Melbourne, Sep 29 (Ians) A little-known Sri Lankan leg-spinner, Ruwantha Kellapotha, on Thursday became Big Bash League (Bbl) side Melbourne Renegades’ first overseas replacement player signing for this season.
The 31-year-old, who has played 20 First-Class and 12 List A games, has signed up with the Renegades for Bbl-12, capping a remarkable rise through Victorian cricket ranks. Kellapotha last played First-Class cricket in Sri Lanka in 2013.
Over the past decade he has played club cricket in Melbourne — primarily in the Dandenong District Cricket Association.
“Last summer, he made the jump to Premier Cricket with Casey-South Melbourne, claiming 46 wickets across First XI and Super Slam matches to be the competition’s leading wicket-taker. He also represented Victoria’s 2nd XI,” said a Renegades statement.
“Those efforts earned him selection in the Melbourne Renegades Academy squad for last month’s Top End T20 Series in Darwin — with his performances there securing him a spot in...
The 31-year-old, who has played 20 First-Class and 12 List A games, has signed up with the Renegades for Bbl-12, capping a remarkable rise through Victorian cricket ranks. Kellapotha last played First-Class cricket in Sri Lanka in 2013.
Over the past decade he has played club cricket in Melbourne — primarily in the Dandenong District Cricket Association.
“Last summer, he made the jump to Premier Cricket with Casey-South Melbourne, claiming 46 wickets across First XI and Super Slam matches to be the competition’s leading wicket-taker. He also represented Victoria’s 2nd XI,” said a Renegades statement.
“Those efforts earned him selection in the Melbourne Renegades Academy squad for last month’s Top End T20 Series in Darwin — with his performances there securing him a spot in...
- 9/29/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
“Don’t be afraid, it’s only friendly fire.”
Blue Underground will release William Lustig’s Uncle Sam (1996) 25th Anniversary on 4K Ultra HD June 21st . Check out this classic trailer
Despite a relatively short-lived career as a director, spanning 16 years and 8 films, William Lustig has had a major impact on genre cinema. While filming “making-of” features for Anchor Bay, Lustig formed Blue Underground and started to bring exploitation cinema to the home video market with high-quality DVDs loaded with special features. More than 20 years later, Blue Underground is still thriving and upping its game to include 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases. Blue Underground’s latest 4K release is Lustig’s very own Uncle Sam, available everywhere on June 21, 2022.
Master Sergeant Sam Harper (David Fralick) is tragically killed in a horrible accident in Kuwait after his helicopter is shot down by friendly fire. Sam’s charred remains are shipped back...
Blue Underground will release William Lustig’s Uncle Sam (1996) 25th Anniversary on 4K Ultra HD June 21st . Check out this classic trailer
Despite a relatively short-lived career as a director, spanning 16 years and 8 films, William Lustig has had a major impact on genre cinema. While filming “making-of” features for Anchor Bay, Lustig formed Blue Underground and started to bring exploitation cinema to the home video market with high-quality DVDs loaded with special features. More than 20 years later, Blue Underground is still thriving and upping its game to include 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases. Blue Underground’s latest 4K release is Lustig’s very own Uncle Sam, available everywhere on June 21, 2022.
Master Sergeant Sam Harper (David Fralick) is tragically killed in a horrible accident in Kuwait after his helicopter is shot down by friendly fire. Sam’s charred remains are shipped back...
- 5/24/2022
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Melbourne, Nov 10 (Ians) Melbourne Renegades have completed their Big Bash League (Bbl) 10 roster with the signing of South African batsman Rilee Rossouw.
Rossouw will be available for the full Bbl season and joins fellow overseas signings Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Imran Tahir on the Renegades roster.
"The Big Bash has been a high-quality competition for a long time now, so I'm very excited to get the opportunity to play in such a competitive league," Rossouw said.
"I've enjoyed playing in Australian conditions before so I'm looking forward to heading over there and helping the Renegades have a successful season. Hopefully towards the back end of the tournament we can play in front of a home crowd in Melbourne because I've heard the Renegades have a very passionate supporter base and I'd love to experience that," he added.
Noor Ahmad will play the opening matches of the Bbl before Tahir arrives after Christmas.
Rossouw will be available for the full Bbl season and joins fellow overseas signings Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad and Imran Tahir on the Renegades roster.
"The Big Bash has been a high-quality competition for a long time now, so I'm very excited to get the opportunity to play in such a competitive league," Rossouw said.
"I've enjoyed playing in Australian conditions before so I'm looking forward to heading over there and helping the Renegades have a successful season. Hopefully towards the back end of the tournament we can play in front of a home crowd in Melbourne because I've heard the Renegades have a very passionate supporter base and I'd love to experience that," he added.
Noor Ahmad will play the opening matches of the Bbl before Tahir arrives after Christmas.
- 11/10/2020
- by IANS
- GlamSham
Melbourne, Oct 21 (Ians) Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi will return to the Melbourne Renegades for the 10th edition of the Big Bash League (Bbl). Nabi will join the Renegades after his ongoing stint in the Indian Premier League (Ipl) with SunRisers Hyderabad.
This will be Nabi's fourth season with the club. In 27 games for the Renegades, the world number one all-rounder has demonstrated his all-round talents by averaging 30 with the bat at a strike rate of 131, while also taking 21 wickets.
"I have always enjoyed my time with the Renegades and testing myself against some of the best T20 players in the world in the Big Bash. I'm very pleased to have re-signed for a fourth season," Nabi said in a statement.
Renegades coach Michael Klinger said Nabi provides the team with added flexibility. "Nabi's versatility makes him a very valuable member of our team. He can bat and bowl in a...
This will be Nabi's fourth season with the club. In 27 games for the Renegades, the world number one all-rounder has demonstrated his all-round talents by averaging 30 with the bat at a strike rate of 131, while also taking 21 wickets.
"I have always enjoyed my time with the Renegades and testing myself against some of the best T20 players in the world in the Big Bash. I'm very pleased to have re-signed for a fourth season," Nabi said in a statement.
Renegades coach Michael Klinger said Nabi provides the team with added flexibility. "Nabi's versatility makes him a very valuable member of our team. He can bat and bowl in a...
- 10/21/2020
- by IANS
- GlamSham
The Us rights deal will see the distributor release the paternity dramedy theatrically and across all major VOD platforms starting July 22.
Don’t Worry Baby stars John Magaro, Christopher McDonald, Tom Lipinski and Dreama Walker and premiered at the 2015 Sarasota Film Festival.
