Best 3D Blu Ray Movies: November 2013

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Puella Magi Madoka Magica Blu-ray 1

It wasn't long ago that I shifted my assessment system for anime to a purely critical perspective. No matter how much I liked the series, I would give it the score it deserved. Since then, I've found that Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is the only anime I can honestly give perfect scores across the board (for story, characters, enjoyment, animation, and sound). It currently sits atop the pedastel as my favorite anime, and it doesn't look like that will change very soon. (See comments for my actual review of the series.)

Which is why I REALLY wanted to see the series do well in America. Sadly, that will never happen.

There is a reason why FUNimation Entertainment and Sentai Filmworks are the biggest licensing companies in North America: They know how to pedal anime. Japan is not the same as the rest of the world: They place a much higher value on their anime. We do not. We are not willing to shell out $500 for a limited collector's edition blu-ray set of our favorite series released in volumes containing only 1-3 episodes. Instead, FUNi and Sentai charge ~$40 for a complete 12-26 episode series on BD--the same content at a fraction of the cost.

Aniplex of America apparently hasn't caught onto this fact yet. They're going more the Japanese route: release the series in pieces (4 episodes each), each costing an arm or a leg. (Each piece costs about as much as an entire series from any other company.) This isn't helped at all by one of the WORST, most grossly misrepresentative trailers I've ever witnessed, ensuring anyone not particularly in tune with the anime scene will immediately be turned away from the masterpiece that is Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.

Top it off with a subpar (to put it lightly) English dub. The argument that "it's okay if the English dub is bad because you can still watch it in Japanese with subtitles" only works if you choose to ignore the fact that a bad dub means that Aniplex doesn't really care about the quality of the release at all. The voice actresses they use are mostly all new to the scene. Of course, this doesn't automatically make them bad. In fact, some are quite good. For example, Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom featured quite a few inexperienced voice actors--some completely new to the dubbing scene--but they ended up performing phenomenally--especially when one considers how little experience they had under their belts. Sadly, this is not the case here. Acting quality ranges from too much emotion, to not enough emotion, to trying to pronounce names correctly too hard, to trying to employ a voice they clearly aren't comfortable with, to voices completely not suiting the character, to just plain bad.

Add it up. Combine a God-awful marketing campaign, with an outlandish pricing scheme, with poor English dub quality, and you've got a recipe for failure.

For the same price as 1/3 of the entire Madoka series, you could choose from DOZENS of other options and get the same (or more) amount of material for about the same (or less) cost. Depending on your tastes, what you bought could even be better. Said list includes (if restricted only to more recent series): Casshern Sins [24 episodes], Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom [26 episodes], Angel Beats! [14 episodes], ef a tale of memories [12 episodes], Clannad [24 episodes] (and After Story [25 episodes]), Claymore [26 episodes], and many others. I already own most of what I listed on BD, and haven't regretted buying a single one.

Only a niche group of diehard fans that are already aware of how awesome the series is and are willing to shell out the cash for it will end up buying Madoka. This does not include me. I would definitely have bought the series if the release wasn't so poor. Think about that: A critic like me won't buy his favorite series. That should tell you something.

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica took the anime industry by storm during its Winter-Spring 2011 run. It has nearly unanimously been heralded as THE anime of the year 2011. Here is a partial excerpt from the Newtype Anime Awards 2011 (omitting irrelevant entries):

Best TV Anime: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Female Character: Akemi Homura

Best Mascot Character: Kyuubey

Best Leading Actress: Yuki Aoi (Kaname Madoka's voice actress)

Best Supporting Actress: Saito Chiwa (Akemi Homura's voice actress)

Best Theme Song: "connect" (Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica)

Best BGM: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Director: Shinbo Akiyuki

Best Scenario: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Character Design: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Filming: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Art: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Color Design: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

Best Effect: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

The only awards it DIDN'T win were: Best Film (Madoka is not a film), Best Male Character (there is only one male character of much importance), Best Leading Actor (same reason), Best Supporting Actor (same reason), Best Mecha Design (Madoka is not a mecha), and Best TV Ad.

With such acclaim, you'd think that the R1 release would be done as tactfully as possible, following a tried and successful pricing model, with a superb marketing campaign, right? You'd think Aniplex of America would want the rest of the world to really be able to see the light of Madoka's awesomeness, right? Right...?

It's a shame to see that such a great series will never take off in America. Maybe Aniplex will learn their lesson and re-release it later properly, but I'm not holding my breath.

Draconis March really hit it with his review, and I need to agree full force. Let me make this clear my low review has to do with the price, not with the content of the show itself. Even if the English dub is as horrible as they say (never watched it), I would be more than willing to buy this if it contained the whole 12 episode show to have it in Japanese with English subtitles.

This series is, to be blunt, amazing. It has that girlish, child-friendly look on the cover, but trust meif you showed this to a five year old, you might traumatize them. It is a total deconstruction of the whole Magical Girl genre (like Sailor Moon, Card Captor Sakura, etc.), deconstructing and tearing apart even the most fundemental themes of those shows usually kept to heart. I cannot go into detail without spoiling the show, but I cannot recommend the show enough.

.... Then, we have the price.

As I'm sure most interested in buying this series know (or even as a gift), anime is taken much more seriously in Japan than America. They have real plots, real development, and are not your normal Saturday morning cartoons. I'm sure in Japan, die-hard anime fans are more than willing to spend 45 dollars on thiseven moreso to buy $200+ super limited collector's edition. In America, however, unless you too are a die-hard who really wants to support the industry, that isn't likely to happen. As I said before, even if it was the English dub, as long as it has English subtitles and I could just switch to Japanese audio, I'd buy this in a second for it's price. In fact, I might have even given this a 5/5 review. But, this price for an American release is outrageous. I could go down to Best Buy and buy a full anime for around that price probably.

This is an amazing series, everyone. It is because of it's worth I'm not giving it a 1/5, out of sheer respect for Puella Magia. However, this deal is not worth it.

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I saw this series first through fandubs. Puella Magi Madoka Magica blew me away with its fascinating premise (Sailor Moon + H.P. Lovecraft, basically), lovely animation, and breathtaking soundtrack by Yuki Kajiura. It's a short-and-sweet series with loveable characters and a surprise in every episode. (I'd also like to praise the writers for writing a moe series that doesn't have loli undertones. This anime is creepy-fanservice-free.) If you grew up with magical girl series like Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Tokyo Mew Mew, and Pretty Cure, this is a darker and edgier and very creative take on the genre. But of course, it still stays true to its sparkly pink roots.

