Groundhog Day (15th Anniversary Special Edition) (1993)

I'm going to forego a review of the movie. Let others do that. Here's my input on the bonus stuff:

What's good:

"The weight of time" documentary What makes this documentary somewhat unique, is that it allows the screenwriter some screen time to convey what his vision of the movie would have been. It's a gutsy move that Ramis allowed this on his film, since the original concept of Groundhog Day was far darker than the final product. It's an interesting watch, although it would have been nicer if Bill Murray made an appearance in the documentary.

Director's commentary: Ramis' approach is to tell small anecdotes about minor characters, how people were cast, how the scenes were filmed, etc. It's interesting and entertaining in its own right. He doesn't just drone on and on like many directors do. I think his acting and comedy background helps make him be more interesting, personable, and accessable for viewers to listen to.

What's lousy:

I'm probably alone on this, but the animated menus are annoying, silly, and slow. You have to wait for the animation to get going before you're allowed to make your choice. It'd be forgivable if there were any easter eggs hidden, but I know of none. So, it's just annoying.

I might be making a bold claim saying this is the best Bill Murray film of them all. Many people would call me on that with films that showcase his sophomoric hijinks like Stripes or Ghostbusters. Some may look at his more slightly more refined character works like What About Bob? and Scrooged as their hits. To me Groundhog Day tops them all. This is because not only do you have Bill Murray doing a perfect performance, but also because the content itself (and the writing behind it) takes this movie to the next level.

Groundhog Day is a morality piece done in the vein of a classic Rod Serling's Twilight Zone episode. I kind of "what if...?" sort of tale that puts a generally successful and selfish man (played by Murray) into a hopeless situation of never being able to escape a single day in a small town. On the surface the story it looks like a situation comedy with Murray's character living the same Groundhog Day over and over. However the further you go into the movie you get some true and believable character development. The fact Bill pulls it off convincingly as well as with his classic entertaining wit is what makes the movie shine.

Don't think of the movie as just some lesson to learn and take with you. While it does have that they don't preach it to you. You figure the lessons out along with Phil (Murray), and that makes for a rather deep experience. The movie at its core is a comedy, and it's such a good comedy it's rating among the top comedies of all time by various film associations. It's not just a comedy either as it also has a healthy dose of romance in it. So much romance that it can pass off as a "chick flick" for those who are into that. So I guess you can say Groundhog Day is a romantic comedy/Twilight-Zonesque/morality play.

The other actors do great as well, including co-star Andie MacDowell, supporting actors Chris Elliot (as the cameraman), Brian Doyle-Murray (mayor of the city) Stephen Tobolowsky (old high school associate) and others. The movie was directed by Murray's cohort in Ghostbusters and Stripes Harold Ramis, which makes me wonder if the role was made for Bill. Production itself is very solid. You won't find it winning awards for costumes, sets or special effects. At the same time you won't find any production values detracting from the story; they only serve to enhance it.

This 15th Anniversary Edition will be digitally remastered (overseen by Ramis himself) and will include a host of special features including:

Commentary by director Harold Ramis (not sure if it's a new commentary or if it will be the same commentary from the last Special Edition DVD)

The Study of Groundhogs: A Real Life Look at Marmots

A Different Day: An Interview with Harold Ramis

Making of Documentary

Weight of Time documentary

Newly discovered deleted scenes

The Weight of Time documentary was in the Special Edition DVD, but aside from that and the commentary this DVD has all new special features. The fact there are deleted scenes on this edition is enough to make me very curious on what we missed.

This movie is a must have. Any Bill Murray fan should be required to see this movie. As far as which version to get I would say the 15th Anniversary Edition, at it is the best bang for your buck. If only they didn't use such an overly airbrushed picture for the cover. That is about the only thing about this DVD that stinks.

Buy Groundhog Day (15th Anniversary Special Edition) (1993) Now

I'm a die-hard movie junkie and can say without reservation that this movie is among the most hilarious ever made.

The very simple story is one where Bill Murray plays a self-consumed, hyper-cynical, and arrogant weatherman with a mean streak who finds himself paying out some sort of karmic debt by having to live through the same day (Groundhog Day) again, and again, and again, and....

The phenomenon strikes him with terror (few play "overwhelmed" better than Murray) at first, which is very funny material, but it's when he becomes accustomed to his seeming immortality and liberty from consequence that things really get unbearably funny.

This movie is fantastic in that it can be watched casually, as it's chock full of slapstick style entertainment (no offense to Bill Murray, but just looking at his face makes me laugh, great expressions...); but what really endeared this movie to me was the lesson I think is wrapped up in all the humor. I think the movie is about "appreciation". Appreciation for the value of every days potential (I know that sounds cheesy), appreciation for those around you that so easily fall into the background from all the noise of our environment, but most of all, appreciation for the difference between doing the right thing and the wrong thing. This movie smartly creates a "clean A/B lab". In the first lab, you have a bunch of failed attempts to create the perfect day. And finally, all those attempts are contrasted against the control group...a perfectly lived day, one where all the latent opportunities we don't even see are exploited...

