StephenColbert Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Video taken down at studio's request

It may be bootlegged -- and therefore a limited-time offering -- but from very early on, this trailer for next spring's 3-D animated bonanza Monsters vs. Aliens had me sold and only worked its way up from there.

I like that all of the human characters appear to be related to the Parr family, and that the monsters and aliens on display promise to look even cooler in three dimensions. I dig Stephen Colbert as the President and Keifer Sutherland as General W.R. Monger, not to mention other voices by Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Rainn Wilson, Hugh Laurie, and Paul Rudd. (Oh, and Reese Witherspoon never did anyone any harm either.) Most importantly, the project gives off a saavy sense of humor without relying as heavily on pop culture riffs as Dreamworks used to. A '50-styled sci-fi send-up should hold my attention as much as the little ones, if done right.

Between this, Kung Fu Panda, and Over the Hedge, I think that it's fair to say that Dreamworks Animation has found a reliable niche as Pixar's hipper cousin. With any luck, I won't be proven wrong come March 27, 2009.

The best family films aren't only for the kids; they look like a kiddie package but pack enough of an adult punch to make everyone happy. It looks like Monsters vs. Aliens might be just that. It is, and I quote from the new goodie extravaganza over at USA Today, "a throwback to those B-movie glory days of the '50s when Martians invaded our backyards and rubber monsters stalked the Earth."

This even includes specific references, such as the heroine Susan Murphy. She's a regular California girl who gets hit by a meteor and becomes 49' 11" tall (Attack of the 50-Foot Woman!), gets taken by the military, and renamed Ginormica. She's also being voiced by Reese Witherspoon. But that's not the only big name attached -- Rainn Wilson will handle the evil alien Gallaxhar, and Ginormica will be joined by Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D. voiced by Hugh Laurie, jelly-like B.O.B. handled by Seth Rogen, and the half-ape/half-fish Missing Link voiced by Will Arnett. Plus, there's Kiefer Sutherland as the aptly-named Gen. W.R. Monger and Stephen Colbert as the "plays it on steroids" president. (Some of them you can spot in the pic on the right, which you can see full-size at USA Today.)

But there's also a twist in this. Since the feature will be the first CG movie shot in 3-D, rather than converted to it, it has an extra $15 mil added to its budget, which will find its way out of fans' wallets. The tickets will cost more, although the price hasn't been determined. Jeffrey Katzenberg is hoping we'll all pay for "a premium experience." This sounds cool and all, but paying more for this movie sounds silly, esp. if it ends up killing at the box office. What do you think about this monetary twist?

Cartoons ... For the most part, I am happy to do without them. Sure, I love myself a little Danger Mouse and his trusty assistant Penfold, and I'm still amused by the brief brilliance that was Clone High, but my animated television love is ruled by one show. No, it is not The Simpsons. It is The Venture Brothers.

Really, the fact that one of the show's creators, Jackson Publick, worked on both the animated and live-action offerings of The Tick should be enough. But that's only the tip of the iceberg. In case you're ignorant to the ways of the Ventures ... The show is a spoof of the retro series Jonny Quest, and parodies much more than just father and son Quest -- it takes on media from Indiana Jones and Scooby Doo to that light-saber Internet kid. The show focuses on the Venture family -- super-scientist Dr. Venture, sons Hank and Dean, and his bloody tough and unstoppable bodyguard and reluctant friend, Brock Samson. They are constantly having to deal with a number of dastardly assailants, the most determined being Dr. Venture's arch-enemy -- The Monarch. He's an ineffectual villain who has the heart of Dr. Girlfriend -- a paramour with the body of a goddess and the voice of a fat and hairy henchman. It's just comic gold.

If South Park and The Simpsons get their own feature films, it's about time Hank and Dean's adventures made it to the big screen.

It's an inspiring year at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. They are honoring legendary filmmaker Blake Edwards, who is single handedly responsible for some of the greatest comedic films of all time. He is the director of all The Pink Panther films and one of my personal favorites, Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Aspen will also be awarding Comedy Central darling Stephen Colbert with the Person of the Year award. According to the Hollywood Reporter, festival organizers described the award recipient as being "the most important contributor to life in America in the past year, having exhibited such great accomplishment that they have affected or made history." Really? Colbert?

In the vain of inspiring filmmaking -- if Edwards doesn't inspire you enough -- USCAF is encouraging filmmakers to post their work online. In recognition of the rapid growth of YouTube and other digital media posting sites, Aspen has included The Funny Picture Show on their schedule. It not only allows filmmakers to create their work and have it screened, but also enables audiences to participate in the festival experience even when they're not making it to Aspen. Those who screen the films online are included in the voting process and winners get the opportunity to meet with HBO Films and USCAF executives.

Are you inspired to make something funny yet? If not, then throw in The Pink Panther (the original, not the Steve Martin version) and start writing. Then, when you're finished, submit it on www.funnypictureshows.com for an opportunity to screen in Aspen ... and just mayyybe you'll get to meet with some of those big Hollywood types. Good luck!