list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Semi-Pro on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Semi_Pro/296844/default.aspx Title: Semi-Pro
Year: 2008
Director: Kent Alterman
Plot: The American Basketball Association is on the verge of collapse, and when a former NBA benchwarmer returns to his hometown of Flint, Michigan to whip his former team into shape for the playoffs, redemption is just a free-throw away in this period sports comedy starring Will Ferrell and Woody Harrelson. Penned by Old School scribe Scot Armstrong, Semi-Pro tells the tale of a 1970s-era basketball player who doesn't have much luck in the NBA, but vows to leave his mark on the sport by coaching the Flint Tropics to an unlikely victory in the biggest game of the year. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 19
Number of Lists: 9
Number of blog posts: 8
Number of discussion threads: 1
SpoutRating: 2
]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:53:33 GMTSemi-Pro2008Kent AltermanThe American Basketball Association is on the verge of collapse, and when a former NBA benchwarmer returns to his hometown of Flint, Michigan to whip his former team into shape for the playoffs, redemption is just a free-throw away in this period sports comedy starring <a href="/players/P___224449/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Will Ferrell</a> and <a href="/players/P____30548/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Woody Harrelson</a>. Penned by <a href=/films/221302/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Old School</a> scribe Scot Armstrong, Semi-Pro tells the tale of a 1970s-era basketball player who doesn't have much luck in the NBA, but vows to leave his mark on the sport by coaching the Flint Tropics to an unlikely victory in the biggest game of the year. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide19Tag Target (>10)9812http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/s296844.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Semi_Pro/296844/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/tenenbaums/archive/2008/10/26/36670.aspx Post By: Tenenbaums
Post To: Tenenbaums Blog
Post Date: 10/26/2008 12:06:01 AM
Body: With Semi-Pro, the key to enjoying the film is picking up the correct edition. The "Regular Edition" is pretty good. Will Ferrell and Will Arnett are silly and there are enough gags aided by the 70s tunes and overall retro feel to produce consistent giggles. It's good, not great, and makes you wonder a little bit if Ferrell's comedy needs to move in a new direction. But hey, there's Andre from OutKast and Woody Harrelson not in a drama. That's kinda cool. And there's some sweet sports action and occasional topless girls, so not a total loss. But, if you pick up the "Special 12-Pack Edition," complete with a case of your favorite beer, the funny moments become much more obvious. All of the times that made you chuckle in the "Regular Edition" become belly laughs and nose-snorters. The near masterpiece makes you wonder why New Line didn't release the "12-Pack Edition" in theaters as the critical response and box office take were both poor. It also makes you wonder if Ferrell needs to change his approach at all.
]]>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 04:06:01 GMTTenenbaumsTenenbaums Blog10/26/2008 12:06:01 AMWith Semi-Pro, the key to enjoying the film is picking up the correct edition. The "Regular Edition" is pretty good. Will Ferrell and Will Arnett are silly and there are enough gags aided by the 70s tunes and overall retro feel to produce consistent giggles. It's good, not great, and makes you wonder a little bit if Ferrell's comedy needs to move in a new direction. But hey, there's Andre from OutKast and Woody Harrelson not in a drama. That's kinda cool. And there's some sweet sports action and occasional topless girls, so not a total loss. But, if you pick up the "Special 12-Pack Edition," complete with a case of your favorite beer, the funny moments become much more obvious. All of the times that made you chuckle in the "Regular Edition" become belly laughs and nose-snorters. The near masterpiece makes you wonder why New Line didn't release the "12-Pack Edition" in theaters as the critical response and box office take were both poor. It also makes you wonder if Ferrell needs to change his approach at all. http://www.spout.com/blogs/christhilk/archive/2008/8/27/34477.aspx Post By: ChrisThilk
Post To: ChrisThilk Blog
Post Date: 8/27/2008 6:01:16 PM
