After starring opposite each other in the brilliant and successful Wedding Crashers back in 2005, Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are set to reunite for what sounds like a very promising comedy, Interns.

Shawn Levy (Real Steel) will be taking the helm for this, having worked with Vaughn producing his upcoming Neighborhood Watch, with the script coming from Vaughn himself, Vulture report via Collider.

“Vaughn and Wilson will play forty-ish company guys who both get laid off in a downsizing. Convinced they’ve gone about managing their careers entirely wrong, they resolve to become interns at a Google-like dotcom and start anew. Suddenly, the two old chums are competing against wily, fresh-faced 22 year olds for advancement.”

Pretty perfect, right? I have a lot of love for Wedding Crashers, and a lot of love for both Wilson and Vaughn just generally, so I can’t wait to see them back on screen together. You can already picture this being another big success. Wedding Crashers turned a $40m. budget into north of $280m. at the box office, so here’s to hoping Interns will be a huge success as well.

We heard last summer that Vaughn was set to star alongside Jason Bateman next in The Insane Laws, and Levy was set to go behind the camera next for a Frankenstein adaptation, but it seems that both projects have had trouble with their budgets, and now Fox are said to have quickly picked up Interns for Vaughn, Wilson, and Levy to make together.

As much as I’d love to see Vaughn and Bateman together, I’m definitely content to know that Bateman will be working on Arrested Development whilst Vaughn will be returning alongside Wilson with Levy’s direction for Interns, at least for the time being. Fox will no doubt want to move ahead quickly with this, and with all three of the current talent attached having fairly light schedules at the moment, we can hopefully look forward to hearing more about the project soon.

A comedy about bird watching – or ‘birding’, as it’s officially known – is such a random concept that it must surely be one of great mockery of the pastime. But Marley & Me and The Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel’s The Big Year manages to give it a little eccentric charm and grounded purpose, while relying on household comedy old-timers Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin to add the feel-good factor.

Based on a non-fiction book by Mark Obmascik, the story follows Brad Harris (Black), a mummy’s boy and IT worker who is obsessed with birds of the ornithological kind. His dream is to take a year out and spot as many bird types as possible to win the coveted, annual Big Year, an informal competition dominated by the world’s best birder, Kenny Bostick (Wilson), who finds all kinds of devious ways to put others off the scent of the whereabouts of the feathered friends. Stu Preissler (Martin), a successful captain of industry, wants to retire completely from the corporate game and concentrate on a shot at the title. Through their avid love of birds, the three begin on an adventure that will change their circumstances forever.

At the heart of Frankel’s comedy beats an unbridled passion of sorts, with a quirky insight into the sacrifices made to stay at the top of the game that will resonate with all that watch it. It’s also a coming-of-age story for all three men entering different stages of their lives. Wilson, Black and Martin are as affable as ever, if too congenial to the point of being rather innoxious for some – even with Bostick’s scheming. However, they still make up an entertaining trio, with the latter two no strangers to playing oddball comedic characters and taking birders in their confident strides. At the same time, a strange, quietening respect for their characters’ choice of pastime grows, especially as it offers a chance to travel and see and learn a bit about nature – a candid reminder for some workaholic viewers of life outside the office’s four walls.

This release or escapism, coupled with the film’s joie de vivre, is warmly infectious, and also masks Frankel’s and screenwriter Howard Franklin’s mere surface-level look at what really drives such a person to do such an all-consuming and committed task. Admittedly, without the personal life dilemmas – Harris’s strained relationship with his father, Bostick’s crumbling marriage, and Preissler’s desire to leave the corporate rat race, Frankel’s film would become a totally pointless one, bordering on offensive farce.

These sub-plots may detract from the birding path of the primary goal – to see the next Big Year winner crowned – but they also act to keep the characters grounded and more believable as they struggle to juggle things back home. In fact, all three actors could have played over-the-top caricatures, but Frankel keeps the humour following through the tragic fallout of their actions, which in turn endears them to us more.

