Ishtar (1987)

Ishtar is the most wrongfully maligned movie of all time. Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman are hilarious in this buddy farce about the fantastic misadventures of two passionate, sincere songwriters who can niether sing nor write, but who truly think they're great, think they're Simon and Garfunkel. The deluded duo can't get a gig anywhere but Morocco, where they become entangled in a revolutionary espionage and ride around the desert on a blind camel. Ishtar was the movie which made me decide to like Warren Beatty. He and Hoffman have dynamic charisma together, each playing their characters with endearing sincerity, which adds to the hilarity. Every scene crackles with memorable dialogue and slapstick gags. One of my personal favorite lines comes when Hoffman is threatening to kill himself because he has nothing. Beatty tells him that that's what's great about him. "You're the kind of guy who'd rather have nothing than settle for less." Ishtar was a financial failure because it went way over budget and was poorly marketed. It was doomed to "bomb" before it ever came out. But what does that matter to us, now? The fact is that this classic comedy is in league with all of your favorites, and you're only depriving yourself of a lot of good belly laughs if you don't give Ishtar a look.

Too often, people jump on the bandwagon and say a movie sucks...when they haven't even seen it. I truly suspect that was the case with this, one of my all time favorite movies. When it comes up in conversation, and people moan or say "that was awful," I ask, "Did you actually see it?" And often the answer is "No, but I heard..." Please. This is a brilliant, hilarious movie. It was also one of the first comedies ever to have such a large budget and it came along at a time when the media was first even talking a lot about how big a budget was, in reference to movies. I've always been mystified as to why this movie was so reviled when it's endearing and oh so funny. Not being a particular fan of either Beatty or Hoffman, you just have to give them big mad props for the incredible portrayals in this movie. PLEASE, we need a DVD release for U.S. players...with the goodies and the long, lost musical video included! I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Elaine May a few years after Ishtar came out and she seemed to still be besieged by the naysayers. What a shame...what a bewildering shame. The funniest thing about this movie are the song lyrics and their deadpan, oh-so-serious delivery:

Telling the truth can be dangerous business

honest and popular don't go hand and hand

If you admit you can play the accordian,

no one will hire you for a rock and roll band...

and we'll sing our hearts out...

Indeed. A wonderful movie

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Ishtar is a very funny, underated film. This film should be released on DVD in NTSC format as soon as possible with lots of extras. I would love to see the music video that was never released, as well as have the soundtrack available separately. Hopefully Elaine May, Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman will do commentary. Please release it in NTSC format soon.

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Writers of all kinds -writers of poems, songs, novels, plays, bumper stickers -and any performer who's ever tried to move an audience and failed, will recognize the nightmare we all share: what if I'm really, really bad at what I do, and I don't realize it?

The plot is just silly enough, and watching Beatty and Hoffman deliver their lines in all seriousness, is priceless. The songs crack me up even after a dozen viewings.

One of the funniest movies of all time.

My VHS is wearing out. Please, please, where's the DVD?

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The reviews here speak for themselves. Just compare the number of absolute raves to pans. It's like 30-1. Easily one of the funniest movies of all time, which is all the more amazing due to the fact that there is no toilet humor. It takes a hell of an actor to play a total loser with the believability that Beatty and Hoffman did. It's obvious they had a lot of fun flexing their acting muscles here. Filled with more classic sequances than I can name (see other reviews) I had to add my 2 cents here because I am a hard core movie fan, and all it takes to enjoy a movie like this is to watch it with no expectations. I've seen it hundreds of times and still laugh out loud. I think it's a matter of either "getting it" or not. I get it. Plenty of other do, too. Plot? Who cares! In this case, the plot is simply a vehicle to get Beatty and Hoffman into the next absurdly comic situation. Works fine. One of my top ten favorites. You try writing songs as horrible and laughable as the ones here. Not easy!

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Hitch (2005)

Will Smith stars as Hitch, a counselor for men who are having trouble making that first move toward a relationship. One of his main focuses during the movie is an accountant played by a thinner Kevin James (compared to the first couple of seasons in King of Queens). Kevin's character is attracted to a beautiful heiress played by Cameron Diaz-wannabe Amber Valetta.

Enter sub-plot #2: Eva Mendes portrays a gossip columnist headstrong in the belief that, sooner or later, every guy with lie to you, cheat on you, or both. Hitch tries to convince her otherwise while convincing himself that not all women are eventually evil either.

The movie's greatest feature is being able to show just about every aspect or viewpoint one would have about starting a relationship, from the lovesick to the downright sick of love individuals.

The writing and acting are very well done, mostly because they keep Amber's lines to a minimum.

The reason for my ALMOST perfect title to this is because, toward the end, the movie gets WAY too Hallmark card-ish. If you see the movie, you'll know where it starts. This plus the Ellis Island scene could have had some of the documentary part trimmed a bit.

I would highly recommend this movie for a date, especially a first date. I would not advise bringing the kids to this one due to all of the sexual innuendo.

Warnings: profanity, sexual innuendo, people doing the 'robot' dance, and pigheadedness from both sexes. Like I said, it's a great date movie. :)

Final note of the movie: if your movie is being sponsored by, let's say, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, it's probably not a good idea to represent them as a source for suicide inducing and heart failure.

Until the final ten minutes of HITCH, this was one of the best romantic comedies I had seen in a long time. The premise was fairly original, though in a way an inversion of the Cyrano de Bergerac theme. The difference here is that instead of an ugly man capable of great love who gives voice to a less deserving, but handsome surrogate, Will Smith's Hitch is a man who is afraid of love enabling somewhat unattractive men who are capable of a great love, an opportunity to express it. Hitch is a date doctor, someone who corrects the errors in a person's dating style that prevents his meeting the woman of his dreams. The film revolves around two poles: Hitch's efforts to help the hapless Albert--an overweight, clumsy accountant with bad taste and music and a hopeless dance style--woo the woman of his dreams, the socialite and heiress Allegra Cole on the one hand, and Hitch's own attempts to get to know (but not to love) Sara, a gossip columnist. I like the way the two story lines intersect and complicate one another, so that at the end of the film Hitch ends up with not one but two disasters to correct. Like in so many romantic comedies, the way to true happiness is paved with misunderstandings, and this is no exception. My only problem with the movie is the way Hitch takes care of his own problems at the end of the film. The person I saw this with hated the ending even more than I did, and she was quite upset that Sara had not taken what she considered to be the minimal steps that should have been expected for Hitch to be able to forgive her before trying to win her back. I didn't hate the ending as much as she did, but I do agree that the final ten minutes of the film are much, much weaker than the rest of it. On an intellectual level I understand why the decided to portray Hitch as temporarily bumbling and inarticulate, but I just couldn't buy the particular way that they pulled it off.

