Keeping Mum

This is probably the most touching film about homicidal old ladies I have ever seen. Grace (Maggie Smith) is not your ordinary homicidal grandmother she has a heart of gold. When she comes into the life of the Reverend of Little Wallop (Rowan Atkinson) she immediately takes a proprietorial interest in his family's wellbeing. Before long Grace is proactively sorting out a lot of family problems the son's bullies, the daughter's awful boyfriends, the Reverend's lack of confidence and his wife's marital woes. At the same time, a number of people and animals that get in the way of Grace's plans start disappearing. She is so charmingly innocent and so completely well-intentioned that it is hard to hold her methods against her. In fact, I spent most of the film cheering for her. Grace is a very rare character indeed (the closest approximate I can think of is Angela from "Sleepaway Camp II & III" possibly a younger variation of the same creature) and we need more like her.

The film is undoubtedly aided by an excellent cast. The central character, the reverend's frustrated wife Gloria, is played by the very convincing (not to mention attractive) Kristin Scott Thomas who effectively carries most of the film. Maggie Smith is adorable as the innocently-menacing Grace. Patrick Swayze is perfect as the hunky lothario/sleazoid pursuing both Gloria and her daughter. Jeez, he aged well, and I think he was perfect for this part (which is sort of a compliment). Given first billing despite performing in what was essentially a supporting role,is Rowan Atkinson in probably his most subdued role ever as the Reverend of Little Wallop. Don't let that deter you if you're a fan. He still manages to be hilarious without having to lift a finger and when he does go into full comedy mode he is marvellous. However, it is his performance as the absent-minded workaholic vicar who seems helpless in the face of his unravelling marriage that is both touching and believable and demonstrates acting capabilities I would not have expected of him.

In short, this is a very funny and sweet film that should not be missed.

The Goodfellow family needs more than just a housekeeper. They need a miracle.

What they got was Grace.

When Grace (Maggie Smith) arrives, she finds Gloria (Scott Thomas) somewhere between an affair and going crazy. Golf Pro Lance (Swayze) is encouraging her to swing more than a club. Clarence, the little dog next door has been yelling nonstop for days and the deaf old man who owns him, can't hear and doesn't seem to care. Walter (Atkinson) her vicar husband, has forgotten there's romance in the "Bible" and he's so lost in his tending his congregation, he's even lost his sense of humor. Teenaged Polly (Egerton) is experimenting with sex--and not for the first time. Peter (Parkes) is getting beaten up by the school bullies.

Grace quickly sets to work setting things to rights. On the surface, she's quite an endearing old lady who soothes with a cup of tea and a magic word, but her methods run far deeper than that--just don't look in the nearby pond!

If you love British comedy, particularly the darker varieties thereof, you're going to enjoy "Keeping Mum." There's more than one surprise twist. Of particular interest is a golf lesson between Lance and Gloria just filled with double entendre.

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This is a delicious twist on Mary Poppins with Maggie Smith playing the

"trunk killer"...that is she was sent to an institution because she was traveling with a trunk that carried the cut up remains of her philandering husband and his mistress.

Now she's back and doing housework for a minister's family in a small English town. Her approach to problems is to eliminate them...literally.

How can you suspect such a charming, smiling, old lady?

As for the minister, our Maggie Smith has some suggestions...lighten up your sermons with religious jokes and spice up your personal life with a little sex. I loved the "reading" of the Song of Solomon in the movie...one of the best readings of King James selections that was moving and erotic.

This is good fun and a must for Maggie Smith fans.

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I absolutely adored this rather understated and very engaging British film. Everything was just so fun considering it's about a sweet little elderly lady who applies a slightly twisted sense of morality to help a family with domestic problems. The family is a bit of a mess. Kristin Scott Thomas is the backbone of the story. She's frustrated with her life, her daughter is a bit of wayward teenager, her son is being bullied and her husband played by Rowan Atkinson is a little boring and a little self-absorbed. In comes Maggie Smith who plays Grace Hawkins a grandmotherly type who exudes understanding and warmth with her own special brand of helpfulness. But then again, the way she deals with life's problems is questionable although effective "You can't just kill people because you disapprove of them" to which Grace replies, "That's what my doctors kept saying. It was the one thing we could never agree on."

Everything from the dream cast to the clever writing to the charming music sets an overall tone of gentleness with a hint of the sinister. I particularly enjoyed the music and the locations. The music is soft and tender but at times, it also has an edge exactly like the story. The film is beautifully shot with locations in Cornwall and the Isle of Man. I really liked the village its normal and sweet setting is a perfect backdrop to Grace's not normal but still sweet mentality.

Black comedy is a tricky genre of film and the British do it well. If it's handled with too heavy a hand it can teeter between the uncomfortable and the painful. Here, the director, writers and actors handled it with just enough of a touch that this film is brilliantly endearing and you just can't help laughing at something you really shouldn't be laughing at.

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I have been waiting for another British comedy to come out all year. KEEPING MUM fits that bill. It is funny, I mean very funny. The cast is outstanding. Rowan Atkinson and Maggie Smith are hilarious but the whole cast really delivers some of their best work in this film. The location photography is beautiful. The English countryside really sets the stage for this nice little film where the characters all come together and their personalities, strengths and weaknesses lead them to realizations about the true aspirations of their lives.

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Just Wright (2010)

JUST WRIGHT

STARRING: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, Pam Grier, James Pickens Jr. and Phylicia Rashad

WRITTEN BY: Michael Elliot

DIRECTED BY: Sanaa Hamri

Rated: PG

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Release Date: 14 May 2010

Review Date: 25 May 2010

It's been refreshing seeing so many romantic comedies as of late, that were not only good, but clean as well. Leap Year, Letters to Juliet and now Just Wright, have all been very tasty films and were all rated PG.

The adorable Queen Latifah who is one of the few people in Hollywood you can tell has a good soul just by looking at her; stars as Leslie Wright. All of Leslie's life, she has been the `friend' to charming and available guys. No one has ever wanted to be more than that with her in the end, and to add insult to injury, guys tend to fall for her best friend Morgan (Paula Patton).

Morgan is indeed beautiful, but then so is Leslie, and only an idiot wouldn't be able to smell Morgan's BS from a mile away. But then again there are a lot of idiots in the world, so this makes it easier for those of us with two or more brain cells watching, to accept this in the film.

To call Morgan high maintenance would be the understatement of the century. At least she is honest with Leslie about her intentions however, which was one of two small problems I had with this great film.

The first being that I just can't buy that Leslie would after all these years be friends with someone so manipulative and deceitful. Morgan has made it her mission in life, to wed a cash flow. Whereas Leslie you see, is basically every bit as sweet as the real Queen Latifah.

After Morgan fills Leslie in on her plan to snag an NBA player as her ATM of a husband, Leslie just so happens to run into such a man at a gas station following a game. His name is Scott McKnight and he plays for the Nets; which coincidentally is the team that Leslie is nuts about.

