Bottle Rocket (The Criterion Collection) (1996)

Released in 1996, this is Wes Anderson's first feature movie and the beginning of a great career that has also included the fantastic quirky comedy-dramas "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums." "Bottle Rocket" isn't the equal of those films, but it is a great start to Anderson's career, and a fine little comedy. It also marked the beginning of the stardom of Owen Wilson, who co-wrote the script with Anderson and plays the most noticeable and memorable part. The film was shot in Texas, Anderson and Wilson's home state, based on a short film they had made two years earlier.

The movie has the type of laid-back and character-driven humor that won't appeal to everyone. This is comedy that doesn't target laughs or build up elaborate set-ups as most comedies do. Instead, the humor is continuously slow-pitched to you in the form of weird but likeable characters, off-center attitudes, and situations that seem familiar to us but are played in unreal ways and thus become extremely funny. All together, it's an extraordinarily enjoyable and pleasant movie that strolls through its story with no particular rush.

Owen's brother Luke Wilson, who had so far appeared in every Wes Anderson film, plays Anthony Adams, who gets out of a voluntary mental hospital after recuperating from a breakdown. His friend Dignan (Owen Wilson) has big plans for both of them -a life of easy and enjoyable crime! Dignan doesn't have any good ideas, but tries to make up for it with endless enthusiasm and an outrageously optimistic view of life. Unfortunately, when things inevitably don't go well for him and his friends start criticizing him, he can fall into pretty bitter depressions. Owen Wilson has the character nailed down, and Dignan sets the tone for most of Wilson's other characters: the enthusiastic but misguided nut. Dignan gets his friend Bob (Robert Musgrave) in on his plan to pull a 'job' (and all of Dignan's 'jobs' are minor-league suburban affairs) that will attract the attention of the local crime boss/landscaper, Mr. Henry (James Caan in a brief but darned funny performance). Dignan get obsessed with his planning and attempts at damage control, while Anthony and Bob are more busy with the really important things in their lives: Anthony falls for a housekeeper at a motel (Lumi Cavazos, from "Like Water for Chocolate"), and Bob tries to deal with his bully of a brother, Future Man (Andrew Wilson -yep, another Wilson).

The film has some sad and serious moments -after all, these are characters who are really going NOWHERE in a very boring suburban landscape -but with Dignan around it never stays down for long. There are plenty of chuckles and some real moments of howling laughter, especially during the climatic 'take down' (and I'm really using that term pretty loosely). Another Wes Anderson favorite actor, Kumar Pallana, who appeared as Pagoda in "The Royal Tenenbaums," is on-hand to add comedy as a safe-cracker (and again, I'm really using that term loosely).

If you like quirky, odd, but realistic comedy, and if you've enjoyed Owen Wilson in many of his later performances, "Bottle Rocket" is really worth a look.

(This DVD is, unfortunately, nothing special. The picture and sound are good, but it hasn't a single extra on it, not even a trailer.)

The Criterion 2-disc Bottle Rocket is outstanding, but don't toss your original disc just yet... the new edition is a slightly different edit that loses one laugh and adds another. I couldn't find any reference to these changes in the supplementary material at all.

MISSING: Originally, during the book store robbery, Anthony grabs a random book off the shelf and opens it, revealing the title page "Job Opportunities in Government 1995" which always gave me a little chuckle. Now for some reason the book opens to a black and white photograph of a military plane (it goes by so fast you'd have to freeze frame to make it out.)

ADDED: Originally, when Bob hands his earnings over to Future Man to cover his attorney fees, he asks if he can keep a few bucks for gas, and the scene ends. Now the scene plays a few seconds longer, and we hear Future Man's reply: "No, you can't."

In addition to these minor (and somewhat baffling) changes, I was also unable to find any images of the one-sheet art or logo anywhere on this set (as appears on the menu page and sleeve of the original release).

So if you're a hardcore Bottle Rocket fan or completist, hang onto your old disc and buy this set as well. In addition to a beautiful transfer, commentary track, documentary, the original short film, and other extras, the booklet insert is a miniature replica of Dignan's 75-Year Plan notebook, along with reproductions of Anthony's drawing of Inez on horseback, the book store heist plan schematics, etc.

Buy Bottle Rocket (The Criterion Collection) (1996) Now

This movie grabbed my attention the first time I rented it at my local videostore for it's low key atmosphere and entertaining storyline. The highly persistent (if not entirely insane) Dignan, played by Owen Wilson has got to be one of the most memorable character portrayals in any movie I've ever seen. The slow pace of the movie makes everything just right (you won't be blown away by special effects, unless you consider an altogether cerebral script pyrotechnic) but you will come away from this movie with a sense of adventure and a deep desire for one yourself. The fact that this movie is practically a remake of an earlier project adds even more to its appeal. The caper scenes are hilarious, the dialogue will make you think as well as laugh, and you will come away from this movie with a new appreciation for film making in general. It's not all about explosions after all. And you will find yourself scaring the hell out of your friends when for no reason at all you start screaming "Ka-Caw, Ka-Caw!". If you like this movie check out Rushmore, also directed by Wes Anderson.

Read Best Reviews of Bottle Rocket (The Criterion Collection) (1996) Here

Taking a trip into Wes Anderson's head is like going into a parallel universe where most things are the same, but the nature of reality is just slightly warped. And that formula holds true for "Bottle Rocket," his first collaboration with actor Owen Wilson (who also stars), an absurdist crime caper.

