Schlock Value

Richard Roeper, like the rest of us, adores the movies. In this uproarious, offbeat book, he gives the reader a whole new set of critical lenses for assessing the movies and the people and the industry that make them. With his characteristic acerbic wit, he weaves short essays with lists that work together to explain where Hollywood succeeds-and where it so often frustrates, disappoints and fails. But while Roeper devotes most of the book to mockery and ridicule, this book is, in the end, a love letter to film. SCHLOCK VALUE is the perfect book for anyone who loves grumbling and complaining about the movies-but still can't help spending the weekends and evenings in front of the screen. OFF-BEAT SCRUTINY OF HOLLYWOOD, to name a few examples- Comical statistical analyses, including career batting averages of actors A proposed moratorium on pet projects, e.g. Kevin Costner's "The Postman" or John Travolta's "Battlefield Earth" Dish from behind the scenes at Oscar Parties, featuring anecdotes about everyone A critical look at the Vin Diesel Phenomenon: How the media can make a movie star before he or she has ever became an actor HILARIOUS LISTS-Roeper will provide dozens of hysterical lists, including: The age difference between Woody Allen and his leading ladies Character actors who have worn out their welcome The crossover trend-directors who act, actors who direct, singers who act, and actors who sing-and why it's almost always a bad thing Wigs and mustaches. Movies that have been ruined by bad facial and head hair The shortest actors and tallest actresses in the movies THE CIRCUS SURROUNDING FILMS, to name a few examples- The publicity explosion surrounding recent films, e.g. the Ashton Kutcher/Demi Moore romance tied to the release of "Charlie Angels: Full Throttle" Hollywood goes to Washington, e.g. Governor Schwarzenegger and actor activism Actors appearing around the world in television commercials, including a list of the biggest stars that do overseas commercials-and the products they push