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Crazy on the Outside (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (2010)

i wasn't sure if this film would be any good hadn't heard of it before but it was REALLY great fun! very enjoyable. many funny moments. very cute!

I'll call this 'The Little Movie That Could', as in make my family laugh uncontrollably. I think the funniest part of this film is Tim Allen's relationship with his 'off the wall' and hilarious sister, Sigourney Weaver. The two of them had us in stitches from the minute she picks him up from prison and takes him back to her house to put him on a sort of familial display.

The 'tall tales' she's spun compulsively while her brother was away in "France" trip them both up constantly (she actually cannot control herself!). This is what she starts out lying to their family members with and these hilarious lies never cease, they just get more and more absurd. She has his life all fashioned out everywhere and in every possible situation to 'save face' for him, accounting for the years being in prison. He has no idea ahead of time what excuse or reason she has concocted as he walks into these impossible scenarios right and left. It's all ludicrous and wildly funny.

Allen underplays all the overtly comical moments in this film. He seems to let all the rest of the cast shine and they do as the cheap shots are abounding. I hadn't even heard of this movie being released to theaters, let alone for a new rental on Amazon. I just wonder where this one was hiding out. You get what you pay for with this one and that's one funny time with a movie. We all loved it in our family.

There is an ensemble cast in this movie also. It was unexpected but extremely fun to view along with a witty script backing all these actors. Each and everyone shows up in their roles for good measure. A new go to movie that you will not regret if you appreciate the comedy of Tim Allen or are just beginning to.

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i love this movie it real funny i think every one should watch it trust me you wont go wrong

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This movie captured my attention. Very good plot and I wasn't offended by political correctness and unnecessary sexual content. Tim Allen showed he is still very funny. The cast was exceptional. The movie starts out sort of slow but builds up and I was absorbed toward the end.

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I expected more from Tim Allen. At least from the movies I've seen, he has put out some classic comedy. In this case, the movie has all the right stuff, but just doesn't come off that well.

The cast was great with Sigorney Weaver and Jeanne Tripplehorn, but every step was predictable. I was not surprised once. I don't mind that at all, but at least there should have been funnier gags to go along with it. In this case, it was at best mildly amusing. It didn't really have an "at worst," which in this case isn't really a compliment.

I can say I've wasted time on far worse movies.

If you are into very mild rom-coms, I'd recommend it. If you are expecting more, I'd look elsewhere.

Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (2013)

I held my breath until the release date for this film. Love at first trailer site!

HOw could you possibly go wrong when you have SHeen, Swartzman and add the man Bill Murray on top of it all. It's pure gold!

Funny, great, sexy, and simply beautiful. Liam Hayes wrote a solid, really good soundtrack for it, albeit, not very originally sounding ( I still bought it on cd).

The scene where Charlie's love interest Winnick and Charlie dance and sing and butcher in Portugese is priceless.

Don't trust the reviewrs, including myself. See the film for yourself and you be the judge.

In this day and age of computer graphics, it nice to see an under the radar , small production film , where the human element is better than any amount of CGI

Well done Mr. Coppola and the crew!

Thank you

Satistfied movie-goer

Overwhelming gimmicks and stunt casting dictates this sour indulgent affair. From it's opening credits to the actors breaking the fourth wall in the ending, Coppola succumbs to his own crushing pretension and narcissim. In the lead role, Sheen is hidden behind extravagant costumes and a shallow underdeveloped character. He never surrenders himself to the hapless role. What it doesn't lack in imagination, it surely lacks in a logical and coherent story, as we frolic from set piece to dream sequence to yet another sequence without any rhythm. Quite honestly, I'll fork over $10 to anybody who could explain what was actually happening in this movie.

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I really thought this was going to be something totally different. Charlie Sheen plays a misbehaving artist who no longer has the creative juice to do anything new. It turns into very standard rehash about losing a girlfriend, brushes with the law, and testing the patience of old friends and relatives. I suppose these actors did the best they could with what few ideas were in the script. The last scene was pretentious beyond belief.

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This is the quirky indie I wanted to love, but didn't. Charley Sheen plays Charles Swan III, a type cast role. His girlfriend Ivana (Katheryn Winnick) breaks up with him. Charley is going through the mental phrase where he both wants her back and to "give her a kick." He has mental fantasies about their relationship which is supposed to be revealing psychologically as well as entertaining.

Unfortunately it doesn't achieve any laughter and only a few smiles. The ending lacks the heart warming quality these films normally boast. Funny guy Bill Murray was a bore. Jason Schwartzman who does comedy wasn't funny. Patricia Arquette plays Charley's sister in a poorly written role. The film ending and opening cartoon sequences makes it appear to have been inspired from Monty Python, although it lacks the genius.

This might make do as the fifth film from Redbox rental lot. I wouldn't buy it, even as a Sheen fan.

Parental Guide: F-bomb. No sex. Brief picture/photo nudity.

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"Maybe someone hurt me, you ever think of that, maybe someone hurt me." Charles Swan III (Sheen) is having a bad day. His girlfriend just broke up with him and he has a near death experience. When he wakes up in the hospital he begins to go over what happened. This is a very hard movie to review. It was very bizarre but OK. The only real way to review this is that the movie was written and directed by Roman Coppola. While this is his first real movie he has directed he helped to write Moonrise Kingdom and Darjeeling Limited. The movie has a type of a Wes Anderson feel to it so if you like his type of comedy then you will like this. If you don't get or don't like his humor then I would avoid this. That is really the only thing I can say about this movie. Overall, not bad but really made for a specific audience. I give it a B-.

