Jon Hamm

First Trailer for FRIENDS WITH KIDS Starring Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, and Adam Scott

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 11th, 2012 at 5:38 pm

The first trailer for the comedy Friends with Kids has gone online. Written, directed by, and starring Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein), the film boats a fantastic cast that includes Adam Scott, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Chris O’Dowd, Megan Fox and Edward Burns. The story centers on a pair of thirtysomething best friends (Scott and Westfeldt) who observe the toll that having kids has taken on the couples they know and resolve to bypass that stress by having a child and then date other people. The trailer looks right up my alley, as it highlights some promising performances, chemistry, and a fair amount of laughs. Matt caught the film at TIFF and wasn’t exactly won over, but Scott has been killing it in supporting roles for years and I’m excited to see him finally take on a lead.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. Friends with Kids opens March 9th. If you missed them, be sure to check out Steve’s interviews with Hamm, Scott, and Fox from TIFF regarding the film.

BRIDESMAIDS Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: September 29th, 2011 at 11:16 am

Coming into 2011, Bridesmaids looked like it might be another in a string of recent Judd Apatow-related misfires. But appearances are deceiving as the film quickly found an audience and was one of the biggest hits of the summer. Boo-yah for director Paul Feig, and co-writer and star Kristen Wiig. They nailed it. The film is a charming and real look at a woman in her thirties whose best friend (Maya Rudolph) is about to get married, and how friendship can be strained – but is often resilient – during such stressful but happy times. Our review of the Blu-ray of Bridesmaids follows after the jump.

TIFF 2011: Lionsgate Buys FRIENDS WITH KIDS; Music Box Picks up THE DEEP BLUE SEA

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 19th, 2011 at 8:04 am

While a slew of films at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival have already been picked up for distribution, there are other high-profile titles still hammering out their deals.  Variety reports that Lionsgate has acquired Jennifer Westfeldt’s new comedy Friends with Kids.  The story stars Westfeldt and Adam Scott as lifelong friends who decide to have a kid but keep their relationship platonic and open.  I was slightly disappointed by the film, but it’s got a great cast (the film also stars Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Chris O’Dowd) and I can see the flick having wide appeal.

In other TIFF picks-ups, Music Box has picked up the U.S. rights to Terrence Davies’ romantic drama The Deep Blue Sea starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston.  Weisz plays the wife of a high court judge who leaves her husband to move in with a dashing young ex-RAF pilot (Hiddleston), with whom she has fallen passionately in love.  Weisz picked up strong notices for her performance and I’m glad I’ll have a chance to see the film eventually.  No U.S. release dates have been announced for Friends with Kids or The Deep Blue Sea.  Hit the jump for Music Box’s press release regarding The Deep Blue Sea.

Jon Hamm Talks FRIENDS WITH KIDS and the End of MAD MEN

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 17th, 2011 at 11:19 am

At this year’s Toronto Film Festival, I was able to sit down with Jon Hamm for an exclusive interview about Friends With Kids.  Written and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein), the plot centers on a pair of thirtysomething best friends who observe the toll that having kids has taken on the couples they know and resolve to bypass that stress by having a child and then date other people.   Adam Scott and Westfeldt play the lead couple, while Hamm (who also produced), Kristen Wiig, Chris O’Dowd and Maya Rudolph play the couples with kids. Edward Burns and Megan Fox are also in the film.

During the interview, Hamm talked about being back at TIFF (he was there last year for The Town), was it tough to get Friends with Kids made and how did the project come together, his recent comedic work on 30 Rock, Bridesmaids and Funny or Die, and we ended the interview talking about Mad Men and his thoughts on the show coming to a close.  Hit the jump to either read or listen to the conversation.

