The Graduate (Special Edition)

Starring:Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, Katharine Ross, William Daniels, Murray Hamilton, Elizabeth Wilson, Buck Henry, Brian Avery, Walter Brooke, Norman Fell, Alice Ghostley, Marion Lorne, Eddra Gale, Mike Farrell, Buddy Douglas, Lainie Miller, Richard Dreyfuss, Jonathan Hole, Harry Holcombe, Elisabeth Fraser
Director: Mike Nichols
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Few films have defined a generation as The Graduate did. The alienation, the nonconformity, the intergenerational romance, the blissful Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack--they all served to lob a cultural grenade smack into the middle of 1967 America, ultimately making the film the third most profitable up to that time. Seen from a later perspective, its radical chicness has dimmed a bit, yet it's still a joy to see Dustin Hoffman's bemused Benjamin and Anne Bancroft's deliciously decadent, sardonic Mrs. Robinson. The script by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham is still offbeat and dryly funny, and Mike Nichols, who won an Oscar for his direction, has just the right, light touch. --Anne Hurley

Description

Nominated* for seven Academy Awards® and winner for Best Director, this groundbreaking and "wildly hilarious" (The Boston Globe) social satire launched the career of two-time Oscar®-winner** Dustin Hoffman and cemented the reputation of acclaimed director Mike Nichols. Pulsating with the rebellious spirit of the '60s and a haunting score sung by Simon and Garfunkel, The Graduate is truly a "landmark film" (Leonard Maltin). Shy Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) returns home from college with an uncertain future. Then the wife of his father's business partner, the sexy Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), seduces him, and the affair only deepens his confusion. That is, until he meets the girl of his dreams (Katharine Ross). But there's one problem: she's Mrs. Robinson's daughter!

*1967: Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress (Katharine Ross), Cinematography and Adapted Screenplay

**1988: Actor, Rain Man; 1979: Actor, Kramer vs. Kramer

Customer Reviews:

The Graduate.......2007-06-28

One of the signature films of the 1960s, this feature introduced the world to Hoffman and gave Bancroft a racy role she played with marvelous feline cunning. This sublime black comedy transcends its period, speaking to new generations of alienated youth beginning to navigate a discordant, dysfunctional adult world. The supporting cast, including deft character players William Daniels and Murray Hamilton, are note-perfect, and that Simon & Garfunkel score still stirs the soul. A must for repeat viewings.

INTERESTING LOVE STORY FOR CRAZY ERA.......2007-06-09

The film boosted the profile of folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel, whose soundtrack album (The Graduate Original Soundtrack), on the strength of the hit single "Mrs. Robinson", rose to the top of the charts in 1968 (knocking off The Beatles' White Album).

The theme song of the movie, "The Sounds of Silence" is a melodramatic, slightly mournful tune. It manages to give the movie a sort of tension, which it demonstrates in other arenas. The generational gap is one of these themes which plays out throughout the movie. The songs seem to mainly play during moments of this particular tension, such as the scene when Ben is forced into the pool by his parents in his scuba outfit. The music gives the film a certain quality, without which it would be vastly different. Simon and Garfunkel were referred to as the "voice of a generation," and this is exactly what they provide in the movie for Benjamin and Elaine.

According to a Variety article by Peter Bart in the 15 May 2005 issue, Nichols had become obsessed with Simon & Garfunkel's music while shooting the film. Lawrence Turman, his producer, made a deal for Simon to write three new songs for the movie. By the time they were nearly finished editing the film, Simon had only written one new song. Nichols begged him for more but Simon, who was touring constantly, told him he didn't have the time. He did play him a few notes of a new song he had been working on; "It's not for the movie... it's a song about times past -- about Mrs. Roosevelt and Joe DiMaggio and stuff." Nichols advised Simon, "It's now about Mrs. Robinson, not Mrs. Roosevelt."

Noel Serrano
Gala Foundation

Akwardness Excellence.......2007-05-31

The Graduate is a classic. This is probably Dustin Hoffman's greatest performance. Never have I felt for such an awkward character. The cinetamography and directing is amazing. The ending is perfect. A most buy!

GREAT MOVIE ABOUT AN INDIVIDUALIST.......2007-03-15

Without giving spoilers away, I immediately see parallels that can be drawn between Groundhog Day and The Graduate. The main characters are individuals who, in their own way, are seeking happiness. Unlike Bill Murray's character in Groundhog Day, Hoffmann's Benjamin Braddock does not have the predicament or fortune, depending on how you look at it, of facing a "nine lives" way of living and reliving the exact same calendar day until he gets his life squared up and in order.

In both movies, there is plenty of stumbling and bumbling and repetitive, aimless wandering reminiscent of La Dolce Vita. Braddock is faced with several obstacles in his pursuit of happiness. He has just graduated from college and is expected to get a job and live out a life that is prescribed or envisioned by his parents and nearby locals.

Though he is a bit of an egoist and an egotist, Benjamin Braddock is willing to go against the grain to sort things out in his life and determine what his underlying sources of happiness truly are. This type of searching often puts him at odds with others, in fact, practically everyone else, and perhaps rightfully so, but the viewer almost cannot help but admire the "It ain't over 'til it's over" perseverance that comes to define this character.

In sum, after having also read and done a review of Ayn Rand's novel, We the Living, a book about a girl who is willing to sacrifice her personal safety in pursuit of her dreams, I conclude that The Graduate is a 1960's movie adaptation of this work but in a Western society with much fewer societal perils. A great character study is truly contained in this motion picture in a way that is not quite equalled forty years after the fact.

Five diplomas out of five for this movie!

