Movie Info:
Writers: Scott Z. Burns and Kurt Eichenwald
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Matt Damon, Lucas McHugh Carroll, Eddie Jemison, Rusty Schwimmer, Craig Ricci Shaynak, Tom Papa, Rick Overton, Melanie Lynskey, Thomas F. Wilson, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale
Rating: R
Studio: Warner Home Video

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: September 18, 2009
DVD Release Date: February 23, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.99

I don’t really remember any of the big scandals in the 90s, unless you count the ones that dealt with Clinton and the White House. I was a pre-teen and teen throughout the 90s, so I was more concerned about my own self-centered world than any news happening outside my immediate universe. Apparently, there were some real doozies happening while I was busy worrying about what I planned to do with my life and where I’d go to college. One involved the company, ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), and a man named Mark Whitacre.

I know the name ADM. I didn’t know much about the company, but I had heard of it. This is probably due to all the press covering the lysine price-fixing scandal that occurred at the company, and the bizarre twists and turns that involved former ADM VP and whistle blower, Mark Whitacre. I am not sure why I don’t remember Whitacre’s name. He was quite the character in the 90s, and the entire ADM fiasco was real enough and crazy enough for Soderbergh to turn it into a dark comedy. The serious issues that led Whitacre to nearly a decade in jail are crazy enough to make this a believable dark comedy.

The thing that makes The Informant! worthwhile is the performance of Matt Damon. It does not look like Damon. It does not sound like Damon. He did not act like Matt Damon. He did a really nice job of becoming Mark Whitacre. Damon is virtually unrecognizable as Mark Whitacre. He takes on the unstable personality with aplomb. Had I not known Matt Damon was in The Informant! I would probably not have realized he was playing Whitacre. I still have trouble believing it and I know it is him. That is one sign of a good actor.
I don’t want to give props to only Damon, because he has a terrific supporting cast that includes the talented Scott Bakula, Melanie Lynskey and Joel McHale (in a much more serious role than his one on The Soup). This movie has all the makings of a bizarre, mixed up comedy. It is hard to believe this movie is based on a true story, and yet it is weird enough to imagine it is true. Bakula and Damon shine the most in this movie, and so it is the acting that sells this movie for me.

The Informant! Plot
Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) is a 30-something employee at ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), a food processing conglomerate headquartered in Decatur, Illinois. As a recently named Vice President, the highly intelligent Whitacre seems to be a major part of the company moving up. However, ADM is having a problem with their lysine production and he’s low enough on the totem pole to blame for these problems.

When Whitacre starts getting phone calls in relation to the virus causing production problems and offering information on a mole in the company, he goes to his higher ups, who get the FBI involved. They decide to wiretap Whitacre’s phone. In November of 1992, Whitacre tells the FBI agent, Brian Shepard (Scott Bakula), who is installing the wire tap, about ADM executives and ADM’s competitors meeting to price fix the cost of the food additive, lysine. Urged on by his wife, Ginger (Melanie Lynskey), to do the right thing, Whitacre goes on to become an FBI informant.

The man who is known as the highest ranking whistle blower of any company scandal, goes undercover, recording multiple conversations between high ranking administrators in the company, competitors, and doing the FBI’s bidding for the next few years. However, marred by his reckless attitude, impulsive nature, lying, and bizarre behavior, the FBI agents who look to Whitacre to provide them with the information they need are in for quite a shock when they find out truths about Whitacre that could have an effect on the case they’ve all been working so hard on.

The Informant! also stars Joel McHale as Special Agent, Bob Herndon and Tom Papa as Mick Andreas.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 3 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
On some level, The Informant looks fabulous. From a technical standpoint nothing at all is wrong with this DVD. The picture is clear. It looks brand new. There are no issues with compression errors, dirt, noise, or other visual problems. The problem comes with the digitally flat appearance of this 1.85:1 transfer. This is just a drab picture. The colors are all very blended and nothing ever stands out.
Everything blends into the scenery around it.

Visually there is nothing to complain about in terms of abnormalities within the film. However, from a visually pleasing standpoint The Informant does not do itself any favors. It doesn’t have a memorable visual aspect throughout the entire film, so while there are no issues, there is also nothing that will impress you either.

The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, but before we get into any specifics you need to realize that this is a 99.9% dialogue-based movie. With the exception of Matt Damon’s voice you hardly hear anything else. That’s fine, of course, but there isn’t going to be anything in an audio sense that leaves you in awe. The score, which plays in the background does sound good, but the main focus is on Damon’s character and that leaves all else in the background for the most part.

The dialogue is always easy to hear, which is good under the circumstances, and everything else (what little there is) fulfills its intended purpose. So, while utterly basic, The Informant passes the audio test with bland, but flying colors. In addition to the English soundtrack options there are Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks, as well. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish, and French.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Unless you count things like scene selections as special features, The Informant doesn’t give you a lot to enjoy. In fact, the only thing here are some trailers that start before the movie and a small selection (four, to be exact) of deleted scenes. The scenes total about six minutes in length.

While these scenes are fine in terms of content, they do not add enough to be included. They aren’t going to wow you and fans won’t be happy with the lack of anything interesting, but apparently this is the best that Warner could offer in terms of special features. Given the nature of the movie you would think they could have added an interview or something, but this is about as bare bones as it comes. If you’re buying The Informant you are going to have to do it for the movie alone because there isn’t one special feature that makes this a must have purchase.

Bonus Features: 1 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Informant! isn’t your typical comedy. It’s not conventional and while dark comedy might fit, the story is far too convoluted to be truly enjoyable in a laugh out loud kind of way. People who appreciate the absurdity of the story behind this movie, should like Soderbergh’s vision. If you tend to like the conventional comedies or conventional Matt Damon flicks, this film might be something you want to pass up. Matt Damon’s acting is great, as is the acting of the supporting cast, but this story is too weird for mainstream audiences to want to get into. While I liked The Informant!, this film won’t be fun for everyone, so I recommend renting this before purchasing it.

Overall Rating: 3.14 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, The Informant!, Matt Damon, Mark Whitacre, lysine price-fixing, scandal, ADM, dark comedy

SYNOPSIS
Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher) is just your average, undercover, government-hired super-assassin accustomed to a life of exotic European locales, flashy sports cars and even flashier women. But when he meets Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl), a beautiful, fun-loving computer tech recovering from a bad break-up, he finds true love…and happily trades international intrigue for domestic bliss.

