This has got to be the most-OVERRATED comedies of all time,I have no idea why everyone haved been raving about this silly SO-CALLED CULT-CLASSIC,sure that's what i expect from a movie like this and i do enjoy the genre,but the cookie-cutter script just frankly lacks BREAK-AWAY humor and the humor is too dull for my taste,I'll go with PORKYS, BLUES BROTHERS or AIRPLANE! anyday!!
Reviews
7 Reviews
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
(2000)
A Top Notch Flick
12 July 2002
Alright, folks... here's your riddle of the day: Whaddaya get if you cross the Three Stooges with the Greek poet Homer?
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" that's what!
Here is another superb comedy finely crafted by screenwriters /producers/ directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro, it features a brilliantly written script, superb acting by a wonderful ensemble cast, and a musical score that's simply second to none.
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a simple story really... set in the Mississippi delta region during the Great Depression, it's the tale of three petty criminals who escape from the chain gang in quest of buried treasure and experience a series of misadventures along the way. Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney) is the silver-tongued, self-appointed leader of this odd trio, a man who claims to have stolen and buried over a million dollars in cash. Delmar O'Donnell is the docile, sweet-tempered dimwit (played to perfection by Tim Blake Nelson). The third member of our little gang is an irritable, acerbic fella named Pete. Together they set off, chained to each other, in search of McGill's treasure, which is buried somewhere about to become a man-made lake. Our heroes have only four days to find the loot before it's lost forever at the bottom of the newly created reservoir.
As they begin their journey, the run across an old blind seer who prophesies that they will find a fortune, but not the one they seek. with a posse of law enforcement officers and vigilantes hot on their heels, Everett, Pete and Delmar ditch their chains and prison garb and continue on their quest.
Our trio's journey is anything but quiet and uneventful. They continually run into strange people and situations... At one point, soon after stealing a car and picking up a guitar-playing hitch-hiker, they stop at a local radio station and, posing as an "old-timey" music group called the "Soggy Bottom Boys," they cut a record that's soon all the rage throughout the region. Later they encounter a Baptist congregation at river's edge, singing a beautiful song, lulling our heroes into sweet forgetfulness for a few brief moments. They happen upon three washer-women, also at river's edge, whose siren-like song ensnares our three miscreants... George Nelson, a bank robber on the run, who nearly co-opts our heroes into a REAL life of crime... the one-eyed, fast-talking Bible salesman Dan Teague (played by John Goodman) who offers Everett, Pete, and Delmar a hard lesson on economics and life in general in the Depression-ravaged Deep South... and other characters as well: Governor Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel, running for re-election against a reform-minded candidate named Homer Stokes... Everett's ex-wife Penny, soon to me re-married to a real drone named Vernon Waldrip... and a whole gang of fellas dressed in white sheets and hoods who take exception to our heroes' intrusion into their ceremonies.
One of "O Brother, Where Art Thou's?" greatest strengths is its musical score. As the Coen brothers point out, nary a scene goes by without some kind of music in the background. The songs - 19 of them by my count - are all wonderful. It's a sublime mixture of old-time gospel and country music and African-American spirituals. From James Carter and the Prisoners' "Po' Lazarus," through Alison Krause's sweetly simple and reverent "Down to the River to Pray" (with brilliant harmonies added by the First Baptist Choir of White House, Tennessee); the old-time country classics "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Hard Rock Candy Mountain," and "You Are My Sunshine;" to the old-time Gospel classics "Keep On the Sunny Side;" "I'll Fly Away" and "I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)," (and many other songs as well), the music adds an extra dimension to this already multi-faceted film. (By the way, all these songs can be found on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack compact disc... but that's another review!)
I've now watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" about a dozen times. Each viewing has been a genuine pleasure for me. This film is clever in its conception, extraordinary in its execution, sublime in its storytelling, and masterful in its music. In short... wonderfully entertaining in every respect. A definite "must-see" for movie-lovers everywhere!
