Andy Labis, Author at Entertainment Ave!

Down to You

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:31 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Down to You Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Julia Stiles, Freddie Prinze Jr., Henry Winkler
MPAA Rated:	PG-13
Released By:	Miramax
Release Date:	2000
Kiddie Movie:	Not too young – a lot of sex talk.
Date Movie:	Late teens and early 20’s – bring them along.
Gratuitous Sex:	They’re doing it a lot, but nothing shown.
Gratuitous Violence:	Nah.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Lots of things to smile and grin at.
Memorable Scene:	Al’s dream sequence on “The Man Show.”
Memorable Quote:	Two: First you have Al’s buddy who just scored tell Al “She shoved her finger in my, you know.” Second, Imogen’s friend is smoking wacky weed, but beforehand she puts on a, what looks like a swim cap, because “it holds the smoke in your head, for like, a lot longer.”
Directed By:	Kris Isacsson

There I sat, in the movie auditorium with about 800 seats, and between my fingers and toes I could count the number of people there to see “Down to You.” I didn’t even need to question if my thumbs should be counted as fingers because the end ratio of people there went something like this: Me, sitting by myself as usual; to the left of me, in the same row, three girls approximately ten to twelve years old; about six rows up from me was a group of four girls, I’d say mid-teens; about fifteen rows up from me were two girls, again mid-teens; and finally, a row in front of me to the left was the family contingent with mom, dad, and their two daughters. Enough about the audience, but seeing “Down to You” was more like being at a private screening than having to deal with a theater filled with annoying people. The movie.

Basically “Down to You” tells the story of two people who fall in love and realize it ain’t always that easy to make it work. You’ve got Freddie Prinze Jr. as Al, the not really knowing what he wants to do with his life but he think it will have to do with cooking, and then you’ve got Julia Stiles as Imogen, the now really knowing what she wants to do with her life but she thinks it will have to do with art. They’re in college, she’s a freshman, he’s a sophomore (I think – it really doesn’t matter except for the fact that it puts both of them drinking underage for a lot of the movie – ain’t college great!), and they fall in love. Al’s got a goofy family led by Henry Winkler as the host of a cooking show, and we never meet Imogen’s family. In any case, they meet, fall in love, have a lot of sex, she tests their love by going to France for the summer, she comes back, they have more sex, she thinks she might be pregnant, Al tries to do the right think but Imogen pushes him away, they question their relationship especially when he calls her a bitch and she calls him an old man, she cheats on him, he’s pissed, they break up, but it’s a love story so you know it can’t end that way, and they live happily ever after.

Alright, sure, I gave away a lot of the movie, but hey, it’s not as if you’re sitting there thinking this will be anything new in a love story, because, well, it isn’t. And that’s not saying the movie is that bad, it just isn’t that good, and it’s not because our lead characters don’t flash their googly-eye smiles at each other enough, but maybe it’s because the love story is so normal that it doesn’t hit any new ground. Weird friends, weird families, not knowing where your life is taking you, but the one thing I guess this movie does have is the happy ending because usually, especially after her cheating on him and moving away, well I think that would be the more natural ending than the happy one.

In any case the movie is alright but probably more as a rental and more for older teens. There’s lots of talk about sex although no one gets naked, and the jokes are kinda the crude variety. But after seeing too many serious or thinking movies I did enjoy “Down to You” more than I think I should have, but I still can’t get the rating higher than 2 1/2 stars out of 5. I like Julia Stiles. I think she’s got a good future in front of her and all the teenage girls are finding Freddie just dreamy. They both just needed a better story.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Double Jeopardy

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:45 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Double Jeopardy Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Tommy Lee Jones, Ashley Judd, Annabeth Gish,
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Paramount Pictures
Release Date:	1999
Kiddie Movie:	Violence, blood, and sex. I don’t think so.
Date Movie:	Sure.
Gratuitous Sex:	Ashely gets naked and romps in the sack before waking up in blood.
Gratuitous Violence:	Blood and some shooting.
Action:	There’s supposed to be some, but it’s pretty predictable.
Laughs:	Quite a few lines.
Memorable Scene:	Libby in jail.
Memorable Quote:	Too many to write down.
Directed By:	Bruce Beresford

