Hot Rod (2007)

I'm going to cut right to the chase. This movie has a few moments that just don't hit it home. That said, they are exactly that. Moments. This movie was not made to be "good" by any traditional standards. I've heard and read complaints about how the story is shallow, or how the character doesn't even have an age, or hometown, or job, or whatever...but who cares?

Listen..you can't watch this movie expecting to come away with some deeper meaning. There's not one there. Even I'll admit that. You can't watch American Beauty and expect to come away holding your sides. Just as American Beauty was a great film because it conveyed perfectly what it set out to convey, so to is Superbad, because it was exactly what it seemed: An '80s teen movie...that just happened to come out in 2007.

If you have a soft spot in your heart for The Breakfast Club, or even Mighty Ducks (I know, it's not an 80's movie), you will find a familiar, albeit slightly twisted home in this film. If you don't like movies with montages, or Europe music, or cut an paste dialogue music video clips, then you're right...don't see it. I didn't enjoy Fight Club...but I don't trash it, because it just wasn't my thing. It was a great movie for it's audience. So is this.

Enjoy!

"Yes" is my response to this movie. Finally a movie that understands what is truly important in this world: 80s music training montages, fighting people HARD, being totally awesome, and love. It's not obvious Will Ferrell jokes, or Napoleon Dynamite non-jokes, it's somewhere inbetween...and then a sharp right turn off into space. Hot Rod is its own brand of geniusthe genius of The Lonely Island.

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Hot Rod marks one of the first films to feature the new generation of Saturday Night Live members with Andy Samberg and Bill Hader. It's standard practice that SNL has become a launching pad for a movie career. Do Samberg and Hader have what it takes to make that jump from the small screen to the big one? If you put Footloose (Special Collector's Edition), Napoleon Dynamite Like, the Best Special Edition Ever!, and Nacho Libre (Special Collector's Edition) into a blender, Hot Rod would be the martini you would get.

Andy Samberg plays the eternal optimist with zero talent and tons of ambition. He's the Ed Wood of the stuntmen world. He commits himself completely to the role and is likable enough. Isla Fisher is absolutely adorable as the film's love interest and lights up the screen with her engaging smile infectious energy.

Hot Rod follows the tried and true formula of the inept underdog who doggedly pursues his goal despite a lack of any kind of talent. However, this film has a very off-kilter, staccato rhythm all its own, reminiscent of Napoleon Dynamite, that is surprisingly refreshing.

The film features unusual exchanges between characters, like when Rod asks Denise, who would win a fight: a grilled cheese sandwich or a taco, to which she replies, "In a fair fight or prison rules?" This should give you an idea of what kind of film this is. To further throw you off, the film's soundtrack is populated by 1970s prog rock, cheesy 1980s synth-pop and a scary abundance of music by Europe that makes you wonder just what year this film is set in.

Hot Rod is not a gut-busting, laugh out loud funny film but funny in its own unassuming way. Just when you think this is going to be another tired, formulaic SNL film, it takes a hard left into strangeville. Hot Rod has a quirky, personal feel of an independent film and not a studio picture. It is one of those films completely misrepresented by its trailers but in a good way. It is a modest film with a lot of heart much like its protagonist.

There is an audio commentary by director Akiva Schaffer and actors Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. They mainly banter and crack jokes with Schaffer being the only one remotely trying to stay on topic. They ruthlessly make fun of each other which is pretty entertaining even if it feels like a series of in-jokes at times.

"Ancestors Protect Me: Behind the Scenes of Hot Rod" is a jokey take on the usual promotional featurette as cast and crew ham it up for the camera and poke fun at these kinds of extras.

Also included are 13 deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary by Schaffer, Samberg and Taccone. They crack jokes about this footage and explain that it was cut because of time constraints.

There is also an "Outtakes Reel" that is an odd collection of bits that aren't all that funny per se, but rather peculiar kind of like the film itself.

"Kevin's Videos" are eight clips shot by Rod's step-brother Kevin that were glimpsed in excerpts in the film. These are funny "promos" and "training exercises" showing how inept Rod is at, well, anything physical. One promo has Rod admiring a jetski that's not his.

