“A Star Is Burns,” The Simpsons episode where Springfield throws a film festival and The Critic stops by, first aired 20 years ago yesterday. Yes, it’s been two decades of “agh! my groin,” “don’t cry for me, I’m already dead,” and “boo-urns.” To honor the occasion, Christian Lynch has created Criterion covers for each of the featured films in the festival’s short docket.
Go here to see the most ridiculous death scenes in movie history Cinema is loaded with great death scenes that evoke sympathy or anger or even laughter. But it’s also loaded with death scenes that just leave us scratching our heads. The Countdown What happened to the cast of Ed? – The five most surprisingly unhealthy beverages – The most significant NASA inventions – The top party schools of the year – You will wish you were at these places –
Me, Myself & I Freestyle - Big Sean Have you heard Big Sean’s freestyle over the beat of Beyonce’s Me, Myself, and I? I didn’t pay much attention to what he was saying until recently. The beat is… (in post Me, Myself & I Freestyle - Big SeanHave you heard Big... from Noonday Tune. More by this artist at )
Using the term “mullet” to reference a hairstyle is credited to the Beastie Boys. The Oxford English Dictionary lists “mullet” as being coined and made popular by the hip-hop group, who first used the term in their 1994 song “Mullet Head.” Source
If M. Night Shyamalan can’t do it, maybe Patton Oswalt can. The pop-culture junkie and stand up comedian has effectively pitched one crazy, out-there movie in the form of the ultimate Disney mash-up. Today he’s pitching something a bit more manageable: an Unbreakable sequel. Oswalt appeared on Screen Junkies to talk about his dream to see M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable 2 and, as expected, it’s pretty great. Check out the Patton Oswalt Unbreakable 2 video below.
Basically, Oswalt’s ideas are these. Not a dream sequel, a dream trilogy. In the first sequel, since Mr. Glass is in an asylum, David Dunn realizes that Glass has found other “Unbreakables” around the world. This evidence is seen at the end of the first movie. So basically Unbreakable 2 is a recruitment of the real life Justice League. It ends with Dunn killing, or allowing one of his members to be killed, thereby putting everything he believes into question.
Unbreakable 3 would see Mr. Glass get out of the asylum. While in there, he’s been meeting new and interesting villains so he’s got his own super team. The main plot would then involve them trying to steal David Dunn’s blood so Mr. Glass could become Unbreakable.
Really fun ideas here and there’s more in the video above. M. Night Shyamalan continues to say that he’d like to make an Unbreakable 2 but with each movie he does release, that seems less and less likely. Later this year, he returns to his small, thriller roots with a movie called The Visit. (Originally called Sundowning.) You can read more about that September release here, and his latest quotes onUnbreakable 2 here.
What do you think of Patton Oswalt’s pitch for the Unbreakable trilogy? How would you do it?
Adam Sandler and Bob Barker‘s fight in the 1996 comedy Happy Gilmore is one of the most memorable movies scenes of that decade. It’s crazy, out of the box and completely hilarious. Even people who don’t like the early Sandler film can appreciate the entertainment value in seeing the long time game show host kicking the crap out of Sandler. Maybe even more so.
Now, almost twenty years later, the duo are at it again. Barker and Sandler did a video to promote autism awareness for Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars event, which airs Sunday night. Once again though, things got out of hand. It’s pretty funny. Check out the 2015 Happy Gilmore fight below.
Tyler Spindel directed the funny clip, which will air as part of the Night of Too Many Stars which airs at 8 p.m. March 8 Here’s the full breakdown of that event:
Night of Too Many Stars: America Comes Together for Autism Programs is hosted by Jon Stewart and raises money with NYCA (New York Collaborates for Autism) to support programs covering everything from the intensive education kids with autism need at a young age to social training for adults who want to contribute in the workplace. We’ve even created a “Teach the Teachers” program that helps train more teachers to work in the public school systems, for the many kids with autism who can’t get into the few quality schools that can help them. Many organizations support biomedical research to study autism. Night of Too Many Stars is working to help people who live with autism now.
Our deepest thanks to Comedy Central and to the incredible performers who supported this cause at Night of Too Many Stars, including Bill Burr, Bob Barker, Guy Bennett, Jon Bon Jovi, Eddie Brill, Steve Buscemi, Louis C.K., Steve Carell, Vincent D’Onofrio, Will Forte, Jim Gaffigan, Joel Godard, Gilbert Gottfried, Bill Nye, John Oliver, Ray Chew Live, Chris Rock, Al Roker, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph, Adam Sandler, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Jon Stewart and “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Vince Vaughn and Dave Franco have teamed up to star in Unfinished Business, a film about a business trip that goes horribly, horribly wrong. It sounds like a familiar premise for Vaughn, so it’s hard to get too excited about the movie. However, they did a pretty awesome promotion for it.