Julian Branciforte directed the co-production by The Sight Group and Manamarin from his screenplay and Nick Shore and Thomas Kaier produced with Jean-Raphael Ambron, Sam Harper and Brendan McHugh.
Jamie Krasnoff and Johnny Sutak are executive producers.
Don’t Worry Baby stars John Magaro, Christopher McDonald, Tom Lipinski and Dreama Walker and premiered at the 2015 Sarasota Film Festival.
Julian Branciforte directed the co-production by The Sight Group and Manamarin from his screenplay and Nick Shore and Thomas Kaier produced with Jean-Raphael Ambron, Sam Harper and Brendan McHugh.
Jamie Krasnoff and Johnny Sutak are executive producers.
- 6/13/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Saint Louis has incredibly deep and rich brewing history. Even before Adolphus Busch married Lilly Eberhard Anheuser, Johann Adam Lemp had been running his brewery since 1840. He had been a grocer for two years prior, but customers preferred the lager he brewed. At the dawn of the Civil War, Lemp had about 40 competitors locally.
What happened to those competitors? We know what happened to one. But what happened to the competitors that went out of business? Did any of their recipes survive? Were they passed down to family members? Or do they live on in antique malls and collections?
Desert Storm veteran, Sam Harper (David Fralick) is killed by friendly fire in Grenada. He somehow remains alive long enough to murder the Army men ordered to collect his body. News of Sam’s death opens old wounds on the home-front. His sister, Sally (Leslie Neale) and estranged wife, Louise (Anne Tremko...
What happened to those competitors? We know what happened to one. But what happened to the competitors that went out of business? Did any of their recipes survive? Were they passed down to family members? Or do they live on in antique malls and collections?
Desert Storm veteran, Sam Harper (David Fralick) is killed by friendly fire in Grenada. He somehow remains alive long enough to murder the Army men ordered to collect his body. News of Sam’s death opens old wounds on the home-front. His sister, Sally (Leslie Neale) and estranged wife, Louise (Anne Tremko...
- 7/3/2014
- by Jeremy Jones
- Destroy the Brain
★★★☆☆ It would be easy to dismiss People Like Us (2012), the debut feature from Alex Kurtzman, as yet another mushy family drama that contains more sentimentality than your average Nicholas Sparks novel. Yet beneath the prolonged stares and hammy piano score lies an enjoyable, emotive drama. Sam Harper (in a winning performance by Chris Pine), is a cocksure salesman living in New York. His boss subsequently threatens to fire him if he doesn't sort out a work-related mistake, which has lead to an investigation by the FTC. Sam's life then faces further turmoil when he learns of his music producer father's death.
Read more »...
Read more »...
- 11/7/2012
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are known mainly for writing stuff like Alias, Star Trek, and the Transformers movies, so it should come as little surprise that People Like Us, their attempt at a serious human drama set in the real world (the duo wrote it, Kurtzman directed), plays so much like an action movie – complete with broad acting, frenzied camerawork, and obligatory, cathartic montages in which actors pose purposefully. But the film also contains one of the year’s better performances, so don’t worry if you find yourself occasionally tearing up despite all the stupidity on display.It even starts off like an action flick. Sam Harper (Chris Pine), a successful remaindered-merchandise salesman, discovers that his attempt to transport a train full of nearly expired canned soup through the heat of the South has quite literally exploded in his company’s face. Now Sam owes tens of thousands of dollars,...
- 6/29/2012
- by Bilge Ebiri
- Vulture
Nowadays you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn't use the word "dysfunctional" to describe their family, rather it's more to what degree. Sometimes when I've wondered what it would be like to have healthier relationships with a parent or sibling, I'll observe other people who have to deal with worse situations and consider myself fortunate.
People Like Us is the celluloid representation of that other family, headed by a rock of a patriarch who appears to have both emotionally and physically distanced himself from his children. In this case, two families are at stake -- one with his wife Lillian, portrayed by the gracefully aging beauty Michelle Pfeiffer, and a love affair with a groupie that resulted in an illegitimate daughter.
Chris Pine portrays Sam Harper as an estranged adult son who must settle his father's estate after his recent death from cancer. As an La rock music producer,...
People Like Us is the celluloid representation of that other family, headed by a rock of a patriarch who appears to have both emotionally and physically distanced himself from his children. In this case, two families are at stake -- one with his wife Lillian, portrayed by the gracefully aging beauty Michelle Pfeiffer, and a love affair with a groupie that resulted in an illegitimate daughter.
Chris Pine portrays Sam Harper as an estranged adult son who must settle his father's estate after his recent death from cancer. As an La rock music producer,...
- 6/29/2012
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
In 1966, Michelangelo Antonioni directed his first English-language film, “Blow-Up,” in which a fashion photographer believes he may have unwittingly captured a murder on film. The film was hailed for its innovative use of cinematography and color composition, techniques Antonioni used to place his audience within his protagonist’s mind, to bring the photographer’s intangible feelings of confusion and uncertainty to the realm of physical depiction. This technical conceit was memorably mirrored – using sound recording rather than visuals – eight years later, in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation,” then again in Brian de Palma’s “Blow Out,” in 1981. The three films were alike in their genre and premise as well, each a crime thriller centered on a character’s discovery of something hidden within the materials associated with his line of work. Alex Kurtzman’s new film, “People Like Us,” shares the technical prowess of these films, employing supreme sound...
- 6/28/2012
- by Emma Bernstein
- The Playlist
Just about every summer for the past eight years, it's likely that you see at least one movie that involved the writing and producing team of Alex Kurtzman and Bob Orci, whether it's the "Transformers" movies, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot, last year's Cowboys & Aliens or even the hit Sandra Bullock-Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy The Proposal . Kurtzman is finally making his feature film directorial debut with People Like Us , a far more intimate and personal story, one based on experiences from his own life that have been morphed into a serious character drama with none of the genre elements we've seen in much of his past work. The movie stars Chris Pine as Sam Harper, a trade negotiator who returns home to Los Angeles after the death of his music biz father...
- 6/22/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Alex Kurtzman brings his life to the big screen in the very honest People Like Us.
Chris Pine plays Sam Harper (based on Kurtzman), a trade negotiator living a fast paced life on the East Coast. When his father, a well-respected mogul in the music business, passes away, Sam must return home for the funeral, whether he wants to or not. Estranged from his father, Sam wants to get in and out of town as quickly as possible, but before he leaves he must settle his father’s estate. What Sam didn’t see coming was that his father had a secret life. He had another family. Now, Sam struggles with getting to know his sister Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) without her knowing who he is, along with figuring out his own crumbling life.
