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Exclusive: Amber Ruffin (The Amber Ruffin Show) and Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer) are set for the team captain roles on Have I Got News For You, CNN’s forthcoming American adaptation of the long-running BBC comedy panel series.

A British institution produced by Hat Trick Productions since 1990, Have I Got News for You will be hosted in the States by The Daily Show alum Roy Wood Jr., as we were first to report. The series will deliver comic observations, from the satirical to the surreal, through the lens of a news quiz show, serving up a smart and edgy take on the news of the week.

Together with Wood, Ruffin and Black will guide a rotating collection of guests including notable entertainers, political figures and comedians through an array of comic games and quick-witted panel conversations that test their knowledge of current events.

Produced by Hat Trick Productions for CNN Originals,...

Exclusive: Sarah Drew – best known for playing fan favorite Dr. April Kepner on Grey’s Anatomy – is about to headline her own series for Hallmark Media.

Drew has been cast as Emily Lane in Mistletoe Murders, which is based on the Audible global hit podcast of the same name. Emily is described as smart, tough, and observant, but also kind, empathetic, and charming with a great — albeit dry — sense of humor.

When Emily isn’t busy running her charming small-town Christmas-themed store, “Under the Mistletoe,” she finds herself compelled to investigate local murders with the help of handsome local police detective and his teen daughter. On the surface, Emily is a perfectly lovely, good-natured mystery lover – but she is hiding a secret past that, if exposed, threatens to destroy the new life she has built in Fletcher’s Grove.

The series comes from eOne Canada and Headspinner Productions and will be distributed by Lionsgate Television.

Arriving on Prime Video today, "The Idea of You" (read our review) stars Anne Hathaway as Soléne, a 40-year old art gallery curator who finds herself in a surprising, romantic meet-cute with Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), a 24-year old who just so happens to be part of the famous (fictional) boy band called August Moon. But can their blossoming romance survive the hellish landscape of public judgment and media scrutiny that comes with life in the celebrity limelight? 

"The Idea of You" (watch the trailer) is based on the best-selling romance novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, which many believe to be inspired by chart-topping singer Harry Styles, once a member of the boy band One Direction, and his well-documented romantic encounters with older women. With a filmmaker like Michael Showalter behind the camera -- who made his feature directorial debut with the romantic comedy satire "The Baxter,...

Melissa Moore’s autobiography Shattered Silence inspired the podcast Happy Face, and now the podcast is getting a Paramount+ streaming series adaptation! Annaleigh Ashford – whose credits include B Positive, American Crime Story, and Masters of Sex – has signed on to star in the series, with Michael Showalter on board to direct the first episode.

I mainly know Showalter from an actor in projects like The State and Wet Hot American Summer, but his TV directing credits include episodes of Search Party, Love, Grace and Frankie, In the Dark, The Shrink Next Door, The Dropout, and I Love That for You. He has also directed the feature films Spoiler Alert, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Lovebirds, The Big Sick; Hello, My Name Is Doris; and The Baxter.

Happy Face will see Ashford taking on the role of Melissa, who at age 15, discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as “Happy Face.

With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania representing the best opening of the franchise, we wanted to know what your favorite Paul Rudd movie is. Are you more a fan of his comedic roles or has his turn as Ant-Man been more your speed? Instead of listing all of the Marvel films separately, we used Ant-Man to represent all his ventures in the miniature making suit. if you don’t see your favorite, please let us know in the comments.

Favorite Paul Rudd MovieMac and Me (1988)Clueless (1995)Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)Romeo + Juliet (1996)The Locusts (1997)Overnight Delivery (1998)The Object of My Affection (1998)200 Cigarettes (1999)The Cider House Rules (1999)Wet Hot American Summer (2001)The Shape of Things (2003)2 Days (2003)Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)P.S (2004)The Baxter (2005)The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)The Oh in Ohio (2006)Diggers (2006)Night at the Museum (2006)Reno 911!: Miami (2007)I Could Never Be Your Woman...

Writer, director and actor Michael Showalter joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)

The Baxter (2005)

Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)

Runaway Daughters (1994)

Clueless (1995)

Bagdad Cafe (1987)

Coda (2021)

The Long Goodbye (1973) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

Do The Right Thing (1989)

Sugarbaby (1985)

City Slickers (1991)

Attack! (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Paris, Texas (1984) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

Pretty In Pink (1986)

Escape From New York (1981) – Neil Marshall’s trailer commentary

Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986)

The Warriors (1979)

The Thing (1982) – Jesus Treviño’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Christine (1983)

Crossing Delancey (1988)

Annie Hall (1977) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary

When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

The Fugitive (1993)

The Big Sick (2017) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Between The Lines...