Anthony (Luke Wilson) has just been released from a mental hospital after being treated for exhaustion ("You haven't worked a day in your life. How could you be exhausted?"). He hangs out with his idealistically weird pal Dignan (Owen Wilson), who has mapped out his life over the next 75 years. Dignan, having seen a TV special, has decided to become a master criminal.

First they recruitt the timid Bob (Bob Musgrave) as the getaway driver, as he is the only one who has a car. They practice for a while on smaller-time burglaries, such as robbing a bookstore -then hiding out at a motel, where Anthony falls in love with the pretty South-American maid (Lumi Cavazos). However, the guys find themselves in hot water when they bump into a REAL crime boss (James Caan).

Wes Anderson's touch is a little rough in his movie debut, but it's that slightly unpolished touch that makes his offbeat style a delight here. For example, Anthony "escapes" from a hospital that he can leave anytime he wants. That unnecessarily complex opener sets the tone of the rest of the movie, of thrillseeking young men who are just a little out of sync with the rest of us.

Don't expect stupid puns, toilet humor and bad sex jokes. "Bottle Rocket" shares the dry, funny, erratic humor of Anderson's later movies. Not to mention a thousand funny little lines ("Bob stole his car!"). Anderson and Wilson avoid being self-consciously cool, in favor of being earnestly quirky. No banter, just wit.

The Wilson brothers are in fine form here, especially when interacting with one another. Anthony is calmer and thinks a lot; Dignan is idealistic and wacky almost to the point of mental illness. They have a certain innocence despite their illegal ambitions, and it's fun just to see them ramble around. They, Inez and Bob are sort of misfits, but not the kind you laugh at.

It's a little erratic, but "Bottle Rocket" comes across as fresh, weird, and extremely well-done. Funny, zany and charming crime comedy with a twist of Wes Anderson.

Want Bottle Rocket (The Criterion Collection) (1996) Discount?

"BOTTLE ROCKET" is most definitely a hilarious but yet an insanely awkward film that just sticks in your head because of how wild and crazy it is.

Released in 1996, the film would be the directorial debut for Wes Anderson ("RUSHMORE", "THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS", "Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou") and the debut of the Wilson brothers: Owen Wilson (Co-writer) and Luke Wilson (plus brother Andrew) and Robert Musgrave who all grew up together in Texas.

Back in 1992, the first initial concept of "BOTTLE ROCKET" was shot in 16mm film on B&W after the group was able to raise about $4,000 and raise more money and eventually have the 13 minutes extra to have a short film and submit it to the Sundance Film Festival in 1994.

After being screened for the festival, the film was able to attract a few producers who were willing to invest in making "BOTTLE ROCKET" to a full-length film and thus, Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson had their first major opportunity.

As the story goes, the film did terrible in its first test screening which shocked everyone. The film then had its final released cut which then was released in theaters in 1996 and the film bombed. In fact, to everyone's surprie, the film couldn't even get screened at Sundance (where the short film version was able to be screened years prior).

But there were many people who loved the film and for critics, it was a critically acclaimed film that some critics were quite passionate about such as the LA Times (blasting Sundance Film Festival for not screening it) and then followed by director Martin Scorsese calling it one of his favorite films in the 1990's, the film reached cult-status.

Flash forward 12 years later and with three of Wes Anderson's films released on THE CRITERION COLLECTION on DVD, what an awesome way to kick off THE CRITERION COLLECTION's entry to Blu-ray in Dec. 2008 with the release of "BOTTLE ROCKET", Anderson's first film.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

THE CRITERION COLLECTION is all about gathering the greatest films around the world and publish them in the highest technical quality but the focus is to present the film the way the original director intended. For film fans, THE CRITERION COLLECTION is known for its quality and rarely do fans question the releases, the releases are embraced as fans are introduced to important classics or contemporary films.

For "BOTTLE ROCKET", the film is presented in its original aspect ration of 1:85:1. The film's presentation was supervised and approved by Wes Anderson and the Director of Photography Robert Yeoman. The high definition transfer was scanned on a Spirit 2K Datacine from a 35mm interpositive and thousands of instances of dirt, debris and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Resotration System and Pixel Farm's PFClean.

The video quality of this film looks great especially for a film created in the early to mid-90's. Typically films released on Blu-ray during these years have been clean but have this softness effect where the vibrancy of the colors are not as beautiful as I would like it to be. With "BOTTLE ROCKET", the film had many outdoor scenes and literally from the red's to the blues and greens and the yellow jumpsuit that the guys wear, these colors are vibrant in Blu-ray HD.

As for audio, audio was mastered at 24-bit from the original magnetic tracks and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss and crackle. The film is primarily a dialogue based film, thus a lot of the audio is coming from your front channel speakers. There are scenes with gunshots and music that come out quite live on your home theater channels but the film is primarily a dialogue-based film.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

For the special features, the following are included:

* AUDIO COMMENTARY A commentary featuring Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson. The commentary is not more on the filmmaking perspective but more of nostalgia as the guys talk about memories of people they worked with, areas they shot and how some of the people on the crew have moved on to bigger things.

* THE MAKING OF "BOTTLE ROCKET" A featurette with interviews with Wes Anderson, the Owens brothers, James Caan, Kumar Pallana, the producers and more. You learn a lot about the behind-the-scenes of the film from creating the short film, Sundance, how the test screening was a bomb, how the film was not a commercial success but became a cult hit and much more. Great insight on the actors about being part of the job, how they were able to get James Caan for the film and how the producers felt about the talent at the time. A fun and informative documentary by filmmaker Barry Braverman.

* The Bottle Rocket Shorts The actual 13-minute B&W short film that was created back in 1992.

