anchorman Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Earlier today we brought you Rotten Tomatoes' list of the 100 worst reviewed films of the decade. Now, though it might be a little premature (considering that we still have a little while to go before we hit our next decade), the good folks over at I Heart Chaos have decided to get the ball rolling on those end-of-decade lists by shoveling out what they believe are the Top 50 Movies of the 2000's. Usually these kinds of things start to gain in popularity towards the end of the year, but I guess the early bird does get the worm, so let's get right to the chase and find out who made the cut.

When you've got a a list of 50, there is plenty of wiggle room, and it's a pretty comprehensive list that manages to find room for cult faves and foreign flicks. But I'll admit, even though Chaos has put together a solid list, I was a little surprised that the #1 film for this decade is Quentin Tarantino's Samurai/Cowboy epic, Kill Bill -- though that's the beauty of a list, everyone wants to have a little friendly debate, I guess. You can read the entire list over at Chaos, but rounding out the top five are The Dark Knight, No Country for Old Men, and Kinji Fukasaku's adaptation of Battle Royale.

The great thing about a long list like Chaos' is that it makes room for all kinds of movies that sometimes you just don't have room for in streamlined lists of five or ten entries. But I love a challenge, so I decided to put together a list of my top films of the 2000s ... although I've cheated just a little.

After the jump: my nominations for the top films of the 2000s...

Great Odin's *beard raven! It looks like a sequel to Adam McKay and Will Ferrell's comic classic Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy has gotten a little closer to reality. During a press event for Land of the Lost in Australia on Monday, Ferrell told the Aussie radio DJs Jono & Dano that, "he expected to meet with Paul Rudd and Steve Carell "next week" to discuss ideas...and salaries: "[Because] believe me, I'm not taking a pay-cut. No way!" -- It's a long segment, but if you have the time, Ferrell drops the 'Burgundy bomb' around the 8:20 mark.

McKay and Ferrell have been hinting at a sequel as far back as last summer, and they told Entertainment Weekly that they were already developing a script that would fast-forward Ron Burgundy to the 80's. Now, normally the word sequel is a cause for concern when it comes to a favorite flick, but I have to admit; it's an idea that has tons of possibilities. I mean, who wouldn't love to see the Ron in the world of cable news pundits? I wonder if Burgundy would be a Fox News or a MSNBC kind of guy? Nobody can play a lovable blow-hard like Farrell, and as long as the whole thing doesn't become overrun with bad '80s jokes about Rubik's Cubes and Thriller jackets, we should be good, right?

*Correction: You'll have to forgive the Burgundy misquote, it happens to the best of us.

At some point this past summer, between all but consecutive viewings of The Dark Knight, I slipped into a screening of Step Brothers with the same tempered expectations with which I had greeted Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro -- and found myself equally surprised in the coming days and weeks and months by just how admittedly tickled I was by any of them (quoting lines was moderate on all counts). Mind you, I'm saying this as the guy who chuckled during Anchorman, sure, but not really enough to keep it on my shelf or call myself thankful for it.

That's nothing against our Eric D. Snider, and nothing against the star of each film mentioned, Will Ferrell (yes, he was actually Batman). In fact, with Step Brothers hitting shelves today (with reports of a wholly sung commentary track), it only seemed fitting that we go over his most amusing roles as overgrown man-children (Ferrell's, not Snider's). Because they're there, and they always will be, and the sooner that I admit to being vulnerable to his shtick, a better world this very well may be.

There are only a few movies that I can watch over and over again, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is one of them. I've always had an affinity for Will Ferrell, to the point of being baffled when I encounter someone who doesn't find him funny at all, and Anchorman is his greatest cinematic achievement.

It's my go-to DVD when I'm in need of comfort food. If I'm feeling a little under the weather, or if old man trouble has been knockin' at my door, I just pop in Anchorman to help chase the blues away. The antics of Ron Burgundy, Brick Tamland, Champ Kind, Brian Fantana -- not to mention Veronica Corningstone, Ed Harken, Tits McGee, James Westfall, Dr. Kenneth Noisewater, and faithful ol' Baxter -- always cheer me up. Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.

There was even one day this summer when I felt like Ron Burgundy! It was in the middle of a record-breaking heatwave in Portland, and I was showing a visiting friend all the sights of downtown when we stopped at the legendary Voodoo Doughnut for a treat. Needing a beverage to wash it down, I got a small carton of milk -- milk goes great with doughnuts, right? -- and instantly thought of Ron Burgundy. There I was, walking down the street in 102-degree weather, slurping milk, some of it dribbling into my beard. "It's so damn hot! Milk was a bad choice!"

Happy Thanksgiving, Channel 4 News Team. And you stay classy, Ron Burgundy.

Montreal's Just for Laughs Comedy Festival turns 25 this year, but the well-established mecca of merriment isn't afraid to try something new. Organizers announced Tuesday that July's edition will include a brand-new industry conference called Just Comedy, and that in conjunction with it they've named Judd Apatow Comedy Person of the Year.

