Johnny English Reborn (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2011)

Johnny English has been 5 years in retirement in Tibet learning the ways of the master. He is called out of retirement for a mission to China to hunt down "Vortex" an assassination group out to kill the Chinese premier. There are 3 keys, or key parts that must be gathered together to have access to a secret weapon.

The first good joke was the "Toshiba" sponsor sign for MI-7 secret services. The humor is more than just slapstick. Rowan Atkinson combines the sophistication and intellect of James Bond with the zaniness of Peter Sellers. Indeed, for those who loved Peter Sellers would also enjoy Atkinson who doesn't attempt to copy Sellers, but rather create a character in his own style reminiscent of the master. The early scene with the cat had me laughing out loud at the classic style of Atkinson.

English is aided by agent Tucker (Daniel Kaluuya), a sidekick that has his own failings. Excellent use of the sound track. Worth seeing. Simply hilarious.

Good family movie for the older kids. Imagine a good comedy without all that crude humor (okay it has some kicks to the groin). No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.

Rowan Atkinson shows once again why he is widely considered to be one of the top living comics. In lesser hands this film would not have been worth the price of admission. It took me back to the glory days of Peter Sellers and the inimitable Inspector Clouseau. Atkinson is also supported by a strong supporting cast including Gillian Anderson and the very lovely Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day). I can actually remember some James Bond films that I didn't find as entertaining as this movie is. I don't know why it took eight years to get this sequel. I would not mind another outing for Johnny English if it is as much fun as this one. Be sure to watch the end credits for one last scene!!

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This movie is a well written, action packed, dimwitted flick with the characteristic Johnny English intelligence (literally.) His adventures and misadventures alike will leave you chuckling throughout the whole movie. But beware, you have to like the persona of Johnny English if you want to enjoy this movie, otherwise you will just think it is stupid.

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Just finished watching Rowan Atkinson's (aka Mr. Bean) new movie "JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN"

I must say that this movie is FUNNY AS HELL !!! Best Movie he's done yet and the FUNNIEST Movie to come out in the past few years!!!!

This is for ALL Mr. Bean fans, or for someone who wants a good laugh!!

Oh, and don't forget to watch the ending credits as there is a "Special" Scene that is just Genius!!

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I thought this movie was hilarious.. it had me laughing so hard! If you liked the first movie, you'll love this one!

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My Life as a Dog (The Criterion Collection) (1985)

Few movies come this close to perfection. This is an intelligent and moving story of a boy who must come to terms with abandonment, loss and the casual betrayal of adults. Extremely well acted on all sides, with a bold script that dares to ask the important questions. Ingemar must try to find some balance in his life, as he is tossed from one "home" to another, like a stray dog... or, like the Soviet space-dog Laika, who was sent into space only to starve to death in orbit. "They never intended to bring her back." The final scenes of "My Life as a Dog" do win out, when the odd town's crazy old man takes a swim in the frozen river. The whole cast of peculiar town-folk come out to "rescue" him, and offer him a place by the fire, a blanket, a little whiskey... Here, Ingemar finds balance in the love of other people, so one is left, not with a sense of despair, but with a sense of hope in the midst of sorrow and loss.

Note: I recommend the subtitled version over the dubbed version, as the language and inflections should be experienced in full.

A massive world wide hit when it was first released.Simply the greatest film about childhood ever made.An absolute flawless film in every way. The final scene combined with the memorable music will stick in your mind forever. A masterpiece of film making truly unforgetable and exceptionally moving.I have seen it numerous times over the years.One of the ten best films I have ever seen.

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This was so disappointing to me. "My Life as a Dog" was one of my all-time favorite films. I already had it on video, and wanted to have a cleaner copy on DVD, as well as some features.

! IT IS NOT, I repeat, *NOT* WIDESCREEN!

Worse, the transfer is grainy, and there seems to be little or no remastering. CRITERION would do a bang-up job on this film, it's just a shame that so many distributers can't get their act together and put a little effort into what they're doing.

If you want to hear commentary, see it in its original film ratio, or even see a decent transfer for heaven's sake, go to Criterion's web-site and send them a message that you want to see this film done right.

You might also go to Fox Lorber's web site, and let them know you expect more than VHS-on-a-disk. DVD, as a media, is in a critical state right now, and the studios are trying to see if the general public will accept bare-bones releases. We need to let them know that we won't.

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I absolutely agree with Mr. Frazer. I first viewed the film over 20 years ago and to my tastes, it is one of the best films about children of which I am aware. I would place it on par with "Fanny and Alexander" and "Hope and Glory" (Boorman). The film does have a mild sexual content, but we allowed our son to see it even when he was young. (In the US some might not agree with this choice.) We've watched it again and again through the years. Similar to our experience with other exceptionally fine movies (and wines), it seems to improve with age. I would recommend it without any reservations whatsoever.

