New Comedy Movies

Your Sister's Sister (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:33:00 -0800

"Your Sister's Sister" (90 min.) starts off with an eye-popping 5 min. prologue: we see a group of people mourning someone's passing, and just when one of them is giving a eulogy on how great a guy that person was, Jack (played by Mark Duplass) interupts and gives his own (less idyllic) version of that man, who turns out to be his brother. Iris (played by Emily Blunt), who is Jack's best friend and was the girlfriend of his brother, eventually talks to Jack to control his emotions.

Flash forward: at Iris' suggestion, Jack agrees to retreat to the country house of Iris' family, to 'clear his head' and some much needed 'me time'. Much to Jack's surprise, it turns out that Iris' sister Hannah (played by Rosemarie DeWitt) is also there, also in need of some 'me time' after just coming out of a 7 year relationship. The next 20 min. or so nothing happens, other than Hannah and Jack sitting at the dinner table and talking, talking, talking (it's done brilliantly). Things develop from there, as Iris then shows up as well. To give away much more of the plot would really ruin your viewing experience.

This is a talk movie (filmed theatre-like) about relationships. There are no pyrotechnics, no special effects, no CGIs. Instead, this movie centers on 3 acting performances, and each of them is as good as the other. Emily Blunt continues her impressive streak of recent performances (just this year we've seen her in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Five Year Engagement, and now this). But the ultimate credit must go to writer-director Lynn Shelton, who brings it all home. This is MILES away from your standard Hollywood fare. If you are in the mood for a good indie movie that has no action whatsover but focuses on relationships, come on over, you will very much enjoy this. Meanwhile "Your Sister's Sister" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

If I'd heard the plot of this before seeing it, I'd have passed. It's tough to summarize--the magic is in the watching. So I'd have missed this little marvel of writing, acting, and directing. Jack is unsettled a year after his brother's death, and his best friend Iris (the dead brother's ex-girl friend? wife? doesn't really matter)sends him off to her family's cottage in the woods to regroup in peace and quiet. But Iris' sister Hannah has also taken refuge there, and Jack and Hannah console each other. At least we think that's what we saw. When Iris shows up next day, a lot of unsaid things float around, only some of which the audience knows. Because each of the three has a secret, because almost all the action/drama takes place in a short time, in a small place, and because the acting and directing are top-notch, this study in the complex relationship between three decent, though often confused, people, commands the viewer's interest. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next once one of them knew something else about the other two. Nor did I see the various secrets coming (all right, I'm a little slow). Everything you need to know to understand and appreciate it is included, but not a smidgen more. The filmmaker gives you credit for being quick on the uptake--I loved that.

Many a big-budget film would kill for the kind of hold this movie casts on an audience, for what looked like not much money. Just goes to show, explosions and special effects are no substitute for a compelling human interest plot and great execution.

Note: if you steer clear of movies with lesbians or occasional strong language, you should probably skip this. But you'll miss something really good.

Buy Your Sister's Sister (2011) Now

The movie had a few brilliant twists and turns, and I was laughing through a lot of it. It was really a rather perfect movie for what it was trying to do. I went into it not expecting much, but I left grading it a 9 or 10 out of 10. I only have a handful of movies that rate that highly on my list. Your sister's sister is actually a great movie to watch with a significant other as it shows a lot of different kinds of relationships. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys just a very entertaining movie where the acting and directing were matched well together.

Read Best Reviews of Your Sister's Sister (2011) Here

I don't like telling too much of the story in any of my reviews, because who likes a spoiler. I have to say I thought the movie was good. If you enjoy indie flicks, then you might enjoy this one. I wouldn't watch it over and over again, but I didn't regret renting it. I, however, get annoyed with movies that end on a note where I think.... seriously? I will not explain that, for as I mention I do not like to tell the story. I also found some of the story unbelievable and not in a good way. If your in a mood for a indie love story flick with no action, then you might enjoy this one.

Want Your Sister's Sister (2011) Discount?

This is an indie chick flick. It is about "the relationship." After a whole year, Jack (Mark Duplass) can't get over his brother's death, an indication this has written by a woman who believes men think like women. At the recommendation of his brother's ex-girlfriend Iris (Emily Blunt) he utilizes a remote cabin on an island in Washington state. As he arrives late at night Iris' sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt) is also there. She just broke up with her girlfriend and they hit it off well, in fact a little too well.

Iris, for some unexplained reason, arrives and confesses to her sister her love for Jack, one that is mutual but never spoken. We wait for the moment.

The movie starts out with a bunch of pretentious dialouge, including the old, "remember when he stole a wheelchair" flashback. The dialouge was written badly. The acting was good, and I admit Lynn Shelton did a better job at directing this formula than writing it. Can we stop with a guy riding a bicycle with beautiful scenery to an acoustical accompaniment? It is time to move on.

Parental Guidance: F-bomb. Brief sex scene. No nudity.

Save 50% Off

Benny & Joon (1993)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 02:21:00 -0800

I love this feel-good movie! It's a special treat to watch Sam, Johnny Depp's quirky, sweet and child-like character, who makes grilled cheese sandwiches with an iron and entertains at a park with his impressive Buster Keaton-like routines. He looks and acts like someone who walked in from another era, maybe even another planet. Watch Depp's facial expressions -intense and hilarious!

There are heavy moments, such as the bus scene: When the romance between Sam and Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson) is misunderstood, forcing the pair to run away, Sam comes face to face with the reality of mental illness as Joon becomes severely agitated with the voices in her head. But he never gives up on love, finding a way to get to Joon at the mental hospital by dangling acrobatically just outside her room from a window washer's perch (my favorite scene). And yes, there's a happy ending.

I watched this movie with my husband and our children (ages 10 and 12). If you plan to watch Benny & Joon with kids, be aware that bad words are used a couple of times, and there's a romantic scene between Sam and Joon that's slightly steamy but not distasteful. Overall, though, the touching story, dialogue, and humor make this a fine movie to watch with kids over 9 years of age (younger kids would probably find it boring).

Creative story with fun characters! Some of the almost surreal scenes will replay in your mind to make you smile and even laugh out loud.

This is a quirky romantic comedy about two people who, deemed as misfits by society, fall in love with each other. Featuring outstanding performances by the entire cast, this is a film that lets the viewer know that there is, indeed, someone for everyone.

When eccentric Sam (Johnny Depp) enters the lives of a brother and sister, Benny (Aidan Quinn) and Joon (Mary Stuart Masterson), he changes their lives forever. Benny, it seems, is always worried about his sister who seems to be autistic. He treats her like a baby, making sure that she is never left alone. Highly intelligent, creative, and articulate, Joon, however, chafes a bit under the thumb of her protective older brother, but she does have some issues, as there are certain things that act as triggers for some odd behavior on her part.

When Sam begins living with Benny and Joon, acting as a housekeeper-babysitter, Sam treats Joon like a regular person, and before you know it they are falling in love, each accepting the quirks of the other with complete equanimity. Meanwhile, Benny is attracted to Ruthie (Julianne Moore), who owns the local diner. The only thing is that he cannot seem to concentrate on romance, as he is so worried about what the future holds for his sister.

There are some twists and turns in the romances between Sam and Joon, as well as in that of Benny and Ruthie. There are some very funny moments, as well as those filled with genuine pathos. There is also a certain amount of physical comedy reminiscent of that of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. In the hands of the adept Johnny Depp, it works.

This is a film that will be enjoyed by those who love off-beat, beautifully acted films. Bravo!

Buy Benny & Joon (1993) Now

using the quriky proclaimers hit, benny and joon is an acomplishment that pulls johnny depp into one of the cutest, most huggably, and yet eerily believable roles he's played. not just for johnny fans, this movie is truly a "romance with a twist" pulling together the impressive talents of multiple noted actors and actresses. this is the ultimate johnny depp movie, but for those who dont buy into the johnny rage, it provides a sweet evening of family entertainment while dealing with the touchy issues of social relationships, family problems, and mental instability in an origanal, touching, and comforting way that you will never forget.

with the quirky chaplin-esque stunts that depp pulls off in style, and the truly believable copncerned brother role of aiden quin, put together with the semi-insane character of Masterson, this movie has the talent to pull of what it tries to doin style.

a must see for all ages.

Read Best Reviews of Benny & Joon (1993) Here

"Benny & Joon" ranks high on my list of favorite movies. The storyline is fairly unpretentious: Juniper "Joon" Pearl (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a slightly unbalanced young woman living with her overprotective brother Benny (Aidan Quinn). The two have been on their own since their parents were killed in a car accident years before. Joon requires constant supervision, as she has a tendency to light things on fire, but her sometimes volatile moods drive away one housekeeper after another. Juggling his life between work and looking after his sister, Benny has little time of his own. At last he must face a difficult choice should he continue trying to find a housekeeper who can deal with Joon's eccentricities, or should he consider placing her in a group home, where perhaps others will do a better job of caring for her than he can?

Unable to find someone to look after Joon one night, Benny allows her to accompany him to his weekly poker game. And when Joon loses a hand, Benny suddenly finds himself saddled with an unexpected and not altogether welcome houseguest Sam (Johnny Depp), the strange cousin one of Benny's friends can't wait to get rid of. Little do they realize how drastically this odd newcomer will affect their lives. Sam's quirky ways, particularly his unconventional method of making grilled cheese sandwiches, intrigue Joon as nothing ever has before. And having Sam around to look after Joon frees Benny up to pursue a romantic interest of his own with Ruthie (Julianne Moore), the pretty waitress at the corner restaurant. But as Joon's bond with Sam grows stronger, Benny finds himself torn at the idea that he may no longer be the central figure in his little sister's life.

It's a fun, cute, slightly off-beat romantic comedy, but it isn't all fluff. Unlike many others in the genre, this movie has some substance underneath. The emotions of the characters are genuine, and the brother / sister relationship between Benny and Joon is stressed just as much as the romantic one between Joon and Sam. Though the film contains quite an assortment of oddball characters, it manages to remain rooted in reality and stresses the important things in life. For all the funny, up-beat scenes, like Sam's hilarious physical comedy routines in the park, there are also some serious sequences. The scene on the bus where Sam gets his first real dose of the gravity of Joon's mental illness is probably the heaviest in the film.

We are never told exactly what is wrong with Joon. Seeing the movie for the first time, after hearing the terms "unbalanced" and "mentally ill" used to describe her, I had expected her illness to be more serious and overpowering than it actually appears to be. She's eccentric and moody, to be sure, but for most of the movie she seems to be quite sensible and sane, sometimes even more so than the other characters. However, she does sometimes hear voices, as we see in the aforementioned bus scene. My personal guess would be that Joon is mildly schizophrenic, and perhaps also somewhat manic depressive, to explain the volatile mood swings. But the important thing is that she does not see herself as "odd" or sick. It is the rest of the world, and Benny in particular, that must realize that perhaps Joon is capable of living a more normal, independent life than she has been allowed to so far.

The entire film is very well acted. I cannot think of a single cast member whose performance was not up to par. The stars of the show, of course, are Mary Stuart Masterson as Joon and the incomparable Johnny Depp as Sam. Masterson captures the nuances of Joon's character to perfection. One has no difficulty in believing her complex character to be genuine. And despite her oddities, she remains loveable throughout. Sam is just the kind of quirky character fans of Depp would expect him to play, and he carries it off beautifully as usual, here drawing heavily on the influences of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. His character is slightly more difficult to envision as an actual flesh-and-blood person than Joon's, but in the context of the movie it works. Aidan Quinn and Julianne Moore also turn in great performances, and smaller parts are contributed by Oliver Platt, C.C.H. Pounder, Dan Hedaya, Joe Grifasi, William H. Macy, and Liane Alexandra Curtis.

This is a film I imagine almost anyone could enjoy. It doesn't adhere rigidly to the typical romantic comedy formula, it's believable despite the occasionally far-fetched elements in its plot, and it is genuinely funny and moving by turns. It's also suitable for viewers of just about any age. Again unlike so many modern romantic movies, it does not depend on sex scenes to establish romance. In fact, the physical aspect of Sam and Joon's relationship is limited to just one fairly tame kiss. There's nothing here that parents need be concerned about having their little ones watch. The movie isn't overly long, either, clocking in at only 98 minutes.

The DVD special features are not overly impressive, though there is some worthwhile material. There are two deleted scenes. One is a sequence where Benny, impresed by Sam's physical comedy abilities, has arranged an audition for him with an agent. Unfortunately, there is no option to turn off the director commentary which is placed over the scene, so one can't actually hear the dialogue, which I would have liked. The other sequence is simply a full-size version of the horror movie scene that Benny, Joon, Sam, and Ruthie watch one night. Other special features include an audio commentary, a long series of costume and make-up tests, a stunt reel, the theatrical trailer, and a music video for the theme song "I'm Gonna Be" (a.k.a. "500 Miles") by The Proclaimers. In summary, this is a terrific, fun, feel-good movie with a decent DVD. Definitely worth adding to your collection.

Want Benny & Joon (1993) Discount?

This is a story about stagnant sibling relationships. Benny (a mechanic) has structured his entire life around 'protecting' his mentally ill sister, Joon. Both are dissatisfied: she in particular has withdrawn from society and broader human interaction, and has an underdeveloped ability to care for herself. The ensuing frustration manifests itself in pyromania.

His need for control and her isolation are tearing their relationship apart, despite the very real and visible love they have for each other. Sam is a much-needed catalyst for change. I suspect that his appeal for Joon, who is immediately drawn to him, lies in the fact that he makes absolutely no assumptions about her on the basis of her condition.

It has been said that this movie is arguing that love conquers all, but I disagree. Romantic love is presented as a mechanism of change and renewal: but the real story lies in a brother's struggle to overcome his own need to protect his sister from society, and in his blindness when it comes to her own requirements as an adult woman. The viewers and Sam himself are made to confront the very real facts of Joon's illness when their attempt to abscond results in a highly traumatic episode.

Essentially, the movie is a humorous and emotional one. While not the most polished movie you'll ever see, 'Benny and Joon' comes across as very sincere, and it isn't afraid to tackle the tough issues. Johnny Depp is as lovely as always, and the film contains moments of incredible wit, warmth, and a quirky kind of humor in its portrait a mentally ill young woman who has absolutely normal needs when it comes to love, sex, and independence.

And it's nicely gritty, too, and highly effective.

Save 47% Off

Elvis Collection (Jailhouse Rock / Viva Las Vegas / Elvis on Tour) (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 01:36:00 -0800

An earlier review points out, very accurately, "On Tour" is a lot of Elvis getting in and out of cars... etc. How true. It is disappointing NOT to have more performance footage.

However! (I may be very bias on this point.) The video snips we do get are very cool... at least to me... as the movie was filmed the year I saw him for the first time. Every time I see the movie, I'm trying to figure out if certain scenes were filmed the evening I saw him.

Also, the lack of video, and the multiple scenes of fans going wild, and more, should be blamed directly on Colonel Parker. If you've ever seen "That's The Way It Is" (Original Release), it's cut up almost as bad as "On Tour". Again, this was Parker's doing! Several years ago, "That's The Way It Is: Special Edition" was released. Virtually ALL the Colonel Parker touches were removed and the songs were completed instead of cut. In fact, I believe several songs could be added because of the removal of scenes of screaming fans and backstage BS. I highly recommend "That's The Way It Is: Special Edition" for anyone wanting a high quality Elvis performance video.

I have to give "On Tour" four stars because of the memories I have of that year's tour, and even though it lacks in many ways I'm still glad it was released. Maybe someone will attempt to restore it the way they did "That's The Way It Is: Special Edition".

one of my favorite Elvis movies and I would like to see more of his movies on blueray.there needs to be more behind the scenes of his concerts on the dvd.

Buy Elvis Collection (Jailhouse Rock / Viva Las Vegas / Elvis on Tour) (2010) Now

Thank you well taken care of box I cant stress it enough how much the condition of the box as well means to me my logic is if you buy a car you don't want any dings on it for full price we pay for something new also Elvis Fan thank you

Read Best Reviews of Elvis Collection (Jailhouse Rock / Viva Las Vegas / Elvis on Tour) (2010) Here

I was expecting more of HD concert footages on Elvis on tour but it seems mostly scene of Elvis getting in and out of cars, airplanes, and concert halls. The concert footages are also mostly edited into montage which seems distracting because too many scenes of fans cheering and getting histerical. It may be the intension of the editor who tried to present whole Elvis experience but in my pointof view it was poorly excuted.

Also, the documentary seems it is not really HD in may parts. It only uses part of screen so it appeals that pictures are little clearer. Some people can be really annoyed by this. The movie footages and small portion of concert used in documentary are HD though.

I guess if you are die hard Elvis fan and loves any Elvis stuff they throw at you, you will love this but it was not for me.

The good thing about this package is that it includes two Blu-ray movies discs that makes up for disppointment of the documentary.

Want Elvis Collection (Jailhouse Rock / Viva Las Vegas / Elvis on Tour) (2010) Discount?

Genevieve (1953)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 00:06:00 -0800

VCI Entertainment and The Rank Collection presents "GENEVIEVE" [Blu-ray] (1953) (86 min/Color) -Starring: Dinah Sheridan, John Gregson, Kay Kendall, Kenneth More, Geoffrey Keen, Reginald Beckwith, Arthur Wontner Guest Artistes: Joyce Grenfell, Leslie Mitchell

Directed by: Henry Cornelius

Another great film from the British Invasion VCI has restored and brought from their vaults

Light hearted comedy about an antique car rally and the competitive relationship between two friends. Gregson is especially good as the bewildered husband who loves his old car--called Genevieve, baited by his larger than life friend Kenneth More, accepts a bet on who will return to London first.

Sheridan is also sharp as the loving wife who wants a different weekend but who gets into the spirit of things. Kendall sparkling as an upper class fashion model with an unexpected capacity for trumpet playing and heavy drinking almost steals the film.

Joyce Grenfell is funny as the hotel clerk. When giving the rules of the hotel to

Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson, in dismay can't believe what they're hearing. Just then

another tenant walks by and hears them, she then replies to Grenfell "Are they Americans?"

Also the clock across the square that tolls the hour and the inner workings of the clock that

is a bit distracting.

A splendid film of a long forgotten era of English film making, no film of this type has even come close.

I had tears of laughter and totally kept recalling various scenes with a joyful chuckle.

A catchy harmonica soundtrack by Larry Adler, keeps the tempo and spirits high on this very lively film from the Brits.

For product description and editorial review check this out on the Amazon site above my review

** Awards for Genevieve (1953)

1. Oscar Nominated Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Larry Adler) & Best Writing, Story and Screenplay (William Rose)

2. Won BAFTA Film Award Best British Film

3. Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best British Actor (Kenneth More) and Best Film from any Source

4. Won Golden Globe Best Foreign Film UK.

BIOS:

1. Henry Cornelius [aka: Owen Henry Cornelius] (Director)

Date of Birth: 18 August 1913 Capetown, South Africa

Date of Death: 2 May 1958 London, England, UK

2. Dinah Sheridan [aka: Dinah Nadyejda Ginsburg]

Date of Birth: 17 September 1920 Hampstead, London, England, UK

Date of Death: Unknown

3. John Gregson [aka: Harold John Gregson]

Date of Birth: 15 March 1919, Liverpool, England, UK

Date of Death: 8 January 1975, Porlock Weir, Somerset, England, UK

4. Kay Kendall [aka: Justine Kay Kendall-McCarthy]

Date of Birth: 21 May 1926 Withernsea, Yorkshire, England, UK

Date of Death: 6 September 1959 London, England, UK

5. Kenneth More [aka: Kenneth Gilbert More]

Date of Birth: 20 September 1914, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Date of Death: 12 July 1982, Fulham, London, England, UK

SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES:

1. Documentary "A Profile of Genevieve" (30 minutes): An amusing look at the madcap motoring movie

2. Includes interviews with Dinah Sheridan (starring actress), Larry Adler (Composer),

Clive Donner (Film Editor) and Christopher Challis (Director of Photography)

& featuring the veteran cars themselves!

3. Photo & Poster Gallery!

4. Trailers: CAMPBELL'S KINGDOM (Blu-ray) & AGENT 8 3/4 aka HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE (Blu-ray)

Mr. Jim's Ratings:

Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars

Performance: 5 Stars

Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars

Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 86 min on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment #9006 ~ (September 6, 2011)

Genevieve is one of those wonderful 1950's British comedies that prove that if you have a smart script and good actors, you are three quarters of the way home. Combine that with an atmospheric soundtrack on the mouth organ by Larry Adler that transports you to a magically nostalgic world of 50's Britain.

The film is about two friends who are veteran car nuts and the long suffering women in their lives. They are entered in the two-day London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and the film follows the trials and tribulations the two couples have getting their cars the 58 miles there and back again. The film may not provoke huge laughter or be terribly deep, but it is endlessly watchable, largely due to the great chemistry all the actors have with each other. Gregson, More, Sheridan and Kendall are all on top form, helped no end by playing fully rounded out, believable characters. The same can be said for all the lesser roles too. Joyce Grenfell has a wonderful cameo as the concierge of the abjectly awful hotel Alan and Wendy (Gregson and Sheridan) are forced to stay in when they finally arrive in Brighton.

Image quality on the blu ray is a little soft and a little red shifted on occasions (understandable given that the film is nearly 60 years old) but otherwise is easily the best version of the movie available.

It is a little light on extras, a good documentary on the making of the film and a gallery of images.

If you like the Ealing style of British comedies, then you are going to enjoy this one no end. Just sit back and marvel at the seeming effortless of a near perfect movie.