Three years later, Spencer and Jen are still enjoying a picture-perfect marriage – that is, until the morning after Spencer’s 30th birthday. That’s when Spencer and Jen learn he’s the target of a multi-million dollar hit.  Even worse, the hired killers have been stalking the happy couple for years, and could be anyone: friends, neighbors, the grocery store clerk, even that crabby old guy shuffling across the street.

Now Spencer and Jen are on the run for their lives. As their suburban paradise turns into a paranoid game of dodge-the-bullet, they must find out who wants Spencer dead and why, all the while trying to save their marriage, manage his pain-in-the-ass in-laws, keep up neighborly appearances…and just plain survive. 
 
And you thought suburban life was easy.

Starring Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher, and directed by Robert Luketic (21, THE UGLY TRUTH), Lionsgate’s KILLERS is a hilarious, unpredictable action comedy about love, marriage and serious firepower.

Technorati Tags: The Killers, Movie, DVD, Comedy, Robert Luketic, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Upcoming Release

A finely drawn depiction of a family defined by the things they don’t tell each other, Everybody’s Fine stars two-time Academy Award® winner Robert De Niro (Best Supporting Actor, The Godfather Part II, 1974 and Best Actor, Raging Bull, 1980) as the patriarch of the far flung Goode clan.

In one of the most moving portrayals of his storied career, De Niro leads an award winning ensemble that includes Drew Barrymore (He’s Just Not That Into You, Whip It), Kate Beckinsale (the Underworld Franchise, Pearl Harbor) and Sam Rockwell (G-Force, Frost/Nixon). Critics including Karen Durbin of Elle have praised the film’s “First-rate performances,” while Pete Hammond of Box Office Magazine singles out De Niro for his “Wonderful, award worthy work.”

Robert De Niro leads an acclaimed all-star cast- Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, and Sam Rockwell- In Everybody’s Fine, the heartwarming film that will move you to laugter and tears. When Frank Goode’s (De Niro) grown children cancel a family reunion, the recent widower sets off on a cross-country journey to reconnect with each of them. Expecting to share in the joys of their happy, successful lives, his surprise visits reveal a picture that is far from perfect. A family separated by physical and emotional distance finds a way to come together in a story that will touch your heart

I Understand

Cooking the Turkey

Good Team

Got a Girlfriend

Technorati Tags: Everybody’s Fine, DVD, Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell, Movie, Drama, Family, Upcoming Release

Movie Info:
Writers: John Hamburg, Larry Levin
Director: John Hamburg
Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Sarah Burns , Jaime Pressly, Jon Favreau, Jane Curtin, J.K. Simmons, Andy Samberg, Rob Huebel
Rating: R
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: March 20, 2009
DVD Release Date: August 11, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.49

This movie immediately brought me back to my college days. Starting school, I had more female friends. I remember having some girlfriends that weren’t too fond of that. Eventually, I gained a more diverse group of friends, but it took having a college roommate and getting more involved at school. After some time, I learned to appreciate the Bro-mance. There is something fun about being with the guys. As many girlfriends that I have had and as much as we have connected, guys can be goofy together in a way that a girl and a guy can’t. If I Love You, Man shows anything that is certainly one of the lessons learned.

When I received this for review I popped it in with the wife after the kids had gone to bed. There were moments that I absolutely died laughing. I Love You, Man is one of those comedies that are not constantly laugh out loud. The parts that are meant to be hilarious generally hit the mark. The other parts have amusing moments, and are generally essential to the story, but are not completely memorable. The characters and the actors that play them are all good at getting laughs from people.

As far as comedies go this rests somewhere down the middle of the road. I can’t complain about it, because there isn’t much to complain about. That being said, it’s not the best comedy that I have ever seen. It’s funny and I certainly have no qualms about watching it though I don’t think I will be placing it on my favorite comedies of all time list anytime soon. I have some love for I Love You, Man, but it may rest in the land of the man crush rather than true love. I guess we will have to see how much staying power this movie has to determine whether my love is able to last.

Like most comedies I Love You, Man isn’t gender specific. Men and women will enjoy this equally the same. To men it will be funny because they can relate to it. Women will like it because more often than not the men are absurdly stupid in this film (and sometimes in real life). If you don’t believe me you just need to watch the Rush scene were the two guys are serenading each other. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen one guy lick another guy’s air guitar. That’s true entertainment.

The I Love You, Man Plot
Peter Klaven (Rudd) has always been a girlfriend man. While his brother, Robbie (Samberg) and other guys he knows were out bonding as men, Peter was nurturing the various relationships he had with girls. Now, as he’s about to embark on one of the greatest moments in his life, he has no male buddies to share the moment with. When Peter proposes to his girlfriend, Zooey (Jones), at the beginning of the film, it becomes clear that she is a social butterfly, and through circumstance, Peter is a loner.

After overhearing Zoeey’s concern about lack of men in their wedding party, during a girls night with Zooey’s massive amount of girlfriends, including her two besties Hailey and Denise (Burns and Pressly), Peter sets out to find himself a friend. Even Robbie has a best friend in their dad, Oswald (Simmons), and his mom, Joyce (Curtain) is more than willing to set him up on a man-date with her friend’s son. With the advice of his popular, masculine yet gay brother, Peter makes the leap into the man-dating scene, but when a series of dates go terribly awry, and mom accidentally sets him up on a date-date with a gay guy, he believes things are hopeless.

Of course, the minute he stops looking, a friend virtually falls in his lap. As Peter struggles to sell The Hulk himself, Lou Ferrigno’s house, he meets Sydney (Jason Segel). Sydney is everything Peter is not. He’s loud, he’s rude, he has a man cave where he masturbates and jams to Rush. However, the two find a mutual interest in their love for the greatest band ever (Rush), jammin together and soon they begin an odd yet pleasant friendship that makes Peter think about his life in new ways. With Peter busy finding a friend and adapting to life with Sydney around, Zooey must deal with the changes to their relationship and with Peter, as well.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Anamorphic widescreen with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 sets the stage for I Love You, Man. The result is one that is certainly not worth complaining about. The whites are white, the bright colors are vibrant, and the dark levels are decent. The level of clarity was surprising for a DVD. In most cases you expect to see grain or noise somewhere, but I Love You Man really had none. That’s definitely a nice thing, though it was surprising as I stated. The only faults I noticed where a slight blur here and there and some momentary edge enhancements from time to time.

