The Couch Potato Report – August 24th, 2004
This week in The Couch Potato Report there are women who are enchanted, smitten and one who lives next door.
Over the last few months there have been a slew of films that have come out that have been perfect for young girls and no one else. THE LIZZIE MCGUIRE MOVIE and CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE DRAMA QUEEN are two recent examples.
But I am happy to report that this week’s first film is not only a movie that is perfect for young girls, but the rest of us can enjoy it too!
ELLA ENCHANTED is a movie where fairy tales and contemporary satire collide.
The charming and personable Anne Hathaway from THE PRINCESS DIARIES is Elle. Upon birth she receives an unfortunate gift from her fairy godmother: No matter what anyone tells her to do, she’s compelled to obey.
In order to have this unfortunate gift removed, Ella must brave a forest packed with ogres, elves, and giants to find her fairy godmother, as only she – the giver of the gift – can take it back.
Sounds pretty standard, right? Well, much like the SHREK films, ELLA ENCHANTED has many modern jokes and comedic references to traditional stories.
While ELLA ENCHANTED isn’t as thoroughly entertaining as either SHREK movie, I liked it a lot.
Anne Hathaway is perfectly cast, and perfectly lovely, and the supporting cast of Cary Elwes from THE PRINCESS BRIDE, Minnie Driver of GROSSE POINTE BLANK and Monty Python’s Eric Idle as the narrator are all wonderful.
Yes, wonderful. That is the word I will use to describe the cast and the entire movie. ELLA ENCHANTED is wonderful.
Sadly, even though the cast of LAWS OF ATTRACTION is also wonderful, the movie itself is not.
Julianne Moore from THE HOURS and current JAMES BOND Pierce Brosnan star in LAWS OF ATTRACTION as divorce lawyers. In court they have many conflicts and when they are in Ireland they “accidentally” get married.
LAWS OF ATTRACTION doesn’t have an original moment in it, but somehow Moore and Brosnan rise above the material.
As I said, the cast of LAWS OF ATTRACTION is wonderful, the movie itself is not.
The final new film this week is also less than wonderful, although the star does have some talent.
Canada’s Elisha Cuthbert, from the television show 24, is THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
In this modern day remake of RISKY BUSINESS a high school boy takes his ex-porn star neighbor to his prom.
There are some good laughs in this movie, but it just doesn’t know if it wants to be a raunchy comedy or a film that teenagers can see.
That indecision stops the film in its tracks every time it starts to get going.
RISKY BUSINESS knew what it wanted to be and that is why it is a modern day classic.
THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is just a modern day release.
ELLA ENCHANTED, LAWS OF ATTRACTION and THE GIRL NEXT DOOR are all available now at your favourite local video store.
COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT
Mel Gibson’s controversial, but oh so successful film THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST will debut on video and DVD. It stars Jim Caviezel and Monica Bellucci and tells the story of the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life.
In TWISTED Ashley Judd plays another one of her patented tough-but-misunderstood-women-who-get-into-trouble roles. This time she’s a detective must solve serial killings to exonerate herself. Samuel L. Jackson and Andy Garcia co-star.
And
Star Trek nerds unite! STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES – THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON features all 29 first-run episodes, and a starship full of extras, on eight discs.
Oh yeah!!
I’ll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.
For now, that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here next week on The Couch!
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