With ROOM, Director Lenny Abrahamson and screenwriter Emma Donoghue (who adapted her novel) dramatize the impossible situation of a child trapped for years in a room with his mother who’s continually raped there. ROOM is a difficult but often tedious viewing experience, and while the effort is valiant, the movie doesn’t always hit its desired mark.
ROOM is the tale of 24-year-old Joy (Brie Larson), trapped in a soundproof garden shed for seven years after being abducted. The room has a hot plate and a sink, a toilet a television, and one skylight in the ceiling. Her captor (Sean Bridgers), known as ‘Old Nick’, brings her enough food to survive, disciplines her by cutting off the electricity, and tells her she doesn’t appreciate how good she has it. Oh, and he rapes her when he feels like it, which has resulted in a long-haired five-year old son named Jack (Jacob Tremblay) who has lived his entire life in ‘room’.
The first hour of ROOM feels by design claustrophobic, especially when Jack is throwing his screaming fits. I felt trapped in room with the kid and looked forward to getting out. Jack reacts to a world he has never experienced with gooey dialog like “The world’s always changing in hotness and lightness.” This is supposed to convey the insight of an innocent child but a little precious prose goes a long way and probably worked better on the written page. The cathartic escape scene at the halfway point is when the film really comes to life, and it’s a most emotional ten minutes. Jack, wrapped in a carpet to be discarded by Old Nick, who thinks he’s dead, finds himself in the back of a truck – in the real world for the first time – and the sequence is shot with odd angles and bright light to show Jack’s confused point of view. It’s too bad ROOM fails to maintain that level of interest once Joy and Jack are free and settle into her mother’s home where ROOM morphs back into a far less-interesting drama. The second half focuses on Joy and Jack struggling to come to terms with the world beyond the room by introducing bland domestic drama and more tedium. Joy argues with her mom (Joan Allen) while her dad (William H. Macy) won’t even look at young Jack. They bake cookies, there’s a suicide attempt, and some discussion about desire to return to Room. A half-baked television interview sequence with a crass reporter comes off like a spoof of tell-all programming handled better in GONE GIRL.
ROOM is solidly made but some flimsy plot contrivances are distracting. Is Old Nick, cunning enough to pull off this atrocity for seven years, really not going to bother to check whether Jack is still breathing before burying him? Why did Old Nick’s repeated rapes not result in more pregnancies? What happens to Old Nick and how are his crimes resolved? Brie Larson is good as Joy, but seems physically off. Wouldn’t someone trapped in a tiny room for seven years be more emaciated, more catatonic, more damaged? Larson seems sad and annoyed at her plight, but too robust. Young Jacob Tremblay, despite his tantrums and affected narration is mostly believable. ROOM is not a great movie but Emma Donoghue’s novel must have seemed like a challenging basis for a film, and it’s a minor miracle that this adaption works as well as it does. 3 of 5 Stars
ROOM opens in ST. Louis October 30th exclusively at Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater
So you’re tired of all the news reports and headlines about those campaigning for the president, in an election that’s still over a year away? Well, why not take in a movie at the multiplex? Here’s Sandra Bullock’s latest all about…a presidential campaign. Ah, but Sandy’s not in the running, although she’s dashing around quite a bit. She’s a campaign strategist who’s working for a candidate all the way south, very south, in Bolivia. So are presidential races there the same as up here, with sound bites, negative ads,and other ways to manipulate the media? You bet your ballot! So what does she come up with, how will her hopeful break away from the ‘pack’? Just one way, as Ms. B explains in the film’s first act, OUR BRAND IS CRISIS.
US Public relations vets Ben (Anthony Mackie) and Nell (Ann Dowd) have been hired by General Castillo (Joaquim de Almieda) to get his old job back. He was the president of Bolivia fifteen years ago, but was voted out when he privatized the local industries. Unfortunately the electorate has a long memory, which may account for him being down 28 points in the polls. But Nell has a plan, and so she and Ben drive up to a desolate cabin in the snow. They hope to lure the legendary strategist “Calamity” Jane Bodine (Bullock) out of a self-imposed retirement. After a stint in rehab, preceded by several unsuccessful gigs, she’s hesitant to get back in the game. But when she hears that the front-runner, Rivera, has hired her old nemesis Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton), Jane puts away the clay pots and cups and hops on a Bolivian bound private jet. After meeting the third member of the American crew, the prickly Buckley (Scoot McNairy), and the surly, brusque Castillo, Jane hatches a campaign “scenario”: the country is in dire straights, on the brink of collapse, and the general is the only one who can save the day. Bringing in her top aide, “hit woman” LeBlanc (Zoe Kazan), and enlisting an enthusiastic local Eddie (Reynaldo Pacheco), Jane attempts a career comeback, for the candidate and herself, as old demons from the past return.