I was so excited when I heard there would be an American release! Especially since the DVDs include improvements and edits to the animation, since they sort of had to rush the series originally. Unfortunately, Aniplex of America botched this release. This is a twelve-episode series, and they're putting only 4 episodes on each DVD and trying to sell them at almost 50 bucks a pop! Sorry, but I'm not paying $150 to own this anime-especially when part of what I'm paying for is a hilariously poor-quality English dub. I watched the trailer for the dub a few months ago, and never have so many nails been dragged across so many chalkboards for so little.

This series deserves a lot better, but thanks to poor marketing, poor dubbing and a pants-on-head-insane pricetag, Madoka Magica will never get the love it deserves in North America.

Read Best Reviews of Puella Magi Madoka Magica Blu-ray 1 Here

I've loved magical girl stories since I discovered "Sailor Moon" in the fourth grade. Now, at twenty-four years old, I'm probably too old for them, but the frilly costumes, magic powers, and romance still appeal to my girly side. These days, however, it's rare to find a series that really piques my interest. The plots and characters are often cliche, and the overused "monster of the day" formula gets old fast. But "Puella Magi Madoka Magica" is just the breath of fresh air this stale genre needed.

Madoka Kaname is an average middle schooler. One night, she has a bizarre dream in which a lone magical girl fights a losing battle against a terrifying creature. A strange white creature tells Madoka that she has the power to change this fate. The next day, she is shocked when the girl from her dream shows up as a transfer student to her school. What's more, the girl, Homura Akemi, watches her, and warns her to stay exactly who she is. Later, Madoka hears a telepathic cry for help, and she and her friend Sayaka Miki save the white creature from Madoka's dream, called Kyuubei, from being killed by Homura (who is in her magical girl costume). They are caught up in a strange world with malevolent creatures, but are saved by another magical girl, Mami Tomoe. Kyuubei explains to Madoka and Sayaka that he can grant them any wish, but in exchange, they'll have to become magical girls and fight monsters called witches...

This story may sound formulaic, but it takes a dark turn in the third episode. I've heard it described as a "Faustian deconstruction of the magical girl trope," and that description is highly appropriate. This is what gives "Madoka" its unique perspective. While there are many parodies of magical girl series, "Madoka" completely subverts everything these stories stand for, asking "what if the power of love didn't save the day?" And rather than forcing dark elements into the formula, it reveals and engages pre-existing but largely ignored subtexts. What would it really be like for young girls to fight terrifying monsters on their own? Are magical girls really "warriors of love and justice?" Isn't there something kind of sick about glorifying fighting with pretty frills and sparkles? These themes make "Madoka" artistic and thought-provoking, a magical girl series for adults.

The art here is beautiful. The character designs are fresh and interesting, and the backgrounds are beautiful. "Madoka" takes place in the near future, and I love the strangely familiar environments. The scenes with witches are innovative, strange, and artistic, like something out of a Salvador Dali painting. This anime was made on a budget, and short-cuts are noticeable in less important scenes, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment. The music is beautiful, sometimes up-lifting, sometimes spritely, and sometimes haunting.

The characters here are likable and very easy to relate to. Madoka feels useless but wants the power to help her friends. She cries once things get dark, which may annoy some, but I think it's understandable. She also avoids becoming too much of a Mary-Sue because she is not given too much focus, and her character development makes her choices believable. Homura is cold and mysterious, but in later episodes becomes a very sympathetic character. Sayaka is a tomboy with a sweet side who believes in justice, and Mami is a kind big sister type. Kyuubei is... suspicious the whole time, though he acts sympathetic to the girls. I also love Kyoko Sakura, another magical girl antagonistic to the others, but she doesn't appear until episode 5.

The Japanese voice actors portrayed the characters very well, and none of the voices annoyed me. The English dub is pretty good, too, though I prefer the Japanese. Fortunately, the subtitles are excellent, sharp and true to the original dialogue.

The story, like I mentioned, is dark, and it has lots of twists. Some will be expected, others less so. I highly enjoyed it for the most part, though certain elements were implausible.

But the problems with "Madoka" are easy to ignore because it is so innovative, interesting, and involving. This series is a real game changer and should have a strong influence on future anime. A must-see for fans of the magical girl genre.

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The Ice Storm (Criterion Collection) (1997)

I, personally, was not alive in 1973 -it was a decade too early for me and my closest friends

But Ang Lee gave us some glimpses into the landscape of 1970s suburbia, in the wake of the sexual revolution. "The Ice Storm" is a chilly, bitterly lonely little drama, with moments of biting humour and poignant alienation between these people. They pass each other, but never touch.

The Carvers and Hood live in the same affluent suburban neighborhood, and on the surface all seems well. But self-absorbed Ben Hood (Kevin Kline) is having an affair with the icy Janie Carver (Sigourney Weaver), and his daughter Wendy (Christina Ricci) is experimenting with Janey's son Mikey (Elijah Wood. And Elena Hood (Joan Allen) is experiencing an identity crisis as a woman.

Things start crumbling over Thanksgiving weekend, when Ben finds Wendy and Mikey in a compromising position (which involves a Nixon mask), and Elena figures out the truth about her husband's affair. As an ice storm sweeps over New Canaan, the parents set out to a "key party," all their relationships will reach boiling point -and a tragedy will strike.

The neighborhood of "The Ice Storm" is not one you'd want to live in -people talk but rarely speak, have sex but no intimacy, and can't communicate with their own children and spouses. So it's a credit to Ang Lee's directorial skill that he can actually draw you into this story.

And Lee does a really brilliant job of not only illustrating these intertwined, painfully distant relationships, but tying them into the 1970s world. It's like a bunch of beautifully filmed moments strung together -the kiss in the swimming pool, wintry trysts, biking through the woods, and the awkward Thanksgiving dinner where Wendy goes into a political rant "prayer" at grace.

Lee seems a bit overfond of ice metaphors and dead leaves, to the point of close-ups of ice-cube trays. Really, enough. But his direction is pitch-perfect -he paints a delicate, lonely, chilly beauty into every corner of the movie. This is especially true in the second half, when we see the spacey Mikey sliding and running in an icy wonderland.

Though it's rather bleak, there are plenty of darkly humorous moments ("Mikey have you heard the explosions coming from the back yard?" "I dunno"). But as the story winds on, dialogue becomes much less important -there are long silences that tell us much more than words. Sorrow, resentment, pain, anger and indifference are all hinted at without a word.

And the acting is practically perfect all around. Tobey Maguire serves an important function -he is the "normal" one, an ordinary boy who is hoping to score with a girl. Christina Ricci is excellent as a political nymphet. And Elijah Wood is glorious as Mikey, an endearingly ethereal boy who is obsessed with molecules and squares.

