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Written by Gregg Shapiro
Jun 2, 2011
‘The King’s Speech’
Unjustly overlooked for an Oscar for his magnificent performance in Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” in 2009, Colin Firth was rewarded the following year for his portrayal of stammering King George VI in Tom Hooper’s “The King’s Speech.”
The film begins in 1925, when a jittery Prince Albert (Firth) has to read a message from his father King George V (Michael Gambon) at Wembley Stadium. The plot follows his transformation into a more comfortable public speaker, thanks to the help of his wife (a restrained Helena Bonham Carter) and speech therapist Lionel Logue (a fantastic Geoffrey Rush).
Deserving of its four Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best original screenplay, “The King’s Speech” is uplifting without being cloying, heartwarming without being maudlin. It’s a pleasure from start to finish.
DVD special features include director Tom Hooper’s audio commentary, the real King George VI’s speeches, a “making of” featurette and more.
‘Tough Love’
Lisa Lampanelli, known as “comedy’s lovable queen of mean,” recorded “Tough Love” live at The Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, Ill. In this DVD, she performs her foul-mouthed and funny, racist and raucous, insulting but hilarious material in front of an audience that was “not as ugly” as she thought they’d be. No one is safe from her razor-sharp tongue, as anyone who has seen her on a TV celebrity roast can attest.
Not just a comedian, but “an educator,” Lampanelli likes audiences that get her. She has special affection for the gays (or corn-holers, as she calls them). After all, she says, without the gays, who would watch or run Bravo TV? And when it comes to interior design, she advises the audience to “never hire a bitch to do a homo’s job.” According to Lampanelli, “once you go fruit, your place will look cute.”
But “Tough Love” is not all fun and gay games. Her George Takei bit runs out of steam. And while she incorporates some self-deprecating humor in her routine, poking fun at her size and her Italian ethnicity, Catholics remain unscathed, while she has no problem going after Jews.
DVD bonus material include a “too hot for Comedy Central joke” and deleted scenes.
