Moviefone Editorial

Tag: rose-byrne

  • ‘Tow’ Interview: Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa

    SGbvPuuM

    Opening in theaters on March 20th is the new drama ‘Tow’, which was based on a true story and directed by Stephanie Laing (‘Physical’).

    Y3KUgkQrFou4UvCsQuYh46

    The film stars Academy Award nominees Rose Byrne (‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’) and Dominic Sessa (‘The Holdovers’), Demi Lovato (‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’), Simon Rex (‘Operation Taco Gary’s’), Corbin Bernsen (‘Major League’), and Academy Award winners Ariana DeBose (‘West Side Story’) and Octavia Spencer (‘The Help’).

    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne star in 'Tow.'
    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne star in ‘Tow.’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa about their work on ‘Tow’, the true story it is based on, their characters, the film’s unique tone, and working with director Stephanie Laing.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Byrne and Sessa, and director Stephanie Laing.

    Related Article: Simon Rex Talks Sci-Fi Comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ and Drama ‘Tow’

    Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Rose, can you talk about your first reaction to learning of Amanda Ogle’s true story and why you wanted to play her and bring her story to the screen?

    Rose Byrne: I mean, I was so intrigued. It really confronted my own prejudices of what someone is who’s unhoused, what they typically behave like or look like or sound like and where they’re from. She really turned all those things on its head in that sense. That’s something that really speaks to Amanda about how people have so many prejudices around that. It’s a systemic problem in the country and how that can happen to anybody through a series of bad choices and bad luck. She also hates authority. She’s very hostile. She’s suspicious of people. She’s a fun character to play and to hopefully have the audience root for her as well because she’s going up against this horrendous company, this monolithic company who couldn’t care less about her and her situation. In the end, she’s not really fighting for the car. She’s fighting for something inside. She’s fighting for her own dignity and respect. Then this very unlikely lawyer, this double act that becomes Kevin and Amanda. That was also really appealing to me and a fun part of the story. That was so true. It really happened. It’s so funny to see them together because they’re such an unlikely pair.

    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Dominic, can you talk about why Kevin decides to help Amanda, and what it was like creating that relationship on screen with Rose?

    Dominic Sessa: It’s hard to understand. On paper, why would he commit himself to this journey? I mean, this huge commitment that it ended up becoming. But I think it does have a lot to do with his age. I’m close to that age that he was at the time now. I feel that sense of you wanting to prove things, especially for this character right out of law school, you have something to prove. This maybe initially presented itself as an opportunity to be like, “Oh, I graduated. I know what I can do. I passed the bar,” all of that. Then I think beautifully just turned into this very caring relationship where it didn’t become about himself. He really was doing it just for this other person to the point where he was making mistakes and felt bad about them and nervous to present that to her because he had felt such an obligation to her and this car.

    'Tow' director Stephanie Laing.
    ‘Tow’ director Stephanie Laing.

    MF: Rose, what was it like working with Stephanie again after ‘Physical’ and really collaborating with her to tell this specific story?

    RB: It was wonderful. We’ve done so many episodes of TV together and you just clock those hours, you really have a shorthand, which is wonderful. This film was made in 19 days. So, it was like an episode of TV. It was so fast and furious, and we had one take, maybe two. Stephanie is incredible that she keeps everything on track. There’s no drama. She’s very organized and she has wonderful visual instincts. She casts so well. It’s not everybody can do that, particularly in these circumstances. She’s a wonderful leader and there’s no ego to it. She’s very driven by material, by performance, and it just reflects on the set. So, it was very well run considering how tight it was.

    (L to R) Rose Byrne and Octavia Spencer star in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Rose Byrne and Octavia Spencer star in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Finally, Dominic, can you talk about the unusual tone of the movie and was Stephanie helpful with balancing the comedy and the drama on set?

    DS: I think that was what attracted me to the movie. A large part was the tone of it and how it has this parabolic trajectory where you are laughing and then something devastating can happen. I think Stephanie’s really had a good sense of the tone and that’s what she wanted the movie to be. I think those are the movies I like the most personally and to act in as well. So, the first time we met, I understood what she was trying to do, and I think it’s the perfect tone for this story.

    'Tow' opens in theaters on March 20th.
    ‘Tow’ opens in theaters on March 20th.

    What is the plot of ‘Tow’?

    Amanda Ogle (Rose Byrne), a homeless Seattle woman, fights her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her life and the car that held it all together after receiving a tow bill for $21,634.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Tow’?

    • Rose Byrne as Amanda Ogle
    • Dominic Sessa as Kevin
    • Demi Lovato as Nova
    • Ariana DeBose as Denise
    • Octavia Spencer as Barb
    • Simon Rex as Cliff
    • Elsie Fisher as Avery
    • Lea DeLaria as Jocelyn
    • Corbin Bernsen as Martin La Rosa
    • Bree Elrod as Lorraine
    • Becky Ann Baker as Debbie
    Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    List of Rose Byrne Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Tow’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Rose Byrne Movies on Amazon

     

  • ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ Interview: Simon Rex

    Simon Rex as “Danny” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Simon Rex as “Danny” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    Opening in theaters on February 27th is the new science fiction comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s‘, which marks the directorial debut of Michael Kvamme, and stars Simon Rex (‘Red Rocket’), Dustin Milligan (‘Schitt’s Creek’), Brenda Song (‘The Social Network’), Tony Cavalero (‘The Righteous Gemstones’), Arturo Castro (‘Road House’), Jason Biggs (‘American Pie’), and Doug Jones (‘The Shape of Water’).

    Cl2tYByiqSGu4A2aWix8a6

    Moviefone recently had an opportunity to attend Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles, where actor Simon Rex was handing out food at the Tacos 1986 truck in promotion of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’.

    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Michelle Felix.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.

