Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection (Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini / Beach Party / Bikini Beach / Fireball 500 / Thunder Alley / Muscle Beach Party / Ski Party)

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Frankie & Annette

Frankie and Annette collection

60's flashback

TV screen size

frankie & annette

Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection (Beach Blanket Bingo / How to Stuff a Wild Bikini / Beach Party / Bikini Beach / Fireball 500 / Thunder Alley / Muscle Beach Party / Ski Party)
Starring: Frankie Avalon , and Annette Funicello
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Funicello, Annette | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
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Back to the Beach

Elvis - The Hollywood Collection (Charro / Girl Happy / Kissin' Cousins / Live a Little, Love a Little / Stay Away, Joe / Tickle Me)

TCM Spotlight - Esther Williams, Vol. 1 (Bathing Beauty / Easy to Wed / On an Island with You / Neptune's Daughter / Dangerous When Wet)

The Complete Gidget Collection (Gidget / Gidget Goes Hawaiian / Gidget Goes to Rome)

The Joan Collins Superstar Collection (The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing / Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys! / The Sea Wife / Seven Thieves / Stopover Tokyo)

ASIN: B000PMFRXS
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Amazon.com

The sun will never set on Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, The recording star from Philadelphia and the former Mouseketeer give a master class in chemistry in five Beach Party films that make up the bulk of this swinging eight-film box set. Beach Party (1963) helped to usher in a new wave of teen exploitation films that were far more fun and frolicsome than the rock and roll and juvenile delinquent films that preceded it. Frankie rents a beach house for himself and Annette's Dolores. He is stunned to learn that she has gotten cold feet and allowed the whole gang to hang out there. So Frankie decides to "dig somebody else," and Delores takes up with Robert Cummings, an anthropologist studying the sex lives of teens. All ends happily, and chastely. Harvey Lembeck, whose credits include Billy Wilder's Stalag 17, introduced his recurring series role as bumbling biker Eric Von Zipper. Surf guitar god Dick Dale provides accompaniment. Vincent Price pops up as Big Daddy to say, "Bring me my pendulum, kiddies. I feel like swinging." Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) is the magnum Party opus as Frankie goes sky-diving, Bonehead (Jody McCrea) falls in love with a mermaid, Linda Evans sings, Paul Lynde is snide, Don Rickles insults, and Frankie and Annette sing their classic, "I Think, You Think." Bikini Beach (1964) takes a swipe at the upstart Beatles with Frankie in a dual role as British pop star Potato Bug. Muscle Beach Party (1964) was Stevie Wonder's first film, and Peter Lorre's last.

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) marks the end of an era, with Frankie, off in the Naval Reserves, getting help from witch doctor Buster Keaton in keeping interloper Dwayne Hickman away from Annette. Annette's absence is keenly felt in Ski Party, but James Brown performs, "I Feel Good" and Lesley Gore sings her top-40 hit, "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows." Frankie and Annette were reunited at the racetrack in Fireball 500 (1966), but Fabian is a third wheel as a rival for Annette. Thunder Alley (1967) (from Richard Rush, director of the cult classic, The Stunt Man), is another car-racing vehicle that pairs Annette and Fabian, but by now the thrill is gone. Frankie and Annette are as indelible a screen couple and as inseparable in the public's imagination as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers or Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. What is the secret to their enduring appeal? The last line of Back to the Beach (1987), an unsung gem unfortunately not included in this set, sums it up. Frankie and Annette walk together along the beach for the last time. Frankie turns to the camera and asks, "Are we the corniest couple in the world, or what?" --Donald Liebenson

Description

Disc 1 Side A: Beach Blanket Bingo Disc 1 Side B: How To Stuff a Wild Bikini

Disc 2 Side A: Beach Party Disc 2 Side B: Bikini Beach

Disc 3 Side A: Fireball 500 Disc 3 Side B: Thunder Alley

Disc 4 Side A: Muscle Beach Party Disc 4 Side B: Ski Party

Customer Reviews:

Frankie & Annette.......2007-09-16

Wonderful to revisit this series of fun, slap-stick fluff. Growing up in the 60's these films lent a bit of whimsy and frenetic fun to an otherwise turbulent decade

Frankie and Annette collection.......2007-08-27

I purchased this collection as a gift for a friend of mine, who is a huge fan of all those "beach party" movies. Being able to purchase the entire collection for her, and seeing her face when she opened it rates this purchase as a 5 star find! The price was very reasonable and delivery was super fast!

60's flashback.......2007-08-24

These were my altime favorite movies to watch as a kid growing up. I always watched them on the Million Dollar Movie or Saturday Afternoon Matinee etc. What's more fun than Annette, Frankie and VonZipper romping around. Good clean fun. What's funny is how I remember the guys looked so vintage back in the 80's & 90's, now they'd fit right in today stylewise. The girls have the big hair to overcome, lol. Classic stuff.

TV screen size.......2007-08-13

I was very disappointed to find the these are not the from the theater release verions, but the modified for TV versions.

frankie & annette.......2007-08-10

This was a birthday gift for my 27 year old daughter. I haven't watched it yet, so I can't really review it. She seemed excited about getting it, as she loves these old movies, but was disappointed to note that this grouping did not include her all-time favorite of the group, "Back to the Beach."

Average customer rating:

A funny piece of pink fluff
Don't Judge a Girl on How She Looks
Unconventional Road to Self Discovery
Excellent light entertainment
Fun--but not strictly a no brainer

Legally Blonde
Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Selma Blair , Matthew Davis , and Victor Garber
Director: Robert Luketic
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005O5CM
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

If you've ever doubted how much a star can carry a movie, look no further than Legally Blonde, Robert Luketic's pop fluff about a sorority girl who becomes the reigning brain at Harvard Law School. The film tries way too hard to be pop fluff, but thankfully it also understands the comic glories of Reese Witherspoon. As Elle Woods, the supposedly dimwitted heroine, Witherspoon gives a high-wattage performance that somehow comes across as both lusciously cartoonish and warmly human. It's a radiant comic turn worthy of Marilyn Monroe, and Luketic throws the whole movie at her, even though its intentional kitsch and sledgehammer contrivances don't trust you enough to figure out on your own what might be guilty fun about it. It's a lame movie, essentially, that redeems itself by knowing just enough to keep things sunny and moving right along. The film is content to follow several steps behind the regal Witherspoon, carrying her train. You probably will be, too. --Steve Wiecking

Description

She's a California sorority girl who'll do anything to keep her man. Even if it means going all theway'to law school! Reese Witherspoon (Election) stars with Luke Wilson (Charlie's Angels), Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions), Matthew Davis (Pearl Harbor) and Victor Garber (Titanic) in a knock-out comedy with a heart of goldand hair to match! Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is a California blonde with couture clothes, fabulous friends and the hottest boyfriend on campus. So when Warner Huntington III (Davis) suddenly dumps her and heads for Harvard Law School, Elletakes matters into her own perfectly manicured hands. She enrolls too! Now getting Warner back should be a snap, right? Wrong! Elle's about to begin the toughest fight of her lifefor love, honor, justice and respect for blondes everywhere!