How nice to see Will Smith in a romantic role! And how refreshing to see Hollywood present an interracial relationship! Granted, Eva Mendes is a dark complexioned Hispanic of Cuban descent, but it is one of the very few times we've ever seen a romance between an African American and a person of European descent. Interracial relationships are common today, so it is nice to see Hollywood stop pretending that they don't occur. Smith has never been funnier than in this one, and the scene in which he suffers an allergic reaction to shellfish is about as funny as I have seen in a while (the make up is exceptional in that scene). Eva Mendes I had only scene previously in a film I absolutely detest, TRAINING DAY (as Denzel Washington's wife) and in the mess that was ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO. She is much better served in this film, and she acquits herself admirably. She has a feistiness and projects a confidence that I really like. Kevin James is a stitch as Albert, and reveals himself to be one of the more physically graceful large actors to appear in some time. Model Amber Valletta is fine as Allegra, the object of Albert's affections, but since she is quite attractive in an arm-trophy sort of way, she was perfect for the role. Special mention must be made of Jerry Donovan, who is excellent as the reptilian Vance, who wants to hire Hitch to help him "bang" a girl he had met (Sara's best friend) so that he could forget about her and move on.

I will confess that my own personal favorite type of film from the birth of the sound film to the present is the romantic comedy. I wish as much effort was expended in the making of romantic comedies as in the production of movies based on comic book heroes or remakes of classics or TV shows. That day may never come, but in the meantime I will be happy to see the occasional excellent representative of the genre such as HITCH.

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I cannot believe that Will Smith had never done a romantic comedy before "Hitch". He has so much charisma that it would seem that he would have done about 10 of these type of movies by now. But as it turns out, his first one "Hitch" is not bad and Will gets a little help from his co-star Kevin James.

"Hitch" is a man named Alex Hitchins (Will Smith). He is a "date doctor," meaning he helps pathetic guys to get really hot chicks that they would normally would not be able to get. He has helped many men, and then comes Albert (Kevin James). Albert is basically the type of guy that spills everything, says the wrong thing every time or does not have the nerve to say anything at all. Albert wants to be able to get the movie star Allegra Coles. So Hitch helps him and along the way he meets Sara Meles (Eva Mendes). He falls for this girl and forgets everything that he teaches all of his clients by making a complete fool of himself. Obviously thats where the humor comes in and then the dramtic climax of whether Hitch gets the girl or not.

Will Smith does a great job as this character. As mentioned earlier, his on-screen charisma makes him the perfect choice for this character. The person that steals this movie from him is Kevin James. Being a big "King of Queens" fan, he is the reason that I saw this movie and he did not disappoint. Most of the movie's big laughs came from his antics. I didn't really like Eva Mende's character. She was too much of a pain in the neck (to put it nicely).

This movie would be definately worth the watch, especially if you have a significant other to view it with. It is funny and romantic, but I wouldn't say that its a chick flick. So there you go guys, this one is okay to watch.

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Will Smith is a cute, funny, and charismatic actor who has charm to spare. It is, therefore, surprising that Hollywood has never before cast him as the lead in a romantic comedy. I doubt that this oversight will occur again, as Mr. Smith takes to the genre like a duck takes to water and makes it his own. His seemingly effortless, laidback style of acting strikes pay dirt as the romantic lead in this film. I am sure that Hollywood has now taken notice that Will Smith has what it takes to be the lead in a romantic comedy.

Will Smith is cast in the role of Alex "Hitch" Hitchens, a young, suave, successful, sophisticated, smooth talker who has devised a career out of his ability to show even the most clumsy and shy, geeky guy how to get hitched to the woman of his dreams. He takes on clients whom he then coaches in the mysteries of finding one's way into the heart of a beloved, but seemingly unattainable, woman.

Our erstwhile dating consultant is hired by Albert (Kevin James), a chubby, earnest, tongue-tied accountant, who has fallen for one of his firm's own clients, socialite-heiress Allegra Cole (Amber Valleta). She is a trophy type of woman who, one would think, would not even given Albert a second look. Under Hitch's careful coaching, however, even our unlikely, lovesick accountant seems to be on the road to true love.

Of course, them that can, do, while them that can't, coach, and Hitch is no exception. While he can successfully coach his clients to attain the love of their lives, Hitch runs into a whole host of problems in his life when dealing with his own romance. It appears that he has fallen for the gorgeous Sara (Eva Mendes), a local gossip columnist. Despite his ability to ensure that the path of true love runs smoothly for others, he himself runs into many roadblocks and bumps in the road.

Will Smith is simply terrific in the role of "Hitch", playing the role with insouciant charm. His likeability quotient can't get much higher, and he certainly infuses the role with his effortless charm and humor. Hollywood would be remiss in not casting Will Smith in other romantic comedies, as he is such an ingratiating performer that the viewer cannot help but fall in love with him. As his love interest, Eva Mendes is certainly a gorgeous leading lady, although her character is not always likable. Still, she makes the most of her role as the feisty Sara, and I look forward to seeing her in more films.

I totally enjoyed seeing Kevin James in the film. He is the star of the long-running, hit television series, "The King of Queens", a show that I love and wish would run forever. I was not disappointed by his transition to the big screen, as I really enjoyed his performance. He is simply a big, cuddly, teddy bear sort of guy that you can't help but love, which helps make his on-screen pairing with Amber Valleta believable. They are simply adorable together. Amber Valleta successfully infuses her character, Allegra Cole, with a certain vulnerability that makes her very likable.

Kudos also go to director, Andy Tennant, whose deft direction contributes to the success of this film. This is a well-written, well-acted romantic comedy that is highly enjoyable. Co-stars Will Smith and Kevin James have great chemistry in the film and are excellent foils for each other. I would love to see them paired together in a buddy movie, as I think that they would be sensational. Fans of romantic comedies, however, would be well-advised to see this film. They will be glad that they did.

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Okay I'm a guy who likes Will Smith in comedies and action films. I love to share a good romantic comedy with the Mrs. but unfortunately WAY too many romantic comedies are not good. I saw the ads for "Hitch" back when it came into the theatres and what I saw didn't make me want to see it.

The Mrs. rented it last night, and we're both glad! Will Smith plays the title character, a high-priced consultant who turns romantic, but unskilled men into objects of desire. An opening montage shows hapless klutzes scoring with babes and we buy that "Hitch" must be good at his job. Eva Mendez is the saucy Sara, a gossip columnist who is so busy and successful at her job that she hasn't thought about romance for years. Kevin James meets Smith's comic chops every step along the way as the chubby bumbling accountant Albert who secretly pines for his high-profile client, zillionaire heiress Allegra Cole.

For a movie like this to work, there has to be a generous and believable dose of "heart" and "Hitch" has it. The central conflict in the movie comes from the perception about the mysterious "Date Doctor" Hitch. The actual character has professional morals and ethics. He doesn't train his clients to deceive their objets d'amour, he just "gives them opportunity". We meet a jerk early in the film who hires Hitch to get tricks to bed women. How Hitch sidesteps the guy is the right mixture of heart and machismo. Wouldn't you know that "Mr. Wrong" later goes out with the best friend of Hitch's romance Sara? Certainly it makes sense that Sara the gossip columnist would be tracking every move made by Paris Hilton surrogate Allegra. It even makes sense to question why beautiful Allegra is being seen about town with dumpy Albert.

The movie is not perfect. But there were some honest belly laughs, and more thought than usual into the wittier than usual script. The Mrs. and I give 2 thumbs up!

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Eating Raoul (The Criterion Collection) (1982)

The 1982 low-budget outré comedy EATING RAOUL from writer/director Paul Bartel, who also stars, is an outrageously funny satire that needles such diverse elements of American culture as the concept of The American Dream, high-society status symbols, overzealous capitalism, racial stereotyping, and sexually deviant subgroups.