* Storyboards Wes Anderson's original storyboards and sketches for the film.

* Anamorphic Test Anamorphic test shots of several scenes from the film and how Anderson originally planned to shoot the film in widescreen Panavision. Test shots.

* "The Shafrazi Lectures, No. 1 Bottle Rocket" A guy who is reviewing the film and talking about why he loved it.

* "Murita Cycles" A Short film created Barry Braverman (friend and collaborator for Anderson and the Wilson family) about his father, a Staten Island bicycle shop owner which inspired the guys to create "BOTTLE ROCKET".

* Behind-the-Scenes Photograps by Laura Wilson The Wilson brothers also had a talented mother who is a photographer that took pictures of Wes, Owen and Luke during the planning stages of the film and also at Sundance.

* Deleted Scenes There were a quite a number of scenes that were cut and eleven featured on the disc. Scenes that would have explained how "Futureman" got his name, what Dignan and Applejack were up to when they went to by Bob's place, another scene of how the pot was found in Bob's home and much, much more.

Also included is a booklet that features an appreciation by director Martin Scorsese (which is a tribute that appeared in the March 2000 issue of ESQUIRE Magazine), an essay book by executive producer James L. Brooks (written as an introduction to the "RUSHMORE" screenplay published in 1999) which really goes into detail of how "BOTTLE ROCKET" was created and things that happened behind-the-scenes not mentioned on the special features and artwork by Ian Dingman.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"BOTTLE ROCKET" is just an amazing, awkward and hilarious film. Forget about the "Oceans #" type of films that try to bring comedy to heist films, BOTTLE ROCKET" was special because it came from these young people who were not known at the time but their vision of filmmaking and storytelling just sticks into your mind.

You know that feeling about pulling a prank that got a lot of laughs during your younger years and you remember it to this day. This is how I felt about certain scenes from "BOTTLE ROCKET". There were a lot of humor that was not meant to be taken in as a joke but for these characters of Dignan, Anthony and Bob, you can't help but be entertained and laugh.

From memorable scenes of the group putting tape on top of their noses before their heist, to how rob the bookstore but at the same time, those being held hostage just look at them as non-dangerous and almost humorous (despite Dignan carrying a gun).

And then scenes of love as Anthony falls for this woman who can't speak any English and goes where she goes as she cleans each hotel room and just falls in love. And his far out drawings of his love for Inez.

And also the team assembled by Dignan for their major heist. One would think, why he would select really old men (especially one who had some major memory loss issues) to bring with him for a major robbery? But you realize it's Dignan and you just accept his approach to pulling of a heist and enjoy the ride.

There are many of these moments in the film that you just think back and just be amazed of how much of those type of scenes were included. Wes Anderson and Owen Williams are just an amazing duo and although at the time, they were not known in the industry, it just showed you how much potential these guys had when they first emerged and eventually they would go on to have successful careers making many more films together.

As for the Blu-ray disc, again, THE CRITERION COLLECTION manages to pull of another wonderful release. Wonderful picture quality that is vibrant in colors and again, I've reviewed many major films released in the early and mid-90's and although cleaned up, never have the vibrancy or sharpness but this softness that always bugged me. This was not the case of "BOTTLE ROCKET", the film looks great!

And the amount of special features and also the booklet that really help enhance one's appreciation for the film. You wouldn't expect anything less from CRITERION and sure enough, they delivered.

"BOTTLE ROCKET" is a fun, hilarious and well-written film that is so different from any film that has come out. It's not a moronic film, nor is it a serious heist film. It's just a film that is just all-out fun and one can understand why it has become a popular cult film.

Highly recommended!

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Miss Congeniality / Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (Comedy Double Feature) (2010)

Sandra Bullock's Grace Hart is one of the best character's she ever created. This semi tough FBI agent with a heart of gold is very well expressed in these both Miss Congeniality films.

William Shatner is rediscovered and restarted in these films as the had been (Bert Parks like) MC . He acts the straight man for the humor around him and it works.

In the first film, Hart is sent in to the Miss USA beauty contest to protect the other gitl's and save the day. Benjamin Bratt plays her FBI partner. Micheal Caine is the groomer who makes her from FBI agent to Beauty Queen> Candice Bergan is the show organizer. (Boston Legal fans note, this film was FIRST!)

The second film, Grace who has become an FBI press darling, because everyone knows her from the USA contest and she can not go undercover. She has written a book and goes on press tours showcasing the NEW FBI. She is saddled with a partner who does not like her and comedy tensions ensue. Miss USA and the show's MC is kidnapped and Grace is on the case

Dont expect these films to be like the POLICE ACADEMY films, but dont expect to be great Oscar film making either...its good set of films to enjoy for just the laughes

Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

These movies are both very guilty pleasures of mine and always have been ever since they came out. I have to admit that I wasn't really expecting it to have the greatest picture quality, but since I got a great deal I thought I'd give it a go. I was wrong, the movie looked a lot better on blu-ray than I expected. Sure it's not the best looking one out there, but it's definitely worth getting.

Buy Miss Congeniality / Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (Comedy Double Feature) (2010) Now

DVD description states "Widescreen"; however, that is for only the 1st movie. The 2nd movie is in horrible full screen/pan & scan. Would have been nice if this had been stated in the Product Details, for I would not have bought the collection.

Read Best Reviews of Miss Congeniality / Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (Comedy Double Feature) (2010) Here

I liked the first movie a lot and wanted to see the second one. We didn't have a copy ay home so this was an easy choice. Everyone in the family likes both and it will see a lot of play.

