Courageous (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011)

I was able to see a free viewing of this movie thru LifeWay ministries through our local church. AMAZING MOVIE!!! Just like with FLYWHEEL, FACING THE GIANTS and FIREPROOF these brothers have made a movie that can change peoples lives. This movie is about fathers and their role in the family. What would happen if fathers actually connected with their wives and kids......what a diffrence they would make! I would reccommend this movie to everyone!!!!Comes out in theatres september 30th, 2011.

I had the privilege of viewing "Courageous" this afternoon with my wife and two very gracious friends who had secured tickets for the initial showing in our city. I am a police officer, having logged on 23 years with the Carlsbad Police Department (NM), so I was looking forward to this movie with great anticipation.

Our friends asked me to comment on the authenticity of the daily law enforcement duties that would be depicted in this film. I can say the Kendrick brothers really did their homework; the daily operations were very well done and true to the life of the law enforcement officer.

"Honor begins at home" is the main message of this story focusing on the duties we fathers have in raising our children. God expects we fathers to be "leaders" in our homes. Seeing there is a serious problem in this country of fatherless homes, the writers address this issue very well.

The action is pure adrenaline; I was with these men every step of the way. There is also tragedy that will tear your heart. Yes, I shed some tears.

I commend the Kendrick brothers, all the fine actors and actresses, and the production crew for again creating a quality dynamic movie that will touch and convict hearts. I know that I was convicted about being apathetic in a few areas of my life. Everyone please view this movie, and may God bless you.

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Expect in-your-face fatherhood morals bursting from an action/emotion story.

Expect the F-words: Faith, Fatherhood, Fears, Failings, Family, Forgiveness.

Expecting goodness, I entered the theater for the 1st opening day matinee. Found it great.

Sheriff Deputies know the necessity of partnership. They take it to heart by forming a small group of men, adding one ethnic carpenter outsider, and strive to make a difference in the lives of their families. They base their "Resolutions" vows upon the Bible. Unfortunately it takes some tragic circumstances to get the men to this point. Their courageous open faith position will not always be taken well...as Dep. Adam Mitchell (Alex Kendrick-Dir, Writer, Editor, Actor) states, "some will mock, some will have no resolve, others will say `I WILL'. Men of courage with God's help." He notes they will (and do) face conflict, challenge, controversy, & need courage. Each man has his own family issues, each an individual path of struggle.

A debate is sure to develop. Which is best, "Courageous" or "Fireproof" (2008); the last 2 films by the Kendrick brothers. I vote, equal. Alex does it all in this 4th Faith-based film adventure, while Stephen writes and produces. They also did "Flywheel" 2003; and "Facing the Giants" 2006. Is this film a moral and faith statement from the writers? YES! Of course! That's what they and their church intend. Expect it, and perhaps be blessed.

This film begins immediately with ACTION, life-threatening, a crashing peak, and then an emotional end to the scene. Hold on to your hat, because you have almost 2 hours of emotion, action, and even some comedy ahead after that. Ken Bevel, as Hayes (Yes, from Fireproof) is new to this police squad. No big HOLLYWOOD stars in this low-budget film that relies on none of the typical theater gimmicks. This film, as in preceding Kendrick film successes, relies on spiritual subject matter, PG13 rating, and the targeting of the Christian Theater viewer, eager for BIGGER-FASTER-STRONGER, but also family and faith oriented. It's worked for the Kendricks' casts & crews in the past, it will work again. Expect "COURAGEOUS" in the theater for a few weeks, and then the DVD will be bought by those same viewers...and more.

Viewership will grow, word of mouth, father to father, mom to mom, pew to pew, family to family.

Read Best Reviews of Courageous (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011) Here

This movie is amazing. Never before have I been brought to tears during the first few moments of a film! So many themes were woven into 2 hours of film: fatherhood, forgiveness, courtship, parenting, obedience, trust, despair/hope, love, strength, and of course COURAGE! The Kendrick brothers will take you on a ride of emotions....I laughed so hard, I cried. Then I cried so hard again. I did feel exhausted upon leaving the theater, but in a fresh, encouraged way. Wether you are a father, mother, young person or older person, you will be moved and motivated to spend your time on earth here with purpose! Don't forget to bring the tissues!

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As a single mom, I was a little afraid that a movie that encourages fathers towards faithfulness would be discouraging to me. I was afraid that it might poke where I hurt.

Several of my teens and I watched _Courageous_ during its opening weekend. I laughed really hard; I cried too. I was pleased that the plot had some unexpected twists. I felt the characterization was believable. Some of the one-on-one violence (punching) was a little much for my stomach, but certainly seemed to fit the plot; it wasn't gratuitous. The next morning it suddenly occurred to me that I noticed not one swear word. Not one. (Thanks, Sherwood Films!!)

Over the last 14 months much has sapped me of strength and courage, sadly, all of it coming from within the Christian community. By contrast, this movie gave me renewed strength and courage for the task before me as a single mom.

In my family, both _Fireproof_ and _Courageous_ are now mandatory viewing for everyone age 12 and up. Jesus used stories to engage hearts and minds to turn people towards Himself. _Courageous_, likewise uses a story to engage hearts and minds to turn people towards Christ and toward their God-given responsibilities as parents. I highly recommend it.

Even for single moms. :)

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Zazie dans le metro (The Criterion Collection) (1960)

A girl is left with her uncle for the weekend (or a day, I think) while Mom runs off with her new boyfriend. She has one wish while she's there...to ride the Metro train...which, naturally, is on strike.

Wackiness ensues.

Shot largely as if it were a slapstick silent film, this is one wacky, odd romp around Paris. The Eiffel tower scenes are surely one-of-a-kind and worth the price of admission alone.

You won't really find yourself laughing a lot so much as just marveling at the spectacle of the thing.

First saw Zazie years ago and remembered I'd loved it. So I was thrilled to see that it was coming out in a Criterion release. The film was as crazy and colorful as I remember it. All potty-mouthed Zazie wants to do while visiting her uncle in Paris is to ride the metro. Unfortunately it's closed due to a worker's strike. Still there are plenty of other adventures to be had and lots of colorful characters to have them with. Zazie is a real gem and I highly recommend it. The Criterion DVD is what one expects: outstanding and with great extras.

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You often hear about novels that are not possible for a film adaptation. And for author Raymond Queneau's successful 1959 novel "Zazie dans le métro", who can portray a novel about a young girl who knows way too much for her age and is so inquisitive, but yet her perspective of the absurdity of adult Parisians?

Never to back down from a challenge, French filmmaker Louise Malle known for his popular films "The Lovers" and "Elevators to the Gallows" took on a film adaptation of "Zazie dans le métro". A film which Malle would say it was a tribute to Charlie Chaplin and also a film that would lead to film experimentation with special effects and colorization.

And as for the film, the film would receive critical acclaim but also controversy as many parents thought the film was targeted towards children, and took their children to the film to find out quickly when the young 10-year-old Zazie speaks that the film is not for children.

For Louis Malle fans, many have wanted more of his films to be released by the Criterion Collection and sure enough, "Zazie dans le métro" and "Black Moon" will be released on Blu-ray and DVD in June 2011.

"Zazie dans le métro" is a film that is not easy to describe, because it is a film that has to be experienced visually. Words to describe the film would not serve the film any justice because the enjoyment goes bar beyond the written words but what takes place on screen.

VIDEO:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' is presented in 1:33:1 aspect ratio. It's important to note that the film was a big experimentation with color and filmmaking, especially special effects at that time. The film uses quite a bit of experimentation of color, unusual cuts, sped up film, etc. But for the most part, considering the film is 50-years-old, it looks great on Blu-ray!

I was actually pleased with the amount of detail, especially since this film has a vast color palette and a lot of outdoor scenes, colors are vibrant, skin tones are natural and brighter colors, especially the reds, really pop! I didn't notice any banding or edge enhancement. Nor did I see any artifacts. I did notice at some points of film damage but they were quite brief and limited to a certain area for a few seconds. But "Zazie dans le métro" looks great on Blu-ray!

According to the Criterion Collection, this new HD digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35 mm interpositive, thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' is presented in monaural French with English subtitles. Dialogue is clear and I detected no hissing, clicks or any audio problems at all.

According to the Criterion Collection, the monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the positive print soundtrack. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Louis Malle (4:54) Featuring an excerpt from JT 19h15 from October 26, 1960. Malle is interviewed by Mario Beunat and talks about taking the challenge of making the film, how the film was dedicated to Charlie Chaplilna nd screened for him and his perspective of the movie.

Catherine Demongeot (7:35) An excerpt from "Cinq Colonnes Ala", journalists Jean-Noel Ray and Pierre Dumaget interview Catherine and her parents (March 4, 1960).

Raymond Queneau Featuring two interviews with the original author of Raymone Queneau for "Zazie dans le métro". "Lectures Por Tous" (Feb. 4, 1959; 9:20) and "En Francais Dans Le Texte" (March 24, 1961; 5:52).

Le Paris de Zazie (14:57) A short documentary shot in 2000 by "Zazie dans le métro" assistant director Philipe Collin who revisits the locations of where the film was shot and talks about various scenes and how they were shot, the artistic look of the film, the characters and more.

Jean-Paul Rappeneau (10:00) Writer/collaborator Jean-Paul Rappeneau talks about working with Louis Malle on"Zazie dans le métro".

William Klein (13:06) An audio interview featuring Louis Malle's artistic consultant William Klein talks about working on "Zazie dans le métro".

Original Theatrical Trailer (2:15)

EXTRAS:

"Zazie dans le métro The Criterion Collection #570' comes with a 20-page booklet featuring the following essay "Girl Trouble" by Ginette Vincendeau.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Zazie dans le métro" is one of those films that one can't describe because it was meant to be seen visually.

One can be described is that this 1960 film was surprising in many levels because it featured a young girl with a mouth that would surprise people because she talks about sexuality, dirty men, homosexuality so openly and doesn't relent. Like many children who are inquisitive and keep asking questions, in "Zazie dans le métro", the questions are blunt. "Are you a homosexual?", "Are you sexually repressed?", "Are you a dirty man that goes after young girls?", etc.

Zazie is a product of her upbringing and its a statement of Paris culture back then that filmmaker Louis Malle wanted to tackle, that is a comedy that showcases the absurdity and chaotic nature of Parisians at the time.

And while Zazie and the absurdity of the adult characters is a big part of the story that can be described, its what takes place in the film that can not.

In one scene, when Zazie is trying to hide and escape from a man who spends his money buying her mussels, fries and blue jeans, the chase scene resembles one of those quick-paced hilarious Benny Hill skits. Characters looking like they are running quickly while the camera focuses on their face, but then the camera goes through several jump cuts, speeds up quickly, reverts back to normal.

In some scenes, there is a little trickery as one conversation between two men, Malle quickly changes one scene with the man in black face for a quick second and very few frames.

And while this style is funny at first, it does become a little tiring but it's all about how Malle manages to make things darker as the film progresses, that becomes quite intriguing.

Also, the look and feel of the film is rather interesting as well. In the special features, you learn that advertising screens were utilized to block out things that Malle didn't want to be shown in the film and so while Zazie is running or walking, you will notice these artistic walls behind her.

Possibly one of the most jarring shots and something that you will never ever see in a film again, is the shot of actor Philippe Noiret (Uncle Gabriel) doing these close to the edge, about to fall off high above the Eiffel Tower. In fact, one scene shows Noiret on top of an elevator rising up on the tower. It's amazing how these shots were done, especially the freedom that was given to the filmmakers to shoot those scenes but anyone who is acrophobic, even for me, those shots made feel a bit uneasy because those playful shots made you feel that he could fall off the Eiffel Tower any minute.

But the efficacy of "Zazie dans le métro" lies within its structure and how different it was from the Nouvelle Vague films at that time. Speaking of the French New Wave, even Zazie has some words to say about it during the film.

While I have not read the novel "Zazie dans le métro", I do know that author Raymond Queneau was quite appreciative of the film adaptation and even Charlie Chaplin who Malle has dedicated the film to, watched the film in French no subtitles and enjoyed it.

The Blu-ray release of "Zazie dans le métro" features a good number of special features but probably the one that I found to be quite intriguing was Phillipe Collin revisiting the locations in 2005 and talking about how the shots were done. But also to see the interview with young Catherine Demongeut from 1960 as the journalists wonder if she is anything like her character and grilling her parents on playing such a part. I found it pretty cool to see the parents calm and collected, especially Catherine while the journalists were really trying to make them frustrated or angry.

While watching "Zazie dans le métro", I often wondered how both Louis Malle even Raymond Queneau would feel about how society is today, especially for Malle who wanted to take on the absurdity of adults in Paris at the time. And as for Zazie, it made me wonder how much worse children are today as the words coming out of Zazie's mouth was considered dirty, once again, if only Malle, Queneau and society then would see how children, a product of the way they were raised, are learning some things a bit too quickly than they should have at a younger age.

But put yourself in the viewers shoes back in 1960 and you can see how this film could be seen as artistic, controversial, hilarious, enjoyable, absurd, chaotic, you name it... there are many words to describe this film and for me, I found it to be entertaining, fun and one of those films where a filmmaker does something different and unique and comedic but yet is able to make a statement on society.

"Zazie dans le métro" is a film that many Louis Malle fans have been waiting for and now it's here! This Blu-ray release is recommended!

Read Best Reviews of Zazie dans le metro (The Criterion Collection) (1960) Here

I'm not quite sure whether I like this film or not. I either loved it or I hated it ... it says something about the power of the film that I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.

What starts as a very realistic look at Paris through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl gradually slips into impressionism and finally into surrealism (the final fight in the restaurant). The more I think about it, I think Malle's absurdities work very well during the various chase sequences, but go a bit over the top during the restaurant fight.

What also struck me was the sexual ambiguity of the characters. Zazie's uncle is, of course, a professional female impersonator. But watch her aunt, a beautiful woman who starts out as a very domesticed housewife and gradually becomes more and more masculine, until at the end, she looks like one of the motorcycle thugs pursuing Orpheus. And Zazie herself begins as a charming young girl, but shocks you when she accuses a man trying to prevent her from running away of being a sexual preditor. Later, as she descends the Eiffel Tower, the makes sexual overtures to a much older man.

As I say, a strange film. Funny. Thought provoking and disorienting. But entertaining ...

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This was sent to a friend whom I assume enjoyed it. I know nothing about this movie myself, but the friend was happy with it, I believe, since i hadn't heard anything to the contrary.

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Betsy's Wedding (1990)

Alan Alda, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwold, Joe Pesci and the late Madeline Kahn star in this funny wedding movie. Everyone knows Alda as a funny man who has been turning in some more serious performances latley but who knew Joe Pesci could be funny? Naturally, there is trouble over putting Eddie Hopper's (Alda) daughter's (Ringwold) wedding together.

Hopper's family is comfortable but not rich but the other family is rolling in dough and wants to take over the wedding. Oscar Henner (Pesci) is in construction but has ties to organized crime. Oscar is having an affair with his secretary but his wife (Catherine O'Hara) knows all about it. Hopper's other daughter (Sheedy) falls for the nephew (Anthony LaPaglia as Stevie Dee) of Oscar's not so honest associate (Burt Young). She's a cop and he's connected to the mob. Eddie borrows money from Oscar to pay for the wedding but Oscar charges him interest. Oscar involves Eddie in a deal with his associate but to get out of the deal might get him killed. Oscar offers to find a tent for the wedding but cuts a deal with someone and gets the wrong kind of tent. By the way, Oscar rents an apartment to the newlyweds in one of his tenament slum buildings!

The wedding turns out to be a disaster of course. The tent leaks and then a hole is opened in the roof of the tent and the rain pours in. The food gets ruined and Eddie has to send out for pizza and everyone has to take their shoes off because the tent gets flooded.

By the way, look for Samuel Jackson (unknown then) in a very small bit part in the taxi depot scene.

It's lots of fun. No nudity, sex, violence. There is some foul language. I suggest a viewing of of at least 13.

Loved it, and have for a long time. For some reason most people either haven't watched it, or didn't get it. Obviously from the reviews here you can see I am not alone in my rating. Joe Pesci is HILARIOUS, and the movie is filled with other great characters and funny moments. Just keeps you interested with witty dialogue and universal life experiences. Like 29TH STREET this is another underrated movie, which should after watching it cacth your attention if you like romantic comedies, like WHEN HARRY MET SALLY etc. Enjoy...

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I did not expect much from this movie, perhaps because I had just finished watching 20 Dates, one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Betsy's Wedding was a delight, very sweet, and incredibly funny. I have seen movies about wedding disasters before, but this one had me laughing until it hurt. Alan Alda and Madeline Kahn were outstanding as Betsy's parents.

Read Best Reviews of Betsy's Wedding (1990) Here

I was very pleased when I saw a Blu-Ray of this movie available at such an excellent price. "Betsy's Wedding" was one of my family's favorite "minor" movies when my kids were growing up, but as such I was not willing to pay serious money to replace our VHS (yes, VHS) copy. Being able to make the replacement for a very reasonable price (and on Blu-ray, to boot) was a real delight. I have no doubt that we'll put this on and enjoy it all over again when the family gathers for the holidays. Thanks, Amazon!

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I SIMPLY LOVE THIS MOVIE. ANYTIME I FEEL LOW AND NEED A BOOST , THIS IS THE FEEL GOOD FILM I REACH FOR. IT IS ALSO FUNNY SEEING SAMUEL L JACKSON, BEFORE HE BECAME "BIG" AS A GUY IN THE GARAGE SCENE ( PRICELESS )THERE ISN'T ONE THING I DON'T LOVE ABOUT THIS FILM. I HAVE ATLEAST, FOUR COPIES OF THIS FILM, I'M NOT EVER GOING TOO BE WITHOUT "BETSY'S WEDDING "

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Sahara (2005)

I don't know the reaction of Clive Cussler fans to this film -I don't know why the author is so angry about it -but as an ordinary film fan, 'Sahara' is mostly enjoyable, if not outstanding action adventure film. Matthew McCoaughey is a likable treasure hunting hero Dirk Pitt from 'NUMA'; Steve Zahn is a scene-stealing sidekick (and he is always so) Al Giordino; and Penelope Cruz as a doctor Eva Rojas from WHO, who gets involved with Dirk's adventures. These premises, together with the hidden gold coins made during the time of the Civil War, sound much like 'National Treasure,' and the comparison is interesting because director of 'Sahara' is Breck Eisner ('Taken') also known as son of Michael Eisner.

But 'Sahara' is different from that Nicholas Cage film, and that is the location mostly set in the hot desert of Africa. Dirk, Al, and another NUMA agent Rudi (Rainn Wilson) borrowing a small boat from Admiral Sandecker (William H. Macy), cruise on the river into the desert of Mali, Africa, where he believes a huge US iron-clad ship disappered with gold coins.

