Thanks Rasta for the Tickets! – 2 nights at The Palms. Most amazing show I have seen in a long time. From the Intro to the last minutes of her 2 hour set she owned the crowd. What a powerful performer! The production was over the top along with her signature off the wall costumes. The Pearl at The Palms was jam packed and full of energy. You can say what you will about her, but there is no denying she one of the most talented artists of our time. She has changed Pop Music and there are no signs of her slowing down. During her show she announced that her debut album has sold 7 million albums world wide. If you have the chance to see this show – IT’S A MUST. – cp

Yesterday we gave you the definitive list of the funniest comedians of the decade. Today, NPI continues its look at the comedy of the Aughts by looking at the ten funniest films of the decade. Evaluating comedies can be tricky. Is the sheer number of laughs more important than the overall quality of the movie? This list aims to balance those concerns: It is a list of the funniest films, and not the best comedies, but at the same time, the best comedy often comes out of a good story. So what is the funniest film of the Aughts? Well, here’s the list:

10. Meet the Parents (2000)

Time has been a little unkind to Meet the Parents. An unfortunate sequel, the overexposure of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, and a rather disappointing decade from Robert De Niro all conspired to reflect poorly on this film. These considerations, however, are generally unfair; they ignore the fact that Meet the Parents was one of the Aughts’ first great comedies and that Stiller was one of the best comic actors of the first part of the decade. Meet the Parents showcased his ability to play the understated, slightly belligerent everyman that he would later tone down to a bland, traditional romantic comedy lead. This, combined with De Niro’s excellent and persistent deadpan, led to some truly great comic scenes, like the discussion of “Puff the Magic Dragon” in the car and the lie-detector scene.

9. The Hangover (2009)

Before I saw this film this summer, a friend called to recommend it to me: “I don’t want to oversell certain parts…well, there’s pretty much no way I can oversell Zach Galifianakis’ performance.” And he was right. Even with all the hype Galifianakis was getting, his performance in The Hangover was still one of the most satisfying comedic performances of the decade. Galifianakis’ role was the standout, but the entire cast, including Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, and Jeffrey Tambor, helped take a movie with a rather generic premise—a bachelor party gone awry—to new heights. Even a cameo from Mike Tyson was handled rather well (I’m on board with any excuse to include “In the Air Tonight” in a movie). Nevertheless, without Galifianakis—the one-man wolf pack—this movie wouldn’t have even sniffed the Top Ten.

8. A Mighty Wind (2003)

Christopher Guest movies are known for a consortium of characters who are completely unself-conscious and oblivious, but one character usually stands out. In Waiting for Guffman, it’s Corky; in Best in Show, it’s Fred Willard’s announcer. But it’s the dueling performances of Eugene Levy and Fred Willard in A Mighty Wind that set this one apart. Levy, as folk legend Mitch Cohen, is arguably the heart of the movie, but it’s Willard as Mike LaFontaine, the former star of “Wha’ Happened?”, who has the funniest lines. This, of course, shouldn’t minimize the contributions of Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer as The Folksmen, or John Micheal Higgins as the head of the New Main Street Singers. As usual in Guest’s films, the entire cast gets laughs, but none as much as Willard and Levy. And of all the films on this list, A Might Wind has by far the best soundtrack: So it’s got that going for it, which is nice.

7. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

5. Knocked Up (2007)

How you feel about comedies during the Aughts—or at least since 2005—comes down largely to how you answer the “Judd Apatow question.”* Judd Apatow films, and his style, have dominated the comedy landscape in the second half of the decade, so it’s hard to escape his influence. If you find the movies tiresome, redundant, one-dimensional, too long, or any other of the myriad complaints lodged against these films, then you’re probably not happy about this influence.

*It also, I guess, has a lot to do with how you answer the “Vince Vaughn question.” My answer to that question has always been, “No.”

I, for one, have no problem with Judd Apatows movies. In fact, I think they represent a breakthrough in romantic comedies, an otherwise stale genre. Apatow and his crew have such an ear for dialogue, and such a wry yet sympathetic take on relationships, that his films have an earnestness and realism that make the humor even more powerful. It also doesn’t hurt that his films star some of the funniest actors in the world, like Jason Segel, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Steve Carell.

