At The Movies:

Above: Steven R. McQueen

Won't call these actual reviews but my thoughts on two movies, one Piranha which I saw this week and Sex And The City 2 which has it's DVD release this week. Let me start by saying I enjoyed both movies even though they both were actually quite bad.

PIRANHA:
-A Bloody Mess-


The charm of Steven R. McQueen was the main reason I was able to sit through Piranha 3-D. Steven is one of my favorite actors on Vampire Diaries and he has a likability (not to mention he is adorable) that makes him a highly watchable actor. I have written before I enjoy a good 'Animal Terrorizing Human' flick, but this one really did not really explore the animal nor it's motives. This flick simply went for the blood. Besides Steven, the only other actor who really got to shine was Elisabeth Shue who I had not seen on screen in awhile. I love Jerry O'Connell but despite the fact he spent half the movie in a speedo he was presented as extremely nonsexual. He was not really given enough meaty dialogue to be a real sleaze, instead his role seemed not fully sketched out. I also cannot understand the appeal of actress Jessica Szohr. Pretty yes, but not really a dynamo in the acting department.

There were many beautiful women, naked for a few scenes but I believe the only male nudity was the brief mooning scene below. The movie works up to a massive blood bath with co-ed after co-ed getting eaten in one huge attack. Look for Ving Rhames, Christopher Llyod, Ricardo Chavia, Dina Meyer and Adam Scott in small roles. Richard Dreyfuss shows up briefly in what could have been a nice nod to Jaws if more care had been put into his scene.








SEX AND THE CITY 2:


I watched Sex And The City now and then when it was on TV but cannot say I was really a big fan. Some of the girls boyfriends were part of the reason I tuned in now and then. I did however quite enjoy the first movie so when I went to this one I thought I enjoy the two hours and twenty minutes.

The problem with SATC2 is the same reason I never really got into the show. Carrie Bradshaw is a really unlikable lead. Sarah Jessica Parker I love, but Carrie was always somewhat of a whiney, insecure and selfish and despite the fact we have watched her for over a decade she really has not grown up very much.

SATC was always at it's best when Carrie's stories did not dominate and the characters (all much more interesting) are featured equally. SATC2 give Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha all juicy material, they simply squeeze it all in a few scenes int between the Carrie show. The movie also has one of my favorite men, Mario Cantone and does not write him even one line that made me laugh.

I think my biggest problem with SATC2 is that it's creator really has no clue to what the audience (or who) wants to see. He seems to try to go for the straight women perspective yet they disliked this movie in mass. His take on a gay wedding was as if written by throwing every stereotype about gays (positive and negative) in a bag and combining them all into one big mess. Quite insulting actually.

I will say that there were things about the movie I liked. The opening credits, the music. Actor Noah Mills and Max Ryan, although not given the treatment Gilles was given in SATC1 did both burst off the screen brief scenes. As for the women, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis were stand outs and this is the first time in any movie or tv show that the site of Miley Cyrus did not turn me off. For that someone deserves some credit!


Above: FH favorite Nick Adams in 'The Wedding' in SATC2

Noah Mills:




Max Ryan: