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Showing posts with label comedy movies of 2008. Show all posts

Pickin & Grinnin (2012)

Where can I get the sound track? When do the Johnson Brothers tour Philadelphia? I'm there. Now I gotta go get a corndog.

Corndogs, 2 for a dollar!

Three lovable losers seek fame and fortune on a cross-country road trip to Nashville, stumbling, bumbling and fumbling along in a rickety old Winnebago, encountering malcontents, swindlers and saviors along the way. Pickin' & Grinnin' is full of character actor cameos from the likes of Sandy Martin, Garrett Morris, Frances Bay, Geoffrey Lewis, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top, and patron saint of Roadway travel: Kenny Loggins. directed by John Gries who you probably know as Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite. Pickin' & Grinnin' is a warm hearted comedy full of great music and great performances. Support your Johnsons!

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High Fidelity (2000)

If ever there was a movie that could be construed as an allegorical representation of my life, this is it. If ever there was a Romantic Comedy written primarily for men (as opposed to women & couples), this is it!

John Cusack plays your typical everyday kind of guy who just so happens to have the absolute WORST luck with women. Stability in his personal life is ever elusive and he continues to get dumped by the women he dates. Typically he is ditched because the girl "meets another guy, and....."

Like most men, Cusack's character wants to have things both ways. He wants to have continuity in his life, yet the idea of commitment scares the tar out of him. What if he takes that giant leap but isn't able to make it to the other side of the canyon? What if he meets an even more worthwhile girl 2 days after getting married? Ah, the variables of relationships that we men torture ourselves with.

Aside from the venerable Cusack the film also features Catherine Zeta Jones as the paridigmatic "perfect" girl who is continually just-out-of-reach for we mere mortals. She sizzles in her role and it's obvious that she relished the chance to play a sort of Supermodel-type girl who is a femme fatale.

There is a hilarious scene of Cusack's persona standing in the rain outside her home that perhaps every single heterosexual male will be able to relate to (from one point of his life or other). A nice touch in the story is how they bring out the fact that old boyfriends are incessantly contacting her to find out why she dumped them.

If you're interested in watching a Romantic Comedy that's a bit bleaker than most, this one might be for you. If you're a male like me who has undergone myriad rejections in his life, this DVD is a MUST see. For men like myself stories don't get too much more cathartic than this one!

It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't seen High Fidelity, or even someone who's just seen it once, how incredibly good it is. Take first the phenomenal John Cusack, who seems to make any film he appears in twice as watchable. Is there a more underrated leading man in this decade? I doubt it.

Then take into account the amazing support, knowns and unknowns Cusack's sister Joan, Tim Robbins, Jack Black, etc. even Zeta-Jones isn't half bad. Consider too the script, which is surprisingly faithful to Nick Hornby's (very good) book, and gives equal measure to comic and tragic relief.

Fianlly, the soundtrack. Can there be any greater song to sum up Rob Thomas (John Cusack's) final revelation after the film ends than Stevie Wonder's I Believe? No. High Fidelity is the complete package funny, touching, well-acted, scripted, directed, scored for, and unbelievably true to life.

And for all those sad Englishmen writing in to complain that the movie should have been set in Britian get real. I thank you.

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There are rare movies that you watch and you go "That's Me!" and these are especially great movies if the next thought in your head is "I'm an idiot!" I watched this movie and I missed fighting with an ex-girlfriend who is still a best friend. I think a lot of people will see it that way.

Anyhow, John Cusack whose niche seems to be playing losers (Better Off Dead, Say Anything, Being John Malkovich, Tapeheads, etc.) plays one of the most appealing losers since Lloyd from Say Anything. His girlfriend has left him. His career is running a failing record store. He decides to go over all his past relationships to figure out what went wrong. Worse is that his girlfriend keeps coming back for her stuff and you start to realize that she is perfect for him, even as she walks off to start something with the politically correct granola ponytail wearing upstairs neighbor played with smug self-satisfaction by Tim Robbins (in the scene where John Cusack wants to beat him senseless, Tim Robbins plays the part so you the audience would also like to beat him senseless)

Through a series of lists (five most humiliating breakups, five best songs about burning things up. four things that my extold her best friend to make her best friend hate my guts)his two friends at the record store (they fit the record store stereotype clerk to the hilt or comic book store clerk or any store with a cool selection. one's a jerk and the other one's a freaky loner) and a brief affair with Lisa Bonet (whose version of "Baby I Love Your Ways" SHOULD be on the soundtrack but isn't.) and the meetings with the previously mentioned five most humiliating breakups, the main character stops relating to the world as a carnival that's out to stick him in the lion cage and starts gaining perspective, even maturity.

By the end with John Cusack back with his girlfriend, you have absolutely no idea if they are going to stay together or break up again, but you really want them to stay together. If only to give the notion that it's worth growing up. This is a long movie, a movie with many subplots and counter subplots but an honest movie and a movie that will go down as one of the classics of honest romance movies in a sea of saccharine junk with plots that were written from a standard romantic plotline (they meet, they go out, they sleep together, they break up, they get back together in a funny sequence at the end, the audience falls asleep, etc.) Original beauty and it makes me hope that the rest of Hornby's books should also be adapted for the screen.

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My top 5 reasons as to why this is a must see film are as follows;

1)The story-The character played by John Cusack has reached his late 20's and he's just split up with his girlfriend of the past 2 years.He owns a 2nd hand record store and he's struggling to survive financially.His best frined are 2 fellow music loving eccentrics with whom he has this sort of love hate relationship.He knows he's coming to an age where he should maybe think of settling down and start making concrete plans for a secure future,yet he's been living in some sort of denial.It's the break up of this relationship that makes him suddenly question the way his life has been going.This is portrayed through the various scenes in the film but it's also totally original in the way that Cusack delivers this really funny yet at times pitiful narrative to the camera in a way that puts everything going on around him in a state of freeze-frame.He goes through the pain of trying to sort out his life during the course of the film.

2)Comedy-There are some really funny moments in the movie.The main character Cusack himself is a witty and yet comically pitiful figure.Even better are the two sidekicks he works with.They are musical snobs and the scenes in the record store are often hilarious as they deal with the less "musically-educated" customers who come to the store.One middle-aged customer who comes in to buy Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called To Say..." is dealt with in the funniest put-down manner imaginable.The contrast between his two assistants is also a source of amusement.The cameos by Tim Robbins and Bruce Sprinsteen are also hilarious-especially Robbins who is a high-flying,world music loving,martial arts expert who also looks like some sort of new age hippy and worst of all he's living with Laura,Cusack's ex-girlfriend.The scene where he confronts Cusack in the record store is totall original and is also hilarious.