Common plays Scott, and the enthrallment is there from the get-go between both the actors and the characters they portray and lasts all the way till the credits. Taken aback by Leslie's unique charm, Scott invites her to a party.

Naturally, Leslie brings Morgan along with her, and Scott finds her intriguing. Morgan plays Scott like a fiddle and soon enough they are dating. Being such a sweetheart, Leslie is happy for Morgan and allows this to go on when Morgan expresses that she is truly developing feelings for Scott.

Leslie is a physical therapist and when Scott gets injured on the court, he hires her to move in and take care of him. Based on the description of Morgan's character and the necessary formula of romantic comedies, you can guess where it goes from there.

And it does go there, but we really enjoy the ride it takes us on along the way. The film doesn't force the inevitable down our throats, but slowly and innovatively leads us to the romance of Scott and Leslie.

I mentioned earlier that there were only two small problems I had with the film. The second one takes place in the third act and involves a ridiculous decision made by Scott. It took my like for the character down a notch or two, but those are tiny notches and both of these problems I had were minuscule to the overall effect the film had.

I've had my eye on Paula Patton for quite some time now; ever since I saw her in Déjà vu. She has a rare quality to her and I think she will do big things in the world of movies. In the small handful of mainstream films she has done, you can see a vast variety of talent. She is enduring and the fact that she makes us absolutely hate her as Morgan in this film, shows how truly talented she is.

Director Sanaa Hamri has gone from Something New; to Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; to Just Wright; and each of them compliments her well. Insert offensively cheesy Just Wright one-liner here:

Nothing about this film seemed any more unique than any other romantic sports style film. Boy chases girl. Boy gets girl. Boy dogs girl. Boy makes it better. The end. While other friends and family around me were just dying for the release date of this film, I wasn't going to see it. However, when I saw Common and Queen Latifah (fake?) flirting it up on "The Mo'Nique Show," I found them entertaining. They sure did look believable, so it made me want to see them in action. I saw the film. I won't lie to you. It is about as predictable as you would guess. Leslie is the girl's guy, the next-door-neighbor style lady who is chummy with all the guys but they don't really get a spark out of her. She's every guy's best friend who's a girl but not girlfriend material.

But her roommate Morgan (Paula Patton) knows what to wear and what to do to sink her teeth into a man. Her eyes are set on Scott McKnight (Common), and he of course chases her. She badly wants to be a basketball wife and is thrilled when he proposes. A little bit later, he has an injury on the court. Leslie is a physical therapist. Guess who ends up being his physical therapist? Whatever you believe happens after that is probably true. Now if I based my rating on the plot, it'd be one star, maybe two.

But what I did like was the chemistry between Queen Latifah and Common on film. I didn't think Paula Patton was very good at playing a golddigger and manipulator. She just looked too happy and had this glow on her face the entire time, that kind of glow pregnant women have or a woman who has been sexed up really good. I think she was great in "Precious" but playing the villain wasn't convincing. But again, it was entertaining watching the two rapper actors prove that they are just as talented at both. The jazz scenes were great for me. I loved those! I could've watched the piano and singing performance all day.

Another great part of the film for me was watching Phylicia Rashad (who played Scott's mother) and James Pickens Jr. (who played Leslie's father) on the screen. These two veteran actors were great to watch as usual, and I liked their movie relationship with the two main characters.

It was a cute film but if not for these particular characters, it would've been a bust. I will warn you that it's not worth paying evening rates though, stick to the matinee prices.

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I love this movie so much. I have watched this movie at least 4 times since I purchased it. Every time I watch it I always feel so positive about meeting the right man for me. Queen Latifah and Common had such great chemistry. Paula Patton was just too cute and funny. James Pickens Jr., Phylicia Rashad and Pam Greir were so good as the parents. The story was so positive. It is too bad that Hollywood doesn't produce more postive movies about African-American relationships like this.

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You know me. I'm very critical of romantic comedies. That doesn't always prevent me from enjoying them, however. I enjoyed "Just Wright" very much, in large part because of Queen Latifah, whose character, Leslie Wright, is caring, independent, warm, self assured, and genuinely likeable. Her only flaw is not being able to find a man that wants to be more than friends, and even then you can't really blame her because she is trying. Part of the problem is her godsister and best friend, Morgan (Paula Patton), a shallow man hunter who gets what she wants ... even if Leslie had it first. Morgan is classically beautiful and not yet thirty, and loves dressing fancy wherever she goes. Leslie is thirty-five and has curves, and while she certainly can dress nicely, she isn't opposed to casual clothing, either.

Movies like this are inherently contrived, so liking them really has nothing to do with believing in them. It has more to do with how they present themselves, if they're pleasant and fun and have good characters. "Just Wright" exudes such charm and goodwill that it entertains at a fundamentally emotional level. I also appreciated the fact that, while there's almost nothing plausible about what leads to the obligatory romance, the romance itself is compelling, focusing more on the process of falling in love than the end result. Anyone can capture immature puppy love on camera and call it a movie, but we don't often see older characters allowing something to develop naturally.

Here's the story. Leslie, a New Jersey physical therapist and Basketball fan, has a chance encounter with Scott McKnight (Common), a star player for the Nets and a recent free agent. He's decent enough and seems to like her. He even invites her to his birthday party. All prospects of starting a relationship are seemingly shot when Morgan tags along; her goal is to become a trophy wife and live out the rest of her days shopping, dining, and looking good for photographers. Almost as quickly as they met, Scott and Morgan become engaged. But then Scott injures his knee during the NBA All-Star Game, and it's bad enough to put his career in jeopardy. If he's to take part in an upcoming game, he must undergo weeks of physical therapy, and he must turn to someone good. His first choice of therapist is too pretty for Morgan to compete with, which is why she hires Leslie.

It turns out to be a very good move. Not only is she well trained, she's also a great motivator, taking a firm and no-nonsense approach. She takes care of Scott, but more to the point, she inspires him. A friendship develops rather quickly, although it takes a bit more time for them to realize that they're falling in love. Or perhaps they do realize it, but they're afraid to act on it for fear of actually finding what they've been looking for. Success, be it professional or personal, can be frightening, no matter how much one claims to want it. But what about Morgan? It shouldn't be too hard to figure out, but you should know that she isn't as shallow as she might seem. Misguided perhaps, although not without her good points. If only they weren't revealed at just such moments when they're the most convenient.

But what am I complaining for? That's how movies like this work. What I cared about most was that I liked the characters, and I especially liked Leslie. She has such a wonderful personality bright and accommodating yet not so desperate for affection that she allows herself to be trampled on. Perhaps she's an extension of the real Queen Latifah, who seems genuinely confident and good natured in all of her public appearances. As for the other cast members, they all hold their own, although some get less screen time than they probably deserved. Case in point: Phylicia Rashad as Scott's kindly mother, who seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to women like Morgan. She also has an affinity for people like Leslie, decent people who are strong, level-headed, and even a little opinionated.

