Ted Series (2012 & 2015)

The largely Boston based Ted series (2012 & 2015) is available in [R] rated theatrical cuts and [UNRATED] extended cuts. The preferred cuts are the [UNRATED] extended cuts.

Ted (2012)

C – 106m (Theatrical Cut) / 112m (Unrated Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Teddy Bear
Story By: Seth MacFarlane
Screenplay By: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild
Pro. – Dir.: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi, Patrick Warburton, Matt Walsh, Jessica Barth, Sir Patrick Stewart, Norah Jones, Sam J. Jones, Ralph Garman, Alex Borstein, John Viener, Laura Vandervoort, Johnny Carson, Ted Danson, Richard DeAgazio, Ed McMahon, Ryan Reynolds, Tara Strong and Ray Romano.  

A man who’s childhood wish was to bring his teddy bear to life, must choose between drug and alcohol fueled hangouts with the “grown” bear and his fiancé. An outrageous and hysterically funny farce that is actually a fairytale set a Christmas time. An unexpected hit to be sure. It helps if you appreciate Boston humor though.

Trivia: Ted, voiced by Seth MacFarlane, mentioned 9/11 in the movie. Both Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane were both booked on American Airlines Flight 11, one of the planes that took down The World Trade Center. Wahlberg opted to drive to New York City, New York then fly to California later and was not on the plane. MacFarlane had a hangover, overslept and missed his boarding by ten minutes by the time he got to the airport. He watched the plane he was supposed to be on fly into the tower on TV at the airport bar. Ted’s various motions were done using motion capture animation from MacFarlane. This was the first live–action production to be directed by Seth MacFarlane.

Oscar® nominated for: Best Original Song – “Everybody Needs A Best Friend,” Music by Walter Murphy and Lyrics by Seth McFarlane.

Rated: [R] – Crude And Sexual Content, Pervasive Language, & Some Drug Use
[UNRATED] – More Of The Same
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy

Ted 2 (2015)

C – 115m (Theatrical Cut) / 125m (Unrated Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 – Widescreen
Based On Characters Created By: Seth MacFarlane
Screenplay By: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild
Exec. Pro: Alec Sulkin
Pro. – Dir.: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Barth, Giovanni Ribisi, Morgan Freeman, Sam J. Jones, Patrick Warburton, Michael Dorn, Liam Neeson, Sir Patrick Stewart, Tom Brady, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Kate MacKinnon, Alec Sulkin, Ralph Garman, Rachel MacFarlane, Tara Strong.

Newlyweds Ted and Tami–Lynn want to have a baby but must prove Ted is a person in a court of law. A contrived sequel to be sure but still worth a few laughs. Amanda Seyfried replaces Mila Kunis here and does a decent job at it. Not the sequel that one would hope for but it suffices.

Trivia: This is the first time that Mark Wahlberg has appeared in both the original film and the sequel film. Stephen Collins had a major cameo but was replaced after a video confession of sex abuse surfaced. When Ted drives, it is the recreation of the classic John Candy scene from John Hughes’ Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987).

Rated: [R] – Crude And Sexual Content, Pervasive Language, & Some Drug Use
[UNRATED] – More Of The Same
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy

Brad's Status (2017)

Brad’s Status (2017)

C – 102m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen (Theatrical) / 2.40:1 – Widescreen (Blu–ray)
Exec. Prod.: Brad Pitt
Writer – Dir.: Mike White
Starring: Ben Stiller, Austin Abrams, Jenna Fischer, Michael Sheen, Jemaine Clement, Luke Wilson, Shazi Raja, Luisa Lee, Mike White, Felicia Shulman, Jonah Carson, Kenny Wong and Jimmy Kimmel.

A man going through a midlife crisis takes his son to tour colleges and meets up with an old friend who makes him feel inferior about his own life choices. Sad, off–putting, and at times hard to take comedy drama… The major thing here is the midlife crisis that messes with Stiller’s characters’ head. The film is hard to take at times particularly if you know people who make the same boneheaded statements that Stiller’s character makes to his family and friends repeatedly. A more up–lifting, and granted suicidal, version of this story (a man taking stock of his life) can be found in the Christmas time classic: It’s A Wonderful Life (1947) (see review). And an equally sad but more moving version of the story can be found in the John Cassavetes masterpiece: Husbands (1970) (see review). Granted there are a few comedic moments here and there, it is a Ben Stiller film after all. The cast does its best with the material but the results are best summed up as off–putting.

Trivia: Director Mike White’s father worked as a minister and at times questioned his own success. According to director White, he made this film to thank his father and to tell him that he found him, his father, to be successful. Director Mike White plays Nick in a cameo by the way. Many of the scenes set in Boston, MA, USA were actually shot in Montreal, Canada.

Rated: [R] – Language
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy