Lovable losers

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This article was published 23/11/2014 (4204 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MOVIES

 

BIG RELEASE FRIDAY: Horrible Bosses 2

BIG PICTURE: Don’t worry. This isn’t a documentary about Obama’s second term. This comedy sequel reunites Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis as hard-luck losers Nick, Dale and Kurt. This time they’re their own bosses, having launched a business selling a seedy-sounding product called the Shower Buddy. Christoph Waltz plays a slick investor who cons our dim-witted heroes, leaving them facing financial ruin. The trio’s brilliant plan is to kidnap Captain Kirk. That’s right, Chris Pine plays their target, the shady investor’s colourful son. As you’d expect, everything goes from bad to horrible. Jamie Foxx plays an inept kidnapper-for-hire; Jennifer Aniston reprises her role as a sex-addicted dentist.

FORECAST: This predictable laugher will reach for all the low-hanging comedic fruit. I want to know how Hollywood can justify making sequels to B-grade 2011 comedies when we’ve been waiting 25 years for another Ghostbusters. Sounds like the real horrible bosses are sitting in the studio corner offices.

HONOURABLE MENTION: Penguins of Madagascar (Wednesday). This reimagines the penguins of the animated franchise — Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private — as bumbling spies. They team up with the North Wind, an elite task force (picture an all-animal X-Men, with Wolverine replaced by a polar bear) led by Agent Classified (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch). The supervillain is a maniacal octopus (picture Lex Luthor with tentacles) bent on, you guessed it, world domination.

 

TV

 

BIG EVENT: Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever (Saturday, Lifetime Canada, 7 p.m.)

BIG PICTURE: You know the fall TV season is winding down when I’m left to promote Grumpy Cat as a “big event.” But how can I resist a cheeseball live-action TV movie starring the feline Internet phenom, especially when she is being voiced by Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation). Canadian comic Russell Peters co-stars. Christmas has come early for those amused by the thought of Grumpy Cat blowing things up, wearing a monocle, shooting a paintball gun and generally acting surly toward anyone with an ounce of Christmas spirit. Grumpy Cat is like a hybrid of Garfield, a Gremlin and Russell Crowe.

FORECAST: You thought Scrooge hated Christmas. Grumpy Cat’s barbs make the phrase “Bah, humbug” sound like an expression of yuletide joy. If early clips are any indication, the writers likely deserve coal in their stockings. You can always put the TV on mute and watch Grumpy Cat frown through her small-screen debut.

HONOURABLE MENTION: Thank You, America! (Thursday, ABC, 7 p.m.). This American Thanksgiving special hosted by Robin Roberts promises a tribute to “America’s unsung heroes.” I’m expecting profiles of Justin Bieber’s publicist, Miley Cyrus’s fashion designer (you try creating outfits working with material the size of a tissue), Kesha’s dry cleaner (you try removing all that glitter) and Taylor Swift’s dream diary (no innocent blank page deserves that kind of torture).

 

MUSIC

 

BIG RELEASE MONDAY: Pitbull (Globalization)

BIG PICTURE: Don’t worry, Pitbull’s album title doesn’t mean he’s getting all political on us. Mr. Worldwide is back with track titles such as Fun, Sexy Beaches, Day Drinking and Wild Wild Love. I don’t expect the hip-hop megastar to be leading a protest anytime soon. The rapper’s eighth album includes the hit song Time of Our Lives (a collaboration with Ne-Yo), Celebrate (from the film Penguins of Madagascar) and We Are One (Ole Ola), the catch, official song of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

FORECAST: Pitbull’s ongoing success will produce a new breed of hip-hop stars with canine monikers. Bring on the likes of Schnauzer, Shih Tzu, Beagle, Dachshund, Chihuahua and Pug. (You can thank me later, music industry. I just slowed down your death spiral.)

HONOURABLE MENTION: Simple Minds (Big Music). The venerable Scottish rockers return with the Tuesday release of their sweet 16 effort. Don’t judge the creativity of the album by its lacklustre title.

Twitter: @PopForecast