Action and Comedy Sizzle in ‘The Heat’!

Director Paul Feig reinvigorates the buddy cop genre by pairing Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock and breakout star Melissa McCarthy as law enforcers with wildly different styles in “The Heat.”

Set in Boston, the movie follows Sarah Ashburn (Bullock), a rigid FBI agent forced to team up with Shannon Mullins (McCarthy), a brash undercover Boston street cop to track a ruthless drug lord.   Ashburn is a straight-laced, patient, methodical investigator known for her excellence, while Mullins is very short fused and none has ever had a partner or a long time friend.  This wildly dysfunctional duo must try to catch this high-powered criminal without killing one another in the process.

Director Feig enthused on Bullock’s and McCarthy’s pairing, “I’m excited about doing a female buddy cop comedy because I can only think of a couple that have come along in the last 20 years and I don’t think they were particularly great. To me, though, I’m not looking at it as two women – it’s just two of the funniest people I know. Melissa, who I’ve worked with and is hilarious, and then Sandy who I’ve always been a fan of who is also hilarious. What I like is they have two different senses of humor and two different styles of comedy and the two complement each other.”

In a genre mostly dominated by men, Feig shares that the pairing is an ideal mix.“Sometimes you come up with these combos in your head and then you put them together and they don’t work at all. But we had a little rehearsal down in Atlanta when Melissa was doing another movie, and the minute they started reading together, I thought, “Okay, this is funny.”Now they’re actuallythe best of friends and onscreen the chemistry between them is great because of this, and they both bring aspects of themselves to each of their characters – they balance each other out great. Sandy’s so funny at playing the uptight nerdy-but-officious person and then Melissa’s character is just all street smarts and brawn and force. I set them loose and then just get to sit behind the monitor and laugh – I’m amazed at what they’re discovering and coming up with,” Feig continues.

Directing the raucous comedy that is “The Heat” has its unwritten rules too according to Feig. “My criteria for comedy is it has to have an emotional core, first and foremost. It also has to have believable characters, even if they’re doing big crazy things or they’re big personalities. It’s not necessarily about jokes – it’s the behavioral aspect of it, and the way they’re reacting off each other. Jokes sometimes land like lead because they just sound very written, but a funny reaction to something makes it funnier. With the Internet and YouTube we’re seeing so much real live comedy just in these videos of people with their friends – that is funnier to us than a very overwritten story. So we have our great script, and although we don’t deviate from it too much, we try to do it in a way where the actorsmake it their own and they’re talking like people do to each other in real life,” shares Feig.

“The Heat” opens June 27 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Action and Comedy Sizzle in ‘The Heat’!

Estrogen-Filled Comedy ‘The Heat’ is On!

Budding comedy scribe Katie Dippold loved cop movies growing up. Now a grown up, her love for cop movies continues and had successfully penned the latest Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy starrer “The Heat” directed by Paul Feig.

The estrogen-filled comedy features Sandra Bullock as the uptight FBI agent Sarah Ashburn and Melissa McCarthy as the unorthodox Boston police officer paired together to hunt down a ruthless drug lord.

“The Heat” is the first produced screenplay by Katie Dippold, who has written for television shows like Parks and Recreation and MadTV. The film was born from Dippold’s love of buddy-cop movies. She has many favorites, but singles out the 1986 comedy-action film Running Scared, starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines as wisecracking Chicago street cops. “I’ve always enjoyed those kinds of movies,” says Dippold, who recently signed a deal to write another comedy for director Paul Feig. “The characters and actors always seemed like they were having so much fun.”

Dippold’s love of buddy-cop films provided the foundation for a script that ultimately transcended the genre with outrageous humor and heart. Feig sparked to the script, calling it “one of the funniest I’ve ever read.”

“It turns the genre on its head by adding some breasts,” jokes Bullock. “It’s gonna surprise people what women with breasts can do.”

When the filmmaker told Dippold that “The Heat” was going to be his next film, the neophyte screenwriter was flummoxed. “I thought I was being pranked,” Dippold admits. “I got an email saying that Paul wanted to have lunch with me. After reading the email, I sat there frozen for several minutes. Then, I thought it was a joke.” “Well, that’s Katie,” says producer Jenno Topping. “She’s incredibly humble and real.”

With Dippold’s first draft in hand, Feig moved at warp speed to cast the film, a task facilitated by his visualizing his “dream team” in the script. “I’ve always been a fan of Sandra Bullock, and as I was reading I was just like, okay, Ashburn is Sandra. Ashburn felt like her. Sandra is so funny in movies and in real life. She’s confident and cool, but she’s also analytical about things to a point where it’s comical, and which I love. And that’s how I felt about the Ashburn character.”

“Sandra brings a sweet quality to what could have been an unlikable character,” adds Katie Dippold. “She really nails that ‘A+-student’ vibe, and she’s hilarious.” And McCarthy notes that, “Sandra is great, funny and weird. We are very much in sync.”

