FUN WITH DICK AND JANE NOW AVAILABLE

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HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE FUN WITH DICK AND JANE FROM IMDB

The day before Globodyne's stock tanks, a la Enron, and its pension fund evaporates, the corporation's CEO and CFO set up middle manager Dick Harper to be the public face of the disaster. Jobless, and with no savings, pension, or home equity, Dick and his wife Jane sink slowly into poverty. He looks for work (as do all former Globodyne executives); he even tries day labor with the relatives of their Mexican nanny. A foreclosure notice sends Dick and Jane over the edge into a life of blue-collar crime. Then, as things finally look up, the report of an looming indictment pushes Dick and Jane toward a denouement with the real criminals, the white-collar guys. Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE FUN WITH DICK AND JANE FROM DVDTALK

The movie

Somebody ought to go yell at the art director for the DVD edition of Fun with Dick and Jane. It's a funny, sharp, highly entertaining movie, saddled with utterly generic cover art that looks like it was slapped together by a summer intern... cover art that says "eh, just keep walking" rather than "hey, look at me, I'm a really clever movie!" the way it ought to.

Honestly I wouldn't have pegged Fun with Dick and Jane as a movie I'd particularly like. It stars Jim Carrey, and while that's a selling point for many viewers, for me it was the opposite; I've never been a big Carrey fan, and some of his work has been positively grating. I have to admit, though, that Fun with Dick and Jane showcases all of Carrey's considerable comic talents, and serves as a convincing argument that 1. he's a better actor now than a few years ago, when he was more brash, and 2. a good-quality script is what he needs to shine.

The trailer for Fun with Dick and Jane touches on one aspect of the story: a suburban couple turns to robbery to sustain their affluent lifestyle. It's a funny section, to be sure, but what actually makes the film work so well is that this is just one segment of the whole story. Along the way, the film casts its humorous and often sharply satiric net over a number of topics: corporate culture and its yes-men; the middle-class nanny culture; job searching and the interview process; illegal workers; consumerism and the obsession with appearances; keeping up with the Joneses; and corporate greed. Along the way, Fun with Dick and Jane also manages to be a heist film. Sort of.

Fun with Dick and Jane has a kind of manic energy that is expressed quite delightfully in a number of over-the-top scenes, which I can't describe without spoiling for you. It's here - and in any number of smaller scenes - that Jim Carrey's mix of verbal and physical comedy comes off so well, with his madcap glee fitting in perfectly with the slightly surreal script. The key here, though, is that the filmmakers have kept the film balanced, wisely not trying to make it a "laugh a minute" from start to finish. The comic tension rises and falls, so that the humor ends up being effective all the way through the film.

The film is also a testament to the importance of pacing. I'd say that while tight pacing helps any film, it's even more important for a comedy than for a drama. Dragging out a scene in a comedy is usually the kiss of death for laughs, while a zippy pace keeps the audience smiling and wanting more. In the case of Fun with Dick and Jane, the pacing is handled extremely well. The film starts on an excellent note, with the characters introduced on-screen with labels along the lines of "See Dick... See Jane... See Spot..."; it's very funny and serves as a great hook for the viewer. My big question was whether the energy displayed in the credits sequence could possibly keep going over the course of the film, and to my pleasant surprise, the answer was "yes." The film doesn't manage to stay at that peak of energy absolutely consistently, but it's so briskly paced (without being rushed) that the whole film feels lively and energetic. And funny.

Last but not least, one of the things that works so well about Fun with Dick and Jane is the fact that its absurdities are in fact poking fun at the absurdities of U.S. culture. The film draws its humor from exaggerating reality; while a real interview is unlikely to degenerate into quite the knock-down, drag-out scene that we see here, for instance, in emotional terms it often feels like that. And part of the reason the humor has bite is that the scenario is closer to home than many people would like to admit; how many suburban homeowners are genuinely one corporate meltdown away from bankruptcy? Your real neighbors might not turn to crime after a layoff, but they might wish they could...

