Big Love - The Complete First Two Seasons (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love TV series that deliver great entertainment and social commentary in a non-preachy, stereotype busting way, that really make you think and laugh, and sit on edge of your seat, all at the same time. This series is close to the top of my list of such. (Dexter, the HBO series--switched to network CBS in 2008 is another)Dexter.
After reading Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith I inevitably acquired a most negative view of Mormon fundamentalism, especially polygamy. This series made me reconsider my verdicts on Mormonism, and even (never dreamed I'd say this) on polygamy itself. I still believe polygamy is a landmine with the odds against its success pretty high. But the series shows how it has some novel advantages over monogamy, if the husband and wives have love, a sense of humor, and lots of grit and flexibility....and--absolutely a key--if hubby truly loves all wives "THE SAME" (I know, this is Solomonic long shot! Bill pulls it off here though, in quite an endearing way!).
Be ready to chuckle endlessly (e.g. at Bill;s 'heroic' attempt to satisfy all three high-sex-appetite wives, and at Bill's parents' over the top schemes) but also to be serious, thoughtful and root for Bill's kids' realistic and poignant struggles with life in Mormon Utah, and his brother's almost heroic sbility to remain a good man in the nest of a Mormon fundamentalist "prophet" Roman (Bill's wife #2 Nicky's father).
Season 2 manages to cast ALL the characters in an even more morally ambiguous, and yet simultaneously more likable, way than Season 1. Although some scenes are almost slapstick but hilarious, others are totally 3 D, melancholy, and believable. Be prepared to LOVE BIG LOVE!

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HBO pushes the boundaries once again with this hit show about a man with three wives. Bill Paxton (ALIENS) stars as Bill Henrickson a Salt Lake City Mormon who appears to have eked out an achingly mundane existence for himself. But scratch beneath the surface and Bill is far from ordinary. Balancing three wives--Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) Nicki (Chloe Sevigny) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin)--who live in adjoining houses Bill also has seven children to raise. He negotiates the strange and stressful setup throughout the show while his best friend Don Embry (Joel McKinnon Miller) often chimes in with some advice from his own life as a polygamist. This release includes every episode from BIG LOVE\'s first and second seasons.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:TELEVISION/HBO UPC:026359794322 Manufacturer No:97943

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Cruel World (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I bought this movie I had never heard of it. I'm not sure if this even came out in theaters or not, but since it's only $10 I figured why not. This movie is mostly lame. There are some good moments. Edward Furlong's acting is pretty good and sadistic.
There are absolutely no bonus features at all. The only menu is a pop up menu to use while the movie is playing. Still it's not so bad for the low $10 price tag.

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Millions witnessed Philip Markham's (Edward Furlong, Terminator 2: Judgment Day) public humiliation when he got dumped by Catherine, the beautiful star (Jaime Pressly, TV's My Name Is Earl) of a popular dating show, and now--several years and reality series later--he wants revenge. After taking Catherine captive, he lures nine unsuspecting co-eds to her luxurious mansion in the middle of nowhere, trapping the contestants in his own sick version of reality TV--where the challenges are bizarre, the danger is real and death is just a competition away.

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Nurse Betty (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)A young waitress in a small town in Kansas witnesses an act of violence so unspeakable that her mind refuses to accept it; instead, like a ray of light reflected through a prism, she takes a detour within herself and enters a reality in which things are just a little bit better and nicer, one that fuses with the world of her favorite soap opera wherein resides the "doctor" of her dreams. Renee Zellweger stars in "Nurse Betty," a satirical comedy/drama with some serious psychological overtones from director Neil LaBute. It's an objective look at, among other things, small town life, the aesthetics of professional hit men, an unhealthy (?) obsession with soap operas, and the ethics of car salesmen. One thing is certain: After the aforementioned incident, Dorothy isn't in Kansas anymore. And her story becomes an odyssey of sorts, one that is both exhilarating and hilarious, and by turn somber and disturbing. Since those with whom Betty comes into contact do not realize that she is dwelling within a reality of her own design, it creates moments of absolute side-splitting hilarity as they try to figure out what is going on with her; is she putting them on, or is she in fact, deranged? But at the same time, even as you're laughing, there is an element of discomfort about it, because you know the truth of it all, and what a sad and serious situation it really is. You feel, not only for Betty, but for all of those involved with her as well, and it's like manic depression; you ride the wild highs, but come down just as hard. As Betty, Renee Zellweger gives what just may be the best performance of her career; there is such a gentleness of nature about her, a winsomeness and pacificism that makes her such a wonderfully sympathetic character. Early in the film LaBute establishes what kind of a person Betty is; she's easy to like and someone you care about instantly, someone you want to see good things happen to. And it makes the impact of the violence with which she is visited all the more profound (and be advised, the scene is shockingly reminiscent of the torture scene in "Reservoir Dogs;" somewhat graphic, but because of excellent directing and editing, you get the illusion of seeing more than you actually are. It is definitely one that you will not soon forget). These are things that should not happen to someone like Betty; it just doesn't seem fair somehow, and the connection that she makes with the audience underscores what a brilliant job Zellweger has done. Equal credit, of course, has to go to Neil LaBute, for creating the perfect atmosphere through which the desired results are so impeccably delivered. The serene, almost lilting essence of Betty's reality, this kind of "Pleasantville" into which she has entered, contrasts so vividly with the thread of violence and menace laced throughout that it heightens the emotional response to it all. He has successfully managed the perfect balancing of the pure with the despicable and enhanced it all with pace, timing and some memorable performances. Besides Zellweger, Morgan Freeman is outstanding as Charlie, the aging hit-man out to finish one last job before retiring. He brings a commanding demeanor to the role, coupled with a maturity and intelligence that adds so much to the depth of the character. And Greg Kinnear, as Dr. David Ravell/George McCord, gives a definitive performance as the soap opera star of Betty's dreams. It is a character Kinnear was born to play and he covers all the bases, leaving no doubt as to just exactly who and what this guy is all about. Notable performances also are turned in by Chris Rock, as Wesley, Charlie's protege; and by Aaron Eckhart, as Del, Betty's sleazy, neglectful car salesman husband. Rounding out the supporting cast are Tia Texada (Rosa), Crispin Glover (Roy), Pruitt Taylor Vince (Ballard), Allison Janney (Lyla) and Kathleen Wilhoite (Sue Ann). Rarely are there so many truly memorable performances in a single movie, and again, LaBute must be given credit for bringing out the best in his actors; it adds a polish to the finished product that is inestimable. Another reason for the success of this film is that the humor is natural and true; rather than being forced or contrived it issues from real situations and the characters reactions to them, and LaBute plays everything straight, which makes it all real. The laughs (and there are many) are born of their own merit; each one is honest and earned. And again, because of that purity of delivery, it makes the drama all the more effective. Well made and delivered, "Nurse Betty" is highly entertaining and certainly memorable; a funny, emotional movie that will have you alternately gasping and cheering. Check this one out; it's a motion picture experience you do not want to miss.

