Tag: molly shannon

Watch The Trailer For Clark Gregg’s TRUST ME

trustme

TRUST ME is directed by and stars Clark Gregg (Marvel’s THE AVENGERS, ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and Joss Whedon’s MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING).

Felicity Huffman, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Peet, and Allison Janney co-star in the dark comedy about a struggling Hollywood agent for child actors.

Clark Gregg’s TRUST ME will be released On Demand iTunes May 6th and in select theaters June 6th. Pre-order it HERE.

It’s definitely one of the must-see movies of the summer and utterly charming.

TRUST ME tells the sharp, comic story of Howard Holloway (Gregg), a down-on-his luck agent for child actors and truly one the last good guys left in Hollywood.

After discovering a 13-year-old acting prodigy (Saxon Sharbino), he is poised to close the deal of a lifetime which would catapult his tween client and, at long last, himself, into the big time. With the support of his gorgeous new neighbor (Peet), he must wrangle the actress’ volatile, overprotective father, dodge a scheming producer (Huffman), and outwit his uber-slick nemesis (Rockwell). As he arrives on the brink of the Hollywood dream that’s eluded him for a lifetime, he begins to sense that his innocent young starlet may not be quite what she seems.

This is the second feature film written and directed by Gregg, who made his directing debut with CHOKE, an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel that starred Sam Rockwell.

Facebook: Facebook.com/TrustMe2014
Twitter: @TrustMeMovie

Cee-Lo Green’s Murray The Mummy In HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

From Sony Pictures Animation, take a look at this early design of Cee-Lo Green’s “Murray the Mummy” in HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA – in theaters September 21, 2012.

Welcome to the HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, Dracula’s (Adam Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free to be the monsters they are without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – to celebrate his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky (TV’s “The Powerpuff Girls,” “Star Wars: Clone Wars”), Miley Cyrus, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon and David Koechner round out the voices for Columbia Pictures’ animated family comedy.

Adam Sandler Checks In To HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA For Sony Pictures Animation

Steve Buscemi, Fran Drescher, Cee Lo Green, Kevin James, Andy Samberg, Molly Shannon,
and David Spade On the Guest List;

Genndy Tartakovsky to Direct

CULVER CITY, Calif., July 2011 – It was announced earlier this week that Adam Sandler will voice the lead role of Dracula in Sony Pictures Animation’s 3D family comedy HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, by Bob Osher, president, Sony Pictures Digital Productions, and Michelle Raimo-Kouyate, president of production, Sony Pictures Animation. The film will be released on September 21, 2012, by Columbia Pictures.

The film will be directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, a star in the animation community, well-known for his work on Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and “Dexter’s Laboratory”; he recently conceptualized and storyboarded the final action sequence for Iron Man 2 and provided the stylish and memorable prologue for the film Priest. The film is produced by Michelle Murdocca (Open Season, Stuart Little 1 & 2) and the animation is by Sony Pictures Imageworks.

Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here’s a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Also confirmed to join the cast: Kevin James will play Frank – also known as Frankenstein – with Fran Drescher voicing Eunice, his in-your-face, over-the-top, and larger-than-life Bride. David Spade plays Quasimodo, once the hunchback of Notre Dame and now a crazy, passionate gourmet chef always looking for his next piece de resistance. Steve Buscemi and Molly Shannon will play Wayne and Wanda, a pair of married, harried werewolves, parents to an ever-increasing litter of pups, who are looking forward to their family vacation at the hotel. Cee Lo Green is also joining the cast as Murray, a boisterous Mummy, once entertainer to the great Pharaohs, now the life of the party, and always feeling the urge to let loose and sing. Finally, Andy Samberg will voice the role of Jonathan, a 21-year-old regular guy, carefree and full of life, whose world travels land him at the Hotel.

Hotel Transylvania continues Sandler’s long association with Sony Pictures, where he has made or produced 23 films over the years. The studio recently released Just Go With It, which opened #1 and took in more than $214 million worldwide, and last summer, the studio released Grown Ups, the biggest worldwide hit of Sandler’s career, earning over $260 million worldwide. For more than a decade, Sandler has been one of the world’s biggest comedy stars, putting together a track record of comedies that have become must-see events around the world and showing a power at the box office that very few comedians can match. He will next star for Sony in both title roles of Jack and Jill, set for release November 11, 2011, and is currently shooting I Hate You, Dad, opposite Andy Samberg and Leighton Meester.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Adam to create a comedic Dracula for a new generation,” said Raimo-Kouyate in commenting on the announcement. “We have a unique story about that iconic character, starring a phenomenal cast directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, that re-imagines Transylvania and its legendary monsters in the way that only animation can.

