Netflix has a great new film coming out on November 30th called FAMILY SWITCH directed by McG.
A family descends into chaos days before Christmas when a rare cosmic event causes the parents to swap bodies with their teenage kids. Jennifer Garner leads this crowd-pleasing comedy alongside Ed Helms, Emma Myers and Brady Noon. Rated PG-13
Hey fellow geeks, there will be a guest list for this one so all you need to do is just RSVP to the link provided below & WAMG will take it from there. There will be FREE CONSESSIONS for all attendees (Popcorn & Soda or Water)!
The St. Louis advance screening is 7PM Monday, November 27th @ Marcus Ronnie’s Cine
Jess and Bill Walker are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout? Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers and Brady Noon star in this family comedy directed by McG and based on the book “Bedtime For Mommy” by Amy Krouse-Rosenthal.
This week’s new release explores a fairly familiar premise in cinema, but with a fresh, modern angle (you can bet that things are truly complicated in this still somewhat new century). To borrow from the old, classic slang for public education, this flick covers the “three R’s”. The subject and the dialogue especially (rather than the imagery) can get fairly graphic, so the “R” rating is pretty much a given. And it is very heavy into relationships, mainly the two very different people at its core. Plus, in the broadest of definitions, this work is a twist on the “rom-com”, though its marketing would suggest a lesser emphasis on the “rom” part. There is the frothy “will they” idea in its premise of a man and a woman entering into an arrangement that skirts into that territory (PRETTY WOMAN would be the most obvious example, perhaps). But don’t look for high gloss “glitz and glamour” here as these two very distant strangers somehow try to keep things “on the up and up” as they are some brought TOGETHER TOGETHER.
After the spartan (white type on a black background) titles, we’re thrust right in the middle of what appears to be a fairly standard job interview. Forty-something Matt (Ed Helms) is going down his checklist of questions for twenty-something, perhaps early thirty-something, Anna (Patti Harrison). Fairly quickly, the inquiries become more personal and alarmingly intimate. Soon it’s revealed that “single guy” Matt wants to be a “single dad” and is considering hiring Anna to carry his “seed” (by medical means, nothing tawdry). It seems something’s missing from his life as a somewhat successful software developer. After some final negotiations, the deal is “sealed”. The duo visit a “specialist”, Dr. Andrews (Rosalind Chao), and later Matt explains his plan to his “already a papa” brother Jacob (Timm Sharp), though he’s in a committed relationship, and his bewildered mother Adele (Nora Dunn) and supportive stepdad Marty (Fred Melamed). As time passes, Anna tries to go about her main job as the manager of a trendy coffee shop while keeping her “side gig” a secret from snarky bored barista Jules (Julio Torres). Unfortunately, Matt can’t keep away from her and pops in at the shop to “check-up”. Anna’s frustrations prompt him to schedule sessions with a relationship therapist Madeline (Tig Notaro). .As the “boundaries” are set up, the pair get to know each other a bit more, so that when some minor health concerns arise, Matt suggests that she should just live in a spare room at his suburban house. But their personalities clash as they continue with Madeline and begin to make check-ups with pediatric nurse Jean (Sufie Bradshaw). Still, as they spend more time together, they wonder if this is more than a “business arrangement”. And just what will happen when the “blessed event’ (or contract conclusion) finally occurs.
Add Matt to the ever-growing list of affable, though a bit anal, leading men in the Helms resume. This time out he’s not the ‘punching bag” dweeb of THE HANGOVER trilogy (no physical humiliations ala facial tattoos and missing teeth), but rather a hybrid of the sweet-natured shlub of CEDAR RAPIDS (ten years ago already) and the often aggressively annoying Andy Bernard of TV’s “The Office”. The big weapon in his character arsenal this time is cool passive aggression, as Matt wants to guilt Anna into his structured agenda. When she resists Helms turns on that needy puppy expression (those quivering moist eyes) that brings a lot of warmth to the brittle “wannabe” pop. Mostly his Matt needs to be in control, so it’s entertaining to see Anna place him in a pit of awkward humiliation as she grills him on proper “feminine hygiene” (watch him sweat and squirm). We know of Helm’s strengths, but the big discovery here is Harrison who’s had small roles in TV and films while also making a name as a writer for “edgy’ TV shows (she just won an “Annie” for the Netflix cartoon “Big Mouth”). Her Anna is tough beyond her years, wrapping herself in an armor forged by years of frustration and disappointment. Early on she “draws a line in the sand”, informing Matt in strong terms when he’s crossed that line (she’s going to hold him to their contract). But Harrison lets us see Anna take a bit of that guard down as she opens up to Matt as the months pass. Anna has turned her back on her own family but is surprised to find a new one, and a bit of a mentor, in Matt. And she also begins to accept kindness after countless offers, when health issues blindside her. It also helps that this “oddest of couples” have the terrific Notaro and Bradshaw to referee their verbal and emotional battles.
