Tag: David Frankel

The Weinstein Company To Release ONE CHANCE On Yahoo Screen Before It Hits Theaters

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On the night of June 9th 2007, a new television reality show called ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ went on air in the UK. On its first ever broadcast, a shy, unassuming man opened his mouth to sing the famous operatic aria ‘Nessun Dorma’, delivering a beautiful, stirring rendition that would change his life from that moment forward.

Swept up in the contagious emotion of Giacomo Puccini’s stunning aria, and the unlikely figure with crooked teeth and diluted confidence who had crooned it for them, the show’s three judges – Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan – stared in awe at what they had just witnessed, while the audience of 2,000 at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff erupted in a standing ovation.

Britain was instantly won over by Paul Potts, who was then working as a manager at the Port Talbot branch of The Carphone Warehouse, and followed him on his journey to becoming the first ever winner of the new talent show and, subsequently, a world-famous opera singer.

Potts’ unanticipated vocal prowess didn’t stay confined to UK shores for long, blazing a scorched trail around the globe as news of his improbable audition went viral and millions watched it for themselves on YouTube.

But despite his own admission before going on stage that he was lacking in confidence, few knew the herculean effort it had taken for Potts to reach that point, and the trials, tribulations and monumental setbacks he had suffered along the way.

As thrilling as Potts’ on-air success was to behold, it was the story leading up to his ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ appearance that the filmmakers of ONE CHANCE wanted to tell: the tale of a steelworker’s son from south Wales who fell in love with opera at an early age and, despite bullying, skepticism and physical hardship, never gave up on trying to achieve his dreams. And by the way, it’s a comedy.

ONE CHANCE

Today, Yahoo and The Weinstein Company have announced that the U.S. pre-theatrical release of the film ONE CHANCE will be exclusively on Yahoo Screen beginning this fall.

“We’re so thrilled to be partnering with Yahoo on this first venture in bringing ‘One Chance’ to audiences online before it hits theaters. In today’s digital era, technology has developed and changed the landscape of how many people watch movies and TV. Our partnership with Yahoo has allowed us to adapt and expand our reach to limitless audiences,” said David Glasser, COO and President of The Weinstein Company.

From the director of “The Devil Wears Prada,” ONE CHANCE is the remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night.

Fresh from celebrating his Tony Award-winning Broadway run in ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’, BAFTA winner James Corden (THE HISTORY BOYS) stars as Paul Potts. The cast also includes Julie Walters (MAMMA MIA!, CALENDAR GIRLS, BILLY ELLIOT), Mackenzie Crook (THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN), Colm Meaney (GET HIM TO THE GREEK), Jemima Rooper (KINKY BOOTS), Valeria Bilello (PAZZE DI ME) and rising star Alexandra Roach (THE IRON LADY).

Directed by David Frankel (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, MARLEY & ME, HOPE SPRINGS) and written by Justin Zackham (THE BUCKET LIST), ONE CHANCE is produced by Mike Menchel, Brad Weston, Kris Thykier (KICK-ASS, THE DEBT, I GIVE IT A YEAR), Simon Cowell, and executive produced by Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

ONE CHANCE

ONE CHANCE

HOPE SPRINGS (2012) – The Review

Well those scamps in Sony’s movie marketing department are up to some hijinks again! They’re trying to sell HOPE SPRINGS as a zany comedy in the TV spots and theatre trailers. Oh boy, a middle-aged married couple are having bedroom problems ( I almost expected them to cue up ” You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ ‘ on the soundtrack ). Aren’t they cute when they’re all flustered?  And who do they meet with for advise? Why, it’s that wacky 40-year-old virgin! Let the hysterics begin! Now mind you, there’s plenty of very funny moments in HOPE, but there’s also many scenes of regret and longing that are brutally honest. And pretty sad. I’m not saying it’s a modern take on Ingmar Bergman, but it’s not the wall to wall laughfest that the ads would have you believe. It is a showcase for two terrific veteran actors working together for the first time ( let’s hope it is just the first pairing ).