When it comes to audio, I Love You, Man is nothing to write home about. Being fair, there isn’t much here other than dialogue to begin with, so there’s not a lot to do with it, as is. There are some background sounds occasionally, but the main portion of the audio is coming straight from dialogue and some music, of course. The music gets time to shine, but otherwise the dialogue is consistent, clear, but basic. There isn’t much to say for a mainly dialogue based audio. Things hit the mark when they need to, but sit still otherwise. Other languages include French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1. Subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are plenty of special features available on the disc for I Love You, Man. The majority of the featurettes/features are broken up and allow you to opt between play all and specific scenes/features. There is a commentary available with John Hamburg, Paul Rudd, and Jason Segel. It’s pretty entertaining and a completely informal affair. You might learn a thing or two about the movie, but it’s hardly a mandatory listen. The Making of I Love You, Man lasts for around 20 minutes and though it’s not very necessary it is quite amusing. There are plenty of clips, bloopers and funny moments here. Fans of the movie will enjoy it a lot, but at the same time it’s not likely something that is going to teach you anything new about the film that you didn’t already know.

The real meat of the special features comes with the extended scenes, the deleted scenes, and the gag reel. The added and extended scenes offer around an hour (or more) of additional material. In most cases, these are pretty funny and worth watching if you found the comedic nature of the film to be funny to you. It’s easy to see why the deleted scenes were removed and why the extended scenes were trimmed down, but they still manage to be worth a laugh. The gag reel comes in with eleven minutes of laughs, some bigger than others. I think I watched them laugh more than I actually laughed myself. Previews are available before the movie and in the menu, as well.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
It may not be laugh out loud funny, but I Love You, Man has a few redeeming qualities that make it worth watching. I would make sure to rent this before buying because if you don’t absolutely love it you won’t see a need to own it. Those who like it or can tolerate it, will only consider watching it when it’s on television. They won’t need to have it in their library. For now, I am one of those people. I had a good time watching it, but I think that in a few months it will be just another in the long list of movies that I have seen. It won’t be special or treasured. It will be just another movie. I encourage you to find out if it’s something more for you by renting this.

Overall Rating: 3.93 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: I Love You Man, DVD Review, Movie, Comedy, Paul Rudd, John Hamburg, LI Reviews, Rashida Jones, Humor

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds Star in the Blockbuster Romantic Comedy from the Director of 27 Dresses

The Proposal: With Never-Before-Seen Alternate Ending Coming to Blu-ray™ Hi-Def and DVD on October 13, 2009

Burbank, California, August 14, 2009 —Corporate ambition makes for strange bedfellows when a hard-nosed executive talks her overworked assistant into a marriage of convenience in The Proposal, arriving on Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD on October 20, 2009 from Buena Vista Home Entertainment. A contemporary romantic comedy from director Anne Fletcher (27 Dresses), The Proposal is available in Two-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD editions, as well as Single-Disc DVD and Blu-ray editions. Bonus features include filmmaker commentary, bloopers and a hilarious alternate ending. Both Two-Disc DVD and Blu-ray versions also include a Digital Copy of the movie that can be viewed on an array of electronic devices.

Sandra Bullock (The Lake House) and Ryan Reynolds (Adventureland) match comedic wits as the ultimate odd couple in the year’s most hilarious and offbeat love story. With Mary Steenburgen (Step Brothers), Craig T. Nelson (Blades of Glory), Malin Ackerman (The Heartbreak Kid) and a scene-stealing Betty White (Bringing Down the House) rounding out one of the funniest casts in recent memory, The Proposal keeps the sparks flying and the laughs coming with sharply witty dialogue and dazzling chemistry.

Bonus Features for The Proposal:
Set Antics: Outtakes and Other Absurdities From The Proposal — Bloopers and light moments on set with the cast and crew of The Proposal
Deleted Scenes
Audio Commentary by director Anne Fletcher and writer Peter Chiarelli
Alternate Ending

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) terrorizes her publishing house co-workers with her abrasive, take-no-prisoners management style, especially her overworked assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). But when Margaret is threatened with deportation to her native Canada because of an immigration technicality, the quick-thinking exec announces that she and Andrew are engaged to be married. Ambitious Andrew agrees to go along with her scheme—if there’s a long-awaited promotion in it for him. Everything is going according to Margaret’s plan, until an overzealous immigration official makes it his business to prove that the couple’s engagement is bogus. To demonstrate her commitment to her new fiancé, Margaret agrees to celebrate the 90th birthday of his colorful grandmother (Betty White) — in Alaska. The editrix’s type-A ways put her at odds with her eccentric future in-laws with hilarious consequences, until the Paxtons teach Margaret a thing or two about family.

The Proposal has a suggested retail price of $44.99 (US) and $51.99 (Canada) for 2-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def with Digital File, $39.99 (US) and $44.99 (Canada) for 2-Disc DVD with Digital File, $29.99 (US) and $35.99 (Canada) for 1-Disc DVD and $44.99 (Canada) for 1-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def.

STREET DATE: October 20, 2009
Direct prebook: August 11, 2009
Distributor prebook: August 25, 2009

Pricing: 2-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def: $44.99 (US); $51.99 (Canada)
2-Disc DVD: $39.99 (US) and $44.99 (Canada)
1-Disc DVD $29.99 (US) and $35.99 (Canada)
1-Disc Blu-ray Hi-Def $44.99 (Canada)

Feature run time: 108 Minutes
Rated: PG-13 U.S., PG Canada
Bonus Materials Not Rated in US

Technical specifications may only apply to feature
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: BD: English 5.1 DTS-HD 48KH3/24-bit; DVD: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Technorati Tags: Upcoming Release, The Proposal, Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Romantic Comedy

Writers: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Mitsuyoshi Takasu
Director: Hitoshi Matsumoto
Cast: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Riki Takeuchi, Ua, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Haruka Unabara
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Magnolia

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: June 2, 2007
DVD Release Date: July 28, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

I love mockumentary films. Heck, my one IMDB credit is for a mockumentary I was in while in college. Mockumentaries are fun. They mock comedy in new and inventive ways. I guess that’s why I liked Big Man Japan. I should mention before I get too far into this review that I didn’t pick up all the cultural references. I’m not up on my Japanese pop culture. However, after watching the film, I laughed even more than I did while watching it, as I read other takes on the film, and connections I might have missed during my original viewing.

It seems almost hysterical to think about the possibility of a man inheriting a gift that allows him to become a giant. You don’t have to get Japanese humor to find this funny. Add in the fact that he does (through electrically charged means) in order to fight monsters. The Japanese have been enamored with monsters like King Kong and Godzilla, for years, so the fact that Daisatou Masaru is fighting monsters fits perfectly with my Americanized view of the Japanese.