Buy Genevieve (1953) Now

"Genevieve," (1953). This Oscar-nominated classic British comedy comes down the years not only in full color, most unusual for the time, but in lastingly saturated color of the green English countryside. The early road picture, directed by Henry Cornelius, follows two couples entered in the London-to-Brighton classic car rally. Their friendly rivalry heats up when during a quarrel, Alan McKim ,(John Gregson), wagers more than he can afford, that he and his wife Wendy, (Dinah Sheridan), in their antique car Genevieve, will win the race. Thereby beating Ambrose Claverhouse (Kenneth More) and his fashion model date Rosalind Peters (Kay Kendall) to their destination. They pull various dirty tricks which escalate to acts of sabotage as the two teams race back toward London's Westminster Bridge. Ambrose's date Rosalind must endure her wet and dirty maiden voyage on the rally; Wendy McKim, on the other hand, knows the drill, and has packed extra clothes. This fondly remembered movie has been hard to find for years; it is now available with subtitles, how helpful!--though not so many extras on the disk.

I believe it was an accepted principle of comedy that a production should be filtered through the sensibilities of `normal' people. Thus we have the McKims, as played by Dinah Sheridan (who gets top billing), and John Gregson, given more screen time and higher star billings. But I can claim no knowledge of either of them. Much better known today are the comic actor Kenneth More, (The 39 Steps) as Claverhouse. And, outstandingly, though she left us shockingly young, Kay Kendall (Les Girls, The Reluctant Debutante ) as Rosalind Peters. Kendall, a Golden Globe winner who was married to outstanding British actor Rex Harrison, died at 33, in London, of leukemia, cutting off what might well have been a brilliant comic career. She came from an English music hall family background, which may well have had something to do with her most famous scene in the film the film's most famous, show-stopping scene--in which she drunkenly stands up in a nightclub and plays the trumpet (voiced by Kenny Baker). Popular comic actress Joyce Grenfell (The Belles of St. Trinian's ) has a funny cameo as a Brighton hotel proprietress. Other comic favorites such as Reginald Beckwith and Geoffrey Keen round out the cast. The joyous harmonica theme is by Larry Adler, who, when blacklisted by Hollywood, simply took up his career on the other side of the pond.

In reading other reviewers, I can see that they often say this movie was a favorite of their Mom's or Dad's. But I am older than most other reviewers, and this movie was a great favorite of mine. It was the first British movie I ever saw, as a young child, and left some lasting impressions. I was stunned that a woman could get up in public and play a raucous trumpet. And I desperately wanted to live in a cute little mews house, as the McKims did, presumably because it was cheap. Unfortunately I was much too young to be buying mews houses then, could only beg for doll houses, and, as an adult, never could afford a mews house::they became terribly chic and expensive. I remember the film as a laugh a minute, of course, but after seeing it again after a very long wait, find it a bit of a slo-go; and actually rather genteel and restrained through most of the race. And it clearly demonstrates the era's rather demeaning attitude toward women. Never mind, back then I grew to love the dinner gong logo of the J. Arthur Rank Organisation, and to salivate the moment I saw and heard it, in the expectation of a delicious entertainment to come. This one is still tasty, colorful and flavorful.

Read Best Reviews of Genevieve (1953) Here

Great movie and it is a well done production about the old car run in England. A fun ride for sure.

Want Genevieve (1953) Discount?

first saw this movie when i was 16 (1953) and drove to a small movie theater that showed foreign movies enjoyed it very much especially Kay Kendall's role it really put her on the map she later married Rex Harrison and they made a good couple even now i can see just why it got all those nominations and awards including the Golden Globe what prompted my to get this movie was the recent passing of its star, Dinah Sheridan found the movie to be a pleasant surprise all the way to the end very funny flick thank you for having it paul

Save 56% Off

27 Dresses (2008)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 03:25:00 -0800

C'mon...it's not rocket science and it's not meant to be. After a week of having husbands and kids drive us crazy, my best friend and I ran away from home to see this and agreed we hadn't laughed so hard in months! We laughed the whole way through. Mission accomplished...escapism at its best! Katherine Heigl is adorable in this and hey, for us harried mothers, just getting to watch Ed Burns and James Marsden for 90 minutes is worth the ticket (or DVD) price alone. They're pretty yummy to watch! Leave the husband/boyfriends at home for this one and have a girls' night out. Guys don't get the humor in watching Jane hold her friends' wedding dresses when they have to pee at their wedding receptions. Girls get it. The writing is witty with plenty of hilarious one-liners. Jane is everyone's best friend and you'll wish she was one of yours, too. This DVD will get added to my collection of predictable romantic comedies because it can hold its own with the best of them!

If you're a fan of weddings you'll laugh along to the affectionate pokings and proddings that 27 Dresses takes at the wedding industry. If you hate them, you'll like the potshots it takes. Depending on how you feel about weddings, you'll either see them through Kevin's (James Mardsen) eyes or through Jane's (Katherine Heigl) but both points-of-view are represented equally in this delightful time waster.

"The Wedding Party" is a fairly standard making of featurette that mixes clips from the film, behind-the-scenes footage, and soundbites from the cast and crew. Everyone gushes about each other. It's a light and breezy extra, much like the film itself.

"You'll Never Wear That Again!" takes a look at the hideous bridesmaid dresses from the film. The director told wardrobe to find the ugliest dresses and succeeded. The various themed weddings are also discussed in this engaging and fun extra.

"Jane's World" examines the production design and how they made Rhode Island look like New York City (?!). A lot of research was done on weddings in order to capture the distinct look of each one.

"The Running of the Brides" is an annual tradition that sees women from all over the country camping out at a store where they all try to get the perfect dress to get married in. It's a shopping frenzy as people race around to get a dress or trade with others.

Also included are three deleted scenes. The first one sees Jane trying to get a cab in New York (good luck) and was wisely cut. The best of the bunch sees Jane, her best friend (Judy Greer) and Tess' best friend trying on bridesmaid dresses. The interaction between the three of them is amusing. Finally, there is a scene where Jane and Tess retrieve George's dog from a pound which seems out of place in the film and was also wisely cut.

Buy 27 Dresses (2008) Now

Jane (Katherine Heigl) has loved weddings ever since she was a little girl and helped set her cousin's wedding to rights. She's dreamed of the day she'll walk down the aisle to see that delighted expression on her intended husband's face.

George (Edward Burns) is the man Jane always hoped would be at the other end of the aisle. He's Jane's boss and an entrepreneur who made his millions selling the kind of outdoor equipment he loves to use. He's a gentle soul, a selfless vegetarian who loves dogs and serves as a Big Brother to a great Hispanic kid named Pedro.

Jane's getting practice for that big day. So far, she's been a bridesmaid at 27 weddings. That's 27 dresses in her apartment front closet--none she will ever wear again...well, none anyone should have had to wear in the first place.

Enter Tess (Malin Akeman), Jane's baby sister. She and George fall in love at first sight when Tess comes for a 2-week sisterly visit. Of course, George proposes and Tess accepts. But, Tess isn't quite what she's leading George to believe. She doesn't like dogs. She eats meat, and she's turning George's little brother into her personal cleaning service.

And Jane--who is both jealous of her little sister and concerned about the lies Tess is telling to 'get her man' has to put the wedding together. Add to that the complication of Kevin (James Marsden), the bridal column journalist, who is following both Jane's career as a bridesmaid and amateur wedding planner and Tess's wedding.

"27 Dresses" is a heartwarming and funny film that's both a good date movie and suitable for pre-teens. In my opinion, Ms. Heigl is showing versatility as an actress playing the sweet romantic heroine in "27 Dresses" and the hapless accidental mother in "Knocked up." She's steering a course similar to Johnny Depp's, in that she's selecting a variety of parts that won't leave her typecast.

Read Best Reviews of 27 Dresses (2008) Here

Katherine Heigl is pretty good in this feel good comedy. She's always been a bridesmaid (27 times would you believe???) and all those dresses are kept in her closet. She's really hoping for another kind of dress (white). She has been in love with her boss, George (Ed Burns) for years but can't get her feelings returned. Along comes her sister and does exactly that. She and George start dating and before long Jane is about to wear dress 28. Will she get George to like her before he walks down the aisle with her sister? It's actually a surprisingly good movie that I really loved. I thought it might be like other cheesy chick flick comedies, but it's a little more. It's well acted and very funny too.

I think this movie could appeal to almost anyone (including guys). Judy Greer is as good as always (she plays Janes friend Casey) and the rest of the cast do well too. It doesn't hurt that Ed Burns is a very good looking guy and acted pretty well in this. It's light popcorn fun, but worth your time watching it. You'll hopefully love it too.

Want 27 Dresses (2008) Discount?

Watching this DVD, 27 Dresses, was a decent way to spend the hour and forty-five minutes with my wife. She picked this one. I thought Katherine Heigl was a charming lead, and that she lived up to her growing reputation as one of the newer leading ladies in Hollywood. She was very good here, and even better in Knocked Up (Unrated Widescreen Edition). The other players were capable, including Marsden who had a nice chemistry with Heigl. The plot was average romantic comedy. There was little new ground here and some pretty predictable moments. That does not make the film bad; rather it served to make it a comfortable movie that was fun to watch due to the actors involved. Three stars.

Save 20% Off

The Fisher King (1991)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 01:48:00 -0800

This is the one for which Robin Williams should have received an Oscar; for as Parry, the victim of a senseless tragedy, he is nothing short of brilliant in "The Fisher King," directed by Terry Gilliam and co-starring Jeff Bridges (who also gives an Oscar-worthy performance here). Gilliam has created the perfect mood and atmosphere to tell the story of successful radio talk-show host Jack Lucas (Bridges), and the homeless and mentally unhinged Parry, whose lives intersect in the wake of an act of unconscionable violence that leaves them both barely clinging to the memory of a reality that no longer exists for either of them. With this movie, Gilliam has deftly crafted a study of the symbiotic existence of mankind and the impact of human nature upon the space we all must share in a world growing smaller day by day. Through Jack's eyes, Gilliam examines the nature of cause and effect, and the results thereof, and Jack's story ultimately becomes Parry's story, and aptly illustrates how the needs of one become the necessity of another, and what it means to finally be able to look beyond ourselves and delve beneath those layers of contemporary frivolity we all manage to build, which in the end are nothing more than pretentious insulations that keep us from the things in life that really matter. Even as Jack's own act of irresponsibility comes back to haunt him and make him question his own values to the very core of his being, Parry receives the brunt of it all from the other end of the spectrum, with consequences even more dire, though for both the result of their shared circumstance is life-altering. Williams gives a masterful performance here that illuminates so well how thin the line between comedy and drama really is. He brings the complex, tragic figure of Parry to the screen flawlessly, with attitude, expression and even body language that is impeccable, and all without a single false moment to be found anywhere throughout (by comparison, even as good as he was in "Good Will Hunting," for which he received the B.S.A. Oscar, under close scrutiny you'll find a moment or two there that do not ring true). This is quite simply the best work he's ever done, before or since, and he's given the cinematic world an unforgettable character that will undoubtedly make a lasting impression on anyone who sees this film. And, though Williams grabs the lion's share of the spotlight here, he by no means overshadows Jeff Bridges, who has also created a memorable character in Jack. He brings a depth to this role through which he readily displays the many different levels upon which Jack works and lives, from the egotistical, self-centered to the compassionate; it's like watching a struggle for domination going on within him, and waiting to find out which side will ultimately emerge triumphant. It's an exemplary performance, and it's a gross miscarriage of justice that Bridges didn't at least receive a nomination for Best Actor for this one. Proving, however, that justice does, at times, get it's due, Mercedes Ruehl was awarded the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her personable portrayal of Anne, the fulcrum upon which Jack and Parry dramatically balance their tender and tentative psyches. Like Bridges and Williams, she gives a performance here that is totally credible, and she's a delight to watch. One of the strengths of this movie, in fact, is the incredible performances; and it's so gratifying to see such a good story brought to life and made so real through artistic endeavor. In a supporting role, Michael Jeter demands to be singled out for his part as the homeless Cabaret Singer, and also Amanda Plummer, as the hapless and endearing Lydia, both of whom are just additional parts of the aggregate that make this such a great movie. With "The Fisher King," Gilliam has given us a wonderfully textured morality tale, both entertaining and engaging and rich with metaphor and substance that will endure the test of time, because it is, in the end, a story for the ages. This is definitely one you do not want to let pass you by.

The Fisher King is a representational movie. It makes use of Arthurian legend, and parallels the legend of the Fisher King with the lives of the two main protagonists Parry (Robin Williams) and Jack (Jeff Bridges). Symbolism and metaphorical techniques are utilisied extensively throughout the film, which makes it an extremely visual experience to watch. However, the symbolism extends beyond the visual plane, to a very psychological one. For example, Parry's creation of a fantastical world full of 'little fat people' and the 'Red Knight', is very much representative of his own mental condition; the fantasy world, minus the Red Knight, represents Parry's acceptance/ignorance of his mental trauma. At the same time the Red Knight is symbolic of the pain and suffering as caused by the trauma itself.

Whenever Parry shows glimpes of sanity (lucid speech, dating, feeling love again, etc.), the Red Knight always appears in his life. While the Red Knight is at bay Parry is not catatonic or overwrought by his trauma. To overcome/accept the trauma of seeing his wife murdered before his eyes, ultimately Parry has to confront the Red Knight and vanguish him. However, he lacks the insight and strength to do this on his own. Enter Jack who ultimately feels responsible for Parry's condition! Jack is the equivalent of the fool or simpleton from the story of the Fisher King. Jack's intent is one of redemption, while he is absorbed into Parry's world. Eventually Jack begins to understand Parry's need for the Holy Grail, which represents Acceptance of Loss. If Parry is able to possess the Holy Grail, then he shall be able to vanguish Insanity as represented by the Red Knight.

While there are elements of fantasy and Arthurian legend woven into this story, there is also a theme of Christianity. Originally Jack is driven by a need to regain the former glory of his life when he was a successful talkback radio host. He wants that life back and believes that by helping Parry, he will overcome his guilt, and thus be able to resume his former life. Jack feels a false resolution in his life when he regains his former life. However, ultimately, when Jack agrees to undertake the quest for the Holy Grail, only then do his motives become self-less. He helps Parry because he wants to, not because he needs to drive away his own guilt this is very much part of the Christian Doctrine.

On the whole, The Fisher King is an intricate weaving of comedy, drama and tragedy. The direction by Gilliam is faultless, his attention to detail evident especially in the Chinese Restaurant scene, where he borrows from Chinese film-making techniques, using the vertical black bar wipe technique.

This is the type of movie which, on a superficial level, is only somewhat satisfying. However, it is on the psychological level where its real impact is felt tragic, hopeful and uplifting. It is not the type of movie to watch if you are expecting to be entertained!

Buy The Fisher King (1991) Now

I have a passionate love for the Arthurian legends. To paraphrase Robertson Davies, however, these tales have a poor history of being adapted to stage or screen. "Camelot", "Excalibur", "First Knight", "Prince Valiant" -if you really love the tales, you know just how short these films fall.

Then there is The Fisher King.

No, you won't find King Arthur here. You won't find Camelot or Guenivere or the Questing Beast. What you WILL find is the essence of the Grail story. Parry (Robin Williams) is Percival the Fool as well as The Fisher King himself; Jack (Jeff Bridges) is a fallen king-of-radio. Both are wounded and in a related manner. Neither faces his problems head on. Each needs another to pave the way to forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption. The ultimate physical object that leads to this may be a swimming trophy, but it is also the Holy Grail itself. Why? Because it truly is, if you only believe.

Along the way you meet the not-so-in-distress damsels (Mercedes Ruehl won an Oscar for best supporting actress; Amanda Plummer, who deserved one as well), the company of knights-errant (the homeless of New York City), an evil Red Knight, two even more evil local toughs, and the false-prophets from the land of television. Each of these is a person, or a type, from our own world. They also happen to fit the tales of the Holy Grail rather well. Forced comparisons? I leave that to the individual viewer to decide, but I found the characterizations marvelous. This is not a film about Real Life, but it is a film about something truer, something closer to the soul.

This is a film that deserves multiple veiwings. If nothing else you are going to want to see the scene in Grand Central Station more than once (if you know the movie, you know what I'm talking about; if not, you are in for a beautiful treat). This is a film that teeters between rampant silliness and powerful truths. Somehow it never feels schmaltzy, forced, or preachy.

Watch this film.

Let the little man dance!

Read Best Reviews of The Fisher King (1991) Here

This is one of my favorite films. For the most part it is solid but does take some thought and knowledge about how people deal with trauma. Although it falters at times and has a few artistic distractions it does teach several good lessons. To understand the meaning of the title one must know the story of the Fisher King. There are many variations of the legend and one very simplistic version is sort of given in the film and will not be repeated here. The Legend of the Fisher King deals with a man who was injured as a young man (again many variations of how) and suffered from these wounds throughout his life. His only respite was to be taken fishing. He eventually became the penultimate master of the Grail Castle. Every evening the Grail, Platen and spear would be brought out and those suffering would be healed. That is, all except for the Fisher King. The Fisher King could not be healed until someone asked him a specific question. The Fisher King did not need to know the answer to the question. As the years passed, nobody ever asked the question until one day, on his second visit to the Grail Castle, Percival, asked the question, "Whom does the Grail serve?" The Fisher king realized that the Grail did not serve to make him great but that it served those in need. He was humbled and his wounds healed. (He died several days later and Percival became the last master of the Grail Castle.) The film deals with this dilemma in Jack. Jack can not be healed until he understands "whom the Grail serves." Jack tries to help Parry so that Jack will be healed so Jack can get on with Jack's life. It is only at the end of the film that Jack does the first unselfish thing that he has ever done in his life. Jack is the only character that grows emotionally. Of course, this act has nothing to do with Parry's condition improving. Parry is not crazy and Parry is not demented. Parry was a high functioning person until he witnesses his wife's head taking a shotgun blast. Parry regresses into a fugue state and takes on an alternate identity. He takes on a character that will, in metaphor, deal with what he witnessed. What Parry lost was intimacy and in his psychological struggle to cope with that loss he is both chased by and chases the last image of intimacy he recalls. Any emotional closeness, even with Jack, triggers these flashbacks although the image is distorted through the metaphor of his fugue state and becomes the red knight/ (representing his wife's violent death.) Parry does not become psychotic until Jack replaces Parry's fantasized intimacy with real intimacy and gets him "the date". The distortion is shattered; the metaphor no longer replaces the reality of Parry's last memory of his wife because the intimacy is psychologically too close to what Parry had lost. His Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) flashback is no longer the Red knight but the reliving of the actual trauma. Parry's psyche is forced to regress further and he become catatonic. This is the mind's way of calling a time-out. With time he eventually returns to his previous fugue state and that is where the film leaves him. Although not for everyone and not always consistent, it is an excellent film if you are willing to pay attention and not get distracted by Hollywood smarm.

Want The Fisher King (1991) Discount?

I hadn't seen this film since it first came out on video. I remembered certain things about it: that I had enjoyed it, that the Holy Grail played prominently in it, and that Jeff Bridges was very good in it.

Those are all still true.

Jack Lucas (Bridges) is a radio "shock jock" who inadvertently causes a listener to go on a killing rampage. This affects him deeply and he quits the business, turns to alcohol, and moves in with Anne (Mercedes Ruehl), the owner of Video Spot!, a store which seems to carry as many porn titles as mainstream ones.

He is deeply depressed. One night, when he is about to end it, he gets attacked by thugs who mistake him for homeless. His life is saved by a group of homeless led by "Parry" (Robin Williams), a former history professor whose wife was killed in the aforementioned massacre. Parry has engulfed himself in the world of medieval knights (a "parry" is a type of sword thrust)--changing his name as well--and has received a mission from pixies to capture a trophy cup (which he believes is the Grail) located in a millionaire's castle-style home. Jack feels he must pay his penance by helping Parry retrieve the cup.

One thing that is holding Parry back is that he is continually besieged by the Red Knight (a hallucination that represents the trauma which with Parry is not yet ready to cope, that is, it only shows up whenever something reminds him of his past). Along the way, Parry falls in love with a publishing accountant and Jack and Anne do their best to get the ultra-shy couple together.

Terry Gilliam somehow brings this combination of Arthurian legend and modern New York together into a successful whole. Of course, the script by Richard LaGravanese is also first-rate. This is one of the most original films I have ever seen. Decisively top-rate entertainment.

Save 42% Off

People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 00:40:00 -0800

**EDIT 6-28-11** The overall quality of the Blu-ray is very good, not perfect, but very good considering the age of the film and the fact that sources of varying qualities were used. A few scenes are obviously from a source that had deteriorated to some extent, but Criterion did an excellent job on the restoration and included the scenes to make the film as complete as possible. Quality-wise, this is the clearest, most crisp version of this film that I have viewed.

Today, People on Sunday (Menschen am Sonntag) is mainly remembered as being a collaboration of several talented filmmakers early in their careers (Billy Wilder, Fred Zinnemann, Robert and Curt Siodmak, and Edgar G. Ulmer). Yes, this part of the production is fascinating, but the film itself is so much more than that. Produced during the latter days of the Weimar Republic with the German Expressionist movement screeching to a halt, this film combines several styles and influences in a unique and innovative way. The filmmakers use techniques of German Expressionism, add a twist of Scandinavian nature films, and top it off with a hint of some of their contemporary Russian directors, such as Eisenstein and Pudovkin (style not content). The creative blend of these styles, along with the amateur cast of locals (using their real names and professions), has been called by some a precursor to the Neorealist movement.

