Really Funny Movies This Summer

[RadRx]

Hey, guys:

I must say that I've been impressed with some of the intelligent humor in this season's crop of movies.

Jennifer Saunders' rendition of the Bonnie Tyler classic in Shrek 2 had me rolling.

And can someone confirm that her comedy partner Dawn French was the fat lady in HP3?

I expected Stepford Wives to be cute, but was really impressed with the laughs.

That's it.

Dawn French who played "The Vicar of Dibley" was also the fat lady in the portrait in Harry Potter 3.

See: http://www.frenchandsaunders.com/news/index.shtml#105

[RadRx]

LG:

Thank you for the confirmation. I thought it was she, but she's not as recognizable as Jennifer. I loved it when she actually looked surprised at the broken glass.

I would never have recognized Jennifer what-ever-her-name-is but I did recognize her voice as the ditz from "Ab Fab". I have no memory for faces but I never forget a voice. I nearly fell out of my seat laughing in the theater when I heard the few words voiced by Larry King as the Ugly Stepsister in "Shrek 2".

[brent]

Another good one is Dodgeball. I've held a couple of screenings for it, and although it isnlt the most intelligent movie, it is very funny. Plus it has lots of buff guys who's names end in "...azer", like Blazer. it's good fun, and I highly recommend it this weekend.

[glammaman2000]

but very good.the newest version of Peter Pan is out on cable now.a bit closer to the J.M.Barrie original;more psychologically complex.love to know what you think.

[brent]

In tradition of my loving all thing blatantly biased to the left, Fahrenheit 911 looks like it will be really funny, and it comes out next week.

BTW, this is the movie that the Bush administration threatened Disney not to distribute. So it will be fun to see what the big deal is all about.

I don't know why I thought the new "Around the World in Eighty Days" movie would be funny. Must have been those promo shots on TV. All the sight gags were exposed.

Disney dolts do it disasterously again. Changed the original bet that starts the trip, changed the French valet to Chinese, threw in a female character, stole the balloon instead of buying it. Fought a Chinese tong gang all through the movie. Just a Jackie Chan show off movie. The guy who played F. Fogg was OK but the rest of the movie was just over done, over silly, nonsense. No wonder Disney's stock is taking a nose dive. They've lost whatever edge of quality or innovation they ever had.

I'm hoping that "Dodge Ball" will be funnier. At least I know it's a stupid premise and I expect lunacy.

[arpeejay]

Dodge Ball was hands down one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long time!

richard

[wbhunk]

I would recommend "The Stepford Wives"....if you're looking for a butch film, this ain't it, but it's a great comedy thriller. Glenn Close is PHENOMENAL in her role -- so over-the-top, it's incredible. I think after you see it you'll agree with me that the last ten minutes were totally unnecessary, but hey...it's Hollywood.

[RadRx]

It took me a couple of days to recall where I'd seen Glenn Close in that extreme persona prior to this. It was the dead monkey scene from "Sunset Boulevard."

The last 10 minutes were better than the second-to-last ten minutes, but they had to have some plot with the humor.

[brent]

I haven't seen Stepford wives yet, but it does look like good campy fun.

As for Dodgeball, it is very fun. Just don't expect to think very much. There are tons of holes in the plot, but it's very funny if you give your brain the day off.

[brent]

Just saw a preview screening of I Robot. Despite the plot holes, and bad acting, Will Smith kept taking his shirt off, so it was good. Will Smith is fucking pumped up for this movie too! His pecs are enormous!

[ethernet_jock]

that guy (Will Smith) has the BEST attitude too, doesn't he?

"Look at me, I'm buff... I'm going to play it cool like it's perfectly normal to be this incredibly hot... but I know I'm hot and I know you love it... so look at me!"

[brent]

Originally Posted by ethernet_jock

that guy (Will Smith) has the BEST attitude too, doesn't he?

"Look at me, I'm buff... I'm going to play it cool like it's perfectly normal to be this incredibly hot... but I know I'm hot and I know you love it... so look at me!"

I generally prefer white guys, but Will Smith is a definite exception. His attitude, energy, and body all seem to be great. Remember, this is only a preference, so please don't flame me. I dated all colors of men when I was single.