Writer/director Nikole Beckwith has created a quirky comedy for this “new normal” that asks us to follow and “root for” this flawed but endearing pair thrown together by fate and a business deal. As stated earlier, much of it rests on the work of the talented main acting team, though Beckwith wisely paired them and guided their work, never losing the reality of the script in order to go for big broad laughs. Much of its humor is mined from the vast well of social awkwardness (that “hygiene” and Matt’s disgust at running into Anna’s overnight “guest”), and “zany” co-workers (Jules is funny and a bit scary), but it doesn’t detract from the emotional growth of the leads. Another strength is the filmmaker’s refusal to take the usual “path”. From the opening titles, it appears we may be going into a Woody Allen-inspired “May/December’ tale, but the characters themselves address it at mid-point, even offering a savage denouncement of those iconic flicks (Anna really tears into the whole cliche). Beckwith keeps the story moving briskly for its trim ninety minutes, never needing to “pad’ with side characters. And kudos for an ending that leaves us wanting to spend a bit more time with this twosome, letting us consider where things could go. Like real life, all is not wrapped up with a perfect bow. But for the duration of their “deal”, you’ll be grateful that these two gifted actors, with their talented director, came TOGETHER TOGETHER.
3 Out of 4
TOGETHER TOGETHER opens in select theatres everywhere on Friday, April 23, 2021
With Spring finally pushing aside the remnants of Winter (well, for most of the country…sorry, upper Midwestern states), what better time to head to the multiplex to check out a feature documentary about this season…set in Antartica. Well, at least its denizens seem to be enjoying those “balmy” 32 degree days. One particular group of them is the focus of Disney subsidary label Disneynature’s thirteen feature film in just over ten years (looks like they share a birthday with Marvel Studios). Like 2012’s CHIMPAMZEE the wildlife filmmakers don’t neglect their animale neighbors while zeroing in on a singular subject representing his species. And like those jungle cut-ups, these creatures are pretty amusing, too. There are lots of laughs, mixed with romance and danger, in observing PENGUINS.
The singular subject in question is affable everyman (whoops, bird) Steve, a young Adelie penguin who’s a two foot tall ball of energy. In the film’s opening moments, Steve hilariously wadlles and slides on his tummy in an effort to keep up with hundreds of his brethrin as they make the big Spring mating season march. At one point he loses track of the pack and ends up in the middle of a not-so-friendly group of towering (to him) Emporer penguins. Happily, Steve spots his gang and makes it back to them in time to set up a nest the rock-filled snowless hillside. Of course he has to be weary of others who would grab his pebles and try to take over said spot. When the ladies at last join them, Steve puts out his best mating call and attracts the lovely Adelene. Despite attacks from the predatory Skua gulls and the killer whales that swim through their feeding water, the couple produce two eggs. After taking turns sheltering them from a brutal late season ice storm, the eggs hatch. Then the couple take turns again, feeding the always-hungry ofspring.. The kids must get “fattened up” for the big swim back to their Winter homes. But this may be the greatest challenge as they hop and scurry across the broken ice to reach open water and evade lots of deadly ravenous Leopard seals.
