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Even though “Game of Thrones” fans are in for a very long hiatus before its final season, “The Simpsons” filled the void by paying homage to HBO’s fantasy epic on Sunday night. The animated series’ Season 29 premiere is set in an alternate world called “The Serfsons,” in which fantasy references abound from popular TV shows, movies, novels, video games, and RPGs.

First, it’s important to make the distinction between any general Medieval or fantasy reference and an actual homage to actual properties like “Lord of the Rings” or “Game of Thrones.” Even though J.R.R. Tolkien is accepted as the father of modern fantasy (high fantasy specifically), he did not invent the genre, and therefore many hallmarks of the genre – such as flying fire-breathing dragons – seen in the episode are not credited to any particular source.

Read More:The 20 Best Animated TV Shows of the 21st Century, Ranked

To the best of IndieWire’s knowledge,...

This week’s Cooper’s Treasure saw Darrell Miklos continue his hunt for an underwater fortune using maps drawn by astronaut Gordon Cooper. He says what we’re all thinking as the episode starts out, admitting: “I may be on one of the craziest treasure hunts in history.” The twist at the beginning of the series last week was that his estranged dad, Roger Miklos, has a vital key chart that connects the maps Darrell has to the physical locations. “I don’t want to beg my father for a map,” he says this week as he pays a visit to Susan Cooper, Gordon’s widow. Darrell says of Susan: “I’m not...read more...

Prince Charles and wife Camilla (titled as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland) put on their kilts for a visit to the Highlands. The royal couple visited the Highland Games on Thursday and met those who were badly affected by floodwater from the River Dee and Muick last December, with locals praising Charles for his support behind the scenes. Raymond and Susan Cooper are still living in rented accommodations after their home was hit by floodwater reaching four-and-a-half feet in depth. "The house itself is a no-go area at the moment, but we're hoping to move back in before Christmas,...

Prince Charles and wife Camilla (titled as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland) put on their kilts for a visit to the Highlands. The royal couple visited the Highland Games on Thursday and met those who were badly affected by floodwater from the River Dee and Muick last December, with locals praising Charles for his support behind the scenes. Raymond and Susan Cooper are still living in rented accommodations after their home was hit by floodwater reaching four-and-a-half feet in depth. "The house itself is a no-go area at the moment, but we're hoping to move back in before Christmas,...

Simon Brew Published Date Sunday, July 10, 2016 - 18:09

As the credits played over the end of Paul Feig’s much-talked-about new take on Ghostbusters, my mind was awash. There were things that didn’t quite work. There were bits I really liked. How did it measure up compared to the others? What did I want to say about it?

And then I stopped, and realised I had a great big grin on my face (bolstered still further by the excellent, unmissable end credits). I think that’s something to easily lose sight of. That this is – for all the noise that’s followed the project for the last year – ultimately supposed to be a big, broad summer comedy blockbuster. Its aim is to entertain. In that respect, I think Ghostbusters is mission accomplished. Stacked next to any Transformers film, for instance, and it’s not even the slightest sniff of a competition.

Ahead of filmmaker Paul Feig's "Ghostbusters" reboot hitting cinemas next month, it seems that the director is considering a sequel to his critically acclaimed 2015 Melissa McCarthy comedy "Spy" which grossed over $200 million worldwide.

Feig reveals to Empire Online that he already has a story in mind for it, one that brings back not just McCarthy but the first film's scene stealer Jason Statham whose Rick Ford character was a parody of the kind of characters he normally plays:

"That's another world that I don't want to walk away from. It's the first thing I did that I set up to be a possible franchise and Melissa is dying to do it. I have a story for it, and a funny idea that will kick it off that involves Statham. ... Susan Cooper is one of my favorite characters I've ever come up with, but Rick Ford is possibly the one...

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Paul Feig would love to do Spy 2, and would have Jason Statham involved. But it's not happening just yet...

Ah, The Statham. We're rather fond of the man, as regular readers may have realised by now. And his turn in Paul Feig's Spy as Rick Ford is firmly established already as one of our favourite all-time Statham roles. If you've not had the pleasure, then be assured that Spy is Statham comedy gold, a film he pretty much walks away with, every time he's allowed near the screen.

