Amazon.com

Oddball scientist Fred Z. Randall (Harland Williams) is nobody's idea of an astronaut. But he turns out to be NASA's only hope when the first manned mission to Mars comes up one man short. So it's up to Fred, who instantly rubs the ship's commander (William Sadler) and specialist (Jessica Lundy) the wrong way--but makes eerily good friends with the ship's chimp. A movie whose rude, gas-laced sense of humor will appeal to kids; adults may also get a few chuckles out of Canadian funnyman Williams, who does countless impressions and makes endless faces and funny noises. Think of him as the poor man's Jim Carrey. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Rocketman soars with laughs
When I first started watching "Rocketman," I thought it was gonna be corny and that it wouldn't be a good movie. I was wrong, it was hilarious. An unlikely candidate for the first ever mission to mars goes on the mission with an experienced mission commander and an attractive woman. Also on board to stir things up is a monkey.

"Rocketman" has some parts that are hilarious and will keep you laughing for awhile. Some of the funniest parts are when the monkey steals Fred's (Harland Williams) contraption in which he's supposed to sleep for months in and when Fred and Captain Overbeck (William Sadler) go for a walk on mars and Fred finds out that he's got just a little bit of gas overload.

"Rocketman" is hilarious and if you like comedy movies, I recommend getting it. It's a comedy movie that you can watch with the whole family and never get tired of it.

One of the Funniest Movies I've Ever Seen
Strange as it may seem, this really IS one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Unexpected twists. Bizzare stange things that make no sense. And weird goofy euphemisms. That's what makes me laugh. As another reviewer said, the fist time you see the "anti-theft device" you can't help but laugh. And I really get a kick out of the things Fred says instead of curse words "Sweet swirling onion rings!". And the way he keeps launching into old classic songs (the one from the wizard of OZ was pretty great), it's just not the kind of humor you see in movies very often. But I think this movie's funniest moments come from the over-the-top crazy things that keep happening (the monkey biting his hand and him flailing across the room while other people talk in the next room over oblivous to what's happening, and the testing he goes through in the isolation chamber and the G-Force Tunnel).

This movie is good, clean fun and truly appropriate for all ages. If you like any of the movies I mentioned at the outset, or are just looking for something to show the kids, give this one a try.

AWESOME!!
About 6 years ago I had an incident in school which left me bedridden for a few weeks. A couple boys decided they wanted to fight and I happened to be in their way. Anyways, my Dad was constantly renting me movies since I had nothing else better to do. He rented this movie and I absolutely fell in love with it. I had him rent it 6 more times because I loved it so much! It just brightened my day with laughter. Recently I rented it again and had my sister and brother-in-law watch it and they felt the same way. Their favorite part was the gas on Mars. Such comment as "It wasn't me... It was the hairy one!" My brother-in-law just laughed so hard he almost cried. Needless to say this is my all time favortie movie!!

Tim Man
Origninally I rented this movie for my kids but I think I may have laughed harder than they did, then again maybe not.... Favorite part in the movie was of course the gas on Mars scene, "that had to be Julie"..and, "its in my mouth!!"........such classic moments, my kids and I will remember that movie forever......now if we could only get it on DVD......Spectacular fun for the whole gang...Perfect dinner and a movie night movie, just don't drink and watch at the same time.

bring it to DVD!!!!
Rocketman has got to be hands down the funniest movie my family has ever watched. We laughed till we cried and I had to watch it a second time to see it all because my eyes were shut laughing so hard during a few scenes. It is a great family movie for any age. My only wish is that Disney would bring it out on DVD. Come on Disney!! We've been waiting years!! ... Read more

Description

Westward frontiersmen Hunt (Chris Farley) and Edwards (Matthew Perry) are out-of-doors and out of their minds as they try to overtake Lewis and Clark and be the first to blaze a trail across the American continent.Year: 1998 Director: Christopher Guest Starring: Chris Farley, Matthew Perry ... Read more

Reviews (34)

NO Lewis and Clark!
It's all about Chris Farley and Matthew Perry, not Lewis and Clark. They slapped funny people, watched a woman bathe and Farley cooked eggs over easy. It was splendid! Watch Matthew Perry gag after taking some medicine. Walking over coals is the best! "Almost Heroes," is Chris Farley's last movie and he will always be remembered for making a genius laugh. This movie which was directed by Christopher Guest, needs to be released on DVD. Any Farley fan will appreciate it. Purity.

If you are a Farly Fan You will Love this movie
What a great concept for a flick. Attempting to beat Lewis and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean. Being this is the 200th anniversary of that expedition made it a little interesting.

There are some very funny scenes indeed but Farly is Farly, yelling, getting angry, fighting and fussing. If you like that you will love this. My favorite scene is where he faces the Eagle at her nest. "Why didn't you tell me you only wanted the shell?" What a great one liner.

Perry is a little stiff as a character and is more of a straight man to Farly's funny man. My only problem with the movie is that there are too many places where it gets slow. Part of it is because you are in the wild and it was a slower time.

There are so many great one liners that seem to have too much time between them. The inuendos are a bit much especially at the beginning. The older Indians are just great. And the scenery, especially of the Tetons and the Snake River are outstanding.

If you want to have a fun night with mostly the guys this is okay for that. My wife did not like it. Anyone who knows and liked Farly for his antics and his in character concept, you will just think this is a hoot.

Intentional Stupidity
This was Chris Farley's last film. He ended on a high note. The movie is intentionally stupid--a hilarious GOOF--and directed by Christopher Guest (known for having directed "This is Spinal Tap"). They surely weren't pushing for an Oscar with this one - merely encouraging laughter. This is the story of Bartholomew Hunt (Chris Farley) and Leslie Edwards (Matthew Perry) who, in 1804, follow explorers Lewis and Clark, in hope of being the first men to see the Pacific Ocean. Along their journey they're sure to bring laughter to true fans of Farley's ways, and perhaps to fans of Mel Brooks' as well, as some of the comedy is similar to Brooks' humour in "Robin Hood - Men in Tights".
It is a real shame that this movie isn't available on DVD (yet?), because the presentation of it on VHS is awful. I quote the fine print on the back of the tape's case: "This film has been modified as follows from its original version: It has been formatted to fit your screen". The picture is zoomed in WAY too far, and the result looks distorted. In many shots heads are cropped, we sometimes see only approximately 75% of the face of the person who speaks, and at one point, where a sign reads "Welcome to Snakes Bend", we only see "elcome to Snakes Ben". I was hugely disappointed by the film's presentation, but surprised by the quality of comedy since this is not a much talked about movie.
Zero points to he who decided to crop the movie, and full points to whoever releases is on DVD (with OPTIONAL formatting).

"WHOS IDEA WAS THE CORN???"
that line gets me every time! farley, matt perry and eugene levy all give great comedic performances. this movie took about 2 or 3 viewings for me to really appreciate the style of humor, but the best comedies are usually like that. once you start listening to how ridiculous some of the dialogue is, you start to laugh from wondering how the actors kept a straight face for the scenes. one of the funniest movies of all time! maybe not as funny as tommy boy, but pretty close. i laugh to myself just thinking about some of the scenes as i type this. its a shame the world lost chris farley, but he went out with a great final movie.