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NURSE BETTY - DVD Movie

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Bamboozled (New Line Platinum Series) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I finally saw this film recently after reading an editorial that mentioned this film in regards to how the racial stereotypes perpetuated in Minstrel shows continue this day in any rap video you see. This film is a much needed eye opener, a satire with a deeper message. The use of satire is often necessary to bring to people's attention the underlying truth that most cannot accept at face value. This film perfectly draws out on our society's racism and race relations.
A few years ago, I remember coming across an advertisement for a Minstrel show that my church congregation put on in the 1950s. Considering that there are few African American members of my church to begin with, it was a complete shock to me who these nice elderly people could do such a thing. With "Bamboozled", Spike concludes the film with an excellent montage of images from movies, TV shows, cartoons that all featured the worst stereotypes of African Americans as bug-eyed, big lipped, ants-in-pants, cannibalistic animals, who sang and dance, shucked and jived, all kinds of terrible traits. These images were taken from Shirley Temple movies and films with Bing Crosby, Mickey Rooney, and Judy Garland. It was an eye opener. Even Warner Brothers cartoons of my recent youth (1970s) contained racist images in the guise of Bugs Bunny in some of his antics.
I've been meaning to watch all of Spike Lee's films someday, as I like the statements he tries to make in his films. He has amassed an interesting body of work, though some were more successful than others. For me, "Malcolm X" and "Do The Right Thing" are his best works, and this one would be third, ahead of "Jungle Fever". I loved the performance of Michael Rapaport as the cool talking head honcho of CNS Television, who has an expressive way with words and sounds more "black" than the faux intellectual nerdiness of Damon Wayans, who plays Pierre Delacroix, which we learn in the film is a pretentious name he gives himself to distance himself from an embarrassing past. I also liked Jada Pinkett Smith in this film, as Delacroix's assistant who doesn't agree with the direction he's taking with his show idea.
The premise is that Delacroix can't quit his job, so he comes up with a plan to make the most racist show he can imagine that will cause CNS to fire him. He proposed a new Minstrel Show for the New Millennium, featuring two African American street performers (the excellent Tommy Davidson and Savion Glover) in black face make up. Rapaport's Mr. Dunwitty loves the idea and claims that the show would be even bigger than "Friends". They shoot the pilot show to an unsuspecting audience who don't know if its okay to laugh. Tommy Davidson plays "Sleep n Eat" and Savion Glover plays Mantan, the tap dancing idiot. Their variety show features schtick anyone who has ever seen "Hee Haw" would be familiar with...lame brain one liners, idiot people, and exaggerated stereotypes.
The satire is that the studio execs love the show and pick up 12 episodes, and when it airs on TV, it becomes an instant smash show. Soon audiences are showing up each week in black face and proclaiming their pride in being "n------", even though nearly all of them are white. The film is so over the top, poking fun at our double standards (how many claim not to be racist because they listen to rap or watch basketball). The truth is...we expect African Americans to entertain us (in music and sports), but beyond that, we don't take them seriously as people. True, the hip hop community is quite influential in the language and style of our advertising and pop culture, but how many African American CEOs and Mayors and Governors and Senators are there? In the financial matters of our country, we still impose a glass ceiling on anyone not part of the white male demographic...so what is our minstrel show of today? Spike Lee made a point in the commentary track that you don't have to wear black face to have a minstrel show. It goes on without people being aware of it. For that reason, I'm grateful he made this film. Just seeing the disgusting collectibles from the past century (such as the "jolly n----- bank" or the Aunt Jemima dolls) is a reminder of our racist past. We mustn't forget even as we move on to greater inclusion and burying old stereotypes, allowing people to be who they are regardless of race.
I want to give this film 5 stars, but because the film veers into a strange tangent for about 10 minutes near the end of the film, I simply thought Spike Lee got lazy with how he wanted to end this film. It was a cheap and lazy way to go, even though he explains his reason on the commentary track. I disagree, because if done right, his ending would have punched up the meaning of this film. I'm at least glad that the montage at the end saved this film on a somewhat redeeming note. If anything, this film serves as a reminder of our recent history and how overt racism really was. The film succeeds as an awakening to the forms into which the Minstrel Show of the last century has morphed into something a little bit different, but accomplishing the same devastating effect. I know I'll never be able to look at another rap video in the same way again. Thank you Spike Lee!

