Four Weddings and a Funeral

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A surprise hit and one of the highest grossing films ever to come out of Great Britain, this effortlessly enchanting romantic comedy finds confirmed bachelor Hugh Grant (Nine Months) attending weddings with his single friends as they all lament not being able to commit. Grant keeps running into an attractive American (Andie MacDowell) at these festivities and begins a long-running affair with her, even as he attends her own wedding, the funeral of one of his best friends, and his own pending nuptials. Featuring a spirited supporting cast including Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient) as the acerbic friend quietly in love with Grant, this touching and funny film with a mischievous sense of humor and some truly heartbreaking moments is destined to become one of the classic romantic comedies of all time. --Robert Lane

Description

The champagne is flowingand so is the funin this "delightful and sly" (Roger Ebert) romantic comedy about two people who belong together but just can't seem to tie the knot. Ushering in two Academy AwardÂ(r) nominations*, and starring Hugh Grant (Notting Hill), Andie MacDowell (Michael) and a superb ensemble cast that includes OscarÂ(r) nominee** Kristin Scott Thomas, Four Weddings and a Funeral is truly "a very special occasion" (Rolling Stone)! Charlie (Grant) is always the best man but never the groom. Determined to avoid even a hint of commitment, this handsome English gentleman is notoriously late to every wedding. But today he's in for a real surprise because not only did he forget the ring...but he also just caught a glimpse of the girl of his dreams (MacDowell)! "Elegant, festive and very, very funny" (The New York Times), Four Weddings and a Funeral is engaging entertainment from beginning to end. *1994: Best Picture, Original Screenplay **1996: Actress, The English Patient

Customer Reviews:

Subtle Romantic Comedy.......2007-08-16

Charles (Hugh Grant) is what some people would call a player. He has had numerous relationships, but commitment is not in his vocabulary. Charles's fear of commitment suffers a challenge when he meets Carrie (Andie MacDowell). Carrie is intelligent, mysterious and honest, and is very self-confident and care-free. Charles struggles against his feelings as he finds himself falling in love with Carrie, but not wanting to speak those words aloud.

This movie is humorous from beginning to end. Sometimes the humor is worthy of a laugh, but much of the humor just made me smile. Regardless of whether I was smiling or laughing, I was completely involved in the story and I wanted Charles and Carrie to end up with each other. There are four weddings, and a sad funeral, but each wedding and the funeral provide opportunities for an array of jokes and gags.

I only have one complaint about this movie. There is significant use of four-letter words throughout. Unfortunately, one portion of the movie benefits from the language so eliminating it would also eliminate some of the humor, but there are places where the language was unnecessary. Obviously this movie is more suitable for an older audience. I would probably avoid showing the DVD version to anyone younger than 16 or 17 years old because of the language.

I have seen comments about Hugh Grant and his "mumbling." I guess I have a different definition of mumbling. I thought Grant spoke his lines about as clearly as I talk (maybe I mumble), and other than brief moments where he was being introspective - let's face it, people may mumble when they are thinking out loud - Grant does not mumble.

I am also impressed that Hugh Grant somehow said four-letter words and left a string of girl friends behind him, and yet he still looked sweet and innocent. I guess that was why he was able to get another girl friend each time he dumped the last one.

Andie MacDowell is beautiful and expressive and perfect for this role. She is sexy and mysterious and intelligent and sensitive, sometimes all at once. I could readily see why Charles was smitten by Carrie. As with most characters Andie MacDowell plays, she brings elegant and classy Carrie to life.

This movie was good enough to gain two Academy Award nominations, for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Beyond those nominations, the movie won 23 significant awards, such as the British Comedy Awards for Best Comedy Picture in 1994. The movie was nominated for another 14 awards of varying stature.

"Four Weddings and a Funeral" is a rare light romantic comedy that relies on an unusual combination of subtle and blatant humor in combination with an intelligent plot. I wondered whether Charles had a hope of capturing the heart of beautiful Carrie to the end of the movie, even as I was smiling and laughing at the humor. If you enjoy light romantic comedies, Hugh Grant or Andie MacDowell, you will find this award-winning movie to be worth more than one watch.

Enjoy!

Good Movie.......2007-07-15

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I liked Hugh Grant a lot in this movie, he did a great job. I would highly recommend this movie.

Romantic light comedy.......2007-06-01

The real life locations in which this film is set are outstanding from start to finish, a veritable travelogue of "secret" Great Britain. Many moments work well, especially when the characters begin to show their personalities. Hugh Grant is good (cast as a character that resembles himself) in this film and Andie McDowell was never lovelier. We wish she would appear in more first rate films. The supporting cast is really an ensemble cast and they all do their work very well. The cameo of Rowan Atkinson the bumbling vicar is so good. Father Son and Holy Goat indeed! Holy Spigot, too. What fun. The tender eulogy by John Hannah is one of two of the best eulogies in all of cinema history, the other being in "Waking Ned Divine". The scene in the rain is also lovely. This movie wears well upon re-watching.

British humor is wonderful.......2007-05-08

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I love Hugh Grant and thought that his character was perfect. It is a great romantic comedy and an excellent addition to anyone who enjoys this genre.

SUPERFICIAL AT BEST.......2007-02-06

Nice visually but superficial. Parading the usual Hollywood values
"Sleeping around is a positive thing". "self centeredness" also very positive. Funnily enough the funeral was the best part of the movie and john Hannah's eulogy the highpoint of the film. I like Andie MacDowell But her role was pretty much confined to looking pretty and sensitive. Hugh Grant just bumbled. I am not sure it deserves even a 2.