There had been talk about a sequel to Spy last year, and writer/director Paul Feig, in a new interview with Empire, has admitted that "that’s another world that I don’t want to walk away from. It’s the first thing I did that I set up to be a possible franchise and Melissa [McCarthy] is dying to do it.

I'm convinced not enough people gave Paul Feig's Spy a chance last year because the trailers made it look terrible. You may have skipped it, but in my review, I called it one of the best action comedies ever made, so it's pretty clear that I loved it and think more people should seek it out. It's one of the extraordinarily few movies that actually utilizes Melissa McCarthy correctly, and Jason Statham's hilariously overconfident secret agent Rick Ford was one of the aspects that really took the film to another level.

Good news for those of us who loved the film: co-writer/director Paul Feig says he has plans for a sequel, and both McCarthy and Statham would be involved. He told Empire:

“That’s another world that I don’t want to walk away from. It's the first thing I did that I set up to be...

MTV held the 2016 MTV Movie Awards last night, which were taped and will air on the network tonight starting at 8 Pm Et, setting the stage for the 25th anniversary of the ultimate celebration of blockbuster movies and the fans who love them. Avengers: Age of Ultron, Creed, Deadpool, Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Straight Outta Compton scored nominations for "Movie of the Year," with Star Wars: The Force Awakens garnering the most nominations (11) for a franchise. We have a list of all the winners below, before the awards ceremony airs.

In another first for the show, MTV has partnered with Google for voting on the coveted "Movie of the Year" category, allowing fans to vote by typing keywords, "MTV Vote," into the Google search bar. In other categories, fans can get loud and make their voices heard starting today, across mobile, tablet and desktop devices at MovieAwards.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens dominated the MTV Movie Awards nominations with 11. The second-most nominations went to superhero sensation Deadpool with eight. Both will contend for including Movie of the Year with Avengers: Age Of Ultron, Creed, Jurassic World, and Straight Outta Compton.

Two new categories were introduced this year: Best True Story and Best Documentary. Cruise over to MTV.com to cast your vote, or to vote for Movie of the Year, just Google “MTV vote.” Think of it as practice for this November’s election.

Action hero Dwayne Johnson and comic Kevin Hart (both nominated themselves) will host the show April 9 at Warner Bros. Studios. The 25th annual show will air the following day on, duh, MTV.

Movie Of The Year

Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Creed

Deadpool

Jurassic World

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Straight Outta Compton

Best Male Performance

Chris Pratt — Jurassic World

Leonardo DiCaprio — The Revenant...

J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens emerged as the early frontrunner of the 2016 MTV Movie Awards earlier this morning, after the lucrative sci-fi sequel nabbed a total of 11 nominations.

Snapping at the heels of Disney’s juggernaut was Tim Miller’s Deadpool, itself scoring eight nods across the board, including Best Male Performance for Ryan Reynolds as the Merc With a Mouth. Both The Force Awakens and Deadpool will be duking it out for the coveted Movie of the Year gong along with Avengers: Age of Ultron, Creed, Jurassic World and Straight Outta Compton.

Hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, who will soon star alongside one another for Central Intelligence, the 25th MTV Movie Awards will take place on April 10. Below, you’ll find the comprehensive list of nominees.

Movie Of The Year

· Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

· Creed (Warner Bros.)

· Deadpool (20th Century...

While it got shut out at the Academy Awards, Star Wars: The Force Awakens will have a chance to take home some gold at the silver anniversary of the MTV Movie Awards. The epic sci-fi flick received 11 nominations including Ensemble Cast as well as for Adam Driver (Best Villain) and Daisy Ridley (Best Female Performance). It was, however, shut out in the Movie of the Year category. It was also a very good year for two major comic book-based films, Deadpool (8 nominations) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (6 nominations). Both of those films were nominated for Movie of the Year alongside Creed, Jurassic World and Straight Outta Compton. In its announcement, MTV took a dig at the Oscars and the fact that there were no minority nominees in any of the acting categories despite outstanding performances by Michael B. Jordan (Creed) and Will Smith (Concussion) among others. “The nominees and the...

MTV today revealed the nominees for the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, setting the stage for the 25th anniversary of the ultimate celebration of blockbuster movies and the fans who love them. Avengers: Age of Ultron, Creed, Deadpool, Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Straight Outta Compton scored nominations for "Movie of the Year," with Star Wars: The Force Awakens garnering the most nominations (11) for a franchise. The nominees were announced via MTV's new Snapchat Discover channel - a first for an event of this kind. The "2016 MTV Movie Awards" hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart airs Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt from outdoors on the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, Calif.

