Reviews (35)

Avoiding Hip
It's easy to see why this film could be quickly classed as "one of those generation-x, college student, young men at a crossroad" films, and being instantly criticised on these grounds. Leonard Maltin did all of the above, but hey, check your old Maltin guide and you'll find that he's happy to rate the film 'Beverely Hills Cop' as a better film than 'Taxi Driver'. The fact is, this film manages to provide a very successful and humorous commentary on the state of despair and impotence shared by the characters involved. In addition, Baumbach writes with an notable awareness of the genre-based criticism under which the film may fall. At times, the film is hilarious, at times a little inexcusably slow, and there are some shots and sequences (notably the "flashbacks") with great subtlety and skill. This is a clear and intentional departure from any hip, pop-culture, angry young man-type film. It's true that Eigeman (one of my favorites) once again plays the "smug" role that may well define his career, but unlike in Metropolitan, his character shows a deeper vulnerability, which is to be further underscored in 'Mr Jealousy'. Hamilton impresses. I've heard Kicking & Screaming described by critics as "underrated", and there seem to be a few people who have really connected with the film, in either relating to the plot, or more likely, being impressed by the mature technique of Baumbach. Unfortunately, I write out of bias, as I truly did see something special in the way this film was composed. I find that the most common criticism draws reference to the "genre", and the term "one of those blah-blah-blah films" is invariably used. These are quite obviously unfair criticisms, in the same way had people commented, upon the release of 'The Searchers', "another one of those John Wayne westerns" as they rolled their eyeballs. The film is limited by a lack of plot, but compensated by a good sense of character, and an intelligence and eye for observation that may only be rivaled by Stillman in this genre. This film distinguishes itself from the hip&trendy implications of its perceived genre, and on nothing but dialogue alone, the film should receive 3 stars. One can only be hope that Baumbach continues to write his films, as one day, plot and dialogue will come together with the intelligence and subtlety of some of Woody Allen's most acclaimed pieces. Send me some e-mail if you're interested in discussing the film, but you've probably heard enough about it from me by now.

A personal favorite
What is terrific about the film is not merely how funny it is (and yes it is a very sharp piece of comedy)... but how much it stays with you after you watch it. Faced with the breakup of an old college girlfriend, a needy father, friends moving off into different directions, the characters face a very human set of emotional experiences: Love, longing, uncertainty, introspection.

There are two very unique bits of style which I found to be tremendously interesting:
(1) The film's dialogue is razor sharp and complex. You often enter a scene in the middle of a conversation, and it is not clear until it progresses. So, the punchline might come long before the riddle... and this makes it all incredibly engaging. Watching this film again and again is immensely enjoyable on a new level because of this.
(2) A key part of the story is told in flashbacks. Even as the main character and his girlfriend grow distant, you see the story of how they met. The effect is haunting.
I'm not sure where the director is today, but I give this movie the highest recommendation. It is by far one of my favorites.

A Joyous Good Time!
Few movies do I enjoy more than Kicking and Screaming. I own a copy and watch it every six months or so. It always makes me laugh but it also succeeds in making the viewer experience sincere empathy and sympathy for its characters. Anyone who went to college in the nineties can relate to these individuals at some level. Furthermore, just in case you're wondering, its not a Whit Stillman film but many of the same actors are used such as Chris Eigeman. Here we have a group of friends who have to be dragged kicking and screaming into adulthood. All of them appear to be deflated by their graduations from college. "What do we do now?" is their central question. By the end, nearly everybody discovers some kind of direction in which to take their lives.

kicked but and was a pleasure for me
I'm a big fan of Josh Hamilton, but hes not my favorite, hes done movies like The House Of Yes, The Bourne Identity, Urbania and the powerful 1993 Alive, and this part for him is good. it was a pleasure to see some good actors in here and it kicked with its funny moments and charm. Eric Stolz has never been better, Parker Posey is adorable, Olivia d'ABo is awesome, Chris Eigleman is hilarious and Carlos Jacott is uproarous, hes the guy the group asked him if he was wearing masscara and then he said no and then right after he said yes. a keeper

Ding! Monkeys, Monkeys, Ted & Alice!
This movie is an absolute classic for one-liners and odd dialogue. The themes are typical: pre-adulthood angst and the directionless "X" Generation, but the delivery is brilliant and real. It feels like you're watching a series of intimate conversations secretly taped of your friends. Or like you're let in on some private joke and that makes each viewing a little funnier.
You'll find yourself incorporating the quotes into your own life, and needing to share the film with select others so that they're in on the joke too.
Ding! Go Cougars! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This movie is for everyone who misses the old Roger Corman monster movies, only it has animatronics and computer effects instead of papiermâché. The title of Bats pretty much sums up the plot: Crazed bats are running amok, disemboweling people and cattle. Only beautiful wildlife zoologist Dina Meyer (Johnny Mnemonic, Starship Troopers) and stalwart sheriff Lou Diamond Phillips (La Bamba, the Young Guns movies, Courage Under Fire) can save the day! Let's be frank: The scenario is ludicrous, the dialogue God-awful, the special effects unconvincing--try as they might, the bats just aren't that scary--but what does it matter? The movie rips along effectively. There's always a bat attack just around the corner and the director makes liberal use of all kinds of editing and camera effects, including a distorted bat-cam point of view that makes no sense at all but is pretty entertaining. Various scenes imitate Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, but lack even a hint of that movie's eerie precision. The actors play it straight without trying to be particularly serious. All in all, Bats knows what it is--trash-horror--and accomplishes its ends with good humor. Not quite up to the standard of Tremors (still the definitive trash-horror flick), but better than most recent efforts. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Entertaining... and NOT because you're laughing at it.
With all the things I've read about this movie, I fully expected that the only genuine entertainment "Bats" could offer would be belly laughs from watching the cheesy effects and bad acting. But-- surprise, surprise-- this was amazingly not the case. The bat effects are plentiful and effective, the cinematography and direction are competent, and the acting isn't bad (I especially liked Dina Meyer, whose natural performance actually made you believe she was an expert on bats). Let's be clear, however. Don't expect characterizations of particular depth or clever plot twists, 'cause you ain't getting that stuff. This is basically a 90-minute movie about bats attacking people, but on that score it delivers. Oh, yes- the movie DEFINITELY gained points for giving us ONE twist, a subversive variation of the old "last shot of the movie showing us that one of the menaces has SURVIVED" cliche; just when you think you're going to see that same old scene again, something else happens, and it's a riot. The DVD has loads of extras, including a hilarious commentary track by the director and Lou Diamond Phillips. Definitely recommended as a rental, and if you're a big fan of schlocky but effective horror movies like "Tremors" and "Lake Placid", don't hesitate to buy "Bats". Okay, okay-- if you DO buy it, try to get it cheap. But do give it a look.

