Delta Farce (2007)

That is exactly what this movie is. Its not an intellectual comedy. There is very little plot development, the characters don't evolve much, and its not filled with special effects or hard-core action scenes to make up the difference. So why in all the world did I give it four stars? I liked it because although not hilarious, it is funny. The characters are actually likeable. And the story wasn't really important to pay attention to. It is very mindless. You don't need to think while you watch this movie so its perfect for the work day from h-e-double hockey sticks. I would classify it more as a wind down movie. If you want a gut-wrenchingly funny comedy, this isn't the movie you're looking for. If you are just looking for something simple to watch, this is an excellent choice.

The reviews, with the exception of John Nelson's, are way off. I've found that 99% of the time, when someone doesn't like or hates a comedian is because they don't understand the humour. This has to be the case here. Larry and Bill Engvall are two of the funniest comedians alive. They don't have to work blue to get millions and millions of people to like them. Maybe people don't like this movie because of several reasons ---

A. They don't understand funny things (most probable)

B. They know/are related to rednecks (ie. real people) and are embarrassed

C. They think that to be funny, a movie/comedian has to be really intellectual, high brow, and dry-witted. What's wrong with fart humour ? As my favourite DJ says about his morning show "booger, booger, fart, fart, weiner"

D. They're jealous because they're just like Larry or Bill and aren't famous themselves

E. They think that every movie has to be Oscar quality. This isn't the case. Not every director makes a movie thinking that it's going to win a million awards. Most of the time, people make movies because it's fun and they think people will like it.

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I'll make it short and sweet. Highly recommended. Clean fun movie with no BOOBS

GET R DONE!

I don't understand all the negative reviews.. People now a days want blood and guts..

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First, let's make one point clear: THIS

IS A STUPID MOVIE. God, is it stupid. But movies this stupid aren't often as funny as this one. I should have been more generous with the star rating, as I doubt they intended this to be taken seriously. If you take it too seriously, you will be bitterly disappointed. But any movie that features Larry The Cable Guy has a stamp on it.

But despite the names of Engvall and "Larry," the real show stealer is DJ Qualls. This guy's a mess, a real train-wreck. Yes, he's the stereotypical trigger-happy clueless American, but what people don't understand, is it is an intentional low-brow comedy which relies on insensitivity and stereotypes. Hence the hard-drinking Mexicans, the over-the-top "No Closet Can Hold Me" gay nephew of the town thug, the thug himself, and the beer-guzzling "redneck" Americans. Lighten up, people, it's just a silly movie.

And to all you politically correct busybodies, who still want to subject yourself to politically incorrect misery, that of the right to personal expression, go to "Features" and watch the interview with Lisa Lampanelli, the "Queen Of Mean." As Mencia often says, "...FREE SPEECH, BABY!!!" My god, get a sense of humor...

Also in the features, one sees how Danny Trejo got into acting. He is often typecast in bad guy roles, but as he says here, he has done time in every California penitentiary at one time or another. He lost nine years of his life to prison sentences. Coming to the point where he said to himself, "enough is enough," he finally did straighten himself out, and managed to break into films, as an extra at first. This isn't really relevant to the film, but "Bonus Features" never really are.

Back to the movie at hand. The biggest laugh I had in watching this was from a very short clip, only a few seconds at most. At one hour, eight minutes, forty-two seconds, Qualls left me on the floor with a noise he made. Some sounds can do this, in this case, a scream. But it killed me. I don't know, it is just one of those things. And of course, there is juvenile toilet humor, Larry's catch-phrase: "...Git'r done..." and a lot of, as I said earlier, stupidity. But keep in mind it is just a silly movie, a "Farce," if you will, and you won't hate it so much.

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You know what camp your in with Larry The Cable Guy, you love the guy and find him funny and easygoing or you think he's some kind of antichrist who is just so offensive to everyone. Funny how Chappelle and Mencia can go so much farther with material and get such applause and Larry just pushes the envelope and has people needing their diaper changed.

