The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is great feel good film. I found it to be quite captivating and am very glad that I made the effort to see it. I recommend it to others.

In brief, the film revolves around the coming together of seven elderly and somewhat impecunious Britons who, of their own volition, and quite separately, decide to retire to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur. They discovered the place on the internet and, as we all should know, the internet can sometimes be a bit misleading. Indeed, this is the case here. The hotel had been billed as a marvelous palace when, in fact, it was tired and chaotic.

The seven visitors form the key members of the cast and are led by Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy. Some can adjust to the way of life in India while others fail completely. Along the way, we are given a peek into daily life in India in all its colour and noise.

The movie is often funny but always enthralling. I will say no more as to the plot. I have no wish to spoil this film for others. However, I will say that it is money and time very well spent.

John Madden's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" may not be a great film, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. It isn't challenging in the slightest, which has caused many critics to downgrade it, or damn it with faint praise. All I know is that the audience in the packed theater where I saw the film applauded at the end, and I applauded with them.

By now everyone knows the story of "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." A group of English retirees decides for various reasons (mostly financial) to move to India. The retirement hotel they choose sounds glorious from the brochure, but turns out to be a rundown, if once-grand, hulk run by a young Indian with much more enthusiasm than skill. A lot of comedy ensues, and a little conflict and tragedy; attitudes are changed, old bonds broken, and new bonds forged.

The ensemble cast of British character actors ranges among the super-famous (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith), the moderately famous (Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton) and the not-so-famous (Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie), with the addition of one young rising star (Dev Patel, of "Slumdog Millionaire" fame). All of them are as charming, funny and touching as they possibly could be. Meanwhile, Madden and screenwriter Ol Parker do an excellent job of blending and articulating the various plotlines, aided by the gorgeous photography by Ben Davis and the insinuating score by Thomas Newman. Considering the effort all these master professionals made to give an audience a good time, it seems churlish to give "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" any less than five stars.

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I saw TBEMH at a theater in a community well-known for its attractiveness to retirees. Most of the audience seemed to be over sixty. I am in my 70s. The reactions I heard were all about relating to the characters and the dialogue. Most of the dialogue was more original than Maggie Smith's comment about green bananas, which I've heard dozens of times before. Having visited northeastern India and felt its overwhelming splendor and squalor, I was reminded of much of what I saw there. India itself seemed to be one of the characters, and was ably supported by both young and old Indian characters but also stood on its own with the visuals and the cacophony. The Hindu funeral made me wish I could have one too when my time comes. This is a movie I will see again and again just for the pleasure of seeing people and places that make me feel that it's really OK to be 70 and "out there."

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"Your call is very important to us. Please remain on the line..."

We started with a smile which rarely faded in this lovely PG-13 comedy. Here are gathered the best old war horses of British cinema. What a treat! And as a bonus, a trip through the color and chaos of modern-day India as seen through the eyes of seven senior citizens caught up in major culture shock. Each of our principal players is going to India for his or her own reason: to find a lost love; to look for a rich maharajah, to find a cheap place to live, to rejuvenate a marriage, to get a new hip; the reasons are as diverse as the people.

We have:

* Judi Dench ("As Time Goes By") Told to imagine her audience naked to overcome her stage fright: I think I'm a bit past all that..."

* Bill Nighy ("Blow Dry") After failing to fix a leaky water tap: "Now that I've got the hang of it, do you have anything else I can NOT fix?"

* Maggie Smith ("Downton Abbey") In response to the National Health Care's six-month wait for a new hip: "Six months! At my age, I don't plan anything that far ahead. I don't even buy green bananas!"

* Tom Wilkinson ("The Debt") Answering the question, "What do you see out there?" he beams, "Smiles!"

* Penelope Wilton ("Match Point") Sitting in the stifling, self-imposed exile of her room, "How can you STAND it out there?"

* Ronald Pickup (lots of TV) When asked the advisability of sex for senior citizens, "Well, if she dies, she dies!" He is an aging wanna-be gigolo who can get an astonishing amount of "action" from two aspirin!

* Celia Imrie ("Cranford") thinks she's got enough "it" for at least one more go at landing a wealthy husband.

* Dev Patel ("Slumdog Millionaire") Trying to recapture his deceased father's dream: "Everything will be all right in the end. If it's not all right, it's not the end."

* Tena Desae ("Yeh Faasley") joins the pantheon of gorgeous stars formed in the Bollywood galaxy. We love her as she trains at a call center and copes with disapproval.

Each character is in one crisis or another but no ends are left dangling. This is a satisfying and entertaining look at a country most of us will never visit but which intrigues us, nonetheless. We see remnants of the old caste system, while we recognize remnants of a new one which flit by, unnoticed; AND we appreciate the skill with which each old pro commands his or her moment in the spotlight. I can hardly wait until this is available on DVD from Amazon.com!

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"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is a joy for those who love veteran thespians who can act up a storm. A group of English retirees decide to relocate to a seniors hotel in Darpur, India, to live a relaxing life of leisure. Unfortunately, the hotel turns out to be a dive -rundown, dreary, and depressing.

The characters are a lot more colorful and interesting than the plot. Tom Wilkinson plays gay magistrate Graham Dashwood, who has returned to India to find the boy he loved and left when he was young. Bill Nighy is retired bureaucrat Douglas Ainslie with an irritating, constantly complaining wife (Penelope Wilton), whose savings have been lost by a daughter's careless investment. Judi Dench is recent widow Evelyn Greenslade, who has never before looked after herself. Maggie Smith is Muriel Donnelly, an unapologetic racist in need of a hip replacement. And Celia Imrie is Madge Hardcastle, a gold digger still very much on the prowl.

The film attempts to tell too many stories simultaneously, which gives it an overstuffed feel. But it's unusual to have a movie these days reliant on Golden Agers, and it's a pleasure watching these superb actors sinking their teeth into sometimes underwritten characters and enlivening them with years of experience.

Once the principal characters are assembled and disappointed by what they find, director John Madden provides their back stories. There are many cliches and maybe too neat an ending, but the performances more than make up for the script's shortcomings. Personally speaking, I would be happy to watch Maggie Smith peel an apple. She is, at this point in her carrer, legendary and a master at her craft.

Available on both DVD and Blu-ray, "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" bonus extras consist of only behind-the-scenes footage and some location interviews.

