Brain (1969)

A great David Niven comedy. If you like those 60s cops and robbers comedies like the Pink Panther you will probably enjoy this.

Headlined by Jean-Paul Belmondo and Bourvil at the height of their fame, The Brain aka Le Cerveau is a slightly silly 1969 French caper comedy with one eye firmly on the English language market with the casting of David Niven and Eli Wallach, though Olive's new Blu-ray and DVD release is of the French-language version that's some 15 minutes longer than the simultaneously shot abridged English language version released in the US, with Niven and Wallach rather impressively delivering their French and Italian dialogue themselves rather than being dubbed. Niven is the Brain of the title, the criminal mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery whose cerebrum is so large that in moments of stress his neck can't support it, and Wallach the Mafioso he wants to launder his loot from an encore of his greatest triumph with a NATO train carrying a $16m payroll. Unfortunately Belmondo's escaped small time convict and his reluctant pal Bourvil are planning to take the same train using the Brain's earlier plan, and even more unfortunately the highly possessive Wallach isn't too wild about the interest all of the would-be robbers take in his innocent sister (Silvia Monti) who's desperate to lose her innocence...

There's nothing terribly original here even in 1969 but there are a couple of nicely executed cartoonish touches, including a nice animated sequence (who'd have thought master criminals had teams of animators in their gangs?), and an enjoyably destructive bit of business with a pet leopard and a giant fishtank en route to the robbery and a Statue of Liberty finale. Belmondo gets to perform a few stunts, Niven gets to display his effortless charming scoundrel routine and, thankfully, director Gerard Oury keeps it all from going too far over the top even if it does drag a bit in places. It's a good looking glossy film, and Olive's region-free Blu-ray is very nice indeed no extras, but it's a good 2.35:1 widescreen version of the longer French-language version, although there are some curious translations in the odd subtitle here and there.

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I tried to get this movie for a long time. and now i am enjoy of this watching this movie

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Inept late 60s slapstick which brings out the worst in the four stars Belmondo, Niven, Bourvil and Eli Wallach. More interesting for the cars than the inane plot and cardboard effects. Apparently it was supposed to be a take off on then-popular heist films. It succeeds on almost no front.

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Dead Alive (1992)

As you likely know, if you're reading this, Dead Alive is fairly widely regarded as the goriest movie ever made. Having not seen every movie ever made I'm not prepared to declare it as such, but it's certainly the goriest movie I've ever seen. By far. To give you a bit of perspective, I would say Day of the Dead and Riki-Oh probably come closest of the films I've seen, and Dead Alive has got to be at least 5 times gorier than either of those films.(And that's probably a conservative estimate) This fact alone should make it mandatory viewing for anyone interested in Horror films.(Of course, this isn't actually a horror film; I don't think it genuinely tries to be scary even once. But, the gore-comedy is primarily of interest to horror fans, naturally)

As one would expect, this film has it's roots in Re-Animator and the Evil Dead films, but it manages to find it's own style and tone. Evil Dead II was wildly over-the-top and energetic while Re-Animator was pretty subdued and deadpan much of the time. Dead Alive, directed by the now highly famed and lauded Peter Jackson, is somewhere in between, certainly not as controlled as Re-Animator, but nowhere near as flat out weird and kinetic as Evil Dead II.(at least not from beginning to end.) And yeah it's pretty funny, though perhaps the majority of the non-gore related humor tends to fall flat. It's also more purely good-natured and fun-loving than any of those films.(Perhaps this is related to their New Zealand accents) I don't know if it's necessarily better than any of those films, it's a tough call, but they're all in the same league, and fans of one ought to like the others.

Inspiration is frequently in short supply in the non-zombie related scenes, but their are enough zombie scenes that it doesn't matter too much. The characters are extremely broad caricatures, including the cute, naive love interest, the dorky, buttoned down hero, the evil controlling mother and the conniving, greedy and chauvinistic uncle. Naturally characters don't matter a whole helluva lot in this film, but, for what it's worth, both Paquita and Lionel are reasonably likable as the protagonist. The film ain't much on plot either, as it's pretty much just a series of comic scenes involving Lionel's attempts to keep the zombie outbreak a secret, and then their collective attempts to simply destroy them. Personally, I find this structural format to be perfectly fine. The less plot the better, when it comes to this sort of film.

The gore is so ridiculous and over-the-top that it's hard to imagine how anyone could be offended by it, though it is quite gross at times. The gore itself particularly reminds of the original Evil Dead, as it emphasizes goo and moistness, and the zombies look fairly reminiscent of the demon-possessed individuals from that film. Although the gore isn't nor is it trying to be realistic, the execution is often more professional and well done than I would've anticipated. Going into too many specifics would be terribly time consuming, but their are a few things that demand pointing out. The single best gore effect would have to be towards the beginning of the film, when the nurse gets her head ripped off. (most of the way, anyway) And, the much famed lawnmower massacre towards the end of the film is classic, and has some surprisingly nicely done effects to go along with the sheer over-the-top insanity of the scene.(The effects I'm referring, in specific, to some of the shots of the limbs getting shredded into nothingness) And, the stop-motion animated sumatran rat monkey is quite fun as well.

Yeah, this movie is pretty great. Not quite the all time highpoint in gore, in my mind, however. I think that Riki-Oh is funnier on the gore front, and am more impressed by some more serious films that display more realistic gore. But Dead Alive still does what it does very well.

You might come in with the wrong expectations for this movie, it's primarily reputation is for it's gore. Which is deserved, even in the more widely available slightly-tamed down version that's more commonly available in the US, by the end of the film nearly every inch of the screen is covered in blood and guts. But don't neccesarily expect something frightening because of this, the movie is overall more funny than scary, from the ridiculous premise for the zombies' origin (a cursed Samarian rat-monkey imported to New Zealand) to the myriad bizarre and quirky characters and of course a lot of gross-out humor. At times it almost resembles what would happen if Monty Python made a zombie movie and ran as far with the blood and gore as they possibly could.

You'll enjoy this movie if the following apply to you:

1) the phrases "karate priest", "baby zombie", and "rat-monkey" piqued your interest.

2) You liked Evil Dead II and Army Of Darkness, and are definitely not in the camp that the series went downhill once Sam Raimi started adding in comic elements

3) You're not at all squeamish about blood and relish completely over-the-top bordering on implausible gory death scenes.

4) You have a general taste for cheesy b-movies.

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When you think of blood and gore, movies such as, Hellraiser, From Beyond, Evil Dead and Re-Animator may come to mind. These movies, however, are merely kindergarden class to this blood drenched classic. All the reviews I've read say this is probably the goriest movie in history. I'd have to agree with that sentiment.

The story about a young, shy man named Lionel(Timothy Balme) who takes care of his domineering mother. Lionel meets up with a young woman in a little store named Pakita. She persues Lionel and gets him to accompany her to the zoo. While spying on the couple Lionel's mother is bitten by the Sumatran Rat Monkey. After being infected with the bite she becomes a hideous undead creature. Lionel, however still takes the time to care for her and all of the others that will become infected with this disease.

If your looking for a frightful movie then this movie would not be for you. The storyline is weak but when you have so much blood, gore and guts on the screen do you really care about a story? This is definitely the goriest movie ever made. Scenes include a rib cage being pulled out, plenty of body dismemberment and the best scene, chopping up dozens of zombies with a lawnmower plus much more. This movie splills more blood than the elevator scene in Stephen King's The Shining. Just describing these scenes and talking about the movie gives it no justice in just how gorey it is. You gotta see this movie for yourself. The dazzling special effects are courtesy of Richard Taylor.

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When I first rented "Dead Alive," I got it from a Blockbuster store. A critic on the front of the box was quoted as saying "This is the goriest and funniest film I've ever seen!" I watched the movie, and wondered how anyone could have found the film "gory" OR "funny." To me, it just didn't make sense, and it seemed just plain stupid and boring. Of course, what I didn't know then was that the movie had been cut, and almost 10 minutes of additional gore was missing. If you think about that, that's a LOT of gore (a death scene takes what, 5 seconds?). SO, since I couldn't find the unrated version anywhere, I ordered it and watched it last night. NOW I see what the critic was talking about. Ironically, by taking out all the gore, Blockbuster simply made the movie more disturbing and strange. WITH all the gore, it's nothing short of hysterical. Here's a small comparison between the R and unrated versions:

1) right away, the first man to be bitten is practically mutilated in the unrated version. He right hand and left arm are seen chopped off. In the R version, neither scene is shown, just him screaming.

2) the "lunch" scene is MUCH funnier in the unrated version. Lionel's mother squirts blood into the guests pudding. We watch him eat the pudding. Then her ear falls off into her own pudding, and she eats that, too, sending another guest running to the bathroom. In the R version, we have to imply that she has squirted blood into the pudding, and the ear never falls off (which makes for much confusion later when it's quite apparently missing).