The two teamed up with iStock and Getty image to do a handful of stock photos featuring the actors. They’re pretty deadpan, and very funny. Take a look, and if you like, maybe you could give unfinished business some more consideration.
Those are going in the corporate newsletter this month!
Both Lake Placid and Anaconda were fun, late-'90s movies that featured celebrities goofing around in monster movie scenarios, ushering in the era of both Betty White as foul-mouthed dirty jokester, and Jon Voight as somebody not to be taken seriously. They were Syfy movies before there even was such a term, albeit on much bigger budgets.
And somehow, on DVD, they kept going as franchises (yes, Anacondas got a theatrical release, but it was brief), although Lake Placid proclaimed its "final chapter" three years ago. And today, this press release from Syfy:LAKE PLACID VS ANACONDA (ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERE)
Premieres Saturday, April 25 at 9PM - Killer crocodiles and giant anacondas clash in this thriller about corporate greed and science gone wrong, starring Robert Englund (Nightmare on Elm Street), Yancy Butler (Kick Ass) and Corin Nemec (Stargate SG-1). A production of UFO Films.I don't know which is harder to believe - the notion that this is actually a "thriller," or the fact that it wasn't made by The Asylum.
So a friend of mine has been posting lots of photoshopped pictures of the late,great wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage and I thought I’d give it a shot since I fondly remember watching wrestling in the 80s and early 90s.
A long time ago in a wrestling arena far, far away…
I need your clothes, your championship belt and your motorcycle.
Come out and get you one in the yarlbes, brother! Oooh yeah!
When it comes to smashing viruses, Macho man is the program to defend your computer grid.
Will Forte has heard your cries for a MacGruber 2, America, and he is ready to deliver. All he needs is to get his new Fox series The Last Man on Earth out of the way first. But after that, he says, the sequel is “Priority No. 1.” Read the MacGruber 2 Will Forte comments after the jump.
Speaking with The Wrap, Forte emphasized that he is serious about MacGruber 2:
It seems like we have a realistic shot at getting it made. We have a loose outline of the first couple of acts, which we’re really excited about. So we’ve just got to flesh it out a little more.
(Forte also told Hollywood Life, “In a couple weeks, when post-production is over, I’m gonna get in there.” That site and others are taking that to mean MacGruber 2 has already wrapped, but it seems far more likely he’s referring to post-production on The Last Man on Earth.)
In a weird way, though, it might be better for Forte if MacGruber 2 doesn’t get going too soon, because it’d mean The Last Man on Earth is doing well. The actor continuded:
If [The Last Man on Earth] were to ever be successful enough to get a second season, we’d probably have to wait until after that season to make it. If the show isn’t successful enough to do that, we’d probably jump in right away.
Forte expects the entire cast to return for MacGruber 2, if and when it comes together. Comments from his co-stars seem to back him up: Kristen Wiig has previously said she’s “in” for a sequel, and Ryan Phillippe stated last year that they were “very close” to making it.
“And wait until you find out who’s going to be in it,” added Phillippe. “The villain is going to blow your mind.”
The original MacGruber was not what you’d call a hit. Critics weren’t quite sold on it, and general audiences were even less interested — it couldn’t even make back its $10 million production budget at the box office. Since then, however, it’s gained enough of a cult following that talk of a MacGruber 2 isn’t entirely crazy.
In the meantime, Forte’s The Last Man on Earth seems like a pretty good consolation prize. The series is executive produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who also directed the first two episodes, and has been getting pretty good reviews from critics. Check out the series premiere this Sunday, March 1, on Fox.
Here’s one good argument for getting past racial stereotypes: Make the wrong assumptions, and you could find yourself getting stabbed or sucking a guy off as ill-advised “prison training” from some guy who’s never received so much as a parking ticket.
That’s the premise of Get Hard, the new comedy starring Will Ferrell as a hedge fund manager sentenced to a maximum security prison. In desperation, he seeks help from the first black guy he sees — an upstanding small business owner played by Kevin Hart. Watch the Get Hard red-band trailer after the jump.
If the phrase “red-band” didn’t tip you off, the trailer below is NSFW. There’s cursing and nudity — male and female. Some of it belonging to Nazis, apparently.
