Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Are We There Yet? (2005)

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 01-21-2005, 05:12 AM:

What would possibly make a stupid movie about a guy trying to get into the pants of a divorced woman by taking her kids on a 300 mile trip an entertaining film? Why Ice Cube of course!

Ice Cube rocks. I don't know what it is about him other than his mannerisms, but the guy just cracks me up (often when I'm not supposed to be laughing). As a result I'll watch just about any movie with Ice Cube in it...just 'cuz.

While this movie isn't anything special (like most Ice Cube movies) and it has it's array of faults, it's pretty entertaining in a dumb way. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

***SPOILERS***
To give you a timeline, this movie is 5 reels long. The first 3 are the best, then reel 4 starts slowing down and drags in a few spots. Nothing terribly bad, but they should've tightened up the editing.

They could've also completely lost the "Disney" scene, where the little girl Ice Cube is watching starts singing karaoke to Aretha Franklin's "Respect". It was just dumb. If during the movie you realize you've got to take a dump, this is the scene to skip while you run take care of business.

Also the end couldn't have possibly been more predictable, but then again you should expect that by now from a major Hollywood studio and a movie with a plot such as this. After all, they had to wrap it up SOMEHOW into a happy ending. [Roll Eyes]

Still I can imagine how much more satisfying the overall movie would've been if the woman had've completely rejected him, then Ice Cube blows up screaming at her about all of the shit he had been through for her stupid bratty snot nosed kids and the damage to his car. Then Ice Cube could've taken a baseball bat and knocked the head off of the boy and tossed the girl out the window of the high rise. At that point to make this ending perfect he could've given that shit-eating Ice Cube forced grin and said "bitch" under his breath as he walked out of the room while some upbeat rap music kicked in over the credits. But NOOOOOOOOOO, it's a HOLLYWOOD movie that's been rewritten 800 times!!! It must have a HAPPY ending! Oh well, maybe that scene will be on the DVD as an alternate ending. Still, check it out. [Wink]

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 01-21-2005, 04:03 PM:

Why do I have the feeling that Richard Greco is going to pop in and say that little girl is going to be a hottie in 10 years???

Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 01-21-2005, 05:32 PM:

I'd giver her 12 or 13 myself.

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 01-22-2005, 09:25 AM:

Actually that little girl annoyed the hell out of me. I wanted to smack her silly.

I saw this at my old Carmike and now I know the reason why I love the drive-in. The only good thing about this presentation was it being in DTS. The ghosting was horrific and there was an out of frame splice at the beginning of Reel 2. I'll stick with the DI except for movies that we don't get.

This movie wasn't too bad. Nia Long was nice eye candy. Ice Cube is a really good actor like Brad said. This film had the usual feel good cliches in it though. Like I said before, the little girl got REALLY annoying after a while. This movie was average to me

2.5/5

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-27-2005, 10:16 PM:

I know this movie is totally old news to some of you, but we're playing it this weekend, unfortunately.

You guys are giving this movie way too much credit. I think it was completely stupid.

(These are in no particular order)

Stupidity #1: The truck driver, trying to "save" the kids by trying to RUN THEIR VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD!

Stupidity #2: The Navigator barreling down a mountainside for five minutes (a) without hitting any significant trees and (b) with the idiot kids laughing all the way down the mountain. And then (c) the Navigator landing on its four wheels after falling off a cliff....and the kids STILL laughing and saying "that was cool!"

Stupidity #3: The billboard truck driver, trying to "save the kids" by (caution: Repeat same gag over) trying to RUN THEIR VEHICLE (this time a semi-tractor) OFF THE ROAD AGAIN!!

Stupidity #4: The Ice Cube character wanting to have a thing to do with the little brats after they first locked him out of his vehicle. I'd have taken the little spuds to the nearest police station and walked away, even if I was shooting for Nia Long who is admittedly hot.

Stupidity #5: The opening "ripped off from 'Home Alone'" scene where the poor guy gets tripped, covered with glue, etc etc. If "mom" didn't put kids in a mental home after that, she isn't fit to be a mother.

Stupidity #6 - Having the girl get on a stage and sing "all I need is a little Respect" when she's been showing nothing but DISrespect throughout the whole movie (and her entire life, from the way she acts).

I know, I know, it's a kids comedy, but where is it written that "comedies" have to show kids who are disrespectful, put their lives at risk, destroy property, ignore their guardian's instructions and generally be annoying brats -- and never get a whiff of a punishment for any of it?

1 out of 5 stars for me -- one star for the small-wheels-on-the-Navigator gag, which was indeed funny.

As an aside -- we received a "show print" for this film. It looked the same as any other print as far as I could tell, except for a lack of Lab splices and the cues were green in color rather than black. Loaded with CRAP code too.

Why can't we get a show print of a GOOD movie??

[ 03-01-2005, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: Mike Blakesley ]