Comedy's
Central
Look closely
at the box office thaw that greeted this year’s first trimester and
discover that the season’s strongest performers were
a quartet of laugh-fests: “Ice Age: The Meltdown,” “Failure
To Launch,” “The Pink Panther” and “Scary
Movie 4.” In tribute, we look this month at the live-action
comedies (since Next! already recently tackled the animated
ones) heading our way in August and beyond.
August
“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” is
Sony’s NASCAR epic from writer-actor Will Ferrell
and writer-director Adam McKay, who previously collaborated
on “Anchorman.” Thoroughly previewed in the
March edition of Next!, it peels into cinemas Aug. 4.
“Accepted” is about a teen who employs some
unorthodox methods in his quest for a college education.
Screenwriter Steve Pink (“Grosse Pointe Blank,” “High
Fidelity”) makes his feature directorial debut from
a screenplay by Mark Perez (“The Country Bears”).
It stars Justin Long (“Waiting,” “The
Break Up”), Maria Thayer (“Hitch”), Lewis
Black (“The Night We Never Met”), Jonah Hill
(“Grandma’s Boy,” “Click”)
and Blake Lively (“Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”).
Universal sends it off Aug. 11.
“Trust the Man” follows two couples dealing
with the collapse of their relationships. Written and directed
by Bart Freundlich (“World Traveler,” “Catch
That Kid”), it stars Julianne Moore (“Freedomland”),
David Duchovny (“House of D”), Billy Cudrup
(“Mission: Impossible III”), Ellen Barkin (“Palindromes”),
Maggie Gyllenhaal (“Happy Endings”), Bob Balaban
(“Capote”) and Stewart Summers (“Prime”).
Fox Searchlight is putting its faith in an Aug. 18 release.
In the sequel “Clerks II,” Dante Hicks contemplates
taking leave of New Jersey after the shop that long employed
him is destroyed. Returnees from part one include director-screenwriter-actor
Kevin Smith (“Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Jersey
Girl”), as well as “Jay and Silent Bob Strike
Back” actors Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson,
Jason Mewes and Walter Flanagan. Newcomers to the franchise
include Rosario Dawson (“Rent”), Kevin Weisman
(“Gone In 60 Seconds”), Wanda Sykes (“Monster-in-Law”),
Earthquake (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II”),
Jake Richardson (“The Dangerous Life of Alter Boys”),
Ethan Suplee (“The Butterfly Effect”), Jason
Lee (“The Ballad of Jack and Rose”) and Jennifer
Schwalbach Smith (“Jersey Girl”). Weinstein
opens shop Aug. 18.
“Beerfest” is about two American brothers
who discover a strange underground beer cult when they
visit Germany for Oktoberfest. The “Broken Lizard” team
behind “Super Troopers” and “Club Dread,” including
writer-director-actor Jay Chandrasekhar and screenwriter-actors
Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske,
reunite. Co-stars include Will Forte (“Around the
World in 80 Days”), Mo’Nique (“Phat Girlz”),
Cloris Leachman (“Scary Movie 4”), Nat Faxon
(“Club Dread”) and Eric Christian Olsen (“Cellular,” “The
Last Kiss”). Warner Bros. puts it on tap Aug. 25.
September
“Running
With Scissors” is about a boy raised
in the bizarre family of an unorthodox psychiatrist after
being given away by his delusional mother. It’s based
on the memoir by Augusten Burroughs (“Magical Thinking,” “Possible
Side Effects”). Helmed by TV writer-director Ryan
Murphy (“Nip/Tuck”) from his own screenplay,
it stars Joseph Cross (“Jack Frost”), Brian
Cox (“Match Point”), Gwyneth Paltrow (“Proof”),
Evan Rachel Wood (“Pretty Persuasion”), Annette
Bening (“Being Julia”), Alec Baldwin (“Fun
With Dick and Jane”), Kristin Chenoweth (“R.V.”),
Joseph Fiennes (“The Great Raid”), Jill Clayburgh
(“Never Again”) and Viola Davis (“Solaris”).
Sony expects it to look sharp Sept 15.
