Tag: jack black

Geekscape Movie Reviews: Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot

by MCDave

With over three decades as a filmmaker, Gus Van Sant’s firsthand knowledge of the industry’s highs and lows can’t be questioned. He began as an independent voice in the 80s and early 90s, quickly capturing the attention of critics and artistic devotees, only to blossom into a more mainstream figure following the overwhelmingly successful Good Will Hunting, a personal favorite of mine. And since then, Van Sant has continued to “wow” audiences with celebrated titles such as the Oscar contender Milk and his hypnotic Cannes winner Elephant, while also churning out commercial duds like the 1998 Psycho remake. This time around Van Sant teams with notable talents Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill and Rooney Mara to bring the grueling true story of paraplegic and famed cartoonist, John Callahan, to life in his Sundance selection, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot.

Chemically dependent on alcohol from a very young age, John Callahan (Phoenix) becomes even more resentful of the world when a night of insane binge drinking results in a tragic car accident that leaves him confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. John continues to drown his sorrows with copious amounts of alcohol until a profound epiphany sends him to AA where he begins sobering up under the tutelage of Donnie (Jonah Hill), a homosexual sponsor who imparts valuable wisdom on his many “piglets” striving for sobriety. And as John navigates through his emotional baggage with the program’s 12 essential steps, he also discovers a form of catharsis with his darkly comedic cartoon illustrations that eventually grow to become a national hit.

He Won’t Get Far on Foot becomes a showcase for its performers, as the film’s limited scope gives way to vast bouts of dialogue that push the onus onto this skilled crop of actors and actresses to shine bright. The always fantastic Joaquin Phoenix does just that, gifting audiences with another terrific turn which beautifully encapsulates the strange and complex mind behind a true comedic genius. Yet, Phoenix is anything but alone in his conquests. Co-stars Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara and Jack Black all provide dynamic supporting work that, in turn, help make this occasionally sluggish viewing experience quite tolerable. A slimmed-down and bearded Jonah Hill is a spiritual Zen-master of sorts, possessing a Jesus-like aura that lights the way for John’s tumultuous path to sobriety. But despite these many exceptional performances, He Won’t Get Far on Foot suffers from many lulls, due in large part to the script’s repetitive nature. Although the film is widely outstretched and only marginally funny, Gus Van Sant still delivers an earnest character study that’s undeniably highlighted by its uber-talented cast.

GRADE: 3.5/5

For more reviews, trailers and movie lists visit MCDAVE’s new host site

History Announces Late-Night Comedy Block; Dan Harmon To Helm Flagship Show

by Shane O'Hare

The History Channel announced today that they are launching a new late night comedy block, and Dan Harmon will be in charge of the flagship program!

Entitled Night Class, the block will feature “short format” shows all centered around Historical facts but with a comedic twist. The first three shows in the block all sound entertaining as hell.

Great Minds with Dan Harmon features the man himself purchasing a time machine, and subsequently getting visited by history’s greatest minds. He then brings them out into modern society to see how they react. The show will feature the talent of: Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, Jason Sudeikis, Dana Carvey, Aubrey Plaza, Kristen Schaal, Nick Kroll, Scott Adsit, Andy Dick, Ron Funches, Paul F. Tompkins, Thomas Middleditch and Robert Smigel. That’s a whole lot of talent!

Crossroads of History is created and written by Elizabeth Shapiro and promises to touch on mostly unknown moments in history that had gigantic affects. Such as President Lincoln’s alcoholic bodyguard skipping out on his duty when the President decided to catch a show at the Ford Theater. The show will feature the likes of Lou Diamond Phillips, Brian Baumgartner, Angela Kinsey, Keir O’DOnnell, Mack McBrayer, Wayne Knight, Liioyd Ahlquist and Paul Scheer.

How to Lose the Presidency will feature real moments and clips from presidential hopefuls that ultimately helped cement their failure at winning the Oval Office.

These shows fall on the heels of light hearted programming such as Craig Ferguson’s Join or Die, and a panel show hosted by comedians from a few years back. Seriously, I vividly remember watching a “I Love The 90’s” style show that was funny as hell, but cannot remember the name of it for the life of me. I dare you to find it among the list of History’s past programming.

Night Class premiers Thursday, February 25th at 11:30 PM PST.

‘Goosebumps’ Is Getting An Adventure Game, And It’s Launching Next Week!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: I’m not sure how this game’s existence eluded me for so long, but WayForward Technologies has crafted a video game tie-in to the upcoming Goosebumps movie, and it’s set to launch on almost everything next week!