The DVD

Video

Fun with Dick and Jane is presented here in a clean, attractive transfer, at the film's original widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1. (A pan-and-scan version is also included, but at least the menu screen makes it visually very clear that this option chops off part of the image.) The transfer is anamorphically enhanced, and looks very pleasing to the eye. Colors are bright and crisp, and contrast is handled well.

Audio

The Dolby 5.1 soundtrack is very good, with the dialogue and the music portions of the track nicely balanced. The music is a substantial element of some scenes, and always sounds clean and natural. A French Dolby 5.1 track is also included.

Extras

The special features for this DVD are reasonably solid. There's an audio commentary track with director Dean Parisot and scriptwriters Judd Apatow and Nicholas Stoller, to start with, along with a set of outtakes for publicity interviews for the film. The short gag reel is quite funny, as are the deleted scenes, which are well worth watching.

Final thoughts

Fun with Dick and Jane is a pleasant surprise, a fresh and lively comedy that packs in a lot of sharp, clever humor into a well-paced 90-minute running time. Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni both deliver solid performances here, with several other well-known actors providing nice secondary roles. Despite the decidedly bland cover art, Fun with Dick and Jane is a DVD that's worth a look. In fact, I'll say that this is "highly recommended."

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE FUN WITH DICK AND JANE

FOOL'S GOLD NOW AVAILABLE

FOOL'S GOLD NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE FOOL'S GOLD FROM IMDB

A new clue to the whereabouts of a lost treasure rekindles a married couple's sense of adventure -- and their estranged romance.

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE FOOL'S GOLD FROM DVDTALK

The Movie
In a recent episode of Family Guy, little Stewie Griffin has a chat with Matthew McConaughey: "You know Matthew, I may not ever get another chance to say this, so I just want to get it off my chest: You are just awful. You're one of the worst actors in the history of film, and I think that you need to go away."

"Oh thanks man! The truth is I spend at least 90 percent of my year going away, visiting exotic places, having sex with my beautiful girlfriend, just doing sit-ups. And then counting money...money that I've made on terrible films that I've put out into the American populace because they just love to see me, doing what it is that I do."

I couldn't stop thinking about that as I sat through Fool's Gold, the latest from director Andy Tennant--the man who has given us a number of moderate non-failures like Hitch, Sweet Home Alabama and Ever After. It also marks the second pairing of McConaughey with Kate Hudson, following the painfully predictable How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days in 2003.

I imagine that when people send McConaughey scripts, they include notes for his muscles: If you make him run a lot and keep him short of breath, his abs will clench. If you make him cling for life to the outside of a plane, his biceps look quite striking. And if you put him in a fight, there's amble opportunity for displays of defined triceps. Hey...I love beefcake just like the rest of you, but it only goes so far.

Ab-solute situation

Welcome to Fool's Gold, a beautifully empty film. There's a lot of attention given to the meaningless lost treasure history (including a yawn-inducing scene that describes the excruciatingly boring back story), but all you really need to know is that there's booty at the bottom of the ocean near Key West (which looks an awful lot like Australia), and lots of people want to find it. For Benjamin Finnegan (McConaughey), it may be the only way to help save his crumbling marriage to Tess (Hudson), who is ready to sign divorce papers after years of dealing with his irresponsibility. She now works as a steward for billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), who soon gets a visit from his starlet daughter Gemma (Alexis Dziena). They have a distant relationship that becomes one of the film's silly subplots.

Meanwhile, Ben is in big trouble with Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart, stroking a rabbit in his first scene), a rapper/businessman who sang the hit "Call Me Thumper" and apparently killed someone called Fuzzy Dice (or was it Pogo Stick?). He has financed Ben's escapades--but now wants his money back. Bunny hires some cronies to help him, including Ben's former mentor Moe Fitch (Ray Winstone). Soon, everyone is trying to find the Queen's Dowry as the film becomes a mild mash-up of Pirates of the Caribbean and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

It's remarkable that three writers worked on this script, because there's a stunningly small amount of story in the over-long 108 minutes. Nearly 20 minutes into the film, I was amazed at how little had actually happened, and it doesn't get any deeper. But it becomes obvious that the movie doesn't aspire to be anything more than a colorful caper with Bob Marley tunes, and it has more in common with a Bugs Bunny cartoon than anything else (no offense to that wascally wabbit, who wouldn't be caught dead in this...and there's actually a reference to him in the film!).