Get Hard seems to be at its best when it’s just letting Ferrell and Hart do their thing. The opening scene of them singing along to ODB together is kind of adorable, and only Ferrell could make drinking wine in a massage chair look that funny. Hopefully that’ll be enough to make up for the stale-seeming premise. The particulars may be different, but we’ve seen all of these jokes about prison rape and oblivious white guys hanging out with cool black people before.
Get Hard opens March 27.
When millionaire hedge fund manager James (Will Ferrell) is nailed for fraud and bound for a stretch in San Quentin, the judge gives him 30 days to get his affairs in order. Desperate, he turns to Darnell (Kevin Hart) to prep him for a life behind bars. But despite James’ one-percenter assumptions, Darnell is a hard-working small business owner who has never received a parking ticket, let alone been to prison.
Together, the two men do whatever it takes for James to “get hard” and, in the process, discover how wrong they were about a lot of things – including each other.
If you liked the 16-minute tribute to YouTube on its 10th anniversary, you’ll like this one better. If you didn’t like the earlier video, you’ll probably like this one. It’s got clips from 198 different viral videos crammed into only three minutes! And best of all, it was edited by Luc Bergeron, known as Zapatou (previously), a master at sorting, categorizing, and editing clips into a work of art. -via Tastefully Offensive
Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artist Eddie Deezen. Visit Eddie at his website or at Facebook.
George Herman “Babe" Ruth is, without a doubt, the most famous, beloved and mythical baseball player of all-time. Perhaps of all athletes, ever, only Muhammad Ali and Michael Jordan have been more influential and as well-known.
The guy hit his legendary 714 home runs in 22 seasons (1914-1935), drove in over 2,200 runs and had a lifetime batting average of .342. Not only that, but he was also a star pitcher in his early days, compiling a lifetime record of 94 wins and 46 losses. Okay, let's take a look at 12 facts you may not have known about “The Sultan of Swat,” the one and only Babe Ruth.
1. He started out as a left-handed catcher.
Young George Ruth started playing baseball at St. Marys Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore. He began his career as a left-handed catcher, the rarest of all position players.
Ruth, top row center, at St. Marys Industrial School for Boys.
The school only had a catcher's mitt for a right-hander, so George would catch the ball with his left hand. If a runner on base tried to steal, he'd toss the glove aside, catch the ball in the air and throw it to second base with his left hand.
2. He became a pitcher because he ridiculed another pitcher.
Young George was sitting on the bench during one game and he watched a pitcher getting slaughtered on the mound. “Well George,” said his team coach, “If you think it's so funny, why don't you try pitching yourself?"
Although the intention was probably to embarrass George, he took the mound and pitched a great game. Thereafter, he began a career as an ace pitcher.
3. He wasn't a bad baserunner.
Although not that fast, Babe did steal over 50 bases in his first four seasons with the Yankees (1929-1923). Incredibly, he stole home 10 times in his career, which is more times than the all-time base-stealing leader, Ricky Henderson.
4. One of his favorite snacks was pickled eels and chocolate ice cream.
5. He slept in the raw and hated wearing underwear.
6. He played himself in The Pride of the Yankees (1942) a film biography of his old teammate Lou Gehrig.
Gary Cooper and Babe Ruth in The Pride of the Yankees.
Babe was so excited about the role, he went on a crash diet to lose weight and look good in the movie. He lost 47 pounds in 60 days and had to be rushed to the hospital because of the sudden weight loss.
6. While filming The Pride of the Yankees, he became so excited re-creating a world series victory scene, he punched his fist through a window and cut himself.
7. He was involved in a strange "perfect" game.
On June 23, 1917, Babe was pitching a game and walked a batter on four straight pitches. Furious at what he saw as bad calls by the umpire, he got into an argument with the ump and socked him in the nose.
After Ruth was tossed from the game, Ernie Shore came in to relieve him. The baserunner Shore inherited was caught stealing second. Then Shore proceeded to retire the next 26 batters in a row.
This "shared" no-hitter was one of the oddest ever pitched.
9. He liked to cool off with a cabbage leaf on his head.
On hot days, Babe liked to put a wet cabbage leaf under his cap while he played the outfield.
10. He liked his steaks uncooked and he loved lots of eggs for breakfast.
Babe's prodigious appetite is well-documented. He liked to eat his steaks uncooked and would eat two at a time, smothering the steaks with a whole bottle of chili sauce. He once ate four steaks at one sitting. For breakfast, he would reputedly eat 18-egg omelets.