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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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Piranha: Roger Corman's Cult Classics (1978)

Where would we be without the venerable Roger Corman? Lovers of B-movie madness would likely have a lot more time on their hands to read books, interact with family, or take part in generally otherwise fulfilling life experiences had old Rog chosen a different career path. Fortunately, or unfortunately as the case may be, Corman sat out in Hollywood for three or four decades making low budget exploitation films. He also tried to cash in on every movie fad in modern cinema. And I do mean EVERY fad. You see, Roger had a dream to take an idea and make a profitable picture out of it that would entertain the masses. The problem was that someone else invariably had the idea first. Thus Lucas's "Star Wars" allowed Corman to unleash "Battle Beyond the Stars" on an unsuspecting public. Car chase movies saw Roger replying with "Grand Theft Auto" and "Eat My Dust." I could go on and on. There wasn't anything Corman couldn't do with someone else's idea. Perhaps the best example is "Piranha," a 1978 ripoff of Spielberg's "Jaws." This film made our man a lot of money, which allowed him to make even more spectacular ripoffs for years to come.

The flick starts with a couple of kids breaking into some sort of rundown fish hatchery for an evening swim. Something in the water kills them. End of movie. Seriously, something rather nasty does do away with the two idiots. We then see an insurance investigator by the name of Maggie McKeown (Heather Menzies on loan from Julie Andrews) heading out to discover what happened to these two dolts. She rather quickly hooks up with an embittered alcoholic with a penchant for flannel named Paul Grogan (Bradford Dillman channeling Grizzly Adams) who lives in a cabin down by the river. Somehow or other Maggie convinces Paul to head over to the fish hatchery with her. Sure enough they discover that something sinister has been going on there under the aegis of Dr. Robert Hoak (Kevin McCarthy). How do we know this? Because there's lots of nasty looking scientific stuff lying around all over the place. Anyway, Hoak eventually lets our two heroes in on a little secret: the government paid him a bunch of money to create a breed of piranha as part of some weapons program. Personally, I'm for anything that keeps communists out of our swimming pools, lakes, and rivers.

While all this nonsense goes on we know the piranha have escaped from the hatchery (thanks Maggie and Paul!) and are preparing a full-scale assault on the human race. A few locals fall prey first, but the real threat is the summer camp and an aquatic park downriver. Just to ratchet up the emotional element of the film a bit, we also learn that Paul's daughter is currently attending the camp. Oh dear! It's a race against time as Paul and Maggie set out with the twitchy Dr. Hoak in tow to stop the madness. As for the folks at the camp and the park, they haven't a clue as to what's about to happen. The only concern at the camp is the fascistic machinations of Mr. Dumont (Paul Bartel), a guy who takes great joy in ordering kids into the water and snooping on the foxy female counselors. At the water park, the owner plans on making a bundle on opening day and couldn't care less if a battleship full of exposed nuclear waste sailed into harbor. You can pretty much guess what happens in the last part of the film. Screaming, blood in the water, and a lot of out of shape Americans in unflattering bathing suits thrashing around on the beach in agonies. Fun!

I don't know whether to laugh or cry with this one, folks. Lots of people adore this film, and I probably would to if I'd seen it as a wee lad. I didn't, and I'm not that impressed. The swarms of piranha zipping through the water look so like the pieces of plastic they are that it's tough not to snicker. It's even worse when we see them up close chattering away on an exposed leg or belly. We're definitely looking at cheesefest central on a buck and a half budget here. At the same time, I did find a lot to like about the film. Seeing veteran horror babe Barbara Steele popping up from time to time as a government scientist named Dr. Mengers was a nice surprise, although she's largely wasted in the role. Kevin McCarthy plays frazzled well, and the script requires him to morph into a sniveling wimp for most of his screen time. Heck, we even see Richard Deacon (Mel from "The Dick Van Dyke Show") in a small role as Maggie's boss. Can't beat that. The talent behind the camera is moderately impressive too considering the budget. Joe Dante directed this flick, and John Sayles wrote the script. Both men went on to greater success, Dante with "Gremlins" and Sayles with "Eight Men Out," "The Howling," and several other mainstream movies.

Extras on the disc include a commentary track, extra footage, bloopers, and a few other odds and ends. Corman apparently took this film, or at least a similar concept, to television in the mid-1990s. If so, I haven't seen that version and thus cannot make a comparison. If the remake, or retread, or whatever it is looks and sounds like this movie, more laughs await us. Corman continues to churn out pap at an alarming rate, and has even recently inked a deal with Disney that will release his entire catalogue on DVD and keep it in circulation until the sun burns out. I've dogged on Corman quite a bit, but I do appreciate his films. If nothing else they are entertaining, and this one definitely works most of the time.

Joe Dante's Piranha is a very humorous spoof and a fine homage to Steven Spielberg's classic Jaws. Though plagued with poor acting from Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies, and Keenan Wynn, this is definitely not the type of film that you would ever take seriously. The inside film jokes and cinema references add a lot of intelligent spice to the film's proceedings, but it is the cheesy yet effective special effects by Phil Tippett (Robocop) that make Piranha a must see for mosnter movie buffs. Watch out for the obviously fake piranha as they make a spectacular bloddy debacle of a children's summer camp. The DVD edition of Piranha has many elaborate features including a Joe Dante commenty, a making-of-documentary, film bloppers, and other theatrical trailers of Corman films. P.S. Joe Dante would later go on to direct such horror classics as The Howling and Gremlins.

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A justifiable cult classic, PIRANHA boasts an impressive pedigree. Oscar nominated screenwriter John Sayles; director Joe Dante (Gremlins); and some fine character actors: Bradford Dillman, Keenan Wynn, Dick Miller, Paul Bartel, Barbara Steele. The attacks are vicious and quickly paced so you don't pay too much attention to the cheesy special effects. There's satire about the military as well. There are some good suspense sequences, and I almost forgot: Body Snatcher's Kevin McCarthy is on board as the misguided scientist. The best of the subsequent spinoffs, PIRANHA is a great little horror classic.

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Jaws (1975) frightened a whole generation of people out of the water. Why? Because of the very real elements within the film, being that there are sharks in the oceans, and occasionally they do attack people. Do they ever get as large as the one in the film? Possibly...regardless, the fear was real enough...fast forward to 1978...prolific B movie director/producer Roger Corman, in an effort to capitalize on the immense popularity of the film Jaws, released Piranha, directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins, Innerspace, The `burbs) and written by John Sayles (The Howling, Wild Thing), which, while didn't elicit the response anywhere near that of the film it borrows from, still provides us with a great deal of entertainment (genetically altered super fish just didn't come across with the same level of realism as a giant man-eating shark).

The film stars Branford Dillman, who, along with his extensive television credits, appeared in scores of films like Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) and The Swarm (1978), to name a couple. Also starring is Heather Menzies, who appeared in films like The Sound of Music (1965), SSSSSSS (1973), along with various television shows throughout the 70's. Rounding out the cast are Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers), Paul Bartel, Barbara Steele (Caged Heat and Shivers), Melody Thomas Scott, and character actors Dick Miller and Keenan Wynn.

