History of the World, Part II — Episode 102 — Judas betrays Jesus; Shirley Chisholm makes a big announcement. General Grant finds himself in trouble and Marco Polo meets Kublai Khan. Schmuck Mudman (Nick Kroll), shown. (Photo by: Greg Gayne/Hulu)
After waiting over 40 years there is finally a sequel to the seminal Mel Brooks film, “History of the World, Part I,” with each episode featuring a variety of sketches that take us through different periods of human history.
Starring Mel Brooks, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, Ike Barinholtz, catch the first teaser.
Mel Brooks writes and executive produces on the series along with Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. Kevin Salter, David Greenbaum and Christie Smith also serve as executive producers. “History of the World Part II” is a production of Searchlight Television and 20th Television.
Mel Brooks’ History of the World PART II, a four night event, begins streaming March 6 on Hulu.
History of the World, Part II — Episode 101 — General Grant heads out in search of a drink; After the Russian Tsar is executed, Schmuck Mudman and his family head to Moscow; Shakespeare’s Writers Room; Invention of Fire; The REAL Kama Sutra. Shirley Chisholm (Wanda Sykes), shown. (Photo by: Tyler Golden/Hulu)History of the World, Part II — Episode 102 — Judas betrays Jesus; Shirley Chisholm makes a big announcement. General Grant finds himself in trouble and Marco Polo meets Kublai Khan. Leon Trotsky (Ike Barinholtz), shown. (Photo by: Greg Gayne/Hulu)History of the World, Part II — Episode 101 — General Grant heads out in search of a drink; After the Russian Tsar is executed, Schmuck Mudman and his family head to Moscow; Shakespeare’s Writers Room; Invention of Fire; The REAL Kama Sutra. Commentator (Nick Kroll), Commentator (Wanda Sykes), and Commentator (Ike Barinholtz) shown. (Photo: courtesy of Hulu)
Utopia is pleased to announce that FOR MADMEN ONLY, a feature documentary that places improv guru Del Close front and center, is set for release on Altavod & Apple TV in the USA and Canada on July 27th, 2021. Here’s the trailer:
Synopsis: Comedy guru Del Close, mentor to everyone from Bill Murray to Tina Fey, sets out to write his autobiography for DC Comics. As he leads us through sewers, mental wards, and his peculiar talent for making everyone famous but himself, Close emerges as a personification of the creative impulse itself. He’s a muse with BO and dirty needles, offering transcendence despite (or because of) the trail of wreckage behind him.
In this at once hilarious and poignant look at the life of the godfather of improv comedy, Del Close, Festival alum Heather Ross (Girls on The Wall) tracks the trailblazer from “human torch” sideshow act to his influential and contentious rise at The Second City, mentoring such greats as Bill Murray, John Candy, and Tina Fey, among many others. Inspired by his semi-autobiographical DC Comics anthology Wasteland, the film delves into the inner workings of Close’s wacky mind through inspired reenactments, archival clips, and interviews with such devotees as Bob Odenkirk, Tim Meadows, and Adam McKay. The result is a lively, multi-layered picture of a man and his mission, riding on the edges of genius and despair, creativity, and insanity.
Heather Ross said of her second feature documentary, “We knew that to make the definitive movie about this icon/unknown, we would need to take the same kind of creative risks that he was famous for. As someone known for breaking down genres and experimenting with form—not to mention playing fast and loose with the truth – we decided to apply the same ideas to our film and try to break new ground with the documentary genre. This resulted in constructing a set of scenes imagining the creative process behind WASTELAND, Del’s comic book autobiography.”
Danielle DiGiacomo, Head of Content for Utopia, said, “For Madmen Only is a singular film reflecting a singular man – a creative and joyful exploration of one of the lesser sung heroes in all of comedy; we at Utopia can’t wait for viewers to be taken on a much needed escape into hilarity and genius.”
