Heyy Babyy DVD (2007)

I guess I just can't go a week without a Bollywood fix. This time out, it's HEYY BABYY, which is India cinema's 2007 adaptation of Three Men and a Cradle. If you've already seen THREE MEN AND A CRADLE (or its American remake Three Men and a Baby), then this one doesn't really have much to offer, unless you're a fan of any of the three male leads. And the baby is cute, so there's that. But, then again, this film is 2 hours and 24 minutes long. There's that, too.

Three funloving Indians living abroad, in Australia. There's Tanmay, who dons a Teddy Bear costume in his theme park job. There's Ali, who is lazy and likes to gamble. Arush is manager of Sydney's most happening nightclub. All three are hardliving, irresponsible womanizers. They happen to share a comfy bachelor pad. And life is an ongoing party. Then a baby girl enters their lives, abandoned on their doorstop and with a brief note: "Take care of your daughter." Party's over.

Although HEYY BABYY co-stars Fardeen Khan and Ritesh Deshmukh, the big star here is Akshay Kumar, who was on some kind of a roll in 2007. Along with HEYY BABYY, Akshay made Namastey London DVD (wonderful!), BHOOL BHULAYAA, and WELCOME, all of which were box office hits. Of the four, though, HEYY BABYY may be the film I like least. Bollywood just can't stay away from the extremes. The first half of the film runs like an unpolished, runaway version of THREE MEN AND A BABY, replete with airborne poop-drenched diapers and the three guys flinging baby food at each other. This is also where the three main characters are at their most unlikable and immature. They gripe and moan and despair over the baby's incessant needs,and the audience is soon treated to three grown-up men admonishing kids to shut up and that they hate them. They get so fed up with their infant charge that they actually do something truly reprehensible. And I guess we're supposed to still like these blokes because they later repent and turn into good, responsible dads, right? But, just as life is good for the three dads and the baby, the mother enters into the picture. She wants her baby back, and before the film's intermission.

Minor SPOILERS coming up in the next paragraph.

The film's second half moves the spotlight away from the baby a bit, to focus more on Akshay Kumar's romance with Vidya Balan, who stiffly plays the baby's mother, Isha. You see, a year ago, Arush (Akshay) and Isha had a thing, before Isha caught him with another woman. Thing over. Today, Isha's still got her mad on and doesn't want Arush to have anything to do with the baby (by the way, it wasn't Isha who left the infant at his doorstep). But Arush and his roommates have discovered the joys of fatherhood and mean to have their child back. Plus, Arush is in love with Isha. In desperation, Arush strikes a contract with her. If Isha manages to find a fit husband in seven days, she keeps the baby. If not, then Arush takes the baby away.

But, worry not, Arush has concocted a plan, and it's a goofy one, too. He'll need the help of his friends and that of Isha's father, who's all guilt-ridden. This gives the film license to come up with even more slapstick as Arush, Tanmay, and Ali resort to disguises and crazy antics. One wonders though how Arush, in particular, was able to get away with his flimsy disguises without Isha recognizing her erstwhile lover. And since we're mentioning flaws, coincidence kicks the audience hard in the pants as both parents end up independently naming the baby "Angel." What are the odds?

SPOILERS end.

The three male leads, perhaps fearing being upstaged by a baby, mug their way thru scene after scene. They cry a lot, too, and frolic in a shower (and how weird was that?). Each tender, emotional scene is overwrung with corny over-acting, which ruins the moment. Not only is the story a bit too pat and predictable, it tends to devolve into a Three Stooges type of zaniness (plenty of slaps to the face for everyone). In his film commentary, Director Sajid Khan states that he intended this film to be enjoyed by kids, and I guess that would explain the crass and silly attempts at humor.

The film does have some stuff going for it, enough for me to give it two and a half stars. I've been dumping on the cast quite a bit, but they are occasionally pretty decent and funny. Akshay once again displays how capable he is at drawing out chuckles. And some of the aforementioned silly attempts at humor actually works. My favorite scene is probably when Fardeen Khan was driving the car ever so slowly, to the chagrin of his passengers, even as joggers, a somersaulter, and a guy on a wheelchair breezily pass the car. Then there's that late cameo by the biggest superstar in Bollywood. However, ultimately, I don't believe these positives are enough to redeem the movie.

Since this is Bollywood, there are musical numbers. But the songs end up being lackluster, although the closing credits do showcase some film bloopers and Akshay, Fardeen, and Ritesh doing a bit of the full monty. So there's that.

Lastly, this film demonstrates once again that poop in the face just never gets old. And, if the poop is disturbingly yellow, well, so much the better.

Before I bought this I couldnt work out from the other reviews what the balance of the movie was like. Was it one of the silly Bollywoods where the guys are just jerks or was it more the 'redeemed men' theme such as in the enjoyable 'Bachna Ae Hasseno'?

Well the guys arent quite as inept as I expected and they didnt dwell on their initial silliness or annoyance with the baby's intrusion in their lives too much at the beginning. Yes it was a bit of the silliness but it was tamed down a bit compared to other Bollywoods I've seen. The relationship between the lads is fairly convincing and warm.

For me Akshay Kumar can go either way. I enjoyed him in 'Namastay London' and 'Singh is Kingg' but really didn't like him in 'Garam Masala' for one. He is Ok in this and the other two men balanced a roughness he seemes to have at times.

The overwhelming bulk of the movie is their affection for the kid and how they felt changed and had bonded closely with it.

Then the movie took off in a romance direction of whether one of them could retrieve his relationship with the mother of the child and finally form a family.

Then there was the cameo by Shahrukh Khan. He looked like he'd wandered onto the set to visit a friend and someone threw him a suitable coat and said 'hey what about joining in a moment'. Naturally his presence added to the dance scene he'd wandered into.

The song he danced to is one of the main reasons I decided to buy the movie as I hadnt been sure of whether it was for me. The song 'Mast Kalander' is a very catchy song and I had high hopes for the music. Actually this was the best song in the movie for me. One or two other songs had a little something but a few of the others needed a bit of zip in them (including the opening theme song).

This movie isn't just a remake of 'Three Men and a Baby' and actually I think I like this one better.

Overall not to bad and I will hold onto it (this is often a test for me am I likely to revisit it sometime in the futureYes worth holding onto...)

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I really enjoy watching this movie. This movie is all about being a father and loving your children. This movie was very funny but also has some very serious matters in it. This Movie taught those three men to stop fooling around and stop hurting women. They learn to respect women and learn about being a father. Its a movie for all those dead beat dads that dont care about their children and treat women badly. I also enjoy watching akshay the best. He's hot.

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Watch the wedding scene very closely, and you will see a couple of 20 something western extras milling around in the background at various times. They are my son and a friend who were having a beer in Mumbai one night when a guy approached them and asked them if they were interested in being extras in a Bollywod movie. He gave them a card and told them where to show up at 8 the next morning. They thought it was some kind of scam, but they checked it out and it turned out to be true, so they went. That scene took a full day and they were paid $20 each.

They were great extras. They did mention that the female lead was a real b*tch and that the director was a tyrant. As for the rest of the film, I can't say!

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Akshay kumar is so funny not only in this film, but in so many others. Boman Irani brings out his comical side as well as his soft side. This is a heart welding movie based on family values, love, respect and keeping a family together. There are some scenes where everyone quarrels with one another, but at the end Vidyas character knows what's right and follows her heart and keeps her promises to bring back her family!!! It's auwsume!! A must see film.

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Superhero Movie (Extended Edition) (2008)

SUPERHERO MOVIE bombed at the box office, but as a lifelong fan of the genre and movies like AIRPLANE, TOP SECRET, and NAKED GUN, I felt almost compelled to watch it. I doubt there will ever be another breakthrough spoof movie due to the fact that now there are so many of them. During the eighties and nineties, spoof movies came out every other year or so, now they come out every other month (Scary, Date, Epic, Disaster, etc). SUPERHERO MOVIE is not a great movie within the spoof genre, but it provides many good laughs and returns to the roots of what made the movies like Airplane and Naked Gun so great.

The DVD has a feature called "Anatomy of a Spoof" that among other things, gives director Craig Mazin's (a Zucker protégé and fan) philosophy of spoof movies. First, the actors need to play it straight, and second, the movie needs to have characters you care about and create an actual story within the genre you are trying to spoof. It this movie, all the actors play it straight. Drake Bell is Rick Ryker, the Peter Parker clone who gets bit by a Dragonfly and gets superpowers. Sara Paxton plays the love interest. Christopher McDonald is the evil Hourglass. Leslie Neilsen is the wise uncle. The plot follows the basic structure of Spiderman, and throws in Fantastic Four and X-men spoofs as well. The movie avoids trying to create comedy by recreating scenes from famous super hero movies. Director and writer Mazin really tries to make a story the viewers will care about, and many of the jokes are found in the dialogue.

Mazin knew what he was doing. He crafted an entertaining spoof full of witty dialogue. A few things brought the movie down. First, the glut of spoof movies took away any chance for this film to be original. Second, it seemed a limited budget took away from some of the special effects that could have been utilized. Third, Mazin just isn't as talented as the Zucker brothers. Still, this movie had some good stuff, including my favorite, Steven Hawking. This is a must see for fans of the genre. It's not perfect, but SUPERHERO MOVIE is definitely trying to follow in the footsteps of AIRPLANE, and that's more than can be said for all the Date and Epic movie spoofs.

This flick which is a average entry into the spoof genre, one that has direct roots to the classic movie "Airplane". In many ways they are all similiar from "Scary movie" to 'Hot shots" they spoof a current trend or movie. In this one they mainly spoof 'spiderman"; but in spite of the extended gay and fart jokes it's still entertaining. The main villian 'hourglass" is actually a good supervillian that could fit well into any comic book or film based on a comic books. In fact most movies are storyboarded just like a comic book before shooting. So anyone who looks down at comics should forget about movies as well. This isn't a stand out performer in it's genre but it's what you expect and that's some laughs and lots of silliness. Since 'airplane' there has been a alot of these over the top spoofs and they all have their moments and a basic similiar structure based on a outlandish gags. The blu ray print is as good as it gets and this is the only way to watch this movie if possible.

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Is there any good way to start a review for yet another mindless spoof? With the release of "Meet the Spartans" back in January, it did seem as if the parody genre was on the rise again. Since we now have "Superhero Movie" added to the mix, I'm really not sure anymore; it isn't as funny as "Meet the Spartans," but it's certainly a lot better than the droning jokiness of films like "Scary Movie 3," "Scary Movie 4," "Date Movie," and "Epic Movie." Most of these films were nothing more than comedic vignettes, having no real plot other than a back-to-back series of gags. This new film actually does make an attempt at a plot ... and by "plot," I mean that it takes all the best elements from the first "Spider-Man" and forces them to be goofy, at times too much so. "Superhero Movie" is by no means a comedic masterpiece--the sense of humor is juvenile, the jokes are blatantly obvious, and the dialogue is just plain dopey.

But since "Meet the Spartans" was all that and more, how can I be kinder to it than to "Superhero Movie"? Partly, it's because the former parodies "300," a movie with violence so excessive and action so stylized that it was practically begging to be made fun of. But it mainly has to do with the fact that "Meet the Spartans" was unashamedly aware of itself, letting the audience know that it was, in fact, watching a spoof of a great film. I found that level of self-awareness funny. "Superhero Movie" is certainly aware of itself, but not at a satisfying level; the opening credits show close-ups of the hero's suit while a light passes over it; we eventually see that the light emanates from a flashlight the hero is holding. Could nothing more come from this gag than a flashlight? Could no one think of something even funnier than that?

"Superhero Movie" tells the story of a high school kid named Rick Riker (Drake Bell), a story he claims "is not for the faint of heart." While on a field trip to the local laboratory, Riker is bitten by a genetically altered dragonfly; he soon realizes that he's developing super powers, not the least of which is his ability to break-dance vertically on the wall of a building. He also has lightening fast reflexes, as seen when he catches a nail fired from a nail gun. Disguised in a green and black suit and going by the name Dragonfly, Riker uses his abilities to fight crime all over the city, which doesn't seem to be a problem for his aunt and uncle (Marion Ross and Leslie Nielsen). By the way, he lives with them because, nine years ago, his parents were horribly murdered after leaving a movie theater.

His archenemy is Lou Landers, a.k.a. Hourglass (Christopher McDonald), a terminally ill scientist who, through a technological accident, has the ability to suck the life energy out of people. If he can find a specific number of victims, he will be able to live forever, despite his illness. Riker is supposed to save the day, but he lacks confidence since he's a dragonfly that can't actually fly. Whatever. Maybe the girl he's secretly in love with--Jill Johnson (Sara Paxton)--can inspire him towards greatness. At the very least, she can inspire him to attempt a naughty version of the upside down kiss from "Spider-Man."

If this doesn't seem all that funny, that's probably because the plots for parody films are anything but; it's all about the jokes and how many can be crammed into a single film. Indeed, "Superhero Movie" practically bursts at the seams with the mass of its humor. Does all of it work? No, but there are a few select moments I laughed at: there's a moment when Leslie Nielsen's character reads to Riker from a puberty book, only to realize it covers changes in the female body; Riker recalls what his uncle says later in the film, when it seems least appropriate. There are some moments when a parody of Professor Stephen Hawking (Robert Joy) cusses in his distinct computer-generated voice. Some may find this offensive, but keep in mind that the real Stephen Hawking once provided his voice to an episode of "The Simpsons."

But for every funny moment, there are two or three that aren't all that funny. Example: Riker accidentally sprays himself with animal pheromones and attracts everything from dogs to rabbits to skunks (and you don't want to know what happens when a snail shows up). There's a cameo appearance from Pamela Anderson as Invisible Girl; she's been having an affair with the handicapped and bald Professor Xavier (Tracy Morgan), and that puts him at odds with his equally handicapped and bald wife (Regina Hall). There's also a moment when Riker's aunt is asleep on the couch, and she does nothing but pass gas in front of Riker and Jill as they try to share a tender moment with one another. You may not believe this, but that does get old after a while.

While this movie is nowhere near as bad as it could have been, it still isn't good enough to recommend, so those of you upset by my positive review of "Meet the Spartans" can rest easy. "Superhero Movie" is amusing but hardly hilarious, which--believe it or not--is more than I can say for many of our more recent parody films. I'm sure teenagers will love this film, which I guess is fine since there certainly are worse movies. Some people will get a kick out of Brent "Data" Spiner, who plays a scientist that screams like a woman at a certain point. Yes, "Superhero Movie" is juvenile, but it's also harmless, so in the end, it's really no better and no worse than you expect it to be.

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Having `basically' gotten a free copy of this, I decided to go ahead and check it out. I had seriously doubted I would laugh at all in this movie since these movies have been going from good to really bad as quick as a snowball down a snowy hill. I like Scary Movie 1 and 2. But 3 and 4 were bad. Meet the Spartans was bad. I didn't even watch Epic Movie or Date Movie. But Superhero Movie... well... it just might surprise you.

The movie basically spoofs Spidey with tidbits of other movies like Batman and X-Men thrown in. Don't let the box art fool you guys. Everyone on the front of the box is in the movie for maybe 5 30 seconds with the exception of the Dragonfly. Wolverine's whole part was him shaving his legs with his claws while smoking a cigar... lame. Prof X was in the movie for a few scenes, but it really was just thrown in to get laughs in my opinion. Pam Anderson was in there for maybe a good 30 seconds. Ah well. The movie revolves around Rick Riker (or you could say Peter Parker) who becomes bitten by a radioactive dragonfly. And instead of Green Goblin being his arch-nemesis we have Hourglass played really well by Christopher Donald (I always like that guy for some reason). And, in my opinion, Hourglass is a lot cooler, movie wise at least, than the Green Goblin. Hourglass sucks the life force out of people so he can stay alive. The bodies on screen actually look like all the juices and matter were sucked from their insides until there just a prune of what they once were. So basically if you've seen Spidey then you know what's going on here. Good vs. Evil.

The thing about this movie though is they throw in some little twists to the story. Some to make you laugh (or try to) and some just to make the story a little different. The story itself isn't really that bad. If it wasn't for the goofiness and the forced humor, and of course the carbon copy script of Spider Man, then this movie might have been able to stand on its own.

Now for the funny parts. I don't see how the writers can go from one extreme to the other like they do and expect laughs. Some scenes seem like they were written for 8 year olds to laugh at while some scenes would have you dive bombing your child with `ear muffs'. In my opinion, I have a pretty good range of humor. I laugh at Kevin Smith stuff, Will Ferrell stuff, and then even stuff that's in Wes Anderson movies such as Royal Tenabaums and Rushmore. I'm everywhere. So saying that, I did laugh more than I expected in this movie. Leslie Nielson had 2 of the best parts in my opinion that involve a nail gun and then a punch. It was back to back and I just didn't expect it and it made me laugh pretty good. But, like most of the recent stuff these writers and directors have done, most of the comedy is too forced and just incredibly dumb. For instance, they have Johnny Storm freak out cause he's on fire. Seriously? He says, "Watch what I can do" then says "FLAME ON!" Then looks at his body and says, "OH MY GOD I'M ON FIRE! HELP ME!" and stops and drops and probably rolls. I'm not sure since I was rolling my eyes. That's the kind of stuff that took this movie from being decent to `eh'.

In the end I would say, if there is nothing else to rent, give this a try. Or if you're just a big fan of the Superhero movies, like I am, then just say to heck with it and rent it. It almost feels like a big "WHAT IF?" comic. Almost.

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Rick (Drake Bell) is your baisc high school nerd who was bitten by a genetically enchanced dragonfly and has the abilities and powers of a dragonfly. He becomes an avenging superhero nicknamed Dragonfly and must protects the good citizens of Empire City from criminals, Rick also wants to win the heart of beautiful girl Jill Johnson (Sara Paxton) and must do battle against the evil Hourglass or Lou Landers (Christopher Mcdonald).

Co-starring Leslie Nielsen, Pamela Anderson, Brent Spiner, Jeffery Tambor, Keith David and Tracy Morgan, this is an outrageous and nicely done parody of superhero movies from "Spider-Man 1 & 2", "Superman", "Batman Begins", "Fantastic Four" and "X-Men". This movie is produced by the great parody maker David Zucker who made "Naked Gun" and this movie works better then the Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer duds as it successfully uses some decent laughs, some nifty spoofs on celebrities like Stephen Hawking, and not too much overdosing on Pop culture references like the Friedberg and Seltzer movies. Sara Paxton is simply gorgeous in this movie as the hero's love interest and Tracy Morgan is hilarious as Professor Xevier, it's worth a look for those that were fed up with Friedberg and Seltzer's trash.

