Features
Yesterday I sang the praises of Jonathan Levine’s “50/50,” particularly the writing from real-life cancer survivor Will Reiser and actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen. Today, Summit has pointed us to a sit-down chat between the three regarding the film as part of Gordon-Levitt’s hitRECord call for submissions of personal stories of tragedy blended with […]
Gordon-Levitt, Rogen and Reiser on tragicomedy and ‘50/50’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:29 pm · August 19th, 2011
Filed in: Daily
‘50/50’ draws laughs and tears, but Gordon-Levitt owns it
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:44 am · August 18th, 2011
It’s probably a bit ridiculous that I haven’t seen Jonathan Levine’s “The Wackness” yet. I have the screener somewhere around here and it’s just one of those films I keep forgetting to watch, despite constant encouragement to do so. Therefore, “50/50,” a dramedy from writer Will Reiser based on his own experience being diagnosed with […]
COMIC-CON: Universal brings ‘Paul’ and ‘Cowboys & Aliens,’ oh my
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:54 pm · July 24th, 2010
With its “Scott Pilgrim” presence already dominating the scene here at Comic-Con, Universal publicity didn’t need to do much else to be top of the nerd mountain this weekend. Then they went and blew the roof off. The studio first offered up a sizzle reel for Greg Mottola’s sci-fi comedy “Paul,” which went over well […]
Filed in: Daily
‘The Green Hornet’ trailer
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 1:11 pm · June 22nd, 2010
Hardly awards material here but hey, Christoph Waltz is having fun slumming. “The Green Hornet” hits screens in January and will probably be a fun distraction. The presence of Michel Gondry behind the camera would lead you to expect a certain artistic flair, but then again, nothing about this trailer — which debuted at Yahoo! […]
Filed in: Daily
7/21 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:03 am · July 21st, 2009
• The forthcoming release of “Julie & Julia” delays author Julie Powell’s follow-up book. [New York Observer] • Seth Rogen takes “Entourage” (which is slowly jumping the shark this season) and its creators to task. [Movieline] • Going to Comic-Con? Download the official iPhone app. [Apple]
Filed in: Daily
‘Funny People’ goes red band
Posted by Guy Lodge · 1:52 am · July 9th, 2009
Thanks to commenter AmericanRequiem for reminding me to post the new “Funny People” trailer. (Hey, I have to sleep sometime.) From where I’m standing, it’s a notable improvement on the previous trailer, not least because it’s considerably more tight-lipped about plot developments than that one was. Shame about that. Interesting that this one seems to […]
Filed in: Daily
The Academy opens the doors to 134 new members
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:56 am · June 30th, 2009
The headline says it all. After bringing in 105 new members last year, the Academy has just announced a new list of 134 names to join their ranks. Actors include Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Jeffrey Wright (woo-hoo!), James McAvoy, Casey Affleck (who should have been brought in after his 2007 nomination), James Franco, Michael Cera […]
Filed in: Daily
Not such funny people
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:46 am · May 4th, 2009
I recently discussed the positive buzz building around Judd Apatow’s “Funny People,” which has thus far turned up numerous allusions to the unabashedly sentimental seriocomic stylings of James L. Brooks — a comparison that promises either polished awards-bait, mawkish pap or both, according to taste. Suggesting that the Brooks similarities hold true beyond a glib […]
Filed in: Daily
“Listen you f***ers you screwheads…”
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:42 am · March 21st, 2009
I was watching some special on “Eastbound & Down” recently where one of the producers (might have been Will Ferrell, or maybe it was David Green) was talking about how the show is a commentary on the state of the hero in pop culture. Then I heard the talk out of SXSW about “Observe and […]
Filed in: Daily
The dawn of the journo Twitter apocalypse
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:41 pm · March 17th, 2009
I was having lunch with a publicist recently who seemed to be totally confused at how Twitter was going to affect her job. You know, someone sees a film, Twitters something about it off the cuff and suddenly there’s a conversation to be contained. My point of view is that there is nothing I can […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Zack and Miri’: Smith’s best yet
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:35 pm · March 16th, 2009
I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan of Kevin Smith’s movies. I love the man, love his take on this crazy industry, loved “An Evening with Kevin Smith,” etc. But most of the time, when he gets behind a camera, it doesn’t work for me on some level. Of course, there are those who love […]
Filed in: Daily
David Gordon Green catches his stride in comedy
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:06 pm · March 8th, 2009
It has to be doubly sweet for my southern brethren to take in HBO’s “Eastbound & Down” every Sunday night, but even if this country detail or that passes below your radar, or heck, even if you don’t know a blatant Ric Flair gag when you see one, I can’t imagine anyone not laughing their […]
Filed in: Daily
2/23 Oscarweb Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:29 am · February 23rd, 2009
The day after. This will be the final installment of the Oscarweb Round-up this year. I always enjoy scouring the net to find these little gems here and there and I hope you have enjoyed the daily cheat sheet. Special thanks to all the hard-working journalists and pundits who keep cranking out copy to fill […]
Filed in: Daily
Judd Apatow’s ‘Funny People’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:51 am · February 21st, 2009
Before we really dig into net year’s Oscar race on Monday, what about the new Judd Apatow comedy “Funny People” starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen. Could the multi-hyphenate finally find some love from the writers’ branch, maybe? Acknowledgment for Leslie Mann’s antics, maybe? Anything outside of HFPA?
Filed in: Daily
Funny ha ha
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:23 am · December 12th, 2008
While James Franco was brooding and winning a Golden Globe for the TV telepic “James Dean” and fighting superheroes in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man franchise, the actor says he longed for the escape of a comedy. Soon enough, producer Judd Apatow approached Franco to star alongside Seth Rogen in David Gordon Green’s “Pineapple Express.” After years […]
Filed in: Daily
NYT Mag chats it up with Seth Rogen and James Franco
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:29 pm · August 7th, 2008
Lynn Hirschberg of The New York Times Magazine sat down with the two stars of David Gordon Green’s “Pineapple Express” recently for a couple of in-depth interviews. They’re pretty insightful little chats, I have to say. Here’s Rogen, who talks about the desire to get laid being at the root of all comedy, his awkward […]
Filed in: Daily
REVIEW: “Pineapple Express” (****)
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:02 am · August 6th, 2008
The dust will settle on a record-breaking summer movie season and much will be made of super heroes and unexpected, makeup-infested comedic portrayals. But an unassuming stoner comedy that breaks free of the mold and becomes something akin to sheer film-going bliss will be one of the few left standing. A truly side-splitting yarn that […]
Filed in: Reviews
Archives
