Thursday (Semi-Pro) Edition: Wha’ Happened?
Posted on February 21st, 2008 – 7:43 AMBy Michael Rand
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We started off this morning with every intention of writing about the NBA and NHL trading deadlines, tossing in a little Shaq vs. Kobe (how great was that game last night, those who watched it?) and going from there. But then we couldn’t stop thinking about Semi-Pro, which comes out in 8 days. We’re not quite sure what to make of this movie yet. The concept definitely is amusing, but it also feels like Will Ferrell has been stuck in a little rut since Anchorman — like he’s trying to replicate the outrageousness of Ron Burgundy without having the same top-shelf material. Talladega Nights was disappointing; Blades of Glory was better, but still only a little better than OK. We really want Semi-Pro to deliver because, on the surface, it has the potential to join the short list of what we consider The Most Enjoyable Sports Movies Of All Time. Now, you’ll see lists of the “best” sports movies of all-time. Our most enjoyable top 3 goes something like this: 1) Bull Durham. 2) Slap Shot. 3) White Men Can’t Jump. We would not deign to put those in that order on a “best” list; you see the difference. Semi-Pro could make that list. The ball is in Will Ferrell’s court (obligatory terrible ending).
So: We’d be interested to hear the enthusiasm level for Semi-Pro and also hear what you consider to be the most enjoyable sports movies of all-time. We’d also like a chocolate glazed donut.
Fasola-link! That M&M had it coming.
Bonus Fasola-link! Miracle on Ice.
36 Responses to "Thursday (Semi-Pro) Edition: Wha’ Happened?"
Will Ferrell needs to take a break. He’s making the country Overdose, so basically he is a drug dealer.
How can you say that Blades of Glory is better than Talladega Nights? Sweet Baby Jesus vs. Napolean Dynamite, pretty easy decision.
Ahhhh,
San Diego. I believe it means, “Whales Vagina.”
The Proprietor is incorrect about Talladega Nights.
Also, Ferrell was really good in Stranger Than Fiction in a non-Will Ferrell role, although nobody else saw it.
Best Sports Movie: Slap Shot
Peter Pan….?
Anyway, everyone needs fans, and though this blog/vid isn’t about the “Anchorman”, one of my favorites of all time, it’s instead about how Spring Training is moving into full swing and mainly because I’ve always felt that the most intense and dirtily fought sport of all (surpasses hockey by far) was politics, I offer up this hysterical vid of journalist Chris Matthews grilling Sen. Watson…but enuf said. I don’t want to give it away. it’s a gas…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/19/chris-matthews-humiliates_n_87493.html“
Four deep in the comments, and no one has mentioned “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh”. Meh.
No list of ‘Best ever Sports Movies’ is complete, no matter how short, without ‘Happy Gilmore’. “Who won that fight, by the way?” and “You eat [redacted] for breakfast?” make me chuckle even now.
I’m excited for Semi-Pro. I hear it has bits of real panther in it.
If I’m going to the Gopher hoops game tonight, do I paint for face maroon or gold?
no one has mentioned “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh”
Because Fast Break was clearly the better basketball-themed movie release in 1979, that’s why.
Stu: Stranger than Fiction was excellent. I do agree with the proprietor that Will Ferrell is in a rut. He’s been playing the same character over and over again, except for Elf and Stranger Than Fiction (which are probably two of my favorite Will Ferrell movies).
Anchorman is good for one-liners (but I don’t know how much I loved the movie), I could only get halfway through Talledega Nights before I said the hell with it, and, due to that, I can’t really bring myself to watch Blades of Glory.
I can’t say that the character that Will’s playing isn’t funny…he is. However, I think he’s lost some of that creativity that he definitely had during the SNL years. He was extremely flexible as a comedian and now it seems like he’s forgotten to do his stretching.
Oh! My cover’s blown!
Psh, like anyone didn’t know…
In other news, Jason Tyner is going to camp with the Tribe
“I could throw this steak over those mountains”….
I’m floored. Rand’s top three includes a Woody Harrelson movie that isn’t Kingpin and doesn’t include Caddyshack?
I thought Rand was on the pulse of “what’s funny”, but instead he lists a glorified chick flick (Bull Durham airs on Lifetime three nights a week) and a movie with Rosie Perez in the lead female roll. Ouch.
