Amazon.com

Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script.--Dan Vancini ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Since the movie is so impossibly boring...
and cliché, and predictable and tongue-in-cheek, and trited, and mindless, I'm going to summarize this movie as:
Utter Waste of Money and Time.
There's nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing positive to say about this movie. They were pushing it with the first one, however, it was passable and watchable. This sequel is one that should have never put out. It's so enclosed in its idiocy that it obfuscates the acting value of thespians of great caliber. Avoid!

Don't Believe the Negativity...It's Hilarious
I'm so tired of everyone looking for Shakespearian perfection in every film, bottom line, it's a dumb comedy, so turn your pompous search for meaningful dialogue and great script-writing
off and enjoy the laughs. It's a comedy, not Macbeth. I kept hearing how horrible it was, well guess what, surprise, surprise
the critics were wrong again! If you enjoyed the first film, you'll love the second, it was every bit as funny, if not funnier. I don't laugh easy either, but it had me rolling most of the film, in tears laughing at times. I know when to be critical and when to put the brain on pause and just enjoy a good old fashioned laugh. It has that Farelly Brothers-type gross out humor, if you enjoy that sort of thing which I do, then you'll enjoy this. If not, go rent 'Annie Hall,' and spend needless hours pining over the film's lighting and set direction, you know, 'the important things in film'...rolls eyes.

please, not a third time!
Gee, it's pretty sad to see actors of this caliber, who've been in so many memorable movies, get mired in this kind of horrible dreck.

But, this is what really offended me:in "Meet the Parents" there was one trained animal to provide a few cute jokes.In this sequel, not only did they feel the need to throw in a pathetic looking dogfor a few more "America's Funniest Videos" style laughs, they effectively used a child in the role of a third "trained animal".Sick.They must have figured that it worked well with "Mini-Me" in the "Austin Powers" sequel, so why not stick Robert DeNiro with a similar sidekick?The people who made this movie deserve a swift kick (or two) in the pants.

Clash of the Icons
Moviegoers flocked to "Meet the Fockers," making this star-studded sequel to "Meet the Parents" a box-office smash. Now that Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) and his fiancée Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) are finally getting married, it's time for Pam's conservative parents (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to meet Greg's freewheeling parents (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand). De Niro is once again terrific as Jack Byrnes, the suspicious ex-CIA operative (though Jack's obsession with the "circle of trust" has grown a bit tiresome). Stiller reprises one of his most humorous--and appealing--screen personas as the beleaguered male nurse. Hoffman gives the films best performance as Bernie Focker, a frisky lawyer-turned-househusband and Streisand is especially funny as Roz Focker, a straightforward sex therapist for seniors. Blythe Danner and Teri Polo are wonderful in their supporting roles and Owen Wilson's cameo appearance is a hoot. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, bloopers, and a Matt Lauer interview with the cast.

Total Mind Pollution... I would rather not give any stars
Listen to the people who didn't like this movie.I LOVED the first movie and watched it several times.The first movie had some crudeness in it, but most of the humor was just plain funny.This movie was nothing but crudeness and I think my IQ went down just by sitting through it.If you enjoyed this movie, you are extremely immature.There are some very funny movies out there, they just don't need to be as crude as this one.I think I only laughed once during the movie and I don't even remember when that was because most of the time I was sitting there debating on whether or not I should just turn the movie off. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Meet the Parents found such tremendous success in the chemistry produced by the contrasting personalities of stars Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller that the film's creators went for broke with the same formula again in Meet the Fockers. This time around, Jack and Dina Byrnes (De Niro and Blythe Danner) climb into Jack's new kevlar-lined RV with daughter Pam (Teri Polo), soon-to-be son-in-law Gaylord (Stiller), and Jack's infant grandson from his other daughter for the trip to Florida to meet Gaylord's parents, Bernie and Roz Focker (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand in a casting coup). The potential in-laws are, of course, the opposite of Jack, a pair of randy, touchy-feely fun-lovers. The rest of the movie is pretty much a sitcom: put Bernie and Roz together with Jack, and watch the in-laws clash as Gaylord squirms. As with the original, there is a sense of joy in watching these actors take on their roles with obvious relish, and the Hoffman-Streisand-Stiller triumvirate is likeable enough to draw you in. But the formula doesn't work as well in Fockers mostly because much of the humor is based on two obvious gimmicks: Gaylord Focker's name, and the fact that Streisand's character is a sex therapist. As a result, the movie itself is more contrived and predictable, and a lot less fun than the original. The casting is grand, but one wishes more thought was put into the script.--Dan Vancini ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Since the movie is so impossibly boring...
and cliché, and predictable and tongue-in-cheek, and trited, and mindless, I'm going to summarize this movie as:
Utter Waste of Money and Time.
There's nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing positive to say about this movie. They were pushing it with the first one, however, it was passable and watchable. This sequel is one that should have never put out. It's so enclosed in its idiocy that it obfuscates the acting value of thespians of great caliber. Avoid!

Don't Believe the Negativity...It's Hilarious
I'm so tired of everyone looking for Shakespearian perfection in every film, bottom line, it's a dumb comedy, so turn your pompous search for meaningful dialogue and great script-writing
off and enjoy the laughs. It's a comedy, not Macbeth. I kept hearing how horrible it was, well guess what, surprise, surprise
the critics were wrong again! If you enjoyed the first film, you'll love the second, it was every bit as funny, if not funnier. I don't laugh easy either, but it had me rolling most of the film, in tears laughing at times. I know when to be critical and when to put the brain on pause and just enjoy a good old fashioned laugh. It has that Farelly Brothers-type gross out humor, if you enjoy that sort of thing which I do, then you'll enjoy this. If not, go rent 'Annie Hall,' and spend needless hours pining over the film's lighting and set direction, you know, 'the important things in film'...rolls eyes.

please, not a third time!
Gee, it's pretty sad to see actors of this caliber, who've been in so many memorable movies, get mired in this kind of horrible dreck.

But, this is what really offended me:in "Meet the Parents" there was one trained animal to provide a few cute jokes.In this sequel, not only did they feel the need to throw in a pathetic looking dogfor a few more "America's Funniest Videos" style laughs, they effectively used a child in the role of a third "trained animal".Sick.They must have figured that it worked well with "Mini-Me" in the "Austin Powers" sequel, so why not stick Robert DeNiro with a similar sidekick?The people who made this movie deserve a swift kick (or two) in the pants.

Clash of the Icons
Moviegoers flocked to "Meet the Fockers," making this star-studded sequel to "Meet the Parents" a box-office smash. Now that Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Ben Stiller) and his fiancée Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) are finally getting married, it's time for Pam's conservative parents (Robert De Niro and Blythe Danner) to meet Greg's freewheeling parents (Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand). De Niro is once again terrific as Jack Byrnes, the suspicious ex-CIA operative (though Jack's obsession with the "circle of trust" has grown a bit tiresome). Stiller reprises one of his most humorous--and appealing--screen personas as the beleaguered male nurse. Hoffman gives the films best performance as Bernie Focker, a frisky lawyer-turned-househusband and Streisand is especially funny as Roz Focker, a straightforward sex therapist for seniors. Blythe Danner and Teri Polo are wonderful in their supporting roles and Owen Wilson's cameo appearance is a hoot. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, bloopers, and a Matt Lauer interview with the cast.

