South Park: The Cult of Cartman – Revelations

Suggested retail price:  $26.90 – Target Price:  $19.99
Format:  Animated, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
Language:  English    Region:  US and Canada only
Number of Discs:  2
Studio:  Comedy Central
Rating:  Not Rated
Run Time: 264 minutes
DVD Release Date:  October 7, 2008

Written and directed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and features the voices of Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Eliza Schneider, Gracie Lazar, and Mona Marshall.

Reviewed by:  Mary Anne O’Connell

Description:

You know Him. You love Him. Now follow Him.

Enclosed are a dozen of Eric Cartman's most important teachings. They are designed to help you, His disciples, navigate your way through today's difficult world. Only an adoption of and strict adherence to these lessons will allow you to live your life the way Eric Cartman would want you to.

“The Cult of Cartman” is a two-disc set featuring 12 episodes (9 have already been released and only 3 haven’t aired yet).  The episodes are:

Disc One
•    Scott Tenorman Must Die
•    Awesome-O
•    The Death of Eric Cartman
•    Cartoon Wars Part I
•    Cartoon Wars Part II
•    La Petit Tourette

Disc Two
•    Tonsil Trouble (from Season 12)
•    Eek, a Penis! (from Season 12)
•    Cartmanland
•    Up the Down Steroid
•    Super Fun Time  (from Season 12)
•    Ginger Kids

The Cult of Cartman displays the best/worst of little and fat, Eric Cartman, the profanity-slinging bigot we all love to hate.  Throughout his 4th grade life, Eric had done some very bad things in South Park, Colorado.  For example, faking Tourette’s Syndrome so he can swear whenever he wants, or buying a theme park just so he doesn’t have to wait in long lines, or when Cartman is in the hospital for a tonsillectomy, contracts HIV and tries to give it to Kyle!  

One nice aspect to this DVD (especially if you are a newbie to Cartman), is the fact that he hosts a little segment (like 10 seconds long) in between episodes that introduces one of his evil themes!  He stresses that you, the viewer, should apply these themes in your everyday life.  

There are no special features to this DVD. But you do get a Cartman sticker and a membership card!?  And please remember these South Park DVD’s are uncensored, so they are really, really, really for mature audiences only.  If you are an avid South Park fan, this is a definite rental.  I would, however, hold off buying this set and just wait for Season 12 to come out and DVR it!

Binkies:  8 out of 10




 

Samantha Who?: The Complete First Season

Samantha Who?:
The Complete First Season

Produced by: ABC Studios
Suggested retail price: $29.99 SRP U.S., $35.99 SRP Canada

Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC Language: English Rated: 'TV-PG' DLSV Bonus Material Not Rated- Canada PG Number of discs: 2

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment/Walt Disney Studios Home
Entertainment DVD Release Date: September 23, 2008

Reviewed by CPA Mom

Plot:  A woman suffers from amnesia and is forced to find out who she really is.

Product Description from Amazon.com:
Samantha...WHO? That's what Sam Newly irresistibly played by Christina Applegate would like to know! Upon waking up from an eight-day coma she can't remember a thing -- not her boyfriend her parents her job not even herself. Although some things are best left forgotten Sam is determined to dig up the "goods" on herself. With a little help from her ex-boyfriend, ex-doorman, her too (make that two) few friends and slightly odd parents Samantha gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to become a bad-girl-gone-good. Indulge yourself in the ultimate do-over fantasy with the fresh new hit comedy SAMANTHA WHO? -- THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON starring Emmy(R) Award-winning Christina Applegate and a hilariously quirky cast of supporting characters including Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito and Kevin Dunn. With every Season One episode and exclusive bonus features cheer for the charmingly imperfect Sam -- whoever she is!

Devil or Angel? After 8 days in a coma, Samantha gets to find out as she gets a once in a lifetime opportunity to become a bad-girl-gone-good. The Emmy® Award-winning Christina Applegate ("Married with Children," "Jesse") is a hoot as Samantha and she is joined by a strong cast of sitcom favorites - including two-time Emmy® -winner Jean Smart ("Designing Women," "Frasier," "24"), Jennifer Esposito (Crash, "Rescue Me"), Kevin Dunn (Transformers, "Prison Break"), Tim Russ ("Star Trek: Voyager," "Live Free or Die Hard", "iCarly") Melissa McCarthy ("Gilmore Girls," White Oleander,") and Barry Watson ("7th Heaven," "What About Brian?") .