Average customer rating:

quirky and well-directed.....
Before Ang became a superstar director for Crouching Tiger
A great relationship film and much more
I loved it!
A Promising Director Named "Ang Lee" Finding His Rhythm

The Wedding Banquet
Starring: Dion Birney , Jeanne Kuo Chang , Winston Chao , Paul Chen , and May Chin
Director: Ang Lee
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B0001V6ZK2
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Amazon.com essential video

This 1993 international hit by Ang Lee is a funny and poignant story of a gay, Taiwanese-American man who goes to some lengths to fool his visiting family that he's actually straight. The results are far more complicated and entertaining than anyone could have guessed. The film seems all the more rich now since Lee has become a major Hollywood director: that same sensitivity and mild bemusement he brought to such stories of manners as Sense and Sensibility and The Ice Storm in recent years are in full bloom in this earlier work. --Tom Keogh

Description

Dig in! This "funny and poignant comedy of manners" (The New York Times), directed and co-written by Oscar(r) nominee* Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility), is an absolutely delicious feast! Winner of the Berlin Film Festival's prestigious Golden Bear, The Wedding Banquet is "top-notch comedy" (Leonard Maltin)! Successful New Yorker Wai Tung and his partner Simonare blissfully happy, except for one thing: Wai Tung's conservative Taiwanese parents are determined he find a nice girl to marry! To please themand get a tax breakhe arranges a sham marriage to Wei Wei, a sexy go-getter in need of a green card. But when his family swoops down for the extravaganza, Wai Tung would do well to remember that at a traditional Chinese wedding banquet, sexual repression takes the night off!

Customer Reviews:

quirky and well-directed............2007-08-12

I must say that it was quite intriguing to watch this film, directed by Ang Lee, after watching another one of his earlier films that he was well-known for [EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN]. This "comedy of errors" storyline is as chaotic as it is engaging. A Taiwanese-American man (Winston Chao) involved in a long term relationship with his White gay lover (Dion Birney) must pretend to be straight when his parents come to town. What's more, they want to find him a good Taiwanese wife. Though, he makes it clear that his standards are impossibly high, his parents find the woman who matches ALL of his qualifications. Thus, the plot thickens. I won't ruin it for you. I will say that it is, both, a comedy of errors and a human drama of bombastic proportions. The themes include those of loyalty, bicultural identity and familial duty. As usual, Ang Lee is in fine form with this one.

Before Ang became a superstar director for Crouching Tiger.......2007-04-09

and opened the door for a flood of mostly fantastic Asian movies, he made this disfunctional/functional family film. So well done and believable, not sappy at all. The actors are excellent and played their parts well. Very successful [...] yuppie couple, one couple's parents don't know he's [...] so his mom keeps sending him applications and pictures of available Chinese mail order brides, he keeps making out the applications with more and more impossible requirements for one person to have, like, has to speak 5 languages, has to sing opera, has to have 3 doctorial degrees, stuff like that. It's been successful so far but, his parents are getting impatient and want a grandchild, so he makes a bargain with one of his illegal tennants, she wants a green card he needs a wife for a week or so. Parents arrive, his father,a retired general, is in ill health, so they have a quickie wedding at city hall. They go out to dinner after, and just happen to pick a Chinese resturant that is owned by a former soldier in his fathers regement. He is so honored that his former general is at his resturant he offers to foot the bill for a lavish wedding banquet. So, the banquet is held ,it is a beautiful and fun filled affair. After the celebration the bride and groom go up to their room and are more than slightly tipsey, have sex, and of course she gets pregnant. His life partner is not thrilled, but understands, his mother is thrilled to pieces, but his father is very quiet about it. I don't think the son gave his father enough credit to understand his lifestyle, after all, he was a general and must have delt with situations like that, anyway the father was very respectful to his life partner and understood, the mother however was still waxing rapsodic about her son seeing his child born would make him "straighten out" so to speak. Parents go back to China with most of what they came for, they got their wedding, grandchild in the works and their son happy with the person of his choice. Enjoy!

A great relationship film and much more.......2006-12-04

I first saw the WEDDING BANQUET upon initial release, and I revisited it again recently. A bit more sophisticated in its' human observations, it's a film that has grown stronger with time's passage.

Lee emerged as an independent filmmaker (an alum of NYU, along with the likes of Spike Lee and Jim Jarmusch, who also emerged from the school during the 1980s), and his earliest films were a great indication that independent filmmaking could tackle complex themes, surpassing Hollywood standards, and still connect meaningfully with audiences.

Lee also may be ahead of his time as a globally focused filmmaker - also evident here. With an unusual knack for balancing cultural specifics (and how they fit into individual lives), and broader universal elements, Lee handles cultural clashes, and assimilation wonderfully - WEDDING BANQUET features some of the most entertaining riffs on such themes (the justice of the peace wedding scene is definitely a classic comic moment) to have graced the big screen. To varying degrees, these themes have surfaced in some fashion in all of Lee's films (also notably in EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN, and it's US remake TORTILLA SOUP); here they are at their most charming.

Overall this film was marketed as something like a gay-themed update on the classic Hollywood "screwball comedy" genre, which it isn't exactly - WEDDING BANQUET moves at a slower pace, and has its' share of humor, but also offers an abundance of very thoughtfully crafted drama. Like EAT DRINK (and also ICE STORM), Lee is very skilled at shaping relationships, and zeroing in on poignant insights within even the bad moments, and in many ways this film stands as one of his finest.

-David Alston

I loved it!.......2006-12-02

Living in New York with a well-paying job, a nice home, a stable relationship with Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein), everything appears to be going Wai-Tung (Winston Chao)'s way. But his Taiwanese parents are expecting a traditional marriage with kids and grandkids -- and he hasn't told them that he's gay.