Paul and Mary Bland (Bartel and Mary Woronov) are a conservative, happily married middle-class couple who share an interest in fine wine, good food, and sexual repression. They also share entrepreneurial dreams of opening their own restaurant for epicures. Unfortunately, the Blands are flat broke. Paul is an unemployed wine connoisseur, and Mary only makes a pittance working as a Nurse's Aide. To make matters worse, the building they want to purchase for their restaurant has also caught the eye of another buyer, so if Paul and Mary don't raise the $20,000 down quickly, they'll watch their hopes and dreams turn to dust.

Things actually take a turn for the better one evening when a "swinger" mistakes their apartment for the location of a wife-swapping party and elbows his way inside. Assuming that Paul and Mary are the party's hosts, the horny gent tries to put the make on Mary, and in a passionate, knee-jerk response, Paul beans the guy with a frying pan and kills him. Examining the body, the two discover hundreds of dollars in cash. Surmising that all swingers must carry large sums of money, Paul and Mary employ the personal ads to lure horny men to their apartment, after which they off 'em, take their money, then dispose of the bodies in their apartment building's communal trash compactor. Now their dream finally seems to be within their grasp.

Enter the titular Raoul (Robert Beltran, later a regular on TV's STAR TREK: VOYAGER). A two-bit con artist and thief, Raoul stumbles upon the Blands' murder-for-money scheme and demands a piece of the action. Oddly, he doesn't want any of the victims' money; he only wants the cadavers. It seems he knows where he can sell 'em, and he makes so much from each sale, in fact, that he offers to share HIS earnings with the Blands.

At first, the arrangement with Raoul works well, and the Blands are pretty close to having that down payment. But when Raoul decides that he also wants a share of MARY, it's up to Paul to devise a way to remove the small-time grifter from the picture without losing his wife or endangering their culinary aspirations.

Robert Beltran, in the eponymous role, marks his first major film appearance with EATING RAOUL. Although his part is obviously a satirical caricature of Anglo misperceptions and misconceptions about Hispanic and Latin folks, Beltran creates a remarkable portrait of the sleazy, opportunistic Raoul and avoids delivering a mere parody.

Pretty, quirky Mary Woronov--once a favorite of artist/filmmaker Andy Warhol during the 1960s--is a pure delight in the role of Mary Bland. She portrays Mary with just the right mix of restraint and flakiness, being very careful not to take the character too far over the top and risk losing audience sympathy. While not curvaceous or large-bosomed like the stereotypical porn queen, Woronov has a subtle, natural sexuality that makes her few nude scenes in EATING RAOUL very sensuous and erotic. Heterosexual male viewers have no problem understanding why all the men in the film desire Mary.

Writer/director Paul Bartel is perfect as the pitiful, lethargic pseudo-intellectual Paul Bland. One would never expect a wimp like Paul Bland to murder somebody, not even in defense of his wife, which makes it all the funnier when Paul develops an indignant pugnacity and DOES start whacking the victims. A talented comic thespian, Bartel pulls this all off with a straight face and avoids pushing it to the point of camp.

In addition to the wonderful performances of the three principals, there are also some notable cameo appearances. Comedy writer Buck Henry--known to most viewers as a writer/co-creator of TV's classic sitcom GET SMART--appears as a slimy bank officer appropriately named Mr. Leech. Ed Begley, Jr., shows up as a wannabe hippie; improv great Edie McClurg can be seen hamming it up at a wife-swapping party; prolific character actor Allan Rich has a bit as a gent with a Nazi fetish; and director John Landis makes a very brief (and uncredited) appearance at a sex party.

Yes, EATING RAOUL jumps back and forth across the line that divides mainstream comedy from avant-garde satire, especially by the standards of the era in which it was originally released. But it's difficult to dislike this sardonic, satirical, low-budget dark comedy. In spite of the Blands' murderous exploitation of unwary members of the "swinging" subculture, viewers tend to identify with the couple and feel an inexplicable desire to see them realize their epicurial dream. And this emotional ambivalence seems to make the film all the more humorous and enjoyable. In a way, perhaps, it's even cathartic.

The Columbia/Tri-Star DVD release of this delightful satire is a bit disappointing. Though offered in an anamorphic widescreen format, the digital transfer has many noticeable flaws. There are a few times when the image warbles or shakes (especially perceptible on a sizable HDTV monitor), and throughout the movie there are spots where the image seems excessively blurry. There are also numerous scratches, hairs, and filmic artifacts. Considering that EATING RAOUL has attained the status of cult classic, the flick deserves a higher-quality DVD release. Also, it would've been nice if the disc had included some bonus material, like maybe a commentary track featuring Mary Woronov and Robert Beltran.

The bottom line: The film EATING RAOUL deserves 5 stars; the DVD treatment only 3. The 4-star rating, then, is the average of the two. Longtime fans of the flick will want a copy for their DVD collections, as the disc IS better than the previously released VHS versions. But uninitiated viewers should wait for a higher-quality DVD release.

Talk about cult classics! Paul Bartel's darkly hilarious "Eating Raoul" was the first cult film I ever saw, way back in the early 1980s when the miracle that is cable television arrived at the house. I sat in openmouthed wonder as the movie unfolded, barely believing my eyes were seeing the twisted hijinks floating by onscreen. It's largely due to "Eating Raoul" that I became a Mary Woronov fan, and I also learned to appreciate as well as seek out any films made by Paul Bartel. He's an interesting guy, a man that looks like one of your balding uncles or an out of shape next-door neighbor, but he has a warped sense of humor that fits in well with 1970s low budget cinema. Audiences probably know Bartel, if they know him at all, for several films he made for Roger Corman in the 1970s: "Death Race 2000" and "Cannonball." These two films couldn't be more different in subject matter and tone than "Eating Raoul." The two Corman films deal with car races, crashes, and bloody violence. "Eating Raoul" is subtler, funnier, and much darker. Sadly, Paul Bartel passed away a few years ago from complications arising from liver cancer. His loss robbed us of a unique humor, as well as any hope that he and Woronov would reprise their roles in a sequel to this film.

"Eating Raoul" introduces us to two of the most boring individuals on the entire planet, Paul and Mary Bland. They dream of opening their very own restaurant, a dining establishment that will allow them to hobnob with society's elites. Heck, they consider themselves to be elites even though Paul has trouble holding down a job and Mary works as a nurse. After Paul loses his latest position as a clerk at a liquor store--a hilarious scene indeed--it seems as though the restaurant will never become a reality. They can't even get a bank loan since Mary brutally rebuffed the advances of loan officer Mr. Leach (Buck Henry). Then the two stumble upon an excellent way to make money. The apartment building the couple lives in is a place where residents continually throw wild parties that draw all sorts of immature people. One of them bursts into the Bland apartment and starts to make quite a fuss, so much so that Paul conks him on the head with a huge frying pan. The Blands feel horrible about the accidental killing until they find a huge wad of money in the guy's wallet. What if the couple lured strangers over to the apartment, killed them, and then robbed them of their money? That restaurant sure would become a reality much quicker, that's for sure.

