‘Whip It’ Equals Skip It

Don’t waste cash on this Fox Searchlight Pictures comedy/drama that marks Drew Barrymore’s debut as director. This sports movie starring Ellen Page as a young roller derby queen has the teen angst and issues of an after-school special.

Let’s take a brief look at the plot and then uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly about this Flower Films production.

October 2009 Movie Releases

Because it is Halloween month, you will see more thriller/horror films on this list of October movies. I am not advocating you watch horror. I am only providing this list as reference and hope that you will choose wisely at the box office.

So here is the list, with the dates for each release…

A Meaty Movie Experience

If you prefer the shorter audio version edited from the radio, take a listen.

Audio Review:

Here’s a movie that will give you something to chew on: It’s the new animated film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

In a coastal Atlantic fishing town called Swallow Falls, where life is dull and Baby Brent sardines are the daily sustenance, one budding scientist named Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live) dreams of bringing life back to his dreary town by inventing something that will bring him fame, fortune, and local approval.

But so far all his crazy gadgets – spray-on shoes, de-balding formula, a walking television, and a monkey thought translator – have made Flint the laughingstock of the neighborhood and caused nothing but trouble for him. Flint’s failed antics have earned him the ire of rule-conscious policeman Earl Devereaux (Mr. T, The A-Team); the disapproval of his technophobic father, Tim (James Caan, Sonny Corleone in The Godfather), who believes Flint should quit dreaming and take a job at the family-owned bait and tackle shop; and the mocking taunts of nemesis ‘Baby’ Brent McHale (Andy Samberg, I Love You, Man and SNL) who is the face on every can of sardines.

Jesus in the House in Perry’s New Flick

In this audio clip, I explain to The Current’s radio personality Liz Lane a little bit about April’s (Taraji P. Henson) inability to love and how Sandino, the out-of-work carpenter (played by Adam Rodriguez of CSI: Miami), parallels Jesus in the movie I Can Do Bad All By Myself.

This is not the original on-air clip that was broadcast on The Current on Friday, September 18. It has been edited for this blog.

Audio Commentary:

— Laura J. Bagby

Doin’ Church with Tyler Perry

On Friday, September 18, I chatted with friend and radio personality Liz Lane from Positive Hit Radio The Current about Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself.

I was talking specifically about how in this particular Lionsgate comedy/drama the audience gets a wonderful taste of church, complete with excellent music from real-life Pastor Marvin Winans and stellar recording artist Gladys Knight. Plus, their is a hope-filled message from the pulpit. It’s enough to make you want to raise your hands in praise, wave a hanky, and say, “Preach it!” That’s exactly how I felt. And believe me, I wasn’t alone in my sentiments in the packed theatre on opening night.

Listen to this short, edited audio clip of our conversation, taken when taping for the radio broadcast. This is not the final on-air version, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway.

And be sure to check out Liz Lane’s “Heart of Praise” show Sunday’s from 8 a.m – 11 a.m.

Audio Commentary:

— Laura J. Bagby

Being Bad Fares Well on Screen

From writer/director/actor Tyler Perry, the Lionsgate comedy/drama I Can Do Bad All By Myself centers on the fractured life of a nightclub singer called April (Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and her difficult journey back to faith, love, and family.

April is living a selfish, dysfunctional life, letting her ailing mother raise her sister’s three kids Jennifer (Hope Olaide Wilson), Manny (Kwesi Boakye), and Byron (Frederick Siglar) while April spends her days abusing alcohol, sleeping all day, and having an affair with Randy (Brian White), a cold-hearted married man.

April’s lonely life is suddenly interrupted when Madea (Tyler Perry) brings by her troublesome niece and nephews and the local church – represented by churchgoer Wilma (Gladys Knight) and Pastor Brian (Marvin Winans) – sends over a handsome, out-of-work stranger with carpentry skills called Sandino (Adam Rodriguez, CSI: Miami), who hopes to get room and board in exchange for a job.

Why I Love Tyler Perry Movies

In light of opening night for Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself, I just wanted to present 5 reasons why I like movies that Perry directs and acts in.

1. I laugh; I cry – a good movie has both. Tyler Perry knows how to make you die laughing one minute, and shed silent tears the next.
2. We doin’ church! Got to have a least one scene with a sermonette. Perry does it with humor and music, without being heavy-handed or overly preachy. Just makes you want to say, “That’s right!” and wave a hanky.
3. If you go on opening night – which I strongly suggest – you get the animated responses from the crowd. And some of their comments are as funny as Tyler Perry’s. Packed theatres are the best.
4. Perry’s pro-woman message. Love it. Love it. Enough said.
5. And finally, 5 letters… M-A-D-E-A!!!

— Laura J. Bagby
The Celluloid Critic

Stalkers, Road Trips, and Pits!

Liz Lane from The Current and I enjoy chatting on the topic of All About Steve. As part of that radio discussion, we talk about stalkers, crazy road trips, and what lessons we learn when we fall into a literal and figurative pit (like Mary Horowitz –  aka Sandra Bullock – does in the film ).

Hope you will listen in now…

Audio Commentary:

— Laura J. Bagby

Radio Review of ‘All About Steve’

Just wanted to say thanks to my friend, Liz Lane, for the enjoyable discussion of All About Steve on The Current FM this morning.

And if you want to check out that other blog I mentioned to all those radio listeners on the broadcast, it’s called Manna For The Moment.

OK, here is the run-down on the new romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, and Thomas Haden Church – in audio format.

All About… Mary

Don’t let the title All About Steve fool you.

Yeah, sure, Steve (played by Bradley Cooper – of the unfortunate The Hangover buzz) is the hot blind date who happens to have a cool job as adventuresome news videographer and also happens to be the obsession of one crazy, red-boot-wearing word meister called Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock, who also happens to be the film’s producer).

But, after viewing this new PG-13 20^th Century Fox comedy, all I can say is , “There’s something about Mary.”