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The Babymakers

This is two movies seeking to be one. It begins as an insightful yet funny look at how infertility affects a comedy. The couple have a delightful relationship where they solve the simpler problems well, which may be positive to watch yet lacks the conflict sought in many films, although the fertility issues looks with growing intensity. There is a long focus on this relationship with some laugh out loud hilarity among a serious examination of how infertility affects people.

The movie then shifts into a weird digressions as a slapstick comedy with much silliness. It sinks to racial humor. Overall, there is enough humor to make this a fun movie, The viewer should be prepared for an unorthodox cinematic journey.

If I had the option, it wouldn't even get one star. I couldn't even get through the beginning. Is this what they call rated R now a days??? It was none other than a porno with a longer story line. Animals included in human sex is not my idea of a good joke. Its demented and perverted.

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I love this movie and have seen it many times, and would recommend it to others. It is one to keep in your library for future laughs!

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It was a neat concept, awkward pacing and some jokes that didn't quite come off well pull it down. Worth a rental.

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Didn't even watch a third of this movie til I turned it off. I felt that it was kind of disguting! Maybe you will enjoy it more than I did!!

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Superbad (Two-Disc Unrated Extended Edition) (2007)

Rising young stars Jonah Hill (Knocked Up) and Michael Cera (Arrested Development) have one last shot at popularity in the very funny coming-of-age comedy "Superbad". Seth (Hill) and Evan (Cera) are lifelong best friends who really want to lose their virginity before heading to college. When they are invited to the year's biggest party, the boys use their friend Fogell's (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) new fake I.D. to score some alcohol for the party but their plan soon turns to a madcap night of unpredictable and outrageous situations. "Superbad" is an uproariously funny teen comedy from the creators of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up". The raunchy teen comedy delivers a well paced storyline, some side-splitting moments and memorable comic performances. Seth Rogen (Knocked Up) and Bill Hader (SNL) are hilarious as two incompetent police officers. "Superbad" received overwhelming positive reviews from US critics and became one of the year's highest grossing comedies with over $130 million nationwide.

If you've enjoyed "Superbad" in theaters, then I strongly recommend checking out "Superbad" Unrated Edition. The raunchy teen comedy is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen format with more unrated footage that wasn't included in its theatrical release. The picture quality is surprisingly good with no obvious flaws. The 5.1 Dolby Digital sound is clear and well balanced. Among supplemental material, the DVD includes 8 minutes of deleted scenes, trailers, a short gag reel, "Cop Car Confessions" and "The Making of Superbad" featurettes, an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming comedy "Pineapple Express" and an audio commentary with director Greg Mottola, production crew and cast members. Overall, "Superbad" Unrated Edition scores a "B+".

I thought I'd read the 1 star reviews before writing mine. I'm guessing there are a lot of people who would be offended by this movie: some who are offended by silly sophomoric humor, some who are prudish and others for whom it hits too close to home. The rest are looking for a cinematic masterpiece and are sorely disappointed.

This is a somewhat over-the-top portrayal of typical pubescent male behavior. This is the movie's genius, because you know that much of what happens in this movie has happened in some fashion somewhere in America. Male teen behavior is inherently funny (unless you're a parent of one) and this movie takes full advantage of that fact. Everyone who has ever been a teenager has known someone who could have been a character in this movie.

Suggestion: Watch this movie with an open mind and no preconceptions. It is not like most American comedies. Do not look for a point or moral to the story, just sit back, relax and have a giggle.

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Filmmakers Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg make lowbrow comedies for highbrow audiences. With films like "The 40-Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up," and their current gem, "Superbad" (directed by Greg Mottola), they have begun, in their own quiet way, to re-write the rules of the modern sex comedy, making films that, despite their R-rated blueness, are just a tad more insightful, a little more nuanced, and a trifle more literate than most films in that genre.

The characters in their movies may seem at first blush to be mere photocopies of the nerds and losers familiar to us from all those post-"Animal House," pandering-to-youth comedy hits of the late 1970's and 1980's. Yet, there is something rather different about these individuals, a difference that it is not always all that easy to put one`s finger on. They seem somehow more reflective and self-aware than their earlier counterparts, more able to step out of their skins and see themselves for who and what they are. It's almost as if these characters have had the added advantage of seeing themselves reflected in all those earlier movies (one imagines they've spent a great deal of their childhood reveling in "Revenge of the Nerds") and of extracting important lessons from those films to help them chart their course through life.

The storyline, in and of itself, is hardly original. The screenplay by Rogen and Goldberg chronicles the misadventures of three teenage super geeks determined to go to any lengths or suffer any humiliation to be part of the "in" crowd at school. With only a few days left before graduation, Seth, Evan, and super-nerd Fogell an outcast even the outcasts can feel comfortable ostracizing decide that the time has come to take some drastic action if they hope to have any chance of losing their virginity before high school ends. Thus, Seth cooks up a scheme to smuggle booze into a graduation party being thrown by one of the hottest girls on campus. It is the expected setbacks they encounter as they go about the business of achieving "coolness" that provide the comic energy for the tale.

As they did in "Knocked Up," the writers capture the way people in the real world actually speak. The dialogue may be crude and vulgar, but it is also sharply observant and wickedly funny as the characters lament the unfairness of life and reveal deep-seated concerns and feelings about themselves and each other. What's nice is that the characters in this film not only sound like people we might encounter in everyday life but LOOK like them as well. Even the "beautiful" people in this film aren't drop-dead gorgeous, just believably well put-together and attractive.

Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are so authentic and convincing in the roles of Seth, Eric and Fogell, respectively, that they have us securely in their corner from the very first moment they appear on screen. Rogen and Bill Hader ("SNL") also have a good time playing goofy cops, although their characters aren't as finely drawn or interesting as the three main characters, and the scenes with them do tend to drag a bit.

It is crucial to point out that, amidst all the blush-inducing, foul-mouthed hilarity, there's an incredible underlying sweetness to "Superbad," particularly in the final two scenes of the movie.

Together, this team of talented filmmakers is making it fun to go to the movies again.

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Apatow's films are funny (see The 40-Year-Old Virgin (Rated Widescreen Edition) and Knocked Up (Widescreen Edition)) and this one is no different. It's directed by Greg Mottola who did The Daytrippers, another decent film. These movies take the standard sex comedy fare and add an ultimately conservative twist. For The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the movie says it's a good thing to wait until marriage to have sex. For Knocked Up, casual sex gets one into trouble and babies are better with two dependable parents. Superbad has another conservative message.

But don't go looking for a wholesome family affair, for this is not it. If I had to watch this movie with my parents, I fear that I would perhaps pass out. It's raunchy. Even though there may not be nudity per se, these guys talk like real guys, and they don't talk nicely about our, umm, private parts.

This movie is the story of Seth and Evan, based on the writers of the script, and one evening during their last weeks of high school before they split up to go to college. They have always been misfits, but finally, they may be able to become cool without changing. That's one of the good things. It isn't about these guys "fitting in" with the in-crowd. It's more about the in-crowd realizing that they're actually cool guys.

The movie is flawed, though. So much of the script is ad-libbed that some things don't make sense. Characters say things that contradict earlier ideas, and the editors just kept it becuase it happens to be funny. I guess I can forgive that.

The DVD has some hilarious extras, too, especially the one with Jonah Hill going through different versions of his lines. I don't know how they decided on only keeping one of them. I liked them all.

I have trouble recommending Superbad because of its raunchiness, but if you're okay with that kind of thing, enjoy and get something more than mere comedy out of what is ultimately a conservative, enjoyable film.

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This was a hilarious movie full of fun characters in the same vein as Fast Times at Ridgemont High or American Pie. The plot follows the lives of two high school seniors who are best friends as they attempt to get with some high school hotties before they take off to different colleges.

Some of the funniest scenes in this movie center around the antics of their friend Fogell (aka McLovin) and a pair of keystone cops. One of the cops is played by Seth Rogen who also co-wrote the screen play.

If you enjoy stupid humor about suburban kids then you will enjoy this coming of age comedy. If you yearn for something with more substance, then you might want to give it a pass. I for one enjoyed this movie enough to watch it three times, and laughed at every joke the third time through.

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Woochi: The Demon Slayer (2009)

Long ago there were demons locked in the heavens guarded by a person playing a magic flute. The demons escaped and came to earth in human form, the flute likewise came to earth. The demons are in human form looking for the flute. Meanwhile there are two rival Tao groups after the flute wanting to contain the demons.

The story becomes complex. One "self taught" Tao Master in Jeon Woo-chi (Dong-won Kang) who likes to play tricks and seeks fame against the basic Tao code. There is also a woman who doesn't like needle work, and a man who acts as Woo-Chi's horse, but is really a dog. There are three Shinsuns who work for the opposing Tao master. Oh yeah, there is a bronze sword too.

The film contains magic and illusion. It freely mixes the two. It takes place 500 years in the past and the present. It has magician battles, gravity defying moves, CG monster effects, and some humor. The modern Woo-Chi assumes the clothes of the "King of Pop."

The English translation sounded like a bad spaghetti western. The deleted scenes are in Korean with subtitles available. Like many eastern films, it is easy to lose yourself in the characters and story so you must pay attention. This film isn't for everyone.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. soft 4 stars

There are Asian films that do not surprise me at all as to why and how they became so successful in their native country. However, there are those that do make me wonder why they became successful in the first place. I do understand just how sometimes the transition of a film from one country to another is not that successful, since several factors can become lost in translation. Well, I guess this may be the case for "Woochi the Demon Slayer" (aka. Jeon Woo Chi: The Taoist Wizard), I can see how it can be one of those crowd-pleasing affair that usually makes a good box-office return in Korea. Despite the fact that it is the kind of movie I would usually like (magic, special effects and ancient legend), I found Woochi to be a little too uneven, and would've used a lot of smoothing over its screenplay.

Mixing up Korean folklore and Mozart's "The Magic Flute", "Woochi" is a film that injects martial arts, a different turn for its devices, and adds a lot of special effects to drive its story. The film begins in the past where magic and evil spirits are set in a place of power, there lies a magical flute that could control the beasts. Lost in time, the flute has fallen into the hands of one of the evil ones and in the guise of humans, the beasts have been released to wreak havoc upon the world. Now, 500 years in the past, the flute is sought after by many as it can change the balance of power. Among those who seek the flute is Jun Woochi (Kang Dong-Won), who has been tasked by his master (Baek Yoon-Sik) to recover the flute. Woochi is such a trickster that he got the attention of another mystic, Hwadan (Kim Yoon-Seok) and his three Taoist wizards. This sets forth a series of events that ends with Woochi being blamed for his master's murder and the lost of the flute.

Now in the present, Woochi has been awakened along with his companion, the dog-horse-human Chorang-Yi (Yoo Hae-jin) to try to combat the chaos being brought forth by the beast-spirits in exchange for their freedom from the Taoist scrolls. What begins as a hunt for goblins and spirits in the guise of humans, has become more of Woochi trying to get used to this strange new world. He also meets a woman (Im Soo-Jung) with a familiar face from his past, as his new adventure begins...