This will presumably be an annual award given out during the conference, which is aimed at industry types and filled with panels, workshops, etc. (unlike the festival as a whole, which is aimed at regular comedy audiences). Apatow is certainly an industry type, having established himself as the go-to writer, producer, and director for successful comedies. Given that the Just for Laughs folks wanted to establish a "Comedy Person of the Year" award, I don't know who else they could have given it to right now.

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.

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 Burgandy or 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 Men co-star Javier Bardem a run for his money -- will certainly enjoy the movie, too.

[via Slashfilm]

Whenever I see the word 'auction' somewhere, I immediately know my broke ass won't be able to afford whatever it is they're auctioning off. So until I see the headline: Will Ferrell Randomly Gives 'Step Brothers' Role to Editor of Cinematical.com, I'll have to settle for reporting on the auctions, and not bidding. But if you do have some cash to spare, you enjoy Will Ferrell's films, and would love to brag to your friends that you're "in the New Will Ferrell Flick!!" -- then this could be right up your alley. According to BBC News, Ferrell is auctioning off a cameo role (Guy in Bathroom Stall #2?) in Step Brothers, the next Ferrell/Adam McKay big-screen collaboration. All proceeds will go to Cancer for College, which is a fantastic little charity that helps provide college scholarships to current and former cancer patients. And as Ferrell notes: "What a perfect Christmas present for your son or daughter. It is the surefire way to win the present of the year award. Support this amazing cause by buying them me."

Written by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, and directed by McKay (Anchorman, Talladega Nights), Step Brothers stars Ferrell and John C. Reilly as two guys who become competitive step brothers following the marriage of their single parents. Ferrell and Reilly last squared off against one another as friends-turned-enemies in Talladega Nights, and I'm sure there will be a lot more of that hysterical back-and-forth in this latest project. And speaking of projects, I think Ferrell just had a great idea for his next film -- some actor looking for extra cash auctions himself off to the highest bidder. Oh wait, Brett Ratner already went there. Perhaps he can direct then?

Over at quigspot.com is a listing of what the blogger deems the "Ten Most Obnoxiously Overquoted Movies." He says in the intro: "Nothing makes a great movie suck like people quoting it day in and day out for months at a time. It's the go-to route used by individuals who aren't clever enough to come up with their own material, made worse by them thinking (thanks to the select few that laughed at their referencing) they've suddenly become the most hilarious stand-up comedian since George Carlin." I agree to some extent, but while it's true that quoting movies is not the most enlightened form of comedy, it can be a lot of fun. The key is to stick to obscure quotes -- avoid "Luke, I am your father" and "Say hello to my little friend." At a party, an obscure quote that someone else recognizes can help you recognize a kindred spirit, and snag you a new friend or even a romance. Still, there are some movies that get quoted far too frequently, and it becomes particularly hard to deal with once they're embraced by the "frat guy" crowd, as almost all of quigspot's choices are.

The ten selected overquoted films are: 10) Office Space (good call, but the boss' voice is just too much fun to do. Quoting this one simply has to be done sometimes, especially in an office setting), 9) Monty Python movies (disagree -- I don't hear Python quotes much these days), 8) Wedding Crashers (definitely getting obnoxious, especially at bars), 7) Anything with Samuel L. Jackson (Snakes on a Plane, absolutely), 6) The 40 Year-Old Virgin (maybe, but when the lines are that funny, who can argue?), 5) Anchorman (see #6, although "I'm kind of a big deal" has reached the end of the line), 4) The Austin Powers series (yup), 3) Borat (Should have been #1 -- some guy dressed as Borat at a Halloween party I attended stayed in character the entire night and almost drove me to murder), 2) Napoleon Dynamite (absolutely) and the choice for the #1 most obnoxiously overquoted movie is ... 300.

Movies I'm guilty of quoting? 1) Wayne's World -- whenever anybody orders Chinese food, I can't resist throwing in "I'll have the cream of sum yung guy." I'm also a fan of "If Benjamin were an ice cream flavor, he'd be pralines and dick." 2) The Naked Gun series. Endless possibilities really, but my favorite is "Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to stay on my toes." 3) Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski -- literally every line of both is gold. Which movies do you love to quote? And which movies do you think get quoted too frequently?

In a move sure to delight millions, Will Ferrell has officially announced his interest in returning to the role of Ron Burgundy for another Anchorman go-round. Although Ferrell is a very busy man these days (as is his partner Adam McKay) with plenty of projects on his plate, he told the Toronto Star "I would love to do a sequel," and may actually be willing to put his next project with McKay (Step Brothers) on indefinite hold in order to get back to being Burgundy. The plot this time? According to Ferrell: "I was thinking, all of a sudden, for no reason, he's a European correspondent and has to do foreign languages which he knows nothing about."

So what do you think? Does the Burgundy character have another film in him, or will the shtick get old if they try to bring him back? Will there be a breaking point when everyone gets tired of Ferrell's idiot-savant routine? He does tend to play largely the same character in most of his movies, and people haven't stopped queuing up for them yet, so I suppose if there is such a point, we haven't reached it yet.