“Double Jeopardy,” whether planned or not, contains as many movie clichés as I’ve seen all summer. There is the proverbial being covered in blood and holding the possible murder weapon as the cops, or in this case the Coast Guard, show up. There is the being trapped in a mausoleum with the door locked and then realizing, after everyone in the audience already figured out, that there is a window to break your way out of. There is the way-predictable ending of mom ending up with her son, and yea, her son recognizing her voice like the one inmate said he would. There is the walking chase scene through the packed streets of New Orleans, with our heroin carrying a red umbrella, and she loses the cops for just a second, and then low and behold they go after the wrong lady who is also carrying a red umbrella. There is the bachelor auction where the wife, who the husband thinks is still in prison, bids on him. And there is the best friend sleeping with the husband who is supposed to be dead. There are more clichés, oh, there are more, but I suppose I’ve given away plenty already. But you know what? All of these things are so telegraphed that they aren’t really a surprise, and even though you know these things are going to happen, well, “Double Jeopardy” was still a pretty entertaining movie.

Ashley Judd is Libby, our heroin, who gets sent to prison for murdering her husband. She sends her son off with her friend, Angie (Annabeth Gish), and proceeds to do her time in prison. Well, low and behold, one day she figures out that Angie has run off to San Francisco with, surprise, surprise, her “dead” husband. One of the inmates explains to her that when she gets out of prison she can feel free to find her “husband” and shoot him in the head, in the middle of Times Square even, and she can’t be tried for his murder due to the double jeopardy clause in the US Constitution. True, but probably not, this leaves Libby open for her drive to find her husband, but all she ends up really wanting is to get her son back.

She ends up getting out of prison and finds her parole officer Travis (Tommy Lee Jones), who really just wants her to be good. Well, she’s not, in fact doing a little breaking and entering, resisting arrest, breaking parole, and sending Travis on a cross-country chase while she tracks down her “husband” and her son. Travis is getting torn because he is starting to believe her story that her husband isn’t dead, but he knows he still has a job to do. In keeping with Hollywood happiness, and I’ll spoil it for you, Libby ends up getting her son and is cleared of all charges. Yippee!! And that’s enough plot summary.

“Alright, Dude, if the movie was so predictable and the plot pretty stupid, how come 4 ½ stars?” Well, internet reader, I’ll tell you.

First off there were a lot of scenes that brought some good laughs. The time Libby spent in jail was enjoyable on the screen. The inmates that befriend her are full of funny advice and the advice just before the parole hearing was humorous. Secondly there is a scene where this dude in the library starts helping Libby do some internet searching while trying to pick her up. She likes his assistance buts needs nothing of his advances. What better way to get rid of an annoying dude than to explain that you’ve been in jail for the last six years for killing your husband. And not finally, but also, there are plenty of funny exchanges from both Tommy Lee Jones and Ashley Judd that, well, just made me laugh. So even though a supposed action/thriller, I found myself laughing more than in suspense, but enjoying it nonetheless.

“Alright, Dude, the movie made you laugh, and that sounds like maybe a 3 ½ star movie. Where’d the other star come from?”

Well, you’re right on that one, in terms of a movie it was about 3 ½ stars, but in being the male that I am, the pleasure of seeing Ashley Judd in assorted tight outfits, acting well, and also getting naked, hmm, call me a pig, but that earns another star. Yea, I know it’s petty and maybe even blows credibility out of a review rating, but it made “Double Jeopardy” just a little bit better for me.

Could this movie have been a great movie even without Ashley getting naked? Not in its present form, but maybe with a different twist to the story. I’m thinking what might have been a better film would have been something like this: The beginning is the same, but when Libby gets out of jail they would have her find her husband in Times Square, lets say on New Year’s Eve, and she blows his brains out. Let’s shift the movie from an action/suspense to a drama by having a court battle challenging this supposed hole in the “Double Jeopardy” clause. I’m pretty sure she’d end up back in jail, but at least there wouldn’t have been so many opportunities for the movie clichés. Just my two cents.