It didn’t take much convincing to bring Bullock aboard. She was a big fan of “Bridesmaids,” and eager to work with its director, Feig. “Watching Bridesmaids was one of those rare moments when I thought to myself that this is a person [Feig] I want to work with because you know he is going to make you better – and that he could turn “The Heat” into something memorable.”

The strength of the Bullock-McCarthy dynamic, evident even then, inspired additional script fine-tuning. “By the end of that first read, it was obvious that Sandy and Melissa really inhabited these characters, and that it was up to Katie Dippold and me to take all that magic and get it into the script – and really let the women fly,” says Feig.

For Dippold, the process was liberating. “Sandy and Melissa took what was on the page and made it funnier than I thought it could ever be,” she says. A particular favorite came during a Mullins’ tirade against her captain (played by Tom Wilson) – accusing him of lacking a set of testes – when he refuses her demand to boot Ashburn from the case. “Melissa really ran with the one scripted line, ‘Have you seen the captain’s balls?’ and turned it into something spectacular.”

Rated R-13, “The Heat” opens June 27 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Estrogen-Filled Comedy ‘The Heat’ is On!

(TV) Nash Aguas, Jairus Aquino, Sharlene San Pedro Enters Teen Comedy Series, “LUV U”

“Goin’ Bulilit” graduates Nash Aguas, Alexa Ilacad, Kobi Vidanes, Sharlene San Pedro and Mika dela Cruz along with “Super Inggo” former child star Jairus Aquino make a big comeback on television. They comprise the new cast of the hit afternoon teen comedy series “LUV U.”

The new season will focus on the students’ relationship with their parents and siblings, as well as tackle thrill of fun of high school and the bittersweet experience of first love.

“Apart from the ‘kilig,’ viewers will also be provided with insights and lessons about dealing with teenage dilemmas as well as family problems,” says Ricky Victoria, head writer of “LUV U.”

Victoria adds that with these new elements, the show hopes to attract older viewers like moms and dads.

Aside from the new enrollees of Lamberto Uy Villarama Universirty (LUV U), “Let’s Go” Alumna Eda Nolan will also enter the fun-filled university as a new teacher. To add more delight, the character of Bentong (Mang Jules) will also have a love interest.

Fans of “LUV U” are excited for the new love teams. In fact, netizens are guessing who these pairs will be through their tweets and Facebook status updates.

Don’t miss the new season of “LUV U” which begins on June 16 (Sunday) on ABS-CBN Channel 2 after “ASAP 18.”

(TV) Nash Aguas, Jairus Aquino, Sharlene San Pedro Enters Teen Comedy Series, “LUV U”

Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy Juggle Action and Comedy in ‘The Heat’

Director Paul Feig reinvigorates the buddy cop genre by pairing Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock and breakout star Melissa McCarthy as law enforcers with wildly different styles in “The Heat.”

Set in Boston, the movie follows Sarah Ashburn (Bullock), a rigid FBI agent forced to team up with Shannon Mullins (McCarthy), a brash undercover Boston street cop to track a ruthless drug lord. Ashburn is a straight-laced, patient, methodical investigator known for her excellence, while Mullins is very short fused and none has ever had a partner or a long time friend. This wildly dysfunctional duo must try to catch this high-powered criminal without killing one another in the process.

Director Feig enthused on Bullock’s and McCarthy’s pairing, “I’m excited about doing a female buddy cop comedy because I can only think of a couple that have come along in the last 20 years and I don’t think they were particularly great. To me, though, I’m not looking at it as two women – it’s just two of the funniest people I know. Melissa, who I’ve worked with and is hilarious, and then Sandy who I’ve always been a fan of who is also hilarious. What I like is they have two different senses of humor and two different styles of comedy and the two complement each other.”

In a genre mostly dominated by men, Feig shares that the pairing is an ideal mix. “Sometimes you come up with these combos in your head and then you put them together and they don’t work at all. But we had a little rehearsal down in Atlanta when Melissa was doing another movie, and the minute they started reading together, I thought, “Okay, this is funny.”Now they’re actuallythe best of friends and onscreen the chemistry between them is great because of this, and they both bring aspects of themselves to each of their characters – they balance each other out great. Sandy’s so funny at playing the uptight nerdy-but-officious person and then Melissa’s character is just all street smarts and brawn and force. I set them loose and then just get to sit behind the monitor and laugh – I’m amazed at what they’re discovering and coming up with,” Feig continues.