I really enjoyed this film. It’s refreshing to see a movie about a dysfunctional family that...
Chris Pine plays Sam Harper (based on Kurtzman), a trade negotiator living a fast paced life on the East Coast. When his father, a well-respected mogul in the music business, passes away, Sam must return home for the funeral, whether he wants to or not. Estranged from his father, Sam wants to get in and out of town as quickly as possible, but before he leaves he must settle his father’s estate. What Sam didn’t see coming was that his father had a secret life. He had another family. Now, Sam struggles with getting to know his sister Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) without her knowing who he is, along with figuring out his own crumbling life.
I really enjoyed this film. It’s refreshing to see a movie about a dysfunctional family that...
- 6/20/2012
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In 1966, Michelangelo Antonioni directed his first English-language film, “Blow-Up,” in which a fashion photographer believes he may have unwittingly captured a murder on film. The film was hailed for its innovative use of cinematography and color composition, techniques Antonioni used to place his audience within his protagonist’s mind, to bring the photographer’s intangible feelings of confusion and uncertainty to the realm of physical depiction. This technical conceit was memorably mirrored – using sound recording rather than visuals – eight years later, in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Conversation,” then again in Brian de Palma’s “Blow Out,” in 1981. The three films were alike in their genre and premise as well, each a crime thriller centered on a character’s discovery of something hidden within the materials associated with his line of work. Alex Kurtzman’s new film, “People Like Us,” shares the technical prowess of these films, employing supreme sound...
- 6/17/2012
- by Emma Bernstein
- The Playlist
Over the past year we have been inundated with everything Need for Speed: The Run. From trailers directed by Michael Bay to press releases about branded trainers and Sports Illustrated models and with other developers such as Polyphony Digital (Gran Turismo) and Turn 10 Studios (Forza) releasing some of the most notable and popular racing games in the world, EA Black Box was undoubtedly attempting to stand out and provide something new and unique. While we were initially excited about the brand new concept and new ideas being flung at us, did the game truly live up to the hype?
For the first time, the annual EA racing series has brought something different to the table – a solid concept. The game focuses on main character Jackson “Jack” Rourke who is on the run from mobsters for reasons that aren’t 100% detailed or explained to you. In an attempt to pay his way out of his debt,...
For the first time, the annual EA racing series has brought something different to the table – a solid concept. The game focuses on main character Jackson “Jack” Rourke who is on the run from mobsters for reasons that aren’t 100% detailed or explained to you. In an attempt to pay his way out of his debt,...
- 12/13/2011
- by Emily Kay
- Obsessed with Film
The venerable Need for Speed franchise is getting some new blood in its upcoming 18th installment. EW can exclusively report that through the magic of motion-capture technology, Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks will play a leading role in the upcoming Need for Speed: The Run. She plays Sam Harper, a presumably badass big wheel in the exciting world of outlaw street racing, who serves as the player’s eyes and ears on the course.
“She’s got a relationship with the main driver player,” explains Hendricks, referring to the game’s protagonist Jack Rourke (played by Sean Faris who, in...
“She’s got a relationship with the main driver player,” explains Hendricks, referring to the game’s protagonist Jack Rourke (played by Sean Faris who, in...
- 10/17/2011
- by Darren Franich
- EW.com - PopWatch
Monday is July 4th, on which Americans celebrate their independence from good taste and in some cases, fingers (fireworks go "Boom!"). It's the one day of the year that common sense is replaced by drunken rounds of Marco Polo and dangerous and unnecessary pyrotechnics.
It's all ooh's and aah's until the Catherine Wheel breaks from its moorings and rolls down the hillside, as screaming children and inebriated fools in porkpie flag hats run for cover.
Or at least, that's what I'm always secretly praying for.
In the spirit of the holiday, we've decided to honor some of our favorite all-American patriots!
Okay, some of these guys may not actually be American, and we may be stretching the use of "patriot" a bit, but these are all guys we have no problem saluting (and they can pull off red, white, and blue).
Gabriel Martin, The Patriot
Played by Australian Heath Ledger,...
It's all ooh's and aah's until the Catherine Wheel breaks from its moorings and rolls down the hillside, as screaming children and inebriated fools in porkpie flag hats run for cover.
Or at least, that's what I'm always secretly praying for.
In the spirit of the holiday, we've decided to honor some of our favorite all-American patriots!
Okay, some of these guys may not actually be American, and we may be stretching the use of "patriot" a bit, but these are all guys we have no problem saluting (and they can pull off red, white, and blue).
Gabriel Martin, The Patriot
Played by Australian Heath Ledger,...
- 7/1/2011
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Rio Directed by: Carlos Saldanha Written by: Carlos Saldanha, Earl Richey Jones, Todd Jones (story), Don Rhymer, Joshua Sternin & Jefferey Ventimilia, Sam Harper (screenplay) Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro, Jemaine Clement, Jamie Foxx, Will i Am Rio is one for the kiddies, so you'll have to forgive this childless twenty-something for feeling at odds with the target audience. The theater was stuffed with tykes with mouths agape — whispering, screaming, and coughing. I have no idea if that means they were enjoying it. From an adult perspective, this anthropomorphic epic isn't necessarily a painful endurance test, but unlike Nickelodeon's Rango, there isn't a single compelling reason to recommend it to anyone over the age of 12. The voice cast is unsurprisingly stacked with actors in vogue looking to score an easy paycheck. Jesse Eisenberg channels his innermost neurosis as Blu, our fine, feathered protagonist with a fear of flying.
- 4/19/2011
- by Colin
- FilmJunk
Katey Sagal, whose film and television career spans four decades and the landmark sitcom Married with Children, was the Golden Globe winner for Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for her performance in Sons of Anarchy. Sagal's victory was a popular one at least on the Twitterverse, which was flooded with hundreds, or rather, thousands of congratulatory messages. Sagal was at the 2011 Golden Globes ceremony held Sunday evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills to accept her award. Sagal's film work has been sporadic. Feature film appearances include those in Leonard Nimoy's The Good Mother, starring Diane Keaton, and Sam Harper's House Broken, with Danny DeVito. Photo: © HFPA. Click on the image to enlarge it.
- 1/18/2011
- by Zhea D.