FOR MADMEN ONLY premieres on Altavod & Apple TV on July 27th, 2021, with special events and screenings to be announced. Pre-Order the film HERE
As October hurtles past the midway point, many folks are experiencing a feeling of dread, one that’s not from worrying over having enough candy for the trick-or-treaters or if your party costume is too scary or sexy (or not enough of either). Nope, it’s because the really frightening events are happening just weeks later. Yes, it’s Thanksgiving, the first of the two big year-end family get-togethers, a day to revel in homecomings and making memories as you pass the stuffing and cranberry sauce (drat, almost left it in the fridge again). But for some of us, it can be an endurance test as old wounds are re-opened (and often liberally salted). One source of heated conversations post meals and pre-football is the political scene. Mom may try and nix that talk, but it settles in like indigestion. With the dining room simmering and smoldering with tension, what would happen if the government, as the old expression goes, decided to toss gasoline on the fire? That’s the premise of a new flick that doesn’t feel that far removed from the current climate. In this story the day after the feast is not focused on shopping, but rather on the final day of THE OATH.
So, what is this source of controversy? The “Patriot’s Oath” is merely a single sentence: “I pledge my loyalty to the president and my country, and vow to defend them from enemies, both foreign and domestic”. You caught the word “loyalty”, right? Just four words in, so it’s definitely a “loyalty oath”. That’s what really disturbs thirty-something middle married middle-class couple (and parents of adorable daughter Hardy) Chris (Ike Barinholtz) and Kai (Tiffany Haddish). Actually, they’re horrified at this event, and despite the press secretary’s assurance of a “tax break” for those who sign, the two believe that all will come to their senses long before the “signing” deadline that’s months away, on “Black Friday”, the day after Thanksgiving. Flash forward to Thanksgiving Eve Eve. The Oath deadline is still happening, and now it has its own squad of “enforcers”, a subset of Homeland Security called the “Citizens Protection Unit”, whose main “goal” is to make sure nobody is prevented from signing up by Friday. But Chris has more immediate concerns as he closes up the office of his “citizens’ action” bureau. His family, parents, and siblings, will be converging on their home for the big feast. Chris’s mom Eleanor (Nora Dunn) and dad Hank (Chris Ellis), are a bit stodgy, but more middle of the road, hoping to keep politics off the Dinner table. Oh oh, there’s brother Pat (Jon Barinholtz), a fervent ultra-right-winger, who sees nothing at all wrong with the Oath. And he brings along his current girlfriend Abbie (Meredith Hagner), who’s even further to the right, boasting of how she likes to “stir up s#*t” on the internet. But luckily there’s the mellow sister Alice (Carrie Brownstein) who shares some “herbal relaxers” with Chris while her hubby (Jay Duplass) rides out a nasty stomach bug in one of the guest bedrooms (and bathrooms). On the street and at a restaurant they witness the rising tensions that lead to altercations, as reports of CPU crackdowns fill the cable news channels. On the big “turkey day” tempers explode when an iconic Civil Rights senator is hauled away in shackles. The big meal is a big bust. But things go from bad to even worse the next day, when Chris returns home from an errand to find two CPU officers, Peter (John Cho) and Mason (Billy Magnussen), waiting for him in his den. Turns out that Pat let them in (“They’re just like cops, right?”). Peter says that they got an anonymous call that Chris was keeping someone from signing the Oath. If Chris will just take a drive with them, Peter’s certain they can “work things out”. Ah, but the spirit of those radical 1960’s is strong in Chris. And thus begins a long and truly bleak, black Friday.
In most films, we could easily point to Ike Barinholtz’s Chris as the “hero” of the story. Protective of his family and his ideals, Chris should be the “voice of reason” for the audience, but Ike makes him complex. Sure, he’s in the “right” most of the time, but he can also be arrogant and self-righteous to the point of aggravation and annoyance. When the “stuff” hits the fan, he’s “flailing about’ mentally and physically, a “smart” guy that’s just as dumb as those he denigrates. Happily, Ike has a great chemistry with Haddish who breaks away from her “party-gal” persona she created with her stand-up comedy and breakout role in GIRLS TRIP. Her Kai is an equal partner to Ike’s Chris, but more, she’s his moral compass and grounding force. Though she may agree with Chris, Kai will not let his stubborn streak endanger the life they have made. The two are a most believable team, particularly in the opening flashback that’s playfully sexy. The other Barinholtz, Jon as brother Pat, matches Chris for pure belligerence, plus an entitled “frat-boy” attitude. And he’s got the perfect mate in Hagner’s Abbie, whose hair-trigger (she goes into a blind rage each time Chris forgets her name) acerbates any minor altercation into a major “throw down”. Abbie is a sneering harpy for the new century. At the other end of the spectrum is Brownstein as the reasoning, calming “Earth mother” whose cool demeanor finally crumbles from dealing with both Pat and Chris. And then there are the two “interlopers” brought into the “safe space” for the suspense-filled second act. Causing more of a conundrum are the two distant personalities of the duo, a riff on the classic “good cop/bad cop”. Cho’s Peter is a new-age “Joe Friday”, there to do his job with the most professionalism. He can assess the “feel” of the room, and will not allow himself to take any of Chris’s insults personally. Cho plays him as the “caring counselor really wanting to help. Then there’s Mason, played with “off-kilter” menace by Magnussen. He’s the “wild card” who seems to be hoping for an altercation in order to finally get his hands “dirty”. As Peter tries to mediate, Mason is seething, his teeth grinding under his perfectly-trimmed ‘stache, ready to abuse and enforce. All the while, the heads of the family, played with numbed bewilderment by Dunn and Ellis, fretfully try to restore the peace. Mom and Pop are pretty powerless in this suburban “powderkeg”.
This is the feature film directing debut for Ike Barinholtz after helming episodes of TV’s “The Mindy Project”, and it’s his second feature script after CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE along with writing for “Mindy” and “MADtv”. That sketch comedy background has served him well, as he’s come up with a bit of satire that pushes reality ever so slightly. In interviews, he’s said that the idea came to him after the last big election, but the film doesn’t come off as a lecturing screed, more as an “off the wall” “what if” combined with “Griswald-like” comedy chaos and conflict. This “else-world” Ike has fashioned feels not far removed, even with its street “flare-ups’ and awkward TV press conferences. The set-up is clever, but the big “pay off” is often too coarse and clumsy. T-day’s feast is quickly mired in a torrent of “f-bombs” (really, two minutes of “F you” “No, f you” and so on) and screaming through clenched teeth over the yams and peas. With the violence and blood, the CPU showdown may be the reason that many (mostly the marketing folks) are comparing this to the politically-inspired horrors of THE PURGE and GET OUT (not in the same cosmos really), but it never maintains any momentum, stopping and starting, till everything is wrapped up far too neatly with a tidy, convenient bow before the end credits. Ike’s idea might have made for an engaging extra-long TV skit or even an hour-long comedy special, but THE OATH turns into an exhausting, irritating 93-minute mess. This I swear (but not as much as the cast).
Hysterical and over-the-top parental trio John Cena (Trainwreck, Sisters), Leslie Mann (The Other Woman, This Is 40) and Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) will do anything to foil their daughters’ prom night sex pact in BLOCKERS, the uproarious hit coming to Digital and the all-new digital movie app MOVIES ANYWHERE on June 19, 2018, and Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on July 3, 2018 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Hailed as the “perfect comedy for the current era” by Vanity Fair,BLOCKERS is a gender-swapped spin on the classic teen sex comedy, filled with outrageous antics from the parents as their daughters take control of their epic prom night. The Blu-ray, DVD and Digital feature unrated bonus content with even more wild shenanigans including deleted scenes, gag reel, line-o-rama and more!
Now you can own the BLOCKERS Blu-ray . We Are Movie Geeks has 4 copies to give away.All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite movie co-starring Leslie Mann? (mine is THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN!). It’s so easy!
Making her directorial debut, Kay Cannon (writer of the Pitch Perfect series), along with the producers of Neighbors and This Is the End, bring laugh-out-loud moments in the outrageous comedy BLOCKERS. When three parents (Cena, Mann and Barinholtz) stumble upon their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal. BLOCKERS also features teenage newcomers led by rising actress, Kathryn Newton (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Big Little Lies), Geraldine Viswanathan (EMO The Muscial), Gideon Adlon (“American Crime,” “Girl Meets World”), Graham Phillips (“Riverdale,” “The Good Wife”), Miles Robbins (“Mozart in the Jungle”) and Jimmy Bellinger (“The Middle”). Also joining in on the fun are comedic supporting cast members Gary Cole (“Veep,” Office Space), Gina Gershon (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Hannibal Buress (“Broad City,” Neighbors 2), Colton Dunn (“Key and Peele,” “Superstore”) and June Diane Raphael (“Grace and Frankie,” “New Girl”).
BONUS FEATURES:
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel – The entire cast contributes to these on-set flubs.
Line-O-Rama – The laughs continue after the take!
Rescue Mission – Being a parent isn’t easy, as Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena make abundantly clear. Hear them and director Kay Cannon discuss parental mistakes and lessons learned. They even top it off with a good old-fashioned car explosion!