Body: Semi-Pro isn’t nearly as funny as it should have been, but it’s much funnier than some people have made it out to be. The story of an egotistical and out-of-touch ABA team owner in 1976, Semi-Pro is basically an excuse for Will Ferrell and a few of his friends to goof around and wear some insanely big wigs. Comedies like this are completely subjective depending on the whims and attitudes of the viewer. But what struck me, and which I’ve pointed out to others, is that “retard” is thrown around at least a few times in the movie as a clearly derogatory term. This film didn’t stoke the bubbling outrage, though, that Tropic Thunder has recently. Perhaps it’s because there isn’t something as clearly meant to stir offense as the Simple Jack component of Tropic, but if the protests were really about the word’s usage, it’s odd to me that Semi-Pro didn’t begin some sort of outraged discussion about the word’s usage. And it’s not like we’re talking about a great deal of time having elapsed - this was just four or five months ago. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk
]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:01:16 GMTChrisThilkChrisThilk Blog8/27/2008 6:01:16 PMSemi-Pro isn’t nearly as funny as it should have been, but it’s much funnier than some people have made it out to be. The story of an egotistical and out-of-touch ABA team owner in 1976, Semi-Pro is basically an excuse for Will Ferrell and a few of his friends to goof around and wear some insanely big wigs. Comedies like this are completely subjective depending on the whims and attitudes of the viewer. But what struck me, and which I’ve pointed out to others, is that “retard” is thrown around at least a few times in the movie as a clearly derogatory term. This film didn’t stoke the bubbling outrage, though, that Tropic Thunder has recently. Perhaps it’s because there isn’t something as clearly meant to stir offense as the Simple Jack component of Tropic, but if the protests were really about the word’s usage, it’s odd to me that Semi-Pro didn’t begin some sort of outraged discussion about the word’s usage. And it’s not like we’re talking about a great deal of time having elapsed - this was just four or five months ago. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk http://www.spout.com/blogs/aidanbrack/archive/2008/8/16/34070.aspx Post By: aidanbrack
Post To: The Bigger Picture
Post Date: 8/16/2008 11:09:14 AM
Body: Hot off the success of Anchorman and Talladega Nights, Will Ferrell stars in Semi-Pro. This is a movie that tries to combine the retro 70s elements of Anchorman with the sporting action of Nights and yet ends up a poor cousin to both films. Its familiarity is a substantial part of why this movie fails to impress. Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, owner, coach and player for The Tropics, a basketball team that is going nowhere. With the threat of the semi-professional leagues shutting down, Moon aims to score a top four finish for his team that will result in being moved to the prestigious NBA in a merger. Like Anchorman, Ferrell's character struggles with newfound competition, this time from Woody Harrelson as former NBA player Ed Monix. Like Anchorman there is a scene in which Ferrell fights a member of the bear family (though it is far less funny). Like Anchorman, Ferrell's character relaxes musically - this time by spinning lps rather than playing the flute. Sure, there's some fun moments making fun of seventies fashions and tastes (including a fondue scene) but everything here feels tired or second-best. Whilst Talladega Nights was enjoyable for its affectionate mocking of the hyper-butch NASCAR scene and Ferrell's Blades of Glory lovingly lampooned the world of professional ice skating, semi-professional basketball simply isn't all that funny. It also doesn't feel that interesting. Good jokes and character humour can always make up for a weak situation but the script is seriously weak and frequently predictable. Other than a glorious scene between Monix and the wife of a fan in the second half of the picture little grabs the attention. I would challenge anyone to be able to quote more than one line of this flick once the credits roll. Ferrell and Harrelson both throw everything they have at this and manage to elicit a few chuckles yet the material they are working with simply is not very funny. This film is a disappointment, weaker than its obvious influences, and the first misfire from Ferrell in a long time.
