A-LISTS film by tim parks
Make It A Blockbuster Night Thor is the latest Marvel Comics superhero
Humor Me SNL breakout star Kristen Wiig joins her former not-ready-for-primetime
TV cohort, Maya Rudolph, on the big screen as one of her Bridesmaids in producer Judd Apatow’s (Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin) latest brand of raunchy comedy, which is directed by Paul Feig (creator of the cult TV show Freaks and Geeks). The funny ladies star in this tale of a maid of honor (no!) named Annie (Wiig) whose life is on the fast track to becoming unmanageable. Naturally her quick descent into messy mode just so happens to coincide with her best friend Lil- lian’s (Rudolph) march down the aisle. Annie as her dutiful, florally endowed sidekick does her best to bluff that everything is good in her life. Joining them for their stroll toward the sanctity of wedded bliss are the titular bridesmaids in the comedic guises of Rose Byrne (Insidious), Wendi McLendon-Covey (Reno 911!), Melissa McCarthy (Samantha Who?) and Ellie Kemper (The Of- fice), with testosterone-fueled appearances by Jon Hamm and Matt Lucas. Opens May 13.
The Hangover Part II continues the misadventures of Phil (Bradley
Cooper), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), Stu (Ed Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha), as they travel outside of the U.S. to Bangkok in the hopes of avoiding the same black-out situations that had them mining comedic gold in the first film—but then we wouldn’t have a sequel, now would we? The unforgettable (well they blacked out in the first movie, so some of it was
forgettable for them) events that transpired in Las Vegas weigh heavily on the quartet’s minds, as they travel abroad for Stu’s wedding. They are determined to not repeat the same alcohol-fueled shenanigans with a more restrained bachelor party, which includes a subdued pre-marital brunch. Things of course do not go as planned and what happens in Vegas, may have stayed in Vegas—but this is not necessarily true for Bangkok, as the exotic locale provides more than its fair share of distractions to keep them in hot water. Opens May 26.
to burst off of the comic book page and onto the silver screen. Chris Hemsworth is front and center as The God of Thunder, who lays his hammer down against bad guys after be- ing sent down to Earth from his native home Asgard (no comment) by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins). The mighty, yet egotistical warrior was van- quished after his careless actions re-ignite an ancient war, and he is banished to live among mere mortals. Included in the cast of lowly mortals is Oscar-winning actress Natalie Port- man as the beautiful scientist Jane Foster (are there any other kind?) who challenges Thor to stop and smell the roses. His test is to learn the true meaning of the word “hero,” as this superhuman grazes the precarious path to truth,
justice and the American way—becom- ing the bold defender of our big blue marble. Opens May 6.
Independent Spirits
The Beaver doesn’t star Jerry Mathers as the title character. Rather, it’s Mel Gibson in his first film foray since he ranted and raved against Ok- sana Grigorieva, landing him in that personal hot water bath. Will it equate box office poison? Only time and ticket receipts will tell if the tale of a man and his beaver hand puppet (ahem)—which co- stars and is directed by Jodie Foster—will put the focus back squarely on his acting life. Gibson stars as Walter Black, a formerly suc-
cessful toy company executive who has seen his life spiral out of control (art imitating life, much?), as he navigates the tidal aspects of his world’s ebb and flow into a deep ocean of depression. Opens May 20.
The Tree Of Life follows the travails of a
Midwestern family circa 1950s, starring Brad Pitt and Sean Penn as a dysfunctional family unit. The decorously named character of Jack (Penn) remembers the world through the innocent eyes of childhood, yet cannot seem to connect the dots of his journey into a disenfranchised adult—all of which stems from his complex relationship with his father Mr. O’Brien (played by Pitt). Both seek out the all-meaning nature of
existence and faith, as they climb the tree of life mindful to not fall, or smack themselves on its branches on the way down to the truth, and a return to innocence. Opens May 27.
30 RAGE monthly | MAY 2011
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92