I LOVE YOU BETH COOPER (2009)

Directed By: Chris Columbus
Written By: Larry Doyle (Based On His Book)
Cinematography By: Phil Abraham
Editor: Peter Honess

CAST: Paul Rust, Hayden Panettiere, Jack T. Carpenter, Lauren London, Lauren Storm, Shawn Roberts, Samm Levine, Andrea Savage, Alan Ruck, Cynthia Stevenson, Patt Finn

This is a disappointment considering I loved the book so much. Soon as I heard that Hayden Panettiere Was staring as Beth Cooper I knew it was doomed. I thought in the hands of Chris Columbus this could be decent but this is studio chis Columbus not early screenwriting whiz Chris Columbus the man behind YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Basically that is what is wrong with the film the cast is just strange. But I can’t blame Mr. Columbus Totally since the screenplay is written by the author of the book. Who initially had the idea to write this as a screenplay but when there was no interest decided to write is as a book to garner more interest and low and behold they decided to make it into a film. But the funny thing is that it was better as a book!!! With a better ending that felt full while being ambiguous while this one just feels dead.

The film feels like it was sanitized from the book so it could play to younger teens but keeping some Raunch so that it doesn’t seem too tame. It’s a film that talks down to its audience by just lumping in one slapstick violent scene to the next. Instead of sticking to a novel that managed to be funny, Naughty but also reminded you of what it was like to be young and have that passion for a girl of your dreams. With your future ahead of you. This film just feels gimmicky. It has no soul.

The film is a perfect timewaster but you won’t laugh much or remember too much afterwards, it makes a threesome not sexy at all nor funny. This film will be perfect to put on television as you don’t really have to cut anything. Plus the characters don’t remind me of any real teenagers at all. This film came and went to theaters with hardly a blip on the screen. Which is not all that surprising since as soon as I saw the trailer I knew it was doomed. It wasn’t funny and felt like it was trying way too hard. It was a struggle and after i saw the trailer my heart broke. When it comes to the cast.

Paul Rust is a good actor with a strange look but he still looks to old to be in this film. I thought it was impossible but the film finds a way to make Lauren London not attractive plus it doesn’t give her much to do. Hayden penirette is attractive but she doesn’t have the look or character to play this dream girl that many men obsess over she looks just regular to me. Plus her character half the time seems a little off or crazy and her later reasoning make no sense in the film. Plus with the age difference of her and the male lead it makes him more look like a molester then a paramour. The only actor who comes off good is Jack T. Carpenter, Who plays his sexually confused best friend while he is funny I only wish it was in a better film. This film is not horrible but it’s not good or decent either.

Maybe a good pick for older highly clean cut kids but all others will be bored except for maybe senior citizens.

Wait for TV. Which I’m sure it will be on in no time.

GRADE: D

GOOD HAIR (2009)

Directed By: Jeff Stilson
Written By: Lance Crouther, Chris Rock, Jeff Stilson, Chuck Sklar
Cinematography By: Cliff Charles & Mark Henderson
Editor: Paul Marchand & Greg Nash 

Featuring: Raven Symone, Eve, Salt N’ Pepa, Lauren London, Maya Angelou, Andre Harrell, Sarah Jones, Nia long, Tracie Thoms, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Megan Goode, Melyssa Ford, Al Sharpton, Ice-T, Paul Mooney, KRS-ONE, 

This is a must see. It’s not the greatest documentary of all time but it is like a Michael Moore documentary in other words it’s a documentary for people who don’t usually like or go to documentry’s it’s funny while being informative and bringing up emotions of course the film has the celebrity interviews to bring more people in to see them give there personal account of the subject but that is not the whole film it’slike a little boost now and then

Good hair is about the business and culture of black women and there hair the processes they go through to be what is taught to them to be beautiful by straightening and having long hair. It not only follows the culture by talking to hairdressers and the women who are paying big bucks for this but it also talks to business owners and the place where most of this hair is coming from India. While exploring this it is also follows the Bronner Brothers hair show and the competition for hairstylist of the year. The subjects are almost as entertaining as the film and some easily walk away with the film.

Though the film is hosted by chris rock he is not the director he is the producer and host because this subject is something he wanted to explore but he is the one asking all the questions and helping to explain everything. While showing sad and hostile scenes and making them a little more bearable and calm through comedy. But you can’t help but think a lot of times he gets answers and access a little more easier because of his celebrity status. Without that it might have been a little harder to gain access to certain places. 

The film is much like the skit when Chris Rock hosted the scars, and he went to a black movie theater and asked them about the Oscar nominated films. Through his comedy he is exploring and shining a light on a broader serious subject.

The shameful facts of the film are aplenty like the fact that African Americans are 12% of the population but 90% of the fake hair business a billion dollar business that only 5 % of African Americans own any of the businesses. Most of the companies are owned or run by Koreans. The Fact that as a African American it seems so hard to keep our own money in our community and we willingly gie it away to others who make money off of our community but don’t respect us is a on-going problem and another reason why it seems hard for us to come together and have any power as a community. The film is certainly an eye opener. Plus as African American cinema it is a film that needs to be supported so that more black cinema can be made and cultivated since there is so little of it out there. 

As usual I was enjoying the film so much I only wished it had been longer.

GRADE:  B+