When last we talked about NBC’s cult comedy series, Community, we were at Comic-Con, rejoicing that the entire cast would be returning, but lamenting the absence of creator and show-runner, Dan Harmon.  While we wait to see if new overseers David Guarascio and Moses Port can keep the old Community magic, season four will see an infusion of overseas humor with the addition of British comedian, Matt Lucas (Bridesmaids). Lucas, perhaps best known for British comedy series Little Britain, will star as Greendale Community College’s newest faculty member.  Hit the jump for more details on his character as well as a look at a great fan-made Inspector Spacetime poster.

Principal photography has started today on a couple of interesting productions.  Here they are at a glance:

• Therese, formerly known as Therese Raquin, is an erotic thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Oscar Isaac (Drive), Tom Felton (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and Jessica Lange (American Horror Story).
• Graphic novel adaptation, The Scribbler, also started production with Katie Cassidy (Taken) set to star.

Hit the jump for much more on both projects.

Small Apartments deserves credit for getting inside your head through force of strangeness alone, and it has enough going on to merit at least some kind of interpretation.  You can argue with yourself to no end about whether or not director Jonas Åkerlund has made a subversive slam against trying to find human connection when our own baggage shuts us off from the world, or if he’s delivered a pat, mawkish ending that doesn’t fit with previous moments of derision towards sentiment.  Rather than leave your head spinning, Small Apartments just leaves your head aching.

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.

With director Paul Feig’s (Freaks And Geeks)  Bridesmaids opening May 13, Universal has released seven movie clips and A Look Inside featurette.  The film stars Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Matt Lucas, Chris O’Dowd, Melissa McCarthy and Jon Hamm.

While I might still be under embargo, if I wasn’t, I’d probably tell you Bridesmaids is ridiculously funny and one of the best films I’ve seen this year.  I’d also tell you that Bridesmaids has one of the funniest scenes I’ve seen in a theater in a long time.  If you weren’t sold by the trailer or this red band trailer, trust me when I say, Bridesmaids is absolutely worth seeing and I really suggest watching it with a crowded theater.  You’ll love it.  Hit the jump for the clips and featurette, and look for interviews with the cast the week of release.

Anyone who enjoys watching girls behaving badly (no, not in that way) has a reason to rejoice on this fine afternoon because Universal has seen fit to release an international trailer for the upcoming Kristen Wiig romp Bridesmaids. Not much is revealed than hasn’t already been seen in the previous trailer, but a few extra chuckles are to be had in this AC/DC scored montage (in particular, Mad Men fans will enjoy a little taste of Jon Hamm sleaziness). The film has been getting some pretty positive buzz so far at preview screenings and SXSW and could be a modest early summer comedy hit provided that both the R-rated sex comedy crowd and the chick-flick crowd can join forces to support it. How much overlap exists between the two groups remains to be seen, but this is the movie to bring em; together if anything can.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film was directed by Freaks And Geeks creator Paul Feig and also features Wiig’s former SNL partner in crime Maya Rudolph, as well as Rose Byrne, Matt Lucas (Little Britain), Chris O’Dowd (The IT Crowd), and Melissa McCarthy (who frankly looks like she might steal the movie away from her co-stars). The film opens May 13^th.

I’m so happy that buzz I’m hearing on Paul Feig’s Bridesmaids out of SXSW is positive otherwise this trailer would have me mildly concerned about the film.  Judging the film based solely on the new trailer, the humor mostly seems to revolve around Kristen Wiig being a neurotic single woman who drinks a lot.  While I’m confident that Wiig has the charm and comic timing to carry a movie, this trailer doesn’t sell me on a film that my peers are celebrating.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  Bridesmaids also stars Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy and Jon Hamm.  The film opens May 13th.