Classic.......2007-03-04

Pretty much everybody agrres that this movie is a classic. Is it though a five star film? If you judge it from today's perspective probably not. But if you judge it from the perspective of the 60's it is. It talks (via Benjamin) about the new generation that does not know what to do with his life and his fears. Anne Bancroft is not the perfect looking woman, but she does have the capability and, in a certain way, the charm to seduce the young graduate. The film tends to be a bit slow, but again that is judging it from todays stadards and it is not exactly fair. The photography, the music and the perfomance of the cast is superb. Lets not forget that Alfa Romeo chaged the name of the car to "graduate" and sold it ntil the 80s in the US mostly due to the image of the movie.
A true classic.

Average customer rating:

Breaking Away
IU nostalgia
Buon giorno, Papa!
Breaking Away
They can't make 'em like this anymore.

Breaking Away
Starring: John Ashton , Barbara Barrie , David K. Blace , Hart Bochner , and Dennis Christopher
Director: Peter Yates
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00003CX96
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

Peter Yates's flag-waving film stands with To Kill a Mockingbird and American Graffiti as one of the best films about small-town Americana. Steve Tesich won an Oscar for his semi-biographical screenplay about four 19-year-olds who don't know what to do after high school. Dave Stohler (Dennis Christopher) and his three friends--ex-football star Mike (Dennis Quaid), wily comedian Cyril (Daniel Stern), and tough kid Moocher (Jackie Earle Haley)--are doomed to live in the college town of Bloomington, Indiana, where the local kids (nicknamed "Cutters"--a derogatory reference to quarry workers and their blue-collar families) are looked down on by the uppity students of nearby Indiana University.

Stohler escapes into a world of Italian bicycling, picking up the lingo, the accent, and a good share of the talent of his heroes. He is also the scourge of his father's life. The used-car salesman (Paul Dooley) doesn't understand his son's affection for bicycling or, for that matter, his pride in being a "Cutter."

Breaking Away rehabilitates the word heartwarming as Tesich's uncommonly intelligent script gives us well-rounded characters and a potent sense of place. The grandstanding finale--the real life "Little 500" bike race--gives the film a perfect, crowd-pleasing end. However, the film never sacrifices the development of characters for the action. Dooley is especially effective in one of those once-in-a-lifetime roles. The lifelong character actor's place in film history is established with this indispensable performance. --Doug Thomas

Product Description

This charming, Academy Award® winner (1979, Best Screenplay) cycles high on comedy as four friends come to terms with life after high school. When top-notch cyclist Dave (Dennis Christopher) learns that the world's bicycling champions are always Italian, he attempts to turn himself into an Italian, driving his parents (Barbara Barrie, Paul Dooley) crazy. But everything changes after he meets the Italian racing team - an encounter that ultimately leads him and his friends (Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley) to challenge the local college boys in the town's annual bike race.

System Requirements:

Running Time 100 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Breaking Away.......2007-07-03

Peter Yates's heartfelt, life-affirming movie will prove a winner for older kids and adults. Christopher is appealingly quirky in the central role and the film showcases the budding talents of future stars Quaid and Stern as two of Dave's buddies. Paul Dooley is outstanding as Dave's bewildered father, a solid Middle American you might actually buy a used car from. Don't miss this one.

IU nostalgia.......2007-05-13

I attended IU and I very much enjoy watching this movie again and again. It was a well written screenplay and adapted well to a movie version.

Buon giorno, Papa! .......2007-04-23

I just watched this movie for the first time in many years, and was just as captivated by it now as I was when I first saw it shortly after its release in theaters. Those who have grown up in small town America will find elements in the film that will take them back in time! I watched the film with my 12 year old, and both of us connected with the story, the characters, and the humor in it. This is indeed a real charmer of a film. I gotta have the DVD for my collection!

Breaking Away.......2007-03-28

We were so pleased to be able to purchase this movie as we could not find it anywhere else. It was in perfect condition in its original unopened wrapping and it came within three days.

They can't make 'em like this anymore........2007-03-03

"Breaking Away" is a true rarity: a feel-good movie that doesn't that isn't silly. Yes, there are plenty of laughs in it, but they're the result of great acting and writing, not the cheap, crude one-liners that litter so many of today's so-called "comedies." And while the movie will tug at your heartstrings, it never spills over into gooey sentimentality or empty pathos.

But I also feel sort of sad whenever I watch "Breaking Away." The small-town downtown where the guys hang out is just a fading memory for most Americans. And are there any old swimming holes anymore, like the quarry that the characters visit? Or have they all been paved over, for "luxury" McMansion subdivisions?

Shut me up! Just watch "Breaking Away" and enjoy it!

Average customer rating:

Breaking Away
IU nostalgia
Buon giorno, Papa!
Breaking Away
They can't make 'em like this anymore.

Breaking Away (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Dennis Christopher , Dennis Quaid , Daniel Stern , Jackie Earle Haley , and Barbara Barrie
Director: Peter Yates
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0009HLD0K
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

Description

This charming, Academy Award winner (1979, Screenplay) cycles high on comedy as four friends come to terms with life after high school. When top-notch cyclist Dave (Dennis Christopher) learns that the world's bicycling champions are always Italian, he attempts to turn himself into an Italian, driving his parents (Barbara Barrie, Paul Dooley) crazy. But everything changes after he meets the Italian racing team-an encounter that ultimately leads him and his friends (Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley) to challenge the local college boys in the town's annual bike race.

Customer Reviews:

Breaking Away.......2007-07-03

IU nostalgia.......2007-05-13

I attended IU and I very much enjoy watching this movie again and again. It was a well written screenplay and adapted well to a movie version.

Buon giorno, Papa! .......2007-04-23

Breaking Away.......2007-03-28

We were so pleased to be able to purchase this movie as we could not find it anywhere else. It was in perfect condition in its original unopened wrapping and it came within three days.

