Steve Carell

‘The Big Short’ is a work of seething rage and trampled idealism

There must be something fashionable to the idea right now of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Hollywood now has four Robin Hood movies in production, more than anyone really needs, perhaps even the poor. Tuesday Deadline reported that Warner Bros. had “quietly” put a new Robin Hood movie into production, this …

There’s nothing short about the list of big name actors in the cast for the upcoming movie by Anchorman helmer Adam McKay. Deadline reported on Tuesday that Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, and Brad Pitt are set to join Melissa Leo and Marisa Tomei in McKay’s adaptation of Michael Lewis’ book, The Big Short: …

Steve Carell has officially completed his transformation from comedic actor to a dramatic one. No one is left doubting his talents as a versatile performer. Thus, whatever he does next is highly anticipated, and this latest project might just be the perfect fit for him to show both sides of his acting range. The Wrap …

Live-action family films have fallen on hard times of late. Perhaps it’s achieving that tricky balance between zaniness and feel-good that baffles filmmakers. Or perhaps they just need the right actor to blend these two elements together… like Steve Carell! Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day simply doesn’t work without his special brand of manic optimism. He effortlessly veers between the ridiculous and the poignant, elevating Alexander into a relentless gallop that every member of the family can enjoy.

The Hype Cycle is News Editor Brian Welk’s roundup of industry news, reviews and predictions of everything Oscar, boiled down into weekly power rankings of the buzziest and most likely contenders in this year’s awards season. This article is Part 2 of this week’s Hype Cycle column. Read Part 1 from yesterday.  7. Foxcatcher and …

With Foxcatcher, Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) directs a tragic tale of American ambition gone awry. It’s a grave and stately undertaking that’s based on the real story of John du Pont, heir to one of the richest families in America, who dreamed of building a wrestling team around the talents of two gold medal wrestlers that came from modest means. The inequality of power pushes the tension between the three over the edge. Although the film isn’t an awe-inspiring achievement as a whole, the performances and atmosphere stimulate the senses and hold a firm grip on the viewer’s attention.

The Way, Way Back belongs, in no small way, to the same subgenre of low-key indie dramedies like Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, small-town stories populated with well-known actors and an almost sitcom-esque quality to the dialogue. Where this film, written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, breaks free from such familiar shackles is in its impressive ensemble cast, specifically the teen actor Liam James and the raffish character actor Sam Rockwell. The Way, Way Back is maybe a touch formulaic, but it’s an assured, enjoyable, and bittersweet coming-of-age story.

Despicable Me 2 Directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin Written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio USA, 2013 Watching Despicable Me 2 is akin to eating cupcakes for 100 straight minutes. Eating one cupcake, depending on the flavor, is heaven in sugary form. Eating two cupcakes is tempting fate and your health, but still …

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone Written by Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley Directed by Don Scardino USA, 2013 A high concept comedy of the kind Will Ferrell has most been associated with in the last decade, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone assembles an appealing cast for its familiar story and character beats, here applied to …

*Disclaimer: the following is based on and an expansion of an article written by Peter Howell, the Toronto Star Movie Critic. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a film of the lowest common denominator adds nothing to the institution of cinema. But as profiteers like Adam Sandler have already understood, when money speaks, truth is …