Wild Wild West (2011)

In the mid-60s there was a show called "Wild Wild West" that starred Robert Conrad as James "Jim" West, a western version of James Bond, and Ross Martin as his brainy sidekick Artemus Gordon. This show was creative and intelligent and yet full of action. The movie "Wild Wild West" starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline has nothing to do with that television show, unfortunately.

Will Smith is another Jim West and Kevin Kline is another Artemus Gordon in an alternate universe that never existed. In this universe the Wright brothers apparently were asleep as Artemus and Jim were tooling around a giant steam-powered iron spider that is unlikely to exist in any imaginable reality. Indeed, the only point of any vague historical accuracy is that there was a President Grant and there was a meeting of the railroads. After that, this movie is "The Twilight Zone" in the west.

In this fantasy movie Kenneth Branagh plays Dr. Loveless. Once again, forget the wonderful Michael Dunn as the original Dr. Loveless. Branagh has none of the charm and wit of the original. Dr. Loveless has decided to create his own empire based on the ability of his giant spider to trounce anyone who gets in his way. However, he seemed to have neglected to consider that an open cockpit is a sure way to eventually be shot. Along the way we see a number of other equally improbable devices that make for interesting special effects but continual disappointment with the movie.

I have yet to mention that not only is this west some bizarre fantasy version of the original west, but this version of Jim West has a continual string of one-liners that would have allowed him to do stand-up, but not in the alternate reality of this movie where no one seemed to understand his jokes, often including the audience. Kevin Kline also had a number of humorous lines, though his were more ironic and involved, and typically based on technology that exists only in the alternate reality of this world.

This movie does have its moments. If you like comedy and know little about the original "Wild Wild West," you may find the comedy overwhelms the total destruction of history and scientific feasibility; or perhaps you like stories of alternate realities. The special effects are wonderful. I admit that when I could overcome my disappointment that there was no attempt to remain within the vision of the original show I was fascinated by the gadgets. However, gadgetry alone does not overcome the unbelievable story.

Oh, and as if all the other flaws in the movie were not enough to disappoint a viewer, the DVD includes Will Smith doing a hip-hop song. Hip-hop in the west? Perhaps I watched this movie from the wrong perspective. Maybe if I had taken it for a farce, like "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," I would have liked the movie better. Then again, probably not.

Wild, Wild, West is undoubtedly one of the year's worst films. One of the factors that makes the movie so frustrating to watch is the fact that it is based on one of the most inventive and original shows I have had the pleasure of seeing. Inventiveness and originality are lacking in this mess of a movie where the script is horrible, the one-liners stale and the performances wooden(except Kenneth Branagh, whom you feel sorry for trying so hard to be evil).

Will Smith is stripped of the charisma that is his best selling point. Kevin Kline, a talented actor is reduced to playing second banana to an uninteresting hero and I have a hard time remembering Salma Hayek is in the movie.

I didn't really expect it to be "good", but I at least expected it to entertain me, instead of providing rest I didn't need. What a waste!

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first they cast a black man as an undercover agent in the wild west where he would never be able to help as they would never let him in most places. remember this was before political correctiness or civil rights. then they turn one of the best villins on t.v. into a racist man missing most of his body. then they add state of the art f/x and think they have a great movie. it's pure trash and gets one star because you can't give no stars. a waste and you should see the t.v. show if you want to see this concept really work well. just not good at all, a mess.

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When you go to see a Will Smith movie, you expect it to be entertaining and fast-paced. A movie with Kevin Kline might have your expectations leaning more in the direction of cerebral, tight-knit & solid entertainment. If Salma Hayek is in it, well ....at least you expect a flick with visual appeal ...1, 2, 3 STRIKES...Wild Wild West STRIKES OUT! TALK ABOUT DROPPING THE BALL ! Will Smith, whose laid-back, street-wise-cracking veneer,usually hides a well-focused on screen in tensity that is both impossible to miss ordislike ...seemed to be sauntering through the film, feeling embarrassedly like a walking anachronism, considering the "Old West" backdrop! Kevin Kline, on the other hand, who usually brings a certain air of bravura to his oft-times eccentric characterizations, seemed to display a marked inability to take himself seriously when in drag, (Which, unfortunately, is during a good chunk of the film)lapsing into a pathetic sort self-parody, which, considering the script, may have been the only way he could stomach the role ! Salma Hayek, for whom no one is exactly holding their breath for her to win an Oscar as Best Actress, seemed OBSESSED with getting her lines out with as little accent as possible...Despite the fact that she was clearly cast as Mexican in this film...(As opposed to her bit part in The FACULTY!) You could almost imagine "La Mejicanita" standing there, during shooting, with her Accent/ Dialogue Coach, just out of camera range! Salma... concentrate MORE on your ACTING, next time, O.K.?

As far as Barry Sonnenfled's Directing is concerned...well, here we could imagine him running around frantically, till the last minute, editing & re-editing, trying to decide exactly what it is he was trying to do with "WILD"....and of course, not even coming CLOSE to getting it right!

The ONLY reason I rated the movie 2 Stars (as opposed to 0 Stars!) is because of the scope & the

novelty of the Special Effects. The idea of seeing all those well orquestrated, and at times visually stunning effects against an Old West backdrop was the only refreshing & original element in the film ...If you are not a diehard Special Effects buff, I can think of absolutely no reason on earth why you would find anything at all worth seeing in this pathetic excuse for a Blockbuster film !

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WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK. they have taken a great tv show, which many of us fondly and raped it. this is so wrong headed i don't know where to start,but here goes.

1. why would they make a black man an agent in the 1800's when he couldn't go in many places and would stick out like a sore thumb. because of the race change for jim west this becomes series of crass racial jokes and has no place in a light hearted adventure series. in fact the tv show never stuped to that level,infact it showed that west's greatest villin was the small in size only dr.loveless played by the great michael dunn!he and west were always evenly matched and had great respect for each other,even when loveless was tring to kill him.

2.the changeing of loveless's person to a legless southern general,and once again the race card is used to makeloveless less likeable when on the show you really liked him even if he was a mad ,evil man.

well you get the idea this is the reason you should leave some things left unmade or in this case unremade. just the pits ,DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS, instead by the complete first season of "THE WILD,WILD,WEST in june of 06 and see what the movie should have been.

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He's Just Not That Into You

Hey, you...stop sitting by the phone waiting for him to call...get up and go watch this movie!

I have to admit, I'm not much of a rom-com watcher. Unlike others of its ilk, though, this flick wisely admits that relationships aren't all rainbows and butterflies, but that they are complicated, confusing, messes that aren't necessarily all sorted out by the time the credits roll.

The premise is simple enough the film claims:

"If a guy says he'll call and doesn't, he's not in the hospital with a broken number-dialing finger; he's just not that into you".

After a mediocre first date with pre-recession real estate agent Conor (Kevin Connolly), the film's main protagonist Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin), over zealous for date success and naively optimistic as ever, is certain that she has found Mr. Right. But when he doesn't call, her friends (Jennifer Aniston as Beth and Jennifer Connelly as Janine) comfort her with assurances of his interest and case studies of how they knew someone who knew someone in the exact situation and it worked out for them, of course!

Not that Beth or Janine are living it up in the mansion of romantic bliss, mind you. Aniston's character has been living with Neil (Ben Affleck) for seven years, and for five of the seven, she's been dying to know why he won't pop the question. Wholly against the institution of marriage, though, Neil says that he's totally committed to her and he doesn't need a piece of paper to prove...yadda, yadda, yadda.

Connelly's character Janine on the other hand is married. Happily? Not so much. Ben's (Bradley Cooper) baby blues are soon tempted toward blonder waters when he meets Anna (Scarlet Johansson) at a convenience store one fine evening; how convenient. Too bad he's married, he reasons.

Drew Barrymore easily plays Mary, Anna's friend. Her role is pretty forgettable; but then she did spend most of her time producing the movie.

Justin Long plays Alex, the woman conquering bar owner who decides to school Gigi in the thinking of men, no feelings spared.

For the most part the story lines are tied together in believable ways and it's interesting to watch just how they're all connected kind of like 6 degrees of separation.

A tough pill to swallow:

Perhaps too realistic at times, "He's Just" exposes the well-intentioned way we women attempt to comfort our spurned friends not with assurances that despite her many attractive qualities, the guy just isn't interested for one reason or another. Instead, we assure our friends that there is no way he could be uninterested.

