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Barbra Streisand pinches Seth Rogen's cheek in a car on this poster for Anne Fletcher's The Guilt Trip
A physicist inventor plans a pitching trip through several American states, and when he learns that he was named after his mother's great lost love, who resides in San Francisco, he invites her to join him on the trip.
The Guilt Trip is written by Dan Fogelman (Tangled (2010)) and directed by Anne Fletcher (Step Up (2006)).
As you may realize from the plot outline above, this film's title may be catchy, but it isn't very pertinent to the actual film, since it is curiosity and love more than guilt which fuels this trip. Barbra Streisand (The Owl and the Pussycat (1970)) and Seth Rogen (Neighbors (2014)) fit each other as mother and son like a glove, and her sweet and intrusive interference in his life reaps chuckles and is (for me at least) easily recognizable.
The Guilt Trip is a sweet and good-natured film, although it gets near to the inconsequential in nature; both its dramatic and humorous elements could have benefited from a gear or two more. Still the stars make up to some degree and make this an enjoyable pastime.
Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: 40 mil. $
Box office: 41.8 mil. $
= Huge flop (returned 1.04 times its cost)
[The Guilt Trip was released 19 December (North America) and runs 95 minutes. The script was based on a real-life trip Fogelman took with his mother from New Jersey to Las Vegas. Shooting took place around May 2011 in Arizona, New Mexico, Memphis, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Nevada and in California, including Los Angeles. The film opened #6 to a 5.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 37.1 mil. $ (88.8 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Australia with 1.6 mil. $ (3.8 %) and the UK with 1.5 mil. $ (3.6 %). Fletcher returned with Hot Pursuit (2015). Streisand retired from acting again after the film; she has only since turned in a voice performance on an episode of Modern Family (2016); Rogen returned in 4 short and TV-series credits prior to his theatrical return in This Is the End (2013). The Guilt Trip is rotten at 37 % with a 5.10/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
Andy Samberg strikes a fearless pose on this pretty rad poster for Akiva Schaffer's Hot Rod
Rod wants to earn the love of his stepfather - and then beat his ass - by jumping over 15 buses on his motorbike. - The ultimate jump! Hot Rod is written by Pam Brady (Hamlet 2 (2008)) and directed by theatrically debuting Akiva Schaffer (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)). Andy Samberg (Major Lazer (2015), TV-series) isn't as funny as the protagonist as Will Ferrell might have been, (the movie was written with him in mind originally), but he is many times easier on the eye, and he really works for his laughs here. He is teamed up with an enthusiastic cast that includes Bill Hader (The Angry Birds Movie (2016)), Danny McBride (Eastbound & Down (2009-13)), Sissy Spacek (Gray Matters (2006)) and Ian McShane (Columbo (1990), TV-series). They all help make Hot Rod a funny film. It features a lot of stunts and some hysterical comedy.
Cost: 25.3 mil. $ Box office: 14.3 mil. $ = Huge flop (0.56 times the cost) [Hot Rod was released 3 August (USA) and runs 88 minutes. The film was in development for years at Paramount as a Ferrell vehicle, which never came to fruition. After Samberg's Lonely Island music-comedy group were hired to SNL in 2005, the film changed direction to suit them instead. Shooting took place in British Columbia, Canada, including Vancouver, from July - September 2006. The film opened and peaked #9 to a 5.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 13.9 mil. $ (97.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 163k $ (1.1 %) and United Arab Emirates with 84k $ (0.6 %). Roger Ebert agreed with this review in giving the film a 3/4 star review. Hot Rod sold in excess of 24 mil. $ worth of copies on the North American home video market, which, if added into its theatrical gross, would change its status to that of merely a 'big flop'. Schaffer returned with several episodes of SNL and Lonely Island video shorts en masse before he returned to cinemas with The Watch (2012). Samberg returned theatrically in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008). Hot Rod is rotten at 40 % with a 4.9/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.] What do you think of Hot Rod?
