Out of Order

Starring:Eric Stoltz, Felicity Huffman, Kim Dickens, Dyllan Christopher, Justine Bateman, William H. Macy, Peter Bogdanovich, Lane Smith, Celia Weston, Adam Harrington, Aaron Douglas, Sarah Deakins, Kirby Morrow, Karen Holness, Andrew Johnston (II), Christine Chatelain, David Neale, Patricia Drake, Colin Murdock, Dan Joffre
Director: Roger Kumble, Henry Bromell, Wayne Powers (II)
Studio: Showtime Ent.
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Though one might question the legitimacy of director Rob Schmidt being named a Master of Horror after his previous effort, the odious Wrong Turn, with Right to Die he turns in a watchable episode for the horror anthology series that combines the standard hardcore gore with a dose of social commentary. Indie stalwart Martin Donovan is top-billed as a philandering dentist whose wife is left disfigured and near death after a fiery car wreck. As a debate rages between Donovan, his wife's family, and various factions of the "right to life" community, the wife's spirit wreaks gruesome vengeance on those seek to exploit her agony for their own purposes. Exceptionally gruesome at times, and well-played by Donovan and Corbin Bernsen as his shady lawyer, Right to Die is one of the more ambitious episodes from MoH's second season, and if its mix of chills and politics isn't as satisfying as Joe Dante's first season episode, Homecoming, it still aims higher than most mainstream genre efforts. The DVD includes commentary by Schmidt, featurettes on the episode and its grisly special effects, and the shooting script in DVD-ROM format. -- Paul Gaita

Description

Late at night on a lonely country road, Cliff Addison (Martin Donovan of THE DEAD ZONE and WEEDS) and his wife Abby are involved in a fiery car wreck that leaves Cliff unhurt and his wife hideously burned. As Abby lies comatose, kept alive only by life support, her charred spirit seeks vengeance on those who profit from her plight including a slick attorney (Corbin Bernsen). Amidst a storm of angry relatives and pushy reporters, a controversial issue is about to take a horrific turn: Even if Cliff can now find a way to keep his wife alive, will a monstrous secret condemn him to a living hell forever? Features: Also on DVD, Right to Die Script Audio Commentary featuring Rob Schmidt Burnt Offerings: Making of Right to Die Flay-O-Trish Photo Gallery, Motion Menus

Customer Reviews:

"Right To Die" Masters Of Horror.......2007-05-18

"Right To Die" is an interesting and entertaining episode. Directed by Rob Schmidt, who is responsible for the suprisingly good horror movie "Wrong Turn", proves here he does have some skill. The episode doesn't try to deliver any major gore or scary suspense, but it does make you think about if someone is in a vegetative state or permanent coma, who decides if they have the right to die?

What saves this episode from being boring is the great acting from every character in the movie and the mystery that builds up towards the second half of the story about who is actually going to live and who is actually going to die.

Ghastly, Ghostly, & Satisfying, Mostly.......2007-05-09

Though Rob ("WRONG TURN") Schmidt probably qualifies more as an 'apprentice' of horror (not quite a 'master', yet, is he?), his MoH entry "RIGHT TO DIE" is pretty neat.

Dull dentist Dr. Cliff gets caught up in a media-blitzed Schiavo-esque scenario when his wife Abby turns into a deep-fried human nugget after a car crash. Too bad, though, since shapely Abby (fake chest and all) was pretty attractive beforehand. For that matter, Cliff's uber-trashy, sexpot office assistant ain't half-bad, either. Could there be more to this lil' love triangle than meets the eye? *sarcastic, feigned gasp*

Cribbing her appearance from "HELLRAISER II", Abby is all bloody skin and sinew and bandages and glaring eyes as her incorporeal spirit (not quite dead, or living) wreaks havoc on those who've crossed her - not even co-star Corbin Bernsen is immune to her fury. If you thought a woman scorned was bad, wait 'til ya see a woman scorched. Eww. Not exactly shocking or particularly scary, "RIGHT TO DIE" still succeeds largely based on on some gruesome burn & skin peeling-fx and an absurd, dry humor-laced finale. Although I question the scientific logic in the 'hyper-magnetized MRI room' sequence, I suspended disbelief long enough to enjoy the film.

