Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Starring: Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman Directed by: Tom Tykwer

Genius.  Talent.  Is it a blessing or a curse?  Perhaps that depends on the type of innate gift one has.  In Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) is born with an extraordinary sense of smell that brings him as much misfortune as it does pleasure.

Literally moments after he arrives in the world, his keen nose saves one life and leads to the end of another.  His intense fixation on exploring scents makes him somewhat of an outsider in the orphanage where he grows up; he sniffs everything (including sticks and a dead rat) and whiles away his free time parsing out the aromas of the dirt, rocks, water bubbling in a nearby brook, wet rocks…you get the idea.

Circumstances eventually take him to the olfactory smorgasbord of the Paris marketplace.  One new scent in particular bedevils him – that of a beautiful young redhead (Karoline Herfurth) wending her way through the streets selling golden plums.  His limited social skills make his desire to indulge in her scent a bit creepy – he follows her, sneaking up behind her to sniff her hair and skin.  Their interaction ends badly and leaves Jean-Baptiste with a new haunting obsession – how to preserve a woman's scent after life slips away from her body.

His keen nose earns him an apprenticeship with a struggling perfumier Giuseppe Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), who teaches him the art of distilling fragrances and the craft of creating fine perfume.  This method does not suit Jean-Baptiste's needs, so he travels to Grasse, Italy to learn other ways of preserving scent.  There, he experiments with new methods until he finally discovers one that delivers the essences he desires.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a strange movie, but definitely worth the weird.  If you like:

• A bit of the bizarre
• A tale told well (the movie is based on the novel Das Parfum by Patrick Süskin and is narrated in some parts)
• A light thriller – suspenseful, but not in a heavy-handed way; somewhat predictable yet still with surprises

Put it in the queue!

If you don't like:

• Depictions of noisy, crowded, filthy 18^th century Paris
• Aberrant behavior involving nudity, violence, sexuality, and disturbing images (all of which contribute to the film's R rating)
• 'Discreet' murder (i.e. not messy, noisy, scary etc.) in your movies

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Night of the Comet

Global warming, increased occurrences of earthquakes, tsunamis, large numbers of birds randomly dropping dead mid-flight and falling out of the sky.  These all might be signs of the end of the world as we know it.  Zombie invasions always prove to be an interesting topic of apocalyptic speculation. Threats from outer space haven’t really been at the top of the list in terms of potential sources of doom lately though.   Enter Night of the Comet. This fine specimen from 1984 opens with the global population eagerly awaiting a meteor sighting with behavior akin to New Year’s Eve – crowds in Times Square, raucous parties, TVs tuned to live broadcasts to capture reactions from regions where the comet has already passed.

Reg (Catherine Mary Stewart) forgoes watching the comet live to spend the night with her co-worker Larry (Michael Bowen) in the windowless steel projection booth at the movie theater.  Though she won’t be able to see the glorious cosmic event or help shield her younger sister from their awful stepmother, ‘making it’ and avoiding being home during the stepmother’s comet party is a sufficient trade-off.

However, Reg emerges to a very different world.  Red dust and clothes litter the streets.  Larry leaves the theater, only to disappear.  Zombie-like creatures emerge from time to time.  Reg races home to find her sister Samantha (Kelli Maroney) dressed for cheerleading practice and trying unsuccessfully to get some of her friends to answer the phone.

It seems at first they are the only survivors, but then they encounter the handsome truck driver Hector (Robert Beltran).  The movie also departs from the main arc to reveal that a group of scientists have also tried to avoid the comet in an underground lair.  Will the scientists help the survivors navigate this post-comet world, or do they have a sinister agenda of their own?

Ryan thought the movie started off a little slow, but I enjoyed it far more than I expected.  If you:

• Are intrigued by the idea of and having free reign to play with all the ‘toys’ you never could afford before (such as the furs/shoes/jewelry/makeup the girls try on at the local mall).
• Would not mind a meteor or other natural disaster taking out the majority of the population.
• Like a light dose of zombies in your sci-fi movies.

Put it in the queue!

