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Kevin Hart: I'm a Grown Little Man

I first saw Kevin Hart on Comedy Central and I was laughing so hard that I was crying. It is absolutely funny from beginning to end. But since Comedy Central left out a lot of his jokes I just had to find his stand up on DVD. Kevin Hart's stand up is funny I got two copies, one for me and one for my best friend and her husband. I think his stand up is funnier than Kat Williams Pimpin' Pimpin'!

This stand up was hilarious from beginning to end. My abs were killing me by the end of the show. This is a definite must have.

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I've never seen his stand up, well except a 30 min stand up he did, which was funny as hell. So I was going through my T.V. Guide and seen that this was coming on Comedy Central, I Tivo'd it and finally got around to watching it. Damn, Kevin Hart is hella funny. This is one of the best stand-ups I've seen, I really hope he does some more like this because it had me laughing the whole damn time. And to think I almost didn't check him out, what a mistake that would have been. Between him and Bill Burr they got the best stand up's I've seen from 08-09 so far with Katt Williams coming in 3rd. Definetly check this one out, you won't be sorry!!!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Kevin Hart: I'm a Grown Little Man Here

He's so funny and stupid! I mean that in a good way! No matter how many times I look at it, it cracks me up! I highly recommend his dvd!

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Super funny, If you're a Kevin Hart fan you will like it! I've already watched it a few times & it's funny everytime!

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Kamikaze Girls

The only way to legally see this movie in widescreen. Beautiful Blu Ray picture. Extras disc is Region 2, I think, you'll need a R0 player to watch it, but there's nothing on it worth seeing. If you need to see the extras they are on the standard DVD you can rent.

(this review is from my DVD review of the movie, I felt the first 2 reviewers here are reviewing it more on the merits of what region a bonus disc is rather than the movie itself, perhaps you may be a first time viewer of this movie?)

A story between two seemingly unlike people on the surface, but more simlilar then either know underneath.

Some people may think the premise has been done before, but truth be told, everything has been done before. In my opinion it hasn't been done quite as well until now. Underneath all the quirkiness and silly moments, you catch a glimpse of what SOME teenage girls are looking for as they grow up...and that is simply someone they can really call a friend.

At first, you would think one girl is weak while another is strong, but they are more appropriately described as apprehensive. The frilly Momoko hides behind her fantasy Rococo/Lolita facade and the vulgar Ichiko her tomboy/grease monkey grimace. But what both girls hide and sometimes try to run away from is finding true friendship in an otherwise empty and uncaring world.

This really is a beautiful and smart movie, it just so happens to be absolutely hilarious. Witness Momoko's distaste for mass produced fashion from Jusco, and the fictitious tale a once mousy Ichigo created to run away from.

Buy it, watch it once for the experience...watch it again and again for it's little nuances, and see if you can pick up on the extra layers.

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A fun and unique movie about growing up and friendship. Fast, quirky, colorful and sometimes a little cynical. Blu-ray transfer is pretty good.

Read Best Reviews of Kamikaze Girls Here

the main characters are both charming and each one has a distinct personality. the movie is different from the manga, yeah, but its still fun i watch it all the time, i love anna tsuchiya!

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Being a big fan of the DVD release ( Kamikaze Girls ), I was excited to see this on Blu-Ray!

Unfortunately, the release is flawed for anyone outside of the UK (or with a region-free/PAL player).

First, the good news: Video quality is very good (the DVD used a non-anamorphic transfer (so on a widescreen TV, black bars on all 4 sides) with "permanent subtitles" part of the video and pretty poor video. The Blu-Ray improves these in every way -video is sharp for the most part (some scenes seem a little soft, but a very big improvement over the DVD. Definitely doesn't appear to be an "Upscale/Upconvert"). I will note while it is Anamorphic widescreen, there are STILL black bars on all 4 sides, just much smaller (about 1 inch on each side (left/right/top/bottom), on a 32" TV) I don't know why this is.

Subtitles are removable, audio is Japanese only (5.1).

Unfortunately, part of the problem comes with the 2nd disc (extras) the extras include music videos, trailers, a short film, interviews with director & cast, and a 40-minute making-of clip (all on the 2nd disc) while Disc 1 (Blu-Ray) is region free, Disc 2 is PAL-only and will not play on all/most players (a PS3, for example). These were NOT all on the US DVD, so this is a disappointment. There are no extras on the Blu-Ray itself.

Additionally, the "Sideways Mode" is missing (it was on the US DVD). The US DVD also included a booklet (Kamikaze Girls: Novala Takemoto preview) and a nice insert for the chapter listing.. none of which are on this set.

If you only care about the movie, this is still a great upgrade from the US DVD, just don't expect to be able to access the extras.

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Ceremony (2011)

CEREMONY is one of the brighter starts to rise out of Hollywood this year. Though it was made in 2010 and released on Demand TV before its ultimate release on theaters, it is hopefully going to gather the audience it so richly deserves. It is a young work: the writer/director is Max Winkler, son of Henry Winkler, a bright young talent who essentially makes his debut with little sparkler. Not only has he come up with a fresh idea for a story but he has also matched that story with a script that is at all times warmly entertaining and at many points a sensitive, philosophical examination of relationships today. And he has cast the film with some of the finest young actors on screen at present.

Sam Davis (Michael Angarano, a brilliant young actor in his early 20s, so memorable in the deeply touching 'One Last Thing') writes children's books and lives in the child like fantasies of kids. He has a friend Marshall Schmidt (Reece Thompson, another early 20s bright young talent) who happens to show up as the only member of an audience to hear Sam read his latest new children's book. The two boys rekindle their friendship, stagnant for the past year while Marshall recovered from an altercation and hid in his parents home while Sam had a momentary encounter with a beautiful 30s something woman Zoe (Uma Thurman). The two lads decide to take a little trip to ostensibly to get Marshall out of his parent's home to see the world, but in actuality Sam has heard that Zoe is marrying some wealthy guy, Whit Coutell (Lee Pace, another brilliant actor remembered for his shattering performance in 'Soldier's Girl'), at Whit's lavish seaside home.

Sam and Marshall mend long absent feelings of closeness and taking some daring steps they drive to the seaside estate, obtain an invitation to Zoe's party (her wedding to Whit Actually) from Zoe's drunken brother Teddy (Jake M. Johnson). Sam confronts Zoe, stating his love and his desire to marry her, but Zoe needs more than a young kid to satisfy her and sees the opportunities of marrying the moneyed Whit. In a series of incidents both hilarious at times and deeply tender at others all characters discover new concepts of relationships. How the film ends is left for the viewer to discover.

Michael Angarano is pitch perfect as Sam, a young man whose ideals are tested and who must learn the adult role. His skills are so polished at this young stage in his career that he is bound to become a major star. Reece Thompson is not far behind, and Uma Thurman gives one of her most well rounded performances. Lee Pace makes the most of his role, sparkling as the reigning optimist of the story. But in the end most of the credit for the success of this little gem is due to the talent of Max Winkler who writes as well as he directs: he is a formidable force. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, April 11

This was actually a very believable and fun film, and it finally gave Lee Pace a chance to show his acting range before being possibly typecast with the upcoming Twilight and Hobbit roles.