Spoiler Alert: This post contains details about the two-part series finale of Fox’s Last Man Standing.

Last Man Standing wrapped up its nine-season run with a two-part series finale that sees the Baxters’ green truck as a literal vehicle to celebrate nearly a decade of family, love and Outdoor Man.

Written by Ed Yeager, “Baxter Boot Camp” starts off with newly-minted “true Baxter” Jen (Krista Marie Yu) preparing for a camping trip with her friends visiting from Hong Kong. Concerned for her safety, Vanessa (Nancy Travis) offers to help Jen prepare for unpredictable scenarios by teaming up with Mandy (Molly McCook) for a challenging backyard bootcamp.

Meanwhile at Outdoor Man, Mike (Tim Allen) sees Kristin (Amanda Fuller) diving deep into work, which cuts into her family time. In the office next door, Kyle (Christoph Sanders) tells Ed (Hector Elizondo) that he seeks to shift to part-time duties as he...

The Supporting Actress Smackdown will resume in March 2021. Final Season! 

Happy Smackdown to you Happy Smackdown to you

Happy Smackdown you actressexuals,

Happy Smackdown to youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

After StinkyLulu graciously let us continue/revive the series here seven or eight years ago (eep!) we've done 35 episodes: 1938, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, and concurrently with Oscar races as they happened 2016, 2017, and 2018. 

So, where to now? 

The Remaining Years

1937- Brady  (In Old Chicago) | Leeds (Stage Door) | Shirley (Stella Dallas) | Trevor (Dead End) | Whitty (Night Must Fall)

1946 - Baxter (The Razor's Edge) | Barrymore  (The Spiral Staircase) | Gish (Duel in the Sun) | Robson (Saratoga Trunk) | Sondegaard (Anna and the King of Siam)

1951 Joan Blondell (The Blue Veil) | Dunnock (Death of a Salesman) | Grant (Detective Story) | Hunter (A Streetcar Named Desire) | Ritter (The Mating Season)

1986 - Harper (Crimes of the Heart) | Laurie (Children of a Lesser God) | Mastrantonio (The Color of Money) | Smith (A Room With a View) | Weist (Hannah and Her Sisters...

A Fox Searchlight project that has been fermenting for some time now and that got a firm greenlight October 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina will see the day in 2021 – but Searchlight (post Disney merger) might sit the early part of 2021 if they don’t have firm plans for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Michael Showalter the helmer behind The Baxter, Hello, My Name Is Doris, The Big Sick, and The Lovebirds directs Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker and Andrew Garfield as Jim Bakker with a supporting cast comprised of Chandler Head who plays the younger Tammy Faye, Cherry Jones, Sam Jaeger, Vincent D’Onofrio, Gabriel Olds, Mark Wystrach, Frederic Lehne, and Jay Huguley.…...

As the world fights a pandemic, we’ve been reaching out to some of our favorite artists to get their takes on these unprecedented times. Here’s what Faith No More and Mr. Bungle singer Mike Patton — who just released Necroscape, an enveloping and unsettling avant-rock odyssey by tētēma, his collaborative venture with Australian composer Anthony Pateras — had to say in response to a few quarantine questions via email.

What are you doing with your unexpected time at home?

Writing. Writing. Writing. Working on several records at once, which isn’t abnormal for me,...

In Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the Academy of Unseen Arts and Baxter High seem like night and day at first glance. One is an unholy place where teens hone their witchy powers and witches occasionally eat witches. The other is a high school where teens supposedly prepare for life and teens eat other teens alive, metaphorically speaking, on a daily basis. In that light, are they really that different?

Related: 5 Reasons Why Sabrina Is The Best TV Witch Ever (& 5 Why She's The Worst)

With this in mind, plenty of the witches at the Academy would fit in at Baxter High, with Sabrina herself being the most obvious example. While Harvey Kinkle certainly wouldn't want to attend classes at the Academy, there are several other students at Baxter who would do well there. Find out which human students would fit at the witch's academy and which witches could join a normal human school unnoticed.

Michael Showalter was a known quantity in the comedy world before he gave feature directing a shot in 2005 with the unassuming indie The Baxter. He started out in the early 90s on MTV’s sketch show The State, which spawned the careers of many talents with whom Showalter has continued to collaborate on shows like Stella and films like They Came Together and Wet Hot American Summer (which stars Showalter and has led to two Netflix follow-up series). Much of this work, as well as Showalter’s excursive, vaguely non-committal standup, is characterized by a warm disdain for the form. In […]...