Total Mind Pollution... I would rather not give any stars
Listen to the people who didn't like this movie.I LOVED the first movie and watched it several times.The first movie had some crudeness in it, but most of the humor was just plain funny.This movie was nothing but crudeness and I think my IQ went down just by sitting through it.If you enjoyed this movie, you are extremely immature.There are some very funny movies out there, they just don't need to be as crude as this one.I think I only laughed once during the movie and I don't even remember when that was because most of the time I was sitting there debating on whether or not I should just turn the movie off. ... Read more

Reviews (368)

Full blown comedy with a killer cast
Meet the Parents is one of the best comedy movies to hit the shelves in recent years. With an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, and the one and only Owen Wilson, this movie delivers the laughs perfectly!

Greg Focker, male nurse, is about to propose to Pam, his "special friend" of ten months, when he hears about her recently engaged sitster, whose husband to be made the right move and asked her father first. Now he's got to do the same, which means he's got to meet the parents. And with the plot set, the laughter ensues...

What really makes this movie work is the characters we can all relate to. First there's Greg, who is desperately trying to win the parents' approval, but somehow manages to screw up everything he possibly can along the way. And to make matters worse, he's got to to deal with Pam's ex fiance while he carries out this death sentence of a weekend. And then there is Pam, whose father is well...just a little strange to say the least.

Also, Owen Wilson is just insane in this and the movie is worth it for his performance alone, not to mention being able to see DeNiro do a comedy this good.

See it for the laughs, see it for the cast, see it for the experience, because this is one of the best lately. And if that is not insentive enough, I leave you with a quote..."Well I have nipples Focker, could you milk ME?"

Skip This Meeting
Stale, unoriginal humor is the downfall of this take-it-or-leave-it Ben Stiller comedy. Stiller plays male nurse Gaylord Focker (whose name is the inspiration for at least a quarter of the movie's jokes), a hapless soul whose attempts to propose to his girlfriend (Teri Polo) are interrupted by a phone call announcing her sister's engagement. This leads to the wedding trip, and Stiller's opportunity to meet the parents.

What follows are a series of mildly amusing situations and one-liners, none of which you'll probably be itching to repeat at work tomorrow. Owen Wilson is a bright spot, as usual, playing Polo's ex-fiance. He also delivers the best line in the movie, a deadpan joke about the inspiration for his hobby, carpentry. Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, however, are both too woefully underchallenged to be able to turn in memorable performances.

The DVD's extra features include the standard outtakes, commentaries, and deleted scenes, as well as interactive personality quizzes which are fun to take but whose answers seem somewhat random. Overall, Meet the Parents is only worth renting if you're desperate to see a movie and this is the just about only thing left on the video store shelves.

Calamity after calamity - Very Funny
"Meet the Parents" is funny, outrageous, and full of fun. Pratfalls and pitfalls await our comic star Ben Stiller as he pursues his love and ingratiates himself with his father-in-law to-be, Robert DeNiro. DeNiro is a crazed, over protective, retired CIA agent who zealously protects his daughter from her would-be suitor.

Calamity follows calamity, and the sight gags cascade until the end unwinds all the zaniness in a satisfying ending. It is a lot of fun with several belly laughs thrown in for good measure.

Oh no, no, no, no, no, it's not very good. Way over rated.
This movie is not funny, just dumb. Is saying "focker" over and over and over again really that funny? I'm sorry, folks, but NO, it's just not all that funny, and this is the same dull plot that we've seen over and over again in the movies and on tv. Not recommended.

Unwatchable
I wanted to leave the theater halfway through this garbage but I already ponied up my $8. Predictable gag after predictable gag after predictable gag, this movie made me hate Ben Stiller. ... Read more

Reviews (368)

Still Laughing!
This is one of the best comedies I've seen in a long time. It follows the story of Greg Focker ("just like it's spelled" hehe) and his struggle to fit into his girlfriend's family. He decides to "Meet the Parents" to ask if he can marry their daughter, but a twist of hilarious events leads to a great plot and darn funny movie!

Favorite quotes from this film:

"Well, if you're going to have little Fockers running around..."

"You didn't tell me much about your cat-milking days in Motown."

"That was a lot of.... information."

"They'd have to be interesting people, right? To name their son Gaylord Focker?"

Caught your interest? Thought so. Now BUY THIS FILM!

Just so over the top it rocks
The wonderful comic delivery of the mother is brilliant!
If you check your reality at the door you go on an amazing over the top ride!! I Loved the whole idea of pushing reality to the limits. the more I watch it the funnier it gets

Very funny movie!
My two sisters, who are both public school teachers, think that this movie is hilarious. I didn't like it quite as much as they did but I agree that it is very funny. Ben Stiller is a male nurse who goes with his fiance over the Christmas holidays to meet her parents Robert De Nero and Blythe Danner (also known as Gwyneth Paltrow's real life mom). In his eagerness to make a good impression and gain acceptance he suffers through incredible humiliations and misadventures. I love the song "Fool for Love". I don't think that this movie is for everyone because there is definitely an elitist flavor to it so that poor people and working class people are probably not going to enjoy it as much as yuppie types. But on the other hand, people that shop online and read these reviews are probably exactly the kind of people who will enjoy this the most.

Hilarious
This was one movie that kept me laughing and which I really enjoyed. De Niro and Stiller team up and create an atmosphere that is truly comical.

funniest movie i can think of
one of the greatest comedies ... Read more

Reviews (352)

Not As Good As The First Two
The first Austin Powers movie was hilarious. The second movie basically recycled the same jokes, but I laughed anyway, probably because I was reminded at how good the first movie was. It was comedy by association. I'm sorry, but I can't give this third movie, Goldmember, the same sort of pity laugh. There were a few mild chuckles here and there, but it doesn't even come close to reaching the bar set by its two predecessors.

I'd tell you about the plot of the movie, but I couldn't remember what it was even when I walked out of the theater. Beyonce Knowles did a solid acting job, but it was fairly easy to tell that she was acting in her first movie. Unlike Elizabeth Hurley and Heather Graham in the previous movies, Beyonce doesn't serve as Austin's love interest, so there isn't any of the playing hard-to-get that viewers found so funny in the first two. She's strictly business, which isn't very funny. There's also a new character added to this movie called Goldmember. He's a disco-dancing rollerskater who peels off and eats pieces of his own dry skin. Disgusting? Yes. Funny? No. And, of course, there's Dr. Evil, Fat Bastard, Mini-Me, and all the rest of the usual supporting cast. They each have their funny moments, but not many.

I know several screen writers, and they all say that every scene in a movie is supposed to mean something. In this case, every scene should either provide some sort of comedy or advance the plot of the story. There were several scenes in the movie that didn't do either of these. They were just there holding the movie and its audience in limbo. Everyone in Hollywood is under pressure to meet deadlines and cut costs, and it was very evident that this pressure played a major part in the making of this movie. I'm sure the movie studio knew that people were going to see this movie regardless of quality just because the previous movies were successful, so there was no incentive to make a good movie.

