Sterile Cuckoo (1969)

This lovely, heartwrenching film is the sort of story that just doesn't get told today -perhaps the innocence & honesty required just isn't there any longer. More's the pity, because this is a beautifully tender story of first love & its inevitable ending, which deserves to be seen. Liza Minnelli is unafraid to play the eccentric, lonely Pookie as needy & infuriating when required. Yet we never lose our sympathy for her, especially as we realize that Wendell Burton's shy, introverted Jerry is gradually outgrowing her. She's exactly what he needed to break out of his shell, and he clearly understands this ... but he sees that they're destined to go different ways before she does (or before she'll admit it to herself). Minnelli & Burton are superb together, utterly convincing in their wistful, somewhat lost, always searching way. And Tim McIntire's supporting performance as Jerry's boastful roommate, who surprises us with a heartfelt confession on a night drive home, is a small gem in its own right. "Come Saturday Morning" is the perfect song for this small but deeply affecting story of first love, lingering in the memory along with the characters. Highly recommended!

(Now, when is it going to be released on DVD?)

In my review of 'Cabaret', I rather rashly claimed that Liza's turn as self-destructive Ingenue Sally Bowles was her 'once-in-a-lifetime' performance. That, however, was before I caught this 1969 Gem, 'The Sterile Cuckoo', on Sky Classics.

Beautifully-directed by Alan Pakula in that strange, isolated, stereotypical 1960's-flick style, 'The Sterile Cuckoo' tells the bittersweet, emotionally macabre tale of anally-retentive college freshman Jerry Payne (Wendell Burton), and his intense relationship with the scatterbrained, maniacal Pookie Adams (Liza Minnelli), an enigmatic and energetic girl with a sad past.

Liza's first Oscar nomination was very thoroughly deserved. Even as late as 1969 the Oscars were not yet the meaningless PR-Fest that we now know them to be, and it's nominations for odd, thought-provoking performances like Minnelli's, here, that restores our faith in that system. She's absorbing and heart-wrenching, infuriating and devastating, all at the same time. Her perfect foil comes in the guise of the extremely skillfull performance turned in by Wendell Burton, in the role of her hapless boyfriend Jerry. He's the ideal contrast to Minnelli's mania, and though we are oftentimes infuriated by his apathy, we can't help but simultaneously sympathise with him.

Pakula's direction is excellent. The vistas are beautiful; simple and isolated, with so much 'New England' jumping from the screen as to make you all but feel the leaves crunching beneath your feet. The sparse countryside, punctuated by violent outbursts of colour, is the perfect metaphor for the central relationship, and Pakula makes extremely clever use of this in the scenes of Pookie and Jerry's early relationship.

A classic slice of 60's ideal surrealism, this is a beautifully-crafted, emotionally absorbing movie that REALLY should be on DVD by now. Highly recommended.

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The first time I saw this movie it bothered me. Watching the love story develop between Pookie and Roger was like watching a horror movie, I kept wanting to yell at the guy for getting into a relationship with this obviously unstable, needy, life-sucking parasite of a human being. But the film haunted me (maybe because I couldn't get "Come Saturday Morning" out of my mind), so much so I bought the video. It's really a different film that couldn't be made today. The pace is different, the plot depends on the characters, Liza Minelli's performance breaks your heart. I suggest this film to anyone who doesn't like the typical romance film of the "Pretty Woman" persuasion. Watch it after you've broken up with somebody if you want a good cry.

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This is one of Liza Minnelli's earliest films, and her first Academy Award nomination. She is outstanding as Pookie Adams, a lonely girl from a family with a sad history. She is highly intelligent and extremely winning, especially in the first scene, on a bus, where she manipulates some nuns into letting her sit next to the object of her desire, Jerry Payne. They are going to near-by colleges, and Pookie pursues Jerry, cleverly winning him over, until he finally falls in love with her. In my opinion this is the all-time best coming of age movie! A *must* see for everyone!!! You'll watch it over and over!

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I fell in love with this movie while still in high school (1972) and it is one of my favorites. There are so many good scenes that it would take forever to list them. But two stand out and are the best in the film. The scene where Pookie and Jerry are going to have sex for the first time is sweet and honest and absolutely hysterical. Liza's telephone scene ranks up there with Louise Rainer's in "The Great Ziegfeld" and Barbra Streisand's in "The Way We Were". It will tug at your heart strings like no other scene in any movie in recent years. Liza should have beat out Maggie Smith for the OSCAR for this one for which she was nominated. A wonderful movie with laughs, tears, good music and incredible performances. Please bring this to DVD PLEASE!!!

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21 Jump Street (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

I've never been a fan of Channing Tatum for an assorted number of reasons. My principle reason for my disliking Channing Tatum is his lack of acting talent. His deficiencies as an actor were made apparent in every genre of film. Ever since he broke onto the scene with "Step Up",he has delivered his signature one-note performance in every movie in which he has been cast. And it seemed as if he would never get any better. I was ready to give up on him until I read the reviews for "21 Jump Street". Not only was the movie supposed to be well done, but Mr. One Note Channing Tatum was supposed to have turned in one of his best performances as well. Out of a morbid sense of curiosity, I had to see the movie for myself; and after nearly two hours of continuous guffawing, I left the theatre with a new sense of hope. Channing Tatum may have found his niche as a movie actor:he can be a funny man. Channing Tatum is......funny.

I remember watching 21 Jump Street as a youngster in the 1980's. I loved it when it was on network television. The premise: a bunch of young looking 20 something detectives pose as high school students as they attempt to curb the criminal activity that is perpetrated by high school students. This show became a career launching pad for many of the principle characters, including the venerable and legendary Johnny Depp. However, the show has become pretty dated, and I doubt that I could watch it with the same enthusiasm now that I'm in my thirties. And when I heard that they were remaking this television show for the big screen, I nearly gagged. But after seeing the movie remake with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, I have to say that I am so happy that I went against my instincts and saw this film. It is the funniest movie that I have seen in a long time. I actually laughed out loud while watching this movie, and it has been a long time since I have laughed out loud during any film.

