Napoleon Dynamite

Amazon.com

As deadpan comedies go, Napoleon Dynamite stands in a class all its own. Played by John Heder, the title character is (in the words of critic Roger Ebert) "the kind of nerd other nerds avoid," a mouth-breathing dweeb with a mangy nest of orange hair, and ungainly features that suggest a perpetual state of half-conscious depression. He lives in Preston, Idaho (former home of 24-year-old director Jared Hess) with his thrill-seeking grandma and 32-year-old brother, and his days at high school consist mostly of being abused or ignored by indifferent classmates. Napoleon's sad-sack story doesn't offer the scathing, impassioned humor of Welcome to the Dollhouse because Hess (who cowrote the nearly plotless screenplay with his wife, Jerusha) doesn't have an angst-ridden axe to grind. Instead, the comedy (which exists in a tacky universe of worn-out rural suburbia) is so low-key that some will find it difficult to laugh, while others (i.e., those who feel superior to Napoleon) will have plenty of fun at Napoleon's expense. The result is a curiously uneven film, hilarious at times, but hampered by its own sense of affectionate mockery. An audience favorite at the Sundance film festival, Napoleon Dynamite may not be entirely lovable, but it's definitely unique. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Napoleon Dynamite is a new kind of hero, complete with a tight red 'fro, sweet moon boots, and skills that can't be topped. Napoleon spends his days drawing mythical beasts, duking it out with his brother, Kip, and avoiding his scheming Uncle Rico. When t

Customer Reviews:

Did I miss something?.......2007-09-15

There was alot of hype surrounding this movie but for what? I finally saw it after everyone was saying what a good funny movie it was. I thought it was corny and not really funny at all. You had a few dorky kids in high school that were outcasts and got picked on and singled out in class. Now is that funny? A lot of us experienced that in school and it's not funny when it's happening to you. Now I'm a laugher and a smiler, but this movie got very few laughs out of me. I didn't even finish the movie. I got bored with it.

The best thing about "Napoleon Dynamite" is its title.......2007-09-11

I did not know much about this independent comedy, until I saw it last weekend. I had heard that it was a surprise favorite at 2004 Sundance festival where it was met with non-stop laughing. Since I admire off-beat humor and am a big fan of a good comedy, I was ready to love or at least like "Napoleon Dynamite". I was sorely disappointed. The best and the funniest thing about "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) is its title. By the title alone I expected the movie and its main character to be charismatic and brave as Napoleon I and explosive as dynamite or at least, unpredictable, fresh, and original. Guess what, it is none of the above. First and foremost, the movie is so boring, slow, and non-interesting that I could hardly manage to sit through it. Yes, I've read the comments that Napoleon, and his two equally sleep-walking friends, Pedro, the most impossible candidate for school president and Deb, the girl we should believe Napoleon might have a crush on and few more high school cliché characters are exactly like the regular students in a regular high school. Even if it is true and I hope that it is not always the case, I don't have to sympathize with the trio of walking zombies. ND and his friends are so bored and boring that their boredom becomes contagious - for me it was. I did not find anyone on the screen slightly interesting, leave alone sympathetic. Well, there was one exception, Napoleon's and his older brother Kip's, 32 years old Internet chat rooms addict's grandmother who was injured in a dune buggy accident (that sounded interesting or at least promising) and taken from the screen after the first fifteen minutes. She was lucky - she did not have to endure the presence of her complete idiot-nephew Rico, the ex-jock of the 1982, a door-to-door salesman, whose adventures or projects did not contribute a single funny scene or even a joke to this sophomoric excuse for a movie.

While trying not to fall asleep, I was thinking of the others, more successful and much better first movies that might have been the inspiration for ND. Wes Anderson's debut, "Bottle Rocket" (1996) even if not a masterpiece is often hilarious and always original. Todd Solondz's first feature which explores the similar subject, "Welcome to the Dollhouse" (1995) is a terrific film - brave, and passionate - real dynamite. Napoleon Dynamite" is simply forgettable.

Not Just Anoher Teen Nerd Story, This Is Both Original & Very Funny.......2007-09-05

If you like dry or dark humor, you should get a big kick out of this movie. I know I did. If you are between 12-20 you might even like it more because this deals with high school kids primarily. However, there are some adults in here who play key roles, too.

The teens and the adults have a couple of things in common: they are nerds and weird people and they are ALL hilarious. They also are unlike a cast of characters you have seen in any other movie. In other words, this movie is an "original."

I didn't know any of these actors and I think that helped. It made it even more original, looking at new faces. That begins with the title character, played by Jon Heder. A white kid in Idaho with a afro haircut, over-sized glasses, moon boots and an unpredictable and low-key personality unlike anyone I've ever seen in other films. Even though he's pictured as a huge nerd, he surprises you all the time. Just when you think you have this kid figured out, he does something unexpected. Whatever, he's fun to watch and hear throughout the movie.

Suffice to say "Napoleon" and about everyone in this film is totally whacked and all of them - male, female, young, old, good and bad people are extremely entertaining. A lot of the humor is visual, meaning the looks and reactions on these character's faces and the weird deadpan lines they deliver. Are there stereotypes in here? Yes, like the bimbo, prettiest girl in school running for class president , and her stupid, macho boyfriend, but most of the people were pretty unique.

If you like absurd humor, this is your cup of tea, and you don't have to be a teen to enjoy this. Hey, I'm old enough to be Napoleon's grandfather and I laughed my butt off from the beginning to the end of this unconventional film.

