Here’s a first look at the upcoming historical drama THE UPRISING.
From director Paul Greengrass, Andrew Garfield stars as the legendary leader of a ferocious rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II. As war burns across England, he forms an army of the people to face the King’s might in a fight for justice and survival.
Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Jonny Lee Miller, Woody Norman, Katherine Waterston, Sky Yang star.
Wow – this looks epic. Has the BRAVEHEART vibe running through it as well as the true story of the the Peasants Revolt in 1381. “Triggered by economic hardship and oppressive taxation, the uprising briefly shook the foundations of the feudal system. Though the rebellion lasted less than a month and was violently suppressed, it fundamentally altered the socio-economic landscape of medieval England.”
Garfield is no stranger to war movies. He starred in Mel Gibson’s HACKSAW RIDGE in 2016. It was a film that was well received and garnered Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing. The film received a total of six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Gibson), and Best Actor (Garfield).
Greengrass’ most recent project is The Lost Bus (Academy Award-winner Matthew McConaughey and Academy Award-nominee America Ferrera) for Apple Original Films, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It’s refereshing to see Blumhouse with a film that’s not horror.
Jason Blum is producing through Blumhouse, alongside Gregory Goodman, Joanna Kaye and Greengrass. Lars Sylvest will also produce through Thank You Pictures and Joe Neurauter will produce through Supernix.
Focus Features will release THE UPRISING in theaters on September 11th.
JAWS has been a part of the film lexicon since 1975 when the original Summer blockbuster swam into theaters the weekend of June 20.
Considered a masterpiece in filmmaking, JAWS won 3 Oscars including Best Score, Best Editing and Best Sound plus it was nominated for Best Picture.
There are plenty of books, articles and documentaries on the film that had people afraid to go into the ocean the summer of 1975. One of the most recent docs is Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story.
My favorite film of all-time, WAMG has covered extensively the celebration of the movie, from the JAWS: The Exhibition, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the movie at the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum in Los Angeles, to the JAWS IN CONCERT At The Hollywood Bowl, to the release of a LEGO set.
From the 45th Anniversary: “June 20, 1975 Opening night and I was a 9 year old kid sitting in the theater on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington, CT and scared shitless by what would later become my favorite film of all time. (Hey, that’s how we rolled in my house). After that evening, I became very wary of going down to the shore. 35 years later my love affair with the film is ever passionate.”
From toys, to shoes, to books, Steven Spielberg’s movie has taken on a life of it’s own in the past 50 years.
Now comes another documentary on the film. Landing in Summer 2027 – an ‘exploration’ of the greatest film of all time by the best minds in film.
July 15, 2026, sees the launch of a groundbreaking new documentary experience from CREATORVC — the award-winning production team behind the critically acclaimed documentary series In Search of Darkness, Aliens Expanded and The Thing Expanded. Setting sail with Spielberg’s classic from 1975, Jaws Explored will take fans and cinephiles on an immersive journey beneath the surface of one of Hollywood’s greatest films. Pre-orders are available exclusively at www.jawsexplored.com from July 15th through August 9th, 2026.
Written and directed by Ian Nathan (Aliens Expanded, The Thing Expanded) and produced by CREATORVC — Jaws Explored will guide viewers through Spielberg’s film moment by precious moment. What will also make the EXPLORED format unique are the fresh perspectives from acclaimed filmmakers, critics, and experts, deepening our relationship with the film.
Jaws has been well served by traditional ‘making-ofs’ and a dedicated fandom over the past 50 years. With a brand new way of looking at the film, this latest documentary dives into influences, decades of appreciation, obsession, and the film’s cultural impact. The result will be an immersive celebration of a genre masterpiece that transcends cinema itself — not what happened but why Jaws still holds onto us and refuses to let go.
Jaws Explored will be made with an ongoing consultation with the worldwide Jaws community. At its core, the ethos of CREATORVC remains: a documentary made by fans, driven by fans, on a subject adored by fans.