It took 25 years of working in film and TV, but comedian Michael Showalter has landed what could be his career-defining role: indie filmmaker.

Read More: Michael Showalter on the Origins of ‘Search Party’ and Status of ‘Wet Hot American Summer’

Showalter’s third feature as a director, “The Big Sick,” is one of the most anticipated movies at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. A dramatic comedy written by actor-writer Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon and based on their real-life courtship, the film stars Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, and Anupam Kher.

Produced by Judd Apatow and Barry Mendel, “The Big Sick” centers on aspiring comedian Kumail and grad student Emily (Kazan), whose romance causes a rift with Kumail’s traditional Muslim parents. Emily then discovers she has a mysterious illness, leaving Kumail to navigate the medical crisis with her parents Beth and Terry (Hunter and...

A photo posted by @justintheroux on Oct 20, 2016 at 10:01am Pdt When you think of Justin Theroux, you probably think about his extreme sexiness, his cute moments with wife Jennifer Aniston, and his incredible acting ability. What you probably don't think of, however, is a man who went through a serious awkward phase in the '80s (well, sort of). The Girl on the Train star posted one of the best Throwback Thursday photos we've ever seen on Instagram this week. In the pic, Justin and pal Elizabeth Banks pose for the camera while dressed up in hilarious costumes on the set of their 2005 film The Baxter. "Fake #tbt to fake high school sweetheart, for fake set photo with the very real @elizabethbanks," Justin wrote. In the movie, the two play former high school sweethearts who run into each other years later, just two weeks before her wedding to another guy.

Justin Theroux may have just won Throwback Thursday with a vintage photo from a film many may have forgotten about.

The actor posted an epic picture of him and costar Elizabeth Banks from their 2005 film The Baxter, in which they played teenagers in love.

“Fake #tbt to fake high school sweetheart, for fake set photo with the very real @elizabethbanks. #og #badombres #whiteturtlneckanddenimpoppedcollarsosweetdudeyeahiknow #baxter,” Theroux, 45, captioned on Instagram.

And as the Leftovers star duly noted he’s wearing a white turtleneck and denim jacket that has its collar popped. Noticeably, young Theroux donned faux braces and modeled an...

Sally Field plays Doris Miller, a 60-something accountant with a Walter Mitty-like imagination who becomes fixated on a younger new co-worker John Fremont (Max Greenfield), in Hello, My Name Is Doris. The comedy from director/co-writer Michael Showalter (“The Baxter”) has plenty of indie film quirkiness but what makes the film work is Field’s performance as Doris, a character who in lesser hands could have gone so very wrong.

Doris is a data entry worker in accounting working at a hipster fashion magazine who is suddenly smitten when she meets a handsome young new co-worker named John Fremont, a nice Midwestern who is new to the city. But Doris is no sexy cougar; she is an oddball character that would have been out of his league even if she were 20 years younger.

Hello, My Name Is Doris reverses the gender of the standard movie male fantasy of an older...

One of the break-out hits of this year’s South by Southwest Festival was the latest film by Michael Showalter and his first in a decade, Hello, My Name is Doris. Picking up the audience award there, it stars Sally Field as an eccentric Brooklynite who finally finds friendship and more. Also starring Max Greenfield, Natasha Lyonne, Kumail Nanjiani, Peter Gallagher, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Tyne Daly and Beth Behrs, the first trailer has now landed ahead of a spring release.

We said in our review, “The second feature directed by Showalter, adapted from a short film by Laura Terruso, the director marries themes previously explored in his 2005 feature The Baxter with a more nuanced character study. Masterfully portrayed by Field, Doris Miller is out of place despite harboring tenancies and wardrobes that the 20/30-something hipsters of Williamsburg around her aspire to have. Simply put, she fits in more easily than the...

