Armchair Commentary

"Lazy Sunday" Reunites!

If you recall just a few short years ago, YouTube became an international phenomenon in part thanks to the SNL digital short "Lazy Sunday," in which Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell hit that Chronic-WHAT?-les of Narnia. It's still my favorite digital short ever ("Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = crazy delicious"... see? I can't stop quoting it) and I was delighted to find that the pair had reunited on Jimmy Fallon's late night show to perform the classic live for the first time (with house band The Roots, to boot!) --Ellen

"Cold Souls": Paul Giamatti on Being Stalked, Playing "Himself," and His Essential Movie

Paul Giamatti in person is about what you expect him to be: extremely humble, eloquent, uncomfortable with fame (prior to our interview he had to stand for a photo shoot, and looked about as at-ease as a kid in the dentist chair). And now the guy who memorably threw a hissy fit over drinking merlot in Sideways and pretty much steals every film he's in (heck, I still remember him as Bellhop Who Shares a Smoke With Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding) and still doesn't have an Oscar (though he now has an Emmy and a Golden Globe thanks to his starring role in HBO's John Adams), is famous to the point of playing himself in a movie.

Though not exactly: In his newest film, Cold Souls (which played at Sundance before opening in limited release last year) Giamatti plays an actor named "Paul Giamatti," who is so stressed over his preparation for "Uncle Vanya" on Broadway that he literally sells his soul; he takes his agent's suggestion and visits a lab in which he can put his soul in storage, renting another's soul in its place. If that's not strange enough, it turns out his soul is the size and shape of a... chickpea.

Giamatti and director Sophie Barthes, directing her first feature film, discussed with Amazon how she stalked him at a film festival to pitch him her script (how many drinks she'd had beforehand is debatable, they say); the challenges of playing your own, soulless self; and finally, Giamatti's pick for a Paul Giamatti Essential DVD. Listen to the interview below.--Ellen

Q&A with Chris Kattan: "Bollywood Hero"

After making audiences laugh for years on SNL, Chris Kattan's latest adventure is attempting to conquer Bollywood. Yes, you read that right. In the new musical comedy miniseries as seen on the IFC, Bollywood Hero, Chris is fed up with Hollywood and accepts an offer for a role in India. Trying to fit in with the culture, fight the bad guys, win the love of beautiful women and master dance sequences (Slumdog Millionaire style) - it's quite the entertaining ride.

Read Chris's hilarious thoughts below about making this miniseries, the guest stars, the dance sequences, why he needs a date, and of course Mr. Peepers.....

Q: You are starring, executive producing and writing for Bollywood Hero. How did the whole project come about and what made you want to be involved with it?

CHRIS: I actually had been in India before.  I was there to buy a bunch of pirated video copies of Chronicles of Narnia.  At the time it had just come out in the theaters and I had to get copy.  Plus I loved that crispy bread they eat.  When the producers heard of this they approached me and the rest is history (laughs).

Q: To a viewer that hasn’t heard of the miniseries, how would you describe it?

CHRIS:I would describe it by saying it’s an epic comedy mini series in 3 parts that’s shot entirely in India and is truly funny with some amazingly well shot scenes with 5 huge incredible dance sequences.  Originally I would have said it’s a rock em’ sock em’ down right dirty celebration of humanity, desire and sex? Wait…let me check my files…. Yes, sex.

And even though that comment may be a genius thing to say, it might also sound offensive.  So I will rephrase it by saying, its is a highly entertaining incredibly well made 3 part mini-series. Where I play, a normal and down to earth, but still funny version of myself along with talented guests, such as Maya Rudolph, Jennifer Coolidge, Andy Samberg and Keanu Reeves.  It’s funny; it’s beautiful to watch, and very entertaining.  Great to rent.  Over and over! And there’s tons of sex.  Damn!  I said it again.

Q: You are playing yourself in the movie. What is that like? Is it a reality show or scripted?

