Cocktail (1988)

This movie was very entertaining in all ways! I actually learned a lot from this movie as a bartender! Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown worked extremely well together. Get this movie if you want to laugh, feel sad, and then feel good again.

The story behind this film is a real hedonistic example of what most blokes would love to do. Hardly any responsibility being a bar-tender, except to those you tend and all the while having a great time. The plot is thin which is why it is so easy to understand and this is what makes the film the moment you have to think about a film like this, is the moment you miss the point. The soundtrack is great, and the movie soundtrack CD is missing some of the best songs from the film too, the best one when Tom and Elizabeth get frisky under the waterfall in Jamaica (Jimmy Cliff Shelter of Your Love). Overall, most people can relate to many aspects of this movie, and many of the situations the characters are in such as hope, love, lust, vacations to hot tropical places, and of course at the end family.

Great film you must see it if you haven't already!

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Cruise plays Brian Flanagan, I guess because people think he does a decent Irish accent. Nevertheless while under the drink mixing tutelage of "Obi-wan" Coughlin (Brown) he gets involved with Coral (Gina Gershon) later telling Coughlin of their bedroom exploits. To ensure that Flanagan sees the light, Coughlin sleeps with Coral to try to show Flanagan she was no good for him. Why Coral would sleep with Coughlin just because Flanagan said they were making nikki-nikki is a mystery (she's seen sleeping over at the apartment and all cuddily with Tom's character for God's sake). Anyway, what a pal, nice to see Coughlin really cares. Later, actually just a brief dissolve to ocean shores & islands, despite this friendship-ending dastardly deed Flanagan befriend's Coughlin while working in Jamaica. Now that (Brown) has found "true" happiness (Lynch), you'd think he'd want the same for (Tom), right? Wrong. Despite Flanagan's seriously developing affinity for Jordan (Shue), he dares (Tom) to bed the mature, rich and connected Bonnie (Lisa Banes). Of course, this destroys Cruise & Shue's chance for romance, despite his explanation that it's okay because "when a guy lays down a dare, you just got to." What kind of logic is that? Still later trying to make up with her, he claims he got spooked by Jordan, so which one is it? Finally, how nice for Hollywood to wrap everything up with death, attempted seduction, pregnancy, attempted bribery, and Flanagan striking out on his own in one of the riskiest businesses around a "Theme" bar. Although, cute at times, one has to wonder the next time someone dares Tom's character.

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Great to own an oldie but a goodie. Movie is in great condition. Thanks for completing my life in the most important way. There, did I write enough yet, Amazon?

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This was my favorite movie growing up and I'm glad they made it into a DVD so I can continue watching it!

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How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

This movie is half a century old and followed The Robe as the second Cinemascope feature. It's visually beautiful in the DVD widescreen version, evoking the thrill of first seeing Cinemascope in 1953 (which I'm old enough to remember). Though the story and humor are extremely dated and so many of its stars are now dead, the photography and sound are both so breathtakingly clear and beautiful, it makes one realize how advanced the technical side of filmmaking was that long ago. It's amazing how cinematographers of that day were able to adapt so quickly to the much wider screen and take full advantage of its sweep even during scenes filmed in close quarters, such as those on the airliner (which was a propeller plane, by the way). It's true that Lauren Bacall, though lovely in the film, looks much older than the "25" she's supposed to be. (I saw Ms. Bacall in person pitching her bio at a bookstore 45 years later and she looked un-surgically young and beautiful, so go figure.) While the movie is not great in terms of content or performances, it's worthwhile because it's a beautifully restored piece of movie history that recaptures a more innocent (?) age and preserves an important part of the Monroe legend.

HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE was the first non-musical comedy to be released in the CinemaScope ratio. The film was released in 1953, which proved to be Monroe's breakthrough, watershed year, with the success of MILLIONAIRE, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES and NIAGARA cementing her place as one of the top box-office attractions of 1953.

MILLIONAIRE is one of Monroe's most delightful offerings. She plays the visually-challenged Pola, who, along with Chotzi (Lauren Bacall KEY LARGO, THE BIG SLEEP) and 'Loco' (Betty Grable MOTHER WORE TIGHTS) rents a Manhattan penthouse in the hopes of snagging rich husbands.

Of course, Fate often hands you things totally unexpected, and soon the girls realise that money can't be a substitute for happiness. There are plenty of pin-sharp observations about the opposite sex, a good 50-odd years before "Sex and the City" decided to make a whole TV show about women in the Big Apple.

Marilyn, Lauren and Betty make a colorful trio, and the CinemaSope picture is indeed a treat to the eyes.

The DVD includes restoration comparisons and trailers. Available separately or as part of the Marilyn Monroe Diamond Collection.

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Lauren Bacall, Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe star in a Broadway play adaptation, as three New York models who together rent a Sutton Place apartment in order to attract rich husbands. Their plan appears to go awry when after a few months they are forced to sell the furniture in the lavishly appointed pad for living expenses.