I will very briefly cover the plot, as to not ruin the film for someone who has never seen it before. The film is centered around five young Berliners: friends Erwin and Wolfgang, Erwin's depressed wife Annie, Wolfgang's new girlfriend Christl and her friend Brigitte. After Erwin has an argument with his wife, he and Wolfgang decide to go on a country outing the following day. The friends are then joined by Christl and Brigitte on a train to Nikolassee for a day of fun and relaxation. Following the long day of flirting and lying on the beach, the friends return to the city while trying to figure out their plans for the following weekend. This sounds very simple and empty but the movie will really speak for itself. I'm not saying this will be one of your new favorites, but the overall presentation of the film is unique and enjoyable.

The film addresses such issues as depression, machismo and even infidelity, but, in the end, the main purpose of the film is to portray the happy and carefree lives of 1929 German society. Herein lies the true irony, for within four years, Adolf Hitler was elected German Chancellor bringing the Nazi Party into power. As a result, the Jewish filmmakers who brought us this cinematic interpretation of being a content German were forced to leave the country.

**Special Features and Technical Aspects As Listed by Criterion**

-New high-definition digital restoration, created in collaboration with the Filmmuseum Amsterdam

-Two scores--a silent-era-style score by the Mont Alto Orchestra and a modern composition by Elena Kats-Chernin, performed by the Czech Film Orchestra--both presented as uncompressed stereo soundtracks on the Blu-ray edition

-Weekend am Wannsee, Gerald Koll's 2000 documentary about the film, featuring an interview with star Brigitte Borchert

-Ins Blaue Hinein, a thirty-six-minute short from 1931 by People on Sunday cinematographer Eugen Schüfftan

-New and improved English subtitle translation

-PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film scholar Noah Isenberg and reprints by scriptwriter Billy Wilder and director Robert Siodmak

Germany

1930

73 minutes

Black and White

1.33:1

Silent

This film, made on the borderline between silence & sound, shows the promise of Wilder, both Siodmaks, Zinnemann et al--

before they became some of Hollywood's best & brightest, "thanks" to the awful conditions in Europe that, in part, account

for the classic era of Hollywood movies. (It's interesting, finally, how different their contributions were.)

But apart from this being a fascinating and essential historical footnote to the later careers of these men,

the movie is also great fun in itself, perhaps because of the sense that there was nothing to lose, no compromises necessary--of, hey,

let's try doing it this way...or what about this? It's like a brilliant home movie, made quickly and independently--very smart about both the lives of people & cities--that eventually became a primer for many cinematic impulses to follow, including Italian neo-realism and the French New Wave.

And it's full of the sense of what it feels like to be young, the energy and possibilities--both within the casual narrative itself and implicit in the making of the film.

One technical observation. I love all the good that BFI does for us, but in this case I think the recently released Criterion Blu-ray is a much cleaner

transfer, with a choice of two soundtracks. (For a comparison, go to dvdbeaver.com.)

Buy People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930) Now

An intriguing, cynical silent film featuring a wonderful glimpse of life during Weimar Republic-era Germany and created through the collaboration of young German filmmakers who would go on to have successful film careers a few years later.

The film's title "People on Sunday" (Menschen am Sonntag) is a 1930 silent film that featured a collaboration of Curt Siodmak (who would later be known for his "Wolf Man" and "Invisible Man" films), Robert Siodmak (who would later be known for "The Killers", "The Spiral Staircase" and "Criss Cross"), Edgar G. Ulmer (known for his noir films "Detour", "The Black Cat", "The Strange Woman"), cinematographer Fred Zinnemann (known for directing "High Noon", "From Here to Eternity", "The Day of the Jackal"), Eugen Schufftan (known for his cinematography on "The Hustler", "Eyes Without a Face", "Port of Shadows" and "It Happened Tomorrow") and Billy Wilder ("Some Like It Hot", "Sunset Blvd.", "The Apartment", "Double Indemnity"). And the most interesting thing about this film when it comes to its filmmakers is that many of these filmmakers have differing viewpoints on who was responsible for the film and are vocal of who put more work in and who didn't.

But if there is one thing that audiences are in agreement on, it's the fact that this film is a timeless classic and a glimpse to an era that is no more. But the film is also seen as a precursor to independent film. A film created with hardly any financing (financing came from Seymour Nebenzal, a cousin of the Siodmak's and a future collaborator of Billy Wilder), no-name actors and filmed on several Sundays during the summer of 1929. The film was also regarded by film critics as an accurate portrayal of Berlin at the time but with it's final intertitle, an ironic way of words that was meant to be right way to end the film but also could have another meaning for those of us who watch the film and realize what happened to Berlin and many Jews living in Germany several years later.

A film that was created with people who had day jobs which were portrayed in the film, portraying people living their lives in Berlin in the summer of 1929 and pretty much a joint collaboration of a group of friends from Berlin who wanted to make a film together and did it.

Ironically, "People on Sunday" was created back during the Weimar Republic of Germany, and Berlin as shown in this film would drastically change several years later during Hitler's reign in 1933, the filmmakers of Jewish descent, living in Germany, including one of the actresses Christl Ehlers would all flee Germany years after the film was made while some of their family members, especially for Billy Wilder, would die years later in the Auschwitz extermination camp.

So, "People on Sunday" is an important film for it being a cinema film that captured Berlin-life, Berlin youth but also, in every sense of the word, an indie film created with a small budget, no-name talent and yet was able to achieve critical acclaim. And there is no doubt that this silent film is worthy of being part of Criterion Collection's dedication in providing important classic and contemporary films in America.

VIDEO:

It's important to note that "People on Sunday" is a film that presented to those working on the restoration project as challenging and difficult. Presented in black and white (1:33:1), as the original negative had damage, the restoration project had to take parts from other badly damaged versions of the film from different countries and piece each frame together in order to come close to the original film and its duration.

For the most part, the contrast of the film is wonderful. Blacks are nice and deep and the grays and white levels are really good. Not to say that the picture is pristine because it's not. Bare in mind that this latest restoration is the piecing of many frames that came from different negative sources from different countries, you're going to notice a slight bit of flickering, nothing bad. But considering that the film is 80-years-old and knowing a lot of films on nitrate filmed back in the '20s weren't taken care of all that well and the fact that this is not a big budget film with top talent, it's amazing that this film could look so good today!

According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created from a 35 mm mute print struck from the restoration negative provided by the EYE Film Institute Netherlands. It was scanned in 2K resolution on a Spirit 4K Datacine played at 24 frames per second and then digitally converted to the EYE Film Institute's recommended speed of 22 frames per second.

Color correction was done using DaVinci Resolve software and thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system while Digital Vision's Phoenix system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

Also according to the Criterion Collection, the restoration negative used for this release was created in 1997 by Martin Koerber, working at the Netherlands Filmmuseum (now known as the EYE Film Institute Netherlands). A high quality original nitrate print of the Dutch version of "People on Sunday" served as the basis for the restoration. In order to come as close as possible to the original complete German version of the film, shots were also taken from numerous elements at the Fondazione Cineteca Italiana, the Cinematheque royal de Belgique and the Cinematheque suisse.

Koerber's version follows the pioneering work done in the 1980s by Enno Patalas at the Munich Filmmuseum, but he was able to locate and incorporate about 150 meters of additional footage. The restoration negative was printed at L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"People on Sunday The Criterion Collection #569' is silent film but you get two scores. One is a silent-era style version (which was my preference) by the Mont Alto Orchestra which was recorded in March 2011 and another that is a modernized version by the Elena Kats-Chernin, performed by the Czech Film Orchestra recorded in 2000.

Personally, considering the fact that a few people that I have talked to, who have watched this film back then, watched it with no music accompaniment. Although I do own a few silents with no music (and some with bad music), I'm grateful for the Criterion Collection for providing two excellent music scores.

It would have been nice to have a third, which would be Trio Bravo+'s score for the 2002 screening of the film but for the most part, I'm quite pleased with both scores, especially the Mont Alto Orchestra version.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"People on Sunday The Criterion Collection #569' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Weekend am Wannsee (31:14) Gerald Koll's 2000 documentary about the making of "People on Sunday" and features interviews with Brigitte Borchert (who plays the record store girl) and writer Curt Siodmak and Martin Koeber, the film restorer.

Ins Blau Hineien (35:30) A short 1931 film by "People on Sunday" cinematographer Eugene Schufftan.

EXTRAS:

"People on Sunday The Criterion Collection #569' comes with a 30-page booklet featuring the following essay "Young People Like Us" by Noah Isenberg and "Making People on Sunday" with differing accounts by Billy Wilder and Robert Siodmak.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"People on Sunday" is an absorbing form of cinema that attracts different types of audiences. While I can't call it a masterpiece, it is a time capsule that shows us of a Berlin that would no longer be the same a few years later. A film that was built upon friendships and achieving cinema but due to the change of the country's politics and the creation of Hitler's Third Reich, these friends would go on their separate ways as they tried to escape Nazi Germany because of their Jewish descent.

This film is a hybrid silent film and documentary but it has elements that one can easily watch and be entertained.

For those who are wanting a silent film with a storyline, you have a story about two male friends going out with two new female friends for some R&R on a Sunday at a lake and jealousy develops but of course, there is more to this story as one man has a girlfriend that he doesn't treat all that well at home (and oversleeps), while his other male friend, the wine maker who goes after the actress and kisses her but ends up being slapped and then goes for her friend, the record shop girl.

Then you have the Avant-Garde style of filmmaking derived from an Eisenstein style of filmmaking and shots of objects, surroundings that show an artistic style of cinematographer Eugen Schufftan. Also, it's important to note that this is an independent film before "indie" films came to play. These young filmmakers came up with the idea while at a cafe.

And because these filmmakers didn't have much money, they hired everyday people to be part of the film (some who went on to acting and others who didn't) and in the end, the film became a major success for these young filmmakers and eventually each of them went on to bigger film projects.

And for those who are interested in Germany, the film also captures the Weimar Republic three years before it was replaced by Fascism and Hitler's Third Reich. A look at how society was back then, during a period of liberal democracy and its filmmakers (who happen to be Jewish living in Germany) not fully aware of what they captured on film would show a side of Germany which would be gone in three years.

But there are other things about the film that stay in my mind. One scene features Christl Ehlers (who plays the character of a girl who plays an extra in film) sewing on her swimsuit before getting into the water, scenes of older technology with the windup portable record player, scenes showing hints of sexuality, scenes of people not having much money and even splitting cigarettes and sharing wine from the same glass. Of course, the film is quite cynical and is a wonderful look at German youth before the change and because it was made during the Weimar-era, there is no hint of danger or anything of wartime. Just people living their everyday life.

And for me, unlike the Mitchell and Kenyon films where everyone loved to be in front of the camera and would do what they can to be filmed, there is no hint of that in "People on Sunday". It's as if the camera was hidden and people were normal, nor are they looking directly at the camera. Granted, you have random people making faces towards the camera but it's all closeup as opposed to everyone crowding and pushing just to get their shot in the camera.

For silent film fans, whenever you can get a glimpse of society at that time, all captured on film, it's a wonderful experience. But to get documentary-style footage of a Germany post-World War I, early documentaries are something you rarely see from Europe (the best early, silent documentary work showcasing early European society is probably from Mitchell and Kenyon in the UK covering the early 1900's and Marcel Carne's short "Nogent ou l'Eldorado du Dimanche") as a lot of footage is lost or destroyed due to the instability of nitrate film.

But the efficacy of "People on Sunday" is because of its non-traditional style of filmmaking, combining a story with a documentary style footage. Critics loved it back in 1930 and I have no doubt that many of us today will have a sigh of relief that so much has went towards the restoration of the film. I personally have only read about the film prior to watching it and to finally watch it on Blu-ray and to see the wonderful contrast, to hear the beautiful musical scores included in this Blu-ray release is wonderful!

It's important to note that the original German version was no longer intact due to deterioration and from using copies of other versions from different countries (that were equally as bad), fortunately missing footage was taken from those various negative sources and all the elements put together in one film. Of course, since the restoration of the film, more footage has been found (documentary footage) but not added because it is not known of where it should be placed in the film.

But for any silent film fan and historian, the release of "People on Sunday" by the Criterion Collection is magnificent! And equally as impressive are the inclusion of the two special features which include "Weekend am Wannsee", Gerald Koll's 2000 documentary of the film with interviews with Brigitte Borchert (who plays the record store girl in the film) and writer Curt Siodmak. Also, included is "Ins Blaue hineien, a 36-minute short from 1931 by cinematographer Eugen Schufftan which features elements similar to "People on Sunday".

Also, it was great to have two scores included with this release. The Mont Alto Orchestra was my preference as it captured a more silent-era style but you also get a modernized score with Elena Kats-Chernin and the Czech Film Orchestra's score as well.

Overall, "People on Sunday" was a wonderful film to watch and enjoy, not just for its story but its cinematography but also showcasing society. You juxtapose this film with Eugen Schufftan's 1931 short film "Ins Blaue hinein" (which is included as a special feature) and what you get primarily is a lot of trees and neighborhoods, while the former shows society in everyday life in the city of Berlin. While I understand those who are not really into silent films, let alone watching footage of the distant past, But for those who are open to silent cinema and are curious of seeing Germany ala the Weimar Republic era will find this film enjoyable, intriguing and highly entertaining. Also, feeling that this is a release that is a worthy addition to the Criterion Collection.

I personally recommend "People on Sunday" as a must-buy for any cineaste!

Read Best Reviews of People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930) Here

"People on Sunday" is an amazing achievement in every respect, but i was especially impressed by so much nuance and complexity in a silent movie. I used to expect silent films to be simplistic and melodramatic, Hollywood style, which was recently confirmed by The Artist (2011), a silent movie imitation by French director Michel Hazanavicius, which suffers from all the ills of the real McCoy.

For a film produced in 1930, "People on Sunday" is refreshingly serious, realistic and frank. Even comparing with the movies produced much later, European and Japanese realistic and neorealistic films of the late 40's and even 50's, Siodmak's film doesn't come across as less sophisticated. All the movies, produced by Siodmak, Ulmer and other creators of "People on Sunday" in Hollywood are more predictable and mechanical, conforming to the requirement of maximizing the box office numbers.

Even in comparison with Murnau's The Last Laugh one can easily see brute force of Siodmak's expressive power. Non-professional actors in most of the roles, lots of street scenes beautifully shot by Fred Zinnemann, real people, real relationships, real life instead of Hollywood fakes and sheer entertainment movies of the same period. Surely not everyone would like that, as, again one can see from the frenzied reception of Hazanavicius' The Artist...

Miraculously, this film doesn't look dated at all. To my opinion "People on Sunday" is one of the top achievements of cinematography.

As always thanks to Criterion Collection.

Want People on Sunday (The Criterion Collection) (1930) Discount?

Criterion continues to serve up amazing cinematic treats. People on Sunday is an amazing silent film that even years later causes arguments between filmmakers and critics alike.

The film was shot in 1930 in and around Berlin. The main actors are all regular people who had never been filmed before. There was very little budget, and according to actor recollections, the film was thought out while at a cafe with notes scribbled on napkins. Though there are many famous names attached to this film, it seems that many of these more famous people might have had very little to do with this actual film and later exaggerated their input and influence due to the positive reviews the film garnered. Much of this is explained in the included booklet.

Despite this, the film was beautifully shot. The transfer, even to DVD is amazing. The film looks pristine with most of the noise, dirt, and static removed. Also of note is that Criterion used a Dutch version of the film for the base (the German original having been lost, presumably destroyed). But there was much of the film missing, so Criterion gathered bits from other recordings in Italy, France, and beyond to restore much of the film. Their efforts were mostly successful, though there is a bit that seems to have been permanently lost. A brief introduction provided by Criterion discusses this.

There are two music tracks, one created for a Czech film festival, the other created for the Criterion release. I watched with the Criterion composition. But you can select either. Also of note, there are very few script stills. Many of the stills were edited or lost, and Criterion made every effort to recover the original lines.

The film takes place mainly on Sunday, though we see the events on Saturday leading up to Sunday. A chance meeting between two people leads to plans to enjoy Sunday together. Each brings a friend and it ends up as a double date of sorts. We watch the character interactions and their courting of each other over the course of the day.

The scenes are amazingly shot. The settings chosen are fantastic. At times it's sad to think about what the city will look like 14 to 15 years after the filming...

Many have said that this movie was a precursor to French New Wave or Italian Neorealism, and I tend to agree. Though the French and Italian films have different themes, the core film style is remarkably similar. I don't know if this film directly influenced him, but I see a lot of this film in Truffaut's movies. It may just be coincidence.

A lovely film for students or fans of classic cinema. A masterpiece of silent film wonderfully restored and brought to life by Criterion. Bravo!

Save 38% Off

Anger Management (2003)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 01:31:00 -0800

Lighten up, fellow reviewers! ANGER MANAGEMENT is lighthearted comedy--not neurosurgery. I had zero expectations going into this movie, but as soon as the hilarious plane scene unfolded I found myself watching with an ear-to-ear grin on my mug.

I've seen Adam Sandler in numerous movies (and hated most of them), but as humble, wishy-washy Dave Buznik, Sandler is at his low-key best. Buznik is the last person to have an anger management problem, but following a fateful series of miscues (and hysterically funny miscues at that) he is ordered by a judge to attend an anger management course. And this is not just any old course: This is a course led by the unorthodox and dysfunctional Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson's inherent creepiness is perfect for this role). Nicholson and Sandler play off one another in grand fashion; the goofy therapist pushing the mild-mannered Buznik to the edge--and beyond--is mucho fun to watch!

An added delight to this campy comedy is the plethora of camoes, including John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson (also hysterically funny), Rudy Giuliani, and New York Yankee greats (and ex-greats) Derek Jeter and Roger Clemens. ANGER MANAGEMENT is pure fun, complete with milquetoast ending and wacky Nicholson facial expressions. Enjoy!

--D. Mikels, Author, THE RECKONING

With that frazzled hair, that just-swallowed-the-canary grin, and that sly, mischievous, devil-may-care gleam in his eye, Jack Nicholson does the controlled-mania shtick better than anyone working in movies today. But even his presence isn't enough to prevent "Anger Management" from emerging as a decidedly unfunny comedy, one that ends up wasting the talents of Adam Sandler, Marisa Tomei, John Turturro, Woody Harrelson and Luis Guzman as well.

The David Dorfman screenplay is yet another of those "high concept" package deals replete with contrived plots and big-name movie stars in the leads that look irresistible to all those corporate green-lighters at the studio, but which fall to pieces the moment they come to fruition on the big screen. Sandler plays a mild-mannered, put-upon schnook who is unfairly and inexplicably convicted of assaulting a stewardess on an airplane. Much to Sandler's chagrin, the court consigns him to the care of Nicholson, a well-known anger management specialist who is more certifiably psychotic than the patients he is ostensibly helping. The strained, manufactured plot is little more than an excuse to give Nicholson a chance to chew the scenery and Sandler to act bemused, befuddled and benumbed. Unfortunately, that's pretty much how the audience feels after 106 minutes of nonstop crudity, predictability and over-the-top ranting. Director Peter Segal tries desperately to make the whole enterprise come across as madcap, witty and anarchic, but with virtually every single joke and set-up fizzling and sputtering out, the film ends up feeling merely chaotic and desperate.

The filmmakers have peppered their movie with any number of cameo appearances by some famous real life New Yorkers, but their performances are so thoroughly inept and wretched that "Anger Management" begins to feel more like amateur night at the Roxy than a multimillion-dollar Hollywood production. This is most acutely felt in the painfully awkward and embarrassingly mawkish climactic moments played out, stereotypically, before a packed house at Yankee Stadium (didn't we see this scene a few years back in "Never Been Kissed"?). Moreover, the "surprise" ending requires that we suspend disbelief more than is advisable even for a film of this nature, which could never expect us to believe for a fleeting moment anything that is going on here.

In what is a bizarre fluke of fate, I suppose, "Anger Management" turns out to be the second film in recent months to feature characters massacring and mangling the Bernstein and Sondheim song "I Feel Pretty" from "West Side Story." What I said about this phenomenon in my review of "Analyze That" holds true here as well: that filmmakers with a dubious movie on their hands should avoid reminding us of a much better film while we are being asked to suffer through theirs. It only makes the experience that much more painful.

Buy Anger Management (2003) Now

Possible Spoilers Ahead:

I have to admit that I am not a big Adam Sandler fan. However, I saw the trailers and I was intrigued by the thought of Sandler playing a regular guy to an over-the-top Jack Nicholson. About halfway through the movie, I had trouble following the storyline. I think this was due to Sandler playing his mild mannered Dave Buznik character too calm in the beginning. While I understand the concept of a guy who internalizes his anger (which is why he was a candidate for Anger Management classes), even guys who internalize their anger show some frustration when there are problems. I thought Buznik's overly calm reactions seemed unrealistic during the entire flight attendant hostility `over the headset' episode. I suppose Sandler was trying to go for no reactions at first and building up, over the course of the movie, to more obvious displays of anger (like the fight with his grade school nemesis turned Buddhist monk), but he started out so overly calm at the beginning, it was hard for me to understand whether he was acting or not. While the West Side Story 'I Feel Pretty' bit had some amusing possibilities, the Buznik character started well (frazzled at being forced to stop on the bridge and sing for his bizarre therapist), but the singing soon became too much like Sandler doing his singing bits for SNL, and not Buznik trying to placate his therapist so he could get to work. This may explain why some of the other reviewers gave this movie a thumbs down. I did find the second half more entertaining, mainly because I thought the Buznik character seemed to be reacting in a more realistic fashion to hostility directed at him. I didn't mind the final scene at Yankee Stadium, but I didn't think the cameos from the baseball players were required. While it was nice to see Rudy Giullani, that part could have also gone to someone playing just a regular guy in the stands rooting for the guy to propose to the girl at these sporting events (I didn't think all of the cameos were required or added anymore laughs to the film).

