Reviews (368)

Full blown comedy with a killer cast
Meet the Parents is one of the best comedy movies to hit the shelves in recent years. With an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, and the one and only Owen Wilson, this movie delivers the laughs perfectly!

Greg Focker, male nurse, is about to propose to Pam, his "special friend" of ten months, when he hears about her recently engaged sitster, whose husband to be made the right move and asked her father first. Now he's got to do the same, which means he's got to meet the parents. And with the plot set, the laughter ensues...

What really makes this movie work is the characters we can all relate to. First there's Greg, who is desperately trying to win the parents' approval, but somehow manages to screw up everything he possibly can along the way. And to make matters worse, he's got to to deal with Pam's ex fiance while he carries out this death sentence of a weekend. And then there is Pam, whose father is well...just a little strange to say the least.

Also, Owen Wilson is just insane in this and the movie is worth it for his performance alone, not to mention being able to see DeNiro do a comedy this good.

See it for the laughs, see it for the cast, see it for the experience, because this is one of the best lately. And if that is not insentive enough, I leave you with a quote..."Well I have nipples Focker, could you milk ME?"

Skip This Meeting
Stale, unoriginal humor is the downfall of this take-it-or-leave-it Ben Stiller comedy. Stiller plays male nurse Gaylord Focker (whose name is the inspiration for at least a quarter of the movie's jokes), a hapless soul whose attempts to propose to his girlfriend (Teri Polo) are interrupted by a phone call announcing her sister's engagement. This leads to the wedding trip, and Stiller's opportunity to meet the parents.

What follows are a series of mildly amusing situations and one-liners, none of which you'll probably be itching to repeat at work tomorrow. Owen Wilson is a bright spot, as usual, playing Polo's ex-fiance. He also delivers the best line in the movie, a deadpan joke about the inspiration for his hobby, carpentry. Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, however, are both too woefully underchallenged to be able to turn in memorable performances.

The DVD's extra features include the standard outtakes, commentaries, and deleted scenes, as well as interactive personality quizzes which are fun to take but whose answers seem somewhat random. Overall, Meet the Parents is only worth renting if you're desperate to see a movie and this is the just about only thing left on the video store shelves.

Calamity after calamity - Very Funny
"Meet the Parents" is funny, outrageous, and full of fun. Pratfalls and pitfalls await our comic star Ben Stiller as he pursues his love and ingratiates himself with his father-in-law to-be, Robert DeNiro. DeNiro is a crazed, over protective, retired CIA agent who zealously protects his daughter from her would-be suitor.

Calamity follows calamity, and the sight gags cascade until the end unwinds all the zaniness in a satisfying ending. It is a lot of fun with several belly laughs thrown in for good measure.

Oh no, no, no, no, no, it's not very good. Way over rated.
This movie is not funny, just dumb. Is saying "focker" over and over and over again really that funny? I'm sorry, folks, but NO, it's just not all that funny, and this is the same dull plot that we've seen over and over again in the movies and on tv. Not recommended.

Unwatchable
I wanted to leave the theater halfway through this garbage but I already ponied up my $8. Predictable gag after predictable gag after predictable gag, this movie made me hate Ben Stiller. ... Read more

Amazon.com

During its release, this was the most popular film of all time in its native Italy. A typical Roberto Benigni comedy of mistaken identity, this 1991 work stars the actor-director in two roles, one a tough mafioso named Toothpick and the other a meek bus driver who is the gangster's look-alike. When the bad guy's girlfriend comes on to the clueless innocent--and she brings him along to her Sicilian villa--the slapstick madness rolls into high gear. Benigni really is a very funny and often remarkable clown, and he employs his usual physical gags in great and gratifying abundance. His script's inspiration reaches several peak moments when the mysteries between light and dark doppelgangers are suggested. One could reasonably call this sort of Jekyll-and-Hyde tale the closest Benigni has yet come to making his version of Jerry Lewis's The Nutty Professor. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Toothpicks, Bananas, and Organized Crime Equal Laughter
Johnny Stecchino is hilarious and educational. For example, I learned a new game, "the cabinet minister's wife." And to think that for so many years I played chess! Roberto Benigni is a singing school bus driver named Dante in this movie, who falls in love with a beautiful and sophisticated Maria. There is only one problem that Dante does not know of: Maria is married to a mafioso who is a spitting image of Dante, and she plans to switch the two men and to have Dante killed to get her husband out of trouble. Benigni also plays the mafia don. He is very good in both roles. The funniest parts of the movie take place in Palermo. The scene where Dante is trying to persuade the cardinal to take his "medicine" is just about as funny as anything I have ever seen. The scene in the opera is also hilarious.

Eventually, Maria has to make a moral choice. Buy it, and stay away from bananas in Palermo--don't even look at them.

Brilliant comedy! Laugh...Laugh....and more Laugh!
First, I will say that other than movie concerts, musicals, and video collections, I OWN TWO movies! TWO! Just TWO! And they are both Roberto Benigni's - "Johnny Stecchino and "The Monster." Benigni out shines any other other comedian I have ever seen. To say he is a genius is an understatement. He is unbelievably hilarious! The English subtitles are very easy to read and keep up with. Note: Don't ever see English voice dubbing of his movies. You have to HEAR HIM!

The case of miss identity is not new to comedy, but Benigni brings that freshness to American audiences. He brilliantly plays a dual role, Dante, a meek school bus driver and gangster Johnny Stecchino. His wife, Nicoletta Braschi, joins her husband again and she, too, exudes sincereity with true chemistry to his characters.

There is beyond great slapstick, the dialogue is well scripted and the plot is equally entertaining. If your passion is for truly great comedy, enjoy this and the funnier Benigni movie, "The Monster." You will be guaranteed a night of laughter, hilarious, nonstop laughter!!......MzRizz

Il film più divertente che io abbia mai visto...
This film is by far the funniest film I have ever seen. It could not be more entertaining. I could sit here and write about what happened in the film and try to explain why it was hilarious, but the truth is that it's something that simply needs to be experienced, you can't be told about it. All I can tell you, the movie watching public, to do is to see this movie in the original italian with subtitles. It is true that even if you don't understand italian, you need to hear Roberto's voice for it to work. Never get a dubbed copy of ANY of his films. The dubbing is always crap. He is the funniest man alive and this film showcases the best and the most purest version of his comedy of any of his work. It's over the top, yes, but it's splendid good fun and it'll put a smile on your face for hours after.

Wonderfully funny
The first I ever saw Roberto Benigni was Son of the Pink Panther. I laugh and laugh. Roberto Benigni does it again. He is a naturally funny. The misunderstandings of the banana, the gangsters singing, the opera scene was classically funny.

MOLTO BENE!
MOLTO BENE! Benigni out does himself yet agian. A must see for anyone. And non-stop laughter! ... Read more

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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

Reviews (26)

Definitely on my top five list
This movie is one of my favorites, and definitely one of the best to come out of any country in the last few years. It is absolutely hilarious! I won't go too much into plot -- gangsters, romance, and a uproariously funny ending (and beginning, and middle), plus subtitles that are in a nice yellow so they're easy to read. The music score is great (I wish there was a soundtrack on CD) and the acting is excellent... I have seen two of Kusturica's other movies, and this is by far the best, although the others were very good too. You will not regret buying this movie, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Kusturica does it again, but better
Kusturica began focusing on the Roma culture most prominently in his movie, "Time of the Gypsies," revisiting this theme in later works either indirectly ("Arizona Dream") or with unabashed flirtation ("Underground"). In "Black Cat, White Cat," these talented musicians are center stage, and you won't take your eyes off them from the time they are tied up in a tree until they march off with their infectious brass beat in the sunset.