They can't make 'em like this anymore........2007-03-03

Average customer rating:

More Dangers from Being Around Poets
Toby Stephens Fans - save your money
Beautiful version of the book
...meh.
A Film For Those Who Believe In "The One True Love"

Possession
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow , Aaron Eckhart , Jeremy Northam , Jennifer Ehle , and Lena Headey
Director: Neil LaBute
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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Onegin
Possession: A Romance
Emma (1996)
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Middlemarch

ASIN: B00005JKKY
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Amazon.com

Modern love and classic romantic passion meet in this lush adaptation of A.S. Byatt's brilliant novel. Academics Roland Michell (Aaron Eckhart) and Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow) are experts on the work of two different Victorian poets. As they pursue a possible connection between their subjects, the two sleuths begin to stumble toward a romance of their own. Though it necessarily loses some of the depth of Byatt's original, Possession is a worthy adaptation, faithful to the book in both story and spirit. Director Neil LaBute uses clever and visually elegant methods of switching back and forth between time periods, subtly contrasting the prickly moderns and the swoony Victorians without making either pair seem unappealing. The movie also does an excellent job of capturing the exhilaration (and the politics) of intellectual discovery, and feels truly romantic without ever getting icky. Though Paltrow and Eckhart both succeed as the modern leads, the real standouts are Jeremy Northam as Randolph Henry Ash and Jennifer Ehle as Christabel LaMotte. Their passion gives the movie its romantic core and makes the whole search worthwhile. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

More Dangers from Being Around Poets.......2007-05-14

This movie is an emotional "roller coaster" ride dealing with what can happen to you from getting into research and especially into poetry.
The final scene in the movie, however, is worth the price by itself.
A warning: poetry is very dangerous stuff; be careful!

Toby Stephens Fans - save your money.......2007-04-19

Toby Stephens barely appears in this film. He's supposed to be a villian but you see so little of him he hardly registers.

The film itself is well-plotted, well-shot, well-acted but very poorly written. It's about poets (a take-off on the Brownings' story), but none of the characters says anything remotely poetical or memorable. You would have to care about the characters to swallow the fantastical story, and unfortunately the characters are such stereotypes that it just doesn't hold together. If you're hungry for romance read the Brownings' letters -- pure sugar cane as opposed to this way over-processed stuff.

Beautiful version of the book.......2007-03-30

Ever read a book and missed something... it happened for me with Possession...

It was one of those books that just leapt out at me... I'm not usually into this type of book but the cover and the write up had me intrigued.

I read the book over the summer and absolutely loved the romance... slightly dark... but very real!

Then we get a wait of about 7 years! And I see the adverts for the film... and it's got Gwyneth in it!!

So first time I see it is on a flight to the US... oh my god I cried... discretely... but god it's a heart wrenching film...

And I picked up the the epilogue bit which I had never read or didn't remember from the book! That one floored me! A very perfect ending to such a beautiful book and film.

Acting is superb and really brings the book to life without losing any of the qualities of the book.

Highly recommended!!! Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle make such a fantastic couple with lots of natural chemistry... and Aaron Eckhart and Gwyneth make a great couple too... both irresistably drawn to one another!

Favourite lines... 'you take my breath away madam' and 'I just had to see your face'... both delivered with perfect timing...

...meh........2007-02-28

Possession (Neil LaBute, 2002)

There are two types of adaptations: the good and the not-so-good. They can be broken down, of course, into subcategories (brilliant novels adapted into brilliant films vs. mediocre novels adapted into brilliant films, etc.), but the basics are the good and the not-so-good. Possession had all the promise of being a good adaptation-- a fine novel, a solid director, a fantastic cast. What we got is, well, not-so-good.

Roland Michell (LaBute regular Aaron Eckhart), an American grad student, is studying the work of Victorian poet Randolph Henry Ash (Jeremy Northam, recently of The Statement). While doing research for his advisor, he stumbles upon something that may change the face of Ash scholarship entirely-- a possible affair with contemporary feminist Christabel LaMotte (Sunshine's Jennifer Ehle). In order to further research the possible link, he contacts Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow), the foremost scholar on LaMotte, and the two of them start digging deeper into their literary mystery.

It's a very pretty movie, more Merchant-Ivory than Your Friends and Neighbors, but it seemed to be missing something. Unfortunately, I don't know the novel well at all, and so I can't quite put my finger on what, exactly, it is that's missing. One doesn't have to be a Possession scholar, however, to note something of a lack of chemistry between Paltrow and Eckhart, especially when juxtaposed with Northam and Ehle, who sizzle every time they're together on the screen (and often when they're not). It's not a bad movie, mind you, it just seems like it could have been a good deal more than it is. ** ½

A Film For Those Who Believe In "The One True Love".......2006-08-25

To appreciate this story, you have to believe that two people can meet and quickly fall forever into forbidden love. That is what is at the heart of this film. If you can't accept that premise, the movie simply does not work. And what makes it throb with life for me are the excellent performances of Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle whose mutual passion sweeps us along. Paltrow and Eckhart are a secondary love story here, but you never feel that they really care for one another. Worth your time if you are a romantic. OK, I'm a romantic. Sue me!