At the same time, the film shows us that a deadly plague is killing the people of Mali. So, on the way to the country, Dirk and Al travel with a beautiful doctor Eva, who seeks for the cause of the disease with her senior Dr. Frank (Glynn Turman). Don't call it a contrived story yet, for 'Sahara' is going to get more contrived as the team is attacked by the machine-guns, rockets, tanks, and helicopters of the country's troops, and their incredible adventures begin.

That's it, and that's all I have to say. The film is made with a familiar set-pieces, none of which are particularly imaginative or innovative, but techinically speaking they are fine. Action film fans like me might say we have seen the same kind of scenes -like, peeping into the 'secret' of one company owner (Lambert Wilson); blowing dynamites without using fuse, or foolishly giving our heroes chances to escape from the villains who just don't think of killing them instantly. You can spot bits from James Bond, bits from Indiana Jones, or bits from any actioners shot in Morocco, the land which provides the wonderful landscapes for the film.

However, in spite of its impossible story and lack of chemistry between McConaughey and Cruz (who is miscast, I am afraid), the whole film goes plesantly enough, with competently done action sequences and authentic images of Africa. Totally unoriginal, but 'Sahara' is still fun to see.

"Sahara" had less than a stellar turn out at the box office upon its initial release and I happened to let it slip by my radar at the time. I had read the novel upon which the film was based and thought it stupid but fun and I expected the film to be about the same but with more emphasis on the former than the latter. Well I was a bit wrong on that score. Sure, "Sahara" isn't going to win awards for smarts but hey this is an action adventure film and it doesen't pretend to be anything but that. Fortunately thats what makes this film stand out from a lot of others of its kind. Its concerned only with providing good old fashioned actioneer fun; nothing more and nothing less and it succeeds quite well with those simple ambitions.

Now if your a hardcore Cussler/Dirk Pitt fan you may be disappointed with the fact that the films characterizations are not the same as the ones in the book but I will argue that the movie does a good job of at least staying true to the spirit of those characters. Frankly I'm not overly impressed with Cussler's writing. His characrers are flat and his dialog is laughable. For example, his villains are right out of some old pulp or movie serial and will actually say things like: "The American devils have foiled our plans and now they must die!!" I kid you not, that is not an exaggeration of typical Cussler dialog. You can see how that may not translate well to film and fortunately the film makers are able to make the dialog and story a bit smarter than the original material upon which it is based. Anyway, the actors are fine and are having a great time and the direction and cinematography are above average. My only real complaint is an over reliance on classic rock as a soundtrack; I like classic rock but it should have a more limited role as a music soundtrack for an action film.

All in all "Sahara" is great old fashioned escapist entertainment and is not meant to be taken too seriously. So, my recommendation is to pop some popcorn and put this disc in for an evening of solid action entertainment.

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Clive Cussler's books featuring Dirk Pitt have always been a favorite of mine. That's a bit of a guilty pleasure. Cussler's characters could better be called caricatures. His plots are also larger than life -no one could suspend disbelief enough to think that the things Cussler dreams up for his hero Dirk Pitt could ever happen in real life.

But that does not stop me from enjoying the books. Cussler's lively imagination captures me in his make-believe world for a time. And his almost self-parodying characters always entertain as an escape from real life people.

The movie Sahara is the same way. It's just as fun to watch as the book Sahara is to read.

Yes, it's true that the movie does not follow the book. That's probably a good thing. Cussler's novels would not translate well to the movie screen if the translation were too direct. Cussler's intricate plotting, his attention to detail (as in his detailed description of each classic car that appears in any book), and his rather cartoonish dialogue work in his books. They would look foolish in a movie.

As a movie, Sahara works best as a family picture. Adults will probably find it entertaining enough. Children will find it easy to understand, with enough humor and surprises to keep their interest.

Definitely not a must-see film. But everyone in our family liked it. Both adults, and both children. Everyone thumbs up. That's pretty rare.

Read Best Reviews of Sahara (2005) Here

I've never read Clive Cussler so I can't compare the movie to his novel, but I enjoyed the film. It's not a classic and it won't win any awards but it will entertain you. Dirk Pitt and his pal Al Giordano are treasure hunters looking for an ironclad ship from the American Civil War that may have somehow ended up in Africa. Penelope Cruz plays a doctor from the WHO investigating a new illness spreading from an African country. They cross paths and together find the source of the disease and eventually find the Civil War ship. The plot is preposterous and you never believe Cruz as a WHO physician but the movie is action packed from beginning to end and Steven Zahn as sidekick Al provides some genuinely funny moments. Sahara delivers exactly what it sets out to, a few hours of mindless entertainment.

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No gratuitous sex scenes, no major cursing, a great sidekick, plenty of humor, fair science, a plot (however implausible), and editing that did not cut out important parts of the story. It's all here. I think the stars were well picked and likeable in their roles. This movie kept the whole family interested throughout and when I told them it was based on one of a series of books, they wondered when the next movie would come out. What more could one ask for. I suggest this as a should watch... safe for pretty much everyone in the family. Enjoy!

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10 (2011)

In 10, Dudley Moore gives a five star performance on two fronts as both a comic and music genius. Film fans may be unaware that Moore scored several films and performed as a concert pianist in his career in addition to his acting talents.

Moore plays a fortyish songwriter who has developed the mother of all mid-life crisis's. Julie Andrews (who looks fantastic here BTW) shines as his impatient love interest and Bo Derek is lovely as Dudley's fantasy girl. Brian Dennehy and Dee Wallace-Stone are very good in supporting roles.

The DVD transfer is good especially for a film that has a little age. The sound is mono only which is disappointing but understandable. This is one of Blake Edwards best films and a must see for fans of romantic comedy. It is sad and sobering to realize that both Moore's and Andrew's gifts have been diminished by illness. Grab this DVD and take time to remember how really talented they both are.

Dudley Moore plays a fellow by the name of George Webber. Webber is a wealthy, accomplished & respected musician who has a great many friends and admirers. There is one problem. He is in his 40s and begins to experience his mid-life crisis. He is restless & bored with life. Although settling in to middle age, he finds that he is still attracted to women in their 20s (a "problem" that I myself experience).

By chance, he spies a beautiful young woman (played by Bo Derek) who is on her way to her wedding. She is the most gorgeous creature he has ever seen and he immediately becomes obsessed with her. This obsession leads to a great many mis-adventures that lead the viewer through the balance of the film.

While it is not apparent on the surface, I would characterize 10 as a dark comedy. It is somewhat morose to think about getting older and no longer being young & vibrant. The creative ways in which the film differentiates Moore's character from the young lover of Bo Derek's persona are almost creepy.

Aside from the tragic loss of youth, the film is also a commentary on the issue of people's personalities not matching their exterior appearance. While she is beautiful, Bo Derek's character is found to be quit wanting on the personality side of the ledger. She is shallow and superficial. Insofar as being a worthwhile person, she can hardly compete with George's girlfriend (portrayed by Julie Andrews).

Of all of Blake Edward's films, this one is probably in the top 5. It is insightful into what troubles we human beings as we grapple with your mortality and the decline of our bodies. On the upside, there is also some gratuitous nudity, although they could have shown a LOT more of Bo Derek. If Amazon had a 10 star rating, I would give this one a 9!

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This is a magnificent comedy about a male in a mid-life crisis who sees a beautiful women and becomes infatuated. Bo Derek made a career of this movie. No acting skills at all but her desirous beauty alone makes her perfect for the role. And Dudley Moore? This is movie also made his career. In a supporting role, Brian Dennehy starts his career with a great role as a bartender. Also, my kudos to Blake Edwards.

Probably most under-appriciated is the magnificent score, particularly the songs of his lust and yearning for Bo Derek. But it's never as real in real life and Moore finds this out. Anyone married for 5 years who hasn't seen this movie should curl up for an afternoon with this on the tube. It's a classic of marriage, love, and life in Los Angeles.

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Blake Edward's film "10" is probably among one of the funniest movies to come out of the 1970's.It is both a celebration and condemnation of the sexual antics (post pill/pre-aids)of our society during the "Me Decade".In the story, Dudley Moore (in one of his best roles)plays George Webber, a Burt Bachrach style composer, who seems to have everything including wealth, fame, talent and a wonderful girlfriend (marvelously played by Julie Andrews). Unfortunately George has just celebrated his 42nd birthday and is having a huge mid-life crisis.He does this by fixating on a just married beauty(played by the ravishing Bo Derek)who is the "10" of the film's title.George, hilariously chases her down to a Mexican vacation resort, where he learns the lesson, that one must be careful, what one wishes for.The "10" might be a beautiful girl, but she is ultimately an empty person, who lives for nothing more then self-gratification. This is a really funny movie farce that seems to give us a little of everything.The scenes of physical slapstick probably can only be rivaled by Blake's own "Pink Panther" movies.The dialogue is witty and delivered with the best of comic timing.But what ultimately makes this movie is the performances by Dudley Moore and Julie Andrews.Both actors play their characters with both heart and emotion. These two have such a wonderful chemistry together (even when they are fighting) that you wonder how Moore's character can even have such an idiotic mid-life crisis.Finally, I must mention the movie's funniest scene and it's use use of Ravel's 'Bolero'. In the scene, Moore tries to seduce the beautiful Derek, who infuriatingly insists, that he keep re-starting the "mood music". Never has a piece of classical music been put to such comic effect.It led to the real life '70s fad of using 'Bolero'as "make-out music". This is a really a funny movie that will provide you with a great night of comic entertainment.

