Countryman

Amazon.com

A contemporary Jamaican fable with a remarkable, out-of-nowhere hero, Countryman is the story of a Rastafarian fisherman, Countryman (credited to "Himself"), who rescues a marijuana-smuggling, American couple from an airplane crash. The good deed doesn't end there, however. An ambitious and power-hungry, emerging despot, Colonel Sinclair (Basil Keane), hypes the significance of the crash to impress political leaders, maintaining the smugglers are, in fact, enemy agents plotting against the government. Thus Countryman's new friends are in great danger, and he keeps them out of harm's way between smoking spliffs and putting up a preternaturally agile fight against Sinclair's weapons-wielding thugs. The film exudes an infectious, contact-high energy, and Countryman's gravity-defying stunts should please fans of similarly spectacular martial-arts movies such as Hero. The soundtrack to this 1982 movie features some of the greats of Jamaican reggae, including Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, and Steel Pulse. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Rastafari Live!!.......2007-09-06

Countryman is what Rastafari is all about. I wish I could live like that..man gwan in him likkle boat..man free! Rastafari live. Blessed love. :)

Country Man.......2007-09-06

I fell in love with movie 20 years ago. It's a must have for anyone who loves reggae. A True Classic!!!!!!!!

This is how we all should live.......2007-07-04

I wish we all could learn to live more like Countryman! A well done movie and one I have watched a several times now. It is an inspiration to watch!

GREAT Movie..it has it all.......2007-07-03

If you like Regae and Bob Marley and vodoo and magic and fun this is one great movie from start to finish. Its a must see!!

Countryman.......2007-07-01

For any reggae lovers, this movie, will give you an understanding of the reggae music and what the words of bob marley and many other greats meant. The music played during scenes in the movie is what gives you the appreciation and understanding of the reggae music we all love. Great movie to check out and to add to your movie collection. It doesn't cost that much so buy it.

Average customer rating:

You Can Count on Me
Excellent family drama
Real
Count of this film touching your heart...
Great thought provoking movie.

You Can Count on Me
Starring: Betsy Aidem , Lisa Altomare , Matthew Broderick , Michael Countryman , and Rory Culkin
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00003CXQ4
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Amazon.com

You Can Count On Me starts with a terrible car crash that instantly orphans a little boy and his older sister. At film's end, that boy, now a grown-up nomad and ne'er-do-well, takes off by Greyhound after a brief reunion with his sister, who lives at permanent anchor in their unspoiled hometown. The sibling saga that unreels between wrenching collision and bittersweet separation celebrates the idiosyncratic ways wounded folk like Terry (Mark Ruffalo) and Sammy (Laura Linney) put one foot in front of the other, both energized and hamstrung by the knowledge that nothing is ever certain in the road-movie of life. During his visit, Terry roils Sammy's becalmed existence, mostly by "fathering"--for good and ill--her overprotected 8-year-old (Rory Culkin), sneaking him out to play empowering bar pool, later introducing him to the weaselly dad he's fantasized into a superhero. Sammy starts a torrid affair with her married boss at the bank (Matthew Broderick gives delicious bureaucratic smarm), and considers marrying her sometime suitor (Jon Tenney), sweetly dull yet dependable. The narrative peaks here are human-sized, elevated by gentle humor and clear-eyed faith in the existential importance of these intersecting small-town lives. Linney is simply superb as Sammy, wild girl gone good, involuntarily "mothering" every man in her life. An authentic original, newcomer Ruffalo gives his modern-day Huck Finn a drawling, James Dean delivery tuned somewhere between a screwup's whine and the twang of pothead wisdom. (Hard to think of another recent film that so deftly nails down the rich dynamics of everyday conversation--the starts and stops, circumlocutions, clichés, sudden veers into revelation and eloquence.) This is that rarity, an action movie of the heart: no explosions or epiphanies, yet everything evolves through the catalysts of character and experience. --Kathleen Murphy

Customer Reviews:

You Can Count on Me.......2007-07-30

This powerful, fascinating film examines how two very different siblings cope with a single, life-changing tragedy, and how this event affects their own interactions. Written and directed by Lonergan (who also plays a priest), "Count" depicts this complex relationship with a nuanced mix of humor and heartbreak. Linney received an Oscar nod for her portrayal of Sammy, but it's Ruffalo's intense performance as the younger sibling that really stands out. "Count" is an uncommonly wise and human story about those family ties that bind us all.

Excellent family drama.......2007-07-15

Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo are two of my favourite actors, so seeing them together in the same film playing sister and brother is a rare treat. They are both spot on in their portrayals of, respectively, a single mother yearning for some excitement, and an unreliable drifter whose life so far has been a series of mistakes.

I've always thought that the 'family drama' type of film is very difficult for directors to get right. It is very easy for it to be too sickly-sweet or for the family being portrayed to be ridiculously dysfunctional. Luckily, You Can Count On Me has the perfect blend of comedy and seriousness, and the characters actions make sense in the context of their pasts and personalities. The film is also fast-paced and shot in a unique and stylish way.

The film plays like a series of everyday moments strung together. The main characters make poor choices and do morally reprehensible things, but you somehow find yourself rooting for them and hoping things work out OK. Terry (Mark Ruffalo) was a particularly interesting character, because he seemed incapable of being dependable or responsible. For example, he turns up late for a very important meeting although he has promised to be on time. It is as if he wants to sabotage his own chances of happiness - I found this to be very moving and true to real life. Rory Culkin, who plays the young son in the film, is also an exceptional actor and he manages to make a difficult role very believable.

I also felt the portrayal of Ron the priest was excellent. He was a sympathetic and non-judgemental character and he really added a lot to the film. I also thought the line that Terry says hits the nail on the head about why it is so hard to have faith sometimes: 'But I don't want to believe in something or not believe in it because I might feel bad. I want to believe in it or not believe in it because I think it's true or not'.

Overall, this is real gem of a film and I hope it gets a wide audience because it really deserves it. It is realistic and thought-provoking in many ways. Kenneth Lonergan deserves a lot of credit for writing such a strong screenplay and managing to direct an excellent film from it. Highly recommended.

**Spoiler Alert**
P.S. I loved the way the film title was used in the ending without the words actually being said. I don't think I've ever seen that done in a film before and it was a beautiful moment.

Real.......2007-01-04

Real people. Real vices. Real mistakes. Real talented actors. Real bad background music in final scene. Real never-ending struggles. Real good film. Really short review.

Count of this film touching your heart..........2006-12-08

A pure and engaging story of redemption amongst family, `You Can Count on Me' tells the story of Sammy (Laura Linney) and Terry Prescott (Mark Ruffalo), siblings who lost their parents in a horrific car crash when they were still very young. Years later and Sammy is a single mother of 8-year-old Rudy (Rory Culkin), she works hard at her job at the bank, now run by over critical Brain Everett (Matthew Broderick), and she struggles with telling her son just how much of a jerk his father really is (Josh Lucas has a great cameo as Rudy Senior). When Terry shows up after months of no communication Sammy is immediately thrilled, but shortly after his arrival she realizes her brother is still a screw-up and is just using her, again.

Terry shows up in need of money to pay for his girlfriend's abortion, but when his girlfriend tries to commit suicide he decides he needs to take a break from his life and so he stays with Sammy and Rudy. Over the course of a few weeks Terry has made a deep impact, especially in the life of young Rudy who idolizes him. This film follows the changes each of these siblings make, changes in themselves but also changes they cause others to make. It's a beautiful story of redemption and acceptance and it shouldn't be missed. The performances by the two leads are outstanding, and young Rory Culkin is adorable and mature as Sammy's son, but the real shock to me was Matthew Broderick who played the demanding, philandering, unlikable type brilliantly, and he's not one I'm generally impressed with.

Great thought provoking movie........2006-04-07

This was an excellent movie about the hardships of real life. Both Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney do marvelous jobs in their performances. Mark is great as the troubled brother with no ambition whatsoever while Laura is wonderful as his sister, but trying to be motherly as well. A great story - I highly recommend it!

Average customer rating:

No Thought Required-- **1/2 stars
Lots of Laughs, Lots of Fun
Even Lawrence couldn't save this movie and he's a comedian
That's why you shouldn't drink your own urine.
Horrible script, Martin is wasted

Black Knight
Starring: Martin Lawrence , Marsha Thomason , Tom Wilkinson , Vincent Regan , and Daryl Mitchell
Director: Gil Junger
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006GVJDU
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Amazon.com

In Black Knight, Martin Lawrence plays an amusement park employee who is magically transported back to medieval times and helps return a queen to her rightful throne (while learning some valuable lessons along the way). Despite the script's lack of logic and originality, Lawrence is an engaging performer, with a loose-limbed amiability that makes him most enjoyable company, even if he's not necessarily a better actor than most comedians. If Lawrence ever does a movie with a decent script, he might really have something; as it is we'll have to settle right now for the cheesy yet funny sight of Lawrence teaching a medieval band to play some Sly and Family Stone. --Bret Fetzer

Description

When a Medieval World theme park worker (Lawrence) is magically transported back to 14th century England, he must do battle with an evil king, deadly assassins - and really bad plumbing!