Sweet.......2007-09-03

One of those movies you can watch over and over again and it makes you feel better. Fairly clean humor too.

Complete waste of time.......2007-08-30

I watched the first fifteen minutes of this movie and turned it off. I found it to be boring and completely unfunny. The characters were unappealing. I enjoy a movie with characters I can admire or relate to, or who are intriguing. There is nothing admirable or intriguing about this collection of uninspired, flat characters. This movie appeals to our impulse toward self-loathing. We relate to the characters because they reflect the ugliest parts of our self-image. This is true in many popular comedies. The characters of Will Farrell and Ben Stiller aren't clever or inventive or even just plain bizarre. They are simply degraded images of humanity. Give me Super Troopers, where the characters are silly but at least they have self respect. Give me Shaun of the Dead, where again, the characters are silly, but they have humanity and love for each other. The characters of Napoleon Dynamite are portrayed as a collection of turd scraped off the bottom of your shoe. It isn't funny. It's disrespectful and almost blasphemous. We should be better than to think this movie is funny.

Average customer rating:

Great Cast-Average Movie
Funny Movie but unrealistic
OK IT'S PREDICTABLE!.....SO WHAT?
Surprise
Underrated Surprise

Man of the Year (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Robin Williams , Christopher Walken , Laura Linney , Lewis Black , and Jeff Goldblum
Director: Barry Levinson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000LC5B7O
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

A comedy with serious intentions, Man of the Year attempts to challenge the audience's notions of what is and isn't real when it comes to politics. Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) is a popular political talk show host. As a lark, he runs for president and wins. The thing is, he's not any more unqualified than the other candidates, so his victory doesn't seem quite so outrageous. But when it turns out that the computer ballot firm responsible for tallying all the votes may have had a glitch--and that a recount would negate his win--mayhem ensues and the film segues from comedy, to drama, and back to comedy (sort of) again. Directed by Barry Levinson (Diner, Wag the Dog), the film doesn't take advantage of Williams' natural humor or charm. He at times appears to be chomping at the bit to unleash a comedic tirade or two, only to be held back by stiff lines. Williams only truly appears to be enjoying himself when trading lines with Laura Linney, who portrays the hapless do-gooder at the ballot firm who's being set up to appear unreliable. With some fine performances by a supporting cast that includes Jeff Goldblum, Lewis Black, and the inimitable Christopher Walken, Man of the Year occasionally hints at greatness. But at best, it's a lukewarm comedy with a diluted message. --Jae-Ha Kim

Customer Reviews:

Great Cast-Average Movie.......2007-09-02

Man of the Year was a bit of a disappointment considering the make-up of the cast, Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, and Jeff Goldblum among others, though by no means is it a terrible movie.
A comedian, often critical of Capitol Hill and politics, decides to run for President and gets voted in office in a surprise electoral victory carrying all 13 states in which his name is on the ballot.
The plot has elements of both comedy and drama making it rather difficult to label it as one or the other; it's actually a bit of both.
In short, the acting is good, the plot is average, while the humor could have been a lot better.
One thing was rather curious and that was how a specific small religious/ethnic group was mentioned throughout the movie for no apparent reason whatsoever except to promote it and possibly get the audience exposed to it and/or used to it... Hmmm...
In a nutshell, it's probably not a movie you would want to add to your collection, but it might provide for an evening's entertainment, and that's about it.
No masterpiece here... 2.5 Stars

Funny Movie but unrealistic.......2007-08-25

Robin Williams has always been a fan favorite and his humor and stand-up in this film is excellent. When the movie moves to Ellen the programmer, it gets really unrealistic. She's attacked and given drugs, which are psych drugs that flip her out so that she appears unbelievable. She does not get that she was attacked, apparently. She doesn't tell Williams' character that something happened with the election program. She still doesn't get developed, a bit too flipped out. The comedy drains in the second half with the movie plodding along. If there was a problem with the election program, would you go to the CEO directly? Would you have a half a brain to go to the media with this news once you were attacked by your own company?

Unrealistic second half. Too bad, as this started out great.

OK IT'S PREDICTABLE!.....SO WHAT? .......2007-08-18

I think some people expect every movie to be the greatest film ever made! This comedy/drama could have been better, yes it's true! It was still an entertaining movie,even though I could see most of the twist coming a mile away! Would I buy it.....No! It was an OK movie to watch because I had nothing better to do. No problem. Williams and the cast do what they can with the script. It did have some good points and it was an interesting premise. Maybe we need someone like this in office because we haven't had any winners in there in a long time!

Surprise.......2007-08-13

This movie is like meeting a really hot woman at a club, having a good time, bringing her to your place, making out and then finding out that she's a man.

False advertising. Don't buy into it.

Underrated Surprise.......2007-08-12

This movie really is an underrated surprise. I think this is because it's a bit of a mixed genre film. Not all comedy and not all drama.

Comedy is well used to poke fun and the modern political environment with the mix and match candidates. Pick a party, you know what the platform is going to be, so does it really matter who the candidate is?

This is where the fluke of Williams' winning comes into play. You want him to win, he does, but not for the right reason. Then doing the right thing comes into play. Yes, morality rears its ugly head.

Good prevails!

This comedrama explores current politics with tight, well thought out storytelling that gives one moments to ponder just how absurd the contemporary American political landscape is.

