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Reviews
She's the Man (2006)
one of the best teen movies of the 00s
Not a lot of teen movies are good these days. Some are too predictable, some are way over-the-top, and others are just plain stupid. "She's the Man" may not be an Oscar worthy-good, but it's so funny and entertaining that even "teen movie"-snobs may find it engaging.
While the concept of modernizing a Shakespearean comedy is not everyone's cup of tea, the humor catches the audience very well. (The pizza scene in which Viola says to Monique "...and when I close my eyes, I see you for who you truly are, which is UGLY." is one of the best scenes in a teen movie.) Even the casting is good, and it is amazing how Amanda Bynes and James Kirk play eccentric brother and sister. They look very much alike, and they should be since it's very difficult to find actors who have almost the same facial structure and one of them has to disguise as the other.
But when the movie is increasingly good, then comes a bad conclusion. It may be a happy ending, but it is just uneasy to watch. Vinnie Jones and his annoying "British tough guy" persona is out of place, while the script suddenly becomes too lame and cheesy.
So far, this is Amanda Bynes' best performance and her fans have realized how awfully cute she could be as a boy. Anyone can enjoy this film, even to those who doesn't like "Mean Girls."
Curious George (2006)
very cute
"Curious George" is definitely one of the best (and cutest) animated film in this decade. Not only it is very friendly, but kids and adults can truly feel good while and after watching it.
Every character is lovable in the film and nobody's a villain (with the exception of Bloomsberry Junior). The animation is smooth and pleasing to the eyes. The soundtrack also appeals to all ages, which is important but often neglected since a lot of songs used in kiddie films are either pseudo-cool ("Pokemon" theme songs) or unappealing to the targeted generation (Lindsay Lohan's "The Parent Trap"). The story is cute and very engaging, minus the crass humor. Lastly, George is so lovable that you really want to cuddle him.
If you want a rent a good, child-friendly movie for your kid, this is definitely a safe choice. Your kid will get hooked, and so are you.
Muzhskoy sezon. Barkhatnaya revolyutsiya (2005)
what a mess
First and foremost, this is a movie with no sense at all. It's just a two-hour video about nothing. Just video clips about big time criminals that no one knows where does each scenario follow.
Second, the team-up between the two leads is boring. There's no action between the two guys. The antagonists are lame too. The leads are lame. The cop's wife and daughter are lame. The other cops are lame. Everyone's lame! Even the doctor is lame! Third, if the characters are lame, then the script should be lame too! Actually, it's the script that I like the most, even if it's not so good. The bastard cop is just corny and and I can't help but laugh. Other than that, nothing.
Lastly, the ending. I really don't understand this crap. We have seen drug trafficking, lame mafia bosses, the cop's suicidal family drama, a porn magazine and a scene involving an ugly crack head throwing his sissy hos in a pool... and then we see an Asian guy meditating and some ancient philosophical quote appeared in the ending that has something to do with life but has little to do with everything. What's with that? What is this film really about? Nothing! I don't know if the director was a film school kick-out, but I'm so sure this is so amateur film-making. Even a 13-year old film geek can make a better action film than this one.
Treasure Raiders (2007)
treasure raiders. yeah, right.
Hasn't everyone get tired of lame Hollywood films like this? Apparently, Hollywood produced an addition to their verrrrry long list of action films about Americans in Russia.
I guess the producers were brainstorming about what's next in action films and they were thinking, "Yeah. This is the 21st century. Russia is becoming cool, so let's not make a story about a dude who kill impoverished evil Russians. Just make them look cool." And then someone suggested, "Hey! I heard that people's into The Da Vinci Code and stuff, so let's say there are two cool guys, one is a professor and one is a racer, and then they are looking at a treasure that has a code in it." So they went to Russia to find good places to shoot the film, hired a special effects "expert", and to cut costs, they searched for so-so actors with low talent fees.
The result? A cheap, terrible and cliché-ridden "Treasure Raiders." See? This gotta be worse than any of Steven Segal's idiotic films. In fact, this gotta be one of the worst films about Mother Russia. Damn! I can't believe I've finished it!
Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
"Freddy Got Fingered" isn't for everyone, but at least it's a legend.
Tom Green, the comedian who defined "gross-out" comedy in the 1990s, went to star and direct the most controversial movie failure at the start of the millennium: "Freddy Got Fingered." The film centers about Gord Brody as he tries to fulfill his dreams as an animator while proving his family, especially his hard-leveled and unaffectionate father, that he is "all grown-up"-- although not without Green's trademark antics.
There's no denying that it is filled with misbehaving stunts, gore and bestiality. Due to the film's vomit-inducing nature, it has been widely lauded by movie critics and entertainment columnists alike. It was even nominated for 8 and won 5 Razzie Awards.
But before it gets another negative review, one must take a look again and watch it. One may find the scenes too gratuitous, while another may find it totally funny. Clearly, this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but both parties agree on this: it's original and sickeningly surreal, so sickeningly surreal that the film shouldn't be taken too seriously by conventional films critics like (who else?) Robert Ebert.
The film in itself defines the "gross-out" sub-genre of comedy even clearer than its precursors, and the fact that it was critically panned solidifies its gross status even more. And while it initially failed to receive fans, it has at least achieved something: that it takes "gross-out" comedy to a bit more lighthearted perspective. Most surrealistic movies (like those of the legendary Mexican director Luis Bunuel) take their philosophy that might be too heavy for the average audience, and others take it too superficially that it turns out to be boring and unnecessary. But Green incorporated the story and the stunts very well to suit his fans and the young audience, making the film more entertaining to watch, thus gaining a fan base and a cult status.
"Freddy Got Fingered" deserves a second look. While this isn't for cinematic snobs who take too much attention to the formulaic conventions of film-making, it is highly recommended for fans of Tom Green and the "gross-out" sub-genre, and those want a more extreme kind of entertainment. Besides, the film isn't made to receive an Oscar for Best Picture; rather it is meant to break the rules.