Leading the pack among this year’s RAZZIE^® contenders are one of the year’s biggest money-makers and the year’s biggest money-loser, each with seven nods. RAZZIE^® Repeat Offender Michael Bay helped lead the over-loud, over-long, uber-stupid TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN to a huge box office take…and to a huge haul of RAZZIE^® nominations as well. In addition to Worst Director and Worst Picture, the film is up for Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel, Worst Screenplay, Worst Supporting Actress (Julie White as the stoned, screaming mother of Shia Le Bouf), Worst Screen Couple (Le Bouf and EITHER Megan Fox OR Any Transformer) and Worst Actress (Fox again, dually nominated for this film and JENNIFER’S BODY). Keeping up with TRANNIES, TOO in the RAZZIE^® race (but decidedly not at the box office) is Last Summer’s Biggest B.O. bomb, LAND OF THE LOST, also with 7 shots at taking home spray-painted gold. LOST star Will Ferrell is listed in both Worst Actor and Worst Screen Couple (Ferrell & Any Co-Star, Creature or “Comic Riff”) and the film itself is also nominated for Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Screenplay, Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel and Worst Supporting Actor (the screaching Jorma Taccone as the monkeylike Cha-Ka). Rounding out the Worst Picture list are the Disney dud OLD DOGS, the awful “action-figures-come-to-life” 9-Year-Old-Boy-Movie G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRAand the So-Good-It-Was-Held-Back-from-Release-for-2-Years “comedy” ALL ABOUT STEVE (whose star, Worst Actress nominee Sandra Bullock, could pull off the unprecedented feat of “winning” a RAZZIE^® one day before winning an Oscar^®).

Other well-known names shamed as being last year’s worst include 2010 Oscar^® co-host Steve Martin (Worst Actor for PINK PANTHER 2), Beyonce (Worst Actress for OBSESSED), Worst Actor of the Decade contenders Eddie Murphy (up for Worst Actor of 2009 in IMAGINE THAT) and John Travolta (Worst Actor of 2009 for OLD DOGS) as well as the twitty Dizz-Knee ’tween idols Miley Cyrus (Worst Actress for HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE) and any two or more of the Jonas Brothers, nominated jointly for Worst Actor and Worst Screen Couple — for their documentaryJONAS BROS. A 3-D CONCERT EXPERIENCE. A complete list of nominees is included with this press release.

The Razzies will take place at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre on Saturday, March 6th at 7:30 PM PST. To check out the full list of nominees, click on the website link above and check them out on the left side scroll.

The Show:

Does anyone remember John Rocker, that hot-headed pitcher who quickly rose to fame as an Atlanta Brave, only to open his mouth and cause some controversy when he claimed NYC was the worst place to pitch, and offered up some analysis to why, which many considered offensive, racist, sexist, and homophobic? After that he quickly faded into obscurity. Remember baseball fans?

I bring him up because Eastbound & Down‘s Kenny Powers has to be modeled after John Rocker. Danny McBride has been tearing it up lately in the comedy world with quirky, raunchy, hotheaded characters in Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, Fist Foot Way, Land of the Lost, and he owns ever wonderful second of this show. His Kenny Powers is completely an ass; he became a celebrity star pitcher, only to squander his fame and fortune, and due to his arm velocity losing strength, he was forced out of the Majors. All of this is shown in “Chapter 1″ (the show uses chapters instead of episode names to show the chronicles of Kenny Powers) in an opening montage. The show finds him traveling back home, to a small, southern town, to be with his brother, and try to work his way back to MLB.

Eastbound & Down throws McBride into the spotlight and he gladly owns it, with his me-first attitude, his self-denial on his faded celebrity status, and his anti-PC attitude. The show is hilarious, but infused with that dark humor at every corner of the 20-some minutes. But the show has a heart, and allows his attitude to never distance the audience from liking him. He is sort of an anti-hero, a pure-blooded American, who follows all of what makes America the country it is today: proud, loud, take no-prisoners, and never assume defeat. Of course, all of this is written perfectly, as there is an arc in these six episodes, complied into season one. Kenny will learn and grow, but the trick is not to sell him out. The writing is too smart for such easy answers. For Kenny it is all about the rise back to the Majors, for us, it is all about his fall. The balance is handled correctly, giving him his glory, and us his troubles.