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"You have to compare," the hero of the charming yet poignant coming-of-age drama concludes, "so you can keep perspective. It helps to keep a little distance." A heartwarming story of growing pains, My Life as a Dog traces the tears and laughter of a thirteen-year-old Swedish boy struggling to find balance between the gravity of death and flamboyancy of youth. Carefully expanding the path of childhood through trials of time, director Lasse Hallstrom brings forth a moving tale unfolded in the eyes of Ingemar, a captivating boy whose heartfelt concerns for dogs burgeon into love for life. Inspired by the first dog sent into space by the USSR space program, Ingemar remains unscathed by life's tragedies as he bravely embarks on a journey to fit himself into a world of complexities. Stunningly portrayed by young actor Anton Glanzelius, the energetic, insightful, and often-troubled hero comes alive seeking joy of a sad life as his mother lies dying. Even as Ingemar and his brother are sent away to different relatives in the summer to allow their weakening mother rest, Ingemar is constantly haunted by memories of a mother with a "robust, sexy laugh" who never grows tired of his stories. Ingemar temporarily finds peace in his eccentric uncle's house as he shyly steps into the light and befriends a pretty young tomboy portrayed by Melinda Kenneman, who leads a contradictory life herself trying to cope with her growing sexual urges while maintaining a tough image on the soccer team as well as boxing floor. Focussing on Ingemar's sympathy for deserted creatures such as Laika, who was left to die in space, as well as his own mutt Sikan later died in the kennel, the director skillfully narrows in on life's details drawing powerful parallels between Ingemar's alienation and the dogs' desertion. Almost taking pleasure in the ruggedness of growing-up, Glanzélius's Ingemar never ceases to find himself trapped in troubles-whether it is setting fire on trash dumps, spilling milk on himself, or crashing through the glass roof attempting to steal a glimpse of a model in nude. While peacefully observing a world in motion from the persecptive of an outsider, Ingemar gradually blends into a rural community and finds himself an inseparable part of the town's lighthearted approach to hardships after the death of her mother. Deemed not as simple tale of maturing, My Life as a Dog presents the bittersweet flavor of childhood through the clear eyes of a bittersweet boy. Despite few awkward transitions and scenes of sexual awakenings, this film touches the human heart and produces a vague echo in audiences' memories. Complemented with superb casting, My Life as a Dog refocuses society's view on children who see the world through a totally unique perspective. Of course, our hero's perspective undergoes the transition from a deserted dog to that of a human surrounded by life's warm pleasures.

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MacGruber (Unrated Edition) (2010)

A lot people trashed this movie, and I felt I had to throw my two cents in! I grew up watching 80's action flicks actually in the 80's and loved all the 80's action movie cliches and nods thrown in this movie! They even started the movie off with the whole "You're the best, and we need you back" schtick!! Cool!!! The people that trashed the movie just didn't understand the over the top humor, that's all. Ok, YES this movie is stupid. YES it has toilet humor. BUT it is SO over the top stupid that it's hilarious! If you like over the top 80's action movies, then why NOT give MacGruber a try??? I mean, MacGruber has a mullet, 16 purple hearts, and 3 Medals of honor! That in itself is so ridiculous it's AWESOME!! And the way MacGruber finishes the badguy? Well, let's just say any 80's action fan would be proud! I really liked all the actors too! They took it to the next level of sheer silliness! Mad Martigan (Val Kilmer) as the bad guy?? Perfect!!! There were only a couple of parts in the movie where I said "Hmmm..." but the rest? AWESOME!!! If you're not sure, rent it first, but any TRUE 80's action fan will understand the humor and laugh out loud! Give MacGruber a chance!!

This movie at first seems horrible. Then the slow realization that it may be one of the better movies ever made starts to creep over you. Then it hits you. MacGruber is tits. If you think this movie is stupid, you deserve to have Will Forte rip your throat out with his bare hands. Three times. That's called a Turkey baby.

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I went into watching this movie absolutely kicking and screaming. I had heard the SNL skits were not all that clever, and most spin-offs suffer an equally horrible demise at the box-office. I think the R-rating is what really helped Will Forte deliver his vision of what MacGruber stood for, and by all means, this turned out to be hands down one of the funniest comedies I have seen. I am almost embarrassed to say that I watched this movie four times last week.

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Awesome!!! I loved it. I went into it expecting a complete piece of crap and that may have skewed my opinion, but it was the funniest movie I've seen in years. You should watch it, you won't regret it.

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If you like stupid/goofy humor you are going to love this movie! It's especially good if you watch it late at night when you are a little tired, which is when I enjoy this kind of humor the most. That's when I saw it for the 1st time, and I was in tears through most of the movie because I was laughing so hard!

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When in Rome (2010)

I love the people who trash romantic comedies that deliver exactly what you expect a romantic comedy to deliver. "When in Rome" is nothing more and nothing less than a cookie cutter chick flick about romance, finding love, a happy ending, with some jokes thrown in to make you laugh. I enjoyed the movie and for the fee of renting it on demand, felt it was well worth the 91 minutes of run time, not including previews of course. Please people, who doesn't think that Kristen Bell is cute and even my girlfriend perks up a little when Josh Duhamel comes on screen.