By adding in the element of Daisatou Masaru being a slacker, it takes the comedy to a whole new level. Imagine if Superman or any other American hero was a slacker. It’d be fun to see that kind of super hero take on the likes of Lex Luthor. So, Daisatou Masaru has these two dimensions to his personality. On one hand, he has to be the responsible, hard working Big Man Japan. On the other hand, he’s a slacker.

The acting was good for Big Man Japan. Hitoshi Matsumoto writes, directs and stars in this funny film. I know this film isn’t going to be for everyone. The cultural divide is going to leave some Americans behind with an inability to get why Big Man Japan is funny. However, those interested in these kinds of foreign films will appreciate everything this mockumentary style comedy has to offer.

The Big Man Japan Plot
Daisatou Masaru (Hitoshi Matsumoto) is more than just your run of the mill slacker. Well, he is your average slacker, most of the time. When not slacking off, he has been given an inherited job and title. He is Big Man Japan just like his father and crazy, old Grandfather before him. Big Man Japan is, for all intents and purposes, a Japanese superhero/giant who fights the good fight to protect Japan.

Daisatou’s gift is his ability to grow to an enormous size (like 30 feet). He becomes a giant and gets paid by the government to protect his country from monsters resembling Godzilla. Of course, Daisatou isn’t exactly fond of being Big Man Japan. He is a slacker after all. He gets in trouble with environmental groups and for destroying property while fighting monsters. He also is a human billboard thanks to his manager.

This mockumentary follows Daisatou around as he lives his average existence, taking care of his grandfather. When he is called to fight against monsters, he makes himself big and gets to work. The sad part of this is that Daisatou is mocked for what he does. Nobody appreciates what Big Man Japan has to offer them. He’s just a big joke to them, which probably contributes to his slacker attitude. Add in the fact that he has a disgruntled ex-wife and the plot thickens.

Overwhelmed by all the pressure, work wise, which carries over allowing him little time for a personal life, Big Man Japan must take matters into his own hands to find his own happiness.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 2 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The video quality for Big Man Japan is 1.85:1 widescreen. The movie looks okay. It’s not stunning. The CGI monsters are deliberately ridiculous looking. There is occasional blur and softness to the picture. The mockumentary looks like a documentary, gritty and hardcore, but the battle sequences are brightly colored and CGI-filled. The colors are bright and natural for the most part. Black levels have fair levels of saturation. There is occasional problems with dark moments in the movie, but nothing so horrible it renders the movie unwatchable.

There are two main audio tracks, with the primary actually being a Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese track. I watched it with this part of the way through (with English subtitles) and the English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
track the rest of the way. The Japanese is definitely more dynamic with decent sounding effects and clear dialogue. The sound effects make good use of the speakers with dialogue sticking mostly to the front. Besides English subtitles the film features Spanish Subtitles. A third audio track is available in Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are some bonus features that accompany the original film, Big Man Japan. To start things off there is a huge amount of bonus features. There are close to an hour worth of Deleted Scenes. I can see why all of them were cut. There are extended scenes and completely removed scenes. Either way, this is pretty much a waste of time, because this adds nothing to the movie.

There is also the “Making Of Big Man Japan With Commentary,” which comes in at over an hour. This is the typical making of feature. It looks at the making of this movie, excluding the fact that the director/writer/lead actor Hitoshi Matsumoto provides a commentary for the making of. There is no commentary for the movie, just the making of. This guy is pretty funny and he’s the only thing that makes this feature worth watching. This feature is in Japanese with English subtitles.

Finally, there are a selection of trailers. These include trailers for “Let the Right One In,” “Timecrimes,” “Donkey Punch,” “Special,” “Eden Log,” and “Big Man Japan.”

Bonus Features: 2 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Big Man Japan is good for a decent laugh. If you like absurdest comedy then this is going to be right up your alley. While I enjoyed this movie, I’m not sure how often I’ll want to re-watch it. By that, I’m suggesting that you rent this before purchasing it. In the end, only some people will both “get” and like this. The rest will just want to pass this up for something else.

Overall Rating: 2.93 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Big Man Japan, Giant, Monster, Magnolia, Hitoshi Matsumoto, Mockumentary, Comedy

Writer: Tony Stone
Director: Tony Stone
Cast: Clare Amory, Noelle Bailey, Nathan Corbin, Sean Dooley, James Fuentes, Gaby Hoffmann, David Perry
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Magnolia

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: July 28, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

I spend most of my days reviewing things. Most of the people that visit this site know that we handle more DVDs than anything, so much of that time is spent watching movies and television shows. When you break down my job it means that I see a lot of good movies and plenty of bad ones, too. It’s natural to expect a mix of both and I do. I rarely come across a movie that I don’t know how to review though, and that is exactly how I feel when it comes to Severed Ways. I read the subtitle, The Norse Discovery of America and saw the box art and thought that the movie would be cool. I love period movies about various times in history, so I was expecting to at least, like this. Unfortunately, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it even a little bit.

In fact, I am not sure why there is even a writing credit attached to this. There really wasn’t anything to warrant it. The plot is minimal, at best, and there is barely any dialogue. There is a lot of walking though. Perhaps Tony Stone (the writer, director, and star) got a credit for writing a screenplay that lists walking all over each page. I can’t think of anything else they did worth mentioning. After watching this I started to wonder if Stone were related to the movie distributors. It would make a lot of sense, considering this movie is pretty worthless. I rarely say a movie is worthless, but without a plot, what is a movie?

Stone is the main player where this movie is concerned, but I am not sure why he bothered with this. It’s clear he wanted to be a filmmaker or in the film business. He’s done that by making Severed Ways his first film. I know that I said he wrote, directed, and starred in it, but he also produced it, edited it, and is listed as the production designer. It is rare to find a filmmaker wearing so many hats on one set, but with a film like this I suppose it is only natural. Hopefully, Stone will either have the good sense to think through his future movies soon or he will get a job in some other industry like welding. If this is the best that he has to offer, it just goes to show that some Independent films are independent for a very good reason.

The Severed Ways Plot
As much as I wanted to say there was no plot, I feel it only fair that I put something here.

Orn (Tony Stone) and Volnard (Fiore Tedesco) are two Vikings in 1007 AD that are heading north in an attempt to get home. A group of Vikings had come to America in hopes of finding riches, but instead they meet the Indians. Orn and Volnard are off scouting and they get left behind when the Vikings hit the road. So now, the two left have to find a way home. They spend a lot of time trekking through the wilderness to do so. They soon realize that they need to adapt to their environment because their Norse ways are no help to them in their present environment.

