THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 Brings the Giggles

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming from directors Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon, Laura Brousseau and MGM is the return of the most beloved characters with THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2.

Gomez (Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron) have noticed that Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) seems more out of sorts than usual. Upset that her parents are so supportive and that winners are never truly winners, Wednesday just want find her proper level of miserable.

Knocking on their door one afternoon is a man named Rupert (Wallace Shawn) who informs the Addams that there might have been a mix up at the hospital when their daughter was born. Uncle Fester (Nick Kroll) admits that there might have been an issue that night but Gomez and Morticia see it as ridiculousness.

To bring the family back together, Gomez decides it is time for a family vacation! Packing up the family along with Pugsley (Javon Walton) and Lurch (Conrad Vernon), they go across country together. But nothing is making Wednesday happy until she sees Rupert again and discovers that it is scientist Cyrus Strange (Bill Hader) who wants to join forces with her.

When she disappears, Gomez, Morticia and the family decide that no one takes an Addams without a fight!

Issac as the animated Gomez is loving, charming and clearly is the ultimate unusual family man. He clearly loves his wife and the family they have and wants to show them, but Wednesday is the one who puts limits on affection. Theron as Morticia is an equally loving wife and mother and tries her best to give Wednesday a wide berth to be herself. What neither parent realizes is that Wednesday does not know who 'herself' is.

Moretz as Wednesday gives us her usual teenage angst but with a bit of unique sass as an added bonus. When not trying to find new ways to destroy her brother, Wednesday wants to be unusually and uniquely more than any Addams ever has been before. Walton as Pugsley is starting to wonder why girls are not flocking around him, I mean being a dashing Addams and all right? This kid obviously loves his sister because he just lets her get out her angst on him.

Hader as Strange has an evil plan (and leave it to Hader to give voice to it) and he does not care about the consequences or the family that is being hurt. Strange is thinking money and power when all Wednesday is thinking is creativity and intelligence - these two are about to clash.

Shout out to Vernon as the grumbly Lurch, Shawn as Rupert, Snoop Dogg as Cousin Itt and Ms. Midler as Grandmama Addams!

MGM is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television across all platforms. Owning one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content and is home to two of the longest-running and most successful film franchise in cinematic history with JAMES BOND and ROCKY. For more please visit www.mgm.com.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2 is a continuation of Wednesdays struggles to find herself in the Addams clan. Gomez and Morticia are such doting parents with their own styles. Gomez wants to give hugs and Morticia wants to give space but neither of these methods are working. It does not help that Rupert knocking on the door with his story does not help in the slightest.

The family adventure is filled with laughs, adventure, color and Uncle Fester going through his own, well let us say unique changes. The one thing about the Addams Family which has made fans come back again and again is that eventually you see past their visual differences and start to see that they are genuine, loving and a family.

They never make excuses for who they are and their love of people. Finding 'us' a bit unusual as well, it does not stop them from embracing it and they do not hold grudges when things go against them. That being said, each of the Addams will protect the other with every fiber of their being and that, my friends makes them so very special and, to be honest - I would hang with them anytime!

In the end - a sequel, how original.

It is the Return of THE ADDAMS FAMILY on Vivid Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Double snapping onto Bluray/DVD and Digital this week from directors Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon, Bron Studios and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the return of our favorite differences with THE ADDAMS FAMILY.

After being chased out of their home, the Morticia (Charlize Theron) and Gomez (Oscar Isaac) Addams decide to start over and find a place where no one would bother them landing on a hill in New Jersey. As time goes by the couple have daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) and son Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard) along with Lurch and Thing.

Down below in the valley, television star and home renovator Margaux Needler (Allison Janney) has created the town of Assimilation. When she sees the house on the hill the plan for her show finale is born. Trying to get the Addams to allow her to make that happen falls on death ears as Morticia isn’t about to ruin her beautifully dark home. Agreeing with her is Gomez’ brother Fester (Nick Kroll) who is more than happy to say so.

Wednesday meets Parker (Elsie Fisher), an unhappy teen who is a different kind of unhappy that Wednesday’s usual unhappy unhappiness. A friendship blossoms and she wants to attend school to see the world. Morticia is a little hurt but she takes her mind off it with the special family event planned for Pugsley.

Margaux is also planning an event of her own and to make it happen, she begins a campaign of fear with the people of Assimilation. Using social media to get the job done, daughter Parker can’t believe she is doing it. Both Wednesday and Parker decide to make their teenage protests known loud and clear.

The Addams’ are under scrutiny from their own family and the town which means only one thing – family sticks together no matter what!

Theron as Morticia has the calming voice of a mother on the death side of life. She only wants her family to be terribly unhappy and that means letting go of things a bit. What she learns is that if she is patient, all her fears will be realized. Isaac as Gomez wants Pugsley initiated into the family with tradition but learns that we are all good at some things and not all and perhaps that’s okay too. Both of these are loving parents that only want the worst for their children and I love that about them.

Moretz as Wednesday is a young girl who just wants to see what’s beyond the metal toothed gates of the Addams home. Once she does, no one worries for her because this girl isn’t to suffer fools lightly. Wednesday knows who she is and it’s time for everyone else to know that too. Wolfhard as Pugsley is more like his Uncle Fester than Gomez realizes. He is good at creating destruction but not so light on his feet.

Kroll as Fester is just funny but then again I’d expect nothing less. Thing and Lurch aren’t about to be left out of this story nor should they because even though they don’t say much – action speaks louder than words or in Lurch’s case a good ole fashioned eye roll.

Janney as Margaux Needler is viciously hilarious with her crazy idea regarding the town she rebuilt and the pressures from the networks. If she wasn’t so normally insane I’d think she’d make a fantastic Addams! Fisher as daughter Parker just wants something different in her life – enter Wednesday!  Each girl wants to walk in the other’s shoes and once given the chance they learn it’s only a step up to being even better friends.

Other cast include Snoop Dogg as It, Bette Midler as Grandma, Martin Short as Grandpa Frump, Catherine O’Hara as Grandma Frump, Tituss Burgess as Glenn, Jenifer Lewis as Great Auntie Sloom, Aimee Garcia as Denise and Conrad Vernon as Lurch.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are film of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Bluray Bonus Features include Deleted and Extended Scenes, Welcome to the Family, Charades with Thing, Life of a Scene, Addams Family Throwback and more!

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

This version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY comes directly from the comic by Charles Addams that appeared in The New Yorker in 1938.  Television would bring their own version of these characters in the 1960’s with Carolyn Jones and John Astin as the devoted Morticia and Gomez.

In 1991 and 1993, THE ADAMS family appeared on the big screen with Raul Julia and Anjelica Houston in the roles of Gomez and Morticia. They actually gave the characters a darker look but still kept the loving side of their relationship. Although I adore the original television series, I came to embrace the films because that was the Morticia and Gomez I wanted to see and didn’t even realize it.

Now animated and on Bluray/DVD, this isn’t the first time they have been ‘cartooned’. What is a little different with this film is taking the characters from their original 1938 visual form. What I can say is that my granddaughter had a great time laughing, snapping and wide eyed that I knew the words to the song.

There is something for everyone in this version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY and it will reach all age groups from the first of us to watch the television series to the next who experienced the 90’s films. 

Each iconic character brings what we’d expect wrapped up in animation that is fun. It’s about family, friendships, love on their own terms and seeing the world in a unique way makes THE ADDAMS FAMILY someone I’d love to live next door too!

In the end – think your family is weird, think again!

It is the Return of THE ADDAMS FAMILY

Jeri Jacquin

Double snapping into theatres this week from directors Greg Tiernan, Conrad Vernon, Bron Studios and MGM is the return of our favorite differences with THE ADDAMS FAMILY.

After being chased out of their home, the Morticia (Charlize Theron) and Gomez (Oscar Isaac) Addams decide to start over and find a place where no one would bother them landing on a hill in New Jersey. As time goes by the couple have daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) and son Pugsley (Finn Wolfhard) along with Lurch and Thing.

