Reviews (17)

"Napoleon" Is Simply Dynamite
The delightfully original film "Napoleon Dynamite" follows the life of a geeky teenager of the same name, and through his misadventures at his high school and at home in Preston, Idaho. This film first began to delight audiences at the Sundance Film Festival, and now that it has been nationally released across the country, I finally got the chance to see why. It is a movie that doesn't seem to bother with an intricate storyline, but is simply tales from Napoleon's everyday life, small events to an outsider but from his perspective, his whole world. This, in a sense, makes the picture a more realistic depiction of teenage life.

The character of Napoleon, brought to life by Jon Heder, is a caricature of a high school teenager. With a tuft of brownish hair, glasses, and a permanent look of confusion, getting pushed against lockers by popular jocks are regular occurrences for Napoleon, and strange behaviors as talking about hunting werewolves or saving tatertots in his pants pockets for later seem normal to him. He is delightfully quirky, and it makes the audience root for him as the unlikely hero. From his adventures at school with his friends Deb (Tina Majorino) and Pedro (Efren Ramirez), to his life at home with his geeky 31-year-old brother Kip (Aaron Ruell), his football crazed Uncle Rico (Jon Gries), and his llama Tina, Napoleon brings a unique charm to the screen that is only enhanced by the crazy characters around him.

"Napoleon Dynamite" is certainly one of the most original and strangely hilarious films of the year, and thanks to the brilliant script co-written by Jared and Jerusha Hess, the direction by Jared Hess, and the performances by all members of the cast, it is sure to win over any audience member, as quickly as it won me over.

I wish I could give it six stars
This is truly the feel-good movie of this year; there's not a curse word to be heard, no more violence than a few noogies, and no sex at all. Still, I defy you not to want to cheer at the end of this. The story of misfit Napoleon Dynamite and his miniscule circle of friends in rural Idaho, this movie manages to present the total nerd characters with their nerdiness intact, as well as their inherent dignity and humanity. I'm not going to tell you one plot point, because I want you to have the total pleasure of discovering them for yourself.

The friend of mine who saw this at Sundance told me that a jaded audience of Hollywood types 2000 strong cheered, stomped their feet and clapped their hands raw at this movie. You will too.

No log off and go see this right now.

The Prince of Preston
This is a small film, a very good one, told large. The director, Jared Hess, is a 24 year old wunderkind from the barrens of Preston, Idaho, and he has created a gem; a cousin to the Coens. This is a comedy that will sneak up on you, the stuff of belly laughs. Last year he did a 9-minute short film, PELUCA, starring Jon Heder, and it seems to have been the outline for this feature film. Hess is from Preston, and he filmed it as only a resident could; full of empty landscapes, lonely roads, farmers, ranchers, and rednecks. A scene where Napoleon gets a job for the day on a chicken ranch is worth the price of admission.

There have been numerous comparisons for this movie to WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, and RUSHMORE. But for me, this film stands firmly on its own. It plays out like an absurdist straight drama that also happens to be funny. It is reminescent of some of the best moments in the Coen Brother's RAISING ARIZONA.

The film was a big hit at Sundance, and it has been distributed well; a lucky break for Hess. Wouldn't it be wonderful if more of the youth of our country could rally behind this tiny epic, and create it as a cult film; that for a moment they step away from the commedia del raunchy that they mostly immerse themselves in; that they actually laugh at themselves, the way they really are, just kids struggling to grow up? The 13-30 year old demographic dictates our art, our music, and our movies. This little film could go a long ways in restoring the missing heart, the naivete and grace to the comedic genre.

One real plus for me was the odd wholesomeness of this movie. There was zero profanity. Most of the time when a script deletes realistic high school vernacular, and changes the language to a lot of goshs, dangs, hecks, frigging, and freaking, it usually morphs quickly into the landscape of the lame. But somehow, Hess makes the lack of profanity work, and we don't miss it.

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called Jon Heder," geek deadpan perfection." He loved the film, and directs us," to laugh until it hurts." Heder is a lanky beanpole with a red Afro, all Adam's apple and oversized glasses, and overbite. At first glance one sees a young Yahoo Serious, or a Scott "Carrot Top" Thompson. But no, Heder is more natural, more believable, more absurd, and wonderfully unselfconscious. He is less the over-the-top screamer. In his best moments, like when he played tetherball with himself, or practiced his killer dance moves in his room, he reminded me of some of the great clowns; like a young Jerry Lewis, and even the precursory shadings of the great ones like Jackie Gleason in GIGOT, or Jacques Tati. Heder is Napoleon Dynamite, a prince of Preston, a nerdish Conan out to slay demons, or maybe just to get laid.

The setting for the film seems to be the early 1990's. Napoleon, and his older brother, Kip, live with their grandmother, played by Sandy Martin, who does a great turn as a biker grandma, who still dates, eats entirely too much steak, and loves her llama.
Aaron Ruell, as the brother Kip, a 32 year old who has been a nerd for so long he is oblivious to it, does a fine job with the role. He lives in front of his computer, logging countless hours in chatrooms, searching for cyber-love, running up huge internet bills. Tina Mjorino, as girlfriend Deb, was wonderfully wacky, off-center, and loveable. A former child star, from films like WATERWORLD, she is 19 years old now, and she is good enough to be slugging it out with the likes of Thora Birch, Jena Malone, and Christina Ricci for those Odd Girl parts. She found the sweet quirkiness and heartfelt honesty of her character. Jon Gries, an actor since 1968, son of famed film director Tom Gries, was very good as the arrogant deluded ignorant Uncle Ricco; a man stuck in the past, reliving a fake fantasy that when he played high school football he might have been a great star, even turned pro...if his stupid coach had not left him on the bench so much. Efrem Ramirez, as Napoleon's best friend, Pedro, is a veteran actor from 10 films. His babyface, and deadpan delivery served him well. He did an excellent job. When he decided to run for class president, against a popular cheerleader, the tempo begins to shift, and we begin to see that this sad and funny drama was going to bend into a kind of fantasy tale; with underdogs rising to the occasion, taking on overwhelming odds, and of course, emerging victorious.

In smaller roles we first find Diedrich Baker as the karate teacher Rex, and he is the most seasoned veteran of the cast, having appeared in 33 films. He had a lot of fun with this part, prancing around in his American flag "bad-boy" pants, and pushing around the local kids while taking their money. Then there is Shondrella Avery appearing as Kip's cyberlove La Fawnduh. She is one hot mama, and she seems to like short skinny white dudes. When Kip boards the bus with her, bandana on his head, glasses in his pocket, suitcases in his hands, leaving home for the first time, we realize the film has come full circle, and now is a fairy tale.

I had approached this film skeptically, not being sure how I would react or relate to it...but it won me over. It was not just another dumb comedy that would disentegrate two points off my intelligence quotient just by sitting through it. Rather, it was a fine little film, large on ambition, that I came to care about. I recommend it highly.

Soooo FUNNY!!!!!
I loved this film. It is funny like the mainstream films try to be but usually don't live up to. Its got some really gross parts to so watch out. Every scene is laugh out loud. I was laughing so hard I was crying. It also has a really good theme. The minority actually gets the upper hand by using creativity, not giving up and still being themselves. The actors were absolutely outstanding! The story is fresh and original without the cliches that seem unending in many films. Napoleon is a boy in high school who would be considered a nerd. He is different because normally the nerd cliche would be to not stand up for yourself but Napoleon has a temper and isn't afraid to speak out for himself. Its just that he does it so funnily. Napoleon is not the only funny character, the film just overflows with creative characters, his brother who is 34, still living with grandma who cooks steaks all the time. He is also nerdlike and possibly slow. But he is so funny, he wants to be a karate fighter, he and Napoleon get into a slap fight, its just hilarious. The brother has a girlfriend he meets on the internet, who shows up and changes the brother into Mr. Cool, but it just isn't possible. The Uncle is Uncle Rico who loves football and is stuck in the 80's. He wants to go back and play in the 4th quarter and become a pro, which he didn't get to do. He buys a time machine on the net, another lol scene. Pedro is from Juarez, Mexico who gives a deadpan performance. His acting alone makes the movie a winner. He decides to run for president against the most popular girl in school. He never gives up and neither does Napoleon. Napoleon's love interest switches to Mel who is also another interesting character. Into photography and also somewhat nerdy. She is played by Tina Majorano (sp.) She was that little girl in When a Man Loves a Woman. Another great performance. I can't say enough about the film. I think most ages would like this film, there is some cussing and some gross out scenes, no sex. Go see it!