Anyway, I stand behind my 4½ stars. I was entertained and the folks in the theater I was in seemed to come out entertained. Oh well!

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

National Anthems, Five Movies to Maybe See, Tornado Warnings, and TV Talk.

By: The Dude on the Right

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As weeks have gone by since Stu Gotz and I have done a “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, being back together again means a lot of movies were watched, at least by Stu. Me, I let you know if “The Sitter” with Johan Hill is any good to rent (One hint – don’t watch it with the kids), while Stu breaks down “Wrath of the Titans,” the new version of “Footloose” (I still have no idea why he rented it), “The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo (Who Likes to Show Her Boobies)”, and we find out that if you read “The Hunger Games,” as Mama Gotz did, you might not like the movie, while if you didn’t, as was the case with Stu, you may like the movie.

Stu is sad at the changes “Playboy” has taken with its magazine, I let Stu know that the Borat version of the Kazakhstan National Anthem is not the official version of the nation, Stu doesn’t sound that excited about the Chicago Cubs home opener, I’m not liking “American Idol” anymore, Mama Gotz and my BFF are more cautious about upcoming storms than me and Stu (although the new National Weather Service graphic tornado warnings might make us take notice), I’m liking the new TV show “Touch,” and Stu needs to watch more “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Chicken Tikka Masala for St. Pat’s Day, Bangers and Mash for St. Joseph’s Day, and Mitt Romney Better Finally put Rick Santorum Away

By: The Dude on the Right

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In honor of St. Patrick’s Day I ate chicken tikka masala, and in honor of St. Joseph’s Day I had bangers and mash. I really wish Stu Gotz were here to make fun of me for my food choices, but sadly it’s a solo “Weekend Wrap-up!” podcast as Stu is out running around.

With Summer already here in Chicago, even though Spring officially starts tomorrow, it was a weekend where I reminisced about St. Patrick’s Days gone by, and how downtown Chicago this year was filled with revelers and drunks by two in the afternoon. I also reflected on my experiences with Indian food, and how I enjoyed my St. Patrick’s Day dinner at Sara’s Grill and Eastern Cuisine.

I’m wondering why no one blind-sides Colton in “Survivor: One World,” I’m not liking “American Idol” that much and I blame it on the fact that they don’t have a British person with a condescending accent, “The Hunger Games” opens this weekend and I probably won’t see it, hopefully Mitt Romney will defeat Rick Santorum in the Illinois Primary tomorrow so the political ads will be done for a while and Stu Gotz might not be available for next week’s podcast so if you want to be a special podcast guest, feel free to email me at podcast@entertainmentavenue.com

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Everyone Loves a Parade, Real Housewives, Red Pants, Eggs, SNL Talk and More!

By: The Dude on the Right

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Who doesn’t love a parade? I sure loved the St. Patrick’s Day parade I was a part of, and during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, I tell Stu all about it. Stu, meanwhile, had a busy weekend even though it was his birthday but without a lot of stories, so this podcast is a little shorter than normal. That doesn’t mean we don’t have things to say, so topics include: Waiting for a repair guy, Saturday Night Live is sort of funny, I’m watching too much Bravo as now I’m sucked back into “Real Housewives of Orange County” and now am into “Million Dollar Listing – New York” complete with red pants, Stu’s in need of eggs, “John Carter” analysis, and “21 Jump Street” might be good.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

The Big Year

Below is an excerpt from The Dude on the Right’s full review of “The Big Year.” He really wanted it to be funnier, especially with the likes of Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black in it…

…Here’s the thing – I felt like “The Big Year” wanted so much to be like a mockumentary about birders, kind of like the movie “Best in Show,” but sadly it tried to keep things a little too nice, namely the PG rating, to push the funny to the next level, which is too bad because Wilson, Black, and Martin do their best to be their funny best – it’s just the movie can’t get there….

