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	Movie Review - Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed     (What this rating means)       Director: Raja Gosnell Starring: Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini, Seth Green, Alicia Silverstone Rated: PG (some scary action, rude humor, and language) Length: 93 minutes Genre: Comedy/Family Website: Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed PLOT A mysterious masked villain steals the costumes of old Scooby-Doo monsters, and plots to take control of the town of Coolsville by using a monster machine to bring the costumes to life. Scooby and the gang must find the bad guy and stop his plans before it's too late. Dastardly deeds and CGI hijinks ensue. JOHNNY'S TAKE It's Friday afternoon, and you and your buds are trying to decide on a movie. "How about Scooby-Doo 2? Should we check it out?" Good question. Allow me to point out a few things that might help you make up your mind: 1. The word "Scooby" is in the title. 2. The word "Doo" is in the title. 3. The action takes place in a city called "Coolsville." 4. The local museum is called the "Coolsonian." 5. The phrase "Doo the fright thing" appears on the poster. Got the picture? If so, then you should realize that this is NOT a movie that guys should see alone together. However, would it be all right to see with your significant other? Ask yourself the following questions: Did I watch *and* enjoy the original Scooby TV series? Did I watch *and* enjoy the first Scooby movie? If you answered "no" to both of those questions, then it should not shock you into a heart attack to hear that you might not enjoy this Scooby sequel. "How about you, Johnny? What did you think?" Glad you asked. Overall, I enjoyed the movie for what it is, but "Scooby-Doo 2" is not for everybody. Let's be honest, the TV series was pretty cheesy, and a lot of times it was intentionally so. But when you were a kid did you really take notice? Or did you think it was great and demand your mom to refer to crackers and cookies as Scooby snacks? Yeah, be honest. "Hey Johnny, how does the sequel compare to the original?" Well, I'm not a Scooby purist. I don't push my non-existent glasses up, straighten my phantom pocket protector, and run an analysis on the discrepancies between the movies and the original series, so I can unabashedly say I liked the first Scooby movie better because I thought it was funnier. I also felt it was a little more clever and adult-oriented. Keep in mind, this sequel is definitely directed more towards the chil'rens. However, those of you who complained that the first movie wasn't faithful enough to the series will be glad to know that the sequel is more representative of the original. It follows the same "find the clues and unmask the bad guy at the end" formula that the cartoon adhered to, and bringing back old-school classic foes such as the Dark Knight, Miner 49er, and the 10,000-Volt Ghost is a great touch. For those of you complaining about Velma letting her hair down and putting on a vinyl outfit because it's "not true to the original" - get over it. I thought she looked hot, and who says Velma would never in life try to change her look? She admitted that it wasn't her, and she went back to her old look, so why the crying? PEOPLE CAN EXPERIMENT WITH CHANGE!!!!!! Now I'm a pretty sane guy, and as such, I'm not gonna claim that "Scooby-Doo 2" is a great, mind-blowing movie. It's not laugh-out-loud, roll-on-the-floor, punch-your-friend-in-the-face funny. It's more of what I'd call "cute" with laughs peppered throughout. The mystery never reaches Hitchcockian proportions, but why exactly would you expect that? This is a movie about a dog who talks and helps his friends solve mysteries, what on earth are you looking for here? That being said, the story actually kept me guessing more than "Twisted," so take that for what it's worth. The kids should love it. And it's fast-paced enough and has enough laughs to keep a lot of adults entertained as well. In fact, here are a few comments from the other adults that attended the screening with me: Stephanie: I didn't laugh as much as I did during the first movie, but this one had a better story. Mr. Shade: It was pretty good. Better than I expected. Mrs. Shade: That was CUTE! Best movie of the year! Mrs. Shade is stretching things quite a bit there, but keep in mind that she teaches first grade *and* she is looking forward to *snickers* "The Prince and Me." My biggest complaint is that Seth Green was underused. He's a funny guy, and I was hoping he'd have a bigger part. But hey, this is a movie that used the great Bon Jovi tune "Wanted Dead or Alive" during a fight scene between Fred and the Dark Knight Ghost. I marked out, and yes, jammed along. I'M A COWBOY! I GOT THE NIGHT ON MY SIDE... oh, sorry, I'll stop now. MAMA'S APPROVAL This is child and mother-friendly. There are a few "adult" jokes that will escape the understanding of the children in attendance (such as the Dark Knight Ghost being kicked in the groin and commenting on being kicked "right in the round tables"), and some smaller children may find the monsters a little scary, but it really isn't a big deal. If your children have seen Rosie O'Donnell without make-up on then they can handle these monsters. TRAILER COMPARISON I strongly suggest that you watch the trailer before you see the movie. It's very representative of what to expect. If you think the trailer looks stupid then guess what, you'll probably feel the same way about the movie. THE GIST Yes, some of the jokes are pretty silly. And OK, there's enough cheese for more than a couple of Ritz crackers. And I'll admit, the inspirational "You are a hero" speeches are pretty painful. And while the CGI isn't going to make George Lucas' beard quiver, I still thought it was cool. I can't give "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed" a whole-hearted recommendation, but it's great fun for the kids, and if you still find humor in the cartoon then you just might find yourself enjoying this live-action version. Just don't expect *too* much. P.S. Aren't you glad I didn't say not to expect *doo* much?? BWAHAHAHAHA! I'm sorry. I officially apologize for that. It won't happen again.	RETURN TO HOME PAGE Ghouls Eagle Eye Righteous Kill Tropic Thunder Traitor Death Race Star Wars: Clone Wars The Dark Knight Journey to the Center of the Earth Hancock Weekend Results: 1. Beverly Hills Chihuahua($29,300,465) 2. Eagle Eye($17,709,817) 3. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist($11,311,751) 4. Nights in Rodanthe($7,368,259) 5. Appaloosa($5,050,310)

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