The film opens at night with two victims, er...I mean backpackers in a hilly area (somewhere in Texas, as we find out later), who happen to come across a seemingly deserted facility surrounded by a large fence, and signage stating `Military Testing Facility' and `Keep Out' (it seemed pretty clear to me, as I could read it, but these two knuckleheads completely missed it, bringing to mind the old adage, `if it was a snake, it would have bit you'). Anyway, lunkhead number one and lunkhead number two, looking for a place to camp for the night, decide this looks promising, and make their way past the fence to find a large, in-ground cement pool. Do you think it contains piranha? And do you also think said piranha are hungry? I do, on both counts, especially given that it's the title of the film. Anyway, they decide to go swimming and quickly discover the pool contains more than water. We also learn the facility isn't entirely deserted...

Apparently someone cares about these two now missing backpackers, enough so to hire private investigator Maggie McKeown (Menzies) to look for them. While initiating her search in the general area, she find a shack occupied by Paul Grogan (Dillman), a divorced, reclusive, mass alcohol consuming (every five minutes he's swilling from a canteen, but never actually seems to get drunk) outdoorsman type, who she basically enlists to aid her, despite his protests, in her search. They find the deserted military facility, which was once some sort of breeding farm for fish, and decide to drain the large pool in hopes of finding clues. As they throw the switch, they get attacked by a wily old man (his name is Dr. Robert Hoak, played by McCarthy) as he freaks out learning that the fish have been released into the river system. The manage to subdue him, and he speaks of his experiments, specifically his genetic experiments for the military in creating a super breed of piranha, meant for use during the Vietnam conflict, but since the war ended, the program was terminated, but apparently no one told Dr. Hoak. So now the highly aggressive and carnivorous super fish are in the local river system. And they're hungry...and breeding...

For a B movie, this tends to one of the better ones I've seen. Even here you can see that Dante has talent in directing, despite what I am sure was probably an extremely tight shooting schedule (Corman always kept this aspect tight). Sayles provides a better than average script for this type of outing, and the actors present enjoyable performances. I do tire of the whole `government and/or big business conspiracy' cliché that is so often used in films of any type to move the plot along, as it tends to indicate a lack of imagination (just look at some Steven Segal movies, specifically On Deadly Ground (1994) and The Patriot (1998), for a couple of examples). I especially liked the scenes with Keenan Wynn speaking of how much the river gives him, and also the scenes with Dick Miller, who plays the sleazy real estate agent and proprietor of Aquarena, an entertainment water park that recently opened along the river. He's got one of the more memorable scenes in the film when his assistant approaches him about piranha in the waters, and he asks, "What about the godd@mn piranha?!", to which the assistant replies, "The piranha...they're EATING the guests, sir". Paul Bartel also makes a great appearance as an uptight director of a summer camp located on the river (do you think a big part of their program involves swimming?). The special effects are quite good (no CGI work here) and there is a good helping of blood and underwater scenes with the fish tearing flesh off hapless victims.

Presented here is an excellent looking full screen print (Dante claims this is the original aspect ratio of the film, but the titles appear to be in wide screen format). Special features here are copious, including a commentary track by director Dante and producer Jon Davidson, original theatrical trailer, a blooper reel, a short `Making of' documentary, cast biographies, a reproduction of the original Theatrical Marketing Guide, an eight page booklet titled `The History of Roger Corman, and trailers for some of Corman's other films including Grand Theft Auto (1977) and Humanoids from the Deep (1980), among others. If I learned anything from Piranha, it's that if you are warn authorities about mutant piranha loose in a populated waterway, you're better off crying toxic waste, as they not apt to believe the piranha thing.

Cookieman108

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As a kid growing up on all the classic monster films on TV, this low-budget Roger Corman creature feature was always one of my favorites. As a teenage video collector in the 90's, I found this to be nearly impossible to find on VHS. Now as an adult in my early 20's, I own not only the video but have recently picked up the DVD and what a trip down memory lane, this "special edition" was for me.

"Piranha" is Corman's answer to "Jaws", a bad genre film that takes joy in being a bad genre film. When a private investigator goes looking for two missing kids at an old army test, she unwittingly releases a school of mutated killer piranha into the town's river system. With the help of a local mountain man, the two try to warn everyone from the military to a local resort. As is always the case in these films, the military has another agenda and they don't want the truth revealed.

Over the years, "Piranha" has earned a reputation as a true cult classic. With a great script from John Sayles, an amazing musical score from Pino Donaggio, and tremendous performances from underrated actors like Dick Miller, Keenan Wynn, Paul Bartel, and horror legend Barbara Steele, "Piranha" is the ultimate "nature goes wrong" B-movie.

My only real complaint about this DVD is that it is presented in a full-frame format (though the opening credits are finally presented in widescreen as the other way cuts the names pretty badly). Well, that and the fact that they didn't include any of the added footage from the original network TV version. Those complaints aside, it is good to hear director Joe Dante (who went on to direct "Gremlins") and producer Jon Davison reminisicing on the filming of this movie. Not to mention, the added value of seeing lots of never-before-seen footage from the making of the film. If you loved this movie growing up or are just a fan of the classic "creature feature" titles, this is a must-have.

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Damsels in Distress (2012)

This is the long-awaited return of writer-director Whit Stillman, who we last saw with the delicious 1998's "Last Days of Disco" movie.

"Damsels in Distress" (98 min.) brings the story set at a fictional Northeast university in which a group of young women, namely Violet (played by Greta Gerwig), Rose (played by Megalyn Echikunwoke) and Heather (played by Carrie MacLemore) take a transfer student Lily (played by Analeigh Tipton) under their wings. The group is determined to bring a better life to students, running the Suicide Center (which they rename the Suice Prevention Center). Of course that is not counting for the guy troubles that may, and will, occur. One of those is a fellow named Xavier. There is a hilarious scene in which Lily tries to explain that Xavier is spelled with an X, when one of the other girls say that it is surely it is spelled with a Z, as in "Zorro", at which point Violet surmises that the letters X and Z are pronouned the same when not ending in a word, ha! Gerwig's performance pretty much carries this movie, as she shows her vulnerability and you can't help but rooting for her all the way.

This light and quirky tone never leaves the movie, and I found myself quite smiling a lot (but not laughing out loud). Truth be told, the "tone" of the movie is better than the actual plot (which I won't give away here, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out). In all, this is a quirky little but loveable movie. This is MILES away from your Hollywood standard fare, and if you are into such type movie, I would readily recommend this. Nothing earth-shattering, just plain likeable. In that sense, "Damsels in Distress" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

After reading reviews I thought this film would be much different than his others but now that I have seen it I think it was quite similar. It is critical, smart, interesting, and funny. Some of the dialogue is absolutely hilarious. Whit Stillman is the only filmmaker I know of that writes pretty realistic yet comic films about the elite. It is fascinating to me to see how these people think. This film, even more than his others, shows how sad and pathetic the people that run the world really are. Sure they are oppressing just about everyone on earth and their actions cause untold devastation and suffering yet they believe they are doing the right thing "God's Work". This is a scathing yet sympathetic critique of the American aristocracy. One would think this would be impossible but here it is. He really has matured as a filmmaker. This is his most complex and nuanced work yet. Also, as with most cutting edge art, this film will likely require repeated exposure for one to learn to really appreciate its brilliance. I look forward to many further viewings.