3) when the nurse comes to check on Lionel's mother in the unrated version, the zombie grabs her face. Mother's fingers meld into the nurse's face, and eventually put it backward at a 90 degree angle. This makes for some hysterically disturbing scenes later where she just can't seem to keep her head on straight. In the R version, we see the Mother pop up behind the nurse, but see nothing of the gore. By cutting that violence, though, any future reference to the nurse's head problem is therefore not funny--just confusing.

4) The Party at the end: Where to start? In the R version I saw, the party is a totally confusing, strange, and illogical event. Zombies suddenly pop to life, people run, people fall, and then suddenly Lionel shows up with a lawnmower and everyone dies. In the UNRATED version, I watched in horror and amusement at some of the most grisly, but way over-the-top death scenes I've ever seen. People are beheaded, disembowled, and mutilated. One man's ribs are pulled out while he watches. Another woman is punched so hard from behind that the hand comes through the back of her head and out of her mouth. It's powerful stuff--but much funnier when shown.

Bottom line: UNRATED VERSION: 5 stars R Version: 1 star Stay away from the Rated R version!

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First, let's get one thing straight: This is not a horror movie, and it's not intended to be a horror movie. It's a comedy, ok? Yes, it is probably the goriest movie ever made, but it's use of blood and violence is so completely over the top, it crosses into the realm of hilarious by fifty Sumarian rat monkeys' heads.

I generally try to avoid overly gorey movies myself (I'm not particularly sensitive or anything, it's just that 99.9% of 'em [... stink]), but "Dead Alive" sort of goes beyond that. If monsters in the basement, kung-fu priests, zombie-babies and alternative uses of lawnmowers seem like your kind of thing, you could do far worse than watching this.

On the other hand, those of you looking for high drama and a thought-provoking plot would be best adviced to search elsewhere. The original title, "Braindead", is a bit more appropriate I think.

Speaking of original, the American unrated version on sale here is not uncut. My copy, subtiteled "Red Edition" (wich speaks for itself, I guess) runs about 10 minutes longer than this version. Probably nothing vital to the plot, but you gore-hounds out there might want to check it out. It was released by a German company called Laser Paradise, and it's plagued by the cheesiest (unskippable) CGI intros I have ever had the misfortune of viewing. Apart from that, it comes highly recommended.

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Observe and Report (2009)

I understand why most people didnt like this film, but it is really too bad. Not everything in this world is going to fit into your preconceived ideas of the way things should be. The good guys dont always win, and the heroes aren't always nice. Observe and Report is a great example of that. The "hero" in this film, Ronnie, continues down a path of monumentally bad moral and legal decisions. All the while believing that he is valiant and just. This, combined with his way of dealing with his own metal shortcomings, makes him horribly endearring. The humor in this film is all around, if you just let yourself stop taking it so seriously. I mean, really, haven't you ever just wanted to smack one of those skateboard rinding mall punks around just once? I joke, but that is the flavor of the film. None of the characters in this film are the kind of people that you want to know, but they are fun to watch.

Not to say that writer/director Jody Hill is the new Scorscese (he's not), but I was constantly reminded of Scorscese's early 80s disturbo-comedy "King of Comedy" when watching this. Whereas Scorscese uses stark realism, though, Hill uses the conventions and expectations of modern comedy to nail us. This could have easily been another crude and rude comedy along the lines of Superbad or Pineapple Express. Those (hell, most) comedies made today feature borderline-sociopathic, emotionally-retarded, and hopelessly immature males. Hill simply tips his characters over the edge. There is no denying that Ronnie (Seth Rogan) is a full-blown psychopath. What's surprising is how close this character is to every other character Seth Rogan has ever played!

Your reaction to this film will be greatly effected by your expectations. If you expect an extremely dark, yet often silly, film instead of yet another "Superbad" or, god forbid, "Paul Blart: Mall Cop", you should not be disappointed in the least.

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Upon going into the theatre for "Observe and Report" on its opening day, I was under the impression that I was about to see an 18A-rated Mall Cop.

Boy, was I surprised when I found out how wrong I was.

Nevertheless, dark comedies have always been something I've had a knack for, and if you're expecting a "Mall Cop for adults", you best not even touch the DVD. Because believe me, Observe and Report is a dark, twisted, and VERY violent romp through bi-polar disorder, drug use, date rape, and a man running around and flashing people.

If I haven't put you off seeing this movie, you can continue reading this review.

Yeah, something tells me I put a bunch of people off watching this movie just by that comment in the above paragraph alone. The 2.5 star out of 5 rating is caused mostly by people who walked into this movie not knowing the dark film they were about to see, and expecting a sex comedy. If anything, I was surprised when I decovered its dark comedy. Nonetheless I enjoyed it quite a bit. Fronted by Seth Rogen, Observe and Report is the chronicles of an every-day man with bipolar disorder and the obnoxious tendencies that consume him.

Seth Rogen plays Ronnie Barndhart, a security guard at a shopping mall in New Mexico. He has bipolar disorder, which does get him in quite a bit of trouble. He lives with his mom, who is an alcoholic, but loves him dearly. He enjoys seeing the incredibly cute Nell at the coffee shop every day and getting free coffee from her, and enjoys talking to Brandi, who works in the makeup department of a Sears-type store.

However, a streaker has been wreaking havoc at the mall. He goes around flashing people in the parking lot and in the mall. Ronnie, and the rest of the security team have a plan to take the streaker and turn him in to the police department. One day, on her way to work, the streaker flashes Brandi, mentally scarring her. After talking to her and comforting her, Ronnie seems to develop displays of affection towards Brandi and even asks her out. The rest of the movie turns into a twisted and violent romp that is definitely not for the prudish, but most definitely NOT for the faint of heart!

Observe and Report is a brutal and twisted movie, but that's to say that I enjoyed it immensely! In fact, I like to look at this movie as a twisted stage play. This could actually work as a really good stage play, as the writing had sort of a theatrical feel to it, as if the story could work well on stage too. Rogen turns in a wonderful performance as Ronnie, our bipolar anti-hero for the 86 minutes. Anna Faris also excels here, with her portrayal of the adorably slutty Brandi. All of the cast seems to be especially great here, with no question.

As the film approaches its last 30 minutes, you feel as if you dunno whether or not you're watching the movie or having a REALLY messed up dream. There is a date-rape scene in there that has caused outrage among some viewers, which, if looked at correctly, is rather darkly funny (I think rape is a horrible but it was done humorously). The violence, especially for a comedy, is surprisingly brutaland even exaggerated in some aspects too. The dark tones are evident there, as you see some of the most twisted stuff in film ever. But that said... it's really good.

I can see why people would hate this movie. It certainly is NOT for everybody. So many will hate it and so few will actually et the point of it. But if you lower your expectations, this is a movie that is very enjoyable, and for that, remains a personal favorite of mine.

IN TOTAL:

Entertainment: 8/10

Sex: 4/10, or 3/10 if you don't count date rape

Violence: 6/10

Laughs: quite a few, but this is no laugh riot

Brutality: 10+/10

Rogen: Managed to pull it off very well

Surrealism: Am I watching a movie or having a messed up dream?

Litres of Tomato Ketchup: One 2L heinz bottle, rapidly squeezed at an alarming rate

***Recommended!***

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This movie is the anti-thesis of every mall cop movie out there. Consider the mall security guard normally presented in movies as a screwball character with an overactive sense of purpose and superiority who continuously gets into stupid, impossible situations but wins the girl and the respect of everyone in the end. Now take a step back and imagine what that person would be like in real life: that is the essence of Observe & Report. It zooms in on that maniacal mall guard and keeps him under the microscope for a full analysis.

This movie is dark. The main character is bi-polar and borderline insane. The movie follows him during an awkward time in his life when he decides to ditch his meds and is obviously suffering due to not being on those meds. This begins when his grasp on reality and his sense of esteem and power is questioned when he is consumed with powerlessness by a flasher at the mall, who cannot be caught, followed closely by multiple robberies. The scenes that follow show a person careening out of control toward what would likely be suicide but in the end, finds redemption and self-worth and re-examines his life and priorities. Seth Rogen is a modern day anti-hero in a mall security guard guise.

I love this movie and all of Jody Hill's work as a writer and/or director. I do not expect everyone to love this movie; especially if you're expecting Pineapple Express or even Fist Foot Way (prior Jody Hill film starring Danny McBride). This is Jody Hill and Seth Rogen pushing the envelope and turning those expectations on their head. Their are moments of absolute hilarity in this move but they are often the kind of jokes that make you cringe somewhere inside or squirm uncomfortably. This can turn people away; but me, I love those movies. They challenge the audience to look at those around them a bit more deeply and not take everything at face value.

This is by far Jody Hill and Seth Rogen's best work. If you are a fan of either one, you will not be disappointed.

