This looks like one of those that could be really stupid or really funny, but it's hard to tell which one from the trailer. I actually liked The Other Guys, Ferrell and Wahlberg's last movie together, but that was Adam McKay, Will Ferrell's longtime collaborator, and this one is directed by a guy whose last two movies were Dumb and Dumber To and That's My Boy, so....yeah that doesn't bode well. It's coming out Christmas Day.
Lily Tomlin is a Feisty 'Grandma' in New Buddy Comedy
Okay, Lily Tomlin looks awesome in this, and I have to see it even if the character of the shit-talking grandma has become something of a new cliche in recent years. I already know she can do it better than a bunch of other actresses. Plus, it's from Paul Weitz (writer-director of About a Boy) and got major reviews out of Sundance. Just from the trailer, I'm thinking Lily Tomlin could easily be in for some serious Oscar buzz (they love the cranky old lady role and Tomlin's a legend who hasn't had a starring vehicle in 27 years).
Movie of the Day: "The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001)
Gene Hackman shines as Royal Tenenbaum, the patriarch of a family he abandoned years earlier, only to return and try to worm his way back into the lives of his ex-wife and adult kids (Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson and Gwyneth Paltrow). Filled with Wes Anderson's dry humor and bit characters, this movie is probably still my favorite entry in the director's canon (although Grand Budapest comes awfully close to topping it), because I just can't get enough of Hackman's sketchy and sleazy Tenenbaum. He pulls cons left and right, but he doesn't apologize for who he is, and you have to admit you'd probably get a kick out of hanging out with him if he was your dad too. Sure he's a liar and a cheater and a thief, but hey- he's also Gene Hackman in a tailor made role for his particular charms, which is the only reason this character works. I still can't believe he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for this.
Original Trailer:
Robin Williams Stars in his Last Movie 'Boulevard'
Here's the trailer for Boulevard, coming out in a limited release on July 10th. This movie will get attention for being Robin Williams' last starring role as a 60 year old man trying to do one last good thing in his life. It looks kinda routine and sentimental, but I guess that was a lot of Williams' dramatic work. Still, it's sad to think this is the last thing we'll ever see him in.
Family Reunion in 'Kung Fu Panda 3' Trailer
We cap off our week of animated movie trailers with the return of Jack Black's kung-fu panda in the third installment of the Panda series, but I have to admit that I've never seen any of these, despite it supposedly being one of Dreamworks' best animated franchises (the How to Train Your Dragon series probably trumps it at this point). I don't know- is it worth catching up on? I'm actually surprised they're doing a third, since I remember the second one disappointing at the box office. I guess that explains the January release date.
Movie of the Day: "Mrs. Doubtfire" (1993)
Our next movie dad this week is Mrs. Doubtfire, the divorced dad Daniel HIllard, who goes to extremes and masquerades as a vaguely Scottish housekeeper to fool his ex-wife (Sally Field) and kids while sneaking back into their lives full-time. This was undoubtedly one of the late Robin Williams' most beloved movies and roles, and while it does have some classic hilarious parts in it, I was always slightly bugged by the underlying creepiness of the premise- no one thought he might be clinically insane when the ruse was revealed? Really? I guess you just have to suspend disbelief. It's still worth it as one of the essential Robin Williams vehicles (even if it's not as good as Tootsie, in my opinion).
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Monsters Return in 'Hotel Transylvania 2' Trailer
It's the week of animated movie trailers, apparently. Adam Sandler's Count Dracula is back in Sony's sequel to the popular Hotel Transylvania three years ago, and now they're trying to convert his possibly human grandchild to the join the "right" side of the family. This is another release coming out in September, although wouldn't it be more appropriate for an October release, closer to Halloween? You know, with there being so many monsters and vamps and all.
Emily Blunt Confronts the Drug War in 'Sicario'
This movie got a somewhat muted response at Cannes, and even though it looks like it could be decent, I'm wary because I kind of hated director Denis Villenueve's last movie Prisoners. Still, Emily Blunt keeps trying to make it as a star and here she took on a role that was originally written for a man and convinced them to cast her, so good for her on that score. It's coming out in September.
Movie of the Day: "The Bicycle Thief" (1948)
From now until Sunday we're tipping our hat to movie dads in honor Father's Day, and to start the countdown we're going with one of the most depressing films ever made (but don't worry, they'll lighten up over the next few days). That's Vittorio de Sica's 1948 neo-realist masterpiece The Bicycle Thief (or Bicycle Thieves, as it's actually translated). It's post-war Italy, and Antonio Ricci is desperate for work so he can support his family. When he manages to get a menial job selling advertizing bills, it requires a bicycle, which is immediately stolen from him his first day on the job. Ricci then spends the movie tracking down the bicycle all over Rome, dragging his young son Bruno with him from place to place. I'm not sure how great a dad Ricci actually is in this movie (he's not the nicest guy in the world), but his desperation to keep his job and take care of his family is deeply felt, and hey, he's trying everything he possibly can. There's few other films that convey the despair poverty can impart on a family like this one, and for its unsparing look at reality, this is a classic you can't miss.
!972 Re-release trailer:
'The Secret Life of Pets' Shows Off a 'Toy Story' for Animals
Universal's taking what looks to me like a Toy Story approach in this teaser for next summer's The Secret Life of Pets. Tons of celebrity voices, as usual, in a movie that looks familiar, yet probably appealing anyway (no one can ever really get enough of talking dogs). One thing does bother me though- why they can't they figure out how to animate cats that look like cats? They don't normally resemble big round furballs.
Richard Gere is a Drifter in 'Time Out of Mind'
Well this doesn't exactly look like a barrel of laughs, does it? Richard Gere in his later career has come around to being something of a character actor, and he looks like he might be good here too. But the movie looks awfully depressing, and in that aimless, wallow in misery type of way. Oren Moverman is the guy who wrote I'm Not There and directed The Messenger, so he's not untalented, but I'm not sure this one's for me.
Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Gang Return in the New Trailer for 'The Peanuts Movie'
So, I'm not exactly sure what to think about this movie (other than being annoyed that the Peanuts have to be transformed into CG in order to reach a new audience that apparently won't accept traditional hand drawn animation). But in watching this trailer, I have to say that it doesn't exactly feel like it's a non-Peanuts movie. Apparently the Schulz family was involved here, and they may have a gotten the tone right, from what I see. Hmmm. Could it be decent? I love the Peanuts, so I hope so and I guess it would be a good thing if more kids grew to love the Schulz creations. But assuming they did do it justice, I wonder how many people it will actually appeal to- those comic strips are nothing like the kinds of humor that goes into virtually every animated movie these days, and people are awfully used to the same kind of thing now.