Someone else even mentioned Happy Gilmore before Caddyshack. Has the world gone mad?
Slap Shot is the only thing everyone is correct about…
I don’t want…your life
I thought Rand was on the pulse of “what’s funny”
Well, his “Why Can’t Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson Be In Every Movie?” piece in last Sunday’s paper was troubling…
“These two..hmm..they would be good in my country. That one..not so much so”
hint: the manic genius who played that role has officially retired the character because “he didn’t want to be typecast”…like that could happen, ay
Does anyone else remember Hoosiers…? Come on…they even wore Converse Allstars!
Hoosiers ? The one where Gene Hackman was pinned to a nuclear reactor’s magnetism on campus by the plate in his head. Piece o’crap movie, and by your standards here, -10 for old Geno. What a prick he’s been over the years..
I’ll third that Stranger than Fiction was an excellent movie. Definitely a more restrained role for Will.
I have hope for Semi-Pro because Will Arnett is in it, but the previews have been not so good.
Just to throw out some other sports movies that were above average: Dodgeball, Major League, Happy Gilmore.
PPP, I think Hackman totally redeemed himself in The Royal Tenenbaums.
Ryan, I agree and also forgot about “The French Connection” which to this day is the best primer on road rage I’ve ever seen. I punched 3 guys leaving the theater. That’s how good it was ?
Randball didn’t say his list was a “Best Of” ranking, but rather his most enjoyable sports movies. The Proprietor deserves kudos for admitting taste is personal.
If I’m hungover on a Sunday afternoon after a night of lite beer and karaoke, maybe I’d enjoy “Bull Durham” over “Eight Men Out”. Like sometimes I may “enjoy” pizza and beer at Dulonos’ instead of the Rutabaga Gnocchi with Swiss Chard and dried prunes at Barbette.
Ty: Bull Durham is not a chick flick. We will brawl if you ever say that again. That said, Caddyshack is pretty much No. 4 on that list. Kingpin is only excluded because I don’t really consider it a true sports movie. It’s a series of amusing tales and gross gags based around an absurd bowling premise, but it’s not a sports movie.
Oh, and I also very much enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction. Maybe people did see it?
Hoosiers is overrated.
/ducks
Does “/ducks” mean that “The Mighty Ducks” just jumped to the top of your list?
The Mighty Ducks made rollerblading with all of the safety gear cool…a trend that lives on today.
What is rollerblading?
Rand: Check it out. Oprah’s Magazine listed Bull Durham on the list of its Top 50 Chick Flicks of all time. It came in at #24. It seems you and Oprah share a taste in movies.
Rand loves the chick flicks.
Oprah might have a lot more money and slightly more influence than me, but … she’s wrong. Just plain wrong. That’s not the first time I’ve heard that argument about Bull Durham. I’ll defend that fine baseball movie forever.
Ty: I’m going to say that there are some “chick flicks” that transcend the boundaries of gender…
Example: When Harry Met Sally
Usually considered a chick flick, but I don’t know many guys who don’t like that movie (if they’ve seen it).
Caddyshack does it for me. One of my first jobs (actually my first) was with a bunch of Chem dep kids. Well, after about a month we skipped group and went to see, yes, Caddyshack, and if you remember one of the first lines, you can see the humor of that moment….”tommy (or whatever the kid’s name was”…do you do drugs ?” “Every day” the kid says and Chevy says “good Tommy” too rich, I almost puked
Here’s a good joke.
What’s the hardest part about rollerblading? Telling your dad you’re gay.
I am a will ferrel fanatic… but I will not be seeing Semi-pro. If you check out the website for the movie (semipromovie.com)
compare the normal trailer to the “age restricted” trailer. The age restricted trailer isn’t funny at all and looks like a completely different movie from the trailers they have shown at the theaters.
It now looks more like a “that was funny in high school” movie than anything.
Which is so sad, because I can’t think of the last will ferrel movie I hated.
What’s the second hardest part ? Asking if he is..
Im looking forward to the movie…previews look pretty good! Will is up and down though…I hope it’s good!
Watch movies online
Cool weblog, keep it up.
