Emma Roberts

Film Review: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg in ‘Celeste and Jesse Forever’

BrianTT — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:49:36 -0400

Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Rashida Jones has been a reliable co-star for years in films like “I Love You, Man” and TV shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” but she gets her most notable role to date in a film she co-wrote, the romantic dramedy “Celeste and Jesse Forever,” opening this weekend in Chicago. Jones’ complex performance is the best thing about a film that ultimately feels a bit too unfocused, almost as if Jones and her co-writer Will McCormack took the opportunity to use every idea they had about the art of the break-up without streamlining their concepts into something more coherent and entertaining. Despite a very strong lead performance, “Celeste and Jesse Forever” is a film that never builds the right rhythm, lurching forward instead of flowing like the films that so clearly inspired it.

Our first notable interaction with Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) is at a restaurant/bar with friends Beth (Ari Graynor) and Tucker (Eric Christian Olsen). It feels like a standard double date. Celeste and Jesse have chemistry, in-jokes, and what seems like genuine happiness. It’s not until Beth & Tucker reveal that they can’t handle the awkwardness that we realize that the title is tongue-in-cheek – Celeste and Jesse have broken up. In fact, they are divorced with Jesse living in the home behind Celeste. How can you move on when you’re still such a close friend with your ex? Is that even possible?

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Celeste and Jesse Forever” in our reviews section.

Celeste tries to date, meeting a guy at yoga named Paul (Chris Messina) who shows interest and goes on with her work life (where she’s employed by Elijah Wood to deal with a troublesome pop starlet played by Emma Roberts). Jesse moves on as well, meeting a lovely young woman named Veronica (Rebecca Dayan) with whom it looks like he could start another life. McCormack co-stars as a pot-dealing friend of both Celeste and Jesse.

I admire how Jones and McCormack avoid the clichés of their characters. Jesse could have easily just been another pot-smoking loser, the kind of Hollywood guy who serves little purpose other than to show audiences how our heroine could do better. They don’t demonize either of their lead characters and Samberg and Jones are the best thing about the film. They’re three-dimensional and engaging.

Continue reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Celeste and Jesse Forever” review.

“Celeste and Jesse Forever” stars Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Elijah Wood, Will McCormack, Chris Messina, Rebecca Dayan, and Emma Roberts. It was written by Jones and McCormack and directed by Lee Toland Krieger. It opens in Chicago on August 10, 2012.

The Social Network
Photo credit: Sony Pictures

Interview: Rashida Jones, Will McCormack Find ‘Celeste and Jesse Forever’

BrianTT — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 11:02:53 -0400

CHICAGO – Actors Rashida Jones (“Parks and Recreation”) and Will McCormack (“Dirt”) dated a long time ago and have turned their break-up into an acclaimed new romantic dramedy, “Celeste and Jesse Forever.” Don’t be fooled by its title. Jones and McCormack’s film opens with Celeste (Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) at the end of their marriage. It’s about two people who have grown apart as they’ve grown up who find ways to move on but stay friends. Co-starring Ari Graynor, Chris Messina, Eric Christian Olsen, Elijah Wood, and Emma Roberts, “Celeste and Jesse Forever” is arguably the brightest spotlight for Jones, who proves to be an adept writer as well as nailing her first lead role. Jones and McCormack sat down with us last month on a hot day in Chicago to talk about the silliness of Sundance, the romantic comedy templates, acting vs. writing, and the funniest man alive.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: What’s your process as a writing team? Do you sit in a room and bounce ideas off of each other? Do you each take scenes?

WILL MCCORMACK: For this movie, Rashida came up with the idea and she kind of pitched it to me. And I thought, “We should definitely write AND finish that one as opposed to just writing it and not finishing.”

RASHIDA JONES: Which we had done before.

MCCORMACK: That’s a good idea. I’ve got some stuff to say about that. You’ve got some stuff to say about that.

JONES: Let’s say it together.

MCCORMACK: The writing process was not that difficult. We wrote a screenplay in four months and writing sucks. Having written is awesome but the actual process is hard but this one was pretty easy to finish. It came pretty organically to us — the characters, the ending we knew. We gave it to a couple of smart people we knew to see if they liked it and Jen Taub was one and she offered to produce it and we were kind of off and running.

Rashida Jones
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Did you have any major debates? Who wins in a two-person writing team?