The plot follows a young Roma who falls for the village tomboy, but is promised to marry a lovely, albeit height-impaired, ganster's daughter as a result of a poker game. The young couple attempts to circumvent this arrangement by slipping away from their fate much like the silver fish in "Arizona Dreams." The high-charged get-me-out-of-here wedding scene is driven by the gypsy music which feeds the young couple's desperation, the ganster's testosterone levels, and the guests' oblivion, all of which is done very tongue-in-cheek by caricaturizing aspects of Balkan culture. If you like your humor black, you'll dig this movie.

Bizarre, joyful insanity -- don't miss this one!
The sublime goofiness of this movie is hard to describe; you really must see it for yourself. But some of its virtues are: it manages to be a classic farce, without ever seeming stylized; it showcases and celebrates the glorious music of the Romany people in almost every frame, while keeping the convoluted narrative running; it presents even its densest, dopiest, kookiest and weirdest characters as full human beings, not stereotypes; and, not least, it presents a number of farm animals in juicy cameo roles (the car-eating pig ought to get some kind of "Best Performance by a Barnyard Animal" prize). The title characters, for example, appear in almost every crucial scene, and end up making the happy ending possible.

Young lovers, lonely hearts, domineering grandparents, stupid con-artists, cokehead gangsters and flocks of geese make up the world of "Black Cat, White Cat," always accompanied by torrents of music. If loony, generous, dark humor appeals to you, you'll love this wonderful movie.

A great introduction to Kusturica's filmmaking.
For those who don't mind subtitles, this gets my highest recommendation. A chaotic and hilarious look at Yugoslavian Gypsy and gangster life -- lighthearted, not as long and without as much symbolism as UNDERGROUND. A wonderful modern fairy-tale and ideal "primer" for this master filmmaker.

If you like bizarre humor, this is it!
Matko Destanov is a crook and a moron and he wants to marry his son Zare to the mob boss Dadan Karambolo's ugly midget of a sister to pay off some old and new debt.
But Zare is really in love with the gypsy girl Ida, who loves him back, but who unfortunately has been promised to Dadan the Mob boss.
At the same time an old Mob boss from a different family with the exotic name Grga Pitic is out on a quest to find a suitable wife to his worthless dreamer of a son, who in turn has declared that he will not marry before he falls in love with a girl on first sight.
Matko's old dad, Zarije, has no intention of letting his son ruin his grandsons life and he has a grand plan to save Zare from marrying the ugly midget, using his accordion....(yes it goes on and on and on....)

Conclusion: No one can claim to have seen a weird, bizarre, totally crazy and mind blowingly far-out movie before they have seen this one. This one truly beats it all. If you are out there looking for something totally and completely different, something you have never even remotely laid your eyes on before, THIS IS IT! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Mel Brooks's 1970 comedy (his second work as a film director) is based on an old Russian folktale, and was first filmed in Yugoslavia in 1927. The story concerns an old woman who reveals on her deathbed that she has hidden jewels inside one of 12 chairs that were formerly in her home but are now scattered. Ron Moody plays the poor Russian nobleman seeking them, and Dom DeLuise is his rival. After Brooks's wild and even controversial first film, The Producers, The Twelve Chairs seems relatively tame; but it is still a funny and slightly exotic work owing to its director's longtime interest in classic cinema. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (25)

What People Will Do In Pursuit of Wealth!
This movie is one of Mel Brooks' best works, but is seldom shown anywhere anymore. Its humorous depiction of what three men will do in order to retrieve the jewels in the twelve chairs is hilarious. The tall, good looking actor pairs well with Dom Deluise, and his faking of an epileptic seizure in order to make money is one of the best ways of "panhandling" (i.e., begging), ever done on-screen! This is well worth your viewing time. Makes the post-Russian Revolution look like a humorous time to live!

Change of Pace
If you think Mel Brooks is only good for broad, obvious humor (Robin Hood- Men in Tights, or History of the World) or sharp parody, (Young Frankenstein) then you owe yourself a look at this movie. Made after The Producers, this is Brooks's first attempt at combining serious and comic elements. The film is NOT a laugh fest, nor is it meant to be. Brooks deals with character over comedy in the two main characters, creating an interesting (and often touching) relationship between the two, leading to a final shot in the film that is emotionally pure and effective. Dom Deluise provides wonderful comic relief as the priest who is also after the chairs, and Brooks himself makes a short cameo as the former servant to Ron Moody. Carl Reiner has said that to him, the funniest man on the planet is Mel Brooks. That's pretty high praise, but after seeing this movie, my bet is you'll come away with a deeper appreciation for Brooks's talent, and you might just wonder why he didn't make a few more films like this one.

Hilarious, The Best Mel Brooks Movie EVER!!!
By far my favorite Mel Brooks movie. Highly reccommended! I found this in a friends parents movie cabinet, lonely and unwatched. I ended up keeping it.
The comedy is a bit more subtle than many of Mel's movies.

Ostap Bender, the main character is a sexy con man, best liar in the world. Mel Brooks plays a former slave who misses the good old days when he master "hardly ever beat us." There's really not much I can say, except-WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!!

One of the greatest movies no one has ever heard of.
This is one of the very best movies ever made. It holds up over time and is fine for all audiences. Great dialogue, tremendous sight gags and just general genius brings this movie off of the screen and into your heart forever.

Mel Brooks has made many funny movies but this one is perhaps his least known but maybe, just maybe his funniest movie of all.

One of Brooks's best
For my money, the best Mel Brooks movies are those in which he appears the least or not at all. It's not that I don't think that he isn't a brilliant comedic actor: he is. But my top three Mel Brooks movies are THE PRODUCERS, THE TWELVE CHAIRS, and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Although he does have a few minutes on film in this movie, they're brief and effective. But he never comes close to stealing the scene from Ron Moody, Frank Langella or Dom DeLuise--and all three of these actors are perfect in their roles. DeLuise is at his best here, and Moody, with his Trotsky looks and high strung personality is hysterical.THE TWELVE CHAIRS is brilliant historical spoof of strong materialism in a place where no one is to have possessions: post-Revolutionary Russia. But humans will be humans, and the desire for comfort and money will always be with us, I'm afraid.

But this isn't a morality film. It's huge fun, great satire, and loaded with an understanding of humanity. ... Read more

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With a nod to Preston Sturges's classic dark comedy Unfaithfully Yours (about a man who fantasizes about murdering his possibly philandering wife), this 1980 cotton-candy-feminist-vendetta film concerns a monstrous boss (Dabney Coleman) whose more capable underlings dream of ways of punishing him. That much of the film is particularly fun, but the rest of it descends into silliness when the women stumble onto a real-life opportunity to teach him a lesson. Fonda, the biggest star in the film at the time, takes a back seat to Parton's and Tomlin's showier roles. Written and directed by the late Colin Higgins (who made a lot of people happy in the '70s with his script for the beloved Harold and Maude). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Before
"9 to 5" remains a favorite comedy of mine 24 years after its release. I first saw it in the movie theaters back in 1980. I thought it was hilarious then and I still think it is hilarious now. Dabney Coleman was the perfect evil boss. He was a sexist, bigoted jerk of a human being who treated his employees like dirt. Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton rounds out the cast as the disgruntled employees. Although we use computers now, office antics remains unchanged in the 21st century. Who hasn't dreamt of killing their boss? "9 to 5" really epitomized just how funny, if not torturous working in an office can be. I know from experience. Thankfully I never encountered a male supervisor who sexually harassed me like Dabney Coleman did to Dolly Parton in the movie. My personal favorite moment in the film was when the women were at Dolly's home kicking back on some wacky tobaccy. The fantasies were hysterical. They still crack me up to this very day. I personally loved Lily Tomlin's fantasy as Snow White. The longer I work in an office environment, the more I can relate to films like "9 to 5" and "Office Space". Talk about life imitating art.

