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Get Smart (2008)
A Movie Adaptation That I Enjoyed
I had my doubts when I learned that they were making a new Get Smart movie because I always worry about how new writers are going to handle a classic TV show. But I must say that I was very impressed with this movie, which had the right balance of paying homage to the original series and providing enough updates to satisfy the younger generation.
Steve Carell takes on the late Don Adams' famous role as Maxwell Smart (aka Agent 86), a secret agent who works for the good guy organization CONTROL that tries to put a stop to enemy forces working for KAOS. Alongside Max is his partner in fighting crime Agent 99, played by Anne Hathaway (filling the shoes of the lovely Barbara Feldon). As Head of CONTROL, Alan Arkin plays Chief, who is constantly exasperated by the clumsy attempts of Max to solve the latest case.
There is not much of a plot that goes beyond any of the episodes found in the original TV show, but I do like how the screenwriters handled old material. There are some nuances in writing Max as an analyst-turned-spy (the original Max was a spy from the start) but that doesn't take away from Carell's ability to play Smart the way Adams did. In the original series, Max was bumbling and dumb at times but he wasn't always that way and was resourceful enough to get the job done. This aspect of Max is not lost in the movie. Carell's version of Max is a little more book smart, but he still has that goofy yet competent persona leaving him at one moment ineptly utilizing the newest gadget but in the next instance subduing a KAOS agent through a combination of cleverness and physical strength. Carell successfully brings Maxwell Smart to life on screen without having to do an exact copy of Don Adams. The character of 99 is also updated into a hardcore butt-kicking agent (Feldon's 99 was tough but in a more toned-down way). Nevertheless, Hathaway still brings warmth and sensitivity to the character of 99. She doesn't fawn over Max the way Feldon's version did, but her attraction to Smart is still obvious to the viewer. Despite the big age gap between the two actors, Carell and Hathaway are believable when the story calls for romance. Along with their brilliant acting and strong chemistry comes many references to the TV show and some of the funniest scenes and wordplay that could only have been influenced by Mel Brooks.
Also, expect to find some other great performances by the supporting actors, especially Alan Arkin as Chief, who does the role justice the way the late Edward Platt did and an equally great performance by The Rock, who continues to prove his ability to entertain audiences on the big screen. Fans of the TV show will not be disappointed and a newer audience will grow to love Get Smart.
Bad Boys II (2003)
Not As Good As The Original
I must say that I was excited to see another Bad Boys movie because I am a loyal fan of the original movie, which I have seen countless times. After seeing this movie, I can say that I'm still a loyal fan of the original but I can't say the same for this one.
In the original movie, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence were both emerging stars coming from hit TV series and made history as two African-American actors co-starring in a buddy cop action comedy. Both of their characters were intelligent, cool, hilarious and tough cops that you wanted to emulate. The first movie brings you into the life of the smooth rich playboy yet dedicated supercop Mike Lowrey (Will Smith). Mike is bent on avenging the murder of an attractive friend and informant, who was killed by a French drug-lord, who has stolen evidence of heroin from the Miami PD. However, as the movie continues, the audience gets to learn more about Mike's edgy, less smooth but equally effective married partner Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), who becomes the center of the movie, attempting to put the drug case together by protecting the witness (who believes he's Mike) while trying to keep his family none-the-wiser about his new police assignment. By the end of the movie, both heroes save the day and Mike gets his justice on the main villain.
The sequel seems to follow the original eight years later but with a new twist. This movie begins by leading you into the personal conflict of Marcus Burnett, who is undergoing anger management and considering a break in his partnership with Mike in order to have a more peaceful and less stressful police career. However, as the movie progresses, it begins to center more on the supercop ways of Mike Lowrey, who is almost single-handedly trying to put a stop to an Ecstasy ring involving a Cuban drug-lord and a Russian buyer while at the same time trying to maintain a romance with Marcus' sexy sister, without his partner finding out about it. By the end of the movie, Mike, more or less, saves the day and gets the girl while Marcus gets back into the swing of the dirty world of cop work by finishing off the main antagonist in the final act.
Both movies have their charm but the dialogue and the realism of the first movie is lost in the sequel. The sequel relies on cheap gags to gross out and shock the audience and less on the witty improvisational skills of Smith and Lawrence. Plus, the characterization of the two lead cops is too different that you sometimes don't feel like you are watching a sequel but a completely different movie. In the first movie, both cops could be funny and serious. Here, the screenwriters seem to have Smith tightly drawn as the brash action hero, with little chance to show any vulnerability. While Lawrence gets a few dramatic moments, for most of the movie he is stuck playing the goofy comic sidekick. While some may find this contrast to be an effective formula for the buddy cop genre, unfortunately, this strict straight man-funny man routine takes away from the realistic aspects that made the first movie work. Overall, this movie has some great action, with intense shootouts and car chases but a better script with stronger characterization and a natural exchange of dialogue that focuses on the chemistry of the two actors would have made this a more worthy sequel.
