Michael Ian Black Movies
Straight-faced and well-groomed comedian Michael Ian Black is probably best known as a cast member and writer for the sketch comedy show The State, which aired for three years on MTV and was canceled after an unsuccessful switch to CBS. He later contributed to the book State by State With The State and joined three other cast members to write and star in the European satire Viva Variety on Comedy Central. He played '80s-obsessed crooner Johnny Bluejeans, sidekick to Mr. Laupin (Thomas Lennon) and the former Mrs. Laupin (Kerri Kenney). When the show ended in 1997, Black teamed with State members David Wain and Michael Showalter to form the comedy troupe Stella, which has since had a continual run on-stage in New York. After a few TV guest appearances and commercials (such as the voice of the Pets.com sock puppet), he appeared on the short-lived VH1 sketch show Random Play. He tried a few other unsuccessful TV pilots before appearing in the never-released independent film Big Helium Dog and the straight-to-video movie The Bogus Witch Project. His made his film debut with the role of McKinley in the satire Wet Hot American Summer, directed by Wain and starring Showalter. In 2000, Black joined the cast of NBC's comedy-drama Ed in the role of Phil Stubbs, the manager of Stuckeybowl. The next year, he hosted the Candid Camera-style NBC series Spy TV. In 2003, he contributed his deadpan humor to VH1's I Love the '80s: Strikes Back. In 2005 he reunited with fellow State alums for the short-lived sketch comedy show Stella, and he continued to act in various State related projects like The Ten and Wanderlust, and teamed yet again with Michael Showalter for the comedy series Michael and Michael Have Issues. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
A floundering MIT graduate sends out the '80s with a bang after being invited to an end-of-summer bash by his former high school crush in this nostalgia-flavored comedy starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, and Dan Fogler. Matt Franklin (Grace) has just graduated from MIT, but he's content to spend his days stacking the shelves of his local Suncoast Video instead of going to work for a Fortune 500 company. Meanwhile, his sarcastic twin sister, Wendy (Faris), knows he can do better, and his best friend, Barry (Fogler), has a wild streak the size of the Mississippi River. When Tori Frederking (Teresa Palmer) happens into the video store one day and strikes up a conversation with Matt, he compulsively lies about having a job at Goldman Sachs. Incredibly, Matt and Tori hit it off, and she invites him to join her for a massive summer blowout. The opportunity of a lifetime finally within reach, Matt arrives at the party in style, intent on sweeping Tori off her feet. Later, somewhere between the stolen car and the epic dance-off, Matt, Tori, Wendy, and Barry realize that this is the night they will still be thinking about when they're old and gray, and the neon-drenched '80s are just a distant memory. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Topher Grace, Anna Faris, (more)
Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, and David Wain, the well-dressed trio who together form Stella, bring their demented brand of sketch comedy to the stage with this release of a live performance from Boston. Captured at the Wilbur Theatre on December 11, 2008, the uncensored show features the familiar blend of highbrow humor and lowbrow absurdism that has won the troupe a loyal following, and showcases their brand new short "Birthday." ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Much of the group responsible for MTV's The State -- including director/actor David Wain and performers Ken Marino, Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Joe Lo Truglio -- reunite for this outrageous, irreverent, and raunchy sketch comedy, which skewers the Ten Commandments. In the framing sequences, comedian Paul Rudd (who collaborated with much of the cast on Wet Hot American Summer and The Baxter) stands on a black stage with giant Biblical tablets projected behind him and promises to deliver ten mini-stories, each loosely based on one of the commandments, from "Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me" through "Thou Shalt Not Covet." For all of the storyteller's efforts, however, he is constantly, comically distracted by interferences, particularly those emanating from intrusions by his multiple girlfriends. The stories are nonetheless told one by one in short-film form, beginning with a sketch in which Stephen (Adam Brody) goes skydiving with his intended, Kelly (Winona Ryder), but forgets to wear his parachute and gets stuck in the mud, waist-deep, which draws gawkers, media, and in time, worshipers. Several of the subsequent stories consist of raunchy, jet-black riffs on sexual perversion, including one about a virginal librarian (Gretchen Mol) entangled in a sultry and messy affair with a Mexican, and another memorable bit about a nutty surgeon who plays a prank by burying a pair of scissors in a patient's stomach and is then sent to prison -- where he experiences brutal sexual abuse at the hands of other men. As an added bonus, the picture packs in a fully animated sequence, narrated by several crack-smokers, entitled "The Lying Rhino." ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Rudd, Famke Janssen, (more)
An overweight man leaves his fiancée on their wedding day, only to realize years later that she's the one and only woman of his dreams in a romantic comedy that reunites Big Nothing co-stars Simon Pegg and David Schwimmer, this time with Schimmer in the director's chair. It's not easy to win back a woman after leaving her at the altar, but when an out-of-shape man finally realizes just what a mistake he's made, he vows to run a high-profile marathon in order to convince his ex-fiancée that the rich and handsome man she's about to marry isn't the guy for her. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, (more)
The bumbling cops of Comedy Central's hit television series take a trip to Miami Beach for a national police convention. After the trip there turns out to be much more difficult than anticipated, the bumbling crew must leap into action when the convention center becomes the target of a biological terrorist attack. Lieutenant Jim Dangle (Thomas Lennon) must keep together his motley and inept crew in order to save everyone from the disaster, and keep peace on the streets of the popular Florida city. The film features the same cast from the popular Comedy Central series of the same name. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lennie Loftin, Danny DeVito, (more)