There's also Pam Grier and James Pickens, Jr. as Leslie's parents, and while they play their roles as best they can, neither are given all that much to do except be supporting roles. Pickens' character in particular is nothing more than momentary comedy relief, a well intentioned but inept Mr. Fix-It who helps Leslie renovate her home. I can understand the renovation aspect, for it's symbolic of the change occurring slowly but steadily in Leslie's life. The parents, however, did not seem necessary to me. It's a good thing they appeared so infrequently. All we really needed was Leslie, a great character in a story that isn't quite deserving of her. It gets the job done, but still, was there no way to go for something less conventional? Romantic comedies are a dime a dozen effective, but often times forgettable. "Just Wright" entertained me because of its characters and tone, but the plot is just another face in the crowd.

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A simple wholesome feel good movie with a strong woman character. This movie leaves you feeling enthusiastic about love and life!

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Snatch (2000)

Some people write in their reviews the movie is braindead, stupid and not funny at all. Well, it depends on what kind of humor you prefer. If you like Tarantino, Coen brothers, Guy Ritchie's "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", films like "Thursday", "Get Shorty" and "Way of the Gun", then this opus is just for you. If you can't stand all of the listed above just skip this one.

To my opinion "Snatch" is much better then previous Ritchie's work, more than that it's one of the best criminal comedies. It's more criminal than others, it's more funny than others. Guy Ritchie actually did his best here and created an atmosphere of absurd, chaotic fun. The acting is perfect, Brad Pitt is totally different from what we used to see, Dennis Farina is just soooo hilarious! Now I can't normally see him in other movies I recall "Snatch" and begin to laugh hysterically.

The characters' lines are funny and the way they deliver them is even funnier. By the way it's one of the few films I had to watch with captions I couldn't understand much of being said because of their cockney (if I'm not mistaken) accent.

Anyway if you like crazy criminal comedies watch it without any question. If you don't watch something else instead.

"Snatch" is a movie that takes a little patience to get into. The first 15-20 minutes are a bit confusing. There are a lot of characters to introduce, and Ritchie's fitful editing style reminiscent of music video-style flash is something the viewer will have to get used to. But once it settles down and we get into the flow of it, it is a very entertaining, even hilarious, movie.

Brad Pitt does a superb job and shows once more why he is not only a big star but a fine actor. All the actors in this are excellent. It's a film about confusion, dumb plots, and drastic mistakes made by people who think they're smart when really they are all dumb as lamposts.

This movie is made with real flair and an ear for "talk." I would suggest watching it with ENGLISH SUBTITLES ON. This is the great innovation of DVD and it makes the picture a bit more coherent. There is a section when Pitt delivers one of his prodigious mumbles that the subtitles simply give up. It is actually totally invented by Pitt. Don't worry if you aren't getting it all the first time you see it. It's really a small tour de force by Ritchie and needs to be seen at least twice to get the full effect..

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I purchased this item and found that disk one was the old superbit edition without the commentary track. I emailed Sony and they quickly responded saying that this was a mistake with the first production run. If you mail in disk 1 along with the proof of purchase and copy of the email from Sony, they will send you the proper disk 1. So, if you have this dvd with the wrong disk one, just email Sony and they will tell you what to do.

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"Snatch" is a wild ride with a complicated plot that centers on a stolen diamond and 3 different gangs who try to steal it. This was Guy Ritchie's second film after "Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels." I'm looking forward to Ritchie's "Revolver" with Jason Statham & Ray Liotta. Obviously, "Swept Away" with wife Madonna starring was a misstep.

The cast is excellent. Jason Statham is now a star after the two "Transporter" films. As Turkish, he has a droll sense of humor, his own code of ethics and loyalty to his friend Tommy played by Stephen Graham from "Gangs of New York." Turkish serves as the film's narrator.

The obvious scene-stealer is Brad Pitt as the nutty Irish boxer Mickey O'Neil. Since Pitt's breakthrough role in "Thelma & Louise" back in 1991 and through his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for "12 Monkeys" (1995), he's developed into one of Hollywood's brightest stars. The frustrating and amazingly hilarious schtick here is that you can barely understand a word of the inarticulate Mickey's dialogue, yet all his friends nod and agree profusely. It really is funny once you get into the swing of noncomprehension. The fight scenes are also excellent.

Somewhat overlooked, but equally impressive is the short cameo of Benicio Del Toro as the Jewish gangster Franky Four Fingers who loves crime but has a weakness for gambling. Del Toro is obviously a highly regarded actor with his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for "Traffic" (2000) and his nomination for "21 Grams" (2003). His ability to go from Jewish Orthodox to the volatile Frankie demonstrates great range.

Vinnie Jones plays Bullet Tooth Tony who is hired to find Frankie. He does a great job. Jones was excellent in "Swordfish" (2001) and is set to appear in next year's "X-Men 3." Lennie James who was in "Sahara" this year plays Sol who owns the pawnshop and has two bumbling cohorts to help get him in trouble. Alan Ford who was in "American Werewolf in London" back in 1981 and in "Exorcist: The Beginning" last year plays the wild gang leader Brick Top who likes to feed his enemies to the pigs. Rade Sherbedgia who was in a film "Fever" (2003) with Vanessa Redgrave & Angelia Jolie (--makes you wonder, eh?--), plays the delightfully sinister Russian gangster Boris the Blade. Dennis Farina who had a great cameo in the HBO mini-series "Empire Falls" romps around as Avi. And of course, the dog that swallows the diamond is also tremendously funny!

"Snatch" is excellent because it combines the MTV-style editing with a complex plot whose unifying element is the stolen diamond. It's so fast-paced that it demands the viewer to be engaged or get lost in the action. Ritchie and this excellent cast make this a memorable DVD. Enjoy!

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Hey, have you heard about that guy who just married Madonna? Who knew that he also made movies! Guy Ritchie has done it again. Where "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" knocked on our hip-dialouge-driven-action-movie starved door (due in part to the 3 year absence of Mr. Tarantino), "Snatch" kicks open the door and comes at us with guns blazing. Snatch revolves around a stolen "diamond the size of a fist" that changes hands between quite a few of London's most unsavory characters. Characters such as underground boxing promoter Turkish (Jason Stratham) and thief extrodanaire/gambling junkie Frankie Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro) Others include an impossible to kill russian hitman, a ganster that feeds people to pigs, a 400 pound getaway driver, and a squeaking dog. The story line is masterfully balanced, giving ample screen time to each and every facet of this amazing, gritty world of Ritchie. There are more than a few memorable performances, but none seem to shine like Brad Pitt as Mickey O'Niell and Vinnie Jones as Bullet Tooth Tony. Brad Pitt is hardly recognizable as a scruffy, tatooed gypsy boxer who can knock any man out with one punch. You can tell Brad leapt entirely into Mickey's skin and started running. His barely intelligible gypsy drawl is far and away the funniest running gag in th ewhole film. Pitt has given us the antithesis of what Holloywood has deemed him, no more is he to be called the sexiest man alive. He has now earned the title of the "best damn actor we've got!" If you haven't heard of British bad boy Vinnie Jones yet, you will now. His performance as the enforcer Bullet Tooth Tony is the breakout of the millenium. His quiet fierce intelligence burns through his gruff appearance and into each member of the audience, leaving them felling enlightened and warned all at once. I only have 1000 words to use here, that hardly seems enough, but I can think of one word that describes this movie perfectly, "neccessary". It's refreshing to have a film that entertains without insulting it's audience's intelligence. Mr. Ritchie, thank you for giving movie viewers hope of a brave and ballsy new world. In a time when the genre has faltered, it's nice to know that the hip and frantic world of bad boys who know how to use both brains and guns is alive and well and married to Madonna.

