I Saw That!

One woman's opinions about popular entertainment.

My Photo
Name:
Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Amateur boxing coach, Christian (but not so heavenly-minded that I'm no earthly good) singer, writer, self-defense advocate, childfree. feminist www.smartwomenboxingtraining.org

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)

After another stint in jail, Elwood Blues (Dan Ackroyd) is released from jail. He waits patiently outside of the prison for his brother Jake to pick him up. A prison official notices he has been standing out there for hours, and goes out to break the bad news: Jake passed away while Elwood was locked up.

It doesn't take Elwood long before trouble finds him. After agreeing to help Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman) raise funds for a children's hospital, he runs afoul of Russian gangsters, a militia, and of course, the police. Elwood has to reunite the band--who are just as reluctant to team up again as they were in the previous movie--to win a New Orleans battle of bands contest to get the money. During the beginning of his quest, he teams up with Mighty Mac (John Goodman), a bartender who can sing. Elwood also takes an orphan (J. Evan Bonifant) under his wing.

This film sorely misses John Belushi, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker. Goodman does his best to fit in, but he's no substitute for the Jake Blues character. Aretha Franklin, who had a show-stopping scene in the first movie, does a version of "Respect" that seems oddly toned down. The plot is a retread of the earlier movie as well, but it does have it's moments. Singer Erykah Badu and bandleader Paul Shaffer are featured on a rousing version of "Funky Nassau", Wilson Pickett shows up for an entertaining version of "634-5789", and numerous other musicians (B.B. King, John Popper, Johnny Lang, Steve Winwood, Gary U.S. Bonds, etc.) make appearances.

If you stick around after the end credits, James Brown does his stuff in a segment, begging a woman, "Please, Please, Please" don't go!

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home