- Alt Film Guide
Spreading its literary wings, the Gersh Agency has acquired Hohman, Maybank, Lieb and is bringing the boutique book-agency founders in as partners, the company announced Wednesday. The clients of the 14-year-old agency will be a pretty good addition to the Gersh roster, as well. They include Robert Rodat (“Saving Private Ryan”), Dave Reynolds ("Finding Nemo"), Katherine Fugate (“Valentine’s Day”), Allison Burnett (“Adaline”), Ken Hixon ("Welcome to the Riley's"), Sam Harper ("Cheaper by the Dozen") and Marlene King ("Pretty Little Liars"). The deal with Hml and founders Bob Homan, Bayard Maybank and Devra...
- 12/1/2010
- The Wrap
Update: The Gersh Agency has just confirmed Deadline's report that it has acquired Hohman, Maybank, Lieb and issued a press release that follows the original story break. Exclusive: The Gersh Agency is putting the finishing touches on a major deal that will give a real shot in the arm to its literary department. Gersh is acquiring Hohman, Maybank, Lieb, the well-respected boutique literary agency. Founders Bob Hohman, Bayard Maybank and Devra Lieb will become partners and will bolster a Gersh lit department that recently lost deal makers Sara Self and David Kopple. I'm told Hohman Maybank Lieb will bring such writers as Saving Private Ryan scribe Robert Rodat, Valentine's Day scribe Katherine Fugate, Finding Nemo scribe Dave Reynolds, Welcome to the Rileys scribe Ken Hixon, Cheaper By the Dozen scribe Sam Harper, The Great and Powerful Oz scribe Mitchell Kapner, Source Code's Ben Ripley, Londongrad's David Scarpa, Daddy Day Care's Geoff Rodkey,...
- 12/1/2010
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
I have always been a fan of Danny Devito's. The fact that an average guy with alot of talent became a big star says alot for me about what is right in the world. Its been awhile since I have seen his name attached to a project but his newest film is House Broken and we have the details and poster.
The directorial debut of hit screenwriter Sam Harper (Just Married; Cheaper By The Dozen 1 and 2; Rookie Of The Year), Housebroken stars veteran comic actors Danny DeVito (Solitary Man; It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia), Katey Sagal (Sons Of Anarchy; 8 Simple Rules) and Tom Wilson (Biff Tannen from the ‘Back To The Future’ movies) alongside up-and-coming young stars Brie Larson (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World; United States Of Tara; Hoot), Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars; Friday The 13th), Skyler Stone (Stuck On You; The Rules Of Attraction) and Kiernan Shipka...
The directorial debut of hit screenwriter Sam Harper (Just Married; Cheaper By The Dozen 1 and 2; Rookie Of The Year), Housebroken stars veteran comic actors Danny DeVito (Solitary Man; It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia), Katey Sagal (Sons Of Anarchy; 8 Simple Rules) and Tom Wilson (Biff Tannen from the ‘Back To The Future’ movies) alongside up-and-coming young stars Brie Larson (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World; United States Of Tara; Hoot), Ryan Hansen (Veronica Mars; Friday The 13th), Skyler Stone (Stuck On You; The Rules Of Attraction) and Kiernan Shipka...
- 4/28/2010
- MoviesOnline.ca
Things are looking pretty sweet home video-wise over the next few months as some announcements have come out over the past several days, and rather than write up a separate story for each one, we figured that we'd bring it all here for you in one gore-soaked package!
First up, Anchor Bay's little seen or talked about Kevin Costner spooker, Luis Berdejo's The New Daughter, will be hitting DVD and Blu-ray on May 18th, and it tells the tale of single father who moves to a house in the country with his two children following a painful divorce. Soon, however, his adolescent daughter (Ivana Baquero from Pan's Labyrinth) begins acting strangely, and the household is plagued by disturbing events. John begins to suspect that the mysterious mound at the edge of the forest may have something to do with her ominous behavior.
Then, on June 15th from New Century,...
First up, Anchor Bay's little seen or talked about Kevin Costner spooker, Luis Berdejo's The New Daughter, will be hitting DVD and Blu-ray on May 18th, and it tells the tale of single father who moves to a house in the country with his two children following a painful divorce. Soon, however, his adolescent daughter (Ivana Baquero from Pan's Labyrinth) begins acting strangely, and the household is plagued by disturbing events. John begins to suspect that the mysterious mound at the edge of the forest may have something to do with her ominous behavior.
Then, on June 15th from New Century,...
- 3/3/2010
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
NEW YORK -- A video-sharing site is taking on an unusual role -- as investor, producer and marketer of an independent film starring Danny DeVito and Katey Sagal.
Vidshadow.com will produce two scenes in the film, No Place Like Home, that will feature the site and its content, and it will create an innovative online marketing campaign that seeks to build an audience and find a distributor for the film.
The deal is a potentially groundbreaking one for video-sharing sites, independent film and integrated marketing partnerships.
The indie comedy Home is being produced by Wayne Rice (Dude, Where's My Car) and was written and directed by Sam Harper, who wrote and co-wrote Just Married and Cheaper by the Dozen. It's about a father (DeVito) who in order to enjoy his retirement takes drastic measures to get his twentysomething slacker sons to move out and fend for themselves.
As part of the marketing campaign for the film, producers from Vidshadow will create 12 weekly video segments featuring footage shot during each week of filming. The segments will include interviews with talent and behind-the-scenes footage on how the movie was made, all captured by a Vidshadow crew that will shoot daily b-roll.
Starting the first week of September, the Home videos will be featured on a specially created microsite on Vidshadow.com as well as on 16,200 other Web sites that are part of Vidshadow's syndication network. Vidshadow CEO Jordan Hudgens said the goal is to have more than 10 million people view the content before the movie opens in hopes that the hype will help secure a distribution partner.
Vidshadow.com will produce two scenes in the film, No Place Like Home, that will feature the site and its content, and it will create an innovative online marketing campaign that seeks to build an audience and find a distributor for the film.
The deal is a potentially groundbreaking one for video-sharing sites, independent film and integrated marketing partnerships.
The indie comedy Home is being produced by Wayne Rice (Dude, Where's My Car) and was written and directed by Sam Harper, who wrote and co-wrote Just Married and Cheaper by the Dozen. It's about a father (DeVito) who in order to enjoy his retirement takes drastic measures to get his twentysomething slacker sons to move out and fend for themselves.