Regarding the blu-ray: excellent; crisp, clear, sharp and just fantastically done. I would have loved to see more extras but such is life. Maybe once the star ratings on Amazon reach 4-5, they can push Warner Brothers to chuck out more dough to stuff more stuff on the disc.

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This is one of the best comedies I've ever seen, and I've seen it 5 or 6 times. The poor reviews on here must all be from people who are offended by crude humor or nudity. Grow up.

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Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Extreme Unrated) (2008)

I just got through watching this movie and I have to say that "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is one of the greatest films ever made. You read that right. There have been other reviews on this site comparing "Harold and Kumar" to Cheech and Chong films, "American Pie", etc. All those people miss the point. Yes, this movie is about young people and, yes, this movie is about stoners, but, strictly speaking, those things are incidental. "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" is a classic and this movie is a classic because this movie "gets it"; it "gets it" like no other movie in the history of filmdom has ever gotten it. From the moment these two brilliant potheads see an advertisment on TV for White Castle they are on a quest, a quest for burgers. They go through a series of escapades involving racist cops, stolen marijuana, jailbreaks, junkyard freaks, Doogie Howser stealing Harold's car and so on and so on, each episode more insane than the last and everything screamingly funny. And through it all they persevere because they're on a quest. You see, "Harold and Kumar" is unique in the history of film because it understands that the point of cruising ... is cruising itself!!!! In what other country in the world can you hop onto an Interstate and then, 45 minutes later, you can buy these cheap little burgers with the little onions on them, 6 for $2.99 plus fries and a soda? Only in America!!! That's what the American Dream is all about: White Castle Burgers!!!! The point of the journey ... is the journey itself. There is so much sage wisdom in this movie: that "the universe has a tendency to balance itself out" (not unlike the Hindu principle of Karmic realignment?), that what a man wants is that feeling of satisfaction when he gets what he most desires (said by Harold while observing their two Jewish friends fulfilling their own quest at Hot Dog Heaven) or Kumar's observation that their parents came to this country because they were poor and oppressed ... and hungry. I'm not Asian, and I couldn't care less if Harold is Korean and Kumar is Indian; personally, I found Harold and Kumar to be two of the most quintessentially American characters I've ever encountered in a movie. And that's the genius of this film: this movie realizes that being an American isn't about race or ethnicity: being an American is a state of mind. I truly believe "Harold an Kumar Go to White Castle" will go down as one of the classics of cinema. And, no, I was not stoned when I wrote this.

Although I liked the movie (enough to buy the DVD), I was not expecting the hilarity of the menu screens. In case it hasn't been mentioned much already, there was actually new content filmed for the DVD menus, specifically the Main menu and the Special Features menu. The Main DVD menu, has Harold and Kumar sitting in the car, driving. The sequence appears to repeat every minute or so, but in fact, the first 10 or so sequences are not repeats! They even end up arguing over why the DVD watcher hasn't picked any menu choices yet, and that it's not that hard to do. Very funny stuff, and an excellent addition to the movie.

The second menu, the Special Features menu, has Harold and Kumar in the car after going over the embankment. The car won't start, and Kumar keeps trying it, and trying it, for probably up to 10 minutes or so. All throughout it, he's talking and trying to get Harold to respond. They eventually try to get some sleep, in the car.

All in all, very funny stuff... Enjoy the movie, but don't forget to sit through those two menus! They are one of the most interesting and innovative ideas I've seen on a DVD in some time.

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Every once in awhile, a person becomes witness to a movie with no real point, but rather is driven by its dialogue and the characters within the film. A vast number of these movies fall into the comedy genre, because if a movie is funny, it doesn't require a powerful plot, but it anchors on the humor it expresses. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is one of these movies. And, I believe it to be a success at what it attempts. Like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Dazed and Confused, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, this movie will become a modern stoner classic, but I feel it can be enjoyed by a vast number of viewers; this movie was downright funny.

Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is the hilarious tale about the two title characters Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn). In fact, the entire movie's plot is in the title. These two stoners get the munchies one night, and while debating what to eat, see a television commercial for the one place that seems to hit the spot and satisfy all of their cravings and desires: White Castle. After this, the film is nothing but our hilarious heroes coming across a wild amount of mishaps and numerous funny situations. The film even has a hilarious cameo by Neil Patrick Harris, whom many of us know as Doogie Houser M.D., playing himself all messed up on ecstasy. This movie is a d**n good time.

At first, I was very skeptical about this movie. I mean, it looked funny, but I still wasn't sure. I kind of got the same vibe for this as I did for Dude, Where's My Car?, and that turned out awful. It is strange too, because this movie happened to be directed by the same guy as Dude, Where's My Car?: Danny Leiner. However, this time, Leiner hit the genre on the head, creating a comical success. Maybe it was the R rating. I recall thinking back to Dude, Where's My Car?, knowing how bad it sucked. Could some of that badness have been erased, had an R rating opened up more possibilities for crude humor? I think the answer to that question is yes, and it is evident in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.

John Cho and Kal Penn carry this movie very well. I had seen John Cho in the American Pie movies before, but I never got around to seeing Van Wilder with Kal Penn. Either way, this is the first starring role movie for both of these guys or I think they did wonders with it. They have great onscreen chemistry and provide some really great dialogue exchanges. The rest of the acting was good too. Neil Patrick Harris was hilarious as himself and there were numerous other good performances, including Anthony Anderson, playing a Burger Shack Employee who delivers a monologue about why Harold and Kumar should go to White Castle.

The soundtrack is also worth noting. A lot of the songs fit well, and I especially enjoyed a sequence where Harold and Kumar just let loose and start singing this soft song from 1991. It really is funny.

Overall, I was very pleased with my experience seeing this picture. Of course, I was with three friends, which always helps the comedic experience. Call me crazy, but if at some parts where you aren't laughing and your friend does, you might catch the humor and join in. So it's a good buddy flick to see. Of course, the plot is thin (if any plot at all), but who needs plot? This is just a movie about two stoners and their misadventures along the way of finding a White Castle. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle is very simple and very fun. Recommended.

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It seems like a lot of people are saying this is a comedy about nothing, or that it's just a road movie. It's more than that: It's a really good road movie, it's very funny, and it adds to a tradition that includes both Huckleberry Finn and The Heart of Darkness. It's stinging social commentary.

Harold and Kumar are both upwardly mobile second-generation Americans of immigrant parents. They're fighting against type in a world of stereotypes--Harold struggles not to be the number-loving, quiet asian and Kumar avoids the med-school path of his father and older brother. And yet, that's where they find they have placed themselves. Harold is an investment banker and Kumar is a skilled doctor despite his reluctance to go to medical school. They spend their free time getting high and laughing at antidrug commercials. On weekends they allow themselves to rebel comfortably, but it's clear they are dependent upon the rewards of following society's script--they share a nice apartment, they have other good friends (stereotypes, all), a love interest of color, and they travel in a new car toward their ultimate goal of eating several tiny hamburgers.

But when they leave the safety of their multicultural civic center and venture into the hinterlands of the American countryside, they fully begin their odyssey through the strata of the American class pyramid. Above them are the wealthy gatekeepers, like Harold's bullying preppy co-workers and Kumar's med school admissions dean. Below them are the embittered whites who feel like they are losing opportunities one after another, and further below are the imigrants and blacks who must suffer daily at the hands of this anger.

The comedy comes from the clashing of stereotypes, in how they are all simultaneously true and false. The "extreme" mountain dew guys who are sold as he-men with surplus bravado are outed here as being also nihilistic zombie bullies. NPH turns out to be a self-absorbed, self-destructive star on his way to supernova. The horribly disfigured rural white "Freakshow" turns out not to be a psychotic sex killer but rather just a garden-variety pervert (and their modern take on the old traveling salesman joke pushes against the heartland's rep as the home of family values). The one-note cops, however, only get to sell the white anger.

What's most interesting about the movie is how H&K react to the plight of blacks and immigrants. They recognize their lower-class dopplegangers walking together down a dark sidewalk and watch passively as those stand-ins get jumped and beaten to a pulp. The scene is played for a laugh (and laughing is appropriate in a comedy), but it's also the first defining moment in their journey. Do they call the police? An ambulance? Stop the car and help the poor guys? No. They drive on.

There are plenty of run-ins. They're witness to the extreme dudes ruining the immigrant's store, and they're powerless to stop it. They're not from here, you see, they're just stopping for gas, they can't get involved, they can't help. Sorry. They can't upset the order that rewards them so well. Likewise, the extreme dudes let them pass because hurting them would in and of itself upset that same order and rouse Johnny Law. The immigrant owner pleads to Harold and Kumar with his eyes, but it's as if the extreme leader tells them straight on: Look, you're powerless to stop this and so am I. Basically, "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" or if you'd rather, it's the Matrix.

When Harold gets to jail, we meet a black buddah who has come to enlightenment as much through book-learning as from night-stick blows. Incredibly, he tells them they can't change the world and that they should essentially turn the other cheek. And when the prisoner is again abused in their presence, they gladly accept the advice of another black prisoner. "If I were you," he tells them, "I would get the hell out of here." He might as well have said, "If I were of your class, I would get the hell out of here."

