Eva Mendes: Not A Good Actress

The music of the Carpenters, the karate chimp video, and dating advice from a Magic 8-Ball... all this and more can be found in Mark Steven Johnson's "Ghost Rider". Also included are approximately 367 flashback sequences recapping a scene you just viewed three minutes ago. As the lead, Nicolas Cage pulls of a fairly convincing mentally disabled youth, whose handicap makes it possible for him to actually fall in love with a sack of potatoes cleverly disguised as a pretty Mexican girl. Although, that's actually under some debate, as when the sack of potatoes is stood up by her badly toupeed beau, she asks her waiter, "You think I'm pretty, don't you?" to which the waiter responds in a not entirely positive manner. Fortunately, for these star-crossed lovers, they are not the only cerebrally deficient characters in the movie. When the police are scouring the town for Johnny Blaze, they never think to take a peek in his apartment; and Cowboy Ghost Rider, who has saved his final transformation for one hundred years, uses it so he can ride his horsey with Cameron Poe instead of actually being some use against the forces of evil. While I haven't read enough of the Ghost Rider comic to know if these character traits are consistent with the book, I am fairly certain there is a skull-faced guy whose head is on fire. Also, it's cool to drink Jelly Beans out of a Martini glass. (F)