Film Review: Ted 2

Seth MacFarlane’s Ted 2 is an apt follow-up to the 2012 hit comedy. The brand of humour will not appeal to all, but there’s certainly an audience who will find the film very funny.

Ted, still working at the supermarket, is now married and seeks to adopt a child with his wife. When the process raises questions of Ted’s legitimacy as a person, he enlists best friend John and young lawyer Samantha on his quest for civil rights…

Director and co-writer Seth MacFarlane offers more of the same with this sequel to the comedy hit Ted.  The film once again relies on crude comedy and pop culture references as its source of humour. Ted 2 might not be sophisticated, but it should make viewers laugh.

This time around, the narrative concentrates on Ted being denied basic rights and taking the matter to court. It is perhaps not the tangent fans of the first film would expect Ted 2 to take. Nevertheless, the plot of the first film demanded that this sequel explored a different avenue, and the theme of the film is perfectly adequate.

The comedy is crude, relying on a similar set of jokes as the first film. If the pot-and-pop-culture references suit viewers, then Ted 2 definitely works as a comedy. Some of the jokes are vulgar, others are juvenile, but most are successful. The film is littered with little cutaways, not unlike MacFarlane’s Family Guy.

Mark Wahlberg reprises his role as John. This time, he plays second fiddle to MacFarlane’s voicing of Ted. Amanda Seyfried is a good addition to the cast, in that she plays a central female character with similar characteristics to the pair. Ted 2 tries to be a little more evolved with its views than its predecessor, and this is a welcome change.

Ted 2 delivers the style of humour that MacFarlane fans will be accustomed to. No real surprises here, but entertaining for those who enjoyed the first outing.

Previews: Inside Out TV Spot, Maggie Trailer and More

A cornucopia of film-related goodness in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the latest Inside Out TV spot, a Terminator Genisys featurette, Maggie trailer and lots more…

Inside Out TV Spot

Here is the latest Inside Out TV spot. The Disney Pixar film has been doing fantastic business in the US, and looks certain to replicate that in the UK with its summer holiday’s release. With the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, Inside Out hits UK screens on 24th July 2015.

Terminator Genisys Featurette

The cast and crew of upcoming Terminator Genisys talk about protagonist Sarah Connor in this new featurette. The famous action heroine is played by Game of Thrones‘ Emilia Clarke, who indicates that there will be nods to the original film in this latest instalment of the franchise. Terminator Genisys is released on 2nd July 2015.

Ant-Man TV Spot

Marvel’s latest super hero to receive the big-screen treatment is Ant-Man. From the above TV spots and earlier trailers, the film looks to offer a fair amount of humour. Starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, Ant-Man launches its way onto the big screen on 17th July 2015.

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation Poster

Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in the five instalment of the Mission: Impossible film franchise. Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation sees the IMF disbanded, leaving Ethan and his team trying to combat deadly terror attacks. With Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames also returning, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation bursts into cinemas on 30th July 2015.

Maggie Trailer

Arnold Schwarzenegger must once again play the hero in new thriller Maggie. The film is a teenage girl who is infected during a zombie outbreak, and her father’s efforts to protect her. Also starring Abigail Breslin, Maggie is set for release on 24th July 2015.

Ted 2 Trailer

So teddy bears coming to life is something that I dream about. Ted is a little lewd for my tastes, but the first film was enjoyable enough. Ted 2 reunites Mark Wahlberg and Seth McFarlane, and brings on board Amanda Seyfried as Ted’s lawyer. Ted 2 hits the big screen on 8th July 2015 in the UK.

Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension Trailer

The trailer for the latest instalment of the Paranormal Activity franchise is here. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension sees a family discover some old VHS tapes which hold a nasty surprise. The conclusion of the horror franchise is scheduled for release on 30th October 2015.

Vacation Poster

Here is the latest poster for upcoming comedy Vacation. The film is the latest in the National Lampoon franchise, and sees a grown-up Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) taking his family on a road-trip vacation. Also starring Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann and Chris Hemsworth, Vacation is release in UK cinemas on 21st August 2015.

The Secret Life of Pets Trailer

I know what pets to all day; the nap and eat and nap some more. That is to say, they live the life. New animated comedy The Secret Life of Pets takes us behind closed doors. Featuring the voices of Louis C.K., Ellie Kemper and Hannibal Buress, The Secret Life of Pets  is set for release on 24th June 2016.

Fantastic Four Photo Shoot

Here are the stars of the new Fantastic Four film looking dapper. Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell star as the superhero quartet in the reboot of the Marvel franchise. Fantastic Four launches its way onto the big screen on 6th August 2015.

Spectre Vlog

Here is the latest blog from the set of new James Bond move Spectre. Director Sam Mendes discusses filming a scene that takes place amidst the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico City. Starring Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz, Spectre will be released on 6th November 2015.

