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Hava Nagila: The Movie (2013)

This movie previewed at KlezKamp, held annually during Christmas week (when else?)in the Catskills (where else?) One section was filmed a KlezKamp 2011. I laughed til I cried.The work brings up so many memories of Bar Mitzvahs and weddings, and alot of the stars of the '50s and '60's who recorded Hava Nagila, successfully and not so successfully. Why do many Jews, especially those who are musicians, hate and resent this song? Find out!

Laugh out loud funny, uplifting, and informative. I viewed the film at the CCA in Santa Fe, NM. The entire audience was laughing. Smiles and positive comments from all.

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Witless Protection (2008)

After reading the other 4 reviews here, I probably wouldn't have rented this movie. However, I really liked Larry's two previous movies, especially Delta Farce, so I gave this one a quick spin around the block. Besides, any movie that the critics hate, I usually like anyway. I must say that this movie is a little more funny that Delta Farce. It is well-casted and had some great, funny moments. The humor surrounding the FBI agents was pretty good (i.e., an agents whose last name is Orange, so "Agent Orange") and it was great to see Yaphett Kotto after not seeing him in a movie for more than 5 years. Also, seeing Eric Roberts roam around in a jacket with the large letters "PMS" was pretty fair, too. I think you really need to be in a certain mood when taking in a new movie. I started watching this movie thinking it would be terrible, yet came out laughing and wanting to go immediately to the nearest video store to buy it. You just gotta have fun with this one!

larry the cable plays a cop that is clues about how to protect a person in the witness protection program. larry shows his comedy abality in this movie. jennie does not need to be a brounett in this moovie. it is worth sending the money on this movie if you are a fan of larry the cable guy. if you are unsure of if you want to purchase the movie i would rent this movie first. i was usure about this movie and that i went out and rented this movie first and then decided that the movie was funny enough to go out and buy this movie because i a fan of larry's.

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An excellent cast (Larry the cable guy, Yaphett Cotto,

Jen McCarthy, more) seem to be having a great time in

this very non-p.c. movie with some great one-liners.

'This makes as much sense as Michael Jackson at a day-

care centre'. 'This sits heavy. Heavier than Michael

Moore after a 'Vegas buffet.' '...Went down faster than

a bottle of vodka @ Courtney Love's house..' You get the

idea. Snappy, crude and fast-paced. The best is yet to

come from Larry. Trust me, I've done over 900+ reviews!

Read Best Reviews of Witless Protection (2008) Here

All the other reviewers have mentioned parts of the "plot". I am just telling you that this is funny and not particularly malignant. If you are looking for an intellectually stimulating movie, this is definitely not it. If you are looking for a little brainless comedy, this is it. It is one big laugh and although it doesn't always make a lot of sense, I laughed through most of this movie. I strongly reccomend this as a pleasant interlude from the difficulties of life.

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My husband and I have seen several of Larry the Cable Guy's comedy routines and find him funny so when we saw this for sale for $4 (yes, brand new!) at the store we thought we should give it a try. It was a shocker to see Jenny McCarthey with a very small roll but kind of glad since she did a really bad job with her hick accent and all she did was walk around in a mini skirt and cut off shirts. Anyway, the script was really bad. There were some funny moments, but for the most part there were just corny jokes constantly that didn't get a laugh out of my husband or I. Surely this movie will be left in our album to collect dust and never see the light of day again. If you are a huge fan or Larry, you may enjoy it but it has total B movie (and maybe even C) written all over it.

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Juno (Special Edition + Digital Copy) (2007)

Teenage pregnancy is frequently a starting point for myriad philosophical arguments: some see it as a major problem, some see it as an argument for the need of early teaching of contraceptive technique and sex education, some see it as a reason for championing abortion, and some see it as a piece of life that confronts families in both positive and negative ways. JUNO is a beautifully written (Diablo Cody) and directed (Jason Reitman) version of unplanned pregnancy offered by a splendid ensemble cast: it is a movie that could modify the sociologic outlook of many people in a very strong fashion.

Juno (Ellen Page) is sixteen and talks her best friend Bleek (Michael Cera) into having sex: the result is a surprise pregnancy that Juno shares with her girlfriend Leah (Olivia Thirley) and the store clerk Rollo (Rainn Wilson) even before informing Bleek, a likable kid who seems fairly flat about the situation. After discarding abortion as a viable solution, Juno informs her father (JK Simmons) and stepmother (Allison Janney) of her status, and tells them she is going to complete the pregnancy and give the baby to some loving and needy barren couple. Her parents are at first flustered by the news, but quickly become supportive in a way that tells us many things about the durability of successful families. With Leah's help, Juno answers an ad for 'wanted: baby' in PennySaver and visits the Lorings (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) who desperately want a child and embrace Juno's gesture of adoption with eager excitement. The remainder of the film follows Juno as her abdomen increases in girth, finding new respect for her parents and for Bleek, and inadvertently walking in the troubled waters of the Loring's marital discord. Without giving the story away, the ending is so tender and free of cliché that it allows us, the audience, to appreciate all the vigor and sensitivity and humor and warmth of Juno an example of developing maturity that is a fresh breeze compared to the usual teenage movies.

