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Tag: Beverly D’Angelo

  • ‘Sleepwalker’ Exclusive Interview: Hayden Panettiere

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    Opening in theaters and VOD on January 9th is the new psychological thriller ‘Sleepwalker‘, which was directed by Brandon Auman (‘Star Wars: Resistance’) and stars Hayden Panettiere (‘Heroes‘ and ‘Scream 4‘), Beverly D’Angelo (‘National Lampoon’s Vacation‘), Justin Chatwin (‘War of the Worlds‘), and Mischa Barton (‘The Sixth Sense‘).

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    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Hayden Panettiere about her work on ‘Sleepwalker’, her first reaction to the screenplay, her approach to her character, working with the rest of the cast, director Brandon Auman’s vision for the project, her role as a producer, and if it’s fun making a scary movie.

    Hayden Panettiere in 'Sleepwalker'. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
    Hayden Panettiere in ‘Sleepwalker’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Hayden Panettiere Talks Acting and Producing New Thriller ‘Amber Alert’

    Hayden Panettiere stars in 'Sleepwalker'.
    Hayden Panettiere stars in ‘Sleepwalker’.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay, what spoke to you about the material and why you wanted to be part of this project?

    Hayden Panettiere: It was a combination of things. When I read scripts, I look for interesting plot lines, and stories that keep the audience invested and on the edge of their seats. That’s how films like this work, and I look for characters that have lots of layers to them. I’m really drawn to characters that have been through trauma. It’s something that I relate to, I think a lot of people relate to, and just characters that give me something to really sink my teeth into as an actor. It was also combined with the fact that it had an amazing cast attached to it. Beverly D’Angelo, Justin Chatwin, Mischa Barton, Lori Tan Chinn, and our two kids, Corinne Sweeney and Laird LaCoste. I love working with kids. So that was a big pull for me, and then getting to work with Appian Way and Verdi Productions and getting to executive produce, too. So, it was a combination of a lot of good stuff.

    MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing this character and the loss and guilt that she is dealing with?

    HP: Guilt and loss, they’re topics that I’m familiar with, so I had a lot to pull from my real life. I mean, we did this film in 15 days, which was a breakneck pace. We had a lot to get done, and it was very dark. But I was surrounded by such a great team of people that we were able to pull each other in and out of those dark scenes and those dark moments and have light moments. Beverly D’Angelo and I became very close, and I knew her growing up. She was my neighbor down the street when she lived with Al Pacino when I was a kid. So, we got to finally run into each other, and we look so much alike. It’s crazy that we have not played mother and daughter before.

    Beverly D'Angelo in 'Sleepwalker'. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
    Beverly D’Angelo in ‘Sleepwalker’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.

    MF: To follow up, what was it like to work with Beverly D’Angelo after all these years later?

    HP: I mean, you never know. You never know until you’re on set and you have been around somebody, but we have such similar personalities. She’s so spunky and so funny. We kept each other laughing, and that chemistry just came like that. It was just that easy. It made my job incredibly easy and fun. I couldn’t have asked for anybody better to play my mom and to play across from. She’s a legend. She’s a legend, and she’s just a character, a firecracker, and somebody that you just want to hear all her stories. I hope to work with her again for sure.

    MF: The film also stars Mischa Barton and Justin Chatwin, who both began their careers around the same time you did in the early 2000s. Had you met either of them over the years and what was it like working with them on this project?

    HP: I don’t know that Mischa remembered this, but I used to be in the same audition rooms as her and her sister growing up in New York. So, I knew her in passing for a long time. Justin, we had met in passing, but I wasn’t as familiar with him as I was with Mischa. I didn’t have as much of a personal relationship with him.

    (L to R) Hayden Panettiere and Beverly D'Angelo in 'Sleepwalker'. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
    (L to R) Hayden Panettiere and Beverly D’Angelo in ‘Sleepwalker’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.

    MF: You mentioned working with the kids in the cast, and since you began your career as a child actor, do you feel a close connection to kids working on a set now that you are an adult?