JONES: It’s like a marriage, you know? One person wins one time and another person wins the other time.

MCCORMACK: In my experience, the right idea will win. I don’t push too hard. I’ll say something and it will be right or wrong but the right idea usually wins. Oftentimes, Rashida will say something and I’ll be like, “No, no, no.”

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: (Rashida Laughs.) Oftentimes?

MCCORMACK: Yeah. You’re in something and you see it a certain way. It’s hard enough to make one brain go in one direction but to make two? It’s impossible. Ideas take times to marinate and process. I always feel like the idea wins. Now I usually just say, “Maybe.”

Andy Samberg and Will McCormack in Celeste and Jesse Forever
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Was that the big learning experience of this project?

JONES: Yeah. Writing’s weird like that. Whatever you’ve learned about yourself as an actor and as a person…you’re taught to trust your instinct but writing is different. Yeah, there’s instincts but it’s less applicable. You kind of have to go through all the machinations — your first instinct, your second thought, your third, and your fourth and then back to the first. It’s hard to just say that there’s one right way to do it. So you kind of just have to let the whole gamut run out.

MCCORMACK: I feel like I’m totally cut out for collaboration. Being an actor for as long as I’ve been actor — you’re only as good as everyone around you. It’s not an individual sport. We’re making a movie or a play and everyone has to be moving in the same direction.

JONES: We’re both from big families where everyone is super-opinionated and we like to keep everyone happy. That plus having a point of view — you just kind of know how to work with other people.

MCCORMACK: And you have to be sensitive and open when you collaborate with someone because a lot of ideas are bad — mine and yours. All good ideas usually stem from a bad one. A great idea usually happens in steps. You have to support each other to get there.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Do you write for anyone in mind?

JONES: We wrote for Chris. And “Celeste and Jesse” is just a heightened version of me and Will. We wrote for Chris and you write seeing a face. Generally, I think if you can see the character than you don’t need an actor attachment. You give yourself leeway. Chris, for instance, we love him. We think he’s a great actor and felt there was a side that he hadn’t played yet.

Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones in Celeste and Jesse Forever
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Chris does TV [“Damages” & “The Newsroom”] like the both of you. Does your TV experience make you different filmmakers?

JONES: It’s SUCH a different experience to me. But, again, I’m on such a collaborative TV show [“Parks & Recreation”]. Amy [Poehler] is the clear leader and she sets the tone but her leadership mode is collaboration. That’s how she leads. I guess that’s really it for what I bring to my writing.

MCCORMACK: I think they’re different muscles but from the same region.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: TV and Film?

MCCORMACK: No, writing and acting. It’s really getting to the heart of something. Get there however you can. Acting tries to get rid of all the bullshit. Be as real and as simple as possible and just listen. And be brave. It comes down to guts. Writing is the same way. Be honest, simple, and try to say something. It comes from the same engine.

JONES: I feel like there’s a lot more brainpower to write. I feel like when I have a shitty writing day that I very much look forward to going back to work where I just have to hit my mark and say my lines.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Would you say writing is more difficult?

MCCORMACK: Yeah, I think it is.

JONES: But it’s more rewarding.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: This came mostly out of personal experience but were there any filmmakers or specific films that inspired it as well?

JONES: James Brooks, Cameron Crowe, Woody Allen, Nora Ephron.

MCCORMACK: Cameron Crowe, James Brooks, and Woody Allen were huge. The models for this movie were “Broadcast News,” “Annie Hall.” Of course, “When Harry Met Sally…” is a template. We wrote the movie in the spirit of those movies that we grew up on and made me want to be involved in movies.

Rashida Jones in Celeste and Jesse Forever
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Was there ever any fear in writing something so personal? Picking at the emotional scars?

JONES: I didn’t think about it too much. Did you? [To Will.]

MCCORMACK: As an actress, you were so in it but it also looked fun like it was some sort of exorcism.

JONES: It was. It was like coming out of me. Also, I think the expectation is really low in some way for me. I’m “dependable” as an actress and as the characters that I play. I’m dependable. People have decided and it’s nice and I think it’s a reflection of my personality but people are like, “That’s what she does.” There’s something slightly innocuous about it. So I was happy to be like, “You know what? She’s not an innocuous character. She’s judgmental and kind of myopic.” It was fun to be able to do that.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: What was the most challenging element of the film? Was that it — breaking out of your mold as an actress? When I say “challenge,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

MCCORMACK: Financing.