The girls fortunes appear to turn when Bacall meets elderly Texas cattle baron J.D. Hanley played by the debonair William Powell. Grable gets lured to Maine by wealthy but married Fred Clark but winds up falling for and marrying penniless forest ranger Rory Calhoun. The visually challenged but super sexy Monroe winds up on the wrong plane when going to meet her prospective beau in Atlantic City. She winds up enamored with and marrying tax cheat and previous owner of their apartment David Wayne, who is equally blind.

Throughout the film Bacall is pursued by a Tom Brookman played by Cameron Mitchell. She dismisses him as being a poor gas station attendant. Bacall and Powell are all set to be married but at the last moment she can't go through with it. Mitchell, who Bacall really cares for, stands in for Powell and marries her. They are all shocked when they learn that Mitchell is actually worth 200 million.

The gals have their plans dashed but wind up marrying for the right reason...........LOVE.

Read Best Reviews of How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) Here

First of all, this movie is still hysterical. It is a work of art. Although Marilyn got top billing, she's clearly out-performed by both Lauren Bacall and Betty Grable.

Let me, for a brief moment talk about the "Diamond Collection" version of How To Marry A Millionaire. When you think of remastering, especially older films made on Cineascope or Technicolor, you think of rich, vibrant-colored stories in particular the Rogers and Hammerstein collection. Excellent. You, especially, think of the remastered Disney Collection. Excellent. Both of which, were competing genres at the time Marilyn was making a name for herself. You might even throw the remastered "The Wizard of Oz" (1937) in the fray. And yet, this "Diamond Collection" is barely passable as a DVD version. This isn't a distinct restoration. The images, even in the special feature section "Restoration Comparison" shows how little the previous version and the film version hasn't had much improvement with this collection. Don't get me wrong, the sound reproduction is superb, but this is comedy and a lot depends on visuals.

Recently, I started to repurchase the Disney collection-their "Platinum 2-disc" set. Cinderella, Peter Pan. And, there is a profound difference between the last version and this deluxe version. The Sound of Music, the same thing.

This isn't to say, it's not worth watching, but there's little to no improvement in picture quality. And, that's too bad, the technology is already here and their apology for "grainy film loss" is no excuse for not investing in a better color transfer system.

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Other reviewers do a fine job summarizing the plot and the reasons for viewing this film, so here's an overlooked morsel to savor: the opening orchestral number is the ultimate inside joke.

The number Alfred Newman conducts had been used as the title theme for the Oscar-winning movie "Gentlemen's Agreement" a half-decade earlier. While the plots of the two films are light years apart, the title of the earlier one (which had to do with anti-Semitism) addresses one of the final plot twists in "How To Marry..." In essence, the orchestra's opening performance represents a droll set-up to this delightful movie's windup, but so subtly that only Hollywood insiders would be aware of what was being done.

Funniest bit in the movie: a very lecherous Fred Clark foiled by a bridge tolltaker.

Innocent playfulness with a great Fifties cast and well worth a view.

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Stanley Kubrick: Limited Edition Collection (Spartacus / Lolita / Dr. Strangelove / 2001: A Space O

I won't review the films themselves. I have done so elsewhere, and if you are reading this, you probably are a Kubrick fan, anyway. My set arrived yesterday and I have spent some quality time with it, though I have obviously not had a chance to watch every disk all the way through, yet.

On one user's negative review with respect to the "destructive" packaging: all I can say is, if you stop and think about it before wailing on the disks trying to get them out of their sleeves, you'll be FINE. The sleeves, are indeed, engineered to keep the disks in, so they don't fall on the floor if you tip the package the wrong way. A moment's thought will tell you that a thumb on the label side of the disk, a forefinger on the edge, and some firm but gentle pulling while rotating a little is all you need to get the disks out without a hint of damage. The sleeve will release its grip and all will be well. Believe me, you'll be glad for the snugness of the fit when you realize how well it protects the disks when you're not watching them.

On the continuing Aspect Ratio controversy: I could be wrong about this, but I think the esteemed Mr. Kubrick would be fine with the 16x9 cropping of The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut. It's true that Kubrick initially only wanted videos of his films released "full frame", i.e. with the whole negative image showing unmasked, because he hated pan-scan, and thought letterboxing distracting. After Barry Lyndon, he shot 35mm without a hard matte, but composed for 1.85:1 precisely because he knew some theaters would project it 1.85:1 while others would go for 1.66:1, and still others would have their own "custom" aspect ratio i.e. funky screen size based more on the way larger theaters were being chopped up into multiplexes at the time, than on the needs of the films being shown. But newer 16x9 HD TVs, which became popular after his death, largely obviated the need for near full-negative cropping, as far as video is concerned. Kubrick's visual compositions are just slightly roomy in 16x9, without the oddly empty quality of some of his shots when viewed in full-frame on a 4x3 TV. There are purists who get almost violent when discussing the "proper" aspect ratios of Kubrick's *oeuvre* on video, and who insist we should be watching them in 4x3 even now, because "that's what he intended." I am not among them. His original reasoning made sense when TVs were all squarish, but I think he would have accommodated 16x9 home theatre TVs, had he lived into the Blu-ray era. Such TVs existed in his lifetime, but they were not the norm the way they are now. If you read his interviews carefully, he was a surprisingly practical guy, for being such a perfectionist.