Do you do M&M's?
I hope this is a fantasy movie. Dabney Colman plays Franklin Hart Jr. (...) Mr. Hart can not understand what is happening to him. It seems that everything he does backfires. Violet (Lily Tomlin) gets upset because he promotes someone that she trained, around her. After making overtures to the married Doralee (Dolly Parton), she threatens to turn him from a rooster to a hen with one shot. At one point Violet fantasizes about and may have put “Rid-a-Rat” in his coffee, which leads to a great hospital scene. Violet says, “I'm no fool. I've killed the boss, you think they're not gonna fire me for a thing like that?!” He eventually spends time literally hanging around Judy’s (Jane Fonda) house while the Trio of women get the goods on his side business of pilfering from their company. Dabney Coleman outdoes himself in the hunting scene. (...)

For Every Office Worker Who's Wanted to Bump Off the Boss...
Saw this movie over 15 times before it even hit video, let alone DVD - saw it in a theatre when I was younger, and it quickly became one of my favorite comedies.

The casting is brilliant. Lily Tomlin plays Violet, an office manager with a sexist-egotistical-lying-hypocritical-bigot of a boss, Mr. Hart (Dabney Coleman), who she is trying to put up with because she's in line for a promotion (even though she's had her share of seeing men SHE TRAINED promoted above and before her). Dolly Parton is Doralee, buxom secretary to the lecherous Mr. Hart, who put up with his advances and pinching and staring because she needs the job (little does she know, thanks to him and his mouth, she's also - behind her back - known as the office floozy). Jane Fonda is Judy, a newly divorced woman who's husband left her for his secretary - she's just started at Consolidated, and is having a hard time adjusting to office life.

In one bad -- really bad -- day, Mr. Hart manages to push all three of these women to the breaking point ... and that night, over good barbecue and an even better joint, the women fantasize about what it would be like to kill their boss; each woman has a unique and juicy way of doing him in that is both funny and suitable.

The plot changes drastically from here, when each woman systematically -- and accidentally -- puts a variation of her plan to action (or so she thinks), leading to all sort of misunderstandings, uncovering of big business schemes, kidnapping -- even a change in office decor!

The casting is ideal; this was Dolly Parton's first film, and she positively glows as Doralee. Jane Fonda, playing against type, is terrific as the mousy Judy, who finally finds her backbone after dealing with her husband's abandonment. And Lily Tomlin is awesome as Violet, a widow with four kids who's just trying to give her family a good life ... even if it means dumping her boss's body to do it (don't worry - this doesn't give the film away!).

It's rare to find someone who hasn't seen this great comedy -- anyone who's ever worked in an office can relate to it especially. It's funny, watching it now and seeing all the old typewriters and other office machinery that has now been replaced by computers in 2004 -- kind of dates the movie, in a way, but also adds to its charm. One of the best comedies of the 1980's, "Nine to Five" is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon - and a satisfying tale of justice served for every one of us who's had a hellacious boss.

Not your average working stiff movie.
It is no secret that there are many managers in this world who are nothing more than tokenheads of their departments. The real movers, shakers, and go-getters are the underlings that work for the manager.

And so is the case of Franklin M Hart, Jr., (perfectly played by Dabney Colemna) a vice-president at Consolidated. Oh sure, he was nice enough as he worked his way to the top of this male-dominated firm. But once he got there, he started stepping on everyone below him, including Violet Newstead (the ever funny Lily Tomlin), the office manager. As if that wasn't bad enough, Mr. Hart continously tries to seduce his unavailable, and equally unwilling, secretary, Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton, making her movie debut). And when the new girl, Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda), accidentally makes a mess in the copier room, Mr. Hart tells her like it is.

After a while, the three put-upon women become friends, and after smoking a single joint together, start fantasizing about how they would put Mr. Hart in his place. Soon, however, fantasy becomes reality when Mr. Hart finds out that Violet accidentally put rat poison in his coffee.

In an attempt to stay out of jail, Violet, Doralee, and Judy take Mr. Hart hostage while they formulate a plan. Soon they discover that Mr. Hart has illegally made a profit at Consolidated's expense, and set out to get the evidence needed that will keep Mr. Hart from going to the police. But it will take nearly three weeks for the home office to send them the information. Will they be able to keep Mr. Hart under lock and key until then? Better yet, can they fool the office into thinking that Mr. Hart is still at work even though he's not?

"9 to 5" is one of those movies that you can't help but to enjoy. Funny, witty, and smart, anyone who has ever worked for a manager that didn't deserve to be a manager will enjoy watching fantasy become reality (at least, in the movie).

Released in 1980, this movie earned over $100 million (a relative rarity back then). It also earned Dolly Parton an Oscar nomination (Best Music - Original Song), three Golden Globes nominations (Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy; Best Original Song - Motion Picture; New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture - Female), and a Grammy nomination (Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special). She also won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture Song.

The success of the movie resulted in two short-lived TV series (first one from 1982-1983; second one from 1986 - 1988), both of which starred Dolly Parton's sister, Rachel Dennison.

If you've ever dreamed of watching your manager get his or her just desserts, then this movie will provide you with plenty of laughs (and possibly an idea or two).

The Sane Mutiny
What happens when a group of women working as secretaries for a big company get tired of their tyrannical, chauvinistic, not-very-competent boss? The answer is lots of laughs, if the women are Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda, and the boss is the deliciously despicable Dabney Coleman. At first, the women just daydream and chat about silly revenge plots. Then, a golden opprtunity for real revenge comes along, and they take their shot at realizing their daydreams.

Jane Fonda was the bigget name in the cast when the film came out, but she, while okay here, is outshone by Tomlin, Coleman, and Parton. The first half of the film is funnier and better than the second half, but it's a worthwhile watcher. To buy it? Only if you get a good price on a good used one. ... Read more

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Sophomore jinx hit hard in this second film by Kevin Smith, whose debut Clerks transcended the limits of its setting and budget to become something memorably funny. (Smith followed Mallrats with the wonderful Chasing Amy, so Mallrats definitely had the old curse.) A ramshackle comedy set in a mall, the film follows several story lines involving lovers, enemies, friends, goofballs, and Smith's own "silent" character, who also appeared in Clerks and Chasing Amy. A heavy self-consciousness weighs on everything, as if Smith forgot how to make obscenity funny instead of tedious. Still, it's nice to see some of the director's film family on screen, among them Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (304)

Mallrats
This was Kevin Smith's funniest movie! Who ever thought that hanging out at the mall would be funny? Well somehow, Smith did it and he did it very well in this non stop rib breaking comedy.

MALLRATS is about 2 guys T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee). After breaking up with his girlfriend because she agreed to go on her father's copycat version of the Dating Game, he goes over to his friend Brodie's house and finds out that his girl, Renee (Shannon Dougherty) broke up with him as well. Brodie, wanting to make his friend feel better, takes him to the mall. It's a non stop laugh riot from sailboats to stage trashing to the backseat of Volkswagon, MALLRATS will keep you laughing from beginning to end.