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" that's what!
Here is another superb comedy finely crafted by screenwriters /producers/ directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro, it features a brilliantly written script, superb acting by a wonderful ensemble cast, and a musical score that's simply second to none.
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?" is a simple story really... set in the Mississippi delta region during the Great Depression, it's the tale of three petty criminals who escape from the chain gang in quest of buried treasure and experience a series of misadventures along the way. Ulysses Everett McGill (Clooney) is the silver-tongued, self-appointed leader of this odd trio, a man who claims to have stolen and buried over a million dollars in cash. Delmar O'Donnell is the docile, sweet-tempered dimwit (played to perfection by Tim Blake Nelson). The third member of our little gang is an irritable, acerbic fella named Pete. Together they set off, chained to each other, in search of McGill's treasure, which is buried somewhere about to become a man-made lake. Our heroes have only four days to find the loot before it's lost forever at the bottom of the newly created reservoir.
As they begin their journey, the run across an old blind seer who prophesies that they will find a fortune, but not the one they seek. with a posse of law enforcement officers and vigilantes hot on their heels, Everett, Pete and Delmar ditch their chains and prison garb and continue on their quest.
Our trio's journey is anything but quiet and uneventful. They continually run into strange people and situations... At one point, soon after stealing a car and picking up a guitar-playing hitch-hiker, they stop at a local radio station and, posing as an "old-timey" music group called the "Soggy Bottom Boys," they cut a record that's soon all the rage throughout the region. Later they encounter a Baptist congregation at river's edge, singing a beautiful song, lulling our heroes into sweet forgetfulness for a few brief moments. They happen upon three washer-women, also at river's edge, whose siren-like song ensnares our three miscreants... George Nelson, a bank robber on the run, who nearly co-opts our heroes into a REAL life of crime... the one-eyed, fast-talking Bible salesman Dan Teague (played by John Goodman) who offers Everett, Pete, and Delmar a hard lesson on economics and life in general in the Depression-ravaged Deep South... and other characters as well: Governor Pappy "Pass the Biscuits" O'Daniel, running for re-election against a reform-minded candidate named Homer Stokes... Everett's ex-wife Penny, soon to me re-married to a real drone named Vernon Waldrip... and a whole gang of fellas dressed in white sheets and hoods who take exception to our heroes' intrusion into their ceremonies.
One of "O Brother, Where Art Thou's?" greatest strengths is its musical score. As the Coen brothers point out, nary a scene goes by without some kind of music in the background. The songs - 19 of them by my count - are all wonderful. It's a sublime mixture of old-time gospel and country music and African-American spirituals. From James Carter and the Prisoners' "Po' Lazarus," through Alison Krause's sweetly simple and reverent "Down to the River to Pray" (with brilliant harmonies added by the First Baptist Choir of White House, Tennessee); the old-time country classics "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Hard Rock Candy Mountain," and "You Are My Sunshine;" to the old-time Gospel classics "Keep On the Sunny Side;" "I'll Fly Away" and "I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)," (and many other songs as well), the music adds an extra dimension to this already multi-faceted film. (By the way, all these songs can be found on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack compact disc... but that's another review!)
I've now watched "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" about a dozen times. Each viewing has been a genuine pleasure for me. This film is clever in its conception, extraordinary in its execution, sublime in its storytelling, and masterful in its music. In short... wonderfully entertaining in every respect. A definite "must-see" for movie-lovers everywhere!
