Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Told through first-person narration, Sex and Death 101 is a little like the Wachowskis' The Matrix collides with Shainberg's Secretary (stick with me here). The premise: a (sentient?) "machine" has begun interfering with humanity, issuing e-mails that reveal a person's fate. While many people received an e-mail revealing their death-day, Roderick Blank was "gifted" with a list of every woman he has and WILL sleep with. Sounds great, right? Well, what the viewer learns is that "the chase" is fairly boring when the results are a given. Watching Rodrick try to plow through his list is dark and hysterical (especially when we reach Bambi and Thumper ... a world-class, lesbian power-couple). Now for the twist, the FINAL person on Roderick's list is a notorious serial-killer ...With a budget of five-million, Waters created a pretty slick film. The casting is quirky (in a fantastic way!!). Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens and Ratatouille) plays a lascivious lackey to the "Morpheus-like" Alpha. I'm entirely biased here (since I think Oswalt is one of the most adorable, underrated actors in Hollywood), but his character alone makes the film worth watching. Moreover, Mindy Cohn (The Facts of Life) was a brave and fabulous choice. All grown up, Cohn rocks her character. She adds sweetness to (what could have been) your typical "lesbian" character. Kudos!! Julie Bowen, Winona Ryder, and Simon Baker nicely round-out the cast. Overall, the acting is wonderfully on-point. We could genuinely loathe the character of Roderick BUT Baker brings an irrefutable charm to him. And, this is where the film is a success. Roderick may be a slick, handsome, fast-food King ("Have a startling and unique day!!"), but as he resigns himself to fate he becomes brooding and vulnerable. Love it.
Why should you watch this work? One: it has a montage of lower-back, Chinese-symbol tattoos to represent the passage of time (a great joke resides in this moment ... pay attention). Two: watching Roderick don faerie-wings just to join Bambi and Thumper (in slow-motion) ... TOTALLY WORTH IT! (And so funny). Three: the scene with the school bus ... that's all I can say (by far, the absolutely most unpredictable, wildly amusing moment).
I noticed that this work is receiving some seriously scathing reviews. As a harsh-critic, I respect the opinions of others. I have a feeling this film appeals to a niche crowd: one which seeks dark, erotic, adult faerie-tales (a la Shainberg's Secretary ... see, I told you to stay with me). If, like me, you find the American Pie style of films trite and juvenile, give Water's work a spin. It won't disappoint.
The premise of the film asks an interesting question: what IF you knew the names of all the women you would sleep with between now & the grave? Sounds great, right? Some supercomputer somewhere (I presume using chaos theory or something) has learned how to tell the future. It accidentally sends an e-mail to the persona (Simon Baker) which lists all the women he's ever slept with, as well as all the women he ever will become intimate with.
Problem is, the poor fella is supposed to be getting married, and this list messes everything up. So, he turns into a playboy and begins going down the list. Problem is, there is no longer any "challenge" in it. As soon as he's struck one girl's name off the list, he's ready to go on to the next one. The best analogy in the movie is when he says that his life is like a taped-delay game of a football game. He already KNOWS the final score & that his team won, but he doesn't know HOW they won. Along the way, he is offered consolation / guidance by his lesbian secretary (Mindy Cohn; the first time I've seen her in anything since The Facts of Life The Complete First & Second Seasons way back in the 1980s).
The main issue with the list is the name of the last girl on it. Her nickname is "Death Nell" (played by Winona Ryder) and she is a sort of black-widow who is out to have revenge on the male gender due to the fact that she was mis-treated by her ex. Uh oh!
There should be a rule that any movie with the word "sex" in the title should automatically have some obligatory nudity. Well, this film delivers on that, and we get to see some hot babes minus their clothes. The film was written by Daniel Walters (who also wrote the equally whacked-out Heathers). In the DVD extras he said he intentionally cast most of the actresses from Australia, due to the fact that Aussie babes don't have a problem stripping down on-film. We even get an ever-so-brief glimpse of Winona's left nipple, although it's from a distance & a bad angle.
This is what you would call a dark comedy, but it's one with a silver lining. It has some very warped imagery of Sleeping Beauty (Special Edition) and is a tour-de-force of every twisted male sexual fantasy out there including a few which are downright repulsive. With all that in mind, you should have an idea of what you're in for should you decide to purchase this DVD. People who are socially conservative should avoid this film @ all costs!
