Comedy

Total number of titles: 43

Page number: 1

At Last the 1948 Show

Director: Ian Fordyce
Starring: John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Marty Feldman, Aimi MacDonald
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Tango Entertainment Release date: Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Just two series were made before it became no more and it became a revolution that was destined to change the face of TV comedy forever… 'At Last The 1948 Show' (actually broadcast in 1967). Bursting onto the nation's small screens in an explosion of unrelated and often surreal sketches, its main perpetrators were John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Marty Feldman and Tim Brooke-Taylor and what 'At Last The 1948 Show' began the inestimable Monty Python would one day finish in mind-blowing style.... This 2 DVD set features the recently rediscovered episodes of the classic 'At Last The 1948 Show' series.

The Best of Abbott and Costello: Volume 3

Director: Charles Lamont, Charles Barton
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Mari Blanchard, Robert Paige (IV), Horace McMahon, Martha Hyer, Jack Kruschen, Joe Kirk, Jean Willes, Anita Ekberg, James Flavin, Jackie Loughery, Ruth Hampton, Valerie Jackson, Renate Hoy, Jeanne Thompson, Jeri Miller, Judy Hatula, Elsa Edsman, Bobby Barber
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Release date: 1951 Rated:
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: I READ ON THE OFFICIAL ABBOTT&COSTELLO WEBSITE THAT A COMPUTER GRAPHIC ANIMATED SHORT IS BEING PRODUCED.FINALLY ABBOTT&COSTELLO WILL MEET ALL THE UNIVERSAL MONSTER'S IN THE SAME SHORT,I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.ABBOTT&COSTELLO VOLUME 3 IS FANTASTIC AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES HAS TO BE COMMENDED ON THIS RELEASE.THE PICTURE IS CLEAR AND THE SOUND IS VERY GOOD CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THE ORIGINAL PRINTS.ALTHOUGH I'M NOT A FAN OF DOUBLE SIDED DISC'S,IT DOES MAKE THE SET VERY AFFORDABLE.WITH 8 MOVIES FOR UNDER $25 HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG.I THINK SOME A&C MOVIES GO TOGETHER BETTER THAN OTHERS.MAYBE THEME SET'S WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER,BUT AS AN ABBOTT AND COSTELLO FAN I'LL TAKE WHAT I CAN GET.VOLUME 3 PROVIDES AS MANY LAUGHS IF NOT MORE THAN VOLUMES 1&2.WHETHER YOUR A LONG TIME A&C FAN OR JUST DISCOVERING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME,THESE MOVIES WON'T DISAPPOINT.I HOPE THAT VOLUME FOUR IS IN THE WORKS.

The Blues Brothers

Director: John Landis
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, James Brown, Cab Calloway, John Candy, Ray Charles, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, Murphy Dunne, Carrie Fisher, Aretha Franklin, Kathleen Freeman, Henry Gibson, Willie Hall, Steve Lawrence, Tom Malone (II), Lou Marini, Matt Murphy, Alan Rubin
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Release date: 1980 Rated: R
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: The Blues Brothers 25th Anniversary Edition comes to DVD with the never-before-released Theatrical Version hit, the Director s Cut and all-new bonus material!

Comedy icons John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star in the outrageously funny musical comedy about Jake and Elwood Blues, two brothers searching for redemption with no money but a briefcase full of soul. Hit the road with musical performances by blues legends Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Cab Calloway in the action-packed spectacular from acclaimed director John Landis.

System Requirements:
Starring: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Carrie Fisher
Directed By: John Landis
Running Time: 281 Min.
Copyright Universal Studios Home Entertainment 2005

Format: DVD MOVIE

The Breakfast Club

Director: John Hughes
Starring: Mary Christian, Perry Crawford, Ron Dean, Emilio Estevez, Tim Gamble, Fran Gargano, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Mercedes Hall, John Kapelos, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Release date: 1985 Rated: R
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: John Hughes's popular 1985 teen drama finds a diverse group of high school students--a jock (Emilio Estevez), a metalhead (Judd Nelson), a weirdo (Ally Sheedy), a princess (Molly Ringwald), and a nerd (Anthony Michael Hall)--sharing a Saturday in detention at their high school for one minor infraction or another. Over the course of a day, they talk through the social barriers that ordinarily keep them apart, and new alliances are born, though not without a lot of pain first. Hughes ("Sixteen Candles"), who wrote and directed, is heavy on dialogue but he also thoughtfully refreshes the look of the film every few minutes with different settings and original viewpoints on action. The movie deals with such fundamentals as the human tendency toward bias and hurting the weak, and because the characters are caught somewhere between childhood and adulthood, it's easy to get emotionally involved in hope for their redemption. Preteen and teenage kids love this film, incidentally. The DVD release includes production notes, cast and crew bios, widescreen presentation, Dolby sound, closed captioning, optional French and Spanish soundtracks, and optional Spanish subtitles. "--Tom Keogh"

Bruce Almighty

Director: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Baker Hall, Catherine Bell, Lisa Ann Walter, Steve Carell, Nora Dunn, Eddie Jemison, Paul Satterfield (II), Mark Kiely, Sally Kirkland, Tony Bennett, Timothy Di Pri, Brian Tahash, Lou Felder, Lillian Adams, Christopher Darga, Jack Jozefson, Mark Adair-Rios
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Release date: 2003 Rated: PG-13
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Bestowing Jim Carrey with godlike powers is a ripe recipe for comedy, and "Bruce Almighty" delivers the laughs that Carrey's mainstream fans prefer. The high-concept premise finds Carrey playing Bruce Nolan, a frustrated Buffalo TV reporter, stuck doing puff-pieces while a lesser colleague (the hilarious Steven Carell) gets the anchor job he covets. Bruce demands an explanation from God, who pays him a visit (in the serene form of Morgan Freeman) and lets Bruce take over while he takes a brief vacation. What does a petty, angry guy do when he's God? That's where Carrey has a field day, reuniting with his "Ace Ventura" and "Liar, Liar" director, Tom Shadyac, while Jennifer Aniston gamely keeps pace as Bruce's put-upon fiancée. Carrey's actually funnier "before" he becomes Him, and the movie delivers a sappy, safely diluted notion of faith that lacks the sincerity of the 1977 hit "Oh, God!" Still, we can be thankful that Carrey took the high road and left "Little Nicky" to Adam Sandler. "--Jeff Shannon"

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus 16-Ton Megaset

Director: Ian MacNaughton, Terry Hughes
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes
Genre: Comedy
Studio: A&E Home Video Release date: 1982 Rated: R
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: New for 2005, "The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus 16-Ton Megaset" packs together the original 14-DVD megaset with the two-disc "Monty Python Live" in space-saving Thinpaks. While more cautious fans may want to pick and choose among the previously released individual volumes of "Monty Python" for their collection, true Pythonites will want to own this definitive megaset that contains all 45 episodes (in chronological order) of "Monty Python's Flying Circus". This "persistently silly" collection encompasses three-and-a-half seasons of dead parrots, cross-dressing lumberjacks, loonies, upper class twits, and spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans, spam, spam, and spam. Click past the occasional clunker and go directly to such signature sketches as the Ministry of Silly Walks, the Spanish Inquisition, the Fish-Slapping Dance, the Dead Parrot Sketch, the Lumberjack Song, the Cheese Shop, the Argument Clinic, and Nudge, Nudge. Taken as a whole, one marvels at how Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam thoroughly subverted television convention with "something completely different," like sketches with no punch lines ("Your average TV viewer isn't going to understand this"). A warning to the uninitiated: there is much "material that some may find offensive, but which is really smashing." Violations of something called the "Strange Sketch Act" are the least of the troupe's offenses, as witness the Oscar Wilde Sketch, the Dirty Vicar Sketch, and the Most Awful Family in Britain Sketch, all of which achieve "the really gross awfulness" all Python fans are looking for. Say no more.
Monty Python TV shows, movies, records, and books are a time capsule of their anarchic lunacy. But more precious is an audience with Python, and as close as we can get is "Live at the Hollywood Bowl", the long-sought-after 1982 concert film in which the Fab Six perform their greatest hits before a wildly enthusiastic crowd. Robert Klein moderates "Live at Aspen", the irreverent 1998 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival tribute that reunited John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones onstage for the first time in 18 years on the occasion of the troupe's 30th anniversary. Highlights include a shockingly funny moment involving Graham Chapman's ashes, and a joyous "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" sing-along. Less essential is 1989's clip show "Parrot Sketch Not Included: 20 Years of Python", which also does not include "The Oscar Wilde Sketch," "Cheese Shop," "Nudge-Nudge," and many other signature sketches. "--Donald Liebenson"