Really ladies, if you suspect that your friend is dating a guy who can't see her true worth, before you swell her head with an idealized, irresistible image of herself, please take her to see this movie, and let her do some soul searching. The film will do all the talking for you without patronization.

Be warned:

It's hardly a date movie (unless you want to end the date by breaking up when the scales have dropped from your eyes and you realize that you're more "into" the relationship than your significant other).

Best performances from: Jennifer Connelly as Janine who is more obsessed with the idea that her husband is smoking behind her back than that he is having an affair. Ginnifer Goodwin too has earned her keep. Her embarrassing attempts at securing "the one" are so realistic you will likely find yourself reddening at the all too familiar lengths to which she goes.

Best line from the movie: Listen out for the line the guy uses who ends up with Gigi (won't say who ;-)), it could be the "You complete me" of the 21st century!

Disclaimer:

This film may cause some discomfort. Side effects are generally mild and may include feelings of embarrassment over previous postdate obsession/stalking.

4.5 stars.

This has nothing to do with being a chick flick or not. It's a fantastic film filled with experiences that men and women go through in relationships. Great to watch if you're looking for an easy laugh. My wife and I saw it with some friends in the movies, and I must say that part of the fun was hearing the comments and laughs coming from the audience. So have your friends over, open a bottle of wine, and have an enjoyable light-hearted evening. It's worth it.

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Several reviewers have identified this film as being for the dating and coupling scene of youth. I disagree. We have many older folks out in the dating arena, these days, going through some of the same angst of the younger generations. Will they call? Do they care? Are they married and hiding it? And, for many older women who have become accomplished, they have to wonder; are they after me, or my hard-earned, success. So searching for Mr. Right, over the course of our lifespans, doesn't change that much; in fact, it can get more complicated. So, in essence, this movie can provide some thoughts to ponder across the age spectrum. A very good thing, since even seniors, can turn into gushy teens, again, when shot by Cupid's arrow.

(SPOILER) Some felt that the relationship between Ben Affleck and Jeniffer Aniston's characters was a tad unbelievable; that they would live together for 7 years without marriage and that ultimately Ben's character would cave. I disagree, again; their relationship rang the truest. They had a very loving, faithful relationship, that had endured time. When Aniston's character removed the obstacle of marriage, Ben's character no longer felt he was being forced into conformity. It was then HIS decision; one conceived in freedom-of-choice. This was textbook Psych 101, 'you can take the horse to water, but can't make him drink,' until he darn well pleases.

The idea of 'marriage' was the area I found unsettling, because how many of us ladies were the one to drop the, less than subliminal, idea of 'marriage' first? If so, it makes you wonder if your partner really wanted the same thing, or if they just 'settled.' This was very well, and sadly, depicted in the Connelly relationship. And, for many who did push the commitment proposal, first, I suspect it will have them staring into their partner's eyeballs with some jaded contempt, wondering why they didn't have the storybook proposal, while strongly empathizing with Connelly.

The cast was stellar, with a few reservations. Drew Barrymore's character was irresistibly charming, as always. Johannsen's husband-stealing seduction was very well played out, and, is guaranteed to make you bring out the cat-claws. You've seen the type too many times before, but then, she wasn't the problem, just a symptom of a much deeper one, which is generally the case. The character I found most annoying was J. Goodwin. Yeah, she was cute, but too ditsy and trying too darn hard to connect with Mr. Right. Her behaviors were the most immature of the bunch, but we've all known friends like her; ones that we are always telling 'you can't find anyone if you're trying too hard---it will happen when you least expect it.' This philosophy even rang true for her.

I thought this film could have been better developed, and the messages deepened. It had a 'flaky' factor I did not embrace. I'd rate it a B+ accomplishment. However, I will still recommend it to all my friends that remain on the prowl; even for those that believe they've found their soul-mate, because it reminds us that things aren't always as they appear; that denial can exist in what is believed to be the perfect union, leading to lost years and promises---and life is too darn short.

Have a girl's night, watch it, and cherry-pick the scenes of wisdom, and/or the behaviors that apply to you. I can almost guarantee that you'll find some.

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First I heard that so many great actors and actresses in this movie, I felt like whaoow.. it must have been a great script that all of them join the team to make this movie. But sometimes they're kinda tricky, many great actor and a good director but suddenly it's way overrated (which I don't understand how come they waste all that talents) but not in this one. People kinda harsh to this movie, I guess that they expect a simple feel good chick flick, or romantic comedy, as usual. This one is more of a serious romantic drama with a little bit humor like in real life, so I found it amazing. Real life opinion (not the ones they put on purpose between each written explanation, ex : "if he never calls you" then some guy or girl talks.. no .. not that one), the story itself is telling us about relationship, how to find and maintain one, in a great storytelling style, it's kinda slow at the beginning but it's all worthied to be watched and learned from. Some little real life comedy here and there, but overall it's a great drama about realtionships. All the actors, actresses and the director are doing a great job.

If you are trying to find or in a relationship, this movie is totally worthwatching. Trust me. If you are a chick flick regular, probably you won;t find this one as fun as other chick flick or romantic comedy (because this is more of a drama). I like it a lot. Thanks

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Obviously this movie has hit a nerve with a large volume people, and whether you hate or love it the Blu managed to make for a nice product.

The 129 minutes does seem long, but the variety of color tests and hidef clarity showcasing this awesome cast makes for a watchable Blu. The colors, depth and scenery variety make for an adequate representation, including the sailing, the dark indoors, room decors, and Scarlett. The sound is uneventful but you do have the choice between TrueHD or normal 5.1. And if even just to hear Kristofferson's voice say anything in TrueHD, albeit only two scenes.

The special features are definitely...unique. If you liked the premise of that invisible wall being removed during the film the "interviews" of the random people on the street then you you will dig the main feature here.

* A "newspaper" format of the six couples/storylines that when selected, allows you to delve deeper into the characters' lives. Actually, brief excerpts can be seen during the credit sequence. Each one totals three minutes and admittedly, it peaked every single customer's interest when they saw it, because it seems real. Several people thought they were watching Hollywood couples being interviewed about their relationships. Bradley Cooper's "interview" gathered the biggest crowd, but irritated most of the guys watching.

* If one ever has interest into how much a phone conversation scene in a movie can be micromanaged, look no further. This four minute feature has the director dissect in detail how they made one of the phone call scenes have relevance that even the trained eye might miss. If anything, several people now wanted to watch the film again to see what the heck he was talking about.

* The inspiration and history of the film are covered in an eleven minute documentary, catered to the die hard fans.

* The deleted scenes total 13:45 and would have been much better left in especially since we had already endured two+ hours of this. The commentary gives no credibility as to why Scarlet's actual singing was removed from the film. Coupled with Teresa Russel's entire role being cut, it just showcased the weakness in the writing people complain about in this film.

Big fans of the film will want this as a purchase, but since 90% of my Blu customers are guys, I foresee this as mostly a rental.

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The Jerk (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (1979)

This is one of my favorite comedies. It's not for everyone, as you must understand Martin's unique style of humor. That having been said, the DVD is awful.

The transfer is decent, although could have been cleaned up more. Luckily, it's at least anamorphic widescreen. The sound, while hardly sounding like 5.1, still sounds decent, as i doubt surround sound was on the mind of film makers in 1979. Seriously, it's not Star Wars.

Extras? Fugetaboudit! NO commentary. NO making-of. NO interviews. Just one delected scene, trailer, and a dumb ukelele lesson.

The WORST part! There are scenes missing! Perhaps this version of the film is exactly as it was released in the theaters, but i'm too young to know. However, every time i've seen it on television, there were scenes not present in this release...such as the several different people requesting donations from the rich Navin Johnson. In this, you only get the Mexican priest. Where's the guy who needs new seat covers on his plane? That scene was classic!

You know, this is the SECOND release of this film on DVD, and they call it an "Anniversary Edition." If they're going to give it a name like that, they could at least include the cut of the movie with extra scenes added back in. Maybe the commentary and a simple 15-minute making-of is asking too much, but at least give us the material that's already in the can.

