michael cera – We Are Movie Geeks

THE RUNNING MAN (2025) – Review

Glen Powell stars in Paramount Pictures’ “THE RUNNING MAN.”

Seems only a couple of weeks ago we saw a remake of a early 1990s classic thriller, THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. Oh yes, it was just a couple. Well, with only a few weeks left, Hollywood is unleashing another one. Ah, but this is going right to the multiplex, not “straight to streaming” like CRADLE. Oh, and this one’s original “take” (aside from the literary source material) was a few years earlier, 1987 to be precise. Plus, this new flick has a link to last week’s box-office champ. Arnold Schwarzenegger had a busy 1987, going from PREDATOR to this week’s new remake’s “inspiration”. This 2025 “edition” is getting a lot of “heat” since it’s helmed by a cult movie icon and stars an “up-and-coming” screen star. But can he somehow move faster than Arnold as a “2.0” spin on THE RUNNING MAN?

In the not too distant future, the gap between the “haves” and “have-not” seems to have lengthened considerably, especially now that a few corporations have their fingers in everything from the media to law-enforcement. One of the “have-nots” is hard-working stiff and struggling family man Ben Richards (Glen Powell). When we meet him, he’s begging that his former boss rehire him and take him off “the blacklist” for the unforgivable “crime” of meeting with a union rep over safety issues at the factory. But the answer is no, despite Ben bringing along his flu-stricken infant, Cathy. Ben returns to the Co-Op City slums where he shares a tiny broken-down apartment with his wife Shelia (Jayme Lawson) who’s working double shifts at a “gentleman’s club”. The frustrated papa clicks on the tube to catch some “Freevee”. Watching promos for the network’s slate of game shows, Ben believes that the only way to earn some quick medical funds for his daughter is to audition on a show. Promising Shelia that he won’t try out for the most dangerous of these programs, “The Running Man”, Ben heads downtown to the network studios, The staff there notices his fiery temper and sends him right up to the swank office of their big boss, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) who wants him for that most violent show. Dangling a possible billion dollar prize jackpot, Ben reluctantly agrees. He’ll be one of the new trio of contestants on “The Running Man”. But with a heavily armed squad of “hunters” on his trail, along with a citizenry eager for a bit of the “bounty”, can Ben stay alive for thirty days (no one has yet) and return to his loving family?

So, this truly makes it official. Powell is the “real deal” as a movie star, going from the frothy rom-com ANYONE BUT YOU to action lead here, with a slight detour in between into front the disaster-thriller TWISTERS. He brings us into Ben’s heart, willing to do anything to save his struggling family. But there’s no halo over his head, as Powell conveys that bubbling angry frustration that suddenly boils over. There’s also a touch of a charming rascal during the quieter comic interludes, before Powell displays his physical prowess in the many action set pieces. He’s also a great “team player” as Powell shares the screen with an impressive supporting ensemble. Brolin’s a focused business baddie who keeps his evil impulses cloaked, using his “goon army” led by a surly Lee Pace at the ready. Colman Domingo appears to be having a blast as the cynical, flamboyant game show MC “Bobby T”, doing a flashy “peacock strut”. As for the folks in “Ben’s corner”, William H. Macy is the surly, but soft-hearted tech wiz who is something of a father figure to him in a pivotal early scene. Much later, we meet the very intense Michael Cera as an “underground rebel” who balances “old school” methods (dropping pamphlets) with some creative weaponry (a “super-squirter”…really). And in the finale, a somewhat indifferent “have” played by Emilia Jones (CODA) has her mind and heart opened up by Ben. Also of mention are the excellence comic performances of Katy O’Brian and Martin Herlihy (SNL’s “Do Not Destroy”) as Jenni and Tim, Ben’s “less lucky” game show competitors.

That cult icon filmmaker at the helm is Edgar Wright (BABY DRIVER), who co-wrote this adaptation of the Stephen King (as his alias Richard Bachman) novel with Michael Bacall. Wright seems to be having fun as he plays in this big, flashy, sometimes grimy futuristic toy box. It’s a slightly satirical take on current pop culture extremes, though it may be relevant today after the 21st century rise of the reality completion shows, from “Survivor” to “Squid Game”. And without directly calling out the tech terror, Wright also shows the dangers of “AI” as footage of Ben’s battles and video screeds (he has to record himself every day and drop it in a “drone/mailbox”) is manipulated to serve the game’s “narrative”. Yes, some of the parody is almost “shooting fish in a barrel”, especially with the cutaways to a Kardashian-like program, but Wright builds on the media-skewing that ROBOCOP also did so well in 1987 (what was in the “water” that year). Many of the action sequences are inspired, as Ben rigs up found objects in an almost Rube Goldberg fashion to harm the “hunters”. But unfortunately it gets a tad tiresome as the story limps along to a finale that’s way too convoluted with (another action flick problem) far too many endings. Those fans of the original should get a kick out of this spiffy more modern take (though it’s hard to match iconic game-show host Richard Dawson back in the day), but the casual film fans may just feel worn out as hints of “test market tinkering” try to hinder the brisk marathon-pace of THE RUNNING MAN.