Directors Alistair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson, overseeing a platoon of truly intrepid (enduring that chill) photographers, have created an engaging, briskly paced (76 minutes, much like the classic Disney animated features) “info-tainment‘ that should truly appeal to all ages. Several sequences have an almost unearthly beauty as if taken from any recent CGI-enhanced science fiction blockbuster. There’s that brutal storm that has our heroic couple facing that pellet like ice-filled hurricane force wind to protect their precious eggs. After the gale tapers off, there’s a desolate silence until they shake away the ice and snow crust. In a more peaceful scene, Steve floats and zips around in an ice opening into the sea, as graceful as any superhero soaring past the stars, with the sunlight creating incredible patterns in the depths. Even as a backdrop, the overhanging tundra projects an irredescent glowing green onto the waves beneath. And all these breath-taking images are enhanced by the lush music score by Harry Gregson-Williams. As for comedy, aside from Steven opening trek, there’s the sight of his twins acting like his shadow, always underfoot and wing, clamoring for nourishment. An encounter with the lethargic Elephant seals also delivers tons a’ fun. But it’s not all giggles, as the film’s powerfull last act re-enforces. The threat of the Leopard seals may give the youngest viewers nightmare, as it showcases the laws of nature (the ole’ food chain). Those seals silently popping their heads up out of the water and ice recall all manner of prehistoric (I was thinking Brontosaurus) from any number of fantasy thrillers. It’s truly gasp-inducing stuff.
As with the other Disneynature films, it is narrated not by a researcher or scholar, but by an entertainment star. Ed Helms of the HANGOVER trilogy is at the mike this time, and he juggles the facts and the whimsey fairly well, rattling off bits of trivia, before assuming the voice of Steve. At times it comes close to humanizing them (something Disney was doing with his “True Life Adventures” shorts series in the 50s and 60s), but it’s not “hammered” to the point of being precious or cloying. Ditto for the occassional use of a classic “pop” song (yes, the mating requires a love ballad I suppose). Unlike many narrative film, PENGUINS really has it all: action, comedy, romance, and suspense. Ah, but it’s a darn shame Burgess Meredith’s not around to tell this true tale.Waugh! Waugh!!
Enough with the frivolity down at the multiplex, we’ve got another film opening this week that was “inspired by true events”. Seriously (usually very very), they’re stories of triumph against the elements (as with the recent ADRIFT) or bravery in the face of injury or disease (BREATHE, STRONGER, and countless others). Just a minute, you’ve seen the TV ads and trailers for the last few months so you know it’s a comedy. Now that’s a real rarity, little seen hybrid mix, like the “jackalope”. Needles to say it’s been somewhat exaggerated or enhanced for the big screen. The reports of a pack (around a dozen) of buddies now in middle age (being generous here) who have set aside one month every year to continue a game of tag started while they were in grade school (so we could say it’s based on a classic game like CLUE or BATTLESHIP, but there’s no boards or dice involved, just hands and legs) has seen exposure in print and on the TV news (CBS Sunday Morning just rebroadcast their profile). For the flick they’ve cut back the squad to five and they guys are trim and in their early forties (and of course, a couple of them are extremely photogenic). Oh, and the game is much more violent (slapstick, you could say), because audiences would expect that for an “R” rated game of TAG.
In the movie’s opening moments we see the elaborate planning of “tag” player “Hoagie” Malloy (Ed Helms) to deliver the “touch” to business tycoon Bob Callahan (Jon Hamm). Bob becomes “it” just as he’s beginning an interview with a reporter from the Wall Street Journal, Rebecca (Annabelle Wallis). She’s intruiged by the ensuing chaos, so the guys explain. Every year, during the month of May, they continue a game of tag begun in their youth. Of course you can’t tag back the guy that just made you “it”. And the fella’ that’s it at the end of those 31 days is the loser (nope, no real winner). This time Hoagie has a master plan to finally make one of their pals “it”. Jerry (Jeremy Renner) has successfully stayed hidden in May (and he’s super fast, too). Seems that Jerry’s getting hitched on the last day of the month in Portland. As Jake Blues would say, “It’s time to get the band back together”. This all seems much more interesting to Rebecca than an interview, so she tags along. But she’s not the only lady, since Hoagie’s wife Anna (Isla Fisher), though not a player, is psyched to help track down their “white whale”. Soon their two other buddies, laid-back herbal enthusiast Randy AKA Chilli (Jake Johnson) and quirky, soft-spoken Sable (Hannibal Buress) join the journey. Their first run at Jerry is disrupted by his nervous fiancee Susan (Leslie Bibb), She’s scared that they will ruin her big weekend. During a truce they set up new ground rules: no tag at the wedding rehearsal, the following dinner/reception, or at the actual ceremony. They all agree, though Hoagie and his crew continue their efforts to get Jerry alone and end his streak and finally make his “it”.
