Scary Movie 4

The ‘Scary Movie’ franchise has become little more than an excuse to parody recent big movies – badly. This time, ‘Saw’ and ‘The Grudge’ are the main two horrors referenced: otherwise it’s thrillers (‘War of the Worlds’), dramas (‘Brokeback Mountain’) and even chat shows (‘Oprah’). Anna Faris reprises her role as Cindy, now a Kate Hudson-type figure who’s haunted by a small boy whose village-dwelling father (Bill Pullman) holds the key to the recent alien invasion. It edges closest to successful comedy with its characters. Otherwise, the humour’s base, and at its happiest when racist, homophobic and scatological (preferably all at the same time). Watch (sober) at your peril.