Lisa Nary

Napoleon Dynamite. More Movies should be like this.
Napoleon Dynamite was a fantastic movie. I came into the theatre about 10 minutes late, it was still great. Some movies have their fabulous moments, but not this one. The whole movie itself is a fabulous moment. I love movies with no point! Example: Welcome to The Dollhouse, I thought Nothing could even be the same as that movie or replace that movie. Then all the sudden a brilliant writer came up with this movie. I really appreciate Napoleon Dynamite. I really do not think anybody knows how much I appreciate it or even understand. I do not want to rate this movie a five, I want to rate it a 6. Sadly I can't, anywho for all of you who have not seen it go see it, then go see it again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Opening with a Bond-style action sequence, the 2005 Disney Channel Original Movie Kim Possible: So the Drama finds our heroine attempting to foil Drakken's most insidious plot yet.What can he possibly want with robots from Nakasumi Toys (the company from the series' first episode, "Crush"), Dr. Possible's cybertronic technology, creepy syntho-drones, and the latest teen fads?Kim's used to fighting Drakken; the bigger problem is finding a date to the prom, or--worse--going with Ron, who's so not that kind of friend.Enter the new guy in school, Eric, who's cute enough to inspire cootie alerts.But that means no more hanging out with Ron, who's also having major issues with Bueno Nacho's new management.Hang-ups aside, the two friends will have to figure out a way to save the world one more time, leading to the debut of a spankin'-new outfit and a surprise ending.So the Drama marks the end of Disney's Kim Possible series.For its cool adventures, its nifty gadgets, its hip wit, and a teen heroine that appeals to both youngsters and oldsters, it will be missed.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (26)

BADICAL!!!!!!!!
I saw this when it first aired on Disney Channel April 8th. I recorded it because I am a HUGE K.P. fan. This movie was AWESOME or in the words of Kim's best friend and sidekick: Ron Stoppable It's "BADICAL"! I must have watched it like 5x's everyday since the DVD came out then I watched DVD just as much if not more and I still am! I love this movie! I am 20 I know too old for cartoons, well I don't believe you are ever too old for cartoons! K.P. is a perfect example of this! I know grandparents who are huge fans! And Disney is DUMB for wanting to cancel the only good show on TV today! Hey Disney once you get rid of K.P. I will never watch your channel ever again! Have fun watching yourselves go down the toilet because YOU made the mistake to cancel K.P.! Anyways this movie deserves more than 100 stars! The story is:

Kim is bummed because her cheerleader rival: Bonnie Rockwaller(major snob!) told her she is pretty much pathetic for not having a boyfriend or in Bonnie's eyes a star athelet BF like herself and the rest of the cheerleader squad.Especially since the prom is coming up! Then Erik appears and him and Kim fall for each other while her best friend and sidekick Ron is left out and realizes his feelings for Kim(it is very sad watching Ron being left out and sad). Meanwhile Dr. Drakken, Kim's evil archfoe and my fav character on the show is planning an evil(with Drakken everything is evil, lol) scheme that no one knows about but himself. Not even his awesome and definitly the coolest evil henchwoman and villainess EVER (and his crush, awww. You go Dr. D!): Shego knows. His excuse for not letting her in(first time ever!)on his evil plans is Kim Possible is not smarter than her so if she can't figure it out Kim can't figure it out. Drakken is very very successful in his evil scheme and what a cool evil scheme it is! Kim goes to the rescue with Ron, her new and very cool suit, and to save her bf:Erik(Oh poor Kim, she doesn't know what's in store for her with Erik. It makes for a great turn of events though!) after he was captured by Drakken and Shego for an awesome showdown and with a cute ending that should please K.P. fans!

The fights and action in this movie are awesome! Though the final fight between Kim and Shego(both of them I should say, since it's kinda a 2-part fight) could of at least been a minute longer! The opening sequence is awesome enough!

The music in this is really good and clicks really well with the scenes! I really loved the K.P. theme song remix during the opening credits. It was kinda like James Bond style! And Christy Carlson Romano's(who voices our heroine K.P.) new song: "Could it Be" is really good and fits right in with the world of K.P. And of course all the original songs we hear everyday on the show are in this movie with some new added songs(like the song playing when Kim fights Shego for the first in her battle suit).

The voice acting is perfect! Christy is always great with Kim Possible and really brings her to life. Will Friedle is perfect as Ron and in fact the way he does Ron's voice makes him more funny and enjoyable! John DiMaggio(he used to do the voice of Bender the Robot on Futurama) is EXCELLENT as the evil Dr. Drakken! His voice matches him perfectly! Nicole Sullivan(Of MadTV) is AWESOME as Shego! You can tell she has fun voicing this awesome villainess! And the rest of the cast is just as good! Everyone is perfectly casted and all the voices match the characters perfectly!

I highly recommend this movie for fans and those who don't know what K.P. is exactly. And hopefully due to high DVD sales on this movie alone Disney will come to their senses and have K.P. come back for at least 1 if not more seasons!

Drakken is wrong, Kim IS all that
Kim Possible is a witty, adventurous, fun-filled cartoon series and this short movie lives up to the same expectations. On top of saving the world, Kim has the added pressure of finding a Prom date.The Evil Drakken hatches a clever plan (yes, Drakken can be clever!Amazing!) involving buying out the Nacho chain and distributing evil toys that are really some kind of mutating cybernetic gizmos. Ron Stoppable (and Rufus the naked mole rat) are upset with all the changes going on at his favorite Nacho restaraunt...but he has other problems too.When Kim finds the perfect Prom date, Ron suddenly wonders why he should be so jealous.Could this be the start of something more between Kim and Ron?
Ron is always comic relief for Kim but this adventure has a sweet romantic twist between Kim and Ron.The villians, the story, and the jokes keep things lively and fun too, as always.
Just so you know, I'm a 35 year old, but I still love this show.It's clever and action packed and better than a lot of stuff on TV.The animation is top-notch and so is the writing.
Kim may have been inspired by old shows like Johnny Quest, but it has a lot more style and character.If you're like me, you're getting burned out on the cynical animated antics of warped characters like those on Family Guy and other shows.If so, Kim Possible is for you.Grown-ups, kids, and everyone should watch this show.

"Syntho-dude you are going down!"
I submitted a review two weeks ago that didn't go through so I am trying again. My daughter and I have loved this TV show since it began in 2002 and are hoping the Disney will soften its stance on the 65 episode policy. Animated though she is, Kim's an outstanding role model - a true heroine but always struggling with insecurities too.

This movie exceeded my high expectations. The storyline was very interesting, the animation (especially the fight scenes) was darker and more gripping (the culminating fights are especially brutal - I literally flinched when Drakken's robotic "son" slammed Ron face-first into the wall. Kim and Shego's fight scenes throughout the movie are spectacular animated works of martial art.)

It's the chemistry between the leads that makes this such a touching work. He faces the prospect of losing her to a handsome newcomer at the school and keeps it together to prove himself backing her up as they face Drakken and Shego. Kim and Ron are heroes to each other. The end of the movie is very sweet and affecting. That this can be conveyed in a cartoon is also an accomplishment.

I am not sure what direction the series would go if it could be renewed, on the other hand, the series creators are enormously inventive. I am sad to see it end. I am hoping that interest in and kudos for the movie might change the bureaucratic mind of Disney Corp.

Nancy Melucci
Huntington Beach CA

*hyperventilate*
Sorr about my spelling but, i have a big headache and cant speel properly today. i thought this movie was so cool, i like shego but kim is cool. ron and kim are cute, so say 1 million others, and i am SO MAD at the disney channel for cancelling Kim Possible! I will never watch them again, if they do this. i will watch nickalodeon. i have downloaded the song, could it be, its so nice. this movie is my faveourtie movie now, lol!

How to save Kim Possible from cancellation
I don't wish to repeat myself so referring to this amazing film I will only say that I recommend it to everybody and I think if you appreciate good animation, you should buy it.

