If you’re willing to deal with the pre-requisite fifties camp that comes along with this hyper energetic romance musical, then “The Girl Can’t Help It” is pretty much the lightning in the bottle that is the ethereal beauty of Jayne Mansfield. A classic story of the underdog pushed in to becoming a star, “The Girl Can’t Help It” is a wonky romance comedy that stars the immortal Mansfield as the innocent Jerri Jordan, a long leggy, busty, pouty, soft spoken gal seeking only happiness. Pushed in to becoming a star by her dictator soon to be husband Fats Murdock, he insists she become a big music star so he can have something to like about her. Aside from the fact she’s sweet, endearing, intelligent, can cook, is faithful, and insanely beautiful, he just wants to turn her in to a music star and live vicariously through her.
Tag Archives: Comedy
The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
So this is how far Ben Stiller has come in his years. He went from rather ingenious comedy in his old FOX show now starring in remakes of romance comedies that try to break free from the doldrums with over the top sex comedy, and utterly flat improv with his father who plays (surprise, surprise!) a wacky outspoken senior citizen. And trying to break from the conventions, he also pretty much dives head first in to them with endless montages set to forgettable pop rock, and there’s even a prat fall with a bad stunt double that the Farrelly brothers rely on when everything Stiller does fails to draw even the slightest of chuckles.
Sex Drive (2008)
That’s the thing I love about teen sex comedies, the sheer fantasy element where in the main character’s environment is filled with busty, skinny, hot girls in every single place imaginable. I mean they practically live in the Amazon for Christ sake. This is a world where even the frumpy best friend who secretly likes our protagonist is very good looking in spite of the makeup artists best efforts to make them look very plain and unattractive (it doesn’t work, Amanda Crews is mind blowing). You never see seventy year olds or obese women walking the halls of the mall our hero Ian works in, so naturally “Sex Drive” was a fun little comedy to sit through, because it honestly doesn’t try to be anything more than a high energy time waster.
Scream (1996)
When I first watched “Scream” back in 1996 I thought it was a masterpiece, a horror film filled with endless possibilities. But as I’ve gone on and managed to watch “Scream” again I’ve come to realize that Wes Craven played many people, and (whether I like it or not) the series he followed it with has been successful. “Scream” is just more of the same humdrum slasher fare that we’ve seen a billion times, except it’s served up with the deceit that we’re seeing something wholly original. What with the Ghost Face’s eerie facade and the atmospheric setting, “Scream” definitely has that illusion that what we’re laying our eyes on is something we’ve never seen before. In actuality we have, except Craven and writer Kevin Williamson never quite let on about it. “Scream” is a movie that never knows what it wants to be. Is it a murder mystery posing as a slasher film? Is it a horror comedy? Is it a spoof of slashers? Is it a loving satire? If it pretends to be an anti-slasher then why does it jump head first in to cliché slasher trappings in the final half of the film?
Cop Out (2010)
In spite of hating almost everything Kevin Smith has ever done, I’ve always given him the benefit of the doubt because he seems like a cool guy. But at the end of the day being a cool guy doesn’t mean you’re going to make a good movie, and “Cop Out” is proof of that. Being just a goon for hire this time, Smith has released quite possibly his worst movie to date, and the very fact that he’s continued to defend it just astounds me. I mean I’ve heard of directors defending their work, but a lemon is a lemon. “Cop Out” is a movie that had the chips stacked against it from the get go. This is not an original Smith production, and it has some of the worst casting of all time.
She's Out of My League (2010)
I am a big fan of underdog films like “She’s Out of My League.” Films like “Tao of Steve” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin” are the types of romance comedies that somehow touch down on the realism of romance and what types of men often feel what life is handing them. This doesn’t exactly stereotype men like all other romance films do, it instead depicts them as affectionate helpful individuals who have a special relationship with one another and Jim Field Smith never devalues the influence men have on one another. “She’s Out of My League” is depicted in the trailers as something of a sex comedy, but in reality it’s a very touching and down to Earth romance comedy that digs deep and explores the inner most emotions of the average male, the man who doesn’t feel like he’s worth much, even when there’s a golden opportunity standing in front of him.
Bugs Bunny's Easter Special (1953) (DVD)
So Easter is coming up and Warner is looking to celebrate that by releasing a small grouping of Easter themed DVD’s. One is a compilation of Bugs Bunny cartoons set to the theme of Easter! Normally I’d call this a lame repackaging in an attempt to gauge money in the spirit of the holiday, but I hate Easter and I love Bugs Bunny so nuts to you. Oddly enough this is actually a movie about Bugs Bunny. For some reason Granny is friends with the Easter Bunny. Sadly he’s very sick and can not deliver eggs to children, so Granny seeks out Bugs to fill in. Bugs can’t because he’s in the studio filming his latest movie and the ever reluctant hero as he is, decides to fill in for the real deal.