Jaws is a perfect film. Now find out why…
“There is something insanely ambitious about Jaws Explored and I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is a documentary attempting the impossible — to reintroduce you to a lifelong friend. To transform your very understanding of Spielberg’s masterpiece. This is not simply a documentary about Jaws, this is an entirely new way of exploring film. What a challenge. What a thrill. I am so excited to be onboard. Time to cast off and head for the deep water.” — Ian Nathan, Writer-director
“Jaws Explored represents a bold new documentary format, one that will deepen the relationship between the most passionate fans of Jaws and the film itself. We’re going deeper than ever before, redefining what this movie is and seeing it through an entirely new lens, guided by some of the most talented filmmakers and experts in the world. I couldn’t be more excited about this project. I believe it will be something truly special.” — Robin Block, Founder, CREATORVC
Written and directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Peter Farrelly (Green Book), I PLAY ROCKY is the true story of how the iconic boxing film ROCKY was made. The film will enter the ring in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ten-time Oscar nominated and Best Picture winning ROCKY.
Anthony Ippolito stars as the young Sylvester Stallone, alongside AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, Stephan James, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass and P.J. Byrne.
The film is an electrifying true story about an unknown actor with an unshakable belief that he wasn’t just meant to write Rocky—he was meant to be Rocky Balboa. Told “no” at every turn, Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds.
The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the ultimate underdog movie.
Going up against films like Network and Taxi Driver, ROCKY won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Editing at the 49th Academy Awards. Sylvester Stallone became the third person in Oscar history to be nominated in a single year as both an actor and as a screenwriter (the others were Charles Chaplin in 1940 and Orson Welles in 1941).
ROCKY is one of the greatest stories in Hollywood History and has one of the most iconic scores from composer Bill Conti.
I PLAY ROCKY opens in the US on November 13 and released by Entertainment Film Distributors in cinemas, UK and Ireland, on November 6th, 2026.
Here’s a first look at the final trailer for Ridley Scott’s THE DOG STARS. The film, a riveting, cinematic thriller set in a world where survival is instinct, but humanity is a choice, opens exclusively in theaters, IMAX, and premium large formats August 28.
The film tells the story of Hig (Jacob Elordi), a young pilot who, together with a military survivalist, Bangley (Josh Brolin), has carved out an efficient but isolated homestead in a brutal post-apocalyptic world. But when Hig receives a mysterious radio transmission, he ventures into the unknown in search of the hope and humanity he still believes exist.
Based on Peter Heller’s captivating bestseller, “The Dog Stars” features a critically acclaimed ensemble, including Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong, and Guy Pearce.
The screenplay is by Mark L. Smith, based upon the novel by Peter Heller, and the producers are Ridley Scott, p.g.a., Michael Pruss, p.g.a., Mark L. Smith, and Cliff Roberts, p.g.a., with Lily Brooks-Dalton, Brandon Scott Smith, Peter Heller, Aidan Elliott serving as executive producers.
Today, Apple Original Films unveiled the trailer for the upcoming action comedy “Mayday,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh.
When hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he’s toast — but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy’s rescue and a bond neither saw coming?
An Apple Original Film hailing from Skydance Media, “Mayday” is co-directed, written and produced by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.
“The buddy films of the 1980’s were a bizarre and enticing blend of humor, danger and genuine heart. ‘Mayday’ is our ode to this genre, with the unlikely pairing of Ryan Reynolds and Sir Kenneth Branagh in a Cold War adventure that explores what it means to be patriotic, but ultimately what it means to be human.” — John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein
The film is produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger, and Maximum Effort’s Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau. Executive producers are Maximum Effort’s Ryan Reynolds and George Dewey, alongside John G. Scotti.
Searchlight Pictures has debuted the trailer for BEHEMOTH starring Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, Alexa Swinton, Kaya Ralls, Erik Griffin, Jobeth Williams, Margarita Levieva, with Hank Azaria and Will Arnett.
A gifted cellist, Alex Serian (Pedro Pascal), returns home to Los Angeles after 20 years on the road.
Music, which has been the constant, all-consuming river of his life, begins to carry Alex on an adventure that will change him forever.
Written & Directed by Tony Gilroy, BEHEMOTH opens in theaters December 4th
The Oscar nominated Gilroy (MICHAEL CLAYTON) has been a major creative force behind some of the most critically acclaimed and grounded projects in the Star Wars franchise, serving as a writer, creator, and showrunner. Over a span of ten years, he has been responsible for roughly 26 hours of Star Wars content across film and television.
ROGUE ONE was massive box office hit and is widely regarded as one of the best standalone feature films in the Disney era of Star Wars. ANDOR received massive widespread critical acclaim for its mature storytelling, complex political themes, and avoidance of traditional “Easter eggs”. It was a brutal watch at times and highly recommended! Its first season earned eight Emmy nominations. Its second and final season concluded with 14 Emmy nominations, winning five major awards – including Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
For fans of Pascal (hand raised), it’s refreshing to see him taking a break from his roles in the Marvel and Star Wars universes. Catch up on some of his other series and films (all streaming) with Narcos, THE GREAT WALL and TRIPLE FRONTIER.
There have been about a dozen movies from China about their real-life martial arts hero, Ip Man, whose exploits became a source of pride not only for all kung fu disciplines, but for the nation’s pride in times when foreigners exerted and abused control over its citizens. The best known of these on our side of the ocean is the foursome (soon to be a quintet) starring Donnie Yen in the title role. IP MAN: THE KUNG FU LEGEND is the third production starring Yu-Hang To (a/k/a Dennis To), who somewhat resembles Yen, though shorter on gravitas. Both play their roles with inclusion of Ip Man’s demeanor and Wing Chun fighting style.
For genre fans, both franchises follow the icon from his formative years in the early 20th century, and progress through subsequent eras. In this trio, the first entry is 2010’s IP MAN: THE LEGEND IS BORN,covering his youth and training, leading to his having to head up the resistance against the cruelty and corruption of Japanese occupiers. In 2019’s IP MAN: THE KUNG FU MASTER, he’s become a police captain in his home city of Foshan in the mid-20th Century, facing long odds against big-time gangs and another round of Japanese overlords. This 2026 release brings us up to the late 1940s-50s, but it’s the same challenge with different players. The Japanese jerks have been replaced by bossy British bounders, but their contempt for the rights and dignity of the locals remains the same. For reasons I can’t fully understand (but invariably enjoy), the premise of these and others is always – evil outsiders claiming “our martial arts are better than yours, so we’re better than you are…” until Ip Man, or someone like him in other flicks, beats the snot out of the bad guys’ toughest fighter(s).
In each case, foreigners have corrupted the Chinese government, leading to rampant exploitation and other bullying by the invaders, usually with the help of a few coopted quislings. Ip Man endures hardships aplenty before the eventual victory that kept him around for the next film that’s in the hopper. In real life, he lived long enough to mentor a young Brue Lee for a few years in the early 1950s. Lee has openly given Ip Man credit for providing the foundation for the broader range of skills he developed on his own.
As always in both sets of productions, the fight scenes are plentiful and well-choregraphed, with only moderate f/x enhancements. The plots may not have much novelty, but there are some twists to keep the story engaging between action sequences. These films thrive on adrenaline and the satisfying comeuppance the climax always delivers, not suspense. If you’ve already savored Yen’s collection, you won’t be wasting your time by trying.
IP MAN: KUNG FU LEGEND, debuting on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD July 14 and on Digital August 11 from Well Go USA.
Tom Cruise is a global cultural icon who has made an immeasurable impact on cinema by creating some of the most memorable characters of all time. Having achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer, and philanthropist in a career spanning across five decades, Cruise is a three-time Oscar nominee whose films have earned over $13 billion in worldwide box office – an incomparable accomplishment. Fueled by a lifetime goal to entertain audiences around the world, Cruise has worked over the last 40 years to produce and star in movies that stand the test of time.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Cruise with an Honorary Academy Award at the 16th Governors Awards in November 2025 “for his unwavering commitment to the filmmaking community, his vital support of the theatrical experience and his unmatched body of work.”
Next up is DIGGER, a film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, which comes out this Fall and shot in VistaVision. The first trailer and poster were dropped today.
The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.
Cruise stars in the title role, alongside Oscar winner Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Oscar nominee Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Oscar nominee Jesse Plemons. Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde also star.
Cruise has received Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for Born on the Fourth of July and Jerry Maguire and was a Best Supporting Actor nominee for Magnolia.
Will he finally win the much-deserved Oscar? We’ll find out when the film is released in theaters and IMAX on October 2, 2026.
