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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Worst Naked Gun Movie Has The Best Story
There's a new Naked Gun movie heading our way, so it felt like the appropriate time to revisit the original trilogy of films. I'm sure lots of outlets are meticulously planning their Naked Gun retrospectives for the week of the new movie's release, but I don't care about 'optimizing visibility' or some other reptilian boardroom lingo. So I watched all the Naked Gun movies and came away with what I think is a certified Hot Take : the third film, The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult, has the best actual story of all the movies, even though it is widely accepted as the worst movie in the franchise. The Naked Gun Doesn't Need A Story? Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking that story is the least important part of spoof movies like The Naked Gun. That's how we get to the abominations of Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer like Epic Movie, so that opinion is null and void. Granted, the stories of the first two Naked Gun movies are effective in what they are trying to do: give a recognizable narrative framework to a series of gags and jokes. But, they aren't really focused on delivering any kind of strong story, either narratively or thematically. Which is why The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult stands out. It's the first film in the series that actually has legitimately well-crafted character conflict, drama, and resolution. The Plot of Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult After two movies of just being romantically attracted to each other, The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult finally has Frank Drebin and Jane Spencer married. But things aren't perfect: Jane wants to have a baby and Frank seems to be unmotivated in more ways than one. Meanwhile, Frank is trying to stop a bombing and ends up going undercover in prison. Here is where we actually get a solid story. The entire arc of The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult is about this turmoil between the two leads. Frank is worried about not being able to stop crime and that's affecting his future parentage. Jane is worried that Frank's work with Police Squad is too dangerous. This leads to Jane going off on her own and eventually reconnecting with Frank by the climax. And climax is definitely the appropriate word. The Naked Gun Gets Naked With Themes Unlike the other Naked Gun movies, The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult manages to weave its character conflict into the theming of the story. For example, Frank believes he's infiltrating a bank in order to get a lead on one of the film's villains, but he ends up unknowingly entering a sperm bank. This is a good gag all on its own, but it directly relates to the story being told with Frank, Jane, and their outlook on having children. The other Naked Gun movies don't really aim for this kind of thematic continuity. And by the end of The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult, Frank and Jane are working together to stop the baddies, and it's their teamwork that leads to their reproductive issues being solved. It's not complex character work at all, but compared to the other films, it's practically Siddhartha. I like all the Naked Gun movies to varying degrees, but The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult is actually engaging as a real story. A goofy, ridiculous, anarchic story but a real story nonetheless. Solve the daily Crossword
CNET
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
I'm Revisiting All of the Naked Gun Movies Before the Reboot. Here's How You Can, Too
Growing up, the Naked Gun series was a staple in my household. I rented the movies so regularly that my parents gave me the trilogy on DVD for Christmas one year. These days, it's easier to revisit old favorites through streaming services, but that box set still sits proudly in my media drawers. Even today, I find the straight-faced humor gut-bustlingly hilarious. While headliner Leslie Nielsen starred in some serious films like Forbidden Planet, The Poseidon Adventure and Prom Night, showcasing his dramatic acting, he became a deadpan comedy legend thanks to Airplane!, continuing that legacy with flicks like The Naked Gun franchise and Wrongfully Accused (a 1998 spoof of The Fugitive). The late great film critic Roger Ebert went so far as to refer to Nielsen as 'the Olivier of spoofs'. A reboot, or legacy sequel, titled The Naked Gun is slated to hit cinemas on Aug. 1. Liam Neeson takes the reins as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Frank Drebin Sr. (Nielsen). The all-star cast includes former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson, veteran rapper Busta Rhymes (whose