I really, really enjoyed watching this series. And this comes from a woman who never watches T.V. Seriously, I hadn't even heard of this show until it was sent to me for review. Now, of course, I'm hooked (damn you ABC Studios!). From start to finish, I laughed my way through this show. Christina Applegate is very good at her portrayal of both sides of her personality - both are quite believable - but I did find myself rooting for the "angel" side of her that she wakes up with - especially if it means she will get the delectable Barry Watson back as her boyfriend! I was delighted to see Tim Russ back on T.V. again too - as Frank the doorman, his character is a lot like the Vulcan he played on Star Trek. I hope they show more of him in the next season as Sam's zaniness plays off his seriousness so well. The rest of the cast was just as superb - great casting job for all the characters. All in all, this series really is "must-see T.V." for comedy.

Five out of five binkies!

BONUS FEATURES • Deleted Scenes • Bloopers

The Love Guru

Actors: Mike Myers, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba, Ben Kingsley, Romany Malco, Verne Troyer

Director: Marco Schnabel

Year: 2008

Color Code: Color

Genre: Comedy

Reviewed by Christine Fugate

 

Described as :
A hilarious comedy starring Mike Myers as guru Pitka in his first original character since the blockbuster hit Austin Powers. Myers plays an American raised in India by gurus (Tugginmypudha & Satchabigknoba) and returns to the U.S. in order to break into the self-help business. His unorthodox methods are put to the test when he must settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of a star hockey player (Romany Malco), whose wife left him for a rival athlete Jacques Grande (Justin Timberlake). Mini Me is back from Austin Powers and plays the hockey coach for more classic comedic moments that will have audiences laughing from opening to closing credits.

Frankly, I did not find one thing hilarious about this movie. I kept thinking that when Mike Meyers' marriage fell apart, he must have gone to ashram to heal. Or maybe his wife did. Either way, he has a huge ax to grind with the world of Deepak Chopra. And who wants to see Austin Powers trying to be spiritual and wise? We won't him to be naughty, sassy and misbehaving.

I would not recommend this movie unless you are a HUGE Mike Meyers fan and can watch whatever he is in, even if it doesn't work.

BABY MAMA

Actors: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco Director: Michael McCullers
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen,
NTSC Language: English Number of discs: 1
Rating: PG-13 Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Release Date: September 9, 2008 Run Time: 99 minutes

List Price: $29.98

Reviewed by CPA Mom

Would you put your eggs...in this basket?

Plot: "Successful and single businesswoman Kate Holbrook has long put her career ahead of a personal life. Now 37, she's finally determined to have a kid on her own. But her plan is thrown a curve ball after she discovers she has only a million-to-one chance of getting pregnant. Undaunted, the driven Kate allows South Philly working girl Angie Ostrowiski to become her unlikely surrogate. Simple enough ... After learning from the steely head of their surrogacy center that Angie is pregnant, Kate goes into precision nesting mode: reading childcare books, baby-proofing the apartment and researching top pre-schools. But the executive's well-organized strategy is turned upside down when her Baby Mama shows up at her doorstep with no place to live. An unstoppable force meets an immovable object as structured Kate tries to turn vibrant Angie into the perfect expectant mom. In a battle of wills, they will struggle their way through preparation for the baby's arrival. And in the middle of this tug-of-war, they'll discover two kinds of family: the one you're born to and the one you make."

I had high expectations for this movie as I am a huge fan of Tina Fey, a very talented writer and actress. And she does not disappoint in this movie. I think she was perfectly cast as control freak Kate and Amy Poehler also does well in her role as a "white trash" surrogate. I found this lightweight romantic comedy (yes, there's romance in there too) to be quite an enjoyable way to spend the evening. The plot, while familiar, did have a few surprises in there, and moved along quite well. I hadn't realized Steve Martin was in the movie and he was a hoot, even making me laugh out loud a few times as Kate's new age, harebrained boss. And I always love watching Greg Kinnear (I've been a fan ever since Talk Soup - remember when he hosted that?) and he did a great job in this movie. Some of the other actors: Romany Malco as Oscar (the doorman) was a stitch, as was Sigourney Weaver as Chaffee Bicknell, the fertile head of the surrogacy agency. And the ever delightful Holland Taylor starred as Kate's mom - with her ever present "in your face" uncensored comments. Maura Tierney was wasted though, as Kate's sister with too few lines to make any impact. All in all, a delightful movie I wouldn't mind seeing again.

