'Bueller? Bueller?' Film House Hits Market

Director suffers heart attack

(NEWSER) - John Hughes, the director who made his name cataloging teen angst of the 1980s, died of a heart attack today at 59. Hughes created such films as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, and Sixteen Candles, making stars of the so-called Brat Pack of Molly Ringwald and crew. He also made Planes Trains and Automobiles before writing and producing the Home Alone series. More»

'I hope this is good idea,' actor kept telling himself while filming.

(NEWSER) - How very un-Ferris Bueller. Matthew Broderick was worried about making his much-praised Super Bowl ad for Honda, and found himself constantly worrying during filming: "I hope this is a good idea." Broderick didn't jump at the chance to do the ad. "It took a little thinking about it, it took a little time, but I ended up thinking it might be amusing," Broderick told New York Magazine. "Todd Phillips was directing it, who's a good director, and I thought it would be fun to send up Ferris Bueller a little bit." Now the ad is a viral hit on YouTube even before it airs on national TV—and Ferris is cool with that. "I guess I'm part of a virus," Broderick quipped. More»

Matthew Broderick stars in 'Matthew's Day Off' for Honda

(NEWSER) - The full-length Ferris Bueller-inspired Super Bowl ad is here, and AdWeek dubs it "awesome." Matthew Broderick stars in "Matthew's Day Off," a Honda ad in which he calls in sick to a film shoot in order to do all sorts of fun stuff in his CR-V. The extended version of the ad (watch in the gallery) clocks in at nearly two and a half minutes, and according to its YouTube page, features more than two dozen references to the 1986 movie. "Broderick doesn't sully the original film's reputation here," writes Tim Nudd. "Quite the opposite—this is how a tribute should look." More»

Rob Halpin won't even allow Emanuel to crash in the basement

(NEWSER) - As White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel is one powerful hombre—but he’s apparently powerless in the face of Rob Halpin, the guy renting his house in Chicago. Halpin re-signed the lease to the place on Sept. 1—just six days before Mayor Richard Daley announced he would not run again. Now, Emanuel wants to return to the city to run, but Halpin has refused to leave, according to Michael Sneed of the Chicago Sun Times . More»

Broderick mopes about in sentimental, cliched dramedy

(NEWSER) - Critics are not sold on Wonderful World, a creaky indie starring Matthew Broderick as a misanthropic children’s folksinger. Here’s what the critics are saying:

• World is “a checklist-indie that offers up clichés with gusto,” even flirting with Magical Negro stereotypes, writes Nick Schager of Slant . “Broderick mopes and grouses admirably,” but this treacle is still “pretty close to the bottom of the barrel.”
• Keith Uhlich of Time Out New York agrees, crediting the cast with giving a “committed, nearly convincing effort” in what’s ultimately “fey Indiewood bullcrap.”