TIFF 2011: FRIENDS WITH KIDS Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 11th, 2011 at 9:17 pm

Jennifer Westfeldt’s directorial debut Friends with Kids shares some key qualities with her 2001 film Kissing Jessica Stein (which she wrote).  Both films are funny, harmless comedies that take an emotionally satisfying and challenging conceit before scampering back to the status quo.  Westfeldt puts an interesting twist on the parenting-and-marriage sub-genre by rethinking conventional notions of fidelity.  She even goes so far as to examine why the convention exists in the first place.  But ultimately her movie becomes lethargic, predictable, and bland despite the Westfeldts’ strong chemistry with co-star Adam Scott.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, MAD MEN and MODERN FAMILY Win Top Prizes at the TCA Awards

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: August 6th, 2011 at 9:01 pm

The Television Critics Association honored the best in television tonight, and NBC’s Friday Night Lights was named Program of the Year for its fifth and final season. Though the show was never a ratings juggernaut, it has been beloved by critics throughout its tenure, and garnered a small but passionate fanbase. AMC’s Mad Men took home the Best Drama prize, while ABC’s Modern Family won Best Comedy at the 27^th annual awards show.

It warms my heart to report that Nick Offerman shared the Best Individual Achievement in Comedy award with Modern Family’s Ty Burrell for his genius portrayal of Ron Swanson on NBC’s stellar comedy Parks and Recreation. HBO didn’t go home empty handed, as their smash-hit Game of Thrones won Best New Series. Hit the jump for the full list of winners.

First Images from ALBERT NOBBS, DARK HORSE, THE DEEP BLUE SEA, and FRIENDS WITH KIDS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: July 26th, 2011 at 11:07 am

The announcement of the films playing at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival has brought with it a deluge of first images from major upcoming movies.  After the jump you’ll find the first images from Rodrigo Garcia’s Albert Nobbs (starring Glenn Close and Mia Wasikowska), Todd Solondz’ Dark Horse (starring Selma Blair, Justin Bartha, and Christopher Walken), Terence Davies’ The Deep Blue Sea (starring Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston), and Jennifer Westfeldt’s Friends with Kids (starring Westfeldt, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, and Adam Scott).

Hit the jump to check out all of the images.  We’ve also provided the synopses.  The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8th – 18th.  For all the new TIFF images we’ve posted today, click here.

SUCKER PUNCH Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: July 4th, 2011 at 5:15 pm

Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch hit theaters in March earlier this year, but it’s road to theaters felt like watching a train hit the emergency break. The year before it came out, the film wowed comic-con audiences, and Warner Brothers had set visits – Snyder was still seen as a wonder boy, even if Watchmen didn’t take it home. But by the week of release, Warners couldn’t hold it in the bag: Sucker Punch is a weird movie that doesn’t totally work for a number of reasons.

It’s one of the great “I made a big hit movie, I’m going to go make my art” films that fails in interesting ways. And now there’s a director’s cut, which hopes to solve some of those problems. Emily Browning plays Babydoll, a girl with a traumatic past who’s put in an insane asylum with a bunch of other girls, and leads a fantasy life that transposes her inmates and doctors into dancers and pimps. My review of the Blu-ray and director’s cut of Sucker Punch follow after the jump.

Is the New Judd Apatow/Paul Feig Comedy Made for Jon Hamm and Melissa McCarthy?

by Jason Barr    Posted: June 15th, 2011 at 3:27 pm

A little over a week ago, we reported that Universal was reuniting with producer Judd Apatow and director Paul Feig following on the heels of their hit comedy Bridesmaids. The only thing we knew about the project at that time was that Feig had worked on the material (described as an “unconventional love story”) for some time and that Universal loved the pitch (and the success of Bridesmaids) enough to acquire it. While we don’t have a ton of new details on the untitled project today, we do have a casting rumor that has peaked my interest. According to Deadline, the project is about a “guy who becomes obsessed with a woman” with the male and female leads being drawn up with Bridesmaids co-stars Jon Hamm and Melissa McCarthy in mind.  More after the jump.

Jon Hamm Will Direct the Fifth Season Premiere of MAD MEN

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: May 26th, 2011 at 5:22 pm

He’s already gotten plenty of praise and accolades for his role as Don Draper on AMC’s fantastic drama series Mad Men, but now actor Jon Hamm is going to try his hand behind the camera too. TV Line has word that the actor will actually direct the fifth season premiere, which we sadly won’t see until sometime in 2012. Hamm revealed the news himself saying, “The wheels have officially been set in motion to make that happen. It’s a very exciting challenge that I’m looking forward to with a mixture of utter fear and excitement.”

