Although the prospect of seeing another attempt at reworking the “Bad News Bears” formula within another sport may feel like it would be a complete failure, the film The Underdoggs, manages to remain somewhat likable and entertaining thanks in large part to a strong ensemble cast that seems aware of what types of film they are in and exactly what needs to be done to make it work.
The film follows the familiar trope of a washed-up ex-professional athlete Jaycen Jennings (Snoop Dogg) who, after hitting rock bottom, is afforded an opportunity to redeem himself through community service. Service which ultimately leads to a fulfilling character rebirth as that former self-indulgent, hard to get along with, and “lonely” player rediscovers what exactly drew him to the game in the first place.
Director Charles Stone III – perhaps best known for Drumline (2022) and Mr. 3000 (2004) – holds the film together well and paces it economically.
The film follows the familiar trope of a washed-up ex-professional athlete Jaycen Jennings (Snoop Dogg) who, after hitting rock bottom, is afforded an opportunity to redeem himself through community service. Service which ultimately leads to a fulfilling character rebirth as that former self-indulgent, hard to get along with, and “lonely” player rediscovers what exactly drew him to the game in the first place.
Director Charles Stone III – perhaps best known for Drumline (2022) and Mr. 3000 (2004) – holds the film together well and paces it economically.
- 1/26/2024
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
The puckish appeal of Charles Stone III’s The Underdoggs, a new spin on The Bad News Bears, is apparent from its opening title card, which offers a warning that its R rating was well earned, that no child should watch it, and that, well, the kids you really have to worry about are the ones whose parents don’t allow them to watch R-rated films.
Snoop Dogg stars as Jaycen “Two Js” Jennings, a former high school football star whose clutch, single-handed catch during his senior-year championship game set him up for a career as a young NFL hotshot who, predictably, flamed out in a blaze of ignominy, hubris, and sativa. (His puff-don’t-pass signature end-zone dance makes it clear that the “two Js” of his nickname aren’t derived from his first and last names.) Much like Bernie Mac’s character in Stone’s Mr. 3000, Jaycen seems...
Snoop Dogg stars as Jaycen “Two Js” Jennings, a former high school football star whose clutch, single-handed catch during his senior-year championship game set him up for a career as a young NFL hotshot who, predictably, flamed out in a blaze of ignominy, hubris, and sativa. (His puff-don’t-pass signature end-zone dance makes it clear that the “two Js” of his nickname aren’t derived from his first and last names.) Much like Bernie Mac’s character in Stone’s Mr. 3000, Jaycen seems...
- 1/25/2024
- by Eric Henderson
- Slant Magazine
Jason Reed has been appointed head of Skydance Sports, the sports-focused studio joint venture formed between David Ellison’s Skydance Media and the NFL.
In the new role, Reed will oversee all Skydance Sports operations and the development and production of the studio’s entire slate of sports-driven storytelling across scripted and unscripted content, documentaries, and events including and not limited to NFL content. He’ll report directly to the Skydance Sports Board of Directors, which includes Skydance Media’s president and COO, Jesse Sisgold, who now serves as Chairman.
“Jason is an outstanding executive with a proven track record of running complex organizations and producing top-quality films and series. His versatility, creative sensibility, and expertise launching some of the world’s most recognizable franchises is a boon to Skydance Sports, as we look to harness our early successes and scale the global footprint of the studio,” said Sisgold.
Reed...
In the new role, Reed will oversee all Skydance Sports operations and the development and production of the studio’s entire slate of sports-driven storytelling across scripted and unscripted content, documentaries, and events including and not limited to NFL content. He’ll report directly to the Skydance Sports Board of Directors, which includes Skydance Media’s president and COO, Jesse Sisgold, who now serves as Chairman.
“Jason is an outstanding executive with a proven track record of running complex organizations and producing top-quality films and series. His versatility, creative sensibility, and expertise launching some of the world’s most recognizable franchises is a boon to Skydance Sports, as we look to harness our early successes and scale the global footprint of the studio,” said Sisgold.
Reed...
- 10/5/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Veteran producer and film executive Jason T. Reed has been named as the head of Skydance Sports, the company announced on Thursday.
Skydance Sports is the sports-focused studio collaboration that was established in 2022, a joint effort between David Ellison’s Skydance Media and the NFL.
With more than 20 years in the media and content industry, Reed’s history includes the creation and production of significant film and TV intellectual properties, such as “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and the live-action version of “Mulan.” Furthermore, he had an 18-year tenure at The Walt Disney Company, where he excelled in international production and franchise management.
In his newly created role, Reed will spearhead Skydance Sports operations and oversee the development and production of the studio’s entire slate of sports-driven storytelling. This will encompass both scripted and unscripted content, documentaries and events, including NFL-related content.
Reed will report directly to...
Skydance Sports is the sports-focused studio collaboration that was established in 2022, a joint effort between David Ellison’s Skydance Media and the NFL.