JONES: Just getting it made. Getting to day one.

MCCORMACK: Yeah, getting to day one.

JONES: Everything. Schedules, contracts…

MCCORMACK: Just getting to the first shot. Once we got started…

JONES: The filmmaking process was fun. It was getting to it — getting to day one.

MCCORMACK: We never had any time to just mess around and improv. It was just tight.

Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg in Celeste and Jesse Forever
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: And you didn’t have any distribution when you went to Sundance [where it was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics]?

MCCORMACK: No.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: What were your expectations going into Sundance?

JONES: You know, I forgot that we had to sell the movie. I was like, “Oh my God, somebody has to buy it.” I became obsessed with what to wear. I was transferring all my nerve and agita about going there to my clothes.

MCCORMACK: It’s intense. I didn’t realize how intense.

JONES: It’s WAY different when you’ve written something. When you present this thing to 1,300 people — if they’re not along for the ride, you can’t blame anyone else.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: So there’s more nerves in general because you wrote it than something you starred in?

MCCORMACK: Oh my GOD.

JONES: There’s no words to describe it. Panic. Sheer panic.

MCCORMACK: I was a MESS.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Are you judging every response in the audience?

MCCORMACK: YES. Yes.

JONES: Yes. You don’t even hear some of it. You black out a bit.

Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg in Celeste and Jesse Forever
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Then what happens at Sundance? Does Sony contact you immediately? Is there a bidding war?

JONES: Sundance is a really crazy place because you do all of this press and then you go to an after party and then you sit down at midnight with distributors and they pitch you a plan for your movie and why they want to buy it. By that point, everybody is wasted and so tired and the altitude and you meet in dark corners and you’re drinking coffee at one in the morning…it’s absurd. It’s crazy that people make deals there. We just did that every night. They get in touch and there’s this whole thing that they do through your reps…

MCCORMACK: It feels like a drug deal.

JONES: Or you’re hiring a hitman.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Wow. You have to think that maybe some wrong decisions would be made in that environment.

MCCORMACK: Totally. Well, some have. (Laughs.)

JONES: Not only that but there’s SO much that can go wrong at Sundance. “Margin Call,” which was such a great film. The first couple of days at Sundance last year they got a couple of bad reviews and so all of the distributors crossed it off their list. It premiered on VOD.

MCCORMACK: And it ended up getting nominated for an Oscar. And it did well on DVD. And that movie “Junebug” got hammered its first night.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: And then you’ve got the other way too — the $10 million that makes no sense outside of Park City.

MCCORMACK: TOTALLY. Yeah.

JONES: I think it might be the end of that. I think people learned their lesson. This year, it was slower.

MCCORMACK: I feel like people were way more cautious.

JONES: They waited to see what else was happening.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Someone on Facebook gave me this question — Who’s the co-star that you’ve worked with that you find the funniest? Who’s made you laugh the hardest in a scene?

MCCORMACK: I know the answer.

JONES: You do? What’s my answer?

MCCORMACK: Paul [Rudd].

JONES: Paul Rudd is the hardest to keep a straight face with. I totally agree. I have to say that it’s a tie now — Nick Frost is probably the funniest person I’ve ever met. He’s so consistently hilarious. He’s great. We didn’t have a hard time keeping a straight face because we were dancing but he’s straight up the funniest. But Paul is definietly good.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: And so much of what Paul does is improvised so I imagine it might be more difficult with him to stay in scene.

JONES: When he busts out…the last time he says “Slappin’ da bass” [in “I Love You, Man”], I laughed so hard and the whole crew laughed so hard that I had to go ADR my laugh because everyone was laughing in the background. He’s so funny. That’s such a good part for him.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: What’s next for you guys?

JONES: I co-wrote a comic book and we adapted it for film.

MCCORMACK: We’re going to start a new project but no deadlines and no studios and just work on it.

HOLLYWOODCHICAGO.COM: Less than four years though?

JONES: [Laughs] Yes, that’s the plan. A little bit better every time.

MCCORMACK: Although if we could do a movie every four years that wouldn’t be bad.

JONES: No, that would be fine. I would be fine if we didn’t spend the last three years just trying to get the movie made. Write for two years and then spend a year trying to get it made.