The Big Year

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:40 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

The Big Year Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Owen Wilson, Steve Martin, Jack Black
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date:	January 31, 2012
Kiddie Movie:	It’s safe for them, but not too funny.
Date Movie:	My wife fell asleep, but thought the parts she was awake for were okay.
Gratuitous Sex:	Some talk and hints but no one gets it on.
Gratuitous Violence:	Just some slapstick, birding violence.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Chuckles.
Memorable Scene:	There is a touching scene with Brad and his dad.
Memorable Quote:	Nothing really.
Directed By:	David Frankel
Cool Things About the Blu-ray:	“The Bird Migration” featurette about the making of what kind of cool.

It’s a movie that has three, comedic powerhouses in the likes of Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson. It’s a movie that is ripe for making fun of a culture many might find odd – namely birding. It’s a movie that’s rated PG? Uh oh. It’s “The Big Year.” Okay, maybe not that big of an “Uh oh,” but an “Uh oh,” none-the-less.

So, it turns out a “Big Year” in the birding world has to do with an informal competition among birders (people who like to spot birds), in trying to spot the most species of bird in a period of time. For our movie, the lead Big Year-er is Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson). For our movie we have two other main characters, Brad (Jack Black) and Stu (Steve Martin). Brad is in a dead-end, no fun job, Stu is the elder statesman of a company and looking to retire, and Kenny is a lost soul whose relationships always fall apart because he likes birds.

And so it’s a new year, and for a movie length we get to see our three birders travel the countryside in search of birds, and the competition is fierce. Yup, things start out kind of calm, with the birders calling a magical phone number telling them where the next, magical sighting seems to be, and they all flock to the various locals. They are cordial, nice even, until it starts to come out that they are trying to get the Big Year record, currently held by Kenny. Kenny, of course, doesn’t like this, and some trickery starts to happen. And all along hilarity is supposed to ensue, or at least lessons about life.

Here’s the thing – I felt like “The Big Year” wanted so much to be like a mockumentary about birders, kind of like the movie “Best in Show,” but sadly it tried to keep things a little too nice, namely the PG rating, to push the funny to the next level, which is too bad because Wilson, Black, and Martin do their best to be their funny best – it’s just the movie can’t get there.

It’s not that I didn’t like “The Big Year,” because I sort of did, but I just wanted more. It was a nice enough movie to hang out on a couch and relax for an evening, and it’s kid safe if you want them around, but don’t expect a lot of hilarity, just some chuckles along the way to find out who actually has the “big year.” 2 ½ stars out of 5.

As far as the Blu-ray, as a lot of birding is scenic-oriented, it looks beautiful, and is beautifully shot, so it will look great on your big-screen. The deleted scenes are probably better off deleted, the gag reel isn’t that funny (I’m finding that most movie-people can’t put together a decent gag reel), but if you do want a nice explanation of how the movie was made, it does have a great featurette called “The Bird Migration” to help along.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

The Dudes of Hazzard

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:46 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

The Dukes of Hazzard Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Seann William Scott, Johnny Knoxville, Jessica Simpson, Willie Nelson, Burt Reynolds
MPAA Rated:	PG-13
Released By:	Warner Bros.
Release Date:	2005
Kiddie Movie:	There’s some insinuated smoking of the wacky weed and naughty outfits. Leave them at home.
Date Movie:	Only if you want her to leave you.
Gratuitous Sex:	Just lots of skimpy outfits.
Gratuitous Violence:	Some punching and shooting going on, but no one gets killed.
Action:	Lots of car chasing, but then what did you expect?
Laughs:	Mostly chuckles or groans.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing really stands out although the outtakes were kinda funny.
Memorable Quote:	During the outtakes: “Every time I look at her titties…”
Directed By:	Jay Chandrasekhar

Dammit, I hate being so easily amused. I’m not saying that because of that I’m going to recommend “The Dukes of Hazzard,” ah hell no, even though I did get a good chuckle, but before you hand over your hard earned cash for a ticket for this flick, you’d better be doing so expecting some pretty bad dialogue that might make you laugh or groan, you won’t see nearly as much of Jessica Simpson as you figured you might have, and expect an hour and a half movie that could have been turned into your standard one hour episode.