The order of these three films is inevitably going to be somewhat arbitrary; I love all three and have seen each of them dozens of times. If you reversed the order, or changed it any way, I probably couldn’t object much.

If I had to pick a favorite of these three, I’d probably go with Knocked Up, thanks largely to Rudd’s performance as Pete. It also showcases Rogen at his best and the most fully depicted relationship of any of the films. Scenes like the pregnant-sex scene—“I do not want you to fuck me like a dog!” “It’s doggie STYLE. It’s  just a style….We don’t have to go outside or anything”—, their fight scene—“Fuck you, hormones. You are a crazy bitch, hormones”—,and the dinner scene—“I’m pregnant.” “With….emotion?”— are especially funny because they feel so realistic.

Having Said That, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The 40-Year-Old-Virgin are classics in their own right. Forgetting (which isn’t directed by Apatow, but was produced by him and featured many Apatow actors) finally gave Jason Segel, maybe the funniest leading man of all these films, an opportunity to shine; as I’ve said, I’d listen to Segel sing in any movie. Russell Brand, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Jonah Hill also don’t hurt.

And The 40-Year-Old-Virgin features the guileless Steve Carell—“You know how when you grab a woman’s breast and it feels like a bag of sand?”—and great scenes like the “You know how I know you’re gay?” exchange and David’s attempt to bring Andy his porn collection: “Here it is: Boner Jams ’03. It’s a mixtape I made of some scenes I was really into in the summer of 2003.”

4. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

This cult classic doesn’t need realism—it’s just a continuous string of absurdity and satire. The ensemble cast, made up largely of alums from MTV’s The State (the film was also directed by The State alum David Wain), manages to turn the ridiculous farce of a story into one of the funniest films of the decade. Working with such tropes as high-speed chases, natural disasters, and children in peril, as well as broad genres like underdog sports movies, teen romance/romantic comedy, and summer camp movies, Wet Hot American Summer undermines practically every cinematic conceit. There’s Coop’s speech before the “culminating climactic softball game against evil Camp Tiger Claw” in which he tells his team of his plan to “try to come from behind at the last minute with some weird, trick play that we made up,” and the team responds that “it sounds like pretty well-worn territory” and that “the whole thing feels kind of trite.” The overall silliness is sold by a great cast of comic actors who would go on to big things in the Aughts: Paul Rudd, Michael Showalter, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, and A.D. Miles.

3. Anchorman (2004)

Wow, we managed to make it through 70% of this list without a single Will Ferrell movie. Ferrell certainly passes Apatow and Vince Vaughn as the most polarizing comic figure of the decade: Some people think he’s a glorified buffoon who plays the same kind of idiot in every movie, while others think he’s an extremely funny buffoon who plays the same kind of idiot in every movie. It’s true that Ferrell has made a career out of repeating the same shtick, but this is largely because he has, with pretty much every movie since, tried to duplicate the success of Anchorman. Ferrell’s brand of arrogant, unrestrained fool was never more hilariously embodied than it was in Ron Burgundy. I don’t know how to put this, but he’s kind of a big deal. Anchorman also features a stellar supporting cast, with Paul Rudd as Brian Fantana (“60% of the time, it works every time.”), Steve Carell as Brick Tamland (“I love lamp!”), David Koechner as Champ Kind (“I miss you so damn much. I miss being with you; I miss being near you. I miss your laugh. I miss your scent; I miss your musk.”), and Fred Willard as Ed Harken (“I have no idea where he would have gotten a hold of German pornography.”). Really, though, it’s thanks to Ferrell’s skill with improvisation, and his ability to bring lines like, “Milk was a BAD choice!” and “They named it San Diego, which of course in German means ‘a whale’s vagina’” into the public consciousness, that makes this movie so great.

2. Zoolander (2001)

The similarities between Anchorman and Zoolander are obvious: They are both movies about incredibly successful and confident, yet incredibly stupid, people. They both feature a rich cast of comic actors—Will Ferrell’s role as Jacobim Mugatu may be even more inspired than his portrayal of Ron Burgundy. And they each left an indelible on the culture in the form of absurd lines that can be quoted at pretty much any time for a cheap laugh: “A ‘eugoogolizer’: One who speaks at funerals. Or did you think I’d be to stupid to know what a ‘eugoogoly’ was?” “Sting would be another hero of mine. The music he’s created over the years…I don’t really listen to it, but the fact that he’s making it. I respect that.” “I’m pretty sure there’s more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking.” Zoolander, however, gets the #2 spot because it was probably slightly funnier overall, and it had a more compelling plot. Plot may seem almost irrelevant to movies like this, but Zoolander’s somewhat absurd assassination plot manages to include a Derek Zoolander trip to coal country, a secret graveyard meeting with David Duchovny, and the great brainwashing scene. 

1. Superbad (2007)

The last three movies on this list may indicate that I prefer absurd humor to realistic humor, but this is not the case; both styles have their appeal, and a comedy’s quality is more dependant on how well it operates within its own version of reality. Superbad, the funniest movie of the Aughts, is almost disturbingly realistic in its depiction of high school life and language. The characters of Seth and Evan, and the friendship between the two of them, are deep and compelling, lending a strain of pathos to the humor—a strain both leads, particularly Michael Cera, exploit well. Cera, who has been caught in a Will Ferrell-like dilemma of his own in his attempt to capture George Michael Bluth in every movie, has probably never given a funnier performance than he gives as Evan. During a scene early in the movie, when Seth gets spit on by the mullet-wearing bully, Cera lingers in the background, bobbing his head; even as a blur lurking in the background, though, Cera manages to steal the scene. For his part, though, Jonah Hill as Seth gives what would be the breakout performance of almost any other comedy. While he lacks Cera’s subtlety, Hill probably gets the more outright hysterical lines: “Look at Jules’ dating record: […] Jason Stone who looks like fucking Zack Morris, and Matt Mayer. Matt Mayer: He’s the sweetest guy ever. Have you ever stared into his eyes? It was like the first time I heard The Beatles.” And none of this even includes Christopher Mintz-Plaatz’s breakthrough as McLovin, or Seth Rogen and Bill Hader as the cops; you’d have a pretty difficult time coming up with a better secondary story in a comedy. It’s Cera and Hill, though, and their ability to seem like plausible high school students and best friends, that manage to turn Superbad into the funniest film of the decade.

Ask the show’s cult-following, and fans of 21 Jump Street will tell you exactly what they think about the film-remake: Jonah Hill is making a mockery of the show. Kind of harsh, but judging by the lack of television-big screen adaptations, the odds are against him. Complex caught up with the Superbad actor to clarify some things on his spin of the 80’s program:

Yeah, if you look at the opening episode of 21 Jump Street, you see a man looking at a picture of a cop holding a little boy’s hand, and you hear a crazy saxophone solo, and you pan up and it’s Johnny Depp looking at the picture playing the crazy saxophone solo. [Laughs.] We’re not even spoofing the movie. It’s not strictly comedic, either. We’re doing a full-on action movie, blowing shit up.

Still doesn’t sell us.

Hopefully this will be better than the Miami Vice remake (which I actually liked), but the folks that made Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs are in talks to do a 21 Jump Street big screen remake. Looks like they’re pretty f’n serious about this cause Jonah Hill (yups, THAT Jonah Hill) is helping with the script/set to produce it.

Click for some 21 Jump Street action on Hulu.com

To Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the potential directors, I would like to formally submit my name for the role of Harry Truman Ioki. I am Vietnamese and I can grow my hair out. I can also wear blazers and look like a high school student. Please pick me. I’ll start re-watching 21 Jump Street episodes on Hulu now. I’ll be sure to skip the Richard Greco years…

VERDICT:
8/10 World’s Creepiest Posters

Works surprisingly well for a movie that’s essentially one running gag for two hours straight.

The 40 Year-Old Virgin is about a 40 year-old endearing nerd who still hasn’t had sex – he’s come close a couple times, but, no, still hasn’t sealed the deal. Then one day his co-workers find out about this utter crime against humanity and make it their mission to get this guy laid.

