Review: ‘Monster Trucks’

Director Chris Wedge (Epic) makes the jump from animation to live action with Monster Trucks, a film looking to resurrect the 1980s family creature features for a new generation of movie goers. The story, conceived by former Paramount Pictures president Adam Goodman, with the help of his four year old son, is ludicrous to say the least, but just entertaining enough to hold the attention of younger audiences.

This is Tripp (Lucas Till), a high school kid looking to get out of his small town and find his place in this big world. Tripp works at a junk yard and likes to tinker around with cars, especially working on his custom monster truck. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site, a peculiar creatures finds its way into the junk yard and into Tripp’s life. This squid-like creature seems harmless enough and really loves the taste of oil, so Tripp decides to hide him from an oil company hit squad looking to take the creature back to their lab. Seeing as Creech (that’s what we’re calling the thing) likes his truck, Tripp decides to make the truck into a true “Monster” truck fully powered by Creech. With the help of book nerd and love interest Meredith(Jane Levy) and a scientist Dr Bill Dowd (Thomas Lennon), Tripp must help Creech rescue his parents from Reece Tenneson (Rob Lowe) and return them back to their home beneath the ground.

Monster Trucks isn’t a bad film by any stretch, but nor is it a good film. The premise may sound ridiculous, and it is, but the cast is likeable enough and the overall story of humans destroying the planet for oil and profit regardless of what they disturb in the process is a topic that provides a real world learning experience for audiences. The major fault of the film is it lacks the human element of emotional connection and opts for a more action-centric approach. There’s a lot to be desired about Creech and his love for oil and speed, but there was a real “E.T.” opportunity between Tripp and Creech that was overlooked.

Overall, Monster Trucks isn’t going to win any awards, but it might entertain your children and that’s really all that matters with these films.

Stars:

2 out of 5

Trailer:

The FOX Fall Schedule is Here!

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Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group, today unveiled the FOX primetime slate for the 2015-2016 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

“Building on the phenomenal momentum created by GOTHAM, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH and, of course, EMPIRE, we’re infusing next season’s schedule with new ambitious dramas, smart comedies, aspirational unscripted series and big live events and specials – all from the best creators in the business,” said Walden and Newman. “And our strategy with these bold creative swings is simple: schedule them strategically, market them relentlessly and create events that break through and captivate viewers across every platform.”

Tuesdays are all-new this fall on FOX, with new comedies GRANDFATHERED and THE GRINDER, followed by killer comedy-horror series SCREAM QUEENS.

The new comedies kicking off an all-new Tuesday are GRANDFATHERED and THE GRINDER. A comedy about coming of age – at any age – GRANDFATHERED stars John Stamos (“Full House,” “ER”) as the ultimate bachelor whose life is turned upside down when he discovers he’s not only a father, but a grandfather. THE GRINDER, starring Emmy Award nominee Rob Lowe (“Parks and Recreation,” “The West Wing”) and Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Fred Savage (“The Wonder Years”), follows a famous TV lawyer (Lowe) who, after his hit series, “The Grinder,” is canceled, moves back home and joins his brother (Savage) at their family’s real-life law firm – despite having no formal education, no bar certification, no license to practice and no experience in an actual courtroom.

Award-winning executive producers Ryan Murphy (GLEE, “American Horror Story”), Brad Falchuk (GLEE, “American Horror Story”) and Ian Brennan (GLEE) meld comedy, mystery and horror in SCREAM QUEENS. All hell is about to break loose for the Kappa House sisters of Wallace University when a murder takes place, exactly 20 years after a mysterious death originally rocked their college campus. The super-charged anthology series is a modern take on the classic whodunit with a killer cast, including Emma Roberts (“American Horror Story: Freak Show,” “Scream 4”), Jamie Lee Curtis (“Halloween,” “A Fish Called Wanda,” “True Lies”), Lea Michele (GLEE), Oliver Hudson (“Nashville,” “Rules of Engagement”), Keke Palmer (“Akeela and the Bee,” “Masters of Sex”) and guest stars Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas (“Kingdom”), among others. With at least one casualty each week until the mystery is solved, anyone could be the next victim – or the murderer.

Two new dramas – the futuristic MINORITY REPORT and the Miami-set ROSEWOOD – debut this fall. Based on Steven Spielberg’s international blockbuster film and the first of his films to be adapted for television, MINORITY REPORT follows the partnership between a man (Stark Sands, Inside Llewyn Davis) haunted by the future and a cop (Meagan Good, Think Like A Man franchise, “Californication”) haunted by her past, as they race to stop the worst crimes before they happen.

Also joining the schedule this fall is ROSEWOOD. From executive producer Todd Harthan (“Psych,” “Dominion”), ROSEWOOD stars Morris Chestnut (“Nurse Jackie,” “The Best Man” franchise) as DR. BEAUMONT ROSEWOOD, JR., a brilliant private pathologist who uses wildly sophisticated technology and his drive to live life to the fullest to help a tough-as-nails detective (Jaina Lee Ortiz, “The After”) and the Miami PD uncover clues no one else can see.

The next mind-bending chapter of THE X-FILES debuts with a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Jan. 24 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT), following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, and continuing with its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The thrilling, six-episode event series, helmed by creator/executive producer Chris Carter and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI Agents FOX MULDER and DANA SCULLY, marks the momentous return of the Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning pop culture phenomenon, which remains one of the longest-running sci-fi series in network television history.

In 2016, additional new series joining the schedule include devilish drama LUCIFER and modern gothic action series THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE; and two comedies, THE GUIDE TO SURVIVING LIFE and animated BORDERTOWN.

Based on characters from DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, LUCIFER stars Tom Ellis (“Merlin”) as the charming, charismatic and handsome-as-hell original fallen angel, who, bored and unhappy in Hell, takes refuge in Los Angeles, where he uses his gift of persuasion to punish bad guys. But the longer he’s away from the underworld, the greater the threat that the worst of humanity could escape.

In THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE, from executive producer/writer Rand Ravich (“Life,” “Crisis”) and executive producer Howard Gordon (“Homeland,” “24”), a disgraced, 75-year-old ex-sheriff, whose life ends at the hands of corrupt cops, is brought back to life and given a second chance by a pair of young tech scientists, as a 35-year-old (Rob Kazinsky, “True Blood”) with unpredictable near-superhuman abilities.

THE GUIDE TO SURVIVING LIFE is a new young ensemble comedy about a group of friends living together for the first time. Each episode is told from the perspective of COOPER BARRETT (Jack Cutmore-Scott, Kingsman: The Secret Service), a wickedly charming and deeply flawed recent college grad whose life is filled with terrible choices, excellent mistakes and fantastic misadventures.

A new animated comedy from FAMILY GUY’s Mark Hentemann and Seth MacFarlane, BORDERTOWN is a satirical look at the cultural shifts taking place in America. Exploring family, politics and everything in between with a cross-cultural wink, the series centers on two very different families living in a fictional Southwest desert town on the U.S. – Mexico border.

AMERICAN IDOL will begin its 15th – and final – season this January on FOX. A season-long celebratory event, AMERICAN IDOL XV will feature host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr., as they search for the final IDOL superstar and pay tribute to the past 14 seasons of amazingly talented contestants and the millions of fans who tweeted, texted and championed their IDOLs.

NEW GIRL returns to the Tuesday comedy block in January with a season of uninterrupted episodes.

As previously announced, GREASE: LIVE, a three-hour production of the massively popular crossover musical “Grease,” starring superstar singers, dancers and actresses Julianne Hough (Safe Haven, Rock of Ages) and Vanessa Hudgens (Broadway’s “Gigi,” Spring Breakers), will air LIVE Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 on FOX. With Hough as the angelic “Sandy” – Rydell High’s most talked-about newcomer – and Hudgens as iconic bad girl “Rizzo,” this first-ever live television production of “Grease” will re-imagine the hit musical for an entirely new generation.

Additional FOX series include: ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?, BOB’S BURGERS, BOOM!, BONES, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, BULLSEYE, EMPIRE, FAMILY GUY, GOTHAM, HELL’S KITCHEN, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, THE SIMPSONS, SLEEPY HOLLOW, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and WORLD’S FUNNIEST.

Additional schedule information to be announced.

