Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

This. Is. Comedy. Ever since seeing Borat's Official Home Page, I had wanted to see this movie. And apparently, I wasn't the only one considering Borat blew the top off box office forecasts. I recognize that this isn't a film for everyone, but in complete sincerity, I haven't laughed harder in the theatres all year. In fact, it's been a few years since I've laughed this hard. Sacha Baron Cohen goes to great lengths to offend every possible person and group. Feminists. Jews. African Americans. The South. Fraternity members. Rodeo fans. Homosexuals. Charismatic Christians. Baywatch lovers. Politicians. And of course, anyone who lives in the "glorious nation" of Kazakhstan.

Even if you do want (and follow your instinct) to turn away from some scenes, there are plenty of others that will leave you rolling. I could talk about all the people Borat makes a mockery of, but you really should just see this yourself. This isn't a movie for kids, even high-schoolers in my opinion, but that's just another reason Borat is so refreshing: it's a stupid comedy, done intelligently, for adults. Or, I like how Ty Burr of the Boston Globe puts it... "[Borat] is Jackass with a brain and Mark Twain with full frontal male nudity." Yes, there is indeed male nudity, so you cannot say I didn't warn you.

While I still haven't decided whether Borat or Mission: Impossible III ranks now as my number one most rewatchable film of 2006 (thus far), I can decidely say that Borat is worth watching, and rewatching, and rewatching, and... well, you get the idea. Go see Borat as soon as you can. It may "make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan," but it will definitely make laugh glorious nation of U.S. and A.

The bottom line: Compulsively Rewatchable

Five Film Treats for Halloween

When the holidays come, it always seems difficult to decide which movies to watch or rewatch. Of course, on days like Christmas and Thanksgiving, you need those uplifting, family-oriented stories to complement your joy. On Valentine's Day, you need something romantic and that gets you in the mood for love. But with Halloween, you need something scary. A movie that'll make you jump, get spooked, maybe even tinkle your pants a little, even if you've already seen it before. With that in mind, here are five good treats (not tricks) that I recommend for Halloween. They aren't necessarily slasher films or overflowing with blood, but they do create a good eerie mood and will help you and your party guests pass the goulish night with ease.

The new release: Slither
Slither is not at all the scarriest of my Halloween recommendations, but it is a great humhorror (humorous horror) that will have you grossed out and laughing at the same time. Think of it along the lines of Tremors, if you're looking for something to compare it against. While this film may not scare you all that much if you're a horror buff, those little slimy, slithering slugs will give you the heebie geebies no matter who you are... it may even cause you to avoid taking a bath anytime in the near future. The bottom line: Rewatchable

The family scare: Monster House
This was the first film I reviewed when starting this site. If you have small children, or even young children, you obviously can't plop in any of my other herein listed recommendations. But if that is the case, don't feel like you're missing out. Monster House is the ideal family movie for Halloween. That isn't to say this animated adventure isn't scary in its own right, but it is much safer than the other choices available. For more details, read my full review of the instant animated Halloween classic. The bottom line: Frequently Rewatchable

The completely evil and distrubing: Haute Tension
In all honesty, I cannot in good conscience recommend this movie. Undoubtedly, this is the most horrifying film I have ever seen in my entire life. After seeing this movie with my then-pregnant wife, we both agreed that, for the rest of her pregnancy, we would no longer watch scary movies. She was kept up at night all that week and made me sleep nearer to the bedroom window due to her fear that a killer like that in Haute Tension would pop through it at any moment. This movie is evil, disgusting and disturbing in every way imaginable. Of course, if you like that sort of thing, this may be the flick for you. On a critical note, the ending of this movie is completely contrived and ruins the rest of the story. It does not ruin the horror of the film, just the story. Like I said, I cannot in good conscience recommend this movie, but if you want to not sleep tonight (or the rest of this week), Haute Tension is your film. The bottom line: Watchable