And what a difference a day can make.

I hope you enjoy as much as I did...

Read Best Reviews of Groundhog Day (15th Anniversary Special Edition) (1993) Here

"Groundhog Day" is a movie that's aged really well in the past nine years, and I think will be looked back on as a classic comedy in a few decades. Using a relatively simple plot device (Bill Murray's arrogant, pesudocosmpolitan character living the same day over and over in a small Midwestern town), Harold Ramis created a silly, sweet, touching romantic comedy that is endlessly rewatchable.

That said, though, I would've expected a great deal more from a 'Special Edition' of such a well-loved movie. The main differences between this release and the original DVD release of a few years ago are the addition of a commentary track by Harold Ramis and a half-hour or so behind-the-scenes documentary. The menus are also now animated and there are a few filmographies and trailers for other movies added, but these hardly help with the "Special Edition" status the disc is given. The commentary track gives some interesting info on the movie, but Ramis spends a lot of time talking about the background actors and eventually wears a bit thin on the anecdotes. If they could have gotten Bill Murray or Chris Elliott (or even Stephen Tobolowsky) to do the commentary track with him, it would've covered over a lot of the silences and helped with the narrative style, which Ramis keeps very light. Nonetheless, Ramis's fondness for the movie comes out quite cleary, and he's still fun to listen to. The documentary falls a bit flat in that in covers much of the same ground as the commentary track. Save the few behind-the-scenes photos and outtakes, there's little there that Ramis doesn't discuss in his commentary. Even more disappointing is that both refer to scenes that were shot and not used that do not appear in a 'Deleted Scenes' section.

If you liked the movie, but haven't picked the DVD up yet, I recommend getting this version over the original release. If you already own the original DVD, though, there's little reason to pick this one up unless you're a huge fan of the movie. I, for one, hope they eventually release a true 'Special Edition' with deleted scenes, press materials, the script (both Danny Rubin's original and with Ramis's revisions) and everything else we've come to expect from truly first-rate 'Special Editions' which this one sadly isn't.

Want Groundhog Day (15th Anniversary Special Edition) (1993) Discount?

Arrogant and self centred TV weatherman Phil Connors is given a chance to fundamentally change himself in this reworked and updated version of Dickens a Christmas Carol.

What would you do if you had the gift (or more likely the curse) of immortality but were condemned to spend it in the same tiny provincial town and to re-live the events of one isolated day? Phil goes through the whole spectrum of emotions as he tries to come to terms with his unique predicament. Frustration, anger and rock bottom despair. Eventually he comes to accept his lot and starts to enthusiastically indulge himself in a completely selfish manner. He tries desperately to seduce Rita his producer, but she always manages to see through his veneer of pleasantness to the ugly character underneath. Its hard not to be moved by Phil's despair when the Ray Charles track `You don't know me' is played. Much much later on he stops thinking of himself and begins unselfishly to help the townspeople through their day. As in life we reap what we sow, and Phil is eventually rewarded for his new found humanity.

Groundhog Day is a truly great film and it works on many levels, as a black comedy, a love story, and a spiritual journey. It's one of those rare films that you can watch over and over and still feel it's impact. Bill Murray deserved an Oscar for his performance and the supporting cast were totally solid too. I defy anyone to see the Ned Ryerson character (needle nose Ned, Ned the head) and not feel the urge to damage him in some way. Buy this classic film and enjoy it forever.

Save 50% Off

Read More >>

Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (19

Filmmakers have been combining animation and live action since the days of silent film--but 1988's WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT not only bested everything done previously, it set a standard that is unlikely to be surpassed. Although it has been available on VHS and in a mediocre DVD release for quite a few years, the film finally gets the star treatment in this "Vista Series" double DVD release, which includes the film in both pan-and-scan and letterbox formats and an assortment of extras, many of which are quite interesting.

The concept and story are well known: cartoon characters are not drawings, but are living entities who work in the film industry, and when Maroon Cartoon star Roger Rabbit is accused of murdering Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), he turns to private detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) for help. Trouble is, Eddie hates "Toons." After all, one of them offed his brother, and Eddie hasn't been sober since. The concept is a clever one, and the story could have gone in any number of directions--but ROGER RABBIT hops down a completely unexpected trail. Set in 1947 Los Angeles, the film uses classic "noir" elements (and references everything from THE MALTESE FALCON to CHINATOWN); it also makes considerable sly social commentary on racism, with the "Toons" performing in a Cotton Club-like nightclub, literally working for peanuts at the studios, and more or less confined to living in "Toontown," which might easily be read as social ghettoization. And all of these sidelights are interesting and entertaining. But the most attractive thing about ROGER RABBIT is that it is just plain fun to watch.

Part of that fun comes from the marvelous performances of Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd (as the evil Judge Doom), and Joanna Cassidy (Valiant's sidekick Delores), who lead the live action cast. Another chunk of the fun is the way in which the film cameos a host of famous cartoon characters, ranging from Betty Boop to Bugs Bunny and the Warner Bro.s gang to Dumbo--and animation buffs will love the fact that Betty Boop and Bugs Bunny, to name but two, are voiced by the artists (Mae Questel and Mel Blanc) who created the character voices in the first place. But the big deal here is the extremely believable way in which the "Toons" fit into the real world. They rendered with astonishing detail and remarkable three dimensionality. It's just an amazing thing to watch.

The overall DVD package is a bit odd, for it offers less in the way of bonuses than one might expect. The first disk includes a pan-and-scan version of the film, three Roger Rabbit/Baby Herman shorts, a kid-friendly documentary, and a CD-ROM game; the second disk offers the letterbox film with extras that will appeal to more mature viewers, most particularly on-set shots and a nifty documentary called "Behind the Ears." The upshot is really a one-disk release that has been expanded to two by the trick of cramming both pan-and-scan and letterbox versions into a single package. That's annoying--but even so, this is easily the best release of this film to date. It at gives the rabbit some justice at last, and I give it five stars on that basis.

One of the great joys of movie-going is to see a concept, that on-the-face-of-it is so goofy and off-beat that it should never work, but, in the end, does work and works in spades! So it was for me with Who Framed Roger Rabbit. This Vista Series DVD brings the film to us with a crisp & clean picture, THX sound, and a beautifully packaged set of extras that include a very clever interactive menu, plus loads of goodies presented smartly, with humor and surprises.

Seeing the film again reminded me how impressed I was with the audacity and accomplishment of Bob Zemeckis and his collaborators on bringing off with care and intelligence, a sharp & funny film that plays to both children & adults. Who would have thunk it?

Taking a Chinatown-like story of early Los Angeles with some basis in fact (destroying the Red Line to make way for freeways) complete with murder & intrigue & marrying it to the screwy conceit that cartoon figures, aka Toons, actually lived and worked as live actors and inhabited a section of LA called Toontown is such a manifestly dopey idea that it would take enormous inspiration, intelligence and attention to detail to make it even nominally work. All of those qualities were present, as the extras demonstrate, in abundance here, and the result was movie magic.

Made prior to CGI coming into its own, the characters were brought to the screen brilliantly. As one of the animators pointed out, even early CGI was rejected because the film-makers wanted the characters to maintain their cartoon look, only brought into 3 dimensions. The hows and whys of what they did to achieve this magic are worth a look.

Anchored by the great casting of Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd and Joanna Cassidy and Charles Fleischer, brilliant technical work, and a clever story strung through with great good humor, dialogue and jokes for kids and adults, this film has some cherished, favorite lines, from Baby Herman's "That's my problem, I've got a 50 year-old lust, and a 3 year-old dinky.", to Jessica Rabbit's: "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way.", to Eddie on the wayward bullets "Eh, Dum Dums!" This is great stuff.

"Toons, gets em every time!" Some kind of classic here, and well worth your while.

Buy Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (19 Now

This is one of my favorite movies ever; there's not a moment that I don't believe that toons and humans are interacting...but this version is a censored version of the film. They cut parts without the consent of the director, and for this reason, I beg you not to buy this version. Wait until they correct the bowdlerization of this masterpiece

Read Best Reviews of Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (19 Here

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was a huge hit when it was released in 1988 and made Bob Hoskins a star. It successfully combined live action with animation and featured a strong and funny cast of characters and an entertaining storyline.

To best describe this film to the uninitiated would probably require a comparison with "L.A. Confidential" (with PG-friendly/cartoon violence) and a Looney Tunes movie. It is fun, boisterous and entertaining with memorable performances by Bob Hoskins (as Eddie Valiant), Christopher Lloyd (as Judge Doom), Roger Rabbit (as himself) and that sultry scene-stealer Jessica Rabbit (as herself and voiced by Kathleen Turner). A veritable who's who in animation, this film features cameos by Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Daffy Duck, Goofy and Betty Boop, to name a few.

The VISTA SERIES is especially impressive given the many, many special features that are included. The packaging alone with a case that looks like a detective's portfolio/folder is a treat. Add to that the following:

1) Audio commentary by the filmmakers led by director Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump)

2) Facts and trivia

3) "The Pig Head Sequence" deleted scene

4) "Before and After" split-screen comparisons

5) 2 behind-the-scenes documentaries, including an new, exclusive in-depth featurette

6) A DVD game

7) 3 animated shorts

and more!!

The film itself is well worth the price of the DVD. Add to that the wealth of special features and this promises to be one of the best DVDs of the year. Animation, action/adventure and comedy fans will find this a special treat and I highly recommend this family-friendly (PG) film to everyone!