The cast is an interesting mix of comedy TV vets, stand-up comedians, and even an action flick staple. The leader of the mayhem is probably Helms’s Hoagie, who’s doing a less awkward take on his HANGOVER patsy while bringing lots of energy and a demented zeal to his quest. Hoagie’s likable, but completely hyper-focused on his “Jerry hunt”. Almost matching him in his mania is Fisher as wife Anna, whose fiery spirit matches her hair color. Though unable to tag, she’s a valuable addition the the guys’ mission. And Fisher is a most delightful “firecracker”. Plus she gets to team up with a co-star from the 2016 underrated farce KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES, Jon Hamm, who once again plays against his leading man looks to display his formidable comic skills and getting more physical via the great slapstick sequences. Buress can still steal scenes with his off-kilter line delivery, seeming to “toss off” killer quips. Johnson’s also great with a snarky joke, given with a laid-back wiseguy charm. Unfortunately the constant “weed” bits wear out and become an easy laugh or a scene ender with CGI smoke wafting from his lips. The best surprise may be the work of Renner, doing an inspired parody of his action movie roles from THE BOURNE LEGACY and Hawkeye in the Marvel movies. Jerry has a soft side, but Renner plays him as a closed book for much of the action, preferring to be the smug “man in control”. This makes for an odd pairing with Bibb as his future bride. Susan often comes off as a shrill “fun-killer” and her manic “bride-zilla” can be a bit “over the top”, but Bibb truly commits in her performance. That role is more compelling than Rebecca, who’s mostly the wide-eyed observer and “voice of reason”, but kudos to the striking Wallis for bouncing back from last year’s twins of trash, THE MUMMY and KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD. Also representing the ladies is Rashida Jones, the talented star of TV’s “Angie Tribeca” and “Parks and Recreations”, who is underused as the former high school sweetheart of two of the guys (invited by Jerry to split the team). Her character is the source of a particularly crude joke about their teen years. Jones deserves better. But there are some nice turns by stand-ups Sebastian Maniscalo and LilRel Howery (so hilarious in GET OUT), along with comic actors Steve Berg (he really wants in the game), SNL vet Nora Dunn, and Thomas Middleditch (love that fabulous ponytail) from HBO’s “Silicon Valey”.
First time feature director Jeff Tomsic does his best work in the movie’s “game” scenes, using the “slow-mo, speed-up, then quick back to slow” effect in some many action flicks, enhanced with some CGI for the facial impacts. This also gives us time to hear the characters’ thoughts as they try to avoid being “it”. But it’s more Three Stooges-style violence were they might only need an aspirin rather than a trip to the ER. Unfortunately Tomsic couldn’t smooth out some of the kinks of the hit-and-miss script this is indeed based on a Wall Street Journal article (written by a dude, though). In one third act plot point a phrase describing a “pregnancy mishap” is repeated so much, that it becomes distasteful, annoying, and insensitive (every mention was fingernails on a chalkboard). But the biggest problem may be the lack of chemistry between the actors. They don’t seem like guys that would still want to hang out for a full month year after year. The hospital-set finale with one player in dire straights feels like a forced attempt at pathos and comes off as clunky. Luckily the flick cuts to a wonderful montage that succeeds in giving viewers the ole “warm fuzzies”. But this and the action sequences aren’t quite enough elevate TAG above its schoolyard roots. Dodgeball, it ain’t.
The truth is revealed in the new trailer for CHAPPAQUIDDICK starring Jason Clarke, Kate Mara, Ed Helms, and Jim Gaffigan with Bruce Dern. The untold true story, recalling the mysterious events of the scandalous 1969 car accident involving U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (Clarke) and Mary Jo Kopechne (Mara), a campaign worker he callously left to die at the scene, hits theaters April 6th!
In the riveting suspense drama, CHAPPAQUIDDICK, the scandal and mysterious events surrounding the tragic drowning of a young woman, as Ted Kennedy drove his car off the infamous bridge, are revealed in the new movie starring Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy and Kate Mara as Mary Jo Kopechne. Not only did this event take the life of an aspiring political strategist and Kennedy insider, but it ultimately changed the course of presidential history forever. Through true accounts, documented in the inquest from the investigation in 1969, director John Curran and writers Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen, intimately expose the broad reach of political power, the influence of America’s most celebrated family; and the vulnerability of Ted Kennedy, the youngest son, in the shadow of his family legacy.