Believe it or not, there’s actually a lot more heart here than the synopsis would lead to you believe. Judd Apatow seems to have this formula of “crude + caring = everybody wins” down to a science at this point, but still, it gets pretty damn crude. I know some folks who absolutely hate this movie because of its gross-out factor, and even though it all just had me laughing me ass off, I can appreciate how this might not be everyone’s thing.

But outside of the physical gags and the constant sex jokes, the real selling point here is Carell and Apatow’s script. The writing here is great in a number of aspects, but the thing I always find myself impressed by is that it never gets old. It successfully manages to not just be a movie about dick jokes and awkward sexual/non-sexual encounters because the comic writing is so damn strong and because the main character, Andy (the freak up on that poster), actually wants a relationship and isn’t just trying to pop his cherry. Aside from the waxing scene, I don’t think a whole lot of people leave this movie talking about the cringe-worthy stuff, but rather the fresh and hilarious dialogue coming from the mouths of a really solid cast of newcomers.

And even though a lot of the lines were ad libbed and whatnot – which isn’t a bad thing in the least, as long as it’s done well – all the stuff about donkey shows and Michael McDonald hate and hoodrats are easily my favorite part of this movie as it outshines everything else that’ll make your face turn sour. Every new scene is these guy brewing up conversations that are even crazier than the last, and, yeah, it can be a little rough around the edges, but it’s too good to not appreciate.

The other big thing Apatow has going for him here is his characters. Whether they’re on-screen for two seconds or two hours, they’re all totally memorable and have their own great personalities. Just look at Jonah Hill’s cameo, he’s in here for a blink of an eye playing some kid who just wants to buy a pair of platform shoes with fish in them and even he has a great line or two.

It’s not often that a movie serves as such a significant launching pad for so many careers, but good lord, the proof is in the pudding with this one.

My favorite is still Seth Rogen, but you’ve also got Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Kat Dennings, Leslie Mann, Jane Lynch, and a bit role by Mindy Kaling from The Office, too. I think we all know this gang by now, you can thank Judd Apatow for that one. And even though it’s kinda hard to think of Steve Carell outside of Michael Scott nowadays, the dude has always been hilarious from back in his Daily Show years and it was about damn time he got his due.

And thank God it finally put Apatow on the map. I like to think it’s karma for whoever came up with the brilliant idea to cancel Freaks and Geeks.

Only problem here is the bizarro ending. “Age of Aquarius”? Where the hell did that come from?

Back in ‘05, the debate between my friends and I was always between this and Wedding Crashers, and even though I think Wedding Crashers is a damn funny movie, it’s no 40 Year-Old Virgin. I was expecting to laugh as hard as I did when I first saw this, and it still has me laughing today. Great characters, great writing, and just a wicked sense of humor to back it all up.

“Hoodrats”, man. Too good.

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List time is upon us on The Movie Overdose! Tom and Sam kick it off with their favourite actors, actresses, supporting performances, directors and sequences of the year. Not before, however, they whisk themselves back to the Mercury in 1937 for Me and Orson Welles, talk about a live-action Nutcracker, what the future holds for Spiderman 4, Jennifer’s Body, The Barbarian Invasions and Steven Seagal: Lawman.

Download The Movie Overdose Episode 45

Email us, tweet us, Facebook us, subscribe to us… do anything you want to us with the links on the left.

List time is upon us on The Movie Overdose! Tom and Sam kick it off with their favourite actors, actresses, supporting performances, directors and sequences of the year. Not before, however, they whisk themselves back to the Mercury in 1937 for Me and Orson Welles, talk about a live-action Nutcracker, what the future holds for Spiderman 4, Jennifer’s Body, The Barbarian Invasions and Steven Seagal: Lawman.

Download The Movie Overdose Episode 45

Email us, tweet us, Facebook us, subscribe to us… do anything you want to us with the links on the left.