A Guiltless Pleasure
Is this movie dumb? You bet! But I love it. The dumber "the better" I always say. Well sometimes. Farley and Perry play off each other quite well with their own styles of comedic humor in this interpretation of the Lewis and Clark exploration. But then so does the whole cast of zany characters in this whimsical historical tale. Some of the situations and lines of dialog are absolutely stupid, but they are just so funny in their own way. After I recently viewed this film again I just thought it was absolutely gut wrenching funny and worth the 5 stars. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

if you love cars, you will love this movie
i love this movie, i could watch it every day, its not all that funny, but if you love cars, chicks, and car chases, this is what you are looking for

The final round in the cannonball trilogy.
This movie is by far the best movie in the world (according to my standards). After Cannonball Run and Cannonball 2 came Speed Zone, with such halarious actors like John Candy and Jackie Gleason. This 1989 movie would be a favorite for car lovers, having a Lamborghini Countach, a BMW 735iL, an Excalibur, a Jaguar XJS, a Ferrari Daytona Spyder, a Television crew Chevrolet van, and many more supercars. It is about a $50,000 race from Pennsylvania to California. The plot is about a valet parker (John Candy) who meets his high school "friend" (father of a teenager in American Pie) who always plays pranks on him, until he finds out he needs a driver for his BMW 735iL in an emergency. The "friend's" girlfreind is being treated badly by him, and falls in love with the valet parker. They don't win the race. When Candy is looking at a television screen at a small valet house, a scene from the Cannonball Run is being shown. Overall, a most excellent film, perfect for veiwing while on a road trip or on a Saturday night.

Why is this so underrated and put down?????
I dont understand why this movie gets bad reveiws? I think its a great film! Just because the only charactor from the previous 2 Cannonball movies (Jamie Farr) The Sheik makes a breif appearence, its no reason to down this great fun comedy! Like its previous 2 counterparts, its filled with a great cast... John Candy, Whats his name Father from American Pie, That blonde chick, the guy from Prokys, Smothers Brothers, Bo Duke, A whole heap more! Even tho i cant remember there names, dosent mean there not worth watching!

Sure there some over the top antics and stunts. But didnt the last two have that aswell?

This is a great movie IMo and I cant wait for it to finally be put on DVD...hopefully

A bunch of C-list actors doing a good thing
This movie wasn't supposed to be good. It was a continuation of the the popular Cannonball Run series that people didn't want to die. So let's put John Candy, Eugene Levy, and the amazingly funny in this movie Peter Boyle with a bunch of C-list actors and actresses. Throw in some cameos like Brooke Shields, Carl Lewis, Michael Spinks, Richard Petty, etc. and you have an entertaining cross country race in exotic cars and a some funny moments. Some cute sub plots like the sexual tension of the reporters and the possible whacking of the Brit Jag driver add to the excitement. Its not a movie you have to think about. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy a cross country race.

It so bad, its worth watching!
This film is ... . Full stop. It is so bad in fact that its worth watching. The plot has loop holes in it so big, that a 747 could fly through them. For example - A car has the ability to skip over water!, or the Jaguar XJS which passes out a Contach in a straight line in a race - yeah right. Or how about the plane used in the film with a (unreal) engine added on to the fuselage - why?. As a fan of truely great films (The Godfather,Casino, Terminator etc...), the film ranks as possibly the worst film I have ever seen. However I did end up watching the whole thing! ... Read more

Reviews (239)

I Give This Four Barks Out of Five
Best in Show is a clever 'mocumentary', a delightful satire of the dog show world. Director Christopher Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy also star in the movie, along with a slew of other comic actors. As writers, Guest and Levy are throwbacks to kinder, gentler times. Their brand of satire is funny and sometimes biting, but it is never brutal. They allow the performers to improvise a lot. This doesn't always work out, but when it does, the results are hysterical. The movie succeeds because the dogs' owners, not the dogs themselves, are the real characters. It shows that in the bond between man and dog, man may be the strangest and funniest half.

At the start, we meet several couples and individuals who will be showing their dogs in the Mayflower competition in Philadelphia. Some are shown in real scenes, other in fake interviews. Christopher Guest is Harlan Pepper, a down home North Carolina boy who runs a fishing supply store. He also raises champion blood hounds and dreams of being a ventriloquist. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara play the Flecks. He literally has two left feet, and she is an aging hot babe, who is constantly running into men from her past, much to Mr. Fleck's annoyance. Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock are the Swans, a couple of yuppie lawyers who have channeled way too much emotion into their dog. Sherri Ann [Jennifer Coolidge] is a very buxom and very wealthy matron who, along with her trainer, Christie [Jane Lynch], has entered her pom-pommed poodle. Finally, we met Scott and Stephan [John Michael Higgins and Michael McKeen], a gay couple who has entered one of their beloved toy dogs. In their spare time, Scott and Stephan produce calendars, using photos of their dogs dressed up like characters in famous movies.

The movie follows the characters before, during and after the competition. The show itself is quite authentic looking. It even spoofs sports announcing. One of the announcers is a proper Englishman, full of knowledge about dog shows. The other is an American who is completely clueless. Their scenes are among the film's funniest.

The humor is Best in Show is too dry for some viewers. It's often subtle comedy. I enjoyed it, but I like my humor from broad to dry and everything in-between. I also think I share Guest and Levy's point of view. They seem to be dog lovers who think that what goes on in the world of championship dog lovers is somewhat over the top. What the characters in the movie express towards dogs isn't exactly love. It's more obsession and a need to be noticed. In fact, these people require more attention than their mutts do.

Funny Mock-u-mentary
There's a shallow gold-digger married to a wealthy but mute 90 year old. There's a flamboyantly perky hairdresser (a most amusing character!) who is coupled with a hairdresser. There is also the two lawyers, married, dysfunctional, and highly high-strung. Then there's the former "popular" and experienced prom queen married to the nerdy and self-conscious salesman with two left feet (literally). And finally, there's "Harlan", the ventriloquist wannabe. What do they all have in common? Besides being hysterically human and flawed, each enter their prize dogs in a "Best in Show" contest. With excellent dry humor and in the mode of a documentary, "Best in Show" displays very aptly the human condition, relationships, ambition, and quirky but spunky dog owners and how they react to life, to thier self-worth and to winning (or not winning). I loved this movie for many reasons. The acting was superb; the storyline was choppy but worked very well; and the humor was intelligent and some of the one-liners hit you 5 seconds after they're said--the most powerful form of comedy. This is not for those who like fast moving movies; it's for those who like intelligently quiet humor and can read in between the lines by taking a simple process of entering a dog show and making it into a social, psychological, and fun story. You'll enjoy it!

Not quite "Best"
Christopher Guest has a rare misstep in "Best in Show," the follow-up to comedy classic "Waiting for Guffman." While "Best" is still a fun and frenetic mockumentary, it isn't up to the standards of its sibling mockumentaries -- it's a little too repetitive and over-the-top.

Welcome to Philadelphia, the home of the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Among the crazy dog owners are Starbucks yuppies Hamilton and Meg Swan (Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey), gay couple Scott and Stefan (John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean), ventrilogist hick Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest), and buxom airhead Sherri Ann (Jennifer Coolidge) and her lover/trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch). Front and center is two-left-footed Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy) and his wife Cookie (Catherine O'Hara), whose sexy past keeps coming back to haunt her.