    We had a chance to speak with the actor about his new film, his first reaction to the screenplay, working with Dustin Milligan and Jason Biggs, crazy conspiracy theories, and collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set, as well as working with Oscar nominee Rose Byrne and director Stephanie Laing on their upcoming film ‘Tow’, which opens in theaters on March 20th.

    Related Article: Jason Biggs and Meaghan Rath Talk ‘Untitled Home Invasion Romance’

    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.

    Moviefone: To begin with, this is a wild movie, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project both as an actor and a producer?

    Simon Rex: Well, I laughed out loud every page, which was a good sign. Me and my agent and my manager, after reading it, were like, “This is the funniest script we’ve read in a long time.” There’s not a lot of comedies being made. If they are being made, they’re not that funny lately. I feel like that genre is gone and we need it back. So, when I read this, I knew I had to do it, and my agent and manager were like, “We have to roll the dice and go for it on this one.” Sometimes working with a first-time director, you don’t know what you’re getting into, but I trusted Michael because I knew how smart he was from the script and his background at ‘Funny or Die’ and working with Will Ferrell. He’s just gets it, and I knew he could pull it off. I was happy that he did, obviously.

    (L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    (L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Can you talk about the brotherly relationship between Danny and Luke and creating that relationship on screen with Dustin Milligan?

    SR: So, in the casting process, which was new for me, I usually am the one who’s coming in for what they call a chemistry read to see if you are of the essence of the other actor’s brother or friend or partner. So, we had it down to like five actors, and Dustin was one of them, and when he came in and read, it was just obvious that it worked. He was very grounded and pragmatic. I’m very over the top, and insane, and that’s the odd couple chemistry that you need for it to work. I’ve seen him in ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and I saw him in another movie, the name escapes me right now, but I was a fan of his. I’m like, this dude’s great, you know? He gets comedy, he nailed it, and that’s how we got him. We just cast him old school, in the room, which doesn’t happen anymore, usually it’s self-tapes.

    Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Jason Biggs plays a crazy and exaggerated version of himself, was he a good sport about doing that?

    SR: Well, that takes a lot of courage and a lot of self-deprecating, self-awareness, and a lot of actors won’t do that. I love that he would because he’s the perfect chef’s kiss for this role, because he’s sort of a throwback to the era of what this movie feels like. It’s like the ‘American Pie’ era. It’s, ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’, ‘Harold & Kumar’, and those fun, lighthearted, wholesome comedies that we don’t make any more in this town. He was perfect in that universe to be synonymous with that era. He’s hilarious, and he’s Jason Biggs. Everyone knows him. He’s a familiar name, so it was perfect. We’re very happy with him. There was a lot of people we were exploring, and some actors wouldn’t be willing to laugh at themselves. I’m just glad he did.

    Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: Your character in the movie is a conspiracy theorist. What is your favorite conspiracy theory, not necessarily one you believe in, but one you think is interesting like Stanley Kubrick shooting the Moon landing?

    SR: That’s a good one. There are some very strange parallels there. It’s that thing where I got friends who are conspiracy theorists and they’re like, “There are no coincidences.” I don’t agree with that, but there are some things lately that have been coming to light that have proved me wrong. But my favorite one to answer your question is the “flat Earth” theory because I love how those guys go so crazy. They’ll fly to Antarctica, and they’ll do the measurements, and they’ll be proven wrong, and they’ll still be like, “No, it’s flat.” They just can’t accept the science. That one’s very entertaining, so that’s my favorite one.

    (L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, 'Operation Taco Gary's', a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
    (L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.

    MF: What was it like collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set to find the right tone for the movie?

    SR: I mean, again, he just gets it. I think people who are that funny are usually very smart in my experience, the funniest people that I’ve worked with are usually intelligent. I think that humor is also a part of being smart and I just knew because of his background, who he’s worked with, and the script that he wrote that his instinct was really on point. That’s a lot of it too, his instinct. It’s just one of those things that you go with your gut. When I met with him and I read the script, it just felt right, and then I’m happy to say that while we were filming, that he knew exactly what he wanted. He showed up prepared, and when you have a director that knows what they want, it makes everything else fall into place. I’ve done jobs where the director is sort of lost. You’re like, “Uh oh, the captain of the ship doesn’t know what’s going on.” This was the opposite. He was extremely on point with everything he wanted and how it would look, and he did all the preparation and he nailed it.

    (L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in 'Tow.' Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
    (L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

    MF: Finally, you also have the movie ‘Tow’ opening in March with Rose Byrne, which is based on a real story. What was it like working with Rose and director Stephanie Laing to bring Amanda Ogle’s story to the big screen?

    SR: It was cool. It’s a great wholesome heartwarming movie. I got to meet Amanda. She was on set with her daughter and working with Rose, she might be the most down to earth, normal, big female actor I’ve ever worked with. She was just extremely sweet and generous and I’m happy for this moment she’s having. I’m rooting for her to win the Oscar. I mean, she won the Golden Globe. She could walk away at this point a winner, but I want her to win it all. Obviously, it helps ‘Tow’ if she does. Working with Stephanie Laing, she’s so calm and I’ve never worked with a director that was this mellow, but in a good way where she was so chill. We shot that movie in 19 days, which is insane and ambitious to shoot a whole movie in 19 days with that cast. We got it, and the movie came out great, and it was a great experience. I want to work with Stephanie more and hopefully I will.

    'Operation Taco Gary's' opens in theaters February 27th.
    ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ opens in theaters February 27th.

    What is the plot of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?

    Two brothers uncover an alien invasion hidden inside a fast-food chain and must save Earth.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?

    • Simon Rex as Danny
    • Dustin Milligan as Luke
    • Brenda Song as Allison
    • Tony Cavalero as Kyle
    • Jason Biggs as himself
    • Doug Jones as Elder
    • Arturo Castro as Tiago
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for 'Operation Taco Gary's'. Photo: Michelle Felix.
    Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.

    List of Simon Rex Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Simon Rex Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’

    Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'. Photo: A24.
    Rose Byrne in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’. Photo: A24.

    Opening in theaters October 10 is ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,’ written and directed by Mary Bronstein and starring Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, A$AP Rocky, Ivy Wolk, and Christian Slater.

    Al790soHjS0btEJlDFEE03

    Related Article: Oscars 2025: ‘Anora’ Wins and Conan Works in Solid Academy Ceremony

    Initial Thoughts

    Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'. Photo: A24.
    Rose Byrne in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’. Photo: A24.

    ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ is not one of those movies that you can say you ‘enjoyed’ or that it ‘entertained’ you. Sort of a cross between the Safdie brothers, David Cronenberg, a bit of Jennifer Kent, and a seasoning of Marielle Heller, ‘If I Had Legs’ is a punishing two hours that will leave you drained and not sure of what you saw – but absolutely stunned by the titanic performance at its center from Rose Byrne.

    Byrne is nothing less that fantastic as Linda, a mother and therapist whose life is collapsing around her, and for whom nothing offers any respite, not even her own therapist. Darkly funny, sometimes terrifying, and always stress-inducing, ‘If I Had Legs’ doesn’t always navigate its tonal shifts and can be unrelenting. It puts Byrne through the ringer and she never flinches once, giving a harrowing, raw, and all too human look at a woman and mother on the edge of an emotional abyss.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) ASAP Rocky and Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) ASAP Rocky and Rose Byrne in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’. Photo: A24.

    Linda (Rose Byrne) is on the edge of an abyss when we meet her. Her daughter – who remains unseen throughout the movie, only glimpsed peripherally while her whiny, panicked, high-pitched voice grates on both Linda and the viewer – has a rare disorder that prevents her from taking in food normally. She has a feeding tube that goes directly into her stomach, attached to a bag which Linda must refill constantly. Linda’s husband is endlessly away for work – he’s only present through phone calls in which he berates his wife for not getting her act together.

    When the ceiling of her bedroom collapses, flooding their apartment, Linda and her daughter are forced to move into a seedy motel where she is also berated by the attitude-challenged front desk clerk (Ivy Wolk) and suspicious of the motives of her neighbor, James (A$AP Rocky). Linda, a therapist, is also dealing with a patient (Danielle Macdonald) who seemingly abandons her toddler in Linda’s office, while the missing patient’s husband makes increasingly belligerent phone calls. And Linda’s own therapist (Conan O’Brien) is hostile toward her, as is her daughter’s doctor, who hints that social services may need to step in if her daughter remains underweight.

    This is the gauntlet that Linda must run throughout the course of writer/director Mary Bronstein’s film, which is taken wholly from Linda’s point of view and puts the viewer through the same ringer as her. And it’s brutal, almost to a fault: there’s barely a moment of respite for Linda even as events begin to take on a surreal quality – like the massive hole in her ceiling, which goes unfixed, starting to look like a fleshy, organic wound leading to a strange nether region that pulls Linda toward it.

    Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'. Photo: A24.
    Rose Byrne in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’. Photo: A24.

    Bronstein doesn’t always find the right balance of humor and horror in her film, which at times plays more like the latter despite the dark streak of satire throughout. The message of the movie is front and center, and even that is presented with almost no shading – for example, just about every single man in the film, seen and unseen, with the possible exception of A$AP Rocky’s James, ranges from condescending to outright vicious in his approach to Linda (the women are not much better, to be fair). And Linda comes to some self-realizations late in the film that make some stark truths about parenthood hit home.

    But even though it can feel like an onslaught with no light at the end of the tunnel, ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ does have its moments of grace, and it does deliver a visceral, painful portrait of what happens when life just seems too overwhelming, a scenario that’s increasingly common every day.

    Cast and Performances

    (L to R) Conan O'Brien and Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'. Photo: A24.
    (L to R) Conan O’Brien and Rose Byrne in ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’. Photo: A24.

    ‘If I Had Legs’ is the third film we’ve seen recently that’s built around a momentous performance, following ‘Anemone’ (Daniel Day-Lewis) and ‘The Smashing Machine’ (Dwayne Johnson). And while this film has its issues like those two, Rose Byrne’s work here is nothing less than extraordinary. The entire film is from her point of view, and Byrne and Bronstein burrow into Linda’s psyche with incredible depth and precision, so that you feel every single moment along with her.

    Also noteworthy is Conan O’Brien, dispensing with his affable public persona to make himself almost unrecognizable, at least temperament-wise. His unnamed therapist is condescending, seething, and reptilian, and makes the most impact with his limited screentime. The rest of the cast is also quite strong, especially A$AP Rocky and Danielle Macdonald, but their roles are smaller in a film that’s largely dominated by one character.

    Final Thoughts

    Rose Byrne arrives for the 84th Annual Academy Awards® from Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Rose Byrne arrives for the 84th Annual Academy Awards® from Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Like the two films we mentioned above that are anchored by powerful individual performances, ‘If I Had Legs’ is getting released right in the thick of awards season – and Rose Byrne absolutely deserves to be in that conversation, if not leading it. Known largely as a comedic actor, she channels something far darker here. And so does the movie: ‘If I Had Legs’ plays like a horror film for large stretches of its running time, although how much unspools solely in Linda’s head remains ambiguous.

    While the acting, design (particularly the sound), and imagery are compelling and expertly realized, ‘If I Had Legs’ may be too relentlessly one-note to be a great movie. But the richness of most of the material, and Byrne’s interpretation of it, still comes through enough to make this a worthwhile experience, if a feverish and unforgiving one.

    ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ receives a score of 80 out of 100.

    Ap1Bn9ti

    What is the plot of ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’?

    With her life crashing down around her, Linda (Rose Byrne) attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist.

    Who is in the cast of ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’?