This was Jason Lee's first movie and he really made it count. Lee is hilarious in this movie and he steals every scene that he's in. Plus who could forget the comedy due of Jay and Silent Bob? Of course you can't because they're in this one as well. Plus this movie is just wrong. There are some really scandalous scenes (Ms Ivana's fortune telling and the game show). And a very special cameo by Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics, doesn't hurt.

There is a lot of swearing, some nudity and some drug references but other than that, all good here. You'll definitely want to add this to your collection. Plus I had to give it 5 stars because this movie was filmed in MN and the "Minneso-TAH accent" (like in FARGO and DROP DEAD GORGEOUS) was not used!! That alone scores serious points. In any case, enjoy MALLRATS and don't forget to pick up Smith's other great titles like CLERKS, CHASING AMY, DOGMA and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK

SILENT BOB IS BACK ON THE ESCALATOR
Mallrats did horribly at the box office. This fact is undisputable. However this movie has heart. It gets funnier the more you watch it. However if you don't like comics, sci fi movie references and dialogue about anything and everything this movie is not for you. The DVD collectors edition is a gem. There is over an hour of deleted scenes. In fact a whole subplot that got cut because it din't quite work. Commentary throughout the movie with Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes(Jay), Ben Affleck(Shannon) and Jason Lee(Brodie). Well worth it to hear them banter between themselves. You can tell they had a great time makin this movie. It shows in the film as well. This is definately a four star movie and with all the extras it goes straight to five stars. Hey at least Mallrats will make money on video since it bombed at theatres. Snoochie Boochies.

Halarious
I don't care who says this movie bad. I don't care how many peopel think it sucks. I think it's awesome. By far the best Jay and Silent movie. I like it cause it's funny and there isn't too much swearing or annoying stuff. Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back is funny to but annoying cause Jay is the main character and as a result of that. There is way too much swearing. I like Jay and Bob but they make more better back up characters. Jason Less is great. Yeah some parts of this are dumb but I love it cause it's filmed in my home state. Minnesota. The land of the hot blondes. Anybody who is from Minnesota know what I"m talking about. If you want a funny movie that is original and has a good story. Buy this movie.

Fun Fun Fun
Title: Mallrats

Cast: Shannen Doherty ... Rene Mosier
Jeremy London ... T.S. Quint
Jason Lee ... Brodie Bruce
Claire Forlani ... Brandi Svenning
Ben Affleck ... Shannon Hamilton
Joey Lauren Adams ... Gwen Turner
Renée Humphrey ... Tricia Jones
Jason Mewes ... Jay
Ethan Suplee ... Willam Black
Stan Lee ... Himself
Kevin Smith ... Silent Bob

Director: Kevin Smith

Tagline: "They're not there to shop. They're not there to work. They're just there."

Plot Summary: Two best friends whose girlfriends dump them on the same day seek solace in wandering around the local mall. Once there, wild and whacky events ensue that give them a chance to set things right with their girlfriends before it's too late.

Review and Comments: Words cannot describe what happens in this movie, it's one of those "you had to be there" kind of things...that's why the plot summary won't do the story justice. And once you see it, you either buy into it and like what you see, or you're violently annoyed by the proceedings. I can fully understand both reactions, but I'm firmly on the side of enjoying this movie. Yes, it's absurd. A lot of the comedy is slapstick. Yes, it involves a slacker college-age guy taking his less-of-a-slacker college student friend to wander around the mall the day they both experience breakups. Yes, they get into a bunch of weird and quirky situations that are either funny or annoying, depending on your sense of humor. I laughed a lot.

The relationships are about as one-dimensional as you can get. I think there's too much weird humor going on here for me to get too involved with the characters. But I appreciate how much these guys love their girlfriends. I appreciate that Brodie (Jason Lee) can't admit how much he loves his ex girlfriend, even though everyone can see it. I appreciate that Brandi (Claire Forlani) can't admit how much she loves T.S. (Jeremy London) because she's too busy trying to be mad at him and justify her breakup to herself. It's sweet to watch at times, but not much more than that. If you want depth, look elsewhere.

The comedy is what saves this movie, which is why you have to find it funny, or the movie will just annoy the hell out of you. There are several gross-out jokes, including one that made me want to puke. The elevator sex scene and ensuing discussion between the characters was hilarious. There's a running joke about a game show that's filming on a stage in the mall that night, and how Jay and Silent Bob keep attempting to sabotage it. There are about a million more, but I won't spoil them. Suffice it to say that slapstick comedy pervades this movie, and if you don't like that, you won't enjoy the movie. The ending is corny and sweet, and the proceedings are largely painless. It's not my favorite Smith film, but it's nowhere near as bad as critics made it out to be.

The Bottom Line: Perfectly fitting my weird sense of humor.

Smith is bad for comics and film.....
In 1998, when Smith's DAREDEVIL run began, everyone was saying, read it, It's great. Oh boy was it not. Very bad writing that basically destroyed the charecter, The same's true with this piece of celliod garbage. There is no one to like in this movie, heck an episode of Beveryly Hills 902010 has more plot, better dialoge, and casting then this. It should become a tradition to avoid all Kevin Smith movies as you would avoid a trip to the IRS office. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An Early Solo Classic from Jerry Lewis
Long before "Mr. Mom" or "Kramer vs. Kramer", Jerry Lewis made a great argument for fathers to have as much say in the raising and nurturing of their children as mothers. This delightful comedy (with just enough drama added in for good measure) is about a man who goes beyond expectation to care for three baby girls who are left at his doorstep.

Moreover, this is not merely a comedy, but a musical, with songs that deserve the right to be as well remembered as any from "The Wizard of Oz" or "The Sound of Music".

This, among other Jerry Lewis classics, should be issued on DVD, but until they are VHS still looks pretty good.

Excellent and I'm not even a big Jerry Lewis fan!
This is one of my all-time favorite movies and I'm not even a big Jerry Lewis fan. My children and I laugh until we're crying every time we watch this movie.

From the other reviews you know it's about a guy trying to take care of baby triplets on his own. It's an EXCELLENT family movie with a sweet story as Clayton Poole (Jerry Lewis) does everything in his power to take care of these little girls. Sure, it's hilarious but it also has a strong family theme as the Clayton, the babies' aunt and grandfather do whatever they can to do what's best for the babies. Even the mother realizes in the end that the babies are what's most important.

There is definitely something for everyone in this movie.

Why, oh why don't they put it on DVD???

Ohhhh!, Baby!
It's tough to choose which Jerry Lewis movies is my favorite, but I have to start with this one. It's sweet, darlin' and romantic all rolled up into one. It's about Clayton Poole (Jerry Lewis) a bumbling TV repairman, who by surprise becomes an adopted father to triplet baby girls. Clayton's former girlfriend turned movie star, Carla Naples (Marilyn Maxwell) springs the surprise when she leaves them on his doorstep. Noble Clayton tries to keep everything a secret but all mayhem cuts loose. And Clayton's other love interest Sandy Naples (Connie Stevens) helps Clayton out of his dilemma and from the suspicions of their father Gigi (Salvatore Baccaloni). I'll leave the ending for you to see. If you love the wacky antics of Jerry Lewis and romantic comedy by all means go for it!

