Don’t ever assault a possible witch, light her house on fire, dig up her Pet Semetary backyard and use the vial of blood you found next to her book of the dead to resurrect the town monster, K? Equally, don’t ever watch Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings right after watching the original Pumpkinhead. It’s not meant to happen that way.
Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings forgoes the typical sequel that actually tries to live up to its predecessor and goes straight for the fourth-to-seventh sequel package. It does not pass go nor collect $200 but rather heads straight to video and parks its barely running, smoke engulfed 1993 Ford truck on Camp Avenue. Many hate it for that reason. I understand.
I also happen to enjoy the ever lovin’ shit out of it.
While Stan Winston’s Pumpkinhead featured amazing practical effects and an original monster that was frightening as hell,...
Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings forgoes the typical sequel that actually tries to live up to its predecessor and goes straight for the fourth-to-seventh sequel package. It does not pass go nor collect $200 but rather heads straight to video and parks its barely running, smoke engulfed 1993 Ford truck on Camp Avenue. Many hate it for that reason. I understand.
I also happen to enjoy the ever lovin’ shit out of it.
While Stan Winston’s Pumpkinhead featured amazing practical effects and an original monster that was frightening as hell,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Mike Holtz
- bloody-disgusting.com
A couple months ago, we looked back at the 1988 film Pumpkinhead with an episode of our Best Horror Movie You Never Saw video series. Now we’re moving on to an examination of the 1994 sequel Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings (watch it Here) – and since this isn’t exactly one of the most popular sequels around, we’re covering it in an episode of our The Black Sheep video series. To find out why we think Pumpkinhead II deserves more appreciation, check out the video embedded above!
Directed by Jeff Burr from a screenplay written by Constantine Chachornia and Ivan Chachornia, Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings has the following synopsis: In a small Kansas town in 1958, a group of teenagers torture and kill a disfigured orphan named Tommy. After 35 years, another gang of teens robs the cabin of an old witch. Using some blood and a spell taken from her house, the...
Directed by Jeff Burr from a screenplay written by Constantine Chachornia and Ivan Chachornia, Pumpkinhead 2: Blood Wings has the following synopsis: In a small Kansas town in 1958, a group of teenagers torture and kill a disfigured orphan named Tommy. After 35 years, another gang of teens robs the cabin of an old witch. Using some blood and a spell taken from her house, the...
- 2/22/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
While Hillary and Bill Clinton take a step out of the spotlight, their nephew, Tyler Clinton, makes his own move towards the public eye. According to a new series of social media posts, Tyler, the 22-year-old son of Roger Clinton, Jr., the younger half-brother of the former U.S. president, just signed a major modelling contract with agency […]...
- 4/5/2017
- by Cat Williams
- ET Canada
Hillary and Bill Clinton may be indulging in a much deserved break from the public eye (taking advantage of all of that newfound free time to accept standing ovations at various Broadway productions and wander the backwoods of upstate New York, graciously putting their hikes on hold to snap a selfie with supporters).
But while both they are temporarily stepping out of the spotlight, there’s another member of the Clinton family who’s ready to step into it in a major way: the former Secretary of State’s nephew, Tyler Clinton, who just signed a major modeling contract.
Tyler...
But while both they are temporarily stepping out of the spotlight, there’s another member of the Clinton family who’s ready to step into it in a major way: the former Secretary of State’s nephew, Tyler Clinton, who just signed a major modeling contract.
Tyler...
- 4/5/2017
- by Emily Kirkpatrick
- PEOPLE.com
Hillary Clinton may have just made history, but it's her super hot nephew that's breaking the Internet. Compliments WorldofWonder.net, Tyler Clinton has been introduced to the world, and social media just can't get over how cute the 18-year-old model looks. "Sos @HillaryClinton has a hot nephew named Tyler… God Bless America," one Twitter user wrote, attaching a black and white shirtless photo of Tyler. In the photo - which has quickly become the Internet's favorite depiction of the teen - Tyler stands topless in denim as he smolders at the camera. According to the outlet that surfaced the photos,...
- 7/30/2016
- by Naja Rayne, @najarayne
- PEOPLE.com
One Clinton down ... Roger, for DUI. Roger Clinton, Bill's half-brother, has been charged with driving under the influence for allegedly tooling through Redondo Beach last month well above the legal limit. Roger flunked the field sobriety test and refused to submit to a chemical test, something he's required to do by law. The Redondo Beach City Attorney has also charged Roger with refusal to take the test, which carries a mandatory 48 hours in jail. It's not Clinton's first DUI.
