My Movie Spot

2002-07-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

Just pay your eight dollars. You're going to anyway!

Men in Black II

Grade: C
Wait to rent? It is rare that a sequel ever outshines the original, with exceptions such as The Godfather Part II and Batman Returns. Unfortunately, MIB II will never be in that category. But what am I saying. It's Will Smith and a cast of somebody (Tommy Lee Jones) and nobodys (everyone else). But what am I saying? You won't listen to me. I'm just the reviewer. Just pay your eight dollars. You're going to anyway.

Starring:
Tommy Lee Jones as Jay
Will Smith as Kay
Rip Torn as Zed
Lara Flynn Boyle as Serleena
Johnny Knoxville as Scrad/Charlie
Rosario Dawson as Laura Vasquez
Tony Shalhoub as Jeebs
Patrick Warburton as Tee
Director: BArry Sonnenfeld
Rated: PG 13 for sci-fi action violence and some provacative humor.
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Quick Synopsis: Wow! Can you believe it's been five years since agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) donned their Ray-Bans and saved earth from an evil alien? Here's an even bigger Wow!: Can you believe that in all that time, nobody bothered to write them a decent sequel? Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith are back. The space monsters are funny. The little people in the Grand Central Station locker are a stitch. And Frank, the talking street snitch/pug dog, is often hilarious.

Review:

Get ready for some more alien fun! Or at least a fun day at the movies without any philosophical contemplation needed.

When we last saw Agent Jay (Will Smith), he was a greenhorn in the ways of the Men in Black organization--the highly funded yet unofficial government agency that polices all things alien on Earth. His mentor and partner Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) decided to call it quits and Kay had his memory "neurolized" so he wouldn't remember any of the smile less adventures, or any secrets.

Now, five years later, Jay is on top of his game. He's the king bee at MIB, but he can't seem to find a partner as worthy as Kay. Let's just say, people don their shades when around Jay.

That's about to change. When a particularly nasty Kylothian monster named Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle) lands on Earth, takes over MIB headquarters and generally causes a major ruckus (all while in the body of a lingerie model -- yep, as if aliens and blowing shit up isn't enough for the testosterone enraged audience, lets show half naked woman as well.), only one man has the power to stop her--Kay. Time to get the old man out of retirement. With the help of a oddly bold young woman, Rita (Rosario Dawson), who becomes an ‘innocent’ and not shocked enough eyewitness involved with MIB's operation as well as Jay's love interest, Kay's memory is restored and he reteams with his partner to kick some alien booty. All of this, by the way, is seemingly flawless and, well, easy. If only everything in life was as easy as saving the earth from really angry alien invaders. Anthropology would be a blast!

Chemistry is important with actors. It makes all the difference in the world. Smith and Jones fit like an old glove in this sequel, not that the sequel itself IS an old glove, well, nevermind. You can tell right away the two of them had a lot of fun revisiting their alter-agents. Jay is no longer the novice but rather the all-knowing professional, and it happens so quickly. Makes you wonder how the Earth stays safe at all if Jay and Kay are the only competent agents. And I use competent loosely.

Smith plays it right, even showing how the character is beginning to feel the isolation the job entails. Still, he hasn't totally become the cold and impersonal agent like his former partner--he still likes to paint a rosy picture for the everyday folks he has to neurolize. Jones' Kay has a few more lines in his face, but portrays his character with more wit and humor and with more ease than Smith. Veteran acting abilities really made a difference in the movie.

Boyle character is flat and her part seems bloated, much like her in her opening scene. They try to hard to give her lines that really don't matter or make sense. Dawson's character is boring. She instantly falls for Smith's without hesitation. I wonder why? Oh. Yes. It was in the script.

Men in Black II does not surpass the original. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what is missing from the sequel that the original had. Probably novelty. MIB was original. This is a carbon copy. While you will enjoy the old humor, the new tricks are stale, and the new characters -- boring.

Returning characters such as Frank, the talking Pug (who houses a wisecracking alien) and those lovable "worm guys," who have now gotten kicked out of MIB headquarters for trying to rob the Duty Free shop, have more screen time in the sequel and they milk it, stealing every scene they are in. Hearing the dog sing Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" while sticking his head out of the window of Jay's car is priceless. Expect a Baha Men plug, as well.

All in All, it was a fun, brainless experience. Amen!

2002-06-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

I think you have underestimated my sneakiness!

Mr. Deed's

Grade: A-
Wait to rent? If you are a Adam Sandler fan, than this movie is everything you'd want and move. Sandler's bad acting, funny cameos and good humor make this movie.