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One of the best all-time real life comedies. They don't make em like this anymore. Bo Derek is amazing, Dudley Moore is brilliant. This is one of the five best movies I've ever seen. If you like rock-em sock-em far fetched explosion's and car chases, move on. This is a realistic, well written, well acted, real life story of a middle aged man going through mid-life crisis. It's not a male bashing or female demeaning movie. It's a good realistic story about some really interesting people going through what most people go through at some point in time. The movie came out around 1980 but you don't get the sense that your watching an old movie when your watching it. It's timeless. One of those movies you will watch more than a couple of times over the years.

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Jennifer's Body (2009)

What was it about Jennifer's Body that made it seem like it would be so worthless upon first glance? Was it due to the fact that it at its heart is a teen horror flick, or the fact that it was written by Diablo Cody, whose darling Juno I just didn't care for (I know, I know, blasphemy). Regardless of the reason, upon viewing Jennifer's Body, I can honestly say that it is a surprisingly good, funny, and even enjoyable flick that lampoons its high school setting as much as it celebrates it. Transformers beauty Megan Fox stars as the title character, who is the hottest girl in high school, and ends up falling prey to a devil-worshipping band (led by Adam Brody) who use her as a sacrifice. However, Jennifer ends up coming back to life as a demonic boy-devourer, and it's soon up to her unlikely BFF Needy (Amanda Seyfried) to save the day, and put an end to Jennifer's spree. While the film is a play on the sapphic relationships between teen females, there is enough hearty helpings of humor and gore for horror fans to eat up. Combine that with Diablo Cody's Juno-esque dialogue and surprisingly good turns by Fox and Seyfried, and Jennifer's Body ends up being surprisingly enjoyable. Give it a chance, you'll be pleasently surprised.

In 2009, the dark comedy horror film "Jennifer's Body" would mark the return of award winning writer Diablo Cody ("Juno", "United States of Tara") and would feature a collaboration with director Karyn Kusama ("Aeon Flux", "Girlfight"), actresses Megan Fox ("Transformers" films, "Hope and Faith") and Amanda Seyfried ("Mamma Mia!", "Veronica Mars", "Mean Girls").

"Jennifer's Body" which cost around $22 million to make, earned around $33 million worldwide and has received mix ratings from a variety of critics but earning praise from Roger Ebert and Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone Magazine".

Now "Jennifer's Body: Unrated" is released on Blu-ray with a special unrated version which includes both the original theatrical version of the film and also an unrated version. The Blu-ray release also includes a digital copy of the film.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Jennifer's Body" is presented in 1080p High Definition (Widescreen 1:85:1) with AVC @ 26MBPS. Picture quality is pretty solid as you can see the detail in various surfaces around town. A lot of scenes featuring blood, dirt and grime on the characters which is quite detailed onscreen. There is a fine layer of grain, skin tones are natural and blacks are nice and deep.

The lossless audio is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Spanish, French and Portuguese in Dolby Digital 5.1. The audio is dialogue and music driven, so most of the audio is coming from the front and center channels. There are some scenes that utilize the surround channels, from the slight sounds of a police siren, crowd ambiance and some of the action sequences. Some of the bass you hear from the film comes from the music but for the most part, the film is front and center channel driven.

Subtitles are featured in English SDH, Spanish, Portuguese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Jennifer's Body: Unrated" comes with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama and Writer Diablo Cody (Theatrical Version) An enjoyable commentary featuring director Kusama and writer Diablo Cody discussing the unique script and the structure of the film.

* Audio Commentary with Director Karyn Kusama (Extended Version) While watching the film, a red box will show up on the corner (indicating an extended scene) in which you can hear Karyn discussing the differences of the theatrical version from the extended version of the film and how the extended version of the film which is much more closer to the original script.

* Deleted Scenes (13:55) Six Deleted scenes which include the following deleted scenes: Dead Boys, Jennifer Check Is Gross, Needy Confronts Jennifer, Who's Cindy Crawford?, Needy Faces The Band, Ass, Gas or Grass...

* Gag Reel(4:55) Bloopers from "Jennifer's Body".

* Jennifer's Body: The Dead Pool (13:59) The cast and crew (including writer Diablo Cody, directory Karyn Kusama and the producers) talk about the concept of the film and working with the main talent of the film. And filming of the pool scene and the visual effects and make up effects involved.

* Video Diaries Video diaries from behind-the-scenes on the set of "Jennifer's Body" featuring Megan Fox and Johnny Simmons (12:49), Amanda Seyfried (10:23), Diablo Cody (7:05) and Dan Dubiecki (3:02).

* Megan Fox Is HOT (:53) A short special feature showcasing the sexy scenes of Megan Fox from the film.

* Megan Fox "Peer Pressure" PSA (:37) A naughty public service announcement for "Peer Pressure" (ala promotion for "Jennifer's Body").

* Fox Movie Channel Presents `Life After Film School' With Writer Diablo Cody (26:26) An interesting episode of "Life After Film School" with the three film students interview writer Diablo Cody about the film, her career, working with director Karyn Kusama, Megan Fox and more. Definitely love listening to Diablo Cody discuss her perspective of life and writing.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I suppose that there are horror fans who felt cheated that "Jennifer's Body" was less of a horror, teenage slasher film (despite it having horror elements) and was more of a film that was character driven and really focused on the relationships between Needy and Jennifer.

"Jennifer's Body" is quite interesting because Diablo Cody is pretty good of writing films, her way, her style and it's a carefree style of showing school popularity and the cruelness that happens amongst students. And what better way to take on the role of Jennifer than Megan Fox who has wanted to play this type of role.

But "Jennifer's Body" for the most part is not a great film nor is it the worst film ever made. I suppose it all comes down to the viewer and what they were expecting. Looking for a slasher/gory type of film, well "Jennifer's Body" has scenes that look quite disgusting but for the most part, it's not a scary film. In a way, "Jennifer's Body" plays more like a "Lost Boys" style of film with the music, dark groups of students in town where bad things happening. Also, the film manages to incorporate dark humor to the violence, teenage life and relationships.

But everything comes full circle at the end of the film and I really dig how "Jennifer's Body" ends so rock n' roll but with tragedy. A possible sequel in the future? Who knows.

Megan Fox did a fine job, this may not be the role that utilizes her in a non-sex kitten serious role but for Amanda Seyfried, she really shined in "Jennifer's Body" portraying a variety of emotions from anger, fear, sadness, you name it. It was really good to see her play the character of Needy since her previous films tend to showcase her in a more ditsy type of role. So, it was good to see her utilized in the film emotionally in a variety of ways.

If you enjoyed the film "Jennifer's Body: Unrated" comes with a good amount of special features and you get both the theatrical and extended versions of the film and a digital copy. But I really enjoyed how the Blu-ray release also gives us a much more in-depth glimpse of the writer Diablo Cody and her involvement in film. You don't get to see her shown all that much, so it was really cool to see several features with her.

Personally, for "Jennifer's Body: Unrated", it all comes down to the viewer. If you are a guy who wants to see Megan Fox, you'll dig the film. If you are a big Diablo Cody fan, you'll dig this Blu-ray release. If you're wanting to see the film for a scare, well... "Jennifer's Body" is not exactly that scary. But if you are wanting a popcorn flick that has elements of your favorite teen film and horror elements, you may find the extended version included on this Blu-ray release of "Jennifer's Body: Unrated" more to your liking.

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The author of Juno, the star of Mamma Mia and the movie world's frequently voted sexiest woman, all rolled up into one movie, and about the supernatural. What could be more zeitgeist..? And yet, alas, this is a pretty woeful mixture of a movie.. told with polish in places, perhaps, but still a mess.

Jennifer (Megan Fox) is the most popular girl in town, her best friend is the geek (and hehehe... she's called Needy gettit? What a laugh..). Jennifer is not shy hormonally driven, one might say, and known to exploit her looks. However, she bites off more than she can chew when she falls fowl of Adam Brody's rock band, who turn out to be minor students of witchcraft. She ends up possessed, and needs human flesh to keep her looks. Can Needy handle the situation and bring an end to the series of deaths in town..?

The tone clearly wants to be this decades Heathers [Blu-ray], but fails miserably in nailing the subtle black humour of that movie. Here, the language, which likes to dwell on descriptions of body parts and functions, in a way that is normally best left unspoken and for good reason, sits uneasy with the attempt at some sinister and almost Gothic goings on in the town of Devil's Kettle. The visuals are not bad, admittedly, in places.. but it can't save a lurching storyline with poorly drawn characters, and soundtrack which strives for smooth and hip but only manages jarring and out of place.

Overall, interesting idea, which could have been a quirky and trendy teen Gothic horror with black comedy overtones.. but only manages to raise laughs for the wrong reasons, with the only horror the discovery that Juno really must have been a one off for Diablo Cody's writing talents. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried have done nothing to further their career by being in this unholy mess.

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While FOX promotes all the other movies on its roster, the movie at the bottom of their agenda, may have been the one that should have been at the top. Don't get me wrong, it was a bad year for FOX, but JENNIFER'S BODY, while it may not be intellecual or have top known actors in it, it is, for all intensive purposes, sheer fun and constantly interesting.

Dismally promoted, JENNIFER'S BODY was shrugged off by its studio as a disappointment, but in the end, JENNIFER'S BODY will probably be one of the movies where, in a few years, or a few months, people will still be watching it. People will still have to get it off the shelf and check it out again and again, because its fun. It isn't all that scary, although it has some scary stuff in it. It's more along the line of 80s movies like NIGHT OF THE CREEPS. It's fun. It's eye candy. It's plain and simple, entertaining.

Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox are two of the hottest actresses in hollywood right now, and I don't mean HOT as in HAAATTT! I mean HOT as in, getting jobs and getting good jobs and continuing to deliver time after time. Especially Seyfried who is fast becoming one of my favorite actresses. She preys on the audiences natural reaction to find her adorable and cute and then does things either sexy or shocking and it works in JENNIFER'S BODY like a charm. She plays Needy, a nerdy girl who everybody thinks is a lesbo, except for her, who watches the world around her, including her friend Jennifer, become stranger and stranger as dead bodies keep popping up. Is she crazy? or is she just a gulible friend?

JENNIFER'S BODY has everything it needs and more to be a movie that will stand the test of time, despite the poor promotion it received from its studio. Unlike most movies that are forgotten as soon as the credits hit, BODY is a repeat viewer and a fun trip with two actresses who will be around for a long long time.

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So I will admit I bought this movie just for Megan Fox eye candy plus it was like $12 bucks, and it sat unopened on my bluray collection for about 3 months until I had nothing else to watch and I was in the mood for a thinkless horror movie but I must say I was rather pleasantly surprised at the movie as a whole, I actually laughed out loud a couple of times and enjoyed the story but just when I started to get a little bored the Megan Fox/Amanda Seyfried Kiss (OMG!!!) this is the best reason to buy this movie on BluRay and watch on your HDTV, it is pure movie magic.

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Broadcast News (The Criterion Collection) (1987)

Of all James L. Brooks' films, Broadcast News is the most successful at merging his T.V. sitcom sensibilities with his cinematic aspirations. His film is not only chock full of truisms about network news but is also an incredibly entertaining and witty romantic comedy that is unafraid to sprinkle moments of compelling drama throughout.

The first disc includes an audio commentary with writer-director-producer James L. Brooks and editor Richard Marks. Rather appropriately, Brooks starts off with talking about the genesis of the film and how the success of Terms of Endearment affected it. He points out the bits in the film that came from his extensive research and touches upon the casting of the lead roles for example, Holly Hunter was a last minute addition. Brooks is refreshingly candid and tells all kinds of fascinating filming anecdotes.

Also included is a theatrical trailer.

The second disc starts off with a 36-minute documentary entitled, James L. Brooks A Singular Voice, with past collaborators singing his praises. It starts off with his trailblazing work in T.V. with 227, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Simpsons and how he helped change the medium. It also examines his transition into film and the success of Terms and how it led to Broadcast News.

There is an alternate ending and 19 minutes of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Brooks. The ending is quite visceral and emotionally raw but is fascinating alternative to what is in the final film. For the deleted footage, Brooks talks about why it was cut and puts it into context. Interestingly, an entire subplot involving Tom and his news source was cut out.

Also included is an interview with Susan Zirinsky, a veteran CBS News producer, one of the models for Jane in the film, and an advisor and associate producer. She talks about meeting Brooks for the first time as well as telling amusing and engaging anecdotes that really shed light on how truthful the film is about journalism. This is a fantastic extra and one of the highlights of this edition.

There is a promotional featurette done at the time of the film's release that, at times, plays like an extended trailer only with perceptive interview soundbites from Brooks and the cast. Still, it is interesting to watch. Even better is additional interviews and on-set footage not included in the featurette that runs an impressive 18 minutes. It provides quite a bit of insight into Brooks' intentions and how the film got made.

A crackerjack of a movie, it's an intelligent and very funny look at TV broadcast news and the people who bring it to us. William Hurt is the pretty face/no brains anchor, Albert Brooks the smart writer who wants to be an anchor but doesn't have the talent, and Holly Hunter is the hyperactive producer who falls for both guys and loses both. So much is going on in this movie that repeated viewings reveal new insights and are always enjoyable. Great acting by all, and the script is terrific. The only fault, and it's a minor one, is the epilogue: it's superfluous. To me, this is one of the best, if not THE best, movies of the 80's.

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While this is without question a 5-star film, the dvd leaves MUCH to be desired. Let me begin with the widescreen framing. I was happy to finally see this arrive on dvd in its proper wide format. Out of curiosity I took out my oft-played VHS copy and compared the compositions. Understanding that many 1.85:1 pictures are merely 1.33:1 aspects with mattes placed on the top and bottom of the frame, I wasn't expecting to be too disappointed with the missing, albeit unintended, visual information. But I have to say not only is the top and bottom masked off, but the SIDES are zoomed in and cropped as well. In other words you lose information on ALL FOUR SIDES, and it does NOT look good. This CANNOT be what James L. Brooks had in mind...could it?!?! Sorry to say, but this has to be one of the most RARE examples where the "full-frame", that is, full aperture is preferred over the letterboxed edition. Which brings me to my next point: somebody PLEASE re-issue this as a Special Edition, replete with commentaries, and any extra footage. Finally, whoever, please, PLEASE re-frame this into a 1.78:1 anamorphic transfer. Widescreen is preferred, but on the existing dvd the framing is just too tight.

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The accuracy of Criterion's new blu-ray version of BROADCAST NEWS is evident the minute the 20th-Century Fox logo is displayed: it is rich in the kind of grain that dominated film stock of the eighties. The color timing is superb and topples all previous video releases in richness and detail. The video extras are indulgent promotional pieces crass for Criterion; but the commentary by Brooks will be of interest for those that want to delve deeper.

The film is a pinnacle in Brooks' career he never did anything better, before or since, and all his experience in the tacky world of sitcom television really pays off here and he successfully avoids making a pastiche of Chayefsky's cynically brilliant NETOWRK in favor of his own perceptive humanist view. Brooks rightfully and continually praises his marvelous BROADCAST NEWS cast; it's a picture dependent on their perfectly pitched performances.

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The media as purveyors of sensational 'news' in the spirit of good 'salesmanship' and entertainment as opposed to actually reporting unbiased, important events and issues to inform the public, that is journalism, as it was meant to be, is represented in this charming and witty film from the genius of James L. Brooks. (Terms of Endearment, As Good as it Gets) To be fair, some television news organizations attempt to report important events as they happen, avoiding sensationalism, the need to entertain, and maintain a modicum of integrity. But television news is more and more about the dazzling visual, the shocking threeminute sound bite between the all-important advertisements. This film cleverly addresses the question on what is 'real' news and what 'sells'. In the past we sort of had a clue or at least a choice as to what news source was credible, i.e., tabloid-ism and/or serious journalism. It all seems now to be blurred sensationalism, gossip, opinion, selling and the so-called 'facts' of an event or issue has now appeared to all have melded together in the pursuit of market share and the almighty dollar.

The character, Tom, (William Hurt) is a striving newsreader, and after reading sports at a local station, manages to land a job at one of the big networks. He is a little slow, can't write, and wouldn't know a real story if it dropped on his head, but he's good looking, personable, can at least read, and above all, has the innate ability to sell the birds off the trees. Here is the new force in television journalism news anchor as television star. Then there is Aaron, (Albert Brooks) the reporter's reporter brilliant, serious, idealistic and wholly uncharismatic in the popular sense. Although a writer with Pulitzer Prize ability, he attempts to read the news one Sunday night and almost drowns in his own flop sweat. Aaron is not a newsreader but a true writer and investigative journalist, a man who believes in the integrity of his profession. Then, of course, there's Jane, (Holly Hunter) a highly-strung, also brilliant, obsessive news producer, who shares this same idealistic integrity about journalism as her co-worker and best friend, Aaron. The film is about these three diverse and colourful individuals, who are drawn together for the same reasons, ambition and the news, but whose ideas about the news, their values concerning integrity, at least for one, are so different. This film is also about love, relationships and how the passionate desires of the heart do not necessarily match the logic of the head.

At the time of it release, this film was acclaimed as the best romantic comedy to come out in years. It continues to be enormously entertaining and the issues it raises are relevant today. The film truly depicts the world of television news, how its standards have slowly dropped from reporting the events and issues to entertaining us with gossip, sensationalism and that all-important dazzling visual news is now about entertainment and selling. This is a film that should be pulled from the shelf occasionally and watched to remind us about integrity, maintaining a high standard in our values, and what great movie making is all about. Five Stars.

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Jack and Jill (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011)

This was an absolutely terrible movie. My family watched the first 10 minutes of it and then turned it off. Don't throw your money away on this one. Sorry for the poor review, just don't want others to pay for a poor experience.

Created in 1980 as the anti-Oscars, the Golden Raspberry Awards (the RAZZIES) may not have the same high profile as their illustrious counterpart but they sure are a lot more fun. Honoring the worst of the worst, this tongue-in-cheek ceremony not only eviscerates truly bad movies, it boldly challenges convention. It has become more entrenched in recent years with lucky recipients actually attending to receive their dubious accolades. Notoriously Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry attended to pick up Worst Actress awards, Bullock (for All About Steve) even in the same year she won an Oscar for The Blind Side. In 2011, Adam Sandler's "Jack and Jill" broke RAZZIE history with an impressive 11 nominations.

Few will argue that "Jack and Jill" is a good movie. At best, it's defenders will say "But it's Adam Sandler, what did you expect?" A fair point, but I think that sells both themselves and Sandler short with a pass for lowered expectations. Sandler is talented and can make good movies, but some seem content to allow idiocy to pass for entertainment. That's fine. I like dumb as much as the next guy, but only at home for free--not paying premium movie prices or purchasing a DVD. There is a big difference.