As for the adults, Kevin Kline is amazing as the detached Ben, who discovers the hard way what his selfishness has caused. Weaver and Allen are similarly great as two icy women with warm feelings swimming deep inside, but very different ways of dealing with their unhappy marriages.

The Criterion Edition is partly making up for the bare-bones treatment "Ice Storm" got before. This time, it has new video interviews with author Rich Moody as well as many of the actors -Allen, Wood, Kline and Ricci. Production designs, deleted scenes and more are also included.

The world of "Ice Storm" is a cold, barren one, and I'm not just talking about the late-autumn weather. But Ang Lee gives it a cold, poignant brilliance.

Director Ang Lee has had a fascinatingly diverse career. He's tried his hand at the literary adaptation with Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition), the Civil War epic with Ride with the Devil, a period martial arts tale with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and a comic book adaptation with the much-maligned Hulk (Widescreen 2-Disc Special Edition). He has successfully dabbled in several genres and with The Ice Storm, he adapted Rick Moody's 1994 novel of the same name, a drama set in 1973 during the waning years of the sexual revolution.

The Ice Storm feels like an Ingmar Bergman or John Cassavetes film from the 1970s with a dash of Atom Egoyan (the look of either Exotica or The Sweet Hereafter). It also has a textured, painterly quality thanks to the exquisite cinematography of Frederick Elmes who also shot some of David Lynch's best films (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart). He really captures the tacky, kitschy look of the `70s and is helped considerably by the attention to period detail (awful sweater vests over turtleneck sweaters) and the top notch production design (capturing the look of the houses from that era).

The Ice Storm takes a fascinating look at a specific time and place through the eyes of an outsider the Taiwanese-born Lee who offers a fresh perspective on American culture. His film can be seen as a melancholic lament for the end of an era and the loss of innocence that began with the Kennedy assassination. Kudos to the Criterion Collection for giving this unfairly neglected film their deluxe treatment.

The first disc features an audio commentary by director Ang Lee and producer/screenwriter James Schamus. They banter back and forth like the long-time friends and collaborators that they are. Lee makes some astute observations about the characters and points out his favourite shots and lines of dialogue in the film. This is an entertaining and informative commentary.

There is also a theatrical trailer.

The second disc starts off with "Weathering the Storm," a 36-minute retrospective featurette with new interviews with a lot of the key cast members who reflect on making the film and how it affected their careers. Everyone talks about what it was like to work with Lee. This is an excellent look at how the film came together by some of the actors who were in it.

"Rick Moody Interview" features the author of the source novel talking about his feelings towards the film adaptation. These characters were an intimate part of him and the film version was a very different take on them.

"Lee and Schamus at MOMI." The two talk about their filmmaking career together at the Museum of the Moving Image in November 2007. They talk about how various films came together and reflect on them in an eloquent and intelligent way.

"The Look of The Ice Storm" features interviews with cinematographer Frederick Elmes, production designer Mark Friedberg, and costume designer Carol Oditz. They talk about how they helped realize Lee's vision.

Also included are four deleted scenes with optional commentary by Schamus. We see Ben at work in a funny bit with Kline and Henry Czerny. He talks about why these scenes were cut.

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The old cleche the book is better than the film is usually true. A writer can convey an idea in a word, page or chapter. A film maker, somtimes, only has a shot.

But not ture for Ice Storm. I both read and viewed. The elaborations in Moody's book are on political events, decorating styles, and small details of the early 70s. Toe socks. Metal ice trays.

Director Ang Lee works these into each shot of his 1997 film, about two, next door familes, Thanksgiving weekend, 1973. Coouples are having affairs and testing group sex. Everything held true was false. They were lied to about Vietnam and were embroiled in Watergate. The country they knew, gone. Their early teen kids are expermenting with sex and drugs.

In the book, Ben Hood, the father, spanks his kid with a hairbrush. Is unrepentant about his afairs. There is viscousness. In the movie, Kevin Klien's Ben is flawed too--but is gentle, uncertian, ashamed of his indiscretions, trying but failing to find his way home. Klien is too likeable and cerebral an actor to play Hood as a cad.

The same goes for Hood's wife, Elaina. When, in the book, she catches her daugter Wendy in bed with the neighbors kid, she first tries to spank her and pulls hair when the kid resists. On screen, Joan Allen gives a befuddlled look, tells Wendy to dress, and shuts the door. She does not know what to do. But at least she thinks before acting.

Book to film, the premice changes. Rick Moody is more interested in hypocrocy and cruelity, how families destory each other. Lee sees the damage a result of uncertianty, secrets, people unable to deal effectively with their own emptiness.

I perfer the film. The characters are complex, and you can empathize with them more. You may not like what they do, but you can see something in them basically decent.

Lee's directing is full of nuance, pockets of silence, and subtext. It unfolds slow as a New Haven Winter day. If you are going to make a film about 1973, why not use 1973 pacing and subtlety.

If more 2009 films were made like this, paying twelve bucks for a movie would be a lot easier to swollow.

Read Best Reviews of The Ice Storm (Criterion Collection) (1997) Here

Another excellent edition by the folks at Criterion. The mastering highlights all the blue and icy shades of the cinematography. For the owners of the previous edition, you will see that the original Featurette was replaced with an updated version. A great ensemble cast and a great, thought-provoking film.

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It has to be said right away this movie is depressing and exhausting to watch, much like Ordinary People and American Beauty were. All three of these films examine American upper-middle class family life with a dark, critical eye. Ice Storm will haunt you if you watch it with care and attention. So if you are up for that, this is an extraodinarily good, memorable film. It has really only one flaw -it becomes message-heavy near the end. It didnt have to push the message that hard to accomplish its goal. Its a minor flaw and the movie succeeds in virtually every other way.

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John Carpenter's The Thing Steelbook (Region Free)

i have the regular blu ray of The Thing but then i saw this & just had to have it since it's 1 of my top 5 favorite movies. first off the metal casing is awesome with great artwork & if you dont know whats on the back it's the classic guy in the jacket with the rays of light for a face but its in a green tone instead of the blue & inside you got a green tinted Mac with a frozen beard & 2 guys walkin through the snow. now for technical stuff. the video & audio quality are EXACTLY the same on both except this steelbook is 1:48:34 & the regular is 1:48:42. I don't know where there 8 seconds went cuz i didn't want to go through them both when i bet its in the credits. now for extras. the regular $7.99 blu ray has ONLY director & kurt russel commentary for an extra. the steelbook has a buttload of extras like a 1 1/2 hour making of The Thing with the cast & crew, artwork & deleted scenes plus more. the steelbook is also region free & has every language there is.

i forgot to say that the steelbook blu ray is "vc-1" & the regular blu ray is "avc". i'm not a big technical nerd but there it is for those that want to know. both versions look the same to me on my 1080p tv & PS3

if ur into collecting special edition steal box blurays then this one is it!! awesome cover art!! and oh yeah its the uk version but it plays on the u.s players !! I didn't have an issue with it so I recommend!

