The Screening Log - blogging film

Seen on: April 4, 2009

The players: Director: Greg Mottola, Writer: Greg Mottola, Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig

Facts of interest: Mottola also directed "Superbad."

The plot: A recent college grad realizes he doesn't have enough money for his Europe trip and decides to take a job at a local amusement park.

Our quick thoughts: Greg Mottola’s “Adventureland” is a wonderful ride, and I loved every minute of it. A sincere, intriguing look at teenage love and all the hurdles that can come with it, the film boasts a bunch of passionate characters, a solid dose of subtle humor and a classic soundtrack that all together make for a wildly entertaining viewing experience you’ll want to revisit again and again.

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Friday

03Apr2009

'Adventureland' web reviews

Friday, April 3, 2009 at 9:42PM | By

"Superbad" director Greg Mottola returns to the big screen with "Adventureland," a comedy that is set in 1987 and follows a recent college grad as he takes on a boring job at an amusement park. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig star, and here is what the Web's critics say:

• Erik Davis at Cinematical: "Once on the grounds of Adventureland, the film really takes off -- reminding us not only of the summer-fling films of our youth, but also introducing a wicked ensemble cast who put the funk back in funktastic."

• Cinema Blend's Katey Rich: "But the movie is funny enough, and an enjoyable ride overall, and most importantly evokes those familiar nostalgic feelings that get you looking over old camp photos one random night."

• RopeOfSilicon's Brad Brevet: "The only negative I can come up with is that it does have a few moments where it drags, but I appreciate the effort by writer/director Greg Mottola to tell a story as opposed to only offering enough plot to get the story to the next punchline."

• Joblo's JimmyO: "I really loved Adventureland. I watched the trailers and I was expecting something else, but I certainly wasn’t expecting something as warm and honest as it turned out to be."

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Monday

30Mar2009

This week's new movie releases - April 3, 2009

Monday, March 30, 2009 at 10:25PM | By

This week, we're only looking at two wide releases: Greg Mottola's comedy "Adventureland" with Jesse Eisenberg, Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart and Bill Hader, and Justin Lin's "Fast & Furious," starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster:

FAST & FURIOUS

Synopsis: When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.

First thoughts: I enjoyed "The Fast and the Furious," but I wasn't at all impressed by "2 Fast 2 Furious." I haven't even seen "Tokyo Drift." Anyway, the return of the original cast does souns appealing, and I am really interested to see whether Walker and Diesel can steer this franchise back into the right direction.

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Saturday

22Nov2008

Trailer radar: 'Adventureland'

Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 1:32PM | By

"Superbad" director Greg Mottola's next comedy is entitled "Adventureland," and MySpace recently premiered the first trailer for the film.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, the film is set in 1987 and follows a recent college grad as he takes on a boring job at an amusement park.

Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig co-star. Mottola also wrote the script. While the trailer doesn't exactly look as funny as "Superbad," it will be interesting to see what kind of adventures Eisenberg's character will come across in the film.

"Adventureland" is currently set for release March 27, 2009. Watch the trailer after the jump, and check out the official one-sheet below.

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Saturday

16Aug2008

Simon Pegg leaves ‘Bastards,’ joins ‘Paul’

Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 9:11PM | By

Yes, you read right. British actor Simon Pegg left Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming WWII drama “Inglorious Bastards” because of scheduling conflicts, according to Empire Online.

Okay, it may not hurt the project that much, but I was definitely looking forward to Pegg kicking butt as a British lieutenant.

On the other hand, however, “Superbad” director Greg Mottola is set to direct “Paul,” a road trip comedy written by Pegg and his buddy Nick Frost, whose acting credits include “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz.”

Not much is known about that project at this stage, but the plot centers on two buddies taking a road trip across America.

That’s good news. I strongly believe in Mottola’s ability to direct other hilarious comedies, and with Pegg and Frost supplying him with a script, what could possibly go wrong?