As part of the marketing campaign for the film, producers from Vidshadow will create 12 weekly video segments featuring footage shot during each week of filming. The segments will include interviews with talent and behind-the-scenes footage on how the movie was made, all captured by a Vidshadow crew that will shoot daily b-roll.
Starting the first week of September, the Home videos will be featured on a specially created microsite on Vidshadow.com as well as on 16,200 other Web sites that are part of Vidshadow's syndication network. Vidshadow CEO Jordan Hudgens said the goal is to have more than 10 million people view the content before the movie opens in hopes that the hype will help secure a distribution partner.
- 8/10/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CORRECTION
Vidshadow is neither an investor in nor a producer of the independent film "No Place Like Home". The movie, which stars Danny DeVito and Katey Sagal, is produced by Capacity Pictures, Home Llc., Wayne Rice and Richard Heller. Vidshadow was simply given limited permission to seek product placement deals, all of which were subject to Home Llc.'s express approval. To the extent that any product placement deals were approved by Home, there was no compensation or any equity interest in the film to be paid to Vidshadow or its CEO Jordan Hudgens. Vidshadow was not granted any right to distribute any trailers or other footage from the movie until after principal photography was completed. Information in a story published Aug. 10 was incorrect. As a result of published reports based on inaccurate information supplied by Vidshadow, Home and Capacity Pictures have terminated their agreement with Vidshadow (HR 8/10).
NEW YORK -- A video-sharing site is taking on an unusual role -- as investor, producer and marketer of an independent film starring Danny DeVito and Katey Sagal.
Vidshadow.com will produce two scenes in the film, "No Place Like Home", that will feature the site and its content, and it will create an innovative online marketing campaign that seeks to build an audience and find a distributor for the film.
The deal is a potentially groundbreaking one for video-sharing sites, independent film and integrated marketing partnerships.
The indie comedy "Home" is being produced by Wayne Rice ("Dude, Where's My Car") and was written and directed by Sam Harper, who wrote and co-wrote "Just Married" and "Cheaper by the Dozen". It's about a father (DeVito) who in order to enjoy his retirement takes drastic measures to get his twentysomething slacker sons to move out and fend for themselves.
Vidshadow is neither an investor in nor a producer of the independent film "No Place Like Home". The movie, which stars Danny DeVito and Katey Sagal, is produced by Capacity Pictures, Home Llc., Wayne Rice and Richard Heller. Vidshadow was simply given limited permission to seek product placement deals, all of which were subject to Home Llc.'s express approval. To the extent that any product placement deals were approved by Home, there was no compensation or any equity interest in the film to be paid to Vidshadow or its CEO Jordan Hudgens. Vidshadow was not granted any right to distribute any trailers or other footage from the movie until after principal photography was completed. Information in a story published Aug. 10 was incorrect. As a result of published reports based on inaccurate information supplied by Vidshadow, Home and Capacity Pictures have terminated their agreement with Vidshadow (HR 8/10).
NEW YORK -- A video-sharing site is taking on an unusual role -- as investor, producer and marketer of an independent film starring Danny DeVito and Katey Sagal.
Vidshadow.com will produce two scenes in the film, "No Place Like Home", that will feature the site and its content, and it will create an innovative online marketing campaign that seeks to build an audience and find a distributor for the film.
The deal is a potentially groundbreaking one for video-sharing sites, independent film and integrated marketing partnerships.
The indie comedy "Home" is being produced by Wayne Rice ("Dude, Where's My Car") and was written and directed by Sam Harper, who wrote and co-wrote "Just Married" and "Cheaper by the Dozen". It's about a father (DeVito) who in order to enjoy his retirement takes drastic measures to get his twentysomething slacker sons to move out and fend for themselves.
- 8/10/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A textbook example of how not to mess with success, "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" is every bit as forced, synthetic, banal and mawkish as the first edition, meaning there's no reason to assume it shouldn't come close to matching the $138 million-plus taken in by its equally underachieving predecessor.
There may be a new director on board -- hitmaker Adam Shankman ("The Pacifier", "Bringing Down the House") -- with Eugene Levy and Carmen Electra joining the party of 14, but this sequel to the remake of the old Clifton Webb-Myrna Loy chestnut keeps all the subsitcom histrionics tediously intact.
The families of all sizes who responded so enthusiastically to the original likely will be pleased to know they're getting exactly what they're paying for, but it would have been nice if all involved had at least made an effort to freshen things up just a little.
It's the beginning of summer vacation, and Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and wife Kate (Bonnie Hunt) are beginning to get a taste of being empty-nesters, at least relatively speaking. With so many of their older offspring planning to go off in different directions, Tom announces that there'll be one last Baker family gathering at their old summer vacation home in Lake Winnetka, Wis.
But the promise of an idyllic season of bonding proves short-lived when Tom bumps into his old, more successful rival Jimmy Murtaugh (Levy), and the two drag their respective extended families into heated competition with each other.
Although the original was shot on studio soundstages, "CBTD2" set up camp outside of Toronto, and those long-distance bills must have been steep given the number of those involved who seem to have phoned it in.
While screenwriter Sam Harper, who shared scripting duties in the original, is content to continually trade off the slapstick and the sappy shtick, Shankman keeps his camera trained on Martin's usually dependable mug, ready to zoom in at a moment's notice to capture every "Parenthood"/"Father of the Bride"-dictated tear of joy and pain.
That promise of a Martin-Levy rematch after the two worked so well together in "Bringing Down the House" fails to pay off here, while poor Hunt has little to do but stand back and watch her sharp comedic skills go largely untapped as she's reduced to being the supportive housewife.
Behind-the-scenes contributions are sturdy enough, but virtually everything about this "Cheaper" production, which just wrapped principal photography in September, feels hurried along to meet its lucrative release date.
Cheaper by the Dozen 2
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox presents a 21 LAPS production
An Adam Shankman film
Credits:
Director: Adam Shankman
Screenwriter: Sam Harper
Based on characters created by: Craig Titley
Based upon the novel "Cheaper by the Dozen" by: Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Producers: Shawn Levy, Ben Myron
Executive producers: Jennifer Gibgot, Adam Shankman, Garrett Grant
Director of photography: Peter James
Production designer: Cary White
Editors: Christopher Greenbury, Matthew Cassel
Costume designer: Joseph G. Aulisi
Music: John Debney
Cast:
Tom Baker: Steve Martin
Jimmy Murtaugh: Eugene Levy
Kate Baker: Bonnie Hunt
Lorraine Baker: Hilary Duff
Charlie Baker: Tom Welling
Nora Baker-McNulty: Piper Perabo
Sarina Murtaugh: Carmen Electra
MPAA rating PG
Running time -- 94 minutes...