“Celeste and Jesse Forever” is playing in some markets now and opens in Chicago on Friday, August 10, 2012.

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

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 Pairs of Passes to ‘Celeste and Jesse Forever’ With Andy Samberg

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 01:33:13 -0400

CHICAGO – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 25 admit-two movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the irresistible romantic comedy “Celeste and Jesse Forever”!

“Celeste and Jesse Forever” stars Andy Samberg, Rashida Jones, Emma Roberts, Elijah Wood, Chris Messina, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Rob Huebel, Shira Lazar, Will McCormack, Kate Krieger, Matthias Steiner, Andreas Beckett, Rebecca Dayan and Janel Parrish from director Lee Toland Krieger and writers Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.

To win your free advance-screening passes to “Celeste and Jesse Forever” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our unique Hookup technology directly below. That’s it! This screening is on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning!

Before entering, make sure you allow pop-ups.
If viewing this on your phone, click “Go to Full Site” at the bottom of the page to enter.
Deadline: Entries can continue being submitted through Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012
at 5 p.m. CST. These Hookup winners will be awarded via e-mail that night.
If necessary: To see your entry count on a repeat visit, submit your name and e-mail again.

Here is the synopsis for “Celeste and Jesse Forever”:

Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) met in high school, married young and are growing apart. Now 30, Celeste is the driven owner of her own media consulting firm. All the while, Jesse is once again unemployed and in no particular rush to do anything with his life. Celeste is convinced that divorcing Jesse is the right thing to do.

She is on her way up and he is on his way nowhere. If they do it now instead of later, they can remain supportive friends. Even though he is still in love with her, Jesse passively accepts this transition into friendship.

As the reality of their separation sets in, Celeste slowly and painfully realizes she has been cavalier about their relationship. Her decision, which once seemed mature and progressive, now seems impulsive and selfish.

But her timing with Jesse is less than fortuitous. While navigating the turbulent changes in their lives and in their hearts, these two learn that – in order to truly love someone – you may have to let them go.

The “Celeste and Jesse Forever” starring Andy Samberg and Rashida Jones.
Image credit: Sony Pictures Classics

The “Celeste and Jesse Forever” movie trailer can be watched now below.

This HollywoodChicago.com Hookup is simple! Just get interactive in our unique Hookup technology above. We will award 25 admit-two movie tickets based on social entry numbers and/or randomly via e-mail for our “Celeste and Jesse Forever” Hookup. Good luck!

Disclaimer
Winners need to arrive early as seats are consumed on a first-come, first-served basis. Since showings are overbooked to ensure a full house, winners are not guaranteed entrance and must arrive early. We recommend arriving 45 minutes before the showing’s scheduled start time. HollywoodChicago.com LLC is a promotional partner with the studio and its partners and doesn’t assume any liability for this giveaway. Note: Comments are closed in this Hookup.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-ray Review: ‘The Art of Getting By’ Sleepwalks Through Coming-of-Age Clichés

mattmovieman — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:25:13 -0500

CHICAGO – Poor George Zinavoy. He’s been cursed with striking good looks, remarkable artistic talent, a dedicated mentor and a gorgeous woman who clearly desires to have sex with him. Thankfully, nothing appears to have gotten in the way of his stubborn pessimism, comfortable apathy and belief in the meaningless of existence. How can George be expected to care about his homework when he’s too busy contemplating his mortality?

For that matter, how can audiences be expected to care about such an unsympathetic, oddly soulless Holden Caulfield clone? He goes through the usual existential motions with all the urgency and conviction of a sleepwalker. As played by baby faced, moist-eyed Freddie Highmore, George registers as a mopey bore rather than a fatalist. Highmore’s genial sweetness lacks the raw edge and rebellious spirit that the character desperately needed in order to be the least bit credible.

Blu-ray Rating: 2.0/5.0

Just like the ashen-faced adolescent hero of the superior coming-of-age comedy, “Submarine,” George wears a black overcoat at all times, while explaining to his perplexed peers that he “likes layers.” Too bad writer/director Gavin Wiesen fails to give his protagonist any interesting dimensions beyond the usual coming-of-age neuroses. It’s easy to see why this Fox Searchlight dud briefly played in theaters over the summer before unceremoniously arriving on Blu-ray. There’s very little here to warrant sufficient interest, even though Highmore and his onscreen would-be girlfriend, Emma Roberts, struggle mightily to make their characters endearing and relatable. This is Highmore’s first attempt at breaking out of the child actor persona that entrapped the similarly gifted Haley Joel Osment. Highmore sported remarkable screen presence in films such as “Finding Neverland” and “August Rush,” though his characters never allowed him to display much range. George is an entirely different animal from the angelic youngsters he’s perviously mastered, and Highmore proves to be entirely miscast, groaning lines like, “I’m allergic to hormones,” with no sense of wit or authenticity (“Norman” star Dan Byrd would’ve been a perfect fit for the role).