Want Miss Congeniality / Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (Comedy Double Feature) (2010) Discount?

I have to admit, normally buying Miss Congeniality and Miss Congeniality 2 on blu-ray would not have been something I would do. However, getting both together on the same disc for $10? I couldn't refuse!! I absolutely adore Miss Bullock as an actress and think she did an absolutely wonderful job portraying this character. The blu-ray transfer was great and the picture was mah-val-us!! : )

Adorable movies, beautiful/wonderful actress, under $10, perfect picture, How can you go wrong?

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Back to School (1986)

As the word reaches us that Rodney Dangerfield has died without waking up from his coma, we take this occasion to salute him by viewing one more time his comedy classic, "BACK TO SCHOOL." Adrienne Barbeau is in it, playing a trophy wife of yesteryear, grasping and unfaithful, she's only in it for the money any more. Thornton Melon runs a men's store called, "TALL AND FAT," and I would have liked to see a whole sequel to BACK TO SCHOOL that focussed on the day to day life of running this haberdashery. Anyway he's rich enough to be able to afford to hire Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. to write a term paper for him. Sam Kinison is in the movie too as the history professor--crazy and out of this world! And Sally Kellerman is more subdued than usual playing Diane Turner, the English professor who, in a memorable scene, makes Rodney analyze the meaning of Dylan Thomas' famous poem, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night."

Robert Downey Jr is in the movie too, he's always good for a laugh or two. And Keith Gordon plays the son, maybe his best part after the young son of Angie Dickinson in DRESSED TO KILL. But most of all the picture belongs to the one and only Rodney Dangerfield. Rodney, we will miss your attitude and your "I get no respect" whining. You always saw things the way the common man did. We salute you for your tremendous achievements. As Dylan Thomas said,

"And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

This is one of those movies I can watch every six months because of the great humor and story Dangerfield stars in. Dangerfield goes back to college to be closer to his son and the funny one-liners and humor really come together in this funny and intriguing comedy. I also enjoyed Dangerfield's acting in which he has to earn the respect of his son at school and how he cares about father-and-son issues. I think Dangerfield is at his best here and it's unfortunate we haven't seen another film like this from him and I simply have to call this film a comedy classic!

Buy Back to School (1986) Now

Coming three years after making a big splash with his first-ever starring role, in the 1983 Horror classic CHRISTINE, Keith Gordon returned in this, the 1986 Comedy classic BACK TO SCHOOL, starring one of the most beloved comedians of all time, Rodney Dangerfield.

The story actually begins in 1940, where young Thornton Meloni (Jason Hervey, who would become famous two years later as Fred Savage's older brother on the TV show "The Wonder Years") is being exhorted by his immigrant father to stay in school and not to take over his tailoring business. The kid ends up not listening to him and becomes a high school dropout, taking over the business and changing it to a "Tall & Fat Store" while taking the "i" off the end of his last name and making a fortune. The fifty-something adult Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) is having an awful second marriage to Vanessa (Adrienne Barbeau in full vamp mode), but is proud of his college freshman son Jason (Keith Gordon), whom he thinks is in a popular fraternity and on the school's diving team. Soon after arriving for a surprise visit, however, Jason admits the truth that he's not in a frat, is not popular and is, in fact, the 'towel boy' for the diving team. Jason wants to leave school because it's not going the way he thought it would. The tall, beautiful Valerie (Terry Farrell) won't even notice him, and his roommate and only friend Derek (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a complete weirdo with wild hairstyles that appear to change daily. Rich Dad has an idea: he'll enroll as a freshman himself and that will influence Jason to have a better time and to stay in school!

After pulling some strings, including donating a huge sum for a brand-new School of Business (it is, after all, not everyday that a well-respected university will take on a student who never finished high school, even someone as rich as Thornton Melon), fun-loving Thornton proceeds to throw his weight around, changing Jason & Derek's room into a plaza suite (complete with a hot tub), throwing awesome parties and even romancing his English professor (Sally Kellerman), much to the chagrin of her uptight boyfriend, Business professor Phillip Barbay (Paxton Whitehead), who would like nothing better than an excuse to drum the impudent Thornton Melon out of the university! Meanwhile, Thornton uses his considerable influence on Coach Turnbull (M. Emmett Walsh) to let Jason officially join the squad, which upsets the snobby star diver Chas (William Zabka) who suddenly finds himself competing for his girlfriend Terry, who begins to take a liking to Jason.

If this all sounds like too much plot for this 96-minute movie, let me just say that BACK TO SCHOOL makes very efficient use of its time (no slow points here), and equally good use of Mr. Dangerfield's comedic talents, that the plot itself is almost secondary to the one-liners Rodney uses in his usual self-deprecating way. Plus, the cameos are real fun, especially Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as himself, being hired to write a paper for Jason about--what else?--Kurt Vonnegut Jr.! The music is very upbeat 80's here (as you would expect for a movie of this type); however, it does mark the film scoring debut for Danny Elfman of Oingo Bongo who appears in the film (as themselves) performing their great classic "Dead Man's Party" (which, incidentally, had been on the soundtrack to WEIRD SCIENCE a year earlier).

Even if certain occurrences are patently unbelievable, such as the oral exam scene late in the film, BACK TO SCHOOL is so much fun to watch that it doesn't matter what happens, just as long as Rodney's and Gordon's characters win in the end and make us laugh while doing it. It is of definite interest to us Star Trek fans that Terry Farrell would eventually go on to play Lt. Dax on TV in "Deep Space Nine." Also, watch quickly for a cameo by Robert Picardo (who would join the aforementioned Jason Hervey two years later in "The Wonder Years" playing the dreaded Coach Cutlip, then later on joining Ms. Farrell in the Star Trek series in his wonderful role of the holographic Doctor) as the guy Thornton catches Vanessa fooling around with at a big party. Oh, and Sam Kinison is hilarious in a small role, playing himself as a shell-shocked History professor who never quite came out of Vietnam.

