INTERVIEW: JASON SUDEIKIS ON "HORRIBLE BOSSES" | PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY

Jason Sudeikis

Most of us know Jason Sudeikis for his work on NBC's Saturday Night Live where his sketches The Two A-Holes and his impression of American Idol Winner Taylor Hicks have brought him considerable notoriety since joining its Cast in 2005. With three Films slated for release in 2011 in addition to his on-going commitments with The Cleveland Show and SNL, it would appear that the Actor/Comedian/Writer from Kansas is now a bona fide Movie Star. Hall Pass in which he starred alongside Owen Wilson already topped to the Box Office in its debut this past February and now Sudeikis arrives in Toronto to promote another Comedy, the hotly-tipped Horrible Bosses for Warner Bros./New Line Cinema. 

Riding the same Elevator, I note Sudeikis actually is much taller in-person than imagined.  His Boy-Next-Door good looks are paired with some no-fuss Fashions: a navy blue Cardigan, a pressed white Dress Shirt and a pair of Jeans.  He tells me, "Yeah, I know Toronto pretty well as I filmed a Movie here a few years back (The Rocker) but flew in late last night and only had a chance to have Drinks.  Now I have to fly right out again after this!".

Entering the Interview Suite of his Hotel, he admits to an intimate group of Journalists that he wasn't readily sold on being a part of Horrible Bosses.  "Initially I was hesitant to sign-on as I had just finished filming Hall Pass and then Horrible Bosses got the green light from New Line Cinema. It was just go go go!", he recalls.  "I had just played a character with Ladies on his brain in Hall Pass and I spent much of my charms on that. This time around I'd have to play a Guy with Ladies on his brain and at the same time charm his Friends into murdering their Bosses.".  Sudeikis admits to having declined Director Seth Gordon's offer at one point but after chatting over the Phone over a period of three weeks and being given some creative input into the Script, he convinced himself  finally to stop taking himself so seriously and accept the role of Kurt.

ENTER TO WIN A SIGNED PHOTO BY OWEN WILSON & BOBBY FARRELLY

I promised and now I deliver. Owen Wilson has been the Talk of the Town in Toronto this week making a surprise visit to BFF Woody Harrelson.  Wilson in a rare appearance in the City, was nice enough to sign this guaranteed authentic 5x7 Photo which one lucky Reader here will win.  Seen here also is an Autograph from Hall Pass Director Bobby Farrelly.

Any serious Collector will know that Wilson's Autograph is indeed hard to come by, with a Signed Photo of his ranging up to $180 US online.

To qualify for the win, tell me which Owen Wilson Film you love most and why.  You have until  Sunday, May 1, 2011 midnight and all are welcome to enter!  Good luck, Mavenati!  So tell me, which Blog loves you back most?

"RANGO" OUT-WRANGLES ITS COMPETITION AT BOX OFFICE

Still from Rango

Rango reigns supreme at the Box Office this weekend, winning by a clear margin with $38 million for Paramount. The Animated Feature starring Johnny Depp and Isla Fisher won also with Critics, garnering an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Perhaps carefully-timed delays has paid off for Universal, pushing back the release of The Adjustment Bureau multiple times. Placing second with $20.9 million and screening in 1,100 fewer theatres than Rango, the Science Fiction/Romance starring Matt Damon and Emily Blunt has received generally positive reviews  (69% on Rotten Tomatoes) also.

Beastly lands in third in its debut for CBS Films with $10.1 million. The loose Adaption of classic Beauty & The Beast has been panned by Critics.  Despite debuting on-top last week by a hair, Hall Pass keeps Gnomeo & Juliet at bay again slipping from first to fourth this weekend with $9 million earned in its second week of release.

The King's Speech after winning Best Picture at the Oscars last weekend moves up one spot to seventh with $6.5 million. To date it has earned over $123 million domestically in 15 weeks of release.

Disney's I Am Number Four drops to ninth spot with $5.7 million, a second title starring Alex Pettyfer in the Top Ten.

"GNOMEO & JULIET" TOPS BOX OFFICE WITH LOWEST EARNING #1 IN TWO YEARS

Still from Hall Pass

In what is the lowest-earning Box Office topper in over two years, Summit Entertainment takes the top spot with Animated Feature Gnomeo & Juliet in its third week of release with $14.2 million.  

Warner Bros. originally was thought to have topped the Box Office with The Farrelly Brothers' new Comedy Hall Pass, although after the final tally it wound up placing second with $13.4 million from 2,950 theatres.  Last week's champion, also from Warner Bros., Unknown lands in third with $12.4 million. In two weeks, the Thriller has grossed $43.5 million.

Slipping to fifth this weekend is last week's first runner-up Disney's I Am Number Four with $11 million. The teen-targeting Action/Fantasy seems to be getting a lot of buzz for allegations of its star Alex Pettyfer having "threatened" now ex-Girlfriend Dianna Agron of Glee.

Paramount Pictures continues to pull out all the stops for Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 3-D as it remains in sixth spot with $9.2 million this weekend, after a special Director's Cut of the Documentary with additional footage was released to theatres.