acting credits include kicking Michael Myers through a window in Halloween: Resurrection) and the always-on CCH Pounder. With The Naked Gun 2025 hitting the box office soon, I'm getting in the mood by rewatching the whole series. Here's how to watch The Naked Gun franchise before the new movie hits theaters. How many movies are in The Naked Gun series? The Naked Gun series is comprised of three films, with the fourth -- the reboot -- coming out in August: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988) The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991) The Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult (1994) The Naked Gun (2025) The movies are based on the character of Lieutenant Frank Drebin from the TV series Police Squad!, which is disappointingly unavailable for streaming anywhere. So if you want to explore the roots of the franchise, you'll need to cop the show on DVD or Blu-ray. Do you need to watch all The Naked Gun trilogy before the 2025 film? I would recommend watching The Naked Gun trilogy before the 2025 reboot. The forthcoming flick is a legacy sequel, or a continuation of the series, coming out many years after its predecessor. It features Liam Neeson as the son of Lieutenant Frank Drebin, so there's continuity with the previous film. Likewise, Paul Walter Hauser portrays Captain Ed Hocken Jr., son of Captain Ed Hocken (played by Alan North in Police Squad and George Kennedy in The Naked Gun film series). Plus, there may be some throughlines with the first three movies. You can stream all of The Naked Gun movies in one convenient place All three The Naked Gun movies -- the 1988 original, The Smell of Fear and The Final Insult -- are streaming on Paramount Plus, making it easy to binge-watch the series. James Martin/CNET Paramount Plus Carries The Naked Gun trilogy Because it hosts the entire The Naked Gun film series, a Paramount Plus subscription is the easiest way to stream the franchise. Paramount Plus costs $8 a month or $60 annually on the Essential tier, while the Premium plan goes for $13 a month or $120 annually. The Paramount Plus Essential package is ad-supported, doesn't let you download movies or shows for offline viewing, lacks CBS live streaming, doesn't support 4K streaming for the best-possible video quality and only has select Showtime series. Upgrading to Paramount Plus Premium gives you the ability to download titles for offline viewing, CBS live streaming, Showtime and 4K video quality for select movies and shows. In addition to The Naked Gun trilogy, you can stream loads of other movies and shows such as Smile 2, Gladiator II and Mayor of Kingstown on Paramount Plus. Read our Paramount Plus review. See at Paramount+ How to watch The Naked Gun movies with a VPN If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with your favorite shows or movies while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy when streaming. It encrypts your web traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds, and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of privacy protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy. However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance. If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Has Liam Neeson finally found Love, Actually at 73? Perennially single star sparks fresh romance rumours with Pamela Anderson - twenty-six years after the tragic death of his beloved wife Natasha Richardson
'I'm madly in love with her. She's just terrific to work with. I can't compliment her enough, I'll be honest with you.' So said Liam Neeson when asked about his undeniable chemistry with Pamela Anderson, the perennially single actor's co-star in a forthcoming reboot of The Naked Gun. Here, Neeson breathes new life into the late Leslie Nielsen's inept police lieutenant Frank Drebin, while Anderson plays vampish love interest Beth - a character seemingly modelled on Priscilla Presley 's sultry Jane Spencer. But the 73-year old actor's off-screen connection with Anderson, 58, has garnered more attention than their on-screen romance, with the characteristically reticent Neeson offering an affectionate assessment of Anderson during a recent interview. 'No huge ego. She just comes in to do the work,' he told PEOPLE. 'She's funny and so easy to work with. She's going to be terrific in the film.' Anderson, single following the collapse of her fifth marriage to Dan Hayhurst in 2022, subsequently returned the compliment by describing Neeson as 'humble' and the 'perfect gentleman. 'He brings out the best in you… with respect, kindness and depth of experience. It was an absolute honour to work with him,' she said. 'He sincerely looked after me - wrapped his coat around me when I was cold.' She added: 'I think I have a friend for ever in Liam and we definitely have a connection that is very sincere, very loving, and he's a good guy. He really is a silly guy. He acts like a silly little boy sometimes.' In a joint interview with Anderson, Neeson also admitted he enjoyed working alongside an intimacy co-ordinator while filming sex scenes with the former Baywatch star. 'I'd never had one before,' he said. 'But she was in the background. There was no kind of, "OK! Excuse me!"' In director Akiva Schaffer's slapstick comedy reboot, Anderson portrays a nightclub singer who comes to Drebin and his calamitous Police Squad cronies for help following the murder of her brother. She added that the co-ordinator 'knew when to walk away', with Neeson claiming she threw her hands up in the air and said, "I can't take this! This is too hot for me. I'm going for coffee". 'Our chemistry was clear from the start. We have the utmost respect for one another,' Anderson told Entertainment Weekly in May. 'I invited him and his assistant over for romantic dinners with me and my assistant so our relationship stayed "professionally romantic" during filming.' The Canadian star apparently bonded with Neeson over their shared 'love of literature and a good laugh' and she regularly left cookies, muffins, and home-baked sourdough bread in his dressing room. 'I am in awe of him, his experience, and work ethic. I soaked him in like a sponge,' she said. 'I'm hoping people love it. We had so much fun making it. I think it's timely for a beloved comedy like this. 'I'm a fan of the originals. As Liam says, "We could all use a good giggle." I pray we do more.' It all bodes well for fans of the franchise, but with the film scheduled for release on August 1 is their off-screen chemistry all part of an ongoing publicity campaign - or have they really found Love, Actually? For Neeson, it would mark the end of a protracted spell on the sidelines, having remained stoically single following the sudden death of actress wife Natasha Richardson in 2009 - 15-years after they exchanged vows. Richardson was just 45 when she died of an epidural hematoma, two days after sustaining a head injury during a beginner's skiing lesson in Canada. A subsequent post mortem revealed that Richardson died from bleeding in her skull caused by the fall on a ski slope in Mont Tremblant. A devastated Neeson was left to raise their two young sons Micheál and Daniel - who were aged just 13 and 12 when their mother died. 'It was a horrible thing to happen,' he later told PEOPLE of the skiing accident that claimed Richardson's life. Praising her sister Joely Richardson and mother Vanessa Redgrave - both acclaimed actresses in their own right - he said: 'Everybody just pulled together. Vanessa and Joely were extraordinary. We were fortunate in lots of ways.' Neeson and Richardson married in 1994, little more than a year after meeting when they were both cast in a Broadway production of Anna Christie. Prior to meeting his wife, Neeson had enjoyed a colourful love life with a string of high profile stars - among them Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields and Dame Helen Mirren, with whom he claimed to be 'smitten'. Neeson previously reflected on meeting Mirren on the set of their 1981 movie Excalibur during a 2018 episode of The Graham Norton Show. 'I remember being on the set and standing with Ciarán Hinds as Helen walked towards us dressed in her full Morgana Le Fey costume and we both went, "Oh f***,"' he said. 'I was smitten. I think Ciarán was too, but I was very smitten!' But following Richardson's death, his only romance of note came in 2010, when he embarked on a relationship with businesswoman Freya St. Johnston. The couple dated for two-years before separating in 2012, amid claims the actor wanted to spend more time with his sons in New York City. 'Liam is heading back to America at the start of next month to work on his new film Non-Stop,' a source told MailOnline at the time. 'He told Freya that he wants to take a break and concentrate on his family.' The insider explained that Neeson broke up with St. Johnston shortly after a romantic trip to Italy, adding: 'He called time on the relationship right after the Rome trip. 'He told her he wanted to spend more time in New York and that he really wants to make more time for his children. 'Freya wants something more serious, but Liam feels it is too soon. His wife only died three years ago, he wants to take things slow.' The couple were thought to have known each other for 10 years, but only began dating in September 2010, a year and a half after the death of the actor's wife. By 2024 the writing appeared to be on the wall for Neeson's love life, with the Irish star claiming he was 'over' the prospect of settling down with another woman. 'I'm past all that,' he told PEOPLE at the time. Maybe, maybe not, but only time will tell if a certain former Baywatch lifeguard has rescued him from a life of relative solitude.