BATBUSTERS
A young couple are having a small disagreement; they are parked in his car on the outskirts of town. He gets out to grab a brew, and when he comes back, they are attacked by something horrible and they are horribly mutilated. Suddenly the CDC is called in, and determine that the killers were bats, giant predatory bats. Enter Dina Meyer and Leon as bat researchers, who are asked to aid in the investigation. Joining in is the local sheriff (Lou Diamond Phillips), and the two doctors who reveal their connection with the bats...genetic experimentation of course. Now the rush is on to find and capture the two leaders, but of course they carry a virus which has affected the other bats, and now we have millions of bats on the loose.
BATS is one of those guilty pleasures, but credit the movie for its frenetic pacing, laudable special effects, even with the puppet bats in close ups. They still manage to frighten. The bats attack Gallup in an extended scene that packs a punch.
This felt like going to a drive in on a Friday night in the fifties or sixties. A good fright flick and no guilt in the morning.

Cheesy, B-Grade Action and Fun
I'd have to say that more than 50% of the movies in my collection are considered cheesy horror, and they too on their release were heralded by much higher paid critics than you'll find here as trash. With the passing of time, they've become...you bet, "Cheesy Movie Classics". When I went to see this movie at the theater, I was expecting exactly what I got, a B-Grade horror film with a high budget. I wanted something that felt and tasted like the popcorn munchers from the 70's and 80's; movies like "Food of the Gods" and "Grizzly", and that's exactly what I got. You have a top of the line cast playing at fun in a fast-paced bats rule the earth horror film.

I for one think Lou Diamond Phillips make a very capable, strong male lead, and that's saying a lot, because I was never particularly fond of him. But having lost track of him over the past several years, I've seen him popping up more and more, and I've noticed he's developed into a very capable actor.

As for Dina Meyers, she plays her part with gusto, and not only is she beautiful and sexy, but comes off as a very strong and confident scientist trying to do a serious job of killing Bats. Lots of flesh hungry, disease ridden Bats!

So if you're looking for a fun, cheesy, midnight movie-style, Drive-In type film, with a taste and feel of all those old monster movies (and believe me, one day this will be on the "Cheesy Movie Classic" list) this is it. All others, apply elsewhere.

It ain't Gone With the Wind, but . . .
Is this movie great? No. Is it watchable? Extremely.

I enjoyed the movie. There is some cheesy dialogue, sure, but I don't get the extremely harsh 1 star reviews. This is a fun, fast paced movie that kept my attention the whole way through.

I especially liked the commentary track with Lou Diamond Phillips. It is one of the most relaxed, enjoyable commentaries I have heard, and I have listened to just about every commentary track of every DVD I own (1000+).

it will drive you bats
damnit people...a movie about killer bats...wow, I mean this one is on the BOMB list for sure...Dian Meyer is the batgirl(wink wink) and Leon is batman(dont have to wink on that one) and they go to a small town after a murder happens and they meet the sheriff Lou Diamond Phillips(this man right here shouldnt of done this movie, he shouldnt of done Supernova) and another guy played by Carlos Jacott(shouldnt of been in here also) and the batty guy who controls the bats, Bob Gunton(Gunton is always in a crappy movie, once in a great while)......maybe I just dont get it..I mean whats there to get....people said they were terrified of this movie and putting this up with JAWS....people this does not compare to JAWS, JAWS is way better then this pile of bat guano.............get a life and a brain and for the people who didnt like this movie..your my best friends ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hit man Martin Q. Blank (John Cusack) is in an awkward situation. Several of them, actually. He's attending his high school reunion on an assignment; he's got a rival hit man (Dan Aykroyd) on his tail; and he's going to have to explain to his old girlfriend (Minnie Driver) why he stood her up on prom night. This amiable black comedy, cowritten by Cusack and directed by Jonathan Demme protégé George Armitage (Miami Blues), has the feel of Demme's Something Wild and Married to the Mob--which is to say its humor is dark and brightly colored at the same time. Cusack and Driver are utterly charming--as is the leading man's sister, Joan, who plays his secretary. (Ms. Cusack received an Oscar nomination for her next role, in In & Out.) Alan Arkin is also very funny as Martin's psychiatrist. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (131)

Great Movie, terrible DVD
Grosse Pointe Blank is an unusual movie. A professional hitman returns to his hometown to "do a job" and, while he's there, attend his 10 year highschool reunion. John Cusack plays the role well, charming and remarkably likeable, despite his profession. This "dark comedy" is very clever, and I rate it as one my favorite 90's films.

Too bad the DVD isn't up to par. It has next to zero extras. But even that could be passable if the picture was good. First of all, the movie is non-anamorphic. That doesn't make a difference unless you have a 16x9 television, it'll look the same on a regular tv, it's just a pet peeve of mine. But, the transfer we did get is just pathetic; it looks like a (bad) laser disc transfer. The picture is grainy, and there are some definite compression artifacts to been seen.

Bottom line: this DVD is worth buying for the movie, no doubt... and since this is the only version available, it's this or nothing. Just don't expect a really terrific picture.

Pure genius starring John Cusack
Martin Q. Blank is a hitman about to attend his 10-year high school reunion and face the prom date he ditched a decade ago. He has people out to kill him as he returns to Grosse Point, MI to attend these festivities and revisit his past.

His childhood home is now a quickie-mart, where there is a massive shoot-out (I love that the bullets hit a cut-out of the stars of "Pulp Fiction", a movie rife with shoot-outs.) When Martin asks the store clerk is all right, he yells "NO! I'm scared, I'm hurt and I have to find a new job!"

Minnie Driver is excellent as Debi, the jilted date and current radio DJ, who gets back at him on-air. The soundtrack is great, with Bowie's "Under Pressure", the Violent Femmes "Blister in the Sun", and great 1980s songs for their big reunion.

Reunion phobiacs unite, utterly hilarious!
Cusack shines yet again in the dark comedy set around Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Martin Blank (Cusack) is a contract killer having a bout of emptiness. His secretary (played superbly by sister Joan Cusack) corralls him into heading home just in time for his 10-year high school reunion. Who is he afraid to see there, another killer or fellow cronie? No, it's his high school prom date Minnie Driver! (Speaking of cronies, though, Dan Aykroid plays one of his best roles ever as Grocer, the competing hitman trying to form a 'union' of sorts).

From the reminiscing with old friends, to the rekindling of a relationship, to the way the town has changed, and to the current contract in Grosse Pointe, this truly dark comedy deliver big time with dry one-liners, clever and witty banter, odd and embarassing situations, and a visit back to high school days and faces once forgotten. Anyone who has even run into an old classmate from school will definitely find this movie hilarious and poignant. The soundtrack is also outstanding featuring many of the hits from the mid-80s and worked in cleverly into the plot and scenes. (Keep an ear/eye open for Queen's "Under Pressure" and the way the lyrics and the movie itself seem to marry perfectly).

(Disclaimer: for those of you who might be concerned, there is a good deal of foul language, some violent scenes, and minor sexual situations. Otherwise, if that doesn't bother you much, definitely one to add to your collection).

Overall, a tremendous movie with great action, universal themes of reunion along with the related phobias and hijinx, hilarious wit, and excellent acting all around. Truly one of the funniest movies that Cusack has made and quite possibly his most amusing role to date. Enjoy!

It's a BIG HIT
Grosse Pointe Blank is probably ranked in my list as one of the best dark comedies of all time. If you haven't seen it, just think, "Pulp Fiction" meets "satire," with a little bit of typical "John Cusack-ness" sprinkled in here and there. (Still, Minnie Driver's character is no match for Mia Wallace in my humble opinion.)

It kind of makes you wonder what really goes through the minds of these so-called real-life "assassins" that exist in the world. Although I'm sure that it's certainly not quite a comedic vocation as portrayed in the film. Nonetheless, it's fascinating and it keeps the viewer sitting on the edge of their seat wanting more. I think that's why this movie worked. Who would of ever thought of making a farce out of something so mundane as a hitman going through a midlife crisis? John Cusack's quirky persona really makes Grosse Pointe Blank, well, Grosse Pointe Blank. On top of that, the ten year high school reunion adds yet another intricate twist in the storyline. I felt as though I had stepped into a time portal that took me back to the era of materialims, The Clash/punk rock, Sixteen Candles, side ponny tails and leg warmers, as with other fashion mishaps.

The dailogue, as funny as it is, really makes you think -which isn't always the easiest thing to do in a film. For example, one of my favorie lines is when Debi questions: "Where are all the good men dead, in the heart or in the head?" Let's just say, I ask myself the same thing...

Probably Cusack's Best Film
This is, for me anyway, the best film Cusack has done. It's filled with a certain realism that you don't find in many films. This is odd because the film is primarily a comedy. Black comedy, mind you, but comedy nonetheless.

Background - Martin Blank (Cusack) is a contract hit-man ten years after his high school graduation. He's lost his taste for 'the business' and wants out. He received an invite to his high school reunion but doesn't initially want to attend. Almost simultaneously, he gets a contract to take out someone in his home town. He decides to kill two birds with one stone and do both. Little does he know that a contract has been put out on him as well.

Story - Blank freaked out at the end of high school and joined the army where he learned to kill. He was loaned out to the CIA where he served as a hit-man before going solo. After ten years of the stuff, he's had his fill and wants out. A fellow hit-man (Dan Aykroyd) Grosser, wants to form a 'Hit-man union' of sorts. Blank declines, so Grosser puts a contract out on him. The film follows Blank as he seeks out his high school sweetheart, avoids assassination attempts, and tries to complete his last hit, which has an interesting twist.

Why I like this film - The conversations Cusack has with the other characters, as well as with himself, are priceless. The dialog is disjointed, much like a real conversation you might have.

Another thing that I liked was the realism of the fight scenes. I'm tired of watching movie fights where the hero and villains trade punches to the face, and neither of them have any blood on them. In one scene in particular, the fight lasts all of a minute (pretty real for a streetfight) and both characters as bloodies and sweating profusely. Very realistic, indeed.

This film is not for people who don't like action, as it's filled with it. Younger children probably shouldn't watch it either because of the excessive violence. Fans of Cusack should like it, as it's filled with intelligent humor. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

What's up homebrew? ------ "..Everybody Felix!..."
What's up homebrew?
Hilarious dialogue! "..Everybody Felix!..."
It's a movie of conversations and very little action.. It's hilarious. I can't describe it.. Everyone is just so goofy! It's subtle....FELIX steals the show...And as a fan of Galaxie 500 and Luna, It is cool to see Dean Wareham in a movie and doing the music for it.. He does a cool version of "Frankie And Johnny". It's a real low-budget film shot in just 6 days! I don't know about the DVD, I only have the VHS version but it's a good movie for the people with a weird sense of humor! "How did my birthday boy spend his birthday?".... "NOTHING." this is for the people who like irreverent comedies. Support indie films. It's goofy, it's New York, it's indie, it's Rae Dawn Chong, Ally Sheedy, Justine Batemen and more! Same apartment...3 parties.. a birthday party, a halloween party and a New Year's party. "Everybody Felix! It's Felix's birthday! Everybody Felix! He's old in the best way!"