But how will the Blands lure total strangers into their apartment without arousing suspicion? Well, it's rather easy when you live in Los Angeles. All you have to do is put an advertisement in a newspaper aimed at singles and the people beat down your door. Of course, the scheme requires Mary to dress up in some rather imaginative costumes and engage in highly charged dialogues with these clients, but all she has to do is keep the game going long enough for Paul to charge in and perform his magic with the frying pan. Mary and Paul get rid of all sorts of riffraff in this manner, including a hippie played by Ed Begley, Jr. The two even begin to believe they are doing society a favor by ridding it of such despicable human beings. Then a problem strolls in through the front door in the shape of a locksmith named Raoul (Robert Beltran). He quickly learns about the couple's seamy activities, but rather than turn them in he soon joins forces with them. Thanks to Raoul the Blands soon make a bit more money selling the clothing and the bodies of their victims. But Raoul has designs on Mary, and he also cheats the couple of their ill-gotten gains. At some point Paul and Mary must heal their relationship while simultaneously defending their treasure from the wily Raoul.

Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov provide "Eating Raoul" with its greatest strengths. Both of them play their characters so straight and on the level that it's hilarious to watch them take part in such extreme activities. "Square" is a word that doesn't do enough to describe these two; they wear matching pajamas to bed--single beds, that is. The film's funniest scenes occur near the end, when Paul and Mary attend a swank party hosted by a guy played by radio personality Don Steele. The double entendres fly fast and furious at this party until Paul and Mary can't stand it anymore. They dispatch the partygoers by tossing an electrical device into the hot tub, then sell off their cars and other valuables. As shocking as these scenes are, what is more shocking is seeing veteran character actress Edie McClurg turn up as an airhead engaged in a number of unusual peccadilloes. While I think parts of the film don't survive the test of time all that well, "Eating Raoul" is still such a darkly humorous film that the central themes easily overcome outdated clothing and set pieces. I wonder if there is a link between this film and the economic policies of recently elected Ronald Reagan?

The DVD version is horrible. While we get trailers for "Big Shot's Funeral," "Dark Crystal," and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," there are no other extras. Worse, the transfer is one of the worst I have seen on DVD. It looks like a compression problem, or a problem with the aspect ratio, wasn't fixed during the transfer. Most of the film looks squashed, for lack of a better term, and it's a most annoying problem that takes away from the viewing experience. Fix the DVD, give us a special edition, and I'll pick up a copy soon. You should, too.

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This long awaited DVD is an incredible disappointment. The major problem that makes this unwatchable is that somehow this movie has been stretched horizontally to fit a widescreen TV. The result makes everything look distorted. I don't know what the original aspect ratio was but this presentation is an abomination. I tried running it on my computer software to manually adjust the picture dimensions. The film does appear to be wider than the standard screen size but not the ratio as presented on this DVD.

And to top it off the print appears to be something of the VHS quality (i.e. poor) with color and resolution deficiences. There appears to be a gash in the screen as if the video was shot from a movie screen with a tear in the top middle. The sound appears to have been mono that someone has doctored up by added fake stereo and reverb, then steering the dialog from side to side. Warning: Listening to this may cause sea sickness.

Sony should be sued for selling this junk. I probably will be returning my copy. One thing for sure: if you are unable to manually adjust the aspect ratio with a computer, do not buy this. I will be anxiously waiting for this to be remastered this is a good and funny film.

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I have waited long for the release of Eating Raoul for years to come to DVD. Now that its here, I have forgotten what a great and funny film it actually is. However, I wasn't expecting much as far as the DVD transfer is concerned (since I first saw it on a deteriorated VHS tape I rented and I would have liked anything even slightly better)but like the other reviewers stated, I don't think the anamorphic transfer is correct. It seems to look better when you watch it streched to fit a full screen television. The company should have done a better job putting this onto DVD and I could have waited longer for better package, mabye with some spceial feature to go with it. Besides the disapointing DVD, the movie is a comedy satire classic and its really great.

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Brilliant and twisted writer/director/actor Paul Bartel stepped on a rainbow several years ago; if nothing else, that means that the sequel for this film that he and Mary Woronov had been planning -"Bland Ambition" -will never happen.

Bartel worked for Roger Corman (and various Corman alumni like Alan Arkush) a lot -directing "Death Race 2000", appearing in such films as "Rock 'n' Roll High School". Corman was (in)famous for cheap but stylish exploitation films, but this film's concept and script were a bit too far out for even Corman -and nobody else would touch the project either.

So Paul and Mary did the film on their own, raising money from all sorts of friends and relatives, buying odds and ends of surplus film stock from studios (which shows in uneven image quality and colour balance) and shooting on weekends with pick-up crews whenever they could afford to rent equipment (leading to credits like "A Sister to the Director" and "Guest Electrician").

It's a hilarious black comedy in which Paul and Mary Bland -innocents adrift in 1980s Los Angeles -realise that they can make enough money to open "Paul & Mary's Country Kitchen", their dream restaurant, by luring singers in with a promise of Mary's abundant charms and despatching them, collecting their money before disposing of the bodies. (The weapon of choice is a cast-iron skillet, the use of which is signalled by a Warner Brothers-style "Boing!" sound effect.)

Then they find themselves involved with shady locksmith Raoul (Robert Beltran); he expands their operation by fencing their victims' cars and by disposing of the bodies through a friend who works for a dog food company. (Shades of "The Corpse Grinders".)

And he decides to move in on Mary. Both Paul and Mary are finding their horizons widening (without realising it) as they ply their new trade, and the resulting triangle is hilarious (unfortunately, its resolution and the result of a "Lady or the Tiger" style climax are telegraphed, unlike other plot twists...).

Black comedy as dark as midnight, but not particularly offensive in execution -most of the sex and violence is by implication, and even the language isn't *too* rude -the "f" word does make a few appearances, but that's about it.

Interesting cameos in this film -Buck Henry as a sleazy bank manager, Hamilton Camp as a con man and director John Landis in an uncredited appearance i haven't yet spotted, and a friend insists he spotted one of the Ramones in the hilarious porn-store scene.

Worth a look if your taste in comedy runs to the off-trail or black variety.

(This film and others in which Bartel and Woronov appear together, and their obvious ease with each other and patent inter-personal chemistry led to rumours that they were or had been married -rather like those Polaroid commercials with James Garner and Mariette Hartley years ago -but they weren't)

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Thin Ice (2011)

"I said no cops, why doesn't anybody listen." Mickey Prohaska (Kinnear) is a down on his luck insurance salesman stuck in Wisconsin. After finding out that a new client of his has a rare violin worth over $25,000 he thinks his problems are solved. When he finally finds a way to get it and sell it an unstable locksmith (Crudup) shows up and changes everything. This is a good movie but really could have been better. This is kind of a mix between "Ice Harvest" and "Fargo" but not quite as good as those. I have thought that Greg Kinnear is one of the most underrated actors and this is another fine performance. The only problem is that the entire movie seemed a little flat and was really lacking excitement. I'm not saying that this not a good movie, it is worth watching and I enjoyed it but it was missing something. The thing that really helped the movie was the end. I really liked the twist and that made the movie better then it could have been. Overall, a flat movie with good acting that is saved by the ending. I give it a B.