Jerry is funny!
My children and I love this movie! Jerry is funny and adorable. This is definatly one of his best (it's so hard to pick a favorite!)In the movie Gerry is left to raise tripplet girls who are babies until there mother finishes shooting a film in which she star's. In the funny and famous style that only Jerry can do he makes it heaps of fun that you never get tired of watching. A good clean, funny movie for everyone.

Whoa Baby!
This video is awesome. My kids love to watch it and laugh hilariously. It is great for all ages (even me). It is about a man (Jerry Lewis) who is stuck helping raise 3 babies and it is really funny. If you buy this video, you won't be sorry. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stanley Kramer's sprawling 1963 comedy about a search for buried treasure by at least a dozen people--all played by well-known entertainers of their day--is the kind of mass comedy that Hollywood hasn't made in many years. (Another example from around the same time is Blake Edwards's The Great Race.) After a number of strangers (including Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, and others) witness a dying stranger (Jimmy Durante) identify the location of hidden money, a conflict-ridden hunt begins, watched over carefully by a suspicious cop (Spencer Tracy). The ensuing two and a half hours of mayhem has its ups and downs--some bits and performers are certainly funnier than others. But Kramer, who is better known for socially conscious, serious cinema (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?), is in a mood for broad comic characterization, and some of his jokes are so intentionally obvious (Durante literally kicks a bucket when he dies), they'd have a place in Airplane! Watch for lots of cameo appearances, including Jerry Lewis (who had called Kramer and asked him why he hadn't been invited to participate). --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (212)

Comedy For All Eternity
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World is a comedy for all eternity. This is one of those big box, big budget, long-running-time, cameo-loaded, expensive, broad-canvas farces of the 60's that I love so much. Released in 1962, this was one of Stanley Kramer's greatest and last movies. This award-winning movie is a timeless masterpiece for the whole family.

After a bouncy, splashy Saul Bass animated title sequence, the story begins with a brief car chase in the California desert. Bank robber Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante) wrecks his car, and with his dying words reveals a secret about buried treasure to the seven strangers who stopped on the roadside. 'Look for the big W' in Santa Rosita, he says, and then he kicks the bucket.

After a brief attempt at cooperation, the treasure hunt is on and it's every man for himself, in four teams. Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett decide to take to the air but their pilot, Jim Backus, gets hammered on Old Fashioneds. Husband-and-wife Sid Caesar and Edie Adams can only find a biplane cropduster. The lone truck driver, Jonathan Winters, can't get gas. And his mother-in-law Ethel Merman fatally hampers Milton Berle, with his wife Dorothy Provine.

So all four teams scamper across the landscape, across the broad canvas of this movie, wound tight by desperate greed and calmly monitored by a Sergeant Culpepper, Spencer Tracy. This is the framing story for an amazing string of billed appearances and unbilled cameos so many that at last your senses are sort of dulled. Oh, it's Carl Reiner in the control tower. Oh, look, it's Stan Freberg, yeah. The best cameo, hands down, is Jerry Lewis, who comes barreling down Long Beach Boulevard in a moment of exuberant stupidity and runs over Spencer Tracy's hat.

Probably my favorite, I have so many, co-star was Terry Thomas who plays a vacationing Englishman in a rattling station wagon, who picks up Milton Berle. He's talkative. He prattles away (accurately) about why it is that the American male is positively preoccupied with booo-sums, and says things like, "I'll wager you anything you like, if American women stopped wearing brassieres, your whole national economy would collapse overnight!" This sequence, within the context of the movie so far, has a single funny moment when this whole vast farce might come alive, find its voice, and this circus might make sense - Terry-Thomas finds the tone for the rest of the movie. I find it compelling that the aesthetic success of all this footage, all these appearances, all this thoroughly American spectacle, suddenly pivots around a few fussy syllables about breasts. But once the moment passes, Terry-Thomas is efficiently neutralized and dismissed by Ethel Merman, and on we go.

The array of challengers eventually reach Santa Rosita, and several unexplainably humorous events occur. These I will not reveal to you and allow you to view the movie on your own time. I must add though, that if you do see this movie, reserve several hours. Like most from its decade its LONG... VERY LONG... But allow me to assure you, you wont be disappointed.

Madness is Genius
Eight traveling vacationers witness the sudden car-crash and slow final death of con-man Smiler Grogan in the hills above Palm Desert, Cal.. Grogan's dying words reveal the secret location of $350,000 hidden in Santa Rosita Park, near San Diego. This sparks a wild, hectic race for the dough. Pure greed,buried treasure, and car crashes. It's all here. "It's a Mad,Mad,Mad, Mad World" was the most successful movie directed by ace Stanley Kramer. All of the famous television and film comics from 1963 appear in this wild comedy. Only Bob Hope is missing. The cast includes Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, Jerry Lewis, Joe E. Brown, The Three Stooges, Buster Keaton, Jimmy Durante, Jack Benny, Jonathan Winters, and Spencer Tracy. Ernest Gold composed an original booming, wonderful soundtrack you'll be humming for days. At two hours and 41 minutes, "Mad World" is too long, but an incredible cast and mad-cap action propel the story along. This new MGM DVD is presented in widescreen anamorphic 2.35:1 aspect. The colors are crisp and vibrant. The "Mad World" DVD includes an excellent 1991 documentary with all the major surviving cast members. There's also 1 hour of "out-takes", faded and damaged, from the original Cinerama 70mm release. And there's two trailers. The year 2001 produced an obvious remake of "Mad World" called "Rat Race", a modest hit. Stanley Kramer and Spencer Tracy made 4 classic films together. The last was the inspiring "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" in 1967. In ill health, sadly, Tracy died just days after shooting ended. Stanley Kramer himself died in Feb. 2001. His genius is now gone. His legacy lies before you.

It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad DVD
I would give this DVD 5 stars if all the movie was here, but it isn't, hence 3 stars. There's no excuse for this considering that no major restoration has been attempted here, the storage capabilities of DVDs are huge, and MGM has already released the full-length movie on VHS. The deleted scene feature is a mess. Watching the scenes seperately is tedious and not much fun. The least they could do would be to put the deleted scenes in the order that they appeared in the original film. The third and fourth scenes appear to be exactly the same as do others later on. Sometimes the scene appears the same only zoomed in. Others scenes have no sound. Some of the last scenes go on and on up to 10 minutes and contains everything that is included in the feature except for very minor snippets of dialogue. Sometimes you can't detect anything new, like in the money dividing proposal scene.

I can see why MGM would want to keep their pristine 35mm print whole and transfer that to DVD but perhaps they should have included a 2nd disc and a 2nd version that patched together all the missing scenes, no matter what condition, and reconstructed the film as best as they could to the longest originally released version.

MGM, when you finally "Special Edition" this movie offer a rebate with the proof of purchase from this inferior edition!

Best, Most Memorable Comedy Ever Made !!
I originally saw the movie in '63. I was 8. Dad started my Birthday party with it. After the movie, Dad drove the route of the Santa Monica portion of the car chase(yes, there really was a "Big W").
Just finished watching the movie on Turner TV. The narrator came on after the movie and said that THE ORIGINAL WAS 5 HOURS long(Just too much "good stuff"). The movie studio had it edited to the shortened current version of three hours.
Back in '63 it was a terrific movie-In '04 it is still a terrific movie.

