Happy Gilmore (TV) 22/1/06

Happy Gilmore wants to be an ice hockey player. He has a excellent "slap shot" but is a really crappy skater and has one hell of a temper.

He hates golf but has such an excellent drive that he realises that he can make some money out of the game.

It's a "fish out of water" type comedy and is quite funny.

Adam Sandler is Happy Gilmore. (No one else could have played the part)

Good stuff. If you haven't seen it 17 time watch it again.

Recommended For: Almost anyone with a sense of humour
Nor Recommended For: Professional Golfers

Bewitched (Beach Cinema) 21/1/06

Why did I watch such a girly-girl movie? It was free and was shown on Surfers Paradise beach at sunset.

In the movie, a unoriginal TV producer come up with the idea of remaking the TV show Bewitched. The actor playing Darren is Will Farrell. He is a washed up movie star trying to stay famous.

He needs to find someone to play the TV show's witch Samantha. He finds Nicole Kidman's character who is actually a witch but has not acted in her life..... and so on.

Basically this is a chick flick. There are a few amusing moment which may keep the guys entertained.

It is a slightly original way of rehashing a TV show into a movie and not quite as painful to watch as I had expected.

Recommended For: Girls and Bewitched fans
Not Recommended For: People looking for a cinematic extravaganza

Trekkies (DVD) 21/1/06

Ever wonder what happens at Star Trek conventions? The producer of this feature length documentary aims to show the world what's behind those doors that most of would not dare enter.

Trekkies and Trekkers are two of the names for Star Trek fans. (I have a few others but they are not quite as nice) Throughout the doco we meet various devoted fans who express there love of Star Trek in many weird and crazy ways.

There is..... the woman who attended Jury duty in her star fleet uniform.... the star trek themed dental surgery.... the Klingons.... the annoying young man that really needs a life (you will know who I am talking about).... and of course the actors that played space adventurers over the year. (William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy to name a few)

This is very amusing and enough to motivate me never to go near one of these conventions.

Recommended For: Anyone that wants a bit of a laugh
Not Recommended For: People with a fear of red and yellow uniforms

Sideways (DVD) 20/1/06

Two friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church from "Ned and Stacey") and Miles (Paul Glamatti) head off to wine country for a week of wine tasting and good food prior to Jack's wedding on Saturday.

Well, that was the plan. They make it wine country but things get a bit off track after a few two many wine tastings.

Quite a bizarre movie with one character throwing morality out the window and another character obsessed (to a scary degree) by wine making/wine growing/wine drinking.

You will learn more about wine than you ever need to know or could possibly remember. You will laugh, possibly cry, say the words "Oh my god" and definitely be a bit disgusted by some of the scenes and behavior.

Recommended For: People who like a story with a difference
Not recommended For: The church picnic

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (DVD) 15/1/06

I have to admit first off that I am slightly biased on this one. I am a huge fan of anything Douglas Adams has written. I have read all five of the hitchhiker novels and I have seen the DVD of the BBC series.

The first book in the series is "The Hitchhikers Guide......" and this is essentially the beginning of a story that spans five books.

In order to make this book into a movie script they have basically butchered it, added in extra story lines, over-emphasised subtle elements of the books and basically finalised the story after 104 minutes. I don't blame them either.... from memory the BBC series covers about 10 episodes and is only based on the first book.

The movie is visually stunning and the director does a pretty good job of recreating the worlds described in the books. The casting is pretty good and the Jim Henson costumes for the various aliens are great.

Die hard fans can watch out for Arthur & Marvin from the BBC series (and even the late Douglas Adams) popping their heads up during the movie. There is another excerpt from "The Guide" halfway through the end credits. (Very funny)

Recommended For: Anyone (Hopefully it inspires you to read the books)
Not Recommended For: Really Die-hard fans (it will piss you off in parts)

Mr Headmistress (TV) 8/1/06

I have to apologize for the quality of the last few movies. I really should make an effort to watch less crap.

Speaking of crap..... A guy leaves prison, the mob are after him, he steals the clothes from a lady on the train, the lady ends up being a headmistress of a school and he is carted to the school by the person who was going to pick up the headmistress from the train station.....and the cross-dressing fun begins.

I would suggest you watch something like "Happy Texas" instead. Two guys on the run have to pretend to be gay beauty pagent trainers for a bunch of young girls.

