New on DVD & Blu-Ray: 'Rush', 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2', 'Last Vegas'

Rush - Director Ron Howard makes a racing movie that isn't just about racing, but about the rivalry and intriguing relationship between real-life Formula One racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The movie balances the racers' personal life, their careers, and the impact their relationship has on each other from the moment they began competing. An underrated film of 2013 filled with great performances. The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde, and Alexandra Maria Lara. 

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 - After scientist Flint Lockwood's food machine created a fiasco of large proportions, the food island where he used to live with his friends is shutting down to be cleaned up. Meanwhile, Flint gets to work at Live Corp Company with his idol Chester V, the Bill Nye of the movie, but with much more sinister intentions. But when Flint learns that his machine still works and is creating food animals, he, Sam, and friends must band together to save the island. The film has a voice cast that includes Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Will Forte, Benjamin Bratt, Neil Patrick Harris, Terry Crews, and Andy Samberg.

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Last Vegas - Billy, Paddy, Archie, and Sam grew up together in New York and were inseparable as kids. While their friendships remain, life has taken them on different paths and to different places across the U.S. When Billy proposes to his girlfriend, the four friends reunite for a glorified and final bachelor party that might get a little more complicated when old secrets come into play and threaten Billy and Paddy's relationship. The film stars Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline. 

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The Fifth Estate - After two documentaries last year, Julian Asange of WikiLeaks became more of a famous name than he already was. Choosing to take the path of a non-documentary, Bill Condon focuses his story from the point of view of Asange's former friend and WikiLeaks partner Daniel Berg. Based on Berg's book, the movie follows the two as they build and expand their website and reveal world secrets, while giving us a glimpse into their rocky relationship. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Bruhl, David Thewlis, Alexander Beyer, Dan Stevens, and Alicia Vikander. 

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Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa - 86-year-old Irving Zisman journeys from Nebraska to North Carolina in order to bring his grandson home to his real father. Of course, as they venture on this road-trip adventure, a hidden camera chronicles the adventures they have and the people they meet. The film stars Johnny Knoxville and Jackson Nicoll. 

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Metallica: Through the Never - Trip, a young roadie for Metallica, is sent on an urgent mission during the band's show. But what seems like a simple assignment turns into a surreal adventure. The film stars Metallica and Dane DeHaan. 

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Box Office: 'Thor: The Dark World' Hammers Its Way to #1

1. Thor: The Dark World- $86.1M
There's a reason why other studios don't put other films opposite of Marvel Studios' superhero projects, and its because of opening weekends like this. Thor: The Dark World somewhat surprisingly crushed the box office to the tune of $86.1M, the fourth highest of the year behind Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, and Fast & Furious 6. It's also a significant jump over the $65M the first film made a couple of years ago. This was set up somewhat by last week's foreign haul of $109M, and worldwide the film has already tallied $327M. So that $170M production budget? A thing of the past. That bump all of Marvel's films seem to be getting after The Avengers? Still very much intact.
2. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa- $11.3M/$78.7M
3. Free Birds- $11.18M/$30.1M
4. Last Vegas- $11.11M/$33.5M
5. Ender's Game- $10.2M/$44M
6. Gravity- $8.4M/$231.1M
7. 12 Years A Slave- $6.6M/$17.3M
8. Captain Phillips- $5.8M/$90.9M
9. About Time- $5.1M/$6.6M
10. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2- $2.8M/$109.9M

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Review: 'Last Vegas' Starring Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, and Morgan Freeman

Old folks are funny. Everybody knows this, right? Especially in movies they are hi-larious. And Las Vegas? Also a place where funny movies tend to take place, like in The Hangover. Hey, The Hangover didn't suck until it got away from the "sin city", right? So old folks and Vegas should be like mana from comedy heaven in Last Vegas, but it's really the combination of Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline that the film manages to overcome some glaring shortcomings with the script.

The screen vets play lifelong friends, known in their reckless Brooklyn youth as the Flatbush Four, but now are dealing with the effects of old age. Archie (Freeman) is a military vet who has suffered a stroke, and thus his son (Michael Ealy in a throwaway role) has him on a short leash. Sam (Kline) has retired to Florida where he's stuck in a boring, passionless marriage. Paddy (De Niro) has fared the worst, having become a shut-in after the death of his wife, a woman he and former best pal Billy (Douglas) were both vying for back in the day. Resentment still brews between them for reasons that are dangled in front our noses like a carrot, but really aren't that difficult to figure out. Despite the script by Crazy Stupid Love writer Dan Fogelman, this isn't a film sturdy enough to support long-lasting mysteries.