An all star cast of comics, great comedy

Director: Stanley Kramer
Format: Color
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: September 26, 1995

Cast:

Spencer Tracy ... Capt. T.G. Culpeper
Milton Berle ... J. Russell Finch
Sid Caesar ... Melville Crump, DDS
Buddy Hackett ... Benjy Benjamin
Ethel Merman ... Mrs. Marcus
Mickey Rooney ... Ding 'Dingy' Bell
Dick Shawn ... Sylvester Marcus
Phil Silvers ... Otto Meyer
Terry-Thomas ... Lt.Col. J. Algernon Hawthorne
Jonathan Winters ... Lennie Pike
Edie Adams ... Monica Crump
Dorothy Provine ... Emeline Marcus-Finch
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson ... Second cab driver
Jim Backus ... Tyler Fitzgerald
Ben Blue ... Biplane pilot
Joe E. Brown ... Union official
Alan Carney ... Police sergeant
Chick Chandler ... Detective outside Chinese laundromat
Barrie Chase ... Sylvester's girlfriend
Lloyd Corrigan ... The Mayor
William Demarest ... Police Chief Aloysius
Andy Devine ... Sheriff of Crockett County
Selma Diamond ... Ginger Culpeper
Peter Falk ... Third cab driver
Norman Fell ... Detective at Grogan's crash site
Paul Ford ... Col. Wilberforce
Stan Freberg ... Deputy sheriff
Louise Glenn ... Billie Sue Culpeper
Leo Gorcey ... First cab driver
Sterling Holloway ... Fire Chief
Edward Everett Horton ... Mr. Dinckler
Marvin Kaplan ... Irwin
Buster Keaton ... Jimmy the boatman
Don Knotts ... Nervous man
Charles Lane ... Airport manager
Mike Mazurki ... Miner
Charles McGraw ... Lt. Matthews
Cliff Norton ... Reporter
Zasu Pitts ... Switchboard operator Gertie
Carl Reiner ... Tower controller at Rancho Conejo
Madlyn Rhue ... Secretary Schwartz
Roy Roberts ... Policeman outside Irwin & Ray's Garage
Arnold Stang ... Ray
Nick Stewart ... Migrant truck driver
Joe DeRita ... Fireman
Larry Fine ... Fireman
Moe Howard ... Fireman
Sammee Tong ... Chinese laundryman
Jesse White ... Radio tower operator at Rancho Conejo
Jimmy Durante ... Smiler Grogan
Roy Engel ... Patrolman/Police radio voice unit F-14
Nicholas Georgiade ... Detective at Grogan's crash site
Stacy Harris ... Police radio voice unit F-7
Don C. Harvey ... Policeman in helicopter
Allen Jenkins ... Police officer
Tom Kennedy ... Traffic cop
Harry Lauter ... Police dispatcher
Ben Lessy ... George the steward
Jerry Lewis ... Man who runs over hat
Bob Mazurki ... Eddie (miner's son)
Jack Benny ... Man in car in desert
Eddie Ryder ... Air traffic control tower staffer
Paul Birch ... Policeman
Doodles Weaver ... Dinckler's Hardware Store clerk
Stanley Clements ... Detective in squad room
Bobo Lewis ... Pilot's wife
Minta Durfee ... Bit Part

Intended to be the comedy to end all comedies, with a cast including virtually all the name comedians at the time.

Jimmy Durante plays a guy who is in a fatal auto accident, but before he dies, tells 5 bystanders where there is $350,000 hidden under a "W", whuch leads to a chase to find the money.

Meanwhile, Capt. T.G. Culpeper (Spencer Tracy) is aware of the stolen money and he and his policemen observe the chase with interest through the desert, mountains, and along the California coast, with the contestants using aircraft, cars, trucks, a bicycle and every method of transportation in their attempt to be first to reach the money.

Tracy was ill when the film was shot, and so only worked four hours per day. The long shots and physical stuff was performed by stand-ins.

This is a fun movie. If there is a criticism, it is that the comedy is perhaps overdone. With so many top comedians, there is certainly no dearth of funny lines, pratfalls, and laughs--that's for sure.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

... Read more

Reviews (108)

Grant, 2 Old Ladies & Elderberry wine=hilarity now on DVD!!
Frank Capra delivers a great film adaptation of Joseph Kesselring's Broadway hit, "Arsenic and Old Lace". Originally filmed in 1941 just prior to WWII, but not released until 1944 because of the contract agreement to allow the play to complete its Broadway run. (The play ran for 1,444 performances.)

Cary Grant in the leading role as nephew, Mortimer Brewster is at his comedic best in this black comedy of wine, family & insanity. His 2 fabulous Aunts played by Josephine Hull & Jean Adair were encored to the screen and are perfect in their roles. Boris Karloff's obligations prevented him from doing the movie and was replaced by Raymond Massey in the movie version as Grant madcap brother. The great ensemble cast also included Peter Lorre, Edward Everett Horton, Priscilla Lane & John Alexander as a delightful zany crazy, thinking he is President "Teddy Roosevelt".

Summary: It is Halloween, Mortimers wedding day & his life is about to change forever. Visiting his 2 Aunts (Hull & Adair) with his wife (Lane - Ministers daughter!) on their way to their honeymoon to Niagara Falls discovers a body in the window seat. Thinking his crazy cousin, (Alexander) has committed the crime approaches his Aunts. They not only know about the body, but they know who he was & how he died. Their elderberry wine laced with a mixture of arsenic. Oh by the way, he is the 12th to be buried in the cellar. What is Mortimer to do & is his entire family insane? We began a very entertaining & hilarious journey to answering these & many more questions.

This DVD is an excellent Black & White Full Screen (before WideScreen) transfer. Extras include Production notes.

"Arsenic and Old Lace" film adaptation is very close to the actual Broadway play & is a great classic to have in your DVD library. Enjoy.

Arsenic & Old Lace
Plot: Mortimer, a drama critic, has just got married and is about to go on his honeymoon when he discovers insanity runs in his family. His sweet maiden aunts poison lonely old men and have a number of corpses buried in the cellar.....

A film adaptation of the popular stage play, Arsenic and Old Lace is a hilarious movie perfect for people of all ages. The story of Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant), the youngest of three brothers who were raised by two dear, but eccentric, spinster aunts, who have a nasty little habit of "putting poor souls" out of their misery with a little arsenic-laced elderberry wine.

It is delightful to watch Mortimer go from a nice, normal, newlywed to a nervous, neurotic mess as he tries to figure a way out of the predicament his well-meaning aunts have placed them all in. Throw in one brother who thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt, another who is a psychopathic killer fashioned after Boris Karloff, and Peter Lorre as Dr. Einstein, a slightly intoxicated make-shift plastic surgeon, and you'll be laughing the entire way through.

All of the performances were wonderful, but Cary Grant's facial expressions, double takes, and hilarious body language are a joy to watch. A truly classic, funny movie.

"No, I'm not drunk, madame.......but you've given me an idea!" - Mortimer, seething in frustration as he tries to get past the operator, so that he can get his family committed into the HappyDale Sanitarium.

"Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops!" - Mortimer, trying to explain to his new bride why it would be best for her to leave him and never look back.

A fun Halloween story
I have seen this movie dozens of times on TV. The problem is they always cut out a lot of the little nuances that make the movie fun; sometimes it is curtail to the story. Now you can see the whole story in its entirety. Lots of sight gags and relies on many expressions to convey what they are thinking. If this looks like a play, that is because it is a play. It was written by Joseph Kesserling and opened in New York City 10 JAN 41. It ran for 1,444 performances. Boris Karloff was an investor and the star attraction so he could not be released for the movie.