The cross-dressing main character is played by Harland Williams who later frocked up again for "Sorority Boys".

The comedy, plot and dialog is all very simple and predictable. You will get a laugh or two but don't expect anthing brilliant from this made-for-TV Disney movie.

Recommended For: Harland Williams fans
Not Recommended For: Everyone else (unless you are really bored)

Kindergarten Cop (TV) 6/1/06

OK I was bored and whatever was on the other channel was worse. (Hard to believe)

Arnie Swarteneiger (close enough) is an undercover cop. His female partner is sick and he is forced to go undercover as a kindergarten teacher.

The kids are little brats and Arnie is resisting the temptation to shoot the whole lot of them.

The movie is a bit too violent in parts for little kiddies and a bit too kiddie in parts for adults. That said it will entertain you if there is nothing better on and you might have a few laughs.

Recommended For: Not Sure
Not Recommended For: Anyone considering a career in childcare

Garden State (DVD) 8/1/05

This is a case of don't judge a DVD by it's cover. The front cover of the DVD made me think this was a offbeat comedy / adventure. (Bored adolescents get up to mischief) Instead the movie was much more of a drama with a lot of emphasis on conversations between the various characters.

Zach Braff (main character in Scrubs) is Andrew. He is a young bloke returning to his home town for a funeral. He has been away from the town since he was a kid, his life is not quite right and the trip brings back memories, answers questions and causes him to meet a compulsive liar called Sam (Natalie Portman).

Andrew's story unfold as the movie progresses, as well as the quirky lives of the people of the town.

Interesting in parts but I found it a bit tedious. (I was waiting for the crazy adventure to start but it didn't)

Recommended For: People wanting a thought provoking movie
Not Recommender For: Action Movie Buffs

The Wedding Date (DVD) 7/1/06

CHICK FLICK ALERT!!!!!!!

I have to emphasize the fact that I didn't pick this DVD. My wife was due a chick flick after all the action / adventure movies.

A girl (Debra Messing - Grace from "Will & Grace) is returning to her home town for a wedding. The guy that dumped her is going to be at the wedding (as best man) so she hires a male escort (Dermont Mulroney) as her date.

This is a typical romantic comedy and is very predictable and slightly annoying. Nothing great but entertaining none the less.

Recommended For: Girls
Not Recommended For: Guys

Fun with Dick and Jane (Movies) 1/1/06

There are two types of people in the world.
1) People who don't mind watching Jim Carrey movies
2) People who will refuse to watch the movie even if Jim is doing a 1 minute cameo appearance.

I am in the first category. (This is the second Jim Carrey movie I have reviewed..... if you are counting)

Jim and Tea Leone are husband and wife living in suburbia with a kid, big house, flash car, house keeper and so on.

Jim and half the town (by the looks of it) work for one massive company. The company goes belly up, the local economy goes pair shape and times get tough.

After having their front lawn reposessed Dick and Jane decide they have to take drastic measures to get food on the table, a roof over their head... and of course their big screen TV out of hock.

Very funny, very lighthearted and only half the length of King Kong.

Recommended For: Anyone wanting a laugh
Not Recommended For: Company CEO's looking for creative accounting ideas

Stuck on You (DVD) 31/12/05

Bob (Matt Damon) and Walt (Greg Kinnear) are conjoined twins joined at the hip and sharing the same liver.

Walt wants to be an actor and Bob is happy just being a hamburger chef. They move to Hollywood to let Walt have his shot at stardom.

Instead of being a movie where you laugh at the freaks (that's only half of it) the movie actually celebrates their achievements.

The movie is by the Farrelly Brothers and is very funny.

Recommended For: People wanting a good laugh
Not Recommended For: People offended by freaks

GO (TV) 30/12/05

This is an excellent movie and I have watched it numerous times.

The story is about a number of characters who work in a local supermarket and the people they run into over a 24/48 hour period. (They actually leave the supermarket in this period.... it's not a movie about the exciting goings on of a supermarket)

The movie looks at the various characters experiences over this period of time and as you watch the pieces of the proverbial jigsaw start coming together and previous scenes make a bit more sense.

The movie is filled with drugs, sex, violence, foul language, car chases and numerous weird/scary characters. If this sound like your kind of movie GO and watch it.

Recommended For: Those people looking for a slightly different movie experience
Not Recommended For: People who are easily offended.