I really, really love movie trailers, yet for some reason I can't stand movie commercials on television. Maybe it's because they're repeated over and over and over again, like the current spot for The Love Guru, which has been driving me nuts all week. I hardly even watch TV (with no more Lost til 2009, there's nothing good on) and yet I believe I've seen it about a thousand times over the past few days.
Apparently I'm in the minority, however, because TiVo has just released data showing that ads for movies are one of the few kinds of commercials that its subscribers actually watch rather than fast-forward through. The DVR company also revealed the movie that had the least-fast-forwarded spot: Forgetting Sarah Marshall. A single FSM ad that ran during an episode of The Office was the single-most popular (or, at least most-viewed) for the month of April. Second least-fast-forwarded in that month was a spot for Hancock. Also considered "DVR-resistant" are those amusing Mac vs. PC commercials, while an ad for Ford that ran during an episode of American Idol placed high for April, as well.
Despite an excellent review showing on Rotten Tomatoes, some people forgot about Forgetting Sarah Marshall. As Matt Bradshaw notes in his Box Office column, the comedy came in second to The Forbidden Kingdom, bringing in just $17.3 million. Steve Mason says we might be suffering from "Judd Apatow fatigue." Whether that's the case or not, it's a shame.
While I tried to fight off my high expectations for the film to save myself from potential disappointment, I failed. I was ridiculously eager to see the film, so I grabbed my friend and ran to watch it on Friday night. Luckily, I didn't need to quash the anxiety. We both laughed hysterically and loved it. In fact, I enjoyed it more than both Knocked Up and Superbad.
If you don't agree, fair enough, but for those who might be apprehensive about going out to see the comedy, I want to give you a few reasons why you should give it a chance. Head after the jump for 5 reasons to see Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Oh man -- I watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall again over the weekend (I first saw it at SXSW back in March) and the laughs held up beautifully; it really is a comic treasure, even if it does suffer a bit from the typical Apatow bloat. So this is great news for me:director Nicholas Stoller is reteaming with Judd Apatow for Get Him to the Greek, a comedy starring Sarah Marshall's Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. Hill will play a young insurance adjuster assigned to get a wild rock star (Brand) from London to LA's Greek Theater for a gig. I don't dispense headline exclamation points willy-nilly, so you know I'm excited.
The idea was apparently hatched at a Sarah Marshall table read, where Hill and Brand exhibited a surprising chemistry. They only had a few scenes together in that film, and since I thought Hill's character was generally a weak spot, I spent most of those scenes being mildly annoyed. But I've seen Superbad, so I know that Hill has the funny, and Brand, whom I had never heard of before Sarah Marshall, has some of the movie's biggest laughs. So: more, please.
Stoller will write Get Him to the Greek in addition to getting back in the director's chair. He has some other projects in the works, including Five Year Engagement, which he will direct and co-write with Jason Segel. He's also working with Segel on his planned Muppet movie. And he co-wrote the screenplay for Jim Carrey's Yes Man, due in December. Busy guy; lucky, too.
Most conversations about Forgetting Sarah Marshall -- the new Judd Apatow-produced comedy about a devastating breakup -- are going to start with the penis shot. Sure, there have been willies in the movies before -- hell, there have been dongs in Apatow productions before (see Walk Hard). But a johnson this prominently featured, and in a mainstream romantic comedy? It breaks new ground. And not only is it funny, it's the perfect visual representation of what a guy goes through when he gets dumped. The film's star, Jason Segel, is stripped bare literally and figuratively -- exposed, embarrassed, emasculated. It's a comedy moment for the history books. I just wish I could say the rest of the film is as bold, as brave, as ... ballsy as that penis.
Oh, don't get me wrong. Sarah Marshall is a very funny movie. But its faults -- its sagginess, its tendency to let improvisation roll past the point of laughter, its relationships that often don't ring true -- are what separate this Judd Apatow production from a Judd Apatow film.
There's nothing quite like watching two people break up. When it's not us, and when it's not someone we care deeply about, then watching two people break up is almost as exciting and adventurous as jumping out of a plane strapped to a hungry lion. Later on tonight, we're going to go over some of our favorite on-screen breakups in honor of this week's new release, Forgetting Sarah Marshall-- but what about those humiliating off-screen breakups? I'm not talking about a celebrity, their spouse and the nanny; I'm talking about real life people.