I have to admit that I'm a big Austin Powers fan, and if they make a fourth movie I'll definitely go see it no matter how good or bad it is. Unfortunately, there are alot of other people just like me, and the movie studios know it.

Beyonce can really work it out!
I was so excited to see Beyonce as Foxxy Cleopatra. The movie is extremely funny! The opening scene was extremely funny! The dialogue, the casting and the usual Austin Power pranks are really enjoyable. The movie is basically a trip back in time- a modern day type past? Myers is back but this time he's actually funny. Maybe Knowles helped his performance? Probably! Knowles is the latest in the series, we've loved Liz Hurley, loved Graham, now it's time for Beyonce. The enjoyable part was the usual the dirty jokes, the pranks, and the overacted cast! But you'd probably only enjoy this if you enjoyed the others in the series. If you thought the others were fake and unrealistic, you'd probably hate this! The feature is hilarious!

After quite a lot of years Myers finally once again meets Dr. Evil. Teaming up with the unexplained Goldmember, Dr. Evil comes up with a time-traveling plan to take over the earth, one that includes the capturing of Nigel Powers, Austin's darling dad. In 1975, Myers meets his lovely Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyonce) who plays a sexy detective. It's up to Foxxy and Austin to save the day and to stop Dr. Evil from his evil plans. The movie is great!

Written by Myers himself, the movie is yet another creative weird James Bond movie. The soundtrack includes Beyonce's solo performance in "work it out" as well as two songs written by Myers! Myers was eager to make the third film in the series interesting and just as funny, and he has succeeded! Way to go Myers and Knowles!

----Ahmed Mashhood

Same Old, Same Old...
I won't hesitate a second longer - 'Goldmember' was terrible. The first sequel,' The Spy Who Shagged Me', was bad enough but this really stretches the franchise way too far and over the top.

I would have thought that the writers would have come up with some new material but no, its still the same 'Yeeeah Baby' and 'Very Shagadelic' one liners which bring down this films' credibility even more. It's only saving grace are the vast amount of cameos near the beginning, from then on; its trash. The overused 'mole' joke really gets on your nerves after a while and is just another blatant lack of fresh ideas for this third instalment. Even the appearance of Destiny's Child beauty Beyonce Knowles isn't enough to keep you interested. For real comedy, just stick to the first film.

Funnier Than #2
I found this movie to be more entertaining than the 2nd installment so in that sense it was an improvement, however I would like to know why Beyonce was cast in this film? She is atractive, yes, but so is a good portion of Hollywood women and believe it or not-- Black Hollywood women if that is what their aim was. But alas, I have chalked it up to some good dealing with through her management and tried to look beyond her role at the overall movie. It was decent and I did laugh enough to say it is worth renting. Owning the DVD, on the other hand, is for those who want the deleted scenes which they did a god job of packaging.

Just as Funny as the Other Two Austin Powers Movies
I like all of the Movies in The Austin Powers movie trilogy and Austen Powers - in Goldmember didn't disappoint me at all. Yeah sure, they copied some of the gags from the first two movies but they were still funny and I think Mike Myers was great as always as Austin Powers and Dr. Evil and the rest of the cast was pretty good too, Michael Caine and Seth Green were great and Beyonce Knowles was good too. I have watched this movie two times and each time I watched it on DVD in widescreen and I highly recommend the widescreen because it allows you to see the whole movie while the Fullscreen DVD is just an edited pan & scan with the sides cropped. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" a deliciously randy Austin Powers coos near the beginning of The Spy Who Shagged Me, and if the imagination of Austin creator Mike Myers seems to have sagged a bit, his energy surely hasn't. This friendly, go-for-broke sequel to 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery finds our man Austin heading back to the '60s to keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world--and, more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin into irresistible catnip for women, especially American spygirl Felicity Shagwell (a pretty but vacant Heather Graham). The plot may be irreverent and illogical, the jokes may be bad (with characters named Ivana Humpalot and Robin Swallows, née Spitz), and the scenes may run on too long, but it's all delivered sunnily and with tongue firmly in cheek.

Myers's true triumph, though, is his turn as the neurotic Dr. Evil, who tends to spout the right cultural reference at exactly the wrong time (referring to his moon base as a "Death Star" with Moon Units Alpha and Zappa--in 1969). Myers teams Dr. Evil with a diminutive clone, Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer),who soon replaces slacker son Scott Evil (Seth Green) as the apple of the doctor's eye; Myers and Troyer work magic in what could plausibly be one of the year's most affecting (and hysterically funny) love stories. Despite a stellar supporting cast--including a sly Rob Lowe as Robert Wagner's younger self and Mindy Sterling as the forbidding Frau Farbissina--it's basically Myers's show, and he pulls a hat trick by playing a third character, the obese and disgusting Scottish assassin Fat Bastard. Many viewers will reel in disgust at Mr. Bastard's repulsive antics and the scatological bent Myers indulges in, including one showstopper involving coffee and--shudder--a stool sample. Still, Myers's good humor and dead-on cultural references win the day; Austin is one spy who proves he can still shag like a minx. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (426)

An funny sequel(Which it`s has alot of [Sick] Humor).
After Austin Powers (Mike Myers) has discover his wife is a Femmebot. Dr. Evil (Also Myers) has come back to Earth to try to make peace with his son (Seth Green) but Dr. Evil`s Partner (Mindy Sterling) has made a small clone of Dr. Evil named Mini-Me (Verne Troyer). Dr. Evil has created a time machine to go in the pass to Steal Austin Mojo! When Austin know his Mojo is gone, he goes back in the Pass to get back his Mojo, while he`s teamed up with attractive blonde (Heather Graham), who is a Spy.

Directed by Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Mystery-Alaska) has made a entertaining fantasy comedy mixed the Spoof gerne. Verne Troyer steals the show, when he`s on screen. One of the highest grossing films of 1999. DVD`s has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and a strong Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are:an running commentary track by Director, Actor and Co-Screenwriter of the film. Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Behind the Scenes featurette and More. This is not as clever than the Original but it`s still a very funny film. Super 35. Grade:B+.

Not my kind of comedy, I guess
When I was a kid, I was always badgering my parents to tell me about movie stars who were famous before I was born. One day I saw a W. C. Fields comedy called Never Give a Sucker an Even Break. I asked Mom and Dad about this funny looking man with the weird voice. My questions triggered an argument, because Mom thought Fields was one of the funniest men ever to light up the screen, while Dad felt he was obnoxious, crude and certainly not amusing. When I got older, I understood that humor is a very personal issue. Tell a joke to two different people, and it may be that one rolls on the floor laughing, while the other turns stoned-faced. Mike Myers as Austin Powers is a fine example. You either love the character, or you hate him.

A few years ago, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a fairly big hit. On video, it acquired cult status. Before Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me even opened last summer, it was assured of being a blockbuster. It did nearly four times the business the original did. Another sequel is inevitable.