The eerily realistic: Frailty
This is not your typical horror. Actually, there's barely any blood in the movie at all. Instead, the film tells a story that, when all is said and done, hits too close to home. Through documentaries and novels, we've all heard real life serial killers talk about how "God" told them to kill certain people. And that is what makes this film so scary. It's believable. Matthew McConaughey and Bill Paxton turn excellent performances and will have you immersed in the story from beginning to end. I was quite surprised by how smart this horror film is and recommend it to anyone looking for a realistic scare this Halloween or any other. The bottom line: Rewatchable

The classic: Psycho
Okay, so this is no real surprise, but Psycho clearly represents one of the scariest movies ever made. Hitchcock outdid himself with this thriller and made showers almost unapproachable for millions of men and women. If you want a good old, black and white horror fest, complete with its fair share of scares, Psycho is it. The bottom line: Rewatchable

Well, that about does it for me. Tonight we're having a small party at our house and we have some great scares in store for our guests. Happy Halloween to all you movie lovers out there! And please, be sure to stay safe.

The Queen

After seeing the trailer for The Queen, I had no desire to see it. Both my wife and I thought it looked no better than a made-for-TV movie you might find on PBS long after it had originally aired on BBC. But then, I read the reviews and, much to my surprise, they were in universal agreement: The Queen was not only a good film, but according to them, a great film. (On a side note, here's why I listen to critics as a general rule.) So, my wife and I and our six-week old daughter headed to the movies for a Sunday afternoon matinee. And we were glad we did.

While my wife didn't enjoy the film quite as much as I did, I found The Queen an immensely entertaining, insightful, and wonderfully scripted and performed docudrama. Also, given the fact that this deals with the tragically true story of Princess Diana's unexpected death, the movie is surprisingly (and tastefully) humorous and witty. The audience chuckled throughout.

But the script is not the only star here. Undoubtedly, the true reason this movie succeeds is due to the outstanding performances. Michael Sheen, who plays Tony Blair, brilliantly reenacts how Britain's youngest Prime Minister in history responded to the sad event so shortly after being elected. He commands the screen, and yet at the same time, plays the character with a certain down-to-earth verisimilitude that makes you understand how he won over England's people. And of course, Helen Mirren, as you may have heard already, gives a career-crowning performance as the title character. I've always loved her, but this gave me a new appreciation for her range. Mirren's depiction of HM Queen Elizabeth II will assuredly be seen as the lasting portrayal of who the figure was, a truly dignified and respectable leader even if the public did not always understand her more traditional values. There are still some female performances to look out for in the next couple months, but come Oscar time, I would not at all mind seeing Helen awarded for her pitch-perfect performance.

This isn't the most rewatchable of films. However, given the film's outstanding performances, unexpected humor, and insightful commentary on modern day royalty, I look forward to seeing The Queen again sometime in the future, and recommend you visit the theatres for this delightful surprise or rent it as soon as it makes its way to DVD.

The bottom line: Rarely Rewatchable

The Princess Bride

Considering I just began this site, I should start by providing an example of just what ranks among the stratosphere of infinitely rewatchable movies, and there's just no better example than The Princess Bride. It has everything. Adventure, comedy, fantasy, true love, inconceivable sword fights, Cliffs of Insanity, R.O.U.S., Billy Crystal in heavy makeup... and even all that's just scratching the surface. Rob Reiner's 1987 flick unfortunately did poorly in theatres, but once it made it to video, it became a sensation. And growing up with parents who entertained people all the time, this was the default choice when we wanted to watch a movie.

Of course, The Princess Bride only gets better with each successive viewing. It's a movie you can watch again right after it ends because it's just that much more fun when you know what's coming up. I can't recommend this film enough. In complete honesty, I have rewatched this movie over 60 times... and I love it more each viewing.

Don't rent this movie. Buy it. I can't put this strongly enough...

Buy The Princess Bride if you do not already own it!

And one last note: if you don't like this movie, you might as well stop reading this site. The Princess Bride encapsolates all the values of rewatchability in the most fun hour and thirty-eight minutes possible.