Prom Night – Filmmakers and cast discuss how they achieved the perfect prom look and also share some of their own personal prom stories.
The History of Sex with Ike Barinholtz – Ike Barinholtz explains the origins of human sexuality and its evolution through time.
John Cena’s Prom Survival Kit for Parents – John Cena shows off a survival kit filled with items that will help parents survive the most stressful time of year – prom season!
Chug! Chug! Chug! – The film introduced the world to the concept of “butt chugging.” Hear cast, crew, and butt-chugger John Cena discuss how they handled this standout scene.
Puke-a-Palooza – One memorable scene involves copious amounts of projectile vomit. See what cast, filmmakers, and crew went through to make sure the puke was as authentic as possible.
Now you can own the WOLFCOP WOLFPACK. We Are Movie Geeks has 1 copy to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your favorite werewolf movie? (mine is CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF!). It’s so easy!
BLOCKERS will be available on Blu-ray combo pack which includes Blu-ray, DVD and Digital, and Movies Anywhere.
Blu-ray unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
Movies Anywhere is the digital app that simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-rayTM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere. MOVIES ANYWHERE is only available in the United States. For more information, visit https://moviesanywhere.com.
FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena
Casting By: Jeanne McCarthy, Nicole Abellera
Music Supervisor: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Music By: Mateo Messina
Costume Designer: Sarah Mae Burton
Edited By: Stacey Schroeder
Production Designer: Brandon Tonner-Connolly
Director of Photographer: Russ Alsobrook ASC
Produced By: Evan Goldberg p.g.a, Seth Rogen, James Weaver p.g.a, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Chris Fenton
Hysterical and over-the-top parental trio John Cena (Trainwreck, Sisters), Leslie Mann (The Other Woman, This Is 40) and Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) will do anything to foil their daughters’ prom night sex pact in BLOCKERS, the uproarious hit coming to Digital and the all-new digital movie app MOVIES ANYWHERE on June 19, 2018, and Blu-ray™, DVD and On Demand on July 3, 2018 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Hailed as the “perfect comedy for the current era” by Vanity Fair,BLOCKERS is a gender-swapped spin on the classic teen sex comedy, filled with outrageous antics from the parents as their daughters take control of their epic prom night. The Blu-ray, DVD and Digital feature unrated bonus content with even more wild shenanigans including deleted scenes, gag reel, line-o-rama and more!
Making her directorial debut, Kay Cannon (writer of the Pitch Perfect series), along with the producers of Neighbors and This Is the End, bring laugh-out-loud moments in the outrageous comedy BLOCKERS. When three parents (Cena, Mann and Barinholtz) stumble upon their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal. BLOCKERS also features teenage newcomers led by rising actress, Kathryn Newton (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Big Little Lies), Geraldine Viswanathan (EMO The Muscial), Gideon Adlon (“American Crime,” “Girl Meets World”), Graham Phillips (“Riverdale,” “The Good Wife”), Miles Robbins (“Mozart in the Jungle”) and Jimmy Bellinger (“The Middle”). Also joining in on the fun are comedic supporting cast members Gary Cole (“Veep,” Office Space), Gina Gershon (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), Hannibal Buress (“Broad City,” Neighbors 2), Colton Dunn (“Key and Peele,” “Superstore”) and June Diane Raphael (“Grace and Frankie,” “New Girl”).
BONUS FEATURES:
Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel – The entire cast contributes to these on-set flubs.
Line-O-Rama – The laughs continue after the take!
Rescue Mission – Being a parent isn’t easy, as Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena make abundantly clear. Hear them and director Kay Cannon discuss parental mistakes and lessons learned. They even top it off with a good old-fashioned car explosion!
Prom Night – Filmmakers and cast discuss how they achieved the perfect prom look and also share some of their own personal prom stories.
The History of Sex with Ike Barinholtz – Ike Barinholtz explains the origins of human sexuality and its evolution through time.
John Cena’s Prom Survival Kit for Parents – John Cena shows off a survival kit filled with items that will help parents survive the most stressful time of year – prom season!
Chug! Chug! Chug! – The film introduced the world to the concept of “butt chugging.” Hear cast, crew, and butt-chugger John Cena discuss how they handled this standout scene.
Puke-a-Palooza – One memorable scene involves copious amounts of projectile vomit. See what cast, filmmakers, and crew went through to make sure the puke was as authentic as possible.
