Just when I thought the day would end without a single bit of funny ... The Promotion trailer has finally arrived! You've probably heard us talk about this movie a good gazillion times already, but if you haven't, listen up: It's really good and stuff. Yes, a bunch of us here at Cinematical saw The Promotion when it premiered at SXSW in March and we absolutely fell in love with its characters, its story, its performances and its charm.

Written and directed by Steve Conrad (writer of The Pursuit of Happyness), The Promotion stars Seann William Scott and John C. Reilly as two guys who REALLY want to land the new managerial job at the supermarket across town. In fact, both will go to great lengths to get that job -- and, while the premise sounds sort of played, silly and uninteresting, the execution is wonderful. This is truly one of my favorite films of the year so far, and we hope you like it too. Moviefone just premiered the new trailer (see above), and they did a pretty good job setting the film up for you, tone and all. As I've said, it's Election set in a supermarket -- so when you watch the trailer, keep that in mind.

The Promotion hits theaters on June 6. Go see it!

God, I love this movie. Cinematical has received two exclusive stills for The Promotion, directed by Steve Conrad (writer of The Pursuit of Happyness and The Weather Man). You can check out larger versions of both photos in the gallery below, but listen up: Go see this flick when it arrives in theaters this June 6. I'll give you the same pitch I've been giving everyone else: Picture Election in a supermarket with older main characters. This isn't some stupid, cheesy broad comedy -- it's intelligent, it's hysterical and it features what is perhaps the best performance from Seann William Scott I've ever seen.

Essentially, The Promotion (read our review here) is about two nice guys who just happen to be going for the same job as manager of a new supermarket opening up across town. Toss in a slew of random characters, a well-written story and witty dialogue, and that's The Promotion. Yes, there are a bunch of other comedies opening up this summer with bigger stars, bigger budgets and bigger marketing campaigns. I'll say this, though: 10 bucks The Promotion turns out better than all of them. Easily my favorite comedy of the year so far.

Now stand up, walk over to your calendar and draw a big red circle around June 6. Underneath, in that little box, scribble in: "Need to see The Promotion." You'll thank us later.

Two new trailers for two films I was kinda looking forward to have arrived online, and I'm feeling a sense of discomfort. It's not terribly strong, because it's early, but there's definitely an uneasy vibe there. The first trailer, for Step Brothers, makes it look like the film has potential, but ultimately suffers because it's way too long. Directed by the reliable Adam McKay, and starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, this one tells of two unemployed, spoiled grown men who eventually become best friends after their single parents marry. It's Ferrell, so it's silly, but for a first trailer it's just so damn long. I know we sometimes gripe about teasers, and we itch for a longer look at something, but there's something to be said for leaving us itching for more. This first trailer for Step Brothers leaves me interested in seeing more (because I love all three of these guys), but I'm not scratching at anticipation hives. Watch it now at Yahoo and let us know.

Next up, we have Get Smart. Hmmm. Loved the TV show. I dig the idea. I dig this cast. I get it. But do I want to see it? I know the original was silly, but does this new film take it too far? I'm still on the fence -- though Anne Hathaway looks pretty damn good -- so I'll leave it up to you to decide what you think of this. And is it just me, or do you half expect Steve Martin to show up at some point wearing that ridiculous mustache. Watch the trailer over at Apple and let us know.

Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for the upcoming comedy Step Brothers (click on the image for a larger version), and damn it if I'm not ridiculously excited about this film. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly re-team with director Adam McKay (Talladega Nights) for a flick that just tugs at the heart strings inside all of us. I'd say it's inspiring -- almost earth shattering -- but then again, I don't want to get your hopes up too much. They should be up, though, but at a level where you can still reach them -- kinda like a cookie jar. Step Brothers tells the tale of pampered best friends whose single parents fall in love and decide to get married. Admit it, you know you secretly dreamt of that happening to you growing up -- except in my fantasy, my best friend was Alyssa Milano and, well, use your imagination.

