Hitman [HD]

This was a hit with me
I didn't expect to be impressed with this movie because in my mind it was simply another flick made from a video game but man, I was blown away! In fact it was so enjoyable that ten minutes after finishing it I wanted to see it again, and that rarely happens. Never mind the few geographical errors, this movie is all action and there is no waste of precious minutes on mindless love scenes - the one actually has one cut short by the main hero and it was humorous, how he was all business, him being this monk killer for hire who lives a chaste life. In a way it was like a James Bond character who actually didn't try to bed all the babes, impressive. And Timothy Olyphant was flawless, even thought I prefer men with longer hair he looked cool and totally acted the part, mysterious, brooding but with a heart in there somewhere.

Bald and serious, dressed in an expensive suit, red silk tie and an impeccably crisp white shirt the Hitman is a force to be reckoned with. He's not too...

It helps that he is a little bit HOT!
I really enjoyed this movie....I mean what is there not to like. You have a hitman (the sexy #47) who has been trained from childhood to be the best at what he does. Trained to hold his breath, shoot anything that moves from any distance, armed with sexy weapons and a barcode (tattooed beautifully in his scalp), along with an air of calm (that would make anyone scared who he faces), he is the perfect killing machine and running for his life. Determined to protect Nika, a prostitute to the President of Russia, from who else (her lover), #47 goes about the task of fighting the bad guys and righting what he thinks are wrongs. With a Interpol Cop on his heels, he attempts to uncover the truth about why someone he thought he killed wants him dead and what the whole thing is about. I enjoyed this movie...with its cool fight scenes and nice special effects. It was definitely worth renting on a Sunday afternoon.

Much Better Than I Heard
I had heard a lot of bad things and bad reviews about this movie. I was suprised when I watched it that it was as good as it was. I thought Timothy Olyphant did a good job and that the girl who played his love interest was also good and HOT. The guy that plays T-Bag on the TV show Prison Break was also good. I have never played this game but I thought the story was pretty solid. It kind of reminded me of The Bourne Identity as he is a trained super assassin from a place that churns them out and he has flash backs of good and bad things.

Anyway, the action rocked and it was exciting and entertaining beginning to end. It was pretty good and fun to watch.

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A Shine of Rainbows [HD]

Beautiful Must See Movie
What I Can Tell You: Although I am not in love with the title, this was a beautifully done movie. Truly moving in so many ways. It is so visually appealing and real I could smell the salt air and the scratchiness of their sweaters.

The acting by Aidan Quinn, Connie Nielsen and John Bell (Tomas) was stellar. The only one I am familiar with is Aidan and thought his silent, strong, loving, desperate, character, Alec was brilliantly played.

Connie Nielsen's Marie was amazing. She is beautiful, mesmerizing and full of heart. She is everything you would wish for if you were a child like Tomas in need of love. I was unaware of the many films I have seen with her. Her impact from this movie will make me remember her forever.

John Bell's Tomas was unbelievable. My heart ached for him. He is like Oliver Twist, full of heartbreak, tears, fears and completely capable of love even after being in an orphanage and teased. He is a gentle soul who Marie falls...

Heartwarming and Inspiring- why aren't there more good films like this
Set in the natural beauty of Corrie Island on the breathtaking west coast of Ireland, this uplifting story uncovers a troubled orphan's journey of self discovery, and the healing power of love and the miracles of nature. Outstanding performances by 10 year old John Bell playing the lonely orphan Tomas, and Connie Nielson playing the extraordinary, kind, loving, joyful Maire, make you want to be a better person. It is a story about the transformational healing of a lonely boy, his new stepmom Maire, and a reluctant stepfather played brilliantly by Aiden Quinn.

Simply a Gorgeous Movie
Set on Corrie Island, Ireland in the early 1960's, A SHINE OF RAINBOWS is the story about an orphan boy named Tomas who is adopted by a woman named Maire (Connie Nielsen) and her husband Alec (Aidan Quinn). Tomas (John Bell) has always been a bit of an outcast. He sees the beauty in what others consider mundane, but also has difficulty speaking. He is vilified by the other boys because he is not normal. Maire and Alec are unable to have a child of their own and Maire selects Tomas to be her son. Life on Corrie is much different than at the orphanage on the mainland, but Tomas adapts to it well. He has people who love him, he is surrounded by beauty and nature, and he begins to overcome his speaking problem. Maire adores Tomas and he loves her and shortly after arriving begins calling her Mum. Alec likes the boy and shows little moments of affection, but he can't quite bring himself to call Tomas his son (most clearly evidenced by his refusal to sign Tomas's adoption papers). A...

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Die Hard [HD]

Everyone should Die Hard
At the end of the Eighties the action movie genre, which had flourished throughout the decade, began to stagnate. Cinema goers had seen enough explosions and gunfights cloned from the same formula made popular by Arnie and Sly. Both of these men were moving in the direction of comedy and action movies needed something new.. something fresh. In stepped John McTiernan and Bruce Willis with DIE HARD. Willis, most famous at the time for the comic T.V. Series 'Moonlighting', made a perfect ordinary-man-in-an-extraordinary-situation action hero. He was believeable as John McClane and not immune to being hurt. He blead and felt pain, a first for the genre. And yet his cool confident delivery of a great wisecracking, intelligent script made him all the cooler. But most credit should go to Director John McTiernan, king of the sophisticated action flick. He made action movies slick, smart and full of pace and wit while never letting up on the bullets, cars and bombs front. Special...

The Only Currently Available Die Hard DVD Worth Buying
Because of the fact that the new Die Hard movie is coming out, 20th Century Fox has discontinued the GREAT Special Edition DVD's of the first three Die Hard DVD'S, and are replacing them with newly-packaged one-disc versions with only half of those original DVD's features. This DVD, the Special Edition Steelbook, is the only DVD that Fox has just released worth buying, because it is a repackaged edition of the original Two-Disc Special Edition of Die Hard. Hopefully Fox will do the same thing with the other Die Hard movies.

Bottom Line: Forget the new Die Hard boxset, get this instead and wait for the other ones.

YIPPIE-KI-YAY @#$%%@!!
When I bought the "Die Hard Ultimate Collection" set, I really didn't think they would be able to do much with the very first Die Hard. It's a pretty old movie. I really didn't know if they could do much to improve the picture and sound quality of the movie. Well, I thought wrong, for when I watched this movie, I was completely shocked and stunned. I said to myself, "I can't believe they made this movie better."

This has to be one of the best transfers I have ever seen. The picture is ten times more crisper and sharper than the older DVD version. When the terrorists shoot out the glass windows to trap Willis, you can literally see every single piece of glass landing on the floor. Also, the sound is explosive and very impressive, especially if you can watch it in DTS. When I watched this new version of "Die Hard", it was like seeing it for the very first time.

If you are not familiar with "Die Hard", here's the story: Bruce Willis is...

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End of the Road

A tattered signpost of late sixties indie cinema
After working on Easy Rider, Terry Southern began collaborating with Aram Avakian on an intense adaptation of John Barth's debut novel. Shot in the summer and fall of 1968, when America was reeling from assasinations, the quagmire of Vietnam, rioting and ideological meltdown, the resulting film transforms Barth's existential character study into a chilling, visually stunning critique of political, sexual and cultural dysfunction. If the film's reach sometimes exceeds its grasp, there is still much that astonishes in this rarely screened film: the superb acting by Stacy Keach, James Earl Jones, Dorothy Tristan and Harris Yulin; the feature film debut of legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis; the haunting opening montage that relate's the lead's typical boomer upbringing against the horrorshow of post-WWII history; the music supervised by jazz producer George Avakian; and last, but not least, the uncompromising visionary screenplay by Terry Southern, Aram Avakian and Dennis McGuire...

Wonderful Film.
A wonderful piece of counter-cultural cinema.
Available at last on dvd.
Gives the viewer the opportunity to fully understand the work cinematographer Gordon Willis did with colors and composition.
Avakian's sense of editing is prevalent here too.
Amazing performances by the leading actors and a great example of the strengths of Terry Southern's tragicomic prose.



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The Earth Dies Screaming [HD]

Doomsday Done Right...
Another Midnite Movie double feature masterpiece! CHOSEN SURVIVORS concerns a group of eleven men and women chosen (by the government) to be the ones who wait out WWIII. Yep, they get to repopulate the planet! Luckily, our beloved elected officials have thought of everything, sending these folks deep beneath the earth. Once there, they are greeted by a pre-recorded message telling them that the world has been destroyed. Tensions start to build as each person tries to comprehend what has happened. Unfortunately, things go badly, as a massive swarm of vampire bats somehow infiltrate the underground facility, hungry for the red stuff! Richard Jaeckel (Grizzly, Day Of The Animals, The Dark) is the military engineer. Bradford Dillman (Bug, Piranha) is the psychiatrist who just might know something the others don't. Jackie Cooper (Superman 1 and 2) is the slimy corporate executive of the bunch. CS is a nice claustrophobic thriller. THE EARTH DIES SCREAMING is sort of the british version of...

