The Other Guys

Looks like Adam McKay is going to redeem himself for Step Brothers.

It's nice to see Will Ferrell play a character again.

Merry Christmas from The Movie Watch

Alongside the Christmas tree, Nativity Sets, Wreaths and Cookies, nothing defines the Christmas season more than the movies that are traditionally aired year after year on Television. Each year, November has at least a two or three Christmas movies with some being forgettable comedies like Surviving Christmas and others being future classics like Elf. With Christmas Eve being tonight and Christmas day following soon after (not to mention being a few days into Hanukkah for our Jewish readers) and slow news from the world of Hollywood there's no better time to list Chris Cookson's top ten Christmas flicks.

What isn't Judd Apatow doing these days?

Judd Apatow. I've heard of him (obviously), you've heard of him (likely) and even the little baby what will be born in 10 seconds will hear of him soon enough. Since 2007, Apatow has become the biggest comedy producer in all of Hollywood. I know there has been a lot of talk about him lately (there always is), even on this blog. So I figured I would do a big ole' update about all his upcoming projects right now, knowing that I'll probably have to do another in three weeks.

To Sum Up: In the film industry, Judd headed the producing (and sometimes directing and writing) of Crossing the Bridge, Heavyweights, Celtic Pride, The Cable Guy, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, Kicking & Screaming, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Fun with Dick and Jane, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, The TV Set, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Drillbit Taylor, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Step Brothers, and Pineapple Express.

So, now what is Judd doing?


Get Him to the Greek

I already talked about this one in the past so this post will be short. Pretty much, Aldous Snow (Russell Brand's character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall) is back on drugs and he is also still a rock star. He needs to get from London to the Greek theater in Los Angeles, and is relying on a 'fresh out of college' insurance adjuster (Jonah Hill) to get him there. Since Hill was also in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, it seems weird that he is not going to be playing the same character this time around. Or is he... nobody really knows yet...

Funny People

Also previously written posted about, the next feature to be DIRECTED by Judd (40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up) is called Funny People. Not surprisingly it is about stand up comedy. The film will star Adam Sandler (as a comedian with a near death experience), Seth Rogen, Aubrey Plaza (30 Rock), Jonah Hill. For this film, Apatow hosted two shows at the UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) in Hollywood, featuring all the principal actors as well as special appearances from Andy Dick, Kevin James, Mike O'Connell and Ken Jeong (Million Dollar Strong), and some others. Sandler performed in character for about 20 minutes, and all the others proved they can be just as hilarious in real life as they are on the screen.

Anti High School Musical

Over the summer Apatow hosted a show at the Montreal 'Just For Laughs' festival. His lineup featured Craig Robinson, Million Dollar Strong, Rogen, Hill, and many more- including Judd onstage performing a version of 'Painted Pony', with music from Craig Robinson's jazz band. However, Judd was not the last one on the menu that night, in fact, 18 year old Bo Burnham came on stage after (which if you know the world of comedy is a big deal). Burnham is a pun master, and has many hilarious comedy songs. Apparently, Judd loved the songs and Burnham so much that he enlisted him to write a musical, an 'Anti-High School Musical' so to speak, because it will probably be quite filthy. Burnham may star in the film as well. Sounds like a musical Superbad... but taking place over a whole year as opposed to one night.

Sherlock Holmes

Teaming up with Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat) as the illustrious detective and Will Ferrell as Dr. Watson, Apatow is bringing what might be the first vulgar comedy about Sherlock Holms. Not much else on that at the moment besides the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is also starring as Sherlock in another adaptation, which will probably ring more 'true' to the original... hopefully they aren't released at the same time. I could see a lot of people being angry that they walked into the wrong theater.

5 Year Engagement

After "Greek" Nick Stoller and Jason Segel are reuniting to write and create a romantic comedy about a couple who has been engaged for five years and I suppose something happens to upset the groove they have fallen into. Sounds like fun, but also sounds like a prequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Maybe Aldous Snow will be in this one too... that would be fun. I don't see Russell Brand really playing any other characters in Apatow-land.

