge rating an athlete's performance, the final score determines whether a movie rates a recommendation or is forgotten as an also-ran.
As far as formula fare goes, one could do worse than the above-middlin' romantic comedy Failure To Launch starring Matthew McConaughey as a 30-something who still lives with his folks (Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw) until they hire a motivationalist (Sarah Jessica Parker) to help him fly the nest. Naturally and against all odds, McConaughey's and Parker's completely artificial relationship blossoms into something more. Here's how I broke it down:
First, it's funny. Not just an occasional giggle, sit-com kind of funny but infused throughout funny. TV vets Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember, who are attached to this year's Steve Carell update of Get Smart, may be green as screenwriters, this being their first project produced, but with that inexperience comes a kind of hunger. Of course, most first-timers become well-fed and lazy after a taste of success like this, but for now, proof of their talent is apparent. Each character is created with a specific purpose, as is every scene, sequence and act. It's all very textbook, but it works. Mark one in the "plus" column.
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