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Spark of Insanity (2007)

Spark of Insanity was far funnier than any previous shows in Which I have seen Jeff Dunham and his puppets. Contrary to the one negative opinion I have read about the performance, I didn't have to gauge the reactions of audience members to know when it was time to laugh. It was very funny, and I must say that his tackling an issue, such as terrorism, with comedy, was funnier than I would have even thought it would be. Dunham is a very talented ventriloquist, with a fine sense of comedic timing. I feel sorry for anyone who can't get a laugh out Spark of Insanity, their sense of humor is irreparably broken. Buy it, see it, enjoy it!

Okay, so I don't get around much; I don't watch Comedy Central; and I had never heard of Jeff Dunham. And up until a few days ago I thought of ventriloquism as about as hokey as middle school hootenanny; but then I was given Dunham's SPARK OF INSANITY as a Yuletide present (by my highly signficant other). . .

I am a changed curmudgeon.

Ladies and gents, this is funny, funny stuff, and I'm not talking about chuckling funny--I'm talking about rolling on the floor funny. Dunham and his "suitcase posse" of colorful characters (and an old curmudgeon like me sure appreciates Walter) tackle a plethora of topics--many of them devoutly controversial. But Dunham (and friends) gets away with controversy, because everything is fair game and no one is spared. Heck, forget the puppets; Dunham's opening monologue is hysterical.

When a comedian can make his audience forget their troubles and just enjoy the entertainment for its own sake, said comedian has achieved pure comedic bliss. And Jeff Dunham does just that; SPARK OF INSANITY is well worth the viewing, time and time again.

--D. Mikels, Author The Reckoning

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I've been a fan of Jeff and company since high school. I remember seeing him on "An Evening at the Improv" which aired on A&E and on another comedy program that aired on VH1; I would tape these segments then make my friends watch them. They became fans of Jeff and Peanut, too.

I thought this DVD was funnier than the "Arguing with Myself" one. I loved the Dead Terrorist. This program aired on Comedy Central and the DVD features some additional footage that didn't appear on Comedy Central. The bonus features on the DVD are great. It was interesting to see the development of Melvin, and Walter's "announcement" was fabulous. This DVD is a must have for any fan of Jeff and gang.

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My husband and I just saw Jeff's show this past Saturday in Mass. It was fantastic! Achmed the Dead Terrorist is hysterical! He goes right to the edge with a politically sensitive subject. And, of course, Walter, Peanut, and Jose are just as great as ever. We have his first DVD and are always showing it to people who haven't been indoctrinated. No matter how many times we see it, we laugh just as hard as the first time. We are looking forward to this new DVD to have in our house when we need a Jeff 'fix'.

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I was fortunate to see this show live in Newport Kentucky back in July and have been anxiously awaiting the release of the DVD. Jeff and company are totally hilarious and I did not stop laughing the entire show. I love a comedian that can bring on laughing tears. Of course Walter is my favorite, but his new additions bring a new spark to the show.

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Volver (2006)

A truly beautiful film! I was mesmerized throughout by the great writing, directing, cinematography, and above all the outstanding performances of all the wonderful actresses. One of the legendary grand dames of Spanish cinema Carmen Maura (the Judy Dench of Spain) gives a brilliant performance in a supporting role as Irene, the tortured matriarch trying to reconcile with her long, lost daughters. Penelope Cruz gives a performance that in almost any other year would have reaped her not only the Academy Award for Best Actress, but every other award known to man-kind as well (however, having seen the movie "The Queen" it was no doubt Helen Mirren's year). I have never seen Ms. Cruz even come close to being as great as she is in this fine film. She is not only breathtakingly beautiful as our main heroine Raimunda (ala Sophia Loren and Anna Magnani) but she seems to glide across the screen with such balletic grace and effortlessness that you can't take your eyes off of her for a second. The scenes between her and Maura in particular are simply sublime beyond words. The other three main actresses also give outstanding performances in supporting roles Yohana Cobo (Paula, Raimunda's teenage daughter), Blanca Portillo (Agustina), and in particular Lola Duenas (Sole, Raimunda's loyal and lonely younger sister).

This is not a 'chick flick'. This is not one of those boring, esoteric, foreign films that you need to be of European descent to truly understand and appreciate. Pedro Almodar truly weaves together an absolutely wonderful story with a great message as well. These women exude such strength and inner beauty that it is almost impossible to not empathize with each one of them. I was pleasantly suprised when I walked out of the movie theatre and I am planning on purchasing this DVD soon. Also, anyone who has been to Spain and fell in love with the people and culture (as I did) will truly love this film! It is such an enchanting, charming land full of benevolent and passionate souls.

It is definitely a five star movie in my opinion and one of the finest films of it's kind that I have seen in years.

There is a great scene in Pedro Almodovar's latest, "Volver" that encapsulates all that this wonderful, resonant movie is about: Raimunda (a sexy, earthy Penelope Cruz who has never been better on screen) sings a gypsy/flamenco style song, having not sang in public for many years but in possession of a gorgeous singing voice, while her mother Irene (the legendary Carmen Maura), thought to be dead , discretely listens from afar. Almodovar's camera cuts between mother and daughter, both totally committed emotionally to the scene, both recalling their former lives together, estranged for years but still possessing that particular brand of love that exists only between a Mother and her daughter, both longing for lives without trials and tribulations and fear, lives without problems, without cares. "Volver" (which means to return, to come back) is nothing if not about returning to the innocence of youth: to a time when Love abounded and came without a price and without consequences. But "Volver" is also about second chances, re-tooling you life albeit, Almodovar-style which always involves some manner of the strange, the violent sometimes and the weird. This line towards re-tooling/re-imagining your life is not a straight one by any means but a zigzagged one going from "a" to "g" more often than from "a" to "b."

In "Volver" we have the extraordinary character of Raimunda played to the hilt by Penelope Cruz who has always been better in her native Spanish than she's ever been in her English films. Raimunda is strong, decisive, hard-working, married to a lout, a devoted mother and sister of Soledad (Lola Duenas) with whom she shares a strong bond now that their parents are dead.