]]>Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:09:14 GMTaidanbrackThe Bigger Picture8/16/2008 11:09:14 AMHot off the success of Anchorman and Talladega Nights, Will Ferrell stars in Semi-Pro. This is a movie that tries to combine the retro 70s elements of Anchorman with the sporting action of Nights and yet ends up a poor cousin to both films. Its familiarity is a substantial part of why this movie fails to impress. Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, owner, coach and player for The Tropics, a basketball team that is going nowhere. With the threat of the semi-professional leagues shutting down, Moon aims to score a top four finish for his team that will result in being moved to the prestigious NBA in a merger. Like Anchorman, Ferrell's character struggles with newfound competition, this time from Woody Harrelson as former NBA player Ed Monix. Like Anchorman there is a scene in which Ferrell fights a member of the bear family (though it is far less funny). Like Anchorman, Ferrell's character relaxes musically - this time by spinning lps rather than playing the flute. Sure, there's some fun moments making fun of seventies fashions and tastes (including a fondue scene) but everything here feels tired or second-best. Whilst Talladega Nights was enjoyable for its affectionate mocking of the hyper-butch NASCAR scene and Ferrell's Blades of Glory lovingly lampooned the world of professional ice skating, semi-professional basketball simply isn't all that funny. It also doesn't feel that interesting. Good jokes and character humour can always make up for a weak situation but the script is seriously weak and frequently predictable. Other than a glorious scene between Monix and the wife of a fan in the second half of the picture little grabs the attention. I would challenge anyone to be able to quote more than one line of this flick once the credits roll. Ferrell and Harrelson both throw everything they have at this and manage to elicit a few chuckles yet the material they are working with simply is not very funny. This film is a disappointment, weaker than its obvious influences, and the first misfire from Ferrell in a long time. http://www.spout.com/blogs/smooth_j/archive/2008/6/17/31314.aspx Post By: Smooth_J
Post To: Smooth_J Blog
Post Date: 6/17/2008 10:43:49 AM
Body: Semi-Pro could have been an extremely funny movie. There are moments of absolute hilarity that had me rolling over in my seat, and several scenes during which I was shaking with uncontrollable mirth through several jokes. However, there were also times when I almost turned the movie off because it was so bad...that's something I've never done during a Will Ferrell movie. Will Ferrell tends to keep the jokes coming at an alarming rate, no matter how cheap or stupid the gags are. Even last year's Blades of Glory was funny throughout, and it was probably one of the shallowest comedies I'd ever seen. The thing with Semi-Pro is that it often shies away from things that could've been VERY funny, or just mentions them in passing and only allows for a few chuckles. Half the jokes even feel recycled from Anchorman, such as Jackie Moon's (thankfully underdeveloped) obsession with his hair. Also, the fact that Jackie hasn't even had sex with his smokin' hot wife while hundreds of other do so all time is very funny, but the film often shies away from the aspects of this situation that could've been hysterical. And what the f*ck (!!!!) was Woody Harrelson doing in this movie? He had no funny parts, and was generally, in Jackie's words, just "a bummer." The sub-plot of him and his wife only slowed the movie down. If he had been giving a role that he could've had fun with, maybe he would have been a nice addition to the movie. But he was just such a buzz-kill. If you can tolerate Ferrell, you will tolerate this movie. If you are a Ferrell fan, you will laugh but still feel disappointed. But if you can't stand Ferrell, which is becoming a larger and larger population, do not bother. It's the type of movie that would seem great while intoxicated, but not great enough to even have any sort of recollection of watching it. And then once you think about it, it's probably not even worth watching straight, save for a few moments of absolute gut-busting hilarity.