Average customer rating:

IF YOU LIKED CB4, YOU'LL LOVE THIS
Fear of a Black Hat
Spinal Tap meets 80's rap world
I'm afraid it is not funny...
Top of your must-view list

Fear of a Black Hat
Starring: Reggie Bruce , Jeff Burr , G. Smokey Campbell , Deezer D , and Howie Gold
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00009MEKQ
Release Date: 2003-07-08

Amazon.com

What is it about the mock documentary and popular music that seem to produce such deliciously subversive comedies? It worked for This Is Spinal Tap and it works again for Fear of a Black Hat, a mockumentary about a hot but hapless rap group. Writer-director Rusty Cundieff plays Ice Cold, leader of the gangsta rap group NWH (Niggaz with Hats), which also includes Tone-Def and Tasty Taste--and which seems to hit all the hot-button issues in rap today. Guns, obscenity, videos, violence--Cundieff has a sly sense of humor and knows how to get to the punch line over and over again. The result is surprisingly funny, an undiscovered gem that somehow slipped through the cracks during its meager theatrical release. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

IF YOU LIKED CB4, YOU'LL LOVE THIS.......2007-04-01

Great film from start to finish, had this film on vhs for years, so getting it on dvd with the extras was like watching for the first time, well worth the money

Fear of a Black Hat.......2007-03-20

If you laughed while watching Spinal Tap you'll roll on the floor watching the chronological documentary about NWH, the satirical hip hop pioneers. Like Spinal tap most of the antics are based on factual incidences which have become legend in the hip hop world. Even if you are not a fan of the genre this movie trancends any misconseptions and delivers over and over again. It is very obvious who NWH parodies throughout different parts of their career, and the lyrics are so entertaining you will remember them for the rest of your life. Enjoy the trip.

Spinal Tap meets 80's rap world.......2007-03-08

The movie draws heavily from This is Spinal Tap, but manages to successfully blend the mockumentary feel of that classic with the world of 80's gangsta rap. The group NWH is made up of 3 stereotypical rappers and they are surrounded by many other characters which are parodies of real world rappers of the time (Vanilla Sherbet, M.C. Slammer). It is not movie with people who have a sensitivity for cursing or rap culture at it's fullest.

I'm afraid it is not funny..........2007-01-13

I expected this movie to be side splitting funny, didn't live up to the hype.

Top of your must-view list.......2006-11-11

One of the funniest, most underrated movies of our time. Don't know why it was overlooked in theatrical release. Think "This Is Spinal Tap" meets Chappelle's Show. Wonderfully explicit and tasteless just like the music of the era, and in a hilarious, not offensive way. Definitely a must-view if you liked early 90s rap music (NWA, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre).

Average customer rating:

Movie
Compelling portrayal surrounding the decison of abortion
3 women,3 eras,1 choice,and a house that knows it all!
HBO Rocks
IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK

If These Walls Could Talk
Starring: Vaughn Armstrong , Dena Burton , Kevin Cooney , Marie DeCicco , and Tim DeKay
Director: Savoca, Nancy
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
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ASIN: 0783116896
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Virtually no one is ambivalent about abortion; the issue polarizes people like no other. HBO tackles the subject head-on with a trilogy of shorts, and, regardless of your opinion on the topic, If These Walls Could Talk is a bold and provocative examination of how the laws and attitudes about abortion in the United States have both changed drastically and remained so much the same.

Three women, three time periods, one house: each finds herself in trouble and must face the overwhelming decision about what to do with the unwanted pregnancy. The first segment is the most powerful, featuring Demi Moore as a young, recently widowed nurse in 1952. With no one to turn to and limited financial means, her options are few. Catherine Keener costars as her harshly judgmental sister-in-law. The next piece occurs in 1974, as Sissy Spacek, a mother of four who is trying to earn a college degree, discovers she's pregnant with her fifth child. Her utterly modern feminist daughter encourages Spacek to get a newly legal abortion, but it's a complex decision. In the final segment, college student Anne Heche becomes pregnant by her married professor. Her best friend, played by Jada Pinkett, is resolutely against abortion and the two wrangle over right and wrong. As the young woman tries to learn about her options, she finds herself enmeshed in the pro-life demonstrations outside the abortion clinic. Cher, who directs this segment (the other two are directed by Nancy Savoca), costars as a doctor at the clinic.

While trying to be evenhanded and demonstrating the different choices different women make, the film does have a decidedly pro-choice leaning. Yet the power of the movie is undeniable and it raises significant questions on both sides of the abortion debate, making it an important film for women (and men) everywhere to watch and talk about. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

Movie.......2007-03-22

I have not watched this movie as of yet. But, I can't wait to watch it.

Compelling portrayal surrounding the decison of abortion.......2007-03-09

There is not enough to say about this film, the timeline sequence was great. The challenges that these women and men face was a honest portrayal. I wish that it had touched on the expereinces that women of color endured too. Their stories often are overlooked. Walls is a brilliant piece for activists for this issue.

3 women,3 eras,1 choice,and a house that knows it all!.......2007-02-04

HBO was daring enough in 1996 to brutally and frankly set forth the plight of three different women who in different times in this country inhabited the same house and confronted the same issue-what to do about an unexpected and unplanned pregnancy.Each episode is 30 minutes in length,and is very briskly paced.In 2007 this film will gender just as much if not more controversy than it did back then.Passionate issues make for passionate films and WALLS will challenge your views on the abortion issue no matter where you might stand.
Hollywood greats Demi Moore,Sissy Spacek and Anne Heche play the three women in turmoil.Each of their situations are unique,but each is faced with the gut-wrenching decision of to abort or to continue with the pregnancy.Moore 's character is a recent War widow who ,in a moment of "weakness",has a moment with her her brother-in-law,thus leaving her with her decision in an era when abortions were sought undercover and at great peril and risk to all parties.Forward 22 years.Abortion is now newly legal,but still in it's early stages. Spacek is a married mother of four children.She is finally pursuing a school degree and must wrestle with her choices that also involve household finances, her children and her husband.Fast forward another 20 years and Anne Heche is an unwed college student who has become pregnant from an affair with a professor. Her decision must be made in the midst of much anti-abortion protest at a nearby Family Health Center and at the protestation of her best friend.
HBO clearly and poignently explores the complex nature of the plight of these women in and extremely challenging and brutally frank yet still tastefully considerate way.Each episode explores,also, the prevailing mood of the time which very cleverly puts each ladies' turmoil into a proper perspective.Each portrait is quite intimate and unique,and each will shock and inform .
Men will benefit greatly by watching this film.It is essential viewing in helping to understand much more clearly the plight of women throughout the years.Suggested companion movies would be IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK 2, ROE VS.WADE,THE MAGDALENE SISTERS, VERA DRAKE , DECEMBER BRIDE and more loosely THE HOURS and FAR FROM HEAVEN.

HBO Rocks.......2007-01-14

This HBO original movie premiered in 1996. It follows three women, Demi Moore in 1952, Sissy Spacek in 1974, and Anne Heche in 1996, who must decide whether to have an abortion. This movie was very touching and shows the strugles women go through, even when abortion is legal.

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK.......2006-11-06

I LOVE THIS MOVIE, ALONG WITH #2. THE WAY THE AUTHOR TELLS LIFE SO SIMILAR IS DIFFERENT CENTURYS. IT'S AMAZING HOW THINGS CHANGE, AND PEOPLE LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I WATCH OVER AND OVER, EVERY TIME IT GIVES ME THE SAME ENJOYMENT AS THE FIRST TIME. THANKS.....

Average customer rating:

thought provoking
Labute at his best
She loves me (not)
Time To Shape Up
No, No, No!

The Shape Of Things
Starring: Gretchen Mol , Paul Rudd , Rachel Weisz , and Fred Weller
Director: Neil LaBute
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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Your Friends & Neighbors
In the Company of Men
The Shape of Things
Beautiful Creatures
Confidence

ASIN: B00005JMBQ
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com

Controversial director Neil LaBute tweaks our culture's moral compass in his dark comedy The Shape of Things. Dorky museum guard Adam (indie heartthrob Paul Rudd, made to look as dweebish as possible) meets student Evelyn (Rachel Weisz) as she's preparing to deface a classical statue; instead of stopping her, he musters up the courage to ask her out. But soon he finds himself so completely in her thrall that he willingly succumbs to her every want--and she wants him to change his hair, his clothes, his face, even his friends (Frederick Weller and Gretchen Mol). In In the Company of Men, LaBute presented two men cruelly experimenting with a deaf woman's affections; The Shape of Things proposes that women can be just as monstrous. Though LaBute could stand to delve more deeply, this well-acted and cunningly written film will provoke conversation afterwards--and not many movies nowadays can do that. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

thought provoking.......2007-06-24

I knew nothing of this movie and didn't expect to like it, but I found it interesting. Once I became interested in the unusual pairing of Rachel Weisz and Paul Rudd, I had to watch the whole thing through.
There's a very sinister suprise ending that made me say...HOW COULD SHE DO THAT? Check it out, it's not too bad!

Labute at his best.......2007-05-28

Deception. Hate. Cheating. Heartbreak. For some, these are aspects of life and relationships best not explored in films. For all others, there is Neil LaBute, a writer/director who's fearless when it comes to exploring the darker side of human nature. LaBute exploded onto the scene in 1997 with the controversial "In The Company Of Men," a film about two young men who play a devastatingly cruel trick on a deaf female coworker. Subsequent efforts such as "Your Friends And Neighbors" and "Nurse Betty" showed LaBute continuing to push the envelope while enlisting A-list actors such as Morgan Freeman, Renee Zellweger and Ben Stiller.

"The Shape Of Things" shows LaBute at the top of his game. Paul Rudd plays Adam, a shy, nerdy college student who works part-time at a local museum. While working one day he meets Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), an attractive graduate art student who surprisingly takes a liking to Adam. The two begin seeing each other, later embarking on an ill-fated double date with Adam's former roommate Philip (Fred Weller), a cocky jock who delights in mocking Adam; and Jenny (Gretchen Mol), a fellow student who the gregarious Philip "stole" from Adam.

Before long, Adam has fallen hard for Evelyn, who fulfills his every sexual desire and slowly begins transforming his physical appearance. She changes his hair, gets him to lose weight via a new running regiment, overhauls his wardrobe and more. As Adam's physical transformation progresses, he changes emotionally as well, gaining a newfound sense of confidence. His new demeanor catches the attention of Jenny, and flirtation ensues. From there the games of deception begin, and it all builds to a brutal climax in which more than one character experiences the ultimate in humiliation.

It sounds like the potential stuff of soap opera. But LaBute is the rare filmmaker who strikes a raw nerve with his words and cinematic style, and he uses the setup to make one stingingly perceptive observation after another about art, humanity, and relationships. The film, adopted from LaBute's play (which starred the same actors) sometimes feels stagy, but with dialogue this sharp, who's complaining?

Each actor is standout. Weisz, the most well known of the crew, is surprisingly good, even delivering lengthy monologues about the nature of art with ease, and looking stunning every minute. Rudd, who had a long-running role on "Friends," makes the transformation from nebbish nerd to sharp-dressed stud with impressive ease. Weller also makes a strong impression as the classic slimy-male LaBute character. The solid Mol, another future star, rounds out the impressive cast. My only complaint: Where's LaBute regular Aaron Eckhart, one of the best actors in the biz?

Stellar acting aside, the movie belongs to LaBute, who with each of his films continues to show that's he one of the most unique voices in American cinema. It may not be perfect, but it's still exciting to watch LaBute climb out on a limb and take chances. This is a film, like LaBute's incendiary debut "In The Company Of Men," that's guaranteed to divide audiences and promote debate. Where else can you see a film where the lead actress flips off the audience during a pivotal scene? Whether you're flipping her the bird right back or cheering her on, "The Shape Of Things" is one film you don't want to miss.

She loves me (not).......2007-01-02

Paul Rudd plays a man who has nothing whatsoever that makes him distinguishable from anyone else. One day he meets a graduate art student at the gallery where he works and asks her out. She accepts which is a surprise to him since he's slightly overweight, wears glasses, has never had much success with ladies, and she is--in a word--stunning.