There are moments that are genuinely funny in the movie, but these are largely like burst of sunshine on a mostly cloudy day. Mike Myers plays three characters - Austin Powers, his nemesis Dr. Evil, and a grotesquely fat Scotsman called Fat Bastard. He is at his best as Dr. Evil, a mean man who is bent on taking over the world, apparently because it's the only thing he can do well. Evil made me laugh. The scene in which he tells his whiny, disrespectful son to shut up is almost a classic. I liked Evil's interactions with his clone, a three foot tall replica of himself called Mini-Me. As for Austin Powers himself, he is a skit character who wears thin in a whole movie. Powers is a parody of the 60s mod man. Fat Bastard is not at all funny, and it is this character who carries the bathroom humor so far that the movie itself often deserves to be flushed down the toilet. I have been known to laugh at gross-out jokes, but the ones built around this character are over the edge. Some are just plain mean-spirited.

Heather Graham as Felicity Shagwell, the spy the movie's title refers to, is decidedly pleasing to look at. To quote another critic, the only thing flat about her is her acting. Michael York, Rob Lowe and Robert Wagner waste their time in their parts. The money was just too good to turn down, and they have been around too long to worry about their resumes.

I haven't said much about the plot, because there's little to say. Dr. Evil goes back in time to steal Austin's "mojo". The rest of the movie involves his attempts to get said item back.

At its best, this Austin Powers is a fond spoof of the spy genre, which has been around since Sean Connery was the first James Bond in 1964's Dr. No. At its worst, it wouldn't even bring a laugh in a locker room or a redneck bar.

Very shagadelic baby!
Now this is a great movie. Although the jokes are recycled there are some new jokes as well. For example Fat Bastard and Mini Me make their debut here and the jokes about that rocket are almost genius. I say while this isnt as good as the first one it is still a grand movie and anyone who likes good comedy should own it.PS- Goldmember sucked.

Good sequel
In 1997, Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery became more popular a film than anyone could have ever imagined. There was no denying that the film was an instant spy spoof classic, so it's not surprising that a sequel got released two years later. How does the second installment in the series, Austin Powers - The Spy Who Shagged Me - measure up? Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
Dr. Evil has returned from space and has used a time machine to travel back to the sixties. Once there, he meets up with his henchmen from the past, and begins work on a fortress on the moon - where he will put a giant laser he can use to hold the world hostage. Of course, Austin Powers isn't going to stand for this (once again, Mike Myers plays both hero and villain. Myers also plays Dr. Evil's newest henchman, Fat B*stard.) Austin travels back to the sixties to pursue Dr. Evil, and once there, meets an American secret agent who he falls for. The two join forces and set out to stop Dr. Evil's plan from being successful.

FILM OPINIONS:
This film wasn't as good as the first one, but it was still excellent nonetheless. I was a bit disappointed to see time travel introduced into the series, as it is often the plot device that can ruin a perfectly good series. Although it doesn't ruin the series, it creates a ton of plot holes here (of course, since this is a comedy film, it's not THAT important.) Although the film is just as funny as the first one was, this one seems less polished. It's obvious that the film makers just made up most of these ideas as they went along, and that they probably had no plans for a sequel initially (the Vanessa scene in the beginning demonstrates this well.) Despite some serious plot problems, this ends up being a good film. And you've gotta love all the Star Wars references (these were probably due to Episode I also being released in 1999.)

DVD:
After the subpar DVD release of the first film, I was worried that New Line would mess up the second film. Fortunately, they ended up getting it right this time. You get nearly twenty minutes worth of deleted scenes on here, and unlike the first film's deleted scenes, these ones are worth watching. You also get music videos of the songs that were made for the film, including Madonna's Beautiful Stranger and Lenny Kravitz's cover of the Guess Who classic, American Woman. The behind the scenes footage is a nice touch as well, and the commentary track is WAY better than that of the first film. All in all, a good DVD release.

OVERALL:
Overall this movie isn't as good as the first film was, but it's still an excellent film, and if you want to laugh, I strongly recommend checking it out. All of the Austin Powers films are comedy masterpieces, and the second installment in the series demonstrates that well.

Hilarious
All truth be told, the only reason I orginally bought this movie was because Steve Wilkos was in it.

I didn't see the first movie, so I really wasn't sure what to expect from this one. However, I quickly found out that previous knowledge of what happens in the first movie isn't needed to enjoy the second one.

Basic plot: Austin Powers is trying to save the world and meets some chick along the way that helps him.

The movie opens with Austin and Vanessa on their honeymoon. Their marital bliss soon shattered when Austin realizes Vanessa is a fem-bot sent by Dr. Evil to kill him.

Since the robot didn't work, Dr. Evil steals Austin's mojo!

The rest of the movie is Austin and Felicity (Heather Graham) trying to get Austin's mojo back and stop Dr. Evil from going through with the Alan Parsons Project, which will slam an asteriod into the Earth while Dr. Evil and his crew are safe in outer space.

There is a lot of sexual humor that isn't appropriate for younger audiences. It is definitely a PG-13 film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When it comes to the subject of community, David E. Kelley--theprolific writer-producer behind television's The Practice and AllyMcBeal--falls somewhere on a continuum between directors Howard Hawks and Robert Benton. WhileHawks's professional characters are bound by a knowledge of how to do what theydo even if they don't know why, Benton's people, professional or not, havelong ago substituted their own eccentric reasons for that elusive why. Thus we get the kind of in-house, oddball rituals sandwiched between passages of actual work on Ally, and the affectionately entangled personal andprofessional ties between small-town folks in Kelley's earlier TV series Picket Fences.

Kelley's script for Mystery, Alaska (co-authored by Sean O'Byrne)takes that level of eccentricity to a geographical and spiritual extreme. Thefilm revives the hackneyed Rocky formula, setting alopsided hockey match within a remote, self-contained hamlet where themembers of a tiny population all have to wear multiple hats and still keepneighborly ties intact. The story concerns the town's chief source ofidentity and pride: so-called "Saturday games," in which local men divide into teams and play pond hockey for the locals.When a prodigal son (Hank Azaria) of Mystery shows up with a televisionnetwork offer to bring the New York Rangers in for a televised match againstthe homegrown team, the town fathers agree. Coaching falls to the townsheriff, John Biebe (Russell Crowe), an admirable man and a longtime player recently bumped from the team. John, however, doesn't want the job: everyoneknows the real coach in those parts is Judge Burns (Burt Reynolds), but hewants no part of it either. All of that changes after a sad tragedy forces everyone to reevaluate their positions and pull together in order to beat theRangers.

Following the success of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Jay Roach proves to be an abledirector of drama, swift action, and low-key, character-driven comedy notunlike that in Benton's Nobody's Fool. He has to deal with some pure corn at the end, but Roach pulls it off and guides the actors to and throughfar better moments. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Slapshot Meets Bad News Bears Meets Our Town Meets Fargo
"Mystery, Alaska" juggles quite a few cliches, but it does so with wonderful charm and a constant nudge in the ribs.

A small town in the frozen North of Alaska, Mystery loves its hockey beyond all reason. The famed "Saturday Game," played each week with religious fervor, has been brought to the pages of Sports Illustrated by a Mysterian (Hank Azaria) who has left the town for bigger and better things -- although it may be because everyone in town says he plays hockey "like a homosexual" (this is an example of the surprisingly frank and profane language Mysterians like to use, which can be jarring in what is otherwise a sweet movie).

