Maya Rudolph | advancescreenings.com

Posts Tagged ‘Maya Rudolph’

REVIEW: Friends With Kids

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Almost exactly one year after seeing the premiere of Bridesmaids comes Friends with Kids. Kind of fitting that you get to the kids after marriage, right? Many people will compare the two movies since they have very similar casts but they couldn’t be more distinct. While Bridesmaids was a raucous comedy, Friends with Kids is a smart and creative romcom…somewhat. This is a true indie film as it can’t be categorized in the typical layman’s movie terms. Written, starring, and for the first time directed by Jennifer Westfeldt, Friends with Kids is a new spin on an old problem…”I’m getting old and I want to have kids.”

Every relationship is different and this movie has three very unique ones: a typical couple that loves each other and their kids, a couple that’s always on the brink of separation, and two best friends who decide to have a baby together. What? Yeah…two best friends who think it’s a good idea to have a baby together without being in an actual relationship. That’s the premise of this movie and it’s hilarious. Adam Scott is Jason Fryman and Jennifer Westfeldt is Julie Keller. They are two very close friends which is evident from the opening scene where they call each other from bed…while they’re both with someone else…in bed. They’re both at that age and they both want kids so what’s more logical than having a baby with each other? As Jason puts it, “I’ll be 100% committed…half the time.”

Remember this couple? Ben (Jon Hamm) and Missy (Kristen Wiig)

Their two friend couples, Ben (Jon Hamm) and Missy (Kristen Wiig) and Leslie (Maya Rudolph) and Alex (Chris O’Dowd) know it’s a terrible idea. They all struggle day to day with their relationships with their kids being an extra burden and they think it’s crazy that these two are bringing a kid into this world without even having a real relationship first. I know what you’re thinking…this is a typical romantic comedy and Jason and Julie are going to realize that they love each other but hold on…Meagan Fox is in this movie. And she’s smoking hot. And she plays video games. And Jason falls head over heals for her. The plot thickens…and the laughs don’t stop. The script is great and will have you laughing out loud from the beginning to the very end.

Adam Scott is Jason Fryman and Jennifer Westfeldt is Julie Keller.

This is Westfeldt’s directorial debut and sadly, the movie is very choppy. It’s as if they weren’t done editing or they just didn’t film all the scenes they needed. However, you can forgive those shortcomings with the incredible scenes that they did shoot. The movie is all about how these characters change in response to this quirky situation. There is one extremely long and emotional scene with all three couples that makes this movie a must see. It proves that serious comedies can get…serious and have true emotion. You’re going to see some of these comedic actors, especially Wiig, in positions that you’ve never seen before.

Would you sleep with your best friend? How awkward...

Talking about positions, Friends with Kids also has some of the funniest sex scenes in a movie reminiscent of Bridesmaids. How awkward do you think the sex scene is between best friends? It’s hilarious and I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the entire movie. The concept is modern, the emotions are real, and the performances are great. Sure, it has a lot of the easy laughs like vagina jokes and a cursing baby, but deep inside is a thoughtful script and current twist. It’s a romcom about selfish singles for this generation. It’s opening in limited theaters so if you can find it, go see it.

Tags: Adam Scott, Chris O'Dowd, Friends With Kids, Jennifer Westfeldt, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph
Posted in Reviews | No Comments »

REVIEW: Zookeeper

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Zookeeper was silly, goofy and a bit absurd. It has everything you would expect from a movie with talking zoo animals as well as things you would have never thought of. Brought to you by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company, this is a bit of that quirky Sandler comedy skewed for kids (but not as awful as Bedtime Stories). The movie tends to go off track multiple times but somehow finds itself back to an enjoyable movie. Kids are going to like it and I couldn’t help myself from giggling every now and then.

Kevin James stars as Griffin Keyes, the lead zookeeper at Franklin Park Zoo. He’s the best and treats all the animals with respect. The basic plot of the movie is Griffin trying to woo the beautiful Leslie Bibb who plays Stephanie…a girl that Griffin has always had feelings for. Afraid that Griffin might leave the zoo, the animals hatch a plan to get Griffin the girl by turning him into an alpha male. After the initial freak out of hearing animals talk, Griffin starts taking love advice from a bunch of caged captives.