Anyone familiar with Michael Showalter's work - be it his groundbreaking comedy troupes, The State and Stella, or his widely cherished cult films which he co-wrote with David Wain - is well aware that Showalter is a comedic mastermind; a true original in an era where the word original is growing harder to use. But what fans of Showalter's penchant for hyper irony are perhaps less aware of, is his soulful flair for heartfelt, comedic storytelling, as evidenced by his two directorial credits.His first film came in 2005 with the Tribeca hit, The Baxter, in which, Showalter himself plays an out of step romantic, too pure for the modern dating world. Now 10 years later, Showalter returns to the big screen with Hello, My Name...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Read More: Sally Field on Going Raunchy for 'Hello, My Name is Doris' and Why She's Never Felt Like a Great Success Directed by "Wet Hot American Summer" alumni Michael Showalter, "Hello, My Name Is Doris" puts Sally Field right where she belongs: Front, center and in the spotlight. Showalter's second feature film (his first was "The Baxter") follows Doris (Field) through a misguided attempt for the heart of her much-younger colleague. Her real-retro know-how gets her in with his hipster crowd, but as with the coming-of-age stories that inspired the film, Doris must discover what's truly right for herself -- regardless of what the popular kids think. What's your film about in 140 characters or less?After the death of her elderly mother, a reclusive and eccentric woman named Doris becomes romantically infatuated with a younger co-worker. Antics ensue. Now what's it Really about?It's about many things really. It's about finding your true family.

The first wave of titles screening at the 2015 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival were announced today, and the batch has us very excited indeed. First of all, the event will open with the latest documentary from Ondi Timoner, who directed the masterpieces Dig! and We Live in Public. This one is called Brand: A Second Coming, and it’s about comedian Russell Brand‘s rebirth as a “self-proclaimed revolutionary” following a bout with addiction and his rise to fame. Even if you don’t care for her subject, Timoner is the kind of filmmaker who can keep you intrigued anyway. Her past few films have also dealt with big, fascinating egos, from hot shit rocker Anton Newcombe to exhibitionist Internet pioneer Josh Harris to “skeptical environmentalist” Bjorn Lomborg. Timoner returns to SXSW following last year’s debut of her short Obey the Artist, on Shepard Fairey. Among the fiction selections is one of our most anticipated...

Four of the hottest stars on TV are joining the cast of Michael Showalter's new indie comedy “Hello, My Name Is Doris,” including Natasha Lyonne (“Orange Is the New Black”), Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley”) and Kyle Mooney (“Saturday Night Live”), TheWrap has learned. The comedic quartet join fellow TV stars Max Greenfield (“New Girl”), Beth Behrs (“2 Broke Girls”) and Rich Sommer (“Mad Men”), as well as fun. guitarist Jack Antonoff and two-time Oscar winner Sally Field, who stars as the title character. Showalter, who made his directorial debut with the underrated 2005 comedy “The Baxter,” co-wrote.

After splitting sides at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the romantic comedy parody They Came Together starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, is finally coming to theaters this summer, and the first trailer has arrived to show off the goods. Along with some huge laughs, there's also glimpses of the incredible supporting cast that includes Bill Hader, Ellie Kemper, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, Christopher Meloni and a whole slew of hilarious cameos. Director and comedian David Wain has hit a home run with a parody that calls back to classics like Airplane and Young Frankenstein. Watch the trailer! Here's the first trailer for David Wain's They Came Together, originally from BuzzFeed (via Film Stage): They Came Together is directed by David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer), who co-wrote the film with Michael Showalter (The Baxter). The film tells the love story of Joel (Paul Rudd), a...

Max Greenfield has confirmed that he will star in writer-director Michael Showalter's new comedy Hello My Name Is Doris.

The New Girl actor revealed that the movie will centre on his character beginning a romance with a much older woman.

"It's a story about Doris, this character, she's an older woman," Greenfield told The Wrap.

"Her mother passes away and she's then forced to kind of find a new life in the city, and she meets this younger guy and thinks that he's the answer."

Greenfield added that the screenplay is "very funny", and also disclosed that the female lead has yet to be cast.

The actor earned a Golden Globe nomination this year for playing womaniser Schmidt in New Girl, and also recently reprised his role as Leo D'Amato in the Veronica Mars movie.

Hello My Name Is Doris writer-director Showalter was a cast member of the influential sketch comedy group The State.

Talking to the Wrap, Greenfield revealed he will be starring in a new film written and directed by Michael Showalter. Greenfield — who first worked with Showalter on They Came Together, the David Wain rom-com parody Showalter co-wrote — described Hello My Name Is Doris as a dramedy about an older woman who is “forced to kind of find a new life in the city” after the death of her mother, and the younger guy (Greenfield) whom she thinks is the answer. This will be Showalter’s second feature, after 2005’s The Baxter, in which Showalter has remarked that he wishes he could’ve had a different actor star, instead of himself. Watch out, Paul Rudd, it appears these guys might’ve found their new handsome surrogate.

