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CNN Live Today

Holiday Movies

Aired November 26, 2003 - 10:36   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turkey and trimmings aren't the only Thanksgiving Day staples. Many people will grab a bucket of popcorn and plop down for some big movie openings this weekend, but will the offerings be turkeys or treats? We posed that question now to our resident movie critic, Russ Weatherman, the voice of Mr. Moviefone.
Good morning.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Happy Thanksgiving party girl.

COSTELLO: I'm a party girl, how did you know?

LEATHERMAN: I heard it on the street. Oh, yes. It's all around now, isn't it?

COSTELLO: Let's start with the movie "The Haunted Mansion." It's not exactly an inspired premise, is it?

LEATHERMAN: Well, no, this is the third in the series of movies that they're making from the theme park rides, Disneyland. First came "The Country Bears." That was fantastic. Then came "Pirates of the Caribbean," and that movie was actually great. And now comes "The Haunted Mansion." It stars Eddie Murphy, as you can see there, and this is a movie that I don't know, it's supposed to be a horror- comedy, but it's not scary and it's not particularly funny.

COSTELLO: Well, is it good for the family though? Will the kids enjoy it?

LEATHERMAN: Well, the little kids might be a little scared, because there are some jumps and starts. I mean, that's really the only thing that's scary, and you see some of the scary images there. So the little kids might be scared. The older kids will are not going to be scared at all, and the laughs are really far and few between. The movie plot is really so convoluted that I sort of wish I was back on the ride going around and around and around again, because that would have been more entertaining than the movie.

COSTELLO: I think you go up and down on that ride. Don't you drop from an elevator shaft or something, I don't know.

LEATHERMAN: Yes, you know what, that would be fantastic compared to the movie. The movie is really not very good. You can take the family, but if you're going to take the family to see a movie, take them to see "Elf," because that's the movie to see.

COSTELLO: Yes, that's pretty funny, isn't it? Hey, My favorite "Bad Santa." This is so naughty, we have to show a clip, so pause for just a second.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Next!

What do you want? What do you want? What are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: "Nintendo Deer Hunter Three."

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Next!

Blowing snot all over everybody, and whatever.

What do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Santa?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yes, I'm Santa. Come on, what do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: A Barbie.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Say cheese.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: OK, fine, Barbie. Oh, thank you.

Ah, watch the toenails, kid!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Is this really funny?

LEATHERMAN: This is sort of the anti-"Elf" of the holiday season, by the way. But if you're in the mood to get down there with the people and get with the low, rude, crude sort of humor, you're going to laugh yourself to death. Billy Bob Thornton, he is playing a department store Santa, who really he is only there so he can rip off the department stores once they close. Bernie Mac stars in the movie, and it's really just low-brow down and dirty humor, but it's funny.

So if you're into that sort of thing, you're really going to laugh hard. If not, you're going to be completely offended and wonder what's happened you, but I have to say, on a Thanksgiving weekend, drag Aunt Mabel to see this movie, tell her you're going to see holiday entertainment, and she'll never come back.

COSTELLO: Good idea, I never thought of it that way. Good idea.

LEATHERMAN: The movie "Timeline," it's not exactly the most hyped move. What is that?

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's from a Michael Creighton novel. It's these archaeology students who -- their professor gets thrown into this wormhole and back into the 14th century and they have to go back to rescue him. And actually I sort of just wish they could have gone back to get my two hours back.

COSTELLO: OK, no need to go on with that one.

LEATHERMAN: That's all you need, really.

COSTELLO: Let's talk about the missing, some upbeat holiday cheer kind of movie.

LEATHERMAN: Well, you know, not much holiday cheer. It's sort of about a kidnapping. It's a Ron Howard movie, and stars Cate Blanchett, who is fantastic. And really it's sort of a mystic Western, which is sort of an odd combination.

COSTELLO: Isn't that an oxymoron in some way, a mystic Western?

LEATHERMAN: Well, which is sort of the problem with the movie. It is a Ron Howard movie, and Ron has done some great work, but this movie is really sort of plodding. You really sort of know what's happening the entire time. The ending is sort of what you would expect to have happen. So there's not much suspense happening. It's not really particularly scary. Cate Blanchett, like I say, I think is fantastic, and she does a great job. Tommy Lee Jones looks like, I don't know what he looks like, he's got the renegade ponytail, sort of Rally, our weather dude. Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: Rally Caparas? Who looks like Steven Seagal.

LEATHERMAN: A little. You never see them all at a party together, do you?

It's very weird. But there are some great movies out there. Go see "Elf." Go see "Master and Commander." That's a good movie. "Love Actually," a nice, romantic comedy. So it's a huge holiday week, and get out there and enjoy the movies.

LEATHERMAN: We certainly will, Russ Leatherman. voice of Mr. Moviefone, thank you for joining us this morning.

COSTELLO: Thanks for calling.

