Latest news with #PoliceSquad
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Naked Gun review: Liam Neeson is perfection and the gags come thick and fast in this hilarious reboot brimming with slapstick comedy, says BRIAN VINER
The Naked Gun (15, 85 minutes) Verdict: Hits the target For those of you who remember the year 1982 — when Britain went to war over the Falkland Islands, Prince William was born and Ozzy Osbourne bit the head off a bat on stage — it looms large, if indirectly, on our cinema screens this week. On American television back in 1982 a spoof cop show was launched: Police Squad!, created by the team behind the wildly successful movie Airplane! As it happens Police Squad! didn't last long on TV — the ABC network whipped it off air after just four episodes — but it did introduce hapless LAPD detective Frank Drebin, wonderfully played by the Airplane! star Leslie Nielsen. Six years later, the character bumbled his way through the first of The Naked Gun movies. It was outrageously silly, relentlessly crass, and a monumental hit. Two sequels swiftly followed and did excellent box-office business, but the third film was nowhere near as hilarious as the original. The Naked Gun had run out of bullets, at least until this week's 'reboot', directed and co-written by Akiva Schaffer (whose last film was 2022's unexpectedly enjoyable Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers). Not all the gags land — I reckon the ratio is half a dozen groans for every one laugh-out-loud — but they come so thick and fast that we only register the best of them Naturally, the new version of The Naked Gun arrives with some question marks. Will it be as zany as it was? Even if it is, are cinema audiences likely to be as delighted by that zaniness as they were? In other words, have comedy tastes changed since the 1980s? Moreover, can Liam Neeson, an actor much better known for splitting jaws than splitting sides, possibly be an effective replacement for Nielsen in the lead role? From where I was sitting the answers were yes, yes, no and yes. The Naked Gun is a hoot and Neeson's deadpan performance is pretty much pitch-perfect. Not all the gags land — I reckon the ratio is half a dozen groans for every one laugh-out-loud — but they come so thick and fast that we only register the best of them. Neeson plays Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jnr, the son of Nielsen's character, now deceased. Addressing a photograph on the office wall of his late father, he asks him to send a sign — 'an owl, or something' — if the old man is looking down at him with pride. Meanwhile, the other detectives in the department are also gazing up at pictures of their own dead fathers, teeing up a nicely-judged joke at the expense of O.J. Simpson (who starred in the first three films). Later, there's a gag targeting Bill Cosby, another disgraced former icon. This is not what you'd call iconoclastic humour. It might even be the comedy-writing equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel. But it is funny, which is all that matters. The plot, by contrast, hardly matters at all. Just in case you're interested, Drebin is investigating a bank heist to begin with, but after breaching behavioural guidelines is demoted to the traffic accident division and sent to look into a fatal crash in Malibu. Soon it becomes clear, even to him, that the heist and the accident are connected. More interestingly still, the sister of the crash victim is the curvaceously sexy Beth (Pamela Anderson). 'Take a chair,' he says, when she arrives in his office. 'No thank you, I have plenty of chairs at home,' she replies. Be warned, some of what passes for comedy might be rejected by your average fifth-form revue, yet it all trips along with considerable elan, and in any case, gags barely worthy of a Christmas cracker have always been part of the Naked Gun brand. When the film's baddie (Danny Huston, all but twirling a cloak) asks Drebin if he suspects foul play, Drebin ponders for a moment. 'No, a chicken probably wouldn't do this.' As an audience, we either buy into it or we don't. But if you still need persuading, then be assured that there are one or two gags worth the price of admission on their own, including a corker about racist brutality in the police force — hardly the most tittersome of subjects but still ripe for satire. Moreover, some of the physical comedy has echoes of peak Inspector Clouseau, and it's a lovely surprise to find that Neeson has it in him. An even lovelier surprise is that the film passes just as quickly as the original, in under an hour and a half.