With more than 20 years in the media and content industry, Reed’s history includes the creation and production of significant film and TV intellectual properties, such as “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and the live-action version of “Mulan.” Furthermore, he had an 18-year tenure at The Walt Disney Company, where he excelled in international production and franchise management.
In his newly created role, Reed will spearhead Skydance Sports operations and oversee the development and production of the studio’s entire slate of sports-driven storytelling. This will encompass both scripted and unscripted content, documentaries and events, including NFL-related content.
Reed will report directly to...
- 10/5/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Jason T. Reed, a veteran producer who spent 18 years as an exec at Disney overseeing a number of top franchises, has been named Head of Skydance Sports.
The division of David Ellison’s Skydance Media last year formally teamed with the NFL and NFL Films. In his newly created role, Reed will lead overall Skydance Sports operations and the development and production of the studio’s entire slate of sports-driven scripted and unscripted projects, along with documentaries and events.
Jon Weinbach, who has served as President of Skydance Sports since its 2021 formation, will now focus on overseeing the studio’s unscripted and documentary slate. That unit produced NFL Draft: The Pick Is In, a docuseries that became Roku’s most-watched original documentary title ever, earning a renewal for 2024. Another title shepherded by Weinbach was Kelce, a feature documentary on Prime Video about Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
As Reed takes on the head role,...
The division of David Ellison’s Skydance Media last year formally teamed with the NFL and NFL Films. In his newly created role, Reed will lead overall Skydance Sports operations and the development and production of the studio’s entire slate of sports-driven scripted and unscripted projects, along with documentaries and events.
Jon Weinbach, who has served as President of Skydance Sports since its 2021 formation, will now focus on overseeing the studio’s unscripted and documentary slate. That unit produced NFL Draft: The Pick Is In, a docuseries that became Roku’s most-watched original documentary title ever, earning a renewal for 2024. Another title shepherded by Weinbach was Kelce, a feature documentary on Prime Video about Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce.
As Reed takes on the head role,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Prime Video got off to a fast start this summer with the release of The Boys season 3 on June 3. Now, as we enter the dog days, Prime Video is set to keep the warm weather good times rolling with a new twist on an old classic. That’s right, Amazon’s list of new releases for August 2022 is highlighted by some good old-fashioned baseball.
A League of Their Own, the TV adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie, is set to premiere on Aug. 12. Like the movie before it, the series will dramatize the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League which saw women playing America’s pastime while the major leagues were on pause for World War II. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) co-created the show and will star as catcher Carson Shaw.
Other Prime Video Originals of note this month include season 2 of British comedy The Outlaws on and the Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives,...
A League of Their Own, the TV adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie, is set to premiere on Aug. 12. Like the movie before it, the series will dramatize the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League which saw women playing America’s pastime while the major leagues were on pause for World War II. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) co-created the show and will star as catcher Carson Shaw.
Other Prime Video Originals of note this month include season 2 of British comedy The Outlaws on and the Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives,...
- 8/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Prime Video will continue rolling out its summer slate in the month of August, releasing new original series, as well as a mix of suspenseful films, action movies and more.
Amazon’s series version of “A League of Their Own” will debut its eight-episode first season on Aug. 12, introducing new characters and stories set in the historical opening of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (Aagpbl).
Ron Howard’s “Thirteen Lives” tells the real-life story of how a young boys’ soccer team was rescued from the Thai mountain cave where they got stuck for 10 days along with their coach.
Other new film arrivals include hits from earlier this summer, “The Lost City” starring Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt, as well as “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Academy Award-nominated film “Licorice Pizza” also arrives on Prime Video this month.
Freevee will also have new arrivals this month.
Amazon’s series version of “A League of Their Own” will debut its eight-episode first season on Aug. 12, introducing new characters and stories set in the historical opening of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (Aagpbl).
Ron Howard’s “Thirteen Lives” tells the real-life story of how a young boys’ soccer team was rescued from the Thai mountain cave where they got stuck for 10 days along with their coach.
Other new film arrivals include hits from earlier this summer, “The Lost City” starring Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt, as well as “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Academy Award-nominated film “Licorice Pizza” also arrives on Prime Video this month.
Freevee will also have new arrivals this month.
- 7/30/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
A new season of “The Boys,” the latest “Bond” movie and the entire “Twilight” franchise are among the new streaming additions to Amazon Prime Video in June. The highly anticipated “The Boys” Season 3 is set to premiere on June 3 with the first three episodes of the season, followed by one new episode weekly.
The Jenny Han adaptation “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” a new YA series, premieres on June 17. And Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie “No Time to Die” makes its streaming debut on Prime Video on June 10.
As far as noteworthy library titles go, this is also your new streaming home for the “Twilight” franchise, while “Shaun of the Dead,” “Galaxy Quest” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” will all be streaming starting June 1.
We’ve also included a complete list of what’s new on Freevee – formerly known as IMDbTV – in June, which will be hosting the entire...
The Jenny Han adaptation “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” a new YA series, premieres on June 17. And Daniel Craig’s final James Bond movie “No Time to Die” makes its streaming debut on Prime Video on June 10.