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This is exactly what I wanted. THe case looks awesome and I am glad to have gotten it. Im a huge fan.

Read Best Reviews of John Carpenter's The Thing Steelbook (Region Free) Here

Batman Year One (Special Edition with Collectible Catwoman Figure) (2011) (2011)

So I am aware that posting reviews on these DC Warner Premiere titles is risky or precarious at best. The fans are quite knowledgeable and while some don't want a fluff review others are full of adoration for their favorite characters and want reviews that only say positive things. Having had the privelege to obtain and view the film a week before its planned release I am going to attempt to review the actual overall quality for those who are uncertain about making this purchase. While all opinions are obviously subjective I will try to state facts and point out any statements that are based more on my opinion to allow each individual to decide for themself.

Adaptation/Story: Overall this is an excellent adaptation, 10/10. The film follows the exact plot of the original Frank Miller graphic novel, and as has been stated in interviews with Bruce Timm and others, it doesn't leave any scenes out but some are added/very slightly rearranged. The added scenes, in my opinion, don't feel out of place. They are in tone with the original material and are also kept few and far between. Certain monologues/inner dialogues have been slightly changed or shortened but the essence of each is kept true to the source material.The story, needless to say, is fantastic and establishes Batman in a dark gritty world of realism, pure genius on the part of Frank Miller.

Note: Only a rewording of Bruce Wayne's opening monologue felt pointless to me, rather than saying he should've taken the train to be closer to the enemy he says from the plane he can't see the enemy. I feel his desire to be near the enemy was better felt with the original line. Sorry to nitpick.

Animation: Stunning 9/10. It is clean and crisp, which may seem contradictory to my next statement, they perfectly capture Mazzucchelli's gritty and realistic artwork and clearly let it drive the art direction of the film. It is well directed, with nearly every shot and design taken right from the graphic novel and having been brought to life, though Jim Gordon's jawline has been made slightly more defined. There is a wide array of fantastic color selection but still a muted tone that recalls the look of the graphic novel.

That said, my own personal preference for the fluid style of animation I was raised on (BTAS for example) leaves me feeling newer DC features often have a stiff/static feel to their animation no matter how beautiful it is, which is sometimes the case here. I've never been sure if this comes from intention in design, trying to emulate certain anime styles or if it has to do with budgetary constraints. In any case it isn't an issue for most and detracts little to nothing from the beauty and style of the animation. (For an example see the scene where Bruce Wayne kicks over the tree and how it falls over).

Voice Acting: Well done, 8/10 overall.

Eliza Dushku seemed an odd choice to me to play this version of Catwoman as she is caucasian and here Selina Kyle is African American (*several people have told me Selina isn't African American here, I seem to have made the same mistake I made with Luthor in Superman:TAS. I concede I was mistaken, nevertheless I still see her that way when I read the graphic novel or watch this, I always thought it added an interesting new dynamic). Dushku's voice work suits the character and brings real emotion, attitude and strength to Selina. She is able to flesh out the character surprisingly well given a short amount of screen time.

Bryan Cranston plays Jim Gordon. I am bias here as I am a huge fan of Cranston and his recent work on Breaking Bad, but I find him to portray Gordon as a relatable and likable man who is tough yet tired. Any occassional stiffness in his inner dialogues seems to be an intentional direction given by Andrea Romano and is faintly noticed at best.

Ben Mckenzie plays Bruce Wayne/Batman. I admit to being a fan of Mckenzie from my younger years watching The OC, but here I feel his voice seems out of place and somewhat forced, that's where voice acting loses points. It doesn't ruin my enjoyment of the film as a whole, and will likely grow on me over future viewings but his inner dialogues and monologues play very stale, especially the robotic opening dialogue, which had me concerned for the rest of the feature, but thankfully it levelled out as the film progressed and became more tolerable. The stiffness again seems to be partly an intentional choice but I feel a little more emotion could have been injected without risking oversentimentality.

Other voice actors do phenomenal work, Jeff Bennett and Grey Delisle are old pros while Katie Sackhoff and Jon Polito fit well into their characters. The only other misuse of voice besides Mckenzie, in my opinion, was Alex Rocco as Falcone/The Roman. I enjoy Rocco's voiceover on other series but he felt more like the voice of a thug than the boss of a high profile crime family.

Sound: 10/10. The score is used well and sparingly. This world is immersive and the sound effects are all realistic and chosen to enhance that immersive feeling. The final credits are amazing and really left me on a high, I hope all future titles incorporate panels from the source material into their closing credits, simply fantastic. The score over the final credits was also well done, a moody rock ballad, it felt like a Batman theme but was also reminiscent of the late 80's style, the era the story was first published and seems to be set in.

So overall I don't want to make this any longer than it has to be. It is a faithful adaptation, probably for my money the most faithfaul adaptation DC/Warner Premiere have done so far. I am bias as a huge Bat-fan but I place this and Batman: Under the Red Hood [Blu-ray] as the two best films so far, with Justice League: The New Frontier Special Edition [Blu-ray] coming in third. I would actually place this one above Red Hood only because I admire Frank Miller's story so much and find the world created to be so much more distinct and layered. With only 64 minutes of runtime this is a short film but an immersive one that merits repeat viewings, for me anyways.

I'll leave each reader up to their own decision based on this information but I say this is worth the money for fans of Batman or for fans of Frank Miller. Even better if you are a fan of both. I'm glad this time I wasn't disappointed. I also know that some question why so many of these releases have to feature Batman, why not some other DC heroes, but after seeing Year One pulled off this well I am personally hoping they attempt Batman: The Long Halloween in the near future.

Amazon's rating system is flawed, based on their five star system I love this film and give it 5 stars, if this was a rating out of 10 I would give an overall 9/10.

**For those, like myself, who once thought titles like The Long Halloween were an impossibility without butchering them for length there seems to be new hope. The upcoming adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns will be a two part production. If they do well we may yet see proper adaptations of Long Halloween and Dark Victory that are actually at the quality they deserve.

