ScreenCrush » The Dictator

New to DVD and Blu-ray: 'The Dictator,' an Oscar Winner and a Murderous Jack Black

James Rocchi — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:30:55 +0000

New on DVD, Blu-Ray and streaming this week, a mix of strange satire, strong drama and dark comedy -- and a host of films you may have overlooked ...

New DVD and Blu-ray Releases – August 2012

Britt Hayes — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:00:11 +0000

August has a wealth of titles hitting DVD and Blu-ray, from family-friendly titles like ‘The Lorax’ and ‘The Hunger Games,’ to darker, critically acclaimed adult fare like ‘The Raid,’ ‘Kill List’ and ‘Headhunters.’ Read on for this month’s home video release dates. August 7 ‘Blue Like Jazz’ — Directed by Steve Taylor. Starring Claire Holt, [...]

Weekend Box Office Report: 'The Avengers' Sinks 'Battleship'

Jacob Hall — Sun, 20 May 2012 19:08:12 +0000

'Battleship' was supposed to be the film that nudged 'The Avengers' out of the number one spot at the box office, but instead you can just go ahead and insert your own "You sank my battleship!" joke here. 'The Avengers' didn't cling to the top spot for the third week in a row, it dominated the top spot for the third week in a row, taking in another $55 million for a grand domestic total of $457 million.

'The Dictator' Review

Jordan Hoffman — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:01:56 +0000

Sacha Baron Cohen and 'The Dictator' pitch a wide tent. He's got Megan Fox gags for the 'US Weekly' crowd and sex acts with decapitated heads for those who think John Waters' early films are not subversive enough. He maliciously exaggerates Middle Eastern cultural stereotypes for viewers of Fox News, then slips in anti-Western imperialist sentiment for Democracy Now! donors.

This all reaches a dizzying spin when Anna Faris, head of a vegan food co-op in Brooklyn, shouts that the NYPD are fascists, and Cohen's General Aladeen pipes in with Groucho-esque timing, “yeah, and not the GOOD kind!”

This is one of my favorite jokes in the film because it is indicative of 'The Dictator's' all-over-the-place political point of view. It wants to have its labneh and eat it too and, by and large, it succeeds – but from a comedy perspective only. As an 83-minute collection of gags it is quite remarkable. As a “movie” with actual plot and character, it makes 'MacGruber' look like 'The King's Speech.'

Sacha Baron Cohen Apologizes to Ryan Seacrest For Oscar Stunt

Hilary Rothing — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:44:14 +0000

After dumping an urn full of ashes on Ryan Seacrest at the Academy Awards, Sacha Baron Cohen apologized to the “American Idol” host and revealed the big Hollywood star he originally planned to soil with incinerated human remains. “The Dictator” star and Seacrest had another run-in backstage at “Saturday Night Live,” this past weekend, during [...]

'The Dictator' Red Band Trailer is Reassuring and Totally NSFW

Britt Hayes — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:15:35 +0000

The first trailer for Sacha Baron Cohen and Larry Charles' new film 'The Dictator' seemed to play things pretty safe -- like an Adam Sandler version of a Sacha Baron Cohen film. But this latest red band trailer promise the sort of effort we've come to expect from Baron Cohen and Charles.

It's official: We're excited!

Anna Faris Not Returning For 'Scary Movie 5′

Sean O'Connell — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:49:03 +0000

The fourth ‘Scary Movie’ hit theaters in April 2006, and topped out at $90.7M at the domestic box office. It didn’t set the world on fire, but it earned enough to warrant ‘Scary Movie 5,’ which tentatively is set to open on Jan. 11, 2013. Just don’t look for series staple Anna Faris, who plans to pass on the franchise that launched her comedic career.

SNL: 'The Dictator' Tortures Martin Scorsese

Jacob Hall — Sun, 06 May 2012 21:07:49 +0000

Saturday Night Live has always been a venue through which movie stars can publicize an upcoming release. It's also the kind of place where familiar names and faces pop up at the drop of a hat. Sacha Baron Cohen, in character as Admiral General Aladeen, stopped by Weekend Update to talk about his upcoming film, 'The Dictator.' He brought with him a very special guest/kidnapping victim who knows a thing or two about cinema.

'The Dictator' Opening Scene Introduces Us to General Aladeen

Britt Hayes — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:40:22 +0000

The trailers for 'The Dictator' have certainly underwhelmed and given us little more than yet another ethnic Sacha Baron Cohen alter ego. In a smart move, Paramount just released the opening scene from the film proving that whoever cut that trailer together before had no idea how to sell this film.

New Movie Releases – May 2012

Britt Hayes — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:21:48 +0000

We’re getting the summer kicked off right with some action packed blockbusters and a new film from visionary director Wes Anderson in May. If you’re looking for superheroes, aliens, or just a simple, pleasant comedy, we’ve got you covered. May 4 ‘The Avengers‘ — Directed by Joss Whedon. Starring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy [...]

First Clip from 'The Dictator' Doesn't Promise Much

Britt Hayes — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:33:58 +0000

The first trailer for 'The Dictator' didn't give much in the way of plot and instead promised a fictional narrative version of the mockumentary characters we've come to expect from Sacha Baron Cohen. This first official clip strips away a bit of the goofy caricature in favor of plot...

But are you interested in what he's selling?

'The Dictator' Blinks at 'Dark Shadows,' Moves Five Days Away

Damon Houx — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 22:15:28 +0000

Though this summer is loaded with a number of big money-making titles ('The Avengers' and 'The Dark Knight Rises' especially), it's hard to say if a film like Sacha Baron Cohen's 'The Dictator' is going to work. As 'Dark Shadows' revealed itself to be a comedy, it's no surprise that Paramount blinked and moved 'The Dictator' from May 11 to the 16th today.

Savages, Lola Versus, What to Expect When You're Expecting and The Dictator Poster Round Up

Melissa Molina — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:22:28 +0000

Watch out, poster flood! While several movies grace the big screen this weekend, we get a glimpse of a few more films that are scheduled to be released at some point this year through their posters. The first of the posters is the charming new Fox Searchlight Pictures film ‘Lola Versus‘ starring Greta Gerwig. Not [...]

New 'The Dictator' Trailer Finally Reveals Plot, But Is It Funny?

Damon Houx — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:49:04 +0000

Though the teaser trailer for 'The Dictator' - the latest film from Sacha Baron Cohen - only revealed the character, the full trailer has finally shown the movie's plot. And though how much of the film is plot driven will be revealed May 11, this trailer gives you a better sense of the film that Cohen and director Larry Charles have made. But does that mean it's a better movie?

Borat Parody Plays at Event Instead of the Actual Anthem

George Roush — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:29:31 +0000

Someone either has a great sense of humor, or they couldn’t locate the actual Kazakh national anthem at the Arab Shooting Championship held in Kuwait. Either way, something else besides the official anthem played during the awards ceremony. Instead of the Kazakhstan national anthem blaring through the speakers at the event, the national anthem parody [...]