As far as noteworthy library titles go, this is also your new streaming home for the “Twilight” franchise, while “Shaun of the Dead,” “Galaxy Quest” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” will all be streaming starting June 1.
We’ve also included a complete list of what’s new on Freevee – formerly known as IMDbTV – in June, which will be hosting the entire...
- 6/1/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Prime Video’s list of new releases for June 2022 features the one superhero show this season you’re not gonna want to miss.
That’s right: The Boys are (almost) back in town. The Boys season 3 premieres its first three episodes on June 3 and its cast and crew have promised spectacle beyond your wildest dreams. How will Homelander adapt to life after Stormfront? We’ll get to find out soon.
Read more TV The Boys: How Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy “Shakes Things Up” in Season 3 By Alec Bojalad TV The Boys Season 3 Trailer: There’s Something Wrong With Homelander By Alec Bojalad
Aside from that one very big hit, it’s a relatively light month for Prime Video originals of note. June 17 sees the arrival of two light and breezy summer projects. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a movie adapted from a trio of beloved YA novels. Meanwhile The Lake...
That’s right: The Boys are (almost) back in town. The Boys season 3 premieres its first three episodes on June 3 and its cast and crew have promised spectacle beyond your wildest dreams. How will Homelander adapt to life after Stormfront? We’ll get to find out soon.
Read more TV The Boys: How Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy “Shakes Things Up” in Season 3 By Alec Bojalad TV The Boys Season 3 Trailer: There’s Something Wrong With Homelander By Alec Bojalad
Aside from that one very big hit, it’s a relatively light month for Prime Video originals of note. June 17 sees the arrival of two light and breezy summer projects. The Summer I Turned Pretty is a movie adapted from a trio of beloved YA novels. Meanwhile The Lake...
- 6/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
With its list of new releases for January 2022, Amazon Prime Video is keeping things pretty simple. The streaming giant is rolling out a couple of original films, one big TV effort, and a whole host of library content, then calling it a day. And really, that’s all you need!
The two Amazon original films this month are of the family friendly variety. The Tender Bar, based on a memoir of the same name and directed by George Clooney, premieres on Jan. 7. This is followed on Jan. 14 by Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. This is the fourth installment in the animated Hotel Transylvania series, hammering home the fact that if you bring Adam Sandler and Genndy Tartakovsky aboard you project, things are gonna go pretty smoothly.
The one Amazon original TV series this month is As We See It. This project comes from Friday Night Lights head writer Jason Katims and is...
The two Amazon original films this month are of the family friendly variety. The Tender Bar, based on a memoir of the same name and directed by George Clooney, premieres on Jan. 7. This is followed on Jan. 14 by Hotel Transylvania: Transformania. This is the fourth installment in the animated Hotel Transylvania series, hammering home the fact that if you bring Adam Sandler and Genndy Tartakovsky aboard you project, things are gonna go pretty smoothly.
The one Amazon original TV series this month is As We See It. This project comes from Friday Night Lights head writer Jason Katims and is...
- 1/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Sophia Chang’s career is nothing, if not colorful. The Korean Canadian storyteller, screenwriter and author has a pilot in the works at FX for her original dramedy, tentatively titled “The Baddest Bitch in the Room,” Variety has learned exclusively. The show is named after her memoir, which hits bookshelves on Tuesday and chronicles her life growing up with immigrant parents, working as manager of the Wu-Tang Clan, marrying a Shaolin monk and becoming “the first Asian woman in hip hop.”
And in the same way Chang has pursued her dreams, she wants to empower other women of color to do so, as well. On Monday, Chang announced the launch of Unlock Her Potential, a mentorship program for women of color who want to break into the entertainment industry and beyond.
The idea for the program came to Chang when she was delivering a lecture at Columbia University. A Black woman stood up,...
And in the same way Chang has pursued her dreams, she wants to empower other women of color to do so, as well. On Monday, Chang announced the launch of Unlock Her Potential, a mentorship program for women of color who want to break into the entertainment industry and beyond.
The idea for the program came to Chang when she was delivering a lecture at Columbia University. A Black woman stood up,...
- 9/7/2020
- by Mackenzie Nichols
- Variety Film + TV
This week, Netflix will premiere a new Ryan Murphy project in which gay characters in the 1940s must keep their sexual orientation a secret for fear of losing their jobs and being rejected by friends and family — but we’re not talking about Murphy’s seven-part miniseries “Hollywood,” which covers some of that territory as it tells a fictional story set against the backdrop of the movie business after World War II.
Murphy’s other Netflix release this week is “A Secret Love,” a documentary directed by Chris Bolan, produced by Murphy and executive produced by Jason Blum, among others. The film, which premieres on Wednesday, deals with a seven-decade relationship between two women who met in 1947 when one of them was playing in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was later celebrated in “A League of Their Own”.
“A Secret Love” spans more than 70 years in the lives...
