Year One wants it’s audience to believe it’s Agent Sands at the end of Once Upon A Time In Mexico. The film blindly fires it’s comedy at us, hoping things will hit us and evoke mountains of laughter. Why shouldn’t it? It’s directed by Harold “Egon” Ramis who’s done some decent comedy directing and is responsible for Ghostbusters and Caddyshack. The movie’s headlined by timid nerd Michael Cera, whom everyone adores, and Jack Black, who can be great when he wants to be. The talent is certainly there to make a fun, if useless, summer comedy. Yet like the aforementioned Sands, Year One misses just about every shot of comedy it unleashes.
Year One is terribly constructed together to the point where Ramis should feel ashamed he took part in it. Scenes start, climax, and then cut to the next scene without finishing...
Year One is terribly constructed together to the point where Ramis should feel ashamed he took part in it. Scenes start, climax, and then cut to the next scene without finishing...
- 6/19/2009
- by Philip Barrett
- Atomic Popcorn
NEW YORK -- The only surprising thing about "Superhero Movie" is that, in an era when big-screen parodies are released seemingly every other week, it took this long for the venerable comic book genre to receive the treatment.
Otherwise a fairly standard entry that at least is better than January's lamentable "Meet the Spartans", this spoof demonstrates that David Zucker, one of the film's producers, has come a long way from the glory days of "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun".
The other distinguishing factor of the film, which was released Friday without being screened for the press, is that its screenplay doesn't come from the usual gaggle of scribes but rather is solely the creation of Craig Mazin, who also directed.
The story line takes its main inspiration from "Spider-Man", relating how young dweeb Rick Riker (Drake Bell) is transformed into Dragonfly via a bite from a mutated insect. In between pining for his schoolmate Jill Johnson (Sara Paxton), he finds himself battling the forces of evil, most notably Hourglass (Christopher McDonald), the villainous alter ego of a billionaire industrialist.
The freewheeling satire also incorporates elements of "Batman", principally with a back¬story involving the death of Rick's parents (the father is played by "Airplane!" star Robert Hays); "Fantastic Four"; "X-Men"; and, all too briefly, "Superman".
The gags arrive at the usual breakneck pace, albeit mostly producing quiet chuckles rather than belly laughs. The major exception, at least for the mostly quiet audience at an opening-day matinee, was an extended fart scene involving poor Marion Ross that mainly demonstrated the filmmaker's apparent desire to top the one in "Blazing Saddles".
A host of familiar faces from film and television comedies pop up for brief appearances, mainly to little effect. They include Tracy Morgan, Brent Spiner, Pamela Anderson, Regina Hall (another genre pro, having appeared in all the "Scream" films), Dan Castellaneta and Jeffrey Tambor, among others.
A comforting factor is provided via the presence of Leslie Nielsen, with the parody veteran supplying his usual brand of deadpan hilarity as Rick's addled uncle.
Some of the gags, like a necrophilia joke, seem particularly tasteless given the PG-13 rating. As also has become standard, the already seemingly endless credits are further extended via numerous deleted scenes, some of which are funnier than those that appear in the film proper. They make apparent that several performers, like Craig Bierko (doing a Wolverine parody) had their roles significantly cut.
SUPERHERO MOVIE
MGM
Dimension Films
Credits: Director-screenwriter: Craig Mazin; Producers: Craig Mazin, Robert K. Weiss, David Zucker; Executive producers: Matthew Stein, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein; Director of photography: Thomas E. Ackerman; Production designer: Bob Ziembicki; Music: James L. Venable; Co-producer: Scott Tomlinson; Costume designer: Carol Ramsey; Editor: Craig Herring. Cast: Rick Riker/Dragonfly: Drake Bell; Jill Johnson: Sara Paxton; Lou Landers/Hourglass; Christopher McDonald; Uncle Albert: Leslie Nielsen; Trey: Kevin Hart; Aunt Lucille: Marion Ross; Lance Landers: Ryan Hansen; Dr. Strom: Brent Spiner; The Invisible Girl: Pamela Anderson; Dr. Xavier: Tracy Morgan; Mrs. Xavier: Regina Hall; Human Torch: Simon Rex.
MPAA rating PG-13, running time 85 minutes.
Otherwise a fairly standard entry that at least is better than January's lamentable "Meet the Spartans", this spoof demonstrates that David Zucker, one of the film's producers, has come a long way from the glory days of "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun".
