Matt's Movie Review: "Superhero Movie."
Hey all,

Another movie review, as after running around Saturday afternoon, John called and got the crew together for dinner and a movie. After some debating, we decided on Bandana's BBQ after settling on Pizza Street. The crew today: John, myself, the Ambiously Gay Duo of Toby and Fred, and Fred's son, Andrew.


Anyway, we got going, with Fred & Andrew in Fred's blue (though covered with mud) PT Cruiser, and John and I piled into Toby's Camry. Off to Bandana's, where John had his usual BBQ baked potato, and I had my usual, BBQ Beef & Pork plate. Yum. Meanwhile, Andrew complained about too much sauce with his franks and beans. Later, complaining of stomach issues. *shrug* We all talked about movies, while John/Toby went down memory lane talking about a former co-worker, who I knew from my Blockbuster days.

As for the movie...John summed it up best, "It was great in the first 1st/3rd, good in the 2nd/3rd, and just was bad in the final 3rd." (At least, that's what I thought you said J-Money.) Honestly, I wasn't expecting a whole hell of a lot out of the film, based on a few reviews I read, but it definitely did have it's comedic moments.

Written and directed by Craig Mazin (wrote "Scary Movie 3 & 4," directed "the Specials), this movie relied heavily on various humor, especially those with farting and so forth. Rick Riker (Drake Bell; "Drake & Josh," "High Fidelity") has your Peter Parker beginning, as the movie is primarily parodying "Spider-man." Rick yearns for school hottie, Jill Johnson (the lovely Sara Paxton; "Sleepover," "Aquamarine"), with out with his best friend, Trey (the funny Kevin Hart; "Scary Movie 3 & 4"). While on a school trip at Amalgamated Sciences, the tour is given by Dr. Strom (a hilarious Brent Spiner, "Star Trek: the Next Generation")...Rick is bitten by a genetically-developed dragonfly. During this tour, is some EVIL sequences, especially when Rick sprays himself with a bottle he thinks is water, but is animal pheromone. Oops.

Meanwhile, his rival's uncle, Lou Landers (a perfect cast with veteran Christopher McDonald, "Happy Gilmore"), tries to reverse his deteriorating genetic condition, only to gain the power to sap the life out of people to maintain his health. At that point, he kills off his company's board (who was planning on taking over with the failure of the experiment), which was led by Homer Simpson himself, Dan Castanella. So, after he figures out that he can become immortal, Landers becomes the supervillain, the Hourglass.

Rick, with some prodding from a wrong Professor Xavier parody by SNL's Tracy Morgan and his wife, an evil Regina Hall (all 4 "Scary Movie's"), with a nice cameo by Pamela Anderson as Invisible Girl. Later, as Dragonfly, Rick patrols, with a nice cameo by "Scary Movie 3" star, Simon Rex, parodying Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four.

All-in-all, a pretty funny parody, with a hiliarious "Batman Begins" flashback with Robert Hays ("Airplane," "Airplane 2") and Mad TV's Nicole Sullivan as Rick's parents. Parody veteran Leslie Nielsen was great as Rick's Uncle Albert, and Marion Ross ("Happy Days") was priceless as Aunt Lucille. Robert Joy (CSI: NY; "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem") nearly stole the movie as a parody of Dr. Steven Hawking. And veteran character actor, Keith David ("Marked for Death," "Spawn (animated)," and more) had his moments as the Chief of Police. His line of, "This city needs more cops, and a Hooter's" was priceless.

RATING: C+; a good parody, BUT...it has it's moments. There was a LOT of fart humor (a bit too much), but the casting was SPOT-on.