The only incredulous part of the whole affair is how no one cheats, especially as just recognising a birdcall equates to having spotted it – Harris being the master of this, but this and the rules are not fully explained. In a nice little bit of extra fluff to add to Frankel’s romanticising of the pastime, Harris’s calls attract a new human mate. Naturally, Ellie (Rashida Jones) is totally out of his league under normal circumstances, if it wasn’t for her unusual hobby. Still, as groan-worthy as this might sound, it’s always undeniably cute to watch the underdog get the girl, and live to tell the tale at the end. And just to add some fun British eccentricity to the mix is John Cleese as the historical montage narrator.

The Big Year is as mild a comedy as one gets with personable characters, so as to normalise the birder and allow us to empathise with their calling – as well as attract the family audience. Its draw is not only the fascination of how such a subject matter transpires to be funny without becoming idiotic, but also the appealing combination of Wilson, Black and Martin, who play it safe and sound in this. Perhaps, in a whole different premise, Frankel and co. might have taken a bolder step into the darkly comedic look of the birder’s psyche and added more of a gust of air into this film’s feathers to allow it to soar above its cautious comedic charms.

***~~ (3/5)

To celebrate the release of ‘The Big Year’ in cinemas Friday, we’re offering 5 lucky readers the chance to win the book on which the film was based; The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession, written by Mark Obmascik.

In this comedy for grown-ups, Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson portray three men from different walks of life, each facing unique personal challenges. The one thing they share is an uncommon passion for…bird watching. In the biggest competition of their biggest year, they undertake an unforgettable trek through North America, fall in and out of love, engage in hilarious and bizarre adventures, and form friendships that will last a lifetime. Directed by David Frankel (“Marley and Me,” “The Devil Wears Prada”).

The Big Year is in cinemas Friday The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession was published by Transworld and available to buy now here.

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 5th December at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received
• No cash alternative is available

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

Felicity Jones (Albatross) has landed the lead female role in Warren Beatty’s Howard Hughes biopic.

The as-yet-untitled film will centre on a young woman (Jones) who develops a relationship with Hughes’s young driver and confidante, before she falls in love with Hughes.

Justin Timberlake, Alden Ehrenreich, Annette Bening, Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin and Owen Wilson are reportedly in the mix for other, unspecified roles.

Beatty will direct from his own script, with production penciled in for an early 2012 start.

Jones will next be seen in Like Crazy, which is due to hit U.K. cinemas on February 3, 2012.

Source: Deadline

© 2011 Disney / Pixar

It’s time to enjoy a brand new adventure with best friends Lightning McQueen and Mater as Cars 2 pulls in to stores exclusively on Disney 3D Blu-ray, Blu-Ray and DVD from 21 November 2011. To celebrate the release, we are giving away a copy of the film on Blu-ray to 3 lucky winners!

Star race car Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places in Cars 2 when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world.

Fast-paced, fun and full of new characters, Cars 2 is a globe-trotting animation treat that Disney Pixar fans won’t want to miss!

Cars 2 is available from 21 November 2011 on Disney 3D Blu-ray™, Blu-Ray™ & DVD, pre-order you copy today at Disney Store.

To be in with a chance of winning just answer the following simple question using the form below:

What is the name of Lightning McQueen’s best friend?

1. Buddy
2. Mater
3. Pally

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 21st November at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received
• No cash alternative is available

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

Vancouver, CANADA – If you don’t follow the NBA, you probably have never heard of Steve Nash, though perhaps you’ve seen him in some other form. The man endorses Vitamin Water, appears in Nike ads, and most recently became a documentarian with the film ‘Into the Wind,’ based on the life of Canadian humanitarian Terry Fox.

He even has his own chain of fitness centers in Canada called the Steve Nash Sports Club. Though, he may not have the international branding power of Michael Jordan, or Kobe Bryant, but his celebrity status is pretty close.

In Nash: The Documentary (VIFF World Premiere), the multi-talented basketball point guard opens up about his life growing up in small town in Canada, determined to make his way into the NBA. The film chronicles his career and struggles to get to his level of success.

This nicely photographed documentary directed by Michael Hamilton and Corey Ogilvie, features a variety of famous people, everyone from Owen Wilson, and Ron Howard, to Kobe Bryant, and President Obama share their thoughts on Steve Nash, and how he has contributed to the sport. Yet it is Nash’s honesty on camera that keeps the film engaging, and more than just a sports highlight reel.