CHRIS: To play myself in the movie is very difficult because I have to wear a lot of wigs.  Actually it’s best described by saying it’s like my Curb Your Enthusiasm, but I’m in India.  And it is scripted.  And like David plays a negative version of himself, I play a very heroic and leading man version of myself that just doesn’t quite work in the sexy dancing epic world of intense film making in Indian Cinema.  That’s the third time I said “sex.” Something is wrong with me. I need a date.

Q: This is a mini-series, but any chance it will be developed into a regular show?

CHRIS: It took 10 weeks to shoot the entire mini-series in Mumbai, India.  With one week in LA, which is where Keanu Reeves and Samberg and David Alan Grier did their stuff, which appears in the first episode.   A series would mean I would probably need to live there for a while and if I did, I would really miss my Entertainment Tonight and Sponge Bob’s. And Kraft Singles of course.  I would miss those horribly.  So if we did do another season, it would probably be another mini series.  There are too many factors to film around, a monsoon for example.  Not the easiest natural possible disaster to work in.

Q: What was it like shooting in India? Any favorite memories?

CHRIS: It was a life changing experience to film there.  Think Slumdog Millionaire but funny. Sort of.  Beautiful, struggling, hard work, but man did it come out good. Beautiful locations all over India, Big beautiful Bollywood stars.  Super hot, didn’t get one kiss, but super hot. Not even a peck on this kiss.  10 weeks, nada.  Whatever!

Q: You have several key crew members from Slumdog Millionaire working on your show, including Longinus Fernandes who choreographed the ending dance sequence in Slumdog. Does that mean there will be plenty of Chris Kattan dance sequences?

CHRIS: We were blessed to work with Longinus Fernandes who received an Oscar for his work in Slumdog Millionaire.  He was brilliant, and crazy. It was an honor and I can only describe how awesome the dances are in Bollywood Hero.  Crazy good.  And the music they chose is so damn good.  It’s just so fun to watch and it truly makes you feel good. A rare thing to feel when watching anything.  Except occasional porn.

Q: Of course we have to ask about SNL - Do you stay in touch with your SNL castmates? Any plans for return guest appearances anytime soon?

CHRIS: I do stay in touch with SNL cast members; we all do bbq’s at each other’s houses on the weekends in our old SNL character outfits. I dress as Mango, Will as a Cheerleader, Molly as Mary Katharine. It’s very sad actually.  But the owner of the event, who’s actually my dad, pays us about 12 bucks an hour so it adds up pretty good. 

Q: Speaking of SNL, how do you think Mr. Peepers would fair in India?

CHRIS: Mr. Peepers would do pretty well in India until he was captured by the local Slumdog and forced to prostitute for apples.

Q: Are there any TV shows you are obsessed with lately? Favorite DVDs you have seen recently?

I love Mad Men. 60 Minutes. And the Olympics.  I hate to say, but when they fall during figure skating, it’s hilarious. Old fashioned falling down humor.  Get’s me every time.

Once you have stopped laughing from this, experience the charm of Bollywood Hero yourself -  it's now available on DVD. Enjoy! --Lisanne

Most Sizzling TV Couples of All Time

We are not talking about cute and cuddly. We're not talking about sweet. (This is why The Office's Jim & Pam are not on the list.) We're talking about the stuff of legend, like when millions tuned in every week to see David and Maddie (Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd) spar on Moonlighting, right up until that (fateful) night they consummated all that buildup. (Viewers left shortly afterwards, making this show forever set the bar for Why You Should Not Let Your Main Couple Hook Up.)

The other day I was watching an unnamed TV drama currently on the air (I do not identify the show because I don't want to be blamed for spoiling any plot points for those of you who only watch shows on DVD or on DVR weeks later) in which the leading male and female had so far had no hints of romance, until she was in need of comforting and he stroked her hair, and suddenly I found myself leaning so far off the sofa waiting as their faces came very, very close. I was not rooting for these two to become a couple, but now that they've flirted with the idea, I have to say I'm intrigued.

