Chris Pratt

‘Jennifer’s Body’ a Bloody, Out-of-Body Dud For Oscar-Winning ‘Juno’ Scribe Diablo Cody

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:01:00 -0600

CHICAGO – For Oscar-winning “Juno” writer Diablo Cody, writing “Jennifer’s Body” with “Transformers” star Megan Fox and “Mamma Mia!” star Amanda Seyfried as the two lead women was as much of an out-of-body experience as Charlize Theron’s against-type role in 2003’s “Monster”. The difference? Theron nailed it; Cody bloodied this bold opportunity.

Rating: 1.5/5.0

Since our Nov. 2007 interview with Cody for the Oscar-winning “Juno,” she’s as quick with her wit in person as she is with her pen for the screen.

While an early reading of the “Jennifer’s Body” script showed promise, once it hit the screen Cody’s razor-sharp wit was blunted against the mismatched backdrop of two female leads who couldn’t sell the script and the overarching horror tone that the talented Cody hasn’t yet mastered.

Read Adam Fendelman’s full review of “Jennifer’s Body” in our reviews section.

Like “Juno,” you still hear Cody’s obscure and uniquely twisted pop-culture references. Like “Juno,” you once again travel with Cody as she deftly maneuvers the cliché without being so.

Like “Juno,” Cody has found another way to inject the importance of relationships into strong female roles. But “Jennifer’s Body” more than disappoints – and, in fact, offends considering the prodigy who wrote it – on three primal levels.

“Jennifer’s Body” from Oscar-winning “Juno” writer Diablo Cody and director Karyn Kusama stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Ryan Levine, Juan Riedinger, Colin Askey, Chris Pratt, Juno Ruddell, Kyle Gallner and Josh Emerson. The film, which was released nationwide on Sept. 18, 2009, is rated “R” for sexuality, bloody violence, language and brief drug use with a 102-minute running time.

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Jennifer’s Body” review.

The insatiable appetite of Jennifer (Megan Fox) takes her on the prowl for a meaty snack in “Jennifer’s Body”.
Photo credit: Doane Gregory, 20th Century Fox

Continuing reading for Adam Fendelman’s full “Jennifer’s Body” review.

DVD, TV Review: ‘Parks and Recreation’ Delivers on Early Promise With Great Premiere

BrianTT — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:35:02 -0600

CHICAGO – Improving with every episode of its short first season, now available on DVD, “Parks and Recreation” returns tonight with the best episode of comedy in tonight’s much-hyped cavalcade of premieres. Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Paul Schneider, and the rest of the cast and writers of “Parks and Recreation” are doing everything they can to turn their comedy into the next NBC must-see show. Do your part and tune in.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

DVD Rating: 4.5/5.0

Very few comedies come out of the gate without a few flaws. The first month of “30 Rock” didn’t have nearly the comic timing that made the third season an Emmy darling. It takes time to develop pacing, comic chemistry, and characters that the audience care about. Watching the first season of “Parks and Recreation,” you can see those essential ingredients start to click by roughly episode four, “Boys Club”.

Parks and Recreation
Photo credit: Universal

What happened by episode four? The team behind “Parks and Recreation” found the heart of the show. Just as Michael Scott on “The Office” needs to be more than a drooling moron and Jim and Pam bring a necessary emotional, relatable core to that hit show, “Parks and Recreation” suffered at the start for a lack of characters worth caring about. Not any more.

Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, an ambitious and hopeful small-town government worker in Pawnee, Indiana who dreams big but lives small. Most of the first season centered around Leslie’s attempts to turn an abandoned construction site into a park after meeting the lovely local nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) and her moronic boyfriend (Chris Pratt).

Like “The Office” set in the world of small-town politics instead of paper production, “Parks and Recreation” features a cast of unusual workplace characters including Leslie’s odd colleague Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari), gruff boss Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman), and a cute city planner named Mark (Paul Schneider).

“Parks and Recreation” features the same dry wit, workplace humor, and awkward pauses of “The Office,” but it started to develop its own identity over the course of the first season and opens the second one truly feeling like its own series.

