Alison Pill

Goon: Last Of The Enforcers Review

Weak

The 2012 Canadian comedy Goon was one of those surprising little films that snuck up out of nowhere and proved to be a smart and funny hit. Sadly, this sequel kind of misses the point of what made the first movie such a favourite: it opts to focus on corny gross-out gags rather than humour that's firmly rooted in the characters and story. And it also turns people who were complex and surprising into one-note cliches.

After five years, the beloved dimwit Doug (Seann William Scott) has been made captain of his Halifax hockey team, just as he meets his match in the shape of bullish newcomer Anders (Wyatt Russell), who happens to be the son of Doug's new team owner Hiram (Callum Keith Rennie). Sidelined by injury and with his wife Eva (Alison Pill) pregnant, he decides to retire and get a real job, no matter how soul-crushing it may be. But when Hiram makes Anders the new team captain, Doug can't sit by quietly any longer. To get back in shape, he turns to his former arch-rival Ross (Liev Schreiber), and they opt to train on the Bruised & Battered circuit, which features hockey fights without the game itself. Then when the team gets in trouble, they want Doug back.

Of course, what follows is a series of confrontations that are never as surprising as they should be. Instead, they are merely staged to provide a mix of violent thuggery in the rink tempered by some emotional fireworks at home. But the humour is never more than cartoonish, and the emotions are far too sentimental to believe. Characters feel soft and oddly safe for a film that needs to be a lot more anarchic. All of the lusty sex is gone, replaced with violence and macho posturing. At least the cast members still give it their all.

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Alison Pill Joins 'American Horror Story' Season 7

By Daniel Falconer in Movies / TV / Theatre on 01 July 2017

Alison Pill

The actress is said to be among the new faces in 'American Horror Story'.

'American Horror Story' is without a doubt one of the modern day juggernauts of television, with Ryan Murphy and a stellar cast and crew bringing the anthology series back for six seasons to-date, with a seventh right around the corner. Telling a different story with each outing, but bringing back actors that have played an array of differing characters in the past, the series allows for a fresh and inventive revival each time round without having to confuse its viewers. By the time a single season is over, the story being told there has for the most part been wrapped up.

We could see Alison Pill in 'American Horror Story' very soon

Some of those returning actors we have been led to believe will include series veterans Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson. That doesn't mean the show is closed off to newcomers however; in fact, Colton Haynes and Billie Lourd are among the new faces making their 'AHS' debut.

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Miss Sloane Trailer

Elizabeth Sloane is a lobbyist and often finds herself facing off against some of the most important politicians in America. She's a consummate professional and is often taken as cold and calculating but these elements of her personality only work to her benefit.

In many ways, being a successful lobbyist is like being a chess champion, you always must have the foresight to be at least one step ahead of your opponent and making sure they don't see your moves coming - and if they do, making equally sure that you have a counter measure in place.

After years of success, Elizabeth decides that her time has come to take on one of the biggest challenges; the Gun control laws and Elizabeth soon becomes aware at just what lengths people will go to in order to protect their second amendment right.

Cooties Trailer

Everyone knows fourth grade school children can be little monsters, but what happens when things get way too literal? That's what a bunch of unwitting teachers are about to discover on a seemingly normal working day. Clint Hadson is a substitute teacher who arrives at an elementary school already nervous of what lies ahead. But when some of the children start erupting in strange hives and violently lashing out at each other, it begins to become clear that a horrific virus has hit every pre-pubescent person in the building causing them to launch a vicious, flesh eating assault on their teachers. The grown-ups lock themselves away from the danger and meet one young boy who seems to have evaded the disease. It appears to be a food-borne epidemic resulting from lunchtime's chicken nuggets, and it looks like they're not the only school in the nation with problem pupils...

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A Week In Movies: Snowpiercer Premieres In L.A., Dustin Hoffman Films In London, New Trailers Promise Sci-Fi, Black Comedy And Comic-Book Action

By Rich Cline in Movies / TV / Theatre on 13 June 2014

Tilda Swinton Ed Harris Alison Pill John Cho Dustin Hoffman Brenton Thwaites Jessica Alba Bruce Willis Owen Wilson Zach Galifianakis Pierce Brosnan

The Los Angeles Film Festival opens with the hotly anticipated Snowpiercer as Dustin Hoffman films a Roald Dahl story in London. And trailers tease for new movies starring Thwaites, Alba, Wilson, Brosnan, Pike and Wahlberg...

Snowpiercer

Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, Alison Pill and John Cho were among the celebrities who turned out this week for the opening night of the Los Angeles Film Festival, which kicked off with the premiere of Bong Joon-ho's futuristic thriller Snowpiercer. It's based on a French comic book and stars Chris Evans, who's currently in London filming Avengers: Age of Ultron. Watch the action-packed trailer and find out more about 'Snowpiercer' here.

