Night At the Museum-Battle of Smithsonian 2pk (2009)

Editor's Note Shawn Levy (CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, JUST MARRIED) directs the sequel of his hit film NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Night guard Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), now a successful entrepreneur, returns to the Museum of Natural History to visit his friends--the exhibits that come to life at night--only to learn that they are being shipped off into deep storage at the Smithsonian Institution. To make matters worse, the exhibits at the Smithsonian, including the pharaoh Kahmunrah (Hank Azaria), are suddenly coming to life--and they aren?t at all happy about their new visitors. Determined to save his friends, Larry rushes to Washington, D.C., and makes his way into the inner workings of the largest museum complex in the world while Kahmunrah recruits the likes of Ivan the Terrible (Christopher Guest), Napoleon (Alain Chabat), and Al Capone (Jon Bernthal). Larry, meanwhile, finds himself with spunky Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams) as a co-conspirator and love interest, and General Custer (Bill Hader) leading the battle for the Smithsonian. The stakes are higher in this sequel, where even the paintings on the Smithsonian walls come to life at night. Stiller is his capable deadpan self as the now-successful Larry who finds purpose again while helping his friends, and Adams is spot-on as feisty, adventure-seeking Earhart, complete with period lingo. Azaria is a scene-stealer as Kahmunrah, who is menacing despite his lisp. Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Robin Williams, and Ricky Gervais also reprise their roles in this sequel, which is the first film to be shot at the Smithsonian.

	Hank Azaria
	Ben Stiller
	Owen Wilson
	Amy Adams
	Steve Coogan
	Robin Williams
	Alain Chabat
	Christopher Guest
	Bill Hader
	Jon Bernthal
	Shawn Levy - Producer
	Chris Columbus - Producer
	Michael Barnathan - Producer
	Thomas M. Hammel - Executive Producer
	Josh McLaglen - Executive Producer
	Mark Radcliffe - Executive Producer
	John Schwartzman - Director of Photography
	Alan Silvestri - Composer
	Ricky Gervais
	Robert Ben Garant - Screenwriter
	Thomas Lennon - Screenwriter
	Shawn Levy - Director

Hollywood Reporter
"[W]ith inspired effects sequences and amusing riffs by the talented cast, especially new arrivals Hank Azaria...and pistol Amy Adams, who makes for a particularly spirited Amelia Earhart." 05/20/2009

Box Office
3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] wholesome, winsome action/comedy....The film is at its strongest when it honors tradition and embraces new personalities." 05/19/2009

Los Angeles Times
"[Amy Adams is] in excellent form as superwoman Earhart....There's a derring-do to her '30s patter laced with words like 'flyboy' adn 'skedaddle' and a style that evokes Katharine Hepburn." 05/22/2009

New York Times
"Mr. Azaria is the master of funny voices, and he does fine work....Ms. Adams, impersonating Earhart as a flame-haired screwball-comedy heroine, is entirely delightful..." 05/22/2009

Entertainment Weekly
"[I]t's a faster, wittier spin on the formula of its predecessor....It all works because Stiller, with his eager-to-please anxiety and his incredulous double takes, is the perfect addled straight man for a hellzapoppin history show." -- Grade: B 05/29/2009