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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE 1940 VERSION OF WATERLOO BRIDGE???? How come the far superior 1940 version of Waterloo Bridge starring Vivien Leigh and Robert Taylor isn't being released too?
0negative
A New Direction Home Dylan has always been an elusive subject. Myth and fact cloaking him well on his long journey, and it seems the more we know the more complex the man becomes.In this 3 hour+ documentary Scorsese weaves a wonderful mixture of archival footage and interviews, with Dylan's insightful narrative, creating what is both an exploration of a career and a keen account of the 1960's music scene.No Direction Home helps explain the fascination with Dylan as visionary poet and prolific musician.Scorsese manages to convey Dylan's impact on the folk/rock/country/blues scene illustrating how his mastery of tradition fueled and informed the progress of the genre.It's a great in-depth look at a long and complicated career and it only covers up to 1966!!And in the process of telling Bob's rich tale Scorsese reveals, more than a little, of just how the 'star-maker machinery' turns a man into a myth.
1positive
David Boreanaz played his part...... He played his part great, and i'm a huge fan of his, and poor man for the beating he got at the end. And as for the girls, they should have just left him alone, and as for the first one ahe should have used protection and understand that it wasn't love but S$$ itslf. Blonde, and niave, she should have known better.As for David chacter, he should have payed more attention and should have spoke to his wife about the situation, maybe everyone would have walked out happy, and he would have learne his lesson another way---never cheat on your wife, because it'll come back to haunt you. But if it were me, i take David's side if this story was a westle mania.:)
1positive
great new version of a classic horror film Great remastering job, and the color was great. Great dvd great price, get this one now.
1positive
Great follow up to Season 1 I love Prison Break. I own seasons 1 and 2. Season two is spectacular, you never want to stop watching. Each episode flows into the next one, making it impossible to pass up the opportunity to watch every episode back to back. Season 2 Prison Break marathon, what more can I say?Eric
1positive
Make Up Doesn't Hide an Already Ugly Face Too juvenile to appeal to a mature audience and yet too scary to be appropriate for a younger one. They spare no expense when it comes to beautiful CGI effects but clearly have both a sloppy screenplay and poor director. Quite a few of these actors are big names with consistently good performances so I couldn't believe their cheesy acting. I am a huge movie fan and love a good cinematic interpretation of a book and believe whole-heartedly in the director and screenplay writer's creative license to make changes to the story to better fit the screen. That said, the books really deserved better.
0negative
Very cute! I have to confess, I had never seen a Charlie Chaplin film before I took a chance and purchased Modern Times on DVD. Why this film, you ask? I remembered it from a biography I saw of Chaplin on television. I was instantly impressed once I inserted it into my DVD player. The more I watch this cute little movie, the funnier it becomes.The DVD is 1.33:1 (standard) and is in black and white. The picture is good enough for a 30's film. Oddly, the picture is "cropped" within a black square as if the screen were zoomed-out slightly. Chaplin wrote the score, being that this film is predominately "silent" (the characters raarely talk, although some do at times). There are title cards used intermittantly throughout as well. The music is very good, and confirms my opinion of Chaplin as a very multifaceted man of many talents.It was a risky purchase that proved to be a wise-buy. You can be sure I will buy more Chaplin films in the future! Shame on the television networks and cable for not making me (and probably many others like me) more aware of this 20th Century icon.
1positive
A must see before viewing "The Final Chapter" ( 7, 8, 9) The first six chapters of The Men Who Killed Kennedy is a must read before viewing chapters seven , eight and nine. I do agree with another reviewer in respect to this series lacking cohesion. However, I consider this "brainstorming" in a way and a chance to see how complex this operation was. Who participated in it and who covered it up will be explained in the remaining three chapters. The Zapruder film sets the stage for everything to follow. From the Zapruder film, we know that Kennedy was shot from the front. Since the Parkland Doctors also confirm this , we are sure there was a cover up since the autopsy photos show no rear exit wound. The Love Field Secret Service Standown confirms it was an inside job. These facts are enough to conclude we were not told the truth and one could just stop there. I guess what many people are asking is the government to finally admit the aformentioned obvious facts, but they continue to deny it, bringing from OJ Simpson fame, Michael Boden to try to convice us one moves in the opposite direction of the force of a bullet! You will see in the final chapters two doctors clearly stating both the neck and head wound are wounds from the front. You cant tell from Zapruder where the neck wound comes from. But it is clear to anyone where the head shot came from. My roomate, who is an ex-Marine, stated he never saw the Zapruder film beyond the sign before. I am sure this is the case for most people. When he did see it , he couldnt believe the whole film was kept from him all this time ( he is 40) and that it is so obvious that the shot is from the front. Also, he pointed out the light reflecting on the bullet as it comes from the front. This is obvious to a soldier. Ironically, just like Nostradamus predicted. " A lighting bolt will kill a great leader during daylight and the assasin will never be found" You would have thought they would have thrown in the towel when the Zapruder film came out but not these people. Finally, forget the less credible people and concentrate on the ones who are stating facts, like Cyril Wecht and Fletcher Prouty. They know what they are talking about, and are very credible people. Enjoy this series and prepare yourself for the final chapters, which will knock you off your feet when you see the now infamous Love Field video where during the start of the fatal motorcade Secret Service Agent Henry J Rybka begins to jog alongside the presidential limousine. He is immediately called back by his shift leader and commander of the follow-up car detail, Emory P. Roberts. Rybka's dismay and confusion is made manifest by his unambiguous body language: He throws up his arms several times before, during and after the follow-up car passes him. He was not being allowed to do his job. Incredibly , the frustrated and patriotic Rybka did not enter the follow up car and was left behind at the airport! This video is available on the banned last episodes and is detailed online in a grimly narrated version ( the music is from the funeral , with the President riding to his death) . Just Google -Secret Service JFK Love Field video.
1positive
Simply love story in not simply times It is a simply and tragic love story between girl from communist Russia (Goldie Hawn) and American Journalist (Anthony Hopkins). It does not mater where we are living we have this same needs and dreams. Sometimes the only way to fulfill the dreams is to have big imagination and enjoy every spark of color in the gray reality. Great movie for everyone who feels tired of watching latest shallow Hollywood productions.
1positive
........................................... Oh my god. What happened with this movie???!!!!!!I can't believe I finished watching till the end.....and the ending......even a child won't create this ending.It seems like they want to make a house of the dead with a New York scene. It should be more interesting though.But the first one, I give it one star because it is such a funny movie. (horrible?? I don't feel it)
0negative
Best Investment/Purchase Ever for my Daughter My daughter was 22 months old when we purchased this DVD and we alternated playing it daily for her, after naptime, with the Do the Alphabet DVD. Within 2-3 weeks she could count to 15 and one day surprised me by counting backwards using a number book we had. She is now 26 months old and is ready to count to 30 which we are working on. We incorporate counting and saying our alphabet letters throughout the day daily. Yesterday I parked in spot #21 which was very clearly labeled and she keeped saying "12, 12, 12..." I realized that we needed to advance her to learning more numbers b/c to her it looked like a 12 since she could only count to 15. There are some things you purchase that do not work with your child, and this one was like striking gold- it is the best purchase I've made, right up there with her BabyBjorn soft bib.
1positive
SNOOZE-FEST ALERT! I think the only alien Mr. Tyler (the main character woman) saw was herself in the mirror. I mean if you shave her head bald, doesn't she look like an alien herself? I'm not talking about Milla Jovovich that portrayed Tyler, I'm talking about the lady herself.Anyhow, I was bored to death and in general I'm not too crazy on the alien idea. I'm pretty sure they're out there, I'm just not as fascinated about them. I mean what is more scarier, a creep dead Japanese demon chick ghost or a green/rainbow colored alien. I'm just messing, but yeah this movie bored me and I really felt like I wasted my life (more than usual) watching this.
0negative
Awful movie Where to start....Well, firstly, why a national/world hero, who received a presidential medal, would be begging for a job? Anyone would hire him, if not for his skills, but in the very least, for publicity. John Malkovich's character was completely pointless and a waste of screen space (nothing against the actual actor, but he was poorly placed), ex: the red/yellow cup nonsense. Actually, about 30-40 minutes of the entire movie could've be easily taken out for the sheer god awful humor. Secondly, what is the purpose of Rosy's character? She is nothing but a piece of a** without any real functionality. Her relationship with Sam is not believable at all. I never bought for a second that they were in love and, in his words, she was "the one". At least Megan Fox was useful, she didn't just offer support to fight Deceptacons and help Sam, we could see their relationship grow and develop from high school acquaintances to full blown romance. But this woman was either flaunted as Sam's mandatory love interested or needed constant saving.Surely, the movie has a lot of good special effects, but no actual plot, character development, humor, and believable romance. Sam keeps whining about the same things he did in the first film, except that now he should've grown up a bit.
0negative
Daniel Craig is an amazing Bond Casino Royale is a welcome departure from the recent Pierce Brosnan films, which became so ludicrously over-the-top that they were annoying, culminating in the ridiculous invisible car and ice castle in the Halle Barry-starring last one. Thankfully, the producers have gotten back to the basics - emphasizing realistic (comparatively) action with bits of humor rather than humor with bits of realistic action. Daniel Craig, who benefits from a great script, plays the role with a intensity, capturing Bond's character weakness - his ego - while also showing his wounded, vulnerable side. The opening sequence, featuring an athlete known for his pioneering "free running" technique in England, is among the best of the Bond series, setting just the right tone for the film. Eva Green does OK, but I think she is a terrible actress overall. I'm excited to see the next film.