In another first for the show, MTV has partnered with Google for voting on the coveted "Movie of the Year" category, allowing fans to vote by typing keywords, "MTV Vote," into the Google search bar.

Sure, the Oscars have already been handed out this year, but MTV has a whole slew of trophies to distribute to the lucky winners of the 2016 MTV Movie Awards.

On Monday (March 7) the network rolled out its list of nominees, with “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” scoring a whopping 11 nods overall.

Moreover, Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson have signed on to co-host the big shindig, which is slated to be taped April 9th and aired the following evening.

And the 2016 MTV Movie Awards hopefuls are…

Movie Of The Year

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Creed

Deadpool

Jurassic World

Straight Outta Compton

True Story

Concussion

Joy

Steve Jobs

Straight Outta Compton

The Big Short

The Revenant

Documentary

Amy

Cartel Land

He Named Me Malala

The Hunting Ground

The Wolfpack

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Best Female Performance

Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Anna Kendrick, Pitch Perfect 2

Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Daisy Ridley,...

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" awakened a lot of love among voters for the 2016 MTV Movie Awards. After nominations were revealed this morning, the film leads all others with 11 nominations, including Movie of the Year, Best Female Performance for Daisy Ridley, and Best Villain for Adam Driver.

In second place in the nomination total is the R-rated superhero flick "Deadpool," which boasts eight, including Movie of the Year. Those two films are joined in that category by "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Creed," "Jurassic World," and "Straight Outta Compton."

The 2016 MTV Movie Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson, will air April 10 at 8 p.m.

Here is the complete list of nominations:

Movie of the Year

–Avengers: Age of Ultron

–Creed

–Deadpool

–Jurassic World

–Star Wars: The Force Awakens

–Straight Outta Compton

True Story

–Concussion

–Joy

–Steve Jobs

–Straight Outta Compton

–The Big Short

–The Revenant

Documentary

–Amy

–Cartel Land...

It is "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" that dominated the list of the 2016 MTV Movie Award nominees released this morning, announced via Snapchat Discover. The J.J. Abrams-directed film led the field with eleven nominations followed by "Deadpool" with eight and "Avenger: Age of Ultron" with six.

All three will compete for the Best Movie award alongside "Creed," "Jurassic World" and "Straight Outta Compton". Two new categories were added this year - true story and documentary. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, both of whom are nominated, will host the ceremony on April 10th.

Movie Of The Year

Avengers: Age of Ultron (Disney Pictures)

Creed (Warner Bros.)

Deadpool (20th Century Fox)

Jurassic World (Universal Pictures)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Disney Pictures)

Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)

True Story

Concussion (Columbia Pictures)

Joy (20th Century Fox)

Steve Jobs (Universal Pictures)

Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)

The Big Short (Paramount Pictures)

The Revenant...

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With great writing, a strong cast and a gripping story, Jack Thorne’s 2011 supernatural drama The Fades was one of the best…

According to former BBC Three controller Zai Bennett, fans of The Fades have themselves to blame for Jack Thorne’s superb fantasy drama not being recommissioned. We were too few and too old.

The BBC Three remit aimed to attract 16-34 year olds, Bennett explained at the 2012 Edinburgh International Television Festival. Because The Fades found more love among those with mortgages and middle-age spread than it did with fresh-faced teens and twenty-somethings, it didn’t fulfil that remit.

However much critical acclaim (plaudits from The Guardian, The Telegraph, some website called Den Of Geek) or however many awards (a Bafta for Best Drama, nominations for Best Writer, wins for Best Music and Digital Effects) The Fades received, the kids weren’t down so it had to go.

More than once, the female heroines in Paul Feig’s comedies are accused of getting too emotional. A heinous example comes in 2013’s The Heat, when good cop/bad cop partners Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) and Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) are verbally accosted by a male colleague after a botched sting operation: “We don’t need the two of you coming in with your estrogen and flying at full speed, sticking out in the middle of broad daylight, fucking things up for us!” The threat of being upstaged is always palpable in Feig’s films. Take, for instance, the dueling engagement party speeches by new frenemies in 2011’s Bridesmaids, or the dismissive antics of Jason Statham’s overly aggressive and insecure secret agent in 2015’s Spy. Women betray each other out of fear and self-doubt, while men demean women once their power is threatened. Sarcasm and snarky jokes ensue, usually revolving around physical appearance and gender roles.