3)The Girlfriends-Cusack decides to give you a glimpse of his past life by telling us his worst 5 break ups in his life.Each one is so different and it goes from the time he was in 7th grade right up to current events.He tries to meet up with all these girls again to see if there's a pattern in to where he's going wrong-usually ending up in hilarious and unexpected consequences.

4)The Music-Well it's really good.As you'd expect from the owner of a 2nd hand record store it's not your average commercial stuff but a wide range of classics and alt from the 60's through to modern times.At one stage Cusack says "I'm going to now sell 5 copies of The Beta Bands 3 E.P's".As someone who often frequents record stores myself the scene was just so accurate as the customers hear this wonderful track for the first time and immediately go from just nodding their heads in rhtyhm to the music to enquiring as to who it is?Straight after the movie I dug out my own copy of the c.d. and started to play it again for the first time in years.

5)The top 5 lists-this was a particularly strong element in Nick Hornby's book from which the film is based.It's not only the variety of lists from funeral music,to break-up tracks-but it's also the way they are compiled,the useless trivia that precludes certain items,the arguments and dissing of other people's choices.It's the sort of useless arguments that many groups of guys of that age spend hours upon hours discussing.

All in all this is a really enjoyable movie.It's funny and it also has a "feel good" factor to it without being cringe inducing in a Forest Gump way.

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1. Its portrayal of the musically obsessed. The best parts of the film revolve around music and the film successfully captures the collector�s mentality and his obsessions. All three of the guys that work at the record store eat, breathe and sleep music. I am not as obsessed as they are but damn close and I have never seen this mentality on screen. If you love music you will like this film is only for the way it attempts to make all of its viewers music lovers. It puts into action the feelings that revolve around music. It is nice to see that others make lists of everything. Warning: After seeing this film you may stay up half the night listening to records.

2. The humor. This is a hilarious movie and its comedy is quite fresh and is a different form of humor that is a pleasant juxtaposition to today�s gross-out and stupid humor. It is nice to see that there are alternatives. A few scenes really show the film�s interesting brand of humor such as when John Cusack�s character Rob imagines beating up his ex�s new boyfriend Ian and every scene with Jack Black is great. He steals every scene he is in and makes the film worth seeing for repeated viewings. Much of Rob�s little observances about life are also very amusing but at the same time they sure do say a lot.

3. The acting. John Cusack is great as Rob who narrates his life for us on screen. John Cusack portrays Rob so well that we as the audience feel his every pain and victory and can relate it to our own lives. It is a hard role to play due to the fact that that through most of the film he is talking to the camera and does not have the other actors to fall back on. He pulls it off nicely though. Of course Jack Black is great and his character perfectly captures the essence of the collector. When he corrects Dick for accidentally putting a �the� at the beginning of an album title he verbalizes the compulsive-obsessive disorder known as �collecting�. The guy who play Dick is also great (sorry, not sure of actor�s name) as is Tim Robbins as Ian.

4. The directing. Stephen Frears does an excellent job of putting Nick Hornby�s book on the screen. He directs in an understated, non-flashy way and that is exactly what the film needed. He does add enough gimmicks to keep the film interesting but for the most part he lets the actors carry the film and in this case that is an excellent move. He obviously trusted his actors and that was a good thing. The credit sequences are among the highlights of his directing and very few films have interesting credit sequences.

5. The music. Everything from The Velvet Underground to Stereolab is used in the film to a high level of success. Each song fits perfectly and provides a strong backbone to the film. It helps to make the viewer understand the musically obsessed frame of mind. Buy the soundtrack too. Some of the most effective song�s are Stevie Wonder�s �I Believe (When I Fall in Love it Will be Forever)� and The Thirteenth Floor Elevator�s �You�re Gonna Miss Me�. Also it was nice to see The Beta Band get mentioned in such a flattering way.

So, a great film that all should see. I would give it four and a half stars for although it is great I reserve my five stars for true classics. This is close but not perfect. Still go see it.

Thanxs...

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Crazy, Stupid, Love (Movie-Only Edition + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011)

I thought this movie was fabulously funny and warm-hearted, poignant and tender, bitter and sweet. In other words, just like our real relationship(s) in life. Steve Carell was brilliant as the cuckolded husband who had to find his groove (again) after slipping into the humdrum of benign neglect, Ryan Gosling couldn't have been better in the role of the dazzling womanizer who surprised himself by falling in love, Julianne Moore nailed it as the wife who couldn't quite figure out what she wanted now that she'd up-ended everything and everyone. Every one of the youngsters in the film had such sweetness to them, and yet were so real, just like any kid of their various ages. Emma Stone was just the right balance of vulnerable woman and strong.

When we finally see how all the pieces of this seemingly random puzzle come together, it's brilliant. Couldn't be better, or more touching-while-funny. In fact, I was in a full theater of mostly 50's and 60's age adults, and the place rocked with laughter from the start of the film to the finish.

This is a movie NOT to be missed!

As comedies go, I think this is probably one of the better ones you will see this year.

Steve Carell plays Cal, a husband who splits from his high school sweetheart, played by Julianne Moore, after she cheats. Hanging out in single bars every nights he sees this ladies man played by Ryan Gosling successfully pick up numerous women, while he says out loud to anyone who will listen, 'my wife cheated on me with xxxx.'

Meanwhile his teenage son has the hots for his babysitter, while the babysitter crushes on Cal. We have 4 romantic triangles between the main characters, that are developed to great comic effect.

So, Ryan Gosling's character takes him under his wing, as his wing man, and shows him how to score with the ladies, which leads to many interesting twists and turns.

There were several parts of this movie that made me cringe, one was the patheticness of the character played by Steve Carell. The teenage crush made me cringe a little, especially with the absurd things this kid did to get her attention.

In fairness this was more than balanced with some high quality scenes and interactions, particularly the scenes with Marisa Tomei, who I thought was absolutely brilliant, especially when her simmering emotions boil over at the parent teacher meeting.