About Sony Pictures Animation
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its 2009 worldwide hit, the mouth-watering 3D comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and the 2007 Academy Award®-nominated Surf’s Up with a full slate of feature films including the live-action/animation hybrid film The Smurfs (3D) and the family comedy, Hotel Transylvania (3D). The division is also in production with Aardman Animations on two feature films, the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas (3D) and the stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits (3D). Open Season 3, the third adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s successful Open Season franchise, was released on DVD and Blu-Ray January 2011. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

Review: ‘Igor’

Jeremy:

‘Igor’ is one of the second-tier, animated films that seem to get manufactured as if on an assembly line.   Over the past couple of years, animated films are released one right after the other.   Most of them have little heart.   If you’re not backed by PIXAR or Dreamworks, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re going to be a “by-the-numbers” family film.   There are a few shining examples of animated films outside the big two, however.   Columbia’s ‘Monster House’ was possibly the best animated film of 2006, the year PIXAR released ‘Cars’, perhaps it’s biggest disappointment to date.   ‘Happy Feet’, 20th Century Fox’s big, animated film from that same year, was also a commendable effort.

The latest animated film from MGM, ‘Igor’, is not on par with those other films, but it is enjoyable.   Many people are going to compare it to one of Tim Burton’s animated films, and those comparisons are not unfounded.   ‘Igor’ seems to be attempting its hand at following the same themes and styles as something like ‘Corpse Bride’.   On every level, it exceeds that film, but that’s not really saying much.   ‘Corpse Bride’ was cute, but it was definitely not a shining effort by Burton.

‘Igor’ is a great idea that could have been executed exceptionally had it been backed by one of the big two.   The story is set in the land of Malaria where evil scientists reign supreme and each one has their own, personal Igor.   The Igor belonging to Dr. Glickenstein has aspirations of becoming more than a lowly assistant.   He wants to be a mad scientist, himself.   One day, he gets the chance to live that dream, as Dr. Glickenstein blows himself up in failed project.

It is a week before the Evil Science Fair where all the scientists submit their best, evil efforts to be unleashed on the world.   With the help of his two friends, Scamper, a zombie bunny who does not want to go on living, and Brain, an idiotic brain in a jar, Igor makes his creation.   He builds a monster that does not turn out evil.   Instead, the creature is a docile being named Eva with dreams of her own to become an actress.

If they cannot make Eva evil, than they will try to make it appear as such.   With only days left until the fair, Igor, Scamper, and Brain come up with ways to do just that.   Along the way, they uncover a plot to overthrow the king of Malaria and, ultimately, become friends with Eva.

‘Igor’ is a fun film that everyone in the family will enjoy.   It never pushes itself to be more than just a Saturday afternoon viewing, and that is unfortunate.   It really could have been a great, animated film.   The idea is original.   The designs of the characters and sets are very well done.   The voice acting is outstanding.

John Cusack voices Igor, and it is undeniably John Cusack.   The Igors in Malaria are forced to speak with a slur in their words, and it would have been better had the speech impediment not been forced.   Cusack disguising his voice throughout the film would have cut down on the distraction that it was him.

Steve Buscemi is great as Scamper. The bunny is incredibly cynical, and his dry one-liners never get old.   Neither do the attempts Scamper makes on his own life.   It’s not prudent to laugh at something as dark as suicide, but when a red-eyed bunny crushes himself under a vat only to pop back out like an inflating balloon, it’s hard not to.

The rest of the cast is fine.   Sean Hayes provides the voice of Brain.   Jay Leno is the King of Malaria.   John Cleese is Dr. Glickenstein.   Eddie Izzard is Dr. Schadenfreude, Glickenstein’s nemesis and the main villain of the film.   The British comic’s voice is very recognizable, but it fits perfectly with the character.

As dark as it is, and there are a few instances of profanity, ‘Igor’ is very lighthearted.   It attempts the moral that ‘Shrek’ put forth about beauty being what is on the inside, and it succeeds in its attempt better than ‘Shrek’, actually.   It is missing the heart and love that seems to be put into PIXAR’s best films.   Films like ‘Finding Nemo’ and ‘Ratatouille’ are something ‘Igor’ never even comes close to.   However, it’s orginality and impeccable designs are what makes ‘Igor’ better than your average, animated film.

