Playtime (The Criterion Collection) (1967)

Why was Playtime a failure, sending Jacques Tati into bankruptcy and costing him control over his life's work of films? His previous film, My Uncle, had been a commercial and artistic success. M. Hulot's Holiday and Jour de Fete had gained Tati world-wide recognition and respect. He had become recognized as one of the few authentic geniuses of film.

Watch Playtime and I think you'll find the answer. Tati in his earlier films placed Hulot in situations where we could empathize with him. Hulot was an innocent. As we came to like him, we also came to like the people he encountered. Even with their pretensions and idiosyncrasies, we could see something of ourselves in them. Tati might be holding up a mirror for us to look in, but M. Hulot was such a gentle companion that we smiled as we recognized ourselves.

With Playtime, there is little Hulot. Instead, we have Tati's view on all sorts of social and cultural issues, from the sterility he saw in much of modern life to modern architecture, group behavior, impersonal offices, loneliness, boorishness and American tourists. We're observers, and our job is to share Tati's viewpoint. Hulot, now middle-aged, has become a minor player in the film. In his earlier movies, Tati was careful to give us small numbers of people with whom, along with Hulot, we could come to know. In My Uncle, for instance, it was essentially one family and one modern home, along with Hulot's own apartment and his neighbors. In M. Hulot's Holiday, it was a small seaside hotel and its guests. With Playtime, we have a large, impersonal office building, all glass and right angles, filled with people -employees, visitors, exposition guests, customers. Then we have an apartment building with huge curtain-less windows allowing the pedestrians to look right in, and we're among the pedestrians. Then we have a nightclub filled with customers, waiters and managers. There is little opportunity to get to know any of these people, much less develop affection for them.

However, as with all his movies, Tati fills Playtime with streams of intricate and carefully developed comic situations (although comic is too broad a term), often that build from small happenings we've barely noticed. There is only sporadic and incidental dialogue, but sound effects are vital to the movie, as subtle and amusing as what we see.

As sterile and unattractive as Tati makes the airport, the office building, a convenience store and the apartment, there are such odd and subtle sights as the bobbing wimple wings on two nuns, a floor sweeper staring at a booted officer, Hulot suddenly sliding down a floor, glass windows and doors impossible to tell if they're there or not, a table lamp that dispenses cigarettes, strange-looking and wobbling food at a self-service counter...and the list simply goes on. And it's not just one thing at a time. Tati can fill a screen with all sorts of amusing occurrences, some happening in the foreground, some in back, some at the sides.

The last hour of the movie takes place in a modern nightclub, the Royal Garden, which has just opened and is barely ready for its customers. A dance floor tile sticks to a maitre d's shoe, a fish is ostentatiously finished table-side by a waiter...then finished again and again by mistake while the two customers ooh and ah. A bow tie falls in the sauce. A bus-load of tourists suddenly appear. When Hulot manages to accidently shatter one of the glass doors to the restaurant, it is a culmination to all those glass walls we've been looking through and walking into. The follow-up gag with the round door opener is almost worth the price of the DVD. As the modern restaurant gradually disintegrates around us, Tati finally begins to ease up on personal viewpoints and let's us simply enjoy the sight of people becoming more like people. And that, I suspect, is the point Tati wanted to make. In an odd sort of way, the last ten minutes evoke the humor and warmth of previous Tati movies...a packed traffic circle with all the cars moving slowly together; a father taking a toy horn from his little boy and blowing it, too; the bittersweet last look at Hulot walking past a bus where a young woman he met at the nightclub is being taken to the airport with her tourist group.

If you like Tati's viewpoint on the impersonalization of modern society, you'll probably like Playtime. Some critics call it his masterpiece. If you like Tati, I think Playtime is essential, if only to understand what happened to him. The movie is an idiosyncratic and gallant failure, in my view, and much too long. Still, I'd rather watch Playtime than most of what passes as genius in films today.

The new Criterion release looks very good. This edition has several extra features including supplements about Tati and an audio interview with him. The case also contains an insert with an essay by Jonathan Rosenbaum, identified as a film critic.

French director Jacques Tati is considered as one of the best directors of all time. Known for his comedic work in France, his character Monsieur Hulot has appeared in several successful comedic films such as "Juor de Fete", M. Hulot's Holday", "Mon Oncle", "Traffic" but there is one film that will be his accolade. That film is "Playtime".

Considered a masterpiece by critics, the film was also a commercial failure and was the most expensive film ever created in France as Tati created a set featuring a whole city block with high rise buildings that looked incredibly real. But the film was ahead of its time.

"Playtime" is a visual film with no significant plot, nor does it have much dialogue. It's a film that is driven by its many characters onscreen and the elaborate setup as characters, buildings and vehicles are treated with so much detail on the film, that it just a feast for ones easy as Tati absolutely created a film that was sheer brilliance.

But part of the problem was his risky gamble on 70 mm widescreen and stereophonic sound. Many theaters were not equipped to handle that and to make things worse (but understandable) is the lack of dialogue which can easily turn off audiences. So, needless to say, the film didn't do well in France and also in America.

It's after Tati died in 1982, is when people found admiration in his work and seeing how his films were truly amazing.

"Playtime" is like a smorgasbord of life being changed by modern technology and as Tati was known to do, lambast modern society as he was a man that was definitely "old school" to the time of his death.

The film revolves around Tati's famous character Monsieur Hulot and an American tourist named Barbara.

For Monsieur Hulot, he easily gets lost in the city and leads him to adventures to various areas such as an office building (which he had a problem with today's modern architecture) as he gets lost trying to get to his meeting and ends up being pulled away to a high-tech trade expedition, a high-tech apartment and then leads him to nightclub known as the Royal Guarden.

As for Barbara, she just wants to experience the beauty of Paris. She accompanies her (loud) American friends but she rather enjoy France her own way. Obviously Barbara had different ideas in mind of Paris but instead she receives a modernize setting.

The film culminates with the carousel of cars as Barbara must leave the city and sees almost a carousel/parade of all these vehicles all around her and how all the people react. What we see is a city that has been transformed to a festive, enormous metropolitan playground.

"Playtime" focuses on these two characters (and other characters who shows up more than once), Tati showcases modernization (which looks beautiful) but it's that demolishing of the France that he loves and now getting used to this new France is what makes "Playtime" quite entertaining.

Viewers can watch "Playtime" with its original French audio but also an International version which features the film in English.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Playtime" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1 Aspect Ratio). Accord to Criterion, the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are normal for this format. The HD digital transfer was created on Spirit Datacine from the 35mm reduction internegative made from the 65 mm interpositive. Thousands of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixl Farm's PFClean system, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

"Playtime" is featured in its original French language but also a alternate International soundtrack which features a few scenes with English dub.

As for the audio, the audio is presented in lossless stereo. Criterion mentions that the soundtrack for "Playtime" was remastered at 24-bit from the orignal stereo audio stems. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using Audio Cube's integrated audio workstation.

Subtitles are provided in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Playtime" comes with the following special features:

* Video introduction by writer, director, and performer Terry Jones (6:13) Terry Jones talks about "Playtime" and what he remembered when he watched in on the theater for the first time, what he thought about the film and also a little information about Jacques Tati.

* Selected scene commentary by film historian Philip Kemp (46:44) A well done commentary by Philip Kemp as he talks about certain scenes from the film. Kemp definitely giving an intelligent and yet smooth delivery for commentary for the film. Very informative!

* Au-delà de "Playtime," a short documentary featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the production (6:30) Featuring a behind-the-scenes look of how the set was created for "Playtime" and video footage of Jacques Tati with the cast and crew.

* Tati Story, a short biographical film (20:38) A featurette celebrating the work of director Jacques Tati. Featuring photos and video of Jacques Tati from when he was a child to when worked on his final film. Very good insight to Tati's personal life and his career.

* "Jacques Tati in Monsieur Hulot's Work," a 1976 BBC Omnibus program featuring Tati (49:28) Featuring an interview conduced by Gavin Millar who interviews Tati at the Hotel de la Plage about M. Hulot and films that the character has appeared in.

* Rare audio interview with Tati from the U.S. debut of Playtime at the 1972 San Francisco International Film Festival (Courtesy of Pacifica Radio Archives) Featuring Jacques Tati at the 1972 SF International Film Festival (discussion moderated by Albert Johnson) and insight of Tati's feelings of the film being showing in the US and his appreciation for the American fans who enjoyed the film. A great audio recording that gives us insight of Jacques Tati.

* Video interview with script supervisor Sylvette Baudrot (12:09) Sylvette Baudrot talks about working on the film and reveals some secrets of how Tati made this film work.

* Cours du soir, a 1967 short film written by and starring Tati (27:41) A short film in which features Tati teaching a mime class.

Also, included is an essay (in the insert) by Jonathan Rosenbaum (a film critic for the Chicago Reader from 1987-2000) titled "The Dance of Playtime".

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Playtime" happened to be the first Jacques Tati film that I have ever watched. I was familiar with his character of M. Hulot but for years, I have wanted to watch and experience the film.

The first thing that I found surprising is the attention to detail as the unbelievable set Tati's company had created was just fantastic. The buildings look modern, the set looks like a major section of Paris with all the people, buildings and vehicles. And sure enough, "Playtime" is a film that utilizes everything on screen to show how modern technology has literally chanted the landscape. Some who embrace the changes and convenience of modernization and some who feel they are left behind and are literally lost.