Like the woman who decided to air her and her soon-to-be ex-husband's dirty laundry all over YouTube in an attempt to ... I have no idea. For those who've seen this gal's video, the entire thing just screams "Adapt me!" At one point she actually calls her husband's office, gets the secretary on speaker phone and tells her, first, that her and her husband don't have sex, and then says to interrupt the guy and ask what she should do about his collection of porn and condoms. Seriously, one of the funniest scenes I've watched all year -- and it's real! On YouTube!
Who knows what this gal was thinking when she made this, but I bet screenwriters everywhere are studying that video today; searching for the next great on-screen breakup idea. After all, when it comes to movie breakups, we've been there, seen that. It's tough to be original these days. So thanks Tricia Walsh-Smith -- we look forward to seeing this video parodied in the next rom-com.
Oh, and if you missed it, catch the video after the jump.
It was a tough race to call, but looking back and realizing that if I had just swapped Prom Night and Street Kings I would have had a perfect prediction, all I can say is "D'oh!" The slasher reimagining took the lead by quite a margin, with the Keanu Reeves cop drama taking the silver. Say what you will about PG-13 horror and/or horror remakes, but Prom Night made back its $20 million budget in a single weekend, so we can probably expect more of the same. Smart People, last week's third new release, came in seventh. Here's the top five:
88 Minutes What's It All About: Al Pacino plays a university professor and an expert in forensic psychiatry, and he's just been informed via an anonymous phone call that he has only 88 minutes left to live. Kind of a cross between DOA and 24. Why It Might Do Well: Pacino is still the man ... Why It Might Not Do Well: ...however, his star power may not carry much weight with younger ticket buyers, and a 22% rating from Rottentomatoes.com does not bode well. Also, of this week's new flicks, this one is hitting the smallest number of theaters. Number of Theaters: 2,000 Prediction: $9 million
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is almost here, finally, and we'll get to see all of Jason Segel's "glory" as he deals with his bad breakup with Kristen Bell's Marshall. But this is just one of many diverse roles that Bell has taken on lately. She's electric and hot-headed on Heroes, dirt-digging on Gossip Girl, and sadly wrapped her investigation days as Veronica Mars last year.
But these aren't her first forays into the biz. Above, you can check out her one-episode stint in American Dreams from 2003, where she plays a young woman who has had an abortion, and now deals with the caring but judgmental opinions of Gail O'Grady's Helen Pryor.
But after the jump there's also Bell's first gig, even earlier, as an uncredited Teenage Girl in Claire Danes' 1998 film, Polish Wedding. She's just giggling and in the shadows, but you can tell it is Bell in all her tininess. From shadowy giggles to Segel's member, Bell has come a long way!
Forgetting Sarah Marshall finds Jason Segel vacationing in Hawaii to forget the girl (Kristen Bell) who just dumped him. Alas, she's at the same resort with her new beau! It's the latest comedy from the Apatow camp, and it hits theaters this weekend. Cinematical spoke one-on-one with the film's director, Nicholas Stoller, regarding the movie, his upcoming Muppet project, and how much onscreen penis is too much onscreen penis.
Cinematical: Is it intimidating for you knowing that every movie associated with Apatow these days is such a comedy event? Does that put pressure on you as the director to live up to that standard?
Nicholas Stoller: Not really, I'm still excited I got to make a movie, so I'm not really thinking in terms of if it's going to be a big event. Our movie was cheap so we don't have to make up that much money. It amuses me, and I hope that it amuses more people.
Cinematical: It amused me, so there's one extra person anyway.
NS: We have you and me and we just need 30 million more Americans.
Welcome to another edition of Insert Caption -- the game where we provide the photo and you provide the funny! Last week, we asked you to throw on your lamest Hawaiian t-shirt and give us your best captions for a photo from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Congrats to our three winners below for sharing their warmth, their passion, their creativity ... and their ability to conjure up a mental image of Jonah Hill on a spit. Our apologies to you Mr. Hill -- we still love ya man!