The Dirty Dancing routine between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone was simply movie magic, and one of the best scenes I have seen all year, two quality actors, chemistry, everything, perfect.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Ryan Gosling may be one the best actors on the planet. You probably know him from The Notebook, a perennial top 100 rental on leading dvd rental sites. He has studously avoided the mainstream doing indie and art house movies. Watching his performance in Blue Valentine with Michelle Williams convinced me of his greatness, with some reminders of a young DeNiro, without the psychotic overtones, or even perhaps Sean Penn, the most respected actor among his peers.

The proof may not be out there yet, and I am so glad to see him to see him in a mainstream movie. I hope that he will continue to make critically acclaimed movies and also more widely seen movies, and that he will get both the recognition, and ultimately the accolades he deserves.

Emma Stone, what can you say, she is the best of the young actresses who has emerged over the last two years, outstanding in Easy A, and now the lead in The Help, for which she may get an Oscar nom.

I hope this was helpful, and I think the movie is worth seeing.

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In theory and on paper, "Crazy, Stupid, Love" had the potential to be a disaster. It seems sometimes that studios have lost the ability to replicate anything resembling real life in the big budget fiascos that stand for romantic comedy these days. Do people really have to act like complete morons to find true love? How many uptight career women do we need to watch being tamed by adolescent and boorish men? While Dan Fogelman's screenplay certainly plays to the expected conventions, it is distinguished by a smart and genuine sense of humor that is grounded in identifiable and likable character types. It has a surprisingly hard edge which is quite refreshing. Incorporating adult themes, "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is a romantic comedy that you don't have to be embarrassed to like for it doesn't pander or insult your intelligence. Yes, it goes a little soft in the final act for my taste--but up to that point, the experience is rich, thoughtful and filled with laughs. And there are some super actors at the top of their game--which certainly doesn't hurt.

The movie begins with the dissolution of a marriage. Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, as Cal and Emily Weaver, face the unpleasant truth about Moore's infidelity as she pushes for a separation. The resultant scenes have a bitter truthfulness which plays out in the most awkwardly humorous (and slightly disturbing)way. Much of the movie has Carell reeling and trying to make sense of his life. Ryan Gosling, as the neighborhood lothario, takes the unrepentant sadsack under his wing for some tutelage about making time with the ladies. Yes, it is formulaic in an only-in-the-movies kind of way--but both actors are so engaging, it's quite easy to overlook the convenience of plotting. Gosling, meanwhile, may have met his match with the spirited Emma Stone. These two share real sparks that intensify and deepen as the movie delves further into their bond. Not to be left out, there are several others involved in the romantic merry-go-round including Carell's son who is in love with the babysitter who in turn is in love with Carell. The movie twists around on itself, serving up surprises and sweetness. It all may be a bit gooey by the end, but the performers will keep you on your toes.

Despite being a romantic comedy for grown-ups, perhaps the film's biggest (and most valuable couple) are Carell and Gosling. When these two are together, the picture soars. It is easily one of Carell's best roles and Gosling can do no apparent wrong (is he in every 2011 release?). Stone is quite winning. I also enjoyed brief but pivotal roles by Marisa Tomei and Kevin Bacon who cross paths with the central married couple. Even with the many subplots and peripheral characters, the film is focused and confidant. What is so amazing is that the picture feels fresh and new despite working squarely in familiar territory. Relatable and more real than it has any right to be, "Crazy, Stupid, Love" makes me yearn for other studio comedies to risk engaging both a viewer's heart and his brain. Give it a shot if you're looking for an adult film filled with big laughs, much heart, and one of the year's most adept ensemble casts. About 4 1/2 stars, I'll round up for the central bromance! KGHarris, 11/11.

Read Best Reviews of Crazy, Stupid, Love (Movie-Only Edition + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2011) Here

Looks like I'm just another of several to give this romantic comedy 5-stars. Crazy, Stupid, Love isn't your traditional romantic comedy. You can tell this when Julianne Moore tells Steve Carrell, her husband of almost 25 years, that she wants a divorce. From there, the movie breaks off into parts, following Carrell as he hits the singles scene and fails miserably until being aided by hilarious ladies man Ryan Gosling. This movie is more about finding lost love again after losing it.

Gosling spends weeks tutoring Carrell on how to pick up women, while his ex-wife is struggling with her own choice to break up her marriage by having an affair with a coworker played by Kevin Bacon. Meanwhile, Carrell and Moore's 13 year old son has a crush on his cute 17-year old baby sitter. She however, isn't returning his love, because she has a crush on an older man. Emma Stone plays a young law student about to pass the bar exam, and being wooed by a nerdy boyfriend (Josh Groban) and ignoring the advances of Gosling. Sounds complicated? Well its really quite simple as the movie follows how crazy and stupid love can be as the characters try and find their one true soul mate.

The movie is really good because of the strong cast. Each plays their part perfectly and there are lot of laughs, especially at the few twists at the end. The climax at the 8th grade graduation could have been handled better, but overall I really liked this movie. The triangle between the babysitter, the older man and the kid had a few moments that I believed cross the line (issues involving sexting) but this is a movie for adults, so kids shouldn't be seeing it anyway.

As Steve Carrell moves past his successful stint on THE OFFICE, I hope he will make more movies like this.

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How Do You Know (2010)

My wife and I really enjoyed "How Do You Know." The script itself was slightly on the bland side, as others have noted, but the film itself is redeemed by some great performances and excellent direction and editing. For us, it generated consistent laughs and smiles throughout the film, as well as lots of undercurrents and multileveled themes to ponder after we left the theatre.

What really made the film work for me were the performances of the Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd. The Director / Writer (James L. Brooks) spends lots of screen time doing closeups on the faces of these three performers, allowing us to see the interplay of complex emotions on their faces as they wrestle with the dilemmas they are confronting. This would not have worked unless Mr. Brooks was able to coax finely tuned and believable emotions out of these excellent actors; and he is superb at doing so.

The flip side of this is that it takes time to allow these emotions to play out, so the film seems slower paced than films that are more concerned with situational comedy (and perhaps then less concerned with exploring the emotional depths of relationships).