2.5 Out of 4

THE RUNNING MAN is now playing in theatres everywhere

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of THE RUNNING MAN – Starring Glen Powell

GET READY TO EXPERIENCE EDGAR WRIGHT’S THE RUNNING MAN ON THE BIG SCREEN!

In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.

Based on the Novel by Stephen King.

Directed by Edgar Wright and starring Glen Powell, William H. Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Sean Hayes, Katy O’Brian with Colman Domingo and Josh Brolin, THE RUNNING MAN IS IN THEATRES, DOLBY CINEMA, 4DX, PREMIUM LARGE FORMAT AND IMAX ON NOVEMBER 14, 2025.

The St. Louis screening is at 7PM on Monday, November 10th at the Alamo Drafthouse City Foundry.

ENTER HERE FOR PASSES: https://gofobo.com/TRMWAMG

Please arrive early as seating is not guaranteed.

Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, and sexual references.

L-r, Katy O’Brian, Glen Powell and Martin Herlihy star in Paramount Pictures’ “The Running Man.”

See The New Trailer, Poster And NYCC Video For Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN – Score From Composer Steven Price

Paramount Pictures has released a thrilling new trailer for director Edgar Wright’s THE RUNNING MAN.

Streamed live from New York Comic Con, the NYCC panel for The Running Man featured Glen Powell, Lee Pace, and Edgar Wright in a conversation about the making of the film, along with an early look at this fall’s adrenaline-fueled action thriller, arriving only in theaters this November 14.

Based on the novel by Stephen King, the score is from Oscar-winning composer Steven Price (GRAVITY, BABY DRIVER, THE WORLD’S END and the upcoming COYOTE VS ACME).

Wright shared this photo of himself and long time collaborator Price on Instagram.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 10: (L-R) Edgar Wright, Glen Powell and Lee Pace attend “The Running Man” New York Comic Con Presentation at the Javits Center on October 10, 2025, in New York, New York. (Photo by John Nacion/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

THE PHOENCIAN SCHEME – Review

(L to R) Benicio Del Toro as Zsa-Zsa Korda, Michael Cera as Bjorn and Mia Threapleton as Liesl in director Wes Anderson’s THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of TPS Productions/Focus Features © 2025 All Rights Reserved.

For any new Wes Anderson film, some things are certain: the art direction is going to be gorgeous, scenes will have central framing, and every little detail will be carefully thought out. That distinctive visual style is one of the things fans love about Wes Anderson’s work and that distinct visual aesthetic is on full display in THE PHOENCIAN SCHEME, which explores the vast moral emptiness of the lives of the ultra rich, through a tale of a sort-of Howard Hughes-ish/tech billionaire-type character in the same 1950s-ish world as ASTEROID CITY. The dark comedy, written by Anderson from a story by him and Roman Coppola, is a tale of international business and personal intrigue with commentary on the wealthy, as one of the world’s richest men tries to put together financing for one last big project before the next assassination attempt gets him, with the reluctant help of his daughter and sole heir, a nun, and a tutor-turned-assistant.

We meet wealthy businessman Anatole “Zsa Zsa” Korda (Benicio del Toro), one of the richest men in Europe, as he has just survived another assassination attempt. which forced him to crash-land his private plane in a cornfield. Korda treats the repeated attempts as routine, the cost of doing business, but this time, he thinks he might take steps in case one of them actually succeeds.

He decides to make his only daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton), a nun, the sole heir to his estate. The two do not really know each other, as she was taken to the convent and raised by Mother Superior (Hope Davis) after her mother’s death. And she actually isn’t a nun yet, as she still has to take final vows, but as she was raised in the convent, it seems to be a sure thing. And she isn’t Zsa Zsa’s only child – he has nine younger sons too, who he leaves in charge of a tutor and never sees, although they live in his mansion. There are no mothers, and there seems to be questions about what happened to them.