"Punch-Dance" takes a look at Rod's "inspiring" tribute to one of the dance sequences in Footloose with a shot-by-shot comparison that is quite funny.

"Home Video Footage of Orchestra Recording Session" is exactly what you get and that's it.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

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Are you kidding me? How can you possibly slam this movie? It is freakin' hilarious from beginning to end!! This movie is a comedy. It will not be an Oscar nominee. It will make you laugh until your sides hurt. That's what comedies are supposed to do! If you liked The Jerk, Strange Brew, Talladega Nights, or Waterboy, you will love this movie! It is nonsense humor at it's finest! And whatever you do, I challenge you NOT to laugh at the Punch Dance! Funniest movie of 2007!

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This movie is a really smart satire of Hollywood stunt movies and other movies that feature doofy characters. It destroys and mocks formula even as it follows those formulas (sort of). It's tongue and cheek delivery can fall flat in parts (especially if you're expecting the expected), but it's a must-see, even if a lot of people don't get Akiva Schaffer's viewpoint the first time around.

P.S. The extra footage is hilarious--I laughed harder at the cut scenes than I did at the movie. I can't believe the studios made them cut some of these gems. And the commentary...so funny.

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Mallrats (1995)

Well, folks, it's been ten years since the would-be cult classic "Mallrats" bombed both critically and at the box office. To celebrate such failure, director Kevin Smith and company have erected a brand new double-dip...errr...I mean special edition DVD. Aside from the usual distractions (i.e. featurettes, commentary), the main attraction is an all new extended-cut of the flick, done by Kevin Smith himself. This new cut (don't fret, the original remains intact on the opposite side of the disc) integrates deleted footage and alternate takes into what ends up being a sprawling two hour and three minute epic. Think James Cameron re-editing "Terminator 2: Judgment Day." Ok, maybe not that big of a deal, but it's still cool, nevertheless. The "Extended Version" is (as Smith describes it in his introduction) basically the script put to screen. The "new" film is just as funny, and actually, better. I never had a problem with the original "Mallrats," but for some reason, this version feels more complete -or incomplete? Watch the introduction...

The film, whichever version you choose, is classic Kevin Smith. As a follow-up to "Clerks," it suffers, but if you want to be entertained and want to laugh, this is the right place to come. The story is centered on two slackers, who are both dumped at the same time and come to the mall to cope. Along the way, they run into friends, enemies, crooked security guards, nerdy comic book fans, Stan Lee, and the infamous Jay And Silent Bob. Dick and fart jokes ensue. Not only is it Smith's first "colored" flick, but it is also his first time working under a studio, and his first time working with View Askew regulars Ben Affleck and Jason Lee (who play enemies in this movie). These two findings were pure gold. Ben Affleck would go on to give Smith his finest performances in "Chasing Amy" and "Jersey Girl," while Lee establishes himself as being outright hilarious and natural, right off the bat in this movie. The film itself is not without it's flaws, but the old saying goes "Time heals all wounds." When this movie first came out, it tanked, and it tanked hard. Now, ten years later, it has it's own cult audience, and surely, Kevin Smith has recovered from the initial disappointment. Hell, at the very least, it's good enough to warrant a revisiting on DVD.

If you owned the original DVD, you can give it up soundly when you by this DVD. Aside from a few minor things (i.e. the multi-angle commentary), most of the special features are intact with this new release. While not as extensive as last years "Clerks X" release, it still offers a bounty of supplemental material. The highlight being the "Mallrats Reunion Q & A" where the cast and crew get together for one big interview. Also, as mentioned before, the "Extended Version" of this film is also worth checking out if you are a diehard Kevin Smith fan. However, I have to warn, if you already own the first DVD and are just a mild Kevin Smith fan, you will probably be safe leaving this re-release alone. For me, and other people who just have to hear everything that comes out of his mouth, however, it is worth buying into the evil double dip.

Mallrats, to me, has always been an excellent and hilarious movie bordering on "comedy classic status". Not until watching the bonus material included on this Anniversary Edition DVD did I learn that it was basically a critical failure.