Combined with this are some really hysterical scenes. Owen Wilson has long been known as a great comedic sidekick, and that well-honed character he always seems to play bumbling, shallow, narcissistic and clueless plays well in this film. Yet, even his character plumbs emotional depths I've never seen from him in other films. Paul Rudd, who I am not as familiar with, also did a great job. Yet, what makes the film shine is Reese Witherspoon's performance. You really connect-with her character. The film ends predictably, and was foreshadowed from the very start. I would have preferred another few minutes to give us insight into the outcomes of Reese's choice at the end of the film.

I saw some interesting themes and visual statements popping up again and again throughout the film, such as the way in which the characters would engage in extended dialog with one of them offscreen, before they'd walk into the shot at the end of the conversation. There is also a great scene where Rudd's and Reese's characters play-out their own feelings for each other by helping an acquaintance with her own marriage proposal. Another interesting contrast, which intentionally sums up the relationships each had with her was the gifts the two male leads both offer to Reese's character just before her "Birthday party" how they were presented, what they meant to the givers, and Reese's reactions to them and their presentation.

Ultimately, the film explores the difference and relationship between external and internal love, between self love and love for other, between sacrificial love and self preservation. It does it well, and it does it in unexpected ways. This is definitely a film I will purchase when it comes out on Blu-Ray and watch several times to really "get" all of the more subtle messages and themes being presented. I think the pacing could have been a bit better, and I was a bit let down by the ending as I said, so will rate it four stars really good, but some room for improvement.

Apparently it's a bad thing that "How Do You Know" takes the time to develop characters who have real wants and needs, who aren't afraid to be uncertain about things, let it's plot unfold naturally, let it's scenes linger and take their time; because "How Do You Know" was hated by critics and audiences a like. This baffles me. This wonderful picture from the great James L. Brooks does, for me at least (and apparently I am alone on this one), everything a great film should do. It engaged me emotionally and intellectually, I related to the characters and their problems, I found it to be human and funny and their struggles were timely. Brooks' film is an ode to those who are just off center of making their lives work and I found it next to irresistible. Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson and Jack Nicholson are all terrific here, delivering witty, honest and well rounded performances. The film is nicely directed, beautifully shot and attentively written. In a year when films have to be all high concept and surreal images trump character and motivation (yes, I'm looking at you "Inception" and "Black Swan"), "How Do You Know" is a lovely breath of fresh air. I just can't fathom how people can dislike such an honest and moving picture, but apparently, it's very easy.

If you are a fan of James L. Brook's pictures or are someone who likes a good, natural, character study, I really recommend you check out "How Do You Know".

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Now I know I'm out of step with current preferences. The average comedy today seems to consistently feature emotionally immature, narcissistic boy-men, and women who are trying to be tough at work but are insecure and confused about how to have any kind of grown-up relationship. The characters are virtually interchangeable from one movie to another. Since I'm an avid movie-lover, I'm not that hard to please, but am too often left cold or indifferent.

Then along comes this supposedly "bad" movie, which I finally Netflixed since I like the director. It has characters I DID care about, and I wanted to give it 41/2 stars in contrast to what's out there. Life thas thrown Lisa and George some curve balls (pun intended), but they are BOTH striving to be caring and self-responsible people (how retro!) and figure out how to move on with their lives. I loved the performances of Reese and Paul (just watching their faces change was delicious), and I agree with another reviewer that Owen found a deeper layer too. Jack was Jack. I was particularly taken with the attention paid to supporting characters and the unique friendship George had with pregnant and emotional Annie. The hospital scene was moving and funny, worth watching the movie to see. But there were many little treats along the way. e.g. 1) Lisa's attempts to rise above her pain with post-it-note slogans,like she did in baseball. 2) the power of silence at the restaurant (what, not even text messaging?) etc.

I am buying this movie, and hope they don't give up making little gems like this. My scales have already tipped to independent and foreign films, so Hollywood is way behind in the battle for my dollar. And just for the record, I see many movies in theaters and have a collection of THOUSANDS. And my friends pay attention to my opinions. There's a bigger market out there than 20-year-old males. Are you listening, Hollywood?

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How Do You Know opened in late 2010 to atrocious reviews, arguably worse reactions from audiences, and went on to become a box-office bomb coming nowhere near recouping its $120 budget. This budget has been oft-discussed, as $50 million went for star salaries alone and you'd be hard-pressed to find the other $70 million onscreen. This is the sixth film to be written and directed by James L. Brooks, who works almost exclusively in romantic-comedy and writes some of the most charming, intelligent dialogue one would be pressed to find in the genre. Is it one of his best films? No. But a bad romantic-comedy by Brooks is far better than the average, mass-produced rom-com that hits the multiplex on what seems like a weekly basis. I have issues with the film like all viewers do, but the amount of criticism it's received is unfathomable to me; being a romantic-comedy, it really is better than 90% of the dreck that's released in this genre.

Reese Witherspoon is Lisa, a 31-year-old softball player who is adored by her teammates but sees her career coming to a halt because of her age. Trying to start a new phase in her life, she begins dating Matty Reynolds (Owen Wilson), a clueless, womanizing pro-baseball player whose insensitivity she finds oddly charming. George Madison (Paul Rudd) is a young executive who discovers that he's the target of a federal investigation and is informed by his father Charles (Jack Nicholson) that he could be facing a possible indictment. As this is a romantic-comedy, you know that George meets Lisa at this unique crossroad in their lives and falls for her, leaving her torn between Matty and George. Kathryn Hahn co-stars as George's pregnant assistant Annie, who is quite the scene-stealer among these big marquee names.

The quality of this film is all about perception, as there's nothing inarguably good about it. Its quality comes completely from how you respond to the material and how well you think the material is performed. If you look at the negative reviews (and there are many) you will see comments like it's "boring," "too long," "has unlikable characters," etc. I did not feel this way at all, which leaves me firmly in the minority. If the film has one big flaw it is probably the characterization. Brooks is a good writer but his creation of the central characters is heavily flawed here, particularly in the relationship between Lisa and Matty. It's hard to see why Lisa would be attracted to Matty let alone why she would continue to actively pursue a relationship with him, as he remains a static character throughout the film. Despite this, their relationship takes up a significant portion of screen-time. Lisa is a strong, fairly intelligent female protagonist but her intelligence becomes questionable due to her taste in men. It takes a while before she warms up to flawed, but extremely loveable George, yet she likes Matty almost immediately. With that said, I didn't find these characters unlikable as they are played by actors charming enough to off-set any un-likability. Even though his character's relationship with Lisa makes little sense, Wilson carries his role very well and is responsible for some of the film's funniest moments. Even with weak characterization, Brooks' characters seem more developed, multi-dimensional, and intelligent than the usual caricatures that populate these types of films.