Murphy’s other Netflix release this week is “A Secret Love,” a documentary directed by Chris Bolan, produced by Murphy and executive produced by Jason Blum, among others. The film, which premieres on Wednesday, deals with a seven-decade relationship between two women who met in 1947 when one of them was playing in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was later celebrated in “A League of Their Own”.
“A Secret Love” spans more than 70 years in the lives...
- 4/28/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Disney is now so known for market dominance and popular culture ubiquity that it’s easy to forget how bad Disney’s box office fortunes were when outgoing CEO Bob Iger took charge in 2005. In the final years of Michael Eisner’s tenure atop Disney in the early 2000s, the studio had its box office hits. Pixar, still rising to power as the top animation studio in the world, was pumping out hits like “Finding Nemo” and “The Incredibles.” And Walt Disney Pictures made live-action hits like “Pirates of the Caribbean” — despite Eisner’s initial resistance to make that film. Touchstone Pictures was also producing more mature films that found widespread success like M. Night Shyamalan’s “Signs.” But for every one of those hits, there were also plenty of misses. Walt Disney Animation Studios flopped with films like “Treasure Planet” and “Home on the Range,” and the live-action division...
- 2/26/2020
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Day of the Mother: Stone’s Flighty Revenge Thriller Favors Laughs
There’s a certain degree of entertainment to be gleaned from director Charles Stone III’s latest feature, Lila & Eve, from first time screenwriter Pat Gilfallan, though unfortunately in the form of unintentional comedy. Derided as a camp after its late premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, it’s Stone’s first directorial feature in over a decade (he’s been working in television since the 2004 Bernie Mac headlined Mr 3000, including the widely discussed TLC Lifetime film CrazySexyCool), and most likely won’t garner much favorable attention. Bearing the familiar turns we’ve become accustomed to in the limited subgenre of female driven revenge films, Gilfallan peppers his scenario with bits of illogical instances and eventually neuters the shock value of his big twist well before the third act begins. And even though this robs the film of its sleazy,...
There’s a certain degree of entertainment to be gleaned from director Charles Stone III’s latest feature, Lila & Eve, from first time screenwriter Pat Gilfallan, though unfortunately in the form of unintentional comedy. Derided as a camp after its late premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, it’s Stone’s first directorial feature in over a decade (he’s been working in television since the 2004 Bernie Mac headlined Mr 3000, including the widely discussed TLC Lifetime film CrazySexyCool), and most likely won’t garner much favorable attention. Bearing the familiar turns we’ve become accustomed to in the limited subgenre of female driven revenge films, Gilfallan peppers his scenario with bits of illogical instances and eventually neuters the shock value of his big twist well before the third act begins. And even though this robs the film of its sleazy,...
- 7/17/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
A gathering of Scientologists, conspiring to take over the world, or a meeting of superstar creative minds? Go with the latter
Circulating around the film blogosphere currently are reports, accompanied by photos, that show Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tom Cruise, and a few other actors leaving a place called the Saddle Ranch, on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, yesterday, Tuesday morning.
It’s been confirmed that they were all present for a table reading of a script for a film Will Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment production company are developing, titled, Paper Wings, which Will Smith’s Pursuit Of Happyness director, Gabriele Muccino, has been approached to direct.
The film is about a young rodeo champ who struggles to balance his career and a budding romance with an up-and-coming country singer. SlashFilm says that Reese Witherspoon is already attached to star as the country singer. No word on who’s...
Circulating around the film blogosphere currently are reports, accompanied by photos, that show Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tom Cruise, and a few other actors leaving a place called the Saddle Ranch, on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip, yesterday, Tuesday morning.
It’s been confirmed that they were all present for a table reading of a script for a film Will Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment production company are developing, titled, Paper Wings, which Will Smith’s Pursuit Of Happyness director, Gabriele Muccino, has been approached to direct.
The film is about a young rodeo champ who struggles to balance his career and a budding romance with an up-and-coming country singer. SlashFilm says that Reese Witherspoon is already attached to star as the country singer. No word on who’s...
- 7/14/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
On the snowy winter days, it's only natural to get a little wistful about summer holidays - and it seems that Taylor Lautner is doing the same as he has just signed on to star in action flick Cancun for Summit, which will see him head off to Mexico for some holiday hostage drama.
The film, penned by Mr 3000's Eric Champnella along with Grant Thompson and will be produced by Lautner under his new film company which he has set up with his dad.
The script follows a young college couple taking a break with friends in the popular holiday resort who become embroiled in the workings of a drug cartel - leaving Lautner's character to save the gang of girls, using his martial art skills to do so.
Lautner is hot stuff at the moment, riding the renewed interest in him following the extra (torso) exposure in New Moon.
The film, penned by Mr 3000's Eric Champnella along with Grant Thompson and will be produced by Lautner under his new film company which he has set up with his dad.
The script follows a young college couple taking a break with friends in the popular holiday resort who become embroiled in the workings of a drug cartel - leaving Lautner's character to save the gang of girls, using his martial art skills to do so.
