2024 the best 2000 movies review
Price: $3.79
(as of Nov 22, 2024 22:18:15 UTC - Details)
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
Package Dimensions : 7.1 x 5.42 x 0.58 inches; 1.75 Pounds
Media Format : DVD
ASIN : B001J7MTI4
Reviewer: Laurie
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: In defense of Brendan Fraser: A fresh look at "Bedazzled"
Review: Brendan Fraser has taken some nasty hits recently. There are hair rumors, weight dissings, the whole Golden Globes clap n' point thing, and now "Furry Vengeance," which, God help, has his name on it as star and executive producer. By all public appearances though, he's taken it all with grace. Yeah, he says, I added some pounds. I was at the Golden Globes and spazzed. Sure, my crotch gets attacked over and over in "Furry Vengeance" but it makes my kids laugh. The man seems to be an affable, self-effacing goofball who knows exactly who and what he is. In this regard, as far as movie actors go, he seems to stand alone.Men want to despise men who women openly idolize. They get as snide as 14-year-old girls when they fall short in comparison. In their own testosterone pumped cattiness it seems they've been lying in wait for the nice-guy, lust-worthy ape-man to turn 40 and lose his ab definition so they can pounce. What they underestimate is Brendan Fraser's fan base. His fans don't require a rippled stomach to continue their support. For most of them, it isn't about that.There are hordes of dedicated Fraser fans who bristle more at the current attacks than Fraser seems to himself. For some, it started with George from "George of the Jungle," embraceable not just for the lithe muscles, but for the charming innocence. Others were wooed by the Mummy's Rick O'Connell, an action hero with brilliant blue eyes, even bluer against the desert, who lets a smart woman take the lead with the full understanding that his strength is protecting her, not competing with her. Perhaps it was "baby-man" Adam Weber from "Blast from the Past," at age 35 discovering the world for the first time in late-1990's LA, where his good manners and well-rounded education were perceived as freakish. There may be some late bloomers who waited until they saw Uncle Trevor in 3D before they fell in line. (note: if you need to be convinced of Brendan Fraser as egoless kook, listen to his commentary on the "Journey to the Center of the Earth" DVD. He lovingly calls out the movie's cheesiest moments, and as executive producer, he's well within his rights to do so, channels Mike Meyers, taunts himself and his little paunch, and even points out his own man-boobs. Which in turn begs the question, what other actor would be comfortable enough with himself to direct attention to his man-boobs? In 3D, no less?)However, I may be the only fan newly recruited to the Brendan-cult by uber-nerd Elliot Richards. Everything I needed to gain respect for Brendan Fraser as an actor I found in "Bedazzled."At the core of me, I was sure I would never waste my time on this movie. The poster/DVD cover with its red background and the sleazy picture of Fraser with Elizabeth Hurley, snake and flames repulsed me. How many soul bartering devil movies does the world really need? We get it already. Don't negotiate with the devil. Hell, just avoid any conversation with the devil period. More importantly, don't bother with any movie that makes you cringe even before you see it. Yes, "Inkheart," books are judged by their covers. That's why millions are spent marketing movies. In the case of "Bedazzled," that money was a poor investment.To summarize quickly--Elliot Richards is a socially inept dweeb who has a crush on an unattainable woman, making him the perfect patsy for a devil deal. He gets seven wishes before he hands his soul over, which means Elliot gets several makeovers as he wishes in multiple failed ways to be the man he is not.Released a decade ago, "Bedazzled" wasn't particularly loved by the critics but it wasn't wholly panned, either. Despite the current perception, the reviews still available on the internet range from lukewarm to great. The New York Times describes the movie's setup then offers this: "What follows is outrageous fun. Elliot, wishing himself rich, powerful and married to Alison, is transformed into a Colombian drug lord. Mr. Fraser is a master of goofy befuddlement, and his face as he discovers himself speaking Spanish is almost worth the price of the ticket." Good or bad review, Fraser's performance was roundly praised. The Times goes on to say, "The physical transformations that Mr. Fraser undergoes in each scenario are impressive, but the real artistry is in his quick-change performance. He looks perpetually surprised at himself as he utters dumb- jock clichés, sings a song in praise of our friend the dolphin (complete with dolphin voices) and delivers nonsensical witticisms at a high-toned literary soirée. With his slightly pudgy face and his loose, ungainly physical presence, he manages to be both likable and ridiculous." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times didn't like the movie but still writes: "Fraser is a wonderful comic actor--better than he gets the credit for, because he creates funny characters instead of exploding in what is intended as funny behavior."What finally convinced me to see "Bedazzled" was Harold Ramis. Director and co-writer Harold Ramis' involvement was unknown to me until a couple of months ago and for me gave the movie comic street-cred. If you don't know him, but his name sounds familiar it's because Harold Ramis directed or co-wrote cult-followed classic comedies starting in the days of SCTV and early SNL that became their own subgenre--movies like "Animal House," "Caddyshack," "National Lampoon's Vacation," "Ghostbusters," and a personal favorite of mine, "Groundhog Day." For me that trumped Hurley, boa constrictor, and rewarmed concept. And I hate to say it, but Fraser.Here's what happened. I rented the movie and watched it through stunned. When it was over, I immediately went back and watched the first 10 minutes three or four times in a row. I knew Elliot Richards! There was an Elliot Richards sitting a few cubicles over from me at my office. I had avoided and insulted multiple Elliots through the years. That was me at the bar table, wincing as an uninvited Elliot approaches, realizing the chair next me is the only one available and that I'm trapped. When I've made inappropriate jokes that have fallen with a thud to the floor I've worried that I was an Elliot Richards. I did not expect Fraser to play such an unflattering character. I did not expect his performance, from the broad strokes to the nuances, to be perfect.As the devil twists his dreams into nightmares, Elliot is transformed physically to match each wishful scenario. For a good chunk of the movie, Fraser Is unrecognizable. He is prostheticed, wigged, freckled, and for one alter-Elliot, 3G enhanced. The transformation I found most amazing was the most subtle. He wishes to be very handsome, sophisticated and intellectual. When he enters the scene, he looks different but I couldn't figure out how. His hair is parted on the side and coiffured back, but that wasn't it. This Elliot, as opposed to real Elliot, is dressed immaculately in an expensive suit, and has perfect posture, but that still didn't explain why Fraser didn't look like himself. I inched through the frames, frustrated that I couldn't tell what was just off enough to not to be quite right. Then I realized it was his nose. They had altered his nose in the slightest way, making it more sloped and pointed. Now it's one thing to say to a movie star, hey, for comedy's sake, we're gonna ginger you up with red hair, gooey freckled complexion and give you little teeth. It's another thing entirely to say to a movie star, hey, to make you really handsome we have to change your face. The result is a hyper-handsomeness, bordering on caricature, which was exactly what was needed for comic effect. But can you imagine broaching the subject with any leading man? Wouldn't it result in a screaming diva debacle?What I realized is that when Brendan Fraser commits to a movie, he commits whole-heartedly and with enthusiasm for the process. He appears to be willing to let go and do his part, trusting that the director, producers and creative team will do theirs. As film actors become more celebrated they also seem to become more controlling, and there isn't the sense that Fraser needs to do that. Good movie, bad movie, there is no slacking. He's obviously willing to do anything on behalf of the project no matter how it makes him look. Some may see his resume and wonder if he shouldn't have pushed back more often. If you're a director, though, he should top the list of actors who would be dreamboats to work with, seeing that Fraser lets his image take backseat to the director's vision. When a movie doesn't work, it's hard to blame him. He's doing everything he can, and when the material and director are good, Fraser's talent is in full evidence. Now, if he could just be a bit more selective about scripts and directors, he would find the respect for his acting that he's only had sporadically through the years.I see all these qualities illustrated in "Bedazzled." He's fearless. When asked to sing like a dolphin, he does. It's ridiculous. It's also really funny. He doesn't hesitate to play Elliot full-dork, and, as mentioned earlier, he's perfect. The face, the posture, the voice, the laugh, the line delivery, the smile, he captures awkward and unattractive jerk with the same gusto that he did handsome matinee hero. The critics tend to like him in more serious roles, but he's a natural comedian and he's given the chance to prove it more so here than in his other comedies. He gets to be really good in what I find to be a surprisingly good movie and those things don't align for him as often as they should.Having pleaded my case, I ask you to go back and see "Bedazzled" again, or if you haven't seen it, find it. In my opinion, it's Brendan Fraser at his best. Maybe you'll take away from it what I did--that Brendan Fraser is a likable, under-appreciated, talented actor. Appreciate that he always gives it his all, even in something as unworthy as "Furry Vengeance" and is managing to keep his sense of humor and humility despite the recent public malice. Give him a break, send him some love, and wish for a good script to come his way. He's paid his dues.
Reviewer: Bigfelt
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Good
Review: I love this movie
Reviewer: Alex Husband
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Best i found for the price.
Review: Opened up disc and saw no scratches or damage. Good deal Thanks.
