Mom and Dad [Blu-ray]

Warning: SLIGHT SPOILERS!!! For those of you who think homegrown films aren't good any more, may I point you to MOM AND DAD (2017), the most bat-s**t crazy film of 2017? Yes, Nicolas Cage (MANDY - 2017) stars in a film that was tailor-made for him and only he could pull off, as it is remarkable from beginning to end. It will make you howl with laughter, cringe in fright and play with all of your emotions for 90 minutes non-stop. The film concentrates on one family: father Brent (Cage), mother Kendall (Selma Blair; HELLBOY - 2004), rambunctious & rebellious teenage daughter Carly (Anne Winters) and inquisitive young son Josh (Zackary Arthur). Both Brent and Kendall are going through their own mid-life crisis and it is obvious that their marriage is on the rocks. Over breakfast, Carly says she wants to spend the night with her friends, but Kendall says no, Brent's parents are coming over for dinner tonight and it would be nice if they see their granddaughter. Brent says he knows what Carly really wants to do tonight, spend the evening with her black boyfriend Damon (Robert Cunningham), but he is adamant that he doesn't want her to ever see him again. Carly says she knows the real reason why he doesn't want her to see Damon, it's because he's black, but Brent denies it, saying he was once seventeen, too, and he knows how boys think at that age (Sex, Sex, Sex! Brent then says, "Now the world you kids are living in. The things you've seen on the internet. Mouth to dildo, dildo to ass, ass to ass! Hi Brent! Anal beads."!!!) and that's the reason he doesn't want her to see him (It turns out later in the film that Brent is telling the truth; the color of Damon's skin doesn't bother him, but he doesn't want his daughter to turn out like her mother; pregnant at an early age, destroying both of their lives!). While Brent is at his dead-end job and Kendall is at a gym working out (she wants to have a "young" body, like she had as a teenager), something strange happens to every adult. For some undisclosed reason (we are given very little information, except for a couple of quick shots showing it could have come from TV screen static!) all adults now want to kill their children, as Carly finds out with her best friend Riley (Olivia Crocicchia) while she is in school. All the parents are at the front of the school behind a police blockade, looking for their children so they can kill them! It doesn't take long for the large group of parents to break-through the police blockade and rush to find their children When they catch them, they put plastic bags over their heads, impale them on flag poles and other grisly sights! During this stampede, Carly and Riley escape and go to Riley's house, where Riley's drunken Mom cuts her daughter's throat, but leaves Carley alone. It seems the parents only want to kill their children and no one else, that is, unless they get in the way (Even Damon's father tries to kill him with a broken beer bottle, but Damon escapes with only a cut on his arm. Then we get to the meat of the film, where Carly rushes home to save her brother, only to discover housekeeper Sun-Yi (Olivia Crocicchia) has murdered her own young daughter and is cleaning up her blood on the floor. Since Carly knows Sun-Yi won't hurt her or Josh, she tells her to go home, which she does. Carly finds Josh under his bed and tells him to hurry, they must get out of the house immediately before Mon and Dad get home, but they are too late, as both Brent and Kendall arrive home with murder on their mind. (In Brent and Kendall's state of mind during this, they act like their marriage is perfect!). I won't tell you what happens next, but I will say this: It is one of the most inventive films of 2017, as Carly and Josh lock themselves in the basement, so Mom and Dad come up with some very unique ways to force their children out of the basement (Brent: "Your effing mother said to open this door! And mother******rs, you're going to open this mother******g door!"). It's not only hilarious, but it is also brutal, as the children always manage to escape just in the nick of time. When they are cornered and it looks like it is the end for Carly & Josh, Brent's parents (played by an excellent Lance Henriksen and Marilyn Dodds Frank) show up for dinner and guess what they want to do? That's right, they want to kill Brent (and Kendall when she gets in the way!). What happens next is best for you to discover. If you are looking for answers why this is happening to parents, you will be disappointed because this film gives you none (It only implies it, as conspiracy nuts appear on TV saying that it is a terrorist plot or our own government is doing it to control the population. Even Doctor Oz has his own theory!), but this film needs no answers because it is a riot from beginning to end. Nicolas Cage is wonderful as a father who daydreams about his teenage years and talks to Josh like he is an adult (I wish my father did this!). When he threatens Carly with a battery-powered saw, he says, "It's a Sawzall. That means it saws ALL!" I have to say that I laughed so loud, soda shot out of my nose! Selma Blair is also remarkable as the mother, who keeps on smiling and telling Carly, "You're part of a family, Carly, and that means you love each other even when you can't stand each other, and you give a crap even when you don't give a crap." (I wish I didn't have to cleanse this review of swear words, because they play an important part of the film), when all Kendall wants to do is kill her! Director/screenwriter Brian Taylor, who co-wrote/co-directed the cult film CRANK (2006) and its equally good sequel CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE (2009) as well as GAMER (2009) and many episodes of the full-tilt-bozo TV series HAPPY (2017-2019), has given us a film that all parents should watch. They will not want to murder their children after viewing it, but they will understand all the nearly-hidden asides that tells them what it takes to be a parent, warts and all. This is also a film that has the perfect ending. I will not tell you how it ends, but the dialogue spoken made me clap my hands in approval, even though I am not a parent (This film basically showed me why I never wanted to become a parent!). I haven't even touched on many of the film's outrageous scenes, including Brent singing "The Bunny Hop" while he is destroying a pool table he just built from scratch (all because Kendall asked if they could afford it!) and the talk Brent gives Josh about his father's Firebird (which plays a part in the film's finale). You really need to see this, please take my word for it! Oh, and before I forget, this film shows that duct tape does have a million-and-one uses (When in doubt, duct tape is the answer.)!

Perfect

Nicolas Cage in one of his most Nicolas Cage roles. Like, was he acting? Is this his natural state? Does he usually sprint around barking and chasing children? We may never know.

I hadn't heard of this movie until the day I saw it, and had no idea what to expect. But wow, was it excellent! Nicholas Cage gets to play a hilariously over-the-top caricature of his most over-the-top roles and mannerisms in a way that totally works. The plot is pretty simple and unchallenging, but it sets the stage perfectly for the bloody carnage whose over-the-top nature leads to surprisingly frequent moments of unbridled hilarity.When I've recommended this movie to people in person, the most common reason for blowing off my recommendation is "I don't like Nicholas Cage." Well, maybe don't let that scare you off, if that's you, too. He's the epitome of his most over-the-top Nick Cage-ness, but you feel like he's in on the joke, and is parodying himself. So I think even his greatest detractors might enjoy his performance in this one. Selma Blair is on point, as well.

My husband is a huge nicolas cage fan, every yr I try to buy him a couple dvds that he doesnt have yet and Amazon usually has the best prices. Always arrive in time too.

Really enjoyed this Tongue in cheek horror movie. Great ending.

Move came in perfect condition 👌

I ordered this movie because my nephew has a small part in it. I personally didn't like it but my granddaughter and my brother loved it. Just depends on your taste.