The insecurities along his career, and of being in the public eye, Nash is a relecutant celebrity who finds joy in contributing to charities with portions of what he earns while doing endorsements. He keeps a low profile, working on side projects outside of the NBA and we learn that he is quite skilled in soccer, having a brother who played professionally.

Edited with footage from Nash’s life, with career defining moments from the NCAA, and NBA, the filmmakers had access to a wealth of archive footage, and celebrity contacts largely due to Jenny Miller of the Steve Nash Foundation, who’s participation in the film was instrumental.

This is an inspiring documentary about a man in sports, who struggles with his own insecurities, while striving to achieve the best. The premiere version of the documentary screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival did feature some obvious typos in the titles, which were a glaring downside to an otherwise well executed film.

****~ (4/5)

Although The Big Year appears to lack the bite and edge that one might hope for from a Steve Martin vehicle, it is perhaps in keeping with the gradual softening of his output (as well as that of his cohorts Jack Black and Owen Wilson) and hey, as our Steven Neish is forever saying regarding comic book adaps, why does everything have to be darker and grittier? Why can’t we have a bit of fun?

We posted the first trailer and poster a month or so back and now those fine folks at Yahoo have given us another clip. Please keep your expectations extremely low. This is perhaps the least interesting film clip I have seen in months, showcasing pretty much nothing except the slight frustration that can be occasioned by waiting for a long line of girl scouts to cross a narrow bridge. We can only hope that the film itself is funnier, more engaging and more compelling that these sorry 67 seconds. If it isn’t, this could get ugly.

Source: Yahoo.

As a Brit watching Woody Allen’s latest European muse, the first thing that springs to mind is Only Fools’ Nicholas Lyndhurst’s time-travelling sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart about an accidental time traveller who discovers a time portal, allowing him to travel between the London of the 1990s and the same area during the Second World War. Time travel captures the imagination and has fascinated audiences, from Back To The Future to Quantum Leap. For this reason alone, Allen’s new romantic comedy has an instant awe – and not just as a result of the setting being the upmarket parts and cultural haunts of gay Paris.

An American family travel to Paris on business, but the engaged couple of the party, Gil (Owen Wilson) and Inez (Rachel McAdams), find the culture and lifestyle starting to interfere with real life, and they are forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.

Midnight In Paris is by far one of the best Allen films out for a couple of years. The film-maker has dabbled in other major cities around the world, such as Barcelona and London, with little charm or lasting impression. What Allen taps into in this is the natural mystique of Paris. Hence the rest of the tale feels more magical.

The charming trademark neurosis of Allen’s characters is back in full force – his 2010 film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, was just too self-absorbed and self-commiserating to allow audiences to really care for the characters they were watching. In this, Wilson is an absolute delight in one of his best roles for years as troubled writer Gil, who pines for past creative eras because he longs for a creative eureka moment. His ‘episodes’ with literary, artistic and film-making historical legends is incredibly quaint and light-hearted, and stirs a nostalgic passion we all sometimes feel of a better life lived that is now past.

Wilson is particularly apt at playing the wide-eyed innocent in his films, characters full of flaws and self-depreciation, that when he shares the company of the likes of Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll), F. Scott Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston), Pablo Picasso (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo) and Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) in this, it’s the same wonderful thrill you get watching an overly appreciative kid in a candy store, brimming with newfound confidence. In addition, fans of these great minds will revel in their quotes and references. It’s a gloriously amusing cultural jaunt, and although a lot of the episodes are brief, the snapshot moment is all it takes to beguile you.

McAdams is fresh and energetic as Inez and as stunning as Marion Cotillard as Gil’s yesteryear love, Adriana. Again, the sumptuous set design is as intoxicating as the location, showing all involved off in the very best light, and implying that Allen is in love once again with his characters. Cotillard simply illuminates the screen like a silver-screen legend in her heyday, captivating both admirer Gil and the audience. Back in the present, Michael Sheen as know-it-all Paul, one half of a couple who befriend Gil and Inez, is absolutely hilarious and a sheer, conceited tonic to watch as he talks his way around the cultural city with all in tow. Even France’s First Lady, Carla Bruni, makes an appearance to add to the film’s radiance.