However, if you

• Prefer lots of action or exciting monsters in your nearly-deserted world (i.e.  I Am Legend).
• Aren’t a fan of cheesy and/or low-budget 80s sci-fi

Don’t put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Tuvalu

Starring: Denis Lavant, Chulpan Khamatova Directed by: Veit Helmer

Reality can be frustrating, depressing, boring, irritating…in short, something from which we want to escape. Movies can help us do that, especially if they offer a departure from reality to a world that is whimsical, fantastic…in short, allows us to escape.  So when I read words like ‘delightful escape’ and ‘dream world’ in the description for themovie Tuvalu, I was all set to watch a happy film.

About 20 minutes into the movie, I had to pause it to make sure the black and white, mostly dialogue-less film I was watching was Tuvalu.  The dream world appeared to consist of a socially backwards middle-aged guy setting up an elaborate sham in the bathhouse his family runs to convince his blind father – the lifeguard, operating on hearing alone – business is going swimmingly.  His mother ensures the few ragtag patrons pay admission – either with coins or, bizarrely, buttons.  Although everything else in the bathhouse is falling apart or in ill repair, the boiler/hot water heater contraption is in excellent shape.

One day the guy sees a beautiful young girl at the bathhouse with her father and immediately becomes obsessed with her.  As she is completely preoccupied with other things – such as her home being destroyed, her father meeting an untimely demise and swimming naked with her goldfish at the bathhouse after hours – it takes a while for her to notice him.

Add to the mix:

• an evil businessman who is determined to make the bathhouse fail an inspection so he can tear it down and build a casino
• a posse of bums who come to the bathhouse every night to sleep
• a mysterious boat bequeathed to the young girl after her father dies
• constant rain whenever the guy leaves the bathhouse

…and I really felt like this more of a symbolic or artsy movie than a film to just sit back and enjoy.

Parts of it were still enjoyable – the second inspection of the bathhouse was pretty funny, and the blind lifeguard’s posturing is humorous.  But overall the movie emphasizes the pathetic rather than allowing the viewer to escape from it.

If you:

• Like silent movies
• Enjoy movies that are a departure from the Hollywood format
• Find it exciting to analyze the movies you watch – particularly ones with a ‘little guy vs The Man’ theme

Put it in the queue.

However, if you want a movie that makes you forget:

• the constant struggle of the proletariat vs. the bourgeois
• bad guys don’t always give up after the good guy prevails
• that your brain is on

Don’t put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Revolutionary Road

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet Directed by: Sam Mendes

Many years ago, a male love interest of mine refused to get into a serious relationship with me because he thought we were too much alike.  He claimed we would 'destroy each other,' because we are both very stubborn, of a fiery Aries nature, and also sometimes prone to melancholy.  At the time, I thought it was just a lame excuse – and I kind of still do.  But after watching Revolutionary Road, I think there might be some truth to the idea.

Revolutionary Road paints a strong portrait of the 'whited sepulchre' of suburban life in the mid-1950s.  Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) are two people extremely unhappy with their suburban lives.  They get into an uncomfortable-to-watch argument early in the film, Frank angry that April doesn't want to go out for drinks with friends after she performs in a sub-par local play.  Both perceive that they have given up on the exciting lives they meant to have to behave according to the (boring) constraints of the American Dream.  Frank is bored by his job and chafes at working in the same company his father once did.  April feels stifled and frustrated by Frank's inability to understand why she is unhappy.

For a while, they agree on an unconventional move to Paris where Frank can 'find himself' and April will support the family as a secretary. Domestic harmony – both in their delight of shocking everyone who thinks their plan is ridiculous, immature, etc. and in their excitement about having something to look forward to – reigns for a time.  The question is – will they actually carry through with it, or abandon their dreams again?  The movie takes a very hard look at fear of the unknown and unconventional and how we often let one opportunity slip away for fear of losing another.

Both characters, at times, emotionally punish each other in different ways while justifying their own behavior. Mostly, this resulted in overly dramatic arguments and some gratuitous infidelity. And in the end, they destroy each other.

I can't recommend putting this movie in the queue unless you really like to see people argue and do not prefer your movies to have at least a little flavor of hope that happily ever after is possible.

I also recommend that Leonardo DiCaprio take a break from roles where he is married to unpredictable and/or unbalanced women (similar to Shutter Island and Inception).