This DVD contains never before seen footage that was cut out of the theatrical release and has some good extras like audio commentary, alternate ending, deleted scenes, and two featurettes with trailer.

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Easy Virtue (2009)

Between world wars, the Whittaker's estate is sinking; only the iron will of Mrs. Whittaker staves off bankruptcy while she awaits her son John's return from the continent. To her dismay, he brings a bride: an American widow who races cars. The bride, Larita, thinks she and John will visit and then go to London, where he'll work and she'll race. But John is to the manor born, and mother is nothing if not a master at plans and manipulation. Soon it's all-out war between mother and bride, with John's father, a burnt out veteran of the Great War, in the bride's corner ineffectually. Mother has a plan to join with the neighboring estate; only Larita is in her way. Based on the original play by Noel Coward, 'Easy Virtue' encompasses sharp wit, romance and drama; and although it is set in 1920s England, it is far from the typical period drama that might be expected. Biel has a captivating presence, bringing classic Hollywood glamour to the movie. A thoroughly enjoyable British comedy.

...I know the cost is going to be a killer. To summarize quickly before a long worded review this is your typical solid Sony BD presentation of a good film, so I suppose one will have to weigh out how much they love the content.

I felt this to be a great comedy presentation of a 1920s Brit piece that came across on Blu beautifully. The English countryside estate (a lovely looking acreage and interior) is filled with a wonderful cast of snobs, naive youth, seasoned work staff, and a comic relief father played perfectly by Colin Firth. He was the strong point of the movie and I laughed almost every time he spoke. The story follows the introduction of an American wife into this mix played adequately by Jessica Biel. As the weeks progress we get to see a spattering of visuals, comedic schticks, and life lessons learned by all until the surprising end. I do not feel the criticism I have read here and elsewhere is valid since this is meant to be a light take on this sociological experiment, yet exquisitely preserved.

The overall colors were a little drab, but some of the landscape exteriors and one interior dance scene showed some vibrancy. The TrueHD was fine, and actually played best when the music was active (which is being interjected often). The supplements were thorough for a film like this, including:

* 5 minutes of 4 deleted scenes would have been fine left in the film.

* 8:30 minutes of bloopers they were actually funny and seemed appropriate for the extras inclusion since this was a humorous film.

* 6 minute New York Premiere Featurette more of an ad plug with some red carpet interviews and too many film clips.

* Commentary by the director and writer this was actually one of the better ones I have heard in some time. The director dominates the track with a plethora of great info, and the writer actually provides a solid back-up to his material; they gelled just right. Was nice to hear a team on a commentary instead of a competition or a mess of constant interruptions.

I liked the film and it plays very well in the store. The display catches a great deal of attention with the props, music and attire, plus everyone performs quite well. Four for the film and one for the extras. Did not see the original material (play, book) to compare so I think all the negative press is misplaced as a stand alone film, and Biel was not that bad she did fine for what the role was. Enjoy.

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I loved watching this movie. If you have seen some of Noel Cowards work done before (Relative Values), you'll remember the humor he brings to the plate. Stephan Elliot truly had his hands full with four great cast members! You will laugh, you will be upset, you will be astonished and that it what makes this movie such fun to watch! It's been described as "meet the very posh british parents" but I think it's much, much more. And, a great performance of the Tango done by Jessica Biel and Colin Firth!

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I am always looking for a movie that I can watch that will entertain me and sometimes, help chase away the blues. I am generally not a romance movie fan, so I nearly passed this movie by. I did watch this movie however, and boy was I glad that I did. The plot very entertaining and the scenery, the clothes, the actors were all eye candy. The music selected for the movie helped set the tone. Was it a socially important movie? No, not unless you think that bringing a smile or laugh to someone has value (which obviously I do.) This movie is what it is. You either get it...or you don't. A big thumbs up, in my book.

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I saw Easy Virtue 5 times in the theatre when it was in limited release and would have seen it more given the chance! The acting is suberb by the whole cast. Ben Barnes (of Prince Caspian fame) plays love struck young Englishman John Whittaker who marries American race car driver, Larita (an elegant, witty Jessica Biel) bringing her home to his manipulative disapproving mother (the always fabulous Kristin Scott Thomas), vacant war damaged father (Colin Firth in a beautifully natural performance), and provincial sisters Marion and Hilda. Snappy dialogue and machinations ensue on both sides in the battle for John's future.

This is often billed as a comedy and though it IS very funny, there is drama and deeper meaning, as well. Director and co-screenwriter Stephan Elliott (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) manages to find something sympathetic in each character while taking a delicious potshot at upper-crusty English society. Little is left of the Noel Coward play it's based on (thank goodness), but it's witty enough that it sounds like Coward. Elliott creates a visually rich and dynamic piece packed with fun period music (I LOVE the soundtrack!).

Marius de Vries builds a beautiful period score along with some contemporary songs made to sound like period pieces (I especially love "Sex Bomb"). Ben Barnes has a gorgeous voice and besides singing to charm everyone in the movie, provides the soundtrack with two of my favorite songs, "A Room With a View" and "I'll See You Again". Jessica Biel opens the film with a lovely "Mad About the Boy" and helps Colin Firth and Ben Barnes on "When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going".

I highly recommend this gay, bittersweet romp!

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The Girlfriend Experience (2009)

If you like Soderbergh's more challenging, smaller scale, experimental work, you'll find a lot to love about The Girlfriend Experience. If you're just showing up for porn star Sasha Grey, save yourself the 10 bucks unless you really want to see the girl act. She actually delivers a natural, credible performance as an escort who isn't nearly as sophisticated as she thinks she is.

Told in a fractured, back and forth manner, the narrative is slight and challenging, but the jumbled chronology galvanizes your focus on what's happening. This isn't just the story of a call girl, it's really about loneliness, disconnectedness and the commodification of everything in the modern world, including love.

Soderbergh is often a detached filmmaker, but this is one of his most emotionally resonant pictures since Solaris. The feeling is subtle, but it's there.

This is also one of the most beautifully photographed films of the year.

The need to love and be loved, to know and be known, suggests director Steven Soderbergh (Bubble), is so deeply and powerfully embedded in human nature that we will do almost anything to get it. We will even pay for it, whether to a therapist, to a personal trainer like Chris, or to a $2,000 an hour "escort" girl like Chelsea who provides sex, of course, but mainly therapy to very wealthy but deeply lonely men. Mainly they talk to Chelsea, about all the things you'd talk about in a "real" relationship. She pretends to offer that and they believe they receive it, and woe to both parties when they drop their guard and transgress business boundaries to reveal themselves to each other as real human beings rather than as partners in a transaction. Since human love is one of the few things you can't buy, Chelsea and her clients seek something they can't get and forfeit their closest approximations in what they already have.

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The sole intent of a business is to provide a commodity for the consumer. A young escort named Chelsea (Sasha Grey) is herself a commodity for rich men who, for all intents and purposes, want the same basic thing: Companionship. Some want to go to the movies. Many want to wine and dine her at pricey restaurants. Sex can be involved, but according to what we're shown, Chelsea's clients are much more interested in airing their financial grievances and persuading her to vote in specific ways during the 2008 Presidential campaign. They also seem quite fascinated with the idea of discovering the "real" Chelsea, which is probably why they often ask her so many questions about what she does for a living. But is it possible to "know" her? As she says, "If they wanted to know the real me, they wouldn't be paying." For an escort, it's not about reality, but about creating the illusion of reality.

Steven Soderbergh's "The Girlfriend Experience" operates on complex but relatable notions of humanity, specifically how money can be such a motivating factor. Neither Chelsea nor her clients delude themselves into believing that theirs is a lasting relationship. Indeed, her cool attitude and monotone voice make it clear that it's all about making a transaction and nothing more. She claims to be an escort in a committed relationship, but judging by the way she regards her boyfriend of a year and a half, Chris (Chris Santos), the idea is open for debate; Chris is a personal trainer, and like Chelsea, he wants to be successful at what he does. Do they love each other? Who knows? They live together, but there's never a moment of passion or even basic friendliness. Even when they argue, there's no conviction in what they say to one another.

There may, in fact, be only one client she's willing to pursue at a more personal level. He's not like the others. He actually listens. He's miles apart from the operator of an escort reviewing website, who was willing to write her a good review in exchange for sex. Chris doesn't exactly fit into this scenario, which is ironic since he's her actual boyfriend while her clients are merely paying to pretend to be her boyfriend. They pay for a Girlfriend Experience while Chris gets it for free. Then again, maybe he doesn't; he's offered the chance to join a group of friends for a guys-only weekend in Las Vegas, and considering his relationship with Chelsea, it's easy to understand why he decides to go.

What this movie does so well is reveal character without making it obvious. It's not so much in the dialogue but in the actions and subtle mannerisms. Chelsea, thin and tall with long dark hair, is both beautiful and irresistibly mysterious. She's dedicated and competitive, and we occasionally watch her take notes about her latest date--what she wore, who the clients were, what they did, what they said, etc. More to the point, she knows how to make herself seem interesting to the opposite sex, and she's darn good at making them feel important. She will listen to them talk, and she will respond when appropriate. She will do these things because providing a Girlfriend Experience is her job.