    HP: Absolutely. Having been one myself, I’m very, very protective of them. Especially with a dark subject matter like this, I was trying to be protective of them, their emotions, and them mentally, as well, and being able to pull them in and out of these dark, intense scenes. Knowing when to shake it off, lighten up, crack some jokes, and say, “Okay. Now, let’s get back into it.” So, we don’t have to spend all day feeling this heavy, dark weight following us around. I love them. They’re just so pure. They’re so energetic. They’re so honest. They’re so real and untainted, and they’re beautiful.

    MF: What was it like working with Brandon Auman, and what are you looking from a director when you’re on set?

    HP: Brandon was so passionate. He also wrote this. This was his first time directing a live-action piece, so I wanted to be as present for him as I could. I got to executive produce on this, which is something that I don’t always get to do. It was exciting for me. I feel like I got to use more than just my acting skills. I got to use all my experience that I’ve learned over the past 35 years in this industry, whether it be blocking, or how to speak to other actors, or how to make a scene move as quickly as possible without rushing and covering all the grounds. How to do blocking, and make it a dance, and make it interesting for the camera, all those little things. So, I just wanted him to be as excited about it as I was, and he was, even more so. This was his baby. So, I was excited to be able to be there and just watch him and help him through it.

    Hayden Panettiere in 'Sleepwalker'. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
    Hayden Panettiere in ‘Sleepwalker’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.

    MF: Is it challenging for you splitting your time between acting and your producing duties while you were on set?

    HP: No. I found it constantly kept my mind moving. A lot of the times, I’m sitting there and in this dark emotional state, and it allowed me to jump out of those dark moments and focus on something else so that every time I reentered into the scenes, it was fresh. It wasn’t stale. It helped that.

    MF: Finally, with a film like this that covers such dark subject material, is it still fun making the movie or is it hard because you are jumping through so many emotional hoops as an actress?

    HP: It is fun but in different ways. It’s very rewarding when you feel very accomplished. When it’s dark subject matter like this, I feel very accomplished when I know that we got it, that we hit the nail on the head, and that I did my job to the best of my ability. I just feel it gives me deep pride in what I do.

    'Sleepwalker' opens in theaters and on VOD January 9th.
    ‘Sleepwalker’ opens in theaters and on VOD January 9th.

    What is the plot of ‘Sleepwalker’?

    An accomplished artist (Hayden Panettiere) is haunted by the tragic loss of her daughter in a car accident that left her abusive husband in a coma.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Sleepwalker’?

    • Hayden Panettiere as Sarah Pangborn
    • Beverly D’Angelo as Gloria Pangborn
    • Justin Chatwin as Michael Anders
    • Mischa Barton as Joelle Anders
    • Lori Tan Chinn as Bai Zhao
    • Kea Ho as Alexis
    • Eric Lutes as Doctor Henson
    Hayden Panettiere in 'Sleepwalker'. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
    Hayden Panettiere in ‘Sleepwalker’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.

    List of Hayden Panettiere Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Sleepwalker’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Hayden Panettiere Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Violent Night 2’ in the Works

    Director Tommy Wirkola and David Harbour on the set of 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) Director Tommy Wirkola and David Harbour on the set of ‘Violent Night.’ © Universal Studios.

    ‘Violent Night’ was a surprising burst of manic fun late last year, a cocktail of ‘Die Hard’, ‘Home Alone’ and, to some degree ‘Santa Claus: The Movie’ which saw David Harbour’s not-so-jolly old Saint Nick taking out criminals who took a wealthy family hostage.

    The Universal movie was a box office hit, earning more than $75 million worldwide (with more coming from its digital home entertainment release) off the back of a $20 million budget.

    Now, according to director Tommy Wirkola (talking to The Wrap), the pieces are falling into place for a follow-up. “We’re talking about it and we’re just making deals and getting everything in order.”

    In case you were a Grinch and skipped it, ‘Violent Night’ starred Harbour as a version of Santa who is feeling a little jaded about the whole Christmas thing after centuries of delivering presents to increasingly ungrateful kids.

    A Norse warrior lord before he was tapped to don the red suit and bring joy to the world, he’s tired of lists asking for cash or video games, and of competing with Amazon. Plus, the genuine “thank yous” are few and far between.

    Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.

    So when he stumbles into a hostage situation at the Lightstone family compound, where the wealthy Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo) and her grown kids, in-laws and grandchildren have gathered to celebrate a typically passive-aggressive Christmas, he’s initially more concerned with raiding the liquor cabinet than helping out, he’s moved by young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady) to take down the villain known as Scrooge (John Leguizamo) and his goons.