Dazed & Confused - Criterion Collection

Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Jason London, Rory Cochrane, Wiley Wiggins, Sasha Jenson, Michelle Burke, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Matthew McConaughey, Marissa Ribisi, Shawn Andrews, Cole Hauser, Milla Jovovich, Joey Lauren Adams, Christin Hinojosa, Ben Affleck, Jason O. Smith, Deena Martin, Parker Posey, Nicky Katt, Christine Harnos
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Criterion Release date: 1993 Rated: R
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: You remember high school? Really remember? If you think you do, watch this film: it'll all really come racing back. After changing the world with the generation-defining "Slacker", director Richard Linklater turned his free-range vérité sensibility on the 1970s. As before, his all-seeing camera meanders across a landscape studded with goofy pop culture references and poignant glimpses of human nature. Only this time around, he's spreading a thick layer of nostalgia over the lens (and across the soundtrack). It's as if "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" was directed by Jean-Luc Godard. The story deals with a group of friends on the last day of high school, 1976. Good-natured football star Randall "Pink" Floyd navigates effortlessly between the warring worlds of jocks, stoners, wannabes, and rockers with girlfriend and new-freshman buddy in tow. Surprisingly, it's not a coming-of-age movie, but a film that dares ask the eternal, overwhelming, adolescent question, "What happens next?" It's a little too honest to be a light comedy (representative quote: "If I ever say these were the best years of my life, remind me to kill myself."). But it's also way too much fun (remember souped-up Corvettes and bicentennial madness?) to be just another existential-essay-on-celluloid. "--Grant Balfour"
On the DVD
With a perfect combination of awesome '70s-era packaging and a totally rockin' selection of bonus features, the Criterion Collection's director-approved special edition two-disc release of "Dazed and Confused" instantly qualifies as one of the very best DVDs of 2006--the 30th anniversary of the Bicentennial, man! That's what I'm talkin' about! As a sublime companion piece to Criterion's release of Richard Linklater's previous film "Slacker", the set comes in a slipcase (complete with "Physical Graffiti"-like picture-windows) festooned with Flair-pen high-school "doodling" (just like you'd scribble on your Pee Chee folders, back in the day), and the features get off on a high note (kinda like Slater, y'know?) with writer-director Linklater's feature-length commentary, which offers all aspiring filmmakers an important lesson protecting your vision and knowing when "not" to compromise. In recalling the many struggles he endured during production, Linklater covers a lot of territory (notes from the studio, the fantasy abundance of muscle cars, selection of music, and his acute disappointment when Robert Plant--but not Jimmy Page--refused to allow Led Zeppelin songs to be used in the film), and his engaging, good-humored perspective (and appropriate sense of vindication) clearly arises from his film's eventual acceptance as a classic. (For all you film buffs out there, Linklater quite rightly recommends Tim Hunter's "Over the Edge" and Lindsay Anderson's "If..." as "great teenage films" that defined the genre before "Dazed".) The film itself never looked or sounded better (Linklater and cinematographer Lee Daniel supervised the high-def digital transfer), and a generous selection of deleted scenes will be welcomed by the film's legion of loyal fans.
The Disc 2 supplements are highlighted by "Making "Dazed"", filmmaker Kahane Corn's decade-in-the-making 50-minute documentary, chronicling all aspects of the production from casting to the "Dazed" tenth-anniversary celebration in Austin, Texas, in 2003. "Beer Bust at the Moon Tower" allows random viewing of a 118-minute compilation of behind-the-scenes footage, on-set interviews (with cast members both in and out of character), audition footage, and recollections from the anniversary bash. The accompanying 72-page booklet is a Criterion master-stroke: Designed like a small-scale high-school yearbook, it's filled with more "doodling" artwork, lots of photos, three appreciative mini-essays (the best being by journalist/author Chuck Klosterman), recollections by cast and crew, and humorous "Profiles in Confusion" portraits of the characters in "Dazed", reprinted from the film's similarly designed companion book. It's all topped off by a miniature reproduction of the film's original poster, designed by Frank Kozik. In terms of capturing "The Spirit of '76" and the film's celebratory sense of anti-nostalgia, this is surely one of Criterion's finest releases to date. "--Jeff Shannon"

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Director: Callie Khouri
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, Fionnula Flanagan, James Garner, Cherry Jones, Ashley Judd, Shirley Knight, Angus Macfadyen, Maggie Smith, Jacqueline McKenzie, Katy Selverstone, Kiersten Warren, David Lee Smith, Gina McKee, Matthew Settle, David Rasche, Leslie Silva, Ron Dortch, Frederick Koehler, Allison Bertolino
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Warner Home Video Release date: 2002 Rated: PG-13
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: Grab your tissues and send the guys away, because "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" is the most pedigreed chick flick since "Steel Magnolias". You can tell by the title and the novelish names of the Louisiana ladies from Rebecca Wells's precious bestseller. First there's Sidda (Sandra Bullock), a successful playwright still wrestling with her manipulative mother, Vivi (Ellen Burstyn), after a traumatic upbringing. Then there's longtime friends Teensy (Fionnula Flanagan), Necie (Shirley Knight), and Caro (scene-stealer Maggie Smith), from Vivi's secret club of "Ya-Ya Priestesses," together since childhood and determined to heal the rift between Sidda and her mom. Through an ambitious flashback structure (including Ashley Judd as the younger Vivi), screenwriter and first-time director Callie Khouri (who wrote "Thelma & Louise") establishes a rich context for this mother-daughter reunion. There's plenty of humor to temper the drama, which inspires Bullock's best work in years. Definitely worth a look for the curious, but only fans of Wells's fiction will feel any twinge of loyalty. "--Jeff Shannon"

Finding Nemo

Director: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Eric Bana, Nicholas Bird (II), Albert Brooks, Willem Dafoe, Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Garrett, Alexander Gould, Barry Humphries, Bill Hunter, Allison Janney, Vicki Lewis, Austin Pendleton, Elizabeth Perkins, Bob Peterson (III), Joe Ranft, Stephen Root, Geoffrey Rush, Bruce Spence, Andrew Stanton
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Walt Disney Video Release date: 2003 Rated: G
Language (Country): English, Spanish ()
Summary: A delightful undersea world unfolds in Pixar's animated adventure "Finding Nemo". When his son Nemo is captured by a scuba-diver, a nervous-nellie clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) sets off into the vast--and astonishingly detailed--ocean to find him. Along the way he hooks up with a scatterbrained blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who's both helpful and a hindrance, sometimes at the same time. Faced with sharks, deep-sea anglers, fields of poisonous jellyfish, sea turtles, pelicans, and much more, Marlin rises above his neuroses in this wonderfully funny and nonstop thrill ride--rarely does more than 10 minutes pass without a sequence destined to become a theme park attraction. Pixar continues its run of impeccable artistic and economic success (their movies include "Toy Story", "A Bug's Life", "Toy Story 2", and "Monsters, Inc"). Also featuring the voices of Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, and Allison Janney. "--Bret Fetzer"

Gosford Park

Director: Robert Altman
Starring: Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Release date: 2001 Rated: R
Language (Country): English (UK)
Summary: "Gosford Park" finds director Robert Altman in sumptuously fine form indeed. From the opening shots, as the camera peers through the trees at an opulent English country estate, Altman exploits the 1930s period setting and whodunit formula of the film expertly. Aristocrats gather together for a weekend shooting party with their dutiful servants in tow, and the upstairs/downstairs division of the classes is perfectly tailored to Altman's method (as employed in "Nashville" and "Short Cuts") of overlapping bits of dialogue and numerous subplots in order to betray underlying motives and the sins that propel them. Greed, vengeance, snobbery, and lust stir comic unrest as the near dizzying effect of brisk script turns is allayed by perhaps Altman's strongest ensemble to date. First and foremost, Maggie Smith is marvelous as Constance, a dependent countess with a quip for every occasion; Michael Gambon, as the ill-fated host, Sir William McCordle, is one of the most palpably salacious characters ever on screen; Kristin Scott Thomas is perfectly cold yet sexy as Lady Sylvia, Sir William's wife; and Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, and Clive Owen are equally memorable as key characters from the bustling servants' quarters below. "Gosford Park" manages to be fabulously entertaining while exposing human shortcomings, compromises, and our endless need for confession. "--Fionn Meade"