BLOCKERS will be available on Blu-ray combo pack which includes Blu-ray, DVD and Digital, and Movies Anywhere.
Blu-ray unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
Movies Anywhere is the digital app that simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-rayTM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere. MOVIES ANYWHERE is only available in the United States. For more information, visit https://moviesanywhere.com.
FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena
Casting By: Jeanne McCarthy, Nicole Abellera
Music Supervisor: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Music By: Mateo Messina
Costume Designer: Sarah Mae Burton
Edited By: Stacey Schroeder
Production Designer: Brandon Tonner-Connolly
Director of Photographer: Russ Alsobrook ASC
Produced By: Evan Goldberg p.g.a, Seth Rogen, James Weaver p.g.a, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Chris Fenton
As Spring break finally starts to wind down, the multiplex offers an R-rated for raunchy oasis amidst the battling ‘bots and silent scary stories. It ‘s been six weeks since the wild antics of GAME NIGHT and four weeks for that bucks and bullets romp GRINGO. This week’s flick is unique since it concerns both adults and their kids, a twist on the NEIGHBORS movies which had a young married couple squaring off against some rowdy college students. Now, these parents are a bit older than Seth and Rose (who had toddlers), since they have kids about to graduate high school. Oh, and their kids are actually young women, maturing way too fast for their folks. That’s one of the reasons these three parents decide to become BLOCKERS.
Through a cell phone’s camera we first meet sweet little Julie as she looks sadly into the lens. It’s her first day of school (likely first grade, so first full day, and maybe a new school). Single mom Lisa (Leslie Mann) does her best to put her angel at ease (while stifling a sob, no doubt). Then Lisa’s frown turns upside down as another girl, Kayla, introduces herself, seconds before Samantha (Sam) joins them. A bond is formed at the school’s entrance way. While on the other side of the cell phone another friendship begins between Kayla’s papa Mitchell (John Cena) and Sam’s dad Hunter (Ike Barinholtz). Cue the Broadway standard “Turn Around” as a dozen or so years pass, and the bond between the little girls is even stronger as they blossom into young women. It’s a special day, because that night is the big prom. At school, later that morning, Julie (Kathryn Newton) announces to her pals that she will “give herself” to her longtime boyfriend Austin (Graham Phillips) that night, after the dance. Kayla (Geraldine Viswanathan) excitedly suggests that she will lose her virginity that night also, allowing them to share a secret special anniversary. The quiet, shy Sam (Gideon Adlon) is hesitant as she, unbeknownst to her BFFs, is questioning her ..um..”orientation”. But, deciding she should experience “everything”, Sam agrees to be part of the big “Sexpact 2018”. After school, Lisa throws a pre-prom get together in her backyard for the kids and their parents. Mitchell takes an instant disliking to Kaylo’s date Connor (Miles Robbins), her science lab partner. Suddenly a stretch limo pulls up and the long absent Hunter, who was divorced by Sam’s mom years ago, emerges proclaiming that the “ride” is his treat. As the couples head out for their big night, Mitchell and Hunter stick around to help Lisa clean up. They’re distracted by the near-constant beeping coming from Julie’s room. Turns out she left her laptop on, and it’s synced up with her phone so that every text pops up on the screen. The trio are perplexed by the stream of symbols and emojis, but Hunter finally decodes them and figures out the after-dance plans. Then Lisa proposes another pact: stop the girls from going “all the way”. Mitchell quickly agrees, as does an initially reticent Hunter. Thus begins their long night’s odyssey, as they attempt to track down their girls and “block” those boys.