Year One

Harold Ramis is making this one (You'll remember him from the 1980's). Starring Michael Cera (Superbad) and Jack Black as people in the first year ever (of all time). It should be fun watching Cera and Black interacting in slapstick ways with the formation of the biblical events we know so well. I say expect a delightful 1980's style comedy... they say expect a Monty Pyton comedy. I didn't know other people could make Monty Python movies... then again, those were made in the 1980's as well, so maybe we're both right.

Pineapple Express / Superbad Crossover

This might be a rumor. I have no idea. It could work I suppose as both films take place in Clark County... only problem is Seth Rogen has roles in both, so unless they nix the cops (which were integral to Superbad) it would be quite a weird film. Then again... digital double effects have been used in more weird ways...

Now on DVD: The Foot Fist Way

Okay, that title was a lie. Kind of. The Foot Fist Way is not available on DVD until tomorrow. But it is on Itunes movie store now.... so maybe you should check it out.

Now I'll tell you what 'The Foot Fist Way' is. (Spoilers May Occur - Not Major Ones Though)

'Foot Fist' is the delightfully indy tale of a guy named Fred 'King of the Demo' Simmons (Danny McBride - Pineapple Express/ Tropic Thunder). Fred runs a Tae Kwon Do school, where he spends 60% of his life teaching children the fighting art of Tae Kwon Do. He's cocky, but sure of himself, and when it comes down to it, the school is just like any other Tae Kwon Do school that you may or may not have attended. On the weekends they set up a tent in a parking lot and Fred demonstrates Tae Kwon Do to potential new classmates (Hence: King of the Demo), and during the weekdays, they practice Tae Kwon Do in the classroom. The class is full of a whole assortment of characters. Usually Fred wanders away from class to attend to his own business and leaves one of the younger students, Julio (Spencer Moreno), in charge.

At home, Fred has his problems too. His wife Suzie (Mary Jane Bostic) is cheating on him, and he wants to figure out how to get his Tae Kwon Do hero Chuck 'The Truck' Wallace (Ben Best) to come to his class for the final testing. Naturally, this is a lot more action than Fred is used to handling, and soon he has to figure out how to be 'the bigger man' and handle it all to prove he really is 'King of the Demo'.

After Pineapple Express came out this summer many people sad 'Where did Danny McBride come from, and how did he land a role like this?" Well the answer is simply 'The Foot Fist Way". McBride's character of Fred is never really like-able, but you can't hate him either, just because he is so innocent. With most likely 90% improvised dialogue, McBride does well with making the viewer laugh with almost all of his lines. Chuck 'The Truck' is played by Ben Best almost as if Chuck Norris, and Willie Nelson were fused together into an epic Tae Kwon Do master. He's kind of a jerk and Chuck 'The Truck' is in no way a hero, at least in the way that Fred looks up to him. Jody Hill has a fun, but small role as well as Mike McAlister, a Tae Kwon Do maven, who is pretty quiet, but dresses pretty much like Draco Malfoy, from the Harry Potter franchise.

Also, watching Fred sign up students is a pretty good laugh as well, because Fred is so cocky that he does not seem to care if students join his school or not. Jonathan Ewart has a quick but funny spot as a guy who just wants to take Tae Kwon Do, but is literally berated out of the office by Fred. Collette Wolfe (Semi Pro) is a girl who does join the class, much to her disappointment when Fred falls in love with her and talks as if she is the one having relationship problems with him, instead of the other way around.

Written by Ben Best, Jody Hill, and Danny McBride, and shot in 2005 (Directed by Jody Hill) on a $70,000 budget, this is the true epitome of an indy comedy. A totally independent film, not like the kind of 'indy movie' you see today that were backed by big studios from day one. After premiering at the LA Film Festival in 2006, it was picked up by the Sundance Film Festival and subsequently picked up by Will Ferrell and Adam Mckay... who loved the movie and wanted to to gain cult status, but it seems they did not promote their new baby as much as they should have.

I don't know what the behind the scenes are, but I hear there may be an alternate ending, and probably interviews with the cast and a line-o-rama or something like that.

Pick up your copy of THE FOOT FIST WAY tomorrow!


Here's a trailer. It's pretty NSFW (Not Safe For Work - Language wise) so if you are in an office, standing next to grumpy elderly people, or substitute teaching at a nursery school - you may wish to turn your sound down a bit.