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Spike Lee directs this sizzling satire on race and racism within the modern media world. Starring Damon Wayons (Major Payne TV's In Living Color) and Jada Pinkett-Smith (Set It Off Scream 2 The Nutty Professor)Running Time: 136 min.System Requirements:Starring: Damon Wayans Jada Pinkett-Smith Michael Rapaport Tommy Davidson and Savion Glover.Directed By: Spike Lee.Running Time: 136 Min. Color.This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.Copyright 2000 Warner Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:COMEDY Rating:R UPC:794043519727

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Next Day Air (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Next Day Air" is a convoluted but engrossing dark comedy that has the conviction to make gangsters and drug dealers seem like people you would want to root for. It's a tale of hapless people in an equally hapless situation, and yet director Benny Boom and writer Blair Cobbs aren't so melodramatic that they fail to see the humor in it all; many moments are genuinely funny, at times in that blatant screwball way, at other times in that underhanded way that makes you think about what was said and by whom. The clever structure helps a great deal, every scene so carefully paced that the whole thing runs like clockwork. Strange, the precision that went into a screenplay about a scenario that was handled very imprecisely. It's quite possible that this is an intentional display of cinematic irony, which is good because it reveals an intelligence films like this tend to lack.
The plot, essentially, is about a drug deal gone wrong. Using an ordinary delivery service modeled after UPS or Fed-Ex, a ruthless drug lord from Calexico, California named Bodega (Emilio Rivera) ships ten bricks of high-quality cocaine to Philadelphia. It was supposed to be delivered to Jesus (Cisco Reyes) and his girlfriend, Chita (Yasmin Deliz), but a potheaded delivery man named Leo (Donald Faison) accidentally drops it off at the apartment further down the hall. It's now in the possession of three inept bank robbers: Brody (Mike Epps), Guch (Wood Harris), and Hassie (Malik Barnhardt). While Hassie spends most of the film asleep on the couch, Brody and Guch quickly decide to get rich off the bricks by selling them to Brody's cousin, Shavoo (Omari Hardwick). Shavoo, unfortunately, is unaware that his secret stash of money has been stolen.
As you can see, this story involves a lot of people, and their personal histories are, to varying degrees, interwoven all throughout. Leo is a slacker who doesn't take his job very seriously, not caring a bit for boxes marked as fragile. He's inches away from being fired by his boss, who just happens to be his mother (Debbie Allen). He knows for a fact that his co-worker and friend, Eric (Mos Def), actively steals merchandise from the very boxes he delivers. Jesus and Chita bicker like immature teenagers, almost as if they were already married. It's a complex, multilayered film, yet it never loses sight of the story or the characters. This is especially important as we approach the final act, at which point Bodega comes to Philadelphia, Jesus and Chita search for Leo, and Brody, Guch, and Shavoo begin distrusting one another. Eventually, nine people find themselves in the same small apartment, and of those nine, seven are armed and dangerous.
One of the film's best scenes may seem like an obvious gimmick, but it works just the same. Brody calls Shavoo to tell him about the ten bricks. Subtitles suddenly appear, translating slang-heavy ghetto talk into formal English. I found myself laughing, probably because that scene forced me to face a cultural gap head on; had there been no subtitles, I most likely would not have understood a thing they were saying. The rest of the film is linguistically solid, if a little in-your-face with obscene references to Oedipus. Honestly, the four-letter dialogue in this movie none too subtle--if the filmmakers had put a dollar amount on each word, the actors would have probably earned more at the end of the shoot than the total of their salaries.
In spite of this, there are specific passages of dialogue that can actually make the audience think, if only for a moment or two. Take, for example, an ongoing argument between Brody and Guch about the nature of family; while Brody is convinced that Shavoo is acting honestly, Guch believes that no one, not even close family members, can be trusted. His point hits home near the end of the film, at which point his priorities are made abundantly clear. And then there's Shavoo, who asserts, "If it ain't worth dying for, you don't want to be in it." He remembers that line much later on, and considering what has happened and who it happened to, it's unclear whether or not he still believes this to be true.
While I'm hard pressed to say that "Next Day Air" is a message movie, there is the sense that something more lurks beneath the zany surface, and whatever that something is, it can do more for an audience than just smack them upside the head with crude dialogue, a lot of drug use, and bloody shootouts. I suspect most of the credit goes to the carefully plotted screenplay, which successfully interweaves multiple storylines without getting them hopelessly confused with one another. I find it both amazing and funny that such a chaotic story achieved its goals because of an organized script. That may, in fact, be the funniest thing about this movie (although I laughed pretty hard at a scene featuring Jesus practicing his stick-up routine in front of a mirror, each time using a bigger gun). Clearly, "Next Day Air" is a lot smarter than it lets on.

