Father of the Bride (1992) and Father of the Bride part two (1995)

and Father of the Bride Part Three (tbc 2010) in which George Banks' youngest child Megan takes her elderly parents on a trip to Switzerland.

Nah, just kidding. That's a bit of black humour for you.

These films are schmaltzy and definitely not the highlights of Steve Martin's comedy career, but they are heartfelt family entertainment. Do people make comedies now that you can watch with children that aren't animated or full of toilet humor? I must now point out I have nothing against either of these genres, I just noticed today while watching these films that they seem to be in a genre of the past.

Anyhoo, I haven't watched these films for about seven years, I used to watch all of Steve Martin and Martin Short's movies religiously, they cracked me up. I think it's universally acknowledged that it is Martin Short's performance that makes these films well, not better than the Spencer Tracy originals, but certainly worth a watch. But watching them again I found all the jokes I remembered, all the best jokes, were Steve Martin's and I just found Martin Short embarrassing!

I never thought I would grow out of him, but there you go, there must be a time in one's life when you realise Martin Short is not funny, he's just annoying! Poor Marty, I'm being too harsh. And I'm lying because I think Martin Short is great! Just not in this, the film that people actually remember him for! Highlights for me of Martin Short's career are Pure Luck, Merlin and Get Over It. Pure Luck (1991) is a cringeworthy genius of a film in which Martin Short plays the world's unluckiest man teamed with Danny Glover a long suffering detective on the hunt for a missing person who just happens to be the unluckiest woman in the world. I like him in Merlin (1998) because all though he is playing the unnecessary comedy role I actually think he shows amazing range! It is probably his only true "acting" role. And Get Over It (2001) was a great comedic performance; a desperate self-deluded drama teacher in another one of those high school movies- when I watch Glee (Channel 4 -sundays?) I can't help but think they'd all have a much better time if Martin Short was running it. I also enjoy Three Amigos! and I love A Simple Wish! Ok, Martin Short's career overview over.

As I was saying Father of the Bride. Steve Martin nails "typical dad". His reactions, moods, ridiculous dream-land plans, breakdowns and madness was all my dad, all my mum's dad, just spot-on. There are some brilliantly funny lines, my favourite always being: "Yeah, you in the blue tux." And those of you who find it too sentimental can bugger off back to your emotionally crippled lives, I hope my dad does think of me like that, well, I know he does.

Shopgirl (2005)

I have a feeling the reviews of films I hated will be better than the reviews of films I actually enjoyed. Tonight Suzie and I watched Shopgirl, which I've actually wanted to see since it came out and is one of the few films Suzie owns (along with The Other Boleyn Girl and Blades of Glory), I wanted to see it but I think it went straight to video over here. I seem to recall Novocaine went that way too. I saw that film when the video came out though, and I have to say I was mightily disturbed.

I'm a Steve Martin fan, I own every single one of his films up to and including Bowfinger, God, that film is brilliant. Ok, I saw a couple of awful recent-ish ones too, like Cheaper By the Dozen- shudder... we all know Steve should just stop and let us remember the good times. But I wanted to see Shopgirl because it's clearly not along the Bringing Down the House lines, and I hoped it wouldn't be along the same lines as Novocaine either. It wasn't along the same lines, I actually enjoyed it. I thought it was very funny- in the right places, and very well written, yes, the sexy scenes are all wrong, but only because it's Steve Martin (ie your dream-dad), at least he's learnt to tone them down and show nothing but the lovely girly unlike in Novocaine- another shudder.

Steve's written the film's two male characters the way he was as a young man and the way I guess he is now, pity that people still want him to play the goofy idiot- and more pity that he continues to do so.