Ellen Page does indeed deliver a pitch perfect performance, but her co-stars are equally fine: Simmons and Janney break away from their usual type cast roles brilliantly, and the other members of the cast (the entire cast) flesh out this well written story with great skill. The mixture of animated graphics and the imaginative musical score enhance the flavor of the tale. JUNO offers an unbiased look at the topic of teenage pregnancy and wins on every level. Grady Harp, April 08

Juno was Little Miss Sunshine of 2007 the little independent film that could. Once the studio realized that it had a successful crowd-pleaser on its hands, the film was promoted from the art-house circuit to the multiplexes. Actress Ellen Page and first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody became the film's breakout stars garnering the lion's share of critical raves and awards with Page getting an Independent Spirit Award and Cody an Academy Award. Now that all of the dust has settled, Juno can be reassessed to see if it really has the staying power and substance to cut through all of the hype and stand-up to the inevitable backlash.

There is an audio commentary by director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody. The first thing that you notice when listening to Cody talking is how well Ellen Page mimicked her way of speaking. Reitman tends to dominate the track and, not surprisingly, talks about filmmaking aspects like the casting of minor roles, the attention to details for the sets, how he shot certain scenes, and so on. This is pretty decent track filled with lots of anecdotal stories and production details.

Also included are 11 deleted scenes with optional commentary by Reitman and Cody. We meet Juno's crazy next-door neighbour. There's also a different introduction to Juno's family. We see Mark and Vanessa's first attempt to adopt. There's also an amusing bit where Juno has a solo gig and sings a song about getting pregnant. These are all good scenes and Reitman explains why there were cut.

There is the obligatory "Gag Reel," a hilarious collection of blown lines and goofs with Bateman making Page break character time and time again.

The "Gag Take" is an odd scene where Rainn Wilson and Reitman get into it with a mock heated argument.

"Cast and Crew Jam" features the cast and crew members rockin' out to a song in this mock music video.

There are "Screen Tests" for Ellen Page and Michael Cera. In the scene they do together you already see them in character and displaying excellent chemistry. There is also a test with Page and Olivia Thirlby and one with Page and J.K. Simmons as well.

"Way Beyond `Our' Maturity Level" takes a look at the characters of Bleeker, Juno and her best friend Leah with interviews with the actors that inhabit them. Diablo Cody talks about how they are based on people in her life.

"Diablo Cody is Totally Boss" is a profile of this novice screenwriter who got her start writing a blog and got noticed by a film producer. Reitman recalls his initial impressions of the script and the cast gush about its "unique voice."

"Jason Reitman for Shizz" takes a look at the director. The producers gush about how he was the right fit for the material. He talks about establishing the right tone and how he shared the same vision for the film as Cody.

"Honest to Blog!: Creating Juno" features Cody and Reitman talking about how the film came together. She credits her stylized dialogue to spending lots of time on the Internet. Cody also talks about how she came up with the idea for the story. They talk about specific scenes and her knack for depicting an unconventional family.

Buy Juno (Special Edition + Digital Copy) (2007) Now

It means the bonus disc includes a digital copy of the film that can be automatically downloaded to a laptop or iPod. Seems obvious after you know it, huh? The second disc also includes some extra bonus features not on the single-disc DVD -four featurettes titled "Way Beyond 'Our' Maturity Level: Juno Leah Bleeker," "Diablo Cody Is Totally Boss," "Jason Reitman For Shizz" and "Honest To Blog! Creating Juno."

Read Best Reviews of Juno (Special Edition + Digital Copy) (2007) Here

Juno a teen who becomes pregnant by her friend and decides to give up the baby for adoption to a lovely couple or does she change her mind. I reccomend all teens to see this, not to get the idea to just go out and have sex to so call (get a baby) but let the teen see what Juno has to go through on her own being pregnant without the baby's father having anything to do with her or the child. It happens all the time in the world we live in. Being puzzled about how it was going to end....Well I wont give the ending away you just need to view it for yourself. This movie is a serious subject, but has humor by Juno. I was happy to have purchased this myself. Ellen Page (Juno) a rising actress. Through friendship and pregnancy, there is a bond of LOVE forever.