The main message of this review is to tell everybody how they can help save this amazing show form cancellation. Simply go to http://kp.savedisneyshows.org/index.html and read the information on the website. It tells you how you can send letters, emails and do everything you can to save this show for future generations to enjoy. From this site you can find links to other sites which are about saving other Disney shows which are doomed because of their limited episode rule. Please we need your help because without it, we will never achieve our goal. ... Read more

Reviews (493)

Way underrated
Anyone who has ever worked in corporate America will relate to this hilarious gem.
It is low key as opposed to slapstick comedy. I think the movie was well cast about a cube dweller who had enough and basically quits working and gets a promotion to upper management while his hard working and dedicated buddies get slated for layoffs by "The Bob's" two management consultants.
Ron Livingston does a great job as Pete Gibbons, and Ajay Naidu as "Samir Nu, ne, nunu, uh nnn ,not work here anymore" David Herman as Micheal-why should I change - Bolton.
The boss Lundbergh is played perfectly deadpan by Gary Cole, and I think there is a Tom Smykowski and Milton Waddams in every organization. Lets not forget the "Bob's" I knew two idiot consultants just like them.
Office Space has it all, from stupid meetings, CI programs, and of course the infamous TPS reports - "didn't you get the memo about the new cover sheets?"
I could not stop laughing through the whole thing.

Well worth the price of the DVD, even though the transfer was only fair.

Hiliariously Close to the Truth
Though the situations and characters in Office Space are certainly larger than life, they are not that far from the truth--to which those of us in the corporate world will readily attest. That's what makes the movie so delightfully funny: seeing characters on screen act out (without much exaggeration) the trials and tribulations of today's desk-bound workforce.

The plot of the movie itself is somewhat secondary to its entertainment value. Basically, the main character (Ron Livingston) isn't happy with his job; having been asked once by his high school guidance counselor to picture what he'd do without being paid and consider that his ideal job, he responded that he's like to sit around and do nothing. The rest of the main plot centers on his attempt to get his life back on track, from discovering a love interest in a local waitress (Jennifer Anniston) also unhappy with her job to plotting revenge on his company for firing his friends.

Quickly one sees exactly why the characters are so unhappy with their jobs: a clueless, paper-shuffling boss who speaks in total monotone; inane office regulations requiring more time spent on reports than on real work; faulty office equipment; and so on. Carefully crafted to represent archetypes we all know from our own office experiences, the characters and their attempts to break free of the 9-to-5 drudgery are absolutely hilarious.

You don't have to be a computer programmer or engineer to enjoy this film--all you need is to have worked somewhere once in your life that was far from the ideal environment. Watch this film and enjoy a laugh at schmucks who have it ten times worse than you ever have!

THE comedy movie to see from the late 90s
If you see one comedy from the late 90s, see this one! The cast is great, and the story is better. The only person I know who didn't like this movie just doesn't understand the modern industrial/metroplitan environment. Driving to work in Silicon Valley REALLY IS THIS BAD, and if your definition of heavy traffic is going 15-20 mph on the freeway, you might not appreciate this film.

Dilbert's got it easy!
OFFICE SPACE either suffered from bad marketing or poor distribution because I had never heard of it nor did many of my movie-going friends. When I saw it on cable, I kept asking myself, "Where did this come from?" While the film occasionally breaks down in predictable sequences and cheap shots, it really does hold together remarkably well. This is one of the better written, directed and acted comedies in a long time. Even though the late 90's office world it illustrates is long gone, muddle-headed supervisors, know-nothing consultants, and very weird office workers are not. Enjoy this movie!

A MODERN CULT CLASSIC
Having seen and enjoyed bits and pieces of this movie countless times on cable (usually on Comedy Central) over the last couple of years, I finally broke down and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. Smart move on my part. Now that I've seen the entire movie from start to finish, it makes a lot more sense now (I'd never seen the hypnotism scene). It has all the makings of a modern cult classic. How do I know? Because every time I roll across it on cable I usually wind up watching the balance of the film and enjoying it all over again. Having 2 Geto Boys songs on the soundtrack and co-starring Jennifer Aniston doesn't hurt either. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. ... Read more

Reviews (306)

cute kid's show
While Ice Age does have adult themes running through it (and a few adult jokes), it doesn't have the broad appeal that you find with Shrek, Toy Story, or Monsters, Inc. But it is a good movie to sit down with the whole family to watch. There's little violence and no sexual content. The animation is a little cartoony--but the animators aren't shooting for realistic here, they are looking for more of a 'Shrek' type look. It has its charm. It does have a strong cast. I'd never have pictured Ray Romano as a mammoth, but his dead pan delivery does fit well with the personality of a gigantic mammoth. Dennis Leary plays the saber-tooth tiger, but holding Leary back to a PG rating takes away from his appeal. Still, he does a fairly good job with what he has, and the funniest moments in the movie come from his interaction with John Leguizamo, who is brilliant as the sloth. Cedric the Entertainer, Jack Black, and Gorin Visjnic (casting him as the leader of the tigers was a stroke of genius, I wish there had been more scenes featuring him) have small supporting roles. The dvd contains all kinds of extras, but it is the short animation 'Bunny' that really makes this dvd worth buying (and the cave painting scene in the movie). You can see the animators genius there. This isn't a dvd you want to rush out to buy, but one you might want to put on your list of dvds to get.

Slow Start, But Turns Around Halfway Through
The Story: Manfred the mastodon (Ray Romano), Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo), and Diego the saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary) are getting ready to migrate, separately, when fate brings them together and puts a human infant in their care. They travel through the brutal but starkly beautiful landscapes of 20,000 years ago, seeking the child's father, who is migrating with his tribe. Of course, the prey-predator factor complicates things, as man hunts everything, saber-toothed tigers hunt everything, sloths are usually prey, and mastodons are prize prey that are usually passed up because of their size. Oh, and along the way, a squirrel (?) tries to gather acorns for the (extremely long and harsh) winter.

Story Commentary: This is a computer-animated remake of "The Three Godfathers" but the first half seemed a LOT like "Shrek" meets "Monsters, Inc." transposed into the distant past. Then, something happens, and the movie became wondrous for me. The things that created this transformation were: the turmoil and complexity of Diego's emerging character as he discovers a different way of being; the whole scene in the ice cavern, and especially the wall-drawing of the mastodon that Manfred sees (and then imagines into a microcosmic summary of Ice Age life); the growing sense of duty, stewardship, and surrogate fatherhood. The ice cavern scene is the start, and is an unforgettable movie moment for me. The interspersed vignettes of the squirrel (coati mundi?) provided great comic relief, plus an ending to make one chuckle.

Technical Commentary: This film looks very different than did "Shrek" and "Monsters, Inc." but is on a par, technically, with them. The stark beauty of an Ice Age winter, turned into an icy playground with lethal traps and pitfalls, was a work of minimalist art.

At the halfway point, I would have given the film two to three stars, and complained that it lacked originality times three. The last half gets five stars.

Profound AND Funny
I got indignant when one of my favorite reviewers panned this film and decided to rise to its defense. Not only does this film work brilliantly as an allegory about bridging ethnic and cultural divides, but it is by turns hilarious and deeply touching. The story follows a group of migrating prehistoric mammals (a saber-toothed tiger which is a predator; and a sloth and woolly mammoth, which are prey species) who find a lost human infant and ultimately make the difficult and dangerous decision to reunite it with its human tribe. The personalities of all three are well developed, and their nonstop bickering is a riot. Naturally, there are many internal divisions, and the saber-toothed tiger is secretly plotting to ambush the group, but in the end the shared experience of bonding with the infant unites them. There is a highly entertaining scene where the group travels through an ice cave in which is embedded hilarious references to other life forms including extraterrestrials. There is a very touching scene in which the mammoth contemplates human pictographs of hunters killing a family of mammoths with spears, only to be comforted by the human infant in his care. The animation, especially the facial expressions for the animals, and of course the ill-fated squirrel whose attempts to gather and store nuts form a cruelly funny sub-theme, is incredibly clever. The film is just brimming with sly humor, tenderness, and witty sight-gags; I've probably seen it five times and haven't gotten bored yet.

