Director Brian Levant reveals in a new interview that John Goodman did not want to reprise his role of Fred Flintstone in a sequel to the 1994 film, The Flintstones.
In an interview with Total Film, Levant said Goodman went so far as to go to film producer Steven Spielberg, begging for a way out. Goodman starred as Fred alongside Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O’Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, and Halle Berry in the live action film of the modern Stone Age family.
After having a rough experience throughout filming, Goodman spoke with Spielberg, asking to escape the production of a sequel that was being discussed.
Levant said the plan was to do the same thing with The Flintstones that they did with Back to the Future and shoot back-to-back. But Goodman made an appointment with Spielberg and said, “Please don’t make me do any more of these.”
Goodman didn’t...
In an interview with Total Film, Levant said Goodman went so far as to go to film producer Steven Spielberg, begging for a way out. Goodman starred as Fred alongside Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O’Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, and Halle Berry in the live action film of the modern Stone Age family.
After having a rough experience throughout filming, Goodman spoke with Spielberg, asking to escape the production of a sequel that was being discussed.
Levant said the plan was to do the same thing with The Flintstones that they did with Back to the Future and shoot back-to-back. But Goodman made an appointment with Spielberg and said, “Please don’t make me do any more of these.”
Goodman didn’t...
- 5/10/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
30 years after its release, director Brian Levant's "The Flintstones" remains an incredible-looking movie. The 1994 live-action take on Hanna-Barbera's famous prehistoric cartoon sitcom is littered with astonishingly detailed practical sets bringing the primitive suburbia known as Bedrock to colorful life. Equally remarkable are the practical animatronics used to realize the various critters that function as household items in the "Flintstones" universe, including a "garbage disposal" in the form of a Stone Age pig-like creature known as the Pigosaurus and the sassy "recording device" known as the Dictabird. Tragically, though, the movie's original puppet for the Flintstones' pet dinosaur, a Snorkasaurus named Dino, was replaced with a CGI version during development, as detailed in Patrick (H) Willems' excellent video essay, "The Rise And Fall Of Muppet Cinema."
The problem with "The Flintstones," is, well, everything else. Being rooted in mid-20th-century suburban stereotypes, the characters from the "Flintstones" cartoon aren't substantial...
The problem with "The Flintstones," is, well, everything else. Being rooted in mid-20th-century suburban stereotypes, the characters from the "Flintstones" cartoon aren't substantial...
- 5/1/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Jake Lloyd played Anakin Skywalker in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace and left the limelight shortly after the film’s release.
In a new interview, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa Lloyd, updated the public on her son and dispelled rumors that had plagued the Star Wars community for many years.
Lisa talked to Scripps News and said her son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008 after struggling and talking about living in different realities, seeing people with “black eyes,” and mentioning having conversations with The Daily Show host Jon Stewart.
On top of that, Jake seemed to have a neurological condition called anosognosia, which causes a patient to be in denial about their symptoms.
“He didn’t think he needed to take medication because he wasn’t sick,” Lisa said. “He didn’t think he needed to go to the therapist because there’s nothing wrong with him.
In a new interview, Lloyd’s mother, Lisa Lloyd, updated the public on her son and dispelled rumors that had plagued the Star Wars community for many years.
Lisa talked to Scripps News and said her son was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008 after struggling and talking about living in different realities, seeing people with “black eyes,” and mentioning having conversations with The Daily Show host Jon Stewart.
On top of that, Jake seemed to have a neurological condition called anosognosia, which causes a patient to be in denial about their symptoms.
“He didn’t think he needed to take medication because he wasn’t sick,” Lisa said. “He didn’t think he needed to go to the therapist because there’s nothing wrong with him.
- 3/13/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Back in 1996, movie titan Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most notable ventures away from laying waste to camouflaged aliens, gunning down police stations and impaling mad Aussies, was in the comedies Kindergarten Cop and Twins. They were both decent movies, but Twins in particular was an unusual and surprising move for the Austrian Oak. However, it did ultimately turn out to be a fairly good movie, mainly thanks to the unlikely chemistry between Arnie and the great Danny De Vito. Twins was a financial success but the relative critical bashing Arnie’s next movie would get, the admittedly decent Eraser from 1996, meant he was in need of career resurgence.
So, what better way to go about kickstarting his slightly stuttering career than to throw himself head first into very unfamiliar territory: the Christmas movie. On the face of it, it probably seemed like a good idea; after all, both Twins and Kindergarten Cop...
So, what better way to go about kickstarting his slightly stuttering career than to throw himself head first into very unfamiliar territory: the Christmas movie. On the face of it, it probably seemed like a good idea; after all, both Twins and Kindergarten Cop...
- 12/17/2023
- by Adam Walton
- JoBlo.com
By now, we've all come to accept Arnold Schwarzenegger in pretty much any acting role he feels like filling. We've seen him follow a complete arc from action hero to comedy star to real-life politician, and at this point, it's become normal that he once played Danny Devito's brother and a male scientist that impregnated himself. In 1996's "Jingle All The Way," director Brian Levant showed us Schwarzenegger as just an ordinary family man, shortly after James Cameron portrayed him as a secret agent that defrauds his family into believing he's an average guy. He might not always be very believable in any of these roles, but he's far more convincing than he has any right to be.
In 2022, we've gotten used to these performances, and we can look back with nostalgia, numb to the absurdity of them all. But back in 1990, the idea of casting Schwarzenegger as the...
In 2022, we've gotten used to these performances, and we can look back with nostalgia, numb to the absurdity of them all. But back in 1990, the idea of casting Schwarzenegger as the...
- 11/12/2022
- by Walter Roberts
- Slash Film
As quickly as the summer movie season of 2021 seemed to come upon us, it’s already about to begin its long, languid slide through the dog days of August into fall. That’s not to say that theaters won’t still have plenty of interesting fare to encounter, with films like The Suicide Squad, Free Guy, Respect, Candyman and The Night House all on deck. Hopefully the other hideous sequel happening at the moment — Pandemic 2: The Delta Variant — won’t set any of these potential hits back.
In the spirit of keeping August entertaining, Netflix is rolling out a slew of new streaming additions as well, including an underrated Spielberg gem, fantastic teen comedies both old and new, a couple of stoner classics and perhaps the finest film from the canon of one of the modern era’s most revered directors. We’ve rounded up our recommendations below, and...
In the spirit of keeping August entertaining, Netflix is rolling out a slew of new streaming additions as well, including an underrated Spielberg gem, fantastic teen comedies both old and new, a couple of stoner classics and perhaps the finest film from the canon of one of the modern era’s most revered directors. We’ve rounded up our recommendations below, and...
- 7/31/2021
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
Amanda Seyfried and Zac Efron are all set to voice the characters of Daphne and Fred in Warner Bros animated feature based on ‘Scooby Doo’.
The feature, which will be directed by Tony Cervone, will see the team partner up with other characters in the Hanna-Barbera universe to save the world from the evil Dick Dastardly.
Will Forte will play Shaggy, Gina Rodriguez is Velma, Tracy Morgan is Captain Caveman, and Frank Welker will reprise the voice of ol’ Scoobs. Welker was the voice-over for the mutt in the 1969-1970 series ‘Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!’
Also in news – Noah Centineo in talks to join ‘Masters of the Universe’ as He-Man
Chris Columbus, Pam Coats and Allison Abbate are producing. Executive producers are Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Dan Povenmire and Adam Sztykiel.
Toward the end of the 1990s, Warner Bros. and producer Charles Roven began producing a series of feature live action films starring Scooby-Doo,...
The feature, which will be directed by Tony Cervone, will see the team partner up with other characters in the Hanna-Barbera universe to save the world from the evil Dick Dastardly.
Will Forte will play Shaggy, Gina Rodriguez is Velma, Tracy Morgan is Captain Caveman, and Frank Welker will reprise the voice of ol’ Scoobs. Welker was the voice-over for the mutt in the 1969-1970 series ‘Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!’
Also in news – Noah Centineo in talks to join ‘Masters of the Universe’ as He-Man
Chris Columbus, Pam Coats and Allison Abbate are producing. Executive producers are Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Dan Povenmire and Adam Sztykiel.
Toward the end of the 1990s, Warner Bros. and producer Charles Roven began producing a series of feature live action films starring Scooby-Doo,...
- 3/25/2019
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Mark Harrison Aug 17, 2017
Anyone for monkey baseball? We examine the weird and wonderful unmade scripts of the Planet Of The Apes series
In 2006, screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver were inspired by footage of domesticated chimpanzees who were unable to adjust to our lifestyles to write a sci-fi horror spec script that they called Genesis. Apparently, it was a while before the two of them realised that they were writing a Planet Of The Apes movie.
Their resultant pitch to 20th Century Fox led to 2011's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, the excellent, emotional prequel/reboot of the franchise that led to 2014's Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and recent trilogy topper, War For The Planet Of The Apes. Together, the three films take Caesar from domestication to domination and have been huge critical and financial hits for the studio.
The development hell that plagued Fox's...
Anyone for monkey baseball? We examine the weird and wonderful unmade scripts of the Planet Of The Apes series
In 2006, screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver were inspired by footage of domesticated chimpanzees who were unable to adjust to our lifestyles to write a sci-fi horror spec script that they called Genesis. Apparently, it was a while before the two of them realised that they were writing a Planet Of The Apes movie.
Their resultant pitch to 20th Century Fox led to 2011's Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, the excellent, emotional prequel/reboot of the franchise that led to 2014's Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and recent trilogy topper, War For The Planet Of The Apes. Together, the three films take Caesar from domestication to domination and have been huge critical and financial hits for the studio.
The development hell that plagued Fox's...
- 8/15/2017
- Den of Geek
After naming Alfonso Cuarón the best director of the 21st century, Metacritic has gone ahead and averaged out filmmakers’ Metascores to name the worst directors since 2000. As with the first list, filmmakers must have made at least four movies in the last 17 years to be eligible — meaning that Tom Six (“The Human Centipede”) and Dinesh D’Souza (“Hillary’s America”) don’t qualify despite the fact that they’re far from critical darlings.
Read MoreAlfonso Cuarón Is the Best Director of the 21st Century, According to Metacritic — See the Top 25
Uwe Boll, known for his oft-panned video-game adaptations, comes in at #2; the dubious honor of defeating him goes to Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, whose average Metascore of 14.5 comes from directing spoofs like “Meet the Spartans,” “Date Movie,” and “Epic Movie.”
You might not be familiar with some of the other names to be found here, in part because directing...
Read MoreAlfonso Cuarón Is the Best Director of the 21st Century, According to Metacritic — See the Top 25
Uwe Boll, known for his oft-panned video-game adaptations, comes in at #2; the dubious honor of defeating him goes to Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, whose average Metascore of 14.5 comes from directing spoofs like “Meet the Spartans,” “Date Movie,” and “Epic Movie.”
You might not be familiar with some of the other names to be found here, in part because directing...
- 7/28/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Dean Jones: Actor in Disney movies. Dean Jones dead at 84: Actor in Disney movies 'The Love Bug,' 'That Darn Cat!' Dean Jones, best known for playing befuddled heroes in 1960s Walt Disney movies such as That Darn Cat! and The Love Bug, died of complications from Parkinson's disease on Tue., Sept. 1, '15, in Los Angeles. Jones (born on Jan. 25, 1931, in Decatur, Alabama) was 84. Dean Jones movies Dean Jones began his Hollywood career in the mid-'50s, when he was featured in bit parts – at times uncredited – in a handful of films at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer In 2009 interview for Christianity Today, Jones recalled playing his first scene (in These Wilder Years) with veteran James Cagney, who told him “Walk to your mark and remember your lines” – supposedly a lesson he would take to heart. At MGM, bit player Jones would also be featured in Robert Wise's...
- 9/2/2015
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Paramount tried a few approaches in the new Terminator reboot. But if a franchise hits the doldrums, how can a studio resurrect it?
Fingers are being crossed at Skydance and Paramount Pictures that the critical mauling handed out to Terminator: Genisys last week won't be reflected fully in the box office numbers. So far, the plan for a new trilogy of Terminator films is arguably just about alive, courtesy of a total gross for the new film of $131m worldwide. That's below expectations, but if it can eventually crawl its way to $400m, that's probably enough to move ahead with a Genisys sequel (it'd be more than the hugely-acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road).
But even if a new film gets greenlit, it's clear that things have to change again. As many have pointed out, the consensus is now that there have been more bad-to-middling Terminator films than good ones,...
Fingers are being crossed at Skydance and Paramount Pictures that the critical mauling handed out to Terminator: Genisys last week won't be reflected fully in the box office numbers. So far, the plan for a new trilogy of Terminator films is arguably just about alive, courtesy of a total gross for the new film of $131m worldwide. That's below expectations, but if it can eventually crawl its way to $400m, that's probably enough to move ahead with a Genisys sequel (it'd be more than the hugely-acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road).
But even if a new film gets greenlit, it's clear that things have to change again. As many have pointed out, the consensus is now that there have been more bad-to-middling Terminator films than good ones,...
- 7/7/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Happy Days was a huge hit show that had everything—family values; a golden-boy high school student with awesome parents, a cute little sister and goofy high school pals; the Fonz... But apparently what the sitcom really needed was an alien. TV and filmmaker Brian Levant, who joined Happy Days as a writer-producer in its fifth season, recalls being in the writers room one day when series creator Gary Marshall came in and announced that his 8-year-old son Scott had suggested to him, "Let's put a space man on Happy Days." Sure, why not?! "And everyone looked around at each other thinking there was no way he could be serious and, strangely enough, he was,"...
- 8/13/2014
- E! Online
A sequel to the greatest Christmas film of all time is finally being made, without its original star.