Following are the FOX fall 2015 primetime schedule, as well as social media information for and synopses of the new series:

FOX FALL 2015 SCHEDULE
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          GOTHAM
9:00-10:00 PM                        MINORITY REPORT (new)

TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM                          GRANDFATHERED (new)
8:30-9:00 PM                          THE GRINDER (new)
9:00-10:00 PM                        SCREAM QUEENS (new)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          ROSEWOOD (new)   
9:00-10:00 PM                        EMPIRE

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          BONES
9:00-10:00 PM                        SLEEPY HOLLOW

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          MASTERCHEF JUNIOR
9:00-10:00 PM                        WORLD’S FUNNIEST

SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM                        FOX SPORTS SATURDAY: FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM                          NFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PM                          THE OT
8:00-8:30 PM                          THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM                          BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9:00-9:30 PM                          FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM                        THE LAST MAN ON EARTH

BORDERTOWN (new), THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE (new), THE GUIDE TO SURVIVING LIFE (new), LUCIFER (new) and THE X-FILES (new) join the schedule in 2016, as do returning series AMERICAN IDOL XV, BOB’S BURGERS, HELL’S KITCHEN and NEW GIRL, among others.

FOX Announces Debut of ‘X-Files’ and Other Primetime Series for 2015-2016 Season

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Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen and CEOs, Fox Television Group, today unveiled the FOX primetime slate for the 2015-2016 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

“Building on the phenomenal momentum created by GOTHAM, THE LAST MAN ON EARTH and, of course, EMPIRE, we’re infusing next season’s schedule with new ambitious dramas, smart comedies, aspirational unscripted series and big live events and specials – all from the best creators in the business,” said Walden and Newman. “And our strategy with these bold creative swings is simple: schedule them strategically, market them relentlessly and create events that break through and captivate viewers across every platform.”

Tuesdays are all-new this fall on FOX, with new comedies GRANDFATHERED and THE GRINDER, followed by killer comedy-horror series SCREAM QUEENS.

The new comedies kicking off an all-new Tuesday are GRANDFATHERED and THE GRINDER. A comedy about coming of age – at any age – GRANDFATHERED stars John Stamos (“Full House,” “ER”) as the ultimate bachelor whose life is turned upside down when he discovers he’s not only a father, but a grandfather. THE GRINDER, starring Emmy Award nominee Rob Lowe (“Parks and Recreation,” “The West Wing”) and Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Fred Savage (“The Wonder Years”), follows a famous TV lawyer (Lowe) who, after his hit series, “The Grinder,” is canceled, moves back home and joins his brother (Savage) at their family’s real-life law firm – despite having no formal education, no bar certification, no license to practice and no experience in an actual courtroom.

Award-winning executive producers Ryan Murphy (GLEE, “American Horror Story”), Brad Falchuk (GLEE, “American Horror Story”) and Ian Brennan (GLEE) meld comedy, mystery and horror in SCREAM QUEENS. All hell is about to break loose for the Kappa House sisters of Wallace University when a murder takes place, exactly 20 years after a mysterious death originally rocked their college campus. The super-charged anthology series is a modern take on the classic whodunit with a killer cast, including Emma Roberts (“American Horror Story: Freak Show,” “Scream 4”), Jamie Lee Curtis (“Halloween,” “A Fish Called Wanda,” “True Lies”), Lea Michele (GLEE), Oliver Hudson (“Nashville,” “Rules of Engagement”), Keke Palmer (“Akeela and the Bee,” “Masters of Sex”) and guest stars Ariana Grande and Nick Jonas (“Kingdom”), among others. With at least one casualty each week until the mystery is solved, anyone could be the next victim – or the murderer.

Two new dramas – the futuristic MINORITY REPORT and the Miami-set ROSEWOOD – debut this fall. Based on Steven Spielberg’s international blockbuster film and the first of his films to be adapted for television, MINORITY REPORT follows the partnership between a man (Stark Sands, “Inside Llewyn Davis”) haunted by the future and a cop (Meagan Good, “Think Like A Man” franchise, “Californication”) haunted by her past, as they race to stop the worst crimes before they happen.

Also joining the schedule this fall is ROSEWOOD. From executive producer Todd Harthan (“Psych,” “Dominion”), ROSEWOOD stars Morris Chestnut (“Nurse Jackie,” “The Best Man” franchise) as DR. BEAUMONT ROSEWOOD, JR., a brilliant private pathologist who uses wildly sophisticated technology and his drive to live life to the fullest to help a tough-as-nails detective (Jaina Lee Ortiz, “The After”) and the Miami PD uncover clues no one else can see.

The next mind-bending chapter of THE X-FILES debuts with a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Jan. 24 (10:00-11:00 PM ET/7:00-8:00 PM PT), following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, and continuing with its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 25 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). The thrilling, six-episode event series, helmed by creator/executive producer Chris Carter and starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as FBI Agents FOX MULDER and DANA SCULLY, marks the momentous return of the Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning pop culture phenomenon, which remains one of the longest-running sci-fi series in network television history.