Surreal to the point of silliness, "The Jerk" captured the atmosphere of comedy perfectly in the 70's. Before Robin Williams broke through to a larger audience on the big and little screen, Steve Martin was THE JERK. As dense as a brick, Martin doesn't so much as act like a jerk as become one. Opening like a variation on all those Hollywood tales where the hero of our story is down on his luck but soon to be redeemed (of course, this IS a comedy so it's unlikely he'll get the redemption we expect because, well, that wouldn't be funny), Navin Johnson (Martin) mentions at the beginning that he was "born a poor black child". Adopted by a poor African-American family living in poverty, Navin is horrified to discover that not only is he adopted but he's always going to be Caucasian and have absolutely no rhythm. Navin discovers he does have rhythm after all ("praise the Lord!") when he listens to a radio playing dance music from the time. Navin eats his Twinkies, learns the difference between sh-t and Shinola and hits the road hoping to be rich. Armed with the advice his family gives him ("God bless the working man...and remember never trust whitey!"). He hitchhikes getting his first ride which takes him to the end of a fence getting about twenty feet away from home. Needless to say, life is more than an adventure for Nathan and his dog Shithead; it's a vocation.

Receiving a very nice transfer, "The Jerk" looks typical of a film from the late 70's with noticeable film grain and while the colors aren't quite as vivid as I would have thought, they're acceptable. This is the first widescreen presentation for the film so that's something to be thankful for. There's quite a bit of analog debris in the form of dirt (in fact it looks as if this is exactly the same transfer as the previous edition). The 5.1 remastered Dolby Digital Surround Sound mix has nice presence but (not surprisingly) it doesn't use the format particularly well.

In addition to the original production notes from the previous edition and theatrical trailer we also get 1 extra and 1 featuring footage cut from the film. "The Lost Filmstrips of Father Carlos Las Vegas De Cordova" is a "continuation" of the film within a film where we see Martin play various characters doing things like verbally abusing a plant, dressing a bulldog in a clown suit as the audience cheers and takes pets in a bizarre parody of cock fighting. It's really footage that was cut from that sequence. "Learn to Play `Tonight You Belong to Me'" includes sections where you can learn to tune a ukulele (something I've been dying to learn), play it, play along with the Ukulele Gal and, finally, play along with the jerk himself. It's bizarre to say the least. The last bit is just a scene from "The Jerk" where Navin serenades his sweetheart at the beach.

No commentary track from Martin or Reiner. Honestly, you'd think they were embarrassed by this film! Or, maybe they weren't asked to do it or wanted too much money. While an improvement on the original edition of the film, that improved is slight at best. The featurettes are pleasant diversions but the real reason to get "The Jerk" is that this is the first time it's been presented in widescreen. The image quality could have been cleaned up quite a bitas there's quite a bit of analog debris that appears early on in the film. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this unless you're dying to have the widescreen version of this classic comedy.

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NOTE: review below was in regards to the Full Screen or Pan & Scan version of The Jerk that was the initial DVD release. A later edition was released which does respect the movie and offer it in widescreen format. If you are purchasing, be sure to get the anniversary version of the movie so you'll see the ENTIRE movie and not lose the images on the edges of the screen. Remainder of original review left as is. Thanks!

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First off, I love this movie. It's silly, it's funny, it's touching in some places, but mostly, it's just entertaining.

My biggest complaint with this DVD is that it's one that offers little to no bonus value, and, to me, commits the cardinal sin of not putting the movie in it's original format instead offering only a Pan and Scan Full Screen presentation.

I've hoped for several years that this movie would get a 'special anniversary' or other 'collectors edition' that would offer the original wide screen format and some decent special features, but finally had to break down and purchase this 'original' release of the DVD because my wishes seem to be going unanswered.

Please note that I rate the movie itself here a full 5 stars (* * * * *), but the DVD gets only 2 stars, for it's lack of respect to the buying public.

The movie was a classic when it was released.

Steve Martin, the ultimate 'white guy' finds himself 'born a poor black child', without rhythm and unable to figure out why he doesn't fit in with his Black brothers and sisters.

He gets motivated to go off and discover himself, and his adventures along the way are a total riot.

In many ways a model that could have been used for the original "Rain Man" character, Navin R. Johnson (Martin's character) had a simple charm and naive streak that was almost unbelievable, but too funny not to laugh at.

This movie is a comedy classic, and it deserves a Special Edition and better treatment on DVD. Hopefully someday it will get just that.

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This is a fantastic movie... even though I love many of Steve Martin's movies this is the one that I can quote from beginning to end and still laugh constantly!

My main complaint, like others, is that it is NOT WIDESCREEN! The sad thing is, if you look at the packaging for "The Steve Martin Collection" 3-pack it shows "The Jerk" as originally being slated to be shown in the widescreen format, however for some reason they decided to keep in Pan and Scan anyway.... Ugh!

Another sad thing is that this movie HAS DELETED SCENES but they are NOT INCLUDED in the DVD! Anyone who has seen the movie syndicated knows that there are additional scenes which are shown on TV but for some reason are left out of the DVD!

Hopefully Universal will soon release a version of this movie comparable to their great DVD releases of AMERICAN GRAFFITTI and ANIMAL HOUSE... until then, this version will have to do I suppose.

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I have really come to the end of my rope concerning Universal DVD releases. Why hasnt this film been cleaned up and at least out out on a widescreen format? Their is no excuse for this. They are by far the biggest and the worse dvd distributor in the market. They continually release dvd after dvd with framing errors-no digital transfers-no extra features---grainy dirty negatives without any concern about preserving these films. Its pathetic.To add to all of this they will release these films then pull them over and over again how many more re-releases of one film can you produce?Why? your not adding anything but new crappy artwork for the cover.Whens the last time the original cut of the Blues Brothers has seen the day of light??Now The Jerk is also among your lame releases. GREAT film HORRIBLE release done by the worst in the biz. Simply put UNIVERSAL SUCKS.

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Middle of Nowhere (2008)

I don't know where this movie came from. I don't recall its being released in the theaters though, with this cast, it's difficult to believe it's direct to video. But, whatever the case, this is a rare find. It's an indy type film with nothing but writing and acting at its core. No big sets or fancy frou frou. Just a good story with a well honed cast and adroit handling by the director.

Anton Yelchin plays a bright, beyond his years, but troublesome teen who is one step away from the military academy. He has been banished to a water park for the summer where he performs a lackluster job. Eva Amurri also works there and can go to college if she can come up with the trump. Mom (Susan Sarandon) can't help her unless one of her schemes comes to fruition. She's more interested in trying to launch a modeling career for her younger daughter. Yelchin convinces Amurri that helping him sell weed to the locals is a quick way to make the dough necessary for college. She ends up agreeing and that's when things start to happen.

They could not have picked a better actress than Eva Amurri to play Sarandon's daughter. They look so similar it's difficult to believe they're not related in real life. And both do an excellent job here. I suppose I've like Yelchin enough in the few movies I've seen him in but he builds a great character here. I wanted to sit and have a beer with this guy. He is someone I truly wanted to get to know which says as much for the script as it does for his acting.

This is a slice of life type movie where everyone is in a sort of limbo. They are on their way somewhere but can't quite find the key to the door. They also have some serious baggage from their pasts which they need to drop in order to move on. Things DO come to a head and some crap hits the fan but they come to realize them for what they are and resolve themselves to deal with them instead of letting them ruin or scar them.

This movie doesn't take any obvious turns and doesn't feel a need to tie everything up in the end which I liked. I would like to re-visit all them in a few years and see what happens to them. How will their lives turn out?

This is just a plain, good movie. There is one plot point that might be a bit forced but it's a minor argument compared to the greatness in everything else that happens. I don't know if this will change your life but it's much more than a popcorn movie. If you're looking for something with meat on it's bones this is a great choice.

MIDDLE OF NOWHERE is one of those surprise films that appear to have gone direct to DVD not because they are unworthy of theater showing but because they are thinking films rather than explosively entertaining/CGI/3D extravaganzas. The script (Michelle Morgan) is smart, the concepts are viable and refreshingly not overdone, the direction (John Stockwell) shows great respect for the talents of the actors, and the cast is as solid as could be assembled for a film about touchy subjects. The theme that is born at the beginning of this film and grows in importance right to the end is the parent/child conundrum: when is parenting adequate and what are the drivers for dysfunctional family units.

Grace Berry (Eva Amurri, in a very natural and focused tough role) explains to a college scholarship counselor (Sharon London) that she needs financial aid to begin her higher education to become a doctor, but though she is a brilliant student, the counselor refuses to award a scholarship because of Grace's exceptionally bad credit rating. Distraught, Grace challenges her mother Rhonda (Susan Sarandon) when she discovers Rhonda has used Grace's name to open credit cards and has spent them to the limit. Grace needs big money to attend college and her summer job at the water park in town is minimum wage only. Also working at the water park is the happy-go-lucky Dorian (Anton Yelchin) who flirts with disaster, having found an 'extra job' selling weed to the rich folks of the city. After a lot of patter Dorian gently coerces Grace into being his driver (Dorian has no car, having been grounded for misbehavior by his grumpy uncle who is serving as relief for Dorian's adoptive parents), and the two begin a quality friendship that fills emotional and financial gaps in each of their lives.

But the truth about Grace and Dorian's parents surfaces: Dorian was given up by his 15-year-old mother for religious reasons and has been placed with quasi-appropriate wealthy parents; Grace lives with the knowledge that her father committed suicide only to come to discover that the suicide was the result of discovering that Rhonda was (and still is) having an affair with his brother Bob (William Haze). Grace's discovery comes through a conversation with her Aunt Polly (Karen Bramen, in an excellent role for this new actress) and Grace's mother-favored younger sister Taylor (Willa Holland), and the revelation sets off a series of events that propels the story to an end. Yes, there are sidebars expected in stories of teenagers: Grace falls in lust with rich kid Ben (Justin Chatwin); Taylor rebels against her mother by cutting her hair thus ending her mother's obsession with Taylor's becoming a model and Taylor seduces Dorian; Dorian confronts his birth mother; there are fights where Dorian is injured and finds himself alone without family support. But without a sugarcoated finale, the film ends quietly, affirming the importance of friends a kind of love than can replace gaping holes in family relationships.

The movie truly belongs to Eva Amurri who proves she is becoming as fine an actress as her mother, Susan Sarandon. The film also allows Anton Yelchin to demonstrate a much broader range to his acting than he has been given before. The entire cast is excellent. This is a coming of age story with far more attention being paid to the adult end of the developmental spectrum. Grady Harp, July 10

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I have literally seen Anton Yelchin grow up on screen. In truth, he was never my favorite child star and I'm not sure I thought he'd transition effectively from misunderstood youth to leading man material. But taking a page out of the Joseph Gordon-Levitt handbook, Yelchin seems to be doing just fine by picking indie roles that interest him and growing as an actor. His quirky energy and distinctive presence distinguish him from much of young Hollywood, and his ability to have quietly built an impressive resume has been nothing short of amazing. I don't mean to derail my talk about "Middle of Nowhere" to discuss Yelchin, but he ends up being the film's most compelling performance. A solid and appealing sleeper by John Stockwell, "Middle of Nowhere" is one of those quiet little films likely to be discovered and appreciated through the years. It may not be groundbreaking by plotting standards, but it has an overall sincerity that works better than you have any right to expect!

"Middle of Nowhere" tells the story of Grace (Eva Amurri), a bright girl from a troubled family. With big plans to escape from a small town existence, Grace gets little support from her flighty mother (Susan Sarandon). Sarandon focuses all her energy on her younger daughter who she is convinced is "model material." But underlying the difficult family dynamic is the fact that Grace's father committed suicide years ago, and the family has never really dealt with the truths behind the act. New to town is Dorian (Yelchin), an exiled troublemaker spending a back-to-the-basics summer with his uncle. The two form a tentative friendship at the water park where they both work. Grace, desperate for college money, soon gets ensnared in Dorian's extracurricular activities. He is a successful pot dealer, and not without some family demons of his own!

But "Middle of Nowhere" is not just a silly teen caper--it treats its subject matter in a suitably believable way. Quirky and amusing, at first, the film focuses on real life pain and difficult circumstances to fully reveal its three dimensional characters. That's the strength in "Middle of Nowhere"--you'll care about what happens to these kids! Surprisingly free of expected cliche (although Amurri's romance with a privileged boy plays out by the numbers), the relationships established in the film are well conceived. Amurri is steadfast and calm, but it's Yelchin who (once again) steals every scene he's in. A suitably ambiguous ending plays true to his character, and I appreciated the choice that Stockwell made in not wrapping things up with a convenient bow. Warm and sweet, and at times quite funny, "Middle of Nowhere" is a solid sleeper! KGHarris, 1/11.

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NOTHING SCALDS MORE than the moment a teen discovers mom and dad aren't perfect. Not that they make mistakes, everyone does that. No, that parents and other caregivers can make HUGE, life altering errors in judgment for little more reason than "I couldn't help myself."

That's the motivator in this coming of age flick directed by John Stockwell ("Blue Crush," 2002). Grace (Eva Amurri) can't get into college because of the debt her mother accrued by opening credit cards in her daughter's name without paying them off. Dorian (Anton Yelchin), an adopted teen with a streak of mischief a mile wide, finds himself sent off to spend the summer with his disciplinarian uncles. He comes from the rich side of town, Grace arrives with both feet planted in poor town.

Yet this is no John Hughes Cinderella story. Both teens take jobs at a water park, their mission to sweat and be hassled by bratty kids for minimum wage. But then serious Grace and prankster Dorian form a team and devise a way to make money illegally to achieve their goals.

We learn a lot about them and their families and big surprise we get to like them. We actually care about their problems. No, there aren't any big tragedies or major triumphs. It's just a story about people trying to get by and it's not too bad. Conversation sounds improvised and natural. Susan Sarandon, Amurri's real mother, and Willa Holland co-star.

Blu-ray video looks just fine with a sprinkling of film grain throughout. Set in Louisiana, color is rich, especially during daylight. Audio is serviceable, mostly front centered and dialogue driven. Extras also include a 26-minute making-of offering interviews with cast and crew, much of which is repeated in a set of individual cast and crew interviews. Also find deleted scenes that were best deleted.

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I rented this film and it was worth the money and time. Susan Surandon plays a witty and alcoholic mother who is still internally dealing with the separation of her husband and then the task of raising her two children. As with any family, the kids have their own aspirations and interests and one leads the other. The older daughter is going through an experimentation phase as she explores sex with an odd companion she meets at work. The younger sibling follows along!

This was an interesting and funny at times film. The characters are played well, but it is hard at times to follow their motivation. I believe that that was part of the way it was written, but it took me back to a time in my life, when I too was going through changes and transformation of being a teen.

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Creepshow (2009)

Being a fan of both Stephen King and George Romero, "Creepshow" has always been among my favorite horror flicks. Campy at times perhaps, but that's the whole point to bring a comic book feel to film. And it offers a perfect balance of silly comic horror and genuine horror, making for a very enjoyable viewing experience if one remembers not to take it too seriously.

What you get is 5 mini stories, some of them better than others but all offering plenty of shocks and chills. It opens with "Father's Day," where a deceased victim of murder rises from the grave for a nice little Father's Day surprise. One of the better ones. "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill" follows, where Stephen King takes on the lead role as a hillbilly who finds a meteor with a nasty habit of making green hair grow on, well, everything. This one is more funny than scary but still good. King does a great job as the clumsy and unintelligent-but-likeable Jordy Verrill. Next up is "Something to Tide You Over," where a vengeful man (Leslie Nielsen) gets even on his cheating wife and her lover (Ted Danson) by burying them both in the sand and letting the tide take care of the rest. This is my second favorite of the bunch. It's cool to see Nielsen take on the role of the "bad guy" for a change. Goes to show his versatility as an actor. Ted Danson is great too. What follows is "The Crate," in my opinion the best one. It's also the longest one. Hal Holbrook plays a loser whose nasty wife gets what she deserves when he finds a mysterious blood-thirsty creature locked away in an old crate. This is the darkest and creepiest of the stories. Pure fun, with top-notch acting from everyone. The final story, "They're Creeping Up On You," is the only one I've never liked. An eccentric millionare with a roach phobia just can't seem to get rid of his little crawling friends no matter what he does. Anyone who doesn't like roaches is advised to skip this one. The final scene will take away your appetite for at least a few days.

Now that I've talked about the movie itself (easily 5 stars), I have to comment on this sorry excuse for a DVD (0 stars). This has to be THE worst transfer ever put on DVD. I used to think it couldn't get any worse than the first edition single-disc transfer of "Scarface," but I was wrong. "Creepshow" was put on DVD just for the sake of putting it on DVD. NO CARE whatsoever was put into presentation. As another reviewer has mentioned, the movie literally "jumps" throughout the entire time. Grain and those annoying "hairs" appear on the screen almost every second. The VHS offers better picture quality; that says a lot. The only bonus feature of this DVD is the trailer, which I suppose is cool, but let's get real. Another slap in the face is the scene selections. The inside of the DVD case advertises 41 scene selections in the "Scene Index" card, but that's misleading, as the movie only has 21 actual scene selections. So if you want to watch one specific scene, 9 times out of 10 you will need to select the *closest* scene to the one you want and end up scanning forwards or backwards to get to the one you really want. Yet another example of a poorly thought-out DVD.

Bottom line: "Creepshow" is a great cult flick that deserves a MUCH better DVD. If you have the VHS stick with that. Only get this DVD if you no longer own a VCR or absolutely must own all of your movies on the DVD format. "Creepshow 2" recently got a new DVD edition that does it justice, so maybe there's some hope that "Creepshow" will eventually get the same treatment someday. Until then, we must settle for this lackluster DVD.

How can i ever express my glee toward this 1982 film? From the first viewing i fell in love with the timeless horror classic. This particular entry into the genre is notable for its uncannyand faithful tribute to the 1950's horror comics (as distributed by EC Publishing), its comical charm, its fantastic effects, and its cult creators (Stephen King and George Romero, and effects by fan fave Tom Savini). Packed with five stories of the macabre this film is bound to please fans of horror as well as kids, adults, and most other moviegoers with its immortal style. The first tale provides us with a story regarding a cranky old man that was murdered by his daughter on Father's Day because she grew weary of his actions against her. Knowing that you are watching a Romero/King flick only can assure you of the fun to come from said situation. The second tale of terror stars none other than Stephen King in what is perhaps horror film's most enjoyable guest star role. King plays a simple hick who comes across a meteor which spreads its reign of terror around his home. King provides us with a truly memorable and quirky performance that is sure to remain in most people's minds. The third tale involves a cheating wife and the vengeance of her spiteful husband on both she and her "other" man...naturally taking up on the EC tradition we can only expect the worse lesson for the wrath-ridden husband via supernatural means. The fourth tale is about a strange crate that is discovered beneath the steps of a college stairwell. Within lie the mysterious contents of an Artic expedtion...that we all know will only wreak their havoc. The final creepout is slowly presented to us in the form of an evil tycoon with nothing on his mind but money...and getting rid of filthy cockaroaches (or vice versa?). Each story is fantastically told and to top it all off we are provided with a wraparound tale that introduces the whole chi-bang. This is what fun is all about. No need to take this serious just watch it for the enjoyability factor and you won't be disappointed. Fans will also find, much to their pleasure, a wide array of bedazzling special effects, oddball lighting, unique characters, and overall good direction and storytelling. A definite addition to any sane person's video library. The dvd version is creepshow at its best. Presented in the best color, picture, and sound ever, don't fret video buyers because the dvd sports nothing extra that you might be missing. Regardless of the lack of extra features this dvd is a no miss. Buy it

Buy Creepshow (2009) Now

I grew up watching this movie whenever and wherever. I like to think that the writers of Creepshow educated me in how to handle life's many problems and keep a smile on my face while doing so. I was amazed at how the remains of Nathan Grantham, the murdered patriarch of the Grantham family, exacted revenge on his ungrateful family, and he even managed to get his Father's Day cake in the end! And for all of you people on the old ball and chain, look at the way in which Henry dealt with his horrifying wife Wilma. This just goes to show us that sometimes, seeminlgy awful situations can work in our favor. Oh, and if you like cockroaches, then this movie is definately for you.

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Creepshow is a well made horror/comedy from writer Stephen King and director George Romero. The movie is five tales about a man rising from dead wanting revenge,a dumb farmer(King) that had a meteorite landing on his farm and then turning him into a plant and his whole farmland turns the color green,a millionare buries a man on the beach and him and his dead girlfriend come back and take their revenge,a monster in a crate,and a professor and his loathe of cockroaches. Each tale is well made and well directed though the third one is the weakest the last one is the best. The movie is directed like a comic book with red and blue lighting in the scenes looking like a comic and there is cartoon segments. Anchor Bay needs to release a special edition just like they did with Creepshow 2(Decent sequel). The VHS version is the best way to watch while the DVD is bare-bones and fans complain the picture and transfer is terrible. The cast is good and includes E.G. Marshall,Adrienne Barbeau,Ted Danson,Leslie Nielsen,Hal Holbrook,Ed Harris,and Stephen King. Every horror/comedy fan should have Creepshow in their collection.

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This is my top ten favorite horror movies along with carrie, the company of wolves, and the shining. i have seen this movie so many times and it never gets old.

A boy's father catches him reading a horror magazine and it gets thrown in the trash. from the magazine comes 5 stories Fathers day(my favorite) about a rich old man who died and is now coming form his grave to get his fathers day cake, and he wont take no for an answer. the second one is funny not scary in the lonesome death of jordy verrill. played by stephen king. a meteor explodes in his frontyard and before you can say meteor**** he i sa walking weed. the third is something to tide you over about a jealous husband who gets revenge on his wife and her lover. but they come back to get their revenge also. the fourth called the crate is about a man who hates his drunken wife(hilariously played by adrienne barbeau) adn when he finds a crate with a surprise inside what a surprise is in store for his wife. the last is they're creeeping up on you about a horrible selfish man who hates cockroaches. but in the end the cockroaches gets the last word. this movie is both scary and hilarious. one of my favorites. its twenty years old and it still holds up! the acting direction and the soundtrack is excellant!

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Drillbit Taylor (2013)

Wade (Hartley), Ryan (Gentile), and Emmitt (Dorfman) are three nerdy kids in need of protection. School bully Filkins (Frost) has decided to make their lives a living hell. After about a week of dealing with this, they decide to hire a bodyguard. Constrained by money, they opt for Drillbit Taylor (Wilson), an ex-military man who is currently homeless and trying to make enough money to get to Canada. Drillbit is less than impressive though, and has to come up with a plan quickly if he wants to help the kids and himself as well.

"Drillbit Taylor" fits the mold of the Judd Apatow-produced films, albeit in PG-13 form. Think of it as Judd Apatow-light, and that is fine because he knows what makes good movies. Sweetness, likeable characters, and raunchy comedy make up the mix, and for "Drillbit Taylor", the raunchiness is toned back to give it a PG-13 rating. Wilson is very good as Drillbit, a con-man of sorts that really isn't that good at things. "Drillbit Taylor" is an amusing addition to the Apatow family of films.

I thought this movie would be hilarious because of Seth Rogen's involvement with writing the story but I was wrong. Owen Wilson is okay and you rarely get laughs from the teenage kids. Pretty much a Flop!

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Being in high school, I loved this movie. I think it was geared toward a teenage audience and most of the humor in it is meant for teenagers. If you are in high school, you will probably love this movie. Adults, maybe not so much.

The acting was excellent, and I liked the story line too. I thought it was overall a really funny movie that I plan on purchasing.

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Drillbit Taylor makes quite an accomplishment in that it is a PG-13-rated film that has the feel of last year's R-rated Superbad. Most of the vulgarity that made Apatow's previous venture inappropriately hilarious has absconded to unknown horizons, and Drillbit is left with utilizing more crafty means at achieving laughs. Not necessarily more intelligent, but certainly less crude, the similarly hilarious lead characters all find their perfect places in this consistently amusing comedy.

Three kids experience bullying at school by antagonizer Filkins, an emancipated student who revels in terrorizing smaller kids. On their first day at high school, Wade (Nate Hartley as the Harry-Potter-like scrawny kid), Ryan (Troy Gentile as the overweight kid with the never-ending ranting) and Emmit (David Dorfman as the kid-who-gets-shoved-in-a-locker) can't seem to evade constant humiliation at the hands of nemesis Filkins. Only able to take so much, the three decide to hire a bodyguard to defend them. In a riotous job-interview montage, the trio chooses Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson), an ex-black-ops and improvised weapons expert, who teaches them to stick up for themselves. During the process, Drillbit gets sidetracked with aggressive teacher Lisa (Leslie Mann) and the truth that he is nothing more than a homeless bum who yearns for the good life in Canada.

Drillbit Taylor, like Superbad, derives much of its humorous moments by forcing many continual little laughs. Quick jokes follow rapid slapstick to allow the audience to pick and choose what tickles their funny-bones. When some gags don't work, instant new ribs replace them so that no one can sit still for long. But most unique is the idea that the majority of the humor does not rely on crudeness, but the friendlier grounds of physical comedy (undergoing torment by bullies) and unexpectedly nonsensical dialogue (the love chatter between Drillbit and Lisa).