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I knew nothing about this director; this was a random choice of movie for me after seeing a preview. It's definitely quirky, ridiculous, and all those other adjectives people have used. You either like that or you don't, and maybe you like this version of it or you don't.

The first part got a little old for me and I did consider not finishing the movie but I'm glad I did. The characters and plot changed and evolved and I laughed and smiled more in the second half and found the ending charming.

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Whit Stillman helped start the great '90s indie boom that will be long remembered for bringing great talents like himself to the cinema world's attention. Few directors make such unique works and now he's back with "Damsels in Distress." The film, which is a college comedy of manners, is one of my favorite films of the year. The dancing, quirky dialogue and great cast made it a fun theater going experience. I was wondering if Stillman could still pull it off after all of these years and he did. A bit different from his earlier works, but still fits wonderfully in his canon. With "Barcelona" now over $100 on amazon, I may be buying 100 copies to use as a retirement plan.

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There may be spoilers.

Director Whit Stillman hasn't made a movie in more than a decade, so I was looking forward to this, his fourth film. There are few writers who can assemble such thoughtful, provocative and articulate words together and at the same time, make us laugh. "Damsels" isn't one of those laugh-out-loud movies but one where you snicker, smirk, chuckle and maintain a smile on your face throughout the 99 minute playing time. With a fine cast led by atypical beauty Greta Gerwig as Violet, the film takes a while to find its footing.

Violet is a college do-gooder with suicide prevention her primary focus. She softly commands 3 others who join her effort. Violet is one of those individuals who somehow manage to tell the truth, or her version of it, no matter how it might affect someone. She does take considerable effort to minimize the hurt by use of her flourishing vocabulary. Violet and the girls aren't mean or vicious. They actually want to help the frat boys in spite of their bad smell, low intelligence and brutishness. In one scene, Violet breaks up with a short-term boyfriend from France after catching him with another girl. He had a strange religion which involves an "unusual" position for sex and as she tells him, "I couldn't respect any religion that worships on Tuesday."

After a short stent alone in a cheap motel, Violet discovers the wonderful scent of the complementary soap the motel provides. After testing the smell on her friends, she decides this could be transformative and supplies samples inside a package that the fraternity boys think makes for a great Frisbee. Violet has also been working on a new dance "sensation" that will ease depression, isolation and even suicide. The movie ends with the role out of the Sambola. This is a fun, unusual and easy to watch film.

The Blu ray edition comes in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio presented in 1080p. Watching this on a large display the transfer seems a bit washed out. It is not unusually crisp and sharp. I suspect this was intentional as the director wanted a smooth yet detail picture. It certainly didn't bother me. The audio is excellent with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 delivering the mostly centered action. There is nothing that stands out as this is mostly a dialog heavy film. For whatever reason, the volume is lower than usual. I had to crank my receiver's volume up quite a bit.

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The Last Circus (2011)

Crazy indeed is cult director Alex de la Iglesia's 2010 Venice Film Festival winner about two clowns one sad and one happy who enter into a bizarre and memorable love triangle. Set during the brutal Spanish Civil War as well as the end of Franco's regime, the demented parable is like an amalgam of Fellini, Del Toro, Hitchcock with a pinch of Burton and more than a twist of German Expressionism. Often nightmarishly absurd, shocking and irreverent, the visually rich cinematic tapestry defies a singular interpretation and like all great -or even good -art, sticks in the mind long after it is experienced.

"The Last Circus"

(Magnolia Home Entertainment, 2011)

If you have a friend, or girlfriend, who doesn't like clowns and thinks that they're creepy, don't take them to see this film, thinking it'll help cure them. This dark Spanish action/tragicomedy tells the tale of two clowns, one a sociopathic abuser of women (the funny one, who makes kids laugh) and another whose father -also a clown -was killed by Franco's police after the Spanish Civil War. Javier is the sad clown, instructed to avenge his father, but unable to do it and consigned to a life as a nervous nebbish... That is, until he falls in love with the other clown's seductive, masochistic girlfriend, a path that leads to a kaleidoscopic welter of madness and violence. The first half of the film has surreal touches, but is almost a straight tragicomedy -in the second half it leaps over the abyss into blood-soaked absurdism. There is an insane mishmash of stories, with hints of "The Most Dangerous Game," "The Blue Angel," "Phantom Of The Opera," "The Crow," various Hitchcock finales and every evil clown movie ever made. It's fascinating, grotesque and will test the endurance of many a viewer. For the right kind of viewer, it'll be a real thrill.

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Gordon Sullivan, DVD Verdict --After a few opening moments of clowning, a military man shows up to conscript the clowns. Once they're conscripted, director Alex de la Iglesia unleashes an action scene that's equal parts Quentin Tarantino and Federico Fellini. He keeps his happy clown (and the rest of the circus troupe) in circus garb as the conscripted troops fight the fascist rebels. We watch as this clown--armed with a machete--cuts down soldier after soldier before being wounded. It's a carnivalesque version of Saving Private Ryan as directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, a kind of fever-dream of the fight against fascism. Truth be told, this paragraph will tell you everything you need to know about whether to see The Last Circus. If the idea of Fellini and Tarantino collaborating on a remake of Saving Private Ryan sounds like a good idea to you, then chances are this is for you.

Of course it's not all slow-mo fighting and clowns wielding machetes. The film is also about the legacy of Franco's regime, forbidden love, and the vanishing art of the circus--all that, and a clown-versus-clown showdown. The Last Circus is stuffed to the brim--with violence, with color, and with plot. Yet, it never feels as schizophrenic as it sounds, effortlessly taking the viewer from 1937 to the early 1970s and the growing relationship between Javier and his acrobatic love interest.

All of the various plot points--from the circus to Franco's soldiers--allows de la Iglesia to indulge in his frankly beautiful visual style. The whole film appears to be decaying before our very eyes, with crumbling structures and desaturated colors, while the compositions are framed like paintings. Even if the idea of warring clowns sounds terrible, de la Iglesia has shot his mad tale beautifully.