Went to See Carrot Top last night and it was absolutely amazing. I wasn’t sure what to expect but when I left there my jaw hurt from laughing the entire show. Yeah he might be funny looking and look like he is on steroids, but he is a brilliant comic. His timing and delivery was on point. His use of of props and gags is out of this world. No one was safe when it came to cracking jokes and using props – Criss Angel, Tiger Woods, Terrel Owens and even the Luxor Hotel were the brunt of some of his funnier jokes. I was even more impressed with how much he made fun of himself. GREAT SHOW and I highly recommend going to see it if you get the chance.

-CP

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Ben Stiller and Amy Adams learn that seven bobbleheads are better than one.

(20^th Century Fox) Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Hank Azaria, Owen Wilson, Robin Williams, Steve Coogan, Christopher Guest, Bill Hader, Alain Chabat, Jonah Hill, Ricky Gervais, Jon Bernthal, Mizuo Peck, Jake Cherry, Rami Malek, Jay Baruchel. Directed by Shawn Levy.

Anyone can tell you that there is a little bit of magic in a museum. Not only are they repositories of human knowledge and culture, they are also objects of awe and inspiration. There’s quite a lot of juju in those things.

It is two years after the events of Night at the Museum in which an Egyptian tablet brings the statues and inhabitants of the New York Museum of Natural History to life once the sun goes down. Night security guard Larry Daley (Stiller) has moved on from his gig at the museum of into becoming the CEO of his own company which markets his own inventions including the latest, the glow-in-the-dark flashlight. He has become a busy man, meeting with Wal-Mart executives and filming infomercials with George Foreman. However, he tries to make time to see his friends in the museum, including Teddy Roosevelt (Williams), Jedediah (Wilson) and Octavius (Coogan).

This night he is informed by unctuous museum director Dr. McPhee (Gervais) that the board of trustees has elected to go a more high-tech route, with holographic exhibits that are much more cost-effective. The mannequins, stuffed animals and statuary have been donated to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington and will reside in their archives as American treasures. Only a few items – the canine T-Rex skeleton, the Easter Island statues and Roosevelt – will remain in New York.

Unfortunately Dexter, the high-strung Capuchin monkey that tormented Larry in the first movie has managed to snag that magic tablet. The night after the move takes place, Larry gets an alarming phone call from Jedediah (how he got access to a phone is anybody’s guess) indicating there is a pharaoh who is after the tablet and the outnumbered refugees from New York are under siege.

Larry gets on a plane immediately and heads to the nation’s capital. From there he heads into the bowels of the Smithsonian using a pilfered card from Brendan (Hill) – pronounced “Brun-dun” – a somewhat inexperienced Smithsonian guard, and meets up with Amelia Earhart (Adams), who becomes an instant ally.

The pharaoh in question, Kahmunrah (Azaria), is the brother of Ahkmenrah (Malek) from the first movie, and he has a chip on his shoulder. He also plans on using the tablet to summon an army of demons to initiate his rule on earth. There is nobody but Larry, Amelia and his friends from the New York museum who stand in the way of Kahmunrah and his nefarious plan.

Those who loved the first movie won’t be disappointed here. Generally, the things that made the movie delightful are here, only amplified. Unfortunately, the first movie’s flaws are also here, only amplified. Let’s start with the good stuff. Stiller’s Larry, to the credit of the filmmakers, is no longer the milquetoast that made him so annoying in the first movie. He’s matured, grown some self-confidence and found success. He makes a better hero in this movie and is given a great foil in Adams. She’s probably my favorite actress working today – I can’t think of another actress besides Julia Roberts whose mere presence in a movie is reason enough for me to see it. Ever since she first attracted notice in Junebug she hasn’t given a poor performance yet, and has proven she can carry a movie in Enchanted. While she’s not required to do that here, she essentially does it anyway. She’s the focus of every scene she’s in, at least from my point of view.

The supporting cast is pretty awesome as well. Azaria makes a superb comic villain, whose lisping delivery is a bit of homage to Boris Karloff in The Mummy. He’s completely believable and menacing enough without being too over-the-top, comic enough without being a buffoon. Coogan and Wilson make a good team and Hill’s uncredited cameo is one of the movie’s highlights. Williams is far less visible in the movie, but makes an impact whenever he’s around.

