‘The Parenting' Review: Meet the Poltergeist
'The Parenting,' a raunchy, gross-out horror-comedy directed by Craig Johnson, has plenty of toilet humor and gay jokes stuffed into its tedious running time, few of them clever or funny. Its best bit is in the setup: After a family is killed at home in the early 1980s, the house sits empty until the present day, when it is converted into an Airbnb that the young couple Josh (Brandon Flynn) and Rohan (Nik Dodani) rent for a weekend getaway. 'This place is a mansion,' Rohan enthuses, about what in the '80s was an ordinary suburban household. The punchline is that in this economy, no one can afford to buy even a haunted house anymore. Yes, there's a 400-year-old poltergeist terrorizing inhabitants. But it would sure beat renting.
The boys have secured this spacious if malevolent abode as an occasion to introduce each other to their parents, who are played by television royalty: Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Edie Falco and Brian Cox. Some early water-and-oil mingling feels like a tepid riff on 'Meet the Parents,' but when the demonic intrigue ramps up, the tone shifts to full-blown slapstick lunacy, with heads spinning 'Exorcist'-style, family members projectile vomiting, and in a meanspirited fashion, more than one Pomeranian getting brutally butchered. The cast is game — especially Cox, who gets to do some over-the-top Linda Blair mugging — but the script, by a 'Saturday Night Live' writer, Kent Sublette, is puerile and abrasive, lacking the wit of 'Evil Dead' (an obvious influence) and the brio of 'Scary Movie.'
The ParentingRated R Rated R for crude humor, strong language, violence and some mild drug use. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. Watch on Max.
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New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Brooklyn home that appeared in multiple shows asks $2.99M
In Brooklyn's Ditmas Park, one home has taken center stage, stealing the spotlight again, again — and again. A wraparound-porch-clad Victorian at 500 E. 18th St. isn't just a showstopper — it's a frequent scene-stealer, appearing in more television and film credits than some of the actors who have shot there. Now listed for $2.99 million with Heather McMaster of Corcoran, the cinematic stunner is hitting the market after a decades-long real-life renovation story nearly as dramatic as the scenes it has hosted. 19 In Brooklyn's Ditmas Park, a grand Victorian home that has doubled as a beloved television and film set is now for sale at $2.99 million. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 The property has been featured in multiple productions. Russ Ross for Corcoran From 'Saturday Night Live' to 'Boardwalk Empire' to 'Blue Bloods,' the six-bedroom dwelling has become a go-to for location scouts seeking old New York charm in the middle of the borough. 'Ditmas Park is actually quite famous for people filming out here because our homes are so large that they can do several locations in one spot,' said homeowner Dana Vance, who, along with husband Frank Gauthier, has owned — and painstakingly restored — the home since 1994. Set on one of the neighborhood's most picturesque blocks, the home boasts an ornate façade with spindle-trimmed gables and stained glass. Its porch alone has earned its share of screen time — Hugh Grant filmed a night scene on it for 'The Rewrite,' opposite J.K. Simmons, though Vance, 72, said, 'I love Hugh Grant, but I didn't get to meet him because they shot it at like 2 o'clock in the morning … I was so mad at myself because I couldn't stay awake.' 19 Known for its cinematic appeal — thanks to its expansive layout, ornate woodwork, stained glass and storybook wraparound porch — the home has become a sought-after location for directors looking to capture old New York charm. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 Homeowners Dana Vance and Frank Gauthier, both actors, inherited the property in 1994 in a state of complete disrepair after Frank's reclusive cousin, Bill, passed away. Courtesy of Dana Vance Built in 1910, the house stayed in Gauthier's family for three generations, but fell into disrepair when a reclusive relative lived alone there for decades. 'He had no plumbing, no heat, no air conditioning. Fifty windows in the house, 28 were broken. Pigeons were living on the third floor,' Vance said. 'There were 10,000 pounds of newspapers, twigs, aluminum pipes, a piano, garbage cans collecting rainwater. It was a complete disaster.' When that relative, named Bill, passed away, the house was on the verge of demolition — until Vance, seeing potential through the wreckage, convinced Gauthier not to sell. 'I said, 'Oh, I think we're gonna fix this house up. I think it's got great bones,'' she said. 'And he thought I was completely crazy. And to tell you the truth, I was, because I had no idea what work was in front of me.' 19 The couple often remained in the house during filming, retreating to the top floor while scenes played out below. Image Entertainment 19 At the time, the house had no plumbing or heat, broken windows, pigeon infestations and was packed with decades of hoarded debris. Courtesy of Corcoran 19 Vance saw potential where others might have walked away, convincing Gauthier to renovate rather than sell. Courtesy of Corcoran What followed was a years-long gut renovation fueled by maxed-out credit cards, a single affordable contractor and the couple's own elbow grease. 'We took out probably well over 500 garbage bags,' Vance said. 