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Mini Reviews (September 2007)

Fired!, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, Crazy Little Thing, Decaying Orbit

Fired! (September 18/07)

The brainchild of television personality Annabelle Gurwitch, Fired! follows the actress as she interviews a variety of folks about their worst job experiences. Gurwitch, who was actually fired by no less than Woody Allen, proves to be an affable on-camera presence, though the movie is undeniably an overlong and distinctly uneven piece of work. It becomes clear early on that some of Gurwitch's subjects are far more interesting than others, and the film's abrupt transformation from a light, free-wheeling comedy into a Michael Moore-esque indictment of corporations is certainly lamentable (Gurwitch even travels to Michigan to meet with a group of striking GM employees!) There's ultimately little doubt that Fired! works best when Gurwitch is chatting with fellow celebrities (ie Tim Allen, David Cross, and Tate Donovan), as the majority of these people offer up stories that are generally fascinating and flat-out hilarious (Donovan's tale about losing a role to Matthew Broderick is particularly amusing). And while the movie will never be confused for a hard-hitting, Oscar-worthy doc, Fired! does possess more than enough small pleasures to warrant a mild recommendation.

out of


This Film Is Not Yet Rated (September 21/07)

This Film Is Not Yet Rated is a smug little documentary from director Kirby Dick that offers up few insights into the American ratings system, as Dick generally places the emphasis on elements that are either overtly obvious or simply uninteresting. The filmmaker clearly doesn't have enough material to sustain a 98-minute running time, and there's little doubt that the film's repetitive nature becomes increasingly difficult to overlook - with such problems exacerbated by Dick's unfortunate penchant for dwelling on the minutia of the MPAA (ie does anybody care that they employ the use of a clergyman?) That being said, there are a few interesting tidbits to be had here - as Dick spotlights some of the inconsistencies within the MPAA's decision-making process (with their harshness towards gay-themed movies certainly the most overt example of this). But This Film Is Not Yet Rated is ultimately just far too uneven to make much of an impact, and there's little doubt that for every effective sequence within the movie, there's another that comes off as nothing more than padding (this is especially true of everything revolving around the private eye that Dick hires to track down the MPAA's members).

out of


Crazy Little Thing (September 21/07)

Though it gets off to an admittedly bumpy start - ie writer/director Matthew Miller's script is initially just a little too clever for its own good - Crazy Little Thing eventually establishes itself as a funny and surprisingly involving little romantic comedy that sidesteps many of the expected conventions of the genre. The film follows a pair of affable New Yorkers (Jenny McCarthy's Whitney and Chris Eigeman's Jimmy) as they attempt to separately navigate the dating scene's treacherous waters, and although the pair encounter each other in a series of near-misses over the years, both characters remain attached to other people for the majority of the movie's running time. Buoyed by McCarthy and Eigeman's tremendously charismatic and compelling work, Crazy Little Thing quickly sets itself apart from the majority of its romcom brethren - with the off-kilter structure employed by Miller clearly playing a substantial role in the film's success (ie unlike most efforts of this ilk, it's not always easy to predict where the storyline's going). The uplifting conclusion undeniably leaves the viewer wanting more, and there's ultimately little doubt that Crazy Little Thing is one of those hidden gems that clearly deserves a much wider audience.

out of


Decaying Orbit (September 21/07)

Obviously shot on a shoestring budget, Decaying Orbit is an uneven but surprisingly entertaining little sci-fi flick that benefits from the inclusion of some seriously impressive visual effects. The movie follows a futuristic space crew as they attempt to weed out a saboteur after an explosion cripples their ship, with much of the film's action taking place aboard a dingy escape shuttle. First-time filmmaker Tim Pyle - a computer animator who's worked on such movies as Fantastic Four and Looney Tunes: Back in Action - effectively compensates for some of the inherent deficiencies within the production (including a few less-than-impressive performances and a storyline that's occasionally a little more complex than it needs to be) by offering up a number of genuinely suspenseful and flat-out exciting sequences throughout the movie's brisk running time. And while there's not a whole lot here that one hasn't seen before in similarly-themed movies (ie The Thing) and TV shows (ie Star Trek), Decaying Orbit is - ultimately - a pretty darn impressive effort that admittedly feels right at home on the small screen.

out of

© David Nusair