DEFINITELY, MAYBE

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks and Rachel Weisz
Written and Directed by: Adam Brooks

Definitely, Maybe could have definitely been a great chick movie but somehow it didn’t deliver. The set-up is a good one and had me hooked from the preview: Try to figure out which female character got it on with ex-Mr. Alanis Morrisette (Ryan Reynolds) and became the mother of adorable Abigail Breslin (when does that girl get home-schooled?). The first half was so good that my husband actually watched it with me. Watching the hot babes (are they moms?) in the film is fun, especially Rachel Weisz, who looks pregnant in the film. The problem is once you find out who the mom is, the movie falls apart. I won’t say more, thus I ruin it for you. It is definitely an entertaining watch and worth the rental, just don’t be disappointed when a few questions go unanswered.

6 out of 10 binkies 

Official Synopsis
When Will Hayes, a 30-something Manhattan dad, decides to tell his 10-year-old daughter, Maya, the story of how he met her mother, she starts to question him about his life before marriage. As Will tells the story of his younger years, he weaves in anecdotes about his three most meaningful relationships, leaving Maya to guess which of the women became her mother. Maya gradually begins to understand the complexity of love as Will realizes that a second look at the past might also give him a second chance at the future. 

Coupon
Get an online coupon for $5 off the release of Definitely, Maybe on DVD. The coupon can be downloaded from various destinations including the official movie website www.definitelymaybemovie.com, e-newsletters, online banners and www.coupons.com starting 7/2/08. The coupon will be valid 30 days after printing. For complete details and restrictions please check www.definitelymaybemovie.com.

COMEDY'S CENTRAL HOME GROWN

Unrated (Mature Audience Only Warning)
Run Time: 180 minutes
Studio:  Comedy Central/Paramount
Created by: Comedy Central: A Comedy Central Experiment
Release Date:  June 10, 2008
List Price: $19.99

Reviewed By:  Mary Anne O’Connell

Apparently, Comedy Central has found an audience for not only drug-fueled humor, but also a group of folks ready, willing, and able to watch it stoned! In fact there is a Consumer Advisory on the back of the DVD that states: “Best Served with Nachos and Funyuns.”  I know it’s a joke, but still…

Comedy Central has created a collection of their mature audience only favorite shows with the majority having a drug-theme. This DVD is divided into three sections: Buds (full episodes), Seeds (strange 1970’s shows), and Stems (sketches).  

Buds
If you are a fan of Sarah Silverman you will really enjoy this episode called Face Time.  Sarah goes to a country club to play tennis, but since she is not a member she cannot play.  Sarah is convinced she was rejected because she is Jewish.  Over lunch while complaining to her friends about being a victim of a hate crime, the black waiter overhears and tells Sarah that being black is a lot harder than being Jewish.  Comedy ensues…

Also in this section are episodes of Reno 911 (Burning Man), TV Funhouse (Christmas Episode), Lewis Black Root of All Evil (Beer vs. Weed), and Strangers with Candy (Old Habits, New Beginnings).

Seeds
Okay, I am convinced that this is the section that is meant to be watched with your “20-something” buddies at 2:00 am completely wasted!  Why else would you put in a comedy DVD and watch: The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross (“happy little trees”), or a 1971 version of the history of weed, or a YouTube video called “Spiders on Drugs”??  Moving on….

Stems
Now most of this section is worth watching.  Most of the skits are still not socially acceptable, but at least the drug references are at a minimum. There are clips from various Comedy Central series.  Sketches are from The Chappelle Show, Crank Yankers, Sarah Silverman, Drawn Together (an animated reality show), and Viva Variety.

I have always been a fan of Dave Chappelle and was bummed when he got mad at Hollywood and disappeared. Ironically this episode deals with just that fact (Dave Meets Showbiz).  There are also three segments from Crank Yankers that are pretty funny.  If you’ve never seen it, this show is about real phone calls placed by celebrities (in this instance, Tracy Morgan and Jimmy Kimmel) and acted out with puppets.

