Connie And Carla (Full Screen Edition)

Starring:Nia Vardalos, Toni Collette, David Duchovny, Stephen Spinella, Alec Mapa, Chris Logan (II), Robert Kaiser, Ian Gomez, Nick Sandow, Dash Mihok, Robert John Burke, Boris McGiver, Don Ackerman (II), Debbie Reynolds, Veena Sood, Babs Chula, Linda Darlow, Charles Payne (II), Michael Roberds, Guy Fauchon
Director: Michael Lembeck
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Some Like It Hot gets a queer makeover in Connie and Carla, a lightweight comedy from the writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In Billy Wilder's classic, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis teamed up in a male-as-female drag comedy, whereas here, writer-star Nia Vardalos goes a step further (and several derivative steps backwards), teaming up with Toni Collette as the titular heroines, playing women posing as men posing as women--kind of like Victor/Victoria with excess mascara. They witness a murder, and the killer knows it, so they hightail it out to West Hollywood, where (with the help of poodle wigs and garish cosmetics) they blend in with the performing drag queens at the Handlebar club, where queer makeovers are fabulously mandatory. Connie (that's Vardalos, to Collette's ditzy Carla) gets the hots for a drag queen's straight brother (David Duchovny), and even Debbie Reynolds pitches in to give a show that any gay crowd would love. There are some well-earned laughs along the way, but the whole thing feels like a sitcom we've seen before, which pretty much summarizes Vardalos's career to date. Vardalos has genuine comedic talent (and so does Collette), but it's adrift in this hash of old ideas. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

D King.......2007-05-23

A thoroughly enjoyable movie. Sad and hilarious parts but most importantly was David Duchovny's role as locating and trying to get to know his estranged brother and the gradual understanding, appreciation and acceptance of his brother's lifestyle. David Duchovny did a superb job and for me this was the core/message of the movie. He loved his brother for who he was and the lifestyle he lived made no difference.

What A Fun Film!.......2007-05-20

After having watched this movie once, I was hooked and just HAD to have it. I am a real Toni Collette fan, and she certainly shines in this one. Nia Vardalos only adds to the sparkle. Great "MUST-SEE" movie that is too fun!

2 Girls impersonating ... 2 Female Impersonators !.......2007-04-09

I absolutely LOVE this movie. The plot was pretty original, and this movie was so overlooked, I decided to write a review on it.

The movie starts out with 2 girl friends, Connie and Carla, who's life long dream is to break into showbiz...and they fail miserably. Except for an act here and there at an airport playing to a dead audience...the girls careers are really not going anywhere.

About this time they witness a murder and have to leave town in a flash because the mob is hot on thier tails, they end up in LA
and happen upon a tryout for singers in a nightclub... but it is a gay nightclub, and the act they are looking for is female impersonaters!!!

Needless to say they need the money, so they dress up to look like drag queens to get the part, and they do!
They move into an upstairs apartment above the bar, and begin a double life, and it is sooo fun to watch!

Thier whole new circle of friends is female impersonaters, and they find it getting very nerve wracking staying "in drag" all the time so they won't be found out.

And to complicate a complicated situation even MORE, One of the girls falls for an impersonater friend's straight brother!!!
There are many small stories within the big story, and a wild chase scene that takes place toward the end of the movie, just adds to the hilarity of the whole movie.

All of the characters in this movie are so refreshing and likeable, and this movie is just a barrel of fun to watch. I reccomend it.

Connie and Carla is the BEST Movie........2007-01-18

This is a funny, clean, and well done movie. I could watch it over and over and over. OK I do watch it over and over. It's a feel good movie.
All I did was click and in no time at all I had it at my door step. Thanks Amazon.

Confucious say...........2006-12-25

Put a Fat Man in a Wig.....and you get an ugly bird.

This film was god awful, such a shame as Toni Collette is a wonderful actress and she should fire her agent for 'finding' this for her. Still she was the best thing in this film.

Just dreadful.

Average customer rating:

A Forgotten Gem
You alright?
Odd, But Believable
Pleasant movie with an unpleasant topic
Disappointing

Spanking the Monkey
Starring: Jeremy Davies , Elizabeth Newett , Benjamin Hendrickson , Alberta Watson , and Carla Gallo
Director: David O. Russell
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Black Comedy | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Domestic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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9 songs - Unrated Full Uncut Version
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ASIN: B000BC8T28
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Amazon.com

Jeremy Davies, so weaselly as the interpreter in Saving Private Ryan, got his break in this 1994 dark comedy debut by writer-director David O. Russell. Davies plays a college student whose entire future seems to implode when his traveling-salesman father forces him to stay home for the summer and take care of his mother, who is recovering from a broken leg. In anguish, he gives up a prestigious summer internship and moves back to the house where he grew up. There, he distracts himself with masturbation and lots of long walks, and even a half-hearted courtship of a much younger girl. But his proximity to his mother provides surprising preoccupations and impulses, which give this film the best of its squirmy humor. Russell, a sharp-eyed observer of surreptitious human behavior, extracts wonderfully drawn performances from Davies and Alberta Watson as his mother in this unexpected delight. --Marshall Fine

Description

A critically acclaimed, outrageously offbeat look at growing up! Looking forward to a prestigious summer internship in Washington, D.C., pre-med college student Raymond (Saving Private Ryan's Jeremy Davies) has his dreams put on hold when he's forced to stay at home caring for his invalid mother (Alberta Watson, The Sweet Hereafter, TV's 24). Constantly harassed by his domineering, travelling salesman father, Raymond struggles to deal with his mother's bed-ridden anxieties and his first, stumbling attempts to romance the naive girl next door.

