Filmsy - Movie Reviews Blog

New on DVD: Big Stan

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A few days ago I saw Rob Schneider promoting the DVD release of Big Stan on Chelsea Lately and with no real expectations set out to watch the prison comedy. Being a prison comedy I did expect a few laughs but was pleasantly surprised that it did make me chuckle more than I expected. What surprised me even more was that the action scenes were very decent – even interesting. Big Stan may not have made it to the big screen but it is actually enjoyable enough to watch on DVD.

Big Stan is about a con artist who, when he found out that he was going to prison, prepares by learning martial arts. Stan (Rob Schneider) is trained by “The Master” (David Carradine). When he arrives in prison he immediately sets out to make a reputation for himself and eventually becomes the big man in prison. He teaches fellow prisoners to co-exist in peace and thwarts the plans of the corrupt warden (Scott Wilson) to produce a bloody riot.

Though definitely not a deep movie it is worth watching if you are in the mood for something light-hearted. Rob Schneider’s attempt in action is also commendable with the scenes believable enough yet still managing to retain the humorous side each time. So if you’re looking for a few belly laughs this weekend go buy Big Stan settle down for an hour and a half of laughs.

Pink Panther 2: I Suggest You Watch Something Else

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I used to think that I did not really like “stupid” funny movies. That is, until I experienced Will Ferrell many years ago. I still can’t stop laughing just thinking about Talladega Nights. And there are many others too. Even Austin Powers makes me laugh. And I remember liking Pink Panther to a certain degree.

The sequel, Pink Panther 2, is something else, however. It just is not the same! I couldn’t believe how rehashed the concepts and lines were – and we are supposed to have fun? It just seems to me that the people behind Pink Panther 2 were trying too hard to make the audience laugh. And believe me, there is nothing worse than a comedian trying too hard. Oh wait, there is something worse – a group of comedians in a movie trying too hard!

To be honest, I was afraid that I had lost my sense of humor while watching the movie. I thought that perhaps, it was just me. But no, other viewers felt exactly the same way! Colin Covert of Star Tribune writes:

Ponzi schemes and lowbrow comedies may be the only parts of the U.S. economy that work. The skid mark that is “Paul Blart, Mall Cop” has scarcely been mopped up and now comes Steve Martin’s insufferably stupid “Pink Panther 2” (★ out of four stars, rated PG for some suggestive humor, brief mild language and action). Recycling bins have fresher content than this listless exercise in check-the-boxes moviemaking.

And as he said, “If you buy a ticket for this one, mon ami, le joke is on you.”

Yeah, the joke was on me…

Marley & Me: A Review

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Marley, the Dog from

Since I started talking about Marley & Me in the previous post, I thought that I might as well review it for this post. After all, the movie outgrossed a Brad Pitt movie on its day of release – there must be something to it, right? If you do not know it yet, the movie is based on the book written by John Grogan, a journalist who wrote about real life “adventures” with his family and dog named – you guessed it – Marley.

Owen Wilson plays John Grogan while Jennifer Aniston plays his wife. The movie starts off with the couple leaving Michigan for Florida, in an attempt to start a family. They are both journalists and work for two different papers – competitors at that.

The story sounds common enough, doesn’t it? What sets the movie apart from all the other releases on the same day?

I think that the “normalcy” of the story is what makes it so appealing to the average movie goer. Plus, you can’t really go wrong with a dog. Marley, after all, comes from the species that we all call “man’s bestfriend.” More than being a “dog story,” however, I really think that the plot, which revolves around family life and its complications, is what makes the movie a good one. It is not extraordinary. The truths set forth by the movie are things that we all encounter in our daily lives. And sometimes, that is what we are after when we watch movies. We want to know that we are not the only ones experiencing these things.

Easy viewing without the fantastic element, that’s what made the movie $14.8M on its first day.

Jennifer Aniston Comes Out On Top

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MOVIE-MARLEY

While many would argue that the issue is all about the films in question and not the marital affairs (or lack thereof) of the actors involved, there is no doubt that the two ideas cannot be separated in the case of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. These two had a highly publicized falling out when Brad Pitt wandered and ended up with Angelina Jolie. Jennifer Aniston was recently quoted as saying some not so happy things about the current couple.

At the end of the day, however, movie sales are what we are all about and it seems that Jennifer Aniston came out on top of this matter. The Christmas release of the two movies – Marley & Me and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, the former Jen’s while the latter Brad’s – has proven to be an unpredictable race. As it turns out, Marley & Me grossed at $14.8M, around $3M more than Benjamin Button.

Well I would have to say that this is a great Christmas present for the actress, who, despite releasing amicable words about the “competition,” is certainly harboring some secret hope that she could one up her ex this time around. Yeah, I am probably going out on a limb here by writing that but hey, she is human after all and any human being would harbor a desire of that sort, right?

All I can say is congratulations to Jen on the success of her Christmas release! Same to Brad Pitt, I guess.

Saudi Shows Movie In Public

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This post is not about a new movie or an old one. In fact, it is not really about a particular movie at all. It is simply a piece of news that I find amazing. Did you know that showing movies publicly in Saudi Arabia had been banned decades ago? Forgive my ignorance but I really did not know that! Hence, when I read the news that the people in Saudi Arabia were rejoicing and queuing up like anything just to watch a movie in the theatre, I was surprised – and that is an understatement! Here is a report by AFP:

They howled and clapped, munching popcorn while cheering the figures on the screen — a normal movie theatre scene elsewhere, but revolutionary in Saudi Arabia where films have not played publicly for decades.

Massive lines snaked out from the King Abdul Aziz Cultural Centre as Jeddah residents queued up to see the first feature film open to the public for 30 years, hoping the event heralded a big change in the ultra-conservative kingdom’s stinted cultural scene.

In what took hush-hush negotiations with senior political officials and the strict religious police, the Red Sea port of Jeddah and the nearby city of Taif allowed the Rotana entertainment group, owned by powerful Saudi tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, to put on its new comedy “Manahi” for nine days.
The result was overwhelming, the 1,200-seat hall hardly meeting the demand for the 15-riyal (four-dollar) tickets over more than a week.

This just goes to show that movies really do make a difference in people’s lives, don’t you think? Now I wonder if they will ever get around to showing movies from Hollywood anytime soon?