Midnight In Paris is like a soothing, retrospective project for Allen, his very own journey to recapturing creative inspiration and fantasy, as he rekindles his character love affair that made him such a satisfying film-maker a couple of decades ago, and brought out the very best performances in his cast – as it does here. Although it suffers from a sobering moment of moralistic self-righteousness about ‘living in the present’ to be more fulfilled, Midnight In Paris is an effervescent, witty and absorbing tale lost in time.

****~ (4/5)

It is a little difficult to see past the slightly twee quality of the trailer for The Big Year, which sees Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson joining together to spend a year doing what they always dreamed of doing. That’s not to say that is necessarily a bad thing, as with comic movie adaptations, not everything has to go darker and grittier. Comedies can be light-hearted and life-affirming, they don’t have to be edgy and daring. Just funny.

Will it be funny? Well, there seem to be a few chuckles to be had here, but the obvious suspicion that the best material is on show in the trailer raises a few concerns about the quality of the rest of the film. Certainly the intro from the stars brings a smile to the face. Let’s be gracious and give it the benefit of the doubt. Enjoy the trailer and new poster below. The film hits us in the face on 11th November 2011 (14th October in the good old USofA).

Thank you to Apple and YouTube.

To say that Cars 2 is bigger than its predecessor is an understatement.  To say it is better than the first film would be robbing it blind. But if you said that Cars 2 is one of the biggest and best film of the year, you would be right on the money.

Let me start this review off with a dash of honesty before we get started.  I think the first Cars film is the weakest of the 12 films Pixar has pumped out over the last 16 years.  I liked the film overall, as I do with most of what that studio releases, but I just didn’t connect with it as I assumed I would.  The feeling of days gone by doesn’t connect all that well with my generation.  Sure, I spent most summers cramped in an RV with my two sisters traveling around the States and taking in the views.  A fact I hated when I was younger but thank my parents for now as often as I can.  So I figured the Route 66 theme would be a real treat to see. The film, like all Pixar films, is beautiful to watch, but I couldn’t get over the idea of a world populated by talking cars. Sure, the film starts off with a bang at that insanely cool Nascar race, but the second Lightning jumps over a crashed car with his tongue out, I was gone.

Call me a scrooge but I’ve already done bugs, toys and monsters. Also keep in mind that I was coming off the high of Pixar’s previous film, The Incredibles which truly lived up to its name. Something about visiting another world of anthropomorphized characters in Cars wasn’t something I was ready to do again. So when I heard Pixar was working on Cars 2 I was all set to let that film be the first one I would be skipping.

John Lasseter doesn’t like sequels, a fact he’s been very open about. So on the verge of a 3rd Toy Story film (Toy Story being my all-time favorite), Pixar announced a sequel to my least favorite of their films. I was already talking about how Pixar had lost its touch and they didn’t have any new stories to tell and they were scrapping projects (Newt) and DreamWorks was churning out winners.  It all looked pretty awful for a moment.  All this negativity had me believing Cars 2 would be the end of the streak for Pixar.  I could not have been more wrong and proves that I should never doubt Lasseter and his team of creative genius.

Besides this film being tonally very different from the first, which helps for me, it’s an incredibly enjoyable film on its own merits. Under the hood of the film is still the relationship between Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) and Lightning (Owen Wilson) that’s very stock when it comes to these types of films. However, everything else on the surface is totally custom.  Cars 2 is a spy caper wrapped up in shiny Pixar skin. Simply put, Cars 2 is the best action film I’ve seen all year and delivered in a package only Pixar can.

Cars 2 starts out with a very James Bond like action sequence. We are immediately introduced to our newest character Finn McMissle (Voiced by the great Michael Caine) as he is in full spy mode investigating this creepy oil rig in the middle of the ocean. This scene sets the tone for the entire film. It’s beautiful and full of action and I almost forgot that cars were talking.  When we finally meet back up with the old gang at Radiator Springs, which provides the only breath you’ll get in the film, we are given a nice touching tribute, which provides dual services to both Doc Hudson and the man who voiced the character, Paul Newman. The short time we spend in Radiator Springs is all that remains of the first film.  We are swept away as Cars 2 successfully navigates two different and sweeping storylines.