Kristen Bell plays a working woman who finds her job much more rewarding than any relationship she can find. It doesn't mean she isn't sad nothing has worked out with the men in her life. It just means that she can feel rewarded standing on her own two feet. Hello, am I connecting with the female population yet? She is a lead curator at the Guggenheim museum and just when she concedes to living a life of solitaire, her sister decides to get married and things go a little haywire. So off to Rome she flies for a weekend of family hell.

While in the romantic city she picks a few coins out of a fountain and unknowingly captures the hearts of some lucky dudes who had previously dropped them in the mysterious fountain. While the magic is working its way towards insanity she meets Josh Duhamel who happens to actually like her. The two of them make a great pair. As corny as the scene is with breaking the vase and short circuiting the electricity, it actually made me laugh. Without giving too much away, the commercials do that all too well already, I will say that several scenes had me laughing pretty loud at times. It really was a funny movie, even if it was a little trite and predictable.

In my book Dax Shepard was absolutely hilarious with his washboard stomach. He spent most of the movie with his shirt off as he looked at himself almost as much as he sat admiring Kristen Bell. How this guy is not cast in more movies is beyond me, but we can continue to enjoy his work next season in Parenthood.

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie. If you go in expecting a nice romantic comedy with several funny scenes you will leave happy. It isn't anything ground breaking and there is no thought involved. It is simply 91 minutes of mindless entertainment where everything works out in the end. What more can you ask from a movie of this nature. In my book it delivered, so have a few laughs and move on to the next one. Hollywood has been making these since the moving picture was invented, and it will continue as long as people buy the tickets to see them. I for one think it was adequately worth the price.

So, I realize that I am writing this right when it shows up in theaters, but I decided to go ahead and rate the movie based on the actual movie (not the DVD), because alot of times I will go on here to see what other people are saying about the movie, before I go see it. So, I decided to do that for this movie. :)

Overall, I enjoyed When in Rome. It's a great chick-flick.

When in Rome tells the story of Beth (Kristen Bell) who, while visiting Rome for her younger sister's wedding, realizes that she may never actually settle down because no man has ever ranked above her job. So, in a drunken craze, she visits the Fountain of Love and removes several coins from the fountain's water. This brings five guys (Will Arnett, Jon Heder, Dax Shepard, Danny Devito, and most importantly Josh Duhamel) into her life...all of whom have fallen madly in love with her. She has to figure out a way to break this spell, while also trying to figure out whether or not some of those feelings may be for real.

As I said, overall it was an enjoyable movie. It is one of those movies that you have to accept that it's not supposed to happen in real life. I mean, it's all about magic and falling in love with the right people. It does have funny enough parts to keep a guy entertained, but it is definitely a chick flick that I recommend. It made me want to visit Italy and find this so-called Fountain of Love. :)

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Leads Kristen Bell & Josh Duhamel have fantastic chemistry in this very light romantic comedy; however, the supporting cast is even more impressive: Anjelica Huston, Danny DeVito, Don Johnson, Peggy Lipton, Dax Shephard, as well as the duo from Napoleon Dynamite Jon Heder & Efren Ramirez (Vote Pedro!). Here's the plot: Beth (Kristen Bell) puts her career at the Guggenheim first since her love life has continually left her burned. Things begin to change when she meets the best man, Nick (Duhamel) at her sister's wedding in Rome. Unknowingly, by taking 5 coins from the Fountain of Love during a drunken romp, she causes 5 men to fall madly in love with her. All 5 follow her back to America and stalk her...until she is able to return the coins to them to break the spell. Although she loves Nick, she discovers that his love might have been caused by one of the coins; should she return the coin to him or live without fear that he will leave her? The plot is very predictable, so not a lot of surprises, but the comedy from her suitors as they attempt to impress her provides most of the hijinks here. Heder as an amateur Criss Angel magician is definitely the funniest of the bunch.

Overall, the film is enjoyable even if predictable; a little uneven, it goes from insightful comedy & drama into downright stupidity all in the same scene. In the hands of a more experienced director, this one really could have been much better and with the talented cast, it's a real crime that the opportunity for perfection was missed. I would recommend this movie mainly to the teen/early 20's group who seems to have really enjoyed it the most.

SPECS:

91 minutes * Video: Widescreen 1080p, 2:35:1, Enhanced for 16x9 TVs. Audio: Dolby TrueHD (48kh2/24-bit) & 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound (Bluray); English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound & Spanish & French Dolby Digital 2.0 (DVD). Languages: English, Spanish, and French. Subtitles: Spanish & French.

I actually enjoyed the extras almost as much (if not more) than the movie.

DVD Bonus Features:

-Kerplunk! Bloopers from Rome (3 minutes): You really get a sense that the cast worked well together and was having fun during the entire shoot in this medley of expected flubs from the making of this film.

-Deleted Scenes (7 minutes on Blu-ray): Usually I feel the deleted scenes were correctly removed from a film; however, in this case, there are some that would have added some extra humor, including a very funny bit with Dax Shepard in front of an Abercrombie & Fitch store.

-Music Videos: "Starstrukk" by 3OH3! with Katy Perry RT and "Stupid Love Letter" by Friday Night Boys RT.

Additional Extras on Bluray:

-Alternate Opening & Ending (7 minutes) (these were wisely not used!)

-Crazy Casanovas: Mischief From The Set (12 minutes): We meet our hilarious cast and crew that brought this film to life

-Extended Scenes (3 minutes): Pain with the Suitors. Deleted sequence showing the final exhibit at the Guggenheim with the suitors providing a few funny moments, some which would have been great in the finished film (especially an electric chair sequence with Jon Heder).

-Additional Deleted Scenes (7 minutes of deleted scenes total on the Blu-ray): The deleted scenes on the Blu-ray are Getting Married, Playing Cat & Mouse (cute Danny DeVito bit), Setting the Record Straight, Throwing Out The Mummy, It's The Naked Lady, The Saddest Thing, Look Both Ways, Suitors Make A Scene.

Sneak Previews: Alice in Wonderland, ESPN World Cup 2010, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Lost: The Complete Sixth And Final Season, and On Blu-Ray Disc

There is some adult humor and some mild (I mean mild!) sexual situations that would make this film not a great fit for the wee ones. Other than the paintings, there is no nudity in this film.

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I purchased this movie to watch over the weekend with a few close friends. It's a movie that doesn't require a lot of thinking. It's entertaining and a cute movie. Worth watching if you like cute and funny.

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I'm going to quit watching romantic comedies for a while; they have been totally abused and over done; this movie is no exception. Cute and good looking people are not necessarily funny, and getting some famous stars to act in a stupid plot doesn't make it a good plot as you can see in this movie. A cute girl takes coins out of the love fountain in Rome, while attending her sister's wedding and suddenly many men start falling for her (I still can't figure why her sister looks like she's 12. Is that even legal?) . Anyway, she believes that all of the guys are falling for her because of the coins she picked up, including a guy that she really likes. The moral of the story is that the girl doesn't want to have some body's love against their will, I think she needs to figure out that this is what alcohol is for, but she reaches a different conclusion! You might want to see for yourself, if you have an hour or so to kill!

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Simpsons Movie (2007)

The Simpsons Movie features excellent animation, a good plot that moves along very well, great gags and awesome voiceovers by the cast. There are so many gags that there's bound to be jokes in this movie that will amuse just about anyone!

The action starts when Lake Springfield is practically destroyed by excessive pollution; and so the town must clean it up. They do! Unfortunately, however, things don't stay that way--and there begins the REAL plot of this film. Homer (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) decides to take on a pig for a house pet. When Marge (voiced by Julie Kavner) casually asks Homer what he's doing with the pig's "leavings;" Homer takes Marge out back and shows her his "silo" full of pig "droppings." Marge isn't too happy; and eventually Homer realizes he MUST get rid of the festering silo. Naturally, where does Homer go to get rid of the silo? Lake Springfield! Once again the lake is unbelievably contaminated.

Russ Cargill (voiced by Albert Brooks) is in charge of the EPA and he sets out to rectify the problem. What happens? Springfield is enwrapped by a huge, impenetrable dome--and then wiped off the map. The residents of Springfield are furious at Homer; and sooner rather than later The Simpsons must flee. They go to Alaska in search of freedom from the infuriated residents of Springfield.

Worse yet, Russ Cargill and President Schwarzenegger (voiced by Harry Shearer) hatch a plan to bomb Springfield so that it will never again pose a problem. This really raises the stakes.

From here the plot can go anywhere. What will Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie do? Will they stay in Alaska where it's safe or will they return to Springfield to try to rescue the people there from being killed by the bomb? Will Homer and Marge's marriage be tested by all this strife? What will Bart think of Homer after this all becomes one huge mess? No plot spoilers here, folks--you'll just have to watch the movie to find out!

The animation couldn't be better. I was very impressed by the clarity and the sharpness of the images and colors. The voiceovers were outstanding as well. It seems like Matt Groening, director David Silverman and their crew can do no wrong.

In addition, the DVD comes loaded with a plethora of extras considering this is all on one single DVD. There are several deleted scenes; and there's a very funny but brief extra entitled "Let's All Go To The Lobby." There are two commentaries for you to enjoy if you wish; and there are great gags all the way through the ending credits.

Overall, The Simpsons Movie is definitely one of the best comedies of 2007. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Fans of The Simpsons will want this in their collections; and even people less familiar with The Simpsons television show will find great entertainment and many jokes here!

