Larry King, Norm Macdonald, Michael K. Williams and no fewer than three cast members of The Mary Tyler Moore Show were among the stars remembered during this year’s Emmy In Memoriam segment, as the photos of those we lost scrolled by to the tune of Leon Bridges’ lovely “River.”
73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards: Deadline’s Full Coverage
A few names were left out — most notably Michael Constantine, who won an Emmy in 1970 for his performance as Principal Seymour Kaufman in Room 222 — but the list nonetheless was a somber reminder of the toll taken by 2021. As Bridges and Jon Batiste performed live, the images of such greats as Charles Grodin and Christopher Plummer unspooled, along with beloved icons like Jeopardy!’s Alex Trebek and Cicely Tyson (The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman) and such generational touchstones as Dawn Wells (Gilligan’s Island) and Billie Hayes (H.R. Pufnstuf).
Also among...
73rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards: Deadline’s Full Coverage
A few names were left out — most notably Michael Constantine, who won an Emmy in 1970 for his performance as Principal Seymour Kaufman in Room 222 — but the list nonetheless was a somber reminder of the toll taken by 2021. As Bridges and Jon Batiste performed live, the images of such greats as Charles Grodin and Christopher Plummer unspooled, along with beloved icons like Jeopardy!’s Alex Trebek and Cicely Tyson (The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman) and such generational touchstones as Dawn Wells (Gilligan’s Island) and Billie Hayes (H.R. Pufnstuf).
Also among...
- 9/20/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Although everybody is well aware that death is unavoidable and happens on a regular basis, it seems like the entertainment industry has suffered from pretty tough losses lately. One of the latest names to be added to the tragic list was successful screenwriter and actor, Ben Best. Best is best known for being the co-creator of the HBO series Eastbound & Down. When he passed away on September 12, 2021, he was just 46 years old. His 47th birthday would’ve been the following day. Although his untimely death represents a life and a career cut short, Ben’s loved ones can
Remembering Ben Best: Screenwriter Dies at 46...
Remembering Ben Best: Screenwriter Dies at 46...
- 9/16/2021
- by Camille Moore
- TVovermind.com
In a bracing kick to the nuts today, "The Foot Fist Way" co-star and co-writer Ben Best has passed away at the age of 46, one day before his birthday. Perhaps best known as the co-creator of the hit HBO comedy series "Eastbound & Down," which ran for four seasons, Best was part of a filmmaking trio with actor Danny McBride and director Jody Hill who met while attending University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
A few years after graduating in 1999, the three decided to film the taekwondo comedy "The Foot Fist Way" on an ultra low budget of...
The post Ben Best, Co-Creator of Eastbound & Down and Foot Fist Way Co-Star, Has Died appeared first on /Film.
A few years after graduating in 1999, the three decided to film the taekwondo comedy "The Foot Fist Way" on an ultra low budget of...
The post Ben Best, Co-Creator of Eastbound & Down and Foot Fist Way Co-Star, Has Died appeared first on /Film.
- 9/13/2021
- by Max Evry
- Slash Film
Ben Best, who co-created HBO’s “Eastbound & Down” with Danny McBride and also played the part of Clegg on the comedy, died Sunday. He was 46 at the time of his passing.
“It’s with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our good buddy Ben Best,” read a statement in an Instagram post shared by “Eastbound & Down” production company Rough House Pictures, which is run by Best’s collaborators McBride, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill, on Sunday. “We lost him the day before he would have turned 47. A hell of a friend and a creative force. He inspired us and made us laugh. Charming and hilarious. Gone way too soon. We love and miss you.”
The cause of Best’s death was not provided by Rough House Pictures.
Known for co-creating the HBO comedy series “Eastbound & Down” with McBride, Best’s other notable writing credits include the 2011 film “Your Highness,...
“It’s with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our good buddy Ben Best,” read a statement in an Instagram post shared by “Eastbound & Down” production company Rough House Pictures, which is run by Best’s collaborators McBride, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill, on Sunday. “We lost him the day before he would have turned 47. A hell of a friend and a creative force. He inspired us and made us laugh. Charming and hilarious. Gone way too soon. We love and miss you.”
The cause of Best’s death was not provided by Rough House Pictures.
Known for co-creating the HBO comedy series “Eastbound & Down” with McBride, Best’s other notable writing credits include the 2011 film “Your Highness,...
- 9/13/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Ben Best, an actor and writer who penned and co-starred alongside Danny McBride the cult indie pic The Foot Fist Way and later co-created, wrote and appeared with McBride in the HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down, died Sunday. He was 46.
His death was announced by Rough House Pictures, the Eastbound & Down production company run by his frequent collaborators McBride, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill. Best met McBride and Hill in North Carolina at the Unc School of the Arts.
“It’s with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our good buddy Ben Best,” the company posted on its Instagram page today. “We lost him the day before he would have turned 47. A hell of a friend and a creative force. He inspired us and made us laugh. Charming and hilarious. Gone way too soon. We love and miss you.”
In MTV Films’ 2006 comedy The Foot Fist Way,...
His death was announced by Rough House Pictures, the Eastbound & Down production company run by his frequent collaborators McBride, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill. Best met McBride and Hill in North Carolina at the Unc School of the Arts.
“It’s with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our good buddy Ben Best,” the company posted on its Instagram page today. “We lost him the day before he would have turned 47. A hell of a friend and a creative force. He inspired us and made us laugh. Charming and hilarious. Gone way too soon. We love and miss you.”
In MTV Films’ 2006 comedy The Foot Fist Way,...
- 9/13/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Ben Best, the co-creator of HBO’s “Eastbound & Down” who also played Clegg in the series, has died. He was 46.
Rough House Pictures, which produced “Eastbound & Down,” confirmed the news of Best’s death on Instagram with the caption, “It’s with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our good buddy Ben Best. We lost him the day before he would have turned 47. A hell of a friend and a creative force. He inspired us and made us laugh. Charming and hilarious. Gone way too soon. We love and miss you.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Rough House Pictures (@roughhousepictures)
Best co-created “Eastbound & Down” with long time writing partners Jody Hill and Danny McBride, who starred as Kenny Powers, a washed up former professional baseball pitcher who returns to his hometown middle school to teach physical education.
He also appeared in eight episodes as Clegg,...
Rough House Pictures, which produced “Eastbound & Down,” confirmed the news of Best’s death on Instagram with the caption, “It’s with heavy hearts we say goodbye to our good buddy Ben Best. We lost him the day before he would have turned 47. A hell of a friend and a creative force. He inspired us and made us laugh. Charming and hilarious. Gone way too soon. We love and miss you.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Rough House Pictures (@roughhousepictures)
Best co-created “Eastbound & Down” with long time writing partners Jody Hill and Danny McBride, who starred as Kenny Powers, a washed up former professional baseball pitcher who returns to his hometown middle school to teach physical education.
He also appeared in eight episodes as Clegg,...
- 9/13/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
It’s time to raise “Arizona.” Danny McBride loves his HBO collaborators, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill. Together, Hill, McBride and Ben Best created “Eastbound and Down” and Green eventually started directing episodes. That collaboration morphed into “Vice Principals,” created by Hill and McBride with Green as one of the principal executive producers (all three split up directing chores with Green helming the entire second season).
Continue reading ‘Arizona’ Trailer: Danny McBride Invades Your Home In New Dark Comedy at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Arizona’ Trailer: Danny McBride Invades Your Home In New Dark Comedy at The Playlist.