Customer Reviews:

No Thought Required-- **1/2 stars.......2006-07-12

Leave your thinking cap off and you'll enjoy this movie. Pure amusement. Martin Lawrence plays an assertive theme park worker with no pride or dedication toward his job, lots of self-respect but little to share in favor of others. With the advertising of a competitive park opening close by in the future, he advises the park owner who also happens to be his mentor, to divest herself of the park and retire. Annoyed, she sends him to clean the moat and he's on his way while telling his coworkers to file their job applications at the new theme park to beat the rush. Dredging the moat, he spies a gold medallion on a heavy gold chain sparkling through the debris-strewn water. He sticks his hand in to retrieve it and gets sucked into the filthy water and time travels back to the 14th century.

So begins Lawrence's journey into medieval England. Foisting himself off as the messenger from Normandy bringing news of the arrival of the Duke to wed the virgin daughter of the mean, usurping King Leo, he falls for one of the chambermaids (Marsha Thomason), who happens to be leading the rebellion against the king to reinstall the ousted queen. The supporting cast makes this movie -- from the drunken, fallen knight, Sir Knolte (Tom Wilkinson) to Princess Regina (Jeannette Wegger), King Leo's not so virginal daughter.

Some critics have poopahed Lawrence's acting abilities, but when I watch him interviewed in person and then watch his movies, I can only draw the conclusion that his acting abilities are top notch. One would almost think that the offscreen Lawrence is his major acting role, compared to the ones he portrays. Offscreen he appears intellectual, quiet mannered, almost shy. Who can say that about his performances on screen? While Black Knight won't win any awards, it's still very entertaining and to repeat, the supporting cast is terrific.

Lots of Laughs, Lots of Fun.......2006-06-04

This is basically a Variation of a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court, done as only Martin Lawrence can do it.
The Story speaks for itself, and needs little coverage.
The extras are great, and they show just how good people surround themselves with great support people, and so look even better. The commentary by the director is good, clear and very explanatory; I also wish that Martin Lawrence had talked about more than just the two scenes he spoke about.
Very nice to see the Paula Abdul bit, since she is always soooo gorgeous !!!!
The out-takes are VERY funny, and the deleted scenes are scenes that are soooo not needed, that one wonders why there would be any question about their deletion, but Martin is very good in the Nightclub scene.
Lots of DVD for a nice price.

Even Lawrence couldn't save this movie and he's a comedian.......2005-01-08

I was afraid of this movie. I was truly frightened out of my boots. You know why? Because of the premise. Imagine the premise of a modern day man in medieval times. How would that work? I already fear the possibility of a corny incident and I was not let down. You know how the main character got into medieval times? Through a magical necklace. Wow, huh?

Yup, people, that is the beginning of the movie. The movie stars Martin Lawrence as a man named Jamal. He works at this place called "Medieval World" and they are about to receive competition in the form of "CastleWorld". Jamal doesn't really care and believes the boss should just cash out, but his boss doesn't feel the same. She is disappointed, but Jamal doesn't care. Later on, as he is cleaning, he saw a strange necklace in the moat and as he tried to get it, it sucked him in. That begins our magical adventure and it is quite possibly the corniest modern day beginning ever. That can fly with the Wizard of Oz because it is a classic and it was made long ago, but that plot doesn't fly today. As a matter of fact, I may have disgraced the name of "The Wizard of Oz" by mentioning it in the same sentence as Black Knight.

Anyway, after being sucked in, our hero finds himself in medieval times. The movie wasted no time in teaching me that medieval citizens of England spoke modern English quite well by showing Jamal speaking with a citizen perfectly. The guy also ends up dying, but he then wakes up a moment later, and keep in mind that Jamal just finished making a whole scene about the guy not breathing. Later on, he travels around and finally arrives in a village. There, he sees as castle and believes it is the new amusement park, "CastleWorld". Jamal is quite perceptive, isn't he? If I had landed in a place where there is no city or road around, but only a bunch of people dressed in rags, I would guess it is an amusement park too. So after arriving at the castle and informing the guards that he is from Florence and Normandie (which they mistake for Normandy), he is let in. Thus Jamal's adventure begins and we will be introduced to medieval times at the highest possible accuracy, such as how politically correct people were in those times.