The quotable lines are countless. The talent found in casting is absolutely outstanding. The dialogue is quirky, thoughtful and biting, etc., etc... It's difficult to attribute the movie's failure to anything other than poor marketing and it not being properly prioritized by Rogue Pictures. But, whatever the cause, Mallrats has found it's cult following in the years following its release. It's too good a movie to have remained unnoticed and unappreciated for too long.

The 10th Anniversary DVD includes an extended version of the movie, as edited by Kevin Smith himself, while pleasuring himself so that he could truly "enjoy" his work (as revealed in the bonus interview). This version is hilarious and it gives you a slightly different feel for the movie, as alternate scenes or settings are used in certain places. It's interesting and just as hilarious as the theatrical version. The bonus DVD also includes a few featurettes, interviews and a feature commentary track with most of the cast.

Great movie, great DVD edition Highly Recommended!

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I think it's safe to say this movie is a cult classic; my friends and I have seen it countless times.

Kevin Smith's follow-up to 1994's "Clerks" was not-so-well-recieved by the critics.

The box-office numbers didn't treat the flick too kindly, either.

See? The stuff cult classics are made of.

The critics were wrong and the movie goers must have been napping in late 1995, because this film is hysterical from start to finish.

Buy this one, folks. You can't go wrong with a Kevin Smith movie. Buy it for the commentary, buy it for the deleted scenes (over one hour's worth), buy it for the witty dialog of Jason Lee, buy it to laugh at Jeremy London's acting skills; but most of all, buy it for the movie itself.

While you're at it, buy "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy," too. And get a copy of "Dogma" (the best of the four) when it's released on DVD on May 2.

Remember: Kevin Smith is the best screenwriter out there, so buy it. You won't be sorry.

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As writer/director Kevin Smith said in his booklet for the Chasing Amy DVD, "Clerks" was overpraised and "Mallrats" was overbashed.

This movie follows along in the classical steps of such 80's movies such as "Screwballs", "Porky's", and "The Invisible Kid". In fact, one of its best descriptions is that it is a smart "Porky's".

In "Mallrats", Kevin once again revisits the Tri-town area of New Jersey, as every other moive in the View Askewniverse. The two unlikely heroes, Brodie and T.S. Quint (a shameless, yet clever plug for one of Kevin's favorite movie, "Jaws") have both been dumped by their girlfriends. And only in the mall can they find solace and comfort.

Brodie and T.S. run into all sorts of characters, including Jay and Silent Bob. Throughout the whole day, the try to find ways to get their girlfriends back. And in true 80's fashion, the guys get the girls and some breasts are shown. Not too bad for a movie that flopped in the box office.

Witty, intelligent, and hilarious, "Mallrats" has become a cult classic and any person who enjoys Kevin Smith should own a copy, along with his other movies, "Clerks", "Chasing Amy", and "Dogma".

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Mallrats was actually my introduction into the world of "Kevin Smith". Flicking through cable channels one day, I stumbled across this flick and have been a devoted fan ever since!

Since becoming more knowledgable in Kevin Smith films, To this day I cannot see why this film did so badly and how people can sit there and blast it.

As most people agree, the dialogue plays a decent part on why Smith films are so fantastic and fun, and this was the first thing that grabbed my attention. As mentioned, when I stumbled across Mallrats on Cable, it was almost the end of the film at the Game Show segment. To have a chick insinuating having sex as a question, and having Brodie (God bless Jason Lee!) scream out "Oh, you mean like...!", I was hooked. Thankfully, as cable is infamous for doing, Mallrats got multiple re-runs and the next day I caught the flick in full.

Onto the DVD Itself, any DVD of a great film such as Mallrats deserves purchasing. I mean, there is no other way, bar stealing a film reel yourself, to get the fantastic picture quality and sound, and more importantly, which you can't get too many places, BONUS FEATURES! And for this DVD to be advertised as having "Over 1 hour of Deleted Scenes", it makes any fan salivate from the mouth. Whilst I know many film purists who state "Deleted Scenes are deleted for a reason" (!), any true fan of a film wants to see scenes that the director intended to include but was prevented from doing so due to film politics, irritating production companies or simply time management.