Again this comedy falls into the same storyline quicksand that plagues most recent comedies, which is allowing the conflict to become too serious. No one doubts the fact that the plot is absolutely ridiculous and that most of the concepts are exaggerated to the point of absurdity, but within this fantasy world of nerds and bullies, some things we hope to remain realistic. Things like vengeance against the bullies, getting the girls, and staying out of serious harm's way. These concepts are approached with little justice to realism, and so results in a conclusion that can only be as unlikely as the samurai-sword-wielding antagonist. That's not to say that any of it was intended to be faithful to the stereotypical perception of high school life, but most of it appears that way from the get-go.

"As long as you have a coffee cup in your hand, nobody says nothing," explains Drillbit, on his ease at infiltrating the school as a substitute teacher. And so as long as the humor remains appealingly gut-busting, no one questions the reasoning behind much of the juvenile antics. Where Superbad focused on nonstop sexual and gross-out humor, Drillbit stays refreshingly clean with its parody of the cool kids and the un-cool kids frequenting a typical high school. And (comedic) revenge against persecution is one of the most universally inviting themes to watch.

Mike Massie

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i and my famiy enjoyed and laughed and laughed and will watch agian since i bought it for a really good price on amazon digital

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Needless Collection 2

After watching Needless collection 1, I was pumped for the second collection to be released.

However, in my opinion, they flubbed up.

All my reviews are short n sweet. No spoilers either. Here ya go!

Animation was still rockin in quality. No complaints there.

But the story and the ending ha! There were points I was like, huh? Continuity was completely outta whack! The interactions between two of the main characters made absolutely no sense in collection 1, once you see their past in collection 2. It's almost like a different set of people took over on this collection and wanted to convey completely different ideas. And the pace of the story was here and there...which brings me to the ending. Anti-climactic and quick. Haha! I actually laughed when it was done. They lead up to the end fight, big boss battle, DONE!! Ha! No closure at all.

If you seen collection 1 it left you with a nasty cliff hanger. And you been waiting for this puppy. Sorry yall. You'll wish you hadn't seen it if you were watchin for the story!! But if you were watchin for the action...Boom!! Gotcha covered! I gave it a three, jus because I dig anime action. It rates a rent anyhoo. Have fun!!!

Go itty bitty cutsy girl squad!!!

I love having complete collections not only does it save more space on your book case but it also has all the episodes that you can watch again and again. This anime had pretty artwork and i love the plot just wish they made more of this anime.

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This is the climatic finish to the Needless first volume and ironic enough, you could live without ever seeing this. The girl fight in volume 1 was long and drawn out, but one of the BEST anime throw downs EVER! If Paula Dean saw that, she would say, "It's good, ya'll."

But she wouldn't tell her sons to watch this volume. It is clunky, it is listless, really I felt like it was a watered down version of what came previously. In this volume, Satan fights Adam and Priest fights Adam, Cruz's sister is revealed, but none of it sparks like it should.

I will say from a story perspective, this is a stronger showing. The story really saved this; it had me interested and invested until the end. We get to meet priest and Eve in their youth and they are charismatic. Priest especially was very likable.

He had big pink eyes, awww

Well, after the lengthy flashback, the remainder of the story is a bit foggy. First of all, we have a huge crowd watching the fate of the world be decided, but we never really hear from it. We literally don't hear them although we see them. Then suddenly, the crowd is gone. I never wanted the crowd there in the first place; I knew it was too much choreography for this particular production to tackle. And, they didn't. And, they managed to create here one of the most despicable anime characters of our times, ******, and they let *** off with a slap on the wrist. Yes, much like in Spider Man 3, the worst villain skates.

Finale! Needless is a "Wham Bam, Thank you, Sam" Anime. The ending comes super swift. SO fast you almost miss it and forget about catharsis. They show the characters in "the future," but obviously not distant because Cruz is still 13. Well, there is this half done slow motion part and the characters freeze frame off to....I'm not sure what. Needless ends as it lives: one more WTF moment for the road.

This volume is NEEDLESS, yes, but...so is that second slice of pie, that tattoo of Grace Slick on your chest, or that recent bad romance you waited ENTIRELY too long to end .... and you still call them. I say sink your teeth into this sugar laden anime.

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Basically

Needless is an anime that has a lot of sexual references and scenes that could be questionable to people with high morale values but for those of us who just don't care, it's good fun.

Basically if you've followed on from the last volume the group are still fighting in that huge room, needless to say the beautiful girls squadron(As they're called in the dub) are fighting the group and getting into random perverted positions that either show their panties, or in some ways their half covered chests.

Cruz's sister joins the fight as does the guy named Satan, again more fighting in the room, what is it now, like 10 episodes in this room? Anyway this volume does introduce a few flashback episodes that try to explain things and a clash between Satan and Adam Arklight, the whole Adam Arklight vs Adam Blade, and more battles than you can imagine.

It's a good series, just its so perverted at times, I enjoyed it personally and found it funny.

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The battle between Blade's team versus Simeon's Girl Force continues in this second and final collection of this series. If you saw the first half, then you already know that this anime is a action-comedy full of wacky characters, humor, clichés and panty vision fights. Needless is a homage to sci-fi movies, anime, video games and fan services all combined in one package, however there are a few downsides that are notable in its conclusion.

CONS:

The heroes are fighting in Adam's fortress but most of the fights take place in just one floor.

The second ending theme doesn't fit with the cliffhangers at the end of the episodes.

The final episodes are full of back story.

The show in its randomness tries to be serious in the final episodes, and for a comedy THAT never works.

Plot holes.

PROS:

English and Japanese audio.

The second half of "The Secret of Saint Lilly Academy" shorts.

Same fan service, same action and same humor from the first half.

Second Opening.

I enjoyed the first 12 episodes and the first half of this second collection, but the final episodes felt rushed and this is my biggest complaint because it's the same problem MADHOUSE does to most of its anime, just like in Claymore and Death Note Madhouse gave a "1-2-punch ending", where you are left to wonder if that's the manga's ending. Overall unlike many shows out there Needless was full of many unexpected surprises. 4 out of 5.

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Austin Powers Triple Feature (International Man of Mystery / The Spy Who Shagged Me / Goldmember) (

I enjoyed this series of films very much. The "Goldmember" film a bit less but overall a very creative and funny pop culture feast! One of the big bonus's for me anyway is to finally have the original Austin Powers movie in the proper 2:4 aspect ratio after years of having to watch it on 1:85 on normal DVD. This may not mean much to some viewers but to those interested in seeing what they did at the theater it does. The other two films came out in proper 2:4 aspect ratio on DVD previously so why the original was formatted a bit off was always a mystery to me. The films look great on Blu-ray ...and while they don't have any NEW bonus features to my notice..at least they did import all the old ones and music videos (some blu-rays are coming out WITHOUT the previous bonus features).

I picked the set up for a price that came to about $15 per film so I think its a very good value.

Finally, there are subtitles for "Austin Powers In Goldmember" as I could not get Closed-captioning to work on the DVD version.

Note: Be careful opening the package as the set is shrink wrapped very tight and might cut the loose page on the outside that you might want to keep. (The real box has Austin Powers & Dr. Evil on each side.)

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It's hard to believe almost 10 years have gone by since we first saw Mike Myers' Austin Powers character for the first time. These are among the funniest films made at the close of the 20th Century. For the most part, they are chock full of sightgags and silly puns and give Mike Myers ample opportunity to wear funny costumes and try out as many joke accents as possible. Myers rises to the occassion each time out, eventually playing 4 characters at once ala Peter Sellers.

As introduced in the first film (International Man of Mystery), Austin is swinging 60s' superspy who thinks he's a lot hipper than he really is. Think Sammy Davis Jr trapped in Davy Jones' body and you'll have an idea of what Austin is like before seeing him. Also introduced in the first film is Dr Evil (also played by Myers), a cross between Blofeld and Ed Sullivan. If anything, Dr. Evil has even better lines and gags than Austin himself.

The three films primarily spoof the James Bond series. The first film has strong overtones of both 'Diamonds are Forever' and 'Casino Royale' but Myers goes totally bonkers in the second film (Spy Who Shagged Me), in which 'Star Wars' and 'Moonraker' are yanked in for a well-deserved ribbing. The second film doesn't break as much ground as the first, but is arguably the funniest of the three as leading lady Heather Graham is the perfect partner in crime to Mike Myers' Austin character. Graham is the funniest of Austin's three leading ladies. Unfortunately, the third film (Goldmember) declines after a very strong start, coming across as a stitched-together effort to wring the last bucks out of the Powers franchise. If the series has a flaw, it's that few of the characters seem drawn from life, rather than pieced together as parodies.

If you like one Austin Powers movie, you'll like all three to various degrees. At this price, this is a good time to replace your battered VHS copies with nice, fresh DVDs.

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This trilogy is worth your money and will give you one hell of a good time. There isn't really much for me to say about them though. The plots are very simple and pointless but the movies are absolutely hilarious.

Mike Myers is genius and makes the movies funny because he plays Austin Powers, Dr. Evil and Fat Bast***. That's lots of talent!

Beware because if you didn't know, these movies are very silly and dumb but will definitely make you laugh your head off.

This is how I rate the three:

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery4 stars

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me4 and 1/2 stars

Austin Powers: Goldmember3 and 1/2 stars

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this was a great bargain. all 3 austin powers in one package. totally awesome price. my grandson is still enjoying it. delivery was quick enough that it came in time for his birthday. thanks amazon.com

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Brazil (1985)

Three discs? *Three* discs? That's what you're probably thinking if you're looking at this and *not* a fan of one of the finest films of our time. But this exquisite three-disc treatment is probably the best argument for DVD (and thankfully, for Criterion) that I can give you: Watch these discs, listen to the extensive audio commentary, compare Gilliam's brilliant vision with the Hollywood Studio "Love Conquers All" bastardization, er, sorry, recutting (how many directors would include a admittedly contradictory vision of his film on a DVD set just to *show* how Hollywood can drastically reshape a vision?), watch the documentary...you'll come away from this boxed set experience understanding more about film and directing, and sadly, studio politics, than you'll ever get from reading "Variety" (certainly more than I got from filmmaking college courses!) At the heart of it all, though, the many extras and made-with-care package would add up to nothing if the original film itself weren't so bloody brilliant. There's very few modern *directors* who will pull me into the box office just to see a new film...Gilliam is one of them. Even his flops or misfires are more interesting than most. But when he hits on all cylinders (excuse the mixed metaphor) as in "Brazil"...the result is purely sublime. Bravo to Gilliam; bravo to Criterion for giving us the definitive home version of the film(s)--a version impossible on VHS. I love my DVD player!

Terry Gilliam's classic satire returns to DVD in a spiffed up edition from Criterion. Featuring a high definition anamorphic remaster the picture looks great (and it has been enhanced for 16x9 TVs so it will fill the screen)the sound has been remastered as well. Is it worth picking up again? Absolutely if you're a fan of the film. The single disc edition is basically the same as the first disc in the three disc set--it includes Gilliam's commentary track as part of the package as well as the "Final Cut" version of the film that runs 142 minutes (vs. 131 for the regular DVD release).

The good news is that unlike the previous edition,"Brazil" has been digitally remastered with special attention paid to cleaning up the film so we don't have all the bits of dirt and debris that occasionally marred the original DVD transfer (which was essentially a DVD transfer of the original laserdisc version).

If you purchased the three disc set and want to upgrade you could just pick up this single disc edition as the extras are exactly the same as the previous edition (unless you want the remastered "Love Conquers All" 92 minute edit done by Universal to make it more commercial). Be aware though that the single disc edition doesn't have any of the material from the third disc of the boxed set. That disc documented the insanity that surrounded the film when Universal deemed it not commercial enough.

Why it took Criterion so long to get this new improved version to market is anyone's guess (and why it took them so long to adopt anamorphic transfers as well). This really is the way it should have been released in the first place. Either way this edition looks and sounds great. It has a terrific commentary track by director Gilliam, an essay but no other extras.

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There are a million different takes on the actual movie "Brazil," but what I hope to do in this review is actually rate the collection put together by Criterion.

The 3-DVD box set of "Brazil" starts off with the "final final" director's cut of the film, topping out at 142 minutes. (There are eight minutes of footage added to this release.) The film is presented in its original 1.85:1 dimensions. Fact is, the transfer of the movie is so-so.

For all the Criterion hoopla, the print here is flawed. The notes pay tribute to a few digital scratch removers, but I was truly surprised by the amount of garbage in the print (dirt, empty spots, and such) that litter the frames. One of Sam's initial dream flights has considerable gunk inhabiting the lower left corner, and any frame by frame analysis will reveal an endless parade of bits of stuff inhabiting every shot. To be honest, I expected a lot more here and if there is any criticism of this collection, it lies with this fault primarily. They could have cleaned everything up considerably more than they did. And that's a shame at this price.

Colors and contrast in the print look good, though, and the sound is fabulous. They pulled out a full stereo soundtrack and made it sing, so kudos there, too. The sound is clean and vibrant.

The booklet detailing the film is good, but not the best I've seen, even for a lesser boxset. The content listings for the other two DVDs are little more than a single overview sheets.

Director Terry Gilliam's commentary track on the first disc is priceless and fascinating, almost worthy of the cost for the set alone. As a film geek, I personally find all director commentaries to be interesting, so I may not be the best judge. In this case, though, Gilliam gives us a rich look at the film that stands up to the best of other directors's commentaries I've heard.

Criterion's skimping on the booklets is made up for in the second disc, which contains all the background of the film. "The Battle of Brazil" is the high point as Gilliam and some of the Universal Studios execs discuss the crazy backstory that almost led to the demise of the film as we know it. The film's handlers and financiers all fretted that they had an arthouse piece that would go nowhere, but Gilliam refused to make the desired cuts or to swerve from the darkness of the ending. It wasn't until he managed to sneak a final edit of the movie to the Los Angeles Film Critics organization that he was able to outduel the execs. When the critics lauded the film and lavished their prizes on it, the naysayer's bluff was called and the film was released, albeit to only modest box-office that barely made back its money. Film critic Jack Matthews hosts this slightly more than an hour examination of the battle between the creative forces and the forces of pragmatism.

The second DVD also includes "What is Brazil?" a mostly throwaway behind the scenes look at the making of the film that features the cast and some of the writers. I didn't find it particularly illuminating.

The big disappointment in the second DVD is that many of the production notes covering the design, special effects, score, and more are not filmed, but simply text. I wanted more than that. Somewhat disappointing. There are some good insights into the flying effects in the dream sequences, though. That much of it was model work is simply amazing.

The last DVD features the bowdlerized, 94 minute TV syndication release of the film dubbed "Love Conquers All." This happy ending version was done apart from Gilliam and probably represents what the studio heads had hoped would be the released version. "Execrable" is too kind a word to use to describe this version. Critic David Morgan's commentary notes all that was left out, and a few scenes that were added back in. While this version isn't worth your time, it is worthy of inclusion in the set, fleshing out the madness that almost killed the movie entirely.

I have always considered "Brazil" to be genius, frankly. As a dystopia, the world it portrays out-Orwells them all. If you hate bureaucracy--and who but bureaucrats doesn't--then this is the film for you. And only Gilliam would be daring enough to make a renegade HVAC repairman a mythically heroic addition to that world.

Plenty of people don't get this movie and I don't know why. Roger Ebert loved "Dark City," but passed on "Brazil," inexplicably, so even critics aren't perfect. Many of today's films owe much to "Brazil" and that alone makes it important.

In the end, three stars for the package and five for the film itself. The lack of a more pristine print subtracts two full stars from what would have otherwise been a perfect review, however. Criterion's boxset, though flawed, is still the best way to experience the film, so if you are a fan of "Brazil" or Gilliam's work, this is the only way to fly.

Read Best Reviews of Brazil (1985) Here

Just a warning, but if you buy the non-Criterion Collection version of Brazil, you are getting the 2 hour, 11 minute American release, which is what people got in theatres in America in 1985, in other words, the Universal Studios domestic release.

If you buy the Criterion Collection Version, you get two movies, neither of which is 2 hours, 11 minutes long! The first disc is the International Release from 1985, as distributed by Fox, which is 2 hours, 22 minutes long. The other disc is the 94 minute cut (abomination, what have you) created by Sid Sheinberg and Universal Studios.