WayForward took to the official Playstation Blog today to tell us all about the first-person point-and-click adventure title, which they promise is true to the beloved series of children’s books and is not your typical crappy tie in.

In the game, you’ll “need to use your wits to investigate the surroundings, puzzle out clues, and outsmart the monsters before it’s too late! Survive a trek through your neighborhood, unravel the mysteries of the Dead House, and sneak through the mall after hours; only then can you confront Slappy and stop his plans for revenge! Players beware… you’re in for a scare in the exciting Goosebumps video game.”

WayForward director Tom Hulett writes that “I’m not satisfied if the game is merely Goosebumps-flavored, or brand-adjacent. I couldn’t sleep if the game felt like anything less than an authentic Goosebumps product with all the hallmarks that entails. It also helped that we were able to visit Sony Pictures to screen the film early on to provide inspiration and insight into the direction of the movie to help set up the prequel story.”

As with most 90’s kids, the Goosebumps brand was a huge part of my childhood. Over the years I ended up with boxes and boxes filled with R.L’s unique brand of child-friendly horror, and I’m beyond excited to relive some of those memories with this month’s Goosebumps movie, and now this adventure game.

Goosebumps: The Game will launch on October 13th for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, and 3DS. Take a look at the debut trailer below, and let us know what you think!

You’re In For A Scare In The ‘Goosebumps’ Trailer

by Shane O'Hare

When it was first announced, some time ago, that Jack Black would be starring in a Goosebumps movie we we’re all a bit skeptical. Then this trailer came out.

This movie looks fun. Looks damn fun! I admittedly, never ever read any of the Goosebumps books as a kid. I watched The Haunted Mask Movie and was scarred as a child.

This trailer is the perfect combination of nostalgia and heartwarming kids comedy.

Goosebumps hits theaters September 25th!

R.L. Stine And Scholastic Have Great Plans For ‘Goosebumps’ This Month!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Goosebumps was an absolutely massive part of my childhood. I still recall researching and looking forward to every new book release, and ordering whenever possible from my school’s monthly Scholastic Book Order.

As you probably know (and as we totally covered back at SDCC), a Goosebumps feature film is finally set to release in August of next year. To celebrate, and because it’s totally October, “R.L. Stine will host his third Scholastic social media takeover on Thursday, October 30. And to further bewitch fans, Scholastic will unleash a revamped Goosebumps website, social media pages and brand-new book as well as host a special event featuring R.L. Stine at The Scholastic Store in Manhattan, and more!”

I’m down.

Here’s what’s happening:

– On October 30 from 2-3:30pm EST, R.L. Stine will be “trick or tweeting” with fans through social media in a can’t-miss live chat. Stine will share jokes, trivia, videos and images, plus answer questions from participants, who will also have a chance to win collectible Goosebumps prizes. Creatures from coast-to-coast can join in the conversation by using #31DaysofGoosebumps to post on the Scholastic accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram, or via the Goosebumps Facebook page and newly-launched Goosebumps Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram feeds. It’s sure to be a scream!

 

Additional ways for fans to get Goosebumps:

-Online: Fans can visit the interactive new mobile-friendly Goosebumps website, www.scholastic.com/goosebumps, to play engaging games and activities such as “Monster Blood” and “Which Monster Are You?”; check-out the author events calendar and news spotlight; discuss all things Goosebumps in a community forum; and review a full list of books and TV episodes, so they’ll be sure never to miss a new title or show!

 

-In New York City: R.L. Stine himself will treat kids and families to a Halloween-themed afternoon, as he reads and signs some of the best-loved Goosebumps books at The Scholastic Store on Saturday, October 18, at 2pm EST!
With a new book: Young monsters can sink their teeth into “12 Screams of Christmas,” a special edition book and the latest title in the Goosebumps: Most Wanted series that follows the brand’s most infamous characters!
Through iTunes and Netflix: Families can now catch all 74 edge-of-your-seat Goosebumps episodes on iTunes and Netflix, this Halloween and anytime!

 

-On TV: Kids can tune-in to the Goosebumps TV series for ghastly laughs on The Hub Network!

 

And things will get even spookier in Times Square, when R.L.Stine and Scholastic Media President Deborah Forte ring the bell for the close of the NASDAQ stock market on Halloween, Friday, October 31, at 4pm EST.

I can’t wait to see more from the Goosebumps film, an I think I’m probably overdue for a Netflix binge. Are you looking forward to the film? Sound out below!