Written by Jennifer Venson

Much Ado About Nothing

Starring: Kenneth Branagh,  Emma Thompson Directed by: Kenneth Branagh

Sigh no more, ladies (and gentlemen).  Valentine's Day is upon us, and truly it is a ridiculous and contrived holiday.  However, I do feel the need to bestow you, my loyal readers, with a token of my appreciation for your support.  In honor of my favorite comedy by Wm. Shakespeare and a statement of my true feelings on February 14^th, I present you with my review of Much Ado About Nothing.

The plot specifics are relatively unimportant – if you know Shakespeare, you know what happens. Some sappy lovers and some comedic characters are introduced, a treacherous plot by a evil jerk emerges, an event that throws a monkey wrench into the whole works (in this film, it has to do with mistaken identity) occurs, the audience gets some comic relief from a buffoon, there is a faked death, a rift in a friendship and/or threats of violence happen, and then there is a happy resolution with marriage, music and dancing.

The beauty of this film is the casting.

• Keanu Reeves is the villain; his first line is "I am a man of few words."  His acting style conforms well to a character who displays passive-aggressive unhappiness with stiff posture and a scowl.
• Denzel Washington as the charming Don Pedro, striding through the film with presence and grace.  He is a natural and respected leader among the band of soldiers he commands, a sincere courtier to the ladies – yet not above schoolboy mischief.
• Michael Keaton as the oddball and not-too-bright constable Dogberry who rides around on an invisible horse, is highly offended by a prisoner calling him an ass, and unwittingly saves the day.
• Robert Sean Leonard and Kate Beckinsale as Claudio and Hero, the two innocent lovers.  Both are cutely earnest, very gullible and cry a lot (especially Claudio).  Yet, we can't help but hope these two kids can work things out.  What's a Shakesperian comedy without a wedding in Act V?
• Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh as Beatrice and Benedick are the pair that truly make this a great comedy.  Both are fiercely stubborn, 'more mirth than matter,' and set against marriage. Whenever they meet they only speak to each other in humorous insults.  After Don Pedro and others decide it would be very merry indeed to convince Benedick that Beatrice is in love with him (and vice versa), the following scenes are absolutely hysterical.  While Benedick attempts to hide behind a shrubbery in the garden, Don Pedro and company spin yarns of a love-struck Beatrice with giggling glee.

As far as Shakespeare remakes go, I put it at the top of the list (closely followed by the Baz Luhrmann version of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet with Mel Gibson, and 10 Things I Hate About You (which is loosely based on The Taming of the Shrew).

If you:

• have an aversion to The Bard
• prefer your movies in modern English rather than Ye Olde English
• don't enjoy British humor (especially 16^th century British humor)

Don't put it in the queue.

If you:

• like a witty comedy
• are willing to endure (or at least fast-forward) the mostly dull Act IV
• enjoy a star-studded film that requires – and delivers – actual acting

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Poetic Justice

Starring: Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur Directed by: John Singleton

I was enticed to watch the 1993 movie Poetic Justice after hearing the theme song "Again" on an 80s/90s R&B playlist Ryan put together.  I had been meaning to watch it for a while, but it was never a must-see.

The concept behind the movie seems pretty good – young Justice (Janet Jackson) who was devastated by the shooting death of her first boyfriend starts writing poetry to help her cope.  And she also learns to love and trust again after she meets Lucky (Tupac Shakur).

Overall, this movie was a real disappointment.  Having read a book of Tupac's poetry, The Rose That Grew From Concrete, I was hoping the movie would actually have Justice writing something deep and meaningful.  However, her scenes of 'poetry' are just her rambling in a notebook.

Also, Justice and Lucky pretty much hate each other through most of the movie.

Pretty much all of the characters except Justice and Lucky are very one-dimensional and seemed stereotypical.  Based only on this movie, it seems that everybody  in South Central LA has a short temper and a limited vocabulary of profanity, everybody knows somebody that's been killed by gang related violence, and there are a lot of people with alcohol or drug problems.

You actually get more information about Lucky than Justice – he's trying to be a standup guy – good job with the post office, trying to shield his daughter from her mama's messed up life and ensure she is raised with structure and love rather than chaos, he likes to hang out with his rapper cousin in Oakland. As Tupac is good looking and a good actor, this wasn't a problem.

There is minimal insight into Justice's life and background – outside the fact that she is a hairdresser, inexplicably owns a house, and is mourning her boyfriend – until midway through the movie she reveals a bunch of family history during a screaming match with her best friend.

I'm not saying the movie is all bad.  There is actually a really good scene where Justice, Lucky, Justice's friend Iesha (Regina King) and Lucky's co-worker Chicago (Joe Torry) crash a family reunion on their way to Oakland.  It is one of the least forced scenes in the movie and also includes an interesting cameo by a real poet.

If you:

• Like drama, drama and more drama
• Like the nostalgia of movies from the '90s
• Don't need to have a coherent storyline to enjoy a movie
• Are fascinated by movies where Janet Jackson REALLY shows a resemblance to her brother Micheal

Put it in the queue.

If you:

• Are irritated by characters that chew gum like it's their job throughout the entire movie
• Are offended by lots of profanity
• Like character development and an interesting plot

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

The Young Victoria

Starring: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend Directed by: Julian Fellowes

I watched three movies touting themselves as love stories this weekend.  The Young Victoria was the one I liked best.  If you set aside scenes with courtly politics, grand parties and the palace, what the movie is really about is two intelligent people building a real relationship.  Which is a refreshing to watch.  (I watched about a season and a half of The Tudors and got a little tired of the King exercising his royal powers of seduction.)

What I really liked was that the movie portrayed the queen and prince as human – awkward and uncertain, petulant, passionate, curious, authoritative, vulnerable. They play chess, walk in the garden and write letters to each other.  Though Prince Albert (Rupert Friend) has been trained to court Victoria (Emily Blunt) with the aim of a politically-beneficial marriage, he chooses to court her with genuine interest and emotion.

There are still some points where Prince Albert comes to her rescue, but not in the traditional sense.  He treats her as a partner, not a pawn, and complements her strengths with his own.  The movie also illustrates Victoria growing into her power well – determined to do the right thing for her country and herself, but still having a lot to learn at first.

If you like:

• A more realistic depiction of romance and marriage than most movies (i.e. it takes effort and compromise, but the rewards are worth it)
• Historical dramas with elaborately gorgeous costumes
• English gardens
• Male characters sporting sideburns fashionable in the mid-1800s

Put it in the queue!

If you:

• Prefer your royalty decadent
• Think Prince Albert is only a type of tobacco or body piercing
• Don't watch movies with a PG or lower rating

Don't put it in the queue.

Written by Jennifer Venson

Groundhog Day

Starring:  Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell Directed by:  Harold Ramis

In just six days, we'll know if six more weeks of winter are in store for us, keeping the deep freeze and snow going well into March.  I have heard that Punxsutawney Phil, the famous season-predicting groundhog, is rudely woken from its hibernation just to be trotted out for those few moments in the sun (or not) to determine if it will see its shadow.  Which does not seem very nice.

Also not nice would be having to live the same day over and over again. Phil (Bill Murray), a local weatherman who delivers the forecast with style and has an extremely high opinion of his skills, has to deliver his morning report from Punxsutawney, PA during the Groundhog Day festival.  Traveling with producer Rita (Andie McDowell) and cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott), Phil continuously acts like a conceited ass.

After getting stuck in town due to road closings from a blizzard he predicted would miss the area entirely, Phil and his crew are stuck in Punxsutawney.  And the next morning, Phil discovers he's stuck re-living February 2^nd.  Over and over and over again.  The alarm clock clicks over to 6:00 am, the radio station starts playing "I Got You Babe," and Phil gets another shot at the day.

Bill Murray is perfectly expressive in this role – the sheer befuddledness of Phil the first few times he repeats the day, the glee he takes in pushing the limits of indulgence (cake for breakfast, ridiculous behavior), the doldrums where he engages in several suicide attempts to see if death would release him from this odd fate.  He is also charmingly crafty, collecting information during every repeat in order to seduce women.  One such target is Rita, who is not easily wooed (evidenced by a montage of their evening dates ending with Phil getting a resounding slap in the face.)

The inventive ways Phil uses his seemingly infinite time are hilarious and clever – making this a very enjoyable film.