Don't forget the "second feature"!
It seems like many of the reviewers of this release have concentrated on "Chosen Survivors" in their comments. I'd just like to put in a plug for "The Earth Dies Screaming" as the movie here that I liked better. (Admittedly, an awful title if one wanted the film to be taken seriously).

A movie directed by Terence Fisher cannot fail to be of interest to genre fans. Dumb title aside, the plot is reminiscent of The Day of the Triffids; I actually find this film as good if not better than the 60's version of that. All in all, a sort of Triffids meets Village of the Damned meets Target Earth. And I can't say enough for the demo-quality black & white transfer. I know I'll be returning to this film often, something I can't say about "Chosen Survivors".

If you like 50's-60's sci-fi, do treat yourself to this set! (Four stars for "Earth", two for "Survivors" is what is behind my overall three-star rating.)

BATS!! ROBOTS!! RICHARD JAECKEL!!
Grab that popcorn kiddies and light up that smoke coz we gonna enjoy another fun Midnite Movies Double Feature. Usually with these discs, they try to choose two films with at least a similar theme, but these two are quite different from one another. First on the bill, Chosen Survivors, is a very fun little piece of early seventies drive-in nonsense. It deals with a group of humans hand picked to live in an underground facility in the event of a worldwide war or catastrophe. The idea is to preserve the human race, but you'd think if this was the last hope for humanity, they'd at least pick some hotter chicks(going with Dr. Strangelove's theory) and people who could respond to stress and pressure better. The facility is damn near perfect in every way except the damn bats who have somehow crept in. The survivors have to deal with a swarm of hungry vampire bats that begin to pick them off. Hey, at least it breaks up the boredom. It stars B 70s sci-fi regular Bradford Dillman. We...

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Antwone Fisher [HD]

Facing the Past and Confronting Inner Demons.
To be honest, I was a little hesitant to see "Antwone Fisher," the directorial debut by Denzel Washington. Movies directed by actors can be little more than self-serving vanity projects that merely say, "Hey! I'm an actor! And I can also direct! I'm so multitalented!" You can say the same thing about this movie, but you would be wrong. While it's a little sentimental at times, "Antwone Fisher" is one of the most heartfelt and genuine movies of 2002. Derek Luke is the title character, a young and hotheaded seaman who gets sent to Jerome Davenport (Washington) for psychiatric evaluation following a heated brawl with another soldier. From there, the two begin a painful journey that involves discovering the roots of Fisher's anger and, more important, the broken family that left him behind. It's often disturbing to see the psychological abuse Fisher suffered at the hands of his elders, and his strong will and tenacity make him all the more...

If it were at all possible...
...i would give this film ten stars even, more if there were a way. I saw this movie when it first came out on DVD in 2003, and i think i pretty much understood it for what it was, but i still didn't feel it for what it was. Then, i saw it again last night for the first time since 2003, when it very first arrived on DVD. This time, i both understood it for what it was meant to be and felt it the way it was meant to be felt. As a young, black writer trying to make my way along the same path that people like Toni Morrison, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, J. K. Rowling, Antwone Fisher and Ralph Ellison have paved before me, it is always a very interesting thing to see such an honest and heartfelt screenplay make it to the big screen. The actors are superb throughout the entire picture, and they always manage stay in character. Just when you expect the characters to suddenly change due to some happy or sad or traumatic event in their life at the moment, BAM, reality is smashed into your face...

This movie helped to see healing in my own life.
All I can say is: Thank you, Antwone, for sharing your life with us, and thank you, Denzel, for bringing this story to the theater. You have made a huge difference in my own life, and I wish I could thank you personally.

As a child, I suffered much of the same abuse (though not so violent) and loneliness that Antwone experienced. It has been a long and difficult journey for me to move towards health. I did not make it as quickly as Antwone did.

What this movie did for me was to help me face again some of my old pain, but also, like Antwone in the movie, to see that I have finally found my own "Welcome Home" family in my two children, my two "in-law" children, their families, and my new grandson.

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Happy

Nice movie about happiness in many societies.
I watched this movie because lately I have been interested in what makes people happy.

I was surprised that the people who made the movie had examples of happy and unhappy people from all over the world. There was this example of happy people that lived in a community in Denmark (I think), where they each had apartments that were part of a cluster, and they took turns cooking, and it was basically like living with a giant family. I had not ever heard of modern people living like that. Those people were very happy. There was also an example of unhappy Japanese people--in Japanese culture, there is a word for people who die of working too much, and that phenomenon is just part of their society. That was kind of sad.

I felt like this movie was more entertaining than informative; I didn't leave the film with a clear idea of what things I could do to become happier, except maybe to spend more time with friends. I did enjoy watching it, though. The wide variety...

This movie made me happy! :)
I really liked this movie. I too saw it with my family (10 year old son, 13 year old daughter and husband) and we all liked it. I think it all comes down to the fact that we're happiest when we're feeling connected to other people and I think there's been enough research over the last decade to support this. It was interesting to note that extreme happiness and sadness are both short lived in that we all pretty much have a happiness set point that we revert back to quite quickly. When I think of all the mindless drivel we could have watched on a Sunday night I have to say that I think this movie was well worth my family's time. It was positive, sweet, informative and heart-warming and made us feel more connected because we watched it together.

Happy video
I heard about this video on Hay House Radio. I decided to rent it while I was convalescing from chronic fatigue. It definitely drives home that happiness is a choice. The rickshaw man who lives in the Indian slum made an impression on me. Whenever I start feeling down, thinking about what I lack and forgetting to be thankful for what I have, I replay the segment about him in my mind. It also helped me to be less judgemental of others who don't conform to the "norm".

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Newton Boys [HD]

Get Off My Leg!
What is wrong with you people? This movie is hysterical. Vincent D'Onofrio (the great under-appreciated character vet) and Ethan Hawke are the best, you have to see the ad-libs and particularly the scene where they rob the moneybags in Toronto. D'Onofrio gets tackled and Hawke ends up dragging around a man on his ankle like a little kid on hanging on their mother. Ok, I'll watch anything with Vincent D'Onofrio, but the movie is still great besides the fact that he, my favorite actor, is in it. The movie is telling the true story, like it says in the opening ...DUH..., so why are you expecting soapy dramatizations and sex scenes when it's about them robbing banks and how they did it? I could watch it again and again, unlike most of these hyped-up garbage movies coming out of Hollywood now. See it or you're missing a piece of history!

Good Film Overlooked By Most
I saw this in the theater and thought it was great, but no one else I knew had seen it. Then I saw it on DVD and bought it quickly. It was just as good as I remembered.

This is a "gangster" movie without gangsters. No one gets killed or tortured graphically. It's a real life story of depression era brothers trying to get some cash and having some adventures along the way.

I think Hawke puts in one of his best performances ever. Dwight Yoakam also contributes some good acting, especially when compared to his fabulous "Sling Blade" villan.

The only flaw is the length. The movie drags a little after a while, but it still manages to make you care enough about the characters to see it through to the end.

The final credits featuring Willis and Joe Newton at the end of their lives make the film worth owning. It's one of the most clever ways to make the credits worth watching I've seen.

Give this movie a chance. It's well acted and is aesthetically...

Worth your time ? DEFINITELY!!!!
This is the type of film that you don't see everyday. Four real-life bankrobbers who happen to be brothers, their safe-cracking accomplice and lots of gunfire, but no deaths. This is entertainment at its best. This is also a very different step for director, Richard Linklater whose other credits include DAZED AND CONFUSED, SLACKER, and SUBURBIA. Allof which were relatively low-budget but true to life. There has been much said about this movie and the "lack of plot" , but this is where you remember that this is a true story and none of Linklater's other films had plots either. The film moves along at a nice leisurely pace giving you a chance to learn about and like the characters. As far as performances go, there isn't a bad one in the bunch. (the cast is outstanding) There is plenty of action to satisfy all of the DIE HARD fans out there and when the action is toned down, it is fun to watch the poor old farmboys plan their next big heist. It has to be said that,...

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Hemingway's Adventures Of A Young Man [HD]

Five works by Hemingway translated to the screen
Norman Mailer once observed, "There is a particular type of BAD novel that makes a good movie." Conversely, there is a particular type of GOOD novel that cannot possibly be made into a good movie, and this caveat applies to any of the works of Ernest Hemingway.

The problem is two-fold. First, the inimitable style of the writing is de facto completely lost. Hemingway paints his own portraits with words, and in a movie, we don't need the words because we have the pictures. Second is the Hemingway dialogue. No author speaks more intimately to us, whispering his dialogue quietly in our ear. Recite the dialogue aloud and the magic is lost.

However, here are two novels and several short stories, adapted to the screen, and I'll review their virtues as FILMS, rather than their sins of ommission of the Hemingway canon.