The daughter resists the idea of being his sole heir and especially his plan that she needs to come along on his latest enterprise, a big infrastructure building project in a country called Greater New Phoenicia, to learn the business, which requires trips to visit various potential investors around the world, including his half-brother, Uncle Nubar (Benedict Cumberbatch). When a new Swedish tutor, Bjorn Lund (Michael Cera) who turns up to teach the sons, he gets pressed into service as ZsaZsa’s new assistant. He also becomes smitten with the nun-to-be.

Eventually, she does agree (else, there is no movie), and del Toro’s ultra rich businessman ZsaZsa, Threapleton’s nun Liesl and Cera’s tutor-turned-assistant Bjorn embark on an international adventure involving scheming business rivals, recalcitrant tycoons, potential terrorists, dangers, and ever-growing number of assassins. At the same time, a group of American business interests, led by Excalibur (Rupert Friend) secretly both engage in espionage and sabotage of Zsa Zsa Korda’s plan.

All this takes place in a beautifully theatrical-looking Wes Anderson world, those special self-contained spheres that Anderson creates so well. Nothing looks real but all looks colorful, fascinating and perfect, thanks to Director of Photography Bruno Delbonnel, productions design by Adam Stockhausen, and costume design by Milena Canonero. A bold classical music score, supplemented by original music by Alexandre Desplat, forms a perfect musical backdrop.

The cast is very good but Michael Cera is a standout. Cera is so perfect for the Wes Anderson world, it is surprising he hasn’t been in one of these films before this. Also very good is Mia Threapleton, who is saintly but stubborn, quick of wit and of action, with unexpected skills for a nun. Liesl may be a nun-in-training but, oddly, she does some very un-nun-like things, like wear bright red lipstick (real nuns don’t wear make-up). Benicio del Toro is deadpan as cigar-chomping millionaire nearly throughout, a studied unflappable demeanor but with a hint of sadness, maybe a lurking conscience.

The film features a small army of stars in minor, even cameo, roles, and some larger ones too. Among the potential investors in the Phoenician Scheme are Riz Ahmed as Prince Farouk of Greater Phoenicia, Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston as American businessmen Leland and Reagan (respectively), Mathieu Amalric as nightclub owner Marseilles Bob, Jeffrey Wright as ocean-going ship’s captain Marty, and Scarlett Johansson as ZsaZsa’s second cousin. Richard Ayoade appears as a idealistic “radical freedom fighter” called Sergio, who turns up at a couple important moments.

The extensive cast makes it seem like everyone is in this film. And, yes, that includes Wes Anderson favorite Bill Murray, in intermittent black-and-white fantasy sequences in Heaven. Oh yeah, on top of all that is goings-on on earth, Zsa Zsa periodically ends up in the afterlife, either dreaming or in near death, where he sees his grandmother (Carmen Maja Antonie), meets God (Bill Murray) and faces some questions from various characters, such as Willem Dafoe as Knave and F. Murray Abraham as Prophet, doubtless a reference to those movies of the ’30s-’40s where characters question or defend their life choices in similiar supernatural interludes.

Unlike THE FRENCH DISPATCH, this isn’t an anthology film and it isn’t a tale with multiple layers of story-telling like ASTEROID CITY and GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. However, like those later two it feels like an homage to classic film genres, in this case, a globe-trotting adventure/action/intrigue one, but there clearly is something more going on here.

There is a lot of busy-ness (and characters) in this plot. While the plot doesn’t make all that much sense, Wes Anderson does seem to be saying something about the very wealthy, those whose wealth is so great, they hardly notice the other human beings who occupy the planet as they go about their schemes and grand plans, suggested by Zsa Zsa’s slogan on the poster: “If something gets in your way, FLATTEN IT.

As one small example, in the assassination attempt in the film’s opening sequence, Zsa Zsa sits in the middle of his luxurious circa-1950s private plane, while his assistant sits at the back. When a bomb goes off at the back of the plane, killing the assistant and blowing a hole in the plane, Korda races to the cockpit and sits in the co-pilot seat, calmly rattling off orders to the pilot. The panicked pilot (Stephen Park) argues back and complains, resulting in Korda telling him he’s fired and then hitting the seat eject button. The pilot is luckier: he as a parachute, but it illustrates the point. Zsa Zsa’s rich buddies – investors, really – are similarly clueless and callous as they engage in their own wheeling and dealing. The only normal-seeming people in the whole whirl are the various minor characters who drift in and out, and the convent-raised daughter and the shy, accented tutor

The story becomes one of reconciliation between father and daughter, something that feels very Wes Anderson as well. This all takes place in a fantasy world where plenty of more-than-unlikely things take place, but Anderson has human truths underneath as well, along with commentary on extreme wealth.

THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME opens Friday, June 6, in theaters.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars

BARBIE – Review

And now the topper to one of this movie year’s biggest trends. Sure, we’ve had comic book superheroes, action tentpoles, and even a couple of flicks based on TV shows. But who knew that 2023’s box office would be “turbo-charged” by “toy stories”. No, I’m not speaking of Woody and Buzz. No, we started the year with a horror hit based on a phony toy that’s not named Chuckie, M3GAN. Then came the true story “spy-like” thriller about the creation of the video game TETRIS (I consider it a toy, so nyah). the stakes were raised considerably by another pixel powerhouse, THE SUPER MARIO BROTHERS MOVIE, followed by a new Transformers entry (also in that “action tentpole” category). And now, at last, “the queen” has arrived. Yes, the perennial princess of the toy department shelves comes to the big screen (after a slew of “straight-to-video” releases and a few TV shows), and she looks fabulous at age 64 (cue the Beatles ditty). Of course, she’s “pretty in pink”. (Imagine Ed McMahon or Nicholson in THE SHINING) Herrre’s BARBIE!

After a terrific nod to a cinema classic via a prologue narrated by Helen Mirren (you may have caught it in an early teaser), we’re whisked away to the wondrous realm of “Barbieland”. In the prettiest of the pink houses lives “stereotypical” Barbie (Margot Robbie), who is just beginning her day. After floating into her convertible, she cruises through the town to wave good morning to the other Barbies, even President Barbie (Issa Rae). Oh, and she’s greeted by the “spin-off” toys, Skipper, Midge, and the awkward Allan (Michael Cera). Finally, we’re at the beach for a visit from the adoring but dim Ken (Ryan Gosling), who’s thrilled to see Barbie but furious at his rival, another Ken (Simu Lui), along with assorted other Kens. But he still gets an invite to Barbie’s big nighttime “rager”. But the singing and dancing are nearly derailed when Barbie warbles a lyric questioning her mortality. This “glitch” continues into the next day, when Barbie endures several odd occurrences like “morning bad breathe” and, to everyone’s disgust, “flat feet” when she steps out of her stylish high heels. Confiding in her Barbie BFFs, they implore her to seek help from “weird” Barbie (Kate McKinnon). Her prognosis: Barbie’s “human” handler isn’t “playing” with her “correctly”. And so Barbie must venture into the “real world” and find her. The trip gets ‘trippier” when Ken “stows away” in her car. The duo is in for a wild journey as they deal with a woman named Gloria (America Ferrera) who works at the doll HQ Mattel. She’s a dream compared to her snarky pre-teen daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) and the excitable CEO (Will Ferrell). But all this pales to the radical “rewiring” of Ken himself, a personality change that threatens all the denizen dolls of Barbieland.

Could there be a more perfect casting choice than Robbie in the title role? Ten years ago she almost set movie screens afire as the “trophy wife” in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, but she was intent on being more than “eye candy”. Robbie has forged an impressive movie resume, carefully juggling dramatic and comedic roles. In this story, she really gets to showcase those skills. Sure Barbie is bubbly and perky, but we see her confusion as the dark thoughts seem to engulf her. Robbie expresses that panic as she is overwhelmed by the chaos of the “real world”. She’s more than up to the challenge, bouncing from zany comedy to getting her first pangs of heartache. Perfectly balancing her pathos is the inspired comic performance of Gosling. He’s grabbed laughs before in CRAZY STUPID LOVE and LA LA LAND, but here he totally gives himself over to the buffoonish antics of the ultimate “himbo”, Ken. Yet, for all his goofy behavior, there’s a child-like charm to him. Gosling somehow holds on to that even after Ken has a much different reaction to “reality”.Speaking of that “setting”, Ferrera as Gloria is the story’s real dramatic “anchor” as the adult “human” who still has a sense of wonder about Barbie, but is hardened to the ways of society, highlighted in her rousing monologue about what the world expects of her gender (a riveting “throw down the gauntlet” moment). Greenblatt as her daughter Sasha makes her more than a cliched surly movie teen. Sure she’s wanting to “spread her wings”, but we see how Sasha still yearns to be on an adventure with Mom, even beginning to admire and respect her. The film also benefits from the supporting work of several comic vets. Ferrell is still a manic “man-child” as the exec, but he never “takes over” the tale with shrill slapstick and makes his character more than the “suit villain”. McKinnon makes great use of her loopy, off-kilter persona as the Barbie “who’s been played too much”, giving her a zany “sing-song” line delivery and using a near-marionette ‘floppy” body language and movement (almost like a certain scarecrow). Cera also has lots of fun with his nerdy screen image earning chuckles every time he’s awkwardly waving at the “first string toys”. I won’t spoil the identity of her role, but it’s terrific to see Rhea Perlman as a warm, nurturing mystery woman.

