Could our next weekend marathon BE any more obvious?? I don’t often comment on the passing of a celebrity except for the RIP tribute of the annual Sammy Awards. However, there have been exceptions in the past, and so there shall be once again.

When Friends premiered on NBC in 1994 I was a 21 year old college student. The show became a touchstone for Generation X, and despite some people in our current society determined to ruin literally everything fun who now define it as “problematic”, it is undoubtedly one of the best sitcoms of all time. The popularity of Friends made pop culture icons of the six cast members, who all went on to have mostly inconsequential film careers afterward. Having said that, there have been a few highlights, and in the wake of the tragic & untimely demise of Matthew Perry I feel that it is appropriate to give some love to his much too brief big screen library.

Friday Night

The Whole Nine Yards

In its decade of dominance Friends led to some odd combos…Aniston & Pitt, Cox & Arquette, Joey Tribbiani & spinoffs. However, I’m not sure anything could be more unexpectedly delightful than Bruce Willis starring in an action comedy with Matthew Perry. An unhappy dentist has an opportunity to solve his financial problems by ratting out an incognito mobster. There are lots of bullets & violence so it’s not your traditional rom-com, but in the nimble hands of Perry & Willis it is actually a pretty fun ride.

Saturday Matinee

Three to Tango

Courtney Cox isn’t the only Friends star to share the silver screen with Neve Campbell. Perry portrays an architect who stands to solidify his career & make bank working for a business tycoon who mistakenly believes he is gay. Not only is he straight, but he instantly falls for the wealthy man’s girlfriend. As is standard for that kind of plot confusion, dishonesty, & misunderstandings all lead to a big reveal and an obvious conclusion. There’s no way such a film would be produced nowadays, and even in the late 90’s it received a lukewarm response, but the cast is affable enough.

Saturday Night

Fools Rush In

I don’t care that Rotten Tomatoes only gives it a 34% Rotten score, I’ve always liked this movie. After an impromptu hookup between a spunky Latino photographer & a tightly wound businessman leads to a surprise pregnancy the duo decide to actually become romantically involved. Cultures clash, families insert themselves into the mess, and hilarity ensues. It is a pleasantly charming distraction with engaging leads, a terrific Vegas backdrop, and a deceptively strong supporting cast.

Sunday Matinee

17 Again

Formulaic?? Obviously. The whole trope of magically transforming into one’s younger self, having the opportunity to go back in time and fix past mistakes, has been done multiple times. However, I submit that formulas become so for a reason…they work. Some stories do it better than others, but the idea addresses a fundamental human yearning for a do over, which of course isn’t a thing in the real world. Anyhow, a likable cast that includes Perry, Zac Ephron, & Leslie Mann gives us something mildly entertaining yet ultimately forgettable.

Sunday Night

The Whole Ten Yards

When The Whole Nine Yards made $100 million+ a sequel became inevitable. A few years later an angry mob boss whose son was killed by the mobster in the first film is out for revenge. More bullets & violence follow, but it’s not as fresh & fun as the first film. Hindsight being 20/20, this is one sequel that probably shouldn’t have been greenlit, however fans of Bruce Willis & Matthew Perry will enjoy it.