And they do. They realize, and become grateful for, their status in society, they 'live and let live', and they trust that their universe--the deus ex machina of this story--will resolve things comically before the credits. By supporting the system, they are amply rewarded.

Near the climax, Kumar delivers a patriotic speech that salutes America not as the land of opportunity, but of consumer choice--the last tangible measure of our collective freedom (much as a 'social safety net' and 'access to health care' used to be). The boys make it to White Castle, and there they gorge themselves in a commercial ritual of assimilation. In an absurd gesture of quantity over quality, manufacturing over cooking, flavor over nutrition, and form over function, they each eat dozens of tiny hamburger "sliders" as they slide further into the melting pot.

It's hard to divine a moral to this story beyond, "Nothing is as it should be, but everything is as it is." I can believe that Hollywood would create and disseminate that message, but this movie was conspicuously too smart and too countercultural to deliver that GOP payload. I've been thinking about it for days and I just can't figure it out.

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We have all known that feeling: wanting a particular meal, unwilling to rest until we get it. Those of us who attended college will attest to the fact that after you smoke, a certain urge will soon overtake you. An urge to gorge yourself on some random food that may otherwise disgust you. Harold and Kumar are overtaken by this feeling and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get that food (in this case, White Castle) into their stomachs.

During their quest, they encounter a host of hilarious characters. Their neighborsGoldstein & Rosenberg, the Xtreme crew, Brad the business-suave hippie, the taco-sh** girls, Freakshow, the racist cop, Tarik the cellmate, Doogie Howser! Neil Patrick Harris makes one of the funniest cameo appearances I've ever seen. It will completely ruin any innocent memories you may have had about Doogie, the boy doctor.

I thought this movie was hilarious... The story is almost arbitrary, as the characters are so funny, it wouldn't really matter what the point of the movie was. It's also cool that it all takes place along the New Jersey Turnpike, because I actually went to school along the same stretch of road. New Jersey residents will have an added appreciation for the adventure for that reason. But, whatever state you live in, you should be able to relate to aspects of both characters' personalities. Harold is responsible and "grown-up", while Kumar is a free spirit who doesn't seem to give a damn about anything. They make for a very funny pairing, even though we've all seen it before.

There is a ton of great bonus material on this DVD edition. The extended/deleted scenes are awesome and the featurettes and interviews are also entertaining. It's worth checking it all out, most definitely.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy ridiculous and filthy humor.

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The Big Lebowski (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (1998)

The Big Lebowski is on my top ten list of all time best films. I've seen A LOT of films by the way. I don't need to explain to anyone why this movie is so brilliant, and why it continues to be a cultural phenomenon. I mention these things first because I don't want people to feel like I'm giving the film one star. If I could I would give the movie 100 stars. What I'm giving such a poor review for is my distaste for movie studios pumping out special editon dvd's every few years because they know a film has a huge following. This new "bowling ball" edition of Lebowski is further proof that Universal has nothing but contempt for the fans of Big Lebowski. They wrap it up in a nice big package and make it look slick, but that's as far as the creativity goes into supplying anything new in terms of extras. Does anyone remember the terrible repackage they gave it a few years ago with a towel and coasters? No actual extras existed, but they still put it out as a revamped "deluxe edition". Well, don't expect much more here.

The only new extras to this edition are four very brief featurettes. They feature new interviews with all of the major players (with the exception of the Coen brothers, of course), but they mostly just sit around and say stuff like, "It's a great film! It's hilarious! Coen Brothers are geniuses!". Err, yeah, we know all of that. It also has a featurette that centers around the Lebowski Fest which is vaguely interesting for a few minutes until it turns into the same old "Lebowski is great!" territory. The featurettes are a snooze fest to say the least.

What really annoyed me with this DVD, though, is that they included the SAME "Making of Big Lebowski" documentary that has been on every release of this film! Not only that, it looks as if it was recorded from an old VHS tape and plastered onto a full screen format. It looks horrible, and what's more, we've all seen it before! How many times is Universal going to pump out the same damn extras to the same audience?? It's an insult to be charged more and more money for the same mediocre extras that were never that good to begin with. Luckily I was able to rent this and didn't actually buy it! "The Big Lebowski" will NEVER have proper extras until the people who created it (the Coen Brothers) are involved. We want a commentary, a full length documentary with in-depth interviews, and deleted scenes (and plenty of them!).

DON'T BUY THIS EDITION. It's junk! Simply keep the edition you already have (the very first edition) safely knowing that you are not missing anything with any other edition!

"The Big Lebowski" is just perfect. Everything about this movie is a laugh riot, even the bits of dialogue that aren't punchlines. The cast is perfect, the writing is perfect... this movie has both Julianne Moore and Flea in it, what other movies can you say that about? Well, there was the Gus Van Sant "Psycho" remake, but that doesn't count. I found this movie by accident and I haven't let go of it since. I may not be a stoner but I will say I've found more happiness since I embraced my inner Dude.

Every time I go back to "Lebowski" I come away with something new that wasn't there before. Like the realization, this time around, that Jeff Bridges is not seen to throw a single bowling ball in the entire movie. And that Steve Buscemi's character rolls a strike every time we see him... except for the very final scene, for reasons that become clear a few moments later.

The rest of the cast is just superb. Remember Philip Seymour Hoffman as an unctuous PR man? I'd forgotten about that. Jon Polito (late of "Homicide") shows up as a P.I. in a familiar-looking purple VW bug. Even Aimee Mann is in one scene, speaking German. Oh, and Tara Reid, before her career completely and utterly collapsed. Top supporting honors go to Sam Elliott, who according to the DVD documentary wasn't even sure what he was doing in the movie, but his opening narration gets funnier every time out ("And in English, too!").

Another great thing is the dialogue. You'd think the whole movie was done by improv, the way the dialogue is so natural. Every character has their own particular jargon, and just like in real life, people keep repeating phrases they've heard elsewhere. Jeff Bridges can't seem to finish a sentence, and neither can Steve Buscemi, although that's because John Goodman won't let him. George Bush gets quoted a lot ("This aggression will not stand, man").

Finally, I love the totally unglamorous portrayal of L.A. and Hollywood, limited to tiny theaters, a seedy bowling alley, a weapons store in the barrio, and the In 'n Out Burger (on Camrose). The actor and artist type characters who show up are all obnoxious or pathetic, particularly David Thewlis's "video artist", and the chubby dancer/landlord who forgoes collecting rent from the Dude so long as the Dude shows up for his performances. Not to mention Karl Hungus and the great Ben Gazarra cameo.

But in the end, Jeff Bridges is the glue holding this movie together... and John Goodman... and John Turturro... and... and... aah! Lost my train of thought here. But... ah, , I've done introduced 'em enough.

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Picture and sound quality is a bit improved, but other than that you are spending money on the exact same DVD. Usually, when a "Collector's Edition" is released, especially after a movie gains such a huge cult following like Lebowski has, people actually go through the effort of including cast commentaries, more bonus features, and...well, more than just repackaging the old DVD with a new name, a new cover, and a higher retail price.

Shame on Universal and Focus Features.

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In what has to be the most brilliantly disjointed and anarchic look at the alienation, apathetic stupor, and pedestrian self-absorption of the pathetic Southern California lifestyle ever filmed, the two Coen brothers (`Fargo') produced and directed this near `cult' film to explore the plethora of cultural cop-outs parading as lifestyles in this zany yet affectionate look at a totally burned out and yet eminently likeable basket case by the name of Jeff Lebowski, who is played masterfully by Jeff Bridges, in yet another of his consistently underestimated character portrayals. Lebowski prefers to go by his street name of "Dude", and seems to be the ultimate California case of a one-time fairly intelligent `n'er-do-well' now perpetually down on his luck and reduced to only occasional flashes of clarity and full functioning after way too many years of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and then some more drugs tossed in on the side.

The Coens' penchant for offbeat characters is having a field day here, with everyone in the cast allowed to vent in a kind of wacko 'Disneyland on the strip' approach to making the endless days of gorgeous LA sunshine pass, as our protagonist finds trouble in the promised land. Particularly memorable here is John Goodman weighing in as the paranoid and unpredictably violent Walter Sobchak, the `Dude's' best friend and perpetual bowling partner. The holy ceremony of bowling and the seriousness that it plays in the lives of the several losers like the Dude, Sobchak, and the preening eccentric Jesus Quintana (a wonderfully over-the-top John Turturro) and the rest of the motley crew on the Dude's team provides a kind of key that unlocks the mystery of their uniformly alienated, pointless, and directionless lives, as each tumbles from crisis to crisis, and with each attempt that Dude makes to cope with the circumstances that mysteriously start to swirl around his drug addled self-absorption and wake him into a groggy yet sober recognition that something very serious and potentially deadly is going on around him, he is repeatedly sabotaged and blind-sided by the myopic and near-psychotic antics of his friends.