Is this movie any good? No not really, most comedies that aren't even very good movies or have lame stories can still be funny. Is the movie amateurish? yeah it gets pretty silly with scenes that are shot and handled you just know something silly or bad is going to happen. Is the movie FUNNY? Yes, some scenes can be sidesplitting particularily DJ Qualls who is on the tetched side as a sidekick who can't wait to get a gun and blow something away. Keith David as the commander spends most of the movie being humiliated but even he comes away still being awesome. And no Larry and Bill aren't great actors but they are fun to watch and if you were looking for good acting, uh what are you doing here? Harrison Ford and Dustin Hoffman are on another shelf this is Delta Farce for crying out loud!

The idea while farfetched (Reservists while goofing around the base one day get picked to head to Iraq and enroute get dropped out of their plane over Mexico, only they don't know it) makes me think of classic comedy movies or TV shows where the leads don't know where they are and slowly but surely figure it out.

"But Larry is offensive, and they make jokes about things they don't like!!!" Well, then this movie isn't for you and thats all there is to it. I saw it with a friend of mine who served overseas and he thought it was hysterical. To all of Larry's haters out there, just remember what Hoard Stern said, in so many words "If you don't like it, just turn it off."

Oh and quit crying. Really theres so much more to do with your time and life then complain about a comedian.

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Get Him to the Greek (2-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition) (2010)

Instead of reviewing the plot to one of the funniest movies of the year, which can be found in all other reviews, I will focus on what you get with this 2-disc Blu-Ray edition.

This set includes both the theatrical and an unrated version, which includes approximately 4 additional minutes.

Additional Features:

3 Documentaries -

"Getting Him to the Greek" which includes behind the scenes clips and interviews with the cast and crew

"Getting in Tune with the Greek" the writing and recording of the music of 'Infant Sorrow'

"The Making of African Child" a look at the making of the music video

Music extras -

Hilarious music videos for 5 songs from the film

Concert footage of the performances of 7 additional songs

Karaoke! Sing along with 15 of Aldous Snow's hits

Alternate Ending "Riding Daphne" (VERY entertaining!)

Audio Commentary the feature length commentary includes Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Elisabeth Moss, Rose Byrne, director Nicholas Stoller, and producer Rodney Rothman.

Also includes Deleted and extended scenes, alternate intro 'The Castle,' two gag reels, Line-o-Rama, and cast auditions.

If you liked the movie you will not be disappointed with this Collector's Edition.

Brand and Hill are great, but P. Diddy steals the show in some scenes.

Right up there with Superbad, American Pie, the Hangover and Caddyshack.

Only "off" part was the end...look like they were desperate to wrap it up.

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This movie surpassed by expectations. It looked funny from the previews I'd seen and it was WAY better than I expected. Watching it never gets old. The only moderately negative thing I could say about it is do NOT watch this one with your parents or parents do not watch with your children. I'm 23 and would be exceedingly uncomfortable if my parents watched this with me.

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If you're easily offended by raunchy humor or satire is not your cup of tea, then this probably is not the ideal movie choice for you. I thought it was funny and entertaining from the beginning all the way to the end of the credits.

I loved the ridiculous songs and lyrics, and Russell Brand did an excellent job delivering them. To me this was a sort of 21st century take on the "This is Spinal Tap" type scenario minus the spoof documentary treatment (which I also love). If you've been in a rock band, spent some time around one or were a die hard follower especially during the '80s to mid '90s I think you might enjoy this even more.

I've read some reviews that mentioned a weakness in the "serious" moments in the film, but that's lost on me because I didn't see a serious scene in the entire film. And every time there was even a hint of a "warm and fuzzy moment" it paid off with another dose of humor. Drug abuse, outrageous parties, destructiveness and/or total self-indulgence has been the downfall of many entertainers and much like the film "Walk Hard" this an over-the-top satire of that unfortunate fact.

This is definitely going in my comedy collection.

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Sergio (Sean Combs) is looking for the next big thing to bring in revenue for Pinnacle Records. Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) suggests that they bring Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) to the Greek Theater in Los Angeles for the tenth anniversary of his last live concert there, which was the highest selling live album of all time. As a result Sergio sets up the concert and gives Aaron the task of escorting Aldous from London to Los Angeles in 72 hours. But since Aldous is off the wagon getting him there might be a little harder than Aaron imagined.