The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection Volume 1 ONLY

Director:
Starring: Harold Lloyd
Genre: Comedy
Studio: New Line Home Video Release date: 1923 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: "The Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection" boxed set is the definitive account of one of the silent cinema's greatest comedians--and for a time, its most popular star. The seven discs included in this three-volume set have virtually all of Lloyd's 1920s features, most of his talking pictures, and a healthy collection of shorts. Because Lloyd--a canny businessman--retained control over much of his output, the films have remained under his (and his estate's) control through the decades, and the quality of the key titles is generally excellent.
"Vol. 1" leads off with the most famous of Lloyd's pictures, the 1923 "thrill" comedy "Safety Last". The bespectacled Mr. Lloyd found his spot in comedy by playing the persona seen here: an optimistic go-getter, energetic but not particularly remarkable, who perseveres as he moves up the ladder. In "Safety Last", he really moves up: Harold is a department-store clerk who concocts a publicity scheme for his store, which results in a climactic, hair-raising ascent up the outside of the building (at one point hanging from the hands of a huge clock). There is at least one other masterpiece on "Vol. 1", the wonderful "Girl Shy" (1924), in which Harold is a small-time tailor's apprentice who can't speak to women but nevertheless has penned a how-to book entitled "The Secret of Making Love." There's also the 1923 "Why Worry?", which suffers just a bit with its odd milieu (tropical island beset by revolutionaries) but has some hilariously weird routines built around compact Harold and the giant John Aasen (8 feet, 9 inches). A trio of shorter films are included, plus two Paramount sound features, the oddball "Cat's Paw" and Leo McCarey's entertaining "The Milky Way".
"Vol. 2" has the brilliant "The Freshman" (1925), with Lloyd as a college plebe whose ridiculous ideas about making himself ingratiating to others (including hilariously inapt jig during a handshake) makes him the laughingstock of the campus. The movie concludes with a justifiably famous football sequence. "The Kid Brother" (1927) is Harold as the weak link in the tough Hickory family, while "Dr. Jack" (1922) casts him as a country doctor whose ordinary ways prove sharper than they seem (his co-star, as in some other films here, is future wife Mildred Davis). In "Grandma's Boy" (1922) Lloyd plays a small-town fellow who lives with his frisky grandmother; convinced of his own cowardice, he yearns to compete for the hand of a pretty girl. His courtly call to the girl's home is the occasion for uproarious battle with a ridiculous "formal" suit, mothballs, and a litter of kittens attracted by the goose grease on his shoes. The gem of the shorts here is "High and Dizzy" (1920), a warm-up for "Safety Last", which has a great sequence with Lloyd tipsily navigating a ledge on a high building. "Feet First" (1930), Lloyd's second talking picture, has Harold as an upwardly-striving shoe salesman trying to finesse his way up the ladder. Some good shipboard sequences in the middle of this one, but the main drawing card is a throwback: Lloyd re-visiting the "Safety Last" hanging-from-a-building sequence, but this time working every variation known to slapstick.
"Vol. 3" has "Speedy", his last silent picture, which packs as many great gags per minute as any Lloyd film, and also has one of his sweetest love stories. But the film is also notable for its extensive location shooting in New York City. The sequences shot at Coney Island, with some wonderfully hair-raising (and understandably obsolete) rides, are gorgeous and historically valuable. "Hot Water" (1924) also goes into the time capsule of great Lloyd features, even if it feels like a handful of shorter films shoehorned together. This one gets its charm from basic domestic situations. Like "Hot Water", "For Heaven's Sake" (1926) is an hour long; this funny one casts Lloyd as a rich twit who takes up with a girl whose father runs a homeless mission.
There's one talking picture, the somewhat routine "Movie Crazy" (1932), but the silent shorts, of which there are many here, are better. Check out "Haunted Spooks" from 1920, which has its share of good jokes but which is also fascinating for its place in Lloyd's career. He suffered an off-set accident midway through shooting, costing him the thumb and forefinger of his right hand; after a hiatus, he completed shooting with a prosthetic glove (which he used in films thereafter). A heartfelt 15-minute documentary on Lloyd's palatial L.A. estate, "Greenacres", uses copious home-movie footage to show the marvelous place and give a hint of Lloyd's homey, likable personality (it's narrated by granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd). A bonus disc contains home movies, celebrity tributes, Lloyd's collection of 3-D photographs, and his honorary Oscar acceptance speech from 1953. "--Robert Horton"

The Haunted Mansion

Director: Rob Minkoff
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, Jennifer Tilly, Wallace Shawn, Dina Spybey, Marc John Jefferies, Aree Davis, Jim Doughan, Rachael Harris, Steve Hytner, Heather Juergensen, Jeremy Howard, Deep Roy, Clayton Martinez, Bridget Brno, Gregg London, Zach Minkoff, Shelby Grimm
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Walt Disney Video Release date: 2003 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Lush production design and sparkling special effects make "The Haunted Mansion" pretty to look at. Terence Stamp ("The Limey"), as a malevolent ghost of a butler, provides a suitable air of menace as dematerializes to and fro. Marsha Thomason ("Black Knight") is lovely as a real estate agent hired to sell a haunted mansion, but in truth the ghostly owner of the mansion believes she is the reincarnation of his lost love. Wallace Shawn ("My Dinner with Andre") and Dina Waters ("Six Feet Under") make a modestly amusing comic pair as a ghostly husband and wife who bustle about. Jennifer Tilly ("Bound"), as a green disembodied head in a crystal ball, glitters appropriately. The movie also features endless clichés, futile attempts at humor, and Eddie Murphy. If you're looking for a movie based on a Disneyland ride, try the very clever "Pirates of the Caribbean" instead. "--Bret Fetzer"

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Director: David Swift
Starring: Maureen Arthur, Janice Carroll, Jeff DeBenning, Paul Hartman, John Holland, Ruth Kobart, Michele Lee, Robert Q. Lewis, Murray Matheson, Robert Morse, John Myhers, Patrick O'Moore, Kay Reynolds, Justin Smith, Sammy Smith, Anthony 'Scooter' Teague, Dan Tobin, Rudy Vallee, Carol Worthington
Genre: Comedy
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD) Release date: 1967 Rated: Unrated
Language (Country): English, Spanish (USA)
Summary: This fizzy musical was a Broadway smash in 1962, and boy, is it a product of its era. Executive washrooms, gray-flannel-suit businessmen, hip-swinging secretaries--they're all preserved in the movie's brightly colored amber. J. Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse) is the window washer who climbs the corporate ladder in a few days, guided by a how-to book. The Frank Loesser songs are great fun, the Bob Fosse dances are very clever and mod, and the gaudy set design may have given Andy Warhol a few ideas. The jack-in-the-box performance of the elfin Robert Morse doesn't seem toned down from his Tony-winning stage turn; think Mickey Rooney doing Jerry Lewis. Still, Morse is a unique presence, and his mad little solo dance down a real Manhattan street is an interlude of sublime daffiness. Grand old crooner Rudy Vallee shines as the president of Worldwide Wicket, barking his beloved alma mater's fight song: "Groundhog! Groundhog!" "--Robert Horton"