Lautner is hot stuff at the moment, riding the renewed interest in him following the extra (torso) exposure in New Moon.
- 12/18/2009
- Screenrush
This is truly a tragic year! Comedian and actor Bernie Mac died earlier today at the age of 50. He had been hospitalized earlier this week due to pneumonia and unfortunately his condition worsened. He is survived by Rhonda, his wife of 30 years, and their daughter Je'Niece. In addition to his stand-up comedy, Bernie Mac has appeared in everything from Friday to Booty Call as well as Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's trilogy and most recently Michael Bay's Transformers. Above all, "The Bernie Mac Show" on Fox was his most highly regarded work that has won numerous awards and really put him on the map. He will be missed. Bernie Mac's full filmography also includes Mo' Money, Who's the Man?, How to Be a Player, Life, Head of State, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Bad Santa, Mr 3000, Guess Who, and Pride. He had already finished shooting three upcoming films: Old Dogs,...
- 8/9/2008
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Dondre Whitfield has joined the cast of ABC's single-camera comedy Jake in Progress as a regular. On the show starring John Stamos as Jake, a shallow publicist looking for more substance in his life, Whitfield will play a recently divorced old college buddy of Jake's. Whitfield is the second new addition to the cast of the 20th Century Fox TV series in its upcoming second season after the recent recruitment of Charlotte Ross (HR 10/28). Production on the sophomore season of Jake in Progress begins this week for a January premiere. Whitfield's credits include the NBC series Hidden Hills and Inside Schwartz and the feature Mr. 3000.
- 11/9/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cdigix, the broadband content distributor that specializes in colleges, is set to announce today licensing deals with Buena Vista Pay TV and Turner Broadcasting System. The licensing agreement with Buena Vista Pay TV includes content from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax Films and Dimension Films. The deal will begin with such films new to the residential VOD window as The Incredibles, Mr. 3000 and The Village. Additional programming will come from ESPN, including World Series of Poker 2004, Tilt, the Dale Earnhardt drama 3 and the 2003 ACC Basketball Championship. "One of Disney's key priorities is to leverage new technologies aggressively, effectively and efficiently to expand distribution," said Dan Cohen, senior vp and general manager of pay television at Buena Vista Television. "This new relationship confirms our belief that the value of Disney's portfolio of leading brands and content will steadily increase as new technological platforms evolve."...
- 3/20/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bernie Mac has been chosen to receive the ShoWest 2005 Comedy Star of the Year Award at ShoWest's closing-night ceremonies March 17, it was announced Monday by Mitch Neuhauser, co-managing director of the convention, which begins March 14 at the Bally's and Paris hotels in Las Vegas. Mac, who starred in last year's Mr. 3000 and appeared in Ocean's Twelve, will next be seen starring opposite Ashton Kutcher in Columbia Pictures' comedy Guess Who, which opens nationwide March 25. "Bernie Mac has proven to be a major comedic film star who has been delighting moviegoers worldwide since 1994 when he made his big-screen debut in House Party 3. Since that time, he has not only gotten funnier and funnier, but his status as one of today's leading comic performers has grown as well," Neuhauser said. Mac's other recent films include Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Bad Santa and Ocean's Eleven. As a founding member of the Kings of Comedy comedy tour, Mac also was featured in Spike Lee's 2000 concert film, The Original Kings of Comedy. He also stars in the television series The Bernie Mac Show.
In his first at-bat as leading man, charismatic funnyman Bernie Mac delivers a winning turn as a retired 47-year-old baseball great making an unlikely comeback. Paired with a fiery Angela Bassett under the breezy, dynamic direction of Charles Stone III, Mac broadens his scope in Mr. 3000, showing off his athleticism and flexing some dramatic muscle. This tale of a lovable jerk who learns the meaning of sacrifice should capitalize on its star's sitcom popularity to hit one out of the park for Disney.
The instant he achieved his 3,000th career base hit, Milwaukee Brewers' Stan Ross (Mac) left his team in the midst of a pennant race in order to bask in retirement glory. Nine years later, he's living the entrepreneurial life in Milwaukee, where his Mr. 3000 shopping center and its flagship sports bar are a shrine unto himself. After the team retires his number, all that's left to seal the "certified immortality" he so craves is a slot in the Hall of Fame.
In anticipation of his nomination, the hall scrutinizes the record books and discovers that three of Stan's hits were counted twice. Hello, Mr. 2,997. Desperate to restore his crown and secure his spot in Cooperstown, Stan approaches the equally desperate Brewers. Although Stan has never been a team player, general manager Schembri (Chris Noth) welcomes his attendance-boosting presence on the fifth-place squad.
A lot is new since Stan was last on the roster: The team has switched to the National League, for starters. Pilates is part of the conditioning program, and the star of the team is T-Rex Pennebaker (Brian White, one-time player for the New England Patriots). The young hotshot is as mouthy and full of himself as Stan once was. That their adversarial relationship will shift to a mentoring connection is no surprise, but the script by Eric Champnella, Keith Mitchell and Howard Michael Gould makes its points with a light hand.