- 8/13/2018
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
Each year, the Sundance Film Festival rolls out an enviable lineup of jury members — billed as “experts in film, art, culture and science” — to dole out awards to the feature-length works shown at the festival. In total, 28 prizes (and sometimes more!) will be announced at a ceremony on January 28 (as ever, Short Film Awards will be announced at a separate ceremony on January 24). The festival has now announced this year’s various jury members, including actors, filmmakers, producers, writers and other luminaries (and, yes, plenty of Sundance alums pop up amongst their ranks).
Additionally, the festival has also announced that actress, comedian, correspondent and podcast host Jessica Williams will host the annual awards. Jones seems poised to have a very busy Sundance indeed, as she also toplines James Strouse’s premiere “The Incredible Jessica James,” which will close out the festival the night before.
The awards, which recognize standout artistic and story elements,...
Additionally, the festival has also announced that actress, comedian, correspondent and podcast host Jessica Williams will host the annual awards. Jones seems poised to have a very busy Sundance indeed, as she also toplines James Strouse’s premiere “The Incredible Jessica James,” which will close out the festival the night before.
The awards, which recognize standout artistic and story elements,...
- 1/11/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Jody Hill is not going to let fans of rowdy and unpredictable comedy down anytime soon. One of the most uncomfortably funny shows of the year was Hill and Danny McBride’s HBO’s Vice Principals. This creative team were also the guys who brought us the rip-snorter Eastbound & Down (with Ben Best) a few years back. There’s history between the pair, with Hill having known McBride since he was 18. Hill hails from Concord, North Carolina, which was then a small town outside of Charlotte, while McBride came from Spotsylvania, Virginia, which he’s described as “a small town outside of nowhere”....read more...
- 10/20/2016
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
Since the first time I saw The Foot Fist Way, I have been a fan of the work of Jody Hill and Danny McBride. They have a number of other regular collaborators who are part of the wonderful work they’ve created together so far, and you can’t talk about them without also talking about Ben Best or Shawn Harwell or John Carcieri or David Gordon Green or Tim Orr or Joseph Stephens, because they’re all part of what I love about Observe and Report and Eastbound & Down and now Vice Principals. I’ll have more to say about this season once it comes to a close next week, but today, I am struck anew by why I have such a strong reaction to the films that Jody Hill has directed, and I think I finally have a handle on it. I often find myself having a strong...
- 9/12/2016
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Release Date: May 13, 2014
Price: DVD $29.98, Blu-ray $39.98
Studio: HBO/Warner
Danny McBride goes blonde as Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down.
HBO’s irreverent comedy TV show Eastbound & Down: Season 4 finds burned-out major league pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride, Due Date) going at it as the co-host of an Espn-ish sports talk show after “faking” his own death at the close of Season 3.
Picking up a year or so after Season 3, the fourth season of the show finds KennycBride) struggling with his identity after fleeing his successful comeback to the minors by faking his own death and returning home to the love of his life, April (Katy Mixon, Take Shelter), and their son Toby. Years later, Kenny is settled quietly into family life in North Carolina, working as an assistant manager at a car rental outlet, trying to piece together a screenplay about his life story and numbing the...
Price: DVD $29.98, Blu-ray $39.98
Studio: HBO/Warner
Danny McBride goes blonde as Kenny Powers in Eastbound & Down.
HBO’s irreverent comedy TV show Eastbound & Down: Season 4 finds burned-out major league pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride, Due Date) going at it as the co-host of an Espn-ish sports talk show after “faking” his own death at the close of Season 3.
Picking up a year or so after Season 3, the fourth season of the show finds KennycBride) struggling with his identity after fleeing his successful comeback to the minors by faking his own death and returning home to the love of his life, April (Katy Mixon, Take Shelter), and their son Toby. Years later, Kenny is settled quietly into family life in North Carolina, working as an assistant manager at a car rental outlet, trying to piece together a screenplay about his life story and numbing the...
- 4/2/2014
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 23 Jan 2014 - 05:44
Our series of lists devoted to underappreciated films brings us to the year 2006, and a further 25 overlooked gems...
With all the major films that elbow their way into their cinemas every year, there's bound to be some casualties among the big hits. And just like any other year, 2006 was dominated by the likes of Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Da Vinci Code and Ice Age: The Meltdown. But in tandem, there were dozens of lesser-seen films which shuffled in and out of cinemas (or occasionally, didn't get a release in cinemas at all) without very many people noticing.
As we're sure you're aware by now, these lists aim to redress the balance a little, and hopefully introduce a few films from any given year that you may have missed. There are also one or two films that, although...
Our series of lists devoted to underappreciated films brings us to the year 2006, and a further 25 overlooked gems...
With all the major films that elbow their way into their cinemas every year, there's bound to be some casualties among the big hits. And just like any other year, 2006 was dominated by the likes of Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, The Da Vinci Code and Ice Age: The Meltdown. But in tandem, there were dozens of lesser-seen films which shuffled in and out of cinemas (or occasionally, didn't get a release in cinemas at all) without very many people noticing.
As we're sure you're aware by now, these lists aim to redress the balance a little, and hopefully introduce a few films from any given year that you may have missed. There are also one or two films that, although...
- 1/22/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
"Eastbound and Down" has ended, but Kenny Powers lives on. Despite knowing nothing about sports, series creators Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Ben Best stumbled upon an enduring American type in its unforgettable protagonist -- the hulking athlete still desperate to prove his masculinity. Kenny Powers, as played by McBride, is a dissolute Rocky with training montages of coke-snorting instead of stair-climbing. After three years of self-destructively pursuing a return to Major League Baseball, the fourth and final season of the HBO comedy had him chase his materialistic dreams of fame on cable television. Hill and McBride (Best left the show after season two) modeled their finale on Elia Kazan's media satire "A Face in the Crowd," replacing Andy Griffith's folksy talk show demagogue Lonesome Rhodes with Powers' white trash megalomaniac. A skewering of blowhard sports shows that seem to promote those who can yell clichés the loudest,...
- 11/20/2013
- by R. Emmet Sweeney
- Indiewire
Network: HBO
Episodes: 29 (half-hour)
Seasons: Four
TV show dates: February 15, 2009 -- November 17, 2013
Series status: Ended
Performers include: Danny McBride, Katy Mixon, John Hawkes, Andrew Daly, Ben Best, Jennifer Irwin, Steve Little, Ethan Alexander McGee, Bo Mitchell, Sylvia Jefferies, Craig Robinson, Luke Bigham, and Will Ferrell.
TV show description:
This comedy TV series follows a burned out Major League baseball player who returns to his hometown to teach physical education at his old middle school. While it's not biographical, show creators do admit to being inspired by John Rocker, a former Major League relief pitcher who played for several different teams.
Kenny Powers' (Danny McBride) future looked bright when, at age 19, he left Shelby County to become a big-time baseball pitcher. Yet here he is now sleeping on his brother Dustin's couch...
Episodes: 29 (half-hour)
Seasons: Four
TV show dates: February 15, 2009 -- November 17, 2013
Series status: Ended
Performers include: Danny McBride, Katy Mixon, John Hawkes, Andrew Daly, Ben Best, Jennifer Irwin, Steve Little, Ethan Alexander McGee, Bo Mitchell, Sylvia Jefferies, Craig Robinson, Luke Bigham, and Will Ferrell.