“For Your Consideration” is a semi-improvisational
mockumentary about the stars and filmmakers behind an independent
Oscar contender. The “Waiting for Guffman”-”Best
in Show”-”A Mighty Wind” team of writer-director
Christopher Guest, screenwriter Eugene Levy, and actors
Guest (“Mrs. Henderson Presents”), Levy (“Cheaper
by the Dozen 2”), Fred Willard (“Date Movie,” “Monster
House”), Parker Posey (“Superman Returns”),
Bob Balaban (“Lady in the Water”), Michael
Hitchcock (“Serenity”) and Catherine O’Hara
(“Surviving Christmas”) reunite. Co-stars include
Claire Forlani (“Green Street Hooligans”),
Jennifer Coolidge (“American Dreamz,” “Click”),
Michael McKean (“Auto Focus”), Harry Shearer
(“Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing & Charm
School”), Don Lake (“A Mighty Wind”),
Jane Lynch (“The 40 Year-Old Virgin”), Rachael
Harris (“Kicking and Screaming”), Jim Piddock
(“A Mighty Wind”) and Ricky Gervais (HBO’s “Extras”).
Warner Independent Pictures considers Sept. 22 a suitable
release date.
“Jackass: Number Two,” covered in last
month’s sequel-centric Next!, reunites the likes of Johnny Knoxville
(“The Ringer”), Jason “Wee-Man” Acuna
(“Grind”), Preston Lacy (“Grind”),
Ehren McGhehey (“Grind”), Chris Pontius (“Charlie’s
Angels: Full Throttle”), Steve-O (MTV’s “Wild
Boyz”), and MTV’s “Viva La Bam” vets
Bam Margera, Chris Raab and Ryan Dunn. Paramount dares
you to see it Sept. 22.
“Employee of the Month” follows two best friends
who work together in a big-box warehouse store and find
themselves competing to impress the attractive new cashier
who fancies ambitious men. Greg Coolidge makes his feature
directorial debut from a screenplay by Chris Conroy and
Don Calame. Dane Cook (“Waiting”), Dax Shepard
(“Let’s Go To Prison”), Jessica Simpson
(“The Dukes of Hazzard”), Andy Dick (“Old
School”), Efren Ramirez (“Napoleon Dynamite”),
Danny Woodburn (“The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas”)
and Harland Williams (“Because of Winn-Dixie”)
star. Lionsgate sends it down to personnel Sept. 29.
October
“The Last Kiss,” a remake of the Italian film “L’Ultimo
Bacio,” is about a young, unmarried couple whose
future together is tested when they react differently to
the news that they’re expecting. Directed by Tony
Goldwyn (“A Walk on the Moon,” “Someone
Like You”) from a screenplay by Paul Haggis (“Million
Dollar Baby,” “Crash”), it stars Zach
Braff (“Garden State”), Jacinda Barrett (“Poseidon”),
Casey Affleck (“Ocean’s Twelve”), Michael
Weston (“Dukes of Hazzard”), Erik Christian
Olsen (“Beerfest”), Rachel Bilson (TV’s “The
O.C.”), Blythe Danner (“Meet the Fockers”),
Tom Wilkinson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”),
Lauren Lee Smith (“Art School Confidential”),
Marley Shelton (“Don’t Come Knockin’”)
and David Haydn-Jones. Paramount expects it Oct. 6.
November
“The Santa Clause 3” was also covered in Next!’s
May ode to sequels. Buena Vista puts it in the sack Nov.
3.
“Stranger than Fiction,” Sony’s Will
Ferrell vehicle about a man who hears his life being narrated,
was covered in February’s Next! and will be seen
and heard Nov. 10.
“Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny” is a
musical road picture about a pair of guitarists who decide
to secure a rock-star destiny by stealing a magical pick
from a rock & roll museum. Directed by Liam Lynch (“Jesus
Is Magic”) from a screenplay by Lynch, Jack Black
and Kyle Gass, it stars Black (“King Kong”),
Gass (“Elf”), David Koechner (“Talladega
Nights”), Amy Poehler (“Mean Girls”),
Tim Robbins (“Zathura”), Ben Stiller (“Meet
the Fockers”), Colin Hanks (“King Kong”),
Jason Segel (“Can’t Hardly Wait”), David
Krumholtz (“Serenity”), Meat Loaf (“The
Salton Sea”), Paul F. Tompkins (“Anchorman”),
Ned Bellamy (“Ice Harvest”) and Michael Rivkin
(“Men in Black II”). New Line picked Nov. 17
as its release date.
“Let’s Go To Prison” concerns a career
petty criminal who exacts revenge on the son of the judge
who sentenced him, manipulating the innocent man into prison
as his cellmate and beginning a game of jail-time one-upmanship.