As someone who just plain despises overbearing media coverage of things like the Terry Schiavo case, I found "RIGHT TO DIE" a little bit too topical (even several years after the fact), since it already feels dated based on the subject matter. The reeeally good horror flix are timeless, and thusly I don't think "RIGHT TO DIE" will make anyone's 'Top 8' anytime soon. But it's still an interesting piece of work in it's own right, in or out of context, simply as an unassumingly fun, quickie horror fix. All in all, I'd recommend it as one of the better recent 'Masters...' episodes.

Kill Me, Love Me--"Right To Die" Advocates Never Anticipated This Dilemma.......2007-03-11

Just what qualifies someone to be called a "Master" in the horror genre? That's a question I've asked several times in the two seasons of Showtime's "Masters of Horror" anthology series. Looking at their slate of directors, there are some obvious choices--but disappointingly the undisputed "Masters" haven't necessarily turned in the best episodes of this show. Rob Schmidt is, perhaps, one of the more dubious choices to fulfill a "Masters" criteria--his most notorious horror work is the film "Wrong Turn." And while I'm sure that film has its admirers, it is ultimately just another of countless derivations of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" complete with young couples isolated in the woods being stalked by hillbilly murderers.

"Right to Die," however, is not a bad entry in the "Masters of Horror" series. In fact, it's rather solid with an unexpected and appreciated cleverness. Martin Donovan, an indie film stalwart whose deadpan delivery I have always admired, stars as the film's protagonist. Existing in a troubled marriage, Donovan's situation goes from bad to worse as a horrible car accident puts his wife in a coma. Covered in burns, unrecognizable, and not able to live without technological intervention--the episode wrestles with whether or not Donovan should humanely let her die. Oh but there's one complication, his wife's spirit is restless. Every time her heart fails, but before she is revived, her gruesome specter is on the move seeking retribution on those that have wronged her in life.

I particularly liked the juxtaposition of the traditional horror story with the "Right to Die" political debate. That's what makes this episode unique, and there is genuine humor that is mined from this topic. The horror sequences are effective enough--if somewhat familiar. Borrowing elements from the tepid "What Lies Beneath," and even "Hellraiser," the scariness of this episode is far less inventive than the shrewd appropriation of the Right To Die controversy. But for an hour, you could do worse. The acting is solid, the effects are good--all in all, I found this to be a worthwhile episode. About 3 1/2 stars (for me, the most enjoyable episodes have only been 4 stars), this is better than you might expect from someone with such an undistinguished horror resume. KGHarris, 03/07.

Average customer rating:

Touching story set in beautiful Hawaii
Picture Bride
The Deceptive Pastoral
Married Strangers
A BEAUTIFUL, HYPNOTIC FILM...

Picture Bride
Starring: Youki Kudoh , Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa , Tamlyn Tomita , Akira Takayama , and Yôko Sugi
Director: Kayo Hatta
Manufacturer: Miramax Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Come See the Paradise
Picture Bride: A Novel
Snow Falling on Cedars
Beyond Barbed Wire/Go For Broke
The Joy Luck Club

ASIN: B0000DZTIX
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

The first feature by Hawaii-born filmmaker Kayo Hatta, 1995's Picture Bride takes us into unexplored story territory in its tale of a young Japanese woman (Youki Kudoh of Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train) who leaves her home in 1918 to become the mail-order wife of a sugar plantation laborer (Akira Takayama) in Honolulu. Her first shock is discovering that her husband is actually 20 years older than his photograph; after that, life just becomes hard as the intensity and dangers of plantation work eclipse all joy. Hatta achieves an admirable authenticity in her portrait of the island community and the ghosts it (literally) harbors; she also gives us a strong sense of racial and class divisions that crackle like live wires through Oahu's booming industries at the start of the century. Tamlyn Tomita is excellent as the woman who becomes Kudoh's closest ally and friend in this new world, and the late Toshirô Mifune has a memorable, small part as a traveling narrator of silent films. This is an original, fascinating, and touching work. --Tom Keogh

