Borat: Cultural Learnings of America (1 Viewer)

[Holadem]

The rare comedy which has my attention. I am hoping for something outrageously un-PC.

--
H

 

[MikeRS]

Counting down the days...

 

[MikeRS]

http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1545453_1_0_,00.html

 

[David Dias]

The trailer is fantastic, the movie looks really funny. My only experience with Borat came when he hosted the MTV European Music Awards last year, or the year before that. I was like, who the hell is this guy? I've never watched the Ali-G show, I hope HBO offers them ON Demand.

 

[Andrew Bunk]

I just finished watching all the clips at the official site-this stuff is insane.

I think it's going to be a big word-of-mouth hit. I know I'll be seeing it the first weekend.

I really hope they get all the little extras like the soundtrack commercial on the DVD. The DVD could be awesome for this. A Borat commentary seems like a no brainer.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

His myspace profile is pretty funny as well. He actually put this as a comment on some pretty hot looking 21 year old's profile:

Talk about viral advertising.

 

[Chris]

I get to see it today! I'll have to post back, watch at 2, we'll say something after that

 

[Nicholas Vargo]

I'm not sure if any of you heard, but today 20th Century Fox announced that there is not enough awareness that the movie is coming out. As a result, the studio is cutting the theatre count in half and are now releasing of the movie as a platform release. This was posted up at the Internet Movie Database.

It's sad because this had the chance to be a huge hit. Not it seems like Fox is betting on word of mouth for it to succeed. In the blurb, it said that the film will be released in 800 theatres opening weekend.

 

[MikeRS]

If it's as funny as advance buzz has been screaming for almost year (since the first test screenings), "betting on word of mouth" might be the way to go. Per-screen-average on opening weekend will be interesting.

BTW, Anything above 75 million domestic would be what I consider "huge" for this type of flick. Very doable.

 

[MikeRS]

Here's the Fox press release..

http://www.moviecitynews.com/Notepad...61023a_pr.html

 

[Chris]

One of the funniest films I have ever seen. Period.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Glad to hear it Chris. I won't be able to see it opening weekend now because of scheduling conflicts. Maybe I can sneak out of filming duties for a couple hours.

 

[Chris]

Someone asked me how funny. There are lots of films I consider "stupid" funny that I will laugh hard at - things like Dodgeball, Something About Mary, even films like Jackass.

And then there are films I consider comic genious. Things like Animal House, Monty Python & The Holy Grail, and that line.

I love both, but the ones that are genious are films that are not only funny, but they are so cleverly written that they can be watched thousands of times and improve upon subsequent viewings. Even now, when I watch Holy Grail, I find myself laughing at bits that were funny before, but strike me as funny in an entirely different way years later.

Borat has that angle. This is a film that can only be described as truly genious filmmaking. Coen will offend absolutely everyone, in the same way that "Life of Brian" offended so many. But he does it so deftly, so matter of fact that you root for him as he does it. There is a moment in this film, and I won't give it away because thankfully it has not been in a commercial that I've seen that struck me as so funny, so on the point as a matter of observation that I almost found myself choking. I had taken a drink of a cola right before it happened, and found myself suddenly having liquid go down the wrong way because I could not stop laughing. And I was not alone, there were two other people near to me who also lost it.

There have been films where I've laughed a hysterically. Some where I would say I had a great time, but I can't heap enough praise on this film. It's hard to do a comedy so well that all of the timing is "on". By the end of the film, you'll still be thinking and laughing about the bits at the beginning of the film, and the through line of action makes sure you remember all of it, as though the film builds momentum like a steam train.

I'm sure there are going to be a lot of people who will be VERY offended by this film. All I can say is: remember it's a farce. Take it for what it is. And laugh your b*(& off.

 

[Sam Favate]

Looking forward to this one, and glad to hear the positive reactions from those who have seen it.

I'm a bit suspicious of Fox's decision to reduce the screens. I think it has less to do with awareness of the character and perhaps more to do with offending people. It could be they expect some kind of backlash. That said, I think it will be the biggest word-of-mouth movie of the year.

 

[Chris]

People say it is tracking TERRIBLY especially in the midwest, where people have no idea who Borat is, and they can't make sense of the film. Plus, a lot of people view the film as beating up on people or being rather mean spirited. Which is true. I read where someone compared it to Tom Green. That's outrageous. If Green were 1/10th as funny in any moment as this film, he'd still be on the air somewhere.

 

[Ruz-El]

Tom Green is on the air, every night and throughout the day.

www.tomgreen.com

 

[Chris]

A web cast doesn't necessarily count. By that token, I could go "on the air" at will.

Back to Borat, though, the film was slashed down to 800 theaters, but now Fox is trying to rapidly up the # of theaters.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1773

There is also a bidding war going for his next film, based on the character Bruno.

 

[Joe D]

Well, the Borat movie starts this friday, and it looks like the two theaters I usually go to aren't going to show this, and they are fairly large theaters.

The good news is that I've found a theater about an hour away that is showing it, so that is better than nothing.

Anyone having a hard time finding it at their local cinema?

 

[Patrick Sun]

It's slated to play in 8 theaters within a 30 mile radius for me.

 

[MikeRS]

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/borat/


95%

with 81 critics counted so far.