Customer Reviews:

A funny piece of pink fluff.......2007-09-12

This funny and fastpaced movie is the best remedy for a rainy day or finding out, like Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), that your handsome boyfriend Warner Huntington III(Matthew Davis) has just dumped you. The plot is cute and doesn't claim to be "cerebral." There's nothing really to the story beyond the adventures/misadventures of a California Blonde at Harvard Law School. Her snooty, uppercrusty classmates look down their noses at her because of how she dresses, speaks, and acts...to their way of thinking, Elle is laughably unsophisticated and lacking in taste, with neither a history of social progressivism with which to pad her resume nor a sense of genetic superiority. They are certain she doesn't belong at such a distinguished Ivy covered institution as Harvard. Elle, however, is determined to show them that a girl who doesn't wear argyle and loves to get her nails painted when she's under stress can be anything she wants to be. Every bit a funny piece of pink fluff. Enjoy!

Don't Judge a Girl on How She Looks.......2007-09-11

Elle Woods may look really dumb, but you should never be fooled by the appreance of a person. This LA babe would do anything to get her man back, even that means she needs to get into Harvard .Although the story is fictional, but I find it very inspiring. Elle Woods comes to Harvard Law School for the wrong reasons, however she discovered what her heart truely desires through hard work, trust and supports from other good-hearted people. It is a beautiful and funny tale of courage, confidence and miracle. I believe that Legally Blonde is one of the best in its genre, entertaining yet philosophical.

Warning: the sequel is quite unsuccessful in comparison to this masterpiece.

Unconventional Road to Self Discovery.......2007-07-02

Based on the novel of the same name by Amanda Brown, this 2001 comedy is about the losses and gains experienced by a priviledged young woman from California, and her ultimate self-empowerment.
Elle Woods(as played by a multi-dimensional Reese Witherspoon) is the President of her Sorority, Delta Nu. A neighbor of TV producer Aaron Spelling during her formative years, her world revolves around fashion and frivolity, although we see signs of underlying intelligence when a sales clerk who views her as "a dumb blonde with Daddy's plastic" is taught a lesson.
We meet the beloved Sorority Queen on the day she expects a proposal from her long-time boy friend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis). Instead of a marriage proposal, Warner breaks up with Elle during their evening out, explaining that his family back East expect a lot from him, and that marrying a "Jackie" instead of a "Marilyn" will be more conducive to his family's desires, if he wants to be a Senator.
The spurned young woman spends the next few days behind the closed doors of her dorm room, with only her chiahuahua/favorite accessory Bruiser (Moonie) for companionship. Her stereotypically ditzy sorority sisters, Margot and Serena (Jessica Caufiell, Alanna Ubach) finally draw her out of her pink cocoon, and take her for a manicure. There is a comical moment where Serena converses in Chinese with a manicurist, which gives her a little more depth. While reading a "Fox and Hound" magazine in the waiting room, Elle sees a photo of Warner's brother with his fiancee, breifly discusses the fiancee's credentials with the customer sitting next to her(Natalie Barish), and decides to attend Harvard Law School to win Warner back.
Elle's parents (James Read, and Tane McClure) are not very encouraging in this endeavor, nor is her advisor (Allyce Beasley) as Elle does not have the academic background for it. Still, she passes her LSAT test, and sends and admissions video, for which it requires some suspension of disbelief to think that the pop-eyed, bow-tied Admissions Committee would deem acceptable.
Elle creates quite a stir upon her arrival at Harvard, but remains fairly oblivious to comments and stares about her eccentricities in manner and dress.
She finally locates Warner, who is stunned that she got into Harvard, and during a class for which she is ill-prepared, is shown up by a small, pallid, mahogony-tressed Vivian Kensington(Selma Blair), whom, to her great distress, she learns is Warner's fiancee.
Along the way, she receives help and advice from Emmett Richmond (a well-cast, kind, and encouraging Luke Wilson, whose performance hits all the right notes), and a cathartic chat with manicurist Paulette Bonafonte (Jennifer Coolidge), which will be bright spots along her journey.
Gradually, she overcomes rejection and humiliation by her classmates through perseverance, and attention to details others neglect, winning friends and influencing people.
She helps Paulette with a legal matter, and in getting a date with a handsome UPS guy (Bruce Thomas), and the mutual friendship between the law student and manicurist is a delightful cornerstone of this film.
Gradually, Vivian warms to her, and the two share a laugh about Warner's idiosyncracies.
One of Elle's more intriguing classmates--the character as well as the actor himself-- is the sweet, awkward David Kidney, portrayed by Oz Perkins, with the eyes of his father, Anthony, who does great justice to his acting pedigree. Sadly, he would only have a little more than a month to enjoy the success of this film before enduring the shattering loss of his mother, Berry Berenson, in the 9-11 Disaster.
Elle's opinionatedness in Professor Callahan's(Victor Garber's)class appears to earn her an internship with Callahan's law firm, and she, Warner, Vivian, David, and Enid Wexler(Meredith Scott Lynn) work on a murder case under Callahan's supervison. The task also reunites Elle with Emmett.
The case is a high profile one involving the slaying of a wealthy 60-year-old man, allegedly by his young second wife, Brooke Taylor Windham (Ali Larter), a member of Elle's sorority, and a wealthy fitness instructor of whom Elle was once a student.
Raquel Welch appears as the ex-wife of the murdered man, with a perfect upper-crust accent, Linda Cardellini is her daughter, Chutney, and Greg Serano is the pool boy, Enrique Salvatore.
There are comical moments when Elle tries to coax an alibi from Brooke, bringing her a basket of beauty aids and " the Bible" (a copy of "Cosmopolitan" magazine), and later discovers evidence to discredit a witness in a way that only a Cosmo Girl can, with Emmett sneaking up on his blind side in the process.
Elle suffers a major setback when she discovers the real reason Callahan wanted her as an intern, but Professor Stromwell(Holland Taylor) goads Elle into having a bit more backbone and stick-to-itiveness.
Brooke fires Callahan, and hires Elle, who under Emmett's supervision, solves the case, much to her own amazement and everyone else's.
Warner, whose true character has been revealed throughout the film in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, finally views Elle as a worthy marriage partner, but Elle has her own ideas about their future relationship.
A glittering musical score accompanies our heroine as she walks out of the courtroom and into a very bright future, with a meaningful career and a wonderful life partner just on the horizon.