The challenge for the audience is to discover this while working through the film's experimental style. Scenes are played out of sequence. The structure doesn't have a traditional beginning, middle, and end. The dialogue seems almost entirely adlibbed, which is to say that there are a lot of interruptions and moments of hesitation. It was shot with a RedOne camera, which gives the whole thing the look and feel of a documentary. And yet, once the pieces fall into place, we realize that it's been telling us a deceptively simple story, not one of love or happiness but of basic human nature. We go through life knowing we're good at something, and at a certain point, we must provide our services with the rest of the world for a fee. Sasha Grey is the perfect actress to convey this message, given her background in pornography, another business that makes money by creating illusions.

Movies in general are about creating illusions, just as much as they are about providing them to audiences. "The Girlfriend Experience" understands this, which is why I was able to buy into the illusion. It's an unconventional but highly intriguing slice of life about people, not merely a story about characters. We're being asked to watch, and I don't mean we have to keep our eyes on the screen--we really have to watch everything that's going on, from the way shots are set up to what the shots are supposed to reveal. We have to pay close attention to what everyone is saying, not merely because it's important but also because what they say sounds as natural as actual conversing. We have to invest in Chelsea despite the fact that she presents only what her clients want her present. Like the men in her life, we try to discover the "real" her while knowing all too well that such a thing isn't possible. The pleasure of her company isn't personal. It's strictly business.

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I was sucked in by the movie poster. I loved the picture of Grey with the big sunglasses looking down at what I thought would be cell phone (she was actually counting money). It could be in a history book 100 years from now illustrating our addiction to information and fashionably big shades in the early part of this century. That photo is literally worth 1,000 words. I'd read about Sasha Grey in Rolling Stone a few months back and I typically load my rental queue with the DVDs that are hard to find. Because of the short length (75 minutes), this has an MTV reality show feel to it. By the way, I avoid reality shows where the focus is on rich, young Californians and their problems. "Girlfriend" works for me though. We can learn a lot from people from different walks of life even when we don't share the same values.

Cinematically, the cityscape is as beautifully shot as Lost in Translation. Both movies share a lot of solitude. It is not as plotless as other reviews say but it does run out of sequence to pique your interest. Chelsea is mechanical but well played by Grey who seems to have hope for an acting career after porn.

If this spoils the movie for you, consider this a warning. Chelsea's clients seem to want her company for a wide range of reasons. Mostly they want someone to listen to them. Don't we all? I was most interested in the values dynamic between her real boyfriend and her career. Having been there (loving someone who is still playing the field), I was most intrigued by Chelsea's greed leading her to go off the meter with a client, losing both her boyfriend and the client (married) in the process. Off the meter or not, Chelsea went on a spending spree prior to the weekend getaway where the guy calls to apologize for his cold feet and abandons her. Chelsea's boyfriend (a personal trainer in a gym) seems more connected to his client's emotions than Chelsea is to hers. The boyfriend pitches the idea of saving money by buying a bigger block of workouts to a gym client while making references to their relationship lasting. He actually refers to the "future" of the relationship.

Try to get too much, and you'll spill the cart and have nothing. Try to own too little, and you're left alone as Chelsea's boyfriend was after getting increasingly possessive about her extracurriculars. In this year of cheaters getting scalded by scorned women (Steve McNair, Tiger Woods etc.) I was paying close attention. What I got out of it was this: Whether you put all your stock in one person, or many: you'd best always be prepared to be alone.

Looking at my queue list, this will remain one of the more memorable movies but I can't give it 4 stars because it's just too thin on content. In a more typical movie plot, Chelsea would have been faced with real danger and perhaps a third act would have her getting help or closure. Instead we see her have one awkward exchange after another with men who never made time to become socially... suave. Awkward conversations with quirky people seem to be a staple in modern indy films. I like this.

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Businessmen like paying for things because it gives them a sense of power. According to Soderbergh, its not the paying clients who get confused about the nature of professional relationships (including those involving various forms of payed intimacy), its the call girl who gets confused.

In Solaris, everyone is confused about the nature of their intimate relationships, and everyone lives in their own solipsistic fantasy worlds where others are just projections from their own subconscious. In this film, all the men seem to understand the illusory nature of relationships and accept that; its the call girl who is, ironically, the only one who holds out hope for a genuine human connection.

The male characters like paying for what they want, and the most interesting male client, the journalist, is paying not for the call girl's body but for her story, her truth. The problem is that she doesn't have any "story" or "truth." She is so used to becoming what other men want her to be, that she no longer knows the difference between authentic and manufactured experiences/intimacies. She's become the perfect actress, a kind of blank slate upon which any man can write anything at all. Its a tragedy if there can be anything like tragedy in this postmodern world.

Soderbergh is exploring Godardian terrain here but not really extending our understanding of that terrain as Godard was already postmodern. At least with Godard, the solipsistic characters at least had the ability to grasp the tragic nature of their inauthentic (because always scripted by others) existence. In Soderbergh the characters are not afforded such privileged glimpses of self.

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Monsieur Verdoux (Criterion Collection) (1947)

If the willingness to take risks is the mark of a great artist -and I believe it is -then Monsieur Verdoux is one of Charles Chaplin's greatest films. And amidst all the controversy stirred by his portrayal of a serial wife killer, it's easy to forget that it's also a hilarious black comedy with plenty of sharp lines that would have succeeded even without its sociological message.

Chaplin's ability as an actor is pushed to a new level on this film through his portrayal of a morally ambiguous, unscrupulous ex-bank clerk who has no qualms about putting a body into an incinerator in his backyard. While much has been said about this film's break with Chaplin's Little Tramp character, careful examination reveals that Henri Verdoux is just a logical, and daring, advancement in the character: The more devilish, sometimes sadistic sides of the Little Tramp taken to their inevitable conclusion, where comic mischief crosses over the line to villainy. And it's highly compelling, the perfect foil to Chaplin's most heartwarming films (eg. City Lights and Modern Times), allowing Chaplin to express an insidiousness hitherto unexplored. Martha Raye nearly steals the show as the airheaded, supernaturally unkillable Mme. Bonheur (the name itself means "happiness"), and Marilyn Nash is winning as the Belgian derelict who inspires a spark of compassion in Verdoux. The conclusion of this character relationship is one of Chaplin's most complex writing feats: Imagine the ending of City Lights twisted into a dark, steely, uncompromising version of itself.

There are certain moments when the film does threaten to fall into self-involvement -in his later years, Chaplin did let his ego take ahold of his work -but in the case of Monsieur Verdoux, he uses this larger-than-life persona so well, and it fits the character so snugly, that the ego becomes an advantage and adds to the depth of the character. And the script has none of the self-conscious mix of silent film and talkies that plagued The Great Dictator; Chaplin had grown quite well into dialogue writing, allowing him to formulate moments of murderous irony that are cuttingly funny. ("Don't pull the cat's tail...") I have no problems with the ending speeches in this film as I did with the final speech of The Great Dictator: In the context of this story, they fit in quite well. Verdoux at the end is a man who has given up all hope, and he seems to mock his own fate and character while unmercifully unveiling his anger at the world. The speeches are not meant to be taken for face value, and I find them thought-provoking and fascinating rather than moralistic or self-important.

I first saw this film at Symphony Space in New York City and the audience was laughing so hard it was in tears. With modern audiences generally less inclined to judge a film by its "moral standing" (Kill Bill, anyone?), Monsieur Verdoux can be seen for what it is: A hilarious, complex sociological examination which identifies social ills while at the same time taking part in it. In that, it is unique in the Chaplin canon and deserves to rank among his most important films.

A quick note about this DVD edition: For some reason, the bonus materials for this film are far less numerous than on the other DVDs in this series -hence the single-disc package and lower price. By the standards of this series of reissues, the DVD materials are really quite scant -a useful yet brief half-hour documentary featuring good insight from director Claude Chabrol, a trailer, some storyboards. The picture and sound are of good quality, however, and the film is one to own. Highly recommended.

In his autobiography, Charlie Chaplin called "Monsieur Verdoux" (1947) "the cleverest and most brilliant film I have yet made." Though not without its faults, this sardonic black comedy remains his best foray into sound. Chaplin's detailed performance as the business-minded Bluebeard is a masterpiece of screen acting. However, the supporting cast ranges from excellent (Martha Raye) to amateurish (Marilyn Nash) while the final minutes get bogged down in endless talk. Chaplin later admitted that "Monsieur Verdoux" could have used a bit more pantomime and less dialogue. Still, it's a thought-provoking and hard-hitting film. Henri Verdoux and the Little Tramp have much in common.

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That was the campain in the 40's, when the public didn't want to accept this film. After a few weeks of running, it was abandoned in all cinema's. The people expected a Little Tramp, instead, they got a Bigamist Lady Killer. En mass they decided to boo the film and stay away.

However, this is not what Monsieur Verdoux deserves. In every scene you see Chaplin's quick brain, keen eye and swift feet at work. Some of the love scenes are absolutely hilarious, even in this day. Martha Raye (the wife who refuses to me murdered) is a scream. The film is intended as a parody on Society prior to WWII; if you watch it with this in mind you'll be able to enjoy it tremendously.

Before Chaplin decided to make this film, he had just gone through one of the most turbulant periods in his life. His divorse with Paulette, being harrased by a neurotic former love, meeting Oona and soon to be banned from the States, accused of being a Communist had taken it toll. Chaplin fought back in the only way he knew how: by making a comedy to tackle the present cruel (at least to him) society.