The plot of the movie is not difficult to follow. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are enemies in high school; with Channing Tatum being the popular high school jock(Jenko), while Jonah Hill is the socially awkward and geeky Eminem look-a-like(Schmidt). A few years after they graduate from high school, they enroll in the police academy. While at the academy, they discover that Schmidt is able to master the academic part of the training and Jenko is able to master the physical aspect of the police training. Jenko and Schmidt soon realize that if they are to make it past their respective exams, they are going to have to help one another. Their decision to cooperate with each other leads to a special friendship, and after graduating from the academy they are able to secure assignments in the same police unit.

Jenko and Schmidt prove to be inept as police officers in the bike unit, but they are given a second chance as undercover police officers. Their mission: infiltrate a drug operation in a high school that is run by a smarmy high school senior played by David Franco(James Franco's brother). Here the roles of Jenk and Schmidt are reversed. It is Jenko who is the social outcast while Schmidt is the cool insider. Turns out that in the year 2012 it is okay to be openly gay, carry your backpack using both straps, openly campaign for the preservation of the environment, and do well in school-which are all of the traits that Jenko used to hate about Schmidt. While they are trying to infiltrate the drug operation, Schmidt's popularity causes a rift in their friendship; and as their relationship collapses, so does their work as undercover officers. Eventually their antagonistic supervisor(played by Ice Cube!!!) has to fire them, and all hope seems to be lost for the two former friends. It does not take long for Jenko and Schmidt to become friends again; and with their friendship repaired they are able to prove their worth as officers through their special form of vigilantism.

As I've said before, Channing Tatum is really funny in this film. Jonah Hill and Ice Cube also deliver some really good liners as well. Although a remake, the film is original in its execution of the conventional screenplay. I highly recommend this film. And I have to say that if you choose to see this movie, you will be greeted with a really nice surprise near the end.

This movie is the funniest movie i have seen in a while. It really relates the characters to the high school days. It has great humor and some action. I don't understand why people dislike the movie. It's different than the 80's show, but it's a new spin that makes it very interesting. You must buy this movie! It is hilarious and has a great storyline.

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"21 Jump Street" is only loosely based on the original television show that starred mega star Johnny Depp. The only real reason for comparison is the premise of police officers given orders to return to high school and pose as teenagers. They are instructed to infiltrate and bring down a synthetic drug manufacturing and distribution ring. Jonah Hill (Moneyball) plays Schmidt, a former high school nerd and current police officer newbie with skills of the brain, but no physical skills. Channing Tatum (The Vow) plays Jenko, who is just the opposite. Together, they are a perfect fit and a disaster waiting to happen.

"21 Jump Street" is a lot of fun and always entertaining. The movie introduces you to the characters and their personalities. You know them and you relate to them. The story is even fairly intriguing, which isn't always the case in movies like these. As Schmidt finds himself getting over all the things that plagued him in high school, you find yourself rooting for him.

There are constant jokes and laughs throughout the movie. Although, I did notice that many of the best laughs were spoiled by previously released promotional materials. Thankfully there are plenty of laughs to go around. The movie never lets up and is always interesting, funny and strangely endearing. It is also hilarious watching the two cops return to high school and finding the ways of the past to be just that. Jenko blames the phenomenon simply on the television show, "Glee".

Sure the movie is offensive at times, but the chemistry between Tatum and Hill is authentic and fun to watch. You get invested in their characters personalities early on and you are with them to the end.

Read Best Reviews of 21 Jump Street (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Here

Be real. When you first heard that Jonah Hill was planning to remake 1980s era, Stephen Cannell produced cop series, 21 Jump Street, you probably scoffed and wrote it off immediately. You wouldn't be alone, and the reaction isn't without justification. Helping to launch the career of Johnny Depp and being the highlight for others like Holly Robinson and Richard Grieco, the show was ridiculous on its face, centered on a special crime unit of youthful looking adults infiltrating colleges and high schools. Frankly, the show was more cool than good, and neither by the final season. Fortunately, Jonah Hill and writer Michael Bacall knew there was no reason to revere the source material, deciding to go for something akin to Superbad meets Police Academy. It was a gamble, but a gamble that paid off as 21 Jump Street isn't just hilarious, it's a modern day comedy classic.

Achieving the heights of hilarity that 21 Jump Street does couldn't have been accomplished by simply bringing the same old tired idea and plopping it onto the big screen. Too many other attempted remakes have made that mistake, thinking adding a few modern wrinkles will suffice. High school is nothing like it was twenty years ago. The social dynamics are different, the students are different, and the idea of who should be popular has experienced quite a shift. Setting up the change beautifully, we are first introduced to Morton Schmidt(Hill) and Greg Jenko(Channing Tatum) in high school, where Morton is an nerd doing his best Eminem impression, while Greg is the prototypical popular jock stud.

Fast forward a few years and both are enrolling in the police training program, and both are terrible for reasons the other can compensate for. Greg becomes the brawn, and Morton the brains. After proving they don't have what it takes to handle the rough 'n tumble beat as bike cops, they are unceremoniously dumped into a rehashed program to use young looking cops as undercover agents in high schools. Wearing a sense of self awareness on its sleeve, the film takes a few jabs at itself for being a warmed over rehash as well, up to and including the use of Ice Cube as the token angry, African-American police captain. Cube, who has become an expert at playing off his old N.W.A. persona, is in rare form here, snarling and sneering at every opportunity. If there's a scene stealer, it's him.

