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!

OPERATION FINALE is a Story of Justice

Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray/DVD and Digital from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and director Chris Weitz based on a true story tells us about the historic OPERATION FINALE.

Peter Malkin (Oscar Isaac) is part of an Israeli secret agents who have one goal – to track down and arrest SS officer Adolf Eichmann (Ben Kingsley). They want him as he is known as the mastermind of what is known as the ‘Final Solution’ and the Jewish people in concentration camps during World War II.

In Argentina, Sylvia Hermann (Haley Lu Richardson) is a young woman who begins dating a boy named Klaus Eichmann (Joe Alwyn). Klaus tells her family that he has been raised by his uncle Ricardo after his father died. It is Sylvia’s father who believes that he is onto something. When a photograph is relayed back to Israel of Uncle Ricardo, Malkin is brief on the operation to bring Eichmann back to Israel to stand trail for war crimes.

Along with Hanna Elian (Melanie Laurent), Isser Harel (Lior Raz), Rafi Eitan (Nick Kroll) and others, the group come to Buenos Aires, Argentina searching. They set up and prepare the best way to capture Eichmann and get him to an airplane covertly. Malkin has a lot to prove as they thought they were capturing the same man in Austria and it went wrong.

Capturing Eichmann is one thing, having him at a safe house until he can be extracted is another. Son Klaus and wife Vera (Greta Scacchi) are doing everything possible to find Eichmann. That means the clock is ticking to get a confession from Eichmann about who he really is.

Malkin finds himself talking with Eichmann when it is his turn to watch the prisoner. Everyone else in the safe house finds taking care of the former SS officer distasteful so Malkin takes their shifts as he wants to know why and believes he can convince Eichmann to sign the document.

Klaus has brought down every person to bear in order to find his father - even throwing both Sylvia and her father in jail. Torturing the young girl doesn’t seem to faze Klaus enough to stop it but what she tells him put them all on the hunt for the safe house. Every move is becoming ever more dangerous with lives at stake.

Time is running out and the race is on to get Eichmann to the plane and to stand trial for his war crimes.

Golden Globe winner Isaac as Malkin is a man with memories that make it difficult at times to do what needs doing. When an earlier mission to capture Eichmann turned chaotic, it is clear that Malkin wants to make sure the mission goes according to a well laid plan. When Eichmann is their prisoner at the safe house, Isaac’s character takes it upon himself to get to ‘know’ the man with the goal of a confession. That means telling Eichmann very personal things in the hope that the former SS officer will trust in him. There comes a moment of cat and mouse that I thought was going to go horribly wrong. Isaac is proving time and time again to be such a stellar actor and the roles he chooses are smart and poignant, OPERATION FINALE is one such role.

Academy Award winner Kingsley as Eichmann is absolutely stunning and I say that because I have been an admirer of this actor long before he was Sir Ben Kingsley. He has the unique ability to be any character he chooses, meaning good characters and not-so-nice characters yet I am riveted to see where he takes the story. This film is no exception to that rule as Kingsley starts out in character defiance but inevitably realizes the situation he is in portraying it masterfully.

Laurent as Hanna agrees to be the medic for the mission but refuses to give Eichmann an ounce of compassion. This is the second film dealing with Nazi’s as she was the French cinema owner Shoshana in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS in 2009. Kroll as Eitan is goal oriented to get the mission done swiftly and needs the confession to make that happen.

Other cast include Michael Aronov as Zvi Aharoni, Ohad Knoller as Ephraim Ilani, Greg Hill as Moshe Tabor, Torben Liebrecht as Yaakov Gat, Michael Hernandez as Dani Shalom, Pepe Rapazote as Carlos Fuldner, Haley Lu Richardson as Sylvia Hermann and Peter Strauss as Lothar Hermann.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. There are films 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 Bonus Features on Bluray and DVD include Inside the Operations: Cast, filmmakers and crew discuss working together, filing in Buenos Aires, and their collective approach to telling such a historically significant story and Feature Commentary with Director Chris Weitz.