If you checked Our 11 Most Anticipated Films We Can't Wait to See at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, then you already know a bit about They Came Together, and you know that it's the film I'm most excited to see. Wet Hot American Summer director David Wain returns to the indie festival with his loving, romantic comedy parody that stars Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler in a You've Got Mail love story situation. The first poster takes the space usually reserved for accolades from film critics and replaces them with simple facts from a story that Deadline wrote about the film. Ed Helms does indeed star in the film. Here's the first poster for David Wain's They Came Together from BuzzFeed (watch a clip there too): They Came Together is directed by David Wain (Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten), who also co-wrote the script with comedy cohort Michael Showalter...

© Nick Stepowyj[Editor's Note: Melanie Lynskey (Hello I Must Be Going) is guest blogging. We love her. And now there's a lotta love to go around. - Nathaniel R]

After my love letter to Noah Taylor I thought it might be kind of fun to write to some people for The Film Experience and ask Them who they'd want to write a love letter to. Hopefully this is making some kind of sense. So I made a little dream list of people I respect and admire beyond all reason and I sent them a little e-mail saying:

I've seen you do work that has made me want to write you a love letter because it's moved me so deeply. Who or what would you like to write a love letter to? What piece of art or artist or feeling has moved you in this way?"

Here are a few amazing responses I got from these talented and passionate individuals!

To the magnificent & unique Zachary Quinto "my love letter to you is mostly me obsessing about: Angels In America!

Wait, what?! We already know that Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd are leading a romantic comedy parody called They Came Together from Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer director David Wain from a script he co-wrote with fellow comedian and The Baxter director Michael Showalter. The story follows Joel (Rudd) and Molly (Poehler) who meet and have nothing but contempt for each other as Joel's big corporation is the one that threatens to shut down Molly's quirky knick-knack store. But we're not sure where these first look photos of the romantic duo dressed up as Benjamin Franklin come into play. Look! Here's some first look photos from David Wain's They Came Together via BuzzFeed: We're really not sure why both Rudd and Poehler are dressed as Benjamin Franklin, but it's a pretty amusing image. The film is essentially a parody of You've Got Mail (if you can't tell...

Easily my favorite new show of the last television season was "New Girl," and it's not just because of the quirky charms of Zooey Deschanel. The series also has a phenomenal supporting cast making up her roommates. There's the hilarious Jake M. Johnson, who can be seen in Safety Not Guaranteed this summer, Lamorne Morris in his biggest TV role yet, and finally Max Greenfield, who steals plenty of scenes from the rest of the cast as Schmidt. Now the latter actor will be working with some great comedic talent on the big screen in the romantic comedy parody They Came Together starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler. David Wain (the director of Role Models and Wet Hot American Summer) is at the helm of the film which he also co-wrote with fellow comedian Michael Showalter (the director of The Baxter). The story follows Joel (Rudd) and Molly (Poehler) who...

Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd might be campaigning against each other on "Parks and Recreation" (season finale tonight, y'all!), but they'll stop mudslinging for "They Came Together," a rom-com parody from director David Wain.

Per Variety, "They Came Together" will find Rudd and Poehler initially at odds because he plays a corporate shark threatening to shutdown her character's "quirky knick-knack store." In the grand tradition of "You've Got Mail," the differences will become what binds them together as a couple.

Wain and Michael Showalter ("Wet Hot American Summer") co-wrote the script, which is said to take down many cliched rom-com tropes. If Showalter being involved in a rom-com parody sounds familiar, that's because you remember his crazy underrated 2005 comedy "The Baxter," which co-starred Wain and featured a cameo appearance from Rudd.

Following the big election on the "Parks and Recreation" season finale, Rudd has a slew of projects lined up.

Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd might be campaigning against each other on "Parks and Recreation" (season finale tonight, y'all!), but they'll stop mudslinging for "They Came Together," a rom-com parody from director David Wain.

Per Variety, "They Came Together" will find Rudd and Poehler initially at odds because he plays a corporate shark threatening to shutdown her character's "quirky knick-knack store." In the grand tradition of "You've Got Mail," the differences will become what binds them together as a couple.

Wain and Michael Showalter ("Wet Hot American Summer") co-wrote the script, which is said to take down many cliched rom-com tropes. If Showalter being involved in a rom-com parody sounds familiar, that's because you remember his crazy underrated 2005 comedy "The Baxter," which co-starred Wain and featured a cameo appearance from Rudd.