A show cannot be a great show without secondary characters, and the one that steals from most is Stevie (played by a dorky Steve Little). He worships Kenny and soon becomes his assistant, blindly following him to Hell and back. His character’s arc is a fun ride too. Will Ferrel shows his face in here too, as a sleazy, egomaniac BMW car dealer, and most of the episodes are directed by David Gordon Green (Snow Angels, Pineapple Express).  Eastbound & Down is rude and loud, a show not safe for families, and I say about time. Kenny Powers is the type of asshole I root for and admire. The writing is superb, the comedy pitch black, and while the show is about Kenny trying to be a better man, we know by the end of “Chapter Six” when it seems he is going back to the top, we’re all rooting for season two to follow his stumble back into self-denial, drugs, access, and stupidity. Kenny Powers rules.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: I was very surprised to hear a nice, robust 5.1 mix for a comedy show; bass heavy and clear, this is a fine audio track. The video is anamorphic and decent, but one wonders how much better this would have looked in high definition. The picture is clear and crisp, like any modern show, but also features plenty of grain, probably due to the nature of the look, the budget, and the stock. Overall, HBO gave this a nice look and sound.

Commentaries: Each of the tracks are funny, informative, and light-hearted, making for a great listen. Tackling the origins of the show, the nature of comedy, and fun bits, these are worthwhile listens.

Kenny Powers: Greatest Hits: This is the full video Stevie makes about Kenny’s best moments from “Chapter 4″.

Schaeffer Motor Commercials: Two TV spots of advertising the BMW dealership that is run by Will Ferrell’s character.

Deleted Scenes: Runs 9 minutes and are in run form, but pretty funny. Also look out for a funnier outtakes that run after these.

Stevie’s Dark Secret: A separete deleted scene in where Stevie tells Kenny and Clegg about something in his past. Funny, but in an incomplete form, with goofs.

Conclusion: We want to see Kenny Powers back in baseball, but we are having too much fun watching him flub it up. Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season is dark humor with a heart, and completely hilarious.

The Show: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The DVD: Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Don’t forget to support Killer Film by clicking on the DVD covers of any of the above DVDs to purchase them from Amazon, because every DVD sold from this site sends a little coin our way and that coin helps us stay online.

Anyone truly remember the 1974-1976 television series that this remake is based on? I bet no one under 30 does, and even so, the TV show is almost unwatchable now days. It was campy, absolutely cheesy, and hampered by bargain basement effects, even for low budget ’70s standards. Okay, fine, there’s some sort of following for Land of the Lost, but even as a kid, when I caught the reruns, I was even mad at the series’ false advertising of cool dinosaurs and creatures. Maybe it was just the episodes I stumbled upon, but at 8, I was mad.

Do for a modern update? Yeah, why not, with today’s need for ready made properties that a studio could exploit for a quick buck based on name recognition, a big budgeted remake of that TV show with CGI dinosaurs and creatures, I really don’t think anyone is furious that this was made. Even the most dedicated Land of the Lost fans can’t muster much of a fight that this thing exists. The casting of Will Ferrell is the make or break selling point for people on whether or not they want to see this. I don’t blame them, as Ferrell has been treading thin water with his doofus persona recently, but on the other hand, fans of Blades of Glory, Anchorman, and Step Brothers are out there in droves eagerly waiting for his next.

His stamp is all over this film. For me, this is only bearable because Danny McBride is feeding off of it and is injecting funnier jokes and quips, out-dueling the once great Ferrell. McBride is practically the same here as in any other movie, but it feels fresh when played up against Ferrell’s shtick. I cannot lie; I laughed more than I thought, all thanks too McBride. The creature designs are great too, keeping in the spirit of the goofy show, but looking slick and well-made. The CGI T-Rex is iffy, but in the end, it works mostly, because we know this is suppose to be dumb fun. Don’t expect Jurassic Park mayhem.