There are shades of Barry Bonds in Stan's refusal to play ball with the press. But Stan's driving force is sheer ego. Having shown he's not above ripping a record-making ball from the hands of a fan or baiting "stank-ass reporters," he's now a prime target for ridicule -- and a hot story. One of the journalists covering that story is his former flame Mo (Bassett), an ESPN reporter. Bassett brings a compelling mix of steeliness and passion to the character, who regards the one-time womanizer with guardedness, fighting her feelings for him.
There's a pleasing fortysomething credibility to the way their renewed romance plays out. And in a parallel to Stan's sudden old-timer status, Mo knows the network is sidelining her from onscreen work in favor of the next young thing.
Even with a couple of pauses for obvious Big Theme dialogue, the film never takes itself too seriously. Most of its observations unfold subtly in the midst of the laughs -- like the strange rituals of male communication between Stan and longtime pal Boca (Michael Rispoli), whose nickname reflects a preference for velour leisure suits more fitting to southern Florida than Wisconsin. Along the same lines, Paul Sorvino makes the most of an almost wordless role as the team's manager.
As a guy taking abuse from everyone from Tom Arnold to the Sausage Mascot (director Stone), Mac injects Stan's comic swagger with flashes of woundedness. Stone -- whose credits include Drumline and the "Whassup?!" Budweiser commercials -- has chosen actors who know their way around a diamond, lending immediacy and power to the game sequences. Shane Hurlbut's crisp lensing heightens the energy on the field and captures the shining design contributions. A strong element of the polished tech package is a fine selection of R&B favorites, propelling the story with a sure beat.
MR. 3000
Buena Vista Pictures
A Touchstone Pictures and Dimension Films presentation of a Barber and Birnbaum/Kennedy/Marshall production
Credits:
Director: Charles Stone III
Screenwriters: Eric Champnella, Keith Mitchell, Howard Michael Gould
Producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Maggie Wilde
Executive producers: Jonathan Glickman, Frank Marshall, Steven Greener, Timothy M. Bourne
Director of photography: Shane Hurlbut
Production designer: Maher Ahmad
Music: John Powell
Co-producer: Derek Evans
Costume designer: Salvador Perez
Editor: Bill Pankow
Cast:
Stan Ross: Bernie Mac
Mo: Angela Bassett
Boca: Michael Rispoli
T-Rex Pennebaker: Brian White
Fukuda: Ian Anthony Dale
Fryman: Evan Jones
Minadeo: Amaury Nolasco
Skillett: Dondre Whitfield
Gus Panas: Paul Sorvino
Schembri: Chris Noth
As themselves: Tom Arnold, Ron Darling, Larry King, Tony Kornheiser, John Salley, Stuart Scott, Michael Wilbon, Jay Leno, Chris Rose, Peter Gammons
MPAA rating: PG-13
Running time -- 102 minutes...
The instant he achieved his 3,000th career base hit, Milwaukee Brewers' Stan Ross (Mac) left his team in the midst of a pennant race in order to bask in retirement glory. Nine years later, he's living the entrepreneurial life in Milwaukee, where his Mr. 3000 shopping center and its flagship sports bar are a shrine unto himself. After the team retires his number, all that's left to seal the "certified immortality" he so craves is a slot in the Hall of Fame.
In anticipation of his nomination, the hall scrutinizes the record books and discovers that three of Stan's hits were counted twice. Hello, Mr. 2,997. Desperate to restore his crown and secure his spot in Cooperstown, Stan approaches the equally desperate Brewers. Although Stan has never been a team player, general manager Schembri (Chris Noth) welcomes his attendance-boosting presence on the fifth-place squad.
A lot is new since Stan was last on the roster: The team has switched to the National League, for starters. Pilates is part of the conditioning program, and the star of the team is T-Rex Pennebaker (Brian White, one-time player for the New England Patriots). The young hotshot is as mouthy and full of himself as Stan once was. That their adversarial relationship will shift to a mentoring connection is no surprise, but the script by Eric Champnella, Keith Mitchell and Howard Michael Gould makes its points with a light hand.
There are shades of Barry Bonds in Stan's refusal to play ball with the press. But Stan's driving force is sheer ego. Having shown he's not above ripping a record-making ball from the hands of a fan or baiting "stank-ass reporters," he's now a prime target for ridicule -- and a hot story. One of the journalists covering that story is his former flame Mo (Bassett), an ESPN reporter. Bassett brings a compelling mix of steeliness and passion to the character, who regards the one-time womanizer with guardedness, fighting her feelings for him.
There's a pleasing fortysomething credibility to the way their renewed romance plays out. And in a parallel to Stan's sudden old-timer status, Mo knows the network is sidelining her from onscreen work in favor of the next young thing.