Dude seems to approach crisis management as an exercise in spin control, and tries, sometimes quite ingeniously, to talk his way out of the staccato violence that punctuates his days with increasingly urgent frequency. But as the mystery deepens and Lebowski is sucked farther into the quicksand of coincidences, mistaken identities, and sheer madness that lurks just beneath the cover of these friendly skies, we are introduced to the powers and the principalities that are driving the madcap antics and the increasing shrill intensities of everyone but the Dude. The plot often seems disjointed, yet in a macabre way that seems to shout that not only is truth sometimes stranger than fiction, it is sometimes absolutely insane. Yet it eventually resolves itself into a semi-rational resemblance to plausible reality, or at least almost. And one walks way from the outstanding ensemble cast's performance thinking that something magic and allegorical has happened here, and it is perhaps exactly the insanity of the proceeding activity that is the point. They are indeed, every last one of them, just California crazy! This is a wild roller coaster of a film experience, but one absolutely worth the taking. Buckle up, kids, you're in for a bumpy ride! Enjoy!

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The Big Lebowski doesn't need a review, so if you're here to read about the film, this won't be helpful. This is a review of the Blu-ray Limited Edition with book.

That being said, this is a very nice edition. The photographs in the book are great and are fun to see behind the scenes action, especially Jeff Bridges' photos. He's a talented photographer utilizing his unique pano camera.

The Blu-ray conversion is clean, crisp and well done. The picture and sound are excellent. The digital copy is a nice plus, but consider that the coupon expires on 12/31/12. Its more than a year away, but its worth noting in case it's something you forget to take advantage of.

However, my biggest complaint is this. The size of the book (which holds the physical disc) is actually just a little larger than standard Blu-ray cases. While this may not be a big deal to most people, if you're like me and have bookshelves fit to the height of a Blu-Ray, this movie can't stand on end. It has to be laid flat, or sideways on the shelf. It's a little thing, but for those with extensive collections on shelves, it can be annoying.

Overall, the Blu-ray edition is a nice step-up for those looking to upgrade their DVD or add it to their collection.

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Identity Thief (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2013)

Identity Thief is a movie about a mild-mannered businessman Sandy Patterson (Bateman) who travels from Denver to Miami to confront the deceptively harmless-looking woman (McCarthy) who has been living it up after stealing Sandy's identity.

This movie is definitely not the funniest I have ever seen but it does have its moments that will make you laugh although sometimes straying into the area of bad taste. At times the jokes miss more than make you laugh and sometimes makes you cringe but Identity Thief does soften up at the end and comes across as being a somewhat sweet comedy in the end despite some of the cringe worthy jokes.

I will give McCarthy credit as she does about anything to get a laugh even with physical comedy and she is not afraid to ham it up for the camera.

This movie is definitely not in the league of some of the funnier movies I have seen (like Hangover or 40 year old virgin) but isn't bad and will keep you entertained. I did expect more laughs though but this movie ends up being more cute than a laugh out loud comedy.

If you enjoyed Jason Batemen as the put-upon, sane family member/lead in the short-lived TV series Arrested Development, you will probably enjoy him here. If you enjoyed Melissa McCarthy's in Bridesmaids, you will find many more moments of genius lunacy.

My one fear was that the trailer had all the funny set pieces, but not by a long shot. The movie was funnier.

This is a movie in the Hollywood tradition of road trips from hell on a deadline. (Think Rat Race or Trains, Planes and Automobiles.) I also found the revelations about her background made the outcome more satisfying. I'm happily in the 'it's a darn funny movie' camp.

I suspect other reviewers who hated it will mark this 'unhelpful,' but that just goes to show you. Take those negatives with grain of salt. I believe you will enjoy it, if you enjoyed the movie trailer of it.

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I think the biggest problem with movie goers these days is they all expect this amazing life changing movie whenever they go to see a movie. But this is not what I look for when I go see a movie I just go to have fun and get away from real life for a little bit and that's what this movie did for me. This movie is honestly the funniest movie I have ever seen I was laughing throughout the whole movie and it wasn't like I was waiting bored for the next laugh because it kept me interested and satisfied in between the laughs. The movie even had a little heart in it with Melissa McCarthy's character and she developed throughout the movie and became someone that was respectable even though she is stealing people's identities left and right. I honestly loved this movie so much and people can say all they want about it I thought it was perfectly scripted, super funny, and a little touching. I would recommend this to honestly every person I know.

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I wanted to like this movie. I really really did. I ended up forcing myself to watch it til the end because I paid for it. This movie doesn't know what it is comedy, action flick, drama or nc17 in parts! Such a waste of talent I don't understand how Bateman or McCarthy got attached to this hack-job attempt at screenwriting. And believe me, I'm pretty easy to please. Unless your standards are even lower than mine, don't waste your money on this one. In fact, I wouldn't even watch it for free. All I wanted was a good laugh. Such a bummer.

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This film was a mishmash of buddy films made over the last thirty years with nothing new to say. It reminded me of the "Midnight Run" which was a far better movie. Some of the plot points made no sense. I do not want to discuss them here since they might be spoilers......but they left me wondering if the script was just created on the wing. Cannot recommend this film even if it shows up free on the cross town rival.

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Dinner For Schmucks (2013)

What people seem to mistake about this movie is that it is going to be a goofball comedy. In many ways it is, but you also have to realize that there is an element of dark comedy here also. Steve Carell's character does a good job of screwing up Paul Rudd's character's life here, and you almost get irritated at times by how far it goes. That is why this is a dark comedy. Some people like it, some don't. A good movie to compare this to would be The Cable Guy. If you're like me and became pretty annoyed with Jim Carrey's character in that movie, then the people behind it accomplished what they set out to do.

My only complaint is that there are far too many dark comedies coming out nowadays, as if Hollywood thinks that's what the public wants or something (i.e. Easy A, Funny People, and, from what I've heard, The Dilema). Granted I thought this was one of the better movies of its kind to come out, as Steve Carell's character is very likable despite the actions he takes. There is one point during the movie, right in the middle of the obligatory fight between the leads, that Steve Carell's character almost gets to the point that he destroys what defines him as a character, but luckily he pulls back before he can do so. I think that in real life we probably would have seen him go that far considering what he was going through at the time, but at the same time audiences view comedies to laugh, not to be depressed.

So yes, the darker comedy here makes this a little more realistic, and will probably evoke an emotional response from you now and then, but this is still a very funny movie. Mostly because of Steve Carell's character, surprisingly. I saw this for Paul Rudd, and he was almost way too serious here. Still, these two worked well together. They did so in Anchorman and in The 40-Year Old Virgin, and the same is true here. While this movie doesn't quite measure up to those two, I still think it is one of the better comedies to come out in 2010. My only big complaint about this movie is Zach Galifianakis, who I don't find that funny at all. He plays a much more annoying character than Steve Carell does, which is appropriate since he's the villain, but I think this actor will be seen in a different light after having viewed this movie. It's an unusual role for him, I'll leave it at that.

In conclusion, I recommend everyone thinking about seeing this movie should see it. I've never seen the original, but I tend to enjoy comedies a lot. Yes, it's on the darker side, but the movie never completely falls apart. It may tread on the edge a bit, but there is a happy ending for almost everyone to be had here.

At first, I thought this movie looked really stupid. The whole idea seemed quite dumb and uninteresting.

That being said, I went ahead and blind bought it and watched it last night.

I was pleasantly surprised. The movie was very well filmed, well acted, and seemed to flow quite well. I never really thought about it, but Steve Carell and Paul Rudd work perfectly together. They really balance each other out and mix the perfect amount of humor and crazy situations. Steve Carell cracked me up most of the movie simply with his facial expressions.

I found this movie to be very entertaining and I was highly anticipating what would happen next. It was a little predictable, however it was still very entertaining.

The PQ and AQ are perfect. The extras are about average.

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Dinner for Schmucks is a lot like getting a Shiatsu massage from a member of the women's German Olympic weightlifting team. Nice at first and you end up feeling good about it by the time it's over, but it can sure get uncomfortable along the way. The movie is funny. Very funny at times. At other times I feel like pulling my hair. It's a mixed bag. However when you get down to it I didn't regret watching it and look back remembering the fun stuff more than the stuff I complain about.

The movie is a situation comedy. One dude (Paul Rudd) wants to rise up the corporate ladder and one of way of doing it is to get a schmuck for this joke dinner party. Dude finds a schmuck (Steve Carell), who then latches onto him and all sorts of embarrassingly crazy stuff happens. It's similar comedy that you would find in Due Date (maybe it's a Zack Galifianakis thing as he is in both movies). Sometimes it's pretty funny and sometimes you just wish they would quit running the gag as long as they do. In the middle of the movie it's especially exasperating and borders on being painfully droll. There is only so many times (and minutes) I can stand seeing Carell destroy Rudd's life in various little ways.