Want Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (19 Discount?

I have not seen this film on DVD, as nearly every review I have read has advised otherwise, but I can say that to release a featureless disc of one of the most technically significant films of all time is nothing short of travesty. I'm ignoring the fact that Disney actually removed footage from this film, and we're not talking about the infamous laserdisc edition. Is it possible for Criterion to get their hands on this? They did do the super edition of "Armageddon", now let's see them work on a film that actually deserves it. I don't care if it costs $60, issue a two-disc set with commentaries (by Zemeckis and Richard Williams, the great animation director who was completely screwed over on his labor of love, "The Thief and the Cobbler), an extensive documentary, every piece of promotional material, an anamorphic transfer, a guide to all the cartoon characters who appear, and, while we're at it, how about those three "Maroon Cartoons" (Tummy Trouble, Rollercoaster Rabbit, and Trail Mix-up) that were until recently available on video and laserdisc before the Mouse house decided to pull them off the market. All right, I've ranted long enough. The point is, put out an edition of this film that truly does justice to the film itself and people will spend the necessary currency to obtain it. May the dream of an ultimate "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" DVD one day become a reality!

Save 17% Off

Read More >>

Picture This (2008)

Picture This! Is basically fluff, exactly what I was expecting. Teen romantic comedies have gone downhill since the days of 10 Things I Hate About You. But then again, this is a made for movie so expect exactly such.

The movie stars Ashley Tisdale Mandy, as a nice and smart, middle social class girl who has a crush on the hot and rich guy in school, who by the way is also perfect and has won every single medal in every single sport. He is Prince Charming. He finally notices her and invites her to his party as his date. But, Mandy is grounded and, thanks to her new video phone (tons of product placement in this movie), her dad is keeping tabs on her every half hour. Mandy must race against the clock and get in all sorts of implausible situations to go to the party and fool her overbearing father that she is studying at a friend's house. Between ruined clothes, allergies, towed cars, and a battle of the bands, Mandy has her work cut out for her. But, still to top it all up, the evil rich and popular girl is out to get her.

The movie is funny because it has so many implausible situations that you just have to go with it. The movie also shows the influence of technology and media in the current culture. Nice use of gadgets. Now, I must get that phone (the true main character of this movie!).

I saw the premire of this movie and although it is girl likes jock, popular girl declares Jock hers and tries to kill girl socially. It was a really cute father daughter (or parent letting go) movie. As a HS guaduite, I thought this was a great movie to watch with my mom, and i was right. Shes been having seperation issues, like Ashley's Dad, and it was a fun movie to watch and connect with. Even my teenage brother thought it was a hilarious movie, watching all the things Ashley has to go through. From phone punking her Dad to convincing an audience to pretend to be a DVD movie.

I thought it was a really good movie!

Great job Ash!

Oh one more thing I really liked about it is the main character stayed true to herself. She didnt let the guy use her.

Buy Picture This (2008) Now

Once again bought this movie for my 11 year old daughter and I probably enjoyed it more then her! Robbie Amell is real "Eye Candy" and Ashley Tisdale was very cute and funny in this movie. I loved the ending but wish it went a for a bit longer...it ended way to fast for my liking...but sometimes you can't win them all. I would recommend it to all. Some things went over my daughters head but all in all it was worth a watch! Loved Ashley singing in it! Would recommend to all who are Ashley and Robbie fans! I now am!!

Read Best Reviews of Picture This (2008) Here

Although this story is predictable, it is also packed with a lot of laughs and the great sounding Shadows of the Night by Ashley Tisdale. Very fun and well worth watching again and again. Tisdale rocks! Cute & adorable.

Want Picture This (2008) Discount?

I rented this movie expecting just another average teenage comedy, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well the actors/actresses played in the movie and lived up to the plot. The movie is basically about a girl named Mandy (Ashley Tisdale) who is not very popular in school and who is trying to date Drew Patterson (Robbie Amell).

The plan is to attend a big party to which Drew invites her to, but unfortunately as luck would have it she is GROUNDED by her dad for breaking some rules. She later convinces him that she is only going to go to "study" with her 2 other friends, but he insists in a BIG BROTHER way that she must check in every 30 minutes via video cell phone on how everything is going. That is when the real fun starts and things start to get real crazy! Mandy must do crazy things every 30 mins to try and make her dad believe she is actually at her friends house studying. The scariest part of the movie was when she is driving and her dad asks her "is that a horn I hear" and insists on showing him what she is doing. She takes the keys out of the ignition on a busy road covers her eyes while her friends steer the car. I don't recommend this at home, and it almost getting all three of them killed by nearly hitting a truck head on.

There are a lot more crazy things Mandy does to try and fake where she is. You will have to watch the movie to see if her dad finds out what she and her friends did and bust her. I don't want to spoil the fun.