    Written by ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ duo Pat Casey and Josh Miller and produced by David Leitch’s action-orientated 87North company, the film is a winning blend of laughs and kick-ass set pieces.

    According to Wirkola, who was out promoting the Blu-ray release, the team will not be rushing to make the follow-up, so don’t go looking under the cinematic tree this year. “We have time to really crack the script and figure out the story,” Wirkola says. “And we have some ideas, me and Pat and Josh and the producers, we’ve been talking about where we want to take it and what we want to see.”

    Of course, there are no details on what the story might be yet, besides Harbour’s Santa facing another situation. But Wirkola and co. know what they have left to play with.

    “There’s stuff we left on the floor like the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, the elves,” Wirkola adds. “But story-wise I think we have a really, really cool idea that expands on the world and scope, but still keeping that tone that we love from the first one.”

    As long as it’s full of Harbour dealing rough justice to those on the naughty list, it could be another winner.

    Alexis Louder, and David Harbour in 'Violent Night.' © Universal Studios.
    (L to R) Alexis Louder, and David Harbour in ‘Violent Night.’ © Universal Studios.
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  • Movie Review: ‘Violent Night’

    Leah Brady, and David Harbour in 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) Leah Brady, and David Harbour in ‘Violent Night.’ © Universal Studios.

    Punching into theaters on December 2nd, ‘Violent Night’ represents the sort of Christmas movie that is certainly not festive fun for the whole family. But for those whose tastes run more towards the more brutally entertaining likes of ‘Atomic Blonde’ or ‘Bullet Train’, it’s got some fun lurking in Santa’s sack.

    Father Christmas in this case is played by ‘Stranger Things’ David Harbour as a grizzled, jaded sort introduced drowning his sorrows at a pub in England between “shifts” delivering presents to the ungrateful spawn of the world. A Nordic warrior who has been handing out presents for more than 1100 years now, he’s seen it all.

    And as the world has moved on from more traditional Christmases towards cash gifts, Amazon deliveries and video games, he’s become increasingly disillusioned, ranting about kids who “want, crave and consume”. The movie’s cynically playful tone is set early on when the barkeep, concerned that the sozzled Santa has headed to the roof, is overjoyed to discover him flying away on the traditional reindeer-pulled sleigh, only to be drenched in vomit by the overindulging Claus.

    So what can help Santa regain the joy and belief in himself if fewer and fewer are believing in him? Tommy Wirkola’s new film, written by ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ script duo Pat Casey and Josh Miller, posits that what he needs is a ferocious encounter with thieves who are looking to rob a wealthy family.

    Stephanie Sy, John Leguizamo, and André Eriksen in 'Violent Night,' directed by Tommy Wirkola.
    (L to R) Stephanie Sy, John Leguizamo, and André Eriksen in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola. © Universal Studios.

    Led by John Leguizamo’s Scrooge – his code name – this bunch of Naughty List-dwelling robbers have finagled their way into the swanky, well-defended Lightstone compound posing as caterers and entertainers. Before long, the squabbling brood overseen by Beverly D’Angelo’s Gertrude Lightstone (who is much more a female Logan Roy from ‘Succession’ than ‘National Lampoon’s sweet Ellen Griswold) are being held at gunpoint while the gang look to raid their vault.

    Of course, Santa shows up to deliver gifts (and sample some expensive whiskey) and has to help save these largely irredeemable types from the even nastier threat that has invaded their home. His real motivation, though, is young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), a sweet-natured girl who just wants her parents Jason (Alex Hassell) and Linda (Alexis Louder) to reconcile.

    It’s a set up that promises plenty of opportunities, but the movie tends to squander them with first-draft family dynamics and mugging from some of the cast (though others, such as ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Edi Patterson grab the chance to be despicable and run with it).

    When the saccharine stuff eventually creeps in, it’s largely manageable and not too sickly, largely balanced by the violence that has been perpetrated before.

    Director Tommy Wirkola and David Harbour on the set of 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) Director Tommy Wirkola and David Harbour on the set of ‘Violent Night.’ © Universal Studios.

