Tommy Boy (1995)

How can I give this movie 5 stars? While on the surface this is not a film for the ages, it is perhaps one of the funniest films I have ever seen. Chris Farley is at the top of his game which includes the usual pratfalls and physical comedy. One of the strong points includes the character of "Tommy Boy". An odd blend of self loathing ("I have what Dr.'s call a bit of a weight problem..I once ate a whole bear claw and got it stuck right here..), combined with a charming sense of confidence in himself. The scenes where Chris Farley and David Spade are trying to sell brake pads to customers are absolutely hysterical. I have played the scenes for sales personnel as great examples of how "not to sell". The movie is so full of classic one-liners, that it gets funnier every time I watch it. I recommend the movie, not as an artistic masterpiece by any means, but a funny and touching story. If you do not laugh out loud, you are taking life way too seriously!

I just love this movie! It is smart, funny, and it even has heart. Chris Farley was a comic genius, he could make you laugh without even trying. And, he and David Spade made a great team, the funniest comic team since Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. It's just too bad they only made two movies together (three if you count "Coneheads", but they weren't really together in that movie, just both in it, and that movie wasn't so great anyway), I would have liked to have seen more. The basic story of this movie is that Farley plays Tommy Calahan, a burnout college student whose father (Brian Dennehy) owns a brake pad company. When his father dies, Tommy must take over and try to keep the company afloat with the help of his dad's assistant (Spade), and keep his evil stepmom and her "son" (played by Bo Derek and Rob Lowe) from usurping the inheritance. Through this somewhat cliched storyline, we get tons of laughs, and more than a couple of dramatic moments, proving it's not just some silly little film. If you love to laugh, you can't get go wrong here. I also recommend Farley and Spade's second movie, "Black Sheep". It's not quite as good as this one, but still very funny. It's really a shame that personal and health problems took this man's life, there is definitely a huge void in the world of comedy without him (that was not intended to be a fat joke, I mean that seriously). Please see this movie, it is very good.

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I did not expect much out of this movie. That could be the reason I love it so much. Farley and Spade were terrific together. One of the few times an SNL cast worked well on the big screen. I had to get the DVD now that I have worn out my tape. I also appreciate that this movie does not have to be crude, vulgar or violent to be entertaining. Goes to show what can be done when they take the time to write a decent script. As with any movie, I recommend renting the movie first.

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Chris Farley and David Spade's first movie together is a treasure. Tommy (Farley) is a slow, dim-wit with a big heart and Richard (Spade) is an annoying, conceded little punk who harrasses Tommy. The chemistry that they share is great and they make this movie memorable. Callahan Auto sells brake pads and ensures the safety of all of their clients. When Tommy's father dies, it's up to Tommy and Richard to sell enough to stay in business. However, Tommy's mother-in-law wants all of the Callahan wealth and only pretends to be a loving person. What a witch! Meanwhile, the boys go on a road trip and sing songs. Oh, happy days! They hit a deer which is still alive, Tommy ruins some model toys, he gets hit in the face countless times and Tommy eventually saves the company. Dan Aykroyd plays his number one competitor and they have a mutual agreement. This movie will have you laughing and crying. To avoid getting a ticket say, "Oh my God, killer bees!"

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Amongst the classics of 90's comedy arrive Wayne's World, P.C.U., Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore...and of course, Tommy Boy. Where would the world of comedy be, without this movie? Well, it'd be a notch down as far as range goes, but other than that, it'd just be missing a great film.

Coming home, fresh, actually well done, from college, Tommy Callahan arrives to his hometown to find everything...the same. His father owns the big ol' auto business and everyone's great, until his father dies. With the town leaping on Tommy's back for safety of their jobs, he must take it to the streets and save the business and become the salesman he was meant to be. This would be a great drama film, but it's a Farley comedy, so expect one wild ride.

The film takes a dive into some of the greatest and most memorable scenarios. From Tommy slamming into doors, burning models, and ruinings cars to the memorable lines and bickering between he and fellow co-star, David Spade. The film also has a fine supporting cast, from Dan Ackroyd, Brian Dennehy, and even Rob Lowe as the antagonist.

I could sit here and point out my favorite scenes, but what good does that do. Anyone knows any impersonation or recreation cannot even equal the amount of good fortune one will have when watching the film, for the first time. All I can say is, this is a fine film. This is comedy when it was still important to introduce bold characters, great storyline, and even some drama to tie in emotional aspects. If it were up to me, this film would be sitting on AFI's shelves. But, it's not...so take my word.

You can get a good look at a bull's---

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Funny People (Two-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition) (2009)

This film was really a drama, so, if you go in with the mindset that you are watching a drama, this film will blow you away.

However, if you go into this film thinking it will be like 40-yr old Virgin or Hangover, then you will be disappointed (which is where all the low rated reviews come from).

This film does a great job of showing us the life of a Comedian/Actor who is dying from an illness.

The film has a whole lot of levels going on which is over the head of most of the people who rated the film low.

It is a comedic form of the movie Inception. You have actors playing comedians who have dual lives where they alternate from being "on" and "off"....

The problem is most people have a misconception of how comedians live their real lives.