I am a big fan of mysteries and intrigue, and when I heard this movie related to a Hitchcock film, I knew that I needed to watch this for myself to see what I thought. In watching the film I would have to say that the start of the movie drags a bit as you are getting some of the back story. That being said, the movie does quicken as it moves along and I was impressed with some of the twists and turns that the writers and director take the viewer on. The acting was strong and as a fan of both Kinnear and Arkin, I have to say that they both did a superb job with their characters. The movie was fun and enjoyable and I sat on the edge of my seat waiting for the next card to fall and for the mystery to be revealed and you will too!

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I have always loved anything Hitchcock mysteries, which many stories have started out slow, just like in this movie. But sometimes, that may be done on purpose to gradually build up the suspense, until it becomes intense. The story is intriguing from start to finish, has a Great cast, and a good ending. Throughout the movie, it has many twists-and-turns to hold your interest, which it did for me. Highly Recommended for mystery lovers who enjoy lots of Suspense!

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this starts out a little slow, I was going too change the channel , its a good thing that I didn't................this was full of twists and turns!! a whole lot of underhanded , bad stuff going on!

with a "think about it twice " ending!

you must see this movie........great actors! AN AWESOME PLOT! I had too buy this one! it was that good.

barbie hall

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Mickey Prohaska (Greg Kinnear) is a Wisconsin insurance agent and motivational speaker who is down on his luck. His main problem is that he lacks integrity. This gets him in trouble as "you can't cheat an honest man." His wife (Lea Thompson) has given him the boot. Mickey has a scheme to rob an unsuspecting retired farmer (Alan Arkin) of a valuable violin he has laying around the house. Unfortunately Mickey needs the help of an unscrupulous psychotic home alarm installer (Billy Crudup) to pull the caper off. Things don't go as planned...

One of the problems of this film is that it has similarities to "Fargo." I kept making comparisons in my mind and discovered Greg Kinnear is no William H. Macy; Billy Crudup is no Steve Buscemi. In spite of that, the film is worth watching for its own merits. The plot starts out plausible and slowly inches its way toward the bizarre. The film made clever use of dialouge and the violin soundtrack. The film is better if you can watch it without thinking about "Fargo." Sorry I mentioned it.

Good comedy crime drama.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, near oral sex, no nudity.

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ef: A Tale of Melodies - Complete Collection (2012)

Ef a tale of melodies is more complicated than the first season and very tragic. I'd call it a mix of inhumane and beautiful. I won't spoil the ending, but its good at the best (Clannad After Story still beats them all), especially for a psychological thriller like this. If you havn't watched ef a tale of memories yet, I'd give that a go first or else you won't understand anything that's happening in a tale of melodies. I actually played a fan translation of the visual novel before I watched this season and there are many differences included in the series than what is seen in the game. Most of the cast from Clannad is here playing the English dub, there's EVERY textless opening and ending clip as the bonus features, DVD credits and Sentai previews, advertising Clannad After Story (even though that was released last year), A-Channel and four others. The music in this anime is very deep and beautiful and fits perfectly in tragic scenes. The art is breathtaking and has a unique style of seeing illusionary characteristics that only a particular character is aware of. For example, Kuze sees himself wearing masks all the time, Mizuki is seen with a red string of fate on her hand, she's seen in sky colors like the first season and Yuko has a bunch of Renassance art behind her (make sense?). For those of you looking for a good, solid romance/high school drama/psychological anime, this one hits the target. You won't be disappointed. Just be mentally prepared for the thrill ride this 12 episode series will bring you through. Some things are just hard to accept, but like I said, this series ends very beautifully.

Sailor Channel

This Second Part of the series, The first story takes place in the past. Himura Yuu meets a girl, Amamiya Yuuko who seems to know him, but he doesn't know her. However, he soon remembers that she was a girl whom he knew from long ago. Yuuko then tells him something which he never knew. He was her first love since then, and her first love has not ended yet. The second story takes place in the present, just after the events of ef a Tale of Memories. Shuuichi Kuze meets the cousin of Aso Renji, Hayama Mizuki and spends a lot of time with her. Unknown to Mizuki, Kuze had contracted a fatal illness and has little time left to live. Kuze had decided to break all romantic ties, but things go bad when Mizuki tells him that she loves him. Is great series, part 2 just got better can't wait to watch it again ^^

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I read the visual novel and enjoyed it quite a bit, so I got this and the first season and after watching both they stay true to the spirit of the novel. There are certain things changed that make it so you don't instantly know everything that is going to happen, and the stories are tied up together better in the anime than in the novel, but otherwise it stays very true to the original novel. I must complain that two of the episodes are kind of bad at one part (you'll know when you see it) but if you're a fan of the visual novels you should definitely not second guess yourself when it comes to supporting the creators and getting yourself a nice no click-version of the novel. Awesome awesome, and more awesome; although if the dubs are terrible but you probably already knew that

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This is the second "season" of an anime that is based off of a visual novel. If you haven't seen ef ~ A Tale of Memories: Complete Collection [Blu-ray], the first season of this show, you should consider watching it first. I have seen many different animes during my time as a fan, and most of them have been of the romance and drama genre. This review will not contain any spoilers, but I will address a few of the plot issues I had while watching the series.

Some people have labeled this show as a masterpiece, but I must disagree. I've watched hundreds of animes centering on Romance and Drama so I do think my opinion is well aged and seasoned with many different sources of inspiration. The main problem I have with this entire season is the forced drama. Please understand that I am not suggesting that drama created by the author is a bad thing. I understand that is what writing a story is. However, I take issue with what I would consider poor writing without essential build up or reasoning for events to take place.

In a perfect world, I would hope that any story revolving around romance would focus primarily on the characters. Romance is a story about people and their interactions with others, it's not something that can be explained to an audience in one scene. The setting, background information, and supporting characters are all important, but they should never replace the characters as the focal point of the story. In Melodies, we are hit with two different plots that essentially force us to care about something that we don't have any connection to. I don't want to go into detail due to my concern for creating spoilers, but for half of the shows focus there is close to no build up or information for why something is going to happen. You are hit over the head with it and then forced to accept it as a truth. Instead of a gradual and well rounded story its almost as if you were to turn the page and find yourself in a completely different setting with completely different characters.

It's unnerving how little the audience was considered.

All of that being said, from a technical aspect the show is by no means a push over. The art style, music, and characters are all reasonably solid and make for an enjoyable watch. However, this is a very drama heavy series and I would be tempted to say it has nothing to do with Memories other than introducing supporting characters. (Hey, they had to let the audience connect to the show somehow... because it sure wasn't going to be the story.) If you're watching this because you really enjoyed Memories and want to see more of the characters and their interactions, this is NOT the show for you.

If you're more into mature and adult themed shows and really enjoy dark themes, this will be an excellent series for you. Keep in mind I would only offer this as a recommendation to those who can get over the pacing of the story and how far removed it is from the prequel. Some may enjoy this series, but unfortunately it was not for me.

