Movie Review: Liam Neeson tries to fill Leslie Nielsen's gumshoes in a new ‘Naked Gun'
The choice of Nielsen for 'Police Squad!' and the subsequent 'Naked Gun' movies deserves a special place in the annals of brilliant casting choices. Surely you could say that the masters of spoof — David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker — first struck gold in putting Nielsen in 'Airplane!' But why, exactly, Nielsen was so perfect for 1988's 'The Naked Gun' is natural to ponder during Akiva Schaffer's spirited but just off-the-mark reboot, starring Liam Neeson.
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National Post
43 minutes ago
- National Post
The Five: What to look forward to in the week ahead
Liam Neeson plays Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun, which is maxing out approval ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Photo by Paramount Pictures Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. 1. FILM: The Naked Gun (Aug. 1) THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Let the gags begin! Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson star in the latest film in the action-comedy franchise, a sequel to the 1994 instalment Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult. Neeson plays the son of Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen in the previous movies), who's following in his father's footsteps. The stakes are suitably high — he must solve a murder case to stop the police department from shutting down. Written and co-directed by Akiva Schaffer, the movie had a 92 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of press time. Things look promising off-screen, too: Neeson and Anderson are reportedly dating. Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand and Danny Huston also star. 2. TV: Wednesday (Aug. 6, Netflix) It's been a long wait, but Season 2 of the creepy and kooky series is finally here. And we mean loooooong — Season 1 premiered nearly three years ago, in November 2022. Season 2 is broken up into two parts, with the first four episodes landing this week and the final four episodes arriving Sept. 3. Jenna Ortega returns as the titular character, who must solve new mysteries at Nevermore Academy while trying to master her psychic powers. What's more, her brother Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), is now a student at the school. 'She's kind of knocked off her feet this season. So it's a lot of pressure,' Ortega recently told Reuters. Wednesday, the newest addition to the Addams Family franchise, has won four Primetime Emmy Awards. 3. CELEBRATE: National Watermelon Day (Aug. 3) Mark Twain once said, 'When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what the angels eat.' The juicy and refreshing summer fruit is in the spotlight on Sunday, and you can indulge guilt free: watermelons are packed with nutrients including potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C. They also may protect against cancer, improve heart health and reduce inflammation. To find a perfectly ripe watermelon, look for a fruit that's symmetrical — whether round, oval or oblong — with a buttery yellow underbelly. It should feel heavy for its size, according to and be free of soft spots and bruises. 4. BOOKS: Children Like Us: A Métis Woman's Memoir of Family, Identity and Walking Herself Home Métis author Brittany Penner tells her story in this recently released book about family, identity, belonging and cultural heritage. As an infant in 1989, Penner is adopted by a Mennonite family. She lives in a small prairie town without knowledge of her past — or even her birth name. By age seven, she's lost 21 foster siblings who were also Indigenous. 'She knows that to stay, she has to force herself into the mould created for her,' reads an official description of the book. 'She must be obedient. Quiet. Good. No matter what.' 5. MUSIC: Buddy Guy, Ain't Done With the Blues Fresh off of his appearance in Ryan Coogler's acclaimed film Sinners, blues guitarist and singer Buddy Guy has released his first full-length studio album since The Blues Don't Lie (2022). Guy, who turned 89 on July 30, offers up a collection of 18 Chicago blues tracks on two discs. Peter Frampton joins Guy for the song It Keeps Me Young, while Joe Walsh lends his talents to How Blues Is That. The track Jesus Loves the Sinner features vocals by The Blind Boys of Alabama. Guy retired from extensive touring last year. He has won eight Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson's loved ones aren't spilling on their relationship, but they are supportive
Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson attend "The Naked Gun" UK Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 22 in London. (via CNN Newsource) 'Naked Gun' costars Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson are coy when asked if they are romantically involved, but we do know how some of their friends and family feel about their closeness. Bravo executive and talk show host Andy Cohen - who was a good friend of Neeson's late wife, actress Natasha Richardson - was among the first people to provide insight, saying during a recent episode of his SiriusXM show that he and others who were close to Richards were 'very much stanning whatever this is' between Neeson and Anderson. Others appear to also be showing support. Richardson died in a skiing accident in 2009. She was 45. Over the weekend her sister, actress Joely Richardson, commented with seven hearts from her verified Instagram account on a carousel of photos of Anderson and Neeson, which Anderson posted on her verified Instagram account. Anderson and Neeson appeared on Sunday's episode of 'Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen' and Cohen let it be known that he would not be asking about the nature of their relationship. But the host did reiterate that Neeson's friends are 'very much stanning this relationship' and referenced the actor's adult son, Daniel Neeson, who was in the studio audience. 'Right, Danny?,' Cohen said to the younger Neeson, who smiled and appeared to agree. Liam Neeson reached out and held Anderson's hand after Cohen made the comment. Speculation about their relationship swirled as the pair began promoting their new film, now in theaters, with onlookers noting their chemistry on and off screen. Neeson first fanned the flames when he told People magazine in an interview last year that he is 'madly in love with' Anderson, going on to compliment her work ethic. Lisa Respers France, CNN
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' holds its lead atop the box office
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marvel's first family stumbled in theaters in its second weekend, but still held on to the top spot at the box office. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' earned $40 million from 4,125 North American theaters, a 66% drop from a healthy $117.6 million debut. The film was accompanied by comedies 'The Bad Guys 2' and 'The Naked Gun' in the top three box office rankings. The superhero movie dipped significantly more than Marvel's previous film, 'Thunderbolts,' which took a 55% dive in its second weekend. 'First Steps' is the last major blockbuster of the summer. It added nearly $40 million internationally in its second weekend, bringing thefilm's global total to $369 million. The movie's box office drop off was surprising given its strong reviews, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore. Though the movie's debut weekend may have given box office results a strong push toward the $4 billion summer benchmark, August is off to a slow start, he said. 'It's a tough lift, but we might be able to get there. It really means that all the films are gonna have to stand on their own,' Dergarabedian said. 'It's gonna be about getting great reviews, having that staying power, that longevity in the marketplace.' Newcomer comedy 'The Bad Guys 2' earned second place at the box office this weekend, with $22 million from 3,852 North American theaters. That was on par with projections and also in line with the first movie in the series, which brought in $23 million in 2022. Paramount's slapstick comedy, 'The Naked Gun,' also in its debut weekend, snagged the third box office spot, earning $17 million from 3,344 locations. Jim Orr, president of domestic distribution for Universal Pictures, said the solid debut for 'The Bad Guys 2,' coupled with strong audience reaction scores, 'should point to a very long, very successful run through not only the rest of the summer, but really, I think into the fall.' James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened four weekends ago and already crossed $550 million globally, earned $13.8 million domestically this weekend, taking the fourth spot. 'Jurassic World Rebirth' followed with $8.7 million. The horror movie 'Together' had a strong debut weekend, coming in at sixth place and earning $6.8 million domestically, proof that August is a month for edgier and off-beat films, Dergarabedian said. 'That's what this month is about. It's not just about box office,' Dergarabedian said. 'It's also about providing really interesting, rewarding movie-going experiences for audiences.' Dergarabedian said he expects highly-anticipated movies hitting theaters in the next few weeks — including 'Freakier Friday,' and Zach Cregger's horror movie 'Weapons' — to give August a needed boost. The box office is currently up 9.5% from last year. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $40 million. 2. 'The Bad Guys 2,' $22.2 million. 3. 'The Naked Gun,' $17 million. 4. 'Superman,' $13.8 million. 5. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $8.7 million. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 6. 'Together,' $6.8 million. 7. 'F1: The Movie,' $4.1 million. 8. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $2.7 million. 9. 'Smurfs,' $1.8 million. 10. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $1.4 million.