1positive
Michael's no longer burned but this series is still on fire Burn Notice has become a series that has now become a somewhat inappropriate title since it is not really applicable to the main character anymore. Regardless... the show is still excellent. This season was full of great drama and concludes the hunt for Anson Fuller, the last one responsible for the organization that burned Michael. The hunt however has lasting consequences with ripples that turn into tidal waves that last until the very end of the season.There's one thing I do miss though about this show, and that's how Michael was always helping normal, everyday people get out of very complicated and sticky situations. Those moments are for the most part gone now... and I miss those moments. I just hope those moments come back because they were fun and charming, and part of the reason I latched onto this series like a lobster onto its prey.Burn Notice is successful mostly due to the cast, who are wonderful and fun to watch. They still have to improvise, intimidate and climb their way out of continuously impossible situations. The show is still a great watch and pays off for those who have been watching since the first episode.
1positive
Green Hornet has no sting What a terrible movie! Seth Rogen's acting is as bad as it gets. There is nothing worth seeing in this disaster of a film. Hardest of all is the thought of whqt this movie could have been. Let's just flush this one and hope that someone will give it another try.
0negative
Worst Movie Ever I was unfortunate enough to actually go to the theater to see this movie. Even more unfortunate, I picked the flick and saw it with a group of subordinates, with the idea of getting them out of the office for a while to have a little fun. This is by far the worst movie I have ever paid to see, and to be honest, I would pay someone not to watch it. The makers of this movie didn't seem to really know what it was supposed to be - horror, comedy, action. The horror was non-existent, the comedy was rotten. They even decided to throw in some "matrix" like moves. I can't even come up with the proper words to say to describe this thing. All I can really say is...don't waste your time.
0negative
Blu-ray version looks amazing This is my first Criterion Blu-ray and it looks great, I couldn't be happierIf you've never seen the film, sorry but words really don't do it justice, but without gettin' all artsy fartsy on ya', let's just say that--Trying to describe the experience of seeing Fellini's "8 1/2" is like trying to explain hearing Beethoven's "9th", you really gotta experience it for yourself-- (that was deep, huh?)anyway, great Blu-ray, tons of bonus stuff... it's very, very, nice!
1positive
A Sequal that gets new blood flowing A dying franchise after some awful sequals, 3-6, Halloween H20 brings back life... and death into the series. It brings back everyone's favorite scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis as her highlighted film character of Laurie Strode, the innocent sister of a homicidal maniac with a fetish for mutilated teen carcasses. Unlike Freddy and Jason, Michael Myers is still a worthy stalker, ( though I have to say Wes Craven's New Nightmare was a superb film ). Also along with Jamie Lee's stunning performance and revival, some new blood is drained in. Josh Hartnett is so-so, a reasonable actor ( what the hel's with his hair!!!), Michelle Williams I like, but she didn't have much of a character to experiment with. Jody Lynn O'Keefe (SP?) had a shocking scene and had humorous lines, along with L.L. Cool J who was much better than I had expected, and that Adam Hann Byrd guy, a bad actor and ugh, he didn't fit into this film well. Oh well though.. he died.. so.. onto the next. Adam Arkin was great and his death was well played. But the true shining parts were every moment of screen time with Jamie Lee curtis, her 'Psycho' mother's appearance, Janet Leigh, and the return of the nurse from the first and second. Those moments already give this film a five. Also here's a tip, see one and two definately, 3 through 6.. well yo'll regret it.
1positive
Very nice concept that takes a little too long to unfold I love the basic idea here (won't spoil it with details), but by the time it was revealed and started to flower, we were rather bored. It then got very interesting and thought-provoking, however, so if you can wait for about 45 minutes there is a fine payoff. If it had been revealed early on and then played out with more time, I think this would be a truly classic film.Rockwell certainly is good here, though of course I can't really detail that comment without spoliers!I was overly reminded of 2001 and Blade Runner a little too often, especially the latter towards the end here. But, those are fine progenitors to have, so fair enough. The director is to be complimented for such a fine job on a pretty small budget, in any case, and for getting a great performance from Sam.In short, if you like character peices and/or sci-fi, this is well worth checking out.The blu-ray is excellent, btw, with a nice transfer and a bunch of good extras, including two commentaries, a few little docs, and a rather good short film by Jones, quite decent in its own right, with some very fine footage of Swiss locales and an interesting plot.All in all, a nice little package for a unique film.
1positive
Not so good I rented this movie because of the reviews on this site. Unfortunately I was misled. For people who enjoy plot twists at the very end of the film go ahead rent this. If you like looking at a young beautiful woman go topless for much of the film, go ahead and rent this. But if you want something interesting and compelling to watch rent a different film. The acting is so, so. The plot is actually predictable, even given the twisted ending. And the stucture of the film needs a lot of work. Whoever thought that spending twenty minutes watching somebody get unpacked in a new house and settling into a routine was interesting film needs to go back to film school and start over.This film functions best as sort of a softcore pornography but it aspires to be hitchockian. It misses the mark.
0negative
No English audio track Beware, that this DVD does not have English audio track despite its Amazon description. This is an outstanding movie, but Amazon has wrong data and issued a full refund for me.
0negative
Plucky Shirley Helps Everyone Find Happiness Well, almost everyone--that Frau Rottenmeier doesn't seem too thrilled with the curative effect Heidi is having on crippled Clara, whom Frau Rottenmeier would like to depend solely on her. And why, you may ask? Well, that might make Clara's rich widowed father think the housekeeper should be upgraded to second wife, of course. Now you may wonder, what's Heidi the Alpine Miss doing here in Frankfort anyway? Our film opens with Heidi's being deposited on her paternal grandfather by her shrewish Aunt Dete, who's tired of taking care of her sister's orphan. In time, Heidi works her charm on the curmudgeonly grandfather and they grow to love each other. Then Aunt Dete resurfaces and uses a ruse to transport Heidi to Frankfort as a companion to a sickly crippled girl. But true soulmates can never be separated, and as Heidi longs to return to her alpine home, so her grandfather sets off to find his granddaughter, even if it's on foot. Lots of excitement before our happy ending is concluded. Like all Shirley Temple vehicles, "Heidi" provides an excellent role model for young children, a resourceful cheerful girl who makes friends quickly and acts the peacemaker. Shirley turns in a good performance and even reunites with her previous co-star, butler Arthur Treacher. Marcia Mae Jones gets to play Clara, a nice girl here, instead of the jealous girl she was in "The Little Princess"; Mary Nash, another veteran of "The Little Princess", is just as mean in both movies . Share "Heidi" with some young children you know for an entertaining and edifying time.
1positive
Grimm S-2 I'm awaiting this TV series Grimm S-2 so I cannot review something I have not received. Sorry but show me later after I get the series two.
1positive
So refreshing! What a thoughtful movie! I wasn't expecting to love it or feel sentimental about it in the slightest, but it did both those things. I finally understand Zoe Kazan's appeal and love that she wrote this. Paul Dano is always a great actor, but it was nice to see him in a less intense role. Highly recommended!
1positive
"That book has caused me untold trouble through the ages" If you enjoy B-grade fantasy films with A-grade effects and plot twists then you will love this movie.If you want a heartfelt treatise that examines the nobler and gentler side of demons and devil worship, plagues and pestilence then there is nothing here for you. Put your Athame up, and cast your maledictions elsewhere.Before getting into the plot, the film has a brilliant sound track and some of the best medieval trappings in terms of clothing, accouterments, and scenery that I have seen in a movie.Warning! Beyond this point, there lies spoilers!Nicolas Cage (Behmen) and Ron Perlman (Felson), two B-Movie giants, team up to play a pair of disaffected Templars fighting in the crusades. The movie plays to the commonly held, contemporary view that the crusades were not about religion at all. A disgusted Cage and Perlman desert God's army and head home.So far, it is the plot of 500 movies (including recent revisionist versions of Robin Hood).Ah! That is when the writer, Bragi Schut, throws his first plot twist. Behmen and Felson are recognized in a town and captured as deserters. Nicely played Sir! That is a likely occurrence. Unlike many of the recent movies that play the townspeople of the Middle Ages as secular humanists; the townspeople were in fact typically quite devoted to the church and would have turned in deserters from the Holy War.The duo is accosted by a dire Christopher Lee playing a cardinal dying of the plague. The cardinal has discovered that the plague has been caused by a witch; he wants Behmen and Felson to escort the witch to a monastery that has a copy of a sacred text, the Key of Solomon.The pair is accompanied by an altar boy who wants to be a knight, a priest, a hired hand of the cardinal, and a merchant/guide.Director Dominic Sena does an excellent job of dropping enough hints about the truth behind the witch to make the final plot twist a reasonable revelation.The group takes on rotten bridges, haunted forests, and plague filled villages.On the way to the monastery, the party loses its hired hand and merchant.When the group arrives at the monastery, the witch reveals itself to actually be a demon!The demon has been systematically destroying copies of the Key of Solomon for the past several hundred years. The copy at the monastery is the last.An epic melee occurs, and good triumphs over evil. The plague is lifted. Behmen and Felson have their faith in the church restored and die heroes.Turns out that demons are bad.In addition to the well-done aspects of the movie already mentioned, there are two more points that make this a great buy.First, the extras on the DVD are very good. The deleted scenes are especially insightful, but they would have made for a different movie. I liked both versions.Second, the banter between Felson and Behmen is extremely well-done. As a combat veteran, I could imagine brothers in arms saying the quips that the two made, e.g., "not bad for a dungeon," "forget the souls, I'll take some chicken," etc.All in all, it would be an excellent addition to any B-grade film fan's library.In service,Rich[...]
