"What if?" Archie Movie Dream Cast

Steve and I were talking about comic book movies just a few days ago, and a "What if" scenario Archie comic movie suddenly came up. Not that this hasn't been done before. Back in 1990, Lauren Holly and a couple of other lesser known actors took on the role of Betty Cooper and the rest of the gang (in that order) as adults attending a high school reunion (it was called Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again):



Suffice to say that it was not a very big hit (not to mention, it was also just a made for TV movie). It's been over twenty years since then, and we feel it's high time for another attempt to transfer the fun and laughter on paper to the silver screen. The best part is always imagining who should play the characters, and so far we got this:

Veronica Lodge = Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester as Veronica Lodge
She's certainly had enough experience as a popular, rich brat in Gossip Girl. This role will be a piece of luxurious cake for her!

Archie Andrews = Michael Cera

Michael Cera as Archie Andrews
Archie isn't your typical cutie, he has a down-to-earth meets geek appeal and Michael Cera is perfect for such a role

Betty Cooper = Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell as Betty Cooper
Though I've always preferred the spitfire version of Kristen Bell (like her brilliant portrayal of Veronica Mars), she certainly does have the looks to pull off the nice girl next door look very well, and her recent roles have a bit of Betty Cooper in them.

On a side note, Halloween is just around the corner - why not don an Archie Comic Character costume this year?

When in Rome - A Movie Review (Stay away from the End Credits!)

Steve's Take: The disappointment starts in the lofty standard implicitly promised by the movie's three main ingredients, all of which are oozing with charm: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel, and the setting (Rome).  Unfortunately, as Merle mentioned, Bell and Duhamel lacked chemistry, and Rome and its elements were under-utilized. Indeed, it is hard to believe that the accessory characters (Bell's other suitors played by Will Arnett, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Danny DeVito) could manage to out-charm the movie's more prolific cast and romantic setting, and yet they did. Summary:  I'm still a big Kristen Bell fan, so I'll just watch her in other shows.

Merle's Take: If there is one word to sum up When in Rome, it's "underwhelming". This is one of those movies that rely on the romantic beauty of a European country to make up for the lack of character buildup and plot twists. However, even in this department, the movie fails because it only features a very short few minutes of scenes from Rome. I can forgive the movie for being predictable, as is the case for many chick flicks, but what I cannot forgive is the contrived progression of Beth (Kristen Bell) and Nick's (Josh Duhamel) relationship, and their lukewarm chemistry. None the less, the movie was passable and the other four guys (Will Arnett, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Danny DeVito) were novel enough, so I still managed to watch the movie until the end of the credits, which I immediately regretted thereafter. When in Rome completely fell flat on its face as soon as the credits rolled in and the cast started dancing like a bunch of crazies. Why they'd end the lackluster movie with a completely random and cringe-worthy set of dance moves is beyond me. Summary: Watch When in Rome only when it shows on TV and DO NOT watch the end credits. I beg you.