The transfers appear, in most cases, to be the same ones used for the last release of the collection, but in a format closer to their native 4k resolution. They are thank God NOT over-enhanced the way so many mass-market "popular" films seem to be when released on Blu-ray, these days. While they are sharp and detailed, they don't have those artificially "cut out" looking edges, either. I'm not a videophile, but I like what I see and hear.

I was able to get the discs out easily without damage. They stick slightly but i just used my shirt and wedged them out. no scratches and no finger prints. They play fine. i did put them in jewel cases so i don"t have to worry about someone else having trouble. i wouldn't let the negative reviews turn you off to this box. They made it sound a lot worse than it is.

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While, as other noted reviewers have expressed, yes, most of the Blu-ray's in this set have been available previously. But altogether at once, including Dr. Strangelove, Spartacus, Lolita (first time on Blu), and Barry Lyndon (also first time on Blu), along with the new 40th anniversary edition of A Clockwork Orange? Yes, I'd say it's safe to venture that this set is worth the seemingly steep price. Because yes, at first glance, it seems like a lot of money until you realize the value at hand.

But value aside, the transfers are mostly fantastic, especially the transfer on my favorite of Kubrick's films, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The colors are crisp and the details are fantastic, especially the black and white on Lolita. I am so glad that this film had finally achieved a release on Blu Ray.

My only complaint is the lack of new features on the previously released discs and the lack of ANY FEATURES on Lolita and Barry Lyndon. Fans have been waiting years for these releases and we now only get half of a release (the other half should have contained a commentary by an expert AT LEAST). But the transfers are fantastic, making it a satisfying purchase.

Overall, I am especially happy with this release, save for the complaints that I have previously listed. I'd give the box set a four out of five.

Read Best Reviews of Stanley Kubrick: Limited Edition Collection (Spartacus / Lolita / Dr. Strangelove / 2001: A Space O Here

This is an absolutely amazing set in terms of the films and their respective transfers but the packaging is seriously atrocious. In terms of content I must advise anyone who is interested in Stanley Kubrick's films to buy this set but be forewarned, the packaging is really irritating. It's not because of how hard it is to remove the discs (that's not an issue for me), it's because of the smudges and scratches that may result from said removal. My advice: buy the set and some cheap plastic DVD cases, remove the discs and house them in the cases instead of the collection booklet.

Otherwise, I love this set. I've never seen Barry Lyndon look this beautiful!

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This is regarding the non-blu-ray version:

GENERAL: If you are a fan of Stanley Kubrick, you probably own all or most of these movies. The versions on these discs are the most recent versions released on DVD, just re-ripped to these colorful discs to make a snazzy package. In other words, there are no new extras. (For example: Clockwork Orange just has audio commentary and theatrical trailer, just like the version in the last Kubrick collection.)

ASPECT RATIOS: These are fine. (I mean for goodness' sake, people, get a grip...) As with all of the other releases that I've seen (again... for goodness' sake, people, get a grip...) these all have the varying aspect ratios intended by Kubrick. For example, Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon are 1.66 to 1. Space Odyssey is 2.35 to 1. These are honestly the only three I checked.

(As a matter of fact, Clockwork is the first DVD with a 1.66 to 1 ratio that my DVD player actually reads properly! With Barry Lyndon which is on this set and Nightmare Before Christmas, I have to mess around with my DVD player and my TV to get it the movies to not be stretched out.)

THE PACKAGING: One early reviewer had a problem with the DVDs coming in cardboard casings that scuffed the discs. The package I received from amazon does not use this type of casing for the discs. The discs are cased in a beautifully practical plastic binding. Each disc is on its own "page" in the binding, stuck into a spindle. Works great.

NOTE: Watched Spartacus. Actually looks pretty awful, considering. One scene opens focused a line of people about 20 feet from the camera, and their faces are just total blurs. Also, there are little black film blemishes that come up sometimes. That said, who was really buying this set to see Spartacus?

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K-On! The Movie (2011) (2011)

Alright, those of you looking for a self-contained anime film will be disappointed this was a project that was obviously made for fans of the series. It's pretty much an episode of the series expanded to an hour and forty-five mins. It contains in-jokes from the series and while there is a plot there's no major conflict. In fact, the opening few minutes makes a joke about the lack of real conflict in the film.