The real gem on this disc however has to be the Audio Commentary. By the way, this was the first Audio Commentary I ever viewed with "Video Hijinks"; IE: when the mallrats logo appears, press the select button on your remote to change the screen to a 'live' shot of the guys in the Audio Commentary booth interacting with each other. It was great to see all the guys together. Smith, Mewes, good ol' Ben Affleck (Who by the time I saw Mallrats had become 'all that and a bag of potato chips' through his post-Mallrats flicks), as well as "Chasing Amy's Jason Lee" (A referral poor old J.L. will probably take to the grave) all work great together, feeding of what each other says to make a very intertaining and worthwhile DVD. In fact, People I know that HATE Mallrats (I can't see how the could) have bought the DVD primarily for the Commentaries and Extra Features. One mate I know only liked Clerks and Chasing Amy, but owns every Kevin Smith DVD on the market!

Another Gem has to be the "Easter Egg" on the Mallrats DVD. For those DVD-Illiterate people out there, an Easter Egg is a 'hidden bonus' but in most cases, these aren't hidden very well. To access it, move your cursor onto the Robot's Eyes at the Mallrats Menu and press select (It is either the Main Menu or the Bonus Features Menu). Rather humerous little addition by Kevin Smith. (However, no Kevin Smith inserts come close to the great one he did for the Criterion Chasing Amy Disc).

...Personally, Mallrats is my favourite Smith film as yet and Brodie Rulz!

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Election (2013)

This is by far the funniest movie Hollywood has produced in years, probably the best in my opinion since "Get Shorty."

Reese Witherspoon plays Tracy Flick, an over-ambitous student with desires to be elcted to her student council. Tracy Flick is the kind of person I think we've all met before. Driven, ambitious, very bright, but at the same time she really has no discernable personality. The fact that she is driven and involved in everything is what's getting her by. She has very few friends and is, if anything, made fun of routinely.

Matthew Broderick plays her teacher. He's a very regular man, teaching a dull course, leading a fairly boring and repetetive life. When he finds tracy's ambitions threatning he sets out on destroying her.

Election is far more hilarious than most movies because of its extremely bitter nature. Many people will find the story cold and sterile but if you get past that it is a hugely entertaining film.

All the performances are first rate and if you compare it to the other "teen" comedy of the year, "American Pie" it is evident that this is light years ahead. While "American Pie" settles on cheap belly laughs and a feel good ending, "Election" opts for exactly the opposite. In fact this is really a very adult film performed by teenagers.

"Election" is a cynical, bitter, vicious movie that is also the best comedy in years.

"Election" is one of the most intelligently-written, original and well-acted films to come out in years. The storytelling is never predictable or conventional, yet everything that happens feels honest and correct. The characters are far more fully-developed than those in any recent Hollywood film I can think of. In the beginning, you expect Broderick to be the hero and Witherspoon to be the villain, but the former does some despicable things, and the latter proves to be somewhat sympathetic. Although "Election" is a comedy (and a very funny one at that), it makes more valid and honest observations about human nature than most "serious" films.

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Election was not popular in America, and it's mainly because it viciously attacks everything the USA holds dear. This is exectly why this is such a brilliant black comedy, but if you're the type of person who prefers 'comedies' like American Pie then this is definitely not for you. It ridicules everything the sexual pysche of the wounded male ego, high school hierarchy systems, the teacher-pupil relationship whilst at the same time satirising American politics. Payne's commentary on the DVD is informative, but it would have been nice to have a feature on the making of it of or an analysis of the intentions of the script from people involved. Hell, a trailer would have been good, but buy the DVD for the film, a classic of American cinema which doesn't need to be in your face to make its point. Well worth your money.

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At the start of "Election," Jim McAllister tells viewers how well his life is going. He's a dedicated and popular social studies teacher at Carver High School in Omaha, with a loving wife and a best friend on the faculty. By the film's end, Jim has been fired from his job, become a national laughingstock, been divorced by his wife for infidelity, and moved to New York City. Why? It all starts with Tracy Flick.

Tracy, played in career-defining fashion by Reese Witherspoon, is a running for student-government president at Carver. She's an odd mix of youthful naivete; barely suppressed resentment at slights both real and imagined; and a pure Machiavellian drive to succeed. She's also having an affair with Jim's math-teacher best friend Dave, whose extracurricular activities get him fired early in the movie.