But those are the types of couples I like the most; not the star-crossed lovers, but the unexpected pairings that stumble on each other. Despite all the bad dialogue ("We shouldn't be doing this." "What are you afraid of?") I admit I liked Kelly and Dylan way better than Brenda and Dylan on 90210 (even though, in the end, it seems no one can really make Dylan settle down. You either end up alone, alone with a kid, or dead); and of course Joey and Pacey proved to be a much better couple than her original MTB (Meant To Be), Dawson.

I am also a fan of Meredith & Derek (Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey) on Grey's Anatomy, mostly because this relationship started from a one-night stand--so at least we got THAT out of the way--but managed to sustain the tension through breakups, other relationships, and hospital politics. Particularly season two, with a lot of very tense moments in an elevator and a night of passion at the prom (don't ask).

I asked around the office for other opinions, and here's what they said:

Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) from The X-Files. They can “trust no-one”, but each other. --Amanda

[On Mad Men], I love Pete (Vincent Kartheiser) and Peggy (Elisabeth Moss)’s weird, painful and achingly dysfunctional pull towards one another (and that whole “I had your baby, and I gave it away” thing is just the icing on the crazy-cake). --Kira

Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) and Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion) on Castle. Mmmmm..... --Shauna

I hate to go the vampire answer, but Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) from True Blood… As they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  (Yes, I know she’s semi-engaged to Bill.) --Leah


Going back a few years, but I’m going to have to go with Bobby & Diane (Jimmy Smits & Kim Delaney) from NYPD Blue. Chemistry, connection, and intensity that seemed for real. And pretty much the main reason a non-cop-drama fan like me watched the show for years. --Lisanne

Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) from Burn Notice. They burn for each other. And kill for each other too. --Stephanie

Alright, so even though the show is not on anymore, and wasn’t for that long, Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto) and Angela Chase (Claire Danes) from My So-Called Life were a truly intense couple, if that’s what you could call them. He was painfully aloof, she was awkward, but despite it all, it worked. And that moment, when he held her hand walking down the hallway, to the tune of Buffalo Tom’s “Late at Night,” was truly epic. --Meredith B.

Who did we miss? --Ellen

Movie Couples Who Flunked Chemistry 101

Nothing can spoil the mood of a good romance movie like an awkwardly mismatched couple. Still scratching your head over Kate Winslet and Jack Black in The Holiday? Same here. Well, not every onscreen duo can create a spark like Tracy and Hepburn. Here are a few movie mates that flunked Chemistry 101. 

•  I Love Trouble: Julia Roberts was still riding the crest of her “America’s Sweetheart” wave in 1994 when she was paired with Nick Nolte in this romantic comedy about two bickering newspaper reporters who fall in love. Critics and moviegoers had a hard time believing a sizzling romance could bloom between the unlikely couple ­– and this was before Nolte’s infamous 2004 arrest mug shot.

•  Bewitched: There were many reasons this 2005 remake didn’t work its magic at the box office and topping the list was the attempt to create a cuddly “Samantha and Darrin” romance between Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. Both actors can hold their own admirably when they’re in their element. But even a spell from Aunt Clara couldn’t conjure up a believable romance between these two. Think The Hours and  Semi-Pro: Night and day, eh?

•  A Perfect Murder:  Is it just me, but did anyone like Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow as this sterile, drab, before-Prada-was-fun couple? As a pair of stiff-lipped ultra-successful Manhattanites, it’s no surprise when she has an affair and he steps into the spying-spouse shtick. The plot of this 1998 thriller is full of interesting twists, but at no point did I find myself saying, “Wow, what a shame – wish they’d patch things up and get back together. Settle down, move out to the country . . .”  

• Seven Days, Six Nights:  Here’s the “Desert Island” test at work: Anne Heche is a big-city magazine editor and Harrison Ford is a cranky airplane pilot who are stranded on a Pacific isle. This 1998 rom-com is fairly entertaining while these characters are squabbling and trading insults, but they had to go and spoil it all by saying somethin’ stupid like “I love you.” 