Bangkok Post
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
New movies out this week: July 31-Aug 6
New releases that hit cinemas in Thailand this week. I Know What You Did Last Summer Directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. Who's in it? Jennifer Love Hewitt, Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders and Jonah Hauer-King. What's it about? When five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they're forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last is hell-bent on revenge. As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help. Why watch it? On Dec 13, 2024 Jennifer Love Hewitt officially announced she would be returning as Julie James in the new sequel. Directed by Akiva Schaffer. Who's in it? Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Kevin Durand and Paul Walter Hauser. What's it about? Only one man has the particular set of skills - to lead Police Squad and save the world. Why watch it? Development commenced in 2009 for a project initially slated as a direct-to-TV release featuring Leslie Nielsen. Titled "The Naked Gun 4: Rhythm Of Evil', the concept unfolded as a passing-the-torch narrative, with Frank Drebin mentoring a younger police officer. Jeonjijeok Dokja Sijeom (Omniscent Reader: The Prophecy) Directed by Byung-woo Kim. Who's in it? Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Jisoo. What's it about? Dokja was an average office worker whose sole interest was reading his favourite web novel 'Three Ways To Survive The Apocalypse'. But when the novel suddenly becomes reality, he is the only person who knows how the world will end. Armed with this realisation, Dokja uses his understanding to change the course of the story and the world as he knows it. Why watch it? Based on the web novel Omniscient Reader. Shiranai Kanojo (My Beloved Stranger) Directed by Takahiro Miki. Who's in it? Jun Fubuki, Kenta Kiritani and Wan Marui. What's it about? Riku Kanbayashi and Minami Maezono fell in love with each other in college and got married. Later, Riku became a best-selling novelist thanks to Minami's support, however, Minami's dream of becoming a singer remained unfulfilled. One day, their relationship hits the breaking point after a thoughtless remark from Riku, leading to a huge fight. The next morning, Riku wakes up to find Minami gone. As he goes to his publisher, he realises that the famous author he thought he was has been reduced to a mere editor at a literary magazine. Meanwhile, the city is buzzing with the presence of a talented singer-songwriter named Minami Maezono, someone Riku has never even met before. Why watch it? Soundtrack I still is performed by Milet. Premieres on Aug 1 Son of Sardaar 2 Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora. Who's in it? Mrunal Thakur, Ajay Devgn and Kubbra Sait. What's it about? After years away, Jassi travels to Scotland to reconcile with his wife, but gets entangled in a mob conflict and a chaotic Sikh wedding. Now he must save hostages and his marriage while navigating cultural chaos. Why watch it?
New York Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
How ‘The Naked Gun' reboot mocks former star O.J. Simpson
The gloves are off. The new 'Naked Gun' reboot, which opens in theaters Friday, doesn't shy away from the franchise's most controversial cast member: O.J. Simpson. For three movies of the 1980s and '90s police spoof series, Simpson, who died in 2024 at age 76, played Officer Nordberg. The fourth flick, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, acknowledges — and mocks — Simpson's 'Naked Gun' history. 3 O.J. Simpson starred in three 'Naked Gun' films with Leslie Nielsen (center) during the 1980s and '90s. ©Paramount/Courtesy Everett Coll In an early scene, Neeson, who plays Lt. Frank Drebin, Jr., the son of Leslie Nielsen's 'Police Squad' character, emotionally speaks to a photo of Nielsen hanging on the station's wall. 'Hi, Dad,' the 'Taken' star begins. Then the camera pans out to reveal a long line of other officers opening up to pictures of their own fathers — including Simpson's Nordberg. 'Hi, pops,' says actor Moses Jones as Nordberg, Jr. to Simpson's mug. After a beat, Jones comically looks directly into the camera, shakes his head back and forth and makes a 'nuh-uh' noise. 3 Liam Neeson plays Lieutenant Frank Drebin, Jr. AP Better known as a football player who played nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Simpson also had a modest acting career. He appeared in 'The Towering Inferno' with Paul Newman and Steve McQueen and on an episode of the miniseries 'Roots,' among other titles. But his biggest part was as Nordberg in the 'Naked Gun' trilogy. In fact, his last outing on the big screen, 'Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult,' hit theaters just three months before he was accused of killing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in Los Angeles, California. Simpson was acquitted in criminal court in 1995, but was found liable for their deaths during a civil trial in 1997. 3 Simpson attended the premiere of 'Naked Gun 33 1/2: The Final Insult' with ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. Getty Images He would notch one more acting credit — filmed before the murders and ensuing trial — in Disney's TV series 'Adventures in Wonderland.' However, Simpson's episode, called 'White Rabbits Can't Jump,' was pulled from the air. And it is the sole 'Wonderland' chapter that's not available on Disney+. Simpson died of prostate cancer in 2004 while he was living in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Journal
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Journal
‘Roll on the floor hilarious': Liam Neeson a ‘delight' as critics rave over new Naked Gun film