Either way, "Jack and Jill" is a preposterously inept film that marks a real low point in the career of Al Pacino (poor Pacino is besotted with a female Sandler). Sandler plays twin siblings, a male and a female, and the sight of Sandler in drag is presumably all the effort anyone made to provide actual comedy. Isn't the very idea hysterical? Not so much. But I do credit Sandler and "Jack and Jill" for achieving film history. He is the only actor in history to be nominated for Worst Actor and Worst Actress in the same year. Here's a complete rundown of the picture's record breaking nominations (most of which it has odds on winning):

Worst Picture

Worst Actor: Adam Sandler

Worst Actress: Adam Sandler (yes, actress)

Worst Supporting Actor: Al Pacino

Worst Supporting Actor: Nick Swardson (shared with Just Go For It, so I didn't count it a full nomination)

Worst Supporting Actress: Katie Holmes

Worst Supporting Actress: David Spade (yes, actress)

Worst Director

Worst Screenplay

Worst Remake/Rip-off/Sequel

Worst Ensemble

Worst Couple (Sandler and Sandler, Sandler and Pacino, and/or Sandler and Holmes)

Is "Jack and Jill" worth seeing? That's up to you. Is it worth paying for? That's really the question. My advice: if you absolutely have to see this, wait until you can catch it for free. If we keep buying these DVDs then they'll just keep making movies of the same caliber. KGHarris, 3/12.

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Throughout his largely misbegotten career, Adam Sandler has made a few decent comedies "The Wedding Singer" comes to mind but "Jack and Jill" (2011) is the pits. Sandler and his filmmaking buddies show contempt for their audience while delivering zero laughs. A bizarre cameo by Al Pacino (who should have known better) remains the sole redeeming feature of a truly wretched movie.

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I really thought I would like this, as I am a fan of Adam Sandler, but this movie is just awful. Not because of the potty humor Sandler is famous (infamous?) for that, it is what we expect. But watching the character of Jill is absolutely painful! It is simply way too over the top. I couldn't believe that someone attached to the movie (like the producer or director) would let this get through. I was also shocked that Al Pacino agreed to be in it. Part of the storyline is that Jack is trying to get Al Pacino to appear in a Dunkin Donuts commercial, which they figure he would never do. I'm not sure why, because this movie is far worse than any commercial I have ever seen. Sometimes I think they start out with the best of intentions but the movie never comes together. This is one of those cases.

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funny movie. come on time and was in good shape. this movie was for the hole family. ty good job

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The Little Shop Of Horrors (1960)

Unfortunately, Little Shop of Horrors and every other Roger Corman Filmgroup production lapsed into public domain years ago and have generally been available on VHS and DVD only in poor-quality editions ranging from merely bad to atrocious. (The only Filmgroup features to get a decent official or semi-official release so far are Bucket of Blood, Beast from Haunted Cave, and Night Tide.) After researching every DVD version of Little Shop of Horrors available (there are at least eight!) I played a hunch and went with GoodTimes to replace my VHS copy, and I'm very pleasantly surprised at the overall excellent quality of the source print. When I saw the "preserved using the best available elements" line at the beginning of this disc I thought 'yeah, right,' but I have to admit that this is the brightest, cleanest, sharpest (if not exactly razor-sharp) print of this film I've ever seen. The black level, contrast, gray values, and shadow/highlight detail are fine, and physical damage is limited only to some very light speckling and blemishing (!!). On the downside, the transfer itself seems to be somehow deficient (low bit rate?), causing areas of flat white or smoothly gradated grays in the image to exhibit some very faint but noticeable pixelation or banding, especially during the opening credit sequence (areas of flat color seem to be DVD's Achilles Heel). The casual viewer probably won't notice this phenomenon unless it's pointed out, but it's there. That said, the superior quality of the source print more than makes up for this one barely noticeable flaw; this is still most likely the best edition yet available of this classic 'sick humor' gem and well worth the bargain price. It definitely blows away every TV print and cheapjack PD video version I've ever eyeballed. Grab this before it goes out of print.

The movie itself still entertains tremendously today, a funny, goofy (dare I say charming?) horror-comedy that basically plays like a stage farce (most of the action takes place on one or two sets). The story is essentially a remake of Bucket of Blood with a change in locale and a few fresh twists. This time Jonathan Haze portrays everyschlep Seymour Krelboine, who lives with his alcoholic hypochondriac mother (she listens to KSIK radio) and works at Mushnick's skid row flower shop. Seymour (temporarily) finds fame, fortune, and romance by nurturing (and eventually murdering for) an exotic talking cannibalistic plant. Mel Welles, in his finest hour (literally), steals nearly every scene with his droll portrayal of perpetually exasperated Gravis Mushnick, and Jackie Joseph (Andy Griffith Show, Who's Minding the Mint) seems born to play pretty, ditzy Audrey. Corman regulars adding to the fun include Dick Miller (Walter Paisley in Bucket of Blood) as Fouch, a flower-eating client, John Shaner as a sadistic dentist, and 14th-billed Jack Nicholson (featured prominently on most tape and disc box art) as his masochistic patient. Shot on a shoestring in just three days (at least all the interiors), Little Shop holds up better than many big-budget comedies of the day (anyone watched Story of Mankind lately?). Much credit must be given to Charles B. Griffith, unsung hero/architect of the AIP/Allied Artists/Corman style. His list of credits reads like Corman's greatest hits: It Conquered the World, Attack of the Crab Monsters, The Undead, Not of This Earth, Teenage Doll, Bucket of Blood, Beast from Haunted Cave, Wild Angels, Death Race 2000, etc. Griffith's clever, witty screenplay is a model of late-50s sick humor, working in a dead-on Dragnet parody, some wonderful malapropisms and bits of wordplay, lotsa Yiddish humor, and a handful of his patented icky-creepy moments. (Griffith also voiced the plant, Audrey Jr., played a few walk-ons, and directed some second unit scenes, all uncredited.) Fred Katz's memorable score is alternately goofy and spy-jazzy, and, unlike some of Roger Corman's other attempts at comedy (e.g. Creature from the Haunted Sea), I find his touch just right here, ably supporting Griffith's verbal bits with complementary editing patterns (check Sgt. Joe Fink and Det. Frank Stoolie's hilarious introductory scene). Lighter in tone and a bit broader and more farcical than Bucket of Blood (which I personally prefer), Little Shop, judged on its own terms, is still fresh and engaging, though the low budget is obvious at times. I'm not sure how fans of the Broadway show or movie musical will react to the original (I admit to being a purist myself), but if they share a taste for low budget horror or 50s-style sick humor they'll probably find it an offbeat treat.

Roger Corman's Original 1960 version of "The Little Shop Of Horrors" is considered by many as a true cult classic comedy of B-Movies,even the most respected of film critics.Unfortunately depending on the tastes and opinions of film fans that were used to seeing this legendary film comedy through the public domain since there was a lack of copyright in the titles,(same thing had happen to "Night Of The Living Dead") and for many years since the dawn of the videocassette and late late movie shows,those versions were vastly inferior and often poor-looking in terms of presentation and contrast.Now the great folks at Legend Films have finally put out a brand-new definitive and excellent restored presentation of this cult hit on DVD in both the original black & white version as well as the disc's main presentation of showcasing a brand-new restored digitally colorized version too.As with previous selected Legend releases of classic horror/B-movies in their DVD series,the disc features a well-done and at times hilarious commentary by MST3K's Mike Nelson and the great thing is that you can listen to the track on both versions of the film,giving the b&w version sort of a MST3K-flavor to it (I love how he refers to the opening Filmgroup logo as little Reese Cups !).Despite packaging claims that is the first time the film has been colorized,it's actually the second colorized incarnation of the film.First colorized on videocassette in the very late '80's with lousy and at times amateur results,this Legend version completely blows away the first attempt and looks like it was actually filmed in color,but of course this films' legendary budgetary constraints prevented from actually filming it in color.Of course lets not forget that the film features a very very young Jack Nicholson,in his fourth film role,in a memorable role as a crazy dentist patient.I must say,this Legend version of "Little Shop" is probably the most superior and sharpest looking out of all the previous versions of the film that you're possibly going to see and no wonder it was transferred from an excellent 35mm print of the film ! Other extras,besides the Nelson commentary,round out the package including both restored color/unrestored b&w trailers to "Little Shop",and the following colorized trailers for "Plan 9 From Outer Space","House On Haunted Hill","Carnival Of Souls",and "Reefer Madness".Plus a gallery of nine man-eating plants,if any kids are planning to do a school project on man-eating plants,this could actually be a fun reference guide,and also a very short clip called "Man Eating Plants" which is actually the president of Legend Films Barry Sandrew vigorously eating vegetable plants such as celery (always eat your vegetables folks !).Well-done packaging,excellent eye-catching menus and a sparkling transfer of both versions will definitely please any film buff,both Hollywood and B-Movie fans alike ! This is by far one of the first best DVD releases of 2006 and is highly recommended for old and new fans alike instead of those who only prefer the 1986 spectacular Frank Oz musical remake with Rick Moranis and Steve Martin.Highly recommended !

