Rating: 
Summary: Break it down, Angels!
Review: My sisters and I loved the original "Charlie's Angels" TV series when we were kids, so I was curious about the contemporary movie inspired by the show. Well, the film blew me away: it's a terrific blend of action and humor, pulled off with great fun by an excellent ensemble cast.John Forsythe returns from the original series as the voice of "Charlie," the unseen head of a detective agency. His "Angels" are three gorgeous but lethal women who do the detective work. Along for the ride is Charlie's assistant, Bosley (Bill Murray). Drew Barrymore (as tough chick Dylan), Lucy Liu (as cool, elegant Alex) and Cameron Diaz (as brainy but goofy Natalie) have great chemistry as the Angels. The plot involves computers and revenge. Throughout the film there are awesome stunts, cool high-tech gadgetry, hilarious comic bits, and multiple undercover disguises. Musical cues are cleverly woven into the film; much of the film has a James Bond-meets-MTV feel. "Charlie's Angels" is a tremendously fun piece of escapist entertainment, with a nice female-empowerment-and-bonding vibe. The film successfully straddles the line between spoofiness and serious adventure. Congratulations to the filmmakers for bringing back the "Angels."
Rating: 
Summary: Once Upon a Time, there were 3 Little Girls...
Review: As much a tribute to pop culture as a big-screen version of the '70s
series, 'Charlie's Angels' has so much energy and tongue-in-cheek
charm that it DARES you NOT to root for its three young stars! And
while the film won't erase the images of Farrah Fawcett in a thin
tanktop on a very cold day, there is a wholesome sexiness and
accessiblity in Barrymore, Diaz, and Liu that none of the various
teamings of TV 'Angels' ever achieved! The pre-title sequence is
outrageous, and fabulous! ... Each Angel has a unique
backstory...Natalie (Diaz) is an ditzy, upbeat 'Soul Train'-dancing
wannabe who 'shakes her booty' at home in Spider-Man undies, looks for
'Mr. Right', and is a crack driver; Alex (Liu) is a 'leg waxer'/extra
on an action movie set, who is a lousy cook, sleeps with the film's
star (Matt LeBlanc, in a funny cameo), and is an expert in technology
and martial arts; Dylan (Barrymore) is an ex-high school 'bad
girl'/free spirit involved with a seedy, insecure hippie living in a
tugboat (humorously portrayed by Tom Green, Barrymore's real-life
boyfriend), is a master of disguise, and leads the trio. As in the
TV series, the Angels work out of the Townsend Detective Agency (still
located in the famous colonial brick building), and communicate with
the never-seen Charlie (voiced, as always, by John Forsythe) via the
telephone. As the trio's liason, Bosley, Bill Murray is simply
perfect, hilarious in his patented 'smarmy but lovable' persona!
The plot revolves around the kidnapping of a Bill Gates-type
computer genius (Sam Rockwell, 'The Green Mile'), and a technology
that can pinpoint any person's location, anywhere in the world. The
prime suspects are competitor Roger Corwin (Tim Curry, in a
delightfully wicked turn!), and his hitman, portrayed with kinky
relish by Crispin Glover. Hired by Kelly Lynch (who has a ball in the
role of Rockwell's partner!), the Angels embark on a case with all the
twists, betrayals, action, humor, and mayhem that a fan could ask for!
Loud, good-natured, and pulsating with a soundtrack of '70s-'80s
Top Ten songs, the film combines 'Matrix'-style freeze-frames and
slow-motion FX with a ton of Pop Culture references and a
swashbuckling sense of derring-do! The film literally rocks, and never
lets up! Is this 'Great Cinema'? Certainly not! But in its sheer
audacity, and sense of fun, no recent film can match it! And while the
original series teased with a visual sex appeal that was was largely
ignored in the storylines, the big-screen version has a 'if you got
it, flaunt it' attitude that is both refreshing and empowering! This
is a 'Girl Power' movie, in the BEST sense of the word! I HIGHLY
recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: It¿s All Eye Candy
Review: "Charlie's Angels" brings the 70's cop chick thriller to the big screen. Overall, the movie is lean on storyline but BIG on eye candy, be it the special effects or of course, the three lovely leading ladies. While the movie may leave some to be desired the DVD features are abundant in solid extras. THE MOVIE: The Story: Natalie, Dylan and Alex (Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu respectively) are secret undercover operatives for a mysterious benefactor named Charlie. Together the girls try to balance their undercover lives and normal lives. This time around the girls must find a kidnapped computer scientist and keep the powerful technology he's developed from falling into the wrong hands. The girls go under deep cover (under various disguises and in various locales) to get to the bottom of the case using both their sex appeal and their kung fu to take out the bad guys and save the day. The Cool Stuff: While the storyline and storytelling are easy to lose track of (the movie moves at breakneck speed), you should be really entertained by this flick. The various locales, costumes and situations the girls get themselves into are hilarious. The action sequences (very much Matrix and Hong Kong Kung-Fu inspired) are passable. Overall, the film is very much enjoyable if not blow away. The movie works as an action-comedy flick. Best Scenes: 1.The Matrix-inspired alley fight 2.Massage therapy scene Movie Grade: 3 stars out of 5. Decent action and comedy. So-so story. THE DVD: Where the movie is just alright, the DVD itself more than makes this a great viewing experience with a bounty of extras. Among the goodies included here are: 1.Commentary - always insightful 2."Getting G'd Up" - 6 minute feature on the director McG. 3."The Master and the Angels" - 7 minute feature on how the girls trained for the fight scenes plus wire work. 4."Welcome to Angel World" - 4 minute feature about the movie in general 5."Angelic Attire" - 3 minute feature on all the costumes the girls wore. 6."Angelic Effects" - 6 minute feature on all the cool CGI effects. 