Cast: Jason Clarke, Kate Mara, Ed Helms, Jim Gaffigan, Clancy Brown, and Taylor Nichols with Olivia Thirlby and Bruce Dern
Directed by: John Curran (Tracks, The Painted Veil)
Written by: Screenplay by Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan
THE CLAPPER is an indie film about a different side of Hollywood, a kind of romantic comedy about an anonymous worker in Los Angeles who ekes out a living as a paid face in the crowd for audiences for infomercials. It is a job kind of like a movie extra but ranked much lower, as clappers are impersonating ordinary people in audiences in advertisements impersonating television programs. Clappers are part of the background that creates the illusion that producers are selling to their real audience.
Director Dito Montiel adapted the script from his novel “Eddie Krumble is the Clapper,” his second book after “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” which was also made into an indie film.. The story is semi-autobiographical, based on Montiel’s experiences after moving to L.A. and making living on Hollywood’s edge.
Eddie Krumble (Ed Helms) and his best friend Chris Plork (Tracy Morgan) are clappers, paid professional audience members for infomercials and other low-end shows needing a live studio audience but not popular enough to draw one from tourists and fans. The programs pay the clappers to look like ordinary people as they enthusiastically respond to the claims of infomercial hawker/hosts promoting whatever product they are pitching. Whether the program is promoting a real estate investment or a new kitchen gadget, clappers are amazed, delighted or cheering on cue. It is low-pay work on the lowest rung of the industry, paid by the gig with a little extra if the clapper is cast to ask a scripted question. The most essential qualification for the job is to look ordinary and to be unknown.
Eddie Krumble certainly fits that qualification. When the widowed Eddie moved to Los Angeles for a fresh start, he may have had some idea about acting but he has no such plans now. Still, Eddie is sincere about his work, taking care with his various disguises and practicing his lines in front of a mirror. He actually likes the low-key quirky job he fell into, although he would like to make a little more money doing it. He is pretty settled in his unambitious life, taking gigs as a clapper, hanging out with his pal Chris, and flirting with the pretty cashier at the local gas station, Judy (Amanda Seyfried).
But Eddie’s low-key life is disrupted when a notoriously mean late night talk show host, Jayme Stillerman (Russell Peters), spots him in the audience of several infomercials, and singles him and his job out for a routine of comic ridicule. The segment captures the public’s attention and turns into a pop culture craze, which as the host and his producer (Adam Levine) build with a media campaign to hunt for “the clapper.” While most people in L.A. would eagerly embrace this 15 minutes of fame, Eddie is horrified because becoming famous could cost him his livelihood. Eddie’s quiet life turns into a nightmare, as he is shoved into this unwelcome spotlight. .As the talk show stunt continues, it threatens Eddie’s budding romance with Judy as well as his job.
The cast is rounded out with Brenda Vaccaro as Eddie’s overbearing mother, who calls constantly from back home, and real infomercial hosts Wendy Braun and Billy Blanks, plus the late Alan Thicke as infomercial pitchmen.
There is a certain charm in this tale of people on the economic margins of L.A., although some viewers may disdain their lack of ambition. One wonders at first if the film will mock this unambitious man with the laughably odd occupation but director Montiel treats him with surprising sympathy. That view likely comes out of the semi-autobiographical nature of the source material, as Montiel based the story on his and a friend’s experience living on the lowest levels of Hollywood, where his friend worked as a clapper. There certainly is plenty that is laughable about being a clapper but the ridicule comes later when Eddie and his strange job become fodder for the talk show host. There is a classic good guy – bad guy thing in this film, and Montiel’s sympathy is with the kind-hearted underdogs getting by on the margins rather than the ambitious and ruthless types with the successful talk show.
Even before Eddie comes under that harsh gaze, there is a sense he is hiding. Unlike countless would-be actors, Eddie did not move across the country to L. A. to seek stardom. It is an odd choice for a fresh start, one which is never explained, but his weird job seems to give him a kind of self-expression he wouldn’t get as a cashier at Walmart, or as a gas station attendant like Judy.
In his comments on his film, director Montiel noted how people are drawn to Los Angeles by the myth of Hollywood, only to find living there very different from the dream. He was also struck by “what a blue-collar town Hollywood really is,” with many more people working as extras, carpenters, market researchers, and in other un-glamorous occupations than movie stars and studio heads. Some of the jobs are really odd – like professional audience members.