Directing the raucous comedy that is “The Heat” has its unwritten rule too according to Feig. “My criteria for comedy is it has to have an emotional core, first and foremost. It also has to have believable characters, even if they’re doing big crazy things or they’re big personalities. It’s not necessarily about jokes – it’s the behavioral aspect of it, and the way they’re reacting off each other. Jokes sometimes land like lead because they just sound very written, but a funny reaction to something makes it funnier. With the Internet and YouTube we’re seeing so much real live comedy just in these videos of people with their friends – that is funnier to us than a very overwritten story. So we have our great script, and although we don’t deviate from it too much, we try to do it in a way where the actorsmake it their own and they’re talking like people do to each other in real life,” shares Feig.

“The Heat” opens June 27 in cinemas nationwide from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy Juggle Action and Comedy in ‘The Heat’

Meet the monsters of Disney/Pixar’s comedy “Monsters University”!

Meet the monsters who are out to make audiences scream with laughter in Disney/Pixar’s comedy “Monsters University,” the eagerly anticipated sequel to the 2001 blockbuster “Monsters, Inc.”

MIKE WAZOWSKI’s (voice of Billy Crystal) lifelong dream is to become a Scarer at Monsters, Inc.—and he’s sure he knows just how to do it. Ever since he was a young monster, Mike’s had his eye on Monsters University, home of the world’s top Scare Program. Now a freshman and hopeful Scare student, he’s well versed in the rich history, theory and technique required to reach his goal, and the little green one-eyed monster has more confidence, enthusiasm, determination and heart than all of his classmates combined. But unexpected roadblocks derail Mike’s plans and he’s forced to team up with a group of misfit monsters and an unlikely ally to give it the old college try and pull off the biggest coup in the University’s history.

JAMES P. SULLIVAN—“SULLEY” (voice of John Goodman). When it comes to Scaring, Sulley’s a natural—his abundant size, fierce roar and family legacy of a long line of high-achieving Scarers make him a shoo-in for the esteemed Scare Program at Monsters University. But from the moment the overly confident monster steps his big furry feet on campus, it’s clear he’d rather crack jokes than books—and he learns the hard way that his unfettered talent and family ties can only get him so far.

RANDY BOGGS (voice of Steve Buscemi). Freshman Randy Boggs has big aspirations for college life. The peculiar lizard-like monster with his host of gangly arms and legs plans to major in Scaring and lead an active social life filled with fun, friends and fraternity parties. If only he could get his embarrassing disappearing habit under control, he’d be good to go, because how is he ever going to be a great Scarer if nobody can see him?

DON CARLTON (voice of Joel Murray). Faced with the realities of the economic downturn, Midwestern sales monster Don Carlton finds himself going back to school to learn new skills and pursue a dream career in Scaring. One of the university’s “mature” students and a founding member of the Oozma Kappa fraternity, Don brings his honest hardworking spirit to their endeavors, ensuring that his fellow brothers keep their various heads on straight and their array of eyes on the task at hands.

SCOTT “SQUISHY” SQUIBBLES (voice of Pete Sohn) gives new meaning to the term “undeclared.” A sophomore whose dream of becoming a Scarer was squashed in his first year, “Squishy” is a bit of a wide-eyed wanderer—small, sweet, naïve and quiet—who, not surprisingly, still lives with his doting mother. But with a little help from his Oozma Kappa brothers, Squishy begins to realize he’s more than just that shy monster in the corner.

ART (voice of Charlie Day). The ultimate free spirit, Art is a mysterious monster with a questionable background. By far the strangest member of the Oozma Kappas, Art bowls over the competition—sometimes literally—with his unique dexterity and wild-card ways. Nothing is scarier than the unpredictable, especially when it comes to this furry ball of bad.

TERRI & TERRY PERRY (voices of Dave Foley & Sean Hayes). When it comes to Terri and Terry, it’s hard not to ask, “Are two heads really better than one?” These bickering brothers have little in common: Terri with an “i” is a real romantic who’s quick to spot the silver lining in any situation, while older brother Terry with a “y” sports a more cynical outlook on life. If they can stop squabbling long enough to work with their Oozma Kappa brothers—they might be able to put their heads together—literally—and find their place in the university’s Scare Program once and for all.

DEAN HARDSCRABBLE (voice of Helen Mirren). To her, there are scary monsters and there are all other monsters. It’s no surprise she feels this way—she is, after all, a legendary Scarer and Dean of the School of Scaring at Monsters University. Aspiring Scare students must be up for the challenge to impress her, though she is convinced that her assessment of who is truly scary and who is not is never wrong.

PROFESSOR KNIGHT (voice of Alfred Molina) teaches Scaring 101, the introductory course to Scaring at Monsters University. With hundreds of new Scare students each year, he must weed out the weak from the talented and identify who shows the most potential to be real Scarers. Only a few have what it takes to pass the formidable final exam and move on to the elite Scaring Program.

Opening across the Philippines on June 26 in Disney Digital 3D, 2D and regular theaters, “Monsters University” is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.

 

Meet the monsters of Disney/Pixar’s comedy “Monsters University”!