Review Roundup: HOUSE BUNNY, THE ROCKER, DEATH RACE
This weekend features a very funny woman (Anna Faris), a usually funny guy (Rainn Wilson) and a high-octane remake. Read on and enjoy. (Please note: We posted this around midnight Thursday, so the ratings may have changed since.)
:: THE HOUSE BUNNY
Rotten Tomatoes: 45 / 100
Metacritic: 58 / 100
We’ve discussed Anna Faris here before, and her ability to shamelessly play ditzy girls that brim with optimism and hopeless naivete. Try any Scary Movie entry (she’s really held that series up), the underrated Southern Belles or the Gregg Araki stoner movie, Smiley Face. With The House Bunny, Faris plays a Playboy bunny charged with helping a socially inept college sorority.
The House Bunny (which once had the horrific title I Know What Boys Like) is being called mediocre and formulaic at best, stupifyingly dumb at worst. But even those who question the movie’s mildness have good things to say about Ms. Faris. Again.
:: THE ROCKER
Rotten Tomatoes: 37 / 100
Metacritic: 52 / 100
filmcritic.com: 1.5 / 5
For some of us, Rainn Wilson will always be Dwight Schrute, Assistant to the Regional Manager extraordinaire in The Office. For others, a smaller group, he’ll always be the oddly well-meaning Arthur Martin in Six Feet Under. Can creating such iconic TV figures hurt one’s legitimacy on the big screen?
Not really, but a guy like Wilson’s gonna need better material than this. In The Rocker, he plays a jilted drummer trying to make his way in the music world. Critics say the comedy is lightweight, predictable, even low-rent Jack Black material. But if you like Wilson’s style, there might be just enough to bang your head about. (The Office premieres September 25.)
:: DEATH RACE
Rotten Tomatoes: 35 / 100
Metacritic: 35 / 100
filmcritic.com: 1 / 5
Reviews have been unkind to this remake, so we’re featuring the trailer to the original Death Race 2000. Go Stallone!
In this update, Jason Statham stars in the umpteenth movie in which he must drive and look cool, playing a guy forced into a dangerous auto race… a Death Race, if you will. Serious thespians Ian McShane and Joan Allen are officially caught slumming it.
Look, how bad do you want some aimless, brainless, relentless futuristic action? If the answer is “very”, go for it. If you’re looking for some meat in the middle, forget it. Remember, this one is from writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson, who brought us videogame adaptations Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil.
As for Statham, how’s this for a career of typecasting? Three of his next four films are action sequels: Transporter 3, Crank 2 and The Brazilian Job (NOT about body waxing).
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Other Posts of Interest
- NEW ON DVD: Anna Faris, John Krasinski in SMILEY FACE
- What Happened to THE HAPPENING?
- Movie Poster Monday: DISASTER MOVIE, Simpsons Style
- Review Roundup: EAGLE EYE, MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA
- Shooting Begins for OBSERVE AND REPORT
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“It’s a cross country road wreck, and the traffic is murder.” Wow, added ‘2000 to my rental queue, I’m certain it will be much more entertaining than the remake. But ummm, the temptation to see Death Race may be too much to bear. I can’t seem to resist fast cars, especially when combined with explosions.
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