Description

Highly acclaimed by critics everywhere, this memorable story of passionate love is set amid the breathtaking scenery of a tropical paradise. With only a picture in hand, a beautiful young woman leaves behind all she knows for the far-off islands of Hawaii -- and an arranged marriage with a man she has never met. Though she initially regrets her decision, in time her new life on an island sugar plantation is filled with unexpected discovery and joy. Featuring Youki Kudoh (MYSTERY TRAIN) and Tamlyn Tomita (THE JOY LUCK CLUB), PICTURE BRIDE was the winner of the Audience Award for Best Dramatic Film at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.

Customer Reviews:

Touching story set in beautiful Hawaii.......2006-10-29

Picture Bride is the touching story of a young Japanese girl who travels to Hawaii in 1918 to marry a man she has only seen in a photo. The movie does an excellent job portraying the emotional ups and downs of the immigrant Japanese community and their complex relationships to the other cultural groups in Hawaii at the time.

Youki Kodoh gives a memorable performance as the young bride. She is probably best know to English audiences from her roll as a Japanese tourist in the quirky move "Mystery Train" and her smaller role as a Geisha in the more recent "Memoirs of a Geisha." This film also contains the last appearance of veteran actor Toshiro Mifune. Despite his failing health at the time he wanted to help this remarkable story be told.

The DVD extras contain an informative documentary on the making of the film and the history of the real people who inspired the movie. The all woman team who produced, directed and wrote the movie interviewed many Japanese Americans who had gone through similar experiences to get their first hand recollection of this historical phenomena. This sense of authenticity is in part why it was voted an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival.

For anyone interested in the history of Japan, America and Hawaii this is good choice.

Picture Bride.......2006-07-13

This is a good movie that presents what happened in Hawaii in the early 1900's. It's important that 3rd, 4th and 5th generation Japanese Americans see this movie so they have a sense of what life was probably like for their ancestors.

The Deceptive Pastoral.......2006-06-13

Caught between a rock and a hard place, "Picture Brides" succumb to the "push" factors that force them to leave their homes (in this case Japan) to marry "site unseen" (except for a picture of a man halfway across the world) in this case, Hawaii.

Picture Bride centers around the life and time of the fictional Riyo (Youki Kudoh - who made the character "Pumpkin" in Memoirs of a Geisha famous), a 17-year-old who leaves Yokohama, Japan; in order to marry a man (as mentioned previously) she's never met. Set in Hawaii in 1918, Matsuji (Akira Takayama) it is revealed lied about his age. He is 25 years older than she is. Their relationship is unsatisfactory to both sides - her from the betrayal and him, well, you do the math. In the interim, Riyo, formerly of Yokohama is having difficulty coping with her new conditions - working in the sugar fields with one leg in Hawaii and another trying to book passage back "home."

Riyo meets up and forms a bond with Kana (Tamlyn Tomita), who teaches her to earn extra money by doing laundry for others after work in the fields - she fuels a dream to go home. Riyo, as previously mentioned is desperately trying to get back to Japan, puts money away until she slowly begins to see her condition from a different perspective - she will become a settler.

The movie is sensitively directed by Kayo Hatta. Hatta does an incredible job maneuvering this already tense drama which sets the stage for the likes of Snow Falling on Cedars but was presaged by Come See Paradise. Engaging in yet a different version of the deceptive pastoral, the movie is set in picturesque Hawaii.

Picture Bride is a tribute to the resilience of immigrants and an amazing filmic representation of a narrative that would have otherwise gone silent.