]]>Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:43:49 GMTSmooth_JSmooth_J Blog6/17/2008 10:43:49 AMSemi-Pro could have been an extremely funny movie. There are moments of absolute hilarity that had me rolling over in my seat, and several scenes during which I was shaking with uncontrollable mirth through several jokes. However, there were also times when I almost turned the movie off because it was so bad...that's something I've never done during a Will Ferrell movie. Will Ferrell tends to keep the jokes coming at an alarming rate, no matter how cheap or stupid the gags are. Even last year's Blades of Glory was funny throughout, and it was probably one of the shallowest comedies I'd ever seen. The thing with Semi-Pro is that it often shies away from things that could've been VERY funny, or just mentions them in passing and only allows for a few chuckles. Half the jokes even feel recycled from Anchorman, such as Jackie Moon's (thankfully underdeveloped) obsession with his hair. Also, the fact that Jackie hasn't even had sex with his smokin' hot wife while hundreds of other do so all time is very funny, but the film often shies away from the aspects of this situation that could've been hysterical. And what the f*ck (!!!!) was Woody Harrelson doing in this movie? He had no funny parts, and was generally, in Jackie's words, just "a bummer." The sub-plot of him and his wife only slowed the movie down. If he had been giving a role that he could've had fun with, maybe he would have been a nice addition to the movie. But he was just such a buzz-kill. If you can tolerate Ferrell, you will tolerate this movie. If you are a Ferrell fan, you will laugh but still feel disappointed. But if you can't stand Ferrell, which is becoming a larger and larger population, do not bother. It's the type of movie that would seem great while intoxicated, but not great enough to even have any sort of recollection of watching it. And then once you think about it, it's probably not even worth watching straight, save for a few moments of absolute gut-busting hilarity. http://www.spout.com/blogs/awkwardj/archive/2008/6/16/31289.aspx Post By: awkwardj
Post To: honest to blog
Post Date: 6/16/2008 5:09:05 PM
Body: Will Ferrell made the worst movie of last year (Blades Of Glory). Now it looks like he made the worst movie of this year. Still a little young in the year, but goddamn that was bad.
]]>Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:09:05 GMTawkwardjhonest to blog6/16/2008 5:09:05 PMWill Ferrell made the worst movie of last year (Blades Of Glory). Now it looks like he made the worst movie of this year. Still a little young in the year, but goddamn that was bad. http://www.spout.com/groups/B_Movies/_7_Champagne/588/27643/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: B Movies
Post Date: 4/22/2008 2:04:08 PM
Body: B movies can be like a seven dollar bottle of champagne, miles away from the real thing but every bit as fun.I sometimes wonder if the most "alive," vervacious movies are necessarily made on a low budget...Compare Star Wars: Episode IV to Episode I. Or True Romance, Reservoir Dogs, and Pulp Fiction on the one hand -- the getting-bloated Kill Bill 2 on the other hand, followed by the totally hit-and-miss Death Proof.Energy and entropy, Mssrs. Lucas and Tarantino! What's going on here, money or ego?
]]>Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:04:08 GMTSkyPilotB Movies4/22/2008 2:04:08 PMB movies can be like a seven dollar bottle of champagne, miles away from the real thing but every bit as fun.I sometimes wonder if the most "alive," vervacious movies are necessarily made on a low budget...Compare Star Wars: Episode IV to Episode I. Or True Romance, Reservoir Dogs, and Pulp Fiction on the one hand -- the getting-bloated Kill Bill 2 on the other hand, followed by the totally hit-and-miss Death Proof.Energy and entropy, Mssrs. Lucas and Tarantino! What&#39;s going on here, money or ego? http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/4/7/27033.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 4/7/2008 10:47:59 AM