'It was a labor of love and I view that house as if it's a part of me … every piece of wood, every pillar, [the] wainscoting.' Today, the result is a blend of restored craftsmanship and functional luxury. Inside, the home is flooded with natural light thanks to oversize windows — including a statement stained-glass pane on the main stair landing. Original mahogany doors, intricate woodwork and custom-designed oak floors with mahogany inlays run throughout. 19 What followed was a decades-long restoration project — one they took on themselves with limited resources and limitless perseverance. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 Today, the home is filled with carefully restored original details, including oak floors with mahogany inlay. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 A formal dining room wrapped in vintage wallpaper. Russ Ross for Corcoran The gracious living room, anchored by one of two woodburning fireplaces, opens into a formal dining room wrapped in vintage wallpaper and crowned by a statement chandelier. The updated eat-in kitchen overlooks one of the largest private backyards in the district. Upstairs, the primary suite boasts a bay window, a fireplace and even a built-in marble sink in its adjacent sitting room — a remnant of the home's turn-of-the-century design. 'It's lovely,' Vance said. 'It's got the little sinks in the bedrooms and beautiful mahogany doors, broom closets and linen closets that you don't see in a regular house.' Still, it's the home's distinctive character and ample space that has made it a favorite for film and TV production crews, who can move through its sprawling three floors and outdoor areas with ease. 19 The kitchen. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 A breakfast nook. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 One of the largest backyards in the district. Russ Ross for Corcoran 'There was a location scout that came by one day, maybe about 18 years ago … they take pictures, go to several houses, then bring back a team of like 10 people to scout it again,' Vance said. 'We have one of the largest backyards in Ditmas Park, and that served us. And we have a big wraparound porch, so those little things are interesting to film directors.' The house has since also played host to productions ranging from CBS dramas like 'The Equalizer.' But perhaps the most widely recognized appearance came courtesy of a viral 2014 'SNL' skit, 'Back Home Ballers,' that has garnered more than 14 million views over the years. 19 The dwelling starred in 'The Rewrite.' Image Entertainment 19 A scene from 'Back Home Ballers' on 'SNL.' NBC 19 The home's cinematic legacy has been built organically, one shoot at a time — thanks in part to its grand proportions and authentic historic charm. NBC 'I met all the girls from 'Saturday Night Live' and Cameron Diaz,' Vance said. 'They turned our living room into a discotheque … their green room was our bedroom. I took pictures with all of them. It was really great.' Though the couple often stays in the home during shoots, they make way for the crew when necessary. 'Sometimes the crew is so large that I just go to the third floor … and then we hear them go, 'cut,' and then we can go downstairs and grab a snack and go back upstairs again,' Vance said. Watching their home on screen remains a rush. 'A lot of the location scouts or the ADs will call and tell me when it's going to be aired. And I'm so thrilled to see either the front of my house … or the living room, and family will call and say, 'Is your house on 'The Equalizer?'' But after 30 years of loving care and on-screen cameos, the couple has decided it's time for a new act. 'We're old. We're seniors now, and it's time to move on,' Vance said. 'It's 3,400 square feet, just the interior — not counting the attic and the basement … When you're young, it's very easy. It's still easy for us now, but I can see myself huffing and puffing every once in a while.' The couple — both actors, now retired — plans to relocate out of state. 'Frank and I will always be New Yorkers. We love New York with all our heart. But we've done New York,' she said. 'We're looking for a new adventure.' 19 A sun-filled primary suite with a fireplace and a bay window. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 A third-floor living space. Russ Ross for Corcoran 19 One of 2.5 bathrooms. Russ Ross for Corcoran As they prepare to say goodbye, Vance admits it's an emotional parting. 'I've been talking to the house this whole time, letting the house know how much I loved it … I hug the staircase or hug something and just say, 'Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much.'' One visiting contractor may have said it best. 'He told me, 'You will find that once you start working on a house like this, it will not let you work on it. It will resist you until it knows that you have its best interests at heart.' And it's true,' Vance said. That same character — the kind that can't be fabricated on a soundstage — has kept filmmakers coming back, and may now captivate a new buyer. 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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Britt Lower Is Certain She Was Helly R in ‘Severance' Season 2 Finale: 'There's No Trickery'
