Luke Wilson – Page 2 – We Are Movie Geeks

Mike Judge’s IDIOCRACY Midnights This Weekend at The Tivoli!

“The #1 movie in America was called ASS. And that’s all it was for 90 minutes. It won eight Oscars that year, including best screenplay.”

IDIOCRACY plays this weekend (April 14th and 15th) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.

In Mike Judge’s utterly rude, crude, and politically incorrect 2006 yarn IDIOCRACY the U.S. Army selects a thoroughly average Army private, Joe Bauers (Luke Wilson) for their top-secret Human Hibernation Project, because he is thoroughly average. Since the U.S. Army couldn’t find anybody in their ranks to fill the female slot, they have selected a hooker, Rita (Maya Randolph), from an African-American pimp named Upgrayedd (the extra ‘d’ stands for “double dose”). Joe and Rita are put into suspended animation for only one year as a part of the experiment, but an accident occurs and they wind up being suspended for 500 years! Our hero and heroine end up at the bottom of a gigantic garbage heap. As civilization grows even more idiotic, mankind lets the garbage pile up into mountains for centuries. They are released from their capsules as a result of the Great Garbage Avalanche of 2505 and discover a society where the dumbest have procreated in such huge numbers that human evolution has degenerated to the point that everybody is an imbecile. Indeed, numbskulls proliferate, and a wrestler, President Camacho (Terry Crews) is the President of the United States. (oh, and there is a restaurant chain named Buttf@#kers. Mindless television programming and rampant consumerism rule the airwaves. The favorite TV reality show is called ‘Ouch, My Balls!’ where guys get kicked in the gonads. There is also the Masturbation Network and the Best Picture of 2505 is a film entitled ASS, and all it shows is a giant close-up of a naked, flatulent, male butt for 90 minutes. In a brilliant sight gag, a carnival ride time machine display takes citizens on a journey through the 20 Century and they learn that Charlie Chaplin and the Nazis tried to rule the world. There a Museum of Fart where people tour a number of displays depicting various eras of time and they get to press a huge red button that sounds various kinds of farts.

Nobody drinks water in the year 2505, and a Gatorade knock-off sports energy drink called “Brawndo” has become the number one employer in America and the number one beverage because it contains electrolytes. “Brawndo” looks like green radiator fluid. Nobody knows what purpose electrolytes serve, but they’ve been told it is good for them. Following this lack of logic, farmers rely exclusively on “Brawndo: to irrigate crops. Consequently, nothing grows anymore, and America has turned into a dust-bowl of devastation

IDIOCRACY, which was Mike Judge’s follow-up to his cult hit OFFICE SPACE, yet never played theatrically in St. Louis upon its initial release (Webster U ran it for three nights about 4 years ago). It may be a terrifying and over-exaggerated caricature of the world today, but just look around you at almost any time and you will see where many of the crazy ideas in this film came from. What’s even more frightening, is that in a future not quite as distant as 2505, the things you see in IDIOCRACY may well not seem as over-exaggerated as they do now. IDIOCRACY portrays one big nightmare of a future, yet manages to stay entertaining and, indeed, hilarious at many places. See for yourself when IDIOCRACY screens this weekend at midnight at The Tivoli.

The Tivoli’s located at 6350 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO. Admission is a mere $8!

The Tivoli’s website can be found HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

A Facebook invite for the screenings can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/256024564824158/

And here’s the Tivoli’s midnight line-up for the next several weeks:

APRIL 21^ST AND 22^ND – SHAUN OF THE DEAD

APRIL 28^TH AND 29^TH – 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

MAY 5^TH AND 6^TH – GREMLINS

MAY 12^TH AND 13^TH – MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

MAY 19^TH AND 20^TH – THE DARK KNIGHT

ROCK DOG – Review

ROCK DOG is not one of those crossover hits that parents can enjoy just as much as their kids. Far from it. Uninvolving, unfunny and visually inferior to its peers, ROCK DOG is a straight-to-DVD production at best. How it managed to sneak its way onto the big-screen, we may never know. Luke Wilson provides the voice of Bodi, a Mastiff introduced on Snow Mountain in Tibet. His job is guarding the wool-spinning sheep there from a nasty pack of wolves led by Linnux (Lewis Black). To avoid distractions, Mastiff leader (and Bodi’s dad) Khampa (J.K. Simmons) forbids all music from the mountain. But when a radio is dropped by a passing airplane, Bodi decides he wants to be a rock ‘n’ roll star. Defying his father’s wishes, he heads to the Zootopia-like big city, and finds the reclusive cat rock legend Angus Scattergood (Eddie Izzard), who needs a new song fast. If Bodi can put a band together, help Angus with his song, and defeat the wolves’ plot to take Snow Mountain, he will become what he’s always dreamed of being… a Rock Dog!!