Matt Lucas (Alice in Wonderland) will team-up with director Jonas Åkerlund (Horsemen) for the comedy Small Apartments.  Based on the book by Chris Millis, Small Apartments follows protagonist Franklin Franklin along a strange journey that apparently includes “fingernail collections” and a “treasured alphorn.”  If “fingernail collections” wasn’t enough to peak your interest, The Playlist describes the text as a “dark, comic story of a group of neighbors.”

For more on the project, hit the jump for a brief description of Millis’ book.  Small Apartments is expected to begin filming in March of this year.

Touchstone Pictures has released the first trailer for their upcoming animated film, Gnomeo and Juliet.  As you’ve probably already guessed, the film is a retelling of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet… only with gnomes.  The film will feature music by Elton John and the voice cast includes James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Michael Caine, Jason Statham, Maggie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Ashley Jensen, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, Jim Cummings, Julie Walters, Richard Wilson, and Ozzy Osbourne.  You can hit the jump to watch the trailer and to see the first image from the film.

Matt Lucas is trading in his suspenders and horizontal stripes for something a little more formal.  According to THR, Lucas (who recently played both “Tweedledee” and Tweedledum” in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) has agreed to join Universal’s Judd Apatow-produced comedy Bridesmaids (he was “in talks” last month).  While his role in the film has yet to be announced, one can only assume that the British actor will not be required to wear the CGI “Sumo-Suit” used to create “Tweedledee/Dum” in the shooting of Alice (although it could certainly be fun to have around the set).

The comedy, co-written by SNL gem Kristin Wiig along with actress/writer Annie Mumolo, will star Wiig as a maid of honor doing her best to keep a group of wealthy, stuck-up bridesmaids happy during the pre-wedding events leading up to her best friend’s wedding day.  Helming the film is veteran television director Paul Feig (Nurse Jackie, The Office, Arrested Development).

If Bridesmaids already sounds more promising to you than recent wedding film disasters (and when you consider 27 Dresses and Bride Wars, really how could it not?) then hit the jump to see the potentially hilarious cast joining Wiig in the film.

Jon Hamm, Dianne Wiest, and Matt Lucas are in negotiations to join the cast of Universal’s untitled bridesmaid comedy starring Kristen Wiig.  Production Weekly’s tweet doesn’t offer much more than that, but let us update you on what we already know.  First up, the project (which Wiig also co-wrote with Annie Mumolo) is being produced by Judd Apatow and Paul Feig (always a good sign) and Maya Rudolph is already on board to co-star.  The film is about two women battling to plan their friend’s wedding party.

Walt Disney Pictures has released the press kit for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.  Included are 27 high resolution images from the film and a few are behind the scenes pictures from the set.  If you’d like to check them out, hit the jump.  Alice in Wonderland stars Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Marton Csokas, Tim Pigott-Smith, Lindsay Duncan, Geraldine James, Leo Bill, Jemma Powell, Mairi Ella Challen and Mia Wasikowska as Alice.

Yesterday in Hollywood, Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Records joined forces with Hot Topic, KIIS-FM, MySpace, and artists from the upcoming album “Almost Alice” for fan event celebrating Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.  In attendance were  Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Matt Lucas, Cripin Glover, Michael Sheen, Tim Burton, and a ton of fans in costumes.  Disney has just sent over a ton of photos from the event, hit the jump to check them out:

Every Wednesday, Walt Disney releases a new Alice in Wonderland featurette and today is no different.  With the amount of video featurettes and trailers that have been released, I’m at the point where I just want to see movie.  But I understand why Disney is doing this, as they’ve spent a lot of money bringing Alice back to life and they want a huge opening weekend.  Based on the buzz I’m hearing, I don’t think they have to worry.

Hit the jump to see some new footage from Alice in Wonderland:

During tonight’s Super Bowl, a bunch of commercials for upcoming movies were shown.  In case you missed the game, they showed ads for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, Joe Johnston’s The Wolfman, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, Mike Newell’s Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, The Crazies, Antoine Fuqua’s Brooklyn’s Finest, and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender.  If you missed the game or just want to rewatch the ads, they’re all after the jump, along with the synopses.