Hey Rock, watch your back (and read your scripts carefully) because another “brother from the ring’ is making a name for himself in the movies. After several great supporting roles in comedies (SISTERS, TRAINWRECK, and the DADDY”S HOME flicks), Cena gets to shine center stage (along with Leslie and Ike) with a very energetic and appealing performance as perhaps the most protective screen pop since Neeson’s TAKEN role. Mitchell may have a body chiseled from stone, but there’s a soft gooey center inside when it comes to his love for Kayla. He will (and does) suffer any amount of embarrassment and humiliation in her name. Not only is Cena a terrific physical comedian (and impressive physical presence), but he’s got great comic timing, hitting the punch lines with expert precision. He ably holds his own screen time along with his two comedy vets at his side. We know that Mann can deliver the funny from her work on four films made by her husband Judd Apatow. This is her strongest work since their last collaboration (and a serious career stumble with two dismal 2016 efforts, HOW TO BE SINGLE and THE COMEDIAN). There’s a real complexity and vulnerability to her performance as the helicopter mom, Lisa. As she pursues her daughter, she begins to reflect back on her own life and choices, especially in a telephone call between the two that proves brutally honest and heartbreaking. This gives her final scenes an emotional wallop, which Mann delivers on to make Lisa’s story arc very compelling. That arc is nearly as strong as that of Barinholtz’s Hunter who begins as the hard-parting goof we’ve seen him do in the NEIGHBORS flicks and as the wild male nurse in TV’s “The Mindy Project” (he was a writing and producer in the show also). He’s got a manic motormouth that switches on to high without thinking things through. Although he’s the first to realize the pact plans, Hunter has the most mature response, although he’s soon at the forefront of the nutty schemes. But Barinholtz opens up the Hunter character, who rebels at being labeled the “bad dad” of the block and rails at his “banishment” by those he thought were his friends. And, most touchingly, he begins to repair his relationship with his daughter Sam, admitting his mistakes and devastating regrets. We know that Barinholtz can tickle the funny bones, but here he also pulls at the heart-strings.
The other trio is more than worthy of praise (we’ll be hearing from them in lots of future projects). Newton handles the more difficult role with great skill. Her relationship with mom Lisa is the film’s most complex and dramatic. Luckily Newton can balance the laughs and tears while making her romance with Phillips as Austin very warm and real. Adlon (daughter of Pamela Adlon, mastermind behind TV’s “Better Things’, so the apple doesn’t fall far…) also brings warmth with awkward laughs as Sam, whose character faces a huge life decision that threatens to upend her friendships. It’s another great character arc, one that plays out beautifully, and deftly handled with true grit by Adlon. And then there’s the film’s comedic force of nature, the wild whirlwind that is Viswanathan as the crude, rude, full of attitude Kayla. In the tradition of Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS through to Jillian Bell in ROUGH NIGHT, she’s got a go for broke, unfiltered energy that bursts off the screen. She’s a superb scene-stealer (and with this cast, that’s saying something). That energy works well as a counter-balance to the always-chill Robbins as “herbal chef” Connor. When he’s not rattling off the ingredients of his crafted mood-enhancers (like a server relaying today’s specials at a fancy eatery), he’s smirking beneath his “man bun” ( a look that acts as a red flag to the “man-bull” Mitchell). And let’s praise Sam’s date, Jimmy Bellinger, as theatre geek Chad, a guy trying way too hard to be hip (that fedora). Getting back to the adults, there short but solid work from June Diane Raphael as Sam’s still bitter mom and Hannibal Buress as her new hubby, the good-natured but off-putting Frank. Plus Colton Dunn as the world’s most accommodating limo driver scores big laughs , as do Gary Cole and Gina Gershon as Austin’s very adventurous parents. And though she doesn’t get to deliver many of the movie’s jokes, Sarayu Blue as Mitchell’s no-nonsense hard-working wife Marcie is a most welcome voice of sanity amidst the chaos.
This marks the feature directing debut of Kay Cannon, another of this film’s delightful surprises. Aside from guiding the terrific cast, Cannon has a confident comedic hand, knowing just when to trim a scene or cut for ultimate hilarity (this flick has the most excruciating genital close-up since THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY) to generate multiple laughs (sure I’ve missed a few jokes due to the big audience reactions). Much of those laughs must be credited to the intelligent script by Brian and Jim Kehoe who have created some of the most engaging high school women since LADY BIRD. What’s most interesting is the way the story shifts. After the first hour or so most comedies hit a lull, a dull stretch until the usual slapstick finale. Here, when the laughs begin to taper off a tad, the tone gets more dramatic and is just as compelling as the goofy hijinks It put me in mind of the terrific SUPERBAD (can’t be 11 years old already), and wouldn’t you know, Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg are two of this flick’s producers. Though this film seems to be just right for these changing times. The marketing folks are selling this as a raucus raunchy farce, but it really has lots to say about sexual mores and manners. And it really tackles some old antiquated double-standard about active young men and women (these three ladies have no need of rescuers). Despite crude symbolism in the poster art, and the chugging contest in the trailers (pretty funny payoff, though), BLOCKERS is a smart and savvy comedy.