Following the big election on the "Parks and Recreation" season finale, Rudd has a slew of projects lined up.

Slowly but surely, the cast of cult MTV comedy sketch show "The State" have been taking over Hollywood. Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant have made millions as screenwriters of films like "The Pacifier" and "Night at the Museum," while Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black have both moved into writing and directing as well, with "The Baxter" and "Wedding Daze," respectively. 

But probably the purest 'State' movie to date was "Role Models," the 2008 comedy written by David Wain and Ken Marino, with A-list buddy Paul Rudd, which went on to be something of a sleeper hit. Unfortunately, when the trio returned a few weeks ago with the Judd Apatow-produced "Wanderlust," the film tanked, but it's unlikely that means we're done seeing films from the show's alumni. Indeed, Marino, along with fellow "The State" cast-member Joe LoTruglio, who stole the show in both "Role Models" and "Wanderlust," are already working on future projects.

In 'MTV First,' the 'Wanderlust' star gushes about her beau's 'leading man quality.'

By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux and Malin Akerman in "Wanderlust"

Photo: Universal

When "Wanderlust" stars Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd sat down with MTV News' Josh Horowitz for "MTV First," the stars opened up about the film, which opens this weekend, and of course that much-discussed Aniston nude scene.

They also talked about someone who will likely have everyone buzzing when they leave the theater: Aniston's co-star and real-life leading man, Justin Theroux.

Aniston said Theroux is a "far cry" from his hippie-dippie character in the film, which revolves around an uptight New York couple who decide to shake up their lives and end up at a commune. Rudd and Aniston play that couple just looking for a change of pace.

"I didn't recognize him actually,...

In 'MTV First,' the 'Wanderlust' star gushes about her beau's 'leading man quality.'

By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux and Malin Akerman in "Wanderlust"

Photo: Universal

When "Wanderlust" stars Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd sat down with MTV News' Josh Horowitz for "MTV First," the stars opened up about the film, which opens this weekend, and of course that much-discussed Aniston nude scene.

They also talked about someone who will likely have everyone buzzing when they leave the theater: Aniston's co-star and real-life leading man, Justin Theroux.

Aniston said Theroux is a "far cry" from his hippie-dippie character in the film, which revolves around an uptight New York couple who decide to shake up their lives and end up at a commune. Rudd and Aniston play that couple just looking for a change of pace.

"I didn't recognize him actually,...

We've always loved Elizabeth Banks, but we didn't realize how much until we really pondered her resume. From cult favorites "Wet Hot American Summer" and "The Baxter" to "30 Rock" (and, naturally, her upcoming role in "The Hunger Games"), Banks' projects occupy a shockingly large percentage of our Top 10 Things Ever To Appear on a Screen.

Yes, that's a real list.

Banks' latest role continues her modus operandi of affable informality — you sorta feel like you know the NYPD psychologist talking Sam Worthington down in action thriller "Man on a Ledge." It's that same candor that makes Banks so easy to interview; we heard the best and worst of her "Ledge" preparation ... and got the answers to a few "Hunger Games" questions we were duty-bound to ask.

What was it about "Man on a Ledge" that appealed to you? The action? The cast? The chance to play someone unambiguously kind before...

From Fox and Warner Bros. TV, the network and studio behind new multicamera comedy I Hate My Teenage Daughter, comes I Hate Your Friends, a new multicamera comedy project targeted for next season. Fox has bought the half-hour script written by Michael Showalter and Christina Lee, which centers on a couple who falls in love, thinking they’ve found “the one” … until they meet each other’s friends. Showalter and Lee are executive producing with Peter Principato and Paul Young. Showalter, repped by UTA and Principato-Young, is the co-creator/director/star of Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael Have Issues. He met Lee while she was a development executive in Comedy Central’s New York office and one of the executives in charge of Michael & Michael. Showalter’s credits also include Comedy Central’s Stella, MTV’s The State and the features The Baxter and Wet Hot American Summer. Lee has...

Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to the worthwhile movies streaming online via Netflix Instant Watch. This week we look at alternatives to Our Idiot Brother, Colombiana and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark!

This week there’s a dark theme lurking in theaters, where three innocents will have to confront some intense drama. Be it sneering sisters, creepy creatures or a painful past, these protagonists journeys are punctuated with poignancy and shouting!

Paul Rudd stars as the title moron, the good-natured but naïve Ned, who becomes a burden on his three sisters (Emily Mortimer, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel) after he’s busted selling dope to a cop. Adam Scott, Rashida Jones and Steve Coogan co-star in this Sundance-adored family-comedy, directed by Jesse Peretz.