Reviewer: Choco G
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: One of my favorites
Review: This is one of those movies you can watch years later and is not boring, and still you can enjoy it as the first time to watch it. I really love it, I had to rent it to watch it again.
Reviewer: G. Laster
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Liz Hurley SUCKED!!! But the movie was absolutely hilarious
Review: Liz Hurley's performance was literally a black hole of suck, but the movie itself had me rolling in the floor. I'm a huge fan of the original movie with Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, so I had my doubts about a remake. But between Brendan Fraser and Orlando Jones, I was not disappointed. I laughed until I cried. And Orlando Jones' impression of the horrible broadcasting skills of basketball great Isiah Thomas made me have to hit pause until I could stop laughing. They totally carried the movie. But Liz Hurley certainly has the right name. Every scene she was in just made me want to hurl. Her performance (or lack thereof) did nothing but bring down what was otherwise a hilarious movie.She took Peter Cook's character and murdered it in cold blood. She's a beautiful woman, no doubt. But SHE CANNOT ACT, PEOPLE!!! And apparently, she cannot walk either. I mean, what was with that boppy, bouncy thing she was doing? Was that supposed to be sexy? It totally wasn't. It was just really distracting and annoying. Peter Cook was drop dead gorgeous, but that wasn't what sold his character. His character worked because he was an incredible actor and funny as hell, made funnier by the fact that he and Dudley Moore had mad chemistry together. But Liz Hurley is NOT FUNNY. Not at all. And there was zero chemistry between her and Brendan Fraser, though God bless him, he certainly tried.She has no rhythm, no range in her facial expressions, no comedic timing, and no feel whatsoever for what makes a person funny and the filmmakers knew it, which is why she spent most of the movie in a bikini or dressed like a call girl. Sexy is all she's got. But the part called for funny, not sexy. She was hopelessly miscast and way, Way, WAY out of her league. Now Sandra Bullockâ¦that is a beautiful woman with a killer body, but she has a genius for comedy. Julia Roberts, same thing. And they're funny in clothing. They don't need to be naked to be entertaining.All the skimpy costumes Hurley wore were a device strategically designed to distract the male audience from noticing her obvious lack of acting chops. They couldn't even put her in a decent business suit when she was supposedly dressed as a lawyer. That suit was an insult to female attorneys everywhere and it made her look like a stripper ready to pop out of a birthday cake, but what else could they do? Without the sexy wardrobe, she's invisible. Minus Liz Hurley, I'd absolutely have given this movie five stars. Too bad they can't remake the remake with a better actress.
Reviewer: Tar Tar Magic
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: So Funny
Review: My Daughter and I Love this Movie
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Get the tisuess for the start you start to cry how mean people can be, ye really feel for the poor lad,Than he meets the Devil and it quick alreaddy starts to get fun, again the tisuess as it is mean,Know what he wish for and form it correct is sort of the message, and at a certain moment he start to feel for the Devil too,Everything fails until...Just go watch ye wil love this movie.
Reviewer: Mina
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Exactly as described, excellent condition, great price point, arrived in a timely fashion.
Reviewer: True
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Molto divertente e leggero senza il turpiloquio frequente di moda nei recenti film
Reviewer: Piotr
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Il y en a pour tous dans ce film a condition d'etre receptif a la bonne deconne
Reviewer: RTR
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Bild und Ton: DVD entsprechend.Geschaute Sprache: EnglischWer sagt, dass Brendon Fraser kein Schauspieler ist, der sollte sich diesen Film (möglichst auf Englisch) anschauen. Zugegeben, Elizabeth Hurley (total süà ist ihr britischer Akzent im Originalton) stiehlt ihm ein wenig die Schau, da sie einfach umwerfend schauspielert. Doch nun:Zum Film: Looser Elliot (Brendon Fraser) würde alles tun damit sich die von ihm angebetete Kollegin in ihn verliebt. Dies bekommt auch der Teufel (immer auf der Suche nach Seelen) mit, und erscheint ihm in Form von Elizabeth Hurley, die den Teufel herrlich spielt.Egal, was Elliot sich wünscht, irgendwas macht er immer falsch, denn kein Wunsch läuft so wie er es sich vorgestellt hat.Der Zuschauer stellt sich zwei Fragen: Kann er den Teufel schlagen? Und wird er die groÃe Liebe finden?Fazit: Ein Film mit einem groÃartig aufgelegten Brendon Fraser, der nur noch vom Teufel selbst (Elizabeth Hurley) übertroffen wird.Alles in allem ein Film, den man gern sieht, weil er einfach Spaà macht, ohne so sehr in Klamauk abzudriften. Eine leichte Komödie, die man empfehlen kann.