Apr 1 2008 '21' Wins Weekend, in the Same Way One Might Win at Blackjack

1. 21 - $24.1 million, at least $240 of which came from repeat viewings by one former MIT nerd trying to come to terms with his being portrayed by Kate Bosworth.

2. Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! - A $17.7 million weekend wasn't enough to beat 21, but at least its toys are still selling better than the Ante Uppin', Sewer Swimmin' Kevin Spacey action figure

3. Superhero Movie - $9.5 million! Get it? It's a parody of how much more Spider-Man made.

4. Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns - Tyler Perry's $7.5 million.

5. Drillbit Taylor - $5.7 million, mined directly from the shallow quarry of Owen Wilson's dwindling acting credibility.

Weekend Box Office Results [Box Office Mojo]

Mar 25 2008 'Superhero Movie' Clip Worse Than Even Expected

Man oh man. I didn't have extremely high hopes for Superhero Movie, but this brief clip really put the final nail in that lazy parody of a coffin. Tracy Morgan, "[Genre] Movie" mainstay Regina Hall, and even Pamela Anderson phone in their performances in a scene that has the pacing and comedic depth of a college improv game. So much forced, unnecessary violence, shouting, and conflict--and a sudden departure that's excused with the line, "Yeah, whatever. I'm outta here." What, was "Invisi-bitch" her exit word?

I guess this is what happens when you write a script based on who's available to make cameos (at clearly different times). Though it is pretty funny when they refer to Pamela Anderson as a "girl".

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Feb 27 2008 How Many Jokes Can You Cram on the 'Superhero Movie' Poster?

Let's count!

1. Simon Rex's equivalent of The Human Torch has caught himself on fire. See, traditionally The Human Torch has the power to manipulate fire at will. Why would he catch himself on fire?!

2. Wolverine is using said fire to roast marshmallows--on his claws! One would normally use a device that is not part of their mutant anatomy, like a long fork that doesn't come out of your wrist.

3. Leslie Nielsen's shirt says "With great power comes hot bitches"; the actual Spider-Man quote is "With great power comes great responsibility." This is funny because it's like a BustedTee, which are always funny.

4. Wolverine's middle claw is slightly longer than the other two. Those familiar with gestural expletives will love this one.

5. Storm is surprised she's electrocuting Professor X's penis.

6. The Cerebro helmet Professor X wears to focus his psychic powers is being used as a drink hat, an established comic prop. And he's black.

7. Though not explicitly laid out, the maturity of the rest of the gags imply Dragonfly guy probably has his penis in the popcorn. And he's giving Pamela Anderson a wet willy, which is sort of a joke if you're 8 and disgusting.

8. Pamela Anderson wears a necklace that says "Dynamic Duo". This term is synonymous with fictional crimefighters Batman and Robin, but holds a lewder meaning when balanced across Anderson's un-aging cleavage.

9. The unfortunate participation of all these desperate actors.

Did I miss any? It's hard for me to see them with my eyes squinted in unending laughter.

'Superhero Movie' Poster Premiere [Cinematical]

Feb 26 2008 Pam Anderson Shows 1/3-1/2 of Breasts for 'Superhero Movie'

From Superhero Movie, an obvious parody of the superhero genre, comes the first shot of Pamela Anderson's Invisible Woman, a parody of an attractive woman.

Look below the cut for another new character for the film, who looks just as suspiciously like an old character played by a different actress.

Continue Reading " Pam Anderson Shows 1/3-1/2 of Breasts for 'Superhero Movie' "

Jan 31 2008 'Superhero Movie' To Be The Marginally Better Spoof of 2008?

So beaten down the Meet the Spartans of the world destroying the spoof with its army of questionable lookalikes, I was actually half-heartedly hoping that Superhero Movie might revitalize the parody genre I loved as a kid. Despite the title's dreary reference to its awful parody brethren, Superhero was produced by Naked Gun founder David Zucker, and written by the guy who penned Scary Movie 3 (I didn't see Scary Movie 4, but 3 had at least a few memorable gags in comparison to its Wayans-based predecessors), so it seemed like it had some potential.

Unfortunately, after bemoaning the scattershot laziness of Epic/Date/Whatever Movie's any-reference-as-a-joke "humor", I fear Superhero Movie may be at the opposite end of the laziness spectrum: specific and focused to the point of near-plagiarism. Spider-Man's shots and beats are reproduced with such attention to detail that, with its obvious observations and lack of any truly winning humor, the film appears to be more on the level of immature kids recreating their favorite movie with a camcorder.

It's nice to see pop culture references being used as building points, rather than punchlines, however, I ask you, when was the last time the break-dancing-in-an-unfamiliar-situation-to-prove-how-comfortable-you've-become-in-said-situation gag was funny, and was Jaime Kennedy involved? I'm pretty sure the joke was old before dancing even broke.

Thanks to Meg, my favorite human, for the link.

Continue Reading " 'Superhero Movie' To Be The Marginally Better Spoof of 2008? "