Double shot of comedy reviews! Kicking and Screaming+Hitchhikers Guide

What should I start with first? Well I will tell you this, one of these reviews people are going to hate me for. I mean, like "I hated Napoleon Dynamite" hate me...

Kicking and Screaming
Will Ferrell doing the kid thing again...and I can't complain

So I went to go see Kicking and Screaming this past weekend since I am a fan of Will Ferrell both on and off of Saturday Night Live. I loved his past couple films such as Old School, Elf, Anchorman, and I loved his cameo's in such movies as Starsky and Hutch. Now most of the movies I listed were either PG-13 or R, however in 2003 Ferrell hit it big with the family friendly Elf. How does his new family outing go? Well, keep reading...

Phil Weston(Ferrell) has never been a good athlete. His father, Buck(Robert Duvall), owns a chain of sporting good stores though and pushes Phil. Phil always feels as if he is living in his fathers shadow. He eventually get's married and has a son. However, on the same day his son is born, his father has a son with his new wife. Flash forward 10 years and we see that Phil's son is now on his father's soccer team. His father however trades his own grandson away to the worst team in the league, the Tigers. The Tiger's coach seemingly disappears and Phil volunteers to coach one game. He however catches the coaching bug as he wants to beest his father's team. Seeing that he basically sucks as a coach, Phil enlists the help of Hall of Famer, and Buck's next door neighbor, Mike Ditka. Mike get's Phil hooked on coffee and this is where most of the laugh's come from. They also get two very talented Italian butcher's apprentices to play on the team as well. As Phil starts to rely more on coffee, his "just have fun" attitude disappears and a new Phil is born. Basically your classic "come back from behind" sports story to say the least.

Some of the biggest laughs in this movie come from Ferrell interacting with the kids. One child in particular is to be mentioned. Beyong Sun is the adopted child of two soccer moms. I liked the joke associated with this since a lot of kids will not get it, unless they are really, really screwed up. Ferrell does show a little bit of edgy humor though with his interactions with Beyong Sun. My favorite line in the whole movie would have to be, while holding up littel Beyong Sun, Ferrell says "Everyone should get one of these, let's pass him around!"

In conclusion I would like to say that this movie is pretty good. Sure, you know everything that is going to happen and you'll root for them all along but Ferrell makes this movie. So go see it with your family and have a good time. Molly Shannon may have had a movie called this, but Will Ferrell is the true SUPERSTAR!!

Final Score
4/5


Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Mmm..yeah...is this supposed to be funny or something?

Mmmm, you feel that? That's one person running to my email bar to write me hate mail. I'm sorry but this movie just did not do it for me. No, I haven't read the books either. I am not a Douglas Adams purest by any means, I am simply just a guy who saw a movie that was based on a book that was based on a radio play that may have been based on a bar of soap.

The movie starts with Arthur(Martin Freeman) waking up to a construction crew outside his house. Turns out his house is going to be demolished. Coincidentally, the whole planet is set for demolition that very same day. Arthur's friend, Ford(Mos Def), informs him of this and decides that they should "hitch a ride" using some kind of intergalactic ring thing that is never fully explained. They eventually get off the planet before it goes boom and their adventure begins. They land on a Volgan ship and are arrested for trespassing. They are then some things and they are set to be ejected from a air lock. They get sent out the arilock and "hitch" another ride with a passing ship that happens to belong to the Galaxy President, Zaphod Beeblebrox(Sam Rockwell). They also hang out with the girl named Trillian(Zooey Deschanel), or Trisha depending on who is talking about her, who happens to have history on Earth with Arthur. Anywaym the one character I actually liked was Marvin the Paranoid Android(Played by Warwick Davis, voiced by Alan Rickman), who is basically a manically depressed robot. A lot of the humor in this was slapstick and stupid. There is some plot involving "the ultimate question" or something but I zoned out at that point. The ending was good with the tour of the construction site of a new Earth but that was about it.

So yeah, I didn't care for it. It's not the worst movie out there but it surely isn't the best. The CGI in this movie wasn't anything to brag about either. However the puppets were quite good and it's refreshing to see puppetts in films now days. As for a comedy, this one sucks. As for a sci fi flick, it's alright I guess. It might have been better if it didn't have such a limited appeal. I mean, I guess some of the jokes were universal but a lot of them just fell completely flat and were unfunny. Some of the gags were also done way too much. We get it, hitting somebody in the face might be funny. Unless you are die hard Hitchhikers fan, skip it. Wait for Star Wars to come out. I have a feeling that that will be money well spent..

Final Score
2/5

Wait, Wait, Wait, "House of Wax" actually turned out to be good?

House of Wax
Paris Hilton's attempt to make a movie without using nightvision


I honestly cannot believe I am about to give a postive review to a movie that I saw a trailer for and cringed. Besides, Paris though, it's actually a decent, fun movie. Read on for a further, indepth look at "House of Wax."

