Yasbeck, Amy

Pretty Woman (15th Anniversary Special Edition)

Like a pumpkin that transforms into a carriage, some very shrewd casting (and the charisma of Julia Roberts, in particular) morphed this story of a Hollywood whore into a Disneyfied Cinderella story--and a mainstream megahit. This is the movie that made Roberts a star; the charm of her personality helping tremendously to carry viewers over the rough spots in the script (which was originally a cynical tale about prostitution called 3000--after the amount of money Richard Gere's character pays the prostitute to stay with him for the week). Gere is the silver-haired Wall Street knight who sweeps streetwalker Roberts into a fantasy world of room service at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel and fashion boutique shopping on Rodeo Drive. The supporting cast is also appealing, including Laura San Giacomo as Roberts's hooker pal, Hector Elizondo as the hotel manager, Jason Alexander, Ralph Bellamy, and Hank Azaria. Now, is this something you want your sons and daughters to see? That's entirely up to you. --Jim Emerson

A successful corporate mogul meets an independent and carefree prostitute. He teaches her about the finer things in life and she teaches him that love could be the best investment he ever made.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 30-AUG-2005
Media Type: DVD

Robin Hood - Men in Tights

It's not Blazing Saddles, but there are some chuckles to be found in Mel Brooks's 1993 spoof of the Robin Hood legend. Cary Elwes is Robin (with a lighthearted jab at Kevin Costner's bad English accent in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), while Richard Lewis plays an angst-ridden King John, and Roger Rees a snotty Sheriff of Nottingham. Comic David Chappelle has some good moments as the only black member of Robins's noble thieves, and Brooks does his own spin on Friar Tuck: Rabbi Tuchman. The song-and-dance sequences featuring a chorus line of the Merry Men ("We're men / men in tights") is vintage Brooks, but otherwise the film can't get any traction. --Tom Keogh

Cary Elwes stars as Robin Hood the dashing defender of the down-trodden who along with his merry men and Maid Marion resides in Sherwood Forest. There they have become together to fight against the seriously neurotic Prince John the not quite-evil Sheriff of Rottingham and the mad scorceress Latrine.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: Unknown UPC: 024543167433 Manufacturer No: 2226743

The Mask (New Line Platinum Series)

Sometimes it's hard to tell if The Mask (or Jim Carrey's in-your-face mugging in general) is actually funny, or just bizarre and grotesque. And sometimes it just doesn't matter. Carrey plays a shy, Jerry Lewis-like nerd who discovers an ancient mask that magically transforms him into a green-faced, zoot-suited Tex Avery cartoon character with no inhibitions. As Roger Ebert said of Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the actor performs "as if he's being clocked on an Energy-O-Meter, and paid by the calorie expended." If that's your kind of humor, you'll love The Mask; if not, you may need a valium or two to sit through this one. --Jim Emerson

Mild-mannered Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey) takes Edge City by storm when he stumbles upon a mysterious and ancient mask.Running Time: 97 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 794043810824

Dracula - Dead and Loving It

In 1995, it was promising to hear that Mel Brooks was creating "the companion piece to Young Frankenstein." He had also brought in the heavyweight of deadpan--Leslie Nielsen. As Lt. Frank Drebin in the Police Squad movies, Nielsen has no peer for silly stuff--just the player Brooks would seem to need for a strong movie, as any fan of Brooks perpetually hopes a new film may rekindle his madcap magic. Alas, the end results in Dracula: Dead and Loving It include a sprinkling of amusements and one big belly laugh. Brooks and his writers use a very tight adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, but the spoofs can be spelled out as we go, as if they are paint-by-number. Some are jabs at Coppola's version of Dracula, but most are attached to classic Dracula films. If any real pleasure comes from the movie it's thanks to the efforts of the cast. Peter MacNicol plays the crazed Renfield to the letter, Steven Weber has a good time as the tight British Harkin, and Lysette Anthony charms as the doomed Lucy. Brooks and Nielsen ham it up just fine. There's even a surprisingly controlled performance by Harvey Korman (a character spoofing Anthony Hopkins's role in the misfire The Road to Wellville). As with Brooks's period comedies, the film looks better than it needs to and includes a few tricky special effects for good measure. This has nothing to do with the audience laughing--we need bigger jokes. And when you double over laughing in one scene--involving a stake through the heart and a bucket of blood--you want the movie to achieve Brooks's days of glory, when hearty laughter was the norm, not an isolated moment. --Doug Thomas

A comic reinvention of the Bela Lugosi classic about a Transylvanian vampire who works his evil spell on a perplexed group of Londoners. Mel Brooks's Count is a pratfalling evil prince of a guy who believes in long relationships. Brooks portrays vampire hunter Van Helsing who won't give a bloodsucker an even break.Running Time: 90 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 053939270020