Average customer rating:

~~ ~ Vote ~ ~ For ~ ~ Revenge ~ ~~
Election
Payne Hits His Mark For Once
Bored me to tears *Spoilers*
Future Hillary Clinton

Election
Starring: Matthew Broderick , Reese Witherspoon , Chris Klein , Jessica Campbell , and Phil Reeves
Director: Alexander Payne
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Black Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Comedy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00001MXXJ
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Amazon.com essential video

Matthew Broderick makes up for years of wet-noodle performances with his low-key but unsparing characterization of Jim McAllister, a high school teacher at George Washington Carver High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Driven by a strange mixture of loathing and lust for pathologically overachieving student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), McAllister encourages a dim but popular athlete, Paul (Chris Klein from American Pie), to run against her in the election for student-council president. Director-cowriter Alexander Payne (Citizen Ruth) turns this deceptively simple premise into a complex and scathing comedy of ambition, corruption, and desire, all at its most naked and petty. Every scene contains some painfully funny nuance that will make you wince in a mixture of astonishment and empathy. Witherspoon flips effortlessly back and forth from adolescent vulnerability to steely-eyed strength; she's becoming a contemporary Carole Lombard. The movie itself feels like a magnificent throwback to the richly layered comedies of the '30s, which drew their humor from sharply drawn characters and twisting plots instead of explosions of bodily fluids. With a wealth of smart, cutting details, Election rewards multiple viewing. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

~~ ~ Vote ~ ~ For ~ ~ Revenge ~ ~~.......2007-09-14

Let's see, In 1999 you had "American Beauty", "American Pie", "Cruel Intentions", and "GO". All of which are sensational, and even better teenage comedy/dramas. But I do believe that "Election", rightfully deserves its place.
Matthew Broderick has always been an 80's joy, and after twenty years he still makes me laugh. You look at him and sometimes go, "WOW look at what's happened to Ferris Bueller!". There's no doubt in my mind that one day I'll probably think back to the 90's, remembering all of my favorite actors, and remember Broderick, in roles just like this one.
Receiving an Oscar just last year for the role of June Carter in "Walk the Line", Reese Witherspoon is a star. It's so easy to sit back and watch her in a movie like this. She's so believable, and so dedicated... all you want to do is watch her. And for me, before the whole Johnny Cash comeback in movies today, my favorite Reese Witherspoon movie and character ever, was of Tracy Flick in "Election". I hope I see Reese when she's acting at the age of 60.
From teachers to students, we're all haunted or either proud for what we all went through. It was long, maybe boring, maybe helpful, or honestly... hell. You only experience going to high school once, and that's what "Election" is all about. "Are days might not get any longer, but they can sure be better!" Cruel Intentions If you want the same thing, but with a more loving and lying kinda way, then this is what you want.

Election.......2007-08-29

Received this movie very quickly and was very satisfied with the seller and the content of the movie. Would buy from this seller again.

Payne Hits His Mark For Once.......2007-07-12

Alexander Payne has repeatedly demonstrated his affinity for loathesome characters (Sideways, Citizen Ruth) and dark to point of pathetic humor (About Schmidt). Here he combines repellant characters with smart dark humor and manages, for once, to make some insightful comments about the human condtion. Broderick and Witherspoon play duelling narcissists. She's so cute and perky and involved and all she wants to do is rule the world and everything in it. He's no slouch either. Three time teacher of the year and fanatically committed to his own brand of fair play. He's presiding over the election she wants to win. He hates her because he, in his heart of hearts, admires her least admirable traits and he hates himself for it. They're both about as real as three dollar bills and they have a date with destiny. Election keeps the tone light, the navel gazing to a minimum and the jokes sharp. The voiceovers are hilarious in thier perfect blend of hypocrisy and self delusion.

Bored me to tears *Spoilers*.......2007-04-18

Yea, yea, let's all beat up people with ambition. Being the president of the lazy and procastination club myself, sure I'd love to hop on that train. The thing is, this movie isn't funny or even mildly entertaining. I see absolutely no point to have Tracy Flick involved in a sexual relationship with one of her teachers, especially one who was so beneath her intellect and not in the least bit attractive. Flick makes a comment that maybe she was looking for a father-figure-but then her search seemed to just stop and there's no real point to it. If you look at it as further coal to the fire for McAlister to hate her (since it was his best friend) it doesn't really work, since he, too, struggled with the moral and ethical war within himself. What was the point of the lesibans angle or Tammy taking the fall for Tracy? Nothing in this movie seem like it was building toward anything. It was a bunch of isolated incidents thrown together. Even the ending felt like it didn't know when to end. No one ever seems to have a problem when a man is ambitious or drunk with power, but when you put those characteristics in a woman: watch out. I think it all started with that darn apple.

Future Hillary Clinton.......2007-02-22

A true satire, Election displays Reese Witherspoon as the precise, cunning, and ruthless Tracy Flick, the student council wiz. She's going to be class president, but don't get in her way. Matthew Broderick, her history teacher sees the monster in waiting, but is unable to stop the juggernaut. In his desire to thwart, he manages to destroy his career and marriage, while Tracy Flick thrives. Witherspoon gave us a sympathetic version of this character later with Legally Blonde, but in Election, as a young teen, she balances her innocence with her craving for power, if not, order. She is your junior year girlfriend on political steroids about to become a Hillary Clinton.

Teenage frisky behavior in our modern times, gads, I didn't know what was under a girl's skirt till the Nixon administration. Lesbian sisters, hot tub teens with potty mouths and more, its all right kids.

Alexander Payne the writer director delivers repeatedly, Something About Schmidt, Sideways, and Election, his Midwesterners are having an existential crisis. Their milk and honey has mutated.

Average customer rating:

Why Not be Honest?
Whoda Thunk It?
Tricky Dick meets Tricky Oliver
great film, horrific dvd
What?! Not Anamorphic?!

Nixon - Collector's Edition
Starring: Joan Allen , Brian Bedford , Powers Boothe , Tom Bower , and Kevin Dunn
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000063V8K
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Amazon.com essential video

Oliver Stone's controversial drama about the Nixon years in the White House stars Anthony Hopkins in a genuinely great performance as the scandal-plagued president. The film attempts to wed suggestions of Nixon's formative experiences as a boy to his political connections with shady movers and shakers and finally to his self-destructive tenure in the Oval Office. The Watergate scandal is revisited rather impressionistically--it may be hard for viewers who weren't alive then to get a sense of what the crisis was about. The parade of stars playing figures in Nixon's orbit--J.T. Walsh as John Ehrlichman, James Woods as Bob Haldeman, David Hyde Pierce as John Dean, etc.--is fun if a tad distracting. Joan Allen got a well-deserved Oscar nomination as First Lady Pat Nixon, and Hopkins got one as well. --Tom Keogh

Description

Anthony Hopkins electrifies the screen in NIXON -- the acclaimed hit from controversial director Oliver Stone. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards(R), NIXON takes a riveting look at a complex man whose chance of greatness was ultimately destroyed by his passion for power -- when his involvement in conspiracy jeopardized the nation's security and the presidency of the United States! With a phenomenal all-star cast, featuring Ed Harris, James Woods, and Joan Allen, NIXON is powerful motion picture entertainment you won't want to miss! Also included: exclusive never-before-seen footage, plus an Oliver Stone interview!

Customer Reviews:

Why Not be Honest? .......2007-08-13

I gave this movie two stars because Oliver Stone is a brilliant filmmaker with a high level of talent, but I simply cannot understand why he had to be so dishonest about his subject. There was so much wrong with Richard Nixon that there is little justification for making things up. Anthony Hopkins, a magnificent actor, gave a superlative performance and played Nixon exactly the way the Director undoubtedly wanted him to--as a psychopathic, blithering, hard-drinking ape. This is totally unfortunate as he could have made an excellent work of art from this story. Many of the lines attributed to the principal players--like Sorvino's Kissinger saying that had Nixon been loved as a child things would have gone differently--are so fantastic as to boggle the mind. Nixon's relationship with his wife may have been one of the few things the man did right in his life, but Stone infuses their bond with total torment. Why he did these things I cannot fathom. I just finished a biography on the 37th President and his financial shenanigans alone would have been enough to base a movie on. The guy was a big-spending liberal, paranoid, and disloyal. In short, he was an embarrassment to both the right and the left. Why not simply tell the truth? That would be demeaning enough but what we have here is not a man but a total caricature of one. The depiction is so patently ridiculous that it cannot even effectively function as propaganda, as, to most sensible people, it is simply unbelievable. What a waste.

Whoda Thunk It?.......2007-08-03

I never would have imagined that Anthony Hopkins could pull off a convincing Nixon, well color me surprised! Both he and Joan Allen (playing Pat Nixon) deserved their Oscar nominations - Allen should have won!

Oliver Stone is polarizing, not always honest in his portrayals and always out to bite the bullet in some capacity, but he's a great filmmaker. The fictional aspect of JFK hurt the film, mostly because Stone presented them as truth's. But the question of truth behind his portrayal of Nixon adds to the film, Nixon's presidency and Nixon himself is already a work of fiction that historians are still trying to figure out. But Stone focuses more on the downfall of Nixon as a man rather than the politics that came with the man.

Great film, my favorite Stone film, I highly recommend it!

Tricky Dick meets Tricky Oliver.......2007-05-04

I like this movie. Nixon did some good things like ending the draft the clean air and water act. This movie mostly shows Nixons bad side Anthony Hopkins does a good job one highlight is when Nixon goes to the lincolin memorial and talks to antiwar proteters. Some of Oliver Stones insinuations are not believable i doubt Nixon met with JFK conspiriitors. Nixon for all its faults has good cinematography and is likley the best Nixon movie well ever see.

great film, horrific dvd.......2007-04-07

This is a review of the 2-disc edition of the film. The extra 28 mins of
footage in Nixon has been mainly culled from the deleted scenes.
These scenes are shown in the extras and are of good quality.

What do the characters who produced this dvd do? They simply tagged
on these scenes where they belong in the theatrical version of
the film, but the quality of this extra tagged footage makes the
Zapruder film of Kennedy's assassination look like a fully remastered
digital film.

One wonders if Oliver Stone knows what they've done?

The film on disc 1 alternates between clear image quality to VHS like
images when the extra footage comes on. This is not only shocking
in the 21st century with the right technology available ("Zoolander' has
better overall image quality than this film on this dvd), but the film
isn't even in an anamorphic transfer.

It's unethical for the studios to sell such products because
it really is a way of cheating the public. Hope there will be
no plausible deniability and stonewalling here by them: don't buy this.

Send the message to the studios that they should get their act
together and release a proper cleaned up digitally remastered
full version of the film, in an anamorphic transfer.

Otherwise they should be impeached.

