Wordiezett So much average

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Zandra The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Sandcooler Generally I always try to look for the best in everything, but this is just one of those movies that have absolutely no redeeming qualities. It doesn't even have a plot, they just make a bunch of repulsive stereotypes attend a barbecue and hope somewhere along the line something funny will happen. Because you know, some of them contrast, the manual said that would be funny. When that fails, they make Danny Glover wear a rapper outfit, which is embarrassing on so many levels. Occasionally the movie also takes a break from being painfully unfunny and becomes painfully moralising. The only problem is, these morals are really messed-up. Apparently our main character (played by some guy) dreads the visit of his childhood friend Becky, but when it turns out she's grown up to be hot (well, actually she's grown up to be rapper Eve, but close enough) he marries her. Now that's a guy you can build on, at least until you get your first wrinkle. This movie is just highly unpleasant to watch.

EmperorNortonII "The Cookout" might not be the best movie you can see, or the most sensitive to black people. Still, it is enjoyable. It stars rapper Storm P (aka Quran Pender) as Todd Anderson, a young, newly-drafted NBA star. He's just gotten a house in a New Jersey gated community, and his whole family is celebrating with a cookout. The humor here is over-the-top, as are several characters. Queen Latifah's security guard, for example. Other characters do manage to make laughs. Like Tim Meadows as Leroy, the conspiracy-obsessed paralegal, and Ja Rule and Roberto Vanderpool as Bling Bling and Weezer, the dimwitted hustlers. "The Cookout" may not be so nutritious, but it's fine for empty calories.

Jalea The movie had a good message about being responsible and down to earth even after hitting pay dirt. But, the message was nearly drowned in the cheesy delivery. As a result, this ethnic comedy comes off somewhat spoofish because of the mugging and overacting (which obviously was on purpose). I think of The Cookout (2004) as (one of the characters in the movie so aptly put it) a "Black Beverly Hillbillies," like the TV series The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) that was definitely satirical. Although it is true that the stereotypes were carried to the extreme, which explains why some viewers are offended by the material, the same could be said of other spoofs, which purposely border on the ridiculous. The Cookout (2004) is okay to rent, if you take if for what it is.You know, this would have been a good TV movie.

Drumboogie1 It's silly, it's obnoxious, it's predictable, it's mindless and I loved every frame! It's your basic young man who comes into money too soon and starts spending it (cause of an obnoxious climber of a girlfriend), much to the dismay of his mother. The fact that he has to seek an endorsement on the weekend of the family barbecue upsets the uptight girlfriend but that leaves the door open for the lovely Eve. Queen Latifah is marvelous, as is Jennifer Lewis (fabulous!) and all the other cast. Danny Glover is stunningly campy and Farrah Fawcett is still very funny. Jonathan Silverman is good but my favorite is Marci Reid, who plays the repressed Miss Peters and gets all the laughs the fish out of water should get! She holds her own with the rest of the cast and gets the big laughs.It's a funny movie. Check it out.