Buy Sex and Death 101 (2007) Now
Spoilers warning and adult themed review to follow.How can a sex comedy go wrong with such themes as turtle diarrhea, a lesbian power couple named Bambi and Thumper, a religious school bus group devirginization marathon, and/or knowing your sexual future? Or with script writing that includes a "sloppy fusion of genitalia", an "intercourse buffet" and a reference to that "whore-bitch Jane Austen"? If you are not amused or are even offended right now you might want to skip this movie (and review).
Daniel Waters has made a fun, original film about a man who is given the "gift" of knowing his future, specifically his upcoming sexual conquests, whether man or woman, all categorized on a nice list. Waters is oft remembered for his deviant writing with Heathers or Happy Campers, but in this case he gets to indulge a high volume of sexual perversions into one film.
The two leads were cast appropriately with a needed "pretty boy" in Simon Baker (I remember him most from his brief role in LA Confidential) and Winona Ryder playing the femme fatale/serial coma-inducer. A great supporting cast in Mindy Cohn, Julie Bowen (who I liked in the Ed TV series), the Janitor from Scrubs, Natasha Malthe, etc.
The film has two story lines, one involves the man who has it all that receives this list (origins of which can only be seen in the film to understand) containing all of his past and future sexual escapades. He gets this the week of his wedding only to find out there are 60+ names listed after his soon to be wife. The other story is Winona's character resolving her past sufferings by inducing comas upon every man she sleeps with. The remaining twists and interlocking plots need to be watched as they can't be explained without spoiling too much. Which leads me to the extras...
The DVD docu titled "101 Perversions" is an excellent insight into the minds and motives behind this film and for the first time on a disc docu they actually disclaim the piece as containing spoilers and recommend that you watch the film first. Waters' interview gets some nice slams on present day big comedy films "that suck", but includes some nice homages to Benny Hill and Fellini for this film.
I think this is what my customers have been looking for in a "good adult comedy" that doesn't involve lowbrow humor or have National Lampoon in the title (the later NLs).
Read Best Reviews of Sex and Death 101 (2007) Here
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Sex and Death 101 reunites Wynona Rider with Daniel Waters, respectively star and writer of the great 1989 cult dark comedy Heathers. Unfortunately, Sex and Death 101 misses the high standard of Heathers. The film is a blatant and rather tiresome sex comedy that needed a film editor. The premise is excellent: star Simon Baker plays the head honcho of a trendy fast food outlet (Starbucks meets McDonalds). He receives a mysterious email listing all the women with whom he has had sex and with whom he will have sex in future. He becomes obesessed with the list and the big question is: Is the list destiny, or is he making the list into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Now, throw in a female serial killer (Ryder) called Death Nell whose goal is to liberate women from abuse. Baker and Ryder's characters hurtle toward an inevitable meeting and relationship. Unfortunately, the film suffers from a confusing subplot involving a semi-divine supercomputer Oracle that sent out the list (and apparently runs on keypunch cards so odd) and the computer's "angelic" tech guys. The film also suffers from distasteful and distracting sexual content, including necrophilia (not for the faint of heart). The best episode in the film occurs about one hour into it, when Baker falls for a woman not on the list who "just wants to be friends". Baker's inherent charm, boyish good looks and comic talent make this episode very sweet and interesting. Baker also pulls off a marvelous sequence involving a relationship with a lesbian "power couple". Unfortunately, much of the comedy in this film falls terribly flat. Quite frankly, Adam Sandler is much more adept at the type of raunchy comedy to which this film aspires. Sex and Death 101 is worth seeing once, but be advised that it contains content that some will find objectionable. Running time: 117 minutes. Check out Heathers 20th High School Reunion Edition instead!Want Sex and Death 101 (2007) Discount?
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program What would you do if you know what would happen in your lifetime? Would you try to change your decisions, avoid the displeasing parts or meet everything head on? Well, writer/director Daniel Waters (Heathers, 1989) attempts to answer this question. What results is a satire of somewhat dark elements, oddly clever and maybe also be considered a horror flick in a certain way. "SEX and DEATH 101" is a sex comedy that is refreshing since it leaves the usual stereotypical elements of over-sexed teenagers and delves into the sex life of a guy over 30 (or 35?).Roderick Blank (Simon Baker) is guy who seemingly has it all; he's about to get married, has a great job as an executive in a fast food franchise called "Swallows" and has a lot of friends. His entire life is turned upside down when he receives a mysterious e-mail that lists all the woman he has and will ever sleep with; PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE. 101 names to be exact, and the funny thing is, his bride to be is only number 29. What's a guy to do?