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This is the 2nd season of ef series. It focuses on some of the supporting characters of the 1st season. Kuze and Mizuki have been spending time together and become romantically involved. Kuze is suffering from a fatal heart disease and doesn't have much time left. Himura and Yuko's past is also the other part of the story. Both stories are very tragic and emotional, especially the one between Himura and Yuko. I finally understand why he was so melancholic in season 1. He's a strong person. I never liked Kuze very much in the 1st season, but he makes a major personality improvement from being with Mizuki in this season. He's not such a bad guy after all.

This anime is great. The animation is top quality, the music is beautiful and the characters are compelling. The story of these four characters is amazing. The love they share is a beautiful thing. Even though it is mostly a sad story it's very uplifting as well. This is one of the most well written animes I've seen, and I own over 200 different series. I really hope you check this one out and enjoy it as much as I do. If you like Clannad, Kanon, Air, or Angel Beats, you will like ef as well. If you haven't seen the others I've mentioned; they are a must have as well.

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Simply Irresistible (1999)

First of all let me say I am a HUGE Sarah fan, and this film has gotten bad reviews from alot of people. This is not a film for you if you are looking for action, if you are, don't get this, because you won't like it. If you like romantic dramas, you will definetly like this. This movie wasn't made expecting EVERYONE to fall head over heels in love with it, it was made for people who enjoy films like this. Sarah plays a young girl who has no parents, and she lives by herself, and she runs her mom's resturaunt with her aunt. When the resturaunt may have to close because rent can't be kept up, somehow, Sarah's character starts to make delicious, delectable, irrisistible food that everyone falls in love with. She meets this guy who is opening a resturaunt, and the film just flows out from there. It's a great film, and it's great for those who want to watch a good movie with their girlfriend or boyfriend or for someone who just wants a good Saturday night movie to chill and watch. Sarah Michelle Gellar gives an amazing performance as usual, and you will not be dissapointed.

Simply Irresistible may not have done well in the box office, but that certainly doesn't mean that this film doesn't have any charm. Just because a movie doesn't find a proper following doesn't make it any less charming, in my opinion. Simply Irresistible is one of the best movies I've seen that hasn't had much viewership. It's fun, sweet, romantic, and just simply enjoyable all the way through.

This movie certainly boasts a top-notch cast that is led by the wonderful and amazing Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean Patrick Flanery. Amanda, played by Sarah Michelle, starts off as an awful chef but almost magically turns into a wonderful one overnight. She then begins falling in love with Tom, played by Sean Patrick, who is the owner of a popular department store.

Simply Irresistible tells a wonderful and romantic story of how scary falling in love can truly be and how wonderful it can be all at the same time. If you're in the mood for a light, romantic comedy, then I highly recommend this movie.

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I rented this movie purely on the basis of a pretty charming little rave print review by Roger Ebert,and was glad I did (ended up even buying a copy on VHS for myself). The movie is slight and whimsical -lots of magic, not a lot of gritty reality -but it's sweet and strange and has a lot of charm. The characters are daffy and whimsically painted, and don't go the usual hollywood movie route. Gellar is sweet and insecure as the heroine -a much less glamorous role than her weekly (equally fabulous) vampire slaying Buffy heroine -while Buckley and Flanery and the fine supporting cast are all enjoyable to watch in the romantic mishaps that ensue. The wonderful Patricia Clarkson meanwhile is so much fun that she steals every scene she's in without detracting a bit from the appeal of her costars -a pretty good trick (it's worth the price of admission to hear her say, "This is nutty. Hazel-nutty.").

I really loved this movie - started out wondering where it was going, but by the end I didn't care - the writing is offbeat and fun, not so by the book. The movie's not "Schindler's List" or anything, sure -it's pretty lightweight -but it doesn't feel as Hollywood-ish as your usual romantic comedy, and you really never know what the characters will say next. The food also looks glorious and really adds to the sense of whimsy. The soundtrack is as sweet and fun as everything else -if you need cheering up, or convincing that there's still a bit of Astaire and Rogers in the world, this one's a great choice, where a perfect eclair can create true love, and a wonderful meal can make people weep with delight (and float in the air a time or two)...

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"A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness." ~Elsa Schiaparelli

Sarah Michelle Gellar's softer side appears as she picks up the batterie de cuisine and tackles saving a restaurant from certain death. When it looks like Amanda's career is about to end as a chef, an angel appears in her life and gives her some sage advice about looking for a door that will open when another one closes. As the chef of a failing 70 year-old restaurant, the Southern Cross, she only has her loyal clientele who are not there for the food.

To say she is adorable as a chef is an understatement. She appears in a variety of fashionable outfits and weaves a sweet innocent spell on the viewer. Worth watching to see Sarah dressed up in a variety of outfits and different hairstyles.

There are also scenes of outdoor markets, beautiful orchids and of course restaurant scenes, Sarah shopping, cooking and crawling about on the floor chasing after magical crabs all to romantic music.

Instead of slaying vampires, "Buffy" bewitches Tom Bartlett (Sean Patrick Flanery) and entices love right into her life through cooking a variety of gourmet dishes. If every man has his weakness, Tom's weakness is luscious cuisine.

"She can cook things that make you crazy." ~Tom

As every kitchen sorceress has discovered, the right food can create the right mood and can invite happiness and love into your life. I loved the dance scene and the scene where Tom and Amanda disappear into the scented mist. This movie emphasizes the aphrodisiac qualities of food.

Amanda Shelton (Sarah) only discovers her true cooking talents after meeting Tom. At first she seems unaware of her current fate while Tom seems to be trying to control his fate. He is disturbed by his lack of emotional control and when he falls "in love" with Amanda, his world seems to be spinning out of control.

"My whole life was ordinary and then we met and these amazing things started to happen." ~Amanda

Is it love that makes Amanda a better cook and makes her cooking taste even better to Tom? Are their senses in a state of heightened awareness from the chemicals rushing through their bodies or is there magic floating about? Once she finds a recipe for caramel éclairs, Tom is even more attracted to her.

There are very few movies about cooking or chefs so this one is a treat. Tear drops in the food reminded me of Like Water for Chocolate. The emotions Amanda feels are somehow magically mixed into the food she is cooking. Either the dishes make people cry, stun them or make them lose their inhibitions. She seems to have a magical gift for culinary creations that have an effect on anyone who consumes them.

Is the orchid plant in this movie the "Oncidium Sharry Baby?" It did look similar, although I can't say for sure. Some people say it has a fruity vanilla scent and not really a chocolate scent. Most types of vanilla do not produce the vanilla beans. If you wanted to cook with flowers, you would want to make sure that the flowers you added to your cooking were edible. Orchid flowers are apparently edible.

Vanilla beans are the cigar-shaped seed pods from a climbing orchid and the pods must be picked, boiled and heated in the sun. It literally takes months to produce the delicious vanilla flavor. It actually takes 100 beans to make 1 gallon of vanilla extract. If you love vanilla extract, you might also enjoy: Fiori di Sicilia flavoring for your baking.

After watching this movie you may want to feed your lover oranges, invest in some expensive vanilla extract, get lost in a kiss or cook up some bliss. If you are looking for the best vanilla for your cooking, Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla is superior.

Deliciously cute, silly spells, sweet innocent love and a few hot and steamy kissing scenes in the kitchen. For romantics and lovers of kitchens and cuisine. Almost a culinary Cinderella story.