Miguel Llora

Married Strangers.......2005-09-07

"Picture Bride" is the first film by director Kayo Hatta. It won the Audience Award @ the Sundance Film Festival in 1994. Hatta has apparently remained inactive as a director until this year with a short film "Fishbowl" in 2005. This film is gorgeously photographed with the landscape in Hawaii breathtakingly photographed by Claudio Rocha who also served as cinematographer on a film I enjoyed with Peter Fonda called "The Maldonado Miracle." Yuki Kudoh who was so memorable in "Snow Falling on Cedars" and has "Memoirs of a Geisha" out this year plays Riyo, a young Japanese woman who becomes engaged to a man in Hawaii only by looking at his picture. She does an excellent job of showing the character's inner strength as she works in the fields, brings in extra work doing laundry and eventually finds her place in her new home. In his first & only film credit of which I'm aware, Akira Takayama plays Matsuji her husband who is 25 years older than his photograph. Riyo's main friend becomes the worldly-wise Kana played by Tamlyn Tomita who has been in "Karate Kid, Part 2," "The Joy Luck Club" & "The Day After Tomorrow." Tomita brings out the strength and caring of the character and shows the tragedy of people who are not considered important as she perishes searching for her baby who has wandered when the sugar cane is set on fire. Her husband is played by the dashing Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa whose long list of film credits include "The Last Emperor," "Mortal Combat," "The Phantom," "Snow Falling on Cedars," "Pearl Harbor" & "Elektra." As Kanzaki, he is not the most caring of husbands, inflicting bruises and abuse. But his drunken misbehavior is also balanced by being a buddy to Matsuji and with a great grief scene as he realizes his wife & child have perished. Legendary Toshiro Mifune from "Rashomon" (1950) & "The Seven Samurai" (1954) does a cameo as the Benshi, who narrates silent films. Yoko Sugi who did 8 Japanese films in the 1950's gives a cameo performance as Aunt Sode who sets up the marriage. While the episodic film doesn't climax with a great crescendo, it does paint the picture of those in the early 1900's who married strangers to find a life. Enjoy!

A BEAUTIFUL, HYPNOTIC FILM..........2005-09-07

I had never heard of this film, but when I stumbled upon it in the video store, I found its premise fascinating. As the film explains, with the advent of photography, the Asian tradition of arranged marriages became modernized in the early twentieth century, allowing families and matchmakers to meet, using photographs of the prospective brides and bridegrooms in lieu of face-to-face meetings. This was especially convenient, when the parties sought to be matched lived in far-flung parts of the country or even different parts of the world. This film explores this phenomena within the context of the so-called "picture brides" of Hawai'i. It is estimated that between 1907 and 1924, approximately twenty thousand young Asian woman from Japan, Okinawa, and Korea, became "picture brides", leaving their native country and journeying to Hawai'i to become the wives of men that they had never met. This film is a composite of their stories and experiences.

The story begins in 1918 in Yokahama, where a beautiful, young, Japanese woman named Riyo Nakamura (Youki Kudoh) is left an orphan, having just buried her father. It seems that both her parents have died of a disease that stigmatizes Riyo in terms of her marriage prospects. Shortly after, Riyo's Aunt Sode (Yoko Sugi) visits a matchmaker. She then presents her niece with a photograph of a young, handsome man. She tells her niece that his name is Matsuji Kimura and that he is a sugar cane farmer in Hawai'i. Her aunt hopes that Hawai'i is far enough away so that Riyo's prospective husband will not know how her parents died. With Riyo's assent, the marriage is arranged.

