By Erin Quinlan. In the new comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West, Neil Patrick Harris plays Foy, the condescending proprietor of the town's fancy moustachery. Apparently, some aspects of the character have stuck. Universal Pictures "A Million Ways to Die in the West" lacks the inspired lunacy of Mel Brooks' timeless Western, and won't last the ages as a seminal swipe at the genre, but at least MacFarlane gives the. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! He could have used Charlize Theron's character to directly challenge the gender stereotypying of westerns; there hasn't been a cowboy film with a viable female lead for many years. Even though A Million Ways to Die in the West wasn't strictly a box office failureit doubled its $40 million budget with an $86.4 million . Directed by Seth MacFarlane. 15. If you can get a song in there, its just a nice Hollywood tradition.. have made him as successful as the creators of The Simpsons, earning him millions of fans and an equal number of critics, both professional and public. May 27, 2014 Poor Neil Patrick Harris playing the foppish owner of a mustache-accessory store who steals Albert's girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) has to play a seemingly endless scene of violent diarrhea in the middle of a street, with a particularly unnecessary payoff at the end. Apparently, some . 15. And while a lot of the comedy is funny, the jokes are often taken too far or spoiled by some random bit of nonsense. The other choice that might have benefited the movie is a different lead. Theres a barn dance that happens, and everyone thats there knows this dance, this incredibly complicated dance about mustaches, Harris explained. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Naylor said to the writers present: "It doesn't matter how many one-liners you think of, it's not going to solve the problem. Seth MacFarlane, who wrote and directed A Million Ways to Die in the West, stars as Albert, a cowardly sheep farmer who inadvertently falls in love with the wife (Charlize Theron) of a dangerous outlaw (Liam Neeson). By creating an account, you agree to the A Million Ways to Die in the West: Official Clip - Great Scott. A Million Ways to Die in the West Photos View All Photos Movie Info Mild-mannered sheep farmer Albert Stark (Seth MacFarlane) feels certain that the Western frontier is trying to kill him, then. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, The Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of March 2023, Pokmon Detective Pikachu Sequel Finds Its Writer and Director, and More Movie News. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Ive shaved; Im shorn, Harris told Lauer, gesturing at his arms. 11. says the actress. Ahead, a list of the onscreen causes of death in "A Million Ways to Die In The West." 1. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. Set in 1882 in the American west, Albert is a lowly farmer with a nice girlfriend. Opens Friday at major . A Million Ways to Die in the West When avoiding a showdown gets him dumped, a cowardly Old West sheep farmer in the vows to win back his girl by challenging her new lover to a draw - if he can learn to shoot first. If You've Only Got a Moustache (18:54 - 20:25)11. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. A Million Ways To Die In The West Full Soundtrack - Original Theme (HQ)Here's the album track list:1. Shop A Million Ways to Die in the West [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [CD] at Best Buy. But the lack of editing also means that they can't resist trying to hit every Western trope they can. Yes, there are a million ways to die in the wild, wild West, and Albert plans to avoid them all. Instead, we get everything that crossed their minds. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Stream songs including "A Million Ways To Die", "Main Title" and more. Monty Pythons Every Sperm is Sacred is sort of the best example I can think of, he said. In a visit to TODAY Wednesday to talk about the film, Harris wore a phony handlebar 'stache (poorly) glued beneath his nose, with anchor Matt Lauer gamely sporting a matching fake. You're almost there! There is definitely potential in making a film about the Wild West as a place where people can die suddenly without good reason or means of moral justification - a sort of 19th-century Leviathan, but with jokes. For some, he is a witty, ingenious writer and performer with a gift for puncturing egos; for others, he is nasty, derivative, mean-spirited and crass, whose work lacks the narrative coherency of his betters. 1, The Imitation Game (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). 18 Songs, 41 minutes There is no better example of this than the all-too lengthy scene involving Neil Patrick Harris getting the runs during the gunfight. Old Stump Bluegrass . A million ways 2 die in the west is one of the best western comedy's I ever seen. Albert Takes a Trip (33:36 - 37:38) 16. Some people think that makes him a coward. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from. Stream songs including "A Million Ways To Die", "Main Title" and more. Seth MacFarlane stretches the boundaries of comedy and propriety as writer, producer, director, and actor in A Million Ways to Die in the West. Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. Burned to death (1) 7. Stocking the supporting cast with top-drawer talent, he gives most of his costars little to do besides attract our attention on movie posters; that ruse might yield some results on opening weekend, but wont be able to carry the picture to the kind of profitability enjoyed by Ted. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. (Original Title - A Million Ways to Die in the West). Constantly terrified, the meek and lily-livered sheep farmer, Albert Stark, mainly struggles to stay out of trouble in dusty and dangerous 1880s Arizona, utterly convinced that everything out there can and will kill him. Coming Soon. (Amanda Seyfried) dumps him for Foy, the dandy . Albert Stark, a mild mannered sheep farmer living outside of Old Stump, Arizona, hates everything about living in this time and place, especially the literally million ways he and others can easily die every day without a care, from shoot-outs, to bar brawls, to bites by rattlesnakes hiding in outhouses, to affliction by any one of numerous untreatable plagues and pestilences. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Still, there's always Ted 2 to look forward to. When a sheep herder who hates the West saves a young lady during a bar fight they strike up a friendship that helps him gain some self-confidence. Coming Soon. The continuing, often baffling success of Family Guy and American Dad! Clinch Hunts Albert . But no matter how many jokes he can produce, or how long he chooses to play these jokes out for, they cannot solve the underlying problems: the story and the characters. He's playing at being a cowboy, making up the plot as he sees fit, rather than creating believable cowboy characters who just happen to talk like 1970s Jewish comedians. IE 11 is not supported. Starring Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Amanda Seyfried, Sarah Silverman and Giovanni Ribisi. . But jokes that weren't funny the first time aren't funny the sixth time, either. Stream songs including "A Million Ways To Die", "Main Title" and more. and the All these awesome productions that has gotten me through life and now we have the producer as the actor! What's frustrating about MacFarlane who writes, directs and stars in this Western about Albert, a cowardly sheep farmer who inadvertently falls in love with the wife (Charlize Theron) of a dangerous outlaw (Liam Neeson) is that sometimes, maybe even as much as half the time, he actually is legitimately funny. Set in 1882 in the American west, Albert is a lowly farmer with a nice girlfriend. In A Million Ways to Die in the West, the town pastor regales of the time he killed a man in a duel and then went to that man's home and proceeded to murder his 16-year-old son. PREVIEW. Underneath all the buffoonery and fart jokes, there was a believable relationship between Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder, who were part of a story with genuine tension, stakes and even pathos. Vulgar, crude, self-referential, and irreverent, A Million Ways to Die in the West is a typical Seth MacFarlane comedy. Production companies: Bluegrass Films, Fuzzy Door Productions Not only did he adapt a song from the period, but he also hired a veteran choreographer and an army of Broadway dancers for the sequence. But when his character shows blithe insensitivity, by accepting the government's propaganda about Native American relations, it's a funnier way of poking at 19th century racial attitudes than the moments when Albert just comes out and tells us what we're supposed to be getting out of a scene. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Perhaps thats because shes secretly betrothed to the meanest cuss in these parts, a bandit called Clinch (Liam Neeson), who has sent her here to hide out while he dodges the law for a spell. Many modern westerns go for a gritty and earthy approach, eschewing the nostalgia of John Ford and John Wayne, but very few dramatic westerns dwell on the fine points of sudden, horrible death by anything other than a gun. Crushed by ice (1) 4. Anna vows to help Albert with many issues in his life, most specifically in getting Louise back largely by pretending to be his girlfriend to make Louise jealous, and learning how to shoot in what ends up being a challenge to a shoot-out with Foy for Louise's hand. Missing Louise (5:05 - 7:15) 4. Western In Seth MacFarlane's A Million Ways to Die in the West, Neil Patrick Harris takes center stage for one of the film's best sequences the highly choreographed and riotously funny. But when her notorious outlaw husband (Liam Neeson) arrives seeking revenge, Albert must put his newfound courage to the test. Copyright Fandango. Clinch Hunts Albert (24:45 - 28:36)13. His central performance is flat and weak, with no real character development and a cocky, chauvinistic quality which makes him unappealing. I THOUGHT IT WAS FAST FUNNY. Throat slashed (1) 6. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. 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In the new comedy "A Million Ways to Die in the West," Neil Patrick Harris plays Foy, the condescending proprietor of the town's fancy "moustachery.". The point of this comparison is that Macfarlane has clearly gone to town thinking of as many throwaway gags with a Western aspect as he can. A Million Ways to Die -- Alan Jackson (0:00 - 2:31) 2. DVD. Clinch Hunts Albert. PREVIEW. and the Amick Byram. While Albert frets about Louises new romance with fancy-pants shopkeeper Foy (Neil Patrick Harris, whose vain moustache-tonic merchant is a reliable laugh-getter), Anna takes an inexplicable interest in helping him stand up for himself. A Million Ways to Die in the West: Official Clip - Great Scott! Bridesmaids did nearly the same thing, but MacFarlane is determined to up the ante on that scene in every respect except the humor. Seth Macfarlane has rapidly become of the most divisive comedians of the modern era. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for A Million Ways to Die in the West, MacFarlane, Seth, 9780553391671 at the best online prices at eBay! There are subtle, smart jokes scattered throughout the film, but they tend to get drowned by the bleating volume of lazy jokes about bodily functions, racial and gender stereotypes and learning-disabled sheep. There are too many ways to die out here, he laments though most of the shock-violence gags the movie employs demonstrate the risks not of living in an age before modern medicine but of inhabiting a world whose authors arent terribly gifted at slapstick. As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his newly found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival. What about this? The romance plot could hardly be more familiar, but at least it plays out against a landscape so dramatic one almost suspects the filmmakers composited a few extra sandstone formations into Monument Valley. Being a huge fan of westerns & Seth MacFarlane's work (Family guy, American Dad) I can honestly say that this was one of my favourite movies of the year and I really hope that there will be a sequel in the future or something similar. Mustache maneuvers are not to be found in Harris current role on Broadway, where he stars as a transgender punk performer in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. In fact, the role requires near-total hairlessness from the actor. After Albert (MacFarlane) backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) leaves him for another man (Neil Patrick Harris). Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! And in director/co-writer/star Seth MacFarlane's A Million Ways to Die in the West (in theaters today), Neil Patrick Harris, playing the douchebag proprietor of an Old West mustache shop, loses a . 1:31. He could have done any number of things - but as usual he settles for the cheap gag and the fast buck over anything involving either thought or genuine creativity. In A Million Ways, Macfarlane has set his sights far lower than Brooks did even at his low point in the 1990s. 'A Million Ways to Die in the West': Inside the 'Mustache Song'. The Barn Dance (16:14 - 18:54)10. Even as a self-described non-dancer, MacFarlane knows how to assemble the right team for a showstopper. The great comedy westerns of old, like Blazing Saddles, soared because their stories and characters worked on their own merits without them having to constantly try and be funny. A Million Ways to Die in the West is a 2014 American western-comedy movie, starring Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Neil Patrick Harris, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman and Liam Neeson.. Synopisis. This hilarious UNRATED comedy from Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy and Ted, is filled with witty one-liners and an all-star cast. A Million Ways to Die in the West: Official Clip - He Drank the Whole Bowl! . Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast, Psycho (The Complete Original Motion Picture Score), A Million Ways To Die In the West (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Deluxe Edition], Classic Soundtracks: Psycho (1960 Film Score), The Imitation Game (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), The Magnificent Seven (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Hercules (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey (Music from the Original TV Series), Vol. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Terms and Policies A Million Ways to Die in the West [DVD] [2014] 4.6 out of 5 stars. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Cinematographer: Michael Barrett the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Taken abstractly, there is no way in hell that Anna would end up with Albert, and shaping him as the lesser of two evils over Clinch is not only stupid, it's downright misogynistic. When Albert (MacFarlane) loses his girlfriend (Amanda Seyfried) to his moustached nemesis (Neil Patrick Harris), a mysterious and beautiful woman . But Albert isn't clever: he's as stupid as his creator believes his audience to be. Main Title (2:31 - 5:05)3. Screenwriters: Seth MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild A winking mid-film cameo prompts viewers to wonder how MacFarlane might have fared playing a time-traveler from our era stranded in the Old West. Also starring Giovanni Ribisi and Sarah Silverman, the hilarious all-star cast delivers an offbeat mix of outrageous humor and quick wit. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Saloon Brawl (8:05 - 10:07)6. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Heck, Marty Robbins probably has more people getting shot in his songs than N.W.A. (At least the two had plenty of company: The camera swept around the studio to reveal that TODAYs behind-the-scenes crew had donned fake mustaches, as well.). All creative projects are about choice, and more than anything else, A Million Ways to Die in the West comes off as an abdication of creative choice. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Old Stump Bluegrass. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. It opens . Producers: Jason Clark, Seth MacFarlane, Scott Stuber As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his newly found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival. Her "it's not you, it's me" reason rings false as she quickly starts up with mustachioed Foy, the wealthy owner of a mustache grooming products store, he who Albert knows he cannot compete in not being wealthy enough to be able to grow a groomed mustache. hide caption. While not without brief moments of coherence or spark, the film is largely unfunny, unfocussed, and squanders all the best ideas for the cheapest gag on which it can lay its hands. After losing his girlfriend who is in love with the mustache owner, a sheep herder befriends the wife of an infamous bounty hunter in 1882 Arizona That's the whole joke: A kid just keeps repeating essentially the same word for 30 seconds until he wears her down, and then he doesn't have anything more to say than "hi" once he finally gets her attention. 3.3 911 Ratings. So even though the . PREVIEW. In the hands of a director who understood that suggestion is often more effective than being explicit, the joke could have worked reasonably well. Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Silverman, Liam Neeson Welcome to the Quantum Realm. A Million Ways to Die in the West hits theaters on May 30. Updated 4:28 PM EDT, Fri May 30, 2014 Link Copied! What would we call this particular kind of mustache? Lauer asked the actor with mock seriousness, his own facial pelt partially peeling off. Terms and Policies They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. With MacFarlane on screen as a minor variation of his real-life persona, it's that much harder to get away from the feeling that he's playing the role of Stewie here, spending two hours tapping us on the shoulder, constantly asking, "Is this funny? Literally the only effective scene in _A Million Ways _depicts Albert's dream life once a kindly Indian chief (Wes Studi) gets him high on home-brewed hallucinogens, and it's completely out of. Whether because his energies are too thinly spread or because he has no real talent at all, he comes up short in every aspect. All rights reserved. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Editor: Jeff Freeman But Seth MacFarlane's newly released theme song from . The same goes for the so-called climax, where Albert outwits Clinch in the final duel. Updated at 22nd July 2015 by rearranging the order of some entries: What is the Japanese language plot outline for A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014). 1, Independence Day: Resurgence (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Hail, Caesar! R (Language Throughout|Drug Material|Some Violence|Strong Crude & Sexual Content), Comedy, . The actors theatrical dance training came in handy, too, particularly during the films "Mustache Song" scene. Cinemark Amick Byram. Family guy! If You've Only Got a Moustache. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and 14. Seth McFarlane! Where Brooks made a funny point about bean-sparked frontier flatulence in one brief and memorable scene, MacFarlane can't let five minutes go by without a fart joke. As the title would suggest, "A Million Ways to Die in the West" is mostly concerned with the inhospitable conditions of frontier life. 116 minutes. (Just as well, perhaps, as the screenplay is about to run out of ways to poke fun at the fact that Alberts buddy Edward is a virgin in a chaste relationship with Ruth, the towns busiest whore.) "A Million Ways to Die in the West" opens in theaters May 30. John Waters knew this, Mel Brooks knew this, even the Farrelly Brothers knew this - but clearly it's something that Macfarlane still has to learn. Dumped by his longtime sweetheart Louise (Amanda Seyfried), Albert is about ready to leave town when he meets Anna (Charlize Theron), a newcomer who appreciates his gentle personality in a way locals dont. 27 May 2014 A Million Ways to Die in the West: Official Clip - Sh**ty Showdown, A Million Ways to Die in the West: Official Clip - If You've Only Got a Moustache, A Million Ways to Die in the West: Official Clip - You Really Do Have a Death Wish. Like a lot of American comedians, Macfarlane treats the film as an excuse to play a version of himself in which his ability to wisecrack trumps all other ideas or plot considerations. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Racing the Train (28:36 - 31:07) 14. Seth MacFarlane stretches the boundaries of comedy and propriety as writer, producer, director, and actor in A Million Ways to Die in the West. Occasionally, quietly, MacFarlane plays the thoughtful provocateur rather than the carnival huckster, and it comes down to the old storytelling rule of showing rather than telling. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Mild-mannered sheep farmer Albert Stark (Seth MacFarlane) feels certain that the Western frontier is trying to kill him, then he loses his girlfriend, Louise (Amanda Seyfried), to the town's most successful businessman. The comparison does not do A Million Ways to Die in the West much good, but it also reminds us that it's been 20 years between drinks in a genre that is anything but crowded. Macfarlane can do so much better as both an actor and a writer, but the biggest compliment you can pay this film is that it makes you want to rewatch Blazing Saddles, to see how it really should be done. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and The American West, 1880s. If You've Only Got a Moustache. It wasnt just Harris up-for-anything sense of humor that made him a natural fit for writer/director/co-star Seth MacFarlanes bawdy ensemble comedy. Western, Makes Ted look like a masterpiece, its jokes are mostly miss and the vulgarity is boring and good actors including McFarlane waste their talents. Wherever you stand on Macfarlane's televisual endeavours, translating from one medium to another is notoriously difficult. by denma-ronal Jun 30, 2022. Anna and Albert. Seth MacFarlane, who wrote and directed A Million Ways to Die in the West, stars as Albert, a cowardly sheep farmer who inadvertently falls in love with the wife (Charlize Theron) of a dangerous outlaw (Liam Neeson). Like, My God, you put all this work and all this time and all this artistry into a song about sperm?'. His direction is to westerns what Chris Columbus was to Harry Potter, with the camera remaining so static that we can tell when a joke is being set up just by looking at a given shot for more than a second. 2014. His comedy might be irreverent, but the key to success in a musical number, MacFarlane says, is treating your material with the utmost seriousness. If You've Only Got a Moustache. 12 offers from $5.20. Gored by runaway bull (1) 8. In hindsight, it was a very bad idea to allow Macfarlane to direct, produce, write and star in this film. But when she leaves him for the more successful and handsome owner of a moustachery store, Albert returns to his lonely daily life of trying to avoid death. Read critic reviews. There's nothing inherently wrong with jokes about poo, vomiting, farting or sexual intercourse, but you have to package them in a certain way to stop the comedy becoming about shock value for shock value's sake. End Title Suite (42:10 - 44:50) Copyright Fandango. Its a little hoedown-ish, Lauer observed. Stream songs including "A Million Ways To Die", "Main Title" and more. This movie has put the wild wild west (Will Smith) to shame, This has GOOD comedy, GOOD story and doesnt just have gunfights everywhere. Though the film is hardly laugh-free, its uneven jokes appear to have breezed through a very forgiving editing process. Anna and . Not so funny. Theron carries almost all the weight here, given her partners unexpected blandness, which makes it vaguely insulting when the third act turns her into a helpless damsel in need of his rescue. While Neeson is largely boring, pitching it somewhere between Taken and Seraphim Falls, Theron is a lot more appealing and almost manages to make her role convincing in its own right. Director: Seth MacFarlane 2014 Back Lot Music. Its central premise and its cast both have undoubted potential, but every good idea it has is quickly ground down into third-rate physical or scatalogical jokes which are poorly directed, have no staying power, and are offensive for all the wrong reasons. A Million Ways to Die -- Alan Jackson (0:00 - 2:31) 2. . Then Stark must put his newfound bravery to the test when Anna's outlaw husband arrives with plans to plant him in an unmarked grave. Why? Doug Naylor, who co-created the original series, recalled being in a room of writers from The Simpsons and Cheers, and being berated for wanting to work on character construction rather than coming up with gags. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. Even if Macfarlane's ambitions didn't extend to a full-on reworking of Thomas Hobbes, he could have taken this central idea further. It just makes it that much funnier.