HOPE SPRINGS is the story of Kay ( Meryl Streep ) and Arnold ( Tommy Lee Jones ), a couple married for 31 years. The kids are grown and have moved away, but the two still share the same modest suburban two-story house. Oh, and they have separate bedrooms now, which concerns Kay. They’ve also settled into a routine. His alarm clock gets Arnold up at 7 AM. Kay has his bacon and eggs ready when he heads down to the kitchen to eat his breakfast and read the paper ( no real conversation ), before he grabs his briefcase and trudges out the door to the accounting firm where he is a partner. She tidies up before going to work at a dress shop. He comes home about 6 PM. They eat silently. Then Arnold plops down in his big easy chair and nods off while watching the Golf Channel. She taps him awake, they head upstairs to their respective bedrooms, and the cycle begins once again. Not even their anniversary celebration can shake things up ( they gave each other a joint present : an expanded cable TV package. ” So many channels! ” ). Finally Kay decides to do something. On her lunch break she heads over to the Barnes and Noble and purchases a book on saving your marriage written by Dr. Bernard Feld ( Steve Carell ). She follows up by visiting his website. Seems the doc offers a couples consoling package at his offices in… Hope Springs, Maine ( a picture perfect seaside village ). She mentions it to Arnold, who dismisses the idea. Then Kay dips into her savings and buys the tickets. After some advise from a co-worker, Arnold relents and joins her on the flight. Can this marriage guru work wonders and rekindle the fire between these two and turn them from roommates to lovers once more?

So, this is basically the Meryl and Tommy Lee Show, and quite a show it is. Their characters jump from comedy to drama, sometimes in mid-sentence, and these screen vets are more than up to the challenge. Jones has been giving several strong supporting performances, recently in CAPTAIN AMERICA : THE FIRST AVENGER and in this Summer’s MEN IN BLACK III. Here he’s front and center expanding his ” grumpy old bear with a marshmallow center ” persona and giving us a real bruised and battered old school guy who has a tough time being tender. His comic timing is superb ( the grumbles, the rolling eyes ) as  is his clumsy, but endearing, attempts to please his partner. Speaking of, Streep more than holds her own against the entertaining Mr. Jones. Her Kay may seem a fluttery ditz at times, but she’s got a steely backbone as she fights for her own happiness. This is another great role in Streep’s career resurgence of the last few years. While most actresses of her…ah-hem…experience are circling TV for a steady series gig, she’s a force at the box office. Streep literally lights up the screen when Kay starts to get through to Arnold ( those frowsy outfits and eyeglasses can’t hide her beauty ). A surprise here is the strong support from Carrell. He’s really a straight man, as he questions ( and embarrasses ) the couple ( for the bulk of the film re remains seated in his cozy office ). After seeing him play so many dim bulbs ( miss you Michael Scott! ), it’s refreshing to see him as this eloquent, intelligent professional as he exasperates  Arnold with his homework assignments ( exercises and ” sexercises” ). There’s also some nice support from other familiar faces. Jean Smart ( TV’s ” Designing Women” ) is a great work buddy for Kay, and the lovely Elizabeth Shue ( more film work for her, Hollywood! ) as a sympathetic Maine bartender. One of Jones’s work pals, played by Brett Rice is very funny as he prods his bud to listen to the missus ( “…and that’s why I’m in a condo!” ). David Frankel directs the script from TV scribe Vanessa Taylor with a sure steady hand, getting the best reaction shots and line deliveries from the cast. And Connecticut is a quite lovely double for Maine. There’s laughs a plenty ( perhaps even more than the ads promise ), but there’s a solid dramatic story about how adults have to work at living ” happily ever after “. After the secret agents and super-heroes at the multiplex the last few weeks, it’s great to spend some time with some adults that may live right next door. If you’re really lucky.

Overall Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

THE BIG YEAR – The Review

With a cast this impressively eclectic, THE BIG YEAR is not nearly as ridiculous as I was expecting. While the hilarity factor falls short of anticipated, the film still delivers plenty of humor, but the approach is far more charming than absurd, resulting in a pleasantly entertaining, somewhat uplifting dramedy.

Directed by David Frankel, THE BIG YEAR is a film which clearly falls somewhere between MARLEY & ME and THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA on his range of storytelling prowess and style. What the film does is to take an otherwise mundane subject that the average viewer would find dull and uninteresting, but fills it with a message of finding one’s true priorities, then wraps it up with a talented cast.

THE BIG YEAR follows three main characters, all three are passionate birders, as they venture out to set the world record for spotting the most bird species in North America in a single calendar year. Sound exciting? Exactly. However, the film actually does end up being rather exciting, sort of, in the sense that I actually cared about all three characters, even the one I was meant to hate, somewhat.