Craving more comedies with indie flare? Check out these flicks, featuring Brother’s cast:

The Chateau...

EW.com has posted an "exclusive" describing how the writing/directing/acting team of David Wain and Michael Showalter ("The State," "Stella," The Baxter) are "seriously thinking" about making a sequel to their 2001 cult film classic Wet Hot American Summer. The man who starred as both lovestruck Coop and talent show Mc Alan Shemper, Showalter, states, "I really hope it happens." You aren't alone, Michael.

Various actors from the movie, including Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, and Christopher Meloni, are quoted as saying they would be happy to go back to Camp Firewood, and would be willing to take pay cuts in order to make the film happen. Rudd and Banks are busy, but they do tend to make several movies a year, Meloni has some time on his hands now that he's stepped away from the "Law and Order" franchise, and the rest of the original cast, while working steadily,...

Triple threat Michael Showalter—the writer/director/comedian behind The Baxter and Michael & Michael Have Issues and mastermind of the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer—brings his distinct, offbeat humor to his first book, Mr. Funny Pants (Grand Central Publishing). Combining cheeky personal anecdotes with unexpected lists, graphs, and recipes, Showalter deconstructs the process of writing the comic memoir from his initial proposal to a preview of his books-to-be. In the excerpt below, Showalter introduces “a brand-new book feature that is getting a lot of ‘play’ these days”—the post-preface. Listen to the podcast after the jump.

In the weeks before South by Southwest, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Regal Entertainment Group and AMC Theaters (the first and second largest movie theater chains in the United States, respectively) are close to launching a joint venture to enter the independent film distribution business, a market underserved of newcomers in the wake of the rising video-on-demand (VOD) revolution, Warner Bro’s closure of studio independent imprints and several upstarts that have failed to pick up traction or have been consolidated to other, bigger film studios.

It’s reported Tom Ortenberg, formerly of Lionsgate and Weinstien Co., will head the joint venture. If this all sounds like something that’s been tried before, it’s because it has. AMC had once experimented with distributing films by screening content directly from poor quality pre-show projectors, including Robin Williams in The Final Cut. This proved to be less than lucrative.

Taking it easy this weekend? Want to just stay home and watch something new? Here are five picks newly added to Netflix Instant Watch this week that might just be the right ones you need, from an off-kilter romantic comedy to a hardcore suspense thriller.

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The Chaser

I first saw this movie last year at the San Francisco International Film Festival, and it was definitely one of the fest's highlights. A brutal thriller to the bone, the plot can be humorously nicknamed "Pimp vs Slasher," because that's basically what it is. Yun-seok Kim plays a lowlife pimp who goes out looking for his missing worker with the assumption that she's been recruited by a rival pimp, only to discover that she's at the mercy of a sadistic psychopath. It's a thoroughly gritty story that effortlessly switches from pulse-pounding suspense to chilling horror, complete with an unapologetic anti-hero and a devastating conclusion.

Having been in the biz for about half a decade now, you'd think by Brooklyn based Costume Designer Erin Benach's film credits that she got her start because she was an owner of a thrift store. Beginning as an assistant costume designer (sometimes uncredited) on contempo indie dramas such as The Baxter (2005), Laurie Collyer's Sherrybaby and Todd Field's Little Children, it is surely her couture work in Ryan Fleck's Half Nelson that gave Benach her first "big league" start. - Having been in the biz for about half a decade now, you'd think by Brooklyn based Costume Designer Erin Benach's film credits that she got her start because she was an owner of a thrift store. Beginning as an assistant costume designer on contempo indie dramas such as The Baxter (2005), Laurie Collyer's Sherrybaby and Todd Field's Little Children, it's surely her couture work...

Having been in the biz for about half a decade now, you'd think by Brooklyn based Costume Designer Erin Benach's film credits that she got her start because she was an owner of a thrift store. Beginning as an assistant costume designer on contempo indie dramas such as The Baxter (2005), Laurie Collyer's Sherrybaby and Todd Field's Little Children, it's surely her couture work in Ryan Fleck's Half Nelson that would give Benach her first "big league" start. A chance at making Ryan Gosling's prof in a downward spiral look like crap, would lead to matching socks and Triple-a uniforms for baseball drama Sugar. I think it might be harder to identify talent on a film job that goes unnoticed especially if you're not dealing with costumes from another époque, but I like how Benach puts it here in a Timeout NY interview, “I have to...