The Art of Getting By was released on Blu-ray and DVD on Nov. 29, 2011.
Photo credit: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

In contrast, Michael Angarano (as George’s mentor) is far more comfortable in his own skin, and generates effortless chemistry with Roberts in their few scenes together. Yet the most compelling scene stealer is Irish character actor Jarlath Conroy, who growls through the role of George’s art teacher as if he were auditioning for Burgess Meredith’s role in “Rocky.” He’s over the top, but at least he’s tangibly, exhilaratingly alive. From the overwritten opening monologue to the final note of whimsical uncertainty (which has quickly become an expected cliché in touchy-feely indies), George remains a posturing, photogenic construct devoid of charm or personality. He’s offered so many second chances from the people he’s routinely ignored that it starts to become an unintentional running gag. How’s this kid going to learn if he doesn’t lose something?

“The Art of Getting By” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio) and includes subtitled song lyrics that allow hard-of-hearing viewers to fully appreciate Wiesen’s carefully selected soundtrack choices, such as Leonard Cohen’s “Winter Lady,” which the director first discovered in Robert Altman’s great “McCabe & Mrs. Miller.” It’s clear just how personal this debut film was to Wiesen, who was determined to highlight his favorite overlooked pockets of New York City’s Upper East and West sides. The project crystallized once Wiesen turned 31 and started feeling nostalgic for his high school years. He wanted to cast actors close to the age of their characters, and he thought Highmore would an ideal choice for the lead, since his suppressed Britishness would make him appear even more out of place in an American school.

Yet in the rather revealing audio commentary track, Wiesen discusses the various production pressures and hurdles that he ran up against while working within a condensed 22-day shooting schedule. He estimates that at least twenty percent of scenes were grabbed on the fly, and he only started to feel like the footage came close to his original vision after shooting the “depression montage” where George obsessively broods to “Winter Lady.” Wiesen says that he finds the indulgence of George’s adolescent heartbreak amusing, but the humor doesn’t come through in the final cut. Perhaps Wiesen’s intended cut is lost somewhere on the cutting room floor. Yet when faced with such a rushed shooting schedule, I can imagine that many overwhelmed first-time filmmakers wish for nothing more than to simply get by.

‘The Art of Getting By’ is released by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and stars Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Rita Wilson and Blair Underwood. It was written and directed by Gavin Wiesen. It was released on Nov. 29, 2011. It is rated PG-13.

By MATT FAGERHOLM
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
matt@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Entertaining ‘Scream 4’ Makes Great Horror Rental

BrianTT — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:27:39 -0400

CHICAGO – This upcoming Halloween will give you dozens of options in theaters and on Blu-ray to choose from for your scary dollar. You may have dismissed Wes Craven’s latest entry in the most influential franchise of the last twenty years. Don’t. Sure, the “Scream” movies are over the hill, more so than I think The Weinstein Company expected as evidenced by the pathetic box office returns (less than 50% of the last “Scream” movie and less than $100 million worldwide (the first three broke $150), but this is a fun genre flick. If you wrote this movie off in theaters, you might be surprised to learn that it’s worth a rental.

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to argue that this is a return to form for one of the best horror directors of all time or that it will be anywhere near as influential as the original. It’s not great. But it works on multiple levels, especially when one considers the track record of fourth parts in franchises of any kind, especially horror. There’s no denying that this is a well-crafted film, which is something of a blessing after Craven’s “My Soul to Take,” the worst film of his career.

