Bridesmaids (2011) Review

In the trifecta of the lovely SNL ladies, I’ll admit that Kristen Wiig was always the one that slipped under the radar for me. Sure, I knew who she was and enjoyed watching her in the occasional skit, but with Tina Fey and Amy Poher getting their own shows and making it big in a few movies, Wiig seemed almost destined to live in their shadow. But with , Wiig positions herself as a comedic rival to her sister SNL stars.
Down on her luck Annie (Kristen Wiig) is selected as the maid of honor for her best friend Lillian’s (Maya Rudolph) wedding. But when Helen (Rose Byrne) begins running every aspect of the wedding, Annie feels obliged to outdo the mild-mannered, well-to-do bridesmaid. Along the way, fellow bridesmaids Rita (Wendi McLendon-Covey), Becca (Ellie Kemper) and Megan (Melissa McCarthy) are caught up in-between the crossfire.

You Missed It: The 8 Most Unfairly Overlooked Movies Of 2010

When people look back on 2010 they'll remember the big blockbusters like Toy Story 3 or Iron Man 2. We'll still be talking about Inception or The Social Network. We'll keep obsessing over the inevitable award winners like Winter's Bone or even perhaps The King's Speech. You'll geek out with your friends about that night you went to see Tron: Legacy or force sure to be cult classics like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World on your buddies. Those movies, in one way or another, captured your attention.

Yet maybe you missed something. In a better world maybe we should have noticed these movies too. Maybe we should have actually shown up to see them. Maybe we should have been talking about them. These are the movies nearly everyone overlooked; good movies which somehow not nearly enough people saw, no one championed, and in some cases studios didn't even bother to market.

This isn't a list of critically acclaimed indies which didn't do well at the box office (they've already been endlessly championed, they had their shot), or films with huge fan followings which couldn't get anyone else to turn out (sorry Kick-Ass). Nor is this a list of movies which flopped at the box office but seem destined for cult success. These movies simply fell between the cracks and never really found the audience they deserved. When you're thinking back on this, you won't think of these films, but maybe you should. Consider giving these movies a second chance. Violent and strange, funny and endearing, gritty and sexy; they're the most unfairly overlooked movies of 2010.

Morning Glory
Morning Glory is probably best described as a peppy little movie and maybe it's the fact that it's so much fluff which kept anyone from taking it seriously enough to notice its existence. Fluff it is, but it's pretty good fluff. Rachel McAdams stars as a TV morning show producer driven to make her career through sheer effort and determination. She ends up paired with a cranky uncooperative newsman played by the seemingly permanently crotchety Harrison Ford. In another movie the story would end with McAdams' character realizing that she doesn't need a career so much as she needs a man, or some equally sexist, bullshit claptrap. Luckily this isn't a Katherine Heigl movie. Ford is delightfully unpleasant throughout, it's easily the best work he's done since 1997's Airforce One. McAdams is, well,

Christina Hendricks Would Still Like To Be Wonder Woman

Director Nicolas Winding Refn has already stated he wants  to play Wonder Woman, and studio execs at Warner Brothers have told him the success of his Logan’s Run remake will determine if he gets to make a Wonder Woman picture. Hendricks has already said she’d love to play the character. In other words, Hendricks recently telling  and Vulture that she’d like to play Wonder Woman isn’t a groundbreaking news flash, but it is about both Wonder Woman and Christina Hendricks and we have a picture gallery below. THIS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

Hendricks has repeatedly stated her admiration for Refn as a potential director for a Wonder Woman film. Among the many nice things she’s said about him, she told Vulture:

I did Drive was because of Nicolas Winding Refn,

Clooney’s ‘Descendants’ Leads LA Critics Awards

Caption Shailene Woodley and George Clooney step out the Los Angeles Premiere of ‘The Descendants’ in Beverly Hills, Calif. on November 15, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- ’s family drama “The Descendants” was chosen Sunday as the year’s best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, whose prizes are an early influence on the way to the Academy Awards.

