Self-serious superstar Tom Cruise pops up (nearly unrecognizably) in a supporting role in Ben Stiller's new comedy Tropic Thunder. Not much has been made of the performance in the press, but I for one think it represents a brilliant new land of opportunity for Mr. Cruise. Nothing makes a guy 'accessible' like a foul-mouthed and very funny performance in a surprisingly good comedy -- and all of those things apply here. I've always been pretty ambivalent about Tom Cruise -- I think he's an underrated actor and an overrated movie star -- but this is the first time he really "amazed" me since his shockingly raunchy (and quite excellent) performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia.

At first I didn't even recognize Cruise in the film. I'd heard it mentioned that the actor had a supporting part in the flick, but I suppose I'd forgotten about it. When Cruise's character (a sleazy studio head called Les Grossman) first appeared on-screen, I was just sure it was a character actor named Enrico Colantoni. Not only because of the shocking resemblance -- but mainly because the guy playing the studio chief is drop-dead freakin' hilarious. The fact that I mistook Tom Cruise for Enrico Colantoni is a rather large compliment -- to Tom Cruise.

Coated with a bald-cap, a fat suit, and a thicket of wiry arm hair, Cruise powers through his scenes (mostly with Bill Hader and Matthew McConaughey) with tons of vulgarity, strangeness, and dancing. Yes, dancing. Frankly we've never seen Tom Cruise let his hair down in this wacky a fashion, and I'd like to thank Ben Stiller for making it happen. (When he's just an actor, Stiller's output can be distressingly inconsistent, but as a writer / director he's simply a lot more reliable. And infinitely funnier.)

So that's the discussion point for today: What did you think of Tom Cruise's work in Tropic Thunder? I'd see the flick again just for his X-rated telephone tirades. Bonus Topic: As amusing is he is, Cruise isn't even the funniest guy in the flick. That honor would go to Robert Downey Jr., who has earned himself one stellar summer of redemption. Good for you, Rob!

Whether or not you're offended by the use of the word "retard" in Tropic Thunder, it's hard to deny the difference between the intention of the humor and the ire of the groups protesting it. When Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, learns that he was mistaken in going "full-retard" with his miscalculated awards-bid performance as a mentally challenged man in Simple Jack, you either laugh or you don't, but you definitely get it. Stiller's point is that self-important actors often take crass or poorly formulated roles on the basis of subject matter simply so they can get a chance at the podium. At no point are we forced to laugh at a character meant to be taken as actually retarded; instead, we only get Tugg Speedman's really bad, really offensive interpretation of one.

At his Scanners blog, Jim Emerson gets this point, and smartly rails against complainers like the Special Olympics for making such a big deal out of a scene before even coming to terms with its purpose. He also brings up a brilliant historical parallel: In 1977, Randy Newman's single "Short People" was pulled from the air because it supposedly offended, uh, short people. "If you do satire or parody, you have to expect there will always be fools who will take it literally," writes Emerson. "Those people are called 'literalists.' And there ought to be a law against them."

Tropic Thunder, starring Ben Stiller as one of a group of runaway actors whose work on a big-budget Vietnam epic goes horribly awry, is a funny, far-fetched mockery of modern Hollywood; the laughs don't maintain anything like a coherent intensity, but when they come, they're big enough to get you through the spaces between them. Some will mistakenly call Tropic Thunder a satire, but Tropic Thunder is in fact an example of satire's boisterous, bumbling sibling, the spoof. A satire's held with a light but precise grip, so the point can slice and the blade can cut; a spoof's more of a club, landing with blunt force and broad impact.

Star and director Stiller attacked the celebrity-industrial complex before, in 2001's Zoolander, and Tropic Thunder has more in common with that film than you might think; Stiller manages to mock action and thrills while also delivering them, and he's got a fine grasp of coarse celebrity behavior. Stiller seems drawn to characters whose self-centered arrogance is mixed in equal measure with self-loathing insecurity. We see an interview clip where Stiller's character, box office star Tugg Speedman, is informed by an interviewer how "Someone close to you said 'One more flop and it's over for him.'" Speedman pauses, and then asks his follow-up: "Somebody said they were close to me?"