What?! Not Anamorphic?!.......2007-04-04

I was ready to order this great movie based on that it's supoosed to be a "Collectors Edition"; fortunately I happened to catch the comment from AP DUPIN from France (these are the really useful comments, Thanks AP!) that the transfer for this version is not anamorphic. Are you kidding? It's the 21st century, widescreen TV's are here! Non-anamorphic DVDs should be clearly marked as NON ANAMORPHIC. At this stage of DVD development, Widescreen Version should imply "Enhanced for 16X9 TVs", unfortunately it doesn't, so widescreen owners should make sure of what they're getting before buying. I just wish that people would include more comments about the quality and characteristics of the DVD itself along with the "artistic" review. In the meantime, I'm passing on this "Collector's Edition"(?) until someone lightens up and gives this movie the DVD treatment it deserves. The movie: 5 Stars; this DVD version: 1 Star

Napoleon Dynamite - Like, the Best Special Edition Ever!

Average customer rating:

Did I miss something?
The best thing about "Napoleon Dynamite" is its title
Not Just Anoher Teen Nerd Story, This Is Both Original & Very Funny
Sweet
Complete waste of time

Napoleon Dynamite - Like, the Best Special Edition Ever!
Starring: Jon Heder , Efren Ramirez , Jon Gries , Aaron Ruell , and Diedrich Bader
Director: Jared Hess
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Teen | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

School Days | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000EHSVQE
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

Did I miss something?.......2007-09-15

The best thing about "Napoleon Dynamite" is its title.......2007-09-11

Not Just Anoher Teen Nerd Story, This Is Both Original & Very Funny.......2007-09-05

Sweet.......2007-09-03

One of those movies you can watch over and over again and it makes you feel better. Fairly clean humor too.

Complete waste of time.......2007-08-30

Average customer rating:

"Brilliant"
I think its been misrepresented somewhat
no title
The start and the end of political documentary...
Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps

The War Room
Starring: James Carville , George Stephanopoulos , Heather Beckel , Paul Begala , and Bob Boorstin
Director: D.A. Pennebaker , and Chris Hegedus
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Politics | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

ASIN: B0002JUXDS
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Amazon.com essential video

Documentary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker (Don't Look Back) and Chris Hegedus shot behind-the-scenes at command central for Bill Clinton's 1992 election campaign and came up with this film. You won't find the kind of daily damage-control and skirt-chasing indirectly alleged in Primary Colors, but the filmmakers do give us a strong sense of the uphill battle of a presidential campaign. The center of the film is really James Carville, who steered the machine for Clinton's '92 run and who comes across in this film as a deeply passionate, complex, and somehow timeless man who could have fit into any chapter of American history. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

"Brilliant".......2007-01-15

This is a great film to see what is conducted behind the scenes to win a presidential campaign. Great film for students to see two political campaign managers at work. This film also showed these two guy's human side and at the same time funny.

I think its been misrepresented somewhat.......2006-12-02

This is not a film of the inner sanctum of Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign as claimed but a film of his head campaign managers office. You will see some discussions on issues. Nothing very controversial. You never see any real important decisions made and you see almost nothing of Bill Clinton.

If you are interested in elections you probably will get some feel of how a modern campaign feels but little about much else.

no title.......2006-03-13

Well, I sure could have skipped this one. I well remember the critics raving over this on television, but why is beyond me. Mostly, I was just plain bored. There simply was no depth at all, just bunches of short takes and wise cracks. Bush was just downright dirty, making insults and slurs all over the place, something I do not consider an appropriate attitude in a man who would be President. And it is interesting that in one of the reviews it was noted that Mary Matalen, the deputy manager of Bush's campaign and very acid-tongued (maybe she wrote some of the slurs Bush used), is now the wife of James Carville, top strategist for Clinton's campaign, and basically the star of the movie. But all the scenes were focused on the funny quip, the bon mot, no long scenes of the nitty-gritty work, or any answers to any questions about Clinton either, for that matter.

The start and the end of political documentary..........2006-01-21

Though 'Primary' introduced the political campaigning doco, 'The War Room' surely is the apex of the genre.

Part of the highlight of the doco is Stephanopoulos, who is captured as he is - preening himself and agreeing with others ideas/suggestions.

As with the Clinton campaign, Carville steals the show. Whatever your convictions (and mine are on the other side of politics) it is impossible not to respect Carville for his character and beliefs.

I dont want to spoil it for you, but Billary wins...

Sometimes you need to fill in the gaps.......2005-12-30

While I found the glimpses into the inner workings of the 1992 presidential campaign of Bill Clinton to be interesting and well worth watching, it was a bit disappointing. Campaign manager James Carville and Communications Director George Stephanopoulos demonstrate their skills at political maneuvering. Even though Bill Clinton was a masterful politician, these two men got him elected. While both of them show their hard-boiled political fronts, they also show their human sides. Stephanopoulos openly talks about how nervous he is and Carville cries when he thanks the staff for their hard work.
There are two main weaknesses to the presentation. The first is that many parts will be incomprehensible to anyone who does not already know a great deal about the events. For example, there is mention of the relationship between Carville and Mary Matalin, but it is never truly explained. The incongruity of the political strategists of Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican George Bush having a romantic relationship in the middle of a presidential campaign is not emphasized as much as it should. If you were not aware of the depth of that relationship and who they are, then that segment will be little more than a flyby.
The second main weakness is that your perspective never reaches the level of the "fly on the wall." At all times, it is clear that you are seeing into the campaign only to the extent that they want you to see. It would have been better if they at least sometimes made it appear that you were seeing workings of the campaign staff that they would have preferred not be seen. I was especially disappointed with the response to the Gennifer Flowers incident. Clinton and his campaign staff handled it very deftly, yet we really don't see what they did. This contrasts with an incident later in the campaign when Stephanopoulos fields a call from someone who is threatening to expose what they claim is another Clinton infidelity. In this case, he supposedly fathered a child with a black woman. Stephanopoulos tells the person politely but firmly that:

*) At this point no one cares.
*) If you break the story, you will never work in the Democratic party again.