Along with The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One has generally been considered one of the finest achievements in comic book writing of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Warner Brothers has produced an extremely faithful animated adaptation of the comic book. For those who enjoyed the comic book or who are interested in a sophisticated Batman story, Batman: Year One will definitely be worth watching.

As I've already said, this is a VERY faithful adaptation of the classic comic book story. It is different from other recent adaptations such as Marvel's Planet Hulk or even DC's Justice League: The New Frontier, which changed some aspects of the original storylines and added a lot of dialogue. In Batman: Year One much of the dialogue from the comic book was imported more or less wholesale into the animated film.

The story may come as a bit of a surprise to those who are not familiar with it. Many have said that it should really be called Commissioner Gordon: Year One because the story focuses so heavily on the commissioner and how he reacted to the sudden appearance of the Dark Knight. It is therefore quite different from the more Bruce Wayne centered perspective taken in the movies and elsewhere. The approach to Batman taken in this film is among the more realistic. He has a few gadgets but nothing like the high-tech stuff that he totes around in most recent comic books and films. He gets bruised in his battles with everyday hoodlums and can't take out twenty guys at once the way he can in other storylines. The Dark Knight also makes mistakes both in his judgments and his relationships. He doesn't seem to know everything and be able to track every situation as he does in many Justice League stories. It is in short a more human and less super heroic Batman than the one we see in other places.

I was impressed by how Warner Brothers managed to translate the gritty realism of the Batman: Year One comic book into the film. They didn't spare any of the sordid details of Gotham life. The prostitution, the violence, and the corruption of the police are all depicted in the film. This is very much as it should be. Gotham City just wouldn't be Gotham City without them.

The production values for this brief (slightly over an hour) film were also excellent. The animation is beautifully done and captures some of David Mazzuchelli's artistic style from the comic books. All of the voice actors (Ben McKenzie as Batman, Bryan Cranston as Commissioner Gordon and Eliza Dushku as Catwoman) turn in solid performances although I don't know if I like McKenzie as Batman quite as much as I like Kevin Conroy's rendition in the video game. Nevertheless, the animation and voice performances make this a pleasure to watch.

Why only four and a half stars? Sometimes faithful adaptations can be TOO faithful. The animated version of Batman: Year One falls into this trap. I loved the comic book version and enjoyed the film. But perhaps because I had read the comic book already, I found the animated film to be missing an element of surprise and suspense. The film adaptation of Watchmen (which I also generally enjoyed) had a similar problem in my view. Despite this criticism, if you liked the comic or just want to see a good Batman story I would recommend watching Batman: Year One.

Buy Batman Year One (Special Edition with Collectible Catwoman Figure) (2011) (2011) Now

I thought the movie was well done and did a great job of following the comic. I'm not not going to over analyze the details of the movie or complain about the voicing, if you want to find a problem with something you will. I thought Batman Year One the movie did a great job of following the comic and I loved the movie.

Read Best Reviews of Batman Year One (Special Edition with Collectible Catwoman Figure) (2011) (2011) Here

Batman Year One is the story of how Batman transitions from a vengeance seeking victim into the Gotham City crime fighter we know today. With far fewer gadgets, far more mistakes and no allies, BYO focuses on Batman as a newbie crime fighter something that hasn't been done before in movies or animation. While many of us are sick of Hollywood prequel fever (i.e. Spiderman 4), BYO actually got it right by keeping it short and simple. No real cliffhangers, no super-complex plot, no huge leaps of faith (although I do question the last fight scene of the movie man of foot chasing motorcycle and car...really???), and most importantly no major deviations from the original story line. Throughout the movie there was great attention to detail, I really felt like I was transported into the past to discover a side of Batman I never knew. BYO also has two parallel story lines (Lt. Gordan's 'on the job training' and an intro to Catwoman) that fit in nicely. Personally, I would have like to have seen a 2 or 3 minute flashback on Catwoman's background, but that's just me.

I gave BYO 5 stars and highly recommend it to DC and Marvel fans alike.

Congrats to producer Bruce Timm and team on another fantastic DCU animated movie.

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Very close to the original comic! Frank Miller's work brought to life with great animation and voice acting, I'm watching a second time to compare with the book, and it is worth it!

My Week with Marilyn (DVD/Blu-ray Combo) (2011)

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)The real Marilyn Monroe was an inch and a half taller than Michelle Williams, a significant difference when one considers that there is no way Williams could have replicated the voluptuous physicality of Monroe's presence. Yet, the young actress does something quite unexpected in capturing the essence of Monroe's wounded psyche for all its frailties and doing a convincing job of conveying the public Marilyn for all her breathy sensuality in this modest 2011 showbiz tale. Directed by British TV veteran Simon Curtis and written by Adrian Hodges, the film depicts a minor piece of motion picture lore based on the memoirs of Colin Clark, who was a lowly "third assistant director" during the production of the Ruritanian romance, The Prince and the Showgirl. The mostly forgotten 1957 movie marked Monroe's attempt at being taken seriously as an actress in a well-publicized collaboration with Sir Laurence Olivier just after she married playwright Arthur Miller.

The story really begins with Monroe's arrival in London to start filming. Fully devoted to Lee Strasberg's school of Method acting, she constantly searches for her character's motivation even within the context of a soufflé-light drawing room comedy. With sychophantic acting coach Paula Strasberg constantly by her side, she is chronically tardy on the set keeping her distinguished British company of thespians waiting for hours. Monroe's already renowned insecurities become heightened by Olivier's abrasive impatience as not only her co-star but her director. As a witness to her undeniable aura, the young Colin becomes smitten as he is assigned to be her protector when she begins to bond with him after Miller returns to New York. This leads to a getaway visiting Windsor Castle and Eton College before a comparatively more confident Monroe returns to the set. The film is bookended by Williams' fearlessly entertaining takes on the Monroe classics, Irving Berlin's "Heat Wave" and Harold Arlen's "That Old Black Magic" (although completely out of their original context).

Williams tackles the impossible with her empathetic performance as Monroe, and she manages it with aplomb without resorting to outright impersonation. One deliberate exception is the enchanting little dance she does as her character in the movie within the movie she mimics Monroe perfectly in those few moments. Eddie Redmayne plays the callow Colin to the best of the screenplay's workmanlike limitations since the only hint of complexity is breaking the heart of the young costumer played in a fetching manner by an underused Emma Watson. As Olivier, Kenneth Branagh captures the ego-driven bluster and measured speech cadence of the legendary actor, but he is also underserved by Hodges' script. Judi Dench again steals her scenes as a fellow scene-stealer, Dame Sybil Thorndike. Barely making a ripple in the story are Julia Ormond as Olivier's then-wife, Vivien Leigh, with just a hint given of her descent into madness, and Dougray Scott as a taciturn Miller. For all its flaws, the film is worth seeing for Williams' mesmerizing work, for example, the scene where she romps through the English countryside conveying Monroe's sense of freedom in a way that recalls a similarly poignant scene in The Misfits.