The screenplay of "Woochi" makes a good move in creating a story that happens in between two different timelines, that even part of it happens within a painting. I do appreciate the efforts written in by Choi Dong-hoon (who also directs), as it deals with Woochi's origins up till the 47 minute mark. To try and reach out to its viewers, it tries to explain a lot and sets its groundwork, but the efforts feel a little impenetrable as two timelines collide in its screenplay. Choi Dong-hoon did an exceptional job with "Tazza The High Rollers" and "The Big Swindle", here he tries to depart the crime drama genre, and instead does a film that relies on fantasy elements and special effects to dictate the flow of the screenplay. The result is a little incoherent for my tastes (sure, it worked in his other movies), and while it does have that quirky, goofy allure that can appeal to its viewers, much of the film made little sense. It is intentionally cartoonish as it transitions from one scene to another. It jumps around with very little development of the devices in its plot, and the viewer is left to take in its quirky charm and forget coherency in its script. Think of it as an anime feature on steroids.

It is also filled with outrageous character performances and decent stunt work. When the film does get going with the action sequences, it does get going. The choreography has that hyper-stylish editing that have become the staple for Korean fantasy films. People fly around (with the impressive wire work) as the camera work goes in and out of the fights. The editing is pretty good and the set designs are impressive. The battles utilize the effects to its maximum impact. Martial arts and magic are always good things to watch, and "Woochi" is no different. Though a little too stylish for my tastes, and the fights did have the right intensity for its tempo. I do have to say that while most of the CGI were good, there were times that they looked rather soft and you could tell that they were fake. There is one ugly giant Rat-like creature that fights like a human, another who seems like a grotesque looking Easter bunny, but they were all for show, and the "how" and "why" of how these ghouls appear as such were never developed in the script.

Now, despite its flaws, the film does manage to entertain. The quirky and goofy humor did make me snicker quite a few times. Yoo Hae-jin and Kang Dong-Won connected in their roles and their antics can be funny. The three Taoist wizards also gave some good bits of humor, and Yeom Jeong Ah and Im Soo-jung served their purpose. Actress Kim Hyo-jin also makes a welcome cameo. Baek Yoon-Sik also managed to become a good baddie, despite the fact that he was a little too underwritten. The performances were a little crazy to balance out with its tone and cartoonish flow.

The best way to describe "Woochi The Demon Slayer" is a breezy, comical and frenzied entertainment that one needs to surrender to its outrageous execution and forget absorbing the details of the plot. It is a little hard to follow, but it is rather unique. Outlandish action, comedy and oddball characters are helped along by its manic editing and good special effects. If you pay too much attention to the script then you will see a lot of holes, so the best way to approach it would be to just accept it for what it is. Think of it as a trip to a "Fun House" where logic barely makes sense, and allow your senses to take you for a ride. Timid Recommendation to fans of Korean cinema and a RENTAL to everyone else. [3 ½ Out of 5 Stars]

Picture Quality and Audio: Fantastic picture transfer and DTS-HD sound. It also comes with an English dubbed version as well the original Korean language with excellent subtitles.

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A friend had introduced me to the movie and I absolutely loved it but couldn't find it again for some time. At that point I was ready to give up until I found out that Shout factory was releasing an official US Version. It was worth the wait and I pre-ordered to get it right as it came out. If you don't want to pay over $20 for the movie plus S&H then I suggest going to an exchange where I've seen it as low as $10 or less. I personally enjoyed the movie and watch it over and over and it helps that the main actor reminds me of Micky Yoochun too but I'd still watch it if he didn't.

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The American version is CUT shorter than the original. The Korean release is 135 minutes, this cut from Shout Factory is only 115 minutes. The info on Amazon is not correct. I almost made the mistake of purchasing it.

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Parenthood (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1989)

Steve Martin is top billed in this film and he is excellent but the rest of the cast is just as good. This movie is actually divided into four separate parts-four different branch off's of the same family (the father, his kids and their families)-that allows this fine ensemble to portray all the ups and downs of family life. It is a film that teaches without preaching and it's lesson is clearly understood: in life, you can't have the peaks without the valleys. And because of it every character comes to stark realizations about themselves and their relationships with other people. All the characters, that is, except the one played by Tom Hulce. But even that character is correctly written; it just simply isn't the right time for him to realize.The interactions between the father (Jason Robards) and his two sons (Hulce and Martin) tell us much about all three characters' past, present and future. Unfortunately there isn't any interaction between the father and the two daughters, played by Martha Plimpton and Dianne Wiest, but with so many characters to deal with and so many ties to bind, there simply wasn't time. But the time the writers have is well spent indeed. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel have taken a very basic idea and expanded on it in a realistic and original way. It's no wonder that all the characters are tied together so perfectly in the end.Ron Howard has taken that script and directed these tremendous performers to superlative work. Very seldom have any of them been better. Martin shines in an everyman IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE portrayal of the father of three and the second oldest child of the four earlier mentioned. Not since ROXANNE had he given a performance of such range and depth. Dianne Wiest as his older sister won another Oscar nomination and is just as good as she was in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS. Martha Plimpton as the next oldest child is fine as a mother torn between her high-tech-education-supporter-husband (Moranis, his best work since LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS) and her young childhood deprived daughter. Tom Hulce is the youngest of Jason Robards' four kids and has the toughest role to play. He wasn't given the one-liners the others have. His character isn't likeable. His father obviously favors him at first, which is hard for the rest of the family as well as the audience to understand. But he portrays the character as it should be played-a wanderer with unstoppable dreams who is also to be pitied. Robards' portrayal of the father is one of his best and should have garnered him another Oscar nomination. Through Robards' father character we see how his kids turned out the way they did. And we see him growing and learning as he finds you CAN teach an old dog new tricks. Joaquin Phoenix, here billed as Leaf (River's kid brother as Wiest's youngest) and Helen Shaw as Grandma, the matriarch of the family are also excellent. Keanu Reeves (Wiest's son-in-law) and Mary Steenburgen (Martin's wife) round out the cast beautifully. Randy Newman's score is perfect and the song "I Love to See You Smile" is very infectious.Pulling everything together for a production is not an easy thing. When you couple that with the fact that in this movie, comedy and drama are blended together seemlessly, Howard and his cast and crew have created a true treasure. Being a perfect parent is not easy. Being a perfect person is impossible. If you are anything less, see this movie.

"Parenthood" boasts of one of the best casts ever assembled. The writing is sharp and witty, the editing perfect, and the acting superb. My favorites are the always amazing Dianne Wiest, who's comedic timing is flawless, a young and lovable Keanu Reeves, and Helen Shaw, who plays "Grandma". This is a comedy that endures because it has a great big heart.

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Personal experience with the changes that children brought to their lives inspired director Ron Howard and writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Madel to write this comic take on the challenges of family. Steve Martin plays Gil Buckman, a good-humored husband and father whose dissatisfaction with his own childhood makes him try all the harder to ensure the happiness and success of his own children, as his extended family struggles with their own offspring. Gil, his sisters' families and the elder Buckman's, his parents, try to find the "right" thing to do for their children while dealing with the demands of spouses, life's ill-timed inconveniences, their own aspirations, and each other.

"Parenthood" is a laugh-out-loud look at the perils and rewards of family. Everyone will recognize someone they know in the imperfect children, crazy relatives, and inevitable dysfunctional family member. The film's charm is its familiarity. And it's nice to see characters that don't react to every disappointment by trying to control everyone involved. The cast is wonderful. Gil, the earnest, lovable, and slightly neurotic father, is the perfect role for Steve Martin. In notable supporting roles, Jason Robards is suitably cantankerous as the family patriarch, and Keanu Reeves is affable as a flakey boyfriend. "Parenthood" is funny, realistic, and a great stress-reliever for anyone who has had it up to the gills with family.

The DVD: Bonus features include "Production Notes", which is an essay about the inspiration and creation of the film, and "Cast and Filmmakers", which provides written bios of the director and principal cast. Subtitles are available in Spanish, captioning in English. And dubbing is available in French.

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I just watched "Parenthood" again for the umpteenth time, and it still carries an emotional wallop.

The film revolves around several generations of the Buchman family, and though they might, in some other films be considered 'dysfunctional,' in this movie their pitfalls are simply offered as a slice of real life.

The family patriarch is Frank Buchman (Jason Robards). Among his four children are Gil (Steve Martin), a modestly-successful though rather tightly-wound businessman with three children of his own... one of whom is a fragile eight-year-old boy who frequently breaks into hysterics --whether because he dropped a fly-ball and lost a baseball game for the team, or was simply terrified when the house blew a fuse.

Buchman's other son is a complete loser and manipulator named Larry (Tom Hulce), who shows up for a family dinner after (we learn) an absence of some three-plus years. Larry carries some serious baggage, including, but not limited to a gang of mobsters who are quite interested in being paid back for a rather substantial gambling debt.

Buchman's two daughters include Helen (Diane Wiest), whose own daughter played by Martha Plimpton is a high-school girl dating a house painter-cum-drag racer (Keanu Reeves), and whose 12-year-old son Gary (Leaf -now, JoaquinPhoenix) has withdrawn into himself and his padlocked room. Buchman's other daughter Susan is married to Nathan (Rick Moranis), a PhD of some sort who turns every waking moment and event into an educational opportunity for their four-year-old daughter --a girl who consequently has no capacity to relate to other four-year-olds, but who evidently has memorized the periodic table of elements, and understands words like "pragmatic."

One of the most priceless characters is "Grandma" (apparently, though never actually stated to be Jason Robards' mother). A sweet, and perceptive woman, nothing fazes her... including a scene where a hidden cache of porno flics is discovered. As she's led out of the room by her daughter, we hear her comment: "One of those young men reminded me of your grandfather!"

Grandma's monologue on rollercoasters and merry-go-rounds (and how they are an analogue for life), is one of the best moments in film... not just in THIS film, but one of the best moments in film, period. I have seen the movie easily over a dozen times, and it still slays me every time she starts to speak.

Parenthood is not to be missed.

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How good is the Movie? I liked it so much I bought the DVD. The characters and situations are realistic and you can really empathize with their shortcomings and problems. You'll fall over laughing at the "Electric Ear Cleaner" scene...

Unfortunately Universal managed to ruin the DVD release of the movie. I've gotten so used to DVDs being letterboxed that I didn't even check only to find that the DVD has ONLY the pan and scan version. Any release of a movie that starts off by throwing away a third of the image is doomed in my opinion. So now I'm stuck with a great movie ruined by some thoughtless movie executive.

If they ever bother to release a widescreen version I'd sell this defective pan and scan piece of trash and buy the GOOD version. If you like the pan and scan format then you can ignore me and enjoy the movie :)

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Mr. Popper's Penguins (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy) (2011)

You live in an apartment in New York City and work within sight of the Empire State building. Your life is hectic but predictable.

Imagine getting a very unusual gift (turns out, later, to be from your father). It is a live gentoo penguin. Wanting to send it back, you ask for a return crate. You get a new crate all right--filled with five new penguins.