Again, even the standard release of the Brazil DVD is a product of Universal butchering, which, while it allows for a dark ending, cuts a couple of scenes at the end that help to tie the film together. If you have not seen all 142 minutes (2 hours, 11 minutes) of Brazil, you have not been to Brazil...

Universal has continued to disappoint me with sub-standard DVD releases (the Jerk and The Sting, both full screen and poor digital transfers, Dune in its shortened domestic release, and many more), which brings me to my original point, which is that Criterion, who's special edition DVDs are consistently wonderful, should do all of Universal's DVDs, and put us out of our misery.

Want Brazil (1985) Discount?

This is the re-release of Brazil by Criterion, which stars Robert DeNiro, Jonathan Pryce, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins and many more, and directored by Terry Gilliam.... this is the ulitmate movie that all science fiction buffs must own...

So what is the difference between this release and the previous 3 disc collection???? Well primarily, it's for the new Anamorphic presentation of the film, it will otherwise be the same as the previous release......

For those who already own the previous release, my suggestion is to go for the single discer to replace the older non Anamorphic feature disc, but for those who don't have a copy... what are u waiting for ???? Get this boxset today!!!!This is the very defintion of what eXtras on a dvd collector's set should have..... Criterion accomplished the untinkiable!!!

For the benefit of those who do not have the previous release, this is the breakdown of all the dvd details....

142 minutes, Color,1.78:1 Aspect Ratio, Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0

Anamorphically enhanced, English.

DISC ONE:

All-new, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Terry Gilliam, with a remastered Dolby stereo surround soundtrack--NOW IN ANAMORPHIC!!

Audio commentary by Gilliam

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

PLUS: An essay by Jack Mathews

DISC TWO:

A treasure trove of Brazil-iana:

30-minute on-set documentary What Is Brazil?

Criterion's original exposé The Battle of "Brazil": A Video History, which reassembles players in the battle over the film's U.S. release

Hundreds of storyboards, drawings, and publicity and production stills

Rare raw and behind-the-scenes footage

Exclusive video interviews with the production team

Original theatrical trailer

DISC THREE:

The 94-minute "Love Conquers All" version of Brazil, with all the changes Gilliam refused to make

An audio essay by journalist David Morgan

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Rumor Has It (Blu-ray/DVD Bundle) (2005)

The Graduate is a classic cult film, and since this movie was based on it, I was hoping for the best, but not expecting much. I was never more wrong! Jennifer Aniston was refreshing, but I had dry heaves when she slept with a man her mother and grandmother did especially when she thought at first he could be her father. That is just not entertaining in any situation. Kevin Costner was good in his role, but the ewwww factor was too much. Mark Ruffalo gave probably his best performance to date. The most surprising performance was from Shirley MacLaine, and she was absolutely fabulous. She held her own in every scene. It didn't matter who she shared screen time with, she stole the limelight.

I know that the critical reception to "Rumor Has It" was very chilly, but something about the idea of the film really appealed to me. The concept, the plot conceit, is a genuinely clever notion. Being a fan of "The Graduate," I was interested to see how well they would integrate the "characters" of that film with the "real life" counterpoints in this film. I mean, come on, Shirley MacLaine representing Mrs. Robinson and Kevin Costner as Ben Braddock--seems like a great idea! But, alas, when all is said and done--an amusing and well conceived setup did not equal a satisfying movie experience, for me.

Jennifer Aniston returns to her Pasadena homestead with her new fiance, played by Mark Ruffalo. Plagued with doubts about her engagement, and seemingly disengaged from any real affection for her own family, she hears a rumor that leads her to suspect that the book and film of "The Graduate" were based on her deceased mother's experiences. Confirming that her grandmother (MacLaine) was indeed the "Mrs. Robinson" character, she deduces that her mother had a fling prior to marrying her father. Thus, with the notion that she might be the daughter of this man--she sets off to find the truth. Encountering Costner, as the potential daddy and "Ben Braddock" character, she discovers truths about herself and her family.

All of this plays out very routinely, but the supporting actors are engaging and comfortable. It's always great to see MacLaine, but she offers nothing new or inventive in this performance--it's the standard brassy MacLaine persona we've come to expect. Costner continues to embrace his middle-aged status and has, thus, developed into a far more interesting actor than he used to be. (But for a more nuanced and astute role, check him out in "The Upside of Anger" with the luminous Joan Allen.) And Mark Ruffalo, a great serious actor, continues to play lightly as a romantic leading man. Recently cast with Witherspoon, Garner, and now Aniston in lightweight fluff--I do miss the more challenging roles he used to take on.

But it is Aniston's character, to me, that is a despicable movie creation--one that I've seen all too frequently, but this one is supposed to be endearing. Born into a life of privilege, she has accomplished nothing in her 30+ years and has become a self-involved and unpleasant "Woman-child." She floats through her sister's wedding as if it's all some great inconvenience. She doesn't think twice about mistreating a man who loves her. She never acts on anything that doesn't blatantly promote her own self-interest. I'm just so tired of it--it's not charming. Don't get me wrong--there are plenty of "Man-child" movies too (more so, even) about men who still act as if they were adolescent. But, think about those movies--the "Man-child" is an object of scorn and ridicule, we laugh at him. But "Rumor Has It" doesn't ask you to laugh at Aniston's social ineptitude and selfishness--far from it--we're supposed to embrace it and identify with her as a real person. Well, frankly, I wished everyone in Aniston's life would abandon her because of her behavior so that she'd learn to grow up. But, of course, this is wish fulfillment--and she learns about life while retaining everything of value--there is never any consequence to being a nasty person.

This gender double standard really bothers me, and the fact that I genuinely disliked the central character--obviously, I didn't care for this film. Otherwise it would have been a fairly generic picture, but these two things caused me to feel strongly and negatively. I am giving it an extra star for a good idea, but unfortunately, it didn't pan out for me. KGHarris, 01/07.

Buy Rumor Has It (Blu-ray/DVD Bundle) (2005) Now

The movie, with all of the big name talent behind it Jennifer Anniston et al (and even George Clooney as one of the producers) certainly was a let down. For anyone who is familiar with The Graduate (and who isn't these days), the movie will pique your interest if only because it revisits much of the myth behind the movie and whether or not what took place was based on a true 'rumor' if you will. The movie seemed to bank on too many cliches, especially those we find in the romantic comedy genre and the end, where Mark Ruffalo is waiting for Jennifer outside the elevator after she leaves his apartment in tears is as done and as flat as a climactic scene can get. Go out and rent something else because this movie will surely disappoint you.

Read Best Reviews of Rumor Has It (Blu-ray/DVD Bundle) (2005) Here

Do you really care about another 30-something coming to grips with adulthood? Grow up. What a waste.

Want Rumor Has It (Blu-ray/DVD Bundle) (2005) Discount?

A non-stop flight across country presents at least one big problem for the airlines: keeping the passengers reasonably happy and reasonably inert. Mass sedation is attractive but has other problems, and sometimes it's too early in the day for alcohol. The airlines' solution is to show movies like "Rumor Has It." It's amusing enough, safe enough for a cabin full of people with widely varying sensitivities, and 100% guaranteed not cause excitement of any kind. And it's available without a prescription.

The premise is goofy, in a chick-flick kind of way. Sarah (Aniston), Katharine (Shirley MacLaine, and "don't call me grandma") and the family get together for the wedding of Sarah's neurotic sister. Somehow, Sarah digs into enough of the family girl-gossip to discover that Katharine was the original Mrs. Robinson, the one in the movie "The Graduate." She also comes to think (and hope) that the man who bedded both her grandmother and mother might be her biological father and thus begins the quest.

She of course finds him: Beau Burroughs (Costner). And finds him attractive, as did the two generations of women before her. And beds him, as did her mother and don't-call-me-grandmother. By screwing him, she also screws up her own relationship. After some inept running around, everyone ends up back where they belong, in a forgettably happy ending.

There are a few amusing moments in the banter, including:

-"Does every girl in my family have to go to bed with you?"

-"They don't have to, they just do."

Aniston also delivers a bit of physical comedy that was almost enough to rouse a real laugh out of my torpid mind. (Don't worry, you'll recognize it when it comes.) Mostly, though, it's a two hour movie built around a ten minute joke. The almost-incestuous side of Sarah's affair with Beau creates some amount of tension, defused safely through humor and atoned for by Sarah's eventual contrition.

On the whole, this movie delivers the three Ss that it was selected for: it's safe, silly, and sedative.

--wiredweird

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