OPERATION FINALE is an intense thriller in a story that absolutely needed to be told. The film is stellar and what makes it so is the cast who take on their characters with depth and intensity. As the story unfolds it becomes clear that not only is there much to fear if they get caught but the fact that Eichmann wasn’t the only Nazi in Buenos Aires!

The scenes between Isaacs and Kingsley are pure brilliance in their exchanges and I couldn’t take my eyes of the screen. Both of these actors have brought so much to the screen through the years and OPERATION FINALE is going to be a film that sticks with me for a very long time.

In the end – after World War II the mission for justice began!

CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS The First Epic Movie Saves the Day on Bluray

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from director David Soren and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment is a tale of two friends and their new pal CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS.

Best buddies George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch) are in the fourth grade at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School and are total cut ups. They are known for their pranks and they are mainly aimed at what the two consider mean teachers. Of course principal Benjamin Krupp (Ed Helms) doesn’t find the two quite as funny.

The two also have managed to create a superhero called Captain Underpants who basically wears only a cap and – well – his underpants while fighting crime. Using their treehouse as their home office for Treehouse Comix Inc., the boys sell their stories to their friends.

When a prank goes wrong and they are ratted out, George and Harold end up in Principal Krupp’s office. Thinking that separating the boys into different classrooms will stop their antics, the boys discover that using a Hypno Ring from a cereal box has transformed Krupp into their Captain Underpants.

Figuring out that water and snapping fingers brings him back and forth, the boys also realize that they need to put their superhero into Krupps’ principal role before anyone finds out. When a scientist named Professor P. (Nick Kroll) arrives and Krupp aka Captain Underpants hires him to teach, George and Harold see something weird going on.

The boys begin to make changes around the school with the help of the “principal” but it is Professor Pee-Pee Diarrheastein Poopypants, Esq. that’s up to no good. Wanting to take over the town, it is up to George, Harold and Captain Underpants to puts things right again. When that’s done the boys must decide if their new superhero must stay or go.

In the meantime it’s Tra-la-LAAAAAA!

Hart and Middleditch are such an amazing pair playing George and Harold. They vocally play off of each other and it is absolutely seamless. I love the way they speak to one another and as an adult I giggle like a kid. That’s what makes this film so cool – you certainly don’t have to be a kid to enjoy the fun.

Helms as Captain Underpants is hilarious and every time he says ‘tra-la-laaaaa’ I join in. That gets stuck in your head but in a great way as if you think ‘where can I use this phrase’ and trust me, I’ve thought of a lot of situations where that fantastic tune can be used.

Kroll as Professor P. has serious issues yet even being vertically challenged and a head of hair curlier than Shirley Temple, he gives funny line delivery.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment brings award-winning global product and new entertainment to DVD, Bluray, and Digital HD. There amazing collection offers fans an opportunity to expand their own home libraries with the best films. To discover what other titles they have please visit www.fox.com.

CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS The First Epic Movie contains 30+ minutes of Bluray & DVD Special Features such as The Really Cool Adventures of Captain Underpants Motion Comic, The Captain Underpants Guide to Being a Hero, The Professor Poopypants (Totally Original and Supercool) Guide to Being a Villain, Missing Underpants: Deleted Scenes, Captain Underpants Lyric Video by “Weird Al” Yankovic, “A Friend Like You: Lyric Video by Andy Grammer, Kevin Hart and Ed Helms Surprise Fans and so much more!

CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS is so much fun and a family film meant for everyone. The animation is epic, brilliant and vivid. There is something about this form of animation that just captures every part of the Captain Underpants story in such a way that fans will watch the story again and again. Remember, this is the Captains FIRST Epic Movie.

Prepare to take flight with a superhero like no other and his sidekicks who are hilarious. George and Harold are two young boys who are rambunctious, silly, creative and very, very smart. They are also two young boys who have a friendship that is strong and not about to be broken by any ole principal!

In the end – fifty percent hero and 100% cotton!