So-o-o, would I buy this DVD?  No.  The mix of shows if very strange and if you are a true fan of a certain comedian or show, just go buy the individual DVD. This “experimental DVD” as advertised by Comedy Central is, in my opinion, an experiment gone wrong.  

STRANGE WILDERNESS

Strange Wilderness

Actors: Steve Zahn, Allen Covert, Jonah Hill, Kevin Heffernan, Ashley Scott (II)
Directors: Fred Wolf (II)
Format: Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
MPAA: Rated R for non-stop language, drug use, crude and sexual humor.
Studio: Paramount DVD Release Date: May 20, 2008
Run Time: 84 minutes List Price: $29.99

Reviewed by CPA Mom

"This ain't March of the Penguins."

Steve Zahn plays Peter Gaulke, the host of a wild animal television program called "Strange Wilderness," but the show’s ratings are plummeting (even at a 3 a.m. broadcast time). With two weeks before it is cancelled, Peter attempts to rescue the series by traveling to Ecuador in search of Bigfoot. Tagging along are his misfit friends played by Allen Covert, Jonah Hill, and Justin Long (famous now as Drew Barrymore's boyfriend) and one woman who is supposedly their travel agent (Ashley Scott). Sharks, piranha, pygmies, Mexican border guards, an insane tracker (played by Robert Patrick), and various other obstacles lay in wait, as well as a rival animal television crew who are also looking for Bigfoot. The funniest parts of the movie for me where when they were filming "episodes" of the show.

One scene: Peter Gaulke: [looking at napkin] This is it? Our entire voice-over for our show on bears is written on a cocktail napkin?

Fred Wolf: Yeah, we wrote it last night when we were at P.J. Mahoney's.

Peter Gaulke: [reading napkin] Bears are large and brown. Alright, come on. Not all bears are large. How about baby bears, huh? Bears derive their name from a football team in Chicago. No. It's the other way around. Jesus Christ Fred, come on. It is estimated that bears kill over two million salmon a year. Attacks by salmon on bears are much more rare. Right, that's got to be true, right? Alright, let's go with that one. or this one...

Peter Gaulke: Bears are a proud people, although they're not people per-say. They're animals. Bears derive their name from a football team in Chicago. Bears have been known to attack man, although the fact is that fewer people have been killed by bears than in all of World World I and World War II combined. Brown bears bloves fishing. Brown... Brown bears bloves... God, why am I having so much trouble saying brown...

Fred Wolf: Maybe it's the two b's in brown bears. Try something different.

Peter Gaulke: I got it. I'm ready. Okay. Red bears love fish.

This movie kept my husband laughing the entire time while I just found it amusing. Of course, I think men are the target audience with this one, like most slapstick humor films. This is no "There's Something About Mary" in regards to humor, but it's a likable film.

I give it 3 out of 5 binkies.

LIL' BUSH: RESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: SEASON ONE

Rating: US Not Rated
Studio: Paramount/Comedy Central
Created by: Donick Cary
Run Time: 132 minutes
Release Date: March 11, 2008
Target Price: $14.99

Reviewed by: Mary Anne O’Connell

Lil’ Bush: Season One is an animated series based on, you guessed it, President Bush.  In this political fantasy world, George Sr. is the President and his aides and advisors are those actually from the current George W. administration.  Lil’ Bush and his White House posse are portrayed as children.  Playmates of Lil’ Bush are Lil’ Condi, Lil’ Cheney, and Lil’ Rummy.  Like their adult versions, particular personality traits of each child are highlighted which are hilarious!  For example, whenever Lil’ Cheney talks he blurts out one key word then grunts and mumbles something intelligible out of the side of his mouth.  Then there is Lil’ Hillary who is always correcting Lil’ Bush, and Lil’ Condi who is not only the brainiac in the group but has a serious crush on George.  I thought it was also amusing that Lil’ Cheney’s dad is portrayed as Darth Vader.