Soon into their relationship things about Rudd's character start to change. He begins working out, dressing better, and starts to consider cosmetic surgery. In direct proportion to how much time he spends with his artistic, creative, and beautiful girlfriend he starts to see more of these qualities in himself. In fact, so much so that he's willing to sacrifice his friendships to become closer to her. Then comes the day that her final art project is revealed and Rudd begins to question the validity of their entire relationship.

This was one of those films that makes you not want to be around people because you can't help but think that everyone might be as unfeeling and uncaring as some of the characters in this film. To put someone else's feelings and wellbeing in jeopardy for the sake of one's own art is incomprehensible to me... and fascinating to watch. The Shape of Things is one of those films that makes you think about things and is therefore, in my opinion, worthwhile. Like Voltaire once said, "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." I hate the message that this film presents. I hate the bleak picture it paints for the state of people's emotions and the way that people can overlook the bounds of common courtesy for their own selfish ends. But that being said, I understand that it happens every day, and this film does a great job of portraying the banality of human thoughtlessness.

I think it's also important to watch the introduction to the film by director Neil LaBute that's included as one of the DVD extras. In it, he talks about the difficulties of bringing this story, which was originally written as a stage play, to the theatre and how it affected the casts' performances.

Time To Shape Up.......2006-11-02

There's a point in Neil LaBute's razor sharp satire, The Shape Of Things, where the protagonists, Adam and Evelyn, are discussing a show they've just seen. Their graphic description sounds suspiciously like Karen Finley, whose zany antics helped galvanize the extreme right wing against all things liberal and artistic. I saw Finley perform and will freely concede that watching her pour chocolate sauce on her naked body was amusing, diverting, and tested the perimeter of what may seriously be called art. Finley's position was that she herself was her own artistic statement. Evelyn, played brilliantly by Rachel Weisz, takes this concept one step further.

Although it reads like a play adapted for film, it is, The Shape Of Things is really more like a slow burning horror movie that builds to an unbearable climax. It's urbane and clever, a yuppified Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolf in its sensibility. Plenty of fun references for all the liberal arts major out there. But beneath all this smart banter is a basic assumption laying the groundwork for cruelty to come. That is, when we fall in love, we fall in love with the person who we will have shaped out of the person who is before us now. We don't even see the actual person in front of us; we see what that person might become.

In this regard, The Shape Of Things is a "high concept" film, because it addresses a clearly defined philosophical problem. But the great irony here is that almost all of us are ultimately disappointed because efforts to change the objects of our affection are doomed to failure; people simply don't change unless they must. Thus, the day comes for us when we look across the breakfast table and see the actual person, at last, and most often, that individual is not from royal lineage. We say goodbye to the imaginary person we thought we could shape, and feel a sense of loss.

The dynamic between Adam and Evelyn poses the opposite question - what if you succeeded in shaping a person to your will? What then? What would you have gained? What would be the consequences of such an act, especially the unintended consequences? It's a fascinating question with many layers of complexity, and LaBute is to be congratulated for raising it in his compact, disciplined film. All four players come through admirably, Weisz is amazing, and Paul Rudd delivers the goods in a deceptively understated way. Evelyn's sketchy motives for remaking Adam are clearly the lynch pin of The Shape Of Things, but all the human interactions in this film will get you thinking and keep you thinking. Recommended.

No, No, No!.......2006-07-23

This movie does not adress art in any way, shape, or form. Do not be fooled.

Average customer rating:

The Graduate
INTERESTING LOVE STORY FOR CRAZY ERA
Akwardness Excellence
GREAT MOVIE ABOUT AN INDIVIDUALIST
Classic

The Graduate (Special Edition)
Starring: Anne Bancroft , Dustin Hoffman , Katharine Ross , William Daniels , and Murray Hamilton
Director: Mike Nichols
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Annie Hall
Sunset Boulevard (Special Collector's Edition)
On the Waterfront (Special Edition)
Citizen Kane
Lawrence of Arabia (Limited Edition)

ASIN: B00000K0DS
Release Date: 1999-12-07

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

The Graduate.......2007-06-28

INTERESTING LOVE STORY FOR CRAZY ERA.......2007-06-09

Akwardness Excellence.......2007-05-31

GREAT MOVIE ABOUT AN INDIVIDUALIST.......2007-03-15

Classic.......2007-03-04

Average customer rating:

FHH
Funny as in Peculiar
Andrew Bujalski's first feature is like a fresh breeze of freshness
winning independent feature
One of my favorite movies

Funny Ha Ha
Starring: Mark Capraro , Jonathan Clermont , Kate Dollenmayer , Sheila Dubman , and Thomas Hansen (II)
Manufacturer: Fox Lorber
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Similar Items:

Mutual Appreciation
The Holy Girl
Kings & Queen
Half Nelson
The Best of Youth

ASIN: B0009Y25ZU
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Description

When you graduate college you easily sashay into the world of adulthood, start a career and get serious, right? Wrong! Marnie has left college, but not her drinking habits and her bad taste in men. After being fired from her job, 23 year-old recent college-graduate Marnie tries to maintain her humor and dignity. Drifting through a series of temp jobs and men, hanging out with her friends, Marnie just can't seem to get it together…it would be sad if it weren't so funny. This heartfelt, intelligent look at real life has made director Andrew Bujalski, winner of the Someone to Watch Award at the Independent Spirit Awards, a filmmaker to expect great things from

Customer Reviews:

FHH.......2007-03-19

Andrew Bujalski's quietly impressive "Funny Ha Ha" uses the uncertain future of a smart but shy, post-graduate Boston woman as the launching pad for a beautifully observant and wholly unpretentious film with roots more in Cassavetes than Sundance-style showbiz. Made under the sway of the DIY (Do It Yourself) art movement, pic is a deliberate throwback to a much earlier American indie period, when filmmakers shot on 16mm, recorded in mono and didn't bother with a production company moniker.

"Funny Ha Ha" serves as a memorable debut for first-time thesp Kate Dollenmayer, whose Marnie becomes unselfconsciously emblematic of an entire generation of over-educated, under-employed American youth.

Marnie is first seen drunk at a tattoo parlor, but she's hardly some "bad girl"; rather, she seems to take each step through life gingerly, not quite sure where to walk next. Randomness seems to rule her existence: She runs into friends Dave and Rachel (Myles Paige, Jennifer L. Schaper) and tags along with them to dinner, where she admits to Rachel that she has a crush on Alex (Christian Rudder) but instinctively -- and, it eventually turns out, correctly -- senses that it will go nowhere.

Film introduces characters and situations, and then allows them to percolate naturally to the surface. At her new temp office job, Marnie is seated alongside nice but ultra-nebbishy Mitchell (Bujalski), whose awkward way of showing interest in her doesn't emerge until his desperation move on her during her last day on the job.

The subsequent dates between Marnie and Mitchell surely rank among the most painfully awkward and real encounters between the sexes in recent movies, culminating in the sort of thoughtless and spontaneous behavior that goes on all the time in real life, but almost never on screen.

Bujalski's improv approach is gracefully married with a style that is not overly-dramatic, and therefore seems just a hair short of pure documentary. Even unexpected encounters that other directors may have exploited for intense dramatic effect, such as a drunk Dave suddenly kissing Marnie in a car, play out and then fade away with the natural pulse of everyday life.

Just as underplayed are myriad character details, such as Marnie's evident interest in religion, that are gently observed but never underlined.

The non-pro cast appears inspired from the first frame, none more so than Dollenmayer, who invests Marnie with a genuine expression of innocence concealing a certain adult wisdom that keeps her out of serious trouble. Dollenmayer is uncommonly attuned to Marnie's moment-by-moment responses --and knack for confused and confusing conversations, the film's constant source of wit.

Tech package couldn't be less slick, and this becomes the movie's true badge of honor.

Funny as in Peculiar.......2007-03-01

"Funny Ha Ha" was not a film which made me laugh. It made me nervous. The characters seemed uncomfortable with themselves. They twitched and reached out toward their desires and then as quickly pulled their hands away. My favorite character was Jennifer L. Schaper's Rachel who seemed to be a hippie, comfortable with herself and her relationship with Dave. While she wasn't movie-star gorgeous by any means, she seemed to be the girl next door that you hoped would live nearby. The low production values of the film make you want to root for it. But a funny -- not funny as in humorous, but more funny like peculiar -- thing happens about halfway through the movie. You wonder if anything is ever going to actually happen. We see Kate Dollenmayer's Marnie plodding through various employment situations and trying on relationships like gloves that don't fit too well. I was tired; so I fast-forwarded through the rest of the film to see if something happened. It didn't seem like it, but I decided to return the next day and actually finish watching the movie, just so I could say I'd done it. I did it. Why, I don't know. Filmmaker Andrew Bujalski has a nervous Woody Allen-like style that would be more appealing if he also had a sense of humor. Christian Rudder as Alex looked like he could be a romantic interest, but then he maybe got married to a girl without having a ceremony. Myles Paige's Dave drunkenly puts the moves on Marnie in an automobile and then leaves without cashing in. Kate Dollenmayer won the Best Actress Runner Up Award of the National Society of Film Critics for this in 2005. I'm not sure what she ran up to, or why they wanted to recognize this. I didn't find a great artistic statement in this movie. If you're looking to cheer about this, it's boy gets 16 mm camera, boy shoots movie, boy gets it on DVD and makes a second film. Nothing in the movie itself grabbed me. In the end, I wished I rented a different movie. "Boring Snore Snore" would have been a better title. Taxi.

Andrew Bujalski's first feature is like a fresh breeze of freshness.......2007-01-04

I saw director Andrew Bujalski's second feature film "Mutual Appreciation" a year ago at the Rotterdam Film Festival and totally fell in love with it. The film depicted 30-somethings and their relationships in what I considered a fresh and new way. It almost felt like the characters were filmed in secret, like it was real.

Naturally I wanted to see his first feature, "Funny Ha Ha", as well, and I was not disappointed. That same freshness was there, too. The characters act like people I know (sometimes like myself, too): they are funny and sympathetic and you want them to do well but at the same time they are annoyingly incompetent in handling their relationships or life in general. And you feel relieved cause you know that you are, too, and you know that you are not alone.

The film starts from the middle of nowhere and ends in media res but it feels like a coherent whole nonetheless. It's entertaining and thought-provoking. Imagine a film made by a forty years younger Woody Allen or a feature-length episode of "Friends" that is not made for idiots.

A special note should also be made on the music which is by Bishop Allen (the band's Justin Rice plays a minor role in "Funny Ha Ha" and one of the leads in "Mutual Appreciation"). The songs are witty and catchy, and perfectly set the tone for the film.

winning independent feature.......2006-12-17

First time filmmaker Andrew Bujalski's extremely low-budget feature "Funny Ha Ha" has many of the hallmarks of an early John Cassavetes film: grainy camerawork, minimalist storytelling, and naturalistic, ad lib performances.

Bujalski's cast of characters is made up entirely of white urban youth in their early to mid 20's - that awkward period in life after an individual has finished college yet before he has moved on to building his own career and family. Given what appears to be their first real taste of freedom and independence, the characters do little but sit around, get drunk, and talk about their romantic relationships, but Bujalski observes all this without hysteria and judgment, thereby lending the film the aura of real life being caught on film.

The focal point is an attractive young woman named Marnie (Kate Dollenmayer) who drinks a bit too much, seems vaguely directionless and lacking in energy, and is somewhat inexperienced in the ways of love, but who, nevertheless, seems reasonably well grounded and knows her own limits as a person.