What makes this film work outside of its incredible set is that Tati is a perfectionist. He literally directs each person in the film. Everyone has an import part to play. May it be how characters have this choreographed walk as they go off in several directions to characters at a restaurant as we see people dancing on the dance floor, each person dancing differently. While servants are trying to get the food out and you see visual gags as one servant clearly has their eyes on something inside the club, while another is attentive to the female patrons and those who are desperately trying to get their food out. It may seem chaotic, but Tati knows what he wanted to get onscreen and succeeds.

"Playtime" features absolutely beautiful cinematography as we see bungalows on the work floor which work almost like a maze. We see buildings that appear to be metallic and the lighting automatically synchronizing when they turn on. We see vehicles move almost in synch with other vehicles.

We see people throughout the city in similar routines at work, we see people promoting the latest in modern technology ala the late 60's and what is most amazing is that there is hardly any dialogue. It's like you are given an upfront look at how life is in the city and seeing how various people react to each other.

The film plays out quite interesting as the first half is dedicated to various characters such as M. Hulot who has a business meeting but ends up getting lost in all the modern settings. Barbara is a tourist who has accompanied several American women to Paris and finds the city to be quite breathtaking. We see Monsieur Hulot getting lost in offices from buildings that look alike.

But then the second half of the film focuses on a nightclub known as The Royal Garden that is opening and yet not ready. We see how the builders and the restaurant staff prepare for their major night despite the nightclub not yet ready. Where the first half was quite visual, the second half focuses more intimately on the people of the nightclub and the film becomes more gag-driven but yet with so many people in the film, Tati did a wonderful job in making sure each character had some part in the film and contributed in some fun or hilarious way.

A visual film without dialogue may seem boring and monotonous but fortunately Jacques Tati included a good number of gags to make the whole 124 minutes a bit lively. I did feel the film went a little long and that scenes could have been cut but with Jacques Tati putting all his energy into this film, I understand how difficult it was for him to even cut any scene out. But I do feel that the film could have been much shorter but then again, I would have been curious to see Tati's original, longer cut.

If anything, I really enjoyed what Tati did to create such a beautiful film. Three years of his life and also the crew and talent who made this film a reality is very much appreciated as I was entertained visually and I just felt so much respect for Tati after the film was completed. I did find it a bit disheartening to learn how this film which cost over $15 million (which was incredible for 1967 and was the most expensive French film at the time) caused problems for Tati as he was left bankrupt and unfortunately damaged his career. As much as it was critically well-received, it was a failure in the box office but partly that was because Tati chose 70 mm instead of 35 mm and Stereophonic sound which many theaters were not equipped to play during that time.

The Criterion Collection really did a great job in presenting "Playtime" on Blu-ray. The film looked absolutely beautiful for a film that is over 40 years old and because this film and what takes place onscreen is so immense that each time you watch this film, you will see things that you just didn't catch the first time. You can't help be amazed of how Tati and crew were able to create a modernized city. Tati made sure to really utilize his large cast in this film and what you see maybe different from what others are seeing because there are many things going on in the background. So, definitely a film that I have no doubt will require multiple rewinds because too much is happening in one sitting.

Also, The Criterion Collection edition of "Playtime" on Blu-ray features many special features that Jacques Tati fans will enjoy.

I've heard that the film is a statement by Tati of how much society has changed along with the city he has loved. The modernization with the use of electronics in buildings and restaurants and just making sure he has enough gags to make the audience laugh. If only Tati can see how much has changed today, that would definitely be an entertaining script.

A film that showcases beauty in various ways. This is absolute a film that was the highlight of Jacques Tati's career and despite how this film may have done in the box office, anyone watching now and seeing what the director was able to accomplish with no discernible plot and very little dialogue is fantastic. And again, the visuals are just fantastic. I was really blown away with how beautiful and intricate of a film "Playtime" truly is.

"Playtime" is highly recommended!

Buy Playtime (The Criterion Collection) (1967) Now

This is a singular masterpiece in film making but totally unlike anything, even for it's day. By today's attention deficit disorder standards, this film is really really odd. But no doubt it is a masterpiece if the viewer is willing to put the effort in to catch all the nuances because this is a film of nothing but nuances. Tati himself is just one of many participants.

There is a plot of sorts dealing with a group of female American tourists and the one women who is the odd duck among them. She meets Tati and they spend the night together dancing at a night club and see in the dawn at a coffee shop. Various bits of business are constantly swirling around them and you could view this picture 10 times before seeing everything. There are many jokes but they are gentle visual puns. Don't expect belly laughs, just a wry but amazing view on modern life.

As is standard practice for Criterian these days the extras on disc two are spectacular. The documentaries on Tati's life and this film are brilliant and helped me understand his art and this film much better.

A gentle film with brilliant use of wide screen (this film would make no sense pan and scan) you need to fall into the picture to enjoy it. But there is an endless wealth of material to enjoy.

Read Best Reviews of Playtime (The Criterion Collection) (1967) Here

To say too much or to say too little? I see greatness here, and the more I learn about this film and Jacques Tati, the brilliant, wonderful Jacques Tati, the more I admire this great piece of film treasure. Tati is one of these pure joys that came out of nowhere in my life, and has now fueled me beyond belief. I am in love. This is a film fan's greatest wish to find unexpected little gems like this one and to have it consume them until it becomes an obsession, and then familiar, like an old comfy hat. This is a masterpiece, and it gives me faith in the human race when I see someone go all-out like this. This may have been folly but we are so very, very lucky to have this precious classic!! I grew up with Gilliam's folly, Brazil, and it is so nice to see another person putting themselves so far out over the edge for the sake of TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING IN THE GUISE OF COMEDY. This is a remarkable film and the commentaries on these discs, the Terry Jones intro, the making of features it's all tremendous, and I cannot recommend it enough. We have movie clowns today who waste their time farting and looking at booties and hating so indirectly -you see something like this, and it's like...we need more. That's all I can really say: we need more like these. This is visionary, and a gift for the ages. Remarkable, brave, timeless. This is what film is about.

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My review will be hated by many, but the Truth must out: I just saw this in the Criterion blu-ray on my ten (10) foot screen at home. It was magnificent. I am a comedy afficionado and this may be the greatest of them all, although definitely not the most laughs-out-loud. Anyway, the awful truth: if you don't see it in blu-ray on a large screen (at least 60", I imagine), I think you'll be missing a lot. Tati fills the frame with all kinds of mishegas in the background and on the far reaches of the image. Further, the simpler shots draw power from the large scale of the sets. Now please don't be ticked off....I'm doing you a solid!

Guys and Dolls (2012)

Yes, indeed! The booklet included is nice and glossy. Thanks! And the two documentaries added this time around are nice too. Thanks again! But what about the film itself? Has that been given the deluxe treatment as well?

Sad answer: Definitely NOT! As a matter of fact, this new "re-master" looks much worse than the previous DVD. That one was a very fuzzy non-anamorphic mess, but this new anamorphic one is just as fuzzy. In fact, when I put the old one in the zoom mode, there is no difference in focus and contrast whatsoever. And the colors are somewhat more warm and pleasant on the old edition. But worst of all, is that the new DVD is cropped on all four sides! There is quite a lot of more picture information available on the old disc, especially on top of the frame! So much for a Deluxe Edition! Shame on you, Sony/MGM-UA! Fans of this film myself included will have to keep the old DVD, and get this new one for the extras and the booklet. (The 2 stars above are for those inclusions alone.) This is certainly no way to treat loyal film fans and costumers willing to pay for an upgrade version of a beloved film!

For those uniformed potential buyers...note that the picture/aspect ratio for this specific release has been cropped (I've done identical scene comparisons with this deluxe release and the previous edition). In addition, the (2000) release is mislabeled (i.e. 2.35:1) and is actually presented in a 2.55:1 ratio (the original theatrical release format). Conversely, the deluxe edition (is labeled 2.55:1) and because of cropping, has been altered from the picture's original aspect ratio...in effect displaying a 2.35:1 image. The cropping issue has also been noted by other various reviewers, therefore confirming and/or lending credibility to this issue not being an isolated event.

In summmation...the product has been misrepresented. With this release, one does not get the complete picture...literally. I returned my deluxe edtion for a refund and will stay with my (2000) version, until the studio(s) or those responsible for a legitimate "deluxe" edtion will "do it right."

Buy Guys and Dolls (2012) Now

A film by Joseph Mankiewicz

The image I have in my head of Marlon Brando is that of Vito Corleone in "The Godfather" and Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront". The opportunity to see Brando in a musical was just too good to pass up. "Guys and Dolls" is a musical about gamblers and women, but the story is much better than that.

Nathan Detroit (Frank Sinatra) runs a high stakes craps game. Normally he does not have any trouble finding a location for the game, but the police is putting on the heat and nobody is willing to take the chance...nobody but one person who wants $1000 up front to host the game. All of the big mobsters are in town and they are looking for Nathan's craps game. Nathan makes a bet with Sky Masterson (Marlon Brando), a high roller who will bet on absolutely anything. The bet is that Sky cannot convince Sarah Brown (Jean Simmons) to go with him to Havana for the night. This may not seem like that big of a bet, but Sarah Brown works downtown at the mission and is a very straight-laced, Christian woman. Sky Masterson is not the sort of man she would associate with. Sky takes the bet and starts trying to win over Sarah. While Sky is doing this, Nathan is setting up the craps game with the promise of the thousand dollars he believes he'll win from Sky. The only thing raining on Nathan's parade is his fiancee of 14 years, Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine). Miss Adelaide is a show girl, and she is getting tired of waiting for Nathan to marry her and she is also completely against the crap game.

The above description sets the stage for a wonderful musical where we get to see Brando singing "Luck Be a Lady". The other song that completely surprised me was "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat", a song I only knew from the much slower Don Henley version. With Sinatra's crooning and Brando singing like I never knew he could, this is one good musical. I would definitely recommend this movie.

Read Best Reviews of Guys and Dolls (2012) Here

"Guys and Dolls" is a fairly faithful, good adaptation of the great Broadway stage musical. Unlike "West Side Story" or "My Fair Lady", it isn't a film that cries out "SPECIAL EDITION!" but it is fine to have one available.

MGM has given the film a fine special edition (or Deluxe Edition as they call it) treatment. The box is nice and reflects some of the original artwork with modern touches. The scrapbook (A collection of old advertising and photos) is fine as well.

As for the disc itself, the two documentaries are fine. No rare photographs from the Broadway or film archives are shown, but the interviews from the children of the creators (Loesser, Goldwyn and Mankiewicz) and the choreographer, Michael Kidd are quite nice and informative.

The film itself recieves a nice treatment although it is quite similar to the previous editions.

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Like it or not, it's up there with the classic film musicals of all time. Who would want to miss a singing Brando? He does a good job as Sky Masterson but one wonders how it would have been if Sinatra had played Sky & Brando, Nathan Detroit. Apparently in reality, Sinatra wanted the part of Sky but he lucked-out to Marlon. Brando said later that when they recorded his voice, it was so bad that he literally had to sing it line by line. I personaly think he does a fine job, as does Old Blue Eyes. One of those great looking hollywood movies. Like candy for the eyes. How lucky we are to be able to see it in it's cinematic DVD glory in our own lounge rooms. Need popcorn in your lap for this one.

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Just Friends

At a high school graduation party, overweight Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) attempts to reveal his true feelings for his best friend Jamie Palomino (Amy Smart), but ends up making an utter fool of himself. What's worse, his humiliation takes place in front of his jeering teenage peers. A decade later, Chris has become a success story. He is now thin, prosperous, is a hit with girls, and works as an executive in the music industry. His latest assignment is escorting wacky starlet/pop princess and ex-flame Samantha James (Anna Faris) to Paris, France. But their plane has to make an unscheduled landing in Jersey, Chris's high school home. Rationally, Chris and Samantha decide to stay at his old house. Chris has a reunion with his former buddies, including the winsome Jamie, who immediately rekindles that old spark within Chris. The remainder of the film concerns Chris's efforts to make Jamie see him as more than a friend, while simultaneously fending off the warped Samantha. Competition comes in the form of a former fellow nerd turned sensitive guy Dusty Dinkleman (Chris Klein).

Just Friends is a very funny, feel-good movie. Ryan Reynolds is a hoot as a brash L.A. stud who disastrously channels his inner dweeb whenever he's around unrequited love Jamie. Ryan is really excellent with physical comedy. There are scenes with him that are just uproarious (case in point, the aftermath of his politically incorrect hockey game with the kids). I even enjoyed his frequent Three Stooges encounters with his kid brother (Chris Marquette). And when he has to, Ryan steps outside the slapstick and layers in a deeper nuanced, more introspective performance. I ended up rooting for Chris, even though he was overly cocky and big-timed his home town folks. And then there's Amy Smart, who seemingly can do no wrong. There's just something so lovable and natural about her. She embodies the type of girl every guy would want to be with. Anna Faris's turn as the unstable Samantha adds to the already boisterous feel of the film. Samantha actually scares me. Chris Klein's Dusty, Chris's guitar-playing, song-writing rival, is disgustingly touchy-feely. One would wish that a different sort of arc for Dusty's character had been laid out; the script writer, in my eyes, sold out and made things too convenient for Chris, with regards to Dusty. Julie Hagerty (Airplane!) has a goofy supporting role as Chris's mom.

The special features are tasty:

a filmmakers' film commentary

"Tales from the Friend Zone" featurette (the cast & crew talk about real life "just friends" experiences)

"Developing Just Friends" featurette (wherein we learn of the script's 7 year odyssey and how, originally, Chris didn't get the girl at the end)

"A Director's Guide to Comedy" featurette

"The Transformation" featurette (about Ryan's fat face make-up)

"The Body Shake" featurette (the awkwardness of when you're dropping off a date; do you hug or kiss?)

"It's Friggin' Cold" featurette (the cast & crew basically complaining about how cold the shooting was)

"A Writer's Journey" featurette (focus on script writer Adam "Tex" Davis)

"A Disaster in the Making" featurette (about the making of the Palomino house X-mas decor and its eventual fate)

"The Reshoots" featurette (the making of the eventual ending of the film, which wasn't the original ending)

a so-so blooper reel

deleted scenes

an alternate ending (this was the initially intended ending; you could see why they changed it)

an amusing "Jamie Smiles" video

theatrical trailer

So, try out this movie. It'll make you smile and laugh and even feel nostalgic because, let's face it: just like me, you've been in Chris's position before, too.

This is not hi-def quality. It's lo-def recorded onto a blu-ray disc. All the cost, none of the detail. Doesn't even have the extras that are on the dvd. For the record, I loved this movie and was very anxious to get it in hi-def, but this was a complete rip-off. Don't waste your money. Just get the dvd.

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This movie definitely turned out to be better than expected. I'd just seen "Waiting", which was decent, so I was interested to see what this Ryan Reynolds film would have to offer.

This movie had a much better storyline than did "Waiting..." It was very refreshing to see Ryan Reynolds play a character that wasn't Van Wilder-esque. He gives a very funny performance as the fat-kid turned Hollywood man-about-town who returns home and reconnects with the girl who broke his heart in his youth.

The movie is funny right off the starting line and remains funny throughout.

Recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Just Friends Here

I didn't really like Waiting, another Ryan Reynolds film. So I was leery about this one, but my sister assured me that it was totally different, and boy, was she right. This one's in the romantic comedy category, but with an American Pie attitude, which makes for a very funny movie. And I've never liked Ryan Reynolds more.

Reynolds plays Chris, a guy who was fat and unpopular in high school, but had a really great friend (played by Amy Smart) who hung out with him and had sleepovers w/him. Unfortunately, he saw her as more than just a friend, but she didn't feel the same way at all. After an embarrassing moment at a grad party, he gets on his bike and rides away, saying, "This town if full of losers, and I'm pulling out to win!" Flash forward ten years-Chris is now a total hottie with a body and has a flashy job in L.A. working for a record label. He has to escort the pop princess Samantha James (the hilarious Anna Faris) to Paris. But when their flight is grounded in Jersey because of an onboard fire (thanks to Samantha!), Chris heads back to his home to catch up with his mother and little brother, and maybe regain what he lost when he left-the girl of his dreams. Throw in a wacky little brother (played by Chris Marquette, whom you will LOVE in this role!!!) and another cute guy (Chris Klein) and you've got some serious obstacles!

Such a funny movie, really good physical comedy on Reynolds' part, he really reminded me of Jim Carrey in this movie, especially in that car scene when he's lamenting over his crappy first "date" with Jamie. Reynolds and Marquette are hilarious together; man, brothers sure know how to push each others buttons. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

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I laughed so hard sometimes I couldn't stop. This is absolutely the best comedy of the last couple of years. Chris (Ryan Reynolds) was the quintessential nice guy, great friend all through high school with Jamie (the lovely Amy Smart). He was a bit overweight and the kids were kind of mean to him about it. Years pass and he comes back, lost the weight, in excellent shape, and has a career as a well known music exec. He's intent on winning Jamie this time. Enter Anna Faris (as a Britney Spears type, and really ditzy but in a hilarious way), and Chris Klein as a musician trying to win Jamie also. The sound and picture are great, this DVD has GREAT extras, and please let movie play all the way through so you can hear Anna singing "Forgiveness". I promise you'll be laughing.

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Old School (Unrated and Out of Control!) (2003)

I just saw this movie about three hours ago, and I have to say it is the best movie I've seen in the theater in a long, long time. The starring cast is unbelievable, as Luke Wilson (from 'The Royal Tenenbaums' and 'Legally Blonde'), Will Ferrell (SNL funnyman/'A Night At The Roxbury' star), and Vince Vaughn (from both 'Made' and 'Swingers') star as three married buddies who begin a fraternity; or something like it. And along with the three stars, there's a great list of supporting roles and cameos. Including Sean William Scott (Stifler of 'American Pie'), Andy Dick, CBS Late Late Show's Craig Kilborn, and Jeremy Piven. And once you get past the long cast list, you have a very funny movie. As the movie starts, you get a glimpse of each of the three stars and their lives; as far as their marriages go. Then as it turns out, none of them are really happy.

And as Mitch (Luke Wilson) gets divorced and moves into a frathouse near a college, they decide to start a fraternity. But it's not like any old club on campus--for this one you don't even have to go to the college. Anyway, as the film roles on, you can imagine what (and if you saw the previews, you get the gist of it) they do. They drink, party, and slowly drift away from the lives they have with their wives. And I have to say, out of the three star performances, Vince Vaughn's was the best. Will Ferrell's certainly is the funniest, but Vince was great. He sort of carries in the same swagger-style he had in the riotous movie 'Made'; something that works very well for him. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that the previews don't even begin to prepare you. It's definitely not one of those movies that is only funny in the previews. The laughs portrayed there are multiplied by 100, at least.

For those of you who saw 'Road Trip' you'll not be let down with 'Old School'. And being that it's from the same director (Todd Phillips), that makes sense. But this one is better. Much better. This time around the director takes it to a whole new level. And the characters are more well-rounded here than they were in 'Road Trip'. The slogan of the movie says it all: "All the fun of college. None of the education." I think that speaks for itself.

So I could leave you here saying that if you liked 'Road Trip' you will like 'Old School'; and that's it. But that's not true. This is not just a "teen cult" movie--or whatever they're calling it these days--it's much much more than that. It's a hilarious movie with an astonishing/almost too hilarious cast that will keep you laughing even through the closing credits (courtesy of Ferrell and Vince). And it's not every day I put an exclamation point on my review titles, much less two. I gave the movie 5 stars because that's what it deserves. It's a 5 star movie, there's not getting around it. And again, if you saw the previews and you laughed (or even thought about laughing) then you need to see this movie. There's so many great lines and so many awesome scenes that I couldn't even begin to list them; I wouldn't know where to start. Go see this movie.

This movie is hilarious, and I would give the movie itself 4 our of 5 stars. But there is hardly any difference between the unrated cut and the R rated cut of the movie. When you have topless women on the menu and on the back of the cover, one might be mislead to think there was tons more nudity, when in reality there are 2 brief scenes with any type of nudity (besides will ferrel's butt scene). This movie could have easily passed the R rating cut, as the unrated thing is nothign but a marketing ploy. I bought the movie for laughs and definately not for sex, but for someone who does, the "UNRATED AND OUT OF CONTROL" part is quite misleading.

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"Old School" brings back the fun and irreverence of the days of "Animal House" that so few movies seem willing to revisit. Comedy these days seems built around 'paint-by-numbers' formulas or 'let's see how much we can gross people out' shock characteristics. Current releases like "Boat Trip" and "Bringing Down the House" fall in the former category while any movie involving Tom Green or the Farrelly Brothers falls into the latter category. In "Old School", it's refreshing to see a movie that takes a 'devil may care' attitude with its plot and characters while also have the common sense to push the envelope where appropriate without ever crossing the line (following "Animal House's" lead).

In "Old School", Mitch (played by Luke Wilson) is depressed after a breakup with his longtime girlfriend. He moves into a new house near the local college campus and his two best friends, Beanie (Vince Vaughn) and Frank 'the Tank' (Will Ferrell) decide to cheer him up by using his new house to throw a wild 'freedom' party. In a party complete with nubile co-eds, binge drinking, and a performance by Snoop Dogg, the party becomes legendary and draws the ire of the college dean, who just happens to be some nerd that Mitch, Beanie, and Frank tormented in high school. He attempts to take the house from Mitch by claiming it can only be used for campus-related events. This sparks Beanie's imagination to create the most unorthodox fraternity in existence to circumvent the dean's ruling. From there, "Old School" engages in the type of 'us against the administration' hi-jinx that made "Animal House" such a riot.

Will Ferrell gives a performance worthy of John Belushi with his Bluto-esque take as Frank the Tank, whose relapse back into his college days fractures his brand new marriage. Yet, it doesn't seem to affect Frank too too much. Ferrell, as witnessed by his years on Saturday Night Live, is one of the more gifted physical comedians performing today. He has the lunacy of a Jim Carrey without any of the pretentiousness or self-importance that seems to plague Carrey. Vince Vaughn gives another winning performance as a typical, sleazy salesman type who remains just enough on the side of respectability that you still like the guy. It's classic Vaughn. Luke Wilson's performance isn't quite as memorable, but his lovable-loser demeanor fits the role of Mitch perfectly. There are a number of other supporting characters that, while barely more than one-dimensional, make this film a winner (Blue, the 80-year fraternity pledge is a personal favorite).

With world events becoming more somber and depressing and with movies becoming increasingly disappointing, it's quite a relief a no-frills good time can be had at a theater. "Old School" lets the audience feel that kind of relief.

Read Best Reviews of Old School (Unrated and Out of Control!) (2003) Here

I was expecting a good movie when I went to see "Old School," but I wasn't expecting something THIS good. This movie is, simply put, absolutely hilarious, and it's got lots of brains and heart to go with the goofball humor. I'm not really into lowbrow comedies, but "Old School" is a very intelligent take on the typical fratboy fare. The humor is goofy, but witty at the same time, and there are even some real emotions on display. The plot revolves around three thirtyish friends who start up a fraternity with some local college students, and it gets a nonstop stream of laughs out of the idea of guys trying to reclaim some of their lost youth. Will Ferrell is especially great as the loopy Frank, whether he's shooting himself with a tranquilizer dart at his friend's son's birthday party, setting himself on fire trying to jump through a hoop, or belting out an unforgettable rendition of Kansas's "Dust in the Wind" at the funeral of an elderly pledge. The underrated Luke Wilson makes a perfect straight man as Mitch, and Vince Vaughn is the picture of intensity as Beanie. It's really too bad this movie doesn't seem to be getting much attention. I don't go to the movies much anymore, but this one was more than worth the trip.

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I know, I know, the plot for this film has been rehashed from "Animal House" and countless other college debauchery flicks, but so what? OLD SCHOOL is a hilarious romp of scintillating and titillating proportions, a 90-minute mad dash of sight gags, crude one-liners, and tongue-in-cheek zaniness. If college fraternities were really like this I never would have left academia (well, I did have my own "eight-year-plan," but that's another story).

Three thirtysomething buddies (Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell) decide to revitalize their lives by cranking up a college fraternity whose members are not required to be students at the local university. Of course, such a blasphemous act draws the ire of the college's administrators (insert "Animal House" plot here), and accordingly, the fledgling frat must do battle with the corrupt, unscrupulous establishment. Sure, this ground's been covered before in countless other movies, but OLD SCHOOL adds its own loony spin of mayhem--from concrete blocks tied to fragile appendages, to eye-opening mud wrestling.

While OLD SCHOOL's cast, from top to bottom, is excellent, Will Ferrell dominates this film (much like Dangerfield in "Caddyshack," or Belushi in "Animal House"). As Frank "the Tank" Ricard, a newlywed with a party animal mentality, Ferrell's over-the-top antics are bust-a-gut, roll-on-the-floor funny. Ferrell, whether he's streaking or performing a gymnastics floor exercise, carries this film like a fullback with a football.

If in fact we equate entertainment with escapism (which I do), OLD SCHOOL delightfully fits the bill. You'll forget the problems of the day with this puppy, and you'll have fun in the process.

--D. Mikels

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Overboard (1987)

This movie is reminiscent of classic comedies of the 60's. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have amazing chemistry, but so many funny moments you will laugh out loud. Goldie learning how to be a homemaker is priceless, and she does the physical comedy so well. This movie flows continuously from beginning to end. It does not lag in any part. It is a keeper, and a good addition to any collection.

No matter how many times I watch this movie (and believe me, I've watched it many, many, many times) it's always enjoyable. Goldie Hawn stars as Joanna Stayton, an incrediblly rich, incredibly bored and incredibly bitchy woman with nothing left to do while her yacht is docked at a small coastal Oregon town called Elk's Cove but to hire a carpenter named Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell, gotta love him) to remodel her closet. But when the job isn't done to her satisfaction, he winds up overboard along with all his tools. He vows to get revenge on her and the opportunity presents itself when Joanne falls overboard in the middle of the night and is later discovered by a crew of Portuguese men on a garbage barge. But Joanna has amnesia and can't remember who she is. And her husband Grant is all to happy to pretend he doesn't know her and leave her in the hospital. But when Dean sees the "amnesia lady" on the news, he recognizes Joanna and hatches a plan to get revenge and get the money she owes him. But neither one expects to fall in love with the other. Overboard is a fun and funny movie that also teaches us the lesson that money doesn't buy us complete happiness. It can for you though if you buy Overboard because it's worth watching hundreds of times over. I love it! Enjoy!

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Probably my favorite comedy movie of all time (starring Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell), Overboard has it all!

A five star cast, hilarious dialogue, great comedic timing, and marvelous chemistry between Hawn & Russell easily adds up to more than five stars worth of fun. Supporting cast members like Roddy McDowell, Katherine Helmond, and Edward Herrmann make more than the most from their roles, and really shine. The actors who portray Mrs. Berberich, the school principal, and Dr. Korman, the psychiatrist, really do their part to add comedic punch as well.

The movie opens with Goldie Hawn as JoAnna Stayton, a bored, pampered, demanding and imperious heiress--husband Grant is an equally shallow and pompous aristocrat. They openly despise each other, treat the help like servants, are enamored with possessions over people, and are proof positive that money does not buy happiness.

Enter Kurt Russell as carpenter Dean Profitt, hired to build a new closet on the Stayton yacht. When petualnt Hawn refuses to pay him for his work and knocks him overboard, Russell vows he will make her pay. He soon gets his chance when JoAnna falls overboard herself and husband Grant is too preoccupied watching Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous (ostensibly to see if he made it onto a list of the top ten yacht owners!) to hear her cries for help and save her.

Once rescued and suffering from amnesia, JoAnna is taken to the mental ward of a local hospital where she terrorizes staff members with her fits and vicious snits. Only too glad to be rid of her, they fall for Dean Profitt's story that this is his missing wife, Annie, and he is permitted to take her "home."

The Profitt "residence" turns out to be a down-and-out homestead reminiscent of the farm from Green Acres, complete with car parts and debris all over the yard, a limping dog in a cast, and four unruly boys demolishing everything in sight. Watching Hawn acclimate to this nightmare is totally hilarious. At one point she sighs..."So, this is my life....I didn't marry very well, did I?" Too, too funny!

By movie's end, Hawn has transformed the unruly household into a happy family home, fallen in love with Russell and his children, and morphed into a real human being. A funny, funny movie with a feel good ending, Overboard is highly underrated. I urge you to watch it and share the humor!

Read Best Reviews of Overboard (1987) Here

Among the films I can easily remember growing up as a teen and seeing it played over and over on HBO, it was the 1987 film "Overboard" starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. And with a lot of talk about the upcoming remake starring Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith, it doesn't surprise me that the film is now being released on Blu-ray.

"Overboard" is one of Director Gary Marshall's ("Pretty Woman", "Beaches", "Runaway Bride") earlier films, written by Leslie Dixon ("Mrs. Doubtfire", "Hairspray", Limitless") that was a flop in the box office but pretty much became a cult film because of its popularity on cable and even 25-years-later, I still see this film while channel surfing late at night and I have no doubt in my mind that people of today's generation are enjoying this late '80s film.

VIDEO:

"Overboard" is presented in 1080p High Definition (widescreen 1:85:1). First, its important for me to mention that a lot of late '80s and also early '90s films were not shot with great film stock. In fact, more than likely you will noticed certain catalog titles looking its age in HD. For "Overboard", you will notice that there is a good amount of grain but also a lot of noise and also a look that is not exactly the most pristine and shows its age.

With that being possibly the bad news, the good news is that the film looks much better than what one would see on television, on VHS and on DVD. The other good news is that there are many scenes that actually do look good and brings out the detail of the film. While the opening title sequence may look its age, as the film progresses, it actually looks much better. Granted, you will see white speckles from time-to-time but one thing where this film is fortunate is that most of it is shot outdoors and thus the sunlight really makes certain scenes come out vibrant.

So, if you really love this film, Blu-ray is the way to go!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Overboard" is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish Mono and French Dolby Surround. The soundtrack is front-channel driven. Dialogue and even the '80s synth music comes out quite clear. Overall, it's a good lossless soundtrack but I chose to watch this film with stereo on all channels (set on my receiver) for a more immersive soundscape.

Subtitles are in English, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Overboard" comes with the original theatrical trailer.

JUDGMENT CALL:

One thing that I remember about this film is when I was a teenager was that I felt that Goldie Hawn was a hot actress and with her and Kurt Russell being a real-life couple, that the two had amazing chemistry.

Watching it in 2011, Goldie Hawn looks beautiful in the film and interesting to see how Goldie back then and her daughter Kate Hudson (today) look so much alike and yes, she and Kurt Russell have amazing chemistry and for the most part, despite the film is a popcorn romantic comedy and as many critics have called it an updated "screwball comedy" with a redneck attitude.

Some love it, some hate it but at the time, when one of the younger children spoke like Pee-Wee Herman, maybe today it seems a bit overplayed but heck, even back then...everyone tried to speak and laugh like Pee-Wee Herman. Granted, parents probably may have not liked the stereotypical portrayal of the redneck family, especially with the young kids talking about a woman's bodyparts and looking at nudie magazines but the sex jokes and overall comedy was not for the refined movie-goer.

And probably that is why this film had so much success on cable. At the time, Americans were more in-tune of what was coming out from the more younger crowd ala the Brat Pack talents during the late '80s and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were not an exciting box office pairing (their previous film "Swing Shift" back in 1984 also didn't do that well). But like many Americans, once this film started showing up on cable TV, it was watched many times.

And the intriguing thing about this film is that if you bypass the critic reviews for this film, you will see so many people who actually gave the film high ratings within the last 25-years. And personally, I don't think this film can be remade it today's society, especially with the kids talk about T&A so freely. It's not going to happen. So, I can only imagine the remake being tailored for modern sensibilities and it'll be interesting to see how far the remake will go.

But most importantly, what made this film work is because both Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have great chemistry and the fact that they were a real life couple, the characters seemed real and convincing. Because these two talents are in love, you can tell on film that the characters that they play are really in love. It's all in the details and the emotions and it made this film quite enjoyable.

For parents who watched the trailer, bare in mind, this is definitely not a family film. Granted, the banality of naughty or misbehaved children has been overdone in movies but in the case of this film alone, these kids like to talk about women's boobs and their butt and read nudie magazines and speak profanity. It was rated PG back in 1987 but wouldn't be surprised if a film like this would receive a rated-R in today's movie rating system (as one or two words of profanity easily gets a film an "R" rating).

As for the Blu-ray release, this is a barebones release and the PQ is not the greatest but its probably the better of any video version that has been released thus far. If you are passionate about the film and still have that old VHS copy, then definitely upgrade to Blu-ray!

Overall, "Overboard" is a romantic comedy with likeable characters, a fun story and a typical happy ending. By no means is it the best when it comes to romantic comedies but it is a cheerful romantic comedy with that '80s style and if you loved the film back then, no doubt you will love the film today!

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Maybe this movie seems better than it actually is because so many other comedies haven't worked and weren't funny. In any case, this one works, and manages to be funny all the way through, when it almost doesn't seem like it should be funny at all. It's light-hearted and low-brow. A poverty-stricken carpenter is determined to get his just payment from a rich and very snobby woman, who is amnesiac after an accident, and installs her in his shabby house as his supposed wife and mother to his large brood of brats. As nasty as she was, we can't help but feel sorry for her, and perhaps we find the story uplifting because although she really does land in an awful situation, she muddles through, right on to a happy ending. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn appear to be having a great time as the mismatched couple, and the story and humour feel fresh.

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Peter Pan (2003)

I do not think that most kids can appreciate how great of a movie P.J. Hogan has made with this new version of "Peter Pan." However you really have to be familiar with not only all of the various versions of the story from Disney to Steven Spielberg but also J. M. Barrie's original plays and books to really appreciate everything that is in this movie. Hogan's purpose was to go back to that original material, but it is impossible not to touch upon everything that has come since then. My generation cannot hear the words "I do believe in fairies" without thinking of Mary Martin beckoning out from our television sets beseeching us to clap (or when Smee turns and gives an aside to the viewer).

On the one hand there are the fantastic elements as Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter) and the Darling children Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood), John (Harry Newell), and Michael (Freddie Popplewell) fly off to Never-Land. But this is a more realistic Never-Land than every before for all the wonderful computer generated images. More importantly, these are more realistic children than ever before. Peter Pan is the boy who will never grow up, but he is also on the cusp of puberty, as is Wendy. Into the Darling household comes Aunt Millicent (Lynn Redgrave), who insists that Wendy is not a girl anymore and while her father should start looking for marital prospects at the bank where he works, the more immediate goal is to move her out of the bedroom she shares with her brothers. When Peter Pan appears on the windowsill and requires his shadow to be sewn back onto this feet, Wendy not only does the sewing but accepts his offer to come to Never-Land because she too desperately wants to avoid growing up.

In this "Peter Pan" a kiss is more than just a thimble. This is not to suggest that there is a sexual element to these children or this film that parents need to worry about, but there is the potential for sexuality in Peter and Wendy. It is around the corner and that is important because there is a price to pay for never growing up, and never before has the tragic flip side of Peter Pan's joyful and magical existence been so obvious in telling this tale. Adults will recognize that period of their life it all it's metaphoric splendor in this film.

We also have the most realistic Captain Hook (Jason Issacs) of our acquaintance as well. Hogan continues the long-standing tradition of having the actor who plays Hook do double duty as Mr. Darling as well, but in this richer vision of the story they are as opposite as night and day. When this Hook crosses swords with Peter we know that they it might look like great fun, but these two are deadly serious about the final, fatal outcome. More importantly, when this Hook blusters and bellows he manages to do it without falling into parody. This is Hook as Barrie intended him to be, larger than life, but still a real figure.

Ultimately the power running throughout this story is the power of the story. The Lost Boys are despearate for a mother and to them Wendy can fulfill the role because she has what they consider to be the single requirement: she can tell stories. But there is another, more important requirement for a mother, and this film remembers that as well in the end when the Darling children return to their mother (Olivia Williams). I especially liked the way the film plays the beginning of the reunion of the scene, a nice underscoring of the idea that you can wish for something so hard that you do not notice when you have it.

This is a stunning visual film, but it is also a film of substance that mines Barrie's idea of the boy who would not grow up for everything it is worth. This "Peter Pan" has a depth greater than every all the other versions we have seen on the silver screen to date. This is a glorious film and even if few will really appreciate it the way it truly deserves, there is still the fact that just coming into contact with it will open the minds of its viewers to the greater realm of meaning and significance. Besides, there is always the possibility that somewhere down the road as they enjoy this beautiful film again and again, that eventually they will appreciate what it is all about.

The last time J. M. Barrie's infamous creation hit the big screen was in the lacklustre "Return to Neverland", the latest in a long line of pitiful animated sequels that the Disney Company have been mechanically churning out. The time before that was in Steven Spielberg's critically ill-received "Hook". With these two movies as a somewhat stale background for writer/director P. J. Hogan's attempt to recreate the fairytale, it was not surprising if audiences at large were somewhat cynical.

But children's literature translated onto the big screen is always successful when it is done faithfully and respectfully, and that is precisely what Hogan and his team have done. For the first time ever (if you can believe it) a young boy plays the part of the Boy Who Never Grew Up: Jeremy Sumpter, complete with bare feet, pan pipes and captivating smile. Following in the pantomime tradition, Jason Issacs plays both George Darling and Captain Hook, meek and clumsy in one role, charismatic and brutal in the next. Ultimately a figure to be pitied, Hook is more aware of his dependence on Pan than he lets on, and the two are more similar than either would like to admit.

Olivia Williams plays the beautiful and graceful Mrs Darling, whilst Richard Briers makes a humorous Smee, often making side-comments directly to the audience. John, Michael and the Lost Boys are played by some wonderful child actors, in particular Slightly (Theodore Chester) who creates most of the laughs for the movie: "Okay boys, look lovable." Ludivine Sagnier takes on the rather difficult role of Tinkerbell. The role means she has to rely solely on exaggerated facial expressions to present Tink's "one emotion at a time", though I was disappointed in the failure of creating the bond between Peter and Tinkerbell, which somewhat lessens the impact of her later sacrifice.

The real star of the story however belongs to Wendy, and new-comer Rachel Hurd-Wood breaths her to life. Gone is the prissy Wendy of the Disney productions, thankfully replaced by a young woman who is both mischievous and wise, playful and sensual, with a hidden kiss in the corner of her mouth. She is a remarkable find, and shows considerable talent for one who has no previous experience.

There are a few changes to the original story (mostly surrounding the considerably heightened romantic inclinations between Wendy and Peter), but they are sparse. The inclusion of Aunt Millicent was something that intially didn't appeal to me, but luckily she is not portrayed as a grumpy, aristocratic matriarch, but a somewhat befuddled, though loving aunt. And let's face it, Lynn Redgrave never fails to deliver a performance. The changes are slight and understandable, but those kept true are breathtaking. My main concern was that of Tinkerbell's cure, would could come across as cringe-worthy if done badly, but just try to refrain from smiling when Peter, then Wendy, then the Lost Boys, then the children of London begin to chant: "I do believe in fairies! I do! I do!" (and I was especially glad to see adults included in this declaration I'm certainly one of them!)

The visual creation of Neverland is something I can't really comment on, as it is entirely a matter of opinion let's just say it's bright, vibrant and doesn't hesitate to bend the rules of reality. I thought it was beautiful, but only wish I had more time to enjoy it, as sequences of potential awe (such as flying through London and the fairy-covered pirate ship) flashed by too quickly to really soak in.

There is one fault (if you can even call it that) in the telling of the story, and as it's playing on my mind, you'll have to bear with me in sorting it out. By creating a mutual attraction between Peter and Wendy (whereas in the book he called her "Mother" like the Lost Boys), the screenwriters begin a personal development in Peter that is not brought to a conclusion that makes sense. Throughout the story, Peter shows signs of perhaps wanting to leave Neverland: he is horrified at the thought Wendy might marry someone else, it is discovered he loves Wendy's stories because they all end in love, her "thimble" saves his very life, and he even admits to himself at the conclusion "to live would be an awfully big adventure". And yet, he still returns to Neverland. It would seem all that Wendy has shown him, all that he has discovered about himself comes to nothing, and there is no doubt in audience's minds that the choice he made was the wrong one.

But of course the alternative was that Peter actually *does* grow up, and that defeats the very purpose of Barrie's book. It was a no-win situation for the screenwriters: they could either stay true to the novel, or continue with their own creation and complete Peter's self-awareness. They choose the former, making the conclusion not just bittersweet, but truly heartbreaking.

There is no real right or wrong answer to my comments, its just something I wanted to bring up for people to think about. Ultimately, the story of Peter Pan is as Hook says: a tragedy a boy is trapped in youth without any experiences of love or marriage or fatherhood. Whilst Wendy will one day embark on what her Aunt Millicent called "the greatest adventure of all", Peter remains a boy that cannot give her what she seeks. Only a hidden kiss connects these two soulmates as a testimony to what might have been.

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This live-action version of Peter Pan stars Jason Isaacs as Captain Hook and Jeremy Sumpter as Peter. The story begins in London, where motherless Peter has come to listen to stories told by young Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood). He takes her and her brothers to Neverland to live the wild pirate life, until it is time for them to return home and grow up.

All the characters you remember from your childhood are here: The ticking crocodile (computer-animated and scary), the fiesty Indian Princess, funny Pirate Smee, spunky Tinkerbelle, and even Nana, the dog-nanny. The film is photographed almost entirely in dark, moody lighting to heighten the feeling of magic and danger. Jason Isaacs hams it up just right as the dashing and outrageous Captain Hook and he is good as the timid clerk, Mr. Darling. Jeremy Sumpter looks just like Peter should look beautiful, cocky, and fun-loving.

Definitely darker and more sinister than the old Disney version, this film has a lot to offer adults: It is visually stunning and reminds us about the innocence and fun of childhood. It's an interesting movie that will put a smile on your face and perhaps a few wistful tears in your eye.

Read Best Reviews of Peter Pan (2003) Here

I'd never understood the story of Peter Pan. The Disney version is still probably my least favorite fairy tale adaptation of all of the Disney animated films. And every play or televised version featured a Peter Pan who was played by a tiny, female actress or gymnast, doing very little to bring the story to life for me. So last year, when I took my children to see the movie, I figured I'd settle in for a little nap while they enjoyed the kiddie flick. Boy, was I ever surprised when I walked out of the theatre completely bedazzled.

Never before has this story been presented with the very important angle of the innocent romance between Wendy and Peter, an angle that goes a long way in explaining both the reluctance and the desire to grow up. Finally, with this adaptation, I understood why Wendy might decide to grow up despite the allure of Neverland, and why Peter might regret his eventual decision to remain a forever-boy.

Adding to this the wonderful chemistry between Jeremy Sumpter and Rachel Hurd-Wood and you have a movie that appeals to kids on an adventure level and to adults on an emotional level. The vulnerability and grief in Peter's eyes during the final scene were enough to bring tears to my own. And I have to say that this movie contained one of the sweetest on-screen kisses I've seen in a long time. Using actors that are (or are very near) the actual ages of Wendy and Peter was a spot-on decision, because their very natural fascination with each other and awkwardness about these new and amazing feelings showed in every one of their scenes together.

The film itself is beautiful and lush. Only complaint I have is in the final battle scene between Peter and Captain Hook when the red lighting is used to an extreme, making it difficult to see properly and distracting from rather than adding to the feel of the moment.

Finally, I simply loved the casting of this film. Jason Isaacs showed the perfect balance between cartoon evil and human realism with his Captain Hook. Rachel Hurd-Wood was amazing as the fearless girl who could hold her own against pirates and Lost Boys, yet still showed that special romantic, dreamy quality of all young girls. And Jeremy Sumpter perfectly nailed Peter Pan confident and cocky with a grin that is going to turn into a wicked lady-killer someday, yet still he showed Peter's ultimate sadness so very well.

Wonderful movie. I'd pick this one over the Disney version any day of the year.

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Neverland has never looked so lush and treacherous, nor has the subtext of incipient sexual longing ever been so prominent as in P. J. Hogan's Freudian take on the J. M. Barrie childhood classic. Hogan skillfully revives Barrie's original concept of the story as a coming-of-age tale about a girl facing the terror and allure of womanhood -and the fantasy boy who temporarily seduces her back to the world of make-believe.

Hogan dares to cast authentic boy Jeremy Sumpter as Peter. Androgynous and feral, with his tousled hair and unsettling coquette's smile, this Peter combines irritating boyish bravado with hormonal confusion; he doesn't know what he really wants when he brings Wendy to Neverland as a surrogate mother. Rachel Hurd-Wood is a ripe and trembling Wendy, who fears the grown-up world, yet expects something more than childhood games from Peter. When Peter can't or won't comply, Wendy dallies with an even more ambivalent and unstable romantic object-Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs). Wendy is "not afraid, but entranced" by "the dark figure that had haunted her dreams."

Isaacs' superb Hook is no comic buffoon. Psychopathic enough to gut his own crewmen with his hook, he's also a raging wit, vain of his own erudition, amusing himself with jokes no one else can grasp. ("Split my infinitives," he exclaims, mid-battle.) Isaacs revitalizes Hook with dark comedy and menacing brio. Yet there's a poignant underpinning: the poison he concocts from his own tear is a toxic brew of "malice, jealousy, and disappointment." Isaacs' textured performance invites us to ponder the tragedy of a grown-up Hook trapped forever in Peter's eternal childhood. (...)

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The Sandlot (1993)

There really is no plot, yet you don't care. There's no real subtext to the entire thing, but that doesn't matter. The actors are all kids and they play baseball...and it's SO SIMPLE.

One of those little films that walked quietly into theaters in 1993 and left just as quietly with little fanfare(which is probably why Fox was hesitant on releasing a DVD) not ONLY happens to be one of the greatest SLEEPERS of all-time, it's also one of the greatest SPORTS films of all-time, ranking with "Field of Dreams", "Bull Durham", "Major League", "The Natural", and "The Longest Yard", to name a few.

This movie is good, so sweetly and innocently GOOD, that you don't care if the obnoxious happens or that a main plot-point happens to be the kids retrieving a prize/signed baseball(by Babe Ruth of all players) from the jaws of a dog-beast-monster-thing.

No, if there was something that James Earl Jones was right about in FIELD OF DREAMS(and he's in here too as a modern-day Boo Radley), it was that baseball brings us back to the times when we were young and apathetic to the world around us. The same applies here.

This film will make you forget about your problems and redirect your focus on your youth and the times you had fun with your best friends.

No matter if those times were spent on a surburban street where the foul poles were really parallel phone poles on either sides of the street or you sat on the porch watching us while drinking lemonade and listening to Ray Charles, those are the good times we remember...

Take a look for yourself...