Our first story involves Lightning McQueen in his attempt to prove he is the fastest car in the newly created “World Grand Prix”.  Cars from all over the world are entered into a three-race series that takes them to Tokyo, Porto Corsa and London. The real race, however, is between McQueen and a Formula-1 car, voiced by the great John Turturro, named Francesco Bernoulli, a character more boisterous then Jean Girard from Talladega Nights. Their races are elaborate and the settings are beautiful in a way that you can only truly appreciate in 3D. However, all this is happening in the background, the real story rests on the shoulders of the witless tow-truck Mater.

In a conventional way, Mater is mistaken as an American spy and is swept up into this world of espionage and action.  What happens after is quite unconventional in Pixar films.  The film has strong political themes and actually depicts a lot of violence, including the death of several characters, something we haven’t seen on screen since The Incredibles.  The World Grand Prix is created by a wealthy alternative fuel car by the name of Miles Axelrod (voice by Eddie Izzard). He has created the alternative fuel Allinol he believes will reduce our dependence on fossil fuel and requires that all cars in the race use this as proof.  However, there is someone behind the curtain that isn’t too fond of that idea. It’s up to Mater, who is forced to team up with  Field Agent Finn and desk jockey Agent Holley Shiftwell, (Voiced by Emily Mortimer) to find the mastermind behind all the evil doings.  Both of these new characters add so much to the film I can only hope they return to do more in future installments.

The film is Mater centric, so if you didn’t like him in the first one, you may have a hard time with the amount of screen time he gets.  If you are one of those people though let me start by saying you’re not alone.  Mater was my least favorite character in the first film, but there is something about his journey that I really like. With the addition of Holley Shiftwell, we get to see two of these characters take very similar journeys alongside each other and eventually towards each other.  I also think the emergency brake-180 burnout this film does helps quell anything you may have disliked in the first.  Sure there are some plot devices that seem to make no sense whatsoever and some obvious humor that seems a bit over the top for Pixar. But overall this film brings back memorable characters in a totally new adventure that leaves the original in the dust.

I think Cars 2 is the standout film thus far in a very hectic summer movie season.  With the addition of great new characters and amazing locations you’ll also want to see it in 3D.  I was fortunate enough to see the film at its world premiere so the bulbs were amped up and the glasses didn’t darken the image all that much.  But I mention being at the World Premiere, thanks to Disney, only to stress the point that I would gladly pay to see this film again. At the end of the day isn’t that what we moviegoers expect from our films, to be worth every penny?

****~ (4/5)

“Cars 2” opens in the US on the June 24, 2011 an in the UK on the 22nd of July.

This Friday sees the release of Disney Pixar’s latest movie, Cars 2 and yesterday morning, the UK premiere was held with director John Lasseter, stars Sir Michael Caine, Jason Isaacs and producer Denise Ream all in attendance. Our friends from Upbeat were there to interview them all and have very kindly passed over their footage. Check out the interviews in the video below.

Cars 2 is directed by legendary John Lasseter and features a voice cast which includes Owen Wilson , Larry The Cable Guy, Michael Caine , Emily Mortimer , Bonnie Hunt , Tony Shalhoub , Cheech Marin , Jason Isaacs , Joe Mantegna , Peter Jacobson , Thomas Kretschmann , Guido Quaroni , Lloyd Sherr , Paul Dooley, John Ratzenberger , Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis , Katherine Helmond , John Turturro , Franco Nero , Vanessa Redgrave , Eddie Izzard , Bruce Campbell, Michel Michelis, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip , Lewis Hamiltonand David Hobbs. Rather extensive eh!

You can keep up to date with all our Cars 2 coverage here and watch it when it hits UK cinemas 22nd July.

Synopsis: Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy ) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2″ when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

The Farrelly Brothers new movie, Hall Pass was released earlier this week on DVD and Blu-ray (order your copy here) and we managed to catch up with two of the stars of the movie, Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis, to chat about how they found filming and what we can expect from it.