Starring:
Adam Sandler as Longfellow Deeds
Winona Ryder as Babe Bennett/Pam Dawson
John Turturro as Emilio Lopez
Peter Gallagher as Chuck Cedar
Erick Avari as Cecil Anderson
Jared Harris as Mac Magrath
Allen Covert as Marty
Conchata Ferrell as Jan
Director: Steven Brill (Little Nicky)
Rated: PG 13 for some rear nudity, language, and sexual references
Release Date: June 28, 2002
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Quick Synopsis: When Longfellow Deeds (Sandler) inherits controlling interest in a media corporation from his deceased great uncle, he's quickly besieged by opportunists gunning for their piece of the Billion Dollar Pie! To top it off, Deeds thinks he in love with Pam Dawson, the School Nurse, who is really a producer for Inside Access, the fictional Extra!

Review:
The opening scenes in Mr. Deeds paint a picture of how this movie is going to turn out. The sight of an ever-hopeful businessman frozen to the tip-top of Mt. Everest is priceless.

Fade to black, and now you see all of Deeds' great uncle's board members, including Blake's right-hand man, Chuck Cedar (Gallagher). Blake left no will, which leaves his company floating. In search of a living relative, they find Mr. Longfellow Deeds, owner of a smalltime pizzeria and aspiring hallmark card writer, as well as a naive optimist. His hometown, Mandrake Falls, NH is also eerily optimistic. Deeds has a following there, a fan base, if you will.

When Cedar and his right-hand man, and lackey, Cecil Anderson (Avari), pick up Deeds, you first notice Avari's and Sandler's chemistry. They get along well. It is as if Anderson is tired of being ignored as a person of humor and heart. He is a great subtle comedian in this movie. Maybe Deeds' eerie optimism will rub off on the bigwigs.

One memorable scene is during the flight back to New York, when Deeds starts singing Major Tom into a banana. At first, it is entirely cheesy, and uncalled for. But when Anderson busts in, the rendition is something even Peter Schilling would be proud of.

The movie takes a turn for the worse when we meet Babe Bennett (Ryder), a opportunistic producer for Inside Access, a tabloid television program. She, along with her sidekick, Marty (Covert), a bottom-dweller who happens to be madly in love with her, plot to gain Deeds' trust. Their dialogue is strained, and the comedic timing is completely off. There joke about Marty's obvious obsession over Bennett never stuck. It wasn't funny. Winona Ryder, in my opinion, should stick to stealing really expensive clothes. Her acting aura is dull right now. Maybe she should hit the spa?

The star of this movie was John Turturro. He stole the show from Sandler. He was amazingly funny. His Emilio Lopez character's 'sneaky sneaky' bit was lastingly funny. It stayed humorous till the end of the film. Although, I have to admit, Sandler and Turturro had amazing chemistry. I think it helps to think that Sandler most likely IS that loveable. He always plays the disgruntled good guy, who just want the credit he deserves. Sandler portrays Deeds with ease. He is not strained, like he was in Little Nicky or Waterboy. He is just playing a guy who the audience can relate to, aspire to be, or even like.

The scenes between Ryder and Sandler were also strained. Sandler stole the scenes. Ryder just seemed to be that highlighted waif, which could have been played by a number of actresses.

This is your typical fish out of water, rags to riches kind of movie. Check it out! It’s worth the five dollar popcorn.

-Elizabeth D. Nelson

2002-06-11T06:37:00.000-07:00

It's had trailers running the last 32 years!

Scooby Doo

Grade: B+
Wait to rent? If you were a Scooby fan back in the day, I'd recommend you go pay a few to see it!

Starring:
Linda Cardellini (Velma) (Freaks and Geeks)
Freddie Prinze Jr. (Fred) (Summer Catch)
Sarah Michelle Gellar (Daphne) (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer)
Matthew Lillard (Shaggy) (SLC Punk!)
Rowan Atkinson (Mondavarious) (Mr. Bean)
Director: Raja Gosnell (Big Momma's House, Never Been Kissed, Home Alone 3)
Rated: PG (for some rude humor, language and some scary action)
Release Date: June 14, 2002
Studio: Warner Brothers

Quick Synopsis: After finally getting fed up with each other, the Mystery Inc. gang breaks ups. There were tired of fighting the same masked villain time after time. They were also probably tired of Fred's damn ascot that he would wear every day. Soon enough, they are called back to solve another mystery on Spooky Island, an amusement park on a tropical island, where they meet real supernatural powers.