There may be a new director on board -- hitmaker Adam Shankman ("The Pacifier", "Bringing Down the House") -- with Eugene Levy and Carmen Electra joining the party of 14, but this sequel to the remake of the old Clifton Webb-Myrna Loy chestnut keeps all the subsitcom histrionics tediously intact.
The families of all sizes who responded so enthusiastically to the original likely will be pleased to know they're getting exactly what they're paying for, but it would have been nice if all involved had at least made an effort to freshen things up just a little.
It's the beginning of summer vacation, and Tom Baker (Steve Martin) and wife Kate (Bonnie Hunt) are beginning to get a taste of being empty-nesters, at least relatively speaking. With so many of their older offspring planning to go off in different directions, Tom announces that there'll be one last Baker family gathering at their old summer vacation home in Lake Winnetka, Wis.
But the promise of an idyllic season of bonding proves short-lived when Tom bumps into his old, more successful rival Jimmy Murtaugh (Levy), and the two drag their respective extended families into heated competition with each other.
Although the original was shot on studio soundstages, "CBTD2" set up camp outside of Toronto, and those long-distance bills must have been steep given the number of those involved who seem to have phoned it in.
While screenwriter Sam Harper, who shared scripting duties in the original, is content to continually trade off the slapstick and the sappy shtick, Shankman keeps his camera trained on Martin's usually dependable mug, ready to zoom in at a moment's notice to capture every "Parenthood"/"Father of the Bride"-dictated tear of joy and pain.
That promise of a Martin-Levy rematch after the two worked so well together in "Bringing Down the House" fails to pay off here, while poor Hunt has little to do but stand back and watch her sharp comedic skills go largely untapped as she's reduced to being the supportive housewife.
Behind-the-scenes contributions are sturdy enough, but virtually everything about this "Cheaper" production, which just wrapped principal photography in September, feels hurried along to meet its lucrative release date.
Cheaper by the Dozen 2
20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox presents a 21 LAPS production
An Adam Shankman film
Credits:
Director: Adam Shankman
Screenwriter: Sam Harper
Based on characters created by: Craig Titley
Based upon the novel "Cheaper by the Dozen" by: Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Producers: Shawn Levy, Ben Myron
Executive producers: Jennifer Gibgot, Adam Shankman, Garrett Grant
Director of photography: Peter James
Production designer: Cary White
Editors: Christopher Greenbury, Matthew Cassel
Costume designer: Joseph G. Aulisi
Music: John Debney
Cast:
Tom Baker: Steve Martin
Jimmy Murtaugh: Eugene Levy
Kate Baker: Bonnie Hunt
Lorraine Baker: Hilary Duff
Charlie Baker: Tom Welling
Nora Baker-McNulty: Piper Perabo
Sarina Murtaugh: Carmen Electra
MPAA rating PG
Running time -- 94 minutes...
Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot's Disney-based Offspring Entertainment has set up two projects at Walt Disney Pictures, one of which is being developed as a potential directing vehicle for Shankman. Overparenting, the project that Shankman is eyeing, is a comedy written by Cheaper by the Dozen scribe Sam Harper. Its story revolves around two overprotective parents who enroll their shy son in an exclusive kindergarten where he makes friends with another student with wealthy parents. His new friend's rich parents invite him and his parents to Hawaii for what turns into a vacation from hell. The Fiance, written by Jennifer Robinson and Dyanne Stemple, is about a woman who breaks off her engagement to the seemingly perfect guy. She decides the only way to get rid of him is for her to find him a new girlfriend, but in the course of doing that, she falls back in love with the man.
- 3/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Opens Dec. 25
Suggested by but otherwise bearing little resemblance to the book and the charming 1950 Clifton Webb-Myrna Loy movie of the same name, Cheaper by the Dozen is a standard-issue family comedy that easily could have been mistaken for a Wonderful World of Disney entry had it not been for the 20th Century Fox logo and the presence of Steve Martin.
With the ever-affable Martin on board, though, it's much easier to market the hand-me-down material to paying audiences who could otherwise view this type of featherweight holiday fare in the comfort of their own TV rooms.
And pay they will -- this Christmas Day arrival is a sure bet in a month that isn't exactly overrun with comedies that have been sufficiently sanitized for families of all ages.
Dispensing with the efficiency expert angle that motivated the original Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey book and the Walter Lang-directed film, the 2003 version presents the 12-child Baker family (Baker's dozen? Hello!) as just your average small-town American, sprawling clan.
But life as they know it is about to change when dad Tom (Martin) has been offered a coaching job at a large Illinois university, while mom, Kate (Bonnie Hunt), receives word from her New York agent that her memoirs, titled Cheaper by the Dozen, are about to be published. (Contrary to what the overworked product placement might otherwise infer, neither owns nor manages a Crate and Barrel.)
The uprooting isn't exactly embraced by the kids, but to complicate the obligatory adjustment to the new neighborhood and schools, Kate is sent on a book tour, leaving poor dad to single-handedly manage the brooding brood while she's rubbing elbows with Regis and Kelly.
Naturally, the inevitable chaos ensues, which has been choreographed with sitcom precision by director Shawn Levy (Just Married, Big Fat Liar), working off a comically uninspired script credited to Sam Harper and Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow.
Thanks to Martin and Hunt, who both have a seemingly casual flair for mining laughs from even the most generic lines of dialogue, Cheaper by the Dozen works better than it might have in less capable hands, but even they're challenged by some of the picture's forced mood swings.
At least they make a convincing couple, which is more than can be said for a family unit that includes the likes of Tom Smallville Welling, Hilary Lizzie McGuire Duff and Piper Coyote Ugly Perabo, which has a lot more to do with all-inclusive demographics than it does with credible genetics.
Cheaper by the Dozen
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox presents a Robert Simonds production
Credits:
Director: Shawn Levy
Screenwriters: Sam Harper and Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow
Screen story: Craig Titley
Book by: Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Producers: Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan, Ben Myron
Director of photography: Jonathan Brown
Production designer: Nina Ruscio
Editor: George Folsey Jr.
Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Music: Christophe Beck
Cast:
Tom Baker: Steve Martin
Kate Baker: Bonnie Hunt
Nora Baker: Piper Perabo
Charlie Baker: Tom Welling
Lorraine Baker: Hilary Duff
Henry Baker: Kevin G. Schmidt
Sarah Baker: Alyson Stoner
MPAA rating: PG
Running time: 99 minutes.