    • Rose Byrne as Linda
    • Conan O’Brien as Linda’s therapist
    • Danielle Macdonald as Caroline
    • A$AP Rocky as James
    • Ivy Wolk as Diana
    • Daniel Zolghadri as Stephen
    • Delaney Quinn as Linda’s daughter
    • Christian Slater as Charles
    Rose Byrne arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards® from Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012. Credit/Provider: Heather Ikei / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Rose Byrne arrives at the 84th Annual Academy Awards® from Hollywood, CA February 26, 2012. Credit/Provider: Heather Ikei / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Rose Byrne Movies and TV Shows

    Buy Tickets: ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Rose Byrne Movies on Amazon

  • ‘Ezra’ Exclusive Interview: Bobby Cannavale

    gWUfGlQT

    Opening in theaters on May 31st is the new family drama ‘Ezra,’ which was directed by actor Tony Goldwyn (‘King Richard’). The film stars Bobby Cannavale (‘The Irishman’), Rose Byrne (‘X-Men: First Class’), Vera Farmiga (‘The Departed’), Whoopi Goldberg (‘Ghost’), Rainn Wilson (‘The Meg’), Robert De Niro (‘Killers of the Flower Moon’), and newcomer William Fitzgerald as Ezra.

    Related Article: 30 Best Underrated Movies Worth Another Watch!

    Bobby Cannavale Talks 'Ezra'.
    Bobby Cannavale Talks ‘Ezra’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bobby Cannavale about his work on ‘Ezra’, his first reaction to the screenplay, his character, working with William Fitzgerald and playing a stand-up comic on screen.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Cannavale, Rose Byrne and director Tony Goldwyn.

    William A. Fitzgerald and Bobby Cannavale in Bleecker Street's 'Ezra'.
    (L to R) William A. Fitzgerald and Bobby Cannavale in Bleecker Street’s ‘Ezra’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

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

    Bobby Cannavale: I loved the script. First, it was sent to me by Tony Goldwyn, who I’ve been friends with for a while. We’d been wanting to do something together. He gave me the whole backstory of (screenwriter) Tony Spiridakis being his best friend, and how he has an autistic son. So, I knew that going in, reading the script, and it did add a weight to it. I just thought it was well-crafted, well written, and I was just very moved by it. I still get moved thinking about the actual first time that I read that script. I was really taken aback by it. I have three sons of my own and that feeling of going to the bat for your child and doing whatever it takes to get them to be seen the way they need to be seen, is something that’s intimate for me. So, I was excited to take on the role. I liked the idea of playing somebody that was so reactive and how I could make that character yet still have some kind of empathic quality to him. Sometimes, that’s hard to accomplish, somebody who is that reactive and at times violent, for instance. But if his heart is in the right place and he’s doing it for the right reasons, sometimes you can get people on board with that. I thought that would be an interesting problem to solve and so I did. I just enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the idea of finding a neurodiverse actor to work with. We looked for a long time. We saw so many kids. I really appreciated that experience and getting to know William and his family and the journey that they’re on.

    Bobby Cannavale in Bleecker Street's 'Ezra'.
    Bobby Cannavale in Bleecker Street’s ‘Ezra’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about your approach to portraying a stand-up comedian in this film? Did you go to any comedy clubs and get on stage to get a feel for it?

    BC: I didn’t go up on stage. I’ve got a lot of stand-up comedian friends. For some reason, I just have a lot of comic friends. I have for many years, some very well-known, others not. So, I’ve spent a lot of time in comedy clubs. But more to the point, I’ve spent a lot of time with these guys and some women. What’s always fascinating to me, it’s not so much the joke, it’s the process of them coming up with their material. I’ve been in a car with stand-ups who have the yellow legal pad there, and I’m looking at it. I’m like, “What’s this joke?” I’ve had comics say to me, “I’m not really going for the joke tonight. I just want to sort of play around in that neighborhood and see what kind of a reaction it gets.” I find that fascinating, the putting together of an act. This guy is clearly going through something on stage, the only place where he could really be himself and really speak plainly and speak his mind. There’s that scene. We have a scene with the other comics where they’re saying, “The point of comedy is to be funny.” And he says, “I’m not doing that. I’m telling stories up there.” That resonated very much with me because I do know comics who work like that. I’ve gone to see comics who are very funny, not be funny because they’re looking for something. I thought that’s something that was very attractive to me, to see somebody in process, trying to put this act together while at the same time trying to work out whatever demons he was trying to work through.

    xxEHPXKayPC33XsmtbMB22

    What is the plot of ‘Ezra’?

    Max Brandel (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father, Stan (Robert De Niro), struggles to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife, Jenna (Rose Byrne). When faced with difficult decisions about their son’s future, Max and Ezra set out on a cross-country road trip.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Ezra’?

    • Bobby Cannavale as Max Brandel
    • Robert De Niro as Stan
    • Rose Byrne as Jenna
    • William Fitzgerald as Ezra
    • Vera Farmiga as Grace
    • Whoopi Goldberg as Jayne
    • Rainn Wilson as Nick
    • Tony Goldwyn as Bruce
    Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, and William A. Fitzgerald in Bleecker Street's 'Ezra'.
    (L to R) Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, and William A. Fitzgerald in Bleecker Street’s ‘Ezra’. Credit: Bleecker Street.

    Other Bobby Cannavale Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Ezra’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Bobby Cannavale Movies on Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’

    April O'Neil, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.'
    (L to R) April O’Neil, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’

    Striking animation and its rapid dialogue make ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ a fun watch in theaters. The heroes in a half-shell take on the powerful Superfly while juggling their desire to fit in with the human world in the latest animated feature by Paramount.

    In ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ teenage turtle brothers Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michaelangelo are sheltered within the sewers of New York, longing to be like normal teenagers. They meet April O’Neil, an inspiring journalist who asks for their help in taking on a mysterious crime syndicate. They soon realize there is a much more dangerous threat that could bring harm to New York City.

    FdKLQ4D4jOBWkzruDzI275

    Who is in the cast of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?

