BuzzSugar

Box Office: Semi-Pro Semi-Beats Out Competition

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Despite earning the top spot at the box office, the predictable laughs in Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro only earned $15.3 million over the weekend. This is considered a disappointing sum, especially compared to opening weekends of other Ferrell films like Talladega Nights and Blades of Glory. Variety reports that this underwhelming performance by the basketball comedy may have been due to mediocre reviews and an R-rating.

Vantage Point was only bumped down one spot to No. 2 over the weekend followed by The Spiderwick Chronicles at No. 3. The adaptation of Buzz Book Club's February selection The Other Boleyn Girl took the fourth spot earning an estimated $8.3 million. Penelope starring Reese Witherspoon and Christina Ricci also opened this weekend coming in at No. 8 behind Jumper, Step Up 2 The Streets, and Fool's Gold.

Filling out the top ten were Oscar-nominated films No Country for Old Men and Juno.

Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema

Semi-Pro: Funny Little Shorts, Same Old Jokes

BuzzSugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

By now the Will Ferrell formula is apparent: Find some job or sport or fashion era that has loads of inherent humor, give the main character some insurmountable challenge to face, and . . . action! This time it's basketball in the 1970s. Not that I’m complaining, really; the movie's predictable laughs are still laughs.

In Semi-Pro we find Will Ferrell shoving his gigantic, blindingly white self into a super tight unflattering outfit - not unlike the gimmicky tight costumes in Blades of Glory, only this time it's a basketball uniform. The movie follows one-hit wonder Jackie Moon's (Ferrell) team, the Flint Michigan Tropics, as they fight for a place in the NBA. Though the Ferrell train sometimes seems to be running out of steam, I still think it's worth jumping on board one more time with this movie. I'll tell you why if you read more.

Jackie Moon scored a major hit with his slow jam "Love Me Sexy" and used the profits from the song's success to give Flint a team in the ABA, a struggling national basketball league known more for publicity stunts rather than athleticism. When the ABA is threatening to fold, the commissioner warns that only the best teams will get to merge into the NBA.

Jackie Moon is better at promoting his team with stunts like bear wrestling than coaching, so he brings on board a former champion Ed Monix (a seriously spray-tanned Woody Harrelson) to help whip them into shape. Moon also relies heavily on his team's star, Clarence "Coffee" Black (played by the excellent André Benjamin from Outkast).

I have to say, this is an interesting addition to Ferrell's canon. I can't believe I'm going to type this, but Semi-Pro stands apart from his other movies because most of the supporting characters are deeply appealing and have a shocking amount of depth. I actually found myself caring about this story. Oddly, I found that Ferrell himself sometimes got in my way of enjoying the movie, his goofball act being more miss than hit this time around.

Ultimately, it's the ensemble cast that makes this movie worthwhile. In particular, Will Arnett and MADtv's Andrew Daly made me laugh much more than any prolonged shot of Ferrell's crotch did. Semi-Pro as a whole is a good ride, but it also signaled to me that it's time for Ferrell to head back to the drawing board and give us something new. Here's hoping this summer's Step Brothers will be just the thing to shake things up.

Photos courtesy of New Line Cinema

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:30:00 -0700

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.

"Heroes" - Season 1
The first season of NBC's hit sci-fi drama "Heroes" is now available on DVD and it's extras-tacular. The show follows "ordinary" people who happen to have extraordinary powers (invisibility, regeneration, flight, mind reading, time travel, etc.). The 7-disc set features a good number of extras, including (but not limited to): audio commentaries, the 73-minute unaired original pilot episode (along with the option of commentary by Tim Kring), deleted scenes and a whole bunch of behind-the-scenes stuff, like a stunt featurette and a profile on artist Tim Sale. On the HD-DVD you can expect more interactive features, like something called a "genetic abilities test." If you missed this season when it was on TV (and then online), you can catch up with the DVDs before the second season begins September 24.

Three more new releases so read more

"Friday Night Lights" - Season 1
If you're not hooked on "Friday Night Lights" by the time you're through with this five-disc DVD set, you can get your money back - no joke. The set isn't nearly as loaded with special features as the "Heroes" collection, but it still includes deleted scenes from each of the season's 22 episodes as well as a "making of" featurette. I wish the special features weren't so skimpy, but I'm sure that's what's letting NBC offer the set so cheap ($19.99 most places). And besides, who needs extras when you've got some of the best writing and acting on television to occupy your time?

