Van Helsing "I'm actually going to recommend you see this movie. It's just that funny. This is bound to become something of a cult classic in which college students settle around a TV to see who can remember the most bad lines. Now, if you got the idea that this was an action film from the trailers, just stop right there. If you go in with that attitude you're bound to be disappointed. Think humor and you'll be just fine..." (full review) Laws of Attraction "Need a reminder why star power is so important? Watch "Laws of Attraction" and witness how Pierce Brosnan and especially Julianne Moore hold up this painfully erratic lawyer bonanza. The narrative and the direction don't quite know what to do or where to go, but watching these two class actors banter, smooch, and, in Moore's case, outright glow, is almost enough to recommend this disappointing screwball comedy..." (full review) Godsend "Godsend is not a bad film, it follows a strong film logic to an effectively creepy and believable conclusion. Keep in mind film logic is different from real logic. Film logic means that the film establishes it's own kind of logic and sticks to it. From that perspective, the film is consistent up until its poor choice of ending. See Godsend for Kinnear and the low-tech horror atmosphere that works without any CGI trickery, something most films can't resist..." (full review) Supersize Me "Super Size Me is essentially the perfect documentary: it keeps the audience engaged and intrigued, while offering up a hefty dose of information on an important subject. And that Spurlock was able to keep going despite almost insurmountable obstacles - including some serious damage to his liver and kidneys, and the fact that his girlfriend's a vegan - is surely a testament to his passion towards the subject..." (full review) Millions "High points would have to be the two main leads that are stars in the making, they gel this film together and make you care. Low point would have to be the second act that lacks the impact of the start and finish. One to watch though as it has a Christmas release this year, and with the right campaign it could be on everyone's alternative wish list when the big guns have fired this festive season..." (full review) Saved! "Over the last few months, there has been a new wave of worldwide interest in Christ because of Mel Gibson's The Passion... Saved! feels like a backlash -- a picture of how many people in Hollywood view evangelical believers. At least one of the plot points may convict believers -- those who choose to spread gossip via prayer requests. Don't count on much more of Saved! to point out your sin -- its characters are mostly too broad to believe or identify with..." (full review) Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius "As a portrait of golfing legend Bobby Jones, "Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius" only holds interest when directly detailing the hardships of Jones's breathtaking career on the links. When the film downshifts into his domestic life, the film drops dead immediately, making for an uneven and frustrating filmgoing experience..." (full review) Mean Girls by 'Gaug' When it comes to teen movies, for every "American Pie", we recieve duds like "Boys & Girls", "Van Wilder", "Girl Next Door". The problem mainly lies on the writers just being too far out of touch with the teenage/college crowd that they rely on cookie-cutter cliches. But with "Mean Girls", Saturday Night Live head writer Tina Fey show that she remembers high school better than any writer who has tried in the past few years. She doesn't necessarily re-invent the wheel of teen movies because, like many Hollywood high school films, this high school is unlike your average high school where the kids hang out everywhere on the property and some cliches still exist especially with the cliques. Regardless, the movie captures the cruelness of popular girls that only classics such as "Heathers" and "Election" have captured. The basic story is Lindsey Lohan plays Cady, a girl who is experiencing high school for the first time since being home-schooled in Africa for the better part of her life. The first couple days she is exposed to the many cliques of high school, all portrayed humorously, and most importantly to The Plastics. The Plastics are the 3 most popular girls in thier high school and are also, not surprisingly, very cruel and devious. After Cady witnesses the "Queen Bee" of The Plastics make out with a guy she has a crush on, she decides to take revenge by pretending to be one of them but, ultimately, becomes one of them. Lindsey Lohan proves that she has the acting chops by playing her role with the energy and comic timing that the script requires. All three actresses play the roles of The Plastics with the biting cruelness and naive stupidity of many girls that I knew in high school and aren't just going through the 'teen comedy film' motions. Appearances from SNL-alumni Ana Gasteyer and Tim Meadows are given good performances for such small bit parts and even Tina Fey turns a good performance as a luckless Math teacher. The script, being Fey's first, is a great start for what looks like a promising career for a bright young writer. But it still has ruts. The movie is so funny in it's first half hour that it seems to lag a bit during its uneven middle, but evens out in the somewhat predictable ending. It is much more a hit than a miss when it comes to comedy even if it does contain a few overused cliches and the beat-to-death "I must have ESPN" joke. It does not take itself too seriously nor does it feel too unrealistic and doesn't insult it's audience's intelligence with overly outlandish, stupid characters. It's the happy medium between "Election" and "The Breakfast Club" and should connect very well with the High School/College crowd or anyone that remembers the cruel bitch that was the dark side of high school.