    SUMVE2Nt

    Initial Thoughts

    One of the most eye-catching elements of this movie is the animation style. It resembles the style we see in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ mixing 3D animation and 2D hand-drawn design. It’s very distinct and perfect for the quippy dialogue and fast-paced action scene. The film includes plenty of references for dedicated Turtle fans, yet it is modern and hip for the new and younger audience as well.

    Story and Direction

    ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ director Jeff Rowe.
    ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ director Jeff Rowe.

    The film is directed by Jeff Rowe and Kyle Spears and gives the iconic turtle teens a fresh start. Opening the movie with an introduction to scientist Baxter Stockman and his work with mutation, the agents of T.C.R.I storm Stockman’s lab in order to steal his research. Stockman’s mutated fly fights back to in order to protect him, resulting in the lab being destroyed and some of the mutagen leaking down the sewer. This quickly establishes the antagonist, later named Superfly, as well as other well-known mutants such as Bebop and Rocksteady. This also builds the foundation for the inevitable battle between the Turtles and Superfly.

    While long-time fans are familiar with the origin of the turtles, there will be new audiences who are just meeting them for the first time. The film quickly sets up the dynamic of the brothers through their wisecracking banter and their undeniable bond. Although we know the Turtles to be crime fighters in past iterations, the movie doesn’t have the brothers battling villains right off the start. It focuses on the “teenager” part of the movie title and shows that although they don’t complain about running basic errands for their dad, they also long to stay above the sewers to enjoy normal things like a drive-in movie or see a concert, which gets them in trouble with Splinter who often warns them about the humans.

    Through a quick and hilarious exposition montage by Splinter of his and the Turtles’ origins, we understand why Splinter often cautions the brothers against being among the humans. Reluctantly, the brothers stay hidden in the shadows, away from humans and the world they long to be a part of.

    Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.'
    (L to R) Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo in Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies in a Point Grey Production ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’

    Past ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ movies and TV shows often cast adult actors as the leads, but in ‘Mutant Mayhem,’ the voice talents behind the four brothers and April O’Neill are, in fact, teenagers. This provided the characters with an authentic youthful energy. Combined with their use of modern lingo and endless references to pop culture, this energy carries through the entire film, making the movie quite fast-paced.

    The first two acts of the movie doesn’t focus too much on Superfly, even though he is the villain of the story. Instead, it focuses on the Turtles’ desire to be a part of the human world and do normal teenage things like go to high school. It also tells the story of why Splinter is so strict about the Turtles being seen by the humans, as he recollects his bad experience of being shunned and chased by humans. Aside from the awesome action sequences, the larger story is about the desire to fit in and be accepted for who you are.

    Related Article: Ice Cube Talks Playing Superfly in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’

    Easter Eggs And Pop Culture References

    Ice Cube as Superfly in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,' which opens in theaters on August 2nd.
    Ice Cube as Superfly in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ which opens in theaters on August 2nd.

    ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtes’ has been around since the 80s, starting out as a comic book created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Since then, many iterations have been created, from animated series to live-action movies. Fans heading into ‘Mutant Mayhem’ will need to keep their eyes and ears peeled for easter eggs and references. A segment of the “Ninja Rap” from 1991’s ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II’ can be heard in one of the scenes. Other familiar phrases like “Cowabunga” can also be heard in the movie.

    This animated film also includes many modern references, as the Turtles long to be a part of the humans and learn what they can through social media since they can’t interact with humans. The brothers referred to current musicians and media such as Beyonce, BTS, ‘Attack on Titan,’ the ‘Avengers‘ movie, and more.

    Final Thoughts

    The movie’s vibrant animation and hilarious writing make this an entertaining watch. The witty and rapid banter between all the characters keeps the energy high and the laughs coming throughout the whole movie, though at times, some jokes were repeated too much that it grew tiresome. Seeing the Turtles somersault between building and hitting their iconic poses will take you down nostalgia lane. This movie gave the well-known franchise a fresh start without erasing the good of the previous movies and series.

    ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

    'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.'
    Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ Interview: Ice Cube

    ZWvO5qUV

    Opening in theaters on August 2nd is the new computer-animated superhero film ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ which was written and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (‘Superbad’), and directed by Jeff Rowe (‘The Mitchells vs. the Machines’).

    What is the plot of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?

    After years of being sheltered from the human world, the four Turtle brothers (Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, and Brady Noon) set out on a quest to be accepted as normal teenagers by the people of New York City through acts of heroism. With the aid of their new friend April O’Neil (Ayo Edebiri), the brothers go on a hunt for a mysterious crime syndicate, but trouble arises when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.

    FdKLQ4D4jOBWkzruDzI275

    Who is in the cast of ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’?

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor and musician Ice Cube about his work in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ joining the popular franchise, his love for the Turtles, playing the villain Superfly, the recording process and bonding with his co-stars.

    Ice Cube stars in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.'
    Ice Cube stars in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Ice Cube, Micah Abbey, Shamon Brown Jr., Nicolas Cantu, Brady Noon, and director Jeff Rowe.

    Moviefone: To begin with, were you a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles before joining this project and what does it mean to you to be a part of this franchise?

    Ice Cube: Oh, yeah, a big fan. I’ve been checking them out since the ’80s and I took my kids to the movies and dealt with the lunch pails, the bedspreads, the action figures and all that. Remember when Kevin Durant went to the Warriors and they was already champs? It’s kind of like that. It’s like joining a championship franchise and getting a chance to make a difference. So, it was a dream come true for any actor.

    MF: How would you describe Superfly in your own words and was it challenging finding the character’s voice?

    IC: Superfly is the King of New York. Everything that’s bad, you’ve got to run through him. You’ve got to check in, for sure. But he has a heart. He don’t want to be an ugly Superfly. He wants friends. He wants acceptance. He just wants people to like him. He just wants to go to happy hour and eat his bowl of sugar and smoke a cigar, man. You know what I mean? It’s one of those things where he’s a guy you can understand, and if you don’t give him that, he tears up New York.