All these people converge at the dog show, and face difficulties ranging from wrenched knees to televised lesbian smooches to lost squeaky toys -- and some of the dogs are getting a bit crazy as well. With an obnoxious commentator watching over it all, they all strive for the ultimate prize. Poodle, Norwich terrier, bloodhound, Shih Tzu or emotionally scarred Weimaraner -- who will be best in show?

"Best in Show" does for dog shows what "This is Spinal Tap" did for old metal -- it makes affectionate fun of them. Christopher Guest returns to mockumentary turf in the moderately funny "Best in Show" -- it's flawed, but still far above the average comedy.

The biggest problem with "Best in Show" is that Guest tries too hard. The jokes and goofiness are over-the-top, belying the mockumentary format. And the jokes get a bit repetitive. How many times can Cookie run into old boyfriends? Isn't the gay humor both cliched and overdone? But, the humor itself is quite funny, with plenty of strange lines like "We have so much in common! We both love soup... and the outdoors... snow peas... talking and not talking. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about."

No flaws can be found in the veteran mockumentary cast -- these people look like they're having a good time. Hitchcock and Posey are chillingly good as the couple who met over J. Crew catalogues in a Starbucks, while Coolidge is deliciously dumb as a bisexual Anna Nicole Smith clone. McKean and Higgins, despite being cliched, play their roles with unadulterated delight. Fred Willard's vulgar commentator is over-the-top stupid, but still amusing.

Despite repetitive humor and the occasional dud joke, Christopher Guest's follow-up to "Waiting for Guffman" is an amusing look behind the scenes of dog shows. It's not "Best in Show," but it's one of the best of breed.

Definitely the funniest of the mockumentaries
This is a fast moving and funny movie that's a truly great comedy, worthy enough to stand alongside This is Spinal Tap.
This one has everything. Conflict-who will win the dog show? Humor, and lots of it. Fred Willard again proves he needs his own TV show (nay, his own channel) as a dog-show commentator so obliviously stupid he's lovable. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are perfect as your typical, middle-class east-coast family; Eugene's plays somewhat of a "loser", Catherine's great as the promiscuous wife. Jennifer Coolidge is pretty funny as the "glamorous" lesbian who can be aggressive in subtly funny ways.
The best thing about this movie is that it's truly humorous with truly funny actors. These people aren't puppets for lame sex jokes (well, not counting both gay couples) they're funny because they (as in the talented actors, the whole lot of 'em) inherit their characters and give them a life of their own. I mean, I bet that Eugene Levy came up with his character's two left feet on the spot because he knew he had to make a somewhat pathetic character even more pathetic. There's an absolutely pointless scene where Guest's character, a southerner/hunter/ventriloquist, talks to the camera about how he used to stay up all night naming nuts. It's funny though, because it makes no sense but somehow falls in line with the character.
This is a great comedy that makes few cheap shots but is consistently funny through and through.
The DVD has a pretty entertaining commentary with Guest and Levy, and some funny deleted scenes (look for the one where Hamilton tells Posey about "a saying my father used to say"). Those extras are enough for this disc though, and the price is great. Buy this inspired and funny comedy.

Best in Show
BEST OF SHOW was a little disappointing. I couldn't connect with Christopher Guest's hillbilly character, Eugene Levy's character lost me behind his buck teeth and two left feet (No, they really are two left feet!), and I thought Fred Willard's ringside color-man bit was more irritating than slashingly satiric. Bummer. It was because they were in it that I got this one.
On the other hand the movie is filled with strong characterizations and funny bits. Larry Miller has a hilarious scene as one of Catherine O'Hara's ex-lovers who, to husband Levy's obvious discomfort, describes things in graphic detail. Ed Begley Jr. hits the right note as the quietly helpful hotel manager. The bickering yuppie couple and the gay couple were fun, too. ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the funniest films in many a moon was hiding at art housetheaters in 1998. Former Saturday Night Live comedian and Spinal Tap member Christopher Guest creates the ultimate parody of small-town dramatics,Waiting for Guffman. Corky St. Claire (Guest), an overwhelming drama director hiding out in Blaine, Missouri, thinks he has found the vehicle to put him back on Broadway:the city's 150th anniversary play, Red, White, and Blaine. As rehearsals start, we learn of the town's history ("the stool capital of the world") including a brush with a UFO. The mockumentary follows the various townsfolk wishing for stardom: Parker Posey as a Dairy Queen clerk, Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard as stage-struck travel agents, Matthew Keeslar as the town's bad boy, and Eugene Levy (who cowrote the film with Guest) as a dentist who dreams of glory on the stage. The film is a hoot from beginning to end, and be sure to watch the closing credits. Fans of Guest's deft dry humor should not miss his other parody of the entertainment world, The Big Picture (Kevin Bacon as a student filmmaker who goes to Hollywood). --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Reviews (333)

JUST THE BOX ART WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH!
Christopher Guest is Corky St. Clair, small town Blaine ("The Stool capitol of the world"), Missouri's resident community theater director. With plans of getting back to Broadway, he has created a musical extravaganza "Red, White and Blaine" to celebrate the town's 150th anniversary.

This sly, often hilarious, mock documentary features Guest's resident troupe of improvisational actors -- Eugene Levy (co-writer), Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey, Fred Willard and Bob Balaban as the stage-struck locals who pin their amateur hopes on being discovered when Corky hints that legendary talent scout Mort Guffman will be in the audience.

If you appreciated "Best In Show," than check out its predecessor. Over 80 hours of film were shot in Super 16mm and edited down to a brisk 84 minutes. The widescreen print is especially sharp and the sound is clear. Co-writers and stars Guest and Levy share a loose and funny commentary and there's at least 30 minutes of whimsical and surprisingly poignant deleted scenes with optional commentary. Recommended.

"Is it karma? - Maybe."
This is what director 'Corky St Claire' has the NERVE to say, congratulating himself on the progress of his self-penned show, 'Red, White and Blaine'. This 'mockumentary' is THE FUNNIEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN! It has it's own 'groove', and once you get onto the Guffman wave-length, you soon become an addict! Christopher Guest delivers his finest performance ever as small town Blaine's resident 'creative type', a tubby, autocratic drama teacher with 'off-off Broadway' experience. The fictional town of Blaine is so 'small town' that the fact that Corky is obviously gay never enters their thoughts; he's 'creative' (and 'from New York'!) The supporting cast, however, are in danger of stealing the movie from under his feet! Parker Posey is pathetically delightful as 'Libby Mae', a Dairy Queen employee who dreams of hitting Broadway so she can "meet Italian guys". Also praisworthy are the characters of "Ron" and "Sheila", a married couple of zero-talents who "Corky" dubbs 'The Lunts of Blaine'. Yet the real prize has to go to Eugene Levy as "Dr Pearl", the local dentist who lands a starring role in 'Red, White and Blaine'. "Dr Pearl" fancies himself as a comedian ("At family functions, I love breaking people up.") and Levy SOMEHOW manages to be hilariously funny playing a character who TRIES to be funny - and ISN'T! Anyone who has ever been involved with local theatre on any level whatsoever will ADORE this movie! Not only does it take a playful stab at Middle America, it ALSO pokes fun at the documentary genre itself (those tense close-ups, those hand-held cameras!) The cleverest, most intelligent comedy in years - 'Waiting for Guffman' has become a cult movie, and quite rightly!