Personality Assessment. Go...

• Do you feel guilty (like me) about missing White God, Hungary's acclaimed drama about a pack of wild dogs?

• Were you puzzled when Susan Cooper was embarrassed by her crazy cat lady disguise in Spy?

• Would you put on a bee suit to hang with Mr Holmes?

• Would you adopt Paddington after he defiled your toothbrushes?

If you answered yes to any of those questions you might be an animal person or a crazy cat lady like your host Nathaniel. This list (updated from a halfwaymark celebration) is for you!

Top 15 Animals From 2015 Movies

after the jump...

To mark the release of Spy on 9th November, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on Blu-ray. Melissa McCarthy is armed and hilarious in this comedy hit from director Paul Feig (The Heat, Bridesmaids). Deskbound CIA analyst Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is about to become the world’s newest — and unlikeliest — secret weapon.

The post Win Spy on Blu-ray appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Every week we dive into the cream of the crop when it comes to home releases, including Blu-ray and DVDs, as well as recommended deals of the week. Check out our rundown below and return every Tuesday for the best (or most interesting) films one can take home. Note that if you’re looking to support the site, every purchase you make through the links below helps us and is greatly appreciated.

Black Coal, Thin Ice (Yi’nao Diao)

Despite having won the Golden Bear last year at the Berlin Film Festival, writer and director Yi’nao Diao’s acclaimed new film, Black Coal, Thin Ice somehow didn’t receive U.S. theatrical distribution. However, it’s finally available on Blu-ray. The modern noir tells the story of an ex-cop and his old parter, who reunite to investigate the chain of murders that brought their careers to an end after...

In the movie Spy, Susan Cooper has been an unassuming team player at the CIA for years. She has been the voice behind agents and their successes. When top agents are compromised, she steps up to go deep undercover in a world of arms dealers in an attempt to prevent a global crisis. Here’s some fun trivia about Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne and Jude Law. (Trivia provided by imdb.com): • Paul Feig, the writer-director-producer of Spy, began work on the film in 2010, after seeing Casino Royale, the 2006 James Bond movie, starring Daniel Craig. Feig … Continue reading →

The post VOD Spotlight: Paul Feig And Melissa McCarthy Team Up For Spy appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

Ahead of American Ultra's arrival in UK cinemas, here's our pick of the 25 finest, sneakiest secret agents in film...

Operatives. Spies. Moles. Infiltrators. Secret agents go by many names. In fact, Britain's national security agency doesn't even call them agents - they're covert human intelligence sources, or simply “officers".

Whatever we choose to call them, secret agents lead necessarily furtive and obscure lives - so obscure that most of what we know about them is defined by what we've seen and read in books and movies.

During the Cold War, the image of the secret agent as a well-groomed sophisticate in a suit proliferated all over the world, and even in the high-tech landscape of the 21st century, that image still stands - just look at such movies as Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and, of course, the Bond franchise. But secret agents can come in many other guises,...

Rolled into a joint made with the kief leftover from a dozen different movies, American Ultra is a natural underachiever. An early action scene, in which our protagonist average Joe brutally dispatches of two government goons through unconscious reflex, is a familiar one. So too are many of the events that follow, like when a military liaison explains to his CIA superior (Topher Grace, delightful) why their hit on a former asset has gone pear-shaped. “How is he still alive?” yells Grace’s pissy and psychotic company man. “Well, sir,” replies the Army brass, “he had a spoon.”

Deadpan statements shine like whites beneath the wide, spectral black light of American Ultra’s influences. It’s a paranoid pothead thriller (The Bourne Indica) that’s been hybridized with a sweetly simple relationship comedy. It’s also a violent action vehicle, a dopey stoner romp, and a Looney Tunes vision of surveillance state overreach.

Melissa McCarthy and Jason Stathan's action/comedy flick, Spy, is coming to blu-ray in September and today, 20th Century Fox has released the official details on the upcoming home release; including special features and more. Come inside to see when you can pick it up!

