There's been a lot of buzz as Oliver Stone's W goes Speedy Gonzalez towards its impending October release. I'd say that it's mainly due to the kickass cast -- maybe not for being the perfect representations of today's political heads, but for being a collection of really great actors.
But still, the project makes me think back to other Dubyas in the entertainment ether. Brolin is certainly not the first. This might not be as old as some Stars in Rewind posts, but I couldn't resist adding a little Will Ferrell presidential fare to this sunny Tuesday. You know, sun and "so-called global warmings" go together. This happens to be one of my favorite blips by Ferrell, and I hope you enjoy it!
Really, who cares about a place where penguins can have an orgy? Nature needs to listen to us!
Back in March, Judd Apatow talked about how Will Ferrell's Ron Burgandy was the character best suited for a sequel. However, he suggested that this idea would happen in 30 years time, showing Ron as a 70-year-old anchor. Now I wonder if this was just a ploy to get buzz going, because it seems that this potential sequel is a little closer to reality. Collider talked with Anchorman's writer/director Adam McKay, and he says we won't have to wait three decades.
McKay says, "I might do this other movie called Channel 3 Billion, which is kind of this science fiction/Brazil-type comedy. Then after that, Will and I are like let's do Anchorman 2, so you're talking like years, maybe we'll do it. But we're going to do it, for sure." Collider asked if this was 100%, and McKay responded: "Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're dying to do it. Unless we can't get the cast together, which is always kind of a tricky thing. But, I think, with that cast we're all friends, so yeah, we want to do it."
Personally, I was hoping for more teeny tyke landlords, but this could definitely be fun. What do you think?
When I told a friend of mine that I was heading to a screening of Baby Mama, he immediately replied: "Oh, the Saturday Night Live movie?" Hmm -- well, sort of. The comedy -- which premiered at Tribeca and goes wide this weekend -- was produced by SNL honcho Lorne Michaels, and stars show veterans Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. On the other hand, it's not based on an SNL sketch, and doesn't feature any characters from the show.
Baby Mama's pre-release reputation as a "Saturday Night Live movie" probably isn't helpful: movies falling into that category don't have the best track record in the minds of people who pay attention. At the same time, the show has contributed a lot to the movies, mostly in its capacity as a breeding ground for comedic talent. This installment of Cinematical Seven collects films with an SNL connection that have actually been good, or in some way significant. I limited the pool to the last ten years; we all know that The Blues Brothers and Wayne's World are classics that started out as SNL sketches, but what has the show done for us lately?
Quick, name of all of Matt Damon's fictional brothers -- in order -- from Good Will Hunting!
How good are you at movie quizzes? Have you ever stumbled across a quiz and thought, "This is way too lame -- I could've come up with a much cooler quiz than this?" Are there still a plethora of undiscovered topics out there? And speaking of the word 'plethora,' what movie is this line from: "Jefe, would you say I have a plethora of pinatas?" Okay, I'll stop now. But check it -- Moviefone just launched this really cool feature where you can create your own movie quizzes and share them with other like-minded individuals. Don't feel like creating a quiz? Well, then go exploring around -- there's already a ton of quizzes created by other folks for you can partake in.
Right now, I'm seeing quizzes on the Star Wars Trilogy, on Tom Hanks movies, on celebrity voices, on Harry Potter films, on Will Ferrell, on Pixar Movies, on hidden things in movies ... and the list goes on. There's also a leader board which you can aspire to land on one day. So head on over to Moviefone, create a quiz, take a quiz, what have you, then come back and let us know your favorites. (Also, feel free to pimp your own quiz in the comments section and we'll all run over and take it.)
One of the best things about Judd Apatow is that he keeps putting movies out, but he stays away from sequels. Instead of saying: "Oh, sweet! 40-Year-Old Virgin did well, so let's make a flick about his first forays into kinky sex, or his first kid, or ..." he finds something new to film. Similar themes may pop up, but the world is always fresh. But what if he went back to an old flick?
In a recent discussion with MTV, Apatow said that of all the films he's been attached to, the best chance for a sequel would be Anchorman: "Ron Burgundy would be hilarious at 70-years-old, being the anchor." Judd's not talking about special makeup to age Will Ferrell, but rather the actor in a few decades: "We all think it would be fun to see him up on his feet again doing what only he can do. That would be awesome -- but it could only happen in 30 years." Personally, I'd prefer something else since Christina Applegate's performance ruined most of the movie for me. I liked a lot of it, but every time she popped on screen, it seemed like the funny was zapped out of the boob tube ... but if she wasn't there ...