"Volver" is a film almost totally without men except Paco, Raimunda's husband and Paula's (Raimunda's daughter)father who leaves the film early on and as such it reminds me of the Neo-Realist film classics of the WW2 era, "Open City" and the Sophia Loren starring "Two Women." But in this world without men that is "Volver" nothing seems amiss because the world that Almodovar has created is rich with well defined woman's roles: compassionately written and more importantly profoundly and deeply executed by the ensemble of actors that Almodovar has assembled: Cruz, Maura, Duenas and Blanca Portillo as Angelina.

Once again with "Volver," Almodovar has returned to the world of women alone and it is a film primarily about but definitely not only for women: their power over us, their weaknesses, their hopes, their desires. But "Volver" also shows us that mysterious inner core that all women possess which gives them an edge, a wisdom that men don't have. Call it maturity, call it a security, call it a special strength. You can even call it "feminine intuition." But, call it what you like, it's there, only women have it and lucky man, Pedro Almodovar is on a first name basis with it.

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I've never been a big fan of Penlope Cruz but this film, I think, has changed that! I have been, however, a fan of Pedro Almodovar for 20 years and he gives us another strong tale centered around a group of women that involves murder, incest, ghosts and much more!

Thankfully, we see the wonderful Carmen Maura reunited with her director of "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown". She really shows her talent as an actress as the mother of Raimunda (Cruz) and Sole (Lola Duenas).

The story is set around to Raimunda and Sole, two sisters who lost their parents in a fire about four years earlier. Raimunda is married to a crude drunk and Sole is a lonely young woman separated from her husband. After a tragic event occurs for Raimunda and her daughter, Paula (Yohana Cobo), Raimunda is forced to keep a secret to protect her daughter and herself. The one thing that bonds all the women is the secrets they keep. Irene (Maura), their mother, has a secret that could give the terminally ill Agustina (Blanca Portillo), who is a childhood friend of the sisters, an answer to the whereabouts of her absent mother.

The actresses in this film do AMAZING work. The story centers around Penelope Cruz who deserves the Oscar nomination she received. Carmen Maura, as usual, does a great job and another stand out is Blanca Portillo as the long suffering and loyal friend to the sisters.

If I have one criticism about the film, it just seem to end so abruptly. Other than that, Almodovar gives us another film about women that is well worth the price of your ticket as well as an addition to your dvd library. Highly recommended.

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Penelope Cruz gives a standout performance as Raimunda in this strange tale of a village where most of the men are lovingly tended to in cemetery plots. The story takes many twists and turns, but principally this is a tale about Raimunda's indefatigable spirit and protection of her daughter. Almodovar captures the rhythm and feeling of small town life in Spain as Raimunda enlists the services of her neighbors to revive a restaurant, which becomes the hub of activities while the owner is away. In so doing, Raimunda hopes to disguise the sinister events that have taken place. Raimunda's sister, Sole, harbors a blithe spirit of sorts, whose return provides the premise for the movie and eventually answers many questions that are put forward. Augustina completes this provincial triptych as a hippie of sorts, who is forced to come to terms with her life when she finds out she has cancer. The characters feed off each other in typical Almodovarian fashion, but it is a conventional movie by his quixotic standards, and one of his most satisfying efforts, as it is sure to appeal across a broad spectrum of viewers, especially given Penelope Cruz' excellent performance.

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Pedro Almodóvar, the king of Spanish cinema is back with Volver, a film with a lot of humor, but also the finest drama.

The story, written by Almodóvar himself, is original and has great twists and surprises for you to enjoy.

The story in short without any spoilers:

Raimunda (Penélope Cruz) is a young mother and together with her sister Sole (played by Lola Dueñas) who has an illegal barbershop, they always clean their mother and father's grave, who have passed away long ago. They both have their own problems, and Raimunda experienceses a big one together with her daughter Paula (played by Yohana Cobo),which I'm not gonna tell, you'll see.

But then, suddenly, the mother (played by Carmen Maura) returns from her grave as a spirit, because she has some unfinished business to complete before she can rest in peace. So with their mother walking around, some big problems here, and some little problems there, Volver is a delighted comedy and drama at the same time that will entertain you endlessly!

Penélope Cruz is absolutely fantastic in this film. The problem with her acting in Hollywood is that she can never really show that she can really act because of the language that doesn't come out as fluently as Spanish (Not that she is terrible when she acts in English, she is a wonderfull actress, but still, you don't feel like it is her 100% because of the language barriar). Now, in her own language, Penélope shows she can really act and steals the show. She really gave me goosbumps in some of her scenes because she can act emotionally very realisticly which absolutely grabbed me. Expect acting from the highest level!

The rest of the cast is also fantastic and they all act great. It is an absolute star cast where nobody is out of place or not good: maqnificent job!

Even though the film is completely spoken in Spanish, you'll have no problem getting into this film. When the first scene appeared on the screen, I was so into it, that I was not even noticing that I was still reading the subtitles. And thats the power of the Spanish cinema. Volver shows how great Spanish movies can be. It is a fantastic film that will make you laugh, cry and entertain you till the very end.

I don't know how it will go with you, but after seeying this film in the cinema, I can offically say that I am sold to the Spanish cinema: Mucho Gracias!

So I will probally Volver (return) to the cinema for more Spanish delight in the future!

Enjoy and Let yourself be grabbed by the story, the emotion, the comedy and the acting: entertainment from the highest sort. So go and see this, cause it will be in your mind for some time!

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Virgin Territory (2007)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program This is something like a Shakesperian comedy, only with humor that's a little more raunchy. It takes place in Italy around the 17th century (or so) and focuses in on a sort of Don Juan character who is always on the run (played by Hayden Christensen). He finds sanctuary from the hoodlums who are chasing him by scamming his way into being the gardner of a convent. One can already imagine the mischief a lady's man is bound to cause amongst a slew of virgin(?) nuns!

Of course, as you've already guessed by now, there is a certain woman (played by Mischa Barton) whom he desires above all else. Only problem is, she's betrothed to, not one, but two(!) other men. Oh, what's a playboy to do!?

As the title indicates, there is some gratuitous nudity in the film. However, I actually thought there would be much more than there was, especially as they were constantly discussing the topic of intercourse. Sadly, Mischa Barton does not remove her shirt, but she still manages to steal the show. I look forward to seeing more movies with this stunning beauty!

If you enjoy British comedy, this film will likely be right up your alley. If you want to take a chance on a charming Romantic comedy based in a long-ago era, this film might be just the thing.

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Truth be told, I certainly wasn't expecting great art in a movie entitled "Virgin Territory." But I had an open mind. I had hoped for something light and silly, and indeed this film is light and silly--it just isn't particularly fun. A misguided effort to tell a Casanova story, "Virgin" is a period piece that owes as much to "Porky's" as it does to any swashbuckling epic. Add some bizarre Monty Python-esque moments, copious nudity and implied sex, and a strange narration by a superfluous character--and this movie completely baffled me. Romantic comedy or teen sex romp--"Virgin" is both and neither.

