Run Fat Boy Run

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to my selections below, you can also check out the dreamboat special that is Leatherheads and Simon Pegg's comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run.

Sex and the City: The Movie
Well, the big day has arrived: the Sex and the City movie is here for you to rent or own. Whether you missed this one in theaters (hard to imagine) or are excited to fast-forward to your favorite parts, the fab four has come full circle back to your small screen. I'm interested in revisiting this one, since the movie is super long and there is a lot to take in.

This is the kind of movie for which special features were made. Get a load of these: commentary by director Michael Patrick King; a conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker and Michael Patrick King; featurettes titled, "The Fabulous Fashion of Sex and the City," "Fergie in the Studio: Watch a Hit in the Making as the Singer Records Labels or Love for the Movie Soundtrack," and additional scenes.

So, are you bringing this one home this week?

Three more selections to go, so read more

Well, it looks like 21, the film about MIT students who take Vegas by storm, was a safe bet as it easily won the top spot at the box office. However, the overall weekend box office total was down 17 percent compared to last year, Variety reports. 21 earned an estimated $23 million, beating Horton Hears a Who and firmly establishing Jim Sturgess as a viable leading man.

Compare these results to another new release this weekend: Stop-Loss, starring Ryan Phillippe, who is a household name. Another box office casualty in a long line of Iraq War-related film flops, Stop-Loss only earned $4.5 million, coming in at No. 8.

Which brings me to the other box office disappointment this weekend, Superhero Movie. Could it be that Round One of Harvey Weinstein vs. Fanboys' fanboys goes to the geeks (more on the feud here)? Protesters gathered on both coasts where Superhero was playing, though in LA it appears Weinstein was prepared with guards. One protester told the Hollywood Reporter:

Guards were everywhere. At one point, I counted nine, no joke. They hired a whole force and whenever someone showed up looking around for the protest, they were surrounded by guards and told to leave instantly or be arrested. I guess you can't really hold a protest on private property.

Ultimately the film came in the third spot with a measly $9.5 million. Is this a little bit hilarious to anyone else?

Finally, Run Fat Boy Run starring Simon Pegg came in 13th and only earned an estimated $2.3 million here in the US. The movie grossed $22.6 million in the UK last Fall.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

Run, Fat Boy, Run comes from a background of comedy gold, three times over: the off-kilter quirkiness of writer Michael Ian Black, the sweet goofiness of director David Schwimmer, and the British everyman humor of cowriter and star Simon Pegg. Ideally, the film would have joined the three comedy styles seamlessly, creating a lovable, hysterical movie that could do no wrong.

Unfortunately, Run, Fat Boy, Run feels like three different movies as disparate as its influences: one set of gross-out jokes that would make the Farrelly Brothers proud, one sweet but schlocky romantic comedy, and one laugh-out-loud underdog story. It's as if the trio couldn't commit to just one sort of film, bouncing from saccharine father-son scenes to disgusting blister-popping to Pegg's trademark loser-y antics. The result is a film that isn't bad, just disappointingly ordinary.

Pegg stars as Dennis, a man who chickens out on his wedding day and runs away from his pregnant bride, Libby (Thandie Newton). Five years later, he wants to win her back — but Libby has started dating Whit (Hank Azaria), a slick American stockbroker who seems to be good at everything, including running marathons. Dennis decides that the way back to Libby is beating Whit at his own game and decides he, too, will run a race. Never mind that just running down the block leaves him winded; he's going to finish 26.2 miles and get the girl, to boot. Things follow a fairly expected path from there — though there are some laughs along the way — so read more

Thandie Newton brightened up the Run, Fat Boy, Run LA premiere last night in her pink dress and springtime beauty look — love it or hate it? — while Amanda Bynes joined in the fun in her standard LBD. David Schwimmer has been giving lots of interviews about sitting in the director's chair, but don't expect his name plastered all over the movie. He said, "I’m really proud of it — it’s just i find it comes across a bit pretentious sometimes when ads or commercials have 'a film by such and such.' It always seems to me, when I’m watching the trailer or ad, that it’s a big ego stroke." We guess David will have to wait until the critics weigh in for his confidence booster — check back in later this week to see what Buzz thinks of his film directorial debut.

To see more photos including Jonathan Silverman and Michael Ian Black, just read more

Thandie Newton was looking fabulous and super smiley at the premiere of Run Fat Boy Run in NYC last night. Unfortunately we can't say the same about director David Schwimmer, whose outfit left us wondering what happened to cute Ross Gellar? Seeing one of our old Friends always makes us nostalgic, but apparently David had a blast testing the waters as a director for his first film. As for the movie's quirky title, he said, "We came up with five pages of titles. But when we read them to people the only one they smiled on was 'Run, Fat Boy, Run.' "

To see more from the premiere just read more

Oh, how I love these guys! Anyone who has seen Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz is probably familiar with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost's hilarious, satiric ways, and fans of the duo will be happy to know that they're back at work on another comedy. This time the premise and location are both distinctly American. Pegg wouldn't reveal too much to MTV Movies Blog, but he did say this: "It's called Paul and it’s a road movie about two British geeks in America."

Also, as a twist on their usual relationship in their films, Pegg won't be playing the one ranking on Frost's character all the time. According to Pegg, "I'm the bitch in this one. This time Simon’s the bitch!"

I love these guys. I was so looking forward to seeing Pegg soon in Run, Fat Boy, Run alongside Hank Azaria, but apparently the film's release date has been moved from October to March. One website has a supposed quote from Pegg stating that the weekend in October when Fat Boy was supposed to open proved too risky with Steve Carell's Dan in Real Life also coming out. I'm so bummed by this news! I was looking forward to watching that fat boy run next month.

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David Schwimmer brought his directorial debut Run, Fat Boy, Run to NYC for its American premiere. Thandie Newton, fresh from celebrating the history of couture in London, was in attendance to promote the film along with David and her co-star Simon Pegg. Thandie looked pretty and petite as usual with her cute husband, Oliver Parker, by her side. Apparently the film's US release date was pushed back from October 26th to March 28th so it won't get lost in the mix with all the other films fighting for Oscar contender gold. It's already out in other countries and since they just had their NYC premiere, we're thinking we will be hearing a lot about this movie for months to come.

To see more of Thandie, David and Simon read more

The Toronto Film Festival fun is still alive and full of star power this week. Keira took her smoky eyes and soft curls to the premiere of Atonement with cute James McAvoy by her side. Actor turned Director David Schwimmer came out with Thandie Newton for their new movie, Run, Fat Boy, Run. Cute Thandie wore the very same dress that Kate Bosworth was wearing this weekend. Yikes - who do you think wore it better?

Lots more pics including Simon Pegg, Thandie, David and more in Toronto so just read more

I love me some Simon Pegg, as I think pretty much everything he does is hilarious. And I know many of you — like me — adore Hank Azaria. So the U.K. preview for this fall's comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run should please a good number of Pegg and Azaria fans.

Curiously, the movie was written by Michael Ian Black and directed by David Schwimmer. Pegg plays Dennis, an out-of-shape dude who leaves his pregnant fiancee Libby (Thandie Newton) at the altar. Five years later, he believes that she's the love of his life and decides to win her away from her new man (Azaria, who looks unbelievably good in this trailer) by running his first marathon. Let the training montages begin!

To watch the trailer before Run, Fat Boy, Run opens October 26, read more