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 The result is a desperately unfunny, feature-length commercial for Las Vegas tourism, with outdated homosexual stereotypes (Diedrich Bader, as Gracie's stylist) and the usually terrific Regina King (of Ray and Jerry Maguire fame) stuck in a glum role as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 (62)

And this ain't no bull
Often mentioned as 'one of the best sports movies ever.' I'm gonna go farther and say one of the finest movies of the past 30 years. Ron Shelton directs from his own screenplay. And that screenplay makes modern poets out of baseball players, clever words consistently spewing from the mouths of wanna be Babe Ruths. At its core, the story focuses on the love triangle involving Annie Savoy (Brilliant Susan Sarandon), Crash Davis (Kevin Costner in an unpretentious performance) and Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). And minor league ball is the backdrop which allows for grand slam of well executed comedy and just a touch of pathos. Robert Wuhl's assistant coach is so finely tuned, he can bring you to hysterical tears. The ultimate 'chick flick for guys', Bull Durham is filmmaking at its greatest. The DVD has an informative commentary by Director/writer Ron Shelton (Tin Cup).

the carnival that is baseball
Bull Durham is a near-perfect baseball film. Although I feel it lacks some of the wonder of Costner's field of dreams, there are few films that can match Bull Durham's honest, sometimes gritty but always hilarious look into the carnival that surrounds the national pastime.

What particularly special about Bull Durham are the excellent performances given by the lead actors as well as the supporting cast.

Director Ron Shelton couldn't have asked for better performances from his three lead actors. This movie was made back when Costner could still carry a film. He is in the height of his "everyman" powers here. His portrayal of aging minor league slugger Crash Davis is one for the ages. Susan Sarandon smolders yet somehow manages to retain a certain kind of innocence as the groupie-slash-mentor Annie Savoy. Tim Robbins is outstanding as the hotheaded and somewhat mentally challenged rookie pitcher Nuke Laloosh.

The highlights of the supporting cast are Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl. They play the manager and pitching coach. Wilson is a pure scene stealer in this movie. He provides some of the movie's greatest lines and tenderest moments. Wuhl is the master of the obvious in his cool, almost straight-man delivery.

Bull Durham, like baseball, is about so much more than baseball. Along the way we are invited to think about both the inane and the deeper issues of life. Annie struggles for meaning, Nuke come of age and even Crash's cynical heart softens a bit.

All of the things listed above, as well as the fact that it is a darn good movie earn Bull Durham my hearty recommendation.

Minor League Baseball Masterpiece
Ron Shelton spent some time in the minor leagues represented in his screenplay for Bull Durham, so he knows about the baseball things represented. But he also clearly has a gifted ear for the tempo of real life, and he knows about hopes and desires and the things that make human beings tick. The setting for this film with the minor league Durham Bulls works, and works perfectly, but the characters, especially among the central love triangle, could just as easily have been traveling salesmen or race drivers or con artists or gangsters.

Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a slightly older woman who is a Durham Bulls groupie of sorts: once a season she picks out a promising young player and begins an affair with them. During that season the promising young player has the year of his life and gets called up to the big leagues, leaving Annie to look for next year's promising young player.

The Bulls also have a million-dollar prospect of a pitcher with a right arm who the gods reached down and turned into a thunderbolt. He also has less control than a seven year old with hyperactive attention deficit disorder without his Ritalin. He's as likely to throw it over the backstop as throw a strike, although his "stuff" is like Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson. Tim Robbins brings "Nuke" LaLoosh to life in his best comic performance.

Kevin Costner, in the best of his many baseball-movie appearances, plays "Crash" Davis, a power-hitting catcher with enough talent to be a leader on minor league teams, but only 21 days in "The Show" in years of minor league work. Crash is not only a competent minor league catcher though - he also knows the history of the game, and he knows how to get into the heads of players who have mental blocks preventing them from achieving all they can as baseball players.

Crash, meet Nuke. Both of you - meet Annie.

The dialogue is so witty and sparkling that more than a decade after the film's release, it still shows up frequently in discussions about baseball movies and on ESPN. Crash envies Nuke's god-given talent, and by degrees the clueless Nuke begins to appreciate Crash's baseball wisdom. Annie has the hots for both of them, and they for her, and the way this triangle evolves and resolves makes for a very satisfying baseball movie watching experience.