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No description available for this title.Item Type: DVD MovieItem Rating: RStreet Date: 09/15/09Wide Screen: yesDirector Cut: noSpecial Edition: noLanguage: ENGLISHForeign Film: noSubtitles: noDubbed: noFull Frame: noRe-Release: noPackaging: Sleeve

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Sweeney Todd in Concert (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)As one who has been associated with the creators of "Sweeney" on other productions and as a champion of the original production, one still has to admit to the plot problems at the end of the original's second act. This new production effortlessly aviods those traps on the way to the most focused performance of "Sweeney" yet. Featuring two former Sweeneys (Geoarge Hearn as Sweeney and Timothy Nolen as a wonderfully re-conceived Judge Turpin), Patti LuPone making the role of Mrs. Lovett totally her own (no easy proposition with the spectre of Angela Lansbury always nearby) and a wonderfuly talented supporting cast, Director Lonny Price guides this production effortlessly to it's grizzly end. Featuring amazingly thoughtful camerawork which actually advances the plot as opposed to observing it, one gets to know the characters as readily as if this were a fully staged production. Then again--maybe "less" really is "more" in this case. The San Francisco Symphony under Rob Fisher is impeccable. If you value musical theater, if you value Steve Sondheim's supreme contribution to the genre, you must own this version. But go first class---own them all!

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This delicious production of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," a musical thriller of revenge and romance set in Victorian England, features Broadway diva Patti LuPone as Mrs. Lovett and veteran stage actor George Hearn in the title role. Premiering in 1979, the legendary "Sweeney Todd"--winner of nine New York Drama Critics Circle Awards and eight Tony Awards--is recorded with the San Francisco Symphony as conducted by Rob Fisher. Now a major motion picture directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp! Opens in theaters December 21, 2007

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Jennifer's Body (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)With great artists like Panic at the Disco! and Florence and the lungs, as well as Hayley Williams from Paramore, this album is a must have for alternative music lovers. I noticed the music through the movie which was a quite funny film.

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Sexy temptress Megan Fox is hotter than hell as Jennifer, a gorgeous, seductive cheerleader who takes evil to a whole new level after she\'s possessed by a sinister demon. Steamy action and gore galore ensue as the male student body succumbs to Jennifer's insatiable appetite for human flesh. Now it\'s up to her best friend (Amanda Seyfried) to stop Jennifer's reign of terror before it's too late!
Audio: English: 5.1 Dolby Digital / Spanish & French: Dolby Surround
Language: Dubbed: English, French & Spanish / Subtitled: English & Spanish
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 1.85:1

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Doug Stanhope - No Refunds (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)In fact, he crosses many lines. Listening to him, you realize how seldom the boundaries of free speech are tested by public personalities. It's not so much a question of censorship as self-censorship; people mostly remain within certain, unspoken limits. When someone does not respect these limits, they stand out, especially if they do it in a creative and entertaining way, as Doug Stanhope does. I have to admit I had never even heard of him until I happened to see the DVD in the video store. The only comics I can think of comparing him to are Bill Hicks and maybe George Carlin at his edgiest (I know he's been compared to Lenny Bruce, but, unfortunately, so far I've never had the chance to see any footage of his material).
This concert video really illustrates how comedy can be far more than a mere diversion, but a potent weapon with which to attack various sacred cows of polite society. Stanhope wears a t-shirt that says "Libertarian" -this is actually an understatement; he is an unapologetic hedonist, bordering on nihilist. He conducts the show while chain smoking and chugging beer. Describing this, it may sound a little like adolescent style rebellion, but combined with his material it fits perfectly. I recall another comic who smoked onstage, Andrew Dice Clay, but in my opinion he only succeeded in being obnoxious and offensive without being very funny or insightful.
Stanhope says things that many people would be afraid to say out loud, or maybe never even thought of. Among other things, he explains why he is pro-abortion, why the dangers of child pornography are exaggerated, the evils of anti-smoking laws, the virtues of drugs and alcohol and the many flaws of traditional religions like Christianity and Judaism. Concerning the latter, he describes why he has been called anti-semitic for some of his comments about Jews. True to his unapologetic persona, he does little to try to disprove this charge in his spiel on the topic. I truly don't think he is anti-Semitic, racist or anything like that. He is simply committed to testing the boundaries of political correctness, even if it means alienating people who don't take the trouble to consider his comments in their full context --the full context being attacks on just about everything and everybody who holds anything sacred. He dismisses all traditions as being worthless and obsolete (my paraphrasing; he says it in a much more entertaining way).
The point is not whether you agree with everything Stanhope says. As much as I admire many of his anti-authoritarian positions, I can't say I would endorse his commitment to a lifestyle that borders on the self-destructive. As I write this, I think of someone who might be the best comparison to Stanhope, though not a comic per se -Hunter S. Thompson. Both possess (ed) an anarchic spirit and a disdain for limits of any kind. When this is combined with a gift for language and a bizarre sense of humor, you have something rare and educational.


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Not all stand-up comedy is spot-cleaned and pre-packaged for the masses. Like the legends who were born out of smokey, booze-soaked nightclubs of decades past, Doug Stanhope spews his own brand of moral outrage in an unmatched style that borders on self-destruction. Nothing is sacred, no subject off-limits and most importantly nothing is contrived. From critically acclaimed appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to regular appearances on The Howard Stern Show, Stanhope always shows an intelligence and brutal honesty in his comedy, no mater how viciously graphic or unsettling the material may be. Taped live at the Gotham Comedy Club, this appearance is an unflinching look at one of the few voices left standing in the dark, punk-rock underbelly of stand-up comedy. This DVD includes Doug Stanhope’s ALL NEW and much-talked-about show that aired on Showtime, plus many other exclusive extras!