"Funny Ha Ha," despite its occasional raggedness and self-indulgence, is blessedly free of contrivance and melodramatics. These may not be the most goal-oriented or socially-conscious youth we've ever encountered in the movies, but neither are they the most troubled or self-destructive. They seem like pretty ordinary kids living in the moment and only vaguely aware that there's a world outside of themselves that they are destined to become a part of in the very near future.

The beauty of the dialogue rests in its ability to capture with uncanny accuracy the way people in the real world actually speak. The characters interact in ways that are genuine and believable, and life just seems to be unfolding as we watch it on screen. This is due in small measure to the fine performances from a cast of virtual unknowns who know how to appear relaxed, honest and natural in front of the camera.

With its improvisational and off-the-cuff filmmaking style and its abrupt, the-camera-just-ran-out-of-film ending, "Funny Ha Ha" makes us feel as if we are eavesdropping on the daily lives of a handful of relative strangers. Lucky for us, they turn out to be people in whom we can see something of ourselves reflected, and with whom we enjoy spending our time.

One of my favorite movies.......2006-11-20

I had to write this review to balance out the one calling it the "worst movie ever". In the other direction, I'm going on record with calling this one of the Best movies, ever. The writing, acting, filming, everything is perfect. The greatness of this film blows me away. I could watch this over and over for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy.

Just go see it. Rent it off Netflix, anything. Bujalski is one of the greats, and in ten years he will be known as one of the finest American filmmakers.

Average customer rating:

Good Israeli comedy
Much Better Than Expected
I could imagine that this has happen to A LOT of people.
A gem of Israeli cinema with universal emotional resonance
Zaza not good enough for Judith

Late Marriage
Starring: Lior Ashkenazi , Ronit Elkabetz , Moni Moshonov , Lili Koshashvili , and Aya Steinovitz
Director: Dover Koshashvili
Manufacturer: New Yorker Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Walk on Water
Time of Favor
Broken Wings
Ushpizin
Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi

ASIN: B00008H2NK
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Amazon.com

This remarkable Israeli movie starts as a sweet romantic comedy: unmarried at 31, Zaza is an embarrassment to his family. Though they parade him past young, attractive, and eligible girls, he resists them all--because Zaza already has a secret love affair with Judith, a divorcée. Zaza knows his parents would never accept Judith; but when his parents find out, the results are worse than either of them ever expected, leading to a harrowing and sad conclusion. Late Marriage has an amazing richness of character and honesty about their behavior. Every turn of the story is full of lively, unexpected details; there's not a predictable moment in the entire movie. The extensive sex scene between Zaza and Judith has an intimacy and dimension unseen in American movies. Quite simply, one of the best movies of 2001. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Good Israeli comedy.......2007-04-09

One might have thought that arranged marriages are a thing of the past among Israeli Jews. But according to this bittersweet comedy, the tradition is alive and well, at least among the conservative Georgian Jewish community in Israel the movie is set on (director Kashashivili belongs to that community). The protagonist of the movie is Zaza, an unmarried man in his early thirties and graduate student in philosophy (played by the fine actor Lior Ashkenazi, who starred as the brutal Mossad agent in another great Israeli movie, Walk on Water). His concerned family shows him young, attractive, and eligible girls, but he resists them all - since he already has a secret love affair with Judith, a sexually liberated mother and divorcée. Zaza knows his extended family would never accept Judith; but when they find out, the results are worse than you can imagine. Let just say, quoting one critic, that joining the Foreign Legion is probably preferable than living with such family. The ending is quite sad, but this is a remarkable film.

Much Better Than Expected.......2007-02-25

A real surprise of a film, very watchable and interesting. The lead actors are attractive and competent. Even the dog "Mouki" can steal a scene!

I could imagine that this has happen to A LOT of people........2006-11-01

I too have no idea as to why others would compare this film to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Monsoon Wedding." It doesn't even come close to this film. "Late Marriage" may appear as an ethnic comedy at first but the film gradually grows to a melancholic drama, focusing on the main problem of the new generation of Georgian individuals - the dualism between their traditions and between their desires to join the modern society. Zaza (Lior Ashkenzai), who reflects this problem well, is an educated PhD. and yet, he finds it hard to fulfill his desires to marry a girl which is not from his Georgian tribe, for he knows the complications to come, and knows that he will fail in coping with them.

This movie doesn't seem like it should be that fantastic, as the tradition-versus-modernity relationship topic is well-trodden in foreign films to say the least, but I absolutely couldn't take my eyes off of this story. Zaza's parents steals most of the scenes in this film, both comically and tragically as a couple unable to fully confront the re-opening of their own relationship scars caused by witnessing their son's own struggle. The little girl playing Madonna is an excellent actress playing a child caught in an adult vortex she can neither fully understand nor escape. Meanwhile Lior Askenazi fills out his role rather nicely as the entangled groom-to-be, whose only escape from his unsolvable dilemma is to sink as deeply as possible into his aloof, impulsive persona. You can also see that he refuse to give up his long-term passionate affair with Judith (Ronit Elkabetz). In the middle of this there is a long scene of graphic sexual involvement between them, giving the impression of really making love and being in love complete with multiple orgasms and concern about contraception.

Some viewers simply didn't identify with Zaza or found him too "simple" in this story. What could be more complex than someone who lets what he loves be taken away from him? He unlocks the door to his lover's building so that his parents can come up and destroy his relationship. This is all too real, all too human.

I find the ending ingenious. Instead of a normal, fantastic movie ending, we are hit with realism. Other than that it's an enjoyable film to watch.

A gem of Israeli cinema with universal emotional resonance.......2005-12-19

Lior Ashkenazi's understated performance as a detached bachelor caught up between his menacing parents, his rather naïve understanding of