Body: “Leatherheads” has had a long a storied journey to the big screen, and has mutated into several incarnations in the process.It was once envisioned to be a historically accurate account of football’s earliest innovators, a blood-and-mud saga of gridiron gladiators, and a comedic take on colorful pigskin pioneers.It arrives in theaters as a screwball comedy throwback – cobbled together with romantic subplots, early growing pains of the game, and fictional glimpses into the lives of the sport’s bruising brotherhood.The result is a curious mix that is overstuffed with half-planned protractions of what might have been if director/star George Clooney had remained focused not on merely gaining yardage with small hand-offs of laughter, but on just where the goal line of his film was.Not screwy enough for screwball, not hard-hitting enough for a sports picture, and far-too-slight as a commentary on the souring of the game with all its “rules” and “regulations,” “Leatherheads merely scrambles in scene after scene, wearily winding down the clock.Clooney plays Dodge Connelly, the aging coach and player of the amateur Duluth Bulldogs, one of the last holdouts in a rapidly diminishing field of football teams in 1925.In order to boost sales and escape working in “the real world,” Connelly concocts a plan to enlist a star athlete who has returned from World War I a hero and whose ubiquitous visage is pimped out on more products than Michael Jordan is his prime.But there is a cloud that follows this young hero, Carter “The Bullet” Rutherford (played by “The Office’s” John Krasinski), as his military heroics might not be all that it appears.Enter Lexie Littleton (played by perma-puckering Renee Zellweger), a hard-edged moll who’s the ace reporter for the local paper intent on cracking the shell of this “Bullet.” Her presence sets up a rather static love triangle between her, the young rising star and the aging Donnelly. While there are moments of back-and-forth banter, a la “Philadelphia Story,” little of it lands with the impact Grant and Hepburn so successfully accomplished decades ago.The chemistry between its romantic leads is so week and predictable, it would be eclipsed by a grade school science fair.After veering from ensemble action comedy to bickering romance, the film takes yet another curious detour in its final act to comment on American values, the country’s need for heroes and how the formality of regulated sports drains the fun out of the game.Clooney has proven himself sure-footed when he’s behind the camera in his two previous outings, “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind” and “Good Night, and Good Luck.” But here, he feels completely off balance. It has moments of artistic flourish, but it gets dogpiled under the heft of so many extra slender subplots. In front of the lens, he’s as easygoing as ever, slightly summoning a variation on his deft comedic work in “O Brother, Where Art Thou,” and he takes more than a few good-natured jabs at his age, but he can do little to extract much from co-stars Zellweger and Krazinski, who seem unable to establish their footing from one scene to the next.“Leatherheads,” though infinitely more competent a film, shares much with Will Ferrell’s latest amateur-to-pro sports comedy, “Semi-Pro,” in which it suffers from jarring tonal shifts that ultimately hobble it at its knees. It’s light enough to keep audiences occupied with slight smirks, but like the players on the soggy field in the film’s final game, “Leatherheads” becomes too muddied with plot that we are really unable to distinguish just who these people are.
]]>Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:47:59 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog4/7/2008 10:47:59 AM&ldquo;Leatherheads&rdquo; has had a long a storied journey to the big screen, and has mutated into several incarnations in the process.It was once envisioned to be a historically accurate account of football&rsquo;s earliest innovators, a blood-and-mud saga of gridiron gladiators, and a comedic take on colorful pigskin pioneers.It arrives in theaters as a screwball comedy throwback &ndash; cobbled together with romantic subplots, early growing pains of the game, and fictional glimpses into the lives of the sport&rsquo;s bruising brotherhood.The result is a curious mix that is overstuffed with half-planned protractions of what might have been if director/star George Clooney had remained focused not on merely gaining yardage with small hand-offs of laughter, but on just where the goal line of his film was.Not screwy enough for screwball, not hard-hitting enough for a sports picture, and far-too-slight as a commentary on the souring of the game with all its &ldquo;rules&rdquo; and &ldquo;regulations,&rdquo; &ldquo;Leatherheads merely scrambles in scene after scene, wearily