In her first live action role since Oscar-nominated turn in GRAVITY, Bullock’s star charisma injects much-needed life in many of the story’s soggy stretches. In the scenes back in her tiny snow-bound cottage she projects a great deal of vulnerability with her hesitant line delivery and haunted “seen it all” stare. Upon her arrival on foreign soil, Bullock goes for laughs as Jane battles the effects of the altitude. This plays often as an appeasement to fans hoping for a reprise of the pratfalls from THE HEAT or the MISS CONGENIALITY flicks. But soon she puts down the ever-present bag a’ chips and gets down to business with a hard-driving, “take no prisoners” zeal that propels the plot forward, which seems to mask her sadness over the times she went too far for victory. Once again Bullock ably balances the tough and tender in an expert performance.
Happily, an accomplished ensemble aides Ms. Bullock. Thornton is an excellent sparring partner as the all “too slick” and smooth Mr. Candy, who knows exactly how to get under her skin, with his smug sarcasm twisting like a knife. Mackie is the questioning moral center of the PR team, standing up to Jane when she crosses the line. Dowd is the hardened vet and co-conspirator in Jane’s wild schemes, an “Ethel” to her “Lucy”. McNairy is very funny as the easily irritated and irritating Buckly, always quick with a lousy idea or crass comment. As the candidate, de Almeida, struts about as if the whole affair were beneath his regal, military bearing with a sinister glint in his eyes. It makes us wonder whether he can really woo the populace, as we question his true motives. The delightful Kazan is underused as Jane’s “ace up my sleeve”, but Pacheco has a great deal of youthful charm and energy as the optimistic Eddie who will eventually face the ugly, dark side of politics.
Although the film’s being marketed as a breezy “culture class” comedy, director David Gordon Green breaks out of the stoner comedy cage (YOUR HIGHNESS) to deliver a tough look at dirty side of campaigning. Unfortunately these two goals never quite gel. The high spirits wackiness of making tacky commercials with llamas and racing campaign buses over treacherous mountain roads slams up against ugly internet lies that inspire suicide and exploitation of the poor. Peter Straughan’s screenplay (inspired by the 2005 same-titled documentary) never really finds a way to balance that tone while keeping the story moving at a brisk pace. And the film’s main character is still something of a mystery by the end scenes. At one point she fully plunges back into her old vices (starting with the interminable chain-smoking), boozing with little ramifications other than waking up hung over in a jail cell. In the film’s final moments the script heads down a dark cynical path that is detoured with a contrived hopeful final shot that’s forced (I smell ‘test-marketing’ at work). It’s great to have Bullock back, but her considerable charisma and talents can’t erase the story and pacing flaws of OUR BRAND IS CRISIS.
New Regency and 20th Century Fox have debuted the new trailer for the upcoming animated film, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP.
The Munks are growing up, but something unexpected is going down! Check out the new trailer and see Alvin, Simon, and Theodore hit the road by land, by sea, and air to do what ever it takes to get to Miami in their latest adventure.
Through a series of misunderstandings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in New York City…and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.
The movie stars Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Josh Green, Bella Thorne, Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate.
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP hits theaters everywhere December 18, 2015.
In SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, three scouts and lifelong friends join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes. Recently, I sat down with director Christopher Landon to talk about the film. I have to add that he is an incredibly wonderful interview! I had a blast talking with him, as you will see below!
When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, three scouts will fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead.
The first question I have to ask is how this movie come about?
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : How did this wack-a-doodle thing get made? [Laughs]
Yeah! It’s a lot of fun!
