Comments on: Used DVD Bonanza at Hollywood Video

By: Thom

Thom — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:43:46 +0000

I have not. But I am a die hard fan of Paul Rudd. So I must add it to my Netflix Queue. :)

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:57:20 +0000

Did you see her in I Could Never Be Your Woman? It's a small role, and not a very flattering character, but she does a good job with it.

By: Thom

Thom — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:35:00 +0000

Exactly. People complained Friends was nothing but sex, did they really think taking a show that was recognized as “similar to Friends-but raunchier!” was going to fly in the U.S.?

I think the Office is an example of how to do it. Basically, find the stuff that will connect in the other country-and for the Office, I would say it’s the awkward humor and relationship stuff, but have new characters. After the Office’s stumble (a first episode that was the original show’s first episode script almost word for word) it quickly established it’s characters as being different, to the point that similarities were familiar and pleasant synchronicity, instead of merely ripping the original off. This is, in my Opinion, why the Moffet Coupling succeeded. Yeah, I can see where characters are “like” Friends characters (Jane is clearly the show’s Pheobe-yet she stands on her own by her pathological narcissism… where as Pheobe was more sweetly confident in who she was) and yet, they are very much their own characters. And now I have a crush on Sarah Alexander.

By: Johanna

Johanna — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:10:49 +0000

Yeah, although some may be put off by the extremely sexual content, Coupling is very well-written. I can’t imagine why they thought, given the relative Puritanism of the US, that a remake would be possible here. Why not just import and run some of the good British sitcoms, like The IT Crowd, instead of trying to remake them and failing so badly?

By: Thom

Thom — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:51:01 +0000

I finally started watching Coupling by way of Netflix’s view instantly on my PS3. I am about half way into season 3, and have been enjoying it. It’s really obvious that Moffet was inspired by Friends, but it works in the show’s favor.

It’s definitely a lot of fun, and quickly finds it’s own footing. I still chuckle that NBC tried to make an American version… seriously, remaking a show that was partly inspired by your own hit seems almost…incestuous. :)

By: Johanna

Johanna — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:27:08 +0000

Nice analysis on both, thank you. I’m looking forward to rewatching them in light of what you’ve pointed out.

By: Mitchell Craig

Mitchell Craig — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:04:06 +0000

The Great Race, like most supersized comedies of the 1960s, is too long for its own good, but it does have its pleasures:

1. Tony Curtis as The Great Leslie, channeling Burt Lancaster’s brio. Edwards originally wanted to cast the latter as Leslie; if he’d succeeded, hopefully he would have partnered him with Kirk Douglas as Professor Fate.
2. The aforementioned pie fight was so-so, but there is a hilariously massive (and massively hilarious) bar brawl, complete with Larry Storch hollering “Now willya give me some fightin’ room?!”
3. The ice floe scene is an enjoyable respite between the knockabout set pieces.
4. There’s also a great swordfight between Ross Martin and Curtis.

By: Bill D.

Bill D. — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:21:04 +0000

I liked X-Men: The Last Stand, too. Not the best of the series, but still fun. I’ve never figured out why people rake Brett Ratner across the coals for trying to ape Bryan Singer’s style for the first two movies, though. For one thing, people would’ve complained if he had tried to change too much. And more importantly, Singer’s Superman Returns might as well have been called Bryan Singer’s Richard Donner’s Superman! Singer’s a better filmmaker than Ratner, no question, but I don’t see why he gets a pass for what I call Tribute Band Movie Making because of it.