Writer-director Eric Chaikin's feature-length documentary A Lawyer Walks Into A Bar. . . offers a witty, seriocomic look at myriad aspects of the American legal process and judicial system. It hones in on six individuals, all prospective attorneys at the time of the film's production, and follows them through trials and travails as they approach and take the formidable bar. Chaikin then uses the subjects' stories as springboards to broader digressions on U.S. litigation. The film features a myriad of celebrity guest appearances, from both well-respected attorneys and entertainers. Participants include: attorneys Alan Dershowitz, Mark Lanier and Joe Jamail; comics Eddie Griffin and Michael Ian Black; TV commentators John Stossel and Nancy Grace, and many others. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
The romantic comedy Wedding Daze stars Jason Biggs as Anderson, a young man all set to ask his girlfriend to marry him when, during the actual proposal, she dies. After spending a year in a depression, Anderson impulsively asks a waitress named Katie (Ilsa Fisher) to marry him even though they have never met. When she surprisingly agrees, the two must deal with the reactions of their respective friends and families. The supporting cast includes Joe Pantoliano as Katie's convict father. Michael Ian Black, formerly of The State and Ed, made his directorial debut with this film. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jason Biggs, Isla Fisher, (more)
The comedy Patner(s) concerns a lawyer named Dave who finally gets the chance to impress the senior partners in his law firm when he is given the most recent case of a very important client. After spending some time with the client, Dave realizes that the client wanted Dave because he mistakenly believes Dave is homosexual. Dave decides to play along, but must be careful to keep his heterosexual private life far away from his workplace. This turns out to be more difficult than one might imagine. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
A man with a "doormat" personality tries standing up for himself for a change in this comedy. Mild mannered tax accountant Elliot Sherman (Michael Showalter) is what he calls a "Baxter": the kind of calm, unexciting fellow who "wears sock garters" and "enjoys raking leaves." Loved by bosses and parents, Elliot is a perfectly nice guy. And that's his problem -- he's safe and pleasant, but not very interesting, so as a consequence he hasn't had much luck with long-term relationships, and more than one woman has abandoned him for someone more exciting. Elliot believes his luck has finally changed for the better when he becomes engaged to Caroline Swann (Elizabeth Banks), a smart and attractive editor at a successful magazine. However, a few weeks before the wedding, who should come back into Caroline's life but Bradley Lake (Justin Theroux), her high school sweetheart and, according to many, the great love of her life. Bradley quickly makes it clear that he wants to win Caroline back, and generally in such circumstances Elliot would politely step aside, but just this once Elliot decides to fight for the woman he loves. Elliot gains an unexpected champion in Cecil Mills (Michelle Williams), a frumpy but adorable temp employee at his office who encourages Elliot to develop a take-charge attitude, though the results aren't quite what he expects. The Baxter was written and directed by Michael Showalter, who also plays Elliot; Showalter was a member of the sketch comedy troupe the State, and also works with the comedy performance trio Stella, whose other members, Michael Ian Black and David Wain, also appear in the movie. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks, (more)
1980s teen comedies finally get the parody they so richly deserve with Wet Hot American Summer, the first feature film from writer/director David Wain and co-screenwriter Michael Showalter, formerly of the sketch comedy troupe the State. It's the last day of the summer season at Camp Firewood, and as camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) prepares to wrap things up, the staff of teenage counselors realize this is their last chance to do something about the summer romances that have been brewing for the past three months. Sweet but shy Coop (Michael Showalter) is crazy about pretty Katie (Marguerite Moreau), but there's the problem of her severely moody boyfriend Andy (Paul Rudd). Meanwhile, Victor (Ken Marino) is trying to score with sexy Abby (Marisa Ryan), who is known to make friends easily, and McKinley (Michael Ian Black) and Ben (Bradley Cooper) attempt to keep their hot and heavy relationship a secret. Meanwhile, arts and crafts teacher Gail (Molly Shannon) turns to her students for comfort as her marriage falls apart, drama coach Susie (Amy Poehler) tries to whip the talent show into shape with Ben's help, and camp chef Gene (Christopher Meloni) deals with his unique sexual quirks with the help of a talking can of vegetables (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin). Beth even finds time for romance with socially inept astrophysicist Henry (David Hyde Pierce), but first Henry has to save Camp Firewood from a large piece of space junk about to re-enter Earth's atmosphere. Like Wain and Showalter, Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio (who appears in a small role) were also members of the State; fellow State alumnus Kerri Kenney was cast in a supporting role in the film, but her character didn't appear in the final cut. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, (more)
- 1993
In the final episode of NYPD Blue's first season, Kelly (David Caruso) offers to stand by Janice (Amy Brenneman) as she goes to trial. Later on, Robin (Debrah Farentino) and Kelly have a romantic rendezvous. Meanwhile, Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) unearths evidence pertaining to a nearly cold case at an auction, and also tries to make another go of his relationship with Sylvia (Sharon Lawrence). Dominating all these proceedings is the investigation of the killing of a priest. Sherry Stringfield makes her final series appearance as Laura Michaels Kelly. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
© 2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2013 Rovi Corporation.