Everybody is great in this mid-80's comedy classic. Lastly, you have to love a Rodney Dangerfield movie that features a university dean by the name of Dean Martin (the always-wonderful Ned Beatty). BACK TO SCHOOL really takes us back to school on what a great film comedy should be. Add this one to your DVD library! Even with the lack of a lot of extras, it's still very much worth it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Read Best Reviews of Back to School (1986) Here

Before getting to the film itself, I need to say something about the Blu-ray transfer. Though you can find the BD for substantially less than the price shown, you should be aware of the problems.

The first is that the transfer is from a theatrical print. There's the occasional white speck -and a rather big white chunk missing (briefly) during the oral-exam sequence. There are also occasional density fluctuations, not surprising in a DeLuxe print (which uses the same IB process as Technicolor). Second, in scenes with very dark backgrounds, the dark areas break up into squares -not unlike poking your nose near a window screen. IMPORTANT It turns out that this is a side-effect of having Sharpness turned up all the way, and is not a flaw in the transfer. See my review of "Highlander" for a detailed discussion.)

On the other hand, the image is sharp and detailed, with no grain reduction. However, in the scene near the end where Jason is kissing Valerie, the grain on his over-lit forehead "pops" in a way that looks like an encoding artifact. In short, the transfer would have been better had the composite negative been used. But it's "good enough" that I can reasonably recommend it without feeling you're going to be badly disappointed.

The film itself is one of those "guilty pleasures" one needn't feel guilty about. It's one of those rare comedies that's actually funny -and from beginning to end. Dangerfield is funny simply standing there -his face was its own caricature. The casting is well-nigh perfect, with actors you'd never expect in such a low-budget film. Sally Kellerman and Ned Beatty are standouts, with the latter demonstrating that he can pull off just about any role. (Read the cast list and be prepared to be surprised.)

The writers aren't afraid to steal. The Melon/Turner/Barbay triangle parallels the MacMurray/Olsen/Reid triangle in "The Absent-Minded Professor", and even the opening visual gag of that film is taken. They also swipe the Marshall McLuhan gag from "Annie Hall".

A "great" film? No. Just a very entertaining one that, for this viewer, has not worn out its welcome.

Want Back to School (1986) Discount?

Don't you just miss 80's movies like Back To School? A film starring one of the funniest men on the planet (Mr. Rodney Dangerfield) with an ensemble cast of famous names unto themselves, has got to have SMASH MOVIE written all over it, and it does! A simple premise: Thornton Melon (Dangerfield) has become a wealthy millionaire even though he dropped out of high school, and now his son, Jason (Keith Gordon) wants to drop out of college, so in order to keep him from leaving, Thornton decides to go to college too! There are so many hysterical moments I just can't print them all. But some favorites are the big scene with Sam Kinison as the crazed history teacher, Professor Terguson ("Good teacher. He really seems to care. About what I have no idea".), Thornton doing the Triple Lindey swimming dive (with Derek[Robert Downey Jr.]distracting the rival diving team with loud noise and reflecting light to the face), Thornton's rendition of "Twist And Shout" at a local bar, and of course, the party in Thornton's dorm room, with Danny Elfman's band, Oingo Boingo and a killer hot tub, complete with BUBBLES! ("Now that's what I call marine biology".) But a truly winning comedy can't be completely great without heart, which is what this film has. Keith Gordon (John Carpenter's Christine), who is sorely missed in the acting world since he changed his profession to directing, is great as Thornton's son, Jason, who loves his father a lot but feels like Dad's always trying to do too much to make him happy when all he wants to do is live his own life. Terry Farrell (TVs Star Trek: DS9 & Becker) makes a good love interest for him too. I always knew she'd make a name for herself one day. Of course you can't make this sort of film without the bad guys and both father and son have each of their own: William Zabka (who we all should remember as bad boy Johnnie from The Karate Kid) as Chas, the snotty swim diver, and Paxton Whitehead as Philip Barbay, Thornton's economics professor are both out to give our duo a not so sweet time at college. But with Sally Kellerman as the funloving literature teacher, Diane, helping Thornton with reading (and biology) just made things a whole lot more fun. This film has such a great mix of comic chemistry and one-liners that you may miss after the first viewing from laughing so hard. But it's also a movie that just makes you feel good when it's all over.

The DVD isn't much on special features, only a trailer, which has a scene not in the film of Thornton and his bodyguard, Lou (Burt Young of the "Rocky" movies as Paulie) looking at a college sex book ("Well, they left out the most important thing...where to get it"). But at least they give you a letterboxed version (1.85:1) as well as a full framed version. But for the asking price, this disc is worth it. Maybe someday they'll get the gang together and make a documentary and audio commentary. Until then get this DVD. I haven't seen the picture look this good in years. The VHS pales in comparison.

So, if you're tired of all the bland humor that seems to be coming out of the Hollywood machine these days, go Back To School with Rodney Dangerfield, who will show you just how funny Comedies should be. "Ooh, I'd love to tame your shrew!"

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The Sapphires (Blu-ray + DVD) (2013)

THE SAPPHIRES may be a bit rough, production-wise, yet it is a movie that is almost impossible not to like.