It's Turbo Time again. But not the Turbo Time you remember. That Turbo Time is gone forever, like a a fart from Ted the Reindeer in the winter wind. Admit it: Jingle All the Way is a guilty pleasure that is best consumed in secret every holiday, like cheap boxed wine. Even now, the classic lines from that film are running through your head with a bad Austrian accent tied to it.
If you felt a great disturbance in the Force today, it was because millions of Jingle All the Way fans screamed out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. It came as news broke that Twentieth Century Fox and WWE Studios (yeah, there's a movie studio for a fake sport) were teaming up on a Jingle All the Way sequel. It...
It's Turbo Time again. But not the Turbo Time you remember. That Turbo Time is gone forever, like a a fart from Ted the Reindeer in the winter wind. Admit it: Jingle All the Way is a guilty pleasure that is best consumed in secret every holiday, like cheap boxed wine. Even now, the classic lines from that film are running through your head with a bad Austrian accent tied to it.
If you felt a great disturbance in the Force today, it was because millions of Jingle All the Way fans screamed out in terror, and were suddenly silenced. It came as news broke that Twentieth Century Fox and WWE Studios (yeah, there's a movie studio for a fake sport) were teaming up on a Jingle All the Way sequel. It...
- 2/12/2014
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (Victor Medina)
- Cinelinx
Loving Jingle All the Way is most definitely a generational thing. For people like me, who were in their early teens when it came out in 1996, it was a rather subversive movie. Not only a lesson in how the spirit of Christmas is corrupted by consumerism, but Brian Levant's film also showed an entire generation weened on shows like the Power Rangers that guys in bulky suits with padded muscles fake-fighting villains with fluffy henchmen are actually pretty dumb, and forcing our parents to buy all those related toys is even more dumb. It also showed kids like me that men like Arnold Schwarzengger, an icon beyond measure whose face I'd seen countless times on the covers of a seemingly endless stream of VHS boxes and who represented violence and power and larger-than-life...
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- 2/11/2014
- by Peter Hall
- Movies.com
Young ‘Ellen’ Stars Sophia Grace & Rosie To Topline NBC Comedy & Feature Produced By Ellen DeGeneres
Exclusive: Are these the next Olsen twins? Ellen standouts Sophia Grace Brownlee and Rosie McClelland, are getting their own primetime show, which will be executive produced by Ellen DeGeneres. It is part of the big plans DeGeneres’ company, A Very Good Production, has for the young cousins. It also is producing a direct-to-video feature toplined by the pint-sized stars who have emerged as one of the biggest ratings draws on DeGeneres’ talk show. Sophia Grace, 10, and Rosie, 7, are set to star in a comedy series project that has been set up at NBC with a script commitment. A Very Good Prods is producing in association with Warner Bros TV, where the company is based, with DeGeneres and Jeff Kleeman executive producing. Search is underway for a writer to hone in on a premise. In the movie, written by Erik Patterson & Jessica Scott and directed by Brian Levant, Sophia Grace and Rosie,...
- 10/11/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Earlier today I posted a trailer for a film called Vanishing Waves, and while I haven’t seen the movie yet I was extremely moved and excited by the trailer itself. The result? I’m really looking forward to seeing the film. But sometimes a trailer can have the opposite effect. Sometimes a trailer can make you wish someone would immediately rip out your eyes and rape your skull with Tchéky Karyo’s bad right arm. This is that trailer. Still here? First off, I’m so sorry for suggesting you watch that. Truly. But second off, what the hell are these people thinking? Forget the fact that the lightning in a fishnet-covered bottle that is the original A Christmas Story will never be captured again. Forget the fact that Daniel Stern is no Darren McGavin and Braedon Lemasters (?) is no Peter Billingsly. Forget that it appears to feature little more than recycled gags and dialogue from...
- 9/6/2012
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
A Christmas Story 2 is the “official sequel” to the original Christmas classic that is rightfully going straight to Blu-ray/DVD on October 30th and will hopefully be forgotten immediately.
Directed by Brian Levant (Jingle All the Way), A Christmas Story 2 stars Braeden Lemasters (Easy A) as Ralphie with Stacey Travis (Ghost World) playing the mother and Daniel Stern (Home Alone) as the Old Man. The trailer looks really bad, it’s like a checklist of things they want you to remember from the first movie – then why not just watch that again? Now I’m angry.
Watch the trailer below:...
Directed by Brian Levant (Jingle All the Way), A Christmas Story 2 stars Braeden Lemasters (Easy A) as Ralphie with Stacey Travis (Ghost World) playing the mother and Daniel Stern (Home Alone) as the Old Man. The trailer looks really bad, it’s like a checklist of things they want you to remember from the first movie – then why not just watch that again? Now I’m angry.
Watch the trailer below:...
- 9/6/2012
- by Graham McMorrow
- City of Films
1.) The first images from Ron Howard's Formula One biopic Rush were released on the movie's official website. The film stars Daniel Bruhl (Inglourious Basterds) as legendary driver Niki Lauda returned to compete against rival James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) in the 1976 F1 World Championship, just weeks after a near-fatal crash. The film has set a September 20, 2013 release date. You can check out all four new pictures right here. 2.) Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning are trying to make some front page drive-in news, entering talks to join writer/director Kelly Reichardt's Night Moves. The indie thriller's plot, which centers on three eco-terrorists who plan to blow up a dam, leads me to believe it actually isn't based on the classic Bob Seger song. I know, that disappointed me at first too, but Reichardt's previous two films (Wendy and Lucy and Meek's Cutoff) each made a bit of a splash so...
- 8/13/2012
- by Kevin Blumeyer
- Rope of Silicon
The Christmas Story sequel no one asked for is coming this October 30, what a scary coincidence, just in time for Halloween. Brian Levant (Jingle All the Way) directed the sequel that looks at Ralphie as a teenager who wants a Red Ryder 1938 Hupmobile Skyline Convertible for Christmas, see what they did there? Daniel Stern plays Ralphie’s “Old Man,” Stacey Travis his mother, and Valin Shinyei is brother Randy.
Interestingly enough, this has been attempted before with a 1988 with Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss (Jerry O’Connell played a young Ralphie), and then again in 1994 with It Runs in the Family (or My Summer Story) with Kieran Culkin as Ralphie.
Movies.com reported this and has the box art (see below), hey remember Leg lamp? They thought you might!
Go to hell.
Interestingly enough, this has been attempted before with a 1988 with Ollie Hopnoodle’s Haven of Bliss (Jerry O’Connell played a young Ralphie), and then again in 1994 with It Runs in the Family (or My Summer Story) with Kieran Culkin as Ralphie.
Movies.com reported this and has the box art (see below), hey remember Leg lamp? They thought you might!
Go to hell.