After years, and years of clinical research.
I have determined that this is funniest movie of all time. If you don't agree with me, or even worse, if you don't
"get it", you are part of the problem, and deserve everything
you have coming to you.

"I find I have no feeling in my buttocks."
Hey Amazon censor - "buttocks" is not a bad word. Lighten up :-)

"Waiting For Guffman" is another Christopher Guest-and-ensemble-cast mockumentary, this time involving community theater in Blaine, Missouri, "the stool capital of the world."

There was no real script, but the actors did have certain plot-points to work around, and they pull off a very funny movie.

The musical in the movie, entitled "Red, White, and Blaine" is to be performed on the 150th anniversary of the founding of the town of Blaine, which involved cross-country wagoneers who at night believed they had reached the Pacific ocean, but when the sun rose they discovered they did not quite make it, subsequent quality stool manufacturing, and alien abduction.

There is the crop-circle scientist who explains that although the diameter and circumference change slightly, the radius is always the same, as is the weather - "when you step into that circle it is always 67 degrees with a 40 percent chance of rain - always".

There is the alien abductee (perhaps my favorite part) played by Paul Dooley. He had the misfortune to be probed by many aliens (though not all at once) which leads to his buttocks being numb on Sundays.

Cast regular Eugene Levy plays a Jewish dentist, and Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara are husband and wife travel agents who have never been outside Blaine. Bob Balaban plays the straight-laced local music teacher who is somewhat put upon trying to get Christopher Guest (Corky, the show's director) to hold proper rehearsals. Parker Posey is the local Dairy Queen employee with dreams of stardom and a father in prison.

The group goes through the audition process for their role in the musical, then rehearsals, and finally the performance, during which they anticipate the arrival of an influential NY drama critic, Mort Guffman - hence the title.

There are a lot of funny little moments, such as Corky wearing those big pants and doing his little dance, or Levy singing "I Dream of Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair", or rehearsing his "how high a ridge I could not tell" line, or Willard talking about his reduction surgery and trying to show it to Eugene Levy who retorts in a Johnny Carson voice..."Medicin man not go near...'Dances With Stumpy'.

Much of the show music was written by Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer from "Spinal Tap" fame.

The DVD had deleted scenes with optional commentary, a text-based behind the scenes, a commentary by Guest and Levy, subtitles and a trailer.

"I'll tell you why I can't put up with you people. Because you're (...) people. That's what you are. You're just (...) people, and I'm goin' home and I gonna - I'm gonna bite my pillow, is what I'm gonna do!"

What time is it?
Haven't you been paying attention? It's Midnight at the Oasis!
I originally wrote that this film is too deadpan and straight for my liking, especially coupled with a commentary that I still find rather boring. However, I think this is the best thing about these movies and Guest's personality in general. Most movies like this play down to their audience, continually winking at them and patting them on the back for getting all the jokes. Waiting for Guffman is so off the wall that it can play to any audience but a certain kind of people will get all the jokes and non-jokes (a term that I use for dialogue and scenes that don't have explicit jokes in them but have a humorous bent: take the scene with David Cross, for example).
Anything with Fred Willard is classic. Eugene Levy saying he was not the class clown, but sat near the class clown and studied him. And of course, "what do your keen and perceptive eyes see?"
Bestin Show is probably the funniest (not counting This is Spinal Tap), while A Mighty Wind is probably the most touching, feels the most complete and polished. Waiting for Guffman is so subdued though, which is why it's great. There's still a lot of laugh-out-loud (especially if you're a first time viewer, or the first time in a while) moments, and the ending is one of the best comedy endings of all time.
I love the little moments here, (Catherine O'Hara's little speech about "less is more" acting, Fred Willard telling Dr. Pearl "this is my wife Sheila, you may remember her from previous bills") there's just something so pure about these movies that makes them rewatchable. It's a pretty good movie, but keep in mind it's pretty rough and in my opinion the "worst" of the mockumentaries.
On the DVD side of things, I couldn't help but think the commentary was, well, boring. There was a lot of dead time. Guest seemed so bored during the recording, then again he could've just been kidding. We learn of the movie's incredibly small budget and cramped shooting schedule, however. And the deleted scenes are a treat, my favorite probably being the "Nothing Ever Happens in Blaine" song. Aside from that, there's little else, though. But the disc is pretty good (and cheap), so it's a no-brainer purchase. Get it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The gang that created Airplane and The Naked Gun sets its sights on Top Gun in this often hilarious spoof starring Charlie Sheen, who previously only inspired laughs with his personal life. He plays Topper Harley, a fighter pilot with an ax to grind: clearing the family name. He gets involved in a relationship with Valerie Golino, a woman with an unusually talented stomach. But his mission is to avenge his father. Lloyd Bridges, late in his career, revealed an aptitude for this kind of silliness, here as a commander who is both incredibly dim and delightfully accident prone. Directed by Jim Abrahams, the film makes fun of a variety of other films as well, from Dances with Wolves to The Fabulous Baker Boys. It was so successful that they all returned in the sequel, Hot Shots! Part Deux. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (25)

The Mother of all Slapstick
After setting the police profession back 100 years with the "Naked Gun" movie, director Jim Abrahams decided to set his sights on the military with "Hot Shots." And the military will never be the same again.

What makes this movie so much fun are the sight gags that are in almost every scene. As with all good slapstick comedy movies, there are too many sight gags for you to be able to catch them all the first, and even second, time around. Every time you watch this movie, you will find another sight gag that you hadn't noticed before.

The movie also comes with a great comedic cast. It stars Charlie Sheen who for the first time really gets a chance to show how funny he can be (his previous comedy movies are pretty much forgettable). He is supported by Jon Cryer, Lloyd Bridges, and Cary Elwes. Each of these people have a great track record on their own when it comes to comedy. Together, they make the movie work.

Hot Shots
Maybe it's just because I haven't seen Top Gun, but when I first saw this film I was absolutely clueless. Yeah, there were some funny parts and humor from the makers of Airplane, Naked Gun, and Mafia, but the plot fell a little short. Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and follows his fathers footsteps when he flies in the Navy. There's also other great appearances by Cary Elwes and Lloyd Bridges (getting a little older), and silly characters like Washout and Dead Meat. I suggest you see Top Gun first, maybe then you will get more of the jokes. I give credit to Jim Abrahams and Pat Proft, though, because Top Gun seems like a tough movie to spoof.

Hilarious!
Hot Shots is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Charlie Sheen is okay, but in my opinion, the real comic here is Lloyd Bridges, playing Admiral Benson. Of course there are many other funny characters including the wall-eyed vision Washout. If you like movies with stupid humor, this is a must see.

Great Goof Comedy!
If your not into those whacky comedy spoofs then you will hate this Parody of Top Gun, amongst other movies! But I love these kind of send up whacky comedys, and this one is high up there with the best of them all!

Charlie Sheen plays Topper Harley and has had a bad past with the US Air Force and has quit the army... but the Army needs him once again and with non stop stupidity and comedy through the movie from door bells on Indian Tee Pees, to Barbequing hot hots with the jets of fighter planes, and a dog that just keeps getting sat on amongst many others, this movie will have you laughing your tushy off!