So, that’s pretty much it. There are other things that happen, but they are either few and far between (sex and slaughter) or they are just plain atrociously boring (cutting down like five trees to make shelter.) Stone should have hired an editor for this because he either thought the audience was slower than the tree stumps his Norse characters left behind or he fell asleep on the job and didn’t realize he left in every unnecessary detail of these dude’s lives that he could.

What’s worse than all of this? Well, let’s see there is the headbanging scene or the defecation scene. Look, I know your movie is shit and I am assuming that you might know it too, but that doesn’t mean I want to see you shit. I mean, what point is there in showing that? Add in little or bad dialogue and you have a shoestring budget movie that should have never been made. Stone should have given this budget to feed the homeless or something productive, because this was just a complete and utter waste of time, energy, and space.

Storyline/Plot: 0 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 0 out of 5 stars
Acting: 0 out of 5 stars
Directing: 0 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Severed Ways was shot in HD and has an aspect ratio of 2.35:1 that is enhanced for widescreen televisions. It’s a tight budget and an independent film, so you can expect a few problems. The biggest problems are various instances of color bleeding, noise, and some compression errors. Otherwise, it’s your standard looking film. There isn’t anything overly impressive about this visual quality, but it’s not entirely unwatchable, at least from the video standpoint.

The audio includes two tracks, a Dolby Digital 5.1 track and a 2.0 track. The 5.1 track is dynamic, though its hard not to be with the excessive blaring of the heavy, death metal soundtrack. The actual dialogue (when there is any) is foreign so English subtitles are burned in. Spanish subtitles are also available, though they end up playing at the same time as the English since the English are burned in. If I had to choose a winner between the two qualities, the audio would surpass the video. Only occasional volume toggling is necessary.

Visual: 2 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a few small features here, but nothing worth even mentioning. Still, I will because that’s my job. There are a couple of deleted scenes (Severed Scenes) that last for about six minutes, a selection of scenes showing waterfalls and other areas of nature entitled “Scenic Ambiance” that lasts for about eleven minutes, and a slowed down scene, (“Slow Burn”) that shows the burning scene as it was meant to be seen.

There is also some footage of L’Anse Aux Meadows, Newfoundland, various trailers for Severed Ways, and some other trailers.

Bonus Features: 1 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
A while back I said that I saw the worst movie of my life, but I think I was wrong until now. This has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Between headbanging Norsemen and on-screen defecation and let’s not forget the slowness to the point of madness of the film, I had all I could stand of Severed Ways. This was so horrid I would have to take serious consideration before watching another Stone film. I highly recommend NOT bothering with this film. I am sure you could find plenty of better things to do.

Overall Rating: 0.86 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Severed Ways, Magnolia, Viking, DVD Review, Film, Gaby Hoffmann, filmmakers, Tony Stone

Movie Info:
Writers: Sean McGinly
Director: Sean McGinly
Cast: John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Ricky Jay, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks, Griffin Dunne, B.J. Hendricks, Debra Monk, Adam Scott, Tom Arnold, David Blaine, Jack Carter, Gary Coleman
Rating: PG
Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: January 18, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 21, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

It’s hard to discount a movie that has the likes of John Malkovich, Tom Hanks, Colin Hanks, and Emily Blunt in it. Even my personal favorite from television, Matthew Gray Gubler makes an appearance in this film. The Great Buck Howard offers great acting and at the end of the day that will allow it to succeed. It has more of an independent feel to it, but that’s by no means a bad thing. In fact, it’s actually a pretty good thing.

This is one of those movies that I had heard about prior to the release of the DVD. I think the first time I heard of this was when it premiered at Sundance in 2008. It would later have a limited run in theaters, just before it’s DVD release, but not much was to be heard about it at that time. I had all but forgotten about it until I was told that I was going to be reviewing it.

The director, Sean McGinly manages to offer a smart and funny comedic drama about a past his time mentalist. The script is not as solid as it could have been, but in the end, the actors involved in the movie make it well worth watching. Thanks to the understated nature of the film I think this will easily be one of those more cult-ishly popular films, as opposed to say a widely popular one. Not all mainstream audiences will embrace this, but it is worth watching, at least once, to see if you’re one of the people that will enjoy it.

While all the performances are pretty solid, I think some of the best moments are seeing the real life father and son pair Tom and Colin Hanks working together as father and son in the movie. It’s fun to see them play off one another and they do a great job. It’s easy to see that talent runs in the Hanks’ family. With Hanks leading the way along with Malkovich and a talented supporting cast following behind, there is no reason why this doesn’t deserve a rental, at the very least.

The Great Buck Howard Plot
Troy’s (Colin Hanks) dad (Tom Hanks) wants the best of life for Troy. He has dreams of his son finishing law school and becoming a success. However, like most kids, Troy has his own plans for his life. Troy is filled with dreams and he needs to try and make a go at them. His biggest dream is to become a writer. In order to make this happen he decides to quit law school and move out to California. Unfortunately, as most people know, writing doesn’t always pay the bills.

Doing what is necessary to support himself until he can strike it big, Troy goes to work as an assistant for the “Great” Buck Howard (Malkovich). Howard is a mentalist (not to be confused with a magician) that is only slightly past his prime. He’s been on The Tonight Show and other talk shows well over 50 times, though these days the crowds have become much smaller. Ultimately, he manages to win every small crowd over by doing silly bits like refusing to be paid if he cannot find his fee that’s hidden somewhere in the building.

As time has moved on and Johnny Carson has been replaced by Jay Leno, Howard’s career has continued to slip. He still manages to be a diva though, blaming others for his slip-sliding failures rather than living up to the truth. Troy is stressed while working for Howard, but he is drawn to the way that Howard manages to work his crowds. It ends up keeping him around even though he’s not fond of the fits.

Troy has to deal with what to do with his life. Drawn between life with what dad wants and fulfilling his own dreams, he does his best to figure things out on his own. Meanwhile, Valerie (Blunt) walks into his life in an attempt to get the eyes of the world back on Howard. When an event leads to Howard attaining success again, thanks to Troy, it leaves Troy wondering if this was all some sort of magic. After all, if he wouldn’t have tried to choose his own path, would any of this ever have happened?

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The Great Buck Howard offers a fair DVD presentation with a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen picture. There are some moments of softness, but for the most part the picture offers a clear color and a fair level of detail. The black levels are decent and the picture is relatively free of glare, distortion, or other similar issues. You shouldn’t have any problems with this transfer.

