Movie #416 - Lilo & Stitch

Lilo & Stitch
2002 - Rated PG - 1 hr 25 min
Directors: Dean deBlois, Chris Sanders
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Jason Scott Lee, Kevin Michael Richardson

Oh, Stitch.  From his demolition of tiny cities to his impression of Elvis Pressley, you gotta love this mangy furball.  He's no stray dog, that's for sure, but something makes you want to cuddle him all the same.

Add to Stitch's irrestible charm the beauty of an animated Hawaiian island, a story of two heart-broken sisters, and a couple of wacky aliens along for the ride, and tada! Instant hit!  Hell, we watched this with friends in college and loved it, which speaks to its appeal across age lines.  You don't need kids to enjoy this one, folks.

Movie #371 - Dave

Dave
1993 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 50 min
Director: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank , Kevin Dunn, Ving Rhames, Ben Kingsley, Charles Grodin, Laura Linney, Bonnie Hunt, Faith Prince

Clever concept here, with a stand-in taking up the helm when the president has a massive stroke.  Dave is the guy replacing the Prez and he takes some liberties as he gets more and more comfortable in his borrowed dress shoes.  Who knows if presidents really have body doubles or not, but it does make a really good premise.

Add Sigourney Weaver as the estranged wife who helps put on a good show for the cameras.  Of course she figures it out, it's only a matter of time... right?  And what happens when the game is over and Dave can't carry on anymore?  The end of this movie seems a bit contrived (SPOILER ALERT), since I really can't see a presidential look-alike being able to mount his own campaign for a political office.  Won't people get confused? Won't conspriacy theorists catch on?  I'd think they'd give him his own private island somewhere or something like that.

Oh well.  If you watch this one, check out little Ving Rhames.... if it wasn't for the voice, I'd never recognize him!

Movie #292 - I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
2007 - Rated R - 1 hr 55 min
Director: Dennis Dugan
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, Dan Aykroyd, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Allen Covert, Rachel Dratch, Richard Chamberlain

Okie dokie, folks.  The premise of this movie intrigued me. Not because I thought it would be good. Or even a revolutionary film for the gay community.  It's not that, although it has the good intentions to be.  It's really just an awkward comedy about two guys who do what they have to do for each other.  Although Adam Sandler resists as much as possible.

Still, watching these two overweight middle-aged guys embrace a same-sex "relationship" is inspiring while it's disturbing.  (Not disturbing because of the gay thing, just because it's Kevin James and Adam Sandler...) Friends got your back. And what they do - even if it is illegal - inspires those who are gay in the community to step forward and live openly.  Good things come from this trainwreck, so it's not all bad.

Movie #241 - The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
2009 - Rated R - 1 hr 29 min
Director: Neal Brennan
Starring: Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, David Koechner, James Brolin, Kathryn Hahn, Ed Helms, Jordana Spiro, Ken Jeong, Tony Hale, Alan Thicke, Rob Riggle, Wendie Malick

Is this the funniest movie ever made? Nah.  Is it pretty funny in its own dysfunctional way? Absolutely.  Jeremy Piven plays "cocky bastard" like no other and Kathryn Hahn is totally priceless, basically in everything she does.  Then there's Ving Rhames... And Ed Helms's boy band.

It's nice to see these comedic side characters take on bigger roles and manage them well.  Even if they're characters aren't very likable as people.  They're brash and pushy and immoral lots of times, but damn can they sell cars!

Wait for the Will Ferrell cameo, which is one of the best scenes in this entire movie.

Movie #185 - Entrapment

Entrapment
1999 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Joan Amiel
Starring: Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ving Rhames

Once again, I'm falling behind on posts, so I'm going as quick as I can here, folks.  Believe it or not, I'm quicker at watching them than I am at reviewing them.

Sometimes I just don't have much to say... like with this movie.  It is what it is. Complicated series of heists, an odd partnership between two mismatched thieves, and the story of how this relationship develops.  Connery and Zeta-Jones are both good, but it's neither of their best works.  It does, however, explain her attraction to old men (and subsequent marriage to Michael Douglas), but whatever.  And Ving Rhames looks really young in this. I almost didn't recognize him at first.

Basically, this movie exists for two things: the fun heist sequences where Zeta-Jones winds around invisible laser beams and the twist with a twist ending.  Wait... who's on who's side? That part's the most fun of the entire movie.  But then it's over. Tada!

Movie #126 - Con Air

Con Air
Touchstone Pictures
1997 - Rated R - 1 hr 55 min
Director: Simon West
Starring: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Ving Rhames, Steve Buschemi, Colm Meaney, Dave Chappelle, Danny Trejo

If only he'd put the bunny back in the box...  Can't anyone just follow Nicolas Cage's instructions? I mean, he's the good guy undercover as the bad guy, helping the good guys on the ground, and all so he can face his wife and daughter with a clean conscience.  Is this what happens when you accidentally kill a man? Or only if you're Nic Cage?

So once you learn to ignore his lame-o Southern accent, this movie's not horrible.  I like it because in the 90's I thought it was awesome. Now as an adult, I'm pretty 'meh' about it, but John Cusack is my boy...so I'll watch it.  After all, I gotta wait till R to watch The Rock and get some good Nic Cage up in here, so this has to do for now.

Also, John Malkovich is a creepy bad guy... but something about him doesn't work for me.  Not sure if 'one note performance' is the term I'm looking for, but you  get the idea.  He's all "I'm Cyrus the Virus and so I'll eat your children" but I'm kinda like, "Man, really? That's your tough prison nickname? And you were safe in the shower?" But whatever. I've never been to prison, what do I know?

Onward...