In the TV series, what you've got is something of a linear main-plot with a lot of suband mini-plots interwoven. And those plots revolve around the humor and comedy, kind of like the plot revolves around the sex in an x-rated movie-not that I would know, but just based on what I've heard. Anyway, this movie does not reflect this strip cartoon structure, which is actually the kind of material that Matt Groening started off doing. Anybody remember Life Is Hell comics? So with The simpsons movie what you've got is the reverse: more of a dominant main linear plot, with the comedy revolving around it much more than what you've got in the TV series. And this makes sense for a feature-length film, otherwise why make one, right?

Also, remember the film The Adams Family? A lot of people got caught up on the fact that it seemed choppy. It seemed choppy because they tried to do a strip cartoon format (TAF started off as a strip cartoon) with a full-length feature. It works fine for something short, like say 30 minutes or under, but can tire and confuse the audience if they get a solid hour and a half of it, and I think the makers of this film took that into consideration as they put together a film somewhat more plot-driven than its TV counterpart.

In a nutshell, they had to slow things down a little bit in order to work in a story line that was clear enough to keep the audience focused on the movie for the entire time. But there's a lot that's funny in this movie, typical Simpson's stuff, along with one or two things that they probably wouldn't even put on prime time. Plus it's just cool to see a movie and have it be The Simpsons.

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It was a movie that was nearly two-decades in the making. The creators and writers said they wanted to make sure that when they brought America's favorite prime time animated family to the big screen that it would be done right. Many past writers were brought back to flesh out the story and enliven the characters. Most of it was done under a veil of secrecy. Over 150 different drafts were written and copies of scripts were shredded after each scene was taped. It was a massive undertaking, but for a show that has grown to include a massive cast of secondary characters it had to be that way. And for the most part, the efforts to create THE SIMPSONS MOVIE were a success.

In THE SIMPSONS MOVIE, Homer almost single handedly destroys Springfield while also threatening the existence of life on the rest of the planet. Things start off simply enough with a Green Day concert that turns into a disaster. Then the next day at church Grampa Simpson makes a prophecy of doom that seems to be a message sent by God. Marge believes the message and tries to decipher the meaning while everyone else thinks Grampa was just rambling like the old man he is. Lisa finds love with a new boy named Colin who shares the same passions as she does. Meanwhile, Homer dares Bart to skateboard naked to Krusty Burger and Bart bares his "doodle" for the whole world to see. It turns out to be the most embarrassing moment of Bart's life. He starts to view Homer in a negative light and see Ned Flanders as the kind, loving, and caring father that he is. Later, Homer saves a pig from being slaughtered by Krusty and names him Spider-Pig. Ignored by many, the pig is part of Grampa's prophecy and signals a terrible government sanctioned disaster that forces the Simpsons to become fugitives in Alaska and wipe out all life in Springfield. Homer finds himself at a major crisis. He realizes that since he's the cause of all the trouble, he's the only one who can save Springfield and in doing so perhaps restore his relationship with his family.

I enjoyed THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. I thought it was both funny and witty. I especially enjoyed some of the nods and touches to long time fans of the series. The movie basically feels like a super-extended episode of the show, but with clearer and brighter visuals. That is perhaps the movie's biggest draw and its biggest flaw at the same time. Non-fans of the show might become attracted to the show through the film, but die-hard fans of the show might feel disappointed because overall the movie doesn't appear more than an extended regular episode of the show that just looks better. Of course, that's a problem that any television series attempting to make the leap to the big screen faces.

Overall, a slightly disappointing big screen adaptation of THE SIMPSONS television show, but one that is entertaining nonetheless.

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This might be the funniest movie i have ever seen. This movie has dumb people, guns, cops, homer, bart, and the famous spider pig(harry plopper). This movie is so funny, you will be on the floor in about 20 minuets into the movie. My favorite part is when bart goes to krusty's on his scateboard, NAKED. i freackin laughed my head off. you will love to add this movie to your simpson collection, and your movie collection. Anybody who buys this movie, will love it.

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Brilliance...

If you have not seen this film yet, D'oh!

This movie is every bit as pathetic and ridiculous as its series. The story is nonsensical. I mean...come on...the people of Spingfield didn't even try to tunnel underneath the dome to get out. And the whole motorcycle/bomb sequence...you have to be kidding me. Flanders and hot chocolate...

This is pure stupid fun for the holidays. I cannot recommend it more.

Spider Pig, Spider Pig does whatever a Spider Pig does. Poetic genius!

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Robot Chicken: Dc Special (2013)

I love DC. I buy all the stuff they put out, so I had to check this out.

I was shocked to find the "RC/DC Special" is only 23 minutes long! I had assumed they were going to throw in all their old DC comics sketches, but NOPE... It's just the main 23 minute episode.

Sure, they got two commentaries (with the creators and with the actors) and lots of behind the scenes stuff... but it's still not worth it. If they had thrown in all the other DC jokes they had done before it would have been good, but they didn't.