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Nip/Tuck: The Complete Fourth Season (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Edited 3/15/09 - WARNING - SPOILER ALERT
This season, we discover that Julia's baby is Sean's, and that it has Ectrodactyly (lobster claw syndrome). Surgeries include Sean doing a procedure on a Treacher/Collins syndrome patient (severe facial deformity), Dawn Budge is "earjacked" (her ear sliced off by an earring thief) a burn reconstruction on Escobar (he's back!), and a breast reconstruction on a woman (Escobar's wife) who's had her breasts brutally cut off.
Guest stars include Brooke shields as Faith Wolper (Christian's therapist), Larry Hagman and Sanaa Lathan as Burt and Michelle Landau, Peter Dinklage as Marlowe Sawyer, Rosie O'Donnell as Dawn Budge, Jacqueline Bisset as James LeBeau, Alanis Morissette as Poppy (Liz's girlfriend), plus the stellar, fantastic, and sexy Catherine Deneuve as Diana Lubey.
Some of the plotlines this season include Liz (the fantastic Roma Maffia) getting a kidney stolen (a la urban legend), the dog and the peanut butter, Matt joins Scientology, Sean has an affair with a potential nanny, Christian gets involved with Michelle, James (a woman) LeBeau has a dangerous hold over Michelle - running an organ theft ring, Christian battles with his own sexuality after his therapist hints that he might be gay, Liz's remaining kidney fails and she has to go on dialysis, Kimber seduces Matt to revenge Christian, Julia sleeps with Marlowe, Merrill Bobbitt returns, Wilber (Christian's "son") returns.
My favorite is the return of Escobar (Robert LaSardo). Escobar is so bad he's good, and he makes for a few great episodes. This time he's not just masking as Sean's conscience, he's really back.
The soundtrack is again fantastic (pick up the CD of the soundtrack to Season One), using music to complement the scenes, such as playing Don McLean's 'Starry Starry Night' (a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh) during the ear replacement surgery.
The season finale was fantastic, with major resolutions and some very big questions left for Season Five. The fault with this season is that once again there wasn't enough surgery scenes. Unlike Season's One and Two which focused on more surgeries, Season's Three and Four focus more on the daily lives of Sean and Christian, and have more personal trauma in them than surgery trauma. I'd like to see them go back to the old formula of more surgery issues. Since Troy/McNamara has made some major changes this year, I'm wondering how many more of the interesting pro-bono reconstructive cases we'll be seeing in the future. Overall, Season Four is as good as Season Three but still doesn't measure up to One and Two. Enjoy!


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Sex. Seduction. Liposuction. Find them all in the fearless Nip/Tuck, the award-winning series that's the scalpel's edge of entertainment...and the spark for debate about what cosmetic surgery can or cannot bring to a patient's life. Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon play plastic surgeons/best friends whose glamorous South Beach practice is a revolving door for Season 4's hot-button issues (including a terrifying story arc about an organ-harvest ring) and human foibles (a ventriloquist wants to look like his dummy). Guest stars include Jacqueline Bissett, Larry Hagman, Alanis Morissette, Mo'Nique, Rosie O'Donnell, Brooke Shields and more. Thrills, surprises, shocks, stars abound in this 5-Disc Set. And all it takes is a little Nip/Tuck.DVD Features:Deleted ScenesFeaturetteGag Reel