What a mess your apartment soon becomes! You get snipped at and dumped on by the penguins. You give them names, such as Nimrod, Stinky, Captain, etc. They are perpetually playful! The penguins swim in the bathtub and spill water all over. Your children from a terminated marriage come to visit, and, having long been alienated from you, absolutely fall in love with the penguins.

A nosy neighbor wonders what the noises are from your apartment and, suspecting that he is on to something, wants to tell the board about it. Worse yet, your new nemesis, a penguin specialist who works in the zoo, keeps spying on you. He has a behaviorist view of animals (making animals little more than machines made of flesh), and is determined to take your penguins from you. To him, penguins are simply fish-eating machines. He doubts if a non-specialist can properly care for penguins, and especially ridicules the notion that a loving bond has developed between the penguins and you.

In time, you turn your apartment into a winter wonderland, complete with snow, ice skating, etc. Some of the penguins lay eggs, and you are determined that they hatch. Your colleagues from work stumble upon your transformed apartment, and think that you have totally lost your mind. Your penguins follow you around wherever you go, and this produces its own share of comic events.

Everything comes to a head from the nosy neighbor, the penguin specialist, the kids, Popper's ex-wife, and his work colleagues. Popper is accused of breaking the law by housing penguins. He is fired from his job. He tries to win his ex-wife back. The penguin specialist has all of Popper's penguins. The apartment is normal once again, and the visiting children are heartbroken. And then... I will not spoil the ending by revealing it.

This is a very entertaining and heartwarming movie for the whole family. If you are an animal lover, this little tale is definitely for you.

Took my 7 year old daughter to see this movie today & Im really glad we went!

From the previews I thought the movie was going to be boring & lame, but I was pleasantly surprised with the movie!

The movie ran at a fast & very entertaining pace...

The theater audience laughed, laughed & then laughed some more...

The movie has comedy for sure, but also tells a great story & has a few very good life lessons in it...

The lengths Carrey takes to take care of these Penguins is just AWESOME!!!

Jim Carrey did a fantastic job as the lead actor...

He shows signs of his old hillarious humor from his early films, but is not sooooo over the top in this film as he was in past films...

He showed true heart & was very believable in his role!!!

The Penguins were unbelievably funny & simply amazing! They must have had some serious training!

The supporting acting was pefectly done by Mr. Poppers kids & ex wife...

Overall I give this movie an A...

I would recommend going to see this movie while its in the theaters...

I would also recommend it for adults & children...

Thanks for reading my review!

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Between Mr. Popper's Penguins and The ZooKeeper, ... I liked them both, but I liked Mr. Popper's Penguins more. Kids loved it too. Nice story. Has been while since I saw a Jim Carrey movie,... thought he did a good job in this role. And the penguins are hilarious! I didn't quite get that incredible name of Mr. Popper's assistant,.... with the fun voice and accent, ... miss P (?),... but I liked her character/role too. So many fun scenes in this movie. We had a good time.

Read Best Reviews of Mr. Popper's Penguins (Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy) (2011) Here

I'm sorry. I forfeited all objectivity once the first penguin waddled on camera. Jim Carrey's past few flicks have been hit or miss with me, and maybe a part of it is that I've gotten accustomed to his schtick, despite the impressive rubber face and manic body contortions that would make a yogi master weep. And maybe I'm still holding NUMBER 23 against him. But what's cuter than an infestation of penguins? My niece and nephews adored this film. MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS, with its predictability and obvious gags, rises above the dreck by dint of penguins. Plus, it's got Carla Gugino, hotness personified.

Jim Carrey plays Tommy Popper, a businessman severely focused on his career. But, first, we see Tommy as a child who spends a span of years communicating with his father via ham radio. His dad is an explorer who is always away on exotic expeditions, and, over time, we witness young Tommy grow disillusioned with his absentee father. Thirty years later, Tommy Popper is divorced with custody of his two kids on alternate weekends. Tommy himself has become a neglectful parent. All he's focused on is securing a partnership in his firm, a position guaranteed him once he bags a primo piece of real estate called the Tavern on the Green.

The status quo gets topsy-turvied when Tommy receives a shipment of penguin to his upscale New York apartment. And then another crate of five more penguins. When his kids come over for a visit, they fall in love with them. From there the plot unfolds in by-the-numbers fashion. You may guess that Tommy Popper turns over a new leaf and becomes a better father, to the detriment of his career. You may conjecture that he becomes smitten with his ex-wife all over again, although how in heck do you fall out of love with Carla Gugino in the first place? There's fun in watching Popper gradually convert his swank Manhattan duplex into a sub-arctic region, just to accomodate the birds and to connect with his kids. Other than the usual thorny family dilemmas that inevitably crop up, the narrative conflict hinges on Clark Gregg's (a.k.a. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent Colson) scheming NYC zoo official who covets the six penguins because they're of the rarer gentoo breed.

I was somewhat impressed when I learned thru the bonus features that there's a higher percentage of real penguins in action here than one would assume. (Obviously the scene in which Carrey dances with the penguins is CG-rendered.) Several of the penguins are given enough character traits that they stand out. We learn that "Captain" suffers from flight envy. That "Nimrod" tends to bump into and fall over things. That "Stinky"... well, you can guess his specialty. The others Lovey, Bitey, and Loudy are descriptive enough. The birds' ridiculous antics won me over. Jim Carrey tones his stuff down, as well, and this is a welcome thing. And I did love his compulsively alliterative personal assistant Pippi (Ophelia Lovibond). I recommend this family flick for those who think penguins are funny. But for those who couldn't care less about penguins meaning that there's no buffer or filter thru which the bad bits can be digested there are moments in the movie that simply defy believability (like a penguin hang-gliding) and they well may hike up ye olde blood pressure. MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS is not subtle. You'll see every plot point coming, predict every pratfall. It'll be as if you're watching the addled Mirror Universe version of the MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. But the kids will laugh themselves silly. I did, too.

