Zooey Deschanel Not a Fan of Romantic Comedies

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Romance, Comedy, Celeb News, Celebrity Gossip

Zooey Deschanel thinks romantic comedies are “stale.”

The (500) Days of Summer star can’t stand modern “rom-coms” because they are stuck in the past. “Romantic comedy has been a stale genre for a while. It seems a lot of them are stuck, if not in the 1950s, then at least in the 1980s,” the 29-year-old said.

Despite her hatred for the genre, Zooey found herself working in it in her latest film (500) Days of Summer. In it, Deschanel plays Summer, a beautiful executive assistant who catches the attention of her handsome colleague. She loved the film, but admits she was unsure about the script at first.

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First Look: Kristen Bell Looks for Love When in Rome

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Disney, Touchstone, Romance, Comedy, Trailers, Upcoming Releases, Videos

Not unlike every other romantic comedy these days, When in Rome follows a woman determined to find true love; additionally, she falls “victim” to a love spell involving a magical fountain that forces any man whose coin she pulls from said fountain to fall in love with her. Of course, she picks multiple coins, leading a myriad of men to fall madly in love with her, making her ponder whether or not the man she recently met is under the spell or honestly has eyes for her.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall cutie Kristen Bell and Transformers hunk Josh Duhamel star in the Disney comedy, set for a January release. Despite its generic, romantic comedy formula, the fact that the cast also includes Danny DeVito, Will Arnett, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Don Johnson, and Anjelica Huston makes me curious enough to see it…

Read More | Coming Soon

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First Look: Renee Zellweger is New in Town

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Lionsgate, Romance, Comedy, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

Maybe the Minnesota weather is to blame for Renee Zellweger’s disheveled hair last night…

In her upcoming romantic comedy, Renee plays a consultant from Miami with a temporary assignment in the Midwest state. Of course, it’s always nice to have a warm body around when you’re cold. Thankfully for the Oscar winner, Harry Connick, Jr. is there to keep her company.

New in Town - also starring J.K. Simmons and Frances Conroy - opens January 20.

Read More | New in Town

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Preview of He’s Just Not That Into You

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: New Line, Romance, Comedy, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

Although she recently admitted that she wasn’t a fan of Sarah Jessica Parker’s HBO series (“I never liked Sex and the City, the kind of thing where women only feel empowered once they find the Man”), Jennifer Aniston somehow managed to find herself in a movie that came to life because of the show.

In He’s Just Not That Into You, Aniston plays just one of several relationship-challenged characters in the ensemble piece. The film is an adaptation of the book written by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tucillo, two of SATC‘s former writers.

The romantic comedy - also starring Scarlett Johansson, Ginnifer Goodwin,  Kevin Connolly, Drew Barrymore, Ben Affleck, Justin Long and Bradley Cooper - will debut on February 6, 2009…just in time for Valentine’s Day.

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Casting Corner: Cloris Leachman, Jack Black, Sly Stallone and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Period, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Celeb News, Rumors, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Cloris Leachman: She may not have won a mirror-ball trophy, but she was able to snag something even bigger. Oscar-winner Cloris Leachman was recently added to Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (formerly spelled Inglorious Bastards) cast. The 82-year-old will cameo as Mrs. Himmelstein, an elderly Jewish woman who inspires Eli Roth’s character to seek vengeance. The WWII movie already has Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, Diane Kruger and B.J. Novak in its lineup.

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Read More | Variety

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Casting Corner: Liam Neeson, Amy Adams, Michael Chiklis and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Liam Neeson: The Batman Begins actor has signed on to star with Christina Ricci in a psychological thriller. In After.Life, Ricci - who replaced Kate Bosworth -  will play a woman who is caught between life and death. Neeson is slated for the role of the funeral director, a man who mysteriously posseses a “gift of transitioning the dead.” Production on the film begins in November.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Liam Neeson, Amy Adams, Michael Chiklis and More

Read More | Variety

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Gregg, Rockwell, and Huston Bring Choke to Silver Screen

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: 20th Century Fox, Adaptation, Independent, Romance, Satire, Comedy, Casting, New Releases, Scripts

What do you get when you mix an elderly, female Tyler Durden with a choking con artist and a recovering compulsive masturbator? Clark Gregg’s dark, vulgar comedy with a surprisingly big heart, Choke.

Being a fan of the novel from which the film is based (written by Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk), I was overwhelmed with geeky fan-girl joy when I read that Choke was to be translated into film. That was three years ago. After nearly waiting an excruciating year after hearing about its premiere at Sundance, the indie film with an all-star cast helmed by writer/director/actor Clark Gregg is finally hitting theaters this weekend, and it certainly will not disappoint movie-goers. That is, unless, the trailer fooled you into believing that the film is a romantic comedy.

Romantic? In a punk rock way. Comedic? Most definitely. Chick flick? Far from.

Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of the novel, Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind) wonderfully brings Victor Mancini to life as the med school drop-out sex addict who pays for his mother’s hospital bill by choking in restaurants. Anjelica Huston (The Royal Tenenbaums) and Kelly MacDonald (No Country for Old Men) round off the supporting actresses as Mancini’s mother and the new, attractive doctor who assumes care for her. Clark himself makes an appearance as High Lord Charlie, Mancini’s anal-retentive boss at a colonial theme park, where Mancini works as a historical interpreter (a job, as we’re reminded in the film, which is not to be confused with a tour guide).

Click to continue reading Gregg, Rockwell, and Huston Bring Choke to Silver Screen

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AFI’s 10 Top 10

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Animation, Drama, Family, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Lists

If you were busy watching the Boston Celtic dominate the Los Angeles Lakers last night, you probably missed CBS’ latest AFI special. For this year’s countdown, a jury of “over 1,500 leaders from the creative community” helped select the American Film Institute‘s Top 10 Films in 10 different genres.

You can find the titles announced in yesterday’s 3-hour special after the jump.

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Read More | AFIFI

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Apatow Scores With Sarah Marshall

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Universal, Romance, Comedy, Casting, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

Judd Apatow has brought hope to the comedy genre yet again. The Freaks and Geeks creator has teamed up with past co-worker, Jason Segel (SLC Punk, How I Met Your Mother) to bring movie-goers his upcoming eccentric, new generation romantic comedy: Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Written by Segel and helmed by first-time director Nicholas Stoller, the film follows music composer Peter Bretter (Segel), who was dating TV star Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell) for five years until she breaks up with him for British rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). At the suggestion of his step-brother (Bill Hader), Bretter escapes to Hawaii in hopes of recovering, only to discover that Marshall came to the same resort with her new boy toy. He then is able to avoid committing suicide thanks to hotel receptionist Rachael (Mila Kunis).  The laughs continue throughout with appearances by the regular Apatow bunch: Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, and more.

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Box Office Breakdown: Jumper Leaps to #1

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Music, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists, New Releases

This President’s Day weekend, a good number of theatergoers honored their country’s leaders by taking in a showing of Jumper.  The sci-fi film, starring Hayden Christensen and Jamie Bell, took in approximately $27.3 million and earned itself a first place berth.  Although the gross did not break any holiday records, the movie did put about $8 million between itself and its nearest competitor (The Spiderwick Chronicles).

Third place-finisher, Step Up 2 the Streets, also had something to brag about this weekend.  The dance spectacle averaged $7,655 per screen, just behind Jumper’s $7,980 figure.  The other eight films had to settle for $5000 or less.

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Read More | Variety

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