Excellent light entertainment.......2007-06-22

So much is great about this film. Ok, it's not flawless - there are a couple of really silly bits - like the courtroom scene with the pool cleaner's guilty admission and his boyfriend's response. But it's great, feel-good fun. Very well directed, tight script for the most-part and the performances are all great.

Fun--but not strictly a no brainer.......2007-05-30

Cases can hinge on haircare--and not everyone is as they seem. The film was mindless fun on one level, but teaches you really do need to look a little bit deeper sometimes.

Clearly it's fantasy, but a lot of fun.

Wedding Crashers - Unrated (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series)

Average customer rating:

Christopher Walken and Witty Dialogue Tainted By Juvenile Humor.
Laugh-out-loud hilarious
"We're not *that* funny"
Great Situational Comedy
One of the funniest movies I have ever seen!!!

Wedding Crashers - Unrated (Widescreen New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Owen Wilson , Vince Vaughn , Christopher Walken , Rachel McAdams , and Isla Fisher
Director: David Dobkin
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BKVQS4
Release Date: 2006-01-03

Amazon.com

With Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as a pair of brazen wedding crashers, this buddy/romantic comedy milks a few big laughs from its foolproof premise. Under the direction of David Dobkin (who previously worked with Wilson on Shanghai Knights), the movie ranges from bawdy romp to mushy romance, and that tonal identity crisis curtails the overall hilarity. But when the well-teamed costars are firing on all pistons with fast-paced dialogue and manic situations, belly laughs are delivered at a steady clip. Things get complicated when the guys infiltrate the family of the Treasury Secretary (Christopher Walken), resulting in a romantic pair-off between Vaughn and the congressman's oversexed daughter Gloria (Isla Fisher) while Wilson sincerely woos another daughter, Claire (Rachel McAdams), who's unhappily engaged to an Ivy League cheater (Bradley Cooper). Walken is more or less wasted in his role, but Jane Seymour and Henry Gibson make amusing appearances, and a surprise guest arrives late in the game for some over-the-top scene-stealing. It's all a bit uneven, but McAdams (considered by some to be "the next Julia Roberts") is a pure delight, and with enough laughs to make it easily recommended, Wedding Crashers will likely find its place on DVD shelves alongside other flawed but enjoyable R-rated comedies that embrace a naughtier, nastier brand of humor with no need for apologies. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
The "Uncorked" edition of Wedding Crashers adds about 8 minutes of footage to the theatrical release. Of chief interest are extended beach and bathroom scenes between Vince Vaughn and Isla Fisher, and Vaughn's extended confession to Father O'Neil (Henry Gibson), but there are also new scenes featuring Keir O'Donnell as the eccentric Todd and Ellen Albertini Dow as the potty-mouthed grandmother. This edition is billed as unrated because it wasn't resubmitted to the MPAA, but the sexier bathroom scene and coarser confession aren't particularly raunchier than the original film, and there's no additional nudity. You can watch the Uncorked edition once to see the new footage, but for subsequent viewings you'll probably choose to stick with the theatrical release, which is also included on the DVD.

Bonus features consist of two very good commentary tracks, one by director David Dobkin and another by Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Dobkin's is more technically informative, and he specifically discusses why the added scenes were originally cut. Vaughn and Wilson are a little more subdued than might be expected, but they share some laughs, recall some material that was left out, and wander into irrelevant territory such as football and Wilson's dog. Other features include four deleted scenes with optional commentary by Dobkin, and two featurettes covering the making of the film (including the logistics of staging five different weddings, and interviews with the "magic and balloon consultant") and Vaughn and Wilson's meandering discussion of "the rules" of wedding crashing. For a more organized recap, there's a 24-screen text-only list of all the rules. The opening menu is clever, but slow to load after you've watched it the first time. --David Horiuchi

Vince Vaughn's Movies
Why We Love Rachel McAdams
Owen Wilson's Movies

The Soundtrack
The Return of Crass Comedy
The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Description

In this hilarious box office hit, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson have perfected the art of wedding crashing but when one of them actually falls in love their sacred rule, "never leave a fellow crasher behind," may be broken!

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Featurette
Music Video
Other

Customer Reviews:

Christopher Walken and Witty Dialogue Tainted By Juvenile Humor........2007-09-09

John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) are lifelong friends and business partners who work as divorce mediators in Washington, D.C. They are fairly good at what they do and seem to enjoy what they do. The reason for this is that in the springtime they take off and travel around the country seeking weddings to crash. It doesn't matter the ethnicity or culture of the people involved, they have an identity for each one. Besides the free food and drinks, the reason the duo crashes these weddings is so that they can pick up women who have become sexually aroused by the weddings. It's one woman after another and a seemingly neverending party. That is until Jeremy convinces John to attend the wedding of the daughter of Treasure Secretary William Cleary (Christopher Walken). It's a lavish affair and John becomes smitten with Cleary's daughter, Claire (Rachel McAdams) while Jeremy just wants to roll around in the hay with Cleary's daughter, Gloria (Isla Fisher). John and Jeremy are invited by the daughters back to the family estate for the weekend and John begs Jeremy to go so that he can try to get to know Claire better, even though she has a jerk boyfriend named Sack (Bradley Cooper). It's a weekend full of comic mishaps and misunderstandings that eventually leads to some sappy nonsense about love and relationships.

WEDDING CRASHERS features a lot of situational comedy and is seeped in innuendo. There's also some brief glimpses of nude women. All of that appeals heavily to adolescent males and helped make the movie one of the top grossing films of 2005, led it to be named as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006 by Premiere magazine, and gave both Wilson and Vaughn's one of the biggest movies of their careers up to that point.

But that's really all just fluff. The main reasons to watch WEDDING CRASHERS is for the dialogue and to see Christopher Walken. Props to writers Steve Faber and Bob Fisher (as well as Olson and Vaughn who adlibbed some bits) for giving Jeremy and John such witty diatribe throughout the film. Whether it's about the virtues of not-dating, thoughtfully reflecting upon how to live a meaningful life, or a pontification about falling in love, WEDDING CRASHERS has some great dialogue to quote. As for the other reason to watch, it's Christopher Walken. We should watch anything that man does. Enough said.

I don't enjoy WEDDING CRASHERS as much as my brothers or some of my friends do. It has some funny moments and I can see why it is so popular. However, it's definitely not a movie for everyone. That's not to say that I didn't like it, because that's not true. I just don't think it's as funny as a lot of people think it is. Still, it's still a movie that any serious movie buff should see at least once. If nothing else, you'll at least have some great dialogue to bring up in conversations later.

The DVD includes two commentaries, one with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, the other with director David Dobkin. Also included are deleted scenes, two featurettes "Event Planning" and "A Crash Course in Wedding Crashing", and a music video from The Sights called "Circus".