I found this video fascinating, but I remembered and understood the events that unfolded. If you for any reason do not know the fundamentals of what is happening, then you will spend a great deal of time puzzled by what you see.

Average customer rating:

American History documentary that every US citizen should study
Your constitutional rights being denied...watch and weep
THE TRUTH THAT EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW!
How American elections are stolen
The power that be really don't like Cynthia McKinney

American Blackout
Starring: Cynthia McKinney
Director: Ian Inaba
Manufacturer: Disinformation
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000GYHRHE
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Amazon.com

The right to vote represents one of the strongest elements of democracy within the United States. With his documentary American Blackout, Ian Inaba shows that while voting is a right many Americans take for granted, it's something that's still not a given for many of America's citizens. With his thought-provoking film--which won the Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival--Inaba shows through interviews, documents, and startling images of African Americans waiting in the rain (only to be falsely told they're too late to vote) how districts are systemically trying to exclude blacks from the voting process. By focusing on controversial congresswoman Cynthia McKinney--who has been a vocal opponent of President George W. Bush and his administration--and a few others, Inaba doesn't lose the viewer with too many subjects. Whether or not your political views align with McKinney's, it's difficult not to question some of her opponents' motives for twisting her words, especially pertaining to 9/11. Though no one will be surprised that this film was shot on a low budget, the lack of bells and whistles doesn't take anything away from the production value, which is compelling in its stark reality. --Jae-Ha Kim

Description

Most people have heard of the voting irregularities that marred the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004. Some even know of the resulting challenges to the electoral votes by African-American congressional representatives. However, because the mainstream media shies away from reporting cases of imperiled democracy the public is left to believe these stories are at worst insignificant rumors or at best one-off incidents that result from an overburdened election system.

American Blackout chronicles the recurring patterns of disenfranchisement witnessed from 2000 to 2004 while following the story of Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who not only took an active role in investigating these election debacles but also found herself in the middle of one after publicly questioning the Bush Administration about the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Some call Cynthia McKinney a civil rights leader among the ranks of Shirley Chisholm and Malcolm X. Others call her a conspiracy theorist and a "looney." American Blackout gains unprecedented access to one of the most controversial and dangerous politicians in America and examines the contemporary tactics used to control our democratic process and silence political dissent.

Customer Reviews:

American History documentary that every US citizen should study.......2007-09-08

No scripts, no special effects, no big budget production. American Blackout captures the events of the 2000 and 2004 elections. It also documents the struggle in Washington, D.C. for a black congresswoman who is trying to serve the country that she loves. The program documents the facts surrounding the fixed elections, the rest is (recent) history.

Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was always a lightning rod for controversy. She was the only person who had the courage to stand up for what is right, even though it was very unpopular at the time. Years later we now know that McKinney was right from the very beginning. The United States wouldn't be on the verge of collapsing if we had only listened to Cynthia McKinney. Our education system has failed, our health care system is imploding, our government is corrupt at every level, we've let our veterans down, and we have lost the war in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Where would we be today if we had not only listened, but stood up and demanded the truth like McKinney?

I'm proud to say that I was a Cynthia McKinney constituent and supporter. American Blackout should be viewed by history buffs, and for anyone who is interested in knowing what REALLY happened.

Your constitutional rights being denied...watch and weep.......2007-08-27

What is the most positive message from this video is that when the Black, African American's vote as a block, they determine elections. That's clearly why they were denied the chance to vote in Ohio, and Florida. The story is also the political lynching that Representative McKinney got for speaking out against the Bush Administration. The twisting of her questions by FOX news and the wing nut bloggers.

Now of course that the information, who knew what and when did they know it about September 11th is clear to everybody. And of course instead of looking like a nut case conspiracy leader, Representative McKinney looks like a freedom fighter in the best sense of the word, a person who uphold the American Ideal of Freedom.

But don't take my word for it, watch the video and decide for yourself.

Then remember why you vote, then don't forget come next November.

THE TRUTH THAT EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW!.......2007-07-09

I wish I could give this film more than five stars. It was brilliantly assembled and the content/subject matter ought to be of utmost importance to every self-respecting American citizen. Watch it, share it, and then get out and do something about it.

How American elections are stolen.......2007-05-30

AMERICAN BLACKOUT is an extraordinary documentary that focuses on the election loss of 2002 of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D. Ga.) and the regaining of her seat in 2004. In a larger context AMERICAN BLACKOUT is an expose of how Republican operatives conspired to steal the presidential elections of 2000 and 2004 by Black voter suppression and the theft of Black votes. In addition to Cynthia McKinney, also featured is Greg Palast, author of THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN BUY.

The power that be really don't like Cynthia McKinney .......2007-05-13

Behind Ron Paul Cynthia McKinney is one of my favorite representatives out there. I loved to watch here on cspan and was sad when she was not reelected. But now I know why and it is sham full that the republicans and democrats teemed up the silence here.

Ali G Indahouse - The Movie (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Worth checking out
Not nearly as good as Borat
Very Disappointing.
bought as a gift
2 1/2 stars!