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Obviously by now everyone has heard the hype surrounding this movie. Unfortunately, the hype has assisted my lukewarm rating of this movie. A scant three minutes into the movie and one has to wonder how Diablo Cody won an Oscar for writing such fake dialogue.

The lead character, Juno, is in a pharmacy purchasing a pregnancy test. Her interaction with the clerk was the stuff you can only find in a movie. No one talks like they do. The clerk and Juno both spoke like they were from another planet. Unfortunately, we're subjected to little more than this type of dialogue for the first two thirds of the movie. It was as though Diablo Cody watched Quentin Tarantino movies and then decided to try her hand at writing sarcastic, quick-witted banter. She has a very long way to go. One-liners don't make for conversation.

I feel that most of the hype about the writing was due to the fact that it was different. Not that it was really good, but because it is different than typical Hollywood fare. Different doesn't equal good here. Nothing is more ridiculous than when, upon being told by Juno that she is pregnant, her father comments that he didn't think the boy who knocked her up "had it in him". The ho-hum manner that everyone takes to the situation is very unrealistic and distracts from the story. No one seems to take the matter seriously. Not her father, not the boy's family, not the boy, and not Juno herself.

So how did I end up giving this movie three stars rather than one? Well, the story found its way in the last half hour. I found Little Miss Sunshine to be like this as well. Most of the movie was rather dull, but the ending was so good that it made up for the rest. Juno has a similar quality. We finally see resemblence of humanity when Juno finds out the perfect couple she chose to adopt her baby aren't the perfect couple she thought they were. We finally see some realistic interaction between father and daughter. We see a woman who cannot have her own children distressed over the uncertainty of the adoption process. You can feel her uneasiness. After Juno gives birth, her boyfriend visits her in the hospital and there is a real tender scene between them. Alas we see Juno as a vulnerable child having to deal with the weight of having a baby and giving it up. I found the final scene to be rather charming as Juno and her boyfriend sit and play guitars and sing a tune together. It's still unrealistic, but nevertheless it was a nice finish.

There are better movies about intelligent, self-aware, teenage girls who struggle as misfits to find their calling. One that comes to mind that is better written and superbly executed is Ghost World. It stars Thora Birtch, Scarlett Johansson, and Steve Buscemi. The movie isn't for everyone, but if you're interested in a Juno-type movie, Ghost World is far superior. Ghost World

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Someone's Knocking at the Door (2010)

This just isn't fair. There are certain parameters, guidelines, preconceived notions, or understood rules that any sensible polite filmmaker should adhere to. Psycho stud director Chad Ferrin (Easter Bunny Kill! Kill!) goes on a bareback'n mental rampage by violating both eye sockets and pummeling your ear canal with this disgustingly bizarre nightmare of a film, Someone's Knocking at the Door. For all you cute kids that enjoyed Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead, I'd think twice before you come walking in this neighborhood. For all you so-called seasoned gorehounds, go ahead and answer the door but be prepared to mentally grab your ankles.

Follow, if you dare, the drug-induced delirium of a group of med students that cross the line of reality and have their equilibrium shattered into tiny little worthless pieces. They all become targets for a couple of deranged serial rapists/murderers that somehow have returned from the 70's. Time to party, and it's BYOB (Bring Your Own Blood).

WARNING--Being horrificly raped to death is no way to go.

Someone's Knocking at the Door is a grindhouse throwback, a surreal headtrip that sets new standards for cinematic psychosis. It's one brutal, dirty, mind-infesting pathogen transferring sick elements of dark comedy, sex, flesh, blood, gore, super schlong nightmarish profanity insanity deep inside your vulnerable little wacked-out brains. Be careful.

It's funny cause it's true.

When I bought this film there was only two existing reviews, and both of those reviewers had rated it 5 stars and where raving about it. I thought that maybe this might be a modern exploitation gem. A day or so after I had already purchased the feature online I noticed that the 5 star rating that it once had, had suddenly and dramatically dropped sharply. Now there was four reviews about this film, only now these next two reviewers where rating it 1 star and warning people to stay away from it, while calling it a peice of dreck. If only I had waited an extra day or two, then I might of done the smart thing and researched this film a bit further before I committed to buying it. Still, it is pretty funny when you make a mistake of this kind in which there is a lesson to be learned about being too impulsive. Now I found myself stuck waiting for this product to arrive on my doorstep just to see which set of reviewers where going to be right. I guess at the very least, there was still some hope remaining at this point.

Well, I'm very sad to report to you, that all that remaining hope had melted away like a glob of icecream in a hot gutter, once the DVD did arrive, and I put it in the tray and pushed play.