Now, if you are a fan of the series, this is a dream come true. The characters are all there, most side characters get enough screen time that you get to revisit just about everyone. The plot is partially about the London trip which was discussed in the season 2 OVA, but it's also about writing the song that they will sing to their underclassman as they graduate. It's sentimental, sweet and everything you've come to expect from the series. As a bonus, just about every song in the series is in it at some point.

The animation is beautiful, and expands upon the already wonderful look of the series. The London trip is well done, and for those who have been there, you'll be sure to recognize some lovingly recreated sights. There are a few moments of CGI that feel a bit off, but that may just be my personal bias against CGI.

The quality of the Blu is wonderful. The animation looks simply breathtaking at times and there are a quite a few special features. As someone who has gotten used to anime discs only containing the opening and closing as special features, this was a treat.

In closing, if you're already a fan of K-On season 1 and 2, this is totally worth a purchase. It's a wonderful closing to one of the most fun anime series to come out in years.

One of my favorite movies based off an anime, You can tell the animators took their time on it. It is cute and the music is great. If you are a hardcore K-ON you'll love this movie ^_^

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[*First off, my apologies for the novel I seem to have written. I tried to strike a balance between short and informative. Anyhoo...*]

The overview below is based off the 2-disc DVD edition (so the content would be the same as the blu-ray but you'll have access to it all on a single disc). I outlined a summary but if you want a super short summary, it's basically: getting this movie gives you almost 2 hours of film and 2 and a half hours of special features.

The movie continues where the end of season 2 was leading into: the 5 members of the Light Music Club are going to London for their graduation trip and Yui, Mio, Ritsu, and Tsumugi plan what to get Azusa before they graduate. If you've watched the series then watch the movie; if you haven't [see my note at the bottom], start here (K-ON!, Vol. 1) or here (K-ON! DVD [Anime Legends).

--DISC 1--

-main feature [approx. 1 hour 50 minutes] *16:9 anamorphic

-audio selection [Japanese w/ English subs or English dub] *English 5.1 / Japanese 5.1

-scene selection

-"Also Available from Sentai Filmworks" [some previews to other anime produced by Sentai Filmworks; they're essentially textless openings]

-DVD credits

--DISC 2--

*note: unless otherwise noted, by "the cast", I mean the Japanese voice actresses for Yui, Mio, Ritsu, Tsumugi, and Azusa*

*the extra features are original content from the Japanese programs so they're in Japanese with English subs*

1. Minami Tanaka's Dubbing Investigative Report

--TBS announcer Minami Tanaka visits the cast at the recording studio and interviews them (they do a little tongue twister activity, they're asked what they're favorite scene from the show is, a message to the fans, etc.) [approx. 23 minutes]

2. London bus & Press Conference at TBS

--a pre-opening press conference with the cast (this was a week before the movie hit theaters in Japan) about their feelings about the movie, the live performances they've done, etc. [approx. 19 minutes]

3. Navi Show 1-2-3 is K-On!

--2 TBS announcers talk about the show and its characters (I guess this can be thought of as a crash course / refresher of the show) [approx. 24 minutes]

4. Movie Premiere Event

--the cast and director talk to the audience at the movie premiere about their feelings about the show up to that point [approx. 22 minutes]

5. Director Naoko Yamada in London

--the director does some "scenario hunting" in London over 4 days for the movie [approx. 29 minutes]

6. Good Luck Music Hall K-On! Music Hall

--...umm...I'm honestly not sure how to describe this extras clip...2 TBS announcers talk about K-On's music a bit and there are 3 short message clips about the movie from the Japanese voice actresses for Ui, Nodoka, and Jun [approx. 15 minutes]

7. Japanese Trailer

--not much to explain here [approx. 2 minutes]

8. Japanese Teaser

--a teaser...just a shorter version of the trailer [39 seconds long]

9. Japanese Spots

--short, entertaining tidbits advertising the movie; it's continuous [approx. 3 minutes] but it looks like it's 3 spot shorts...just a guess though...

10. Clean Opening Animation

--title: Ichiban Ippai [around 1:46 long]

11. Clean Closing Animation

--title: Singing! [around 1:34 long]

My personal opinion about the special features: the extras are great! It's nice to see the original voice actresses because nothing like this is available as special features from the series. However, there are interviews from the English voice actresses that were included in the season 1 DVDs and blu-rays but there are none whatsoever here. A bit of a letdown because K-On! is one of very few animes that I can comfortably switch between Japanese dub and English dub so it'd be cool to see how both teams feel about the characters they've grown with and their journey up to it becoming a movie. But hey, you can't have your tea and drink it too...

**Just some extra information for those late to the K-On! [tea] party**

Here is where the anime and manga stand as of near-end May 2013 so you know what you need to catch up on (the following dates are relative and approximate):

K-On! volume 1 (manga): released November 2010

K-On! volume 2 (manga): released March 2011

K-On! volume 3 (manga): released August 2011

K-On! volume 4 (manga): released December 2011

K-On! College (manga): released July 23, 2013 (K-ON! College)

K-On! High School (manga): planned release date of October 29, 2013 (K-ON! High School)

*manga published by Yen Press*

K-On! Season 1 (anime): available in DVD and blu-ray (the DVDs can be purchased as 4 separate volumes or a 4-disc complete collection and the blu-ray as 4 separate volumes--there's no blu-ray complete collection) in Japanese w/ English sub or English dub; released April 2011, July 2011, September 2011, November 2011 (as the 4 volumes) and February 2012 (as the 4-disc complete collection)

K-On!! Season 2 (anime): broken up into 2 parts (released June 2012 and August 2012, respectively) and available in DVD and blu-ray in Japanese w/ English sub or English dub

K-On! the Movie: available in DVD (2 discs) and blu-ray (1 disc) in Japanese w/ English sub or English dub; released May 2013

*season 1 is produced by Bandai and season 2 and the movie are produced by Sentai Filmworks; the English dubbing is in association with Bang Zoom Entertainment so the voice cast stays the same in both seasons and the movie*

Read Best Reviews of K-On! The Movie (2011) (2011) Here

Has a quick recap of the show in the beginning so if you haven't seen the show you're not completely in the dark. For those of you who have seen it get to have a cute narration by Yui which is why you watch this in the first place. K-On! girls are back, and heading to London, and their typical shenanigans, and fun ensues. Overall it was another good show to see them all again after graduation.

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As a major fan of all things K-On!, I have been waiting nearly 18 months for the English version of this movie; it finally arrived yesterday, and I watched it last night. Suffice it to say, it was well worth the wait!

The movie covers the girls of High-school Tea Time's last few weeks before graduation (except for Azusa, who is one year behind the other four, of course). They decide to go on a graduation celebration trip, and eventually settle on London as the destination (although Yui says she would have preferred to go to England, until the others point out that London is in England!). So, in the week following their finals, and before graduation day, they pile on a plane and head for the UK. I won't elaborate on the details, except to say that the story lived up to K-On! expectations, with Azu-nyan being the most together and organised of the girls, in spite of being the youngest. They visit many famous locations in London, all beautifully filmed and then digitally imported into the proceedings. The only complaint I have is that all the Londoners they speak to (in the English dub) sound like Dick Van Dyke did in Mary Poppins; surely they could have got some real Brits in to speak the parts? They really were awful! But that aside, and it is only a minor point, I loved every minute of it; Yui is suitably nutty as usual, and Azusa gets suspicious and paranoid when the others all stop speaking whenever she walks in the room, but actually they are planning a nice surprise for her!

The movie offers a somewhat different view of the run up to the girl's graduation than the second series did; it is more light-hearted, and not nearly as emotional as the latter, but great fun, nonetheless. If you are a fan of K-On!, just get it; it's wonderful!

One last point; I had puzzled for ages over the actual meaning of the term 'K-On!', but it turns out that it is a contraction of the Japanese word for light music, 'keiongaku' (軽音楽). So now you know!

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Lesbian Vampire Killers

I love British humor. This movie is more comedy than horror. Jimmy's girlfriend has broken up with him seven times in order to see other guys. Jimmy always takes her back.Fletch has recently lost his job as a clown for punching a seven year old. Together they go on an adventure.

They encounter a group of women who look like porn stars (with their own slow motion swagger music) along the way. Eventually they become lesbian vampire killers. The movie also has a vicar who drops the f-bomb. Condoms are loaded up with holy water to make water bombs against lesbian vampires. The only way to kill the vampire queen is for Jimmy to use a special sword with a handle in the shape of the male organ.

I loved the humor. When a man's wife catches him cheating, he says to her, "In my defense, I wasn't going to tell you."

Fletch complains about the lesbian vampires, "Even dead, women would rather have each other than me." Jimmy and Fletch are a modern day Frodo and Samwise going against the forces of evil. The movie contains bad language, but not overly vulgar. There is some brief nudity early in the film (topless women from the 18th century with implants). The vampire blood was white goo. The sexual situations of girl on girl is more simulation and fake than erotic.

I am ready for the sequel. Now if they can only get Angelina to play the queen. 4 1/2 stars

To enjoy this movie you musn't take it to seriously but it's title should make that obvious.

very B-grade, over the top and sometimes woody acting and very cheesy story lines.

Lesbian Vampire Killers has everything that makes a movie bad, but somehow is a very entertaining romp that undoubtably has a cult of guilty pleasure followers.