Also in London, Dustin Hoffman was caught on camera shooting scenes for his new film Esio Trot, based on the Roald Dahl story about a bachelor who falls for his neighbour, but is frustrated that she only seems to care about her pet tortoise. Costars include Judi Dench and James Corden. Take a peak at the Dustin Hoffman filming photos here.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Snowpiercer Premieres In L.A., Dustin Hoffman Films In London, New Trailers Promise Sci-Fi, Black Comedy And Comic-Book Action

Snowpiercer Trailer

In a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly ice age has taken over the Earth, there are only a few survivors, all of whom have taken shelter in an enormous train propelled by perpetual motion. While the rich and powerful live in luxury at the front end of the locomotive, the poor have been forced to dwell at the tail with limited supplies by the dictatorial Minister Mason. During a routine deliverance of protein blocks, one tail inhabitant, Curtis, decides to round up a rebel army to invade the front, though no-one could have imagined the amount of bloodshed the ensuing revolt would trigger. In a bid to destroy the barbaric class hierarchy this new life has caused, Curtis plots a major act of disaster. It starts to look like the human race really will be the death of themselves.

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The Bitterest Pill: Jay Baruchel And Alison Pill Call Off Engagement

By Michael West in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 05 March 2013

Alison Pill Jay Baruchel

Alison Pill's commitment to The Newsroom appears to have contributed to the breakdown of her relationship

Alison Pill impressed in Aaron Sorkin's 'The Newsroom' last year, which of course meant the media also took more of an interest in her personal life. The actress was seemingly going strong with fellow Canadian actor Jay Baruchel, getting engaged after meeting on the set of hockey flick Goon and pencilling in a summer 2012 wedding - which never happened.

The couple were planning to wed in September in Quebec, with the Tropic Thunder actor telling Us Weekly in February, "We're getting married at an ice wine vineyard. Me and the groomsmen will all be wearing kilts! We'll be welcomed in by uilleann pipers. It will be a very small, 70 person wedding, just friends and family." Sounds great. So why didn't it happen?

In an interview with the Times Colonist last month, Baruchel explained, "Unfortunately, we're two busy people who are intrinsically lazy. So in our free time, the last thing we want to do is book flights and organize hotel rooms for people. But it'll happen at some point." No it won't, as he and Alison went their separate ways shortly afterwards. The actor hinted at the split on Twitter last month, writing, "Alone again, naturally. Heartbroken. I won't be on twitter for a while gang. Getting dumped rules," and a source said the long-distance relationship was too much for the young couple. "Working and living in Canada is something that [Baruchel] is very passionate about. He wanted her up there more often, but she really likes Newsroom and the opportunities that are there for her.They were doing the long distance [thing] a lot."

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To Rome With Love Review

By Rich Cline

Very Good

After Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen remains in a cheery European mode for another breezy comedy tinged with magical realism. This one's actually four separate stories that are very loosely interwoven as people struggle with the unpredictability of romance and fame. And like Midnight in Paris, it shows off Rome in the most beautiful light imaginable.

Baldwin plays an architect who returns to his student stomping grounds and meets Jack (Eisenberg), who seems to be living his old life, even as he falls for a friend (Page) of his girlfriend (Gerwig). Meanwhile, there's Leopoldo (Benigni), a dull businessman who suddenly becomes a celebrity for no reason he can see, is pursued everywhere by the paparazzi and starts to enjoy the high life. Across town, Jerry and Phyllis (Allen and Davis) arrive to meet the fiance (Parenti) of their daughter (Pill). Then Jerry pushes a future in-law (Armiliato) into becoming the latest opera sensation. Finally, a young couple arrives from the country to start a new life in the city, but the husband (Tiberi) ends up having a farcical day out with a sexy prostitute (Cruz) while the wife (Mastronardi) meets her favourite actor (Albanese).

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Goon Review

By Rich Cline

Excellent

A smart script and vivid characters make this rowdy hockey comedy much more engaging than we expect. But then, director Dowse has a history of turning limited premises into entertaining comedies (see Fubar and It's All Gone Pete Tong).

Nice-guy Doug (Scott) works as a bouncer in Massachusetts, hanging out with his chucklehead pal Pat (Baruchel) and wondering when he'll discover something he's good at, like his doctor brother Ira (Paetku). His parents (Levy and David) don't conceal their disappointment when Doug joins a hockey team as a hard-headed goon whose role is to fight opponents. Then he's picked up by a professional team in Canada, which puts him on a collision course with his idol Ross (Schreiber). And his natural leadership skills strain his friendship with his failing all-star teammate Xavier (Grondin).

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Goon Trailer

Doug Glatt is a pleasant pub bouncer who's a little bit dim. He feels left out in his home life; his brother and father are both doctors. Doug has a best friend, Pat, who seems to spend a lot of his time drunk.

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