When Riyo arrives in Hawai'i, dressed in western style clothing, she gets the shock of her life. It seems that she is not the only one with secrets. It turns out that the photograph that Matsuji Kimura (Akira Takayama) had sent was one that had evidently been taken many years earlier, as the man who meets her at the dock turns out to be even older than Riyo's deceased father. A group marriage then takes place, as she is but one of many "picture brides" arriving. Shocked by the deception, which apparently was quite common at the time, with men routinely sending old photographs or substituting photographs of their better looking friend, the reluctant Riyo accompanies her new husband to her new home. She is clearly not a happy camper. Riyo, a city girl, is in for a further shock, discovering that her home is deep in the country and is nothing more than a tiny wooden shack in the middle of nowhere.

The next day, she discovers the fate that awaits her. She is taken to a sugar cane plantation, where she is expected to work in the fields from morning til dusk for sixty-five cents a day. It is there that her husband also works. Riyo decides then and there that she will work as hard as she can to save money to return to Japan. She makes a friend, a beautiful, young, earthy woman named Kana (Tamlyn Tomita) with whom she bonds. Kana is married to a handsome, young man named Kanzaki with whom she has a child. The hard working Kana is also a laundress, in addition to being a field worker, and Riyo joins Kana as a partner in her laundry business in order to be able to save more money and expedite her return to Japan.

As her friendship develops with Kana, Riyo discovers that Kana and her husband have a tempestuous marriage. While passionate, it is also filled with violence, as Kanzaki is unmanned by his inability to provide for his wife and child in the way that he would wish. Meanwhile, Matsuji is a patient man, who has not forced himself on his wife, knowing her aversion to him. He is kind to her, despite knowing that she is working very hard to save money in order to return to Japan and be rid of him. Little by little, however, he grows on her, as a mutual affection begins to develop, and Riyo learns to appreciate his good qualities.

The film tells the story of Riyo and the reality of her life in Hawai'i. It shows what life was like for her, as well as the development of her relationship with Matsuji. Hers is the story of many women who were "picture brides" at the time. It is a beautifully told tale on many levels. It captures much of the story of those who were actual "picture brides", from the singing in the fields, to the hardships sustained, and the despair sometimes felt at their lot in life, often juxtaposed with contentment.

There is even a special treat in the film where the legendary and much revered Japanese actor, Toshiro Mifune, plays the role of a Benshi, which was a silent picture narrator. In Japan, Benshis would often have their own following, depending upon their narrative skills, with people flocking to hear a particular Benshi narrate a film. This would be Toshiro Mifune's final film role, before succumbing to the ravages of Parkinson's disease in 1997.

This is the first feature length film for filmmaker Kayo Hatta, and the first feature length film by an Asian-American woman. It won the coveted 1995 Sundance Film Festival Audience Choice Award. Having seen the film it is not surprising, as the film tells such a compelling story. Moreover, the cinematography is exquisite in this film, and the acting is first rate. It is hard to believe that the film was made on a shoe string budget by a first time feature film director. One would never know it from seeing the film, as it is a quality film directed with a seeming sure hand. I am only glad that Miramax Studio had the good sense to pick up this film. Bravo!

Average customer rating:

Good when mixed with brews and bros...NOT a "chick flick"
A Norovirus of a Mooovey
Dystopian masterpiece...
Cant Believe its a Mockumentary!!!
a strong film

Mail Order Wife
Starring: Jose Canseco , Charles Debold , Krista Gall , Luke Geissbuhler , and John Gramaglia
Director: Huck Botko
Manufacturer: First Independent
ProductGroup: DVD
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2 Brothers and A Bride
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11:14
Mail Order Bride
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ASIN: B000AL72RI
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Description

An outrageous film about the lengths some men will go to for the companionship of an attractive woman, MAIL ORDER WIFE captures the story of a doorman from Queens, his mail order bride, and the one man they entrust along the way. The film stars Andrew Gurland (Cheats, Frat House) Eugenia Yuan (Memoirs of a Geisha; Charlotte Sometimes), and Adrian Martinez (The Interpreter).