Cold Laughs
This is a great movie. The characters and situations are just so funny. I really couldn't stop laughing. I highly recommend it.

very cute, and the squirrel is a riot!
A film by Chris Wedge and Carlos Saldanha

The first hint I had of what "Ice Age" would be was a preview long before the movie ever came out. The preview featured a squirrel trying to bury an acorn in the snow, but nothing was working and in the attempt to bury the acorn, the poor little squirrel inadvertently caused an avalanche. It was funny, and it was the one of the best previews that I had seen. Fortunately, this squirrel makes several appearances throughout "Ice Age" and steals every scene that he appears in (which is saying something for a piece of animation). However, the main story of the film has nothing to do with the squirrel.

A pack of saber tooth tigers are seeking to attack a human settlement in revenge for some of their own being killed by human hunters. The plan is to take the human baby of the lead hunter. The tigers attack, but the baby's mother manages to escape and dives into the river. With her last breath the mother places the baby at the feet of a mastodon who is standing by the riverbank.

This much is still set up for the primary story being told, and that is the story of Manfred the mastodon (Ray Romano) and Sid the sloth (John Leguizamo). Since the world is in the middle of an ice age, the animals are migrating south to get out of the cold. Manfred is initially going north to get away from everyone else when he comes upon Sid. Sid was left behind and he also needs protection. He's a sloth, but rather than being exceptionally slow, he appears to be more clumsy than anything else. The two animals end up traveling together (over the objections of the mastodon), and it is then that they come across the human baby. Manfred is ready to leave the baby behind, but Sid insists on keeping the child until they can find another human settlement. Enter Diego (Denis Leary). Diego is a saber tooth tiger who has been sent by his pack to reclaim the human baby as revenge for the pack. Even a tiger fears to go up against a mastodon, so Diego pretends to have the best interests of the baby at heart and now we have the rather strange group of Manfred, Sid, and Diego all trying to return the baby (except for Diego, who is only pretending).

"Ice Age" is a very cute movie, suitable for children of all ages. It is funny at times (any time the squirrel gets to make an appearance is a highlight for me), and it should be enjoyable for children and adults. Excellent animation and excellent voice acting. "Ice Age" is a good movie that should not be overlooked (even though it was overlooked in the theatre because of Pixar's "Monsters Inc"). ... Read more

Reviews (493)

Way underrated
Anyone who has ever worked in corporate America will relate to this hilarious gem.
It is low key as opposed to slapstick comedy. I think the movie was well cast about a cube dweller who had enough and basically quits working and gets a promotion to upper management while his hard working and dedicated buddies get slated for layoffs by "The Bob's" two management consultants.
Ron Livingston does a great job as Pete Gibbons, and Ajay Naidu as "Samir Nu, ne, nunu, uh nnn ,not work here anymore" David Herman as Micheal-why should I change - Bolton.
The boss Lundbergh is played perfectly deadpan by Gary Cole, and I think there is a Tom Smykowski and Milton Waddams in every organization. Lets not forget the "Bob's" I knew two idiot consultants just like them.
Office Space has it all, from stupid meetings, CI programs, and of course the infamous TPS reports - "didn't you get the memo about the new cover sheets?"
I could not stop laughing through the whole thing.

Well worth the price of the DVD, even though the transfer was only fair.

Hiliariously Close to the Truth
Though the situations and characters in Office Space are certainly larger than life, they are not that far from the truth--to which those of us in the corporate world will readily attest. That's what makes the movie so delightfully funny: seeing characters on screen act out (without much exaggeration) the trials and tribulations of today's desk-bound workforce.

The plot of the movie itself is somewhat secondary to its entertainment value. Basically, the main character (Ron Livingston) isn't happy with his job; having been asked once by his high school guidance counselor to picture what he'd do without being paid and consider that his ideal job, he responded that he's like to sit around and do nothing. The rest of the main plot centers on his attempt to get his life back on track, from discovering a love interest in a local waitress (Jennifer Anniston) also unhappy with her job to plotting revenge on his company for firing his friends.

Quickly one sees exactly why the characters are so unhappy with their jobs: a clueless, paper-shuffling boss who speaks in total monotone; inane office regulations requiring more time spent on reports than on real work; faulty office equipment; and so on. Carefully crafted to represent archetypes we all know from our own office experiences, the characters and their attempts to break free of the 9-to-5 drudgery are absolutely hilarious.

You don't have to be a computer programmer or engineer to enjoy this film--all you need is to have worked somewhere once in your life that was far from the ideal environment. Watch this film and enjoy a laugh at schmucks who have it ten times worse than you ever have!

THE comedy movie to see from the late 90s
If you see one comedy from the late 90s, see this one! The cast is great, and the story is better. The only person I know who didn't like this movie just doesn't understand the modern industrial/metroplitan environment. Driving to work in Silicon Valley REALLY IS THIS BAD, and if your definition of heavy traffic is going 15-20 mph on the freeway, you might not appreciate this film.

Dilbert's got it easy!
OFFICE SPACE either suffered from bad marketing or poor distribution because I had never heard of it nor did many of my movie-going friends. When I saw it on cable, I kept asking myself, "Where did this come from?" While the film occasionally breaks down in predictable sequences and cheap shots, it really does hold together remarkably well. This is one of the better written, directed and acted comedies in a long time. Even though the late 90's office world it illustrates is long gone, muddle-headed supervisors, know-nothing consultants, and very weird office workers are not. Enjoy this movie!

A MODERN CULT CLASSIC
Having seen and enjoyed bits and pieces of this movie countless times on cable (usually on Comedy Central) over the last couple of years, I finally broke down and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. Smart move on my part. Now that I've seen the entire movie from start to finish, it makes a lot more sense now (I'd never seen the hypnotism scene). It has all the makings of a modern cult classic. How do I know? Because every time I roll across it on cable I usually wind up watching the balance of the film and enjoying it all over again. Having 2 Geto Boys songs on the soundtrack and co-starring Jennifer Aniston doesn't hurt either. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. ... Read more

Amazon.com

F.B.I. operative Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) famously went undercover in a beauty pageant a while back, and now she's supposedly so recognizable that her only use to the agency is as a pretty public representative. Dumped by her boyfriend (whom Benjamin Bratt wisely decided not to portray this time around), a gloomy Gracie goes along with the promo biz until her friend, Miss United States (Heather Burns), is kidnapped along with pageant official Stan Fields (William Shatner) in Las Vegas. Bullock still has perk to please her fans, but neither she nor her awkward alter-ego has any purpose in a sequel to a movie released five years prior. The result is a desperately unfunny, feature-length commercial for Las Vegas tourism, with outdated homosexual stereotypes (Diedrich Bader, as Gracie's stylist) and the usually terrific Regina King (of Ray and Jerry Maguire fame) stuck in a glum role as Bullock's butch bodyguard. Armed? Yes. Fabulous? No. --Steve Wiecking ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Where Is Michael Caine, and a Decent Story? Just a Mess.
Do we really want "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous," unnecessary sequel while we have the surprisingly entertaining original made five years ago?It depends on your expectation level.Keep that very low, and you may like this run-of-the-mill comedy, like watching a TV sit-com extended to lengthy two hours.

Excuse my bitter words, but from the beginning to the end "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous" makes wrong steps -- Sandra Bullock's Gracie Hart is back, which is fine.But as her face is widely known, she cannot do any undercover assignment, so she starts to work on an FBI PR campaign.Gracie begins to consider herself as celebrity, clad in the expensive costumes like Anna Nicole Smith, and appears on a TV show to promote her (ghost-written) book.

In addition to these hackneyed ideas, "MC2" tells us that Gracie's friend Cheryl (Heather Burns) and Stan Fields (William Shatner) are kidnapped by two masked guys on the street of Las Vegas, to which Gracie flies for the most unconvinging reason I have heard in the film's history.Oh, and Sandra Bullock's silly, very silly costumes continue, including one in wheelchair (disguised as an old lady) and one big featherly creature from the Sesami Street.Oh, dear, I love you Sandra, but not this.