[Mdlftr]

My two Siskel and Ebert cents:

I saw Farenheit 911 last night at a screening that was partly a fund raiser for the local young Democrats. I wrote them a check even before I saw the movie, and I felt like doubling my contribution afterwards! [and I'm a registered Republican!]

Wow--the stuff that Michael Moore put together--most of it from publicly available news film, and some interviews with people: devastating to the Bush administration.

Anyone who has any pipe dream that "Dubya" knows anything about leadership or running a country, without being told what to do by his handlers, will forget that once they see this movie! The famous "7 minute" scene is unbelievable: On Sept. 11, 2001, Bush is told that a plane (the first one) has hit the first World Trade Tower BEFORE he enters the school classroom for his photo op. [So he's on notice that a situation is happening.]

While he is sitting in the room, hands in his lap, listening to the teacher read a book, Andrew Card (Chief of Staff) comes in and tells him about plane #2 hitting the second tower. Bush demonstrates his leadership by reaching over, grabbing a copy of the book, "My Pet Goat", and proceeds to read through the pages for the next 7 minutes. He occasionally looks up with this dazed and confused look on his face--like an animal caught in a trap, or a deer in the headlights. The camera cuts to the face of his Press Secretary, Ari Friedman, who is looking, grim faced, in Bush's direction, for some sort of response. Bush just keeps sitting there, staring back out at the room. He clearly has no idea of what to do. This is the man who claims, "I'm a wartime President-I'm a strong leader?!?"

Shock I can understand. Stalling for time I can understand. Why he didn't immediately get up, excuse himself and go into the bathroom and throw up or whatever, I don't understand! What message does "My Pet Goat" give in this situation---how to lead a country??

Other items in the movie are just as revealing, like the U.S. Congressman who says to the interviewer, ON CAMERA, about why he and other members of Congress passed the Patriot Act (which significantly abrogates civil liberties) without reading it(!): "Chile' the thing you got to understand is that we members of Congress don't have TIME to read most of the stuff we vote on. If we did that, we'd NEVER get anything done!" Nice

Well, I guess Dubya isn't the only person displaying lack of leadership here....

Get out and vote in November! This election is too important not to let your voice be heard!

PETER PAN
Someone mentioned that this is out on video. I saw it, and it IS much closer to the JM Barrie original. The production values are excellent, the supporting cast is stong (cf Lynn Redgrave as the aunt) and Peter and Wendy are quite cute!

The very interesting thing about this production is that it revives the custom of having the same actor play both the Father and Captain Hook. As a psychological study, it looks like Hook and Daddy are the flip sides of the psyche: dutiful, controlled/repressed, miserable versus manic, self-indulgent/"out there". The actor that plays Hook/Dad is incredible.

He's played the villain in several other films, most notably one where he has a long blond wig on (Harry Potter 2 - He plays Draco Malfoy's father. NO idea what his name is. Arpeejay--with your movie database---you know who I'm talking about? ) He lends an air of menace, palpable threat and outright psychosis to the proceedings! His is NOT the warm and fuzzy, buffoonish Capt. Hook! He's the psycho, murdering, hint-of-sexual-sadism Hook! The way he slithers his words around Wendy and Peter when he has them in his power is downright creepy!
The actor playing Pan has a very limited range. He basicallly smiles in this flirtatious way or he scowls-- that's it. An interview with the much superior actress playing Wendy elicited the comment that "[the actor playing Pan]...knows that he's sexy--and he uses it in this film." True, up to a point.
Verdict: 1 1/2 thumbs up. Not great, but definitely above average.

My two reviewing cents,

Mdlftr

[brent]

Mdlftr, I enjoyed your reviews, but I have one issue. After seeing Fahrenheit 9/11 , I thought Mr. Moore went too easy on President Select Chimpy. The simple fact that 9/11 even happened should have been reason enough for his ouster IMHO.

[glammaman2000]

before Bushie became president,i thought he was a brain-damaged chimp fronting for a pack of thieves.kind of like Reagan.after 9/11(i AM a NYer)i supported him.we had to.we were stuck with him.now i'm back to"brain-damaged,etc"i haven't seen"Fahrenheit".met Michael Moore once,though!the country is being run by"My Pet Goat".as to Peter Pan;watch it again&realise that Barrie wanted the Mother to play Captain Hook!think about it.