First off, I tip my hat to Michelle Williams. She gave a valiant effort in trying to pull off an icon, but she only got it 50% right. What she DID nail was Marilyn's emotions: vulnerablility, insecurity, brokeness, and need to be loved. She painted a beautiful picture of wounded woman. Where she missed the mark big-time was in not nailing the charisma, sex appeal, bombshell MOVIE STAR quality that men were captivated by and women wanted to attain. Sorry, but Ms. Wiliams, as good of an actress as she is, simply lacks the glamour, punch and va-va-voom flair of an old Hollywood starlet. This was like casting Anne Hathaway to play Elizabeth Taylor just wouldn't work. When playing someone famous, simply being a good actor won't do you have to have at least *some* of the essence of the person being emulated. Marilyn was lost in her internal drama a lot of the time, but she knew how turn it on and sell the showgirl image for the cameras. Williams seemed to just be growing through the motions and looked painfully uncomfortable in any scene where Marilyn had to be "on". You get the sense that she's a painfully shy/quiet person and couldn't turn up the personality enough notches to be believable as a 50's movie star. This is where finding an actress who had a background in musical theater would have made a world of difference. [No one knows how to "sell it" better than a Broadway actress!].

The poor casting continued with Julia Ormond [laughably] as Vivien Leigh. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING about Ormond's looks and performance remotely resembled the icon america came to know and love as Scarlett O'Hara.

The only saving grace acting-wise is Kenneth Branaugh who nailed Sir Lawrence Oliver down to the very last crisply-accentuated syllable. Well done! Dougray Scott was pretty good as Arthur Miller, but [sadly] was not in many scenes.

Performances aside, the movie was slow, predictable, dull and felt inauthentic.

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An aspiring young filmmaker spent a short time in 1956 on the set of a Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe film as an assistant director. He became close to Marilyn as many men had, and ended up a key figure in the production. Marilyn Monroe was notoriously difficult to work with in Hollywood and that is well-dramatized here. Michelle Williams IS Marilyn Monroe in this one and her performance highlights a realistic look at the difficulties that Marilyn had with trying to be a serious Hollywood actress while dealing with her insecurities and a prescription drug habit. This film was a pleasant surprise and another terrific movie to see during the holiday season.

Read Best Reviews of My Week with Marilyn (DVD/Blu-ray Combo) (2011) Here

Marilyn Monroe remains one of the most famous creations of Hollywood for the last century. In many ways she satisfied the needs of Everyman: she came form a abusive and loveless childhood, entered the realm of celluloid because of an incandescent beauty of body and face, she captured the hearts of everyone who flocked to her movies, she became the Queen of the World, and yet she was likely as fragile and insecure little porcelain doll as ever existed. MY WEEK WITH MARILYN is apparently a true story written by Colin Clark based on his diaries `My Week With Marilyn' and `The Prince, the Showgirl and Me' and in Adrian Hodges adaptation for the screen all of the above mentioned qualities of the public and private Marilyn Monroe are condensed in a 90-minute film. On many levels it works despite the rather choppy manner in which it is presented by director Simon Curtis.

1955 and Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) is moving form the theater to make a movie in London. Young Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), a lad form a wealthy family who is obsessed with being in the film business, wants to be involved and he navigates himself a job on the set. When film star Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) arrives for the start of shooting, all of London is excited to see the blonde bombshell, while Olivier attempts to struggle to meet her many demands and acting ineptness, and Colin is intrigued by her. Colin's intrigue is met when Marilyn invites him into her inner world where she struggles with her fame, her beauty and her desire to be a great actress. It is this week of extreme fragility in Monroe's life where we discover more about Marilyn's psyche than we ever thought possible.

Populating the making of the film are Olivier's wife Vivien Leigh (Julia Ormond), Dame Sybil Thorndike (Judi Dench) who bolsters Marilyn's ego, Marilyn's current husband playwright Arthur Miller (Dougray Scott), Marilyn's acting coach and mentor Paula Strasberg (Zoë Wanamaker), Marilyn's contingent of American movie moguls Milton Green (Dominic Cooper) and Arthur Jacobs (Toby Jones) as well as Colin's relative Sir Owen Morshead (Derek Jacobi) and Colin's would-be girlfriend Lucy (Emma Watson) along with a massive group of supporting actors in small roles. Michelle Williams and the makeup and costume department seem less interested in re-creating a Monroe droid, instead allowing Williams to enter the persona of Monroe a wise decision and Williams accomplishes the impossible task of making us see Marilyn Monroe as a person. The remainder of the cast is quite fine as one would expect with a group of actors of this caliber. One can wonder why the many roles of Americans were cast with British actors, but that is a quibble. Though Williams has a lovely little voice in her many singing moments she does not resemble then inimitable Monroe sound and quirky vibrato but that is in keeping with creating the spirit of Monroe and not imitating or mimicking the inimitable. Alexandre Desplat once again provides a perfect music score for the film. In the end this is a satisfying if not overwhelming memoir of the one and only Marilyn Monroe. It works, thanks in large part to Michelle Williams. Grady Harp, March 12

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There are several compelling reasons to admire Simon Curtis' adaptation of Colin Clark's memoir "My Week with Marilyn," least of which is the story of Colin Clark! Michelle Williams nails Marilyn Monroe's vulnerability (if not always her movie star magic) in one of the year's best performances. Kenneth Branagh is terrific as the put-upon Sir Laurence Olivier, a role he seemed destined to play. Judi Dench is invaluable as Dame Sybil Thorndike, I'm surprised she didn't get a bit more attention for this showy supporting turn. Add a roster of top notch actors including Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, Dominic Cooper, Derek Jacobi, Zoe Wanamaker, Dougray Scott, and Toby Jones (to name a few) and it seems like I'd be over the moon on principle alone. The tumultuous film shoot of 1957's "The Prince and the Showgirl" (the basis for this film) is the stuff of movie making legend and the prospect of visiting this tale was virtually irresistible to me. Sight unseen, "My Week with Marilyn" was easily one of my can't miss films of 2011.