The movie would be worth watching if only for the hilarious little scenes that happen out on the playing field between catcher Costner and pitcher Robbins. Nuke has the million-dollar arm and the ten-cent head. Crash knows his job (and everyone elses as well) like the back of his hand. Whenever Nuke starts trying to think for himself, he quickly gets into trouble, frequently with active assistance from Crash.

Crash "calls" the game - signalling to the pitcher which pitches to throw. When Nuke listens things go well. When Nuke doesn't listen, Crash whispers to the hitter what pitch is coming so that the batter can tee off on the pitch. Then as the batter circles the bases after his home run Crash goes out to the mound to remind Nuke not to try thinking for himself. "Boy, the last thing I saw fly out of here like that had a stewardess and passengers on it!"

Supporting parts are performed to hilarious perfection as well, with particular kudos to Trey Wilson as the manager and Robert Wuhl as a team coach. They have many entertaining scenes, including the one following Nuke's minor-league debut - when he struck out 18..... but also walked 18 - both league records! A must for grown-up baseball fans.

I hate Susan Sarandon
Not one of the best comedies that would be Mr.Adam Sandler are someone this was average at best and she sucks very badly watch other movies this is just alright nothing to special.
Acting 8/10 Story 7/10 Direction 3/10 Action 3/10 Entertained 3
Overall 24/50 A little Predictable 3 stars

A fantastic script in a dated film.
4.5 stars. Time passes, and what was once a sparkling 5-star film in the year 1987, shows its age. However, the script is still spectacular! There is so much quotable dialogue here as to seem ridiculous. But there is also a fine cast of excellent actors who bring the words and characters to life, even though they have eighties haircuts and wardrobe. This is a charming film about baseball, romance, (...) baseball, breathing through you eyelids, and baseball. This is smart filmmaking in every respect. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

The Mother of all Slapstick
After setting the police profession back 100 years with the "Naked Gun" movie, director Jim Abrahams decided to set his sights on the military with "Hot Shots." And the military will never be the same again.

What makes this movie so much fun are the sight gags that are in almost every scene. As with all good slapstick comedy movies, there are too many sight gags for you to be able to catch them all the first, and even second, time around. Every time you watch this movie, you will find another sight gag that you hadn't noticed before.

The movie also comes with a great comedic cast. It stars Charlie Sheen who for the first time really gets a chance to show how funny he can be (his previous comedy movies are pretty much forgettable). He is supported by Jon Cryer, Lloyd Bridges, and Cary Elwes. Each of these people have a great track record on their own when it comes to comedy. Together, they make the movie work.

Hot Shots
Maybe it's just because I haven't seen Top Gun, but when I first saw this film I was absolutely clueless. Yeah, there were some funny parts and humor from the makers of Airplane, Naked Gun, and Mafia, but the plot fell a little short. Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and follows his fathers footsteps when he flies in the Navy. There's also other great appearances by Cary Elwes and Lloyd Bridges (getting a little older), and silly characters like Washout and Dead Meat. I suggest you see Top Gun first, maybe then you will get more of the jokes. I give credit to Jim Abrahams and Pat Proft, though, because Top Gun seems like a tough movie to spoof.

Hilarious!
Hot Shots is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Charlie Sheen is okay, but in my opinion, the real comic here is Lloyd Bridges, playing Admiral Benson. Of course there are many other funny characters including the wall-eyed vision Washout. If you like movies with stupid humor, this is a must see.

Great Goof Comedy!
If your not into those whacky comedy spoofs then you will hate this Parody of Top Gun, amongst other movies! But I love these kind of send up whacky comedys, and this one is high up there with the best of them all!

Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and has had a bad past with the US Air Force and has quit the army... but the Army needs him once again and with non stop stupidity and comedy through the movie from door bells on Indian Tee Pees, to Barbequing hot hots with the jets of fighter planes, and a dog that just keeps getting sat on amongst many others, this movie will have you laughing your tushy off!

Its no acadamey award winner, but thats obviously not the idea for this comic life movie! It parodys a lot of movies, mostly Top Gun, but adds its own great jokes to the plot with outrages slapstick humour!