CRITICS HAVE BEEN full of praise for the new Naked Gun movie starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, with one calling it 'fall-out-of-your-seat-and-roll-on-the-floor hilarious'. The Naked Gun reboot will be released in Irish cinemas this Friday and it's garnered near universal-acclaim among reviewers. It's the fourth film in the Naked Gun franchise and sees Neeson cast as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr., who must succeed in his father's footsteps to prevent the closure of Police Squad. The movie is produced by Seth MacFarlane, the producer of Family Guy. Paramount Pictures / YouTube New York Magazine describes the film as 'fall-out-of-your-seat-and-roll-on-the-floor hilarious' and adds: 'See it with the biggest audience you can find. It might just heal you. It might just heal the world.' It's a sentiment shared by the Daily Telegraph, which likewise urges people to see it with an audience in its four star review: 'Experience the rare and wonderful pleasure of a crowd scrambling to keep up with one of the stupidest films it's ever seen.' Variety magazine meanwhile said the film 'practically had audiences wetting their pants' and the San Francisco Chronicle remarked that 'Neeson is a delight and seems to be having as much fun as the audience'. Elsewhere, entertainment news site TheWrap said that one thing is for sure and it's that the new Naked Gun is funny: 'It's very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very funny. Very.' In a four star review, The Guardian said that Neeson 'deadpans impeccably in outrageously amusing' film. Advertisement Liam Neeson as Lt. Frank Drebin Jr. in The Naked Gun Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Consequence praises the film as 'an almost non-stop onslaught of silly and random moments' and The Daily Beast describes it as 'a big, brash, laugh-out-loud crime spoof led by a great Liam Neeson performance'. And while The Hollywood Reporter felt that the movie 'kind of stalls midway', it adds that there are 'enough laugh-out-loud moments to keep nostalgic fans of the earlier films happy'. Meanwhile, there have been rumours that Neeson and Anderson are in a relationship after co-starring in the film. Pamela Anderson, left, and Liam Neeson attend the premiere of The Naked Gun in New York. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The pair were asked about this during an appearance on NBC's Today show yesterday . 'What's the deal here?' asked host Craig Melvin. 'You're both single right now. There's clearly chemistry on display throughout this film. Are you two an item?' Neeson replied that he and Anderson met on set and 'discovered we had a lovely, budding chemistry — as two actors'. He added: 'It's like, 'Oh, this is nice. Let's not mould this. Let's just let it breathe.' And that's what we did.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Film reviews: Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson head up the newest Naked Gun romp
From the (updated) files of Police Squad comes The Naked Gun (15A), arguably the most unnecessary but definitely the funniest of this summer's long litany of remakes and reboots. Liam Neeson stars as Detective Frank Drebin, the son of the original one-man-disaster Frank Drebin (who was played by Leslie Nielsen), and the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree: when Frank Jnr breaks up a bank robbery with rather too much enthusiasm, he finds himself busted down to traffic cop and held responsible for the likely dissolution of Police Squad. But when Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson) beseeches Frank to investigate what she believes to be the murder of her brother Simon, Frank quickly discovers a link between Beth's tragedy, the bank robbery, and tech genius Richard Cane (Danny Huston), the CEO of Eden Tech who is plotting a diabolical scheme to reduce the human race to rage-fuelled animals with a Primordial Law of Toughness (i.e., P.L.O.T.) device. Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson arriving for the UK premiere of The Naked Gun at Cineworld Leicester Square, central London. Picture date: Tuesday July 22, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Ian West/PA Wire If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and writer-director Akiva Schaffer doesn't try to meddle with the formula: The Naked Gun isn't so much a movie as it is a series of brief comedy sketches featuring slapstick, visual gags, overly literal wordplay and pratfalls, with the occasional nod to the original movies to keep the trainspotters happy. The craggy-featured Liam Neeson is perfectly cast as the deadpan Frank, Danny Huston oozes villainy through every pore, and the Pamela Anderson renaissance continues apace with her delicately winsome take on the damsel in distress. The story delights in spoofing the conventions of hardboiled noir, and particularly when it comes to Neeson's gravelly voiceover, but if there's a complaint (there's always a complaint), it's that the script doesn't quite match the quality of the comic performances, delivering giggles and chuckles rather than laugh-out-loud moments. That said, it's a rare blast of uncomplicated fun, with Neeson having a whale of a time parodying his tough guy persona. Floria (Leonie Benesch) a dedicated nurse, tirelessly serves in an understaffed hospital ward in Late Shift. Late Shift ★★★★☆ Cinematic release Set in a Swiss hospital, Late Shift (12A) opens with nurse Floria Lind (Leonie Benesch) arriving at work to discover that her ward is short-staffed and that she, Bea (Sonja Riesen) and student nurse Amelie (Selma Jamal Aldin) are expected to manage an almost full ward. So begins a stress-inducing paean to the virtually impossible task of modern nursing: we follow Floria on her rounds as she caters to patients in varying states of health – some simply waiting for test results, others waiting to die – in a masterclass in multi-tasking. Effortlessly competent, always upbeat and smiling (no matter the personal cost), Floria juggles a host of roles, which include dispensing a dizzying variety of drugs, with a robotic-like efficiency that masks a bedrock of kindness. It's an utterly absorbing emotional rollercoaster, with potential disaster lurking around every corner, awaiting a single mistake from Floria – given a beautifully understated reading by Leonie Benesch – and her overworked colleagues. Heidi: Rescue of the Lynx Heidi: Rescue of the Lynx ★★★☆☆ Cinematic release Heidi: The Rescue of the Lynx (G) opens in an idyllic world of snowy peaks, flower-dotted meadows, St. Bernards and alpenhorns, where the mischievous, fun-loving Heidi (voiced by Lilly Graffam) lives with her gruff but kindly Grandfather (Tom Zahner). The arrival of Mr Schnaittinger (Michael McCown), a captain of industry who has plans to drag their village into the modern age with a new sawmill, coincides with Heidi rescuing a lynx kitten that has become separated from its mother. Can the two events be connected? An animation aimed at the very young, this is a colourful, sprightly affair set against a gorgeous backdrop. The message is an admirable plea for conservation – the despoliation caused by Schnaittinger's other sawmill on the far side of the mountain has driven the mother lynx to prey on the village's livestock – and younger viewers will likely thrill to Heidi's irreverent sense of fun and her heartfelt love of the natural world.