The Jerk
(1979)
A True Classic
7 July 2002
Carl Reiner shines as director and Steve Martin & Bernadette Peters shine as Navin Johnson and his future bride. The film opens up somewhere down south with Navin and the family of sharecroppers who took him in. Navin begins to see how "different" he is from his family and they soon tell him he was adopted. His mother (Mabel King) proudly tells him she would love him if he was "the colour of a baboon's *ss. Navin soonafter leaves home going out on the road in front of his house. He then begins hitchhiking when a truck comes down the road, the guy stops and says to Navin. "How far ya goin?" Navin says. "St.Louis, how far you going to which the driver says "To the enda this fence". Navin says"Ok" hops in throws his bag into the back of the truck and rides to the end of the fence. The film has similar events(you can't help but laugh) at Steve Martin's style and skill at being comedic in whatever he does. He then finds a job at a gas station owned by (Jackie Mason) who offers Navin a job as president of Texaco Oil (go figure) The film had me laughing start to finish.
The Big Lebowski
(1998)
Great movie
4 July 2002
If the movie were a car it would be a finely crafted Rolls-Royce. More technically it is a very efficient film: I couldn't identify a single boring or irrelevant minute. The casting is superb: Jeff Bridges down-at-heels bum is in perfect contrast to John Goodman's up-tight Vietnam veteran with Steve Buscemi perfectly in between. The constellation colourful and entertaining characters is another feature of the film: the Dude's wierd landlord (into strange amateur dance routines), the militant feminist played by Juliana Moore, the sycophantic personal assistant played by whatshisname Hoffman (played George in Scent of a woman, the gang of nihilists, the porn king, the bimbo kidnapee and - topping them all - the sexually perverted bowler player called (blasphemically) Jesus. If these characters didn't even interact - I mean if there was not plot at all to the movie - it would still be fun to watch them from hours on end just doing everyday things.
As it is the plot is rather good. Most importantly at the end of the film it becomes known that the Dude will become a father. This is good news because it creates a good foundation for a sequel (the "Little Lebowski", perhaps). The characters and humour of this film are so brilliant that it would be a sad waste if they were confined to just one film.
As it is the plot is rather good. Most importantly at the end of the film it becomes known that the Dude will become a father. This is good news because it creates a good foundation for a sequel (the "Little Lebowski", perhaps). The characters and humour of this film are so brilliant that it would be a sad waste if they were confined to just one film.
Spaceballs
(1987)
Mel Brooks at his best
4 July 2002
Mel Brooks is a comic genius. Although History of the World is still my absolute favorite (followed closely by Blazing Saddles)Spaceballs is a fun frolic the paradies all the science fiction films to that time.
Mainly mirroring the Star Wars universe with little jabs at the Star Trek universe - it visually matches the sets design and costuming of Star Wars.
Bill Pulman and Daphnie Zuniga are hysterical. And there are a ton of cameo appearances. Mel Brooks himself (also writer and director) plays two roles...the most notable...the all powerful, the all knowing, the all wise - YOGERT. (A Yoda rip-off.)
This film is funny and fun. Mel Brooks has one of the most creative minds in the industry. His wife, Ann bancroft must be in hysterics all the time! I loved this movie!
Mainly mirroring the Star Wars universe with little jabs at the Star Trek universe - it visually matches the sets design and costuming of Star Wars.
Bill Pulman and Daphnie Zuniga are hysterical. And there are a ton of cameo appearances. Mel Brooks himself (also writer and director) plays two roles...the most notable...the all powerful, the all knowing, the all wise - YOGERT. (A Yoda rip-off.)
This film is funny and fun. Mel Brooks has one of the most creative minds in the industry. His wife, Ann bancroft must be in hysterics all the time! I loved this movie!
History of the World: Part I
(1981)
History Was Never Funnier and Brooks Was Never Better
4 July 2002
When you see a title such as this with Mel Brooks the director, you pretty much know what you're getting. And Brooks does not disappoint. He uses the same philosophy as in "Silent Movie," marrying old jokes to veteran actors with hilarious results. It's no different here, whether it's Sid Caesar as a caveman who invents "rock" music, Brooks himself as Comicus, a stand-up comic and waiter at the Last Supper in ancient Rome, or Brooks regular Harvey Kormann as Count de Money ("de Monet, de Monet") in a send up of the the French Revolution, every old joke and routine is resurrected . . . and never fails to keep us laughing.
