1. Baby Mama (2,543 Theaters, 96 Minutes, Rated PG-13): Movies are all about demographics. The more successful a movie is, the more demographics it covers.
This movie seems to have the female demographic locked up. It is about a woman in her thirties (Tina Fey) who is unable to have children on her own. She needs to go through a surrogate to house her eggs. That surrogate is the white trash Angie (Amy Poehler). Hilarity ensues in the resulting culture clash.
See, that right there is a parody on about 50% of the movies on Lifetime any given month. But I’d imagine that the powers that be are hoping that Tina Fey’s cache as the dream queen of the geek crowd will bring some men in. Or at the very least help the women drag their husbands/boyfriends into the theater.
But for me, the main selling point for Fey is her writing. Don’t get me wrong, she has strong comedic skills in front of the camera. But it’s her writing that I’d pay to see. If she was writing this movie, then it would be a “must see”. I’d love to watch her take on this subject matter. But, instead, it is written and directed by SNL alum Michael McCullers. That takes it from a “must see” to a “well, what do you think” kind of movie, at least in my eyes.
2. Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (2,510 Theaters, 102 Minutes, Rated R): I’m sure that there will be many of you out there that are kind of shocked to find that the stoner movie sequel appears to be taking American politics head on, but the last movie, in addition to reviving Neil Patrick Harris’ career, did touch a bit on race relations in the United States. So, this one taking on post-9/11 paranoia isn’t too far off.
This movie directly follows the last one, as Harold and Kumar try to get to Amsterdam. Unfortunately, they try to sneak a bong on the flight. Since one of them looks Korean and the other Middle Eastern, Harold and Kumar are confused for terrorists and the bong is mistakenly considered a bomb and. The pair easily gets away, because, obviously, the authorities are morons, and cross-country escape hi-jinx ensues.
So, on the one hand, you have a modern day Cheech and Chong, on the other you have a satire of sorts on American policy. Now, you don’t have to feel guilty about going to see a pot infused caper movie because you can argue that it’s making a statement. And, besides, there might be a scene with Neil Patrick Harris riding a unicorn. How can you miss that?
3. Deception (2,001 Theaters, 102 Minutes, Rated R): It is a match up that I’m sure will warm the cockles of many a fan fiction writer’s heart. Ladies and gentlemen, this week, hitting movie screens, Wolverine vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Okay, it’s really Hugh Jackman going up against Ewan McGregor. But that’s darn close. Close enough to wish for the “Snikt” of claws be unsheathed and the “Vrrrrunnn” of a lightsaber coming on.
The story revolves around a pair of friends who inadvertently swap cell phones. One of the men gets a phone call from a sexy woman wanting a sexual encounter. After a night of passion, he finds himself embroiled in a web of murder and intrigue.
I don’t know about you, but if I had a friend’s cell phone, I wouldn’t even answer it, let alone sleep with a woman on the other end. I mean, that is just asking for trouble. I guess we’re supposed to feel sympathy for Ewan, but I say he deserves what he has coming to him.