It's when they get off on that kick and move further into the absurdities and quirkiness of the characters that the comedy starts to take off for me. Jemaine Clement as the eccentric artist Kieran gives a refreshingly out of the box performance, Galifianakis' character is weird but gels right in with Carell. Much of the good stuff happens in the beginning and the penultimate "dinner" scene at the end of the movie. It's makes it worth the wait when you get there. You get a blind swordsman making funny challenges, a pet psychic talking to the food, even Jeff Dunham married to one of his dummies. There is a fair amount of comedy gold in the rough.

The movie is not just all hijinks as the main characters do a little soul searching and maturing throughout the movie. This includes Steve Carell's character getting a little growth along with Rudd's character learning a life lesson suitable for an after school special. The movie is far from perfect, but it does have heart.

The Blu-Ray release will be in AVC 16x9 widescreen format in 1080p with audio in 5.1 DTS-HD (dvd will be in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround). Extra features will be the following:

The Biggest Schmucks in the World featurette Interviews from the stars. More of a promotional fluff piece than anything else.

"Schmuck Ups" Gag reel. Standard stuff like messing up lines and being goofy on the set, but it's funny.

Deleted scenes Kinda funny, but nothing that the movie needed to keep.

The Men Behind the Mousterpieces Self explanatory. About the Chiodo Brothers and their mouse dioramas. A Blu-Ray exclusive presented in High Definition.

Meet the Winners Another Hi Def BD exclusive. A little character profile piece for the "schmucks" at the dinner.

Paul and Steve: The Decision A sketch piece spoofing the LeBron James Press Conference (also a BD exclusive in Hi Def).

Dinner for Schmucks isn't for everyone. You gotta enjoy quirky comedy. And you gotta enjoy the kind of comedy that puts you in awkward moments. For those of you who do enjoy that you have a little gem here. For those who enjoy some, but not all I still say at least do a rental. You may be glad you did.

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I laughed so hard with this movie. Everybody in this movie does such a great job of acting. I loved the plot and the climax of the movie that gives the movie its name is hilarious. This is a great movie for Steve Carell fans, as well as Paul Rudd. This is a movie that I laugh at every time I watch. I'm definitely glad that I bought it. I would recommend this to all comedy lovers.

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Perfect light hearted funny movie, my husband thought kinda corny, but i loved it. I loved the girl in the movie h e r hair was adorable:), its a girl thing.

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Groundhog Day / So I Married an Axe Murderer (Two-Pack)

Certainly nothing new here but I decided it was time to have a copy of both movies in my collection

Groundhog Day

Is just such a delightfull movie with some of Bill Murray's best work & some great death's I've seen it about 8 times so figured may as well get a copy & saw this double feature our on Blu Ray watching it for the 9th time still brings the odd predictable chuckle so reckon it will be watched again at some point

So I Married an Axe Murderer

I had the good fortune of spending 6 months touring the USA & Europe a while back when this movie just came out

Altogether we had 8 youngish Aussie's on that trip & at some point the boys bought a copy of Axe Murderer by the end of the tour everyone could recite every line from this movie so having not seen it for over 10 years I plucked up the courage to watch it again & it still has that Mike Myers humour pouring out a great movie that just reminded me of great times

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Jerry Maguire (+ BD Live) (1996)

Well, I'm incredibly late to the Jerry Maguire party, but I'm glad I finally made it. I thought this was just a comedy, but I should have known better because laughs alone usually don't generate the kind of success this movie enjoyed. This is a wonderful, feel-good movie with a surprisingly effective emotional payoff. Tom Cruise is great, Cuba Gooding, Jr., steals every scene he's in, and that Renee Zellweger is nothing short of perfect. They even threw in a clip of McGarrett on Hawaii Five-O and sent me away with Bob Dylan singing over the credits in my book, that's going above and beyond the call of duty. And I never tire of seeing someone break away from the cynicism of big business and actually put some heart back into an increasingly heartless way of life.

Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is, of course, a bigshot sports agent who has it all then loses it all. For some inexplicable reason, he develops a conscience late one night, puts together this huge "mission statement" all about reducing the number of clients and giving those remaining the genuine personal touch, and sends it to everyone in the company. With a schlep of a boss like Bob Sugar (the always annoying Jay Mohr), his days with the company are, not surprisingly, numbered. He vows to start his own company, desperately trying to hold on to the clients he has been representing but all he ends up taking with him are outrageous Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) and Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), an accountant who was truly inspired by what he had written. It doesn't seem like much, but he really has all he will ever need he just doesn't realize it until the end of the movie.

Life on his own is quite a struggle, especially after he breaks up with his vicious fiancée (Kelly Preston), and I know it must be truly demoralizing to be defeated time and time again by Jay Mohr. Rod Tidwell, a great player who doesn't get the notice (or money) he thinks he deserves, stays loyal to him, though, for rather inexplicable reasons even after Maguire fails to get him the kind of big money he is looking for in a new contract. Dorothy also stays with him, and Maguire grows increasingly close to her and her little boy Ray (Jonathan Lipnicki). There's love in the air, and Maguire's famous problem with emotional intimacy makes what should be the simplest thing in the world immensely complicated. We see a lot of Maguire at his worst double-crossed, drunk, beaten up, wallowing in self-pity. He never gives up, though, and that's what's important. I find it a little problematic that he did not apply the principles of his "mission statement" to the way he lived his life, but in his defense guys tend to be pretty dense about this kind of thing (and would that we all had a Dorothy to help us see the light).

There's a wonderful cast on display here, with uncommonly meaningful secondary characters: there's little Ray, of course, but Dorothy's bitter yet loving sister Laurel (Bonnie Hunt) and Rod Tidwell's wife Marcee (Regina King) really do lay claim to a commanding presence in the story. You can also make a little game of spotting all of the sports personalities that make cameos (usually silent ones, thankfully) in the film.

This isn't a comedy; it's a serious story that just happens to feature a lot of laughs. It's a commentary on the depersonalization of business, a complicated yet wonderfully sweet love story, and a movie with a surprisingly big heart. And I love Renee Zellweger. As far as I'm concerned, she not Tom Cruise was the star of this film.

This is probably one of the best performances I have seen by Tom Cruise. He portrays Jerry McGuire, a sought after sports agent, that gets a wake up call causing him to reevaluates his priorities in life. Renee Zellweger is cast as his partner and wife. She is delightful and always a joy to watch. Cuba Gooding Jr. commands attention in every scene he is in. He was very impressive in this film. Who couldn't be in love with little Jonathan Lipnicki!

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This film is definitely what I would call a feel good movie. I came away from it feeling that there are decent people in this world and that we are not all disappearing into the obscurity of just a name on a piece of paper.

The story follows Jerry Maguire, played by Tom Cruise, falling from grace working for a sports star agency when he has a flash of inspiration and takes the moral high ground on the way people should be treat within the company. His eventual rise to becoming a better person is aided from the love of woman and her son and the realization that everyone who he represents should be treated with the same respect.

The person that stole the show for me was Cuba Gooding Jr. Every scene he was in made me laugh. This was the first movie I had seen him in and thought he was a terrific actor, deserved of the Oscar he won for Best Supporting Actor. The "Show Me The Money" scene will have you in stitches.

This is not a DVD that is to be bought for it's technical qualities or abundance of extras. All you get is a static menu with no trailer, character biographies or other extras. In this day and age of DVD's like "Contact" and "The Matrix" I would have expected a bit more from a quality movie like this. The picture quality is good, as is the sound but it certainly won't tax your Dolby Digital amplifier, but then again it is not expected to.

Jerry Maguire is a film to cuddle up to your partner with and watch on a cold rainy night. It is funny, poignant and thought provoking. Worth watching at least once.

Steve.

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this movie is about love. The hard thing in life is to simply love, not to mete out your love in a miserly fashion, but to love hard. To love with a visceral intensity that keeps getting stronger. "I refuse to not love" is the moral of this film.

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This film spoke to me in so many ways. It was almost as if "Jerry Maguire" had been written with me in mind. From Jerry's epiphany at the start of the story through his struggle and eventual triumph over his fear of intimacy, it all seemed to be drawn from my experiences. These are the things that concern me every day.

Tom Cruise was beautiful. He showed perfect acting the whole time. It is perhaps, the finest work so far in his career. You could see every flicker of doubt and insincerity cross his face. I was laughing out loud, then crying and then so tightly happy that I forgot to breath. All of the other cast members seemed perfect as well. I particularly liked the doubting, divorced but totally caring sister Laurel. And let's not forget Dorothy's son Ray, what a little charmer.