Its no acadamey award winner, but thats obviously not the idea for this comic life movie! It parodys a lot of movies, mostly Top Gun, but adds its own great jokes to the plot with outrages slapstick humour!

Part 2 - Wasnt as great. It sends up alot of movies and the plot changes completly into a difreent type of movie! But if you can, the edition thats available in regoin 4 at the moment of Part one and Two togther in the same package is worth getting!

Good Despite Sheen
I guess you can see from the title of this review I am not a big Charlie Sheen fan. There were tons of men that would have shined in this film. Sheen does an okay job ( seeing how he isn't a comedian ) but he is overshadowed by a funny script and funnier co-stars. This film makes fun of famous dramas like " 9 1/2 Weeks " but is mainly a parody of " Top Gun ". Hot Shots is an enjoyable movie that sticks to a strong plot. It doesn't end up falling into that trap of " trying " to be funny like some spoofs. It's not as good as " Naked Gun " by all means but it is a heck of a lot better than " Hot Shots: Part Duex " which was far too silly for my taste. ... Read more

Reviews (239)

I Give This Four Barks Out of Five
Best in Show is a clever 'mocumentary', a delightful satire of the dog show world. Director Christopher Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy also star in the movie, along with a slew of other comic actors. As writers, Guest and Levy are throwbacks to kinder, gentler times. Their brand of satire is funny and sometimes biting, but it is never brutal. They allow the performers to improvise a lot. This doesn't always work out, but when it does, the results are hysterical. The movie succeeds because the dogs' owners, not the dogs themselves, are the real characters. It shows that in the bond between man and dog, man may be the strangest and funniest half.

At the start, we meet several couples and individuals who will be showing their dogs in the Mayflower competition in Philadelphia. Some are shown in real scenes, other in fake interviews. Christopher Guest is Harlan Pepper, a down home North Carolina boy who runs a fishing supply store. He also raises champion blood hounds and dreams of being a ventriloquist. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara play the Flecks. He literally has two left feet, and she is an aging hot babe, who is constantly running into men from her past, much to Mr. Fleck's annoyance. Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock are the Swans, a couple of yuppie lawyers who have channeled way too much emotion into their dog. Sherri Ann [Jennifer Coolidge] is a very buxom and very wealthy matron who, along with her trainer, Christie [Jane Lynch], has entered her pom-pommed poodle. Finally, we met Scott and Stephan [John Michael Higgins and Michael McKeen], a gay couple who has entered one of their beloved toy dogs. In their spare time, Scott and Stephan produce calendars, using photos of their dogs dressed up like characters in famous movies.

The movie follows the characters before, during and after the competition. The show itself is quite authentic looking. It even spoofs sports announcing. One of the announcers is a proper Englishman, full of knowledge about dog shows. The other is an American who is completely clueless. Their scenes are among the film's funniest.

The humor is Best in Show is too dry for some viewers. It's often subtle comedy. I enjoyed it, but I like my humor from broad to dry and everything in-between. I also think I share Guest and Levy's point of view. They seem to be dog lovers who think that what goes on in the world of championship dog lovers is somewhat over the top. What the characters in the movie express towards dogs isn't exactly love. It's more obsession and a need to be noticed. In fact, these people require more attention than their mutts do.

Funny Mock-u-mentary
There's a shallow gold-digger married to a wealthy but mute 90 year old. There's a flamboyantly perky hairdresser (a most amusing character!) who is coupled with a hairdresser. There is also the two lawyers, married, dysfunctional, and highly high-strung. Then there's the former "popular" and experienced prom queen married to the nerdy and self-conscious salesman with two left feet (literally). And finally, there's "Harlan", the ventriloquist wannabe. What do they all have in common? Besides being hysterically human and flawed, each enter their prize dogs in a "Best in Show" contest. With excellent dry humor and in the mode of a documentary, "Best in Show" displays very aptly the human condition, relationships, ambition, and quirky but spunky dog owners and how they react to life, to thier self-worth and to winning (or not winning). I loved this movie for many reasons. The acting was superb; the storyline was choppy but worked very well; and the humor was intelligent and some of the one-liners hit you 5 seconds after they're said--the most powerful form of comedy. This is not for those who like fast moving movies; it's for those who like intelligently quiet humor and can read in between the lines by taking a simple process of entering a dog show and making it into a social, psychological, and fun story. You'll enjoy it!

Not quite "Best"
Christopher Guest has a rare misstep in "Best in Show," the follow-up to comedy classic "Waiting for Guffman." While "Best" is still a fun and frenetic mockumentary, it isn't up to the standards of its sibling mockumentaries -- it's a little too repetitive and over-the-top.

Welcome to Philadelphia, the home of the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Among the crazy dog owners are Starbucks yuppies Hamilton and Meg Swan (Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey), gay couple Scott and Stefan (John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean), ventrilogist hick Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest), and buxom airhead Sherri Ann (Jennifer Coolidge) and her lover/trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch). Front and center is two-left-footed Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy) and his wife Cookie (Catherine O'Hara), whose sexy past keeps coming back to haunt her.

All these people converge at the dog show, and face difficulties ranging from wrenched knees to televised lesbian smooches to lost squeaky toys -- and some of the dogs are getting a bit crazy as well. With an obnoxious commentator watching over it all, they all strive for the ultimate prize. Poodle, Norwich terrier, bloodhound, Shih Tzu or emotionally scarred Weimaraner -- who will be best in show?

"Best in Show" does for dog shows what "This is Spinal Tap" did for old metal -- it makes affectionate fun of them. Christopher Guest returns to mockumentary turf in the moderately funny "Best in Show" -- it's flawed, but still far above the average comedy.

The biggest problem with "Best in Show" is that Guest tries too hard. The jokes and goofiness are over-the-top, belying the mockumentary format. And the jokes get a bit repetitive. How many times can Cookie run into old boyfriends? Isn't the gay humor both cliched and overdone? But, the humor itself is quite funny, with plenty of strange lines like "We have so much in common! We both love soup... and the outdoors... snow peas... talking and not talking. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about."

No flaws can be found in the veteran mockumentary cast -- these people look like they're having a good time. Hitchcock and Posey are chillingly good as the couple who met over J. Crew catalogues in a Starbucks, while Coolidge is deliciously dumb as a bisexual Anna Nicole Smith clone. McKean and Higgins, despite being cliched, play their roles with unadulterated delight. Fred Willard's vulgar commentator is over-the-top stupid, but still amusing.

Despite repetitive humor and the occasional dud joke, Christopher Guest's follow-up to "Waiting for Guffman" is an amusing look behind the scenes of dog shows. It's not "Best in Show," but it's one of the best of breed.