Billy is the only one of the group who has chosen to remain a swingin' spring chicken, and after a rather awkward funeral speech he decides to ditch bachelorhood and marry his 30-year-old girlfriend.  Sam and Archie, eager for an escape, are totally gung-ho for throwing their millionaire pal a bachelor party in Vegas, but the fuming Paddy has to be tricked into it, and even when he arrives he's little more than a dark cloud.

Directed with a brisk pace by Jon Turteltaub, the film easily bypasses any threads that (rather ironically) would be too mature for a sophomoric comedy such as this. Instead it's a constant barrage of old age stereotypes (did you know old people are bad with technology and use Viagra?) delivered in a fairly conventional package. Archie hits the black jack tables and stumbles into some cash, good enough to earn the gang a swanky hotel upgrade and a resentful concierge (Romany Malco).  In one of those storylines that could have really gone somewhere with a little effort, Sam's wife has given him free reign to basically sleep with whoever he wants (armed with Viagra and condoms) in an effort to bring some spark back to his life. Of course what we get is a creakier version of Hall Pass but his attempts to get laid do provide some of the biggest chuckles. It's Freeman and Kline who carry much of the comedic burden, and the former seems especially jazzed to get drunk, party with models, and down one too many Red Bulls.

It's Douglas and De Niro who are expected to carry the marginally heavier stuff, which amounts to a resurgence of Billy and Paddy's old beef. The always-welcome Mary Steenburgen enters the picture as Diana, a sultry lounge singer who seems to have an eye for both guys, rekindling their feud. She's actually one of the more refreshing aspects of the story and takes it in some interesting directions, mainly because Diana is feisty and completely open about whom she is. She doesn't stand for Paddy's gloom 'n doom, but nor does she totally buy into Billy's playboy attitude. We come to learn that she hit Vegas to live out her golden years doing what she always dreamed of doing, an experienced lesson that is imparted on the gang in numerous ways without being heavy-handed. But for every instance of nuance there are a half a dozen more where Sam gets hit on by drag queens or De Niro punches out some young jerk (usually the victim is Jerry Ferrara), or the gang pretend to be mobsters.

Last Vegas is basically The Bucket List meets The Hangover, and if that sounds like it would make for a schizophrenic combination then you're absolutely right. Its sillier aspects far outweigh the endearing ones, and more jokes miss than hit, but the film breezes through enjoyably enough that this is one Vegas experience you'll be happy to remember.

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Free Advance Screening of 'Last Vegas' Starring Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman

Punch Drunk Critics is pleased to be hosting a special, free advance screening of the wild new comedy Last Vegas, starring screen legends Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, and Kevin Kline. This screening will be a joint event between us and FilmGordon, and we want you all to be there! The "paint the town red" comedy follows four best friends in the sinful city of Las Vegas to celebrate the final night of bachelorhood for the last of them to get married.

The screening takes place on Monday October 21st at 7:00pm at Regal Gallery Place. To qualify, you MUST be a fan of Punch Drunk Critics on Facebook,so if you haven't "Liked" us yet please go there and do so now. Simply email punchdrunktrav@gmail.com with 'Last Vegas' in the subject line, and we'll send you a Gofobo code to attend the screening.

Because of availability, we ask that you enter only if you definitely plan on attending. Remember, these screenings are first come, first served and we suggest arriving at least 60 minutes early to guarantee entry into the theater. Thanks, and we'll see you there on Monday night!

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Posters for 'The Zero Theorem', 'Last Vegas', 'The Fifth Estate', and More

Ready to jump back into the twisted, wonderful imagination of Terry Gilliam again? It's been far too long since he's given us any reason to get excited, but The Zero Theorem looks great. It stars Christoph Waltz, Melanie Thierry, David Thewlis, Lucas Hedges, Matt Damon, and it seems to be right in the same sci-fi wheelhouse that gave us Gilliam's brilliant Brazil. But Gilliam can probably explain it better himself in this director's statement: "When I made Brazil in 1984, I was trying to paint a picture of the world I thought we were living in then. The Zero Theorem is a glimpse of the world I think we are living in now. Pat Rushin’s script intrigued me with the many existential ideas he had incorporated into his funny, philosophic, and touching tale. For example: What gives meaning to our lives, brings us happiness? Can we ever be alone in our increasingly connected and constricted world? Is that world under control or simply chaotic? We’ve tried to make a film that is honest, funny, beautiful, and surprising; a simple film about a complex modern man waiting for a call to give meaning to his life; about inescapable relationships and the longing for love, full of quirky characters and sparkling performances; raising questions without offering obvious answers. Hopefully, it’s unlike any film you have seen recently; no zombies, no caped crusaders or alien spacecraft. Actually, I might have lied about that last item. Having not worked with a budget this small for several decades, I was forced to work fast and instinctively, pressured only by time and money. We relied on the freedom to spin on a dime, to make outrageous creative leaps. The results surprised even me. I’m proud to have been part of The Zero Theorem."