7."Wired Angels" - 2 minute feature on the alley fight 8.3 Deleted Scenes 9.Outtakes - this is basically the video that roled during credits, w/o the credits 10.2 music videos: "Independent Woman" by Destiny's Child and "Charlie's Angels 2K" by Apollo Four Forty 11.Cast and Crew Bios 12.Trailers: The theatrical and teaser trailer plus trailers for other movies. THE VERDICT: Overall the movie makes a decent rental. The action, FX and comedy are decent. Indeed, the movie is probably way more comedy than it is an action thriller. Fans of the women should be pleased with the movie (chicks who kick butt, oh yeah!!!). The movie isn't a total blow away, but it's fun. The DVD extras definitely put this over the top. For myself, the features were probably way more interesting than the movie itself. Again, the features are a great insight into Hollywood and how films are made. Final Grades: Movie: 3 stars
Extras: 5 stars Total: 4 stars Recommended
Rating:
Summary: Heaven Sent
Review: The first big screen outing for Charlie and his Angels is girlpower driven entertainment at its most fun.
The Angels are assigned to watch over a computer geek who has designed a special computer defense program that can, if fallen into the wrong hands, cause major havok among the world population. However, the geek is actually an undercover operative who holds a secret grudge against Charlie (he holds Charlie responsible for his father's death in Vietnam) and tries to due away with Charlie and trying to make real angels out of the Angels. The film doesn't take itself to seriously (come on people, its based on a T&A show from the 70's!). The casting of Barrymore, Liu, and Diaz is admirable. Some guys I talked to about the film didn't acutally like the girls, but, I always say if it's 2 in the morning and these girls show up at your front door asking to use the phone because of car problems, I wouldn't slam the door in there faces! Bill Murray gets quite a few laughs as Bosley and Sam Rockwell is great as the villian. The soundtrack is pretty good, mixing different tunes from the past few decades. Overall, a decent and enjoyable rental.
Rating:
Summary: Best comedy/spoof in years
Review: This excellent adaptation of the hit TV show is, quite simply, fantastic. It's fast, furious and utterly ludicrous, but it's enormous fun. The plot is based around voice recognition software so that the bad guy can find Charlie. Of course, with such a amusingly blatant movie, who cares about plot? The ex-pop video director cleverly hired a lot of good actors who are clearly having a whale of a time as they act out all of our fantasies - whether it's driving fast cars, sexy outfits or dancing on stage, it's all here. Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore are arguably the best of the bunch as nerdy Natalie and sexy Dylan. The fact that it is just so blatant ensures that the audience knows that it is intentionally that way, defying those critics who were desperate to crawl all over it and tell us how terrible it is. We get to see slow-mo shots as the girls take off their swimming costumes, cheesy smiles at the camera whilst flicking their hair back and stunts obviously inspired by 'The Matrix'. Basically, 'Charlies Angels' won't change your world but then it was never supposed to and that's precisely why it succeeds. There are plenty of funny throwaway lines - 'Oops I've come undone' - as well as good special effects and acting. It works as a spoof, a comedy and a tease and gets a five-star rating in each.
Rating: 
Summary: Borderline four
Review: This was extremely cheery, bright, action packed, and gives you an adrenaline rush. But the film seemed to fall flat on its face a lot of the time, and inbetween the high octane action stuff, it was very dull. If you're thinking there are similarities between this and The Matrix, you'd be right. It's the same guy who choreographed The Matrix fight scenes, who did this as well. I also saw similarities between this & Mission Impossible. There is probably a lot more similarities, but there's always one film 'borrowing' off another these days - I'm just beginning to notice it more and more. OK, so this film is showing that girls can kick some butt when they want to, and can be "independant women" and not have to rely on guys to do their dirty work for them. So how come Cameron Diaz's character goes all gooey, whenever that guy she met at the bar phones?! That's being independant alright. Three minutes into the film, I spotted a major flaw. Maybe it was just me, but I thought if you opened the doors on a plane and jumped out (which of course, everyone has done at least once), everyone else on the plane got sucked out after you? I'm basing this after seeing Final Destination too many times. Who's your favourite Angel? Personally I couldn't stand Cameron Diaz or Lucy Liu. Cameron is normally so great in a lot of the roles I've seen her in, but in this, she played up the dizzy blonde act a little too much. Drew Barrymore is the greatest Angel, and had the pizzazz to keep the film going, and keep the viewer watching. And she seemed the least fake out of the three. I'm hoping the second film will be better. This movie was fun to watch, don't get me wrong, just could have been better. There are a lot of gratuitous shots of the girls, mainly for the guys, but it gets a bit tiresome after a while for the girls watching! There's only so many times you can bitch about someone with Drew Barrymore's assets not having any support!