Seriously, though, this movie simply has way too many flaws, even for a Martin Lawrence movie. I am watching this after Lawrence's other movie "Nothing To Lose" and I am finding that this movie is actually worse than the other. Unlike other comedies based in medieval times, this movie lacks comedy. Other movies do it by an almost extreme form of exaggeration, but this movie seems like it's aiming for some sort of moderate accuracy, which it fails in every way. If you had ever read a book based in medieval times by an accredited author, then be prepared to shake your head at this movie on every turn. You don't believe me? At many points in this movie, the seventh chambermaid of the king (Victoria) speaks in a way resembling a "feminist". Can you possibly imagine a feminist in that kind of setting? If you can, you're an idiot.

Anyway, needless to say, one of the main problem of a movie like this is inaccuracy. With the feminist scene mentioned above, one of the girls with Victoria asked if she is infected with the plague (i.e. bubonic plague), but the plague did not appear in Europe until 1347, yet Victoria will say later on that the date is 1328. Now you're probably thinking that I'm too nitpicky, but it happens ALL the time in this movie. Hell, you don't even need to know about the medieval age to tell when something inaccurate pops up. It also doesn't help when Martin Lawrence flashes his ass at me in some kind of strange position in preparation for sex. I can tolerate Tom Hanks' ass, I can tolerate Keanu Revees' ass (if you watched the Matrix, you probably tolerated it too), and I can tolerate Leo DiCaprio's ass, but I would rather be pleased NOT to see Lawrence's ass.

Returning back to the several anachronisms, Jamal also somehow managed to get new modern clothing (I'm not sure how) and he also attempted to introduced a fast food center. The problem with this is that there are no machinations designed to make fast food in the medieval period, so how did his design work internally? Didn't Jamal go to a place called school? Why in the blue hell did he think he could introduce a fast food place there?

Moving away from this kind of problems, we come to a new set of problems. What is wrong is that the laughs come rarely, if ever at all. For me, it came sometimes, but not often enough for my taste. What is wrong is that the movie tries to play off situational comedy and it fails miserably. The situational comedy consists of the usual, people being kicked around, Jamal introducing modern culture to the king, him also making a complete ass of himself, etc etc. One of these situations includes him trying to pass himself off as a sorcerer by showing everyone fire through a lighter. For some reason, Jamal thought fire wasn't around despite him being in rooms where there were fireplaces and, for some reason, no one seemed to think it was strange that Jamal was using a modern day lighter. Right after this, they show a scene where the executioner is choking on an apple. Apparently, no one ever saw another person choking before because they all thought Jamal casted a spell on him. Yeah, ha ha.

Anyway, it seems like this movie tries to play too much off the situational comedy and it lacks intelligent comedy. As much as I like laughing at the stupidity of some guy, I would prefer it if all the comedy was based solely on his stupidity because it's simply too unrealistic. When you're not asking yourself "what", "how", or "why", you'll find yourself hoping for something to make you laugh. When that something does appear (if it does at all), then you'll find yourself treasuring it as if it was your last.

That's why you shouldn't drink your own urine........2005-01-08

I cannot stress the fact that this film has been overplayed and recycled through Hollywood more times that I can count. While I have read some reviews that claim that this is one of Lawrence's more creative roles yet, I can only laugh and gag simultaneously at these words. Lawrence was a major contributor to the downfall of this film. He provided no character analysis, no development, and definitely no humor to the entire story. It was as if we were watching a dress rehearsal in progress before the final script arrived with all of Lawrence's funny bits. From the quick introduction at the beginning of the film (a mere 7 minutes of character introduction), until the incoherent ending that was trying to monopolize on the popularity of Gladiator, we never see Lawrence's character of "Jamal" or "Skywalker" (depending on the care of the actors) emerge from the film. This was merely Martin Lawrence cashing in on his already overplayed self, stretching no further than his comfortable limits and never exerting anything "fresh". He has fallen into the cracks of the Hollywood recycling bin and Black Knight reinforces that idea.