Anyways, great movie. Go in with the mindset that you are watching a drama and this movie will blow you away.

enjoy

amnightus

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)The psyche of the stand-up comedian is the subject of Judd Apatow's third and most ambitious directorial effort, but the elliptical, rather skewed characters that inhabit this serious-minded 2009 comedy obscure the personal revelations that he ironically attempts to mine. In certain ways, it's a dramatically audacious film, yet in others, Apatow comes back to the comfortably off-kilter humor of his previous ensemble efforts, The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Sometimes the balance feels very off here, primarily because the protagonist is so hard to read from the outside. It was inevitable that the director cast his former roommate Adam Sandler as George Simmons, a comic who has become a major movie star based on the type of juvenilia he constantly ridicules. Sandler accurately captures both the demented comedy mind and the innate cruelty that keeps everyone at arm's length. It's a tricky part that has quite a few autobiographical elements for both director and star, but he plays it with melancholic deftness.

The meandering plot begins with George receiving bad news. He finds out he's dying of a rare blood disease and recognizes a need to reassess his priorities. George spots a struggling young comic, Ira Wright, at a local comedy club and hires him to write material and become his gopher. They bond quickly, and Ira becomes George's confidant, the only one who knows of his fatal diagnosis. Ira also has two roommates, another stand-up comic and an actor who has already caught his break starring as a teacher in a high school-set sitcom. Both become envious of Ira's budding relationship with George. Meanwhile, an old flame reenters George's life, Laura, a former actress who has turned into a suburbanite married to an Aussie exporter and raising two daughters in Marin County. Sparks are rekindled, and relationships start to get messy all around. As both writer and director, Apatow handles the situations dexterously but excessively. The film runs on far too long at a marathon 153 minutes and then simply trails off.

Newly trimmed down, Apatow protégé Seth Rogen plays his familiar dweebish persona as Ira, although he brings more depth to his submissive character with each humiliating act. Leslie Mann, Apatow's wife, has been promoted to leading lady this time as Laura, and she excels with her endearingly brittle style. In another justified act of nepotism, the director recruited their children to play the two precocious daughters. Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman play the roommates with their usual deadpan aplomb. The film's biggest surprise is the usually dour Eric Bana (Munich) lightening up quite a bit as Laura's suspicious husband. Cameos from well-known comics (Ray Romano, Andy Dick, Paul Reiser, Sarah Silverman, etc.) and even comic turns from the likes of Eminem and James Taylor are sprinkled throughout to give the film an air of Hollywood-style realism. The esteemed cinematographer Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List) provides the film a bright, sharp look throughout.

The two-disc 2009 DVD set smacks of overkill, but there are highlights to consider, chief among them the amusing commentary from Apatow, Sandler, and Rogen, in which they hilariously separate fact from fiction. The first disc also contains a four-minute gag reel. Disc Two contains 21 minutes of deleted scenes; six extended and alternate scenes; another gag reel; and a line-o-rama, a standard extra on Apatow's DVDs where the actors riff on the same lines for maximum comic effect. A lengthy, one-hour-plus video diary from the director is the centerpiece of Disc Two. Other featurettes center on Aziz Ansari's obnoxious stand-up comic; archival footage of Sandler and a thirteen-year-old Rogen; and a faux-documentary on George Simmons' film career. There are also music clips from Taylor, as well as Sandler performing with musician Jon Brion.

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Judd Apatow's Funny People is going to divide audiences (it certainly has divided critics). Those going in expecting a comedy along the lines of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up or any other of the films in the Apatow-verse will enjoy it but not love it. But that reaction may be more a product of the misdirection in the marketing of the film than anything else. Funny People is going for something more emotionally complex, and it succeeds on that count.

Without dwelling on plot, the film focuses, by and large, on the professional and personal lives of a group of comics and comic actors at various rungs of the show business ladder, from Adam Sandler's George Simmons, a hugely successful film comedy star who came out of the stand-up comedy world, to Seth Rogan's Ira Wright, a novice comic who is drawn into George's world, to Ira's friends, who are his roommates, who are his competitors.

The common thread running through these characters is anger and aggression, both explicit and sublimated. They steal jokes, jobs and women from each other (listed here in order of importance to the comics). The relationship between the performers and their audiences is similarly complicated (it's become a cliched observation that comics talk about "killing" the crowd).

Interestingly, although all the comedians share this anger and aggression, it's only those who ride those dark emotions into similarly dark comedy that have preserved their spark. The farther the comics stray from their anger, the worse their comedy as evidenced by Sandler's character, who churns out family-friendly claptrap and co-star Jason Schwartzman's Yo, Teach!, a self-important sitcom (both brilliantly captured in clips woven into Funny People).

In Funny People, comedy is the universal language by which these emotionally-constricted characters communicate. There are awkward hugs and half-hearted attempts at compassion, but the most tender moment, coming late in the film, involves one character expressing love by writing jokes for another.

All this aside, I don't want to lose sight of the fact that this is a funny, entertaining, emotionally-involving film. But that said, in an odd way, Funny People echoes Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull. Both films are about angry and aggressive people who channel those drives in socially acceptable ways. (Even more oddly, Billy Crystal's horrific and mawkish Mr. Saturday Night attempted more overtly to be the Raging Bull of comedy, and the less said about that effort the better.)

It wasn't until the ride home from the movie that it occurred to me that the "funny" in the title Funny People could have two meanings; there's funny ha-ha, and funny-odd. Here, the people are intentionally, compellingly both.

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The movie Funny People has baffled many of Sandler and Apatow's fans because it's very different from each man's respective work. But that doesn't mean that the film is weaker by any means. Yes, the film is flawed, it's too long, and draggy in parts. The last 45 to 60 minutes seem disjointed, compared to the first half of the film that focuses on Sandler's relationship with Ira, Seth Rogen's character.