Magic Mike XXL Clip

The marketing for sequel Magic Mike XXL has been wonderful. This latest clip suggests the tongue-in-cheek attitude will continue in the film. Whereas the first film descended into schmaltz, here’s hoping this instalment will keep the tone humorous. The film is, after all, about male entertainers. Magic Mike XXL is released in cinemas on 3rd July 2015.

Film Review: A Million Ways to Die in the West

Seth MacFarlane’s A Million Ways to Die in the West is a fine idea in concept, but disappoints in actuality.

Albert is a timid sheep farmer in the Wild West. Too scared to do what it takes to impress his girlfriend Louise, Albert seems a lost cause until newcomer Anna rides into town…

A Million Ways to Die in the West does entertain its viewers, but not in the satisfying way it should. For a comedy, Seth MacFarlane’s film simply is not funny enough. Humour misses more times than it hits. There are not enough belly laughs in A Million Ways to Die in the West. Jokes are more likely to raise a smirk, but often do not provoke even this much of a  reaction. There is a significant amount of toilet humour in the film, which may not be a surprise to those familiar with MacFarlane’s output. However, this also fails; even those with the basest sense of humour will struggle to raise a laugh consistently.

A Million Ways to Die in the West feels almost as if Seth MacFarlane wished to make a Western, but felt he had to put a humorous spin on it. The humour feels tired, with a noticeable lack of effort. Nevertheless, due to this vein of silliness, it is hard to take other aspects of the film seriously. Without the humour to fall back on, the narrative needed to be strong. The bones of the story is fine, yet it is not fleshed out in an engaging manner. The audience are not given enough in order to care about the protagonist.

Seth MacFarlane’s central performance is lazy. There is a lack of range to his performance that is grating. Others in the cast, such as Charlize Theron and Neil Patrick Harris, shine in comparison. The soundtrack is good, and the cameos are fun.

With a second half that drags, A Million Ways to Die in the West needed to be sharper, funnier and more engaging.

Stuff To Look At

Here lies the brand new Interstellar trailer, plus Cinderella, Transformers: Age of Extinction, A Million Ways to Die in the West and more…

Interstellar

Here is the latest Interstellar trailer. Christopher Nolan’s hotly anticipated film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine. Interstellar will be released in the UK on 7th November 2014.

Cinderella

Hot on the tails of the upcoming Maleficent, another Disney classic is given the live-action treatment. Starring Cate Blanchett, Stellan Skarsgård and Helena Bonham Carter, and directed by Kenneth Branagh, This teaser does not reveal much, except an awfully shiny glass slipper. I always thought glass shoes would be incredibly painful to walk in, yet Cinderella dances the night away in hers. Anyway, Cinderella is set for release on 3rd April 2015.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Here is the latest trailer for Transformers: Age of Extinction. The most important thing you will see occurs in the last twenty seconds. Dinobots! Starring Marky Mark, Stanley Tucci and Kelsey Grammer, although the humans are decidedly less important than the robots in disguise. Transformers: Age of Extinction hits UK screens on 10th July 2014.

A Million Ways to Die in the West

Above is a clip from the upcoming comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West. Without context, the clip seems only to offer a glimpse into the character of Albert, played by Seth MacFarlane, who also directs, produces and co-writes the film. A Million Ways to Die in the West is released in cinemas on 30th May 2014.

22 Jump Street

Here is a new clip from 21 Jump Street sequel 22 Jump Street. The film sees Schmidt and Jenko head to college. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum had good chemistry in the first film, which will hopefully be replicated here. 22 Jump Street hits UK cinemas on 6th June 2014.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I saw this trailer in Imax a few days ago, and it looks mighty impressive on the big screen. The follow-up to the 2011 hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes stars Gary Oldman and Jason Clarke. I am hoping for flashback sequences of baby Cesar, although great action will do just fine. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is released on 17th July 2014.

Summer of Cinema

Here is a compilation of all the big films that are being released this summer, from the Film Distributors’ Association. I didn’t recognise all of them, but there are some exciting films to come this season. If you can’t get enough of trailer compilations, I suggest you check out this blockbuster one by AMONymous.

Stuff To Look At

Plenty of cinematic treasure this week, with the new A Million Ways to Die in the West trailer, Noah, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and more…

A Million Ways to Die in the West

Warning: this A Million Ways to Die in the West trailer is red band. A Million Ways to Die in the West is the latest film from Seth MacFarlane, who also leads a cast that includes Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson. A Million Ways to Die in the West is set for release on 6th June 2014 in the UK.