The story follows a twenty-something played neurotically well by Angarano (who showed great maturity in Gentlemen Broncos [Blu-ray]) who cannot get over falling for a forty-something played by Uma Thurman. He finds a way to try and crash her remote upstate New York wedding and pre-party while using his friend as a cushion and unbeknownst helper. The story has some comedic, yet realistic moments highlighted by the best performance (and comic relief role) in the film with Jake Johnson playing the perpetually drunk brother of the bride.

The Blu quality is standard, with there being some nice views of the island they filmed at and around. The clarity is not superb or benchmark, nor is the DTS and the yellow lens bled out the brightness, like Winkler was trying to make it look retro (which when you let the menu play customers thought it looked like a 70s film). The weakness of this product though are the Blu supplements, which in this volume of bad quality makes it hard for me to rate the product any higher than four:

* Deleted scenes, 2 minutes. Glad they were cut as they would have made for some tedious additions.

* Outtakes, 2:35 minutes. Unfunny and could have been left off the disc.

* Extended scene, 2:36 minutes. The only supplement I liked it was from the dinner table scene and involved more Jake Johnson comedy (I remember him most as the roommate in No Strings Attached (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)), mistake to cut it.

* Making of, 21:47 minutes. A very dry interview and clip laden piece with the mains and director dissecting their roles and love for each other, skipper.

* Max Winkler Makes Ceremony, 8:18 minutes. A strange mix of tabletop interviews and behind the scenes showcasing his thinking out loud process. I suppose any huge fans of his will want to see this.

* Behind the scenes footage, 7:17 minutes. Big mistake to include this as it was either meant to show how bored people were in between takes, or was providing a yearbook clip of the moments wanting to be forgotten during production, skipper.

* A Year in a Tent, 3:50 minutes. The full length clip/short film of Lee Pace's character in Africa. LoDef and slightly tedious, but worth the watch if you liked the clips left in the film.

* HDNet promo, 4:25 minutes. Did not even look HD and grabbed quips from the other supplements here.

English language with subs in same and Spanish. I did not see any real benchmark Blu clarity on sound or picture (though still worthy to see) and the supplements were hopefully a lesson in how-to and what not to include for this first-time feature director. I liked the outcome (not your typical ending) and it is quirky enough to give it a comedy tag. Four for the film and zero for the rest.

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I watched this entire movie. I say that because pretty much from the first five minutes, I was questioning the wisdom of continuing all the way up until the end. While it was approaching decent as endings go, it really wasn't worth the painful chore of sitting through it. I can't believe it's flashing up the same reviews as much better movies, though the fact that it has only 11 reviewers speaks volumes.

The characters were two-dimensional, the story was drawn out to the point of being drawn thin, and the movie as a whole is A COMPLETE BORE-FEST. Ultimately, I just didn't care about any of the characters-they were wet-toilet-paper thin, and boredom seemed to be their only motivations for doing ultimately pointless things. Sure, there were attempts at exploring deeper themes and their resolutions, but they were primitive and trite; nothing here is worth the amount of time and film that this movie wastes.

Pass on this clunker and watch "Hi Fidelity" instead-it's a much better version of the same kind of story: a self-centered central character on an awkwardly-painful-to-watch tirade who eventually finds himself and turns out to be a decent guy. And it has other characters who are actually interesting and shallow in all the right places.

Read Best Reviews of Ceremony (2011) Here

I loved Ceremony and was shocked it didn't get a wider release in theaters. Angarano is brilliant and Jake Johnson gives one of my favorite performances in a long time. If you're looking for a very unique, fresh new movie filled with young talent check this out.

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I could not get past about 20 minutes into the movie. The main character does not talk like any guy I've ever met saying things like "drinkies, snackies, and you silly goose" to another guy? really? He annoyed the heck out of me, so I couldn't have cared less about why he was doing what he was doing.

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Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008)

"They're zombies. They're strippers. They're zombie strippers." Heavy on zombies, heavy on strippers. Do you need to know more? This is an offensive, willfully retarded, insulting, and moronic undead breast-fest that delivers precisely what it promises. The catch is, it's pretty goddamn funny in spite of itself and has some amusing political commentary to boot. If you come in knowing you are going to see Z-grade garbage on an epic scale, you'll have yourself a fun time. If you go in expecting a cerebral horror masterpiece then you're that A-hole that goes to see Kill Bill and then writes to the local newspaper to complain about the horrible and unexpected violence you were subjected to. DIE! True story, by the way.

The film opens with a glimpse at America's possible future under the W Corporation. The only merger more insidious than zombies and strippers: government and big business. But Chief Justice Jenna Bush (shown in her robes giving double metal horns with her tongue hanging out) thinks it's totally awesome. It's a laugh riot that brings to mind films like Idiocracy and definitely sets the tone for the story. And a stupid story it is. With the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, etc. killing Americans in droves, our Commander in Chief decides that re-animating dead soldiers for re-use is the way to go. Because that zombies as biological weapons thing always ends well. The virus ends up in a strip club where we see every nearly every single female character there strip for about 20 minutes straight. Porn legend Jenna Jameson is the first to be infected and rises from her grisly demise with superhuman stripping skills and a bit of a taste for human flesh. Seeing her bloody act driving the crowd wild, some of the other strippers (each an annoying stereotype, but also hot enough to overlook that fact) want in. Soon, the club is doing record business and the zombified patrons/mid-show snacks are building up in the cellar. I'm sure they won't ever wind up getting lose. Never. Yes, this movie is that audacious and dimwitted. Even after the strippers are all rotting and icky the crowd loves them. Even when they start ripping limbs off of patrons to beat each other with they don't notice something is amiss. If you would find this funny, then this is your movie. If not, walk on by.

But the stupid doesn't stop there. There's the janitor, Paco; a deliberately offensive Mexican stereotype with the worst fake mustache I've ever seen. Seeing him kiss the picture of his wife and daughters (all named Maria), or bid his burro (which suddenly appears out of nowhere) goodbye, or reference a famous line from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (you know the one) not once but twice was pretty funny. I mean awful! Just plain awful! I did laugh, though. A lot. As dumb as this movie is, it never becomes unaware of it's inherent stupidity and remembers to make fun of itself. Robert Englund seems to be having the time of his life playing the over-the-top germphobic club owner, Jameson looks really cool with her black contacts in, seeing Tito Ortiz wuss out at the first sign of trouble was worth a snicker or two, and hearing the awful Eastern European woman -the kind who fits "how you say..." into every sentencefinally break down and say "looook into my eyes" in that dumb faux-Romanian accent was great. Also. gore and nudity. Lots and lots of gore and nudity. There's also gore WITH nudity. Mmmmm...gooory nudityyy.

Add a zombie stripper catfight incorporating the old ping-pong shooter trick as a weapon, some ridiculously out of place existential musings, and a crack military unit called Z-Squad (oh look, the Asian chick knows karate!) and you've got a retarded good time on your hands. There is almost 40 minutes of extended and deleted scenes, including the true conclusion to Paco's tale of immigrant stereotypes. A few behind-the-scenes featurettes and a commentary track round out the bonus features. "Zombie Strippers" is the precise definition of stupid fun, guilty pleasure, cheesy sleazy trash, so bad it's good, or whatever you call movies like this. You are either in or out; do not freakin' complain if you don't like it because if that is the case, you had no business being there in the first place. It's zombies. It's strippers. It's "Zombie Strippers" and in it's own way it is gore-geous.