There's a definite Rat Pack vibe to this stylish new poster for Last Vegas, befitting its cast of screen legends: Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Kevin Kline, and Morgan Freeman. They play best friends who hit Sin City to celebrate the one's last night of bachelorhood, reliving their glory days in the process. Last Vegas is directed by Jon Turteltaub and opens on November 1st.

We've already seen Benedict Cumberbatch play the morally complex "villain" in Star Trek Into Darkness, and now he'll tackle a real life figure who many have very different opinions of. In The Fifth Esate he plays Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, with Daniel Bruhl as his partner Daniel Domscheit-Berg. The one-sheet's tagline pretty much says it all. The men who specialized in exposing secrets had a few of their own to hold on to, secrets that would disrupt the organization from within. The Fifth Estate opens October 18th.

Here are two crazy posters for Dom Hemingway, starring a sneering Jude Law as the titular character, a mouthy and vulgar safe cracker looking to claim his reward for keeping his mouth shut in prison for twelve years. Of course it doesn't quite go as planned, and based on everything we've heard this is going to descend into a haze of drug and drink-fueled madness that Irvine Welsh could appreciate. Richard E. Grant, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke, and Kerry Condon star, with Richard Shepard (The Matador) directing. The film will hit TIFF next month before opening in theaters on April 4th 2014.

And here are six new posters for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, which has Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) returning home to fix his infamous machine that is now creating mutant food monsters. Anna Faris, Terry Crews, Benjamin Bratt, James Caan and more lend their voices to the anticipated sequel, due to hit theaters in 3D on September 27th.

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Old Dudes Party in New Trailer for 'Last Vegas'

As hordes of young folks converge on Comic-Con this week, CBS Films has decided to release the full trailer for Last Vegas, which nobody attending the event will have any interest in. At least they're too distracted to pan how bad it looks. Starring Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, Kevin Kline, and new Emmy-nominee Michael Douglas, the screen legends play for old friends who throw a Las Vegas bachelor party for the last of them to get hitched. The teaser was decent, if only because we got to see Freeman get drunk off his butt, however this trailer is little more than "hey we're old!" jokes, and it appears that's all the film will turn out to be.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub, Last Vegas opens on November 1st.

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The first trailer for 'Last Vegas' is basically 'The Hangover' for old folks

Let's see...four guys in Las Vegas have a wild night full of drugs, sex, and alcohol on the eve of one's impending nuptials? No, it's not a flashback to Todd Phillips' The Hangover, it's instead the premise behind Last Vegas. The only real difference is that this wolfpack has decidedly grayer fur.

Starring Academy Award winners Robert De Niro, Kevin Kline, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Douglas, the film follows four best friends who "party like it's 1959" to celebrate Douglas' last hours of bachelorhood. Problems arise when he and De Niro fall for the same woman (Mary Steenburgen), but none of that is evident in the newly released trailer, which plays up the opportunity to see Freeman as a mouthy drunk, Kline as a horny old man, while Douglas and De Niro seem to be playing themselves. Dan Fogelman (Crazy Stupid Love) wrote the script, so maybe we can expect more than just Lipitor and Viagra gags? We kind of saw a similar dynamic unfold recently with the underrated dark comedy, Stand Up Guys, so there's a chance this could turn out to be a lot of fun.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub, Last Vegas paints the town red on November 1st.