Suggested by but otherwise bearing little resemblance to the book and the charming 1950 Clifton Webb-Myrna Loy movie of the same name, Cheaper by the Dozen is a standard-issue family comedy that easily could have been mistaken for a Wonderful World of Disney entry had it not been for the 20th Century Fox logo and the presence of Steve Martin.
With the ever-affable Martin on board, though, it's much easier to market the hand-me-down material to paying audiences who could otherwise view this type of featherweight holiday fare in the comfort of their own TV rooms.
And pay they will -- this Christmas Day arrival is a sure bet in a month that isn't exactly overrun with comedies that have been sufficiently sanitized for families of all ages.
Dispensing with the efficiency expert angle that motivated the original Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey book and the Walter Lang-directed film, the 2003 version presents the 12-child Baker family (Baker's dozen? Hello!) as just your average small-town American, sprawling clan.
But life as they know it is about to change when dad Tom (Martin) has been offered a coaching job at a large Illinois university, while mom, Kate (Bonnie Hunt), receives word from her New York agent that her memoirs, titled Cheaper by the Dozen, are about to be published. (Contrary to what the overworked product placement might otherwise infer, neither owns nor manages a Crate and Barrel.)
The uprooting isn't exactly embraced by the kids, but to complicate the obligatory adjustment to the new neighborhood and schools, Kate is sent on a book tour, leaving poor dad to single-handedly manage the brooding brood while she's rubbing elbows with Regis and Kelly.
Naturally, the inevitable chaos ensues, which has been choreographed with sitcom precision by director Shawn Levy (Just Married, Big Fat Liar), working off a comically uninspired script credited to Sam Harper and Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow.
Thanks to Martin and Hunt, who both have a seemingly casual flair for mining laughs from even the most generic lines of dialogue, Cheaper by the Dozen works better than it might have in less capable hands, but even they're challenged by some of the picture's forced mood swings.
At least they make a convincing couple, which is more than can be said for a family unit that includes the likes of Tom Smallville Welling, Hilary Lizzie McGuire Duff and Piper Coyote Ugly Perabo, which has a lot more to do with all-inclusive demographics than it does with credible genetics.
Cheaper by the Dozen
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox presents a Robert Simonds production
Credits:
Director: Shawn Levy
Screenwriters: Sam Harper and Joel Cohen & Alec Sokolow
Screen story: Craig Titley
Book by: Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Producers: Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan, Ben Myron
Director of photography: Jonathan Brown
Production designer: Nina Ruscio
Editor: George Folsey Jr.
Costume designer: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Music: Christophe Beck
Cast:
Tom Baker: Steve Martin
Kate Baker: Bonnie Hunt
Nora Baker: Piper Perabo
Charlie Baker: Tom Welling
Lorraine Baker: Hilary Duff
Henry Baker: Kevin G. Schmidt
Sarah Baker: Alyson Stoner
MPAA rating: PG
Running time: 99 minutes.
- 1/15/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Coyote Ugly star Piper Perabo will star opposite Steve Martin in 20th Century Fox's Cheaper by the Dozen for director Shawn Levy and producer Robert Simonds. The project begins shooting Monday. Dozen is a contemporary redo of the 1950 feature comedy about the Gilbreth family (led by Martin and Bonnie Hunt) and its often amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Perabo will play the oldest daughter, whose other siblings are played by Tom Welling and Hilary Duff, among others. The original Cheaper is based on a book by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey; Sam Harper has penned the update. In addition to Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights holder, Ben Myron, are producing. Fox vp production Vanessa Morrison is overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Perabo, repped by UTA and manager Tina Thor, recently wrapped shooting Dimension Films' The I Inside opposite Ryan Phillippe.
- 3/27/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Smallville star Tom Welling and Agent Cody Banks topliner Hilary Duff are joining Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt's family in the Shawn Levy-directed Cheaper by the Dozen for 20th Century Fox and producer Robert Simonds. Welling, making his feature film acting debut, is in negotiations to play the family's oldest son, and Duff has closed a deal to play one of the daughters in a role written specifically for her. Shooting on the film begins March 31. Dozen is a contemporary redo of the 1950 feature comedy about the Gilbreth family and its often-amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Welling will shoot the film while on hiatus from his duties as Superman on the WB series, one of that network's top-rated shows. Duff will begin work in late April before segueing to the recently set up Cinderella Story for Warner Bros. Pictures. The original Cheaper is based on a book by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey; Sam Harper has penned the update. In addition to Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights-holder, Ben Myron, are producing. Fox vp production Vanessa Morrison is overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Welling is repped by CAA, Mosaic Media Group's Paul Nelson and the law firm Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie & Stiffelman. Before Smallville, Welling had a recurring role on CBS' Judging Amy. Duff is repped by Curtis Talent Management and attorney Michael Fuller. She next appears in MGM's Banks opposite Frankie Muniz.
- 3/10/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After finding success on the small screen with her ABC series, Life With Bonnie, on which she plays a working mom, writer-director-actress Bonnie Hunt will try her hand at motherhood on the big screen, joining Steve Martin in 20th Century Fox's remake of Cheaper by the Dozen for helmer Shawn Levy. Hunt has closed a deal to star in the role originated by Myrna Loy in the 1950 comedy about the Gilbreth family and their often amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Hunt and Martin are the first two actor deals to close on the project, but deals for several of the children's roles are expected to close in the next few days as production is scheduled to begin March 31, the studio said. The original Cheaper was based on the book by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Sam Harper penned the contemporary adaptation with TCF vp production Vanessa Morrison overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Producing the project for the studio are Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights holder, Ben Myron. Hunt is repped by ICM. Her series has wrapped for the season, but it recently was picked up for a sophomore run on next year.
After finding success on the small screen with her ABC series, Life With Bonnie, on which she plays a working mom, writer-director-actress Bonnie Hunt will try her hand at motherhood on the big screen, joining Steve Martin in 20th Century Fox's remake of Cheaper by the Dozen for helmer Shawn Levy. Hunt has closed a deal to star in the role originated by Myrna Loy in the 1950 comedy about the Gilbreth family and their often amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Hunt and Martin are the first two actor deals to close on the project, but deals for several of the children's roles are expected to close in the next few days as production is scheduled to begin March 31, the studio said. The original Cheaper was based on the book by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Sam Harper penned the contemporary adaptation with TCF vp production Vanessa Morrison overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Producing the project for the studio are Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights holder, Ben Myron. Hunt is repped by ICM. Her series has wrapped for the season, but it recently was picked up for a sophomore run on next year.