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Party Down: Season 1 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)PARTY DOWN is a fascinating show on several levels. For one thing, it was easily the funniest new show of the 2008-2009 season. It didn't start off that way. The first couple of episodes are OK, but it quickly finds its groove and by the end of the year it is as funny as you could hope for a show to be.
If you are a VERONICA MARS fan, the show is ceaselessly fascinating. The show focuses on a group of Hollywood wannabes and wash outs who work for Party Down Caterers. The manager is played by Ken Marino, who was memorable on VERONICA MARS as shady private eye Vinnie Van Lowe. One of his employees is played by Ryan Hansen, who was the magnificently lame Dick Casablancas. Adam Scott and Jane Lynch, who play two other Party Down caterers, had guest roles on VM. And virtually the entire rest of the cast of VM make guest appearances, from Enrico Colantoni (Keith Mars) to Jason Dohring (Logan Echolls) to Alona Tal (Meg Manning) and many, many others, including Veronica Mars (who has a wonderful turn as the sadistic head of a rival catering company). The show has been renewed for a second season and I'm pretty confident that many, many others from Neptune will put in appearances in the future. None of this is too surprising. One of the co-creators of PARTY DOWN is VERONICA MARS creator Rob Thomas and two writers from that series, John Enbom and Dan Etheridge, also served as co-creators. The final co-creator, Paul Rudd, guest starred. As I said, if you are a fan of VERONICA MARS, you will get a blast at seeing all the actors you have loved from the earlier series.
PARTY DOWN is the flipside of ENTOURAGE. If the latter is about largely undeserving people basking in the glory of another's success, this is about people striving for their own success and failing abysmally. Except for Ron, the manager who dreams of having his own fast food franchise, the Party Down employees are all working on the fringe of the film and television industry. Constance (Jane Lynch) is an aging "B" movie queen, star of such classics as DINGLEBERRIES. Roman (FREAKS AND GEEKS's Martin Short) is an aspiring Sci-fi script writer (one of the season's highlights is Roman cornering George Takei in a bathroom and peppering him with questions about the Mind Meld, which Takei keeps trying to explain was not his thing). Kyle and Casey (the latter played by Lizzie Caplan, seen earlier this season as Jason Stackhouse's vampire draining girlfriend on TRUE BLOOD) are both still working the dream, always waiting to hear back from their agents and dreaming of a big break. But Henry (played by Adam Scott), the show's emotional center, has given up. His hard work paid off in only one real "success," a beer commercial in which he uttered the tagline: "Is anybody having fun yet?" Deeply ironical, given the dead end job everyone is working. It is a great cast and they work wonderfully with one another. Late in the season, however, the incredibly funny Jane Lynch leaves the show. I haven't read why, but my guess is that it was so that she could work on the pilot of the new FOX series GLEE. I don't know if that means she won't be back or to what degree she will be involved with the show in the future. Luckily, her replacement was the equally funny Jennifer Coolidge. (Interestingly, Lynch and Coolidge were paired - in more way than one - in BEST IN SHOW, as the trainer and owner respectively of a full size poodle.)
Every episode of the show takes place at a catered event. There are no scenes outside of the workplace. We see them at a couple of weddings, at a birthday party, at a meeting of Young Republicans, at a party to celebrate someone who might be a Russian mobster getting off on a murder charge, a porn awards ceremony, and other wonderful affairs. Hilarity ensues. My favorite moment might have been when a Russian gangster goes up to Jane Lynch and recounts poetically, passionately, and almost reverentially a scene from one of her movies. And she, touched, replies, "You've seen DINGLEBERRIES?!" Not exactly a title you'd assume could provoke any such response.
I love the relationships that develop among the characters. Ron's almost sad attempt each week to get his workers to perform their jobs with some degree of professionalism. The way that Kyle and Roman continuously dig at one another. Constance's consistently over familiarity with the party guests. Henry and Casey's romance-in-all-but-name and Henry's chagrin when people recognize him from his beer commercial and his persistent reluctance (except on one occasion when he feels it might save his life) to say his famous beer commercial line.
I suspect that this is a show that most people will get to know via DVD, since not everyone manage to get Starz. Do yourself a favor and check this out.

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Party Down is a Starz original series about a group of struggling dreamers who are stuck working for tips while waiting for their big break. As employees of the L.A. catering company "Party Down," these misfits mingle with guests at everything from sweet sixteen parties to the most lavish Hollywood soirees. Follow these engaging wannabes as they wait on guests while waiting on something better to come along.

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The Whitest Kids U' Know: The Complete First Season (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Originally aired on Fuse before finding a proper home on IFC, The Whitest Kids U' Know is the best sketch comedy show you've never seen. Created by and starring Trevor Moore, Zach Cregger, Sam Brown, Darren Trumeter, and Timmy Williams; The Whitest Kids U' Know is often inspired sketch comedy with an edge, and is reminiscent of early MAD TV (minus the laugh track or audience) or more so Kids in the Hall. All ten first season episodes are collected here, and feature hysterical moments such as Trevor Moore showing his musical side with "Hitler Rap", playing a guitar while telling kids how they can get a new daddy, and more besides. Also in the mix are rampant conspiracy theories, a horny deer, different takes on Abraham Lincoln, a demon watching girls play with a Quija board, and a courtroom that falls victim to "opposite day". While there are times when skits fall flat (the face off between the monster truck drivers comes to mind), The Whitest Kids U' Know is a hysterical blast that deserves to be checked out if you've been missing out on it so far. The only disappointment about the DVD set is that more extras weren't included, but despite that, this is still definitely worth picking up for those who have enjoyed the show so far.

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Sketch Comedy Show with Cult following! Brilliant comedy masters Trevor Moore and Zach Kregger lead their sketch comedy troupe from New York City into hilarious skits, parodies, and satires. From the irony of everyday life to gut-busting jabs at history, The Whitest Kids You Know poke fun at every stereotype, leaving no subject to delicate for a good laugh!

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Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the funniest series I've seen in along time. With only 6 episodes in season 1 you'll be left wanting more. Sarcastic, fun loving assh*le genius Danny McBride with guest appearance Will Ferrell, tie this show into a comedy that leaves you covering your face in embarrassment, wondering how they got the balls create such a gem.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Underrated as hell, spread the word. Kudos, Danny McBride.
Also see the "Foot Fist Way" if you like this DVD.

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In this hilarious new HBO comedy series, Kenny Powers, a washed-up former Major League Baseball star, is forced to return to his hometown to teach P.E. at his old middle school. While preparing for his triumphant return to the big leagues, Kenny moves in with his brothers family and proves adept at burning every bridge he crosses.

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It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Seasons 1 & 2 (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Who says the sitcom is dead? Not since Arrested Development has a sitcom been this truly hysterical and quick paced that you don't know what to expect next. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, originally premiering on the FX network in 2005, revolves around four friends: Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), and his sister Dee (Kaitlin Olson); all of whom own and run an Irish bar in downtown Philadelphia. They get into all kinds of crazy hijinks through misunderstandings and just plain bad judgement, ranging from being mistaken as a gay bar to Charlie lying about having cancer. Yes, there's nothing really wholly original about the show's premise, but it remains hysterically funny throughout. The second season of the show finds Danny DeVito joining the cast as Dennis and Dee's father, who isn't the sanest of the bunch either. This DVD set compiles the first two seasons of the show, and is definitely worth picking up for viewers who turned it when it first premiered, as well as newer viewers who may be anxiously awaiting the upcoming and long awaited third season of this very funny show.