The character of Aldous Snow was first conjured up by Jason Segel and brought to life by Russell Brand in the 2008 movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Not too long after the release of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, director Nick Stoller announced they would be doing a spin off movie based on Aldous Snow falling off the wagon, and that movie would star Russell Brand and Jonah Hill, albeit, in a different role than Hill played Marshall. While the idea seemed intriguing, and the character of Aldous was brilliant in Marshall, I have to admit I had some reservations about the idea of a spinoff focusing on Aldous as a main character. So how did the movie turn out?

It turns out I had nothing to worry about. While the premise might sound a bit contrived at first (and the trailers don't help that feeling when you see Combs's character bring it up) the plotting feels nothing less than organic. While at times over the top, it never truly feels over the top, making the world these characters live in feel real. Part of the reason for that is the characters have been perfectly rounded out. One of the things that I was worried about, was in Sarah Marshall Snow wasn't completely fleshed out nor did he need to be, he was a blissed out rock star, and you really didn't need to know more about him for his role in the plot. For Greek writer/director Nick Stoller gives the character a soul, and Russell Brand does a great job of breathing life into that soul.

Speaking of Russell Brand, he might have stolen every scene he was in during Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but here he's upstaged, not by Jonah Hill, but (dare I say it) Sean Combs. I never would have expected that I would be saying anything of the sort, but Sean Combs truly steals the movie playing a music executive who's the spiritual brother of Tom Cruise's Les Grossman from Tropic Thunder. Everyone does a great job in their roles, but it's Combs and Brand that really make the movie.

Of course not everything comes up roses, the movie suffers from a nearly cliché third act that stops nearly dead in it's tracks as it gets overly serious. It's understood that in a movie where they show excessive drug use and debauchery things are eventually going to have to come to a head for the characters, at the same time this probably could have been handled in a more entertaining manner. About half way through the third act though things pick up, but it feels like a long way through the third act before they bring back the funny.

Overall I highly recommend this movie, and I wouldn't be surprised if when all is said and done at year's end this remains the funniest movie of the year. If you like other movies produced by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, and most definitely Forgetting Sarah Marshall) you'll most likely, almost definitely love this movie. Come for the brilliant performances of Russell Brand and Sean Combs, stay for the Vegas scene with the Jeffrey, trust me!

4/5

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The Rum Diary (2011)

This movie is good. I've read the book several times, and yes, there were changes made, but I still loved it. When transferring book to film, changes are always made. It's the awful truth, I know. People want to compare this film to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Guess what? It's not. AND, it's not supposed to be. I'm a Thompson fan, through and through. I've read his work for years. I think the characters were spot on. This movie isn't for people who just want to see Johnny Depp on screen, or those who want another film in the likes of Vegas. Ribisi was AMAZING to watch in this movie. I really loved it, can't wait to get my copy and add it to my collection.

Johnny Depp plays reporter Paul Kemp in Hunter S. Thompson's the Rum Diary. The movie borderlines on insanity as Kemp becomes drunk and drunker in a 1960s Puerto Rico. While not as manic as the other Hunter S Thompson films the Rum Diary has it's own narrative rhythm. Paul meets his eccentric coworkers, gets drunk, has crazy adventures, gets drunker etc. Johnny Depp's acting is good, one gets to see an interesting portrait of a writer trying to find his voice while he is trying to get plastered. There are undercurrents of Hunter S. Thompson present in Depp's portrayal of Kemp which starts bubbling to the surface near the end. there are funny antics going throughout the movie just not nearly as sporadic as the other two. all in all the movie is good and if you are a Johnny Depp fan Or a Hunter S. Thompson fan check this movie out and see if it can entertain you.

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To appreciate the quality of this rambling little film that is actually based on an episode in the life of Hunter S. Thompson the following biographical information is helpful: `Hunter Stockton Thompson (1937 2005) was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary (published in1998), Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971), Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 (1973), The Curse of Lono (1983), and Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (1966). He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to such a degree that they become central figures of their stories. He is known also for his lifelong use of alcohol, LSD, mescaline, and cocaine (among other substances); his love of firearms; his inveterate hatred of Richard Nixon; and his iconoclastic contempt for authoritarianism. In 1960 Thompson moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to take a job with the sporting magazine El Sportivo, which folded soon after his arrival. Thompson applied for a job with the Puerto Rico English-language daily The San Juan Star, but its managing editor, future novelist William J. Kennedy, turned him down. Nonetheless, the two became friends and after the demise of El Sportivo, Thompson worked as a stringer for the New York Herald Tribune and a few stateside papers on Caribbean issues with Kennedy working as his editor. While suffering a bout of health problems, he committed suicide in 2005 at the age of 67.'