Deadline has updates on two films, both of which are getting unknown/first-time directors to helm flicks with big stars. First up, Todd Graff is getting in the director’s chair for a remake of the musical Damn Yankees, which is set to star Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal. The 1955 musical focuses on a fan who makes a deal with the devil in order to become a slugger who will lead the struggling Yanks to the World Series. The front office of all ball clubs should adopt this strategy. Carrey would play the Devil while Gyllenhaal would be the wannabe baseball superstar. As for Graff, he’s directed three musical, but the highest grossing one was 2009’s Bandslam, which only made $5.2 million at the box office. Graff may be untested for such a big flick, but I dig the musical and Carrey as the Devil should be pretty fun.

Hit...

Michael Moore’s latest documentary finally has a title. Despite what people may have believed after his recent promotional stunt, it is not called “Save Our CEOs.” Nor is it the original working title, “Bailout.” Instead the film is now called “Capitalism: A Love Story,” which makes it sound like a romantic comedy about a greedy couple who meet on Wall St.

Maybe it really is that in a way, because the film involves the financial crisis and criticizes the bankers and corporate leaders who greedily got us in this mess with their passionate love for the all mighty dollar. Of course, “Love Story” is also a documentary. The kind that Moore does best, which is to say it will leave audiences divided on their interest in and their response to its content.

In a press release announcing the new moniker, Moore explained the significance of the title:

“It will be the perfect date movie,...

Liv Tyler, who last starred in The Incredible Hulk and the horror hit The Strangers, will headline The Romantics, an independently financed romantic comedy from indie-producer turned director Galt Niederhoffer. Niederhoffer adapted the script from her own novel. The story takes place on the eve of a seaside wedding celebration. Seven close friends convene to watch two of their pals get married. Laura (Tyler) is the maid of honor, but she and the bride have had a long rivalry over the groom. Niederhoffer’s producing credits include Steve Buscemi’s Lonesome Jim, which Tyler appeared in, The Baxter, Grace Is Gone, Birds of America, Bart Got a Room and the upcoming Sam Rockwell comedy The Winning Season. Team Todd's Suzanne and Jennifer Todd will produce with Plum Pictures. The Todds are also developing with Niederhoffer an adaptation of her debut novel, Taxonomy of Barnacles. Production on Romantics begins in the summer.

NEW YORK -- In something of a coup for producer-financier GreeneStreet Films and fellow producers Fugitive Films, MGM has nabbed all North American rights to the romantic comedy The Pleasure of Your Company. Writer-director Michael Ian Black's feature, which had its world premiere this month at the Toronto International Film Festival, centers on an unlucky guy (Jason Biggs) who dresses up like cupid to propose to his girlfriend and ends up scaring her to death. With some goading from a friend, he gives romance another try by spontaneously proposing to a waitress (Isla Fisher), only to experience more misadventures on the road to love. Edward Herrmann, Joe Pantoliano, Joanna Gleason, Margo Martindale and Rob Corddry round out the cast. Black created the TV series Stella and starred in The Baxter and Wet Hot American Summer. Pleasure and the Vietnam war thriller Rescue Dawn are the only two films in this month's Toronto fest to be picked up by a major distributor -- in both cases, MGM. After serving as a distribution arm for companies such as the Weinstein Co. and Bauer Martinez, MGM in its latest moves is acquiring more features of its own like Pleasure.

IFP is set to program an outdoor film series at Rockefeller Center in midtown this summer, it was announced Thursday. The program, "Drive-In Movies at the Rock" will run from June 14-17 and screen Lions Gate's Rize and IFC Films' The Baxter prior to their theatrical release. It is the second year the series has run. The slate also includes films still seeking distribution: the Rosanna Arquette documentary All We Are Saying and the doc Show Business. The film Alchemy, which is also seeking distribution, will be screened on June 18 outside of the branded slate. Cast and filmmakers from each film (including Arquette and Baxter director Michael Showalter) are scheduled to introduce each screening. "Drive-In Movies at the Rock" is presented by Target and sponsored by Bank of America.

IFC Films announced Wednesday the appointment of Ronald Tsuruda as its new senior vp marketing. He will report to IFC president Jonathan Sehring. Tsuruda, who most recently served as senior vp advertising at Focus Features, will oversee all aspects of marketing for the company's slate of theatrical film releases. IFC's upcoming releases include Rebecca Miller's The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Dana Brown's Dust to Glory, Aric Avelino's American Gun and Michael Showalter's The Baxter.