Noah

This is the Superbowl TV spot for Darren Aronofsky’s Noah. It is an intriguing prospect; a director like Aronofsky doing a large-scale biblical epic. The story of Noah does not seem meaty enough for a feature film, so it plot must be fleshed out somehow. The mystery of the unicorns perhaps. Noah is released in UK cinemas on 4th April 2014.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

This new character poster for Captain America: The Winter Soldier suggests Scarlet Johansson’s Black Widow has a prominent role to play in this Marvel sequel. Given her somewhat ambiguous nature in previous appearances, it will be interesting to see what director’s Anthony and Joe Russo do with her here. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is hits UK screens on 26th March 2014.

The LEGO Movie

I used to love Lego so I find The LEGO Movie appealing. From the above featurette, the film smartly does not seem to take itself seriously. With a host of star names and featuring Batman, I am hoping the film will be an amusing adventure. The LEGO Movie is released in cinemas on 14th February 2014.

A Long Way Down

An adaptation of Nick Hornby’s novel, A Long Way Down offers a rather macabre premise made humorous. Starring Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette and Aaron Paul, A Long Way Down is out in UK cinemas on 21st March 2014.

Starred Up

Starred Up is a new British drama starring Jack O’Connell and Rupert Friend. The film is about Eric, a troubled teenager transitioning from young offenders’ institute to prison. You can watch the trailer here. Starred Up is released on 21st March 2014.

Maleficent

This new trailer for Maleficent was released earlier this week, with Lana Del Ray’s rendition of ‘Once Upon a Dream’. Angelina Jolie was looks like she was made for the title role, in physical appearance at least. Maleficent looks like it will be quite dark, going back to its fairy tale roots. Maleficent hits UK cinemas on 30 May 2014.

The Invisible Woman

Here is a TV spot for the upcoming film The Invisible Woman. The story of Charles Dickens and his young lover Nelly, the film stars Ralph Fiennes (who also directs) and Felicity Jones. You can read my review here. The Invisible Woman is released nationwide in the UK on 21st February 2014.

Film Review: Ted

Those familiar with the level of crassness associated with Seth MacFarlane will be greatly amused and entertained by Ted. Occasionally close to the bone, Ted is nevertheless very funny.

As a child, John Bennett wishes that his teddy bear would come to life. When that wish comes true, John is the happiest boy in the world. As an adult, John is still best friends with Ted. John and Ted’s friendship is tested when John’s girlfriend Lori wants more from their relationship…

Ted offers a premise that most children would dream of; a cherished teddy bear coming to life. Despite this childhood wish fulfilment, and indeed the amusing opening gambit, MacFarlane’s film offers the flipside to what could have been an enchanting tale. John has to deal with Ted as an adult, a bear who appears to be stuck in perpetual adolescence while John needs to mature for the sake of his relationship. Whilst Ted is an amusing and affable character, it would be a hard sell to describe him as cute and cuddly.

The jokes in Ted are frequent, and hit the mark the vast majority of the time. Seth MacFarlane’s imprint is all over the film; fans of Family Guy will recognise several facets. There are plenty of references, particularly to 1980s popular culture. There are also some great cameos in the film.

The more emotional content of Ted works surprisingly well, most likely because it is couched by humour instead of becoming indulgently sentimental. The narration at the beginning of the film is a fantastic introduction, and a good indicator of the type of humour that viewers can expect. Mark Wahlberg shows off his comedy skills as John. Mila Kunis is as watchable as ever as Lori. Voicing Ted, MacFarlane’s voice brings life and personality to the character.

 

Trailer Round-Up

This week’s pick of trailers include horror movie Silent House, the George Lucas-produced Red Tails and Seth MacFarlane’s Ted.

Savages

Savages combines a number of enticing elements. Directed by Oliver Stone, the film is based on Don Winslow’s best-selling crime novel. Savages boasts a stellar ensemble cast that includes Salma Hayek, John Travolta, Blake Lively and Taylor Kitsch, who has very much been on the radar in 2012. The action thriller is due for release on 28th September 2012, in the UK.

Red Tails

Red Tails is based on the true story of World War II’s first African American fighter squadron. The first thing that struck me about the publicity for the film was the hot 80s-esque type font. Produced by George Lucas, Red Tails is directed by Anthony Hemingway (who has a solid career in television, including The Wire). Red Tails is released on 6th June 2012.

Ted

Just like the trailer suggests, as a child I always wanted my teddies to come alive. Actually, as an adult, I still wish for this. Ted is a new comedy from Family Guy-creator Seth MacFarlane. Written, directed and voiced by MacFarlane, the film is sure to offer the same brand of close-to-the-bone humour. Ted, which stars Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, is released on 3rd August 2012.

Silent House

Silent House is a horror film that takes place in real time and in one continuous take. I recently watched Rope again, which truly mastered the long take in the late 1940s. It will be interesting to see how Silent House compares. The film is a remake of Uruguayan film La Casa Muda. Silent House, which stars Elizabeth Olsen, opens on 4th May 2012 in the UK.