In the film version of Thompson's autobiographical book, Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) is a freelance journalist who finds himself at a critical turning point in his life while writing for a run-down newspaper in the Caribbean under toupeed editor Lotterman (Richard Jenkins). He is accompanied by the staff photographer Sala (Michael Rispoli), the drunken staff writer Moberg (Giovanni Ribisi) in his discovery of the many wonders of Puerto Rico, not the least of which is a group of entrepreneurs lead by Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart) who happens to be living with the stunning Chenault (Amber Heard) who Paul is attracted to and a series of disreputable business men bent on `touristifyng' a neighboring island. Paul is a drunk and finds innumerable distractions and challenges as he tries to worm his way through the playing field of lost souls.

The story is Hunter S. Thompson all the way and Bruce Robinson has adapted Thompson's book in much the same way the novelist communicates: Robinson also directs. Depp, as usual, manages to make the strange lead character not only interesting but also ingratiating. The supporting cast is solid. The film gets off track many times, but as pure entertainment it is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours watching Depp create another memorable character based on life! Grady Harp, February 12

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The "Rum Diary" takes us to 1960 Puerto Rico, as we fly in to the tune of "Volare" aboard a small engine plane with Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp). He's the "fresh meat" for the local paper, a journalist and self-proclaimed "failed author", although throughout this movie you will find him dedicated to his post in his own fashion.

The first day of his new job, he is still quite drunk from the rum-soaked night previously and the editor-in-chief Lotterman (Richard Jenkins) is already questioning his morals and capability. Of course, we are seeing Johnny Depp portray a character that is intoxicated the major part of this movie and I think is hilarious handling it.

Kemp is introduced to Rob Sala (Michael Rispoli), the 'staff recorder' and later to Moburg (Giovanni Ribisi) the 'religious correspondent'. These titles are certainly a laugh in themselves as they are not even close to what these guys are up to. They go in and out of the paper's office, argue with Lotterman and go off in whatever misguided direction that they came from. Watch Ribisi's character in this, as I think he steals the show in several places.

The plot is quite simple and I'm guessing a little more so than some people may be expecting from the movie. Kemp was brought into a sinking ship of a paper to appease the locals and try to keep it afloat. This is a kind of slack-off position for Kemp to have to handle, one he does with gusto.

The 'problem' comes when Kemp and his buddies begin to care about the paper and the people of San Juan, then start to believe in their rights as readers of it. Aaron Eckhart does a great job as the arrogant cad he is here. Amber Heard does a good job as his girlfriend, and Kemp's object of desire also.

Depp's mannerisms, facial expressions and sarcastic humor are all spot on. I definitely can see why he was personally behind the project. One does not have to be a Hunter S. Thompson fan to enjoy this movie whatsoever. It is not like "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" as it may appear several people are comparing this to. Same author, different situation (semi-autobiographical account)--although one hallucinogenic type scene does take place between Kemp and his close buddy, Sala.

Moburg floats in and out of the head state he is in to end up really enjoying Kemp, and gains a respect for himself too. Eventually these three are sharing an apartment for awhile. The deluded conversations are priceless.

I enjoyed this movie very much by just taking it for what it is, a Johnny Depp comedy/drama. The other actors in this movie add a lot of regional color and flavor while Depp's two cohorts (Rispoli and Ribisi) add an overdose of alcoholic comedy. Some of the situations that these three get into are over the top and make you think, 'Is this really based on a true story?' Yep.