Witherspoon is a capable actress, adorable as Lisa and Rudd is an actor of intense likability and immense charm. The two have a very cute, believable chemistry together that likely stems from how likable they are separately and their relationship develops in a somewhat unconventional manner. I'd like to see them work together again, as they are the heart and soul of the film. Of course, you can't not discuss the legend that is Jack Nicholson, an actor of such greatness his mere presence in a movie can bring a smile to your face. Reuniting with Brooks for the fourth time, Nicholson is playing a creep but he's still Jack and it's hard to hate him. His first scene, in which he angrily rants at George to the chagrin of Annie, brought me great pleasure and solidified for me why Jack has reached a level of such legend that people know who you're talking about when you say his first name. Many have complained that Nicholson sleepwalks through the role on the basis that he's Jack Nicholson and doesn't need to deliver a performance; but I found Jack to be one of the highlights of the film. He's not in many scenes, but I found his facial expressions and dialogue some of the most grin-inducing moments. Finally, Hahn is a scene-stealer as the really sweet, down-to-earth Annie who brings an earthy quality to the more high-class, problematic proceedings. It's a joy to watch.

At 117 (without end credits), How Do You Know is longer than the typical romantic-comedy but I never felt it was being drawn out or becoming too long. The first time I saw it, I was aware of its length but untroubled by it. The second time, I remained blissfully unaware of the length. While many have failed to recognize it, Brooks still has a knack for writing wonderfully warm, comedic scenes. The hospital scene is a great piece of writing and execution, with Nicholson's entrance being hilarious in a low-key sort of way. Also, Rudd's "Play-Doh" speech is adorable and another wonderful example of Brooks' writing. Essentially, I found this film just like the actors that inhabit it; charming and likable. It may not be "great," but I enjoyed it much more than I expected to and it left a big, goofy smile on my face.

I don't believe that what I've written will change the opinions of those who have already seen it. I can offer nothing to sway those people to agree with me; but hopefully this shows that there are people out there who actually really like this film and are unable to comprehend the vitriol some people have for it. I can't recommend this film to any particular demographic or promise that you'll feel as I do about it...But I hope you do. If you enjoy this movie as much as I do, you're in for quite a treat.

GRADE: B

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While the critics panned this one, I must say that this movie is well written, the cast is enjoyable and has great chemistry, and it is a kind, warm movie. It came out at the same time as the Tourist, and me and my husband went to see both films. In my opinion, How Do You Know? was much btter than the Tourist in terms of the message it sent across and the after-feel I had when the movie was over. So, if you enjoy romcoms such as Love Actually, Two Weeks Notice, Notting Hill, Penelope, The Family Man, The Proposal, No Strings Attached, etc., you will really enjoy this movie.

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Planes Trains & Automobiles

When I think of "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" I smile. It is an absolutely wonderful movie. Yes, it is regarded as a comedy but when I think of it I think of it as more of a drama. The jokes don't get old. This is probably my favorite comedy of all time. Hughes takes the traveling nightmare genre to a whole new level. It's more a triumph in script writing than anything

For those who don't already know Planes, Trains and Automobiles is simple in its approach. Everything that can go wrong does. It's a comic routine that can be funny, but here it is a trip to hysterical. The plot is simple enough as well. Neal Page (Steve Martin) is on his way home for Thanksgiving. He's your typical businessman that works in New York and has a family he wants to see in Chicago. The only problem is everything from delayed flights to ripped up car tickets happen on the way. Only worsening matters, Del Griffith (John Candy), is along for the ride. An annoying shower curtain ring salesman, Neal can't get rid of him no matter how hard he tries.

John Candy gives the performance of his too short career as the traveling shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith. What makes Candy's performance so impressive is that while Del is an obnoxious, annoying slob, Candy shows that this is a very lonely, sweet, kind, and caring man with a great heart. This is a man who is putting his needs behind the needs of another person, a complete stranger in Neil Page. Candy creates an incredibly complex man, who the audience really gets to know and genuinely care about. They say comedies are the hardest films to get nominated for Oscars, which is true. And while "PT & A" is no Best Picture winner, it certainly in my mind has a performance not just worthy of a nomination but of an Oscar as well. It would be interesting to see how Candy's performance would be regarded if the film came out today.

The ending, whew!, it's a rough one. And again, despite all the wonderful comedy in this film, whenever I think of "PT & A" I think of the wonderful character of Del Griffith and the powerful ending. If you haven't seen this movie, rent it. I strongly recommend it as a first rate comedy that doesn't come along often. Whether it's the music capturing the perfect mood in the hilarious bedroom scene or meeting Owen, it's an earnestly frantic and tender trip through the modern transportation system.

A stellar performance from Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy.

I don't know where that guys doing the Editorial Reviews are coming from, this movie is great!

Steve Martin is stuffy ad executive Neil "I can take anything" Page and John Candy is the bungling but warm-hearted shower-curtain-ring guy (I know what you mean), Del "Extra set of fingers" Griffith. We follow this mismatched pair half way across the States and back again as they encounter one crisis after another. As the title says, our heros travel whatever way they can to get to Chicagofrom planes to trains to cars.

One of the funniest scenes is when after Del gets his coat caught behind the driver's seat, panics and sends the car on a tailspin causing him to go the wrong way down the Interstate. We see their car get caught between two semis. During the squeeze, Neil looks and sees Del as the Devil, complete with pitchfork and horns.

In all, this movie is great! You will not be disappointed, that I can promise you because it's "filled with helium, which makes it 10% lighter."

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For those of you thinking about buying this new DVD version, here are the extras on it: 3 featurettes ("Getting There is Half the Fun: The Story of Planes Trains and Automobiles", "John Hughes for Adults", "John Candy"), and a deleted scene ("Airplane Food").

Not bad, but would have liked to see more deleted scenes since apparently Hughes had a 3 hour version of this movie. Maybe those will come out eventually.

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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is THE funniest movie I have ever seen. It combines two comedy greats, Steve Martin and John Candy together, on a roadtrip to get home for christmas.