It was announced on The Today Show this morning that the Blockers filmmakers and cast are giving away FREE tickets to special Spring Fling screenings for fans this Wednesday, April 4th!
When three parents discover their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal. Leslie Mann (The Other Woman, This Is 40), Ike Barinholtz (Neighbors, Suicide Squad) and John Cena (Trainwreck, Sisters) star in Blockers, the directorial debut of Kay Cannon (writer of the Pitch Perfect series).
The comedy is produced by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen and James Weaver, under their Point Grey Pictures banner (Neighbors, This Is the End), alongside Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg (Harold & Kumar series) and DMG Entertainment’s Chris Fenton (47 Ronin).
Good Universe’s Nathan Kahane and Joseph Drake (Don’t Breathe, Juno) executive produce with Chris Cowles (Collide) of DMG, as well as Josh Fagen, Dave Stassen and Jonathan McCoy. The film is written by brothers Brian & Jim Kehoe.
Cast: Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, John Cena, Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, Gideon Adlon
Directed by: Kay Cannon
Written by: Brian Kehoe & Jim Kehoe
Produced by: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, James Weaver, Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, Chris Fenton
Executive Producers: Nathan Kahane, Joseph Drake, Josh Fagen, Chris Cowles, Dave Stassen, Jonathan McCoy
It’s a big holiday weekend, so Hollywood has concocted a new flick that’s a perfect match for that very special day. It’s an ode to mothers everywhere, but it’s not sugary and sappy, no hearts and flowers here. That’s because it’s the sophomore feature film from Amy Schumer, so it’s more than a touch tart and spicy. Two years ago the superstar of stand-up and cable TV (the critical and ratings darling of Comedy Central) stormed the multiplex with the hit comedy romance (which she wrote) TRAINWRECK. For this follow-up , she’s decided to share the screen (top billing, above the title in the ads) with a movie veteran. Of course, she had terrific co-stars in her previous flick (Bill Hader, future Oscar-winner Brie Larson and NBA icon LeBron James, for gosh sake). But this time Amy’s part of a team similar to what another funny lady did a couple of years back with TAMMY. Melissa McCarthy hit the road with Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon as her grandma’, complete with silver wig. And now Ms. Schumer’s on-screen mum in another Oscar-winner we’ve not seen in movies for fifteen years (that 2002 comedy co-starred her with Sarandon, oddly enough), the still adorable Goldie Hawn, In her screen return she and Amy embark on a dream vacation that becomes a nightmare when they get SNATCHED.
Thirty-something Emily Middleton (Schumer) is having a truly awful day. First she gets fired from her 9 to 5 retail gig, but this just gives her more time to prepare for her trip to Ecuador with her (wannabe’) rock star boyfriend Michael (Randall Park). But then he dumps her at brunch. She slumps back to her big city apartment to announce the break-up on social media. Her mother immediately chimes in with messages of support (“You’ve still got two years to find someone else”). Mom Linda (Hawn) lives in the suburban family home along with two felines (could she be on her way to “crazy cat-lady town”?) and her needy agoraphobic adult son Jeffrey (Ike Barinholtz), protected by a plethora of door locks and chains. Meanwhile Emily desperately tries to find someone to join her on the trip (the tix are non-refundable). No takers, so it’s off to mum’s house to re-charge. One night, she discovers an old photo album in the closet. Emily is stunned to find dozens of faded snapshots of Linda exploring the world, a real happenin’ chick! Why not take her to South America. After much cajoling and pleading, Linda is on her way to Ecuador with her Em’. But just hours after checking in at the luxury hotel, Emily needs a breather from mom. Down at the cocktail lounge she attracts the attention of a sexy, scruffy Brit named James (Tom Bateman). With little prodding, Emily joins him for an adventure, At the end of the boozy night, James insists that Emily and her mother join him for an “off-the-beaten-track” daytime excursion. Again, Linda gives in to her daughter, and they pile into James’ Jeep in search of double rainbows. But mom is alarmed when James drives them through seedy neighborhoods. Suddenly a van rams into them. When the ladies come to, they’re in a dank concrete bunker. They’ve been kidnapped by the notorious Morgado (Oscar Jaenada), who uses their IDs to call Jeffery and demand a 100 grand ransom. Can the Middleton ladies escape their abductors and somehow get back to the states?