One of my big peeves with the movie is that it isn’t true to its own canon. In the first film, items brought to life that were left outside the museum after dawn turned to dust but that doesn’t happen here. Also, while the Smithsonian is crawling with security guards and riddled with surveillance cameras during the day, it seems devoid of any kind of security once darkness falls. Considering the value of the artifacts stored in their museums, you’d think that there’d be a guard or two on duty once the doors close.

Still, gripes aside, this is a fairly good family adventure movie. There’s the comedy you’d expect given the cast as well as action a-plenty. The young ‘uns in our audience seemed well-pleased with the movie and I have no reason to suspect that most family audiences won’t find it otherwise.

WHY RENT THIS: A likable cast and premise make this movie all kinds of fun. The things that made the first movie work are still here, only amplified. Amy Adams is always worth seeing no matter what the role; she nearly steals the film here.

WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: Some lazy script choices give the movie a few unnecessary plot holes which admittedly the movie’s target audience will be young enough to overlook.

FAMILY VALUES: Kahmunrah’s demon army might be a bit frightening for the younger set but they aren’t really all that menacing. Otherwise, this is suitable for most family audiences.  

TRIVIAL PURSUITS: Writers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lemmon make cameos as the Wright Brothers.

NOTABLE DVD FEATURES: There are several featurettes and a DVD game centered around the Capuchin monkeys.

FINAL RATING: 6/10

TOMORROW: The Blind Side

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It’s not a gang sign… it stands for Waffle House.

(Jonah Hill)

You should get down with Jabba

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Tom Hanks, left, plays symbologist Robert Langdon and Ayelet Zurer portrays physicist Vittoria Vetra in the thriller “Angels & Demons.”

This week’s DVD releases cover a lot of territory. They include a family film from the director of “Spy Kids,” a holiday comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, an Adam Sandler feature helmed by writer-director Judd Apatow and a big-budget thriller starring Tom Hanks.

Funny People
3 stars
DVD contains rated and unrated versions of the film. The rated version received an R for language and crude sexual humor throughout, and some sexuality
Universal
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

There are enough funny people in writer-director Judd Apatow’s appropriately titled relationship dramedy to keep things interesting through the movie’s 155-minute run, but the filmmaker is awfully lucky he assembled the cast that he did.

Adam Sandler stars as George Simmons, a wildly popular actor-comedian who seems to have it all: Hit movies, a palatial Southern California home and the adoration of fans everywhere. But when Simmons learns he’s contracted a deadly disease that could very well end his life, he begins to question his place in the world, and he latches onto a fledgling comedian named Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) for support. Although funny, Ira is yet to perfect his standup routines, so he’s ecstatic when the veteran Simmons agrees to hire him as a personal assistant, and the two men quickly form an awkward but genuine friendship.

Apatow sets up the premise with style, and its interesting to watch Simmons, who is jaded and miserable, interact with George, who is still full of hope and excitement. Unfortunately, the movie takes a negative turn when Apatow leads us into a subplot built around the one big love (Leslie Mann) that George let slip away. Because Sandler and Rogen are a lot of fun to watch, and because they get good supporting performances from Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman, we can forgive Apatow for straying. Still, there’s little doubt that “Funny People” would have been funnier if it skipped the romantic stuff and put all its energy into George’s bout with mortality and his relationship with Ira.

The movie is available as part of multiple home video releases, including a two-disc Unrated Collector’s Edition. Extra features vary.

Angels & Demons: Extended Edition
2½ stars (out of four)
Unrated
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

You have to give director Ron Howard credit for consistency. His adaptation of writer Dan Brown’s “Angels & Demons” shares precisely the same pace and tone as his earlier take on Brown’s bestseller “The DaVinci Code.” Trouble is, “The Da Vinci Code” movie is merely a workmanlike thriller, while the book was a breathtaking piece of genre fiction.

“Angels & Demons” is arguably a weaker novel, but I had higher expectations for the film because the plot is more cinematic. While “The Da Vinci Code” spent a lot of time focused on ancient codes and ciphers, “Angels” is a fast-paced footrace through the streets of Rome. As in “Da Vinci,” Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is at the center of the action.