- 7/7/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Roger Clinton, Bill Clinton's embattled younger half-brother, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of drunk driving in California, People confirms. Redondo Beach police pulled the 59-year-old over on the Pacific Coast Highway around 7:20 p.m. and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol, a department spokesperson tells People. He is being held at the jail on $15,000 bail and was expected to appear in court on Monday. It was not immediately clear if he has entered a plea. The Sunday arrest came just two days before the California Democratic primary in which Clinton's sister-in-law, Hillary, is up against Bernie Sanders.
- 6/6/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_
- PEOPLE.com
Roger Clinton, Bill Clinton's embattled younger half-brother, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of drunk driving in California, People confirms. Redondo Beach police pulled the 59-year-old over on the Pacific Coast Highway around 7:20 p.m. and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol, a department spokesperson tells People. He is being held at the jail on $15,000 bail and was expected to appear in court on Monday. It was not immediately clear if he has entered a plea. The Sunday arrest came just two days before the California Democratic primary in which Clinton's sister-in-law, Hillary, is up against Bernie Sanders.
- 6/6/2016
- by Char Adams, @CiCiAdams_
- PEOPLE.com
Hillary Clinton’s brother-in-law Roger was arrested for DUI in Southern California on last night, just in time for tomorrow’s crucial California primary. Police spokeswoman Diana Pech says the 59-year-old was taken into custody Sunday night in the seaside city of Redondo Beach, about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. Roger Clinton remains in police custody and bail is set at $15,000. A court hearing has been set for later Monday. Also Read: Donald Trump Rips Reporters, Hillary Clinton Ignores Them - Which Is Worse? The younger half-brother of former President Bill Clinton refused a blood alcohol test, according to TMZ.
- 6/6/2016
- by Brian Flood
- The Wrap
9:45 Am Pt -- Clinton got sprung. He posted bail, and is scheduled to be in court in September.Hillary Clinton's brother-in-law is sitting in a jail cell after getting busted for DUI in Southern California ... just 2 days before the crucial CA primary vote. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Roger Clinton was arrested Sunday just after 8 Pm in Redondo Beach. He was booked for driving under the influence, and we're told he refused blood alcohol testing.
- 6/6/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
So yeah, Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings is pretty far from a perfect sequel. Yet, in comparison to the two Syfy sequels, it may as well be likened to the quality of Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. Read on for the skinny on the Scream Factory's upcoming Blu-ray release!
From the Press Release
They couldn’t leave dead enough alone. On October 28, Scream Factory will release Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings with new bonus features.
When five teenagers unwittingly resurrect a demon in Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings, nobody is safe from the creature’s bloody rampage. But this monster is different – inside its demonic frame dwells the soul of a boy murdered years ago. Can the evil creature be killed without destroying the innocent boy trapped within?
Starring Amy Dolenz (Witchboard 2, Ticks), Andrew Robinson (Hellraiser), Soleil Moon Frye ("Punky Brewster"), Hill Harper ("CSI: NY"), J. Trevor Edmond (Lord of Illusions...
From the Press Release
They couldn’t leave dead enough alone. On October 28, Scream Factory will release Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings with new bonus features.
When five teenagers unwittingly resurrect a demon in Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings, nobody is safe from the creature’s bloody rampage. But this monster is different – inside its demonic frame dwells the soul of a boy murdered years ago. Can the evil creature be killed without destroying the innocent boy trapped within?
Starring Amy Dolenz (Witchboard 2, Ticks), Andrew Robinson (Hellraiser), Soleil Moon Frye ("Punky Brewster"), Hill Harper ("CSI: NY"), J. Trevor Edmond (Lord of Illusions...
- 9/9/2014
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
Many past American Presidents have had issues with family members causing embarrassing headlines, but only one ex-President’s troublemaking half-brother can lay claim to having co-starred in and performed the title song to a Pumpkinhead movie.
While William Jefferson Clinton was serving as the 42nd President of the United States, his half-brother, nicknamed “Headache” by the Secret Service, was trying to jumpstart a showbiz career. Roger Clinton managed to parlay his lounge act into a series of small TV guest starring roles, and the nadir of his Hollywood career was playing “Mayor Bubba” in the 1994 direct-to-video sequel Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings.