What happens is Steve martin, a buisness from Chicago, needs to get home for christmas. Not only is his flight cancelled, train wrecked, and car not in the rent-a-car parking spot, he meet John Candy. In this movie Candy plays an extremely nice guy that can't keep his mouth closed. On the other hand, Martin plays a quiet-type person that can get annoyed very easily.

As you can see, they could never travel together....

....or could they?

This movie brings out a real common bond or friendship that can form between two absolute strangers that have absolutely nothing in common.

Planes, Trains, and Autos has comedy written everywhere. Jokes, pranks, and all sorts of fun are performed well in the movie. I recommend this movie to anyone that wants to laugh!! Honestly folks, this movie is the best and should really be recognized. I guarantee you will love it!

Thanks for reading my review and have a nice day!

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First of all, the two stars I've given here are based solely on the dvd itself, NOT the movie. I LOVE the movie but this supposedly new dvd treatment is nothing to get excited about.

'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' is just one of many 80's movies from Paramount Studios that have supposedly been rereleased as 2-Disc special editions this month. (August 2008) These are basically just repackaged dvds with some new cover designs intended to tie-in with vH1's 'I love the 80's' merchandising and the second 'disc' is really just a bonus audio music cd of popular 80's singles with all of a whopping 4 tracks on the disc. The movie does have some newly enhanced audio and an alledged deleted scene somewhere within the movie according to the back cover but I never noticed anything strikingly different from the original version.

This 'I love the 80's' movie series from Paramount rereleases are fine if all you're after is just the movie itself. But just don't expect anything different or new and if you're hoping for a two-disc MOVIE special edition loaded with all kinds of extra features like I was, you might be a little ticked off. My advice is that it's probably best to just skip these and wait for some REAL special editions of these films if there ever are any in the works.

Paramount can do better and it's clear they didn't put any real thought or care into these releases.

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Betty Boop: The Essential Collection, Vol. 2

More non-PD BB cartoons released on DVD and BLU ALL NEWLY REMASTERED IN HD FROM 4K SCANS OF THE ORIGINAL NEGATIVES & FINEGRAINS.

Includes the 12 classic cartoon listed below:

Volume Two:

DIZZY DISHES (1930)

BIMBO'S INITIATION (1931)

BOO-OOP-A-DOOP (1932)

BETTY BOOP LIMITED (1932)

BETTY BOOP'S BIZZY BEE (1932)

BETTY BOOP'S UPS AND DOWNS (1932)

BETTY BOOP'S MUSEUM (1932)

BETTY BOOP'S BIG BOSS (1933)

MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT (1933)

BETTY BOOP'S LITTLE PAL (1934)

BETTY BOOP'S PRIZE SHOW (1934)

KEEP IN STYLE (1934)

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The Medallion (2003)

I enjoyed this film. It was a classic jackie chan adventure full of comedy, action, and cute chicks. Although this wasn't his best by far it was still very entertaining. His comedic sidekick was great, only part i did not like was the end. I expected a better fight scene. Otherwise if you are a true jackie chan fan you will want to see this movie. Don't be warded off by bad reviews because if you love jackie chan, you already know a lot of his movies have bad story and acting, but it's jackie himself that electrifies the screen.

The movie is not that great which most people alredy knew. However, the extrme lack of efforts with this Blu-ray is shocking. Amazon has the wrong spec. about audio; the disc actually only has PCM stereo (2.0)!!!!! It's not even as good as the DVD which has multiple 5.1 language tracks. Buyers be aware.

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'The Medallion' captures all of the qualities fans of Jakie Chan know and love, action, supspense, extreme humor, and a touch of mystisism, all the qualities I know and loved in the KID'S WB! 'Jakie Chan: Adventures' cartoon series. It has a great cast [Julian Sands as the dreaded Snakehead, Claire Forlani as the high kicking Interpol Agent Nicole, Lee Evens as the bumbling Agent Watson, and, of course, Jakie Chan as the Chinese Super-Man Eddie Yang] that help give the movie a great energy. The greatest thing about it was it wasn't afraid to make fun of itself! Great movie, I hope they make a sequel!

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Jackie again does all his own stunts in this action comedy also starring Claire Forlani and Lee Evans.

I quite like this movie. Note that despite seeming like a Hollywood film it is actually a Hong Kong film shot in Hong Kong, Thailand and Ireland. I've been debating as to whether or not to give it 3 or 4 stars but I've chosen to go with 4 stars. The film itself has pretty average action and comedy, but the idea that this movie is really aiming to be something great appeals to me. The outtakes at the end of the film are also very funny.

The DVD has a very straight laced audio commentarynot that much fun but nonetheless informative. It also features a wide array of deleted scenes. I'm kinda glad the deleted scenes didn't make it into the film. Only one is worthwhile, and that involves Jackie Chan revealing that he is alive to Claire Forlani. It explores the history of the characters very well and it's a shame it was cut from the film. It also has Claire Forlani at her dramatic best (quite reminiscent of her role in "Meet Joe Black").

In summary, The Medallion is short and sweet. Check it out. You might like it.

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I have always been a Jackie Chan fan and I own most of his movies but this one is probably one of his worst. In this movie he plays as a cop who dies and comes back to life because of the Medallions powers. He get lots of strength and can take bullets without being killed. This is one of his movies where he doesn't have lots of cool stunts and all the action. I like when he uses more of the items around him to defeat his enemies but he doesnt use any in this movie. I have only seen one movie where Jackie is killed and that is The Prisoner.

What you expect, Jackie is 50 years old this year but I think he could still do what he did in his older movies. All of his current time movies have something in them that gives him power and strength that a normal person wouldn't have. What happens in his older movies such as Rumble in the Bronx, and First Strike could happen at any time in real life which made them better. But in this movie you know that no one will be able to come back to life from a medallion.

I recommend some of his older movies such as Rumble in the Bronx, Legend of Drunken Master, Who Am I, and Gorgeous.

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Failure to Launch

Totally formulaic and with such an outrageous premise that it's almost impossible to take seriously, Failure to Launch is mostly saved by the charisma of its all star cast, particularly the attractive supporting players who garner most of the film's few laughs. It's a movie that constantly hovers around sit-com territory, even though somewhere in the depths of its mediocrity it presents a very real and disturbing issue the phenomenon of thirty something males, or "boy men" who still like to live at home with their parents

Mathew McConaughey is Trip, a commitment-phobic 35-year-old whose "failure to launch" means he's still living with his parents in their tidy suburban home, enjoying Mom's egg and pancake breakfasts whilst she contentedly does his washing and tidies his room. Trip is a charming all round nice guy, who sells luxury yachts for a living, but he's also spoilt and somewhat sheltered and he can't keep a girlfriend because they freak out every time he brings them home to meet the parents.