In 2016, additional new series joining the schedule include devilish drama LUCIFER and modern gothic action series THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE; and two comedies, THE GUIDE TO SURVIVING LIFE and animated BORDERTOWN.

Based on characters from DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, LUCIFER stars Tom Ellis (“Merlin”) as the charming, charismatic and handsome-as-hell original fallen angel, who, bored and unhappy in Hell, takes refuge in Los Angeles, where he uses his gift of persuasion to punish bad guys. But the longer he’s away from the underworld, the greater the threat that the worst of humanity could escape.

In THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE, from executive producer/writer Rand Ravich (“Life,” “Crisis”) and executive producer Howard Gordon (“Homeland,” “24”), a disgraced, 75-year-old ex-sheriff, whose life ends at the hands of corrupt cops, is brought back to life and given a second chance by a pair of young tech scientists, as a 35-year-old (Rob Kazinsky, “True Blood”) with unpredictable near-superhuman abilities.

THE GUIDE TO SURVIVING LIFE is a new young ensemble comedy about a group of friends living together for the first time. Each episode is told from the perspective of COOPER BARRETT (Jack Cutmore-Scott, “Kingsman: The Secret Service”), a wickedly charming and deeply flawed recent college grad whose life is filled with terrible choices, excellent mistakes and fantastic misadventures.

A new animated comedy from FAMILY GUY’s Mark Hentemann and Seth MacFarlane, BORDERTOWN is a satirical look at the cultural shifts taking place in America. Exploring family, politics and everything in between with a cross-cultural wink, the series centers on two very different families living in a fictional Southwest desert town on the U.S. – Mexico border.

AMERICAN IDOL will begin its 15th – and final – season this January on FOX. A season-long celebratory event, AMERICAN IDOL XV will feature host Ryan Seacrest and judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick, Jr., as they search for the final IDOL superstar and pay tribute to the past 14 seasons of amazingly talented contestants and the millions of fans who tweeted, texted and championed their IDOLs.

NEW GIRL returns to the Tuesday comedy block in January with a season of uninterrupted episodes.

As previously announced, GREASE: LIVE, a three-hour production of the massively popular crossover musical “Grease,” starring superstar singers, dancers and actresses Julianne Hough (“Safe Haven,” “Rock of Ages”) and Vanessa Hudgens (Broadway’s “Gigi,” “Spring Breakers”), will air LIVE Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 on FOX. With Hough as the angelic “Sandy” – Rydell High’s most talked-about newcomer – and Hudgens as iconic bad girl “Rizzo,” this first-ever live television production of “Grease” will re-imagine the hit musical for an entirely new generation.

Additional FOX series include: ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?, BOB’S BURGERS, BOOM!, BONES, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE, BULLSEYE, EMPIRE, FAMILY GUY, GOTHAM, HELL’S KITCHEN, MASTERCHEF, MASTERCHEF JUNIOR, THE SIMPSONS, SLEEPY HOLLOW, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and WORLD’S FUNNIEST.

Additional schedule information to be announced.

Following are the FOX fall 2015 primetime schedule, as well as social media information for and synopses of the new series:

FOX FALL 2015 SCHEDULE
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          GOTHAM
9:00-10:00 PM                        MINORITY REPORT (new)

TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM                          GRANDFATHERED (new)
8:30-9:00 PM                          THE GRINDER (new)
9:00-10:00 PM                        SCREAM QUEENS (new)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          ROSEWOOD (new)   
9:00-10:00 PM                        EMPIRE

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          BONES
9:00-10:00 PM                        SLEEPY HOLLOW

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          MASTERCHEF JUNIOR
9:00-10:00 PM                        WORLD’S FUNNIEST

SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM                        FOX SPORTS SATURDAY: FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM                          NFL ON FOX
7:30-8:00 PM                          THE OT
8:00-8:30 PM                          THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM                          BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9:00-9:30 PM                          FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM                        THE LAST MAN ON EARTH

BORDERTOWN (new), THE FRANKENSTEIN CODE (new), THE GUIDE TO SURVIVING LIFE (new), LUCIFER (new) and THE X-FILES (new) join the schedule in 2016, as do returning series AMERICAN IDOL XV, BOB’S BURGERS, HELL’S KITCHEN and NEW GIRL, among others.

– See more at: http://www.fox.com/article/fox-announces-new-primetime-series-for-2015-2016-season#sthash.oSkmPfHH.dpuf