Movie Review Bridges of Madison County II How do you improve perfection? That was the daunting task Wolfgang Peterson (famed German director) was faced with. Being a sequel, he knew that there was a movie before his movie, which is something most directors do not have to deal with if they're not making a sequel. Wolfgang confronted his fears and vowed to make the sequel (rarely confused with a prequel). Like any director worth his guild, Wolfgang did not want to be the one to kill the franchise. For the sequel, not to be confused with the original, he brought in the accomplished thespian Shaquille O'Neal to play the part of the traveling photographer and convinced Karyn Parsons to act as the lonely Widow. Sparks flew; the chemistry between the two was electric. Despite the sparks, Bridges of Madison County II does not really stray from the original script, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Instead, he allowed the actors and actresses to improvise on the spot. There was this unscripted moment when a surprise visitor paid Shaquille and Karyn a little visit. It turns out that Juwanna Mann's Benz broke down on the road just outside the farm and she/he needed to get hold of a tow-truck. Without a cue from the director, Juwanna wandered down the driveway and inquired if she/he could use the phone. Shaq didn't miss a beat. I don't want to give too much away, but lets just say that it was improv magic when Shaquille picked up a basketball and challenged Juwanna to a game. Ah, I've said too much. DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE Although Wolfgang doesn't really stray from the original script, he does let the dogs out for the climax. Just when it looks like Shaq won't score with Karyn, he brings in his super friends for a musical medley that practically woos Karyn on the spot. The Fu-Shnicks - on bended knee - beat boxed, while Shaq pumped the gathered crowd up with his animated gestures. This raised what was left the roof. Karyn had no choice but to submit to Shaq's man charms. If those dreamy moments didn't appeal to you, there's always the banging soundtrack. The score plays like a who's-who list of rappers. Missy 'Misdemeanor' Elliot turns out her remix of the Jenny Craig theme song, and Jay-Z shows why he's the king of NY with the classic club joint- Hoe Train. For the paralegals, Nelly holds down the heavyweight collaboration championship with his cut- Grasshopper- that features Ralph Macchio on the hook. No limit. Fo Sho. All in all, the movie gets a rating of 4 out of 5. It would've got a perfect 5, but I thought that it catered to the Art-house crowd a little too much. Hands down, this should be a shoe in for picture of the year. The Oscars, forever a fan favourite of the Art-house, will eat up the dynamic urban dialogue and choreographed boat chases. Peace, Roderick 'Tha Vaudevillain' Sloan New on Rental: Sunset Park (directors cut, complete with Rhea Perlman audio outtakes)