This DVD quality is as good as you can get; there a no evidence of film aging. However, the text on the back of the cover is a great disappointment. I happened to read it before I watched the film (as most people do to see if the film is what they were looking for), and not only was this the dullest description of a film I ever saw, but worse, it actually managed to give away the entire film including the FINAL scene! If you decide to give this film a chance (which won't be a disappointment, garantueed), avoid reading the back of the cover at all costs.

This is a five-star film, but one star off for the cover. Shame on Image Entertainment!

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When Chaplin set about to tell the tale of MONSIEUR VERDOUX, he wanted an actress for the role of the indestructible Annabella who could hold her own in the comedy department. He looked no further than stage/radio/movie star Martha Raye, who was known for her improvisational skills and was fearless when it came to comedy. Raye considered this the high point of her career, to have been chosen by the man she considered The Master as a co-star. Without exception, critics hail the rowboat scene when Verdoux is trying vainly to murder the obnoxious Annabella as the highlight of the film. Given the right director, Raye was matchless in comedy and also proved to be a capable dramatic actress in a precious few roles (Jumbo, The Gossip Columnist). Watch this film, if only to appreciate the comedy genius of Martha Raye. Oh, Chaplin ain't bad either.

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Many people seem to have a hard time stomaching this movie, I think in large part because, despite all possible warning to the contrary, people go see this movie with the idea that it will be like Chaplin's earlier movies, with him playing a character that either symbolizes human virtue or directly espouses Chaplin's views. These people are sorely dissapointed, because Chaplin's character, Monsieur Verdoux, is neither virtuous, nor does he express Chaplin's personal ideology. In fact, sometimes people come out of this still holding the point of view that this is just a regular Chaplin movie and are disgusted with Chaplin's apparently murderous tendencies!

The basic plot has been oulined here many, many times, and I don't think anything can be gained from going over it again; I will simply provide my views on what the characters mean so that those who watch this movie for the first time can at least go into it without drastic misconceptions. Verdoux is a French bank clerk layed off as a result of the depression, he sees no alternative but to marry women, obtain their assets, and murder them, in order to support his family. He loves his family (son and invalid wife) dearly, but despite this is cynical about the world, viewing it as a hostile place where one has to be hostile in return to survive in it. NOTE: Chaplin is NOT Verdoux (although they have some similarities: more on this later), at least, Verdoux is not Chaplin's vision of an ideal human being. In fact, Chaplin's ideal, which in earlier films took the form of the Tramp, is most nearly expressed by a female ex-con that Verdoux runs into. I forget exactly what she says, but one essential point is that a little kindness can make the world a wonderful place. Her optimistic world view is at direct odds with Verdoux's cynicism, and in fact Verdoux tells her that her optimism is corrupting his philosophy. There is much else that I could say about the themes of Monsieur Verdoux, but it is better if you simply see the movie, which I highly recommend.

Looking at the film in a fair and balanced way, however, it does have flaws. The only one of real importance to me is that Chaplin makes the character of Verdoux too sympathetic, especially at the end, with his statement to the court, which comes off, at least partly, as an excuse for his atrocities, rather than as purely an indictment of the hypocritical, inhuman world he lives in. My view of Verdoux is that he is a product of the mechanized, impersonal, ungrateful world so briliantly satirized in Modern Times, as inevitable as the Sun rising in the East, and not that he is a wise person (not that his statements at the end are what I would call wise, but they contain elements of wisdom that invite one to place trust in what Verdoux says). Perhaps at least part of this half-sympathetic portrayal is that Verdoux's disillusionment, his lashing out at a world that has turned his back on him, were traits that Chaplin at this stage in his career deeply identified with, and perhaps he couldn't help but put a little of himself into Verdoux. At any rate, these minor quibbles are no reason, I think, to deny the film the status of a classic masterpiece.

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Back to School (1986)

As the word reaches us that Rodney Dangerfield has died without waking up from his coma, we take this occasion to salute him by viewing one more time his comedy classic, "BACK TO SCHOOL." Adrienne Barbeau is in it, playing a trophy wife of yesteryear, grasping and unfaithful, she's only in it for the money any more. Thornton Melon runs a men's store called, "TALL AND FAT," and I would have liked to see a whole sequel to BACK TO SCHOOL that focussed on the day to day life of running this haberdashery. Anyway he's rich enough to be able to afford to hire Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. to write a term paper for him. Sam Kinison is in the movie too as the history professor--crazy and out of this world! And Sally Kellerman is more subdued than usual playing Diane Turner, the English professor who, in a memorable scene, makes Rodney analyze the meaning of Dylan Thomas' famous poem, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night."

Robert Downey Jr is in the movie too, he's always good for a laugh or two. And Keith Gordon plays the son, maybe his best part after the young son of Angie Dickinson in DRESSED TO KILL. But most of all the picture belongs to the one and only Rodney Dangerfield. Rodney, we will miss your attitude and your "I get no respect" whining. You always saw things the way the common man did. We salute you for your tremendous achievements. As Dylan Thomas said,

"And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

This is one of those movies I can watch every six months because of the great humor and story Dangerfield stars in. Dangerfield goes back to college to be closer to his son and the funny one-liners and humor really come together in this funny and intriguing comedy. I also enjoyed Dangerfield's acting in which he has to earn the respect of his son at school and how he cares about father-and-son issues. I think Dangerfield is at his best here and it's unfortunate we haven't seen another film like this from him and I simply have to call this film a comedy classic!

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Coming three years after making a big splash with his first-ever starring role, in the 1983 Horror classic CHRISTINE, Keith Gordon returned in this, the 1986 Comedy classic BACK TO SCHOOL, starring one of the most beloved comedians of all time, Rodney Dangerfield.

The story actually begins in 1940, where young Thornton Meloni (Jason Hervey, who would become famous two years later as Fred Savage's older brother on the TV show "The Wonder Years") is being exhorted by his immigrant father to stay in school and not to take over his tailoring business. The kid ends up not listening to him and becomes a high school dropout, taking over the business and changing it to a "Tall & Fat Store" while taking the "i" off the end of his last name and making a fortune. The fifty-something adult Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) is having an awful second marriage to Vanessa (Adrienne Barbeau in full vamp mode), but is proud of his college freshman son Jason (Keith Gordon), whom he thinks is in a popular fraternity and on the school's diving team. Soon after arriving for a surprise visit, however, Jason admits the truth that he's not in a frat, is not popular and is, in fact, the 'towel boy' for the diving team. Jason wants to leave school because it's not going the way he thought it would. The tall, beautiful Valerie (Terry Farrell) won't even notice him, and his roommate and only friend Derek (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a complete weirdo with wild hairstyles that appear to change daily. Rich Dad has an idea: he'll enroll as a freshman himself and that will influence Jason to have a better time and to stay in school!

After pulling some strings, including donating a huge sum for a brand-new School of Business (it is, after all, not everyday that a well-respected university will take on a student who never finished high school, even someone as rich as Thornton Melon), fun-loving Thornton proceeds to throw his weight around, changing Jason & Derek's room into a plaza suite (complete with a hot tub), throwing awesome parties and even romancing his English professor (Sally Kellerman), much to the chagrin of her uptight boyfriend, Business professor Phillip Barbay (Paxton Whitehead), who would like nothing better than an excuse to drum the impudent Thornton Melon out of the university! Meanwhile, Thornton uses his considerable influence on Coach Turnbull (M. Emmett Walsh) to let Jason officially join the squad, which upsets the snobby star diver Chas (William Zabka) who suddenly finds himself competing for his girlfriend Terry, who begins to take a liking to Jason.

If this all sounds like too much plot for this 96-minute movie, let me just say that BACK TO SCHOOL makes very efficient use of its time (no slow points here), and equally good use of Mr. Dangerfield's comedic talents, that the plot itself is almost secondary to the one-liners Rodney uses in his usual self-deprecating way. Plus, the cameos are real fun, especially Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as himself, being hired to write a paper for Jason about--what else?--Kurt Vonnegut Jr.! The music is very upbeat 80's here (as you would expect for a movie of this type); however, it does mark the film scoring debut for Danny Elfman of Oingo Bongo who appears in the film (as themselves) performing their great classic "Dead Man's Party" (which, incidentally, had been on the soundtrack to WEIRD SCIENCE a year earlier).

Even if certain occurrences are patently unbelievable, such as the oral exam scene late in the film, BACK TO SCHOOL is so much fun to watch that it doesn't matter what happens, just as long as Rodney's and Gordon's characters win in the end and make us laugh while doing it. It is of definite interest to us Star Trek fans that Terry Farrell would eventually go on to play Lt. Dax on TV in "Deep Space Nine." Also, watch quickly for a cameo by Robert Picardo (who would join the aforementioned Jason Hervey two years later in "The Wonder Years" playing the dreaded Coach Cutlip, then later on joining Ms. Farrell in the Star Trek series in his wonderful role of the holographic Doctor) as the guy Thornton catches Vanessa fooling around with at a big party. Oh, and Sam Kinison is hilarious in a small role, playing himself as a shell-shocked History professor who never quite came out of Vietnam.

Everybody is great in this mid-80's comedy classic. Lastly, you have to love a Rodney Dangerfield movie that features a university dean by the name of Dean Martin (the always-wonderful Ned Beatty). BACK TO SCHOOL really takes us back to school on what a great film comedy should be. Add this one to your DVD library! Even with the lack of a lot of extras, it's still very much worth it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Before getting to the film itself, I need to say something about the Blu-ray transfer. Though you can find the BD for substantially less than the price shown, you should be aware of the problems.

