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Reviews Previews
Man of the House
Tommy Lee Jones’ Men in Black franchise has been a treat to watch for myriad reasons, the foremost being the actor’s pairing with a diametrically incompatible character (Will Smith). Even though this is one of the oldest recipes in the book and many Hollywood pairings (e.g. Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan; Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy) have tickled the funny bone by sticking to it, Tommy Lee Jones’ MIB sarcasm merited a watch because of his idiosyncratic, dry style. However, Man of the House is a comatose flick that puts him in the wrong lane and strengthens the conviction that perhaps Jones should religiously stick to his action/thriller roles.
Man of the House is a shallow piece of movie making at best and loses its momentum within the first half hour. It follows the vein of typical sorority style chick flicks which have never had any real substance to their credit and instead depend heavily on cosmetic performances from hot college babes or high school cheerleaders for diversion from the plot (or lack of it). The cast distinctly lacks a powerful screen presence.
Roland Sharp (Tommy Lee Jones) is an uptight, stoic Texas Ranger. When a person imperative to the trial of a mob linchpin is murdered, Roland has to protect the only witnesses to the murder — five annoying, petulant and self-absorbed university cheerleaders (Christina Milian, Kelli Garner, Vanessa Ferlito, Monica Keena and Paula Garces). Roland must stay with the sulky girls 24/7 and protect the case witnesses at all costs.
A very predictable affair, Man of the House doesn’t offer much to entertain audiences.—Taimur Saleem
The Persuaders
Although The Persuaders! was aired for only one season (1971-72), it still casts its magic mainly because it boasted the once-in-a-lifetime pairing of Tony Curtis and Roger Moore as American industrialist Danny Wilde and British Lord Brett Sinclair respectively. The two legends amazed the viewers with their brilliant chemistry and laid the foundation of a TV series that combines comedy, action, suspense and murder.
The two millionaires – Wilde and Sinclair – with a classic taste in fast cars, lead a dull life which starts and ends with girls. They are asked to join forces by Judge Fulton who nabs them on trumped-up charges and makes them a join-up-or-go-to-jail offer. The two — with loads of money but no action in their lives — agree and in each episode, the judge instructs them to investigate crimes that the government can’t solve and take a second-but-successful shot at the criminals he was obliged to let walk. Together, in their quest to rid the world of villainy, they manage to solve murders, head off assassinations and on the whole help justice prevail.
This two-disc box set contains the first 13 of the entire 25 episode run. It is a must-have for all fans of ’60s and ’70s spy/thriller action shows, so don’t forget to buy popcorn when you buy this DVD because you will stay glued to your TV set for the whole week, guaranteed.—Omair Alavi
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
A long time dream of Douglas Adams (the creator of The Hitchhiker) has come true. But sadly he died in 2001 before this film materialized.
The opening itself sets the mood for the quirkiness that is to follow where dolphins are supposed to be a superior alien species who for years are trying to tell us the earth is going to be blasted to Kingdom Come. Failing in their endeavour they leave earth by somersaulting right into space, while thanking us for all the fish.
The Hitchhiker in this plot is Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) whose day starts with a bang (the bang being his house) which is to be demolished to make room for a new inter-stellar freeway. Minutes later he has to stomach the news about earth’s extinction. Huge ships materialize over the planet, which is blasted to smithereens as the wise dolphins said in the beginning. With Ford Perfect (Mos Def), Arthur’s alien friend, they hitchhike their way to space, armed with towels to fend off peculiar otherworldly creatures.
In this bizarre situation, sanity comes from a book called The Hitchhiker’s Guide with boldly printed words on its back: ‘Don’t Panic,’ which give comfort to our flabbergasted hero.
Periodically we are introduced to a strange set of characters like Zaphod Beebelbrox (Sam Rockwell) the President of the galaxy, accompanied by Trillian (Zooey Deschanel), a fellow earthling with a taste for adventure and a depressive robot Marvin (Alan Rickman) with no good thought in its gigantic round head. There is also a special appearance by John Malkovich playing the leader of a strange cult who prays to handkerchiefs.—Farheen Jawaid
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