Huzzaah to director Greta Gerwig for delivering an impressive solo directing hat trick, building on her terrific work on LADY BIRD and LITTLE WOMEN to give us this intelligent fantasy farce that’s also a keen social satire. I must mention that she also co-wrote this with Noah Baumbach (a fabulous filmmaker himself and her spouse). Bravo for addressing the many criticisms and controversies swirling around the iconic toy over the last few decades, using them to lay out a clear message of female empowerment, while never lecturing. Rather than having Barbie and her pals dashing around and evading the “people” ala the TOY STORY flicks, they venture among with almost no secrecy, making the story a “switcheroo” on THE WIZARD OF OZ with a pinch of SPLASH. Plus it really has fun with the history of the toy franchise as we meet characters who never really “caught on” while making playful jabs at the “product powerhouse”. Oh, did I mention the eye-popping visual treats, some that come close to the spider-verses? Barbie’s “suburban subdivision” recalls so many of the “big box” playsets with her closet resembling a full-scale “fashion accessory” flat box. Yes, the fashions are great ‘call-backs” to the classic looks, especially that black and white striped one-piece swimsuit in the opening prologue. The pace is breezy and bouncy thanks to a wonderful soundtrack of pop standards and hilarious original tunes. Now some of the themes and subplots may go over the heads of the youngest viewers, but those with memories of lazy afternoons creating adventures for the characters will really get a real nostalgic euphoria along with subtle societal parody. Really this is a great time at the movies, perfect for the Summer. And to paraphrase the old ad line from Mattel, BARBIE…it’s swell!!

3.5 Out of 4

BARBIE is playing in theatres everywhere

BARBIE The Movie Gets a Fun New Trailer

BARBIE THE MOVIE might be hitting theaters this summer, but today we have this first look at the new posters and second trailer for the film that’s sure to be a splash!

To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (“Little Women,” “Lady Bird”) comes “Barbie,” starring Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie (“Bombshell,” “I, Tonya”) and Ryan Gosling (“La La Land,” “Half Nelson”) as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera (“End of Watch,” the “How to Train Your Dragon” films), Kate McKinnon (“Bombshell,” “Yesterday”), Michael Cera (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “Juno”), Ariana Greenblatt (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “65”), Issa Rae (“The Photograph,” “Insecure”), Rhea Perlman (“I’ll See You in My Dreams,” “Matilda”), and Will Ferrell (the “Anchorman” films, “Talladega Nights”). The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne (“Little Women”), Emma Mackey (“Emily,” “Sex Education”), Hari Nef (“Assassination Nation,” “Transparent”), Alexandra Shipp (the “X-Men” films), Kingsley Ben-Adir (“One Night in Miami,” “Peaky Blinders”), Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”), Ncuti Gatwa (“Sex Education”), Scott Evans (“Grace and Frankie”), Jamie Demetriou (“Cruella”), Connor Swindells (“Sex Education,” “Emma.”), Sharon Rooney (“Dumbo,” “Jerk”), Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton,” “Derry Girls”), Ritu Arya (“The Umbrella Academy”), Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen”).

Gerwig directed “Barbie” from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story,” “The Squid and the Whale”), based on Barbie by Mattel. The film’s producers are Oscar nominee David Heyman (“Marriage Story,” “Gravity”), Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, with Michael Sharp, Josey McNamara, Ynon Kreiz, Courtenay Valenti, Toby Emmerich and Cate Adams serving as executive producers.

Gerwig’s creative team behind the camera included Oscar-nominated director of photography Rodrigo Prieto (“The Irishman,” “Silence,” “Brokeback Mountain”), six-time Oscar-nominated production designer Sarah Greenwood (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Anna Karenina”), editor Nick Houy (“Little Women,” “Lady Bird”), Oscar-winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran (“Little Women,” “Anna Karenina”), visual effects supervisor Glen Pratt (“Paddington 2,” “Beauty and the Beast”), music supervisor George Drakoulias (“White Noise,” “Marriage Story”) and Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat (“The Shape of Water,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel”).