Kevin James and the beautiful Leslie Bibb in Zookeeper

Kids are going to love the animals. They used a combination of live animals, animatronics and computer generated models to make the movie happen. Each animal has their own personality and they’re actually really funny when they talk amongst themselves. Think Madagascar in real life. All the voices are very peculiar and you can pinpoint a lot of them. Nick Nolte plays Bernie the Gorilla while Adam Sandler alters his voice in a familiar way for Donald the Monkey who continually brags about his opposable thumb. Sylvester Stallone is Joe the Lion and Cher is his girl, Janet the Lioness. You can see that the filmmakers just called up a bunch of their friends to voice the animals. Producer Judd Apatow is Barry the Elephant, Director Jon Favreau and Faizon Love are the bickering bears, Jerome and Bruce, and my favorite voice, Maya Rudolph, is Mollie the Giraffe.

Kevin James surrounded by zoo animals

The rest of the live cast is great too. Rosario Dawson is in this movie for some reason as Kate, Griffin’s coworker at the zoo. Joe Rogan plays Gale, Stephanie’s evil ex which Griffin has to compete with. Joe’s character is so awkward and spiteful…I couldn’t help but love to hate him. Ken Jeong makes yet another summer appearance as Venom, the quirky snake and reptile expert. It’s almost as if Ken makes a cameo in a movie every single week this summer (The Hangover Part II, Transformers: Dark of the Moon)!

Bernie the Gorilla and Kevin James in Zookeeper

Zookeeper has a lot of slapstick comedy, a lot of random animal shots and a lot of foolishness…pretty much anything to get a laugh. There’s even a bit of Zoolander in Zookeeper which is kind of weird but actually pretty funny. Kevin James seems to “lose” it a bit in this movie and I couldn’t figure out if it was more of the character or him responding to “What the hell am I doing making this movie?” Either way, it looked really fun to make (they had some bloopers during the credits) and it was pretty fun to watch as well. Obviously, if you buy a ticket to this movie, you know what you’re getting into so just sit back and enjoy it.

Tags: Adam Sandler, Cher, Faizon Love, Joe Rogan, Jon Favreau, Judd Apatow, Ken Jeong, Kevin James, Leslie Bibb, Maya Rudolph, Nick Nolte, Rosario Dawson, Sylvester Stallone, Zookeeper
Posted in Reviews | 3 Comments »

SXSW REVIEW: Bridesmaids

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Bridesmaids doesn’t come out until wedding season (May) but Universal, star Kristen Wiig and director Paul Feig brought a print to Austin, TX for the South By Southwest Film Festival. They knew they would be pandering to an accepting crowd after the screening of Paul, but they didn’t need to…the movie was hilarious! Starring a slew of comedic women, Bridesmaids shows the dirty and funny side of competitive bridesmaiding. It follows a group of women from engagement to wedding ceremony and the crazy antics that happen in the catty minds of females. The reactions from men and women are going to vastly differ but both sides are going to be laughing out loud.

I wasn’t sure if Kristen Wiig could carry the film on her own, but she doesn’t have to. She’s joined with a great ensemble cast that are all hilarious in their own rights. Maya Rudolph is the one getting married and Wiig is her long time best friend. Maya chose her to be the maid of honor. Wendi McLendon-Covey is a mom of three rambunctious boys. Elli Kemper is a young newlywed (you might recognize her from The Office). Melissa McCarthy is Rudolph’s butch sister-in-law. And finally, there’s the pretty Rose Byrne who tries to steal the maid of honor position from the very beginning. The interactions they have with each other are movie gold…I can’t wait to see the outtakes.

The Bridal Party.

The beginning of the movie is the funniest sex scene since Team America: World Police and sets the tone for the rest of the show. The scenes keep getting funnier and funnier leading to a hilarious and stomach-churning gown fitting. Who thought a fitting could be so funny? However, after that, the movie starts losing momentum and becomes flat. There are a few scattered escalating scenes that will have you rolling again and again but they’re pieced together with points in the story that just don’t hold up the same comedic caliber. Full Disclaimer: this screening didn’t start til after midnight and I was tired as hell, but the middle of the movie was putting me to sleep.