I'm anxious to see whether Apatow sticks to this fresh philosophy, or falls prey to sequel mania. Methinks sequel territory for Judd might be a sign of his decline. But I'm hoping that day doesn't come, and if it does, it's a long ways off in the future.
Of course, since Zoolander was a beloved hit, there's always been talk about a sequel. Hell, back in December of 2006, I wrote about Ben Stiller's plan to get back to the modeling industry after working with the Farrelly Brothers (The Heartbreak Kid). Things have changed a little since then. Instead of getting back to Derek, he's keeping busy with a bunch of projects from Tropic Thunder to Night at the Museum 2.
But still, persistently, the topic continues to pop up. During an interview with Will Ferrell about Semi-Pro, MTV asked ol' Mugatu the big question, looking for the latest Zoolander scoop. Ferrel replied: "Yeah, there was a little talk, and I brought it up to Ben really five years after the fact. Just for whatever reasons, it's just not crystallizing." Hallelujah! Sure, Ben could release news tomorrow that it's a go, but for now, I'll be comforted by the thought of an untarnished world of male modeling.
And this is coming from a place of love. I adore the movie. It's one of the very few films that makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it. That's rare. Even if they can recapture the characters and come up with a similar storyline, what's the chance that they can bring it all together in a way that lives up to the original, rare magic? I'd say close to zero. In our real, imperfect world, do you think a second Zoolander could be just as good, and live up to expectations?
Some people might say that Will Ferrell is coasting, taking it easy, or skirting by on proven formula -- and that may be the case. There's a lot in Ferrell's latest flick, Semi-Pro, that feels like material left over from the comedian's soccer comedy (Kicking & Screaming), his car-racing comedy (Talladega Nights), and his figure-skating comedy (Blades of Glory) -- but it's really tough to complain when a comedian doles out "the same old schtick" when that same old schtick is still pretty damn funny. A recent interview with Entertainment Weekly indicates that Ferrell is pretty much finished with sports comedies, and that's probably just as well. Oh, and for the record: I happen to think Semi-Pro is Ferrell's best sports flick yet -- and probably his most consistently amusing movie since Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
Semi-Pro marks the popular comedian's first foray into R-rated comedy, at least as far as his "leading man" status goes. So while much of the flick's broad, silly, and slyly absurd humor bounces across the screen, it will all feel very (perhaps comfortably) familiar to Ferrell's loyal fans -- but I'm not ashamed to admit that the inclusion of several F-bombs help to make the flick a whole lot funnier. We don't often get to hear Will Ferrell tell someone to "S his C," but the golden-'froed goofball dives into the potty-mouth material with a lot of enthusiasm. Semi-Pro is not an aggressively raunchy comedy, but it's definitely NOT for the 10-year-old Ferrell fans out there. (Sorry, kids. Go watch Elf again. It's hilarious.)
Because the first thing I want to see while flipping through a copy of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition is a photo of Will Ferrell in full afro as the character Jackie Moon. Yes, in an interesting attempt at movie marketing, Ferrell posed for a slew of shots with supermodel Heidi Klum as part of the 2008 SI Swimsuit Edition. We have pics of Ferrell (as Jackie Moon) on the court (see above), as well as off the court and, um, in the back of a car (check out that one after the jump).
These photos, of course, are helping to promote Ferrell's new film Semi-Pro, which hits theaters at the end of this month. In the flick, Ferrell plays the owner-coach-player of the ABA's Flint Michigan Tropics, and in order to help his team achieve their dream goal of playing in the NBA, he'll have to put moves on more than just supermodel Heidi Klum (who, I must say, looks pretty damn good in this pics). Check out a few more photos of Moon and Klum after the jump, then head on over to Sports Illustrated to see the rest.
Last October, Scott told you how Will Ferrell was heading to the big-screen Land of the Lost for Universal. However, instead of a family of three -- dad, son, and daughter -- this Hollywoodized version is getting a "disgraced paleontologist, his assistant, and a macho tour guide." I guess a feature comedy without the chance for romance made the original set-up less than desirable. Well, romance could still be had, but certainly not in a PC, or universally acceptable way.