Laugh-out-loud hilarious.......2007-08-25

I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I thought I would. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn play John and Jeremy, best friends who crash weddings for fun in an attempt to get vulnerable girls into bed with them. All goes well until they attend the wedding of the daughter of the Treasury Secretary (Christopher Walken). Jeremy unknowingly deflowers the Secretary's virginal/sex maniac daughter (Isla Fisher), while poor John falls in love with the Secretary's other daughter (Rachel McAdams), who unfortunately has an asinine boyfriend (Bradley Cooper). The film does lose a bit of momentum halfway through, but it still contains plenty of laughs. It was a little strange watching Wilson play the straight man for once, but he did an excellent job in his role. Vaughn is the real star of the show, though: His one-liners are hilarious, and the Jeremy/Gloria scenes made me laugh so hard that I cried. "Wedding Crashers" is a very funny film that is definitely worth watching.

"We're not *that* funny".......2007-08-24

The main problem with Wedding Crashers is that you know know exactly how it will land: nosediving through the frathouse humor, leveling off with the standard maladjusted characters coping with awkward situations, and gliding gently to rest on an unlikely happy ending. Without the element of surprise, the humor fizzles down to some admittedly very funny one-liners.

As another reviewer mentioned, tighter editing would have saved Wedding Crashers from itself. Too many repetitive scenes, from start to finish, attempt to fully flesh characters who are little more than National Lampoon stereotypes. Development paths of all the players are rather predictable; perhaps the only surprise is Christopher Walken as the consistently normal, loving father. And the script falls into one of the oldest traps: trying to pull a genre u-turn halfway through. In this case, vulgar comedy handbraking into heartfelt romance. For me, it didn't work.

Not that Owen Wilson (I swear I though he was Luke and his brother was Owen) doesn't pull off the transformation. He plays the lovelorn loser as well in the second half as he does the gluttonous playboy in the first. He's just asked to do it too often, in too many repetitive scenes. Vaughn has his moments and lines of course. But as usual he loses control too often and sinks a number of potentially funny scenes.

I enjoyed Wedding Crashers, and had more than a few good laughs. But I couldn't help feeling that I was watching a cobbled-together compilation of highlights from a number of other romantic comedies I've already seen too many times.

Great Situational Comedy.......2007-08-17

I must be one of the last people to get around to seeing Wedding Crashers but it was worth the wait. Wedding Crashers is the story of two brothers who crash weddings to get free food, drunk and laid. When they attempt the "crash of a lifetime" things go wrong and chaos ensues. I am not typically a fan of stupid movies in the vein of 'weatherman,' 'taladaga nights,' 'zoolander' etc but this stupid movie is actually funny. There are some great situational laughs and the story is solid and cohesive. Want a silly night of movie watching? Give 'Wedding Crashers' a shot!

One of the funniest movies I have ever seen!!!.......2007-08-15

Definitely a laugh out loud comedy! Probably one of the funniest ones of all time.

Average customer rating:

A Classic!
Meh...
C'mon bring your green hat.
All-time classic
Animal House? Get outta here

Old School (Widescreen Unrated Edition)
Starring: Phe Caplan , Elisha Cuthbert , Katherine Ellis , Will Ferrell , and Patrick Fischler
Director: Todd Phillips
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005JM1F
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Amazon.com

When three thirtysomething friends with woman troubles (Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Vince Vaughn) decide to form a fraternity, it's supposedly to save Wilson from losing his house, which the nearby college is trying to claim for academic purposes. But really, Ferrell and Vaughn are desperate to return to the reckless, feckless days of beer bongs and hot chicks, and they drag Wilson along with them as they throw themselves into gathering frat pledges of all ages. Old School could have been just another string of bad jokes hanging on a flimsy plot, but the script and the cast have a jovial energy and just enough grounding in reality--at least, up until the obligatory beat-the-system ending, but by that point you'll forgive the excesses of this silly, cheerful, and frequently funny movie. Featuring Jeremy Piven and Juliette Lewis, with cameos by Snoop Dog, Andy Dick, and others. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A Classic!.......2007-08-15

The funniest movie I've seen in years. I don't usually like "frat boy" humor, but this is the one exception.

Meh..........2007-08-10

Ever watch a movie the first time and laugh so hard your stomach hurts, then watch it again and think...now what was funny about that? Enter, Old School. and there ya go...

C'mon bring your green hat........2007-07-14

Getting to watch Will Farrell and Vince Vaugh start their own fraernity is enough to catch my interest. This is one of my favorite comedy movies and I highly recommend it. What could be funnier then watching Will Farrell stumble around a kids party after being shot in the neck with an animal tranquilizer? And thats only one of the many hilarous parts. It's definately a great one to pop in when you're hanging out with the guys.

All-time classic.......2007-06-27

Old School will go down as an all-time classic comedy! Love Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell. There wasn't enough Will Ferrell, but that's what made his parts so great. Great movie! A must have for anyones collection.

Animal House? Get outta here.......2007-05-23

Must be 40 yr olds that think animal house is some devine movie, The younger generation such as I(28)know that Old School is waaaaaaayyyyy better! no contest. i've seen both and I personally Think your a dumbass to think animal house even compares to old school, and someone should take your keyboard away and ban you from amazon! Later Losers.

Average customer rating:

Underrated
There is nothing to hate about this smart and clever teen comedy...
An entertaining movie for teens!
Fun But Predictable
10 Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You
Starring: Kyle Cease , Cameron Fraser , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Tarance Houston , and Greg Jackson (II)
Manufacturer: Touchstone Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00000K31Q
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Amazon.com

It's, like, Shakespeare, man! This good-natured and likeable update of The Taming of the Shrew takes the basics of Shakespeare's farce about a surly wench and the man who tries to win her and transfers it to modern-day Padua High School. Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is a sullen, forbidding riot grrrl who has a blistering word for everyone; her sunny younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) is poised for high school stardom. The problem: overprotective and paranoid Papa Stratford (a dryly funny Larry Miller) won't let Bianca date until boy-hating Kat does, which is to say never. When Bianca's pining suitor Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets wind of this, he hires the mysterious, brooding Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to loosen Kat up. Of course, what starts out as a paying gig turns to true love as Patrick discovers that underneath her brittle exterior, Kat is a regular babe. The script, by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, is sitcom-funny with peppy one-liners and lots of smart teenspeak; however, its cleverness and imagination doesn't really extend beyond its characters' Renaissance names and occasional snippets of real Shakespearean dialogue. What makes the movie energetic and winning is the formula that helped make She's All That such a big hit: two high-wattage stars who look great and can really act. Ledger is a hunk of promise with a quick grin and charming Aussie accent, and Stiles mines Kat's bitterness and anger to depths usually unknown in teen films; her recitation of her English class sonnet (from which the film takes its title) is funny, heartbreaking, and hopelessly romantic. The imperious Allison Janney (Primary Colors) nearly steals the film as a no-nonsense guidance counselor secretly writing a trashy romance novel. --Mark Englehart

Description

A cool cast of young stars is just one of the things you'll love about this hilarious comedy hit! On the first day at his new school, Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt -- HALLOWEEN: H2O, TV's "3RD Rock From The Sun") instantly falls for Bianca (Larisa Oleynik -- THE BABY SITTERS CLUB), the gorgeous girl of his dreams. The only problem is that Bianca is forbidden to date ... until her ill-tempered, completely un-dateable older sister Kat (Julia Stiles -- THE BOURNE IDENTITY, SAVE THE LAST DANCE) goes out too! In an attempt to solve his problem, Cameron singles out the only guy who could possibly be a match for Kat: a mysterious bad-boy (Heath Ledger -- A KNIGHT'S TALE, THE PATRIOT) with a nasty reputation of his own! Also featuring a hip soundtrack -- this witty comedy is a wildly entertaining look at exactly how far some guys will go to get a date!