Meanwhile, an enigmatic femme fatale called "Death Nell" (Winona Ryder) has become an urban folk hero because she targets those men who have committed violence against women.
"Sex and Love 101" is a dark comedy that somewhat reinforces the male anxiety. To settle down or to stay a bachelor forever? There are certain advantages and disadvantages, of course, and the character of Roderick Blank explores the why, the how and the when questions. I rather thought there were three acts in the film; Knowledge becomes power and power corrupts absolutely, the pursuit of an unreachable goal and the fear of your inevitable destiny. Personally, if I do come across such a list, I would probably be a little frightened but at the same time very curious. There is nothing like knowing exactly what your future holds, don't it? Yes and no.
Roderick Blank goes through his list and the film results in showing quite a bit of nudity. From a stripper, a centerfold named Cynthia Rose (Sophia Monk), a busload of beautiful virgins, to ultra-hotties: Bambi (Natassia Malthe) and Thumper (Pollyanna McIntosh), from a homeless woman to a leper, Blank goes through his list and the greatest relief from all of this is the fact he won't die until he has slept with each and every woman on the list. For the first half of the film, once you see a female character, you know that she'll be around for the next 5-15 minutes and she'll probably play a turning point in Blank's life. Miranda (Leslie Bibb) also represents the woman that Blank considers a pursuit and conquest---the one who put him in the "friend zone" and she isn't in his list. This element actually represented the idea that one can change his destiny. Well, Blank even considered necrophilia and castration just to offset the inevitable. The proceedings do have a `dark' humorous side as Blank considers his options and does contain some hinted amount of surprises.
Now just how did this list come from? Actually, the answer may be simpler than you may expect and well, it`s a bit hazy. Three men called Alpha (Robert Wisdom), Beta (Tanc Sade) and "Fred" (Patton Oswalt) are the guardians of an enigmatic group. Alpha is the intelligence, Beta is the deduction and Fred, well, he's the wild idea. You won't be far off in comparing this trio to the three "Norns" of fate in Norse Mythology and the these mystical beings of destiny are even present in Greek myth; who foresee the fates of both Gods and Men. Only instead of being women, this trio is made out of men. Fred is the one who feeds Blank with all the crazy ideas that he is about to have a lot of sex. Alpha well, he puts everything into play in a manner of speaking, he manipulates Blank into making his own direction.
For someone destined to have a lot of women in his lifetime, the actor has to be real smooth and devilishly handsome. I'm no judge to the male attributes but I thought that Simon Baker was convincing enough to pull it off. The film does have a clever script so whatever requires a large suspension of disbelief can be bought into, even though his acting may seem a little mechanical quite often. The supporting cast is led by Mindy Cohn (who plays Simon's confidant Trixie) adds a lot of depth and charm to the film's screenplay whenever she says "I'm so glad I'm a lesbian". Blank's interactions are competent enough that it does assist the film in its "non-sex" moments and rather fleshes out more of Simon's character. Why the heck does he have the last name "Blank" anyway? Winona Ryder may have limited screen time but her role is very significant. She plays the woman who has been abused and who finally realized that she is her own "Prince Charming". I do believe her character of "Death Nell" is a social metaphor or maybe for feminism. Winona is charming in her portrayal, well, in an imbalanced sort of way.
The direction was competent enough to keep me interested for its entirety. I was entertained but not really to the point of giving praise. The film clocks in at almost two hours, and for a movie like this, it may seem somewhat overlong and slow-paced. However, the film did attempt to fully flesh out the lead character, although, the plot itself had very little to work with. It took me a bit longer to warm up to Simon Baker but I did find the film to be a satisfying enough diversion. It's a welcome departure from the stereotypical sex comedies.
SEX and DEATH 101 is worthwhile effort, it's sexy, funny and twisted in its own way; and yep, there`s lot of skin in this movie. There were moments that were downright hilarious that I rather forgave its perfunctory climax and I thought it`s a charming piece of comedy. Sometimes it's better not to know and just go along for the ride of life.
Recommended! [3 ½ Stars]
Save 72% Off
0 comments:
Post a Comment