Home for the Holidays

Holly Hunter plays a Chicago-based single mom who--on the day before Thanksgiving--loses her job and is informed by her daughter of the latter's intention to surrender her virginity while on a weekend-long affair. If that's not enough, Hunter's character then has to fly to Baltimore to join her fractious family for another difficult Thanksgiving. Robert Downey Jr. is terrifically charming as her prankish, gay brother, and Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning show plenty of comic resilience during the predictably interesting Thanksgiving dinner scene. The script by W.D. Richter (Brubaker) avoids the usual clichés in family dramas--the deepest, darkest secret revealed here involves the painfully sweet revelation of a 40-year-old crush. Jodie Foster, directing her second feature, focuses instead on the inevitable softening of old grudges and disappointments with time. This is a wise as well as wonderfully fun movie. --Tom Keogh

Director Jodie Foster dishes up a heaping helping of holiday hilarity (NBC-TV) with this laugh-out-loud comedy from screenwriter W.D. Richter about family food and finding acceptance with the people you love. Home for the Holidays is a wickedly funny film that s so true it hurts (Entertainment Today)!In a span of 36 hours Claudia Larson (Hunter) has managed to lose her job make out with her boss and learn that her daughter (Danes) is planning to go all the way. But Claudia s fortunes actually take a turn for the worse when she flies home to endure an even more grueling trial: the family Thanksgiving! Beset by a neurotic mother (Bancroft) kooky father (Durning) eccentric brother (Downey Jr.) and compulsively normal sister (Stevenson) Claudia struggles to maintain her calm. But as sparks fly tempers flare and turkeys go airborne Claudia manages to recapture the zaniness of her childhood and discover that the most important things in life are the memories she shares with family and for that she can only be thankful!System Requirements: Running Time 103 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG-13 UPC: 027616865700 Manufacturer No: 1002359

Problem Child Tantrum Pack

House II: The Second Story

Pretty Woman (10th Anniversary Edition)

Like a pumpkin that transforms into a carriage, some very shrewd casting (and the charisma of Julia Roberts, in particular) morphed this story of a Hollywood whore into a Disneyfied Cinderella story--and a mainstream megahit. This is the movie that made Roberts a star; the charm of her personality helping tremendously to carry viewers over the rough spots in the script (which was originally a cynical tale about prostitution called 3000--after the amount of money Richard Gere's character pays the prostitute to stay with him for the week). Gere is the silver-haired Wall Street knight who sweeps streetwalker Roberts into a fantasy world of room service at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel and fashion boutique shopping on Rodeo Drive. The supporting cast is also appealing, including Laura San Giacomo as Roberts's hooker pal, Hector Elizondo as the hotel manager, Jason Alexander, Ralph Bellamy, and Hank Azaria. Now, is this something you want your sons and daughters to see? That's entirely up to you. --Jim Emerson

This special PRETTY WOMAN 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION is a director's cut that adds some special touches to an enduring comedy hit. In addition to the original theatrical trailer and a rocking music video of "Wild Women Do," performed by Natalie Cole, the Anniversary Edition offers plenty of behind-the-scenes fun! On-set interviews with Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, and director Garry Marshall serve up entertaining inside info -- and some funny anecdotes! Behind-the-scenes clips provide an exclusive look into the making of PRETTY WOMAN -- a fascinating process that fans are sure to appreciate. You'll find something new to enjoy every time you watch the PRETTY WOMAN 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION! Academy Award(R)-winner Julia Roberts (2000, Best Actress, ERIN BROCKOVICH) and Richard Gere (RUNAWAY BRIDE) light up the screen in this irresistible comedy! When successful corporate mogul Edward Lewis (Gere) meets carefree Vivian Ward (Roberts), their two lives are worlds apart. But Vivan's energetic spirit challenges Edward's no-nonsense approach to life, and soon they are teaching each other -- and falling in love! This timeless rags-to-riches romance captures hearts with its humor, passion, and unforgettable fun!

The Mask (New Line Platinum Series)

Sometimes it's hard to tell if The Mask (or Jim Carrey's in-your-face mugging in general) is actually funny, or just bizarre and grotesque. And sometimes it just doesn't matter. Carrey plays a shy, Jerry Lewis-like nerd who discovers an ancient mask that magically transforms him into a green-faced, zoot-suited Tex Avery cartoon character with no inhibitions. As Roger Ebert said of Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the actor performs "as if he's being clocked on an Energy-O-Meter, and paid by the calorie expended." If that's your kind of humor, you'll love The Mask; if not, you may need a valium or two to sit through this one. Digital video disc extras include two deleted scenes and a commentary track from director Charles Russell. --Jim Emerson

A quiet bank clerk is turned into a cartoon character with strange abilities usually only available in animatation, all through an ancient mask he finds.
Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: PG13
Release Date: 3-FEB-2004
Media Type: DVD

Something About Sex

A comedic roller coaster ride through the love, sex, trust monogamy and cheating rituals of three seemingly happy couples, all observed by one cynical bachelor played by Jason Alexander.