Co-starring Adam Scott, Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins, and produced by some dude named Judd Apatow, Step Brothers arrives in theaters on July 25.

Looks like I was at the wrong roundtable. Over at Cinema Blend, they are reporting some interesting footnotes from a recent Walk Hard junket, in which John C. Reilly says that Paul Thomas Anderson offered him a role in There Will Be Blood, but it wasn't right. "Paul and I talked a lot about it,"he says. "He wrote me a part for the movie and I said 'Don't put me in there just because you think you have to, because we're friends. Put me in there if I'm the right guy to be in there.' And he thought about it and he was like 'You know what? You're right. You just talked yourself out of a part.'" Reilly says he was happy about the decision and how the movie ultimately turned out. "I was really glad. That movie just seems so seamless. It just seems like he discovered this real place."

Reilly also went on to talk more about the film, saying "I really hope those guys [Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis] get some attention, because I think that movie is a real achievement for Paul. It's such a departure from his other work. I was just staggered by it. I've seen it a couple of times, and I have really high hopes for that one." So do I -- if a Best Director Oscar isn't forthcoming, for P.T., then it better go to Joe Wright. Who else is deserving this year?

The stars of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story recently made their way to the offices of Columbia Pictures in Manhattan and did some roundtable interviews about the film. The highlight of the day was probably John C. Reilly comparing the film's money -- Willie the Chimp -- to Elvis's pet chimp Scatter and pointing out that Scatter ended up freezing to death in an outdoor cage while the Dewey Cox monkey was given a good home in Northern California after his usefulness came to an end. Other than that, it was pretty much what you might expect -- lots of questions about the life and times of Dewey Cox, the occasional question about the strike and how it's affecting actors, and assorted other tidbits. Here are some samples from the roundtables of John C. Reilly and Jenna Fischer.


John C. Reilly

You have to navigate a lot of different musical styles in this film.

Yeah, it really suited me well, I thought. As an actor I kind of think of myself as a chameleon, you know? Not really someone who plays my own personality. I'm not even really sure what my own personality is. I'm sort of a collection of the characters I've played. So playing all these different musical styles was great for me because rather than having to pick one thing that I was gonna specialize in, I could just go with the times like Dewey does. That was one of the things, as we kind of discover the character -- we recorded the music six months before we made the movie and we recorded something like 40 original songs. After we did a couple of songs we were trying to figure out, as we go from the 50s to the 60s, how is this guy gonna change with the times? Who is he? And I said to Jake that we should just decide what the guy's nickname is, because once we have the nickname then it gives us a guide to where to go with the music. So we kept recording music and it became apparent, the guy's nickname is The Chameleon or The Changeling or The Shape-Shifter. Dewey's almost like this Forrest Gump-like character -- he transforms with the times

How did you decide on what music to include?

Well, it was a few different things. The songs needed to be funny but they also needed to be really listenable, because there's so much music in the movie. We didn't want it to be just silly joke songs that would be tough to listen to, you know? Also, the musicians involved had a lot of pride on the line. They weren't going to just make some thing that sounds stupid. So yeah, we were trying to make stuff sound good and be funny but also be specific to the character, and that's why it was really helpful to have Jake Kasdan, the director, there in the recording studio every day when we were making this music. Sometimes we'd be trying to evoke a certain artist and other times and other times we were just trying to make the song fit into a time period and other times we were just trying to have the song reflect what the character was going through at a different point in the movie.

Hey, so what are you doing this Wednesday? If you're going to be in or around the New York City area, you might want to enter one of Cinematical's two explosive ticket giveaways. Cinematical is giving away tickets? Really? To what? Well, first up we're giving away ten pairs of tickets to go see Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, followed by a live musical performance from Dewey Cox himself (John C. Reilly) at The Knitting Factory. You have until 5pm tomorrow (that's Tuesday, December 18) to leave a comment on that post. We'll be choosing ten random comments and awarding those people with a pair of tickets to this kickass event.