The Bunny Hop

Ben is frequently put into situations that blend extreme violence with impossible escapes or acts of heroism. Whether he's trying to save his life by moving an anchor at the bottom of the ocean or being blasted out of the water by an explosion, the film is all about exaggerated situations and eye-popping visuals. Hudson gets in on the action, too, knocking Ben to the ground with a blow to the head (she so cra-zay!)--and later slamming a shovel between Bigg Bunny's legs. The film is an emotionally empty feast for the eyes, with beautiful locations, beautiful bodies and beautiful colors lighting up the screen. Who needs story, right?

Shovel in groin? Priceless.

Hudson does her Hudson thing--looking absolutely gorgeous as she charms her way through silly material, playfully stumbling over thoughts and words ("Stewing? Stewarding?" Aww, how cute!) while trying to align her head with her heart. She is one of the few actresses that can get away with it, but I hope she gets stronger material, because I think she can handle it. And despite McConaughey not offering anything we haven't seen before, the two do play well together...although the driver of their relationship seems to be sex and money, not actual love and affection. The film has a running joke with Tess alluding to one of the few reasons she actually likes Ben (I don't want to be vulgar, but I'm it rhymes with "Coral Hex"), and the only time the two are aligned is when they get excited over the treasure.

Sutherland seems to be living his droll emotions, looking very unhappy to be in every scene, while Dziena plays the airhead just like anyone else would (she answers to the name "stupid" and asks questions like "The sea's all attached, right?"). You also get a pair of gay chefs who fawn over Ben ("It's more than just the sheer power of his raw sexuality, it's the totality of his emotional commitment to the task at hand!") and are later involved in one of the film's many cheap jokes--this one involving a shotgun and the phrase "Cock it" (clever!). Bunny and his henchmen all have thankless roles, a greedy group more concerned with money than human lives (would it have killed the writers to create one positive African-American character?).

Gemma loves suggestive swordplay.

The film can't quite pull off its balancing act of delight and danger. Tess and Ben are frequently put into frightening situations with life-threatening consequences, yet when push comes to shove the movie chickens out with comedic solutions that feel fake and forced (if someone is trying to kill you, are you really going to settle for a sucker punch?). Fool's Gold tempts you with intrigue, but it's too scared to pull the trigger. It's an odd combination that doesn't gel...but with Matthew McConaughey's 18-pack on display, I was sometimes too distracted to care.

Ummm....triceps!

But then there's the voice of Stewie, screaming into my head: "You're not hearing me. Dazed and Confused was the one thing that was passable...after that, everything else was awful. Contact? They didn't even need you in that. They could have done the while movie without you."

"I know, I said the same thing, but they were like, 'Oh we need a good looking guy with a great ass and some tight abs, who just provides some down-home enthusiasm in this picture...something to counter-balance Jodie Foster. They took her to be slightly cold, unapproachable, you know? So they put me in there. I said it didn't make any sense...said the same thing about that Bill Murray elephant movie. But it was just like, 'Aw, audiences need you! Hee hee!"

"You make me physically sick to my stomach and I wish that you would get a heart attack."

"I totally feel you, man. Truth of the matter is, I don't like my movies either, but they just keep offering me movies and I make money and I do it, and I get to go around the world. I mean, did you see Sahara? Ha ha! But I tell you, what that movie gave me was an opportunity to take an Airstream all across the country and sell that picture one person at a time."

"You suck donkey ass."

"Now you can't prove that..."

Oh, Matthew! I don't want to! You and Kate are too darn cute to dislike!