Meanwhile, Wei Wei (May Chin), a carefree and capricious artist living in a building owned by Wai, has to find a way to acquire a green card or be deported. A solution to both quandaries is proposed: a marriage of convenience. The preparations are made, and everything seems to be going according to plan until Wai's parents arrive from China to plan the wedding banquet.

This is a movie that cares more about the story and its characters than making comedy, adn although there are some scenes that are hilarious, The Wedding Banquet never takes itself too seriously nor does it give way to slapstick and gags just for gags' sake.

Ang Lee demonstrates a extraordinary ability for portraying a objective view of issues while avoiding the snare of cliches and stereotypes. All the characters have their own unique personalities and live and breathe on their own.

The actors are all excellent and the film is well made and I just loved it!

A Promising Director Named "Ang Lee" Finding His Rhythm.......2006-08-26

"HSI YEN" (the movie's Chinese title) was Ang Lee's second feature, and his first that was released in the U.S. It was financed as a "no budget" movie; the idea was to give a promising young filmmaker an opportunity to direct.

So if one thinks of WEDDING BANQUET as a film student's post-grad project, it really helps. These lowered expectations allow one to enjoy the movie without comparing it to Lee's subsequent, vastly more accomplished work. This movie has some amusing set-ups and good cross-cultural material. But its "outrageous" premise seems a wee bit tired now, and there is one major stumbling block:

Aside from a nice turn by Winston Chao and Ah Lei Gua (who play Andrew's parents), the acting ranges from competent to laughable. And the script has some pretty embarrassing moments as well. (For example, when Simon returns home and Andrew is in his room. "Where were you?" "Out." "Out where?" "Out doing things." Ouch.)

American Wedding - Unrated (Widescreen Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

American Pie unrated YAY
bad taste
Trilogy Still Going Strong
Still laughing
Still going strong!

American Wedding - Unrated (Widescreen Collector's Edition)
Starring: Jason Biggs , Seann William Scott , Alyson Hannigan , Eddie Kaye Thomas , and Thomas Ian Nicholas
Director: Jesse Dylan
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JMCT
Release Date: 2004-01-02

Amazon.com

The producers of the American Pie movies pushed their luck with a third slice of their lucrative raunchy comedy franchise, and American Wedding cooked up surprisingly well. It's the sourest serving of Pie, with half of the original cast missing, and there's something undeniably desperate about comedic highlights (involving dog poop, a lusty old lady, two strippers to offset the absence of Shannon Elizabeth, and the ill-advised use of a trimming razor) that arise more from obligation than inspiration, on the assumption that another penile mishap is guaranteed to please. And yet, that's just what this movie does for devoted Pie-munchers: It gives 'em what they want, especially when the notorious Stifler (Seann William Scott) nearly ruins the frantic nuptials of Jim (Jason Biggs) and his band-camping sweetheart Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Eugene Levy and Eddie Kaye Thomas also return for some reliable comic relief, but the one who's laughing most is three-time Pie writer Adam Herz--laughing loudly and often, all the way to the bank. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

American Pie unrated YAY.......2007-05-10

The unrated version of this was much better then the one i saw in the movie theater.

bad taste.......2007-05-02

I thought this was a sexist movie. I wish they would make a movie of teenage girls looking at naked guys for a change!!!!iT'S ALWAYS THE OTHER WAY AROUND BECAUSE MEN MAKE THESE MOVIES AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE!

Trilogy Still Going Strong.......2007-02-15

I enjoyed watching this movie. Lots of laughs and sophomoric fun that you've come to expect from watching all the movies in the American Pie series! Yes, this movie is a bit predictable, but nonetheless entertaining to watch.

It is nice to see Jim and Michelle get married in this movie and all the funny things that happen and go wrong along the way in planning for the wedding!

Still laughing .......2006-11-16

This is almost as funny as American Pie and American Pie 2, but the humor is getting more than a little predictable. However, I am still laughing so 4 stars.

Still going strong!.......2006-08-12

American Wedding is so far the funniest installment to the trilogy.This one finds Jim and Michelle getting married,opening with what I've found to be the naughtiest scene I've ever seen take place in a resturant.Stifler brings more laughs to the screen as Stifler,who thinks the first thing that comes to his mind when he thinks of weddings:Bachelor party!The biggest scene,basically,is the bechelor party scene,where a gay guy Jim and his pals met in a gay bar brings a couple of foreign strippers to Jim's house and they party for a while,until it's busted up by the early return of Jim and Michelle's parents.Laughs and gut-busting humor ensue as the pals get caught up in what might be the best film in the trilogy.

Average customer rating:

inspirational and encoraging for anyone struggling to keep a relationship
An Unfortunate Lack of Chemistry Between an Ill-Used Winger and a Battery-Operated Crystal
Romanticism has its own limits!
This is Kathy and Rich !!!
Paging Meg Ryan...

Forget Paris
Starring: Marv Albert , Charles Barkley , Robert Costanzo , Sean Elliott , and William Hickey
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00002ND79
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Amazon.com

Billy Crystal plays Mickey, a basketball referee who has to accompany his estranged father's body to France, where the old man requested to be buried with the other members of his D-Day platoon. Unfortunately for Mickey, the airline loses his body. Fortunately for Mickey, this leads him to meet Ellen (Debra Winger), an airline executive who takes personal charge of the case and even joins him at the funeral. A whirlwind Paris romance leads to marriage, but that's when the complications begin... The story of Mickey and Ellen's marriage is recounted by their friends (played by Joe Mantegna, Cynthia Stevenson, Julie Kavner, Richard Masur, John Spencer, and Cathy Moriarty) as they wait for Mickey and Ellen to arrive at a dinner party. And of course these friends have their own stories, which are played out in witty shorthand as they bicker about who's going to tell the next part of the Mickey/Ellen saga. Forget Paris is uneven (unsurprisingly, Winger is stronger in the dramatic sections and Crystal in the comic parts, a schism that takes its toll on their chemistry), but its best parts hold up, even if the whole is shaky. Plus, the movie's theme (that romantic memories aren't what makes a marriage work, you have to live in the present) is explored with conviction and tenderness. --Bret Fetzer

Description

The romantic life of NBA referee Billy Crystal is on the rebound when he falls for airline employee Debra Winger. Crystal also directs this transatlantic comedy slam dunk with top-notch supporting cast of comedy pros, including Joe Mantegna, Cathy Moriarty and William Hickey.