Hall Pass also stars Christina Applegate, Richard Jenkins and Stephen Merchant. Scroll down to view our interview with the duo.

If you missed our theatrical review of the film, you can check it out here.

————-

HeyUGuys: Tell us about Rick and Fred and how they drive their wives to give them Hall Pass…

JASON SUDEIKIS: Why do they drive them to do it?  They don’t know any better, it’s unintentional.

OWEN WILSON:  Rick never really finds out exactly how Fred got his hall pass.  With Rick, his wife’s a little frustrated. We’re in a little bit of a rut in our marriage, and she sees him kind of looking at other women. She’s says, ‘Okay, if he thinks the grass is greener, you know what, take a week off from marriage.’

JASON SUDEIKIS: Go over there and try to mow some grass, buddy.

OWEN WILSON: Have at it. See how it works for you.

HeyUGuys: Was there a lot of ad-libbing happening?

JASON SUDEIKIS: Not so much ad-libbing as it was just discussing the scene quickly before you do it. Then you would have a little bit of a nuance or a way to change the line or make it feel a little more natural, and then you make the adjustment.

When you have someone as skilled [as Owen] it’d have to make sense to him in order for it to work for me.

HeyUGuys: Owen, what’s it like not getting the girls?  Is it a big change from your past roles?

With this character, as soon as I put on the wardrobe and looked in the mirror at the look that they had for me I realized that this character is not cool. It was bit of a funny look. It seemed very suburban schlub.

HeyUGuys: What was it like on the set?  Was it hard to keep it together?

JASON SUDEIKIS: Not during the scenes, I don’t think we really wasted a lot of takes.  Yet, we were having a good time. A lot of the crazy things we had to do weren’t together.  It was when we were separate – me in the car, Owen in the hot tub

OWEN WILSON: I was just begging to get Jason back.  It was when I was on my own that I had to do the crazy stuff.

HeyUGuys: Jason, what’s your favorite part about Owen in this movie?

JASON SUDEIKIS: It would probably be how believable he is at the end of the movie. I like that little speech that he gives he explains to Jenna about his feelings. I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff.  I think that’s usually my favorite parts in a movie is when it comes around to the other side.

HeyUGuys: Owen, how about you with Jason?

OWEN WILSON: I can just look at the poster and the set to his expression.  It’s jaunty. There’s something very funny to me about somebody’s who’s very like very inept, but very jaunty about it; screwing things up and getting things wrong, but still has like a misplaced confidence in himself. It was a very lovable quality that old Fred had.

——————

To celebrate the release of Hall Pass on DVD and Blu-ray NOW, Warner Home Video have given us three copies of the movie to give away on Blu-ray Triple Play (contains a DVD, A Blu-ray and a Digital copy).

The cast in the movie is rather extensive and great and includes Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis , Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins, Christina Applegate, Alexandra Daddario, Stephen Merchant, Nicky Whelan, Larry Joe Campbell, Tyler Hoechlin, Derek Waters, Alyssa Milano , Vanessa Angel and Kristin Carey.

Synopsis: Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) are best friends who have a lot in common, including the fact that they have each been married for many years. But when the two men begin to show signs of restlessness at home, their wives (Jenna Fischer, Christina Applegate) take a bold approach to revitalizing their individual marriages: granting them a “hall pass,” one week of freedom to do whatever they want…no questions asked. At first, it sounds like a dream come true for Rick and Fred. But it isn’t long before they discover that their expectations of the single life-and themselves-are completely, and hilariously, out of sync with reality.

To enter the competition , simply answer the following question using the form below.

 Who plays the character ‘Rick’ in the movie, Hall Pass?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 18th July 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!

What do you get when you put Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson in a film together?  Answer: an impressive cast, which is greater than the sum of what is on offer here.

How Do You Know is very much like a recipe that should work, but lacks a lightness and assured touch which is surprising considering the talent involved.  It is labelled as a romcom, but it is neither one or the other despite the pedigree of its cast and the punch that James L. Brooks usually helps deliver on The Simpsons and in his previous films.

I began to watch How Do You Know having seen or heard nothing about it.  I enjoy romantic comedies so felt quite excited about the prospect of watching a film with the Brooks connection, but it soon became clear that there was little humour to enjoy.  Owen Wilson’s performance did lighten the mood a little, but overall this seemed like a vehicle that was turned down by Jennifer Aniston because it felt too much like Friends With Money and therefore another near miss.  Even Witherspoon’s perkiness could not help pick up the pace or detract from the fact that the film is overlong, and did not stray from its formula nor inject any spark of wit or surprise to justify its running time or reward audiences for sticking with it.

Halfway through I caught myself wishing that it was written and directed by Woody Allen, as it seemed to be the kind of comedy it was aiming for and not quite reaching.  The DVD is out on release now, so if you want to complete your Nicholson, Wilson or Witherspoon collections this film will certainly be worth buying.  But it does feel as though this one will be available to buy in Blockbuster for three quid before long and be considered among the quirkier of the pre-eminent careers of those involved.

The perfunctory extras don’t add to the experience, and the blooper reel is often funnier than the film itself.

Extras:

• Commentary with Filmmakers
• Select Scenes Commentary with James L. Brooks and Owen Wilson
• Deleted Scenes Commentary by James L. Brooks
• Blooper Reel
• Extra Innings

**~~~ (2/5)

If you missed the first interview check it out here with Larry the Cable Guy and Emily Mortimer. In this interview, I get to chat with Owen Wilson and Eddie Izzard about their roles in the brand new Pixar movie, Cars 2 which comes out in the UK 22nd July.

I enjoy Eddie’s flamboyant comedy and loved his work in “Oceans 12/13” and “Valkyrie”. For me Owen shines when working with Wes Anderson but “Wedding Crashers” is one of my favourite comedies of all time. Needless to say I was extremely excited at the opportunity to talk to both of these men.

I was sort of split going into my interview with Larry the Cable Guy (Daniel Lawrence Whitney) and Emily Mortimer.

My wife and I are huge fans of Emily’s work in such films as “Dear Frankie”, “City Island” and her hilariously brilliant stint on NBC’s “30 Rock”.  On the other end is comedian Larry the Cable Guy, who I only know because of his involvement in these Pixar films and that his catchphrase “get ‘er done” was quite popular for a time.

As actors they have very different bodies of work so I was extremely curious how they would interact with each other during the press questions.  In the film, Mater and Holley Shiftwell (Mortimer) spend most of their time on screen together trying to foil the bad guys.  However, most people are aware that voicing animated characters doesn’t allow a whole lot of face time between actors, so it seemed interesting that they would pair these two together during the junket.

What happened is exactly how I hoped my first junket would turn out.  They were extremely receptive to my questions and seemed to genuinely enjoy each other’s company.  Before the interview started they were joking and laughing with me regarding my lack of a UK accent considering I was covering the event for HeyUGuys.  It was interesting to find that Whitmer isn’t always in character.  I was fully expecting him to be Mater or Larry the Cable Guy, All in all I think this was the most fun I had at the event. The fact that they still had a sense of humor after three solid days of press put me at ease, and seemed like they put their actual chemistry to good use on screen and off.

Here’s the interview,

I remember seeing “Toy Story” in my local movie theater in Whittier, Ca. I was 10 years old when that film came out. So having the opportunity to interview John Lasseter was a nerve racking and surreal experience.  I told myself if I ever got the chance I would simply tell him “Thank You”.  Last week I got the chance I didn’t miss the opportunity.  Before cameras started rolling on our conversation I explained to the “Cars 2” Director that his feature film debut basically defined my childhood and planted the seeds of what would become my infatuation with film.  We also briefly chatted about the fact that we both grew up in the same Los Angeles suburb of Whittier.  He talked about how his love of cars grew while working at his dad Chevrolet dealership and I explained that I went to a high school called Whittier Christian High School that wasn’t actually in Whittier (he attended Whittier High – which is actually in Whittier). He’s the kind of guy I felt like I could talk to for hours, and I would have if they didn’t tell me that cameras were rolling.  I now had the obligation to start asking some questions.