UPDATE 11/24/06:

Just Recently,Buena Vista Home Entertainment in association with Roger Corman have finally released an "authorized" DVD release of "Little Shop Of Horrors" as well as a nicely restored original black & white version of Nicholson's debut film "The Cry Baby Killer".Unfortunately,the recent disc's presentation of "Little Shop" is in fact the ORIGINAL colorized version,slightly mentioned above,that was first produced and eventually released to video in 1987 by Color Systems Technology.The source print used for the color version (other than the fact that the quality was directly copied off a video master for the DVD) is surprisingly in quite good condition,but it really truly is one of the worst examples of 1980's colorization technology I've ever seen and will probably be the last.The colors are often the same as certain objects (ie: the outside of Mushnick's Shop and the greens for the flowers,etc.),tons of continuity errors (ie: clothing,signs,etc.) and does anybody wish to care seeing Audrey Jr. looking like a talking watermelon plant? Reportedly,that color version was authorized by none other than Corman himself and it's easy to see why many directors above his stature hate and disregard colorization.Nicholson/Corman fans alike aren't going to be impressed with that bust of a release and it's very easy to see why the '87 colorized version was out of circulation for many years.Easier said than done,the newly restored Legend Films release is by far,hands down,the real winner due to the technology,version options,and bonus materials !

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I had origanlly seen this movie on a late night horror movie host and loved it having already seen the musical version. I bought the DVD expecting DVD quality. The transfer to DVD is bad. It's proably one of the worse ones I own. It's a little choppy, very grainy and somewhat blurry. There's also a spotlight effect once in awhile that I don't remember being there before (where the egdes of the movie are a little darker then the center). If you look carefully you can see waves going though the picture during the first part of chapter 2. The sound is a little muffled. I rate the transfer at 2 (I'm sure there's a worse one) and only gave it a 3 becasue of the movie it's self.

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This is the original that started it all, in 1960 which the film was shot for only two days. It's an good film, with a lot of grainy feel to it in black and white.

This version is about the bumbling Seymour who was almost out the door by his boss, Mr. Mushnick, for his incompetence. Seymour finds an unusual plant and Mushnick told Seymour if the plant turns out to be ok and fed, Seymour gets to stay at his job. Seymour names this plant, Audrey Jr., after his coworker, Audrey, who he loves. Before long, Seymour finds out that this plants wants nothing other than blood and human flesh...and ends up bringing dead people to the plant that were accidently killed. The cops were trying to find out what happened to the missing people (they were already eaten by the plant), and Mr. Mushnick stumbled on Seymour's secret. Mr. Mushnick offered a robber in the shop to the plant to save his life. The cops find out that Seymour is the one who killed the people when the pods of the plant opened up, showing the faces of those that were eaten, and there was a junkyard chase after Seymour. When Seymour goes back to the shop, he was mad at the plant, and intending to cut the weeds to kill it, he jumped in and the plant ate him. When the others came back to the shop, they found Seymour's face in one of the pods, then the movie ends.

There are some funny parts, and some silliness in other scenes (like the tramp that Seymour ran into, and their conversation is humorous!), plus you can find a young Jack Nicholson as the pain-loving dental patient.

This movie reminds me a little bit of the 1920s or 1930s films by the way some of the acting and the grainy image has portrayed in this 1960 movie, but overall, it is a good movie to watch.

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I recently watched the musical remake of Little Shop of Horrors and enjoyed it immensely, and my curiosity about the genesis of that film lead me to its progenitor. I hadn't realised that Roger Corman's original was intended as a comedy--I'd thought that it was a cheapie horror film with camp humor arising from its unintended absurdity. This is absolutely not the case, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The absurdity of Little Shop, and there is plenty, is all fully intended. At times it is almost as if the Monty Python troupe is doing a black-and-white horror spoof, it is so good. I find it impossible to say whether the musical remake or the original is "better"--they are simply different, and each amusing in its own way. I prefered Rick Moranis's Seymour to that of Jonathan Haze, but Jackie Joseph's Audrey had funnier lines and was less pathetic than Ellen Greene's. But what really surprised me was that the comic touches I had thought were signatures of the Saturday Night Live/Second City crowd were all in the original: the sadistic dentist and his masochistic patient; "Pain" magazine, "Feed me!", and more. Futhermore, the original had some more absurd characters that didn't make it into the remake, including a parody of the detectives from Dragnet and Seymour's mother, a hypochondriac whose home cooking is all flavoured with medicine! Although the sound and picture quality of the version I watched was poor, it was worth sitting through if you enjoyed the more recent version. Also worthy of note was the spiky, xylophone-timpani-and-baritone-saxophone-laden score by Fred Katz.

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Ocean's Twelve (Blu-ray/DVD Bundle) (2004)

I saw Ocean's Eleven, reluctantly, and fell in love. It opened the door for me to be able to tolerate George Clooney and Brad Pitt (although 12 Monkeys and Fight Club continue to be his best work). That being said, Twelve was NOT Eleven.

This does not make it bad, just different. The difference though being a rather large one. Instead of one tremendously clever caper, we have three blase ones with alot of down time in between. And herein is where I think alot of people torched this film. They wanted to see the exact same genius of the first script and instead got Ocean and crew palling around Europe. This film is by no means a mind buster, but it IS an enjoyable film with some rather entertaining times and the same type of story one would expect the writers to come up with for this crew.

All in all, not the best one out of the group, but I challenge anyone who bashed this film for not being as good as the first one to give me a series of films that consistently IMPROVED upon itself. There have been A LOT of letdown sequels out there, I would not go so far as saying this one was a letdown. Eleven was 5 stars........this one is four, for simply being a fun film as long as you can sit back and not start making Ocean's Eleven comparisons. Sure it bears the namesake, but it is NOT the same film. And honestly, it does a great job showing just how clever Terry Benedict can be as the villain. One of Andy Garcia's best roles, albeit short lived.

I got to apologize for reviewing the film itself instead of the product, but I honestly felt this was being unfairly represented by alot of the reviews. Hope this helps give some counterpoint. And FYI, the disk is great I simply wish it had a little more meat. Not alot in the way of extras

'Ocean's Twelve' has committed many typical mistakes when Hollywood studios fail to come up any new ideas, but still want to make a movie quickly. OK, let me tell you one by one:

A) THE DISJOINTED PLOT (or making an unnecessary sequel). Right, we don't need this. We already have slick, stylish 'Ocean's Eleven' so why make this one? Add to this question, what's the point of this new '12' anyway? George Clooney and other guys came back. Right, and Andy Garcia's (last time) humiliated casino owner came back, who wants his money back. So Ocean and his pals have to pull off another heist in Holland, in order to pay the cash quickly. So far, OK.

BUT. hey, anyone, can you summerize this? The film next introduces another (French) crook Vincent Cassel, and another retired crook, and Catherine Zata Jones's female investigator (from 'Europole', and she happens to know Brad Pitt's character ... how convenient), and many cameos from Hollywood, including Bruce Willis as himself. And Julia Roberts flies to the place when Ocean's men are in trouble, all the way from America. To prove what? I still do not know.

B) EUROPEAN LOCATIONS. And they went out of USA, to travel to such places as Rome and Amsterdam. That means there is no gorgeous, glittering feeling of Las Vegas, the town which no doubt helped create the stylish mood of the original. But anyway, the entire cast must have had fun.

C) SO MANY CAMEOS and references to other films. If you don't have good idea, get cameos. It's easy, you pay just a little (by the standard of Hollywood), the stars work only a day or two, and the audiences will be amused. That's what some people are thinking. So, besides the star of 'Pulp Fiction' you see Eddie Izzard, Robbie Coltrane, Jared Harris, Albert Finney, Jeroen Krabbe, Topher Grace ... should I continue? Plus, there are many film references, none of which are as amusing or intelligent as Tarantino.

Am I too harsh? Maybe or maybe not. But I am sure that what was good in '11' is all missing in '12.' Maybe you still call it a 'dream team' with Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac. But they forgot one thing, and that's imagination. Perhap, just perhap, but Steven Soderbergh lost it, and something else got into his head instead.

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It pains me to see people put down such a well done film. I can't understand why people are so caught up in being so overly-critical about everything these days. Wah wah wah, this sucks, wah wah wah, horrible movie, wah wah wah...boo hoo. First off, this movie is great. Regardless of what movie you think they've tried to rip off, regardless of the fact you think the first was better, i don't care and I think you should broaden your small minded thinking.

This movie is very intelligent, the acting in it is unrivaled. The cast couldn't have been better put together and everyone plays their role so well in this movie. I particularly thought that Matt Damon was excellent. And of course, there's the one and only Brad Pitt who was exquisite as usual. Anywho, you can't go wrong with this star-studded cast.

This movie had me entertained one more than one level. It made me laugh, cry, scratch my head, think, and it put all the pieces together for me in the end so I didn't leave the theater throwing barrels. I thought the off-key humor in it was brilliant. The way it all came together in the end was just they way we all like to see it done.

This movie is a great movie. Great acting, smart, funny, great story, keeps you thinking. It's everything and more in what I look for in a good film. If you haven't seen it, listen to my review, see it, and decide for yourself, ignore all these cynical over-analytical critical "let's compare everything to something else and say it is bad because...blah blah blah" type people.

Thank you for your time.

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"Ocean's 12" is nearly as much fun as Steven Soderbergh's 2002 film "Ocean's 11". This is, of course the sequel to "Ocean's 11". The main problem with this movie is that it goes on a bit too long. Clockin in at 135 minutes, there are too many things going on and the last act is completely confounding. In a way, this movie reminded me of the recent "Ladykillers" remake, in that it has comically inept criminals doing things that they rally can not do. But "Ocean's 12" is less of a caper comedy like its predesecsor was, and more of an action caper. There are no amazing shootouts or daring car chases/races/or crashes, but there is a large amount of heists, some that are involved in mechanics or outrageous stunts. So, that said, I think that "Ocean's 12", while funny and quite entertaining, could have been shortened by 15 or 20 minutes. I thought that Catherine Zeta Jones' character was not that well established, and the writers (perhaps purposefully) left it to the audience to figure out why she was even there!