SDCC 2014: There Is Going To Be A ‘Goosebumps’ Movie!

by Kari Lane

One of the panels I made sure to attend at Comic-Con was Sony Pictures Entertainment, simply because they were going to talk about the new Goosebumps movie. What?! A Goosebumps movie! I am so there! I have read almost every book in the series, loved them, and still have my original copies.

Goosebumps, if you are not aware, is a highly successful (over 400 million books sold worldwide) children’s book series by R.L. Stine that were published in the 90s. The stories feature young protagonists who encounter scary monsters/creatures/situations then have to use their wits and imagination to conquer their fears or overcome evil. The stories often feature a twist ending so you could say they are Twilight Zone horror stories for kids.

There was a television series based on the books that came out in the mid 90s that did pretty well, but personally, I did not care for it. Though the books have humor, I felt the series was cheesy but not in a good way. At first I was a little skeptical of the idea of a film, but after the panel, I am looking forward to watching it!

The panel started with a video introduction by R.L. Stine himself! Instead of the film being based on one particular book in the series, it focuses on the life of R.L. Stine (in a fictional way). The plot of the film, as explained by Rob Letterman, the film’s director, is “What if all of R.L. Stine’s creatures got loose?” Who could possibly play the part of the famous writer? Well, it is going to be none other than Jack Black.

Goosebumps3
A cartoon version of R.L. Stine with some of his monsters
 
 

They actually just finished filming two days before the panel and were able to show us a teaser trailer for the film (with only super basic FX). It looked really cool! It had action, humor, creepiness and the quality looked good. Following the trailer, Jack Black and Rob Letterman answered questions from the audience. Based on the questions, fans of Goosebumps are VERY attached to the series. One kid asked Jack Black if he has read all of the books in the series to which he replied that he had “read quite a few but not all.” Then Black joked that there are a lot of books in the series and to give him some time to finish them all. Black also commented on how he enjoys the series because as an adult they are a quick read.

goosebumps4
Jack Black talking about the film
 
 

Will this be a movie for kids? How scary did they make it? They did not “want to undercut the scares, so there will be some real tension and some humor”, said Letterman. Both Letterman and Black commented on how they have kids of their own and they wanted to make the film for kids and adults alike.

Goosebumps1
Reacting to a giant monster
 
 

Which stories will be represented in the film? Letterman said that they “…figured out the ones that were appropriate for the story they were telling.” Black and Letterman somewhat hinted at which monsters will be in the movie but they wanted to leave it a surprise. One person asked how many monsters are in film and it was funny that they could not recall exactly how many. Speaking of the monsters, some will be pure CGI, some are all makeup/practical FX and some are a hybrid of both.

Goosebump3
A funny moment in the teaser trailer where the monsters where told it was over and to go away
 
 

Letterman and Black both said Night of the Living Dummy was their favorite in the series and, at the end of the panel, Slappy himself came out on stage! It looks like Slappy is going to be a major villain in the film and apparently he is like R.L. Stine’s alter ego.  Slappy took over the panel by ushering in a bunch of monsters that dragged Jack Black away. It was a fitting ending for such a panel.

goosebumps5
Jack Black talking to Slappy
 
 
goosebumps6
Right before Jack Black was taken away by the monsters! There were so many of them that they covered the stage!
 
 
 
Goosebump2
Beware of Slappy!
 
 

Goosebumps the film is scheduled to come out August 5th, 2015, and I know I will be checking it out!

Geekscape Roundtable: Reasons For Living in a Post-Avengers World

by GeekscapeStaff

The Avengers has come and gone, having assembled close to a billion dollars worldwide. What’s your reason for living now? Geekscape’s writers have a few reasons to survive at least through the end of the summer. Spoiler alert: It’s Prometheus.

Matt Blackwood: Indies and Gingers

After The Avengers, I am most looking forward to a couple indies. I know that sounds pretentious, and I certainly don’t want to impugn the inherent buzz of this summer’s blockbusters, but these two particular films each have something about which I’m even more excited. The first is God Bless America, Bobcat Goldthwait’s bloody indictment of reality TV’s subjects. Goldthwait’s previous two comedies, Sleeping Dogs Lie and World’s Greatest Dad, began with sick, over-the-top premises and ended up transcending their genre trappings and becoming beautiful messages of hope. The other film is Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz. I’m not proud of the reason I’m excited about this one, but I’ll show up for Sarah Silverman’s rumored full frontal and stay for the nuanced drama Polley has become known for.