    While the story can’t quite hold everything together, the set-pieces have much more value. Which is perhaps not surprising given both director Wirkola’s past movies such as ‘Dead Snow’ and ‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’ and the team from 87North.

    Spawned from the stunt training facility co-founded by David Leitch (who produces here) and Chad Stahelski after their days working on the original ‘Matrix’ trilogy, it has since become one of the go-to destinations for actors looking to whip themselves into fighting shape. And to design memorable action moments for both the founders and other filmmakers.

    Here, the focus is on inventive ways to off nameless (or codenamed) goons with different takes on Christmas staples or other items. So Harbour’s Santa battles armed thieves with a stocking full of pool balls, festive decorations and, in one particularly stabby/slashy moment, an ice skate.

    And there is the most inventive, splashy use of Santa’s chimney transport trick to murder someone that we’ve seen in the cinema. Which shouldn’t be surprising, as Santas outside of the odd horror movie don’t generally go on killing sprees.

    Alexis Louder, and David Harbour in 'Violent Night.' © Universal Studios.
    (L to R) Alexis Louder, and David Harbour in ‘Violent Night.’ © Universal Studios.

    Harbour absolutely commits to the role of a Santa Claus who used to spend his days smashing heads with a hammer, and despite being tired from years of Christmas duty, still relishes the chance to punish the naughty with more than just coal. Cue lots of spins on Christmas song lyrics turned into catchphrases.

    ‘Violent Night’ also tips its hat early on to its big influences – ‘Die Hard’, obviously, with Harbour’s character having more than a little John McClane about him – world-weary protagonist dropped into a tough situation who often has to stitch himself up. And then there’s Trudy trying out some ‘Home Alone’ booby traps against the baddies with less cartoony results than Kevin McCallister ever dreamed of.

    Forced to do a lot of the heavy lifting, the fight scenes don’t always balance out the fact that the plot is thin and the characters less than stimulating. The baddies are mostly just stock criminals waiting for Santa to kill them off. There are times when it all feels like a video game as Harbour ploughs through the different level of challenges, which is somehow fitting given the writers’ ‘Sonic’ experience.

    Yet even Leguizamo, bringing a welcome cocktail of rage and humor to the main villain, can’t quite make it all hang together, leaving the story to droop like an old Christmas tree.

    Mitra Suri and John Leguizamo in 'Violent Night,' directed by Tommy Wirkola.
    (L to R) Mitra Suri and John Leguizamo in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola. © Universal Studios.

    Plus the twists and turns are entirely predictable, leaving Santa as the main reason to keep watching. Wirkola has some fun with the situation, and the needle drops feature some more eclectic choices alongside the standards, it’s just disappointing that the movie doesn’t do more with what it has.

    Yet like a slightly overdone gingerbread cookie, it still has its pleasures, mostly whenever Harbour is on screen. Or when a nativity scene is utilized to take out some villains in a way that would probably give the Pope a conniption fit.

    It could certainly benefit from a little more of the Christmas magic that Santa keeps talking about, but ‘Violent Night’ is worth unwrapping at the cinema if you ever wondered what ‘John Wick’ at Yule would look like.

    ‘Violent Night receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

    David Harbour in 'Violent Night,' directed by Tommy Wirkola.
    David Harbour in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.
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  • ‘Violent Night’ Interview: David Harbour

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    Opening in theaters on December 2nd is the new Christmas action/comedy film entitled ‘Violent Night,’ which was directed by Tommy Wirkola (‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’).

    The new movie is basically Santa Claus in ‘Die Hard’ with elements of ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Bad Santa’ thrown in for good measure.

    On Christmas Eve, when a wealthy family is held hostage in their home by mercenaries led by Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), the real Santa Claus (David Harbour), who has lost the Christmas spirit must summon his strength to defeat the bad guys and save the family including a young girl named Trudy (Leah Brady), who still believes in the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus.

    In addition to Harbour, Leguizamo, and Brady, the cast also includes Cam Gigandet, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, Andre Eriksen, and Beverly D’Angelo (‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with David Harbour about his work on ‘Violent Night,’ the unusual screenplay, his version of Santa Clause, and shooting the incredible action sequences.

    Alexis Louder, and David Harbour in 'Violent Night.' © Universal Studios.
    (L to R) Alexis Louder, and David Harbour in ‘Violent Night.’ © Universal Studios.

