Bovie Movie

Director Keenen Ivory Wayans spoofs 1990s teenage horror movies (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer etc) here, which seems a bit of a redundant exercise when you consider that Scream was itself a dig at the horror genre. Luckily, Wayans and family (among the writers are his brothers Shawn and Marlon, who also star) get some good laughs along the way. The film includes in-jokes and send-ups of Dawson’s Creek and The Blair Witch Project, plus a superb skit on The Matrix that will have fans chuckling. You won’t remember the plot five minutes after you’ve watched the movie, but you’ll certainly continue smiling at the rude and lewd daftness of it all. 

Sam Leonard (Ryan Pinkston) is the new kid at Bridgeport High School. On his first day, he is humiliated by the school jock Kyle Plunkett (Josh Close), becomes friends with Annie Dray (Kate Mara), and falls in love with Kyle’s girlfriend Vicki Sanders (Amanda Walsh). When he goes to the guidance counselor (Craig Kilborn) for guidance, the counselor gives him the advice to lie to get the other kids to like him. Sam tells lies like “I drive a Porsche”, “My dad’s a rock star”, “My dog ate my homework”, “I never miss a shot” (at basketball) and that Vicki Sanders and his English teacher Mrs. Moran (Teri Polo) are lusting after him. That night, after an argument with his parents (John Carroll Lynch and Cynthia Stevenson), he accidentally breaks the mirror behind his door. The next morning, Sam finds his dog actually eating his homework, he has a Porsche, he never misses a shot, and Mrs. Moran and Vicki Sanders are after him. Now he must find a way to fix what he’s created.

The tired format limps on here with Scary Movie 3 director David Zucker returning — but now well past his Airplane! prime. The intersecting parodies include the Saw films, The Grudge, War of the Worlds and The Village with nods to Million Dollar Baby and Brokeback Mountain thrown in for good measure alongside pop culture references to Oprah and Michael Jackson. Anna Faris gamely plays the naive, accident-prone Cindy Campbell for the fourth time, in a fatigued franchise that is still recycling the most ancient slapstick and toilet gags. Witless, obvious and completely devoid of anything remotely funny, even the most undemanding audience will find little to laugh at in this practically unwatchable dud aimed (presumably) at the post-pub DVD rental market. 

This limp sequel to the hit 2003 comedy sees Steve Martin reprising his role as the daddy of the 12-strong Baker brood, who revives an old rivalry with ultra-competitive neighbour Eugene Levy — also the father of a sizeable horde of kids — during a summer camping vacation. Though the children get on, that doesn’t stop the two posturing dads from a spot of macho one-upmanship when a “friendly” competition is arranged between the respective families. Cue lots of tired and obvious slapstick scenes. Youngsters may find one or two moments worth a titter, while Bonnie Hunt as Martin’s stoical wife delivers all the best dialogue, what little there is. However, grown-ups may be surprised at the under-use of Martin and the misuse of American Pie stalwart Levy, who’s great at playing quirky characters but not so hot at being downright obnoxious, which he is here. 

There’s very little that’s epic about this senseless parody, but then there’s very little that’s funny about it either. Following on from the Scary Movie franchise and Date Movie, writers-turned-directors Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer continue their hit-and-miss (but mostly miss) approach to comedy, spoofing such recent films as Pirates of the Caribbean, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Da Vinci Code. It’s little more than an excuse for actors Kal Penn and Jayma Mays to mug their way through skits involving bestiality, breasts and Willy Wonka break dancing. It’s mind-numbingly, tediously unamusing and is so devoid of imagination it even parodies self-mocking films like Snakes on a Plane. Scarily, it topped the box office on its cinema release in the US. 

By cleverly respecting his source material and skewering some much-loved clichés, co-writer/director Todd Phillips (Old School) nails the big-screen version of TV cop show Starsky and Hutch. The casting of Ben Stiller as by-the-book detective David Starsky and Owen Wilson as laid-back chancer Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson couldn’t be better. Both are clearly having enormous fun in this entertaining buddy movie that neatly captures the 1970s film-making style and adds some hilarious homoeroticism to their relationship. Grudgingly paired up, the mismatched duo learn to rely on each other while bringing a drugs lord (Vince Vaughn) to justice for peddling a cocaine variant that even sniffer dogs can’t detect. Rap star Snoop Dogg delivers a great Huggy Bear and Will Ferrell is sidesplitting in a cameo as a dragon-obsessed convict. But it’s Phillips’s eye for the disco decade’s details and the show’s kitsch iconography that ensures a good time is had by old fans and newcomers alike. 

David Zucker has fallen a long way since his Airplane! heyday. This clunker of a comedy is utterly devoid of wit, despite the fact that great pains are taken to prepare us for every potential gag. Publishing researcher Ashton Kutcher finds himself housesitting for his boss (Terence Stamp), who also happens to be the scrupulous father of his heart’s desire, Tara Reid. But none of the misfortunes that befall Stamp’s prized home are the remotest bit amusing — least of all thug Michael Madsen’s antics. It’s hard to see how a cast this stellar could be attracted to a project this dire.