[rating:3/5]

In case you missed it … ‘Year of the Dog’

‘Year of the Dog’ is a semi-quirky comedy that’s both funny and also a touching story (although a bit on the dark side at times) about a reclusive woman named Peggy (Molly Shannon) who’s life consists of going to work and then going home to be with her beloved beagle, day after day. Everyone loves Peggy, but Peggy doesn’t understand how to integrate herself into normal human social situations. She treats her dog like her best friend and life companion, which inevitably makes life extremely difficult for Peggy to adapt and cope when her dog dies suddenly. As the time goes by while she mourns the death of her canine companion, Peggy begins to notice her life changing in unexpected ways, right before her eyes. She begins to take on a philosophy of animal rights and doing good, but it soon spirals out of control as she becomes obsessed with this new “passion” in life. Once things get completely out of control, Peggy finally realizes what she needs to do and makes the decision to turn a new leaf and wipe the slate clean, finding that she can live her life happily the way she wants without apologies.

The movie is written and directed by Mike White (writer, ‘The School of Rock’). This is a wonderful directorial debut for White, who’s writing I first became aware of when I saw ‘The Good Girl’ (2002) starring Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal, which is an awesome dark comedy. I look forward to seeing White’s next film. Molly Shannon is a lot of fun to watch. She delivers plenty of humor as the timid Peggy who cares for others and has lots of love to give, but just doesn’t know how to give it away. While her humor is spot on, Shannon still manages to capture the human side of her character and not turn the performance into just another silly Saturday Night Live gag-fest. ‘The Year of the Dog’ also stars John C. Reilly as Peggy’s next-door neighbor who she ends up blaming for her dog’s mysterious death by poisonous toxins. The film weaves in and out of light-hearted comedy and somewhat crazy antics by which Peggy ultimately learns the keys to living her life. I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys the SNL players but can appreciate a more intelligent story than most SNL movies have to offer. I do not suggest this film to anyone who considers them die-hard supporters of PETA or those who can’t tolerate seeing depictions of dead dogs.

Trailer for Dimension’s animated ‘Igor’

Dimension Film’s newest animated feature Igor is on its way, due out in theaters on September 19, 2008. Here’s the first trailer of the family oriented monster/horror flick, featuring John Cusack as the central character. Igor is about one “Igor” who no longer wants to just settle for being another assistant to an evil scientist, so he pursues his dream of entering his own creation into the 51st annual evil science fair. The cast also includes Steve Buscemi, Eddie Izzard, Jay Leno, Jennifer Coolidge, Molly Shannon, John Cleese and Sean Hayes.

Review: ‘Amazing Screw-On Head’ on DVD

Travis:

Through a collaboration of Dark Horse Comics, the Sci-Fi Channel and Mike Mignola, the creator of the single issue comic book, comes an animated adaptation of The Amazing Screw-On Head (2006). Directed by Chris Prynocki, this short 22-minute animated trip into the bizarre and darkly humorous mind of Mignola (creator of Hellboy) is pure enjoyment.

The story takes place in America during the Civil War, whereas President Abraham Lincoln enlists his trusty super-secret special agent, the Amazing Screw-On Head, to stop Emperor Zombie from succeeding in his plans to unleash an ancient evil to attain world domination. The Amazing Screw-On Head (Paul Giamatti) must battle against Emperor Zombie (David Hyde Pierce), his former protege, his former lover, Patience the Vampire (Molly Shannon), a mini-gun toting monkey, Emperor Zombie’s evil foot soldiers and old lady werewolves and ultimately the “unstoppable” demi-God that Zombie unleashes. Screw-On’s only assistance is his robotic body, his manservant Mr. Groin (Patton Oswalt) and his undead dog, Mr. Dog.

The animation is great, similar to that of the Hellboy animated features. Honestly, I would love to see this as a feature-length production, but I wouldn’t go getting my heart set on it. Corey Burton also deserves some credit for taking on multiple character voices, including President Lincoln, the demi-God and Professor Faust. I’m not sure how readily accessible this DVD is to the average viewer, but I managed to find it through Netflix. The DVD includes a Storyboard Comparison and a featurette called From Comic to Cartoon: Making The Amazing Screw-On Head.

(5 out of 5)

Zac:

The Amazing Screw on Head is a bit of a sad story purely based on that fact that we will never get to see any more of his adventures.   The comedy in the show is brilliant and all together insane at the same time.   It is absurd, outlandish, and completely twisted.   The voice cast is excellent with David Hyde Pierce and Paul Giamatti in the leads of Emperor Zombie and Screw on Head respectively.   The originality and imagination found in this failed pilot is so great it really is sad that this series couldn’t come to fruitation.   Seek this out as a rental at least, but if you are a fan of Mike Mignola’s work in Hellboy you will not be dissapointed.

One tear for screw on head.

(4.5 out of 5)

[rating:5/5]