Apparently there exists a profession for women whose job it is to inveigle and seduce these adolescent male adults from the nest yes it's really true! Sarah Jessica Parker plays Paula, one such "consultant," who fell into the profession a few years earlier when she failed to disentangle herself from a beau from his mom and dad's house. Paula's been hired by Trip's parents a capricious Kathy Bates and a laidback Terry Bradshaw to seduce Trip on the assumption his newborn passion will motivate him to grow up and leave home.

No surprises here it's boy meets girl and accidentally fall in love, boy and girl have a misunderstanding and then eventually come together again. And I'm still not sure whether Trip ever actually moved out of home maybe he ended up buying the boat! McConaughey and Parker have a great deal of chemistry together, and Parker is always fun to watch, but they are constantly left high and dry with thanklessly predictable scenes.

Zooey Deschanel is, as usual, a standout as Paula's sardonic, possibly manic-depressive roommate, her brand of humor is impossibly dry and she turns the character into a wonderful comic foil. Tripp's only friends, Ace (Justin Bartha) and Demo (Bradley Cooper), also are stay-at-homers and provide some welcome eye candy to the proceedings, especially up-and-coming actor Bradley Cooper. Failure to Launch is pretty much a movie of comic stupidity and distractions, basically aiming for the lowest common denominator in entertainment.

Along with a bunch of stupid but admittedly cute pet tricks, the characters play paintball games, go sailing and then rock climbing, they eat lunch in fish restaurants and have silly, petty arguments there's a real sense of desperation with the writers here anything to build a false sense of forward thrust into a story that is predictably dead on arrival. Mike Leonard July 06.

A light and watchable romantic comedy as it should be. What's new is the parents' desire for the 35-year old son Tripp(Matthew Maconaughey)to leave home and be independent. And when he does, the parents can enjoy or dread their new found freedom.

What impresses me are the cameo appearances of a squirrel, a mocking bird, a lizard and lastly, the dolphins. The irony that those adorable sweet creatures can give one the shock in a lifetime is hillariously presented here. Zooey Deschanel as Kit is also a delightful and refreshing choice as a cool, slightly eccentric pal. They all make the otherwise formulaic romantic comedy interesting.

A happy ending with Tripp and Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) sailing on a wooden boat is truly to be envied.

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I think most people will agree that what makes a romantic comedy work is chemistry. And if there's zero chemistry between the romantic leads, then be sure to have People's Sexiest Man Alive 2005 shirtless in the first scene of the movie.

The producers got one of the above right.

"Failure to Launch" is a simple tale about Tripp's (Matthew McConaghey) parents hiring a motivator, Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) to get him to move out of their house. The Swiss cheese plot doesn't make much sense and the actors don't help matters.

As much as I like SJP from her "Sex and the City" days, I found her to be flat and uninteresting and frankly, too old-looking for Matthew McConaghey.

The talents of Kathy Bates (Tripp's mother) are completely wasted. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Terry Bradshaw's (Tripp's father) rather befuddling nude scene as he was, ahem, cleaning out a fish tank. My eyes!

Zooey Deschanel as Paula's roommate Kit is the comic relief of this dim, jumbled movie. In one rather strange scene, she and her new boyfriend deliver CPR to a mockingbird. Not even her moody comments and antics could save this story though.

I love romantic comedies. And I genuinely like most of the past work of both SJP and Matthew McConaghey. But don't waste your time with this film. It's only worth watching if you're trapped on a long flight and have already read Sky Magazine cover to cover.

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I found "Failure to Launch" to be more entertaining than many romantic comedies out there. Hey, where else would you get to see four, count-em-four separate animal attacks? And Terry Bradshaw's hinder? Matthew McConaghey plays himself yet again, but he does it so well. He is the poster child for laconic and amiable. Sarah Jessica Parker is also entertaining. But Zooey Deschanel steals the movie as Parker's odd roommate Kit, in many ways playing the same character she did in "Elf". None of "Failure to Launch" is particularly new material, but it is handled well.

At under 100 minutes, "Failure to Launch" thankfully does not overstay its welcome. Indeed, it is refreshing to watch a comedy that does not kill the audience's goodwill by dragging way past the magic 90 minute mark.

This is not a classic comedy; you will almost certainly prefer to rent this than own it. Odds are, you'll forget you ever saw it a couple of months later. However, it is light, entertaining and funny, and worth a watch.

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I know this can never happen, but I still found myself enjoying this film. Matthew McConaughey plays a single bachelor who still lives at home with his mom and dad at age 35. They hire a woman to get him to fall in love with her so that he'll move out of the house and in with her.

But in the process, the woman starts to fall in love with the guy, and he finds out about the sinister scheme. Can this relationship be salvaged, even though it got off on the wrong foot? Since the plot is so implausible, will you even care?

I did because the movie was funny. It was a cute diversion from reality, and that's all I really ask of the movies I watch.

The Rundown BD + DVD Value Pack (2003)

Option BI MAKE YOU go see The Rundown.

The Rundown marks the arrival of Dwayne Johnson, A.K.A. "The Rock" as a bona-fide movie star. As Beck, a "Retrieval Expert" who longs for a simpler life as a chef, he displays for the first time on film the humor and charisma that won him "Millions....and MILLIONS!" of fans in the WWE. Dispatced to the South American town of El Dorado (Called Hell Dorado by the locals) to fetch Travis Walker (Seann William Scott), the wayward son of his shady boss, Beck gets more than he bargained for. He finds Travis easily enough, but getting him home might pose more of a problem. Not only does Travis not WANT to go home, but local land baron Hatcher (The hilariously nutty Christopher Walken, at his eye-popping best here) won't LET him go...At least not until Travis finds a mythical golden idol for him. The Rock vs. an army of gun-toting slave-drivers......Place your bets!