- 8/13/2012
- by Graham McMorrow
- City of Films
Just when you thought the concept of direct-to-dvd sequels had been all but replaced by remakes and reboots, along comes Warner Home Video to remind us that Dtv flicks are still alive and well... and equally as frustrating. Apparently someone out there thought it was a good idea to create a sequel to the timeless holiday classic A Christmas Story without any of the original cast or creative team (admittedly, director Bob Clark and writer Jean Shepherd are no longer with us). Thirty years have passed since the original film was released but somehow Ralphie is only a teenager in this sequel, which certainly makes for some chronological confusion (I assume it is set in the 1940s?). Either way, Ralphie now has his sights set on a new toy for Christmas: a 1938 Hupmobile Skyline Convertible, which sounds slightly safer than a Red Ryder Bb Gun. Braeden Lemasters (Men of a Certain Age) will play Ralphie,...
- 8/13/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Yes, friends, whether you like it or not we're finally getting that long-awaited Christmas Story sequel no one ever asked for this October 30, courtesy of Warner Home Entertainment, which means it's going straight to DVD/Blu-ray. Jingle All the Way director Brian Levant (who our own Scott Weinberg called a "soft-focus tripod" via Twitter) is behind this one, with a story that looks to pick up with Ralphie (Braeden Lemasters) as a teenager who desperately wants a Red Ryder 1938 Hupmobile Skyline Convertible for Christmas. Daniel Stern will play Ralphie's "Old Man," while Stacey Travis is his mother, and Valin Shinyei is brother Randy. Don't worry, both Flick (David W. Thompson) and Schwartz (David Buehrle) are in it too. But before...
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- 8/10/2012
- by Erik Davis
- Movies.com
Most people know film know the name Wes Anderson. He's a brilliant director who has influenced scores of films since he Bottle Rocket. And yet, the average box-office take of his six films is $21 million. Kevin Smith is an even more popular director. The average box-office of his nine films is $20 million. Martin Scorsese's average is $39 million. Woody Allen's average is $13 million. Danny Boyle's is $30 million. The Coen Brothers average around $45 million. David Lynch: $12.3 million. David Mamet: $6 million.
And yet, if you are a film fan, those are all names that you know. You probably know them well. You've probably seen some or most of their films. And yet, you probably have no idea who Steve Carr is. In the last decade, Carr has made 6 films. The box-office average of those six films is $80 million, better than the average of either Tony or Ridley Scott.
And yet, if you are a film fan, those are all names that you know. You probably know them well. You've probably seen some or most of their films. And yet, you probably have no idea who Steve Carr is. In the last decade, Carr has made 6 films. The box-office average of those six films is $80 million, better than the average of either Tony or Ridley Scott.
- 7/28/2011
- by Dustin Rowles
Shannon Shea has done special effects work on over sixty films. From Evil Dead II to Predator. From Dances With Wolves to Jurassic Park. From In the Mouth of Madness to Sin City. Every week he delves into his personal and professional history to tell the story of how he became a monster that makes monsters. So there I was, in a small conference room in Woodland Hills, California on a warm February afternoon in 2009. I knew that the meeting would go long, and I would have to spend at least an hour driving home to Los Angeles. Sitting next to me was Mark Dippe, Industrial Light and Magic alumnus and director of the movie Spawn, and across from me sat Dean Cundey, the guy that not only shot all of John Carpenter’s early movies, but also shot Jurassic Park and Back to the Future just to name a few. At...
- 4/25/2011
- by Shannon Shea
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Scooby-Doo Continues his renaissance thanks to the well-received animated series on the Cartoon Network and his home video exploits also continue to perk along as witnessed by this press release:
Burbank, CA – (December 21, 2010) – Mystical moonstones, creepy creatures and unlikely romances are on the docket for Mystery Inc. in Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, an all-new, live action movie featuring an exclusive extended cut of the film with never-before-seen music sequences coming to Blu-Ray™ and DVD March 1, 2011 from Warner Premiere and Cartoon Network. A follow-up to its smash-hit predecessor Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster will be available from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and single disc DVD. Order due date is January 25, 2011. The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.
Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster finds the Mystery Inc. gang heading toward summer jobs at a country club owned by Daphne’s uncle,...
Burbank, CA – (December 21, 2010) – Mystical moonstones, creepy creatures and unlikely romances are on the docket for Mystery Inc. in Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, an all-new, live action movie featuring an exclusive extended cut of the film with never-before-seen music sequences coming to Blu-Ray™ and DVD March 1, 2011 from Warner Premiere and Cartoon Network. A follow-up to its smash-hit predecessor Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster will be available from Warner Home Video as a Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and single disc DVD. Order due date is January 25, 2011. The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.
Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster finds the Mystery Inc. gang heading toward summer jobs at a country club owned by Daphne’s uncle,...
- 12/23/2010
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Secret agent Bob Ho faces his most challenging mission yet in action-comedy The Spy Next Door, now out on DVD and Blu-ray from Momentum Pictures.
Leading the cast is ultimate martial arts stunt-master Jackie Chan, who also stars in new UK cinema release The Karate Kid.
Starring alongside Chan is Amber Valletta (Hitch, Gamer), Katherine Boecher (Mad Men, Heroes), Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Aaron Shiver (Hamlet 2), George Lopez (Valentine's Day, Beverly Hills Chihuahua) and Magnús Scheving (Sportacus in Lazy Town).
While baby-sitting his girlfriend's three children, former secret agent Bob (Chan) is forced out of retirement when one of the kids accesses top secret information that places them all in danger.
But before he can take on the bad guys, he has to get three unruly youngsters to behave. Bob has to achieve the seemingly impossible without revealing his secret identity.
Directed by Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?...
Leading the cast is ultimate martial arts stunt-master Jackie Chan, who also stars in new UK cinema release The Karate Kid.
Starring alongside Chan is Amber Valletta (Hitch, Gamer), Katherine Boecher (Mad Men, Heroes), Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Aaron Shiver (Hamlet 2), George Lopez (Valentine's Day, Beverly Hills Chihuahua) and Magnús Scheving (Sportacus in Lazy Town).
While baby-sitting his girlfriend's three children, former secret agent Bob (Chan) is forced out of retirement when one of the kids accesses top secret information that places them all in danger.
But before he can take on the bad guys, he has to get three unruly youngsters to behave. Bob has to achieve the seemingly impossible without revealing his secret identity.
Directed by Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?...
- 8/10/2010
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
The Spy Next Door (Blu-Ray)Lionsgate Home Entertainment2010/ Rated PG/94 minsList Price $39.99 – Available NowEven though Jackie Chan is in his fifties and shows no sign of slowing down, his act has become quite old. Inspired by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, Chan made a career out of incorporating his martial arts training into stunts in films where he played the comedic hero who never gets the girl. So it feels a little strange that in his latest movie we find him as a soon to be retired spy who is ready to settle down and marry his next door neighbor. The opening credit sequence of The Spy Next Door featuring a montage of Chan's earlier films, feel more like a tease, because in those productions he was not limited by the Hollywood studio system. Watching Chan back then you knew it was actually him performing those stunts and the threat...
- 5/28/2010
- LRMonline.com
Chicago – “The Spy Next Door” pairs a man who can’t speak English with three kids who can’t act. They’re forced to recite dialogue credited to three writers who are incapable of writing a single line of wit or originality. Worst of all, the film is directed by a man whose last halfway decent family flick was 1992’s “Beethoven.” Rarely has a mainstream release looked so much like Amateur Hour.
Over the last decade or so, director Brian Levant has specialized in making some of the most crass, annoying and audience-insulting films ever to be aimed at an audience under the age of 13 (they include “Jingle All the Way,” “Snow Dogs,” and the appropriately titled “Are We There Yet?”). The main reason I fell for “Beethoven” upon its initial release was because: a.) I was the age of its intended target audience, and b.) the film starred the woefully underrated Charles Grodin,...
Over the last decade or so, director Brian Levant has specialized in making some of the most crass, annoying and audience-insulting films ever to be aimed at an audience under the age of 13 (they include “Jingle All the Way,” “Snow Dogs,” and the appropriately titled “Are We There Yet?”). The main reason I fell for “Beethoven” upon its initial release was because: a.) I was the age of its intended target audience, and b.) the film starred the woefully underrated Charles Grodin,...
- 5/20/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Sony had a problem when it released The Spy Next Door in UK cinemas last week. Given that most critics hated it, where could it find quotes for the poster? But then it had a plan…
When pretty much every critic in the civilised world hates your movie, finding a decent quote to stick on the press advertisements can prove to be quite a challenge. For Sony, it had a tougher assignment than most with its UK release of Jackie Chan vehicle The Spy Next Door, a film that it's fair to say is not in the Oscar running for next year.
Following its Us release earlier this year, it's sat with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of, er, 11%. The general consensus of critical opinion can be summed up with the following quotes:
* When even the out-take bloopers over the final credits are weak, you know you've got a pretty under-par...
When pretty much every critic in the civilised world hates your movie, finding a decent quote to stick on the press advertisements can prove to be quite a challenge. For Sony, it had a tougher assignment than most with its UK release of Jackie Chan vehicle The Spy Next Door, a film that it's fair to say is not in the Oscar running for next year.
Following its Us release earlier this year, it's sat with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of, er, 11%. The general consensus of critical opinion can be summed up with the following quotes:
* When even the out-take bloopers over the final credits are weak, you know you've got a pretty under-par...
- 3/22/2010
- Den of Geek
I Love You Phillip Morris (15)
(Glen Ficarra, John Requa, 2009, Us) Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor. 97 mins
Jim Carrey doesn't just play gay here, he plays flaming, in-your-face, heels-and-hotpants gay. And it kind of suits him. A police officer-turned-con man, his character is led even further astray when he falls for a fellow prison inmate (McGregor), and their courtship is treated like a traditional Hollywood love affair – albeit one full of prison breaks, audacious deceptions and outrageous accessorising. Gleefully trashy, at times exhaustingly unpredictable, it's certainly a brave move.
The Scouting Book For Boys (15)
(Tom Harper, 2009, UK) Thomas Turgoose, Holly Grainger, Rafe Spall. 93 mins
High hopes have been pinned on this, with Skins scribe Jack Thorne and plenty of young talent on board. Set in a Norfolk caravan camp, it's the tale of a boy-girl friendship developing into something else – quite what is up for grabs when they hatch a fake-kidnapping plan.
(Glen Ficarra, John Requa, 2009, Us) Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor. 97 mins
Jim Carrey doesn't just play gay here, he plays flaming, in-your-face, heels-and-hotpants gay. And it kind of suits him. A police officer-turned-con man, his character is led even further astray when he falls for a fellow prison inmate (McGregor), and their courtship is treated like a traditional Hollywood love affair – albeit one full of prison breaks, audacious deceptions and outrageous accessorising. Gleefully trashy, at times exhaustingly unpredictable, it's certainly a brave move.
The Scouting Book For Boys (15)
(Tom Harper, 2009, UK) Thomas Turgoose, Holly Grainger, Rafe Spall. 93 mins
High hopes have been pinned on this, with Skins scribe Jack Thorne and plenty of young talent on board. Set in a Norfolk caravan camp, it's the tale of a boy-girl friendship developing into something else – quite what is up for grabs when they hatch a fake-kidnapping plan.
- 3/20/2010
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
There is something very sad about watching The Spy Next Door. The moment the film begins we are treated to clips of Jackie Chan kicking serious ass. On closer inspection it is obvious these clips are lifted from his previous films. The sad part comes directly afterwards when we see a present day Jackie Chan looking much older.
All the opening montage does is remind us of how awesome the star once was. Admittedly I had already judged the film before I had even seen it. Coming out of the cinema one day I spotted the films poster and couldn’t stop laughing. What can I say, the name Billy Ray Cyrus never fails to make me chuckle.
Anyway, I now found myself sitting down at a screening for the film and so I was ready to give it (and Billy Ray) a chance. The Spy Next Door isn’t...
All the opening montage does is remind us of how awesome the star once was. Admittedly I had already judged the film before I had even seen it. Coming out of the cinema one day I spotted the films poster and couldn’t stop laughing. What can I say, the name Billy Ray Cyrus never fails to make me chuckle.
Anyway, I now found myself sitting down at a screening for the film and so I was ready to give it (and Billy Ray) a chance. The Spy Next Door isn’t...
- 3/18/2010
- by Alex Wagner
- FilmShaft.com
While it's not one of our favorite characters, we here at ComicMix know there are plenty of Scooby-Doo fans so as a public service, we offer up the following press release:
Burbank, CA – March 12, 2010 – Warner Premiere is in production on Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, an all-new, live-action/CG movie follow-up to 2009’s record-setting Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, it was announced today by Eva Davis, Evp and General Manager, Warner Premiere. The film commences principal photography on March 15 in various locations around Southern California. The family-targeted feature will premiere on Cartoon Network in fall 2010 and release on DVD through Warner Home Video in early 2011.
Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster continues the Mystery Inc. gang’s adventures from the 2009 hit Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, which premiered as the most-watched telecast in Cartoon Network history, and set targeted demographic records across the board. This new film will once again feature...
Burbank, CA – March 12, 2010 – Warner Premiere is in production on Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, an all-new, live-action/CG movie follow-up to 2009’s record-setting Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, it was announced today by Eva Davis, Evp and General Manager, Warner Premiere. The film commences principal photography on March 15 in various locations around Southern California. The family-targeted feature will premiere on Cartoon Network in fall 2010 and release on DVD through Warner Home Video in early 2011.
Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster continues the Mystery Inc. gang’s adventures from the 2009 hit Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, which premiered as the most-watched telecast in Cartoon Network history, and set targeted demographic records across the board. This new film will once again feature...
- 3/13/2010
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Principle photography begins Monday on locations around Southern California for Warner Premiere's live-action/CG "Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster," directed by Brian Levant.
The feature, starring Robbie Amell, Kate Melton, Hayley Kiyoko and Nick Palatas, will premiere on Cartoon Network in the fall before being released on DVD in early 2011.
The movie is a follow-up to 2009's 'Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins,' which premiered as the most-watched telecast in Cartoon Network history.
Levant, producer Brian Gilbert and writers the Altiere Brothers all are reprising their roles on the earlier film for the Atlas Entertainment production. Animation Picture Company is animating Scooby-Doo.
The feature, starring Robbie Amell, Kate Melton, Hayley Kiyoko and Nick Palatas, will premiere on Cartoon Network in the fall before being released on DVD in early 2011.
The movie is a follow-up to 2009's 'Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins,' which premiered as the most-watched telecast in Cartoon Network history.
Levant, producer Brian Gilbert and writers the Altiere Brothers all are reprising their roles on the earlier film for the Atlas Entertainment production. Animation Picture Company is animating Scooby-Doo.
- 3/12/2010
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Spy Next Door sounds like a lesser film in the James Bond cannon, but even that is far too kind a designation for this Jackie Chan movie. The Hong Kong action star uses all of his considerable charm and physicality, but it's not enough to save the film from the clutches of director Brian Levant, who has previously ruined family trips to the movies with Are We There Yet?, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, and Snow Dogs. If parents think getting conned into watching this is a miserable experience, they should wait for the whine-filled aftermath when they realize their kids didn't like it either.
A retread of The Pacifier by way of Spy Kids, The Spy Next Door stars Chan as Bob Ho, a Chinese agent on loan to the CIA. After just a few months of dating his pretty neighbor Gillian (Amber Valetta), Bob tries to...
A retread of The Pacifier by way of Spy Kids, The Spy Next Door stars Chan as Bob Ho, a Chinese agent on loan to the CIA. After just a few months of dating his pretty neighbor Gillian (Amber Valetta), Bob tries to...
- 1/20/2010
- CinemaSpy
By Susan Granger - Jackie Chan is looking for a piece of the lucrative family market with this lame-brained comedy. He plays Bob Ho, a mild-mannered pen importer who moonlights as an undercover CIA agent. He.s just the kind of .honest. guy that his suburban single-mom neighbor Gillian (supermodel Amber Valleta) really wants in her life, but her three kids find him dull as dishwater.
So when Gilliam must leave town to care for a sick relative, boring Bob offers to watch over of her sullen, sarcastic teenage daughter Farren (Madeline Carroll), nerdy technophile son Ian (Will Shandley) and adorable four year-old Nora (Alina Foley) who loves to dress like a Princess, leaving the spy chores to his CIA colleagues (George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus) in the Albuquerque office.
Predictably, Bob proves to be totally incompetent around the house. But when Ian accidentally intercepts and downloads on his iPod...
So when Gilliam must leave town to care for a sick relative, boring Bob offers to watch over of her sullen, sarcastic teenage daughter Farren (Madeline Carroll), nerdy technophile son Ian (Will Shandley) and adorable four year-old Nora (Alina Foley) who loves to dress like a Princess, leaving the spy chores to his CIA colleagues (George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus) in the Albuquerque office.
Predictably, Bob proves to be totally incompetent around the house. But when Ian accidentally intercepts and downloads on his iPod...
- 1/19/2010
- Arizona Reporter
James Cameron's 3D sci-fi epic "Avatar" became the first film in a decade to top domestic weekend rankings five straight frames, taking in an estimated $54.6 million during the four-day Martin Luther King holiday weekend.
The rare feat -- the first since Disney's "The Sixth Sense" posted a similar streak in 1999 -- pushed U.S. and Canadian cume on "Avatar" to $505.1 million in a record 32 days. Worldwide boxoffice on the Sam Worthington starrer reached $1.64 billion, while a pair of wins in Sunday's Golden Globes provided fresh fuel in its quest to steam past "Titanic" ($1.84 billion) into the record books.
Elsewhere, Warner Bros.-distributed Denzel Washington starrer "The Book of Eli" opened about as expected with $38 million in second place. Lionsgate's family actioner "The Spy Next Door," starring Jackie Chan, bowed more tepidly with $13 million in fifth place.
Paramount's Peter Jackson-helmed literary adaptation "The Lovely Bones" dug up $20.5 million...
The rare feat -- the first since Disney's "The Sixth Sense" posted a similar streak in 1999 -- pushed U.S. and Canadian cume on "Avatar" to $505.1 million in a record 32 days. Worldwide boxoffice on the Sam Worthington starrer reached $1.64 billion, while a pair of wins in Sunday's Golden Globes provided fresh fuel in its quest to steam past "Titanic" ($1.84 billion) into the record books.
Elsewhere, Warner Bros.-distributed Denzel Washington starrer "The Book of Eli" opened about as expected with $38 million in second place. Lionsgate's family actioner "The Spy Next Door," starring Jackie Chan, bowed more tepidly with $13 million in fifth place.
Paramount's Peter Jackson-helmed literary adaptation "The Lovely Bones" dug up $20.5 million...
- 1/18/2010
- by By Carl DiOrio
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Relativity Media just released this “Fire” movie clip from the upcoming comedy “The Spy Next Door” by director Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?) and starring Jackie Chan (Kung Fu Panda, Rush Hour), George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana). Synopsis: Former CIA spy Bob Ho (Chan) takes on his toughest assignment to date: looking after his girlfriend’s three kids, who haven’t exactly warmed to their mom’s beau. And when one of the youngsters accidentally downloads a top-secret formula, Bob’s longtime nemesis, a Russian terrorist, pays a visit to the family. Stay tuned to Shockya.com for the latest movie news and more from “The Spy Next Door”.
- 1/18/2010
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
James Cameron's "Avatar" is steaming toward another weekend win.
The boxoffice behemoth dropped just 18% from its previous Friday-Sunday tally for an estimated $41.3 million through Sunday, with its $491.8 million domestic cume part of a $1.61 billion worldwide tally.
Nielsen Edi considers the weekend a four-day frame including the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, and "Avatar" is all but certain to top rankings for a fifth consecutive session – the first such feat since Disney's "The Sixth Sense" managed such a string of No. 1 weekends in 1999.
"Avatar" is expected to surpass $500 million in domestic boxoffice on Monday, its 32nd day in release. That would beat the 45-day record set by "The Dark Knight" in 2008; "Titanic" took 98 days.
Meantime, Warner Bros. opened Alcon Entertainment's Denzel Washington starrer "The Book of Eli" with $31.6 million through Sunday. That was good for second place on the three-day period, though "Eli" managed to out-muscle "Avatar" briefly in...
The boxoffice behemoth dropped just 18% from its previous Friday-Sunday tally for an estimated $41.3 million through Sunday, with its $491.8 million domestic cume part of a $1.61 billion worldwide tally.