Year of the Dog
Molly Shannon stars in this quirky, dark indie comedy all about love, loss - and pets. Shannon plays Peggy, whose world revolves around her dog, Pencil. When he suddenly passes away, Peggy feels lost at sea and needs to find something else to consume her attention. The people in her life all have different views on how she should distract herself. Her bubbly girlfriend Layla (Regina King) pushes Peggy to start dating, while cute veterinary assistant Newt (Peter Sarsgaard) urges her to adopt a new dog. Ultimately, though, Peggy has to find her own path. Year of the Dog is extremely endearing, with Shannon turning in a surprisingly touching performance. Special features include a gag reel, a making-of featurette and some interesting interviews with Molly Shannon and writer/director Mike White. Check out my review for more of my thoughts on this movie.

Blades of Glory
This may not be a work of genius, exactly, but it's definitely worth a rent if you want a chuckle. Plus, it stars some of my favorite funny ladies: Amy Poehler and Jenna Fischer. Will Farrell plays Chazz, a male figure skater who has a falling out with his rival Jimmy, played by Napoleon Dynamite's Jon Heder. As a result, the two are banned from competing in the singles' category, so they join forces to compete as a figure-skating pair. For my take on this movie, check out my review.

Box Office: Disturbia Not Disturbed from Top Spot

BuzzSugar — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 22:11:07 -0700

The many of you who want to see Disturbia are not alone: The teenage thriller held steady at No. 1 at the box office, raking in $13.5 million. With the plethora of thrillers out now, three out of the top five movies this weekend were of the genre, with Fracture claiming the No. 2 spot and Vacancy coming in fourth.

Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory was at No. 3 while the family flick Meet the Robinsons held its own at fifth place. Hilarious British comedy Hot Fuzz straggled in at sixth. As one might have expected, not even Adam Brody's cute face could save In the Land of Women from its pitiful opening weekend, bringing in a paltry $4.9 million and landing in eighth place after Ice Cube's Are We Done Yet?

Disturbia has a chance of keeping its top slot this weekend since there aren't too many good-looking films coming out, but it should prepare to be slaughtered by a certain web-slinger come the weekend of May 4.

Photo courtesy of Dreamworks

Shia Sells: Disturbia Tops the Box Office

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:15:00 -0700

Shia LaBeouf is everywhere, and don't expect him to go away any time soon, because this weekend proved the young star has serious star power. His new movie, Disturbia, was No. 1 at the box office this weekend, reports Variety, taking in $23 million.

Carry-overs Blades of Glory and Meet the Robinsons took second and third place, while the dreadful Halle Berry vehicle Perfect Stranger landed in the fourth spot, bringing in $11.5 million. There was also more bad news for Grindhouse, which saw revenues fall 63 percent in its second weekend of release.

I'm glad to see Shia LaBeouf and Disturbia succeed. The movie accomplished what it set out to do very well, and the same can be said for its box-office performance. The PG-13 thriller was obviously designed to get teens into theaters, and that's precisely what happened.

Photo courtesy of DreamWorks

Grindhouse Loses the Box Office Race

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:00:19 -0700

Mediocrity topped curiosity at the box-office this weekend, with two tepidly reviewed holdovers - Blades of Glory and Disney's Meet the Robinsons - landing in the No. 1 and 2 spots with $23 million and $17 million in ticket sales, respectively. Both movies beat out Grindhouse, the groundbreaking double feature directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, which earned just $11 million.

Grindhouse getting trumped by Blades of Glory doesn't surprise me; after all, it's easier for hordes of movie-going teens to flock to a PG-13 flick than two hard-core R movie. What's tragic is that Grindhouse didn't even manage to win the race against the new Ice Cube movie, Are We Done Yet?, which sounds fairly dreadful. What movies did you guys see this weekend?

Source

Blades of Glory Skates Into No. 1

BuzzSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 05:00:49 -0700

What good is a mindless Hollywood comedy if it doesn't win big at the box office? Fortunately, Blades of Glory didn't have to find out. Not surprisingly, the latest Will Ferrell movie, was No. 1 at the box office this weekend, Variety reports.
According to the weekend box-office estimates, the entertaining if somewhat idiotic men's figure-skating comedy took in $33 million in its opening weekend. (Be sure to check out my review.)

Coming in at second place was Disney's animated feature, Meet the Robinsons, which brought in $25 million. TMNT, last week's first-place finisher, was in the No. 4 spot, with 300 in third.

I didn't love Blades of Glory - sure, it made me laugh, but the script wasn't exactly groundbreaking or complex. However, I am glad to see Ferrell doing well for himself. Did you guys see any movies this weekend? If so, what do you think of the latest box-office news?

