Spring Breakdown (2009)

 

Great cast, terrible script. Rachel Drach should not be writing comedy. There were a few giggles here and there, but odds are it was improvised. Was this thing straight to video? It should have been.

Rating: D-

Thelma (2024)

 

The film is torn between being an elder action flick and a study on the process of aging. They should have leaned into the former. 

Rating: C

A Mighty Wind (2003)

Watching a Christopher Guest movie is like hanging out with old friends. It's fun to see the same actors take on different roles in each movie, similar to a Paul Thomas Anderson film. While Waiting For Guffman and Best In Show were funnier films (in my opinion), Mighty Wind was still entertaining. Showcased the amazing singing ability of the entire cast.

Rating: C+

The Sweetest Thing (2002)

I gave this one a second viewing recently. Before there was Bridesmaids, there was The Sweetest Thing. It’s a raunchy girl’s comedy where Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair are given free rein to be as bad as they want to be. The script is fast and loose, including some borderline fantasy montages that skew away from the main narrative. There’s a lot of comedy thrown against the wall. Some of it sticks, some of it doesn’t.

Rating: C

Superman Returns (2006)

I expected so much from the director of the first 2 X-Men films (since the third one sucked), but all I got were cool special f/x and not a whole lot more. The plot was ridiculous, and the pacing was way too slow for what is supposed to be a fast action superhero movie. There was such an opportunity here to make something fresh and new. Instead we received a compost pile of old clips and story lines. Not super at all.

Rating: D

The Anniversary Party (2001)

Directed by Alan Cummings and Jennifer Jason Leigh, this is a perfect collaboration between two talented people. It's a drama that takes place in and around a house where the focus of the movie is on a married couple and their friends. If you are looking for fast action and crazy antics, skip this one. But, if you enjoy witty dialogue, subtle humor and great acting, check it out. I enjoyed watching the Sundance feature they included with the bonus features.

Rating: B-

The House of Yes (1997)

What an odd movie. The story involves incest, murder, JFK, a psychotic family, and even Tori Spelling. (She actually pulled off a decent performance)

Rating: C