Iñárritu directed from a screenplay by Iñárritu & Oscar-winners Alexander Dinelaris & Nicolás Giacobone, and Sabina Berman, story by Iñárritu & Berman. The film is produced by Iñárritu, Oscar nominee Mary Parent, Cruise and Michael Sharp, and executive produced by Joshua Grode, Berman, Dinelaris, Giacobone, Jez Butterworth and Emmanuel Lubezki.
Joining Iñárritu behind the camera are previous collaborators Oscar-winning director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki; editors Conor O’Neill and Oscar winner Stephen Mirrone; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West; Oscar-winning makeup and hair designer Alessandro Bertolazzi; and Oscar-nominated casting director Francine Maisler; along with Oscar-winning production designer Dennis Gassner and production designer Richard Johnson, Oscar-winning prosthetic makeup designer Kazu Hiro, and composer Cosmo Sheldrake.
A couple invites another couple, their new neighbors upstairs, over for dinner, but that ordinary thing opens the door to an evening neither couple seems likely to forget. The smart, dark comedy THE INVITE is part “Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and part “God of Carnage,” yet neither, as it deals with adult matters of relationships and sex with biting, frank humor. THE INVITE pits hosts Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen), a bickering couple dissatisfied with life who are dismayed by the noise the new upstairs neighbors make, against those upstairs neighbors, Spanish divorcee Pina (Penelope Cruz) and her widower husband Hawk (Edward Norton) as they dance around the issues the hosts have in their own rocky marriage and Joe’s resentment of the loud, late night sex noises they hear nightly from Pina and Hawk’s apartment.
with searing, frank humor. THE INVITE pits hosts Angela (Olivia Wilde) and Joe (Seth Rogen), a bickering couple dissatisfied with life who are dismayed by the noise the new upstairs neighbors make, against those upstairs neighbors, Spanish divorcee Pina (Penelope Cruz) and her widower husband Hawk (Edward Norton) as they dance around the issues the hosts have in their own rocky marriage and Joe’s resentment of the loud, late night sex noises they hear nightly from Pina and Hawk’s apartment.
Olivia Wilde directs as well as starring in this sophisticated, sometimes squirm-inducing comedy dealing with grown topics. The cast is superb, individually and as an ensemble, and Wilde’s direction is strong as well. THE INVITE is an excellent showcase for this fine cast, giving the actors real red meat to sink their teeth into. Although it is a comedy, THE INVITE is dark, even hard stuff, with many uncomfortable and even squirm-inducing, if funny, moments, as it frankly, and maybe even perversely, addresses matters of real-life relationships and life.
Joe and Angela’s marriage is in trouble, and the noisy neighbors upstairs are not helping matters. Neither of them are happy people. Seth Rogen’s Joe is a failed musician who now teaches at a local community college without enthusiasm, and seems to wallow in his despair, avoiding even touching the piano he still keeps in his study. He clearly feels a failure but seems determined to embrace that misery as his identity. Angela is a frustrated stay-at-home mom, who cares for their daughter and spends too much money, who is bursting with pent-up frustrations, including over her husband’s embrace of misery. They bicker constantly.
We see plenty of that bickering but the comedy opens with an orchestra performing in a theater. The sole audience member is Seth Rogen’s Joe, clearly their teacher. Yet when the performance ends, he says little and hurriedly leaves, exiting the theater with a bulky item that turns out to be a foldable bike.
After absurdly struggling up San Francisco’s hills on that ridiculous foldable bike with its tiny wheels, Joe arrives home and is dismayed to learn his wife has invited the upstairs neighbors to dinner. He chides her for not letting him know about the dinner party, although she contends she told him the night before. She chides him for not bringing home some wine, while he contends she never told him to do that. However, since the new neighbors are coming to dinner, Joe thinks it gives him the chance to confront them about the late-night loud sex noises they have been enduring since the new couple moved it. Horrified, Angela forbids him to do that, because she wants to try to befriend the neighbors before raising that topic.
Joe and Angela are still arguing when the guests show up. Everything goes wrong from the start, including what Angela planned to serve for dinner and the lack of wine.