If you missed it in theaters or want to watch it again, the comedy movie Spy is coming to blu-ray on September 29th. Check out the full press release below to see what all is included on the disc.

Queen of Comedy Melissa McCarthy “in her funniest movie yet” (Leonard Maltin, LeonardMaltin.com) embarks on the mission of a lifetime as secret agent Susan Cooper in Spy. The September 29th Blu-ray release will include two versions of the film - Theatrical and never-before-seen Unrated Cut. The DVD will feature the Theatrical version. Both the Theatrical version and Unrated Cut of Spy will also be available on Digital HD September 4th.

Paul Feig’s Spy is now in theaters. As I’ve said many times before, I think Spy is great and is an extremely funny movie that’s definitely worth your time and money. The potential franchise-starter features Melissa McCarthy as Susan Cooper, a CIA analyst who goes into the field for the very first time after her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid. Loaded with an all-star cast (Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Peter Serafinowicz, and Morena Baccarin), one of the main reasons Spy is so great is that each supporting character has a moment to shine, and Statham completely knocks it out of the park in his first big studio comedy. For more on Spy, read Perri’s review or watch the trailers. At the L.A. press day I landed an exclusive video interview with Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham. They...

20th Century Fox is excited to announce that their hilarious new comedy, Spy, is currently Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. In honor of opening day, 20th Century Fox is debuting a new mondo poster and some fun gifs. Download all the new images below and be sure to check out Spy in theaters now! Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster. Spy Official Socials Site: http://spy-themovie.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpyMovie Twitter: https://twitter.com/SpyTheMovie Google+: plus.google.com/+SpyMovie/ Tumblr: http://spymovie.tumblr.com Official Hashtag: #SpyMovie...

Melissa McCarthy went from Illinois farm girl to the new queen of Hollywood, and she's having the time of her life. Subscribe now for McCarthy's exclusive interview on fame, fashion and making her own rules, only in People!

No one would ever expect Melissa McCarthy to hold back when it comes to getting laughs. Yet for years, she says, Hollywood had certain expectations for female comedians. Being funny "couldn't be through your personality or actions, you just had to look crazy," she tells People in this week's cover story.

Sitting down for an exclusive interview with People and Entertainment Weekly...

I wonder how many excellent movies we’ve been cheated out of by Melissa McCarthy’s commitment to Mike & Molly. I understand the appeal of a regular paycheck and the success of the show has led to McCarty being the highest paid actress in Hollywood but Spy is such a good movie and couldn’t she be doing two or three of these per year instead of one and a season of bad television? Spy is the funniest movie I’ve seen in years and it isn’t close. I laughed so often and so hard I’m sure that I laughed over important dialogue and even other jokes. It’s the kind of movie that can shift the paradigm of movie comedy in the way the Judd Apatow movies of the early 2000s did and it can even be the movie you throw in your idiot friend’s face...

Box Office June 5-7, 2015. Spy premiered in the Number One spot at the box office over the weekend with $30 Million. San Andreas was Second with $26.4 Million. Insidious: Chapter 3 premiered in Third Place with $23 Million. Entourage premiered in Fourth Place with $10.4 Million. Mad Max: Fury Road was Fifth with $7.9 Million for $130.8 Million so far. Pitch Perfect 2, Tomorrowland, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Aloha, and Poltergeist rounded out the top ten respectively.

Spy is a 2015 American action comedy film written and directed by Paul Feig. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Nargis Fakhri, Allison Janney, and Jude Law. The film is about the transformation of desk-bound CIA analyst Susan Cooper (McCarthy) into a field agent who attempts to foil the black market sale of a suitcase nuke.

Insidious: Chapter 3 is a 2015 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Leigh Whannell in his directorial debut.

Spy 20th Century Fox Reviewed by: Tami Smith, Guest Reviewer for Shockya. Grade: B Director: Paul Feig Screenwriter: Paul Feig Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham, Jude Law, Allison Janney, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale Opens: June 5, 2015 Odds are you never visualized comedian Melissa McCarthy as a C.I.A operative or James Bond’s associate. Well, me neither. So it was with great surprise that I went to view Spy and had an “aha” moment. Big Melissa pulled it off! Spy tells the story of Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), a CIA analyst doing a desk job, helping on-the-filed operators. One of these is Bradley Fine (Jude Law) who got exposed, shot and [ Read More ]

The post Spy – Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

The hilarious Spy, from director Paul Feig, is on track to take the number one spot at this weekend’s box office.