So, the kids are out, and now the assistant has been found. The Hollywood Reporter posts that Will's paleontologist is lucky enough to get stuck in this lost land with Anna Friel, who will play his love interest (and, I assume, his assistant). You might remember the British actress from her shrill Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, her troubled, love-seeking Marina in Me Without You, or maybe her role as Chuck in Pushing Daisies. I have to say -- Will Ferrell is one lucky geek of a man.
Now we just need an un-Savage macho man to round out the team -- perhaps one that tempts Anna with more manly endeavors? I guess the only thing that would suck more than being lost in a strange world is getting stuck, having a cute girlfriend, and then having the only human woman stolen away from you by some macho dude. Production is still slated to begin next month, so we should hear the final bit of casting soon.
Some say that Will Ferrell movies are just the same flick over and over again, but since I always get a giggle from them, I really can't complain. Movieweb is now hosting 10 new photos from Ferrell's latest sports-comedy, Semi-Pro. Farrell plays Jackie Moon, the owner and coach of the American Basketball Association's Flint Michigan Tropics. In hopes of getting the team status in a little organization called the NBA, he must turn his team into winners.
Semi-Pro was written by Scot Armstrong, who was also behind Road Trip, Old School, and The Heartbreak Kid. Armstrong is also hard at work on the sequel to Old School, but this time it will be without *Hank 'The Tank' by the looks of things. Even if you are not a big fan of Ferrell's particular style of comedy, you have to admit he does manage to put together some pretty great comedy casts. Joining Ferrell on Semi-Pro are Woody Harrelson, Will Arnett, Rob Corddry, and the criminally underused Andy Richter. Also joining in on the fun are Outkast's Andre Benjamin and Maura Tierney.
So while some of these pictures have already been released back in November, this latest set has a few new images plus your chance to get a look at Ferrell's 'fro in hi-res. So far, there have already been a few poster releases, a teaser, and the ever-popular "red band" trailer. But, let's be truthful here, if you are a Ferrell fan you are going to want to jump straight to the 'R' trailer for all the good jokes. Semi-Pro opens in theaters on February 29th.
*Correction: Ferrell will forever by haunted by the nickname Frank "the Tank", not Hank.
Just a few weeks ago, Sir Christopher Campbell of Cinematical pointed you towards a new trailer for Will Ferrell's latest comedy. But if you were wondering if Semi-Pro was going to be the soft & cuddly Will Ferrell or the bizarrely potty-mouthed Will Ferrell, you now have your answer. Suffice to say that when it arrives in late February, Semi-Pro will most definitely be rated R.
If you're willing to share your full name, birthday and zip code, then you'll be allowed to enjoy this brand-new (and highly "red-band") trailer in which lots of funny people say lots of very profane things. And it's good news, says me. Despite the fact that Mr. Ferrell has appeared in more sports movies than Kevin Costner, the flick I was reminded of while watching this trailer was George Roy Hill's Slap Shot. And obviously that's a good thing.
Wow, it's been almost nine whole months since a Will Ferrell movie was released. Fortunately, Access Hollywood has just given us the first look (not counting this one) at his next comedy, Semi-Pro, and the trailer should be enough to tide us over until the movie actually hits theaters at the end of February (just in time to get some kind of promotion at the Oscars, I'm sure). Semi-Pro is another sports comedy, completing a nice quartet following Kicking & Screaming(soccer) Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby(NASCAR) and this year's Blades of Glory (figure skating). This one is about a basketball player named Jackie Moon, who also coaches and owns the Flint Tropics, an American Basketball Association team hoping to be brought into the NBA. Like way too many comedies, it takes place in the '70s, giving it a sort of recycled feel if you've ever seen Ferrell's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandyor enjoyed an afro-ed Chevy Chase in Fletch (which I know was from the '80s).
But some of the trailer shows promise, and there's no doubt that Ferrell will make you laugh with this movie, at least if you typically find him funny. Many of the lines uttered in the promo even sound made up on the spot, rather than scripted by the movie's writer, Scot Armstrong (Old School). So, if you like that weird, random humor stuff, you'll probably enjoy this. Oh, and fans of bear wrestling, parodies of Evel Knievel (r.i.p.) stunts, jokes about using your child as a shield, long-tired disco gags and funny hairdos -- in addition to Ferrell's afro, Woody Harrelson has a 'do that gives his No Country for Old Menco-star Javier Bardem a run for his money -- will certainly enjoy the movie, too.