What I will never understand about modern low budget exploitation movie makers is their complete utter lack of common sense. It just seems so obvious to me that if you want to make an exploitation film that actually works, and you don't have much of a budget or a professional production team backing you up, then you need to keep the story as concise and simple as possible. Some zany screw ball idea about some duel sexed wacky door to door demon with a huge wee wee that rapes MEN in the rear end over a pop song sound track, is only good for pointing your finger at and teasing. Worse still, is the waiting in between these corny assaults. It is then that you are stuck listening to the banter of a pack of unlikable next victim idiots who can't act, and are reading the dialogue of a person who can't write. This film doesn't fallow a blue print for success, it only fallows a blue print to expose every single weakness of its amateur production team.

Shades of Evil Dead and The Shining. No shades of glory.

Basically you have these young med students who horse play with a bad drug and this evil arcane taped hypnosis session that one of them had found in some corner of the med school warehouse. This taped session is like the translation tapes in Evil Dead that invoke demons when you play it. In this case, a mad doctor seemed to have accidentally conjured up Satan and got two of his patients, ( a man and a women ) possessed in the process. At least I think they where patients of his, they sure looked crazy, but it's hard to tell. My mind body and soul where already checked out of this stink bomb by this point. So now, after this arcane taped session gets played, this door to door silly Satan shows up as a naked chick and starts to make out with one of the unlikable male next victim idiots who can't act, and then like the pretty naked woman in room 239 of The Shining who before your eyes, turns into an old fossil covered in pizza cheese, our silly Satan turns into the male mental patient from the said arcane evil tape session, only now he is sporting a giant rubber willy. So, as the silly Satan attacks and chases people down freshly mopped hallways, the director plays one of his personal favorite pop songs as the back ground soundtrack rather then something that would of been actually menacing to back up the action. That's it in a nut shell, that's the high jinks you will be getting if you buy this DVD. A man raping another man like it is some prison shower scene. It's like falling asleep and waking up a moment later only to find yourself in the pokey.

The question is, now that I own this DVD, what do I use if for. I sure as heck won't be watching it again. I suppose if I find a short leg on a piece of furnature in my house, I can use this DVD to prop it up and even it out. Then again, this DVD is so absolutely wretched that maybe I should just break out the saw and get it over with by shorting a leg on something myself. I can always do what I did with the Sick Girl DVD that I wanted to get rid of last year, and stuff it into one of my coworkers stockings at Christmas time. The problem with that idea is, is that I don't know anyone who's been naughty enough all year round to deserve having to sit through this monstrosity. Maybe I will take the title of this DVD to heart, and turn it into a ninja star just in case someone creepy ends up knocking on my door. All I can tell you is that if you want to see a low budget oddity that is actually a good watch, then get a copy of Evil Aliens. And if you want to get a modern grizzly low budget exploitation shocker that doesn't mess around and delivers the goods, then find yourself the South American gem I'll Never Die Alone. If you do anything else in life, stay clear of this loser, it's not worth the price of the disc that it's printed on.

This has been a Krakatoa 1883 public service announcement.

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I gave this one 2/5 because it does have some original ideas, otherwise I would have given it lower. The movie has a great idea going...it's just not implemented well...or should I say, in a horror fashion. I know a lot of people in reviews like to say "the ideas weren't implemented well" but that's really the only thing I could think. Bulbous, protruding phallus members belonging to homicidal maniacs? Bring it on, I said. Unfortunately, this one has the vulgarity and nudity typical to most of my favorite horror movies, but not enough gore and too many alterations to make the reader try to feel the effects of whatever drugs these kids were on. So, while the film didn't "bring it on," per se, it'll definitely be one I'll be thinking about in the near future...so I'll know what to avoid.

Read Best Reviews of Someone's Knocking at the Door (2010) Here

Its funny just beacuase a director puts out a film that everyone in the genre loves (Easter bunny kill kill) then they think all of a sudden the guys a genius and everything he does is gold, I thought easter bunny was ok but it wasnt great, and it sickens me that directors like this get so much praise, i mean this movies about a mutated penis creature that haunts dreams it has no class, you may like this movie if you like penis..? but as a horror fan raised on Vincent price ect id appreciate that if someone is to be praised i dont have to see monster peninses in their films..This is John waters class.

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This falls into the "rubber reality" category which I tend to like. "The Machinist", "The Jacket" and "Stay" are amongst my favorite movies, but this outing is terrible. It is one of the ugliest, most stupid, most mean spirited movies I've ever seen. Had it clocked in at one second more than its 78 minute running time I might have ended up sticking knitting needles through my eyes.

The story revolves around a close knit group of college students. All but one takes a particular drug used in some infamous psychology experiment that went south. Weird things happen and people start dieing.