When it comes to comedy, it's the little details that matter the most are often the funniest. Greg is hyped for an opportunity to go back to high school and be the popular guy again, while Morton is justifiably terrified of reliving those traumatic years. What they discover upon arrival is that the entire culture is different. Greg's bullying antics make him a loner, while Morton's brains and gentle nature earn him cred with the cool kids, which he uses to try and infiltrate their drug ring. In a lot of ways, 21 Jump Street has smarter insights into the ways teens think than some documentaries dedicated to the subject. You know from the start that Greg is going to get drunk off his new found popularity, and while it plays out like something out of Can't Buy Me Love, it works.

Insightful thought it may be, there's plenty of room for gross out gags, penis jokes, and toilet humor. Hill is old hat at this type of thing by now, although it's unfair to say he's playing the same role here. His character is a little less self confident than usual, and not at all the miscreant he played in Superbad. Tatum, a better actor than many want to give him credit for, shows an affinity for physical comedy we haven't seen from him before. It's hilarious to watch his blank, clearly confused face as the world he thought he knew is flipped upside down. Even more so, he's a ball to watch leaping over cars and beating up rowdy teenagers. The jokes at his expense, since he clearly has the body of a thirty year old man and towers over everybody, are some the film's best. Tatum seems more than willing to roll with the punches and cut loose. For the most part, the supporting cast shines as well. Bridesmaids co-star Ellie Kemper is equal parts sweet and filthy as a teacher with a Mary Kay Leternou style obsession with Tatum. Dave Franco doesn't have much to do, but Brie Larson gives a winning performance as Molly, the girl who falls for Hill's charms.

With so much attention focused on Hill, Tatum, and Bacall, it's easy to forget that the glue holding this madcap adventure together are directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Their only gig up to this point was the animated Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and you can see they brought some of the comic madness of that film into 21 Jump Street. The action sequences, of which there are plenty, are fast paced and splashed with a little bit of Looney Tunes wackiness.

You don't have to have been a fan of the show to appreciate this 21 Jump Street, but if you were then the film will feel even more special. Cameos are sprinkled throughout, including one especially brilliant appearance special for 'Jump Street' die-hards. There's practically nothing this film gets wrong. Even the closing credits rock. If there's one thing that they can do to screw this up it's making us wait too long for a sequel.

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MOVIE REVIEW #27: " 21 Jump Street "

Talk about a pleasant surprise. I honestly wasn't expecting much from this film, but I can see why the reviews have been generally positive. Directors Phil Lord (Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs) and Chris Miller (Again Cloudy...) to a old TV show popular with teens and gave it a modern twist..... story by it's Executive Producer and Star Jonah Hill (Moneyball, Knocked Up) and Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgram Vs. The World) and its screenplay by Bacall it basically tell of stud and a nerd and everything that comes with each working against each other to eventually being best friends.

Not taking itself too seriously it shows two police academy graduates being assigned a special undercover operation involving a high school. Jonah is partnered with Channing Tatum (Dear John, G.I. Joe, The Dilema) and they eventually realized they complement each other with their own personal special abilities.

In the process they go through hilarious scenes involving "accidental" use of drugs, some wonderful high school tuxedos of the eighties and a running joke involving a series of questionable bikers that have one of the biggest TWISTS at the end of the film. (Spoilers!)

Rob Riggle (The Hangover, The Other Guys) gives an over-the-top performance as a High School coach with `issues' and a phony front to students Dave France (Superbad, Fight Night) and Brie Larson (13 Going On 30, Scott Pilgram Vs. The World) who believe he is what he is.

Meanwhile Channing and Jonah are guided by a over-zealous Police Captain played by Ice Cube (Fridays, First Sunday, Barber Shop) who thinks that this is a mission only they can handle because of the youthful looks but will fail because even together they are not so smart.

The film has lots of comedy, action, adventure, close-calls and some very clever dialogue.....not to mention that `Spoiler' I mentioned earlier....do you wanna know? Then read on. If not STOP HERE!

Two original series regulars make an appearance in this reinvention of an 80's TV series (that by the way, makes fun of itself by commenting that all sargents do now is try and reboot old things from the 80's) the real' 21 Jump Street' stars of the ORIGINAL series Johnny Depp (21 Jump Street, Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2 and 3), Richard Grieco (21 Jump Street ,Point Doom ) and Peter DeLouise (Seaquest, 21 Jump Street) have an amazingly funny came...that borders on `black comedy' because of what happens to them. I'll say no more.

21 Jump Street is a funny film with a big heart. I enjoyed this very much and I think if you want legitimate comedy with a fantastic premise...this is your movie. Yes it's another rehash but it was fresh!

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Rags and Riches: The Mary Pickford Collection (The Poor Little Rich Girl / The Hoodlum / Sparrows /

Gladys Marie Smith, better known as Mary Pickford (1892-1979), was one Hollywood's first female megastars, a Canadian actress which would be known as "America's Sweetheart." Throughout her life, she starred in 52 films, ending her acting career in 1933, after the arrival of sound, to which she could not adapt. She was also called "The Girl with the Curls," which allowed her to play children, even in her twenties. Her power and popularity in the industry was also a key in her being one of the founders of United Artists, together with actor/comedian Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks (her popular actor and husband), and director D.W. Griffith. She was also one of the original founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. "Mary Pickford Rags and Riches Collection" is an awesome collection that comprises three of Pickford's best films, and one of her movie shorts. In them, you will witness the greatness of her acting and extreme charisma in the high quality images of the Blu-ray. This is one remarkable and historically important collection that brings America's Sweetheart back to life, thanks to the gigantic effort from the folks at Milestone Film and Video.

"Mary Pickford Rags and Riches Collection" includes three Blu-ray discs. The first one presents "The Poor Little Rich Girl" (1917), which opens with "In the house of everything, except the love she longed for, dwelt Gwendolyn, the poor little rich girl." These words perfectly describe, in the shortest way, what the film is about, in which Pickford plays Gwendolyn, daughter of a wealthy businessman and a mother that is too busy socializing to pay attention to her. She desperately wants to experience the world outside their big house, and finds ways to do just that, only to be punished for being a free little poor girl, telling her dad, "I had lots and lots to tell you, daddy. I'm so lonely, I..." This is a heartbreaking story with lots of funny moments. Disc Two includes "The Hoodlum" (1919), featuring Pickford as Amy Burke, a spoiled, rich girl who inherited her grandfather's "tyrannical temper as well as his money." Her father, on the other hand, is an intellectual, described as a "sociological writer," who lives in a poor immigrant neighborhood, doing research and writing a book. Her grandfather goes for a vacation to Europe and invites her to come along, but she chooses to stay with her father. Little did she know about the big change in lifestyle that she was going to experience. Here, Pickford shines with her natural ability for slapstick comedy my favorite of the three films. This disc also features "Ramona," a 17 min short done in 1917, starring Pickford. In Disc three, on the other hand, we have "Sparrows" (1926), perhaps the most serious and dramatic film of the collection, which opens with, "The Devil's share in the world's creation was a certain southern swampland a masterpiece of horror." In this film, Pickford stars as Molly, the oldest of a group of children which have been stolen from their parents and/or been allowed to be cared of by a man named Grimes. Sadly, the children parents' don't know that Grimes is a mean-spirited, abusive old man who treats the kids as slaves and starve them to death, if possible, stealing the money that the parents send for their children's welfare. Grimes, his wife, and his wife's son have the perfect criminal operation running, at times "shoving" the kids that they didn't like in the swamp. So, as you can imagine, is up to Molly to find a way out from their misery. This movie has a dose of Christianity and hilarious moments created by Pickford, who, once again, proves why he was so talented.

Each film in this collection has an introduction for kids, in which Pickford, as well as B&W silent movies are introduced to them in a very smart way. In addition, there are commentaries by film historians; home movies on Pickfair, Pickford and Fairbanks' home, featuring Charlie Chaplin and others; outtakes; trailers; and much more. This is one truly wonderful collection that makes a great Christmas present for all family, in which all will enjoy and perhaps discover the talents of one of the best actresses of cinema's silent era. Great job, Milestone, for your hard work in releasing this collection! (USA, The Poor Little Rich Girl, 1917, 75 min, B&W or tinted; The Hoodlum, 1919, 92 min, B&W or tinted; Sparrows, 1926, 90 min, B&W or tinted) Reviewed on December 10, 2012 by Eric Gonzales for Milestone Film and Video Blu-ray

I was extremely disappointed upon receiving this collection. These movies, all obviously from the pre-widescreen era, have been either formatted or encoded to display in a pseudo-widescreen format (meaning that they aren't 4:3, and display on my widescreen television not quite to either outer edge of the screen). I can only assume, based on this format, that some information has been lost top and bottom, as these movies were released in a 4:3 format.

I wrote to Milestone and they responded by telling me that the authoring was done to accomodate the needless "kid friendly" introductions. This makes little sense, as every other classic movie release is formatted such that the display quickly changes from widescreen for the FBI warning and/or menu, to a correctly formatted movie. There is no reason they couldn't have done that here.

Given that Milestone simultaneously released their Charley Chase collection formatted correctly, I can't understand why they put this Mary Pickford collection onto the market with this major error.

This is no reflection on the films themselves.....just on Milestone's release of the films. Also, this comment applies to the DVD ONLY! I do not have, and cannot comment on the Blu-Ray release of this collection.

As much as I hated to have to do so, I sent this one back for a refund. Maybe someday some studio will release these films correctly. I'll try again then.

Buy Rags and Riches: The Mary Pickford Collection (The Poor Little Rich Girl / The Hoodlum / Sparrows / Now

This is a wonderful collection of Mary Pickford films, and it's a shame that the rating has been spoiled by two rather querulous reviews. All three films are classics of the silent era and among Pickford's greatest. In fact, this set serves as a splendid introduction to Pickford's work as all three films represent different aspects of Pickford's cinema persona.

"The Poor Little Rich Girl" is the first film in which Mary Pickford plays a little girl over the course of an entire film, and it remains one of her best. It also marks the first time she works with screenwriter Frances Marion, who would become Pickford's closest collaborator over the next several years. "The Poor Little Rich Girl" is a remarkable evocation of childhood, capturing the wonder, the terror, and the ludic abandon of being a child more successfully than any film of its era.

In "The Hoodlum," Pickford plays a girl several years older than Gwendolyn and decidedly more tomboyish. Amy Burke is similar to many of Pickford's other high-spirited characters like Tess of the Storm Country, and, "The Hoodlum," like many of her other films, presents the disparities between the lives of the rich and those of the poor. I had never seen this film before viewing this DVD, but I was definitely pleased to see it at last as it is one of Pickford's finer efforts.

"Sparrows" is commonly cited as Pickford's masterwork, and in terms of the overall aesthetic quality of the production it very well may be. It definitely is a must-see for any fan of Pickford or silent film in general. In this film, Pickford plays a mother of sorts; in fact, her character is called "Mama Molly" by the children of the baby farm. (Indeed, the three films of this collection neatly represent three different ages in the life of a woman: girlhood, adolescence, and finally motherhood.) The supporting cast is wonderful as well, and all of the children deliver very realistic performances. "Sparrows" is a beautifully acted and directed film and represents silent film at its peak.

There are some bonus features to the set, including two very informative audio commentaries for "The Poor Little Rich Girl" and "Sparrows," the D.W. Griffith-directed short "Ramona," some home videos of Pickford and Pickfair, and three "kid-friendly" introductions to the films (with the sort of embarrassingly bad acting you would expect). While I appreciate the wish to impart Pickford's legacy to the next generation, it's hard to see how these intros wouldn't turn off any young viewers.