From “Sideways” director Alexander Payne, “The

First Look at Kirsten Dunst and Jim Sturgess in Upside Down

New images from upcoming sci-fi romance Upside Down reveal a very nice looking film and a potentially great idea...

When the plot of upcoming romantic movie was revealed, we placed it straight in the box marked ‘interesting ideas to watch out for’. While films like In Time certainly never lived up to that title, we hope this one rises to the occasion.
These first look images certainly promise a large amount, and the pairing of credible rom-com queen Dunst and One Day’s Sturgess could be a match made in heaven. The film is about two star-crossed lovers separated by

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes 2

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 30

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 31

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 32

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 33

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 34

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 35

Hugh Jackman And His Eyes – 36

Lindsay Lohan Reportedly Recovers Stolen Purse, Minus Cash

 ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Lindsay Lohan sits in court during her probation violation hearing at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles on November 2, 2011Lindsay Lohan’s reported missing purse caper in Hawaii appears to have come to end, but the actress is out a huge amount cash.

Just a day after the actress’ purse, which contained her passport and probation paperwork allowing her to be in Hawaii for the weekend – was stolen, Lindsay reportedly recovered her bag.

According to TMZ,
the actress searched the party in Laie for hours looking for her missing bag, but found nothing. A man reportedly returned the bag to the actress – but reportedly, the $10,000 in cash Lindsay was carrying, was missing. The unidentified man reportedly said he found the bag, which contained everything but the cash, in the street.

Lindsay is due in court on Wednesday, where she

Scarlett Johansson Talks Personal ‘Ups & Downs’ Of 2011

Caption Scarlett Johansson chats with Access Hollywood in New York City on December 11, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- With her divorce from Ryan Reynolds finalized, nude photos leaked on the web and her love life under a microscope – not to mention filming a slew of high profile projects – had a rollercoaster year in 2011.

“I’ve had ups and downs. Certainly, this past year has been a lot of unexpected things in many beautiful ways, many challenging ways,” the 27-year-old actress told Access Hollywood over the weekend, while promoting her latest movie, “We Bought a Zoo.”

“You just have to kind of embrace it. For me, the most important thing is that it doesn’t affect my work and it doesn’t affect my private life as much as possible,” she continued. “If I could keep that bubble around myself during my work, that is really what’s most important for me.”

The actress, who filmed “The Avengers” and is currently

Lily Collins Reveals How ‘Mirror Mirror’ Differs From Other Snow White Project

Caption Lily Collins as Snow White in “The Brothers Grimm: Snow White”

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Lily Collins takes on one of the most beloved fairytale characters ever in the upcoming “Mirror Mirror,” and she knows her journey as Snow White will be very different than Kristen Stewart’s, who plays the same princess in “Snow White & The Huntsman.”

“Our Snow White starts off as the fairytale princess we all know and love and then she progresses into a young woman and much of a fighter, but it’s not an edgy version of the story or a darker version. It’s very much a comedic adventure and I think the other one is a little darker,” Lily, who has seen some of the other ‘s script, told Access Hollywood guest correspondent Elizabeth Chambers during a recent set visit.

“The images of our films are very, very different,” Lily continued. “They’re both kind of untold stories, so you know they’re different in their own ways.”

Lily actually auditioned for both Snow White roles.

“I did read the other Snow White script,” she told Elizabeth, the wife of Lily’s co-star, Armie Hammer. “I auditioned for it, but I’ve been so excited for Kristen. I think that story is so different than ours and the girls are so different. She’s perfect for her version, and I’m really excited to be doing this one and I think they have totally different audiences.”