In addition to his supporting role, he also crooned the film’s theme song “Just Like You” that sounds a little too mellow for a backwoods horror flick about selling your soul to Satan in order to unleash an enormous hellbeast that inflicts murderous revenge against those that have wronged you.
While William Jefferson Clinton was serving as the 42nd President of the United States, his half-brother, nicknamed “Headache” by the Secret Service, was trying to jumpstart a showbiz career. Roger Clinton managed to parlay his lounge act into a series of small TV guest starring roles, and the nadir of his Hollywood career was playing “Mayor Bubba” in the 1994 direct-to-video sequel Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings.
In addition to his supporting role, he also crooned the film’s theme song “Just Like You” that sounds a little too mellow for a backwoods horror flick about selling your soul to Satan in order to unleash an enormous hellbeast that inflicts murderous revenge against those that have wronged you.
- 6/22/2013
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
There's your run-of-the-mill goofy guy, there's antic, then there's Josh Gad, who brings it to a new level as Skip, the oldest son on NBC's Thursday comedy "1600 Penn."
Gad, who was hilarious and Tony-nominated as a clueless missionary in the Broadway smash "The Book of Mormon," plays the president's ne'er-do-well son, who treats the White House like a frat house.
"He is a lovable golden retriever-type character," Gad says of Skip. "He wants so badly to do the right thing, and that leads to a lot of trouble."
He and another co-creator, Jason Winer, had long wanted to work together, Gad says. Gad likes the idea of putting a typically dysfunctional family under the 24-hour news glare.
"I think to a certain extent, because the White House has been a closed-off commodity over the years, dysfunction has existed over the years," but people didn't see it, he tells Zap2it.
Gad, who was hilarious and Tony-nominated as a clueless missionary in the Broadway smash "The Book of Mormon," plays the president's ne'er-do-well son, who treats the White House like a frat house.
"He is a lovable golden retriever-type character," Gad says of Skip. "He wants so badly to do the right thing, and that leads to a lot of trouble."
He and another co-creator, Jason Winer, had long wanted to work together, Gad says. Gad likes the idea of putting a typically dysfunctional family under the 24-hour news glare.
"I think to a certain extent, because the White House has been a closed-off commodity over the years, dysfunction has existed over the years," but people didn't see it, he tells Zap2it.
- 3/7/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
I’m not sure what to make of the core argument of 2016: Obama’s America, a film with exotic locations and a logic that seems to fall apart as it hurls towards its final act of “2016.” I am weary of any film that ends with a credit telling me how to feel, or summing up what I’ve learned or should have learned. Here we depart from the theatre with the film’s title followed by: “Love Him. Hate Him. Now You Know Him.”
Let’s apply this to our host, conservative scholar Dinesh D’Souza, who employs the style of a quasi-fireside chat, credited as a co-director (with John Sullivan, producer of the pro-intelligent design documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed). This movie is essentially an essay film, in which D’Souza traces his own background traveling from India to a BA at Dartmouth College, contemplating what his life...
Let’s apply this to our host, conservative scholar Dinesh D’Souza, who employs the style of a quasi-fireside chat, credited as a co-director (with John Sullivan, producer of the pro-intelligent design documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed). This movie is essentially an essay film, in which D’Souza traces his own background traveling from India to a BA at Dartmouth College, contemplating what his life...
- 8/27/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
While the Academy Awards may have prestige, the Golden Globes are like the rowdy, beer-swilling younger brother that everyone wants to party with. They're the Roger Clinton of awards ceremonies.
Like all black sheep, though, the Globes occasionally embarrass their family with mistakes so heinous it almost makes us want to not pay bail when they get arrested. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced this year's nominees, and before returning host Ricky Gervais even opens his mouth we find ourselves utterly shocked by some surprising inclusions and omissions.
No Melissa McCarthy -- Wtf?
After gobbling up awards from New York, D.C., Boston and Las Vegas, we assumed McCarthy was saving room for an inevitable Globe and even an Oscar nomination. Nope! While "Bridesmaids" costar Kristen Wiig got a Best Actress nod, two supporting slots for "The Help" swept this breakout actress under the rug.