Screenwriter Bob Odenkirk (TV’s “Mr. Show with
Bob and David”) makes his feature directorial debut
from a screenplay by Robert Ben Garant & Thomas Lennon
(“Herbie: Fully Loaded,” “Let’s
Go to Prison,” “Reno 911!: Miami”) and
Michael Patrick Jann (TV’s “The State”).
Dax Shepard (“Zathura”) co-stars with Will
Arnett (“R.V.”), Dylan Baker (“Hide and
Seek”), Chi McBride (“Annapolis”), Michael
Shannon (“The Woodsman”) and David Koechner.
Universal’s lockdown begins Nov. 22.
December
“The Holiday” is about a recently-dumped woman
who takes a vacation to London, where she befriends a British
woman in a similar state. Written and directed by Nancy
Meyers (“Something’s Gotta Give”), it
stars Cameron Diaz (“In Her Shoes”), Kate Winslet
(“Finding Neverland”), Jack Black (“Tenacious
D in: The Pick of Destiny”), Jude Law (“The
Aviator”), Eli Wallach (“Inside Man”),
and Shannyn Sossamon (“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”).
Sony hopes you’ll take some time off Dec. 8.
“A Night at the Museum,” based on the children’s
book by Milan Trenc, is about a bumbling museum watchman
who discovers that his facility’s artifacts come
alive at night under the power of a pharaoh’s tablet.
Directed by Shawn Levy (“Just Married,” “Cheaper
by the Dozen,” “The Pink Panther”) from
a screenplay by Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant (“Let’s
Go to Prison”), Jason & Ross Venokur (“Game
Over”) and Daniel Goldin (“Darkman,” “Out
on a Limb”), it stars Ben Stiller (“Tenacious
D in: The Pick of Destiny”), Carla Gugino (“Sin
City”), Kim Raver (TV’s “24”),
Ricky Gervais (“For Your Consideration”), Robin
Williams (“R.V.”), Bill Cobb (“A Mighty
Wind”), Mickey Rooney (“Babe: Pig in the City”)
and Dick Van Dyke (“Dick Tracy”). Fox plans
to exhibit it Dec. 22.
Next Year
Universal’s “Evan Almighty,” the sequel
to the 2003 hit “Bruce Almighty,” was covered
in last month’s Next! Universal commands a June 29,
2007 release.
Comedies Undated
Sony’s “Catch and Release” is about
a woman who grows close to the best friend of her late
fiancé. Screenwriter Susannah Grant (“Erin
Brockovich,” “In Her Shoes”) makes her
feature directorial debut from her own script. Jennifer
Garner (“Elektra”), Timothy Olyphant (“The
Girl Next Door”), Fiona Shaw (the “Harry Potter” series),
Kevin Smith (“Clerks II”), Sonja Bennett (“Where
the Truth Lies”) and Juliette Lewis (“Starsky & Hutch”)
star.
Warner Independent’s “Chaos Theory” is
about an obsessively organized man who, upon discovering
his daughter was fathered by another man, gives up his
organizing and meets the woman of his dreams. Directed
by Marcos Siega (“Underclassman,” “Pretty
Persuasion”) from a screenplay by Daniel Taplitz
(“Breakin’ all the Rules”), it stars
Ryan Reynolds (“Just Friends”), Emily Mortimer
(“The Pink Panther”), Constance Zimmer (“Senseless”),
Elisabeth Harnois (“Pretty Persuasion,” “Strangers
With Candy”), Stuart Townsend (“Aeon Flux”)
and Sarah Chalke (TV’s “Scrubs”).
Weinstein’s “Fanboys” is a road picture,
set in 1999, about a group of hardcore “Star Wars” fanatics
intent on driving their terminally ill friend to George
Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch so he can see the not-quite-released “Episode
I – The Phantom Menace” before he dies. Directed
by Kyle Newman from a screenplay by Ernest Cline, it stars
Sam Huntington (“Sleepover,” “Superman
Returns”), Kristen Bell (“Spartan,” “Pulse”),
Jay Baruchel (“Million Dollar Baby”), Pell
James (“Broken Flowers”), Jaime King (“Cheaper
by the Dozen 2”), Rachel Klein (“The New Guy”),
Chris Marquette (“The Girl Next Door”), Christopher
McDonald (“Rumor Has It”), Danny Trejo (“The
Devil’s Rejects”), Ray Park (“Ballistic:
Ecks Vs. Sever”), Carrie Fisher (“Stateside”)
and Billy Dee Williams (“Undercover Brother”).