1positive
A great movie! This movie is based upon the true story of the Simpkins Family of Georgia from March 31, 2000. Knowing this was a true story made this a little more difficult to watch. Also having had my little one wander off once certainly brought back those feelings of what-if, despair, scared-ness and finally relief and joy at being reunited with my babe.You will cry during this movie. You will be scared. You will feel the joy and relief of all those looking for little Joe when he is finally found. Watching the overly dedicated to work Dad, played by Dean Cain, fall to his knees in prayer is difficult to watch. He's crying out to the Lord to know if his son is alive or dead. What a place for a parent to be...It's a reminder to all of us to slow down and be very present with our family. To realize that life is too short to be wasted. To know that we are very much needed by the members of our families. And to know that God can use any situation, no matter how bad, to draw us to Him.Overall, I give this movie 5 stars. It is well worth the time to watch it, with your WHOLE family.
1positive
It came so close This movie had it all, the exitement, the thrills, and the gore. It even had great make-up. The moovie was fine,intense and scary up until the "Demon" .... WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???? And they didn't even say what he was! Oh well, I give it some credit I guess. Any way the plot is about two siblings headed home from colledge. As they drive home there almost crushed by a speeding old rusty truck. They regain there contiousness and they keep driving. They pass a house with that same car in the driveway. The "Man" is out of his truck and is putting some kind of wrapped up something in white sheets with red stains into a tunnel in the ground. The two of them get scared and drive off but then they see him leave and diside to go investigate. The guy goes down in the tunnel and see corpes hanging all over the walls with things like heads sewn back on. They decide to tell the police at a coffee shop, when they get a strange telephone call back. The "Thing" chases them in there car, and leaves mysterious "Clues" along the way. Will the two be eaten alive? And what does this all have to do with JEEPERS CREEPERS find out when you watch the movie!
1positive
Son won't even watch it once because Diesel 10 is on the cover. My son is 4 and Thomas is his hero. But you mix Diesel 10 into his Thomas world it gives him nightmares. My son will not even watch anything with Diesel 10 in it. Scares the hell out of him. He is not affraid of the Zombie games my husband plays. We took him to a haunted house because he asked to go and he was fine. But the second you mention diesel 10 he flips. He has had nightmares about him. I think Diesel 10 is a bad character and this is not the first I have read children have not liked him. They need to get rid of this character....
0negative
Four Aces So the word had come down from on high. The mandarins have spoken, and the outline of Brando's career has begun to take form. In brief, he was a flash in the pan: a handful of great roles in the early 50s followed by a lengthy decline marked by occasional triumphs ascribed mostly to the efforts of other people. Entire decades, e.g. the 60s, went past without a single role worth noticing.Much as I hate to contradict my betters, this is a load of crapola. A master's talent may ebb and flow, but it seldom fails completely. Brando made good films in every period of his career. In the 60s, supposedly his artistic Gobi, we can point to The Chase, Morituri, Burn!, and One Eyed Jacks.One Eyed Jacks is in many ways the most interesting of the lot. It's one of Brando's few Westerns, and the only film he directed. (Everyone knows the Kubrick story, which, I think, goes a long way to explain why the film has been dismissed.) One question that occurs to me is whether it was filmed from the Burst of Vermilion script that Truman Capote had such fun sneering at in his interview with Brando. But whatever the case, Jacks is no actor's film, it's a fully realized picture, a fine example of the gritty, adult Western that began appearing the 50s and reached its apotheosis in Peckipah's work a decade later.The acting is uniformly superb. Brando is at his best, a mercurial, Byronic figure as frightening as he is appealing. Brando excelled at playing rebels, and Rio ranks as such with Terry Malloy and Stanley Kowalski. Supporting roles are more than adequately filled by such Western regulars as Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson, and Slim Pickens (Jacks is obviously the source of Terry Southern's great story about Picken's first meeting James Earl Jones, who wanted to know what it like working with Brando: "Wayul, I worked with Bud Brando for six months, and he never done nothin' that weren't all man and all white.") Karl Malden's whipcracking performance will come as quite a surprise to those familiar only with his television persona. The only exception is the love interest, an anorexic little thing who, thankfully, is not onscreen for very long.Earlier reviews make it clear that the available versions vary widely in quality, to say the least. I saw it in this one, a dark, overexposed version with the focus more than iffy (that's why the rating is docked a notch). A pity, since the cinematography seems exceptional. One of these days, somebody will need to prepare a cleaned-up version so that we can make a fairer judgement of the thing. As it stands, Brando's eye appears to have matched his acting talents. It's a shame he didn't go on to direct others.The impulse to cut down the tall trees is perfectly understandable, which doesn't make it any less contemptible. It's a lot easier to sneer at an artist's eccentricities, weight problems, and severely dysfunctional offspring than to actually analyze the work, which could be open to error and might even put you in the firing line. But after all that is forgotten, the films and performances will remain. One Eyed Jacks will be prominent among them.
1positive
BIG SHOW AND BIG WINS I have bought many wrestler specific dvd's over the years, most I have rated three stars or less, this is a five star dvd no doubt about it. Most of the time when I buy a dvd about one of my farvorite wrestlers the match selection is terrible because which ever wrestler it may be the Undertaker for example wins about half of the matches on the dvd. Another negative about wrestler dvd's is too many of the matches are of little or no importance. The Big Show A Giants World does not have these problems, as this dvd has the best match selection I have ever seen, and The Big Show actually wins most of the matches (18-3-1). The matches on this dvd are also some of the most important of The Big Show's career these include, 5 world title wins, 2 world tag team title wins, 1 united states title win, and some successful title defences. If your a Big Show fan this is must have dvd. If I could I give it ten stars.
1positive
Excellent! The Stargate Franchise did it again! This is yet another exciting installment in the Stargate Atlantis series. The fourth season keeps you on the edge of your seat with character favorites dying and new ones coming onto the show. I highly recommend buying the DVD Set if you're an SGA fan.
1positive
Becoming a serious junkie I love historically based novels and programs. This is one of the best I have seen in a long time.
1positive
Snore. After all this time, I would think that this series of movies would get more exciting instead of less. It's like they sleep-walked through it: same old thing. Boring plot, less intrigue, blasé acting. Isn't this supposed to be a thriller?
0negative
One of the coolest movies EVER! Quentin Tarantino noted that the movie John Travolta did after "Pulp Fiction" was probably more important than "Pulp Fiction" with respect to his comeback in movies. This movie solidified John's popularity with his core audience. The movie is smart, irreverent, funny, satirical and just plain cool. If you watch it, note how the soundtrack is used to compliment the scenes. The score is almost like another actor in each scene. It is brought, forcefully, to the forefront of the scenes to provide color and depth. This rarely works in movies but it is done with considerable skill in "Get Shorty". Another "over the top" application is the product placement of the "Cadillac of Mini-Vans". They made no excuses and wrote the mini-van right into the script.This is a very well made movie. The actors are wonderful, the homage paid to prior films of it's ilk are subtle, yet, crafted skillfully, and the cinematography and music perfectly compliment the film flow and style.Okay, it's pretty clear I really like this movie. Nice thing about movies, there are many different movies of all types to satisfy our different tastes. If you like smart, dark comedies then I think you'll love this one. Enjoy!
1positive
Beautiful Realization of Stanislavsky's "A Sense of Truth" When I saw *Atonement* I had not read the book, and knew nothing about it other than the general theme of 'injustice,' and that two different women were involved--and for 90% of the movie I was essentially disappointed. Not by Joe Wright and his cohort of actors particularly Vanessa Redgrave at the end; Good lord, what a beautiful woman! Real actors do not hide their inner selves by their acting, they reveal it.), all beautifully done; no complaints at all on that score. What I didn't like was how essentially small-scale, in human terms, the whole thing was. SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE ON. The initial act of injustice was really no more than a Freudian morality play (a hybrid of the Medieval genre and Freud/Breuer's *Studies on Hysteria*), but the consequences of that act, the suffering it creates, is massively upstaged by the war, and scenes from the war. Injustice? Everyone involved in the war is suffering terrible injustice as a consequence of being forced by circumstance into participation. Young life, young love, and even just plain old young sex is cut off, cruelly terminated by both injustices, but how many tens of thousands of virgins died in the war, not just sexual virgins but with virgin hearts, and the latter true of how many women whose hearts were violated and forever changed by all the ugliness unfolding around them?All of this, however, is redeemed by the ending which, as in Coleridge's *Ancient Mariner*, is also the beginning. The whole story has not been about the two star-crossed lovers, but about Briony's lifetime burden of guilt, and her pitiful but beautifully authentic effort at atonement by telling the story (and creating her pitiful "happy ending"), as she herself is dying. It is pitifully inadequate, and she knows it, but she says, in effect, 'this is the best I can do.' And none of us, we realize, can do any better. I don't believe in original sin, but I do believe in an 'origin' disconnect between human aspirations and our instinctive sense of the possibility of an ideal life in an ideal world ("I have immortal longings in me," as Cleopatra says in Shakespeare's *Antony and Cleopatra*) on the one hand, and Freud's grim 'reality principle' on the other. For the human condition, as lived in this world, there can be no atonement. And this realization, so artfully expressed in the film, is anything but small-scale.