That beauty is translated perfectly to this Blu-ray release. The 2.35:1 AVC-encoded transfer is stunning. The Last Circus was shot digitally, so this is a digital-to-digital port, and I can't imagine it looking better. Detail is strong throughout, from the patterns in the clown suits to the cracks in their white makeup, while color is perfectly saturated (though not particularly realistic). Black levels remain consistent and deep, and no artifacting shows up to mar the image. The tiniest bit of noise crops up in darker scenes, but that's probably not the fault of this transfer. The audio lives up to the quality of the video with this release. The DTS-HD Spanish language surround track (an English dub with the same specs is available) sounds remarkable. The explosions and action scenes have heft, while the film also makes good use of the soundscape, with good surround activity and left-to-right panning. Dialogue is crisp and clear, primarily out of the center channel.

The extras are not quite as stunning, but give some solid info on how the film works technically. We get a 15-minute making of, and a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes, followed by some info on the film's (copious) visual effects. Finally, the disc includes the U.S. trailer, its international counterpart, and an international teaser.

-Full review at dvdverdict.com

Read Best Reviews of The Last Circus (2011) Here

The Last Circus is definitely one of the more interesting foreign films to come out recently. It takes two clowns and places them on opposing sides of a woman. While one is supposed to be "happy" and the other "sad", they have much more to their characters than those base states. What plays out is an intense romantic drama that dips into pure insanity before the end.

At its core this is a tale of unrequited love. It just happens to be covered in a thick layer of blood, bullets, and madness. While I personally did not fall in love with the film it's clear to me that many will see it as excellent. The cinematography is great, the characters are well-acted, and the tale is compelling.

If you're looking for a different kind of drama (with clowns) then try this one out. Just be warned: it's brutal.

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When you sit down to watch The Last Circus, you should go in not knowing what to expect. That mindset is your best bet at enjoying this film to the fullest. In fact, I encourage you to jump to the last paragraph of this review and then read the rest after your first viewing. It has quite a reputation going for it; a reputation that is mostly positive. Avoiding trailers and only having a vague knowledge of a movie is so rare these days and with a film like this it just pays off so well. Álex de la Iglesia is a name I wasn't familiar with until now and while The Last Circus did seem to fizzle out a bit near its finale, it's still very absorbing, gloriously disturbing, and a solid effort from Iglesia.

The Last Circus tells a love story that is centered on revenge; it's demented and rather on the gruesome side but love is the central theme along with elements of revenge, horror, and dark comedy. The film's rich visuals will suck you in right away. It has this unique look to it; color seems to be completely drained from the film the majority of the time yet things like blood, makeup, and rather intricate costumes seem to leap off the screen in exquisite color. It's all very surreal and seems to be on the verge of becoming a nightmare at all times, so when it does finally venture into a dream sequence with nightmarish tendencies it's rather extraordinary.

The score is also pretty spectacular. The triumphant music that plays over the opening credits seems to give you the sensation that you're marching toward your death while the pounding keys of the piano during the tunnel sequence practically rattles your bones. It's kind of intriguing how similar Sergio (Antonio de la Torre) and Javier (Carlos Areces) turn out to be and it's all thanks to Natalia (Carolina Bang). Javier is so unsure of himself at first, is kind of pathetic, and a complete coward at his core but that changes once he meets Natalia. Sergio is short-tempered, an alcoholic, and his violent outbursts usually cause one or more to end up in the hospital when things don't go his way. Sergio's story becomes really interesting since it seems to borrow heavily from both The Phantom of the Opera and Frankenstein. Natalia on the other hand just doesn't seem to know what she wants. She loves the way Sergio makes love to her, but feels safe with Javier. She's truly torn between the two monsters she inadvertently creats.

Keep an eye out for a trumpet and an iron as they both become nearly as iconic as the hammer was in Oldboy. The Last Circus has a way of putting its viewer on edge with a sense of discomfort and uneasiness never being far away. The restaurant scene is a prime example, which also shows how messed up Sergio really is and eventually leads to one of the most awkward and off-putting sex scenes in recent memory. Some of the computer generated effects got a little overboard in the latter half and seemed to slightly sour my opinion of the film. However after watching the special features, it's truly amazing how much of the film was created with digital effects.

The Last Circus is like a one-sided coin featuring tragedy on both sides and the final scene seems to illustrate this point perfectly. Its surreal visuals make the film a real treat to look at and the haunting score is both memorable and beautiful in a sinister kind of way. With its nearly seamless use of practical and computer generated effects and the way the entire film seems to be covered in a veil of unpredictability, The Last Circus is a unique vision into circus life that's mostly calamitous yet visually stimulating.

Special features are pretty slim, but still interesting. Making of The Last Circus is a fifteen minute featurette that takes you behind the scenes of the film. It's here that you begin to realize how much of the film was filmed in front of the green screen as the cast comments on what it's like to work with Álex de la Iglesia. Behind the Scenes Segments is more of the same type of footage presented as a seven and a half minute montage. Visual Effects is really cool. It's ten minutes long and compares the final version of the film to what was shot in front of the green screen. It literally takes you through step by step of the digital effects. It also informs you that there were 47 digital artists and post-production took two months. The U.S. Trailer, International Trailer, and International Teaser round out the special features.

The film looks completely stunning in 1080P High Definition presented in a 16x9 (2.35:1) aspect ratio and sounds fantastic in its Spanish 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio.

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The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009)

George Clooney, Ewen McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Robert Patrick, Stephen Root, Stephen Lang...THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS has an one of the best cast lineups of any 2009 film (a year in which a lot of good actors made a lot of good movies). The film is based around a supposedly true plot: "psychic warriors" trained to fight terrorists, led by a hippie soldier, attacked by an arrogant Army officer, and infiltrated by a bored investigative reporter and a former psychic soldier. It makes for a great story, and overall, GOATS succeeds brilliantly; it is a delightful, at times dark film (the last 20 minutes or so get so dark, you'll wish the whole film had been this gutsy) that proposes a lot of questions, and doesn't bother answering them (like any good satire should).

However, something's lacking. Peter Straughan's script isn't up to par; and Grant Heslov's directing seems at times undecided. The acting is fine--Clooney is understated; Bridges is himself; Spacey is delightfully off-kilter; and watching McGregor deadpan the question "What's a Jedi?" is just good geeky fun--but the film itself doesn't live up to the cast's combined talents. The end result is a film that's certainly an enjoyable watch, even laugh-out-loud funny in spots (though it's overall a subtle comedy; this isn't slapstick, it's satire), but doesn't have the lasting effect something with this weight should. The ending is ultimately a let-down; a lot of build up for very little. That's not to say the movie isn't worth your time; if you enjoy intellectual comedies, you'll definitely want to check it out. However, unlike others of the genre--DR. STRANGELOVE comes to mind, though it's probably unfair to compare any war satire to Kubrick's masterpiece--THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS doesn't stay with you once you're done watching. And that is a damn shame, because a film with this great a cast, and this interesting a premise, deserves--almost necessitates--a lasting presence. As is, we have an enjoyable intelligent comedy that is slightly less than the sum of its parts.