Concerned about the effects of Tracy's reckless ambition and bitter over his friend Dave's firing, Jim develops an unhealthy obsession with her (the scene where Tracy appears in Jim's head while he's being intimate with his wife is one of the most consistently funny in movie history). Determined to halt Tracy's rise, Jim decides to recruit popular ex-jock Paul Metzler to oppose her in the election. Paul, brilliantly portrayed by Chris Klein, is everything Tracy isn't: innocent, wide-eyed, naive, and slow-witted, with a penchant for vacant stares and extremely stupid comments. Paul's lesbian sister Tammy also decides to enter the race, bitter over her brother's theft of a girl's affections.

What follows is one of the most brilliantly satirical movies I've had the pleasure of seeing. Although the central event of "Election" may be a high-school election, it might as well be a presidential race. Carver High becomes a microcosm for the world in general, with the election as the backdrop for a sordid tale of lust, betrayal, power, ambition, and resentment. Jim (is there any doubt that this is Matthew Broderick's best role?) may sound idealistic at the start of the movie, but by the end he's gotten dirtier than anyone else. In fact, out of the principal characters in the movie only Paul really comes out clean.

"Election" is, without a doubt, one of the most well-crafted comedies of recent years. Much like "The Simpsons" in its prime, the movie is brilliant in its vulgarity and unpredictability. The main characters are fully realized and realistic, and the actors (Klein especially) can wring laughs out of even the tiniest facial expression. The humor is often off-color, but never in a stupid teen-movie sort of way. "Election" is a reminder of how funny a movie can be when it relies on little things like wit and creativity. I try to be pretty careful with my five-star ratings, but "Election" would get a hundred out of a hundred from me.

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Election is truly one of the most clever and probably the funniest movie to come along in the past couple of years. I've watched it several times, and each time I'm drawn back in, amused, dismayed and, most importantly, laughing out loud at the plot, the details and the whole package.

Reese Witherspoon is a revelation as Tracey Flick, the perfect student running unopposed for student council president. What could have been such a one-dimensional character is given a great deal of depth through her performance. And it is nice to see Matthew Broderick playing a grown-up, albeit a disturbingly immature one. The supporting players are just as amazingly cast, and act their roles superbly. The details, too, of the Nebraska setting, from the meal Broderick shares with his wife, to the trips to the mall, to the basement band... this is one well-crafted movie.

I highly recommend this movie. I've passed this movie amongst friends and family quite liberally and everyone has enjoyed it enthusiastically. Of course, we all love satire, and this is one of the best to come along in a looooong time.

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Plain Clothes (1988)

I discovered this movie on cable quite by accident about 25 years ago and fell in love with it. The quirky screenplay by Scott Frank ('Get Shorty', 'Little Man Tate') under the skilled and well-thought-out direction of Martha Coolidge ('Real Genius', 'Valley Girl') made for a tight, yet low-key and funny-as-all-get-out movie that stands head and shoulders above a lot of the other films of its day that seemed somehow to garner more unwarranted attention.

The cast, ranging from relative unknowns Arliss Howard and Suzy Amis to screen legend Robert Stack, do an astounding turn in this movie, neither taking themselves too seriously, nor poking fun at the source material. As Martha Coolidge says about the film in her commentary, 'it's a good, fun romp!' It's sad that this got lost in the shuffle during its theatrical release, but fortunately, it's now on Blu-Ray and DVD.

The transfer is very good (full-screen, unfortunately, but a very good one), the sound and picture are rich and full, and the only other things I would've liked for this disc to have would be either the 'director's cut' or at least some deleted scenes (which Ms Coolidge talks about in great detail), and an isolated soundtrack to hear the songs performed by The Knack. Beggars cannot be choosers, especially ones as lucky to have a little-known film get not only a digital release, but also an insightful director's commentary, so please don't take that as a complaint. This release could've had ~no~ bonus features and I would still own it on Blu-Ray.

Do yourself a favour and take a trip back to a better time. It's well worth it.