Alot of people will love this film, just as many will find it utter rubbish, if you enjoy corny B-grade horror comedy the L.V.K may just hit the spot

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Delicacy (2011)

The infectious Audrey Tautou takes center stage in this charming French confection about love in its various configurations. Ever since "Amelie," I've been enchanted with Tautou. She is so likable and natural with an intriguing ease on screen. It's almost impossible not to relate to her in some manner, and I think this appeal can sometimes overshadow her talent. And she is a true talent, she just makes it look simple. She goes through a strong character arc in "Delicacy" and is absolutely terrific. From contentment, to loss and withdrawal, to romantic rebirth--Tautou experiences much in this film filled with both melancholy and hope. Billed as a whimsical romantic comedy, I wouldn't discount this movie as merely frothy entertainment (although it surely is). There is a truth and poignancy at the heart of "Delicacy" that really resonates. This isn't pure fantasy. There are real life situations, genuine heart, and a surprising depth beneath the sweet exterior. And I, for one, appreciated that the movie felt true to life without sacrificing its charm.

As the movie opens, Tautou seems to be a woman who has it all. But this idyllic existence is short lived as a tragic accident scrambles her contented life. Picking up three years later, Tautou has thrown herself into her career. Although well liked, she appears to have dismissed all notions of finding romance. In fact, she isn't looking for it in any way, shape, or form. Fending off unwanted advances and becoming the fodder for office speculation, one day she breaks routine with a defiant and almost unconscious act. She impetuously kisses a subordinate (Francois Damiens) and proceeds as if nothing has happened. But Damiens is besotted and this unremarkable (and relatively meaningless) moment might just have long range repercussions. The two are an unlikely match, but they begin a casual friendship that is very winning. Can you find love when you're not looking for it? Or is there any other way? The biggest obstacle, in this case, is the resistant Tautou. But maybe everything happens for a reason.

Tautou, as I've said, is really great here but she is matched by Damiens (traditionally known for more broad comedy). While I was amused throughout, I was also completely invested in both of the characters. I'm not particularly sentimental, but this simple story felt remarkably believable. An easy recommendation for fans of French romance, I think this is a film experience with pretty universal appeal. Its goals are relatively modest, but it certainly achieves what it sets out to do. About 4 1/2 stars. The North American release has Bonus features that include a making-of featurette as well as an exclusive interview with the luminous Tautou. KGHarris, 9/12.

`La délicatesse' is a lovely French dish written by David Foenkinos and directed by both David and Stéphane Foenkinos. Much of the success of this slightly to the edge story of the vagaries of love and life as they intertwine is due to the presence of the irresistible charm and charisma of lead actress Audrey Tautou. She is able to take this story that at times seems impossibly off track and keep it grounded in her sense of lightness and focus, making us believe that what actually happens to this character is truly quite possible.

Nathalie Kerr (Audrey Tautou) is a successful businesswoman who happens to meet the rather unkempt but impish François (Pio Marmaï, an irresistibly charming actor) quite by accident (and an order of apricot juice) in a café. Nathalie is literally swept off her feet and rather quickly this spontaneous meeting of hearts results in blissful marriage. The perfect scenario ends tragically when François is accidentally kill. Nathalie's heart seems irreparable and she trudges through life bathed in grief and longing. Even her handsome boss Charles (Bruno Todeschini) can't woo her: Nathalie is frank in her objection that Charles is a married man. Then the door to her office opens and a subordinate nerdy appearing geek named Markus Lundi (François Damiens) walks in and Nathalie impetuously greets him with a passionate kiss an act she represses thinking that such a deed was impossible. And this apparent one-sided accidental occurrence lightens Markus' life and he is committed to falling in love with the resistant Nathalie. The `courtship' leads to Nathalie's recognition that love and happiness can happen in the most unexpected places and ways.

Summarizing the story makes it sound trite and bordering on silly, but it is the delicately French manner in which it is told that makes the film so refreshingly endearing. The entire cast is first class (director Stéphane Foenkinos is best known as one of France's best casting directors!) but it is the glimmering lightness of Tautou and Marmaï and Damiens that make it sail. A perfect Valentine. Grady Harp, February 13

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"I could go on holiday in your hair," moons a love struck Swede named Markus (Francois Damiens) to his co-worker, a beautiful French widow named Nathalie. If that sounds like an inappropriate comment to make at the office (to your boss, no less), you're right. Then again, it's not every day that your boss (bearing a remarkable likeness to Audrey Tautou) calls you into her office, springs from her chair without warning, plants a lingering, passionate smooch, then goes back to her desk as if nothing just happened. It's an anomaly that a slovenly nebbish like Markus is going to require a few days to process.

Whether or not you believe that a beautiful young widow who bears a remarkable likeness to Audrey Tautou would even consider throwing herself at a slovenly nebbish who bears a remarkable likeness to a French Chris Elliot is probably a good litmus test for whether or not you will be willing to sit through a romantic dramedy called "Delicacy", directed by siblings David and Stephane Foenkinos (adapted from David's novel). In an opening montage that vibes the films of Eric Rohmer, we get a recap of Nathalie's relationship with her late husband, the suavely continental Francois (Pio Marmai), from their initial Meet Cute at a quaint café, to his untimely demise while out for a jog one fateful morning. The heartbroken Nathalie deals with her pain by becoming a workaholic.

