Steve Carell

Get Smart
Running time 110 minutes
Written by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember
Directed by Peter Segal
Starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson

Peter Segal’s Get Smart, from a screenplay by Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember, is based on a satiric television series with characters created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry. In fact, Mr. Brooks and Mr. Henry are listed in the film’s credits as “consultants.” This leads one to wonder if the timely jabs at an anonymous Bush-like president and a Cheney-like vice president can be attributed at least partly to the Brooks-Henry team.  read more »

We really do like him when he’s angry! Although general wisdom might have advised against bringing the Hulk—the mild mannered scientist by day, giant green ragey monster by night—to the screen again, after the Ang Lee’s adaptation went splat in 2003, The Incredible Hulk did pretty well last weekend. The Edward Norton-starring flick made $54.5 million, edging out Kung Fu Panda and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening. But what’s weird is that while The Happening was soundly trounced by most critics, it still managed to make $30 million and do healthy business overseas. Come on, Europe—you’re supposed to be the classy continent.  read more »

Heartbleeders, both literally—ew!—and metaphorically—aw!—speaking, ruled over the weekend. Saw IV (No. 1) grossed over $32 million nationally and averaged over $53,000 at 8 theaters in the city, while Dan in the Real Life (No. 2) took in a respectable $12 million in national receipts, and did similarly respectable business in the city with an over $23,000 average on 8 screens.

Perhaps there is a little surprise that Steve Carell and his first foray into serious acting couldn’t pull stronger in the city, but the film did around the business its reviews suggested: above-average. A film that defied expectations, including those of the critics, was Bella (No. 9), a drama set in New York City surrounding a pregnant hostess and a mysterious chef, who seeks to help her. Apparently targeted at Christians and Latin-Americans by Roadside Attractions, the film, which was directed by first-timer Alejandro Gomez Monetverde, averaged a surprisingly strong $36,000 in the city. If the film can keep this up, it’ll be another example (See Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?) of how intelligent niche fare can be successful despite the opinions of the mainstream press or expensive publicity campaigns.  read more »

This weekend we’ll be treated to a blessed break from the heavy-duty Oscar-hopeful onslaught of late. If, like us, you have barely been able to breathe under the weight of recent movies (see Reservation Road, Rendition, Things We Lost in the Fire—ouch! It hurts!), Halloween torture flicks might actually feel like relief. The folks at Lions Gate are hoping that Saw IV (we know, we know … do you need to go back and watch Saw I, II, and III before seeing this one? We’re guessing not!), a series of disturbing prolific-ness, will have the kind of box office that Alaskan vampire flick, 30 Days of Night, had last weekend. Saw IV can’t boast the same amount of star wattage (no hottie Hartnett in this one!), but when aren’t people in the mood for random orifice blood-spurting? Seriously.  read more »

In Virgin, Hanne Blank reminds us that the idea of virginity exists for no other animal species.  read more »

Today, at a multiplex near you, Steve Carell loses it at the movies with The 40-Year-Old Virgin. As Andy Switzer, the film's eponymous virgin, finally gets to know a woman, you know, biblically, critics across the country are turning to The Bible itself to make sense of the Universal comedy.

Well, not the whole Bible: more like a single turn of phrase from the Bible.

"Andy must calculate how many childish things he must put away to make room for the love of a good woman..." - The Opposite of Sex, by Jessica Winter, The Village Voice, Aug. 16, 2005.

"Andy puts away these childish things at least temporarily after three of his fellow workers stumble onto his secret, throwing a wrench into his orderly, celibate existence." - Losing His Innocence, Not a Minute Too Soon, by Manohla Dargis, The New York Times, Aug. 19, 2005.

"Andy isn't the only one who has to put away childish things..." - The Virgin' mirth, by Joanna Connors, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Aug. 19, 2005.

"So she's attracted by Andy's innocence — turned on by it — even before she knows why he's so innocent, while he's inspired by her to finally put away childish things (or, at least, auction them on the Internet)." - Sex and the Pocket Protector, by Soctt Foundas, LA Weekly, Aug. 19-25, 2005.  read more »

—Matt Haber

On Tuesday evening, April 13, President George W.  read more »