Nielsen Edi considers the weekend a four-day frame including the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, and "Avatar" is all but certain to top rankings for a fifth consecutive session – the first such feat since Disney's "The Sixth Sense" managed such a string of No. 1 weekends in 1999.
"Avatar" is expected to surpass $500 million in domestic boxoffice on Monday, its 32nd day in release. That would beat the 45-day record set by "The Dark Knight" in 2008; "Titanic" took 98 days.
Meantime, Warner Bros. opened Alcon Entertainment's Denzel Washington starrer "The Book of Eli" with $31.6 million through Sunday. That was good for second place on the three-day period, though "Eli" managed to out-muscle "Avatar" briefly in...
- 1/17/2010
- by By Carl DiOrio
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Relativity Media released the latest clip “Cat” from the upcoming comedy “The Spy Next Door” by director Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?) and starring Jackie Chan (Kung Fu Panda, Rush Hour), George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana). Synopsis: Former CIA spy Bob Ho (Chan) takes on his toughest assignment to date: looking after his girlfriend’s three kids, who haven’t exactly warmed to their mom’s beau. And when one of the youngsters accidentally downloads a top-secret formula, Bob’s longtime nemesis, a Russian terrorist, pays a visit to the family. Stay tuned to Shockya.com for the latest movie news and more from “The Spy Next Door”.
- 1/17/2010
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
Relativity Media just released another brand new clip “Refinery Fight” from the upcoming comedy “The Spy Next Door” by director Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?) and starring Jackie Chan (Kung Fu Panda, Rush Hour), George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana). Synopsis: Former CIA spy Bob Ho (Chan) takes on his toughest assignment to date: looking after his girlfriend’s three kids, who haven’t exactly warmed to their mom’s beau. And when one of the youngsters accidentally downloads a top-secret formula, Bob’s longtime nemesis, a Russian terrorist, pays a visit to the family. Stay tuned to Shockya.com for the latest movie news and more from “The Spy Next Door”.
- 1/16/2010
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
Writers Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer, Gregory Poirier
Director: Brian Levant
Cast: Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Madeline Carroll, Will Shadley, Alina Foley, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez
Rating: 1/10
The recent spate of monumentally bad movies for kids featuring popular adult actors is starting to make me think studios are just screwing with us. There’s just no way any sensible human being could think movies like Old Dogs, Shorts, or Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel are good or entertaining films that anyone would enjoy. And by “human being” and “anyone,” I especially mean kids. After watching the lame, trite and boring The Spy Next Door, it’s clear to me studio executives are either enjoying watching the masses pay hard-earned money for what passes for a kid’s movie or they simply do not care about what kids want to see. Oh yeah, and they also think all kids are stupid.
Director: Brian Levant
Cast: Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Madeline Carroll, Will Shadley, Alina Foley, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez
Rating: 1/10
The recent spate of monumentally bad movies for kids featuring popular adult actors is starting to make me think studios are just screwing with us. There’s just no way any sensible human being could think movies like Old Dogs, Shorts, or Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel are good or entertaining films that anyone would enjoy. And by “human being” and “anyone,” I especially mean kids. After watching the lame, trite and boring The Spy Next Door, it’s clear to me studio executives are either enjoying watching the masses pay hard-earned money for what passes for a kid’s movie or they simply do not care about what kids want to see. Oh yeah, and they also think all kids are stupid.
- 1/16/2010
- by Don R. Lewis
- GordonandtheWhale
I don't mind reviewing relentlessly awful movies -- it's part of the job description -- but it's a little frustrating when it's as pointless as telling you that Jackie Chan's family film, The Spy Next Door, isn't worth the effort it takes you to pick up your car keys to go see it. It's True Lies by way of The Pacifier and Daddy Day Care. Does anyone who would read this site even care? Even those of us with kids have to have more sense than to run out and see what is essentially a Nickelodeon flick featuring a broken-down Jackie Chan -- you can find more entertainment value in watching a leaky faucet drip for an hour and a half. In fact, the only people I'd recommend The Spy Next Door to are those with children who actually enjoy the peace and solitude of a time-out -- The Spy Next Door...
- 1/15/2010
- by Dustin Rowles
Parents and purists may grumble, but kids will love it. The Spy Next Door features Jackie Chan as a bespectacled nerd / secret agent who's in love with a divorced mother of three (Amber Valetta). Her kids, of course, hate him. Aimed squarely at the sub-teen demographic, represented in the picture above, Brian Levant's film makes surprisingly good use of Chan's talents. (Mine is admittedly a minority view; see the Cinematical review by John Gholson.)
For the first time in an American film, Chan is not sharing the spotlight with a male * sparring partner: no Chris Tucker (Rush Hour, Rush Hour 2, Rush Hour 3), no Owen Wilson (Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights), and no Jet Li (The Forbidden Kingdom) in sight. Instead, Chan need only share screen time with three spoiled youngsters who have a severe case of the cutes and an anemic pair of "Russian" villains. Oh, and occasionally...
For the first time in an American film, Chan is not sharing the spotlight with a male * sparring partner: no Chris Tucker (Rush Hour, Rush Hour 2, Rush Hour 3), no Owen Wilson (Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights), and no Jet Li (The Forbidden Kingdom) in sight. Instead, Chan need only share screen time with three spoiled youngsters who have a severe case of the cutes and an anemic pair of "Russian" villains. Oh, and occasionally...
- 1/15/2010
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
Seen on: January 9, 2010
The players: Director: Brian Levant, Writers: Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer, Gregory Poirier, Cast: Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Alina Foley, George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus
Facts of interest: Brian Levant also directed "Are We There Yet?"
The plot: A former CIA spy has to babysit his girlfriend's kids and protect them from a bunch of weird terrorists at the same time.
Our thoughts: Brian Levant’s “The Spy Next Door” is a terrible film. It’s as dry as a family comedy can get, and it suffers mainly from a chaotic plot, monotonous story and a handful of poor acting performances. Children of a certain age may appreciate Jackie Chan jumping around the screen for 90 minutes, but I stopped caring after the first five minutes.
The players: Director: Brian Levant, Writers: Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer, Gregory Poirier, Cast: Jackie Chan, Amber Valletta, Alina Foley, George Lopez, Billy Ray Cyrus
Facts of interest: Brian Levant also directed "Are We There Yet?"
The plot: A former CIA spy has to babysit his girlfriend's kids and protect them from a bunch of weird terrorists at the same time.
Our thoughts: Brian Levant’s “The Spy Next Door” is a terrible film. It’s as dry as a family comedy can get, and it suffers mainly from a chaotic plot, monotonous story and a handful of poor acting performances. Children of a certain age may appreciate Jackie Chan jumping around the screen for 90 minutes, but I stopped caring after the first five minutes.