The audio is handled in a Dolby Digital 5.1 transfer. You won’t need to worry about volume toggling and while not overly dynamic, the sound works for the most part. The soundtrack fits well, the dialogue is generally crystal clear and there are no major audio issues to speak of on this DVD. A Dolby Digital 2.0 track is also available. You should be able to enjoy Closed Captioning with both audio versions. Subtitles are also available in both English and Spanish.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There is a small, but generally effective set of bonuses available on this DVD. Things begin with a commentary that contains Colin Hanks and Sean McGinly. The commentary is pretty basic. Lots of conversation about this and that occurring on screen. The two men discuss various aspects of filming and why things were done one way or another. There is a selection of deleted scenes that don’t add too much to what is already available and a longer set of extended scenes that are amusing, but it’s obvious to see why they were cut. There is also a selection of outtakes which provide a few laughs.

The Behind the Scenes footage lasts for around ten minutes and it offers tons of back-patting and talks about how everyone thinks everyone else is great. Meanwhile, “HD Net: A Look at The Great Buck Howard” is your basic press pack with footage and the usual congratulatory things you’d expect to find in a press package. Finally, there is a six minute feature called “The Amazing Kreskin.” This is a pretty amusing featurette that serves as an interview that talks about his work with the director and what the movie and his part was like.

All in all, this isn’t a bad set of special features for a single movie. They could have offered a bit more, but there isn’t much to complain about.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Great Buck Howard is a great film. It’s a fun watch and though it ends with some sappiness, the acting and the general feel of the movie make it worthwhile. The cast is superb and the movie is well worth watching. As I stated, I think this is going to have a cult-following as opposed to a mainstream appeal so you might want to rent this one before buying it. However, if you love it you’ll see it’s well worth a purchase.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Great Buck Howard, DVD, Movie, Magnolia Home Entertainment, Tom Hanks, John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt

Movie Info:
Writer: Vadim Jean
Director: Vadim Jean, Terry Pratchett
Cast: David Jason, Sean Astin, Tim Curry, Jeremy Irons, Brian Cox, James Cosmo, Christopher Lee, Janet Suzman, David Bradley, Nigel Planer, Stephen Marcus
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Rhi Entertainment

Release Info:
Original Release: March 23, 2008
DVD Release Date: July 14, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $12.99

I’ve never read anything about the Discworld. I am not exactly sure why. Maybe because I’m not British. At one point, I was a vociferous reader, so it seems like I would have come across these books, but alas I never did. Watching this made for television British adaptation of the books has made me interested about Sir Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series of books. The stories seem to be right up my alley.

The Color of Magic is actually a two part adaptation of the first two novels in the Discworld series. Part One chronicles “The Color of Magic” and Part Two continues through the story for “The Light Fantastic.” Having no personal knowledge of the Discworld, I cannot testify as to whether this adaption is faithful to the books. I can tell you that many fans claim it does follow the stories for the most part, but obvious chunks had to be cut out to condense the books down to fit a logical timeline. Otherwise, the movie might have been a massive affair, more than six or seven hours long if not more!

Going into this review I knew absolutely nothing about this movie. I didn’t even know who the actors were in this until I popped in the DVD. I can say that I’m pleasantly surprised by who is in this. I know that fans of the book complained about the casting of Sean Astin as Twoflower. I don’t know how he is portrayed in the books, but I like Astin and I believe he played the zany character well. For the world, he was rather ‘exotic’ as the tourist, even if he wasn’t off Asian descent, as many fans of the book assumed Twoflower was.

David Jason was very good as Rincewind. I know there were rumblings about his selection, as well, due to his age. Again, I haven’t read the books. As someone not involved in the Discworld prior to viewing this DVD, all I can judge is by Jason’s performance in this movie. He was excellent. Terry Pratchett has also supported the casting of David Jason and Sean Astin. Since he created the Discworld, he should have the final say in who plays his characters. In these cases, he approved.

The supporting cast includes Tim Curry, Christopher Lee, Jeremy Irons, and Brian Cox, to name a few. Tim Curry steals his scenes, but the rest of the cast is great, too. I really enjoyed Lee’s voicing of Death. The plot for this two-part movie flows well. It’s an interesting story, one that stays pretty faithful to the books. There were obvious parts of the books that had to be cut out, just to maintain a decent length, but I don’t feel that this makes the movie any less enjoyable.

The Color of Magic Plot
On the back of a giant turtle, the Great A’Tuin, sits four elephants. These elephants hold up the Discworld. One of the most populated areas of the Discworld is Ankh-Morpork. This is home of the Unseen University, a higher institute of learning for wizards. The protagonist of this story is a wizard by the name of Rincewind (David Jason). Rincewind has been at the Unseen University for the past 40 years. He appears to be a bumbling idiot to those in charge at the University, but really he’s a funny character.

Rincewind is kicked out of the university because he hasn’t learned any spells in the past 40 years. The University believes it is from lack of effort/initiative on Rincewind’s part, but in fact, it is later revealed that Rincewind has one of the eight spells from the most powerful spellbook ever, the Octavo, in his head, and he is incapable of learning any additional spells because the other spells fear being in the same head as the Octavo 8.

Rincewind meets an interesting fellow at the local inn, Twoflower (Sean Astin). Twoflower is from the Discworld’s Counterweight Continent. He is the Discworld’s first tourist. He is travelling with excessive amounts of gold, something that is abundant where he is from, but is rare in Ankh-Morpork. The gold attracts Rincewind, who agrees to be his guide around the city, for a small fee, of course.

Rincewind isn’t the only one who takes notice of Twoflower. The innkeeper and other unsavory individuals want the gold. When they try to dispose of Twoflower, Rincewind becomes more than just a guide. Twoflower’s luggage also protects him. It is magical, made of a special pearwood, and it can move around on its own legs.

When fire breaks out in Ankh-Morpork, Rincewind must help Twoflower escape. They travel across the Discworld, going on several adventures. Rincewind, in particular, faces Death (voiced by Christopher Lee), at nearly every turn, but because he has the Octavo spell, he is saved time and again. Eventually, the two end up in Krull, at the edge of the Discworld. This is where a group of scientists have set out to discover the gender of the great turtle, and they’ve thrust Rincewind and Twoflower into the midst of this great yet potentially life ending adventure.