TV show description:
This comedy TV series follows a burned out Major League baseball player who returns to his hometown to teach physical education at his old middle school. While it's not biographical, show creators do admit to being inspired by John Rocker, a former Major League relief pitcher who played for several different teams.
Kenny Powers' (Danny McBride) future looked bright when, at age 19, he left Shelby County to become a big-time baseball pitcher. Yet here he is now sleeping on his brother Dustin's couch...
- 11/20/2013
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Eastbound and Down Season 1, Episode 1 ‘Chapter 1′
Written by Jody Hill, Ben Best, and Danny McBride
Directed by Jody Hill
Aired 2/15/2009 on HBO
Let’s talk about the game of baseball for a bit – and more importantly, the physical construction and parameters of the game. First of all, there’s the field: a diamond with four points, each separated by ninety feet for a total of 360: the amount of degrees in a circle. Now, let’s look at the baseball: unravel its skin, and you’ll notice the pattern of the stitches make the infinity symbol around the white leather that makes up its shell. Metaphorically speaking, the baseball is our soul, something we try to find (with a swing) or protect (with a pitch) as we run away from home base (literally, home) and towards first, embarking on the adventure to find ourselves – with the ultimate goal of returning...
Written by Jody Hill, Ben Best, and Danny McBride
Directed by Jody Hill
Aired 2/15/2009 on HBO
Let’s talk about the game of baseball for a bit – and more importantly, the physical construction and parameters of the game. First of all, there’s the field: a diamond with four points, each separated by ninety feet for a total of 360: the amount of degrees in a circle. Now, let’s look at the baseball: unravel its skin, and you’ll notice the pattern of the stitches make the infinity symbol around the white leather that makes up its shell. Metaphorically speaking, the baseball is our soul, something we try to find (with a swing) or protect (with a pitch) as we run away from home base (literally, home) and towards first, embarking on the adventure to find ourselves – with the ultimate goal of returning...
- 6/29/2013
- by Randy
- SoundOnSight
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Dec. 4, 2012
Price: DVD $29.98, Blu-ray $39.98
Studio: HBO/Warner
Oh baby! Danny McBride returns in the third season of Eastbound & Down.
HBO’s irreverent comedy TV show Eastbound & Down: Season 3 finds burned-out major league pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride, Due Date) returning to the U.S. after a Season 2 stint in Mexico.
Picking up a year after Season 2, the third season sees Kenny back in action on the “Redneck Riviera” (aka Myrtle Beach, Sc), where he has somehow resurrected his baseball career by becoming the closer for the minor-league Myrtle Beach Mermen. Even as he tries to pass himself off as the “King of Myrtle Beach,” Kenny struggles to come to terms with growing older and accepting the responsibilities of being a new father. Said responsibilities are thrust on him when his ex-lover and baby mama April (Katy Mixon, Take Shelter) seemingly abandons their child in Kenny’s humble abode.
Price: DVD $29.98, Blu-ray $39.98
Studio: HBO/Warner
Oh baby! Danny McBride returns in the third season of Eastbound & Down.
HBO’s irreverent comedy TV show Eastbound & Down: Season 3 finds burned-out major league pitcher Kenny Powers (Danny McBride, Due Date) returning to the U.S. after a Season 2 stint in Mexico.
Picking up a year after Season 2, the third season sees Kenny back in action on the “Redneck Riviera” (aka Myrtle Beach, Sc), where he has somehow resurrected his baseball career by becoming the closer for the minor-league Myrtle Beach Mermen. Even as he tries to pass himself off as the “King of Myrtle Beach,” Kenny struggles to come to terms with growing older and accepting the responsibilities of being a new father. Said responsibilities are thrust on him when his ex-lover and baby mama April (Katy Mixon, Take Shelter) seemingly abandons their child in Kenny’s humble abode.
- 9/7/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Talk about a true gift for America's birthday! In a move that came out of left field, "Eastbound and Down" has apparently been renewed for a fourth season.
Variety is reporting that HBO has ordered eight new episodes for a show that was only planned to have three seasons. The series aired its seemingly final episode back in April and managed to tie up most loose ends, but we're excited that star/co-creator Danny McBride and the rest of the team are coming back for more.
Considering HBO has a habit of cancelling shows before their time due to low viewership (we miss you, "Bored to Death"), McBride and his other co-creators Jody Hill and Ben Best should take this as quite a compliment. We'd like to know just what HBO had to do to convince them they should come back, especially based on some comments McBride made earlier this year.
Variety is reporting that HBO has ordered eight new episodes for a show that was only planned to have three seasons. The series aired its seemingly final episode back in April and managed to tie up most loose ends, but we're excited that star/co-creator Danny McBride and the rest of the team are coming back for more.
Considering HBO has a habit of cancelling shows before their time due to low viewership (we miss you, "Bored to Death"), McBride and his other co-creators Jody Hill and Ben Best should take this as quite a compliment. We'd like to know just what HBO had to do to convince them they should come back, especially based on some comments McBride made earlier this year.
- 7/3/2012
- by Terri Schwartz
- MTV Movies Blog
Yesterday, we checked in with "Eastbound & Down" co-creator Jody Hill to discuss the progress of his HBO show, which concludes its third -- and possibly last -- season on Sunday night. While Hill and Ben Best did a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that gives the dark comedy-drama its strange, raunchy and oddly touching qualities, nobody has done more to distinguish "Eastbound" than Danny McBride, now widely known for his leading role as the foul-mouthed pitcher Kenny Powers. McBride, who went to film school with his colleagues, created the show with them and also co-wrote it. While he's clearly comfortable (some might even say too comfortable) in front of the camera, McBride has plenty of ambitions behind it, having recently announced plans to direct an adaptation of the Danish comedy "Clown." He's also got a number of upcoming roles in the pipeline, reason enough to assume that more seasons of "Eastbound" aren't in.
- 4/14/2012
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
There have been plenty of obstinate and hopelessly self-involved male characters at the center of popular TV programs, but it's safe to say there has never been one quite like Kenny Powers, the struggling baseball player played by Danny McBride on HBO's "Eastbound & Down." Often a delirious exercise in raunchy jokes about the male libido, "Eastbound" is remarkably hard to categorize. Although technically a half-hour comedy, it can easily shift gears mid-episode and turn into a sad, introspective drama before reemerging with a renewed wacky energy. To truly understand the roots of "Eastbound," you have to turn to its creators' other work. The show -- which concludes its third and supposedly final season on Sunday night -- is the product of an ongoing collaboration between a close-knit group of former college buddies from the North Carolina School of the Arts, including Ben Best, McBride and Jody Hill (another Ncsa alumnus,...
- 4/13/2012
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
As Kenny Powers (presumably) rides off into the sunset this Sunday night, we pay homage to HBO's best-kept secret.
By James Montgomery
Danny McBride in "Eastbound and Down"
Photo: HBO
"Stevie, you weak mother----er, you listen to me right now. You have made an ass-ton of stupid choices in Myrtle Beach; this is the moment of truth. Now is not the time to lay on the ground like a bald f---ing baby. Now is the time to be a f---ing man."
That was Kenny Powers on last Sunday's penultimate episode of "Eastbound & Down," moments after learning that recently shorn sycophant Stevie Janowski had lost his son (which would lead to Powers subsequently decking him in the face, hence the reason Stevie was laying on the ground like a bald f---ing baby), and I took the time to transcribe it for two reasons: One, because I love the phrase "an ass-ton of stupid choices.