The first is that the transfer is from a theatrical print. There's the occasional white speck -and a rather big white chunk missing (briefly) during the oral-exam sequence. There are also occasional density fluctuations, not surprising in a DeLuxe print (which uses the same IB process as Technicolor). Second, in scenes with very dark backgrounds, the dark areas break up into squares -not unlike poking your nose near a window screen. IMPORTANT It turns out that this is a side-effect of having Sharpness turned up all the way, and is not a flaw in the transfer. See my review of "Highlander" for a detailed discussion.)

On the other hand, the image is sharp and detailed, with no grain reduction. However, in the scene near the end where Jason is kissing Valerie, the grain on his over-lit forehead "pops" in a way that looks like an encoding artifact. In short, the transfer would have been better had the composite negative been used. But it's "good enough" that I can reasonably recommend it without feeling you're going to be badly disappointed.

The film itself is one of those "guilty pleasures" one needn't feel guilty about. It's one of those rare comedies that's actually funny -and from beginning to end. Dangerfield is funny simply standing there -his face was its own caricature. The casting is well-nigh perfect, with actors you'd never expect in such a low-budget film. Sally Kellerman and Ned Beatty are standouts, with the latter demonstrating that he can pull off just about any role. (Read the cast list and be prepared to be surprised.)

The writers aren't afraid to steal. The Melon/Turner/Barbay triangle parallels the MacMurray/Olsen/Reid triangle in "The Absent-Minded Professor", and even the opening visual gag of that film is taken. They also swipe the Marshall McLuhan gag from "Annie Hall".

A "great" film? No. Just a very entertaining one that, for this viewer, has not worn out its welcome.

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Don't you just miss 80's movies like Back To School? A film starring one of the funniest men on the planet (Mr. Rodney Dangerfield) with an ensemble cast of famous names unto themselves, has got to have SMASH MOVIE written all over it, and it does! A simple premise: Thornton Melon (Dangerfield) has become a wealthy millionaire even though he dropped out of high school, and now his son, Jason (Keith Gordon) wants to drop out of college, so in order to keep him from leaving, Thornton decides to go to college too! There are so many hysterical moments I just can't print them all. But some favorites are the big scene with Sam Kinison as the crazed history teacher, Professor Terguson ("Good teacher. He really seems to care. About what I have no idea".), Thornton doing the Triple Lindey swimming dive (with Derek[Robert Downey Jr.]distracting the rival diving team with loud noise and reflecting light to the face), Thornton's rendition of "Twist And Shout" at a local bar, and of course, the party in Thornton's dorm room, with Danny Elfman's band, Oingo Boingo and a killer hot tub, complete with BUBBLES! ("Now that's what I call marine biology".) But a truly winning comedy can't be completely great without heart, which is what this film has. Keith Gordon (John Carpenter's Christine), who is sorely missed in the acting world since he changed his profession to directing, is great as Thornton's son, Jason, who loves his father a lot but feels like Dad's always trying to do too much to make him happy when all he wants to do is live his own life. Terry Farrell (TVs Star Trek: DS9 & Becker) makes a good love interest for him too. I always knew she'd make a name for herself one day. Of course you can't make this sort of film without the bad guys and both father and son have each of their own: William Zabka (who we all should remember as bad boy Johnnie from The Karate Kid) as Chas, the snotty swim diver, and Paxton Whitehead as Philip Barbay, Thornton's economics professor are both out to give our duo a not so sweet time at college. But with Sally Kellerman as the funloving literature teacher, Diane, helping Thornton with reading (and biology) just made things a whole lot more fun. This film has such a great mix of comic chemistry and one-liners that you may miss after the first viewing from laughing so hard. But it's also a movie that just makes you feel good when it's all over.

The DVD isn't much on special features, only a trailer, which has a scene not in the film of Thornton and his bodyguard, Lou (Burt Young of the "Rocky" movies as Paulie) looking at a college sex book ("Well, they left out the most important thing...where to get it"). But at least they give you a letterboxed version (1.85:1) as well as a full framed version. But for the asking price, this disc is worth it. Maybe someday they'll get the gang together and make a documentary and audio commentary. Until then get this DVD. I haven't seen the picture look this good in years. The VHS pales in comparison.

So, if you're tired of all the bland humor that seems to be coming out of the Hollywood machine these days, go Back To School with Rodney Dangerfield, who will show you just how funny Comedies should be. "Ooh, I'd love to tame your shrew!"

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Scrooged (1988)

Other reviewers have commented on their likes or dislikes for this 1988 Christmas movie starring Bill Murray. I'm a Bill Murray fan and I love this movie. What I want to comment on in this brief review is the quality of the blu ray transfer. I'm happy to report that the transfer is excellent! Finally fans of Scrooged can enjoy watching Frank Cross discover the true meaning of Christmas in beautiful hi-def. I'm so tired of buying a blu ray of a favorite movie and getting something that looks worst than standard-def. This is NOT the case with Scrooged. It looks and sounds great. Buy and enjoy.

Bill Murray is the new Scrooge in the classic tale done yet again. I remember a reviewer giving it a low rating because he said it seemed as though Murray's character really didn't like people. Helllooo, isn't that what actors are supposed to do? This version of the old Chrsitmas tale is a good retelling of the story. Murray is mean to everyone including his only brother (played by his real younger brother). The 3 spirits that visit Frank Cross (Murray's role) are wacky to say the least. Carol Kane plays the ghost of Christmas present and is probably the funniest of the spirits. Murray has this act down pat. He's a big t.v. exec and fires Elliot Laudermilk (Bobcat Goldthwait) just for disagreeing with him. By the way, his fires Laudermilk on Christmas eve.

Alfre Woodard plays his longsuffering assistant and tries to be Cross' conscience since he doesn't have one of his own. In the visit to Christmas past we learn that television played the biggest role in raising him since his parents weren't the greatest in the world. Christmas doesn't mean much because his parents didn't put up Christmas lights, buy a tree or get him presents. His father does come home one night and drop a package of veal in front of him as a Christmas gift but the young Frank Cross tells his dad that he wanted a choo-choo train. His dad, a butcher, (played by Brain Doyle Murray, Bill Murray's real life brother) is totally unsympathetic and suggests that his son get a job even though he's only four.

There are lots of laughs here as the cast pokes fun at the t.v. industry from behind this comedy. The end of the film might be a little mushy bit it's fine here since Cross is so mean during the rest of the film. He even steals a cab from a little old lady carrying a load of packages. This movie would fit nicely in your holiday collection.

Parents Advisory: There is no nudity or sex. However, there is a small bit of foul language. It may frighten very young children. I suggest a viewing age of at least thirteen.

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Since the first time I ever saw this movie, I have watched it a few times a year, never tiring of the modern take on the Dickens classic. Bill Murray is excellently cast as cold hearted TV exec Frank Cross and with each scene, the movie draws you ever-closer to the Christmas feeling.

I watch this EVERY Christmas Eve and no matter how bad a year you've had, by the time this movie finishes and it's time to go to bed before Father Christmas comes, you'll be in the true Spirit of the Season.

I've yet to meet someone who doesn't lean towards this as their movie of choice for the festive period. And now... I finally get to see it on DVD!

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Bill Murray lends his comedic talents to this contemporary version of the Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," with somewhat skewered results in "Scrooged," directed by Richard Donner from a screenplay by Mitch Glazer and Michael O' Donoghue. This time around, Ebenezer is one Frank Cross (Murray), programming executive for a major television network with an office in New York. Above all else, Cross covets the "ratings" he can add to his coffers, and this year he's going all out with a "live" broadcast of "A Christmas Carol" planned for Christmas Eve, starring Buddy Hackett as Scrooge and Mary Lou Retton as Tiny Tim. And that's just a taste of the kind of humor this film has to offer. There's more, much more, and it's all handled with aplomb by Donner, Murray and a great supporting cast. Whatever genre he's working in, Donner knows his stuff and knows how to deliver the goods. Here he wisely lets Murray lead the way, but keeps his star on task and the film moving along with a tempered pace and great timing. The story remains the same, but placing Scrooge-Cross-in the entertainment industry was a stroke of genius, and it all works exceedingly well, as it gives the audience a medium with which it can readily identify. Let's face it, television is a part of our culture, like it or not, and it's here to stay; and in this instance, using it as a setting for this story offers a "tableau vivant" rich with possibilities that are tapped to the fullest. There's a promo for the upcoming live broadcast like you've never seen before; there's the "inside" industry jokes, like Network executive Preston Rhinelander (Robert Mitchum) urging programming for cats; "Marley's ghost" becomes Lew Hayward (John Forsythe) the exec who sold his soul for ratings; the casting of Hackett and Retton; but most of all, it puts Murray right in his element. Murray gets right to the heart of the character, imbuing Cross with a sense of jaded, dubious and sarcastic paranoia that so perfectly fits the psychological make-up of an executive in a business where you're only as good as yesterday's ratings. And Murray plays him to the hilts; he has the tone and the body language, and nobody can look "askance" like he can, a nuance he makes the most of here. it's an original take on a familiar character, and in Murray's skin Cross becomes a memorable and entirely believable figure, from his credible ruthlessness (he fires an underling, Eliot Loudermilk--played by Bob Goldthwait-just before Christmas for disagreeing with his "vision") to his epiphany on Christmas Eve. The terrific supporting cast includes Karen Allen as Claire, the girl Frank lets slip away as he follows the siren's song of career; John Glover (Bryce Cummings) as Frank's new "assistant," plotting his way to the top; Alfre Woodard (Grace) as Frank's secretary, a single mom with a sick child; Michael J. Pollard (Herman); Nicholas Phillips (Calvin); John Murray (James); Brian Doyle-Murray (Earl Cross); David Johansen, as the cab-driving Ghost of Christmas Past; and Carol Kane, who turns in an unforgettable, hilarious, scene-stealing performance as the Ghost of Christmas Present. There's plenty of laughs and some touching moments in "Scrooged," which is a wonderfully entertaining holiday treat, especially if you want your "Christmas Carol" served up just a little bit differently this year. And the speech Murray gives at the end, once he's had his revelation, is worth the price of admission alone; it's one of those things Murray does best, and he really connects with the audience, especially when he finishes up by leading everyone involved (including the audience) in song. This is a movie that has become an annual event for many since it's arrival on video; give yourself a present this year and put this one under your tree. You'll be glad you did. Like the song at the end (sung by Annie Lennox and Al Green), it'll "Put A Little Love In Your Heart."