Bizarre, but quite funny
I'm a big NB fan. THis movie, with it's awful edits, still manages to be entertaining. It isn't nearly as good as his other two films, but still kept me glued to the TV for 75 minutes. The guest shots are fantastic, particularly the Ally Sheedy ones. Christopher Eigeman, my favorite actor, deserved a better part, but Carlos Jacott is terrific. Baumbach himself gives an enjoyable performance. THe movie is all about dialogue and much of it is inspired. If you are new to Noah Baumbach's work, go get Kicking and Screamin and then Mr. Jealousy. This film is really best for fans, and curious viewers. I'm awaiting Noah's next film with great hopes.

subpar versus Kicking & Screaming and Mr. Jealousy
Perhaps predictably, this movie suffers from not having the same kind of time and money invested in its production compared to Kicking & Screaming and Mr. Jealousy. Those two films had a uniquely beautiful combination of literate dialogue and humorous ensemble interaction. While Highball had many of the same actors from the first two movies, the overall dialogue and themes were totally different. The first two movies had irreverence mixed with the sympathy of nostalgia and the difficult emotional transition to adulthood. Highball had no direction at all.

While I no longer remember all the details of Highball, I felt that the characters were poorly defined and the plot less meaningful than Mr. Jealousy and Kicking & Screaming. The movie seemed incomplete and hastily put together.

If you like literate, witty ensemble comedies, you should definitely see Kicking and Screaming, then Mr. Jealousy, then the Whit Stillman trilogy (which also features Chris Eigeman): Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco. All 5 of those being among my favorites.

Quirky, crazy comedy
Interesting comedy told through the course of three parties in one apartment: a birthday party, a Halloween party, and a New Year's Eve party. Basically centered around the couple who's apartment it is who first are together (birthday), break-up (Halloween), and then are married (New Year's) and all their weird and strange friends they join together for each occasion. For anyone who can remember times like these or are going through times like these, there are plenty of moments to laugh at. Like the boring awkward birthday party magician?! Or the hideously costumed drunk hostess at Halloween?! Or a friend coming out on New Years Eve?! It's all there.....strangely and sadly so. You will recognize so man actors in this I don't know how the director got them all for this nothing of a movie but he did, from Stolz to Sheedy to Bogdanovich and more. You'll have fun guessing who's who, but there's plenty of who's not in the film too. Quirky, strange, but enjoyable.

One of the most clever scripts written!
It came upon accident i even saw this ridiculously funny movie. The editing sucks, the plot goes absolutely nowhere, but the undertones of great humor fullfill this movie even through the closing credits. If one is looking for a movie with flat out jokes please don't waste your time. To those with a sense of humor, on the other hand, this is one of my all time favorite movies. I've recommended this movie to most of my friends and have never had a negative comment. I have since purchased Mr. Jealousy and Kicking and Screaming by the same director, Noah Baumbach, god lets hope they are remotely compared to this outstanding work of art. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Debbie Reynolds's daughter--Carrie Fisher, a noted Hollywood script doctor--cowrote this television movie as a sort of Grumpy Old Women, so the story goes. Viewed in that light, this 91-minute lark is entertaining, if frequently inane. It's the story of the professional reunion of three feuding costars (Reynolds, Shirley MacLaine, Joan Collins) after their '60s musical becomes a cult hit decades later. The fun part is the skewering of their real lives that these actresses good-humoredly allow. Reynolds plays a Vegas casino-owning diva who showcases her own talent and allows her dolt of a husband to run the business side of things--a state of affairs not too different from her real Vegas days. MacLaine offers a comic version of her legendary spiritual persona with such zingers as "My inner child is having such a tantrum." And Joan Collins makes fun of her choice of men with a mobster boyfriend instead of that litigious young husband of some years back. Elizabeth Taylor makes a goofy cameo appearance as the actresses' agent, and Fisher has a lot of fun staging a verbal catfight between the agent and Reynolds over a man named Freddie. (In real life Liz infamously stole Carrie's dad, Eddie Fisher, from then wife Debbie.) All pretty good. But why the framing with MacLaine's "adopted" son, inhabited by the unfunny Jonathan Silverman; and why the too-broadly caricatured producer? Only the daughter knows. --Kimberly Heinrichs ... Read more

Reviews (8)

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING
What we have here is a big mess! Debbie Reynolds is too over the top
Elizabeth Taylor trying to be Sue Mendes ( she doesn't pull that off) We then have Shirley who is much better than the screenplay! I about lost my lunch when there was a sex scene with Joan Collins! This was the sickest thing on film since Pink Flamingos!

Thumbs up for the older women!
A thoroughly enjoyable film...three veteran stars are brought together to recapture their stardom of yore, however they can't stand each other, so an uphill task from the word go for the remake of their old musical/play...but in the end it was a success. Joan Collins was great..as she always is, a combination of the older woman charm and timeless sex appeal...if you want an enjoyable night in this is a must!

Actually, it is a lot of fun
It is interesting to read the rather divergent reviews of this TV movie here. Personally, I loved it, having been a long-time fan of all of the ladies. Not nearly enough of Liz in the film, sure, but Debbie has some great wisecracks and Joan not only looks amazing (hardly surprising she just married someone her son's age), but displays a genuine talent for comedy.

If anything, I was disappointed with Shirley's storyline and the unnecessary "gay son" aspect. Also, aside from the headliners, some key supporting players are sadly lacklustre.

However, it is what it is - sort of an updated "Golden Girls" set in Hollywood rather than Miami.

Theses Fantastic Legends
To the point :
You will be lucky if you can look as good as these broads do when you get to their age. It's great to see these ladies on the screen again. But don't expect another great story, such as Postcards From The Edge. Just to see Shirley, Debbie, Joan and Elizabeth is worth buying the tape.

BADLY written, directed, what a WASTE
carrie must have fallen off the edge when she wrote this...maybe she was living in her FATHER'S house.....this was not funny at all.and it made her mother and her co-stars look like fools...carrie had a chance to have these stars in one movie..and she made them look like dirt throwing dames....the sad part of the whole thing is....it was life as carrie lived it..debbie must have to take some of the blame..but i could see EDDIE"S handprint on it too....carrie will never forgive the parents.....it's to bad ... Read more

Reviews (15)

"Do People Still Spit in the Cream Pitcher?"
While Mr. Jealousy hinges on the darker side of relationships than did Noah Baumbach's first feature, Kicking and Screaming, it's still a smartly stylized romantic comedy you're not likely to find at the top of the box office--but that's usually a good thing. In the tradition of Woody Allen and Jean Renoir (catch the Rules of the Game reference at the beginning of the film), Baumbach has crafted a neurotic, idiosyncratic love story, that, unlike Allen especially, seems to recover from its human folly with a somewhat optimistic ending. You're liable to laugh out loud at all of Carlos Jacott's (the real Vince's) scenes, as he pretty much reprises his role from Kicking and Screaming as a vulnerable yet loveable goofball--his moments in group therapy alone are worth seeing the flick.