Don't feel like getting a beer thrown on you? Well, we're also giving away 15 pairs of tickets to The Great Debaters New York premiere at the historic Ziegfeld Theater. The Ziegfeld is probably the best movie-watching venue in New York City, and apart from seeing The Great Debaters before anyone else does, your ticket also grants you access to a private pre-show cocktail reception with folks like Denzel Washington and other notable celebs (it is a big NYC premiere, after all) in attendance. Now you only have until 5pm today (that's Monday, December 17) to enter into our Great Debaters ticket giveaway, so head on over to that post to read the rules and leave a comment. Do not leave a comment on this post; it will not count. And when you're enjoying either event immensely, just remember who hooked your holiday up ...

Straight off its two Golden Globe nominations, Cinematical is happy to announce that we have 10 pairs of tickets to give away for next Wednesday's (12/19) New York City Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story screening, followed by a live performance from the man himself, Dewey Cox, at The Knitting Factory! Watch the movie, dance your ass off and when it comes time to ship off to heaven, you'll be glad you at least got to see a live Dewey Cox performance during your lifetime. Brought to you by Cinematical and Gen Art Pulse, the Walk Hard screening will be held on December 19th (beginning at 7pm) at the Regal Battery Park cinemas, which is only a short hop, skip and a jump away from The Knitting Factory. On that day, you must be in or around the New York City area in order to attend, and you'll need to travel to each destination on your own dime. But c'mon, is it not worth it for this! We'll be giving away 10 pairs of tickets to 10 random commenters, so start commenting ... now!

In case you weren't aware, Walk Hard was nominated for two Golden Globe awards yesterday (for best actor and best song). Looks like those For Your Consideration ads certainly paid off. Here's what both John C. Reilly and Judd Apatow had to say following the nomination announcement:

"I am thrilled and honored that the HFPA has acknowledged the hard work of everyone who poured their hearts into Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. I look forward to celebrating our film and all the other great movies, comedic and dramatic, at this years Golden Globes. I am proud to carry the torch for Jake Kasdan, Judd Apatow, and Mike Andrews without whom I could not have pulled off this performance. Somewhere, Dewey Cox is smiling." -- John C. Reilly

"I'm very proud of John C. Reilly and even more proud of Dewey Cox. Dewey would have loved this if he wasn't dead." -- Judd Apatow

Here are some pics from Dewey's LA performance. Check out the Walk Hard trailer and the official rules for this contest after the jump.

After skyrocketing to big-screen fame while playing the girl-next-door-type on NBC's The Office, Jenna Fischer is itching to do what most actresses fear: nudity. Lots of it. While speaking to MTV, Fischer revealed that she's currently working on her own film, one she's co-writing, producing and -- we imagine -- starring in as well. It's an indie comedy -- or as she calls it, "a real ensemble comedy" -- and while she wouldn't give up a whole lot of details, she did reveal two of the stars: "Boobs! You don't see the whole thing, folks, but there's a lot of the ladies in this film that have been hidden under Pam's sweaters for a long time. I also just think the sort of humor of it [will surprise people]. I think we're used to seeing me a little more confined. And this is, like, a bigger, bolder, brassier part ... with a lot of boobies."

Mmmm, nothing wrong with "a lot of boobies," says the guy whose wife isn't in the room. When asked who else she'd like to see in the film, Fischer responded, "I hope John C. Reilly will star in with me. Because I would actually like to do every single film with John C. Reilly for the rest of my career." There's something we have in common -- I, myself, wouldn't mind seeing John C. Reilly perform in every single film that comes out for the rest of my life. Love the guy. Always have, always will. And if that's her wish, then she's off to a good start: Fischer currently stars opposite Reilly in the musical comedy Walk Hard (due out later this month), and is also working on a comedy called The Promotion opposite -- you guessed it - John C. Reilly. So look for plenty of Fischer, Reilly and boobies at your local cineplex real soon.