Scre4m
Photo credit: Dimension

Where the first film was a commentary on and deconstruction of the slasher genre, “Scream 4” is a remake, reboot, and sequel rolled into one and a commentary on all of the above. It is as self-aware a film as you’re ever going to see and if that kind of “meta” writing in lieu of actual characters grates on your nerves than you’re likely to have some frayed ones by the time the last drop of blood is spilled. It can be overly self-conscious, and I think that’s what turned off some critics. It makes dozens of film references to not just its own franchise but other horror films as diverse as “Peeping Tom” and “Piranha.” It’s the kind of script in which characters watch “Shaun of the Dead” and answer trivia questions about “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” It is a film about the generation spawned by “Scream” – the people for whom horror movies are a language and a way of life.

Scre4m was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 4th, 2011
Photo credit: The Weinstein Company

After a very-clever opening set piece, “Scream 4” settles into the infamous Woodsboro on the anniversary of the action of the first film and the return of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) to the town that has made her famous. Her life story was turned into a series of movies called “Stab,” based on the books by Gayle Weathers (Courteney Cox), but now she’s decided to tell her own story in her own book. Of course, what they say about not being able to go home again is especially true for horror heroines.

The list of potential killers/victims is huge (almost too big). The hapless Dewey (David Arquette) returns in the role of Sheriff with a few recognizable faces on his staff (Marley Shelton, Adam Brody, Anthony Anderson). Sidney’s niece (Emma Roberts) happens to still live in town with her mother (Mary McDonell) and, of course, Sidney has a number of classmates ready for the end of a sharp knife including ones played by Hayden Panettiere, Erik Knudsen, Nico Tortorella, and Rory Culkin. Who is slicing up the locals again? Why now and what relation do they have to Sidney?

“Scream 4” doesn’t have the breakneck pace of the first film (or the second) but it does develop an entertaining rhythm, especially for a rental. It won’t have the influence of the original and it’s an incredibly easy film for the trolls to rip apart without really looking at it, but I can’t imagine anyone who truly loves that first trilogy to be disappointed by this clever follow-up/commentary/reboot/remake/sequel/whatever.

The Blu-ray features some interesting deleted scenes, which fans will be more curious about given the notorious and widely-reported reshoots. Being able to see the alternate ending, the other version of Alison Brie’s parking garage scene, and a different ending makes clear that reshoots aren’t always a bad thing — the final film version of all the changed material was the right choice. But it’s interesting to be able to see what could have been. It’s also great that Craven pops up all over the special features. He’s a fascinating, brilliant man and every horror movie fan should hear what he has to say.

Special Features:
o Feature Commentary with Director Wes Craven and Cast Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere and Neve Campbell
o Deleted and Extended Scenes
o Alternate Opening
o Extended Ending
o Gag Reel
o The Making Of Scream 4
o Digital Copy Of Feature Film

“Scream 4” stars Neve Campbell, Emma Roberts, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Marley Shelton, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Erik Knudsen, Nico Tortorella, Rory Culkin, and Alison Brie. It was written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. It is rated R and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 4th, 2011.

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

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 5 Blu-Rays For Wes Craven’s ‘Scream 4’ With Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 15:54:03 -0400

CHICAGO – In our latest horror/mystery edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Blu-ray, we have 5 Blu-rays up for grabs for the home entertainment release of Wes Craven’s “Scream 4” starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Anna Paquin!

“Scream 4” will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Oct. 4, 2011. The film also stars Kristen Bell, Hayden Panettiere, Emma Roberts, Lucy Hale, Shenae Grimes, Roger Jackson, Dane Farwell, Aimee Teegarden, Britt Robertson, Alison Brie and Marielle Jaffe from director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson.

To win your free “Scream 4” Blu-ray courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question in this Web-based submission form. That’s it! Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and win can be found beneath the graphic below.

The Blu-ray for Wes Craven’s “Scream 4” with Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette.
Image credit: Anchor Bay Films

Here is the plot description for “Scream 4”:

In “Scream 4,” Sidney Prescott – now the author of a self-help book – returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey and Gale (who are now married) as well as her cousin Jill (played by Emma Roberts) and her Aunt Kate (Mary McDonnell). Unfortunately, Sidney’s appearance also brings about the return of Ghost Face, which puts Sidney, Gale and Dewey along with Jill, her friends and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

The movie trailer for the “Scream 4” Blu-ray can be watched now below.

To secure your free “Scream 4” Blu-ray, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this Hookup.

Next, simply answer our question. You must submit your answer using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Comments have been disabled on this page.

You must include your first and last name, e-mail and physical mailing address in your submission. Your personal information will not be sold or shared, will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries. You must own a Blu-ray player. Please answer our question below.