A group of friends decide that they want to go see some football game in some other town or something like that. I hate sports for the most part so seeing them killed off for such a stupid reason pleased me. Anyway, Wade(Jared Padelecki) and his girlfriend, Carly(Elisha Cuthbert), go along with this sprts thing and after some stuff at a restaurant involving Paris Hiltons character being pregnant, they decide to pull over and camp. Wade is mad though because Carly invited along her criminal brother, Nick(Chad Michael Murray). They are accompanied by slasher fodder, I mean friends, Dalton(Jon Abrahams) and Paige(Paris Hilton). It also has Robert Ri'chard in it from the Disney movie "Alley Cat's Strike" and the Nikelodeon series "My Cousin Skeeter." This is the third or fourth case of Disney people gone bad this year. Back to the movie though, the friends camp out and goof around until a strange truck comes out and just kind of stares at them. Everyone get's all creeped out and decide to go and investigate. It ends with Nick getting mad and throwing a beer bottle at the car after it won't leave, smashing the headlight. He's so hardcore... The next day they wake up, and natually, the girls have to pee or something. They decide to go and follow a smell they smell. Naturally, Elisha Cuthbert trips and lands hands first into animal remains. She sloshes about in intestines and such until her friend's come and help her out.

During this time Wade finds out, "Oh crap, my fanbelt broke overnight." Suspecting nothing, they go and talk to this weird dude with bad teeth who offers to give Wade and Carly a ride into a town to get a fanbelt. But this town hold's a secret, a waxy secret. At this point we are already about 35-40 minutes into the movie. The build up is a bit tiresome but the slow pacing pays off in the end. Wayde and Carly go around this town and don't find anybody so they decide the best plan of action would be to enter a creepy House of Wax. But don't worry, this is when the killing starts. And let me tell you, it made me cringe. Just when I thought I could handle just about anything thrown at me by a movie, this one goes and has me and the audience screaming at the screen. The friends eventually head back for Carly and Wade since they get caught in traffic for the game. (We also learn that they didn't have tickets in the first place and would have to scalp them which is pretty lame.) Naturally people are killed, people are captured, and Chad Michael Murray get's to be the hero. But it's what happens in the last hour that makes this movie cool. Ankle tendons are cut by industrials scissors, a tip of a finger is cut off by wire cutters, people are waxed alive, the required beheadings, and Paris Hilton get's a big ol' jagged pole through her head. Now, I may have just spoiled that for you, but I don't care. It's the reason I went to see this in the first place.

The last 15 minutes of this thing are incredible. As the killer is revealed, and the payback starts, the "House of Wax" starts melting due to a house fire. The wax house melting may sound lame but the fire effects give the effects for Hell in "Constantine" a run for their money. A lot of people are panning this movie off as if it supposed to be artistic or something. It's a freakin' slasher movie, not "Sound of Music." The kills are cool and this, along with "Amityville Horror," proves there is still a market for hard "R" movies. Yes, it's cliche to an extent, yes the people throw themselves head first into danger, yes the plot doesn't bring anything new to the table, but go check this one out, just don't expect it to be the second coming.

Final Score
4/5

"Family Guy" returns...but is it with a vengeance?

Family Guy Season 4 Premiere
Yep, it's back, and it hasn't skipped a beat.

Now, I saw this episode on Monday of last week because I am a dirty eye patch wearing internet scoundrel. Instead of posting my review early, I decided to post it now since the epsiode has aired for all to see. This was also to avoid spoiling any of the bits for anybody who doesn't have bit torrent. Aren't I a nice guy?

Anyway, the episode starts off in typical Family Guy fashion with Peter completely destroying FOX's credibility by making fun of all the shows that have been cancelled during the past 2-3 years, many of which were picked to replace Family Guy. We then get to the real meat of the episode with a subplot about Lois and Peter losing the spark in their marraige. They decide to go on a second honeymoon and leave Brian in charge of the kids. Stewie and Brian team up to look after Chris and Meg and wind up looking like an old married couple. Some of my favorite parts of the episode are Stewie/Brian related. Peter and Lois wind up wrecking the car in hilarious fashion and decide to pretend to be Mel Gibson to use his hotel suite since all the money was used for car repairs. Now, at this point in time everyone has made fun of the Passion. South Park did it, the Simpsons did it to an extent, but nobody took it a step further. Well, I can no longer say that as Family Guy did the best parody of the "Passion" and Mel Gibson. The last part of the episode consists of Peter trying to destroy the "Passion 2: Crucify This." That's about the sum of the episode though.

The cultural references run rampant through this episode and you can tell Seth MacFarland and company are truly glad to be back. My favorite bit of randomness would have to be the G.I. Joe parody that occurs after Chris is offered alcohol. "And knowing is half the battle! G.I. JOE!" Brings back lots of fond memories. The "Passion 2" trailer was also comedic gold and so was Mel Gibson. Stewie was also cool in this episode, but really, what else can you expect from Stewie?
So yeah, it's back, and some might say it's better than ever. I am one of those people. I definitely think Family Guy is going to be around for a long time this time. This is exactly what FOX needs since it's other shows aren't doing so well in the funny department. Welcome back Family Guy, and, you know, stick around this time.

Final Score
5/5