winding down the clock.Clooney plays Dodge Connelly, the aging coach and player of the amateur Duluth Bulldogs, one of the last holdouts in a rapidly diminishing field of football teams in 1925.In order to boost sales and escape working in &ldquo;the real world,&rdquo; Connelly concocts a plan to enlist a star athlete who has returned from World War I a hero and whose ubiquitous visage is pimped out on more products than Michael Jordan is his prime.But there is a cloud that follows this young hero, Carter &ldquo;The Bullet&rdquo; Rutherford (played by &ldquo;The Office&rsquo;s&rdquo; John Krasinski), as his military heroics might not be all that it appears.Enter Lexie Littleton (played by perma-puckering Renee Zellweger), a hard-edged moll who&rsquo;s the ace reporter for the local paper intent on cracking the shell of this &ldquo;Bullet.&rdquo; Her presence sets up a rather static love triangle between her, the young rising star and the aging Donnelly. While there are moments of back-and-forth banter, a la &ldquo;Philadelphia Story,&rdquo; little of it lands with the impact Grant and Hepburn so successfully accomplished decades ago.The chemistry between its romantic leads is so week and predictable, it would be eclipsed by a grade school science fair.After veering from ensemble action comedy to bickering romance, the film takes yet another curious detour in its final act to comment on American values, the country&rsquo;s need for heroes and how the formality of regulated sports drains the fun out of the game.Clooney has proven himself sure-footed when he&rsquo;s behind the camera in his two previous outings, &ldquo;Confessions of a Dangerous Mind&rdquo; and &ldquo;Good Night, and Good Luck.&rdquo; But here, he feels completely off balance. It has moments of artistic flourish, but it gets dogpiled under the heft of so many extra slender subplots. In front of the lens, he&rsquo;s as easygoing as ever, slightly summoning a variation on his deft comedic work in &ldquo;O Brother, Where Art Thou,&rdquo; and he takes more than a few good-natured jabs at his age, but he can do little to extract much from co-stars Zellweger and Krazinski, who seem unable to establish their footing from one scene to the next.&ldquo;Leatherheads,&rdquo; though infinitely more competent a film, shares much with Will Ferrell&rsquo;s latest amateur-to-pro sports comedy, &ldquo;Semi-Pro,&rdquo; in which it suffers from jarring tonal shifts that ultimately hobble it at its knees. It&rsquo;s light enough to keep audiences occupied with slight smirks, but like the players on the soggy field in the film&rsquo;s final game, &ldquo;Leatherheads&rdquo; becomes too muddied with plot that we are really unable to distinguish just who these people are. http://www.spout.com/blogs/usesoap/archive/2008/3/10/26069.aspx Post By: usesoap
Post To: usesoap Blog
Post Date: 3/10/2008 8:58:51 PM
Body: This has not been a good week to be at New Line Cinema.After getting enslaved by the Time-Warner media monolith last week, the company could not even trumpet its swansong. “Semi-Pro,” the Will Ferrell sports comedy, was the last film to be released while still remaining a “free agent,” tanked at the box office, squeezing out $3 million less than “Meet the Spartans” just a few weeks ago.Let that sink in.Will Ferrell, who has a string of successes and is a worldwide box office “star,” made less in a comedy than a film that’s biggest asset was a Britney Spears clone shaving her head and breakdancing gladiators.Prognosticators are scratching their heads as to how this could happen, offering theories of a tired formula (Will Ferrell + a sport + wacky non-sequiturs = funny), an unstable movie-going weekend (though “Ghost Rider” did better in its second week last year at the same time and “Madea’s Family Reunion” earned $25 million at the same time in 2006), or the fact that the normally PG-13 Ferrell excluded some fans by having an R-rating slapped on this one.After watching the film, I have another theory to throw into the mix: it sucked.See, I’m convinced I put more effort into that little two-word synopsis than the producers of “Semi-Pro” put into the entire film.Cluttered, lazy, wildly unfunny and lit like an underground 70s porno, “Semi-Pro” will most likely not be a nail in Ferrell’s film coffin, but it certainly demonstrates that, without the proper material in place, he’s dangerously close to arm-wrestling Jon Lovitz for special appearances on sitcoms.And this is coming from a Feral Ferrell fan.Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, a one-hit disco wonder who scooped up his earnings and is now sole owner, promoter and player of the Flint, Michigan Tropics, a struggling ABA team circa 1976.When the NBA comes knocking and says it will merge the top four teams of the league, Moon and his team rally to make the cut. There’s no sense getting into too much plot description, for “Semi-Pro” is not about the drama. The trouble is, it’s not about anything else, either.It’s almost disconcerting how jokes build in the picture than just linger in the air like some fetid gastric expulsion that just clears the room for the next scene. Ferrell’s former co-stars, David Koechner (“Anchorman”), Will Arnett (“Blades of Glory), Tim Meadows (“The Ladies’ Man”), Rob Corddry (“Blades”), Kristen Wiig (“Saturday Night Live”) – a who’s who of comedians— are all trotted out for cameos that range from boring (Koechner) to brief (Wiig) to disturbingly bizarre (Corddry).Director Kent Alterman makes his debut with sledgehammer subtlety. And while I am sure the city of Flint has some wonderful areas and lovely residents, he somehow manages to cake the entire film in a gauze of filth, even staging two pivotal scenes in or near trash bins for no reason whatsoever. For all the idiots he prefers to play, Ferrell is a smart comedian. He has amassed a nice little mini-comedic entourage (including directors Adam McKay, Judd Apatow, actors John C. Reilly, and Will Arnett). He has helped launch a much-watched video website (FunnyorDie.com) and has even carved out critical acclaim in few semi-serious roles (“Stranger than Fiction,” Winter Passing”).But his level of quality has been steadily sliding since “Anchorman” and Jim Carrey can’t wait to start getting first dibs on the “goofy white guy” scripts Ferrell has been coveting for the past decade.On the bright side for Ferrell, I hear there are some openings at New Line Cinema.
]]>Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:58:51 GMTusesoapusesoap Blog3/10/2008 8:58:51 PMThis has not been a good week to be at New Line Cinema.After getting enslaved by the Time-Warner media monolith last week, the company could not even trumpet its swansong. &ldquo;Semi-Pro,&rdquo; the Will Ferrell sports comedy, was the last film to be released while still remaining a &ldquo;free agent,&rdquo; tanked at the box office, squeezing out $3 million less than &ldquo;Meet the Spartans&rdquo; just a few weeks ago.Let that sink in.Will Ferrell, who has a string of successes and is a worldwide box office &ldquo;star,&rdquo; made less in a comedy than a film that&rsquo;s biggest asset was a Britney Spears clone shaving her head and breakdancing gladiators.Prognosticators are scratching their heads as to how this could happen, offering theories of a tired formula (Will Ferrell + a sport + wacky non-sequiturs = funny), an unstable movie-going weekend (though &ldquo;Ghost Rider&rdquo; did better in its second week last year at the same time and &ldquo;Madea&rsquo;s Family Reunion&rdquo; earned $25 million at the same time in 2006), or the fact that the normally PG-13 Ferrell excluded some fans by having an R-rating slapped on this one.After watching the film, I have another theory to throw into the mix: it sucked.See, I&rsquo;m convinced I put more effort into that little two-word synopsis than the producers of &ldquo;Semi-Pro&rdquo; put into the entire film.Cluttered, lazy, wildly unfunny and lit like an underground 70s porno, &ldquo;Semi-Pro&rdquo; will most likely not be a nail in Ferrell&rsquo;s film coffin, but it certainly demonstrates that, without the proper material in place, he&rsquo;s dangerously close to arm-wrestling Jon Lovitz for special appearances on sitcoms.And this is coming from a Feral Ferrell fan.Ferrell plays Jackie Moon, a one-hit disco wonder who scooped up his earnings and is now sole owner, promoter and player of the Flint, Michigan Tropics, a struggling ABA team circa 1976.When the NBA comes knocking and says it will merge the top four teams of the league, Moon and his team rally to make the cut. There&rsquo;s no sense getting into too much plot description, for &ldquo;Semi-Pro&rdquo; is not about the drama. The trouble is, it&rsquo;s not about anything else, either.It&rsquo;s almost disconcerting how jokes build in the picture than just linger in the air like some fetid gastric expulsion that just clears the room for the next