I definitely recommend this movie to everyone. It is a funny as heck down to earth romantic comedy!

Save 52% Off

Read More >>

Mamma Mia! The Movie (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (2008)

From what I know of the history of this play/movie the two ladies that worked so hard to get ABBA and others to put this together in GB are now two of the wealthiest women in England and from what I have seen it drives the critics nuts, ("lousy, bad camera work, Brosnen can not carry a tune etc., etc.,) the bottom line folks, this movie fits like that old comfortable shirt your wife (the critic) wants you to throw away because it looks "awful". Well, the heck with em, I like my shirt, and I like meatloaf and mashed potatos, and I like Mama Mia, maybe it is mind candy, maybe it does not reach the high brow standard, but it "feels good" so the pundants can take their "expert" advise and put it where "the sun don't shine", this movie makes me smile and who knew Meryl Streep could sing like that the "Winner Takes it All" maybe very poorly filmed according to the so called experts because the one I saw said "get me off the Merry-go-Round" but it sure sent chills down my back let the experts rave I know what I like, and this film made me laugh in times like these I will take that any old time over what the high brows think I should see!

PS as for Mr. Brosnan's singing and why he did the film straight from the horses mouth -

Q. What drew you to this movie? A. My agent called and said, "Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!," and I said, "I'm in!" I didn't even know who I was playing. I kept thinking, I want to work with this wonderful actress.

Q. How did you fare with all the singing you had to do for the role?

A. I've never done anything as orchestrated or musically complex in my life. At first, I just made noises. Then I went to London and trained in the studio with Benny [Andersson] and Bjõrn [Ulvaeus] from ABBA. My family let me know that they were very worried for Dad when they first heard Dad sing. But sing I did.

This CD is a must-have just for the simple unadulterated pop culture value. This isn't one of those dramatic instrumental soundtracks with titles like "Wedding March" or "The Emperor is Dead", but instead is a lot of fun, especially for people who have grown up singing every word that ABBA ever wrote.

The eighteen songs (17 + hidden track) are all familiar ABBA hits, and you'll find yourself singing along with the likes of Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, Christine Baranski, Amanda Seyfried and others.

Some of these unlikely songbirds can actually carry a note (albeit not too far), and others will make you smile (You're a brave man Pierce), but there's no denying that this soundtrack would make a great stocking stuffer or just-because gift for your favorite baby boomer.

Tracks not to be missed (whether good or just rather ambitious) are:

"Honey, Honey" Amanda Seyfried

"Mamma Mia!" Meryl Streep

"Dancing Queen" Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, and Julie Walters

"Our Last Summer" Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Stellan Skarsgaard

"Lay All Your Love on Me" Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried

"Super Trouper" Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, and Julie Walters

"SOS" Pierce Brosnan and Meryl Streep

"Does Your Mother Know" Christine Baranski and Philip Michael

"Take a Chance on Me" Julie Walters and Stellan Skarsgaard

"I Have a Dream" / "Thank You for the Music" (Hidden Track) Amanda Seyfried

Buy this for one just for fun

Amanda Richards, July 24, 2008

Buy Mamma Mia! The Movie (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (2008) Now

I LOVED this movie. I saw it six times in the theater and laughed and bobbed my head as much the sixth time as the first. The music great!! Ok, so Pierce Brosnan isn't the best singer in the world. You know what? I've paid a whole lot more money to see people in concert that were suppose to be great singers and were so much worse than Pierce. Besides if you don't want to listen to him just watch him. He's showing some age(but then aren't we all) he's still quite attractive. I think Merryl Streep did an incredible job. Who knew she could sing like that?! And Donna's two friends are a hoot. And I think the girl that plays Sophie is adorable.

In today's times it's great to be able to sit down with a movie and not have to think about it. Just be entertained by it. It's a great "bad day" movie. Go home put your feet up and just veg out. Sure to improve your bad mood greatly!!

Read Best Reviews of Mamma Mia! The Movie (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (2008) Here

I sometimes wonder what movie the critics see because it rarely if ever matched the movie I see. I paid to see this movie five times and took my daughter four of those times, we LOVE it. I makes you feel good, the music gives you energy, to me the movie made me feel young and hopeful. The loctaion it was shot in was breathtaking, the chemisty on screen was wonderful! When it first came out it was not a trailer that grabbed me and I really had no interest in seeing it, but a friend of mine invited me and my daughter to go with her one night, and I am so glad we did. I shudder to think I almost missed one of the best big screen experiences I've ever had.

Want Mamma Mia! The Movie (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (2008) Discount?

Would have given this 5 stars without a doubt, except for those missing songs!!! I get REALLY tired of these marketing ploys that victimize customers. Now we all know that, in the near future, there will be an expanded edition of the soundtrack with the deleted songs and maybe some incidental music added as inticement. So ABBA fans, Meryl Streep fans, and fans of musical theater will shell out another 15 20 bucks to buy it. It angers me!!!