[NO CAINE, NO FUN] All these things could have been forgiven if there is chemistry between Sandra Bullock's Gracie and her new 'buddy' Sam Fuller (Regina King, 'Ray').There is none that reminds me of Benjamin Bratt's good-natured personality here.To make matters much, much worse, Michael Caine is gone, replaced by 'fashion advisor' Joel (Diedrich Bader) whose mannnerism, based on poor copy of Caine, is just irritating and awfully unfunny.Finally, when Treat Williams as FBI officer in charge appears with bad acting, the whole film starts to go down to the bottom of the theme parks of Las Vegas, the town which is repeatedly shown on the scree for no other reason than that it is another kind of production placement.

The original "Miss Congeniality" was not critic's favorite, but it gave Sandra Bullock a prestigious Golden-Globe nomination.The sequel unwittingly tells us that a good support and decent (if not special) scripts was the key to that, both of which fatally lack in "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous."

Don't Pass "Miss Congeniality 2" Up On Poor Reviews!
I was planning to pass 'Miss Congeniality 2' up on the strength of poor reviews but braved the show anyway since I had nothing better to do on a Saturday night. The opening scenes were so-so and just when I began to start fidgeting in my seat when I saw Sandra Bullock getting all dolled up donning Chanel suit, Gucci Shades, Fendi bags and heavy make-up to look all plasticky and artificial, the movie got better and better and I saw myself laughing my head off in perhaps formulaic but no less FUNNY sequences. Regina King was perfectly cast as Bullock's glum-faced sidekick - just when viewers were convinced that she was all macho, serious and anything but funny, she totally surprised on the upside in her awesome, show-stealing performance as 'Tina Turner' in drag. In fact, the entire song-and-dance sequence was so kick-ass and hilarious that it had the entire audience in stitches!

Seeing Sandra Bullock 'armed and fabulous' in her reprised role as agent Gracie Hart was a continuous testimony as to why she has transfixed moviegoers in the past decade. While not a conventional beauty, her ever-present wholesomeness, well-crafted comedic timing, not least self-denigrating but always endearing performances (as evident in "While You Were Sleeping", "Two Weeks' Notice" and "Miss Congeniality") confirmed her place as one of America's beloved sweethearts to ever grace the silver screen.

The sequel was more superior in terms of laughs, all-round direction, storyline and showcased a supporting cast whose performance was competent in their own right and sub-plots which more than overtook the forced romantic angle in the prequel. My advice: ignore the poor reviews writing off 'Miss Congeniality 2' as brainless/stupid if you're either a die-hard Bullock's fan or just want to immerse yourself in some 90 minutes+ of unadulterated fun.

PS For extended laughs, do stay back for the closing credits as the producers had gratuitously slapped on rejected takes right at the end of the movie: selected clippings depicting the cast bursting at the seams when they got so carried away and forgot their lines and/or their failed attempts to not burst into irrepressible laughter in supposedly 'serious' situations. ENJOY!

For what it is...
I think the problem is that people are taking this movie WAY to seriously! It's not meant to be avant-guard or brilliant! It's meant to entertain! This movie succeeds at its main goals, being hilariously entertaining with fantastically fresh performances. Bullock shines, even though the script and plot may not be flawless, I have to admit, that I was extremely entertained throughout the entire movie, and everyone in the theatre laughed at every scene and applauded at the end. Don't listen to the critics, Sandra in her own right is brilliant. And while Miss Congeniality 2 is not brilliant, it definately has brighter prospects than a lot of movies out there.

4.5/5

Miss Congeniality 2 is great!
I went and saw this movie with very high hopes and it didnt let me down. The movie is really good. Dont pay attention to these "professional" reviewers because they grade it on how artsy and all that crap that it is. These reviewers gave the 1st movie bad reviews and its a classic. This movie is hillarious and lives up to the original. If you liked the original I reccomend this or if you didnt like the first one because of the beauty pageant stuff then you'll love this one.

"Miss" No Hit
Sandra Bullock returns to the role of Gracie Hart in this unfunny sequel to the surprise hit "Miss Congeniality".

Taking place three weeks after the original, "Miss Congeniality 2" has Gracie Hart returning to her undercover job for the F.B.I. Problems arise when Hart is recoginized wherever she goes, so the Bureau reassigns as a spokesperson for the F.B.I., keeping people informed of the different procedures that occur within the Bureau.

When on "assignment" in Las Vegas, Hart finds out that her new best friend from the first film, Miss United States, is kidnapped, its up to Hart to piece the clues together & find out where the kidnappers have Miss U.S. stashed. But, first Gracie has to get rid of her new He-Man style bodyguard (Regina King) & deal with some crooked Vegas F.B.I. agents (led by Treat Williams).

The film is bit of a bore. It should be funny, but, it just isn't. There's the stereotypical homosexual makeup artist that Gracie has thats there for the obvious jokes. Regina King is wasted in her role. As for Sandra Bullock she trys to act tough but just can't. She came across tougher in the first film (I like her, but,in some shots she just looked old).

The film was released in March 2005 (...).

"Miss Congeneiality 2" is a formuliac sequel that is better watched in the dead of winter on HBO, if watched at all. ... Read more

Amazon.com

F.B.I. operative Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) famously went undercover in a beauty pageant a while back, and now she's supposedly so recognizable that her only use to the agency is as a pretty public representative. Dumped by her boyfriend (whom Benjamin Bratt wisely decided not to portray this time around), a gloomy Gracie goes along with the promo biz until her friend, Miss United States (Heather Burns), is kidnapped along with pageant official Stan Fields (William Shatner) in Las Vegas. Bullock still has perk to please her fans, but neither she nor her awkward alter-ego has any purpose in a sequel to a movie released five years prior. The result is a desperately unfunny, feature-length commercial for Las Vegas tourism, with outdated homosexual stereotypes (Diedrich Bader, as Gracie's stylist) and the usually terrific Regina King (of Ray and Jerry Maguire fame) stuck in a glum role as Bullock's butch bodyguard. Armed? Yes. Fabulous? No. --Steve Wiecking ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Where Is Michael Caine, and a Decent Story? Just a Mess.
Do we really want "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous," unnecessary sequel while we have the surprisingly entertaining original made five years ago?It depends on your expectation level.Keep that very low, and you may like this run-of-the-mill comedy, like watching a TV sit-com extended to lengthy two hours.

Excuse my bitter words, but from the beginning to the end "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous" makes wrong steps -- Sandra Bullock's Gracie Hart is back, which is fine.But as her face is widely known, she cannot do any undercover assignment, so she starts to work on an FBI PR campaign.Gracie begins to consider herself as celebrity, clad in the expensive costumes like Anna Nicole Smith, and appears on a TV show to promote her (ghost-written) book.

In addition to these hackneyed ideas, "MC2" tells us that Gracie's friend Cheryl (Heather Burns) and Stan Fields (William Shatner) are kidnapped by two masked guys on the street of Las Vegas, to which Gracie flies for the most unconvinging reason I have heard in the film's history.Oh, and Sandra Bullock's silly, very silly costumes continue, including one in wheelchair (disguised as an old lady) and one big featherly creature from the Sesami Street.Oh, dear, I love you Sandra, but not this.

[NO CAINE, NO FUN] All these things could have been forgiven if there is chemistry between Sandra Bullock's Gracie and her new 'buddy' Sam Fuller (Regina King, 'Ray').There is none that reminds me of Benjamin Bratt's good-natured personality here.To make matters much, much worse, Michael Caine is gone, replaced by 'fashion advisor' Joel (Diedrich Bader) whose mannnerism, based on poor copy of Caine, is just irritating and awfully unfunny.Finally, when Treat Williams as FBI officer in charge appears with bad acting, the whole film starts to go down to the bottom of the theme parks of Las Vegas, the town which is repeatedly shown on the scree for no other reason than that it is another kind of production placement.

The original "Miss Congeniality" was not critic's favorite, but it gave Sandra Bullock a prestigious Golden-Globe nomination.The sequel unwittingly tells us that a good support and decent (if not special) scripts was the key to that, both of which fatally lack in "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous."

