Welcome to the HOT August edition of
"At the Movies with tkt". It's HOT as Gershon
outside, so what better time to HEAD to the air
conditioned comfort of your local multiplex or the
comfort of your own home to watch a nice movie...
Scary Movie 2
Rated: R
CAST: Marlon Wayans, Shawn
Wayans, Tori Spelling
DIRECTOR: Keenan Ivory Wayans
What's It All About, Alfie?
The sequel to last year's comedy smash Scary Movie,
this installment follows most of the same group of
"teenagers" in parodies of famous horror films.
While the first film parodied films such as Scream
and I Know What You Did Last Summer, this one
parodies more classic films such as The Exorcist
and The Haunting.
My Two Cents
The first Scary Movie was non-stop hilarity from
start to finish. Scary Movie 2 starts out that
way, with the first 15 minutes being an uproariously
funny parody of The Exorcist. Unfortunately, the
movie is 90 minutes long. After the Exorcist
part (which, to be fair, includes an hilarious allusion
to "that unholy bitch Jerri from Survivor") is
over, there are only about 3 more funny lines in the
whole rest of the movie. Ironically, like the Scream
series that Scary Movie makes fun of, the second
one seems like it was put out too quickly, and therefore,
the second movie is MUCH less entertaining than the
first. There are entirely too many semen jokes (oh if I
had a nickle for every time I'd said that), and the gay
jokes involving Shawn Wayans' character are pretty much
the same ones from the first movie. Anna Faris as the
main Neve Campbell-type character is another problem. Her
non-existent personality wasn't as evident in the first
film, since the jokes were so funny you barely paid
attention to the actors, but with the subpar jokes, her
non-ability to carry a film is glaring.
Would I Buy This film on DVD?
"No". I own the first one, and watch it often,
but other than the first 15 minutes of this one, there is
no reason to ever watch it more than once. I'll probably
wait until it comes on Sh0wtime and tape the beginning.
My advice is to get the first Scary Movie and Repossessed
as a HOT Halloween comedy double feature. Overall, I give
this film 1 out of 5 FIREBALLS.
 Retro Pick
O' The Month
Superman
Rated: PG
CAST: Christopher Reeve,
Marlon Brando, Margot Kidder (including her teeth)
DIRECTOR: Richard Donner
What's It All About, Alfie?
The big screen star studded adaptation of the DC Comics
superhero legend. New DVD features a ton of extras and a
digitally remastered print.
My Two Cents
I cannot stress enough how good this film is. As comic
book movies go, this is the best by far, completely
eclipsing the Batman films. I've seen Superman
close to 100 times. From the first time I saw it at the
drive-in at the age of 3, until I watched it the last
time just last month, I loved it. The performances are
all excellent and the casting is perfect. Christopher
Reeve was a relative unknown when he was cast as the Man
of Steel, and the role of course defined his career. Even
now, I think of him as Superman. The new DVD features
screen tests of various actresses as Lois Lane (including
Stockard Channing, Leslie Ann Warren and Anne Archer),
and comparing them to Margot Kidder's, there's no
question why they chose Kidder. She IS Lois Lane, giving
the role just enough vulnerability while still remaining
relatively headstrong. And really, what girl wouldn't
want Superman to use his x-ray vision to see what color
underwear she's wearing (pink)? Gene Hackman as Lex
Luthor is excellent as well. The plot drags a little at
first, the most boring parts being while baby Superman is
in the spaceship on his way to earth, and when teen
Superman is learning all about the universe from his
birth father, Jor-El (who mentions that the
"lesson" will take 12 Earth years, it sometimes
seems like it's shown in real time). Yes, this movie was
made in 1977, and the "modern" Metropolis is
VERY dated, but if you can overlook the bell bottoms.
polyester and 70's cars, it would be pretty much the same
if it were filmed today.
Would I Buy This Film on DVD?
If you haven't already guessed, I already own it. The new
DVD edition of "Superman" is without question,
the best DVD ever released. The supplemental materials
are first rate, including restoring several "deleted
scenes". You can watch the scenes by themselves, or,
HOTter yet, the scenes are actually inserted into their
proper points in the film. Also included are the
aforementioned screen tests, "making of"
documentaries with recent interviews with the stars
(SHOCKINGLY including Marlon Brando, who turned down like
$69 trillion to appear in Superman 2), filmographies of
the main stars, music only track, and a couple of
different theatrical trailers. This DVD really does this
wonderful film justice, which is saying a lot. Buy it,
buy it now. In fact, buy the Superman 2 DVD
while you're at it. They were filmed at the same time and
it will make a nice 5 hour double feature. You can pass
on Superman 3 and the completely HORRID Superman
4: The Quest For Peace, and let's not even talk
about Supergirl. Overall, I give Superman
5 out of 5 THOME SIZED FIREBALLS because it is
SCORCHINGLY HOT.
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