The basic story is a simple one and yet it is fresh all the same. One of the slogans that the promoters used was, "A legend that became a man". For me, that is not a bad summary of the plot. Jerry is a highly successful sports agent who has an attack of conscience which gets him fired. He manages this rather early on in the film by writing a new mission statement entitled, "The things we think and do not say", which harks back in time to simpler days where a man's word was his bond. As one of his work mates says, "I give him a week". Sure enough, Jerry was doing a Lone Ranger in seven days. And as happens to so many of us, this disaster turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to him.

In the hectic moments as he tries tries to keep all his clients he is tied up by one rather loud and demanding footballer. In the end it is this one man who fills Jerry's client roster. Not to be daunted, Jerry strides out into the land of cubicles and coffee machines and firmly asks who would like to join him in exile.

Of course he is less than overwhelmed by the response. Just as it looks like his only colleague will be a gold fish, a young accounting clerk named Dorothy, who was inspired by Jerry's mission statement, pipes up and falteringly joins the crusade. Unfortunately she has a very young son named Ray and no other means of support. This puts Jerry under a little more pressure than he needed which is well illustrated when, before they even get out of the building's elevator, Dorothy starts enquiring about her health plan.

But in the end Jerry finds a strength he didn't know he had, an empathy he has never needed before, an integrity that used to be a handicap and finally he finds the love of his life. If you dream about finding any of these things in your own life I suggest you could do a lot worse than following Jerry's example.

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Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale (2006)

I caught this twice on TV and both times was laughing so hard it hurt. I just had to buy it so I could show it to more people. We must watch it at home at least a couple times a month now, and show it to everyone we can. Gaffigan is a genius in this: he is so funny, discusses so many common themes for his jokes (laziness, eating) with only a couple insinuating jokes that might be innappropriate, otherwise very clean-cut and not filled with bad language like so many other comedians. I am so glad I bought this, it has been so worth it and gotten so much time from my DVD player. We are always quoting from this, just so much of it is so true! You will love it and not be sad you spent the small price to buy it. There are some cute special features too, but the routine is the best part.

Jim Gaffigan is one of the best comedians I've seen in a long time. His jokes are great and fun for the whole family.

Jim Gaffigan manages to entertain and produce good quality comedy without resorting to sex jokes and dirty language. That's not to say crude humor can't tickle my funny bone just as well, but it's refreshing to listen to Jim Gaffigan's routine and not worry about offending the folks. =)

The bonus features on this DVD are sub-par, but the actual stand-up is great and well-worth the money. I highly reccomend this to all comedy fans, young and old.

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I didn't see this dvd, but did catch the special on Comedy Central last night. At first I was gonna change the channel, and was so glad I didn't. I loved his stuff about Hot Pockets, funny funny funny!! I absolutely LOVED his Inside Voice... "Hey, I like the IHOP!" "He's a crackhead!" "His pants look dirty." "Baloney hater!" "He better not!" One thing I really appreciated about his act was that it's clean, not vulgar or profane. It's something you can enjoy with your kids or elderly family members and not get embarrassed watching it. Humor in Hot Pockets, who knew?!

Read Best Reviews of Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale (2006) Here

This guy is the best comedian I've ever seen and I've seen 'em all. I drove out to Pittsburgh and listened to his CD for 10 straight hours, then bought the DVD the day I got back and watched it 3 times that week. I just can't get enough. My friends and I are still quoting him non-stop, 2 months later. His 'inner voice' is priceless! I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes to laugh, I've been recommending it to all of my friends as well.

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We caught this special on Comedy Central last night we NEVER watch this channel because most of the time comedians can't do an act without interjecting some sort of profanity. But, we were so glad we stopped to hear this truly original and so very funny man! From his bit about the different holidays to the hot pocket joke we laughed so hard we were hurting! Our favorite thing he does is to say out loud what some in the audience might be thinking...he surprises you with it, but always does it in the same voice so you catch on to what he's doing. We thoroughly enjoyed this program...so much I'm here reviewing what others read because I'm planning to purchase it as a gift for my husband!

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A Guy Thing (2003)

Sometimes I get stuck into watching this type of movie because my daughter rents these things and forces me to watch them. She loved this movie and thought it was funny, stupid, but funny. I had to give you the teen daughter perspective before I gave you mine.

I admit this movie is silly, unnecessary, and throwaway. I still laughed in a lot of places. I also groaned in a few places too. Example: When Paul Coleman (Jason Lee) found Becky's (Julia Stiles) panties when his fiance was on the way over, he searched all over the apartment for a place to hide them, ultimately hiding them in the toilet. You knew what was going to happen, and what did happen. Also, there was a running joke about pictures of Becky and Paul, which we never got to see, being found by a minister's son, who also happened to live in the same apartment building. The son kept finding the pictures and the minister kept bringing them back. *sigh*.

The tale is a bit hackneyed as well. Girl and guy are prepared to be married, seemingly the perfect couple. Guy meets another girl, girl meets another guy, everyone wonders what's wrong with this picture; guess how it all turns out? SURPRISE!!! NOT!!!

In spite of a re-tread plot, and in spite of the groans, there were places that this movie was creative and humorous; not many, but enough that I felt that watching the movie wasn't a complete waste of time. I felt a bit guilty watching this movie because I knew the premise had been done (and done, and done), and many of the jokes were weak, and yet, I like the movie. I think that one thing that really saved this movie was Julia Stiles. She really is not centrally involved in all the happenings, occasionally appearing aloof, and she manages to escape this movie leaving everyone watching with a positive impression. Julia saves this movie from being a waste of time. I look for Julia to get better parts and bigger roles in the future.

I won't go so far out on the limb as to give this movie any more than 3 stars (and perhaps a low three at that). Watch the movie for the interaction of everyone with Julia Stiles, and accept the groans as payment for watching those interactions.

Warmed-over "nothing". Obviously the screenwriter and director have seen "Four Weddings and a Funeral", as well as a bunch of other gen-x comedies of the last decade. The type of movie where the hero is constantly placed in "embarrassing" situations, and all the humor is derived from his discomfort. Several good actors are utterly wasted here -why would lovely talented Julia Stiles have ever considered this part? She won't suffer any long term harm, but it hardly counts as a career move. Jason Lee gets less interesting with every movie he makes, and Selma Blair has done this identical part --the prim yuppie girl who gets dumped for the blond heroine -more than a few times, especially in "Legally Blonde."

There isn't a legitimate laugh in this entire boring movie, and Stiles and Lee have literally NO chemistry together...when they kiss at the end, it's like watching two cousins buss each other at a family picnic. Unsexy, unromantic, unfunny. DO NOT BOTHER to watch or rent this...you have better things to do.

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Surprisingly fun romantic comedy. Not a lot of "fall out of your chair" comedy here, but it's consistent and fun. The soundtrack is awesome, rather than go to big names for music, they use "bar band" music to create the moods for the movie, it surprisingly works well, and adds to the goofy awkward feeling of the movie. Terrific likable characters that you can relate to, I'm always saying to myself, "That reminds me of this guy I know", or "Yea, that would suck if it happened to me".

Bottom Line:

I can't help it, I like this movie. Maybe it's a "Guy Thing".

Read Best Reviews of A Guy Thing (2003) Here

Life is ludicrous from time to time. "A Guy Thing" is equally silly & absurd. It's mind numbing but funny. A moment I particularly like is when Paul Coleman (Jason Lee) is beaten up by Ray and thrown into a dumpster. His fiancee Karen (Selma Blair) happens along. Of course, being a guy trying to salvage some pride, he fabricates a story that he was brave despite being mugged. So when the police show up, his description of the perpetrator gets more & more bizarre. "What was his race?" the officer asks. Lee looks puzzled. "Was he black or white?" "A little of both." "And he had red hair, in dreadlocks, with a gold tooth, and a tattoo of barbed wire around his neck." Paul of course thinks that no one will match that description only to wind up at a line-up where Hansberry played by Victor Varnado stands there, part black, part white, red hair, dreadlocks, with a gold tooth & a tattoo of barbed wire around his neck. "Oh, it's not him!" Lee yells. It's stupid; but it's hilarious.

Director Chris Koch previously directed "Snow Day" with Jean Smart & Chevy Chase. He does a good job of keeping the pace moving from one intensely ridiculous occurrence to the next. Julia Stiles shines. She is so funny, sweet and sincere. The fact that Jason Lee is 10 years older than she doesn't dull the romance. Mr. Barbra Streisand, otherwise known as James Brolin, does a great job as Karen's macho dad. Selma Blair who was great in "Cruel Intentions" and "Legally Blonde" does a good job as his fiancee.