Even with a couple of pauses for obvious Big Theme dialogue, the film never takes itself too seriously. Most of its observations unfold subtly in the midst of the laughs -- like the strange rituals of male communication between Stan and longtime pal Boca (Michael Rispoli), whose nickname reflects a preference for velour leisure suits more fitting to southern Florida than Wisconsin. Along the same lines, Paul Sorvino makes the most of an almost wordless role as the team's manager.
As a guy taking abuse from everyone from Tom Arnold to the Sausage Mascot (director Stone), Mac injects Stan's comic swagger with flashes of woundedness. Stone -- whose credits include Drumline and the "Whassup?!" Budweiser commercials -- has chosen actors who know their way around a diamond, lending immediacy and power to the game sequences. Shane Hurlbut's crisp lensing heightens the energy on the field and captures the shining design contributions. A strong element of the polished tech package is a fine selection of R&B favorites, propelling the story with a sure beat.
MR. 3000
Buena Vista Pictures
A Touchstone Pictures and Dimension Films presentation of a Barber and Birnbaum/Kennedy/Marshall production
Credits:
Director: Charles Stone III
Screenwriters: Eric Champnella, Keith Mitchell, Howard Michael Gould
Producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Maggie Wilde
Executive producers: Jonathan Glickman, Frank Marshall, Steven Greener, Timothy M. Bourne
Director of photography: Shane Hurlbut
Production designer: Maher Ahmad
Music: John Powell
Co-producer: Derek Evans
Costume designer: Salvador Perez
Editor: Bill Pankow
Cast:
Stan Ross: Bernie Mac
Mo: Angela Bassett
Boca: Michael Rispoli
T-Rex Pennebaker: Brian White
Fukuda: Ian Anthony Dale
Fryman: Evan Jones
Minadeo: Amaury Nolasco
Skillett: Dondre Whitfield
Gus Panas: Paul Sorvino
Schembri: Chris Noth
As themselves: Tom Arnold, Ron Darling, Larry King, Tony Kornheiser, John Salley, Stuart Scott, Michael Wilbon, Jay Leno, Chris Rose, Peter Gammons
MPAA rating: PG-13
Running time -- 102 minutes...
- 9/29/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The opening for Sony's The Forgotten this weekend was memorable indeed as the Julianne Moore starrer was the only bright spot amid a sea of disappointments and a continuing September slump. The supernatural thriller from Revolution Studios debuted in the top spot with $21 million, significantly higher than tracking indicated heading into the frame, according to Monday's final figures. Last weekend's top film, Paramount's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, landed in the second spot with $6.7 million, plummeting a steep 57% from its opening. The groundbreaking film, starring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, has generated $25.5 million in its first 10 days. The sophomore session of Buena Vista's Mr. 3000 generated $5.1 million, down 41% from its opening. After 10 days, the Bernie Mac starrer has scored $15.4 million.
- 9/27/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The opening for Sony's The Forgotten this weekend was memorable indeed as the Julianne Moore starrer was the only bright spot amid a sea of disappointments and a continuing September slump. The supernatural thriller from Revolution Studios debuted in the top spot with an impressive estimate of $22 million, significantly higher than tracking indicated heading into the frame. Last weekend's top film, Paramount's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, landed in the second spot with an estimated $6.7 million, plummeting a steep 57% from its opening. The groundbreaking film, starring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, has generated an estimated $25.6 million in its first 10 days. The sophomore session of Buena Vista's Mr. 3000 generated an estimated $5 million, down 42% from its opening. After 10 days, the Bernie Mac starrer has scored roughly $15.4 million. The weekend's only other new wide release was 20th Century Fox's First Daughter from Regency Enterprises, which tied Screen Gems' Resident Evil: Apocalypse for the fourth slot. The romantic comedy, starring Katie Holmes and helmed by Forest Whitaker, joined the list of underperforming U.S. president's daughter-themed films as it debuted with an unpromising estimate of $4 million from 2,259 theaters.
- 9/27/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The opening for Sony's The Forgotten this weekend was memorable indeed as the Julianne Moore starrer was the only bright spot amid a sea of disappointments and a continuing September slump. The supernatural thriller from Revolution Studios debuted in the top spot with an impressive estimate of $22 million, significantly higher than tracking indicated heading into the frame. Last weekend's top film, Paramount's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, landed in the second spot with an estimated $6.7 million, plummeting a steep 57% from its opening. The groundbreaking film, starring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, has generated an estimated $25.6 million in its first 10 days. The sophomore session of Buena Vista's Mr. 3000 generated an estimated $5 million, down 42% from its opening. After 10 days, the Bernie Mac starrer has scored roughly $15.4 million. The weekend's only other new wide release was 20th Century Fox's First Daughter from Regency Enterprises, which tied Screen Gems' Resident Evil: Apocalypse for the fourth slot. The romantic comedy, starring Katie Holmes and helmed by Forest Whitaker, joined the list of underperforming U.S. president's daughter-themed films as it debuted with an unpromising estimate of $4 million from 2,259 theaters.