But the things that are going to kill this movie for the vast majority of people is the fact that the film feels episodic, like they were making it up as they went along and the green screen work is pretty horrible. I never bought the fact that the characters were in a cave, or in some ruins, it all looked incredibly fake, like a nicer looking Saturday Night Live rear projection skit. It’s bad, and worse yet, it doesn’t sell the reality of this world to us, the audience, at all. It’ll take the wind out of a film every time. Not helping the green screen is the weak script. In service of only jokes, and set pieces, it’s devoid of development and hinges only on the characters going to and fro, injecting them into yet another action set piece. Did I expect a riveting plot full of drama and suspense? No, it isn’t that type of film, but the science is only meant as a plot device, and in the end, if you aren’t laughing at Ferrell or McBride, you’ll have a miserable time.

Land of the Lost was meant to cater the teenage crowd, and it shows, with its constant toilet humor. A little more focus on a better plot, with the humor situational, and it might have been a solid family film. While we didn’t need a strict homage, or God forbid, a spoof, we did need a film with a script that wasn’t pieced together like Legos to try and form something big. Land of the Lost certainly is sketchy; a few solid moments here and there, some funny bits too, but it all feels a bit…lost.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Regardless of anything you do during these warm months; swimming, vacationing, picnicking, you’ll be in a cold theater for the summer movies. It never fails, year after year, each summer promises big hype, big action, and big laughs. But what to see? There’s a lot of flicks aiming for you and your (important) dollar this summer. Everything from cartoons, to 3-D spectacles, to franchise pictures, so let us, Killer Film, in our attempt at infinite wisdom shuffle through each of the four summer months to see what you should and shouldn’t see. To keep it all simple, we’ll state our reasonings on whether you should see it theatrically or not with a brief opinion and a See It or Skip It. Of course, we’ll be seeing everything so check back with our reviews to see if we we’re spot on, but now onto Summer Preview: June. 

(June 5^th)

Land of the Lost 

Jon: The trailer has done nothing to interest me in this film. While the great Gene Siskel said never judge a movie based on the trailer, I can’t help it. I know the original source material (anyone remember the 70s TV series?) was campy, but it looks like this is a spoof. If so, I’m sick of spoofs. I’m getting over Will Ferrell as well-he’s not funny to me anymore. The only redeeming factor for me is Danny McBride. The CG looks awful too. Skip It.

Donny: I’m a comedy fan, so I don’t need to say that even if it blows goats I’m gonna check it out in the theatre.  I love both Danny McBride and Will Ferrel, and the fact that it does look like a spoof doesn’t bother me in the least.  I watched the original show when I was a kid, but for some reason this remake doesn’t bother me.  See it.

The Hangover

Jon: Everyone is talking about this film. It looks hilarious. A wild night in Vegas leads to a missing friend and other odd occurrences like a Phil Collins solo by Mike Tyson. Could be the sleeper hit of the summer. The scene where the baby gets whacked by a car door is movie moment gold to me. I’m mean, this looks like nothing more than an average Saturday night if you hang with me, but I guess people think this is wild! Just kidding, just See It.

Donny: Zach Galifianakis baby!  That is reason enough for me to check this bad boy out, and the Mike Tyson scene looks classic as well.  See it.

Away We Go

Jon: Mendes does a summer comedy? After such heavy drama filled material like Jarhead and Revolutionary Road,  this looks like a bit of fresh air in his filmography. It looks funny, too. People forget how comical American Beauty was in parts. I’m also liking that fact that this film isn’t anchored by huge stars, just Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski. I’m expecting this to be a good film. See It

Donny: I enjoy Mendes’s work, and the trailer definitely makes the film look like fun.  I’m curious to see Mendes tackle comedy so I’ll be there as soon as it hits a theatre near me. See it.

