A man (Black) whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal renter, an aging woman with signs of dementia, the two men set out to remake the lost films, which include Back to the Future, The Lion King, and Robocop. Read more
| Starring | Quinton Aaron, Dennis Albanese, Jack Black, P.J. Byrne |
|---|---|
| Director | Michel Gondry |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Comedy |
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A man (Black) whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend's video store. In order to satisfy the store's most loyal renter, an aging woman with signs of dementia, the two men set out to remake the lost films, which include Back to the Future, The Lion King, and Robocop.
| Starring | Quinton Aaron, Dennis Albanese, Jack Black, P.J. Byrne, Mos Def, Melonie Diaz, Paul Dinello, Mia Farrow |
|---|---|
| Director | Michel Gondry |
| Studio | PATHE |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 36 mins Blu-ray: 1 hr 40 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Comedy |
| Language | English, English Audio Description |
| Released | DVD: 30 Jun 2008 Blu-ray: 30 Jun 2008 Production year: 2008 |
| Format | DVD |
It's better to create than to consume, that's the liberating message in Michel Gondry's new comedy, though this declaration of independence inadvertently highlights some of the drawbacks... read more »
Sorry folks, if you were expecting madcap hilarity, then stick to the trailer. In fact, the trailers preceeding this film were funnier than the feature. I don't often feel moved enough to review, but this was Disappointing with a captial D. It had so much potential to be a real goodie, but somehow it just didn't work. A combination of bad script, bad acting (surprisingly) bad direction, a general 'budget' feel to it and the story was just weak and cheesy. So much so that we actually wondered whether it was aimed at being deliberately ametuer in line with the theme. But it just wasn't that clever.
Really folks, I urge you not to waste your time and money on this one, there are much better things on offer and this just won't hit the mark.
This film is not School of Rock, Nacho Libre or Shallow Hall, yet the insistance of the producers and marketers to sell it as the latest Jack Black comedy hide a brilliant, hardwarming yarn.
Black is his usual over the top, enthusiastic and very funny self but the story that revolves around the efforts of his Jerry and Mos Def's Mike to revive a flagging, old-style video rental store is sweet, clever and intelligent.
Despite what the film's advert suggests, the recreation of a couple of famous films for the store's elderly, almost senile regular customer - in the vain hope of proving to Mike's boss, Mr. Fletcher, that Mike can be responsible - takes up only a short part of the film.
Instead, out of the hilarity that ensues when the eccentric, almost crazed Jerry and calm, friendly Mike recreate Ghostbusters for the old woman comes an understanding that community-based, locally run shops and businesses are more than just an outlet.
Their film-making increases as the local people from this working class area of New York decide that the fun, ultra-low-budget, ingeniusly remastered flicks from Mike and Jerry have far greater value than the standard hollywood trash.
So when the business is in trouble it is the local community who pull together in a way that is completly alien to a western society that generally has become selfish, losing the class solidarity that was born out of the mass struggles of the pre-1990s.
The result of the film focusing on the pro-active community and the friendships that grow from this is a far richer, more enjoyable flim that turns from a funny, original comedy into a must-see comedy-drama
It's better to create than to consume, that's the liberating message in Michel Gondry's new comedy, though this declaration of independence inadvertently highlights some of the drawbacks associated with "am-auteurs". There's an authentic touch of genius in Michel Gondry. He's like one of those mad inventors in old black and white movies, devising brilliant contraptions of no practical use to man or beast. He's at his best in the short format of pop videos, commercials and YouTube doodles. In... Read more