This is gruesome and depraved. These are some of the most unlikeable people I've ever seen in film. Why would anyone want to watch a movie where only one character is even mildly likable. They are almost all terrible actors as well. The one actor playing Sebastian is the best of the bunch but he's such a disgusting individual I didn't care. And then there's Vernon Wells. He was one of the chief bad guys in "Road Warrior". Now, when he's your "draw" name in a movie, and you can only afford him for two scenes, you know you're in deep kimchi.

Unless you're an extreme masochist I wouldn't bother with this one.

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50 First Dates / Click (2010)

Love 50 First Dates. one of my favorite movies! Click is another great one. Funny!! As always, the music is great.

My hubby loves Adam Sandler movies, so I added these to his Valentine's Day gift basket. I'm sure we'll see them over and over and over again!

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the movies were a gift and they seem to be happy with the quality and choice of selection. Thank you

Read Best Reviews of 50 First Dates / Click (2010) Here

Eating Out: The Open Weekend (2011)

The raunchy fun of gay culture and male eye candy is back in the fifth installment of the "Eating Out" series, "The Open Weekend". And in its eighty-minute run, it is better than its predecessor, "Drama Camp".

This time around there are a drove of beautiful, washboard hard bodies (the reason many--if not all--of us tune in to ogle) and cheesy one-liners. However, there are a few minor faults: (1), the absence of Garikayl Mutambirwa's character, Jason. His handsome face and droll, deadpan delivery are genuinely missed in this outing. (2), Aunt Helen (Mink Stole), in her albeit small scene (the fault) manages to sneak in a few uncomfortable giggles (good times). And (3), the fact that Rebekah Kochan's "Tiffani" returns with a cameo appearance--shovel in hand--is not enough airtime for our favorite "fag hag."

But Penny, played by the always-funny Lilach Mutambirwa, is another reason why the movie works. She brings a quirky, laugh-out-loud comedy to her role--and it is fun to watch as she and Lilly fight over the only possible straight man at the resort, Luis (Alvaro Orlando). But later, when the girls discover why Luis only flirts with the opposite sex and does not jump into bed with them on spot, everyone, including the audience, gets a good belly laugh. His secret is, to put it mildly, science fiction peculiarity.

But amid the brainless humor, male frontal nudity, and continual trysts, there is an underlining message buried beneath all of that superficiality: in the end, love and monogamy trumps one-night stands and promiscuity.

The Open Weekend talks of marriage and commitment--and the movie, thank goodness, ends on a high note for hopefuls Casey (Daniel Skelton) and Zack (Chris Salvatore).

The newest Eating Out is an entertaining, breezy, racy trip--and definitely worth a look.

T.B. Grant

3/20/12

The Eating Out series has balanced humor and pop culture reference with some serious challenges to sexual norms. The first movie spun the traditional experience of being in the closet, the second lampooned the ex-gay movement, and the third attacked online dating culture. The fourth movie lost so much by scattering into a less-amusing collection of silly vignettes about sex comedy, so I was worried that this movie would continue a trend. Instead, I was surprised by a campy exploration of gay monogamy and the relation to the marriage movement. I laughed a few times, but I also thought about my own relationship history and the challenges to gay marriage in popular conservative thought. One warning: the sex scenes are scorching even when played for humor, so watch this movie alone, boys! But do watch this movie.

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I usualy rate movies on plot, charicterization, setting, ect. Well, forget all that!

This is gay soft core porn that delivers over a dozen hot hunks for your inspection, and keeps the hot factor high enoughf throughout this film that the above mentioned factors realy matter less, although they are there.

This is one of the most fun guilty pleasures I've seen in a long time!

Pull donw the window shades and enjoy!

Read Best Reviews of Eating Out: The Open Weekend (2011) Here

Not up to the standard of the series.

I wish I would of rented before I bought! The acting was oKay but the story line lacked substance and not as funny as previous movies.

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Not nearly as funny as two or three. Rebekah Kochan is the best part of the series and she is in this one for ten seconds.

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Easy A (2010)

It's easy to like a character, but it isn't often you come across one that you would want to actually be friends with, or maybe even wish you could be like. For me, such a character is Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), a high-school student from Ojai, California. True, she may only be a fictional character, but she's also the embodiment of personality smart, witty, and affable, yet not so perfect or above it all that she fails to be human. Despite these magnetic qualities, she isn't noticed much by her peers, and she's all but upstaged by her best friend (Aly Michalka), who makes it a point to believe only what she wants to believe instead of actually listening to the truth. Things drastically change for Olive when she gains an infamous reputation as the school floozy, something she didn't start but certainly chose to perpetuate.