    You can read our full interview with David Harbour below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Harbour, John Leguizamo, and director Tommy Wirkola.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction this screenplay and it’s “Santa Claus in ‘Die Hard’” concept?

    David Harbour: I mean, before they even gave me the script, they sort of pitched me the idea and I was initially like, “This is insane, no thank you.” They were like, “No, no, no. The director and the producer would really like to talk to you about it, and we’d really like to send you the script,” and they did.

    Tommy, the director, is this kind of childlike, Norwegian elfish weirdo who just loves Christmas, and David Leitch has done incredible action movies. They sent me this script and it had such a unique blend of this ‘John Wick’ action, which I love and have always wanted to do.

    I saw Charlize Theron in ‘Atomic Blonde’ and I was like, “Oh, I want to be doing that. I want to be the guy doing the choreography.” On top of that, it’s like ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ where it really does have a Christmas heart beating at the center of it, about a little girl who wants to believe in Santa Claus. The fact that those two things were together, it was such a unique thing. I’d never seen it before, and I got really excited about it.

    MF: What was your approach to playing this exaggerated version of Santa Claus?

    DH: I mean, what I was curious about is we have this mythological figure that we lie to our kids about. We say he’s real and he’s delivering presents to you, which by the way, I think is fantastic. It’s hilarious that we all just lie to children, I think it’s great. But we don’t really know much about him, except he’s a big fat guy in a red suit who delivers presents to nice, and not to naughty kids.

    So, I wanted to have the image of the “Coca-Cola Santa” in the beginning with the little glasses and the curly white beard, but then as the movie goes on, I wanted to see who’s underneath that mask?

    Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.

    10,000 years ago, there was a guy in Christian mythology called St. Nicholas, who he’s based on. There’s other traditions, Germany has a guy called Weihnachtsmann, and different cultures have different versions of this guy. So, my interest was, who really is this guy? I think as the movie goes on, we sort of peel back that he wasn’t always such a jolly, fat guy, that there’s some complexity there, and that really interested me in going deep into who that guy was specifically.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about your preparation for the action sequences and what it was like shooting those scenes?

    DH: It was brutal and great. I mean, I have gotten into a little bit of the fight world through ‘Stranger Things,’ and through the Marvel series (‘Black Widow’ and the upcoming ‘Thunderbolts’), but I’d never done anything as intense as this.

    The guys who did this are the stunt guys that do the ‘John Wick’ movies, which are known for their incredible action sequences. They trained me for a couple months in Jujutsu, and Greco-Roman wrestling, and I was working with a couple stunt guys who I got to know their rhythm very well.

    But that choreography, it’s just a lot of training. You’re just training and tired all day long, but it’s so exciting to be able to represent what that can be. It was a lot of fun, but it’s really hard work. I mean, watching those fights on UFC and stuff, I have a newfound respect for the guys that do that discipline. It really is exhausting.

    David Harbour stars as Santa Claus in Universal Pictures' 'Violent Night.'
    David Harbour stars as Santa Claus in Universal Pictures’ ‘Violent Night.’
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  • ‘Violent Night’ Trailer Features Santa Vs. Baddies

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    As the song goes, “You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout…” We’re telling you why – Santa Claus is not just coming to town. He’s going to town battling baddies who decide to take hostage and rob a wealthy family.

    That’s the basic concept for ‘Violent Night’, the new film from ‘Dead Snow’ and ‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’ director Tommy Wirkola.

    ‘Stranger Things’ David Harbour stars here as Father Christmas, who when we first meet him in the trailer, is drowning his sorrows. He’s the OG Santa, and has been at this game a long time, starting to lose some self-belief.

    What could restore his Christmas spirit? Try showing up at the home of young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), whose wealthy family have gathered at their remote compound to celebrate the season.

    Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.

    Yet when their party is rudely interrupted by a group of mercenaries led by John Leguizamo’s Ben – a gang who want to rob the family of the $300 million sitting in their vault – Santa will have to dish out some season’s beatings.

    Expect a lot of Christmas puns in this one, which comes across as ‘Die Hard’ meets ‘Bad Santa’. While Harbour’s take on the character isn’t as badly behaved as Billy Bob Thornton’s, he’s certainly not your average, jolly Kris Kringle. This Santa knows how to fight.