Despite the missteps, things start to go better than expected. Joe is distant, grumpy and brutally honest even towards the guests, although he stays away from the banned topic of noise, but surprisingly, the neighbors’ reaction is an unexpected admiration for his refreshing honesty. It turns out Pina is a therapist, a sex therapist actually, and she and her husband Hawk value honesty above all.
The couples seem to be hitting it off, when new surprises emerge. However, Joe and Angela’s tendency to snipe at each other starts to set off Pina, who is outspoken and sometimes even prickly. When Joe takes a swipe at gentle, quiet Hawk, he gets a response he doesn’t expect. To avoid spoilers, we will leave it at that, and just say things go in very unexpected directions, surprising both couples, and the audience as well.
This is adult comedy, but not particularly graphic, more just honest, sometimes embarrassingly so, about sex and relationships. This also is not laugh-a-minute comedy, although it has wit and its farcical side with some laugh-out-loud moments. This is darkly humor to make you think as well. Many of the scenes are so honest and close to the mark, that couples (or anyone who had been part of a couple) may likely to squirm or cringe with discomfort at something familiar. Other moments are more likely to fall outside most personal experience.
THE INVITE, which was a hit at Sundance, is actually American remake of a 2020 Spanish comedy. The original Spanish film, THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS. was an adaptation of Cesc Gay’s play and has been called an adult comedy for its focus on sex and relationships, although it is more frank talk that visually graphic. The original Spanish film also sparked French, Swiss, Italian and South Korean remakes. The Spanish film’s script was written by the playwright but this remake was written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. A planned 2023 version, with different cast and director, didn’t get off the ground before this present one.
The American comedy shows those origins as a play, by largely taking place in Joe and Angela’s apartment, apart from an opening sequence that sets the story firmly in San Francisco. Despite that bit of staginess, the comedy is intelligent, darkly funny and often uncomfortable as it fearlessly explores issues of relationships, sex and marriage in an adult way. The discussions are frank and adult but the film isn’t graphic. The original Spanish film was so good, there are also French and Italian remakes as well.
The major highlight of this smart comedy is the showcase it provides for this excellent cast, who relish the sharp dialog and its fearlessness in tackling uncomfortable subjects. The whole story takes place in Joe and Angela’s spacious, comfortable apartment, with the attractive setting contrasting with Joe’s palpable anger and despair about his life and Angela’s misdirected compensation for frustrations. The film runs a bit too long, sometimes lingering with a particular fight before it introduces some table-turning twist.
Still, the actors’ excellent work and intelligent, realistic way the script deals with relationship and life issues, makes this dark, biting comedy worthwhile, especially with its glimmer of something hopeful at the end. Long married couples and those who have experienced divorce or death of a spouse will find things that resonate emotionally here. It is a film that leaves you with something to think about, which seems like a good thing.
THE INVITE opens in theaters on Friday, July 10, 2026.
A week or so after all the well-deserved celebrations for the centennial of EGOT legend (my fave, BTW) Mel Brooks (one hundred years of him…hurrah, hooray), I was wondering where the comedies are in this cinema Summer season. Sure, there have been lots of funny moments, especially from the toys and the Minions, but nothing like the past warm weather visits from ZAZ (Abrahams and the Zuckers behind AIRPLANE!) or the Farrelly Brothers (THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY). Of the recent funny flick helmers, Judd Apatow’s streaming stuff, while Paul Feig serves up pulpy suburban thrillers like THE HOUSEMAID. True, we’ve gotten a JACKASS, though many consider it a doc and a reboot of SCARY MOVIE. Well, this weekend gives us two comedies that strive for two different “S words”. “Sophisticated” suits the very provocative THE INVITE, while “silly” best describes GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS. And with all these turbulent times, we can use a big helping of the latter…