Geek Tyrant
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
THE NAKED GUN Sequel First Reactions Call It 'Deliciously Stupid' and 'An Actual Comedy Movie' — GeekTyrant
The Naked Gun is back this summer, and early reactions suggest it's everything fans hoped for and then some. With Liam Neeson stepping into the role of Frank Drebin Jr., son of Leslie Nielsen's legendary character, the new film seems to capture the gleefully absurd spirit of the originals. 'I saw The Naked Gun and I can now say they ARE making them like they used to! There are so many great jokes in this and you can tell the filmmakers had so much fun making an actual comedy movie,' wrote IGN's Jeffrey Vega after an early screening. Variety's Katcy Stephan said: ' The Naked Gun is so deliciously stupid, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Very true to the spirit of the Leslie Nielsen movies I grew up loving.' But the biggest praise might go to Liam Neeson himself. One viewer on X wrote, 'I bow to no man in my adoration of the original NAKED GUN, so I'm glad to report that the new one is fantastic. If there was any justice in the world, Liam Neeson would get an Oscar. Smart and hilarious from beginning to end.' That's awesome! Given Neeson's deadpan delivery and the franchise's legacy of slapstick brilliance, I can see it. The original Naked Gun films, born from the short-lived cult TV series Police Squad! , are still regarded as some of the funniest comedies ever made. The first movie landed in 1988, followed by two sequels: Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33 ⅓: The Final Insult (1994). This new installment promises to keep that same anything-goes tone, with plenty of ridiculous gags, absurd set pieces, and even some classic bathroom humor. The cast is stacked, too, featuring Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, rapper Busta Rhymes, and WWE star Cody Rhodes. And in true Naked Gun fashion, they're even going big on theater swag as the the movie comes with a wild popcorn bucket that pays homage to one of the original's most iconic jokes. It's a big plastic beaver full of popcorn emblazoned with Frank Drebin's immortal line, "Nice beaver." The Naked Gun hits theaters August 1. Get ready for pure, unapologetic nonsense—just the way we like it.
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Regal makes a clever move to compete with AMC
While going to the movies will likely always be an activity people enjoy, tearing people away from Netflix and actually getting them to the theater has been a challenge ever since the pandemic. Before Covid hit the U.S., the movie industry sold well over a million tickets a year. This was when a movie ticket still cost less than $10, which seems like a steal compared to today's prices. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter But something happened during Covid. As people coped with their fears about the pandemic and were forced to stay home, they connected more deeply than ever to streaming content. It was nice to simply enjoy movies in your pajamas - and it cost a lot less than paying for overpriced drinks and popcorn at the concession counter. Related: AMC hopes bold new offers will get customers back into theaters So despite people flooding out into the world again once vaccines became available and stay-home mandates were removed, the movie industry wasn't able to regain its footing in quite the same way. While tickets sold have slowly increased over time, movie theater giants like AMC and Regal have had to come up with new ways to entice people to come back. Now Regal's made its latest move, and it's a clever one. AMC was first to start the saga of the collectible popcorn bucket with its R2D2 combo popcorn and drink vessel, which it debuted in 2019 to accompany "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." At $49.99, it was a pricey buy, but when they sold out within 48 hours, AMC realized there was customer demand. Then in February 2024, the company debuted a "Dune: Part Two" bucket modeled on the mouth of the sandworms from the film. It went viral, and the true war of the popcorn buckets began. AMC reported that it made a mindblowing $65 million in revenue from the sales of movie-themed merchandise alone, and soon enough, all its competitors were getting in on the craze, trying to outdo one another with even wilder designs. Related: Regal, AMC make a genius move to get people to the theater Now you can find dedicated popcorn bucket pages on Cinemark, AMC, and Regal, as the companies duke it out over who has the best designs. Regal may have won that battle with its latest offering. By now, many of you have likely seen the trailer for the reboot of '80s comedy classic "The Naked Gun," which hits theaters August 1. To accompany the release of the new film, Regal has announced a popcorn bucket in the shape of a beaver, which is truly a joke aimed at the fans of the original film. It riffs on the scene when Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) meets Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley) and watches her climb a ladder, looks up her skirt, and says, "Nice beaver," to which Spencer replies by handing Drebin a taxidermied beaver and saying, "Thanks, I just got it stuffed." Since the new puns from the reboot have been limited to the ones shown in the trailer, opting for one of the old classics is a genius move - and one fans seem to like, if the Instagram comments on the bucket are any indication. "I just started watching the originals and now I need this," user cjseess wrote. Regal did not announce a price or a release date for the beaver bucket, but it's likely to be released alongside the movie. Related: Another popular movie theater chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