An extraordinarily talented and experienced international law enforcement officer watched this on loan from me before I saw it, and hated it. Now that I have watched it myself, I understand--if you have not been deeply engaged with CIA and all of its idiocyncrasies including remote viewing, acoustic-kitty, the pigeons that came before Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and then over to SOF (Special Operations Forces) where "unconventional" had to go covert to survive the straight-leg generals with no clue, you will simply not appreciate this movie.

DanD nails it--this is satire and also a brilliant documentary of what can only be decribed as a well-intentioned long-running Goat F..k. The movie is a collage of several different real initiatives including the First Earth Battalion (I knew a couple of the principals, decades ahead of their time); the Peace Warrior initiative, and of course Remote Viewing, the CIA's notorious MKULTRA and LSD for unwitting victims, and so on.

At one point in the movie the two principal actors are discussing the remorse--the angst--over having used his power to actually kill a goat with his mind, and the other guy pops in with "Silence of the Goats." That just about sums it up--this is, for someone steeped in the well-intentioned lunacy of the past--a perfect five, and I have to believe that the world-class actors that decided to do this did it knowing that it would be misunderstood by many, but a real hoot among the veterans of the seventies and eighties.

The only thing not in here, certainly worthy of a sequel to this movie, is extra-terrestial encounters, leveraging extra-terrestial technologies, warnings from extraterrestials [humans now being in a state of quarentine for being stupid squared], and the exotic, wasteful, and generally hilarious methods used to keep Area 51 and related projects "secret."

See also:

Peaceful Warrior (Widescreen)

First Earth Battalion Operations Manual: Reprint of Original Manual from the 70's

On the Psychology of Military Incompetence

Psychic Warrior

Psychic Warrior: The True Story of America's Foremost Psychic Spy and the Cover-Up of the CIA's Top-Secret Stargate Program

Memoirs of a Psychic Spy: The Remarkable Life of U.S. Government Remote Viewer 001

Hidden Secrets: The Complete History of Espionage and the Technology Used to Support ItHidden Truth: Forbidden Knowledge

Disclosure : Military and Government Witnesses Reveal the Greatest Secrets in Modern History

Hidden Truth: Forbidden Knowledge

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After making serious political films like Syriana (Widescreen Edition) and Good Night, and Good Luck (Widescreen Edition), it's nice to see George Clooney starring in a political satire that is funny but still has something to say as it shows the absurdity of the war in Iraq. The Men Who Stare at Goats falls under the truth is stranger than fiction category as it presents a story populated by eccentric characters and tall tales, some of which might be true. Regardless, it is an entertaining film with a wonderfully oddball sense of humor. Don't be put off by the setting. Although it takes place in Iraq, The Men Who Stare at Goats is not weighed down by the baggage of this war.

There is an audio commentary by the film's director Grant Heslov. He points out certain characters that are composites but is quick to explain that what they say comes from Jon Ronson's book The Men Who Stare at Goats. He sometimes spends too much time telling us where certain scenes were shot which gets tiresome pretty fast. Heslov's focus is mostly on the nuts and bolts of filmmaking but done in a fairly dry and uninteresting way.

Also included is a commentary by the book's author Jon Ronson. He points out the scenes that are based on real incidents and talks about meeting the actual people that the characters are based on. He also explains who the composite characters are and tells all sorts of fascinating anecdotes. If you want to learn more the people and events behind the ones depicted in the film, this is worth a listen if only to find out how much is taken from his book and experiences.

"Goats Declassified: The Real Men of the First Earth Battalion" features some of the actual military personnel depicted The Men Who Stare at Goats. They talk about some of their intentions. We also learn about how this top secret unit's techniques were brought to light. It's great to hear from the actual people as they tell their fascinating stories.

"Project `Hollywood': A Classified Report from the Set" takes a brief look at the origins of the film and how it got made. Several of the lead actors talk about their characters and there's footage of them having fun on location.

"Character Bios" is a collection of trailer for the film emphasizing several key characters.

Also included is four minutes of deleted scenes. There is more flashback footage some of which should've stayed in as it's quite funny.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

Read Best Reviews of The Men Who Stare At Goats (2009) Here

A man's wife leaves him. The man happens to be Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), a small town newspaper journalist. To impress his wife and make her see him in a different light, Bob enlists to Iraq as a war correspondent. Sipping a drink in a plush Kuwaiti hotel, resignedly waiting for the green light to cross to Iraq, he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a garbage can company representative in search of a contract (or so he says). Bob is immediately intrigued. Not so long ago, he heard of Lyn in the course of an interview with a retired army soldier. Lyn's supposed psychic powers prove to be too much for Bob the Journalist to resist and he joins Lyn on his sojourn into Iraq. In the process, he discovers the (brief) story of the American Jedi, the soldiers of the U.S. Army's New Earth Battalion; the psychic warriors...

As I am one of the few adult women in the US who consider Clooney's sex appeal only a click above Mr. Rogers', there was a single compelling reason for me to see this film: its title. Unfortunately, the film does not live up to it. Yes, there are goats, men, and plenty of staring, but... the zany comedy/satire one is expecting never actually materializes. For a comedy, there are not enough laughs. For a satire, the pun is too diluted and lacking of a consistent object. The story frequently changes direction, until you feel it is the director's wish to keep the main plot hidden from you. When the film's conclusion finally arrives with a whimper, it forces you to ask: was the hour and a half leading up to this ending worth my time? The answer, in my case, was NO.

Still, the acting is excellent. Bridges as the stoner and Spacey as the villain are satisfying (if not predictable). There are a few good lines that may elicit a chuckle here and there. As long as you do not expect a fast action comedy, or a wise, stay-with-you-long-after-the-viewing satire, you may be able to enjoy some parts of the film...

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It's been cited by various people that this among this movie's weaknesses is the fact that it falls in between a drama, a comedy, a satire, and who knows what else. I agree with those people, this movie has aspects of all those things. I, unlike many others, do not believe this to be a weakness at all. The strange fusion of all the different genres combined in this movies creates a brand of humor and storytelling akin to a that of Terry Pratchet. Unlike many comedies, which recycle the same gag and situational comedy over and over, this movie has fresh plot driven versatile humor, which continues to entertain, rather than getting old once you realize that you are seeing the same joke over and over again in different contexts, as happens with many comedies. The satire is not particularly biting, but it's not mean spirited as much military satire is, so again, I for one, approve of the decisions they made in that area. If this film has a weakness, it is character development, which relies a great deal on the narrator to progress. This movie is entertaining, I came away from the experience feeling I was glad I'd seen it, rather that wishing I could get two hours of my life back. I certainly recommend this movie.