A few more from our “What Were They Thinking?” Department:

• Continental Divide:  John Belushi cleaned up nicely for co-star Blair Brown in this 1981 romantic comedy. But the roaring success of Animal House and the pop-culture imprint of Belushi’s Bluto had audiences expecting him to pop “a zit” during the awkward love scenes with Brown.

• Exit to Eden:  Rosie O'Donnell and Dan Aykroyd were horribly miscast in this 1994 un-funny comedy which finds both of them in S&M gear.

•  Who’s That Girl?  A squeaky-voiced Madonna and Griffin Dunne as an uptight yuppie did not make for a good match in this irritating, 1987 attempt at madcap comedy. One of my cynical friends scoffed, “Madonna didn’t pair well with ANY of her leading men.” Oooh, harsh! But true.

•  Head Above Water:  Cameron Diaz and Harvey Keitel? Another good example of perfectly fine actors when performing to their respective strengths. But not as a couple.

Who else are we missing from this list of miscast mates? --Francine

How to Do an Impression of ... Morgan Freeman?

I've seen the De Niro impressions. The Ahnuld impressions. There's even the really good Christopher Walken impressions. But this is the first time I've ever seen a game attempt at Morgan Freeman, voice of Visa commercials, CBS Evening news, and Who You Imagine God Sounds Like. And I gotta say, this impression is pretty good. --Ellen

Oscar Nominations: Five Surprises

I'm still a bit bleary-eyed from this morning's 5:30 a.m. call, but this year's Oscar nominees have been announced. Avatar and The Hurt Locker, as expected, tied for the most nominations with nine each. You can see the full list and nab the ones already available for pre-order, and meanwhile ponder these surprises:

1) The Blind Side in the Best Picture race? Really?! Over Star Trek, A Single Man, Invictus, and a host of other films that made the top 10 lists other than this one? (Seriously, I would have been less surprised over The Hangover being mentioned instead.) My big fear here is that this nod will cinch Sandra Bullock the Best Actress crown over Meryl Streep, whom, it must be said, I am really rooting for this year, because despite her 16 record nominations, the woman last won in 1982. That's also only a 0.125 batting average. There weren't just gasps this morning upon the inclusion; there was also a bit of stuttering.

2) No Clint Eastwood in the Best Director category. The awards buzz for Invictus has been slowly fading since its opening, which had strong but not wild reviews. Despite its nods for Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, it was not only shut out of the Best Picture race but copped no nod for the evergreen nominee.

3) Maggie Gyllenhaal edges out Julianne Moore for Best Supporting Actress. There were no late-breaking upsets in the acting categories, but this was the first showing of Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart) in awards season over the four times-nominated Moore. Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) also had an outside shot, considering she got the SAG nomination instead of Moore. Still, it's a pleasant surprise for Gyllenhaal, who always does great work.

4) What is The Secret of Kells? The producers of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Ponyo, and many other overlooked animated films all scratched their heads over the inclusion of this Irish tale about monks and Vikings.

5) The strength of The Last Station in the acting categories, especially 1) No one ever talks about this film, and 2) it also was not nominated for anything else. The Young Victoria's Emily Blunt is left to watch at home (or perhaps present at the awards) with her adorable fiance as grand dame Helen Mirren instead takes her place in the Best Actress race. And kudos to Christopher Plummer, who, with a nod for Best Supporting Actor has received his very first career Oscar nomination at the age of 80.

--Ellen

Blu Monday: "With my Blu-ray, I will stop--the world"

Coming May 25 is the Blu-ray edition of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, one of the most entertaining shows I've seen in the last year or so. Neil Patrick Harris stars and sings as Dr. Horrible, a self-esteem-challenged villain battling superhero Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) and pining for the hand of Penny (Felicia Day). Joss Whedon created this web series as an independent project during the 2008 writers' strike along with his brothers Zack and Jed, and Jed's then-fiancee Maurissa Tancharoen, and it's a marvel of dry wit and singable music. Watch the trailer below and read Joss Whedon's celebrity blog about the original DVD. --David

Which Movie Actor Do You Want to See on Television?