'Ides of March' Backstabs 'Drive...
Like all black sheep, though, the Globes occasionally embarrass their family with mistakes so heinous it almost makes us want to not pay bail when they get arrested. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced this year's nominees, and before returning host Ricky Gervais even opens his mouth we find ourselves utterly shocked by some surprising inclusions and omissions.
No Melissa McCarthy -- Wtf?
After gobbling up awards from New York, D.C., Boston and Las Vegas, we assumed McCarthy was saving room for an inevitable Globe and even an Oscar nomination. Nope! While "Bridesmaids" costar Kristen Wiig got a Best Actress nod, two supporting slots for "The Help" swept this breakout actress under the rug.
'Ides of March' Backstabs 'Drive...
- 12/15/2011
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
Roger Clinton is one proud uncle! "The Insider" cameras caught up with former President Bill Clinton's half-brother who briefly chatted about Chelsea's wedding ceremony. "It was a great night y'all," Roger said of Chelsea's wedding. "It was so much fun." As for the bride, Roger told "Insider" cameras, "She was more beautiful than ever." Chelsea married longtime boyfriend Marc Mezvinsky Saturday evening at the lavish Astor Courts estate in Rhinebeck, New York.
[Read full story on The Insider]...
[Read full story on The Insider]...
- 8/2/2010
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
The center of attention as she walked down the aisle to marry the love of her life, Chelsea Clinton had the picture perfect wedding day in Rhinebeck, New York on Saturday evening (July 31).
With the festivities getting underway at 6Pm, over 400 guests watched on as Miss Clinton was led towards her awaiting fiance, Marc Mezvinsky, by former President father Bill Clinton.
With guests remaining tight-lipped over the luxurious event, details regarding the wedding attire have slowly but surely leaked forth.
As for the bride, Chelsea donned a strapless Vera Wang gown with a wide jewel-encrusted band while the groom, groomsmen and father-of-the-bride all sported tuxes whipped up by Christopher Bailey of Burberry.
Meanwhile, mother-of-the-bride Hillary Clinton looked colorful while clad in a berry-shaded dress designed by her esteemed friend Oscar de la Renta.
As for the nuptials, they were conducted by a rabbi and a minister - with the proceedings...
With the festivities getting underway at 6Pm, over 400 guests watched on as Miss Clinton was led towards her awaiting fiance, Marc Mezvinsky, by former President father Bill Clinton.
With guests remaining tight-lipped over the luxurious event, details regarding the wedding attire have slowly but surely leaked forth.
As for the bride, Chelsea donned a strapless Vera Wang gown with a wide jewel-encrusted band while the groom, groomsmen and father-of-the-bride all sported tuxes whipped up by Christopher Bailey of Burberry.
Meanwhile, mother-of-the-bride Hillary Clinton looked colorful while clad in a berry-shaded dress designed by her esteemed friend Oscar de la Renta.
As for the nuptials, they were conducted by a rabbi and a minister - with the proceedings...
- 8/1/2010
- GossipCenter
Plus a rapping weatherman, My Idiot Brother, do sorcerer's ever just go to the mall, or is it all good vs. evil?
Bill O'Reilly, you are an asshat. You can sit there and claim that you didn't just compare gays to Al Qaeda, but that is exactly what you did talking about the gay friendly McDonald's ad that runs in France. If confronted, you will act the victim, I have no doubt. You are an asshat, and it's all there on video. Asshat.
I am aware that the New York Times has been printing same-sex wedding announcements for some time, but the piece they’ve done on Jane Lynch and Dr. Lara Embry just melts my heart. It also makes me laugh, because when they imply something is strange about the relationship, it’s because they have wildly different careers. Jane takes mock offense, “It’s not like she’s...
Bill O'Reilly, you are an asshat. You can sit there and claim that you didn't just compare gays to Al Qaeda, but that is exactly what you did talking about the gay friendly McDonald's ad that runs in France. If confronted, you will act the victim, I have no doubt. You are an asshat, and it's all there on video. Asshat.
I am aware that the New York Times has been printing same-sex wedding announcements for some time, but the piece they’ve done on Jane Lynch and Dr. Lara Embry just melts my heart. It also makes me laugh, because when they imply something is strange about the relationship, it’s because they have wildly different careers. Jane takes mock offense, “It’s not like she’s...