Reader Reviews: April 24th-28th 2004
By Garth Franklin
Wednesday April 28th 2004 06:12PM
- "Lovely," "Wolfman," "Kites" Re-Cut
- TV News: Dr. Who, Vampire Diaries, Trauma
- Oscar Short Films List Announced
- "New Moon" Scores $140M Opening Weekend
- Spielberg, King Go "Under the Dome"
- Dustin Hoffman Out Of "Fockers"
- Thurman, Scott Thomas Join "Bel Ami"
- Wasikowska, Fassbender Join "Jane Eyre"
- Idris Elba Joins "Thor" Cast
- Universal Releases "Kick-Ass" Globally
- Mike White Pens "Santa Wars" Comedy
- Fessenden Not Directing "Orphanage" Remake
- Warners Develops Marine Dog Tale "Nubs"
- Brad Pitt Fills A "Dark Void"
- "Shield" Scribe Pens Fourth "Underworld"
- TV News: Lost, Bill Maher, Oprah
- "American Gladiators" Movie Planned
- NBC's "Chuck" Return Date/Time Set
- Garth's Review: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon"
- Interview: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side"
- Oscars Select Doco Feature Short List
- Sam Worthington Commits A "Crime"
- Murphy Terrorized By A "Caller"
- Lynch Develops Meditation Founder Doco
- Voice Cast Announced For "Guardians"
- Tait, Todd, Kirkland Die "One By One"
- Eddie Murphy Gets Naughty In "Fluffy"
- Simon Baker Takes A Surfing "Breath"
- Angryfilms Picks Up A "Cycler"
- di Bonaventura Producing "Nicholas Flamel"
- Adams, Levy Celebrate "Best Days"?
- Mandalay Picks Up "Unthinkable" Rights
- "Agora" Gets 2010 U.S. Release
- "Precious" Director Takes On "Selma"
- Rinsch Helms "Ronin" Not "Alien"
- McKidd Talks "Call of Duty", "Rome"
- Jennifer Hudson Joins "Winnie" Biopic
- Justin Theroux Heads Into "Space"
- Goldfinger's Connery & Bassey Reunite
- Eric Dane Dances To "Burlesque"
- "New Moon" Scores $140M Opening Weekend
- Spielberg, King Go "Under the Dome"
- Dustin Hoffman Out Of "Fockers"
- Idris Elba Joins "Thor" Cast
- TV News: Lost, Bill Maher, Oprah
- Brad Pitt Fills A "Dark Void"
- Universal Releases "Kick-Ass" Globally
- Mike White Pens "Santa Wars" Comedy
- "Shield" Scribe Pens Fourth "Underworld"
- "American Gladiators" Movie Planned
- Garth's Review: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon"
- Thurman, Scott Thomas Join "Bel Ami"
- Wasikowska, Fassbender Join "Jane Eyre"
- NBC's "Chuck" Return Date/Time Set
- Fessenden Not Directing "Orphanage" Remake
- Eddie Murphy Gets Naughty In "Fluffy"
- Sam Worthington Commits A "Crime"
- Voice Cast Announced For "Guardians"
- Warners Develops Marine Dog Tale "Nubs"
- Murphy Terrorized By A "Caller"
- Tait, Todd, Kirkland Die "One By One"
- Lynch Develops Meditation Founder Doco
- UA Wants To Date "Teenage Girls"
- Oscars Select Doco Feature Short List
- Angryfilms Picks Up A "Cycler"
- Interview: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side"
- No McAdams In "Spider-Man 4"
- TV News: Prisoner, Burn, V, Delta
- Adams, Levy Celebrate "Best Days"?
- McKidd Talks "Call of Duty", "Rome"
- di Bonaventura Producing "Nicholas Flamel"
- "Nemo" Canned, Marshall Helms "Pirates"
- Brian Cox Goes Short For "Hobbit"?
- Simon Baker Takes A Surfing "Breath"
- "Doctor Who" & "Torchwood" Updates
- Rinsch Helms "Ronin" Not "Alien"
- "Agora" Gets 2010 U.S. Release
- Mandalay Picks Up "Unthinkable" Rights
- Bichir Joins "Hidalgo" & "Scarface"
- Goldfinger's Connery & Bassey Reunite
- "Lovely," "Wolfman," "Kites" Re-Cut
- TV News: Dr. Who, Vampire Diaries, Trauma
- "New Moon" Scores $140M Opening Weekend
- Spielberg, King Go "Under the Dome"
- Thurman, Scott Thomas Join "Bel Ami"
- TV News: Lost, Bill Maher, Oprah
- NBC's "Chuck" Return Date/Time Set
- Garth's Review: "The Twilight Saga: New Moon"
- Interview: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side"
- Oscars Select Doco Feature Short List
- Sam Worthington Commits A "Crime"
- Voice Cast Announced For "Guardians"
- "Agora" Gets 2010 U.S. Release
- Rinsch Helms "Ronin" Not "Alien"
- McKidd Talks "Call of Duty", "Rome"
- Goldfinger's Connery & Bassey Reunite
- Murphy, Stiles, Carbonell, Worthington Talk
- TV News: Prisoner, Burn, V, Delta
- Townsend, Stevenson, Asano Join "Thor"?
- No McAdams In "Spider-Man 4"
- "Nemo" Canned, Marshall Helms "Pirates"
- Joe Wright In Talks For Focus' "Hanna"
- "New Moon" Tops Pre-Ticket Sales
- "Doctor Who" & "Torchwood" Updates
- Gambon, Pearce, Jacobi Join "Speech"
- "Thor" Production Sets Its Dates
- Franco Soap Stint Helps Next Film
- TV News: Angels, Smallville, Rex, Chuck
- Release Changes: November 13th 2009
- First Trailer For Sandler's "Grown Ups"