For her second feature film lead, Schumer tweaks her stand-up comic persona to make Emily into a prime example of (as the young people say) a “hot mess”. Unlike her TRAINWRECK role, this time she’s not as confident and focused, professionally or romantically. And she’s more than a bit clueless, constantly taking “selfies” and wondering why the world hasn’t noticed her “fabulous-ness”. Schumer shows off her great comic “chops” in the hysterical break-up scene when she tries to retroactively take control of the situation (“No, I’m breaking up with you…first!”). Though the film’s biggest delight is the welcome return of Ms. Hawn. She’s both aggravating and endearing as Linda, a mature woman who’s almost given up (she still is tempted by the dating “pop-ups” on her laptop). When Linda finally leaves her comfort zone, she’s more aware of her surroundings than her flighty off-spring. Though she complains of “weak angles”, Hawn transforms Linda into a full-fledged action hero, one that still has much to teach her daughter. By the film’s end, we’re rewarded by that endearing “twinkly” smile and the decades melt away with our “Cactus flower” in full bloom once more.
Luckily the ladies are supported by an exceptionally funny and talented group. Their best sparring partner may be Barinholtz (also terrific in the NEIGHBORS flicks and SISTERS) as the clingy Jeffrey, whose screeches of “Ma-ma! Ma-ma!” are hysterical while grating like fingernails on a chalk board. He’s also a great comic cohort to Bashir Salahuddin as the burly, exasperated fed whose cool demeanor detonates after the constant barrage of calls from Jeffrey. Christopher Meloni, best known as a TV cop, gets great mileage out of a small role, as a vacationing America who fancies himself a skilled jungle guide, but is even more out of his element than the lead duo. Park is comically cold as Em’s ex, while Bateman oozes oily charm as the much-too-good-to-be-true James. But aside from Amy and Goldie another pair of funny ladies steal several scenes. Wanda Sykes is a surly, down-beat motormouth delight as tourist Ruth, while her “platonic pal” Barb doesn’t speak at all. As the mute “ex-special ops” agent Joan Cusak is a visual marvel, equals parts Buster Keaton and Harpo Marx.
Director Jonathan Levine (THE NIGHT BEFORE, 50/50) keeps the laughs coming at a fast pace, whether it’s a verbal smack-down or a taunt bit of slapstick action. Unlike many comedies, this one seems to avoid the dreaded second act lull, due perhaps to the quick cutting between the ladies’ jungle trek and Jeffrey’s fowl-ups back home. Credit goes to screenwriter Katie Dippold (THE HEAT and last year’s GHOSTBUSTERS reboot) for spreading out the jokes over a familiar action/thriller framework. But the bad guys don’t all dust themselves off after getting conked on the noggin and seeing stars. This is a comedy with a pretty high body count (perhaps as a parody of TAKEN-like potboilers). And somehow amid all the chaos and calamity, there’s a rather sweet family love story. One girl finally becomes a woman while another discovers the fun-loving girl inside her. So after you’ve treated mom to a tasty Sunday brunch, top off her day with the often raunchy, but ultimately heartwarming teaming of two “golden” gals in SNATCHED. And spring for the large popcorn, she’s worth it!
From director David Ayer comes SUICIDE SQUAD, starring Oscar nominee Will Smith, Oscar winner Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Oscar nominee Viola Davis.
It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super-Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?
Written and directed by Ayer based on the characters from DC, the film also stars Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Adam Beach, and Karen Fukuhara in her feature film debut. It is produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.
Ayer’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Roman Vasyanov (“Fury,” “End of Watch”), production designer Oliver Scholl (“Edge of Tomorrow”), editor John Gilroy (“Pacific Rim”), costume designer Kate Hawley (“The Hobbit” Trilogy) and Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen (“Stuart Little,” “Fury,” “The Amazing Spider-Man” films). The music is by Oscar-winning composer Steven Price (“Gravity”).
Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment production, a film by David Ayer, SUICIDESQUAD. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
The film opens worldwide in 3D, and in 2D, and in select IMAX 3D theaters August 5, 2016.
WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of SUICIDE SQUADon Monday, August 1 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.
Answer the following:
What was the name of the graphic novel from Dini And Timm that told the story of how Harley met “Mr. J”?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house. The theater is not responsible for overbooking.
SUICIDE SQUAD is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for sequences of violence and action throughout, disturbing behavior, suggestive content and language.
