[:.FLICKS.:] Pumpkin: Smashing or Pie?

I had never ever heard of this movie before catching it on MGM HD the other night.  Christina Ricci stars as the well-to-do sorority sister, Carolyn McDuffy.  McDuffy is seen as the sister that really holds the whole house together and the one that the other sisters respect.  Her boyfriend is tennis ace Kent Woodlands, played by Samuel Ball.  His character looks like he belongs on the team from Jocks.  Surprisingly his character actually has a lot of depth.  Anyway, let's talk about the title character, Pumpkin.  Jesse "Pumpkin" Romanoff is special.  Special as in mentally and physically challenged.  Although the majority of his challenges seem to be induced by his smothering widowed mother, who really wants her son to win the challenged games.  McDuffy's sorority decides to help mentor and coach the athletes of the challenged games.  Christina Ricci's character is paired with Pumpkin and at first Ricci can barely stand him staring and drooling at her.  However, things quickly change and a certain type of special relationship develops that puts Carolyn McDuffy at odds with Pumpkin's mother, her boyfriend, her entire sorority and her parents neighbors.  This one is definitely and odd one.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF:
You are a Christina Ricci fan, like dark romantic comedies or are bored and looking for something different

MOVIEWATCHER'S FORECAST:
MOVIEHOUSE: Inglorious Basterds, Gamer, Extract, The Goods
RECENTLY PICKED UP: Alfie, Alex & Emma, The Net, Closer, The Flamingo Kid, The Interpreter, Stuck on You (Half Priced Books was having a sale and my wife was sick, so I picked a bunch of budget titles up)

[:.FLICKS.:] G.I.Joe, A Real American Bad Movie?

G.I. Joe was the real American hero for boys and girls of past many generations and now in the great year of 2009, we get the live action installment of G.I.Joe.  I, myself have many a fond memory of watching the

cartoon movie.  I watched it over and over again.  I must have thought it was pretty boss.  I couldn't tell you what happened in it, due to not seeing it in so many years.  What I am trying to get at is that I have held a very special place in my heart for G.I.Joe.  And I will say that in my opinion, Paramount and Spyglass did not completely bastardize the franchise that I hold so dear.  With that being said, I did not have a lot of high expectations going into it due to a lot of bad reviews.  I was; however, thoroughly entertained by the movie and enjoyed all of the character flashbacks that helped piece together the plot and the relationships between the members of G.I.Joe and Cobra.  There are also witty one-liner references like "Kung Fu Grip" and "Knowing is Half the Battle" that prove as little inside jokes for those in the know of Joe.  I really expected for Marlon Wayans to be as bad as he was in that Dungeons and Dragons movie.  He was actually okay.  Channing Tatum as Duke seemed to play Channing Tatum playing Duke, which means he was just himself and some scenes seemed a little awkward and Paul Walkerish to me.  All in all, it has a good story that will keep you engaged...probably could have cut off about a half hour or so of the movie.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF:

You are a fan of G.I. Joe action figures and/or cartoon, can see it for less than the normal theater price (like I did) or rent it.

SPOILER:

If you didn't look it up on IMDB, Brendan Frasier is actually in this movie.

[:.FLICKS.:] I Now Know what a Baxter is

Apparently a Baxter is someone who is always the nice guy and who always ends up getting screwed over by the girl.  The cable was out in my neighborhood, so tonight seemed like a good enough time to watch The Baxter and I was pleasantly surprised.  I had no idea whatsoever that I would be treated with roles from Michael Ian Black, David Wain, Joe Lo Truglio and Paul Rudd.  The first three all being alumni of The State.  Anyway, the movie was a magnificent departure from the normal romantic comedy.  The awkwardness of Showalter's character, Elliot Sherman, is a little difficult to get used to and the plasticity of Elizabeth Banks' as the fiance makes her seem more like a prop that moves along the plot than an actual character.  I will have to say that I did enjoy the main antagonist's balls out style of alpha male dominance.  Justin Theroux, who I am not familiar with, is a treat as the ex-boyfriend, Bradley Lake.

I would recommend this movie to people who like independent films, fans of The State, fans of romantic comedies and fans of quirky odd underdogs (Michael Showalter and Michelle Williams).

MOVIEWATCHER FORECAST:

@MOVIEHOUSE: Inglorious Basterds (heard it was good from a friend), District 9 (heard it was good from my sister and her boyfriend)
@$5MOVIENITE: G.I. Joe (it's that or a footlong from Subway)
WIFE@MOVIEHOUSE: Post Grad (no one says it was good), Time Traveller's Wife (Eric Bana and Amy Adams have been in too many movies lately)
@LIVINGROOM: 17 Again (Redbox didn't have it)

[:.FLICKS.:] 'The Baxter' does not have price issues

Was at my local grocer and in the check out line on an end cap there was The Baxter with a price tag of $4.99.  I have never seen the movie.  I totally grabbed it right away.  Dude, it was sweet.  Reason I grabbed it was is that I really liked Michael Showalter from MTV's The State.  He can now be seen on Michael and Michael Have Issues which airs on Comedy Central.  I have not watched this yet.  Hopefully I will have some time soon. Oh, also the best part of this purchase was that when I used my Pick N'Save card I saved $2.50 and the already budget price of $4.99 and if you can do math....that came to a mere $2.49.  Maybe I should buy more DVDs from the grocery store.

MOVIES I WANT TO SEE:
@MOVIEHOUSE: Inglorious Basterds, District 9
WIFE@MOVIEHOUSE: Post grad
@LIVINGROOM: 17 Again (mostly for Tom Lennon's performance)

Battles from 04.01.08 and some from 03.31.08

04.01.2008









03.31.2008

Martin Lawrence, GO AWAY ALREADY!

Why oh why is there a Big Momma's House 2 movie coming out. Will someone stop writing checks to Martin Lawrence? He isn't worth anymore than what he was making when he was on his self-titled narcissistic show.

Now take the Bad Boys movies--we all know that Will Smith, a very versatile entertainer, carried his black ass through both of those movies. Sure, Martin works okay in these as comic relief but only in small doses.

Why am I ragging on Martin Lawrence? Well I think he is annoying and I wouldn't lose any sleep over never hearing his squeaky voice or some buttnugget trying to say, "Damn, Gina!" as a sad attempt at an impersonation. We know that certain voice can only have came from something that is evil.

I have not seen Big Momma's House and I do not plan on seeing Big Momma's House 2. I think Martin Lawrence is an ass clown. The only reason that a Big Momma's House 2 is coming out 6 years later, is that the original only cost some $30 million to make and grossed $117 million in profit. With the way the movie industry has been, I guess Fox thought it was a good time to go with a proven method no matter what deep dark evil they may release onto cold celluloid.

And...Black Knight?...National Security?...Rebound?...Did you see these movies? I didn't see them....not in the theatres....not on DVD...not...um...never...nope...never saw these. And it looks like most of America and the rest of the moviegoing world did not see them. There is some justice left. Hail Ritter Jamal!

Down to Earth is just a crappy racially updated Heaven Can Wait

So here I am watching Down to Earth on cable and I can't help but think what I stated in the aforementioned title. I did just recently catch Heaven Can Wait on TCM or AMC and couldn't stop watching it. It really is a good film for being from 1978 and Beatty does well as the football player turned millionaire. So far Chris Rock's character, Lance, has just turned from a down and out comedian into a fat billionaire...and the fine ass lady in the film digs the old guy. I can't buy that. Also, there are way too many jokes based on race that it gets in the way of the wholesome plot of the film. I will keep watching it but I can't promise myself that I will like it.