Our five entertaining New-Yorker media personality friends are back for the 4th season of Tina Fey's 30 Rock
The following season run-through contains SPOILERS: Life and work remains full of hurdles for sketch show producer Liz Lemon (Tina Fey (The Invention of Lying (2009))) at NBC in New York: Actress Jenna (Jane Krakowski (Open Season (2006))) remains a whole lot of fun; as the season opens she is busy making a country-eschewed tennis promo, which is supposed to promote the sport in the South. And Alec Baldwin (Saturday Night Live (2007-17)) is still phenomenally funny in the show's best scenes as station chief Jack Donaghy. Liz herself suffers stage fright ahead of beginning her Dealbreakers Talkshow, and her main show's diva man-child Tracy (Tracy Morgan (Top Five (2014))) decides to aim to join the exclusive EGOT club in the slightly disappointing episode 7. In really strange but also funny episode 9, Liz enjoys a visit from her gay cousin Randy, while Jenna dates James Franco (Spider-Man (2002)), who turns out to be in love with a Japanese pillow. An ongoing plot strand concerns the network's getting bought following its owner Don Geiss' death. Jack invents women's porn (handsome men who listen), and Liz keeps meeting Michael Sheen (Home Again (2017)), an annoying Brit she met at her dentist. Jack dates both his old Irish Bostonian Nancy(Julianne Moore (Still Alice (2014))) and new, snappy Avery (Elizabeth Banks (Power Rangers (2017))), and suffers under the pressure of his deceit. Meanwhile Jenna may have found happiness in a man who is also a drag performer who imitates her (Will Forte (Nebraska (2013))). Liz undergoes some realizations and proposes to Sheen, while voice-performing in Garfield 3 makes Tracy remember his traumatic childhood. In the season's cooky final episode, Liz falls for a pilot (Matt Damon (The Martian (2015))) and dumps Sheen, while Forte changes his drag act into half-Jenna/half-Cher. Jack decides to go with old flame Nancy, but then changes his mind for Avery, who is pregnant! Kenneth (Jack McBrayer (Conan (2013-16))) gets fired and gives a 'hard' slamming-the-door-on-his-way-out speech. Season 4 of the beloved backstage satirical sitcom from creator-star Fey is fun and wacky but has too many episodes that only sometimes - though more often than not - do the trick of raising risible laughter. Best episodes: Episode 3: Stone Mountain - written by Fey, John Riggi (The Comeback (2005-14)), directed by Don Scardino (Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt (2017, TV-series) Jack and Liz travel to Georgia to find a new cast member who represents 'middle America.' With Jimmy Fallon (Jem and the Holograms (2015)) and Betty White (Boston Legal (2005-08)). Episode 10: Black Light Attack! - written by Fey, Steve Hely (Veep (2017, TV-series), directed by Scardino A darkly funny highlight: Jenna faces her advancing age, while Jack and Liz vie for the same cast member's favor, and Tracy settles a clash in his entourage. Episode 13: Anna Howard Shaw Day - written by Fey, Matt Hubbard (Joey (2005-06)), directed by Ken Whittingham (Black-ish (2014-17)) The funny Valentine's Day episode in which Liz has root canal surgery at very funny dentist James Rebhorn's (Homeland (2011-13)), and Jack meets business talk show host Avery. Episode 20: The Moms - written by Fey, Kay Cannon (Girlboss (2017, TV-series), Robert Carlock (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)), directed by Riggi Crazy-funny Mother's Day episode: Jack gets advice from his mother; Liz realizes that she has to settle, and Tracy casts a mother. With Buzz Aldrin (The Simpsons (1994, TV-series)) and Will Ferrell (Daddy's Home (2015)). Related posts: Tina Fey: Date Night (2010) - Carell and Fey bring out the big laugh guns Megamind (2010) - Ferrell leads McGrath's hilarious animation superbly
Cost: Unknown Box office: None - TV-series = Hit - ratings high enough for another season [30 Rock season 4 had its original release at NBC from 15 October 2009 - 20 May 2010, spanning 22 episodes of an average 22 minutes, totaling approximately 484 minutes. The season's ratings fell from the show's peak with season 3's 7.5 mil. average to a 5.9 mil. average. Baldwin won a Golden Globe for his work in the season, and the show was nominated for 15 Emmys but didn't win any. The show went on for another 3 seasons. 30 Rock S4 is the lowest rated on Rotten Tomatoes: It is nevertheless still fresh at 67 % with a 7.57/10 critical average.] What do you think of 30 Rock season 4?
The three immaculate stars of Jorma Taccone's MacGruber in front of a gigantic explosion, slapped with an appropriately red-glowing title
MacGruber gets pulled out of retirement for a top secret mission: His arch enemy Cunth has stolen a nuclear warhead. - Stop Cunth!
Will Forte (Nebraska (2013)), Kristen Wiig (Ghostbusters (2016)), Ryan Phillippe (54 (1998)), Powers Boothe (24 (2008), TV movie) and Val Kilmer (Heat (1995)) as Cunth are all howlingly funny in this cheerful and crazy idiot-comedy about the violent adventures of the worthless, titular clown MacGruber who seems to be mentally trapped in the 1980s. (The character and concept is inspired by MacGyver (1985-92)).)
MacGruber is written by John Solomon (The Last Man on Earth (2015-16)), Forte and co-writer-director Jorma Taccone (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)), whose feature debut it is. It's a little short, - probably appropriately so for the ridiculous plot, - and funny as hell!
