The Red and Black

Issue date: 8/21/08 Section: Out & About

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'House Bunny'

Rating: PG13
Aug. 22

Anna Faris, who was the ditzy blonde opposite Scarlett Johansson in "Lost in Translation," stars in "House Bunny."

Portraying an ex-Playmate-gone-sorority house mother, Faris researched her role by spending time at Hugh Hefner's mansion and will be on the September cover of Playboy magazine.

Prediction: Given Faris' bubbly persona, her charisma may lift this ugly duckling plot above its B-grade humor.

'Death Race'

Rating: R
Aug. 22

Death Race was a '70s dark comedy with the tagline: "In the year 2000, hit and run driving is no longer a crime - it's the national sport!"

Paul Anderson, director of "Resident Evil: Extinction," has remade the movie to create an unlikely hero saga.

Jason Statham is an ex-convict who must fight for his life and freedom by out-racing and out-murdering the other contestants before reaching the finish line.

Prediction: Style before substance, gore before dialogue - an action movie for the guys, with Ferrari and Aston Martin as eye candy.

'College'

Rating: R
Aug. 29

When Kevin (Drake Bell) loses his girlfriend, his two best friends persuade him into going on a road trip to Fairmont College.

Accidentally recruited as pledges for a rowdy fraternity, the high school seniors party hard, meet girls, embarrass themselves, party hard, clean the house, make fart jokes, are the objects of humiliation and in the end, party harder.

Prediction: This has all the elements of a hit - inducing laughs at the movie rather than with it, but somehow still remaining very comical.

- Compiled by Helen Burdette

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