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Three best friends own a Irish Pub in Phili and get into sticky situations resulting from bad judgment.

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Huff - The Complete First Season (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)This and Weeds are the most entertaining shows on television. Hank Azaria is just incredible and the only person who could play Huff. Oliver Platt is an absolute comic genius and I am madly in love with him. He is in a class by himself and deserves his own 5 stars. The way the whole family interacts is so fascinating and complicated and keeps me wanting more. I have watched the whole first season again just because I can't get enough!!! Bring on season 2.

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Dr. Craig Huffstodt is a family man and a successful psychiatrist who gets a wake-up call when one of his patients, a 15-year-old boy, commits suicide during a therapy session. Huff's whole existence - as doctor, husband, father, son, brother and friend - goes through a dramatic reawakening as he begins to question who he is, what he's made of and how he fits in --- anywhere. Having always considered himself the eternal caretaker, whose mission is to save people, Huff suddenly realizes that he can't save everyone. The lines of reality start to blur as he goes from the functionally insane at the office to the daily insanities of life with his family at home. His nurturing nature is tested at nearly every turn and soon his so-called "normal" world and family life start to become as surreal as the world of his patients.

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The League of Gentlemen - The Collection (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Absolutely Fabulous, Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses, Dad's Army, Are You Being Served?, Nighty Night and a whole host of other shows have proven to the world, time and again, that the greatest sitcoms come from merry old England. With a few notable exceptions, our British brothers and sisters seem to have nailed with microsurgical precision the art of getting television comedy right.
"The League of Gentlemen" began life as a series of short radio broadcasts, and featured a whole host of grim characters in macabre situations, and, thanks to the foresight of the Beeb and the unbelievable talent of the show's four creators - Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith - the show came to television, with mind-bendingly brilliant results.
Comedy isn't really a suitable genre in which to bracket "The League of Gentlemen", since it's not as laugh-out-loud funny as, say, Ab Fab or Nighty Night. Similarly, it's just too damn funny to be labeled as Drama, but since it's got more than its fair share of horrific moments too, it's also got a finger in the pie of the Sci-Fi/Horror genre. On paper, then, "The League of Gentlemen" should, by all accounts, have been a terrible mess.
In actuality, it's the polar opposite - brilliantly crafted and thoroughly watchable, with more black comedy and more riveting characterisation than anything in recent memory. It's oddly endearing how the one-joke characters such as Herr Lipp and Barbra the transgendered taxi driver come to life with sympathetic scenarios, designed to turn these otherwise-throwaway charicatures into real, memorable parts of the story. And they're just secondary to the antics of the main body of heroes - people like Tubbs and Edward, proprietors of the Local Shop for Local People (seriously, you'll remember that line forever!), Pauline the Unemployment Retrainer, and Judee Levinson and her downtrodden maid Iris Krell - are so well-acted and so damn riveting that you'll want to see them over and over again.
This really is the only "League of Gentlemen" DVD to buy, it's got all three seasons of the show, and a whole host of truly excellent extras to mull over, once you're done with the episodes. Sound and picture quality are very, very sharp and for the price, you're getting more than your money's worth.
Thoroughly recommended.

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LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN:COLLECTION - DVD Movie