Though I should not have expected much from a cheap animated film that gets dumped into the unholy wasteland of February, I still didn’t have my expectations sufficiently lowered for ROCK DOG. It’s a uniquely charmless motion picture, owing in no small part to the cut-rate quality of animated characters uniformly built out of the simplest possible shapes, and devoid of even the smallest hint of personality. Bears, cats, sheep, foxes, and dogs in ROCK DOG may have different shaped heads, but their noses and mouths are identical, their eyes have no life. It’s as if the artists simply threw a layer of textures on first-draft geometrical models – the physicality of these characters seems unfinished. We know Bodi is a Mastiff only because we’re told so, but he looks just as much like a beagle or a Yorkshire Terrier to me. But even if ROCK DOG weren’t as ugly as a mud fence, the film would still likely sink under the weight of its world-class awful screenplay, which turns something as straightforward as “I wanna be a rock star” into a boring mess.

There are many references to classic rock and vintage guitars and famous guitarists as if they hired a rock guitar scholar as script consultant, but kids won’t care about that and it’s not going to make things any more bearable for adults. One thing that ROCK DOG is really proud to showcase is some beastly footage of Bodi dancing to insufferable generic rock songs (direct the hate mail to songwriter Rolfe Kent). I’ve seen Christmas lights displays that are more high-tech than the first number where fireworks and stars shimmy about in the night sky in tempo for the entirety of a horrible song (which I think is actually called ‘Rock and Roll’). Yes, this is a movie for kids, but using that as justification for lazy work, as if children are inherently too dumb to know the difference, is just condescending. The bar has been raised so high in terms of quality of animation and character modeling that you simply can’t get away with a crappy sub-par cartoon anymore. Director Ash Brannon, who helmed the excellent SURFS UP and co-directed TOY STORY 3, should know better. In a post-Pixar world, where audiences have become accustomed to quality animated family films, ROCK DOG is a waste of time.

1/2 of 5 Stars

Win A Family Four-Pack Of Passes To The Advance Screening Of ROCK DOG in St. Louis

When a radio falls from the sky into the hands of a wide-eyed Tibetan Mastiff, he leaves home to fulfill his dream of becoming a musician, setting into motion a series of completely unexpected events.That’s the premise of the animated comedy ROCK DOG, opening in theaters February 24th.

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win FOUR (4) seats to the advance screening of ROCK DOG on February 18th at 10am in the St. Louis area.

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME 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.

ROCK DOG features the voices of Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, J. K. Simmons, Lewis Black, Kenan Thompson, Mae Whitman, Jorge Garcia, Matt Dillon and Sam Elliott.

CONCUSSION – The Review

CONCUSSION is the film that the NFL won’t want you to see. Not because it has new information about the link between football and a serious form of dementia called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) but because it serves as a reminder, particularly to young players and their parents, of the risk in playing the nation’s most popular sport. The film dramatizes the NFL’s hostile response to the news and its rough handling of the doctor who discovered the problem. The NFL does not look good in this film, and that is bound to trouble some fans.

Will Smith plays that doctor, Dr. Bennet Omalu, a forensic pathologist originally from Nigeria who discovered CTE. A brilliant man with a string of degrees, Dr. Omalu was working for the Allegheny County Coroner’s office in Pittsburgh when he did an autopsy on former NFL star Mike Webster (David Morse), whose life had unraveled a decade after retirement amid erratic behavior. Omalu knew next to nothing about football but was unsatisfied with a pat explanation about cause of death of a man only in his 50s. The thorough Omalu decided to take a microscopic look at the ex-player’s brain. What he saw shocked him, and led to his discovery of a new disease.

CONCUSSION focuses on Omalu’s story and especially on how poorly the NFL treated him. The film’s title is a bit of a misnomer, as not just concussions but cumulative smaller shocks to the brain can cause CTE as well, although concussions are the most obvious indicator of brain trauma. However, the film is rather light on medical details and it leaves out the work of other researchers who took up the topic following Omalu’s discovery. Instead, the film focuses more on Omalu’s own story, his discovery, his immediate circle of supporters and their attempts to bring the risks to the attention of the NFL.

As Smith plays him, Omalu is a sweet, idealistic workaholic who does not allow himself much of a personal life in his pursuit of the classic immigrant’s American Dream. His boss, Dr. Cyril Wecht (Albert Brooks), is both his mentor and role-model for how to be an American. The one social outlet he allows himself is attending church, where his pastor asks him to help another new immigrant, a beautiful former nurse from Kenya named Prema (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). Inevitably, romance blooms.

This is one of Smith’s best roles in years, and the actor does a nice job with Omalu’s accent. It is a rare chance for Smith to play a heroic character but in a more subdued, even slightly nerdy way, which he pulls off with a great deal of charm.

In his quest to bring CTE to the attention of NFL officials, Omalu is joined by former league physician, Dr. Julian Bailes, played well by Alec Baldwin apart from a Southern accent that tends to come and go. The cast also includes Eddie Marsan as Dr. Steven DeKosky, a top neurologist who co-authored Omalu’s paper on CTE, Paul Reiser as Dr. Elliot Pellman, an NFL doctor who was a central figure in the concussion crisis, and Luke Wilson as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Not only is the NFL not interested in hearing that players are at risk of a serious brain syndrome, much less that potentially all or most players face that risk, the organization is actively hostile to that message. With a multimillion-dollar entertainment empire called into question, the NFL immediately seek to discredit and then silence Omalu. As it is presented in the film, this is done in an iron-fisted, chilling manner, more expected from organized crime than a respected sports organization. The film alludes to the fact that NFL may have been aware of brain-injury issues, and parallels are drawn with the way the tobacco industry tried to deny the health effects of smoking.

The film’s major flaw is that it cannot quite make up its mind what kind of film it wants to be – a medical procedural, corporate misbehavior expose, or an inspirational immigrant tale. It is mostly Omalu’s story, leaving out researchers who built on his discovery and how the NFL treated him. It is light on medical details of CTE and also on what the NFL might have known about players’ brain injuries. Omalu’s personal story is a classic immigrant tale, with a sweet romance to add to that appeal, but the immigrant love story doesn’t develop the emotional pull it should.

CONCUSSION does not make the NFL look good, but it also raises questions about the safety of football at any level, which might give parents pause about letting their kids participate. The film does not present any new information, but serves as a reminder of the headline revelations in a dramatic way. While it is not a perfect film, it is worth seeing for its potential to spark curiosity to dig further into the facts of CTE.

CONCUSSION opens in St. Louis on December 25th, 2015.

OVERALL RATING: 3 1/2 OUT OF 5 STARS

Win Passes To The Advance Screening of CONCUSSION In St. Louis

Will Smith stars in CONCUSSION, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world.

The film stars Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss Howard, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, with David Morse and Albert Brooks. Written and directed by Peter Landesman.

CONCUSSION opens in theaters on December 25, 2015.

WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win a pass (Good for 2) to the advance screening of CONCUSSION on Monday, December 21 at 7PM in the St. Louis area.

We will contact the winners by email.

Answer the following:

Dr. Omalu’s story was told in depth in a magazine article by Jeanne Marie Laskas, which became the basis for the screenplay. What is the name of the magazine?

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. 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.

3. No purchase necessary.

The film has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for thematic material including some disturbing images and language.

Visit the official site: www.concussion-movie.com

See The New Poster And Second Trailer For Will Smith’s CONCUSSION

Two-time Academy Award nominee Will Smith stars in CONCUSSION, a dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a football-related brain trauma, in a pro player and fought for the truth to be known. Omalu’s emotional quest puts him at dangerous odds with one of the most powerful institutions in the world.

Check out the brand new trailer below.

The AFI announced in September that the World Premiere of the movie would be the Centerpiece Gala of AFI FEST 2015 presented by Audi. The event takes place at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on Tuesday, November 10.

