Movie Review Black Los Angeles

BlackNLA Movie Reviews

*****THE REEL DEAL: Reviewz from the Street*****

by Edwardo Jackson

BIASES: Early 30s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare

WEEKEND PREVIEW: 2/9/07

A few capsules for movies out or coming out this weekend and beyond…

NORBIT (PG-13)
Biases: Great, sweet-natured and hopeful trailer.
Players: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Cuba Gooding, Jr., director Brian Robbins

Logline: Glasses-wearing, perpetually smiling, four corners-square Norbit Rice (Murphy) - who's constantly pushed around by his overbearing, lifelong girlfriend-cum-wife Rasputia (Murphy) - sees his onetime childhood sweetheart Kate (Newton) come back to town newly engaged to the devious Deion (Gooding). With his outrageous and jealous wife hawking his every move, Norbit tries not to fall for Kate
all over again, even though Rasputia and her big brothers (Terry Crews, Lester "Rasta" Speight, Clifton Powell) aren't being entirely honest with him.

The Deal: Pulling Brian Robbins (Hardball, Varsity Blues) along for the ride in his well-mined comic territory, Eddie Murphy returns to genderbending, plasticine form, playing three wildly differing characters with the pizzazz and polish we've come to expect from him in the past. Whether as racist, well-intentioned father figure Mr.
Wong, genial, spineless orphan Norbit, or as the, shall we say "zaftig" Rasputia, Murphy induces genuine laugh out loud hilarity, even in spite of some rough spots. Not only does Eddie imbue Norbit with an underdog's sympathy, but also he gives the inside-out grotesquerie of Rasputia a believable (if horrifying) backstory (and a
film-long catchphrase that'll be terrorizing you in your sleep). Backing him up are the contrastingly perfect slim goodie Thandie Newton, Terry Crews in greased up, full-on Terry Tate, Office Linebacker mode, plus Eddie Griffin and Katt Williams as – what else? – the town pimps (every town's got two, right?).

"She's like my dad's wife." So quoth my screening partner with chagrin as Murphy's latest Rick Baker makeup creation Rasputia terrorizes the screen and your funnybone. Whether you or I know people like this personally is debatable. This much is not up to debate: Rasputia is a grotesque figure. She's mean, adulterous, selfish, violent, cruel to animals – a genuine marital "Rocky Horror Picture Show." But with her over-the-top, bed-smashing, "How YOU doin'?!?" attitude, "she" is an
Eddie Murphy creation, as much as any other in Eddie's body morphing in "The Nutty Professors," "Coming to America," etc. The fact that people are actually calling on a BOYCOTT of this movie due to its "offensive portrayal of black women" is more than a little beyond belief (seriously, Najee Ali – aren't there more pressing issues to protest like, oh, I don't know, AIDS in the black community, the war
in Iraq, "Flavor of Love" not being nominated for an Image Award – anything?!). If we're going to start persecuting performers for dressing in drag, start with Martin Lawrence for not being funny TWICE in "Big Momma Houses" or Tyler Perry for frying panning us to the face with Madea the past two springs. "Norbit" is a VERY broad comedy that in no way aims to oppress the black community any more than humorless, self-righteous "community" activists who inflict their use of the race
card anytime a camera's red light isn't on in their direction. Have a sense of humor or stay home. How YOU doin'?!?
@@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot)

MUSIC AND LYRICS (PG-13) *opens 2/14
Biases: Cute trailer, cuter cast.
Players: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, writer/director Marc Lawrence

Logline: Washed up '80s pop star Alex Fletcher (Grant) of the super group called, well, Pop! has to churn out a hit song in less than a week for spiritually centered sexpop diva of the moment Cora (Haley Bennett) and he can only seem to get it together with the help of his hypochondriac "plant lady" Sophie (Barrymore), a woman with "no filtering system" who turns out to be a lyrical savant.

The Deal: Romantic comedies aren't a lost art – they're an overly done, hackneyed art that is as predictable as a James Bond movie. However, when done WELL (or at least competently in the case of "Lyrics") they are like, well, "Music" to your eyes. Still boyish at fortysomething, Hugh Grant does his stammering, witty, English charmer thing while Drew does her flirty, nutty, eye fluttery thing; they make quite a comely couple. His Alex is a pandering sellout reduced to performing at state fairs and amusement parks; her Sophie is a strawberry blonde, creatively tortured mess of deferred ambition who's such a natural lyricist, Alex calls her "Cole Porter in panties." These are two people who clearly need each other, and the Rom-Com Gods shall be satisfied. "Lyrics" hits all the rom-com notes in pleasantly
predictable fashion like the perfect Valentine's Day movie it is (observe its release date). Reliably loony, Barrymore is irresistible, exploiting her girl-next-door…humidity (it's never quite "hotness") to maximum effect. Still boyish at fortysomething, Grant, who's just on the edge of smarmy even when he's charm-y, endears as a fossilized, last-grasp-for-stardom hanger-on from the "I want my MTV!" generation. With a fairly conflict-free plot and the able hands of romantic comedy
vet Lawrence (Miss Congeniality), there is no doubt that Alex and Sophie will make beautiful music (and lyrics) together in a very PG-13, feelgood way with all the emotional and cinematic resonance of a pop song. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
@@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot)