Sadly, Lawrence isn't backed up with any better acting or story. Tom Wilkinson has done some amazing films during his career, but apparently was looking to buy a new car with this film. It required no "real" acting from him, just sloppy drunkenness with cliched moments near the end that could have been pulled from any other film like this one. I think that was my major problem with this film (beside the lackluster Lawrence) was the story. There wasn't any. It felt like we were forced from the beginning to all of our different places and events just to fill time. There wasn't any redeeming value from the story. In fact, I would go so far as to say that whomever wrote this screenplay may have...gasp...plagiarized from nearly every other film like this one out there. The structure was nothing new, the formula literally had dust on it, and nobody seemed to care. Lawrence obviously didn't from the performance that he gave, but I expected more from Mr. Wilkinson who has impressed me in the past. This was not the best showcase for his talent, or for anyone's talent to say the least. We must always remember that it begins with a story, and if it doesn't sound good on paper than it isn't going to translate well onto the screen. This is a rule to live by for everyone involved with the Black Knight debacle.

Finally, I normally don't mention this in my reviews, but with this film it just stood out more than any other that I have seen, but the production of this film was horrible. The costumes, the sets, and even the way the shots were framed seemed "cheap" in so many ways. The costumes are the first that come to mind because Lawrence always seemed like he was wearing something that was made with haste. How could he have quickly made this garment in the time that he was in this land? Who knows, but it was "cheap" and only lowered this film further into the muck pit. If the story is going to be bad, and the actors are not going to give their full potential by actually doing what they are paid ... to be creative ... than at least give us something to look at Production Team! Unfortunately, there was nothing ravishing to even glance at. The entire Medieval World that Lawrence works at from the beginning is "cheap" and obviously a set. I want a film to take me away from Hollywood and give me my dollar's worth, not rob me blind. The cinematography was done by a two-year old. Nothing spectacular, nothing worth writing about.

Overall, this was a very poor film. Would it have hurt anyone working on this project to use a little something I like to call "imagination"? Creativity was not being used or welcomed in this film. You could tell that the director wanted to make the film, edit out what didn't work, finish, and relax at home while thinking of all the different ways that he could spend his Hollywood money! I blame two major players in this film for the overall poor quality. The first is Mr. Lawrence. If he does not expand his acting potential and bring something new to the screen, I don't think his Hollywood stay will be very long. The second player that I blame for this befuddling mess is the writer. Again, creativity and imagination went backseat to the infamous Hollywood recycling bin. This was a truly disappointing picture.

Grade: * out of *****

Horrible script, Martin is wasted.......2004-10-18

Very unfunny, script is full of racial cliches. Martin obviously did this for the check since his stock went up after Big Momma's House.

Average customer rating:

Good Movie for Kidz
Johnny Mysto Boy Wizard
Johnny be good
Good family fun!

Johnny Mysto: Boy Wizard
Starring: Toran Caudell , Russ Tamblyn , Michael Ansara , Amber Tamblyn , and Ian Abercrombie
Director: Jeff Burr
Manufacturer: Tango Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EQ5V4U
Release Date: 2006-05-05

Customer Reviews:

Good Movie for Kidz.......2006-08-15

well since i stared in this movie (10 years ago) i can't really say that it's bad, but it's also not fenomenal, it's just an average movie suitable for kidz aged bet. 7-12 yr old. there were more scenes in this movie that for some reason haven't been included in this final version, and i really don't know why...since it took us whole days to shoot, but oh well.....bottom line is for its price the movie is better than most, even better than some highly publicized hollywood movies.

Johnny Mysto Boy Wizard.......2006-01-11

a fantastic comedy that blends traditional stage magic with the fantasy of medival wizards. Johnny Mysto dreams of being the world greatest kid magician and gets his chance when he travels back in time to help Merlin in Camelot. This a great movie that remains on my dvd wish list.

Johnny be good.......2005-11-09

An evil being Malfeasor (Michael Ansara) has taken over Camelot. Merlin (Ian Abercrombie) sends a ring into the future time to bring back a hero to free the land. The ring instead comes in to the possession of Johnny (Toran Caudell) a would-be child magician. Johnny inadvertently makes his sister disappear, so instead of a hero, he goes back in time with a lush has-been TV magician Blackmoor (Russ Tamblyn.) Now Merlin must rely on those two and a local child of his time Sprout (Amber Tamblyn.)
Will the three of them equal the hero that never showed?
Will the trio make a "Joseph Campbell's Heroes Journey?"
Will this be enough to sober up Blackmoor?
Or will every thing go awry leaving Glenn (Patrick Renna) to take the place of Jonny's sister for ever.

