BlackX

While those who say it's not well executed have a slight point, Morgan Spurlock does make a must-see film. The film doesn't do much to inspire other filmmakers within it's presentation, it is a perfect compliment and non-distraction to the film's real meal (pun intended) - it's genius content.

Does a fast food franchise deserve to be sued for making customers obese? Is it solely to blame? Are people's beliefs about their food exaggerating, or horribly understated? These a re some of the questions Super Size Me asks. And, how to answer? Simple - make yourself the guinea pig and record every twist and turn along the way.

Morgan begins an experiment which, to not give too much away, probably both doesn't meet but most of which exceeds your expectations. He'll eat Mickey D's 3 times a day, for 30 days, and tackle food and weight related issues, and the developing results, along the way. He can only Super Size it (note: no longer a possibility for us, as McDonald's removed the option for mega sized meals just more than a month after it's Sundance premiere - just a coincidence, of course . . . ) when asked at the counter, he must work through the entire menu, and can eat nothing not sold over the counter at McDonald's. On the way, he'll meat with three doctors, face the caring wrath of his vegan girlfriend, and meet some interesting people.

Filled with intriguing ideas and some questions for the food industry that can hit as hard and leave people as stunned as Michael Moore on politics, Morgan goes from the state of health in schools and their cafeterias (where he helps the audience to draw up most of their own conclusions, especially from one interview he has with a teacher who expects way to much out of tens, and I say that as one myself), to the differences between the weight of his home city to another, and everything in between. What comes together is a movie that's well paced, and well if, again, not inspiringly and groundbreakingly executed, and filled attention grabbers in each scene. The DVD shows Spurlock has great directing instincts, and cut many interesting scenes which were simply too long or didn't add anything to either side of the argument. In the end, the suspense of the results pours on, and the movie becomes as addictive as it's subject matter (I was forced to watch the movie over two nights, and it killed me). By the end, Morgan has graced us with a little more than we wanted to know about the experiment, but enough to both terrify and amuse us on the way. It's a classic documentary, and for those few haters who will tear the movie apart for it's average composure, everyone has to admit that it's classic just for it's content, and the DVD will always be special to me for the Bonus Footage of the metamorphosis of some McSandwiches and Fries over the course of nearly 3 months. It's classic, and I don't know if this guy can top it - check it out, you won't be sorry.

I really do not know what people have against this film, but it's definitely one of my favourites. It's not preachy, it's not anchored by it's moral, it shouldn't be controversial. It's just God. Any possible God, no matter the religion. And it's really funny.

Jim Carry plays Bruce Nolan, a TV reporter usually stuck on the lighter side of the news, desperate to prove himself (more or less TO himself) that he can be taken seriously and do a good job in an anchor job. This drive is what is slowly driving his beautiful girlfriend Grace (Jennifer Aniston) away. When the final straws are executed, he's quick to not laugh, but yell in the face of God, who in turn gives Bruce his powers. Bruce then makes his life better for himself, until he's guilted into helping others, where he then continues to miss the point of his powers. Meanwhile, his constant excitement about his own life makes him more selfish, leaving his relationship on dangerous ground.

OK, that was kinda long. But as a plot, it works well. The step-by-step fashion in which we meet the challenges of being God is much better than clustering his problems together, and is able to hide itself fairly well.

As you probably know from hearing about this movie in the first place, Carrey's pitch-perfect acting stays in character (which, luckily enough, is him), and controls and gives atmosphere to the movie scene by scene. Whether they would admit it or not, the role was written or rewritten exclusively for Carrey. Without him, the humour would turn flat, as humour is half execution. And the humour is very good in the first place. But without Carrey, it would kinda feel like a It's a Wonderful Life wannabe.

Jennifer Aniston is great and, no matter what some may say, does not act like the only excuse for the third act. At least, you don't think that when you see her. She gives a heartfelt performance and makes you forget you're watching a movie, she and Carrey feel very much like a real couple.

The movie feels ggooooodd (see the movie to understand), has a very nice feeling, tackles the idea appropriately and better than expected and overall should never have been called slapped together just to save Carrey's career (which wasn't goin' anywhere.).