"Not only might it happen, it will happen." Timothy P. Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics, told The New York Times that he and representatives of his group and others will picket the opening of Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Reportedly, more than a dozen disabilities groups, including the National Down Syndrome Congress and the American Association of People with Disabilities, made plans over the weekend to start protesting on Monday.

Dreamworks already pulled down a promotional web site that was considered offensive a few days ago, as William Goss reported, and has altered some television advertising, but that's as far as they're going. A spokesman told the NYT : "No changes or cuts to the film will be made." Both Stiller and Dreamworks exec Stacy Snider insist they are not targeting the disabled, but the foolish ambition of certain actors. Shriver told the NYT he's asking members of Congress "for a resolution condemning what he called 'hate speech' in the movie." The film's repeated use of the term "retard" is "a particular sore point."

For personal reasons, I have a strong distaste for calling someone who's intellectually disabled a "retard" -- I think it's hateful and insensitive -- but I don't feel that a Congressional resolution or a boycot will do anything more than anger and harden the hearts of the very people who might rethink their vocabulary. To be fair, I haven't seen the movie, but Shriver and other protestors have.

If it happens, will you support the boycott? Or do you think this is another case of "political correctness" gone too far?

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Since it doesn't open for another week, I'm not allowed to spill much about what I thought of Tropic Thunder, but suffice it to say, the laughs get off to an extra-early start with a collection of fake trailers featuring our leads as the film's stars in other projects. Along the same lines came promotional efforts that included a fake trailer for a fake making-of doc (well, the DVD will prove that one) and several websites for those characters and their movies.

One of those websites was for Ben Stiller's character, Tugg Speedman, in his high-profile bid for awards glory as a mentally disabled farmhand in Simple Jack. However, out of context, this high-concept faux-site has stirred up concern from the likes of many very real disability rights groups -- among them, the Special Olympics -- and according to Variety, the site has been pulled down in response.

The concern is fairly grounded, but it's a relatively minor kerfuffle that will damage neither the image of the represented individuals nor the performance of the film when it opens... a film which just so happens to boast a terrifically astute assessment of performances similar to Speedman's in the real industry, no part of which can stand to be repeated here and especially now.

Maybe I missed something, but since when did releasing films on a Wednesday become a commonplace strategy? I know, for years and years, several titles have opened mid-week, albeit typically on a handful of NY/LA screens or to capitalize on a holiday weekend.

But due to some recent moves, every Wednesday in August now has at least one wide release opening on it instead of Friday. On the 6th, we have Pineapple Express and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; the 13th brings us Tropic Thunder; the 20th, The Rocker; and then Traitor on the 27th.

There are at least three other wide releases on the last three Fridays of the month, but I see no distinct point at which a two-day head start would make any great deal of difference (although I presume that Pineapple still wanted to have seven days on Tropic instead of five when it comes to their similar target demographic).

Was there a holiday I overlooked somewhere? Is it now cooler for kids to go to the movies on a school night once classes are back in session? Do you guys have any theories, or will you still wait for the weekend to catch any of these regardless?

I had to make such a tough decision last week when offered to attend a screening of either Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express this coming Wednesday. What the hell does one do in that kind of situation? Both films look hilariously awesome to the tenth degree. I mean, if I could split my movie brain in half and send each part to a different screening, I totally would. But I can't. So I had to make a decision. I won't say which flick I picked right now, because then you won't tune in later this week when I spoil everything! That's right! Every last minute of the movie, right down to the order of the credits. Spoiled!

But anyway, check out a new international trailer for Tropic Thunder up top (or over on the film's official international site). Since it's from our international friends, it might be a little beyond a green band trailer, so keep that in mind office folk. There's not much else to say about this one -- watch it for yourself and tell me it doesn't look out of control. Stiller worries me sometimes because he could be a little too "stupid," but with Downey Jr., Steve Coogan, Nick Nolte, Bill Hader, Justin Theroux, Jay Baruchel and Jack Black in there, I think we'll be okay.