Read More >>

Scary Movie 4

Sigh... Here's more of the same.

You can pretty much trust the critics' reviews on this one. I know movies like this aren't made to get critical raves, and in that sense they are critic-proof. I like stupid comedies (as long as they are genuinely funny and clever not just stupid), especially of the screwball "Naked Gun" mold and, even more so, of the raunchy original "Scary Movie" type. I may be embarrassed to try and defend a movie like "Scary Movie" but I'd be a liar to say I didn't love it. So, in that sense, if any "name" critic were to tell me "Scary Movie 4" is a stupid, bad movie, how do I know I can trust them?

Not that they are always wrong about these movies ("Scary Movie 2" was dreadfully lazy, unfunny and, basically, awful), but I figure I have to judge for myself. Every once in a while I'm glad I did. Usually though, I know what I'm getting into and just keeping my fingers crossed for a surprise.

Not surprisingly, "Scary Movie 4" is not that movie.

Sure it's better than "2," and there are several funny moments, probably enough to make it worth a rental, but they are forgotten almost as soon as you leave the theatre. 0f what I remember, Leslie Nielsen has the best moments over all, proving he's still got it with his hilarious dead-pan, oblivious looks and dialog-deliveries; he's as good as he ever was. Too bad there wasn't more of him here (he is essentially a cameo). And the "War of the Worlds" spoof stuff was funny for a while, especially to me because I didn't much care for that movie (it already felt like a spoof of Sci-Fi flicks with its dumb logic, dumb dialog and cheesy performances). Here, one of the best gags involves the Tri-Ipods (ho, ho) attacking the city and, as in "WOTW," none of the transportation devices work; this includes bikes and skateboards (of course, Spielberg already spoofed himself in his own movie by allowing a camcorder to work while every other electronic device from cars to wristwatches shut down; but I digress). That scene is fairly early on in the film and, come to think of it, that's where most of the comic gems are.

The movie starts out well, hitting most of its targets in a quick, random fashion. None of it is great, but it works well enough to earn a few real laughs: The "Saw" stuff with Shaq and Dr. Phil, the scene with Charlie Sheen, Cindy's new office, her gleefully absurd flashback to her first marriage, Anthony Anderson and his "pal" in a bar riffing on the phrase "turn up missing" (how can you turn up and be missing at the same time?), almost everything right up until the actual shape of the story begins to take place, which ultimately becomes just one big spoof of "War of the Worlds," with a "The Village" segue thrown in the middle for no real reason (although here, Carmen Electra earns some laughs in fearless cameo); in the same way as "Scary Movie 2" degenerated into a one-joke spoof of "The Haunting" another originally bad movie that needed no spoof in order for us to laugh at it.

The "Scary Movie" franchise started with a truly audacious, hardcore comedy original. Not for kids, it earned its hard-R rating (originally it got an NC-17), but it worked. You laughed at not only the gags, but out of embarrassment for laughing at them, and the Wayans Brothers sheer audacity to put some of that stuff up on the screen. It wasn't brilliant, but it was brilliantly vile and unexpectedly hilarious. It caught everyone off guard; no one expecting the movie to go that far and, in turn, be that screamingly funny. And it was a different, original stab at the genre (spoofs were generally all done in the PG-13 "Hot Shots!" vein). It became a deserved huge hit. So the Wayans delivered a sequel that just continued to milk the same well until it was dry (#2 did half the box-office of the original and was hissed at by both critics and fans). Wisely the Wayans bowed out, but the movies were turned over to David Zucker, a great director who gave us "Airplane!" and "The Naked Gun" just to name a few. Zucker makes funny movies, but he makes far different movies (precisely the kind the Wayans brothers were trying to top with the original). The rating dropped to PG-13 and the franchise was now safe for pre-teens. "Scary Movie 3" was better than 2, but only because it couldn't be any worse. Just as in this latest entry, 3 had scattered scenes that scored laughs, but had far too many obvious, predictable and lazy targets. It hit 'em, but none too thrillingly. All the pizzazz of the original was gone and the series had turned into just another spoof franchise that does not stand out amongst any of its type. Zucker is a competent director but he gave up being exciting a long time ago. With "Scary Movie 3," this year's equally bland hit-and-(far more) miss "Date Movie" and now "Scary Movie 4," he has done some of the laziest work of his career.

Want proof? Look at some of the other reviews on this site. The big raves come from teens who, probably were so young, they weren't allowed to see the first movie when it came out; not that it would have mattered much because that also means that they were in preschool when "Scream" and all the other movies the original spoofed came out. But that's okay because that is now who this franchise is for. For them, it is harmless fun just ask the 20 or so kids who were dying with laughter at the screening I attended this afternoon. And for all the people who like broad, slapstick style comedy rather than a boundary-pusher, and are not very discriminating (ie, as long as you get the references and there is plenty of potty humor), you may enjoy this. But I have to believe it can be done better than this. I have seen it done better than this. And admit it, so have you.