If you:

• Prefer slapstick romantic comedies to cerebal yet silly ones
• Can't get past a leading lady that is not Hollywood cute (i.e. Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, etc.)
• Don't want to see a movie where snow is a major part of the landscape – at least not in the next six weeks

Don't put it in the queue.

If you:

• Like the 'choose your own adventure' style
• Liked Scrooged
• Appreciate the absurd

Put it in the queue!

Written By Jennifer Venson

The Informant!

Starring:  Matt Damon, Scott Bakula Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

I began watching The Informant! with the wrong impressions.  I thought it was mostly comedy, with a goofy corporate drone spilling the beans on illegal activities perpetrated by his employer and getting a kick out of playing secret agent man.

That's sort of what plays out in the movie, but it only scratches the surface.  It's like a half-truth, told to get you to pick up the bait…er film.  The whole thing is based on a true story – though once again, once the plot starts to unravel, you could probably say the movie is based on a pack of lies.

Mark Whitacre (played exceptionally well by Matt Damon) seems to be the accidental businessman.  He wears crazy ties to work, his mind always seems to be wandering (to a tie sale at Bachrach during an important meeting, for example) or pondering some tangent. He mentions at some point that he was a biochemist and pretty much fell into management as a way to advance. He eats dinner at home with his three kids and his wholesome, upper class June Cleaver-esque wife Ginger (Melanie Lynskey).

When the FBI get involved in a possible extortion situation with an international contact (Whitacre is the 'messenger' as the extorted called him), Whitacre takes the opportunity to confide to Agent Shepard (Scott Bakula) that the company has been engaging in price fixing.  He's gone along with it to keep his job, but is an unwilling party.

After some  waffling about whether or not he really wants to participate (he tells the agents several times there's been no more price fixing, then admits it's still happening and he's ready to cooperate with them), Whitacre zealously accepts his role.

At several points in the movie, the naïve relish with which Whitacre believes he is the 'guy in the white hat' makes you pause and wonder how this guy with a PhD can be so stupid to think that after the dust clears from the price fixing case that he will still be an invaluable employee – perhaps even in line to be company president when the other top executives have been fired/jailed.

Price fixing is just the first layer though.  There is other funny business afoot, brought to light by the investigation.  And there the movie takes a completely different turn. Immediately after I watched The Informant! I did not like it.  Now it's had a little time to sink in, I believe it was ok. It does plot twist and reveal MUCH better than any of the trendy psychological thrillers (I'm looking at you, Black Swan).

If you don't like:

• Corporate America
• the Government
• not having a clear distinction between the 'good guys' and the 'bad guys'

Take this movie out of the queue.

If you like:

• Tales of greed and deceptions lighter than Wall Street but not as funny as Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• seeing a garage full of European autos
• movies where you're not sure what's really happening/true/etc.

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Starring:  Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell Directed by:  Andrew Dominik

I commonly listen to music scores via Pandora radio while I analyze or QC data at work.  (Vangelis, John Williams, Danny Elfman and Ennio Morricone stations are favorites of mine).  On one of these stations I first heard some absolutely beautiful, melodic and slightly sad themes from the score of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.  I had mentioned wanting to see this movie to Ryan, and his first comment was, "It's a long movie and I heard it's slow.  You won't like it."

Despite this, I was still interested. The film remained in our queue until it climbed to the top.  And then it sat around on the TV cabinet for about a month while we debated having enough time to sit down and watch it.  I really wish we had watched the movie earlier, as it is a good investment of 155 or so minutes.

First, I must disagree with the idea that it is a slow film.  True, there is only one action-packed train robbery sequence. Moments of comedy?  Not so much.  But it's a far cry from films where nothing actually happens.  Instead, it very deliberately moves toward the consummation identified in the title.

Perhaps it is because I already – in essence – knew what was supposed to happen, it made the pacing OK.  Like waiting for Christmas.  But I don't believe that's really it. All the scenes had some sort of meaning in the grand scheme of events.  Kind of like the mechanisms within a Rube Goldberg machine or dusty artifacts that shed light on a civilization's collapse.