Tropic Thunder blows its way into theaters on August 15.

Judging from the most opaque details that Variety has run regarding writer-director Cameron Crowe's next project -- his first in four years since the much-maligned Elizabethtown -- it wouldn't be unreasonable to suspect that Crowe is perhaps hedging his bets with a more reliable genre effort.

According to the trade publication, "Ben Stiller and Reese Witherspoon will star in an untitled Cameron Crowe romantic comedy adventure at Columbia Pictures." Since that's quite literally the gist of it, it seems fair to infer that the film will skew closer to Crowe's similarly themed and relatively successful Say Anything..., Singles, and Jerry Maguire than anything else on the man's resume, and I say that as someone who loves Almost Famous, dug Vanilla Sky, and will give Elizabethtown a second chance once there's nothing else on television.

For all we know, it could end up being some wildly unique "romantic comedy adventure," although it's not like the bar has been set incredibly high. While I do enjoy the works of Judd Apatow, the rom-com genre appears to have boiled down to his efforts and those of whichever cast member of 'Grey's Anatomy' couldn't resist a generic pitch and an easy paycheck; as such, having Crowe return to the field might be just what we all need.

Yahoo! Movies has the first look at the trailer for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, and yes, all those sassy creatures that moviegoers dug to the tune of $193.5 million in the summer of 2005 are back, and this time... the penguins still seem to be stealing the show (I don't really have anything against the first movie, but the penguin-centric holiday short spin-off was itself far more amusing and, as such, has been included after the jump.)

From the look (sound?) of things, the entire voice cast is back, as lion Alex (Ben Stiller), hippo Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith), giraffe Melman (David Schwimmer), and zebra Marty (Chris Rock) try to return home to New York City from the eponymous island on which they were last stranded. Sacha Baron Cohen also appears to be returning to his role as the nutty Julien, king of the lemurs. Those working on the production have been tight-lipped as to whether or not hijinks and/or pop culture references ensue.

With original directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath at the helm, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - although they're technically already in Africa - is scheduled to open opposite the latest from James Bond on November 7.

Here's a funny one for your Friday: Remember that MTV Movie Awards spoof featuring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black? If not, head here to refresh your memory. In said video, Stiller was using his two Tropic Thunder co-stars to shoot a "viral video" for the upcoming flick; one to impress his consistently bored nephew. It was a funny video, and arguably the best spoof of this year's awards show. Of course, kids everywhere wanted to share the viral video featuring three of their favorite actors making a viral video -- but the only problem is that Viacom has forced YouTube to not only remove all uploads, but also suspend the YouTube account of the person(s) who uploaded it.

They've pulled the viral video they made! Looking around, the video is still available over at sites like Funny or Die, so perhaps this has more to do with Viacom's lawsuit against Google (who own YouTube) than it does pulling the video from all similar sites so that folks can only watch it on MTV. Because that would be weird ... and sorta ironic, don't ya think? Ahem.

[via Matt Griswold]

Cinematical has received this exclusive poster for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (click to enlarge), a follow-up to the very successful Madagascar. The film, which stars the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith, follows our animal friends as they hatch a plan to get back to New York; more specifically, Central Park. However, when they attempt to fly themselves out, the crew accidentally crash land in the wildest place of all -- the vast plains of Africa itself. While there, they'll get a better feel for their roots, as well as the difference between life in the concrete jungle and life on the world's second largest continent. But with danger right around the corner, will this family reunion be cut short a little too soon? And will our heroes ever return home?

Find out for yourself when Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa arrives in conventional theaters and IMAX on November 7.

While the 2008 MTV Movie Awards was probably more like one long commercial for summer movies than it was an actual awards show, there were some funny, memorable bits featuring old friends and a few clips worth mentioning for those who missed it last night. (Anyone else catch Brendan Fraser screaming like a lunatic into the camera on the red carpet, promoting Journey 3-D, while they were interviewing SJP about Sex and the City? I mean, dude, I know this show is all about promoting your movies, but calm the F down -- even SJP looked a tad freaked out.)