11. He still holds the record for winning the longest complete game in world series history. In 1916, Babe, while pitching for the Red Sox, beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 2-1 in a 14-inning complete game victory.
12. He is the only person to ever walk out on a movie premiere of his own life story.
On June 26, 1948, Babe and his wife, Claire, attended the premiere of The Babe Ruth Story. The movie was terrible, and Babe was very sick (he was to die less than two months later) and these two facts combined to force Babe and Claire to walk out on the premiere half way through.
I am actually very intrigued by this. The cast alone.
I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that I just wrote that sentence. I suppose it's fitting given that the most famous scene from anything Mark Twain ever wrote is one that involves convincing people that whitewashing is fun.
The movie, a Magnificent 7 spoof entitled Ridiculous 6 that will be the first of Sandler's straight-to-Netflix deal, will also star Sandler, Taylor Lautner, Nick Nolte, Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Dan Aykroyd, Will Forte, Nick Swardson, Terry Crews, Jon Lovitz, Luke Wilson, Steve Zahn, Danny Trejo, Chris Parnell and Whitney Cummings.
I guess Sandler thinks he could have made A Million Ways to Die in the West a hit if it had starred him instead of Seth MacFarlane? Whatever. I'm down for any movie starring Vanilla Ice. 100% serious on that. If Sandler wants to remake the Claymation Mark Twain movie and have it be a Little Nicky crossover, bring it. Anything that keeps him from making another movie about a "fun" suburban dad who doesn't always have enough time for his kids.
Remember that Sunday is Ninja Day. When a parcel delivery notification sticker suddenly and inexplicably appears on your door, take a moment to thank the unseen driver for his work, wherever he is. Getting past your sight invisibly isn’t easy, but he puts in the effort.
Positive, offensive, self-discipline, self-control, physical health: those are awfully big words for a three-year-old! This white belt is reciting the student creed at Premier Martial Arts in Leeds, UK. Isn’t her speech just the most adorable thing you've seen today? -via Daily Picks and Flicks
Office Space is a film to which everyone who's had a monotonous, thankless job as a cube dweller can relate. Released in 1999, the film's popularity slowly but steadily snowballed into the cult classic it is today. Who can forget the incomparable Michael Bolton grimace? Or Lumbergh's way of finessing his employees into extra hours?
Even minor characters like Peter's neighbor Lawrence are memorable. The actor who played Lawrence, Diedrich Bader, also played Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show. Bader had a succinct vision of Lawrence that he brought to the table: he wanted to make him look like “somebody who loved the Allman Brothers.” Aaaand bingo.
Read more fun facts about Office Space atMental Floss.
One of the hottest tickets at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was the world premiere of Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. It’s the latest documentary from Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney and it follows men and women who left the controversial religion as they reveal their thoughts on how it works. There’s dirt on John Travolta, Tom Cruise and tons of others. Peter reviewed the film at Sundance and now, ahead of its late March premiere on HBO, a Going Clear trailer is now online. Watch it below.
Peter has his opinion on the film, which you can read here, and I mostly agree with. I came into the film as a pretty blank slate on scientology and after watching it, I now have a better understanding of what they’re all about. But I still don’t know everything. What I do know is that there are some very questionable practices happening behind the scenes and the film has some first hand accounts of it. It’s very worth watching.
Going Clear:Scientology and the Prison of Belief, premieres on Sunday, March 29 at 8 p.m. Here’s the official Sundance description:
Following Mea Maxima Culpa, his investigation into the Catholic Church, Academy Award-winner Alex Gibney turns his gaze to Scientology in Going Clear, based on the book of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright.
Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, including their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion. The film covers a broad range of material from the church’s origins—punctuated by an intimate portrait of founder L. Ron Hubbard—to present-day practices and alleged abuses as reported in the media.
When John Belushi was on Saturday Night Live, he purposely sabotaged anything that was written by a female because he believed women were “fundamentally not funny.” Source
Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artist Eddie Deezen. Visit Eddie at his website or at Facebook.
Ruth, top row center, at St. Marys Industrial School for Boys.
Young George was sitting on the bench during one game and he watched a pitcher getting slaughtered on the mound. “Well George,” said his team coach, “If you think it's so funny, why don't you try pitching yourself?"
Gary Cooper and Babe Ruth in The Pride of the Yankees. 
On June 23, 1917, Babe was pitching a game and walked a batter on four straight pitches. Furious at what he saw as bad calls by the umpire, he got into an argument with the ump and socked him in the nose.
(Artist: unknown)
Image: Twentieth Century Fox
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