Upcoming: Anchorman Sequel is Moon Bound

In an interview with MTV's Movie Blog Paul Rudd mentioned that an Anchorman sequel is very possible after Adam McKay finishes his next project, Channel 3 Billion which is slated for a summer 2010 release date. He told MTV...

"Last I heard they were starting to write it and they were thinking about setting it in the eighties, [But] I know when we were shooting it [director] Adam [McKay] said if they ever did something it would have to be really weird like we were on the moon or something. I think it has to go even further if it was to work.”

at the Movie Watch, we'd advise taking this tidbit with a grain of salt. McKay's Channel 3 Billion will have a futuristic sci-fi dystopian television theme to it and to go immediately to an Anchorman sequel on the moon would seem a little too soon for the director. It could wind up being a minor quirk in the movie much like how in the original script there was planned to be a scene where Ron Burgundy would be singing with sharks in an Aquarium. With the release date so far off, anything can really happen.

Review: STEP BROTHERS

Lets begin with these delightful posters. They are all over the malls and such, and when they come on, you think that it is a picture, until they begin to move at least. I think this is a very creative form of advertising, and could be used to even more potential in the future. Whoever thought of those posters is genius.

Now... on to the movie.

(Spoilers May Occur in This Paragraph)
Step Brothers is a hilarious comedy about a two 40 year old live at home losers, Dale (John C. Riley [ Chicago, Walk hard: The Dewey Cox Story]) and Brennan (Will Ferrell [ Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy], The Producers]), who are made stepbrothers once their parents marry on a whim. They meet each other for the first time after the wedding, and in instantly turns into a battle for who can hate each other more. Eventually they must reconcile (as all movies have) in order to save the day before it is too late.... as well as find jobs... and maybe find some women too.

Its not too easy for them to coast through life when they are constantly being surprised by Brennan's younger and much more successful brother, Derek (Adam Scott [Knocked Up]), who is so driven to succeed, you will think you are watching Greg Kinnear in 'Little Mrs. Sunshine'... if Kinnear took some speed and steroids first.

Produced by Judd Apatow, Directed by Adam Mckay, and Written by Adam Mckay, Will Ferrell, and John C. Riley, Step Brothers certainly succeeds, and all its jokes hit right on the mark. I think this is one of their funniest comedies to date. Each performance is memorable, and leaves you wanting more.

As the two parents, Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins are a good match. Mary tries to have a say but is easily put down by Richard, making seemingly realistic family dynamics. The only thing I could never get is how Brennan and Dale never met before they got married. Kind of large plot hole. The relationship is unstable, story-wise, and could have used a mere 3 minute extra scene to sort it all out. Maybe it is explained on the DVD.

Adam Scott ( Knocked Up) and Kathryn Hahn (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy) make the perfect ultimately dysfunctional couple. They are so dysfunctional, in fact, I would never be able to figure out how they got together in the first place. I want to tell you more about the characters, but I think that it would spoil some of the fun. Trust me though, they have fantastic comedic timing, and every scene they are in is worth the watch.

Seth Rogen ( Knocked Up, Pineapple Express) and Ken Jeong (Knocked Up, Pineapple Express) both appear in the film, in some slightly random "blink and you will miss them" roles. It is nice to see them on screen, but it is a shame that they did not get to put their comedy skills to use, especially with how funny the two of them are. Perhaps there will be some nice deleted scenes with them, being trademark funny. That would be cool.

While everyone knows and loves Will Ferrell - John C. Riley may be one of the greatest big time comedy players who gets the least recognition. I urge everyone to see his performances in Walk Hard, and Talladega Nights, (and his other films), because each is more priceless than the next, including this one as one of the tops. Will Ferrell is his trademark character... and after seeing him play such a similar character in so many films, one begins to wonder... is he even acting... or is this just how he really is? I don't mean that in a bad way though, because if he really is like his characters, he must be the most fun person to hang out with... ever.

STEP BROTHERS hits theaters next Friday!




Ps.
Freaks and Geeks fans will like the use of the shows font in the opening titles. Its a nice touch.