(June 12^th)

Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

Jon: For me, Tony Scott is hit or miss. He injects Red Bull into his film’s editing, sometimes to dizzying effects. John Travolta is in a desperate need of a comeback film (isn’t he always?), and we have Denzel. The trailer looks good. The cast is solid. I suspect this might be winner, but there seems something stale about it. I’ve never seen the original film, but I’m going on a leap of faith here and am saying See It

Donny: I’m so tired of Travolta.  I really dig the guys early films, but I’m tired of his newer work, and for some reason I don’t care for him as a bad guy.  When he plays the villain he always seem to over act.  It’s times like this I’m glad I’m the boss, because I can let Jon take this one and I can avoid it like the plague.  Skip it.

Imagine That

Jon: I can’t stand the fact that Eddie Murphy still makes crap. I can’t stand the fact that he actually thought he was going to win the Oscar instead of Alan Arkin a few year’s ago, and stormed off after he lost. After a ton of duds, this doesn’t look bad, really. Should be what it seems: a family film with some laughs and drama. I don’t think it needs to be seen theatrically though. Skip It

Donny: I have no desire to see this one either.  Skip it.

Moon

Jon: I expect many of you won’t be able to see this when it’s first released. It’s an art house sci-fi film starring Sam Rockwell. I’m sold. I heard it’s a bit 2001 or Solaris but really good. With sci-fi back this summer, it’s nice to know outside all of the explosions and special effects, someone can tell an intelligent sci-fi story. See It

Donny: I’m totally down for this one!  I love Sam Rockwell and I love science fiction even more, so this one is a no brainer for me.  See it.

(June 19^th)

Year One

Jon: At first, I thought it looked horrible. Then, after seeing the trailer a gazillion times, I’m swinging over to the “it looks decent” camp. I feel as if Michael Cera’s form of speech and comedy is getting dangerously old, but the apparent laughs that could come from this scenario, are winning me over. There hasn’t been a good caveman movie in a while…scratch that, any caveman movie in a long while. See It

Donny: Like Jon I’m getting tired of Cera’s acting but I’m still gonna check this one out in the theatre.  I’m not excited about it, but Jack Black is usually pretty funny.  See it.

The Proposal

Jon: You know, this is squarely aimed at the female demographic, as they don’t have much this year for themselves, but it looks decent. Bullock is bland, but maybe with the right co-star like Ryan Reynolds, she might be good. The whole thing seems like “been there, done that”, but this could be a good date movie. I might get flack for this, but if you’re woman is sick of “man” movies, then See It.

Donny: I’m married to a women that loves this type of flick.  What does that mean you ask?  It means that I’m gonna have to see this one whether I like it or not.  So if I have to see it I’m going to recommend everyone else suffer through it as well. Bullock does look hot in the poster though, so that’s a plus.  See it.

Dead Snow

Jon: Airing on In Demand the same date as this very limited theatrical release, perhaps no film was talked about more from this year’s Sundance than this. Why? Two words: Nazi zombies. Suddenly the stars aligned and all is right with the world. Nazi zombies, ladies and gentlemen, Nazi zombies. See It.

Donny: For once I totally agree with Jon.  Nazi zombies Mother F***er!  See it.

(June 26^th)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Jon: As much as I could care less about the first film since it was overly long, poorly edited action, and too jokey, this looks pretty kick ass. Ugh, I hate myself for admitting that to the world. Michael Bay? Ugh. Shia? Ugh. John Turturro? Ugh. Megan Fox and what looks to be insane action? Okay, I’m there midnight showing. Damn it. Now Donny will never let me live this down, that I’m recommending a Bay film. See It.

Donny: Hell to the yes baby!  Michael Bay is A-W-E-S-O-M-E awesome! Also Megan Fox leaning over a motorcycle in really short jean shorts, giant robots, explosions, Shia, and Megan Fox leaning over a motorcycle in really short jean shorts!  You bet your ass I’m gonna be there at midnight for this one.  See it.

My Sister’s Keeper

Jon: I wanted to cry after seeing this trailer. Geez, talk about a tear jerker. Great counter-programming this week. Fathers and sons are off seeing robots fight and Megan Fox’s ass, and mothers and daughters are crying about dying cancer kids. Truth be told, if this film skimps on the manipulation of the idea, it could be a good film. See It.