Get Over It (2001)
Against Type Casting At Its Best
And yet we have another movie where a boy loves girl, girl loves boy back, girl gets bored with boy, boy gets dumped, girl finds another guy, and boy tries to win back the heart of girl until boy later falls for another girl in the process. This formula in teen movies has been played over and over again, so why waste your time watching another one?
What makes this movie different from others of this genre are the actors and seeing them perform roles that they have never done before and somehow pulling it off. First, we have Ben Foster, a name that immediately makes you think of all the socially awkward rejects and enraged psychos that he has played during his short career. Here, he gets to play a different role as the clueless basketball jock Berke Landers, who is desperately trying to win back his sexy ex-girlfriend Allison McAllister by entering into the school theatre production that she has chosen to take part in. Although a skeptical casting choice, Foster pulls off the role with the right amount of finesse, making Berke cool enough to see why a stunning beauty like Allison would fall for him while at the same time making him not so cool so we understand why Allison might have gotten bored with him (something teen idol Freddie Prinze, Jr. would have a hard time doing). With his right combination of average good looks, low-key charisma, and competitive attitude, Foster ultimately convinced me as the lovestruck teen protagonist.
Another against type performance is given by Kirsten Dunst. She plays Kelly Woods, the younger sister of Berke's best friend Felix, who is desperately trying to get the attention of Berke, who is too busy trying to woo his ex. Usually playing the sought-after, popular teen queen, Kirsten Dunst is now the under-appreciated, unnoticed girl, despite her everpresent attractiveness both on the outside and inside. Dunst gets to downplay her engaging screen presence in order to allow love object Foster to be the focus of the film and does so successfully.
In addition to the two leads, we have Colin Hanks, whose nerdy and studious characters in Roswell and Orange County are forgotten by his performance here as party animal and fellow jock Felix Woods, who is both helping Berke forget about Allison and keeping other guys from hitting on his kid sister. Hanks provides a lot of the comedy, channeling some of his father's zany comedic appeal from the early part of his career in the 1980s.
Meanwhile, we have Shane West and Sisqo playing away from their usual entertainment personas. Niceguy Shane West of Once and Again and Whatever It Takes plays the teen villain as Bentley "Striker" Scrumfeld, the British heartthrob and school's new theatre buff who "dazzles his way" into Allison's fancies. Singer Sisqo, who is known for his sexually-charged dance performances and seductive R&B lyrical vocals, plays the timid Dennis Wallace, another friend of Berke and basketball star trying to muster up the courage to ask out Kelly's friend Basin, played surprisingly sweet by Mila Kunis, an actress known for playing less friendly characters on screen. Added to the mix are Berke's hilariously liberal parents, played with comic delight by serious, dramatic actors Ed Begley, Jr. and Swoosie Kurtz.
The only other main character not cast against type is Dr. Desmond Forrest Oates, the egocentric drama coach trying to keep the play from being a total disaster. Dr. Oates is played unsurprisingly over-the-top by Martin Short, but unlike in most of his comedies, I found Short to be quite funny here.
Don't expect anything new or surprising in the storyline and don't expect the jokes to be too original, but do expect to be surprised by the actors playing the roles and enjoy their performances. If you follow this formula, you are in for a quite a treat.
From Justin to Kelly (2003)
Not That Bad
After seeing all of the negative reviews of this movie, I had to see for myself if From Justin to Kelly is as bad as people made it out to be. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised that I felt like I got my money's worth. But then again, I wasn't really expecting too much.
While this movie was supposed to be a musical, I felt like I was watching multiple music videos. But they were entertaining ones nonetheless. The dancing was well choreographed (especially the 'Wish Upon A Star'segment) and the singing was above average (of course Kelly Clarkson is the true star in this department). Every one of the six main characters shows remarkable talent.
As far as acting goes, the best performance comes from Justin Guarini, who gives his character a certain realistic quality whereas Kelly comes off a bit dramatic and everyone else appears too caricatured. Even so, the acting never gets any worse than what you might find in an episode of Saved By The Bell, so it won't ruin your enjoyment of the movie.
The story is simple but it works. Too much drama and plot would not work for the Spring Break setting, where everyone is just looking for some lovin'.
If you're still unsure about this movie, just take the risk and rent it. You might find yourself watching it several times before taking it back. Just keep that on the downlow :-)
Rebound (2005)
Okay But Could Have Been Better
I always felt that the problem with Martin Lawrence movies is that the scripts always limit all of the raunchiness and outrageous humor that makes Martin Lawrence funny. Bad Boys I is probably the only movie that parallels the comic potential that you can find in Lawrence's stand-up acts. Otherwise, the moviegoer will only see a fraction of the comedian's talent.