The film also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, Stephen Moyer and Albert Brooks.

Written and directed by Peter Landesman, and produced by Ridley Scott, Giannina Scott, David Wolthoff, Larry Shuman and Elizabeth Cantillon, CONCUSSION opens in theaters on December 25, 2015.

Visit the official site: www.concussion-movie.com

Olivia Wilde And Luke Wilson Star In New Trailer For Reed Morano’s MEADOWLAND

Cinedigm has released the new trailer for director Reed Morano’s MEADOWLAND.

The drama screened in April at the Tribeca Film Festival. In her review, Sheila O’Malley (rogerebert.com) said Morano’s movie, “shows a strong visual style, at times overwrought and hallucinatory, at other times quiet and focused. The acting is terrific and grounded, without the expected theatrics or huge breakdowns. Grief is an enclosed and very silent world. That’s the thing that nobody tells you about it, and that’s the devastating process shown in “Meadowland.”

One of the must-see movies of 2015, the cast includes Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Giovanni Ribisi, Elisabeth Moss, Ty Simpkins, John Leguizamo, Kevin Corrigan, Merritt Wever, Scott Mescudi, Mark Feuerstein and Juno Temple.

In the hazy aftermath of an unimaginable loss, married couple Sarah (Olivia Wilde, Rush) and Phil (Luke Wilson, The Skeleton Twins) come unhinged, recklessly ignoring the repercussions. Phil, a New York City cop, starts to lose sight of his morals as Sarah puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations, falling deeper into her own fever dream.

The directorial debut of cinematographer Reed Morano and written by Chris Rossi, MEADOWLAND is a visceral exploration of grief and hope.

Check out the movie when it opens in theaters October 16th, On Demand October 23rd.

https://www.facebook.com/meadowlandfilm

https://twitter.com/meadowlandfilm

Will Smith Stars in First CONCUSSION Trailer

Opening in theaters on December 25th, here’s your first look at the brand new trailer for CONCUSSION starring Will Smith.

The film also stars Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Arliss Howard, Paul Reiser, Luke Wilson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje with David Morse and Albert Brooks.

Look for CONCUSSION on Christmas Day.

http://www.concussion-movie.com/

https://twitter.com/ConcussionMovie/

https://www.facebook.com/ConcussionMovie

THE SKELETON TWINS – The Review

One of the major movie star clichés, right along with “What I really want to do is direct” is the wail of the comedy star, “I want to show that I’m a serious actor”. Through the years many actors first known for generating laughs have attempted to stretch, to show another facet, by taking dramatic roles, often with mixed results. For every Jerry Lewis in THE KING OF COMEDY, there’s an Adam Sandler in REIGN OVER ME. But sometimes the gamble really pays off with gold…Oscar gold. One of the biggest surprises in Academy history was the Best Actor win by Art Carney (then best known as one of the greatest sidekicks in sitcom history as Ed Norton in “The Honeymooners”) way back in 1974 for HARRY AND TONTO which may have paved the way for the Best Supporting Actor win by Robin Williams for 1997’s GOOD WILL HUNTING. Now comes a (mostly) dramatic film starring two, count em’, two actors best known for their comedic TV work, specifically being cast members of “Saturday Night Live”, both actually beginning their mult-year runs in 2005. I’m speaking of the very talented Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. Now Wiig became a full-fledged silver screen leading lady in the smash hit BRIDESMAIDS while Hader has nabbed laughs in smaller roles in films like SUPERBAD and THE TO DO LIST. Now they both had supporting roles in dramatic films, Wiig in 2010’s ALL GOOD THINGS and Hader in the very recent THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY: THEM. And with the new release they aim for heart-strings while still occasionally grazing the funny bone as depressed siblings nicknamed THE SKELETON TWINS.

As the film begins, Milo’s (Hader) life is in a downward spiral. He’s an unsuccessful LA-based actor (now waiting tables), and a recent romantic break-up pushes him to a desperate act. Across the country, his sister Maggie is stopped from a similar act by a phone call concerning him. She flies out and convinces Milo to return to their hometown and stay at the house she shares with her husband, Lance (Luke Wilson). a dim, happy-go-lucky forestry worker. But things are not as simple as they appear back in the quaint village. Maggie is tempted to stray with her Aussie scuba instructor hunk Billy (Boyd Holbrook) while Milo re-connects with a fellow from high school, book store owner Rich (Ty Burrell). As time passes, Maggie and Milo try to nurture each other while often re-opening old wounds from their dark past.