The DVD has a beautiful 2:35.1 widescreen transfer(it was originally shot in 70mm Panavision) but is lacking in extras. Still, a good cheap DVD with a great film...that's all we ask for sometimes.

-Matt

Back in 1993, two movies involving baseball and children, The Sandlot and Rookie of the Year, came out in the theaters about the same time, both being released by Twentieth Century Fox. I remember Rookie of the Year was pushed hard by the studio while The Sandlot got much less advertising and publicity, which was too bad because I always thought The Sandlot was a much better film.

Scotty Smalls, his mother (Karen Allen), and his step dad (Dennis Leary) just moved into the neighborhood and Scotty is having problems acclimating himself to his social surroundings. An intelligent boy (an egghead), he lacks certain abilities most boys have, like knowing how to catch and throw a ball, any basic baseball rules, or who's the Great Bambino. The movie does an excellent job in providing just enough depth into these characters to provide a sense of the family dynamic given that Allen and Leary have limited screen time. In attempting to join a neighborhood pick up game, Scotty's lack of rudimentary baseball skills is made painfully apparent, to which all the boys except Bennie, the best player of the bunch, let their derisive comments fly. Bennie, feeling a bit sorry for the new kid, gives Scotty a couple of tips and a little extra help in a well hit fly ball that gives Scotty a measure of confidence and helps bring him into the gang. Once Scotty's accepted into the group the movie delves into a plot involving a priceless baseball and a local dog with a mythical reputation. What I really liked was how all the boys came together to help a friend in need, and it was an automatic response. If someone in the circle needs help, the group rallies around, regardless, as they would have done the same for any other member. While a seemingly natural trait in children (atleast in this movie), it seems to be one that becomes lost as we grow older, as seen in Scotty's step dad and his reluctance to play catch with Scotty because he has too much work and doesn't have the time. What is so great about this movie is while it's set in the 50's, the story appeals to most anyone. Whether or not we all had that one great summer or just fond remembrances of childhood friends and activities in general, the movie serves to help recall days when things were simple, and summers were made up of endless possibilities. While watching this movie, I thought about friends I had when I was a kid, phrases we used, nicknames, activities, etc.

No real extras on this disc, but a great presentation of a wonderful movie. My favorite part involved one of the boys called Squints, a smaller boy with great, big glasses, and scene with curvaceous, older, female lifeguard at the local pool.

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I first saw The Sandlot when I was eight years old, and have found myself watching it every year since.

The Sandlot is a film about a kid named Scotty Smalls, who moves to a new town and tries to make friends before school starts.

He walks across a small suburban baseball field where eight kids his age play daily, and he turns up one day, plays terribly and ends up joining the gang anyway.

Soon, the team find themselves in trouble after 'Smalls', as he is affectionately nicknamed, hits a Babe Ruth signed baseball into the yard of an almighty dog, who as rumor has it once ate a kid in the area.

The gang tries all sorts of methods to get the ball back, and this results in an extremely funny and enjoyable film.

The Sandlot is a great watch, and you will find the whole family stuck infront of the TV for this one.

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This is absolutely a great movie. But I cannot be the only parent who was horrified to find I was showing my three boys a movie that is filled with cuss words. Maybe you are ok with a "family feature" in which s--t is used half a dozen times. But not everyone is, and parents need to be aware that this movie goes beyond the d--n and son of a b---norm for PG. If a "edited for tv" version of this existed I'd recommend it to anyone. But can you imagine how many grandparents pick up this "family classic" for their little grandsons, having no idea that their little boys are about to sit through six or eight "s--t"s and almost as many "son of a b----"s? I'm not a prude when it comes to adults' movies. And if parents are fine with their kids hearing these words in a movie, fine. But for anyone who is concerned about this, it is amazing how rarely you'll find any kind of notice attached to this movie. Parents, and grandparents, ought to be able to make an informed decision.

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This movie is a RIOT! I am 36 years old and have been watching this movie with my kids for YEARS! I rarely watch any movie even twice, but I absolutely LOVE this one and so do my kids. It is a true Classic. We just bought a new DVD player and immediately and unanamously decided our first movie would be Sandlot. (To our disappointment it isnt on DVD yet). Dont rent it, BUY it! It totally reminded me of being a kid in the 60's/early 70's, especially since it took place in the San Fernando Valley. The director did a truly superb job in getting the awesome acting job out of these kids. It's not over acted they all seem so believable, maybe thats why its so great. Squints is hysterical! p.s. If you like this type of movie and want to see something similar about a bunch of 12 yr old girls and their adventures in the same time period (60's). Check out "Now and Then" it's also pretty funny, geared more towards girls, but my boys enjoyed it too.

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Four Weddings & A Funeral (1994)

This film starring Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell was quite a popular hit when released in theatres and was nominated for Oscars. The characters are well developed and the supporting cast is terrific. There are many great one-liners and the accompanying music is enjoyable. I consider this movie one of the best romantic comedies of the 90s. However, MGM has only occassionally produced outstanding DVDs. Unfortunately, this DVD has some artifacts, pixelation, and bare bones content. I was disappointed in the visual and sound quality for a film made so recently (within the last ten years). I would recommend this DVD only if you are a big fan of this film or don't demand quality and rich content in your DVDs.

"Four Weddings and a Funeral" may not be the greatest movie in the history, but it surely is the best modern romantic comedy I ever saw. The only film that can possibly surpass this delightful one is, perhaps, "When Harry Met Sally ..." Maybe tied.

Hugh Grant has starred in many films since then, but his best role is still Charles of this film, who unwittingly finds his love in Carrie, an open-hearted American played by beautiful Andie MacDowell at his friend's wedding. One miatake is, he foolishly couldn't realize it before he let her go after one-night stand. But as the number of ceremony goes up (including one funeral), he gradually comes to notice that he threw away the best thing in his life. And while he is wondering what to do, friends around him start to search for their real love, including his own brother David, his timid friend Tom, Tom's sister Fiona, and Charles's eccentric roommate Scarlet. But where should Charles go? Going back to his countless ex-girlfriends? Or, Carrie? But she got already married.

To be honest, a little abrupt ending of the film damages an entire movie's strength a bit, but all comedies have to pay the price to end the show within an appointed hour. What is incredibly splendid about "Four Weddings" is that the characters are all so lively and sparkling with witty dialogue that you think they are not acting at all. Actually, on top of Hugh Grant, many actors are still associated with the roles in this film even if they got more populality after this film; Kristin Scott Thomas is later to be nominated Oscar for her turn in "English Patient," but she will be remembered as deliciously aristocratic Fiona. John Hannah made his name popular through the Hollywood blockbuster series of "Mummy," but still he is kind-hearted Matthew to those who have seen him recite W H Auden (most touching moment) in "Four Weddings." This is that kind of film that changes the cast's life. It happens once in your lifetime.

With this great ensemble cast, we have fantastic script by Richard Curtis, filled with funny lines uttered by completely believable characters. He does not fail to take great care of minor characters, and give them equally good moments. Look how Serena, in love with handsome David who is hearing impaired, learns sign. Trying to impress him, she mixes up "nice" with "mice," but, you know, when boys and girls are in love. nothing can stop them from understanding each other. Cute.

Brilliantly written, "Four Weddings" is a superb model of romantic comedy. If you like this type of movie, you surely will fall in love with it; and if you're not, your mind will be changed just like mine (I didn't expected much from it, so I didn't go to theater until the last day). And the film never forgets the sad side of life as the title implies. Sad thing is one of the cast Charlotte Coleman, who played most unconventional bridesmaid Scarlett, has passed away recently. She is terrific.

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This was a very good movie. Hugh Grant is charming and funny in a clumsy way. Andie MacDowell is cute and charming as well. The cast as a whole is terrific. I recommend this movie to all. The DVD on the other hand, was very poor. I have watched a lot of DVDs in the past year and this was one of the worst. I felt like I was watching a VHS tape. The picture was very bland and the colors were muted. I know the English are pale, but this DVD transfer did not do them any justice. On top of the poor video quality, the sound was just as awful. The volume was very low, and jumpy at times. The dialog at times didn't come through clearly and there was no use of the surround channels. This movie could use a thorough update to the entire pakage. A new video transfer, a new audio 5.1 channel mix and some extras would have made this a top DVD. Instead MGM decided to skip all the goodies technology has to offer to keep the price of this DVD down. Too Bad, Its a Great Movie.

Read Best Reviews of Four Weddings & A Funeral (1994) Here

As a movie I will rate it 4 stars, but the video quality is very bad, lot of artifacts, blury images, MGM transfer is really a big disappointment.

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

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We Bought a Zoo (Blu-ray/ DVD + Digital Copy) (2011)

Really, when are folks the most maudlin if not during the holiday season? When they're most likely to forgive one's abundance of sentimentality? WE BOUGHT A ZOO utilizes savvy product placement by coinciding its box office release with the month of December. Not that it mattered to me one bit when this film would've come out. Me, I'm a sucker for the sentimental stuff. The movie's title doesn't lie; you get the gist of the premise. Here's Cameron Crowe again, manipulating your emotions, coaxing a laugh, making you tear up. He's such a user.

It's based on a true story. Matt Damon, one of my favorite actors, plays journalist Benjamin Mee who nurses an adventurous streak. He has interviewed dangerous underworld figures in third world nations. He has flown into Category 4 storms. Benjamin profoundly believes that 20 seconds of insane courage can only alter your life for the better. But how much insane courage can one muster when the love of your life leaves you?

Benjamin Mee can't stand pity, even pity assignments at work. Six months after his wife's passing, Benjamin quits his career and when a neighbor's party causes his seven-year-old girl Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) to remark: "Their happy's too loud." he uproots the fam. Seeking a new residence, he and Rosie stumble upon what looks to be the ideal home in the country, even if it's nine miles from a Target store or pretty much from any other store. Except that a broken-down zoo is attached to the house. Buy one, buy the other. Benjamin Mee has always strived to give his kids an "authentic American experience," but his bump of common sense is interfering here. Ultimately, it's little Rosie's unbounded joy at the thought of having a zoo that decides things. Benjamin's cautious accountant brother (Thomas Haden Church) is pretty much aghast.

WE BOUGHT A ZOO isn't as incisive or emotionally searing as THE DESCENDANTS, a similar picture dealing with a family's grief. WE BOUGHT A ZOO, to be frank, won't be nominated for as many awards as THE DESCENDANTS will. Except that I like this movie better. Sue me for prefering clear-cut happy endings. While Clooney's dramedy tends to cut too close to home and no one in WE BOUGHT A ZOO comes close to Shailene Woodley's fierce performance, Matt Damon and the rest of the cast guide you to more familiar territory. Their story has a warmth and an undeniable sweetness to it, brought about in huge part by the actors but also by Crowe's knack for heartstring tugging. And, of course, the zoo animals.

Benjamin Mee has his work cut out for him. The Rosemoor Wildlife Park has been dead in the water for the past two years, and just how strongly does he want to commit to operating a zoo, let alone resurrecting it to specs? The dreaded inspection is fast approaching. His idiosyncratic new employees including the gorgeous zookeeper Kelly (Scarlett Johansson) are casting dubious eyes at him. Benjamin's troubled teen son, Dylan, hates the place, hates everything, really. He keeps on drawing those disturbing images. Benjamin and Dylan just can't seem to connect.

I admit that I choked up in places (damn you, Cameron Crowe!). Yes, this is a sappy film, and some bits feel contrived, but the cast, I feel, ultimately rises above it all. Matt Damon is a sturdy lead and he grounds the story, and I do like that spark between him and Scarlett Johannson. Elle Fanning, who is growing up fast, has a glow about her, sweetly playing the zookeeper's younger sister, Lily, who approaches the tormented artist Dylan with open acceptance. And while there's a chance that Crowe may have overplayed his hand by making Rosie's input so invaluable in a key sequence it's pretty hard to believe that a seven-year-old could be so canny there's no arguing that Maggie Elizabeth Jones is just about the cutest thing on earth (sorry, tap-dancing penguins). So, I dunno, sir. WE BOUGHT A ZOO may not come across as emotionally blunt or "truthful" as THE DESCENDANTS. But this is Christmastime wherein edges are softened. There's no place here for blunt truths.

Heart-warming, moving, funny, and beautifully acted We Bought A Zoo is a very enjoyable family movie that will both lift your spirits with its graceful humor, and make you reflect on life and family related issues thanks to the profound message it carries. It's a fantastic adaptation of Benjamin Mee's memoir, and one of the most delightful movies I've seen in recent months.

Colin Ford, who plays the troubled son, was absolutely fantastic in his role. Sympathetic and real, he really brought his character to life with his convincing acting. And so did Matt Damon. Now, I'm not a huge fan of Matt Damon, but I must admit that he really fit into this role perfectly. You could tell that he enjoyed himself and that definitely elevated his performance. Scarlett Johansson surprised me. To be honest, I did not think of Johansson when picturing Kelly Foster while reading the book. I imagined someone taller, tougher and more obviously kick-ars. And yet when I saw Johansson on the screen I knew she was the one! She wasn't her usual girly self, she appeared stronger and fiercer than ever, and I really loved that about her. She turned out to be the perfect girl for the role.

It's not very often that I prefer the movie adaptation over the book its based on, but that's exactly what happened with We Bought a Zoo. I enjoyed the book a lot, but I loved the movie even more. Maybe it's thanks to the fabulous cast and their expressiveness, maybe I loved the animals, or the soundtrack and the uplifting atmosphere it created. Or maybe it's a little bit of everything and how it all came together, exploring the complexity of life, family relationships, grief and love. I don't know. All I know is that I really loved this movie. It moved me. I feel that I learned something important while watching it. It was a magical and enriching experience and I'll definitely recommend watching We Bought A Zoo to all my friends.

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This may have been last years only real movie. You'd never know that from the title because its far from a campy kids movie. Matt Damon has never been better, and Scarlet until now has never been a favorite. It's not often that the entire family can enjoy a movie together. My 11 year old son said that he loved it so much that it's tied for #1 with The Goonies, and that's saying something coming from an 11 year old boy. The entire family agreed that laughing, and occasionally shedding a tear in the same movie is a good thing. I wish there were more movies like We Bought a Zoo. Actually, I just wish there were more Cameron Crowe movies.

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The sound of the plot sounds like a complete kids movie (and the audience of the showing I attended would prove that claim), but there is more to this film than meets the eye. Director Cameron Crowe (one of my favorites) co-writes a wonderful screenplay full of engaging, fun characters, based on the true life story of Benjamin Mee, a man who decided to purchase a run-down zoo, fix it up, and re-open it. Matt Damon, Colin Ford (who they did a wonderful job as casting as Damon's son as he looks just like a younger version of Damon), and Elle Fanning are the stars of this film, and while the animals and kids may seem like the focus, it is the relationships and life issues that take center stage. The film has that particular heartwarming magic that is infused in nearly all of Crowe's films, which is so appealing to me; it also features one of the best music scores of the year by Jonsi (of Sigur Ros). I don't know if this is exactly for kids 'cause there are lots of grown-up, dramatic moments (and they might get bored), but it's a film I'd see over and over.

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Stories that have plots in some way derived of "inspired by true events" can go one of two ways. The first is either more of docu-drama that is far too technical and biographical to be really entertaining, and the second option is an uplifting drama that could inspire its viewer to betterment. This movie is the latter.

He has been on a plane that went straight into the heart of a hurricane, interviewed world leaders in war-torn countries but nothing could prepare Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) for the loss of his beloved wife and the responsibility of raising his two children without Katherine at his side. A year ago the family of four was a happy, typical American family; six months ago they said good-bye to a wife and mother. Now, Benjamin is tired of sympathy. He cannot stomach the attentions he or his children are getting from people who are merely feeling pity for them. His brother, Duncan (Thomas Hayden Church) encourages Benjamin to get out more and "interact" with people but when his fourteen-year-old son (Colin Ford) gets expelled from school after his fourth offense, Benjamin sees that something needs to change. With a fresh start in mind, he and his precocious seven-year-old daughter, Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) begin looking at new properties until he finds one that is exactly what his family needs only problem is, the backyard is literally a zoo!

Dylan is angry about the move and thinks his adventurer dad is crazy to buy a zoo while young Rosie finds happiness and a place where she can feel at home and best of all, his daughter is laughing again. The Mee's find the zoo staff knowledgeable and ready to help them along as they learn everything about zoo-keeping. Head zookeeper Kelly (Scarlett Johansson) befriends the family and is encouraged to see Benjamin has a genuine heart to make the zoo a success while her shy cousin Lily (Elle Fanning) attempts to be friends with Dylan. Even with minor progress behind them, hardships still find Benjamin. Unless the family can band together, their livelihood will be sorely tested.

Seeing this movie when I did almost didn't happen because the copy I had reserved wasn't coming in but I nabbed one elsewhere and can only say how glad I am to have seen it! There is a lot to be admired in this film regardless of a premise that seems mediocre and not all that "interesting" when compared to some of the blockbusters that are clamoring for "first place" and our attention. One of the first things I was most impressed with was the script it is not only funny (more on that later) but also tugs on our heartstrings in a way that still leaves us with a smile at the end result. All of the dialogue or the majority of it, is written with a family grieving in mind, and that is one of its strengths. The directing is equally dynamic. There are multiple scenes that I loved the set-up of; the simplicity in them is not too sappy but yet has a beautiful familiarity to them scenes that are reminiscent of realistic life. It is this quality that so endears the film, and connects with its audience.

What helps this along to an extreme that is beautifully portrayed is the acting. Damon is a first-rate versatile actor, and he does not disappoint in this role. Seeing him play a father is one of the best roles he's had to date the way he relates to his on-screen children is precious. Then there are the child actors; Colin does an admirable job but it is young Maggie who steals every single frame she is in. I cannot tell you what a doll she was in this role, how sweet, sassy and spot-on perfect she is. You just have to experience it for yourself. She is like a miniature adult who is still an innocent in the best sense of the word. (Many of you may also remember her from the re-make of "Footloose.") Although I don't clamor to see everything Johansson is in, she is cute in the role and her chemistry with Damon is memorable albeit one made of more tender emotions than "sparks" of romance. (It was also a pleasant surprise to see one of the rotating "squints" from "Bones" in a supporting role.)

"We Bought a Zoo" is the surprise movie of the year at my house (yes, I am aware it is only April). My whole family found it precious, and something we all got a chuckle out of. Its true story working idea makes it more endearing than usual but the cast is what pulls it all together. How everything comes together at the end may be a bit of a cliché but for the most part, the movie does not fall into those sorts of traps. Instead it is a pleasant family drama with an ending that doesn't stop where you think it will. Some may find fault with how it does end because it is more of a what-will-be, than has-been but I took it in stride and accepted it as a promise of a brighter future for a family, healing from grief in a healthy way and its ending is one you can write yourself. Unless, you have an adverse reaction to zoo animals, see this one. It's not at all what you might think, definitely a five-star keeper.

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