Four of out five binkies.

DVD BONUS FEATURES: DELETED SCENES: Laugh along with the film's hilarious deleted scenes. ALTERNATE ENDING: See how the film could have ended, with this comical alternate ending. FROM CONCEPTION TO DELIVERY: THE MAKING OF BABY MAMA! Utilizing behind the scenes footage and interviews, Writer/Director Michael McCullers, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sigourney Weaver and Greg Kinnear take us through the hysterical journey of bringing "Baby Mama" to the screen. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: LEGACY OF LAUGHTER: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler talk about what it's like to work together with SNL alumnus Writer/Director Michael McCullers. FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR MICHAEL MCCULLERS, PRODUCER LORNE MICHAELSAND CAST MEMBERS TINA FEY & AMY POEHLER. BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF BONUS FEATURES: U-CONTROL: This uniquely-immersive, in-movie experience from Universal allows you to customize your own high-definition experience with spectacular interactive features – all without stopping the movie! PICTURE-IN-PICTURE: Learn more about the making of this film by viewing behind-the-scenes moments as the movie plays. FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR MICHAEL MCCULLERS, PRODUCER LORNE MICHAELSAND CAST MEMBERS TINA FEY & AMY POEHLER. MY SCENES: Create clips of your favorite scenes to watch over and over again!

South Park: The Complete Eleventh Season: Uncensored

No Rated (Mature Audience Only Warning)
Run Time: 308 minutes – Three Disc Set
Studio:  Comedy Central/Paramount
Created by: Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Release Date: August 23, 2008
List Price: $34.99 @ Comedy Central.com

Written by:    Mary Anne O’Connell
Reviewed by: Mary Anne O’Connell and Matthew O’Connell (Mary Anne’s Son)

Animation + Adult Humor = SOUTH PARK!

I was surprised when my 13 year-old son gave the idea of reviewing South Park’s 11th Season on DVD. It has been banned in our house for its crude, sexual, and adult humor. Apparently people at his school told him it was a funny show, so I figured we could review it together. (This way I could plug his ears when needed.)

At first glance, South Park disguises itself with animation about 4th graders who go on wacky adventures in their town.  However, this innocent premise is quickly erased when the “play” button is pushed.  In every episode you will find foul-mouthed townspeople, vulgar adult subjects, and horridly bloody cartoon violence.

    Episodes range from Stan and Kyle discovering a secret cult that is trying to protect the secret of Easter, to the guys trying to beat Bono’s record of taking the biggest “crap.”  Additional episodes include Stan and Kyle becoming obsessed with Guitar Hero, Cartman pretending to have Tourettes Syndrome and an elaborate three-episode long show that involves the boys being taken to Imaginationland because terrorists are trying to bomb it!  

    My son commented that a show like South Park, minus the profanity and other mature themes, could make it on to Nickelodeon, but the writers/creators/producers/directors Matt Stone and Trey Parker have decided to give their show a twist.  The twist being: lesbians, exploding heads, dirty political humor, strong and graphic language used by children, and poorly made celebrity impersonations.  After all that is what makes South Park, well, South Park!  I did have to remind myself that these episodes were uncensored and normally you would not be hearing all of the profanity but the subject matter is still crude.

    Bottomline:  This DVD set would be a great choice for your typical South Park lover which I am guessing is a 20-something guy and his buddies looking for some cheap laughs. My 16 year-old daughter told me that her boyfriend loves South Park, but the censored TV versions.  I admit I got a few laughs here and there, but even the adult in me could not stand all the profanity!  The Matures Audience Only warning is right on!

    Bonus Features: Five-minute mini-commentaries by the creators on all 14 episodes.

5 out of 10 binkies.