Thinkfilm’s “Farce of the Penguins,” a
parody of the hit documentary “March of the Penguins,” follows
a lovelorn and flightless bird seeking companionship in
a cold, lonely (and reportedly “R-rated”) place.
Written and directed by comedian Bob Saget, it features
the voices of Sagat, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Alexander,
Alyson Hannigan, Norm MacDonald, Jon Lovitz, Gilbert Gottfried,
Jason Biggs, Lewis Black, Dane Cook, Dave Coulier, Adam
Duritz, James Belushi, Harvey Fierstein, Whoopi Goldberg,
Jamie Kennedy, Carlos Mencia, Mo’Nique, Tracy Morgan
and John Stamos.
Warner Independent’s “The Girls’ Guide
to Hunting and Fishing,” based on Melissa Bank’s
collection of stories, is about a Manhattan book editor
who finds her idea of romance challenged after she attracts
the interest of a powerful older man. Screenwriter Marc
Klein (“Serendipity”) makes his feature directorial
debut from his own script. Sarah Michelle Gellar (“The
Grudge 2”) and Alec Baldwin (“Fun With Dick
and Jane”) co-star.
Fox’s “Idiocracy” is about an Army private
frozen by the government for 1,000 years, and what happens
when, post-thaw, he realizes humanity has grown so vacuous
he is now one of the smartest men on the planet. Directed
by Mike Judge (“Office Space”) from a screenplay
by Judge and Etan Cohen (TV’s “King of the
Hill”), it stars Luke Wilson (“Hoot”),
Stephen Root (“Dodgeball”), Maya Rudolph (“50
First Dates,” “A Prairie Home Companion”),
David Herman (“Dude, Where’s My Car?”),
Justin Long (“Accepted”), Terry Crews (“The
Longest Yard”), Heather Kafka (“Texas Chainsaw
Massacre,” “A Scanner Darkly”), Dax Shepard
(“Employee of the Month”), Chris Warner (“Sin
City”), Michael McCafferty (“Bring It On”),
Brendan Hill (“Max Keeble’s Big Move”)
and Sara Rue (“The Ring”).
DreamWorks’ “Man About Town” is about
a successful talent agent who finds his life crumbling
down around him after a reporter steals his journal. Written
and directed by Mike Binder (“The Upside of Anger”),
it stars Ben Affleck (“Surviving Christmas”),
Rebecca Romijn (“X-Men: The Last Stand”), Ling
Bai (“Lords of Dogtown”), John Cleese (“Around
the World in 80 Days”), Adam Goldberg (“How
To Lose A Guy In 10 Days”), Gina Gershon (“Syriana”),
Kal Penn (“A Lot Like Love,” “Superman
Returns”), Jerry O’Connell (“Yours, Mine
and Ours”), Amber Valletta (“The Transporter
2”), Aaron Douglas (“The Exorcism of Emily
Rose”), Howard Hesseman (“About Schmidt”),
Binder (“The Upside of Anger”), and Gina Holden
(“Final Destination 3”).
Universal’s “Man of the Year” is about
a popular late-night talk show host who runs for president
as a gimmick – and wins. Written and directed by
Barry Levinson (“Bandits,” “Envy”),
it stars Robin Williams (“A Night at the Museum”),
Christopher Walken (“Wedding Crashers,” “Click”),
Jeff Goldblum (“Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”),
Lewis Black (“Accepted”) and Laura Linney (“The
Squid and the Whale”).
New Line’s “Mr. Woodcock” is about a
young man who returns to his hometown in an effort to stop
his long-divorced mother from marrying his old high school
gym teacher – a man notorious for having made many
a student, including the protagonist, tremendously unhappy.
Directed by Craig Gillespie from a screenplay by Michael
Carnes and Josh Gilbert, it stars Sean William Scott (“The
Dukes of Hazzard”), Billy Bob Thornton (“Ice
Harvest”), Susan Sarandon (“Romance & Cigarettes”),
Amy Poehler (“The Pick of Destiny”), Ethan
Suplee (“Clerks II”), M.C. Gainey (“The
Dukes of Hazzard”), Googy Gress (“Stuck on
You”) and Kurt Fuller (“Don’t Come Knocking”).
Fox’s “Reno 911!: Miami,” based on the
Comedy Central cable series, was discussed at length in
last month’s Next!