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Bull Durham (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (1988)

If you've never seen "Bull Durham" before, and are tempted to write it off as another sports flick, I beg you to rethink your position. Let me tell you my all-time favorite sports movie: "Hoop Dreams". What about it resonates with me so strongly? It's not a basketball movie --instead, it is a character drama that just happens to exist within a basketball court. In other words, where the story takes place is irrelevant; what dominates the picture is how the story (or real-life events) affects the characters (documentary subjects).

"Bull Durham" might not belong in the realm of that classic, but skeptics shouldn't dismiss it simply because it involves baseball. Overlookers won't realize that it's a funny exploration of how people discover their own ambition; the dirt diamond & ball are circumstantial.

The story begins when a minor league team is joined by veteran catcher Crash Davis (Kevin Costner). Crash has been given the unenviable task of mentoring an immature pitcher whose deadly fastball "couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat". Tim Robbins plays the pitcher, Eddie Laloosh. Eddie soon takes the nickname "Nuke"; Crash decides "Meat" is a better way to condescend the undisciplined rookie.

Let me pause there, because this sound like we're going to get a fairy tale of how a cynical teacher and hotshot student will become better humans by the end of their journey. Thankfully, writer-director Ron Shelton was much smarter than this, and doesn't treat his story like a whimsical children's book. Crash and Nuke engage in some of the harshest (and funniest) banter in the history of comedies; the only times either learns anything from each other is because one just can't deal with the tension and submits. I won't give anything away, but if you've never seen this movie before, you'll thank me later when Nuke shakes off Crash's pitching calls --twice! If for whatever reason you don't like Costner or Robbins, their perfect chemistry will change your mind. It's been 20 years since "Bull Durham", and both actors have rarely been better.

When this unbearable pairing of Crash & Nuke begins, they soon meet Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon). Annie is a strange blend of sexual creature and muse. She takes one player per season, and selects that player as her mate and student. In the hands of another actress or director, this would come off as sleazy & trashy. But once Annie begins to make her new choice stimulate his mind with poetry BEFORE satisfying his primal urges, it becomes clear that eroticism is not even a factor. You know, when I think of Sarandon, "sexy" is not the first word to come to my mind. But "Bull Durham" convinced me otherwise. Just look at the boxart! But then wait until you watch the performance: it's a treasure from her opening monologue to the emotional finale!

What results from the Crash/Nuke bickering, Annie's sensual tutoring, their bizarre triangle, and the adventurous Durham Bulls season is a movie that is achingly funny...but then Shelton gently pulls the curtain back to reveal some more layers.

I forgot the mention the Durham Bulls team name earlier because they're not the primary focus. I haven't revealed many plot points because the plot's mostly in the background. I can't recall any 'BIG GAMES' or 'TWISTS'. Hell, there's hardly any baseball for the last 30 minutes of the picture! What "Bull Durham" leaves with viewers are the characters & the little details. We don't care which games the Bulls won, but we remember the teammates' weird superstitions & conversations. Annie's teachings are incredibly silly, but she eventually acknowledges how ridiculous some of her behavior is. The three principals do discover their dreams, but in a most unlikely way. The romance is sweet, patient, and believable offbeat. Best of all, "Bull Durham" works on all paces --it speeds up to make us laugh, and still keeps our attention when it slows down for reflection.

"Bull Durham" is a hard movie to describe because there's really nothing else like it. Ron Shelton has created a small-town comedy that resembles something from Frank Capra's mind. It's as much a celebration of life as it is a parody of it. There are no grossout gags; just strong acting and intelligent writing. The game of baseball is merely a catalyst of more meaningful ideas. But have no fear: there's plenty of baseball comedy for sports buffs.

"Bull Durham" includes the good times of a "movie", but earns its place as a "film" --the perfect balance of entertainment and genius!

EXTRAS

This new DVD won't come out until March 18th. Here's what's been advertised:

* Audio Commentary from director Ron Shelton

* Audio Commentary from Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins

* "The Greatest Show On Dirt" featurette Twenty years later the cast, crew and fans remember Bull Durham

* "Diamonds In The Rough" featurette Explores minor league baseball

* "Between The Lines: The Making Of Bull Durham" featurette

* "Kevin Costner Profile"

I'll come back and review these special features. Just looking at these Extras convinces me that the earlier DVD release will soon be obsolete.

Ron Shelton spent some time in the minor leagues represented in his screenplay for Bull Durham, so he knows about the baseball things represented. But he also clearly has a gifted ear for the tempo of real life, and he knows about hopes and desires and the things that make human beings tick. The setting for this film with the minor league Durham Bulls works, and works perfectly, but the characters, especially among the central love triangle, could just as easily have been traveling salesmen or race drivers or con artists or gangsters.

Susan Sarandon plays Annie Savoy, a slightly older woman who is a Durham Bulls groupie of sorts: once a season she picks out a promising young player and begins an affair with them. During that season the promising young player has the year of his life and gets called up to the big leagues, leaving Annie to look for next year's promising young player.

The Bulls also have a million-dollar prospect of a pitcher with a right arm who the gods reached down and turned into a thunderbolt. He also has less control than a seven year old with hyperactive attention deficit disorder without his Ritalin. He's as likely to throw it over the backstop as throw a strike, although his "stuff" is like Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson. Tim Robbins brings "Nuke" LaLoosh to life in his best comic performance.

Kevin Costner, in the best of his many baseball-movie appearances, plays "Crash" Davis, a power-hitting catcher with enough talent to be a leader on minor league teams, but only 21 days in "The Show" in years of minor league work. Crash is not only a competent minor league catcher though he also knows the history of the game, and he knows how to get into the heads of players who have mental blocks preventing them from achieving all they can as baseball players.

Crash, meet Nuke. Both of you meet Annie.

The dialogue is so witty and sparkling that more than a decade after the film's release, it still shows up frequently in discussions about baseball movies and on ESPN. Crash envies Nuke's god-given talent, and by degrees the clueless Nuke begins to appreciate Crash's baseball wisdom. Annie has the hots for both of them, and they for her, and the way this triangle evolves and resolves makes for a very satisfying baseball movie watching experience.

The movie would be worth watching if only for the hilarious little scenes that happen out on the playing field between catcher Costner and pitcher Robbins. Nuke has the million-dollar arm and the ten-cent head. Crash knows his job (and everyone elses as well) like the back of his hand. Whenever Nuke starts trying to think for himself, he quickly gets into trouble, frequently with active assistance from Crash.

Crash "calls" the game signalling to the pitcher which pitches to throw. When Nuke listens things go well. When Nuke doesn't listen, Crash whispers to the hitter what pitch is coming so that the batter can tee off on the pitch. Then as the batter circles the bases after his home run Crash goes out to the mound to remind Nuke not to try thinking for himself. "Boy, the last thing I saw fly out of here like that had a stewardess and passengers on it!"

