Virtual Sexuality

Starring:Laura Fraser (II), Rupert Penry-Jones, Luke de Lacey, Kieran O'Brien, Steve John Shepherd, Marcelle Duprey, Natasha Bell, Laura MacAulay, Roger Frost, Ruth Sheen, Laura Aikman, Ram John Holder, Amanda Holden, Alan Westaway, William Osborne (II), Philip Bird, Judith Scott (III), Stewart Harwood, Nicholas Pry, Alison Garland
Director: Nick Hurran
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Justine (the delightful Laura Fraser), the heroine of Virtual Sexuality, thinks her life is ruined because she's a 17-year-old virgin. Through her friend Chas (Luke DeLacey), she tries to maneuver a cute but boorish athlete into a date, but he stands her up. Despondent, she and Chas go to a virtual reality exhibition, which features a virtual makeover machine--but instead of modeling a different version of herself, Justine creates a 3-D image of her perfect man. Due to a freak accident, Justine suddenly finds herself inside of that male body--she's become her own ideal mate (Rupert Penry-Jones)--and the life of a boy isn't the one she wants to live. This charming comedy is being marketed as if this plot twist didn't exist, which is peculiar because this is what makes the movie fun. There aren't any stunning revelations about gender roles as Chas teaches "Jake"--the name the male Justine gives herself--but there's a sweet playfulness to how Jake interacts with his body and the rest of the world. Fraser and Penry-Jones are perfectly matched; they do a superb job of seeming like the same personality in two different bodies. Its ads make Virtual Sexuality look like yet another movie about two girls fighting over a guy, but that doesn't describe this unexpected British comedy at all--its female perspective on sex takes it in an entirely different direction. Based on a novel by Chloë Rayban. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Don't get out much, do you........2002-10-23

My first observation is that a lot of your 4/5 star reviews of Virtual Sexuality are from american viewers. All I can assume is you have a slightly tainted view of British humour, and assume this garbage passes as decent movie fair here in Blighty. It doesn't.
Justine. A weak character on whom the basis is thankfully rarely placed, her only motivation is that at 17 (if she or any of the rest of the cast is really 17 then this is a 5 star film) she has yet to lose her virginity. Incapable of finding her "Bar-Code"/Perfect Man, she inadvertantly creates him in a ludicrous virtual reality booth thing that, once the building around it explodes, is creates in the flesh the being she's composed (well, as you do). Sure. I'll swallow that.
What follows is a lame "girl becomes man" story, as Justine gets used to being "Jake" (the excuse for the full frontal nudity that earns the film its' 18 rating). The characters are thankfully limited - Chas, the nerd we KNOW will get Justine; Fran, Justine's friend who is off screen for most of the film; Alex, the token brainless football jock who thinks he's it; Hoover, the resident man-magnet; Justine and Jake of course; and two scientists, intent on getting Jake back for some "tests." It's difficult to care about any of them, or anything they do, as it's all so vague and dragged out (and very boring) until the film's eventual "everything's sorted out with cheerful ease and all is alright again" ending. Things are literally sorted with the touch of a button... so what was all the fuss about? Is Jake really linked to Justine? Why do they feel eachother's pain? Did Jake and Hoover have sex, or is Jake gay as presumably his feelings for Chas prompted Justine's? Tons of questions, none answered. It's never even very funny, assuming I wasn't asleep when the jokes were made. The plot is true second rate stuff, armed with a single twist (Jake is not Justine, but was created out of thin air instead, and simply has a copy of her consciousness and memories...?) and is dragged over too long a running time. The music isn't inspirational. The directing isn't anything fresh. Hell, the cast aren't much to write home about, with some shaky motivations and bad lines. It's just hard to care about any of it, and more importantly minus it's nude scenes, it seems an almost audience-less semi-chick flick, that's never exceptionally rude or adventurous, or fresh in any way.
Truly a dire and tedious film, without any real merit or fun to be had. Even a blink-and-miss-him cameo from Desdonds' Porkpie won't turn any heads.

Not what you exected..........2002-08-25

...If you read the description on the back of the box. I was looking for a stupid, pointless, and thoroughly predictable romantic comedy. What I got was a wry, funny, and unexpected movie more than willing to poke fun at itself for the silly premise. Rather than a Pygmailion-like story of a creation come to life, this movie was more about understanding both sides of the gender line.

When Justine becomes Jake, her computer designed fantasy bloke, she gets (or has) to go places always barred to her before, and to puzzle out the mystery of what makes a bloke tick. Trailing along with Chas, Justine's computer-geek-next-door, Jake ventures onto the basketball court, into the locker room (yike!!!) and even onto the dance floor with Hoover (guess why she got the nickname).

This movie is hilarious, and well worth watching as the clueless and shallow Justine gets a good idea of what life and love are all about, both as a guy and a girl.

Cute movie!.......2002-07-14

At first this film seemed like it wasn't going to be that great - it was coming across to me as puerile and unoriginal. However, ten minutes later I decided I was completely wrong - it's an excellent movie! All right, it's never going to be great art, but it was still very enjoyable. All three leads were brilliant, interacting really well together and making me laugh out loud lots of times, and the slightly offbeat humour was refreshingly different from a lot of chick flick movies.
I read the novel this film is based on (Virtual Sexual Reality, by Chloe Rayban) and really enjoyed it, so I was worried that the film would completely ruin it. I worried needlessly - the two are completely different, because while the book makes you think more, the film is more entertaining and has a better pace.
Overall, my only gripe with this film is the ending. I just felt really annoyed that we know Justine and Chas didn't stay together forever (oops, spoiler). All right, that would be unrealistic, but I'm a romantic - I need to feel there's some hope for me!
Overall, though, this film is really enjoyable - just right for a girls' night in, and some guys might enjoy it too. Maybe rent it rather than buy it, but definitely give it a go!