The team, led by John Biebe (Russell Crowe in a nice understated performance), is your typical bunch of loveable small-town lugs, each given either one defining characteristic (babe hound, son struggling with sense of inadequacy, hot young prodigy nervous about playing with the "big boys," etc.) or is mere entertaining window dressing. Otherwise content with the local fame brought by playing in the Saturday game, the guys are exhilirated and terrified to learn that the NHL wants the New York Rangers (at the time, a good team!) to visit Mystery to play the locals as a publicity stunt.

Biebe, who is also the town sheriff, is our lens into this quirky town going through this tumultuous development. A fixture of the Saturday Game for years, he is surprisingly demoted and asked to coach. One of his best players 'accidentally' shoots a representative from Price World, a Wal-Mart clone. Another player cuckolds the mayor of the town. And Azaria returns to make overtures to Biebe's wife. The tranquil little burg has never seen such excitement.

All of this unfolds in a lighthearted manner and builds to the "big game" against the Rangers -- which is only brought about by the untimely demise of a lovable local resident.

The game is handled very well, with the proper "underdog" notes played, but not overly so. The hockey action flows quickly, and feels like a game rather than someone filming a pretend game (a common problem in sports movies -- the action is not realistic enough). One problem - we rarely see Russell Crowe actually skate, which undercuts his status as the team leader and reminds us that he's a Hollywood star in a hockey film.

Perhaps the movie's most inspired moment is the mayor's unique way of invoking Mystery's home-ice advantage during the national anthem (with a hilarious cameo by Little Richard - yes, you heard me). Watch also for a great cameo by Mike Meyers, who has worked with director Jay Roach on the Austin Powers films.

In the end, all loose ends are tied up nicely . . . and perhaps too conveniently for some. Nothing in the movie is a great shock, but that's life in a small town for you.

While in many respects a good family movie, the language and humor is definitely not for younger viewers. And the "romantic" overtures of Skank, the team horn-dog, can be quite shocking to some. Still, a good movie and a fun time.

Mystery, Alaska is the place to be!
This charming film didn't get the positive praise it deserved. It was absolutely wonderful. The small Alaskan town of "Mystery" has a quirky "Northern Exposure" feel to it, and a wonderful ensemble cast add a lot of fun and games.

The "Saturday" hockey game leads off this fairy-tale story of David vs. Goliath, as their hometown boys go against the NHL'S New York Rangers. Former "townie" Hank Azaria starts this whole thing by writing a spotlight on the "Saturday Game" for Sports Illustrated and well.. Mystery is never the same after that. Russell Crowe turns in a great performance as "slightly older" town Sherif John Biebe, who is the heart and soul of the much younger hockey team. There are many wonderful smaller performances by faces you'll certainly know and love. It's a wonderfully sweet, charming and funny (with classic one liners from MANY of the young players) movie that only HAPPENS to be about hockey. There is so much more to it. You don't have to know a thing about hockey to appreciate this fun and lighthearted movie. It's right up there with my all-time favs. Definatley worth a look!

A Movie With a Heart As Big As All Outdoors
If you're interested in this movie, it's probably because it stars Russell Crowe. But if you thought that was the only reason to see this film, have I got some good news for you.

Mystery, Alaska, population 633, is a town obsessed with hockey. From the time they're children, every Mystery boy's dream is to be a member of the town's unnamed hockey team in the weekly "Saturday game." Through a sequence of events only slightly farfetched, the Mystery team is scheduled for an exhibitition game with the visiting New York Rangers, an event of only slightly less importance to this hockey-struck town than the Second Coming. One of the many great things about this movie is the town's reaction to news of the impending game. They're not awestruck by the Rangers, the visiting demi-gods; their first reaction is, "Can we win?" If Mystery plays, they intend to win. The Rangers might be big league American hockey, but Mystery has faith in its boys. It knows they're great even if the rest of the world doesn't.

The movie is about how the town and its inhabitants are affected by the upcoming game. The game itself, though perfectly realized in the film, is almost incidental. Colm Meaney (late of Star Trek: The Next Generattion and Deep Space Nine) plays the town mayor who discovers his wife (Lolita Davidovich) is sleeping with a member of the hockey team. Hank Azaria is Charles Danner, the home town boy who was never respected growing up, became a reporter out in the great big world, brings back to Mystery the NEW YORK RANGERS....and finds he's still not respected. Donna Biebe (Mary McCormack) is the girl Charles loved in high school, now married to team captain and town sheriff John Biebe (Crowe). Burt Reynolds, who still has it, and in spades, after all these years, plays town judge Walter Burns. Walter as a young man wasn't good enough for the Saturday game, a fact he's never forgotten and a source of conflict with his son, who's made the current team. But Walter was good enough for minor league hockey in the lower 48, making him the perfect choice to coach the team for and through the big game. He's the only person in town who really understands North American hockey. For his own reasons, he refuses.

Then there's Russell Crowe as John Biebe. The big game comes at the tail end of John's career. After 13 years in the Saturday game - a Mystery record - he's cut from the team just before news of the Rangers' visit hits town. And the town fathers, whose most solemn duties involve administering the hockey team, don't want him back. A man of quiet strength but not good at expressing his softer emotions, John doesn't know how to tell his wife how much he loves her when he sees Charles flirting, and her flirting back. The way he figures out finally to do that is both inventive and touching.

Though this movie "stars" Russell Crowe, it's not a star driven vehicle, it's an ensemble piece. And while Russell is wonderful as John Biebe, for my money the best performance in the film is Ron Eldard as "Skank" Marden, Mystery hockey player and dedicated fornicator. The scene where Skank appears on the mayor's doorstep one frozen night to apologize to the man he's cuckolded is, I think, the highlight of the film. It's fascinating to watch the unexpected decency, sensitivity, and dignity emerge from what til then seemed an indecent, shallow, undignified man.

The hockey game footage is convincing - thrilling, actually. Russell learned to ice skate for this role, and, with the help of some careful editing, looks pretty darn good on the ice. Numerous Rangers play themselves.

Mystery, Alaska has been called "Rocky On Ice" and that's a fair description. Yes, the film deals with a hockey game, but that's not what makes it special. This isn't a dumb, gimmicky, braindead hockey flick like The Mighty Ducks. It's a character driven, imaginative, well-acted drama....that happens to work within the framework of a story about a hockey game. By the time the Rangers arrive in Mystery you're totally on the home team's side, rooting for them because you've come to care for the Mystery boys, and respect the sacrifices they, and the town as a whole, have made for this game. Like Rocky, Mystery, Alaska shows you don't need a huge budget to make a good movie when you have a great script, solid direction, good actors, and the film possesses that quality indefinable but impossible to mistake or ignore: "heart."

So, can a team of pond hockey players from Mystery, Alaska REALLY beat the New York Rangers? Watch this movie and find out.