Down below in the valley, television star and home renovator Margaux Needler (Allison Janney) has created the town of Assimilation. When she sees the house on the hill the plan for her show finale is born. Trying to get the Addams to allow her to make that happen falls on death ears as Morticia isn't about to ruin her beautifully dark home. Agreeing with her is Gomez' brother Fester (Nick Kroll) who is more than happy to say so.

Wednesday meets Parker (Elsie Fisher), an unhappy teen who is a different kind of unhappy that Wednesday's usual unhappy unhappiness. A friendship blossoms and she wants to attend school to see the world. Morticia is a little hurt but she takes her mind off it with the special family event planned for Pugsley.

Margaux is also planning an event of her own and to make it happen, she begins a campaign of fear with the people of Assimilation. Using social media to get the job done, daughter Parker can't believe she is doing it. Both Wednesday and Parker decide to make their teenage protests known loud and clear.

The Addams' are under scrutiny from their own family and the town which means only one thing - family sticks together no matter what!

Theron as Morticia has the calming voice of a mother on the death side of life. She only wants her family to be terribly unhappy and that means letting go of things a bit. What she learns is that if she is patient, all her fears will be realized. Isaac as Gomez wants Pugsley initiated into the family with tradition but learns that we are all good at some things and not all and perhaps that's okay too. Both of these are loving parents that only want the worst for their children and I love that about them.

Moretz as Wednesday is a young girl who just wants to see what's beyond the metal toothed gates of the Addams home. Once she does, no one worries for her because this girl isn't to suffer fools lightly. Wednesday knows who she is and it's time for everyone else to know that too. Wolfhard as Pugsley is more like his Uncle Fester than Gomez realizes. He is good at creating destruction but not so light on his feet.

Kroll as Fester is just funny but then again I'd expect nothing less. Thing and Lurch aren't about to be left out of this story nor should they because even though they don't say much - action speaks louder than words or in Lurch's case a good ole fashioned eye roll.

Janney as Margaux Needler is viciously hilarious with her crazy idea regarding the town she rebuilt and the pressures from the networks. If she wasn't so normally insane I'd think she'd make a fantastic Addams! Fisher as daughter Parker just wants something different in her life - enter Wednesday!  Each girl wants to walk in the other's shoes and once given the chance they learn it's only a step up to being even better friends.

Other cast include Snoop Dogg as It, Bette Midler as Grandma, Martin Short as Grandpa Frump, Catherine O'Hara as Grandma Frump, Tituss Burgess as Glenn, Jenifer Lewis as Great Auntie Sloom, Aimee Garcia as Denise and Conrad Vernon as Lurch.

This version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY comes directly from the comic by Charles Addams that appeared in The New Yorker in 1938.  Television would bring their own version of these characters in the 1960's with Carolyn Jones and John Astin as the devoted Morticia and Gomez.

In 1991 and 1993, THE ADAMS family appeared on the big screen with Raul Julia and Anjelica Houston in the roles of Gomez and Morticia. They actually gave the characters a darker look but still kept the loving side of their relationship. Although I adore the original television series, I came to embrace the films because that was the Morticia and Gomez I wanted to see and didn't even realize it.

Now animated on the big screen this isn't the first time they have been 'cartooned'. What is a little different with this film is taking the characters from their original 1938 visual form. I'm not sure I can get with Isaac voice as Gomez but it will have to do. What I can say is that my granddaughter had a great time laughing, snapping and wide eyed that I knew the words to the song.

There is something for everyone in this version of THE ADDAMS FAMILY and it will reach all age groups from the first of us to watch the television series to the next who experienced the 90's films. Each iconic character brings what we'd expect wrapped up in animation that is fun. It's about family, friendships, love on their own terms and seeing the world in a unique way makes THE ADDAMS FAMILY someone I'd love to live next door too!

In the end - think your family is weird, think again!