Don't miss this movie.......2002-01-06

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly.The characters are very real. Quite imaginative. And, wow goes to the visual effects!

Don't miss this movie.......2002-01-06

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly.The characters are very real. Quite imaginative. And, wow goes to the visual effects!

Average customer rating:

Fantasy, Reality, and the Spaces In Between: Looking for Love on the Internet
Best cyber film i've seen to date.
Uninhibited and Real
On_Line Valentine to New York City
One of the new cult classics!

On_line
Starring: Josh Hamilton , Harold Perrineau , Isabel Gillies , John Fleck , and Vanessa Ferlito
Director: Jed Weintrob
Manufacturer: Wolfe Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Gay & Lesbian | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0000YEF0W
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Description

An award-winning new film directed by Jed Weintrob! The regular customers on the erotic web site Intercon-X break the boundaries of their streaming video fantasy lives. Set and shot in New York City, ON_LINE uses state-of-the-art digital technology, split screens and streaming Webcam video to tell this highly charged sexual tale of searching for love on the Internet.

Customer Reviews:

Fantasy, Reality, and the Spaces In Between: Looking for Love on the Internet.......2006-02-21

Like it or not the computer has changed our lives in ways far beyond business, data storage, ease of trafficking information, etc. The concept of Internet dating may not be new but it has rarely been so successfully investigated as well as Jed Weintrob's ON_LINE. And whether or not the viewer has ever participated in streaming video chat rooms or utilized the many internet on line sex spots, this small, low budget film will be an eye opener.

Recently dumped John Roth (Josh Hamilton) and his roommate Moe Curley (Harold Perrineau) out of frustration have started an internet dating/chat site/erotic exchange business. John rarely leaves his apartment/business, electing to spend his entire day and night online watching the beautiful Angel (Liz Owens) going about her daily duties of grooming, dressing and undressing and sleeping. John has an online buddy Moira (Isabel Gillies) who acts somewhat as a mentor for lonely people like young Ohio gay lad Ed Simone (Eric Millegan) who dials up another online sex provider, older Al Fleming (John Fleck), in an attempt to have some semblance of a non-closeted life. Moe attempts to get John out into the real dating world and arranges a meeting with the beautiful but sexually frustrated Jordan Nash (Vanessa Ferlito) but the two find relating easier on the internet than in real life. These people all interact both online and in life in a way that begins to blur what is reality. The concept is one of the dichotomies of fantasy and reality, desire/need and acting out, isolated loneliness versus stepping into the physical world and joining the dance of courtship.

The beauty of the film is in the production, and if awards were bestowed on creativity this little movie with its split screens, streaming videos, computer video cameras, and the station they all are relegated to in the space of a room, would be at the top of the list. The actors are all very fine, creating believable characters out of very little face-to-face interaction. ON_LINE has a lot to say about our current state of human relationships and interacting and it says it without being dark and cruel but instead with a lot of light comedy that serves to make the story relatedly credible. For the subject about of sex acts, it remains suggestive with being graphic: it walks a thin line very successfully. Grady Harp, February 06

Best cyber film i've seen to date........2005-12-01

I just finished watching this film thanks to Encore. I agree that this film truly captures the hearts of cyber ppl in that we can all relate to at least one of the character's personality and hopefullness. With shots of New York pre 9/11 and the great cinematography throughout the film, I think anyone who watches this film would agree, the director/writer hits home with a message that if not already found, we are all just looking for someone to love.

Uninhibited and Real.......2005-08-08

I initially thought the movie would be shallow in content, but in the end I find it quite deep in that it well describes today's people especially with interactions in internet.

Over all I think the movie is well made with good acting and story telling. A lot of uninhibited sexual content were shown without actually appearing dirty.

I agree with the view of the movie in that cyber space has real people, but there is something unreal about it. People take risks because cyber space gives us unreal feeling about the situation, but it is as real as reality. It sounds contradictory, but that's the scary part of all.

On_Line Valentine to New York City.......2004-03-23

Don't be fooled by the steamy scenes and 'taboo' subject matter. Ultimately, On_Line is a sweetly romantic movie about human connection and love. In addition, the movie was filmed in New York City and contains some lovely images of the World Trade Center. For a New Yorker, it's wonderful to watch a film that doesn't forget the cityscape prior to September 11 and imagines a world in which the World Trade Center remains a part.

One of the new cult classics!.......2004-03-04

Jed Weintrob's witty, tongue-in-cheek sojourn into the world of webcams exudes both sexiness and substance. With striking, smoothly-technical visuals and noteworthy performances by Hamilton, Perrineau and Gillies, "On_Line" is a must-have for technophiles and indie film buffs, and a stylistic joyride for anyone.

Average customer rating:

Don't get out much, do you.
Not what you exected...
Cute movie!
Don't miss this movie
Don't miss this movie

Virtual Sexuality [Region 2]
Starring: Laura Fraser (II) , Rupert Penry-Jones , Luke de Lacey , Kieran O'Brien , and Steve John Shepherd
Director: Nick Hurran
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Don't get out much, do you........2002-10-23

Not what you exected..........2002-08-25

This movie is hilarious, and well worth watching as the clueless and shallow Justine gets a good idea of what life and love are all about, both as a guy and a girl.

Cute movie!.......2002-07-14

Don't miss this movie.......2002-01-06

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly.The characters are very real. Quite imaginative. And, wow goes to the visual effects!

Don't miss this movie.......2002-01-06

I enjoyed this movie thoroughly.The characters are very real. Quite imaginative. And, wow goes to the visual effects!

Average customer rating:

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B00004UF17

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