Langdon is called upon by the Vatican when it appears that a secret society known as the Illuminati has surfaced and placed a devastatingly powerful bomb at the heart of Vatican City. Equally horrifying is a message claiming that four cardinals — the most likely successors to the just-deceased pope — have been kidnapped and will be publicly executed. The perpetrators have left hints as to when and where they will commit their nasty deeds, but they are steeped in historic riddles that only Langdon has the ability to decipher.

Intent on stopping the murders, he embarks on a desperate race to solve the riddles and beat the Illuminati at its sick game. He’s aided by the Vatican police, Swiss Guard and a beautiful physicist named Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer).  Also helping is Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor) who — because of the pope’s death — is temporarily the lead authority at the Vatican.

Howard does a good job recreating the events depicted in the book, and Hanks captures the Robert Langdon spirit perfectly, all of which leaves us with a decent movie. Decent, but not great. What the film lacks is the breathlessness one feels while reading the novel. Yes, there are exciting moments on screen, but they are frequently countered by extended dialogue sequences that relieve much of the tension. Part of the trouble is that Brown’s plotting is complicated and cerebral, and it’s tough to condense that type of storytelling into a two-and-a-half hour movie. It can be done, but it takes an extraordinary effort, and everything about this film is painfully ordinary.

DVD extras include more than a half dozen making-of features, focused on everything from the adaptation of the novel to the film’s elaborate props.

Four Christmases
2½ stars
Rated PG-13 for some sexual humor and language
New Line Cinema
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

With most DVD releases hitting stores less than six months after a film was released into theaters, it feels odd to get “Four Christmases” a full year after its theatrical run. But, clearly, New Line Cinema decided the video would attract more attention during the holiday season. The studio is probably right because, as a comedy, “Four Christmases” is slight, but there aren’t many holiday films to choose from, and it’s always nice to have something new to throw in alongside “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “White Christmas.” 

Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon star as Brad and Kate, a modern power couple that have never married and spend their holidays trying to dodge their fractured relations. Things go awry, however, when bad weather stops their planned flight to Fiji and a television news crew interviews them about the bad break. Suddenly, their parents — all divorced — are aware that they’re available for the holiday, forcing them to accept invitations to four separate Christmas celebrations … one with Brad’s crotchety father (Rober Duvall), one with Kate’s newly spiritual mother (Mary Steenburgen), one with Brad’s anything-goes mom (Sissy Spacek) and one with Kate’s surprisingly normal dad (Jon Voight).

Like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” the film considers the stress of family gatherings, but never in a mean-spirited or distressing way, and Vaughn and Witherspoon are typically charming. “Four Christmases” is a generic comedy in every sense, but it has enough funny moments to make it viable for anyone who enjoys Vaughn and Witherspoon. The film will never replace “Miracle on 34^th Street,” but it does go down awfully well with a nice glass of egg nog. 

The DVD has no extra features. 

Shorts
2½ stars
Rated PG for mild action and some rude humor
Warner Brothers
Available on: DVD and Blu-ray

In one of the more bizarre careers in film history, do-it-all filmmaker Robert Rodriguez regularly shifts between, ultra-violent action movies — “Planet Terror,” “Sin City,” “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” — and family friendly material — “Spy Kids,” “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.” “Shorts” falls into the latter category, telling the story of several children who discover a mysterious charm called a Wishing Rock. The kids soon learn that any wish made with the rock in hand will come true, leading to wild adventures with space aliens, upright crocodiles and even a booger monster.

All the craziness is set against the backdrop of the ultra-corporate world they call home. You see, the children’s parents work for a gigantic corporation run by a nasty CEO named Mr. Black (James Spader). Predictably, his kids, Helvetica (Jolie Vanier) and Cole (Devon Gearhart), are the town bullies.

Rodriguez chose to tell his story through a series of short films that are replayed out of order, leaving viewers to piece things together a little at a time. The most important player is Toby “Toe” Thompson (Jimmy Bennett), the narrator of the each piece.

“Shorts” is wild, wacky and childlike enough to appeal to most elementary school-age children. It is not, however, as carefully crafted as today’s better family films. Rodriguez’s plotting is so over-the-top, it seems he was focused solely on letting his inner child loose, forgetting that a great family picture also includes something for parents.