Into the Woods

Director: James Lapine
Starring: Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason, Tom Aldredge, Robert Westenberg, Kim Crosby, Danielle Ferland, Ben Wright (II), Barbara Bryne, Merle Louise, Chuck Wagner, Pamela Winslow, Philip Hoffman (II), Lauren Mitchell, Kay McClelland, Edmund Lyndeck, Joy Franz, Cindy Robinson, Maureen Davis (II)
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Image Entertainment Release date: 1991 Rated: Unrated
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Fractured fairy tales of a darker hue provide the remarkable context for "Into the Woods", which deconstructs the Brothers Grimm by way of Rod Serling. While the faces and names are familiar, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and company inhabit a sylvan neighborhood in which witches and bakers are next-door neighbors, handsome princes from once-parallel fables are competitive (and equally vain) brothers, and all the stories intersect through unexpected new plot twists.
Stephen Sondheim's Tony-winning score favors intricate ensemble numbers that present the characters' divergent, then overlapping fears and desires. And it's the latter category that provides a primary thread to James Lapine's ingenious puzzle of a book, which coheres around the inevitability--and treachery--of our innermost wishes. That theme is given farcical energy in the first act, which offers enough comic invention, tart dialogue, and witty music for a satisfying evening of theater as is.
Instead, Sondheim and Lapine offer a bold, darker second act that takes a look at what happens "after" "happily ever after," elevating the work beyond inspired parody toward allegorical gravity. By the final scenes, with the one-two punch of the score's two most enduring songs, "No One Is Alone" and "Children Will Listen," what began as a clever diversion has touched deeper nerves and primed some tear ducts. This video production by the original Broadway cast gets its marquee shimmer from Bernadette Peters's wonderful witch, but the standout (and Tony winner as Best Actress) is Joanna Gleason, who gives the Baker's Wife a mixture of warmth, pragmatism, and sudden, poignantly romantic radiance.
The DVD version is comparatively no-frills, given its American Playhouse origins, but multiformat digital audio renders the musical performances in immaculate detail. "--Sam Sutherland"

Late Night with Conan O'Brien - The Best of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

Director: Dana Calderwood, Allan Kartun, Liz Plonka
Starring: David Koechner, Missy O'Reilly, Betsy Stover, Jake Fogelnest, Chuck Sklar, Tyler James Williams, Katie Dippold, Aaron Bergeron, Julie Hays, Mio Takada, Rob Riggle, Barry Squitieri, Richard Tokar, Hardy Rawls, Linda Wang, Jackie Clarke, Debbie Rochon, Jimmy DellaValle, Dennis Kelly, John Deyle
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Lions Gate Release date: 2004 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Life's a bitch, or at least it is to Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog. Since his first appearance in 1997, Triumph has emerged a breed apart as "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"'s biggest breakout star. In fact, not even Conan himself has had a bestselling CD, or appeared on "Hollywood Squares". Triumph gives new meaning to the honor "Best in Show" with this collection of his most memorable "Late Night" appearances, including his now-classic reports at the Westminster Dog Show (where he takes full advantage of backstage access, if you get my cruder meaning), his Red Carpet interviews at MTV's Video Music Awards, and, the pick of the litter, his visit to the "Star Wars" "uber-dorks" waiting in line for the opening of "Attack of the Clones" (To a Darth Vader impersonator in full regalia: "Which of these buttons calls your parents to pick you up?"). For Triumph fans, this DVD is a tremendous, exciting experience... FOR ME TO POOP ON! "--Donald Liebenson"

Life Is a Miracle

Director: Emir Kusturica
Starring:
Genre: Comedy
Studio: AV Channel Release date: 2004 Rated:
Language (Country): ()
Summary: us version!

Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: Serbian (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Subtitles), ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SYNOPSIS: The tragedy of the war in Bosnia makes way for the humor and compassion of people living their lives under difficult circumstances in this comedy drama from filmmaker Emir Kusturica. In 1992, war is brewing in Bosnia, but the city fathers in the town of Golobuci are going ahead with their plans of building a railroad line they hope will bring more visitors into the city. Luka (Slavko Stimac), who is in charge of the construction project, lives with his wife, Jadranka (Vesna Trivalic), a former musician who is suffering from manic depression, and his son, Milos (Vuk Kostic), a talented soccer player who dreams of turning pro some day. After Jadranka has an especially severe episode, Luka takes her to the hospital, where he meets Sabaha (Natasa Solak), a Moslem nurse who quickly develops a nonprofessional interest in Luka. As the clouds of war appear on the horizon, Milos is drafted into the army and Jadranka runs away, and after Sabaha is left with no place to go, she's sent to Luka's place by his friend Aleksic (Stribor Kusturica), where she quickly takes over as both housekeeper and bedmate to Luka. Zivot Je Cudo (aka Life Is a Miracle) was screened in competition at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. SPECIAL FEATURES: Trailer(s), Making Of, Interactive Menu,

Life of Brian

Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Terence Bayler, Peter Brett, John Case, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Carol Cleveland, Kenneth Colley, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Sue Jones-Davies, Chris Langham, Andrew MacLachlan, Bernard McKenna, Charles McKeown, Spike Milligan, Michael Palin, Gwen Taylor, John Young
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Anchor Bay Release date: 1979 Rated: R
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: "Blessed are the cheesemakers," a wise man once said. Or maybe not. But the point is "Monty Python's Life of Brian" is a religious satire that does not target specific religions or religious leaders (like, say, Jesus of Nazareth). Instead, it pokes fun at the mindless and fanatical among their followers--it's an attack on religious zealotry and hypocrisy--things that that fellow from Nazareth didn't particularly care for either. Nevertheless, at the time of its release in 1979, those who hadn't seen it considered it to be quite "controversial."
"Life of Brian", you see, is about a chap named Brian (Graham Chapman) born December 25 in a hovel not far from a soon-to-be-famous Bethlehem manger. Brian is mistaken for the messiah and, therefore, manipulated, abused, and exploited by various religious and political factions. And it's really, really funny. Particularly memorable bits include the brassy Shirley Bassey/James Bond-like title song; the bitter rivalry between the anti-Roman resistance groups, the Judean People's Front and the People's Front of Judea; Michael Palin's turn as a lisping, risible Pontius Pilate; Brian urging a throng of false-idol worshippers to think for themselves--to which they reply en masse "Yes, we must think for ourselves!"; the fact that everything Brian does, including losing his sandal in an attempt to flee these wackos, is interpreted as "a sign." "Life of Brian" is not only one of Monty Python's funniest achievements, it's also the group's sharpest and smartest sustained satire. Blessed are the Pythons. "--Jim Emerson"

The Lion King

Director: Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers
Starring: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Niketa Calame, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane, Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Madge Sinclair, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Zoe Leader, Frank Welker, Cathy Cavadini, Judi M. Durand, Daamen J. Krall, David McCharen
Genre: Animation
Studio: Walt Disney Video Release date: 1994 Rated: G
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the "Rugrat" crowd. "--Tom Keogh"

The Lion King 1 1/2

Director: Bradley Raymond
Starring: Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Julie Kavner, Jerry Stiller, Matthew Broderick, Robert Guillaume, Moira Kelly, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, Edward Hibbert, Jason Rudofsky, Matt Weinberg, Tony Anselmo, Jeff Bennett, Corey Burton, Cam Clarke, Bill Farmer, Shaun Fleming, Carolyn Gardner
Genre: Animation
Studio: Walt Disney Home Video Release date: 2004 Rated: G
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: "The Lion King 1½" is an ingenious sequel that retells the original film's story from the perspective of best pals Timon the meerkat (voiced by Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa the warthog (Ernie Sabella). Anyone who has wondered how this odd couple met will find out here, beginning with Timon's flight from home following disgrace and his chance encounter with the sweet but lonely Pumbaa. With the arrival of young Simba (Shaun Flemming), "The Lion King"'s familiar tale is reborn via a fresh angle, fleshed out by returning characters Rafiki the wise monkey (Robert Guillaume), Shenzi (Whoopi Goldberg), and Simba's love interest, Nala (Moira Kelly). While the retooled narrative proves a novel experience, "The Lion King 1½" is really a vehicle for voice actors Lane and Sabella, whose comic performances are shamelessly, broadly funny. Matthew Broderick, Julie Kavner, and Jerry Stiller are also in the vocal cast. "--Tom Keogh"