    With David Leitch – who became friends with Wirkola after running second unit and stunts for him on ‘Hansel & Gretel’ – producing alongside his partner Kelly McCormick and their 87North company, you know the combat scenes are going to be intense and inventive.

    Boasting a host of Christmas decorations around to use as weapons, Santa will be dishing out rough justice to all those the naughty list, and even swapping out the usual lump of coal for a grenade down someone’s pants. Christmas lights, decorations and candy canes are all utilized to take out the baddies.

    David Harbour in 'Violent Night,' directed by Tommy Wirkola.
    David Harbour in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.

    The cast for ‘Violent Night’ also includes Cam Gigandet, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, and, because Wirkola is a big fan of ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’, Beverly D’Angelo, here playing a much frostier character than her beloved, easygoing Ellen Griswold.

    Expect a load of references and Easter Eggs – though perhaps that should be Christmas baubles – to other festive films here, including ‘Home Alone’ and as mentioned above, ‘Die Hard’.

    The tone is silly fun with a side order of furious chaos; after all, how many other films have Santa beating someone up with a sock filled with pool balls and then a joke about stepping in reindeer poop? You know what you did, Prancer.

    With a script by ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ franchise veterans Pat Casey and Josh Miller, ‘Violent Night’ will be in theaters on December 2nd. Always bet on red…

    David Harbour and director Tommy Wirkola on the set of 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) David Harbour and director Tommy Wirkola on the set of ‘Violent Night.’
    David Harbour and John Leguizamo on the set of 'Violent Night.'
    (L to R) David Harbour and John Leguizamo on the set of ‘Violent Night.’
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  • Oscar-Nominee Sigourney Weaver Talks ‘The Good House’

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    Opening in theaters on September 30th is ‘The Good House,’ which is based on the best-selling novel by Ann Leary and was co-written and co-directed by Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky.

    The new movie stars Sigourney Weaver (‘Aliens,’ ‘Ghostbusters,’ ‘Avatar‘) as Hildy Good, a funny New England realtor and descendant of the Salem witches, who loves her wine and her secrets. Her compartmentalized life begins to unravel as she rekindles a romance with her old high-school flame, Frank Getchell (Kevin Kline).

    The new relationship ignites long-buried emotions and family secrets, as Hildy is propelled toward a reckoning with the one person she’s been avoiding for decades: herself!

    In addition to Weaver and Kline, the cast also includes Morena Baccarin (‘Deadpool’), Rob Delaney (‘Deadpool 2’), Beverly D’Angelo (‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’), David Rasche (‘United 93’), and Kathryn Erbe (‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent’).

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with the legendary Sigourney Weaver about her work on ‘The Good House,’ her unique character, the challenges of breaking the fourth wall, and reuniting with her ‘Dave’ and ‘The Ice Storm’ co-star Kevin Kline.

    Sigourney Weaver stars as Hildy Good in Roadside Attractions' 'The Good House.'
    Sigourney Weaver stars as Hildy Good in Roadside Attractions’ ‘The Good House.’

    You can read our full interview with Sigourney Weaver about ‘The Good House’ below or click on the video player above to watch our video from the interview.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your first reaction to reading this screenplay, and what were some of the aspects of the character you were excited to explore on screen?

    Sigourney Weaver: Well, for one thing, it was the story of an older woman from her point of view, who’s very funny. How rare is that? Then it picks up on Hildy Good, who’s a wonderful character, at the point in her life where everything is falling apart. Her husband has dumped her, her kids have sent her to rehab, she’s losing her business, and so she’s slipping, which I found very interesting. But she’s a fighter, so she’s going to fight back.

    What I found most charming was that she talks to the audience. In between these scenes where you see her putting up this very accomplished front, she turns the audience and basically says, “Can you believe what’s going on in my life now?” The counterpoint between this competent Hildy, and the one who’s just fed up and telling you all about it, was what I just fell in love with about Hildy. She’s wonderful company. I couldn’t resist her.

    Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good in Roadside Attractions' 'The Good House.'
    Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good in Roadside Attractions’ ‘The Good House.’

    MF: As an actress, what are the challenges of acting directly towards camera and breaking the fourth wall?