Customer Reviews:

inspirational and encoraging for anyone struggling to keep a relationship.......2007-05-08

Over looked romantic film destined to become a classic with a grade A cast and intelligent imaginative script! Look for many director and plot misdirections to keep you interested, without being confused. GREAT date flick and a MUST WATCH for anyoneone struggling to keep the "till death do us part" FEASABLE.

An Unfortunate Lack of Chemistry Between an Ill-Used Winger and a Battery-Operated Crystal.......2006-09-12

I can see why Debra Winger went into a self-imposed exile after this tiresome 1995 studio product, as she looks ill-at-ease as a romantic comedy lead. Here is an accomplished actress who seizes roles with a palpable life force when she is in the right vehicle. However, Winger seems lost playing against the stand-up shenanigans of Billy Crystal, and consequently they never really connect in any believable way. Much of the blame has to be placed on Crystal, who not only starred but also directed and co-wrote the film with Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. He seems intent on doing a retread of "When Harry Met Sally" but this time following a seemingly incompatible couple through marital discord.

Crystal plays Mickey Gordon, an NBA referee who tries to abide by his estranged father's wishes to be buried in France. The airline has unfortunately lost the casket, and their Paris-based customer relations executive Ellen Andrews tries to correct things for Mickey. Of course, they fall in love since it is Paris, and they get married almost immediately. Complications ensue with Mickey on the road and Ellen unable to conceive a baby. The central conceit of the film is its framing device, a dinner where a group of their friends congregate and share their remembrances of Mickey and Ellen's courtship and marital problems. How they are able to relay such intimate details is never really addressed since it's a plotting contrivance we are supposed to accept.

The other problem is that Crystal is not really acting here but performing his comedy routine as Mickey. Many of his lines sound overly familiar with many of the jokes having a forced feeling, and the role is virtually interchangeable with his Harry from the earlier film. Nevertheless, there are some truly funny bits, such as the running gag with Ellen's senile father (played by a befuddled William Hickey) repeating road signs in the car and the scene with the pigeon getting stuck to the side of Ellen's head. But it's not nearly enough. A solid supporting cast has been assembled as the friends - Joe Mantegna, Julie Kavner (particularly funny), Richard Masur, Cathy Moriarty, John Spencer, Cynthia Stevenson - though they act more like a chorus to the proceedings. The inevitable ending feels hollow since the relationship never felt that resonant. Despite some attempts at serious moments during the second half, this is the type of lightweight film that doesn't linger too long in one's memory. The 2000 DVD has no extras.

Romanticism has its own limits!.......2006-06-27

A romantic comedy, that deals with the end of the honeymoon and shows where the real marriage begins. Billy Cristal and Debra Winger add substance and spices to this classic comedy of mistakes around the figure of a Basket trainer who must leave as a modern gypsy.

To my mind one of the last original comedies in the nineties.

This is Kathy and Rich !!!.......2006-03-03

This is the best romantic comedy ever! My wife and I have watched this movie a hundred times and it never fails to make us laugh and fall in love all over again. We relate to how bad things are when we're apart and just how wonderful life is when we're together! I couldn't recommend a movie more highly. The best thing one could do is buy this movie now and share it with the one you love often.

Paging Meg Ryan..........2005-11-27

Mickey and Ellen (Billy Crystal and Debra Winger), both 40ish career people, fall in love during a dream-like week in Paris, then spend the next several years trying to make "happily ever after" work out in spite of career, family, and settled habits. There is much to enjoy here: a talented cast, a romantic soundtrack, and some nice observations on the difficulties of reconciling career and marraige. However, the chemistry between Crystal and Winger never quite works and the dialogue is laden with one-liners that are supposed to be zingers but generally fall flat. In the end, it just didn't come together for me. It is, however, much superior to "City Slickers II," also written by Crystal in partnership with Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel.

Average customer rating:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime
Great MGM Musical
A Disatisfied Customer
one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals.....
A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain

Royal Wedding
Starring: Fred Astaire , Jane Powell , Peter Lawford , Sarah Churchill , and Keenan Wynn
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: Good Times Video
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ASIN: B00005B1YD
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Amazon.com

Fred Astaire dances on the ceiling in this 1951 Alan Jay Lerner musical for MGM, directed by Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain). The appealing story finds Astaire as part of a brother-and-sister act (along with Jane Powell) that travels to London at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding. Astaire and Powell each find romances that threaten to break up the act, but that's mostly fun window dressing in a movie better known for some truly creative sequences made vivid by Donen, including Astaire's famous dance with a hat rack and his duet with Powell, "How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You (When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life)?" --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A Lotta Dance for Your Dime.......2007-08-05

The release of "Royal Wedding,' in 1951, fifteen years after the last of the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films at poverty-stricken RKO Radio Pictures, finds many changes from Astaire's previous work. He's now at powerhouse MGM Studios, where they boasted of more stars than there were in heaven. Where musicals were a specialty-- after all, they had Stanley Donen, a talented director of musicals, though they didn't have Ginger Rogers -- and where all pictures, let alone musicals, were in brightly saturated color. So Astaire costars with Jane Powell, an MGM starlet rather typical of the studio's post-war crop, in brightly saturated color; Stanley Donen contributes his usual artful direction. The whole thing, songs and all, is written by anglophile American Alan Jay Lerner, still five years before his smash Broadway hit, cowritten with Frederick Loewe, the anglophile's dream, "My Fair Lady."