Little Shop of Horrors

Director: Frank Oz
Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, Tisha Campbell, Levi Stubbs, James Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest, Bill Murray, Stan Jones (II), Bertice Reading, Ed Wiley, Alan Tilvern, John Scott Martin, Vincent Wong, Mak Wilson, Danny Cunningham, Frank Oz
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Warner Home Video Release date: 1986 Rated: PG-13
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: The off-Broadway comedy-horror-musical hit that ran for years makes a successful transfer to film with a bevy of big-name cameos and two perfectly cast leads. Rick Moranis is the nebbish Seymour, who pines for flower-girl Audrey (Ellen Greene) while living in the basement of florist Mr. Mushnik (Vincent Gardenia). Things start turning around for Seymour, though, after he buys a little plant during a solar eclipse, christens it Audrey II, and discovers that it likes to drink blood. Soon enough, though, Seymour finds out that Audrey II, now grown to epic proportions, is in actuality a "mean green mother from outer space" that is hell-bent on world domination. Based on the 1960 Roger Corman cheapie that featured a young Jack Nicholson, "Little Shop" boasts a hilarious, amazing score by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who would go on to revitalize Disney's animation arm with "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast". Greene, the lone holdover from the original cast, is a ravishing, goofy Audrey, whose awkward demeanor belies a voice that could knock Ethel Merman off her feet. She's ably matched by Moranis, whose lack of a singing voice is perfectly in sync with Seymour's nerdiness. And Levi Stubbs Jr. of the Four Tops provides the lowdown, nasty-minded voice of Audrey II; his rendition of the Oscar-nominated "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" is a showstopper. As for those celebrity cameos, Steve Martin's sadistic dentist is a masterful creation, as is Bill Murray's masochistic patient; John Candy, James Belushi, and Christopher Guest also pop up. And there was never a lovelier and funkier Greek chorus than the three Motown-fueled girls (Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, and Tisha Campbell) who appear throughout the film. "--Mark Englehart"

Matt Foley - VCD

Director:
Starring: Simpsons, SNL,
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Release date: Rated:
Language (Country): ()
Summary:

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Director: Terry Jones
Starring: Connie Booth, Elspeth Cameron, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Carol Cleveland, Rita Davies, Bee Duffell, Mitsuko Forstater, Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Sandy Johnson, Terry Jones, Sally Kinghorn, Michael Palin, Sandy Rose, Romilly Squire, Avril Stewart, John Young, Mark Zycon
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Sony Pictures Release date: 1975 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English, Japanese ()
Summary: Could this be the funniest movie ever made? By any rational measure of comedy, this medieval romp from the Monty Python troupe certainly belongs on the short list of candidates. According to "Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide", it's "recommended for fans only," but we say hogwash to that--you could be a complete newcomer to the Python phenomenon and still find this send-up of the Arthurian legend to be wet-your-pants hilarious. It's basically a series of sketches woven together as King Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail, with Graham Chapman as the King, Terry Gilliam as his simpleton sidekick Patsy, and the rest of the Python gang filling out a variety of outrageous roles. The comedy highlights are too numerous to mention, but once you've seen Arthur's outrageously bloody encounter with the ominous Black Knight (John Cleese), you'll know that nothing's sacred in the Python school of comedy. From holy hand grenades to killer bunnies to the absurdity of the three-headed knights who say "Ni--!," this is the kind of movie that will strike you as fantastically funny or just plain silly, but why stop there? It's all over the map, and the pace lags a bit here and there, but for every throwaway gag the Pythons have invented, there's a bit of subtle business or grand-scale insanity that's utterly inspired. The sum of this madness is a movie that's beloved by anyone with a pulse and an irreverent sense of humor. If this movie doesn't make you laugh, you're almost certainly dead. "--Jeff Shannon"

The Office - The Complete Second Series

Director: Ricky Gervais
Starring: Mackenzie Crook, Lucy Davis (II), Martin Freeman (II), Ricky Gervais
Genre: Comedy
Studio: BBC Video Release date: 2003 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: It feels both inaccurate and inadequate to describe "The Office" as a comedy. On a superficial level, it disdains all the conventions of television sitcoms: there are no punch lines, no jokes, no laugh tracks, and no cute happy endings. More profoundly, it's not what we're used to thinking of as funny. Most of the fervently devoted fan base watched with a discomfortingly thrilling combination of identification and mortification. The paradox is that its best moments are almost physically unwatchable. Set in the offices of a fictional British paper merchant, "The Office" is filmed in the style of a reality television show. The writing is subtle and deft, the acting wonderful, and the characters beautifully drawn: the cadaverous team leader Gareth (Mackenzie Crook); the monstrous sales rep, Chris Finch (Ralph Ineson); and the decent but long-suffering everyman Tim (Martin Freeman), whose ambition and imagination have been crushed out of him by the banality of the life he dreams uselessly of escaping. The show is stolen, as it was intended to be, by insufferable office manager David Brent, played by codirector-cowriter Ricky Gervais. Brent will become a name as emblematic for a particular kind of British grotesque as Basil Fawlty, but he is a deeper character. Fawlty is an exaggeration of reality, and therefore a safely comic figure. Brent is as appalling as only reality can be. "--Andrew Mueller"
The second series exceeded even the sky-high standards of the first. Indeed, it ventured beyond caricature and satire, touching on the very edge of darkness. Ricky Gervais is once again excruciatingly superb as David Brent, but in this series, Brent's to-the-camera assertions concerning his management qualities and executive capabilities are seriously challenged when the Slough and Swindon branches are merged and his former Swindon equivalent Neil (Patrick Baladi) takes over as area manager. To compensate, Brent cultivates his pathologically mistaken image of himself as an entertainer-motivator-comedian whose stage happens to be the workplace. Meanwhile, Tim, who can only maintain his sanity by teasing the priggish Gareth, continues to wrestle with his yearning for receptionist Dawn Tinsley (Lucy Davis), a sympathetic character persisting in a relationship with a man about whom she still maintains unspoken reservations. As ever, it's the awkward, reality TV-style pauses and silences, the furtive, meaningful and unmet glances across the emotional gulf of the open-plan office, that say it all here. As for Brent, his own breakdown is prefaced by a moment of hideous hilarity--an impromptu office dance, a mixture of ""Flashdance" and MC Hammer" as Brent describes it, but in reality bad beyond description. Then, when his fate is sealed, he at last reveals himself in a memorable finale to perhaps the greatest British sitcom, besides "Fawlty Towers", ever made. All this and Keith too. "--David Stubbs"

Overboard

Director: Garry Marshall
Starring: Frank Buxton, Frank Campanella, Ed Cree, Lucinda Crosby, Michael G. Hagerty, Goldie Hawn, Katherine Helmond, Edward Herrmann, Doris Hess, Mona Lyden, Roddy McDowall, Henry Alan Miller, Brian Price, Jared Rushton, Bing Russell, Kurt Russell, Jamie Wild, Carol Williard, Jeffrey Wiseman
Genre: Comedy
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD) Release date: 1987 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: Real-life couple Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn star in this enjoyable 1987 comedy by Garry Marshall ("Pretty Woman") about an imperious heiress (Hawn) who loses her memory after a boating accident and is identified as the wife of a handyman (Russell). Russell's character brings her "home" to his messy house and unruly kids, and the laughs follow as the aristocratic Hawn tries fitting in. Marshall delivers the comic goods, the leads are entertaining (Russell needs to do more comedy), and the supporting cast is made up of happily familiar faces, including Roddy McDowall, Edward Herrmann, and Marshall favorite Hector Elizondo in an unbilled bit. "--Tom Keogh"

Politics

Director: Ricky Gervais
Starring: Ricky Gervais
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Release date: Rated: R
Language (Country): ()
Summary: After his standup special "Animals" from the previous year, Ricky followed up with "Politics" This is sublimely funny. The opening sequence is beyond fabulous. Without question, one of the funniest hours of standup ever produced... a must have for any collection.

Pride & Prejudice

Director: Joe Wright (IV)
Starring: Keira Knightley, Talulah Riley, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn, Claudie Blakley, Sylvester Morand, Simon Woods, Kelly Reilly, Matthew Macfadyen, Pip Torrens, Janet Whiteside, Sinead Matthews, Roy Holder, Rupert Friend, Tom Hollander, Jay Simpson, Judi Dench
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Universal Studios Release date: 2005 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Literary adaptations just don't get any better than director Joe Wright's 2005 version of Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice". The key word here is "adaptation", because Wright and gifted screenwriter Deborah Moggach have taken liberties with Austen's classic novel that purists may find objectionable, but in this exquisite film their artistic decisions are entirely justified and exceptionally well executed. It's a more rural England that we see here, circa 1790 (as opposed to Austen's early 19th century), in which Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) is one of several sisters primed for marriage, with an anxious mother (Brenda Blethyn) only too desperate to see her daughters paired off with the finest, richest husbands available. Elizabeth is strong-willed and opinionated, but her head (not to mention her pride and prejudice) lead her heart astray when she meets the wealthy Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), whose own sense of decency and discretion (not to mention "his" pride and prejudice) prevent him from expressing his mutual affection. They're clearly meant for each other, and as Knightley's performance lights up the screen (still young enough to be girlishly impertinent, yet wise beyond her 20 years), Austen's timeless romance yields yet another timeless adaptation, easily on par with the beloved BBC miniseries that has been embraced by millions since originally broadcast in 1995. Individual tastes will vary as to which version should be considered "definitive," but with a stellar supporting cast including Judi Dench and Donald Sutherland, this impeccable production achieves its own kind of perfection. "--Jeff Shannon"

The Princess Bride

Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, Fred Savage, Robin Wright Penn, Peter Falk, Peter Cook, Mel Smith, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Anne Dyson, Margery Mason, Malcolm Storry, Willoughby Gray, Betsy Brantley, Paul Badger, Sallie McLaughlin
Genre: Comedy
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD) Release date: 1987 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English, Spanish ()
Summary: From celebrated director Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally) and Oscar *-winning screenwriter William Goldman (Chaplin) comes an enchanting fantasy (Time) filled with adventure, romance and plenty of good-hearted fun (Roger Ebert)! Featuring a spectacular cast that includes Robin Wright (Forrest Gump), Cary Elwes (Liar, Liar), Mandy Patinkin (Dick Tracy) and Billy Crystal (City Slickers), this wonderful fairy tale about a princess named Buttercup and her beloved is a real dream of a movie (People)!

Special Features:
Bran-New As You Wish Documentary Featuring All-New Interviews With Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn, Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin And More!
New Audio Commentary By Director Rob Reiner
New Audio Commentary By Author William Goldman
Exclusive Footage Shot By Cary Elwes During The Making Of The Movie
2 Original Featurettes And More!

System Requirements:
Running Time 98 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

The Princess Diaries

Director: Garry Marshall
Starring: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo, Mandy Moore (II), Caroline Goodall, Robert Schwartzman, Erik von Detten, Patrick Flueger, Sean O'Bryan, Sandra Oh, Kathleen Marshall, Mindy Burbano, Kimleigh Smith, Beth Anne Garrison, Bianca Lopez, Tamara Levinson, Lenore Thomas, Erik Bragg, Abigail Green-Dove
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment Release date: 2001 Rated: G
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: A thoroughly engaging fairy tale that's family friendly without being condescending, "The Princess Diaries" is your basic Cinderella makeover story given a fresh, affectionate twist courtesy of a game, energetic cast and a screenplay that skirts schmaltz in favor of gentle, effective comedy. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a frizzy-haired, glasses-wearing 15-year-old girl whose two highest ambitions are to become invisible and to get a few smooches from the slickly attractive school heartthrob. As a girl who can't stand being the center of attention so much that she throws up during debate class, she's stunned and horrified when her coolly continental grandmother (Julie Andrews) shows up and informs her that she's the crown princess of the European principality Genovia. Soon enough, Mia has to undertake "princess lessons" (and a makeover) from her queenly grandmother, and eventually she blossoms into a confident, radiant girl--despite the worries and pressure that her newfound status brings. What makes "The Princess Diaries" work is director Garry Marshall's guileless, irony-free approach to the material (based on Meg Cabot's novel). In comparison to most snarky, ultra-hip teen comedies, "The Princess Diaries" is refreshingly and enjoyably square, content to win you over on charm alone and not a slick bag of tricks. Hathaway is a charismatic, appealing role model with a sharp sense of comic timing, and Andrews--who came to stardom as the object of a makeover supreme in "My Fair Lady" on Broadway--is at her regal best whether teaching Mia the proper royal wave or learning how to eat a corndog. Both leading ladies are complemented by a finely tuned cast, including Hector Elizondo as Genovia's head of security (and romantic counterpart to Andrews), Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best pal, and Robert Schwartzman as the good guy who ultimately wins Mia's heart. All in all, a royal pleasure. "--Mark Englehart"

The Reduced Shakespeare Company - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Director: Paul Kafno
Starring: Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor, Daniel Singer
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Acorn Media Release date: 2000 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Ah, Shakespeare. The great bard. You've heard he's a terrific writer. One of these days, you may actually get around to catching one of his plays. Yeah, right. Well, with the help of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, not only can you catch "all" of Shakespeare's plays at once, but you can have a riotous good time doing so.
Three men performing 37 plays in less than two hours may seem a bit of a stretch. But Adam Long, Reed Martin, and Austin Tichenor--all members of the Reduced Shakespeare Company--pull it off beautifully with "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)", a slapstick show that summarizes the playwright's stage work (with the sonnets thrown in). Never read "Titus Andronicus"? No problem; it's presented here as a cooking show. Can't keep your Shakespearean histories straight? Visualize them as a football game. Wondering what exactly is the deal with that guy Othello? Hear his story as a rap song. Hard as it is to imagine, this video of the stage show (originally seen on PBS) is one of the funniest, most clever productions around. Long is hysterical in his roles of Juliet and Ophelia (among others), bringing a hip, edgy feel to the plays while remaining surprisingly true to the stories. Martin and Tichenor will amaze with their acrobatic movements and frequent costume changes, and the three together are a marvel of timing and rhythm. Best of all, whether you know Shakespeare inside out or have yet to read a word of him, "The Complete Works" will have you in stitches. "--Jenny Brown"

Shrek

Director: Vicky Jenson
Starring: Guillaume Aretos (II), Jacquie Barnbrook, Bobby Block, Cody Cameron, Vincent Cassel, Jim Cummings, Peter Dennis, Cameron Diaz, Kathleen Freeman, Michael Galasso, Christopher Knights, John Lithgow, Chris Miller (VII), Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Clive Pearse, Simon J. Smith, Conrad Vernon
Genre: Animation
Studio: Dreamworks Animated Release date: 2001 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: William Steig's delightfully fractured fairy tale is the right stuff for this computer-animated adaptation full of verve and wit. Our title character (voiced by Mike Myers) is an agreeable enough ogre who wants to live his days in peace. When the diminutive Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) evicts local fairy-tale creatures (including the now-famous Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and the Gingerbread Man), they settle in the ogre's swamp and Shrek wants answers from Farquaad. A quest of sorts starts for Shrek and his new pal, a talking donkey (Eddie Murphy), where battles have to be won and a princess (Cameron Diaz) must be rescued from a dragon lair in a thrilling action sequence. The story is stronger than most animated fare, but it's the humor that makes "Shrek" a winner. The PG rating is stretched when Murphy and Myers hit their strides. The mild potty humor is fun enough for 10-year-olds but will never embarrass their parents. "Shrek" is never as warm and inspired as the "Toy Story" films, but the realistic computer animation and a rollicking soundtrack keep the entertainment in fine form. Produced by DreamWorks, the film also takes several delicious stabs at its crosstown rival, Disney. "--Doug Thomas"

Slacker - Criterion Collection

Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Brecht Andersch, Rudy Basquez, Bob Boyd, Jean Caffeine, Jerry Delony, Samuel Dietert, Daniel Dugan, Jan Hockey, Stephan Hockey, Mark James, Terrence Kirk, Dan Kratochvil, Ron Marks, Keith McCormack, Tommy Pallotta, Jennifer Schaudies, John Spath, Maris Strautmanis, Heather West
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Criterion Release date: 1991 Rated: R
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Richard Linklater's debut feature is a comic kaleidoscopic portrait of the quirky characters stuck in a college town (it's Austin, Texas, but it could stand for hundreds of such places), a devilishly clever and endlessly inventive film that overcomes its nothing budget with scene after hilarious scene of short, sharp cinematic shots. Structured something like Luis Buñuel's "The Phantom of Liberty", Slacker is a comic series of character pieces, each lasting a few minutes before the camera picks up and follows someone, perhaps simply an extra in the scene, to the next conversation. Characters spout off theories on everything from JFK and Charles Whitman (we even get an eerie glimpse of the water tower he climbed for his killing spree) to Elvis and UFOs, and more (wanna buy a Madonna pap smear?) on our bohemian tour of a condensed day-in-the-life. Linklater lets the characters set the pace but provides a loose, almost imperceptible rhythm to the film as a whole, giving a kind of structure to what seems like a series of improvisations. But the heart of the film is the freewheeling array of obsessed, self-absorbed, or simply lost souls wandering streets and coffee shops ready to talk your ear off about absolutely nothing. Killing time has never been more fun. "--Sean Axmaker"

