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What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

It's Tuesday, so you know what that means - new DVD releases just in time for the Thanksgiving break! I've already shared some fresh music picks, but here are three movies to add to your Netflix queue for the weekend.

Funny People

Adam Sandler plays a comedian who tries to turn his life around and befriend a past love (Leslie Mann) after being diagnosed with a blood disorder; Seth Rogen steps in as his idealistic assistant. Both men turn in solid performances in Funny People, and there are laughs, even though this is way more serious than director Judd Apatow's previous work. One of my complaints in the theater was that it was much too long, but that's the good thing about DVDs - you can always hit pause and go back later.

The single disc version includes a gag reel and a feature commentary with Apatow, Rogen, and Sandler. (Normally I don't watch with the commentary on, but in this case, I might just tune in for their wise cracks.) The special two-disc collector's version is loaded with extras, including a 13-year old Seth Rogen doing stand-up!

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Two more DVD releases to check out when you read more.

Four Christmases

I love Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, and while they don't necessarily have any sparks in Four Christmases, they still serve up a cute comedy. The pair star as a couple stuck visiting four sets of relatives around the holidays - his mom, her mom, his dad, her dad. And while it's not the funniest or most charming film that either actor has done, I still had a few laughs, especially thanks to the supporting cast of quirky characters (Jon Favreau and Kristin Chenoweth in particular). Even if it doesn't stack up against the classics in my holiday movie faceoff, it's worth trying if you're looking to get into the spirit of the season.

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Angels and Demons

Tom Hanks fans have Angels and Demons to look forward to. The actor is incredibly long-winded in the follow-up film to The DaVinci Code, but at least he's no longer sporting that ridiculous bouffant hairdo. This time, Robert Langdon tries to save the Vatican from an ancient group known as the Illuminati. Personally, I was bored by the first half when I saw the film in theaters, but the second part is actually fun - so if you catch it at home, you may want to fast forward a bit to get to the good stuff.

Special features include behind-the-scenes featurettes.

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Seth Rogen Talks Monsters, Aliens, and Halloween

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Tonight, NBC is airing a Halloween-themed follow up to last Summer's animated hit Monsters Vs. Aliens, Monsters Vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space. Seth Rogen, who voices the gelatinous jokester B.O.B. in the half-hour special, chatted on the phone with a few reporters about reprising his role. He talked animated films, Halloween, and even a little bit of the upcoming adaptation of The Green Hornet that he's currently filming with Michel Gondry.

On why he enjoys voicing B.O.B.: I enjoy it because, I mean, this is the stupidest answer - I enjoy it because it's fun. The character is funny and the directors are cool and the story is funny; to me it's like a very fun format to kind of improvise, and try to discover a character in a different way than physically doing it, you know. You've got to do it all with your voice, and I really enjoy that.
On dressing up for Halloween: I have a girlfriend now and I've entered the unfortunate world of paired costuming. It's not fun. I don’t recommend it. I always end up being the lamer half - it's like she's a dog and I'm a fire hydrant or something like that. It's never fun. So maybe I'm dodging a bullet this year.

To hear what Rogen said about The Green Hornet and what he loves about Halloween TV, just read more.

On his Halloween TV faves: I always liked The Simpsons' Halloween specials, personally. They were always amazing. I always looked forward to that on Halloween. And I watched TGIF sitcoms growing up because I was a nerd and had nothing to do on Friday nights, and whenever the sitcoms would do their Halloween episode, I always enjoyed that for some reason. That always spawned some good comedy.
On the pressure of making The Green Hornet: I will blame Gondry if it sucks. No, I'm just joking. No, we are all in it, you know. I will say, I take a huge amount of the pressure. I understand that. I understand that. I understand that it's my face on it, you know, when it literally comes out even if it sucks for another reason, people will blame me and that's why I have to be so involved - to try to make sure that it doesn't suck. But there's a lot of pressure. I understand that. I've been talking about this movie for years, and if it sucks, then no one will be more disappointed than me, believe me.
On improvising as a voice actor: You can actually improvise a lot as a voice actor. I mean, real people I think don't - and I didn't - understand how animation works really. The time consuming part is really creating the characters and the sets and the worlds. And aside from that it's not that entirely different than shooting a live action movie; the characters mouths are quite easy to manipulate once all the information is built into the computer. So you can improvise a lot and it doesn't matter really how far along they are in the process; they can just make the character say something different. Almost more than in a live action movie because of how slow the process is.
On whether he'll do more voice acting in the future: I really enjoy it and I mean, I've always been a fan of animation - yes, I would like to.

Link Time!

BuzzSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:30:47 -0700

You must watch the How I Met Your Mother season four blooper reel! - PopWatch
The Cleveland Show is Sunday night's ratings winner; it's up 44 percent over the previous time slot occupier, King of the Hill - Movieline
Bored to Death gets the New York reality index - Vulture
Disney is getting ready to replace Johnny Depp in the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie - MTV Movies Blog
Want to know much The Hills stars make? Maybe you don't - Defamer
George Clooney started shooting The American today, previously known as A Very Private Gentleman - Coming Soon
Seth Rogen uses his guest spot on The Simpsons to get back at the Entourage crew - Cinematical
Listen to another song from the New Moon soundtrack, "Satellite Heart" - MySpace
How Geek would wire Betty Draper - GeekSugar

James McAvoy Jumps Aboard Seth Rogen's Cancer Comedy

BuzzSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:30:00 -0700

I know, I know - the words "cancer" and "comedy" don't exactly go together, but Seth Rogen and James McAvoy are ready to make us believe otherwise. The guys are set to star in a film adaptation of Will Reiser's novel, I'm With Cancer. Reiser also wrote the screenplay, which tells the story of his own experience battling and defeating cancer in his 20s. The movie will be directed by Nicole Holofcener, and Rogen will pull double duty as a producer.

McAvoy will star as Reiser's onscreen counterpart, and I have to say that I'm excited to see him return to comedy. He first caught my eye as the wacky brother in Wimbledon (yes, I love that movie and will not be ashamed), but since then it's been mostly heavy stuff like Atonement and The Last King of Scotland. As for Rogen, I just hope he's ready to start answering a lot of questions about why he chose this project right after Funny People - back-to-back comedies about terminal illness?

Funny People: Apatow Almost Gets It Right

PopSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:30:01 -0700

Before we get right into my thoughts on Funny People, let me preface by saying that I loved Judd Apatow’s first two films, The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. I would count both among the best comedies to hit Hollywood in the past few years, and I had full faith that he would hit another home run with his third directorial stint. I understand that he was ready to try something new and a get a little more serious, but looking back at his first two achievements I have to wonder: when the formula works so well, why mess with it?

Adam Sandler stars as George Simmons, a middle-aged comedian who's found fame and fortune thanks to a movie career filled with silly, Eddie Murphy-esque characters. His house is a palace, but George's selfish behavior has pushed away all of his friends and family. This leaves most of his social interactions with his personal staff, female conquests, and his fans. When George learns that he’s dying from a blood disorder, he decides to go back to his roots in standup comedy while taking on aspiring comedian Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) as his assistant. As George assesses what could be the end of a lonely life, Ira slowly becomes his closest friend and sidekick.

That's just the beginning, so to see what I thought of the film, just read more.

While George isn’t exactly the most likable character around, Adam Sandler does a great job of capturing his moody (and often downright mean) personality. The role is perfect for Sandler as it gives him a chance to shine as the effortlessly funny comedian we all know and love, but at the same time deliver a strong performance as an ailing man who is trying to change his life in the 11th hour.

Seth Rogen is equally impressive and perfect as innocent, puppy dog Ira. Rogen's no stranger to playing the everyman kinda guy, but this is the first time I feel like he's playing a role with no hint of sarcasm or arrogance. Ira could easily be mistaken for another lovable loser, but Seth shows that he’s so much more than that. There’s also something endearing about seeing Ira’s wide-eyed enthusiasm juxtaposed with George’s apathetic nature as they face the world of standup comedy as a team.

Beyond Sandler and Rogen, the film’s supporting cast provides a lot of life (and many of the laughs) to the story. Leslie Mann really brings out Adam’s sweeter side as Laura, George's "one that got away," and Eric Bana gets a rare chance to show his comedic chops as her bread-winning husband. Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman round out the group as Ira’s quirky and witty roommates. As an added bonus, Apatow and Mann’s daughters, Maude and Iris, are adorable as Laura’s kids.

As promised in the title, Funny People delivers jokes, and plenty of them. Granted, more than half of them are about the male anatomy and another large percentage are directed at Seth Rogen’s weight loss, but they're still there. The problem is that the laughs aren't free. George’s illness creates a dark cloud that hangs over the story, even when he learns that he has a good chance of pulling through. Apatow has your heart in his hands because everyone in the audience knows that there's a potential death scene lurking around every corner.

The movie has a lot of depressing moments, but what's even sadder is that the biggest takeaway of the film is the length. At over two and a half hours, the movie drags and is entirely too long. Apatow wanted to take his time to make his point, but by the end he had lost me and I just didn’t care that much about the film's final message.