Astaire and Powell costar as a successful brother-sister team of hoofers, just winding up a Broadway engagement in the dog days of summer. London calls, there's a royal wedding on, as Princess (later to be Queen) Elizabeth is marrying; and the pair is happy to hop the next boat crossing the pond. The plot actually follows real life: Astaire first achieved stardom dancing with his sister Adele; but she left the act to marry an English lord, as will the Jane Powell character. Peter Lawford plays the lucky lord. Keenan Wynn plays a dual part, the agent-twins, Irving and Edgar Klinger, one based in New York, the other in London, with, supposedly, the accents to match. (Something must have been lost in translation here, is all I can say.) Sarah Churchill plays the plucky Englishwoman who steps into the act as the sister's replacement. And yes, she's the daughter of England's great wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, but, unfortunately that doesn't make her a great dancer. She's also too tall for Astaire, even in the flats she constantly wears, and they ain't got no chemistry.

But the movie boasts four terrific dance numbers, and two that are merely fine. Astaire's solo in the gym of the cruise ship is a knockout. His hotel room solo, up, down and around, walls and ceiling, has left generations gasping for breath. His "I Left My Heart in Haiti,' is a big, colorful, old school production number. And "How Could You Believe Me," his biggest duet with Powell, owes a lot to vaudeville, and even more to the American writer Damon Runyon: it's got charm to burn. Powell's a more than competent dancer, especially since scuttlebutt says she had no rehearsal time with Astaire before filming started. She also has a fine soprano voice: listen as she sinks her teeth into one of Lerner's trademark big ballads, "Too Late Now." And then there's the pair's opening duet, "Every Night at 7," and their witty dance on the turbulent, rolling ship. It's just a lotta dance for your dime.

Great MGM Musical.......2007-07-22

Royal Wedding is one of those delightful MGM musicals that graced the 1950's and the likes of which will not be seen again. It has the longest dance scene Fred Astair ever made(his partner in this film was Jane Powell),and has the famous scene where Fred dances on the walls and ceiling of a room, and with a coat rack in another scene. It is light and fun to watch, and ranks right up there with Sing'n In The Rain, perhaps the best musical ever.

A Disatisfied Customer.......2007-05-13

This is the first item purchased from Amazon that I was less than satisfied with. I found the DVD of poor quality and the last two tracts were not visable.

one of the quirkier Fred Astaire musicals............2007-05-07

Fred Astaire and Jane Powell play a touring brother and sister dance team, who have a chance opportunity to perform at the same time as the marriage of one of the members of the British royal family. On the way, they perform some jazzy numbers together ["How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You, When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life," "I Left My Hat in Haiti," among others]. What's more, Fred's character manages to fall in love with one of his background dancers [Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston] and Jane's character falls hard and fast for a British jetsetter [sleezy Peter Lawford].

This film is [perhaps] best known for the famous sequence featuring Fred Astaire dancing on the ceiling. For me, that was the best part of the film and he really lit up the screen, for those few minutes. Otherwise, the whole delivery of this story was [more than a little bit] embarrassing. As much as I always loved and respect Fred Astaire, this particular picture really was made with mixed results. One of those factors was Jane Powell. Her singing voice was so shrill and grating, and her character was so snotty, it made me wish that Ginger Rogers had been cast here instead! For Fred Astaire at his very best, I reccomend TOP HAT, SWING TIME and SHALL WE DANCE? The team of Rogers and Astaire will NEVER let you down.

A great musical in need of rescue from the public domain.......2007-04-06

"Royal Wedding" is a great movie for anyone who loves those big MGM musicals of the 40's and 50's and the dancing of Fred Astaire. Of course, the big numbers in this film include Astaire dancing with a hat rack, which only goes to prove he could make any dance partner look good, as well as the famous number where Astaire dances on the walls and ceilings of his London hotel room. The trick here, well known by now, was that the room was actually set up to rotate. What is wondrous about this scene is that Astaire never seems to have any trouble keeping his balance as this rotation is going on. He just looks like someone who is so much in love he is just jumping with joy from floor to wall to ceiling and back. Less mentioned is the number where he dances with Jane Powell onboard ship in choppy waters as furnishings roll about, but it is also a charming piece of choreography.

The plot is fairly simple. Astaire and Powell play a brother and sister song and dance team, Tom and Ellen Bowen, both of whom claim to be against any long-term romantic entanglement. They are invited to perform in London during the period preceding the wedding of then Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. While in England they both fall in love, leading to a happy ending for both but breaking up the partnership in the process. It's rather interesting that art loosely imitated life in this case, since Fred Astaire's long-running dance partnership with his sister Adele was ended when she got married to a member of the English nobility in 1932. It's also strange that this film was actually made four years after the royal wedding took place. By that time the royal couple already had two children. As for good supporting performances, Keenan Wynn is quite funny playing twin brothers who are theatrical agents on opposite sides of "the pond". They can't understand each other during their telephone conversations because, although both are speaking English, they are using the familiar expressions of their respective countries.

From a technical standpoint, this film is in rather rough shape since it has been in the public domain for some time. However, it is rumored that Warner Brothers is rescuing it from this no man's land, restoring it, and putting it in their upcoming boxed set "Classic Musicals from the Dream Factory Vol. 2", which should be available for purchase by the end of summer 2007.

Four Weddings and a Funeral (Deluxe Edition)

Average customer rating:

Great British Comedy
This Gem Is The Most Affable Of The Nineties Romantic Brit-Coms
The Original Romantic Brit-Comedy!
Great DVD transfer
Great film and so-so extras - but a terrible transfer!