    SW: I think (she does it) because it’s an emotional thing. She just gets so frustrated, she just wants to tell you what’s really going on from her point of view. I guess the most important thing for me was figuring out who I was really talking to, because I think the audience should feel like they’re at a bar with Hildy, and she’s letting her hair down and throwing back a few Pinot Noirs.

    So, I had someone I felt I could let my hair down to, and every time I connected with the audience, I felt she dropped all the facade and you just saw Hildy. Which is very important because we get to know Hildy better and better, and we get to know her perhaps better than she knows herself. She’s a very smart woman, but she’s quite deluded about certain things, and that’s what I found fascinating. That she can’t see, even though she’s really smart, and we all know people like that. They can’t see what they’re doing, but they think they can handle it.

    Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good, and Kevin Kline as Frank Getchell in Roadside Attractions' 'The Good House.'
    (L to R) Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good, and Kevin Kline as Frank Getchell in Roadside Attractions’ ‘The Good House.’

    MF: Finally, can you talk about the relationship between Hildy and Frank, and having the opportunity to work with Kevin Kline again?

    SW: Well, that was just a joy. I love Kevin. I love his work, and he brings such authenticity to Frank. He’s just a regular guy who doesn’t care what anybody else thinks. I just love his performance. He’s never done anything like this before. The love story, for us, because we know each other so well, those were the most effortless scenes because the relationship is so well written, and they just gravitate toward each other.

    Kevin Kline as Frank Getchell, and Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good in Roadside Attractions' 'The Good House.'
    (L to R) Kevin Kline as Frank Getchell, and Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good in Roadside Attractions’ ‘The Good House.’
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  • Eight Great Summer Vacation Movies

    Eight Great Summer Vacation Movies

    Meatballs

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    Sometimes overlooked in favor of other “slobs vs. snobs” comedy classics from the same era, like Animal House and Caddyshack, this was Bill Murray’s first starring role, and the feature directorial debut for Ivan Reitman. Murray stars as Tripper, head counselor at Camp North Star, a bargain-basement summer camp in Ontario. Murray takes the lonely Rudy (Chris Makepeace) under his wing while still overseeing a group of oddball counselors-in-training as they have their own romances, pull pranks on the camp’s director, and take on wealthy Camp Mohawk in a yearly tournament. It’s ultimately a sweet story, without ever getting quite as crass as some of the era’s other films starring Saturday Night Live alumni. ‘Meatballs’ would turn out to be hugely successful, spawning three mostly unrelated sequels and countless knockoffs.

    Wet Hot American Summer

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    If ‘Meatballs’ saw plenty of lesser imitations, ‘The State’ alumni David Wain and Michael Showalter stepped up with a satirical take on summer camp movies. Although it bombed at the box office, it’s since become a cult classic, spawning two series on Netflix (one prequel and one sequel). There’s an amazing cast here, including Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Christopher Meloni, and David Hyde Pierce, plus other alumni from ‘The State,’ such as Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio. There’s a plot here about the camp putting on a talent show, counselors in love, and a falling piece of Skylab that threatens everyone’s lives, but it’s really just an excuse to see some stars and future stars show off some great comic chops.

    Dirty Dancing

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    For those that haven’t gotten around to seeing this classic, it’s easy to write off ‘Dirty Dancing’ as sappy romance. But that would be wrong. It’s an emotionally satisfying coming-of-age story about Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and her steamy summer romance with dancer Johnny (Patrick Swayze). The dancing is terrific, Grey and Swayze have terrific chemistry. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and based on her own summer trips to the Catskills, Baby’s adventure starts because she and her family are taking a summer vacation at Kellerman’s a tony resort. Baby sees hints of classism between some of the staff, and she finds herself drawn more to the working class staffers instead of the Ivy League-bound waiters. The film subversively gives Baby agency, letting her pick her own friends and make her own choices in her sex life; she has a summer fling with a sexy dancer and isn’t punished by fate for it. That was fairly groundbreaking in 1987, and is (sadly) might still be considered unusual in some corners even now.