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In 2011, 13 years after first portraying a Hunter S. Thompson doppelganger in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Johnny Depp took on two roles that referenced the controversial writer: one by way of an animated chameleon that took its cues from Fear and Loathing's Raoul Duke, and the other by way of an adaptation of Thompson's semi-autobiographical debut novel, The Rum Diary. While the former was considered a success, the latter, unfortunately, split critics in much the same way that Fear and Loathing did. The Rum Diary follows journalist Paul Kemp as he travels to Puerto Rico to write for a local paper. While there, Paul is tasked with writing a favorable story about an American entrepreneur intent on exploiting the island for commercial gain, and Paul must contemplate the murky moral nature of the piece. I felt that Depp was as committed to the role as ever, and that the film was colorful and amiable enough, but I was also a bit put off by the rambling source material, which made for an unfocused narrative. Fans of both Thompson and Depp may enjoy the flick, but there are no guarantees here.

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The Kids Are All Right (2010)

The Kids Are All Right is a thoroughly entertaining slice-of-life domestic drama about two kids who look up their sperm-donor father, causing cataclysmic changes in the family dynamic. Not a unique premise save that the parents of the kids happen to be lesbians.

The entire cause célèbre for this film is to show straight America how "normal" gay families are and that they shouldn't be afraid of "gay marriage" or "gay parenting," thus it doesn't delve too deep or wander too far off topic. Political film making is a tricky business. You'll remember the Tom Hanks drama Philadelphia was maligned by the LGBT activist fringe for all the issues it didn't address; to which my answer has always been: it's a two hour film, if you add too many spicy issues you're left with an unpalatable polemic.

The script and direction by Lisa Cholodenko (High Art) are tight, well focused and only occasionally heavy-handed. Her characters are fresh, while being stereotypically familiar to pre-conditioned movie-goers. These are folks we know, people we work with and/or live in our neighborhood: "normal" people. Is it perfect? No; there an almost fatally flawed plot contrivance that seems only there to provide the filmmaker an all too easy source of conflict.

What elevates the film above the run-of-mill movie-of-the-week domestic drama is the acting. Annette Benning is staggeringly good as the head of her household the alpha female in this case. Her performance is embarrassingly rich; she presents a myriad of conflicting emotions, each one immediately recognizable, true and never over played. Julianne Moore turns in a lovely portrait of the less-successful, less self-assured partner. Mark Ruffalo is a revelation as a forty-something man finally approaching adulthood; a free-spirit, still capable of making disastrously foolish decisions in his pursuit to find personal fulfillment. Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson are always on target as the kids, conveying the perfect blend of angst and innocence.

Just as they did with Juno and Little Miss Sunshine, the film community is falling all over themselves hyping this. Like those films, The Kids Are All Right is an entertaining, socially relevant effort and deserving of quantified praise; but don't be mislead, it's not Citizen Kane.

I found this movie to be very well-acted and well-directed.

The sexual scenes didn't bother me not one bit, like some of the other reviewers.

I mean, COME ON!!---This is life in the 21st Century!--Grow up already!

People get naked and they interact, okay?---Thank goodness that computers and gadgets

haven't spoiled that for us (yet!), as it has with basic conversational skills and other forms

of by-gone or slowly dying human interaction.

I actually know both a lesbian couple, as well as a gay male couple who

are living similar circumstances as in the premise of this movie.

I found it very modern, refreshing, and mature in it's approach to the subject matter.

I have long been a fan of Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore and Annette Benning's work,

and I also thought "the kids" themselves did an excellent job at portraying their roles.

My problem was in that I felt like the Mark Ruffalo character kind of had his once happy

and balanced, (for him), life just upheaved and torn apart when he gets contacted by these "kids",

who of course, have every right to know who their father / donor was, and also what his background is.

Ruffalo's character had a great attitude (I thought) about the whole thing...

He was naturally pensive and cautious at first, though not in a malicious way, but soon warmed to the

idea that he had these "kids" in his life now, and was more than open to getting to know them, and allow

them to get to know him. I felt that Annette Benning's character, who felt threatened, in addition to just

being an anal-retentive, controlling witch with a capital B, was very mean and cold towards Ruffalo's character.

Julianne Moore's character was a bit of a messy, confused, psychological user.

Moore's character is that kind of person who is filled with inner turmoil or frustration, but makes it everybody

else's problem around her. I hated how she treated the latino gardener too, just because she felt guilty

about all of the drama and calamity that she was causing in her affair with Ruffalo's character!