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Christmas movies are fun. I like Christmas movies because they're generally nice, lightweight, enjoyable pieces of fluff with important moralistic messages ("It's a Wonderful Life," "Scrooge") or sometimes they're just fun to watch ("Gremlins," "Home Alone").

"Scrooged" isn't lightweight, cheery, or happy. It's dark, brooding, sort of evil, and it's the only Christmas movie I can think of that seems as if Tim Burton directed it.

Am I insulting the film? Heavens, no. I love it. In fact, I'm complimenting it. Instead of repeating old traditions, it's trying something new, and the secret to the film is the way it actually pulls it all off.

The plot: Frank Cross is the youngest television station president in recorded history because he knows the people. At least he thinks he does. In reality, he's just a greedy tycoon who gives people bath towels for Christmas -including his own brother.

Cross is a modern day Scrooge, and the movie "Scrooged" is a modern reworking of the classic Charles Dickens story. Frank Cross is played by Bill Murray absolutely perfectly. He's cynical, dry, and sarcastic, and doesn't give a darn about anyone else other than himself.

So the night before Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by an old business partner -who has been dead for seven years. ("I wouldn't have guessed more than three, tops," says Frank in his usual sarcastic tone.) His old associate warns Frank to change his ways or he'll end up like himself -angry, bitter...and dead.

Frank doesn't pay any attention to his "hallucination," and continues being his usual self during the festive Christmas holiday -by ripping off old ladies' cabs and firing Elliot (Bobcat Goldthwait) on Christmas Eve. (Elliot is sort of today's version of Bob Cratchitt.)

Frank is putting on a Christmas Eve production of Charles Dickens' immortal classic "Scrooge" (what happened to "A Christmas Carol," I wonder?), and in the film's funniest scene, introduces his ad for the program. (It later scares an old woman to death and Frank takes it as a wonderful sign -controversy is as good as advertising!)

The three ghosts do indeed come and haunt Frank. Except Frank is more cynical than Ebenezer Scrooge ever was, and convincing him that Christmas is a season of giving will be hard. (Frank: "I get it, you're here to show me my past and I'm supposed to get all dully eyed and mushy. Well forget it pal, you got the wrong guy.")

Frank is revisited by an old flame (Karen Allen) and his heart starts to beat once again after years of silence. Frank slowly but surely starts to learn to appreciate Christmas once again, following all of Scrooge's examples. His intern's son, who witnessed his father's murder and hasn't spoken since, is a sort of Tiny Tim, and "Scrooged" does indeed follow all of the elements of Charles Dickens' classic. Only it updates the tale, throws in a bunch of cameos, and great acting on Murray's behalf.

Frank revisits scenes from his childhood and adulthood first hand with the wacky ghosts as companions. They can't see or hear Frank -his cab driver ghost tells him that he's in the middle of a rerun.

Frank remembers how his father brought him meat for Christmas, how he broke up with his girlfriend over a matter of greed vs. happiness, and how his life was a complete waste. (Ghost: "Let's face it, Frank, garden slugs got more out of life than you." Frank: "Yeah? Name one!")

It was a matter of time before "A Christmas Carol," or "Scrooge," got a modernized treatment. And it comes out fresh and ingenious, dark and hilarious. The movie owes its entire success to the casting of Bill Murray, whose cynical ways shone through in such early films as "Stripes" and "Ghostbusters," and here compliment the film the way no other actor's talent could.

Take, for example, the way he can remain unmoved but, at the same time, flippant and sarcastic, towards his boss when he tells Frank that cats and dogs are starting to watch television, and that he thinks Frank should target some advertising at the canine and feline demographic. Frank just stares at his boss as if he's crazy and whispers, "Call the cops."

The movie was directed by Richard Donner ("Lethal Weapon"), and is one of the films I watch as an annual tradition around Christmas. It's dark and often quite disturbing, and its eerie music adds to the mix. But it helps the film because it makes us see through Frank's eyes. And the outcome is, quite frankly, an instant Christmas classic. This is a film I'll be watching for years, and so far, it's only been getting better every time.

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Men in Black II (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2002)

With tongue planted so firmly in cheek as to be in danger of serious injury, Barry Sonnenfeld set out to surpass his own 5 year old triumph with Men in Black II. He didn't quite clear the mark set by MiB, but he came much closer than I ever thought he could.

Clearly, the goal of the MiB2 cast and crew was to expand the best elements of the first movie and lose those bits which didn't work so well. They had a great idea and implemented it well, but I think that they may have gone just a tad too far in paring the story and script down. MiB2 is a great ride, from the first frame to the last, and rarely have I seen 90 minutes go by so quickly. A little too quickly, as it turned out.

This flick is even more densely packed with one-liners, droll humor, visual puns and delightfully cynical satire than the first. It opens with a segment from a no-budget TV series on strange and unexplained phenomena (hosted by Peter Graves, of course) describing how the Earth narrowly escaped destruction in 1978 when we were caught between Serleena, a powerful and evil alien, and the object of her desire, a mysterious force known as the Light of Zartha. At that critical juncture 25 years ago, a super-secret government agency (which licenses and polices alien activity on Earth) kept us out of the line of fire by refusing the Zarthans' request to hide the Light on Earth.

Cut to the present day and Serleena's back. Naturally. She's still looking for the Light of Zartha and she's severely POed that she hasn't found it yet. Arriving on Earth undetected, her first problem is the same faced by the galactic cockroach in MiB: find a disguise that will pass among the primitve humans. As a shape shifting nest of snake-like apendages, though, she had an easier time of it than the 20 foot Bug. Almost immediately, she comes accros a magazine open to a full page Victoria's Secret ad and before you can say "brand new Edgar suit", she's taken the form of Lara Flynn Boyle . . . in nothing more than Victoria's best black lingerie. This is one dangerous alien.

Actually, Boyle does a good job of filling Vincent D'Onofrio's shoes. She's a smarter (if less ghastly) villain than the Bug and before long has put J and K at a serious disadvantage by completely taking over MiB headquarters.

Ah yes, Jay and Kay. Let's face it: the real key to the success of Men in Black was the hillarious juxtaposition of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Well, Kay is back and the chemistry has lost very little zing in the 5 years it was on the shelf. it turns out that the erstwhile Agent K is the only human being who might possibly know how to find the Light of Zartha. Unfortunatly, he's still got a 35 year gap in his memory and is working as the Postmaster of a small town in Maine. Zed dispatches J to bring him back and get him de-neuralized, post haste.

I won't give away any more of the plot than this; it's thin enough as it stands and I wouldn't want to spoil what few surprises there are. Fortunatly, the movie isn't really about the plot, now is it? it's about the gags, the special effects and watching Smith and Jones have *way* too much fun. Several other characters from the first flick also return, including Tony Shalhoub as the occaisionaly headless pawnbroker Jeebs, the four ungrateful worm guys and the wisecracking, karaoke singing pug, Frank.

Go see it, it's a hoot. The humor is a bit more juvenile than in the first movie, perhaps, but it really doesn't suffer much for all of that.

The inevitable sequel to the immensely popular MEN IN BLACK is on DVD, and while the film isn't as good as the original, the DVD extras are impressive. Like most Hollywood sequels, the tired "Bigger is Better" rule applies here (Somebody has to throw that old Hollywood "How-To" book in the bin). However there is much fun to be had throughout the somewhat un-original plot. Will Smith, returning to the comedy side of things after Michael Mann's ALI, gives another "I ain't touchin' that thing!" performance. And Tommy Lee Jones returns as straight-faced Agent K after getting his memory re-inserted to save manikind from the threat of alien invasion. It's fun, yes, but not as good as it could have been. At least it's better than WILD WILD WEST.

The DVD extras make up for it though, with a substantial amount of extras on the second dic of the 2 Disc set. Starting off with a Director Commentary, 14 (!) Production Featurettes, Alternate Ending, the predictable Will Smith music video, Multi-Angle Deconstructions, Blooper Reel, DVD-rom content, Marketing Campaigns and trailers.

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I really enjoyed Men in Black. I thought the relationship between J & K (Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones) was wonderful. Tommy plays a wonderful straight man to Smith's zaniness.