And so it is that Nathalie registers just as much shock at her impulsive amorous advance on her own underling, as does Markus himself (who leaves her office dazed and confused). When he later screws up the courage to ask her if she truly wants to go down this road, Nathalie tries to backpedal. She doesn't know what possessed her. Her mind was elsewhere, etc. etc. "You sound like an American. That's a bad sign," Markus deadpans, in the film's funniest line. This gets a chuckle out of Nathalie, breaking the ice.

Will this odd couple find true love? You'll have to watch to find out. You will have to be willing to suspend your disbelief, of course. Your willingness to go along with this fluffy but diverting affair also hinges on which camp you happen to be in regarding Ms. Tautou's saucer-eyed, Gallic pixie allure (which some are apparently immune to). There is some unevenness in tone, particularly stemming from an over-reliance on the gimmick of "listening in" to each character's Deep Thoughts (which aim for poetic heights but tend to crash-land just this side of a Hallmark greeting card), but it's not enough to sink the proceedings. The film is saved by Tautou and Damiens' onscreen chemistry; they both bring an endearing charm to their roles. Damiens imbues his shambling ugly duckling with a gentle humanity that helps us grok what Nathalie finds so appealing. Think of this film as a soufflé, which, depending on what you bring to the table, can be an entree or a dessert. If you're the type who could bypass the entree and go straight to dessert, I think you will enjoy. Those without a sweet tooth will probably want to skip it.

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*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE UK BLU RAY VERSION (Released Aug 2012) ***

"Delicacy" isn't a masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination but nowadays is that rarest of digital beasts a 'kind' film a gently unfolding love story about two polar opposites who need to give each other a chance...

But therein lies some of this French movie's problems with critics and audiences alike (never mind the English subtitles). We're essentially being asked to believe what some would say is absurd after the loss of her ludicrously handsome and beloved husband Francois (Pio Marmai) the swanlike beauty Nathalie Kerr (Audrey Tautou) then falls in love with the office klutz the balding cardigan-wearing Swedish clerk Markus Lundl (Francois Damiens). And of course in the real world no such thing would happen. But I'd argue that David and Stephane Foenkinos' movie is better than that...

"La Delicatesse" (the original French title) isn't a rom-com or even a comedy as the trailer clumsily tries to portray it's rather more serious than that. It's a journey from heartbreak back to hope and it's done with class and a deliberately languid pace. It comes with the usual office dynamics the already-married boss Charles (Bruno Todeschini) consumed with the widowed prize he can't have the gossiping secretary Chloe (a shockingly gorgeous Melanie Bernier) and outside of work friends and their nosey partners who don't rate the social status of Nathalie's new male acquisition (and he's not even that pretty either).

Speaking of physical beauty and its grip on our world in 2011 the script has a go at these social hypocrisies and often succeeds. But I was more impressed with other sublime and touching moments... When Nathalie returns after the funeral to her apartment and the blurry emptiness just hits her when she picks up a friend's child in a playground and smiles for the first time in a long while when she later gets an inexpensive but thoughtful gift from Markus that changes her perspective of him so completely. And their year-after-year relationship is allowed to grow slowly talks on the office roof (dialogue above) when Markus sees Nathalie's elegant neckline as they exit a restaurant when Nathalie's elderly aunt greets them in the rain at her country cottage and remarks that he is "a good man"...

The BLU RAY picture is good beautiful in places but hardly exceptional it has to be said. Defaulted to 1.85:1 aspect ratio it does at least fill the entire screen and the English subtitles are never unreadable. There are 15 deleted scenes (some quite substantial) and the 21 blooper reels where the cast has a giggle are a welcome blast (even having a light-hearted poke at "The Artist" on the last one).

The camera adores every second of Audrey Tautou and sometimes her extraordinary beauty works against her yet she imbibes her Nathalie with a hurt and longing that is wholly believable. When she sobs or delights you feel both with an equal wallop. Francois Damiens does even better never overplaying the ordinariness of his Markus just letting it flow out slowly but also allowing him those dizzy moments of seize-the-day or love will elude you. Very touching stuff...

Perhaps it's just me but I can't help but feel that we've been so emotionally bludgeoned over the years by bad movies, violence and cruelty-as-cool that something as genuinely lovely as "Delicacy" finds itself being poo-pooed and dismissed in certain quarters. I'd say take a chance on this one it will reward you...

...And if Audrey Tautou or Melanie Bernier need a dish on their arms for a premier or a red carpet or two once the female queue outside the hall door has died down and the football's over I'm available (for a very reasonable fee).

BLU RAY Specifications:

Video: 1.85:1 Full Screen Aspect Ratio

Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and 2.0 Stereo LPCM

Subtitles: A French Film with English Subtitles Onscreen

EXTRAS:

1. Deleted Scenes (15)

2. Bloopers (21)

3. Trailer

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Good quality and great movie . You have to see it! Audrey is lovely, funny / dramatic story!this isn't a Hollywood love story , but a realistic one.

