BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) SCRUBS
The thing about Elizabeth Banks is that she’s awesome in everything. I was tempted to go with “Wet Hot American Summer” because the movie so awesome, but it was more of a really awesome stepping stone for her (and like a dozen others). I’m going with her work on Scrubs. It’s rare for a TV show to not lose its luster after time goes on. Scrubs managed to stay pretty awesome for a long while. They’d add characters here and there for a little while, but not many recurring ones were added. Banks was added as JD’s new awesome doctor girlfriend. They kept her around via getting her knocked up. She was never annoying and blended into the tone of the show while adding to it.
(THREE) W.
Elizabeth Banks managed to make Laura Bush seem likeable. I think this movie is underrated. I understand that in 2008 the last thing people wanted to see was a movie that pretty much glorifed the man who sucked at running the country. Five, ten years from now? Maybe. That said, it’s still a well done movie. Oliver Stone directed the hell out if it, Josh Brolin becomes Bush and the whole surrounding world of his White House, his family, and all the stuff we’ve all grown tired of complaining about. Banks plays his wife Laura. It’s a fun back story between the two. She pulled it off with ease.
(TWO) 30 ROCK
Proving she’s like a more successful version of Ted McGinley (I’m a big fan, honestly!), she enters another successful television series a few seasons in. Here she plays a political talk-show host from CNBC that Jack (Alec Baldwin) hooks up with and knocks up. She did the same thing she did on Scrubs. She blended in and added to the humor. The episode where she and Baldwin are stuck in Canada during her labor and delivery is amazing and worthy of a shelf full of awards. You should really watch ALL the episodes of 30 Rock, but that one is my favorite. I think I see a formula here. If you have a comedy show that’s four or five years in bring in Elizabeth Banks to carry someone’s baby and it’ll smoothly go another three or so years.
(ONE) ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO
I love this movie. Kevin Smith knocked it out of the park with this one, but sadly no one seems to agree or have taken notice. It’s not twenty years old like Mallrats, but it’s up there in quality. Once we all rewatch it a few dozen times we’ll all see this and agree. Seth Rogen was a perfect pick for casting. He fit right into the Kevin Smith world. Elizabeth Banks on the other hand was a bit surprising. The role was written for Rosario Dawson, but she dropped out for Eagle Eye(ha!). Banks stepped in and I wouldn’t want to imagine anyone else in that role. She rocked the hot chick slacker role perfectly. I know she’s done some other adult comedy work before, but never in this big of a role. I’d love to see her in something else like this in the future.
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