Word: chucking
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...romantic comedy when Lem, the teenage protagonist voiced by Justin Long (of Mac commercial and “He’s Just Not That Into You” fame), reveals his crush on Neera (Jessica Biel). But their budding romance is complicated when American astronaut Chuck Baker (voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) lands on Planet 51 and is shocked to discover the thriving alien civilization. The Planet 51 community—extremely fearful of a hostile takeover by an “alien” race—persecutes Chuck, who solicits help...
...blatant parallel with Cold War-era McCarthyism—which manifests itself through the growing paranoia of the aliens as they search for Chuck and accuse their fellow townspeople of being his zombie followers—is clever and original in a movie made for children. But most of the references will be lost on the film’s younger audiences, and reminders of the film’s political subtext—the aliens’ collection of UFO artifacts includes none other than the Sputnik satellite, complete with “USSR” imprinted in Russian?...
...movie roles. Sean William Scott (“Role Models”) takes on the wisecracking sidekick, while the inimitable John Cleese is the requisite Evil Professor, whose refined British accent seems wholly out of place in the apparently country-less Planet 51. As the unexpected visitor, Chuck is self-centered and arrogant, and he struggles to understand why the celebrity status he enjoyed at home carries no weight in his new surroundings. As he’s pursued by an army led by the blandly malevolent General Grawl (Gary Oldman), Chuck finds himself forced—albeit predictably?...
...both engines. In the aftermath of the averted tragedy, Sully became a national hero, feted by all but a few stray critics carping over his inevitable book deal and talk-show victory lap. Langewiesche isn't one of those - but he does intend to spread the praise around. (Read Chuck Yeager's TIME 100 bio of Sullenberger...
Highlight Reel: 1. On why Sully was deemed a hero: "He was no Charles Lindbergh seeking to make history, no Chuck Yeager breaking the speed of sound. The Ubermensch era of aviation had long since faded. But he crashed during a slump in the American mood, and overnight he was transformed into a national hero, at a time when people were hungry...