Movie Roundup: Talladega Nights, Little Miss Sunshine, and Snakes on a Plane

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

While certainly not as funny as Anchorman, the combination of Will Ferrell, Gary Cole, and John C. Reilly make for a very fun hour and a half.

Talladega Nights can attribute its success to its supporting cast, a statement that can't be as easily made about Anchorman. While Ferrell's antics (most notably the unfortunately overexposed scene in which his character, Ricky Bobby, thinks he's on fire), can and do mark great highlights in the film, it's the timely comedic acting of Gary Cole (as the father Reese Bobby), John C. Reilly (as friend Cal Noughton Jr.), and others that made the film as enjoyable as it was. Also a plus, all of the racing sequences were shot incredibly well, giving a surprising shot of adrenaline to the film. While the film suffers from a few slow points, it is quickly revived by the last half of the movie, which focuses on a much older Reese working with his son once again to regain his confidence in the only way he knows how (which leads to a few scenes of very humorous situational comedy) and, finally, the interaction between Ferrell and his rival within the film played by Sascha Baron Cohen. Oddly enough, this would have to be the most normal role to date for Cohen (of Da Ali G Show and Borat fame) as frenchman Terry Cheveaux. That's not to say he's tame, as he pushes the French stereotypes about as far as possible, but he's hardly an outlandish character. All in all, the unneveness slightly hurt what was an otherwise fun but semi-forgettable film, which is something that can't be said about any other Will Ferrell movie that I can think of. That being said, it's probably the most interesting a NASCAR-themed mainstream film can get.

Overall Rating: 81

Little Miss Sunshine

In a summer season where even decent films were hard to come by, Little Miss Sunshine finally gives us the great summer indie film we were hoping for.

Perfect from beginning to end, Little Miss Sunshine is the kind of movie that only comes along once every few years. The film features a perfect mix of acting and writing, along with stellar performances from the entire cast, most notably Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette and Steve Carell. While the movie surrounds the story of Olive, played wonderfully by Abigail Breslin, the road movie shows an uncompromising depth in that it allows for each of the family members a great amount of freedom to individually grow and avoid the many pitfalls that most ensemble comedies fall into-- most notably one-dimensionalism. Instead, the backstories for the most part are well-developed and while the family originally comes off as being one more bad seed away from a possible Springer show guest appearance, their heart and own individual warmth that they shared (especially at the end) really speaks volumes about not only the ensemble casting but also the outstanding writing job by Michael Arndt. Top it off with a couple of completely unexpected turns and you've got by far the best film of the summer, and possibly the best of the year so far. Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 100

Snakes on a Plane

For better or worse, I can pretty much guarantee that-- barring a severe case of amnesia-- Snakes on a Plane is a movie experience I will never forget. While the box office numbers may not show it, Snakes on a Plane will probably go down as one of the most noteworthy cult films in recent history.

I walked in knowing what to expect: snakes on a plane, Samuel L. Jackson yelling ("No I can't stop yelling, 'cause that's how I talk!" As the joke goes) and kicking ass, bad acting, worse dialogue, and, of course, a rowdy crowd. What I didn't expect, however, is just how much I would actually enjoy the movie, not to mention how much of an intense gross-out fest it would be. While I color myself surprised, I'd like to check whatever credibility I may have and say that Snakes on a Plane represents what should be at the core of every blockbuster movie, and once upon a time, was at the core of every blockbuster-- and that is the simple fact that Snakes is a fantastically fun movie. The movie doesn't make any sense at all, and has plot holes the size of many large countries, and of course the acting is bad, but just like Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series, all of these "mistakes" are so obviously intentional given the large number of self-referential material (how many movies add lines and scenes based on comical blog responses?) that as long as you check your brain at the door, you'll enjoy every waking minute of the movie. That's not to say that it's all fun and games with Snakes on a Plane as it does carry a bit of (no pun intended) bite as well, and does hold its own as a horror/thriller movie in the crudest form. The snakes are definitely cool, and the death scenes are about as painful and/or gross as possible, which adds to the perpetual tension that continues throughout. As icing on the cake, it's obvious that Samuel L. Jackson is loving every single minute of being in this movie, and you have fun being a part of the magic with him. The supporting cast adds enough flare through their ridiculous quirks that the movie is just about as entertaining and ridiculous as it can get on all sides. I can't shake the feeling that this movie is going to be something that's talked about for a very long time, for better or worse. Between its absolutely genius marketing and unforgettable moviegoing experience, Snakes on a Plane, at the very least, will be known as the first great cult classic of this decade.

Overall Rating: 90

Powered by Qumana