There are six episodes on this DVD with each episode containing two different segments.  Story lines range from Lil’ Al Gore trying to convince Lil’ Bush that global warming is real to the devil kicking Lil’ Cheney out of hell because he’s enjoying it a little too much and wants to “hang out” with Satan.  Because this series was created by Donick Cary, a writer for The Simpsons, I wasn’t really surprised when I saw the parental advisory for explicit content and it’s recommendation for mature audiences only. Language isn’t the problem, it’s Lil’ Bush and Lil’ Rummy running around naked wearing nothing but a tube sock, and Lil’ Cheney eating live mice out of his lunchbox in the school cafeteria.   

There is one part of each episode that is totally unnecessary and, in my opinion, should be eliminated -- the kids dress up and parody a rock band like the Grateful Dead or Kiss.  They then sing an annoying song pertinent to whatever the subject of that episode -- very strange.  Additional characters appearing are Lil’ Barack Obama, Lil’ John Kerry, Lil’ John McCain, and Lil’ Tony Blair.  Along with George Sr., there is the rest of the Bush family: mother Barbara and Lil’ Jeb.  And for some reason, Lil’ Jeb is portrayed as mentally handicapped?

Special Bonus Features include a commentary track, as well as guest commentators like Jerry Springer, Ralph Nader, and Tucker Carlson (former CNN host). There is also a never before seen episode called “Walter Reed” which was good.

Most episodes were okay and entertaining (especially to the fan base Democrats), but I didn’t find myself laughing very much.  Lil’ Bush: Resident of the United States got picked up for a second season so I am hoping that they update some of the characters and get rid of one’s like Lil’ Rummy who are no longer hanging out at the White House.

5 out of 10 binkies

Mary Anne O’Connell lives in southern California with her two kids and one husband.  She enjoys a good Napa Chardonnay and dark chocolate.

SOUTH PARK IMAGINATIONLAND

 

DIRECTOR:
Trey Parker

WRITING CREDITS:
Trey Parker

RELEASING COMPANY:
Comedy Central

SUGGESTED PRICE:
$14.00 on Amazon

REVIEWED BY:
Sophie Anais

The South Park “Imaginationland” DVD is about a terrorist attacking our imagination. The opening has the South Park boys looking for a leprechaun. Kyle and Cartman have a bet to see if Cartman can prove that leprechauns exist.  If Leprechauns do exist, Kyle will have to suck on a part of Cartman’s anatomy that is not suitable to mention on the MH site. Sure enough a leprechaun shows up and tells the boys of an impending terrorist attack on our imagination. Cartman becomes obsessed with getting Kyle to fulfill the demands of the bet. The next day the boys meet up with the Mayor of Imaginationland and he takes them there.

Imaginationland is a place where everything that people have imagined, including an odd assortment of good and evil characters, are living together peacefully. However, the terrorists attack and the boys expect their friend Butters will escape on a dragon. The boys then wake up thinking it was just a dream until they realize they have all had the exact same dream, and regrettably Butters is missing. This is when the FBI gets involved and they want to bomb our imagination. It’s all very complicated.

If you are a 17-year-old girl, like myself, the humor might be to your taste. The boys curse all the time and there is a tremendous amount of violence in this episode. I would not recommend this DVD to anybody under the age of 15 and probably anyone over the age of 18. They drop the F bomb regally. This DVD is very violent and not suitable for young children. Do not be fooled by the cute cartoon animals because they rape and murder!

The extra features include a commentary by the South Park creators Matt and Trey, storyboards and two bonus episodes, "Woodland Critter Christmas" (episode 814) and the "Manbearpig" (episode 1006) with both episodes running 22 minutes.

Sophie Anais is a junior in High School with a big heart.  She enjoys studying romance languages and science.