But it's also a very clever blend of comedy and drama, which is very difficult to put together in most contemporary films. I really believe this is Sandler's best role, a mature man filled with loneliness and regret. It's an honest examination of how far a man will go to correct all of the mistakes he's made in his life.

Sandler is the star of the show, and anyone expecting the caricature that Dennis Dugan has created of Sandler should walk away. Sandler isn't doing Billy Madison, or Little Nicky here. This is Sandler playing a comedian with more depth.

The relationship between Sandler and Rogen is explored really well. Of course, I would rather see Apatow focus the whole movie on their relationship, rather than his relationship with Leslie Mann, but at least you can't fault Apatow for his ambitious vision.

The film bites off more than it can chew, but I really do believe it's one of the best comedies of the decade, and the highlight of Sandler's career.

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... and perhaps that's what made it unpalatable to many of his fans. Characters are extremely well-developed (AND portrayed), there is more heart underneath the expected "potty humor..." if Mr. Apatow continues to grow as a writer, I'll continue to watch his movies.

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The Hollywood Knights (1980)

I've been waiting ever since the early 80's for this movie to come out for sale; it'll NEVER be mistaken as enlightened moviemaking but if you like low comedy you'll be rolling on the floor with this one. Inspired by the earlier "American Graffiti", this adaptation is played much more for laughs and tries not to take itself too seriously. The music is great, something for everyone who enjoys 60's Rock & Roll; and the cast includes several who went on to at least semi-stardom, such as Robert Wuhl (Arli$$), Tony Danza (Who's the Boss?), Fran Dreischer (The Nanny) and of course, Michelle Pfeiffer. Like "American Graffiti", there's also a serious side: one of the Knights is about to ship out for Vietnam the next day, the movie's way of saying that this was an age of innocence that was just about to change into what the Late 60's became. However, the main plot is that it's Halloween night, the drive-in's closing for good the next day, and tonight's the night to go all-out with cruising, playing pranks, and getting initiated into the gang! A HILARIOUS movie!

The real star of this movie is Robert Wuhl, whose Newbomb Turk character steals the show. This is the kind of movie that had an inexplicably short life in the first run theatres before trickling down to the local "buck-a-seat" houses. That was where I first saw Hollywood Knights, on a night when I was so bored that I took a chance on a no-name comedy and parted with my hard earned dollar. I've rarely recieved so much bang for my buck since. If you like this one, give it's fellow classics Spring Break and Porky's a chance also.

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"There is a man in a Major Domo outfit..." If you have seen this movie, you can easily finish this sentence. This classic mix of "low-brow" humor and early 60's ambiance is great fun. Look for Leigh French (formerly the Hippy hostess Goldie in the old Smother's Brothers Comedy Hour) as the society do-gooder pushing to get the local teen hang-out closed down once and for all. Robert Wuhl is outstanding as Newbomb Turk and Fran Drescher shines as his girlfriend. I have a VHS copy I play whenever I want a good laugh. The Hollywood Knights is a classic you'll want to watch over and over. I can't wait to get my DVD edition. Just thinking about it makes me want to launch into a refrain from "Volare"!

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This 20-year old film is not to be missed. This coming May, 2000 will be the first time it will be available, so make sure it's on your list of movies to check out! The film takes place in 1965 at "Tubby's" Drive-In. The central character is Newbomb Turk(Robert Wuhl)and his rambunctious gang of "Knights" running around their Town and playing funny pranks on themselves, the bumbling police and their school. Hollywood Knights is considered to be the clone of the many "Drive-In" type movies, most notably, "American Graffiti"(1973) but I guarantee you will laugh your socks off. This film is also notorious for featuring the debut performances of, Robert Wuhl, Fran Drescher and Michelle Pfeiffer. Tony Danza, Stuart Pankin, and Gary Graham also appear.

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If anyone knows what part of the movie my title is from then you to should be an honorary Hollywood Knight. I am glad that I am not alone in thanking the higher powers for releasing this classic movie. I can't tell you how many times we sat down as a family in my childhood and watched this movie! Yes, I did say my childhood. Hell your kids are going to learn about the raunchy but hilarious hijinks in this movie someday anyway. We too discovered it on HBO and Cinemax in the early 1980's. We made a VHS copy of it but someone actually stole it a the pizza shop my brother worked at! At Easter this year we got to talking about it and my brother told me that it was being released and I am now the proud owner of this movie on DVD. My Dad is coming over this weekend and I can't wait to watch it with him again. Since all of us kids have grown up and our family has gotten a lot bigger we now have more people to share it with. However, we ruin it for them because we recite the lines!

To the viewer who said they mention Tony Danza's name you are wrong. They mention Tony Nancy who is a custom car builder. If you don't believe me check the credits and you will see that he stars in the movie as himself.

I could write more but I think I am about to go past the 1,000 word limit! With a movie this good that is easy to do.

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Top Hat

The fourth Fred & Ginger (F&G) movie, Top Hat is considered by many to be the quintessential one and is my personal favorite. In the Top Hat musical number, Fred cleverly uses his gentleman's cane as a "machine gun." And the ever-so-tender cheek to cheek number where he is singing and dancing with Ginger makes me feel like I am dancing in heaven as well. A deleted scene in some prints in which Bates (Eric Blore) insults a policeman, is present in this DVD.

A running commentary with Ava Astaire McKenzie (daughter) includes background information about the supporting actors and trivia, such as the significance of the ring Fred wears in the film. And even though Ginger rides the horse in this movie, we learn that Fred is the real horse lover. Ava admits she does not know everything about her dad and his career, which adds to the authenticity of what she does know and contributes.