It's a testimate to Zucker's talent that these films, bland as they are, are still watchable and manage to score some laughs. I'll be first in line when he decides to return to form. (I'm not even asking for the highs of "Airplane!" or "The Naked Gun," I'd be happy with something along the lines of "Baseketball" or "Top Secret!" again.)

For all of you purists out there who insist, year after year, that all movie franchises be put out of their misery I present to you the Scary Movie series. After a ho hum first go round and a disastrous second try the series suddenly got. . .well. . Good. 3 was worth the price of admission and so is 4. Not all sequels are stale, and once is a blue moon they get better as they go along. Anna Farris once again plays the dumbest girl ever to be trapped in a Hollywood hall of mirrors. This particular film follows the basic plot of "War of the Worlds" with lots of sidetracking along the way. The Scary Movies have been used as an indictment against the cinema and the culture of the time. So in this installment we get an infestation of creepy looking Asian kids with bad complexions and Dr. Phil. I was a big fan of "War of the Worlds" so I honestly believe that "Scary Movie 4" could have been improved by going with a crappier movie (say "Van Helsing") but I'll happily look upon it as a tribute as opposed to a slap in the face. After playing around with "War of the Worlds" and "Ring Two" for a while the Tripods finally attacks and our heroes are driven into a certain "Village" where the film stalls and nearly sinks.

Luckily the final third is hilarious and saves everything that came before it. I laughed the hardest at the split second Chingy cameo which was comedic gold. From there it rolls into a "Saw II" parody which delivers big time on the belly laughs. The best scene overall, however, takes place early on and is a vicious take on "Million Dollar Baby." Their version re-imagines the fateful fight with Mike Tyson playing an ear chomping, muscle bound female whose rear end sets off a stinging string of neck snappings. I also liked the way that the actors themselves were lampooned by the director, David Zucker. Shaq's inability to hit free throws and Charlie Sheen's inability to control his male urges are both used as fodder. Also, when a less than attractive woman reports to the President (played by Leslie Nielsen) that she was not one of those stripped naked by the aliens he replies by saying, "Finally, some good news."

The strategy employed by those who make these films is to take a million jokes and throw them against the screen. The audience can take what they want and leave what they want. None of the jokes could really be considered obscure so there is little danger in going over the audiences head. You will have to put up with the usual animated violence and bathroom humor, and until this genre sheds that skin they will be just as cliched as the cliche riddled films they are ridiculing. At the very end we get a near perfect take on the water cooler moment of the past few years: Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah's couch. The scene is outrageous and stupid, but also funny, and that is all that matters. I once had a friend tell me that the couch jumping scared her (which in turn scared me that somebody could be scared so easily). But what she doesn't understand is that without that extreme moment of glee from Cruise we wouldn't be able to laugh ourselves senseless over it, now that's scary. ***1/4

Buy Scary Movie 4 Now

MOVIE: The Scary Movie franchise has been a huge money maker ever since the Wayans brothers started it. David Zucker took over the series after the Wayans left and made Scary Movie 3. He returns to the series with Scary Movie 4, and while it misses the mark it still is pretty enjoyable. For those who don't know David Zucker, he is the king of spoofs. He made Airplane, The Naked Gun series, Top Secret, and other great spoofs. He consistantly works with Jim Abrahams and Pat Proft, who have brought us other great spoofs such as Hot Shots, Wrongfully Accused, Jane Austen's Mafia, and others. His brother Jerry Zucker who has done a few serious movies is also the man behind Rat Race. So between these guys we have some hilarious and brilliant movie spoofs. Scary Movie is the perfect franchise for these guys, but in a way it's too much for them to handle. What makes a spoof work is all about the timing, the jokes have to be placed in the right places and have to hit at the right moment. Scary Movie 3 was really funny because it had somewhat of a plot. This movie is just joke after joke, with no plot at all. Sure, you don't see these movies for the plot, but in order to have a spoof you need one. The problem with these movies is that they tackle every single film in the genre, while previous spoof movies they made focused on one movie alone. Hot Shots spoofed Top Gun, the second Hot Shots spoofed Rambo, Airplane spoofed Airport, Wrongfully Accused spoofed The Fugitive, Naked Gun spoofed police dramas, and Mafia spoofed The Godfather and Casino. All those movies were very focused. With Scary Movie 4 we jump from tons of different horror movies, some not even horror. This particular installment sends up Brokeback Mountain, Million Dollar Baby, Saw, War Of The Worlds, The Grudge, and a bunch of pop culture thrown into the mix. There are a few jokes that hit the right spot, but it feels disorganized, and when that happens things aren't funny. Comedy is the hardest thing to write, but I've come to expect more from these veterans. Good for a laugh, but will never stand with the other great spoofs they have done. This Scary Movie rarely hits the mark when it needs to, not as sharp as the last one.