I always say: "Don't jump in the river, if you're not a strong swimmer, babe!" (-:

Ruffalo's character was the perfect outlet for her pent up sexual confusion / tension,

and the two (again) enter into a very complicated and torrid affair, which of course, could

only end in heartache for all concerned. As soon as Moore's character quenches her sexual thirst/curiosity,

she just basically returns back to her life relationship Benning's character and the "kids",

after she and Ruffalo's character are found out, and they all seem to throw Ruffalo's character under the bus...

As if to say, "Okay babe, we've all uprooted you from your life, and now we're done with ya!--So ummmm---kay, bye!"

This kind of left a bad taste in my mouth, as Ruffalo's character is literally left

on the outside looking in, as Benning & Moore & the kids reunion-reconnection happens without him.

He is locked out of their lives...Lives that he really never knew exsisted in the first place,

until they invaded his, satiated their curiosity, and sent him packing.

Not cool, I felt. )-:

Not saying that Ruffalo's character was a saint or anything, but the man had his own business

and his own life...as unorthodox as it was...but then again, wasn't Benning, Moore and the kids' lives

just as unorthodox? I guess I just wished that a balance could've been reached between all parties,

and it could've ended on that note, instead of Ruffalo's character, who btw, he played with a great spirit

& optimism, being dejected and disregarded. Just my humble opinion of course. (-:

I still enjoyed this movie though, despite its (what I considered to be) plot flaws. **4 Stars**

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Yes, this movie is probably being at least a little overpraised by the critics. I suspect many of them consider it "brave" for a film to depict an ordinary American family, whose parents just happen to be lesbians. Let's face it, awards voters and critics love anything that deals with race, homosexuality, or any of the other hot-button social topics (witness the dreck known as "Crash" winning Best Picture a few years ago).

None of which is meant to detract from The Kids are All Right, which is still quite an enjoyable small film. The acting especially is uniformly good. Annette Bening is sure to receive an Oscar nomination (well deserved), for her fantastic performance as Nic, the tightly-wound, more responsible half of the married couple formed by herself and Julianne Moore. Moore is also excellent playing Jules, a more aimless free-spirit type their differences are a source of much of the comedy in the film. In all respects but their sexual orientation, they are a typical suburban married couple, with all the happiness and challenges that entails.

Mark Ruffalo continues to be one of the most reliably good actors working today. He gives another standout performance as Paul, the biological father of Nic's daughter Joni and Jules' son Laser. As is often the case in his other films, Ruffalo's acting has such ease and charm that he makes his performance look deceptively easy. In lesser hands the character of Paul could have been the stereotypical charming bad-boy we've seen before in movies a million times. But Ruffalo gives him a warmth and humanity that makes the audience root for him (even when he screws up).

My biggest complaint about the film was with a major plot twist involving Jules and Paul that seemed completely out of character to me. I realize the director was trying to comment on how Paul's more accepting nature gave Jules something she was not getting from her wife Nic but the way it was done in the film strained credibility. I also thought the script was rather mean in its treatment of Paul in general... he was basically just discarded at the end of the film without even a chance at an apology. Meanwhile, Jules makes a rather pat speech about marriage, all is forgiven, and we get a pat and not-very-satisfying ending. The film seemed to border on being anti-male, at least that was my perception.

A word about the 2 young actors who play the kids... they both give fantastic, natural performances and are clearly talents to keep watching for as their careers progress.

Overall the great acting is what carries the rather slight story, and it is worth watching for Bening's performance alone (both she and Moore are completely believable as a lesbian couple, for what it's worth). While I do not think it is Best Picture material, it is an enjoyable and occasionally moving portrayal of an almost-typical American family.

