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CNN Live Today

Interview With Mr. Moviefone

Aired May 23, 2003 - 10:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Time to talk movies, and talk about what's coming out this weekend. Russ Leatherman, regular guest on CNN, but folks may recognize his voice before his face, because he's Mr. Moviefone, reaching millions of moviegoers each week through his telephone service and other mainstream media as well.
Good to see you again, Russ. How are you?

RUSS LEATHERMAN, MR. MOVIEFONE: I'm good. How are you?

HARRIS: All right. Curious about what you have to say about "Bruce Almighty," the new Jim Carey flick.

LEATHERMAN: This is the official start of the summer movie season, although it seems like it started a month ago with "X-Men" and "The Matrix."

And I like "Bruce Almighty," this is really the big romantic comedy for the holiday weekend. I think Jim Carey is a very funny guy. He gets to go back to his schtick in this particular movie.

He plays a TV reporter who is looking for the next -- he is looking for a job like yours, Leon, but he just can't seem to get it, and so what happens is he starts railing on God. God decides to answer, played by Morgan Freeman, and gives him all these kind of magical powers.

It's a -- it's really a funny, funny comedy. It's a little bit preachy, but if you liked "Liar, Liar," if you liked "Ace Ventura," some of the other Jim Carey movies. You are going to laugh hard. There are some really, really funny moments.

Actually, I did like "Liar, Liar." Which, by the way, just ran again this past week. But sometimes Jim Carey kind of goes over the top, to some people. You didn't see any of that in this flick?

LEATHERMAN: Well, I did, and I got to tell you, that's the stuff that I love. He's one of the comedians that can really get away with doing whatever he wants. I mean, just his facial expressions, I personally think, are funny, but you're right. Some others might think, hey, it's too much, he drives me crazy. He is over the top.

Personally, I think that's part of his charm, and you're going to see a lot of that in this movie. So if that is what you like, you're going to like it. If it's not what you like so much, then you might want to go see the "In-laws."

HARRIS: Oh. OK. Tell us about that one since you bring it up.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks, and I'm just sitting here thinking, is there anyone out there who is really looking forward to seeing another Michael Douglas movie? Anyone? Hey, there's one guy in Iowa.

HARRIS: Maybe that should have been our e-mail question of the morning.

LEATHERMAN: Maybe it should. This is a fish out of water comedy. It is a remake of an old movie, and it's going up against Jim Carey's movie this weekend, so I think it is going to have a hard time. It really struggles with the comedy. It's trying very hard to be funny, and it's really kind of failing on most levels, and it's really sort of sad to see.

Albert Brooks is a great actor. I think he's really funny. Michael Douglas, really, is not particularly funny in this movie at all, and if you want to see an Albert Brooks movie, I suggest you wait until next weekend when he has a voice in "Finding Nemo," which -- we'll talk about that next week, but I think is one of the best movies of the year, and really looking forward to that. So, if you want to see Albert Brooks, wait until next weekend.

HARRIS: Can't you find anything at all good to say about this flick?

LEATHERMAN: Nope. I mean, I can make some stuff up if you want.

HARRIS: No, that's OK. Not on this network. That's some place else.

LEATHERMAN: Exactly. But there are a lot of movies out there, there's "The Matrix," there is "X-Men." "A Mighty Wind," that's a good comedy to go check out. So if you're looking for a movie to see, you are going to have no trouble this weekend.

HARRIS: All right. Cool. We'll check you out next week, then, after you get a chance to see "Nemo."

LEATHERMAN: See you, Leon.

HARRIS: I am being yelled at from the folks in the control room because they all fell in love with the dog in "Bruce Almighty." Can you review the dog for us this morning?

LEATHERMAN: Well, if I could teach my dog to whiz in the toilet, I would just be as happy -- and see there it goes. That's comedy genius right there.

HARRIS: You know what that is. This is a guy flick, that's what that says to me.

LEATHERMAN: Totally true, although I have got to tell you, there's a lot of romantic stuff in this movie. Jennifer Aniston plays her kind of sweet, regular self, and there's that kind of comedy, and there's love and all that stuff, too. So it's all good.

HARRIS: OK. All right. Good deal. Something for everyone.

LEATHERMAN: Something for everyone.