And yet, even with all of these elements going for it, "My Week With Marilyn" was a bit of a let-down for one reason. Like the book it is based on, the lead character is none of these dynamic personalities--but a rather self-serving minor player named Colin Clark (here played ably by Eddie Redmayne). As Clark would detail it (and he's made almost a lifetime career out of this story), "The Prince and the Showgirl" exists almost solely due to his relationship with Marilyn and so the focus of the film is squarely on the thing that interested me the least. Colin Clark is the self-appointed star of this tale. No matter how good everything else is, the central narrative is skewed in such a way with Clark as the hero and savior that nothing else feels particularly reliable. It's a great, great story--it's just filtered through the wrong perspective.

Unfamiliar with the tale? Two film worlds collided when Olivier, a classically trained actor, put the world's biggest movie star into his picture. The shoot was a nightmare to orchestrate as Marilyn Monroe, all uncertainty and indecision, seemed unable to fit in with the more rigid structure of filming that Olivier demanded. Williams is terrific as Monroe and captures her mannerisms and vocal quirks to perfection. As everyone (in the movie) watches her on screen, they fall instantly in love with her naturalistic allure--but I'm not sure the film entirely uncovers what was so special and magnetic in the Monroe on-screen persona. What it does do quite successfully is to bring out her humanity, gentleness and unpredictability. Foibles and all, you still want to root for this Marilyn.

The on-set part of "My Week with Marilyn" is easily its strongest component and it is fascinating to see the movie being created within the movie. But I'm far less interested in the personal life of Colin Clark. It's not Redmayne's fault, he's a talented actor that has made an impression in many other projects. I was simply never convinced that Clark had the impact he wishes us to believe. His tentative romance with Marilyn has its appealing moments, but when we spend so much time with him--I always wanted to get back to Branagh, Dench and company. I think there might still be a great movie to be made on this subject. "My Week with Marilyn" is certainly an easy recommendation for the performances, just realize that the tale lacks a bit of balance (and some believability) by being so connected to Clark's memoir. 5 star performances, but the film (for me) is about 3 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 3/12.

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Alien (1979)

Amazon's reviewer calls this movie overrated and drawn out, while the Leonard Maltin movie guide review seems a bit baffled that some people like this kind of entertainment. Don't listen to either of them. Alien is, quite simply, one of the best movies ever made in both the sci-fi and horror genres. Those who complain that the film takes too long to get going suffer from some kind of cinematic attention span disorder; Ridley Scott draws his scenes out because he wants to build tension and establish a sense of realism before introducing H.R. Giger's terrifying creation. Unfortunately we can all see that the monster is just a guy in a suit during the closing sequences when Scott finally lets us see what the big slimy nemesis really looks like, but otherwise the film hasn't aged a bit since it came out two decades ago. The DVD is great too, with excellent picture quality and a really great commentary track, despite some disastrously inappropriate menu screens (the interfaces are all CG-rendered glitz, which really doesn't go with a movie known for its slow, elegant, quiet suspense). Anyone with any interest in horror or science fiction films in general should pick up this classic immediately.

"Alien" is one of the most intense Sci-Fi thrillers to have ever graced the silver screen or the home theater in any format! It is the film's intensity that provides such an incredible draw to this extraordinary film. If you're looking for a lot of action, this film is not really what you're looking for; "Aliens" is where the intensity and action comes into play in the line of Alien movies; the whole theme behind "Alien" is to scare to pants off of you with extremely intense scenes and if you've never seen this movie before, it may very well do just that! Never before in the history of this genre had there been a film of this magnitude and few have matched it in it's intensity since.

Now, with this latest release, fans of "Alien" are treated to the best release of this film yet. The very first thing you'll notice when you put this DVD into your player is that you have the option of playing either the 1979 Theatrical Release or a 2003 Director's Cut. The 2003 Director's Cut is preceded by an interesting introduction by Ridley Scott himself. This cut is put together seamlessly and the additions to the film add just that much more flavor to the film, making it that much better. The only downside to this edition and I believe this just stems from the time in which this film was made, was the audio. Despite having the options of THX and 5.1 Dolby Surround or 5.1 DTS, the audio playback just isn't what it should be.

Copious amounts of credit and accolades go to the incredible cast for this outstanding cinematic treasure! Although I wouldn't go so far as to say that "Alien" is "the" movie that made Sigourney Weaver a star, I would say that it was the one that made her a superstar! And since the release of this film and the following three in the Alien legacy, she will forever be known for these roles and probably very few others, except maybe her role in "Ghostbusters."

Director Ridley Scott, who has directed some of the most influential films in just over the past quarter century, deserves high praise and acclaim for "Alien" and the direction he took this film in. There are several directors out there that may have made as many or more films than he has but few have enjoyed the success he has had and a lot of that success can be directly attributed to the work he did on this film!

The Premise:

Although never clearly defined as to when, it is the future and America has expanded Earth's atmosphere and is sending mining ships out there... The Nostromo, a civilian mining vessel is making the return trip home from an expedition and the crew is in cryo-freeze for the trip home but "Mother" the ships computer wakes them up to investigate what appears to be an alien SOS message.

As the crew goes through the necessary steps to investigate the signal on a small planetoid, the tension builds right to the moment that Kane (John Hurt) is deep within the bowels of the alien ship and is leaning over what appears to be an egg...

What follows from there is most certainly one of the most intense Sci-Fi thrillers ever to have been brought to the silver screen. I highly recommend this exceptional film to any and all who're fans of movies in this genre. {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

For those that have been waiting for a special edition DVD of "Alien" with all of the bells and whistles, this edition is most assuredly it!

-1979 Theatrical Version (Deleted/Extended Scene Index) (Alien Vs. Predator Teaser Trailer)

-2003 Director's Cut (Ridley Scott Introduction) (Deleted Footage Marker)

-Full Length Audio Commentary with Director Ridley Scot, Writer Dan O'Bannon, Executive Producer Ronald Shusett, Editor Terry Rawlings, Actors; Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt (Both Versions) +

-Behind the Scenes Featurettes:

*"Star Beast: Developing the Story"

*"The Visualists: Direction and Design"

*"Truckers in Space: Casting"

*"Future Tense: Music and Editing"

*"Outward Bound: Visual Effects"

*"A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film"

*"Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978"

*"The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet"

*"The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design"

*"The Chestburster" Multi-Angle Sequence with Optional Commentary by Ridley Scott

-Sigourney Weaver Screen Test with Optional Commentary by Ridley Scott

-Still Photo Galleries

-Deleted & Extended Scenes

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ALIEN received mixed reviews when it debuted in 1979--largely from science fiction critics, who accused it of being little more than a sort of "Friday the 13th in Outer Space," a blood-and-gore horror flick given a futuristic twist via some problematic special effects. But while these accusations have more than a little truth, it has been an incredibly influential film--and even today, in the wake of CGI effects, it still holds up extremely, extremely well.