- 6/3/2010
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
I saw the new Vince Vaughn/Reese Witherspoon holiday comedy Four Christmases the other night. To be perfectly blunt, other than a few decent gags and some relatively impressive verbal gymnastics I didn't care for it. At all. It was, for all intents and purposes, 82-minutes I am unfortunately never going to get back, and while I've seen plenty worse movies this year that still doesn't mean I should candy coat my feelings one little bit. So, with that in mind, when I say that Four Christmases is up there with something like The Godfather or Citizen Kane in comparison to Vaughn's last yuletide comedy Fred Claus that should go along way to describing the full scope of my detest for that 2007 monstrosity. Easily one of the worst holiday pictures ever made (easily up there with Santa Claus: The Movie and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, but still not quite...
- 11/25/2008
- by Sara Michelle Fetters
- Rope of Silicon
Candy Spelling is writing a book. Candy Spelling. Mother of Tori Spelling, mother-in-law of Dean McDermott, grandma of their kids Liam and whatever the other one's named, widow of TV genius Aaron Spelling, who created "Charlie's Angels," "Beverly Hills 90210," "Dynasty," and brought Candy - born Carole Marer - insane wealth.
Candy Spelling. Owner of La's largest monster mansion, The Manor. On six Holmby Hills acres, it's 56,000 square feet, 123 rooms including one just for gift-wrapping, 13-foot ceilings, bowling alley, gym, theater, hot and cold...
Candy Spelling. Owner of La's largest monster mansion, The Manor. On six Holmby Hills acres, it's 56,000 square feet, 123 rooms including one just for gift-wrapping, 13-foot ceilings, bowling alley, gym, theater, hot and cold...
- 8/7/2008
- by By CINDY ADAMS
- NYPost.com
Candy Spelling is writing a book. Candy Spelling. Mother of Tori Spelling, mother-in-law of Dean McDermott, grandma of their kids Liam and whatever the other one's named, widow of TV genius Aaron Spelling, who created "Charlie's Angels," "Beverly Hills 90210," "Dynasty," and brought Candy - born Carole Marer - insane wealth.
Candy Spelling. Owner of La's largest monster mansion, The Manor. On six Holmby Hills acres, it's 56,000 square feet, 123 rooms including one just for gift-wrapping, 13-foot ceilings, bowling alley, gym, theater, hot and cold...
Candy Spelling. Owner of La's largest monster mansion, The Manor. On six Holmby Hills acres, it's 56,000 square feet, 123 rooms including one just for gift-wrapping, 13-foot ceilings, bowling alley, gym, theater, hot and cold...
- 8/7/2008
- by By CINDY ADAMS
- NYPost.com
Candy Spelling is writing a book. Candy Spelling. Mother of Tori Spelling, mother-in-law of Dean McDermott, grandma of their kids Liam and whatever the other one's named, widow of TV genius Aaron Spelling, who created "Charlie's Angels," "Beverly Hills 90210," "Dynasty," and brought Candy - born Carole Marer - insane wealth.
Candy Spelling. Owner of La's largest monster mansion, The Manor. On six Holmby Hills acres, it's 56,000 square feet, 123 rooms including one just for gift-wrapping, 13-foot ceilings, bowling alley, gym, theater, hot and cold...
Candy Spelling. Owner of La's largest monster mansion, The Manor. On six Holmby Hills acres, it's 56,000 square feet, 123 rooms including one just for gift-wrapping, 13-foot ceilings, bowling alley, gym, theater, hot and cold...
- 8/7/2008
- by By CINDY ADAMS
- NYPost.com
With Santa Claus movies like Fred Claus, who needs Ebenezer Scrooge?
Even more confounding than this mirthless, misanthropic mess is the involvement of such talented people as Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates and Kevin Spacey. Holiday films invariably perform well opening week, and the reunion of Vaughn with his Wedding Crashers director, David Dobkin, should give Warner Bros. a momentary holiday lift. It might not last long, though. One additional problem: Family films should not clock in at 115 minutes.
The gimmick in Dan Fogelman's screenplay (with story credit shared with co-producer Jessie Nelson) is that Santa (Giamatti) has a disgruntled older brother, long on the losing end of a sibling rivalry. So it's The Odd Couple with a Christmas backdrop as Fred Claus (Vaughn) is his brother's polar opposite: Santa gives; Fred, a repo man, takes away. Santa is cheerful; Fred hates the world.