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It seems to me the moral of the story is, if you're a lesbian couple then don't invite your sperm donor into your lives otherwise he'll make one of you temporarily "switch teams" so he can have a brief affair and antagonize your relationship with the children? I didn't really have any expectations for the movie and I barely knew what it was about going in. It's too bad because the acting was pretty good all around and the plot was intriguing and kept my attention. The resolution of the characters and their conflicts however is where the movie just fails for me. I get the filmmakers don't want to be predictable but the end of the movie had me not liking this family very much at all. Maybe that was the point, I don't know. Why build up a flawed but likeable character in Mark Ruffalo throughout the movie only to have the family members basically relieve themselves in his face when he doesn't deserve it and then just go on with their lives like nothing happened? I suppose the Paul character goes from being content with his free spirit life to wanting to settle down with a family. The other characters hardly go anywhere. By the end of the movie Nic is still the same self-centered insecure mother she was before. Jules is still indecisive and overly dependent on people for attention. Laser does dump his jerk of a friend but doesn't do much else the rest of the movie. Joni kisses her friend who apparently shares the same feelings but then that's it. She just goes off to college. The movie wasn't terrible but certainly not deserving of the Oscar attention it has gotten.

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I (kind of) didn't like the spoiled and pompous characters the director created for this film -it was hard to feel a lot of empathy for them. I still like Cholodenko a lot and feel she's a real artist. She used to be edgier though, and that's what appealed to me the most about her art. This film was not as engrossing as some of her other works.

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Staten Island (2009)

I picked up this movie to begin with, because Vincent D'Onofrio is in it. I ended up loving it, for the plot and the storyline.

The characters, at times, border on being comical; but not in the usual way. What I mean by that is, that life is ironic and the movie mirrors the ironic way that life comes at you. Sometimes all you can do is laugh about it. The movie is full of twists, with a twist ending.

The characters, go through a series of events; that test thier mettle. How they react to the situations that affect them is what makes this movie special.

The performances are all top notch. Ethan Hawke made me sit up and take notice with the honesty of his performance.

Vincent D'Onofrio was excellent as always. Seymour Cassell was able to make you understand his character, though he didn't utter a word. Just awesome. I definitely recommend this movie. Give it a try. I dont think you will be disappointed.

Bought it because it stars Vincent D'Onofrio. As usual, he entertains. One of the best actors working today. Where are his awards?

The story is interesting although you have to wait for the layers to be peeled away. The writing is excellent and the actors all turn in solid performances. I particularly liked the scenes with Seymour Cassel as a deaf-mute in which the sounds are muffled or muted completely. Can't think of the last time I cheered for an old geezer with a gun, but I still wonder what exactly he does with the meat?

If you like the dumbed down "entertainment" of Adam Sandler or Mike Meyers, this movie isn't for you. If you enjoy an O. Henry type story with well-acted scenes, pick this one up. If you are one of D'Onofrio's crazed fans, you've already bought it and viewed it 15 times complaining about the stupid PTB at USA network the entire time. . . but don't forget to watch the deleted scenes!

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Short Attention Span Summary:

This was an "intersecting stories" type of movie a la "Pulp Fiction."

1. We see a mobster who is in the process of plotting to take over the business of his rivals. It is at this point that we learn that he can hold his breath for a long period of time under water. At the beginning of the movie, he is trying to beat some money out of someone that stole it from him (literally). He leaves because he has to go and see after his mother.

2. The mobster's associates try to kill him after a visit with his mother (the reason for which he had to interrupt the beating that started the movie) and his car veers off into a river. He manages to survive this attempt because of his underwater breathing exercises before.

3. There is a man and his wife. He is a septic tank cleaner and they want to have a child. He gets the bright idea to rob this old woman (who happens to be Mr. Mobster's mother) in order to get the funds to finance his wife's fertility treatment. Oops. Mr. Septic Tank is worried that the child will not be intelligent (it is painfully clear that he himself is not intelligent) and so the cost of the insemination also includes some way to ensure the intelligence of the offspring.

4. Later still, we are introduced to a deaf mute who works at the meat shop that takes care of the bodies that Mr. Mobster brings in from his activities. It seems that this person has a friendly relationship with the Septic Tank Cleaner. Later, Deaf Mute Guy wins a horse race for $47,000 (it seems that he lives a lonely life and his only outlet is betting at the race track from time to time). He knows about the bad things that Mr. Mobster does, and wants to kill him to make the world a better place.

5. Eventually, Mr. Mobster finds out that Mr. Septic tank stole his money, and orders his men to get the money back. Mr. Septic borrows the money from Deaf Mute Guy, but Mr. Mobster's workers kill him just the same. Mr. Deaf mute only finds this out because they send the body to him to dispose of-and he finds out that he was not able to help a person whose life he thought he was going to save.