Do you like or dislike the “Scream” films and why?
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This Hookup is simple: 5 lucky readers will be selected as the winners of our free “Scream 4” Blu-ray Hookup! The winners will be mailed their Blu-rays at our expense. Good luck!

Disclaimer
HollywoodChicago.com LLC is a promotional partner with the studio and
its partners and doesn’t assume any liability for this giveaway.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

TV News: ‘Sex and the City’ Possibly Returning to Television

BrianTT — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:56:22 -0400

CHICAGO – Fans that were excited for the possibility of a third “Sex and the City” film may be disappointed at the news the movie will be put on hold. However, the fix to see Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda could still be filled.

Rumor has it that “Sex and the City” will be returning to television sometime in the future. Producers met in Hollywood last week to discuss the plan for making the new show. “Sex and the City,” which had six seasons of episodes on HBO as well as two feature length films, was well on the way to the production of a third movie when this news broke that the film is being trashed for a return to TV.

The third film was supposed to be the story of the beginnings of the four main girls. As Sarah Jessica Parker and the other women who played the characters have obviously gotten older, the movie was going to recast the four characters with younger actresses. Rumors that swirled around the project said that Elizabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”) was going to play Carrie, Blake Lively (“Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” “The Town”) would be Samantha, Selena Gomez (“Monte Carlo”) would play Charlotte, and Emma Roberts (“It’s Kind of a Funny Story”) would portray Miranda.

While the new television show has not been defined as a back story or a continuing of the narrative already in place, a source close to The Daily Mail said that the plan is to do the television show before a third movie, and that Sarah Jessica Parker will be producing the new show.

The source also said that Parker had been worried about making a third film after the disappointment from the second film, but that she is all on board for a return to television for the show.

By TIM MARTENS
Contributing Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Film Review: ‘The Art of Getting By’ Explores a Teenage Wasteland

PatrickMcD — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:55:22 -0400

CHICAGO – The angst ridden, doom-and-gloom adolescent has been fodder for the movies ever since teenagers were invented. From James Dean to “Heathers,” the juvenile anti-hero trying to figure out life has lit up the screen. Freddie Highmore takes his turn in “The Art of Getting By.”

Rating: 3.5/5.0

This is Holden Caulfield (”Catcher in the Rye”) territory, because the setting is New York City among the upper middle class, private school types. While the character of George Zinavoy (Highmore) can never reach the rarified fatalism of Mr. Caulfield, his questioning of existence does have a mordant perversion. And although the film makes some bad “happy ending” decisions, for the most part it exposes the subject matter in an interesting manner.

George Zinavoy is in his senior year at a college prep New York City academy. He barely can tolerate school, and sits in his classes moodily drawing unique images in a sketchbook. For some reason the school tolerates this, and George even has an ally in Principal Martinson (Blair Underwood). George’s rejection of conventional wisdom seeps into his family life, where his stepfather Jack (Sam Robards) is constantly prodding him to do better, and his mother Vivian (Rita Wilson) can’t seem to get through to him.

Life for George takes an unexpected turn when Sally (Emma Roberts), one of his classmates, takes an interest in his dark creationism. They become friends, but George’s natural hormonal instinct wants more. Around the same time George meets a Brooklyn artist named Dustin (Michael Angarano), who takes an interest in both mentoring the George’s art and perhaps hooking up with Sally. That situation will eventually create a conflict

There are a number of events that starts George on a downhill road. He and Sally need to part because their relationship doesn’t go further, his kinship with the school principal goes into crisis mode and his family life contains a secret that will eventually change everything. This is all about transition, including George’s awkward and instinctive boy-to-man progression.

”The Art of Getting By” had a limited release, including Chicago, on June 17th. See local listings for theaters and show times. Featuring Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Sasha Spielberg, Blair Underwood, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Angarano, Sam Robards and Rita Wilson. Written and directed by Gavin Wiesen. Rated “PG-13”

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “The Art of Getting By”

Finding Common Ground: George (Freddie Highmore), and Sally (Emma Roberts) in ‘The Art of Getting By’
Photo credit: © 2011 Twentieth Century Fox Films

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “The Art of Getting By”

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 25 Pairs of Chicago Anytime Passes to ‘The Art of Getting By’

HollywoodChicago.com — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:36:04 -0400

CHICAGO – In our latest romance edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 25 admit-two run-of-engagement movie passes up for grabs to the film “The Art of Getting By”!