Another reviewer states that the films display in "pseudo-widescreen," and while I really am no expert, I think that what Hugh Munro Neely says in the comments to that review is actually correct. As he states there, the films appear slightly wider than the traditional 4x3 aspect ratio because more of the original negative is included. I don't see why cropping the negative to adhere to rigid 4x3 would be better. I have played the DVDs on a 4x3 and 16x9 TV screen, and while there is windowboxing on the 4x3 TV, it is not as severe as others make it seem. The films all display correctly on my 16x9 TV, slightly wider than traditional 4x3 as more image is included. I for one applaud Mr. Neely's decision to include all of the image on the negative.

I am so glad that Milestone Films is continuing to release Mary Pickford's films on DVD, as they do a wonderful job. I doubt Criterion could present the films any better, and all three films look beautiful in this set. I can't wait for future releases! (Maybe "Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall"?)

Read Best Reviews of Rags and Riches: The Mary Pickford Collection (The Poor Little Rich Girl / The Hoodlum / Sparrows / Here

This collection is beautifully restored and the optional introductions are extremely valuable if you wish to introduce a young person to this era of film making.

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The Mary Pickford Collection was released last year and it is one gem of a DVD collection.Included in this three DVD set are four films that I think are a good opening starter and representation of Mary and her works.They are all historical treasures and it brings back to the fore that peerless talent that was Mary Pickford.She could make you laugh and cry all within the span of a few seconds.Many people think Mary's films are sweet,soppy and overly sugar coated films of a by gone era.Nothing could be further from the truth.She had a way of creating characters that spoke to each and everyone in a theater seat.Everyone could relate to and probably knew many of the character types in her films.There was also a dark undercurrent and/or very realistic tone running through them all.And these four films more than show that concurrent running dark side:she is either in the "thick of it" and trying to cope with the situations as they present themselves,or she is initially above it but ends up tumbling into reality,picking herself up,and learning along the way a valuable life lesson/compassion.Comedy,drama,pathos and so much more are all part of Pickford's artistic canvas,and she used them like no other artist before her or since has.

It is a shame that when she retired she felt that the public at large did not care for her films and/or saw them as totally antiquated celluloid.It is shocking to day to think that could have been the case,but I have the very issue of Life magazine in the early 40s that showed a picture of a happy Mary strolling beside the young girl who took her crown away from her in the 30s,Shirley Temple.The title reads:"A Couple of Has Beens".Both had been tremendous stars with unprecedented box office appeal/receipts,but this is what they had been distilled into.Well,luckily there were those who saw the value of Mary's contributions,and we have a good portion of her work still with us, but sadly not nearly all of it.And we have The Mary Pickford Foundation in Los Angeles to thank along with Milestone Video for their tireless efforts to make these major releases of her wonderful works.

The Poor Little Rich Girl(released March/17)has Mary in the title role as a rich girl who has everything,but the love she so yearns for from her parents.She is not allowed to play outside and she is literally brought up by one servant or the other.One night when one servant wants to go out to socialize but cannot because of her duties,she over drugs poor Mary,who almost dies.But there is a happy ending when her materialistic and selfish parents finally see the light.There is commentary included and a very special piece of historic film.Some home movies at Pickfair featuring Mary,Douglas(Fairbanks) and Charlie Chaplin!

The Hoodlum(released Aug/19)has Mary as a rich and spoiled teenage girl living with her grandfather.As her grandfather plans a European trip Mary's father enters the picture.She decides to stay with him and they both end up in a seedy part of New York City.She is quickly forced to adapt.Her grandfather disguises himself and comes to live in the same tenement building as she and her father.Thrown into this mix is some intrigue her grandfather,a wealthy and stodgy businessman,pinned on an innocent ex employee who Mary falls in love with.The extra on this disc is Mary in the 1910 Biograph short Ramona.Mary plays a Spanish girl who falls in love with an Indian.The film follows the persecution of the two and its unhappy consequences.

Sparrows(released May/26)has Mary as a young girl on a baby farm in a swampy part of the countryside.It's owner is a snide,morally corrupt and all around nasty character,who will buy or sell children at will,just to make money.He relies on Mary to look after his charges,but gives Mary little in the way of food or proper living conditions with which to do a proper job.When one of her precious babies dies,Mary ends up leading the rest out of the swamp to freedom.This film has commentary,an interview with the now grown up daughter of the baby who died in Sparrows,three film tests of Mary in the barn loft holding the dead baby in her arms as an angel comes to take the babies' soul away,and an extra special item:the TRAILER for the film.I have never ever seen a silent film trailer at all and this was quite the revelation for me.

Technically speaking the films are presented in their original aspect ratios.The films on your set are surrounded on all four sides by black.The film doesn't fill the screen.The films have the usual visual specks and defections associated with films of this age,but they generally look very good.All have been tinted(except Ramona).What also makes this DVD set special is that The Mary Pickford Foundation has included as an intro and outro,if you so desire(it is optional),i.e.,vignettes with young teens coming to the attic of one of their friend's grandfather.He explains who Mary was,the process of film making in the "silent" era,the camera's,and on and on.These DVD's have been designed to give a new and younger audience a heads up and hopefully create a new generation of not only Mary Pickford fans but of the art of silent film in toto.I can say I was duly impressed.This wasn't some cheesy production at all and I thought the impression it gave came across as great food for thought for younger budding film and Mary novices.

In conclusion this set is a grand introduction to the world of,I believe,the greatest actress of her or any other generation.Mary was ahead of her time and accomplished what few actors of any genre have ever accomplished.Kudos to Milestone and The Mary Pickford Foundation.Let us hope this is just the start in a long line of Mary Pickford releases.

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Deadball (2011)

Dead Ball is a madcap comedy with a goofy eye for humor. Bathroom jokes, midget jokes, bad jokes, awful jokes, honestly fun jokes, you have to take the good with the bad with this one. CGI gore mixed with real gore gags, this baseball game of destruction is highly enjoyable if you're its target audience.