I feel bad for spending $10 on the DVD, so speading $15 for the bluray is ridiculous. If you ever find it in the $5 bin of your local retailer, it's totally worth the $5, until then... I'd give this a pass.

Robot Chicken's Season 6 premiere last September began with a DC Comics Special. Written by Geoff Johns and regular RC writers, the Special was a fast and, in my opinion, sporadically funny comic spoofery of the Robot Chicken kind. Meaning lots of jokes, of which many that hit and many that fall flat.

As an avid fan of Robot Chicken in general (and owner of every RC season), I was really looking forward to seeing DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and famous comic scribe take on the Robot Chicken 10-minute, rapid-fire skit format and for the most part he succeeded in providing lots of laughs. The in-joke in Bane reappearing to 'break the Bat' in multiple Batman skits is priceless. And so is Aquaman's early floundering (excuse the pun) with his fellow Justice League-ers and later...you'll find out!

In a manner of speaking, Robot Chicken's DC Comics Special is not as funny or memorable as any of the three Star Wars Specials they've aired in years previous (which were AMAZING). Yet the veteran writing skills of Geoff Johns shines through and allows the viewer to get the in-jokes while laughing through most of the special.

The question on your mind just may be: Is Robot Chicken's DC Special worth forking over the cash for? Well, that's up to how dedicated a Robot Chicken viewer you are. If you are a dedicated viewer, then nothing's stopping you for purchasing the 9.99 DVD or 14.96 Blu-Ray. With either the DVD or Blu-Ray format to choose from, it's completely up to you to decide on which platform you prefer (or have).

If you're a casual Robot Chicken viewer, (which is absolutely okay) then I would recommend the purchase as well for the reason that 23 minutes of content, decent Robot Chicken content at that, and 2 hours of Special Features (on both DVD and Blu-Ray, legitimate proof from Entertainment Weekly: that allows you to see their making-of featurette, outtakes, deleted sketches, and even a tour of DC Comics Entertainment from Geoff Johns! On the DVD and Blu-ray extras front, Robot Chicken always delivers.

So, to wrap things up Robot Chicken DC Comics Special is a decent Robot Chicken spoof, in my opinion, of many of DC Comics most revered (and very much lesser revered) comic icons and the many in-jokes/comedy that can be mined from their characters' inconsistencies (over different comic book runs) and traits. For some, once may be enough in terms of viewing the RC DC Comics Special. For others, if this is you, it may be the first of many times! Here's to the upcoming 2nd DC Comics Special delivering on the levels of greatness that the Star Wars Specials reached.

GR

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As much as I appreciated the new material, they should have added the previous DC Comics parodies that they did. This "Special" was too short to really get any real yuks out of.

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Robot Chicken, like Saturday Night Live, Lipitor or Cymbalta, is not for everyone. But it's enjoyed significant success. This particular entry in the stop-motion Adult Swim satire series provides quite a notable twist in the ongoing saga of super powers engaged in battle -not superheroes, but entertainment companies with growing portfolios of characters and franchises.

DC has had some bumps along the big-screen freeway to box office and critical success while Marvel is enjoying a measurable edge. However, Warner can spoof their characters to a searing degree. Disney probably would demur to do the same with its properties. It's ironic that Robot Chicken, which hit big with its Star Wars sendup (before Disney bought Lucasfilm), has allowed satire within its own library, from Space Ghost: Coast to Coast to Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law.

Some may take umbrage at how Warner can produce satires of this kind with their classic characters, but the point is in the irony. Robot Chicken is an unapologetically crude, edgy puppet show that is now a six-season series with over 100 episodes. Big name stars do voices and awards have been won. I'm not making an evaluation here, just observing and tilting my head to the side in wonderment.

Members of Robot Chicken's team are also behind Cartoon Network's animated MAD series, which follows the same rhythm, transitional devices and hit-and-miss satire, albeit for a younger audience. MAD does not come near the expletive level of Robot Chicken.

But it's not the use of language that makes this particular entry in the series funny, it's the silliness and the running gags. Aquaman's lack of respect is the show's "through line," as the writers call it on their commentary. I got a kick out of the nod to Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In in the "That's Bane" gags. It's also nice to see Captain Carrot and His Zoo Crew mentioned in a sketch reminiscent of the classic "Chuckles Bites the Dust" episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show. And let's face it, Mister Banjo steals the show. He should have his own big-budget tentpole CG feature film.

Robot Chicken moves at such a breakneck pace that a lesser gag is forgotten when a greater one follows it, also a "Laugh-In" technique and a luxury that the longer format SNL does not have. Having this episode on DVD bears repeat viewings in order to catch the gags and of course, the more you know the comics, the funnier the jokes. Although it's a half-hour special, there are a lot of bonus features.

As a special note, I have never read a funnier DVD box than the one in which this is packaged. Whoever wrote it deserves props, and those who shepherded it through what is likely a series of corporate approvals is also a superhero. It even has fake prices! I could just imagine someone saying, "If we put a price of 12 cents on the front cover, the public may expect to pay that..."