The movie is totally character driven – their perceptions, conversations, motivations, fears, dreams and delusions are brought to life in an engaging enough way to make typical movie action unnecessary.   Jesse James (depicted with excellence by Brad Pitt) is so much more than a robber bandit – he is a driven, complex, and perhaps not completely sane man.  Robert Ford (played exceptionally well by Casey Affleck) grows in maturity throughout the movie, completely correct in his belief that his destiny is somehow tied to his childhood idol Jesse James.

If you prefer:

• action to contemplation
• cars to horseback
• the strong, silent hero to an awkward, outburst-y anti-hero

Don't add this to the queue.

If you like:

• Brad Pitt playing mentally unstable characters (a la 12 Monkeys, Fight Club)
• movies with a  historic flavor
• breathtaking landscapes

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

This is Spinal Tap

Starring: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest Directed by: Rob Reiner

Most of the best rock shows I have seen over the years involved some element of theatrics. Iron Maiden, seen at Ozzfest in 2005 (where they headlined because Ozzy was unable to play that day), certainly tops the list with multiple backdrop changes, a giant animatronic goat-man rising up out of the set and the Eddie mascot staggering across the stage.

Though I love rock concerts, I've never been much for recordings of live shows. You're either there, or you aren't. The only concert-based film I ever bought was a used VHS copy of Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same. Even when I bought CDs that had special concert footage features, I never watched them.

Perhaps that explains why I'd never seen This Is Spın̈al Tap. But probably it's because if you are familiar with the 'mythology' of rock culture and know what an amplifier looks like, you don't need to watch the movie to get the jokes.

That said, this movie is a very enjoyable nugget of pop culture and I'm a little sad I waited so long to see it. In addition to little digs at the history of rock such as silly-sweet 50s rock, fluffy folk rock of the 60s and the leather and glitter-encrusted glam metal era, tons of fun cameos are sprinkled throughout the film (like Ed Begley, Jr. as the band's first drummer and Billy Crystal as a mime).

If:

· you take your heavy metal band very seriously

· you've never been – or have no desire to go – to a rock show

· you are still angry with Yoko Ono for breaking up The Beatles

· heavy innuendo makes you uncomfortable

Don't put it in the queue.

But if:

· you like mockumentaries

· you like heavy metal for the sheer theatrics

· you like heavy metal for the same reasons you like pro wrestling (semi-shirtless men in costumes with tight spandex pants)

· you find humor in people taking themselves very seriously when they probably shouldn't

· you like to turn it up to eleven

Put it in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson

Borat

Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen Directed by: Larry Charles

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen.  However, it's more of an "I can't believe that just happened" funny.

Under the guise of Borat Sagdiyev, foreign journalist filming a documentary about the great USA, Sacha Baron Cohen brings you a slice of American pie that isn't always palatable. Of course, Borat's hometown perspective isn't necessarily the portrait of virtue by American standards either.

When Borat arrives in America, he finds that most people rebuff his warm greetings (hugs, etc) with profanity, threats and even running away from him.  A meeting with a feminist group – of course, that's a recipe for disaster. A driving lesson – hilarious fun.  Borat sharing his support of the War on Terror with a rodeo crowd – even better. Dinner with a group of genteel people of a high social echelon – a total train wreck that ends with a threat to call the police.

It's kind of like watching one of those psychological experiments that measures how a people really react as they slip the mask of social propriety on when they know they have to and how their true selves react when they don't think (or perhaps don't care) they're being watched.  Also, it's interesting to see how people get caught up in Borat's crazy enthusiasm.  Seriously – how would you react if a stranger to whom you delivered a telegram said, "You mean to say that my wife – she is dead?  High five!"

These humorous litmus tests of Americans in addition to Borat falling in love with Pam Anderson while watching Baywatch reruns and finding a way to stretch his travel to California to find her make for a very entertaining movie.

However, this movie is not for everyone.

If you are offended by:

• Satire
• Foreigners
• Nudity
• Bathroom humor
• Chickens being carried around in a suitcase
• Homosexuals
• Pam Anderson
• Jokes about ethnicity, religion, America or the mentally handicapped

Please take this movie out of the queue.

However, if you have ever been offended by:

• Unfriendly New Yorkers
• Snobs
• Frat boys
• Feminists
• People who have no sense of humor
• Americans
• Humanity in general

Definitely put this movie in the queue!

Written by Jennifer Venson