Literate, Funny, Touching, and Beautiful
What I liked most about Mr. Jealousy was that it was really about these two writers and their growth and development as real people. The literary jokes were, like Kicking and Screaming, refreshingly funny. The fact that Mr. Jealousy is supposed to be a romantic comedy and is totally misrepresented by the trailer and box graphics/description might mislead certain people into seeing this movie. The film is really very sad at what should be the ending. The last bit that turns the movie into a "happy ending" seemed contrived and pasted on. Kicking and Screaming did not have that problem, but the ending really does not detract much from the movie's overall beauty and humor. I would definitely recommend seeing Kicking and Screaming first to appreciate the director's development of the "becoming an adult" theme which is further developed in Mr. Jealousy.

A Rare Mediocrity
Mirabella calls it "a comic revelation." I had a different reaction. I fell asleep. This in of itself cannot be considered a pan, as I have fallen asleep during a lot of movies that were highly acclaimed, such as the first Star Wars, which I saw with my dad and bored me to tears-or would have if I could have focused on the screen for more than the first twenty minutes. (He was there with his spanking new family.) This movie, which the New York Times of Jason Blair fame, calls "a shrewd comedy" I found to be wanting. The back of the DVD calls it "the most possessive romantic comedy ever." However, Lester, played by Eric Stoltz, is only vaguely jealous, which is appropriate considering the hair styles and vapid conversation of his new love interest, Ramona (Anabella Sciorra). Sciorra, who is not bad to look at, has a richly boring erotic past of flings with some twenty-odd twenty-somethings, each one (from what the sleeping reviewer can gather) a more inane yuppie than the last. And none of her inane yuppie love interests is more aggravating than Dashiell Frank (Chris Eigeman), the New York generation X writer who receives huge contracts for his best-selling short stories of intercourse in unusual positions with his x-girlfriends, of whom Ramona is, to Lester's consternation. Well, without giving the plot away (difficult considering my sleep and its absence), let's just say that the inanely unjealous Lester (who turns down a scholarship to the Iowa writing program because "he isn't interested in school"-MTV beckons, no doubt) spots the enviable and dashingly intellectual Frank and, following him, joins his group therapy group under an alias. Why? You'd have to ask the writers (?) but my guess is that, as so often in modern "cinema," these same writers were neuronally overstimulated from MSG from all the Chinese take out that they ate during the day (or two) when the screenplay, for which they were certainly overpaid, was composed. And group therapy (arguably the exact opposite of the solitary task of writing-but not of the Hollywood group marketing that passes for writing!) must have just commended itself to them as a brilliant technical device to tell their story. Edith Wharton in the introduction to Ethan Frome tells of the necessity of having the stories of simpler people told by more intelligent or complex ones. I think something similar occurs in movies like this: the would-be complex and intelligent writers (usually paid for by oil executives that own the film conglomerates) choose (or are forced to choose) as their subject matter relatively simple and less bright "ordinary people." It is this leveling process that may be in part responsible for what Kurt Vonnegut calls the American tendency of "aspiring to mediocrity." In short, a must-have for the serious possessive romantic comedy collector.

Huge Stoltz Fan
I enjoyed this movie Ilaughed a lot and Eric seemed he liked the role he played.

This is a great film.
I loved this movie, and for some reason didn't see it when it first came out. My girlfriend made me watch it which is kind of a bad sign but I think for all the right reasons. Great acting and music, it's funny and kind of sadly weird too. I'd never heard of it, but now I'm showing it to my friends. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Entertaining... and NOT because you're laughing at it.
With all the things I've read about this movie, I fully expected that the only genuine entertainment "Bats" could offer would be belly laughs from watching the cheesy effects and bad acting. But-- surprise, surprise-- this was amazingly not the case. The bat effects are plentiful and effective, the cinematography and direction are competent, and the acting isn't bad (I especially liked Dina Meyer, whose natural performance actually made you believe she was an expert on bats). Let's be clear, however. Don't expect characterizations of particular depth or clever plot twists, 'cause you ain't getting that stuff. This is basically a 90-minute movie about bats attacking people, but on that score it delivers. Oh, yes- the movie DEFINITELY gained points for giving us ONE twist, a subversive variation of the old "last shot of the movie showing us that one of the menaces has SURVIVED" cliche; just when you think you're going to see that same old scene again, something else happens, and it's a riot. The DVD has loads of extras, including a hilarious commentary track by the director and Lou Diamond Phillips. Definitely recommended as a rental, and if you're a big fan of schlocky but effective horror movies like "Tremors" and "Lake Placid", don't hesitate to buy "Bats". Okay, okay-- if you DO buy it, try to get it cheap. But do give it a look.

BATBUSTERS
A young couple are having a small disagreement; they are parked in his car on the outskirts of town. He gets out to grab a brew, and when he comes back, they are attacked by something horrible and they are horribly mutilated. Suddenly the CDC is called in, and determine that the killers were bats, giant predatory bats. Enter Dina Meyer and Leon as bat researchers, who are asked to aid in the investigation. Joining in is the local sheriff (Lou Diamond Phillips), and the two doctors who reveal their connection with the bats...genetic experimentation of course. Now the rush is on to find and capture the two leaders, but of course they carry a virus which has affected the other bats, and now we have millions of bats on the loose.
BATS is one of those guilty pleasures, but credit the movie for its frenetic pacing, laudable special effects, even with the puppet bats in close ups. They still manage to frighten. The bats attack Gallup in an extended scene that packs a punch.
This felt like going to a drive in on a Friday night in the fifties or sixties. A good fright flick and no guilt in the morning.

Cheesy, B-Grade Action and Fun
I'd have to say that more than 50% of the movies in my collection are considered cheesy horror, and they too on their release were heralded by much higher paid critics than you'll find here as trash. With the passing of time, they've become...you bet, "Cheesy Movie Classics". When I went to see this movie at the theater, I was expecting exactly what I got, a B-Grade horror film with a high budget. I wanted something that felt and tasted like the popcorn munchers from the 70's and 80's; movies like "Food of the Gods" and "Grizzly", and that's exactly what I got. You have a top of the line cast playing at fun in a fast-paced bats rule the earth horror film.