I went to see Men in Black II last week, and I found that it fit like a thoroughly used, but still kind of comfortable glove. It's nowhere near as good as the first one, and it suffers from recycling too many of the jokes as well. The talking dog returns in a much more prominent role, the worms are back as well and have more to do. While funny (listening to the dog sing Gloria Gaynor is hilarious), ultimately they don't work as well in expanded roles. It feels almost like running the joke into the ground. A much more successful return is the ever-wonderful Tony Shalhoub as Jeebs. He's in for one scene, but he's still great.

Lara Flynn Boyle completely fails, in my opinion, as Serleena. First, she doesn't play menacing very well. Secondly, she doesn't seem to handle the wry humour and the quips that a villain in a picture like this requires. She comes across as very flat. Thankfully, Rip Torn is wonderful, and Jones and Smith slip into their comfortable roles very easily. They really make the movie.

The film is very short (88 minutes), which also tends to make it seem rushed. The characters jump from place to place without much reason. When reason is given, it's usually very quickly so as to move the plot along to the next set piece.

It was a funny film. No doubt about that. It was worth the [money] that I paid for it. Just don't go in expecting something as good as the first one.

Read Best Reviews of Men in Black II (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2002) Here

I know a lot of people don't agree with me, but I rank MIB II among the very few sequels that do just as well as the originals. MIB is one of my favorite movies of all time, and MIB II is just as good.

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This movie is so cool and funny! It's even better than the first of the MIB movies! It follows an alien named Serleena who takes on the form of Lara Flynn Boyle. She's on Earth because she wants a light device that will help her planet and race thrive. Soon, she finds some victims to get information out of, but it's to no avail. Meanwhile, our returning MIB heroes are still looking out for more evil space scum and soon after offing a whole lot of it run into Serleena and some of her minions. The fights happen and soon Serleena herself is the only one left. Ultimately, she makes one last attempt to achieve her goal before being blasted to bits by Will Smith. This movie is funnier than the first, cooler than the first and it brings back memories of good times in my past. You liked the first Men In Black movie? See this one with no delays or hesitations.

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Date Night (Two-Disc Extended Edition + Digital Copy) (2010)

This is in the tradition of the screwball comedies of the 30's and 40's, briefly reborn in movies like "What's Up Doc." The chase scene is actually one of its weaker elements, except for the part where the two cars get locked together, which is hysterical. Yes, the ending is a little pat, but some good points are made. And who cares, if you're laughing along the way? Tina Fey and Steve Carell are in top form; they can do more with facial expressions and tone of voice that most comic actors can do with the whole screen. Of the cameos, the one with the "real" Tripplehorns (James Franco and his wife?) is the real delight. I can't see why anyone wouldn't enjoy it, but I would say this is most likely to appeal to actual married couples--maybe not so much to the younger set, the kids. To those who think the "bored couple" part wasn't funny: you've either never been part of a bored couple (congratulations!) or you're part of one now and can't see the humor in it (sorry).

I saw this in the theater twice with different friends and then watched it again last night with my husband. Even on the third viewing, I was laughing out loud. Now admittedly I enjoy almost all comedies (even dumb ones) and I'm a huge fan of both Tina Fey and Steve Carell. If you don't like Frey in 30 Rock or Baby Mama or Carell in 40 Year Old Virgin or Little Miss Sunshine, of course you're not going to enjoy this movie; the actors aren't breaking any new ground here.

I found Date Night not only funny but charming, one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen recently. While the couple fights at times, ultimately they are genuinely kind and enjoy each other. The humor isn't mean-spirited and snarky, like, for example, Get Him to the Greek or Grown Ups. (I loved Get Him to the Greek, btw, and hated Grown Ups, which was too dumb even for me.) Date Night manages to be warm-hearted but not sentimental or cloying. It's refreshing.

I will say it gets off to a very slow start, showing us how boring the couple's life is, but once Fey and Carell are running around the city, the pace picks up and the movie gets very funny. (Ridiculous but funny.) It's worth watching just for a truly hysterical scene with James Franco and Mila Kunis. Plus, there's the funniest pole dancing scene ever.

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In order for a movie packed full of unlikely plot-developments and general silliness like DATE NIGHT, a cast that's easy to love who have razor sharp comic timing and mastery of their tone is needed. Fortunately, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey meet all three requirements, and thus, DATE NIGHT works on many levels.

Carrell and Fey play a nearly middle aged married couple with kids. They have a comfortable suburban life, and are still fond of each other, but they are also clearly just a bit worn out by life. "Date Nights" for them consist of going to a local steak restaurant, with worn-out décor and no sense of romance whatsoever. And in time-honored, clichéd tradition, they wonder if they are still in-love with the other...because they see their closest friends getting divorced. I hate the way Hollywood likes to make us think that no long term marriage could possibly still be happy and fulfilling. True, raising a family and nurturing a career and paying bills and time do take their toll...but mature couples embrace those things. They don't shake their heads with regret over the wild and crazy times they may have missed.

Anyway, I clearly digress. One day, Carrell decides to shake things up just a bit, and invites his wife to go "into the city" to try out a hot new restaurant they've heard of. Naturally, when they arrive, with no reservations, they are treated with withering disdain by the staff...but Carrell hangs in there, and when the name "Tripplehorn" is repeatedly called by the hostess to no avail, Carrell declares that he and his wife are the Tripplehorns and they are seated and begin to enjoy a lovely evening together. Then they are approached by a couple of thuggish men, who escort them to the alley and begin to rough them up. Because apparently the real Tripplehorns are engaged in blackmail, and they are being hunted by some bad men. Thus, Carrell and Fey embark on a pretty wild and crazy Date Night...one in which many silly moments of physical comedy happen to them and equally as many unlikely plot twits.

If you're going to see this movie for a coherent crime drama about two amateurs who foil a crime syndicate...you'll be disappointed. But if, like 99.99% of the people attending, you're hoping for some good laughs and high-quality banter...you'll be mostly pleased. Carrell & Fey deliver and then some. Although these two performers have not really worked together before, they both share a past history with Chicago's famed Second City Improv group, and their comic sensibilities blend together quite nicely. They can take some pretty mundane writing, and produce some remarkable laughs. While I won't go so far as to say that Carrell and Fey (the actors) are clearly affectionate towards each other...you can certainly see the appreciation for each other's skill on their faces. Carrell, in particular, gets a real twinkle of delight in his eyes when Fey delivers a great line. There is nothing serious in their performances, but there is a warmth and camaraderie that are infectious.

They are ably assisted by many good cameos, including a hilarious scene with James Franco and Mila Kunis and a recurring appearance from Mark Wahlberg, who plays a government security consultant (e.g. CIA) who has a lovely apartment and an apparent unwillingness to wear shirts. While Wahlberg isn't really asked to do much except allow Fey and Carrell to react to him...he shows a humor about himself that is often missing in his persona. The invaluable William Finctner shows up later, as does Ray Liotta, playing the character Ray Liotta always does.

The movie also features an unlikely but very funny car chase. Your enjoyment of it will greatly depend on your willingness to utterly suspend disbelief....but if you do, it's funny enough to cause a pain in your side. Other moments of physical comedy fall flatter, even when Fey & Carrell are funny, the stuff they are asked to do sometimes isn't. Again, in lesser hands (say, oh, Gerard Butler & Jennifer Aniston), this movie would be nearly intolerably shrill. But in the end, it's a wonderful tribute to the skills of its two stars and while it's not a classic screwball comedy, it is still well worth your time.

Read Best Reviews of Date Night (Two-Disc Extended Edition + Digital Copy) (2010) Here

The Fosters start this movie as some of the blandest people on earth. Their suburban life has settled into such a rut that even their personal time, as a couple, fits a regular schedule their "date night," away from the kids. The story really gets under way at a toney new restaurant, the kind with reservations made weeks in advance, where they show up on a whim. Using the name on someone else's reservation, they get a seat. Unfortunately, they picked the name of someone in big trouble with a mob boss, some crooked cops, and others you don't want mad at you.

Fey and Carrell carry this through beautifully as naifs trying to claw their way out of the situation. Of course, it escalates as it goes along, with a few spectacularly funny moments along the way. They save the best for last, though, in a final faceoff with the bad guys. You'll have to see it for yourself, but don't mess with mom when her temper finally snaps.

It's commodity entertainment with some amusing moments. Some days, that's enough.

-wiredweird

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For probably the last 5-10 years, I haven't seen a good Hollywood comedy. They all seem to be about gross-out scenes, teenage losers, or awkward sexual situations. Fortunately, "Date Night" breaks that trend by combining two hilarious leads with a genuine plot that can be enjoyed on all levels.

For a basic plot summary, this movie follows the exploits of Mr. and Mrs. Foster (Carell and Fey) who (on their one impulse move) steal a dinner reservation from another couple and get drawn into a blackmail plot that has them running all over town looking for a way out.

In terms of comedy, "Date Night" hits on all cylinders, thriving on the unmistakable style of Carell. As so often happens in the world of funnymen, Carell may be completely irrelevant a year or two from now, but currently he is golden. If you like him on "The Office", you'll laugh at this effort as well. Tina Fey also shines in a co-starring role, providing a more direct approach to laughs rather than Carell's subtly.

What really sets this movie apart from others, though, is its heart. This is a film that can be enjoyed at a deeper level than just laughs. It touches on common themes like family, stagnating marriage, and trying to find that youthful excitement in life. Besides the funny business, "Date Night" will make you both think and feel in equal proportions.

Thus, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and highly recommend it to all viewers, especially Carell junkies. It will have you laughing one minute, and contemplating your life the next.

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