The story takes place all on Halloween night in Brooklyn. Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) a critic, that wrote a scathing book about the negatives of marriage, gets married. He soon finds out about his families past and where the bodies are buried. Soon he is to be visited by his estranged or just strange brother (Raymond Massey). Seems that his brother and his brother's friend, Dr. Einstein (Peter Lorre), has some secrets of their own. Keep your eye on the elderberry wine.

Capra's Classic Black Comedy.
"Arsenic and Old Lace", starring Cary Grant and directed by Frank Capra, is taken from the stage comedy of the same name. Although the film was released in 1944, it was actually filmed in 1941, due to the stage show was still going at the time. The film also stars Priscilla Lane, along with Josephine Hull and Jean Adair, reprising their original Broadway roles as the two aunts.

Mortimer and Elaine (Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane) play newlyweds, who are about to go on their honeymoon. Mortimer first arrives back at his aunts' house, who he had grown up living with, where he finds out that the two old ladies have been bringing lonely, elderly men into their house, and killing them by putting poison into wine, and then having them buried down in the cellar. More trouble comes when Mortimer's psychopathic murdering brother, Jonathan (Raymond Massey), and his partner, Dr. Einstein (Peter Lorre) come about to make even more trouble, when they need to get rid of their own murdered victim, having escaped from jail. Jonathan comes back looking like Boris Karloff, after his partner's attempts at trying to remodel his face, as one of his many disguises. Then there's the poor new wife, who is continually being avoided by her new husband, while trying not to let her know what's going on.

The film has one of the funniest scripts, and some of the most amusing, and odd characters one could find. Ranging from the aunts who think they are doing the right thing, to the mentally insane nephew, who believes he's Teddy Roosevelt. The lines in the movie are somewhat unforgettable, and it's a great movie for many repeated viewings. Actually, I find myself liking it the more I watch it.

As for the DVD presentation from Warner Brothers, there is a serious lack of extras. Apart from the odd trailer, which you find on most DVDs, that's basically it. What can be noted though, is the very nice looking, clean print used for this decent transfer. The mono sound is very clear also, which helps when you have a film with so many jokes to be heard, on a very regular basis. So apart from the disappointing extras, this is a recommended buy, which every fan of classic movies should add to their collection.

first cary movie i saw
This is the first cary grant movie i saw. For the first one i saw i think this is a outstanding film. One of the things i thought it would not be was funny. But that changed my views from the beginning.
I can not say much else but a outstanding film. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Funny, cute, sweet and lightly witty
I had heard and heard about what a great film Something About Mary is, but never saw it. It is now clear to my why all those who praised it never really explained why it was so good. This is a guilty pleasure movie. Cameron Diaz is beautiful and plays her sweet, innocent, charming character flawlessly. The humor is in-your-face funny. Within 10 minutes you will either eject the video or sit back for a fun ride. I especially liked the twist with the heavily accented architecture character.

Bottom-line: This is a light-hearted, funny and fun film. It's not high art, strong social commentary, nor stirring dramatic fare. However, it is often witty, and always cute.

P.S. I also thought the dog scenes were hilarious slap-stick comedy. Maybe he--rather than Cameron--should get Most Valuable Player Award?

OK
The cameo appearance by Brett Farve is the best part of the film. The rest is so low brow...7th grade humor..that it is a bore. Young teens and gawkers will like this. Maybe a sports director I used to work with would like this too. HA.

To adults this is mindless garbage.

Doesn't this airline supply paper bags on its flights?
There should be stars with negative integers situated to the left of the y-axis intersection on the horizontal x-axis number line to rate this film. Watching this movie gave me the same physiological results as a good swig of ipecac. Everything from its lousy script and acting to its tasteless, sordid brand of humor (especially that "have you seen my baseball" ridicule of the mentally-challenged) made me regret even renting the video. To begin with, that offkey troubadour who must have been gonged by Jamie Farr, Jaye P. Morgan, and the Unknown Comic was painful to listen to. Cameron Diaz is currently a box office magnet with her charming looks; but she appears incongruous with her unsuitable role in this flick. Equally wasted is the appearance of Ben Stiller who is bound to find funnier and more suitable roles in his future films. Anyone who thinks any part of this film is funny has to have about enough intelligence to half-fill a shotglass. Now that the global Human Genome Project is completed, the gene responsible for bad taste can be theoretically altered and any future productions of films similar to this one can be obviated.

Looks good, not what i expected. 16th april 2004.
I watched it and it was nothing like what i had got in mind. I never expected it to be like this, it is quite boring to watch. It may look good by the box, its watchable but not brilliant.

Extremely Hilarious!
I saw There's Something About Mary when it first came out in the theaters and I even had the video but I gave the video away because when I get around to it I'm going to buy the widescreen DVD. I liked this movie and didn't have a problem with the low brow humor. Some people get offended by this type of humor but I didn't have a problem with it and I think this movie is hilarious and I think Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller were both terrific and the supporting actors were pretty good too and I even enjoyed the cameo by Brett Farve from The Green Bay Packers and I highly recommend this movie but only to people who don't have a problem with crude humor. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The history of film comedy would have been much altered if Peter Ustinov had stayed in the role of Jacques Clouseau, the bumbling French police inspector in The Pink Panther. But Ustinov dropped out, the role went to Peter Sellers, and a classic character was born: suspicious, blundering, with a pompous little mustache and a sometimes impenetrable accent, Clouseau was always one step behind everybody else in the room. The Pink Panther introduced Clouseau hot on the trail of a famous jewel thief (David Niven), who may be planning to make off with an expensive gem known as the Pink Panther. Set in a European ski resort, this bubbly comedy is a wonderful dose of '60s style, from the famous Henry Mancini theme music to the presence of two of Europe's top sex symbols of the era, Claudia Cardinale and Capucine. The film also introduced the popular cartoon Pink Panther, slinking around to Mancini's music in an animated credits sequence. The film's success brought a follow-up, A Shot in the Dark, also released in 1964; after 11 years, Sellers and top comedy director Blake Edwards (10) returned with three more sequels. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (38)

My Favorite Panther
Which Pink Panther/ Inspector Clouseau film is your favorite? I can't really decide between THE PINK PANTHER and A SHOT IN THE DARK. My heart is really with THE PINK PANTHER because I saw that in the theatre first. THE PINK PANTHER was really an event for me. It was such an 'in' film at the time. To me David Niven is really the main character of this film and he brings a lot of himself to the role, which elevates the distinction of the film quite a bit. Niven is the personification of class. The great cast also includes Robert Wagner, Capucine, Claudia Cardinale, Brenda de Banzie and Fran Jeffries (with choreography by Hermes Pan). Besides the cast I also did like the score composed by Henry Mancini. The Pink Panther Theme will live forever. Mancini was a true professional. Plus it has beautiful great outdoor scenery, photography and elegant sets, which makes it very likable and memorable in a way strangely akin to Hitchcock's TO CATCH A THIEF. The costume ball (costumes by Yves Saint-Laurent) was a real showstopper and is one of the most memorable scenes of all time. This is a highly visual told film. For me this is the best Pink Panther film.

Oh my, who was she?
agree with the last reviewer on the scene in the alpine lodge. The girl was indeed beautiful and the scene was perhaps the one I remember the most and the one I look forward to seeing over and over again(and the one I always replay at least once). However, the object of this review would have to be the movie itself.

This was perhaps the only movie that I enjoyed with Peter Sellers as Clouseau. His depiction as the bumbling inspector in Pink Panther was superb. It's unfortunate that he decided to change his style with subsequent Panther movies.