Don't Pass "Miss Congeniality 2" Up On Poor Reviews!
I was planning to pass 'Miss Congeniality 2' up on the strength of poor reviews but braved the show anyway since I had nothing better to do on a Saturday night. The opening scenes were so-so and just when I began to start fidgeting in my seat when I saw Sandra Bullock getting all dolled up donning Chanel suit, Gucci Shades, Fendi bags and heavy make-up to look all plasticky and artificial, the movie got better and better and I saw myself laughing my head off in perhaps formulaic but no less FUNNY sequences. Regina King was perfectly cast as Bullock's glum-faced sidekick - just when viewers were convinced that she was all macho, serious and anything but funny, she totally surprised on the upside in her awesome, show-stealing performance as 'Tina Turner' in drag. In fact, the entire song-and-dance sequence was so kick-ass and hilarious that it had the entire audience in stitches!

Seeing Sandra Bullock 'armed and fabulous' in her reprised role as agent Gracie Hart was a continuous testimony as to why she has transfixed moviegoers in the past decade. While not a conventional beauty, her ever-present wholesomeness, well-crafted comedic timing, not least self-denigrating but always endearing performances (as evident in "While You Were Sleeping", "Two Weeks' Notice" and "Miss Congeniality") confirmed her place as one of America's beloved sweethearts to ever grace the silver screen.

The sequel was more superior in terms of laughs, all-round direction, storyline and showcased a supporting cast whose performance was competent in their own right and sub-plots which more than overtook the forced romantic angle in the prequel. My advice: ignore the poor reviews writing off 'Miss Congeniality 2' as brainless/stupid if you're either a die-hard Bullock's fan or just want to immerse yourself in some 90 minutes+ of unadulterated fun.

PS For extended laughs, do stay back for the closing credits as the producers had gratuitously slapped on rejected takes right at the end of the movie: selected clippings depicting the cast bursting at the seams when they got so carried away and forgot their lines and/or their failed attempts to not burst into irrepressible laughter in supposedly 'serious' situations. ENJOY!

For what it is...
I think the problem is that people are taking this movie WAY to seriously! It's not meant to be avant-guard or brilliant! It's meant to entertain! This movie succeeds at its main goals, being hilariously entertaining with fantastically fresh performances. Bullock shines, even though the script and plot may not be flawless, I have to admit, that I was extremely entertained throughout the entire movie, and everyone in the theatre laughed at every scene and applauded at the end. Don't listen to the critics, Sandra in her own right is brilliant. And while Miss Congeniality 2 is not brilliant, it definately has brighter prospects than a lot of movies out there.

4.5/5

Miss Congeniality 2 is great!
I went and saw this movie with very high hopes and it didnt let me down. The movie is really good. Dont pay attention to these "professional" reviewers because they grade it on how artsy and all that crap that it is. These reviewers gave the 1st movie bad reviews and its a classic. This movie is hillarious and lives up to the original. If you liked the original I reccomend this or if you didnt like the first one because of the beauty pageant stuff then you'll love this one.

"Miss" No Hit
Sandra Bullock returns to the role of Gracie Hart in this unfunny sequel to the surprise hit "Miss Congeniality".

Taking place three weeks after the original, "Miss Congeniality 2" has Gracie Hart returning to her undercover job for the F.B.I. Problems arise when Hart is recoginized wherever she goes, so the Bureau reassigns as a spokesperson for the F.B.I., keeping people informed of the different procedures that occur within the Bureau.

When on "assignment" in Las Vegas, Hart finds out that her new best friend from the first film, Miss United States, is kidnapped, its up to Hart to piece the clues together & find out where the kidnappers have Miss U.S. stashed. But, first Gracie has to get rid of her new He-Man style bodyguard (Regina King) & deal with some crooked Vegas F.B.I. agents (led by Treat Williams).

The film is bit of a bore. It should be funny, but, it just isn't. There's the stereotypical homosexual makeup artist that Gracie has thats there for the obvious jokes. Regina King is wasted in her role. As for Sandra Bullock she trys to act tough but just can't. She came across tougher in the first film (I like her, but,in some shots she just looked old).

The film was released in March 2005 (...).

"Miss Congeneiality 2" is a formuliac sequel that is better watched in the dead of winter on HBO, if watched at all. ... Read more

Amazon.com

F.B.I. operative Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) famously went undercover in a beauty pageant a while back, and now she's supposedly so recognizable that her only use to the agency is as a pretty public representative. Dumped by her boyfriend (whom Benjamin Bratt wisely decided not to portray this time around), a gloomy Gracie goes along with the promo biz until her friend, Miss United States (Heather Burns), is kidnapped along with pageant official Stan Fields (William Shatner) in Las Vegas. Bullock still has perk to please her fans, but neither she nor her awkward alter-ego has any purpose in a sequel to a movie released five years prior. The result is a desperately unfunny, feature-length commercial for Las Vegas tourism, with outdated homosexual stereotypes (Diedrich Bader, as Gracie's stylist) and the usually terrific Regina King (of Ray and Jerry Maguire fame) stuck in a glum role as Bullock's butch bodyguard. Armed? Yes. Fabulous? No. --Steve Wiecking ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Where Is Michael Caine, and a Decent Story? Just a Mess.
Do we really want "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous," unnecessary sequel while we have the surprisingly entertaining original made five years ago?It depends on your expectation level.Keep that very low, and you may like this run-of-the-mill comedy, like watching a TV sit-com extended to lengthy two hours.

Excuse my bitter words, but from the beginning to the end "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous" makes wrong steps -- Sandra Bullock's Gracie Hart is back, which is fine.But as her face is widely known, she cannot do any undercover assignment, so she starts to work on an FBI PR campaign.Gracie begins to consider herself as celebrity, clad in the expensive costumes like Anna Nicole Smith, and appears on a TV show to promote her (ghost-written) book.

In addition to these hackneyed ideas, "MC2" tells us that Gracie's friend Cheryl (Heather Burns) and Stan Fields (William Shatner) are kidnapped by two masked guys on the street of Las Vegas, to which Gracie flies for the most unconvinging reason I have heard in the film's history.Oh, and Sandra Bullock's silly, very silly costumes continue, including one in wheelchair (disguised as an old lady) and one big featherly creature from the Sesami Street.Oh, dear, I love you Sandra, but not this.

[NO CAINE, NO FUN] All these things could have been forgiven if there is chemistry between Sandra Bullock's Gracie and her new 'buddy' Sam Fuller (Regina King, 'Ray').There is none that reminds me of Benjamin Bratt's good-natured personality here.To make matters much, much worse, Michael Caine is gone, replaced by 'fashion advisor' Joel (Diedrich Bader) whose mannnerism, based on poor copy of Caine, is just irritating and awfully unfunny.Finally, when Treat Williams as FBI officer in charge appears with bad acting, the whole film starts to go down to the bottom of the theme parks of Las Vegas, the town which is repeatedly shown on the scree for no other reason than that it is another kind of production placement.

The original "Miss Congeniality" was not critic's favorite, but it gave Sandra Bullock a prestigious Golden-Globe nomination.The sequel unwittingly tells us that a good support and decent (if not special) scripts was the key to that, both of which fatally lack in "Miss Congeniality 2 - Armed and Fabulous."

Don't Pass "Miss Congeniality 2" Up On Poor Reviews!
I was planning to pass 'Miss Congeniality 2' up on the strength of poor reviews but braved the show anyway since I had nothing better to do on a Saturday night. The opening scenes were so-so and just when I began to start fidgeting in my seat when I saw Sandra Bullock getting all dolled up donning Chanel suit, Gucci Shades, Fendi bags and heavy make-up to look all plasticky and artificial, the movie got better and better and I saw myself laughing my head off in perhaps formulaic but no less FUNNY sequences. Regina King was perfectly cast as Bullock's glum-faced sidekick - just when viewers were convinced that she was all macho, serious and anything but funny, she totally surprised on the upside in her awesome, show-stealing performance as 'Tina Turner' in drag. In fact, the entire song-and-dance sequence was so kick-ass and hilarious that it had the entire audience in stitches!

Seeing Sandra Bullock 'armed and fabulous' in her reprised role as agent Gracie Hart was a continuous testimony as to why she has transfixed moviegoers in the past decade. While not a conventional beauty, her ever-present wholesomeness, well-crafted comedic timing, not least self-denigrating but always endearing performances (as evident in "While You Were Sleeping", "Two Weeks' Notice" and "Miss Congeniality") confirmed her place as one of America's beloved sweethearts to ever grace the silver screen.