This was a simple but funny movie that we had on VHS tape recorded off TV. We have been looking for it for years and were pleased to find it on Amazon.

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Bettie Page: Dark Angel (2004)

Bettie Page was the number one pin up model in the 1950's. Bettie Page: Dark Angel tells the story of the last three years of her brief career as a pin up model before she disappeared from the spotlight.

The bulk of the movie is told through a series of reenactments of some of Bettie Pages most famous bondage scenes. The dialog and story is not that fleshed out. Despite this minor flaw the films succeeds overall because of director Nico B.'s eye for detail in when recreating Page's Bondage segments. These segments are stylishly photographed in black and white. Nico B.'s direction is solid through out and it is obvious in every frame that this project was a labor of love.

The acting in this film is average at best with the exception of Paige Richards who plays the lead role Bettie Page. Paige Richards is a dead ringer for Bettie Page and she does an admirable job capturing the essence of Bettie Page. It is amazing just how much Nico B. is able to recreate with the limited budget he had at his disposal. Bettie Page: Dark Angel is a wonderful tribute to one of America's most icon pin up models whose popularity has not waned through the years

Bettie Page: Dark Angel comes on a 25 GB single layer BluRay. The film is presented in a 1080 progressive anamorphic widescreen. Though the transfer for the DVD was very good for the time when it was released. This new Hi Def transfer improves upon that aforementioned transfer in every way. It should be noted that the grain looks more pronounced in some scenes then in others and this is most likely due to the film's source materials. In all this is a strong transfer that does a very good job with the limitations of the source materials.

This release comes with one audio option, a Dolby Digital Stereo mix in English. The audio sounds clean, clear and balanced throughout. This release comes with four subtitle options, English, French, Spanish and Dutch.

Extras for this release include three `Making of' featurette's, the first one titled `Paige Richards as Betty Page Photo Shoot' (10 minutes 43 seconds anamorphic widescreen), the second one titled `Paige Richards as Betty Page Still Gallery' (4 minutes 13 seconds ) and the third one titled `Casting Call & Rehearsals' (16 minutes 27 seconds anamorphic widescreen), the uncut version of a scene from the film titled `Dominate Bettie in a Black Corset' (8 minutes anamorphic widescreen), a music video titled `The '57 Incident Teaserama' (2 minutes 19 seconds anamorphic widescreen), a documentary titled `In Search of Bettie Page' (10 minutes 10 seconds anamorphic widescreen) and a section titled `The Original Bondage Films of Bettie Page (1951-1956)', the total running time for the 11 short films (40 minutes 8 seconds anamorphic widescreen).

The titles of the 11 short films are as follows, `Untitled', `Bettie Paige and Her High Heel Shoes', `Untitled', `Bettie Gets Bound and Kidnapped', `Untitled', `Untitled', `Second initiation of a Sorority Girl', `Teaser Girl in High Heels', `Domineering Roz Strikes Back' and `Bettie Gets Dressed in Satin'. Overall Bettie Page: Dark Angel makes its way to Hi Def via an exceptional release from Cult Epics.

I honestly can't say how many folks will be won over by BETTIE PAGE: DARK ANGEL. Essentially, it's a fictional account of Page's life up until the point of her `mysterious disappearance' from society. Clearly, it's made on the cheap shot on video and 16 mm and it's helmed by Nico B, the founder of Cult Epics. Paige Richards does a respectable job in trying to recapture the pomp & circumstance that surrounded the original Bettie; however, while she captures the pinup queen's on-screen antics quite well, the smaller moments the ones trying to tell the story of Bettie's life fall mostly as flat as one expects from direct-to-DVD or Cinemax skin pics aired after hours.

As for the story, there really isn't all that much here. The narrative essentially serves to give license to re-capturing the substance of Bettie's bondage films, and these recreations are interspersed liberally throughout the 75 minute story. Instead of learning more about the starlet, we're basically given retreads of the shorts. Certainly, Bettie enthusiasts will be pleased, but folks expecting a story can only glean the bullet points already available from a Wikipedia entry.