Ali G Indahouse - The Movie (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Charles Dance , Michael Gambon , Barbara New , Rhona Mitra , and Emilio Rivera
Director: Mark Mylod
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0002ZMITY
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Amazon.com

Ali G addicts have been fretting over the British comedian's spiraling popularity. As word of his outrageous celebrity interviews spreads--the deer-in-the-headlights gaze of his victims as they wrestle with incredulity over his audacious stupidity is itself always worth the price of admission--his pool of potential victims naturally diminishes. Not to worry: Ali G as a character has enough flexibility to make the leap to full-length film. The transition is far from perfect: few moments in Ali G Indahouse can match the unforced hilarity of Da Ali G Show. The film's biggest drawback, in fact, is the absence of the real-life personalities we know from the interview format; it's the friction between them and comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen's imposter shtick that generates so many howlers. Ali G Indahouse, in contrast, hangs on a silly plot. The setup of fictional characters interacting with Ali G simply can't have the same payoff.

Said plot is nothing more than a vehicle to subject the hip-hop poseur to a variety of ridiculous situations. He finds himself the unexpected champion in a parliamentary election and has to deal with the devious plotting of the Machiavellian Chancellor of the Exchequer (played by Charles Dance, who undergoes all manner of extreme humiliation). The result is a mix of Dumb and Dumber and Leslie Nielsen-esque pratfalls, with a hint of the Peter Sellers character in Being There. A good deal of the intended irony falls flat, and the litany of dated jokes calculated to offend all over the spectrum gets tiresome: from raunchy malapropisms to Ali G's recurrent obsession with being perceived as gay. But Baron Cohen's genius for getting under the skin of his creation remains undiluted. One aspect of special interest to Ali G fans is the light Ali G Indahouse throws on topics that are always behind the scenes in the Ali G Show context. We actually see Ali's Nana and his crib in suburban Staines, and "me Julie" (Kellie Bright) becomes a focal point as the story unwinds. Genial Borat makes an appearance (and gets dissed by Ali); we even learn the secret origin of Ali G's name (an abbreviation of Alistair Graham). It all might add up to a guilty pleasure, but hey--check yaself before ya wreck yaself. --Tom May

Customer Reviews:

Worth checking out.......2007-08-22

This movie was too funny. It took me a long time to get up enough desire to watch it because it just looked so stupid. But I am glad I did. I can't get enough of it now. I watch portions of it almost everyday. This is what I imagined Vanilla Ice to be like in his heyday.

Not nearly as good as Borat.......2007-08-04

But that could be because I'm not British & don't understand some of the references & also it could be because it was produced before Borat & his acting is better then. I'm still happy I bought it though.

Very Disappointing. .......2007-06-19

Well, I'm very surprised to see that this movie received as many 5 stars ratings as it did, perhaps my negative reaction to it was misguided. I have to say, and make no mistake about it, Sacha Baron Cohen is top dog when it comes to comedy so that people would buy the DVD is a given. I'm about to get Season 2 of the Ali G show in the mail and I'm sure I'll love it as much as I did Season 1. The only words that I can use to describe the movie Borat are "total joy." There's not many movies better, but the same can't be said about Indahouse. As a vehicle for his talent, this flick was a Yugo. I found it incredibly boring and I was extremely disappointed. In fact I turned it off after 50 minutes. There are no interviews (which is what made his show so great) and there is no Borat or Bruno to add to the hilarity. I'd say to take a pass on this one. Actually, if Cohen wasn't in it I'd give it only 1 star.

bought as a gift.......2007-06-15

very campy, nowhere near as good as the show

2 1/2 stars!.......2007-06-02

After watching Borat, and loving it. I decided to watch Ali G Indahouse. From the hilarity of Borat, I expected Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G Indahouse to be just as funny, and entertaining, I was wrong. While Ali G provides some hilarious moments, there are too many slow spots in the movie. There were times I laughed by butt off, them other times the movie was so boring. If you loved "Borat" rent "Ali G Indahouse" it is not anywhere near as good as "Borat." 2 1/2 stars, worth a rental!

Average customer rating:

Great Cast-Average Movie
Funny Movie but unrealistic
OK IT'S PREDICTABLE!.....SO WHAT?
Surprise
Underrated Surprise

Man of the Year (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Robin Williams , Christopher Walken , Laura Linney , Lewis Black , and Jeff Goldblum
Director: Barry Levinson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000LC5B7Y
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Great Cast-Average Movie.......2007-09-02

Funny Movie but unrealistic.......2007-08-25

OK IT'S PREDICTABLE!.....SO WHAT? .......2007-08-18

Surprise.......2007-08-13

This movie is like meeting a really hot woman at a club, having a good time, bringing her to your place, making out and then finding out that she's a man.

False advertising. Don't buy into it.

Underrated Surprise.......2007-08-12

The Manchurian Candidate (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Another Six Words ....Well Seven
Not impressed
Nice Try, But Watch the Original First
Parrallel Political Intrigue
Forget Comparing to the Original; It's Like a New Take on the Theme

The Manchurian Candidate (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jeffrey Wright , Pablo Schreiber , Anthony Mackie , Dorian Missick , and Jose Pablo Cantillo
Director: Jonathan Demme
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0006210ZG
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Amazon.com