Zombie Strippers....great title.

How can a title like that not sell?

Well,once the laughter dies down after reading that title,you realize there's a movie to go along with it,and that's the problem.

It's hard to screw up a film like "Zombie Strippers',but the filmmakers do a very good job of doing just that.

Many other viewers have noted the film's synoposis(Did you really NEED one?),so I'll just critique the film.

The film has an identity crisis,not quite sure if it's outrageous horror comedy or softcore porn,and never do the two meet together in an appropiate manner.

The major problems are:

The filmmakers try to make a political statement with this film,never realizing that politics have no place in a film called "Zombie Strippers".

Most of the humor is outdated,trendy,"Bush-bashing",the kind you see on college campuses,and it is pretty stale already.

The humorous idea of strippers who become better strippers as zombies is funny,but never comes off(Just why DO the guys in the film find rotting corpses sexy,is beyond me...it's NEVER explained).

The comic action suffers because it has NO believability.

I understand this is a comedy,but for most good comedy(and horror) to work,there has to be some root in reality.

The special forces team in the film is just corny and lame,and ultimately,characterless.

The guns they are using are OBVIOUSLY phony,and that's something of a distraction as well.

Most of the cast is painfully unfunny,even though veterans like Robert Englund,clearly try.

There is NO main character,or audience identification figure,either,which makes the experiance even more bizarre.

How about the T and A?

The girls are all generally attractive and well built,but nudity isn't as frequent as one would expect as this film follows the hollywood rules of "good girls don't take off there clothes",and that hurts that large portion of the audience.Only really a third(or less) of the chicks actually show anything...and mainly as corpses!

It also probally dosen't help either that it's just GROSS to see Jenna Jameson and company as NUDE,rotting corpses.

The blood and gore is mainly lame CGI,so gorehounds will probally be disapointed there as well.

On another hand,the zombie makeups are pretty good,and there clearly a few homages to the works of Tom Savini.

A few laughs are on hand,but to really appreciate this film would take a high level of inebriation...and I mean ALOT of booze,guys!

For the frat boys,this film may be a pleasant diversion.

For horror fans,you've seen funnier,bloodier and sexier.

For skin fans....eh.Okay.Nothing great.

Overall,nothing to highly reccomend,could have been alot better,really.

But what the hell did I expect with a film called "Zombie Strippers',anyway?

Buy Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008) Now

Oh lordy, lordy. What can I say. I expected T&A and the girls were definitely hot when they were alive, but how on earth can someone like dead, smelly, rotting stripper zombies. I know, I know, it's a parody. Robert Englund has come a long way. I like him but not so much in this movie. I thought he could have had a better part in it all. Anywho, what do you expect from a movie called "Zombie Strippers?"

Read Best Reviews of Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008) Here

Zombie strippers was actually based on true events. No really. Well, at least the zombie sex scenes were. They were based on my ex-wife, and our wedding night. In fact, she was supposed to be cast in the movie, but when she came in for the audition she scared the zombie extras so bad they had to use real zombies, and you know how expensive they can be. Because the UOD (Union Of the Dead) cuts no deals with the living, and has great benefits. I mean, have you ever seen a zombie with bad teeth?

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I don't even know where to start; this movie is just bad. It made no sense from beginning to end. I think the director was going for the worse movie of the year award. Who thinks up such non-sense? I only watched it because it was free on Amazon with Prime membership. Amazon really does need to do better with the free movie choices. If this is what I have to watch as a Prime member I'd rather be regular.

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A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (2010)

This is a Chinese film (English subtitles) based on the 1984 Coen brothers' production of Blood Simple. I think both films are excellent and would be hard pressed to rank one above the other.

The basic story: Cheaters are discovered. Cuckolded husband is most unhappy and makes plans. Plans veer off course. People get . . . injured.

The eighties version was set in present-day Texas. The 2010 production is set in a small noodle shop surrounded by a desolate lunar-like desert region. The shots involving this landscape are somewhat surreal and often spectacular. The time may be the 1700's or 1800's; it's when guns were still a novelty in remote parts of China, and people rode their mustangs instead of driving their Mustangs. Time and place are significant factors in the Chinese movie; they are virtually irrelevant in the Coen brothers' film.

Director Zhang Yimou's version definitely has more comedy than the original. There's scarcely a giggle in the dark eighties tale. Related to this, a fundamental difference between the films is the portrayal of the wife's boyfriend. Actor John Getz's Ray is far more believable than Xiao Shenyang's Li. Li emerges as a strangely innocent buffoon. He provides a big part of the comic relief that is lacking in the original. There are also two helpers in the noodle shop who generate grins.

Yan Ni, portraying the Chinese cheating wife, brings a lot more passion to the film than Frances McDormand brought to the original. Sun Honglei is great as the ruthless and greedy police officer, Zhang. M. Emmet Walsh was also great as the slimy, slovenly detective, Loren Visser, who, like Zhang, equates infidelity with opportunity.

You don't have to see the original film to enjoy the recent production. But I did find it most entertaining to compare the two.

The Hollywood buzz about this movie was mostly negative with lots of comments about it being overly acted and overly directed. Frankly, I found the movie excellent with many flashes of the cast and director's great talent. The location of the Noodle shop on the edge of a great painted desert-like wilderness reminded the audience of an early 2,000 year-old version of the Howard Johnson chain motels and cafes. These inns were placed along roads so that travelers wouldn't starve or run out of water. The only thing that was missing was a series of stone signs reading "Last Water Stop For Two Day's Walk."

The movie was kind of slap-stick Chinese Theater, but it worked fine. Much has been made out of the director's adaptation, actually homage, of the Cohen Brother's movie "Blood Simple," but frankly most people won't even recognize that. This story works just as well in Chinese cinema as it did in America. The humor is funny, the characters are large and obvious, but oh so human. As is the usual case with this legendary director, the cinematography is wonderful. Some of the landscapes are stunning. Over-all the film also has a Clint Eastwood, Italian Western feeling about it. It's kind of a successful chop suey-spaghetti western. It's a very entertaining escape from the boring daily routine.

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The number of films I've seen more than 9 times within 3 months is limited to one: " A women, A gun and a Noodle shop". This is a remake of the film, "Blood Simple". That fact will not get in the way of the greatness of this film. I've never seen silence used in such a craftful matter. there are times when the quiet takes on the lead story telling point. You owe it to yourself to give this film a watch. I believe this is a true "sleeper".

Read Best Reviews of A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (2010) Here

Another film that was showing in selected theaters only not where I live!!!!! Couldn't wait to get this one after seeing a brief trailer. This movie was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the whole shabang. Easy to watch, great goofy characters, comedy, fantastic landscape, wonderful cartoon costumes, sillyness, and wonders abound. Fast paced beginning a total improbable romp that is eye poping. Very hollywood, but with a Chinese sensibility.

Recommended for the "noodle dish" acrobatics as well. Made me want to chow down on those darned noodles!

Wonderful cinemaphotography whats new Zhang Yimou is an absolute master of cinemaphotography.

