Search - 20 Funerals on DVD

You better watch this movie bitches!!!

Brain in a Vat | ATL, GA | 03/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I felt like something was missing in my life, then I saw 20 Funerals. This film fills the void modern cinema has succumbed to. If you want to see a great film with new up and coming stars, current moguls in the Hip Hop industry, action, suspense, great writing, superb production, skillful direction, top-notch cinematography, then this is the film of the year. You can really tell the cast and crew had a great time making this picture. The feeling is conveyed right through the screen to you, as you will have a great time watching 20 Funerals, I know I did."

A great example of truly independent cinema

ChrisD_UK | UK | 06/06/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"20 Funerals is the latest film to hit DVD from Wilmington, NC filmmaker Anghus Houvouras (Fearsome, Thugs Got Game). It's the story of a group of cops who -after the death of a fellow officer- decide to use some unconventional methods. Twenty names make up their list of scum that must be removed from the street in order to clean things up. The plan comes with a strong set of rules in order to keep things organised, but some rules are made to be broken. Things begin to turn sour when the cops are inevitably called upon to investigate the cases they're creating themselves.

It's a clever concept that could easily have been created by the mind of Quinton Tarantino and has some impressive dialog to match. This film is a must see for anyone with a dark sense of humour or love for violence, action, hip-hop, or simply, independent cinema.

Being an independent filmmaker myself with many influences and heroes, I know how easy it is to stick nods to personal favourites into a script. Quite often these can come across out of place and character. But in 20 Funerals the writer/director manages to tie in references to pop culture and Greek mythology and use them to the scripts advantage. He is able to add depth and realism to the characters and the world they live in.

Clocking in at just less than eighty minutes, the film is a tad on the short side. However apart from adding three of four more funerals, there's little that could be done with this. The film tells its story in a clear and cool way but does come with a few faults. As mentioned by a previous reviewer the opening sequence doesn't come across too strong, but this is soon forgiven and forgot when the film sets itself on track. What follows is a set of great performances from the leads, including DJ Naylor, Mark Mench, and the majority of the supporting cast, backed up by a solid Hip-Hop soundtrack, and great visuals.

I was hooked from the moment the 20 Funerals plan came into play and stayed gripped throughout. With plenty of plot twists, character developments, and outside party intervention, the film kept me on the edge of my seat. While watching you get a strong sense of the fun and hard work put in by the cast and crew which makes the whole experience even more gratifying. I look forward with great anticipation for this exciting filmmakers next piece `Dead Heist'."

Interesting Movie, a little slim on the extras

JonathanFeldspar | Topeka, KS | 06/17/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I liked the movie. Far better than i thought it would be. The DVD doesn't have a lot of extras. They could have at least put in a commentary track, as i wanted to hear what the Director had to say. Best part of the movie is Lil Jon and The Eastside Boys and Big Boi. They were hilarious. About 10 times better than Be Cool (which i thought sucked)."

Great flick

Dwight McCarthy | 06/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"### BEWARE - MILD SPOILERS ###

I just finished watching an early screener copy of this film by Anghus
Houvouras. It stars DJ Naylor as one of four cops who, following the
killing of a guy in their department, go vigilante, and work their way
up the criminal food chain of the city, taking out gangsters and
lowlifes as necessary. After all, there's nothing that can't be solved
by 20 Funerals.

The film has a slightly weak opening sequence where we see the cop
killed, followed by an overly long credit sequence. It sets up the
premise of the film okay, but interweaving the credits with a more
tense, intimate scene for the undercover bust and eventual murder would
have boosted the opening up a notch.

Luckily, once their pal is dead and buried, it soon picks up, thanks to
some great acting by all four leads, with particular props going to DJ
Naylor and Mark Mench. DJ effortlessly portrays the conflicted
hero/anti-hero, torn between doing the right thing, and doing the right
thing. Herein lies the film's real strength: what could have simple
been entertaining pulp violence is supported by a tight script, good
performances, and (most importantly) and plot and characters to care
about, and that sustain our interest. Retribution for murdering a cop
seems justified, and when Chase (Naylor) slams down a wad of evidence
against each and every target we don't question the validity of their
mission. But as one soon-to-be-victim pleads for his life, petrified
with fear and asking for a second chance, for the sake of his wife and
kids, the morality of their quest is suddenly in doubt. And far from
ignoring such issues, the situation creates doubts within the team. We
watch with avid interest as these issues drive some of the characters
to empathise with their victims (breaking one of the main rules of
their mission - "We don't let it get personal") and others to beyond
rationality.

It is here that Mark Mench really shines, stealing the show from even
the fantastic DJ Naylor, with an enthusiasm and depraved maniacism
reminiscent of Dogma's Jason Lee. By his most fanatical scene, his
Detective Keitel has undergone a complete character arc, either changed
by what's happened or simple freed by their success to unleash his
inner demons.

Inevitably, given the structure of the film, it struggles to find an
ending to match the brilliance of what has come before, but the twist
in the final moments satisfies none the less, and overall the movie
works very well. Great visuals, a cool soundtrack, some killer lines,
and some hilarious moments make for a highly entertaining film.

Well worth checking out when it hits DVD on June 7th 2005."