dakbfox

Like him or not, Adam Sandler is a talented guy. Like many of his films, "50 First Dates" is a combination of frat-house humor and luke-warm romanticism. The object of his desire is once again Drew Barrymore, and to the filmmakers credit, this is the least annoying she's been in a while. All of the Adam Sandler Players are present, and Sandler does a fine job of allowing his co-stars some of the biggest laughs of the movie. He is unselfish in that way, and it makes his movies more enjoyable. The benefactors in this particular case are Rob Schneider and Sean Astin. Producer Sandler's true talent though is what he can get away with. This may be the dirtiest PG-13 movie I've ever seen. There is no nudity. There is cursing, but it's innocuous. The movie is riddled with explicit sexual innuendo from start to finish. It's amazing what the ratings board let go. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't offended in the least. I actually think movies are better when they're unfiltered and not watered down to get a specific rating. This could have very easily been rated R though. Taking pre-teens may not be a great idea. If you do, you'll have more 'splaining to do than Lucy Ricardo.

All of life's mysteries are answered in the movies. That loosely paraphrased Steve Martin line has held true for me for many years. So, how many times have you thought about freezing a moment in your past, and changing it? Anyone who has seen "Back to the Future" knows that you cannot alter the space/time continum, but it still poses a great question. Moviegoers throughout the years would love to implement this tool. Imagine if you could go back to a point in time when you hadn't yet seen "Just Married" or "My Boss's Daughter" and saved yourself the agony. "The Butterfly Effect" is a whole 'nother can of larvae. The puzzle-like screenplay is top-notch. The weaving of the character's stories in various points of their lives is expertly crafted, and sometimes gutwrenching. Ashton Kutcher holds down the fort very nicely. It turns out he can do something besides scream really loud. He VERY toned down. It's the kind of career turn that he had to make,( if he wants to have a long career) and he does it nicely. He's got many more turns to make, but this is a great first one. Let's put it this way, he doesn't do anything to take away from the superb story. The screenplay is the real star of this film (although is is nice to see Eric Stolz is alive and well.) I was about ready to send out a search party for him and Spalding Gray. So, even if you hate Kutcher, this Ash has turned another cheek; and DUDE! is it SWEET!

In the mid 1980's, John Hughes did something wonderful. He was able to take a genre of movies which had always been laden with stupidity, and made them intelligently funny. "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!" is not really a "teen" movie, but it is being presented as one. Most of the characters are supposed to be at least 21, but it has the same feel as today's teen movies. Let me make it perfectly clear that this movie has no business being compared with any Hughes movie, but it does have one thing in common; uncommon writing. The writing is very clever and a cut above your regular teen droll. It's as plausibly romantic as a "teen" movie can be. There is plenty of tongue and cheek dialogue, much of it about the movie business. Great supporting performances by Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, and the incomperable Gary Cole accentuate that dialogue. The film is not without it's pitfalls. The low part of any "teen" movie is when the skinny white kid lip-syncs to an R&B classic. Barry White, Al Green, any will do. (See, it's funny because they are skinny and or white and without soul. Get it?) Topher Grace continues his smarmy "That 70's Show" act and it works here. Probably because he is excellent at it. Grace has done well as a supporting actor, and really comes through in this leading role. The movie is doomed to die a quick and painless death at the hands of an army of Orcs (or at least by a fertile Steve Martin.) But I sincerely hope that Grace gets another shot or two. He's supremely more talented than his TV castmate Ashton Kutcher, yet Kutcher seems to have the keys to the city. Go figure. So when the last two seats in "Cheaper By the Dozen" have been snatched up by two kids that look like they're going to talk throught the whole movie anyway, don't be afraid to accept Mr. Hamilton's gracious invitation. Take his hand, and he'll lead you into that empty theater for an hour and forty minutes of solid entertainment. At least it will be quiet.