Photo courtesy of Paramount

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 08:05:32 -0700

Can't wait for "The Office" to return? Watch this intriguing video preview or check out Jenna Fischer naked.
Can you spot the fake TV pilots? Take my quiz and find out. It's guaranteed to be more entertaining than some of the schlock the networks are working on.
Try the new and improved Recast challenge for Rear Window - you just might win a tshirt.
Will Ferrell rules in the mindless but delightful Blades of Glory, inspiring me to round up my favorite Ferrell films.
Get into the wedding season spirit with this roundup of great TV engagements.
Or, just chill out with my popping the question Playlist.
And finally, this new Ocean's Thirteen trailer has me very excited for the next movie.

Movie Night: Will Ferrell Movies

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:57:47 -0700

Will Ferrell's endearing, off-kilter acting style seems to have spawned its own genre: call it, simply, the Will Ferrell Movie. While I find too-similar routines obnoxious in some actors, Ferrell movies are often so easily digestible that I crave them when I need a lighthearted film fix. In honor of Ferrell's latest triumph, Blades of Glory, I thought I'd pay tribute to the man in this week's Movie Night.

Old School
On the surface, this "dude buddy" kind of movie sounds kind of repellent, but whether it's the clever script or Ferrell's inoffensive demeanor, I absolutely love Old School. Frustrated by the realities of adulthood, three buddies in their 30s (including a priceless Vince Vaughn) create their own fraternity, partially to keep from being evicted by the ornery dean. What's funny is that these aging college friends are still desperately trying to "fight the man" when they are at a point where they could easily be "the man." It's silly, ridiculous, and easy to watch.

For my other favorite Ferrell movies, read more

Elf
What I like most about watching Will Ferrell is how honest and childlike he seems, and in Elf, his enthusiasm is infectious. Ferrell plays Buddy, a man raised by Santa's elves who strikes out to find his real father in Manhattan. Zooey Deschanel is great as the department-store elf who befriends the awkward Buddy. No matter what time of year it is, you will find yourself filled with good cheer after this film.

Anchorman
Sure, I'm as sick of guys quoting this movie as the next girl, but it doesn't dampen my enjoyment of the film itself, which I think is surprisingly funny. Sure, Anchorman lacks focus - about halfway through, it feels like actors are making things up as they go along - but Ferrell's regal newsman and his bumbling crew (Paul Rudd, Steve Carell) make it worth watching, even repeatedly.

Source

Blades of Glory: Mindlessly Delightful

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:00:22 -0700

It's hard not to find humor in the men’s figure skating at the Winter Olympics, with the abundance of pastels, spandex, and flamboyancy. Add Will Ferrell to the equation and you’ve got Blades of Glory, a movie so absurdly over-the-top, you can’t help but laugh.

In the movie, which opens nationwide tomorrow, Will Ferrell stars as Chazz Michael Michaels, who couldn't be more different from his arch rival, Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder). After tying for an Olympic Gold, they are forced to share the podium, where they collide both figuratively and literally. After the brawl, the two are banned from figure skating - until almost four years later, when they discover that they can get around their sentence by joining forces as the first all-male skating pair. For all of the highlights,

Chazz, the sex-addicted badass of the figure skating world, was raised without a father and grew up ice-skating in the sewers. There is no shortage of ironic jokes about Ferrell’s “sex appeal” and more than one scene in which he wears only briefs and proudly displays his chest hair to Jimmy’s disgust. Jimmy, meanwhile, is a prissy and often whiny (yet sweet) man-child who was raised by his rich father to cultivate his skating. Heder’s performance is enough to make me forget about Napoleon Dynamite, but I often felt that he was trying too hard. However, he and Ferrell do have great comedic chemistry, with banter that's reminiscent of the hilarious quips between Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller in Zoolander.

As to be expected from a Will Ferrell comedy, Blades of Glory has an astounding supporting cast and is chock-full of cameos. Will Arnett (the brilliant Gob from Arrested Development) and Amy Poehler are hilarious as the villainous brother/sister skating team that pose as Chazz and Jimmy’s only threat. Craig T. Nelson is also great as “Coach” (yes, totally tongue in cheek), who must teach the boys to work as a team. Jenna Fischer is well cast as Jimmy’s love interest, although I found their chemistry to be lacking and didn’t feel that it brought much to the movie.

All in all, Blades of Glory is what I like to call a “what you see is what you get” kind of movie. It is just as ridiculous as it looks, but also delivers the laughs that a Ferrell movie promises. It is entertaining from beginning to end, and Ferrell and Heder leave it all on the ice: excessively heinous costumes, a little romance, and more jokes about men in compromising positions than you could ever imagine.

Photos courtesy of Paramount