Movies: Madagascar 2, Role Models and Soul Men

October 31, 2008 5:26 PM

By Erik Samdahl

Here in America, we’re gearing up for this little election we’re having (you may have read about it?), and the anticipation is starting to mount. Is it possible that we will be free of Republican rule for a couple of years? I can only hope.

As much as I want Bush and his clones gone, that didn’t stop me from going to see W. (that’s dub-ya for all you Brits) the other night. Laughter, drama, snickering and horror ensued.

Wait, what? I’m supposed to talk about new releases? Fine. There are three this week in the United States, all of which have their appeal for different reasons.

The big winner of the weekend will be Madagascar 2, which will look to dethrone High School Musical 3 and should do so quite handily. I have to admit that I enjoyed the first one, even though it was pretty typical DreamWorks Animation fare. This sequel should be no different, which is neither good nor bad. More than likely, though, I’ll wait until DVD.

Role Models will probably struggle to make $10 million at the box office, but this is the only one I’m considering seeing in theaters. Starring Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd, the movie is about two losers who are forced to do community service in a Big Brothers, Big Sisters-esque program and discover that the kids they have to deal with range from troublesome (“I’m not pulling down my pants!”) to downright crazy (McLovin from Superbad thinks he’s a medieval knight). Could be funny, could be stupid. Or both.

Lastly, we have Soul Men, a Samuel L. Jackson-starring movie that would be completely ignored if not for the fact that it also stars Bernie Mac and features an appearance by Isaac Hayes, two men who died on the same weekend earlier this year. Unfortunately, that’s more depressing than it is funny. Pass.

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Erik Samdahl is a movie buff and writes movie reviews for FilmJabber.com, based in Seattle, Washington.