As you may have noticed, TV owns the lions' share of good scripts, good parts for older women, everything the movies aren't providing. (Although staying on TV is tough in of itself).

So it's no wonder film stars have been enjoying a career resurgence on the small screen: Alec Baldwin, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen, Bill Paxton, Toni Collette, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Kyra Sedgwick, Gary Sinise, and Gabriel Byrne are just a few examples. Even if they don't want to commit to a series, you'll find the television movies/miniseries category littered with pedigreed actors: Jessica Lange, Joan Allen, Kenneth Branagh, Meryl Streep, and Al Pacino, for example.

In the middle of her guest arc on 30 Rock, Julianne Moore (complete with Boston accent) has reportedly been courted for TV pilots, including a remake of Prime Suspect. Also on TV networks' wishlists for new series: Maria Bello, Demi Moore, and Matt Dillon (whose younger bro Kevin has had much success on Entourage).

I scrolled through lists of Oscar nominees in the past decade and found it hard-pressed to find someone who didn't at least guest star on a TV series since then. But who would you love to see make the full-gig jump to small-screen glory? Perhaps Susan Sarandon or Uma Thurman in an edgy drama for Showtime? Kevin Spacey as the next nemesis on Dexter? Billy Bob Thornton in the next incarnation of CSI? --Ellen

What Movie Makes You Laugh the Hardest?

From our Who Knew? Department: Sunday, January 24, is Belly Laugh Day. Yup. I'm celebrating by going for a round of snort-laughs with some pals.

• We're re-watching Borat, which I originally saw while recovering at home from laparoscopic surgery via my abdomen. I don't know why I thought watching a comedy was a brilliant idea, so I'll blame it on the meds. I nearly busted my stitches during the part where a group of guys show Borat how to wear droopy pants proper: "Don't show your Huggies!" Sacha Baron Cohen fans already know he'll stop at nothing to get a laugh and that includes wearing a one-piece man-kini thong exposing more fur than a PETA rally. Give Cohen credit for being an equal opportunity offender. "Borat" is a stready stream of politically incorrect humor, but it's nothing compared to Religulous . . .

 

• My friend Alexis and I saw Religulous on the big screen in a theater where we were stifling our laughs, hands cupped over mouths, in order not to offend anyone sitting nearby. As it turned out, nearly everyone in the theater was laughing too. All's fair n Bill Maher's documentary-comedy which takes a skeptic's view of the logic of religion. Yes, a deep topic can be funny and it was nice to be able to walk out of the theater knowing everyone else was laughing along, too. Watch Religulous at home and feel free to donkey-laugh as loud as you want.

 

• Another good home-screener is Superbad. Yes, I'll admit to giving Superbad the side-eye when it first came out. It's so easy to sneer at a "teenage comedy." But there I was with my finger on the DVD remote, flipping back to savor another Jonah Hill one-liner (What DID he just say about cargo shorts?) And proving Superbad isn't just another teen comedy, my 60-ish bus driver and I were chatting about movies we liked and he started quoting his favorite lines from Superbad . Of course, these were "clean" lines from the movie, but soon a few other riders joined in the conversation and shared their favorite lines. It was an interesting bus ride that morning.

• My uncle has a well-worn copy of Blazing Saddles on VHS that still gets play in his house. Once was enough for me, but he still insists, "Come here and watch this campfire scene!" Hey, we all have our limits.

So in honor of Belly Laugh Day, it's your civic duty to line up some laughs. Just be sure to hold on to your stitches. What movie, no matter how highbrow or downright dumb, has made you laugh the hardest? -- Francine Ruley