Donny: I’m gonna let Jon see this while I see Megan Fox’s ass.  Skip it.  

And that’s June! Keep it here at Killer Film for reviews of these films and more! I’m sure Donny and I will be battling over Transformers, so that should be comical. Also, feel free to always leave comments and you can email us at jon@killerfilm and donny@killerfilm as we love hearing from you! See you at the movies!

Land of the Lost arrives in theatres everywhere this June 5th.

Source: Funny Or Die

Land of the lost screenwriter Dennis McNicholas will penn the script through Working Title and  Marc Platt Prods. producing the film which in the modern take will be more in the vein of Beetlejuice.

Source: THR

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we finally saw a trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar?!

Source:Fs.net

10. Where the Wild Things Are: I’m extremely stoked to see Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s awesome children’s story.  This was my favorite book when I was a little pain in the ass, and it’s one of my son’s favorites as well.  I’ll be at the theatre on opening night. (October 16)

9. Terminator: Salvation: I’m pretty tired of the Terminator films, but I’m curious to see what Christian Bale brings to the table.  So I’m ready to check this one out just to see if it will signal the rebirth or death of this monumental franchise. (May 22)

8. Jennifer’s Body: I love Diablo Cody, but I’m going to have to be completely honest.  While this film is interesting in and of itself, the main reason I’m going to see it is to peep Megan Fox in her birthday suit.  Hell, any chance to watch her on screen is a treat.  What can I say, the girl is smoking hot.  Anyway, I’ll be there for this one on opening night.  (September 18 in Canada, US dates coming soon)

7. Land of the Lost: I can remember waking up to watch the original every Saturday morning.  It was an integral part of my childhood.  The fact that it was made on the cheap and was sorta goofy only added to its charm.  I think Will Ferrell is a perfect choice for this flick.  Sleestaks baby! (June 5)

6. Inglourious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino is a bad-ass.  Plain and simple, the guy makes killer movies. So on opening night I’m going to be there with a smile on my face because at the very lest I know I’m going to be entertained.  (August 28)

5. Star Trek: I’m going to forgive  J.J. Abrams for Cloverfield and take this scifi journey with him.  I love the original television show, and the movies that followed.  I even enjoyed the Next Generation, so I see no reason why I won’t love this one as well.  Especially with a talented director like Abrams at the helm. (May

4. Funny People:  Judd Apatow is a funny guy, and I really dig the films he writes and directs.  So it goes without saying that I’m totally stoked to see him make a new flick with not only Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann, but with funny man Adam Sandler as well.  (July 31)

3. Adventureland: Greg Mottola is one of my favorite new directors.  I think the guy genuinely knows what’s funny.  After watching the trailer this became one of the films I’m looking forward to most this year. (March 27)

2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine: What more can I say other than, it’s Wolverine bitch!  I’ll be in the lines waiting for my ticket on opening night, just to see Hugh Jackman kicking ass behind the claws again.  (May 1)

1. Watchmen: I haven’t been this excited about seeing a movie since Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. This is my favorite graphic novel, and if the trailers are any indication of how amazing this flick is going to be, it just might be my favorite flick of the year as well.  (March 6)

Will Ferrell also has a film debuting this summer which is a remake of the classic television series Land of the Lost. Based on the poster alone you get the vibe the film is going for which certainly seems to  target the teen, family audience. You can also view the films official poster HERE.

source: slashfilm

Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall, sucked into one and spat back through time. Way back. Now, Marshall has no weapons, few skills and questionable smarts to survive in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world—a place of spectacular sights and super-scaled comedy known as the Land of the Lost.

Sucked alongside him for the adventure are crack-smart research assistant Holly (Anna Friel) and a redneck survivalist (Danny McBride) named Will. Chased by T. rex and stalked by painfully slow reptiles known as Sleestaks, Marshall, Will and Holly must rely on their only ally—a primate called Chaka (Jorma Taccone)—to navigate out of the hybrid dimension. Escape from this routine expedition gone awry and they’re heroes. Get stuck, and they’ll be permanent refugees in the Land of the Lost.

Source: io9