By James Montgomery
Danny McBride in "Eastbound and Down"
Photo: HBO
"Stevie, you weak mother----er, you listen to me right now. You have made an ass-ton of stupid choices in Myrtle Beach; this is the moment of truth. Now is not the time to lay on the ground like a bald f---ing baby. Now is the time to be a f---ing man."
That was Kenny Powers on last Sunday's penultimate episode of "Eastbound & Down," moments after learning that recently shorn sycophant Stevie Janowski had lost his son (which would lead to Powers subsequently decking him in the face, hence the reason Stevie was laying on the ground like a bald f---ing baby), and I took the time to transcribe it for two reasons: One, because I love the phrase "an ass-ton of stupid choices.
- 4/13/2012
- MTV Movie News
As Kenny Powers (presumably) rides off into the sunset this Sunday night, we pay homage to HBO's best-kept secret.
By James Montgomery
Danny McBride in "Eastbound and Down"
Photo: HBO
"Stevie, you weak mother----er, you listen to me right now. You have made an ass-ton of stupid choices in Myrtle Beach; this is the moment of truth. Now is not the time to lay on the ground like a bald f---ing baby. Now is the time to be a f---ing man."
That was Kenny Powers on last Sunday's penultimate episode of "Eastbound & Down," moments after learning that recently shorn sycophant Stevie Janowski had lost his son (which would lead to Powers subsequently decking him in the face, hence the reason Stevie was laying on the ground like a bald f---ing baby), and I took the time to transcribe it for two reasons: One, because I love the phrase "an ass-ton of stupid choices.
By James Montgomery
Danny McBride in "Eastbound and Down"
Photo: HBO
"Stevie, you weak mother----er, you listen to me right now. You have made an ass-ton of stupid choices in Myrtle Beach; this is the moment of truth. Now is not the time to lay on the ground like a bald f---ing baby. Now is the time to be a f---ing man."
That was Kenny Powers on last Sunday's penultimate episode of "Eastbound & Down," moments after learning that recently shorn sycophant Stevie Janowski had lost his son (which would lead to Powers subsequently decking him in the face, hence the reason Stevie was laying on the ground like a bald f---ing baby), and I took the time to transcribe it for two reasons: One, because I love the phrase "an ass-ton of stupid choices.
- 4/13/2012
- MTV Music News
I’ve known Eastbound & Down is special since the first episode of the first season. The pilot ended with one of the most intense coke-sniffing scenes on TV, as Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) and his bartender friend Clegg (Ben Best) furiously cut and snorted line after line. It made it clear that Eastbound wouldn’t flinch in showing just how sordid Kenny’s life can get, while proving that it could be disturbing and hilarious at the same time....
- 3/5/2012
- Pastemagazine.com
HBO sent us this brand new official poster for season 3 of the hit series “Eastbound & Down” from creators Ben T. Best, Jody Hill and Danny R. McBride starring Danny McBride (30 Minutes or Less, Land of the Lost), Katy Mixon (Drive Angry 3D, All About Steve), John Hawkes (Small Town Saturday Night) and Andrew Daly (Yogi Bear). The third season of “Eastbound & Down” premieres Sunday, February 19th. Series Synopsis: Created by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, this half-hour comedy follows a former professional baseball player who returns to his hometown in the South to take a job as a substitute gym teacher. Stay tuned to Shockya.com for the latest news from...
- 1/20/2012
- by Brian Corder
- ShockYa
With only a few leading roles under his belt, 27-year-old Jonah Hill has secured his place as one of young Hollywood's top funnymen by crafting characters who are crude, horny yet eerily relatable to most audiences.
His recent move to dramatic fare like “Moneyball” -- and his even more dramatic weight loss -- hasn't robbed him of his comedic talents (see "21 Jump Street" trailer); and with "The Sitter," we see Hill in his usual form. Yes, he shot it before losing the weight, but we mean his knack for being playfully offensive while also portraying a lovable guy next door.
In only six years, Hill has compiled an impressive number of funny moments on screen. Here we take a look at his top nine (warning: some videos are Nsfw).
9. 'The 40 Year Old Virgin' (2005)
For many, the first time we saw Jonah Hill was in this funny exchange...
His recent move to dramatic fare like “Moneyball” -- and his even more dramatic weight loss -- hasn't robbed him of his comedic talents (see "21 Jump Street" trailer); and with "The Sitter," we see Hill in his usual form. Yes, he shot it before losing the weight, but we mean his knack for being playfully offensive while also portraying a lovable guy next door.
In only six years, Hill has compiled an impressive number of funny moments on screen. Here we take a look at his top nine (warning: some videos are Nsfw).
9. 'The 40 Year Old Virgin' (2005)
For many, the first time we saw Jonah Hill was in this funny exchange...
- 12/6/2011
- by Jason Guerrasio
- NextMovie
Chicago – David Gordon Green’s “Your Highness” still makes me sad. Not only am I giant fan of nearly everyone involved but the concept of a pot-fueled riff on the fantasy-adventure films more popular in the ’80s is a great one. And yet, even watching it again on Blu-ray and DVD, “Your Highness” just sinks, deflating my like a leaky balloon. I’m gonna go cry now.
Blu-Ray Rating: 1.5/5.0
Critics and movie goers expect questionable projects like “Something Borrowed” or “The Change-Up” to fall flat but when you get two recent Oscar nominees (James Franco, Natalie Portman), the incredible writer/director of “Pineapple Express” (David Gordon Green), the delightful Zooey Deschanel, and the scene-stealing star of “Tropic Thunder” and “Eastbound & Down” together for one project, expectations change. To say this is Green’s worst movie is a massive understatement. With that context, it’s more of a tragedy than a comedy.
Blu-Ray Rating: 1.5/5.0
Critics and movie goers expect questionable projects like “Something Borrowed” or “The Change-Up” to fall flat but when you get two recent Oscar nominees (James Franco, Natalie Portman), the incredible writer/director of “Pineapple Express” (David Gordon Green), the delightful Zooey Deschanel, and the scene-stealing star of “Tropic Thunder” and “Eastbound & Down” together for one project, expectations change. To say this is Green’s worst movie is a massive understatement. With that context, it’s more of a tragedy than a comedy.
- 8/10/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Hitting movie theaters this weekend:
30 Minutes Or Less - Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson
Final Destination 5 - Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Arlen Escarpeta
The Help - Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
Movie of the Week
30 Minutes Or Less
The Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson
The Plot: Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy (Eisenberg).
The Buzz: Sure, this isn’t typical fare for #1 at the box office, and it’ll be lucky to strike it rich, but 30 Minutes Or Less has got a lot going for it. Helmed by director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) and starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Zombieland), this film should garner a lot of (possibly) warranted attention. This is Michael Diliberti’s first screenplay, so that’s scary territory, but based on the trailer, the film looks to have good writing and an interesting/funny story to tell. The...
30 Minutes Or Less - Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson
Final Destination 5 - Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Arlen Escarpeta
The Help - Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
Movie of the Week
30 Minutes Or Less
The Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson
The Plot: Two fledgling criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy (Eisenberg).
The Buzz: Sure, this isn’t typical fare for #1 at the box office, and it’ll be lucky to strike it rich, but 30 Minutes Or Less has got a lot going for it. Helmed by director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) and starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Zombieland), this film should garner a lot of (possibly) warranted attention. This is Michael Diliberti’s first screenplay, so that’s scary territory, but based on the trailer, the film looks to have good writing and an interesting/funny story to tell. The...