Besides Kormann and Caesar, Brooks is ably supported by Gregory Hines (his first film, and a great flair for comedy), Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, Shecky Greene, and the great Spike Milligan.
And just when you think it can't get any sillier, along comes Brooks and the Spanish Inquisition in Swingtime, a beautiful parody of MGM musicals.
The only shame of this movie is that Brooks never got around to making a Part Two.
Besides Kormann and Caesar, Brooks is ably supported by Gregory Hines (his first film, and a great flair for comedy), Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, Shecky Greene, and the great Spike Milligan.
And just when you think it can't get any sillier, along comes Brooks and the Spanish Inquisition in Swingtime, a beautiful parody of MGM musicals.
The only shame of this movie is that Brooks never got around to making a Part Two.
Young Frankenstein
(1974)
Comedic Genius
4 July 2002
Mel Brooks' tribute to the Frankenstein movies of the 40s is done with such love, such skill, and such side-splitting, fall-on-the-floor hilarity, that it has rightfully become a comedy classic. I first saw it in a movie theater: I had no idea what it was, had very little knowledge of Mel Brooks at the time, and expected to be bored. Instead, I found myself shrieking aloud with laughter that became so intense, I missed many of the major lines. Hence the video.
What can I say? From the wild-eyed Igor, the hunchbacked Transylvanian servant whose hump keeps changing from side to side, to the modern-day descendant of Baron von Frankenstein, determined not to follow in his great-grandfather's nefarious footsteps, to the nurse, a naif with enormous...er...chestal appendages, to the fearsome Frau Bleucher, whose mere mention causes horses in the castle's faraway stables to neigh in fear...to the scene of the monster and his creator singing and dancing in black tie to "putting on the Ritz," this movie should come with a warning: "Danger--Uncontrollable Laughter May Become Chronic."
The cast is beyond superb. The late, wonderful British comedian Marty Feldman (Igor), who turned his congenital wandering eyes into comedic foils, never misses a beat as second banana to Gene Wilder, who plays the distraught Dr. Frankenstein to the hilt and beyond. Cloris Leachman, who looks like a cross between a witch and a warlock, plays the feared housekeeper Frau Bleucher (neighhh!!!), and a very young, beautiful, and buxom Teri Garr plays the nurse-assistant to the good doctor. Then there is the marvelous Madeline Kahn, who gave a bravura performance as the doctor's fiancee. The late comedienne's burst into operatic ecstasy during her rape by the monster is simply inspired, and is one of the comedic high points of the entire film. All of Kahn's considerable talents came into play during this movie; she was taken from us too soon.
What can I say? From the wild-eyed Igor, the hunchbacked Transylvanian servant whose hump keeps changing from side to side, to the modern-day descendant of Baron von Frankenstein, determined not to follow in his great-grandfather's nefarious footsteps, to the nurse, a naif with enormous...er...chestal appendages, to the fearsome Frau Bleucher, whose mere mention causes horses in the castle's faraway stables to neigh in fear...to the scene of the monster and his creator singing and dancing in black tie to "putting on the Ritz," this movie should come with a warning: "Danger--Uncontrollable Laughter May Become Chronic."
The cast is beyond superb. The late, wonderful British comedian Marty Feldman (Igor), who turned his congenital wandering eyes into comedic foils, never misses a beat as second banana to Gene Wilder, who plays the distraught Dr. Frankenstein to the hilt and beyond. Cloris Leachman, who looks like a cross between a witch and a warlock, plays the feared housekeeper Frau Bleucher (neighhh!!!), and a very young, beautiful, and buxom Teri Garr plays the nurse-assistant to the good doctor. Then there is the marvelous Madeline Kahn, who gave a bravura performance as the doctor's fiancee. The late comedienne's burst into operatic ecstasy during her rape by the monster is simply inspired, and is one of the comedic high points of the entire film. All of Kahn's considerable talents came into play during this movie; she was taken from us too soon.
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