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Ocean's 12 is truly a great sequal. Those who did not like this film are only casual fans of Ocean's 11 and of cinema in general. I can understand they may have trouble with this film because their lack of film knowledge and their attention to the original may be lacking. This was so intelligent and funny, and the continuity of Ocean's 11 is carried through so well (things refered to in the first film are brought to fruition in this sequal...Linus's parents, Rule #1, etc...) There are so many inside jokes and references for film lovers as well (esp. the Miller's Crossing discussion and a certian actor revealed at the end, and the Bruce Willis/Hudson Hawk connection, plus others). Sure sometimes one has to suspend disbelief, but hell, this is a fictional movie, not a biopic! Also the style and music of the film is that of a great european 60's 70's heist flick (to fit in with the theme). I also love that each character has an idiosynchrasy of thier own (most carried over from the last film, some comedic cliches). The idea of a rival thief is also quite novel, funny, and adds a good twist. It is sad that people see this as a poor sequal, obviously they just do not pay attention to the little details, those things that make films truly great. If you really allow yourself to think of all the meta-references and continuities, then you may actually see how rich this film really is! Please, watch it again...

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Monkeybone (2001)

"Monkeybone" is the type of experimental, twisted movie that is destined to become a cult classic. Mixing shades of Tim Burton's "Beetlejuice" with an enormous variety of influences such as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "All of Me," "Alice in Wonderland," and even "Regarding Henry," this movie is a stop-motion cartoon, a live-action love story, a dark comedy, a fantasy, a Freudian nightmare, and more. It contains an extremely diverse and unusual cast, including Brendan Fraser as a cartoonist in a coma, Bridget Fonda as his fiancee, Whoopi Goldberg as Death (yes, you read that right), Chris Kattan as the decomposing corpse of a gymnast, Megan Mullally as the cartoonist's sister who is very eager to pull the plug, Dave Foley as the cartoonist's manager, and Rose McGowan as a kitty cat (yes, once again, you read that right)! It also contains bizzare, strange, and cool animation by director Henry Selick, who also directed Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas."

Ostensibly, "Monkeybone" is the story about an artist's struggle between artistic integrity and cartoonish commercialism, about the difference between a work of art and a mere doodle, a satire about the consequences of "selling out." It is also a Freudian fairy tale about a man whose sexual id is represented by a cartoon monkey. Monkeybone is literally this man's erection. The story is an examination of what happens when one lets one's id take over his whole life. It is a psychological analysis of what nightmares are made of. It is a surrealistic comedy containing some of the most startling, visually stunning images you are likely to see on film for a long time, including strange representations of many classical, mythological creatures. It is a love story. While this might sound like the premise of an independant film, this is actually a big budget film that was marketed to look like a children's movie. Not a good idea.

It's no wonder this movie did so poorly at the box office. Believe it or not, this film is the type that should have been playing at small art houses, not mainstream movie theatres. Even the cover box says it's the crudest movie since "South Park." In short, the studio didn't know how to market its own movie.

This movie is an extremely likable one, hilariously funny at times, always seriously bizarre, and obviously the work of a demented genius. It is hard to deny the brilliant artistry involved, and the all-around great acting by the cast. In fact, I respect every actor in this film immensely, especially the big budget ones such as Whoopi Goldberg and Brendan Fraser. This is the type of weird movie they didn't have to do, but chose to do. It is a project they wanted to be involved in, and I respect them for that.

Typically, most of the reviewers, mostly in the middle of the country, panned this film. However, many major newspapers and publications, such as "The New York Times," and "Entertainment Weekly" gave it great reviews, despite its messy nature.

And this is one of the few movies in recent history in which its mess actually adds to its likability. A more polished version of this film would be not be half as enjoyable, brilliant, crazy, or maddening as this truly original, insane piece of filmmaking. As it is now, the viewer constantly wonders what strange happening will occur next, and, trust me, it is always stranger than you thought it would be.

I would not recommend this film to everyone. I would probably recommend it mostly to serious movie buffs or lovers of very original, non-mainstream film, who enjoy Tim Burton/Sam Raimiesque humor in their cinema. If you're in the most for something completely and utterly different in every way, buy this movie.

I have to say I'm surprised and glad to see the praise this movie is getting. I thought I'd have to come in and defend it, but I see you all have some taste ;)

I talked to two people at work about this movie after I saw it. All three of us have different tastes and all three got something different out of it. I am the animation fanatic, and was interested in seeing another film by the director of Nightmare before Christmas. I enjoy Henry Selick's style and vision, and saw it come through quite well at moments in the film. It's funny that the things I did not like so much about the movie were what my co-workers (and some reviewers here) liked best. Bill is an SNL and comedy lover, and watched purely for that aspect. He thought the movie was hilarious but a little too weird. And my film snobby assistant was impressed with the insider jokes and references, half of which I didn't even catch.

This is why I give the film four stars. It is very good. We all liked it. But none of us loved it 100%. Of course, if we had had, one of us would give it five stars and the others would pan it completely. I guess that's the problem with trying to please everyone all the time. At least Monkeybone comes close, and I recommend it equally to animation, cult film, and comedy lovers.

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It is amazing to me that every time Brendan Fraser does an edgy, risky movie, like this one, his audience bottoms out. Yet when he does work that I find barely watchable, like the two "Mummy" movies, he is a huge hit. This film drew few viewers, just like his "Still Breathing," "Gods and Monsters," and "Twilight of the Golds." Here Fraser plays cartoonist Stu who via a coma is transported to Down Town. Other people in comas and people who are created by others' imaginations live in Down Town. They all crave nightmares and dreams. It is a hyper surreal place. Stu's creation, Monkeybone, lives there too and Monkeybone plots to take Stu's place in the real world. Monkeybone does emerge in the real world in Stu's body and Fraser does a superb job playing a monkey in the body of a man. In fact, his character is the most fun when Monkeybone takes over. I've never seen before "Saturday Night Live's" Chris Kattan. He plays a gymnast with a broken neck whose body Stu inhabits while trying to get his own body back from Monkeybone. He turns in an amazing performance as well and I'd like to see him in more. I do not know the technicalities of animation film making. However, the combination of animation characters with real world actors, like Fraser, is done superbly and seamlessly here. In fact, it might ruin the film for me to know how it is done so I'm just as glad that I don't know.

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If only I had the power to film some additional footage and then re-release this, I think "Monkeybone" would be a much bigger hit, and people would love it a lot more. Sadly, I'm just some punk kid from Maryland, so that's not possible. Yet. The story is very fun, very weird, and more original than most junk that has been released in the past couple of years. Everybody else has already wrote about it, and you can read about the story in the description, so I won't bother. All of the actors fit their roles pretty well, and there isn't anybody who is really irritating. The special effects are great and incredibly atmospheric. I almost want to see a TV series about Downtown, just because it's such an amazing thing to see. The dialogue is usually well-fitting, and there are some really great jokes, as well as some really horrible ones, but there's a very decent balance. So, why give this only 3 stars? Because the beginning was rushed way too much. To begin with, they open it with a cartoon that is meant to be a mood-setter, to show you what the Monkeybone character is like and what the comedy style is like. The cartoon fails miserably. It's not funny at all, and it's just embarrassing to watch. After the cartoon, there are a few attempts to develop Stu, the main character, and his girlfriend. Then they just skip the plot/character development entirely, and send Stu to Downtown. This would be great if they bothered to explain Downtown first, but they didn't, and you sort of have to guess based on what the description of the movie is and a short song that some talking lampposts sing. With maybe twenty minutes of additional footage at the beginning to ease us into the story, this movie would have been gold. I've been told that the deleted scenes/extended scenes on the DVD help the beginning, but I haven't seen them yet, so I can't tell. It's a good movie, but don't give up after the first bit. Stick with it, and you'll be rewarded with a wonderful story about the dream world, and one of the best movie climaxes in history (It reminds me of the Stay-Puft marshmallow man from "Ghostbusters").

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When this movie came out, it both garnered a huge number of really bad reviews and inspired very few people to come see it at the theater. The truth is that while it is by no means a great movie, it isn't at all a bad one, either. I might have found it disappointing in the theater, but at home on a DVD player, it provided a quite enjoyable couple of hours.

There is, however, a lot of talent that isn't fully utilized in this film. Most of the weight of the film is placed on the shoulders of Brendan Frasier, and he does his usual excellent job (though I am concerned that, the Mummy series apart, he is starting to get stuck in doofus roles--he is better than that, as GODS AND MONSTERS showed, and I would love to see him in a wider variety of roles). But Bridget Fonda is not really called upon to do much, Whoopi Goldberg has what almost appears as a cameo role, David Foley is a one-dimensional character, and no one else is really called to do very much. The only other actors who really add much to the film are John Turturro voicing Monkeybone and Chris Kattan. I normally loathe Kattan, who is one of the main reasons I haven't been able to watch SNL for several years, but he does a creditable job as an animated corpse in a small but crucial role (the box cover extravagantly exaggerates the size of his role, and seeing him on the cover actually was one of the deterrents to my seeing the film for quite some time).

But the real star of MONKEYBONE is everyone who was involved in the art and set design. Easily the most compelling parts of MONKEYBONE are those where Stu (Brendan Frasier) is stuck in the nightmare world. Harry Selick, the director, also directed both THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, and there is a definite stylistic resemblance between the three films. MONKEYBONE is without question the lesser film of the three, but not at all unwatchable for all that.

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