Comedies did well in 2008 with moviegoers looking to escape the harsh economic times by heading to theaters for a few laughs. Only time will tell if 2009's batch of comedy movies will go over just as big as last year's laffers, but there are a few on this list that should be box office hits due to their built-in audiences. Yes Funny People and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian I am talking about you...
So with hopes high for more winners than turkeys, here's the scoop on potentially funny films hitting theaters throughout 2009 (listed in order of their release).
'He's Just Not That Into You'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston and Just About Everyone Else in Hollywood
The Scoop: Seriously, could you load a cast with more 'name' actors? In addition to Aniston and Barrymore, this one features Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long, and Scarlett Johansson. That's not a bad list for a romantic comedy about relationships and how we don't always understand the signals put out by members of the opposite sex.
Hitting Theaters: February 6, 2009
The Scoop: Seriously, could you load a cast with more 'name' actors? In addition to Aniston and Barrymore, this one features Ben Affleck, Jennifer Connelly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long, and Scarlett Johansson. That's not a bad list for a romantic comedy about relationships and how we don't always understand the signals put out by members of the opposite sex.
Hitting Theaters: February 6, 2009
'Confessions of a Shopaholic'
© Touchstone Pictures
Starring: Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy
The Scoop: Based on Sophie Kinsella's book, Confessions of a Shopaholic finds Isla Fisher playing a New Yorker addicted to shopping (the title pretty much gives that away, doesn't it?). Desperate to support her habit, she lands a paying gig as an advice columnist. That cool new job gets her plenty of attention, but does nothing to curb her spending. As her credit card bills pile up, she finds her addiction to buying pretty things is costing her much more than money...it's impacting her personal life and her job. What's a girl to do? Watch the movie to find out.
Hitting Theaters: February 13, 2009
The Scoop: Based on Sophie Kinsella's book, Confessions of a Shopaholic finds Isla Fisher playing a New Yorker addicted to shopping (the title pretty much gives that away, doesn't it?). Desperate to support her habit, she lands a paying gig as an advice columnist. That cool new job gets her plenty of attention, but does nothing to curb her spending. As her credit card bills pile up, she finds her addiction to buying pretty things is costing her much more than money...it's impacting her personal life and her job. What's a girl to do? Watch the movie to find out.
Hitting Theaters: February 13, 2009
'I Love You, Man'
© DreamWorks Pictures
Starring: Paul Rudd and Jason Segel
The Scoop: Hot off a starring turn in Role Models, Rudd plays a real estate agent who figures out that he doesn't have any close male friends. Why is that important? Because he's about to get married and there's not a single person he can think of to ask to be his Best Man. So, he decides rather than do without one, he'll actively seek out someone interesting, someone who he can connect with on a guy level. He finds the ideal best friend in Sydney (Segel) but bonding with his new best friend may cost him his relationship with his fiancee.
Hitting Theaters: March 20, 2009
The Scoop: Hot off a starring turn in Role Models, Rudd plays a real estate agent who figures out that he doesn't have any close male friends. Why is that important? Because he's about to get married and there's not a single person he can think of to ask to be his Best Man. So, he decides rather than do without one, he'll actively seek out someone interesting, someone who he can connect with on a guy level. He finds the ideal best friend in Sydney (Segel) but bonding with his new best friend may cost him his relationship with his fiancee.
Hitting Theaters: March 20, 2009
'Observe and Report'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Seth Rogen and Anna Faris
The Scoop: Observe and Report will be the second movie of '09 to involve a mall cop (the first being Paul Blart: Mall Cop with Kevin James). Of the two, sight unseen I'd take Rogen investigating a mall flasher in Observe and Report. Why? Well, Paul Blart opens in January, a time when studios send out films they're either banking on for awards recognition (following a limited release in December) or films they haven't got that much hope for at the box office. And Rogen's movie career is a little hotter than James'. Plus, Observe and Report is a dark comedy while Paul Blart is anything but dark - and I prefer my comedies to have a little bite to them.
Hitting Theaters: April 10, 2009
The Scoop: Observe and Report will be the second movie of '09 to involve a mall cop (the first being Paul Blart: Mall Cop with Kevin James). Of the two, sight unseen I'd take Rogen investigating a mall flasher in Observe and Report. Why? Well, Paul Blart opens in January, a time when studios send out films they're either banking on for awards recognition (following a limited release in December) or films they haven't got that much hope for at the box office. And Rogen's movie career is a little hotter than James'. Plus, Observe and Report is a dark comedy while Paul Blart is anything but dark - and I prefer my comedies to have a little bite to them.
Hitting Theaters: April 10, 2009
'17 Again'
© New Line Cinema
Starring: Zac Efron and Matthew Perry
The Scoop: Here's a comedy for the High School Musical crowd as well as Friends fans. Matthew Perry stars as a divorced dad who back in his high school days was quite the basketball stud. However instead of using his hoops skills as a way to get into college, he passed on the chance at college basketball in order to stick with his pregnant girlfriend. Now 20 years later he's transformed back into a 17 year old (but with his mind/memories intact). Think Freaky Friday but with Zac Efron in place of Lindsay Lohan...