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : So, I just finished PARANORMAL ACTIVITY : THE MARKED ONES, which had a lot of comedy in the beginning of it. So, Paramount called me up and said ‘We have this script called SCOUTS vs. ZOMBIES, which was the original title, and I instantly thought ‘either this is going to be awesome, or really stupid,’ and it was both… and I was really happy about that. [Laughs] I read it, and I was like ‘this is a surprisingly sweet movie.’ It was written, at the time, as PG-PG13, and I was like ‘that’s a hat trick.’ I don’t know how you can make a zombie movie for kids. So, I went back to them and I said ‘You know what? I think this is cool. I think this could be really funny. I think it should be Rated R, and I think it should be gory, and I think it should be balls out crazy! I was surprised that they were like ‘OK! Go for it!’ When they said ‘Go for it!’ they really meant it. so in my dream bag of what I would want to see in this kind of movie… I got to pull all of that stuff out… and they were really supportive of that. It just, kind of, evolved. I think I wrote a couple of – I think I wrote two drafts – and then the next thing I knew we were off and making it. It was surprising too. I think that size of the movie is hard to get made right now. You’re either dealing with very small, Jason Blum style 5 million dollar movies, or your GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. There’s very little in between now, and so the fact that the studio was willing to make this movie was impressive. The fact that they were willing to make a movie with no real major stars was impressive, but also that they really supported me in my vision to make a movie that felt like THE GOONIES, and felt like GREMLINS… that was a throwback. I wanted to make an 80’s style movie. It was pretty cool.
It’s great that you mention GREMLINS and THE GOONIES because it does have that 80’s kind of feel. You have the friendship, but you also have the raunchy elements… you have the boobs!
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : The boobs are there! [Laughs] By the way, it’s funny because my friends all make fun of me because I’m gay, and they’re like ‘Why does the gay guy always have boobs in his movies?’ [Laughs] I’m like ‘I don’t know! They just keep popping up!’ It’s horror!
It’s horror! There should be boobs! [Laughs] It’s cool that you threw that stuff in, because a lot of horror today sort of misses the mark on the themes and patterns of 80’s films. What other influences did you have going into this?
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : My big influences, of course, was THE GOONIES, MONSTER SQUAD was there, but then there were echoes of SUPERBAD. That was something that I really loves, and felt like kind of had a place in this movie. Even, in a weird way, and this is the weirdest reference, but STAND BY ME. There was a tinge of that, and you’ll see that in the campfire scene. I really wanted to sell the idea of this friendship, and of these three guys, and the experience that they’re going through. I think it’s a very relatable thing… to be in high school, and to find yourself at a crossroads in your friendships, where you’re outgrowing a friendship, or you’re at least in the process of reevaluating a friendship because you want to trade up to things that don’t really matter, which is something that I talked about in the movie. So, I really wanted to capture it all in a very relatable story, but then still deliver the ridiculous headpieces, and the scares, and the fun, and all that kind of stuff.
When it comes to the comedy in this film, and how dirty it goes how did you find the balance between it and the horror, and was there anything that went too far that you couldn’t put into the movie?
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : Ok, oh man. I’m gonna get in trouble. Let’s see what we can print here. So, um… I … First of all, I always tend to follow the ‘South Park’ rule of comedy, which is that I don’t think that anything is sacred. I think that life is meant to be laughed at as much as possible. I have a gallows humor that I grew up with, so I don’t find anything particularly taboo. I never felt like I was personally crossing a line. I know that in terms of personal taste, for some, I have. There are moments in the movie… there’s one moment in the movie that tends to offend some people. I’m not going to say what it is, but that’s the one that kind of makes me… I find it kind of interesting because people are offended at this one particular scene, but then they’re not offended by other stuff, and I’m always like ‘That’s so weird to draw a line in the weirdest places.’ But, I wrote one scene that ended up not making it. I had to come up with a pretty quick replacement for it because the studio got cold feet. I will tell you what it is if you want to hear it. I’ll get in trouble for what it is, but I don’t care. [Laughs]
Of course I wanna hear it! [Laughs]
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : So, there’s a scene in the movie where out scouts encounter a homeless zombie, and they have a sing-a-long with the zombie. You saw the movie?
Yes. I saw it last night.
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : Ok. So, they do a sing-a long. The original version of that scene was, and this is why I was gonna go to hell… They’re walking down the street and they see a school bus off to the side of the road, and it turns out that it’s a short school bus… and an intellectually and developmentally disabled child comes off the bus, and they can’t figure out if he is a zombie, or it’s part of his disability. So, they are debating back and forth on if they should shoot him or not, and he keeps getting closer, and closer. It was hysterical! [Laughs] It was hysterical, but horribly mean and offensive. So, the studio…
That was NOT the direction that I thought you were going! [Laughs] #00:08:24.9#
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : So, they were like ‘We’ve been really cool about everything, This one is not ok with us!’, which was tough, because I knew it was going to be the funniest scene in the movie. It’s so wrong that it’s right. I know most of my audience would have been you… and they would have died laughing, but I would have gotten hate mail! It wasn’t even one of those ‘I can fight for it’ moments, it was the head of the studio calling me, saying ‘We won’t let you make the movie if you keep this scene.’
Oh, yeah! That was the line in the sand! [Laughs]
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : But it was really funny! [Laughs] It was a really good scene!
So, I’m guessing this won’t be on the bonus features either?
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : No. This will not be on the bonus features! I literally was trying to find a way to shoot both somehow without them knowing… like, I was gonna swap the cards out, and find the actor, and do the whole thing, but there was no time in the schedule, and it was literally one of those that if I got caught, I could get fired deals. So I was like ‘Fine. I won’t do it…’ It’s a really tough scene to watch for me, because while I’m so proud of that moment, and I think it plays really well, and it’s definitely quirky and funny, It always reminds me of the one that got away!
Wow! Where do we go from here in the interview? [Laughs] Cloris Leachman! Super excited about that! How did you convince her to do this? [Laughs]
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : She’s amazing! YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN was one of my all time favorite movies, so I’ve been a fan of hers ever since then. It was really just a call. It was a ‘Will you do this?’ and she said yes! I heard ‘Oh, she’s pretty out there! She’s really crazy, and fun to work with!’ but there is nothing that prepares you for this woman. She shows up. She’s a force of nature. Her first day on set, I was waiting by her trailer, because I wanted to be there when she arrived – she’s a legend, so you have to show your respect. So, I’m standing there with Logan, and she pulls up, and she’s already in character, and she’s clawing at the window like a zombie [laughs] looking at me. She gets out of the car, and the first thing she says to Logan is ‘I’m gonna eat your ass!’ [Laughs] I was like ‘You’re gonna be so much fun to work with!’ and she was! She was crazy, and she would tell the funniest stories! Every night, when we would wrap her, I would walk her to her car. We would do an arm in arm, and I would take her though set… and as I walked her through set she would literally go to every single crew member [whispers] ‘Goodnight’ [as she was flipping them off]… [Laughs] She’d flip everyone off! We had one night where we had a crowd of looky-lou people watching in the neighborhood… kids, and everyone… and when she came out, she flew two birds at them [laughs] and I was like ‘You’re a nutcase! I love you!’
That sounds amazing! [Laughs]
CHRISTOPHER LANDON : It was pretty fun. We were always laughing, and it was tough sometimes because there were times when we really needed to get the shit moving faster. It was hard because we had really funny people on set that made you laugh all the time.
SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE hits theaters tomorrow
Hitting theaters January 22, 2016, check out the first poster and trailer for director Dan Mazer’s and writer John Phillips’ upcoming movie, DIRTY GRANDPA.
Jason Kelly (Zac Efron) is one week away from marrying his boss’s uber-controlling daughter, putting him on the fast track for a partnership at the law firm. However, when the straight-laced Jason is tricked into driving his foul-mouthed grandfather, Dick (Robert De Niro), to Daytona for spring break, his pending nuptials are suddenly in jeopardy.
Between riotous frat parties, bar fights, and an epic night of karaoke, Dick is on a quest to live his life to the fullest and bring Jason along for the ride. Ultimately, on the wildest journey of their lives, “dirty” Grandpa and his uptight grandson discover they can learn from one another and form the bond they never had.
This outlandish comedy also stars Julianne Hough, Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney and Adam Pally.
After a lifetime of being overlooked and ignored, a woman of a certain age finds her world turned upside down by a handsome new co-worker and a self-help seminar that inspires her to take a chance on love in HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS, a witty and compassionate late-life coming-of-age-story.
In his SXSW review from March, Scott Weinberg (Nerdist.com) writes, “… it’s Sally Field’s show from stem to stern. Not only does Ms. Field seem to bring out the best in her wide array of co-stars, but clearly she’s still got the skills required to steal an entire movie through sheer force of good humor, good timing, and plain old natural sweetness.”
Here’s a first look at the delightful new trailer.
When Doris Miller (Sally Field) meets John Fremont (Max Greenfield), her company’s hip new art director, sparks fly – at least for Doris. Her first encounter with true romance (outside of the pages of a novel) convinces Doris that she and the mostly unaware John are meant for each other. In the cluttered house she shared with her late mother, Doris mines the Internet for information on her one-and-only, guided by the 13-year-old granddaughter of her best pal Roz (Tyne Daly).
When Doris begins showing up at John’s regular haunts, she wins over his Williamsburg friends with her eclectic vintage wardrobe, quirky naiveté and unironic enthusiasm for their rooftop knitting circle. Her new life brings Doris a thrilling perspective, but also creates a rift between her and her longtime friends and family, who believe she’s making a fool of herself over a guy half her age. Eager for all the experiences she has missed out on, Doris throws caution to the wind and follows her heart for the very first time.
The movie also stars Natasha Lyonne, Kumail Nanjiani, Peter Gallagher, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Beth Behrs.
Based on a short film by Laura Terruso, HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS was written by Terruso and Michael Showalter and directed by Showalter.
Field remembers feeling like she was reading something entirely new and different. “The script was so unusual,” she says. “I’d never come across anything like it. It certainly isn’t a standard mother role. Doris is unique and Michael generously allowed me to help find her. He put this movie together on a dime, but you’d never know that from watching it.”
Roadside Attractions will release HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS in theaters March 11, 2016.
Calling all 007, James Bond Fans in the St. Louis area – come celebrate SPECTRE with a special BOND NIGHT AT BASSO.
Stop by for your chance to win free promotional items from the film and passes to the advance screening. One lucky Grand Prize winner will also receive a complimentary one night stay in the James Bond Suite at THE CHESHIRE. Themed BOND drinks specials will be featured.
Attendees are encouraged to dress in their best James Bond Inspired Tuxedo Attire.
WHEN: Friday, October 30th – 8:00PM-11:00PM
WHERE: BASSO at The Cheshire – 7036 Clayton Ave, St. Louis, MO 63117
A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal. Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE.
Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot.
As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz.
Coming this Halloween is the new film SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. Part comedy, part horror, director Christopher Landon’s latest movie has Scouts saving the world from the Undead. Landon says audiences will be “screaming and laughing their heads off. This movie is an amusement park ride.”
What’s better than the mashup of comedy and horror to get you shrieking in fear! Just like a Reese’s cup – peanut butter and chocolate – the two just go together. Making scary themes into funny romps, while doing it cleverly, is a hard act to pull off. The films that have done it well have become part of the zeitgeist with fans of both genres.
Before you catch SCOUTS vs ZOMBIES, check out our list of the funniest horror films.
ZOMBIELAND
Tallahassee: My mama always told me someday I’d be good at something. Who’d a guessed that something’d be zombie-killing? Columbus: Probably nobody.
Nerdy college student Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has survived the plague that has turned mankind into flesh-devouring zombies because he’s scared of just about everything. Gun-toting, Twinkie-loving Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) has no fears. Together, they are about to stare down their most horrifying challenge yet: each other’s company. Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin co-star in this double-hitting, head-smashing comedy. A Zombieland 2 is in the works. The two have devised a laugh-riot rule book to survive the zombie apocalypse.
BUD ABBOTT AND LOU COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
Wilbur Grey: Mr. Talbot, and I thought you were such a nice man too. Look at you, you’re a mess. Larry Talbot: Last night I went through another one of my horrible experiences. Many years ago I was bitten by a werewolf. Now, whenever the full moon rises I turn into a wolf myself. Wilbur Grey: Oh pal. That’s all right; I’m sort of a wolf myself.
It seems that Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), in league with a beautiful but diabolical lady scientist (Lenore Aubert), needs a “simple, pliable” brain with which to reactivate Frankenstein’s creature (Glenn Strange). The “ideal” brain belongs to the hapless Lou Costello, whom the lady doctor woos to gain his confidence and lure him to the operating table. Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.), better known as the Wolf Man, arrives on the scene to warn Costello and his pal Bud Abbott of Dracula’s nefarious schemes. Throughout the film, the timorous Costello witnesses the nocturnal rituals of Dracula and the Monster, but can’t convince the ever-doubting Abbott–until the wild climax in Dracula’s castle, where the comedians are pursued by all three of the film’s monstrosities. As a bonus, the Invisible Man (voiced by an unbilled Vincent Price) shows up for “all the excitement.”
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: You know, I’m a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with that hump. Igor: What hump?
Mel Brooks’ monstrously crazy tribute to Mary Shelley’s classic pokes hilarious fun at just about every Frankenstein movie ever made. Summoned by a will to his late grandfather’s castle in Transylvania, young Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) soon discovers the scientist’s step-by-step manual explaining how to bring a corpse to life. Assisted by the hunchback Igor (Marty Feldman) and the curvaceous Ings (Teri Garr), he creates a monster (Peter Boyle) who only wants to be loved.
SHAUN OF THE DEAD
Ed: Any zombies out there? Shaun: Don’t say that! Ed: What? Shaun: That! Ed: What? Shaun: The zed-word. Don’t say it! Ed: Why not? Shaun: Because it’s ridiculous!
We were having a laugh with Edgar Wright’s movie! Starring Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, audiences were treated to a gut-busting, bone-mashing good time in this hilarious horror comedy about two slackers out to save their friends and families from flesh-eating zombies.
TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL
Tucker: Oh hidy ho officer, we’ve had a doozy of a day. There we were minding our own business, just doing chores around the house, when kids started killing themselves all over my property.
The movie is a hilariously gory, good-spirited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what SHAUN OF THE DEAD did for zombies. Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count.
SCREAM
Phone Voice: Do you like scary movies? Sidney Prescott: What’s the point? They’re all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can’t act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door. It’s insulting.
Okay, maybe it should be filed under the horror genre, but Wes Craven’s movie is really cheeky in some parts. Empire ’s Adam Smith called it “Clever, quick and bloody funny.” Its original working title, Scary Movie, became the title of the 2000 parody film by Damon Wayans.
HOUSE (1986)
Aunt Elizabeth: It won Roger. It tricked me. I didn’t think it could, but it did. It’s going to trick you too, Roger. This house knows everything about you. Leave while you can!
Called a “refreshingly unpredictable horror comedy” by the LA Times, this 1986 film was directed by Steve Miner. Not exactly a straightforward haunted house movie, the unexpected ending with the zombie commando is too awesome for words. HOUSE’s writer Fred Dekker directed the cult classic THE MONSTER SQUAD.
CABIN IN THE WOODS
Hadley: [sighs] These fucking zombies. Remember when you could just throw a girl in a volcano? Sitterson: How old do you think I am?
Teenagers, zombies and monsters – Drew Goddard’s masterpiece is one of our absolute favorites. In his WAMG review, Travis Keune wrote, “THE CABIN IN THE WOODS is smart, witty, fast-paced, comedic, horrific fun.” The End-of-the-World pandemonium had us chuckling!
GHOSTBUSTERS
Man at Elevator: What are you supposed to be, some kind of a cosmonaut? Dr. Peter Venkman: No, we’re exterminators. Someone saw a cockroach up on twelve. Man at Elevator: That’s gotta be some cockroach. Dr. Peter Venkman: Bite your head off, man.
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts & Rick Moranis star in this wildly funny movie about paranormal investigators. Not only were Stantz, Venkman, Zeddmore and Spengler the ghost hunters you’d want coming to your town to battle the Stay-Puft Mashmallow Man – packing their zippy one-liners and proton packs – but the supporting characters of Louis Tully and Janine Melnitz are equally hilarious!
BEETLEJUICE
Juno: [as Adam and Barbara come back to the afterlife] You two have really screwed up! I received word that you allowed yourselves to be photographed, and you let Betelgeuse out and didn’t put him back, and you let Otho get hold of the handbook! Adam: Handbook? When? Juno: [rolls her eyes] Never trust the living! We cannot have a routine haunting like yours provide proof that there is existence beyond death.
On March 30, 1988, audiences were introduced to the afterlife’s leading bio-exorcist, the Handbook for the Recently Deceased and dancing football player ghosts. Featuring a terrific score by Danny Elfman, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Michael Keaton starred in the rambunctious horror/comedy from Tim Burton.
ARMY OF DARKNESS
Ash: All right, you primitive screw-heads, listen up! See this? This… is my boomstick!
Hoo boy! Skeleton armies in the same vein as Ray Harryhausen’s fighting skeletons in JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and a campy script had us howling. Featuring Deadites, witches and the Necronomicon, Sam Raimi’s hilarious movie tops our list. Along with another horrific score by Danny Elfman, the composer’s “March of the Dead” theme is icing on the cake.
Tye Sheridan, David Koechner, Cloris Leachman, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont and Patrick Schwarzenegger star in SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE.
The must-see horror comedy film of the year opens this Thursday, October 29th.
Check out exclusive red band content from the film at:
For Peanuts fans, this is the best time of year. Over the next three months Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Franklin, Peppermint Patty, along with Woodstock and Snoopy, will be filling TV screens with annual holiday TV specials.
On Thursday evening, ABC will once again show the venerable classic “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” followed by the hilarious Thanksgiving episode, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” in November, concluding in December with the musical animated special “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.
Just in time for THE PEANUTS MOVIE’s big-screen debut on November 6th, Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox have just released a celebration of 65 years of the world of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts.
Charlie Brown, the world’s most beloved underdog, embarks upon an epic and heroic quest, while his best pal, the lovable beagle Snoopy, takes to the skies to pursue his arch-nemesis, the Red Baron. From the imagination of Charles M. Schulz and the creators of the ICE AGE films, THE PEANUTS MOVIE will prove that every underdog has his day.
Michelle Rodriguez (FAST & FURIOUS franchise, GIRLFIGHT, MACHETE) is set to star in the title role in the crime noir thriller feature film TOMBOY, A REVENGER’S TALE opposite Academy Award nominated and Golden Globe winning actress Sigourney Weaver (AVATAR, ALIEN), it was announced today by producers Saïd Ben Saïd of SBS (CARNAGE, MAPS TO THE STARS) and Michel Merkt (upcoming LIFE, MAPS TO THE STARS).
The film is written and to be directed by Emmy-Award winning filmmaker Walter Hill (48 HOURS, THE WARRIORS). The screenplay is based upon a story by Denis Hamill.
The Solution Entertainment Group, co-founded by Lisa Wilson and Myles Nestel, is handling international sales on the project and will introduce it to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market. ICM is representing North American rights.
The feature film will begin shooting on November 9th in Vancouver.
TOMBOY, A REVENGER’S TALE is about an ace assassin (Rodriguez) who is double crossed by gangsters and a rogue plastic surgeon (Weaver) operating on the fringes of society. The story becomes a trail of self-discovery and redemption against a criminal mastermind opponent.
“We are beyond excited to be working with Walter, a renowned filmmaker known for producing the classic ALIEN franchise who continues to break boundaries with this original script which has attracted a phenomenal cast and crew. We can’t wait to begin shooting and bring all these visionary and talented minds together,” said Ben Saïd and Merkt.
“Following the massive global success of this year’s FURIOUS 7, we are delighted to have Michelle Rodriguez on board to inhabit this strong-willed, empowered character in the action-filled thriller opposite the legendary Sigourney Weaver. With master filmmaker Walter Hill at the helm, this unique story keeps audiences guessing at every turn,” said Wilson and Nestel.
Michelle Rodriguez is known for her role as Letty in Universal’s record-breaking FAST & FURIOUS franchise. Released earlier this year, the latest installment, FURIOUS 7, has made 1.5 billion worldwide. Her other feature film credits include Robert Rodriguez’s MACHETE and its sequel MACHETE KILLS, BATTLE LOS ANGELES, James Cameron’s AVATAR, 20th Century Fox’s TURBO and her breakthrough film, GIRLFIGHT, for which she won an Independent Spirit Award for her performance. She is currently filming MILTON’S SECRET.
Three-time Oscar nominee and two-time Golden Globe winner Sigourney Weaver has starred in numerous critically acclaimed and box office hits including the ALIEN franchise, GORILLAS IN THE MIST, WORKING GIRL opposite Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith, and Ang Lee’s THE ICE STORM. She will next be seen in Focus Features’ A MONSTER CALLS based on the best-selling novel co-starring Liam Neeson and Felicity Jones due in October 2016 and will appear in the next three installments of James Cameron’s global box office phenomenon AVATAR.
Walter Hill began his renowned career in the film industry in the 1970s writing and directing such classic hits as 48 HRS and its sequel ANOTHER 48 HRS starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, THE WARRIORS, THE DRIVER with Bruce Dern and SOUTHERN COMFORT with Keith Carradine. He is also an established producer having produced the cult ALIEN franchise and its subsequent prequels, Twentieth Century Fox’s PROMETHEUS and the upcoming sequel PROMETHEUS 2, in pre-production. He most recently directed BULLET TO THE HEAD for Warner Bros. starring Sylvester Stallone.
Rodriguez is repped by WME, Untitled Entertainment and David Markman of Greenberg Traurig. Weaver is repped by UTA and Alan Wertheimer, Hill by ICM and SBS by Behr Abramson Levy LLP.