Sleeper

Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Brian Avery, John Beck (II), Howard Cosell, Chris Forbes, Mary Gregory, Peter Hobbs, Diane Keaton, Don Keefer, Laurence Kirchmar, Jackie Mason, John McLiam, Susan Miller (IV), Spencer Milligan, Lou Picetti, Jessica Rains, Bartlett Robinson, Stanley Ross, Whitney Rydbeck, Mews Small
Genre: Comedy
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD) Release date: 1973 Rated: PG
Language (Country): English, Spanish (USA)
Summary: If "Interiors" was Woody Allen's Bergman movie, and "Stardust Memories" was his Fellini movie, then you could say that "Sleeper" is his Buster Keaton movie. Relying more on visual/conceptual/slapstick gags than his trademark verbal wit, "Sleeper" is probably the funniest of what would become known as Allen's "early, funny films" and a milestone in his development as a director. Allen plays Miles Monroe, cryogenically frozen in 1973 (he went into the hospital for an ulcer operation) and unthawed 200 years later. Society has become a sterile, Big Brother-controlled dystopia, and Miles joins the underground resistance--joined by a pampered rich woman (Diane Keaton at her bubbliest). Among the most famous gags are Miles's attempt to impersonate a domestic-servant robot; the Orgasmatron, a futuristic home appliance that provides instant pleasure; a McDonald's sign boasting how-many-trillions served; and an inflatable suit that provides the means for a quick getaway. The kooky unthawing scenes were later blatantly (and admittedly) ripped off by Mike Myers in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery". "--Jim Emerson"

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Director: Lorna Cook, Kelly Asbury
Starring: Matt Damon, James Cromwell, Daniel Studi, Chopper Bernet, Jeff LeBeau, John Rubano, Richard McGonagle, Matt Levin, Adam Paul, Robert Cait, Charles Napier, Meredith Wells, Zahn McClarnon, Michael Horse, Donald Fullilove, Connor Matheus, David Midthunder
Genre: Animation
Studio: Dreamworks Animated Release date: 2002 Rated: G
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish ()
Summary: Horse lovers young and old will celebrate this utterly enjoyable and marvelous-looking animated film. The titular stallion runs free in the Cimarron (New Mexico) wilderness until a series of men try to master the proud horse, leading to adventures through a U.S. Cavalry fort, Native American settlements, and a railroad camp. Despite a heavy dose of political correctness and realism (the animals don't talk; we only hear Spirit's internal monologue, voiced by Matt Damon), directors Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook give their hero many only-in-a-movie moments, including an action sequence rivaling any of Rambo's escapes. The stirring mix of 2-D and 3-D animation is absolutely stunning and aptly fueled by composer Hans Zimmer's synthesized score. The film earns one demerit for '80s rocker Bryan Adams's abundant songs--a different singer could have brought more to the film. Rated G but there is some rough treatment of horses shown, so nix the sensitive preschoolers. "--Doug Thomas"

SpongeBob Squarepants - Christmas

Director: Walt Dohrn, Sherm Cohen, Jay Lender, Dan Povenmire, Sam Henderson, Paul Tibbitt, Aaron Springer, C.H. Greenblatt
Starring: Sébastien Desjours, Santiago Ziesmer
Genre: Animation
Studio: Nickelodeon Release date: 1999 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: CHRISTMAS features a variety of holiday-themed episodes from everyone's favorite sea-dwelling sponge. The DVD includes the double-length episodes "Christmas Who," as well as "Procrastination," "The Snowball Effect," "Survival of the Idiots," "Mermaidman and Barnacleboy IV," "Chocolate With Nuts," "As Seen on TV," "Pizza Delivery" and "The Squeaky Boots."

Sullivan's Travels - Criterion Collection

Director: Preston Sturges
Starring: Eric Blore, William Demarest, Byron Foulger, Robert Greig, Porter Hall, Margaret Hayes, Esther Howard, Veronica Lake, Joel McCrea, Torben Meyer, Charles R. Moore, Frank Moran, Franklin Pangborn, Victor Potel, Georges Renavent, Harry Rosenthal, Almira Sessions, Robert Warwick, Richard Webb
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Criterion Release date: 1941 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Writer-director Preston Sturges's third feature, 1941's "Sullivan's Travels", remains the antic auteur's most ambitious screen effort. Having added the producer's stripe to his duties, Sturges combines breezy romantic comedy, arch Hollywood satire, and social essay into a single, screwball story line.
The titular pilgrim is John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea), an Ivy League grad who's enjoyed a meteoric rise as the director behind escapist movies like "Ants in Your Pants of 1938", but is now determined to raise his sights toward more exalted, serious-minded cinematic art. His proposed breakthrough, portentously titled "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", elicits a studio response closer to "Oh, brother," given the director's utter lack of first-hand experience on the wrong side of the tracks.
Instead of capitulating, Sullivan sets off disguised as a tramp, ready to meet life's crueler lessons face-to-face--albeit followed at a discreet distance by a motor home filled with studio handlers and reporters. His ludicrous odyssey may give the boy director no real insight, but it gives Sturges the chance to inject some reliably fine gags and a romantic subplot featuring the luminous Veronica Lake. It's at this juncture that Sturges the writer's darker objective throws a jolting shift in tone. Suffice it to say that just when a comic, upbeat denouement seems imminent, Sullivan travels instead from the sunlit California of the comedy's early reels toward a darker, relentlessly downbeat world influenced more by the social realism of the movies the hero desperately wants to make. By the final reel, Sturges has flirted with real tragedy, turning his conclusion into a meditation on his own seemingly carefree, dizzily comic art. "--Sam Sutherland"

Three Stooges: Brideless Groom / Disorder In The Court / Malace In The Palace / Sing a Song of Six Pants

Director:
Starring: Three Stooges
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Allumination Filmwor Release date: Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary:

Thumbsucker

Director: Mike Mills (II)
Starring: Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D'Onofrio, Keanu Reeves, Benjamin Bratt, Kelli Garner, Vince Vaughn, Chase Offerle, Dakota Goldhor, Walter Kirn, Kit Koenig, Sarah Lucht, Arvin V. Entena, Eric Normington, Nancy O'Dell, Allen Go, Lanette Prazeau, Bob Stephenson (II), Tyler Gannon, Colton Tanner
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Sony Pictures Release date: 2005 Rated: R
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: A sterling cast--including Vince Vaughn, Keanu Reeves, Vincent D'Onofrio, and especially Tilda Swinton--lifts this coming-of-age story above the norm. Justin (Lou Pucci, "Personal Velocity") is 17, yet he still sucks his thumb. Depressed, he frets that his parents (D'Onofrio, "Full Metal Jacket", and Swinton, "Orlando") are going to split up, that he has no focus in life, and that the girl he longs for can never love him--until his orthodontist (Reeves, "The Matrix") hypnotizes Justin into quitting his thumbsucking, and a questionable diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder results in medication that launches him into a wave of over-achievement. The script, though it has some clever flourishes, never lifts beyond typical adolescent turmoil, but thanks to wonderfully vivid and multi-layered performances (including Vaughn, "Wedding Crashers", as a debate teacher with hair issues), the movie never flags. Swinton also executive-produced the movie; she clearly saw in this suburban mother a character she could invest with as much emotion and intensity as the angel Gabriel ("Constantine") or the White Witch of Narnia ("The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"). It's rich, intricate acting, never showy, yet mesmerizing. "Thumbsucker" also features Benjamin Bratt ("Pinero") and Kelli Garner ("Man of the House"). "--Bret Fetzer"