But anyway, my favorite bit of the night was a tie between watching a Wayne's World reunion and the Tropic Thunder viral spoof by Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black. Surprisingly, it wasn't even any of the three who stole the show; it was, instead, the kid playing Stiller's nephew. Hilarious. Watch the Wayne's World routine above, then head after the jump for the full Tropic Thunder video, Megan Fox looking extremely hot and freaked out by a naked Rainn Wilson and the footage you DIDN'T see of Seth Rogen and James Franco smoking a "pretend" joint on stage. I'd like to think the bit would've been funnier if the cameras were actually allowed within 700 feet of the stage and they didn't cutaway to several different actors who weren't laughing ... at all. In fact, Downey Jr. looked kind of insulted. Not the best anti-drug advertisement I've ever seen, but what the hey ...

There are four things I will always love about MTV: the videos from the '80s, Daria, the first handful of seasons of The Real World, and the MTV Movie Awards spoofs. In many cases, those suckers stick in my mind more than the films they were spoofing -- especially 1999, when Alyson Hannigan, Jaime Pressly, Chris Owen, and Charlie O'Connell took on everything from Risky Business to Cruel Intentions. The sight of Hannigan reenacting the whipped cream scene from Varsity Blues is forever burned into my brain.

This year, however, things will be a bit different for the awards ceremony. The Hollywood Reporter posts that instead of spoofs, a number of big-name actors are making their own short films for the evening, with the creative control in their hands -- namely, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Adam Sandler, and host Mike Myers. Not much is being said about the shorts, but Stiller hired Mike Bender to write his, and Nick Stoller to direct it, while Myers' shorts focus on two new characters he's come up with.

While I love the spoofs, this should be great twist on an old habit -- and as a rabid Downey Jr. fan, I'm itching to see what he comes up with. How about you? Will these shorts convince you to tune in?

And when I say ridiculous, I mean "WTF is going on in this flick!?" I'm not sure when this new red band trailer for Tropic Thunder went off the deep end: Was it when Ben Stiller took a young child who was stabbing him in the back (literally) and threw him off a bridge, or was it when Stiller was holding up the decapitated head of a soldier and sticking his tongue up to its guts. Oh, I'm totally not kidding about any of that, either -- this one looks completely out of control. Kudos to Stiller; for awhile there, it looked like he was way past his prime. With Tropic Thunder, something tells me the entire crew downed a case of "something real good" and said, "Screw it, let's just go absolutely nuts with this one and really freak people out."

Tropic Thunder stars Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. (who's cursing in every scene ... as a black man), Brandon T. Jackson and Jay Baruchel as a group of actors shooting a Platoon-esque war film in the jungle. When that film's director (as played by Steve Coogan) decides these guys need to be "in the sh*t," the gang wind up face to face with an army of real soldiers. I can't even begin to explain this trailer -- it's probably the most disturbing, yet oddly hilarious piece of marketing material I've seen all year.

Go here. Enter your age. Let us know what you think. Tropic Thunder hits theaters on August 15.

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I really think that if Tropic Thunder lives up to our expectations, this may very well be the "Summer of Downey." For starters, I'm already sold on Iron Man, and believe me, it has nothing to do with a love of men in big metal suits. Paramount Pictures has released three new character posters for the action comedy and there is just something about Downey's whacked out expression that brings a smile to my face. Although to be fair, I'm steering clear of the whole 'black face' debate until I actually see the movie. Especially since it seems a little early in the game to start crying "racist" when no one has even seen Downey's performance yet.

Thunder was written and directed by Ben Stiller, who also stars as a spoiled action star cast in a big budget war flick that is spiraling out of control. Tired of dealing with spoiled stars and unruly locations, the director (played by Steve Coogan) decides to drop his actors in the middle of a real armed conflict in hopes of adding some 'verité' to the film. Of course, the actors are all clueless of the fact they are no longer in the cozy confines of a movie set and wackiness ensues.

So place your bets: Do you think Tropic Thunder is going to be this summer's big comedy? We'll find out if Stiller can live up to the hype when the film opens in theaters on August 15th. Check out larger versions of all three posters, plus additional photos from the film in the gallery below.

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