Along with the movie, the DVD includes one of Rodriguez’s “Ten Minute Film School” extras, this one focused on the making of “Shorts.” Also included is a “Ten Minute Cooking School” episode devoted to the making of Chocolate Chip Volcano Cookies.

ALSO OUT THIS WEEK

“2009 World Series Film — Philadelphia Phillies Vs. New York Yankees”: A detailed account of the season that led the Yankees to their 40^th American League pennant and 27^th World Series title. Available on DVD Nov. 24 and coming to Blu-ray Dec.15.

“The Witches Hammer”: Horror story about a woman named Rebecca (Claudia Coulter) who is brought back from the brink of death and turned into a vampire by a secret agency. Then, she is used as a weapon against her own kind. 

“Gomorrah”: Award-winning Italian drama based on undercover Italian reporter Roberto Saviano’s expose on Naples’ mafia underworld. The film is being released as part of the Criterion Collection, and it’s presented in Italian, Mandarin and French with English subtitles.

“Golden Age of Television”: This three-Disc set features kinescopes of the live broadcasts of “Marty” (1953), “Patterns” (1955), “No Time for Sergeants” (1955), “A Wind from the South” (1955), “Bang the Drum Slowly” (1956), “Requiem for a Heavyweight” (1956), “The Comedian” (1957), and “Days of Wine and Roses” (1958).  These shows were a combination of theater, radio and filmmaking when TV technology was growing rapidly. The set also features interviews with a number of acting legends, including Andy Griffith, Piper Laurie, Jack Palance, Mickey Rooney, Rod Steiger and Mel Torme.

“Megafault”: Syfy Channel thriller about a massive earthquake that creates a crack in the Earth’s crust and threatens to tear the world in half.  Stars Eriq LaSalle (“ER,” “Without a Trace”), Brittany Murphy (“Sin City,” “8 Mile“), Justin Hartley (“Smallville”) and Bruce Davison (“X-Men,” “Knight Rider”)

“Evergreen”: Coming-of-age film about Henrietta (Addie Land), a 14-year-old who believes she’s missing out on life. Desperate to change her family situation, she inserts herself into the lives of wealthy Chat Turly (Noah Fleiss) and his mother Susan (Mary Kay Place), only to find that she may have it OK after all.

“Toi & Moi (You & Me)”: French romantic comedy about Ariane (Julie Depardieu), a writer who pens stories for a magazine inspired by her sister Lena’s (Marion Cotillard) love life.  Both women are in relationships with commitment-phobic men, and they fantasize about finding Mr. Right. Presented in French with English subtitles.

“Beverly Hills 90210” — The Eighth Season: Life after graduating high school is no cake walk for Brandon (Jason Preistley), Kelly (Jenny Garth), Donna (Tori Spelling), David (Brian Austin Greene) and the rest of the original “90210” gang. During season eight, they explore issues such as Kelly being victimized by a drive-by shooting, Donna’s drug overdose, and Brandon and Kelly’s wedding plans.

“Melrose Place” — Fifth Season Volume 2: This season had a huge shift in cast members, as the final 13 episodes introduced Rob Estes, Lisa Rinna and Alyssa Milano. Also, Grant Show, Marcia Cross and Laura Leighton left the show.

Forrest Hartman is an independent film critic whose byline has appeared in some of the nation’s largest publications. E-mail him at Forrest@ForrestHartman.com

Funny People

Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana
Directed by Judd Apatow
Rated R
Run Time 146 mins
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
4 out of 5 frames

Adam Sander heads up this Judd Apatow comedy/ drama as an aging comedian George Simmons, that has been diagonised with a life threatening illness. He takes on a young comedian, Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) to be a companion in his last days. When he gets word that he is going to be fine, George sets out to correct past decisons that have haunted him.

Although this runs a tad on the long side and some scenes drag on, there are so many funny moments and excellent appereances by comedians young and old.

Things to watch for: The who’s who of comedy. Suprise guest appearances by those who you would never expect to be in a Judd Apatow movie.

Rent it or buy it: If you’re fan of Apatow or Sandler, this is a must have for your collection.