1) "The Sun Also Rises" - Hemingway's first novel about the Lost Generation in Paris after the First World War. This film has taken...

a wonderful collection
I love this collection. It brings me back to Hemingway who I read while growing up in the Fifties and Sixties. The restorations of the Scope movies are outstanding and the extras are informative. The cinematography and music of Adventures of a Young Man are very moving. This film brought me back to my youth. I highly recommend.

The Nick Adams Stories
HEMINGWAY'S ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG MAN is an A.E. Hotchner adaptation of the writer's "Nick Adams" short stories. The picture's cast is filled with acting heavy hitters. (Note: In 1982, screenwriter Hotchner along with Paul Newman founded the "Newman's Own" food line.)

SYNOPSIS--
Young Nick Adams leaves his Michigan home on a cross-country adventure. Along the way he meets and befriends several interesting characters. When a NYC newspaper job falls through, Nick enlists in the Italian Army as an ambulance driver. After being wounded, Nick convalesces in a miliary infirmary, where he has an affair with a nurse that ends tragically.

Related items:
The WWI portion of Nick's story was twice filmed as A FAREWELL TO ARMS:
In 1932 with Gary Cooper and Irene Dunne as leads, and in 1957 with co-stars Rock Hudson and...

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Seven Cities Of Gold [HD]

Great for Michael Rennie fans!
I bought this movie not for the subject matter but rather for the rare leading role Michael Rennie was given in it. I'm not a history buff so the inaccuracies in the film don't particularly bother me. I bought this to add to my collection of films in which Rennie, one of my favorite actors, had a meaty part. If you liked his gentle yet strong portrayal of Klaatu in his most famous film, "The Day the Earth Stood Still", you'll also love his gentle yet strong portrayal of Father Serra, the missionary who went along with the Spanish on their expedition into California in the late 1700's. The film centers on Rennie's portrayal of this legendary priest and his quiet bravery and determination in the face of many obsticles to bring Christianity to the Indian peoples of California. Rennie was excellent, and while this movie is a bit 'sappy' at times..typical for a 1955 movie with religious overtones.. as a Rennie fan I was still delighted with his performance, which is why I gave the film 4...

Rare look at colonization of California by Spanish
"The 7 cities of gold" is a 1955 Cinemascope historical adventure about the colonization of California by the Spanish in the 18th century. Michael Rennie stars as Father Junipero Serra in a film based on the 1951 novel "The 9 Days of Father Serra" by Isabelle Gibson Ziegler.

The 7 cities of gold (Cibola) is a 16th century Spanish myth that propelled many expeditions to the new world. It was based on the incredible 1542 journal of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca who journeyed on foot from Florida to Mexico in 1528.

Michael Rennie (1909-71) had an active film career in England and then because of his unique physical appearance and voice was tapped by Robert Wise to play Klaatu in "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951). He went on make dozens of films and was active on TV as Harry Lime in "The Third Man" (1959-65). Rennie does his usual stoic job here.

Rugged Anthony Quinn (1915-2001) plays a Spanish captain looking for the 7 cities. In 1955 he was a major...

Great California Story of Morality!!
This is a atory of a priest and seven missions of early California during a gold rush as it's participators have to chose between the sword and God.Starring,Anthony Quinn,it's a great California Story of Morality!!

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Broken Lance [HD]

Broken Lance
When it's good, BROKEN LANCE (1954) is a sprawling story about the rise and fall of cattle baron Matt Devereaux (Spencer Tracy), color by DeLuxe, in Stereophonic Sound, and, most important of all, it's filmed in CinemaScope. Borrowing feuding and greedy children from King Lear and a Native American wife, and half a title, from the influential James Stewart vehicle, Broken Arrow, it's an entertaining near-classic.

Matt Devereaux is one of those larger-than-life pioneers whose success makes him an anachronism. Parcels of his land, once simply a buffet board for his 50,000-head herd of cattle, is now being leased out to oil and mining concerns. There was a time when men like Devereaux would string up cattle rustlers on the spot and the local marshal, assuming he was within a hundred miles and sober, was probably glad to be rid of the bother. Back then whatever Devereaux pushed against yielded. But the successful pioneer plants the seed of his own extinction. The copper...

One of my favorite old movies finally in DVD format!
This has been one of my favorite movies for over twenty five years. Scene after scene, there's something to watch for. What I've always loved about this movie is the great, wrenching dialogue. And watching a young Robert Wagner isn't too difficult either.

But now, on DVD, I feel as though I am seeing the movie for the first time (or at least the second time!) The quality of this DVD is impressive. I also own a DVD version from a few years back that came from China, with Chinese subtitles. Comparing the two on my 55" tv is like comparing a digital picture taken with a 2 megapixel camera to a digital picture taken with a 12 megapixel camera. The quality of this Twentieth Century Fox DVD is outstanding for such an old movie. The picture is very clear, the color saturation is deep and rich, the sound is great. I've noticed nuances about the picture, and the background scenery, that I never noticed before.

This edition also features both a widescreen and a...

A first-rate adult Western...
Tracy is a believable cowboy, nicely balanced for handling a bull whip, riding dangerously the hills...

Tracy plays a despot, absolute ruler cattle baron "making the wrong move with the wrong people," using his force to restrain the pollution of his cattle's stream: "The river is on my land. You are on my land. You close this operation down."

His first three sons (Widmark, O'Brien and Holliman) were unanimously disappointing to him... He considered them cattle thieves, treating them harshly, without mercy... Only the fourth son and the youngest one (Robert Wagner) by his present wife, a Comanche woman played by the clever, quick-witted Katy Jurado has his affection and care... The other sons looks only forward to his demise so they may take control over his cattle empire...

Tracy -- irritated and frustrated as a father -- expends excessive reasons that arouses the sensation of hate provoking avaricious rebellion, and nearly destroys his younger kid...

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Dirty Mary Crazy Larry [HD]

"Hold on baby, this is a rollercoaster ride..."
Saddle up, motor heads, because someone finally (thankfully) saw fit to release one of the classic high-speed car chase films of all time onto DVD in that of Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974)...and who doesn't love 93 minutes of high octane, exhaust pumping, tire squealing, rubber burning, celluloid muscle car mayhem? Well, probably any number of people, but who cares? There's plenty out there to keep them happy...like The Piano...one of my girlfriends favorite films...shudder...anyhoo...this wonderful bit of Americana was directed by...an Englishman named John Hough, who made his initial mark directing the very popular early 60's spy show `The Avengers', before moving on to such feature films as Twins of Evil (1971), The Legend of Hell House (1973), and Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)...I think this was actually the first American film he directed...starring in this film is Peter `Heavenly Blues' Fonda (The Wild Angels, Easy Rider, Race with the Devil), Susan George (Fright, Die...

Finally preserved on DVD
This is one of those small classics that demonstrates it's worth as a sort of time capsule. Thank goodness the DVD format is being used to preserve such great old films that would otherwise simply deteriorate in a film vault..... and this looks like a nicely done transfer with good picture quality. If you enjoy such films as "Bullitt" / "The French Connection" / "The Seven Ups" (finally to be released on DVD!) / "Charlie Varrick" / ETC, then I'm sure you would be delighted to add "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry" to your collection. (Yes the car chase sequences are brilliantly done and very real.)
This film has genuinely exciting action sequences that rival many modern action flicks with their less than involving computer generated images.If one can get over the cringeworthy nature of some of the groovy dialogue and fashions, one finds a window into another era. Exciting, tough, fast paced entertainment...... and what about those fabulous old American Muscle Cars. In the words of Peter...

One of the ultimate chase movies
: Chase movies were all the rage during the 70's but this action B movie probably is the ultimate in the genre. Larry (Peter Fonda) and his partner Deke (Adam Roarke) rob a major supermarket and hold the manager's (Roddy McDowall in an uncredited role) family hostage as part of a scheme to finance their dream NASCAR vehicle. They end up on the run with Mary (Susan George) who had a one night stand with Larry.

While "Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry" isn't a great drama, it's a fun free wheeling chase movie that helped redefine the genre with its hair raising stunts. John Hough's sharp direction keeps the film from becoming just another low budget exploitation flick. 30 years on it's astonishing that many of these dangerous stunts were accomplished. While many of the newer films (the remake of "Gone in 60 Seconds") that mine the same genre cave may have more flash, they can't compare to this film for sheer inventiveness when it comes to the outrageous stunts performed for this...

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127 Hours [HD]

A Powerful, Impactful Story
"127 Hours", director Danny Boyle's ("Trainspotting", "28 Days Later") follow-up to "Slumdog Millionaire" is a near great film. I honestly can't tell you the last time I was so moved by a piece of celluloid. "127" has created both pleasant and nightmarish memories, memories that will stay with me for many, many years to come.

Aron Ralston (James Franco) quickly grabs some supplies and heads out to his favorite spot, the canyons near Moab, Utah. As soon as the sun rises, he jumps on a mountain bike and heads out to explore and enjoy the great outdoors, heading to a spot some twenty miles away. He crosses paths with two young women, Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn) and agrees to show them the way to their destination. Once there, they swim and dive and have fun. After a few hours, they head on to complete their individual journeys. As Aron navigates a narrow crevasse, a small boulder comes loose, causing him to fall and wedging his arm between the wall and the...