The film stars Hayden Christensen playing a charming lothario who seems to be absolutely irresistible. When faced with a gaggle of beautiful young nuns, he doesn't even have to work at bedding the entire convent. Every woman throws herself at poor Christensen. Needless to say, those of a more devout nature might not appreciate this movie. Christensen doesn't really overcome the deficiencies of the script. Seeing him in this straight to DVD clunker, I had to ask--"What happened to the promising star of 'Life as a House' and `Shattered Glass'?" Even Tim Roth, who adds class to any endeavor, can't elevate this film.

It's easy to find fault with "Virgin Territory," but I think the film's biggest issue is that it fails to connect with a target audience. Too infantile for a serious audience, it also misses other key demographics. Young guys that might enjoy the nudity are likely to be put off by silly romantic subplots. And those more interested in the story are likely to wonder just what there is to really care about. Those interested in the comedy might chuckle once or twice, but it's hardly a gut-buster. Mostly, though, viewers are likely to be disinterested. I know I was. KGHarris, 09/08.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I was wondering what to expect when i started watching this movie BUT i can honestly say it was kinda ok.. It's like a sex movie for 19-24 year olds. It was cheesey yet you couldn't help but watch at times.. I would truly have given it 2.85 stars...

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program While the film could have been an interesting big screen adaptation of the Casanova tale, with lots of young and up and coming actors and actresses, it falls into the trap of looking like modern day actors forced into these medieval roles. They just don't pull off looking like they should be in that time frame. Many, many comedic attempts have tried to go the bawdy romp route and failed, and this one is no different.

For a much better movie, and similar theme, look no further than television and the British production (shown in the US on Masterpiece Theater) of Casanova (Masterpiece Theater). It's a tremendously better play on the same plot, and you can see the production quality and performances are all a notch or two above this sophmoric, direct to DVD flick.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I remember reading about this film almost 3 years ago. It was suppose to be Misha Burton's vehicle to show her acting after leaving "The O.C." after three season. But after about 10 minutes its easy to see why the film skipped theaters and went direct to DVD.

The plot involves a lady's man, who falls in love with the one girl that he cannot have and comedic (yet forced) hilarity insues. I'm not saying that its a bad movie, but the production value is on the low side and the plot is increidbly predictable.

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Driving Miss Daisy (2013)

Lovely is such an old fashioned word, I know. But that's the word that describes this film, for me. The story of the developing friendship over many years between the black chaueffeur and the older Jewish woman is very heartwarming in its simplicity. Jessica Tandy is marvelous as "Miss Daisy" the fiercely independant, irascible widow, whose advancing age requires her son to employ, against her wishes, a driver/companion for her. Miss Tandy, who originated the role of Blanche DuBois on Broadway in "A Streetcar Named Desire", was a wonderful actress. This was one of her last films, and all the skill, sublety, and experience of her life-long craft come together to create a living, breathing "Miss Daisy." Morgan Freeman meets her skill in his portrayal of "Hoag", the accomodating chaueffeur. He has the manner of a certain resignation that an older black man may have felt in the turbulent, prejudiced south in which he lived, yet exudes dignity. He has the manner of "Hoag" down pat, right down to the closed mouth laugh that I have seen in the old black men who hang out on the corner. This is not a caricature, he IS "Hoag." His relationship with Miss Daisy starts out very rocky, to say the least, but, as time passes, their places in each others lives develope into almost a "marriage", with a quiet understanding of, and dependence on, each other. And though Miss Daisy insists she was not prejudiced, and inherently wasn't, it is touching to see her slowly let go of her last universally accepted beliefs of peoples place in society, where the "colored" help were always servants of some sort, and the line was just never crossed. Scenes such as the one where she and "Hoag" are both eating their dinner in the house, she in the dining room, he , alone in the kitchen, express this. The very thought of them dining together, it just wasn't done. As time goes on, and she becomes quietly aware of the similarities of the prejudices against her religion and the prejudices and injustice against Hoags race, the differences that seperate them become insignicant. Dan Akroyd and Patti Lupone are fine as Miss Daisy's son and his typically '50s wife, who admonishes her black maid for the unforgivable sin of forgetting to tell her she was out of coconut for the ambrosia she was serving to her guests... a '50s hostess' nightmare. There are a few moments when their performances threaten to lapse into parody, but one is only aware of this because this is basically a two person play, and the skill and realism of Tandys and Freemans performances just eclipse the others, they are basically props compared to the skill and, yes, sublety of the leads . The exception is Esther Rolle as "Idella" , Miss Daisys black maid. Though her part is small, and her lines few, she manages to convey a resigned dignity also, and her dead-pan delivery of several one liners is very humorous. Miss Daisys affection and respect for Idella is clearly etched upon her face, however, at Idella's funeral. This is just a wonderfully simple, beautiful film. It never treads into being overly sentimental, thanks to the casting of two very special stars. This film took many by surprise by winning the Oscar for best film of the year, proving that a movie with no special effects, and, that actually tells a story, can still move audiences. The final scene, where their years-long friendship comes full circle, will have tears in your eyes, as Miss Daisy conveys the sweet sad wisdom of the old, who know that "all shall soon pass...."

Superb casting of Jessica Tandy as a stubborn elderly Southern woman of privilege and Morgan Freeman as her loyal and capable and patient chauffeur makes this one of the best dramas and character studies of all time. Tandy won an Oscar for this 1989 performance and Freeman was nominated for one. This is a movie of wonderful spirited characters, people who demonstrate sassiness, independence, tolerance, admiration, and respect for each other but only after a few years of working together. It all started when Miss Daisy crashed her car and her son, Dan Aykroyd, a pompous banker type, declared she absolutely could drive no more. So he hired a chauffeur for her. At first, all the old Southern prejudices came into plan, prejudices of class, race, and education. But gradually the wisdom and quiet patience of Freeman's character won her over.

At its core, this is the story of an unlikely friendship that shows it's possible to transcend prejudice and appreciate the human being within.

Highest marks.

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Driving Miss Daisy is one of my all-time favorites. I bought the Special Edition widescreen DVD (ISBN 0-7907-7237-X, UPC 0-85392-33402-5) and was horribly disappointed. It shows less picture than does my old fullscreen VHS tape (and I seem to be the only one who has noticed)! Although the image is with a widescreen aspect ratio, the left & right sides of the picture do not extend beyond those of the VHS. And the top & bottom letterbox black bars on the DVD image are actually covering up parts of the picture that I can see on the VHS. In other words, THE PICTURE BETWEEN WIDESCREEN DVD AND FULLSCREEN VHS IS IDENTICAL, EXCEPT THAT THE DVD HAS BLACK BARS LITERALLY COVERING UP THE TOP & BOTTOM. For instance, at the end of the movie, the VHS tape clearly shows Miss Daisy's hand fumbling with the fork, and her slice of pie sitting there on the table. On the widescreen DVD, this is all covered up by the bottom black bar, so all you see of the pie is the few bites that Hoke raises (out of the void) to Miss Daisy's mouth. The touching scene is completely ruined. I'm not exactly sure what's up with this pseudo-widescreen version, but it stinks.