20th Century Fox has announced that their new comedy is currently Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. In honor of opening day, the studio is debuting a new Mondo poster and some fun gifs.

Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) is an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency’s most dangerous missions. But when her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid and another top agent (Jason Statham) is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.

The film also features Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Miranda Hart.

Read Tom Stockman’s review here: http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2015/06/spy-review/

Spy is in theaters now.

McCarthy was recently seen...

So with Spy out today in the Us maybe you want to watch a few clips from the Melissa McCarthy comedy, right? Oh just watch the damn clips, I hear the movie is pretty good. Well that was certainly unexpected from the definitely not fiery looking Susan Cooper, Melissa McCarthy’s character in Spy. Who is […]

Read A Few Clips from Spy on Filmonic.

Let's start by making something very clear. Just because Melissa McCarthy is overweight does not make every joke in which she's involved an automatic "fat joke." Sure, the actress has been involved in some obesity-related humor over the course of her film career, but it's not the right attitude to inherently bring with you while watching one of her movies. Maybe it's the right attitude a Kevin James movie but not for Spy – McCarthy's latest – and a film that has comedy coming from all areas. It's an early favorite for the comedy event of the Summer thanks heavily to both McCarthy and the great hodgepodge of a cast with which she's working. At the very least, Spy has fewer "fat jokes" than even the trailer for Paul Blart 2. Melissa McCarthy isn't even sinking to that normal, vulgar self she seems shoehorned into playing. In Spy, she's playing Susan Cooper, a naïve,...

Now playing in theaters is director Paul Feig’s Spy. As I’ve said many times, I think Spy is a great and extremely funny movie that’s definitely worth your time and money. The potential franchise-starter features Melissa McCarthy as Susan Cooper, a CIA analyst who goes into the field for the very first time after her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid. Loaded with an all-star cast (Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Peter Serafinowicz, and Morena Baccarin), one of the main reasons Spy is so great is that each supporting character has a moment to shine, and Statham completely knocks it out of the park in his first big studio comedy. For more on Spy, read Perri’s review or watch the trailers. At the L.A. press day I played an abbreviated version of “Save or Kill” with Paul Feig, Rose Byrne,...

Melissa McCarthy re-teamed with Bridesmaids and The Heat director Paul Feig for comedic caper flick Spy, which is hitting theaters this weekend with glowing reviews. In Spy, McCarthy plays desk-bound CIA analyst Susan Cooper. When a mission comes up that will require someone outside the agency’s group of seasoned field agents, Cooper steps up to the plate. Tasked […]

The post ‘Spy’ Review Roundup: Critics Praise Melissa McCarthy’s Latest Action Comedy appeared first on uInterview.

Chicago – It can be argued that Melissa McCarthy, with a film a year and a TV sitcom still running, is topping out on exposure. But as long as she teams with writer/director Paul Feig, as she did on “Bridesmaids” and “The Heat,” she will continue to be an original comic force. Their latest is “Spy.”

Rating: 4.0/5.0

This is the type of movie that is given a green light at a movie executive meeting…”Melissa McCarthy is James Bond.” The instinctively funny Ms. McCarthy is surrounded in this comic spy movie by Jason Statham, Jude Law and Rose Byrne, all sending up their various images, and the story is done with a straight face – except for the inevitable audience laughter. This film has the same rat-a-tat joke count as “The Heat,” with the same silly bonding elements as “Bridesmaids.” Paul Feig knows how to generate laughs, and does it mostly...

[This is a re-post of my review from the 2015 SXSW Film Festival; Spy opens today.] Perhaps it isn’t fair to judge a movie before giving it a chance, but it’s hard to look at a new Melissa McCarthy comedy without assuming it’s just more of the same. However, while Spy does respect what made McCarthy such a sensation to begin with, it certainly doesn’t lean on it. Susan Cooper doesn’t just find herself in crazy situations and resort to random zany behavior. She’s a strong, capable woman who earned the opportunity to do something different, making the fish-out-of-water humor especially effective. Susan is a desk-bound CIA agent who assists the super suave Bradley Fine (Jude Law) while he’s on flashy missions in exotic locations. However, when the CIA comes to learn that the identities of all of their field agents have been compromised, Deputy Director Elaine Crocker (Allison Janney) has no choice but to send in a complete...