Customer Reviews:

Underrated.......2007-07-17

"10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) is probably the all-time most ambitious of the teen comedies. Updates of classic literature like this have become relatively common; "Emma" is adapted as "Clueless", "Othello" as "O", "Pygmalion" becomes ''She's All That'', etc. etc. "10 Things I Hate About You" is an adaptation of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" (which has also been adapted as the Broadway musical and film "Kiss Me Kate".

The strange title is less Shakespeare derived than a play on the Elizabeth Barrett Browning sonnet that begins ''How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.'' Even knowing this, the title withholds its relationship to the film content until the climatic scene late in the film when Katerina (Julia Stiles) reads her poem (in iambic pentameter) to the class: "I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme. I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all". Either the producers can't count of they didn't like the sound of "13 Things I Hate About You"

The film was fairly popular at the time of its release and made a considerable amount of money, but critical reaction was mixed. Most of the negative reviews came from critics who felt the film was too distanced from the original; specifically that Katerina was not Shakespeare's mega-shrew and that her taming was just too tame. While these observations are correct, in this case toning down the original makes the film work better. A less gritty story allows for more lyrical storytelling and better a unity with the great pop soundtrack and the inventive cinematography. And few will miss the original's out-of-control misogyny. The film goes out on fantastic rotational helicopter shot of the group "Letters from Cleo" as they perform the closing song on top of spectacular Stadium High School in Tacoma.

The story begins with obstetrician Walter Stratford's (Larry Miller) grudging agreement to allow his younger daughter Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) to date if her older sister Katerina (Stiles) starts dating. Walter's occupation has made him super-paranoid and teenage pregnancy, but he feel quite safe with this compromise because Katerina is a brain with little interest in boys and an abrasive enough personality to drive away anyone who might be attracted to her.

Miller and Stiles are exceptional in these roles, the best performances of their careers. Oleynik (formally Alex Mack) does not have nearly as much to work with but is solid in her role. My main criticism is that the film has the same dynamic as "Some Kind of Wonderful", with the abrasive tomboy significantly more desirable than the foxy girl every guy is after. Back in her "Alex Mack" days Oleynik was the #1 ranked female in a People Magazine survey of the most beautiful person in the world. I don't see it and I'm pretty sure that I have a lot of company.

One interesting bit of trivia is that Oleynik went on to attend and graduate from Sarah Lawrence College, the school that Katerina wants to attend in the film.

Female viewers will generally be pleased with Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona (afterall the action takes place at Padua High School), who is hired by two of Bianca's admirers to tame the shrew. Joey Donner (Andrew Keegan) is the obnoxious pretty boy who is cruising for his comeuppance throughout the film; but he is not close to the bad guy standard set by "Some Kind of Wonderful" and Pretty in Pink". Allison Janney is hilarious as a porno-writing guidance counselor.

I really liked the tentative feeling between Patrick and Katerina. In one of the most enjoyable scenes he appears in the grandstands while she is at soccer practice and sings ''I Love You Baby'' over the P.A. system, having bribed the school's marching band to accompany him down on the field.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

There is nothing to hate about this smart and clever teen comedy..........2007-07-05

One of my favorite teen comedies would have to be '10 Things I Hate About You', a film that remains hilarious and smart as each year passes. The dialog is snappy and sincere and the acting is really top notch for a teen film, every actor in perfect unison and really in tune with their character. As far as modern adaptations of Shakespearian novels go (and there are tons of them as we are all well aware) this is one of the better ones. It stays true to the concept of the original `Taming of the Shrew' but adds enough clever twists that make this original and a lot of fun. The chemistry between the actors is wonderful, and for a film staring a group of young actors it's one of the only films to star a group of `talented' young actors, from recent Oscar nominee Heath Ledger to Oscar snubbed Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The plot of the film follows Cameron, played by Gordon-Levitt, as he pines for the attention of Bianca, played by Larisa Oleynik. The problem Cameron faces is not the fact that she's one of the most popular girls in school, and way out of his league but the fact that her father refuses to let her date. His stipulation is that her older sister Kat begin dating first, and Kat is not about to do that anytime soon. Cameron decides his only option is to find a suitor for Kat, someone to sweep her off her feet, problem being that everyone at the school is afraid of Kat. She's abrasive, rude and has made it perfectly clear that she has no interest in boys. But Cameron finds Patrick Verona, the mysterious tough guy with no fears, and offers him cash to take out Kat. Thus the hunt begins. Patrick finds it more difficult than expected to woo Kat but as he attempts he finds that his original disinterest in her is turning to genuine infatuation and then to a more mature caring and concern. He's falling in love with her and surprisingly she's falling for him as well.

All four of the main stars work wonders with their characters. Oleynik is sweet, funny and realistic as Bianca. I remember watching her on Nickelodeon's `The Secret World of Alex Mack' and thinking she had that natural talent, of course I was twelve but whatever. Here she doesn't disappoint, even now that I'm much older than twelve. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is great here, really natural. He's matured into such a wonderful actor and his selection in films is wonderfully eclectic. Julia Stiles also blew me away here. I've always been a fan of her acting, she's charming and beautiful to look at, but her she shows layers of depth and reality to a character that could have easily become surface in the hands of another actress. She truly deserves a better career than the one she has. And talking about better careers, look no further than the standout performer of the bunch Heath Ledger. Before `Brokeback Mountain' he was the one to watch for. Here he's charming, natural, charismatic, funny and definitely ahead of the pack as far as natural talent is concerned. I'm so proud of him as an actor.

