Alan Rapp

National Lamppon’s Vaca…,er, RV?

  • Title: We’re the Millers
  • IMDB: link

rv-posterBefore we start click and watch the trailer for this film.  Go ahead, I’ll wait….hmm…hmm…hmm…

Oh, you’re back?  Okay answer me this – Did you think that trailer was really funny or kinda’ lame?  Your answer to that question will tell you whether to go see the film as it’s just 98 minutes of the same dumb dad, hip-hop white son, bitchy teenage daughter, redneck RV campers, shit jokes, and yodelling.  Yeah…I’d pass too.  It’s not that it’s horrible, but seriously why waste an hour and a half of your life on something this dumb and pointless?

Disconnected from his family and in trouble at work Bob Munro (Robin Williams) decides to gather his family, his teenage daughter Cassie (JoJo) and son Carl (Josh Hutcherson) and wife Jamie (Cheryl Hines), together and take an family vacation to Colorado (while secretly working on his proposal).  Since his family was set on a trip to Hawaii they aren’t too happy with the change in plans.

…

National Lamppon’s Vaca…,er, RV? Read More »

Stick It

  • Title: Stick It
  • IMDb: link

stick-it-poster

Once you realize the film isn’t going to be Bring It On and accept for being what it is (which is both more and less) you can really enjoy yourself.  The movie contains the same level of writing but as Jessica Bendinger takes the place behind the camera this time you get a more emotional, intelligent, and well-rounded film that if not quite as funny still provides some great one-liners and humorous moments without going for all the easy jokes.

Tough chick Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym) gets into the trouble with the law and is sent away to a gymastic camp run by Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges).  Haley isn’t exactly welcomed with open arms because of her past experience where she quit the gymnastic team during competition losing them all a shot at the gold.  Despite a mountain of talent her disrespect for how the sport is run and past experiences make it hard for her to get back on the horse and train with the other girls (Vanessa Lengies, Nikki SooHoo, Tarah Paige).

…

Stick It Read More »

Killer Diller

  • Title: Killer Diller
  • IMDb: link

Killer Diller

Killer Diller, which opens today in a limited Midwest release (Kansas City, Columbia, St. Louis, Memphis and Nashville), is about a college half-way house, a guitar playing car thief, an autistic piano player, and some great blues music.  I would highly recommend seeing this film if it’s in your area, and if it’s not yet hopefully it will do well enough to earn a wider release over the next few weeks.

…

Killer Diller Read More »

G-O-O-D

  • Title: Akeelah and the Bee
  • IMDb: link

How cool are spelling bees?  The film asks that question multiple times and the answer shifts from person to person over the course of the film including our title character.  Akeelah and the Bee actually makes the National Spelling Bee look pretty darn cool.  Now c’mon folks, that should pique your interest.

Akeelah (Keke Palmer) is an underachieving student in Crenshaw, California with an older sister (Erica Hubbard) who has a baby, a brother (Julito McCullum) who wants to become a gangbanger, and a mother (Angela Bassett) who works all the time and has little time or patience for her kids’ problems and screw-ups. 

…

G-O-O-D Read More »

United 93

  • Title: United 93
  • IMDb: link

United 93 is an interesting and captivating film without actually haviing much to say about the 9/11 terrorist attack.  In many ways it can be compared to your average action/thriller but because the events that it deals with are both factual and terrifying one would thing it would try a little harder to be more.

The film isn’t an analytical look examining the causes and effects of the event.  Nor is it a character study as it never stays with any character long enough for us to distinguish one from the other (we don’t even get their names).  Nor does the film try to put the events into a historical perspective.

…

United 93 Read More »