33 - The Ladies Man

Connection To DEATH SPA - Karyn Parsons

Films based on recurring Saturday Night Live characters have been a mixed bag - well that's an understatement - for every Wayne's World or a Blues Brothers there's a It's Pat or a Stuart Saves His Family and it's biggest flurry seemed to come off the back of Wayne's World in 1992 that ended with The Ladies Man in 2000, since then only MacGruber as come to the big screen (though I'd pay good money for a Stefon movie). So did The Ladies Man effectively kill the "SNL Movie" or was it just a last gasp on something that was already on the way out?

It's probably a bit of both, the last few SNL movies - A Night At The Roxbury, Superstar - didn't really set the box-office alight and I imagine this was it's last chance and it's not that it's a bad film it's more there is a funny film in there trying desperately to get out.

Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows) is a radio DJ known as The Ladies Man who gives romance advice and lovemaking tips that let's just say and not all ways the best, who goes to far during a broadcast and is fired. He later recieves a note from a former flame who is willing to support his high style, but they haven't signed their name and must go through his numerous conquests, meanwhile a secret group consisting of angry husbands and boyfriends that their partners have slept with Leon find out it was him and want to get revenge.

I maybe jumping to conclusions but when a film comes in a shade over 80 minutes from a big studio, I always a imagine there was a lot of cutting and the final film is sort of like making do

Karyn Parsons, as his producer Julie and obviously likes him perhaps plays it too well, I've seen a few comedies have this problem where why in a million years they would like this schmuck but the warmth they bring in their relationship to the character feels real entirely because of the actresses performance (Christina Ricci in Bucky Larson: Born To Be A Star) was a similar problem).

Some actors who appear are better then the material - Julianne Moore (especially, but boy does she look cute in clown makeup) and Eugene Levy (but those his willingness to appear in the American Pie direct to DVD sequels - quality control isn't exactly his thing). Will Ferrell co-stars among some other SNL alumni (Chris Parnell) as does Lee Evans, whose attempt at American accent (like in There's Something About Mary) is distracting, Billy Dee Williams was also enjoyable as the barman at Leon's regular haunt.

Overall, funny every now and again and at 82 minutes it doesn't take too long of your time, but for a comedy it's just not gut-bustingly funny enough for me.

32 - Death Spa

Connection To KILLER WORKOUT - both about killings in fitness places, also in Killer Workout somebody graffiti's "Death Spa", either connection I'm happy to go with...

Two films with a similar plot is a first for this blog in watching in order, this could go against Death Spa, since I could have my overfill of health centre related death (also the setting for some of Toxic Avenger) and perhaps that has gone against my enjoyment of the film - it's not that it's bad but I've just experienced nearly 3 hours of gym/spa related carnage.

Death Spa as a supernatural edge to whilst Killer Workout didn't, Death Spa even had the alternative title Witch Bitch, some of the deaths are pretty inventive including a guy getting ripped apart by a workout machine and loose diving boards.

The film does have it's charm, it's played too straight considering the ridiculousness of the plots and the events which happen, the film as a series of deaths happening in a health spa in which the owner as to contend with, we get malfunctioning things that course harm or death and ompared To Killer Workout, the cast was better known for me - Ken Foree, Chelsea Field, and Karyn Parsons (Hilary from Fresh Prince) - Foree is enjoyable here as is Merritt Buttrick (in his final role before his young death).

The film does suffer from the old horror favourite of stupid characters doing stupid stuff and what's the deal with these 80's gyms suffering from death and it not affecting the daily custom, those are some loyal workout freaks aren't they?

Overall, I liked it, it's certainly a better made film then the other gym one but which is better as an overall package is a close call but I'll think I'll go with this for some spoiler-rific reasons..