The Promotion (2008) - Conrad's under-appreciated supermarket comedy

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+ Best Box Office Disaster of the Year + Best Comedy of the Year 

 

A tense stand-off in an office between two famous funny-men make up this poster for Steve Conrad's The Promotion

Doug is told that he is a 'shoe-in' for the open position of store manager of a large, newly opened Donaldson's grocery store, - but then the Canadian wildcard Richard enters the equation...

The Promotion is written and directed by great Floridian filmmaker Steve Conrad (Lawrence Melm (2004)).

Seann William Scott (Mr. Woodcock (2007)) gets totally free of the shadow of his goofy American Pie (1999; 2001; 2003; 2012) stardom here and is brilliant as an insecure, worried boss-to-be, and John C. Reilly (Dark Water (2005)) is incredibly funny as the imbecile Canadian competition with self-help audio in his ears. With a terrific supporting cast, this is a rare workplace comedy that's really good and hilarious. It challenges the power of the promotion for the regular Joe and succeeds handsomely with plenty of laughs at the expense of the often politically incorrect reality.

 

Related posts:

 

Steve Conrad: Wonder (2017) - Remember napkins for Chbosky's heart-warming family drama (co-writer)

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) - Stiller's sweet, visually splendid Christmas present (writer) 

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III] 

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) - Two Smiths inspire hearts and minds in true-story drama (writer)

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 8 mil. $

Box office: 457k $

= Box office disaster (returned 0.05 times its cost)

[The Promotion premiered 9 March (South by Southwest Film Festival, USA) and runs 86 minutes. Shooting took place around July 2006 in Chicago, Illinois. The film opened #46 to a 30k $ first weekend in 6 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #22 and in 81 theaters, grossing 408k $ (89.3 % of the total gross). The film only has two other recorded markets, (it was also released theatrically in Portugal but the result goes unreported.) Germany with 33k $ (7.2 %) and Singapore with 15k $ (3.3 %.) Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, translating to 3 notches under this one. Conrad has not returned with a feature as a director since, instead directing some TV and more turning towards writing. Scott returned in Role Models (2008); Reilly in The Simpsons (2008, TV-series) and theatrically in Step Brothers (2008). The Promotion is rotten at 55 % with a 5.90/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Promotion?

The Conjuring (2013) - Wan and Co. triumph with spectacular horror

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+ Best Horror Movie of the Year

A noose from an old crooked tree and an eerie supernatural reflection in the foliage defines this effective poster for James Wan's The Conjuring

I started being a little interested in seeing The Conjuring, when the story of its MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) trial was reported: A PG-13 rating was denied the film, which prompted the creators, as is common, to ask what they could remove to get the sought after rating that allows the lucrative young teen crowds in to see it in cinemas. The answer they got was that there were no particular scenes that they could cut, because the film over-all was simply 'too scary.'
When the film came out to loud critical and audience thrills everywhere, I knew I had to see it.
And The Conjuring doesn't disappoint: It really is scary. The scariest horror to come out in years.

Paranormal investigators marrieds Ed and Lorraine Warren come to the Perron family's new home on Rhode Island in 1971, when several supernatural disturbances indicate that the house is haunted.

The film is a haunted house story as most of us have seen more than a few times before, but ghosts and demons never grow old, just as love or sex, and the packaging here is so tempting and well-made that most will find themselves inescapably falling into old traps, getting goose bumps and tightened muscles, and probably even jumping out of their seats a few times.
Great Malaysian-born Australian director James Wan (Stygian (2000)) already has an ardent horror following due to his preceding great horror Saw (2004) and frightening haunted house horror Insidious (2010), both spectacular and cheaply produced awe-inspiring, exceptional money-makers. The Conjuring is written by twin brothers Chad Hayes and Carey W. Hayes (Jumping Ship (2001, TV movie, both)).
The Conjuring relies on old gimmicks such as banging doors, winds, darkness etc. to a great degree, but it also mixes in other great horror devices such as the possessed doll, the witch, Satan, a demon, animals dying etc. And this in a story that actually works. This is not least due to great actors: Vera Farmiga (Mind the Gap (2004)), Patrick Wilson (Aquaman (2018)), Lili Taylor (Factotum (2005)) and Ron Livingston (Standoff (2006-07)). Taylor I had never thought I would see in a role or a film like this, but she does great, and they all elevate the film with their sound performances. The child actors, - the family have 5 daughters, - are good but do 'squeak' towards the less than natural once of twice. Nothing glaring but assessing The Conjuring comes to looking for very minor issues, because it is so greeat.
The camera work (cinematographer John R. Leonetti (The Scorpion King (2002))) is often intricate, elegant in a classical sense and impressively achieved, mostly following characters' movements soaring-like through the house. The sound department makes use of sudden, very loud noises and complete silence at other times. - All effectively. And the house, tree and the doll are also all designed with enjoyable special care and thought behind them. - They are all very scary. And The Conjuring's true-story claims naturally don't diminish its effect. (Farmiga and Wilson worked with the actual Lorraine Warren as preparation for the film, (Ed Warren had passed away.))
The Conjuring is a wicked good time.

Related posts:

James Wan: Aquaman (2018) - Wan delivers a majorly satisfying, gung ho action-adventure splash
The Conjuring 2 (2016) - Wan's sequel is a long horror treat with terrifying periods

2013 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED VI]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]  
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2013 in films - according to Film Excess
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess  
Insidious (2010) - Wan's thrilling, scary ghost horror 

If you trust my review, you really don't have to see the trailer, which just might spoil some great moments in the film for you, but here it is

Cost: 20 mil. $
Box office: 319.4 mil. $
= Mega-hit (returned 15.97 times its cost)
[The Conjuring premiered 8 June (Nocturna, Madrid International Fantastic Film Festival, Spain) and runs 112 minutes. The Warrens experiences was also the foundation of The Amityville Horror (1977, novel) and the resulting film franchise (21 films 1979-2018). Filming took 38 days from February - April 2012 in North Carolina. It was done chronologically, and Lorraine Warren visited the set. The film opened #1 to a 41.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weeks in the top 5 (#2-#4) and grossed 137.4 mil. $ (43 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Mexico with 18.9 mil. $ (5.9 %) and the UK with 16.2 mil. $ (5 %). Lawsuits concerning the house that is the basis of the film's current owners concerning satanic vandalism and invasions stemming from the film as well as a copyrights lawsuit has been quieted down by Warner Bros.. The film was ignored for all major awards. It has so far spurred one good sequel The Conjuring 2 (2016), with returning Wan, Wilson and Farmiga, as well as successful spin-offs Annabelle (2014), Annabelle: Creation (2017) and The Nun (2018). Wan returned with Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013). Farmiga returned in Closer to the Moon (2014), Wilson in Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), Taylor in 4 TV-series before theatrically in Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015), and Livingston in The Sidekick (2013, short) and theatrically in Parkland (2013). The Conjuring is certified fresh at 86 % with a 7.2/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Conjuring?