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Sure Shots: Romany Malco; Gerard Butler; 'Riddick'

* While he's expected to return for the upcoming Think Like A Man sequel, Romany Malco is keeping plenty busy in the mean time and capitalizing on that film's unexpected success. He'll next join screen legends Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline, and Robert De Niron in Last Vegas, a comedy from director Jon Turteltaub. The story follows a group of four old friends who hit the city of sin to celebrate the impending marriage of the last of them to remain single. Mary Steenburgen plays a lounge singer that causes friction between Douglas and De Niro, while Malco is a concierge name Lonnie. [Deadline]

* Gerard Butler has an obvious fondness for sports movies, in particular of historically significant soccer matches like in The Game of Their Lives, one of his early breakout performances. Next up he'll star in Dynamo, which is based on the true story of a soccer match game between an occupied Ukrainian team against their Nazi captors during WWII. Based on the novel by Andy Dougan, and adapted by Eli Richbourg, the film will chronicle how the starving Ukrainian team stood up against the Nazi plan to establish physical superiority in the match, ultimately inspiring the battered people of Kiev. Butler will play Nikolai Trusevich, an all-star goalie and cornerstone of his team. A director is still being sought, with plans to shoot next year in Europe. Butler will be seen next as an ex-soccer star in the romantic comedy, Playing For Keeps. [Deadline]

* Vin Diesel and series director David Twohy have been aiming for an R rating for Riddick, the third chapter in their multi-platform Chronicles of Riddick franchise. After the poor response to 2004's PG-13 rated The Chronicles of Riddick, the thinking has been that fans expected the same level of action and violence seen in the original Pitch Black.  In the end, Diesel got his wish as the MPAA has rated the film R for "strong violence, language and some sexual content/nudity." The film stars Katee Sackhoff, Dave Bautista, Karl Urban, Bokeem Woodbine, and more in a story that has Riddick stranded on a savage alien planet with no hope for escape, until he activates an emergency beacon that alerts his enemies of his whereabouts.  Universal Pictures plans to release Riddick some time in 2013.

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Michael Douglas and Robert De Niro will fight over Mary Steenburgen in 'Last Vegas'

Jon Turteltaub(National Treasure) has been putting together the cast for his old folks in the Sin City flick, Last Vegas, and so far he's had so much good luck it might be time to hit the blackjack table. Michael Douglas was the first to sign on, followed up by Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Kline, in a story written by Dan Fogelman, the red hot scribe behind Crazy Stupid Love. Not a bad combination of ingredients, right?

Sounding like The Hangover for the senior citizen set, Last Vegas will have all four screen legends as best friends in town to celebrate the last night of freedom for Douglas' character, the last of their group to get married. A problem arises when Douglas and De Niro wind up falling for the same woman, a lounge singer, with the resulting love triangle causing a rift within the friendship. In what may be the last bit of major casting for the film, Deadline says that Mary Steenburgen is taking on the love interest role. The 59-year old actress, who has been married to Ted Danson forever it seems, has been keeping busy lately on television, recently completing a stint on 30 Rock. She also turned up in two of my favorite films from last year, The Help and Dirty Girl.

Production on Last Vegas begins this fall.

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Kevin Kline takes a trip to 'Last Vegas'

With a director like Jon Turteltaub(National Treasure) and a description promising The Hangover for old folks, I don't know if anybody was looking forward to Last Vegas. At least not until they started casting, right off the bat adding Michael Douglas to topline the comedy, and then adding two more legends in Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman. The story calls for one more in their number, though, and Turteltaub couldn't have done better than adding the great Kevin Kline.

Kline was set to star in Charlie Kaufman's musical satire, Frank or Francis, but with that film getting pushed back he had an opening in his schedule. The film follows four friends who had to the city of sin for one final bachelor party to celebrate the last of their group to get married. Their friendships get put to the test when a dispute over an old flame breaks out. The script comes courtesy of Dan Fogelman, who wrote last year's Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Kline is one of my favorite actors, although he's been starring in some bad movies lately. He was last seen in Lawrence Kasdan's Darling Companion, which wasn't very good, sorry to say. Hopefully sinking his teeth into a comedic role opposite some of screen's finest will put him back on the right track. [Deadline]



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Morgan Freeman in talks to join 'Last Vegas'

When Robert De Niro was confirmed last week to join Michael Douglas in Last Vegas, we speculated that Morgan Freeman might be getting a call soon. It just seemed like a natural fit for him, as the story centers on a group of four old buddies, emphasis on "old", who head to the sin city to celebrate the last of them to tie the knot. Think of it as The Hangover for the Ben Gay set. Well, now Deadline reports that Freeman has entered talks to tag along.

Jon Turteltaub is directing, with the initial script written by Dan Fogelman(Crazy Stupid Love), followed up by Adam Brooks and Alan Yang. So there's reason to hope this isn't just Old Dogs 2 or anything.

That leaves one member of the group left, with Christopher Walken reportedly circling it for the last couple weeks.


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