One of Russell's Best
I loved this movie. It was one of my first Russell Crowe movies. I am not a sports fan but even if you are not you can enjoy this movie. The romance and humor that flows through it, is wonderful.

more then just hockey
this movie is a story of more then just hockey its a story of life in a small town where the people only have a few escapes. This movie tells the ups and downs of this small town of Mystery and how a game against the Rangers changes their world. If your into hockey you'll love this movie if you are not you'll still like it. Rachel Wilson (Burt Reynolds daughter in the movie) is HOT. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you don't think Austin Powers is one of the funniest movies of the 1990s, maybe you should be packed into a cryogenic time-chamber and sent back to the decade whence you came.Perhaps it was the 1960s--the shag-a-delic decade when London hipster Austin Powers scored with gorgeous chicks as a fashion photographer by day, crime-fighting international man of mystery by night. Yeah, baby, yeah! But when Powers's arch nemesis, Dr. Evil, puts himself into a deep-freeze and travels via time-machine to the late 1990s, Powers must follow him and foil Evil's nefarious scheme of global domination. Mike Myers plays dual roles as Powers and Dr. Evil, with Elizabeth Hurley as his present-day sidekick and karate- kicking paramour. A hilarious spoof of '60s spy movies, this colorful comedy actually gets funnier with successive viewings, making it a perfect home video for gloomy days and randy nights. Oh, behave! --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (451)

This Is My Kind Of Happeing And It Freaks Me Out
That's a qoute from Mike Myers in Ausitn Powers: International Man Of Mystery. I must say it's the funniest most clever comedy I've ever seen. Much better than Casino Royale. Myers plays the swinging secret agent of the 60's Austin Powers who is a groovy sexy fashion photographer by night and international man of mystery by night. He after his arch nemisis Dr. Evil also played by Myers, an uptight square out to take over the world. Dr. Evil freeze himself up in outerspace in 1967. Austin offers to freeze himself in case Dr. Evil ever returns. Thirty years later, in 1997 Dr. Evil was back and they must get Ausitn unfreeze Austin so he can stop Dr. Evil's sinister plan of world domination. Incredibly funny flick, even funnier if you've seen the James Bond series. Myers duo roles are both hilarious in their own way. The Movie also stars Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Mimi Rogers and Carrie Fisher. Austin Powers is a must see for all ages. It's shagnificent baby, yeah!

Hilarious, influential movie gains little from DVD
I should note here that people who have not read many of my reviews might be insulted at the rating. I never give a DVD release of an outstanding movie more than three stars unless buying the DVD gets you significantly more than just seeing the matinee. In other words, the special features are worth two stars.

"Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" catapulted Mike Myers onto the Hollywood A-list from the "former Saturday Night Liver trying to make it" list. Taking a broadside at James Bond lore and adding Myers own inherent goofiness along with a tragic period in fashion history gives Austin Powers, a British secret agent/fashion photographer/music star. Unlike James Bond, Austin is extremely goofy, bespectacled, possessed of wretched teeth, and bad at any game. Of course, he still gets the girl. His nemesis: the frequently funnier Dr. Evil, an obvious copy of Bond villain Blofeld. Dr. Evil's marginal competence provides an ongoing source of laughs.

The plot (as it were) centers around a bit of cryogenic time travel so that Austin is displaced out of his time, providing a (pleasantly) surprisingly small number of fish-out-of-water gags. The movie's real drive comes from the unique cast of secondary characters: Seth Green's Scott Evil, Mindy Sterling's Frau Farbissiner, Robert Wagner's Number Two, and the unforgettable Alotta Fagina (figure out who THAT is a parody of). Elizabeth Hurley is also in the movie, and seems to be a pretty good sport. While this movie would ultimately be outshone by its first sequel, it remains an influential and often-referenced work.

The DVD is a mediocre package. The commentary track is a dead air-rich bore, (I think Mike Myers and Jay Roach were new at this gig. The track on the sequel is much better) and the deleted scenes are better than average, which is to say mediocre. Most deleted scenes should stay so. Additionally, the transfer quality on these scenes is terrible.

AUSTIN POWERS THE FIRST TWO
VERY VERY VERY FUNNY, BUT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IT IN FULL SCREEN VERSION.

Yeah, Baby
Austin Powers is one of the funniest characters to ever grace the screen. The spy spoof movie series is fantastic and it all started with this hit movie.

Austin Powers is pretty simple to follow. Dr.Evil(Myers)has escaped from his cyro-genetics and is now in the 1990's. He has plans for world domination and his evil empire is doing great since he was frozen 30 years ago. The world can't let Dr. Evil rule it, so Austin Powers(Myers) Englands greatest secret agent is unfrozen from his cryo state and sent to stop Dr.Evil. He is not alone as he has the beautiful Vannessa(Hurley) there to help him bring down Dr. Evil.

Mike Myers is a comic genius. Very few people in the world can match his comic intelligence. This movie is fantastic. Myers wrote the perfect script with this movie and it's hilarious. You have to love how much this movie spoofs spy movies.

When you think spy movies you think James Bond. The spoof of Bond in this movie is done to perfection. From the costumes, music, characters, it is all there. Other spy movies are spoofed in this as well like Our Man Flint. If you love spy movies you have to appreciate this movie and the way it pokes of fun of them.

I liked Elizabeth Hurley in the movie. She is absolutely gorgeous in the movie and this role works for her. She is to often a miscast in her moives and her sex appeal is suppose to carry her. It's not much different in this, but she fits the characters personality and this is the best role she has ever played.

I love all the cameos in this movie. Like all the great movies with former SNL cast members this movie is jammed full of cameos of Hollywood stars. You have Will Ferrell, Ceri Oteri, Rob Lowe, Carrie Fisher, and Tom Arnold to name a few. I get a kick out of it everytime I watch this, because I almost always see something new.

The DVD extras are good. There are some alternate endings and deleted scenes. There is commentary from Myers. The special features are decent.

This is a great movie. It's comedey at it's best and it has all the elements of the genre. It's one of the best ever made. If you love comedies you have to pick this one up and the same if you like spy movies. If you haven't seen this go get out from the rock you've been living under and prepare yourself for a good time.

Satire of all 'swings' Sixties
It would be worthless for me to repeat what other reviewers have said here before me, as regards the fun spoofy plot and the thoroughly enjoyable crass humor. I'll add that it's a bit of a classic, great fun especially if you already know Blow Up, early 007 movies, and A Hard Day's Night.

I just want to mention that the VHS issue has on it several extras... alternate endings and deleted scenes (including one of the excised Rob Lowe scenes, although not the one in which Lowe is shown as a henchman inside Dr. Evil's lair... Asian audiences got to see that version).

Good, silly fun, but too much sexual content for kids under 13. ... Read more

Reviews (352)

Not As Good As The First Two
The first Austin Powers movie was hilarious. The second movie basically recycled the same jokes, but I laughed anyway, probably because I was reminded at how good the first movie was. It was comedy by association. I'm sorry, but I can't give this third movie, Goldmember, the same sort of pity laugh. There were a few mild chuckles here and there, but it doesn't even come close to reaching the bar set by its two predecessors.