Supporting parts are performed to hilarious perfection as well, with particular kudos to Trey Wilson as the manager and Robert Wuhl as a team coach. They have many entertaining scenes, including the one following Nuke's minor-league debut when he struck out 18..... but also walked 18 both league records! A must for grown-up baseball fans.

Buy Bull Durham (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (1988) Now

If you love baseball, then odds are you've seen & love Bull Durham, a sexy fun dramady starring Kevin Costner, Susan Surandon & Tim Robbins. It's easily one of the best baseball movies ever made and the first of three in Mr. Costner's Baseball Trilogy (Field of Dreams & For Love of The Game would follow).

The extra features included in this Special Edition are pretty nice. Plus I also enjoyed the extra outer packaging sleeve that comes with the DVD case. It's all white and looks like a big baseball. The classic picture of Kevin standing next to a car with a beer in one hand and a bat in the other, with Susan perched beside him is still what's on the actual DVD case. For the first time we actually get the trailers to Bull Durham and I really enjoyed watching the teaser & theatrical trailers. But does anyone remember the original TV spots which always ended with the bathtub scene and seeing the candles getting put out with a splash of water? The new making of documentary: Between the Lines, is a nice retrospective look back at the movie, with everyone involved, from Kevin, Susan & Tim, to director Ron Shelton himself, plus Robert Wuhl and others. What also makes it fun is real Bull Durham baseball players also comment on the film and really give you the dirt on how it measured up to really being in the minors. The other featurettes: Kevin Costner Profile & Sports Wrap are a little disappointing because they're very short (maybe 4 minutes each) and aren't new, just old featurettes made during the filming of the movie. But they're still nice to have. The Photo Gallery is nice too, but don't expect a lot of pics. There's about maybe a hundred or so. Now some of you will be surprised to learn that the Joe Cocker music video is not on the DVD. I mean it might be a hidden easter egg but I doubt it. More likely they were unable to get the rights to it and therefore not allowed to include it on the disc. Which is sad because it's a great song. I was lucky enough to get the soundtrack on CD which has been out of print for years. They really should re-release it because the songs are just wonderful!

The audio commentaries included are both fun & insightful. If you own the previous release of Bull Durham on DVD then you already have the Ron Shelton commentary which I enjoyed a lot. He gives a lot of great stories and explanations about the film that really open your eyes a bit more. But the real gem is the new commentary between Kevin Costner & Tim Robbins. One thing you'll notice right away is all the scenes Kevin talks about that didn't make the final cut. It's a real shame there's no deleted scenes section on this DVD so we could actually see them because they sound pretty good. There's a couple of freindly jabs from Kevin on how Tim was lucky enough to end up with Susan Surandon and how he didn't even know they were dating during filming. It does get a little intense when the love scene between she and Kevin comes up. Tim says "This is the part of the movie I don't like watching". But Kevin handles the tension nicely like a pro and talks about other things during the scene. It's a lot of fun. I wish these guys did another movie togeher! The ironic thing I noticed is that Ron Shelton states that, regarding the famous speech given by Kevin at Susan's house, that he doesn't really like it and would not've written it the same way had he made the film today. While Kevin, in his audio commentary says that it's a great speech but he didn't deliver it well enough and the strength of it lies with the words themsleves. That's what made it powerful, not his acting. Personally I think he's too hard on himself. Plus I always smile during the part of the speech when he says "I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone", since Kevin starred in JFK. It's a great speech and he does it perfectly.

For some reason MGM decided to give both a widescreen version and a standard pan & scan version for this DVD release, which means no cover art on the front of the disc. I don't understand why they needed the standard version since the film only has a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. But one reason you may want to consider keeping your old copy of Bull Durham on DVD is that the previous release was presented in THX for superior picture and sound quality. The new special edition version is not. And I think the THX version does look better too. Guess MGM didn't feel like using it for their release.

You don't have to be a baseball fan to love this movie. The acting is great, the characters are great, the music is timeless, & the romantic side is just as strong and touching as anything else. Pick up this special edition of Bull Durham. While your at it, pick up the rest of Mr. Costner's baseball trilogy on DVD and then watch 'em all back to back. You'll be glad you did.

Bull Durham -Rated the #1 Sports Movie of All Time by Sports Illustrated

"I'm the player to be named later" Kevin Costner as Crash Davis

Read Best Reviews of Bull Durham (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging) (1988) Here

It's time for Major League Baseball players to get ready for "The Show", and yet I can't help but think about this funny screwball comedy about minor league baseball, written and directed by former minor leaguer Ron Shelton. For Shelton this was truly a labor of love, realistically depicting life in the minor leagues with ample doses of humor. Kevin Costner gives one of his finest performances as veteran minor league catcher "Crash" Davis, who has spent only 21 days in "The Show" (Major League Baseball) and is near the end of his own career. It is Davis' mission to train a promising young pitcher with a million dollar arm but a dim bulb of a mind to go with it, Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). Robbins offers the funniest and among the best performances in his career as LaLoosh, whom the majors think may be the next Nolan Ryan or Sandy Koufax. Vying for their affections is English school teacher and diehard Durham Bulls fan Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon), who seeks out the most promising rookie each season and has an affair with him; though this time, both she and Davis realize that LaLoosh doesn't deserve her affections. "Bull Durham" is a hilarious mix of metaphysics, poetry, love and baseball though not quite in this order that's blessed with an excellent cast, script and direction from Ron Shelton. It's among my favorite films from the 1980s and unquestionably one of the best baseball movies ever made.

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Back when Kevin Costner made good films, this terrific one about America's two favorite pastimes and the people who love them came out. With an onscreen heat you can practically feel, the film just screams sexy. The minute the opening monologue begins, it's a fascinating and funny insight into human emotion, sex and of course, baseball. Susan Sarandon proves the older woman is eternally sexy with her baseball groupie Annie Savoy. It's not that she's easy, she just picks one player a year to 'mature'. This year there are two promising candidates. One is a fiesty, talented but inexperienced pitcher who is not that bright; the other a seasoned catcher brought in to straighten the rookie out. Ultimately she chooses Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh (Tim Robbins, brilliant as an idiot), the dim but wild (hence 'Nuke') pitcher. The love triangle takes a backseat to baseball but always remains in the foreground. As the film progresses, a winning streak leaves Annie without a man and she soon begins to regret her decision. Finally a wildly sexy and romantic fling with Crash (a volcanic Kevin Costner), the rugged catcher, arrives. While it is the film during which Susan fell for Tim and she shares extraordinary chemistry with both men, the real attraction on-screen is the slow seduction between Annie and Crash. The film is so hot, it usually takes a nice shower afterwards to cool off. Good for those winter nights when baseball isn't in season. And hey, any film that makes baseball this sexy can't be that bad.

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