BONUS FEATURES

1. The Making of the RCDC Special

Even though specific words are bleeped on the special, they are heard here in voice sessions. Apparently the stop motion animation is all done domestically, at least from the way it looks in this segment.

2. Writers' Commentary

Nice explanations of the concepts behind the gags and how the show is structured.

3. Actors' Commentary

It's fun to hear Alfred Molina talk about the British comics he grew up with, as well as his take on doing this show. Guess who Banjo Man is?

5. DC Entertainment: The Tour

Seth Green and other creatives tour the office lobby, research library, toy graveyard, things in storage, video game room, product room, archives and writers room.

PLUS:

6. Aquaman: His DC Special Origin Story

7. Chicken Nuggets (sketch-by-sketch commentary)

8. Stoopid Alter Egos costume wrap party

9. Outtakes

10. Cut sketches: voice sessions and storyboards

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So, it's 23 minutes (+2 hours bonus features) for ten bucks. Have to agree with those people who said that it would be nice if those "bonus features" included all of the previous DC Comics character segments from past seasons of Robot Chicken. As it is, the bonus features are two different audio commentaries, a "pop-up" fun-facts version of the special, a behind the scenes feature, and some deleted sketches (not actually filmed; audio with storyboards). So, it depends on how much of a hardcore Robot Chicken and/or DC fan you are whether this will be worth it to you. It's about the same as the RC Star Wars specials in terms of content, so be forewarned.

The one really odd thing I found (as a toy collector and DC fan) in watching this special was the odd mix of classic Mego-style action figures with the regular larger size "DC Universe Classic" (Mattel) figures and "DC Direct" action figures. I wish they had gone either all Mego-style or all modern-style, because mixing the two types together in one sketch gives the viewer a strange feeling of incongruity. Other than that, the material is pretty funny.

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Then She Found Me (2008)

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)Released earlier this year, Baby Mama covers the same emotional territory but in much broader slapstick terms, while this 2008 serio-comedy is driven far more by character than situation. In this case, the protagonist is 39-year-old April Epner, a New York kindergarten teacher who was raised in a close-knit Jewish family and desperately wants the biological connection of a birth child before her alarm clock goes off. She marries fellow teacher Ben, an inarticulate schlub with a terminal case of the Peter Pan Syndrome. After a brief time, he wants out of the marriage, and at almost the same time, April's adoptive mother Trudy dies. Not even a month goes by before April's biological mother suddenly shows up in the form of the brazenly overbearing but genuinely likeable Bernice Graves, a cable talk-show hostess who is something of a local media celebrity. If life was not complicated enough, April also finds herself drawn to Frank, the single father of one of her pupils. Unlike Ben, he feels the same about April but is fighting his own bitterness about his own recent divorce.

Not only does Helen Hunt star as April, but she also co-wrote the screenplay with Alice Arlen and Victor Levin and makes her big-screen directorial debut. Granted she's more impressive as an actress than a filmmaker, but as a director and writer, she makes the most of a storyline that stacks the deck a bit like a Lifetime TV-movie. There are enough realistic surprises that take the plot off the rails in a good way. Looking gaunt and avoiding much make-up, Hunt is really playing a variation of the beaten-down waitress she played in As Good As It Gets, as she carries that same constantly pained expression of disappointment and looks about to explode during moments of emotional duress. However, a decade later, Hunt inhabits the character more naturalistically this time and with a deeper sense of vulnerability and haggard exhaustion. Perhaps to minimize any unnecessary dramatic risk, Hunt cast the other principal roles with actors playing familiar parts. Matthew Broderick effectively portrays Ben as the perpetually dazed man-child he is, while perennial love interest Colin Firth gives texture to the seemingly ideal suitor Frank, especially as he edges toward the breaking point in tolerating the sum of April's foibles.

In one of her increasingly rare screen appearances, Bette Midler gives a scene-stealing performance as Bernice. She lights up the movie with the character's unfettered sense of abandonment while gradually exposing the secrets that threaten to undermine her newly found relationship with her daughter. Other parts are played with minimum fuss Ben Shenkman as April's physician brother Freddy feeling put-upon for having a biological tie to their mother, and Salman Rushdie (yes, the controversial author of The Satanic Verses which brought him a death sentence from the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989) as April's doctor. Hunt provides the principal actors, especially herself, plenty of good, meaty scenes with opportunities for bravura moments, and they do deliver. It just doesn't quite come together as a whole by the end, and that may be that Hunt is so used to the sitcom format of the long-running series, Mad About You. The incomplete result is that some laughs feel a bit contrived, some scene transitions seem jarring, and some expected character revelations are given short shrift. Nonetheless, the dramatic developments toward the end carry the emotional impact necessary to make the movie truly affecting, and Hunt should be given full credit for a most auspicious debut as a filmmaker.