The other distinguishing factor of the film, which was released Friday without being screened for the press, is that its screenplay doesn't come from the usual gaggle of scribes but rather is solely the creation of Craig Mazin, who also directed.
The story line takes its main inspiration from "Spider-Man", relating how young dweeb Rick Riker (Drake Bell) is transformed into Dragonfly via a bite from a mutated insect. In between pining for his schoolmate Jill Johnson (Sara Paxton), he finds himself battling the forces of evil, most notably Hourglass (Christopher McDonald), the villainous alter ego of a billionaire industrialist.
The freewheeling satire also incorporates elements of "Batman", principally with a back¬story involving the death of Rick's parents (the father is played by "Airplane!" star Robert Hays); "Fantastic Four"; "X-Men"; and, all too briefly, "Superman".
The gags arrive at the usual breakneck pace, albeit mostly producing quiet chuckles rather than belly laughs. The major exception, at least for the mostly quiet audience at an opening-day matinee, was an extended fart scene involving poor Marion Ross that mainly demonstrated the filmmaker's apparent desire to top the one in "Blazing Saddles".
A host of familiar faces from film and television comedies pop up for brief appearances, mainly to little effect. They include Tracy Morgan, Brent Spiner, Pamela Anderson, Regina Hall (another genre pro, having appeared in all the "Scream" films), Dan Castellaneta and Jeffrey Tambor, among others.
A comforting factor is provided via the presence of Leslie Nielsen, with the parody veteran supplying his usual brand of deadpan hilarity as Rick's addled uncle.
Some of the gags, like a necrophilia joke, seem particularly tasteless given the PG-13 rating. As also has become standard, the already seemingly endless credits are further extended via numerous deleted scenes, some of which are funnier than those that appear in the film proper. They make apparent that several performers, like Craig Bierko (doing a Wolverine parody) had their roles significantly cut.
SUPERHERO MOVIE
MGM
Dimension Films
Credits: Director-screenwriter: Craig Mazin; Producers: Craig Mazin, Robert K. Weiss, David Zucker; Executive producers: Matthew Stein, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein; Director of photography: Thomas E. Ackerman; Production designer: Bob Ziembicki; Music: James L. Venable; Co-producer: Scott Tomlinson; Costume designer: Carol Ramsey; Editor: Craig Herring. Cast: Rick Riker/Dragonfly: Drake Bell; Jill Johnson: Sara Paxton; Lou Landers/Hourglass; Christopher McDonald; Uncle Albert: Leslie Nielsen; Trey: Kevin Hart; Aunt Lucille: Marion Ross; Lance Landers: Ryan Hansen; Dr. Strom: Brent Spiner; The Invisible Girl: Pamela Anderson; Dr. Xavier: Tracy Morgan; Mrs. Xavier: Regina Hall; Human Torch: Simon Rex.
MPAA rating PG-13, running time 85 minutes.
- 3/28/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The "Scary Movie" franchise now resembles those montages of movie mockery Billy Crystal uses to launch the Academy Awards telecasts he hosts. The targets in "Scary Movie 4" no longer are horror films but any high-profile film released since 2003's "Scary Movie 3". Thus, returning writer-director David Zucker and fellow writers Craig Mazin, Pat Proft and Jim Abrahams go after Oscar winners "Brokeback Mountain" and "Million Dollar Baby" right along with "The Grudge" and "The Village". Anna Faris as the legally blond Cindy and Regina Hall as her libidinous gal pal Brenda return as characters who will (barely) link the comic sketches, sometimes in scene-by-scene re-creations from various movies.
All of which should lead to a strong opening weekend as young film-goers will flock to mock films just going into DVD release. Domestic theatrical potential could reach the $100 million mark.
The movie opens with a "Saw" spoof, in which basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal and talk-show superstar Dr. Phil McGraw are chained to the walls of what appears to be the filthiest bathroom in civilization. O'Neal gets to kid his inability to hit free throws while Dr. Phil demonstrates a less caring, more scoffing side to his instant therapy. This does set a tone.
Next up, Charlie Sheen spoofs his image in the first movie sequence to deal with the serious social problem of death by Viagra overdose. This too sets a tone.
Almost "Grudge"-ingly, the filmmakers give in to the need for a semblance of a plot. Two homes sit next to each other. In one, Cindy essentially encounters all J-horror spoofs. In the other, Craig Bierko essentially plays Tom Cruise playing the blue-collar hero of "War of the Worlds" complete with pissed-off kids.