The sequel was more superior in terms of laughs, all-round direction, storyline and showcased a supporting cast whose performance was competent in their own right and sub-plots which more than overtook the forced romantic angle in the prequel. My advice: ignore the poor reviews writing off 'Miss Congeniality 2' as brainless/stupid if you're either a die-hard Bullock's fan or just want to immerse yourself in some 90 minutes+ of unadulterated fun.

PS For extended laughs, do stay back for the closing credits as the producers had gratuitously slapped on rejected takes right at the end of the movie: selected clippings depicting the cast bursting at the seams when they got so carried away and forgot their lines and/or their failed attempts to not burst into irrepressible laughter in supposedly 'serious' situations. ENJOY!

For what it is...
I think the problem is that people are taking this movie WAY to seriously! It's not meant to be avant-guard or brilliant! It's meant to entertain! This movie succeeds at its main goals, being hilariously entertaining with fantastically fresh performances. Bullock shines, even though the script and plot may not be flawless, I have to admit, that I was extremely entertained throughout the entire movie, and everyone in the theatre laughed at every scene and applauded at the end. Don't listen to the critics, Sandra in her own right is brilliant. And while Miss Congeniality 2 is not brilliant, it definately has brighter prospects than a lot of movies out there.

4.5/5

Miss Congeniality 2 is great!
I went and saw this movie with very high hopes and it didnt let me down. The movie is really good. Dont pay attention to these "professional" reviewers because they grade it on how artsy and all that crap that it is. These reviewers gave the 1st movie bad reviews and its a classic. This movie is hillarious and lives up to the original. If you liked the original I reccomend this or if you didnt like the first one because of the beauty pageant stuff then you'll love this one.

"Miss" No Hit
Sandra Bullock returns to the role of Gracie Hart in this unfunny sequel to the surprise hit "Miss Congeniality".

Taking place three weeks after the original, "Miss Congeniality 2" has Gracie Hart returning to her undercover job for the F.B.I. Problems arise when Hart is recoginized wherever she goes, so the Bureau reassigns as a spokesperson for the F.B.I., keeping people informed of the different procedures that occur within the Bureau.

When on "assignment" in Las Vegas, Hart finds out that her new best friend from the first film, Miss United States, is kidnapped, its up to Hart to piece the clues together & find out where the kidnappers have Miss U.S. stashed. But, first Gracie has to get rid of her new He-Man style bodyguard (Regina King) & deal with some crooked Vegas F.B.I. agents (led by Treat Williams).

The film is bit of a bore. It should be funny, but, it just isn't. There's the stereotypical homosexual makeup artist that Gracie has thats there for the obvious jokes. Regina King is wasted in her role. As for Sandra Bullock she trys to act tough but just can't. She came across tougher in the first film (I like her, but,in some shots she just looked old).

The film was released in March 2005 (...).

"Miss Congeneiality 2" is a formuliac sequel that is better watched in the dead of winter on HBO, if watched at all. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

WELLL DOGGIES THEIR ON THE BIG SCREEN
Penelope Spheeris does a GREAT job directing this feature film based on the 1962-71 CBS-TV series. The plot is basically the same as the classic TV sitcom. A family of hillbillies become millionaires overnight when the father,while hunting a rabbit,misses his shot and strikes oil. Jim (Ernest) Varney stars as "JED CLAMPETT". The role made famous by Buddy Ebsen in the TV series. Cloris Leachman is "GRANNY", Lily Tomlin is "JANE HATHAWAY" and Dabney Coleman is "MILBOURNE DRYSDALE" the President of the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills. This big budget box-office smash also has a cameo by Dolly Parton as herself and a cameo appearance by Buddy Ebsen as private detective "BARNABY JONES" the other role he portrayed about a year after the cancellation of his classic sitcom. TWO THUMBS-UP to one of the best based-on-TV series movie ever filmed.

A nice movie that is worth watching!
I liked this movie which I saw before The original Beverly Hillbillies TV show which I had never seen before they started showing reruns on TV Land. I liked everyone but especially Diedrich Bader who was a wonderfully idiotic Jethrow and Jim Varney who though not as good as Buddy Ebson was a good Jed Clampett. Erika Eleniak though not as good as Donna Douglas was really quite good as Elly May but Chloris Leachman and Lily Tomlin though giving decent performances were not nearly as good a Jane Hathaway as Nancy Kulp or as good a Granny as Irene Ryan, but lets face it no one could possibly be as good a Granny as Irene Ryan she's the definitive Granny! one of my favorite scenes in this movie is when Miss Hathaway rang the door bell at the Clampett estate and dopey but loveable Jethro couldn't figure out where the sound was coming from and when Miss Hathaway spoke on the intercom and he thought she was trapped in the wall and was ready to demolish the wall to let her out. By the way I now like the classic TV show too and while I do prefer the TV show the movie is good in it's ownright and is worth watching!

Peggy B
I would recommend this movie gets put on dvd. I really enjoyed the movie with Jim Varney. I had started a dvd collection and I have been watching for this to come available on dvd for quite some time. I think it is a really funny remake. And I would recommend this movie to everybody who loves Jim Varney as I do! I would also like to add that Lilly Tomlin and the rest of the cast were excellent in their protrayal of the orginal characters in the tv series. I have to admit I was very surprized as to how well Jim Varney played Jed in this movie. He had to follow Buddy Epson, whom is an excellent actor, as Jim Varney I believe, if had he lived longer, he would of shown us his real tallents.

pretty funny
lemme give you an example
Jethro Bodine: Jed Clampett has all of the 3 A's. He's A-ttractive, A-vailable and A-billionaire.

Not as Funny as the TV show but Still Enjoyable!
This movie remake isn't as funny as the TV show episodes but that doesn't mean that I thought the movie was not funny and wasn't good, the movie had some scenes that were very funny and all in all it was a pretty cute movie and I got a lot of enjoyment from watching it and I thought the actors were really good, especially Jim Varney, (Ernest Goes to Camp), Deidrich Bader (The Drew Carrey Show), Chloris Leachman (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), and Erika Eleniak (Baywatch). I had this movie on tape and I would love to have it on DVD so I hope it gets released on DVD. I would also love to see the TV show get on DVD in complete season boxsets. Yes I know the TV show is on DVD but it's only some best of episodes and not complete season DVD boxsets! ... Read more

Description

Disney's legendary group comes alive as The Country Bearsstar in their first feature film. Chronicling one of the mostheartwarming family adventures ever, The Country Bearsis packed withhilarious comedy, fantastic fun, and foot-stomping music for the wholefamily. For Beary Barrington, The Country Bears' young #1 fan, fittingin with his all-too-human family is proving im-paws-ible. When he runsaway to find Country Bear Hall and his heroes, he discovers the venuethat made them famous is near foreclosure. Beary hightails it over theriver and through the woods to get the Bears in the Band back togetherfor an all-out reunion concert to save Country Bear Hall. And on the wayto find his place in the world, Beary learns that true families are madeup of those people who love you the most! ... Read more

Reviews (31)

The PG Blues Brothers Band
"Bringing back the band to raise money for a significant landmark", "cameos by a bunch of musicians, Elton John/ Don Henley/Queen Latifah to name a few", "a musical number here and there which pauses the plot of the movie just to flash "hey, we can sing and dance!""...and you got a knock off of "The Blues Brothers", hence the title! "The Country Bears", based on Disney's own attraction off Disney World, is flat out cheesy. The bear-lives-among-us theme isn't quite believable but still adorable on every ASPECT. (Which they should bring the Bernstien Bears to the big screen!) When Disney gets tired of making dozen's of sequels to beloved classics, only finding their way to the direct-to-video-piles and when Disney can't think of another "Honey, we shrunk the Disney execs", Disney starts creating plot points to their own attractions. While "The Country Bears" is underrated, it still didn't come on to strong. Kids under 4 just don't give a .... anymore. They want to see smartass Sherk's or another Toy Story. Disney just doesn't have it anymore (note: maybe because some brainless company fired a brilliant producer, who then went to Spielberg to form Dreamworks, which is not just kicking Oscar ... but also kicking Disney's as well). Disney has now developed a plan...for the next couple of years, they will bring to life their own attractions. With the "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" released couple of weeks ago, "The Haunted Mansion" in a few months...it will be interesting to see how the kiddies will react to Disney's approach. Who knows, prepare for "Hall of President's" and "The Movie Ride" if this venture takes off!