A big, deliciously mainstream spy comedy from Paul Feig. More than ever, it's a film worth seeking out for Jason Statham too...

Jason Statham bided his time. I'd bet hard cash that, since he established his action credentials, he's been offered umpteen playing against type comedy roles, in the style of Tooth Fairy, The Pacifier and Junior. But The Statham? He said no. Instead, when he took the plunge, he went for a comedy that didn't rely on such a central gimmick.

The Statham chose wisely.

For writer/director Paul Feig simply gets Statham to play things straight here in his new film, Spy. He plays Rick Ford, a spy who thinks he's the business, and has the anecdotes to prove it. He's a disaster area in practice, but doesn't believe for a second he is. Feig has an enormous amount of fun with this too, writing sweary, punchy dialogue...

Director Paul Feig, whose Bridesmaids upended notions of what a raunchy female ensemble comedy could be, does it again with another genre – the spy spoof. In Spy Melissa McCarthy stars as Susan Cooper, a desk-bound CIA analyst who uses technology to watch the back of her partner, Special Agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law), acting as his eyes and ears to remotely guide him on dangerous espionage endeavors. When he is killed by Raina Boyanov (Rose Byrne), the spoiled criminal daughter of a Bulgarian crime lord that Bradley had killed in the opening scene, Cooper volunteers to be sent to the field to avenge his death. She is assigned the task of following Raina through Europe and reporting back with information about the potential handing over of a nuclear weapon, one only Raina knows the whereabouts of. In disguise, Susan becomes much closer to her target than what had been initially planned,...

Spy

Written & Directed by Paul Feig

USA, 2015

Paul Feig understands why we love Melissa McCarthy. He knows that she’s great at playing both the ill-mannered fool and the amiable straight-man. With his new action-comedy, Spy, Feig creates the perfect vehicle to showcase both sides of McCarthy while producing his most consistently-funny movie to date. A frighteningly high percentage of the gags connect, the dialogue is clever and crisp, and the supporting cast shines brightly. Feig is at the top of his game in this riotous crowd-pleaser.

Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is one of the CIA’s best and brightest agents. She finished tops in her class, is a master of observation, and her academy training video is so freakishly-brutal that her supervisor (Allison Janney) is considering uploading it to YouTube. Unfortunately, Susan lacks the go-getter mentality for field work. She’s tapped to be the eyes and ears of super-spy...

Ever since she burst on the scene in an instantly iconic way with her Academy Award nominated supporting turn in Bridesmaids, I’ve felt that most filmmakers haven’t known how to use Melissa McCarthy properly. Some do, but the vast majority don’t, with a notable exception being none other than Paul Feig. Feig was the one to get her that Oscar nomination for Bridesmaids, as well as team her up to great effect with Sandra Bullock in The Heat. Now, he gives her a starring role perfectly suited to her in Spy, an action comedy that manages to exceed expectations all around. The impending huge success of this one will cement McCarthy as a big time member of the A-list, and rightly so. This one is going to be large, without question. If you’re not hip to Spy, the basic premise is more or less a spoof on spy capers.

This weekend Melissa McCarthy enters secret agent territory as the unlikely hero Susan Cooper in the action comedy Spy. And while the trailers seem to indicate that she’s probably not the best woman for the job, she did get us thinking about the best spies in the business. There have been plenty of spies on […]

The post Who Are the Top 15 Best Movie Spies? appeared first on /Film.

Melissa McCarthy plays an unlikely agent in Spy, but the movie is likely to be a hit. The action comedy, which re-teams the actress with Bridesmaids and The Heat director Paul Feig, stars McCarthy as an unassuming CIA analyst named Susan Cooper. She volunteers for duty after a field agent (Jude Law) goes missing and another agent's (Jason Statham) identity is compromised. The 20th Century Fox flick, out Friday, also stars Morena Baccarin, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Miranda Hart and Allison Janney. 50 Cent makes a cameo. McCarthy is a box office star, but Spy faces some serious competition this weekend, as Warner Bros. Entourage and Focus Features' Insidious: Chapter 3 are debuting. Here's...