Four Weddings and a Funeral (Deluxe Edition)
Starring: Hugh Grant , James Fleet , Simon Callow , John Hannah , and Kristin Scott Thomas
Director: Mike Newell
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CCBCAS
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Great British Comedy.......2007-09-14

Four Weddings and a Funeral follows Charles (Hugh Grant) and friends through a period of time in which they attend, um, four weddings and one funeral. Most of the movie actually occurs at these ceremonies so the film is aptly named all around. Charles meets Carrie (Andie MacDowell) at wedding number one and a good portion of the movie revolves around whether these two will end up together or not. There are various subplots involving four of his friends as well as his brother, most of them involving romance of some sort.

This is the movie that made Hugh Grant a star and it's easy to see why. He plays his stuttering nice guy to perfection and is helped by a script that any actor would gladly kill for. Andie MacDowell plays a terrific counterbalance with her mellow charm. The entire cast of largely unknown (in the U.S. at least) British actors does a fantastic job of infusing the film with warmth and life. Another plus is that this is the rare movie where the cast looks like real people instead of supermodels. It helps ground the film and make the characters seem more real.

This deluxe edition DVD is a nice presentation. The picture has been cleaned up and converted to anamorphic format, the sound is crisp and there are some nice "making of" documentaries. Finally, there is a commentary track for those interested in that sort of thing. All in all, it's a nice package and worth a few extra dollars to get.

In summary, Four Weddings is a great movie. The humor is quirky, though, and probably not for everyone. For anyone willing to take a chance on something different, however, this is a true keeper. It was an instant classic when it was released and remains one to this day.

This Gem Is The Most Affable Of The Nineties Romantic Brit-Coms.......2007-02-18

No doubt others on Amazon have ably told you what this Best Picture-nominated movie is about, so let me only pause to add that my favorite part of this style-heavy mid-90's Brit-com (the one that made Hugh Grant and his boyishly handsome "Oh, shucks" grin a star) is when Carrie, Andie MacDowell's American-born character, "confronts" Hugh Grants' self-effacing Charles, with how extensive and well-remembered the rank and file of her sexual body count happens to be. The infatuated if commitment-phobic Charles stands in wide-eyed shock, even as he tries to handle what he is hearing with good-natured cheer, but just watching Charles as he forces his mouth not to fall open makes for an endearingly hilarious moment. (Hey, guys, if you didn't wanna know, why'd you ask? Right, girls?) There's also a show-stealing bit wherein Rowan Atkinson, Mr. Bean, himself, plays a nervously virginal vicar fumblingly presiding at one of the promised "four weddings" of the film. Really there are too many excellent performances here among British veterans of stage and screen---Simon Callow, Kristin Scott Thomas, Mike Newell, everyone it sometimes seems except a conspicuously absent Helena Bonham Carter---for this to be anything but a delight to own and watch again and again. Sure, many out there might dismiss Four Weddings and a Funeral as a "mere" chick flick, but I like it, and it's one of the more endearing movies to come out of Britain in many moons.

The Original Romantic Brit-Comedy!.......2006-05-03

The 1994 movie, "Four Weddings and a Funeral", was an international box office hit and the pioneer in the film genre known as the 'Romantic Brit-Com'. This is a genre of usually small budget, comedic films, that are about the romantic lives of good looking, young Brits (usually with a close group of witty, quirky, supportive friends), who must overcome self-doubt and bad timing to make true love happen. A good number of these films star British actor, Hugh Grant and have been written (and sometimes directed) by Richard Curtis ("Notting Hill" "Love Actually," "Bridget Jones"). Curtis has been so involved in this genre, that he's basically been annoited "King of the Romantic Brit-Coms". "Four Weddings" was pretty much the first of these films. This movie mostly takes place at public events, which are of course the "Four Weddings and a Funeral" in the title. In the film we meet Charles (Hugh Grant) and his close knit group of quirky, witty, supportive friends. We never find out what they do for a living, what their backgrounds are and only get hints of how they know each other. It's as though we are guests at a wedding meeting these people for the first time. What we do find out is that Charles seems to be a perennial wedding guest/Best-Man. He has great doubts about his troubled romantic life and wonders if he is ever destined to meet, that one special person, who he might actually marry. He also always seems to be putting his foot in his mouth and getting into embarassing comic situations (I love the scene, where he gets stuck at a table filled with all his ex-girlfriends!) At the first wedding he meets a glamorous American named, Carrie (played by a luminous, Andie MacDowell). They meet, flirt, even wind up in bed with each other over the course of the different public occasions. But of course because of self-doubt and bad timing, these characters can never really seem to get it together and declare their true love for each other. It's not hard to figure out how this all ends, but the long and winding road over the course of the four weddings and a funeral are quite funny, sad and interesting for all. This is due to the very funny and poignant script from Richard Curtis and sure direction from Mike Newell. The cast is top notch. Hugh Grant has a star making performance in the lead role. Other standout performances include actors Simon Callow as the gregarious, full of life, Gareth and John Hannah as Matthew, who just stops the film with an emotion filled eulogy. Kristin Scott Thomas is also very good as Charles' friend Fiona, who secretly pines for him. Finally, mention should be of British Comedian, Rowan Atkinson's short, but drop dead hilarious turn, as a very nervous, new Vicar, who can't seem to get the wedding vows right! ("Do you take Lydia Jane Hibbert to be your Awful wedded wife!") Originally, this film was released in a pretty primitive bare bones release. It has now been released in a newly minted, 'Deluxe Edition'. The picture is cleaned up and presented in widescreen. I thought the sound in this edition left a lot to be desired. The extras are wonderful. They include a full length commentary track from the filmmakers and a number of short documentaries and featurettes on the making of the film, that prove to be very interesting. But best of all are the deleted scenes (with commentaries), that flesh out the backgrounds of the characters a little more. This film is a wonderful romantic comedy, that leaves you wanting more. Great film! Highly recommended!

Great DVD transfer.......2006-02-16

I completely disagree with the prior post. With many substandard versions of this fine film in the past I can finally report that a we have a great new edition of the film. I didn't notice any dirt or scratches anywhere in the transfer. The new transfer is a High Definition anamorphic 1.85:1 version with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. The sound was perfect with no loss of dialogue or variation of music levels. I can recommend this for anyone seeking the best edition available.

Great film and so-so extras - but a terrible transfer!.......2006-02-12

I had been waiting a long time for a special edition of Four Weddings and a Funeral to be released, and was very pleased when it finally came out 12 years after the film's theatrical run. The extras make this a much better product than the bare-bones DVD that has been on the market for years.

Still, I found the "making-of" documentaries slightly arrogant and self-congratulatory. The film snippets used in the featurettes were sped-up such that the characters' voices sounded noticably off-pitch. The deleted scenes were quite short (almost blurbs, really) and did nothing to illuminate the film.

Most distressing, however, was the lack of care that went into the film's transfer to this DVD. Both picture quality and audio were sorely lacking. The screen was marked throughout with dust spots and blemishes that drew my eye away from the action, making this DVD picture slightly worse than the VHS copy I've been using for 10 years. Moreover, absolutely nothing was done to improve the audio. Some parts - including the opening song "But Not for Me" - actually sounded worse than on VHS. What this great film deserved was a full digital treatment.

Fortunately, it's low price makes it worth purchasing for the extras alone. Just don't give away your old copy, because the picture is probably better!

Love Ain't Suppose to Hurt II "The Wedding"

Average customer rating:

Simply unmatched
Just Plain Good

Love Ain't Suppose to Hurt II "The Wedding"
Starring: Tommy Ford , Nei-Ce knight Preuitt , Marcus Nelson (from Az-yet) , and Bridgette-Bentley (from Color Purple)
Director: Ricke Vermont
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Features:

Gospel Stage play
Tommy Ford from the hit TV series "Martin"
Bridgette Bentley from Oprah Winfreys "Color Purple" stage play
Marcus Nelson from the Grammy nominated group "Az-Yet"
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS "LOVE AIN'T SUPPOSE TO HURT" & "LAUGH TIL IT HURTZ" Gospel comedy show

ASIN: B000SE6R1O

Product Description

This Amazing Live Gospel stage play featuring Tommy Ford from Martin and Bill Bellamys Whos got Jokes, Marcus Nelson from the Grammy-Nominated R&B Group Az-Yet, and Bridgette Bentley from Oprah Winfreys hit touring stage play The Color Purple is the sequel to Love Aint Suppose to Hurt another outrageously funny live Gospel musical stage play. (Previews available on bcbrecords.com) Tracie (Neice Knight-Preuitt) has decided to take the plunge and walk down the aisle, but an unexpected accident causes Tracie to face yet another issue from her past. Will her bible-toting, shoot from the hip, tell it like it T-I-IS, Aunt Shirley (Bridgette Bentley) be able to shed some light on Tracies situation. Or will a secret from Aunt Shirleys past cloud her judgment? If you think Tyler Perry's "Madea" is something, then Aunt Shirley is "Something Else"!! Life teaches everyone a lesson in forgiveness. Dont miss the Love, Dont miss the drama.

Customer Reviews:

Simply unmatched.......2007-08-21

I own the first one and bought the second one. This was was even better. The messages in this play are so timely and the singing was great. Tommy Ford did a great job as well as Carey Durrell and Marc Nelson. These were the newcomers in the second one. The musical arrangements and vocals were totally superb. May God bless their ministry of plays and I anticipate greater things to come for BCB records.

Just Plain Good.......2007-08-15

If you watched the first one "Love Ain't Suppose to Hurt" you have to watch this one also. All I can say is, that this is simply a good play. The singing once again is great. If you are looking for a good clean, funny movie to share with your friends, family or organization., this is the play. It will make you think as well as entertain you.Check it out!!

Average customer rating:

Great romantic comedy
One of those films made specially for women, that most women will find entertaining, and most men hate...
Fun
Lisa Jankovic
Lifetime, Television for women and gay men

Confessions of an American Bride
Starring: Shannon Elizabeth , Eddie McClintock , Alan Van Sprang , Carolyn Scott , and Carolyn Dunn
Director: Douglas Barr (II)
Manufacturer: Lifetime
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009GX1D8
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Description

Shannon Elizabeth (Scary Movie, American Pie) makes a funny, appealing Samantha in this lively romp about the Big Day... and the Big Problems that go with it. Like battling in-laws. Finding the wedding dress. Choosing the invitations, the cake, the caterer. Selecting china while your future hubby plays war with the bar-code gun. Then, when your emotions are at wedding-day warp speed, running into your secret college crush... and sharing an illicit smooch. Can love - and Samantha - survive being engaged?

DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes
Interviews:Cast and crew interviews

Customer Reviews:

Great romantic comedy.......2007-07-21

Ticks all the boxes for a great romantic comedy. Nice little twists and turns throughout. Eddie McClintock was great in this. So thankful it got a decent dvd release.

This film is also known as Confessions of a Young Bride.

One of those films made specially for women, that most women will find entertaining, and most men hate..........2007-01-24

"Confessions of an American Bride" is not a dvd I would buy, but it is the kind of movie you probably won't regret renting, if you know what you are getting into.

The main character is Samantha (Shannon Elizabeth), a young woman about to get married to Ben (Eddie McClintock), the man of her dreams. But as the "Big day" approaches, wedding arrangements (cake, flowers, guests...) turn into big problems, and Sam and Ben realize their tastes are more different that they previously thought. Things get even more complicated when Luke (Geoff Stults), the man Sam had a crush on during university, starts to work with her and ends up admitting to having a crush on her. What will Sam do? And who is really the man of her dreams?

"Confessions of an American Bride" is not an excellent movie, but it isn't an awful one either. From my point of view, this is one of those films made specially for women, that most women will find entertaining, and most men hate. Now, whether to rent it or not is your call...

Belen Alcat

PS: If you want an outstandingly good "chick movie" that both women and men will love, give "Bridget Jones' diary" a try :)

Fun.......2007-01-10

This is a fun movie. It is movie good to spend spare time but not one that you have to see. Only for fun not a trscendental movie.

Lisa Jankovic.......2006-06-29

I did not know what to expect when I bought this movie. But I really enjoyed it.

Elizabeth Shannon shines in her role as Sam. I must admit I never really liked her in the American Pie movies, but this movie has really changed my opinion of her.

A cute movie that anyone who enjoys a wedding and everything that comes along with it.

Lifetime, Television for women and gay men.......2005-07-09

First off, if you've ever had doubts about a current relationship, this movie is for you. I just got done watching it with a fine bottle of muscato wine. I must say this movie has exemplified almost all of my feelings I have when I'm in a serious relationship. What if there is someone else out there? What if I never sleep with another man again? What if the relationship does a complete 180? What if the man of my current dreams isn't what he seems? I felt that almost all of these issues were brought into perspective in this movie. The man she meets seems too good to be true, her crush from a previous life comes back to bring all of her feelings and or fears (any normal person's fears anyway) into the forefront less than 6 months before her wedding day! The movie is comically laid out, little tidbits that break into the movie of her in a perfectly pristine environment in all white explaining her doubts, fears and all of her desperate wantings which is good, it is as if you're brought into her mind after hitting a pause button as she narrates. I fully recommend this movie to any woman or man who has any doubts about the person they're currently seeing or are fully serious about and have doubts. Total girl movie night/sleepover flick. Light-hearted with a lot of "oh no, oh no, oh no, don't do that" moments to keep the fun rolling along. This is officially my first review of any movie an amazon and I hope it is helpful.

American Wedding (Full Screen Extended Unrated Party Edition)

Average customer rating:

American Pie unrated YAY
bad taste
Trilogy Still Going Strong
Still laughing
Still going strong!

American Wedding (Full Screen Extended Unrated Party Edition)
Starring: Jason Biggs , Seann William Scott , Alyson Hannigan , Eddie Kaye Thomas , and Thomas Ian Nicholas
Director: Jesse Dylan
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000DCGT3
Release Date: 2004-01-02

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

American Pie unrated YAY.......2007-05-10

The unrated version of this was much better then the one i saw in the movie theater.

bad taste.......2007-05-02

Trilogy Still Going Strong.......2007-02-15

Still laughing .......2006-11-16

This is almost as funny as American Pie and American Pie 2, but the humor is getting more than a little predictable. However, I am still laughing so 4 stars.

Still going strong!.......2006-08-12

Average customer rating:

Relative Values
Relative Values
It's not Shakespear, but it is a good light watch
Frothy? Yes. Fun? You bet!
Relative Values

Relative Values
Starring: Julie Andrews , Edward Atterton , William Baldwin , Colin Firth , and Stephen Fry
Director: Eric Styles
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000056N8V
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Description

A comedy of discriminating taste and dirty little secrets. When a movie star and Hollywood diva Miranda Frayle break up, a playboy prince with a stiff upper lip sweeps her off her feet and boldly takes her home to meet his high-class, society-minded mother, who is none-too-pleased at the thought of having a "starlet" in the family. But when the former boyfriend hears about the wedding, he jumps back in the spotlight--and with the help of Miranda's meddling mother-in-law to be, he may just win her back.

Customer Reviews:

Relative Values.......2007-03-21

Loved this film! Julie Andrews & Colin Firth make the film! Very witty & fast-paced!

Relative Values.......2007-02-22

This was a cute story with Colin Firth in a role similar to the ones George Sanders used to play. Of course, Julie Andrews was great as usual.

It's not Shakespear, but it is a good light watch.......2006-04-10

I bought this primarily because it has Colin Firth in it. Even though the back of the box says he's the playboy engaged to Jeanne Tripplehorn, he's not. He plays Peter, Lady Marshwood's nephew.

However, His character, Peter is funny. He can convey more with a facial expression than the American actors in the movie. As always, Julie Andrews gives a wonderful performance.

A good light watch for a rainy afternoon!

Frothy? Yes. Fun? You bet!.......2005-11-06

OK, OK, so it's not "Citizen Kane", but this is a fluffy, sweet little comedy, perfect for a rainy day. I agree with most of the other reviewers that the British Cast (especially Andrews, who is perfect for the role) is great. The Americans (Baldwin & Tripplehorn) are simply awful. I realize the entire premise of the movie would be gone without the Americans, but I enjoyed the film a lot more when they weren't around! But the film breezes along at a nice clip (not like the recent God-awful Robert Altman manor film, which bored me to tears). So put your feet up, grab a martini and enjoy. It really is sad that this kind of movie rarely makes it into the theatres. Brain-dead, illiterate teens are the market the studios go after, and the rest of us yearn for the day when the "Art Theatre" (as opposed to a pimply-faced "Multiplex) returns.

Relative Values.......2005-09-20

This was a cute movie. Right now I can't particularly remember anything about it except that it was cute.... fluff... Seeing it once was enough.

DVD:

DVD

DVD