The supporting players are all great as well, from Larry Miller who plays the girls paranoid father (that whole scene with the pregnant crack addict story is priceless) to Allison Janney who plays the sex obsessed guidance councilor, everyone is on the top of their game. But ultimately this is a teen movie, about and for teens and so I need to make mention of the supporting actors playing teens (I say `playing' because I'm sure most of them are in their twenties/thirties as is almost always the case). David Khumoltz is effective in the geeky sidekick role, but it's Andrew Keegan who shines as popular, too cool for his own good, cocky jerk Joey. He's utterly hilarious in his role which could have gone the route of stock character but instead stepped out from the pack and became a very memorable part of the film. That whole scene with the two pictures was genius. With a tight script and an effective cast '10 Things I Hate About You' should prove to be an enjoyable movie experience, one for the textbooks!

An entertaining movie for teens!.......2007-06-19

In terms of teen flicks, this one is at (or near) the top of my list. With a cast busting with famous actors and actresses (including Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger), this film is sure to bring entertainment to those who watch it.

So what's this movie about? While being given a tour of his new school, a boy named Cameron falls for a popular girl named Bianca. Cameron tries his hardest to get a date with Bianca but he ultimately finds out that she can't date anyone until her sister Kat starts dating. The problem? Kat doesn't want to date and she has a bad attitude so even if she wanted to, guys wouldn't necessarily flock to her. Cameron has to try to find a guy for Kat and ultimately chooses Patrick, a guy who has a bad reputation and a bad attitude (sort of like Kat). Will Kat drop her guard and date Patrick? Will Bianca want to date Cameron? And when another guy comes into the picture, which guy will Bianca choose? To find out the answers to these questions, you must watch this movie.

So what's to like about this movie? There's a ton going on in this movie. You have several different storylines and different questions will arise during the entire movie. You have the Patrick and Kat storyline. You have the Bianca and Cameron storyline. You have the Bianca and another guy storyline. You even have a storyline involving two semi-geeky kids. There are some funny parts. And even more emotional parts. It truly will suck you in. Although the ending is predictable, you'll want to see what exactly happens at the end.

And what's not to like? Don't expect this movie to be Oscar-worthy. This is a typical teen movie about high school and dating, nothing serious.

Bottom line: If you're just looking for a fun, no frills kind of movie to watch with a few friends, try this one. It's a cute film for teens!

Fun But Predictable.......2007-05-17

10 Things I Hate About You is another variation of Taming the Shrew and generally succeeds in its attempt to keep things light-hearted and humorous. Its strength is in its script since it is brimming with dry humor about our modern teens.

Yet, where this movie falls flat is in its insistance on staying true to Hollywood forulas and making a forgetable carbon-copy of so many other boy-meets-girl stories.

A good movie to watch on a date, but it won't stand the test of time.

10 Things I Hate About You.......2007-05-12

Bought this as a gift off of a wish list. The person and their family really enjoy the movie

Average customer rating:

The Two Coreys and a cheap price!
One of the funniest movie ever..STILL!
Good DVD, absence of subtitles in Language English.
License to Drive
These two Corey's, definitely 80's teen idols!

License to Drive (Special Edition)
Starring: Corey Haim , Corey Feldman , Carol Kane , Richard Masur , and Heather Graham
Director: Greg Beeman
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007LPSKO
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Product Description

For teenager Les Anderson (Corey Haim), the two most important things in life are getting his driver s license and getting together with the hottest girl in high school (Heather Graham in one of her first film roles). But when Les fails the exam, he borrows the family s prized 73 Cadillac for his big date. An innocent girl. A harmless drive. What could possibly go wrong? Try a fearless best friend (Corey Feldman) with an insane plan, a high school hottie with too much to drink, angry drag racers, crazed militants, a police roadblock, a crash course in car theft, a very angry father (Richard Masur), a very, very pregnant mother (Carol Kane) and much more! Nina Siemaszko and Grant Goodeve co-star in the awesome 80s comedy hit now loaded with exclusive extras, including all-new interviews with Corey Haim and Corey Feldman!

Features

Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs

Theatrical Trailers

TV Spots

Corey Haim Interview

Audio Commentary with Director Greg Beeman and Writer Neil Tolkin

Corey Feldman Interview

Deleted Scene

Screenplay (DVD-ROM)

System Requirements:

Running Time 90 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The brief 1980s mania surrounding "the Coreys" peaked with License to Drive, a modest but surprisingly still enjoyable adventure comedy. Les (Corey Haim, Lucas) has a chance to date his dream girl, Mercedes (Heather Graham, Boogie Nights, in her first significant movie role)--but he's just failed his driving exam. Motivated by a mixture of pride and hormones, he steals his grandfather's Cadillac and heads out on the town with Mercedes for a night that swiftly becomes an escalating series of disasters, made worse by the foolhardy antics of Les' best friend Dean (Corey Feldman, Stand by Me). Despite some egregious '80s fashion disasters (Graham gets the worst of them), License to Drive holds up surprisingly well--it's no work of genius, but it is a solidly made and entertaining teen comedy that's more coherent than most. The depiction of parent-teen relations is fairly honest and particularly well-played by Richard Masur (Risky Business) and Carol Kane (In the Soup) as the parents. The DVD includes a very funny and rambunctious audio commentary track by the screenwriter and director, as well as interviews with the grown-up Coreys. A must-have for fans of '80s nostalgia. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

The Two Coreys and a cheap price!.......2007-05-13

Came fast, good condition. Was good, haven't seen it since i was like 8 and you see a young Heather Gram. Which i never noticed before.

One of the funniest movie ever..STILL!.......2007-02-17

I watched this movie back in the 80's when I was a kid, and here it is 25 years later and this movie is still the funniest movie of all time. Surprisingly, I actually like most (I won't say all) of the movies the 2 Corey's did in the 80's, but I would say that "The Lost Boys" is my absolute favorite semi-horror flick, and "License to Drive" is my favorite comedy.

Good DVD, absence of subtitles in Language English........2007-01-14

The participation of Corey Haim is spectacular. The story is cool (good entertainment). The absence of subtitles in Language English and in other languages is lamentable.

Tidus

License to Drive.......2006-11-13

Wow there are so many parts of this movie i just simply did not remember. But still a great movie, especially with the deleted scenes. They are not up to scratch but i am not holding it against afterall the movie is 18 years old. But still allot of fun to watch.

These two Corey's, definitely 80's teen idols!.......2006-08-24

This movie is totally an 80's flick, but non the less it always brings back feelings of nestalgia! It brings back memories of being that 16yr old that can't wait to get their license. Both Corey Haim and Corey Feldman are perfect for the role. Even though Corey Haim's character fails the written exam, this teen somehow prevails and the outcome is hilarious! And even though this movie is almost 18yrs old, all teen agers can relate to it! This movie is timeless!!

Average customer rating:

Love this one!
Great Classic Comedy
Murder by Comedy
FAST shipping!
One of the all-time classics!