There's a special something about Melissa McCarthy as an actor and comedian. Even when she stars in the likes of Tammy and Identity Thief audiences show up in droves as critics scowl in disgust, hoping to see more from an actor many agree is more talented than merely playing an overweight character that falls down and spouts vulgarity for laughs. This, however, has been the evolutionary "want" for McCarthy, who made us howl with laughter in Bridesmaids all the way to an Oscar nomination, but hasn't really evolved since, outside of her solid, but brief appearance in the under-appreciated St. Vincent. Now, back with writer/director Paul Feig, who directed both Bridesmaids and The Heat, comes the action-comedy Spy, which shows the cinematic evolution of McCarthy is finally becoming a reality. Spy is not without its flaws, but in terms of character, McCarthy's Susan Cooper, a desk-bound CIA analyst-turned-field-agent, doesn't...

Spy Hard: Feig’s Generally Entertaining Espionage Parody

Director Paul Feig does a James Bond send-up for his latest Melissa McCarthy headlined romp, Spy. But for as many laughs as this talented duo is able to generate, its ability to linger in your mind remains questionable. Running a bit long in the tooth, clocking in at two hours and with a handful of scenes and tangents that flat line, a love for the talented and likeable McCarthy will determine audience response to a scenario that’s not exactly fresh. Once again, she’s saddled with playing the buffoon who comes to learn a thing or two about a thing or two, and it would be nice to escape the creepy feeling wherein it sometimes seems we’re supposed to laugh at McCarthy in these illogical scenarios rather than with her.

Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is a deskbound CIA analyst, guiding...

The last time Melissa McCarthy headlined a big-screen comedy it was "Tammy", and... *rocks back and forth under the shower*

Thankfully, "Spy" marks a return to form for the actor, who reunites with her "Bridesmaids" director Paul Feig to deliver a very funny, very inventive spoof on the spy genre.

McCarthy stars as Susan Cooper who, despite being scary-capable as a CIA field operative, spends her time parked at a desk, calling the plays for super agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law). He gets all the glory and she gets all the, well, not that. But when Fine is seemingly murdered in cold blood by the big-haired villainess Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), Cooper -- armed with increasingly bad (and hilarious) false identities -- is sent out into the field to stop Boyanov and save the world.

Still on the fence? Here are 5 reasons why you need to see "Spy" at least twice this weekend.

Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig team up once again for a wickedly funny send-up of the James Bond series with charm and wit in ample supply. Jude Law and Jason Statham add to the fun as, respectively, a suave, painfully vain secret agent and a humorless action stud, while a series of colorful European backdrops help Spy stake an early claim to being the summer's best comedy. Susan Cooper (McCarthy) is an overly accommodating and homely CIA analyst responsible for guiding super agent Bradley Fine (Law), for whom she harbors an enormous crush, safely through his missions. Routinely put down by her colleagues, Cooper steps up to the plate when a mission goes horribly wrong and she volunteers to go undercover in Europe to stop a nuclear...

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'Spy' movie poster with Melissa McCarthy. 'Spy' movie review: 'Transgressive' feminist statement There's been a lot of talk around the ol' virtual water cooler about the feminist messaging embedded in Mad Max: Fury Road. George Miller's riveting, post-apocalyptic free-for-all features the male title character taking a back seat to a fierce, battle-scarred woman liberating five female sex slaves and delivering them to a group of women suggestively called the Vulvani and said to be living in a restorative oasis called the Green Place of Many Mothers. It's Trojan horse feminism, for sure: many guys would think twice about the movie if they knew what Miller was trying to say with it. And yet for all its ragged, dust-choked, girl-power finery, there is another feminist statement at a theater near you that, in its own way, is just as transgressive. Spy is an action comedy where the hero,...

Opening this weekend is director Paul Feig’s Spy. As I’ve said many times, I think Spy is great and an extremely funny movie that’s definitely worth your time and money. The potential franchise-starter features Melissa McCarthy as Susan Cooper, a CIA analyst who goes into the field for the very first time after her partner (Jude Law) falls off the grid. Loaded with an all-star cast (Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale, Allison Janney, Peter Serafinowicz, and Morena Baccarin), one of the main reasons Spy is so great is that each supporting character has a moment to shine, and Statham completely knocks it out of the park in his first big studio comedy. For more on Spy, read Perri’s review or watch the trailers. At the L.A. press day I sat down with most of the cast and Paul Feig and asked them...