Eddie Murphy’s career continues its downhill slope into oblivion with this bad and bland re-tread of “Mr. Mom.” Taking it’s cue from “Mr. Mom”, Charlie Hinton is fired from his job as an advertising exec when his department shuts down, and now he and his friend Phil are out of work and must stay home to take care of their children and are forced to be father’s again. But when they begin getting desperate to get back to work, they decide to market taking care of children and begin a daycare center despite the fact they have no real qualifications nor are they ever asked by the parents. In a skewed attempt they begin taking care of children and engage in various derivative scenes involving toilet humor, relying on children’s amusing qualities to draw laughter, and the usual falling over stuff for comedy.
Do I Have Your Attention?
Is your attention span lowering? Here’s a test: Take a book, a book you’re interested in reading, clear your schedule, and sit down in a quiet room to read it. If you can get through fifteen pages without stopping, without skimming, then you’re just fine, but if at the third page you’re sitting there thinking of other things, or decide to perform another task, there’s a great chance your attention span is lowering.
School of Rock (2003)
In this loving ode to rock and music, the always funny Jack Black stars as slacker and freeloader Dewey Finn, a passionate rock buff who is kicked out of his band after antics and attempts to hog the spotlight. Pressured by his roommate to make some money for his share of the rent, he’s threatened to get a job or be kicked out. He then poses as a substitute teacher to make the money and stumbles onto an elementary class of shy students with zero confidence and after witnessing their musical talents decides to form a band for the battle of the bands.
The Shape Of Things (2003)
Adam is an out of shape, meek, and nerdy security guard for the local college museum and sticks out like a sore thumb until he comes across Evelyn who is taking pictures of a sculpture. After the requisite reluctant warnings and arguments he grudgingly asks her out and she accepts taking a keen interest in him. Their relationship soon begins to blossom and Evelyn begins taking an eager and somewhat odd fascination with Adam. But as they’re relationship grows more, his friends begin noticing his increasing change in appearance and soon is forced to decide between Evelyn or his best friends. Neil Labute (who penned the original play, wrote the script, and directed) is best known for his cynical works in films like “Your Friends and Neighbors” and “In the Company of Men”, but I’d never seen a film of his before.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
I’m not a fan of romantic comedies, and these days they all seem to have something in common and it’s something that was never present in the classic romantic comedies: these days romantic comedies are incredibly bland. As bland as bland can be, so it was no surprise I entered this film with lower than low expectations. But I managed to actually be surprised at how entertaining and enjoyable this was to watch in its first half. First off, I’m in love with Kate Hudson, so it wasn’t a completely difficult time watching her in this film, and I actually laughed here and there. Hudson and McConaughey pull in two hilarious performances as two people who are attempting to outdo each other.
They (2002)
After psychology student Julia witnesses her friend’s suicide, she begins to notice the signs of an unholy entity stalking her. Now as rolling blackouts plague New York, she begins to be stalked by creatures that live in the shadows, “They”, now as her friends begin disappearing, she must search for a way to stop “They”, but are they real or figments of her mind and trauma? Continue reading
After Hours (1985)
Street Pickup: Why don’t you just go home?
Paul Hackett: Pal, I’ve been asking myself that all night.
Everybody knows “Taxi Driver”, everybody knows “Goodfellas”, everybody knows “Cape Fear”, but a little known film from legendary director Martin Scorsese that film buffs rarely ever talk about is Scorsese’s vastly under-appreciated 1985 dark comedy “After Hours”. This intriguing, funny, and sometimes mind-blowing film takes place in the grim lonely streets of downtown Manhattan where a workaday word processor named Paul Hackett meets a young girl at a cafe. The two spark up a conversation and he calls her trying to set up a date with her. Seeking a change from the monotony of his everyday routine, Paul travels downtown for a late night rendezvous with Marcy (Rosanna Arquette), a shy beautiful girl who seems innocent enough. What starts off as a gentle tale ends up as a horrifying nightmare.