Regular Joes: 3/5

Japanese cinema fans/5/5

Don't like Spoofy Comedies: 3/5

The Comedy is make or break. If you don't like juvenile, stupid humor, then avoid. But the gore is good, and the movie is fun. End of story.

Director Yudai Yamaguchi definitely knows what fans of splatter (like me) want to see on-screen. Blood geysers, decapitations, amputations...Yamaguchi knows how to deliver. DEADBALL is the famed director's most recent release, and it is a perfect addition to his canon of work. Although the film doesn't showcase much of anything new, it is vastly entertaining and certainly worth checking out.

I've been a fan of Yamaguchi's work for a while now, ever since I reviewed his film YAKUZA WEAPON a while back (unfortunately, the review is no longer available on my site since it crashed in December of last year). The director's over-the-top style combined with a panache for gore gives audiences a jolt of hyper-violence they will not soon forget. And his films are simply so much fun to watch.

DEADBALL is shot well and the acting is pretty good overall. I especially enjoy seeing Tak Sakaguchi onscreen; he is an exceptional talent and I always like to see what he does next. In this performance, his role as the sullen Jubeh, who always seems to find a cigarette in every seen, is exceptional. He personifies the bad-but-misunderstood hero.

What truly stands out for me in this film is, as expected, the gore. Director Yamaguchi goes above and beyond when it comes to special effects, and he showcases that talent in this film. DEADBALL contains some truly excellent gore and, as per his stye, it is presented in all of its zany, beyond-tasteless glory.

Although the premise might seem a bit far-fetched, you should never go into a Yamaguchi film with a serious mindset. If you do, you're bound for disappointment. But if you go into these movies with the right frame of mind, then you're in for a real treat. I recommend giving DEADBALL a look...just make sure you don't eat while you're watching it. Doing so might cause you to lose your lunch.

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This one was wow I really cant understand where they come up with the sheer craziness of this one. It takes the original and adds crazy by 100. But I think it goes tooo far sometimes with some of the stuff. The original had charm, this one seems more shallow and lets be really crazy/wierd just to be weird. Still its a really cool movie just for Tak and his badassedness in most anything he plays in. So if youre a fan of the original Id recommend it, theres even a few nods to it in this which I enjoyed. This was a riot to watch with friends so Id recommend that setting watching these types of movies anyway.

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Comedy is the most difficult film to cross international waters. This isn't because different folks require different laughs; rather, it's because effective comedy what makes the jokes work requires an intrinsic understanding of that people's culture and/or societal norms. Comedy in its primal form pokes fun at those standards, so in order to understand the anticipated punchline one must understand the culture at some basic level. In other words, let's assume Japanese people hate clowns but Americans don't; all of the jokes pointed at a society's fear are likely to pass over the heads of an American audience unless they're constructed broadly enough that any person an everyman can make perfect sense of it. Usually, that isn't the case. Usually, humor is closely aligned with one's particular civilization, leaving many bits and pieces of a film like DEAD BALL sadly lost in translation.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come,' then read on ...)

Poor little Jubeh. Jubeh Yakyu (played by Tak Sakaguchi) was just a boy with boyhood dreams of playing professional baseball, the great American pastime. However, turning your father's brain to jelly with a fastball he couldn't control put poor little Jubeh on a much different course. Swearing never to pitch again, he abandons caring for his younger brother Musashi and enters a life of crime, one which eventually leads him to Pterodactyl Juvenile Reformatory. There, Headmistress Ishihara gives him an ultimatum: either play ball again, or she'll murder his cellmate in cold blood.

As is often the case with splatter movies, don't go into this one expecting it to make much sense, much less perfect sense. It doesn't.

Actually, DEAD BALL rolls ever onward, and the more it rolls the more wheels come off its wagon. There's a story here as demonstrated by the synopsis above, but the narrative wanders around so much one might suspect they were shooting and somebody lost the script. The first hour while the picture maintains a loopy, goofy, mainstream comic quality is quite entertaining in much the same way a Mel Brooks film or a Zucker Brothers comedy can be. However, the second hour succumbs to splatterific nonsense, wherein the audience learns (out of nowhere) that our heroes (and I use that word lightly) find themselves trapped in the midst of a kill-or-be-killed baseball event, much of which defies any measure of logic. To make matters worse, the final fifteen minutes the film actually tries to throw audiences yet another curve ball (get it?) when somehow someway it becomes a bit of an all-out farce. Suddenly, our heroes are apparently gifted with time travel skills and the ability to rise from the dead if only for a few scenes in order to underscore just how far off the rails this train has run.

To his credit, adaptor/director Yudai Yamaguchi revels in his own excesses, never dialing back the craziness; but, to his detriment, he's delivered a wildly uneven picture. Some of the material such as Ishihara's affiliation with the Nazi Party and Jubeh's curious ability to pluck a cigarette out of the air any time he feels like it are broad enough that they work fine all on their own ... but the rest? It teeters on `absurdism' consistently, possibly even when it isn't supposed to. Is it legitimate splatter? The first hour would imply not as it's mostly conventional laughs, albeit in a Three Stooges kinda/sorta way. The second half is when true splatter begins, but, at that point, methinks splatter fans may've turned it off by now due to the lack of bloodspray in the first half. For the record, the traditional comedy was the way to go with this mess; it appeared as if everyone was having a grand old time ... and then a splatter film broke out.

Kudos to all involved, though, for embracing the zaniness inherent in telling this story. I'm just disappointed it didn't add up to more sense.

DEAD BALL (aka DEADBALL) is produced by Nikkatsu (as Sushi Typhoon) and Pipeline. DVD distribution is being handled through Well Go USA. For those needing it spelled out perfectly, this is a Japanese spoken language film with English subtitles available (no English dubbing). As for the technical specifications, it all looks and sounds very solid, though be prepared at some laughable special effects (I'm certain that's by design). There's a handful of special features, including a spinoff short, a making-of compilation, cast interviews, and trailers for additional titles available from Sushi Typhoon.