- 8/10/2011
- by Aaron Ruffcorn
- The Scorecard Review
Your Highness
Reviewed by Duncan Bain
Stars: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux | Written by Danny McBride, Ben Best | Directed by David Gordon Green
Fantasy film nerds of a certain age are pretty much guaranteed to enjoy this hilariously puerile exercise in big budget comedy. Much like director Gordon Green’s previous offering, Pineapple Express, Your Highness is a film which favours a particular form of herbal enhancement – whether you share a similar enthusiasm may be a deciding factor in how much you’re inclined to enjoy the film.
Your Highness sees a feckless workshy lump of a man , Prince Thadeous (McBride) forced to go on a quest helping his brother Fabious (Franco) to rescue a virginal bride from the clutches of a maniacal evil wizard. Sword & Sorcery clichés abound in a plot that apes & echoes childhood favourites such as Krull, Hawk The Slayer, Heavy Metal,...
Reviewed by Duncan Bain
Stars: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux | Written by Danny McBride, Ben Best | Directed by David Gordon Green
Fantasy film nerds of a certain age are pretty much guaranteed to enjoy this hilariously puerile exercise in big budget comedy. Much like director Gordon Green’s previous offering, Pineapple Express, Your Highness is a film which favours a particular form of herbal enhancement – whether you share a similar enthusiasm may be a deciding factor in how much you’re inclined to enjoy the film.
Your Highness sees a feckless workshy lump of a man , Prince Thadeous (McBride) forced to go on a quest helping his brother Fabious (Franco) to rescue a virginal bride from the clutches of a maniacal evil wizard. Sword & Sorcery clichés abound in a plot that apes & echoes childhood favourites such as Krull, Hawk The Slayer, Heavy Metal,...
- 8/7/2011
- by Guest
- Nerdly
At a relatively young age for a director (he turned 36 in April) Arkansas-born David Gordon Green has turned out a number of diverse films in a career which is now over a decade old.
From his earlier, more consciously arty films with which he first made his name (his 2000 debut, George Washington, and the little-seen but much-praised follow-up, All the Real Girls) to the latter mainstream Hollywood fare like the Judd Apatow-produced stoner/action flick, Pineapple Express, he is seen as someone who likes to experiment with each film he makes and refuses to be tied to one genre.
His latest (the comedy fantasy, Your Highness) is released on DVD and Blu-ray next week, and we recently had the chance to chat with him about it.
Undervalued during its cinema release, the film should find a healthy audience via the small screen, where it’s quirky humour and sometimes...
From his earlier, more consciously arty films with which he first made his name (his 2000 debut, George Washington, and the little-seen but much-praised follow-up, All the Real Girls) to the latter mainstream Hollywood fare like the Judd Apatow-produced stoner/action flick, Pineapple Express, he is seen as someone who likes to experiment with each film he makes and refuses to be tied to one genre.
His latest (the comedy fantasy, Your Highness) is released on DVD and Blu-ray next week, and we recently had the chance to chat with him about it.
Undervalued during its cinema release, the film should find a healthy audience via the small screen, where it’s quirky humour and sometimes...
- 8/4/2011
- by Adam Lowes
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
One of the most quotable and riotously funny characters in popular culture at the moment has to be the anti-hero that is Kenny Powers from HBO's "Eastbound & Down," the brain child of Danny McBride, David Gordon-Green, Jody Hill and Ben Best. After the recent addition of Jason Sudeikis (whose also set to return on the new season of another comedy favorite, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia") to the third and final season of the show, two stars who have previously chimed in with cameo appearance--Will Ferrell and Matthew McConaughey, who respectively played BMW dealership owner Ashley Schaeffer and gay…...
- 7/13/2011
- The Playlist
Though it hasn’t been officially announced yet, Amazon has listed the 2011 stoner comedy Your Highness from Universal Studios Home Video as coming to DVD—and presumably Blu-ray—on Aug. 9.
James Franco (l.) and Danny McBride go medieval in Your Highness.
Set in a mythical medieval past that’s part King Arthur and part Lord of the Rings, the movie revolves around two royal brothers: fat, lazy stoner prince Thadeous (Danny McBride, Due Date) and his dashing, princely brother Fabious (James Franco, 127 Hours), who’s heir to the throne. Following some inhaling at their castle, Fabious’s new bride Bella Donna (500 Days of Summer‘s Zooey Deschanel, sporting a damned effective push-up bodice) is abducted by the nasty sorcerer Leezar (Justin Theroux, Mulholland Dr.), who aims to get her knocked up and somehow breed a dragon. It’s up to Thadeous and Fabious to get that gal back!
Directed by...
James Franco (l.) and Danny McBride go medieval in Your Highness.
Set in a mythical medieval past that’s part King Arthur and part Lord of the Rings, the movie revolves around two royal brothers: fat, lazy stoner prince Thadeous (Danny McBride, Due Date) and his dashing, princely brother Fabious (James Franco, 127 Hours), who’s heir to the throne. Following some inhaling at their castle, Fabious’s new bride Bella Donna (500 Days of Summer‘s Zooey Deschanel, sporting a damned effective push-up bodice) is abducted by the nasty sorcerer Leezar (Justin Theroux, Mulholland Dr.), who aims to get her knocked up and somehow breed a dragon. It’s up to Thadeous and Fabious to get that gal back!
Directed by...
- 6/1/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
The second season of HBO’s irreverant comedy TV show Eastbound & Down is coming to DVD and Blu-ray on Aug. 2. And HBO and distributor Warner Home Video must have been sufficiently pleased about the response to the season 1 DVD, because it will bring that season to Blu-ray also on Aug. 2.
Comedy actor Danny McBride, who we laughed with in Due Date, Pineapple Express and the currently in theaters Your Highness, created the television series with Ben Best (writer of Your Highness) and Jody Hill (writer/director of Observe and Report). The show has more comedy pedigree with executive producers Will Ferrell (The Other Guys) and Adam McKay (Step Brothers).
Eastbound & Down stars McBride as Kenny Powers, a burned-our major league ballplayer who in season 1, returns to his old middle school to teach phys ed and proves good at burning every bridge he crosses. In season 2, the mullett-wearing Powers tries to...
Comedy actor Danny McBride, who we laughed with in Due Date, Pineapple Express and the currently in theaters Your Highness, created the television series with Ben Best (writer of Your Highness) and Jody Hill (writer/director of Observe and Report). The show has more comedy pedigree with executive producers Will Ferrell (The Other Guys) and Adam McKay (Step Brothers).
Eastbound & Down stars McBride as Kenny Powers, a burned-our major league ballplayer who in season 1, returns to his old middle school to teach phys ed and proves good at burning every bridge he crosses. In season 2, the mullett-wearing Powers tries to...
- 5/6/2011
- by Sam
- Disc Dish
Danny McBride is fast becoming a comedic force to be reckoned with. His turn as the foul-mouthed and ego-inflated disgraced baseball star Kenny Powers in HBO’s dark, yet hilarious Eastbound & Down has garnered a loving, cult following and he’s showed up (and for the most part) stole scenes in a number of high-profile big Hollywood features like Tropic Thunder and Due Date.
