Van Wilder [Blu-ray]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

The "National Lampoon" franchise is resurrected for another politically incorrect collegiate romp with this R-rated gross-out sex comedy. National Lampoon's Van Wilder revolves around the exploits of its title character (Ryan Reynolds), a seventh-year senior who's made it his goal in life to help each and every Coolidge College undergrad succeed in life -- or at least in bed. Van's charmed life seems to have an expiration date, however; his father (Tim Matheson) has cut off his presumably vast allowance. Financial insecurity doesn't phase the big man on campus, and he soon starts up a lucrative cottage industry as a planner of high-priced campus blowouts. When an enterprising reporter from the college paper gets wind of Van's liberal interpretation of the school's code of conduct, it seems his gig is up -- unless, of course, he can charm the hard-edged Gwen (Tara Reid) into accepting his uniquely skewed world view. In addition to Matheson, Van Wilder features cameos from a number of '80s teen movie stalwarts, including Edie McClurg, Paul Gleason, and Erik Estrada. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Number of Discs: 1
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Features:
  • 1080P High Definition
  • 16x9 Widescreen Version
  • 7.1 PCM Audio
  • 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX Audio
  • English and Spanish Subtitles
  • Party Legends, Pledges and "Bull" -ies
  • Drunken Idiot Kommentary
  • Ultimate College Party Guide
  • Gwen-ezuma's Revenge
  • Testicles of the Animal Kingdom - Interactive Quizzicle
  • Write That Down - Quotes From and Inspired by the Film
  • Sugarcult "Bouncing Off the Walls" Music Video
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Outtakes
  • Burly TV Specials "Half Baked", "Imposter", "Movie Junky"
  • Comedy Central's "Reel Comedy: National Lampoon's Van Wilder"
  • Van Wilder Blu-Book Exam: Exclusive Blu-Ray Interactive Game.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Ryan Reynolds - Van Wilder
       Tara Reid - Gwen Pearson
       Tim Matheson - Vance Wilder, Sr.
       Kal Penn - Taj Mahal Badalandabad
       Daniel Cosgrove - Richard Bagg
       Deon Richmond - Mini Cochran
       Emily Rutherfurd - Jeannie
       Curtis Armstrong - Campus Cop

• Director:

  Walter Becker

• Producer:

  Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy, Jonathan Komack Martin, Andrew Panay

• Screenwriter:

  David Wagner, Brent Goldberg

• Cinematographer:

  James Bagoonas

• Musical Direction/Supervision:

  Christopher Violette

• Composer (Music Score):

  David Lawrence

• Editor:

  Dennis M. Hill

• Production Designer:

  Rachel Kamerman

• Co-producer:

  Peter Nelson, Ari Newman

• Executive Producer:

  Kirk D'Amico, Philip Von Alvensleben, Lucas Foster

• Costume Designer:

  Alexis Scott

REVIEW:

• Though it'll never be confused with Animal House, National Lampoon's Van Wilder at least supplies a healthy dose of righteously R-rated, un-p.c. gags, delivered with effortless charisma by lead Ryan Reynolds. Timing is everything in no-brainer comedies like this, and Reynolds -- channeling Real Genius-era Val Kilmer and Matthew Broderick's Ferris Bueller in equal measure -- gives even the stalest one-liners a sprightly, tossed-off spin. If anything, Van Wilder is too worshipful of the '80s college pics it imitates: the cameos from Erik Estrada, Dr. Joyce Brothers, and other past-their-prime self-parodists are more annoying than cheeky (though the casting of Tim Matheson as Wilder's affluent dad is truly inspired). In fact, about the only thing that indicates that Van Wilder was made in the post-Farrelly brothers 21st century is the emphasis on gross-out comedy, and it handicaps the picture. It's so full of good-natured charm that an elaborate "don't eat the dog-semen-fortified pastry" schtick, for instance, only detracts from the fun. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi