Watch the Big Game TV spot for THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS.
This adorable movie hits theaters this summer on July 8.
For their fifth fully-animated feature-film collaboration, Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures present THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, a comedy about the lives our pets lead after we leave for work or school each day.
Comedy superstars Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet and Kevin Hart make their animated feature-film debuts in THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, which co-stars Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Hannibal Buress and Albert Brooks. Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborator Janet Healy produce the film directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney and written by Brian Lynch and Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio.
This new comedy questions an old adage, since it ponders whether you truly cannot “go home again”. It further wonders if you can party “hearty” back at said home. Then you could put another spin on a saying by staggering and weaving down “the road not taken”. The protagonists of this film are not middle-aged “lost boys” usually played by the likes of Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen, and Adam Sandler. They flail about in flick after flick as stumbling, bumbling examples of the “man-child”, often with wives mortified at their antics. But what about flipping that comic trope? Can’t these farces feature a “women-child”, or two? Ladies regressing back to simpler times? Well, here’s two actresses that are more than ready for this challenge. Hard to believe that over seven years has passed since they were an on-screen team in BABY MAMA. But happily they’ve been deflating Hollywood egos as an impressive award-show tag team in the meantime. In their return to the multiplex, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are now very different, but very devoted SISTERS.
Maura Ellis (Poehler) is a divorced nurse in Atlanta whose attempts at helping folks (mistaking workers on the street as the homeless) ends in disaster and derision. But, she’s pretty responsible and mature which seems to be the opposite of sister Kate (Fey). She’s a beautician and single mother whose teenage daughter Haley (Madison Davenport) tends to go AWOL after being frustrated with Mom’s exploits. When Kate is booted out of another pal’s apartment (she’s truly homeless, crashing on couches until her hosts have had enough), she contacts Maura. But she’s still reeling after getting a bombshell phone call (Skype actually) from their folks (James Brolin and Dianne Wiest) down in Orlando Florida. They’re living in a retirement village condo after putting the family home on the market,so their daughters need to clean out their old bedrooms. When Maura and Kate converge at their old domicile they’re stunned to see a sold sign on the front lawn. After meeting the obnoxious, snooty new owners, the sisters decide that there’s only one thing to do. And no, they don’t just pack up their stuff and clear out. The Ellis girls decide that they must host the wildest party ever before bidding adieu to the ole’ homestead. And Maura decides to finally “sow her wild oats” with the hunky new neighbor across the street, James (Ike Barinholtz), so Kate agrees to be the “party mom”, staying sober to oversee everyone. So, what could go wrong, besides their old high school nemesis Brinda (Maya Rudolph) getting wind of her “non-invite”? What could happen, since they’re all adults? Right?
Here’s a different part for Ms. Fey. Kate is almost the “anti-Liz Lemon” (her role from the sitcom she created and headlined “30 Rock”), or perhaps the old TV “soap opera” cliché, the “evil” twin. In her tight-fitting animal prints, she’s a free-wheeling, wild spirit, an unrestrained id sporting high heels (a less disturbed version of the title character from the early 2015 film MOMMY). Fey is looser, more feisty, and energetic than we’ve ever seen her. She’s the electric charge that powers the plot. Ms. Poehler doesn’t veer too far away from Leslie Knope (her role on TV’s much-missed “Parks and Recreation”) in a character that’s very sweet and very awkward (her attempts at “sexy banter” are a scream). Mind you, she’s just as hysterical as Fey, but Poehler gives Maura a real vulnerability that helps propel her character’s romance. Most of all, she’s not merely the “straight” woman for Fey’s fireball. Poehler has a terrific “love match” with the gifted Barinholtz who’s playing a real “guy’s guy” and a nice change from his manic nurse on TV’s “The Mindy Project”. But he still cranks up the funny, particularly in an often painful stunt involving a ballerina. Brolin and Wiest (currently playing a couple on TV’s ” Life in Pieces”) score big laughs as the bewildered parents while providing a wake-up call to their offspring. Rudolph is an endearing rival and holds her own during the verbal, and eventual, physical smackdowns with Fey. Oh, and Fey gets to flirt with a very deadpan John Cena (so good recently in TRAINWRECK) as the mucho-muscled, stoic drug dealer Pazuzu (love when he lists his stock). The party-goers are filled with comedians, comic actors, and SNL vets (alumni and current) with Bobby Moynihan (“Drunk Uncle”) stealing scenes as a pathetic former class clown. Oh, and I should mention Greta Lee who shares one of the film’s funniest scenes with Poehler as she tries to teach Maura the proper way to say her Korean name Hae-Won. Stick around for the end credits to see Poehler fail to keep a straight face while contorting her mouth for the exact pronunciation.
As I mentioned earlier, this is the second screen pairing of these two talented women (both were in MEAN GIRLS, but had no scenes together), unfortunately a real rarity. Male comedy teams have been part of cinema for decades. Some are true partners (as Leonard Maltin points out in his superb book on the subject) as with Laurel and Hardy all the way to Cheech and Chong. While other male comedy stars work together frequently, from Bob Hope and Bing Crosby to Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, to the current duos like Seth Rogen and Jamed Franco. There was an attempt by producer Hal Roach to establish a female 1930’s comedy team with Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts (replaced by Patsy Kelly), but woman duos were a fixture of TV, from Lucy and Ethel to Laverne and Shirley, and recently those “Two Broke Girls”. Fey and Poehler have such an easy rapport and expert timing, so hopefully this comic collaboration will continue for several more features. It’s a shame that this entry is not on par with their impressive skill set. The script by former SNL scribe, and comic actress, Paula Pell is chocked full of great bits for the duo, but like many screen comedies it seems to lose its momentum at around the one hour mark, settling into an all too common, deadly “lull”. This may be the fault of PITCH PERFECT director Jason Moore, who needed to make the film a good 15 to 20 minutes shorter (as I’ve said in the past, comedies really shouldn’t be over 100 minutes unless the word “mad” is in the title four times). These are funny people, true, but not everything’s gold. The party montages, just as in the teen comedies, become tiresome and with adults, kinda’ desperate. And the drug stuff danger takes away from the humor (really, these aging swingers would be headed to the ER). Plus the massive property damage final act doesn’t have the desired payoff. If you’re fans of this Golden Globes super team, then the film is a must see. Let’s see if they kind find a better showcase in the near future, because the scenes when they’re together is the only time that SISTERS soars.
Disney Pixar’s INSIDE OUT is gearing up to hit theaters, and in celebration, stars Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kyle MacLachlan, and Bobby Moynihan hit the purple carpet for the films premiere. The carpet was also joined by Minnie Driver, David Alan Grier, Tony Hawk and more! Check out my pictures from the red carpet below!
Do you ever look at someone and wonder what is going on inside their head? Disney•Pixar’s original new film “Inside Out” ventures inside the mind to find out.
Based in Headquarters, the control center inside 11-year-old Riley’s mind, five Emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy (Amy Poehler), whose mission is to make sure Riley stays happy. Fear (voice of Bill Hader) heads up safety, Anger (voice of Lewis Black) ensures all is fair and Disgust (voice of Mindy Kaling) prevents Riley from getting poisoned—both physically and socially. Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith) isn’t exactly sure what her role is, and frankly, neither is anyone else. When Riley’s family relocates to a scary new city, the Emotions are on the job, eager to help guide her through the difficult transition. But when Joy and Sadness are inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley’s mind—taking some of her core memories with them—Fear, Anger and Disgust are left reluctantly in charge. Joy and Sadness must venture through unfamiliar places—Long Term Memory, Imagination Land, Abstract Thought and Dream Productions—in a desperate effort to get back to Headquarters, and Riley.
A young, hipster entrepreneur (Nick Kroll) crashes and burns on the eve of his company’s big launch. With his entire life in disarray, he leaves Manhattan to move in with his estranged pregnant sister (Rose Byrne), brother-in-law (Bobby Cannavale) and three year-old nephew in the suburbs — only to become their manny. Faced with real responsibility, he may finally have to grow up — but not without some bad behavior first.
From director Ross Katz, here’s the new trailer for ADULT BEGINNERS.
Katz made his directorial debut with the HBO film “Taking Chance.” Beginning as a film producer, the ADULT BEGINNERS director said, “My dream came true when a script called “Brother’s Keeper” (now titled “Adult Beginners”) landed on my desk. Written by the brilliant Liz Flahive and Jeff Cox, with a story originated by comedian and actor Nick Kroll, I was absolutely blown away as I tore through the script. I wanted to make a comedy, but not just a comedy – a comedy that had real drama and an enormous amount of heart. That’s exactly what I found in this script.
Not only was the script extraordinary, but I was in the lucky position of having three of the most versatile leading actors already attached to the script: Rose Byrne, Nick Kroll (also a producer), and Bobby Cannavale. These three actors are a gift for a director…they were each stunningly versatile in helping balance the comedy and the drama and the heart. There is no greater joy for a director than working with accomplished actors, and these three often stepped out of their comfort zones to find their characters.”
The film also stars Paula Garces, Jane Krakowski, Joel McHale, Bobby Moynihan, Mike Birbiglia and Josh Charles.
ADULT BEGINNERS opens in theaters and VOD April 24.
If you’ve ever felt different, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is the college for you!
Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) has dreamed of becoming a “scarer” since he was a little pupil. (Ha… see what I did there? Eh? Ehhhh?). Since the best “scarers” come from Monsters University, that is the only school for him, and nothing was going to stop him… that is, until he met James P. Sullivan, or “Sulley” (John Goodman), a natural “scarer” with a family history in the career. Now, it’s a fight of brains vs. natural, raw talent as the two compete to keep their spot in their “scare” school. Can Mike learn all he needs to know about scaring from books and hard work? Does Sulley have enough natural talent to make up for his lack of studying?
I really enjoyed the writing and humor of this film. I think Disney•Pixar was smart to do a prequel, and show us how Mike and Sulley first met. This film is not as heart-heavy as most Pixar flicks, but that isn’t a bad thing, in my opinion. It was kind of refreshing to sit through one of their films without bursting into tears. The story, instead, focuses on the pair’s relationship, and the friendships they made through the pivotal “self discovery” years known as college. On top of that, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY keeps things in perspective for young audience members. Mike and Sulley did not get along when they first met, but they managed to put their differences aside and work towards a common goal as a team. They also hide a few “when life hands you lemons” scenarios in there. They acknowledge that things don’t always work out according to plan, but with hard work, you can achieve anything. It’s a much better message to convey to audiences compared to the “everything will work out in the end” fluff stories that most films continue to shove down our necks. I honestly admire this new angle by Pixar. Did they stray from their formula a bit? Yes. Do I think the risk paid off? You bet! This film is funny! The little jokes and puns had me laughing throughout the film.
Billy Crystal and John Goodman know what they are doing when it comes to voicing these beloved characters. Over ten years has gone by, and the two still have a tremendous amount of chemistry. Randy, voiced by Steve Buscemi makes a comeback, but the cast is rounded out by mostly new faces. Helen Mirren, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Peter Sohn, Bobby Moynihan and Nathan Fillion round out this incredible cast. The stand out, for me, is the new character Art, voiced by Charlie Day. He’s a great comic relief for the film, and embodies that one weird, art hippy that is in every college class. We all had one! College wouldn’t be the same without them. Heck, most of the characters in this film are less than popular, which makes them even more enjoyable. The characters tie in well to the “not fitting in” and “finding yourself” experiences that we all go through during those college years. Let’s face it, we can’t all be popular! I was far from it! Maybe that’s why I’m such a sucker for a good “underdog” story… Hmm.
From the visual appearance of Sulley and Mike, to the details of their beloved college campus, Pixar continues to set the bar for animation. The amount of attention they give to the design and look of a film is unsurpassed by any other animation studio. When they first released MONSTERS INC. in 2001, audiences were blown away by the way they animated fur and hair. It’s mind-blowing to see how much they have already improved on those skills. I had to continually remind myself to admire the animation because it was so easy to get lost in. They are masters of their craft, and this film is no exception.
Disney•Pixar has done it again! MONSTERS UNIVERSITY is a fun film for any age.
On Monday, June 17th, 2013 WAMG attended the the WORLD PREMIERE of Disney•Pixar’s frighteningly fun “MONSTERS UNIVERITY,” featuring the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Helen Mirren. The event was held at the El Capitan on Hollywood Blvd. and featured the ESPN College Scareday hosted by Lee Corso and Desmond Howard as they provided play-by-play commentary on the blue carpet, a photo ID station where guests could create their own student ID, the MU pep squad drum corps and cheerleaders, as well as the Disneyland All-American college band, appearances by Mike & Sulley, a monster obstacle course, games like Eye Ball, Sulley’s Shuffle Air Hockey and EEK ball, temporary tattoos, opportunities to design a monster head piece, Build and Growl replica race cars from Lowe’s Build and Grow, and MU team spirit accessories.
Attending the event were Billy Crystal, Sean P. Hayes, Charlie Day, Bobby Moynihan, John Ratzenberger, Noah Johnston, director Dan Scanlon, and executive producer John Lasseter. Also, guests Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, Alessandra Ambrosio, Ed Begley Jr., Wayne Brady, Kate Flannery, Melissa Joan Hart, Oscar Nunez, Tito Ortiz, Scottie Pippen, Karina Smirnoff. From ESPN: Lee Corso and Desmond Howard. From ABC: Molly Ephraim (“Last Man Standing”), Isabella Cramp and Max Charles (“The Neighbors”), Rico Rodriguez (“Modern Family”), and Eden Sher (“The Middle”) were there to show their MU team spirit. Check out some photos from the event below.
There are more photos below for your viewing pleasure. Simply click on the thumbnails to enlarge.
Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right. Screaming with laughter and oozing with heart, Disney•Pixar’s “Monsters University” is directed by Dan Scanlon (“Cars,” “Mater and the Ghostlight,” “Tracy”), produced by Kori Rae (“Up,” “The Incredibles,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and features music from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and award-winning composer Randy Newman (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Toy Story 3”).