Review:

At the beginning of the film, Mystery Inc. is getting fed up with each other. They are getting fed up with their mundane experiences. Their mysteries are always the same. Daphne WILL get captured, Fred and Velma have a plan that Velma really thought up, and Shaggy and Scooby mess everything up, but in the end gain some sort of credit for the "catch". In the end, their supernatural nemesis is a really old man in a mask, maybe two. After 32 years, the gang gets pretty tired of their old shenanigans.

This movie differs from the cartoons in a million different ways. Because it is a 2 hour version of the cartoon, you get to see more relationship based stories. There's romance, jealousy, bickering and love. And this time, Old Man Smithers is not behind some mask. There is a real monster to contend with.

SD addressed a lot of those unanswered questions you have about the gang, as well. Is Velma gay? Why does Fred wear that damn ascot?

Why does Fred wear that damn ascot? The world may never know.

The movie was able to put meat on cartoon personalities. Now, you can like or hate the characters based on their personalities, instead of just the basic stereotypes of their personalities. Fred is the supportive leader of the Mystery inc. group, but he is also full of himself, believing Velma and Daphne both like him when in actuality they are fed up with his big ego. Velma and Daphne are tired of Fred getting all the credit and popularity for the last 32 years. They also explore the idea of a relationship between Daphne and Fred. Daphne gets a little more self-assured, with Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer) adding some karate chops, as seen in the theatrical trailer. Daphne is tired of being the damsel in distress. She wants a leading role. We all know that Velma is the smart one, so does she get bothered, or put in conflict, because Fred is thought of as the leader? Yes. Velma is tired of not getting the credit she deserves. She's the brains behind the operation. And Shaggy and Scooby- are they just interested in their next meal? Do they have any real input?

What's up with Scooby and Shaggy having the munchies all the time?

The movie touches on that. There's a scene where you hear reggae and see smoke coming out of the Mystery Machine. And you see a sign that reads, "Pot: $5.00" And you pan across and there's a clay pot there. Now, that’s Scooby Humor.

CGI Scooby was the only real problem I had, other than one-dimensional Freddie Prinze Jr., who couldn't act his way out of a box, as they so lovingly say.

While Scooby is supposed to be a cartoon, so are the rest of the gang. The CGI Scooby really didn't work for me. he was choppy and annoying colored. He was spotty. CGI did help us see those famous Scooby expressions we love.

I must give the best review to Matthew Lillard, who acted very naturally next to absolutely nothing. During the entire movie, Lillard has to act opposite a talking dog who really isn’t there. In one scene, Scooby tackles Shaggy, and you cannot tell the action is faked. He did a remarkable job. Rumor has it that he would scream before every scene, which led to laryngitis.

The cast had amazing chemistry, which saved this from being a flop. Prinze and Gellar are engaged to be married. Lillard and Prinze have worked on four prior movies together, and Cardellini was easily accepted into their triangle of friendship.

Given this camaraderie, the entire cast, including Scooby, is up for a sequel.

-Elizabeth Nelson, 96.7 Movie Reviewer

2002-06-04T07:31:00.000-07:00

I'll knock you into the middle of next week!
And I'll kick your ass on Thursday!"

The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Grade: C
Wait to Rent? Yes

Starring: Vivi Abbott Walker (Ellen Burstyn, Ashley Judd, Caitlin Wachs)
Caro (Maggie Smith, Katy Selverstone, Mary Katherine Weiss)
Necie (Shirley Knight, Kiersten Warren, Nicki Tschudi)
Teensy (Fionnula Flanagan, Jacqueline McKenzie, Alyssa May Gold)
The Rest of the Cast: James Garner (Shep Walker), Sandra Bullock (Siddalee Walker), Ron Eldard (Connor McGill), Boyd Kestner, Angus MacFadyen, Matthew Settle, Allison Bertolino (young Siddalee), Gil Johnson (Younger Chick), Mark Jeffrey Miller (Lyle)
Director: Callie Khouri writer of Thelma and Louise
Rated: PG 13
Release Date: June 7, 2002
Studio: Warner Bros.

Quick Synopsis:
A classic Southern tale of hilarity set in a sleepy Louisiana parish, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood follows a group of lifelong friends who stage a rather unorthodox intervention to help a young playwright unravel the truth about her complicated, eccentric mother, find forgiveness and acceptance, and let go of her painful past. Blah, blah, blah.

Review:

First off. This is not your typical summer release film. When you think summer, you think action, adventure. This is a capital ‘C’ capital ‘F’- Chick Flick.

Siddalee Walker (Bullock) is a playwright who has emotional baggage due to her mother’s, Vivi Abbott Walker’s, “bad parenting”. She does an interview for Time Magazine, and the lady emphasizes the bad. This leads to a whirlwind of mean things the woman do to each other, including Sidda inviting her mother to her wedding in the near future, and cutting out the date, place and time.