The DVD

Video:
Presented in an anamorphic 2.35:1 presentation, Fool's Gold looks a lot better than it feels. It shines in the outdoor scenes that capitalize on its beautiful backgrounds, with rich, deep blues striking a memorable pose, and the lead actors bathed in shades of gold. Some scenes are a little soft, and I noticed some minor edge issues on body silhouettes, but overall this is a very pretty film to look at.

Audio:
Equally effective is the 5.1 track, which does its best to surround you in subtle sounds: the ocean waves, the purr of a helicopter, crickets...its not overpowering (maybe slightly on the weak side), but still enhances the experience. You can choose an English, French and Spanish track (as well as subtitles).

Extras:
Surprisingly weak on supplements, all you get here are two short segments: a gag reel (2:44) is a brief look at behind-the-scenes shenanigans, not really bloopers; while "Flirting with Adventure" (4:30) is a short collection of interviews with Hudson and some of the crew giving tongue baths to each other (of McConaughey, she says "We fight well, and we flirt really well"). It could have been a much better feature, only glossing the surface of the pair's chemistry--an odd brother/sister connection behind the camera that comes across intimate on screen.

Final Thoughts:
Is Fool's Gold a good movie? No. It's surprisingly short on actual story, instead relying on pretty pictures--from stunning locations to Kate Hudson's smile to Matthew McConaughey's pecs--to get by. It's a cartoon come to life, blending colorful, eye-catching visuals with a playfully violent streak--a combination that doesn't quite work. But as bad movies go, I can think of much worse things to watch--it's dumb, but it's pretty. Rent It.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE FOOL'S GOLD

FRACTURE NOW AVAILABLE

FRACTURE NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

HERE IS THE SUMMARY FOR THE MOVIE FRACTURE FROM IMDB

Wealthy, brilliant, and meticulous Ted Crawford, a structural engineer in Los Angeles, shoots his wife and entraps her lover. He signs a confession; at the arraignment, he asserts his rights to represent himself and asks the court to move immediately to trial. The prosecutor is Willy Beachum, a hotshot who's soon to join a fancy civil-law firm, told by everyone it's an open and shut case. Crawford sees Beachum's weakness, the hairline fracture of his character: Willy's a winner. The engineer sets in motion a clockwork crime with all the objects moving in ways he predicts. Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}

Ted Crawford shoots his unfaithful wife, confesses to the police - orally and in writing - but then pleads not guilty and opts to defend himself in court. The young DA assigned to the case, Willy Beachum, has had a successful career with a 97% conviction rate. Beachum however is actually on his way to a lucrative position in a big private law firm, but his desire to win keeps him on the case. What ensues is a battle of wits between the two as Crawford systematically destroys his opponents case. Written by garykmcd

HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE MOVIE FRACTURE FROM DVDTALK

It's hard to watch Gregory Hoblit's Fracture (2007) and not be reminded of The Silence of the Lambs---at least on the surface, that is. Both could be considered psychological thrillers, though Silence is much closer to a horror film. Both feature Anthony Hopkins as an intelligent, provocative criminal who commands attention with his words and actions. Both feature protagonists seeking justice while attempting to dissect Hopkins' mind---but instead of a young, upstart FBI student, here we get a young, upstart lawyer. The main difference, of course, is this: Silence takes its time as the horrific events unfold, always ready with another trick up its sleeve. Fracture, on the other hand, plays all of its cards too early and lumbers along to an unsatisfying conclusion.

Our story revolves around Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson), a successful young prosecutor with only two weeks left at his current job. He's just been offered a high-profile position at a corporate law firm, so it's no surprise that his focus is starting to drift. Luckily, his most recent case appears to be a no-brainer: wealthy engineer Ted Crawford (Hopkins) has just been convicted of shooting his wife, who lays comatose in a hospital while the legal proceedings unfold. The film's earliest sequences hint at what drove Crawford to commit the crime, but one thing's for sure: we saw him do it. Unfortunately, the evidence against him doesn't quite add up, turning this seemingly open-and-shut case into a movement for acquittal.