A behind-the-scenes look, the featurette, "On Top: Inside the Success of Top Hat" explains many intricacies and attention to detail in the making of the movie. Nothing is left to chance. You will appreciate all the names in the opening credits. It includes interviews with Ava Astaire McKenzie, archivists, and biographers with a mix of F&G photographs and film clips. (Run time 18:20)

"Watch the Birdie" is a comedy short with a young Bob Hope playing a prankster on a cruise ship who himself gets "pranked." It's sort of a let down after Top Hat, so I am not sure why it's included on the same DVD. (B&W, Run time 18:16)

"Page Miss Glory" (1936) is an old Merrie Melodies cartoon about the exploits around a bell boy in an upscale hotel. It has a touch of Busby Berkeley near the end. (Run time 7:43)

Theatrical Trailer (Run time 1:02)

This is a musical for those people who hate musicals...

I think you would have to be the biggest curmudgeon in the world not to find this movie fun and joyful. If this movie does not improve your mood, there is probably something seriously wrong with you.

I'm not kidding.

Not only am I not a fan of musicals, but I also am not a fan of dancing. I mean, watching dancing is okay, but I don't go out of my way to watch it.

But the dancing that Fred and Ginger do, here, is nothing short of brilliant. Not only that, it is so joyous. You can just tell that they (Fred, especially) just LOVES dancing! You feel it, and it makes YOU love dancing, too; you just can't help but love what they do, it is infectious.

Also, the story is very funny, full of improbably twists and turns, and very good comedic timing and jokes.

And of course, Ginger... Oh, to have been Fred, with those gorgeous eyes, that gorgeous face looking at me like that... She was way before my time, and is not "Playboy" beautiful. She's just so damned cute. How could anyone not find her irresistable?

I don't usually gush like this, you can check my other reviews. I guess this movie brings out the sap in me. What can I say?

I love this movie.

By the way, there seem to be 2 major camps: those who think this is the best of the Ginger and Fred movies, and those who think that honor goes to "Swing Time". My wife and I both found "Swing Time" to be far less satisfying than "Top Hat". Basically, the dancing and singing are about equally great; but the story of "Top Hat" is much better and the jokes much funnier in "Top Hat".

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Many times when the subject of old-time, classic movies comes up, my father inevitably brings up the story of how as a child he was given a quater on his ninth birthday and sent off to a local Baltimore, movie theatre with his friends to see the now classic movie musical, "Top Hat". Just recently I purchased the DVD box set, "Astaire & Rogers Collection, Volume 1". Naturally, the first disc I viewed was "Top Hat". Well after seeing this disc, I now know, why my Dad over seventy years later, is still talking about this wonderful piece of cinematic, movie magic. To paraphrase an old Humphrey Bogart line, "this is the stuff that dreams are made of". Where do you start with what makes this movie great? You have to start with the pure magic of Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers working together. This film is pretty much this duo's creative peak. You have Fred Astaire acting, cracking jokes, singing and best of all DANCING! If you wish to ever to see pure creative genuis at work, before your very eyes, then just watch this man's feet and body language. Astaire shows such elegance and grace, that he has now become the very definition of those words. As for Miss Rogers, her skills have been quite underrated in the past. You know the old cliche saying, "she could do anything he could do...but she could do it backwords (and in heels)". It's true! This pair's artistry and creative gifts perfectly match each other. My personal favorite moment in the movie is the extended dance sequence between the two during the song, "Cheek to Cheek". In the begining of the scene, when Astaire sings "I'm in heaven..." and then repeats the phrase, you really do believe him! The two dancers glide along the dance floor as though they are in a dream. When the music majestically swells and he dips her, there is truely a sense of romance and sensuality, that is completly overwelming. It really is a classic scene from movie history. Astaire & Rogers are joined by a classic cast of comic, character actors, who forever will go down in cinematic memory. There is Edward Everett Horton, who plays Astaire's stuffy show producer. He is the 'King of the comic, double-take'. His man-servant is played by the humorous actor, Eric Blore, who reminds me of a school boy, who knows he's played some sort of naughty prank. Horton's wife is played by actress, Helen Broderick, who seems to have made an art form out of delivering her lines with irony & sarcasm. Finally there is comic actor, Eric Rhodes with his hilariously way over the top, Italian accent (he puts Chico Marx to shame!) and his foppish ways. The songs in this film have now become popular standards, that have become engrained in our culture's musical consciousness. All are written by Composer, Irving Berlin and include classics such "Isn't This a Lovely Day", "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails", Cheek to Cheek" and "No Strings (I'm Fancy Free)". While countless performers have covered these songs, it is the Astaire & Rodgers renditions from this film, that is in our collective memory. Finally mention should be of the movies' beautiful costumes and especially the almost fantasy-like, art decco, stylized sets which seem to effortlessly transport the viewer to another world. Remember, this film was released during the height of the 'Great Depression'. It was tough times for many movie patrons back then. Well, for one hour fourty minutes through the singing, dancing, comedy and the fantastic visuals it must have made folks forget their troubles. These days I suspect this film can still work it's wonderful movie magic! The DVD picture itself is crystal clear and highlights the beautiful B&W photography. The sound is O.K. for a film from 1935. Extras include a short featurette on the making of the film, commentary from Astaire's daughter, a theatrical trailer, a Warner Bros. cartoon and a Bob Hope comedy short. For a night of great escapist entertaiment, I highly recommend the classic film "Top Hat"! Dad certainly liked it!