Definitely the funniest of the mockumentaries
This is a fast moving and funny movie that's a truly great comedy, worthy enough to stand alongside This is Spinal Tap.
This one has everything. Conflict-who will win the dog show? Humor, and lots of it. Fred Willard again proves he needs his own TV show (nay, his own channel) as a dog-show commentator so obliviously stupid he's lovable. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are perfect as your typical, middle-class east-coast family; Eugene's plays somewhat of a "loser", Catherine's great as the promiscuous wife. Jennifer Coolidge is pretty funny as the "glamorous" lesbian who can be aggressive in subtly funny ways.
The best thing about this movie is that it's truly humorous with truly funny actors. These people aren't puppets for lame sex jokes (well, not counting both gay couples) they're funny because they (as in the talented actors, the whole lot of 'em) inherit their characters and give them a life of their own. I mean, I bet that Eugene Levy came up with his character's two left feet on the spot because he knew he had to make a somewhat pathetic character even more pathetic. There's an absolutely pointless scene where Guest's character, a southerner/hunter/ventriloquist, talks to the camera about how he used to stay up all night naming nuts. It's funny though, because it makes no sense but somehow falls in line with the character.
This is a great comedy that makes few cheap shots but is consistently funny through and through.
The DVD has a pretty entertaining commentary with Guest and Levy, and some funny deleted scenes (look for the one where Hamilton tells Posey about "a saying my father used to say"). Those extras are enough for this disc though, and the price is great. Buy this inspired and funny comedy.

Best in Show
BEST OF SHOW was a little disappointing. I couldn't connect with Christopher Guest's hillbilly character, Eugene Levy's character lost me behind his buck teeth and two left feet (No, they really are two left feet!), and I thought Fred Willard's ringside color-man bit was more irritating than slashingly satiric. Bummer. It was because they were in it that I got this one.
On the other hand the movie is filled with strong characterizations and funny bits. Larry Miller has a hilarious scene as one of Catherine O'Hara's ex-lovers who, to husband Levy's obvious discomfort, describes things in graphic detail. Ed Begley Jr. hits the right note as the quietly helpful hotel manager. The bickering yuppie couple and the gay couple were fun, too. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Really Weird Tales is Really worth the hassel
This is on of the best multi story movies I ever seen. The first story includes one of Martin Short's best preformances. Short plays the roll of a 80's lounge singger, Who is employed by a Playboy to provide entertainment for a party that simmular to a Playboy mansion party. Little does Short Know that he's in for a hilarious, but Really Weird night. Next John Candy play a terrific role as a con man who only want whats "not rightfully his" from the town and its Really Weird characters. Lastly Catherine O'heras Really Weird Tale has elements that may ruin the story so you must see for yourself. All in all this is a truly classic comedy Staring and writin by members of the great comedy troop of Secound City Tv. Eventhough I think this film is a classic, this film is not for everyone. If you enjoy SCTV this movie was made for you, But if you don't enjoy SCTV, its increadibly talented cast, or other hilarious films by the flaughtry Bros, (misspelled) like Going Beserk,or 80's comidies in general, then you may just think that Really Weird Tales is better of being a Really rare and out of print film. I Myself think of this as a crime, But since this was a low budget made for HBO film, it probly means this treasure's master copy will stay hidden in HBO's movie vault, and loyal fans will never see this classic cult film rerealeased, like dozens of classic's that seem to be suffering the same dark fate.

Overlooked Gold!
I wish I could find this movie again! It's the funniest, cutest, most unforgettably endearing flick ever made! I showed this movie to everyone I know when it was first available and still today we find it in our conversations and we still find it hilarious! If you were a fan of the Second City TV show, you would find it a necessary component of your library!Please bring this back! It's a classic! ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Couldn't ask for a better sequel
Unlike many sequels, "Short Circuit 2" is a good one. Johnny 5's creator, Ben (Fisher Stevens), is making little robot toys when a man named Fred (Michael McKean) convinces him to start a business selling them. Johnny 5 arrives to help the duo out, but some trouble arises. Some thieves who are hunting for some jewels try their best to disassemble Johnny 5 so they won't have any obstacles in their way. Johnny 5 must find a way to stop the thieves while also surviving.

The "Short Circuit" movies are some of my favorite movies of all time, I grew up watching them. Even now that I'm grown, I never get tired of seeing them over and over. In my opinion, both of the "Short Circuit" movies are great, but I like this one the best. It has some classic scenes such as when Johnny 5 tours the city for the first time and when he helps Ben talk to Sandy (Cynthia Gibb) by putting the words on a huge billboard.

"Short Circuit 2" is a great comedy and family movie. It will make you laugh in parts, some parts are sad, and others are heartwarming. Some parts even have a hint of an action movie in them. If you want to see a movie that you'll never forget, watch "Short Circuit 2." I recommend everybody to get it.

When Johnny comes marching home again
This is the sequel to the movie "Short Circuit" and relies heavily on having "Short Circuit" viewed first. In the original an experimental automated warier (complete with laser and Nuke) is stuck by lightning causing a short circuit and making robot number 5 (Johnny) alive.
This movie has several other subplots and some slapstick humor.

Strapped for cash, Ben Jahrvi, co-creator of Johnny 5, is pushed into the manufacturing business, making little Johnny replicas. This movie contains a love interest (Sandy), and economics. The action comes from when they leave Johnny (you guessed it) home alone. He is bamboozled by petty crooks, and abducted by ruthless people because someone wants the warehouse access.
So will Sandy and Ben get past they awkward stage? (Can Johnny help?)
Will Johnny Five be recovered?
Or will Number five lead his now life of crime?

Best movie ever!!!
This movie should be re-released for the next generation of older kids. The robot in this movie was really cute.
......a ten year old (...)

Short Circuit 2
I love this movie and I watch it at least once a week. This Movie is next best to owning Johnny 5. I wish I could own J-5, but do not have the Big Bucks to by him even if he is real. The only thing wrong with this movie is some of the bad language, so I just fast forward some of the scences. I wish they would make more movies using Johnny 5, I would like to see Ben & Sandy get married and J-5 as the Best Man. My Husband & I rent DVD's and have kept this Movie since Oct., so I thought I better buy it, so I can return the rental to get to watch other DVD's. Great Movie that could be even better without the bad language...

Great!
This movie has been my favorite movie for years. In the first movie Number 5 or Johnny 5 was viewed more as a prop than a character. I'm not dissing the first movie!... In Short Circuit 2, Johnny 5 knows he is alive, but he struggles throughout the film trying to prove it to the rest of the world.
There are many emotion through out the film. Most of it is just humor! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great for kids under three!
This movie is great for kids under three or amnesia victims, who don't remember what a good movie is! This movie is terribly unfunny and grossly unrealistic. The stunts are very impossible and fake, the acting and the jokes are crap. The only use for this DVD would be to use the disc as a frisbee, the booklet as toilet paper, and the case for recycling. That's the only way to get your money out of it. Don't buy this movie for any reason! It is very boring and stupid!

Great Movie For The Family
Hilarious stunts, slapstick humor, outrageous characterizations, and just good all around schtick makes this an extremely entertaining movie for the family. The people who put this movie together realize that it was not intended for a cerebral study in filmmaking; it was meant to just flat out make you laugh. My wife and kids were just howling at various scenes ranging from the stinky lunch room to the slammy whammy infomercial. We must have replayed that slammy whammy infomercial over 20 times, proving how kids can appreciate well written comedy. This movie is not for the prudes, snobs, or bores but definitely for the hip, open minded, slapstick in most of us. Watch it with the family without any hesitation.