This movie is a fair after noon special with all the elements that go into the making of it has flashes to two different stories happening parallel in two different worlds one being an over glorified mythic time in history with kids having to deal with evil adults and the other be an over simplified modern time with kids having to deal with kids and ignorant adults.

Good family fun!.......2001-05-05

This movie will keep the kids entertained time and again. I thought that it might be low on production values but I was pleasantly surprised. The story evolves around a would be magician who comes across a ring that once belonged to the famed Merlin. Johnny, with the aid of the ring, manages to make his sister really dissappear. He enlists the aid of his best friend and his TV magician idol to venture back in time so that he may learn how to bring his sister back before his parents find out.

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Rastafari Live!!.......2007-09-06

Countryman is what Rastafari is all about. I wish I could live like that..man gwan in him likkle boat..man free! Rastafari live. Blessed love. :)

Country Man.......2007-09-06

I fell in love with movie 20 years ago. It's a must have for anyone who loves reggae. A True Classic!!!!!!!!

This is how we all should live.......2007-07-04

I wish we all could learn to live more like Countryman! A well done movie and one I have watched a several times now. It is an inspiration to watch!

GREAT Movie..it has it all.......2007-07-03

If you like Regae and Bob Marley and vodoo and magic and fun this is one great movie from start to finish. Its a must see!!

Countryman.......2007-07-01

Average customer rating:

No Thought Required-- **1/2 stars
Lots of Laughs, Lots of Fun
Even Lawrence couldn't save this movie and he's a comedian
That's why you shouldn't drink your own urine.
Horrible script, Martin is wasted

Black Knight [Region 2]
Starring: Martin Lawrence , Marsha Thomason , Tom Wilkinson , Vincent Regan , and Daryl Mitchell
Director: Gil Junger
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009KOXM

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

No Thought Required-- **1/2 stars.......2006-07-12

Lots of Laughs, Lots of Fun.......2006-06-04

Even Lawrence couldn't save this movie and he's a comedian.......2005-01-08

That's why you shouldn't drink your own urine........2005-01-08

Horrible script, Martin is wasted.......2004-10-18

Very unfunny, script is full of racial cliches. Martin obviously did this for the check since his stock went up after Big Momma's House.

Average customer rating:

Black Knight / Big Momma's House
Starring: Martin Lawrence , Marsha Thomason , Tom Wilkinson , Vincent Regan , and Daryl Mitchell
Director: Gil Junger , and Raja Gosnell
Manufacturer: Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000C2ISR
Release Date: 2003-10-06

Average customer rating:

Black Knight/Big Momma's House
Starring: Martin Lawrence , Marsha Thomason , Tom Wilkinson , Vincent Regan , and Daryl Mitchell
Director: Gil Junger , and Raja Gosnell
Manufacturer: Fox Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000C2ISS
Release Date: 2003-08-18

Average customer rating:

Beautiful
Awesome Movie
Nair's adaption takes Jhumpa Lahiri's novel to a new level
The Namesake
What a wonderful film

The Namesake
Starring: Irfan Khan , Kal Penn , Jagannath Guha , Ruma Guha Thakurta , and Tabu
Director: Mira Nair
ProductGroup: Theatrical Release
Binding: Theatrical Release