I'M GETTING ENGAGED

Kristen Wiig plays Annie, a single 30-something in a terrible relationship, financial problems and no hope in site. Her life unravels during the movie while she has to take on the duties and responsibilities of throwing her best friend’s wedding. Helen (Rose Byrne), on the other hand, wants the wedding to be extravagant and tries to take over the top spot from Annie. You can imagine a bunch of catty behaviour and twisted inner workings of females like a no holds bar aim for the chest game of tennis. Annie meets a romantic interest so you have that whole love story intertwined now and let’s not forget she’s a baker so there are random baking montages…that leave an awkward feeling.

I don't know if I'll eat at a Brazilian restaurant again...

Women are definitely going to see this movie in a different light and get more out of it but guys aren’t going to be disappointed with the kind of humor that writers Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig offer. The banter between Rudolph and Wiig is great and they have realistic on screen chemistry (obviously from their SNL days together). The tidbits and side stories from the other bridesmaids makes this a well rounded story whenever their included. But when the story focuses just on Wiig for a while, it gets pretty mundane rather than continually building the ridiculous atmosphere you get when all the girls are together. While I would’ve preferred this to be an all-out laugh out loud comedy similar to The Hangover (oh yes, they got a flight to Vegas for the bachelorette party), I understand they took it another way giving a lot more commentary for the female demographic.

This post is part of our SXSW Film Festival coverage
The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery. The internationally acclaimed, nine-day Film Festival celebrates raw innovation and emerging talent, with a truly diverse program ranging from provocative documentaries to subversive Hollywood comedies.Visit South by Southwest’s Official Website

Tags: Bridesmaids, Elli Kemper, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Melissa McCarthy, Paul Feig, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey
Posted in Reviews, South By Southwest 2011 | 3 Comments »

REVIEW: MacGruber

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

If you’re a fan of the MacGruber sketch on SNL, you’ll love this film. If you’re not a fan, you’ll still love this film! It was hilarious. It’s a nonstop comedy mixing NSFW jokes with a plot which pokes fun at all super-spy/evil villain movies. Granted, I saw it at the World Premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival where almost everyone wanted to see the film and was laughing and cheering the whole time, but I think that attitude will translate to theaters around the country. I kept thinking to myself, if I was in a regular theater on a Friday or Saturday night, would I still be laughing this much? I think I would. This is definitely a movie to take a group of friends to. You’ll be laughing at MacGruber and you’ll be laughing at each other for laughing at it. But how could they turn this short sketch that always ends in a fatal disaster into a feature length film? Well, let me tell you…

The movie begins with the government tracking down and recruiting MacGruber on a mission to stop his arch nemesis, Dieter Von Cunth, played by Val Kilmer. Reluctantly, MacGruber agrees and begins to assemble his all star team which came with a bunch of unexpected cameos from wrestlers of the WWE. Everything about this movie will make you smile, smirk, and laugh out loud. The SNL cast, Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, and Maya Rudolph deliver spot on performances that you would expect from their show personas. Val Kilmer and Ryan Phillippe give us the other half of the formula with Ryan playing the straight man, Lt. Dixon Piper, and Val Kilmer playing the over the top villain. There are a couple good running gags including MacGruber’s tape deck blasting smooth 80s jams and the inevitable making high-tech gadgets out of household items. There’s also a ridiculous sex scene that could rival the one from Team America: World Police…and Ghost.

MacGruber holding the tape deck from his Miata

MacGruber is pretty straight forward, there are a couple of twists and turns in the beginning and end of the film, but through the middle…it’s the typical spy movie mission where the characters have to collect information, figure out what’s going to happen next, and then try and stop it. MacGruber just gets around to do this in his own weird unique way that guarantees outrageous and ridiculous scenes including those scenes that just don’t make any sense but you just go with it because it’s MacGruber…and he’s a super-spy, he knows what he’s doing, right?

MacGruber (Will Forte), Vicki St. Elmo (Kristen Wiig), and Lt. Dixon Piper (Ryan Phillippe) running from imminent death

Let’s be honest, with movies like this you either set your expectations low or prepare for a load of crap. Comedies like this are easy to lead off the track since you’re dealing with this kind of humor but MacGruber surprisingly keeps it together and is a fun entertaining film that you’ll be walking out of with a smile on your face and craving more 80s tunes. You won’t be disappointed unless you were expecting McGyver. I wish I could make this review end in an explosion. BOOM!