I for one think Lou Diamond Phillips make a very capable, strong male lead, and that's saying a lot, because I was never particularly fond of him. But having lost track of him over the past several years, I've seen him popping up more and more, and I've noticed he's developed into a very capable actor.

As for Dina Meyers, she plays her part with gusto, and not only is she beautiful and sexy, but comes off as a very strong and confident scientist trying to do a serious job of killing Bats. Lots of flesh hungry, disease ridden Bats!

So if you're looking for a fun, cheesy, midnight movie-style, Drive-In type film, with a taste and feel of all those old monster movies (and believe me, one day this will be on the "Cheesy Movie Classic" list) this is it. All others, apply elsewhere.

It ain't Gone With the Wind, but . . .
Is this movie great? No. Is it watchable? Extremely.

I enjoyed the movie. There is some cheesy dialogue, sure, but I don't get the extremely harsh 1 star reviews. This is a fun, fast paced movie that kept my attention the whole way through.

I especially liked the commentary track with Lou Diamond Phillips. It is one of the most relaxed, enjoyable commentaries I have heard, and I have listened to just about every commentary track of every DVD I own (1000+).

it will drive you bats
damnit people...a movie about killer bats...wow, I mean this one is on the BOMB list for sure...Dian Meyer is the batgirl(wink wink) and Leon is batman(dont have to wink on that one) and they go to a small town after a murder happens and they meet the sheriff Lou Diamond Phillips(this man right here shouldnt of done this movie, he shouldnt of done Supernova) and another guy played by Carlos Jacott(shouldnt of been in here also) and the batty guy who controls the bats, Bob Gunton(Gunton is always in a crappy movie, once in a great while)......maybe I just dont get it..I mean whats there to get....people said they were terrified of this movie and putting this up with JAWS....people this does not compare to JAWS, JAWS is way better then this pile of bat guano.............get a life and a brain and for the people who didnt like this movie..your my best friends ... Read more

Reviews (10)

What's up homebrew? ------ "..Everybody Felix!..."
What's up homebrew?
Hilarious dialogue! "..Everybody Felix!..."
It's a movie of conversations and very little action.. It's hilarious. I can't describe it.. Everyone is just so goofy! It's subtle....FELIX steals the show...And as a fan of Galaxie 500 and Luna, It is cool to see Dean Wareham in a movie and doing the music for it.. He does a cool version of "Frankie And Johnny". It's a real low-budget film shot in just 6 days! I don't know about the DVD, I only have the VHS version but it's a good movie for the people with a weird sense of humor! "How did my birthday boy spend his birthday?".... "NOTHING." this is for the people who like irreverent comedies. Support indie films. It's goofy, it's New York, it's indie, it's Rae Dawn Chong, Ally Sheedy, Justine Batemen and more! Same apartment...3 parties.. a birthday party, a halloween party and a New Year's party. "Everybody Felix! It's Felix's birthday! Everybody Felix! He's old in the best way!"

Bizarre, but quite funny
I'm a big NB fan. THis movie, with it's awful edits, still manages to be entertaining. It isn't nearly as good as his other two films, but still kept me glued to the TV for 75 minutes. The guest shots are fantastic, particularly the Ally Sheedy ones. Christopher Eigeman, my favorite actor, deserved a better part, but Carlos Jacott is terrific. Baumbach himself gives an enjoyable performance. THe movie is all about dialogue and much of it is inspired. If you are new to Noah Baumbach's work, go get Kicking and Screamin and then Mr. Jealousy. This film is really best for fans, and curious viewers. I'm awaiting Noah's next film with great hopes.

subpar versus Kicking & Screaming and Mr. Jealousy
Perhaps predictably, this movie suffers from not having the same kind of time and money invested in its production compared to Kicking & Screaming and Mr. Jealousy. Those two films had a uniquely beautiful combination of literate dialogue and humorous ensemble interaction. While Highball had many of the same actors from the first two movies, the overall dialogue and themes were totally different. The first two movies had irreverence mixed with the sympathy of nostalgia and the difficult emotional transition to adulthood. Highball had no direction at all.

While I no longer remember all the details of Highball, I felt that the characters were poorly defined and the plot less meaningful than Mr. Jealousy and Kicking & Screaming. The movie seemed incomplete and hastily put together.

If you like literate, witty ensemble comedies, you should definitely see Kicking and Screaming, then Mr. Jealousy, then the Whit Stillman trilogy (which also features Chris Eigeman): Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco. All 5 of those being among my favorites.

Quirky, crazy comedy
Interesting comedy told through the course of three parties in one apartment: a birthday party, a Halloween party, and a New Year's Eve party. Basically centered around the couple who's apartment it is who first are together (birthday), break-up (Halloween), and then are married (New Year's) and all their weird and strange friends they join together for each occasion. For anyone who can remember times like these or are going through times like these, there are plenty of moments to laugh at. Like the boring awkward birthday party magician?! Or the hideously costumed drunk hostess at Halloween?! Or a friend coming out on New Years Eve?! It's all there.....strangely and sadly so. You will recognize so man actors in this I don't know how the director got them all for this nothing of a movie but he did, from Stolz to Sheedy to Bogdanovich and more. You'll have fun guessing who's who, but there's plenty of who's not in the film too. Quirky, strange, but enjoyable.

One of the most clever scripts written!
It came upon accident i even saw this ridiculously funny movie. The editing sucks, the plot goes absolutely nowhere, but the undertones of great humor fullfill this movie even through the closing credits. If one is looking for a movie with flat out jokes please don't waste your time. To those with a sense of humor, on the other hand, this is one of my all time favorite movies. I've recommended this movie to most of my friends and have never had a negative comment. I have since purchased Mr. Jealousy and Kicking and Screaming by the same director, Noah Baumbach, god lets hope they are remotely compared to this outstanding work of art. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Funny, and thats all you'd expect!
This movie has been trashed by almost every reveiwer, and yet they almost all make the same conclusion: It's funny and enjoyable. The plot wasn't great but it wasn't what you wanted! The movie was funny for all the reasons Glick has been funny since his first appearence on the Martin Show, and since his early roots as a Skip E Lowe spoof on SCTV and SNL. Martin is the master at getting in to a character and he does so brilliantly, with Glick! This is never short on laughs and is one of the funniest movies ever! Don't come in expecting Masterpeice Theatre, because thats just not what anyone should want from Martin Short. It is more of a spoof of a movie then it is one! For heavens sake he was an SCTV member, it's never going to get serious in the room! In addition he does a hysterical impression David Lynch!
(...)