First came Jeremy Piven, who signed onto Chappelle's Show writer Neal Brennan'sThe Goods: The Don Ready Story back in August. While it sounds like something Will Ferrell would head, he's just producing the film, which has Piven playing "a used-car liquidator hired to save a struggling dealership during a Fourth of July weekend sale." The pot was sweetened last month when Ving Rhames also signed on, as well as Anchorman co-star David Koechner. But what used car scenario is complete without the female guns?
The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Kathryn Hahn has been tapped to play the lone woman in Don Ready's (Piven) team of used-car liquidators. In fact, THR describes them as "mercenary car salesman," which should be interesting for the comedy, unless the use of "mercenary" was just an outbreak of writer flair. Aside from playing Lily Lebowski on Crossing Jordan for the past six years, Hahn has appeared in her share of cinematic comedy, which includes, not surprisingly, a role in Anchorman. With Ferrell producing, and Koechner and Hahn signed on, which Anchorman member will be next? There's a heck of a lot of great names to choose from -- Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, Fred Willard, Chris Parnell, Fred Armisen, Seth Rogen, Danny Trejo...
Legendary performer Robert Goulet died yesterday morning at the age of 73. Goulet was hospitalized last month in Las Vegas, where he was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare but rapidly progressive condition. The crooner passed away while awaiting a lung transplant at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He failed to meet the criteria for the transplant. His physician, Doctor David Kipper, says Goulet was surrounded by his family at the time of his death. Goulet's wife of 25 years, Vera, tells CNN he was in good spirits to the end, telling doctors "Just watch my vocal cords" right before they inserted a breathing tube.
Goulet gained international fame in 1960 playing Sir Lancelot in Broadway's Camelot, with Richard Burton and Julie Andrews. His popularity grew through Las Vegas concerts and performances on programs like The Ed Sullivan Show. Many in my generation know Goulet best for his tongue-in-cheek comedic performances. Goulet played a role in several of my favorite comedies -- he was Maxie Dean in Beetlejuice, pitch-perfect as the villainous Quentin Hapsburg in The Naked Gun 2 1/2, and had a hilarious guest bit in Scrooged. He was also the singing voice of Wheezy the Penguin in Toy Story 2, and sang at Bart's treehouse casino on an episode of The Simpsons. And of course, the guy became hip all over again when Will Ferrell started doing an insane Goulet impression on Saturday Night Live. In fact, this Goulet sketch -- "Red Ships of Spain" -- is responsible for the hardest laughter I have ever experienced.
He will be missed. Head over to Goulet's personal website for more information.
My sister and I used to watch Land of the Lost all the time. Even at the tender ages of 7 and 9 we could tell how amazingly chintzy the series was -- and yet we watched it all the time. The sketchy dinosaurs and the slimy Sleestaks. That freaky little hairy dude and those strange little booths with the glowing buttons. Ah, that was fun junk. (I actually reviewed one of the LOTL season sets a few years back, and my opinion of the program is pretty much the same: Broad, silly kitsch that's fun enough, but best consumed in small doses.)
Anyway, we've been hearing vague rumblings about a movie version for quite some time, and according to Variety, Universal is ready to get rolling now. Well, not exactly now, but they've hired a director (Brad Silberling) and they've signed Will Ferrell to star. Plus production begins in March, so I'm guessing it's definitely a "go project" at this point. Fans of the goofy ol' show may notice a few changes though: The adaptation "revolves around a disgraced paleontologist, his assistant and a macho tour guide who find themselves in a strange world inhabited by dinosaurs, monkey people and reptilian Sleestaks."
A macho tour guide? An assistant? What about Rick Marshall? And Will and Holly and Cha-Ka? Eh, who cares? The show was cheesy stuff anyway. If you're telling me that Will Ferrell is starring in a $100 million prehistoric comedy, that's enough to get me (at least a little) intrigued. And I suppose some congratulations are due to TV producers Sid & Marty Krofft. I guess this means we'll soon be seeing movie versions of H.R. Pufnstuf, Far Out Space Nuts, and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. (Ugh, I just got a nasty chill up my spine.)
[ Amusing trivial tidbit: In Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Will Ferrell plays a character called Marshal Willenholly. This is an obvious reference to Land of the Lost. Well, it's obvious if you're a pop-culture nerd like Kevin Smith. And me. ]
Back in March, Judd Apatow 
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SCOOP: Spider-Man 4 and 5 Might be Shot at the Same Time!
Cinematical Seven: Disney's Awesome Live-Action Kid Adventures