Overall, this movie has some entertainment value (good as a rental), better for the die-hard Adam Sandler fans.

Read Best Reviews of Anger Management (2003) Here

Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler star as the creepy anger-management therapist and the mild-mannered participant in his class by court order, respectively.

An interesting premise and supremely talented leads lead one to think that this might be a great, biting comedy. Instead, it simply degenerates into a standard, predictable romantic comedy with bland jokes, including the inhumanly severe wedgies.

The last third of the film is so unbelievably overwraught and unconvincing that it's woeful. If you can't tell what's coming, boy I think you ought to see more than one movie a year. The final act is a totally by the numbers, autopilot affair. Crowd-pleasing? Sure. It's amazing how audiences will flock to a movie that pushes the same buttons in the same order. I'm sorry, when a movie follows this formula so rigidly, I feel offended

A frustrating mess of wasted talent and wasted potential that could have been saved with a decent number of legitimate laughs if not with a screenplay that had exhibited the wit and originality of the Hollywood pitch.

Want Anger Management (2003) Discount?

The story is just ok until the plot twist is revealed which is the most contrived and unbelievable. It is almost as if the final plot surprise was written after the movie was screened.

The con-game surprise ending really wipes out an already poor excuse for comedy.

Save 40% Off

Hava Nagila: The Movie (2013)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 00:53:00 -0800

This movie previewed at KlezKamp, held annually during Christmas week (when else?)in the Catskills (where else?) One section was filmed a KlezKamp 2011. I laughed til I cried.The work brings up so many memories of Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, and alot of the stars of the '50s and '60's who recorded Hava Nagila, successfully and not so successfully. Why do many Jews, especially those who are musicians, hate and resent this song? Find out!

Laugh out loud funny, uplifting, and informative. I viewed the film at the CCA in Santa Fe, NM. The entire audience was laughing. Smiles and positive comments from all.

Buy Hava Nagila: The Movie (2013) Now

I Love You Phillip Morris (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0800

"I Love You Philip Morris" tells the real life story of Steven Jay Russell, who in 1998 received an unprecedented 144-year prison sentence for fraud, conning, impersonating, and multiple escapes from Houston's Harris County Jail. The film shows us sequences that seem utterly impossible, but in fact actually happened, which only goes to show that truth really is stranger than fiction. No, I will not describe them to you. Enjoying the film depends on the audience's reaction to Russell's actions. It's a little like a magician revealing his secrets; the trick itself is a lot of fun, but seeing what went into making the trick work can be quite fascinating, especially when you realize just how much effort goes into making something look simple. The apparent ease with which he executes his schemes is equally mind boggling.

Jim Carrey's portrayal of Russell is a delightful bag of contradictions. He's funny but touching, exaggerated but believable, contemptible but justified, caring but manipulative. There are times when it seems like he's thinking of no one other than himself, and there are other times when it's clear that he does what he does out of love. It's a daring, complex performance, and it's for reasons other than the fact that his character is gay; it establishes that Carrey is capable of something deeper than outlandish personalities and extreme physical comedy. His take on Russell is engaging, although it's not necessarily understandable. This isn't a criticism. Sometimes, it's preferable for audiences to figure out characters for themselves, for them to put their own spin on why certain people are they are way they are.

We're given a small glimpse of his childhood, in which he learns that he was adopted. We then flash forward to his early adult years; he's married to a woman who's a bit too religious and perhaps a little ignorant but sweet nonetheless, he has a delightful daughter, and he's the manager of a Texas food service company. But after surviving a car accident, he decides to live his life as an openly gay man, and he leaves his family behind for Miami. It's there he realizes that living a gay lifestyle is more expensive than his salary as a sales manager will allow. So he does what any man vowing to live authentically would do he becomes a conman. After relatively simple schemes like feigning slips and falls in public places, he plunges headfirst into various types of fraud, including credit card, passport, and insurance. He even sells bad tomatoes.

Unfortunately, his crimes catch up with him, and he's arrested and sent to jail in Texas. He learns the ropes quickly; everything essentially boils down to a choice between paying someone off, learning how to fight, or giving someone oral sex. He knows who to talk to and where to guide someone should they need something. He spends all his free time in the library, where he reads nothing but law books. Into his life enters Philip Morris (Ewan McGregor), a soft spoken gay man who was tried and convicted for theft of service. He wants to see if there's a legal way to help an AIDS patient lying in the infirmary. Russell lies and tells Morris that he's a lawyer. The two immediately hit it off. Over the next few weeks, they form their own little slice of heaven in a jail cell, oblivious to the yard beatings and the cell searches.

At this point, I'm going to stop describing the plot, for I want you to be surprised by the lengths Russell will go to be with Morris. I will say that what the film, in its own offbeat way, is surprisingly sweet. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa's screenplay, based on Steve McVicker's book "I Love You Philip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks," reveals a delicate and finely crafted balancing act between humor and drama; it's funny, though it never resorts to desperate slapstick or gross-out vulgarities, and it's heartfelt, yet it steers clear of broad, contrived sentimentalism. It's bold and appealing a romantic comedy that refuses to follow the rules of a romantic comedy.

Apart from Carrey and McGregor, I was pleasantly surprised by Leslie Mann, who appears briefly but is no less important as Russell's ex-wife, Debbie. Even after learning that he's gay, even after they get divorced, even after he gets sent to jail, the two remain on fairly good terms. This is amazing coming from a woman perpetually hung up on what the Lord does and does not intend to have happen. She believes that Russell is a man who doesn't know who he is and is always searching for something. I guess that makes sense. Why else would he be so reckless in his attempts at pretending to be what he isn't? Part of what makes "I Love You Philip Morris" such a good movie is that it presents Steven Jay Russell without forcing us towards any definite conclusions about him. True, he may be serving an unusually long jail sentence (in solitary confinement, no less), but you have to admit, he is a romantic.

I tend to underestimate Jim Carrey and then I see him in one of his better movies and realize what a serious mistake it was to do so. Typically I've been thinking of him as "just a comic" and not an actor. He is really a superb actor who is also a very funny comic.

I normally adore Ewan McGregor and he is just fine here. However, Carrey is just fantastic. I did not realize this was based on a real life con man until the end of the film. I thought it was fictional. The plot is Carrey as con man supreme who falls in love with McGregor when they are in prison together. The only problem is that Carrey can't stop himself from continuing his cons. The cons are terrically entertaining.

This is a dramedy, a comedy mixed with drama. It really works as both and I would not want one to dominate the other. As it is, a perfect blend is achieved.

These two do an absolutely superb job of playing gay men. I've seen a lot of films about gay men but never one like this. By having two major film actors play gay men in love, there are nuances and depths which are brought forth in this film which I don't think have ever been seen before.

Buy I Love You Phillip Morris (2010) Now

I simply couldn't wait any longer for this film to open in America, so I bought the DVD from AmazonUK (yes, I have a region free DVD player).

OMG this is one of the best films I've seen this year. Jim Carrey gives a performance worthy of year end award consideration in this funny, absurd and poignant romantic comedy about a gay con-artist. This is the Carrey of The Truman Show, Man on the Moon and Eternal Sunshine, and he shines in an often challenging role. Ewan MacGregor is equally affecting in the role of Carrey's love interest. There are some broad and outrageous moments; this is a comedy after all. However, there are an equal number of lovely, tender moments of romance and passion.

This film has been in some legal battles and so the American distribution has been held up. I hope these problems get resolved and this finds its way to a theatre near you. Don't miss it.

Read Best Reviews of I Love You Phillip Morris (2010) Here

Jim Carrey was the singular reason I watched this film. The problem with this movie is that its not really a comedy, its not really a con-artist movie, its not really about gay relationships. It does all of these 3 things in somewhat equal measure and then loses out overall. I liked bits and pieces of it but too many times lost interest and was left with the feeling that if the director had focused on making a good con-artist movie, Jim Carrey could have turned it into something spectacular.

Want I Love You Phillip Morris (2010) Discount?

Some have suggested that Jim Carrey is poorly cast in the role of Steven Russell, the con artist whose story is told in I LOVE YOU, PHILLIP MORRIS. It's been said that his performances are too glossy, too on-the-surface for us to believe him as lovestruck and will to do everything and anything for that love.

I believe he is IDEALLY cast because of that. It's true that Carrey is not a classically trained actor...he is just very good at faking emotion (lots of actors do that, of course). But think about one of his most acclaimed performances, as Andy Kaufmann in MAN ON THE MOON. Kaufmann was a cipher, a man who deliberately avoided showing his real self by faking one "public persona" after another until he had no real persona at all. Carrey was pitch perfect. In PHILLIP MORRIS, he plays a gay man who initially lives a lie of being straight. He also joins the police force, not because he wants to fight crime, but as an avenue to getting access to paperwork that will show him who is real mother is. (And when he finally meets her, she slams the door on him. He was the middle child, and he wants to know why she kept her first child and her third, but not him.)

Eventually, he amicably ends his marriage and perhaps over-compensates by living a lavish Key West lifestyle...flamboyantly gay. He funds this lifestyle elaborate con games. The way Carrey plays Russell, we're never sure if Russell is actually a little self-deluded and half believes the cons...or is he just so good at them because there's no real Steven Russell inside the body. This disconnect from reality allows Carrey to jump everywhere emotionally with great facileness but we also never know when or if what we're seeing is really what Steven Russell is feeling. I liked this. Does this man have any self-insight, or is he faking everything...even love?

For when he is sent to jail, he falls BIG TIME for a fellow inmate, Phillip Morris (Ewan MacGregor). The feeling is mutual...or is it. Certainly, Morris loves Russell. Does Russell really love Morris, or is he just fulfilled in some way by being loved, and thus will do anything to keep winning the approval. And does it matter? They both seem happy with each other.

Eventually, both are on the outside, and the question becomes, will Carrey go straight, or will his desire to keep Morris living in the lap of luxury drive him to further cons? The answer is not hard to guess, and where the film goes from there is too much fun for me to ruin now.

In reality, although based on a true story, the entire film lives at an exaggerated, slightly fake level. It's just so hard to believe Steven Russell did all the things the movie says he did. (Although apparently he did!). But it strikes such a rich tone that frankly the film is a blast from beginning to end. Russell has seemingly endless depths of trickery that he can go to...and Carrey plays the role with gusto. "Gusto" is a word I seldom trot out...but it is SO appropriate here. He's having a ball playing a guy having a ball. And MacGregor is a delight as Morris. He's filmed in such a way that he practically glows. He's slightly fey, slightly effeminate...but it never struck me as a caricature. We DO believe he loves Russell.

There are plenty of plot hi-jinks throughout the film...including one of the funniest and cleverest prison breaks since SHAWSHANK. It's certainly quite entertaining just at that level. But watching these two guys absolutely grab the screen is the enduring pleasure. And yes, there is plenty of relatively graphic smooching and sex in the film. I say "relatively" because if what we saw was between a man and a woman, we'd scarcely bat an eye. But because it's two men, some of the physicality is a bit surprising to see in a mainstream movie. Carrey & MacGregor play it with nary a wink or a hesitation...and thus their relationship has real spark. It's sexy and fun and romantic.

The film is too lightweight and frothy to really be great...but it is a wonderfully good time nonetheless, and should be enjoyed by any adult audience not afraid to see Carrey and MacGregor do some serious smooching.

Save 43% Off

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 02:56:00 -0800

You don't have to be a fan of Jane Austen's novels to enjoy Robin Swicord's "The Jane Austen Book Club", but after spending 106 delightful minutes with some of the most likable people you'll ever meet, you may want to grab "Pride and Prejudice", and start a club of your own!

This IS another film where the women are all beautiful, and the men, hot, but, to Swicord's credit (working from Karen Joy Fowler's terrific novel), she establishes each character with a humanity that transcends appearance. Working mom, Syl (Amy Brenneman), has it all, with a great job as a librarian, a radiant, if klutzy, lesbian daughter (Maggie Grace), and a devoted husband (Jimmy Smits)...until he announces he was cheating on her, and asks for a divorce. Oft-married, ever-optimistic Bernadette (Kathy Baker) decides to create an Austen club to provide emotional support for both Syl and their best friend, ever-single dog trainer/matchmaker Jocelyn (Maria Bello), who is grieving over the loss of a beloved dog. Bernadette meets young, uptight French teacher/Austen devotee Prudie (Emily Blunt), who has her own baggage, with an inattentive husband (Marc Blucas), an ex-hippie mom (Lynn Redgrave), and a sexy student (Kevin Zegers), whose attentions are sparking her barely-repressed lust. The older woman quickly railroads Prudie into her plan, finalizing a book club that will be "all-women, all-Austen", focusing on a different Austen novel, each month. Ah, but then Jocelyn meets handsome young computer geek, Grigg (Hugh Dancy), and decides to pair Syl with him, using the club...so a male member joins in the mix, and the fun really begins...

With each major character a 21st century variation of an Austen one, the story unfolds around the monthly meeting/book discussions, allowing the entire cast opportunities to shine. Will Syl recover from her failed marriage? Will Prudie give in, and have her forbidden tryst? Will Jocelyn ever figure out Grigg loves HER? Swicord succeeds in making every subplot both involving, and entertaining!

Great bonus features make "The Jane Austen Book Club" even better. The Austen prototypes of each character are explained, there is a terrific biography of the writer (far better than the one offered in "Becoming Jane"), and an affectionate behind-the-scenes look at the production all truly expand the enjoyment of the film.

Is this a 'chick flick'? Certainly! But with it's well-written male roles, I prefer to think of this as an ideal 'date' movie, and an experience guys can enjoy, too!

"All Austen, all the time" never sounded better!

Five women and one man decide to start a book club, reading the works of Jane Austen. Bernadette (Baker), the organizer of the club, is a woman looking to add one more to her many marriages. Jocelyn (Bello) is single and happy with her dogs. Sylvia (Brenneman) is in a failing marriage to Daniel (Smits). Allegra (Grace) is their lesbian daughter. Prudie (Blunt) is unhappily married, and attracted to one of her students. Lastly, there is Grigg (Dancy), a science fiction fan who is in the club because he is interested in Jocelyn. Their lives all contain elements that echo Jane Austen's stories, so their choice of reading is appropriate.

"The Jane Austen Book Club" is a female bonding movie that will also appeal to fans of Jane Austen. The acting is capable, but nothing outstanding. There is a little of everything relationship-wise here, and all the stories are handled pretty well. Jocelyn and Grigg's story is probably the most appealing though. To the story's credit, knowledge of Jane Austen isn't necessary, but it helps. In all fairness, the title of the film is going to draw in the appropriate audience, and they will probably enjoy it.

Buy The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) Now

Warning: This is a major "Chick Flick", no testosterone required.

Chick flick or not, the '07 release `The Jane Austen Book Club' is a delightful film exploring the possible application of the six books comprising the "Jane Austen Bible" into the everyday lives and loves of five contemporary women. What was supposed to serve as a carefree diversion from the constant angst of male female relationships becomes the epicenter of their emotional venting and the Gospel of Jane the rule by which all relationships are judged.

The cast displays an infectious chemistry, the storyline solid and consistent from beginning to end and the dialogue is believable, containing a number of quotable lines that will stay with you. `The Jane Austen Book Club' is a terrific film for the females audience. As far as the guys are concerned, come on and give it a try, you know you have to give in once in a while. This one is not as painful as most within this genre.

Read Best Reviews of The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) Here

This film opens with a montage of modern day, mundane technological snags, which sets the stage for busy and varied lives among working people. I thought this was a brilliant way to begin, to show just what kind of people form a book club and how random it all really is. The cohesiveness of these seemingly mismatched individuals, a free-spirited, serial bride, a recently discarded wife and her lesbian daughter, a socially awkward, pretentious French teacher, a control-freak dog breeder and a bicycling techno-geek (albeit a very CUTE techno-geek) centers around the six novels of Jane Austen. This story really isn't about the work of Jane Austen, but rather, it's about the people of the club coming from many different directions to form a believable bond. Sure it has some Jane Austen-esque subplots, but so many modern stories do and I, for one, never grow tired of them.

Very enjoyable, well-cast and well-acted film, and I recommend it to anyone who likes a good story of group dynamics--regardless of whether or not you liked or disliked the book.

Michele Cozzens is the author of It's Not Your Mother's Bridge Club

Want The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) Discount?

"The Jane Austen Book Club" (TJABC) was a 2004 novel by author Karen Joy Fowler. I acquired the novel last spring and relished the thought of reading a contemporary version of Austen's romances, with each character and each chapter tying into one of Austen's novels. A clever premise, some interesting characters....but I found the overall effort to be a tad on the lackluster side and kept picking the book up, and putting it down before eventually managing to end it all.

Robin Swicord tackled the job of getting this book to film; and it opened to very little fanfare last summer. As the members of the book club, the cast is a director's dream. It's always a joy to see Amy Brenneman (Of the TV Show, "Judging Amy", on the screen, and we've had too little of her in the world of film. Brenneman is devastated and devastating as an unwilling divorcee, Sylvia, who was married to Daniel (Jimmy Smits in an unfamiliar role) who has fallen in love with the other woman. Maggie Grace (Shannon from the TV Show, "Lost") is suitably cast as Allegra, Sylvia and Daniel's grown daughter. Much of Fowler's book centered on the oddities of Allegra...thankfully, the movie only touches on them.

Kathy Baker plays flamboyant, much-divorced Bernadette and does so with a satirical air. Maria Bello is Jocelyn, a dog breeder who is afraid of commitment. Bello is no surprise; she's done a credible job with every one of her big screen roles -here we are caught up in her draw towards Grigg, the only male member of the club, although initially she attempts clumsily to "matchmake him" to Sylvia.

The outstanding turns belong to Hugh Dancy, as Grigg. He's a science fiction fan who accidentally meets Joceyln and accepts her invitation to join a book club reading a genre he has no idea about. He's subtly charming and has a way of 21st century hero about him; he and Bello are drawn like moths to flame. Also a stand out is Emily Blunt, so good in whatever she brings to the screen, as Prudie. Prudie's character is audacious -an obsessive French teacher married to the wrong man, she's eager to find romance in any way she can.

Tying in Austen's novels and characters to the ensemble is easy, and a little tedious, but by film's end, you're glad you made the attempt. TJABC is kind of a "little film that could"...not excellent by any stretch of the imagination, but still a worthy contemporary treatise on Austen's themes.

Set in Sacramento, the surroundings are lovely and bracing, and the DVD has a full complement of extras like deleted scenes, the casting dilemma, and a lively conversation about the filming between Swicord, the producers, Maggie Grace and Hugh Dancy.

For once, a film that improves upon the material it was derived from. Worth a viewing!

Save 25% Off

Withnail & I (1988)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 01:32:00 -0800

Somewhere in the tenebrous recesses of our souls is the saving ability to laugh in recognition at our most forlorn circumstances. The funniest films mine this trove of despairing exigencies in an urgent, played-for-real mode. And none do it better than WITHNAIL & I, now available in a superb uncut version on DVD.

Bruce Robinson, the sometime actor and screenwriter ("The Killing Fields"), made his 1986 directorial debut with his semi-autobiographical screenplay that is widely considered the greatest neglected comedy of all time. The slender plot is simple. Flatmates Richard E. Grant (Withnail) and Paul McGann (& I) are two stoned, hungry, broke, and out-of-work actors wallowing in self-made squalor. When they get an opportunity to spend a weekend in the country cottage of Withnail's three hundred pound Uncle Montague, they go, hoping to "rejuvenate." What ensues is an extraordinarily deranged weekend of drunken delusion and distraught discovery that you will never forget. To reveal any more story details would be a gross disservice to those who have not yet found this wonderfully twisted, honest and perfect film.

Richard Griffiths is unsettling as the campy, dissolute predator cousin Montague and Ralph Brown is spot-on as Danny, the slow-talking, menacing but philosophical dope dealer. Hard to believe this was Richard E. Grant's first film. Even harder to believe is that he is a non-drinker who doesn't smoke.

Perfectly cast, nearly every spoken line is unfiltered emotional truth and most are quotable -especially the caustic diatribes of drunken, acerbic Grant. And the scenes themselves are brilliant set-pieces that unfold like diamonds in the rough being cut to gem-stone perfection.

After experiencing this unblinking look back at the end of the 60s in a London suburb where a tenuous friendship, high expectations and unfulfilled dreams collide during a disastrous weekend getaway, you too will laugh when you next hear the opening riffs of Jimmy Hendrix's "Voodoo Child." And you will understand when someone blurts out in a restaurant, "We want the finest wines available to humanity. We want them here and we want them NOW!. And cake."

This new Criterion widescreen version is clean and sharp and there's a too-short bonus interview with Robinson, Brown, Grant and McGann.

You must trust me on this one, so right now, get on line and order this extraordinary movie. It's one to own and watch at least once a month. It will put everything in the proper perspective and cure what ails you. Highest recommendation.

Criterion has done a wonderful job with this DVD release of WITHNAIL & I. The picture looks sharp, the sound is clear, and the extras are a lot of fun. The biggest difference for me was that the only video version of this film I owned was the full-screen version that contains numerous edits. Watching this film uncut for the first time in years really pointed out how much I had been missing with the video version. Getting this DVD is definitely worth the money.