While I loved “Cars 2” so much more then the original “Cars”, I didn’t really feel like asking a whole lot of questions regarding the film. Actually you’ll see that same theme in my interviews with the voice cast as well. I figured they had probably talked enough about the film over the past three days that I didn’t want to get the same stock answers.  I decided I would ask questions from the stance of a Pixar fan in general.  With Lassester, my questions were more themed on how he approaches his films as a Director and as the Chief Creative Office for Walt Disney Animation.

And while John Lasseter wears many hats at Disney and has become more or less a household name (I mean my dad knows who he is for christ sakes), I still think of him as the guy who directed “Toy Story”. And now he’s the guy who has directed my favorite film of the summer.

“Cars 2” Opens Today in the US and July 22^nd in the UK. My Cars 2 review is here. Check out my interview with John below.

Disney Pixar have just sent over the official Cars 2 music video and song named ‘Collision of Worlds’ which is performed by Robbie Williams and Brad Paisley. If you’re a fan of either artist, you’ll probably like this + we get to see a little more footage from the latest creation from the legends at Pixar. Williams have previously worked with Disney on the Fidnign Nemo soundtrack so parents will have yet another audio delight to listen to over and over again!

The voice cast in the movie includes Owen Wilson , Larry The Cable Guy, Michael Caine , Emily Mortimer , Bonnie Hunt , Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin , Jason Isaacs , Joe Mantegna , Peter Jacobson , Thomas Kretschmann , Guido Quaroni , Lloyd Sherr , Paul Dooley, John Ratzenberger , Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis , Katherine Helmond , John Turturro , Franco Nero , Vanessa Redgrave , Eddie Izzard , Bruce Campbell, Michel Michelis, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip , Lewis Hamilton and David Hobbs.

You can keep up to date with all our Cars 2 coverage here and watch it when it hits UK cinemas 22nd July.

Synopsis: Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy ) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2″ when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

Cars 2 is building up a typically fine head of steam as its release date approaches. I was not a great fan of the first film, which felt like a rather obvious indulging of John Lassater’s personal proclivities, rather than a project likely to carry universal appeal.

You can catch up on all of our coverage so far here, from which we can see that this film promises to be a wholly different beast to the first, replacing an elegaic paean to a lost love of the open highway with a more bombastic international espionage thriller. Frankly, in my book that’s a step in the right direction. Pixar made one of the very best superhero movies ever with The Incredibles and it will be great to see what they can do once again in the action-adventure genre with their typically strong “story is key” credentials.

Today’s contribution to the Cars 2 build-up is this clip, which splendidly shows tow-truck Mater using a voice-activated disguise program. He makes an excellent monster truck, though not how we might expect.

My kids are massively looking forward to this one and I think I am too. It hits US screens on 24th June and then arrives in the UK on 22nd July.

Source: Stitch Kingdom.

To mark the release of Disney Pixar’s new movie, Cars 2 on July 22nd, we’ve been given 4 tickets to give away to a lucky reader for a screening of the movie a month before it’s official release date! The screening will take place in London’s West End on Sunday June 26th. Doors open at 10am with the screening starting at 11am.

John Lasseter is back to direct while the the voice cast includes Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, Larry The Cable Guy, Michael Caine , Emily Mortimer, Bonnie Hunt , Tony Shalhoub , Cheech Marin , Jason Isaacs , Joe Mantegna , Peter Jacobson, Thomas Kretschmann , Guido Quaroni , Lloyd Sherr , Paul Dooley, John Ratzenberger , Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis , Katherine Helmond , John Turturro , Franco Nero , Vanessa Redgrave , Eddie Izzard , Bruce Campbell, Michel Michelis, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip , Lewis Hamilton and David Hobbs.

You can keep up to date with all our Cars 2 coverage here and watch it when it hits UK cinemas 22nd July.

Synopsis: Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy ) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2″ when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

To be in with a chance of winning all four tickets, simply answer the following question using the form below:

Who voices the character ‘Lightning McQueen’ in Cars and Cars 2?

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

The small print:

• Open to UK residents only
• Only one entry per household will be counted
• The competition will close 22nd June at 23.59 GMT
• The winner will be picked at random from entries received
• No cash alternative is available
• Expenses to get to and from the the screening are not covered in the prize

The usual T&Cs can be found here. Good Luck!