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents a Heyday Films Production, a LuckyChap Entertainment Production, a Mattel Production, “Barbie.” The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and released in theaters only nationwide on July 21, 2023 and beginning internationally on July 19, 2023.

Catch The Hilarious PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK Streaming Now On Paramount+

The hilarious family animated film PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK, from Paramount Pictures, is available now to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada. The exciting action-adventure stars Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais and Samuel L. Jackson.

PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK also stars Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Cathy Shim and Kylie Kuioka.

A down-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs!

PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK is directed by Rob Minkoff, Mark Koetsier Chris Bailey, screenplay by Ed Stone & Nate Hopper and Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Alan Uger, with story by Andrew Bergman.

The score is by Bear McCreary who says “Ennio Morricone’s impact on the sound of the western genre cannot be overstated. Paws of Fury is, in part, a parody of the western genre, but I did not intend to trot out tired musical quotations of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, as this has been done in pop culture repeatedly for decades. I was inspired by Ennio’s unique ability to place unique sounds boldly before of the audience, in effect daring the listener to have an emotional response to the weird and unexpected.”

Samuel L. Jackson as “Jimbo”, Djimon Hounsou as “Sumo”, and Michael Cera as “Hank” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.

The film is produced by Rob Minkoff, Adam Nagle, Peter Nagle, Guy Collins, Yair Landau and Susan Purcell, and executive produced by Adrian Politowski, Alex Schwartz, Ben White, Reginald Hudlin, Wang Zhongjun, Wang Zhonglei, Mel Brooks.

Win A Family Four-Pack Of Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK

WAMG has your passes to see PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.

Enter to win 4 free passes to the St. Louis area advance screening of PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK.

DATE AND TIME: Saturday, July 9^th at Ronnie’s Cine. Doors at 9am Movie at 11am.

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.

Enter: https://gofobo.com/main/movie_landing/UmJ3Q2wyNTIyOQ%3D%3D

No purchase necessary.

A hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem? cats hate dogs! Also starring Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim, PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK pounces into theatres July 15, 2022.

https://www.pawsoffurymovie.com/home/

Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais, Mel Brooks And Samuel L. Jackson Provide The Voices In Upcoming PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK, In Theaters July 15

Also starring Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim, watch the hilarious trailer now!

This is funny as all get-out, hysterical funny kind of get-out. This film looks awesome! I mean, ca’mon, with lines like, “What the mother father cocker spaniel is going on here?!” and “Who knew an evil army could go through so many beans?”

And Ricky Gervais as the Villain, oh yeah, we’re in!

See the movie in theaters this summer when PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK pounces into theatres July 15, 2022.

Gabriel Iglesias as “Chuck” and Aasif Mandvi as “Ichiro” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.

Don’t Swallow Your Gum When SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD Plays Midnights at The Tivoli This Weekend

““You punched me in the boob. Prepare to die, obviously!”

SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD plays midnights this weekend (July 26th and 27th) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series. A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

Take every genre that can be adapted into film, then go slightly beyond that, and you may find the 2010 film SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD. British director Edgar Wright, after SHAWN OF THE DEAD and before THE WORLD’S END, adapted Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Oni Press comic book of the same name about the eponymous slacker rocker and his colorful quest to defeat his dream girl’s seven evil ex-boyfriends. Wright captured the theme of the comic book, mixed in an aggressive visual style inspired by video games, amplified musical exchanges so they resonated like a live concert, and applied the physical laws of a Loony Tunes Cartoon. With a young cast superbly led by Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead but wonderfully supported by Allison Pill, Ellen Wong, Chris Evans, and Kieran Culkin, the result was a noisy, flashy, hipster mess. But luckily it had heart, which made it feel fun and unique and more like a lo-fi, endearing mess.

Box office-wise, SCOTT PILGRIM was something of a flop, but it found new life and a cult following, on DVD and cable, and now you’ll have the chance to see it again on the big screen (or for the first time if you missed it) when it plays this weekend ( July 26th and 27th ) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.

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

The Tivoli’s website can be found HERE

Here’s the line-up for the other films coming to ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli:

Aug. 2-3 POLICE STORY (1985) Jackie Chan classic, 4K digital restoration! – subtitled

Aug. 9-10 HOT FUZZ

Aug. 16-17 ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HIGH SCHOOL – New digital re-master – 40^th Anniversary

Aug. 23-24 NINJA SCROLL (1993) – subtitled

Aug. 30-31 LABYRINTH

Sept. 6-7 HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH New 4K digital re-master

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