The film itself is a joy to experience. While the plot cannot be accused of being overcomplicated, this simplicity is more than made up for in the wonderful characters and brilliant dialogue (virtually none of which can be quoted in an all-ages forum such as this). Loosely narrated by Paul McGann's "I" character, this film depicts a brief period in the life of two struggling actors as they attempt to find booze, drugs and jobs in the dying days of the 1960s. The movie covers a wide spectrum from some scenes featuring the funniest lines that you'll ever hear to small touching moments that are surprisingly moving. This is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys good moviemaking.

Every character in the picture is superbly acted and written for. It's a testament to Bruce Robinson's directing skills that the characters compliment each other so well instead of clashing and overbearing the others as could so easily have happened. The secondary characters work as well as the leads and each one adds their unique flavour to the mixture. Robinson doesn't make the mistake of giving the smaller parts too much on-screen time and having them overstay their welcome. Each character says and does no more than they need to and leaves everyone wanting more.

Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann are perfectly cast in their roles. Each bile-covered insult roles off of Grant's tongue as if he'd been swearing at McGann all his life. It's amazing that Grant is a teetotaler in real life and was relying on pure skill for most of his inspiration. Excellent acting.

The documentary that is included on the DVD is 30 minutes long and quite excellent. There are interviews with Richard E. Grant (Withnail), Paul McGann (...& I), Bruce Robinson (writer/director), Ralph Brown (Danny) and a host of other people related to the production. It's a funny and enthralling look at the people and ideas behind the film. Just fast-forward through the trainspotters.

Buy Withnail & I (1988) Now

This is not, as others have mentioned merely a vapid view of the 1960s or a drunken homoerotic frolic in an English countryside. It represents all those men and women who have battled long and hard to achieve some sort of authenticity. Withnal wants to act in something worth while, 'I' wants to do the same but has much more class and is not locked into a decaying and fluid so called post modern world, represented by collapsing buildings they both visit and live in, decayed old pubs inhabited by violent drunken louts who want to hurt and maim in their pain of loss. Then there is their old Jaguar one eye one window wiper and two very drunk survivors. This is a meditation on the qualities of past values and modern chaos. The end leaves one sad and uncomfortable as Withnal speaks from Shakespeare 'what a piece of work is man', the irony is almost too hard to bear as Withnal speaks to a wolf behind the zoo bars and as rain upon rain washes away the old world. This a film everyone should watch and is for anyone who wonders about the old, the nostalgia for the past and the new modern and careless world of today. The wolf pacing in front of the zoo bars mirrors the human pacing outside the fence, both are locked into their worlds. Withnal is beautiful in his aloneness and 'I' works to represent those that can make transitions from old values to new worlds, but does he lose something in the process? The musis is also fantastic and I wish I could buy and album of the music, the initial saxaphone rendition of a whiter shade of pale is beyond beautiful. Watch it at least 10 times.

Read Best Reviews of Withnail & I (1988) Here

Withnail & I is one of the greatest films ever made funny, poignant and superbly written, acted and directed.

So, it is such an appalling shame that this NTSC VHS version is so poor. It is hideously cut in places leaving out parts of scenes and some of the funniest dialogue. This leaves you confused when the narrative shifts suddenly when you were expecting the uncut version. For me, this rendered this version unwatchable.

Buy a PAL compatible VHS player and buy the uncut European version from amazon.co.uk, wait for the DVD or wait for the full version to be shown on the Independent Film Channel and record it, but stay away from this turkey!

Want Withnail & I (1988) Discount?

Another cult movie has just entered the Criterion collection : british writer-director Bruce Robinson's 1986 WITHNAIL AND I starring Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, both excellent. Richard Griffith as the cousin Montague and Ralph Brown as " The Hippie Philosopher " are hilarious. This film is a valuable addition to your library if you like english comedies, the sixties or simply a smart movie.

WITHNAIL AND I is greatly autobiographical. Bruce Robinson's 25 minutes interview featuring home movies and photographies shot in London in the mid-sixties is very instructive ; one understands soon that Withnail and ("I") Peter's life pictured in the movie has been the normal life of a large number of the english teenagers of the sixties. The character of "Withnail" played by an hallucinated Richard E. Grant, who in the real life doesn't drink alcoholic beverages, will certainly stay in the annals of Movie History.

If WITHNAIL AND I moves us so much, it's because this nostalgic movie is about lost hopes, about the green pastures of our youth when the world was ready to be conquered and waiting for us. Withnail is a pathetic character who could have been a genius in any artistic domain but who didn't create anything because, after all, it wasn't so important.

Apart of the Bruce Robinson interview ( look carefully at the level of the red wine in his glass... ), one will also find in this Criterion presentation a limited-edition of a poster, a theatrical trailer, liner notes by Robinson, various pre-production photos and english subtitles.

A DVD zone nostalgy.

Good Luck Chuck (Unrated) (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 00:29:00 -0800

Having seen Dane Cook as a stand-up comedian and been entertained by his humor and delivery, GOOD LUCK CHUCK seemed like an innocuous brainless evening entertainment. Unfortunately the story and script and direction are so sub par that even the most devoted of potty mouth movie fans will likely find this dud a bore. Hopefully Cook will be given better material for his next outing.

The story is meager but deals with a childhood hex placed on Cook's character, dentist Charlie Logan, which prevents him from finding lasting love: every woman with whom he sleeps (and there are countless encounters in the buff on endless multi-screen images) will marry the man she meets after her liaison with 'good luck' Charlie Logan. His obnoxious breast augmenter best friend Stu (Dan Fogler) sees Chuck's hex as a godsend for open sex, but when Chuck meets Klutz penguin trainer (Jessica Alba) and falls in love, there are problems the solutions of which are so disgusting and unfunny that hardly need repeating.

This is a film, apparently with an audience (!), that is gross and so over the top that it completely wastes the talents of Cook and Alba. The film is being advertised as the 'chance to extensively see Dane Cook in the buff', but even that is an overstatement. Maybe if the viewer is on strong drugs....No, probably not even then. Pass on this one. Grady Harp, January 08

Crude? Yep! So what! The movie was hysterical. My boyfriend AND my 62 yr old mother were laughing, and so was everyone in the theater. Its fun! The 1st thing my mom said when the credits started to roll was, "I'm buying that THAT was funny, and not the stupid funny either really funny!"

Buy Good Luck Chuck (Unrated) (2007) Now

"Good Luck Chuck" is not a romantic comedy, but rather a raunchy comedy that is sort of about romance. If there was some notion of romance at the heart of this movie, it would have a chance of working, but of the different organs and body parts that are prominent in this 2007 film, the heart would not be one of them. When we get to the big moment at the end of "Good Luck Chuck," compare it to the same scene in "The Wedding Singer," and you can see how short this one falls of the mark. In other words, this is really not a date film, because first-time director Mark Helfrich's final product is slanted way towards the male of the species. You might check this film out for Jessica Alba, but the focus is on Dane Cook and that along should tell you this movie is going to favor comedy over women, and comedy that favors men over women.

That is not to say that the premise is not promising. The titular Chuck is Charlie Logan (Cook), and, no, the film is not bothered by the fact that nobody calls him Chuck. Because of what happened during an adolescent game of Spin the Bottle, Charlie is cursed: any woman he loves will leave him and immediately find and marry the man of her dreams. As Charlie comes to realize his peculiar situation there is good news--women are throwing themselves at him in order to leap out of his bed and find the guy for them--and bad news--he meets Cam Wexler (Alba), who is cute, a klutz, and works with penguins, allowing the film to show how far the penguin fever of "March of the Penguins", "Happy Feet," et al., has fallen. More importantly, she looks like Jessica Alba, so we instantly understand why Cam is a keeper from Charlie's perspective, even if his best friend Stu (Dan Fogler), a plastic surgeon whose practice is limited to boob jobs, probably thinks too little of her. This creates the ultimate paradox for Charlie, because to love this woman is to lose her, which is a pretty interesting Catch-22.

I am sure that if I added up the minutes that Charlie really does spend more time with Cam than he does with Stu, but it sure does not feel that way. But the real problem in this film comes in the sequences that it is proudest of: the sex montage. There is a whole special feature devoted to it as the "Sex Matrix." My immediate reaction to all of this was to wonder if I had ever seen a motion picture with more naked women in it than this one, and while I am sure I have this is a concerted effort in "Good Luck Chuck" to prove otherwise. But when you are watching a guy have sex with dozens of women, it is hard to lend credence to the idea that he is really in love with the woman he is not having sex with. To offer a rejoinder to Stu, while it is true that sex without love is still sex, it is still without love, and love is supposed to be at the heart of a romantic comedy, which is why this film is not one.

My favorite romantic comedy of recent vintage is probably "50 First Dates," and I gave that one only four stars because the raunchy stuff with Rob Schneider took away from the wonderful stuff happening with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. But "Good Luck Chuck" is following more in the steps of contemporary comedies like "Knocked Up" and "Superbad," where the goal is to produce a unrated DVD edition. So "50 First Dates" is now looking more like a classic romantic comedy to me. If "50 First Dates" had been made the way they made "Good Luck Chuck," then the opening montage of past lovers in the former would have been in the middle, in which case they are no longer past lovers and the decks are not cleared for a real romance. By the time Charlie and Cam get to anything remotely like the romantic part, it is too little too late. When you get to the last in a long line of women, it is hard not to focus on the long line rather than the last woman. The screenplay by Josh Stolberg ("Kids in America") does come up with a decent enough way of resolving the dilemma, but given everything that has come before it, the ending fails to redeem this movie.

Read Best Reviews of Good Luck Chuck (Unrated) (2007) Here

Mr. Bernabo and Ms. Richards wrote all the true words in their reviews to warn me away, but the opportunity to see more "on-screen Jessica Alba" was so overpowering, I went on and watched it anyway. Was I ever sorry!

Dane Cook and Dan Fogler are two of the worst actors I've ever seen. As best as I can remember (I'm trying hard to forget this movie) all of the humor was based on two guy sidekicks saying the most inappropriate words at all the most inappropriate times imaginable. I cannot think of a role either actor would be suited for. It's not even worth a review -think of this as a warning to your entertainment welfare.

The writing for this movie was just awful. And lord knows I adore Jessica Alba, but even that darling couldn't make this movie worth watching.

An overall abysmal effort.

Want Good Luck Chuck (Unrated) (2007) Discount?

I thought the movie was funny. Paced a bit fast, and the jokes could have been written a bit better, but I thought the movie was actually fun to watch. I was expecting Jessica Alba to be horrible in her perfomance (ie Honey), but I liked her acting in this movie, she fits the romantic-comedy genre better than anything she's done thus far. And Dane Cook was also funny, albeit sometimes over did some of his reactions. All in all, it's a fun movie, nothing you'll go telling your friends to go out to buy, but still worth a watch!

Save 47% Off

The Last Word (2008)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 03:10:00 -0800

Another excellent production from ThinkFilms, where the past is dragged along as the future becomes epigrammatic and silent.

Evan (Wes Bentley) chances to earn a modest living writing suicide notes for clients who no longer have the desire or the strength to live. His poetry is in dissonance with his imperturbable and aloof demeanor, which deadens the aura of every frame he is involved in, even the more erotic and moving. However the plot hits a high note when Charlotte catches a glimpse of him at her brother's funeral, whose suicide note was authored by Evan. She does not become acquainted with the nature of Evan's poetic engagements and amid strife and guilt becomes endeared and ultimately enamored with the numb introspective intellectually brooding Evan. Charlotte here played by Winona Ryder with effortless wit and sophistication, teeming with energy and spontaneity chases after Evan, for what initially seems to be a means of making amends and an effective way to grieve, only to eventuate into a full-blown passionate love affair which Evan fails to repel intent on keeping his stoic persona, for his resolve is overwhelmed by the appeal of his ex-client's beauty and joy de vivre, her flair and her impulsive absorption into a life she is emotionally engaged in, and one which, to the contrary, Evan distrusts and lives only at a distance, removed from the exuberance it excites in Charlotte.

Matters are further complicated as Evan befriends a client (Ray Romano), whose honest pitiful and cynic character offers many of the laughs in this production amid the torture of a numbness that echoes in the hollow inner lives of the prospective suicides.

We increasingly become aware of the pain Evan has been repressing and silencing and the cathartic effects he gleans from his sinister job. Amid quotes of terrifying darkness, and an emotional vacuum we find the impetuous Charlotte and the humor-twisted friend-client wrest Evan from the lull of his life which implodes when threatened by a thief with words reminiscent of his abusive father's violence. The cold and detached protagonist is played to perfection by Bentley whose acting style lends him agreeably to such roles.

The writing is extraordinary, on par with Being John Malkovich and The Eternal Sunshine, but the directing is rather impervious to the brooding feel of the movie, and tends to contrast with the dark comedy which opportunely offers relief and gut wrenching laughter. Sinister but philosophically deep, eloquent and scintillating whenever Ryder is on the set, we become stirred and jolted as we recognize how emotionally retarded human beings are and how much pain must be suppressed to live as socially integrated human creatures. The end sizzles with raw energy and emits an overcharged tone of loss and redemption deadened just enough to dispel despair, blunted by the sterility of a love affair that spurs Evan to new horizons however hopeless and alienated from desire they may be. The quiet remains and pierces deepest when Charlotte turns her back on an affair that is impossible, unhealthy and warped. The acting and the script make this an exceptional viewing, if only the directing was as able we'd have a masterpiece.

This production, is described indelibly in one of Evan's note, where we linger on drifting away from memory's shore...

"The Last Word" tells the improbable story of a standoffish suicide-note writer (Wes Bentley) falling in love with the sister (Winona Ryder) of one of his clients. The more she learns about him, the more she likes him--until she discovers what he does for a living. The best performance in the movie comes from Ray Romano (and I've never been a huge fan of "Everybody Loves Raymond") as a prospective client who works doing background music for schools.

If you can get past the improbability of the basic premise, there is much to enjoy in this movie. Bentley makes his character believable (as much as any one person could), and Ryder gives a lively performance. A good rental with a Sundance pedigree.

Buy The Last Word (2008) Now

Romantic comedy??? Perhaps a romantic dark comedy without too much romance or comedy...although I did find myself laughing a few times. Wes Bently stars as Evan Merak, an aloof person with his own issues. He professionally composes suicide notes like a Russian novelist. He attends the funerals of those who actually go through with the deed, mostly to hear and critique his own composure read out loud.

While attending a funeral he meets the moody Charlotte (Winona Ryder) the sister of a victim. They end up dating. Evan tries to keep his specific relationship with her brother a secret and lies to Charlotte. Charlotte is comparatively unsophisticated, and like Winona she thinks a good date is one that doesn't try to "steal my credit card." (One of my several LOL moments.) In one early scene at a diner she has on no make-up or jewelry then in the next scene she is driving Evan home from said diner and has on her painted face as well as wearing pearls...something she wears later on in the film...Geoffrey Haley,another Ed Wood academy graduate. Here's your card.

While Evan is trying to keep things a secret, he is aiding other clients which raises Charlotte's curiosity level. You wait for the climax scene when he confesses everything to her. Decent film for quirky indie lovers.

F-bomb (thank you Winona), no on screen sex or nudity

Read Best Reviews of The Last Word (2008) Here

Winona Ryder is great in this film, as is Wes Bentley. What really caught me was the way downtown LA is the backdrop for the story along with a couple of other interesting LA neighborhoods. Downtown has always struck me as a vast wasteland and an easy place to get lonely or killed, which ever happens first. Winona nails the role of an LA Woman perfectly. She comes on really strong then fades away just when you think you can capture her... No one plays a dry personality as well as Wes Bentley and he's as dry as the desert in this movie.

Want The Last Word (2008) Discount?

Lovely Winona Ryder excellent as ever! I recommend this DVD to everyone! Great movie, great cast, script and the direction!

Save 47% Off

He Was a Quiet Man (2007)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 01:44:00 -0800

HE WAS A QUIET MAN echoes the all too familiar news item of irrational killings in public places here, in this country, by seemingly 'normal indistinguishable people'. Writer/director Frank A. Cappello has a good grasp on his subject matter and probably intended the rather slow movement of the film to underline the 'ordinary' situations that in a flash become extraordinary. And he has a fine cast to demonstrate his thoughts.

Bob Maconel (Christian Slater in fine distorting makeup) is a nerd, an ordinary geek who checks numbers form his sterile cubicle in a massive corporation, heckled by the 'fast guys' like Scott Harper (Jamison Jones). He loathes his life, his crumby house and unkempt lawn, and most of all the loathes the people with whom he works except for one Vanessa (Elisha Cuthbert) who has a 'smile that lights up a room', but pays no attention to the geeky Bob. Bob is deranged, talks to his goldfish at home (and they answer back!), and plans to kill the most offensive of his fellow workers. But in the adjacent cubicle there is a like mind who beats him to the show and one morning opens fire killing five people and wounding Vanessa with a bullet to her spine that leaves her paralyzed: Bob serendipitously uses his own gun to kill the assailant and becomes a hero for the corporation.

Though Bob is unchanged in appearance or outlook he is elevated to VP of Creative Thinking under the head boss Gene Shelby (William H. Macy). He visits Vanessa in the hospital, suffers her tantrum at being a quadriplegic, but finally is called back to her bedside and sweet-talked into being her hero life-saving guardian and more. Once Bob feels needed and perhaps 'loved' by Vanessa he begins to change, only to have unfortunate reminders of reality enter and alter his life yet again.

Though the subject matter is rather terrifying, Cappello elects to present this tale as black humor. In the hands of less competent actors it would like have been a dud, but with Christian Slater's finely nuanced performance the film takes on a powerful sheen. The line between madness and normalcy is a thin one indeed and there are many disturbing lessons to be gained from watching this small but well-done film. Grady Harp, February 08

Count me as one of those that really admire (most) of this film.

My disappointments: I don't like the fire hose volume of profanity and don't believe it represents real life as much as those justifying it want to pretend it does. And there is one rather disturbing sex scene that could have been handled differently to make the same point. These kinds of scenes aren't "real" and certainly can't compete with movies made to arouse. So, why have them?

Christian Slater is terrific as the deeply disturbed Bob Maconel. He is a cipher and used as an office whipping boy by a couple of low-level low-quality bullies passing for managers. Like many office drones, he dreams about a woman at the office. His dreamgirl is named Vanessa who notices the ceramic bobble hula girl he keeps on his cubicle, but she is too absorbed in her blazing rocket of a career to even pay attention to real people in anything but a passing manner. But she has a smile that lights up a room, as the movie keeps noting.

Bob takes his lunch on a spot where he has a view of the company skyscraper and has a little plastic box with a button so he can fantasize blowing the building to kingdom come. More disturbingly, he has a real gun with real bullets that he ritualistically loads by naming who each bullet is for. But he hasn't been able to bring himself to pull the trigger. During one performance of his rite he drops a bullet and while he is on the floor a gun is fired and people start dropping while others scream. An old man has carried out Bob's fantasy and they strike up a conversation that ends up with Bob emptying his gun in the old man.

The rest of the movie teases out how Bob is treated as a hero, is promoted, and his connection with Vanessa who was made a quadriplegic in the shooting (the shooter thought she was someone else). So, Bob has this secret that others approach but no one will really confront. Even the company shrink appears only to be be circling the core issues.

William H. Macy plays the CEO, Gene Shelby. Vanessa was an up and coming VP who reported directly to him and their relationship combined the very personal with the professional. Gene isn't really a bad guy, but just a ordinarily flawed guy running a company. Others project their own fantasies and frustrations onto him and that is a quite realistic aspect of the film. One funny aspect of the film is that Gene's desk is made up of multiple tables that are, together, somewhat larger than Rhode Island.

The way the movie is filmed handles the madness and melting realities very well. I had not seen these kinds of visual symbols before and thought they were quite effective.

Why some call this a comedy or a black comedy is beyond me. Yes, there are some comic moments, but the overall intent of the movie is serious. True, Bob carries on mutual conversations with his goldfish, but what do you expect such an isolated man who has drifted into madness to do?

I think this is a very effective movie and recommend it for the right audience (keeping my caveats in mind). For me, it was a Christian Slater tour-de-force.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

Buy He Was a Quiet Man (2007) Now

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This movie wasn't bad for a Slater film. "He Was A Quiet Man" (the title refers to those comments by neighbours, after they discover that kindly Mr Jones at number 23 was actually an axe murderer) is the role of a lifetime for Christian Slater, who almost disappears into his character. It's hard to believe that this watery-eyed dork is Clarence from True Romance. Bob is quite possibly the most ineffectual man you could wish to meet he just lacks a cruel mother to make the picture complete.

And yet Bob actually isn't, in the world of the film, any worse that the dreadful people who surround him. It's an excoriating portrait of corporate culture; happy hour at the bar over the road, a few rounds at the driving range at the weekend, pointless, demeaning work. The film is no gentler on the treatment of the disabled. In particularly when Vanessa returns to the office in her wheelchair, her former colleagues talk down to her as if she was a toddler. Director Frank A Cappello frames the film to exaggerate Bob's sense of alienation in the world. Bob trudges slowly out to lunch as speeded up cars roar past him. He is often shot in extreme close-up, sweating, with a particularly attractive pimple glowing on his forehead.

In the end, though, the film fails to say anything terribly original about alienation and the modern world, other than that it's enough to drive some people crazy. And I think we knew that. A moderately entertaining oddity.