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This is simply a wonderful film! The performances by Jesica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, Dan Ackroyd and Esther Rolle are top-notch. The pace of the film is magnificent; there is not a dull moment in the entire one and a half hours. The set is lovely and period correct, as is the music and even the automobiles (mostly vintage Cadillacs). The chemistry between the two lead characters is very special, and Jessica Tandy certainly deserved the Academy Award for her performance. It is wonderful to see the progression over the period of several decades, and the friendship that develops between a proud, old Jewish widow and her newly appointed chauffeur. Dan Ackroyd as Miss Daisy's son is surprisingly effective also. An all round gem of a movie that deserves to be seen again and again.

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Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman will light up your heart in this sweet and charming tale. It was nominated for nine Oscars in 1989 and deservedly so. Four were bestowed including Best Picture and Best actress for Tandy. Freeman was also nominated.

The story,based on Alfred Uhry's award winning play, begins in early 1950's Georgia. Miss Daisy is getting on in years,her dutiful but tiring son(Dan Aykroyd, also nominated) feels she needs a chauffeur,as her driving isnt exactly up to par. Being a very proud and stubborn woman, she resists the idea,would rather walk than be seen being driven around. Even after Hoke Colburn(Freeman) is hired,she refuses to give in.

Hoke is also proud and stubborn, he is hired to do a job and by george he's gonna do it! So eventually he brings her around and little by little she gets comfortable with him.They form a unique and lasting bond.Over 25 years we watch their relationship grow. Daisy teaches Hoke to read. Hoke Brings out the best in Daisy.He is ALWAYS there for her. Daisy is Jewish, and for the first time in her life is witness to hate crimes. Hoke is no stranger to that and can empathize with her.She gains some understanding of him.

The cast also includes fine performances from Esther Rolle and Patti Lupone. The musical score by Hans Zimmer is delightful.

So the film by itself is 5 stars. But I went with 4 stars because the DVD "Has been formatted to fit your screen"(In other words..no widescreen) That takes away from the original theatrical version. Other than that the DVD(WB) is very good. The picture was sharp and clear with nice color. The sound in the Dolby Surround(2.0) was good.Dialouge was crisp. There's a few extras, theatrical trailer, awards and cast. There's also subtitles. So even without the widescreen I'm glad I got this edition, it's just too good of a film not to be watched.

Kick back and enjoy....Laurie

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Chillerama (Unrated) (2011)

Personally I've grown quite weary of all these homage/throwback style grindhouse films that have been coming out over the last few years. Every now and again a decent one comes through, but for me it's like watching a tribute band-It may be decent, but all it really makes you want to do is see the real band.

Chillerama is another one of these of course, and it really wears it's influences on it's sleeve. It's a full on comedy, and aimed solely at exploitation/horror junkies like myself. Not that you have to be horror fanatic to appreciate this film, but you will definitely catch most of the references, homages and jokes if you are. Just like you don't have to be a James Bond fan to enjoy the Austin Powers films, but it helps immensely. The humor is mainly of the crude sexual variety-Definitely a What-Can-We-Get-Away-With approach. Many reviewers compare this to Troma, and that's a fair comparison, though I'd say that Troma is still the undisputed king of pushing the limits of sex/violence and bad taste.

Chillerama, in the Creepshow and Amicus Pictures tradition, is an anthology film(remember those?). It's four stories by four newschool horror directors(though Adam Rifkin has been around for awhile now). The film takes place in a drive-in theater on it's last night before it's torn down. Three "lost" horror films are being shown, and we watch those three films with the audience.

The first is WADZILLA by Adam Rifkin, and arguably the best one. A nerdy guy takes an experimental drug to increase sperm volume and before you know it there's a gigantic sperm terrorizing New York. This film takes place in the 50s and is an homage to the giant monsters on the rampage movies of that time. However, the look and style of the film seems to be more in the vein of horror films from the 70s and early 80s. A kind of two for one deal, and a very good homage on both counts.

The second film is I WAS A TEENAGE WEREBEAR by Tim Sullivan. This is story set in the early 60s about a guy who is struggling with the fact that he might be homosexual. He's not so much interested in his girlfriend as he is in the local gang of leather clad bad boys. When he's bitten by the James Dean-esque leader of the gang(the two sidekicks look like they stepped out of the Blue Oyster Bar from the Police Academy movies), he becomes a gay werewolf-A Werebear!! He refuses to join the fold however. Kind of a gay Lost Boys if you will. This film is less an homage to horror as it is an homage to both teenage 50s films like Rebel Without A Cause and the Beach Party films of the 60s. There are even a few musical numbers.

This is the episode that gets the most heat from reviewers. While I agree that it is the weakest link here, I don't share the animosity towards it. It is actually a good homage to the genres it's spoofing, it's just that it probably doesn't belong in this movie as it's really the odd one out and throws off the momentum.

Then there's Adam Green's DIARY OF ANNE FRANKENSTEIN. This is about Hitler obtaining Anne Frank(enstein)'s grandfather's diary, which of course contains the secrets of creating life from the dead. Hitler creates his own hulking brute to help him take over the world. Green did a great job on this homage to films of the 30s. It's all in "German" with English subtitles. The "German" here is impressively and humorously improvised instead of being actual German. The 30s look is fantastic, and the slapstick buffoonery of Hitler is like many of the American films and cartoons of that era that poked fun of him. Great stuff.

A fourth film called DEATHICATION is set to show, but is interrupted by the proper fourth film, ZOM-B-MOVIE, which is the wraparound story about a zombie invasion at the drive-in showing the CHILLERAMA. We only see the first few minutes of DEATHICATION, but it's a hilarious collection of poop themed carnage. Definitely the most TROMA-esque.

In ZOM-B-MOVIE by Joe Lynch, all the drama we've been experiencing with the characters at the drive-in comes to a head when the zombie outbreak begins(the prologue shows how this infestation begins), and the characters find themselves fighting for their lives....and virginity. The zombies aren't so much here to eat them(though they certainly do), but to.....you know what!

It's a decent story, also quite TROMA-esque, but honestly I'm sick of zombies. With zombies having become so commercialized and becoming the Star Trek of the horror genre in recent years(along with vampires), I don't care if I ever see another zombie movie again. I'm so desensitized to it, zombies just don't do anything for me anymore(I never thought I'd ever say those words).

So, while Chillerama may not be perfect on all accounts, I think horror fans will find quite a bit here to eat up and enjoy. Plus it's really reassuring to see modern horror film directors keeping their love for classic horror and exploitation alive. A great love letter to the drive-in era that we horror fans all love so much. I'm glad this film was made and I'm glad to have watched it.