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What a fantastic movie this is! It features wonderful music by Irving Berlin, wonderful elegance all around, and especially, wonderful Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the best team in the history of movies. The movie glides along, and you glide with it, and are swept up in the sheer joy of it all. The plot is absurd: Ginger thinks Fred is her best friends' husband. Fred, of course has no idea of this and pursues Ginger relentlessly. All of this is just an excuse for singing and dancing, and there is plenty of it, to some timeless Irving Berlin songs. It is some of the best you'll ever see. From the first moment when Fred starts puttering around to the tune of "No Strings," you wind up with a big grin on your face and amazement at how good he is. Ginger Rogers was always his best partner, because she was a perfect foil and a great dancer as well. But there was more to it than that. She was also a good actress and had great comic timing and always seemed ready to go along with the silliness of the plot. Here her best moment (and the best dance in the movie) is "Isn't This A Lovely Day." It is set in a sort of gazebo in a rainstorm and it is marvelousthe two wind up moving into a little tap competitionthen thunder is heard, Ginger leaps into Fred's arms, they break apart, the music begins getting faster and faster, and suddenly they are whirling around the gazebo in giddy joy. The whole movie is marvelous, in fact. There is not a moment where I was dissapointed. 100 minutes of sheer pleasure.

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I expected fabulous dancing, but this movie is hilarious as well. I laughed until I cried. The plot centers around mistaken identity, which is a sure-fire comedic convention if done well, and it is done very well here indeed. Astaire and Rodgers are very funny, but the supporting players are masters of comedy. Highly enjoyable.

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Super Troopers (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2001)

In classic, Animal House style, this movie about a squad of bizarre state highway troopers is sure to entertain. While it appears to be what some may call "frat boy" humor, I find that many different kinds of people with a good sense of humor can enjoy this film.

Super Troopers is about a group of Vermont State Troopers, led by Capt. John O'Hagen (Brian Cox) whose department is in danger of shutting down. The governor (Lynda Carter) doesn't have a big budget to spend on police work, and the more professional local cops, lead by Chief Bruce Grady (Daniel von Bargen), are the more likely candidates to get the money in the upcoming budget overhaul. And, to the casual observor, it would be the right choice. The state cops have a tendancy to play games with the people they pull over; one game involves one cop repeating everything his partner says, while another has one of the troopers saying "meow" instead of "now" in an attempt to drive the pulled-over motorist crazy. And when dealing with stoned teens, they really have a blast. While officers Ramathorne (Jay Chandrasekhar), Foster (Paul Soter), Mac (Steve Lemme), and "Rabbit" Roto (Erik Stolhanske) do everything in good humor, the force's black sheep, Officer Rodney Farva (Kevin Heffernan) tends to go too far and get himself suspended and give the department a bad name (he jumped a fast food clerk for messing with him).

But when a murder on the highway is connected with a drug ring, the Super Troopers find a way to redeem themselves and get back in the governor's good gracesas long as the meddling local cops don't solve the case first.

This film is hilarious. While most of the humor is pretty "dumb", there are a few intelligent things here and there, but it is the sheer wackiness of it all that makes it great. The romance between Foster and local cop Ursula Hanson (Marisa Coughlan) is great, especially the prank call sequence. Although, for people who aren't into crude humor, this won't be your kind of movie. There is a lot of drug-based humor, some nudity, and gratuitous use of the f-word. If you can get past that, I highly reccomend this movie.

If you have a sick sense of humor like me, you'll definitely appreciate Super Troopers. It's a very off-beat and funny little movie that shows us into the lives of a state trooper's department somewhere in Vermont. To protect and serve has no meaning here...it's about making us laugh. The plot is about this department trying to save themselves from being shut down due to budget constraints. They desperately need to prove that they are still needed so they don't lose their jobs. So they write lots of speeding tickets, but a drug bust could be their ticket to job salvation. However when you go along for the ride with these troopers, you're in for much more than car chases (yes, you get those too). You get stoned college kids (and I won't ruin it by detailing more...awesome), the repeater, meows, speeding Porsches, syrup chugging, and a ton of wacky little pranks along the way. I could go on all day about Super Troopers but I feel it's a total disservice to someone who has never seen it. I absolutely love this movie and recommend it to anyone who needs a little more silliness in their lives, who loves to laugh and who wants a different comedy than the mainstream things you typically see mass produced by Hollywood where they practically beg of you to find things funny. Super Troopers is just one of those movies I wish they made more of. Enjoy!

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Super Troopers presents itself as an odd goofball comedy that has only one real purposeto make you laugh. Thankfully, the movie fulfills this promise, and how.

Generally, movies scripted by comedy troupes can be trusted to entertain. A look at Monty Python and the Holy Grail or the Kids in the Hall's Brain Candy should validate this point. Broken Lizard (the fledgling troupe behind Super Troopers) continue this tradition of hilarious skits centered around a simple plot.

The basic premise of the film involves Vermont Highway Patrol troopers who, due to the lack of crime, find creative ways of alleviating their boredommainly, messing with pulled-over drivers (such as the should-be-famous "meow" scene) and brawling with the local police force.

The jokes constantly remain fresh, and the film even manages to defy the greatest of comedy film curses by never getting boring. Super Troopers is also loaded with some great gags and one-liners not appropriate enough for advertising. (Such as any scene involving the Germans, each one of them greatly funny.)