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Dead Like Me - The Complete Second Season (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)July 2007 Update!!!!!! There is going to be a movie! So the first sentence in my original review below turns out to be inaccurate. Star Ellen Muth goes so far as to hint that that a renewal of the series might be possible. Details are still forthcoming and apart from the movie (and I'm sorry, I don't know if this is a TV, a direct-to-DVD, or theatrical release) nothing definite is known about the chances of the series being revived, but this is definitely good news. There is some recasting. Mandy Patinkin, unfortunately, will not be back as Rube nor will Laura Harris as Daisy. It appears Rube's character is being replaced by a new head reaper, while a new actress will be playing Daisy. Otherwise all the other actors will be back.
Tragically, this will be the final season of DEAD LIKE ME that we will get. Although there is currently a campaign being waged to rescue the show, these campaigns inevitably and unfortunately result in failure. The cancellation of the show is hard to explain. It isn't as if Showtime has such a great string of hit shows that their valuable time slots had to be freed up for new critical and popular hit series. The fact is that DEAD LIKE ME was the finest show the network ever hosted, and its cancellation is both a blow to quality television on Showtime in particular but also television as a whole. The past few years have seen a host of the very best shows on television get cancelled. The list is long and contains some very impressive shows: FIREFLY, ANGEL, WONDERFALLS, KAREN SISCO, FARSCAPE, and many others. My lone cause for hope for the short term future of quality television is that LOST enjoyed such tremendous success in its first season that networks are currently scrambling for long story arc shows with well written, deeply interconnected scripts that typified all of the shows I mentioned above. Maybe, just maybe, the tide has turned. Unfortunately, not soon enough to save DEAD LIKE ME.
In its first season, DEAD LIKE ME quickly established itself as one of the quirkiest and finest shows on television. As any watcher of the show will know, Georgia Lass was a young girl who became a grim reaper after dying in a bizarre accident. The show explored what it means to be alive through the struggles of one who was no longer alive, but who nonetheless still was confronted with the need to persist in a world in which in many ways she no longer belonged. Issues of friendship, work, belonging, responsibility were all dealt with in clever, intelligent, and funny ways. The great news for those who haven't seen this series (and there are many who don't have Showtime and therefore rely on DVDs for their experience with the show) is that Season Two is a much, much better season than the first. Without exception, the writers manage to develop and expand all of the major characters, with the exception of George's father, who plays a lessened role. George becomes a far richer character, finally at ease with being a reaper and acknowledging that she has responsibilities. Her challenge in Season Two is deciding what she wants with the unlife that she has. She struggles with issues of love, and grows considerably as a human being. Even more than George, Rube (Mandy Patinkin) becomes a more complex, interesting character. In a slowly developed story arc, we learn more about Rube's life, we get glimpses of his family (he learns that a daughter he fathered in real life is still living, and he visits her in a nursing home immediately before her death), and are given some hints as to his death (the results of a bank robbery, the details of which might have been explored in Season Three). Mason, without ceasing to be a bit of a clown (in one episode, "Send in the Clown," literally), is revealed in far more complex and interesting person than he did in Season One, while Daisy Adair becomes vastly more than the mere self-obsessed sexpot she was earlier. In fact, Daisy becomes a many layered, sympathetic, impossible-to-predict individual. In particular, her relationship with Mason, who is completely smitten with her, is developed in great detail. George discovers that her parents are divorcing and that they are selling the house she grew up in, and we see her mother exploring new romance, and we watch her relationship with her daughter Reggie gain some depth as George's sister gradually comes out of the shellshock that gripped her in the first season following George's death.
What is remarkable to me is that the show managed to become richer and more complex on virtually every level, all while generating a string of great individual episodes. The frustrating thing about the show not being renewed is that there were a host of unexplored possibilities, so many unanswered questions. Would George manage to find love? Would her parents reconcile or find new relationships? Would her mother find a buyer for the house? Just how did Rube die, and was it related to the bank robbery? Would anything ever happen between Daisy and Mason? And there were a host of life experiences that had not yet been explored. There was unquestionably a large amount of room for many more stories.
DEAD LIKE ME is a great example of a show that doesn't fit traditional entertainment economic categories. It was produced by MGM television, but shown on Showtime. The latter at least in part declined to renew the show because its rating were not strong, while MGM wanted it to be renewed in part because of the strong DVD sales. We have seen a number of shows that have enjoyed weak ratings on TV experience huge DVD sales. FIREFLY, FAMILY GUY, and WONDERFALLS are three examples. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is one of the best selling TV series ever on DVD, but never enjoyed especially large ratings on TV. My guess is that at some point the television production companies are going to have to work something out with the broadcast and cable networks to make it more attractive for the networks to keep shows that are highly successful on DVD but that do not get great ratings on the air. At present, most of the benefit of keeping DEAD LIKE ME on would have primarily benefited MGM, but not Showtime. Last year Twentieth Century Fox (not to be confused with FOX TV; though both have the same parent company, they are separate companies) very much wanted to keep ANGEL going because of its strong DVD sales, but the WB wanted to go in new directions (bad directions, it turned out, since none of its shows this year have gathered the ratings that ANGEL did, nor have any enjoyed the critical acclaim that it did). More and more overall viewership of TV series is declining, while DVD sales and rentals of TV shows is increasing. This is good for production companies, but bad for networks, and some formula needs to be found to make it good for both. ANGEL was cancelled in part because Twentieth Century Fox refused to reduce the amount it charged the WB to show the series. Until the production companies agree to help close the loss of income the networks are experiencing, I think we are going to see a lot of shows that have a small but dedicated audience fail to be renewed. Everyone loses. The production company loses the opportunity to sell their product to the networks and the potential DVD sales. The networks lose because they are getting cheaper but more mediocre product. And the fans of shows lose because they find high quality shows like DEAD LIKE ME pushed aside for blander and less interesting programming.
At least we have two very fine seasons to watch of this very, very good series. We can only hope that the television industry can find the right alchemy to make it possible for superb series like this survive in the future.

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Proving that "reapers are anything but grim company" (Cleveland Plain Dealer), this "deliciously dark comedy about the afterlife" (Newsday) returns for "a second season as strong as its first" (Philadelphia Daily News). Thanks to breakout star Ellen Muth's prickly charm, Dead Like Me has "an amusingly odd and touching energy all its own" (Detroit News and Free Press). After more than a year as a grim reaper, George (Muth) has realized that being a teenager in the afterlife is as complex as in real life. There are still unrequited crushes, agonizing dilemmas and the occasional bad attitude. Along with her kooky "co-reapers" Mason, Daisy, Roxy and Rube, George struggles to collect souls while managing her own awkward development…into an adult reaper!Disc One"Send in the Clown," "The Ledger," "Ghost Story," "The Shallow End"Disc Two"Hurry," "In Escrow," "Rites of Passage," "The Escape Artist"Disc Three"Be Still My Heart," "Death Defying," "Ashes to Ashes," "Forget Me Not" Disc Four"Last Call," "Always," "Haunted," Bonus Material

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A Bit of Fry and Laurie - Season Two (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)There was Hugh Laurie and his multi-talented pal Stephen Fry, doing the best sketch comedy the world has ever known. Laurie gets to sing & play the piano, Stephen mixes drinks, and the two of them write really funny sketches. A particular fave is the series of episodes with the overtly polite spies, Control and Tony, but it's hard to choose favorites, 'cause there's so much to dig.

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BIT OF FRY AND LAURIE:SEASON 2 - DVD Movie

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