Now Playing | Movie Showtimes | Video
ASIN: B00005JP5Y

Amazon.com

Adapted by screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala from the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri, director Mira Nair's The Nameksake is populated by well-drawn characters and filled with memorable shots and engaging scenes. But in the larger sense, the film is a provocative look at the two sides of immigration: the adjustments faced by a couple who move here from a distant land, and the struggles of their offspring to reconcile their parents' traditional culture with their own distinctly American outlook. The tale begins in the late '70s, when aspiring engineer Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan) and his new wife Ashima (the radiant Tabu) move to New York from Calcutta. Life in America is strange, in ways both good (the gas in their apartment stays on 24 hours a day! You can drink water straight from the tap!) and not-so-hot (New York's winters). But for their children, first son Gogol (a standout performance by Kal Penn, heretofore best known for the stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle), nicknamed for his father's favorite author, the Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol, and then daughter Sonia (Sahira Nair), "the American way" is at odds with their folks' more conservative mores. Gogol (who later adopts his more formal first name, Nikhil) smokes dope, calls his parents "you guys," goes to Yale, and hooks up with a preppie white girl (Jacinda Barrett); for her part, Sonia complains that she wants to "go home" when the family returns to India for a visit. Only when tragedy strikes suddenly does the young man realize how totally alienated from his family he has become, prompting some major changes. There's nothing especially original about any of this, and even those who haven't read the book may sense that some of Lahiri's material has been lost on the way to the screen (the treatment of Gogol's marriage to a beautiful Bengali-American girl, played by Zuleikha Robinson, seems oddly truncated). But even while dealing with life's Big Issues (birth and death, marriage and separation, joy and misery), Nair has created a winning, intimate film that reminds us of the strength of family ties and effortlessly persuades us to care. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-08-07

I was fortunate enough to see this film at theater and was it ever worth it! Director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding) does a terrific job of adding color and warmth that really begins to draw in the viewing audience. Based off of the novel (The Namesake) by Jjumpa Lahiri, the film follows a multi-generational story as a couple from India movie to America to begin their life and finally the audience watches their first generation American born children traverse their lives. When the film followed the parent's romance and relationship it was always touching and beautiful bur the only reason I hesitate to give this film five stars is due to the later half of the movie. Following the children's lives quickly became generic (whether this is attributed to the book and/or the movie I don't know). I appreciated the dislike that was cultivated towards the son but it began to become so predictable - I definitely left the theater with a bit of a bittersweet feeling.

Awesome Movie.......2007-07-12

I was thoroughly pleased with this movie. The director does a great job with the arrangment and story telling. I definitely recommend the purchasing of this movie. It was an awesome, educational experience.

Nair's adaption takes Jhumpa Lahiri's novel to a new level.......2007-06-22

As much as I liked Jhumpa Lahiri's novel, Mira Nair's film adaptation of it is even better in my opinion. Lahiri's novel is written at times in the matter of a "just the facts" accounting. Nair, however, has succeeded in unearthing the emotional high points of the book and staging them in stirring fashion. Two scenes stand out in particular: the drama of the opening train scene and the interaction between passangers Ashoke and Ghosh are a heart-stopping beginning to the film; and the scene in which Ashoke finally reveals to Gogol the symbolic relevance of his name raises goose-bumps even thinking about it. Great stuff from Mira Nair. Between this work and 'Monsoon Wedding,' she's created two of my favorites.

The film's real revelation is the acting ability of Kal Penn. Previously known and typecast only for stoner-like roles, Nair took a flyer here on Penn and came up a winner. He's brilliant. He pretty much has to be, as he's in just about every scene. Irfan Khan and Tabu are also fantastic as parents Ashoke and Ashima. I love how Ms. Nair is able to pick actors from the US and Bollywood film worlds and make them work as a family.

The Namesake.......2007-06-06

I watched this movie together with my girlfriend who is indian. Both of us agreed that this move excellently discribes the situation many expatriots find them selves in. The struggle of taking on a new identity while not loosing your own is captured really well. We see that it is really hard to call anyone the villan in this movie, as it is with expatriots and third culture kids so often. There is no definite right and wrong but a battle of priorities defined by cultures. I was challanged and encouraged by this movie. It opened my eyes and forced me to look beyond my own worldview and transported me into that of someone else.
We liked the move so much that emediately after watching it we bought tickets for my parents who felt the same as us after watching it. It enspired them, challanged them and showed them the value as well as the problems diversity brings.
The movie is a must see for all those interested in other cultures, crosscultural relationships, or just want to get a better understanding of the neighbour from another country thyat lives down the road

What a wonderful film.......2007-06-06

Having grown up in India - I was a skeptic - I am not a movie watcher, and not another book/film about the Indian diasporic experience. I was not going to watch it. I had not read the book.

I saw it last night on a JetBlue flight. What a wonderful film. I was moved. I cried many times! I came here as a grad student in 1984, and so much of the film was so real, and so incredibly well-rendered -- the acting, the characters, the Indian locales, the US Indian experience.

I highly recommend the film. It is great cinema - and though not necessary as a comparison - is right up there with the best that Ray has made. Please see this if you want to see a wonderful film, enjoy good film-making, or just want to learn more about India and the Indian immigrant experience.

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