[Mdlftr]

Brent and GLam,
Thanks for the comments.

RE: Bush. I guess I don't necessarily think that he should automatically lose his job because of the attack on America on 9/11. All sources indicate that too many parties dropped the ball on that one, plus whatever bad choices were or were not made by the Bush Administration.

Where I think the film, Farenheit 911 is most damaging, is in showing how the Bush response AFTER the 911 attacks is scattershot, and clearly motivated by financial interests, with national security and diplomacy a distant issue. The marionette strings are a bit too obvious in this case, and they're not being pulled to the benefit of the average American! THAT's why "Shrub" should lose his job!

Re: Peter Pan. O.K. Glam, you got me.

I Have NO CLUE what you mean about Barrie having Mom play Captain Hook.

It seems to me that the underlying "freudian" aspect to this story is the daughter loving and hating Daddy all at the same time. Daddy wants his girl to grow up and be a brave woman and leave childhood behind. Wendy can't openly hate Daddy, so Hook is Daddy's surrogate. Mom is off to the sidelines, and is the only one who recognizes Daddy for the "brave martyr that he is, in giving up his dreams." If, as the story suggests, that this Peter Pan--young daughter--Daddy--Captain Hook relationship has played itself out over years, it supports the Daddy (in his Hook personna) v. Peter Pan conflict. Because Daddy has to "grow up and be serious" he resents/hates Peter, since Peter "never has to grow up," AND he gets the girl!

Of course, Daddy ultimately prevails, since he ends up marrying the grown up girl, who leaves Peter behind when she becomes an adult. Mom is the prize to both Peter and Daddy: as a little girl to Peter, and as a grown woman to Daddy.

Mom embodies the Victorian view of woman as a pure force for good and moral suasion. Wendy (the young woman) is the mother surrogate for the boy who won't grow up, and the prize for Hook. Mom is the helpmate to Daddy, and the safe harbor and refuge for Daddy and the children. Nowhere in the story is there any hint that Mom wants to be Hook. The only non-English female figure in the story is Tiger Lily, the "red Indian princess" whose sole function is to be saved by Peter, and to stay in Neverland. As the "noble savage" so common to English literature, Tiger Lily is NOT invited to stay with the Lost Boys and Peter and tell stories. She is too independent for that. Tinkerbell is merely the "jealous female" foolishly flitting about, seeing problems where none exist.

Interesting story--this all takes me back to English lit! Glam, see what you made me do?! I enjoyed this TOO much! <grin>

Mdlftr

[glammaman2000]

it is well documented that Barrie wanted the mother character to play Hook.i think it is because he viewed women as a neccessary civilizing influence on males(in both the mother-father/Wendy-Peter relationships)but also as someone who cuts your wings(Mama Hook)."once they get their hooks into you!..."only when Wendy is a pre-adolescent does she have the spirit to risk Peter's adventures.once she has a child of her own(not in film version)the"nest"becomes paramount.Barrie was also quite happy with having Peter played by a woman.perhaps he lost a childhood female playmate when she stopped being"one of the boys".interesting that both of the great classics of Victorian children's literature were written by men with an"unhealthy"preoccupation with kids(Alice in Wonderland&Peter Pan)

[brent]

Just did screenings of both of these very different movies.

Harold And Kumar Go To White Castle :
I loved this laugh out loud stoner flick. I could hardly stand at times! It's good silly fun, and I highly (pun not intended) recommend it.

Catwoman :
This was a good comic book movie. Fun action, OK story, competent acting, and if you are straight (which I'm not) lots of pretty girls, kicking ass half naked. You learn a lot more about the character, but I enjoyed H&K more.

[brent]

It isn't a funny movie, but it is much better than the preview lets on. I actually liked the story, and it wasn't totally predictable. Good FX as well.

[brent]

I saw the new Exorcist movie yesterday. The only thing that was funny about it was that it was able to find production! It was very bad, and I would suggest watching the original over this piece of crap.

[glammaman2000]

the Heretic?now,THAT'S funny!

[brent]

No Glamma, I have not seen The Exorcist II, but I'm sure you are right about it being funny. Speaking of funny, a store in my neighborhood is selling Alien Vs. Predator plush toys! They are as cute & adorable as they are vile! I love them!