| Sex and Death 101 | 
 enlarge | Director: Dan Waters
Actors: Simon Baker, Winona Ryder, Patton Oswalt, Marshall Bell, Julie Bowen
Studio: Anchor Bay - ITN
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.97
Buy Used: $2.87
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Avg. Customer Rating:  50 reviews
Sales Rank: 10799
Format: Color, Dolby, Dts Surround Sound, Dvd-video, Enhanced, Ntsc, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 100
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: ANBD15501D
UPC: 013131550191
EAN: 0013131550191
ASIN: B0013F2ESM
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: July 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 07/01/2008 Run time: 117 minutes Rating: R
Amazon.com
Sex and Death 101 presents an intriguing premise: If you were given a list of all the people you were destined to sleep with, would you give up what you currently have to fulfill that prophecy? That's exactly what happens to Roderick Blank (Simon Baker, The Devil Wears Prada, The Mentalist), who is engaged to a beautiful woman. But when he receives an anonymous message stating that he will sleep with 101 women in his lifetime--and she is but 29th on the list--he throws his life into turmoil. A dark comedy from Daniel Waters, who also penned the superb Heathers, Sex and Death 101 doesn't have the effortless flow of Waters' breakthrough film. His muse Winona Ryder returns as a disturbed woman with a jones for Roderick and a penchant for the darker side of life. But she is given too little to do to make much of an impact on the meandering plot. Much of the dialogue does little to help the matter. "Life is a lot like death," Roderick says. "It happens to everyone, whether they like it or not." The problem with Sex and Death 101 is that the line between life and death often isn't discernible. Baker and Ryder have both fared better in stronger projects. The bright spot in this movie is Mindy Cohn (The Facts of Life), who plays Roderick's put upon assistant Trixie. She proves to be more interesting and endearing than the leads, and adds wry humor to what could've been a thankless role. --Jae-Ha Kim
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| Customer Reviews: Read 45 more reviews...
 Fate Has Brought Us Together November 21, 2008
"Sex and Death 101" sounds like the name of a college course, and indeed, it could work well as a study companion for critical theory classes, specifically those covering the Fate versus Free Will debate. I'm reminded of "The Golden Compass," a wonderful fantasy film about keeping free will on a short leash; there are those who oppose it, which by default suggests that it exists. "Sex and Death 101," a fascinating dark comedy about a man and a list of names, seems to take the exact opposite approach. Fate determines what will happen to us, not free will. Writer/director Daniel Waters regards this idea with a tragic sense of awe, and this is despite the fact that (1) the film is often times very funny, and (2) that it ends on a very satisfying note. It could be that, even if we're made to live the happiest of lives, there's no comfort in knowing that we have absolutely no control over what we say or do.
This movie tells the story of Roderick Blank (Simon Baker), a thirty-something executive for a successful fast food chain called Swallows. He has everything a man could want: a great job, a great fiancee named Fiona (Julie Bowen), and great friends. After marrying Fiona, he would like nothing more than to settle down and have a family. One day, his office computer receives an anonymous e-mail containing the names of 101 women. When his assistant, Trixie (Mindy Cohn), reads off the first few names, he thinks that it's a list of the women he slept with before meeting Fiona. It stands to reason that her name would be at the bottom. Unfortunately, it isn't; she's only number twenty-nine. Roderick briefly considers the idea that it's all a practical joke, or maybe someone is reminding him of what he'll be giving up in order to marry Fiona. Then he actually meets one of the other listed women, and lo and behold, they somehow or another end up having sex. This list knows all.
Initially, Roderick believes he's hit a stroke of good luck. But as he crosses names off of the list, he begins to wonder if the thrill of the hunt is more enticing than the catch. Within no time at all, sex has become chore. Some of his flings are entriely accidental, and this definitely includes the leprosy-stricken grandmother of a sexy centerfold. Some are just plain bizarre: Who would have thought he had a chance with a power lesbian couple, who also happen to be reality TV stars? At a certain point, Roderick begins dating a quirky but loveable veterinarian named Miranda Storm (Leslie Bibb), and for the first time since losing Fiona, he believes he's found the one woman he can settle down with. But does she feel the same way about him? And what about the fact that there are more names on the list? What about fate?
Intertwined with this story is a feminist vigilante known as Death Nell (Winona Ryder), who's striking fear into the hearts of men. Her trademark: Putting sex criminals and misogynists into permanent comas after seducing them. Her real name is Gillian de Raisx, a reference to Gilles de Rais, a fifteenth century French nobleman who was tried and executed for murdering dozens, if not hundreds, of children. One wonders why Waters named his femme fatale after such a horrible man; Gillian has legitimate reasons for doing what she does, which is probably why a number of feminist organizations consider her a hero. "Did they really catch that satanic succubus?" asks one of Roderick's obnoxious friends. "No," Trixie responds, "and the word is `freedom fighter.'" What exactly does this have to do with Roderick? As it turns out, Gillian is the 101st name on the list.
Keeping tabs on both Gillian and Roderick is a mysterious organization. That's about as specific as I can get, which doesn't mean that I'm intentionally keeping a secret from you; it means that virtually nothing about it is explained. There are only two things we know for sure. First, within a mysterious white room sits a special computer that relies on quantum mechanics to predict the future, the same computer that e-mailed the list to Roderick. Second, gray-suited men named Alpha (Robert Wisdom), Beta (Tanc Sade), and Fred (Patton Oswald) are apparently the only three people running the organization. These characters work in and of themselves. Alpha was even given one of the film's most telling lines during a scene with Roderick: "Horoscopes, psychics, tarot cards, coming attractions that give away the whole movie--why must you people know everything?" But the entire concept of the computer and the organization utilizing it is just plain maddening.
Then again, that could have been the intention all along, and I have to admit that I enjoyed every scene featuring the gray-suited men. We may not know who they are, but at least their dialogue is interesting. And their cryptic observations on fate keep the audience alert. Keep in mind that the very idea of fate will always raise certain questions. Here's the most famous one: Would you want to know the exact date, time, and location of your death if given the opportunity? I think the message "Sex and Death 101" is sending is that, because you can't change fate, there's no point in knowing ahead of time what will happen. This is a strange but deeply thought-provoking film, often hilarious, often irreverent, and even at its most outrageous, it's always compelling.
Visual treat at best! November 17, 2008
This movie has an unusual and 'Hard-to-believe' plot and if it wasn't for watching handsome Simon Walker for 2 hours, it would be a real bore!
 horrible October 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I could not even get through this absurd film. Some films today are so bad as to boggle the mind. There are good filmmakers out there with good stories to be told. What is going on people?
Also, this film was entirely predictable and could have been any episode of hundreds of TV shows. This plot has been done to death in many forms. Do they think we won't notice, or do they not notice. Either way it's sad.
 Boink. Boink. Boink - and there's your plot October 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Eleven days before his wedding, Roderick Blank (Simon Baker) receives an improbable e-mail which lists not only the names of the women he'd ever slept with, but also those of his future bed partners. And, with 101 names on the list and his fiancee coming in at number 29, it doesn't look good for the health of the upcoming marriage.
Doesn't matter anyway, as the engagement is soon broken off. Intrigued by the possibilities, Rod proceeds to go down the list and thru women after women. Meanwhile, the media has been going on and on about the enigmatic serial killer nicknamed Death Nell, a seductress who beds jerks and then puts them in comas. And what are the odds that she's on Rod's weird list? Hint: odds are pretty good.
Witty and thought-provoking, sexy and hilarious. These are words which do not apply to this movie. Going into SEX AND DEATH 101, I was pretty stoked at the premise and anticipating all the good stuff that writer/director Daniel Waters had in store (after all, dude wrote the awesomely subversive film classic Heathers - 20th High School Reunion Edition). But afterwards saw me feeling bummed and so bored and tired and pretty mad. SEX AND DEATH 101 is, I guess, a sex farce which you might, just might enjoy if you're fratting it out with the homies. Otherwise, it just doesn't generate that feeling of "Oboy, am I glad I tuned in to this!" Supposedly a dark comedy, the comedy is dang vapid and can only be considered "dark" by people who insist that CHARLES IN CHARGE was controversial. The characters are sluggish and unengaging (with, strangely enough, Winona Ryder's murderous femme fatale being the most sympathetic). And there's an air of smugness about the whole thing, almost as if Daniel Waters is actually proud of this project.
I am a manly dude with some hair on his chest, and this is a movie blessed with stunning women... but it left me cold. Of course, most of the ladies are there simply to be grinded thru the movie plot machine, so that names could start getting crossed off Rod's magic list. Three women do get smidgens of depth: Julie Bowen (of the much lamented television show ED), Leslie Bibb (of the much lamented Popular - The Complete First Season), and Winona Ryder (just much lamented). The rest of the ladies come off as sexy cardboard cutouts. So, yeah, it turns out, even with so many gorgeous women on screen, it's still quite easy to become jaded. It's almost like porno, but without the interesting music.
Simon Baker. He's the biggest reason I couldn't get into SOMETHING NEW, a romantic dramedy which stars one of my favorites, Sanaa Lathan. Simon Baker is tall and handsome and self-satisfied; he's your basic non-threatening looking male. He's also bland to the bone, a quality which attracts women with insomnia and women who knit for adventure. Needless to say, I did not like him in SEX AND DEATH 101. Is it too cold to use the word "languid" when describing a guy?
A quick segue: Does the mysterious e-mail ever get explained? Well, there's a subplot involving a super computer and three guys gigged out in white. It smacks vaguely of something supernatural.
Okay, back to my quibbling.
You ever get mad at having wasted your time watching a stinky movie? If I had a dog, I would've kicked it.
Trying to be nice, I came up with about four positives about the film. One: Winona Ryder. Two: surprisingly, it has an aw-shucks feel-good ending. Three: for the dudes, ample female nudity. And four: it's nice to see that Mindy Cohn (FACTS OF LIFE) is still among the living. I was wondering.
The movie does delve a bit into existential angst, so for people looking for some depth, that was it. Me, I'm still mad, and now I'm eyeing my neighbor's dog.
Inconsistent and barely entertaining October 13, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
What if you knew everyone you would sleep with in your lifetime? Roderick Blank gets that information but unfortunately, his fiance is pretty low on the list of 101... and he soon turns into the quintessential ladies man with one hot young babe after another since he knows who is a sure thing now. Of course when he runs into a serial killer with the moniker of Death Nell you'd think he'd rethink his strategy.
I really didn't care for this movie and probably would have turned it off about half way through but I like the lead actor, Simon Baker. He just seems horribly miscast and unbelievable. The film oftens veers off into sophomoric humor, which normally I like, but it didn't even do base comedy well. One of the highlights of this mostly unfunny film is "Facts of Life" alum Mindy Cohn as Rod's secretary. If you are loking for true black comedy - you might as well stick with Waters triumph, "Heathers."
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