[Severance?] It's frustrating when TV storylines keep us in suspense for literal years, as was the case of Severance season one to season two. While the same (real) time will not lapse between the Apple TV+ series' second and third seasons — Ben Stiller promises! — we don't have to wait until season three to re-engage in some Severance season two-finale cliffhanger chatter. More from The Hollywood Reporter The Baltimore Ravens Spoofed 'Severance' for Their Schedule Reveal. 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I'm as hungry as the fans are to find out what these characters are going to get up to, and I probably have as many daydreams as as you all might about where they're gonna go and what they might be thinking. How has your career changed since ? It's really hard to comprehend the scope of how impactful the show has been. When you do theater, of which I do a fair amount, I do live performance — someone gave me this analogy the other day that I've been really thinking about. You do a play and you go out at the end to do a bow, and that bow is not only to receive applause, which is so lovely, but also it's a way to thank the audience for coming to the show, to honor the audience by saying, 'Hey, this would be weird if we were doing this to an empty room. Thank you for coming.' In TV and film, we don't have that immediate audience response, right? There's a year or two between when we step into the character's perspective and when the audience sees it. 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Because we film the show out of order, we were privy to the whole arc ahead of time, so you're sort of stringing that process together. A trend has been one actor playing twins — is it like that for you? I'm always trying to come up with new analogies. It's these two parts of the same person. They share the same anatomy, they share the same physiology. They share some of the same psychology, because they have a subconscious that's shared, but it's their consciousness that's different, right? Their subjective experience of awareness, of being awake, is separate in the same way that, as an actor, I share the same body as Helly, and I share some of the same subconscious space. If I bruise my elbow on set as Helly, I'm gonna feel it as Brit. But I have a different consciousness than these two parts of the character that I play. Fans pretty quickly picked up on the physical differences you bring to the characters, like their different postures. Can you talk about creating that tool for yourself? My job is to sculpt the inner life of each of them, and sometimes stuff that's happening internally affects how the character moves through the world. Some of that the fans picked up on and that just happened as a result. Helly has this drive. She moves with a lot of conviction and determination. And Helena kind of waits for the world to come to her. Their psychology works differently, given their circumstances. When did you first learn what is? For season two, I had the pleasure as an actor of now stepping into that weird world of the Lumon higher-ups and seeing what it's like to be a Lumon worker as Helena, and how everyone's always watching each other — and the extent to which Helena is aware of what's happening in the company is also a little mysterious. She knows a lot, but there are also things kept from different departments within Lumon. I had to know at least what Cold Harbor was as Helena. But the extent to which she knows what it is, I'm not certain. I know you've said that was definitely Helly R. in the season two finale and not Helena (again pretending to be Helly R.) — but are you sure Dan (Erickson) and Ben (Stiller) didn't lie to you about that to get a certain performance? That's so funny. No, there's no trickery involved in the Severance collaborative. If you track the whole episode and you see Helly trapping Milchick (Tramell Tillman) in a bathroom, her friend, Dylan (Zach Cherry), comes to help. She runs and stands on the tri-desk, remembering her friend Irving (John Turturro) and looking out at this sea of humanity of the Innies… That speech really embodies the question of the whole season: Are Innies people? In season one, [Helena tells Helly] she isn't a person and has no right to make choices about her body. Helly had no connection to meaning in the work that they were doing on the Lumon floor. She was like, 'This has no meaning to me whatsoever, get me out of here at all costs. In fact, I'm willing to risk my life to do so. Get me out of here.' The question of season one is, who am I in relationship to this work, which doesn't have meaning to me (Helly)? Then, over time, she's forming this chosen family with Irving, Dylan and with Mark. The connection she has to these people who she loves is then the journey of season two. All of these Innies have this new information about who they are, and it makes them even hungrier for purpose and meaning in their lives. So then to see her on that tri-desk at the end saying, 'They give us half a life and think we won't fight for it?' I just can't believe that anyone else would have said that. Did Mark S. make the right decision at the end of season two? Well, again, I'm gonna go back to that question of, are Innies people? Like, Helena says to Helly R., 'I am a person, you are not. I make the decisions, you do not.' So I think embedded in your question is: Is he allowed to make a decision? Mark's subjective experience of awareness — his consciousness — is separate from his Outtie's. So, you have to put yourself in his shoes. These Innies have been stripped of so much already, right? They don't get to see daylight. They don't get to experience music or art — not really, not very much, at least. They don't get to make choices about what they're gonna have for lunch, or what they put on in the morning. And to expect him to make a decision for his Outtie's dream to reunite with his wife is perhaps a step too far. *** Seasons one and two of Severance are streaming on Apple TV+. Read THR's season coverage and interviews. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Wicked: For Good' Trailer Teases Glinda and Elphaba's Fates as Dorothy Arrives
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