The DVD's bonus material:

Audio Commentary by director Mark Waters, editor Bruce Green, & visual effects supervisor Richard Hollander

All-New Animated Short: "Nimrod & Stinky's Antarctic Adventure" (00:06:08 minutes)

Gag Reel (00:01:58 minutes)

2 Deleted Scenes with optional commentary from the director, editor, & visual effects supervisor (totaling 00:02:08 minutes)

"Ready for Their Close-Up" A behind-the-scenes look at the real stars of the film: them penguins (00:08:25 minutes)

"Ladies and Gentoomen" SeaWorld San Diego's senior level aviculturist Jessica Perry divulges fun (or informative, anyway) facts about gentoo penguins (00:05:53 minutes)

Original Story Sampler enjoy the first three chapters of the 1938 children's book MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS by Richard and Florence Atwater on which the film was based

Theatrical Trailer

Sneak Peeks at SPY KIDS: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD and TOOTH FAIRY 2

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Jim Carey is funny and finally decides to please the kids and his wife. Movie is great, enjoyed, the moral content is top notch and it is always clean.

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Tyler Perry Presents Peeples (2013)

Wade Walker (Craig Robinson) lives with Grace Peeples (Kerry Washington). He relates to children through music and wants to be a counselor. She is a lawyer at the UN and her family is refereed to as the "chocolate Kennedys." Wade's plans to propose to Grace are interrupted by her desire to spend the weekend with her family, who he has never met. Urged by a friend (Malcolm Barrett), Wade crashes the family get together with formulaic results.

As it turns out the family has all sorts of issues and secrets which they hide from their father, Judge Virgil Peeples (David Alan Grier). Wade spends his time having an uncomfortable weekend filled with faux paus as he tries to help. The film includes Peeple/people and cheap Moby Dick humor.

For those who like Tyler Perry type comedies, this one fits the bill, but comes off a little stale. It does have some good scenes which made me smile. The film needed to have one more episode to develop Wade's character before he meets the family, then have him either draw from his talents, or better yet, have to do just the opposite to resolve issues with her family. It attempts, but fails to do that effectively, missing the key ingredient of the formula success.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. Sexual talk, spanking, role play, implied sex.

Just for clarification---this movie was not written by Tyler Perry; he just presented the person who wrote it to allow the movie to get attention.

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A guy visits his girlfriend's family, for the purpose of proposing marriage. He finds that he has trouble fitting in, and has a particular problem receiving the blessing of the father. The situations he finds himself in are at times funny, with the family members, who all have their idiosyncrasies, proving to be fodder for laughs. This is not the cleverest movie of the year, but it does have its moments. It is certainly not Bridesmaids, but Peeples does have some good comedy in it, maybe just enough to get a slight recommendation.

Read Best Reviews of Tyler Perry Presents Peeples (2013) Here

This movie is so BAD!

Why does Mr. Perry continue to write about sex again and again and again?

Does he think christians who are supposedly his target audience want to see this junk! The disrespect of women in Peeples and the condoning of Lesbianism was awful. This is not something that your target audience (Christians) is suppose to be supporting. The world is right now a modern day Sodem and Gomorrah and I do not think it is funny. Girls are being raped on college campuses and in homes and it is an epidemic!

The Movie: It was about a guy who went to his girlfriends home for a weekend to announce he is to wed Kerry Washington. The dad did not like him and let him know. He met men she had slept with in her past and got mad. The dad was immersed in sin or nude swimming with the mayor. The mom was an alcoholic and a past half naked singer of raunchy songs. Kerry's sister was a dike (as she said). Kerry's brother was

troubled and stealing from his own family(mom's gold earrings) and playing with ladies underwear in his room and had a poster of a woman on his wall wearing boys short panties. Kerry's dad watched her get a spanking by her boyfriend from outside a window. Needless to say he was scarred. A threesome was offered to a male houseguest by kerry's sister who is a lesbian. She came out over the weekend and told her dad she was gay.

This movie was awful and none of these people were leading a life anyone in their right mind would aspire to have. It was suppose to be funny but it was downright sad. Does Mr. Perry really think sin that put Jesus up on that cross to die an agonizing death is so funny? I had given up on seeing Tyler Perry movies, but I saw that Kerry Washington was in the film and I decided to give it a try. I did not read the ratings as I always do. I made a mistake. I will not do that again.

I think this film had so much potential to be good. Perhaps Mr. Perry should get some little ones to help him write his scripts. Scriptures says, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?'"

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The movie was not good at all i fell asleep in the theatre this was the most boring movie i thought that Tyler Perry could have did better than this

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Hoax (2006)

A struggling writer discovers that Hughes cannot appear in court to dispute a hoax because the reclusive billionaire is in a nasty dispute with TWA shareholders. So the hoax is born. Soon though, events turn raucous when the billionaire fails to appear to allegedly vouch for the autobiography, and then another hoaxed autobiography appears in print ahead of Irving's release. The mystery of who is hoaxing who surfaces when a box of scandalous files anonymously appears at the writer's home. The frenzied sensation draws the attention of darker forces in America. Apparently, someone has to know what would be included about Hughes and Nixon's brother, Donald, who had received unrepaid loans from Hughes in the 1960 campaign, and may have received more loans in 1972. Then suddenly the hoax unravels. Within within months, Nixon is re-elected, the Hughes-TWA dispute resolves, and Americans begin to learn of a third-rate burglarly called Watergate. The Hoax is an interesting chapter in American history.