HeyUGuys (and a group of select other bloggers) caught up with the star on the eve of the release of his new comedy fantasy spoof Your Highness (another collaboration with director and close friend from college, David Gordon Green) to talk about his working methods and inspirations behind the film. At the actor’s insistence, the roundtable interview was staged in the somewhat quirky environment of the upstairs of a pub named (appropriately enough) The Roundtable. The drinks flowed fast and freely (as did the expletive-ridden conversation!
HeyUGuys (and a group of select other bloggers) caught up with the star on the eve of the release of his new comedy fantasy spoof Your Highness (another collaboration with director and close friend from college, David Gordon Green) to talk about his working methods and inspirations behind the film. At the actor’s insistence, the roundtable interview was staged in the somewhat quirky environment of the upstairs of a pub named (appropriately enough) The Roundtable. The drinks flowed fast and freely (as did the expletive-ridden conversation!
- 4/13/2011
- by Adam Lowes
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Your Highness Directed by: David Gordon Green Written by: Danny McBride & Ben Best Starring: Danny McBride, Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Rasmus Hardiker Well, that was disappointing. Your Highness turns out to be a juvenile letdown of epic proportions. You needn't look further than the title to glean the intellectual extent of its pothead-pandering humor, which wholly lacks the tragic undercurrent that made co-writers Danny McBride and Ben Best's equally crass HBO endeavor Eastbound and Down such a success. The pair's medieval genre mashup fails by comparison. Even doled out to a stacked cast that includes McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, and Zooey Deschanel, the jokes often read like fairytale MadLibs filled in by a gaggle of stoned teenagers. If your idea of incisive comedy is the suffix "motherfucker" to a line of dialogue, or hearing the Oscar-endowed Ms. Portman say the word "beaver," then ready...
- 4/12/2011
- by Colin
- FilmJunk
Your Highness ***
Reviewed by Duncan Bain
Stars: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux | Written by Danny McBride, Ben Best | Directed by David Gordon Green
Fantasy film nerds of a certain age are pretty much guaranteed to enjoy this hilariously puerile exercise in big budget comedy. Much like director Gordon Green’s previous offering, Pineapple Express, Your Highness is a film which favours a particular form of herbal enhancement – whether you share a similar enthusiasm may be a deciding factor in how much you’re inclined to enjoy the film.
Your Highness sees a feckless workshy lump of a man , Prince Thadeous (McBride) forced to go on a quest helping his brother Fabious (Franco) to rescue a virginal bride from the clutches of a maniacal evil wizard. Sword & Sorcery clichés abound in a plot that apes & echoes childhood favourites such as Krull, Hawk The Slayer, Heavy Metal,...
Reviewed by Duncan Bain
Stars: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux | Written by Danny McBride, Ben Best | Directed by David Gordon Green
Fantasy film nerds of a certain age are pretty much guaranteed to enjoy this hilariously puerile exercise in big budget comedy. Much like director Gordon Green’s previous offering, Pineapple Express, Your Highness is a film which favours a particular form of herbal enhancement – whether you share a similar enthusiasm may be a deciding factor in how much you’re inclined to enjoy the film.
Your Highness sees a feckless workshy lump of a man , Prince Thadeous (McBride) forced to go on a quest helping his brother Fabious (Franco) to rescue a virginal bride from the clutches of a maniacal evil wizard. Sword & Sorcery clichés abound in a plot that apes & echoes childhood favourites such as Krull, Hawk The Slayer, Heavy Metal,...
- 4/12/2011
- by Phil
- Nerdly
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Written by: Danny McBride, Ben Best
Cast: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux
Ah, the sorrow of living in your better brother's shadow.
Such is the story of Thadeous (Danny McBride), a pot smoking prince doofus who is constantly outdone by his noble brother Fabious (James Franco). That's not to say that Thadeous tries to be noble - far from it. It seems he spends most of his time smoking pot, chasing sheep, and getting lecherously abusive with female dwarves and servants.
Fabious gets all the attention yet again when he arrives with the head of the vile Cyclops that had been terrorizing the countryside. He also brings home a new bride-to-be; a young woman named Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) he found and rescued while out on his Cyclops killing quest. Unfortunately, what he doesn't know is that Belladonna had been a...
Written by: Danny McBride, Ben Best
Cast: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux
Ah, the sorrow of living in your better brother's shadow.
Such is the story of Thadeous (Danny McBride), a pot smoking prince doofus who is constantly outdone by his noble brother Fabious (James Franco). That's not to say that Thadeous tries to be noble - far from it. It seems he spends most of his time smoking pot, chasing sheep, and getting lecherously abusive with female dwarves and servants.
Fabious gets all the attention yet again when he arrives with the head of the vile Cyclops that had been terrorizing the countryside. He also brings home a new bride-to-be; a young woman named Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) he found and rescued while out on his Cyclops killing quest. Unfortunately, what he doesn't know is that Belladonna had been a...
- 4/9/2011
- by Tristan Sinns
- Planet Fury
Director: David Gordon Green Writers: Danny McBride, Ben Best Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones, Charles Dance, Noah Huntley, Rasmus Hardiker, Damian Lewis Your Highness is the tale of two princes in a fantasy medieval land. Fabious (James Franco) is a cunning knight who embarks on epic quests to slay dragons and protect their kingdom, while Thadeous (Danny McBride) has sat in the shadows of his brother's accomplishments as a degenerate herb smoking disappointment in the eyes of their father King Tallious (Charles Dance). After returning from his latest quest with the head of a cyclops and his new fiancée Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) in arm, Tallious plans an elaborate wedding celebration for the future heir to his throne. But just as the big event is getting underway, it is cut short when Leezar (Justin Theroux) appears to reclaim his prized virgin prisoner Belladonna...
- 4/8/2011
- by Dave Campbell
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Chicago – “Your Highness” just makes me sad. Rarely have so many talented people been sucked into such an unfunny disaster as what will surely be one of the biggest disappointments of the year. Director David Gordon Green has not only not made a bad movie before now, he had only made great ones, including the spectacular “All the Real Girls,” “Snow Angels,” and “Pineapple Express.” To say this is Green’s worst movie is a massive understatement. With that context, it’s more of a tragedy than a comedy.
Rating: 1.5/5.0
Danny McBride has proved his spectacular comic timing in work like “Pineapple,” “Tropic Thunder,” and “Eastbound & Down.” James Franco is one of the best actors of his generation and should have been Oscar-nominated for “Pineapple.” Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux — all incredibly talented. And don’t get me started again on the greatness of David Gordon Green. Imagine an...
Rating: 1.5/5.0
Danny McBride has proved his spectacular comic timing in work like “Pineapple,” “Tropic Thunder,” and “Eastbound & Down.” James Franco is one of the best actors of his generation and should have been Oscar-nominated for “Pineapple.” Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux — all incredibly talented. And don’t get me started again on the greatness of David Gordon Green. Imagine an...
- 4/8/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Your Highness
Starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman
Directed by David Gordon Green
Rated R
My biggest fear when going into a comedy—especially an R-rated one where we've seen not just one, but two red band trailers—is that the jokes have all been spoiled already. My second-biggest fear is that it'll be a one-note show; say, for instance, an anachronistic Medieval comedy where the main character talks (and swears) like Kenny Powers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that neither of these fears was warranted in the case of Your Highness.
Combining the worlds of Pineapple Express (director David Gordon Green) and Eastbound & Down (co-writers Ben Best and Danny McBride), Your Highness scratches the itch that Year One missed two years ago. It's the story of two prince brothers. The elder, Fabious (James Franco), is heir to the throne and hero to the kingdom. He regularly embarks on quests,...
Starring Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman
Directed by David Gordon Green
Rated R
My biggest fear when going into a comedy—especially an R-rated one where we've seen not just one, but two red band trailers—is that the jokes have all been spoiled already. My second-biggest fear is that it'll be a one-note show; say, for instance, an anachronistic Medieval comedy where the main character talks (and swears) like Kenny Powers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that neither of these fears was warranted in the case of Your Highness.
Combining the worlds of Pineapple Express (director David Gordon Green) and Eastbound & Down (co-writers Ben Best and Danny McBride), Your Highness scratches the itch that Year One missed two years ago. It's the story of two prince brothers. The elder, Fabious (James Franco), is heir to the throne and hero to the kingdom. He regularly embarks on quests,...
- 4/8/2011
- by Mike Chesnut
- GetTheBigPicture.net
Here's a quick synopsis for "Your Highness": a combination of "Lord of the Rings," "Krull," and "Half Baked."
Danny McBride and James Franco take the lead in the new medieval fantasy stoner film, playing Prince brothers Thaddeus and Fabious, respectively. Franco is the valiant crown prince, a hero who rescues a maiden in distress and intends to marry her. And McBride is his jealous, lazy, masturbation-happy stoner brother, whose main adventures involve having sex with the queen of the dwarves.
When Fabious' virgin bride, played by Zooey Deschanel, is stolen by an evil wizard looking to create a dragon spawn, the two brothers set out to rescue her. There, they find themselves betrayed by their companions, seeking out a child molesting puppet wizard and battling erect minotaurs. Along the way, they cross paths with warrior Natalie Portman, who plays it straight and kicks some tail.
"Your Highness" is truly...
Danny McBride and James Franco take the lead in the new medieval fantasy stoner film, playing Prince brothers Thaddeus and Fabious, respectively. Franco is the valiant crown prince, a hero who rescues a maiden in distress and intends to marry her. And McBride is his jealous, lazy, masturbation-happy stoner brother, whose main adventures involve having sex with the queen of the dwarves.
When Fabious' virgin bride, played by Zooey Deschanel, is stolen by an evil wizard looking to create a dragon spawn, the two brothers set out to rescue her. There, they find themselves betrayed by their companions, seeking out a child molesting puppet wizard and battling erect minotaurs. Along the way, they cross paths with warrior Natalie Portman, who plays it straight and kicks some tail.
"Your Highness" is truly...
- 4/8/2011
- by Jordan Zakarin
- Huffington Post
Growing up in the 80s, I was a fan of many popular films and franchises of the time such as Ghostbusters, Star Trek, The Goonies and of course Star Wars. But the films that most captured my imagination were always swashbuckling "sword and sandal" films that set cold steel against fiery magic. Legend, Beastmaster, Clash of the Titans, Dragonslayer and Krull were some of my favorites, watched on endless repeat ... meaning of course we'd stop the videotape, rewind and play it again.
Writers Danny McBride and Ben Best and director David Gordon Green have brought back a glimpse of that silver age this week with Your Highness, a comedic romp through fantasy that sells itself as a stoner comedy but is surprisingly (and refreshingly) solid.
Prince Thadeous (McBride) is dealing with a serious case of second-child syndrome, yearning for the approval and pride his father heaps on older brother Fabious...
Writers Danny McBride and Ben Best and director David Gordon Green have brought back a glimpse of that silver age this week with Your Highness, a comedic romp through fantasy that sells itself as a stoner comedy but is surprisingly (and refreshingly) solid.
Prince Thadeous (McBride) is dealing with a serious case of second-child syndrome, yearning for the approval and pride his father heaps on older brother Fabious...
- 4/8/2011
- by Mike Saulters
- Slackerwood
David Gordon Green is going backwards. His first feature, George Washington, was a dazzling and insightful drama about children, and he followed that up with an equally intelligent look at twentysomething love and heartache in All the Real Girls. The one-two punch of Undertow and Snow Angels dealt with families and adult themes, and it seemed as if Green was both maturing as a filmmaker and hitting his stride in terms of being able to reliably replicate a kind of style: deliberately paced, gorgeously shot, keenly observed human dramas that were occasionally sprinkled with levity. This is not a bad kind of storyteller to be, and in fact, it's pretty damn good. But then there was Pineapple Express, a turning point: it wasn't just Green's first comedy as a director, but his first film to regress along the aesthetic and emotional continuum along which he'd been happily moving toward mastery.
- 4/8/2011
- by Daniel Carlson
David Gordon Green is certainly not the first filmmaker to weave medieval fantasy and comedy together but the sub-genre has been Mia since the 80s/early 90s. So right off the bat, Green’s Your Highness had the potential to be great. Unfortunately, the opportunity is squandered on the false assumption that pot jokes and f-bombs are inherently funny in every context. Considering the title and the director’s last film (Pineapple Express), this comes as no surprise, but it is disappointing nonetheless. The movie delivers an occasional laugh – often via a dick joke – but they are too few and far-between.
Set in a fantastical medieval world, Your Highness tells of two royal brothers – Fabious (James Franco), the brave hero next in line to be king, and Thadeous, his worthless, slacker brother (Danny McBride). When Fabious’ virgin bride Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by an evil wizard, the duo must...
Set in a fantastical medieval world, Your Highness tells of two royal brothers – Fabious (James Franco), the brave hero next in line to be king, and Thadeous, his worthless, slacker brother (Danny McBride). When Fabious’ virgin bride Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by an evil wizard, the duo must...
- 4/8/2011
- by Heather Seebach
- Killer Films
Now that you've seen it, what did you think? Get your quest on. Arriving in theaters this weekend is Your Highness, another comedy creation of Danny McBride & Ben Best, directed by David Gordon Green. Starring Danny McBride and James Franco, it's basically a contemporary homage to the adventure movies from the 80's with some bits of humor thrown in. How is it? Is it actually funny at all? Do Zooey Deschanel and/or Natalie Portman bring anything else into the mix? Is it an entertaining stoner comedy at the least? If you've seen it, leave a comment below and let us know what you thought of Your Highness! To fuel the fire (spoilers may be included) I had high expectations for Your Highness and thought it was only okay. It wasn't so much a stoner comedy as it was just an adventure movie about embarking on a quest. I'm not...
- 4/8/2011
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Critics are divided over Danny McBride and James Franco's epic stoner comedy.
By Eric Ditzian
Natalie Portman, Danny McBride, James Franco and Zooey Deschanel in "Your Highness"
Photo: Frank Connor/ Universal Pictures
The critics don't know quite what to do with "Your Highness." Some have tagged it a worthy successor to the stoner comedy legacy, one that reaches back to swords-and-sandals epics but is still very much in keeping with contemporary comedic traditions. Far more critics, though, argue that the jokes fall flat, the story is kind of a mess, and the performances — especially considering the presence of two recent Oscar nominees in Natalie Portman and James Franco — are nothing short of puzzling.
Will you agree? Read on for a deep dive into some "Your Highness" reviews and decide for yourself.
The Story
"Danny McBride and Ben Best's script for 'Your Highness' has its moments. The...