1positive
Not a history lesson. The story of John Adams is a very important part of our heritage as a nation. If you really want to understand this man and this period in our American history you have to read the biography by David McCullough. The HBO series is entertaining but does not capture the essence of 1776 America or the details which John Adams captured in his writings which are featured in the book. I am amazed at the number of people who falsely believe this miniseries serves as a lesson in history. Don't allow your intelligence to be dulled by the director of this film.
0negative
If you have been wondering where this show was going.... This season will give you insight. The show grows up a little with this season. There are many twists and turns, and it has been my absolute favorite season of the show. The show was starting to get dull with the same outcome, until mid season 6, and season 7 continues the greatness. It is fresh and taking a direction that is needed to keep the show going for another season or two.
1positive
never got it never got the DVD. canceled the order and they still sent it to the wrong address even after e-mailing them and explaining it was the wrong address.
0negative
Movie is set in Seattle?! I must watch it. I know that that movie was not really shot in Seattle (but the shot of the space needle is a really nice touch).I enjoyed this movie, I saw it in theaters and I loved the characters and though the storyline was pretty much predictable I still was highly entertained nevertheless.This movie is a must own for any movie buff5/5 stars!
1positive
Gives Sequels A Bad Name How I made it through this poorly executed, poorly written sequel, I have no idea. Catherine's in trouble again and people she meets are dying. Who's the murderer, Catherine, the shrink who lusts over her, or the cop who's so eager to toss her into the clink and throw away the key? Catherine certainly gets around: She manages to befriend the most unlikely of people, all associates or ex-wives or enemies of the shrink, and most of them end up dead. Is she trying to drive the shrink nuts, or does she plan to kill him?This movie makes little sense: It doesn't thrill or tantalize. And it offers Sharon Stone in an unflattering light, as a cold seductress with little to offer but mindless sex. But then that seems to be her best role, doesn't it? It doesn't work this time around, and the only realism is in Stone's sneer: It looked all too natural.
0negative
The world of the living and the dead collide....yawn..... I have heard the makers of this movie talk about how original this story is, but really, I have seen this type of movie many times before, and in much better vehicles. The movie tries to keep you on your toes by mixing up reality with surreal imagery. Oooooh, what's real, what's not? By the end of the movie, I was asking myself 'Who cares?'I think the actors in this movie did fairly good job, but the material they had to work with was really lame. For me, there were very few likable characters in this movie, so I really didn't take much interest in what happened to them. And the leather wearing, cigarette smoking, bad girl routine played by Eliza Dushku is getting old. I think she's smart, attractive, and deserves better parts than this. Maybe she needs a new agent.The movie revolves around an car accident, and the consequences of that accident. The movie, at first glance appears to be a horror type movie, but it is not. The movie claims to be a suspenseful thriller, but it is not. Sometimes it seemed to try and be both, but failed miserably. It's use of imagery, flashing between reality and the surreal, gets old fast. Just because someone can direct a MTV music video doesn't mean they can direct a feature length movie. The characters have little or no development and, subsequently, no depth. They are flat and uninteresting. The 'surprise' ending left me cold, as I saw it coming from a mile away. Basically the main character is left to deal with events, torn between different worlds, not knowing what's real and what's not...and the viewer stumbles along with this plodding story. I thought at some points the director was beating us over the head with his message, and at other points the message was lost in a swamp mess of surrealistic imagery.As I said, I've seen this sort of plot in better movies, and Carnival of Souls (1962) comes to mind. That movie was much more effective and a heck of a lot cheaper to make. Even Jacob's Ladder was better. The filmmakers claim that their story is so original and nothing like this has been done before is bogus and somewhat pretentious in my opinion.
0negative
Funny Movie Three geeky freshmen students face lots of troubles from 2 high school bullies. They are placed in the lockers, beaten up, humiliated, and laughed at all the time. In order to survive high school and save all this humiliation, they decide to hire a body guard. They met many candidates (one of the candidates is Chuck Liddell by the way), however they decide eventually to hire Drillbit Taylor. Now Drillbit Taylor told them he is an ex-miliatry fighter, but in reality he is only a street begger looking to make some extra money.Nice movie with some funny scenes. The funniest scenes are the ones where the students were bullied around. The craziest things were done to them.This movie kinda reminded me of the high school I went to. We didn't have nasty bullies like the ones in this movie, however we had some bullies that needed some butt wooping in order to behave well. I believe that if you stand up for yourself in High School and manage to earn others' respect, you will be able to do the same thing in the rest of your life.
1positive
Great value The tape brings back fond memories of Saturday afternoons watching these beasts go at it. My son loves watching it as much as I did.
1positive
exotic and erotic Yes this movie was odd. Yes it had a strange ending, and yes there was nudity. So get over it.If you need to be force-fed a plot of garbage just go to the local cineplex where you will have at least 4 options from which to choose. Or go to Blockbuster for a "family friendly" dud about heroic football players or other misogynistic fare. But if that's your thing don't rent or even watch this.If you do like beautiful locales, interesting actors and actresses, (whether nude or not what does it matter) and an ending that will make you think for a minute than you will probably find this rewarding.A British mystery writer takes a reprieve from rainy London to get new creative ideas for her next novel. Her somewhat sympathetic editor lends her the use of his vacation home in France and the story begins.I don't want to give away any spoilers here because I'm afraid if I give any more description I will. The story is somewhat slow paced but if you are patient it will pay back in full. Besides that the actors in this film are fascinating to watch, as we try to figure out their thoughts and plans.
1positive
I love to support indy/black films but... Just got through about half of this movie and had to shut it down. I've made it through some really bad movies in my day (both indy and hollywood) but this one was really bad.An overdone plot (the player meets the girl of his dreams).Bits and pieces of comedy (one liners or the woman that turns out to be a man) that have been done in to many diffferent films.Poorly acted and executed. If we give movies like this 5 stars we are telling African American directors/producers that this is the type of garbage we want to see.I'd much rather watch The Best Man, The Brothers, or Love and Basketball for the 15th time rather than watch another movie like this.Don't worry this will show up on BET at some point and you can watch this bad movie for free. I wouldn't even sit through it then.Man, I wish Amazon gave refunds for bad movies.
0negative
"Contrary to what some people seem to think, I was never a bully. I was just a hard man." - Roger Daltrey After defeating Apollo Creed in a classic rematch, Rocky Balboa is no longer that struggling man from South Philly doing everything he can to earn a buck. His boxing career has picked up, and now he is a millionaire celebrity and is the heavyweight champion of the world.During a ceremony for Rocky at the top of the stairs at the Philadelphia Art Museum, a giant statue of Rocky is revealed to honor him. Rocky thanks the crowd, but then announces his retirement, but out of nowhere in the crowd, a loud-mouthed boxer named Clubber Lang played by Mr. T shows up, and challenges Rocky to a match, which Rocky accepts, much to Mickey's disapproval.I feel my above quote from The Who's Roger Daltrey describes the character, "Clubber Lang" very well. I hate/fear that character :-) But I love Mr. T, and whenever I watch Rocky III, I have to forget everything I know about Mr. T in order to enjoy his character because I know Mr. T is nothing like Clubber Lang.I think Clubber Lang is a total thug, a bully, and the best bad guy in the whole Rocky series. That mohawk, that voice, that glare. He's VERY intimidating. I also think he's the toughest boxer Rocky ever competed against as well, and if you've seen the movie, you know why.One thing that can sometimes make a character a good bad guy is the villain has to be aware that they are saying/doing evil things, not care that they are hurting people, and really enjoy doing it, but why does Clubber Lang like to be a jerk? Clubber Lang is a symptom of some kind of deep illness in society. He exists in a world so bleak and empty of moral values that his behavior is like a statement saying, "Things may be rotten, but at least I exist." He was born in a poor neighborhood where you no choice but to be strong and a little mean to survive or you'd be taken advantage of, thus Clubber has been a victim to a society that can't take care of everyone, so Clubber is tough because that is how he is used to being, and assumes every stranger he meets is out to get him, and I think he generally enjoys making the people he is jealous of feel how he has felt his whole life.Some Hollywood bad guys desire to control the world and/or get lots of money, but Clubber Lang is a villain who simply desires what we all desire - Respect. What makes him a bad guy? He also craves revenge for his misfortunes's. He probably never had good parenting growing up, and is almost like an overgrown five-year old throwing a temper tantrum for not getting his way, but he has the strength of a dragon, and that is why he is so dangerous.Clubber Lang is a man who was born without any breaks, he has a real passion for boxing because it's the only thing he can probably do really well and he gets all his anger out that way, and like Rocky, he just would like to to prove he is a somebody too, and not just another bum from the neighborhood, and he is perfectly willing to go through the pain, the sacrifices, and the humiliation to achieve his goal, but what makes him different from Rocky Balboa is that he's VERY bitter about having to work extra hard in life and he needs totake his anger out on the world.Everyone has different reasons why they may hate and/or mistreat someone. Why does Clubber dislike Rocky? No doubt, he is jealous of him because he's rich, and Clubber believes Rocky's fights are fixed, and is just a puppet for "the man". He then sees Rocky competing in what he thinks is a "fake" match with a wrestler, and has turned the world title into a joke. I think Clubber also believes Rocky is a boxer who didn't earn his way to the top, and only got there because he had a name Apollo Creed liked.As Clubber Lang is working to make his dream come true, he is constantly being ignored a shot at the title until he had earned the #1 contender spot. Then, upon climbing the mountain, he hears that Balboa will be "ducking" him again by retiring, essentially sending him back down the mountain, or making him a paper-champion. i.e. Someone who had the title only because Balboa didn't need it anymore, so he pushes all of Rocky's buttons and breaks all the codes of ethics until he gets what he desires and that is why some people hate him.The only way to be a great boxer is to beat a great boxer, so Clubber Lang has to not only beat Rocky, but he has to destroy him.I can sympathize with what Clubber Lang has gone through, but I strongly disagree with his methods of dealing with it all. Heck, Clubber Lang was so evil that he's the only character to tick Rocky off. Rocky is a pretty cool cat for the most part, but Clubber pushed Rocky's buttons so well that that even Rocky was talking trash while fighting him.What a character and what a film. :-)One of the things I love about Rocky III was that Sylvester Stallone was not afraid to make major changes to the character that made him famous. The fact that Rocky does change some is realistic because anyone going through those types of changes will change themselves. Rocky III is very good. It is a great film and a wonderful sequel.