CATCH & RELEASE (PG-13)
Biases: Garner's on The Wall.
Players: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Kevin Smith, writer/director Susannah Grant

Logline: After Gray's (Jennifer) fiancée dies right before their wedding, she moves in with his friends, learning and adapting to some shocking secrets about him in absentia while dealing with an odd attraction to his seemingly shallow, philandering best friend Fritz (Olyphant).

The Deal: Plucky perfection as usual, Sydney Brist – er, Jennifer Garner plows straight ahead with high cheekboned optimism through this touchy-feely, emotionally complicated romantic dramedy set against a literal and figurative backdrop of fly fishing (hence the title, and its Boulder, CO setting). This movie is subtle, nuanced, bittersweet, grown – definitely not for your annoying, talky teenagers who giggle during lovemaking scenes or those involving moral complexity. Grant, writer of "Erin Brockovich" making her directorial debut, creates one of the most embarrassing meet-cutes in history in a script that also contains a hilariously disgusting organic-themed dinner filled with confession and comedy. Mix in a plays-this-a-little-too-well flighty Juliette Lewis as an aura-based masseuse, a roly-poly, eat-o-matic Kevin Smith as one of the friends, and the toothy, slightly oily but
ultimately worthy Olyphant as Fritz and you have an off-center, charmer of a little movie that's hard to market in these sensory overloaded times. Despite the HOLLOW claim by a reader that I "give everything three mics" (ahem, that's REELS to you), "Catch & Release" gets…
@@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot)

Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's
talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel
Deal!) Email him at ReelReviewz@aol.com!

Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA,
(Villard/Random House), a writer for BlackNLA.com,
UrbanFilmPremiere.com, AllHipHop.com, and an LA-based screenwriter.
Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com where his new novel I DO?
is available NOW.