I’m also pretty hopeful about Prometheus. I love Alien; hell, I even love Alien Resurrection! A new horror/sci-fi set in that universe, with Damon Lindelof involved? I’m intrigued. Plus, according to the Gambler’s Fallacy, Ridley Scott is due to make the greatest movie of all time by now.

Finally, there’s Pixar’s Brave. Pixar probably has a better critical batting average than any studio in history, the sad bunt that was Cars 2 notwithstanding, but I usually don’t make an effort to see them. If you have ANY children in your life- cousins, students, illegitimate offspring- you WILL see them whether you want to or not. They are inevitable. I haven’t tried to see one since The Incredibles, and yet I’ve caught them all. But Brave, the tale of a young Scottish girl following her dream of being a highland warrior, is a story I’ll make a trip to the theater to see.

Haterz Gonna Hate

Jae Renfrow: Aliens Resurrected 

So now you’re aimless wandering around, wondering what you’ll do now that you’ve finally gotten to see Thor and Hulk square off on the big screen. Why don’t you come hop aboard the Prometheus train with me? We’re invited(….or are we?) to a far off planet where we’ll get to witness Ridley Scott direct a sort-of prequel to one of the greatest horror films of all time, Alien.

Prometheus has had one of the best ad-campaigns in a long time. Instead of over exposing you with TV spots, 10 minute scene clips and Japanese trailers, they’re dropping wacked out viral clips of futuristic TED talks, and Michael Fassbender showing more range as a soulless robot than Jeremy Renner did as Hawkeye. I’m just sayin’… he didn’t have much to do, did he?

I still don’t know what the hell is gonna happen in this movie, but what I can guarantee is that whatever aliens are in this movie, they’ll be 100% more menacing then those wussy Chitauri and their Jet Motos.

Scott Alminiana: Cock Push Ups

Now that The Avengers has decimated the box office I can now look forward to a few other things. The first thing that I’m looking forward to is the new album from Tenacious D: The Rize of The Fenix. It’s the first album from Tenacious D since The Pick of Destiny movie and album crashed and burned six years ago. To promote the album The D has released two videos so far that prove that Tenacious D is back in fine form and ready to rock our socks off. They will also be touring in concert to coincide with the album release and you can bet I’ve got my tickets already!

The other thing I’m looking forward to is Prometheus, the long awaited return to sci-fi from Ridley Scott. What isn’t there to look forward to from this flick?! From Ridley’s return to the genre that he helped to redefine, to a script from Damon Lindelof that looks to explore some very big unanswered questions from Alien. If the trailers that have been released are any indication of what’s in store for us, then it looks like Prometheus could be one hell of a movie. I’ll be waiting in line opening night for sure.

Heidi Hilliker: It’ll end better than The Dark Tower

Locke & Key Clockworks #6 (of 6)! This last story arc of my beloved series has been epic… And epic might even be an understatement! There’s been so much back story revealed about the drowning caves, the Omega Key, the Black Door, how keys are made, Rendell Locke and the mysteriously evil Dodge. Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez never cease to surprise me with inventive and fascinating information. I can’t wait to see how this chapter concludes and how they set up for the final story arc of the series.

I’m having such a double edge sword of emotions about this titles conclusion. I hate to see this book come to a close but I love the nervous excitement of finding out how it ends! The release date for issue #6 is June 27th. I hope that is pretty spot on. IDW has been known to come in late on Locke & Key’s release dates. I’ll be biting my nails until I get to visually devour this issue so it better be released on time or else I’m going to end up with hobbit fingers.

Molly Mahan: Queen of the Browncoats

The next flick I’m looking forward to is Snow White & The Huntsman. Though I’m not a big fan of K-Stew, I do love me some deconstructionist fairy tales! Also, I am hoping to see Chris Hemsworth be interesting in a movie again. After two weeks of his performances boring me to tears, I am hoping he’ll return to his Star Trek roots and give an emotional performance that I know he’s more than capable of. Or at least hack some Wicked Queen’s men to pieces with an axe. Either way, I’ll be satisfied.

Matt  Kelly: King of Logic

Look, I know everyone has been excited for Avengers and Spiderman and Batman. And with good reason- they look like great movies. They’re everything a geek has dreamed of one day seeing on the silver screen. But I’m not one of those people. Sure I’m going to see all three of those films in theater, but the movie this summer that I can not wait to experience is the sequel to the best 3D film in the last decade. I’m talking about Piranha 3DD. This movie is promising plenty of gore, boobage, laugh out loud comedy and over the top in your face 3D action… Sign me the fuck up.

The Chitauri are coming!