1positive
This may be the best 24 season of all.... I watched 24 when it was originally on TV, but my work & family time often made that impossible. I enjoyed it then, but even more now when I can watch it at my own convenience.This season may be the best, but we'll see! I'm going to watch them all!
1positive
Great movie but where are the stunts? This is a great Chan movie. Kind of like Jackie's version of Pretty Woman. A billionaire (JC) meets a poor girl and at first he doesnt really like her but then she grows on him. Has some good humor and the few fight scenes that are in the movie are awesome. He faces a white guy (Forgot his name) that has some really fast kicks. He fights him twice and both fights are fun to watch. Other fight scenes are on a yacht and a fight in an alley against some gangster guys with baseball bats. I didnt know there were so many ways one person can beat the #&$% out of someone with baseball bats, but Chan found a bunch of them. Jackie doesnt use the environment around him so much like he usually does but he shows off some really great moves anyhow. I am definately getting this movie when it comes out on DVD.
1positive
A waste of a movie I bought this movie expecting to actually learn something about Seabiscuit. I thought that this was going to be a documentary. It turned out to be pretty much a commercial for how great Seabiscuit was.. You didn't actually see much of Seabiscuit, they a do a kind of re-enactment of Seabiscuit's life. Needless to say, I was very disappointed. If you actually want to learn something, don't buy this movie.
0negative
As expected Product arrived new, on time, and as described in the listing. Not much else to say about a movie. Wish I could find #2 on bluray.
1positive
Pretty dreadful Well, this was a mistake, and it shows that not all fashion industry films are anywhere near as good as "Valentino". At the end of Valentino, you grasp what made the man tick. At the end of "The September issue" you understand nothing about either famed editor Anna Wintour or the September issue of Vogue, the most important one of the year. Wintour has a mixed reputation, I think it's fair to say, for being brilliant at what she does while interacting coolly with others. Yet this film does nothing to examine or explain how she has stayed at the top of her trade for so long. She comes across as cold and capricious with a strong desire to say as little as possible of interest and the documentary crew doesn't seem to know how to handle her. So we watch her in endless boring meetings about the issue and, about every five minutes or so, she's in the small white-walled room where they examine the proofs for the pages. Her long-suffering creative director complains endlessly about how Wintour is throwing away thousands of dollars of work and yet stays in the job. Nowhere do we deepen our understanding of how Wintour does what she does or what makes her tick. We move from New York to Paris to London to Rome and back to Paris and then return to New York and learn little at any of the stops. This is a seriously shallow and boring documentary.
0negative
I like Eliot He did his job, but he did it too well. They cheered on wall street when he was bought down. What does that say about Wall Street? What this says to me is, we can go back to taking people's money with nobody governing us. Shame on companies like AIG and our government backing and supporting factions that brought him down not because he was doing something wrong to himself or to his family. They brought him down because they want to do and was doing even worse to the American public and he was the only one trying to stop it.
1positive
Great show What makes this show great are the deeply drawn characters; their flaws, their motivations, their humanity. These aren't perfect agents going after terrorists or cartoon terrorists trying to destroy America. On both sides of the issue, you see the humanity of the characters; each side displays brutality and altruism, which makes the show much more complex and satisfying.
1positive
I fell asleep Enough said. The only Keanu Reeves film that kept me awake was "The Matrix. This was boring! and badly acted.
0negative
PROVED TO BE FAKE!!!! Ray Santilli admitted that he faked the entire thing! Check the WIKIPEDIA! The whole thing is a hoax
0negative
TRASH Ok, this movie is soooo cheap, its filled with bad acting, ugly action, and a really bad story, its a waste of money, wait for it on cinemax or something then you will uderstand.
0negative
Great content, poor streaming I love this show and started watching it on Amazon Prime since Netflix doesn't carry season 2. Unfortunately, the streaming stalled 4 separate times during the show and I had to refresh my browser each time to reset it. It was extremely disappointing and disruptive. I'm thinking twice about keeping my Amazon Prime subscription going...
0negative
So no one told you, Friends would be so great.... There is something indescribable about the show Friends. From the time I watched my first episode...I was hooked, and haven't turned away since. I recommend this DVD, along with Seasons 1, 2, and 3, as well as Best of riends. The show is just fantastic!
1positive
You either love her or you don't... I'm paraphrasing Pauline Kael or Judith Crist, who said "Either you are or you aren't....a Garland fan, that is. And if you aren't, leave the conversation to those of us who are." That applies to this film. If you already love Garland, this movie will captivate you. If you need to be convinced of Garland's profundity, simply fast forward to the "Get Happy" sequence, and groove on her intense showmanship, and lovely legs.
1positive
I cannot believe how horrible this movie is... There is nothing in this movie that is redeeming. Horrible story. Horrible directing. Some of the worst acting - you know its bad when the best acting in the movie is the guy who never talks, and wears an emotionless black mask all the way through. The believability factor isn't just stretched in this movie, its broken beyond reckoning. I am actually angry at how terrible this movie is. You could actually injure yourself trying to suspend the disbelief that is required for watching this movie. Maybe I need a super suit. Then, apparently I could carry the load of crap that is G I Joe - and run and dive and twist and fly and generally ignore everything that we know about physics. I rented it knowing it was a stinker just to fill a boring day of waiting to go to the airport. I expected nothing from this movie save a perhaps a few cool special effects. I didn't even get that. Idiots wrote the script to G I Joe. I can't believe how innane the plot is. And the plot twists, if that's what you want to call them. It sort of has to be a surprise to be a plot twist I guess. In which case, there are none in this movie. The foreshadowing is blatant and idiotic. I can't say enough bad about this movie. I wish I could give it -5 stars.If you have any brains, don't watch this movie . . . unless you want to spend the next five hours laughing at how idiotic this movie is...
0negative
Don't listen to any voices in your head telling you to watch this movie Having recently survived - barely - Curse of the Zodiac, I had no intention of watching another Ulli Lommel film any time soon (if ever). Imagine my dismay when the opening credits of Son of Sam informed me that it, too, was written, directed, and produced by Lommel (heck, the guy actually has the guts to show his face this time around, in the role of - of all things - a creepy Catholic priest). Having already started the thing, though, I made the tough decision to go ahead and suffer through it. I have to say this is far from Lommel's worst work - but of course, Lommel at his best is worse than just about any other filmmaker at his worst.Son of Sam is vintage Lommel: the story has only the slightest of connections to the facts of the real life Son of Sam murders, the cinematography looks like it was done by a small child playing with all the buttons on his daddy's video camera, and the plot follows a hopelessly repetitive pattern. It basically goes like this: David Berkowitz (Yogi Joshi) walks around looking off in the distance, which cues a "flash forward" to him later talking to his public defender, then we see him in the presence of a Satanic cult priming him to go out and perform some sacrifices, then we see him actually commit a murder, and then the whole cycle repeats itself. Every so often, he also pays a visit to his neighbor and her dog Sam. The poor dog just sits there, probably wondering how humans can be so stupid, whenever he "talks" to his "son."Out of all the factual inconsistencies (such as the fact that the real Berkowitz' Sam was not a dog but his neighbor Sam Carr, who supposedly spoke to Berkowitz through his dog Harvey), the biggest problem I have with this film is its portrayal of Berkowitz as being programmed to kill by a Satanic cult. It might make for a more interesting film - if anyone other than Lommel was writing and directing it - and Berkowitz himself spoke about a cult and voices in his head, but there is no strong evidence to back up that part of Berkowitz' testimony. Lommel, therefore, is basically letting Berkowitz off the proverbial hook by endorsing his claim that "the devil made me do it." Interestingly, though, Lommel does not pursue the idea that others in the supposed cult actually committed some of the Son of Sam crimes. It doesn't really matter anyway - if you're looking for insight into the actual Son of Sam murders, Lommel is the last person you should be going to for information. It goes without saying, of course, that there is no good reason whatsoever for actually watching an Ulli Lommel movie.
0negative
Very nice I really liked The Stranger in Us. The casting was interesting and the story was something we can all relate to sometime in our life. I would like to hear what other think.
1positive
The pits As a resident of the Greater Los Angeles area, I'll be the first to say that LA isn't the most salubrious place to live. But DARK BLUE paints such an unflattering portrait of the city and it's police force that even I was mildly disgusted.Kurt Russell is LAPD Sgt. Eldon Perry serving with a special investigations unit. Both his grandfather and father were also LA cops. The family tradition is that you take a sleazeball off the streets by subduing him, shooting him in cold blood, planting a bogus weapon, then claim self defense in the subsequent Internal Affairs hearing. Perry's new partner, rookie Bobby Keough (Scott Speedman), is learning the ropes. The Perry philosophy is shared by his boss, Jack Van Meter (Brendan Gleeson), who has crooked deals going on the side that even Eldon doesn't know about. Out to nail them all is Deputy Chief Holland (Ving Rhames), whose skeleton in the closet is that he once slept with his aide, Sgt. Beth Williamson (Michael Michelle), who herself is now bedding Keough.This film has no engaging characters. Russell's Perry makes Denzel Washington's Alonzo Harris (TRAINING DAY) seem positively charming in comparison. Holland is the nominal good guy, but he demonstrates all the vitality and leadership qualities of a brick. Keough is so muddled that, by the time he sorts himself out, it's hard to care. Williamson is a knockout in her dark blue dress uniform, but otherwise has all the warmth of a police .38 stored in an icebox.DARK BLUE adds insult to injury by positioning the storyline during that week in April 1992 when Rodney King's police beaters were acquitted and parts of Los Angeles were looted and torched by angry mobs. At the very end, as I gazed on a downtown panorama of flames and smoke, I wished that all Midwesterners, Southerners, Northerners, and Easterners wishing to move to overcrowded SoCal could see this film. Perhaps they'd decide to relocate to the Balkans instead.
0negative
Straight up outstanding! This is almost a completely different film from the theatrical release (which I thoroughly enjoyed) Gone is the voice over and in it's place is an implied narrative that needs no explanation. Porter is a bad man. But he has principles. And he has no problem whatsoever in following those principles with an almost single-minded focus. The last act has none of the elements of the theatrical release. Which to me, is a vast improvement. Honestly, the version I saw in the theaters just seemed a little too... Martin Riggs. Which is not bad, but when it's supposed to be a completely different character in a completely different universe, it just doesn't seem right. Especially after watching the Director's Cut. I highly recommend watching both and making up your own mind.
1positive
ZZZZZZZ I went to a private screening of this. It was so boring and such a mess I nearly walked out. It made no sense at all. Only out of loyalty to Brandon and Ayers, who produced this mess, did I stay. Come on, guys. You get money to make a film and THIS is what you make? Brandon, stick to magic.
0negative
Hey, Ving. Do your research first, brother. Let me start out by saying that this movie had me locked all the way through. I was never bored and I thought the performances were well done. But the thing that made the movie a four star movie for me AT FIRST was the Willie Lynch lesson I got from it. Being an African American (by the way, how come we're the only Americans required to state our mother land before American. But anyway) I felt something bitter inside of me stirring at the thought of some master plan laid out long ago to control my community. But of course once the movie was over I did some research. It didn't take long for the movie to drop down to two stars... better yet, MAKE THAT ONE STAR, VING! For those of you looking to blame some stupid white guy for the current plight of the black community, I got some bad news for ya... WILLIE LYNCH NEVER EXISTED AND NEITHER DID HIS LETTERS UNTIL THE EARLY 1990's and only on the internet! Shame on you, Ving, for such an obvious lack of effort seperating historical fact from urban legend. Black people, you can go on back to fighting each other now. We'll just have to figure out why later. Maybe when one of the other races of the world figure out why they fight with each other, perhaps we can learn from them.
0negative
Interesting Mood Piece "Swimming Pool" opens quite genteelly, as a successful English mystery writer (Sarah Morton, played by Charlotte Rampling) finds herself wanting to stretch literarily. When she approaches her publisher (Chalres Dance), with whom she may be having an affair, he suggests rather dismissively that she needs a vacation. He offers her the use of his country home in France. Despite her hesitation, she decides to go and surprisingly soon feels refreshed and ready to start a new novel. The next day, however, an unexpected complication arrives in the form of Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), Dance's sensuous French daughter. The two women clash initially, as Sarah is annoyed by the intrusion and then shocked by the stream of men that Julie parades home for casual sex. Gradually, the women form a wary bond, although Sarah may be more than a little jealous of the younger woman.The two starring actresses are superlative and make this movie believable and captivating; accordingly they received Cesar nominations (the French equivalent of the Oscar) for Best Actress (Rampling) and Best Supporting Actress (Sagnier). French director Franois Ozon (Under the Sand, 8 Women) shows remarkable control of his material and sustains a steadily building sense of suspense and intrigue. As we learn more about the characters, the movie becomes more subtle and the tension increases. Unfortunately, the film takes a bit of a wrong-headed turn in the final third, as Sarah imagines that a murder may have occurred. Ultimately, "Swimming Pool" is a solid mood piece with a disappointing final act that diminishes its impact.Extras: The DVD features the original trailer and some deleted scenes, which mostly depict Rampling's arrival in France and her puttering around the village sight-seeing. These scenes are rather boring and add nothing to the story.
1positive
excellent direction/performances/action sequences Terrific thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end.Contains one of the most hair-raising fight scenes (that takes place on a bridge)between J.T. Walsh's meany and Kurt Russell's good guy, that I've ever seen.Director Jonathan Mostow does amazing work here. A natural.
1positive
dex Season 5 is very intense and fun. Julia Stiles is a strong addition to the cast and her character helps Dexter to evolve through her own experiences,
1positive
Great Anyone who likes this show will love the second season. I don't regret buying it at all and every episode is great. I encourage anyone who likes this show to go and buy this set of DVDs!!
1positive
The world is either great or wretched, isn't it? Comedy? Thriller? Suspense? I guess that these are all words or genres that you could use to describe this film. I would use these words if I wanted to gloss over the true feeling of this film. I would use these words if I had to sell this wallow-some film to a distributor who didn't know any better. I would use these words lightly, because if I ever believed them the battle would be forever lost. This was not a comedy. It was not a thriller. It definitely was not a suspense. So, what was it? After viewing this film I came to the conclusion that The January Man reminded me of a puzzle put together by a two-year-old. While all the pieces were in the box to put together, sadly the infant size brain of the child chose to smash the pieces together instead of place them in corresponding orders. Thus, you have a jumbled mess with wedged pieces of what could have been an overall beautiful picture. With poor acting, a confusing plot that literally went nowhere and an ending that felt forced and premature, one can see that this puzzle is unfixable by even the best puzzler in the world. If I were those involved with the creation, I would definitely be ashamed.To begin, what was wrong with the actors? Nobody seemed like they were giving 10% much less 50% of their effort for this film. Even the great ones like Keitel, Kline, and Sarandon felt like they were walking through the motions with equally confused eyes and hearts. Kline's New York accent faded in and out throughout the film giving us no glimpse of his actual character. His role was never fully defined, so the other half of the time that we watch him on screen we just don't care about him at all. This was one of the worst leading characters of all time. Thankfully, a completely miscast team that seemed more interested in the money than actually "acting" backs him up. Keitel was horrible in this film. I am a huge fan of his body of work, but in this one he walked, talked, and gave those emotionless eyes a rest. He provided nothing of value to this production. The same can be said about Sarandon, whose character seemed unfocused and undervalued, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who never really got her feet wet in Hollywood until Maid Marion arrived at her doorstep. Alan Rickman was wasted, as well as the one-leveled voices of Danny Aiello and Rod Steiger whose only direction from Pat O'Conner was to yell. In other words, if you are interested in seeing this film for the acting, you will be greatly disappointed.Second, perhaps the acting can be overlooked by a strong story line? WRONG! This was the most convoluted script that I have ever seen Hollywood produce. We spend the first forty minutes learning about an event that happened two years ago that is never fully explained anyway. It reminded of those times that the teacher would say in class that we should all listen up because this wasn't going to be on the test. Then why bother. This set the spiraling downfall for the rest of the film. This unavailable information also lead to some pretty choppy chemistry between the actors. I never say Kline and Keitel as brothers. I never saw the relationship with Sarandon possible. In fact, now that I think about it, I didn't see any of the actors meshing well together because they were working with a script that was focused on all the wrong parts. Eventually, The January Man gets so caught up on this secondary story that we find ourselves rushed into an ending and a solution that seems laughable instead of plausible. We even have a villain that is so confusing that I don't even think he knew what he was doing in the film. The final thirty minutes of this film were the worst parts of this movie, second to all the parts before that. Whoever wrote this script must have just forgotten the basic rules of storytelling because nothing meshed well at all.Finally, I would have to comment that the marketing for this film could feel like a cheated ticket to some filmgoers. After reading some reviews for this film, I was expecting to find myself chuckling out loud at the antics of Kevin Kline and his spin on the world of investigation. I was wrong. There was no humor in this film at all. Even when O'Conner tried to bring some in, it seemed forced and unhealthy. I must repeat, this is not a comedy. It even isn't really that suspenseful, nor is the thrilling aspect actually that thrilling. I must admit that whomever sold this film to a company under the guise that it was a comedy should be awarded the "Best Salesman of the Decade" award. Somebody believed this film was funny and even pasted a preview to it with the word "comedy" written all over it. Someone sold the company a broken product ... hook, line, and sinker. I just ask you to beware.Overall, this film was horrible. From the poor acting, the cryptic story that needed some form of decoder ring to understand, the passionless actors, to the harshly branded word "comedy", January Man proves that not all films should be made and that an advanced screen process should be used regularly. I genuinely encourage you to skip this film. No good will come of you watching this mess. I promise.Grade: * out of *****
0negative
disappointment i have seen this episode before and it is my favorite of the whole series so you can imagine my disappointment when i downloaded it and all it did was skip and stop every 5 to 10 seconds the entire episode. it was very irritating and made it impossible to follow the dialogue.