1. "I was speaking figuratively when I said I had a lot of baggage." -- Mike R.
2. "Crap... I thought I ditched the Verizon guy at the pig roast!" -- Russell K.
3. "They just put Jonah Hill on a spit and fired up the tiki torches. I'm outta here!" -- Andrew W.
This week, we're taking a trip back to ancient China for a visit with legendary martial arts stars Jet Li and Jackie Chan. Their new movie, The Forbidden Kingdom, arrives in theaters on April 18 -- and ... I just feel so bad for that poor, innocent white kid right now. It'd be hard enough running into one of those guys in a dark alley -- imagine getting stuck between both AND you have to go to the bathroom real bad? Ouch. The three lucky winners from this week will run (as fast as they can) away with one Forbidden Kingdom poster, one pack of Forbidden Kingdom trading cards, one box of green tea and one container of incense. Hmm, I smell a lot of captions this week ... and for some reason they smell like burnt roses with a splash of lemon vanilla? Sound off below ...
If Jason Segel was a character on Heroes, what would his super power be? And speaking of super powers, which comic book character would Kristen Bell take on without even reading a script? You can get the answers to these questions, as well as watch Segel talk, at length, about his good friend Mr. Johnson, over at Moviefone -- where they've unveiled the latest installment in their very funny (and thought-provoking) Unscripted series, featuring the two stars of Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
Above, you'll be able to see a special super secret exclusive clip from their chat that's NOT featured in the actual Unscripted session. Oh yes, that means you can only watch it right here ... on Cinematical. Aren't you glad you stopped in today? So listen to Kristen Bell mock Jesus Christ's comedic skills above, then head on over to Moviefone to see their entire chat. Remember, Segel and Bell are answering questions you left for them right here on this very blog, as well as mixing in some of their own. If you thought you knew everything about gratuitous male nudity on the big screen ... you have no idea. Forgetting Sarah Marshall. April 18. Go!
For those who haven't caught an advance screening of Forgetting Sarah Marshall yet, let me tell you that it's pretty damn funny. Of all the different, maniacal characters, though, it's British comedian Russell Brand who absolutely steals the show as Sarah Marshall's new, self-obsessed rocker boyfriend, Aldous Snow. Throughout the film, Snow performs a few different songs, but it's his music video for We've Got To Do Something that brought the house down at the SXSW screening back in March.
EW has posted the music video (and unfortunately, we cannot embed it here), but you should definitely run over there and check it out. In it, Snow prances around on a busy street and inside a terminal with signs that read, "Sodomize Intolerance" and "False Untruths Kill." Hilarious stuff -- I know all of us here at Cinematical are looking forward to seeing more of Brand on our shores in the near future. Forgetting Sarah Marshall hits theaters on April 18.
One of my favorite bloggers, Jim Emerson, gives Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeff Wells a virtual bitchslap for a recent post Wells made on his favorite topic: how he doesn't believe guys who look "normal" (i.e., to him, fat and ugly) really score with beautiful women. In a post last month titled "Eclipse of the Hunk," Wells starts off by talking about the opening of the Judd Apatow-produced Forgetting Sarah Marshall, then goes on to mourn the loss of sexy, buff leading men and the success of Judd Apatow's films, in which dorky guys like Seth Rogen and Jason Segel get the hot chicks. Emerson excerpts my favorite quote from Wells piece:
"Taking their place are guys who look like real guys, which means almost never slender or buffed, and frequently chunky, overweight or obese. And usually with roundish faces with half-hearted beard growth, hair on their backs, man-boobs with tit hairs, blemishes, and always horribly dressed -- open-collared plaid dress shirts, low-thread-count T-shirts with lame-ass slogans or promotions on the chest, long shorts and sandals (or flip-flops), monkey feet, unpedicured toenails."
Montreal's Just for Laughs Comedy Festival turns 25 this year, but the well-established mecca of merriment isn't afraid to try something new. Organizers announced Tuesday that July's edition will include a brand-new industry conference called Just Comedy, and that in conjunction with it they've named Judd Apatow Comedy Person of the Year.