The DVD is, while not great, definately good. A substantial amount of extras are included containing several extended scenes, and alternate ending, outtakes, trailers, and shameless promotions. (The outtakes aren't what you think they are, and, I'll admit, are a little boring, but stick through it because the Farva Puking segment is priceless.)

Also included are two commentary tracks featuring members of Broken Lizard, the standard scene selections, and some rather impressive menus. (On the main menu, just watch for 30-40 seconds for the butterflyyou'll thank me.)

To sum up, Super Troopers is exactly what it tries to show itself asnothing groundbreaking or innovational, but still an incredibly smart, and most importantly, fun comedy.

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"Super Troopers" is almost as funny as it is stupid, and I've got to tell you, it's a pretty funny movie. It's the first movie that's made me laugh out loud repeatedly in the theater since "Best in Show".

The screenplay is almost non-existant, but as Bill Murray once said in "Meatballs," "it just doesn't matter." What makes this quirky movie work is the unresistable funniness of its cast. Kevin Heffernan, as Farva, is particularly funny. In his better moments, he's almost as naturally funny as "SCTV"-era John Candy. And that's saying a lot.

My all-time favorite comedies are the great ones of the late seventies and early eighties I grew up with as a kid--"Stripes," "Caddyshack," "Vacation," "Animal House," "Porky's," etc. I saw some of the wild exuberance of those movies in "Super Troopers".

Yeah, it's a stupid movie, but if you've got the right kind of sense of humor, it's a stupid movie that will make you laugh...very hard. What's better than that?

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Super Troopers is a great movie and I would have purchased it on blu-ray regardless of any bonus features. However, I must say I am very disappointed with the game Stupor Troopers. The trivia pops up at random with white text on a bright yellow background, making it almost impossible to read. Also, selecting the answers to the pop up trivia is difficult, but I am using a PS3, not a traditional blu-ray player for what it's worth. Another issue I have is that if you choose to play the game and want to leave the movie, there is no way to jump back in where you left off. I was 45 minutes into the movie, and tried to come back to it later, but I could not resume where I left off, so the rest of the game was ruined for me.

Overall, the film looks great on blu-ray, from every mustache close up to syrup chug. Regardless of my problems with the bonus features, this is a must own for any fan of Broken Lizard and particularly Super Troopers.

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My Name Is Bruce (2008)

Bruce Campbell seems to have a kind of love/hate thing going with his fan base. Sure, like any actor he enjoys having fans, but as he's stated in his book and elsewhere that his fans can get a bit outrageous and push things far. This seems to be what sparked My Name Is Bruce. Here he pokes fun at his fandom as well as his career.

In the film he plays Bruce Campbell, but a more fictional Bruce Campbell. He's egocentric, a drunk, lives in a trailer, un-liked and un-respected by the cast and crew of his films, and just an all around jerk. A teen in a small gold mining town called Gold Lick has mistakenly unleashed the ancient Chinese god of war, Guan-Di, and now the angry god is killing off the folks of Gold Lick. The teen, Jeff, also happens to be a Bruce Campbell fanatic. He manages to kidnap Campbell and bring him to Gold Lick where he has convinced the townspeople that Bruce will destroy the evil demon. Bruce is under the impression that he's doing some kind of movie(it doesn't totally make sense why he'd think that he's in a movie when there's no film crew around or why the townspeople would believe that a horror movie actor could really be a ghost buster, but who cares?). He goes coward when the reality of the situation becomes clear, but soon learns how to be the Bruce Campbell he's always portrayed himself to be. I know what you're thinking! My wife tapped my shoulder half way through the movie and said to me, "this reminds me a lot of the Three Amigos". True, it's a very similar concept-the idea of egocentric actors finding themselves in real danger when they think they're only in "reel" danger, but in the end discover that they are heroes.

Needless to say it is a fun movie. Naturally we're dealing with a comedy here, not a horror film. While the laughs are hit and miss, some of them predictable and a bit cliched, this movie really works because of Bruce. We all know that Bruce has a helluva screen charisma and can singlehandedly carry practically any movie just off of his charm. He also directed this movie. It's low budget of course, and Bruce certainly makes the best of that. He built the town of Gold Lick on his own property in Oregon. The supporting cast is decent too, mostly unknowns. Ted Raimi has multiple roles, each a different nationality, allowing him try multiple accents. His Asian character just isn't funny though. Too much of a stereotype Chinese guy. He reminded me of Mickey Rooney in Breakfast At Tiffany's.

It's great how Campbell makes fun of his fans and fandom, yet doesn't totally insult them. He's also able to take potshots at himself and his career. At one point he steals a kid's bike to get away from Guan-Di, and the kid yells at him, "McHale's Navy sucked!!" Funny stuff. He really lays into his flop, Alien Apocalypse, but thinly disguises it here as a film called Cave Alien. Plus there are many more in-jokes that you will definitely pick up on if you're familiar with many of Campbell's films.

Campbell is touring the country right at the moment showing the film and doing 20-30 minutes Q&A sessions after. I'd highly suggest attending this if possible. It's good support for Bruce as well as low budget cinema in general. Plus the man is a treat to see and hear in person. Just as funny and charming as you think he'd be.

There is an audio commentary by Bruce Campbell and producer Mike Richardson. Campbell points out that the entire film was shot on his property in Oregon and they built all of the town of Gold Lick from scratch. He points out all of the intentional goofs in the Cavealien 2 film within the film. Campbell also points out all of the people in the film whom he's known or worked with over the years. He talks about his public persona and how it mixes with his actual life in this film on this entertaining track.