Murder by Death
Starring: Eileen Brennan , Truman Capote , James Coco , Peter Falk , and Alec Guinness
Director: Robert Moore
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005RDRO
Release Date: 2001-12-18

Amazon.com

Neil Simon wrote this 1976 spoof in which virtually every famous fictional detective of the 1930s and 1940s congregate at the home of a mysterious fellow (Truman Capote) to try and solve the mystery of who's trying to kill them all. Simon's jokes are mostly obvious, and the film's real appeal is the clever concept matched with fine--sometimes legendary--actors. Peter Falk plays a very Bogart-like Sam Spade equivalent, James Coco is a Hercule Poirot wannabe, Peter Sellers does a Charlie Chan bit, David Niven and Maggie Smith are reflections of Nick and Nora.... You get the picture. Lighthearted and silly, this is cotton-candy comedy for the cast as well as viewers. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Love this one!.......2007-07-22

This is a really funny old movie! A great mystery/comedy that is more about the individual, funny personalities of the detectives mixing with the others then the mystery it's self. The totally different types of detectives makes this such a funny movie.

Great Classic Comedy.......2007-07-13

We have been enjoying this movie annually since 1976! It is a fun family tradition & we're grateful to have this movie on DVD.

Murder by Comedy.......2007-07-10

Great cast and funny dialogue make this movie a treat. I chuckled throughout the movie because of the funny lines. Listen carefully and you won't be disappointed. Fans of "Clue" should enjoy it. The story is rather predictable based on previous movies like "And Then There Were None", but that is part of the point to be predictable, it is the Neil Simon dialogue full of puns that is the real treat.

FAST shipping!.......2007-05-18

Good price - got here in GREAT time, even with super saver shipping... The movie is hysterical and timeless.

One of the all-time classics!.......2007-03-27

My daughter and I have loved this movie since she was little and we still catch ourselves quoting our favorite lines from the movie! It is such a great spoof on old detective movies and there are so many of our favorite, big stars in it! It is really a fun movie!

Average customer rating:

Top Flight
A Solid, if Unlovable, Film.
Because you wanted to.... me first!
A must-have for your video collection
What a blast! A must-own!

Sideways (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Paul Giamatti , Thomas Haden Church , Virginia Madsen , Sandra Oh , and Marylouise Burke
Director: Alexander Payne
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007TKOAA
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Amazon.com

With Sideways, Paul Giamatti (American Splendor, Storytelling) has become an unlikely but engaging romantic lead. Struggling novelist and wine connoisseur Miles (Giamatti) takes his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church, Wings) on a wine-tasting tour of California vineyards for a kind of extended bachelor party. Almost immediately, Jack's insatiable need to sow some wild oats before his marriage leads them into double-dates with a rambunctious wine pourer (Sandra Oh, Under the Tuscan Sun) and a recently divorced waitress (Virginia Madsen, The Hot Spot)--and Miles discovers a little hope that he hasn't let himself feel in a long time. Sideways is a modest but finely tuned film; with gentle compassion, it explores the failures, struggles, and lowered expectations of mid-life. Giamatti makes regret and self-loathing sympathetic, almost sweet. From the director of Election and About Schmidt. --Bret Fetzer

Description

ACADEMY AWARD WINNER BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY WINNER OF 2 GOLDEN GLOBES, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE (COMEDY / MUSICAL)

In this intoxicating, intelligent comedy, director Alexander Payne (Election, About Schmidt) serves up "one of the best movies of the year" (Entertainment Weekly) about the ups, downs and sideways journeys of life. A wine-tasting road trip through California's famed Central Coast takes an unexpected detour as Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) hit the gas en route to their mid-life crisis. The comically mismatched pair soon find themselves drowning in wine, women... and laughter!

Customer Reviews:

Top Flight.......2007-08-16

This was a great little heart-warming picture, full of intelligence and grace, humor and pathos. What a simple idea, strangely not of this time. A classic road picture with two likable types who have nothing going for them. We love them for this finally, as do the gals they meet on their wine-tasting adventure. The actors are very charming and fully realize their parts. I especially liked Sandra Oh, who is passionate and intelligent. The guys are fine, although I wonder about seeing a lot of them - they may be too ordinary to make it in tinsel town. This is a kind of retro-60s film, it seems to me, small, counter-cultural in a way, slightly subversive of the call to success. These kinds of film made my generation love going to the movies. Encore.

A Solid, if Unlovable, Film........2007-08-15

I rented this film recently, having heard all the Oscar buzz, and was expecting something spectacular, especially considering that I had loved Alexander Payne's previous work, About Schmidt. However, although this is a solid film with many great aspects to it, it wasn't as wonderful as I was expecting.

The plot concerns two men, Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Hayden Church). Miles is an aspiring writer working as a junior high school teacher who is Pinot Noir-obsessed and recovering from a not-so-recent divorce. Jack is a former soap opera star who is about to get married in a week. As an extended bachelor party of sorts, Miles decides to take Jack on a trip through California wine country. Miles is a true wine connoisseur, and, following his divorce, wine seems to be the only thing about which he can truly be excited. Jack, on the other hand, can only get excited about the prospect of getting laid one last time before his wedding.

This film effectively has two stars - wine and Paul Giamatti. In this film's best moments, wine is employed as a character. When he discusses wine, Miles speaks as if he's discussing some long-loved, reliable friend. In the scenes where Miles is alone, drinking, you almost feel as if two actors are on screen, so palpable is Miles's passion.

Miles's favorite wine, Pinot Noir, functions as a metaphor for his own personality. In describing why he loved his ex-wife, he speaks fondly of her palate. When slowly wooing a new potential love, Miles asks her his ultimate getting-to-know-you question - "Why are you into wine?" Giamatti inhabits the role of Miles so completely, you wouldn't even call it acting. He is at times melancholy, at others frustrated, at others just plain drunk, and his journey is perfectly, and frequently humorously, set against the lush beauty of California wine country.

Unfortunately, a film that could have been wonderful, especially in the way Miles was written and portrayed, was tainted by Thomas Hayden Church's Jack. It's not that his character was unlikeable - it was just plain uninteresting. He wants to have one last affair before his wedding. Alright, well, what else is there to him? Ummm.... nothing. That's it. That's all Jack has to offer. His character is simply one-dimensional. It isn't even two-dimensional enough to be considered shallow. Unfortunately, the film wasted precious time on him that could have been spent exploring more of Paul Giamatti's, Virginia Madsen's, and even Sandra Oh's characters.

So, in the end, this film wasn't what I'd call mediocre - rather it had many brilliant moments which were detracted from by the insertion of this one character/actor.

Worth seeing, but I wouldn't buy it.