Hamm won’t be the first cast member to sit in the director’s chair as co-star John Slattery (who plays Roger Sterling) has previously helmed an episode as well. Hamm says, “I watched Slattery do it, and he handled it with such grace and ability and ease. I figured if he can do it, shit, I can do it too.” If all goes well, maybe he’ll be directing more episodes later in the season or even make the jump to feature films. In the meantime, we’ll just have to patiently wait the long months until the fifth season of Mad Men hits next year.

New BETWEEN TWO FERNS with Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 26th, 2011 at 7:41 am

A new episode of Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns has gone up on Funny or Die and this time the guest is Will Ferrell.  While the sketch is funny, it will make you appreciate that Between Two Ferns works best when Galifianakis gets to be weird and is playing against an uncomfortable guest.  This is more of Galifianakis and Ferrell trying to out-strange each other.  It’s not bad, but it’s not as hilarious as one would hope.

Hit the jump to check out the new episode and click here to read Steve’s interview with Galifianakis where he talks about Between Two Ferns.

Hilarious Alternate Takes from BRIDESMAIDS

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 25th, 2011 at 2:05 pm

Bridesmaids is a must-see comedy and if you’ve already seen it, then you’ve probably guessed that there’s plenty of brilliant stuff that ended up on the cutting room floor.  Rather than endure an excruciating wait to see all of the alternate takes on the Blu-ray and DVD, the good folks at Funny or Die have now released at least some of those alternate takes online, and there as funny as you’d hope.  My personal favorite is Jon Hamm’s one-liner at the 2:57 mark.

Hit the jump to check out the video.  Bridesmaids is currently in theaters and you need to go see it.

Check Out SNL’s Live-Action THE AMBIGUOUSLY GAY DUO Starring Jon Hamm and Jimmy Fallon

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 15th, 2011 at 9:18 pm

I’ve come to discover that every generation thinks their Saturday Night Live cast was the best.  I would argue that the cast of SNL may be great, but it’s the sketches that are problematic because the it’s simply the best that the writers can churn out in a week and that’s usually not enough to sustain a 90-minute TV show.  However, one of the most reliable sketches in the show’s history was TV Funhouse’s “The Ambiguously Gay Duo”.  For those unfamiliar with the sketch (and there hasn’t been a new one in years), it had superheroes Ace and Gary (voiced by Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell) whose acts of heroism were ambiguously homosexual. Yes, it was a one-note joke, but it was such a great parody of superhero cartoon shows that it just worked brilliantly.

But since every superhero is going live-action these days, it only stands to reason that Ace and Gary should be thrust into the real world.  Last night’s SNL cast Jon Hamm and Jimmy Fallon as the duo with Carell and Colbert playing two of the villains along with host and former Daily Show co-star Ed Helms.  Hit the jump to check out the great sketch.

MAD MEN Season Four Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: May 15th, 2011 at 8:00 am

Wither, Don Draper? For Season Four of the hit show Mad Men, Jon Hamm’s Draper and his new company Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce is holding on with one big client: Lucky Strikes. But that deal is tentative, Draper is bottoming out as a drunk, and his family is suffering from its divorce, with little Sally Beth Draper (Kiernan Shipka) acting out in more and more inappropriate ways. With all this drama it’s sad to think we won’t see where these characters end up for another year or so. Our review of Mad Men Season 4 on Blu-ray follows after the jump.

BRIDESMAIDS Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: May 13th, 2011 at 7:25 am

The takeaway from Bridesmaids shouldn’t be “Look!  Women can be raunchy too!  Equality!”  If Bridesmaids simply featured a bunch of women engaging in gross-out humor, it would be a tiresome, soulless exercise just as gross-out humor between guys is a chore if you don’t care about the guys.  What makes Bridesmaids work isn’t just that some sophomoric gags are expertly timed and executed.  Bridesmaids comes alive because of rich characters and tremendous performances, particularly from co-writer and star Kristen Wiig and co-star Melissa McCarthy.  While the film does begin to drag its main character a little too low in the third act and there are some pacing problems in its romantic subplot, Bridesmaids is ultimately heartfelt, witty, and damn funny.

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