UPDATE: Jenna was mis-quoted in the MTV interview; she does not, in fact, get naked in this new indie feature. I repeat: She does NOT go topless. She was referring to her role in Walk Hard, and the fact that she "shows a lot of chest" in the movie. Not her bare chest, mind you, but her chest. Clothed. Sorry guys. But we still love you Jenna!

Hey, it's good enough for Spinal Tap, Hannah Montana and The Monkees. Now Dewey Cox, of Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, is the latest fictional music artist to go on a real-life tour. Yes, according to Variety, John C. Reilly is suiting up to perform in character for the "Cox Across America Tour." Joined by his band, the Hard Walkers, Reilly/Cox is making appearances in seven cities: Cleveland; Chicago; Austin; Nashville; San Francisco; Los Angeles and New York City. The first gig is this Wednesday at Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and all shows include a screening of the movie, a music biopic spoof from the smartest man in Hollywood, Judd Apatow, and director Jake Kasdan (The TV Set).

Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, only the Chicago date is not sold out. My guess is that by the time of posting, even that show will be unavailable, but feel free to check Sony's RSVP page to find out. Otherwise, you can at least hear Cox's music on the Walk Hard soundtrack, which hits stores today.

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Reilly as Cox. I also wish I could have seen Reilly tour the nation as Lefty, his character from A Prairie Home Companion -- accompanied by Woody Harrelson as Dusty, of course. If I could see any fictional artist in concert, though, I'd pick The Venus in Furs, or maybe Jesse and the Rippers. How about you? What fictional band or artist would you most like to see go on tour?

Anyway, stay tuned to Cinematical because we're working on something special to coincide with the "Cox Across America Tour."

Other than a few "f-bombs" and a positive endorsement of marijuana, there really isn't all that much in the new international trailer for Judd Apatow's musical spoof, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story that could be considered particularly controversial. This is a film from the same man who brought us Superbad and Knocked Up, so it's not like we weren't already expecting drug references and potty mouth. Thankfully, in the age of the Yellow Band trailer, anything goes. You can check out the trailer now over on YouTube, or look for it after the jump. Walk Hard stars John C. Reilly as Dewey Cox, Jenna Fischer as his long-suffering love, and Tim Meadows as Dewey's long-time drummer and friend. Jake Kasdan (Orange County) directed and also helped write the script along with Apatow. This time, rather than just riff on the dramatic spoof angle, this one goes straight for the belly laugh. Not necessarily a bad choice, but I still like the overt seriousness of the first trailer (but that could just be me).

So despite not being completely blown away by what I've seen, there still seems to plenty of giggles to be had -- plus you have to love a 'For Your Consideration' ad that has the star flipping off the camera. We've been reporting on the film for a while now, and can you blame us? Now that 'R' rated comedy is finally getting the respect it deserves, it's just nice to go to the movies without a "tween" in sight. Walk Hard was originally set for release this month, but instead the movie hits theaters on December 21.

For a while, "Freak Show" meant a gathering that showcased anyone who was a bit different. Perhaps they had much excess hair, or were particularly tiny or tall. Maybe they were twins who were bonded by more than sibling love, or dudes missing appendages. But times have changed, and that's not really acceptable anymore. So, if you want to delight in all things freak, you've got to be able to stomach seeing dudes nail things into their body, or, in the case of cinema, see a Freak Show that's more fantastical than "freakish."

The Hollywood Reporter has posted that Cal Naughton Jr., aka John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia), and Chris Kelly (Boys Life) are in final negotiations to star in Cirque du Freak -- a kidlit adaptation that's being put together by Universal. Based on a series written by Darren Shan, the story focuses on best friends (Hutcherson and Kelly) "who visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and a giant deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices that result in vampire servitude and vampirism itself." (The show also has a really bitey werewolf.) Believe it or not, Reilly will play "Larten Crepsley, the centuries-old vampire and owner of Madame Octa, the spider." This crazy, yet weirdly appealing, story is the brainchild of About a Boy writer/director Paul Weitz, who wrote the script and will direct it when production starts in February. So, what do you think? Are you ready to see Reilly get his bite on?