0negative
Who can ever forget Ratzo? They look soooo young, Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. Watching this film for the 2nd or 3rd time, I realize not only how old they are now, but also how old I must be!Midnight Cowboy was really revolutionary for its time, but by today's standards it's kinda tame. Still, what a great flick. After all, it put Jon Voight on the map, and if it weren't for that signature move, where would we be today without Angelina Jolie, his daughter?In the movie, Jon Voight plays Joe Buck, a naive dude from Nowheresville, TX, who goes to NYC with aspirations of being a gigolo. He quickly finds it difficult to make a go of it and ends up in a dump with Ratzo Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), a crippled con man and thief who apparently has TB.One of my favorite blips in movies of all times if Ratzo smacking the hood of a taxi and yelling, "I'm walkin' here, I'm walkin' here!" - not to mention the madman religious freak who turns his toilet into a psychedelic shrine to Jesus.Basically, though, at its heart the movie is a pathetic tale of friendship between 2 lost losers. A film classic.
1positive
What a brutal film Possibly the worst movie ever made. I don't think I've seen anything this bad since I saw a body pulled out the river when I was 10.If you happened to like this movie, you are .... The critics were right on this one. Yuck!
0negative
A great and compassionate teacher The film gave a real view of India while showcasing an amazing woman and teacher. I met Laua Handlers who lead this group immediately after seeing the movie. She is brillant, insightful science based and compassionate.
1positive
THE BEST HINDI MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are into Hindi movies, this is THE movie to own. If you are not into Hindi movies or are worried about understanding the movie, this is THE movie to own. EVERY actor in this movie gave his or her best performance ever. The music (R.D. Burman) is outstanding, the photography is better than ANYTHING Hollywood has ever put out, and this is before CGI, so everything is REAL, not artificial! This was also the BEST debut by any actor EVER in Hindi cinema (Amjad Khan), and it was pathetically remade by a has-been director in the 21st century called Ram Gopal Verma who DARED to assume that he could "remake" this classic. I don't want to give anything of the story since it is a movie to be enjoyed from start to finish, and I am only sorry that this classic will never be released on Blu Ray, thanks to the powers that be in India!!! BUY IT; WATCH IT; you will NOT be disappointed, I GUARANTEE it!!!!
1positive
not very good it was just not a great movie, but obviously entertaining if I watched it till the end :( Still, I have seen other silly movies that were not so bad. Perhaps because at least something in the movies was believable; IN this one - perhaps there are plenty of teachers who smoke pot, but not the kind where a teacher comes to work dressed in mini skirt and crazy hills.
0negative
Great Show, totally ruined!! This is an excellent TV series with great characters and presented with flair and polish.So why would I rate it as being worth only two stars? Bad editing! At the end of each episode one is left with huge holes in the story.This series on DVD is the victim of a merciless editing department.Fire the editor. Teach him a lesson!!
0negative
"Startup" Provides Bird's Eye View of Dot.com Crash Democratic capitalism is the most successful economic system devised by humankind. Alas, it is also akin to political democracy in that it is unnerving and somewhat yucky to closely observe the actual sausage making process. This documentary is a must see for anybody desiring to further comprehend the recent dot.com economic debacle. Long time chums Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman become partners hoping "to eliminate frustration in the public sector." The GovWorks website encourages citizens to interact financially with their government agencies. One could pay traffic tickets or taxes, and even bid on seized property among a myriad of other possibilities. We get to observe the adventure of this start up until it closes down less than two years later. This business model is a certain winner in the long run. Unfortunately, as Lord Keynes once sardonically remarked, we are all dead in the long run. The free market generally rewards only those successful in a shorter time frame. Much is made of the so called first mover advantage. Conveniently overlooked, however, is the cold fact that the second movers are often able to take advantage of the mistakes committed by the pioneers. Tuzman and Herman soon learn that attempting to hit the proverbial home run also significantly increases the odds of striking out.Our under thirty years of age duo bravely endure the long hours and never ending obstacles threatening their dream. They initially agree to share the power until realizing that this management structure is doomed to fail. The resulting crisis inevitably tests their friendship to the breaking point. Tuzman is something of a lightning rod for abuse and criticism. He makes enemies with relative ease. Is this merely the price of leadership, or does Tuzman possess a damaging character flaw? I suspect the former, but concede that my opinion is highly debatable.Many people gleefully gloat that Tuzman and Herman deserved their comeuppance. I believe that a fair-minded viewer of "Startup.com" will instead credit these two gentlemen with the courage and perhaps foolhardiness to reach for the stars. After all, we are ultimately the beneficiaries of their risk taking and creativity. The film makers should have added another fifteen-twenty minutes to flesh out the rise and fall of GovWorks. This is especially true with their flippant handling of the scene wherein Tuzman is talking to President Bill Clinton. Sitting next to Tuzman is Robert Putnam of "Bowling Alone" fame who was one ofTuzman's Harvard University professors. Coincidentally, it should be added is that Putnam is a specialist in facilitating improved relationships between governments and the common folk. Isn't it therefore reasonable to suppose that Putnam had at least something to do with the very conceptualization of the GovWorks idea? This movie earns four stars. It could have been better, but the finished product still deserves a large audience. Investors and entrepreneurs should not even consider beginning a new dot.com business venture until they have viewed "Startup.com."
1positive
Not as implied This film was supposed to be about a dying father reconciling with his estranged son. I didn't get that. Instead I got a father who strikes up a relationship with a drug addict. What happens to the son? After he tries to make his father's life as comfortable as possible, he disappears into the background until the melodramatic ending. If the screewriter/director had focused more on the father and son's relationship DURING the film instead of the father and drug addict's relationship then the ENDING when the father and son come together would've made more sense. This film was not as it was implied to be, and for the life of me--I don't understand how it won the Oscar. That should've gone to "Osama" instead. I also would've given it to "L'Auberge Espagnole."
0negative
For Teacher Great DVD tool to help children learn! Amazing price was able to get way more than I thought I was going to get for her. Great value for such amazing dvd's. Would recommend product to anyone looking for a gift to get a teacher for her class.
1positive
THE WIZ..............A VISUAL STUNNER !!!!! THIS LAVISH TOUR DE FORCE IS AMAZING FROM START TO FINISH..FILMED IN NEW YORK AND LONG ISLAND -ON ONE OF THE BIGGEST SETS EVER- INCLUDING THE(WORLD TRADE CENTER) TWIN TOWERS,THE MANHATTAN BRIDGE AND THE CYCLONE ROLLERCOASTER OF CONEY ISLAND AS THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD ,SHEA STADIUM, AND THE ASTORIA STUDIOS AND ALSO A CAST OF OVER 400 DANCERS & SINGERS...COMPOSER EXTRORDINAIRE QUINCY JONES PRODUCED THE MUSIC & GARNERED AN ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATION.....DIANA ROSS IS INCREDIBLE AS DOROTHY, HER VOICE IS SILKY SMOOTH AND POWERFUL AT TIMES, EVEN THOUGH STEPHANIE MILLS WAS MORE SENSATIONAL IN THE BROADWAY VERSION (7 TIME "TONY WINNER"). THIS URBAN VERSION IS VISUALLY SPECTACULAR AND WAS NOMINATED FOR 4 "ACADEMY AWARDS" EXCELLENT DVD QUALITY-SEE MICHAEL JACKSON SHINE AS "THE SCARECROW", ALSO NIPSEY RUSSELL AS "THE TINMAN" AND TED ROSS FROM THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION AS "THE LION" CAMEOS FROM LENA HORNE & RICHARD PRYOR AS "THE WIZ" HIMSELF. GREAT SONGS INCLUDE "EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD" "YOU CAN'T WIN" "BRAND NEW DAY" "NO BAD NEWS" "BE A LION" AND "HOME"(FINALE)- A PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY...NO DVD COLLECTION SHOULD BE WITHOUT..GET YOURS TODAY !
1positive
For Teens... A good movie for teens who may think the world is a little unfair. I hope they get the message at the end of the movie; it's not always a fair place, realize and appreciate the good things in your life before it's too late.
1positive
New York On Rail. Denzel and Travolta are at the top of there game in Pelham 123, but the real star of this movie is the New York Subway System. For me this is a movie I can watch over and over, and often do. Great action. Great cast. Makes this a solid movie.
1positive
Very surprised for good ! Everybody know when he buys a Swarzenegger's movie that it will be action for the most part of the movie. I wasn't expecting anything when I saw this DVD, but I was surprised for good. The end could have been classic, but director Andrew Davis put a new final, which is better for the movie and the impression we could have of it. The movie turn around two very actual subjects, terrorism and the guerilla from Columbia, and we can see that the director know his subject.Schwarzenegger is just good as he must be in the movie, and I love the woman who plays with him !The DVD give some special features to bring you more pleasure to see this movie.Don't be like the critic in newspaper, judge by yourself and you'll be not disappointed !
1positive
el gringo great movie scott adkins really kicks this movie is awsome liked it a lot, scott adkins really kicks great actor great movie great story I really enjoy a lot this movie.