- 9/26/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
During an overall soft weekend at the boxoffice in North America, Paramount's groundbreaking Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow got just enough air under its wings to achieve liftoff as it easily captured the top spot with a debut of $15.6 million, according to Monday's final figures. Nearly every scene in the sci-fi adventure, set in 1939 and starring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, was created digitally -- a filmmaking first. The opening, while a little better than tracking indicated, was nevertheless disappointing as the pioneering picture cost an estimated $70 million to make. Something else that's not seen every weekend: Two sports-set comedies opened in wide release, with one set in the world of baseball, skewing more male, and the other focused on tennis, appealing mostly to females. Buena Vista's baseball comedy Mr. 3000, starring Bernie Mac, got a base hit as it opened moderately in the second spot with $8.68 million. Universal's tennis-set Wimbledon, a romantic comedy starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany, debuted with $7.2 million to take the fourth slot.
- 9/20/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The weather might say differently, but according to the boxoffice, fall has arrived. This weekend, which ushers in what is shaping up as a very busy season, starts off with three movies targeting not-so-disparate audiences. Paramount Pictures is unveiling what it is hailing as a unique technical achievement, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, to sci-fi fans nationwide. Universal Pictures is hoping to score with females with its romantic comedy Wimbledon. And Buena Vista is looking to hit it out of the park with young males with the baseball film Mr. 3000. Sky Captain's performance is likely to be closely watched by many in the industry. The film is the first of its kind: Every piece of scenery was digitally created with more than 2,000 effects shots, while the actors worked exclusively against a bluescreen. Written and directed by Kerry Conran in an ambitious film debut, Sky Captain has the look of the melodramatic serials of the 1940s with an action story to accompany it. However, the nostalgic renderings coupled with retro-futuristic robots might confuse audiences as to what it is they are watching. The marketing campaign is primarily reaching males, and older ones at that, but Sky Captain might be able to rouse the interest of women with its brilliant spectacle and its A-list cast of Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.
- 9/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dondre T. Whitfield has an appointment with the indie feature Beauty Shop, an urban comedy starring Vivica A. Fox. Whitfield will play a smooth-talking hairdresser and ladies' man in the comedy, which was written and is being directed by Mark Brown. The film centers on a beauty shop owner who is fighting to save a pillar of her inner-city neighborhood. A three-time Daytime Emmy nominee for his work on All My Children, Whitfield appears in the upcoming Walt Disney Co. baseball comedy Mr. 3000. He is repped by Steve Smith of Creative Talent Management Group.
- 10/27/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Brian White is stepping up to the plate to play a budding baseball star opposite Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett in the Walt Disney Co. comedy Mr. 3000. White, best known for his recurring role on the FX drama series The Shield, will play a rising star who befriends Mac's character. Being directed by Charles Stone, Mr. 3000 centers on a former Detroit Tigers player (Mac) who comes out of retirement when three of his base hits are disallowed, dropping him below the prized 3,000-hit plateau. Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber and Maggie Wilde are producing the project, which was penned by Eric Champnella and Keith Mitchell. Frank Marshall, Johnathan Glickman and Steven Greener are executive producing. Disney production exec Jason Reed is overseeing for the studio. In addition to his work on The Shield, White starred in the ABC television movie Nancy Drew, which was a backdoor pilot produced by Lawrence Bender and Kevin Brown. He is represented by UTA, Roklin Management and attorney Eric Feig.
Michael Rispoli is set to join Bernie Mac and Angela Bassett in the Walt Disney Co. baseball comedy Mr. 3000. Being directed by Drumline helmer Charles Stone, Mr. 3000 centers on a retired Detroit Tigers player (Mac) who comes out of retirement when three of his base hits are disallowed, dropping him below the prized 3,000-hit plateau. Rispoli will play Mac's former teammate turned business partner in the film. Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber and Maggie Wilde are producing the project, which was penned by Eric Champnella and Keith Mitchell. Frank Marshall, Johnathan Glickman and Steven Greener are executive producing. Disney production exec Jason Reed is overseeing for the studio. A veteran actor with a slew of feature film and television credits, Rispoli has appeared in such films as Death to Smoochy and Rounders as well as on the small screen in The Sopranos and Touched by an Angel. He is repped by the Gersh Agency and LMRK Management.
- 5/16/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Angela Bassett has signed on to star opposite Bernie Mac in the Walt Disney Co. baseball comedy Mr. 3000. Being directed by Drumline helmer Charles Stone, Mr. 3000 centers on a retired Detroit Tigers player (Mac) who comes out of retirement when three of his base hits are disallowed, dropping him below the prized 3,000-hit plateau. Bassett will play a sports reporter who is Mac's love interest in the film. Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber and Maggie Wilde are producing the project, which was penned by Eric Champnella and Keith Mitchell. Frank Marshall, Johnathan Glickman and Steven Greener are executive producing. Disney production exec Jason Reed is overseeing for the studio. Bassett, who has starred in such films as The Score, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale, also appears in the upcoming Sony Pictures Classics drama Masked & Anonymous. Bassett is repped by CAA.
- 4/29/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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