The movie then takes a happy dive into jokes involving body fluids, bowel problems, pesky ghosts, annoying space aliens, Carmen Electra, strange villages, Michael Jackson, kinky bondage devices, Leslie Nielsen as a befuddled U.S. president more interested in a children's storybook than the invasion of the U.S. and More Carmen Electra -- well, when you've got it, you flaunt it. The whole thing winds up on Oprah's bouncy couch.
The humor emphasizes quantity over quality, but the batting average isn't too bad. And where else can you witness Leslie Nielsen do a nude scene?
SCARY MOVIE 4
The Weinstein Co.
Dimension Films/Miramax Films/Brad Grey Pictures
Credits:
Director: David Zucker
Screenwriters: David Zucker, Craig Mazin, Jim Abrahams
Producers: Craig Mazin, Robert K. Weiss
Based on characters created by: Shawn Wayans & Marlon Wayans & Buddy Johnson & Phil Beauman and Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer
Executive producer: Kymber Lim
Director of photography: Thomas Ackerman
Production designer: Holger Gross
Music: James Venable
Co-producer: Grace Gilroy
Costume designer: Carol Ramsey
Editors: Craig Herring, Tom Lewis
Cast:
Cindy Campbell: Anna Faris
Brenda Meeks: Regina Hall
Tom Ryan: Craig Bierko
George: Simon Rex
Mahalik: Anthony Anderson
Holly: Carmen Electra
Prisoner: Dr. Phil McGraw
President: Leslie Nielsen
Prisoner: Shaquille O'Neal
Tom: Charlie Sheen
Mrs. Norris: Cloris Leachman
Henry: Bill Pullman
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 83 minutes...
All of which should lead to a strong opening weekend as young film-goers will flock to mock films just going into DVD release. Domestic theatrical potential could reach the $100 million mark.
The movie opens with a "Saw" spoof, in which basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal and talk-show superstar Dr. Phil McGraw are chained to the walls of what appears to be the filthiest bathroom in civilization. O'Neal gets to kid his inability to hit free throws while Dr. Phil demonstrates a less caring, more scoffing side to his instant therapy. This does set a tone.
Next up, Charlie Sheen spoofs his image in the first movie sequence to deal with the serious social problem of death by Viagra overdose. This too sets a tone.
Almost "Grudge"-ingly, the filmmakers give in to the need for a semblance of a plot. Two homes sit next to each other. In one, Cindy essentially encounters all J-horror spoofs. In the other, Craig Bierko essentially plays Tom Cruise playing the blue-collar hero of "War of the Worlds" complete with pissed-off kids.
The movie then takes a happy dive into jokes involving body fluids, bowel problems, pesky ghosts, annoying space aliens, Carmen Electra, strange villages, Michael Jackson, kinky bondage devices, Leslie Nielsen as a befuddled U.S. president more interested in a children's storybook than the invasion of the U.S. and More Carmen Electra -- well, when you've got it, you flaunt it. The whole thing winds up on Oprah's bouncy couch.
The humor emphasizes quantity over quality, but the batting average isn't too bad. And where else can you witness Leslie Nielsen do a nude scene?
SCARY MOVIE 4
The Weinstein Co.
Dimension Films/Miramax Films/Brad Grey Pictures
Credits:
Director: David Zucker
Screenwriters: David Zucker, Craig Mazin, Jim Abrahams
Producers: Craig Mazin, Robert K. Weiss
Based on characters created by: Shawn Wayans & Marlon Wayans & Buddy Johnson & Phil Beauman and Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer
Executive producer: Kymber Lim
Director of photography: Thomas Ackerman
Production designer: Holger Gross
Music: James Venable
Co-producer: Grace Gilroy
Costume designer: Carol Ramsey
Editors: Craig Herring, Tom Lewis
Cast:
Cindy Campbell: Anna Faris
Brenda Meeks: Regina Hall
Tom Ryan: Craig Bierko
George: Simon Rex
Mahalik: Anthony Anderson
Holly: Carmen Electra
Prisoner: Dr. Phil McGraw
President: Leslie Nielsen
Prisoner: Shaquille O'Neal
Tom: Charlie Sheen
Mrs. Norris: Cloris Leachman
Henry: Bill Pullman
MPAA rating PG-13
Running time -- 83 minutes...
- 4/13/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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