Movie Reviews

The Women

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Women
  • IMDB: link

“The spritzer girl?!”

For ten years Diane Enlgish has been trying to get this remake of the 1939 film off the ground.  Maybe she should have waited another decade or two.  Here’s a chick flick’s chick flick (with nary a man to be seen).  Despite having talent to spare there’s very little sign of life as the film comes in D.O.A.

The movie centers around do-it-all gal Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) who has time to work for numerous charities, raise her daughter (India Ennenga), and hang out with her best friends (Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith), but is the last to discover that her husband is having an affair with a “spritzer girl” (Eva Mendes).

From here the film follows the drama of Mary’s struggle to come to terms with the situation mixed in with “humorous” moments.  Sadly however, aside from a short initial appearance by Candice Bergan as Mary’s mother, the film shows almost no signs of life whatsoever.

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The Best Movies of Summer 2008

/ / Movie Reviews

Ian’s moved back to the land of Jayhawks meaning he won’t be penning many new movie reviews for a few weeks, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to leave you loyal RF readers without something to raise hell ‘bout.  Today he gives us his favorite films of the summer that was 2008.  Who could possibly be number one?

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Mamma Mia! Sing-Along

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Mamma Mia!
  • IMDB: link

“Audiences at these specially selected theaters are invited to bring friends and family to experience the smash hit movie musical in a whole new way by singing along to the songs they love.  Mamma Mia!: The Sing-Along Edition will feature the lyrics to every musical number on the screen, and you are invited to sing and dance along.”

I enjoyed Mamma Mia!, but it has a few flaws (read that review) and seemed to be missing something.  It turns out what it was missing was an active audience.  This new Sing-Along Edition, released today in select theaters, provides karaoke style lyrics and the bottom of the screen for all of the musical numbers.  The audience is encouraged to sing along with the actors.

If you can get into a theater at least 2/3 full of Mamma Mia! fans this is the best way to see the film.  First, the audience singing along with the stars helps some of the actors (mostly the men) who struggle with their numbers.  And second, it’s just fun!

Now, if you aren’t an ABBA fan this isn’t going to change anything, but this active experience (much like the Buffy-Sing-Along or The Rocky Horror Picture Show) adds energy, magic, and fun, to the film making it an enjoyable time at the movies.  If, over time, the experience is tweaked even further with the addition of props and audience activities this film could earn a long life in late night screenings.

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Traitor

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Traitor
  • IMDB: link

“I need to know the truth.”

Samir Horn (Don Cheadle) is a bomb maker, a devout Muslim, and a terrorist.  Or is he?  Based on a story from wild & crazy Steve Martin (yeah, that Steve Martin) comes a suprisingly smart tale about the lengths people will go to both commit and stop terrorism.  If you were expecting a good action film you will get it, but oh so much more as well.

Cheadle is excellent in a role that has to carry the film, but not give away too much too soon.  This is one of those films I’d advise you not to watch the trailer which tells a bit too much of the plot.

So what is the plot?  The simple explanation is it’s about a man cut-off and immersed in a complicated world that expects several things from him – not all of which he’s comfortable delivering.

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The House Bunny

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The House Bunny
  • IMDB: link

“But I’m 27.”
“That’s 59 in Bunny years.”

The day after her 27th birthday Shelly (Anna Faris) is thrown out of her comfy lifestyle in the Playboy Mansion.  Her initial forays into the real world aren’t too successful, and an unlikely misunderstanding with a cop (Dan Patrick) even lands her in jail for a night.

Her luck changes with the discovery of an entire street of mini-Playboy Mansions and a new calling as a House Mother for the lamest sorority on campus, the one full of the kind of misfits you only find in movies like this and Sydney White (read the DVD review) and is constantly facing probation, expulsion, or both.  From here you can guess what happens next.

Shelly uses her gifts to turn all the other girls (Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, Katherine McPhee, Dana Goodman, Rumer Willis, Kiely Williams) into hotties, fights off the mean sorority girls across the street (Sarah Wright, Rachel Specter), learns an important lesson about herself, and saves the Zeta’s house in a last-minute impassioned plea to the Dean.

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