MODESTLY RECOMMENDED, mostly for fans of the unique art form. You like splatter? You may like half of DEAD BALL ... the second half, that is. While the first half has a handful of splatter moments, it's more of a traditional comedy that works quite well on its own. The second half will be more to your liking. There are all kinds of bloody deaths in the most bizarre baseball throwdown you'll ever experience. I've tried to caution all: don't expect this to make sense. This is much more technique than it is message.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Well Go USA provided me with an advance DVD copy of DEAD BALL for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

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"Deadball" may be the first sports splatter comedy. Baseball prodigy Jubeh Yakyu (Tak Sakaguchi) is the most feared and dangerous juvenile delinquent in Japan. After accidentally causing the death of his father with a super-powered, deadly fireball pitch, Jubeh swore off baseball and turned to crime and now, at 17, has been sent to a reformatory for hardened criminals.

Headmistress Ishihara, the granddaughter of a World War II Nazi collaborator, runs the institution with an iron fist and the enthusiastic help of sadistic assistant, Ilsa. Shortly after arriving, Jubeh learns that his younger brother had done time there and died mysteriously. Jubeh is presented with an ultimatum by the governor: join the reformatory team in the national tournament for juvenile inmates, or witness the death of his innocent cellmate. Knowing that the death of his brother is in some way connected to the team, Jubeh agrees.

"Deadball" is an outrageously over-the-top movie filled with impossible situations, killer baseballs, grisly gore, and cartoonish, Amazon-like women. It intentionally attempts to offend practically every race, ethnicity, gender, and institution imaginable as it barrels along.

Bonus features on the Blu-ray release include a making-of featurette, cast interviews, spinoff short, and theatrical trailers.

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The Waterboy (1998)

Personally, I loved this movie! Adam Sandler, Henry Wrinkler, and Kathy Bates were all fantastic! However, I do have a problem with other reviewers who insulted this film. It is not the film that I have a problem with you insulting, it is the people who watched the film and enjoyed it! I have read at least eight reviews with "critics" derogating the intelligence of an audience of people they do not even know because we enjoyed a movie they did not! Hint: Have you all ever heard of "variety" and "diversity"? If you didn't like the movie, fine. You have that right, I and many others, however; loved it!

I am not stupid or a "nitwit" as one viewer put it. I am simply an indiviual with an individual mind and opinion. I laughed because I thought it was funny...that does not make me stupid.

I (and I am sure many other viewers)don't analyze every single aspect of a movie and rule it the worst movie of all time simply because it didn't fit my criteria of what I am "suppose" to feel and what I am "suppose" to be thinking.

It was a good solid comedy that showed a different side of Henry Wrinkler and Kathy Bates that I was very impressed with. Also, I don't think this comedy was "empty" or "mindless". It offered some insights on life's philosophy's, but it just didn't do it in the traditional "movie" way.

Hats off to the entire cast of Waterboy especially the writers of it!

dllewis

Waterboy is the story of a poor man's Forrest Gump who owes his dim-witted persona to the overprotective nature of his mother. Adam Sandler is at his silly, "stupid comedy" best playing Bobby Boucher, a Cajun recluse who has been a waterboy for one football team or another his entire life. After losing his job, he eventually catches on with another team where his life changes dramatically.

One day while perorming his waterboy duties, something he takes to ridiculously hilarious extremes, Bobby is abused by his new team. His precious water gets spit in, he gets tackled, and everyone of the players makes fun of him. With his old team, he had to endure the pain and ridicule without retaliation, but not with the new team.

A star is born.

Bobby eventually joins the team where he immediately, albeit inexplicably, becomes the starting linebacker. Despite his lack of football knowledge, he ends up becoming one of the greatest forces in college football history. He destroys everyone and everything on the opposing team, with highlight after highlight, using visualizations of all who have wronged him in the past to fuel his aggression.

Waterboy is highly enjoyable, with classic Sandler, and tons of either comedy or action to satisfy all needs. Henry Winkler is great in his role, bringing laughs whenever he's on-screen. Kathy Bates is great as the near-psychotic mother, a Col. Sanders lookalike who brings about easy comedy, and the cameos of Rob Schnieder and Clint Howard are subtle comedic genius.

I must warn all potential viewers. You may find yourself quoting several portions of the movie when finished, and quotes are FOR THE DEVIL!

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Back in 1998, comedian Adam Sandler was coming from a string of solid box office hits such as "Happy Gilmore" and "The Wedding Singer".

Sandler would return with "THE WATERBOY", a film that proved that despite how crude the humor a film may be, people just want to laugh and have a good time. And sure enough, the film would rake in over $160 million dollars in the US and signified Adam Sandler as box office draw.

The film was directed by Frank Coraci (director of "The Wedding Singer", "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Click) and a screenplay by Sandler and Tim Herlihy ("Bedtime Stories", "Mr. Deeds", "Little Nicky", "Big Daddy" and "The Wedding Singer"). Also, featuring music by Alan Pasqua and cinematography by Steven Bernstein ("Corky Romano", "Scary Movie 2' and "Bulletproof").

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"THE WATERBOY" receives its first 1080p High Definition transfer (1:85:1 aspect ratio) and for a film made eleven years ago, the film looks great on Blu-ray. With a large part of the film shot outdoors, you can see the bright colors from the various football teams to natural skin tones for the characters. Day time scenes in particular reveal plenty of the film's fine details across the board. You can also pick up a lot of detail from the grass on the football field, to the griminess of the run down home that Bobby's mother lives in and more. Vivid contrast gives daytime exteriors and low-lit interiors a really good amount of depth. Blanks are are nice and deep.