If you are expecting a biting satire on Hollywood, an in-depth exploration of an odd-ball profession, or a psychological study, you won’t get that with THE CLAPPER. Although it starts down all those roads, it then detours into a standard romantic comedy. It is too bad because while that makes an interesting backdrop for a rom com, the film leaves a lot of potentially more interesting and unique material unused.
Still, THE CLAPPER does have a certain charm, particularly in Ed Helms’ low-key, even sweet performance as a guy who likes his strange job and would rather just be left alone. The film raises a lot of questions with this character, like why he moved to Los Angeles, without really answering them, but Helms does what he can to suggest answers. Tracy Morgan likewise turns in a n unexpectedly restrained performance as Eddie’s loyal friend but whose lack of sophistication makes him easy prey for Adam Levine’s calculating producer.
While Eddie has no ambitions, Amanda Seyfried’s tender-hearted Judy does have one, to open an animal shelter in Mexico, for the discarded and damaged animals like the one-horned goat she adopted. That she has a goal, something the drifting Eddie lacks, may be part of the attraction. However, we do not find out because (and here is where the film goes wrong) the film once again does not delve into Eddie’s inner life. Instead, the film transforms into just romantic comedy, one that does not go beneath the surface of any of the characters. While there is a sweetness to the ending, one is left with a sense there could have been something more.
THE CLAPPER is not a film for everyone. It is a small film that has some charm as a sweet oddball rom com but which falls short in exploring its characters. However, someone expecting a raucous comedy laughing at losers scraping by at the bottom of Hollywood’s food chain won’t find that in this film.
Watch Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy in the new trailer for CHAPPAQUIDDICK. The suspenseful drama recounts the tragic events of the 1969 car accident involving the U.S. Senator and a young campaign worker (Kate Mara) who died at the scene.
Catch the untold true story, also starring Ed Helms & Jim Gaffigan with Bruce Dern, in theaters April 6th.
In the riveting suspense drama, CHAPPAQUIDDICK, the scandal and mysterious events surrounding the tragic drowning of a young woman, as Ted Kennedy drove his car off the infamous bridge, are revealed in the new movie starring Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy and Kate Mara as Mary Joe Kopechne.
Not only did this event take the life of an aspiring political strategist and Kennedy insider, but it ultimately changed the course of presidential history forever. Through true accounts, documented in the inquest from the investigation in 1969, director John Curran (Tracks, The Painted Veil) and writers Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen, intimately expose the broad reach of political power, the influence of America’s most celebrated family; and the vulnerability of Ted Kennedy, the youngest son, in the shadow of his family legacy.
MUNE: GUARDIAN OF THE MOON screens Saturday, Nov. 11 at 11:00am at The Missouri History Museum (5700 Lindell Boulevard) as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. This is a FREE screening.
As legend has it, the first Guardian of the Sun threw a harpoon into the cosmos and roped the sun to bring light and warmth to all of humanity. Then the Guardian of the Moon lured the moon to the Land of Darkness to provide a balance to the sun and supply the world with dreams. At a momentous ceremony to appoint the two new guardians, an accident seems to occur: The heir apparent is passed over, and the title Guardian of the Moon is bestowed on the waif-like Mune, a small and frightened forest faun who seems wholly unprepared to take on such a weighty responsibility. This news excites Necross, the nefarious ruler of the Underworld, a corrupted ex-guardian who decides to take advantage of Mune’s weakness and steal back the sun for himself. Now it is up to unlikely hero Mune and his friend Glim — a headstrong young girl with wax for skin — to save the sun and restore order to the world. A breathtaking new adventure from the producers of “The Little Prince,” “Mune” features a star-studded voice cast that includes Patton Oswalt, Rob Lowe, Christian Slater, and Ed Helms.