Read Best Reviews of He Was a Quiet Man (2007) Here

I had the pleasure of being invited to watch the screening of "He Was A Quiet Man" in LA the 15th of March at the Wilshire Fine Arts Theater. I am not a film critic therefore I can't really dissect the film and all its cinematic attributes. I can only say that the story was very cohesive and consistent. The characters were completely believable and the dialog, camera work, music, editing and special effects were first rate. The story itself is what makes this film special. I don't even want to start to recap any part of it for the readers because being a "dark comedy" requires fast transition from being taking down a serious and dramatic path only to be presented with dialog and/or visuals that instantaneously transition to comedy. That takes witty dialog, perfect timing in presentation and results in audience spontaneous reaction with laughter. This film does all those things and very well. Therefore, if I "preview" any of the film's action or twists and turns, it will utterly ruin it for you when you see it for the first time.

What this film does not do is wrap everything up in a neat package in 100 minutes. Nor do I think it is supposed to. The film and its story is very complex but not in a confusing way. What I mean is that when you walk out of the theater, the film literally continues in your head for the next 24 hours. As you will process what you saw and experienced and remember details that you might have missed or overlooked in the theater and you will experience what I call "Ah Ha" moments of understanding. I recommend that you see it with a friend that you can talk to about it over the next several days and compare impressions and observations with. Frank Cappello who wrote, directed, co-produced and even wrote the music for the movie has given his best work yet. The cast and crew responded in kind and created a real work of cinematic art for us to enjoy. If you enjoy a film that is a bit quirky, contains lots of nuance, makes you think and at the same time may expose a little of your own insecurities, I highly recommend the film as a must see not just once but several times.

Want He Was a Quiet Man (2007) Discount?

Christian Slater takes on the role of the bullied office worker hopelessly infatuated with a young female colleague. His boss is verbally abusive, his colleagues remote and his personal life lonely. Other than his pet fish and TV he has no other activities once he leaves his miserable office. Even his next door neighbors are hostile.

This film is a cross between many movies we have seen in not so recent past. I keep thinking about "The Machinist" film about a man who is so delusional that he is unable to distingish his thoughts from reality. In this role, Slater brings performance that is absolutely amazing. Even his physical appearance makes him a whole new persona. I was mesmerized by the film but the ending left me wondering. That is until I saw film extras and realized that director himself had difficulty deciding on the ending. There were three alternate endings.

Performance and story are compelling. Fans of the actor William H. Macy will be delighted too. While this film may not have a mass appeal of box office smash, it is definitely worth watching.

Save 52% Off

Copacabana (1947)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:35:00 -0800

Groucho Marx and Carmen Miranda star in this rather humorous movie entitled Copacabana. Although Amazon states that not all the material is first rate, I personally liked it very much. The plot moves along at a good pace and the action never stops in this zany, funny story.

Lionel Q. Deveraux (Groucho Marx) and his fiancée of ten years Carmen Novarro (Carmen Miranda) simply can't make it in show business despite years of trying their best. After they get kicked out of the famous Copacabana nightclub they must face the hotel night clerk who threatens to kick them of their hotel as well because they can't pay their bills. Lionel has a brainstorm: he'll become Carmen's manager and book her at The Copa no matter what!

At first, the owner of the nightclub, Steve Hunt (Steve Cochran), doesn't want to even try out Carmen--until she magically appears doing her number. Steve likes her after all; and trouble ensues when Steve asks Lionel if he has other acts to spice up the nightly entertainment at the Copacabana. Lionel gets very flustered but in another moment of good quick thinking he tells Steve Hunt he has another client, Mademoiselle Fifi. Steve orders Mademoiselle Fifi to appear at the club for an audition the next day--and Carmen and Lionel go into a panic.

Lionel and Carmen must figure out a way for Carmen to appear nightly as both Carmen and Fifi. It sure gets rough--and when Steve Hunt falls in love with Mademoiselle Fifi things become REALLY rough! To complicate matters further, Steve's secretary Anne (Gloria Jean) has a crush on Steve and can't get up the nerve to tell Steve. Meanwhile, every so often, singer Andy Russell, playing himself, sings a ballad--that's the only part of this movie that could have been cut. Andy sings wonderfully; but it doesn't really fit into the plot very well.

Many questions arise: Will Carmen be able to keep up the frantic pace, changing costumes every five minutes so that she can be Fifi and Carmen at the nightclub at the same time and not have anyone suspect anything? What if really big time agents hear of the glamorous Fifi--could this complicate matters? What will Steve Hunt and the rest do if big time agents want Fifi to star in a movie? Ultimately, will people come to believe that Fifi and Carmen are truly the same person? Or will Carmen and Lionel pull the whole thing off and never have them find out the truth? No spoilers here, folks--you'll just have to get the movie and watch to find out for yourself!

The choreography works well for the stage show numbers at The Copacabana; and the cinematography never falters either.

The DVD comes with no extra features--but the film is so good I'll ignore this disappointment anyway.

Overall, if you want a good Groucho Marx flick from his later years in movies, you can't go wrong with Copacabana. Carmen Miranda turns in a marvelous performance that would make most Hollywood screen goddesses green with envy! The supporting cast bolsters the antics as the plot moves along; and the film provides plenty of good laughs.

Enjoy!

Copacabana(May/47)stars the irrepressible Groucho Marx and the beautiful and talented Carmen Miranda.This movie was a first of sorts for both of them.It was Groucho's first film foray since his split with his brothers and this was Carmen's first strut before the cameras since leaving 20th Century Fox.If it wasn't for the talents of these two the film would be completely forgettable.

The story here involves a "talent agent" Lionel Deveraux(Marx) whose sole client is Carmen(Miranda).Desperate for a job for Carmen he goes to the Copacabana club,owned and run by Mr.Cochran(Steve Hunt)with his faithful secretary by his side Anne Stuart(Gloria Jean).He manages to weasel a quick audition for Carmen which seems to go well.However Cochran is not quite satisfied ,as he had more of a singing chanteuse in mind.After a quick change(she has her face partially covered with a veil) Carmen comes back as Mademoiselle Fifi and wows Cochran with a number in French.He tells Devereaux he will take BOTH the girls,which leaves Carmen and her agent trying to figure how to accomplish it without getting caught.As Carmen only has to travel from one floor of the Copa to the next all goes well until Devereaux crazily sells Fifi's contract to a competing agent for $5,000.Trouble is the new agent is going to get Carmen about $100,000 for starring in movies in Hollywood! Devereaux finds out and wants to get his client back but when that doesn't work he comes up with a scheme to get rid of Fifi.This also back fires as the police get involved and Devereaux is now a suspect in Fifi's murder.In the end Carmen and Devereaux fess up and they along with Cochran and his secretary live happily ever after.

The plot here is so threadbare and mundane that if it wasn't for the talents of Marx and Miranda it would be a total wipeout.Marx here is certainly entertaining but he always appears a little antsy and not quite comfortable with his role throughout the film.Though there are a few cute moments,in general the gags and jokes are just not what one would expect from him.However in his defense Groucho was working from a script which was weak to begin with.The glue that really holds this picture together is Carmen Miranda and she actually amazes me at times.She shows just how under appreciated a talent she was.Her acting is marvellous as she holds her own with everyone including a clowning Groucho and she sings not only in English and Portuguese but in French;and beautifully!Her first number is the famous "Tico,Tico" then she does her French number "Je Vous Amour".Her final number is at the end as she sings "Let's Go to the Copacabana".

Groucho even gets in on the singing routine with "Go West Young Man" surrounded by a bevy of beauties from the actual Copacabana club in NYC,who are seen throughout the film.In fact they open the film with a completely lifeless and forgettable "Hollywood Bound" number. Popular singer of the mid to late 40s Andy Russell(a Capitol recording artist of the day)is on hand and does well with the four main numbers he sings.He also does a nice turn with Carmen singing "He hasn't got a thing to Sell".

Technically the film has been transferred well.In fact this print is very good to excellent throughout.It is generally very crisp and clear.The DVD however has no extras of any kind to speak of.

As a trivial aside,you might have noticed,or will notice when you watch the film,that an assistant to the producer is one David Sebastian.David was the producer's brother in law and David was given the task of sussing out Carmen before production began because of rumours she was temperamental and hard to work with.Of course nothing could have been farther from the truth and in fact as circumstances would have it,David and Carmen married before the picture finished shooting! And as a tie in for the NYC premiere of the movie,Carmen appeared at the real Copacabana before its' release singing songs from the movie and performing for appreciative crowds.It certainly boosted attendance and improved what otherwise would have been even more lackluster reviews.

Certainly not a bad movie but far from great.The plot is thin and the gags weak and don't expect Marx to be up to the level he was at with his brothers.Carmen shines throughout and is the glue that holds this entire "model" together.Miranda fans will want to get this DVD for that alone,if for nothing else.

Buy Copacabana (1947) Now

I have always been a fan of the Marx Bros. and have most all their movies, This movies has only Groucho but it also has Carman Maranda. The plot is based around what might be a Marx Bros. adventure with Carman Maranda easly making up for the lack of the other brothers. I think this is an exelent movie for those who want to see Carnam Maranda and how talented she is. This movie is light harted fun and adventure and a peek into the styles of the time.

Read Best Reviews of Copacabana (1947) Here

Putting Groucho Marx and his cigar in a movie with Carmen Miranda and her fruit basket headdress certainly seems like a good idea, but nobody bothered to write a decent script for this 1947 musical comedy (and you can only think of all the Groucho one-liners that must have ended up on the cutting room floor). The plot, such as it is, has Groucho as Lionel Q. Deveraux, an agent who has one client, Carmen Novarro (Miranda). To make money he has her pose as both a Brazilian bombshell and a French chanteuse to fool nightclub owner Steve Hunt (Steve Cochran). There are some minor subplots involving romance, but they are of tertiary interest at best.

Of course for me the only worthwhile moments are when Groucho is on screen and making with the jokes. The musical numbers are okay, but nothing memorable. If all you have seen are parodies of Carmen Miranda in action then this exposure to the real thing has its value as well. She also works well as a foil for Groucho, which is not really that surprising. You can either be totally flustered or joyfully oblivious to Groucho's zingers and Carmen goes with the later strategy to good effect. "Copacabana" is no substitute for a "true" Marx Brothers film, but despite that inherent limitation it is not a bad film. It would rate a 3.5 but we round up because, after all, it is Groucho.

Want Copacabana (1947) Discount?

Carmen Miranda with French Accent? Yep, and she's even better than Groucho. 2013 BD release

First a note that Amazon groups ALL releases of a film together and you will see reviews of DVDs going back to 2007 here. I always recommend to folks that they sort reviews by "newest first" and note the date of the review. Thisone is the 2013 BD release from Olive Films

This 1947 film the first that Groucho Marx made without his brothers is being reissued by Olive Films as part of their license from Paramount Pictures. It's a fun film with a standard "mixed identite;s" plot but there is enough music here to make up for it (as well some very attractive Copa girls. Groucho is very underused (you'll note the screenplay had THREE writers) but Carmen Miranda fans will love the fact that she sings her trademark "fruit hat" numbers as well as some with a French accent! Crooner Andy Russell gets a few too, as well as Gloria Jean.

The Blu-ray print is especially sharp and the original 1.37:1 aspect ratio is retained in the screen image.

There are no bonus features on the BD, not even the trailer. Thank you Olive for making the Paramount catalog available to movie fans.

I hope you found this review both informative and helpful.

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

Save 24% Off

Let's Make a Movie (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 03:22:00 -0800

But as a filmmaker I feel connected to this story, as a viewer I love it even more. It's a cute film about the process of making movies when you have no money and your crew is incompetent. I really enjoyed it!

Big fan of indie films, I do my best to watch as many as possible. I admit that its great walking away from the Blockbuster cinema every once in a while and watch a good movie. This indie is about a young college dropout student who took the risk to quit her dead-end job and make a movie with her friends. While there are no surprises in this film it is pretty funny and I just love the story of the young struggling filmmaker.

Buy Let's Make a Movie (2012) Now

Just a fun movie on the trials & tribulations of making a movie without a giant budget. A cute movie that any family could watch together. My grandson just loved it & will begin his future movie productions at age of nine.

Read Best Reviews of Let's Make a Movie (2012) Here

My Father the Hero (1994)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 01:45:00 -0800

I'm a real Gérard Depardieu fan and I enjoyed this movie a lot.

To be cursed with a beautiful daughter, and all the wonderful things that can happen as you have to let her go and grow... well, it's tough. I've got three daughters and man, is it ever a difficult thing.

There's real love and affection in here, even though the daughter attempts to reject all that her father has to offer... eventually there is a meeting of minds, even though there's plenty of misperceptions and 'stories' that get told by the daughter...

"He's my lover", not my dad is where this gets to be hysterical... and to hear Gérard Depardieu sing that old show tune about loving little girls... well, it's hysterical.

His overreactions, her fabrications, the warmth and love amidst the utter humor of it all.

A whole family movie or better yet, a date movie.

Worth watching repeatedly. Well worth buying.

Fourteen year old Nicole's parents are divorced and her French father, Andre, is taking her on a tropical vacation to the Bahamas. Reluctantly, Nikki leaves her mother in New York City for the ten day getaway. She is at the height of her adolescence and she's anything but excited to be in a place that is filled with "old people" as she puts it to her father. While there, she meets seventeen year old Ben, and she's instantly infatuated with him. Wanting to impress her crush, Nikki tells him that she is slightly older than she actually is, and that her father is not her dad, but her boyfriend! Nikki persuades her father into going along with the whole charade, and soon enough, the entire resort finds out and they are absolutely repulsed by the fact that a man of Andre's age has such a young "girlfriend." Hilarious situations and a number of laughs make this movie a winner. One of my all time favorites.

Buy My Father the Hero (1994) Now

This movie was really funny to me. I really loved Katherine Heigl in it, I wish she was in more movies. Alicia Silverstone was out for the role but she was too fat or something, but I think Katherine did a really good job. The script is funny, the whole thing about her making people think her dad was her lover was hilarious. If you don't want to buy this movie, you should at least rent it and watch it. It's adorable.

Read Best Reviews of My Father the Hero (1994) Here

Went with ordering a movie because Gerard Depardieu was in it. It didn't even qualify for silly and not worth the time to see it.

Want My Father the Hero (1994) Discount?

Brain (1969)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 00:36:00 -0800

A great David Niven comedy. If you like those 60s cops and robbers comedies like the Pink Panther you will probably enjoy this.

Headlined by Jean-Paul Belmondo and Bourvil at the height of their fame, The Brain aka Le Cerveau is a slightly silly 1969 French caper comedy with one eye firmly on the English language market with the casting of David Niven and Eli Wallach, though Olive's new Blu-ray and DVD release is of the French-language version that's some 15 minutes longer than the simultaneously shot abridged English language version released in the US, with Niven and Wallach rather impressively delivering their French and Italian dialogue themselves rather than being dubbed. Niven is the Brain of the title, the criminal mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery whose cerebrum is so large that in moments of stress his neck can't support it, and Wallach the Mafioso he wants to launder his loot from an encore of his greatest triumph with a NATO train carrying a $16m payroll. Unfortunately Belmondo's escaped small time convict and his reluctant pal Bourvil are planning to take the same train using the Brain's earlier plan, and even more unfortunately the highly possessive Wallach isn't too wild about the interest all of the would-be robbers take in his innocent sister (Silvia Monti) who's desperate to lose her innocence...

There's nothing terribly original here even in 1969 but there are a couple of nicely executed cartoonish touches, including a nice animated sequence (who'd have thought master criminals had teams of animators in their gangs?), and an enjoyably destructive bit of business with a pet leopard and a giant fishtank en route to the robbery and a Statue of Liberty finale. Belmondo gets to perform a few stunts, Niven gets to display his effortless charming scoundrel routine and, thankfully, director Gerard Oury keeps it all from going too far over the top even if it does drag a bit in places. It's a good looking glossy film, and Olive's region-free Blu-ray is very nice indeed no extras, but it's a good 2.35:1 widescreen version of the longer French-language version, although there are some curious translations in the odd subtitle here and there.

Buy Brain (1969) Now

I tried to get this movie for a long time. and now i am enjoy of this watching this movie

Read Best Reviews of Brain (1969) Here

Inept late 60s slapstick which brings out the worst in the four stars Belmondo, Niven, Bourvil and Eli Wallach. More interesting for the cars than the inane plot and cardboard effects. Apparently it was supposed to be a take off on then-popular heist films. It succeeds on almost no front.

Want Brain (1969) Discount?

Design for Living (The Criterion Collection) (1933)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 02:38:00 -0800

**EDIT 12-6-11** Overall, I'll say that Criterion did a great job on the restoration and transfer of this 1933 classic. I would describe the picture quality as very good, not perfect, but very good. Signs of aging are still evident throughout the film (mainly vertically running scratches), but not to the extent of distracting or taking away from the viewing experience. Quality-wise, this is the clearest, most crisp version of this film that I have viewed.

Based on the Broadway hit by legendary playwright Noël Coward, Design for Living is an excellent Pre-Code comedy from the always daring Paramount Pictures. Directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch, the film provides us with a refreshing look at the way American films were made before being heavily censored by the enforcement of the Hays Code in 1934. With the help of a risqué script from Hollywood veteran Ben Hecht, the director adds his famous "Lubitsch touch" to give us a very witty and fluid movie starring three of the biggest stars of the period. Gary Cooper, Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins have great chemistry together and really help to convey the message of the filmmakers you only live once so do what makes you happy, regardless of how others view you.

In its day, Design for Living was very controversial for two reasons. The first and most obvious reason being the very risqué plot involving a ménage-à-trois relationship between three young Americans living in Paris. This film really took a jab at the morals and virtues that certain groups, namely the Legion of Decency, were trying to infuse back into American cinema. The second reason is that many people, including Noël Coward, were upset that screenwriter Ben Hecht retained only one line from the original play. Whether true or false, it's believed he did this in part to remove the homosexual context present in Coward's play, fearing that this even more controversial subject of the day would inevitably lead to the film being heavily censored, if it was ever played at all.

As always, I will provide only a brief description of the plot itself, as I don't want to ruin the movie for someone who hasn't seen it. The film opens as two friends, playwright Tom (March) and artist George (Cooper), are traveling by train to Paris. While sleeping, they are joined in their compartment by a beautiful young stranger, Gilda (Hopkins). Gilda, who is an artist herself, commences to draw a humorously accurate caricature of the sleeping pair, both of whom are snoring with their mouths wide open and feet propped up. The drawing ends up being the icebreaker for the trio, and after some initial criticisms, they quickly become friends. From here two major problems arise. First, Gilda has a wealthy suitor named Max (played by the wonderful Edward Everett Horton) who has been courting her for five years. Secondly, both Tom and George fall in love with Gilda while being totally unaware of each other's feelings for her. One fateful day, immediately after the friends find out they're in love with the same woman, Gilda phones to say she's coming over. After her arrival, Gilda confesses that she loves both men equally, therefore she can't decide between them. Being the crafty woman she is, Gilda proposes an arrangement to the two unsuspecting men a "gentleman's" agreement allowing her to be with both of them. After a discussion, the newly formed group decides on one major clause in the agreement, no sex. Obviously this arrangement has the potential for causing some major problems, and well... it does. Everything I just revealed to you happens very early in the movie so there are many things left unspoiled. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years.

As I stated earlier, Design for Living did not sit very well with many people upon its initial release. On this note, I feel like I should clarify something. Just because something was controversial 80 years ago does not mean it will shock audiences today. This movie is fairly tame by today's standards, but in 1933 Hollywood its subject matter was eye-opening, very much so to film censorship advocates. Design for Living, along with Barbara Stanwyck's Baby Face, were two of the final straws that led to the Hays Code being actively enforced in 1934, severely limiting the content of American films until the late 1960's. After the code was enforced, Design for Living was banned by the Legion of Decency and denied a Production Code Administration certification, leading to the film being shelved and almost forgotten for several decades.

**Special Features and Technical Aspects As Listed by Criterion**

-New high-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)

-"The Clerk," starring Charles Laughton, director Ernst Lubitsch's segment of the 1932 omnibus film If I Had a Million

-Selected-scene commentary by film scholar William Paul

-British television production of the play Design for Living from 1964, introduced on camera by playwright Noël Coward

-New interview with film scholar and screenwriter Joseph McBride on Lubitsch and screenwriter Ben Hecht's adaptation of the Coward play

-PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by film critic Kim Morgan

United States

1933

91 minutes

Black and White

1.33:1

English

A disgruntled screenwriter stormed into director Ernst Lubitsch's office, threw 120 blank pieces of paper down onto his desk and said "Here! Give this the Lubitsch touch!"

Obviously, that's a writer's story...but the truth is that when Lubitsch did have a good script...or even a fair one, he was, indeed, able to bring that extra special "touch" to the material, thereby creating a series of risque' sophisticated comedies in the 1930s and 40s that have yet to be equaled. He was never vulgar in his "touches," but employed often hilarious visual suggestions, thus making it quite clear as to what was really going on behind those closed bedroom doors.

DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933) was adapted to the screen by Ben Hecht from Noel Coward's play. Miriam Hopkins stars as a commercial artist, who becomes smitten with both Gary Cooper, a struggling painter, and starving playwright Fredric March. The trio decides to live together...platonically...but you can imagine how long that aspect of the relationship lasts...and the problems that it causes. Edward Everett Horton co-stars in this witty, well-played comedy.

The Criterion Collection has released a marvelous 2-disc edition of DESIGN FOR LIVING that, aside from a new high-definition digital restoration with uncompressed monaural sound, also includes selected scene commentary by film professor William Paul, an interview with Joseph McBride on Lubitsch, plus a 1964 British television version of the play introduced by Coward and, best of all, the short sequence that Lubitsch directed for IF I HAD A MILLION (1932) featuring Charles Laughton. It was the funniest bit in that picture.