Inspired by a true story, the Australian-made film tells of four young Aboriginal women (sisters and cousins) who, in 1968, form a signing group, then travel to Vietnam, along with their white Irish R&B musician/manager, to entertain the troops. As the girls journey through the war zone, they deal with long-standing family disputes, racism and also find romance.

Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell are irresistible as the singing quartet, while Chris O'Dowd is a delight as the down-on-his luck former ship cruise entertainment director, who becomes their manager.

Well directed on a relatively modest budget by Wayne Bair, THE SAPPHIRES moves along at a nice clip and is enhanced by many enjoyable music sequences, its humor and also some heart wrenching moments of war.

Incidentally, the movie's co-writer and associate producer, Tony Briggs, is the son of Laurel Robinson, a member of the real-life The Sapphires group. Briggs also wrote the stage play from which the film was adapted, and in one of three featurettes on the DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, he interviews his mother and the other three members of the singing group.

© Michael B. Druxman

This "gem" of a film is a treasure that's been buried under shallow box-office movies.

"The Sapphires" is not a glitzy Hollywood romp romanticizing the late 1960s. Neither is it a raw shock-value film of the Vietnam crisis. What it is is a gritty story about the conflicts of race issues, betrayal, family conflict, and the loss of innocence. And while the film doesn't shy away from the themes of exploitation, sexuality and confusion, it also doesn't saturate the screen with images to meant to overwhelm the viewer.

The based-on-life story of four sister/cousins (Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell) who boldly belly-up to the auditions for entertainers for the Vietnam Troops is inspiring. The fights between the girls are fast, furious and leave you breathless. The manager (Chris O'Dawd) pushes back with worthwhile pressure. The family dynamics are complicated and real.

The story stays focussed on the issue of the girls and their struggles. The effects are subtle and lend to the story, not overtaking the visuals. The most refreshing part? The actors are not glammed up; they are diamonds-in-the-rough and it's the rough that makes them great. They don't look or sound like Barbie Commercials.

But wait! What about the music? If it's a film about a girl-band...

You won't be disappointed by the cast's ability to belt their pipes worthy of the big-screen. There are 16 songs from the era, including (but not limited to) "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "What A Man," "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch," "Soul Man," "Today I Started Loving You Again," and "In the Sweet Bye and Bye."

Going to add this film to my home collection. And I am picky with what goes into my home collection.

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Shame on America for how this film has been processed for release in your country. Just look at the cover for the DVD: the four Aboriginal women that the film is chiefly about have been photoshopped to look White; and they are also made a mere decorative backdrop to the White supporting male actor. The Aboriginals' names are not even listed on the front cover! This in a film which deals with racism!

Likewise the descriptor on this webpage does not state that the women are Australian and Aboriginal. Its as if the black Australians do not exist.

Proud of its culture, Australia is trying to promote Black talent overseas. But the American DVD distributor has inflicted the taint of Jim Crow on Aboriginals.

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THE SAPPHIRES is a delightful, charming good time at the movies. It contains plenty of serious moments, but only enough to tug your heart-strings a little. It dabbles in lofty issues such as racism and war...but it really has its mind set on entertaining.

We meet a group of very talented aborigine women who have entered a local talent contest. They have modest goals and unusual choices for music. While their voices are lovely, the decision to sing American country-western doesn't quite jibe. Because these are women of color, they are pretty much pre-ordained NOT to win the contest...but lucky for them, the piano player is a charming drunk who sees more promise there. He convinces them to let him manager their act, convinces them to sing R&B, redubs them The Sapphires and actually books them a long-term gig...performing for the troops in Vietnam!

Off they go...their first trip out of the country and it's to war-torn Southeast Asia. Talk about your fish out of water story! Many adventures...some humorous, some romantic and some terrifying ...ensue, and a great time is had by the entire audience. The music is phenomenal and really the centerpiece of the film. It's all familiar, but these girls put their own spin on each piece. We get to see them mature as performers.

There are plenty of sub-plots...including some really interesting and moving material around the Australian government's policy of finding light-skinned aborigines and removing them from their families to be placed with white, usually urban and middle-class, families. One of The Sapphires fell into this category...and she comes into conflict with her friends. It made we want to go out and re-watch RABBIT PROOF FENCE, which was all about this terrible policy.

The music is the star, but close on its heels is the terrific cast. Chris O'Dowd (BRIDESMAIDS) is the only readily recognizable star, and he brings considerable hang-dog Irish charm to his role as the manager. Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens & Miranda Tapsell are all just delightful as the four Sapphires.

THE SAPPHIRES (based on a true story...watch through the end credits to see photos of the "real" women) won't change the world or win major awards. But it is a true crowd-pleaser in the best sense of the word. It takes us on an emotional journey, where we care about the outcome and have toe-tapping good time on the way. It's one of the year's best surprises.

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Aboriginal "Dreamgirls" go to Vietnam . Great musical performances and soundtrack

I missed the chance to see this film at last year's Philadelphia Film Festival but I heard good things about it and I'm glad that it's on home video.

If you've read my other DVD reviews on Amazon you know that I'm not a big fan of "spoilers" in reviews. It take the fun out of many movies. That'll be the case here as well since there are moments in this film that you should discover for yourself. One comes just before the final credits and I won't reveal it here.

If I was to describe this film to someone, it would be something like" The `Dreamgirls' ( but more Sister Sledge than the Supremes in style go to Vietnam". Yep, that's it. The Australian Film follows three aboriginal (black) sisters and their cousins as they embark on a singing career in the late 1960s by lanfing a gig playing US military bases in Vietnam. You can already guess some of the plot twists but, as I said, others sneak up. It's not a perfect film, by any means but there is sooooooo much music on the soundtrack and performed by the actresses that those performances alone make it worth seeing. It's also cultural history lesson as I knew very little about modern day aboriginals before the watching the film and I learned a lot.

The 99-minutes goes by very quickly and the Blu-ray image and sound were great. Some of the scenes in Vietnam filmed on location there have a fogginess on the screen but that is intened (as you will learn in one of the three bonus features. The three are a nin-minute "making of" featurette with the producers, actors and creative crew, a 6 minute one interviewing the four women whose real life story the film was based on and a 6-minute featurette on the songs performed with commentary by actress Jessica Mauboy, who has an amazing voice.

If you liked "Dreamgirls" or love the soul music of the 60s and 70s I can certainly recommend this film. Probably only worth 4 ½ stars but for the music I'm giving it a FIVE.

I hope you found this review both informative and helpful.

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

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She's Out of My League (2010)

Most comedies out there today are complete and utter garbage. Most romantic comedies could be written by brain-dead zombies and have more originality. After watching hours of that drivel (my wife likes them), She's Out of My League was refreshing. For the first time in far too long, I laughed out loud at a romantic comedy. The movie was genuinely funny, meaningful, and not always predictable.

Despite the scenario (hot girl, deadbeat guy), She's Out of My League doesn't peddle the usual bromides about "love being blind" or "good things happen to good people." Rather, it's about self-esteem. This makes the characters and plot more interesting and subtle. I'm not going to claim that there's Oscar-winning character development in She's Out of My League, but Molly, the hot girl, and Kirk, the not so hot guy, do seem like realistic personalities. Kirk does not "refashion" himself into a stud (although there is one incident with shaving a certain area...). Molly isn't the "perfect" hot girl, but has insecurities of her own and a need to play it safe. They're helped by a decent script with dialogue that doesn't seem too forced or awkward (except for the cursing see below). It is kind of possible to see why they fall in love with each other it makes sense in a way that most romantic comedies don't.

My only problem with the movie is the overload of cursing and sex references. I understand that's standard fare in most comedies nowadays. Frankly, I found most of it funny. Sometimes, however, it just became too much (how many times do you really need to drop the f-bomb? You don't actually need it to express anger in every scene). It got to a point where it seemed like the scriptwriters couldn't think of anything better to fill the space. Fortunately, this doesn't take away from the movie too much, but it might not be a good idea to watch this with anybody who's sensitive about those sorts of things.

She's Out of My League had real potential, and I'd like to see more work from this set of directors, scriptwriters, and actors (well, maybe better scriptwriters). Overall, 4 stars.

Ok, we've all seen this story before. average guy gets the hot chick, an unbelievably hot chick I might add. Its the same storyline in a lot of romantic comedies, but what keeps us from going to watch them when we know they are all alike? They each have there own little twist. The particular twist in League is that the guy is an unattractive Security worker at an airport who meets the hot chick by a series of events that we all wish would happen (dont deny it you guys we all wish life worked like it does in the movies). Anyway, after seeing the previews your either thinking 'Hmmm... this might be a good movie' or 'OH GOD another stupid comedy about a loser and a girl' there is no 'WOW, this looks amazing' crowd. I was in the group that thought it looked good, so I had to check it out for myself. I was downright happy with this movie. It was funny, it was loving, not to mention the disney movie references the fat guy kept making. I dont think I'm the only one who thought Stainer, one of the friends in the movie, had a Napolean Dynamite vibe to him. The way he talked and looked just screamed 'Frickin Idiot'. It was good enough to see twice ad it is good enough to be going in my dvd collection when it comes out. I gave it 4 stars because lets face it, its been done before, and I can't help but to think that its just gonna make all the single unattractive guys out there feel a little down!

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'She's out of my league' is a movie that works. Rather than relying on tired dirty jokes and cliche's, and despite it's goofy looking promo poster, it is quite insightful into our shallow perceptions of relationships.

Part of it's success is the main character, Kirk, is just very average and humble. He's not self-deprecating in a rediculous way, he's just very straight-forward, with a dose of low self-esteem. Even his more-attractive love affair, Molly, is a pleasant person, rather then some poster-girl stereo-type. Even better is the fat guy (forgotten his name) who's mature outlook helps him to lead a contented life. It's the good characters that make this movie worth watching.

On the whole, everything is good; the dialogue is usually interesting, the jokes are ok, etc. As you can guess, the movie is about a really hot woman who starts falling in love with a man who considers himself unattractive. The man finds it difficult to accept such a hot girl could like him, or that their relationship is justifiable. There is a raft of side-plots and characters that add to the overall entertainment. Overall, the whole movie is very enjoyable. Rating ***1/2

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When I started to see the previews for the film, I thought it could be a nice mid day typical funny movie. However I was laughing so hard, and when it was over I knew I had to see it again soon. This movie is so funny and because of the somewhat unknown cast, the jokes became funnier.

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Emaciated and timid, Kirk (Jay Barachul) is a man who is referred to by his friends as a moodle man poodle. He's the fixer-upper who never gets the girls. When graded by his friend Stainer (TJ Miller), the best Kirk can be is a 6 out of 10, and that's being generous considering his atrocious car. It's Kirk's fortuitous encounter with Molly (Alice Eve), however, that begins to change not only his mind, but the opinions of his unsupportive friends and family.

