Don't Worry, Be Happy
Some people seem naturally joyful. Take Poppy. She’s one of those women who will walk into a store and happily engage a stranger in conversation — whether he likes it or not. In other words, she can be really annoying.
But as the title adjective of the new film,
Happy-Go-Lucky (out October 10), Poppy is another masterful creation of
Mike Leigh, the British filmmaker who has
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The Velvet Mafia
If you’ve seen any of
Guy Ritchie’s lad-heavy, trigger-happy capers (
Snatch,
Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels), you know the score: Something gets stolen and two gangs want it. Flashy editing, kooky camerawork, an unrelentingly eclectic soundtrack and loud-as-f*ck sound F/X make
RocknRolla, Ritchie’s latest pulp flick, no different — except for one thing: the gay subplot.
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Play Anything
Dear Teenagers: You have now met your generation's John Cusack, and his name is
Michael Cera. With
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (in theaters October 3), the cool-nerd superstar from
Juno and
Superbad cements his Cusackian status while showing us, um, older folks how far all-nighter teen comedies have come.
In this sweet film, worth checking out even if 30 is in
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Choke's Hold
It’s fall again, so say “goodbye, superheroes” and “hello, Sundance favorites!” Leading this year’s pack is
Choke, a dark comedy that wades elbow-deep in indie-friendly themes like alienation and sex addiction. It even lets a little hope and sun shine on its offbeat characters.
Based on the novel by gay
Fight Club author
Chuck Palahniuk,
Choke follows Victor Mancini (
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Days of Thunder
When he sent up the world of fashion in
Zoolander‚ quadruple threat
Ben Stiller had us perfecting our own versions of "Blue Steel" and competing in amateur "walk–offs." Now as producer–writer–director and star of the action–comedy
Tropic Thunder (out August 13)‚ he pokes fun at something he knows quite a bit about: the Hollywood blockbuster machine.
When the future of a
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Dead Playwright's Society
As the end of summer 2008 approaches, you can count on two things: (1)
Pineapple Express scoring instant box-office booty, and (2)
Hamlet 2 earning cult-like sleeper status. Yeah, we’ve got a soft spot for the latter, Sundance-launched comedy. Any movie that stars
Steve Coogan,
Amy Poehler,
Catherine Keener and
Elisabeth Shue, features a gay men’s choir singing “Maniac,” and
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