Customer Reviews:

Good when mixed with brews and bros...NOT a "chick flick".......2007-06-16

This mockumentary is funny and played off very well. While it has a few good laughs, this is relatively dark humor that you might need to be in the right mood for. The movie starts out pretty slow for the first half because it's trying to convince you that it's a legit documentary, so I wouldn't recommend starbucks prior to viewing. This would be good for chillin' with your bros and having a few drinks. Not even close to a first date movie...the male stars are just the very revolting pigs that women should avoid like the plague. Debra Teng, who plays the Chinese translator, is a knockout and I hope to see her in more films, preferably in nude scenes.

A Norovirus of a Mooovey.......2007-04-11

The shot of Andrew the filmmaker's denim-clad flat backside pretty much sums up the condescending posturing of the title character's tormentors.

Dystopian masterpiece..........2007-01-03

...this film reminds me of the work of Todd Solondz, who also specializes in making movies designed to make the audience squirm and cringe, yet keeps us riveted out of morbid curiousity as well as strong filmcraft and the unmistakable stench of ugly reality.

I had not read the synopsis/blurb on the box real closely before watching it, so like many other reviewers I was also not entirely sure if this were a documentary or a mockumentary until about 2/3rds through.

Really superb characters, script, acting and direction.

Cant Believe its a Mockumentary!!!.......2006-11-02

I was seeing the first 30 minutes of the film in cable, and I thought how horrible for the girl to be "ordered" and a maid for a disgusting man. I actually was disgusted by it thinking it was a real documentary and stopped seeing it. Today I was curious over what happend to her, so searched here to my surprise it was a fake! So now I want to watch it. They are so convincing, good acting I tell you. Not happy with the other reviewers they kind of gave it away.

a strong film.......2006-08-24

This movie is a classic example of how a great movie is not made by star power or cgi effects, but by a solid premise and splendid execution.

_Mail Order Wife_ is a movie about Andrew, a young and arrogant filmmaker, who decides he'd like to make a documentary about Adrian, an NYC boy who has decided to order himself a mail order bride. An immediate problem is presented when Andrew helps pay for Lichi, the Burmese woman, and brings up a classic dilemma about moviemaking also addressed in great films like _Man Bits Dog_--Andrew is already showing signs of getting involved with his subject matter a little too subjectively. This is reinforced after Lichi arrives and Adrian turns out to be much less than an ideal husband, and Andrew decides that he needs to rescue this woman from an awful situation.

This may sound like the premise of a light, romantic comedy, or a hackneyed Lifetime made-for-TV, but what I revealed so far is only the first 30 minutes of this 90-minute film, because things don't move along so easily, and that's because these characters aren't easily categorizable, which is also a sign of strong filmmaking. Andrew has his own problems, with an inordinate sense of 'normalcy' and an arrogance streak that leaves him, in his own mind, justified in everything he does. Adrian, though a twisted man, is somehow charmingly simple. And Lichi isn't simply a quiet, victimized Asian girl, but one who has her own ulterior motives.

_Mail Order Wife_ is a comedy with dark undertones--there are wonderfully subtle moves, like how Andrew is always carrying his director's notebook even when involved in 'personal' conversations, and (you've seen it in the credits above) a surprising appearance by Jose Canseco, but these are also very troubling characters, played by unfamiliar actors to help make the mock-documentary motif seem all the more plausible. The movie takes many unpredictable and sensible turns, that makes 90 minutes feel like a satisfyingly large glimpse into these people's lives.

I would highly recommend this film to many, and I relish in the fact that such a small budget can result in such a wonderful endeavor.

Average customer rating:

No one star reviews, peo-ple!!!
Heavily edited version of the original
The intriguing pilot from Showtime's series, but not the whole story
great show - why just the movie??
Out Of Order.. ? incomplete is more accurate !