Finally, there is a booklet containing an essay by film critic Kim Morgan.

© Michael B. Druxman

Buy Design for Living (The Criterion Collection) (1933) Now

Amazing Pre-Code film that I'm ecstatic to see has been selected by Criterion for this DVD release. I've been a fan of this particular genre for over a decade and when asked by friends to pick a movie that would help introduce them to the best of the Pre-Code releases in existence and release, I almost always pick "Design for Living".

Everything is just spot on excellent performances, witty banter and a most unusual (yet completely plausible) exploration of the very nature of love and commitment. While missing some of the more naughty innuendo of the original Coward production, it still contained enough sex, sophistication and above all and at the heart of the film, a loving trio, to become one of the pinnacle films to sound the death knell on the pre-Hays freedom days and put into action the Production Code.

The bare bones of the story goes like this girl (Gilda) meets boys (Tom & George) on a train. The three start off as friends and I'll leave it at that. Any more would completely ruin the plot and though you can probably guess what happens next, this is a movie that should be seen, savored and enjoyed piece by piece and scene by scene. I must say though, if put in Gilda's situation and forced to choose between Frederic March and Gary Cooper at the height of their talents, handsomeness and charm, why not establish 'a gentleman's agreement', particularly when one of the trio is most notably not a gentleman?

Directed masterfully by Ernst Lubitsch from Ben Hecht's adaptation of Noel Coward's play, this is definitely more than a light, screwball comedy. It's one of the best, most sophisticated and unconventional romances you'll ever see on screen. Even for a modern audience, the theme is not outdated, which just goes to show how ahead of the curve many Pre-Code films were even when seen through our 21st century eyes. One has to wonder just how many more gems such as this we might have gotten, had the Code not crashed the party.

Read Best Reviews of Design for Living (The Criterion Collection) (1933) Here

Noel Coward, at least in the New York theater scene, is having something of another revival which prompted me to take a second, or maybe third look, at his work. No question he had a serious sense of plot and language when it came to writing "manner" plays addressing "high society (or what passed for high society in his day)," a look at that society from one who came to appreciate its frills and follies from a personal past of barely rubbing two nickels together. That is the case here with the film adaptation of the somewhat autobiographical sketch play, Design for Living (along some material help from his coming up from obscurity friends, the actors Lunt and Fontaine).

As with many adaptations from books or plays the relationship to the original source can be, well, attenuated as it is here, at least according to Mr. Coward, on the use of dialogue. But the general plot outline is similartwo guys, two artsy guys (one Gary Cooper who passes for the Midwestern All-American boy complete with ah shuck) and a world-weary gal get all balled up in a threesome, a love triangle, comedic or not, and for a while nobody could win. It all gets sorted out by the end but not before what passed for 1930s humor, including deadpan and slapstick humor, got a workout. This one is probably too tame for today's audiences having seen every kind of social possibility on the screen by now but in the 1930s this was, and rightly so I think, regarded as sophisticated comedy, and certainly the subject matter raised eyebrows. Not the best Coward (or Cooper and March) but interesting.

Want Design for Living (The Criterion Collection) (1933) Discount?

There's no doubt about what's going on in Design for Living, a delightful high comedy about a ménage a trois, written by Noel Coward as rewritten by Ben Hecht and directed by Ernst Lubitsch...and it's not hanky panky. No, it's just joyous, straightforward sex.

Please note, before any fastidious persons who fancy themselves "reviewers" nail me to a tree. I have watched this movie more than once when it was released as part of The Gary Cooper Collection. It looked good then, and I plead guilty to not having watched it yet in the newly released Criterion edition I expect Criterion has done it proud. I plan to buy it. I have no idea what the extras may be like, but then I seldom watch the extras or listen to any film's commentary.

When two artists, the painter George Curtis (Gary Cooper) and the playwright Tom Chambers (Fredric March), encounter Gilda Farrell (Miriam Hopkins) on the train to Paris, their 11-year friendship is going to be intriguingly tested. Gilda (with a soft "g") captures them both, and she reciprocates but can't choose. And why should she? She moves in with them. There's only one solution, however, to the inevitable problem. "Boys," she tells them "it's the only thing we can do. Let's forget sex." And with that, of course, neither they nor we can. Says Gilda to George and Tom later, "It's true we had a gentleman's agreement, but unfortunately, I am no gentleman." And says Tom to Gilda later, "George betrayed me for you. Without wishing to flatter you, I understood that. I can still understand it. But you betrayed me for George. An incredible choice!"

Ben Hecht often bragged that only one line of Coward's survived in his screenplay. All I know is that Hecht's words are some of the finest and funniest, as well as the most amusingly realistic, you're likely to find in a high-gloss Hollywood comedy. The movie just barely got in under the wire before the Production Code began to enforce the prude's code of morality on America. Lubitsch and Hecht create a sophisticated world in which going to bed with someone you like is as natural as...well, going to bed with someone you like. There's no leering or innuendo in the movie, just a reliance on the sophistication of the audience. For instance, Gilda explains to Tom and George the differences between how men and women sort things out. "You see," she tells them, "a man can meet two, three or four women and fall in love with all of them, and then, by a process of interesting elimination, he is able to decide which he prefers. But a woman must decide purely on instinct, guesswork, if she wants to be considered nice." The point we're aware of with a smile is that Gilda not only is nice, but smart, and that she's already tested the waters with each of them.

We start the movie with an ménage a trois, but one that turns into a duet with George and then a duet with Tom. After some encounters with business versus art, we all come to our senses and enjoy the sight of Gilda, George and Tom reunited in New York with a plan in mind. "Now we'll have some fun," Gilda says happily. "Back to Paris!" I have a feeling that forgetting sex won't be part of the plan for long.

The frisson of a bi-sexual ménage a trois is substantially toned down by Lubitsch and Hecht. While it wasn't explicit in Coward's stage play, one would have to be deaf and blind not to get the subtext, especially with Coward and Alfred Lunt as the two male leads when the play opened. In the movie, however, this just becomes inconsequential speculation, especially with Gary Cooper and Fredric March in the roles. Cooper manages not to embarrass himself in this highly polished comedy of sex and style, but it's clear that what works in Cooper's favor are his looks, not his line delivery or body language. March and Hopkins, however, are completely at ease and are a joy to watch.

Hollywood wouldn't make movies this adult and amusing until the Fifties, and even then the level of sophistication and respect for the audience, in my opinion, never fully recovered. Every now and then it's possible to come across in pre-Code Hollywood films of such mature pleasure you hope others will like them, too. Says one character in Design for Living, "Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of 100 per cent virtue and three square meals a day." How wrong he was...and is.

Save 40% Off

Austin Powers in Goldmember (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:04:00 -0800

There's much more to this movie than might be seen by your average reviewer. Yes, it repeats itself. Yes, it uses obvious gags. But, such is the spirit and style of the Austin Powers series. Myers may reuse jokes, or use obvious gags.... but the point here is that he does them WELL. He isn't repeating material from the first two movies because he's lazy. Anyone who knows him will tell you very quickly that he'd never let that happen... he is doing is because its funny. The opening is an obvious preparation for such total absurdity (and even a mockery of its own popularity) and all references to earlier movies are done with such self-consciousness that he obviously wants us to think about the previous films. He isn't trying to make it seem new.

Its barely a shallow movie, either. If anyone knows the background to the Austin Powers series, you've probably heard about Mike's amazing devotion to his father, Eric. (note the name of the production company.... Eric's Boy) And, what subject perpetuates Goldmember, in jest or in somber truth? Family and fatherhood. No, this isn't Shakespeare, but he is contemplating an issue in a special way that only a comedian can do. It is as if he is laughing at the Mike Myers that made the first two films. On that level of self-realization, the film is hardly shallow. If comedies aren't your bag, or you have to cry all the way through something for it to say anything to you personally, that's fine, but lets remember that this is a comedy, folks. Laugh a little. It won't hurt. I promise.

With that, I tip my hat to Austin, Dr. Evil, Fat, and Goldmember. Mike is one of the most talented comedians of our era, and I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

My twenty years old daughter and her boyfriend invited me to the movies with them to see the latest Austin Powers film. I went, somewhat reluctantly, as it is not the film I would have chosen, even though I had previously seen the two other Austin Powers films and enjoyed them. Well, am I ever glad that I did! It was, without a doubt, the funniest Austin Powers film to date.

From the great opening scene to the surprise ending, replete with cameos by Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, Danny Devito, the Ozzie Osbourne Family, Steven Spielberg, Britney Spears, Burt Bacharach, Quincy Jones, Nathan Lane, Katie Couric, and John Travolta, the film is a laugh riot. Austin Powers (Mike Myers) still has his mojo amd, together with his gorgeous female sidekick de jour, Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyonce Knowles), sets out to rescue his father, Nigel (Michael Caine), from the evil clutches of the notorious Dutchman, Goldmember (Mike Meyers). To do so, they must go back in time to 1975, the era of disco fever.

Fan of Dr. Evil (Mike Myers), Fat Bastard (Mike Myers), Number Two (Robert Wagner), Scot Evil (Seth Green), Frau Farbissina (Mindy Sterling), Basil (Michael York), and Mini-Me (Verne Troyer) will be happy to know that they are all back in this film. Mini-Me very nearly steals the show, and he does this without ever uttering a single word. Fred Savage joins the party as Number Three/The Mole and becomes a running sight gag throughout the film for reasons that will be obvious to the viewer.

The only problem in the film is with the character of Goldmember. He is the weak link, as he is simply gross and not particularly funny. What was Mike Myers thinking? Notwithstanding the fact that the title character is pretty much of a zero, however, the film is still hilarious, overall. The plot, what little there is, primarily exists to set up a lot of sight gags, send ups, and a number of very funny scenes. If, however, scatological humor offends your sensibilities, this is definitely not the film for you. If you are not easily offended by the crude and the lewd, then this film will make you laugh up a storm.

Buy Austin Powers in Goldmember (2011) Now

YEAH BABY!!!! Austin Powers is back, and as funny as ever. This movie features non-stop laughs that will have you rolling on the floor. I swear, what they said is right about how it has more laughs in one minute than some whole films (Zoolander!). Okay, I'll admit that the story is pretty nonexistant (there is some nonsense about a satellite and a meteor), but we don't go to Austin Powers movies for the plot, we go for the jokes, and this one has some killers. I especially enjoyed the opening credits scene with all the celebrity cameos. Dr. Evil (my hero) is funnier than ever, though its Mini-Me who really steals the show. Fat Bastard, while crude and gross, has his share of laughs. But we can't forget Austin himself, now with his father Nigel. Go see this movie if you want to laugh without having to use your brain for an hour and a half. You'll love it.

Read Best Reviews of Austin Powers in Goldmember (2011) Here

This DVD is made by New Line's division of Infinifilm. For some reason, the functionality of this DVD doesn't work on Panasonic players. About the only functions that work are Stop and Play. I feel sorry for Panasonic, because I got my DVD player for Christmas and thought it was a problem with the player. So I took the player back and exchanged it for another Panasonic player. But the "Pause" still didn't work. I just today found out that it is a DVD/Infinifilm issue and not a player issue. I'm afraid Panasonic is going to lose a lot of money if more people like me start trading in their players, because they think they don't work properly. Maybe Infinifilm should include a list of brands that its discs don't work with.

Want Austin Powers in Goldmember (2011) Discount?

In "Austin Powers in Goldmember," Mike Myers reprises his role as the swinging British superspy Austin Powers. He also reprises the roles of Dr. Evil and Fat Bastard, as well as creating a new character: the titular Goldmember, a Dutch villain with a rather unusual anatomical feature. Most of the cast from previous "Austin" films returns. Joining the cast is Beyonce Knowles as Foxxy Cleopatra (whose name is an apparent homage to two "blaxploitation" movie heroines). Also on board is Michael Caine as Austin's father, Nigel.

"Goldmember" continues the successful formula of the last two films: superspy action, musical numbers, outrageous sight gags, gross-out sex-and-toilet humor. There are some clever bits, such as a flashback sequence involving Austin and some other characters as youngsters at school. And Dr. Evil's submarine lair is a great visual device.

Knowles is an inspired addition to the cast as the sexy agent who promises that she's "a whole lotta woman!": she seems like she's really having fun with the role. Myers is likewise excellent in his quadruple role; I really could forget that it was him in all these roles, and enjoyed each one as an individual character. Myers has good chemistry with both Knowles and Caine. The returning Verne Troyer (as Mini-Me) is an impish delight.

I didn't think that "Goldmember" was quite as funny as the preceding Austin epic, but it is still a colorful and enjoyable film, and is further enhanced by a bunch of clever cameos (I won't spoil the many surprises by revealing them). If you're an "Austin" fan, I recommend it.

Save 33% Off

Senseless (1998)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 23:59:00 -0800

This movie has nothing but comedy written all over it. Fast moving plot with the right recipe of characters. Hilarious to the bone and excellent set up. If you are looking for a great laugh and enjoy the humor only David Spade and Marlon Wayans can bring, pick this one up. An excellent addition to any DVD collection. Fun for all to watch!

This movie is the best most funniest movie ever. i have seen this movie I dont know atleast 50 times. I never get sick of it. Its sooo funny, it will make you laugh your you know what off.

get it. you wont be upset with yourself at all. You will love it!

Buy Senseless (1998) Now

This movie came out in the late 90s when Marlon was in his prime. This is one of his better films, you know what to expect from the Wayans, laugh out loud comedy. You seen the show The Wayans Bros.(WHICH SHOULD OF NEVER GOT CANCELED!!! I WAS SO HEATED) but i digress lol, this movie is great, original material, the movie has a good concept, Marlon is spectacular. Buy this along with The Sixth Man, that movie is good money too.

Read Best Reviews of Senseless (1998) Here

This movie was much funnier than I thought it would be. I had meduim expectations, because the Waynes brothers are all hilarious, but I'd never heard of the movie, which isn't a good sign. First of all, never judge a movie and how funny it is if you watch it on cable. The editors and censors on tv edit some very funny stuff out of movies. Anyway, if you liked "white chicks", "hot chick", or any movie that includes lots of funny faces or drug humour, you'll love this movie (actually there is NO drug humour if I remember right, but the humour style reminds me of the type of humour that is found on Orange County when Jack Black administers ecxtacy to the Dean of the school if you haven't seen it you should).

This movie is funny enough that I saw it once and I've already bought it. Also, if you have seen "Without a Paddle" you should, that movie is funnnnny.

Want Senseless (1998) Discount?

I've seen this movie a dozen times (and no, I'm not a nerd) and it never get's less funny. The jokes still make me laugh just as hard. Marlon Wayans really shows off his comedic talent in this, probably more than any other movie he's ever done. See it and you'll know what I mean. The script is solid, and David Spade is the same as always, which is a good thing. I love the line "Dad, I know you love me! Remember that time you almost said it?" Check this movie out. Stuck up people with absolutely no sense of humor should not see this movie though, I wouldn't want them to actually have a good time while watching something, now would I?

K-On! Vol. 1 (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 03:32:00 -0800

K-On! is the first of two anime series based on Kakifly's seinen (young men) manga (which means its primary audience is males aged 18-30, not young girls as the amazon.com editorial review above would have you believe although that demographic would certainly also enjoy K-On!). The show follows the everyday life of four high school girls who decide to revive their school's light music club and form a band. From that point on, they spend most of their time goofing off.

This first volume (there will be four in all) contains the first four episodes in which the group 1) first meet each other, 2) help a member procure an instrument, 3) struggle with mid-term exams and 4) have a training camp at the beach.

Since it first aired in 2009, K-On! has reached immense popularity among anime fans and it's a shame to see that Bandai Entertainment's domestic release is something of a disappointment. The release has a number of flaws, the most significant one being the as-of-yet unexplained music replacement in the first episode, where an instrumental piece performed by the characters has been replaced by an altogether different tune. Add to that the complete lack of any of the bonus materials included in the Japanese release and the fact that they went with lossy Dolby Digital audio instead of lossless for the Blu-Ray, and the disappointments begin to add up. Thankfully, the video quality is stellar. One thing I can't really fault Bandai for is the decision to release the series spread across four individual volumes as opposed to a complete series box set. The license for K-On! was no doubt hellishly expensive, and they need to make their money back somehow. And besides, at the very least it is still dirt cheap compared to the Japanese release!

The only notable extra on this disc is a video interview with a member of the American dub cast. If you're a dub fan, you might find this interesting. The English dub itself is, while no masterpiece, at least pretty good for what it is. You can tell they went to great lengths to do justice to the original not an easy task considering the original set of characters is probably one of the most iconic casts to emerge from anime within the last couple of years. With the English dub being what it is an imitation it's never going to be as good as the original, but it is a decent attempt and should be appreciated by those with an aversion to reading subtitles.

All in all, despite being an imperfect release, I will still recommend it to anyone with an interest in this type of anime. From the get-go, it's good, charming fun and it is only going to get better from here.

Kyoto Animation has a track record of producing titles that go on to become mega-hit franchises. Haruhi, Lucky Star or their multitude of adaptations of Key's visual novels; no matter what they put out, odds are it'll go on to become a hit. But on top of that, they've historically struck an emotional chord with their excellent scripts, and wowed audiences with their lavish animation. K-On!, an adaptation of Kakifly's 4-panel manga series, is their most recent hit series. With such a pedigree to compete with, does this simplistic tale of a high school band rise to the levels of greatness seen by the studio's works, or fall into the trappings of other slice-of-life moe series? The answer is more mixed than you might think.

We join the protagonists as they all descend on a high school group known as the Light Music Club. On the verge of being disbanded, this club's intention is to make music that is enjoyable and pleasing to the ears. But the only problem is that, despite the fact that three of the four are well-versed in music and can indeed play instruments, they're... just "not very good", according to the group's guitarist. She's in no position to speak though, because she can't even play guitar yet. Yes, with this type of dysfunction, on top of school exams, summer trips and other hindrances, the future of the Light Music Club is uncertain.

Their comedic struggles, though, provide a nice four episodes' worth of entertainment in this first volume, however vanilla it may be. These episodes start with each character confused as to what exactly this club's intention is, and end with them having formed a bond and set in motion a solid plan to perform at the school festival. Nothing too challenging in terms of content, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.

This series' main strength lies not in it's plot, though, but in the tone that the writers set. As a reader of the original manga, I have to say that KyoAni did a better job of establishing these characters than their own creator did. Despite the fact that shy rich girl, keyboardist and excellent cook Tsumugi feels like a carbon copy of Miyuki Takara minus the irony, these characters feel like real people that you'd meet in your day-to-day life. Any viewer of Lucky Star can attest to the fact that this studio's storytelling specialty lies in the field of believable characters, but this time, I have to say they've done a better job than in their previous works. I was sucked into these characters' chemistry, and was frequently reminded of my relationship with my own friends. This attention of detail to personality really puts K-On! ahead of so many imitators.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the plot. While it is fun to watch these characters go about their day-to-day affairs, the fact remains that many of these affairs are typical things we've come to expect from this type of show. Beach trips to the rich girl's summer home, shopping trips which include a montage of looking a pretty/cute/fun things, the very concept of forming a dysfunctional club that gets into comedic incidents... these are all things we've seen before. It doesn't make the show any less enjoyable, but those expecting a total deviation in formula from Lucky Star-type shows might feel a bit disappointed.

But to those expecting KyoAni to hold up their excellent quality of animation, prepare yourself for one of the best demonstrations of their work. This could perhaps be the most attention to detail they've paid to a series since the first season of Haruhi. Every piece of background art, every ripple of the characters' clothing, and every movement of the characters themselves are all delivered to us in painstaking detail. This is the type of stuff that only KyoAni's budget can achieve, and it's damn beautiful to look at. While what they're showing us isn't exactly fantastical, the studio proves that paying attention to your everyday surroundings may reap more rewards than immersing yourself in imaginary worlds.

The voice-acting is top-notch as well. KyoAni's past megahits have boasted fantastic casts (in both their English dubs and original Japanese voice tracks), and this show is no different. Especially great are Stephanie Sheh and Aki Toyosaki as Yui, the ditz of a lead guitarist whose personality shifts every 0.5 seconds. Both actresses convey a perfect sense of ADD when voicing this fragile girl, one rarely achieved by V.A.s when voicing this type of character. Not to take away from the rest of the cast; everybody here is on their A-game.

Hajime Hyokkoku's score is the tidy ribbon which wraps up this neat package. Encompassing a wide range of musical styles (rock, pop, orchestral, techno, synthpop, etc.), this man has come a long way from his Voogie's Angel days (five points to anybody who'd heard of that series before having to look it up in the link!). This should cement into the realm of top-notch composers of mainstream anime.

Bandai USA's American release of the show is fairly bare-bones, but that can be forgiven considering it's just not feasible to release the limited edition versions we saw of Haruhi and Lucky Star (whose last volume didn't even get a limited edition release because of then-collapsing anime DVD industry.) There's an entertaining interview with Stephanie Sheh, and a handful of trailers, but nothing too special. If you have a Blu-Ray player, though, getting this show on that format would be your best bet to appreciate the animation in it's highest quality.

K-On! isn't KyoAni's best work, not by a long shot. But their most polished? Definitely. It doesn't reach the depths of Haruhi, nor the emotional highs of Air, but sometimes, we all just want to relax with some shiny fluff. That's exactly what this show is, and that's why I love it.