The Country Bears
This why in Disneyland has no more Country Bears there. The movie didn't do so good. What's next? Disney going make the movie "It's small world." "Spash MT.", etc.

Never want to see it again
Not good, very bad, easy to beat, so bad "blockbuster," flat out horrible movie to see. You waste your good movie time.

It Won't Put You Into Hibernation
"The Country Bears" is a good family film. It isn't the best movie Disney ever cranked out, but it will hold your attention for about an hour and a half. It follows the story of young Beary Barrington, a boy/bear unsure of his purpose in life. He doesn't fit in with his human family(or at least that's what he thinks), so he sets out for "Country Bear Hall," where he believes he'll fit in. When he gets there, the place is about to be leveled to the ground, so he decides to reunite the band for a benefit concert. What follows is a good, clean family film about friendship, family, and tons of musical cameos.

It has a solid cast of well-known and not-so-well known actors. Christopher Walken plays the sore loser turned destructive banker bent on destroying Country Bear Hall. Deidrich Bader and "Chill" Mitchell play two goofy state highway patrolmen. Haley Joel Osment provides the voice of "Beary." Steve Tobolowsky plays the fun father figure of this film.

The film has a good overall message, but some younger kids may be turned off by the pace. It does introduce the younger lot to musicians like Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Elton John, Brian Setzer, and Don Was. It also has cameos by stars the youngsters will probably recognize like Wyclef Jean and Queen Latifah. I think that's what I like most about this film. It covers the Country Bear's "influence" across the board and manages to mix a number of musical genres into one. From hip-hop to rockabilly, it's all covered here. The Country Bear band has a Southern rock sound, with a little Eagles thrown in to boot.

For good family fun, I recommend this one.

The Moose Hole - Un'bear'able!
Walt Disney Pictures used to be the center of original family entertainment year after year. It used to be the studio that all others looked up to for the next big thing for children young and old. What happened?! It seems the once center of fantasy magic has had a drought in the department of original ideas as the company recently announced the rollout of three live-action feature films based the Mouse House's theme park attractions. The first of these to test the mainstream waters is The Country Bears with Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and The Haunted Mansion soon to follow. Along with these attraction-based features, the studio will be digging through their archives and updating such classics as The Shaggy Dog and Freaky Friday. Will this work in revitalizing the studio's sagging box office returns? Hard to say at this point but critics have already given a thumbs down on the matter.

The story focuses on the adventures of a young talking bear out to discover his roots and reunites an old band in the process. Beary Barrington (some joke, huh?) always knew he was different then other boys but when his older brother informs him that he is adopted, the bear cub runs away figuring he doesn't fit into his adopted family. Beary sets out to seek his higher purpose in life and along the way he falls upon Bear Hall, the former home of his favorite band, The Country Bears. Unfortunately due to conflicting issues amongst the band members, they broke years ago and the Hall is faced with destruction if $20,000 isn't paid in time. Beary's new mission is to reunite the old members of The Country Bears so that they can perform a benefit concert to save Bear Hall before it meets the wrecking ball. The story for The Country Bears resembles that of the theme park attraction, from which this is based on, in that it offers a few catchy tunes but the performance wares on as the show rolls along. The uninventive storyline is all too familiar to the plot for the Blue Brothers 2000, thus the whole movie seems uncontrived and lacking in the least sense of substance.

Most of the main characters for the film are ... well, you guessed it, bears! Actually, they are audio animatronic puppets, created by the talented folks at Jim Henson's Creature Shop, who have facial expressions controlled by puppeteers off screen but have a person inside the costume walking through the scenes. Granted there are some human characters within the feature but they are as interesting as the audio-animatronic bears. Beary's family, unfortunately, is like any other typical Disney movie family complete with the loving father, worried mother and punky older brother. These were the least interesting characters in the film, which defeats the film's message of the importance of family entirely. Deidrich Bader and Daryl Mitchell offer some off-beat comic relief as Officer Cheets and Officer Hamm (get the joke?) but intentions can be deceiving especially by viewing the trailer for the film. They aren't nearly as funny as television spots made them out to be and the filmmakers seem to know this as the two officers seem to disappear completely near the end of the film. The only redeeming factor is the casting of Christopher Walken, who never seems to disappoint his fans. He presents a relatively serious character in the beginning but manages to make humorous in the long run.

Overall, The Country Bears is one of the most unoriginal feature films of the year and quite a disappointing start to Disney's theme park feature rollout. There is little to compliment this film, though one can make the argument about the music. The songs themselves, for the most part, were catchy and get your foot tapping every now and then but if you want to go for the music then just go to the local store and buy the soundtrack. The main problem with the musical numbers, though, is the feeling that they are too staged. Someone in the course of the film would utter a one line comment and then suddenly the entire cast would brake out into a song and dance number. Outside of Christopher Walken and some of the songs, The Country Bears leaves little to the imagination. Note that the film is intended for children and thus this review may be meaningless to them. Take this into consideration when taking the children to the film. But if you are a parent and hate to be dragged to this then follow my suggestion: Sit back, relax, pay attention when Christopher Walken comes on screen, tap your foot to some of the music and thank God that they didn't make an It's A Small World movie. ... Read more

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Quest for the Ruby Sunstone takes its inspiration from blockbuster miniseries Dinotopia (and the James Gurney books behind it). Rather than Karl and David, Kex (Alec Medlock) is the modern-day boy stranded on Dinotopia, where people and (herbivorous) dinosaurs co-exist. (The 12-year-old washes ashore when an attempt to flee his orphanage goes awry.) While there, he befriends preteen dino 26 (Alyssa Milano) and battles the evil Ogthar (Malcolm McDowell). This lively, if predictable animation is designed for a younger audience than the original series, which is to say it's more Land Before Time than Dinosaur. As with the former, the look is flat and stylized rather than realistic, like a cross between Speed Racer and Pocahontas. While the story may be familiar--orphan saves the day by banding together with new friends--the dinos are plentiful enough that small ones are likely to overlook such shortcomings. (Ages 2 to 7) --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

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Just as A Bug's Life was a computer-animated comedy inspired by Akira Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai, the funny and often enthralling Ice Age is a digital re-imagining of the Western Three Godfathers. The heroes of this unofficial remake (set 20,000 years ago, during the titular Paleolithic era) are a taciturn mastodon named Manfred (voiced by Ray Romano), an annoying sloth named Sid (John Leguizamo), and a duplicitous saber-toothed tiger, Diego (Denis Leary). The unlikely team encounters a dying, human mother who relinquishes her chirpy toddler to the care of these critters. Hoping, against all odds, to return the little guy to his migrating tribe, Manfred and his associates need to establish trust among themselves, not an easy thing in a harsh world of predators, prey, and pushy glaciers. Audiences that have become accustomed to the rounded, polished, storybook look of Pixar's house brand of computer animation (Monsters, Inc.) will find the blunt edges and chilly brilliance of Ice Age--evoking the harsh, dangerous environment of a frozen world--a wholly different, and equally pleasing, trip. Recommended for ages 4 and up. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

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F.B.I. operative Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) famously went undercover in a beauty pageant a while back, and now she's supposedly so recognizable that her only use to the agency is as a pretty public representative. Dumped by her boyfriend (whom Benjamin Bratt wisely decided not to portray this time around), a gloomy Gracie goes along with the promo biz until her friend, Miss United States (Heather Burns), is kidnapped along with pageant official Stan Fields (William Shatner) in Las Vegas. Bullock still has perk to please her fans, but neither she nor her awkward alter-ego has any purpose in a sequel to a movie released five years prior. The result is a desperately unfunny, feature-length commercial for Las Vegas tourism, with outdated homosexual stereotypes (Diedrich Bader, as Gracie's stylist) and the usually terrific Regina King (of Ray and Jerry Maguire fame) stuck in a glum role as Bullock's butch bodyguard. Armed? Yes. Fabulous? No. --Steve Wiecking ... Read more