You might enjoy these books:

The Seduction Cookbook by Diane Brown (Baked Salmon with Raspberry Cabernet Sauce, ideas for late night seduction snacks and information on growing an erotic herb garden.)

A Passionfruit Cookbook by Patrick Jesse Pons-Worley (The flavor of passion fruit is so seductive and exotic.)

Written with a Spoon (Poetry and Recipes)

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids by Alec Pridgeon

The Edible Flower Garden by Rosalind Creasy

InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook (The "Fig Pastries" are decadent and naughty.)

Crab Cooking: Famous Recipes from Famous Places by Joyce Lafray

Movies with Food Themes:

Babette's Feast

Like Water for Chocolate

Scent of Green Papaya

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Big Night

~The Rebecca Review

P.S. If you need a recipe for the caramel iced éclairs to entice someone with see the comments section for the link.

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Mmmm, mussels...

They provide an excellent metaphor for this little known romantic comedy as they are an unforgiving shell surrounding an unmistakeably unique tasting meat. Either you like them or you don't and so it is with this film. If you have trouble enjoying the average Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan canoodler then this movie probably isn't for you. Only the truly romantic who believe in spells and rapture will appreciate "Simply Irresistible".

The story doesn't always make sense as it tends to meander off in odd ways just like the character Stella, (played dizzily by Betty Buckley), but this is also part of its charm, it's unpredictability. There is a woozy style to the filmmaking that perfectly captures the story's setup. A young chef finds love and fulfillment at the claws of a magical crab. As silly as it sounds, "Simply Irresistible" is also incredibly sincere with first rate performances from all involved.

However even the tastiest mussels sometimes get gritty and there are enough (what the?) moments in "Simply Irresistible" to snap first time viewers out of their trances. This is a film that actually improves the more you watch it, as the discordant moments tend to soften with exposure.

The ending is by far the movie's weakest link as it asks the viewer to believe in an instantaneous makeover for the movie's star and revisit a restaurant scene that has long exhausted its interest. How much better would it have been if leading man Tom, (Sean Patrick Flanery), had met Amanda, (Sarah Michelle Gellar), on the pavement in front of the department store and taken her for a walk through the nighttime streets of midtown Manhattan? We would have gotten to see more of their admirable chemistry and maybe been given a glance at how their relationship would develop after the credit roll. Instead were left literally dangling in mid air feeling a bit silly.

Because of its flawed ending, I can only give "Simply Irresistible" four stars and certain plot holes would have reduced this score to three if it weren't for the always inventive use of soundtrack in the movie. One plot hole that particularly disappoints is the disappearance of Amanda's benefactor Gene O'Reilly, (played wonderfully by playwright Christopher Durang), after the film's first few minutes. More of his presence might have helped to ease the audience into the magical realism the script so heavily relies upon.

Thankfully moments of spontaneous convergence abound, when the dialogue, acting, and direction merge into such effortless liquidity that it's like watching a lava lamp; hypnotic. Nothing creates this effect better than Patricia Clarkson's sumptuously brassy performance as Tom's assistant Lois. Every scene she's in she steals and her seduction of department store tycoon Jonathan Bendel, (Dylan Baker), more than justifies the suspension of disbelief this film requires.

Flanery and Gellar work well together here with Flanery delicately walking a fine line as an ambitious yet romantically feckless young executive enchanted by Amanda's cooking and then by Amanda herself. My favorite moment: when Tom arrives at Amanda's very busy restaurant to break it off with her only to be smitten all over again as she hands him a customer's plate to deliver. The song "Secret Smile" by Semisonic starts to swell as Amanda intones "The mussels are ready" while beaming a thousand watt grin in his direction. It's the kind of magic scene that enlivens this unusual and giddy confection of a film.

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K-ON! Volume 4 (2011)

The hugely popular animated series "K-ON!" is back with its third volume on Blu-ray and DVD and this time, a new member named Azusa Nakano joins the band!

So, what is "K-ON!"? Well, it happens to be one of the hottest anime series in Japan that has not only dominated in the TV ratings but also on Japan's Oricon music charts!

The series has been a phenomenon as it has attracted fans all over the world, those who want to cosplay as the characters, those who want to sing like the characters and those who want to play the music of the characters. Just one look on YouTube and you can see how passionate people are for this series!

"K-ON!" began as a four-panel comic strip written and illustrated by kakifly and the manga would then be serialized in Houbunsha's seinen manga magazine "Manga Time Kirara" between May 2007-October 2010. In April 2011, the manga was relaunched on both "Manga Time Kirara" and Houbunsha's magazine "Manga Time Kirara Carat" with two separate storylines.

The popularity of the manga series led to a 13-episode anime TV series which aired in Japan on April-June 2009, an OVA episode in Jan. 2010 and a 26-episode second season titled "K-ON!!" which aired in Japan from April through Sept. 2010 and a new OVA released in March 2011.

The series would also lead to a Sony PSP music rhythm video game and now fans in Japan are awaiting for the film adaptation set for Dec. 3, 2011.

As for fans in the United States, there has been high anticipation for its anime release and the first two volumes are now available courtesy of Bandai Entertainment and in Sept. 2011, a third volume featuring episodes 9-11 is out on Blu-ray and DVD.

"K-ON!" is a play on the Japanese word "keiongaku" (light music) and the series follows four high school students of Sakuragaoka Girl's High School who are members of the "keiongaku" club.

In the first volume, the four characters featured thus far in the series are Yui Hirasawa, a naive and clumsy student entering high school who is not entirely sure what she wants to do in terms of extracurricular activities. While she tries to figure out what she wants to do, two other students, Ritsu Tainaka and Mio Akiyama join the keiongaku club to find out that most of the members have graduated and the only way they can keep the club open is if they have four members.

Because Ritsu plays the drums and Mio plays the bass guitar, they hope they can find other musicians and form a band.

Fortunately, a new member joins the group, Tsumugi Kobobuki, a student from a wealthy family who plays a Korg Triton Extreme 76-key keyboard. Now all they need is one member.

While Yui is trying to think of activities to do, she sees a flyer for the keiongaku club and in her mind, she remembers light music as something she did when she was young student in elementary school and so she joins. Meanwhile, the other three members are happy because with a fourth member, the club will stay alive but also the fact that maybe Yui is a guitarist and now, they can start their own band.

But Yui is not a musician and if anything, what she loves about the club is the ability to eat desserts and drink tea with the other members but when the three members perform in front of her, she becomes inspired and wants to be a member of the club and be part of the band.

The second volume focuses on the club dynamics, having to find an advisor for the club in order for the club to exist and the band preparing for their very first live performances and preparing for another school year in which they hope to attract more members to the club.

The third volume is here and it focuses on the introduction of a new club member Azusa Nakano, a friend of Yui's sister Ui and a guitarist and the group trying to make her feel comfortable around them.

The fourth volume of "K-ON!" marks the final volume for the first season and features the two final TV episodes plus the OVA.

With the band having practiced together for so long, especially with new member Azusa, it's time once again for a new live performance at the school festival. But unfortunately, Yui has caught a cold and is very sick. The band wonders if Yui will be better before their live performance.

The final TV episode features a storyline that features a storyline of each member who have decided to do their own thing for winter vacation. Everyone is keeping their lips sealed of what their plans are, but Yui wants to have a hotpot party. Will the group eventually hang out before their winter break is over?