Story: B-

Animation: A+

Music: A+

Voice-Acting (both languages): A+

DVD: B

Overall: B+

NOTE: This is the same review that I posted on my blog, so if you run across it on there as well, be aware that it's not plagiarism. I just didn't want to write two separate reviews for the same thing! ;P

Buy K-On! Vol. 1 (2011) Now

Although I have no intention of counting one's chickens before they've hatched, at least I could say it's exactly a good thing that Bandai Ent. is finally launching this highly anticipated series on Blu-rays.

The problem here is apparently someone messed up the Product Details above. It says only Japanese audio is available while it also saying this title is dubbed, and 66 minutes running time is too short to hold even three episodes.

As I checked with the manufacture's web site, this title has English dub as well as the original Japanese audio with the English subs. It also says the volume #1 is to contain the first four episodes of the series.

I gave 5 stars based upon that information. However, I still strongly recommend you to be cautious before you order this item (If it contains only three episodes, 4 stars at best).

Read Best Reviews of K-On! Vol. 1 (2011) Here

K-On! never fails to amuse. Watching this show is like taking prozac, only without the side effects (save the desire to buy more).

Want K-On! Vol. 1 (2011) Discount?

Great lighthearted series about a group of high school students joining a music club that I would recommend for anyone or even families to watch.

Save 18% Off

Mad Money (2008)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 01:52:00 -0800

Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) suddenly finds herself out of money and upper class home when her husband Don (Ted Danson) gets downsized from his company. Unable to find a job, and out of desperation, she takes a job as a janitor at the Federal Reserve Bank, and as soon as she lays eyes on the vast fortune sitting around locked in plain sight, she starts hatching a plan to liberate some of it.

Her ingenious and simple plan requires the help of two other people, and soon she persuades the reluctant Nina Brewster (Queen Latifah) and the ditsy Jackie Truman (Katie Holmes) to aid and abet her scheme to steal worn out bills before they get shredded.

All together now:

And the money kept rolling in from every side

Jackie's pretty hands reached out and they reached wide

Now you may feel it should have

been a conscience-pricking scheme

But that's not the point my friends

When the money keeps rolling in, you don't ask how

Think of all the people guaranteed a good time now

Bridget called the needy to her, opened up the doors

Never been a fund like the Federal Reserve Bank plan*

After a while, there are thoughts of calling it a day, but Bridget pushes hard for milking it for all it's worth.

Short Attention Span Summary (SASS)

1. The lack of money is the root of all scheming

2. People who live with poor spouses shouldn't clean banks

3. A dollar saved is a dollar earned

4. Don't throw the money out with the trash paper

5. Money changes everything

6. Two things are certain theft and taxes

This is a light hearted comedy about three women from different backgrounds who come together to pull off an unlikely heist from a secure facility. Undeniably, there are more plot holes than plot, but who's counting? There are some funny moments, and some interesting twists, and even though the movie mostly misses the mark, Keaton and Latifah are as good as always. Wait for it on cable.

*Based on "And the Money Kept Rolling In (and Out)" Andrew Lloyd Webber "Evita"

Amanda Richards, March 21, 2008

Mad Money a brainy scheme of 3 women Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes try to smuggle millions of worn out currency that is headed for the Federal Reserve shredder. This movie is full of laughs and excitement and most of all lots of Mad Money. This in my opinion is a must see. I enjoyed these 3 actresses who are my favorite so much I now own it.

Buy Mad Money (2008) Now

This is a rare movie, where some of our favorite actors are involved in less than desired activities, and yet we found ourselves rooting for them. The movie is about three women in difficult situations, needing money and a change of perspective for their families.

Ted Danson delivers a great performance as the unemployed husband of Bridget, who not only lost his highly paid executive job, but is now depressed and confronting reality for at his age, he no longer feels confident enough to start again.

The three women work at what looks like Fort Knox, where money is disposed off by banks because it becomes too old to circulate. They simply shred millions every day. To support her family, Bridget, played by Diane Keaton, comes up with a rather ingenious plot that is both fun and believable.

In order to be successful in her plan to steal lots of money, Bridget enlists others. Nina, played by Queen Latifah, and Jackie, superbly played by Katie Holmes, become the other two in this trio of thieves. We found ourselves laughing, enjoying the suspense, and hoping that they get away with their creative money recycling business.

Read Best Reviews of Mad Money (2008) Here

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I thought this was supposed to be a comedy. While the movie was good, I wasn't laughing much. It's full of excitment but no so much on the laughter.

MAIN STORYLINE : When her husband loses his job, Bridget (Keaton) need cash fast. When she lands a job as a jaintor at the Federal Reserve Bank, her plan : steal money going out of circulation. She enlists the help of 2 people : 1. The one who shreds the money (Latifah) and the woman who pushes the carts of money around (Holmes).

PROS

1. Overall, it's a great movie

2. great Casting

CONS

1. Not so comedic

2. Unoriginal storyline The movie is a remake of the British movie "Hot Money"

3. No Subtitles.

I just felt the movie could have been funnier and the dvd to have subtitles. I like to read what I am hearing. And while the movies gets a thumbs up, because I didn't laugh so much at this "comedy", it's not worth the whole 5 stars

Want Mad Money (2008) Discount?

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Mad Money accomplishes its goal of treating a serious topic in such a light hearted way that you actually enjoy watching the film. The acting is extremely convincing and the plot moves along at a good pace. It held my attention every step of the way!

The action starts when Bridget Cardigan (Diane Keaton) finds out that she and her husband Don (Ted Danson) have finally gone broke after a year of his being unemployed after a "downsizing." Bridget tries in desperation to find work until her former maid gives her a tip that the Federal Reserve Bank is hiring--janitors. Bridget goes from being a wealthy suburbanite to a bank janitor very quickly as she attempts to save the house she has with her husband Don.

When she works at the bank, Bridget can't believe how much money she sees--and none of it, of course, is hers. They actually shred it! She soon concocts a plan to "recycle" some of the money and therefore steal it for herself and her husband. Yet Bridget knows she will need help; she can't do that big a job by herself. She eventually enlists "space cadet" Jackie Truman (Katie Holmes) who lives in a trailer with her husband Bob (Adam Rothenberg). She also gets help from an initially very reluctant Nina Brewster (Queen Latifah) who does the actual shredding of the money.

It isn't long before the women successfully make their first robbery--they pull it off! They're just beginning to celebrate when Bridget's husband Don walks into the room and there's some pretty big explaining to do. Bridget, no matter what, eventually convinces everyone with her aggressive attacks that more heists are necessary for them to have "what they want."

Of course, from here the plot can go anywhere. What happens when a security guard finds out what these three women are doing--will he go along with them and join them or will he turn them in? What about Bridget's plans to spend the money--that doesn't sit well with Nina who wants it very inconspicuous that there's been any changes in their financial situations--will Bridget or Nina win the tug of war? What about the management of the bank and the people they call in as advisers about theft--will THEY catch on and find that these women are stealing? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch the movie and find out! The ending has a few plot twists that may surprise you!

The DVD comes with a commentary; and you can watch it in either widescreen or full screen mode. There's also a cute but very brief "making of" featurette.

Overall, while Mad Money is not exactly going to win best comedy of the year, it isn't bad either. I recommend this movie for a few light hearted laughs and the acting is splendid. People who like Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton, Katie Holmes and Ted Danson will enjoy this movie, too.

Save 68% Off

Sex and the City 2 (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (coffee machines) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 00:21:00 -0800

"Sex and the City 2" has nothing on the HBO series and isn't nearly as good as the first film. However, as a huge fan of the franchise, I still enjoyed it because I got to see the girls on the big screen.

This film picks up two years after the first "SATC" movie. Carrie and Big are married and still living in NYC, but Carrie's afraid they're in a bit of a rut. Meanwhile, Samantha is struggling with menopause, Miranda's irritated with her new boss, and Charlotte's kids are driving her crazy. When Samantha lands an all-expenses paid trip for all four girls to enjoy a week of luxury accommodations in Abu Dhabi, all four women are thrilled at the chance to escape from reality for a little while. During the trip, Carrie is shocked to run into her ex-fiance, Aidan, in the middle of a Middle Eastern marketplace. How will this chance encounter affect her relationship with Big? Watch the movie to find out.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the movie. (Warning: I'm going to go into some spoilers that weren't included in the movie trailers.)

PROS

+ It's another "SATC" movie! If you love the girls, you will enjoy this movie at least a bit. How could you not?!

+ Although there was some Big/Carrie drama, it was refreshing that everything stemmed from Carrie's behavior this time. For once, Mr. Big didn't do something massively awful to screw the relationship up, which was refreshing to see.

+ The gay wedding was super over-the-top and ridiculous, but very funny to watch. It was also hilarious to see who was getting married (I won't spoil that surprise for you!).

+ Yes, some of the Abu Dhabi scenes were a little much, but I loved the luxury hotel scenes, and when Samantha started flashing condoms and screaming "Bite me!" to an angry mob of religious men, I wanted to applaud.

+ The girls get up and sing karaoke! And they do a good job! Who knew Kim Cattrall could sing so well?!

+The biggest pro for me...THANK GOD the film didn't feel the need to give Carrie and Big a freakin' baby. I am so sick and tired of society telling people that they need children in order to lead happy and fulfilled lives. Carrie and Big have a great relationship, a gorgeous home, and a rich life together. My husband and I are also child-free, and we get so many odd reactions from people when we have to explain that not having kids is our choice. I could very much relate to that scene with Carrie, Big, and the other married couple at the gay wedding, and I'm so glad the producers handled this issue the way they did.

CONS

Unlike the first "SATC" movie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda really took a backseat to Carrie in this film. Their respective subplots were all glossed over and were mainly used as filler material, which was disappointing.

With the exception of Mr. Big, the other supporting characters like Steve and Smith only had about two minutes of screen time each, which was another bummer.

The girls are still sexy and the clothes are still great. I love Kim Cattrall and I think she's gorgeous, but Samantha is supposed to be 52 years old now, and some of her outfits and makeup kind of made her look like a drag queen. It was very sad. Women can be sexy at any age, but that doesn't mean they can pull off any and every look.

Another character that wasn't featured in the film as much as it should have been was New York City! The city itself was such a central focus of the series and of the first movie. I don't think this film did it justice at all.

I enjoyed the gay wedding, but Liza Minnelli singing Beyonce's "Single Ladies" was too much. Seriously. All through the number, I kept whispering, "Make it stop!"

We all know that "SATC" is all about over-the-top fashions, but this movie took things a new level of extreme. On several occasions when Carrie stepped out in a crazy ensemble, everyone in the theatre could be heard muttering, "Seriously?!"

Why did Aidan have to show up?! Sorry, but I have always been on Team Big. I though this Middle Eastern run-in was super unrealistic. Boo!

Finally, if I ever kiss a man other than my husband, I doubt that my hubby will react by rushing out to a jewelry store and buying me the biggest diamond ring he can find. I'm just sayin'.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie, and I'm sure most die-hard "SATC" fans will like it as well. However, I hope that a "SATC3" is in the works, and that it's much better than this film.

I rented this movie to pass time during a blizzard. I thought I would watch a cute comedy, drink a glass of wine and get some laughs, I only laughed a couple of times. I enjoyed SATC the series and the 1st movie was pretty decent. The second movie....... not so much.

The gay wedding scene, for me was not that bad, the Liza Minnelli "single ladies" performance, I could deal with that, I thought it was slightly funny.

Carrie started whining about not going out every night, really Carrie; you are 1,000 years old, too old to be on the scene all of time. Younger women laugh at older women like Carrie's character who are always on the scene; you look pathetic. I am not married but the t.v. in the bedroom and Carrie thinking she is too cool to stay in w/ her husband being a big problem in the marriage was lame, immature, and made Carrie look like an old pathetic brat.

For the first time Miranda was actually the cool one; she was more chilled out, and the only person who was the voice of reason on their trip to Abu Dhabi.

Charlotte, a dumb plot, I mean storyline; there was no plot. Who is going to allow their nanny to walk & play around their children and husband w/o wearing a bra; come on.

The trip to Abu Dhabi was pointless, I was expecting the plot to begin once they arrived in the U.A.E. That did not happen. There was no plot. I have been to the U.A.E. I thought they would use the movie as a platform to break stereotypes about the middle east, they just reinforced them. The biggest one is that all women in that part of the world wear a veil, not true. Many of the women dress just like us. Samantha seemed tired and trashy,in America if a women grabs her dates crotch in the middle of a restaurant there would be plenty of people who would by outraged by it, why make it seem like the middle east is overly sexually repressed in that situation.

I was done when Carrie ran into Aidan in Abu Dhabi, so dumb. Kissing him, calling her husband to tell him about her misstep, and upon her return home he rewards her with a diamond. I pretty sure that just does not happen.

I was hoping the ladies would be growing old gracefully and being an example to younger women about accepting who you are at every age. But instead Carrie is old and whiny, Charlotte is an airhead, Samantha is a tired tramp, and all wore bad make up and even worse clothes.

Buy Sex and the City 2 (2010) Now

This. Movie. Was. Just. Too. Much. It showed absolutely no restraint on all fronts. There were so many reasons to hate this movie, but I'll name a few:

1) It was another road trip. I think the rationale for setting this movie in the middle east was something like, The audiences enjoyed the exotic road trip scenes in the the first movie, so let's create that. Plus the girls will have the opportunity to wear some bright, showy clothing.

2) It was culturally insensitive. The movie was written so that ladies would applaud at the strong women being strong women and sexually liberated antics, but when it is done at the expense of another person's culture, it is wrong. They should have hired a consultant from the middle east to run a sensitivity check on some of these scenes. It just felt like the typical American egocentric, index-finger shaking stance of "Our way of life is the right way to live. Your culture is backward!" Let the middle eastern people live in the manner they see fit. They didn't ask for Americans to validate them and bless their way of life. I just feel like whatever problems they may have is their cultural battle to fight, not ours. I cannot stand the black and white thinking. It feels so sophomoric. I hate when other countries talk crap about America, especially when they don't live here.

If a country is "sexually repressed" and you are not, I think the smartest thing to do would be not to visit. It is not liberating to pretend that you are somehow helping the women of that country by pushing your values on them. It's silly and imperialistic. There was a scene with one of the girls raving in a souk, that was absolutely cringe-worthy and horrifying.

3) The older the women get, the more childish they seem to act. Instead of embracing age with dignity and grace, one of the girls is desperate to turn back the clock. Everyone has to get old, everyone has to die, no amount of Louboutins or Herve Leger dresses is going to stop that from happening. Why not be a role model, show us young-ins how to age with grace, and make way for the new generation? Everything has a season.

4) I get it; you guys are rich! It was so so so upsetting to see the amount of wealth and waste that went into the movie and it was celebrated! In the middle of an economic and environmental crisis, there was just too much excess.

Before I saw the movie, I thought, during the second world war, MGM and other studios made these lavish films to take people minds of the war and depression, to give them an escape. But in this day and age it didn't quite work. I think it's because audiences know too much. Thanks to Sex and the City, Cribs, E! Entertainment television, VH1, Material(istic) Rap, etc, we know exactly how much a Maybach costs. We know exactly how much their suite costs. We know that designer clothes are not cheap and that wearing them to ride a camel it somewhat akin to Marie Antoinette saying, "Let them eat cake!" in reference to the poor French masses. We're riding camels in the Middle East wearing couture! Eat cake America (or should I say, "Wear couture America!")! The movie makers throw it in our faces and we know exactly what it costs. And more importantly, we no longer view celebrities in that soft focus kind of naive way. I know that SJP works out like a dog to maintain her body. I know that she is proud to flash her legs every chance the script gives her. (Her body is great, but sometimes it was a bit excessive as well.) I know that the reason why Kristen Davis's face doesn't move freely is due to Botox and fillers. The bubble on the dream has burst.

The movie's makers thinks it pulled back in respect of the economy. What was the first script like? Did they each charter their own private plane to Abu Dhabi? Carrie says that she and big downsized with respect to an apartment. Ha! Okay, thanks, for trimming a little bit of fat off the giant prime rib.

5) This movie tried to tackle too many things: marriage troubles, relationships troubles, sexual liberation, existentialism. It sinks in a quick sand of corniess and lacks direction. At one point the script even relies on a silly " on the look out" spy trope, where their heads pop out from around a corner in a synchronized fashion. I thought, "what am I watching!?" Sex and the City the TV show was too sophisticated to rely on such tired comedy. Sex and the City is having an existential crisis. I don't think that it was a show that ever meant for the big screen.

6) Frat boy humor comedy. From four ladies in their 40s and 50s--NO!

7) I get it! Samantha has sex. I just no longer want to see her do it. It doesn't come off as funny to see her with some guy on top of her. It is feels a bit demeaning because we've seen this before and there isn't a hilarious payoff. Sex scene with no meaning is just filler. Kim Catrall is too gorgeous and too good of an actress to be used like that.

8) No more heavy black eyeliner on Sarah Jessica Parker. It just makes her eyes looks small. Not flattering. Not sexy. Actually, the make-up in general was too dark and heavy on all of the ladies.

There is probably a lot more. I wish they showed more NY and delved deeper in an organized way into the girl's issues. I thought Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte's problems were the most interesting because the are universal. How do you define yourself after you have been married? How do you balance parenthood and self? How do you define yourself after a physical change? Why couldn't it have been a movie about the existential crisis, with nice clothes? If there is a next time, don't flash the clothing brands in my face (sorry advertisers!); let me wonder where they came from.

Ladies, maybe we can have it all. You just can't have it "all" at once and you certainly can't have it forever. But frankly, after seeing this movie, I think all is too much.

Read Best Reviews of Sex and the City 2 (2010) Here

Where do I start? Let me start with the ugly, jarring harsh makeup. What happened to SJP's lovely face? It looked like her original face was made of latex and then melted over a gas stove and stretched. Sweetheart--you're too OLD to have long dark two-toned hair. You're also too old to be that thin. SJP had the sex appeal of a dried-out stalk of wheat in this movie. Her character, Carrie, is unrecognizable now. The imperfect bubbly cute Carrie has been replaced by this humorless stretched out elitest shrew. She's the kind of woman now that Carrie would not have liked in the series. She's awful to everyone in the movie--condescending to the other characters. In fact, all of them are incredibly rude to "lesser" people--servents, foreigners (they're only foreigners after all!).

Worst things (for me):

-Samantha's wardrobe. WHY do they insist dressing Kim Cattrall like a bad drag queen version of Joan Crawford? She has a lovely figure and they always stick her in these ridiculous hard-edged power suits with enormous shoulder pads.

-Samantha also got the honor of saying the worst line of the movie "Lawrence of my labiaaaa!" which was embarrassing to witness

-Miranda was tolerable, except when she lowered the window of the car in the desert, screeching like she was at a sports bar at the goat herders at the side of the road--just culturally tin-eared and disrespectful and they seemed to rush to herd back the goats who were startled, glaring at this over-privileged moron in a $400,000 Mercedes

-Charlotte gets camel toe. Oh goody. More vulva jokes! Really? Does Charlotte have to be humiliated in some scatalogical way now in every movie? The spoiled entitled American idiocy of her holding out her phone yelling about reception on top of the camel was also atrocious. Again, completely disrespectful and something Charlotte of old would NEVER have done

-Carrie's prudish covering up of Samantha at every turn, but she shows up to meet Aiden (after hilariously kohling her squinty tired-looking eyes to even smaller proportions) in a thigh-baring cleavage-revealing top and skirt.

-Mr. Big, the true virile man's man, posing like a ponce-y English Noel Coward in brown satin pajamas holding a teeny tiny teacup and saucer.

-They ask Samantha what she's eating, even though most normal people, and particularly supposedly sophisticated people from New York City have known what HUMMUS is since like 1991.

I was a huge SATC fan, and I enjoyed the first movie, but this movie was the kind of irritating where you want to kick something or drink. My beloved characters were ruined.

Want Sex and the City 2 (2010) Discount?

Wow. Just. WOW.

And not "wow" in a good way, either! Sex in the City 2 starts where the first movie left off. I'm a fan of the original HBO series and even though that show didn't exactly do much for empowering women, it was still a guilty pleasure of mine. After all, there's nothing wrong with girls enjoying fashion, makeup, fabulous lifestyles in fabulous places, and MEN... Even if some negative stereotypes separating the genders were still enforced even if the show supposedly broke boundaries.

The first movie was unnecessary, in my opinion, and this second movie is even less necessary. And yet, I willed myself to see them both -it's just something one has to do if you're a fan of the show, and the makers of these films were definitely banking on the original fan base to sell this mess. It's clear the writers are different for this movie compared to the original show, because even though Carrie is just as lame with her stupid puns (which she THINKS are so clever) in this movie, the "wittiness" in these movies is more just for the sake of having some jokes rather than having the witticisms be part of Carrie's personality.

*** spoilers ***

I thought it was inconsistent with the characters' personalities that Steve would cheat on Miranda and they'd break up. I don't know if other people think differently, but that's just the way the movie hit me. I thought the subplot with Carrie and Aiden kissing in the Middle East was flat out forced and just stupid.

AND most important to me of all is that this movie is insultingly ignorant of women's issues in the Middle East.

Utterly ridiculous.

Subplots with Charlotte and Big and Samantha were all just excuses to bring familiar characters around for an extended SATC episode. Nothing shocking, though it tries to be. It's just all familiar, tired ground, and not interesting.

-and the karaoke scene! SO painful my stomach hurt, I was so embarrassed just watching it.

Rich, stupid, aging women act like teenage tramps in a foreign land and completely disrespect that country's customs. One can challenge a society's views without coming off as an ignorant snob, and yet that's exactly how these women came off.

YAWN.

Save 32% Off