Undeclared - The Complete Series

Director: John Hamburg, Judd Apatow, Paul Feig, Jon Favreau, Jake Kasdan, Jay Chandrasekhar, Greg Mottola
Starring:
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Shout Factory Release date: 2001 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: "Only the good die young," a certain piano man once sang. He could've been talking about "Undeclared", the hilarious, yet heartfelt college comedy from Judd Apatow ("The Larry Sanders Show"). Alas, FOX had even less patience than NBC and cancelled it after 16 episodes, rather than the 17 granted Apatow's other fan favorite, "Freaks and Geeks".
Directed by Jake Kasdan ("The Zero Effect"), the pilot ("Prototype") sets the scene. Steven Karp (Jay Baruchel, "Million Dollar Baby") is a nerdy 18-year-old who grew seven inches over the past year and is looking to make a new start at the University of North Eastern California. Well, good news, bad news. At his first party, he makes it with Lizzie (Carla Gallo, "Carnivàle"), the bubbly girl down the hall--then finds out she has a boyfriend. Worse yet, Steven's dad, Hal (singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright III), crashes it to announce he's getting divorced. Fortunately, Hal hits it off with Steven's roommates: Marshall (Timm Sharp, "Six Feet Under"), Ron (Seth Rogen, "Freaks and Geeks"), and Brit chick magnet Lloyd (Charlie Hunnam, "Nicholas Nickleby"). Other regulars include Lizzie's boyfriend, Eric (Jason Segel, "Freaks and Geeks"), and roommate Rachel (Monica Keena, "Entourage").
Steven's freshman year will be an eventful one. Aside from the loss of his virginity, he'll get his first job ("Jobs, Jobs, Jobs "), he'll meet Adam Sandler ("The Assistant"), he'll hire a speed freak (Will Ferrell) to write a term paper ("Addicts"), and his RA (Amy Poehler) will have a fling with his dad ("Hal and Hillary"). Other guests include Fred Willard ("So You Have a Boyfriend"), Mary Kay Place ("Parent's Weekend"), and Ben Stiller (the Jon Favreau-directed "Eric's POV"). This set includes all 16 episodes, plus one that wasn't broadcast ("God Visits") and an alternate, Ted Nugent-ified version of the second ("Full Bluntal Nugetry"). "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Unfaithfully Yours

Director: Preston Sturges
Starring: Rex Harrison, Linda Darnell, Rudy Vallee, Barbara Lawrence, Kurt Kreuger, Lionel Stander, Edgar Kennedy, Al Bridge, Julius Tannen, Torben Meyer, Ruth Clifford, Douglas Gerrard, George Melford, George Beranger, Charles Tannen, Robert Greig, Max Wagner, George Matthews, Harry Carter (II), Dave Morris
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Criterion Release date: 1948 Rated: NR
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Preston Sturges has his great run in 1940-44, with a series of comedy masterpieces unparalleled in Hollywood film. 1948's "Unfaithfully Yours" proves that he still had the touch, if only he could have found a supportive studio for his genius. (It would've helped if "Unfaithfully Yours" had been a hit, which it was not.) Sir Alfred De Carter (Rex Harrison) is a witty, vain orchestra conductor, a celebrated man married to a beautiful woman (Linda Darnell). He becomes convinced of her infidelity, and while he is on the podium during a concert, he fantasizes three homicidal revenge fantasies--all set to the classics.
The conductor looks suspiciously like a self-portrait by Sturges, and the delicious dialogue comes pouring out of Rex Harrison like pearls from a goblet. The film's main disappointment is that it doesn't feature the teeming stock company of character actors that crowd Sturges's earlier pictures (although Rudy Vallee, Lionel Stander, and Edgar Kennedy come through nicely). The film, while morbid, is often laugh-out-loud funny, but it also has something sneakily brilliant to say about the gulf between art and life: how the exquisite timing and perfect mechanics of Sir Alfred's imagination come a-cropper when he actually tries to enact his fantasies. "Unfaithfully Yours" was remade in a not-bad version with Dudley Moore in 1984, but this one's the keeper. Too bad it couldn't save Sturges--this is the last worthy film in a too-brief career. "--Robert Horton"

The Wedding Singer

Director: Frank Coraci
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Christine Taylor, Allen Covert, Matthew Glave, Ellen Albertini Dow, Angela Featherstone, Alexis Arquette, Christina Pickles, Jodi Thelen, Frank Sivero, Patrick McTavish, Gemini Barnett, Teddy Castellucci, Randy Razz, John Vana, Billy Idol, Kevin Nealon, Marnie Schneider, Carmen Filpi
Genre: Comedy
Studio: New Line Home Video Release date: 1998 Rated: PG-13
Language (Country): English, French ()
Summary: You're better off having been born after, say, 1965, if you really want to enjoy this corny romantic comedy and its abundant references to the MTV culture of the mid-1980s--and even then the odds are only 50-50 that you'll have a shamelessly good time. But a lot of people beat those odds, because "The Wedding Singer" was a surprise box-office hit when released in early 1998, and it resulted in "Saturday Night Live" graduate Adam Sandler's salary going ridiculously sky-high. It's a schizophrenic film about a seemingly schizophrenic wedding singer (Sandler) who's charmingly sweet to some people but a tongue-lashing maniac to others, probably out of frustration over his fading ambition as a wannabe rock star (not to mention Sandler's penchant for loud-mouthed lunacy). When he meets an admiring young waitress (delightfully played by Drew Barrymore), it's love at first sight, complicated by their pending marriages to "much" less appealing fiancés. The plot then contorts itself to accommodate this contrived will-they-or-won't-they? scenario, so you're better off ignoring the love story and focusing on the comedy, which is sporadic but occasionally hilarious. This is also a lighter, friendlier Sandler than moviegoers had seen before, which probably accounts for the movie's success. Toss in a fine supporting cast--including a show-stopping drunk act by indie-movie stalwart Steve Buscemi--and you've got the ingredients for a no-brainer that's ultimately more fun than it is annoying. "--Jeff Shannon"

When in Rome

Director: Steve Purcell (IV)
Starring: Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Leslie Danon, Julian Stone, Michelangelo Tommaso, Ilenia Lazzarin, Archie Kao, Valentina Mattolini, Derek Lee Nixon, Matt Patresi, Alberto Bognanni, Paolo Scarfo, Maddalena Mosca, Bob Corna, Vittorio Duse, Gaetana Palumbo, Natalina Ruffini, Umberto Stazzi, Ian Pierson, Siro De Flammineis
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Warner Home Video Release date: 2002 Rated: G
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: Riding on the success of Mary-Kate and Ashley's popular formula from previous films showcasing London and Paris, this one takes them to Rome as sophisticated working girls. The Olsen twins play fictional sisters Charli and Leila, summer interns at a global fashion and entertainment company. They join four other international students ostensibly to gain business experience, though the job seems more of a cover for their perennial pursuits of shopping, sightseeing, and sizzling romance. They encounter workplace challenges, including a tyrannical boss and derisive coworker, which serve as a backdrop for numerous costume changes for our fashion-forward stars. In the end, teamwork prevails as the interns devise a clever scheme to expose a company criminal. Kudos to the film for depicting Charli and Leila's characters as strong and self-assured young women (too bad they come across excessively materialistic). Despite the seemingly endless self-promotion of Mary-Kate and Ashley, this G-rated film is all in good fun, though there is certainly more fizz than flavor. (Ages 4 to 10) "--Lynn Gibson"

Wholphin Issue #1 DVD Magazine of Unseen Things

Director:
Starring:
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Release date: Rated:
Language (Country): ()
Summary:

Yellow Submarine

Director: John Lennon
Starring: George Dunning (II), John Clive, Paul McCartney, Geoffrey Hughes, Ringo Starr, Paul Angelis, Dick Emery, George Harrison, Peter Batten, Lance Percival, the Beatles
Genre: Comedy
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD) Release date: 1968 Rated: G
Language (Country): English ()
Summary: This restored, animated valentine to the Beatles offers viewers the rare chance to see a work that's been substantially improved by its technical facelift, not just supersized with extra footage. Recognizing that its song-studded soundtrack alone makes "Yellow Submarine" a video annuity, United Artists has lavished a frame-by-frame refurbishment of the original feature, while replacing its original monaural audio tracks with a meticulously reconstructed stereo mix that actually refines legendary original album versions.
What emerges is a vivid time capsule of the late '60s and a minor milestone in animation. The music represents the quartet's zenith--"Rubber Soul", "Revolver", and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". The story line, cobbled together by producer Al Brodax and a committee of writers, is a broad, feather-light allegory set in idyllic Pepperland, where the gentle citizens are threatened by the nasty, music-hating Blue Meanies and their surreal arsenal of henchmen, with the Beatles enlisted to thwart the bad guys. Visually, designer Heinz Edelmann mixes the biomorphic squiggles, day-glo palette, and Beardsley-esque portraits of Peter Max with rotoscoped still photographs and film; Edelmann's animated collages also nod to Andy Warhol and Magritte in properly psychedelic fashion, which works wonderfully with such terrific songs.
High orthodox Beatlemaniacs can still grouse that the animated Fab Four are (literally) flat archetypes, but that's missing the sheer bloom of the music or the giddy, campy fun of the visuals. Making sense of the story is second to submerging blissfully in the sights and sounds of this video treat. "--Sam Sutherland"

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