Her story is told in "Easy A," which is not only one of the funniest teen comedies of recent memory, but is also one of the most intelligent. Rather than go for obvious lowbrow sex and booze toilet humor, director Will Gluck and writer Bert V. Royal show the temerity to engage the audience with clever dialogue, strong characters, and a plot we can actually care about. It doesn't play down to the audience. If we laugh, it's not because of a vulgar throwaway gag but because of genuinely funny scenarios, many of which are relatable to varying degrees. Perhaps the film is founded on an extraordinary premise, but in my mind, it's a perfectly plausible premise, and the fact that the filmmakers could keep the story grounded while making it entertaining is quite an amazing achievement.

Olive's infamy begins when she lies about having lost her virginity over the weekend to a college student she made up. The lie is overheard by Marianne (Amanda Bynes), a judgmental and pious Little Miss Christian, who proceeds to tell everyone she knows about Olive's indiscretion. Rumors quickly spread. Other students begin to take notice of her, and although she never asked for her newfound reputation, she finds she's appreciating the attention. She's then approached by her gay friend, Brandon (Dan Byrd), who's so tired of being harassed by homophobic bullies that he begs her to pretend to have sex with him. Knowing that no one would believe her if she simply told people about it, Olive drags Brandon to a classmate's party, where they lock themselves in a bedroom and make all the necessary noises. Everyone is fooled.

This includes Marianne and her circle of Christian friends, one of whom boldly suggests that Olive follow the lead of Hester Prynne in "The Scarlett Letter" and mark herself. Not content with doing things half-heartedly, Olive arrives at school the next day wearing a bustier with a red A affixed to the right breast. In due time, she's approached by other boys who want Olive to do for them what she did for Brandon; she agrees to help them all, although she's well aware that the situation is getting out of hand. It's bad enough that they're using her to inflate their egos. Why must they also compensate her with gift certificates and coupons to affordable stores like The Home Depot and Bed Bath and Beyond?

The ads have prepared us to view Olive as a cliché a wisecracking teen who never shows her emotions and flaunts her superior intellect in the form of biting sarcasm and dry wit. But we end up seeing nothing of the sort. Olive is a young woman of considerable depth, jokey on the outside but within harboring needs, hopes, and deep insecurities. They emerge during scenes with the school mascot, Woodchuck Todd (Penn Badgley), the one guy who has known Olive most of her life and sees the person behind the reputation. Through him, she comes to believe that regaining her self-respect depends on tracking down each of the boys she helped and coercing them into telling the truth. This proves far more difficult than she expected. It's just as well; the root of "self-respect" is "self," which is to say no one other than her can turn the situation around.

Other characters, such as Olive's loveably liberal parents (Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci) and her perpetually flustered school principal (Malcolm McDowell), add color to the story, even if they are a bit less three-dimensional and serve mostly as comedy relief. The English teacher, Mr. Griffith (Thomas Hayden Church), is not only as witty and charming as Olive but is also remarkably perceptive; the same cannot be said about Mr. Griffith's estranged wife (Lisa Kudrow), which is ironic since she's the school's guidance counselor. I don't want to reveal too much about this couple. Let it suffice to say that Olive's actions have consequences that extend beyond the limits of the student body.

The film is told as a retrospective, Olive opening the film with a webcam confessional that continuously weaves in and out of the story proper. This is far from an original narrative technique, but Stone's performance and Royal's dialogue elevates it to new heights. Right at the start, we're drawn to this character, and we want to stay near her even after the story has come to an end. Not too many roles have this kind of power. Not too many teen comedies are this well written. "Easy A" is a sweet, sassy, ingenious little movie, one that I hope will not be forgotten ten years from now.

Easy A is the story of Olive, a nobody in high school whose life suddenly goes from silent to scandalous thanks to a cycle of rumours. As her reputation goes from non-existent to total trollop, Olive begins to dress the part, wearing sexy outfits with a crimson "A" embroidered on them (yes, this is Scarlet Letter-status, only without Demi Moore's fake British accent). As she lies to help boost other people's confidence, she starts to learn that just because you're well-known, doesn't mean people like you.

Overall, the story is light and quirky, with enough John Hughes references to satisfy even the biggest Brat Pack lovers. The jokes are fresh, and the cast is excellent, keeping this fairly well-paced film entertaining from start to finish. The cast has excellent chemistry, and the characters all seem to be believable. This is even a film you can watch more than once, and it still hold the same charm and humour.

If you're looking for a fun comedy full of great performances and an ever-so-slightly nostalgic feel, Easy A belongs on your DVD shelf.

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Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010)

I usually see movies alone, but every once in a while we do the family-movie thing, which generally limits my choices. It usually takes forever to decide on something when we do this, but sometimes it all ends up working out well. This was one of those times. I had some ideas about Easy A going into it that were as wrong as could be; I saw the name (I'd never seen trailers for it) and assumed it was one of those "your classmate dies and everyone gets a good grade" kinds of things. No, and thank heaven for that. It is something much different, and a good deal better than any of those (with the arguable exception of The Curve).