Funny People has a lot to offer and isn’t terrible by any means, but it is hands-down my least favorite of Apatow's three films. I'd still give him golf claps, but there just isn't enough to earn a standing ovation this time around.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Watch, Pass, TiVo or Rent: Funny People

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:30:11 -0700

For Judd Apatow's third directorial feature film, Funny People, he has Seth Rogen starring as a fledgling comedian who looks up to the seasoned comedian/Hollywood actor, George Simmons (Adam Sandler). George learns that he has an untreatable blood disorder and that he has one year to live. He notices Ira's act one night and takes Ira under his wing - though it doesn't change the fact that George is a prickly, difficult guy. The movie explores the world of comedy and the quirky sort of mentor/mentee relationship that forms between a newbie performer and a guy who's "made it" - but at a cost. Leslie Mann also stars as George's "one that got away."

Will you venture out to the theaters for this one, wait for the DVD, catch it on TV someday, or skip it altogether?

Cameron Diaz in Seth Rogen's Green Hornet Movie: Good Move?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:30:38 -0700

Yesterday a rumor started swirling about Cameron Diaz possibly being cast in Seth Rogen's Green Hornet movie, though nothing is confirmed and we don't know any details about the part Diaz would play. Michel Gondry is directing the film based on a script by Rogen and his Superbad writing partner Evan Goldberg, and all that's known so far is that Diaz's role would be the "female lead."

Do you think this would be a good move? Can you see Diaz and Rogen getting silly together in a Green Hornet movie? After playing the haggard mother of a teenage cancer patient in My Sister's Keeper, would this be a good move for Diaz?

Very Funny Cast Signs Up For Mottola's Paul

BuzzSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:30:33 -0700

So much about this movie news is exciting. First, we've got a great, funny director in Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland). Secondly, there's a script written by the excellent and hilarious British duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Spaced). And now, there's a great group of comedic actors rounding out the cast: Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, and Jane Lynch (I love that she keeps getting more projects these days!). Here's more on the project, titled Paul:

Pegg and Frost, who wrote the script, will play two science-fiction fanatics on a road trip whose conspiracy dreams come true when they trek to Area 51 and encounter the title character, an escaped alien. Rogen will provide the voice of the alien.

It's not my ultimate comedic dream team, but I see nothing wrong at all with this group of funny people. I can't wait for Paul to invade theaters. Oh man, that's terrible. That's it. I'm done!

Source and Source

Box Office: Miley's Big Weekend

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:30:18 -0700

Buzz readers are a savvy bunch and correctly predicted that Miley Cyrus's latest movie would debut at No. 1 over the weekend. Ms. Cyrus is a major force to be reckoned with at the box office, as this is her second blockbuster - and she's still a kid!

Hannah Montana: The Movie earned an estimated $34 million, zooming right by Fast and Furious which came in second.

Seth Rogen's dark comedy Observe and Report came in lower than expected at No. 4, behind Monsters vs. Aliens. Knowing rounded out the top five.

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Observe and Report: The (Very) Dark Side of Being a Mall Cop

BuzzSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:30:51 -0700

With its ambling plot, oddball characters and sudden bursts of violence, Observe and Report is a weird little movie. I chuckled a lot and was shocked a few times, but I wouldn't necessarily say that it's an uproariously funny comedy. I'm not sure what it is, actually.

In the story, mall cop Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) considers himself tough and important but when incidents occur at his mall - like a flasher terrorizing women in the parking lot, or someone robbing a store - the police are called in and Ronnie's job suddenly seems inconsequential by comparison. He applies to become a police officer and in the meantime pursues Brandi (Anna Faris), the shallow, blond party girl who works at a cosmetics counter and who clearly has no interest in Ronnie. The thing about Ronnie, though, is that he doesn't quite see the reality of things, so when he finally realizes that he might not be police officer material and Brandi doesn't consider him her boyfriend, he kinda loses it. Can he ever earn the respect of everyone around him? I won't say what happens but I will share more thoughts if you read more.

It's not a particularly well-told story, as the narrative wanders from point to point and we watch our lead character merely go from delusional fantasy to blind rage and back again. Sure, his outrageous behavior is funny - particularly in the setting of a sleepy suburban mall - but it's still hard to care about him all that much. It feels a bit like we're rooting for him out of some kind of obligation.

Rogen does a fine job in this kind of role - the schlubbier-than-average guy with a humorously unrealistic view of himself and his place in the world. Rogen fans will most likely enjoy this performance and this movie that revolves entirely around him, but in his ever-lengthening résumé, I have a feeling Observe and Report will not stand out as one of his best. His costars - especially Anna Faris and Celia Weston - give their all to this film and they succeed in bringing blasts of (often inappropriate) fun.

As I left the screening I overheard a conversation about how "uncreative" the movie is, and while I wouldn't go that far, I would say that some parts seem lazy. Certain gags are dragged out for a long time, I think to make them funnier, but the result is something that just feels draggy. And other scenes are quite funny but so dark or bleak that I ended up just feeling sad. It's extremely vulgar and violent, and definitely not for everyone's taste, but if you do like this sort of thing then it's worth seeing this someday just to see all these funny people interact.

Warner Bros.