    Ice Cube as Superfly in 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,' which opens in theaters on August 2nd.
    Ice Cube as Superfly in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,’ which opens in theaters on August 2nd.

    MF: I understand for this film, the recording process was done differently than on other animated movies as you actually got to work with the other actors you were performing with. Can you talk about that process and what was that like for you?

    IC: It seemed like all animation should be done this way. You get a different kind of performance when you’re in the room with other actors who can match your timing, and you guys can kind of bounce off each other. It’s why the film feels so real and natural, and it doesn’t feel like the standard animation where you can tell somebody’s in a pristine studio, and they’re by themselves, and they’re trying to make it sound like they’re part of a group. This is the way to do it.

    MF: Finally, did that process allow you to bond with the four actors playing the Turtles, and what was it like for you working with them?

    IC: Very cool. All of them have great energy. All of them have great voices. When you think of animation, you think of people with amazing voices. How do you have a voice that’s perfect for a cartoon, especially when they’re young? I’m always amazed at these perfect voices that are chosen in animation, not just ‘Ninja Turtles,’ but most animation, they find the people with the most unique sounding voices that’s usually perfect. So, I like listening to them talk.

    'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.'
    Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movies On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Insidious: The Red Door’

    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Boris Martin. © 2023 CTMG, All Rights Reserved.

    While it feels a little odd to be calling a horror franchise that kicked off in 2010 ‘venerable’ perhaps the most terrifying element is remembering that that was 13 years ago. ‘Insidious’, with its tale of the creepy nether realm known as “The Further” is back to haunt the living after four previous entries.

    This time around, Patrick Wilson –– who has played patriarch Josh Lambert since the original –– also steps behind the camera, working from a script by Scott Teems (‘Halloween Kills’), who collaborated on the story with original ‘Insidious’ writer Leigh Whannell. The new film is called ‘Insidious: The Red Door‘ and it opens in theaters on July 7th.

    M0HVmuj9uNU52w5s3gFZT3

    What’s the story of ‘Insidious: The Red Door’?

    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Nicole Rivelli. © 2023 CTMG, All Rights Reserved.

    Picking up ten years after the events of the second film, the Lamberts are a fractured family in mourning. Patrick Wilson returns as Josh Lambert, a father struggling with the loss of his mother, Lorraine, and keen to mend the relationship with his oldest son, Dalton (a returning Ty Simpkins).

    He agrees to drive the talented artist to his Ivy League university, hoping the road trip and settling him in will help them reconnect. Things, as you might suspect, don’t go to plan.

    At the same time, a psychological trigger revives a past Dalton didn’t even realize he’d forgotten (or, more accurately, had used hypnotized to suppress), and it gradually begins to sneak its dark fingers into his reality, opening a gateway to the nightmarish realm we know so well from past movies in the series.

    The gateway is a red door that haunts his Dalton’s art and his dreams, a portal in The Further that Josh and Dalton must unite to close for the sake of their family, past and present…

    Who else is in ‘Insidious: The Red Door’?

    The cast for the movie also includes Rose Byrne returning as matriarch Renai Lambert, Andrew Astor as son Foster Lambert, and Lin Shaye once more playing parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier (alongside a quick cameo from Whannell and Angus Sampson as her regular tech sidekicks Specs and Tucker).

    Outside the veteran cast, we have Sinclair Daniel as Dalton’s college friend Chris and Hiam Abbass as cranky art teacher Professor Armagan.

    Related Article: Actor and Director Patrick Wilson Talks ‘Insidious: The Red Door’

    The direction

    Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    (L to R) Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Boris Martin. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    ‘The Red Door’ marks Wilson’s directorial debut, and it’s a solid start for the actor-turned-shot-caller. Aside from a few early moments that stretch a little too far into wannabe arty, he maintains a solid visual aesthetic that lets the characters do the work, but also wrangles his team to create some effective scary moments.

    True, there are the obligatory jump scares, sudden noises thrown on to the soundtrack to evince reactions from the audience, but those are never overused. And Wilson also finds a way to make silence just as effectual when it comes to generating terror.

    And coming from a performing background, he’s also able to draw some genuine performances from the cast. Simpkins is initially in sullen teen mode, though it’s an understandable phase given that Dalton’s grandmother has just died, and he still feels the impact from what he and the family went through when he was younger (turns out the hypnosis he and his father underwent didn’t solve all their problems).

    Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    (L to R) Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Boris Martin. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    And once he starts to dig into the scary visions he’s happening, Dalton comes out of his shell even if he does spend most of the movie looking upset (again, understandably).

    Yet while Wilson does good work as Josh, who goes on his own journey to figure out his issues and his connection to The Further, the film is almost stolen in certain scenes by Daniel as Chris Winslow, who meets Dalton when she’s mistakenly assigned as his roommate on the first day of college.

    Daniel brings an affably askew energy to the role; Chris becoming a confidante and platonic best pal for Dalton and thankfully doesn’t simply disappear once the scary stuff truly kicks in. While she’s popped up in some TV guest spots, this is the sort of performance that should land Daniel on plenty of casting directors’ lists, such life does she bring to both the part and the movie itself.

    Elsewhere, fans of the ‘Insidious’ movies will appreciate nods to previous outings –– this is pretty much a legacy sequel despite only appearing a few years since the last one. Entertainingly taking the family to an even darker, more damaged place, it meditates on familial trauma, fathers and sons and the power of astral projection.

    Are there issues in the Further?

    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Nicole Rivelli. © 2023 CTMG, All Rights Reserved.

    The main problems with the movie stem from the familiar beats that begin to kick in as Dalton and his father truly investigate the chunk of memories that has been obscured in their minds. While the writers and crew stage a few inventive variations on dead entities stalking and messing with the living, there are only so many ways this can play out and once we dive back into The Further, things become ridiculously over-stylized and honestly less creepy, not more.