I've given this movie a 5 star rating, but I have to admit that it's not for everyone. Do you like cheesey low budget horror? Do you think a giant Godzilla sized sperm cell reaking havoc on New York city is good movie making? Do you think the idea of a 1950's pop musical style movie about a young man getting in touch with his homosexuality via the curse of the Werebear is hilarious? Can you laugh at subtitled black and white movie about Adolf Hitler making a Jewish Frankenstein? If the answer to these questions is yes, then buy this movie immeadiately. You'll be laughing so hard you'll cry. If you have like minded friends, have them over for some adult beverages and watch it together. Perfect recipe for a good time. As far as picture quality goes, these movies are intended to look like old movies, so there's scratches and black specs all over the place, but that's part of the charm. This is a horror anthology love letter to all those b-movies that could never be as boundary pushing as they wanted to be. Enjoy!

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This movie looked absurd and I am pleased to tell you, IT IS!

It crosses lines others are too scared to touch. It's the kind of movie I had hoped it would be. If you love Troma movies or Grindhouse this movie is for you.

Makes me long for the days of the Drive In. Tho, nothing could have been this cool.

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The twisted minds of Adam Rifkin, Tim Sullivan, Joe Lynch, and Adam Green come together to bring you the greatest midnight movie of all time! ...Well, not exactly. Not at all, actually... CHILLERAMA is in contention with CREEPSHOW 3 and SNOOP DOGG'S HOOD OF HORROR for the title of worst omnibus film ever made. It is vulgar and childish, but worst of all, it is dreadfully boring.

America's last drive-in is shutting its doors forever, but not before putting on one final show: It's Chillerama, featuring four ghoulish tales of terror! Up first, a giant mutant sperm cell goes on a rampage through New York City in WADZILLA! Then, a young teen fights his confusing new urges in I WAS A TEENAGE WEREBEAR. Next, Hitler develops the ultimate killing machine using THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANKENSTEIN. Finally, some tainted popcorn turns an entire theater audience into a pack of oversexed zombies in ZOM-B-MOVIE.

It is impossible to pick a favorite here. Literally impossible, because they are all so terrible. Instead of producing a campy satire of the drive-in fodder that was produced over the past forty years, we are given a cheesy spoof, and an idiotic one at that. Each of the stories begin with a silly enough premise, which quickly outlives the humor of the shorts, themselves. Any of the talent that these directors have displayed in the past is lost on CHILLERAMA, and instead traded in for stupid dick and fart jokes. The special effects are meant to imitate the films from these eras, and if looking awful was the goal, they certainly achieved it. While each of the entries drag on indefinitely, Tim Sullivan's gay werewolf musical simply becomes unbearable. He even makes the mistake of hiring his own Scream Queens winner Gabby West, proving once and for all that the show was a sham given her ridiculous performance. Only Joel David Moore succeeds with his hilarious play on Hitler.

CHILLERAMA is a wasted opportunity that will be hard-pressed to find an audience even with the Troma crowds.

-Carl Manes

I Like Horror Movies

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I watched this Tuesday night as a double bill with Girls Gone Dead on DarrellTV (actually, I purchased both here last month). Chillerama is a cross between Tales from the Crypt amd American Pie. The wrap-around story takes place at a drive-in closing its doors and the individual tales are shown as grindhouse features on the screens; the wrap-around also features multiple subplots from moviegoers and drive-in staff, in which the projectionist is contaminated with a zombie lust virus after digging his wife's corpse up and then spreading the virus to the drive-in patrons. First story is called Wadzilla and has to be seen to be believed (I won't even try to explain the amusement): 5. Second story is my least favorite but was well-crafted; singing and werebears just aren't for me (haha): 4. Third story is in black and white and marries Anne Frank and Frankenstein; Kane Hodder plays the Nazi-built Jewish creature that meows for his first word (I replayed it and laughed even louder...Yes, he said that!); Hitler sings!: 5. The fourth story reminds me of the Groove Tube and is the least of my interest: 2. This movie has dozens of cameos and in-jokes...and gallons of electric blue goo. Well worth my sheckles. Thanx to all four directors!

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Straight A's (2013)

"Mom told me to come." After his mother tells him to visit the family he abandoned, Scott (Phillippe) surprises his sister in law (Paquin) and her kids. Decidind to wait for his brother to come home Scott stays and begins to form a relationship with Katherine's kids in spite of her requests. When Scott begins to act like his old self she wants him out, but he is determined to listen to his mother's advice...even though she is dead. I know what your thinking, a man hears his dead mother and listens, that can't make a good movie. You would be wrong. The acting in this is really good, but the story of each character is so well written and thought out that it really makes the movie that much more enjoyable. 99% of movies like this are very predictable and for the most part this one is too, but there is a twist in this I did not see coming, which also adds to the enjoyment of the movie. This is a surprise sleeper that is very much worth seeing. I recommend. Overall, a little low budget movie that proves good movies can be made with a good script. I give it a B+.

This is your typical heart warming amusing feel good indie flick starring indie perennial favorite Anna Paquin as Katherine. Long lost "white trash Uncle" Scott(Ryan Phillippe) rides in one day on a horse to greet his sister-in-law and former girlfriend. He obeys the indie formula and immediately bonds with his nephew and niece. He claims he is being guided by visions of his dead mother to come back and make amends...a man who has spent the bulk of the last eight years in a mental institution for substance abuse. Chaos erupts and from chaos comes order.

The script is somewhat formulaic with a slight twist on the end. Good acting, slow at times.

Parental Guide: F-bombs. No sex or nudity. Paquin in a sexy sando shirt showing side breast, cleavage and high beams. Personally my low brow tastes liked "Uncle Buck" better. Worth a rental.

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Very good movie and acting. Not predictable which is a must for me!! Highly recommend this movie for date night

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The film focuses on the relationships of a family two brothers and their shared love interest, their forgetful father, and the legacy of their mother.

It's been years since I've seen a movie with Ryan Phillippe that I would watch and this is one. Luke Wilson has always been a favorite of mine. And Anna Paquin has always been an actress that I've wavered whether I love or dislike her. The casting was perfectly done.

Ryan as the irresponsible, wandering brother the black sheep of the family who's been gone for 8+ years. Luke as the perfect husband/provider (the opposite of his brother) who is contemplating divorcing his wife. And lastly, Anna as the woman who has loved both brothers. At first, the younger one Scott and after he left due to a fallout with his father; then she fell for William.

Katherine and William have a marriage that is perfect on the outside; not so much on the inside. Katherine is too busy to spend time with her children or family. Instead, the duties of child-rearing and caring for the house are foisted onto a maid. William is always out of town, a fact that is recognized by Katherine's "so-called" friends.

When Scott shows up after a long absence, he turns their world inside out and manages to bring Katherine, William, and their children back together. Be prepared to shed a few tears at the end.

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I liked this movie very much. Really some great acting. The ending was totally different than the way I thought it would end.

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