    National Lampoon’s Vacation

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    This is another film that started a franchise, but the original version is still the best. Based on screenwriter John Hughes’ own National Lampoon story about a disastrous road trip, the movie focuses on the Griswold’s drive from Chicago to California for a visit to a thinly-veiled version of Disneyland called “Wally World.” Chevy Chase puts in a legendary turn as Clark, the increasingly obsessive patriarch of the Griswold clan. Clark is going to have a great road trip with his family whether they like it or not, and if he becomes Ahab in a station wagon, then so be it. Beverly D’Angelo hits just the right notes as Clark’s wife Ellen, as does Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron as their children Rusty and Audrey. Chase and D’Angelo would return for sequels, and it became a running joke that Rusty and Audrey would be recast in every subsequent film. This first adventure sees car trouble in the desert, an unwanted passenger, a temptress in a Ferrari, and a visit with Cousin Eddy (a reminder of when Randy Quaid was funny). It’s filled with laughs, but it will definitely make you think twice about future family road trips.

    Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

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    Based on the best-selling YA novel by Ann Brashares, this is the story of four teen girls, best friends since childhood, who are about to spend their first summer apart. But before three of them leave town, the quartet go shopping and find a pair of jeans that magically fit each one of them. The four decide that they’ll share the pants for the summer, and while each of them have these mysterious jeans in their possession, their individual summers are upended. Blake Lively, America Ferrara, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn play Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby (respectively). The movie captures the charm of the novel, in no small part because of the charisma and chemistry of the stars, and it’s ultimately a heartwarming tale about female friendships and the bonds young women make that can last a lifetime.

    Girls Trip

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    The annual Essence Music Fest takes place in New Orleans every 4th of July, and that’s the backdrop for Ryan Pierce’s (Regina Hall) attempt to reunite with three of her friends from college. Pierce is a bestselling author and lifestyle guru, poised to be “the next Oprah.” She’s scheduled to speak at the festival, so she invites her college friends to join her, in the hopes of rekindling their friendships. These other three have lives of their own now; Sasha (Queen Latifah) is a celebrity gossip blogger, Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a working single mother, and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is still party-girl Dina, all these years later. These four actors are great together, but Tiffany Haddish is a revelation here, stealing the movie and never giving it back. The film isn’t afraid to remind us that women can and do party hard, but it doesn’t lose sight of these friends repairing burned bridges and reaffirming their love for each other.

    Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

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    One of the casualties of quarantine is that this film didn’t get a proper theatrical release. That’s a shame, because as funny as this movie is, it would have been even more side-splitting with a big audience. Make no mistake, this movie is straight up bananas from beginning to end. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote the script and star as Star and Barb, two middle-aged best friends that talk a bit too much, they can be both clueless and timid, but once they hit Vista Del Mar, the movie all but explodes into mayhem. To describe too much would be to take away some of the stunningly insane jokes packed wall-to-wall across the entire film. But suffice to say you may never look at Jamie Dornan the same way again.

    The Endless Summer

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    This is one of the first and probably still the best surf movie ever made. Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, as they leave Southern California and travel to surf spots around the world, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Tahiti, Senegal, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Australia. Brown’s breezy narration is a far cry from the stiffer voices heard in most documentaries at the time, and it lends an inviting tone to the gorgeous cinematography of the both surf action and the local landscapes. This documentary might help non-surfers understand the appeal of surfing more than any other film ever made, and the idea of an “endless summer” means its welcome on any day of the calendar year.

  • ‘Vacation’ Opens With $3.8 Million to Get Jump on ‘Mission: Impossible’

    Two generations of Griswolds hit the red carpet Monday for the Los Angeles premiere of "Vacation" with Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Christina Applegate, Steele Stebbins, Skyler Gisondo and selfie-taker Ed Helms.
    Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Christina Applegate, Steele Stebbins, Skyler Gisondo and selfie-taker Ed Helms.

    The Griswolds packed up the car a couple days early and made a few million dollars along the way.

    “Vacation” debuted Wednesday (with some late-night Tuesday screenings) and collected a respectable $3.8 million despite mostly bad reviews and a paltry 28 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

    The latest in the franchise, starring Ed Helms and Christina Applegate, is expected to finish with about $30 million after five days.

    By opening mid-week, the comedy got a head start on “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” which arrives in theaters Friday. The well-reviewed fifth go-round with Tom Cruise leading his Impossible Missions Force is forecast to bring in $40 million this weekend.

    Cruise, who also is a producer, says a sixth “Mission: Impossible” is already in the works and could be shooting by next summer.

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