Customer Reviews:

A Forgotten Gem.......2007-01-11

This is a bittersweet coming-of-age movie that's more sweet than bitter. Some of the scenes are downright hilarious, thanks to some wonderful, nuanced and well-timed performances from the actors. Just the kind of comedy for viewers fed up with the formulaic stuff churned out by Hollywood's play-safe executives. Made more than a decade ago, this is truly one of those forgotten gems that deserves to be unearthed and enjoyed. A solid 4 stars.

You alright?.......2006-12-08

I have an old laserdisc of this film that, years ago, I used to watch over and over. I popped it in again recently to see if I still liked the film enough to buy the DVD. It's not as funny as I remembered. Actually, it's horrifying. The only reason I'd consider buying the DVD is to give it to a therapist to watch and discuss it.

Ray (Jeremy Davies, "Saving Private Ryan") has to pass up an internship to the Surgeon General's office so he can take care of his mother, Susan (Alberta Watson, "Guilt by Association"), who's bedridden due to depression and a broken leg. His father Tom (Benjamin Hendrickson, "Regarding Henry") is busy traveling around the country selling motivational tapes. Susan and Ray develop an unhealthy relationship.

This is a very angry film. Maybe I didn't notice this before because I was distracted by the in-jokes, like the winky "Shaking Hands" homage to "The Graduate" when Tom confronts Ray -- or maybe I was too angry myself to notice the director's anger. David O. Russell made the very funny "Flirting with Disaster" after this, which in retrospect, "Spanking the Monkey" must have freed him to make. "Spanking" is worth a try if you like disturbing psychological comedy(?), but it's one that probably won't hurt you to miss.

Odd, But Believable.......2006-07-04

In the vein of "Sex, Lies, & Videotape" and written-directed by the guy who wrote & directed the quirky "I Heart Huckabees," Spanking the Monkey is a shocking and just plain wrong look on an Oedipal relationship in modern suburbia. Oddly enough, and I say that due to the film's subject matter, the film won the 1994 Audience Award at The Sundance Film Festival. Don't get me wrong, it's a very entertaining movie; But, I'm surprised it was that widely accepted. Despite the title, the film isn't about...Choking the Bishop. Here is what the movie is about; Jeremy Davies plays Ray Aibelli, is in college and has recieved an internship in Washington. Problem is, he can't go because his pig-headed father is forcing him to take care of his mother Susan (Alberta Watson), an attractive woman probably in her 40's, who has just fractured her leg. Ray is dissapointed about losing his internship, but he still does his best to take care of his mother; While he, meanwhile, tries to woo a naive girl named Toni (Carla Gallo). Anyway, while this would be shocking to a person who began watching the movie and not knowing this, everyone knows this already, so...There's a weird kind of sexual tension we see between Ray and Susan in the beginning of the film. Especially in scenes, where Ray has to help Susan shower. The scenes aren't overly pervertedly sexual or anything, but they're not without a hint of innapropriateness either. Eventually, due to the unhealthy mix of vodka tonics and stupidity, incest occurs between Susan and Ray. Luckily, we don't have to actually observe this. We watch them roll around on the bed and then we have a quick cut to the next morning, where it's made clear something has happened. Writer/director David O. Russell makes it clear in the beginning of the movie that these characters are perfectly sane and normal. Yet somehow, when this incest finally happens we're not disgusted and it's not completely unbelievable. The way Ray reacts to it immediately and then the way he reacts to it later is questionable. Overall, this movie will not hit the right note for some people. A lot of people may be turned off by the synopsis alone, but this is a very good movie; It's entertaining and thought-provoking, in other words...Worth a watch.

GRADE: A-

Pleasant movie with an unpleasant topic.......2006-04-13

Spanking the Monkey is for the open-minded only. Many will find this film horrible, wrong, and disgusting due to the fact it deals with such a forbidden topic: incest, but because of how real and natural the acting and mood of this film achieves, you understand where the main character is coming from. It is not an 'incest movie' but rather a movie about a young man finding himself, in the most bizarre way. A fine debut from director David O. Russell with solid performances from Jeremy Davies and Alberta Watson.

Disappointing.......2006-02-28

Spanking the Monkey was not what I expected. In fact it was a down right horrible. There is not much else to say really, except that I wasted my hard earned money buying this film.

Average customer rating:

D King
What A Fun Film!
2 Girls impersonating ... 2 Female Impersonators !
Connie and Carla is the BEST Movie.
Confucious say....

Connie And Carla (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Nia Vardalos , Toni Collette , David Duchovny , Stephen Spinella , and Alec Mapa
Director: Michael Lembeck
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar
Connie and Carla
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Muriel's Wedding

ASIN: B00029U9DC
Release Date: 2004-08-17

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

D King.......2007-05-23

What A Fun Film!.......2007-05-20

2 Girls impersonating ... 2 Female Impersonators !.......2007-04-09

Connie and Carla is the BEST Movie........2007-01-18

Confucious say...........2006-12-25

Average customer rating:

Connie and Carla [Region 2]
Starring: Nia Vardalos , Toni Collette , David Duchovny , Stephen Spinella , and Alec Mapa
Director: Michael Lembeck
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000639YM6

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