ACTING: Anna Faris continues her role as Cindy Campbell and she is just perfect for the role. By taking everything seriously she makes the jokes work. We lose Charlie Sheen as a main character, which is a shame (even though he's in here as a cameo). Charlie Sheen was the funniest part of Scary Movie 3, instead we have Tom Ryan played by Craig Bierko. His Tom Cruise impersonation is spot on, and he's pretty good. There are plenty of cameos for the whole family, one of which is Bill Pullman. I found it incredibly hilarious that he is in this movie spoofing The Grude since he was actually in The Grudge. Of course you have Leslie Nielson, who is probably one of the greatest comedic actors ever. The whole cast is great, but the film's structure doesn't allow them to really be funny.

BOTTOM LINE: The movie is funny, you will laugh. You won't laugh as much or as hard as you did with the previous Scary Movies, but still it's funny. The crazy plot is where the problem lies, and that results in bad timing for the jokes. It's not as clever as it should be considering it comes from Zucker and Abrahams.

Read Best Reviews of Scary Movie 4 Here

It's hard to believe that the Zucker Brothers have been consistently making us laugh since the 70's with their writing/directing initially with the KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, then beginning their long-time (brilliant) collaboration with Leslie Nielsen in AIRPLANE (& II.), later with the POLICE SQUAD series and NAKED GUN film versions. The SCARY MOVIE franchise (named after the real working title for SCREAM) delivers the same MAD Magazine-style spoof , again and again. Now proving how successful this horror-satire genre is by exceeding the 3-film mark, this one maybe the best of the lot (so far).

David Zucker directs this one with story by Craig Mazin, who co-wrote on previous films.Although conspicuously absent are Shawn and Marlon Wayans (as writers and characters), but on the plus side, Leslie Nielsen returns as President Harris, Y-E-S! (Don't spell in front of me!) Other returning survivor/regulars are: Anna Faris (Cindy), Regina Hall (Brenda), Simon Rex (George) and Anthony Anderson (Mahalik). What would a Zucker film be without the parade of star/celebrity cameos like: Dr. PHIL & SHAQ! Also Bill Pullman, Carmen Electra, Chingy (formerly of Ludacris' group) and Charlie Sheen ( back as Tom)

Lovable, dim-witted Cindy Campbell returns having taken on a new job of house keeping. Cindy and her ego-centric, sex-crazed pal Brenda soon find a little boy had died and to learn why they once again go on a journey so twisted, that giant, alien Tri-pods are involved. They are join by Tom Ryan (Craig Bierko), the cute & clueless neighbor.

This one spoofs: WAR of the WORLDS, SAW 1 and 2, The VILLAGE, The GRUDGE and an extreme take on Tom Cruise's Oprah antics ( I can't begin describe how funny and deserved that mock up was) The whole movie was classic, dim-witted and laugh-out-loud hilarious. You can't go wrong with "the Zucker mark" and this one's got it!I look forward to their next project SUPERHERO! That one will be just in time to spoof the upcoming Superman release.

Want Scary Movie 4 Discount?

First off, I have to mention how excited I was to see the 4th film of scary movie!!!! I was looking forward to seeing it, but I have to sayat the end of the movie I found myself feeling slightly disappointed. Don't get me wrong, it's an OK film, but it sadly lacked the comedy of the other 3 films. I was very pleased to see Brenda back; however, not even she could bring this up to the standards of the others.

It felt as if each scene was rushed and just randomly placed togetherfor some reason, it didn't all seem to fit well with each other, it was like "OK, we've done one spoofquickly we have to do the next one" and everything seems so rushed and unfinished.

Two good aspects of this movie are the USE of parody and cameos. The parodies are done so well that you can keep track even if you haven't watched the 'original' movies yet. And the makers of this movie aren't too shy having half their cast existing out of cameos. In most movies this would fail, but for Scary Movie it does the trick. Scary Movie guarantees lots of familiar faces from movies, sports, and music industry.

Some actors, who haven't had the most success in recent years, like Leslie Nielsen for example, are enjoyable in this movie. They show that with a good direction they are still funny and capable of doing comedies. The writers and producers need to ensure that the next movie (if there is to be another) is not rushed, and endeavour to produce a film that is as funny as the original and its 2 sequels. If they fail, the Scary Movie franchise may end up a parody of that other great such as Police Academy.

Scary Movie 4 marks itself as a decent comedy. There were some funny moments in here that save it from complete boredom. This movie will help you pass a few hours and serves up some slight laughs every now and then.

Read More >>

Groundhog Day / Hitch (2010)

Even when this is a weird package (what have in common beside be fun?) the value for the package make them very cheap to be blu-ray and a lot more interesting that buy only 1 of them

Read More >>