Review of MUNE: GUARDIAN OF THE MOON by Cary Paller:
MUNE: GUARDIAN OF THE MOON is the story of an unlikely hero coming of age to save the world. The hardest part about almost every studio that makes an animated feature, outside of Walt Disney Studios, has to deal with is the story. Almost all the of them lack in that area. Most come off and feel like B movie level material instead of pushing the story to something feels original and has depth. Mune, kind of falls in the middle of it all. The Animation switched from good computer CGI to rough edgy hand drawn looking style. Which gave the film an interesting feel to it. The style kept changing as part of the plot at the just right moments when the story seemed to lack. Now for the story, it really was the weak link. The characters all seemed to be carbon copies of all the great Walt Disney characters. I cannot say it made the film bad, but it kept the film from becoming any better than a direct-to-video Walt Disney spin off. It is really a shame that so many production companies spend so much time on the Animation and so little time making sure the screen better than average. For all the flaws in the film it still will be an enjoyable experience for the younger crowd. There are so many sequences filled with great visuals and some fun, silly dialog along with the usual banter between the hero’s and villain’s. I am glad I saw it. It is very hard work making an animated feature. Go see the film, support the filmmakers and enjoy the final product in the theater where it should be seen.
June (the big wedding month) is soooo three months ago, and February (home of THAT holiday) is nearly half a year away, but the new indie comedy for the first of September looks at romance and marriage. Now, this isn’t a sweet “rom-com” all about the bloom of “new love” and the rocky, but ultimately smooth road to the altar. No, this basically concerns three couples who have made that committment (one hasn’t got the certificate, but they’ve got a child), but they’ve hit a bump (actually one is moments from careening off the highway). You could say that the last tier of the wedding cake is in the fridge, the foil is frayed, and freezer burn is imminent. Though somehow there are still lots of laugh at this look at relationships whose title harkens back to the big event, I DO…UNTIL I DON”T.
The story’s setting is romantic, the sleepy little Florida town of Vero Beach. But a visitor to this burg is about to shake them all awake. At a library conference room, Vivian (Dolly Wells), an acclaimed British documentarian, announces to a gathered group of locals, that the town will be the setting of her new work about modern marriage. Her intent is to show that the institution is outmoded, and marriage vows should be “up for renewal” at seven-year intervals. Vivian and her crew will interview residents with a financial compensation involved. This interests one of her fans, the shy, reserved Alice (Lake Bell). Her marriage to hubby Noah (Ed Helms) has been reduced to procreation interludes prompted by a fertility “app”. Plus their window treatment shop is circling the drain, so they could use of participant cash. Alice envies the wild spirit of her sister Fanny (Amber Heard), who lives a nomadic life with long-time partner Zander (Wyatt Cenac) and their little boy Zenith. The trio is in town for a “craft festival’ and stop by. Alice is stunned when Fanny mentions that they have already been approached by Vivian to be in the doc (she wants to show their modern “open relationship”). While at a local diner, the film maker encounters a bickering middle-aged couple, Cybil (Mary Steenburgen) and Harvey (Paul Reiser). She’s estranged from her adult daughter by her first marriage and is frustrated by what she thinks is Harvey’s midlife crisis (always on his new motorcycle and dressed accordingly in leather jacket, helmet, etc.). When Harv heads to the mens room, Vivian makes her an offer to be filmed, and Cybil negotiates a deal. But when Vivian doesn’t get the results she wants (Alice and Noah are too dull, Fanny and Zander aren’t actually that “open”), what will she do to get her theory on film? And what happens when the three couples get wind of her methods?
A talented group of comic actors has been gathered by Ms. Bell, though I would argue that her role is not the one most integral to the story. That would be Ms. Wells as the aggressive, abrasive Vivian, who is the closest to being the real villain in this tale. She’s so egocentric, so preening, that’s its hard to see how anyone this irritating would be given funding for her “preconceived” projects. Vivian recalls the feature directing debut of Albert Brooks in 1979’s REAL LIFE in which his Brooks character forces himself into his subjects’ lives, trying to “jump-start” some drama that’ll make the film more compelling and commercial. Despite her energetic work, Wells can’t quite make Vivian as endearingly silly as Brooks and only succeeds in making her a pretentious pill. Then there’s Bell as the twittery, repressed Alice, a role that’s frustratingly inconsistent. She works best as the supportive, frazzled spouse, but her “throwing Noah under the bus” during the doc scenes and a later foray into the “adult services industry” (didn’t Streisand do that over 40 years ago in FOR PETE’S SAKE) arrive right out of left field. As talented as she is (and she’s been the only bright spot in some many flicks) Bell can’t make her more than a cliché. Helms, as her spouse Noah, does a spirited twist on his “aggressive nerd” form THE HANGOVER trilogy and TV’s “The Office” while showing us the fragile side of the guy’s psyche. Heard is a glorious, glamorous “flower child” as Fanny as she makes the Bohemian fashions and attitude feel fresh and new. Cenac brings a laid-back snark to Zander, a “chill dude’ who’s more “of this world” than he lets on around his “lady”. The most fascinating pair may be Reiser and Steenburgen. She’s been doing great work recently on TV’s “The Last Man on Earth”, and her Cybil is another cynical, dour woman who will not tolerate any nonsense. She looks at her hubby with dead eyes, thinking he’s a clown, but really more dismayed by he own choices. The story’s hero may be Reiser’s Harvey, who stand up to Vivian and will not let Cybil give up on them. While many of his roles have been as a twitchy neurotic, Reiser this time out conveys an inner strength that propels Harvey to fight for their love.