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 November 26, 2003 - 10:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Turkey and trimmings aren't the only Thanksgiving Day staples. Many people will grab a bucket of popcorn and plop down for some big movie openings this weekend, but will the offerings be turkeys or treats? We posed that question now to our resident movie critic, Russ Weatherman, the voice of Mr. Moviefone.
Good morning.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Happy Thanksgiving party girl.

COSTELLO: I'm a party girl, how did you know?

LEATHERMAN: I heard it on the street. Oh, yes. It's all around now, isn't it?

COSTELLO: Let's start with the movie "The Haunted Mansion." It's not exactly an inspired premise, is it?

LEATHERMAN: Well, no, this is the third in the series of movies that they're making from the theme park rides, Disneyland. First came "The Country Bears." That was fantastic. Then came "Pirates of the Caribbean," and that movie was actually great. And now comes "The Haunted Mansion." It stars Eddie Murphy, as you can see there, and this is a movie that I don't know, it's supposed to be a horror- comedy, but it's not scary and it's not particularly funny.

COSTELLO: Well, is it good for the family though? Will the kids enjoy it?

LEATHERMAN: Well, the little kids might be a little scared, because there are some jumps and starts. I mean, that's really the only thing that's scary, and you see some of the scary images there. So the little kids might be scared. The older kids will are not going to be scared at all, and the laughs are really far and few between. The movie plot is really so convoluted that I sort of wish I was back on the ride going around and around and around again, because that would have been more entertaining than the movie.

COSTELLO: I think you go up and down on that ride. Don't you drop from an elevator shaft or something, I don't know.

LEATHERMAN: Yes, you know what, that would be fantastic compared to the movie. The movie is really not very good. You can take the family, but if you're going to take the family to see a movie, take them to see "Elf," because that's the movie to see.

COSTELLO: Yes, that's pretty funny, isn't it? Hey, My favorite "Bad Santa." This is so naughty, we have to show a clip, so pause for just a second.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Next!

What do you want? What do you want? What are you doing?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: "Nintendo Deer Hunter Three."

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Next!

Blowing snot all over everybody, and whatever.

What do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Santa?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Yes, I'm Santa. Come on, what do you want?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: A Barbie.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Say cheese.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: OK, fine, Barbie. Oh, thank you.

Ah, watch the toenails, kid!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Is this really funny?

LEATHERMAN: This is sort of the anti-"Elf" of the holiday season, by the way. But if you're in the mood to get down there with the people and get with the low, rude, crude sort of humor, you're going to laugh yourself to death. Billy Bob Thornton, he is playing a department store Santa, who really he is only there so he can rip off the department stores once they close. Bernie Mac stars in the movie, and it's really just low-brow down and dirty humor, but it's funny.

So if you're into that sort of thing, you're really going to laugh hard. If not, you're going to be completely offended and wonder what's happened you, but I have to say, on a Thanksgiving weekend, drag Aunt Mabel to see this movie, tell her you're going to see holiday entertainment, and she'll never come back.

COSTELLO: Good idea, I never thought of it that way. Good idea.

LEATHERMAN: The movie "Timeline," it's not exactly the most hyped move. What is that?

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's from a Michael Creighton novel. It's these archaeology students who -- their professor gets thrown into this wormhole and back into the 14th century and they have to go back to rescue him. And actually I sort of just wish they could have gone back to get my two hours back.

COSTELLO: OK, no need to go on with that one.

LEATHERMAN: That's all you need, really.

COSTELLO: Let's talk about the missing, some upbeat holiday cheer kind of movie.

LEATHERMAN: Well, you know, not much holiday cheer. It's sort of about a kidnapping. It's a Ron Howard movie, and stars Cate Blanchett, who is fantastic. And really it's sort of a mystic Western, which is sort of an odd combination.

COSTELLO: Isn't that an oxymoron in some way, a mystic Western?

LEATHERMAN: Well, which is sort of the problem with the movie. It is a Ron Howard movie, and Ron has done some great work, but this movie is really sort of plodding. You really sort of know what's happening the entire time. The ending is sort of what you would expect to have happen. So there's not much suspense happening. It's not really particularly scary. Cate Blanchett, like I say, I think is fantastic, and she does a great job. Tommy Lee Jones looks like, I don't know what he looks like, he's got the renegade ponytail, sort of Rally, our weather dude. Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: Rally Caparas? Who looks like Steven Seagal.

LEATHERMAN: A little. You never see them all at a party together, do you?

It's very weird. But there are some great movies out there. Go see "Elf." Go see "Master and Commander." That's a good movie. "Love Actually," a nice, romantic comedy. So it's a huge holiday week, and get out there and enjoy the movies.

LEATHERMAN: We certainly will, Russ Leatherman. voice of Mr. Moviefone, thank you for joining us this morning.

COSTELLO: Thanks for calling.

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