Movies just don’t typically exhibit the wild, go for broke attitude on full display in I Love You Phillip Morris and get away with it. So it’s no surprise that distributors had no idea how to handle the movie, which premiered at Sundance in 2009, or that it’s run through a ringer of missed release dates and legal action before finally hitting theaters this weekend. Yet, somehow, co-writers/directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have turned a script comprised of wildly fluctuating tones, divergent scenes of broad comic flourishes and carefully calibrated drama, satire mixed with heartfelt personal insight, into a final product that’s a sharp, smart comedy. The rails could have come off Phillip Morris in so many ways, it’s a veritable miracle that the film sticks together as well as it does.

Yeah, we know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but that hasn’t stopped the advertisers and the studios from assaulting us with Christmas-related stuff. So what better way to take the edge off the early holiday onslaught by tipping back a glass or two of eggnog and watching one of the bigger early Christmas releases. And if you’re lucky, Jim Carrey may just start to look less creepy as you move through this film.

Re-releases are a tough business, I tell you. And this week is full of them. Be they the re-lighting of the old flame that still burns from Chaplin’s last trip as the Little Tramp or James Cameron’s twice released (this year) mega-event movie Avatar, This Week in Blu-ray is full of stuff that we’ve seen before, in various capacities. That doesn’t mean that some of these titles aren’t worth buying, as you might expect. A few of these titles will be welcomed additions to your collection. They may also have you cursing the names of faceless Fox executives who duped you into buying Avatar the first time around. Or Blu-ray column writers who recommended it, despite the obvious lack of special features… Actually, lets not focus on that last part. Why don’t we just move on to this week’s selection of high definition wonders.

For 36 days straight, we’ll be exploring the famous 36 Dramatic Situations by presenting a film that exemplifies each one. From family killing family to prisoners in need of asylum, we brush off the 19th century list in order to remember that it’s still incredibly relevant today. Whether you’re seeking a degree in Literature, love movies, or just love seeing things explode, our feature should have something for everyone. If it doesn’t, please don’t stick your penis in our anus. Part 26 of the 36-part series takes a look at “Obstacles To Love” with I Love You Phillip Morris.

Great movies come from all around the world, and so do great DVDs and Blu-rays. Import This! is an irregular feature here at FSR that highlights discs and/or movies unavailable in the US that are worth seeking out for fans of fantastic cinema. Jim Carrey was one of the biggest box-office draws in Hollywood once upon a time, but recent years have seen a perceived slide in popularity. ‘Perceived’ because his last two live-action comedies aren’t considered hits by many people, but they collectively grossed over $400 million worldwide. And yet his latest comedy, one that’s both critically acclaimed and the funniest film he’s done in years, can’t find a distributor in the US. Steven Russell (Carrey) is a god-fearing, happily married family man. Except that he isn’t. A near-death experience forces him to re-evaluate his life and be true to who he really is… and that’s a gay man with flexible morals. Russell heads off to Miami, falls for a younger man, and proceeds to scam and con his way into a lifestyle that he can’t actually afford. His world crashes down when he’s arrested and thrown in jail, but his spirits are soon lifted when he meets and falls madly in love with Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor). His number one priority becomes staying in Morris’ life, and if that means using his conman skills to arrange transfers, early releases, new homes, and more, then that’s a risk he’ll happily assume for love.

And it includes suicide! Hilarious!

Brian Salisbury goes into Robert Zemeckis’ highly animated retelling of A Christmas Carol with high hopes. He emerges however, with less than high praise.

Kevin Carr takes a look at this week’s movie releases, including A Christmas Carol, The Fourth Kind and The Box.

Will Disney’s A Christmas Carol worm it’s way into your hearts and homes and become as much of a holiday staple as rum balls and spotted dick are now? Rob Hunter answers this and more…

Kevin and Neil stare at some goats, grumble about not being allowed to open a box, visit the uncanny valley and debate whether Kevin is spoiling the viewing experience for The Fourth Kind.

I would bet my life that I’ve seen this full trailer for A Christmas Carol before, but apparently its brand new. Either I’m psychic or I’ve gone insane. As a test, I’ll need you to choose a number between 1 and 100. Was it 43?

Poster goodness for I Love You Phillip Morris and A Christmas Carol.

Oscar-winner and potential stooge Sean Penn has decided to take some time off, meaning that the Farrelly Brothers will have to find a new Larry and Universal will need to find a new lead for its thriller Cartel.

Strangely enough, it’s the look of the animation that will nauseate and not just Jim Carrey playing Scrooge playing Jim Carrey in Robert Zemeckis’s latest.

The folks at Yahoo have debuted the first poster for Disney’s upcoming CG-animated film A Christmas Carol from director Robert Zemeckis. The poster features the CG-version of Jim Carrey as a very creepy looking Ebenezer Scrooge.

One of my favorite films from this past year’s Sundance Film Festival, the Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor led comedy I Love You Phillip Morris, has finally found distribution this week.

Earlier today Variety confirmed that MGM and the Farrelly brothers are closing in on their final cast for their upcoming comedy The Three Stooges. Now we’re interested to know what you think about it.

The long gestating plans to remake “Damn Yankees” have finally come to fruition with the news that Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal will play the leads.

In our brand new feature, our brand new contributor Landon Palmer condenses his PhD-worthy knowledge to tackle the current state of cinema and what it has to say about all of us.

Telling the ridiculous, but true story of a man’s journey from married Texas cop to flamboyantly gay prison escape artist wouldn’t be an easy one. But as it turns out, the two man writer/director team behind I Love You Phillip Morris has pulled it off in a way that would make proud the brothers Farrelly and Coen.