Part 2 - Wasnt as great. It sends up alot of movies and the plot changes completly into a difreent type of movie! But if you can, the edition thats available in regoin 4 at the moment of Part one and Two togther in the same package is worth getting!

Good Despite Sheen
I guess you can see from the title of this review I am not a big Charlie Sheen fan. There were tons of men that would have shined in this film. Sheen does an okay job ( seeing how he isn't a comedian ) but he is overshadowed by a funny script and funnier co-stars. This film makes fun of famous dramas like " 9 1/2 Weeks " but is mainly a parody of " Top Gun ". Hot Shots is an enjoyable movie that sticks to a strong plot. It doesn't end up falling into that trap of " trying " to be funny like some spoofs. It's not as good as " Naked Gun " by all means but it is a heck of a lot better than " Hot Shots: Part Duex " which was far too silly for my taste. ... 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

Amazon.com

A stylish though inferior sequel to its classic predecessor, Bill Condon's Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh deepens our knowledge of what made the murdered Daniel Robitaille turn into the monster that haunts dreams and mirrors. But some of it is still pretty routine: schoolteacher Annie takes a long time to connect her family's plantation-owning past and her own artistic talent with the legend, and is far too ready to say the Candyman's name five times in a mirror to debunk her pupils' fears.

The setting: New Orleans at Carnival time with a disc jockey whimsically reminding us that Carnival is the last farewell to pleasure before the rigors of Lent. Tony Todd, who returns as the Candyman, gives a quiet dignity and sadness to the monstrous specter with a hook for a hand. His life was torn from him and he is mad for vengeance, yet he has an artistic temperament and loved Annie's kinswoman Caroline. Condon captures an attractive elegiac tone in much of this, as well as moments of brutal horror. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Candyman: Farewell To The Box Office.
This has to be one of the worst movies i have seen in my live of loveing horror films. CANDYMAN 1 was a god film and i had big hops for this one, but waht can you get out of must sequels these days. It's nothing to original, but it thalls you how Candyman became candtman etc, etc. And it had some good gore scenes, but only see this film win you have a movie to see you know is good.

Rated R for horror Violence and Language.

good sequel
this one has Tony Todd reprising his role as the Candyman. good horror and the story drags here and there but its fast going and enjoyable nontheless. Todd knows how to stick it to the people, especially in the beginning where the guy is sliced in the bathroom. other scenes like when the cop chants the guys name in the mirror and suddenly he is hooked and he is thrown out of the window, then the brother of the woman gets shot down I thought was a highlight in the movie. it tells also of how Candyman came to be, he was a slave and they caught him with some guys daughter, they tortured him and cut off him hand(thats where his hook comes in at) then they rub honey all over him and the bees just start crawling on him. its pure fun if you can stand the slow pace and some wooden dialouge but in the end it pays off.

This is the last film that was good under Candyman
This movie is a little less that its prodessesor but still is quite scary. Definitely watch this movie on a Friday night, you will be disturbed beyond your wits. once again do not watch it repeatedly. u will get bored..lol. i recommend this film..but dont get the sequels to this..please dont waste your time watchin them.

Prety decent horror movie
They don't make horror movies like they used to. (Shining, Omen, Exorcist.) If you happen to be browsing by the Horror movie section, skip the Friday the 13th, and the Holloweens, rent this one instead. And if you are building a Horror movie DVD library, include this one. I saw the first one and honestly I liked them both equally. The blonde this time is Canadian Kelly Rowan being pursued by Candyman Tony Todd. There's plenty of blood, and screaming and the New Orleans setting is also a nice touch. I dropped the fifth star because I'm an old hag at horror movies and still waiting for a really scary one.

Come . . . Be Candyman's victim
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh takes up the story of the Candyman legend and runs with it, giving us a much greater understanding of the man who would become the hook-gutting avenger of wronged souls; it offers a short and respectable summary of the first movie and then proceeds not to redo what has happened before but to carve its own name indelibly in the flesh of cinematic horror. I think this movie stands as a testament to proper sequel-making in the horror movie genre.