Clifford Irving (Fake, Trial, Final Argument, The Spring) became a sort of national hero when he contrived to publish 'The Autobiography of Howard Hughes', a 400 page phony but well researched book that, while it was never published, did cause enough of a stir among the New York publishing cognoscenti and those surrounding the then President Richard Nixon that it now is recognized as a HOAX of writing that triggered the final discovery of the Watergate Scandal and the subsequent dethroning of Nixon. Those facts alone make this sometimes rather tepid film interesting enough to sit through. Screenwriter William Wheeler has adapted Irving's book into a study of the 1970s and Lasse Hallström gives it just the right balance between soft crime and strange comedy to keep it afloat.

Clifford Irving (Richard Gere) is down on his literary luck, searching for the right kind of story that will set is publisher Andrea Tate (Hope Davis) on fire. Irving wife Edith (Marcia Gay Harden) is an active painter and doesn't give Irving the support he gets from his pal Dick Suskind (Alfred Molina), but on the messy floor of Edith's studio is a rag magazine with a cover picture of the mysterious Howard Hughes and bingo! up comes the idea for an 'autobiography' of the wizard as confided to Irving and researched by Suskind. That is really the plot then, how these two men squirm around lies and good luck to forge papers and gain the favor of the publishers. Of course it all caves in, but in the publicity about the book Nixon's secrets are revealed and the rest is history.

Gere, Molina, Harden, Davis, Stanley Tucci, Julie Delphy and Eli Wallach add immeasurably to the success of the film. No, it is not a heavy story, but the scandalous years of the 1970s are treated realistically and provide a lot of memories, both good and bad, about how we all changed in that post Vietnam time. Worth watching for that! Grady Harp, October 07

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Since anyone of A Certain Age remembers how this story turns out, I was expecting more of a documentary than a thriller. But the film does a great job of pacing, and literally races towards the unraveling of Clifford Irving's web of deception.

Richard Gere is excellent, with a smarmy self-confidence that almost explains how so many supposedly intelligent people could have fallen for what would seem to be a patently obvious hoax.

Read Best Reviews of Hoax (2006) Here

A character in the film "The Princess Bride" utters one of my favorite quotes: "Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." Alas-if we would only remember that sage advice before writing our phone number on a napkin, signing on a dotted line, dropping coins into a collection plate or punching out a voting chad.

Hollywood loves con artists, probably because movie audiences never appear to tire of watching yet one more poor sucker being bamboozled and swindled. It makes us feel superior-"I'd never fall for THAT!" (Er-right.)

Director Lasse Hallstrom has delivered a smashing entry in the genre with his new movie, "The Hoax". The film is based on the story of Clifford Irving, a struggling writer who toiled in relative obscurity until he stumbled onto an idea for "the most important book of the 20th century"-the "Autobiography of Howard Hughes". The book was the most hyped literary event of 1972, and would assure Irving the notoriety he craved. Heck, he even made the cover of Time. Unfortunately, his Time portrait was slugged with "Con Man of the Year", because as it turned out, the "autobiography" was a bit of a surprise to Mr. Hughes, because, you see, Mr. Irving made the whole thing up (oops). The books were unceremoniously yanked from the shelves soon after their debut.

Richard Gere tears through the lead role with an intensity we haven't

seen from him in quite a while. His Clifford Irving is a charlatan and a compulsive liar, to be sure, but Gere makes him sympathetic in a carefully measured portrayal and never stoops to audience pandering. Even as he digs himself into an ever deepening hole, and you cover your eyes because you know the other shoe is going to drop at any time, you've just gotta love this guy's pure chutzpah. In retrospect, when compared to some other mass public deceptions that were brewing at the time (the Irving scandal was soon to be eclipsed in the headlines by Watergate), Irving's fraud trial almost seems like malicious prosecution.

Hallstrom does an excellent job at capturing the 70's milieu; especially the insidious paranoia of the Nixon era.

The cast includes Alfred Molina (in a great turn as Irving's researcher), Marcia Gay Harden (sporting a Streep-worthy accent as Irving's Eurotrash wife), and true chameleon Hope Davis (looking very Mary Richards as Irving's agent). Also with Stanley Tucci, Julie Delpy and a memorable cameo from Eli Wallach.

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Director Lasse Hallstrom's dedicated re-enactment of Clifford Irving's memoirs of his fraudulent autobiography of mysterious, antisocial millionaire Howard Hughes, "The Hoax", is his most impressive work since the 2000 film "Chocolat". Using film footage of the Hughes and also President Nixon and the tumultuous times of the 70's, he creates a sometimes comedic look back at this memorable scandal.

Richard Gere does well in his portrayal of struggling author Irving, a man obviously devoid of a conscience, who conjures up the idea of faking a Hughes autobiography. He figures that the reclusive Hughes would never surface to dispute the veracity of Irving's well researched but fictitious novel. Alfred Molina playing Gere's neurotic sidekick and co-conspirator Dick Susskind is magnificent in his role, giving the movie a comic flair. Marcia Gay Harden with dyed blonde tresses and a disturbing foreign accent was annoying as Irving's wife Edith.

Hallstrom did well in demostrating the extent of Irving's delusions, actually believing himself to be in contact with Hughes and his minions. 91 year old Eli Wallach, always a treat to see on the screen, was delightful playing old codger Noah Dietrich, once a right hand man of Hughes. The movie was insightful in tying in the effect of Irving's hoax, the machinations of Hughes himself who actually communicated disavowing Irving's chicanery and important current events and the day.

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