This is the second feature film from the multi-talented Lake Bell, after her auspicious debut four years ago with IN A WORLD. That film was fresh and fascinating, an insider’s view of the unseen world of the voice artist, a family dynamic laced with loads of “tinsel town” feuds and fights. I wish I could say the same for the follow-up, with several plots that barely connect (the Harvey/Alice thread is the most frayed). Everyone seems to bounce off of Vivian until the nearly incoherent finale where the couple almost band together for a “Marriage is Marvy!” music number, complete with, believe it or not, somebody going into labor (really, again?). It just feels too close to some of the cloying big cast holiday comedies from the late Gary Marshall. Let’s hope that Bell gets much better material for her much-anticipated third feature (maybe a return to the sound booth, please), rather than this uneven farce that’s a poor mix of elements from other films (the earlier mentioned REAL LIFE, PARENTHOOD, and many others). I DO…UNTIL I DON’T just doesn’t cut …the ole’ movie wedding cake.
2 Out of 4
I DO…UNTIL I DON’T opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas
As part of a larger partnership to bring the best animation to the big screen, GKIDS, the acclaimed distributor of multiple Academy Award®-nominated animated features, and Fathom Events are bringing “Mune: Guardian of the Moon” to U.S. movie theaters for its cinematic debut. Moviegoers will plunge into a world of wonder, magic and beauty in this fantastical animated adventure from the producers of “The Little Prince,” which hailed by critics as “Stunning! Captivating! Like a made-for-children Avatar!” (Le Monde).
“Mune: Guardian of the Moon” will be in movie theaters nationwide for one day only on Saturday, August 12, 2017 at 12:55 p.m. local time. The French produced film is being released in a new English language version featuring: Rob Lowe (Sohone), Christian Slater(Leyoon), Patton Oswalt (Mox), Ed Helms (Spleen) and Jeff Dunham (Phospho). The program also includes GKIDS MINIFEST a super-fun, super-condensed festival of the best short animation from around the world. The release of “Mune: Guardian of the Moon” continues the partnership between GKIDS and Fathom Events, who are bringing six masterpieces from the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli to theaters this year.
Tickets for “Mune: Guardian of the Moon” can be purchased online by visiting www.FathomEvents.com, www.munemovie.com or at participating theater box offices. Moviegoers throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 350 movie theaters. For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
“We are thrilled to be bringing ‘Mune’ to U.S. movie theaters for the first time as part of our ongoing partnership with GKIDS,” Fathom Events CEO John Rubey said. “This title was created to be experienced on the big screen and enjoyed with fans and friends, and this event will give audiences a chance to do just that.”
“This is a magical, hugely entertaining, absolutely stunning film that has been wowing audiences young and old on the festival circuit,” said Eric Beckman, GKIDS CEO. “Now families and fantasy film lovers across America will get a chance to see it in theaters.”
As legend has it, the first Guardian of the Sun threw a harpoon into the cosmos and roped the sun to bring light and warmth to all of humanity. Then the Guardian of the Moon lured the moon to the Land of Darkness to provide a balance to
the sun and supply the world with dreams. At a ceremony to appoint the two new guardians, an accident seems to occur: the heir apparent is passed over, and the title of Guardian of the Moon is bestowed on the waif-like creature, Mune, a small forest faun who is unprepared to take on such a weighty responsibility. This news excites Necross, the nefarious ruler of the Underworld, who decides to prey on Mune’s weakness and steal the sun for himself. Now it is up to unlikely hero Mune and his friend Glim to save the sun and restore order to the world.