The basic story goes like this…

Bo and Luke Duke return to the screen, this time played by Stiffler and Jackass. Okay, I’m sorry, that joke is too easy. Seann William Scott plays Bo and Johnny Knoxville plays Luke. They’re running moonshine for Uncle Jessie (Willie Nelson), usually one step ahead of the Sheriff, and always messing with the plans of Boss Hogg, this time played by Burt Reynolds. As this story goes, the Duke boys can’t figure out why one of the town’s most famous sons has returned to race again in their little road race, nor why Boss Hogg is going around planting problems on farms so that the county can confiscate them, including Uncle Jessie’s farm. So it’s up to our heroes, along with Daisy (Jessica Simpson), to figure out what is going on, and of course, to save the day with only seconds to spare. In doing so they wreak havoc with a safe, make their way to Atlanta to get some soil samples studied, hook-up with some college girls, and piss of the neighborhood gang members with their car sporting the Confederate Flag and soot covered faces (yes, that is the kind of humor you can expect).

This movie isn’t rocket science, isn’t meant to win any awards, and pretty much has as cheesy a story as one of the television episodes that I barely remember. The dialogue is pretty inane, the car chases don’t really break any new ground, but for some reason I actually liked Scott’s and Knoxville’s portrayal of the loveable Bo and Luke Duke. Sure, they turn this movie a little more risqué, complete with college girls in skimpy outfits, some bong usage with said college girls, and some smoking of something with the Governor, but hell, it’s not 1980 anymore.

I will agree with most critics and say this movie is pretty useless, but I did laugh a little. In the end I’ll give it 1 ½ stars out of 5. The teens around me seemed to find it funnier, and I am easily amused, so take what I say with a grain of salt. You will get exactly the dorky movie you probably expect if you go and see “The Dukes of Hazzard,” so just sit back and enjoy that.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Drillbit Taylor

MPAA Rated – PG-13
It’s 1:40 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Drillbit Taylor Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Alex Frost, Josh Peck, Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann
MPAA Rated:	PG-13
Released By:	Paramount Pictures
Release Date:	2008
Directed By:	Steven Brill

This trailer really made me laugh, and with Judd Apatow involved, there is a lot potential for this movie, and instead of teens at the end of their high school years (ala “Superbad”), Drillbit Taylor gives us life from a Freshman perspective, from three dudes getting bullied like there is no end. What to do for them – Put out an ad for a bodyguard. And who is the bodyguard they can afford? – Well it’s Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson), who infiltrates the high school to protect them and works to give them all kinds of pointers on how to stick up for themselves, as well as grow up.

As much as the high school seniors in “Superbad” were fantastic, these Freshmen look even better. I’m just curious as to what the rating of this movie will be. Not that I really care, because I’ll be there anyway, because I can totally relate.

That’s it for this preview! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Entertaining the Kids, iPad 3 is Coming, Celebrity Apprentice, The Lorax is Good, and Daylight Saving Time.

By: The Dude on the Right

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And here it is, our “Mid-Week Surprise” podcast. Okay, not really a surprise, but some equipment issues kept us from recording a normal “Weekend Wrap-Up,” but that doesn’t make the tales of our weekend old, just well-aged! Me, I spent a lot of time in a suit, a big, blue suit, and Stu Gotz tries to make it dirty, but I won’t let him. I tell Stu tales of good kids, bad kids, and sweatiness. Stu, meanwhile, is helping a Little Gotz make The Ten Commandments, or something out of Mesopotamia.

I tell Stu he should watch “Celebrity Apprentice,” Stu wishes “The Real Housewives of Disney” was a real TV show, we anticipate Apple’s event today announcing a new iPad and Stu’s next birthday gift, an Apple TV, Stu saw “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax” and “Moneyball,” and I remind everyone about Daylight Saving Time this weekend!

It’s a mid-week special, it’s a podcast, and it looks like neither of us will go and see “John Carter” this weekend because the trailers don’t seem to make us want to.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!