According to Deadline Hollywood, this Walk Hard For Your Consideration poster appeared on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter today. The one on the left, not on the right. And boy do I dig it. Although the buzz on this film hasn't been all that great (could it be Apatow's first major disappointment?), I've been a ridiculous John C. Reilly fan for many years now and so, to me, the man can do no wrong. (And as I say that, images of him and Mark Wahlberg "feel, feel, feel ... feel my heat" dance through my head ... )They don't look exactly the same, but aside from being very clever and funny, this For Your Consideration poster (I believe) is supposed to parody the infamous Johnny Cash middle finger ad which thanked "the Nashville music establishment and country raidio" for their support. That's the poster to the right. Of course, the chances of Walk Hard being nominated in any of the bigger categories is slim to none, although, as DH claims, the studio will attempt to pimp it out for music, writing and comedy awards. Personally, I think it's one of the finest For Your Consideration ads I've ever seen, and if more folks got creative and took chances with their ads, I wouldn't mind seeing them splattered across every other page in Variety and HR. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story hits theaters on December 21.

Cinematical has just received the first official poster for Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (click on the image above for a larger version), the upcoming comedy written by Judd Apatow and Jake Kasdan. Do I need to say more, or are you already sold? I mean, if John C. Reilly in a Jim Morrison-like pose doesn't do it for ya, we've got issues to discuss. Essentially, the film will be spoofing all those popular musical biopics, like Walk the Line, etc ..., but I take it the flick will be a major step up from the silly spoofs like Scary Movie and Not Another Teen Movie, etc .. It'll be silly, sure, but check out some of this cast: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Paul Rudd, Justin Long, Jason Schwartzman, Jack Black, just about every popular SNL cast member in recent years and White Striper Jack White as Elvis Presley.

Walk Hard follows the life and times of fictional music legend Dewey Cox (Reilly) who, throughout his turbulent (yet awe-inspiring) career, fathers 22 kids, 14 step-kids, becomes addicted and subsequently kicks every drug known to man, and falls in love with his longtime backup singer Darlene (Fischer). Somewhere along the way, he also makes friends with everyone from The Beatles to Elvis -- and stars in his own 70s Variety Show. As a big fan of everyone involved, I know this movie is going to kick major ass -- how can it not? Directed by Jake Kasdan (who also helmed the very funny Orange County and comes from the same Freaks and Geeks world as Apatow), Walk Hard is set to sing its way into theaters on December 21.

I like Will Ferrell as much as the next girl, but I don't think I like him enough to drop $47,100. The Hollywood Reporter tells us a winner has emerged in the auction for a cameo role in Ferrell's next film, Step Brothers. Erik had first reported on the auction last week, and just in case you are wondering, this isn't just a shameless cash grab -- Uwe Boll; I'm looking in your direction. All of the proceeds from the auction are going to a charitable organization called the Cancer for College foundation. The charity is run by Ferrell's former fraternity buddy, who is a two-time survivor of Hodgkin's Disease.

So who was willing to drop almost fifty grand for the part of 'Guy in Bathroom Stall #2'?. The winning bid came from an anonymous bidder in Texas who was bidding on behalf of his son. The bidder told THR, "I lost my mother to ovarian cancer a few years ago so I feel fortunate that my 10-year-old and I are able to participate in an event involving Cancer for College and Will Ferrell. It's a great opportunity for him to both hang out with 'Ricky Bobby' and learn a valuable life lesson -- that it's important to help people who need help by whatever means you are able to do so". Step Brothers is the latest collaboration for Ferrell and Adam McKay with Judd Apatow producing. The film stars Ferrell and John C. Reilly as two ultra-competitive step-brothers vying for their parents affection. Brothers is currently still in production, but is scheduled for release on July 25th, 2008.