The Manchurian Candidate, a classic of paranoid cinema from the 1960s, gets a cunning update, rife with hot-topic references to corporate war profiteering and electronic voting machines. Major Ben Marco (Denzel Washington, Training Day) has been haunted by nightmares ever since a firefight during the first Gulf War--a battle in which he believes he was saved by the heroism of Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber, Kate & Leopold). But Marco's nightmares suggest otherwise and drive him to investigate what happened, which may threaten Shaw's candidacy for vice-president. Meryl Streep plays Shaw's mother, a senior senator who manipulates everyone around her with an iron will and a sharp tongue. The Manchurian Candidate loses steam towards the end, but up until then director Jonathan Demme keeps the movie rolling fluidly, crafting some creepy paranoia of his own while Streep tears into everything in her path. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Serving together in the Persian Gulf War, Captain Bennett Marco and Sgt. Raymond Shaw were part of a platoon of soldiers kidnapped and brainwashed. Ten years later, Shaw gears up for his vice presidential campaign while Marco eventually remembers being kidnapped and discovers Shaw's powerful mother played a big part in that scheme. Determined to reveal the truth behind everything, Marco must first convince Shaw that the brainwashing really happened.

Customer Reviews:

Another Six Words ....Well Seven.......2007-08-07

To supplement the 13th January 2007 review by "1chiqu", I'd like to add:

AND MERYL STREEP IS NO ANGELA LANDSBURY.

Watch the original, not this turkey.

Not impressed.......2007-06-08

This movie is about a mega-corporation with special talents in mind control and manipulation of memories, that decides to apply those talents to gain control of the White House. Their target is the photogenic son turned war hero of a prominent US Senator who fits the role of the perfect political candidate. By implanting mechanical devices in his brain, Manchurian Global is able to take control of the young man for whatever purpose they need.

The premise is intriguing, and I can see where it would be very appealing to some, especially the "black helicopter" crowd. But I think more could have been done with this. Compared to the original, it falls way short. Denzell Washington was brilliant as always, although this was not his best performance, and Meryl Streep was easy to despise in light of today's current political environment.

I was interested enough to watch the entire movie, but wouldn't watch it again. And if you haven't seen either one, I would recommend the original.

Nice Try, But Watch the Original First.......2007-05-03

Though it lacks the quiet dignity of the original, Jonathan Demme's talky update of "The Manchurian Candidate" manages to hit enough points to qualify as a watchable thriller. The story, of course, has been updated beyond its Cold War roots, meaning the communists aren't the villains anymore. (I won't tell you who they are, but aside from Nazis, who is a villain of convenience nowadays?) That also means that the plot is needlessly top heavy with details and machinations, turning a story that originally was chilling in its simplicity into something cumbersome, as well as more brooding than frightening.

Likable Denzel Washington steps into Frank Sinatra's venerable shoes as Ben Marco, the Army major unfortunate enough to have his squad turned into diabolical experiments in mind control. This time, he isn't suffering only from nightmares but from what seems the worst case of Gulf War Syndrome on record. Lacking the pathos of Lawrence Harvey, Liev Schreiber makes for a reptilian Raymond Shaw, the soldier at the center of what may be a fantastic assassination plot, only this time, he's a senator with designs on the White House. (This script jettisons the Johnny Iselin character, thus robbing the movie of some of the original's bitingly satirical moments; it also maddeningly reduces Shaw's near redemptive romance with a political opponent's daughter to an expository footnote and trades the functions of some characters.) But perhaps the biggest flaw is Meryl Streep's generally histrionic approach to the role of Raymond's mother. As acclaimed an actress as she is, Streep's portrayal seems a burlesque of Angela Lansbury's stunning foray into villainy.

Demme's direction is less taut than in "Silence of the Lambs" and showier but often less effective than John Frankenheimer's - oddly enough, some deleted scenes show a better grasp of the concept than what made it into the theatrical version. The original, an almost perfect film, remains the definitive version.

Parrallel Political Intrigue.......2007-04-03

While being accompanied by a member of the press during the Persian Gulf War, an army unit is ambushed. The men of the unit don't remember much of what happened after the attack but they all remember that they were saved because of the actions of Sgt. Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber). After the conflict, Shaw was nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor by his commanding officer, Capt. Ben Marco (Denzel Washington). Shaw won the award and the recognition he received allowed him to successfully run for political office.

Years later Major Marco runs into another member of his unit, Al Melvin (Jeffrey Wright) from those days who questions Marco about what really happened in the desert and asks him if he ever has any dreams. Marco politely dismisses Melvin's accusations, but he knows he speaks the truth because he hasn't stopped having any dreams since he returned home and he spends his time off duty as a broken man. Melvin's meeting sets off a chain reaction with Marco's brain and he begins to remember things better. When he sees that Raymond Shaw has been nominated for a Vice Presidential nomination, he sets out to meet with Shaw and discover the truth. It's a journey down a rabbit hole more terrifying than anything Alice ever met: from mind altering implants beneath the skin, convenient murders, brainwashing, with an international corporation known as Manchurian Global trying to covertly take over the world.

When I first heard that Hollywood was going to remake THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, I was very skeptical. The original film has become a classic example of political intrigue. That film was made in the heyday of the Cold War and not only captured the hovering suspicion leftover from McCarthyism, but also portrayed the attempted assassination of a president, eerily foreshadowing what actually happened to President Kennedy just a few month later.

Two generations have passed since original THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and the geopolitical landscape of the world has changed drastically. Except for the overpopulated nation of China and a few small countries scattered around the globe, Communism no longer poses a threat to democracy. In its stead we are faced with a new type of conflict that has no national, political, and religious borders. This new conflict provides the opportunity for businesses to engage in legal international war profiteering, something that the world has never seen the likes of. It is against this backdrop that the new THE MANCHURIAN