Looney Tunes - Back in Action (Widescreen Edition) (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Looney Tunes: Back In Action" is the perfect marriage of live action and animation. To complete this picturesque scenario, it takes a "humanized" all-star cast (Jenna Elfman, Brendan Fraser, Timothy Dalton, including others), along with some zany Looney Tunes charcters (yes, most of them are here, folks, from Bugs Bunny [that "wascallwy wabbit"] to Yosemite Sam), with all of the above combined to make one colossal motion picture for everyone aged seven to seventy. Everyone's out to recover an artifact that could wind up causing universal damage (a pricey gem known as "The Blue Monkey"). Its dastardly, evil "owner" (Steve Martin) wants to make certain the world is freed from all human existence, and prefers to "monkey around" with evolution, so to speak. It's a race against time, as our female assistant (Elfman), son of a movie star (Fraser), Bugs, Daffy Duck (and an all-star cast of "Tunes" attempt to free a senior movie star (Dalton) from the clutches of one mad scientist (Martin), who is the head of ACME Corporation. When I say "LT:BIA" is a "universal" motion picture, I am not just speaking in tongues, as the gang literally spans the globe to search for clues. This journey stretches from Las Vegas to Paris, France, to the wilds of Africa (FACTUAL NOTE: The Nevada Desert does not contain any species of various cacti - just shrubs of tumbleweed and tons of sand. The saguaro cactus plants were there to provide a backdrop for Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner to make their spectacular entrances). All of the elements that were featured in the classic Warner Bros. cartoons are here: classic character lines (ex: "What's Up Doc", "What In Tarnation", etc.), various sight gags (ex: automated device running out of fuel inches before touching ground, the positioning of Daffy Duck's beak, etc.), including others not mentioned here. Bill Goldberg (another wrestler turned actor) gives a masterful performance as one of the bad guys as well. Even the brief cameo of Michael Jordan is worthy of a look-see. Also, besides the too-brief appearance of Speedy "The Fastest Mouse In All Mexico" Gonzales, the only thing really missing, is Speedy's slow-footed cousin Slowpoke Rodriguez. If only this journey included a visit to Mexico (including Speedy's and Slowpoke's mouse buddies), then "Looney Tunes: Back In Action" would have netted a five-star rating for sure. As it is, it earns all four stars for its directorial and animation qualities (not to mention a fine human and not-so-human main and supporting cast), which makes it a must-see motion picture. As Porky Pig would say: "TH-TH-THE-THAT'S ALL FOLKS!!!".

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Shaun of the Dead Review

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(More customer reviews)It is a very hard line to cross in today's cinema to make a film that part comedy and horror film. Normally, when this happens we end up with something like the Chucky series. It began serious, but after seeing the new preview, I know they have given up serious horror and invaded into the world of campy horror. I was afraid at first that this film was going to go into that direction, but then I remembered ... this film wasn't made in America, it was made in Britain where the humor is actually intellectually funny. As I was sitting and enjoying this film from beginning to end, I couldn't help but wonder why America has not been able to master this style of film yet. Why is our comedies still heavily based in the sex humor or bathroom jokes? While there were some in this film, I felt the majority of the humor was logic and intelligence based. "If you listen to the words, you will laugh at the jokes" style of comedy instead of waiting to see who will fall over what first.
With its firm grasp on the comedy aspect, Shaun of the Dead delivers an exceptional grade for its creativity. It takes a lot of brain work to be able to think of a story about zombies where our main characters are oblivious to the fact that anything horrible is happening in the world until the second act. That was actually some of my favorite parts of this film. I was there, sitting in the theater, knowing that it was a zombie film (still, can I call it that?), and nearly missing the entire zombie clues going on in the background. My eyes were focused directly on our star and scene-stealer duo, Shaun and Ed. One of my favorite scenes of this film is when Shaun is going to work after the dead have risen and goes through the motions as if nothing strange is happening while there is chaos and destruction all around. How many of us have gone to work and not even noticed anything-different happening in our daily routine. Sometimes we get so caught up in the motion that we miss any different actions. I couldn't stop laughing.
What also made this film work on every level was the cast. Director Edgar Wright has done a fantastic job of placing the right actors with the right characters. They were each believable in their own part, and I loved every scene with Bill Nighy. He was perfectly cased and you could just tell that he loved being in this film. That is another great aspect of this film. It was a fun film and you could tell that the cast was having fun with their roles and were comfortable in their environment. So many times we watch these style of films and we see miscasting and uncontrolled actors doing anything to ensure that they stay at the top of people's minds. This wasn't happening in this film. I wasn't familiar with many of the actors, so I couldn't play favorites. All I could do was sit back and enjoy everyone and everything.
I would like to end with the comment that this is still a zombie film. It is a love story surrounding a zombie film where the director has chosen to emphasize the love story instead of blowing everything up. I know that sounds strange, but you will get used to it American viewers. I mention that it is still a zombie film because I do not want people going thinking that this is a spoof. While it does pay homage to several of the classic horror films, this film stands on its own two feet. It had blood, it has violence, and it has those infamous scenes of people's heads being blown apart. That is why we see zombie films.
Overall, if you love zombie films and you are a fan of The Office or any Hugh Grant film, than Shaun of the Dead will appeal to you. I don't remember the last time I witnessed such a creative film.
Grade: ***** out of *****