scene. Ferrell&rsquo;s former co-stars, David Koechner (&ldquo;Anchorman&rdquo;), Will Arnett (&ldquo;Blades of Glory), Tim Meadows (&ldquo;The Ladies&rsquo; Man&rdquo;), Rob Corddry (&ldquo;Blades&rdquo;), Kristen Wiig (&ldquo;Saturday Night Live&rdquo;) &ndash; a who&rsquo;s who of comedians&mdash; are all trotted out for cameos that range from boring (Koechner) to brief (Wiig) to disturbingly bizarre (Corddry).Director Kent Alterman makes his debut with sledgehammer subtlety. And while I am sure the city of Flint has some wonderful areas and lovely residents, he somehow manages to cake the entire film in a gauze of filth, even staging two pivotal scenes in or near trash bins for no reason whatsoever. For all the idiots he prefers to play, Ferrell is a smart comedian. He has amassed a nice little mini-comedic entourage (including directors Adam McKay, Judd Apatow, actors John C. Reilly, and Will Arnett). He has helped launch a much-watched video website (FunnyorDie.com) and has even carved out critical acclaim in few semi-serious roles (&ldquo;Stranger than Fiction,&rdquo; Winter Passing&rdquo;).But his level of quality has been steadily sliding since &ldquo;Anchorman&rdquo; and Jim Carrey can&rsquo;t wait to start getting first dibs on the &ldquo;goofy white guy&rdquo; scripts Ferrell has been coveting for the past decade.On the bright side for Ferrell, I hear there are some openings at New Line Cinema. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2007/12/26/23228.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/26/2007 1:00:29 PM
Body: These things are funny: drunk basketball; guns pointed at crotches; and orgies. These words are funny: fuck; dick; blowjobs; and cock (as in “suck my cock; I’ll murder your family!”). What do they all have in common? They can be shown and heard??in the red-band trailer for Semi-Pro, the new Will Ferrell movie opening in February. Why are they so funny? Because they can only be shown and heard in a red-band??trailer, duh.?? When I was growing up, I learned that swearing??was a sign of a lack of creativity. ??When I was in high school and taking creative writing classes, I learned that swearing was a sign of realism. Now that I’m old, I’m learning that swearing is a sign that something is hilarious. I’m not sure exactly why curse words and other offensive dialogue and subject matter is considered necessary for comedy these days, but between all the red-band trailers and unrated DVD versions, it’s apparent that nothing is at its funniest until it’s allowed to let loose with the F and C words. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 26 Dec 2007 18:00:29 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/26/2007 1:00:29 PM These things are funny: drunk basketball; guns pointed at crotches; and orgies. These words are funny: fuck; dick; blowjobs; and cock (as in “suck my cock; I’ll murder your family!”). What do they all have in common? They can be shown and heard??in the red-band trailer for Semi-Pro, the new Will Ferrell movie opening in February. Why are they so funny? Because they can only be shown and heard in a red-band??trailer, duh.?? When I was growing up, I learned that swearing??was a sign of a lack of creativity. ??When I was in high school and taking creative writing classes, I learned that swearing was a sign of realism. Now that I’m old, I’m learning that swearing is a sign that something is hilarious. I’m not sure exactly why curse words and other offensive dialogue and subject matter is considered necessary for comedy these days, but between all the red-band trailers and unrated DVD versions, it’s apparent that nothing is at its funniest until it’s allowed to let loose with the F and C words. (more…) Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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]]>Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:08:15 GMT169910Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/cheerleaders/MemberTagFilms.aspxcheerleaders
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]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:53:33 GMT566Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/Woody/MemberTagFilms.aspxWoody
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]]>Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:24:28 GMT1115115Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/jive-turkey/MemberTagFilms.aspxjive-turkey
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