"Heart of Dorkness" is an hour-long making of documentary that starts off riffing on Apocalypse Now. Dark Horse Comics wanted to branch out into independent films and approached Campbell who agreed only if he could direct and star. To cut costs and be more efficient, Campbell hired actors and crew members that he had worked with on other films often going back many years. This is an entertaining and informative look at how this indie film was made.

"Awkward Moments with `Kif'": features two useless bits of the film's associate producer engaging in pointless banter with another crew member.

"Bruce On..." sees the actor pontificating about film budgets, talking about the dangerous wildlife near his home, and jokes about DVD extras.

"Cavealien 2 Trailer" is a pretty funny, intentionally cheesy faux trailer for the movie within the movie.

"Beyond Inside the Cave: The Making of Cavealien 2" parodies those fluffy making of promotional featurettes that populate most DVDs with the cast and crew talking up a film that is obviously crap.

Kif is back in "Kif's Korner" as he talks about the faux DVD and poster art he put together for the film.

Also included are several galleries poster art (of all the fake films), a gallery for various movie props, and one of movie stills.

"The Hard Truth" is the E! True Hollywood Story-style profile of Bruce that is shown briefly in the film. This is pretty amusing stuff.

"Love Birds" documents the "romance" between two actors who play rednecks in the film.

Finally, there is a trailer for My Name is Bruce.

Rounding out the impressive amount of extras are several Easter Eggs buried throughout the menus and a mini-comic book adaptation of the film.

Buy My Name Is Bruce (2008) Now

One of the best Bruce Campbell films made. There's no need to rant and rave if you enjoy his films, you must see this one. No, you must own this one. Bits and pieces (pardon the pun), pokes and prods of the best and worst of the Bruce Campbell legacy. There's a little something for everyone eye candy for Bruce wanna-be's; quaint locales and characters for those who are into scenic adventure; comic creativity from the understated Ted Raimi; and a peek at the new shy side of an even sexier Campbell. It's painful to be given a sneek peek at something wonderful and then have to wait over a month to be able to own it, but pain is part of the beauty of a Campbell venture, isn't it?

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MY NAME IS BRUCE

**** ½ Out of 5

Release DateOctober 31st, 2008

Running Time84-Minutes

RatingR

ScreenplayMark Verheiden

DirectorBruce Campbell

StarringBruce Campbell, Grace Thorsen, Taylor Sharpe, Ben L. McCain with Ellen Sandweiss and Ted Raimi

To your average film fan being a B-movie actor may not sound like a big deal, but what some people fail to realize is that for every Brad Pitt you have a whole slew of B-actors and for every B-actor you have people who never go further than being an extra or simply starring in short films made by friends. And the same goes for writers and directors. Fact is Bruce Campbell has gone further in his career than most people do who get involved in film. But who knew back when the Evil Dead came out that it would make Bruce Campbell a cult Icon. Of all the cult actors or filmmakers none have reached the status of Bruce Campbell; he is by far the definition of cult Icon.

There's a lot of praise among Bruce Campbell fans for My Name Is Bruce and some might wonder is it really that good? The answer is without a doubt yes it really is that good. Sure there are some Bruce Campbell fanboys who will blindly praise anything he does and everyone in film or music or whatever has someone like that who just praises them no matter what. I'm as big of a fan of Bruce Campbell as you'll find, but that doesn't mean I have to like everything he has done; and let's be honest here over the past couple of years his films haven't been as good with the exception of Bubba Ho-Tep, but My Name Is Bruce again shows why Campbell has legion of fans.

The screenplay by Mark Verheiden is excellent; My Name Is Bruce is a B-movie and Verheiden never tries to make it more than that. He knows what kind of movie he's writing and he writes one great screenplay. The movie is always funny in a silly way and that is what this movie is all about. I wasn't sure what to expect from the script, but it was very funny and smart, but always stays true to what it is.

Besides starring and producing, Bruce Campbell also directs and while he's not exactly Sam Raimi, but in his own right Campbell proves to be just as talented behind the camera. The problem these days with cult cinema is filmmakers try too hard. A lot of those who grew up with cult movies of the 70s and 80s are now making their own films and the problem is can you really make a cult movie on purpose? Grindhouse by Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez was excellent, and while they did make a cult flick, but at times that's the problem, but they got it right where most filmmakers failed.

With My Name Is Bruce, Bruce Campbell sets out to make a B-movie and he gets it right 100%. The pacing of the movie is excellent with never once a dull moment. From beginning, middle to end, My Name Is Bruce is always fun and entertaining and never once will you be bored at all. Campbell sets out to make a cult flick and he delivers big time. Again he may not be Sam Raimi, but he clearly knows what he's doing and delivers one of the best cult movies of all time. I have no doubt in my mind My Name Is Bruce will be remembered by fans. The only reason I didn't give this the full 5-stars is the ending was kinda lame, but besides that this movie was amazing.

Bruce Campbell plays an exaggerated version of himself and this is by far his best performance in years! My Name Is Bruce in my opinion is easily in his top 5 performances. Bruce really is an underrated actor and what I love about him is he's not afraid to ham it up and make a fool out of himself on camera and here Bruce was brilliant! Bottom line is this; no actor can deliver a one liner like Bruce can and here he has plenty of them. Actually this may be in his top 3 performances rather than top 5.