Needless to say, she learns some startling things about Vivi from the other Ya-Ya’s that steal her away that ultimately repair their messed-up relationship.

The movie was interesting, but at many points it was very slow. Certain scenes lasted longer than they should. Certain parts didn’t make sense unless you read the book. It seemed very rushed.

To put it succinctly: This big-screen adaptation flows like a bottle of frozen ketchup, bogged down by constant time changes that leave the film with no center.

And to top it off, I hate it when actors can’t stick the accent, and Bullock couldn’t. She’d slip in and out of this southern gentility. Easily the most irritating Southern moniker since Natalie Portman's Novalee Nation in Where the Heart Is. It was really distracting. Once again, Bullocks presence has not been the shining star in this movie, same as Murder By Numbers.

Bottom Line, you’ll enjoy this movie if you are older and wear big floppy hats, or if you are sentimental and have this quirky relationship with your mother, or if you like to watch Maggie Smith carry around he oxygen tank as a funny stage prop.

Some of the best jokes come from The Ya-Ya’s and James Garner. The children actors are excellent. But, Ashley Judd and Sandra Bullock weren’t at top form. They might be getting to big for their own good.

It is sad that you never connect with your lead characters. Everyone, especially Siddalee and Vivi, are stubborn, self-centered, unlikable and, for the most part, abusive and alcoholic, as well as pill poppers. The movie should have been rated AA, as a illustration of how not to live your life. The film's two male characters (MacFadyen and Space Cowboys' James Garner) may as well have been cardboard cutouts.

The best thing that might come out of this film is the soundtrack. It has an original score by Bob Dylan, written especially for the Ya-Ya’s, and songs by Jimmy Reed, Alison Krauss (Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?), Ray Charles, and Bob Schneider. I'd get the soundtrack if it wouldn't remind me of the film.

-Elizabeth D. Nelson

2002-06-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

The Sum of All Fears

Grade: A-
Wait to Rent? No, go see it!

Starring Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman and James Cromwell.
Directed by Phil Alden Robinson.
Rated PG-13 for violence and language.
Two hours, 7 minutes.

Quick Synopsis:
A great thriller. Action, adventure, neck snapping, and very little romance. All it's missing is a half/fully naked woman that is in distress, and this would be the ultimate man's man kind of movie. Let's just say, the Russians are easily bought.

Review:

Follow Jack Ryan in another Tom Clancy flick.

It's Clancy's sixth book, written in 1991. Don't worry. Although Benny might seem to be a little young for the role made famous by Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford, it's actually quite fitting. According to Clancy, Sum of All Fears is a sort of prequel, if you will, to the other novels. Yes. I know. Prequel. The term is getting old for me, too.

Anyway, while this movie was made before 9-11, is has a familiar theme. Terrorists. A neo-Nazi (Alan Bates) has acquired a nuclear bomb, which was made in the US and sold to Israel in 1968 by the CIA (who stole it from America), which he plans to use to start a war between Russia and the U.S. Oddly enough, in the book, Sum of All Fears, a Palestinian man is involved in the terrorist plot, but Clancy and crew left him out stating that a Palestinian terrorist is too cliché. If Only.

The idea is first to detonate the bomb at the Super Bowl in Baltimore, which the President is attending, and then provoke the tension until the U.S. is convinced Nemerov is on the attack, and the two countries blow each other into oblivion.

The acting in this movie was phenomenal. Morgan was at his best, and Benny didn't do too badly. He definitely fulfilled the 'Jack Ryan who doesn't know his place in the world of politics' role well.

The most memorable scenes are that between American President Fowler (James Cromwell) and Russian President Nemerov (Ciarin Hinds). There chemistry as world leaders and as men in turmoil heats up the screen. I couldn't take my eyes off of Hinds. He has an amazing screen presence.

The only downfall of this movie, in my opinion, that should be acknowledged and mentioned is the fact that you already know what’s going to happen to many of the characters. Like any prequel, I mention Star Wars again, unless you are a fanatic of the "sequels" the anti-climatic end will get to you. You know Jack Ryan will be President. You know his "girlfriend" Cathy Muller (Bridget Moynahan) isn't going to die. She is going to be his wife. And you know that Bill Calbot (Freeman) is going to disappear somehow, because you never hear of him again.

Well, check it out! It's a good preview into a summer of many hopefuls.

-Elizabeth D. Nelson

2002-05-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my movie review blog. You were probably forwarded here from my own blog, beth's bungalow, so enjoy!