Hitting Theaters: April 17, 2009
The Scoop: Here's a comedy for the High School Musical crowd as well as Friends fans. Matthew Perry stars as a divorced dad who back in his high school days was quite the basketball stud. However instead of using his hoops skills as a way to get into college, he passed on the chance at college basketball in order to stick with his pregnant girlfriend. Now 20 years later he's transformed back into a 17 year old (but with his mind/memories intact). Think Freaky Friday but with Zac Efron in place of Lindsay Lohan...
Hitting Theaters: April 17, 2009
'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'
© New Line Cinema
Starring: Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner
The Scoop: McConaughey plays a carefree bachelor who has no desire whatsoever to be in a committed relationship and who treats women callously. On the eve of his brother's wedding, he's visited by - you know where this is headed if you've ever read/watched/heard of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol - the ghosts of his former girlfriends.
Hitting Theaters: May 1, 2009
The Scoop: McConaughey plays a carefree bachelor who has no desire whatsoever to be in a committed relationship and who treats women callously. On the eve of his brother's wedding, he's visited by - you know where this is headed if you've ever read/watched/heard of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol - the ghosts of his former girlfriends.
Hitting Theaters: May 1, 2009
'Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian'
Ben Stiller in the first 'Night at the Museum' movie. Photo © 20th Century Fox
Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Amy Adams
The Scoop: I'm taking director Shawn Levy at his word. He promised me the second Night at the Museum will be bigger and better than the first movie, and if it's not he can expect a nasty note from me. The first Night at the Museum found Stiller playing a newbie night-time museum security guard who was first astonished and then totally accepting of the fact the exhibits came to life after hours. In the second movie, Stiller takes his act to the Smithsonian. And an interesting bit of trivia: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is the first movie to be filmed in the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
Hitting Theaters: May 22, 2009
The Scoop: I'm taking director Shawn Levy at his word. He promised me the second Night at the Museum will be bigger and better than the first movie, and if it's not he can expect a nasty note from me. The first Night at the Museum found Stiller playing a newbie night-time museum security guard who was first astonished and then totally accepting of the fact the exhibits came to life after hours. In the second movie, Stiller takes his act to the Smithsonian. And an interesting bit of trivia: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian is the first movie to be filmed in the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
Hitting Theaters: May 22, 2009
'The Hangover'
© Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms
The Scoop: Bradley Cooper is 2009's Elizabeth Banks. There were times in 2008 when it felt like Banks was in every movie to hit theaters and with Cooper's collection of roles in 2009 films, moviegoers might begin to think the same thing about him. In this comedy from director Todd Phillips (Old School, School for Scoundrels) Cooper plays one of three friends who take their buddy to Vegas for a bachelor party only to wake up after some hard partying with a baby in their closet, a real tiger in their bathroom, and no sign of the husband-to-be.
Hitting Theaters: June 5, 2009
The Scoop: Bradley Cooper is 2009's Elizabeth Banks. There were times in 2008 when it felt like Banks was in every movie to hit theaters and with Cooper's collection of roles in 2009 films, moviegoers might begin to think the same thing about him. In this comedy from director Todd Phillips (Old School, School for Scoundrels) Cooper plays one of three friends who take their buddy to Vegas for a bachelor party only to wake up after some hard partying with a baby in their closet, a real tiger in their bathroom, and no sign of the husband-to-be.
Hitting Theaters: June 5, 2009
'Land of the Lost'
© Universal Pictures
Starring: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, and Anna Friel
The Scoop: Yes, the Sleestaks are back menacing scientist Dr. Rick Marshall once more, but in the big screen version of the classic, campy Saturday morning TV show from the '70s Rick's two kids have been replaced by adult characters. Anna Friel, so good in Pushing Daisies (one of my favorite shows until its untimely cancellation), and Danny McBride, the new go-to guy for the comical sidekick character, play Rick's research assistant and a redneck survivalist. Guess which one plays which.
Hitting Theaters: June 5, 2009
The Scoop: Yes, the Sleestaks are back menacing scientist Dr. Rick Marshall once more, but in the big screen version of the classic, campy Saturday morning TV show from the '70s Rick's two kids have been replaced by adult characters. Anna Friel, so good in Pushing Daisies (one of my favorite shows until its untimely cancellation), and Danny McBride, the new go-to guy for the comical sidekick character, play Rick's research assistant and a redneck survivalist. Guess which one plays which.
Hitting Theaters: June 5, 2009
'Year One'
© Columbia Pictures
Starring: Jack Black and Michael Cera
The Scoop: Harold Ramis returns to the director's chair for the first time since 2005's dark comedy The Ice Harvest with this epic comedy he co-wrote with Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. All the action takes place in Biblical times and, according to Jack Black, the film's sort of similar in tone to a Monty Python movie.
Hitting Theaters: June 19, 2009
The Scoop: Harold Ramis returns to the director's chair for the first time since 2005's dark comedy The Ice Harvest with this epic comedy he co-wrote with Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg. All the action takes place in Biblical times and, according to Jack Black, the film's sort of similar in tone to a Monty Python movie.
Hitting Theaters: June 19, 2009