I love the opening sequence of this film. The smarmy academic professor who is an expert on the Candyman but does not believe in him (the same man who needled Helen as she worked on her project in the original movie) is speaking about his new book in a New Orleans bookstore. Naturally, he proves his disbelief by theatrically calling out Candyman's name five times in front of his own reflection. Let's just say he ends up a convert to the Candyman religion. Then we meet Annie Tarrant (Kelly Rowan), a devoted schoolteacher in a poor neighborhood of town. Her brother is accused of killing the lecturing professor, but Annie does not believe his own statements of guilt. She believes something about her father's death is responsible for her brother's unexplainable behavior. That death, we learn, precipitated an enduring tragedy in the Tarrant family. Annie's mother is dying of cancer and seems to be holding something back from her questioning daughter. Annie herself, foolishly trying to prove to her frightened students that Candyman isn't real, calls him, and then things really get ugly. People die, many of them Tarrants, and the Candyman seems to engage in some sort of romantic courtship of Annie. Tarrant family secrets are eventually revealed, and in the process we get a bird's-eye view of the suffering inflicted upon Daniel Robitaille a century earlier - for those who don't know, he was lynched for having loved a white woman; his right hand was cut off with a rusty blade, and then he was smeared with honey and left at the mercy (or lack of it) of a whole colony of angry bees.

By the end of the movie, Candyman is not some horrible monster bent on destruction just because he enjoys gutting people; he is quite real, and his humanity shines through the robes of gore he has wrapped himself in over the decades. If you saw off his hand, will he not jam a hook in the stub of his arm and start gutting people? If you scratch his face, will not hordes of bees pour forth from his body? I love Candyman; he really is one of the most complex, sympathetic yet disturbing "monsters" wandering the horror universe today. Much of the credit for his power must go to Tony Todd, who portrays him brilliantly. Maybe the ending of this movie leaves a little bit to be desired, but the journey features some pretty decent gore and a lot of almost philosophical horror ruminations. If you want to call Candyman, go ahead; he's real enough to me that I'm not going to do it. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

"Mad" about John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman!
"Mad City" focuses on John Travolta as Sam Baily, a museum security guard who loses his job due to budget cuts. Sam pretty much has a normal life, has a wife and kids, etc. Sam decides to talk to his boss Mrs. Banks (Blythe Danner) about getting his job back, but Mrs. Banks told Sam time and time again that there was nothing she could do about it. So, in one fell swoop, Sam pulls out a shotgun as a result in getting his job back. Sam not only holds Mrs. Banks hostage, but a group of schoolchildren as well. The film also focuses on Dustin Hoffman as Max Brackett, a local TV news reporter who just so happens to be inside the men's room at the museum and listening in on what is happening in the lobby between Sam and Mrs. Banks. Brackett listens to Sam's story about Sam not meaning for any of this to happen and such. And Brackett decides to give Sam's story a heroic spin as the days go by...and the film goes on from there. I own the DVD of "Mad City" and its features were all right. This is sort of a sad film for John Travolta's character because of his position in the film. "Mad City". A film that is nothing short of intense. A great film with two great powerhouse actors.

Heartfelt Drama with a Shakespeare Ending
As an audience we can not help but feel compassion for Sam Bailey (John Travolta) as he unexpectedly brings himself from one terrible situation to a worse one. Holding a museum tour hostage, he makes one thoughtless mistake after another, all the while being observed by News-Anchorman, Max Brackett (Dustin Hoffman). Through this overnight ordeal, Brackett befriends the criminal as we learn a lot about what life dumps on us and how we deal with it. A superb performance by John Travolta in which I believe to be the best of his career.

Great Suspense!
This is a great suspense movie.

Gives a realistic view of how the media circus sometimes go to far.

Hoffman and Travolta are marvelous in this film.

It's a mad, mad, mad world
This satirical movie starts innocently enough, with Dustin Hoffman (Max Brackett) doing a "controversial" story on a local criminal. Brackett has been relegated to small-town duty after embarassing the network star, Kevin Hollander (played brilliantly by Alan Alda). Sam Baily (Travolta) has been fired after working as a guard at a museum. He lives paycheck to paycheck and has a family to support.

To get his boss to listen to him, he makes the decision to take a gun with him to capture her attention...a gun and a bag full of dynamite. The movie is wonderful, not for the twists and turns, but for the performances and nuances. A number of times, Brackett could take a risk and end the situation, a situation he basically created himself out of his own greed. In the end, this movie has great commentary on how the media goes overboard in its coverage. This movie may be more relevant today than when it was made.