Resourcefulness And Perseverance--A Harrowing, Yet Life Affirming, Struggle For Survival
From the macabre paranoia of "Shallow Grave" to the comedic debauchery of "Trainspotting" to the disturbing creepiness of "28 Days Later" to the fanciful romanticism of "Slumdog Millionaire," director Danny Boyle has made kinetic films that really connect to the viewer at a visceral level. Very much a visual stylist, Boyle uses every tool at his disposal--quick cut editing, frantic camera movement, fantasy sequences, jarring music--to really delve into the emotional core of whatever story he is telling. At first glance, "127 Hours" would seem an odd follow-up to the Oscar winning "Slumdog." Stripped down to the most primal level, "127 Hours" is one of the simplest, most straightforward narratives you're likely to encounter. And yet, through the technical bells and whistles and an earnest James Franco performance, you are immersed in a world of madness, desperation, perseverance, hope, struggle and ultimately survival. And there is no denying that this very matter-of-fact tale...

Resourcefulness And Perseverance--A Harrowing, Yet Life Affirming, Struggle For Survival
From the macabre paranoia of "Shallow Grave" to the comedic debauchery of "Trainspotting" to the disturbing creepiness of "28 Days Later" to the fanciful romanticism of "Slumdog Millionaire," director Danny Boyle has made kinetic films that really connect to the viewer at a visceral level. Very much a visual stylist, Boyle uses every tool at his disposal--quick cut editing, frantic camera movement, fantasy sequences, jarring music--to really delve into the emotional core of whatever story he is telling. At first glance, "127 Hours" would seem an odd follow-up to the Oscar winning "Slumdog." Stripped down to the most primal level, "127 Hours" is one of the simplest, most straightforward narratives you're likely to encounter. And yet, through the technical bells and whistles and an earnest James Franco performance, you are immersed in a world of madness, desperation, perseverance, hope, struggle and ultimately survival. And there is no denying that this very matter-of-fact tale packs a...

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Klown

"ONE OF THE FUNNIEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR!"
There are several funny movies made in 2012. From a handful I have watched, this one is on Top for laugh-out-loud fun and entertainment throughout. Frank Hvam, a comedian, plays the role of a guy who wants to prove that he could be a good father to his pregnant girlfriend. In order to prove his fatherhood challenge, he decides to kidnap a child to impress his girlfriend that he has good fatherhood potential. Trying not to give away too many Spoilers here. The two of them venture out through the Danish countryside, not conforming to the standards of society. Their friendship is not the normal, and the young boy has a mind of his own with weird sexual encounters. They run around as if they own the world, and trouble is waiting. Some raunchy moments, but many very funny moments. A Good comedy, Acting Performance Superb, and a Great summer movie to get a few laughs. Highly Recommended!

Danish Humor. No, really. Danish. Humor.
Turns out Larry David is not socially inept, he's Danish. There is an uncanny resemblance between Frank Hvam and Larry and if you enjoyed Curb Your Enthusiasm, you'll like this movie.

The big surprise is that it's from Denmark. Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing but admiration for the Danes. In fact all Scandinavians rank high with me. Just look how well they run their own countries. We should look to them for guidance. Even the food isn't bad, except for the lutefisk. It's just that, until now, I was under the impression that Scandinavians lacked the humor gene. This was not an idle assumption; it was based on the jokes I was told by people from that part of the world. First, a Danish Joke: "We call hamburgers 'russian elevator operators' in denmark. Because they are minced meat as you will be if you let one operate an elevator. Hahahahahahaha." No, I'm not kidding. And the teller was an adult. Really.

Okay, get ready for the second joke. It was told to...

Effin funniest movie I've seen in a long time
I saw this at a film fest that was packed about 50-50 with women and men. The women laughed uproariously.

The milieu of the film is extremely sexist. Prudes need to remember that Klown presents a comic view in which the moral order provides basic justice for the most sexist characters. The main character is a lovable dork, who is basically a good guy and loving partner. The dvd includes a very funny episode from the tv show and is directed by Lars Von Trier. That might re-enforce the belief that Klown is mysogynistic but in reality Mr. Von Trier's episode is extremely funny.

Very Larry Davidesque.

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The Arabian Horse A Gift from the Desert

Very interesting.
I thought I knew everything about horses but this DVD on the Arabian gave me some new information. I've always had quarter horses and seen my share of Arabians but I never knew that the Arabian gave so much to the horse world.

The Arabian Horse, A gift from the Desert
WHAT A GREAT DVD THIS IS!
The history of the Arabian horse....names that I remember from the time I researched the Arabian Horse before I purchased the "best horse I ever owned!" I purchased my Arabian Raffsein at 3 months old, and had him until he was 34 years old! Names in the video such as Homer Davenport, and Judith Forbis brought to mind when these horses were brought to the US from overseas! Current interviews with Arabian peoples made this film even better. I will have some friends over to view this DVD again...one viewing is simply enough! I loved it!

A Must See for Horse Lovers
This interesting history has wonderful scenery and music. The horses are beautiful! I will buy this DVD again for gifts.

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The Bravados [HD]

Grim, compelling Western with excellent perfomances
THE BRAVADOS is a moody, brutal piece of work that in many ways predates the cynical moods of later Westerns of the 60s and 70s. Gregory Peck stars a man bent on revenge against the four men who raped and murdered his wife. The outlaws (Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Henry Silva and Lee Van Cleef) are in jail in Rio Arriba waiting to be hung, and Peck is there to witness the deed. The prisoners escape, however, and Peck becomes an obssessed member of the posse sent to hunt them down. This is another fruitful collaboration between Peck and director Henry King, who also made THE GUNFIGHTER and TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH together. This is NOT the Gregory Peck we know and love! He is moody, sullen, full of anger and relentless in his pursuit of the villains. The brutality of the film may come as a shock to viewers even now, but its harshness makes it a precursor to the Sergio Leone/CLint Eastwood films nearly a decade later. (The fact that Lee Van Cleef has a major supporting role makes...

Great film if intact
An excellent film with an unusual and dramatic canyon background, which requires widescreen. Yet again, we have a great film listed without any data on aspect ratio. I don't know whether Amazon is becoming negligent or the studios are remaining devious, but there seems to be a recent epidemic of this and I would defer purchase until the disc details are made public.

A big story with a big impact
There's going to be a hanging in Rio Arriba, and Jim Douglass (Gregory Peck) has ridden a hundred miles to see it. You see, the four men - Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Henry Silva and Lee van Cleef - about to be hanged committed a great crime that changed Douglass's life forever, and he's there to see justice carried out. When the condemned men escape, Douglass makes it his personal mission to deliver justice to the bad guys.
I love revenge movies, and the premise of Henry King's THE BRAVADOS holds great promise. One avenging angel - Gregory Peck - versus four scurvy killers. The best revenge movies go to the chase as soon as possible, and reveal character and motivation through the chase. Unfortunately THE BRAVADOS takes forever to kick into gear. The movie spends a good half hour in Rio Arriba, an eternity in movie time, introducing characters and establishing motives. Some of the characters don't really belong in the movie, either. It's in Rio Arriba that we meet...

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The Last Hard Men [HD]

Rape And Revenge In Arizona
Easily one of the least-known western movies in history to pair two great actors against one another, THE LAST HARD MEN is a painfully underrated sagebrush saga that at first might seem old-fashioned but turns out to be a very timely meditation on the final days of the West. It is on video now through Unicorn, but this 1976 film deserves to be released by its original distributor, 20th Century Fox, on video and DVD in its uncut form. It only runs 97 minutes here; in its uncut form, it was 105 minutes.

Based on the 1972 novel "Gun Down" by Brian Garfield, who also wrote "Death Wish" and is a western enthusiast, THE LAST HARD MEN stars Charlton Heston as an aging lawman who had once been a proud member of the Arizona Territorial Police but now in 1908 has now turned the reins of law enforcement over to a reform-minded younger man (Michael Parks). He laments about how the railroad changed the makeup of the West--that and, as Parks points out, the auto, the telegraph, and...

Glad to see these '70s classics getting the widescreen treatment!!
Action Double Feature: The Last Hard Men / Sky RidersThis release is long overdue! This is a great James Coburn double feature (even though its not billed as such) coming from an era of the '70s when they made lower budget movies and turned out pretty good. The Last Hard Men looks great for DVD. The colors are bold, picture detail is good for this older release. Sky Riders the same thing. It's a pure joy to see these two in their original aspect ratio of 2.35 (even though the cover says 1.78)! This comes from an era when they really made widescreen movies (such as other classics from the '70s: Chinatown, Jaws, to name a few). These movies really suffered over the years in poorly pan and scan videotape editions. Shout! just keeps releasing these classics that no other company would dare touch. They just keep outdoing themselves. The two movies on this disc aren't the greatest, but the five star rating is for the...

Violent revenge Western
James Coburn plays a violent mixed race outlaw who escapes from Yuma prison as part of a chain gang along with a group of other equally thuggish types .He persuades them to join him by recounting tales of a hidden cache of gold that will make them all rich men ;his primary motive is to use tham to help him gain revenge on his nemesis ,a retired lawman (Charlton Heston)responsible for his incarceration..He lures Heston away from town by feinting to rob a gold shipment being conveyed by train and while the lawman is engaged on this wild goose chase rides into town at the head of his gang and abductes Heston's daughter (Barbara Hershey).There follows a sadistic ,violent denouement involving rape and a great deal of rather gloating violence
This is well acted by the stars and supporting cast .It has an excellent score and the photography is exemplary .The themes of violence and retribution are punched across with some vigour but for many the stumbling block here will be the...

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Undoing [HD]

Solid movie
I was drawn to this film as I am a fan of Kelly Hu's and Russell Wong and found a very pleasant surprise in the talents of Sung Kang . I was not familiar with the works of Sung Kang even though he had been in several movies that I had seen. I will be looking for him in the future. This is a gritty caricature study made on a small budget by a very talented writer director Chris Chan Lee who got fine performances from the entire cast. I look forward to the future works of both Sung Kang and Chris Chan Lee.

Highly recommended
It is a stylish movie. I enjoyed this movie a lot because I am a big fan of Sung Kang's, the main character in this movie. You will enjoy the short film called 9:30 came as a bonus feature of this DVD.

Unexpected
I was expecting this movie to be kind of fast-paced but shallow, since most of the actors in it are known more for action films. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Undoing is a much more sophisticated film, character-driven and emotional, with really strong acting performances and unique visual style. The plot is interesting, although not particularly new or innovative; in fact, the story is very much a throwback to classic noir films. But its enough to keep you compelled and engaged to see the story unfold. I really enjoyed this film.

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Bait

Great use of 3D best shark movie in years
Lets start with the good, interesting original concept, well written, good solid acting with familiar if not very well known actors Julian McMahon of Nip/Tuck, Fantastic Four, Phoebe Tonkin of the Secret Circle, Xavier Samual of the Twilight Series, among a few others. The use of 3D in this movie is spot on lots of things coming at you nice use of depth, even some minor but important details in the water are done very well like sea snakes coming at your or jellyfish. Good Character development combine with a movie that takes itself seriously and never winks at itself gradually builds in the excitement and scares, very entertaining. Now the bad could it have used better CGI Special FX yes but considering what the budget for this movie was you will see it rises above itself much better than some of those Saturday Night Creature Features, yes I bought the blu Ray.

It's no JAWS, but it is a fun film!
Since the SyFy channel purchased whatever special effects machine it is they use to crank out film after film, there has certainly been no shortage on bad shark film: VENICE SHARK ATTACK, TWO-HEADED SHARK ATTACK, SAND SHARK, MEGASHARK, MAGASHARK VS GIANT OCTOPUS, etc, etc... The CGI used to generate these beasts is usually cartoonish at best, but not so much so here, I think the Aussies have something magical, fun and scary in equal parts with BAIT.

While this isn't the first movie that floods the coastal cities with a tsunami, and than lets loose nature's greatest killing machines on hapless survivors, the shark(s) in BAIT provide a great combination of thrills and anxiety with their presence.

I personally found the story to be entertaining, and the characters to be believable. The idea of being trapped in a flooded shopping mall with a great white shark was entertaining enough, but the shark itself was truly impressive. It provided some genuine scares, and...

Actually decent
Going into this I thought I was going to be watching some SciFi original film. But it actually was pulled off rather well and made some sort of sense. It wasn't cheesy like I expected.

The movie was filmed for 3D, which I did not get to see it in, so some of it is CGI. The worst CGI is probably right in the beginning of the film, so don't let that sway you into shutting it off. The movie has decent gore that is not CGI, and they do use a prop shark here and there.

Overall, I liked it. I was entertained and would give it 3.5/5 stars. A point off for some slightly bad CGI, but if you've seen the recent remake of Piranha then this is a masterpiece when it comes to CGI.

For more of an official review visit my horror movie/book review blog, Shivers of Horror.

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Confetti [HD]

Hugely enjoyable . . .
This British-made and very comic mockumentary portrays the conflicts and potential mayhem inherent in the run-up to any wedding and multiplies it by not three but about ten, as a wedding magazine launches a self-promoting competition among three couples for the most unusual marriage ceremony.

Here everyone is at loggerheads, including the editors of the magazine, and the pair of wedding planners who attempt to pull it all off with a paltry budget and the less than enthusiastic cooperation of all involved. Very much in the spirit of Christopher Guest's "Waiting for Guffman," which helped create the genre, this hugely enjoyable film eventually sweeps all promise of disaster aside and ends triumphantly with all the excitement of - well, a Busby Berkeley musical.

The DVD has at least a half hour of additional scenes as entertaining as the rest of the movie. There are also three alternative endings, plus filmographies of much of the cast. Look for Martin Freeman, from...

It's so funny, I was crying!
I really enjoyed this movie.....my husband woke up from a nap because I was laughing so hard. You could call us "Guesties" (Best in Show is my all time pick-me-up) and after the disappointment of "For Your Consideration" I have been looking for a mockumentary that I could really get a belly laugh from. "Confetti" delivered and then some. I love the british accents and enjoy listening to the words in a movie...not just being played down to by cheap jokes. Funny movies can be intelligent and I applaud this one!

Cute, charming, thoroughly entertaining fun.
I saw this in a theatre and enjoyed every minute. If you liked LOVE, ACTUALLY, you'll enjoy this. It's already on my buy list.

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27 Dresses [HD]

See This With Your Girlfriends
C'mon...it's not rocket science and it's not meant to be. After a week of having husbands and kids drive us crazy, my best friend and I ran away from home to see this and agreed we hadn't laughed so hard in months! We laughed the whole way through. Mission accomplished...escapism at its best! Katherine Heigl is adorable in this and hey, for us harried mothers, just getting to watch Ed Burns and James Marsden for 90 minutes is worth the ticket (or DVD) price alone. They're pretty yummy to watch! Leave the husband/boyfriends at home for this one and have a girls' night out. Guys don't get the humor in watching Jane hold her friends' wedding dresses when they have to pee at their wedding receptions. Girls get it. The writing is witty with plenty of hilarious one-liners. Jane is everyone's best friend and you'll wish she was one of yours, too. This DVD will get added to my collection of predictable romantic comedies because it can hold its own with the best of them!

Light & Breezy & Lots of Fun
If you're a fan of weddings you'll laugh along to the affectionate pokings and proddings that 27 Dresses takes at the wedding industry. If you hate them, you'll like the potshots it takes. Depending on how you feel about weddings, you'll either see them through Kevin's (James Mardsen) eyes or through Jane's (Katherine Heigl) but both points-of-view are represented equally in this delightful time waster.

"The Wedding Party" is a fairly standard making of featurette that mixes clips from the film, behind-the-scenes footage, and soundbites from the cast and crew. Everyone gushes about each other. It's a light and breezy extra, much like the film itself.

"You'll Never Wear That Again!" takes a look at the hideous bridesmaid dresses from the film. The director told wardrobe to find the ugliest dresses and succeeded. The various themed weddings are also discussed in this engaging and fun extra.

"Jane's World" examines the production design and how they made...

It's a surprising feel-good film
Jane (Katherine Heigl) has loved weddings ever since she was a little girl and helped set her cousin's wedding to rights. She's dreamed of the day she'll walk down the aisle to see that delighted expression on her intended husband's face.

George (Edward Burns) is the man Jane always hoped would be at the other end of the aisle. He's Jane's boss and an entrepreneur who made his millions selling the kind of outdoor equipment he loves to use. He's a gentle soul, a selfless vegetarian who loves dogs and serves as a Big Brother to a great Hispanic kid named Pedro.

Jane's getting practice for that big day. So far, she's been a bridesmaid at 27 weddings. That's 27 dresses in her apartment front closet--none she will ever wear again...well, none anyone should have had to wear in the first place.

Enter Tess (Malin Akeman), Jane's baby sister. She and George fall in love at first sight when Tess comes for a 2-week sisterly visit. Of course, George proposes...

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Garage Days [HD]

I wanted to like this a great deal more...
Garage Days (Alex Proyas, 2002)

There is something deeply, desperately wrong with a movie's marketing when the very tag line seen on posters around the world gives away the film's major plot twist. That doesn't stop this from being an amusing little film, however. It involves an Australian garage rock band fronted by Freddy (Spartan's Kick Gurry) who are trying to find a place to play. Freddy's girlfriend Tanya (Queen of the Damned's Pia Miranda) plays bass. Guitarist Joe (Brett Stiller) is predictably moody, and is in tenuous ground with girlfriend Kate (XX/XY's Maya Stange). Manager Bruno (Russell Dykstra, from the BlackJack franchise) is something of a lovable foulup who seems congenitally incapable of getting the band gigs, but a chance encounter at a bar between Freddy and the manager of Sprimp, Australia's hottest act, gives the band hope. Meanwhile, with the various relationships on the rocks, Freddy finds himself more and more attracted to Kate; will internal...