Filmed in Pittsburgh Primanti Brothers and Mellon Arena are highlighted the movie really comes off as genuine. Sure, the hot chick never goes for the guy who is so skinny his nipples touch, but it was even less believable thanr that execrable disgrace The New Guy; somehow it worked, and it even had a little Serendipity vibe to it. Tal Bachman said it best with their definitive song: "She's so high above me, she's so lovely." She's too good for him, yet realism oozes out of the movie.

Perhaps it's because the actors played who they actually probably are in real life. Alice Eve looks like she has always been the over-achieving cheerleading captain who buckles men's knees, so the role was probably not a stretch. Similarly, there is no doubt in my mind that Jay Barachul has received multiple toilet swirlies in his time. Stealing every scene, however, is TJ Miller. What a cool, socially aware Napoleon Dynamite might be, Miller is hilarious, and looks like the guy who got big laughs since he was a child. For such a young, somewhat inexperienced cast, there are no lulls or weak links.

The one glaring flaw in the screenplay (other than the aforementioned improbable skinny dude and hot chick connection) is an uncomfortable ball shaving scene the most unbelievable scene in movie history. Yes, more unbelievable than Ben Affleck as an oil worker who goes into outerspace as a temp astronaut to land on an asteroid and mine into it to deposit a bomb which will split the asteroid which is the size of Texas into multiple pieces that will narrowly miss the Earth and avoid an extinction level event.

Fun, quick-moving, and worth the time. I recommend it, even if it does toe the line of chick flick.

Jason Elin

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Wild Hogs (2007)

I am not one to usually write reviews on movies, and I can't stand the people who try to analyze every little aspect of movies and write novels of their opinions instead of just enjoying them for what they are entertainment!! That being said, I saw this with my mom, and I thought we would fall out of our chairs we were laughing so hard! I LOVE funny movies, and VERY rarely do I see one that makes me laugh this hard, so I just had to write this since the critics were so awful to this movie. Travolta, Allen, Lawrence and Macy are great together, and I didn't know that Ray Liotta (one of my faves!) was in the movie. This just made it even better! The entire movie was excellent I can't wait to buy the DVD in August!

Wild Hogs is a typical midlife crisis movie. Four men, who have been friends for years and who suit up in leather and ride to the local bar and grill regularly to hang out, suddenly wonder what happened to their lives. They all realize, one by one, that they've hit middle age and fallen into a rut, and they decide to take a cross country trip on their bikes to get out of it.

This is one of the more entertaining movies I've seen in a while. What made it for me, however, was not the plot or even the comedic moments but rather the excellent performances by a great cast. John Travolta plays the cool-guy-in-a-midlife-crisis role perfectly, and Tim Allen pulls off his when-did-my-life-get-so-bland part flawlessly as well. Throw in great performances by Martin Lawrence, a man desperate to get out from under his overbearing wife's thumb, and William H. Macy, a geek who hopes he can FINALLY do something that will make him cool, and you've got a great group of main characters.

Macy's performance is probably the most surprisingly good of the bunch. He's downright hilarious in this movie as the 'rebel nerd.' And Ray Liotta is excellent as the villain, the antagonist who tries to refuse this group of "Wild Hogs" their right to ride on the grounds that they're not real bikers.

This is a very funny movie and is sure to keep you entertained. With a relatively unoriginal plot this may not have been a great film if not for the excellent cast, but these guys will have you cheering for the middle-aged suburbanite and longing for the open road yourself.

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Instead of listening to the critics who have savaged this film, check it out yourself and you may actually enjoy it. It's a story that almost anyone 40 or older who has ever dreamed of riding a motorcycle can relate to. The central characters are four middle aged guys, Doug (Tim Allen), a dentist who hardly knows the meaning of fun anymore, Bobby (Martin Lawrence), a henpecked plumber, Woody (John Travolta), a lawyer who, with his supermodel wife and lucrative career, seems to have it all but has secretly fallen on hard times and Dudley (William H. Macy), an extremely naive, geeky computer programmer. The four decide, once and for all, to live a little and to take a cross country road trip on their Harleys. Along the way, they have a series of misadventures that really get interesting when they run into the Del Fuegos gang who's leader Jack (Ray Liotta) takes an immediate disliking to this bunch of yuppies pretending to be real bikers. The guys later find themselves in a situation where they have to truly rely on each other as men and as friends and where they have to really be open and honest with themselves and each other.

The only real fault I found with Wild Hogs was the interaction with the gay cop which could have been completely left out. However I found the film as a whole to be fun to watch and made me want to get myself a Hog and take a cross country trip myself. This movie doesn't take itself seriously (It's a comedy for Chrissake!) so the critics shouldn't either.

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This is a cute movie, kind of a First Wives Club for men. A movie where aging professional guys go on a week long motorcycle riding trip to reclaim some of their youthful exuberance.

The movie is a funny parallel to real life, as the actors in this movie are also aging professionals looking to inject a little excitement back into their careers.

There are a number of humorous moments along the way, many of them involving the shy William Macy.

But John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, and Tim Allen turn in good performances as the other Hogs.

I also enjoyed the antagonist Del Fuego biker, played by Ray Liotta, and the charming cafe owner Marisa Tomei, who plays the potential love interest for Dudley (William Macy).

Watch this movie and take a break from the serious side of life. Let out your inner hog!

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Hollywood needs to rediscover the lost art of movie comedy. "Wild Hogs" is "City Slickers on Harleys" minus the humor, inventiveness and overall good taste. The filmmakers take every conceivable wrong turn and waste a fine cast in the process. You may get a few chuckles from this inexplicable box-office smash, but you'll probably hate yourself in the morning.

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