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The Dream Team (1989) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Dream Team is just another one of those killer comedies that no one went to see when it was originally released, but has now found a nice following on home video. I actually saw the film in theaters and thought it was hands down the funniest movie of the year!
First you have a great comedy ensemble who also can play drama just as effectively. Michael Keaton is Billy Caufield ("I'm an escaped mental patient with a history of violence"), Christopher Lloyd is Henry Sikorsky, an overly organized person ("Why don't we bring this up in group? Or maybe we should just hug?"), Peter Boyle is Jack McDermott who has a Messiah complex ("Arise and walk, my son"), & Stephen Furst is Albert Ianuzzi, who only speaks in TV ads and baseball jargon ("Nobody doesn't like Sara Lee").
If you don't already know by now, these guys are four mental patients, whose doctor, played by Dennis Boutsikaris ("One more afternoon in the rec room and I'm gonna have to go on Thorazine myself"), decides to take them to a baseball game in New York. Only things don't go as planned, as the good doctor ends up getting knocked unconscious and whisked away to a hospital, leaving his patients all alone on the streets of New York City. And the comedy ensues! As the gang tries to figure out a way to find their doctor, they end up finding "themselves" in the process. Add Lorraine Bracco (of "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos" fame) as Keaton's girlfriend ("So am I walking home with an escaped mental patient or what?") and you know you're set to have a good time.
What makes the film memorable is that it has the perfect blend of laugh outloud humor ("We're a special combat unit with the United States Marine Corps and we've been tracking some Libyan terrorists. In fact I think we've got 'em trailed to a bagel shop around the corner.") combined with some tender dramatic moments, that work together seamlessly.
The DVD is your typical standard DVD. No extras, other than the original theatrical trailer. Happily the film is presented in Anamorphic Widescreen in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which looks pretty good. A little dark in some spots, but not too much to complain about.

So if you're looking for a comedy that's full of great laughs as well as a good story with some dramatic moments thrown in for good measure, pick up The Dream Team today. It's the sanest choice to make!
The Dream Team - a very funny movie.
Henry - "We're directly under the Hudson River now".
Billy - "Yeah. You guys see those tiles up there, all those individual tiles? Doc, isn't true that if even one of those tiles were to come loose, like millions and millions of gallons of water would come pouring down on us and crush us like tiny little bugs? (pauses) Is that a leak up there? You see those tiles? They're leakin' water! Oh, my God!"
Jack - "I will hold back the waters".
Billy - "Thanks, Jack".

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This morning they were playing ping-pong in the hospital rec room. Now theyre lost in new york and framed for murder. This was never covered in group therapy.Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca)Release Date: 01/06/2004Starring: Michael Keaton Christopher LloydRun time: 113 minutesRating: Pg13Director: Howard Zieff

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