Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Good Kitty, Bad Egg Puss in Boots (Rated PG-13) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS Director Chris Miller was in charge of the worst Shrek movie, ever (and that includes the cheesy half hour holiday specials) — Shrek the Third. However, Puss in Boots (90 minutes) was actually pretty funny. There are far too many screenwriters to list, but script by committee must have worked out somehow, since what was originally intended to be a direct to video release has returned a pretty decent box office. The story takes place before Shrek 2, and is supposed to tell the story of how Puss became Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas). There are some minor inconsistencies. For example, we originally meet Puss as a hired sword trying to keep Shrek from Fiona. In this film, he is depicted more as the champion of the underclass, unlikely to sell his sword to royalty. Maybe he was drunk on chocolate milk when the King hired him? Or maybe there's a se- quel in the works that will describe his fall from grace? The film begins with Puss entering a nearby town. In a shady bar surrounded by wanted posters and drunks, Puss learns that the notorious outlaws Jack (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris) are in town, and they have magic beans. Naturally, Puss will stop at nothing to obtain these magic beans, so he concocts an elaborate plan, whereby he goes to the hotel of Jack and Jill, walks in and takes the beans. At least, that is the plan. Too bad for Puss that the masked cat burglar, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) also has her big blue eyes on the beans. She interrupts the theft, and a kitty cat chase ensues. The two bad kitties end their chase in the (G)litter box, the local milk bar. I indulge in a paroxysm of kitty adoration and cat sounds to celebrate the cuteness until my husband rudely intrudes his sarcasm into my reverie. On-screen, the two kitties have a dance fight. Cats, cows and various fuzzy blurs provide the music (though I find it hard to believe that a cat would be bothered to wake up from a nap long enough to learn an instrument). The boots fly and the milk flows, until Puss breaks commonly accepted dance fight rules with an illegal move. He follows an indignant Kitty Softpaws into the back room, where he smells out his nemesis … Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis)! We are then introduced to an even earlier Puss in Boots back- story. It seems that Puss started out life as an orphan in an old West Story. He is adopted into an orphanage, which is when he and Humpty became blood brothers. It seems like this would have been a great place to have a Shrek/Donkey cameo. … if only as a storybook read to the orphans (which include Little Boy Blue and Bo-Peep). This is where Humpty and Puss first planned on getting hold of magic beans, so they could grow a beanstalk and steal the golden goose. As they grow up together, the two make some mistakes, but one is redeemed and the other is imprisoned by the Commandante (Guillermo del Toro). Years later, they are still not reconciled, but they agree to band up to fulfill their child- hood dream of climbing into the sky and stealing things. After a few more random chase scenes, we move into the third act where doubelcrosses commence and surprises abound. For example … some- body is a villain, but then has a change of heart and helps the hero save the day! It is shocking twists like this that really make the movie fun! For all the predictability, the movie is pretty watchable. There are enough subtle "adult" jokes to elevate this from the average kids movie into something that will bear repeat views. Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15. HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? editor@upand- comingweekly.com WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM NOVEMBER 30 - DECEMBER 6, 2011 UCW 21