- 1/15/2010
- by Franck Tabouring
- screeninglog.com
I understand fully that kids aren't the most discriminating audience in the world, but adults should still hold filmmakers responsible for some measure of quality in regard to family films. The Spy Next Door, brought to us by comedically tin-eared director Brian Levant (Snow Dogs, Jingle All the Way), is just plain lazy on all levels. Not content to rummage through the garbage bins of the action-star-who-can't-take-care-of-kids subgenre, searching for uninspired gags like one in which star Jackie Chan can't cook oatmeal, it also raids the waste baskets for the discarded bits from international superspy kid flicks (a subgenre long stripped bare of any of its original charm after never-ending waves of Spy Kids imitators).
Chan is in full-on clown mode as Chinese Intelligence agent Bob Ho, a spy next door to Amber Valleta's Gillian, who he's also dating, and her three children, teen Farren (Madeline Carroll), precocious Ian (Will Shadley...
Chan is in full-on clown mode as Chinese Intelligence agent Bob Ho, a spy next door to Amber Valleta's Gillian, who he's also dating, and her three children, teen Farren (Madeline Carroll), precocious Ian (Will Shadley...
- 1/15/2010
- by John Gholson
- Cinematical
The four-day Martin Luther King Day weekend features a boxoffice smackdown between the holdover of all holdovers and the tag-team pairing of two new pics.
If James Cameron's boxoffice behemoth "Avatar" manages to beat the wide openers, it will top the domestic rankings for a rare fifth consecutive session and keep tongues wagging over its prospects for cruising past "Titanic" in the history books. But the competition appears potentially muscular: Warner Bros. sends out the Denzel Washington-toplined actioner "The Book of Eli," and Lionsgate launches Jackie Chan starrer "The Spy Next Door," a more family-friendly action film.
Last weekend, "Avatar" shrugged off a trio of wide openers in posting the first four-peat performance since "The Dark Knight" in the summer. If "Avatar" wins again, it would be the first to top the rankings for five consecutive weeks since Disney's M. Night Shyamalan-helmed horror pic "The Sixth Sense" in 1999.
Meanwhile,...
If James Cameron's boxoffice behemoth "Avatar" manages to beat the wide openers, it will top the domestic rankings for a rare fifth consecutive session and keep tongues wagging over its prospects for cruising past "Titanic" in the history books. But the competition appears potentially muscular: Warner Bros. sends out the Denzel Washington-toplined actioner "The Book of Eli," and Lionsgate launches Jackie Chan starrer "The Spy Next Door," a more family-friendly action film.
Last weekend, "Avatar" shrugged off a trio of wide openers in posting the first four-peat performance since "The Dark Knight" in the summer. If "Avatar" wins again, it would be the first to top the rankings for five consecutive weeks since Disney's M. Night Shyamalan-helmed horror pic "The Sixth Sense" in 1999.
Meanwhile,...
- 1/14/2010
- by By Carl DiOrio
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Relativity Media recently released this new clip “Bike Fight” from the upcoming comedy “The Spy Next Door” by director Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?) and starring Jackie Chan (Kung Fu Panda, Rush Hour), George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana). Synopsis: Former CIA spy Bob Ho (Chan) takes on his toughest assignment to date: looking after his girlfriend’s three kids, who haven’t exactly warmed to their mom’s beau. And when one of the youngsters accidentally downloads a top-secret formula, Bob’s longtime nemesis, a Russian terrorist, pays a visit to the family. Stay tuned to Shockya.com for the latest movie news and more from “The Spy Next Door”.
- 1/8/2010
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
Shanghai
Opens: 2010
Cast: John Cusack, Gong Li, Ken Watanabe, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chow Yun-Fat
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Summary: In the months leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, an American man arrives in Shanghai to find his friend recently murdered. In investigating his friend's death, he stumbles upon a secret the United States government has been keeping and falls in love in the process.
Analysis: After being granted permission to shoot in the Chinese city, the $10 million production found its permit quickly being revoked by the Government who expressed concerns about the script. The result is Bangkok and the United Kingdom standing in for the real Shanghai which seems kind of against the entire point.
Cusack himself has emphatically endorsed the project in interviews, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity", but being stuck at the cash-strapped Weinstein Company means that its release plans are unsure beyond a vague promise of a limited bow around Easter.
Opens: 2010
Cast: John Cusack, Gong Li, Ken Watanabe, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chow Yun-Fat
Director: Mikael Hafstrom
Summary: In the months leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, an American man arrives in Shanghai to find his friend recently murdered. In investigating his friend's death, he stumbles upon a secret the United States government has been keeping and falls in love in the process.
Analysis: After being granted permission to shoot in the Chinese city, the $10 million production found its permit quickly being revoked by the Government who expressed concerns about the script. The result is Bangkok and the United Kingdom standing in for the real Shanghai which seems kind of against the entire point.
Cusack himself has emphatically endorsed the project in interviews, calling it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity", but being stuck at the cash-strapped Weinstein Company means that its release plans are unsure beyond a vague promise of a limited bow around Easter.
- 1/5/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Pity me. It’s January, and I have to go to the movies. The Spy Next Door (opens in the U.S. and Canada on January 15; no U.K. release date has been announced yet) is from director Brian Levant, who is to cinema what Pol Pot is to human rights -- he is responsible for such atrocities as Snow Dogs and The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas. And how sad is it going to be to see Jackie Chan refusing to grow old gracefully? Obviously, he can’t do the kung fu anymore, so he’s reduced to romancing a woman (Amber Valletta) young enough to be his daughter and babysitting her kids in the hopes of getting into her pants. It’s as if someone figured Are We There Yet? -- also from Levant -- wasn’t crass enough. Also: Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez in the same movie?...
- 1/4/2010
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Check out this "Wanted: Babysitter" clip from Lionsgate's "The Spy Next Door," starring Jackie Chan, Lucas Till, Billy Ray Cyrus, Amber Valletta, Katherine Boecher and George Lope. The Brian Levant-directed action comedy reminiscent of "The Pacifier" starring Vin Diesel, is written by Jonathan Bernstein, Jim Greer and Gregory Poirier. While babysitting his neighbor's children, a mild-mannered guy winds up having to fight off secret agents after one of the kids inadvertently downloads a secret code Jackie Chan kicks it into high gear with this hilarious action-comedy that’s fun for the whole family.
- 12/27/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Relativity Media just released this new movie trailer for the upcoming comedy “The Spy Next Door” by director Brian Levant (Are We There Yet?) and starring Jackie Chan (Kung Fu Panda, Rush Hour), George Lopez and Billy Ray Cyrus (Hannah Montana). Synopsis: Former CIA spy Bob Ho (Chan) takes on his toughest assignment to date: looking after his girlfriend’s three kids, who haven’t exactly warmed to their mom’s beau. And when one of the youngsters accidentally downloads a top-secret formula, Bob’s longtime nemesis, a Russian terrorist, pays a visit to the family. Stay tuned to Shockya.com for the latest movie news and more from “The Spy Next Door”.
- 12/25/2009
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
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