Back at Unseen University, Ymper Trymon (Tim Curry), the same wizard who got Rincewind expelled, has power on his mind. The way to gain power is by killing other wizards and steeling their pointy shoes. Trymon works his way through the administration by killing, all with the goal of becoming the Archchancellor. Of course, he has bigger goals, that involve the Octavo and the spells within it.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The visual quality for The Color of Magic is pretty good, especially since this was originally a made for TV movie. The Color of Magic is presented at a 1.85:1 aspect ratio in anamorphic widescreen. The picture is clear, with very little fuzz. There is a sharpness to the image. The color palette is vibrant, with solid, sharp black levels. The level of saturation provides for a high-quality production. There are some DVD issues, such as visible edge enhancements and the occasional compression error, but dirt and grain are kept to a minimum.

The menu on the The Color of Magic is bare bones. There are just two options, Play Movie and Scene Selection. I like to check out the audio options, but nothing was on the menu and there were no subtitles to be found. I had to look on the box to find out this was a Dolby Digital mix, and look on the web to find out that the main track is English Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. While this audio track sounds good, there was no need for volume toggling, the music soundtrack was appropriate, and the sound effects made good use of the surround element, playing out mainly in the rare speakers, it’s disappointing to think that the hearing impaired will be unable to enjoy this delightful movie.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Unfortunately, there are zero bonuses included on this DVD.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you like fantastical stories about imaginary worlds, interesting storylines, humorous, in depth characters, and great actors, The Color of Magic is well worth checking out. Fans of the Discworld should be happy with this adaptation, as it stays faithful to Pratchett’s work. For a TV movie, the quality of The Color of Magic is great. While this movie won’t be for everyone (especially those who like mindless action or romance films), this is one the whole family can enjoy together.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Color of Magic, Discworld, Terry Pratchett, Movie Adaptation, UK, David Jason, Sean Astin, Rincewind, Twoflower, Book Series, TV on DVD

Movie Info:
Writer: Todd McCullough
Director: Harvey Glazer
Cast: Jonathan Bennett, Kristin Cavallari, Jerry Shea, Nestor Aaron Absera, Kurt Fuller, Steve Talley, Nic Nac, Meredith Giangrande, Linden Ashby
Rating: Unrated
Studio: Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release:
DVD Release Date: July 14, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $14.99

“From Aaron Samuels to Van Wilder, Jonathan Bennett goes from promising to pathetic.”

As I always start comedy reviews, I like to point out that I’m not in love with the comedy genre. I can appreciate the comedy of the likes of Adam Sandler and the majority of SNL alumni, but there is too much bad comedy out there to balance out the genre. Beyond comedy, there are sub genres. I tend to like the dark comedy or comedy that includes witty repartee. Of course, then there is the romantic comedy sub-genre that I think is pretty stupid, as well as the stoner/just plain idiotic comedy like the original Van Wilder movie. Then there is the never should have been made comedy sub genre. This is exactly where the Van Wilder movies fall.

Well, I have to be entirely honest here. That’s where the movies made after the original Van Wilder that just happen to carry the “Van Wilder” title belong. The original film with Ryan Reynolds was kind of funny, I have to admit. It wasn’t winning awards, the humor was stupid and perhaps even mindless, but I did laugh at certain parts of the original. My mouth is tired from frowning while watching Van Wilder: Freshman Year. I didn’t crack a smile once. What happened to National Lampoon?

There is one major difference between Van Wilder and Van Wilder: Freshman Year. Reynolds can carry on this kind of role without appearing too lamebrained. He personified Van Wilder, making him cool not a douche. Three films in and Vance Wilder the Fifth is officially a major douche. The funny part is the actor playing said douche in a very douchey way, with pathetically douchey acting, if you wanted to call that acting, is none other than Jonathan Bennett. If you don’t recognize the name, he actually was entertaining in the Tina Fey comedy Mean Girls.

While I lay most of the blame on Bennett for being dumb enough to partake in what was meant to be a prequel yet didn’t stick with what we knew of Van Wilder from the first film, I can’t lay all the blame on him. I also blame writer, Todd McCullough, who is so uncool he isn’t even on IMDB listed in the writer spot. This film was poorly written. It was pussy, dick, and poop humor, but it wasn’t even funny sex-based humor. It was poor cliches and even worse one liners. I mean c’mon! He named a character Yu Dum Fok and had Van rehash the entire “Yu You/You Dum Fok” to the point where it made me want to cringe. I wasted 98 minutes of my life on this drivel and I want my time back!

Add in some lamebrain directing, horrendous acting (yes, Kristin Cavallari wants to be the next Cameron Diaz, but not even Cameron is that bad – and that’s saying a lot because I really hate Cameron as an actress), and a bunch of sex jokes that won’t make you laugh (kids, don’t watch this one – it’s filled with so many sex references, as well as crude and lascivious sex acts it will make your little brains spin) and you have Van Wilder: Freshman Year. The director says blame him for the movie if it’s bad, but I’m blaming all parties involved, especially those actors like Kurt Fuller, who actually know how to act yet sullied their names with this shit.

So, if you’re into watching dogs lick the asses of old men, dogs with jumbo nutsacks no less, sex acts in churches, poop on the face, and a white guy playing a very bad Jamaican (guess what he likes?) you might actually want to watch this piece of crap. For everyone else, fuck. I rarely say this. Don’t even bother reading the rest of my review. I only wrote it because, well…that’s my job.

The Van Wilder: Freshman Year Plot
Van Wilder: Freshman Year is supposed to be a prequel to the original Van Wilder film. The entire purpose of this movie goes away from what fans of the original Van are supposed to know. In the original, it is understood that Van did well his first few years, and let loose in the later years. However, this movie shows that Van was the wildly popular party boy from the beginning. The movie starts with a blow job and ends with some virgin popping.

Van Wilder (Jonathan Bennett) has graduated from high school. He’s supposed to go on a trip to Amsterdam with his dad (Linden Ashby), but his dad is busy with work. Van ends up going to Coolidge because it’s a family tradition. His family has their name on a building there, Wilder Hall. However, when he gets there, Coolidge is no longer the fun loving school of his dad’s time. It is a military based institution run by Dean Reardon (Kurt Fuller). Reardon, a military man who hates Van Wilder IV wants to make Van Wilder V’s life miserable. He can’t force him out because his dad is rich and has ties to the school, so he tries to make Van’s life a living hell.

Van turns a one bedroom dorm into a two bedroom (by breaking down a wall). His roommate is the pothead, Farley (Nestor Aaron Absera). Farley is from Jamaica supposedly because he’s a raging pothead. The boys decide to throw a party on campus, something not allowed. Neither is kissing, drugs, booze, having sex, or anything else that’s ‘fun.’ The only person to show up is Yu Dum Fok (Jerry Shea), who is the first movie’s Taj. He has the exact same storyline except he’s Chinese not Indian.