As I said earlier, The Rock is awesome in his role, bringing a mix of self-effacing humor and quiet strength to the mix, balancing out the potentially irritating Scott's whiny character. Walken is, as always, a joy to watch. His diatribe about The Tooth Fairy is worth the price of admission alone, and hearing him say "Oompa-Loompa" is sure to go down in history as one of my all-time favorite movie lines. Director Peter Berg shows himself to be equally comfortable with comedy and action; He keeps the film moving along at a brisk pace, and the action scenes are simply stunningNot only are the fights choreographed beautifully, but the action is easy to follow, with none of the choppy editing and shaky photography that has ruined many an action movie.

The Rundown is just what it portrays itself as: A fun buddy picture. I had a blast, and so did everyone else in the theater. If you're in the mood for action, The Rundown is a sure bet. If you smell what I'm cookin'.....

Well, I wasn't expecting a great deal from this film. In fact, I probably wouldn't have seen it at all if it hadn't gotten surprisingly good reviews. The Rock was pretty forgettable in 'The Scorpion King', although not terrible, but he puts in a great performance here. Tasked with the retrieval of a wayward son, he ends up in a three (or four) way hunt for a mysterious golden idol, along the way enountering everything from homicidal gold miners to jungle rebels to packs of angry monkeys. It is one funny movie, and the action scenes are great. Most importantly, the cast has both charisma and quality, and the dialogue isn't nearly as stilted as you'd expect in a typical action film. You can tell they all had fun making the movie, perhaps because it was actually filmed in Hawaii. Regardless, you should check this out even if you have doubts about it, because it will win you over.

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This movie is truly Rock-solid; the inimitable pro-wrestler turned actor admirably struts his stuff here in terms of sheer muscular star power and heavyweight charisma, and proceeds to turn the Amazonian jungle upside down in the process. This is certainly no dramatic masterpiece, but all of the cast are excellent in this incredible action movie, especially Christopher Walken, doing a turn as a witty yet egomaniacal villain who simply isn't prepared for the consequences as `Beck' (the Rock) arrives on his doorstep in his part of the jungle to retrieve the errant son of a gangster he is indebted to. The murder and mayhem that ensue make up two hours of first class entertainment as we find Rock against the world, and the world getting the worst part of the deal.

The movie is wonderfully photographed, and the comic moments flow from the opening sequences, when Beck step into a crowded bar to retrieve a debt from a pro football player. The ensuing madness is so well choreographed and played out that it is entirely believable despite the fact that it is strictly super-heroics that the character Rock plays has to deliver to punch, elbow, and drop-kick the whole offensive line of a pro football team in pursuit of his man. Likewise, the bar-room fight scene that sets up the rest of the movie once Beck arrives in Brazil is a study in athletic make-believe, so far out it is both fun and amazing to watch, as long as you can suspend your critical faculties long enough to not laugh out loud at the silliness of some of the supposed stunts. But the Rock never disappoints, and he always entertains!

Indeed, like some of the better early Schwarzenegger movies (e.g. `Predator'), the wit and winsome qualities of both the characters and the plot are indeed quite entertaining despite the fact we all know who is going to win, and thus have very little doubt as to how things will progress as the tale spins along toward its conclusion. Also, one can see that Rock is rising very quickly to fill the action hero void once held by Arnie and Sly Stallone. He has a lot of screen presence, and is a joy to watch in action. What's more, he seems to handle himself very well, and is quite believable on the screen, which is no small feat given the cartoon-like aspects of the story line. All in all, a great action flick, and one you will likely want to include in your video library. Enjoy!

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Praise for The Rock's performance in this film is not overrated. He has come into his own in this film and established himself as a true actor and not just a muscle-bound cretin. The Rock plays Beck, a polite leg-breaker for a low-life loan shark with big-time "clients" such as NFL super stars. In a business where violence is his back-up when diplomacy doesn't work, Beck loathes guns and has a deeper desire to run his own 5-star restaurant and leave this knuckle-busting life behind him.

His boss gives him one last assignment before he cuts him loose and gives him the restaurant of his dreams... the mission: bring back his son Travis (Seann William Scott). His father has pulled his son's butt out of a sling so many times, he is reeling him in to face the music.

Beck heads to South America to retrieve Travis in what he believes will be a quick grab and flight back to the U.S. Unbeknownst to Beck, Travis is seeking a priceless golden idol and a local slave driver (Christopher Walken) is keeping tabs on Travis so he can steal the treasure from him as soon as he finds it. Hatcher (Walken) runs a gold-mining operation, employing the local populous at disgustingly pitiful pay and slave-like hours and treatment. It's a real shanty-town, but filled with sophisticated cameras and other surveillance equipment and gun-toting thugs.

There is non-stop butt-kicking and far-out choreography through-out the film. So many scenes are so proposterous, it borders on insulting your intelligence, but things happen so fast and you get such a good laugh along the way, you really just sit back for the ride. There are a couple of scenes involving monkeys that are real gut-busters for laughs but they used African baboons for these scenes not animals you'd ever encounter in the western hemisphere. Anyone who watches the Discovery Channel even once in a while will roll their eyes at these scenes, but still laugh.

A local bar-keep named Mariana (Rosaria Dawson) adds an additional twist. Is she just a bar-keep, or is there something else going on... and how does she keep her hair looking so nice while running for her life in the middle of a humid rain forest?

Seann William Scott has proved that he is much more than the "Stifler" character in the "American Pie" series... he is a talented actor and can portray a range of characters and emotions. This film will probably be his launching pad into more serious roles in the future.

There is some language, but nothing beyond what you'd see on NYPD Blue on TV, limited in-your-face violence... just butt kicking, and no sex scenes so the movie is fairly family-safe.

On the overall first-time-viewing enjoyment meter, I'd give this film 5 stars, but on the "would I ever want to see it again" meter, I give it half a star.

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I enjoyed this movie on DVD and it is even better on HD DVD. Great picture quality with the lush jungle scenes and lots of bass in the soundtrack.

The movie is also very entertaining with lots of action and humor. The Rock plays a goon that has been sent to retrieve his bosses son played by Seann William Scott (a.k.a Stiffler from American Pie). The interaction between them is hilarious. The great Christopher Walken plays the bad guy and he is his classic self. His awesome dialogue (I wonder how much was ad-libbed?) and his pants pulled up to his drooping breasts add the finishing touches to this terrific movie. I think this is the Rock's best movie and a sequel must be made!

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