Because you wanted to.... me first!.......2007-08-08

Is it me or does Paul Giamatti always deliver? It's fitting that like fine wine, you may have to watch this movie more than once to fully savor its richness. While Giamatti delivers yet another on target performance, it's Virginia Madsen who anchors this film. Her performance opens your mind to the world of wine tasting and how, like tattoos, it's a very personal and individual experience for all of us. Of course, the zany, madcap events of the boys last hoorah helps move things along too. It's funny how relationships shape and direct our lives. Sideways offers so many things to it's audience that it's hard to pin down exactly what makes this film tick but in the end, I think it's about vulnerability and in that respect Sideways delivers.

A must-have for your video collection.......2007-08-07

The great thing about this film is that it holds up and you can view it again and again. This is a warm cup of cocoa on a Saturday night alone movie. Buy it. You won't be sorry.

What a blast! A must-own!.......2007-08-04

The only thing on earth better than this film is the book (by Rex Pickett). I laughed out loud many times and usually with tears (this occurred in both the film and the book...but the book is superior by far). Giamatti and Church are wondrous together, a true comedy match. The movie is desperately pathetic, which of course is what makes it so humorous. If you enjoy sarcasm and dark humor you must see this film, buy it, and proceed to watch it over and over. I never seem to get sick of it. Call me crazy, but I really do see this scenario as very 'true to life.'
Furthermore, I cannot recommend the novel enough. Of the hundreds of books I have read in my life time, this one, by far, was the most fun.

Average customer rating:

What a waste
Absolutely fantastic
Good grief! All these words.....
Gosford Park
Hollywood grossness versus British aristocratic bleakness

Gosford Park
Starring: Eileen Atkins , Alan Bates , Charles Dance , Stephen Fry , and Michael Gambon
Director: Robert Altman
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKNF
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Amazon.com essential video

Gosford Park finds director Robert Altman in sumptuously fine form indeed. From the opening shots, as the camera peers through the trees at an opulent English country estate, Altman exploits the 1930s period setting and whodunit formula of the film expertly. Aristocrats gather together for a weekend shooting party with their dutiful servants in tow, and the upstairs/downstairs division of the classes is perfectly tailored to Altman's method (as employed in Nashville and Short Cuts) of overlapping bits of dialogue and numerous subplots in order to betray underlying motives and the sins that propel them. Greed, vengeance, snobbery, and lust stir comic unrest as the near dizzying effect of brisk script turns is allayed by perhaps Altman's strongest ensemble to date. First and foremost, Maggie Smith is marvelous as Constance, a dependent countess with a quip for every occasion; Michael Gambon, as the ill-fated host, Sir William McCordle, is one of the most palpably salacious characters ever on screen; Kristin Scott Thomas is perfectly cold yet sexy as Lady Sylvia, Sir William's wife; and Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, and Clive Owen are equally memorable as key characters from the bustling servants' quarters below. Gosford Park manages to be fabulously entertaining while exposing human shortcomings, compromises, and our endless need for confession. --Fionn Meade

Description

The Academy Award winner for Best Original Screenplay, Gosford Park is a whodunit as only director Robert Altman could do it. As a hunting party gathers at the country estate, no one is aware that before the weekend is over, someone will be murdered - twice! The police are baffled but the all-seeing, all-hearing servants know that almost everyone had a motive.
This critically-acclaimed murder mystery features a who's who of celebrated actors. With a diverse cast of characters - all with something to hide - it'll keep you guessing right to the surprising end. Gosford Park proves that murder can be such an inconvenience.

Customer Reviews:

What a waste.......2007-08-21

What a waste of millions of dollars and some of the world's finest actors. This tediously long film is a mixture of Upstairs-Downstairs and Agatha Christie. Altman just doesn't understand either the upstairs or downstairs people. His "sexy" scenes are embarrassingly dumb. Some of the dialogue is unintelligible, especially when it is delivered by people pretending to be from Scotland. And at the end, when three people "rip off their masks," so to speak, and are really other people, the dialogue is so clumsy that if you look the other way for a second you'll miss the plot summation. This is a film that deserves to be listed in the Turkey book, under the title Most Expensive. It fails to be amusing, insightful, or even entertaining. The worst part is the script, and so, predictably, the writer received an Academy Award,

Absolutely fantastic.......2007-07-10

You can read the other reviews for the plot outline. Superb acting and fantastic plot outline and directing. Everyone is believable. Maggie Smith gives an exceptional performance, and the intertwined yet distanced relationships between the upstairs and downstairs inhabitants is perfection. Clive Owen (Parks) and Kelly MacDonald (Mary) are fantastic, and their small, rather chaste kiss was only an almost-satisfying culmination of their friendship/romance. However both their characters were supremely well-acted. Emily Watson plays Elsie to a T...completely believable, superbly acted. The costumes, sets, and every detail were wonderful...everything believable. Jeremy Northam singing was a delightful surprise and bonus to the film. A complete success...an intricate, interesting study of reactions, relationships, and snobbery. Gosford Park epitomizes quality movie-making, with about the best cast imaginable.

Good grief! All these words............2007-07-06

Let's stop with all the descriptions and witty reviews and comments. Just watch the movie! It has everything and is simply excellent.

Gosford Park.......2007-06-04

This is a clever "Country Manor" mystery with some very fine actors in roles quite different from their ordinary ones. The look at 'below stairs' staff is most interesting.

Hollywood grossness versus British aristocratic bleakness.......2007-06-03

Well played and pleasant but absolutely sinister. D.H Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover in reverse. Lady Chatterley is in fact a Lord. And everything is different. The Lord has the right to have as many affairs with the female servants as he wants. He has the right to have as many children with these female servants as he wants and then to have the babies abandoned and sent to orphanages. Absolutely disgusting. And what's more he may keep the servants for further use eventually. When we know that we know the murder of the Lord will be accepted by everyone in his own social class as justified, that they will cover it up for the police not to find out the murderer. And what's more they will have been backboneless enough not to murder him themselves and let the servants murder him. Here Robert Altman imagines a thriller that becomes a vicious denunciation of the deepest hypocrisy you can imagine, that of the British aristocracy. There is little to add to this tale, except that all in all only the servants have the human dignity that provides them with some human feelings, including for the son that has managed to survive and is condemned to remain officially unknown. It is also the servants who have the liking and taste for the Hollywood sentimental and sentimentalese songs that are sung for the entertainment of the ladies and gentlemen who treat that music as some charming accompaniment for their simmering hatred of the world and themselves. Of course Altman also manages to put one note against the Americans in the two characters from California, one having a typically non-Anglo-Saxon name, viz. Weissman. They are vicious enough to infiltrate the servant quarters just for the sake of a film on the very same situation, hence to guarantee the realism of the servants' side of the film. But they are also gross enough to reveal the subterfuge before the end and that reveals too how much the servants hate this indiscretion that reveals their side of ,the household to someone from the other side of the household. The gap between the two social classes that live along to one another in this mansion is wider than the distance between the earth and the moon.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

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