As usual, David Niven was equally magnificent as the "cat burgler" with Capucine and Robert Wagner equally enjoyable in their roles. For those who have not seen this movie, it centers around the eventual attempted theft of the Pink Panther - a jewel of immense value. It belongs to a Princess (portrayed by Claudia Cardinale) who obviously comes from some ficticious Muslim country whose enemies of her regime wishes the bauble be returned to the people. The acting is first-rate as is the cast of this fantastic comedy. It is one of those movies I enjoy over and over again and never tire of it's showing. Of course, I will always enjoy the scene in the alpine lodge, as well as the young lady who performed so magnificently and one who I have had a crush on for far too many years.

No! Not The Stradivarius!
This, the first of the exquisite Pink Panther series, is an amazing film. To know that originally Peter Ustinov was cast to play Jacques Clouseau as a straight, inept French detective is a sobering thought. After Ustinov dropped out, of course, Peter Sellers got the role and after consultation with Blake Edwards, decided to make him not only inept, but also bumbling and accident prone, a characterization that defines how we think of Clouseau today. This film is interesting in that since it is the first of the series it is interesting to see the origins of the character, and how different he is here than in later 'Panther' films. Here is clumsy and prone to pratfalls, but is less flamboyantly slapstick than in the later films.

The film also stars the wonderful David Niven, who plays the perfect suave English thief, and a very young Robert Wagner as his equally debonair nephew. Female stars are the beautiful Claudia Cardinale and Capucine, two of the top European actresses and models from the era.

The movie is a bit more sedate than the later films in the series, but still is one of the funniest movies of the sixties. 'A Shot In The Dark', also released in 1964, as the first sequel, began the transformation to the later formulas with additions such as the wonderful Herbert Lom. 'The Pink Panther' does introduce the animated 'Pink Panther' short for the first time, as well as the often imitated, never duplicated title theme. Other viewers will have their own favorite scenes, and the costume party is surely one of the highlights of the film, but for my money the best scenes in the film revolve around Clouseau trying to woo his wife by playing his Stradivarius violin, over many protestations. The look of pain on David Niven's face during his playing is worth the price of the film alone

If I were doing it today, I would buy this DVD as part of the multi DVD 'Pink Panther' set, where it also includes a few interesting bonuses such as a 'trivia track', which adds great tidbits about the film.

Peter Sellers was a comic genius, and the world still waits for another genius of his stature. I think we will be waiting a long, long time.

Not what i remember.
David Niven, (Sir Charles Lytton) and Peter Sellers (Inspector Jacques Clouseau) star in the Pink Panther, the first in a pretty successful but flawed series.

I was really looking forward to seeing this when I popped it in my dvd player, I have good memories of the bumbling Clousea but wasn't aware that his character didn't really take shape till the next film "A shot in the dark", subsequently I did not enjoy this one and found it rather boring and unfunny. I will give the sequel a chance however as, from what other reviewers have said on here, they are far funnier and contain the Clouseau that I remember.

As far as this one goes, it was boring. The scene with Niven and the princess in his room went on forever, I ended up hitting eject soon after and watched the excellent Wuthering Heights instead.

Thanks for reading, but give the next couple a chance as I will do.

Better as a self-contained movie
Than as the start of the Panther series. Too many questions arise:

1)Where is Chief Inspector Dreyfuss in all this?

2)How is Clouseau ever going to be a cop again if he was convicted of diamond theft?

3)Where is the former Mrs. Clouseau in Return of the Pink Panther?

4)Where is Cato in this film?

And many others. Too uneven. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Safe Men cracks with wit and oddball humor
Sam Rockwell and Steve Zahn in the same movie is pure brilliance. Zahn usually plays all wacky, offbeat and dumb characters and Rockwell sometimes plays different, but the chemistry between them is great and it makes this movie kickin'. Rockwell and Zahn are wanna be singers who are mistaken by the Jewish Mob or whatever you might call it (the mob include Michael Lerner and Paul Giamatti, they bring rich and snippy atmosphere to their characters, especially Giamatti as Porckchop). Meanwhile their are other two safe men on the loose played hilariously by Mark Ruffalo and Josh Pias. Ruffalo scores big time as Frank (when he tried to react what John Cusack did with the speaker was hilarious). Other funny moments include when Zahn and Rockwell try to break a safe and the woman of the house catches them. They have this long conversation and its , its the giggles. The 2nd would be when Ruffalo and Pias are talking about which Charles Angels they want and like. "Kate Jackson, yeah I used to have a sexual attraction to her when I was a kid" funny and then when their done "let's go get a slow gin fizz". A good time

The only thing it needed was more bad singing.. Really!
I found this one in the bargain bin at the video store and figured I could rent it for 2.50 or buy it for 5.00. I made the right choice and I can now watch this movie whenever I want.

A BAD lounge act is mistaken for the top safe cracking team in Rhode Island, but just maybe they have an ace in the hole. Jewish mobsters, country jam samplers, sweet moustaches, low quality knock-off jeans, and one wierd prosthetic pepper a great comedy. There are real relationships between the characters that give them genuine depth. It cleverly drives the plot with these relationships and avoids falling into the "need-some-money-before-next-Tuesday-clock" that drags around most of the lame-o comedies you see today.

Sam Rockwell is quietly assembling an impressive body of work. Take a look at this one and you can say stuff like "I was way into Sam Rockwell's early stuff a long time ago." and Steve Zahn remains hilarious even though he's the straight-man in this one. They play off of each other and the rest of the cast perfectly.

The story has wide appeal and I haven't run across anyone who hasn't enjoyed it, from my quasi-yuppy sister to my sports nut drinking buddies. Great for a date night, guys movie night, or just when you feel like watching something surprisingly warm, funny, and great.

It's a sin that this thing didn't do better, expecially when you see repetitive "funny wig-and-voice" crap coming from the SNL vets making millions. Take a chance. You will laugh more than you did at Goldmember, smile almost constantly, and feel great when it all wraps up. Definitely needs a DVD release.

Id give it five stars, if only it were on DVD
I know, I know... It's been said before. But I just wanted to reiterate that this is a movie that NEEDS a full on DVD. Hopefully, someone at Universal will read these reviews and figure out that they could make a buck by distrubitng this in DVD format. The movie itself is a great comedy, with well developed charecters (sometimes over the top, but clearly this is intentional), and the dialogue is just hilarious. This movie is a great example of what a good script combined with excellent casting can do for charecter interaction. It's always nice when you can see that the writer, director, and actors are all on the same sheet of music. Watch this movie if you want to laugh. If you don't like laughing, then I suggest you seek therapy. Oh, and watch this movie when you're cured.

comedy where Sam Rockwell shines
If you liked Sam Rockwell in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind", check this comedy out. It takes the same sort of skewed perspective to appreciate and illustrates the actor's sharp timing and subtlety. The other reviews do a good enough job of explaining the story - but there is no way to explain the off-kilter vibe of this weird little comedy. The Jewish Mob. Shelly Hack. Harvey Fierstein as a fence. Paul Giamatti (Man on the Moon, Private Parts) as Porkchop, a low-level mob thug with "daddy issues". Killer script from one of the writers of "Meet the Parents", John Hamburg - who also directs.
Hopefully the high profile "Confessions" will lead to this film's DVD release. For now, we fans will comprise a secret club. . . "nice 'stache, bro."

I LOVED THIS MOVIE!
Simple, funny and cute. Every character is adorable, and you will fall in love with all of them. I highly recommend this movie. ... Read more