Tags: Kristen Wiig, MacGruber, Maya Rudolph, Powers Boothe, Ryan Phillippe, South By Southwest, SXSW, Val Kilmer, Will Forte
Posted in Film Festivals and Conventions, Reviews, South By Southwest 2010 | 2 Comments »

South By Southwest: Halfway Through!

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

I apologize for not updating more but the South By Southwest Conference and Film Festival is hectic! There’s so much to do, I don’t know how anybody can get it all done. I flew in Friday night and today is Wednesday, I’ve seen over a dozen films in the past 4 days and almost all of them have been great. Here’s a quick recap of what I’ve been up to. I’ll be writing more in depth reviews when the festival is over.

Day 2: Saturday, March 13th.
After picking up my badge and finding my way around a bit, I sat down for my first movie, a movie I wasn’t even planning to see: Marwencol. It was a great and tragic story about a man who was almost beaten to death regaining his life through an alter life in the form of action figures and dolls. I tried to get in to a film called Mars at the Ritz but I have still yet to be able to make it into a screening at this theater…it has been packed! Instead, I got some food and then headed over to the Paramount where most of the big premieres were taking place and saw the French film Micmacs and then Cyrus starring John C. Reily and Jonah Hill…they were in attendance for a Q&A afterwards.

Day 3: Sunday, March 14th.
I tried to get a few interactive events in today so I didn’t start watching movies till later. I was back at the Paramount for Mr. Nice and Elektra Luxx. Mr. Nice was the true story of Howard Marks, a British drug smuggler. Elektra Luxx is the sequel to Sebastian Gutierrez’s Women in Trouble starring Carla Gugino, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Malin Akerman, Adrianne Palicki, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and many more…most of them were in attendance which kind of saved the night because the projector stopped working before the end of the film.

Day 4: Monday, March 15th.
To make up for the day before, I watched 6 movies today, yes 6. I started off with a film I really wanted to see, Pelada…and it was amazing! 2 Americans travel the world playing pick up soccer games. I sat next to the 2 player-travellers in the film. It’s my favorite film of the festival so far. I tried to get into Tiny Furniture at the Ritz, but again it was full, so I saw Beijing Taxi followed by American: The Bill Hicks Story. Beijing Taxi was a stale documentary about a couple taxi drivers in Beijing before and during the Winter Olympics. American: The Bill Hicks Story is the story of comedian Bill Hicks who became more of an activist as his career progressed. I went to a smaller venue, The Hideout, to watch a Finnish film called Living Room of the Nation which put cameras in a few Finnish homes to see how stories unravelled through everyday life. Then I went back to the Paramount for the world premiere of MacGruber, the SNL skit starring Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Ryan Phillippe, and Val Kilmer. It was actually hilarious, I’ll write a full review soon. Elektra Luxx was played again tonight since it broke down the night before, so I caught the ending of that.

Day 5: Tuesday, March 16th.
This was the ending of the interactive and film conference so I watched some internet related films. I started off the morning with Erasing David, a British filmmaker sets off to disappear for a month and hires 2 private investigators to try and find him using only publicly available data. It’s about the state of our privacy in society today. Then I set up shop at the Paramount again and watched 3 films back to back. I couldn’t handle the last one (Skateland) and will have to catch it later. I heard good things about it so I’m sure it’ll get picked up. I started off with Hood to Coast, a film documenting a few teams during this epic marathon from Mt. Hood to the coast of Oregon. Followed by The People vs. George Lucas, another documentary about the angry fans of Star Wars. And finished the night with Harry Brown, a great in your face thriller starring Michael Caine.

So that was 14 films and 1 twice. There’s hardly any time in between to eat! I still have 4 more days but I’m probably going to see less and less movies. I took most of today off to try and get some work done in the middle of the week and I’m planning on catching the other side of the South By Southwest festival, the music. Tonight, I plan on seeing Get Low, Cargo, and maybe another film. For the next couple days I will try and see The Runaways, Monsters, Higanjima, World’s Largest, The Red Chapel, and maybe Canal Street Madam, The Parking Lot Movie, and Mars.

Are you guys interested in any of the movies I’ve seen, am trying to see, or other films of the South By Southwest festival? Let us know!