I also like the wonderful moments given to the supporting players. Diana Scarwid who was nominated for an Oscar in 1980 for playing with John Savage in "Inside Moves" and was Faye Dunaway's abused daughter in the Joan Crawford biopic "Mommie Dearest" looks elegant as the mother of the bride. Julie Haggerty who was so funny in the "Airplane" movies is the other mom. Her film hubby here is the grossly unmannered Buck played by David Koechner who can currently be seen in "My Boss' Daughter." Thomas Lennon from "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" is wonderful as the starry-eyed brother who eventually walks away with Karen. Canadian actress Jackie Burroughs who was in "Willard" is hilarious as Irish Aunt Budgie who will stop at nothing to sneak a glass of wine. Lochlyn Munro from "Dead On Campus," "Duets," and "A Night at the Roxbury" plays the boneheaded ex-boyfriend of Julia Stiles. Even a couple of walk-ons are extremely memorable. Keith Dallas is the Spend Mart clerk who covers on the phone for a complete stranger about a pair of used underwear supposedly purchased from their underwear bins by saying, "It's those college kids who keep playing pranks by coming here and sticking dirty underwear in our underwear bins." He hangs up & explains, "It's a guy thing." Zahf Paroo is delightful as the perky Ahmed who is joyfully exuberant while Lee & Lennon get fitted for their tuxes.

The DVD offers some good bonus scenes, one in particular where Karen wants to have sex with Jason the night before their wedding. Jason unfortunately can't because he's wearing a police wire trying to catch the dirty cop Ray. It didn't fit in the movie, but is more hilarity. The comments on bachelor parties are funny with Lennon relating a 4-day bachelor party in Amsterdam he attended. Cast members then comment on his wild story.

Yes, "A Guy Thing" is utterly silly & ultimately forgettable. I've rented it twice, not recalling I'd already seen it. But it is a good time while it's going on. Kind of like life, eh? Enjoy!

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Contrary to the overly critical reviews posted on this site, this film is enjoyable. It is predictable, yes. But so are all the rest of the films in this genre. If you want the next Citizen Kane, then I'd question why you're looking for it in a contemporary Romantic Comedy.

That said the film is decidedly average. Jason Lee sets a different tone as the leading man. He's a joy to watch but seems slightly out of place throughout. He manages to pull it off in this film, but just barely. Julia Stiles was a good counter-point to Lee's charm. Her understated performance seemed to match Lee every step of the way. Together they almost make you believe some of the more unbelieveable aspects of the film. The soundtrack is quite nice as well. Filled with songs by some of the better rock groups around, such as Wilco and Spoon. As previously stated, the plot is rather predictable. However it is standard in the tradition of romantic comedies and shouldn't count against the film. It's an average film with that considered.

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Little Rascals: Best of Our Gang

****Note: This review is for the LEGEND release The Little Rascals: Best of Our Gang, not the 3-D release that Amazon has grouped it under****

I give this only **** four stars because most of these films have already been released on DVD restored from 35mm. There is little new here.

The thought is that kids won't watch B&W films, so lets COLORIZE The Litle Rascals. Purists can watch this in B&W also, which is good since the colorization looks cartoony & unnatural.

I just could not pass up the extras that are included on these DVDs.

BEST OF OUR GANG has

Alfalfa short soundie "The Singing Lesson",

Broadway Highlights short clip of Pete the Pup becoming a member of a entertainment night club,

"You Asked For It" clip of the segment with the OUR GANG REUNION showing the silent stars (Jackie Condon, Joe Cobb, Farina & others) as they are in 1955.

Our Gang clip from "The Stolen Jewels" ( o.k. this is the only clip un necessary as the complete short is widely available ).

Oh, yes.. there are the comedy shorts. These are all from 35mm 1950's RE-ISSUE PRINTS, not the same MGM transfers as the Cabin Fever / Hallmark DVDs. But they are 35mm prints and they look very good. There is a variety of title sections representing almost every company that re-issued these shorts in 35mm, including Official Films which I never knew made 35mm prints.

BEST OF OUR GANG

"FLY MY KITE" Official 'Famous Kids' titles The rascals help Grandma save her property from the evil banker.

"A LAD IN A LAMP" ERKO 'Kids 'n Pets' titles (1st time on DVD?)Spanky & the gang find a 'magic lamp'. Spanky whishes Buckwheat was a monkey and thinks his wish came true when a real monkey comes in (there is always one around in a Little Rascals comedy).

"KID FROM BORNEO" Monogram titles a short that has been long banned from television due to racial jokes & the main character being a wild man from borneo who goes around saying "Yum , Yum , Eat'em Up" while chasing Spanky & the gang. It is unlikely that Hallmark will do an official release of this on their DVD sets, so you might want to consider this if you don't have the old Cabin Fever videos.

"HI! NEIGHBOR" Allied Artists titles The gang gets a new neighbor, who owns a shiny new kiddie firetruck.

"HIDE & SHRIEK" Official 'Famous Kids' titles another classic featured on this disc starring Alfalfa, Buckweat & Porky. Alfalfa plays a sherlock holmes type of detective and hires Buckweat & Porky to investigate some missing candy.

The shorts are offered in both Colorized & original B&W restored versions, but switching back & forth while playing the short is not possible. The bonus material is B&W only.

You probably remember the Cabin Fever tapes from back when you were a kid. After all, where can you find a more wholesome piece of Americana than in the Depression-era antics of Spanky and company? Now that you're grown, you probably want to introduce your kids to Our Gang the same way that your parents introduced them to you, as a part of their socialization as equally wholesome, proud citizens. There's only one problem, I suspect: kids today have no tolerance for "antiquated" black and white cinema. And really, who can blame them? Color, the de facto standard to which they were raised, lends life, vibrancy and realism to anything that it glazes.

Thanks to this DVD, you can now bridge that generation gap by watching this newly colorized version of the Little Rascals' greatest shorts (even on the kids' Playstation if need be!). The drab, depressing black and white of '30s film suddenly comes to life in a full rainbow. And, should you succeed in making your kids into new fans, you'll always have the option of graduating them to the thoughtfully included black and white versions of the colorized material. From what I can tell, there's simply no other DVD that allows you the same flexibility.

Hardcore fans of Our Gang should take note of this disc's special features, which include clips of the gang's twenty year reunion and a hilarious skit where they encounter peer jokesters Laurel and Hardy.

Buy Little Rascals: Best of Our Gang Now

I give this only **** four stars because most of these films have already been released on DVD restored from 35mm. There is little new here.

The thought is that kids won't watch B&W films, so lets COLORIZE The Litle Rascals. Purists can watch this in B&W also, which is good since the colorization looks cartoony & unnatural.

I just could not pass up the extras that are included on these DVDs.

BEST OF OUR GANG has

Alfalfa short soundie "The Singing Lesson",

Broadway Highlights short clip of Pete the Pup becoming a member of a entertainment night club,

"You Asked For It" clip of the segment with the OUR GANG REUNION showing the silent stars (Jackie Condon, Joe Cobb, Farina & others) as they are in 1955.

Our Gang clip from "The Stolen Jewels" ( o.k. this is the only clip un necessary as the complete short is widely available ).

Oh, yes.. there are the comedy shorts. These are all from 35mm 1950's RE-ISSUE PRINTS, not the same MGM transfers as the Cabin Fever / Hallmark DVDs. But they are 35mm prints and they look very good. There is a variety of title sections representing almost every company that re-issued these shorts in 35mm, including Official Films which I never knew made 35mm prints.

BEST OF OUR GANG

"FLY MY KITE" Official 'Famous Kids' titles The rascals help Grandma save her property from the evil banker.

"A LAD IN A LAMP" ERKO 'Kids 'n Pets' titles (1st time on DVD?)Spanky & the gang find a 'magic lamp'. Spanky whishes Buckwheat was a monkey and thinks his wish came true when a real monkey comes in (there is always one around in a Little Rascals comedy).

"KID FROM BORNEO" Monogram titles a short that has been long banned from television due to racial jokes & the main character being a wild man from borneo who goes around saying "Yum , Yum , Eat'em Up" while chasing Spanky & the gang. It is unlikely that Hallmark will do an official release of this on their DVD sets, so you might want to consider this if you don't have the old Cabin Fever videos.

"HI! NEIGHBOR" Allied Artists titles The gang gets a new neighbor, who owns a shiny new kiddie firetruck.

"HIDE & SHRIEK" Official 'Famous Kids' titles another classic featured on this disc starring Alfalfa, Buckweat & Porky. Alfalfa plays a sherlock holmes type of detective and hires Buckweat & Porky to investigate some missing candy.

The shorts are offered in both Colorized & original B&W restored versions, but switching back & forth while playing the short is not possible. The bonus material is B&W only.

Read Best Reviews of Little Rascals: Best of Our Gang Here

I wanted to share what Jamie at Legend Films advised me -

that the 3D Blu-ray will not include a 2D version.

Hope this helps you decide to buy or not to buy.

UPDATE 11/2/12

I received another call from Jamie who advised me that

if you play this in a NON-3D BLU-RAY player, it WILL

play in 2D!

Count me in!

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As a Little Rascals fan, I was mesmerized by how these selected episodes came out in color. It would be nice to see further episodes done likewise. I highly recommend this product to both the fan and the occassional viewer of the Little Rascals

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