6. Finally, Mr. Deaf Mute goes to visit Mr. Mobster at his mother's house and kills him and all three of the men who killed Mr. Septic tank (who were also going to come to kill Mr. Mobster) for a very nice denoument.

As a post-script, the Deaf Mute man befriends the boy who is later born to Mr. Septic tank's wife (who, it is clear, is very smart).

This was a welcome change after watching "2012" (the updated version of the "Noah's Ark" story in the Bible). A film like that had lots and lots and lots of special effects, but ultimately a very pedestrian/ derivative plot. This film, however, was the polar opposite. They did very good work with a very low budget.

At the outset, the film was a bit slow. And listening to the soundtrack, I wasn't sure whether this was supposed to be a comedy or something more intense (like, say, Goodfellas).

Seymour Cassel ultimately stole the show, with his intense acting. (And this is a testament to the man's acting ability that he managed to do that in a wordless role.) The fact that his role had no words also shows how carefully the movie was written. (For example, Jasper's red socks being used to identify him later in the movie. For another, the buttons that he took from the shirt of the bodies of which he disposed being a way to keep track of the number of times that he had done such disposals.)

This was well worth the 5RMB and 2 hours that it took to watch it. Highly recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Staten Island (2009) Here

Vincent D'Onofrio really does a great job in this movie in his role as the mobster.

But every other member of the cast is first rate too. This movie reminded me of the many b movie crime flicks that I seen that go all the back to the 1950's. A group of men rob a mob boss and it can't go well for them. Not that most armed robbers aren't eventually caught either but if you rob a mobster that's gonna be really a bad deal. However this movie uses a jump around format that you can still follow without being confused, You get the mobsters story , One of theives story and a mute deaf man played by the excellent seymour casel, these stories interact and they are the focal point. This is not a action movie though and the violence is done offscreen mainly except for some shootings.

It's a crime drama that's very much filled with characterization and it does not movie quickly. SO I would say that this movie is overall a good b movie but it's the acting that gives it four for me. Just like those great low budget crime flicks of the 40's-50's the stories were good but the acting was often great. Those movies were often darker than this, but this is a case of a good drama that uses the intertwined method to tell it's story. I liked it and wouldn't compare this to a four star A movie either. But it's a good b movie and the blu ray looks very good which helps alot. It has a few extras too that add to the package.

Want Staten Island (2009) Discount?

Definitely not your standard mob film, but if you can make it to that final scene I think you will feel rewarded. I suppose the main reason for most people to see this will be the landscapes and assorted footage of Staten Island. But if you get through this atypical low-level crime boss story, a single performance will stand out for Seymour Cassel as one of his best.

The story follows a small crew crime boss in Staten Island trying to make it big. Life takes some unexpected turns for him, those he trusts and for those who have stolen from him. Along the way we are gracefully rewarded with several meaningful story lines being retold as they overlap. A convincing performance by Ethan Hawke, D'Onofrio in a sort of cheese mode (he worded in his interview supplement on the BD as it being a comical yet serious role) and Cassel's epiphany character all culminate into a well made narrative about getting what you deserve no matter who you are.

The Blu quality is solid throughout with only a few grainy shortcomings, the DTS gets both subtle and varying usages (the deaf/mute character scenes have the sound muffled in a way to try and represent his world) and the main supplement provided some excellent insight from two unlikely sources; the extras include:

* D'Onofrio interview, 2:19 minutes. He has always been about letting the work speak for itself and shunning interviews, so this was the usual brief narrative about character and that's it.

* Deleted scenes, 2:36 minutes. Glad they were cut.

* Commentary by Hawke, D'Onofrio and director DeMonaco. I had a new respect for Hawke due to his performance in the film, but his wit/intellect were even more interesting to listen to as he recorded this. And for D'Onofrio to finally talk extensively about anything to do with a movie and film making in general was great. A worthy commentary if you are fans of either of these guys.

Region coded A/B/C, listed as 1080i with English and Spanish subs. Give it a fair shot and I think you might get a good feeling from that last denouement.

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