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August 25, 2005
Movie Mania
“But today, when I was breaking every rule in the book – getting those rap sheets, running to buy tampons – I felt like a man.”
--“Jeff” in Miss Congeniality 2
Yes, that’s right: they saved the best line for a deleted scene.
And how would I know this? Because I watched the movie AND its deleted scenes. And I've been dealing with a lot of stress lately, so I'd suggest you don’t start with me about how I should have standards or whatever.
And I don’t care. The first one was funny. It’s just that this one really wasn’t.
In other movie news....
I’ve had this movie at home from Netflix all summer. A friend’s ex recommended it to me a couple weeks before she dumped him, and I guess I felt sad about watching it when I knew he wouldn’t be giving me any further movie recommendations – because, while he was not good boyfriend material for my friend and I fully support her decision, he did have good taste in movies. Then there was the issue that every time I’d suggest watching it to Jason, who -- for whatever reason, especially considering the way he hardly ever reads my blog -- I often end up watching movies with, he’d get all, “That movie’s so old” (i.e. from 1996, back when they were just starting to release films in color). I finally overcame these hurdles, got over my angst, and talked Jason into watching the film.
The film stars Richard Gere, who I don’t like. Jason likes him quite a bit. He kept commenting on how attractive Mr. Gere is, even exclaiming at one point, “Look at him! He’s cute!” Um, hello, no. The film is truly notable for Edward Norton’s performance as an altar boy accused of murdering an archbishop. It’s Norton’s first credited role, and he was stunning. The plot, however? Not so much. It was one of those cheating plots that throws everything up in the air in the last moments of the film, stretching the credibility of the whole. If the ending was really true, one can’t help but think, then why did I watch this film? Why did I care? What point was it really making?
Apparently, the film was telling Jason that Richard Gere was cute and telling me that Edward Norton is an excellent actor – who is also really cute, as opposed to Richard Gere, who very clearly is not.
This was really fun and made me feel like a highly-functioning, although perhaps slightly boring, human being. Everyone should watch Trekkies and Trekkies 2.
Posted by adrienne at August 25, 2005 09:11 PM
Comments
Lesson: ALWAYS watch the extra features on a DVD. That is definitely my favorite part. I have even been known to watch an entire movie a second time just to hear the actors and/or director commentary. Don't tell my husband - I'm supposed to be being a "homemaker" while the little one is napping! If you are a Netflix-er, as I am, and you want to watch something in smaller bits, I would recommend 2 TV series - The original BBC version of "The Office" (the American version is pretty funny, but once you see the British version it loses its novelty) and any/all seasons of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." They are both good for lots of laughs, but draw on different types of humor. Come to think of it, the library owns both series, but sometimes there's something about getting that little red envelope in the mail...
Posted by: Melissa at August 26, 2005 08:00 AM
Oh! I forgot the most important one! Freaks and Geeks is on DVD and seems even funnier than when it was originally broadcast. Another sad example of a classic TV show being cancelled (should that have 1 or 2 L's?) before its time.
Posted by: Melissa at August 26, 2005 08:15 AM
I would also recommend the british version of Coupling (available on DVD or, if you're a Time Warner Digital subscriber, it's on BBC America On Demand) and the Bravo show Significant Others.
Posted by: ChuckS at August 26, 2005 01:47 PM
And you wanted to skip the deleted scenes Miss-There's-A -Reason-They-Cut-Them. All I have to say is that the first one was much funnier but the second one had it's moments, besides I really like Enrique Murciano (they better not have killed him off in Without a Trace or I will be really upset). I can't wait to watch the movies I have so I can send them back and get the first season of Malcolm in the Middle. I love Netflix. If I did not go back to work I could do really important things like watch dvds and read more, stupid school.
Posted by: tonderdo at August 26, 2005 05:11 PM
I actually watched Miss Congeniality 2 on the plane coming back from San Francisco (or was it going to SF?). It was truly quite bad, but I do remember there were at least a couple of laugh out loud moments. I don't remember what they were and I don't expect I'll be trying to go back and find them.
I will admit that I once willing paid money to see the Spice Girls movie, but that mostly a ploy to get out of work. And while it was truly horrible, it did have one redeming moment in it. As the girls are racing through the streets of London to get to their concert at Royal Albert Hall, their double decker tour bus comes upon a rising Tower Bridge. Instead of being sensible, they gun the engine to jump over the gap. The funny part comes when at the climatic moment in the scene, the frame cuts to a matchbox size model jumping over a model of the bridge. Oh, and there was the cameo by Elvis Costello as a bar tender, but I think only I would find that funny.
Posted by: Jeffrey Lee at August 27, 2005 08:55 PM