Go for it!

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In the opening of Yimou Zhang's "A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop," a young wife of a tyrannical noodle shop owner buys a gun with three bullets from a traveling Persian merchant. Of course, she has a good reason. And perhaps she shouldn't have. A seemingly small decision she has made results in misunderstanding and strife among the characters. Some get greedy. Others make plans. All get involved in the chain of events that gets increasingly messy.

As you know, this is the acclaimed Chinese director's version of "Blood Simple." Not many directors would attempt to remake the Coen Brothers film, but Yimou Zhang thought differently. His effort "A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop," it is certain, is a quite unique film. Its visuals are unforgettable, and so are the characters (at least, how they look). But sadly they are stuck in the slow-moving story. After the promising start (noodle-making scene is amazing), the film descends into sheer dullness. Things get repetitious (the methodical habits of a police officer are at first amusing, but soon become tedious).

The most impressive thing about the film is its stunning landscapes of the blue sky and the red desert. They are almost surreal. Another notable thing is that "A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop" sometimes looks like a stage production with colorful costumes of the characters. Actions take place in and around the noodle shop located in the middle of nowhere. The film's time is not specified. Perhaps that is not very important.

But frankly I don't know what "A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop" is all about. I don't know either what really made the director re-imagine the original in the first place. Like most Coen Brothers movies, this is a sort of "one-and-only" kind film, but whether you will enjoy the curious world of "A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop" depends on you.

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Mr. Woodcock (2008)

I still remember the meanest teacher I've ever had back in High School. That short guy always punished the students for little or no reason at all and unfortunately we just had to deal with it (doing pushups with your knuckles is not fun at all). I'm sure that most of us can relate to these unpleasant--and sometimes even painful--memories from childhood. Mr. Woodcock is a movie about that teacher that you loved to hate. Not only made poor John miserable as a boy, but he is coming back to date his mom. This is without a doubt, one of the funniest films of the year (unfortunately not many critics believe this statement). It follows the Meet the Parents formula with situational jokes and great performances by Billy Bob Thornton and Seann William Scott who together are dynamite and perfectly suitable for their roles.

Brief Intro Story:

John Farley (Seann William Scott) is a junior high kid who is constantly suffering humiliation by his gym teacher Mr. Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton). Little John is not the only victim here, but all of the kids from his class suffer by the same demeaning punishment.

Thirteen years has passed and now Farley is a successful writer who has a best selling book called "Letting Go, How to get past your past"--inspired by his childhood memories. As he is traveling around the country promoting his book with his agent Maggie Hoffman (Amy Poehler), he finds out that he just got an award from his hometown. It will be a great opportunity to say hello to his dear mother Beverly (Susan Sarandon) who lives alone--unfortunately John lost his father years ago.

As he gets home to say hello to his mom, he finds found that she is dating no other than his number one nemesis Mr. Woodcock. There is bad blood almost instantly between them and John will do anything to separate them.

Review:

Mr. Woodcock entertains mostly because of the hostility and obsession--and many assumptions--that John has towards his old gym teacher. He remembers him with anger and in a way--even though he is a young adult now--he still sees him through the eyes of a bitter child. He cannot stand the fact that he is dating his mom and he is willing to give up his career as a writer in order to stop this relationship. John also notices that his adversary is a great figure in his community. Why is that so? But he makes a mistake by not understanding Woodcock's persona with more depth. Why is he like that with the students? Is he doing it to discipline his students so they can become better people? He is surprised that no one can see his dark side but him--his mom is totally in love with the guy. Mr. Woodcock is full of surprises and John is going to find out the hard way.

Besides the situational jokes (the Tyra Banks Show and the last reunion scene are my favorites), animosity between teacher and student and great chemistry between both foes, the film works because director Craig Gillespie injects a bit of drama and mutual understanding, especially towards the end of the film. I guarantee the ending will please the audience.

The Verdict:

despised by many critics but praised but few (I'm one of those few). Mr. Woodcock is an entertaining film that deals with those evil teachers we remember from our childhood days, but we never get to know them that well. In a way Mr. Woodcock "helped" John to become a successful writer. Of course it is debatable, but what's not debatable is the interesting story, great amount of jokes, and chemistry between Seann William Scott and Billy Bob Thornton who are perfect doing these kinds of comedies.

After surviving the wrath of his take-no-prisoners gym teacher Jasper Woodcock (Billy Bob Thornton), John Farley (Seann William Scott) has grown from a fat nerd to a successful self-help book author. On his way home to accept a citizenship award at this year's Cornival, he finds out his mother Beverly (Susan Sarandon) is dating Woodcock for quite a while. With his forgotten past now back, he make whatever attempts he can to prove to his mother that Woodcock is no good for him.

You know, some less-than-successful comedies have at least some charm to make them at least get some worthy laughs. "Hot Rod", as silly as it was, benefited from Andy Samberg's determined performance that gave him a movie career once he breaks free from "Saturday Night Live"'s grasp. But when it comes to a film like "Mr. Woodcock", sometimes there isn't much hope. Adding insult to injury was the fact that it spent quite a while in hiding before being unleashed to unsuspecting moviegoers.

First off, there is a solid cast backed here: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Ethan Suplee, Amy Poehler, and Susan Sarandon. Honestly, a cast like this can bring any material to life. However, a cast like this needs a stable filmmaker to help guide them, and Craig Gillespie ("Lars and the Real Girl") is not the filmmaker for the job.

I must disgress that leads Thornton and Scott are very funny men, but unless the film is rated R or even funny, they can bomb right at the start. That's probably why Thornton's biting one-liners and drill sergeant delivery, which worked so well in "Bad Santa" and "Bad News Bears", feel like leftovers. Scott's an even bigger curiosity; is he trying to mimic his "Dude, Where's My Car" co-star Ashton Kutcher's move from a comic powerhouse to a nice guy in movies? Only co-stars Suplee and Poehler come off unscathed and deliver the film's source of laughs that the film so desperately desires.

The rest of the film is flat and been-there-done-that: crotch whallops, pratfalls involving senior citizens (not even Adam Sandler would dare use this as comedy), sexual innuendo (the banging-your-mom line is used ad nauseum), a love interest (Melissa Sagemiller) that doesn't fit in with the film, and even sentimentality. The latter one is a crushing blow. It's not as mind-numbingly grim as Adam Sandler's "Click", but once Farley tries to unmask Woodcock's supposed evildoings, Gillespie tries to paint sympathy that is hardly warranted in the first place.

It's a shame that Mr. Woodcock is such a lame film, because whenever Gillespie films scenes with Suplee or Poehler, it's where he's in a comfort zone, allowing these two fine comic actors ease pain that would've came had they not been in the film. Regardless, it's still not a funny film, and disappointing work from Scott, Thornton, and Sarandon. And to think David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers") was involved; maybe his collaborations with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn were flukes?

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I am so disappointed in this film. Thornton and Scott are in my opinion two of the most hilarious actors in the business today. I thought the movie had plenty potential but I can't remember laughing one time throughout. School of Scoundrels wasn't great but at least I remember a few funny scenes. I hope Billy Bob and Scott will team up again but hopefully in a better movie!