As for the soundtrack, "THE WATERBOY" sports a lossless English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack (also French 5.1 and Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital). Although primarily a dialogue-driven film that uses the center channel and is heard clearly, there is occasional music that utilizes the front channel speakers. It's not until you start getting into the football games where the team gets more of an audience and scenes with crowds, where you hear the surrounds being utilized. The film doesn't have an immersive soundtrack compared to other sports-based films on Blu-ray but the audio is nice and clear and overall, satisfactory for this film.

As expected from a Disney release (via Touchstone Home Entertainment) on Blu-ray, the transfer is gorgeous.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

There are no special features included on this Blu-ray release of "The Waterboy".

JUDGMENT CALL:

"THE WATERBOY" is one of those films that people will either love or hate it. Since this is one of the earlier Adam Sandler films, he has a nack of playing parts that are just outrageously funny but at the same time, some people may find it too idiotic for their taste. So, suffice to say, if you are the latter, more than likely this film is not going to appeal to you.

But for those who have enjoyed his films, "THE WATERBOY" is just hilarious and is a Sandler classic!

Adam Sandler's "Bobby Boucher" is a stuttering mama's boy that is definitely going to make you laugh. Granted, he has a speech impediment but its not his way of talking but the way he was raised, the way he thinks and although innocent, it just comes off as idiotic.

The whole film just made me laugh and although people in Southern Louisiana may not like how they were characterized in this film (living in the swamp and eating dead animals, a hillbilly which no one knows what the heck he's saying as the assistant head coach and cheerleaders inebriated, a man who looks like Colonel Sanders as a professor, etc.), I guess if you can take this comedy and not be so serious about it, you can easily be amused. Especially if you are a sports fan.

The Blu-ray release of "THE WATERBOY" definitely has its positive marks for its HD transfer. The picture quality and lossless audio are awesome but I was surprised there are no special features. I would have loved to hear Coraci, Tim Herlihy or Adam Sandler come back and do an audio commentary or some sort of behind-the-scenes featurette.

So, for those who own the previous DVD and are wondering if its worth the double dip, it all comes down to whether or not you want to watch the film in High Definition.

Back then and even today, Adam Sandler films will be love or hate for many viewers but the sheer amount of outrageous comedy from this film is what made it so hilarious. And for a film that came out in 1998, it manages to retain its humor and craziness eleven years later.

"THE WATERBOY" is just hilarious and crazy but overall, an enjoyable film on Blu-ray!

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I wasn't sure if I was going to like this movie because I thought it was going to be another tacky and tasteless movie by another "Saturday Night Live" alum. In "The WaterBoy", Adam Sandler is the "SNL" alum. However, I liked this movie and actually thought it was pretty funny. Adam Sandler plays Bobby Boucher, a dimwitted waterboy for the University of Louisiana's football team. Bobby Boucher lacks social skills and is always ridiculed and picked on by the football players. After having had enough of Bobby's stupidity, Coach Red fires him. Bobby Boucher immediately seeks another waterboy position and gets hired by Coach Klein (who heads South Central Louisiana State University's football team). Soon, this crazy coach puts Bobby on the team when he sees how powerful Bobby becomes when he gets angry ("tackling fuel" as Coach Klein puts it). Now that Bobby is on the team, he helps them move from last place to first place. He also gets the chance to go to college and improve his social skills with his new-found friends. This movie was good because Bobby Boucher was an inspiration to his fans, his teammates, and most importantly, to Coach Klein. Bobby inspires Coach Klein to stand up against his long-time arch-rival (Coach Red) who stole his treasured book of game plans in order to get the head football coach position at the University of Louisiana. Coach Klein finally stands up against Coach Red and regains his manhood. This movie was also good because it contained lots of funny supporting characters like Bobby's crazy, in-and-out of jail girlfriend Vicki Vallencourt, a coach that talked gibberish, Coach Klein (played by Harry Winkler), and Mama Boucher (played by Kathy Bates). Kathy Bates gave a terrific, comic performance as Bobby Boucher's overprotective, if psychotic, mother. Harry Winkler also gets honorable mention for giving a funny performance as the crazy and hallucinatory Coach Klein. Of course, kudos go to Adam Sandler for playing a character that was funny, lovable, and sympathetic. "The WaterBoy" was short and to the point and it managed to be funny without falling into the retarded or the grotesque.

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I am not a big Adam Sandler fan. I find most of his movies to be a little bit on the boring side but for some bizarre reason, I absolutely love this movie. Maybe because it's just bizarre.

Adam Sandler plays Bobby Boucher (pronounced Bo-shay). He's not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, he's in his thirties, he's a momma's boy, and he makes his career as being a professional water boy. Water is his life. Sandler created a very interesting character in Bobby Boucher.

He goes to work for the Louisiana Mud Dogs where the Coach, played by Henry Winkler discovers a "hidden talent" in Bobby. When Bobby gets angry, he has the strength of twenty men so the coach makes Bobby a defensive tackler with the Bobby's condition that nobody tell his momma.

In college Bobby learns that alligators are aggressive not because they "have all these teeth and no toothbrush" but because of the way their medulla oblongata is geared. He learns to have friends' outside of his momma. In other words, Bobby is growing up which is his momma's biggest fear because she is afraid that once he grows up, he won't need her, any more.

It's actually a very sweet movie. What I really liked about this movie were the visualization scenes. The Coach has Bobby visualize his opposition as people who have made him angry in the past. There is this one scene where he sees the whole offensive line with Henry Winklers head on their shoulders singing, "Water sucks...it really, really sucks..."

You have to see it...it's hysterical.

For the most part I review spiritual/metaphysical/philosophical books and movies, but I love films like this even though they may appear to have no "redeemable" aspects. Which is not true. I can find meaning and depth in everything. I'm not saying that The waterboy is a major philosophical triumph, but it does have meaning and depth even though it's primarily silly and highly bizarre...which is also good!

I love this movie and even though I do not own this DVD, I do watch it every time it's on television. It does generate some hardy laughs and I appreciate it just for that!

Peace & Blessings.

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