Excellent farce of a hold up
It epitomizes the media circus following the armed hold up of a museum with children. Certainly a comical look at terror attacks is a much needed relief in this day and age of color coded alerts. Costa Gavras of "Missing" fame sugar coats the ordeal with satirical portrayal of liberal and conservative neonazis fishing in troubled waters; while extracting a remarkable performance from Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Bull Durham is about minor league baseball. It's also about romance, sex, poetry, metaphysics, and talent--though not necessarily in that order. Susan Sarandon plays a loopy lady who just loves America's national pastime--and the men who play it. At the opening of every season, she attaches herself to a promising rookie and guides him through the season. Unfortunately, the player she bestows her favors upon does not really deserve it. She knows it, and veteran Kevin Costner knows it. Her choice, a dim bulb played for laughs by Tim Robbins, is the only one who doesn't know it. The film, directed by its writer, Ron Shelton, a former minor league player, is rich in subtle detail. There are Edith Piaf records playing in the background, fast-talking managers, and minor characters as developed as the leads. Sarandon's retro-'50s outfits make you think she's just another bimbo, not an English teacher very much in control of her life. And Costner's clear-eyed, slightly vitriolic performance is devastatingly sexy and keenly witty. The love scenes, though tasteful, are almost as humorous as they are hot. Sarandon's character likes to tie her players up and expand their horizons by reading Walt Whitman to them, "'cause a guy will listen to anything if he thinks it's foreplay." How can you not love a movie with such a wicked sense of humor? --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (62)

And this ain't no bull
Often mentioned as 'one of the best sports movies ever.' I'm gonna go farther and say one of the finest movies of the past 30 years. Ron Shelton directs from his own screenplay. And that screenplay makes modern poets out of baseball players, clever words consistently spewing from the mouths of wanna be Babe Ruths. At its core, the story focuses on the love triangle involving Annie Savoy (Brilliant Susan Sarandon), Crash Davis (Kevin Costner in an unpretentious performance) and Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). And minor league ball is the backdrop which allows for grand slam of well executed comedy and just a touch of pathos. Robert Wuhl's assistant coach is so finely tuned, he can bring you to hysterical tears. The ultimate 'chick flick for guys', Bull Durham is filmmaking at its greatest. The DVD has an informative commentary by Director/writer Ron Shelton (Tin Cup).

the carnival that is baseball
Bull Durham is a near-perfect baseball film. Although I feel it lacks some of the wonder of Costner's field of dreams, there are few films that can match Bull Durham's honest, sometimes gritty but always hilarious look into the carnival that surrounds the national pastime.

What particularly special about Bull Durham are the excellent performances given by the lead actors as well as the supporting cast.

Director Ron Shelton couldn't have asked for better performances from his three lead actors. This movie was made back when Costner could still carry a film. He is in the height of his "everyman" powers here. His portrayal of aging minor league slugger Crash Davis is one for the ages. Susan Sarandon smolders yet somehow manages to retain a certain kind of innocence as the groupie-slash-mentor Annie Savoy. Tim Robbins is outstanding as the hotheaded and somewhat mentally challenged rookie pitcher Nuke Laloosh.

The highlights of the supporting cast are Trey Wilson and Robert Wuhl. They play the manager and pitching coach. Wilson is a pure scene stealer in this movie. He provides some of the movie's greatest lines and tenderest moments. Wuhl is the master of the obvious in his cool, almost straight-man delivery.

Bull Durham, like baseball, is about so much more than baseball. Along the way we are invited to think about both the inane and the deeper issues of life. Annie struggles for meaning, Nuke come of age and even Crash's cynical heart softens a bit.

All of the things listed above, as well as the fact that it is a darn good movie earn Bull Durham my hearty recommendation.

Minor League Baseball Masterpiece
Ron Shelton spent some time in the minor leagues represented in his screenplay for Bull Durham, so he knows about the baseball things represented. But he also clearly has a gifted ear for the tempo of real life, and he knows about hopes and desires and the things that make human beings tick. The setting for this film with the minor league Durham Bulls works, and works perfectly, but the characters, especially among the central love triangle, could just as easily have been traveling salesmen or race drivers or con artists or gangsters.

Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a slightly older woman who is a Durham Bulls groupie of sorts: once a season she picks out a promising young player and begins an affair with them. During that season the promising young player has the year of his life and gets called up to the big leagues, leaving Annie to look for next year's promising young player.

The Bulls also have a million-dollar prospect of a pitcher with a right arm who the gods reached down and turned into a thunderbolt. He also has less control than a seven year old with hyperactive attention deficit disorder without his Ritalin. He's as likely to throw it over the backstop as throw a strike, although his "stuff" is like Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson. Tim Robbins brings "Nuke" LaLoosh to life in his best comic performance.

Kevin Costner, in the best of his many baseball-movie appearances, plays "Crash" Davis, a power-hitting catcher with enough talent to be a leader on minor league teams, but only 21 days in "The Show" in years of minor league work. Crash is not only a competent minor league catcher though - he also knows the history of the game, and he knows how to get into the heads of players who have mental blocks preventing them from achieving all they can as baseball players.

Crash, meet Nuke. Both of you - meet Annie.

The dialogue is so witty and sparkling that more than a decade after the film's release, it still shows up frequently in discussions about baseball movies and on ESPN. Crash envies Nuke's god-given talent, and by degrees the clueless Nuke begins to appreciate Crash's baseball wisdom. Annie has the hots for both of them, and they for her, and the way this triangle evolves and resolves makes for a very satisfying baseball movie watching experience.

The movie would be worth watching if only for the hilarious little scenes that happen out on the playing field between catcher Costner and pitcher Robbins. Nuke has the million-dollar arm and the ten-cent head. Crash knows his job (and everyone elses as well) like the back of his hand. Whenever Nuke starts trying to think for himself, he quickly gets into trouble, frequently with active assistance from Crash.

Crash "calls" the game - signalling to the pitcher which pitches to throw. When Nuke listens things go well. When Nuke doesn't listen, Crash whispers to the hitter what pitch is coming so that the batter can tee off on the pitch. Then as the batter circles the bases after his home run Crash goes out to the mound to remind Nuke not to try thinking for himself. "Boy, the last thing I saw fly out of here like that had a stewardess and passengers on it!"

Supporting parts are performed to hilarious perfection as well, with particular kudos to Trey Wilson as the manager and Robert Wuhl as a team coach. They have many entertaining scenes, including the one following Nuke's minor-league debut - when he struck out 18..... but also walked 18 - both league records! A must for grown-up baseball fans.

I hate Susan Sarandon
Not one of the best comedies that would be Mr.Adam Sandler are someone this was average at best and she sucks very badly watch other movies this is just alright nothing to special.
Acting 8/10 Story 7/10 Direction 3/10 Action 3/10 Entertained 3
Overall 24/50 A little Predictable 3 stars

A fantastic script in a dated film.
4.5 stars. Time passes, and what was once a sparkling 5-star film in the year 1987, shows its age. However, the script is still spectacular! There is so much quotable dialogue here as to seem ridiculous. But there is also a fine cast of excellent actors who bring the words and characters to life, even though they have eighties haircuts and wardrobe. This is a charming film about baseball, romance, (...) baseball, breathing through you eyelids, and baseball. This is smart filmmaking in every respect. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

BEEN THERE DONE THAT
DAYBREAK has it's heart in the right place, and Ted McGinley (Happy Days, Married with Children) is always fun, as he belies his leading man looks and brawn with a childish innocence and awkward macho. However, looking at this movie on the whole:
*Roy Scheider has succumbed to playing roles that require a toughness and in charge kind of person, but he lately seems rather bored with it all;
*Ken Olandt, who usually plays a good guy, is really very bad as the villain;
*Ursula Brooks as the rape victim starts out bitchy, then unexplicably becomes McGinley's soul partner;
*The rest of the cast including the man who plays Griffin are overwrought and unconvincing, and even the young nerd who plays Newton is derivative of other nerdish characters;
*the special effects are very amateurish, and the earthquake scenes, which are very brief, are filmed at night and nowhere near as effecive as those in the tv thriller AFTER SHOCK.
The movie seems long, and while it concentrates on character development, the action scenes are unimaginative and dull.
Not a bad movie, but not great either. Rent instead of buy, though. ... Read more