The bottom line: Infinitely Rewatchable

Nacho Libre

When Nacho Libre came to theatres, I only heard bad reports, that it was "stupid." Of course, the main thing I and everyone else heard was, "It's not nearly as good as Napoleon Dynamite." But as a fan of Jack Black, my wife and I took a trip to the theatres on our weekly date night and gave the thing a go. And boy, were we ever happy we did.

This movie, while somewhat silly and childish, is just good, clean, wholesome fun. Nothing more, nothing less. Yeah, it is a little "stupid," but not in a bad way. In a way that you should expect, even hope a movie about Lacha Libre wrestling starring an overweight man-child in tights with an over-the-top accent to be. As far as a comparison between Napoleon Dynamite, the director's previous film and surprise phenomenon, I disagree with the majority. While I enjoyed Dynamite's unique sense of humor and think there are a lot of good, repeatable lines, I can also understand how a lot of people hated that movie. With Nacho Libre, however, you can't help but feel happy after watching this flick. It's a blast of a movie that, personally, I can't wait to rewatch with my family and friends. I'm smiling just writing about this movie.

If you go in expecting a fun, silly adventure, I can't see how you'll come out dissatisfied. Even for you Napoleon haters, don't let that deter you from watching Nacho Libre. It's totally safe for kids and a perfect, rewatchable comedy that will have your whole family, from grandparents to young children, smiling. As for you people that thought this wasn't "nearly" as good as Napoleon Dynamite, give it a second chance... and this time, don't compare it to anything, but just sit back and let Jack Black's cheesy performance, accent and costume wrestle you the other way. After all, a little cheese is always good with Nachos.

The bottom line: Rewatchable

Groundhog Day

Sitting at coffee with my wife earlier today, she asked me out of the blue, "Do we own Groundhog Day?" Sadly, the answer was no. But this perfectly displays the nature of a compulsively rewatchable film and how you think about it even when you're not watching it. Compulsively rewatchable films are the type of movies that make you laugh just thinking about them, even when you're in a room alone. And Groundhog Day fits that mold.

Right up there with classics like What About Bob, Bill Murray turned in one of the funniest all time performances as the egocentric Phil Connors. It's not that he's over the top, but rather, that he's a droll schmuck of a man who you really can't help but like. You won't learn any profound life lessons watching this little gem (other than to "Watch out for that first step," of course), but there are just so many scenes and lines in this movie that make it memorable and worth watching again, and again, and again. "Am I right or am I right or am I right?"

I'm pretty sure almost everybody has seen this movie by now, but if you had forgotten about it, rent it or buy it and pop it in. One thing's for sure, I'm changing my answer to that question my wife asked. "Bing!"

The bottom line: Compulsively Rewatchable

Monster House

I rewatched this one last night with my wife and a couple friends. Just like I thought after seeing this the first time, Monster House is a fantastic adventure and trip back to the joy of 1980's cinema. The time when "family" movies didn't have to be 100% safe, politically correct, or non-threatening enough to satisfy ultra conservative parents. It's the movie of an era past when films the Goonies, or E.T., or Stand by Me, or Adventures in Babysitting were what kids watched and rewatched. Films that are a little bit scary, but exciting and fun at the same time. While I can't recommend this film for very young children, anyone seven and up should love this movie, and thankfully, parents will, too.

Undoubtedly, this will be my first pick for the DVD player every Halloween and I can't wait to introduce more people to it. It's a funny, exciting, sometimes scary adventure packed with realistic pre-teen characters right smack dab in that awkward place we all remember, between childhood and seeing yourself as a "grown-up." This was the most pure, unadulturated fun I've had at the movie theatre and on my couch so far this year and beats out Cars (by a long shot) and Over the Hedge (by a slim margin) as the best animated film of 2006. Rent it or buy it, it's up to you, but you won't be sorry for watching or rewatching this one.

The bottom line: Frequently Rewatchable