1positive
skip it and move on . . . I honestly couldn't get through this movie. I had a chance to sneek peek it - and quite honestly - it just sucked. Wasting 45 minutes was enough to just skip the ending and move on. Now understand that if there is only 2 or 3 great scenes in a movie - I will keep it for the sake of my collection. But this s**t was just boring. I even opted for the original language version - russian, I believe - but it still failed. The acting wasn't so bad I guess, but the story was pretty much non existent. I would say that any of these movies, be it ghost house underground, afterdark horrorfest, masters of horror - are all $5 movies and spending anything more is foolish even if you enjoy em. My advice it to rent - although I haven't rented in about 10 years!
0negative
Great Show This is a great show - - - - good writing - - - - interesting charactors - - -
1positive
Paramount Blunder What happened to the 1923 Two-Color Technicolor? The best part about the original Cecil B. DeMille version of The Ten Commandments was its use of this early tinting process during the Exodus. Paramount's first DVD release decided to delete this process (that's on VHS) and leave the entire film in black and white. What a shame! Maybe we have to wait for the 51st Anniversary edition...1 star is for the 3rd DVD, not the films.
0negative
Cute Jane is adorable, as well as Van Johnson. Delightful movie. Wish there were more movies today like that. The other actors were good also.
1positive
How Do You Feel About Your Family? I agree with the positive reviewers who have taken such great and personal pleasure in this movie. Ozu's style indeed seems restrained to 21st century American audiences, used to quick cuts and characters who can be summed up by their catch phrases.Here instead we are in a world more like a Jane Austen novel, focused on a few isolated characters and how they interact with each other. Only slowly do you realize the disappointment the central couple has in their adult children. The restraint of their emotions and the style of the film is what makes the viewer's increasing emotional awareness so much more powerful. Ozu shows how people can outwardly meet all societal expectations and obligations and yet remain oblivious to the needs of those they should be close to and "real" with.It's curious how other reviewers draw the moral that we all should, as Pete Seeger used to sing, "be kind to your parents, though they don't deserve it." This is a recurring theme with Ozu, what adult children owe their parents. I have had so many friends have parents visit from out of town and treat that visit with a kind of dread. So many of us think of family as being like fish -- starts to go bad after three days.Let's not forget that many of Ozu's films turn on the theme of parents pushing their adult children to live their own lives and stop making sacrifices for the parents.If only there was an American Ozu to make a version of this movie about our contemporary culture. It would never be from the point of the view of the older people. I think that is part of the loss that people sense watching this movie -- that we have lost something ourselves by closing ourselves off from our parents, whatever our reasons might be.
1positive
M.F. from south Arkansas. Howlling 4 is a poor,poor movie the effects are terrible but some scenes are semi scary.Its worth watching if you really love werewolve movies.
0negative
Waste of time! Don't waste your time or money on this piece of garbage. This film is nothing like Lovecraft's novels and this movie does not even come close.
0negative
VERY FUN FLICK ALIEN RAIDERSThis is a really good independent flick that has a cool story line mixed with some good acting. This may not be an Academy award winning film but it is a cool flick full of blood and some great visuals. This is one of the better sci fi films I have seen in a while, and know I don't mean the Sci Fi Channel. After buying this one I kinda held off for a while always skipping over it for other titles, until my brother spotted this. After he said "let's watch this one tonight" I agreed and in it went, I should have watched this much sooner.It is just a normal night for the employees and customers at the Hastings supermarket in Arizona, that is until a bunch of gun wielding maniacs take over the store. They begin shooting and picking random customers off one after the other, or is it random. Turns out that some of the people there are not what they seem to be and are hiding a deadly secret about their identities. Turns out that some of these people are alien like creatures that these hunters had a hand in releasing out on the public, oh well. It helps that there is a person who can see these things, until a cop in the store blasts him away. Now they are forced to hold every one hostage and find out who is who or should I say who is what the old fashioned way. If you are wondering what that is all I can say is it involves cutting off fingers and a lot of blood. But as time goes on the police build out side and something mean, big, and nasty is loose in the store, sounds like another Friday night.I found this film to be very interesting and insanely entertaining because the characters and story were very fun. Also the hunters past is discussed and does not leave you wondering how they came to have this job. Add in the fact that the writing is sharp especially for this type of film and the acting is very well done and you get a cool independent flick. I would recommend this film to any one who enjoys having a good time, this movie is perfect for a weekend flick.Director Ben Rock keeps things moving at an excellent pace and is not afraid to keep things lively, very well done sir I commend you. And of course writers Julia Fair and David Simkins did an excellent job on this film with some smart dialogue and a very interesting story. Of course like I said earlier the acting is good as well like Rockmond Dunbar {THE FAMILY THAT PREYS] and the rest of the cast, excellent job done by all. This is a fun film that I think is well worth a purchase so you should skip the rental, buy this now.
1positive
A Great Replacement for The Closer and More! With Major Crimes the team seems more professional now. Captain Raydor is the reason that the team carries on so well. We watch episode after episode and you know what? The show is no longer The Closer, it is Major Crimes! Everything about the cast and the stories is so much better. For nostalgia's sake I will pull out my dvd's of The Closer, but I do know that as time passes I will cherish my dvd's (purchased elsewhere) of Major Crimes.
1positive
Resurrection? Um...let me think...no. Alien Resurrection is the latest of the Alien sequels. The film was intended to resurrect not only the character of Ripley but also the series, which took a major bashing with Aliens 3. Aliens 3 was a total let down, a true bomb that left us unsatisfied at best. Especially for those of us who love the first two. Now, there's Alien Resurrection, and it turned the Alien series from something of a let down to a complete joke.Let's see, where should I begin? Let me start with bashing Ripley's character. In a way, I can't blame the director of this film for wanting her character brought back, since she IS the Alien series to begin with. And Aliens 3 ruined it by haivng her chararacter die in the end, making another sequel with Ripley practically impossible. But leave it to sleezy hollywood to turn the impossible possibe, even when they should leave it be. Ripley comes back, cloned, only she's half Alien. So her blood is acid. Excuse me, how does a species that originates from another planet intersect, from a genetic point of view, with a human being? Answer: it can't, but this is sleezy hollywood.Let's talk about the other characters. In short they are a bunch of buffoons. Space mercs or pirates (I don't really remember because this film never had my attention) that find themselves on a military ship with genetically altered Ripley and her children, which turn out to be her anvil-headed, slimey buddies: the aliens. Irony? No, just another typical cheezy hollywood horror movie follow up sequel. So these other characters, who serve no real point other than future victims, try to escape from this ship that starts to crawl with aliens.All these characters, none of them, do we really give a hoot for. Ripley included. We don't like them, they are annoying half the time, or they have no depth. Winona Ryder is the stupidest of characters because she does little to contribute and just gets in the way most of the time. Her character does not intrigue me, it's boring, and her lines are lame. While Ripley has hardly any emotions, is super strong, and just makes a bunch of one liners. This isn't the Ripley we know and love, this is somebody or something else occupying Ripley's body and therefore we don't recognize Ripley in this clone. And Ripley, as stated earlier, is the series.There is little to no suspense. Most of what one could consider suspense is so predictable, you know what's going to happen prior to it happening. Such as the alien coming up from the floor or having them escape at that is so easily detectable by anyone who has seen enough horror films or at least seen the other three in the series. This film does not scare me, the plot does not intrigue me, my attention span will span else where. This is a horrid film that attracts people to it just simply because it is part of the Alien series, which was made by the first two films.Not to mention a pathetic ending with Ripley and one of her mutant offspring. By far the corniest part of this entire film was the end. The sign of a terrible movie is a pathetic twist in the end and the attempt to create sympathy towards a character we never felt anything from. We don't sympathize with Ripley like we did when she was stranded with a bunch of marines in a bunker in Aliens. Or when she's the only one coming to her senses as her entire crew gets wiped out in Alien. In Resurrection, we simply don't give a hoot about anybody in that film because no character development is attempted. So without good characters, a film such as this hoped to survive by either wowing us with special effects or corny twists, neither of which wowed me.If you are or were hoping for another good Alien(s) movie, you'll go wrong if you think this one is it. This movie is the joke of the entire Alien Series. It has no suspense, no character development, and a pathetic plot that hoped to wow you with corny twists. Alien Resurrection fails to resurrect the series. They should've left it alone.Grade: C-
0negative
Where's Dorothy When You Need her to melt this film? I was terribly dissapointed with this movie. Despite the shaky film and the over all unhinged feeling of the movie, I was lost due to the lack of a good story set up. All I saw was three frightened college students screaming into the night. I thought blairwitch.com was scarier. By the time they got to the house at the end, I was rooting for the witch to put me out of my misery. Where was Dorthy Gale to land a house on this thing? For more fun, check out the Scooby-Doo Project on Cartoon network! Loads of fun !
0negative
WONDERFULL This is a great movie, very entertaining. It came out at the perfect time. I'm so damn sick of those teen slasher movies.
1positive
why do i listen to critics. I vaguely remember this film being released & not paying much attention because of the reviews it received & forgot all about it,caught it recently & must say i was pleasantly surprised,its not got big flashy effects & it does come across as more of a b movie but i found myself engrossed from start to finish.I do like films with these type of concepts & it makes you think.I love sci fi films but good ones that have more importance in the story than the special effects,recently saw battle los angeles & skyline,both were recommended to me,both had good special effects & both were completely plotless & boring.
1positive