This will presumably be an annual award given out during the conference, which is aimed at industry types and filled with panels, workshops, etc. (unlike the festival as a whole, which is aimed at regular comedy audiences). Apatow is certainly an industry type, having established himself as the go-to writer, producer, and director for successful comedies. Given that the Just for Laughs folks wanted to establish a "Comedy Person of the Year" award, I don't know who else they could have given it to right now.
Welcome to another edition of Insert Caption -- the online game all of your friends are ridiculously addicted to! Last week, we asked you to take a real good look at a photo from the new movie Leatherheads. From there we wanted you to stand in front of a mirror, close your eyes and make a wish. Still don't look like George Clooney? Drats. Sorry. While we try to figure out what's wrong with our Clooney Look-a-Like 3000 machine, let's give our three caption winners from last week a healthy virtual round of applause.
1. "Here, take my hand. I've never lost a game of "Red Rover" and I ain't gonna start now." -- Mike R.
2. "I thought you meant the *proverbial* s--- was going to hit the *proverbial* fan." -- Mike Z.
3. "Trust me...a pot-bellied pig demands empathy before it will become a housepet." -- Andrew W.
And speaking of things that deserve a round of applause, this week we're heading to Hawaii with a photo from the upcoming (hysterical) comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Jason Segel stars as a guy whose hottie girlfriend (Kristen Bell) dumps him hard. When he decides to take a recovery trip to Hawaii, he unfortunately didn't realize he'd be staying at the same hotel as his ex and her new man. Don't you hate it when that happens? The three lucky winners from this week will surf away with one Forgetting Sarah Marshall poster, one Forgetting Sarah Marshall t-shirt, one Forgetting Sarah Marshall tank top and one Forgetting Sarah Marshall beach towel. With all that to show off to your friends, one thing's for sure: You definitely will not forget about this movie. Forgetting Sarah Marshall hits theaters on April 18. Sound off below ...
No, unfortunately, they didn't decide to write in a role for Robin at the last minute, Dark Knight fans. But according to Entertainment Weekly, our old friend Chris O'Donnell looks to be returning to the big screen in a pretty big way. Apparently the dude has landed a role in Max Payne, that video game adaptation starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis (strange on-screen coupling, but I dig it). Folks who aren't too familiar with Kunis, or simply remember her from those days on That 70's Show, will need to check out this gal in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Not only is she about to become the next HOT thing, but she's definitely a better actress than, say, Jessica Alba.
But back to my man O'Donnell. At one point, this guy was the go-to, guy-next-door actor. Then ... nada. Now, however, O'Donnell has taken a page from the Patrick Dempsey playbook by starring in several episodes of Grey's Anatomy. (Not only do they revive patients on that show, but they also revive entire careers!) EW says O'Donnell will play executive Jason Colvin in the film, which is based on Rockstar Games' shoot-'em-up game. Wahlberg will play a cop whose family was slain, while Kunis is an assassin out to avenge her sister's death. Together ... well, I'm sure a lot of "sparks" will fly.
Max Payne currently has an October 17th release date.
I really, really love movie trailers, yet for some reason I can't stand movie commercials on television. Maybe it's because they're repeated over and over and over again, like the current spot for The Love Guru, which has been driving me nuts all week. I hardly even watch TV (with no more Lost til 2009, there's nothing good on) and yet I believe I've seen it about a thousand times over the past few days.
Oh man -- I watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall again over the weekend (I first saw it at SXSW back in March) and the laughs held up beautifully; it really is a comic treasure, even if it does suffer a bit from the typical Apatow bloat. So 
There's nothing quite like watching two people break up. When it's not us, and when it's not someone we care deeply about, then watching two people break up is almost as exciting and adventurous as jumping out of a plane strapped to a hungry lion. Later on tonight, we're going to go over some of our favorite on-screen breakups in honor of this week's new release, 
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Montreal's Just for Laughs Comedy Festival turns 25 this year, but the well-established mecca of merriment isn't afraid to try something new. Organizers announced Tuesday that July's edition will include a brand-new industry conference called Just Comedy, and that in conjunction with it they've named 
1. "Here, take my hand. I've never lost a game of "Red Rover" and I ain't gonna start now." -- Mike R.
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No, unfortunately, they didn't decide to write in a role for Robin at the last minute, Dark Knight fans. But according to 