And the OVA features the band being invited to perform with other female bands for a live gig. Will Hokago Tea Time be ready for their first live performance outside of a school function?

"K-ON!: Volume 4' features the following episodes:

EPISODE 12: Light Music! The band has a new live performance but with Yui sick, will the band be ready to perform?

EPISODE 13: Winter Days! It's winter vacation and Yui hopes to get everyone together but unfortunately, everyone is busy and are out doing their own thing during vacation. Ritsu thinks she has a secret admirer, Mio travels in order to come up with inspiration to write lyrics, Azusa is taking care of a friend's cat and Tsumugi takes a job at a fast food restaurant.

EPISODE 14 (OVA): Live House! When Hokago Team Time are invited to perform with other bands for their first live gig, how will their first experience performing outside of a school function be?

VIDEO:

"K-ON!" is an anime series that is stylishly created but also features beautifully painted art backgrounds. Presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1 anamorphic widescreen), one thing that I love to see when it comes to anime series is the attention to detail when covering a modern setting.

A lot of TV series tend to not make the backgrounds of a city landscape so detailed and tend to put a lot of recycled trees, dirt and sky but "K-ON!", is not one of those anime series. There are scenes and also still images of natural settings that are beautifully painted and added to the series. There is detail for the instruments, for the desserts and I felt that with each episode, aside from the practice room and the wideshot image of their school, there was always something new being featured in terms of location. So, the color palette of the series is full of color and nothing is stale or seemed regurgitated.

With that being said, the colors are a bit saturated but for an anime TV series (which is expected) but the OVA does feature more vibrant colors and a bit more detail.

For the many decades I have watched Japanese animation, for anime series that are set in a modern Tokyo setting, I prefer anime series that focused on the smallest details, such as what is inside their bedrooms and home. What's inside the stores when they go shopping, etc. I love seeing those details instead of the typical walls or trees that are part of the banality anime TV series.

"K-ON!" is one of those series where those little things matter and for me, those attention to small details enhanced my appreciation for the series.

AUDIO:

If there was a weak side of this Blu-ray release, I'm sure the audiophiles might be a bit cranky that the soundtrack is not Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. What you get is an English and Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. What surprised me is the fact that even with the work for the English dub version, there was no change to make it a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack or to increase the bitrate for Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. But for a Blu-ray release, those who expect lossless audio are going to fret about it, while those who have been waiting for this series to come out to the U.S. will be perfectly fine with the Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack.

Personally, I chose to have my receiver play the anime series with stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundscape. But nevertheless, with the awesome music featured in the series, it would have been wonderful to hear that music via uncompressed lossless.

As for the voice acting, I am a bit biased to the Japanese voice acting but I did watch the series also with the English dub soundtrack and for the most part, the voice acting will appeal to both fans who prefer one over the other.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"K-ON!: Volume 4' comes with the following special features:

Brush Pen, Ballpoint Pen Music Video The English dub music video for "Brush Pen, Ballpoint Pen".

Interview with Shelby Lindley (6:00) English dub voice actress Shelby Lindley talks about how she got the part as Tsumugi Kotobuki but also her approach to voice acting and how different she is from the character.

Trailers Bandai Entertainment trailers

JUDGMENT CALL:

And the final volume of "K-ON!" is here and the first thing that comes to my mind is how I want more episodes of this awesome, fun and exciting rock n' roll anime series.

I love this series! And loved the progression of the Hokago Tea Time band and how each of these young ladies grew up together to become a band that can actually perform quite well and start playing their first major gig.

I love the fact that it focuses on normal high school life but also the formation of a band and the dynamics with each of the members as they go through their ups and downs but also the little cute quirks that come with each character.

I typically don't go crazy over anime series, nor am I the hardcore fan that goes out and buys anything after I see a series but this is probably the first time since I watched an anime series such as "Ranma 1/2' back in 1992, where I went out and started buying merchandise related to the series. In fact, I have purchased the PSP video game, the Figma figures and it has become one of my favorite series that I have really got into in a very long time in this manner.

The music is awesome! The characters are entertaining. The animation and art backgrounds were very good and for the most part, it has been a long time, possibly since "Azumanga Daioh" in which I really enjoyed gakusei-based anime series (student anime series focused on a school setting).

If anything, while the episode "Light Music!" eventually shows us Azusa now playing live with the band, the growth is seen in the OVA episode "Live House!" as the band ventures out of the school setting and are performing with other bands who perform different styles of music. You sense their fear when they started out but eventually learned along the way.

So, I look at these two performance episodes as growth episodes for each of these characters. The final TV episode #13 was rather interesting because it is a story about individuals not relying on the group. For the majority of all episodes, these teenagers are together. But for "Winter Days!", they are busy and want to do their own thing for winter vacation. You would never think of a wealthy daughter such as Tsumugi wanting to work at a fast food restaurant, Azusa's fear of cats, Ritsu finally removing the headband and showing us how she looks with bangs and of course, there is Mio...trying to create more music.

So, I'm quite happy that this episode was created because it gives us insight to the characters outside of the group and the band.

The final volume of "K-ON!" was absolutely fun and entertaining and now is the big question, will Bandai bring the 26-episode+OVA to Blu-ray? I hope so!

But I'm loving "K-ON!" and if you are an anime fan who loves a straight-up, feel-good anime series with nothing dark, nothing to risque but something just all out-fun, give "K-ON!" a chance! It's a wonderful anime series on Blu-ray and there is really nothing like it out there (although one may want to check out the live action film "Linda Linda" if they are interested in a storyline of all-girl rock bands).

Overall, another exciting, fun and entertaining volume of "K-ON!" and definitely one of my top three picks of must-own anime series on Blu-ray for 2011!

Definitely recommended!

K-On is an excellent Series, Combining Musical Features with Reality, Making it feel like you are apart of a band! (I have Previous Band Experience.) Going through the motivation, and fun events and learning about each-other more and more.

Buy K-ON! Volume 4 (2011) Now

Great lighthearted series about a group of high school students joining a music club that I would recommend for anyone or even families to watch.

Read Best Reviews of K-ON! Volume 4 (2011) Here

I can enjoy this blu-ray because blu-ray system is quite same in Japan and USA.

I can also study English and enjoy pretty stories at the same time.

It was delieved earlier than I expected.

Want K-ON! Volume 4 (2011) Discount?

I now have all the blu-rays in this series (currently up to no. 4) and it is really good fun! The story follows initially four (later five) high-school girls who form a band in an after-school club, and the ups and downs of their progress in life, school and the world of music. The characters, Yui (guitar Les Paul Standard), Mio (bass left-handed, 3-Colour Sunburst Fender Jazz Bass), Tsumugi (known as Mugi keyboards Korg Triton Extreme 76-key keyboard) and Ritsu (known as Ricchan drums yellow Rick Marotta Signature Yamaha Hipgig drum kit), are all lovable and cute, and musicians will appreciate a lot of what they go through in their efforts to make it into the music big-time. Later episodes see another band member, Azusa, adding a second guitar (Fender Mustang) to their line up. The story is detailed, innocent, cute and funny I loved it! Highly recommended, whether you are a musician or not!

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