I'd tell you about the plot of the movie, but I couldn't remember what it was even when I walked out of the theater. Beyonce Knowles did a solid acting job, but it was fairly easy to tell that she was acting in her first movie. Unlike Elizabeth Hurley and Heather Graham in the previous movies, Beyonce doesn't serve as Austin's love interest, so there isn't any of the playing hard-to-get that viewers found so funny in the first two. She's strictly business, which isn't very funny. There's also a new character added to this movie called Goldmember. He's a disco-dancing rollerskater who peels off and eats pieces of his own dry skin. Disgusting? Yes. Funny? No. And, of course, there's Dr. Evil, Fat Bastard, Mini-Me, and all the rest of the usual supporting cast. They each have their funny moments, but not many.

I know several screen writers, and they all say that every scene in a movie is supposed to mean something. In this case, every scene should either provide some sort of comedy or advance the plot of the story. There were several scenes in the movie that didn't do either of these. They were just there holding the movie and its audience in limbo. Everyone in Hollywood is under pressure to meet deadlines and cut costs, and it was very evident that this pressure played a major part in the making of this movie. I'm sure the movie studio knew that people were going to see this movie regardless of quality just because the previous movies were successful, so there was no incentive to make a good movie.

I have to admit that I'm a big Austin Powers fan, and if they make a fourth movie I'll definitely go see it no matter how good or bad it is. Unfortunately, there are alot of other people just like me, and the movie studios know it.

Beyonce can really work it out!
I was so excited to see Beyonce as Foxxy Cleopatra. The movie is extremely funny! The opening scene was extremely funny! The dialogue, the casting and the usual Austin Power pranks are really enjoyable. The movie is basically a trip back in time- a modern day type past? Myers is back but this time he's actually funny. Maybe Knowles helped his performance? Probably! Knowles is the latest in the series, we've loved Liz Hurley, loved Graham, now it's time for Beyonce. The enjoyable part was the usual the dirty jokes, the pranks, and the overacted cast! But you'd probably only enjoy this if you enjoyed the others in the series. If you thought the others were fake and unrealistic, you'd probably hate this! The feature is hilarious!

After quite a lot of years Myers finally once again meets Dr. Evil. Teaming up with the unexplained Goldmember, Dr. Evil comes up with a time-traveling plan to take over the earth, one that includes the capturing of Nigel Powers, Austin's darling dad. In 1975, Myers meets his lovely Foxxy Cleopatra (Beyonce) who plays a sexy detective. It's up to Foxxy and Austin to save the day and to stop Dr. Evil from his evil plans. The movie is great!

Written by Myers himself, the movie is yet another creative weird James Bond movie. The soundtrack includes Beyonce's solo performance in "work it out" as well as two songs written by Myers! Myers was eager to make the third film in the series interesting and just as funny, and he has succeeded! Way to go Myers and Knowles!

----Ahmed Mashhood

Same Old, Same Old...
I won't hesitate a second longer - 'Goldmember' was terrible. The first sequel,' The Spy Who Shagged Me', was bad enough but this really stretches the franchise way too far and over the top.

I would have thought that the writers would have come up with some new material but no, its still the same 'Yeeeah Baby' and 'Very Shagadelic' one liners which bring down this films' credibility even more. It's only saving grace are the vast amount of cameos near the beginning, from then on; its trash. The overused 'mole' joke really gets on your nerves after a while and is just another blatant lack of fresh ideas for this third instalment. Even the appearance of Destiny's Child beauty Beyonce Knowles isn't enough to keep you interested. For real comedy, just stick to the first film.

Funnier Than #2
I found this movie to be more entertaining than the 2nd installment so in that sense it was an improvement, however I would like to know why Beyonce was cast in this film? She is atractive, yes, but so is a good portion of Hollywood women and believe it or not-- Black Hollywood women if that is what their aim was. But alas, I have chalked it up to some good dealing with through her management and tried to look beyond her role at the overall movie. It was decent and I did laugh enough to say it is worth renting. Owning the DVD, on the other hand, is for those who want the deleted scenes which they did a god job of packaging.

Just as Funny as the Other Two Austin Powers Movies
I like all of the Movies in The Austin Powers movie trilogy and Austen Powers - in Goldmember didn't disappoint me at all. Yeah sure, they copied some of the gags from the first two movies but they were still funny and I think Mike Myers was great as always as Austin Powers and Dr. Evil and the rest of the cast was pretty good too, Michael Caine and Seth Green were great and Beyonce Knowles was good too. I have watched this movie two times and each time I watched it on DVD in widescreen and I highly recommend the widescreen because it allows you to see the whole movie while the Fullscreen DVD is just an edited pan & scan with the sides cropped. ... Read more

Reviews (368)

Full blown comedy with a killer cast
Meet the Parents is one of the best comedy movies to hit the shelves in recent years. With an all-star cast including Ben Stiller, Robert DeNiro, and the one and only Owen Wilson, this movie delivers the laughs perfectly!

Greg Focker, male nurse, is about to propose to Pam, his "special friend" of ten months, when he hears about her recently engaged sitster, whose husband to be made the right move and asked her father first. Now he's got to do the same, which means he's got to meet the parents. And with the plot set, the laughter ensues...

What really makes this movie work is the characters we can all relate to. First there's Greg, who is desperately trying to win the parents' approval, but somehow manages to screw up everything he possibly can along the way. And to make matters worse, he's got to to deal with Pam's ex fiance while he carries out this death sentence of a weekend. And then there is Pam, whose father is well...just a little strange to say the least.

Also, Owen Wilson is just insane in this and the movie is worth it for his performance alone, not to mention being able to see DeNiro do a comedy this good.

See it for the laughs, see it for the cast, see it for the experience, because this is one of the best lately. And if that is not insentive enough, I leave you with a quote..."Well I have nipples Focker, could you milk ME?"

Skip This Meeting
Stale, unoriginal humor is the downfall of this take-it-or-leave-it Ben Stiller comedy. Stiller plays male nurse Gaylord Focker (whose name is the inspiration for at least a quarter of the movie's jokes), a hapless soul whose attempts to propose to his girlfriend (Teri Polo) are interrupted by a phone call announcing her sister's engagement. This leads to the wedding trip, and Stiller's opportunity to meet the parents.

What follows are a series of mildly amusing situations and one-liners, none of which you'll probably be itching to repeat at work tomorrow. Owen Wilson is a bright spot, as usual, playing Polo's ex-fiance. He also delivers the best line in the movie, a deadpan joke about the inspiration for his hobby, carpentry. Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner, however, are both too woefully underchallenged to be able to turn in memorable performances.

The DVD's extra features include the standard outtakes, commentaries, and deleted scenes, as well as interactive personality quizzes which are fun to take but whose answers seem somewhat random. Overall, Meet the Parents is only worth renting if you're desperate to see a movie and this is the just about only thing left on the video store shelves.

Calamity after calamity - Very Funny
"Meet the Parents" is funny, outrageous, and full of fun. Pratfalls and pitfalls await our comic star Ben Stiller as he pursues his love and ingratiates himself with his father-in-law to-be, Robert DeNiro. DeNiro is a crazed, over protective, retired CIA agent who zealously protects his daughter from her would-be suitor.

Calamity follows calamity, and the sight gags cascade until the end unwinds all the zaniness in a satisfying ending. It is a lot of fun with several belly laughs thrown in for good measure.