In a featurette on the DVD release version of THEN SHE FOUND ME writer (with Alice Arlen and Victor Levin) /producer/director Helen Hunt shares a ten year journey to have a film made of a novel by Elinor Lipman. Her cast shares in the very sentimental story of Hunt's devotion and seemingly endless charisma and abilities. The explanation for making this budget film are in many ways more successful than the film, a work the cast seems determined to classify as a comedy but a work that is far more a human drama.

April Epner (Helen Hunt) is married to fellow schoolteacher Ben Green (Matthew Broderick) and longs to have a baby before her advancing age prevents her dream. April was adopted as an infant by a Jewish couple who subsequently gave birth to April's brother Freddy (Ben Shenkman): April has always longed to have been Freddy's biological equal, wondering what it would feel like NOT to be adopted. April's busy life implodes: Ben has decided he doesn't like his life and leaves April, April's mother dies, April meets Frank (Colin Firth) a recently divorced writer and father of two children, and April is contacted by a man who can put April in touch with her birth mother popular TV talk show hostess Bernice Graves (Bette Midler). And if these turns of events weren't traumatic enough, April discovers that she has become pregnant by Ben and Ben is unsure whether he can handle the restructuring of his life to accommodate April. Cautiously April and Frank begin a rather tenuous courtship which is almost immediately threatened by April's discovery of her pregnant state. April and Bernice meet, exchange backgrounds, and make pacts to test their biologic relationship. How each of these characters makes promises that eventually damage each other and then resolve in unexpected ways becomes a study of the meaning of love and compassion among fragile human beings.

While not a satisfying story on every level and a film too cluttered with inconvenient editing choices, the cast is strong and obviously committed, and the story (neither a comedy or a drama but a mixture of the two) tests credibility. But there are some fine moments and the lessons in human behavior are worth examining. Not a great movie but a strong little small budget film. Grady Harp, September 08

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Ok, I tried. I really, really tried not to compare the movie with the book. I loved the book, a tender, poignant journey of love in which April, albeit unwillingly, learns to accept the difficult person who gave birth to her and slowly learns the devastating truth of her past. But Elinor Lipman says she does not mind the fact that Helen Hunt basically took her book and scissored away everything but a few names and the center plot of the book, and came up with this idiotic film about ticking biological clocks instead.

But I have to wonder, how can she not mind? This hash of a movie bears little resemblance to what it was based on, so why did Helen Hunt not just find someone to write a new screenplay about a woman who wanted to have a baby? Why did she take a brilliant story, with fabulous characters, and turn it into this really rather dumb movie?

In the book, Bernice is difficult but ultimately complex and suprisingly sympathetic by the end, but Bette Midler's Bernice is just a cardboard cutout of the same person. And it's a shame, because Midler would have played the "real" Bernice beautifully if she had had a decent script to work with. And in the book, April is a bit uptight, but not the brittle, haggard neurotic that is portrayed here. And while Colin Firth is, as usual, great to look at, his character is poorly written as well. The male "hero" of the book, Dwight, and his relationship with April, are so appealing, that I cannot believe these two annoying men and their shallow interactions with the main character are supposed to replace that.

I did give this movie two stars because I liked Salman Rushdie playing the part of the doctor and I liked the sweet little twist at the end. But the whole time I watched it, I couldn't help thinking of the wonderful book at home on my shelf and asking, "Why, oh why, did someone have to screw it up so very badly?"

Read Best Reviews of Then She Found Me (2008) Here

I didn't like this movie at all. It had a cast of actors that I normally enjoy but the way they were cast and the dialogue they were given made me dislike their on-screen characters. Hunt herself looks practically elderly and she is supposed to be an attractive 39 year old. Broderick is as whiny and creepy as everything I've seen him in lately. Colin Firth was erratic and outright ugly most of the time as if they told him to just act as angry and frazzled as possible. The actors only flesh out their roles briefly here and there and are cardboard cutouts most of the time especially Helen in the lead role. Only Bett Midler's character had any actual life and energy in her. She brought some fresh air, even some heart, to her scenes but it wasn't enough to cast off the gray that hung over this film. If you want to see what it looks like to have life dump on shallow people then watch this film. If you want to see a strong character push through the challenges of life and rise above their circumstances you may be, like me, disappointed. I do think this is one of those love it or hate it films and for me it was the latter.

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From the beginning of the movie, to about three-quarters of the way through, when I ejected it--I kept telling myself "it's got to get better"--it never did. There wasn't a single character that "grabbed me"--and at least two that finally caused me to push the eject button.

Does Helen Hunt ever play a role where the audience isn't glaringly aware that it's Helen Hunt on the screen? She whines and chews her way through every line of dialogue until the hair on my arms stands on end. She never deviates: A Good Woman and Then She Found Me--these are very different movies--you'd think she'd do something different with the characters (to fit the time and the place in which the story takes place). I've made a pact with myself--no more movies with Ms. Hunt. This one was the last.

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