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Class of Nuke 'Em High

I am not going to review this movie on here but I can say one thing about it and that it is one of Troma's best films. Ok with that said I am going to go more into a comparison between the 2 formats and if it's worth the upgrade. Well first off the DVD version is in the 1:33:1 (Full Screen) aspect ratio which sucks if you have a HD TV and the blu-ray is in the 1:85:1 (Widescreen) apect ratio which is great if you have an HD TV. Now when it comes to the picture quality I have to say that the Blu-Ray does look better, it's not perfect but does look better. The audio also seems to be better. Overall I would have to say that if you are a fan of this film then I suggest you pick this one up!

Let me start off by saying that this is one of the better Troma films but not better than the toxic avenger.Nuke em high is about a nuclear power plant that leaks into Tromaville high causing students to mutate.Thats preatty much the plot without taking about the createns, but this is a Troma movie so who cares about the plot.Fans of Troma will love this but those who don't might want to look eleswhere.Followed but two sequels that shouldn't have ever been made.

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Rating: 5-"This is a special rating for bad films that are fun to watch. Because they are inherently difficult to rate, they receive 5's because there is much that is terrible about them, but much that is often unintentionally amusing as well. Or they can be bad films made to be bad or camp. They may have intentional merits, also. Everyone should stay away except for connoisseurs of enjoyably bad films."

At various times good, bad, enjoyable and irritating, Class of Nuke 'Em High is a grade C film that was intentionally made to be a grade C film. The plot concerns a nuclear power plant that's run by a whole team of Homer Simpsons. Not only are they having periodic mini-disasters, but one of the employees has been growing marijuana in a restricted outside area and selling it to kids at the local high school, which is only a quarter mile down the road. The high school kids are exposed to nuclear waste both through the marijuana and through a water supply contamination, and it turns some of them into pulsating radioactive superheroes, disintegrates others, and for the former honor society, it turned them into an overacting group of Mad Max rejects. There is one scene in the movie which is especially bad where supposed actor, Brett Weston, playing a corpse gets gang raped by a bunch of covermounters and can distinctively be seen smiling as he recieves wave after wave of punishment.

A lot of Nuke 'Em High is supposed to be funny, and much of it is. Some of the stuff that's supposed to be funny is simply irritating-this goes for the Mad Max rejects most of the time. Movies like this tend to work better when it's not so obvious that they are trying to spoof genres. When they are trying, it has to be extremely funny in order to work. When they aren't trying-when the filmmakers are trying to make a decent film given their budget, and it still comes out bad, the little unintentionally funny bits are enjoyable. It's the difference of laughing at a faux pas as opposed to watching a bad comedian tell a cheesy joke.

The nuclear plant setting, with a wonderfully fake looking matte painting for exterior shots, is unfortunately underused-the plant employee characters were enjoyable, funny and there was a lot more potential for them. Several other auxiliary characters should have been used more, also, but the two goody-two-shoe protagonists are well cast and do an admirable job.

Classified as horror, Nuke 'Em High doesn't even approach that genre for a large chunk of the first half. That's too bad because it works best when it's violent. The scene with the old lady carrying groceries, the alleyway brawl, the coup d'etat in the principles office, the bathroom fight scene, etc. are all among this films best.

Recommendation: Overall, Nuke 'Em High is a mixed bag, and my evaluation while I was watching it continually vacillated between "bad bad" and "good bad." Troma films fans are bound to enjoy this to some extent, although most fans are more than likely already familiar with this Troma staple. Other than Troma fans, approach this film only if you enjoy cheesy B and C movies. It's not the best "turkey," but it is tasty enough for Thanksgiving.

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Class of Nuke 'Em High. It's a title that I've loved for a very long time due to its weirdness, gross-out gore effects, and humor. This is not a film to take seriously, but you should already know that seeing as how it's part of the famous (or infamous?) Troma library. I recently sold my DVD copy of the film in order to "upgrade" to Blu-Ray. I realize that not EVERY Blu-Ray is going to look and sound like Iron Man, but the quality of the Blu-Ray print leaves much to be desired. In all honesty, the print was rather ho-hum. It appeared to be of no better quality than an old DVD of the film. I'm not sure if this is simply a combination of the film being low budget to begin with and that the original print really isn't very good, or if this release was simply rushed to cash in on the Blu-Ray craze. But that's the thing with Blu-Ray...sometimes I'm absolutely amazed at how well an old title can look on Blu-Ray (a superb example being American Werewolf in London), but other times (such as this) I just have to ask myself what the point was of releasing this on Blu-Ray. This is an essential film to own (if you're into movies like this), but not an essential Blu-Ray to own.

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I have seen this film many times and never get tired of it. I would mention the plot,but who cares about the plot in a film like this? For some reason,this isn't as respected as The Toxic Avenger,and I wonder why. The laughs in this film are nonstop and any comedy fan should check this film out.

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