Glick Mania
Martin Short has really found so many ways of making people all over laugh. Whether it was from his days from Saturday Night Live as Ed Grimley, or in many of his well-recognized acting roles from The Three Amigos, and Father Of The Bride. Well, he has put that full forward with his latest characture, Jiminy Glick. The nutty television interviewer was a debut regular from Martin's short-lived talk show in 1999, and on the more successful spinoff, Comedy Central's Primetime Glick. With all that surprise hype, it is just strange that there actually is a movie about Jiminy Glick.

Jiminy Glick in La La Wood, tells the story of Jiminy, and his trip to the Toronto Film Festival. He takes along his wife, Dixie, and two of his four sons, Matthew & Modine. His other two sons Morgan and Mason aren't featured in this movie. In the film, Jiminy scores a review with a Johnny Depp-like actor named Ben Decarlo, upon a released parody film called Going, Going, Ghandi. Well, Jiminy fell asleep during the film, and pretended to enjoy it. Yet, he scores big with several other interviews from people like Steve Martin, and Rob Lowe. Yet, within that hype, he gets caught within a bad dream that he had with a hasbeen actress named Melinda Carlisle, after getting drunk from a stint with rappers. Within that, he keeps dreaming that he actually was the one who murdered Melinda, which actually turned out to be a misunderstanding. All in all, the movie is tasteful at times, but just has some silly slapstick, like Dixie slapping Jiminy in one scene after he tells her about his nightmare. The story is also funny, but could've had a better plot twist rather than just the nightmare in Jiminy's head.

I honestly don't think that a lot of people might really be interested in Jiminy Glick in La La Wood. Still, if you're a die hard fan of Martin Short's character, this would be a most amusing movie to see. Otherwise, you're just better off looking at the film when it comes to cable. Isn't that wonderful.

Story: C+

Price: C+

Acting: B 1/2-

Overall: B- ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's not surprising that Mr. Jealousy didn't do well in theaters. The main character is obsessive and a liar, and by the end there's no guarantee that he's made any certain progress--which is part of what makes Mr. Jealousy such a sharp, insightful movie. The plot is entertaining to begin with: Lester (Eric Stoltz), a blocked writer, becomes obsessed with one of his girlfriend Ramona's former boyfriends, Dashiell (Chris Eigeman), who's recently published an enormously successful book and become a celebrity author. By chance, Lester discovers that Dashiell is taking group therapy; Lester joins the group and pretends to be his friend Vince (Carlos Jacott). When Vince learns about this, he insists that Lester tell him everything that goes on so that he can undergo therapy by proxy. The lies compound until Lester's relationship with Ramona (Annabella Sciorra) hangs by a thread. The writing is clever, yet never at the expense of the reality of the characters. Lester's jealousy is portrayed with almost excruciating details that make it both genuine and funny. The women in the film are not as developed as the men, but the performances are strong throughout. Fans of writer-director Noah Baumbach's first film, Kicking and Screaming, will not be disappointed. Maybe in the more intimate setting of video Mr. Jealousy will find the audience it deserves. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (15)

"Do People Still Spit in the Cream Pitcher?"
While Mr. Jealousy hinges on the darker side of relationships than did Noah Baumbach's first feature, Kicking and Screaming, it's still a smartly stylized romantic comedy you're not likely to find at the top of the box office--but that's usually a good thing. In the tradition of Woody Allen and Jean Renoir (catch the Rules of the Game reference at the beginning of the film), Baumbach has crafted a neurotic, idiosyncratic love story, that, unlike Allen especially, seems to recover from its human folly with a somewhat optimistic ending. You're liable to laugh out loud at all of Carlos Jacott's (the real Vince's) scenes, as he pretty much reprises his role from Kicking and Screaming as a vulnerable yet loveable goofball--his moments in group therapy alone are worth seeing the flick.

Literate, Funny, Touching, and Beautiful
What I liked most about Mr. Jealousy was that it was really about these two writers and their growth and development as real people. The literary jokes were, like Kicking and Screaming, refreshingly funny. The fact that Mr. Jealousy is supposed to be a romantic comedy and is totally misrepresented by the trailer and box graphics/description might mislead certain people into seeing this movie. The film is really very sad at what should be the ending. The last bit that turns the movie into a "happy ending" seemed contrived and pasted on. Kicking and Screaming did not have that problem, but the ending really does not detract much from the movie's overall beauty and humor. I would definitely recommend seeing Kicking and Screaming first to appreciate the director's development of the "becoming an adult" theme which is further developed in Mr. Jealousy.