The "Citizen Kane" for struggling musicians
In the tradition of "Airheads" and "That Thing You Do" comes this against-genre film from the director of the dark fantasy adaptation of "The Crow" and sci-fi classic "Dark City" (as well as this summer's would-be box office hit "I, Robot") Alex Proyas. It's another in a line of interestingly quirky Australian movies (and in fact not terribly dissimilar from the late Michael Hutchence's acting debut "Dogs In Space", though certainly far more light-hearted) that adds to that nation's reputation as a producer of fine cinema that pound-for-pound can go round-for-round with the heavyweights of the industry in Hollywood without breaking a sweat.

The film was obviously a labor of love, and even though the band at the center of the movie was definitely low-fi, the movie itself was shot using first-class editing and production values. The scenes of introspection when characters are given to voiceover monologue are particularly effective, to say nothing of the "Fun With Drugs"...

another Proyas enjoyment....for the most part
After seeing The Crow I had much loved respect for Proyas and then he did Dark City and I still did, but I was pretty mad at him for doing I, Robot because I hated that movie with a passion. Then I saw this one on the video shelves and I rented it and I liked it, to some extent. Rock stardom is always interesting, especially when they play. Some good performances (one in mind being Kick Gurry), but some come off as bland. Brett Stiller?? Any relation to Ben Stiller? Maybe? Who knows. Anyway, the slow motion stuff was interesting and kept me from steering away. Marton Csokas (costarred with Vin Diesel in Triple X) also stars as the head manager to Sprimp (nice band name). Highlight would be the dinner scene when their all hallucinating..funny s**t. Proyas pulls off another enjoyable movie...for the most part. This made up for I, Robot. My suggestion is dont go see the crappy I, Robot...rent this one.

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The Devil Wears Prada [HD]

One of the years best (but it's not all about Meryl my friends)...
My wife and I, huge fans of `America's Next Top Model' and `Project Runway', were very excited about seeing this film. Why it took us this long still baffles me, but as of Friday night we had the pleasure of seeing `The Devil Wears Prada' and let me just say that it was quite the pleasure. Now, most if not all the praise has been heaped on the shoulders of Meryl Streep, and while she was outstanding, this film is more than just a Meryl painted canvas. There are four brilliant performances in this film and they all are deserving of praise.

First is Anne Hathaway who plays Andrea Sachs, a young aspiring journalist who takes a job working as Miranda Priestly assistant at `Runway Magazine'. Anne Hathaway proves with her performance that she's all grown up. No, that's not to take away from her more adult roles in more adult films like `Havoc' and the masterpiece `Brokeback Mountain', but here Anne proves that she can do adult comedy, not falling back into her teen goofiness...

No Issues With The Killer Title, But...
Well, I'm all over the map about this movie, I really am, finding something to agree with in almost every review here, including the least positive.

The positives are these: I adore the look and pace of the film, the to-die-for clothes of course, and the performances (first and foremost) of the great Streep as the towering, terrifying Miranda, the winning Hathaway as the perpetually harassed Andrea, the dependable Tucci as Miranda's long-suffering, witty-wise second-in-command Nigel, and the wonderful Emily Blunt as the bitchy, put-upon first assistant...uh, Emily. All of them--especially Streep, Tucci and Blunt--bring both bite and (mostly hidden) heart to what could have been a collective phone-in of annoying caricatures. And though we really only get glimpses of him here and there, I also enjoyed Rich Sommers's endearing turn as the sweetest of Andy's circle, Doug.

I am seriously ambivalent however, about what the message of this movie is supposed to be,...

The Devil Wears Prada
While this film highlights how a college student makes the leap from school to professional life, I also believe that it highlights Meryl Streep's enormous talent although she is not the lead character. She gives such a commanding performance as the dominant impossible boss. In fact there are several outstanding supporting characters such as Stanley Tucci. He is priceless as the guy you love to hate. A really good script, plus great actors equal a great movie!

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Big [HD]

an expertly told modern fairy tale
This film still contains Tom Hanks best performance in my opinion. Big is an expertly told modern fairy tale that captures perfectly the innocence and the enthusiasm of youth. This movie gets flawless performances from all the actors and actresses involved. It reminds us all of when we were young and Big is a testament to why we should always stay young at heart.

Big is among my favorite films of all-time and I honestly can't see any reason why someone would dislike this movie. In fact I believe it is the best movie to be made in the 80's and it's huge heart will allow Big too stand the test of time.

The best of the body swap films...
... and there's no body swapping in it!

This film has aged really well; the comedy and dialogue is really sharp, the acting is believable and there's never a dull moment. Instead of going over the story, I want to quote what screenwriting legend, Robert McKee wrote about the film which rings true; "At the crisis, Josh [Tom Hanks] faces irreconcilable goods; an adult life with a fulfilling career and the woman he loves verus a return to adolescence. He makes the mature choice to have his childhood expressing with fine irony that he at last became 'big'. For he and we sense that the key to maturity is to have had a complete childhood. But becuase life has short-changed so many of us in youth, we live, to one degree or another, in a false sense of maturity. BIG is a very wise film."

Sure the toys have changed and yes, Billy Idol is tied to the soundtrack but the message still remains the same. This should be required viewing for all families.

"Extended" edition ?
Experience tells me there's two kinds of "Extended editions": the first are the ones in which the director was forced to do something against his will to fit the movie to a certain length (see Terminator 2, Aliens, Blade Runner, etc.), and the second are the ones in which the outakes weren't all that damaged so the studio took a strictly merchandising decision.
BIG EXTENDED EDITION is obviously the latter but don't let that discourage you, this is one of the funniest films of the 80s and there's is no question it was the one film that took Tom Hanks from OK TV star to bona fide movie star.
My favorite scene: the eating of the "little corn". I loved learning from the extras that it was totally the product of improvising at the last second !
This is an excelent DVD, it's just that my next viewing of it will be by choosing the original cut.

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(500) Days Of Summer [HD]

He Loves Me, She Loves Me Not
"(500) Days of Summer" is a wonderfully refreshing experience, a romantic comedy that doesn't follow the rules of a romantic comedy. It's inventive, intelligent, and engaging, a story of the dualities a young man lives with on a daily basis. On the one hand, there's the duality between falling in love and believing that love doesn't exist; Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) grew up believing in fate bringing soul mates together whereas Summer (Zooey Deschanel) grew up not believing in much of anything, least of all lasting relationships. On the other hand, there's the duality between what one would like to happen and what actually does happen; we often go through life with expectations, even though we know deep down that most will never be met. Tom is in a tug-of-war between his romantic fantasies and the reality that Summer doesn't believe in true love.

Levitt's performance is a revelation. He plays Tom with sincerity. Tom is approachable and good natured, highly confident yet not...

500 Days of Summer
The film's opening makes it clear: This is not a love story. It is a story about love. Told in a non chronological fashion, we see 500 days in the relationship of Tom (Joseph Gordon- Levitt) and Summer (Zooey Deschanel). For those who have seen 10 Things I Hate About You, this is an evolution of that story told in a more realistic fashion. While Joseph Gordon-Levitt pretty much plays the same character, he adds gravitas to the ups and downs of relationships which all men go through at some point. Zooey Deschanel brings her playful carefree attitude to Summer, which the movie itself is quick to point out has a very strong effect over men. While most people expect this to be a love story, it's not. It's a carefully crafted story about relationships and the highs and lows we all experience and how we focus on the highs more than the lows. The quirky humor and the wittiness brought out in the film covers the very introspective dissection of a relationship. While the ending is somewhat...

Still thinking about this movie a month later
I hate romantic comedies. If they actually have some comedy in there, they are watchable but the relationships are often based some some kind of ridiculous premise that doesn't resonate at all with me. To call this a romantic comedy seems quite misleading. This movie was funny at times. Well directed, at times...A little gimmicky at others. Very well acted by the two leads. The thing that I loved about this movie is that it is completely true to life. It wasn't like "The Break-up" where you have to suffer through the couple arguing through the entire movie. They show (in a very clever way) the highs and the lows of Tom and Summer's relationship. I find myself still thinking about the two leads as if I was in their shoes (We probably all have been on one side or the other in our lives). What do I think of them? What do I wish she would have done differently? What could he have done differently? I don't know. One of those movies that I can't stop thinking about.

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Drumline [HD]

Feel good, feel good, feel real good....
that's what you'll think when you finish this DVD!

It's a great flick! If you've ever been in a marching band, no matter how long ago, it will bring it right back to you. Now, most of us only dreamed of being in bands the caliber of those featured in drumline. They are the cream....I didn't catch the names of the REAL marching bands that participated in the movie (the college names are fictional, I believe)...but they were the stars of this particular show.