By Eric Ditzian
Natalie Portman, Danny McBride, James Franco and Zooey Deschanel in "Your Highness"
Photo: Frank Connor/ Universal Pictures
The critics don't know quite what to do with "Your Highness." Some have tagged it a worthy successor to the stoner comedy legacy, one that reaches back to swords-and-sandals epics but is still very much in keeping with contemporary comedic traditions. Far more critics, though, argue that the jokes fall flat, the story is kind of a mess, and the performances — especially considering the presence of two recent Oscar nominees in Natalie Portman and James Franco — are nothing short of puzzling.
Will you agree? Read on for a deep dive into some "Your Highness" reviews and decide for yourself.
The Story
"Danny McBride and Ben Best's script for 'Your Highness' has its moments. The...
- 4/8/2011
- MTV Music News
Critics are divided over Danny McBride and James Franco's epic stoner comedy.
By Eric Ditzian
Natalie Portman, Danny McBride, James Franco and Zooey Deschanel in "Your Highness"
Photo: Frank Connor/ Universal Pictures
The critics don't know quite what to do with "Your Highness." Some have tagged it a worthy successor to the stoner comedy legacy, one that reaches back to swords-and-sandals epics but is still very much in keeping with contemporary comedic traditions. Far more critics, though, argue that the jokes fall flat, the story is kind of a mess, and the performances — especially considering the presence of two recent Oscar nominees in Natalie Portman and James Franco — are nothing short of puzzling.
Will you agree? Read on for a deep dive into some "Your Highness" reviews and decide for yourself.
The Story
"Danny McBride and Ben Best's script for 'Your Highness' has its moments. The...
By Eric Ditzian
Natalie Portman, Danny McBride, James Franco and Zooey Deschanel in "Your Highness"
Photo: Frank Connor/ Universal Pictures
The critics don't know quite what to do with "Your Highness." Some have tagged it a worthy successor to the stoner comedy legacy, one that reaches back to swords-and-sandals epics but is still very much in keeping with contemporary comedic traditions. Far more critics, though, argue that the jokes fall flat, the story is kind of a mess, and the performances — especially considering the presence of two recent Oscar nominees in Natalie Portman and James Franco — are nothing short of puzzling.
Will you agree? Read on for a deep dive into some "Your Highness" reviews and decide for yourself.
The Story
"Danny McBride and Ben Best's script for 'Your Highness' has its moments. The...
- 4/8/2011
- MTV Movie News
Natalie Portman, Danny McBride, James Franco and Zooey Deschanel in Your Highness
Photo: Universal Pictures Not nearly as terrible as I thought it would be, Your Highness is still a relative dud when it comes to comedy. I laughed at some moments and even laughed a little louder at an absurd drawing about midway through, but for the most part this is just a series of sight gags that are either unfunny to begin with or try so hard that by the end I was simply tired of it all.
The medieval set comedy makes an attempt to be both a stoner comedy and farcical fantasy romp, which is to say Pineapple Express helmer David Gordon Green has now made the same movie twice in a row, the only real difference being the year in which the films are set. I wasn't a big fan of Pineapple Express, but I...
Photo: Universal Pictures Not nearly as terrible as I thought it would be, Your Highness is still a relative dud when it comes to comedy. I laughed at some moments and even laughed a little louder at an absurd drawing about midway through, but for the most part this is just a series of sight gags that are either unfunny to begin with or try so hard that by the end I was simply tired of it all.
The medieval set comedy makes an attempt to be both a stoner comedy and farcical fantasy romp, which is to say Pineapple Express helmer David Gordon Green has now made the same movie twice in a row, the only real difference being the year in which the films are set. I wasn't a big fan of Pineapple Express, but I...
- 4/8/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Danny McBride first caught our attention in David Gordon Green.s heartbreaking drama All The Real Girls. As .Bust-ass., he gives a raw and honest performance, that soon lead him to comedy. really funny comedy. From the hilariously irreverent Foot Fist Way to his most recent work in Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder and of course, his HBO series, .Eastbound & Down., he is always exciting to watch. And now, you can check out Mr. McBride in Your Highness, a film he co-wrote with Ben Best,...
- 4/8/2011
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
Review in a Hurry: James Franco and Natalie Portman let down their Oscar-coifed hairdos to get their Camelot on! Alongside the scene-stealing Danny McBride, they venture forth on a hilarious adventure that's as dirty as the dung our heroes trudge on. The Bigger Picture: Stoner comedies, the really good ones, have a knack for feeling like the crazily, whacked out trips the herb-obsessed only think they had. For all we know, McBride and his co-writer Ben Best were in an altered state when they wrote this. Thankfully, the result is packed with clever writing and bereft of the usual "um" or "whoa" ramblings. Fabious (Franco) is the favorite son of the kingdom and dutiful heir to the throne. His slacker...
- 4/8/2011
- E! Online
Reviewed by Bryan Buss
(April 2011)
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Written by: Danny McBride and Ben Best
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones and Damian Lewis
Stoner comedies are hard to get right. While being silly and broad, they also have to be sharp and observational. “Dazed and Confused” got it right. “Smiley Face” got it right. “Your Highness” does not get it right.
Danny McBride (who wrote the script with one of his “Foot Fist Way” co-writers, Ben Best) plays Thadeous, a lazy loafer of a prince more interested in partying than parrying, which leaves him standing in the shadows of his brother, Fabious (James Franco), a golden boy who slays dragons and rescues damsels all in a day’s work. When Fab’s bride-to-be Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by an evil wizard to fulfill a prophecy, a reluctant Thadeous joins...
(April 2011)
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Written by: Danny McBride and Ben Best
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones and Damian Lewis
Stoner comedies are hard to get right. While being silly and broad, they also have to be sharp and observational. “Dazed and Confused” got it right. “Smiley Face” got it right. “Your Highness” does not get it right.
Danny McBride (who wrote the script with one of his “Foot Fist Way” co-writers, Ben Best) plays Thadeous, a lazy loafer of a prince more interested in partying than parrying, which leaves him standing in the shadows of his brother, Fabious (James Franco), a golden boy who slays dragons and rescues damsels all in a day’s work. When Fab’s bride-to-be Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by an evil wizard to fulfill a prophecy, a reluctant Thadeous joins...
- 4/8/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Reviewed by Bryan Buss
(April 2011)
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Written by: Danny McBride and Ben Best
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones and Damian Lewis
Stoner comedies are hard to get right. While being silly and broad, they also have to be sharp and observational. “Dazed and Confused” got it right. “Smiley Face” got it right. “Your Highness” does not get it right.
Danny McBride (who wrote the script with one of his “Foot Fist Way” co-writers, Ben Best) plays Thadeous, a lazy loafer of a prince more interested in partying than parrying, which leaves him standing in the shadows of his brother, Fabious (James Franco), a golden boy who slays dragons and rescues damsels all in a day’s work. When Fab’s bride-to-be Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by an evil wizard to fulfill a prophecy, a reluctant Thadeous joins...
(April 2011)
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Written by: Danny McBride and Ben Best
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Toby Jones and Damian Lewis
Stoner comedies are hard to get right. While being silly and broad, they also have to be sharp and observational. “Dazed and Confused” got it right. “Smiley Face” got it right. “Your Highness” does not get it right.
Danny McBride (who wrote the script with one of his “Foot Fist Way” co-writers, Ben Best) plays Thadeous, a lazy loafer of a prince more interested in partying than parrying, which leaves him standing in the shadows of his brother, Fabious (James Franco), a golden boy who slays dragons and rescues damsels all in a day’s work. When Fab’s bride-to-be Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by an evil wizard to fulfill a prophecy, a reluctant Thadeous joins...
- 4/8/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
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