Olive Penderghast (Zombieland's Emma Stone) is your typical invisible high schooler, noticed only by her best friend Rhiannon (Phil of the Future's Alyson Michalka). Things change when Olive, spinning a very tall tale for Rhiannon in the bathroom as an excuse to get out of a camping trip, is overheard by Marianne (Hairspray's Amanda Bynes), the head of the ultra-Christian contingent of the student body, who starts the rumor mill flying. Olive decides to adopt the "if you can't beat 'em" attitude and dressing the part (without ever actually doing anything actually, you know, salacious). All is well and good until she confesses the lie to Brandon (Cougar Town's Dan Byrd), the school's only gay teen, who hatches a plan; since Olive is not only straight, but now seen as a tramp, telling people he's been with her could give his image a makeover, too. She agrees to help, but the consequences are much father-reaching than she could ever have anticipated.

The synopsis doesn't get you anywhere close to the great cast this movie supports. Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson play Olive's parents (Dill and Rosemary, no less), and are the best part about the movie every time they're on the screen. Thomas Haden Church and Lisa Kudrow play a husband-and-wife English teacher and guidance counselor at Olive's high school. Cam Gigandet takes a break from doing below-average horror flicks to take a turn as Marianne's boyfriend, a 22-year-old who's repeating senior year for the fourth time. This is good stuff indeed from a casting perspective, but how's the script? It's hard to believe this is Bert Royal's first feature; this is as sharp and as witty as the John Hughes movies Olive idolizes. (The Quizno's guy, and nice product placement there by the by, is as funny as the ball-waxer in Gutterballs, and that's saying something for a guy who has two lines; for the record it's Rawson Thurber, director of The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.)

Sure, the movie has its problems. It's a teen comedy John Hughes-style, of course it has its problems. There are a number of times when the script could have gone in very interesting directions and instead chose to go the conventional route (especially where Marianne is concerned; she could have been an interesting character, but instead remains a one-dimensional object of audience ridicule), for example. And when did the clause in Patricia Clarkson's contract that required a nude scene in every movie run out? Someone's got to get that renewed. But for all that, it's smart, it's funny, and you should give it a look. *** ½

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Emma Stone rocks! There are not very many young actresses out there that have such a great style in comedy. Anybody who says that the acting is bad is stuck in the past. There are great teen movies from the 90's but come on its a new era people! Take a look around at the high schools around you! Yes those kids are the future!

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I could not have liked this movie more. Great writing, acting, directing, casting. Funny script, well told story. Jeez, I could go on and on. Just buy this movie, you will be very happy you did :)

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Coen Brothers Collection (Blood Simple/Fargo/Miller's Crossing/Raising Arizona) (2011)

Four great Coen Brothers early works from Fox, and a couple licensed from MGM. Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and Miller's Crossing are all instant classic films from the Coen catalog, and Fargo is an Oscar favorite bundled with this set and previously available. The die-hard Coen fans probably already own Fargo, making its inclusion here a little annoying for them, but it's still a better value (at current prices) than buying the others as individual discs. For those who have been waiting to get Fargo, or want a headfirst introduction to some of America's coolest filmmakers, this is a great bargain and a fantastic set; for the rest of us who are already Coen converts, buy the set, enjoy it, resell or give your extra Fargo to a friend, and try not to stew too badly thinking about Barton Fink, which yes, would have been better suited for this set.

Fox has given us individual cases for each movie, which I like a lot better than the cheap cardboard packaging of other sets. The discs themselves look and sound great. Most knowledgeable Blu-ray buyers know that there's a sliding scale, the age of the film and the cost invested in the release will determine how good it will look, and those films that have suffered from poor storage or mishandling are special challenges. I think, on the sliding scale, the Coen Brothers films included here look fantastic. These are mostly independently made films, in the range of twenty to twenty-six years old (excluding Fargo), none of them using Hollywood blockbuster money. I think Fox has done a bang-up job on their MGM license releases, and the Coen Brothers set continues that streak. The colors are as vibrant as each film's color palette allows, and a welcome amount of detail is brought out on Blu-ray. For artistic and intelligent films, the Coen Brothers employ a lot of kinetic camerawork and striking visuals, more in line with big-money Hollywood films, and these releases showcase that better than the DVDs I've seen. Occasional softness or a little grain notwithstanding, these are very well-done Blu-ray, and I think easily the best these film have looked since they first hit theaters.

The sound is very solid, though I have to admit my system isn't the best way to test that. No noticeable flaws to me. English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Digital Surround on Arizona and Miller's, Blood Simple is English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and French 5.1 DTS on Arizona and Miller's, no other language tracks on Blood Simple. Fargo is the same as before, English 5.1 DTS Master Audio and Dolby Digital Surround, Spanish, French, German, and Italian 5.1 DTS, Portugese and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. All are 50GB dual layer discs, ACV @ 39 MBPS (Blood Simple), 31 MBPS (Raising Arizona and Fargo), and 30 MBPS (Miller's Crossing).