[MacGruber premiered March 15 (SXSW, Austin, Texas) and runs 99 minutes. Based on the 2007 SNL sketch character, which in turn was based on the 1980s action adventure TV-series MacGyver, and the 2009 MacGruber Pepsi commercials, a jumbled 177 page script was reportedly written in three weeks during normal SNL work as well and later edited down to the film we now have. Filming took place in New Mexico from August - September 2009. Forte praised the producers for allowing creative freedom. The film opened #6 to a 4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it played for just 3 weeks and grossed 8.5 mil. $ (91.4 % of the total gross). The film played in just 3 other countries, Russia, Portugal and Thailand, of which the 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Russia with 739k $ (7.9 %) and Portugal with 47k $ (0.5 %). The creator of MacGyver tried to bury the film before its release but eventually dropped litigation. Despite the terrible financial performance of the film, Forte and Taccone seem determined to make a sequel to MacGruber some day (hopefully soon.) MacGruber is rotten at 47 % with a 5.1 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
♥♥♥♥ + Best New TV-series of the Year + Best Sitcom of the Year
A nice promotion photo with the main stars of Tina Fey's 30 Rock
The New York address 30 Rockefeller holds the stage for NBC's comedy hit, the best Manhattan show since Sex and the City, Tina Fey's (Unbreakable Kimmie Schmidt (2015-16))30 Rock.
The entry point is the hiring of the new channel boss, Jack Donaghy, who has great experience from micro-oven-programming and thinks in dynamic corporate terms and buzz words. Another challenge for the lead in the show, sketch show writer Liz Lemon, is his demand to incorporate the popular but very difficult African-American comedian Tracy Jordan into her live comedy show as its main act.
The meta/alter ego of Liz Lemon and comedian persona Fey, (who has based the character and plot on herself and her own experiences as the head writer for Saturday Night Life from 1997-06), the self criticisms and irony is thick in 30 Rock, (and you will benefit as a viewer from knowing a bit about the lead actors.) It's funny and often sharp and fresh, and it has the feel of a modern, frantic backstage musical, (though it is mostly without the music.) Lemon's love life, or lack of one, also takes up a big chunk of the show; her relationship to 'beeper-king' Dennis, an inevitable flirt with boss Donaghy, and the flower-man, Floyd (Jason Sudeikis (We're the Millers (2013))). Donaghy, on the other hand, dates Condoleezza Rice (off-screen), gets engaged to Phoebe (Emily Mortimer (City Island (2009))), and has an ex in Isabella Rosselini(Blue Velvet (1986)). The show is also filled with surprising celebrity appearances from the likes of Ghostface Killah (When in Rome (2010)), John McEnroe (Jack & Jill (2011)), Whoopi Goldberg (The Associate (1996)), Rip Torn (Men in Black (1997)), LL Cool J (Deep Blue Sea (1999)), Will Arnett (The Lego Movie (2014)) and Sean Hayes (Sean Saves the World (2013-14)). Alec Baldwin (The Departed (2006)) has, in my opinion, the funniest character as Jack Donaghy as well as the funniest lines, as when he shouts at wig-wearing show writer Pete (Scott Adsit (Fan Girl (2015))); "Who is this leader of men? - You handsome man!" Baldwin's dead-pan chops and comedic and acting width is utilized perfectly in his larger-than-life Donaghy character. Generally the episodes that are written by Fey are the funniest. The liberal New York sassiness and enduring focus on race can be tiring, and it's not without its hypocritical aftertaste sometimes.Sometimes punch-linesfall totally through. The Southern character Kenneth (Jack McBrayer (Cooties (2014))) is for me over-wrought and unfunny throughout. Fey, Tracy Morgan (Cop Out (2010)) and Jane Krakowski (Ally McBeal (1997-02)), on the other hand, are as most of the show very amusing. 30 Rock is a very funny sitcom with a crazed, new millennium-type pace.
Best episode:
17 : The Fighting Irish: written by Fey and Jack Burditt (The Mindy Project (2013-15)); directed by Dennie Gordon (White Collar (2009-11))
Donaghy's Irish ancestry is explored. With Nathan Lane (The Birdcage (1996)).
Cost: Unknown Box office: None - TV = Unknown [30 Rock S1 was first broadcast October 11 2006 - April 26 2007, and it spans 21 episodes, with 19 being 22 min. long and 2 being 26 min, coming to around 470 minutes total. Fey pitched the show in 2002 at NBC, but it took her a few years and a pregnancy before it was really in the making. Filming took place around in New York. The pilot premiered to 8.1 mil. viewers, which shrunk to 4.7 mil. by the finale, the season averaging 5.8 mil., which was considered to be not too strong, although it was likely a profitable production behind NBC's heavy curtains. The season was critically well-received, with a Metacritic score of 67 %. The season was nominated for 10 Emmys, one Golden Globe, which Baldwin won, and 6 Primetime Emmys, winning 2: For Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Elaine Stritch (Small Time Crooks (2000))). Fey continued to write for SNL and also did cameos in Beer League and Man of the Year in 2006; Baldwin was busy in 2006, also starring in Mini's First Time, The Departed, Running with Scissors and The Good Shepherd; Morgan starred in Littleman, Mind of Mencia (TV-series), Where My Dogs At? (TV-series) and Totally Awesome (TV movie). 30 Rock S1 is fresh at 71 % with a 7.6 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
What other showbiz satires are lots of laughs? What do you think of 30 Rock's first season?