New “Girl Fight” Clip From MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL

 

On Thursday, Paramount Pictures released a new clip from the upcoming fourth chapter in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise. Watch this “Girl Fight” between Lea Seydoux and Paula Patton.
Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates “Ghost Protocol.” Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency’s name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.
Tom Cruise returns in the starring role as Ethan Hunt and is joined by an international cast that includes Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor and Lea Seydoux. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is directed by Brad Bird, in his live action film debut, and written by Josh Appelbaum & Andre Nemec. Cruise, who produces the Mission: Impossible films, is joined by producers J.J. Abrams

WISH YOU WERE HERE Trailer Features Joel Edgerton

Watch the new trailer for - a psychological drama starring Joel Edgerton, Teresa Palmer, Felicity Price and Antony Starr. The film will have its world premiere on opening night at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2012.

Four friends lose themselves in the fun of a carefree South East Asian holiday. Only three return home. Dave and Alice come back to their young family desperate for answers about Jeremy’s mysterious disappearance. When Alice’s sister, Steph, returns not long after, a nasty secret is revealed about the night her boyfriend went missing. But it is only the first of many. Who among them knows what happened on that fateful night when they were dancing under a full moon in Cambodia?
It was written by Kieran Darcy-Smith and Felicity Price, directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith and produced by Angie Fielder of the award-winning, independent production company Aquarius Films, in association with the acclaimed indie directors collective Blue-Tongue Films.
WISH YOU WERE HERE was shot on location in Sydney and Cambodia.

 

MICHAEL JACKSON : THE LIFE OF AN ICON Giveaway

One of the most recognizable and popular entertainers of all time, Michael Jackson has changed the face of music. Since we know a lot of you are Michael Jackson fans, WAMG is giving you a chance to see him like never before by giving away DVD copies of the new, feature-length tribute MICHAEL JACKSON :THE LIFE OF AN ICON.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT WITH A U.S. MAILING ADDRESS. 

GATOR BAIT Screens at Schlafly Bottleworks Next Week !

 

Webster University’s Strange Brew film series, the first Wednesday evening of every month, always features a fun cult movie  at the Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar in Maplewood (7260 Southwest Ave. – at Manchester – Maplewood, MO 63143). SUSPIRIA, THE TWILIGHT ZONE MOVIE, HEAD, and TARANTULA are a few of the movies they’ve screened in the past that went well with some St. Louis-brewed suds and next week, December 7th,  they’re venturing into NOT Available on DVD territory with the 1974 swampsploitation opus GATOR BAIT starring ’70s Drive-in goddess Claudia Jennings.
Imagine if Russ Meyer had directed DELIVERANCE and that might give you an idea of the berserk backwoods hijinks to be found in GATOR BAIT. It’s a simple story about murder and retribution starring the heavenly Jennings as Desiree Thibodeau, a ‘purty’ rural  wildcat who hunts down the bunch of toothless hillbillies who had raped and killed her younger sister. Snakes, guns, swamps, incest, nekkid women, and high speed johnboat chases are all ingredients of the tasty Cajun stew that is GATOR BAIT.
Beverly and Ferd Sebastian were a husband and wife writer/director team that made a string of low-budget sleazefests in the ‘70s (including SINGLE GIRLS, also starring Ms Jennings) and GATOR BAIT is their finest hour. In 1988 they made GATOR BAIT 2: CAJUN JUSTICE starring Jan MacKenzie but it was a pale imitation of the original. GATOR BAIT has achieved cult status thanks to the presence of its sexy star Claudia Jennings. Born in 1949, Ms Jennings took a job as a receptionist at the offices of Playboy magazine in 1968, was discovered there and became Playboy’s Miss November 1969. Less busty than most 60′s Playboy models, Jennings had a healthy, all-American cheerleader type of good looks and was crowned 1970′s Playmate of the Year. After her Playboy stint, Jennings became a low-budget movie star and reigned as “Queen of the Drive-In” for a brief period in the mid-70′s. UNHOLY ROLLERS (1973) was her first starring role followed by GROUP MARRIAGE (1973), THE SINGLE GIRLS, and TRUCK STOP WOMEN (all1974), and (among others) THE GREAT TEXAS DYNAMITE CHASE (1977). She was

Win Passes To The YOUNG ADULT Screening In St. Louis

In another great performance, Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron plays Mavis Gary, a writer of teen literature who returns to her small hometown to reclaim her happily married high school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson). When returning home proves more difficult than she thought,

