Legally Blonde (2001) was covered by Scoopy at length, but is one where I slightly disagree with him. The film started off with Reese Witherspoon as a totally like fabulous sorority president on the day of the date when she expected her Harvard Law School bound boyfriend to propose. Instead, he dumps her. He explains that he intends being a senator, and needs a wife like Jackie Kennedy, not Marilyn Monroe. She hits on the perfect solution -- go to Harvard Law School and impress him. Not an easy thing to do for a fashion merchandising major, but we learn early on not to underestimate her.

Once in law school, she finds that:

1) She will never be good enough for him
2) Nobody is taking her seriously
3) She just may have what it takes to become a lawyer.

It was at this point that I fell in love with Reese, and started enjoying the film. Even with clothes on, Reese is very easy on the clothes, and nailed this role, which did require some depth. She was surrounded by some very funny people, and freshman director Australian Robert Luketic kept the film on track, and from becoming a Rodney Dangerfield over the top farce. I found myself laughing out loud in several places, including a bit with a hunk of a UPS man and Reese's manicurist. Audiences related to Reese's character so much that they had to shoot a new ending showing what happened to her. Most of the Harvard stuff was actually shot in Southern California, which was handled well by set decorator Katherine Lucas. The film was based on an autobiographical novel by Amanda Brown, who attended Stanford Law School. The screenwriters and major cast attended classes at Stanford to help with realism, and Reese spent time at both UCLA and USC sororities researching. USC and UCLA would not give permission to use their acronyms, so the school was called CULA, but, as Director Luketec said, "Harvard had a sense of humor" and allowed the use of the name.

The DVD has both 4/3 and widescreen version, two commentary tracks, a trivia track, and a second DVD (actually the other side) of out-takes and making of features. Reese never got naked, and her best exposure was in a video within the film, supposedly her Harvard admittance essay, where she was in a bikini. They distorted that footage to make it look like a home video. She also showed major cleavage in many of her costumes, including a bunny outfit. Raquel Welch appears in a small part, and looks awfully good for a 61 year old woman. I wouldn't normally have done images, but they were requested by a Fun House reader. I agree with Scoops C+, but personally enjoyed much of the humor in the second half of the film, and was in the mood for a feel good ending.

NEW RELEASE: The Tracker is kind of the straight-to-vid reflection of Rush Hour, spiced with Romeo Must Die. It does have Lexa Doig naked, which is not so bad, and the movie itself is watchable, if not original.

• Lexa Doig (1, 2, 3)

NEW RELEASE:  El Grito is a movie in English starring Spanish-speaking actors, filmed in Mexico City. I suppose there is a Spanish version as well, but I can't say because it isn't on the DVD. The only real strength of the movie is the photography, which is ruined by a pan 'n scan version. 

• Olivia Hussey. I suppose it is a prosthetic chest. It wasn't even visible on the tape, so I had to brighten it about a zillion percent, and it looks like crap. But, hey, she only gets nekkid once every 25 years or so. She was Zefferelli's Juliet, about 30 years ago. Now she has turned into the modern version of Margaret Dumont, the pompous old windbag that Groucho used to insult.

Why, I've never been so insulted in my life.

Don't worry, you're still young.

• Other

NEW RELEASE: There is no nudity in the dismal grade-b, Out of Line, despite an R rating and several sex scenes! The closest is when the star's hands completely cover Jennifer Beals' left breast. (Which wouldn't be possible if it were Laetitia Casta.) It's a lame film about a female parole officer who is seduced by a male convict as part of a complicated scam, but - well, they fall in love, gosh darn it!

NEW RELEASE: There is no female nudity (some male) in the socially conscious, Bread and Roses, a touching film about illegal immigrants trying to obtain decent wages.

Sister My Sister has plenty of lesbian sex, but it is fully clothed lesbian sex. It is an odd, painfully slow, male-free little movie based upon the same murder that inspired Genet's play, "The Maids". Target market is mature women.

Detroit Rock City isn't a bad entry in the "doofuses triumph over the stuffy establishment" sub-genre of comedies. It has some good nudity, but the nudes are unidentified.

• Naked chicks (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

First up...I thought I was the only person to ever see the movie "Buford's Beach Bunnies"! Back in my video store days, I was given a preview copy of this movie to evaluate it to determine the number of copies I wanted to buy for my store. Needless to say, like many video store buyers...the answer was "0". Here's the scoop...the "star" of "BBB" is Tom Hanks' brother Jim. He looks and sounds like his famous brother, but I think it's safe to say only one Hanks will ever be polishing Oscars!

It's basically a tittie flick that was obviously made to try to cash in on the Hanks name and Jim's likeness of his famous brother. I remember Jim actually having a few moments on screen that weren't too bad (kinda reminded me of "Bachelor Party" Tom), but other than that, it's just a low-budget excuse to get nekkid chicks on film.

If you can find it anywhere, it's worth a look just to see the similarity between the Hanks brothers. From certain angles, and when certain lines are delivered, you will do a double take.

Rachel Miner

Bijous Phillips has a sex scene in #1 with very nice breast exposure and a super rear view. In #2 she's topless only.

Rachel shows a breast and a hint of pubes.