Out of Order
Starring: Eric Stoltz , Felicity Huffman , Kim Dickens , Dyllan Christopher , and Justine Bateman
Director: Roger Kumble , Henry Bromell , and Wayne Powers (II)
Manufacturer: Showtime Ent.
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Havoc (Unrated Version)
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ASIN: B0000DJZ8I
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Description

Out of Order is the dark, witty story of the beauty and brutality of a long-term marriage as seen through the eyes of writer Mark Colm (Stoltz), who aspires to make art with his wife, Lorna (Huffman). Their latest project - a script for an A-list director (Bogdanovich) - is complicated by Lorna's battle with clinical depression. She begins to self-medicate with Steven (Macy), a washed-up producer. Mark has always remained faithful to Lorna despite a wandering eye and blatant come-ons from a school mom, Annie (Bateman). He finds himself becoming obsessed with sexy soccer mom Danni (Dickens). Wanting to be a good man, but finding himself longing to stray, Mark realizes that he is guilty of the crime of being human.

Customer Reviews:

No one star reviews, peo-ple!!!.......2007-06-30

Hoe often do you see amovie that has NO 1 star reviews? not many and this one is the exception! this is an actor's movie and not meant for casual film fan's. Yes, Huffman is in it!!! Huffman is rapidly becoming my favorite actress thanks to manic pill popping Lynette!!! Go now and buy this!! It is unlike antything ever seen!! Stoltz is in it too!!! yes! Bobus!!

Heavily edited version of the original.......2006-08-14

While the basic story is till there, and it is quite interesting, what is available here could show on NBC. If you're looking for the original, full-length version, this isn't it! It's not just 'edited for content'....several complete scenes are missing.

The intriguing pilot from Showtime's series, but not the whole story.......2006-04-16

I did not remember that "Out of Order" was a Showtime series, which also means I never saw it when it originally aired in 2003. So this review represents somebody who, given what others have said here, does not know what he is missing. I also rented this DVD, so I do not have the disappointment of finding out this is only the show's two-part pilot and not all six episodes. I checked in out because anything with Felicity Huffman in it is enough of a recommendation to check it out, and this cast also offers Eric Stoltz, Kim Dickens, Justine Bateman, Adam Harrington, and William H. Macy.

"Out of Order" is very loosely inspired by the real-life experiences of the show's creators, the husband and wife screenwriting team of Wayne and Donna Powers, who started off writing episodes of "Cagney & Lacey" and "The Equalizer" on television and went on to do the screenplays for "Deep Blue Sea," "Valentine," and "The Italian Job." Our focal character is Mark Colm (Stoltz), who is married to Lorna (Huffman). They are a writing team, except Lorna, who is suffering from chronic depression, has stopped writing. While her creativity has dried up for the moment, Mark's is in overdrive. He thinks of his life as being in a movie, where a camera crew follows him around and animals talk (mainly to demand more food, more quickly).

The pivotal issue in this pilot is Mark's fidelity. Cut adrift by his wife and unable to do much more than stay out of her way, he has moved from lusting in his heart and from afar, to actually looking for an opportunity. He thinks he has found exactly that when he meets Danni (Dickens), when they are watching their kids play soccer. Danni has already done the trial separation with a complete dip back into the dating pool, but has recoiled with her husband and is only offering friendship (which, to Mark's credit, he realizes is no small gift). Meanwhile, another mom from the neighborhood, Annie (Bateman), actually offers Mark uncomplicated extra-marital sex, which he rejects. Is it because he fears complications with Annie, because he cannot handle being the pursued instead of the pursuer, or because he actually feels a connection of some importance with Danni?

Meanwhile, Lorna is trying to come to terms with the deep-rooted source of her emotional problems, and is finding comfort outside the home with Stephen (Macy), a failed producer, who becomes her primary drinking buddy. Mark is worried it might be more and so are we (Huffman and Macy are married to each other, so there is an undercurrent here, just like there was with Michael and Nancy on "thirtysomething"). Mark's birthday is coming up and while Danni will not agree to give him want he wants (and Annie is still making offers), he comes up with something that might shake up his life. After discussing what should be the drug of choice for the character in the script he is writing for a director (Peter Bogdonavich), it is decided that Ecstasy might be the way to go. Well, a writer should write about what he knows so everybody shows up at his house to try out the drug, the hot tub, and the pool. In that order.