    Plus, if you were shouting at the screen that a potential fix for all the problems is staring the characters in the face once Dalton makes one particular move in the story, you’ll likely be disappointed how long it takes them to figure it out.

    And while she is in the movie, Rose Byrne gets very little to do until the very end, but at least makes the most of Renai’s limited screen time.

    Likewise, Abbass’ Armagan does what she can with the small amount of scenes, one in particular, an abrasive first class with her new students, is a standout. Wilson and Teems might also have found a more effective way to bring those who have somehow chosen to make this the first ‘Insidious’ movie they see up to speed than halting the plot for an exposition dump (even if it is delivered by three familiar, entertaining characters).

    A more effective re-visit of a scary story than the more recent ‘Halloween’ movies, ‘The Red Door’ serves as a solid final chapter for this story. Though of course, it goes without saying (and we won’t spoil anything) that there are hints for the future after the end credits.

    ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.

    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Courtesy of Screen Gems. © 2023 CTMG, All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Insidious: The Red Door’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Insidious’ Movies On Amazon

    ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ is produced by Blumhouse Productions, Stage 6 Films, Screen Gems. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on July 7th, 2023.

    c7mVUes2

  • ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ Interview: Patrick Wilson

    ZiVndOCP

    Opening in theaters on July 7th is ‘Insidious: The Red Door,’ which is fifth installment of the ‘Insidious’ franchise, and is a direct sequel to ‘Insidious: Chapter 2.’ The movie was written by Scott Teems and based on a story by series creator Leigh Whannell, while it also marks actor Patrick Wilson’s directorial debut, and was produced by Blumhouse Productions.

    What is the plot of Talks ‘Insidious: The Red Door’?

    In ‘Insidious: The Red Door,’ the horror franchise’s original cast returns for the final chapter of the Lambert family’s terrifying saga. To put their demons to rest once and for all, Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) must go deeper into The Further than ever before, facing their family’s dark past and a host of new and more horrifying terrors that lurk behind the red door.

    M0HVmuj9uNU52w5s3gFZT3

    Who is in the cast of ‘Insidious: The Red Door’?

    ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ stars Patrick Wilson (‘Watchmen,’ ‘Aquaman’) as Dalton Lambert, Ty Simpkins (‘Iron Man 3’) as Josh Lambert, Rose Byrne (‘Bridesmaids’) as Renai Lambert, Andrew Astor (‘The Hangover’) as Foster Lambert, Sinclair Daniel (‘I Love Ana’), Hiam Abbass (‘Blade Runner 2049’), and Lin Shaye (‘There’s Something About Mary’) as Elise Rainier.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor and director Patrick Wilson about his work on ‘Insidious: The Red Door,’ making his directorial debut with this franchise, revisiting the Lambert’s story, and Dalton and Josh’s relationship now.

    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    Patrick Wilson in Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Nicole Rivelli. © 2023 CTMG, All Rights Reserved.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Wilson, and Ty Simpkins and Sinclair Daniel.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about making your directorial debut with this particular film, and was it helpful to you that you were working within a franchise that you helped to create?

    Patrick Wilson: Not only helpful but probably vital, because I needed to be surrounded by people that are very good at their job and have done this quite a bit. Nobody knows this space better than Blumhouse. Also, the track record that Blumhouse has working with first time directors that are from somewhere else in the business. I think of whether it’s Jordan Peele, or Joel Edgerton, there’s a lot of actors that have crossed over knowing the Blumhouse model and the creative freedom that they can give you, but surrounding yourself with a team of people who will help. Those people just happen to be good friends of mine that I’ve done many movies with. So I knew I was going to be protected.

    Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    (L to R) Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Boris Martin. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: ‘The Conjuring 3’ Finds Director, and It’s Not James Wan

    MF: Can you talk about revisiting the Lamberts with this sequel and the themes that you wanted to explore as a director?

    PW: Well, there were so many things about this that were going to be the first time. So I wanted to make sure that the themes that I was dealing with were something that I was passionate about and that I could keep focused. I’m a dad. I got two boys, so I wanted to do a movie about father-son relationship. I made him go to an art school. I went to a theater school. I understand what that’s like, as an artist, to kind of rip away who you are to get to the core of who you are as an artist. So that was an easy one that I felt like I had some experience with for sure. I’ve always been fascinated by artwork and the balance of light and dark just in life. So that was something that I wanted to explore. I just picked themes that I felt like I not had an authority on, but I knew I could tell a truthful story too. Then I just put it through the meat grinder of a horror movie with a domestic trauma built in, and here we are.

    Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    (L to R) Director/Actor Patrick Wilson and Ty Simpkins on the set of Screen Gems ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’ Photo: Boris Martin. © 2023 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about Dalton and Josh’s father and son relationship, and with everything they’ve been through, where is that relationship at when this new film begins?

    PW: They’re broken and they don’t know why. I think that’s really the crux of it is you’re like, “Well, what happened? These guys were peas in a pod when he saved him in the first movie, and then Dalton went and saved him. So what happened?” Well, if you know the story, I really wanted to unpack the end of the second film, what that means for the trauma that that family went through. Even in a horror movie, you have to play this stuff real, like it’s real. The guy ran around the house trying (to kill them). We saw what he did. I don’t care who was possessed. It was me running around trying to harm these people. What does that do to a family? This is what it does. So you find these two that have been in their own fog for a certain amount of time, for years, and then they have to figure out why. Then as their relationship is really being fragmented, what brings them together? So that was really what I wanted to explore.

    Patrick Wilson directs and stars in 'Insidious: The Red Door.'
    Patrick Wilson directs and stars in ‘Insidious: The Red Door.’

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Insidious: The Red Door’:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Insidious’ Movies On Amazon

    ‘Insidious: The Red Door’ is produced by Blumhouse Productions, Stage 6 Films, Screen Gems. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on July 7th, 2023.