“The Art of Getting By,” which opens on June 17, 2011, stars Emma Roberts, Freddie Highmore, Alicia Silverstone, Sasha Spielberg, Marcus Carl Franklin, Ann Dowd, Maya Ri Sanchez, Blair Underwood, Ann Harada, Rita Wilson, Jarlath Conroy, Elizabeth Reaser, Andrew Levitas, Sam Robards and Michael Angarano from writer and director Gavin Wiesen.

To win your free run-of-engagement “The Art of Getting By” movie pass, all you need to do is answer our question in this Web-based submission form. That’s it! These movie passes are valid during the film’s theatrical run at participating Chicago movie theatres. Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

The movie poster for “The Art of Getting By” with Emma Roberts and Freddie Highmore.
Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures

Here is the plot description for “The Art of Getting By”:

“The Art of Getting By” stars Freddie Highmore as George: a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work. He’s befriended by Sally: a beautiful and complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.

The movie trailer for “The Art of Getting By” can be watched now below.

To secure your free “The Art of Getting By” movie pass, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this Hookup.

Next, simply answer our question. You must submit your answer using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Please do not comment on this page. Your entry will be invalid if you only comment on this page and don’t submit into our Web-based form.

You must include your first and last name, e-mail address and physical mailing address in your submission. Your personal information will not be sold or shared, will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries. Please answer our question below.

What is the secret to the art of getting by in your life?

This HollywoodChicago.com Hookup is simple: 25 HollywoodChicago.com readers will be randomly selected as our “The Art of Getting By” Hookup winners! The winners will be mailed the movie passes at our expense. Good luck!

Disclaimer
HollywoodChicago.com LLC is a promotional partner with the studio and
its partners and doesn’t assume any liability for this giveaway.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Film Review: Wes Craven Returns to Form With Entertaining ‘Scre4m’

BrianTT — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 23:20:11 -0400

CHICAGO – Wes Craven’s legendary franchise returns this weekend with a decade since its last installment and to a genre that has been almost entirely bereft of creativity since its director started to lose his prominence as one of its best. Can “Scre4m” rejuvenate the slasher genre like the first film did or will it fall victim to the rule that horror sequels almost always suck? With rumors of reshoots, a trouble script process, and a cast of actors who aren’t exactly household names any more, could “Scre4m” be anything but a disappointment?

Rating: 3.5/5.0

It makes this horror fan very happy to report that, on multiple levels, “Scre4m” works. It’s not as scary as it could have been (although what fourth part in a franchise honestly is?) as Craven and writers Kevin Williamson and an uncredited Ehren Kruger go for meta-commentary over actual suspense, but there’s simply no denying the craftsmanship on display here. After the worst film of his career, the dreadful “My Soul to Take,” Wes Craven proves yet again that he has the ability to bounce back and offer a bloody slice of entertainment as well-made as most of the films he has inspired in the decades since his debut.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Scre4m” in our reviews section.

“Scre4m” is a remake, reboot, and sequel rolled into one and a commentary on all of the above. It is as self-aware a film as you’re ever going to see and if that kind of “meta” writing in lieu of actual characters grates on your nerves than you’re likely to have some frayed ones by the time the last drop of blood is spilled. The film makes numerous references to not just “Scream” and its two sequels but to dozens of other horror films as diverse as “Peeping Tom” and “Piranha.” It’s the kind of script in which characters watch “Shaun of the Dead” and answer trivia questions about “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” It is a film about the generation spawned by “Scream” – the people for whom horror movies are a language and a way of life.

And, for the truly twisted, an inspiration. Of course, “Scre4m” has to open with a big set-piece in which a recognizable star gets gutted a la Drew Barrymore in “Scream” but this one folds in on itself repeatedly in ways that I won’t spoil here other than to say that it’s a perfect set-up for the film in that it offers something to smile and laugh at without really translating the suspense of that amazing opening sequence from the first film.

Continue reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Scre4m” review.

“Scre4m” stars Neve Campbell, Emma Roberts, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Marley Shelton, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Erik Knudsen, Nico Tortorella, Rory Culkin, and Alison Brie. It was written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. It is rated R and opens on April 15th, 2011.

Scre4m
Photo credit: Dimension