First, the good news: Hopkins and Gosling turn in strong performances here, carrying most of the film's weight as the story unfolds. Their interactions are often stirring, even when Hopkins veers into familiar territory. Unfortunately, a number of supporting characters only exist to slow down the proceedings, from Willy's new boss and quasi-love interest (Rosamund Pike) to the heavy-handed treatment of Crawford's comatose wife. Both offer rather short-sighted glimpses of character development for the young prosecutor, even though they're rarely needed in what should've been a more streamlined thriller. Additionally, the plot ends up being painfully linear: all the pieces seem to literally fall into place, leaving little room for suspense or even dramatic tension.

Most viewers will find Fracture harmless enough upon its first viewing. The legal proceedings are certainly far-fetched but occasionally gripping, as Crawford's profession of innocence actually makes us question the film's opening moments. Fortunately (and in a sense, unfortunately), there are few twists and turns along the way. Audiences have become so accustomed to being tricked during a thriller's final moments, the thought of a relatively neat ending almost seems like a cheat in itself. This certainly doesn't mean that Fracture can't pull the wool over our eyes during a few key sequences, but the film's third act often seems painfully forced in its simplicity. Combined with the superfluous side-stories mentioned earlier, there's more crammed in here than there really ought to be. It can be enjoyed on a basic level for the solid lead performances, but there's surprisingly little about Fracture that leaves a lasting impression.

Presented on DVD by New Line, Fracture arrives in a relatively slim package that reflects its underwhelming performance at the box office. To be fair, what's on board here has at least been presented with care: the technical presentation is strong, while the limited bonus features look and sound equally good. Though die-hard fans of the film may want to pick this up on release day, new viewers should certainly proceed with caution. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Quality Control Department

Technical Presentation & Subtitles

Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and enhanced for widescreen displays, it's no surprise that Fracture looks excellent on DVD. The slightly stylized color palette appears cool and natural, boasting strong black levels and no apparent digital defects. Fracture may not be a perfect film, but you'll have a tough time complaining about the visual treatment.

Audio is presented in your choice of Dolby Digital 5.1 or 2.0 Surround formats; dialogue sounds clean and clear throughout, while music and sound effects rarely fight for attention. You shouldn't expect much from the rear channels, but what's here should satisfy fans of the film. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are included during the main feature and most of the bonus material.

Menu Design, Chapters & Packaging Seen above, the animated menu designs are relatively simply and easy to navigate. The 113-minute main feature has been divided into 16 chapters, while no obvious layer change was detected during playback. This one-disc release is housed in a standard black keepcase; a handsome metallic slipcover and a promotional insert are also included.

Bonus Features There isn't much to pick and choose from here, but at least we get a few scraps. The main attraction is a collection of Deleted & Alternate Scenes (7 clips, 33:57 total), including two alternate endings. What's here is only mildly interesting---and even though we only get a few minor character moments and a quick love scene, it's easy to see that their exclusion made the final cut a bit tighter. As for the alternate endings, they do little more than add a few brief, unnecessary moments to the final 11 minutes of the film. In short, those looking for drastically different conclusions will walk away disappointed.

Closing things out is the original Theatrical Trailer (2:21) and a few Sneak Peeks for upcoming New Line projects. All bonus features have been presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen (yes, even the deleted scenes!) and only the trailer doesn't include optional English and Spanish subtitles. Here's hoping more studios treat the bonus features with such care.

Final Thoughts

It may dress itself up as a tightly-wound psychological thriller, but Fracture barely manages to keep up with the strong performances of Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. The slow-burning story is weighed down by a few unnecessary plot elements and supporting characters; this proves to be especially frustrating, since the film starts out quite strongly. Overall, Fracture is a harmless enough diversion but probably won't hold up to many repeat viewings. New Line's DVD package is slim but serviceable, offering a strong technical presentation and a few bonus features. While there's certainly not enough here to recommend this as a solid blind buy, fans of Hopkins and Gosling shouldn't object to giving Fracture a spin over the weekend. Rent It.

HERE IS THE DIRECT DOWNLOAD FOR THE MOVIE FRACTURE