The boys try to find the girls, but they just find some religious, prudish girls led by Eve (Meredith Giangrande). After she throws blood on them, Van decides to get inventive in church, causing these chaste girls to learn how powerful the “O” really is. Reardon knows Van is behind the prank. He sics his lap dog, ROTC student, Dirk (Steve Talley) and his in the closet, military buddy, Corporal Benedict (Nic Nac) on Van, wanting to make him crack.

Well, of course, Van falls for Dirk’s honeybear, Kaitlin (Kristin Cavallari), and Dirk doesn’t like that much. Kaitlin comes from a military family. She thinks, lives, and breathes the military. She also believes some things are worth waiting for, like having sex. Of course, Van has to shake things up. This Hilter rule has to change, and galdarnit, Van’s going to be the one to change things.

Now can you see why this movie was a direct-to-DVD release?

Storyline/Plot: 0 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 0 out of 5 stars
Acting: 0.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 0 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The best part of Van Wilder: Freshman Year is the visual quality. Crappy movies tend to look good and this film is no exception. While I won’t say this movie blew me away, like some of the more action oriented films do, the 1.78 aspect ratio ensures that the widescreen visuals are clear, crisp, and natural. The color palette has a realistic plethora of colors, dark tones are sharp, there really isn’t a lot of softness or blur. The visual errors are kept to the minimum. When I say the visuals are the best part of this movie, know that I have very low expectations.

The Dolby Digital English 5.1 surround track got the job done well. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but the track did offer crisp dialogue with no reason to need to volume toggle. In fact, the sound ran a little on the loud side, but it was consistent throughout and that is what matters. What sound effects were there, came through clearly. Subtitles are also available in English, Spanish, and French.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Why is it that movies that suck seem to be brimming with bonuses? Van Wilder: Freshman Year seems to be no exception. The DVD is full of them. There is two sections of bonuses. I don’t get it. I rarely see this many bonuses on any DVD release. I had to give it above a three rating due to the number of bonuses, but I also judge on whether they are good bonuses or not.

Commentary with Director Harv Glazer and Cast: I barely got through this movie once. The idea of sitting through it a second time with the director licking his cast’s butthole made me want to slit my wrists. Nic Nac, Steve Talley, Jonathan Bennett, and Kristin Cavallari join Harv for the commentary. In some instances, there is too much action going on and they talk all over each other. Harv tries to be informative about each scene, but this isn’t an interesting movie, so who really cares?

The Making of Van Wilder: Freshman Year: This is the typical making of featurette. There is a whole lot of back patting between the actors. This feature explores the story behind this movie and who Van Wilder is. The actors all give their take on who he is from being a pussy to a very flashy person. At one point, Jonathan says, “it was a cheap joke” about his getting “laid” line, but that line alone perfectly sums up my opinion of this movie. It’s hard to like a making of about a movie that sucks. This featurette is longer than I would have liked, especially since the cast tries to be funny, but they aren’t.

Going Balls Out: Colossus: Colossus is in the dog that has mega balls. Colossus has a bigger trailer than all the actors, and the cast says he’s a diva, but he actually listens to commands. His name is really Champ and his biggest challenge on this movie set is keeping cool. They filmed during the summer, and so it was very hot for Champ. This feature is pseudo-interesting, but the actors took ‘the dog is a diva’ thing a bit too far.

Coolidge College Orientation Video: The cast talks about Coolidge College from the perspective of their characters. They are supposed to be “in character” when they talk about what Coolidge means to them. It’s set up like an actual “movie based” video, but some of the actors, take it a little beyond their characters. I felt like I was watching a bunch of preschoolers “pretend” to be characters, but they weren’t really into them. I didn’t see the characters, just the actors. The movie is useless and so is this featurette.

Decatur: This is a reality based type of show that is hosted by Kristin Cavallari. I never watched Laguna Beach or The Hills, but it’s clear this is a spoof of these shows, with made up storylines. She even had the cast of the movie act out playing themselves. Fans of Cavallari might like this, but it’s pretty much worthless, boring drivel to me.

Teacher’s Pets: This is basically the girls in the movie (the extras and regular cast members) saying how awesome Van Wilder is. It also delves into the making of the Sex 101 scene where Van Wilder plays the teacher. A short little, worthless featurette is about all this is.

Bloopers: The bloopers include subtitles so the hearing impaired can suffer with us all while watching this feature. The bloopers are more like funny moments while filming than actual blunders. There are occasional line mishaps, usually caused by Kristin Cavallari. However, none of them are really entertaining. Jonathan Bennett thinks he’s way more funny than he is (the cork wasn’t that funny Jonathan – not enough to lay on the floor rolling in laughter as long as you did). The only good moments come from Kurt Fuller, who is actually rather funny. This makes the movie (and his part in it) very sad.

Van’s Party Supplies: This short featurette looks at all the dildos and vibrators used in this movie. Some of them look really scary and I have to wonder if girls really use these kinds of “party supplies” or not. The crew talks about how they went to novelty sex shops and bought bags and bags of sex toys. It also looks at the bongs used in Van Wilder: Freshman Year, like the bong rocket. The props had to stand out to add to the characters. A bong company actually made custom bongs for them. Though the movie isn’t interesting, this featurette is actually kind of enjoyable. It’s not every day a movie uses weird props.

Pranks 101: The cast talks about pranks, if they’ve planned any and the art of pranking. For the most part, this is pretty stupid. Most of the pranks are stupid, and some are even made up. Kurt Fuller filled a dorm room with five stories worth of water, after taping the doors shut. They had to call the fire department to get the girls in the dorm out. That’s not overly funny, but luckily this featurette is short.

Finally there are several previews before the menu. These include Yes, Man, Road Trip: Beer Pong, Tropic Thunder, and The Hills: The Complete Fourth Season. There are also previews in the bonus section. These include Without a Paddle 2: Nature’s Calling, National Lampoon’s Stoned Age, Eagle Eye, and all five of the previews that play before the menu in case you want to watch them again.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
I’m a boob man and not even the abundance of ta-tas can save Van Wilder: Freshman Year. Sure, there is some lesbian action, which is supposed to be hot, but really its not. If you want to see girls with big boobs doing crazy stuff, rent a porno or one of those Girl’s Gone Wild DVDs instead. Van Wilder: Freshman Year is lackluster humor, a pathetic attempt at comedy and is sure to leave you unsatisfied in the end.

Overall Rating: 1.64 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Van Wilder, Freshman Year, Prequel, Jonathan Bennett, Bad Acting, Stupid Comedy, Stupid Sequel, Stupid Movie