The filmmakers captured the difficulty and exhuberance of being a part of "one band, one music" and the dedication these young people have to being the best at what they do. The only recognizable actor is intense Orlando Jones, as Mr. Lee...and he is very good at what he does.

The plot is pretty typical...boy who is a little different from the crowd has incredible talent, faces adversity, finds love, finds his way back to his dream. The boy is a newcommer named Nick Cannon, who has a real screen persona...

One of the Most Fun Movies I've Seen in a While
Let me preface my comments with my bias first: I am a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, so the notion of a movie set on an historically black college campus (A&T-filmed on CAU's beautiful campus) gets points out the gate. This movie, however, managed to do something that its ealier predecessor's failed to do: entertain, educate, and rally the audience all at the same time.

"Drumline" is your classic story of a highly talented and cocky freshman coming into his own by bumping heads with authority and consequently learning to respect the differences. Where this movie picks up major points is that it takes you directly into the heart of a culture (HBC bands) and helps to preserve on film to some and present to others something that has an awesome legacy in Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

There is something incredibly awesome about seeing bands battle on the big screen. The adrenaline gets going and you find yourself cheering during the competitions...

Turn the beat around. . .love to hear percussion!
Nothing like a percussion section to dress up a marching band--to give the band some flair and a nice touch of razzle-dazzle. Is it any wonder percussion sections are often comprised of flamboyant, overly-confident, enthusiastic showboaters? And there's nothing wrong with that: after all, these guys have to strut their stuff, entertain the crowd, and hold the band together--all at the same time.

The movie DRUMLINE pays homage to the determined percussionists who entertain college football crowds on Saturday afternoons. The story itself is formulaic and predictable: young Devon (Nick Cannon), a snare drummer with buckets of talent but a serious attitude, is constantly on the outs with his no-nonsense band director, Dr. Lee (Orlando Jones, forever known to me as the 7UP dude). But the story is enhanced by the fascinating trials and tribulations of the (fictitious) Atlanta A&T marching band as it progresses through a long football season. The viewer is privy to the band's...

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My One And Only [HD]

A surprise
I had "My One and Only" on a list of recent movies I had missed and after viewing it, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this charming, slightly over-the-top film. Renée Zellweger plays the often beaten down but nonetheless driven mother of two teenage boys, whose own separation from her husband has her, quite literally, driven to leave him. And drive she and the boys do! From Boston to California, it's one missed opportunity after another as Zellweger runs into a cast of losing suitors...several played by actors of note.

The pace is decidedly slow, but that makes "My One and Only" all the better. While Zellweger is the glue that holds the family (and the movie) together, a wonderful performance is turned in by Logan Lerman, who plays the older son George. George serves as narrator and his emotional expressiveness is just right for the part. I highly recommend "My One and Only" and I wouldn't be surprised if the viewer might want to see it for a second...

Comedy Drama
This movie is so underated. We went to see it because it was the only adult movie playing last year in September.

The movie plays out like movies of the 1940's and 50'... just so entertaining. It kinda reminds me of Neil Simon plays.

Sad that only action flicks and kids animated movies are the movies that we are inundated with today. I just absolutely loved it !!! I am watching it the second time and I enjoyed just as much as the first time, maybe more.
Just a word of caution, If you are not 60 plus you want understand this movie or probably enjoy it. It is like movies were when movies were really movies

Back in the 1960's Rene character would have been cast as Vivien Leigh, Jean Simmons, Janet Leigh, and other stars of that era that could have played a lady who life had dealt a blow from which you just don't recover, you just endure.

Would not call this a comedy, but a worthy product overall
Once again I was ordering this on the premise similar to what you see on the cover: "funny", "cheerful comedy" and the cover showing everyone smiling. There were several lines that were laugh-out-loud funny, but this was more of a drama about an angered wife traveling cross country with her two teen boys to hop from sugar daddy to sugar daddy.

The performances were adequate, with even Chris Noth having a brief part as a one of the lunatics she briefly picks to marry. David Koechner plays a great little role as another one of the crazies she tried to marry. Renee plays her role quite well, but it is hard to feel for her as she leap frogs from man to man, uprooting the boys each time as they travel to California from New York. Logan Lerman (who I first remember from Meet Bill) succinctly plays one of her boys, that if you do not read the art or remember the spoiler ads - gives a nice twist at the end of...

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Diary Of A Wimpy Kid [HD]

Awesome Family Fun!!!
This movie was actually a lot better than I expected, and had some hilarious moments. I can relate to some of the things that happened to Greg. I have not read the book, so I couldn't compare it. 12 year old Greg Heffley is nervous about starting middle school. Him and his dorky best friend, Rowley Jefferson try to fit in and become popular, but that's easier said than done. Throughout the school year, Greg and Rowley come up with weird ways to become popular like being a Safety Patrol officer, wrestling, and performing in epic school plays. In order to truly appreciate this film, you either need to be a parent, or think from the perspective of a kid. I highly recommend DIARY OF A WIMPY KID!!!

Better than I expected
My daughter loves this book series, so my wife decided to get this DVD, and we watched it as a family. I wouldn't normally review a kid's movie, but I want to let dads know that this movie is actually watchable, and certainly better than I expected. The plot hangs together, the kids are good actors, and there are some genuinely funny moments which I can relate to from my own childhood. The only reason I'm deducting a star is that, as others have noted, the portrayal of the parents as somewhat clueless is both unnecessary and counterproductive.

Awesome Movie!!
This movie brought me back to middle school times. I'm an adult now. But this movie was highly entertaining. I can still relate to a lot of it, even though I am an adult and I don't have the same situations any more. But this movie makes it easy to remember. Middle school is a simpler time in your life. And this movie paints that picture very well. I don't mean they dumbed it down. This movie was smart with a very good message: "Never turn on your friends". What I mean is it shows how kids worry about simpler things in middle school. And they are frequently hilarious, just like the entirety of this movie. Zachary Gordon did an A+ job as Greg. I can't wait to see them all back in the sequel, and the one after that and the one after that! I give this a 10/10!

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Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story [HD]

A wonderfully stupid movie!
I guess my husband and I just don't have the sophistication needed to appreciate "films," because this movie is just our type! We actually had to stop the DVD a couple of times to compose ourselves. My stomach hurt so much from the wrench-throwing and car-dodging scenes. I know it's stupid, but it totally cracked us up! If you want to watch something that requires no thinking but entertains you to the max, give this one a try.

"You're in a chinese opium tent Timmy!"
"This is where dodgeball was invented....by opium addicted chinamen." This movie is perfect. It was never meant to be some critically acclaimed opus....actually, the more I know about most critics the less I care what they think but this movie is a perfect 90 minute smilefest with wonderfully warm performances by absolutely everyone in this film. From the two main stars all the way down to Chuck Norris.

I absolutely love everything about this film. They actually have a guy who actually thinks he's a pirate. Justin Long says "no doy" and did that guy by the jukebox get killed by a dodgeball? The direction is spot on, the writing is fantastic and everyone on the screen is absolutely the best person I can imagine for their respective roles. Also, there is something so funny about a rhino-skin playground ball smacking someone in the chops. I could never grow tired of watching this film. It will put you in a good mood....isn't that what entertainment is about?

Well isn't that convient for you... and the clock.
Dodgeball is one of the greatest movies ever made. The movie is about Vince Vaughn leading a group of misfits to win a Dodgeball tournment to save his gym. The movie is funny from the beginning to the end. Ben Stiller plays a great villian, White Goodman a sucessful gym owner who uses a whole bunch of funny and stupid sayings to every phrase. Rip Torn does a great job as Patches O'Houllahan, the Average Joes dodgeball coach who says the now classic line "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball". Also you can't forget Christine Taylor and Stephon Roots great performances and my favorite in the movie Steve The Pirate.

Buy this movie, it is great. Best Sports Movie Ever made.

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Gorilla At Large [HD]

GORILLA AT LARGE.....
This review is for "Gorilla at Large", the reason I bought this disc. In 1954, the 3-D craze was at its' peak--especially with horror films and this included the gorilla movie as scare factor. 1954 saw "Phantom of the Rue Morgue" and "Gorilla at Large" pawing their way into theaters in 3-D and Technicolor, with better than average budgets. "Gorilla at Large" is set in a seedy carnival around a lurid sideshow called "The Garden of Evil" where beautiful trapeze star Mlle. LaVerne ( a young and beautiful Anne Bancroft paying her starlet dues) swings seductively over a gorilla pit where mankiller ape Goliath reaches for her, threatening to yank her down at any moment. LaVerne's troubled and hot-tempered husband (a stoic Raymond Burr) jealously oversees her act and LaVerne. He also manages the carnival. Two problematic things occur: a hunky new stuntman for LaVerne ( a young, hunky Cameron Mitchell) for a dangerous new thrill in her act and a brutal murder. The murder shuts the carnival...