Special features are a little thin, but we would be complaining about the wait if Fox put off these releases until the Coen Brothers wanted to contribute more in-depth features and commentary. Raising Arizona essentially gets nothing (trailers and TV spots, and if ever a film was overdue praise, it's this one. A loaded special edition may be planned for some time (25th anniversary is next year), but for anyone who wants the film looking its best (or pretty damn good), this edition is commendable. Blu-ray buyers know the bread and butter of most studios are new releases, not catalog titles, so this is nothing we haven't seen before, and better than a lot of them.

Menus and playback features are pretty stylish. Studios seldom get credit for that, but the extra work is appreciated.

It would have been downright heroic to get Barton Fink with these other early Coen Brothers favorites for the same price, but Fox probably makes a better profit including a previously-released film which has already been paid for, and they've been pretty generous to make the other three titles individually available, if you only want one or two. Not a bad compromise. These are excellent films, fantastic stories and great acting, incredible directing and original ideas, must-owns for me, and if they haven't been given Lord of the Rings-level attention, they've at least been treated pretty respectfully. I'll wait for Barton Fink to get its own release, and get my Coen Brothers fix in the meantime with the four that are included.

I got this at Best Buy on sale for $19.99. Not sure if it is worth more unless you do not own a previous DVD version of any of these movies. Fargo is missing an extra feature found on the Special Edition DVD version -the Charlie Rose Interview with the Coen Brothers and Frances McDormand. This makes no sense why it was not included.

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This is a great collection for a great price; there isn't a bad Coen Brothers movie and they run from great to pretty good (the worst being Intolerable Cruelty which is not part of this collection). This includes three early films and the Oscar winning Fargo. Virtually all Coen films are tales of morality and what happens when one crosses the line into immorality; their first, Blood Simple, is included here and is their first foray into film noir. Their second, the offbeat comedy Raising Arizona, is one of my favorites and is their first foray into allegorical story telling. Their third film, Miller's Crossing, is another film noir offering with a character who manipulates, and is often manipulated by, other gangsters as he operates under a code of morality known only to him. FInally, Fargo is another film noir that examines the "domino principle" and what happens when one crosses the morality line, tapping the first domino that causes them all to fall while spinning wildly out of control. It's also one of two films in history that I can recall that successfully mingles comedic elements with stark violence. The Coens contrast the quirkiness of midwesterners with the stark harshness of violent crimes. By the way, the other film that does this successfully? A Clockwork Orange. The interesting thing for me is when I think back on A Clockwork Orange I remember it as very violent and when I watch it I realize how funny it also is. When I think back on Fargo I remember the comedy and then when watching I realize how serious and violent it is.

Regarding the transfers, Blood Simple and Miller's Crossing are fair, Raising Arizona and Fargo are very good. Still, to get these four movies you can't beat the price.

Read Best Reviews of Coen Brothers Collection (Blood Simple/Fargo/Miller's Crossing/Raising Arizona) (2011) Here

It is likely that the people complaining about this set are the type to walk through life looking for things about which to complain. "Didn't have this extra" or "transfer was bad" or "was fullscreen and not widescreen..." that one made me laugh as I would bet money that person has a blu ray player that he/she/it has yet to set up properly.

The transfers are great, the sound is great, the price is fantastic, the movies are excellent and they ARE, beyond any shadow of doubt, widescreen. One or more aren't your favorite? Buy them separately. Simple. Have a problem with how long it took to get your item or what kind of shape it was in when it arrived? Take it up with the seller or with Amazon and leave it out of the product review. No one cares.

In other words, buy this. You can't go wrong with such great movies at such and unbeatable price. Mr. Split Infinitive wants to complain about 4 blu rays for around $5.00 each? THAT is disappointing, highly.

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Gotta admit, the title of the box set is kinda dumb "From the minds of ...". But it's a good decision to put these four movies together. All are crime-gone-wrong movies (what the Coens are best at), although some may argue that Raising Arizona is out of place here as it's the only full-on comedy. Since Blood Simple is an early Coens film, can't expect much from the Blu-ray transfer. The rest are quite good transfers to high-def, although not top-notch reference-disc material. Raising Arizona's colours are especially vivid, since its palette fits the slapstick cartoonish action. Miller's Crossing has a stately picture quality and the classy cinematography is very much aided by the high-def, where colours are correct and shadows are strong. The obvious lack here are extras. But I believe there are not many extras on the individual releases either, so what's there to complain really.

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