Read Best Reviews of Mr. Woodcock (2008) Here

A few laughs are sprinkled in here and there, but at best this is a 2.5 star effort, if that.

Billy Bob Thornton seems to be continuing the role that he played in School for Scoundrels. Seann William Scott plays the picked on school kid (John Farley) that suffered at the hands of the sadistic gym teacher played by Billy Bob Thornton. Susan Sarandon is the mother of Seann William Scott who just happens to be dating Thornton's Mr. Woodcock, which leaves Farley wondering just why his mother can't see how horrible Woodcock really is. (My wife noted that the Seann William Scott role here is similar to that played by Richard Dreyfus in What About Bob?)

At 87 minutes running time, at least the movie ends fairly quickly. If you like Billy Bob Thornton, you may enjoy this movie more than others. Same for the Seann William Scott fans out there (I assume there are a few). Outside of that, consider finding your entertainment value elsewhere.

I'm glad my PS3 didn't spit out the disc, but then again it would be nice if Blu-ray was used for something better.

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This movie was a total waste a time. Talk about a Billy Bob playing the same character over and over again, but less funny. Actually not even funny at all. Save yourself 88 minutes of your life.

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Monty Python and the Holy Grail (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (1975)

Certain individuals have erroniously indicated in these reviews that the Special Edition will not have commentaries or other special features. They are wrong.

The special edition will contain the following:

A "21st anniversary" cut of the film that is 24 seconds longer, Dolby digital 5.1, a subtitle track for people who don't like the film (with text from Shakespeare's Henry IV), an onscreen screenplay option, audio commentary with Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin, and Follow the Killer Rabbit option. Disc 2 contains "Three Mindless Sing-Alongs" and "The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations" featurette, "How to Use Your Coconuts" educational film, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Japanese" (with English subtitles), the BBC Film Night special "On Location with the Pythonos", an interactive cast directory, still galleries with Terry Gilliam's original sketches and behind-the-scenes photos, "A Load Of Rubbish" with mystery items, unused ideas and other material, and finally two trailers and weblinks.

There will be no special features with the special edition? RUBBISH! This is not simply a reissue of the older DVD with new sound and audio as some have implied.

As a Monty Python fan I've patiently waited for this movie to come to Blu-ray(2012) but didn't have very high expectations that it would look and sound all that good. Well I was wrong. It looks and sounds Great! And I'm not going to tell you it's an excellent movie, you already know that--great British humor(actually universal humor), ridiculously funny, great actors. And a silly price of only $9.99 (was $12.99 on release date).

Sony did a 1080p transfer(1.66:1 original aspect ratio) of this movie that looks amazing! There's lots of strong detail in faces, clothes, as well as surroundings like buildings, grass, trees. Flesh and earth tones look very natural. Blacks are deep. Strong color is not going to jump out at you, but that's just the nature of the film as the outdoor setting of much of the movie's grass, dirt, and rocks(browns, blacks, grays & greens) never contained strong color elements. But what color there is (like in the tabards,coat of arms, shields) looks very good indeed. Is the movie without soft shots or grain? No, but they've brought out a whole lot of nicely rendered detail that makes the movie a joy to watch. Until now, I feel like I've only seen this movie through a fog. Well, the fog has finally lifted and everything looks sooo fresh.

The audio is a lossless soundtrack (DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless). Voices sound very crisp and clear. Sound effects in general are very good. Audiofiles will notice some very rich sounding sections, but also some that are just acceptable. Overall, it is very enjoyable with nice use of surround sound and I think most people will be more than happy with it.

LOTS OF EXTRAS: (Some New Stuff)

Lost Animations (1080p, 12:55) Features Gilliam animations deleted from the film. ***New for this blu-ray release***

Outtakes & Extended Scenes (1080p, 18:57)***New for this blu-ray release***

MORE INCLUDED EXTRAS:(Some HD, some SD)

Subtitles for People Who Do Not Like the Film (From Henry IV pt. 11).

3 Mindless Sing-Alongs (480p, 5:10).

How To Use Your Coconuts (An educational Film) (480p, 2:58)

Quest for the Holy Grail Locations (480p, 47:00) Special Documentary

Cast Directory Photo Gallery (1080p).

Lego Knights (480p, 1:43): A lego recreation of the "Camelot's a silly place" scene.

Meanwhile, King Arthur & Sir Belvedere...

Elephant & Castle

Run Away!

The Tale of Sir Robin

The Tale of Sir Lancelot

BBC Film Night

Re-release Trailer

There are a couple more Commentaries, a Japanese version of 2 scenes(English subtitles), a UV Digital Copy and some credits AND the first subtitle from the opening credits that was missing on the Special Edition DVD is back. Comes in BLUE AMARAY CASE, NO SLIPCOVER.

If you've never seen this movie, you are seriously missing out. Monty Python and the Holy Grail [Blu-ray]

Endless re-watchability.

FREEBIE FOR iPad Owners: Free After Rebate--get the related iPad app called "Monty Python: The Holy Book of Days" ($4.99, App Store) Recreates the 28 days of location shooting of the landmark film. Mail-in rebate if you buy the iPad app AND the blu-ray. Rebate info is supposed to be on the back of a sticker on the outer wrapping, but some people are reporting there is no sticker so I've included all the rebate details in the first comment below this review.

According to the App Store:

"With your iPad and Blu-ray player synced via your WiFi network, the app becomes your remote control and lets you see the exact scenes talked about in The Holy Book of Days. It's an entirely new way of watching the film."

UPDATE: 7/10/12 the "Monty Python: The Holy Book of Days" app for iPad is still available on iTunes but it's $4.99 now, no longer free.

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This is what dvds were invented for -there are so many great features here! So in addition to seeing one of the funniest movies ever made, you can be entertained for hours with the extras, and the extras are terrific: subtitles in English, French or Spanish; audio track choices -English (the original mono or a brand new full stereo version), French, a directors' (Gilliam and Jones) track or a commentary track with Cleese, Idle and Palin; a copy of the script overlaid on the film; a painstaking, hilarious Henry the IV-ish subtitle for those who don't like the film; a hard-of-hearing feature; killer rabbit easter eggs; animated menus using Gilliam's original animation; karaoke renditions of 'Knights of the Round Table', 'Sir Robin' and the 'Monks Chant'; a delightful 45 minute visit to the locations with Jones and Palin; an educational film about the 'other' uses of coconuts; Japanese versions of the French Castle and Knights Who Say Ni scenes, including references to the 'holy sake cup'; a 1974 BBC Film Night visit to a location site during filming; photos of tickets, press releases, reviews, posters, production stills and original artwork; trailers; cast credits (Palin played over a dozen parts!) with pictures of each character; a Lego knights version of the Camelot scene; pictures of sketches that were never used (a killer snail?!); a web link.

A lot of effort went into this special edition dvd, and it shows. I particularly enjoyed seeing Jones and Palin visit locations. They were in a jolly mood, their comments are interspersed with film footage, and they meet affectionate and funny fans along the way.

If you like this film you will love this dvd version; if you love the film, you wil adore this two-dvd set. An essential item for your collection.

Highest recommendation.

Read Best Reviews of Monty Python and the Holy Grail (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (1975) Here

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the greatest comedies of our time (in fact I think I'm going to watch it right now,) however, this "Collector's Edition" is just the same as the "Special Edition" but it comes in a fancy-dancy box and comes with a book (whooooooo!!!!) and a film cell (aren't you impressed, I thought so.) So, if you are a hardcore fan you might just want to get it because it has the Python name on it. Us regular fans will stick with our old copies of the Special Edition (for it is the same)

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In the early 1970's the Monty Python troop (Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones) stars from the immensely popular television series Monty Python's Flying Circus began producing, with the help of a fundraising concert headlined by Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd (You lie!! No, I didn't!), initial photography on what would later become (from all my extensive years of movie watching) the single most unforgivably sidesplitting, enormously irreverent, shrewdly perceptive, unremittingly uproariously aggressive, gruesomely hysterical, and endlessly quotable comedies EVER. Not even Mel Brooks's Best Efforts (The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein) comes very close to the revolutionary medieval merriment sustained in this royal purebred of cult classics. BAR NONE. No contest here.

Endlessly stockpiled with hauntingly hysterical sketches that will probably never leave your mind (no matter how hard you try) including, The Knights Who Say Nei, The Self-Abusing Monks (Eah aay ess eay dom eay nay), The Black Knight, The Trojan Rabbit, the Ever-Appearing Verbally Abusing French (I don't want to talk to you no more!!!), The Enchanter Named Tim, The Killer Bunny, The Bridge of Death (What is the capital of Hysteria?), The Old Woman Named Dennis, and so many countless more great sketches to include here that I'd die trying. Monty and Python and the Holy Grail remains an ever-enriching mirthful cult-classic that just seems to improve with age. Since Columbia has a bountifully hefty new special edition of the Holy Grail out now there should be no excuse, if you've never seen it (I think I'll go for a walk!!), just drop everything your doing (including Bringing Out Your Dead) and go experience this life changing movie today. You won't be disappointed, just tell them the Knight Not Appearing In This Film sent you, and they'll know what to do.

As for the options on the special edition here's a run-down:

Disc One: -"21st Anniversary" cut of the film running an extra 24 seconds; -Anamorphic Widescreen; -Dolby 5.1 track; -Original Mono Track; -Audio commentary with Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin; -subtitles "for people who don't like the film" (you get the text from Shakespeare's Henry IV instead); -an "on-screen screenplay" feature which lets you read the screenplay as you watch the film; -"Follow the Killer Rabbit" feature;

Disc Two: "Three Mindless Sing-Alongs"; -"The Quest for the Holy Grail Locations" featurette; -"How to Use Your Coconuts" educational film; -"Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Japanese" (with English subtitles); -the BBC Film Night special "On Location with the Pythons; -an interactive cast directory; -still galleries with Terry Gilliam's original sketches and behind-the-scenes photos; -"A Load Of Rubbish" with mystery items; -unused ideas and other material; -two trailers

and web-links.

Both discs represent the absolute final word resource for EVERYTHING and I do mean everything you'd need to know about the Python's greatest film. An Absolute Necessity for any Python Fan!!

P.S. You can't base a system of government just because some watery tart threw a sword at you.

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Cat Run (2011)

I did not think this movie would be as good as it was. The characters were very good actors and believable for the most. I will say to stay away from this movie if you are offended by nudity as there is full frontal nudity within the first 10 minutes.

Very much a "R" rated movie Very entertaining, Good story, Very very funny. I have watched it several times now.

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This movie has a Gotcha vibe but much darker.

If you like movies that are part dark comedy and part action you will like this. It has a feel that it could really happen considering how some politics are done.

The actors are great, casting was spot on.

The extras were a little lacking but overall a must see.

Read Best Reviews of Cat Run (2011) Here

Whew! OK, it begins with a plethora of gratuitous nudity, and the characters have to be introduced with profiles, I guess so we can keep track. A whole lot of gratuitous violence and killing follows. Then, it has its comedic moments, and the whole picture starts making sense after about an hour. If one is patient enough, there's a really great movie here. Good guys are bad, bad guys are good. Remember, this movie requires patience--unless one's in it for the nudity and violence.

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Very funny movie mish mash of multiple genres into one fun ride! Janet McTeer's performance is unforgettable. Tony Curran plays a great villain; Paz Vega... well... she's a killer. Scott & Alphonso make a very funny duo.

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Passion Play (2010)

If nothing else, Mitch Glazer's "Passion Play" scores points for being different. Part existential drama, part swoony romance, part gangster epic, and part fantasy parable--this offbeat tale actually works better than you might anticipate. Expecting relatively little, I bought into this adult fairytale and its eccentricities. For its first hour, it spins a rather sweet fable with deceptively hard edges. It is in this juxtaposition of moods and themes that the movie really sets itself apart. But after establishing an effective premise and winning me over--the film suddenly loses a bit of momentum, takes a complete tonal shift, and ends on a rather unsubtle note meant to be uplifting and fraught with meaning. It's like there was an intriguing idea for a story, but the movie doesn't know how to get to its end in a dramatically cohesive way. Still, I liked the film--but I definitely felt a division between its parts. The first hour rated about 4 stars, but the final thirty minutes kind of felt hollow for me.

When a hapless jazz musician (Mickey Rourke) raises the ire of a local gangster (Bill Murray), he soon finds himself looking down the barrel of a gun. Narrowing avoiding execution, he stumbles upon a traveling carnival and becomes enchanted with Megan Fox who performs as a sideshow attraction. I'm sure plenty of reviews and descriptions of the movie will give you more information--but I think the film works best if you let a few surprises occur naturally. Soon Fox and Rourke hit the road but their blossoming romance is threatened by Rourke's need to square himself with Murray. Fox's allure may be just the ticket to saving his life. Through no fault of the actors, it is when Fox and Murray meet that the film starts to lose a bit of its life force. Who, if anyone, will end up with whom? Or are there greater powers at work on this trio of damaged souls?

Rourke is an interesting presence here--understated and believable. Fox displays credible vulnerability and acquits herself well. However, the grand success of the movie depends on them having an impassioned bond. And although both are good independently, I never felt the real heat of connection and chemistry. The illusion of their romance is not able to withstand their separation--and the longing looks and teary wistfulness were never entirely convincing for me. Murray, for his part, also restrains himself with a sly menace that serves the piece well. And while I'm sure some will be won over by the ending, it just seemed to be trying a bit too hard--especially lacking a tangible love bond. Still, it's worth a look--especially if you enjoy the actors. About 3 1/2 stars overall--I admired what the film tried to accomplish even if I felt it wasn't wholly successful. KGHarris, 5/11.

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Passion Play focuses on a down on his luck trumpet player named Nate (Mickey Rourke) and his encounter with a young woman named Lily (Megan Fox) in a Mexican sideshow who just happens to have wings. As their lives quickly intertwine, things go from bad to worse when they run away from her overprotective carny father (Rhys Ifans) and into the spiraling web of the mobster who wants Nate dead, Happy Shannon (Bill Murray).

The premise is interesting. Not quite a noir tale, not quite magical realism... Passion Play, if I may be a bit spoilerish, is a tale of Purgatory. Unfortunately, it's not artfully done. It's too real and mundane to be fantastic, other than Lily's wings, and too casual about said wings for anyone to take it seriously. The ending is the only brave thought in the film, and even it is tainted by the plodding narrative and superfluous side characters.