HARRIS: Thanks, Russ.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 23, 2003 - 10:54   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Time to talk movies, and talk about what's coming out this weekend. Russ Leatherman, regular guest on CNN, but folks may recognize his voice before his face, because he's Mr. Moviefone, reaching millions of moviegoers each week through his telephone service and other mainstream media as well.
Good to see you again, Russ. How are you?

RUSS LEATHERMAN, MR. MOVIEFONE: I'm good. How are you?

HARRIS: All right. Curious about what you have to say about "Bruce Almighty," the new Jim Carey flick.

LEATHERMAN: This is the official start of the summer movie season, although it seems like it started a month ago with "X-Men" and "The Matrix."

And I like "Bruce Almighty," this is really the big romantic comedy for the holiday weekend. I think Jim Carey is a very funny guy. He gets to go back to his schtick in this particular movie.

He plays a TV reporter who is looking for the next -- he is looking for a job like yours, Leon, but he just can't seem to get it, and so what happens is he starts railing on God. God decides to answer, played by Morgan Freeman, and gives him all these kind of magical powers.

It's a -- it's really a funny, funny comedy. It's a little bit preachy, but if you liked "Liar, Liar," if you liked "Ace Ventura," some of the other Jim Carey movies. You are going to laugh hard. There are some really, really funny moments.

Actually, I did like "Liar, Liar." Which, by the way, just ran again this past week. But sometimes Jim Carey kind of goes over the top, to some people. You didn't see any of that in this flick?

LEATHERMAN: Well, I did, and I got to tell you, that's the stuff that I love. He's one of the comedians that can really get away with doing whatever he wants. I mean, just his facial expressions, I personally think, are funny, but you're right. Some others might think, hey, it's too much, he drives me crazy. He is over the top.

Personally, I think that's part of his charm, and you're going to see a lot of that in this movie. So if that is what you like, you're going to like it. If it's not what you like so much, then you might want to go see the "In-laws."

HARRIS: Oh. OK. Tell us about that one since you bring it up.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks, and I'm just sitting here thinking, is there anyone out there who is really looking forward to seeing another Michael Douglas movie? Anyone? Hey, there's one guy in Iowa.

HARRIS: Maybe that should have been our e-mail question of the morning.

LEATHERMAN: Maybe it should. This is a fish out of water comedy. It is a remake of an old movie, and it's going up against Jim Carey's movie this weekend, so I think it is going to have a hard time. It really struggles with the comedy. It's trying very hard to be funny, and it's really kind of failing on most levels, and it's really sort of sad to see.

Albert Brooks is a great actor. I think he's really funny. Michael Douglas, really, is not particularly funny in this movie at all, and if you want to see an Albert Brooks movie, I suggest you wait until next weekend when he has a voice in "Finding Nemo," which -- we'll talk about that next week, but I think is one of the best movies of the year, and really looking forward to that. So, if you want to see Albert Brooks, wait until next weekend.

HARRIS: Can't you find anything at all good to say about this flick?

LEATHERMAN: Nope. I mean, I can make some stuff up if you want.

HARRIS: No, that's OK. Not on this network. That's some place else.

LEATHERMAN: Exactly. But there are a lot of movies out there, there's "The Matrix," there is "X-Men." "A Mighty Wind," that's a good comedy to go check out. So if you're looking for a movie to see, you are going to have no trouble this weekend.

HARRIS: All right. Cool. We'll check you out next week, then, after you get a chance to see "Nemo."

LEATHERMAN: See you, Leon.

HARRIS: I am being yelled at from the folks in the control room because they all fell in love with the dog in "Bruce Almighty." Can you review the dog for us this morning?

LEATHERMAN: Well, if I could teach my dog to whiz in the toilet, I would just be as happy -- and see there it goes. That's comedy genius right there.

HARRIS: You know what that is. This is a guy flick, that's what that says to me.

LEATHERMAN: Totally true, although I have got to tell you, there's a lot of romantic stuff in this movie. Jennifer Aniston plays her kind of sweet, regular self, and there's that kind of comedy, and there's love and all that stuff, too. So it's all good.

HARRIS: OK. All right. Good deal. Something for everyone.

LEATHERMAN: Something for everyone.

HARRIS: Thanks, Russ.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com