Needing a chunk of change from Santa to get out of jail and start another get-rich-quick scheme, Fred agrees to visit the North Pole to work in his brother's workshop. His arrival nearly destroys Christmas.
Production designer Allan Cameron's North Pole set is the usual candy-cane concoction of an Alpine shopping mall on crack, but its denizens are a cheerless lot. Exactly how many dark personalities can a Christmas movie contain?
Let's see, there's Fred, of course, but he's the life of the party compared to Spacey's efficiency expert. The guy wants to fire Santa and outsource Christmas to the South Pole. Wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a suit so he looks like a demented Jack Benny, Spacey is one of many dark clouds.
Mrs. Claus (Richardson) barely tolerates Fred, Fred's own mother (Bates) only finds fault with him, his fiancee (Weisz) is on the verge of leaving him, and even Santa loses his temper and fights with his brother.
Nearly every actor seems miscast. Vaughn looks like he wondered in from another movie. Giamatti gets lost in his fat suit. Richardson has nothing to do but frown. Neither Weisz nor Bates can get any purchase on her character. And Spacey plays the only note given him.
The film isn't just not funny, it is off-putting. Some of the elves are played by little people, but others including John Michael Higgins and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges are regular-sized actors who are shrunk though visual effects. Nothing is stranger though than a superfluous scene in which Fred attends a Brothers Anonymous meeting where Frank Stallone, Roger Clinton and Stephen Baldwin share their angst over having famous brothers. Who thought that was a funny idea?
The Claus family confrontations are poorly written, the occasional slapstick action is weakly executed -- these look like warmed-over leftovers from Disney's The Santa Clause series -- and below-the-line contributions surprisingly mediocre for a Joel Silver production.
FRED CLAUS
Warner Bros.
A Silver Pictures production in association with David Dobkin Pictures and Jessie Nelson Prods.
Credits:
Director: David Dobkin
Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman
Producers: Joel Silver, David Dobkin, Jessie Nelson
Executive producer: Paul Hitchcock
Director of photography: Remi Adefarasin
Production designer: Allan Cameron
Music: Christophe Beck
Costume designer: Anna Sheppard
Editor: Mark Livolsi
Cast:
Fred Claus: Vince Vaughn
Nicholas Claus: Paul Giamatti
Annette Claus: Miranda Richardson
Charlene: Elizabeth Banks
Willie: John Michael Higgins
Wanda: Rachel Weisz
Mother Claus: Kathy Bates
Clyde: Kevin Spacey
DJ Donnie: Chris "Ludacris" Bridges
Running time -- 115 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
Even more confounding than this mirthless, misanthropic mess is the involvement of such talented people as Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates and Kevin Spacey. Holiday films invariably perform well opening week, and the reunion of Vaughn with his Wedding Crashers director, David Dobkin, should give Warner Bros. a momentary holiday lift. It might not last long, though. One additional problem: Family films should not clock in at 115 minutes.
The gimmick in Dan Fogelman's screenplay (with story credit shared with co-producer Jessie Nelson) is that Santa (Giamatti) has a disgruntled older brother, long on the losing end of a sibling rivalry. So it's The Odd Couple with a Christmas backdrop as Fred Claus (Vaughn) is his brother's polar opposite: Santa gives; Fred, a repo man, takes away. Santa is cheerful; Fred hates the world.
Needing a chunk of change from Santa to get out of jail and start another get-rich-quick scheme, Fred agrees to visit the North Pole to work in his brother's workshop. His arrival nearly destroys Christmas.
Production designer Allan Cameron's North Pole set is the usual candy-cane concoction of an Alpine shopping mall on crack, but its denizens are a cheerless lot. Exactly how many dark personalities can a Christmas movie contain?
Let's see, there's Fred, of course, but he's the life of the party compared to Spacey's efficiency expert. The guy wants to fire Santa and outsource Christmas to the South Pole. Wearing dark-rimmed glasses and a suit so he looks like a demented Jack Benny, Spacey is one of many dark clouds.
Mrs. Claus (Richardson) barely tolerates Fred, Fred's own mother (Bates) only finds fault with him, his fiancee (Weisz) is on the verge of leaving him, and even Santa loses his temper and fights with his brother.
Nearly every actor seems miscast. Vaughn looks like he wondered in from another movie. Giamatti gets lost in his fat suit. Richardson has nothing to do but frown. Neither Weisz nor Bates can get any purchase on her character. And Spacey plays the only note given him.
The film isn't just not funny, it is off-putting. Some of the elves are played by little people, but others including John Michael Higgins and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges are regular-sized actors who are shrunk though visual effects. Nothing is stranger though than a superfluous scene in which Fred attends a Brothers Anonymous meeting where Frank Stallone, Roger Clinton and Stephen Baldwin share their angst over having famous brothers. Who thought that was a funny idea?
The Claus family confrontations are poorly written, the occasional slapstick action is weakly executed -- these look like warmed-over leftovers from Disney's The Santa Clause series -- and below-the-line contributions surprisingly mediocre for a Joel Silver production.
FRED CLAUS
Warner Bros.
A Silver Pictures production in association with David Dobkin Pictures and Jessie Nelson Prods.
Credits:
Director: David Dobkin
Screenwriter: Dan Fogelman
Producers: Joel Silver, David Dobkin, Jessie Nelson
Executive producer: Paul Hitchcock
Director of photography: Remi Adefarasin
Production designer: Allan Cameron
Music: Christophe Beck
Costume designer: Anna Sheppard
Editor: Mark Livolsi
Cast:
Fred Claus: Vince Vaughn
Nicholas Claus: Paul Giamatti
Annette Claus: Miranda Richardson
Charlene: Elizabeth Banks
Willie: John Michael Higgins
Wanda: Rachel Weisz
Mother Claus: Kathy Bates
Clyde: Kevin Spacey
DJ Donnie: Chris "Ludacris" Bridges
Running time -- 115 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 11/6/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After seven hit seasons on Nickelodeon, "The Rugrats" have finally crawled their way to the big screen in a full-length, action-filled adventure that will neither disappoint fans nor overwhelm the uninitiated.
Retaining the refreshingly non-pandering tone that has made the series an animated success story -- by drawing more than 23 million viewers each week it's TV's No. 1 kids show -- "The Rugrats Movie" packs a duo-generational appeal that should translate into a "diapie-ful" of dollars for Paramount, with even bigger dividends waiting just around the video corner.
Kicking off with a delightful "Indiana Jones" fantasy sequence, the picture wastes little time in getting to the crux of the story -- the impending arrival of a new addition to the Pickles family.
While toddler Tommy (voiced by E.G. Daily) is initially unsure of how to welcome has new baby brother Dylan (Dil, for short, of course; voiced by Tara Charendoff), his playmates Chuckie Finster (Christine Cavanaugh) and twins Phil and Lil DeVille (Kath Soucie) decide there's only one way to stop his incessant crying -- to take him back to the "hopsickle" and ask for a refund since he's obviously "broked."
Loading the little one in the Reptar Wagon, the latest of dad Stu Pickles' (Jack Riley) wacky inventions, the Rugrats take a couple of unexpected turns, ending up stuck in a scary forest where they battle a troupe of derailed circus monkeys and a hungry wolf, not to mention tyrannical cousin Angelica (Cheryl Chase), who makes like Shirley-Lock Holmes on the trail of her missing Cynthia doll.
In expanding from the usual 13-15-minute segments to the feature-length big time, screenwriters David N. Weiss and J. David Stem and directors Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov have generally succeeded in retaining the show's rambunctious flavor, although the pacing, like the kids, occasionally loses its way during the extended woods sequence.
But it's a minor quibble given all the bright, bold visuals, the rich voice work (joining the regulars are guest turns from Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Curry, Andrea Martin, David Spade, Busta Rhymes and Roger Clinton) and music supervisor Karyn Rachtman's whimsical selection of tunes that are far more happening than those of that big purple guy, ranging from the familiar ("One Way or Another" and "Witch Doctor") to the brand spanking new ("I Throw My Toys Around", performed by No Doubt and Elvis Costello).
The hands-down-highlight, however, has to be the irresistibly scatological "This World is Something New to Me" number, a delivery ward "We Are the World" penned by the film's composer and former Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh, featuring an inspired vocal ensemble including Beck, Iggy Pop, the B-52's, Lenny Kravitz, Patti Smith, Jakob Dylan, Lisa Loeb, Laurie Anderson and Lou Rawls.