Funny movie
This was a very funny movie, it had me rolling on the floor. Even my mom laughed a little, and she hates the movies I like. The story is Super Dave (Bob Einstien) is injured, and has to retire. But DJ (Steve Van Wormer), a kid he is training, steals his name and leaves him to work for Gil (Dan Hedaya). Well, Supe isn't going to really do anything about, but he meets a single mom (Gia Carides), whose son needs an expensive operation, and he falls in love. So the Super One decides to come out of retirement and show the world who the real greatest daredevil is. Very entertaining, and the direction is fun. The DVD could have at least had the trailer on it, though. I really wish this movie had come out in theatres, because it would have been great to see Super on the big screen. Long live Super Dave Osborne!

Super Dave's new move is great
I thought it was a great movie. Anyone who watches this film will laugh almost as much as they probably did when they watched the first Austin Powers movie. Even if you have to clue who Super Dave is, it is still a very funny movie. I can't believe that this was never released in the movie theaters. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Really Weird Tales is Really worth the hassel
This is on of the best multi story movies I ever seen. The first story includes one of Martin Short's best preformances. Short plays the roll of a 80's lounge singger, Who is employed by a Playboy to provide entertainment for a party that simmular to a Playboy mansion party. Little does Short Know that he's in for a hilarious, but Really Weird night. Next John Candy play a terrific role as a con man who only want whats "not rightfully his" from the town and its Really Weird characters. Lastly Catherine O'heras Really Weird Tale has elements that may ruin the story so you must see for yourself. All in all this is a truly classic comedy Staring and writin by members of the great comedy troop of Secound City Tv. Eventhough I think this film is a classic, this film is not for everyone. If you enjoy SCTV this movie was made for you, But if you don't enjoy SCTV, its increadibly talented cast, or other hilarious films by the flaughtry Bros, (misspelled) like Going Beserk,or 80's comidies in general, then you may just think that Really Weird Tales is better of being a Really rare and out of print film. I Myself think of this as a crime, But since this was a low budget made for HBO film, it probly means this treasure's master copy will stay hidden in HBO's movie vault, and loyal fans will never see this classic cult film rerealeased, like dozens of classic's that seem to be suffering the same dark fate.

Overlooked Gold!
I wish I could find this movie again! It's the funniest, cutest, most unforgettably endearing flick ever made! I showed this movie to everyone I know when it was first available and still today we find it in our conversations and we still find it hilarious! If you were a fan of the Second City TV show, you would find it a necessary component of your library!Please bring this back! It's a classic! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

best 'spoof' yet!
I absolutely laugh myself silly every time I watch this movie. Each viewing shows me something else I missed the previous time-the sight gags and little obscure jokes keep popping up all over. My husband and I use bits of dialog countless times in conversation, and never tire of watching! YOU WILL ENJOY IT!

Sodbusters
Can never watch this movie enough. The dwarf trying to think of "ostrich" still brings me to tears laughing. The first time I saw it,I continued to burst into laughter hours after the end of the movie just thinking about it. Best fun I've had in many years.

Sodbusters
One of the funniest 'spoofs' on a western movie. Each time you watch it you will find something you missed before. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

VERY FUNNY COMEDY
This very funny comedy stars George Wendt as a laid back kind of dude. His up tight, mean wife, Robin Duke. This is just a classic comedy. John Candy directs and has a small cameo as a Russian terrorist. This movie is so much funnier and better than most expect it to be. It costs a lot, I know. But at least rent it or find it somewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

it's not the hands of strangers you gotta worry about
Running over 3 hours long, this made for TV movie is well directed and noticably edited at a clip, except when time is needed to explore detail. It's no surprise that the narrative is based on a novel, since there are three plot strands, and it's to Larry Elikann's credit that proceedings build progressively. At the centre are 3 pairs of hands - cop Armand Assante, his wife Beverley D'Angelo, and assistant District Attorney Blair Brown - but their triangle has a lot of intersecting angles. What they have in common is rape. Brown is investigating a gang and D'Angelo is the victim of one. Though the perpetrators are different, it's inevitable that Brown will come to meet D'Angelo. And this is given another dimention by Brown recruiting Assante to help with her investigation, and that's even before D'Angelo is involved! Confused? What I particularly liked was Elikann's decision to not use music, a wise one when so much of the narrative is methodical action. He does succumb to the ubiquitous sax in a sex scene, but the editing cuts away thankfully fast. At first I was irritated by Assante's performance, with his macho strutting and bird-like head movements. In response Brown imitates him and her usual likability is in question. But eventually he becomes more solid (or I overlooked the mannerism) and his final emotionalism is touching. He also has a drunk scene where his energy level picks up considerably. D'Angelo bears the bulk of the load and while she may overdo the distraught victim, she knows how to play against her co-stars, and she excels when she is trapped. Her rape scene is not explicit but the suggestion and Arliss Howard's smiling offender is so perverse that what one imagines is much more powerful. Howard has a sinister briefcase, with undisclosed contents, and when the nature of the photographs he has taken of his acts is seen by someone, they vomit. Brown has the lesser of the 3 roles, but she manages to get a laugh out of a cliched answer to "Are you sure it was him?" - "You hear his voice, and you don't need to hear it again". The frosty treatment she gives to a rape victim is redeemed, and I liked the animal noises she makes in response to Assante at one point. There are a few minor plot holes - Assante staking out his own house to watch D'Angelo, the disappearance of one character without explaination, and Assante being unrecognised by Howard after he has possession of D'Angelo's purse, as if she didn't have a pic of her husband - but these are forgiveable. And we get to witness a rare torture scene which is contextually pleasing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Christopher Guest, the man behind Waiting for Guffman, turns his comic eye on another little world thattakes itself a bit too seriously: the world of competitive dog shows. Best inShow follows a clutch of dog owners as they prepare and preen their dogs towin a national competition. They include the yuppie pair (Parker Posey andMichael Hitchcock) who fear they've traumatized their Weimaraner by having sexin front of him; a suburban husband and wife (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara)with a terrier and a long history of previous lovers on the wife's part; theSouthern owner of a bloodhound (Guest himself) with aspirations as aventriloquist; and many more. Following the same "mockumentary" format ofSpinal Tap and Guffman, Best in Show takes in some of thedog show officials, the manager of a nearby hotel that allows dogs to staythere, and the commentators of the competition (a particularly knockout comicturn by Fred Willard as an oafish announcer). The movie manages to paint anaffectionate portrait of its quirky characters without ever losing sight of theridiculousness of their obsessive world. Almost all of the scenes were createdthrough improvisation. While lacking the overall focus of a written script,Best in Show captures hilarious and absurd aspects of human behavior thatcould never be written down. The movie's success is a testament to both thetalent of the actors and Guest's discerning eye. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (239)

I Give This Four Barks Out of Five
Best in Show is a clever 'mocumentary', a delightful satire of the dog show world. Director Christopher Guest and co-writer Eugene Levy also star in the movie, along with a slew of other comic actors. As writers, Guest and Levy are throwbacks to kinder, gentler times. Their brand of satire is funny and sometimes biting, but it is never brutal. They allow the performers to improvise a lot. This doesn't always work out, but when it does, the results are hysterical. The movie succeeds because the dogs' owners, not the dogs themselves, are the real characters. It shows that in the bond between man and dog, man may be the strangest and funniest half.