Not since a dwarf strode to the plate to bat for the White Sox in a promotional gimmick have Chicago fans witnessed a pint-sized baseballer like the one in this fantastic story where the Cubs sign a 12-year-old to pitch them to the pennant.
With this scrappy comedy, 20th Century Fox clearly has a ringer in its summer lineup, a slugger posing as a sleeper. When the dust has cleared on the boxoffice season, score a big H, or hit, for ''Rookie of the Year.''
Twelve-year-old Henry Rowengartner Thomas Ian Nicholas) is just your average, skinny Chicago kid with a single mom (Amy Morton), a couple of good buddies (Robert Gorman, Patrick LaBrecque) and a lot of the typical peer pressures that the modern 12-year old faces.
Athletically, in fact, Henry is a bit of a geek, until he literally stumbles into superstardom. He trips over a baseball, smashes up his shoulder and when it heals, he's got a tightly wound superarm. No longer a benchwarmer, Henry can now clock them over the plate at 100 mph.
The hapless Cubs, mired as usual in late-season doldrums, sign him up as a promo gimmick, to boost attendance. After a wobbly start, Henry finds his rhythm, chiefly through some solid mentoring by the team's chief ace (Gary Busey). Suddenly, the Cubbies are in the pennant race and Henry is the toast of the town. Move over, Michael Jordan.
Lacing the exhilaration of childhood fantasies within a modern-day family story, screenwriter Sam Harper has served up a wonderfully upbeat entertainment. The story bounces along with some terrific ''Major League''-ish comedy with director Daniel Stern keeping ''Rookie'' light and fleet on the story paths. Stern is also a highlight wearing his player's cap, goosing things up with his hilarious, slapstick antics as Henry's hapless pitching coach.
As the kid who stumbles into stardom, Nicholas is a natural, conveying the dreamy gangliness of an everyday boy who comes to stand tall not only on the mound but in real life. Morton as the young fireballer's supportive mom is, perhaps, the cast's strongest player. Her strong and warm performance brings uncommon depth to this type of entertainment. Similarly, Busey delivers as the crusty, shoulder-hurting hurler. Set up a round of tap beers at Harry Caray's for John Candy's uncredited trip to the cinematic plate as the Cubs' overwrought announcer.
Tech credits are big league, especially Bill Conti's rousing, ballpark-flavored score and Jay Hurley's apt and funny costumes.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
20th Century Fox
A Robert Harper Production
A Daniel Stern Film
Producer Robert Harper
Director Daniel Stern
Screenwriter Sam Harper
Executive producers Jack Brodsky, Irby Smith
Director of photography Jack N. Green
Production designer Steven Jordan
Editors Donn Cambern, Raja Gosnell
Music Bill Conti
Costume designer Jay Hurley
Casting Linda Lowy
Sound mixer Scott Smith
Color/Stereo
Henry Rowengartner Thomas Ian Nicholas
Chet Stedman Gary Busey
Martinella Albert Hall
Mary Rowengartner Amy Morton
Larry (Fish) Fisher Dan Hedaya
Jack Bradfield Bruce Altman
Bob Carson Eddie Bracken
Cleark Robert Gorman
George Patrick LaBrecque
Brickma Daniel Stern
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
With this scrappy comedy, 20th Century Fox clearly has a ringer in its summer lineup, a slugger posing as a sleeper. When the dust has cleared on the boxoffice season, score a big H, or hit, for ''Rookie of the Year.''
Twelve-year-old Henry Rowengartner Thomas Ian Nicholas) is just your average, skinny Chicago kid with a single mom (Amy Morton), a couple of good buddies (Robert Gorman, Patrick LaBrecque) and a lot of the typical peer pressures that the modern 12-year old faces.
Athletically, in fact, Henry is a bit of a geek, until he literally stumbles into superstardom. He trips over a baseball, smashes up his shoulder and when it heals, he's got a tightly wound superarm. No longer a benchwarmer, Henry can now clock them over the plate at 100 mph.
The hapless Cubs, mired as usual in late-season doldrums, sign him up as a promo gimmick, to boost attendance. After a wobbly start, Henry finds his rhythm, chiefly through some solid mentoring by the team's chief ace (Gary Busey). Suddenly, the Cubbies are in the pennant race and Henry is the toast of the town. Move over, Michael Jordan.
Lacing the exhilaration of childhood fantasies within a modern-day family story, screenwriter Sam Harper has served up a wonderfully upbeat entertainment. The story bounces along with some terrific ''Major League''-ish comedy with director Daniel Stern keeping ''Rookie'' light and fleet on the story paths. Stern is also a highlight wearing his player's cap, goosing things up with his hilarious, slapstick antics as Henry's hapless pitching coach.
As the kid who stumbles into stardom, Nicholas is a natural, conveying the dreamy gangliness of an everyday boy who comes to stand tall not only on the mound but in real life. Morton as the young fireballer's supportive mom is, perhaps, the cast's strongest player. Her strong and warm performance brings uncommon depth to this type of entertainment. Similarly, Busey delivers as the crusty, shoulder-hurting hurler. Set up a round of tap beers at Harry Caray's for John Candy's uncredited trip to the cinematic plate as the Cubs' overwrought announcer.
Tech credits are big league, especially Bill Conti's rousing, ballpark-flavored score and Jay Hurley's apt and funny costumes.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
20th Century Fox
A Robert Harper Production
A Daniel Stern Film
Producer Robert Harper
Director Daniel Stern
Screenwriter Sam Harper
Executive producers Jack Brodsky, Irby Smith
Director of photography Jack N. Green
Production designer Steven Jordan
Editors Donn Cambern, Raja Gosnell
Music Bill Conti
Costume designer Jay Hurley
Casting Linda Lowy
Sound mixer Scott Smith
Color/Stereo
Henry Rowengartner Thomas Ian Nicholas
Chet Stedman Gary Busey
Martinella Albert Hall
Mary Rowengartner Amy Morton
Larry (Fish) Fisher Dan Hedaya
Jack Bradfield Bruce Altman
Bob Carson Eddie Bracken
Cleark Robert Gorman
George Patrick LaBrecque
Brickma Daniel Stern
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
- 6/28/1993
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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