  • Movie Review: ‘Spirited’

    Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in 'Spirited,' premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in ‘Spirited,’ premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.

    Opening in theaters on November 11th before streaming on Apple TV+ November 118h is the new Christmas movie ‘Spirited’ from director Sean Anders (‘Daddy’s Home’).

    The movie is yet another adaption of the Charles Dickens classic ‘A Christmas Carol,’ with Will Ferrell playing the role of Christmas Present. Considering retirement after the holidays, Present chooses to haunt Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), an arrogant public relations executive who is completely aware of Dickens’ story and what is happening.

    Briggs soon turns the tables on Present and instead forces him to examine his own past, present, and future, with the PR exec learning lessons himself along the way. Now Present must choose between his duties as a ghost and teaching Briggs a lesson, or finding true love with Briggs’ assistant, Kimberly (Octavia Spencer).

    The result is a fun musical twist on ‘A Christmas Carol,’ with fantastic musical numbers created by ‘La La Land’s Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, but the story drags with Ferrell and Reynolds basically just playing their ‘Elf’ and ‘Deadpool’ characters, respectively.

    Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in 'Spirited,' premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in ‘Spirited,’ premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.

    There have been many adaptions of Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ over the years, including Billy Murray’s ‘Scrooged,’ ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol,’ and 2009’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jim Carrey. ‘Spirited’ takes a fun crack at the material but is ultimately stronger as a musical than it is as a Dickens adaption.

    In fact, the music is the real star of the movie, with great songs created by ‘The Greatest Showman’s Pasek and Paul. The musical numbers are also fun because the characters know they are in a musical, and for that matter, are also aware of all the ‘Christmas Carol’ adaptions of the past.

    But again, this leads to a lot of ‘Deadpool’ breaking-the-forth-wall moments, which now seem tired with Reynolds involved. In fact, as entertaining as he is, Reynolds performance is very one-note and the actor is definitely leaning hard on his charming yet sarcastic public persona.

    The same could be said for Will Ferrell, who while equally entertaining, is basically playing his “quiet to angry” character with the innocence of his ‘Elf’ role thrown in for good measure.

    Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in 'Spirited,' premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in ‘Spirited,’ premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.

    That being said, the two movie stars have great onscreen chemistry together and are most entertaining in their musical numbers. Surprisingly, both actors are quite impressive singing and dancing on screen to Pasek and Paul’s music.

    It’s also worth mentioning that there is a clever twist to Dickens’ story regarding Ferrell’s character, which I won’t give away, but only say that the actor ends up playing two different characters. His “second role” is more of a stretch for the actor, and while he doesn’t have a lot of screen time as the other character, is completely believable in the role.

    Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer shines in the film as both Reynold’s loyal assistant and Ferrell’s love interest. The actress brings a warmth to the film, has great chemistry with Ferrell in their romantic scenes, and also kills it in her musical numbers.

    Other supporting performances worth mentioning include Sunita Mani, who is quite funny as the Ghost of Christmas Past. Broadway actor Patrick Page also gives a strong performance as Present’s boss, Jacob Marley, and as one can imagine, is very good in the musical numbers.

    Octavia Spencer as Kimberly in Apple TV+'s 'Spirited .'
    Octavia Spencer as Kimberly in Apple TV+’s ‘Spirited .’

    There are also a few fun cameos, that I will mention because they are hardly spoilers. Oscar-winner Judi Dench has a funny walk-on role as herself, while Rose Byrne is hilarious as one of Present’s successful hauntings, playing a nasty suburban housewife, aptly named “Karen.”

    The screenplay by director Sean Anders and John Morris is very clever, even if it is retreading popular ‘A Christmas Carol’ tropes. While you can see many of the twists coming, it still feels like a fresh take, even if we’ve seen the basic story before.

    Anders also does a fantastic job orchestrating the musical numbers, which are by far a highlight of the film. They really pop, not just with the music, but also the lighting, color palette, and the choreography. It’s like watching Christmas come alive on screen!

    As far as ‘Christmas Carol’ adaptions go, ‘Spirited’ is at least an original take on the material and may someday be as beloved an adaption as ‘Scrooged’ and ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol,’ or even other Christmas movies like ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ or Ferrell’s ‘Elf.’ Time will only tell if ‘Spirited’ becomes a holiday film that is played at nauseam on cable TV like ‘A Christmas Story.’

    But in the end, ‘Spirited’ is a fun holiday musical with a clever twist on the source material, and incredibly enjoyable songs written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

    ‘Spirited’ receives 3 out of 5 stars.

    Ryan Reynolds as Clint Briggs and Will Ferrell as Present in Apple TV+'s 'Spirited.'
    (L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Clint Briggs and Will Ferrell as Present in Apple TV+’s ‘Spirited.’
    Hn1IklNyMDrBj0SDsJQQb7 L7MqWIsU
  • ‘Instant Family’ Trailer: Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne Take in Foster Kids

    ‘Instant Family’ Trailer: Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne Take in Foster Kids

    Instant Family
    Paramount

    Take a couple, add three foster kids, and — bam! — you’ve got “Instant Family.”

    The first trailer for the family comedy was unveiled today on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” by star Mark Wahlberg. He and Rose Byrne play a married couple who are renovating a five-bedroom house, even though they aren’t planning to have children.

    Then Byrne starts researching foster kids and they decide to take in three siblings (Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz, Juliana Gamiz). But of course, becoming an instant family isn’t quite that easy and hijinks and mistakes ensue as Byrne and Wahlberg learn how to be Mom and Dad.

    The movie is directed by Sean Anders, who based it on his own real-life experience of adopting foster kids with his wife. It’s certainly a family comedy in the vein of his other movies, like “Daddy’s Home,” but with a more emotional edge. Octavia Spencer and Tig Notaro also star.

    “Instant Family” opens in theaters November 16.