The motion picture is the responsibility of Cult Epics for production and distribution. The image and sound are what we've come to expect in this era of homegrown production, and the disc is chocked with special features including: the original bondage films of Bettie Page (1951 1956); the 57" Incident Teaserama music video; In Search of Bettie Page (a nice little video of Nico B's attempt to achieve a greater insight into the model); some basic behind-the-scenes shorts including casting calls and some rather dubious attempts at what are called `rehearsals'; and the uncut short film of "Dominant Bettie in Black Corset."

As someone who loves history especially when it's given a face and a name, I expected more from this one, but I'd imagine it serves up exactly what its intended audience wanted. Given the fact the Ms. Page remained a recluse unwilling to speak about her past, this may be all we ever know.

RECOMMENDED only for fans of Bettie Page and maybe even folks who have an ongoing interest in pinups, cosplay, and adult films. There's not an awful lot of nudity here, but Page in many respects wasn't so much about bare skin as she was the playfulness of sexuality and fetishes. By comparison to so much of what's available on the web these days, so much of what she did was genuinely benign, and it's no wonder she's embraced by a legion of fans around the world.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Cult Epics provided me with a DVD screener of BETTIE PAGE DARK ANGEL by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

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Jeff Who Lives at Home (2013)

This was another one of those movies that I missed when it went into theaters, and it was also a film I really wanted to see. I'm a huge fan of Jason Segel's (Jeff) work, so naturally I wanted to see this. However, it was nothing like I expected.

I thought we'd follow Jeff through a point of his life that covered a week, a month, or any set period of time for that matter, but that's not really what happens. We follow Jeff through one crazy day in his life. Which isn't bad, but I feel they could've done more with the character had they expanded the amount of time the movie covered in his life. On top of that the movie is really short, running just over one hour and twenty minutes.

Jeff is a 30 year old stoner who currently lives in his mothers basement. He's recently been infatuated with the movie Signs, and is taking everything that happens to be some sort of sign. Jeff's main goal is to find some sort of greater purpose for himself. He feels lost in today's world, as if there's something he's supposed to find out about himself. During the movie he is helping his brother Pat (Ed Helms) who is also going through a rough patch. Only difference is Pat has a wife, a job, and a life. Even though the movie didn't play out as I expected, I still fell in love with it. Mainly with Jeff. I feel I resemble Jeff a lot in the sense that I too am searching for what my destiny is in life, and until I do I just live life day to day. You see everyone else around you progressing in their lives, and you just feel stuck.

I don't know who did the music to the film, but it was wonderful. It definitely served its purpose in setting the perfect mood for the film. It's very lighthearted and carefree, I hope I can find the score somewhere.

The only thing I can really complain about aside from the length is how it was filmed. If you've ever watched an episode of the Office, that's the best thing to compare it to. The camera is kind of shaky and it zooms in and out on the character a few times in each shot. It doesn't make it unwatchable, but that kind of filming isn't for everyone.

Overall Score: 8/10 Even though it didn't turn out as I expected, I still highly recommend this film. If you're into those weird comedy films that don't necessarily try to be comedies, then you will enjoy this. Overall it's a beautiful movie, and Jason Segel does an amazing job as Jeff. I can't picture anyone else playing him.

When I read the description and reviews of this movie, I was expecting a somewhat average movie one worth watching once, and then probably forgetting shortly afterward. What a surprise!

The movie was engaging from start to finish. I loved the realism, the "presence" of the scenes, the slow but deliberate unfolding of the plot, and the strong acting, especially that of Ed Helms.

By the time the movie was almost over, I realized it was special and that I needed to purchase a copy of it. Then, as an added bonus, the ending was completely unexpected and incredibly powerful.

I rented this, but I will definitely be purchasing a copy of it very soon. This is one to watch over and over.

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I loved this movie. Its subtlety reveals so much about human relationships and interconnectedness. If you are struggling to find meaning for your life, this movie is right for you. Plus it has a good star cast.

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This was the best movie I have seen in a long time. The story is amazing the cast is awesome. I never rate movies but I really had to this time.

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A very Enjoyable comedy about family bonding, relationships and more. The acting performance is Superb. Jason Segel and Susan Sarandon at their best! The story has funny moments and heartfelt moments. But, there's never a dull moment from start to finish, inspiring and touching. Highly Recommended!

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