I walked into the theater expecting to see another terrible Martin Lawrence movie, but I was surprised that this film was somewhat enjoyable. Being rated PG, Rebound checks Lawrence's ability to offend through his usual graphic language, but Lawrence actually shows that he can be funny and gentle at the same time, relying on easygoing charm and witty dialogue to appease the audience. One of the prime examples of this is a scene where he is teaching a kid not to be a ball hog on the court. He makes his point in a way that is charming, smart, and funny. Another scene is where Lawrence plays a secondary character, a street preacher who gives the middle schoolers a pep talk before a big game. A similar scene was used in Blue Streak, but unlike in that movie, this scene works, mainly because the audience gets to see an unsuspecting, straight-laced Martin react to a more sketchier version of himself. It's a clever device that is guaranteed to generate some laughter. So why did I give this movie only five stars? The problem falls mainly with Rebound's poorly-written script.
Martin Lawrence stars as a once great college basketball coach, whose short temper causes him to be kicked out of the league. In order to redeem himself, he takes up a coaching job at his old middle school to prove to the NCBA that he is not only as good of a coach as he was in his prime but a charitable one as well. The school's team is a group of misfits that can never seem to score a single basket in any of the games they play. Will Lawrence bring the team to victory? While the premise is promising, the delivery is weak and lacking substance. Lawrence is supposed to be a Bobby Knight-type coach and seeing him throw tantrums in the Martin Lawrence style we all know and love would have been hilarious to see. But the problem is that we rarely see Lawrence carry this angry persona. In fact, his so-called emotional outburst appears accidental when he kicks a ball at the opposing team's mascot. Is this reason enough to expel him from the league? Aside from this err in the plot, the rest of the movie feels a bit rushed. Every time a scene begins to ascend in humor, it abruptly ends and goes onto another scene. As a result, Lawrence wins the trust of the middle schoolers too quickly, he brings the underdogs onto a winning streak too quickly, he decides that he loves coaching middle school too quickly. Plus, Lawrence wins the heart of one of the kid's mother ALL TOO QUICKLY! Better pacing along with a couple of twists would have made for a better film.
Aside from Lawrence's strong performance, Rebound's young cast delivers as well. The chemistry between Lawrence and the kids is great, and their characters are well-developed. However, the rest of the adult cast feels wasted. Patrick Warburton puts in a lot of energy in his performance but he doesn't have anyone to play off. Megan Mullally is hilarious as the sarcastic school principal but she seems to vanish halfway through the film. I felt that Rebound would have benefited from more interplay between her and Lawrence. Seeing these two wacky comedians bump heads would have been fun to see. Breckin Meyer does a decent job as Coach Roy's shrewd agent, but you get the feeling that he probably has something better to do. Wendy Raquel Robinson is a suitable love interest for Martin and does her job well. But as stated before, her character falls for Martin a little too fast to be truly believable. Sadly, Horatio Sanz is given very little to do.
Overall, this movie was decent and provided some great insights on learning to work with others cooperatively despite personal differences. Everything else feels a bit forced and redundant. Martin Lawrence proves that he has a superb screen presence and broad comic appeal but it will take more than this poorly written piece for him to rebound and get back into the game.
Bamboozled (2000)
What were they thinking?
I just saw this movie and I have two main problems with it?
1. Michael Rappaport: He was terribly miscast in this movie as a subvertly racist white executive. I've seen him in a lot of movies and he's the type of white guy that is so down that if he said the 'n' word around a group of black guys, he would probably be able to get away with it (I'm black, btw). The part would have been better played by someone like Mark-Paul Gosselaar or Matthew McConaughey, white guys who would be totally unconvincing if they tried to act "black". Rappaport is too convincing and that's the problem. The character was supposed to be oblivious to his own racism but clearly obvious to the audience. I didn't see Rappaport as a racist because he was too down.
2. The execution: The plot would have been better if Damon Wayan's character created a TV show that was not blatantly offensive but still controversial (kind of like the shows Martin, In Living Color, or Homeboys in Outer Space). Spike Lee insults the audience's intelligence by making a complete minstrel show that no person (black or white) with a conscience (and a brain) would find entertaining in the 21th century.
The only thing I liked was Damon Wayans and Savion Glover. Wayan's voice was grating but his acting was still good enough to carry the movie. Glover proved that he has other talents aside from tap dancing. This movie could have been an Oscar winner but the execution was completely off.
Indecent Proposal (1993)
Unconvincing
Nice premise but the execution was all wrong. Redford was neither likeable, charming, nor goodlooking enough to sweep Demi's character off her feet. All he had was money. Demi Moore, despite having a nice bod, was neither stunning nor intriguing enough for Redford to be so fixated on. And Harrelson was not insecure enough to be threatened by the Redford character. He goes into a jealous rage in the middle of the movie but there was not even the smallest signs of this jealousy earlier on. Give me a break. The only thing that saved this movie was the chemistry between Moore and Harrelson. You could tell that the characters loved each other, which made it even harder to believe that Moore could fall for the dull rich guy. If they actually showed the lovemaking scene or provided more scenes where the two were building a strong rapport, then maybe the audience could see the sparks. But there was none. Oliver Platt provides some good laughs but they seemed out of place for a movie that was supposed to be taken seriously. Billy Bob's cameo was enough comic relief. 4/10.