			BlackNLA Movie Reviews ***THE REEL DEAL: Reviewz from the Street* by Edwardo Jackson BIASES: Early 30s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare WEEKEND PREVIEW: 2/9/07 A few capsules for movies out or coming out this weekend and beyond… NORBIT (PG-13) Biases: Great, sweet-natured and hopeful trailer. Players: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Cuba Gooding, Jr., director Brian Robbins Logline: Glasses-wearing, perpetually smiling, four corners-square Norbit Rice (Murphy) - who's constantly pushed around by his overbearing, lifelong girlfriend-cum-wife Rasputia (Murphy) - sees his onetime childhood sweetheart Kate (Newton) come back to town newly engaged to the devious Deion (Gooding). With his outrageous and jealous wife hawking his every move, Norbit tries not to fall for Kate all over again, even though Rasputia and her big brothers (Terry Crews, Lester "Rasta" Speight, Clifton Powell) aren't being entirely honest with him. The Deal: Pulling Brian Robbins (Hardball, Varsity Blues) along for the ride in his well-mined comic territory, Eddie Murphy returns to genderbending, plasticine form, playing three wildly differing characters with the pizzazz and polish we've come to expect from him in the past. Whether as racist, well-intentioned father figure Mr. Wong, genial, spineless orphan Norbit, or as the, shall we say "zaftig" Rasputia, Murphy induces genuine laugh out loud hilarity, even in spite of some rough spots. Not only does Eddie imbue Norbit with an underdog's sympathy, but also he gives the inside-out grotesquerie of Rasputia a believable (if horrifying) backstory (and a film-long catchphrase that'll be terrorizing you in your sleep). Backing him up are the contrastingly perfect slim goodie Thandie Newton, Terry Crews in greased up, full-on Terry Tate, Office Linebacker mode, plus Eddie Griffin and Katt Williams as – what else? – the town pimps (every town's got two, right?). "She's like my dad's wife." So quoth my screening partner with chagrin as Murphy's latest Rick Baker makeup creation Rasputia terrorizes the screen and your funnybone. Whether you or I know people like this personally is debatable. This much is not up to debate: Rasputia is a grotesque figure. She's mean, adulterous, selfish, violent, cruel to animals – a genuine marital "Rocky Horror Picture Show." But with her over-the-top, bed-smashing, "How YOU doin'?!?" attitude, "she" is an Eddie Murphy creation, as much as any other in Eddie's body morphing in "The Nutty Professors," "Coming to America," etc. The fact that people are actually calling on a BOYCOTT of this movie due to its "offensive portrayal of black women" is more than a little beyond belief (seriously, Najee Ali – aren't there more pressing issues to protest like, oh, I don't know, AIDS in the black community, the war in Iraq, "Flavor of Love" not being nominated for an Image Award – anything?!). If we're going to start persecuting performers for dressing in drag, start with Martin Lawrence for not being funny TWICE in "Big Momma Houses" or Tyler Perry for frying panning us to the face with Madea the past two springs. "Norbit" is a VERY broad comedy that in no way aims to oppress the black community any more than humorless, self-righteous "community" activists who inflict their use of the race card anytime a camera's red light isn't on in their direction. Have a sense of humor or stay home. How YOU doin'?!? @@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot) MUSIC AND LYRICS (PG-13) opens 2/14* Biases: Cute trailer, cuter cast. Players: Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, writer/director Marc Lawrence Logline: Washed up '80s pop star Alex Fletcher (Grant) of the super group called, well, Pop! has to churn out a hit song in less than a week for spiritually centered sexpop diva of the moment Cora (Haley Bennett) and he can only seem to get it together with the help of his hypochondriac "plant lady" Sophie (Barrymore), a woman with "no filtering system" who turns out to be a lyrical savant. The Deal: Romantic comedies aren't a lost art – they're an overly done, hackneyed art that is as predictable as a James Bond movie. However, when done WELL (or at least competently in the case of "Lyrics") they are like, well, "Music" to your eyes. Still boyish at fortysomething, Hugh Grant does his stammering, witty, English charmer thing while Drew does her flirty, nutty, eye fluttery thing; they make quite a comely couple. His Alex is a pandering sellout reduced to performing at state fairs and amusement parks; her Sophie is a strawberry blonde, creatively tortured mess of deferred ambition who's such a natural lyricist, Alex calls her "Cole Porter in panties." These are two people who clearly need each other, and the Rom-Com Gods shall be satisfied. "Lyrics" hits all the rom-com notes in pleasantly predictable fashion like the perfect Valentine's Day movie it is (observe its release date). Reliably loony, Barrymore is irresistible, exploiting her girl-next-door…humidity (it's never quite "hotness") to maximum effect. Still boyish at fortysomething, Grant, who's just on the edge of smarmy even when he's charm-y, endears as a fossilized, last-grasp-for-stardom hanger-on from the "I want my MTV!" generation. With a fairly conflict-free plot and the able hands of romantic comedy vet Lawrence (Miss Congeniality), there is no doubt that Alex and Sophie will make beautiful music (and lyrics) together in a very PG-13, feelgood way with all the emotional and cinematic resonance of a pop song. Not that there's anything wrong with that. @@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot) CATCH & RELEASE (PG-13) Biases: Garner's on The Wall. Players: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Kevin Smith, writer/director Susannah Grant Logline: After Gray's (Jennifer) fiancée dies right before their wedding, she moves in with his friends, learning and adapting to some shocking secrets about him in absentia while dealing with an odd attraction to his seemingly shallow, philandering best friend Fritz (Olyphant). The Deal: Plucky perfection as usual, Sydney Brist – er, Jennifer Garner plows straight ahead with high cheekboned optimism through this touchy-feely, emotionally complicated romantic dramedy set against a literal and figurative backdrop of fly fishing (hence the title, and its Boulder, CO setting). This movie is subtle, nuanced, bittersweet, grown – definitely not for your annoying, talky teenagers who giggle during lovemaking scenes or those involving moral complexity. Grant, writer of "Erin Brockovich" making her directorial debut, creates one of the most embarrassing meet-cutes in history in a script that also contains a hilariously disgusting organic-themed dinner filled with confession and comedy. Mix in a plays-this-a-little-too-well flighty Juliette Lewis as an aura-based masseuse, a roly-poly, eat-o-matic Kevin Smith as one of the friends, and the toothy, slightly oily but ultimately worthy Olyphant as Fritz and you have an off-center, charmer of a little movie that's hard to market in these sensory overloaded times. Despite the HOLLOW claim by a reader that I "give everything three mics" (ahem, that's REELS to you), "Catch & Release" gets… @@@ REELS (It's pretty hot – go give it a shot) Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel Deal!) Email him at ReelReviewz@aol.com! Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA, (Villard/Random House), a writer for BlackNLA.com, UrbanFilmPremiere.com, AllHipHop.com, and an LA-based screenwriter. Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com where his new novel I DO? is available NOW. © Edwardo Jackson 2007