It seems lately, Reese Witherspoon is vying for the queen of romantic comedy throne since Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan have somewhat taken a departure over the past four years and I welcome her. Reese Witherspoon showed promise as an actress in critically acclaimed movies like “Highway”, and “Election” and starred in one of my favorites “Cruel Intentions”. She has a knack for the soft and mushy movies, never really taking anything that’s really deep and emotionally driven. She has a flair for acting and takes this character head on. Originally offered to Charlize Theron, Witherspoon makes her character very likeable and charming. The movie starts off with a weird opener setting the stages for the entire movie and then we fast forward into her adult years. I’m not one for watching “chick flicks” which is what this movie would be classified under, but this is rather charming.
Tag Archives: Comedy
The New Guy (2002)
Dizzy Harrison (D.J. Qualls) is an unpopular geek at Rock Creek High School and after an embarrassing accident with an erection, he decides to transfer schools but makes an oath to be a new man at his new school. He meets Luther (Eddie Griffith) a convict in a prison who decides to help him and teach him how to be cool and intimidate people, but can he pull it off when Rocky Creek students recognize him? “The New Guy” has barely any chuckles in it and has a ton of moments when you’re supposed to suspend logic and common sense. Why the character Dizzy would equate being a convict with popularity is beyond me.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
The story of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is basically the cookie cutter romance we see in all Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts movies. It offers the illusion of originality by bombarding audiences with Greek stereotypes, but really clings to the formulaic romance comedy. Nia Vardalos is at least likable as the desperate and lonely Toula who feels pressure to get married by her parents and entire family. She’s the underdog who comes through in the end and that’s what helps this movie become likable. What ultimately drags this movie down is the pacing of the story.
Final Destination 2 (2002)
I’m a self-confessed hardcore horror addict, and I really liked the original movie which came onto the screens with a lot of mixed reviews, but managed to keep me thrilled. I wasn’t surprised there would be a sequel and wasn’t expecting much but got more than I bargained for. There’s barely any stars in the movie which makes it more believable when the characters die in their awfully gruesome deaths and there’s plenty of gruesome deaths to go around. From a ladder through the eyes, to being crushed by glass, to being spliced by a wire fence, there’s a lot of gory painful deaths shown in this movie, and the director doesn’t hold back.
Bad Company (2002)
There’s a problem I have with this movie that I think the filmmakers over at Jerry Bruckheimer’s company can never fix: Keeping this movie from being made. If I could turn back time and prevent this disaster, it would make my life a lot more complete. Folks, this is probably one of the worst films I have ever seen in years, a travesty of filmmaking that drags on for two hours like Chinese water torture and never eases up. The screenplay by Jason Richman and Michael Browning is ridiculous because we have a spy, who is good, he dies, and what? You mean he has a twin brother? How convenient.
The Sweetest Thing (2002)
The only reason I decided to watch this film was Cameron Diaz, because of the fact that every movie she’s in, she plays a likeable character. She’s likeable even in the putrid “Charlie’s Angels”. So, in the movie her character is very loveable and charming while being sexy and seductive. The rest of the supporting cast is very good and enjoyable characters; especially Selma Blair who, though under-used, is a very funny and quirky character. The problem with this is that, the movie plays out into a row of constant painfully unfunny and unrelated comedy skits starring all the characters.
Ice Age (2002)
I was very skeptical about watching this at first. Usually, animated movies rarely ever keep me entertained, but this one certainly surprised me. I was in tears laughing as I watched these great characters go on a wacky mission to take this baby home. The banter between the three is top notch as they all give great dialogue along with excellent character depth. At one point, the threesome must take on a herd of karate fighting Dodo birds as they try to get the baby a melon to eat. In a sequence that had me practically falling to the floor laughing, the movie spoofs sports flicks as Sid must tackle Dodo’s in his path in slow-motion. I don’t want to give a lot away, but suffice to say, I could barely stop laughing.