Good to see these movies again...
Midnight Movie Madness continues with great stuff from the past. The movie
mystery on Monster Island is so well preserved that it looks like it was
just recently made. Saw this movie as a kid, and one of the characters is
as stupid as i remember him...but was well worth seeing this movie again.
Nice to see Peter Cushing again...Enjoy

uneven double feature redeemed by top-rate "Gorilla"
Like the other reviewers here, I really only bought this set because I dearly wanted GORILLA AT LARGE. Honestly, the less said about MYSTERY ON MONSTER ISLAND (1981) the better. Well, at least it stars Peter Cushing but the movie is a complete snooze. Better stick to men in ape suits and Anne Bancroft prancing about in a sexy trapeze outfit.

...which leads us back to GORILLA AT LARGE...

Filmed at the height of the 3-D craze, GORILLA AT LARGE (1954) isn't a horror film as much as it is a mystery crime thriller. Fox contract players Cameron Mitchell and Anne Bancroft star and add lots of extra gloss to this tawdry tale of a series of murders in a circus. The setting is a circus called the Garden of Evil, where the star attraction is Goliath, a gorilla (and played very obviously by a man wearing a chimp suit). Anne Bancroft is Mlle. Laverne, a trapeze artist whose whole act revolves around swinging above Goliath's enclosure. When a series of grisly murders...

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Hatchet for the Honeymoon [Blu-ray]

Middling Bava is still impressive
A unique blend of giallo and ghost story/tale of madness, Hatchet for the Honeymoon is quite an entertaining trifle. The plotting is careless, what with the police inspector showing up at just the right moment at least three times too many, but Mario Bava's many visual and editing flourishes are so clever they're downright witty. I particularly like the way the psycho, John Herrington, literally puts his wife at a distance by looking at her through the wrong end of his binoculars while she harangues him. Also wonderful is a transition where the camera pans across a line of mannequin heads that seem to float against the black background of a darkened room. The camera stops at the final head, which we realize with a start is Herrington, and we hear a woman's voice speaking. There's a momentary sense of dizzying disorientation before the camera suddenly continues its pan and we see the woman speaking and realize that we're in a different scene now. There's also a bit...

Great movie but very poor picture and terrible sound!
As always, my review is based on the QUALITY of the DVD.

I appreciate Image Entertainment giving us the opportunity to view "Hatchet for the Honeymoon" and another work of Mario Bava to observe. It is remarkable that we have this new entertainment medium and that we can enjoy these films from so long ago. But -- this DVD is the worst one that I own. The picture is lousy and the sound is awful. You get the 1.66:1 screen ratio, but that wouldn't be so bad if the picture was CLEAR. I'm not sure if this was released prematurely. Just take into consideration my review of picture + sound to make your decision if you really want to buy this. In addition, it comes in a snap-case although there are some notes within.

Volume is at an all-time low. I had to crank up my speaker and software volume to the maximum and still had trouble hearing the dialogue. You could not possibly eat potato chips and listen to this at the same time!

The movie itself is pretty good, perhaps worthy of...

probably the best this movie will ever look
Bava's intriguing and original twist on the Italian giallo (a genre he had pretty much invented with Evil Eye and Blood and Black Lace) with an empathic view towards the killer (who is never hidden like in other thrillers but revealled right at the start). However, this is not a harrowing portrait of perversity like Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer or even Psycho. Bava's colourful compositions and beautiful cinematography give the proceedings a decidedly playful appeal - and his surreal flashbacks whenever the killer strikes avoids the use of on-screen gore. His use of voice-overs in the opening is inspired, as our 'hero' ponders his madness, what drives him to kill, etc. All this is delivered with a suitible ironic european flavour that non-Bava fans may be rather baffled by.

It's a shame that 'Hatchet' didn't receive the sort of dvd treatment 'Black Sunday' or 'Lisa & the Devil' got from Image, but it's a solid addition to any collection of Bava's work or fans...

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Black Sunday: Remastered Edition [Blu-ray]

Beautiful, Brilliant Bava
Italian director Mario Bava exploded onto the horror scene with the wonderful black and white film "Black Sunday," also known as "The Mask of Satan" (a title I prefer because it does such a better job describing the movie). This picture borrows heavily from a Nikolai Gogol short story called "The Vij," and while I am not familiar with the story, the movie succeeds fantastically at conveying a bleak atmosphere of horror. "The Mask of Satan" was Bava's official directorial debut, giving viewers a chance to see the genius that was to come from this excellent filmmaker. Bava didn't merely direct films, however. He also worked on all aspects of movie making during his long career. The director even helped his son cut his teeth in the business immediately before his death in 1980. Fans will miss Bava terribly after viewing just a few of his films, as he was one of those rare Italian horror directors who could truly deliver the goods.

"Black...

This deluxe DVD is a must for any serious collector
Black Sunday is an engrossing, well-crafted, and suprisingly beautiful horror film. This DVD is testament to that fact and a sharp back-handed slap at those who automatically dismiss genre movies as trash. The respect Black Sunday and director Mario Bava are given is long overdue.

I won't bore you with tedious plot summarys. All I will tell you is that if you haven't seen Black Sunday, you must, and that if you have seen it, you must see it again in this presentation (because you've been missing plenty both in content and quality).

Presented in its origanal 1:66:1 theatrical aspect ratio, viewers for the first time can see this classic in ALL its macabre glory. The image quality is absolutely astounding when one compares it to the VHS editions floating around. The audio is also presented in pristine condition gaurenteed to sound excellent in any stereo thanks to the various formats.

All this makes one wonder exactly how much time went into this? If Video...

Best-ever transfer (but....)
Actually, my rating for this DVD version of "Black Sunday" would be 5 stars for the video transfer, 5 stars for Bava's cinematography (seen here like never before), 2 stars for the audio transfer, and 3 stars for the overall quality of the film itself. Bava was not a great director, and didn't like to be called a "cinematographer," but this film really is a painting in motion: every scene is a paradigm of Gothicism -- the cinematic equivalent of Gustave Dore. Like other

reviewers, I was floored by the print used for this disc: it looks, almost literally, like it was shot yesterday, and it's almost impossible to believe the film is almost 40 years old. If there are other films from this era that look this pristine, I haven't seen them. My only quarrel with the disc has to do with the dubbing. In all honesty, I feel this film sports one of the worst American dubbing jobs ever performed on a film, and the big question (which neither Tim Lucas nor...

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Ramona and Beezus [HD]

A Shockingly Wonderful Film
I'm just going to go out there and say it: Elizabeth Allen's "Ramona and Beezus" is the best film of the summer. It may not be the most visually thrilling ("Inception") or the most complex ("Salt"), but "Ramona and Beezus" is utterly charming from start to finish. In a age when films about children are laborious to endure, this is a bright, sweet and fun film. The acting is genuinely great from the very human cast. Joey King as Ramona hits every note like a seasoned professional. Her back up from John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, Selena Gomez, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Duhamel and Sandra Oh is so solid and seamless that you believe this lot is a family. And family is what this film does so right. "Ramona and Beezus" captures in spades what "Where the Wild Things Are" tried so desperately to create: what it feels like to be a misunderstood child. It also deals with modern day family issues like the recession, divorce and dating in ways that never ring false. Sure, the film never gets dark...

She Makes Trouble, but She Means Well
Ramona Quimby doesn't mean to cause trouble. If anything, her intentions are purely honorable. It's just that ... well, she's nine years old; she has a lot of energy, her imagination is vivid, and her goals are ambitious. The unfortunate side effect is that she makes her life and the lives of those around her chaotic. Her teenage sister, named Beatrice but saddled with the unwanted nickname of Beezus, thinks she's a pest. Her teacher, so stiffly matter-of-fact, doesn't like it when she makes up her own words, even if they happen to sound a lot more fun. Her mother, busy at home with an infant daughter, would love it if she would learn to control her enthusiasm. Even her father, so pleasant and involved with his children, would sometimes like to see her grow up just a little bit. The only one who seems to understand Ramona is her aunt Bea. Of course, it's easy to understand a rambunctious child when you don't have to live with her every day.

"Ramona and Beezus," adapted from...

Terrific family film
Beverly Cleary's "Ramona" books, as well as her other series and standalones are about half a dozen chapters long. Each one is carefully detailed and paced - even if the event would seem minor to an adult - it's treated with the importance as a child of Ramona's age would view it.

In contrast, this movie pitches Cleary's plots to you like fastballs. For example, first Ramona gets a bad report card and curses (Ramona the Brave), then she makes a mess with toothpaste (Ramona and Her Mother), and then her dad brings home Gummi Bears for her and sister to share (Ramona and Her Father), and so on. There's also some fantasy sequences to emphasize Ramona's runaway imagination and to give the film even more of a child's eye-view perspective.

The overall plot is basically borrowed from "Ramona Forever," as Howie Kemp's annoying Uncle Hobart tries to (re) woo Ramona's Aunt Bea. There's also a storyline (Ramona and Her Father) about their dad losing his job (which...

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