Rating:
Summary: Break it down, Angels!
Review: My sisters and I loved the original "Charlie's Angels" TV series when we were kids, so I was curious about the contemporary movie inspired by the show. Well, the film blew me away: it's a terrific blend of action and humor, pulled off with great fun by an excellent ensemble cast. John Forsythe returns from the original series as the voice of "Charlie," the unseen head of a detective agency. His "Angels" are three gorgeous but lethal women who do the detective work. Along for the ride is Charlie's assistant, Bosley (Bill Murray). Drew Barrymore (as tough chick Dylan), Lucy Liu (as cool, elegant Alex) and Cameron Diaz (as brainy but goofy Natalie) have great chemistry as the Angels. The plot involves computers and revenge. Throughout the film there are awesome stunts, cool high-tech gadgetry, hilarious comic bits, and multiple undercover disguises. Musical cues are cleverly woven into the film; much of the film has a James Bond-meets-MTV feel. "Charlie's Angels" is a tremendously fun piece of escapist entertainment, with a nice female-empowerment-and-bonding vibe. The film successfully straddles the line between spoofiness and serious adventure. Congratulations to the filmmakers for bringing back the "Angels."
Rating:
Summary: Once Upon a Time, there were 3 Little Girls...
Review: As much a tribute to pop culture as a big-screen version of the '70sseries, 'Charlie's Angels' has so much energy and tongue-in-cheekcharm that it DARES you NOT to root for its three young stars! Andwhile the film won't erase the images of Farrah Fawcett in a thintanktop on a very cold day, there is a wholesome sexiness andaccessiblity in Barrymore, Diaz, and Liu that none of the variousteamings of TV 'Angels' ever achieved! The pre-title sequence isoutrageous, and fabulous! ... Each Angel has a uniquebackstory...Natalie (Diaz) is an ditzy, upbeat 'Soul Train'-dancingwannabe who 'shakes her booty' at home in Spider-Man undies, looks for'Mr. Right', and is a crack driver; Alex (Liu) is a 'leg waxer'/extraon an action movie set, who is a lousy cook, sleeps with the film'sstar (Matt LeBlanc, in a funny cameo), and is an expert in technologyand martial arts; Dylan (Barrymore) is an ex-high school 'badgirl'/free spirit involved with a seedy, insecure hippie living in atugboat (humorously portrayed by Tom Green, Barrymore's real-lifeboyfriend), is a master of disguise, and leads the trio. As in theTV series, the Angels work out of the Townsend Detective Agency (stilllocated in the famous colonial brick building), and communicate withthe never-seen Charlie (voiced, as always, by John Forsythe) via thetelephone. As the trio's liason, Bosley, Bill Murray is simplyperfect, hilarious in his patented 'smarmy but lovable' persona!The plot revolves around the kidnapping of a Bill Gates-typecomputer genius (Sam Rockwell, 'The Green Mile'), and a technologythat can pinpoint any person's location, anywhere in the world. Theprime suspects are competitor Roger Corwin (Tim Curry, in adelightfully wicked turn!), and his hitman, portrayed with kinkyrelish by Crispin Glover. Hired by Kelly Lynch (who has a ball in therole of Rockwell's partner!), the Angels embark on a case with all thetwists, betrayals, action, humor, and mayhem that a fan could ask for!Loud, good-natured, and pulsating with a soundtrack of '70s-'80sTop Ten songs, the film combines 'Matrix'-style freeze-frames andslow-motion FX with a ton of Pop Culture references and aswashbuckling sense of derring-do! The film literally rocks, and neverlets up! Is this 'Great Cinema'? Certainly not! But in its sheeraudacity, and sense of fun, no recent film can match it! And while theoriginal series teased with a visual sex appeal that was was largelyignored in the storylines, the big-screen version has a 'if you gotit, flaunt it' attitude that is both refreshing and empowering! Thisis a 'Girl Power' movie, in the BEST sense of the word! I HIGHLYrecommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Quirky Girls Having Fun
Review: Not a bad idea with quirky girls wanting to have fun and saving the world from evil while they're at it. How do they have the time to do that and balance their social lives? I don't know. Surprisingly good fun despite the misgivings I had at first. Manged to tie in a fast-moving plot and humor. Bill Murray is great.
Rating:
Summary: Good goofy fun
Review: First of all, the Angels have great babe appeal. That's pretty much what the movie is about: watching pretty women do stuff. That's enough for any teenage boy (or for anyone who once was a teenage boy). Mostly, the pretty women do stuff with their clothes on, which should keep mothers of teenage boys reasonably happy. The action is good, the fights are nicely choreographed, the wire-work is outstanding, and the effects don't take over from the very capable actresses. The plot won't be an intellectual challenge for anyone over about age nine, but that's fine. It's just an action movie with pretty women. That's all. If that sounds good, you'll love it. If not, you probably wouldn't have read this far.
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