Parks and Recreation
Photo credit: Dean Hendler/FOX

Written by Norm Hiscock and directed by the great Paul Feig, the premiere of “Parks and Recreation” is the best episode of the series to date, entitled “Pawnee Zoo”. In a series of publicity events for the local zoo, Leslie decides that she’ll stage a wedding for a pair of penguins after hearing that they mate for life. The small problem is that the two penguins at the local zoo happen to both be male and Leslie becomes the local poster child for gay marriage. Celebrated at the local gay bar The Bulge (which features a hilarious dance scene with Leslie) and asked to resign by the conservatives in town, Leslie is stuck in an awkward situation. Meanwhile, Ann faces an uncomfortable decision after Mark asks her on a date.

It feels like the renewal of “Parks and Recreation” has reinvigorated the writers and actors on the show. Next week’s episode, “The Stakeout,” directed by the great Seth Gordon, is just as good as the premiere and arguably even funnier.

Parks and Recreation
Photo credit: Dean Hendler/FOX

Poehler’s timing has never been better than it is in the premiere and the supporting cast is becoming more likable every single week. It’s way too early to say that “Parks and Recreation” is the best show on Thursday nights, especially with the great “The Office” and “30 Rock” in the conversation, but it’s much closer to those already-classic comedies than anyone thought it would be after the premiere. Much like Leslie Knope, “Parks and Recreation” could surprise you.

Very surprising is the excellent season one DVD, which includes commentaries and deleted scenes on every single episode, along with an extended cut of the season finale.

Commentary participants on season one include creators Greg Daniels & Micke Schur, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Paul Schneider, Chris Pratt, Amy Poehler, and more.

Check out the season two premiere and then go back and catch up with life in Pawnee. Not only will you see a few very good episodes but you’ll see the development of a series from good to great.

The second season premiere of ‘Parks and Recreation,’ which airs on NBC, stars Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Paul Schneider, Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, and Nick Offerman. The show was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The series returns on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 7:30PM CST.

‘Parks and Recreation: Season One’ is released by Universal Home Video and stars Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Paul Schneider, Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, and Nick Offerman. The show was created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. It was released on September 8th, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 16-Image Gallery For ‘Bride Wars’ With Anne Hathaway, Kate Hudson

BrianTT — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:32:00 -0700

CHICAGO – This 16-image slideshow contains official press images for Fox’s “Bride Wars,” which stars Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Steve Howey, Candice Bergen, and Kristen Johnston from writers Greg DePaul and Casey Wilson & June Diane Raphael and director Gary Winick. The film opens on Jan. 9, 2009.

“Bride Wars” is a comedy about two best friends who become bitter rivals when they both happen to schedule their upscale weddings on the exact same day. The comedy is rated PG and opens on Friday, January 9th, 2009.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox and Regency Enterprises. Photo credit: Claire Folger.

BrideWars01: Liv (Kate Hudson) finds the perfect wedding gown.
BrideWars02: Emma (Anne Hathaway) reflects on the joyous occasion of the wedding of her best friend.
BrideWars03: Liv (Kate Hudson, left) has mixed reactions to best friend Emma’s (Anne Hathaway) engagement.
BrideWars04: Best friends Live (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) take in the action at a friend’s wedding party.
BrideWars05: Liv (Kate Hudson, top) and best friend Emma (Anne Hathaway) exalt in their catching of the wedding bouquet.
BrideWars06: Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) delight in catching the bouquet at a friend’s wedding.
BrideWars07: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) and Liv (Kate Hudson) can’t wait to hear what a wedding planner has in store for their respective nuptials.
BrideWars08: Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) share peaceful and friendly moments before their bride wars get underway.
BrideWars09: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) shares in the joy of her best friend Liv’s (Kate Huson) marriage to Daniel (Steve Howey).
BrideWars10: Battling brides Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have an emotional reunion at Liv’s wedding.
BrideWars11: The calm after the storm: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) helps make the wedding of her best friend Liv (Kate Hudson) a memorable one.
BrideWars12: Battling brides Liv (Kate Hudson, left) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) have an emotional reunion at Liv’s wedding.
BrideWars13: The “bride wars” between Liv (Kate Huson) and Emma (Anne Hathaway) come to a memorable conclusion at Liv’s wedding.
BrideWars14: Emma (Anne Hathaway, left) and Liv (Kate Hudson) go shopping for bridal gowns.
BrideWars15: Emma (Anne Hathaway) leaves little doubt as to what her answer will be when boyfriend Fletcher (Chris Pratt) pops the question.
BrideWars16: Actor-producer Kate Hudson confers with director Gary Winich on the set of Bride Wars.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com