This sophomoric saga is instigated by Frank (Fred Melamed), the friendly mailman walking the pleasant, picture-perfect streets of a Kansas suburb. On his route is a perky hair stylist named Gail Daughtry (Zoey Deutch) who is weeks away from marrying her high school sweetheart, Tom (Michael Cassidy). Her best work pal, Otto (Miles Guiterrez-Riley), is also looking forward to a “beauty professionals” convention in fabulous LA. The raunchy salon gossip turns to the “celebrity sex pass”. Otto explains it to the confused Gail. Couples agree that each can have one agreed-upon celebrity “pass” for “guilt-free” intercourse. She laughs it off when Otto suggests that she join him so that she can “cash hers in” with her TV crush, Jon Hamm. Later, Gail brings it up with Tom as they take in a book signing by a big TV and film star (I won’t spoil it). On an impulse, Tom had named her, so… he does “cash in”. An angry and upset Gail then tells Otto that she’s changed her mind. She’ll join him in “La La Land” for the convention and a hot, steamy slice of Hamm. But things get complicated upon their arrival when her case of brushes gets switched with a case of top-secret papers meant for an ill-tempered, impatient mobster queen named Ludovica (Sabrina Impacciatore). As Gail enlists the aid of an unlikely, motley “posse”, Otto, a frustrated “paparazzo named Vincent (Ken Marino), Caleb (Ben Wang), an eager ex-CCA intern/agent, and “Mad Men” co-star John Slattery, two “enforcers”, Sergio (Joe LoTruglio) and Niccolo (Mather Zickel) are hot on her trail for that case. Will they “whack ” her before she gets wild with the former but forever “Don Draper”? Only in Hollywood (and the movies)…
A most impressive comedic cast truly “goes for broke’ in every role, even the smallest. Ah, but the lead is the title heroine Gail herself played with pluck and energy to spare (I was reminded of the classic Ed Asner/Lou Grant line, “I hate spunk!!”) by the adorable Ms. Duetch. Far from being the cliche small town “prude”, Duetch gives her an open spirit, eager to experience all (yup) of life’s pleasures. Her “partner-in-crime” (chaos, really) is the equally curious (about everything “bi”) Otto, who’s given a perfect “best pal/ not quite straight man” tone by Guiterrez-Riley. He’s the leader of “Team Gail’ overseeing Wang as a bold “child man” (he’s always talking about “Mommy”). Marino as the “seen it all”, jaded photog Vincent (chuckling at these “rubes”) and Slattery in an inspired bit of self-mockery, riffing on his “second-tier” star status. Oh, that big star, Mr. Hamm, again exudes pure comic charisma, parodying his leading man looks with a buffoonish, bawdy bravado. His arrival late in the last act is well worth the wait, though he’s referenced throughout (Vince can’t get the pic). As I said earlier, I don’t want to spoil the delight in the other big celeb “pass”, but she also revels in skewering her fabulous fame. Melamed sets the mood of anarchy in those first moments, while LoTruglio and Zickel are spot-on on the deadly but dumb duo after the “Gail gang”. Oh, and there are also many other star cameos along with quick bits from comedy cutups (Tobie Windham as Hamm’s “muscle”) from classic TV.
Acting as the co-ordinator of the “crazies” is comedy vet David Wain, who co-wrote the script with his old partner from the cult MTV show “The State”, Marino (there are other alumni from that cable classic along with “Party On’ and “Childrens Hospital”). But Wain has been busy in features, with ROLE MODELS and THEY CAME TOGETHER, among others. Here, he’s following in the tradition of ZAZ with a barrage of gags and bits, with many hitting their target (about 65% or so), although with LA it’s the ole’ “fish in a bucket”. I’d say most of the jokes work, though some recurring bits never “kick in”, like the mob queen’s skin obsession, or Michael Ian Black’s street vendor. And the big, ultra-violent showdown with the baddies gets a bit tiresome. But then, the Hamm arrives and all in gold (or fool’s gold). Unlike the AIRPLANE team, Wain and Marino aren’t adhering to a single source script, but this story’s “inspiration” becomes obvious by the midpoint. To quote the old auto ad line, “your mileage may vary”, depending on your tolerance for the tacky, tasteless, and gloriously goofy. Well, we can use some “silly” right now, much as how my spirits were lifted by BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR during the waning days of the pandemic. It isn’t Noel Coward or THE INVITE, but it’s pretty inventive, and sometimes witty (much like “The Studio”). So, offset a laughter “workout” with that sweet AC at the multiplex with GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS. Now, could I “pull off” a “whip-curl”?
3 out of 4 stars
GAIL DAUGHTRY AND THE CELEBRITY SEX PASS is now showing at theatres everywhere