“Birding” is the observation of birds in their natural habitats as a hobby. Therefore, a “birder” is one who partakes in birding.

THE BIG YEAR is told from the perspective of Brad Harris (Jack Black), a thirty-something divorcee living with his parents and working a dead end job he hates, but whose passion for birding drives his will to push on each day toward his dream of being the best. This presents something of a dilemma, as the current record holder and inspiration for Brad is Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson), who happens to be planning his own “big year” for a second consecutive time in an effort to secure his world record. Brad and Kenny are diametrically opposite personalities. Brad has a child-like passion for the art and wonder of birding, while Kenny appears to be far more interested in the fame of being the best.

Our third main character is Stu Preissler (Steve Martin), a successful CEO struggling to force himself into retirement so he may finally pursue his own big year, a dream he’s had since a child. Brad, Kenny and Stu all pursue the same goal, but tension emerges as they attempt to keep this a secret from one another in an effort to avoid heated competition. Brad and Stu are well aware of Kenny’s reputation for being a relentlessly brilliant birder who plays the game from any angle necessary, but rumors of being a cheat sparks an increased level of distrust toward him from both Brad and Stu.

I can only assume that the acts of birding in THE BIG YEAR are accurately portrayed, as I’ve never participated myself, but there is a very real sense of authenticity in the film. All of that aside, the movie isn’t really about birding, but rather about realizing what’s really important in the characters’ lives. This ultimately proves to be the families and loves ones of all three characters, but only two of them will end their journey having had that epiphany in a positive way. The other will ultimately learn a valuable lesson from his mistakes.

THE BIG YEAR doesn’t always hit the comedic nails squarely on the head, but the overall product is well worth the effort. With moments of slightly off-kilter timing or less-than-perfect delivery, the film stumbles slightly on occasion, but always manages to pick itself up and stabilize before ever falling flat on its face. Jack Black manages to pull back the reigns a bit, allowing his character to develop without Black’s trademark orneriness getting in the way, while Owen Wilson pretty much plays his character in his typical fashion, but it works. On the other hand, it was Steve Martin who impressed upon me the most connection with his character. Perhaps seeing a bit of his own life in Stu, Martin drew upon my empathy with astonishing ease. Stu is also something of a catalyst, a mentor even, for Brad’s own growth as a well-rounded individual.

What made the biggest impression on me while watching THE BIG YEAR was the supporting cast, filled to the gills with veteran cameos and recognizable fresh faces. Brian Dennehy plays Brad’s unsupportive, hard-nosed father while Dianne Wiest plays his loving, exceedingly supportive mother Brenda. JoBeth Williams plays Stu’s supportive wife Edith, Kevin Pollak and Joel McHale (TV’s COMMUNITY) play Stu’s corporate yes men, Rosamund Pike plays Kenny’s lonely and frustrated wife Jessica, Jim Parsons (TV’s BIG BANG THEORY) plays birder-groupie and blogger Crane, and Rashida Jones plays Brad’s love interest Ellie. And, as if this isn’t alluring enough, the film is brimming with cameos including Tim Blake Nelson, Anjelica Huston, Corbin Bernsen, Steven Weber and Al Roker.

When its all said and done, THE BIG YEAR is essentially a dramedy, finding its niche somewhere between quirkiness and melodrama, a film that could easily fall through the cracks if not properly marketed. So, this is my final word… THE BIG YEAR is not a great film, but its a reasonably good film that’s fun without being stupid, dramatic without being emotional, and friendly audiences of all ages, but intended for the grown-ups.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

THE BIG YEAR opens in St. Louis theaters on Friday, October 14th, 2011.

Watch Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson In THE BIG YEAR Trailer

In this trailer for THE BIG YEAR, Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson are at a crossroads — one is experiencing a mid-life crisis, another a late-life crisis, and the third, a far from ordinary no-life crisis.

Synopsis

From David Frankel, the director of The Devil Wears Prada and Marley & Me, comes a sophisticated comedy about three friendly rivals who, tired of being ruled by obligations and responsibilities, dedicate a year of their lives to following their dreams. Their big year takes them on a cross-country journey of wild and life-changing adventures.

From 20th Century Fox, THE BIG YEAR will be in theaters October 14, 2011.