The film’s revelation may be the superb performance of Hader as the surly, sarcastic Milo (well, he does have some of the best lines). One of SNL’s most gifted mimics and, like Dan Aykroyd and Phil Hartman, a dependable sketch “anchor”, Hader gives the film its main energy and beating heart. Milo can be frustrating as he tries to retreat from life, but during his moments of fun there’s few characters as engaging. Hader takes this often hangdog, mopey, damaged soul and turns him into a hero the audience roots for, and wants to protect. Luckily, disappointment hasn’t dulled his razor-sharp wit. His humor seems to re-ignite a spark in his dour sister. Wiig’s Maggie is not as obviously emotionally damaged as Hader’s Milo as he see her acting out mostly in secret. She’s trying to wear the mask of conformity (Halloween plays a big role in this flick), and be the good wife. Luckily Milo’s return snips the strings of that mask. Wiig shows us that inner conflict that rages through Maggie. We also see her soar upon the happy childhood memories that Milo is a reminder of. Wilson is endearing of the good-natured, optimistic, peppy average Joe (Maggie even refers to him as a puppy) who’s thrown a bit off kilter by the arrival of Milo and the bond between the siblings. His sunny attitude is somewhat challenged while encountering them. Another talented TV comic actor (best known as the doofus dad on “Modern Family”), Burrell also turns in great dramatic work as the small town guy whose world is unexpectedly upended by the return of Milo (like Maggie, he’s wearing a mask, too). His Rich feels free once more, but will not allow himself to follow through. Making an impact with just a few minutes of screen time is Joanna Gleason, as a woman from the twins’ past who uses passive aggression as a shield to deflect painful memories and “new age-y” buzz words to conceal her “toxic” behaviors.

Director Craig Johnson, working from the script he wrote with Mark Heyman, eschews any film making quirks and tricks in order to concentrate on the characters and the great ensemble acting. We get very brief, dream-like flashback sequences to show us the close ties of the two leads during childhood along with the influence of their mysterious, unseen (we only see him in a cheap mask…hmm) father. Perhaps due to their many years together at SNL, Hader and Wiig are able to come close to conveying that unspoken sibling bond. They know just how to push the other’s buttons, but are quick to swoop in when the other is hurt or threatened. They beam with joy while at play (a great dancing/lip-sync scene) and lash at in anger when secrets are revealed (Maggie finds out about Milo and Rich). THE SKELETON TWINS pulls back the curtains on the usually hidden horrors of society, depression, and shows us how two re-united people can strengthen their spirits and enable each other to embrace life once more. Sometimes these family ties are tougher than steel.

4.5 Out of 5

Watch Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie & Michelle Monaghan In PLAYING IT COOL Trailer

Captain America (Chris Evans) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) team up to save the day, sorta, in the brand new trailer for the romantic comedy, PLAYING IT COOL.

Billed as the “Anti-Romantic Comedy for all you True Romantics,” the movie also stars Michelle Monaghan, Luke Wilson, Topher Grace, Aubrey Plaza, and Phillip Baker Hall.

This is the story of ME (Evans), a young man disillusioned by love, who meets a breathtaking young woman, HER (Monaghan), at a charity dinner by pretending to be a philanthropist. Only one problem: she’s engaged. Yet, he engages into a platonic relationship to be able to keep seeing her.

Like a young Walter Mitty using the power of imagination and wild vignettes, HIM will stop at nothing to conquer HER heart.

Previously titled A MANY SPLINTERED THING, director Justin Reardon’s film has no release date yet.

On the heels of the successful SNOWPIERCER, it was recently announced that the Chris Evans helmed film, BEFORE WE GO, has been acquired by RADiUS. Also starring Alice Eve, the movie played at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in 2015. According to the press release on Deadline, Evans said, “As a first time director, I’m so excited that we found a home with RADiUS. I was really impressed with what they did on SNOWPIERCER and my film couldn’t be in better hands.”

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

CONCUSSION opens in St. Louis on December 25th, 2015.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: