With Sam honeymooning somewhere in the back woods of Wisconsin, Chicagoist.com arts writer Scott Smith drops by for a review of the new comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." Directed by Adam McKay and co-scripted by McKay and star Will Ferrell, no movie this year has been more hyped by your Filmspotting Ferrell fanatics than "Talladega Nights." Does it live up to the hype? Is it better than the last McKay-Ferrell collaboration, 2004's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"? Probably not and definitely not. But thanks to some huge laughs and the comedic brilliance of John C. Reilly as Ricky Bobby's dimwitted best friend Cal, "Talladega" comes pretty close -- for one of your hosts, anyway.

Plus: our Top 5 Movie Sidekicks, Listener Feedback and Massacre Theatre, presented by The Armageddon Dance Party, premiering this month at the 10th Annual New York International Fringe Festival.

Music by The Blue Jackets and Track Rabbit from "The Groomsmen" courtesy of Rykodisc.

http://www.filmspotting.net/2006/08/filmspotting-118-talladega-nights-top.html