Review: ‘Marley & Me’

Travis:

Look at that face. Just, look at it! How can you possibly resist? OK, so I figure some of you are cat people… fine. I like cats too, but Marley is a Labrador and labs are awesome! I grew up living next to a lady for a couple of years who bred and trained Labradors and they have a special place in my canine-loving heart.

With that said, I am going to tell you that this movie [really] is about average, a mostly run-of-the-mill romantic comedy with equally happy and sad parts. However, it’s Marley who steals the show and makes this movie worth seeing. Hey, now look here you cat lovers! If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. Go watch ‘Garfield’ or… something?

Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston play a young newlywed couple who begin their lives together as two journalists at the peak of their youthful, vibrant existence. About four years after the get married, Jennifer (Aniston) starts hinting about kids so John’s (Wilson) eternally single friend suggests he get her a dog to fend off the mommy bug for a while. At first it works, as Marley proves to be more than enough for the couple to handle on his own. Marley chews and/or eats just about everything you can think of and more. He’s energetic, playfully obnoxious relentlessly untrainable. [I’d like to see Caesar Millan take on Marley.] But, the instinct does eventually win out and they have their first [human] child.

Family life, for better or worse, children, careers, mid-life crisis, love and sex… all of these themes run through the film which does a decent job of giving a well-constructed story we can follow and relate to in believable terms. I cannot emphasize enough though, just how significant Marley is to the story. Thankfully, the story is not told from Marley’s point-of-view and even more importantly… NO! Marley does not speak or take on any unrealistic human traits. This is a realistic story about realistic lives. You’ll laugh (a lot) and cry (most likely) and leave the theatre pleasantly satisfied.

[Overall: 4 stars out of 5]

Ram Man:

I am a dog lover. I have had one ever since I can remember. So I felt it manditory to go see the new Christmas movie ‘Marley & Me’. I had never heard of or read the book on which the film is based, so I went in with a clean slate.   Marley & Me stars a loveable lab named Marley (after they late singer Bob Marley)   that is bought by a newly wed couple played by Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. Wilson and Aniston are strickly supporting cast for the dog who steals the show.

John and Jennifer Grogan get married and move to sunny Miami. Both journalists get jobs at competing newspapers. After a few months on the beach Jennifer decides she wants to have kids. John isn’t ready for that, so on the advice of a friend, he takes Jennifer to pick out a dog. This to get her mind off of kids for the near future. They go out to a local breeder and find a cute labrador , the runt of the litter, and buy it. During a bonding session with John, the dog reacts to a song on the car radio by the late Bob Marley. John then names the dog Marley.

Marley soon begins to eat anything in site, dog food, answering machines, furniture. Marley is kicked out of obedience school (conducted by Kathleen Turner doing her best Jabba the Hutt impression) and labeled the world’s worst dog by John. I can relate. I had a great Dane, Maggie, that my father had to have and brought home one evening. Maggie was a cute puppy……Puppy! The problem was that she grew…and grew…and grew. But maggie still thought she was a puppy, even when she would come bounding down the hallway and leap on to my back (all 110lbs) and almost knock me out. Marley is the same way, a fun loving dog that wants to be the center of attention.

Soon the eventual thing does come and John and Jennifer start having kids. So now Jennifer must become a stay at home mom and take care of all of the kids Marley included.   I am not going to spill any of the details about the end of the film. I am only going to say, “if you are a pet owner or dog lover, it would be a crime to miss this film.” Marley & Me will stir up those memories of pets you once owned or make you think about what your dog is getting into while you are sitting in the theater watching this movie! Either way, Marley & Me is a wonderful holiday movie for the whole family. As they say on all the billboards around town..”Heel the Love”

[Overall: 4.25 stars out of 5]

Quin:

Finally! Marley and Me, a movie that represents the book properly, has made its debut in theaters. It took forever, it seems, with so many movies based off books coming out that should have left out that line “based off the book.† I loved this realistic adaptation of a writer named JoshGrogan (Owen Wilson) and his wife (Jennifer Aniston ) as it takes you on a journey on how life cannot be executed by plans, but just by moments that occur. The feature focuses on their dog Marley who is the devil incarnate, but as the movie progresses you see that this dog is maybe something more of a lifesaver. I have no criticisms of this movie. I felt it had the right mix of humor and sadness while keeping the movie at a realistic level. I give this movie a 5 out of 5 because… who doesn’t love a great film with a great dog?