Passion Play attempts subtlety through lingering character shots and uninspired dialogue delivered with horrible timing by both Rourke and Fox. Ultimately, it all falls flat. Bill Murray's Happy is the most interesting part, but even his poetic lines lack for drama and poignancy. I don't think that's his fault, though. The entire piece is earnest, but fails.

If you're looking for noirish films that deal with similar subject matters, I'd probably recommend The Salton Sea. Passion Play? I honestly can't even recommend a rental. It's not the worst movie, but it's pretty bad.

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This is a slow moving neo-noir modern western. Mickey Rourke plays Nate Poole, a jazz player has-been who has been caught with a mobster's wife. He is taken out into the desert to be shot when suddenly a group of Native Americans, dressed in white, shoot his killer. Nate walks until he reaches a sideshow carnival, complete with a woman with huge angel wings (Meagan Fox) named Lily Luster (short for Lilith, a fallen angel?). As the carnies are ready to kill Poole, Lily rescues him.

Rhys Ifans plays Sam Adamo (another Biblical reference as Lilith in mythology was Adam's first wife). He is the head carny and Lily's caretaker. Nate plans to exploit Meagan by going back to the mobster Happy Shannon (Bill Murray) who is anything but happy, as he is a "recent widower." Nate is aided by Harriet (Kelly Lynch) who runs the "Dream Lounge" in case you thought we were running out of symbols/metaphors. Oh yes, Happy's real name is "Michael" like the angel.

Poole seems to ruin his chance for redemption when he decides to exploit "angel." The movie contains tons of slow, seemingly useless, endless dialouge. The Sartre ending was expected as soon as the first shot was fired. This is more of an "indie" style movie or perhaps an "art" film. I think everybody will find something boring in this film in spite of the haphazard use of metaphors.

F-bombs, one dimly lit sex scene, nudity (not Meagan).

Read Best Reviews of Passion Play (2010) Here

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I really liked this movie a lot. I watched it on cable one night with no expectations.

Mickey Rourke was fantastic as the burnt out trumpet soloist Nate and Megan Fox was quite good in a role

that allowed her to stretch her wings a bit (no pun intended lol).

I loved the whole David Lynch styled atmosphere of the film and couldnt find too many things to say about it

except I believe the critics were wrong. They are like vultures and will pick off a film if they feel the others

circling sometimes I believe movies are dismissed because of what their peers think.

To go into the plot at all will spoil it for those who havent seen it, but this is definatley one

of Rourke's most interesting roles since Angel Heart and Bill Murray is sensational as the bad guy.

Dont listen to the critics they got it wrong Passion Play is a suprislingly excellent little film with touches

of Noir and is shot with an arthouse sensibility. And with the drivel that is being spewed out of the pens and

studios of Hollywood at the moment this is one of the more original films to come along in a long time.

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Baarìa (2009)

BAARIA is another masterwork form the consummate film artist Giuseppe Tornatore. Tornatore is so highly regarded in Italy and Sicily that famous actors fight for the opportunity to work in one of his luminous films, agreeing to take minute walk on roles just to be near the director: Monica Belluci, Ángela Molina, Beppe Fiorello, Raoul Bova etc. This film deserves close attention form the viewer and in some ways it may be better to view the DVD's Interview with Giuseppe Tornatore BEFORE watching this film so that the writer/director's concept and technique is understood before the story unfolds.

Baarìa is Sicilian slang for Bagheria where Tornatore was born and this is an autobiographic epic of three generations in the Sicilian village where he was born. It begins in the 1920's where Giuseppe "Peppino" Torrenuova lives with his brother Nino and his parents in a hovel. They are so poor that Peppino's father advises him to become a shepherd in order to help support the family. Peppino progresses to taking a cow around the town to fill the milk buckets of the townspeople, struggles through school, progresses to young adulthood when he falls in love with Mannina and going against Mannina's family's dream of having their daughter marry money, the two elope in the home of Mannina! and it is here that the characters become the adults who carry the film. Of note, Tornatore elected to cast the main characters with little known Sicilian actors: Peppino is Francesco Scianna and Mannina is Margareth Madè both brilliant in their roles. From this point the time passes through historical references to Il Duce, the mafia, WW II and the coming of the Americans, but more important is Peppino's idealistic concept that his future lies in politics. He becomes a Communist, rises in the ranks, eventually even visiting Moscow to meet with Stalin, and returns to Baaria to help the people struggle for land reform and socialism, all the while he continues to have children with Mannina and follow his dreams of being a successful politician, a dream that is as fragile as it is unattainable.

The film flashes back and forth in time and has no linear story line: Tornatore is more interested in taking snippets of his memories of his past life growing up in Baaria than he is in keeping the audience clear about the characters who flash in and out of the story. His use of children is magical they seem more wise in their innocence that the adults. But take the movie for what it is a mélange of remembered moments in the writer/director's life and witness some of the most beautiful moments ever created for the screen, such as the eventual death of Peppino's father who passes his wisdom to his son, and Peppino's advice to this oldest son as the son takes the train to Rome: the son asks 'Why do people call us hotheaded?' to which Peppino answers 'Because we think we can embrace the Universe, but our arms are too short.' Peppino's wisdom he passes to his son is to follow his heart at all costs and there will he find satisfaction. This film is overflowing in such moments and watching it is like opening a treasure trunk full of dazzlingly memories. The musical score by the evergreen Ennio Morricone is absolutely one of his finest a score the composer created in conjunction with Tornatore.

There is a problem with the DVD that hopefully someone will solve: the English subtitles (the film is in Italian and Sicilian) are very difficult to read so bleached out are they over backgrounds of bright Sicilian light. It is a post-production flaw that needs to be corrected for non Italian speaking audiences, but even with that minor problem, this is one of the most touching and tender and emotionally satisfying films this viewer has ever seen. 10 stars! Grady Harp, October 11

With both a literal and a figurative nod to Federico Fellini, Italian auteur Giuseppe Tornatore has created "Baaria." A personal epic spanning five decades in the life of a typical Italian family, there is undeniable beauty and lyricism in Tornatore's vision. His beloved "Cinema Paradiso" was a striking blend of nostalgia, whimsy, fantasy and heartfelt drama that struck a chord with both viewers and critics. It won an Oscar, as well as a slew of other awards, and is widely considered a modern masterpiece. With "Baaria," he adheres closely to a similar formula but with decidedly mixed results. I had heard one of two things about "Baaria" prior to catching it on this presentation. Some said it was a masterpiece, some said it was an utter disaster. And in truth, I do believe the film to be divisive. I expected to fall in love with the movie, but I ended up admiring individual elements as opposed to embracing it in its entirety. Part of the film's unusual quality is that it seems both completely intimate to the filmmaker but more noticeably aloof to the viewer. In the film's construction, Tornatore advances through the years and presents some compelling moments without ever slowing down enough to let us actually become invested. This choice might be embraced by some, but the lack of emotional connection is what will create the film's strongest detractors.