A Rare Mediocrity
Mirabella calls it "a comic revelation." I had a different reaction. I fell asleep. This in of itself cannot be considered a pan, as I have fallen asleep during a lot of movies that were highly acclaimed, such as the first Star Wars, which I saw with my dad and bored me to tears-or would have if I could have focused on the screen for more than the first twenty minutes. (He was there with his spanking new family.) This movie, which the New York Times of Jason Blair fame, calls "a shrewd comedy" I found to be wanting. The back of the DVD calls it "the most possessive romantic comedy ever." However, Lester, played by Eric Stoltz, is only vaguely jealous, which is appropriate considering the hair styles and vapid conversation of his new love interest, Ramona (Anabella Sciorra). Sciorra, who is not bad to look at, has a richly boring erotic past of flings with some twenty-odd twenty-somethings, each one (from what the sleeping reviewer can gather) a more inane yuppie than the last. And none of her inane yuppie love interests is more aggravating than Dashiell Frank (Chris Eigeman), the New York generation X writer who receives huge contracts for his best-selling short stories of intercourse in unusual positions with his x-girlfriends, of whom Ramona is, to Lester's consternation. Well, without giving the plot away (difficult considering my sleep and its absence), let's just say that the inanely unjealous Lester (who turns down a scholarship to the Iowa writing program because "he isn't interested in school"-MTV beckons, no doubt) spots the enviable and dashingly intellectual Frank and, following him, joins his group therapy group under an alias. Why? You'd have to ask the writers (?) but my guess is that, as so often in modern "cinema," these same writers were neuronally overstimulated from MSG from all the Chinese take out that they ate during the day (or two) when the screenplay, for which they were certainly overpaid, was composed. And group therapy (arguably the exact opposite of the solitary task of writing-but not of the Hollywood group marketing that passes for writing!) must have just commended itself to them as a brilliant technical device to tell their story. Edith Wharton in the introduction to Ethan Frome tells of the necessity of having the stories of simpler people told by more intelligent or complex ones. I think something similar occurs in movies like this: the would-be complex and intelligent writers (usually paid for by oil executives that own the film conglomerates) choose (or are forced to choose) as their subject matter relatively simple and less bright "ordinary people." It is this leveling process that may be in part responsible for what Kurt Vonnegut calls the American tendency of "aspiring to mediocrity." In short, a must-have for the serious possessive romantic comedy collector.

Huge Stoltz Fan
I enjoyed this movie Ilaughed a lot and Eric seemed he liked the role he played.

This is a great film.
I loved this movie, and for some reason didn't see it when it first came out. My girlfriend made me watch it which is kind of a bad sign but I think for all the right reasons. Great acting and music, it's funny and kind of sadly weird too. I'd never heard of it, but now I'm showing it to my friends. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Avoiding Hip
It's easy to see why this film could be quickly classed as "one of those generation-x, college student, young men at a crossroad" films, and being instantly criticised on these grounds. Leonard Maltin did all of the above, but hey, check your old Maltin guide and you'll find that he's happy to rate the film 'Beverely Hills Cop' as a better film than 'Taxi Driver'. The fact is, this film manages to provide a very successful and humorous commentary on the state of despair and impotence shared by the characters involved. In addition, Baumbach writes with an notable awareness of the genre-based criticism under which the film may fall. At times, the film is hilarious, at times a little inexcusably slow, and there are some shots and sequences (notably the "flashbacks") with great subtlety and skill. This is a clear and intentional departure from any hip, pop-culture, angry young man-type film. It's true that Eigeman (one of my favorites) once again plays the "smug" role that may well define his career, but unlike in Metropolitan, his character shows a deeper vulnerability, which is to be further underscored in 'Mr Jealousy'. Hamilton impresses. I've heard Kicking & Screaming described by critics as "underrated", and there seem to be a few people who have really connected with the film, in either relating to the plot, or more likely, being impressed by the mature technique of Baumbach. Unfortunately, I write out of bias, as I truly did see something special in the way this film was composed. I find that the most common criticism draws reference to the "genre", and the term "one of those blah-blah-blah films" is invariably used. These are quite obviously unfair criticisms, in the same way had people commented, upon the release of 'The Searchers', "another one of those John Wayne westerns" as they rolled their eyeballs. The film is limited by a lack of plot, but compensated by a good sense of character, and an intelligence and eye for observation that may only be rivaled by Stillman in this genre. This film distinguishes itself from the hip&trendy implications of its perceived genre, and on nothing but dialogue alone, the film should receive 3 stars. One can only be hope that Baumbach continues to write his films, as one day, plot and dialogue will come together with the intelligence and subtlety of some of Woody Allen's most acclaimed pieces. Send me some e-mail if you're interested in discussing the film, but you've probably heard enough about it from me by now.

A personal favorite
What is terrific about the film is not merely how funny it is (and yes it is a very sharp piece of comedy)... but how much it stays with you after you watch it. Faced with the breakup of an old college girlfriend, a needy father, friends moving off into different directions, the characters face a very human set of emotional experiences: Love, longing, uncertainty, introspection.

There are two very unique bits of style which I found to be tremendously interesting:
(1) The film's dialogue is razor sharp and complex. You often enter a scene in the middle of a conversation, and it is not clear until it progresses. So, the punchline might come long before the riddle... and this makes it all incredibly engaging. Watching this film again and again is immensely enjoyable on a new level because of this.
(2) A key part of the story is told in flashbacks. Even as the main character and his girlfriend grow distant, you see the story of how they met. The effect is haunting.
I'm not sure where the director is today, but I give this movie the highest recommendation. It is by far one of my favorites.

A Joyous Good Time!
Few movies do I enjoy more than Kicking and Screaming. I own a copy and watch it every six months or so. It always makes me laugh but it also succeeds in making the viewer experience sincere empathy and sympathy for its characters. Anyone who went to college in the nineties can relate to these individuals at some level. Furthermore, just in case you're wondering, its not a Whit Stillman film but many of the same actors are used such as Chris Eigeman. Here we have a group of friends who have to be dragged kicking and screaming into adulthood. All of them appear to be deflated by their graduations from college. "What do we do now?" is their central question. By the end, nearly everybody discovers some kind of direction in which to take their lives.

kicked but and was a pleasure for me
I'm a big fan of Josh Hamilton, but hes not my favorite, hes done movies like The House Of Yes, The Bourne Identity, Urbania and the powerful 1993 Alive, and this part for him is good. it was a pleasure to see some good actors in here and it kicked with its funny moments and charm. Eric Stolz has never been better, Parker Posey is adorable, Olivia d'ABo is awesome, Chris Eigleman is hilarious and Carlos Jacott is uproarous, hes the guy the group asked him if he was wearing masscara and then he said no and then right after he said yes. a keeper

Ding! Monkeys, Monkeys, Ted & Alice!
This movie is an absolute classic for one-liners and odd dialogue. The themes are typical: pre-adulthood angst and the directionless "X" Generation, but the delivery is brilliant and real. It feels like you're watching a series of intimate conversations secretly taped of your friends. Or like you're let in on some private joke and that makes each viewing a little funnier.
You'll find yourself incorporating the quotes into your own life, and needing to share the film with select others so that they're in on the joke too.
Ding! Go Cougars! ... Read more