As kidflicks go, they just don't get any hipper than that.
THE RUGRATS MOVIE
Paramount
Paramount Pictures and
Nickelodeon Movies present
a Klasky-Csupo production
Directors: Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov
Producers: Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo
Screenwriters: David N. Weiss & J. David Stem
Executive producers: Albie Hecht, Debby Beece
Art director: Dima Malanitchev
Music supervisor: Karyn Rachtman
Music: Mark Mothersbaugh
Color/stereo
Voices:
Tommy Pickles: E.G. Daily
Chuckie Finster: Christine Cavanaugh
Phil and Lil DeVille: Kath Soucie
Angelica Pickles: Cheryl Chase
Dylan Pickles: Tara Charendoff
Didi Pickles: Melanie Chartoff
Stu Pickles: Jack Riley
Grandpa Boris: Joe Alaskey
Running time -- 82 minutes
MPAA Rating: G...
Retaining the refreshingly non-pandering tone that has made the series an animated success story -- by drawing more than 23 million viewers each week it's TV's No. 1 kids show -- "The Rugrats Movie" packs a duo-generational appeal that should translate into a "diapie-ful" of dollars for Paramount, with even bigger dividends waiting just around the video corner.
Kicking off with a delightful "Indiana Jones" fantasy sequence, the picture wastes little time in getting to the crux of the story -- the impending arrival of a new addition to the Pickles family.
While toddler Tommy (voiced by E.G. Daily) is initially unsure of how to welcome has new baby brother Dylan (Dil, for short, of course; voiced by Tara Charendoff), his playmates Chuckie Finster (Christine Cavanaugh) and twins Phil and Lil DeVille (Kath Soucie) decide there's only one way to stop his incessant crying -- to take him back to the "hopsickle" and ask for a refund since he's obviously "broked."
Loading the little one in the Reptar Wagon, the latest of dad Stu Pickles' (Jack Riley) wacky inventions, the Rugrats take a couple of unexpected turns, ending up stuck in a scary forest where they battle a troupe of derailed circus monkeys and a hungry wolf, not to mention tyrannical cousin Angelica (Cheryl Chase), who makes like Shirley-Lock Holmes on the trail of her missing Cynthia doll.
In expanding from the usual 13-15-minute segments to the feature-length big time, screenwriters David N. Weiss and J. David Stem and directors Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov have generally succeeded in retaining the show's rambunctious flavor, although the pacing, like the kids, occasionally loses its way during the extended woods sequence.
But it's a minor quibble given all the bright, bold visuals, the rich voice work (joining the regulars are guest turns from Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Curry, Andrea Martin, David Spade, Busta Rhymes and Roger Clinton) and music supervisor Karyn Rachtman's whimsical selection of tunes that are far more happening than those of that big purple guy, ranging from the familiar ("One Way or Another" and "Witch Doctor") to the brand spanking new ("I Throw My Toys Around", performed by No Doubt and Elvis Costello).
The hands-down-highlight, however, has to be the irresistibly scatological "This World is Something New to Me" number, a delivery ward "We Are the World" penned by the film's composer and former Devo member Mark Mothersbaugh, featuring an inspired vocal ensemble including Beck, Iggy Pop, the B-52's, Lenny Kravitz, Patti Smith, Jakob Dylan, Lisa Loeb, Laurie Anderson and Lou Rawls.
As kidflicks go, they just don't get any hipper than that.
THE RUGRATS MOVIE
Paramount
Paramount Pictures and
Nickelodeon Movies present
a Klasky-Csupo production
Directors: Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov
Producers: Arlene Klasky and Gabor Csupo
Screenwriters: David N. Weiss & J. David Stem
Executive producers: Albie Hecht, Debby Beece
Art director: Dima Malanitchev
Music supervisor: Karyn Rachtman
Music: Mark Mothersbaugh
Color/stereo
Voices:
Tommy Pickles: E.G. Daily
Chuckie Finster: Christine Cavanaugh
Phil and Lil DeVille: Kath Soucie
Angelica Pickles: Cheryl Chase
Dylan Pickles: Tara Charendoff
Didi Pickles: Melanie Chartoff
Stu Pickles: Jack Riley
Grandpa Boris: Joe Alaskey
Running time -- 82 minutes
MPAA Rating: G...
- 11/9/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.