Oh no, no, no, no, no, it's not very good. Way over rated.
This movie is not funny, just dumb. Is saying "focker" over and over and over again really that funny? I'm sorry, folks, but NO, it's just not all that funny, and this is the same dull plot that we've seen over and over again in the movies and on tv. Not recommended.

Unwatchable
I wanted to leave the theater halfway through this garbage but I already ponied up my $8. Predictable gag after predictable gag after predictable gag, this movie made me hate Ben Stiller. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A pair of Jacks,a Walsh and a Byrnes
Fans of Robert DeNiro can double their viewing pleasure with this pair of films which are some of DeNiro's greatest. In MEET THE PARENTS,released in 2000 and on video in 2001,DeNiro is Jack Byrnes,a CIA worker whose daughter(Teri Polo) is the love interest of Gaylord "Greg" Focker(Ben Stiller). Greg after meeting the Fockers,ends up making trouble. Jack finds a marijuana pipe in Greg's posession. Also the Fockers' roof is accidentally set afire by burning fallen leaves. Greg,taking a cigarette break atop the roof flicked his butt inside the leaf-filled gutter. The Fockers' backyard was beautifully decorated and prepared for the wedding of another daughter of the Fockers. Greg finally received his luggage that the airline he traveled with lost. Worst of all,the family cat Jinx ran away,frightened by the fire. Greg spray-painted another black cat's tail to make it look just like Jinx. Greg,about to fly home,is evicted from the airplane after verbally abusing a flight attendant and mentioning the word "bomb". Greg was arrested and taken to jail for the disorderly conduct as well,bailed out by Jack. In 1988's MIDNIGHT RUN,DeNiro is Jack Walsh,a bounty hunter about to be paid 25 grand for bringing Jonathan Mardukas(Charles Grodin),an accountant who embezzled mobsters to the Los Angeles County Jail. Also after Jonathan is FBI agent Alonzo Moseley(Yaphet Kotto) and Jimmy Serrano(Dennis Farina),the leader of the embezzled mob. In one scene,Jack steals Alonzo's FBI badge,impersonating him. Joe Pantoliano is Eddie Moscone,the owner and operator of Moscone Bail Bonds who pays Jack to bring Jonathan to L.A.(Eddie bailed Jonathan out,not realizing who he was at the time). Jack and Jonathan travel through various parts of America,starting in New York where Jonathan was arrested by Jack. They end up in Texas,Arizona,Nevada and finally in California. Another bounty hunter named Marvin Doerfler(John Ashton) is sent to get Jonathan also. Eddie phoned Marvin at a Pittsburgh motel where Marvin was staying. Marvin found Jack and Jonathan in various places(on a train,in Texas,Arizona and Nevada where he was arrested by the FBI). Jimmy is given computer discs in place of Jonathan(the discs has the mob's account records on them). After Jack and Jonathan arrive in L.A.,Jonathan is let go. MIDNIGHT RUN is a sophomore joint project for Ashton and director Martin Brest. Ashton was Sgt. John Taggart in BEVERLY HILLS COP,one of Brest's earlier films. Jay Roach directed MEET THE PARENTS. Both films were distibuted by Universal Pictures. DeNiro made a few other films for Universal,those including the 1991 remake of CAPE FEAR with Nick Nolte and BACKDRAFT,released the same year. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you don't think Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery(1997) is one of the funniest movies of the 1990s, maybe you should be packedinto a cryogenic time chamber and sent back to the decade whence you came.Perhaps it was the 1960s, the shagadelic decade when London hipster AustinPowers scored with gorgeous chicks as a fashion photographer by day,crime-fighting international man of mystery by night. Yeah, baby, yeah! But whenAustin's arch nemesis, Dr. Evil, puts himself into a deep-freeze and travels viatime machine to the late 1990s, Powers must follow him and foil Evil's nefariousscheme of global domination. Mike Myers plays dual roles as Powers and Dr. Evil,with Elizabeth Hurley as his present-day, karate-kicking paramour. A hilariousspoof of '60s spy movies, this colorful comedy actually gets funnier withsuccessive viewings, making it a perfect home video for gloomy days and randynights. Oh, behave!

"I put the grrr in swinger, baby!" a deliciously randy Powers coos near thebeginning of The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), and if the imagination ofAustin creator Mike Myers seems to have sagged a bit, his energy surely hasn't.This friendly, go-for-broke sequel finds our man Austin heading back to the '60sto keep perennial nemesis Dr. Evil (Myers again) from blowing up the world--and,more importantly, to get back his mojo, that man-juice that turns Austin intoirresistible catnip for women, especially American spygirl Felicity Shagwell (apretty but vacant Heather Graham). The plot may be irreverent and illogical, thejokes may be bad, and the scenes may run too long, but it's all deliveredsunnily and with tongue firmly in cheek. Myers teams Dr. Evil with a diminutiveclone, Mini-Me (Verne J. Troyer), then pulls a hat trick by playing a thirdcharacter, the obese and disgusting Scottish assassin Fat Bastard. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Yeah Baby
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers was England's #1 spy back in the 60's, but he was frozen in '67 because the world's greatest terrorsist froze himself to come back later. It's now 1997, and they're both back, one to take over the world, and the other to save it. This movie is a spoof of the James Bond series, and it's a darn good one. Dr. Evil steals a warhead and a subterranean drill and plans to detonate it at the center of the Earth, and only Austin and his partner Vanessa can save him.
This is a hilarious movie, and Mike Myers in invaluble as an actor who plays both Austin and Dr. Evil. It's a little dirty, but it's definitly worth a look at, despite all your worries.

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin is back baby! Dr. Evil has built a "time machine" and is taking it back to 1969 to steal Austin's mojo. Austin follows him back and meets a hot CIA agent named Felicity Shagwell, and they team up to defeat Dr. Evil.
This movie may even be funnier than the first one. It's got one of the funniest scenes that I've ever seen in my life! Dr. Evil has a spaceship that resembles male genitals, and when people are describing it, well, you must see it for yourself to fully appreciate it.

Yeah, baby, yeah!
Smashing baby! We all love the Austin Powers movies, and now you can own both the videos for one low price! Now you can swing with Austin 24/7!

In Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin must stop Doctor Evil from taking over the world! Doctor Evil wants to cover the world in liquid hot magma, unless world leaders pay him...1 billions dollars! Will Austin succed?!

Obviously, Austin Powers stopped Doctor Evil, because there is a sequel...Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Shagadellic Austin trys to stop Doctor Evil from putting a "giant laser" on the moon and blowing up the world! Doctor Evil won't, but only if the world pays him...1 trillion dollars! Will Austin save the world?! Hehehe!

great customer service
thanks for being prompt and easy to do biz with. This was a super purchase.

ian's review
this powers pack is a good deal. you can get the first 2 austin powers movies in 1. i got this a year ago and i still watch the movies all the time. they make fun of alot of spy movies. anybody who likes comedy should like this.

What can I say Baby!!
Very Shagedelic! Yeah Baby, Yeah!!

Seriously. Watch them with the Mike Meyers commentaries. Very good. ... Read more