Every year actors get snubbed on an Oscar nomination, but my question is what happened to Bruce's nomination? All kidding aside this was a brilliant performance. Bruce made me laugh and cry when he sees the error of his ways. Ok so maybe I didn't cry, but seriously his performance was amazing. Ted Raimi also stars and plays 3 different roles and he was amazing in all 3. I just love seeing Bruce and Ted together again in a movie. These two really work so well together.

My Name Is Bruce is strictly for Bruce Campbell fans I suppose if you don't know who Bruce is you might get some enjoyment, but odds are not much. But if you are a fan of the cult Icon that is Bruce Campbell buy this movie right away!

As for the Blu-ray; while the picture quality is solid at times you can notice the low budget, but I've read some negative reviews on the quality and I don't think it's fair. Granted this may not be the best Blu-ray out on the market, but it's still pretty good. I bought this here on Amazon and at the time it was only $1 more for the Blu-ray so it was more than worth it. The features are solid and are the same as the Blu-ray.

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On the scale of low budget movies that are tongue in cheek this is a good one. Ok, on the regular scale of movies this would make some movie watchers dismiss this as a low budget horror comedy. I don't think that you have to be a Bruce C fan to enjoy his self parody of a fallen star who is gets some redemption from his disgusting lifestyle. Bruce has always been able to inject comedy into his movies but this time it's the reason for this movie. There are some people in the film industry that are as loathsome and self destructive as the character that bruce protrays here. But's It's not a true picture of the real Bruce C. This character is a total washout as a human being until he finds redemption

and courage due to bravery of one of the characters fans.

This movie is over the top and everything is played to the comedic except of course for bloody violence that is done by the bean curd protecting monster. And Bruce who has done alot of roles that had no campy element in them does excel in this type of comedic role. So this only shows that the man can excel in either field. This movie looks excellent on blu ray so this is the superior

version to have. However if you don't like low budget horror movies

and bruce has been a few classics of that genre, you may still enjoy this sometimes silly movie because it's a comedy too.

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Life as We Know It (2010)

Hollie and Messer, set-up by best friends Allison and Peter, meet, share a disaster of a non-date and develop an intense hatred for each other. Then Allison and Peter get married and have a baby, forcing Hollie and Messer to be subjected to each other often. Glimpses of Hollie and Messer and their interaction flash on the screen as this relationship that ties them together unfolds. Finally, a laughing moment is shared at Baby Sophie's 1st birthday party where a picture is taken with "Godparents," Hollie and Messer, who don't understand exactly what that term means.

Fast forward several weeks and Hollie and Messer meet up at the police station to discover that Allison and Peter have died in a horrific accident and that Sophie needs them. They discover how much as the rest of the story unfolds.

I really liked this film. I watched it with four friends and we all agreed that it was worth the investment. The main characters are three-dimensional and well-cast. Though not laugh out-loud funny in most scenes, there is enough humor thrown in to make the subject matter less intense. Not pure comedy, or drama, also not pure chick flick. Enough deep issues and emotions play out that the movie grabbed my emotions and heart.

A few cheesy moments make their way into the movie...one in particular is a drug thread that ends up falling flat, though it likely supposed to play as a light-hearted moment. There are a group of neighbors that add annoyingly funny moments throughout the film. Language is minimal, the F-Bomb makes few appearances, the most memorable is a whispered fight. Messer is a new-girl-a-night kind of a guy so there are plenty of comments about his tom-catting ways, though the sex scenes are minimal and primarily off-screen. Hollie is an uptight business owner who's rigidity makes for a few annoying minutes throughout the film as well. But overall the relationship between them ends up being respectful of families and love and this one will end up in my DVD library.

From my wife Sarah: From the previews I expected a silly slapstick romance, but found that this was a drama, romance and comedy rolled up into one movie. It had surprising depth, character and story development. It was kind of a believable story. There were times I was touched enough to be tearful, and there was some decent chemistry between the leads. There were some laughs as well.

It was good, but was it fantastic? Not so much. Honestly, it wasn't strong enough for me as either a comedy, romance or drama to be terrific. Regardless, it was entertaining, moving and worth seeing.

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At first I watched it because of the casts. But as the movie flows, I really think it has some depths in it. Not just some other romantic/comedy, this one we can actually relate to (and finally for once no sexual context, well just a little maybe. Which I find it refreshing). How new parents are behaving and adapt with their first child, is sometimes funny to watch but also heartfelt. Overall, this movie has some laughs, tears, and of course love. Can't wait for the DVD to come out!

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This movie has received more than its fair share of bad press. I went and saw this movie when it was in my local theater last summer. I think the major reason people are giving it bad reviews is that they are expecting the whole movie to consist of a mismatched couples attempt to raise a child to yield roll on the floor laughing moments. However, to truely understand this film, you have to look deep for the hidden meaning. I found that when you discover that the movie truly revolves around a child who's parents are killed and is left to be raised by two different people who really didn't want to be together, much less raise a child together, then you get the true spirit of the film. Once you understand this point of view you will truly enjoy this film for what it is, a coming of age story.

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I've read the negative reviews here and I really don't understand them at all... to each his/her own I suppose. I really enjoyed this movie, yes it is similar to other romantic comedies of the same formula (girl and guy despise each other initially but love grows out of it), but sometimes having the same recipe isn't a bad thing. Its like enjoying a chocolate chip cookie recipe like your Mom used to make, you can have them over and over and you still love it. This movie still made me laugh and cry, and I will continue to like romantic comedies even if they use the same formula. If you want a sweet, endearing, funny and yet emotional movie, this is the one for you. The chemistry between Katherine and Josh is fantastic.

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