Weinstein’s “School for Scoundrels” follows
a sad sack meter reader who enrolls in a confidence-building
class in order to woo the woman of his dreams, only to
find that his new teacher has designs on the same girl.
The “Road Trip”-”Old School”-”Starsky & Hutch” team
of writer-director Todd Phillips and screenwriter Scot
Armstrong reunite. Jon Heder (“The Benchwarmers”),
Billy Bob Thornton (“Mr. Woodcock”), Jacinda
Barrett (“The Last Kiss”), Sarah Silverman
(“Rent”), David Cross (“She’s the
Man”), Horatio Sanz (“The Man”) and Michael
Clarke Duncan (“Talladega Nights”) star.
Universal’s “Smokin’ Aces” is
about a semi-famous Las Vegas magician who snitches on
the mob and becomes a walking target. Written and directed
by Joe Carnahan (“Narc”), it stars Ryan Reynolds
(“Just Friends”), Ray Liotta (“The Last
Shot”), Jeremy Piven (“Keeping Up with the
Steins”), Ben Affleck (“Man About Town”),
Andy Garcia (“The Lost City”), Martin Henderson
(“Bride and Prejudice”) and musician Alicia
Keys.
Universal’s “Southland Tales,” an ensemble
piece centered on an amnesic movie star, a troubled cop
and an adult-film actress in 2008 Los Angeles, was covered
at length in December’s edition of Next!
New Line’s “The Whole Truth,” also known
as “Full Of It,” is about a boy who tells lies
to become popular, but is then forced to turn his lies
into realities. Directed by Christian Charles (“Comedian”)
from a screenplay by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore (“Rebound”),
it stars Teri Polo (“Meet the Fockers”), Ryan
Pinkston (“Soul Plane”), Amanda Walsh (TV’s “Sons & Daughters”),
Kate Mara (“Brokeback Mountain”) and Craig
Kilborn (“The Benchwarmers”) star.
Comedies Sans Distribution
“It’s a Boy Girl Thing” is about a pair
of longtime enemies who set out to wreck each other’s
lives when each comes to inhabit the other’s body.
Directed by Nick Hurran (“Little Black Book”)
from a screenplay by Geoff Deane (“Kinky Boots”),
it stars Emily Hampshire (“Twist”), Kevin Zegers
(“Transamerica”), Samaire Armstrong (“Stay
Alive”) and Maury Chaykin (“Where the Truth
Lies”).
“The Good Night” is about the midlife crisis
and romantic misadventures suffered by a former pop star
reduced to writing advertising jingles. Written and directed
by Jake Paltrow (TV’s “The Jury”), it
stars sister Gwyneth Paltrow (“Running With Scissors”),
Martin Freeman (“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy”), Penélope Cruz (“Sahara”),
Simon Pegg (“Mission: Impossible III”) and
Danny DeVito (“Be Cool”).
“The Last Time” is about a New York salesman
who falls for the fiancée of his Midwest-transplant
business partner. Written and directed by longtime TV scribe
Michael Caleo (“The Sopranos,” “Rescue
Me”), it stars Michael Keaton (“Herbie: Fully
Loaded”), Brendan Fraser (“Crash”), Amber
Valletta (“The Transporter 2”), Michael Lerner
(“When Do We Eat?”), Daniel Stern (“Very
Bad Things”) and William Ragsdale (“Big Momma’s
House 2”).
“The Pleasure of Your Company” is about a
guy so convinced he will never find love that he spontaneously
proposes to a waitress on a dare. Longtime TV writer Michael
Ian Black (TV’s “Viva Variety” and “Stella”)
makes his feature directorial debut from his own screenplay.
Jason Biggs (“Eight Below”), Isla Fisher (“Wedding
Crashers”), Joanna Gleason (“Boogie Nights”),
Rob Corddry (“Failure to Launch”), Audra Blaser
(“Bandidas”), Edward Herrmann (“The Aviator”)
and Joe Pantoliano (“Bad Boys II”) star.
“Waitress,” set in the Deep South, is about
a pregnant and unhappily wed waitress who falls for a stranger
who comes to town. Written and directed by Adrienne Shelly
(“Sudden Manhattan”), it stars Keri Russell
(“Mission: Impossible III”), Nathan Fillion
(“Slither”), Jeremy Sisto (“A Lot Like
Love”), Cheryl Hines (“R.V.”) and Andy
Griffith (“Spy Hard”).