Summit Entertainment's Drive Angry 3-D unfortunately had a soft opening with only $5.1 million made this weekend in its first week. Perhaps it's time for Nicolas Cage to take a little break? Successive Box Office misfires Bangkok Dangerous, Knowing, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Season of the Witch have all failed to bring in the anticipated big numbers.

HALL PASS - MOVIE REVIEW

Still from Hall Pass

The Premise of the Warner Bros. Comedy is rather unconventional. Best Friends Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) have been married to their Wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) seemingly forever. Bored in their marriages, with their Wives fed-up with their wandering eyes, finally they are granted permission to have extra-marital relations for one week.

They learn soon that Freedom isn't so liberating after all.  Having been "off-the-market" for a while, they find they are actually slow to attract the Women they want.  Meanwhile, their Wives are having their share of fun, meeting their share of Suitors while away from their Husbands. What will come of these marriages by the end of their week-long Hall Passes, we wonder?

Hall Pass is well-intentioned in that it aims to offer an edgy new twist to the time-tested values of Monogamy, starting off on a bright note.  Where it falls flat though is its predictable, twists taking fewer risks than hoped for, and trying too hard perhaps to tug on heartstrings.  Also its obvious fishing for laughter through overt gaudiness somehow hinders it rather than helping it excel, stealing the focus from what should really matter - the story.

A much more filled-out Owen Wilson delivers ably here as a Good Guy/Average Joe and Oscar-nominated Richard Jenkins shockingly is funny as a Sleazebag. The likable Jenna Fischer's Maggie struggles a bit with a one-dimensionally written character which sees her sulking perpetually. Christina Applegate and Jason Sudeikis are written so far apart from one another that what results is a lack of spark needed to convince us that they are good together. British import Stephan Merchant provides some memorable laughs in a few latently Bisexual moments, but alas appears far too little a time.

BOBBY FARRELLY AT TORONTO PREMIERE OF "HALL PASS" | AUTOGRAPH GIVEAWAY

Bobby Farrelly at Toronto Premiere of Hall Pass

The Farrelly Brothers have delivered some of the most memorable Comedies of our time. Dumb and Dumber, Me, Myself & Irene and There's Something About Mary are just a few small-grossing and obscure titles you may have heard of - I kid. As hopes remain high for Brothers Peter and Bobby's upcoming revival of The Three Stooges (heavyweights like Sean Penn, Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Toro have been named), Fans thirsty for The Farrelly Brothers' bold and outre brand of Comedy can quench their thirsts with latest effort Hall Pass.

The Premise of the Warner Bros. Comedy is rather unconventional. Best Friends Rick (Owen Wilson) and Fred (Jason Sudeikis) have been married to their Wives Maggie (Jenna Fischer) and Grace (Christina Applegate) seemingly forever. Bored, they are granted permission to have extra-marital relations for one week. They learn soon that Freedom isn't so liberating after all when they realize that their Wives  too can have their fun. No, I am not reading this off the back of an XXX DVD.

Bobby Farrelly flew into Toronto this evening for a full day of Press tomorrow with major Media Outlets, promoting the release of Hall Pass.  Arriving just in time for a Q&A with tonight's Audience at AMC Yonge x Dundas,  the Rhode Island native was a huge blast, insisting that I join him in taking  a couple goofy Photos together after I had snapped some shots of him posing by the Film's Poster Display.  I admitted to him that There's Something About Mary is one of my favourite Movies of all time, which he seemed genuinely appreciative to hear. 

Following him into the theatre along with the team at Warner Bros. Canada, Farrelly and Writing Partner Kevin Barnett entered to the resounding sound of laughter and applause from the young Audience.  "That was freakin' hilarious.  I didn't expect it to be that funny!", one young Woman behind me raved.  Another young Man in the Audience declared, "Hall Pass is this year's The Hangover".

Farrelly admitted that both he and his Brother are obsessed with Bodily Functions, a topic which many of their jokes are built upon.  Not to give too much away, there is a shocking scene in Hall Pass which revolves around some Male Anatomy, which caused quite a stir among the Audience.  The Director/Screenwriter also boasted of his great Cast, making some interesting choices like The View's Joy Behar and Oscar-nominated Richard Jenkins, whom the Farrelly Brothers are always looking to incorporate into their Films.

Watch Bobby speak about his casting choices below:

CHRISTINA APPLEGATE GIVES BIRTH TO BABY GIRL

Still from Hall Pass

It's a Kelly "Bundy"le of Joy! Actress Christina Applegate known best for her work on Married... with Children and Samantha Who, is the proud new Mother of a Baby Girl. The Father if the Child is her Musician Fiancé Martyn LeNoble. Sadie Grace LeNoble was born last Thursday in Los Angeles and is reportedly healthy and well.

Applegate can be seen next in The Farrelly Brothers' Hall Pass, to be released February 25, 2011 through Warner Bros. She will also be doing Voice Work in Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chip-wrecked 3-D which will be filmed in Vancouver.

(Photo credit: Warner Bros.)