Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a riot

"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" hits the theatres in a time of holdiay movies, but its excitingly funny cast and fresh humor are just what this season needed. Right off the back, we are placed into the mood of this movie with an opening that will surely leave you cringing in your seat. From that point on, the movie manages to entertain with a mixture of mystery, comedy, and even a little action.

The movie is basically about a petty criminal named Harry (Robert Downey Jr.) who ends up in the "right" place at the wrong time. From this point on, he is thrown into the Hollywood world of sex, murder, and mayhem. He then encounters a gay private eye by the name of Gay Perry (Val Kilmer) and a sexy struggling actress by the name of Harmony (Michelle Monaghan). The movie has the perfect feel of an old mystery book written for the easily amused.

I will say that first time director Shane Black, best known for writing screenplays to the "Lethal Weapon" series and "The Long Kiss Goodnight," brings a lot of spunk to this film. He has a style that is completely original and unforgettable. This is the perfect film to showcase his amazing talents and we are sure to see much more of him in the future.

The acting in this film is superb. Robert Downey Jr., best known for his run-ins with drugs and jail, brings so much to this role, that it is impossible not to forget about his "bad" days. He manages to remain grounded in the believability of his character while at the same time balancing his excellent "dry humor" skills. Honestly, I feel that he is a comedic genius and deserves much more attention than he has gotten. While Ben Stiller and Adam Sandler's antics are getting old, Downey is most certainly on the rise. Val Kilmer surprised me here by actually doing a good job. As of lately, Kilmer's career has somewhat dissipated into nothingness with such roles in "Alexander" and "Mindhunters." Finally, he is given the chance to once again prove to us why he once was a great actor. He is extremely funny with his funny one-liners as the gay Gay. And lastly, how can I forget the sexiness of Michelle Monaghan? Her only other role that stands out to me is a young worker friend of Charlize Theron's in "North Counrty." Seeing her play that serious role and now this, truly shows that she has range as an actress. Though her role requires a bit of cheesiness near the end, she manages to be drop dead gorgeous and hot while at the same time being hilarious. I look forward to seeing much more from her in the future. And let's not forget that she does display a little T and A.

I will end this review by saying, ignore a lot of the big blockbuster crappy comedies that keep coming out and go see a fresh, hilarious, and completely absurd film that will have you laughing from start to finish. I give it a 9 out of 10. ---Aliye's Abercrombie & Fitch sidekick, KYLE