At the start, we meet several couples and individuals who will be showing their dogs in the Mayflower competition in Philadelphia. Some are shown in real scenes, other in fake interviews. Christopher Guest is Harlan Pepper, a down home North Carolina boy who runs a fishing supply store. He also raises champion blood hounds and dreams of being a ventriloquist. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara play the Flecks. He literally has two left feet, and she is an aging hot babe, who is constantly running into men from her past, much to Mr. Fleck's annoyance. Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock are the Swans, a couple of yuppie lawyers who have channeled way too much emotion into their dog. Sherri Ann [Jennifer Coolidge] is a very buxom and very wealthy matron who, along with her trainer, Christie [Jane Lynch], has entered her pom-pommed poodle. Finally, we met Scott and Stephan [John Michael Higgins and Michael McKeen], a gay couple who has entered one of their beloved toy dogs. In their spare time, Scott and Stephan produce calendars, using photos of their dogs dressed up like characters in famous movies.

The movie follows the characters before, during and after the competition. The show itself is quite authentic looking. It even spoofs sports announcing. One of the announcers is a proper Englishman, full of knowledge about dog shows. The other is an American who is completely clueless. Their scenes are among the film's funniest.

The humor is Best in Show is too dry for some viewers. It's often subtle comedy. I enjoyed it, but I like my humor from broad to dry and everything in-between. I also think I share Guest and Levy's point of view. They seem to be dog lovers who think that what goes on in the world of championship dog lovers is somewhat over the top. What the characters in the movie express towards dogs isn't exactly love. It's more obsession and a need to be noticed. In fact, these people require more attention than their mutts do.

Funny Mock-u-mentary
There's a shallow gold-digger married to a wealthy but mute 90 year old. There's a flamboyantly perky hairdresser (a most amusing character!) who is coupled with a hairdresser. There is also the two lawyers, married, dysfunctional, and highly high-strung. Then there's the former "popular" and experienced prom queen married to the nerdy and self-conscious salesman with two left feet (literally). And finally, there's "Harlan", the ventriloquist wannabe. What do they all have in common? Besides being hysterically human and flawed, each enter their prize dogs in a "Best in Show" contest. With excellent dry humor and in the mode of a documentary, "Best in Show" displays very aptly the human condition, relationships, ambition, and quirky but spunky dog owners and how they react to life, to thier self-worth and to winning (or not winning). I loved this movie for many reasons. The acting was superb; the storyline was choppy but worked very well; and the humor was intelligent and some of the one-liners hit you 5 seconds after they're said--the most powerful form of comedy. This is not for those who like fast moving movies; it's for those who like intelligently quiet humor and can read in between the lines by taking a simple process of entering a dog show and making it into a social, psychological, and fun story. You'll enjoy it!

Not quite "Best"
Christopher Guest has a rare misstep in "Best in Show," the follow-up to comedy classic "Waiting for Guffman." While "Best" is still a fun and frenetic mockumentary, it isn't up to the standards of its sibling mockumentaries -- it's a little too repetitive and over-the-top.

Welcome to Philadelphia, the home of the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. Among the crazy dog owners are Starbucks yuppies Hamilton and Meg Swan (Michael Hitchcock and Parker Posey), gay couple Scott and Stefan (John Michael Higgins and Michael McKean), ventrilogist hick Harlan Pepper (Christopher Guest), and buxom airhead Sherri Ann (Jennifer Coolidge) and her lover/trainer Christy Cummings (Jane Lynch). Front and center is two-left-footed Gerry Fleck (Eugene Levy) and his wife Cookie (Catherine O'Hara), whose sexy past keeps coming back to haunt her.

All these people converge at the dog show, and face difficulties ranging from wrenched knees to televised lesbian smooches to lost squeaky toys -- and some of the dogs are getting a bit crazy as well. With an obnoxious commentator watching over it all, they all strive for the ultimate prize. Poodle, Norwich terrier, bloodhound, Shih Tzu or emotionally scarred Weimaraner -- who will be best in show?

"Best in Show" does for dog shows what "This is Spinal Tap" did for old metal -- it makes affectionate fun of them. Christopher Guest returns to mockumentary turf in the moderately funny "Best in Show" -- it's flawed, but still far above the average comedy.

The biggest problem with "Best in Show" is that Guest tries too hard. The jokes and goofiness are over-the-top, belying the mockumentary format. And the jokes get a bit repetitive. How many times can Cookie run into old boyfriends? Isn't the gay humor both cliched and overdone? But, the humor itself is quite funny, with plenty of strange lines like "We have so much in common! We both love soup... and the outdoors... snow peas... talking and not talking. We could not talk or talk forever and still find things to not talk about."

No flaws can be found in the veteran mockumentary cast -- these people look like they're having a good time. Hitchcock and Posey are chillingly good as the couple who met over J. Crew catalogues in a Starbucks, while Coolidge is deliciously dumb as a bisexual Anna Nicole Smith clone. McKean and Higgins, despite being cliched, play their roles with unadulterated delight. Fred Willard's vulgar commentator is over-the-top stupid, but still amusing.

Despite repetitive humor and the occasional dud joke, Christopher Guest's follow-up to "Waiting for Guffman" is an amusing look behind the scenes of dog shows. It's not "Best in Show," but it's one of the best of breed.

Definitely the funniest of the mockumentaries
This is a fast moving and funny movie that's a truly great comedy, worthy enough to stand alongside This is Spinal Tap.
This one has everything. Conflict-who will win the dog show? Humor, and lots of it. Fred Willard again proves he needs his own TV show (nay, his own channel) as a dog-show commentator so obliviously stupid he's lovable. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are perfect as your typical, middle-class east-coast family; Eugene's plays somewhat of a "loser", Catherine's great as the promiscuous wife. Jennifer Coolidge is pretty funny as the "glamorous" lesbian who can be aggressive in subtly funny ways.
The best thing about this movie is that it's truly humorous with truly funny actors. These people aren't puppets for lame sex jokes (well, not counting both gay couples) they're funny because they (as in the talented actors, the whole lot of 'em) inherit their characters and give them a life of their own. I mean, I bet that Eugene Levy came up with his character's two left feet on the spot because he knew he had to make a somewhat pathetic character even more pathetic. There's an absolutely pointless scene where Guest's character, a southerner/hunter/ventriloquist, talks to the camera about how he used to stay up all night naming nuts. It's funny though, because it makes no sense but somehow falls in line with the character.
This is a great comedy that makes few cheap shots but is consistently funny through and through.
The DVD has a pretty entertaining commentary with Guest and Levy, and some funny deleted scenes (look for the one where Hamilton tells Posey about "a saying my father used to say"). Those extras are enough for this disc though, and the price is great. Buy this inspired and funny comedy.

Best in Show
BEST OF SHOW was a little disappointing. I couldn't connect with Christopher Guest's hillbilly character, Eugene Levy's character lost me behind his buck teeth and two left feet (No, they really are two left feet!), and I thought Fred Willard's ringside color-man bit was more irritating than slashingly satiric. Bummer. It was because they were in it that I got this one.
On the other hand the movie is filled with strong characterizations and funny bits. Larry Miller has a hilarious scene as one of Catherine O'Hara's ex-lovers who, to husband Levy's obvious discomfort, describes things in graphic detail. Ed Begley Jr. hits the right note as the quietly helpful hotel manager. The bickering yuppie couple and the gay couple were fun, too. ... Read more