NEW YEAR’S EVE (2011) – The Review

 

Seems that not that long ago holidays were almost the exclusive domain of horror flicks ( thanks in no small part to John Carpenter’s 1978 classic HALLOWEEN ). This extended to other calendar dates like certain Fridays and even birthdays. With the release last year of VALENTINE’S DAY the “rom-com” has decided to horn in on the cineplex action thanks to TV sitcom master ( his trifecta being ” Happy Days “, ” Laverne and Shirley ” and ” Mork and Mindy ” ) turned movie comic kingpin ( PRETTY WOMAN ) Gary Marshall. Now Mr. M has decided to take on another big ( usually romantic ) holiday with New Year’s Eve and once again he’s assembled another gang of big stars ( with two returnees from last year ). We’ve haven’t opened our presents under the tree yet ( some of us haven’t even begun shopping ), so is this early cinema offering a

American Reunion recreates first American Pie poster

 

This brand new poster has phasers set firmly to nostalgia, as American Reunion creeps ever closer

Ah, 1999. The year we all partied like it was the year it actually was. Back when Britney was just an uncomplicated schoolgirl urging domestic violence, when the Wachowski brothers brought Keanu Reeves back from the dead, and when everything from your NUS card to your advent calendar came branded with Pikachu.

The folk behind American Reunion remember 1999, and to prove it they’ve recreated the first American Pie poster with the same cast eleven years on.

Thanks to the miracles of Photoshop and regular Botulinum toxin facial injections, the cast look mercifully similar to their younger selves. There are minimal wrinkles, weight gain or hair loss, though there is now a pain behind Tara Reid’s eyes that wasn’t there in the first one. What happened to you Tara? What did they do?

American Reunion comes to UK cinemas in April, written and directed by the folk behind A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas,, which, if this sort of thing appeals to you, you could do worse than see this festive season.

Rihanna gets a grill, Nicki Minaj and Madonna kissy-poo for 'Love' video

In today's diva dish, R&B songstress Rihanna gets a dental assistant's gloved hand in her mouth - and records it! - while Nicki Minaj engages in a sloppy, girl-on-girl makeout session with an elder stateswoman of pop. Honestly, does it get any better?

Let's start with Rihanna, shall we? In a just-released video promoting the shoot for her "Talk That Talk" music video "You Da One", the Barbadian pop sensation is seen being fitted for a grill - with fangs! - to be featured in the upcoming clip.

Such a rebel!

Of course, Rihanna doesn't exactly have time to hit the local dentist's office - she's on tour! Meaning the dentist's office has to come to her, namely backstage at the O2 Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Gosh, being famous is

Marisa Tomei and Joshua Jackson will be 'Inescapable' in upcoming thriller

Oscar winner Marisa Tomei and "Fringe" star Joshua Jackson are joining the political thriller "Inescapable" for writer-director Ruba Nadda ("Cairo Time").

They join lead actor Alexander Siddig

Selena Gomez joins Spring Breakers alongside James Franco and Emma Roberts

Indie crime drama Spring Breakers has added another young actress to its cast, this time in the form of Disney alumni Selena Gomez...

Harmony Korine’s indie drama Spring

New Year's Eve review

Genre: 

Romantic-Comedy

1

Garry Marshall has managed to cram in even more stars for his latest holiday-themed rom-com, and this time they're celebrating New Year's Eve...

When Garry Marshall’s Valentine’s Day emerged a couple of years ago to scathing reviews, everyone announced the tentatively developing ensemble rom-com 'genre' dead in the water. Well, no one seems to have told Marshall, who’s now created a follow-up holiday movie, much like a child would assemble a particularly mundane jigsaw puzzle of the hottest box-office stars of the moment.
The film, which takes place over one day and culminates in New York City’s Times Square, stars the head-spinning cast of Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Robert De Niro, Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Seth Meyers, Katherine Heigl, Jon Bon