Suffice it to say that underwater sex can be pretty erotic and that Mark ends up crossing a line. This leads to the question of what he is going to do about that, and now that I know there were four more episodes after this I can appreciate why we are left hanging at the end here. True, each of the cast members look up at the camera and declare the moral of the story in turn so that there is no doubt what the lesson was here, but that only takes away from the overt metaphor that is the payoff to the mystery as to what crime Mark is guilty of in this story. He addresses the viewer at the start and assigns to us the role of jury that will decide his fate. Given all the possible indictments his actions raise against him, and which he dismisses on his own, the revelation at the end really works against the moment.

The performances are all solid, as you would expect with this sort of ensemble and the situation is complex enough that no final judgments can be rendered at this point as to what should happen with these characters next. This, of course, is desirable in the pilot for a series, but less so for a pilot taken as a complete film. The talking animals idea is really good for only one decent laugh, but the idea of recasting scenes as famous movies certainly looked promising. Lorna's confrontation with her mother and step-father over Thanksgiving dinner is played out in Mark's mind as a fight sequence from "Raging Bull." Fortunately, the Hollywood insider bits do not become too pretentious or overbearing. The ending might not be satisfying, but the rest of "Out of Order" is worth judging on its own merits.

great show - why just the movie??.......2005-12-13

If you noticed ALL the reviews are good but people are giving lower stars because all the shows are not on the DVD. Write Showtime and complain, don't lower the star rating of the actual movie because of it. I loved this series and Dead Like Me. Neither one was ever given a chance. If HBO ran either one of these two, they would be major hits!!

Out Of Order.. ? incomplete is more accurate !.......2005-09-16

I was so excited when I saw this title released on DVD. I then foolishly puchased it not knowing they ruined it, and released it as a poor mini-movie of the Showtime series. I still cannot believe how Showtime butchered this wonderful series into to 90 odd minutes of total garbage. Is it any wonder why Showtime always places a distant second to HBO on all of their productions ?

Osiris Presents: Out of Order - The Surfer's Documentary

Average customer rating:

The Ultimate Action Sports Movie

Osiris Presents: Out of Order - The Surfer's Documentary
Director: Michael Eaton
Manufacturer: Immergent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Action Sports Movie.......2003-10-01

I just got the chance to see a sneak preview of this movie at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, and I must say it is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Great surfing, great cinematography, great music. I've never stood on a surfboard before in my life and I was interested during this whole movie. BUY A COPY! You wont be disappointed.

***11 Action Movies Set*** Exiled, Playback, Stingray, College Kickboxers, Lethal Justice, Scent of Vengeance, the Sleepwalker, Booze & Bullets, Beyond Recognition, Toast with the Gods, [Bonus Dvd] Goldie Hawn in the Sugarland Express

Average customer rating:

***11 Action Movies Set*** Exiled, Playback, Stingray, College Kickboxers, Lethal Justice, Scent of Vengeance, the Sleepwalker, Booze & Bullets, Beyond Recognition, Toast with the Gods, [Bonus Dvd] Goldie Hawn in the Sugarland Express

Manufacturer: BRENTWOOD
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Product Description

11 FULL LENGTH MOVIES SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE: INTERACTIVE MENUS & SCENE ACCESS Exiled (1990) / College Kickboxers (1991) / Lethal Justice (1991) / Scent Of Vengeance (1996) / The Sleepwalker (2002) / Booze & Bullets (2003) / Beyond Recognition (2003) / Toast With The Gods (1995) / Playback (1988) / Stingray (1978) ***BONUS DVD*** GOLDIE HAWN in THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS

DVD:

DVD

DVD: Prisoner of Paradise

Being John Malkovich - John Malkovich Olmak