As always, Tornatore's film is a beautiful physical specimen. The technical aspects of art direction and cinematography enhance the movie's appeal, and it really looks crisp and clean. Taking place in a small Sicilian hamlet called Bagheria (of which the title Baaria is a nickname), the bulk of the film deals with a small boy who advances through his life to old age within the narrative. Not only do we see his world and family, but we see the political structure of the country change around him. I enjoyed much of this perspective as there were subtle lessons in history sprinkled throughout the piece. Certain moments have a pleasant sweetness, some are more tough. It's as if we are catching random glimpses of the characters as time progresses. And in truth, I really liked the idea of the film. However, if I'm being completely honest--the device, while interesting, is also what caused me to disconnect from the story. Just when something of interest happens, you move on. Nothing has time to resonate. How can you watch someone's life story and still not particularly know them or care about them? That is ultimately how I felt with "Baaria."

And yet, I still can't completely discount Tornatore's conception. It's big, bold and adventurous. Sure, it veers to the fantastical once too often--but here is a filmmaker with a specific point of view. It wasn't wholly successful for me, but it didn't lack in ambition (which so many films do). The movie itself ranks at about 3 1/2 stars for my taste. But the DVD features are enough to make me round up and should be appreciated by Tornatore fans. He is front and center in a commentary track, in behind the scenes footage, in an interview, and at the film's premiere. In addition, some deleted scenes are also present. Clearly, this was a personal and important project for the director. I just wish that I had felt the same passion as he has for the work. KGHarris, 10/11.

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I have spent quite a lot of time trying to find the Sicilian version of this movie in the U.S. and when I finally watched the America release in "Italian" I found that the movie had a lot of Sicilian. Sicilian being my first language it was music to my ears. Sicilians are a unique and passionate people. Our language is so expressive and truly musical. I only wish there were more movies that were made in our native language. I'm guessing that this was released and marked as Italian because Americans will not notice the different languages...One scene in particular, when Peppino is running to school in the very beginning the teacher is yelling for him to hurry he shouts, "Sperugiate" (please excuse the spelling), but that is Sicilian. It happens many times in the film and appropriately (Sicilian being the conversational/familiar language used with friends and family, while Italian is spoken formal settings). Growing up in a Sicilian family we speak Sicilian at home and with our relations and neighbors, but with other Italians or when conducting serious business we speak in proper Italian. Anyway, I hope the people who watch this film experience the same satisfaction and feel the same nostalgia that I did when watching this film. Some of the nostalgia comes from my own experiences as my parents sent me Sicily as a child several times to spend summers there and some of the nostalgia stems from the verbal history my grandparents imparted on us.

Read Best Reviews of Baarìa (2009) Here

takes place right after WWII in a small town in Sicily. How a young boy had to suffer all his adult life because of his political beliefs, and poor family. a great movie

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Bellisima filme! Gorgeous film, beautiful scenery and wonderful acting. This movie comes from the same director as Cinema Paradiso. Cinema Paradiso was my first introduction to foreign films. I was 12 years old when I first saw that wonderful film. I HIGHLY recommend this Italian gem.

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Gross Anatomy (1989)

"Gross Anatomy" is a predictable, but heartwarming, little film about five eager first-year medical students. I appreciated the occasionally goofy medical humor and the fine performances from all the actors, notably Christine Lahti, as a rigidly serious, if ultimately well-intentioned anatomy instructor This film has been sadly overlooked for years; it deserves more than a passing glance.

For my opinion the year of 1989 it has been one of the most exciting years in the history of cinema. Three movies from this particular year changed my life. First Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, second Dead Poets Society and third is Gross Anatomy. the last one i saw it the first time in TV but i loved it right away. This movie mixtures two of my favorite items. Colleges and relationships. It has believable and true characters and most of all it has Daphne Zunigha. Its directory it is honest and modest but above all some melancholy corresses the story. I think the character Matthew Modine plays is a genious who he dosen't know he is genious. I loved it and i am waiting for the european edition of the movie because i cant buy it yet.

Dont miss it either youare med student or not...

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Gross Anatomy follows one year of new medical students who end up together in a lab group and deal with the tribulations of their stressful assignments and responsibilities in order to pass. Matthew Modine plays the somewhat stereotypical "hotshot streetsmart bad boy" with some hidden insecurities, and his love interest, fellow medical student Daphne Zuniga (of Spaceballs) plays a more serious headstrong type who somewhat disappointingly goes for Modine a little too fast and soon to be totally realistic.

While the movie may be labeled as a Romantic Comedy, there honestly is not much comedy to be had in this film as it is not all that funny, nor does it really try to be. While the film mostly should be labeled a drama, there are few comedic influences as well as a vibe that almost promises a comedy but never really delivers, albeit a few scenes. No, this is mostly a fast-paced drama that at first feels as if it will not fare too well, except that during the second half of the film (and the cast's 2nd half year of medical school) tensions begin to arise, friction between lab partners and love interests as well as friction between students and professors.

What makes this film work is that while the script is not too daring on comedy or memorable choreography or even dialogue, it doesn't ever really try to be, but seems more concerned with building characters, ones in which reveal themselves throughout the school year in forms of deeper insecurities and stresses. While the characters do try and keep a professional attitude at first, the tensions of medical school assignments soon begin to weigh them down, thus they end up depending on each other emotionally more than they originally thought they would need to. This builds a set of characters who may not be the funnest people in the world, but are in fact VERY REAL. And that is where the film strikes gold. Some characters do surprising things that end up getting a few either kicked out or quitting. One throughout the film can either very much relate to it; either by the tension of taking on such a difficult field of study or seeing characters become downright raw with one another yet virtues such as forgiveness and grace play a tremendous part, thus the film does an excellent job of almost unconsciously exploring many degrees and angles of the human psyche and heart, showing that there is so much more to us depending on what situations we find ourselves in.

I for one very much enjoyed the movie, not because it made me really laugh or cry or tense up, but because the characters felt more downright HUMAN than most movies I've regularly seen.

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Gross Anatomy (1989) is a very accurate depiction of what medical school is like, but with a special twist: a carefree slacker of sorts (Joe Slovak) doesn't want to conform to the serious mindset that often accompanies being a medical student. Slovak's attitude and brilliance seem to work throughout the film, but is tested periodically by his peers and instructors who grow frustrated and impatient with his relaxed approach. If it were real life, I think that everyone he came in contact with would respect his down-to-earthness. Joe Slovak marches to the beat of a different drum, and for that, he is a refreshing character. "Hey.......tomorrow's tomorrow!!!!"

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You won't get large explosions, incredible lines, or wonderful camera work in "Gross Anatomy". What you will get, though, is a beautiful and realistic character portrayal of five clean cut kids who are trying to achieve the dream of thousands of students in this country: To become wonderful med students.

Matt Modine has to be one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. In this film, his development is staggering. From the moment you see him, you think "this kid is special". To see this beauty materialize during the course of the movie is unforgettable.

The film does a superb job of juxtaposing Christine Lahti's character (Dr. Woodruff) with Modine's. You can understand her dream of making her "best students into top doctors" and how Modine may fit this role. Modine's medical partners do a fine job of depicting some of the other practical problems that first year medical students may face.

Overall, this is a highly entertaining film that will leave the thoughtful viewer thinking about his own character development, perhaps juxtaposing it against one of the several fine characters in this film.

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