The story is well known: the crew of an interstellar craft responds to what seems a distress signal, only to encounter a remarkably lethal alien life form that boards their ship and sets about picking them off one by one. Some of the special effects are weak (the alien spacecraft and the android "revival" are fairly notorious). There is little in the way of character development, the film has a fairly slow pace, and the story itself is predictable; you can usually guess who is going to die next.

BUT. The art designs are incredible: the entire look of the film, from the commercial nature of the spacecraft to the iconographic alien itself (brilliantly envisioned by Giger) is right on the money. Director Ridley Scott encouraged his cast to ad lib from the script, and the result is a shocking sense of realism--and the somewhat slow pace of the film and the predictablity of the story gives it a sense of relentless and ever-mounting paranoia that is greatly enhanced by the tight sets and camera set-ups. With its odd mixture of womb-like organics and cold mechanics, ALIEN is a film calculated to send even the most slightly claustrophobic viewer into a fit of hysteria.

The entire cast, led by Tom Skerrit and Sigorney Weaver, is very, very good--and the film abounds with memorable images and scenes ranging from John Hurt's encounter with the alien egg to Skerrit's search of the ship air ducts to Weaver's terrifying race against time as the ship counts down to self-destruct. Seldom has any film been so consistent in design, cast, direction, and out-and-out fear factor, and although certain aspects of ALIEN are open to legitimate criticism the end result is powerful enough to bring it in at a full five stars. A word of warning, however: you'll need to send the kids to bed for this one. And you'll probably be up half the night afterward yourself! Recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Alien (1979) Here

Many have tried and failed to repeat its success, but nothing can beat the masterpiece that is Alien. Unleashed at cinemas in 1979, the film is a flat-out classic sci-fi horror flick, using extreme moments of suspense to build up the scary scenes. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film is a ground-breaking classic that still holds up amazingly well today, and made an international superstar if Sigourney Weaver.

In Alien, the terror begins when the crew of the spaceship Nostromo are instructed to investigate a transmission from a desolate planet, as they are on their way back home to Earth. Upon their arrival, they make a horrifying discovery a life form that attaches itself to the victims face, using it as a host before breeding inside the body. The life form then removes itself, waiting for the young it has planted inside the human victim to be born and explode through the stomach. A gruesome description indeed, which is why the film is so brilliant. The alien is now on board the spaceship after it exploded through the stomach of one of the spaceship's crew, all because the remaining crew foolishly let him back on board. It's now up to the crew to stop this alien menace, and fight not only for their own survival, but the survival of all mankind.

Sigourney Weaver stars as Ellen Ripley in her film debut role. Weaver is absolutely perfect for the role, and was practically the first girl-power type female heroine who single-handedly carries this international blockbuster right through until the final minutes. John Hurt also plays Kane to excellent effect, especially in his death scene as he frantically wriggles on the table with the alien inside him. Harry Dean Stanton is brilliant as Brett, as is Tom Skerritt as Dallas. Yaphet Kotto is also perfectly cast as Parker, who provides many on-screen laughs. Veronica Kartwright (who later went on to star in The X-Files some 20 years later) stars as the loveable Lambert, the only other female member of the crew along with Ripley. Ian Holm as Ash is absolutely brilliant in his role as the android secretly sent on board to bring back the alien life-form, while in his eyes, and "Mother's" all other crew members are expendable. The acting in this film is really first-rate, which is another big factor in why the film works so well.

Many scenes from Alien are classics, and are all equally scary. The first really scary scene we witness is when Kane investigates the egg in which the life-form is waiting to spring out onto his face. The noise it makes is enough to give anyone nightmares, and the deathly silence that proceeds after the event is truly eerie. The first extremely shocking scene we get is when the alien explodes from Kane's stomach. The noises it makes, and the screams of pain and terror from the crew members is most disturbing, rivalling anything previously set in horror films such as the scenes from The Exorcist. Ripley's confrontation with the robot Ash is truly terrifying. After she discovers exactly why he is on board and what the truth behind their the mission, he tries to kill her, by blocking all the exits in the spaceship. It's only when the remaining crew (those who haven't been killed off by the alien) come to her rescue that Ash reveals his true self, spinning around the room with white liquid exploding from every orifice. Before long, Ripley is the only surviving member of the crew. On her own, she proves herself to be a true action hero as she finally defeats the alien on board.

All in all, Alien is a terrific sci-fi horror movie that plays with your senses incredibly well. Nothing happens for the first 30 minutes, and that is exactly the director's intent. By doing so, a feeling of extreme suspense is instantly formed, leaving you on the edge of your seat until the very end. When you think of the film when not watching it, you'll think of the long corridors and the eerie silence that stalks them, as these are the scenes that you remember most vividly because of the suspense created.

I urge anyone who hasn't seen Alien to pick up a copy and watch it today, because you really are missing out on a landmark film that redefined the way people think of space, and the horror movie genre in general. As they say, "In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream."

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That was the fitting tagline to this 1979 classic. Alien is certainly a masterpiece of the Sci-Fi/Horror genre. Ridley Scott's richly atmospheric and lavishily detailed direction immediately makes this a film that stands high above all of its rivals.

The story itself is simple and harkens back to those 1950's space creature pictures. The production design is simply marvelous. The design of the Nostromo is filled with realistic details, and creates a claustiphobic atmosphere. H.R Giger's contribution is simply breathtaking. His design of the derilict spaceship and the Alien itself has been much imitated since. The seven foot creature is truly a work of art. Only Aliens came close to really recaptuing the striking horror and beauty of the creature.

The cast which featured Sigourney Weaver in her debut, Tom Skerritt, Ian Holm. Yaphet Kotto, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright and Harry Dean Stanton is diverse and each adds something to the film. The music score by Jerry Goldsmith is filled with all sorts of eerie & strange sounds and creates a stomach churning atmosphere.

The pace of the film is slow by todays standards, but it's what creates the build up for the several shocking encounters with the Alien. The 20th anniversary DVD is fiiled with extras, looks and sounds terrific and is a must have for fans of this film.

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Battle for Terra (2007)

This Blu has been screening nicely in the store as sadly no one got to see this with that joke of a theatrical release slate.

Plenty to dissect here regarding both the subtle and overlaying future of humanity themes, but in the end the positive outcomes shine through as does the awesome animation, both preserved beautifully on the Blu. This recent trend of 5.1 Uncompressed PCM on Blu is a nice change, and it bodes well for an action filled finale like this. The clarity, colors and style of animation look great here, and I bookmarked the last 17 minute battle scene for customers and that alone has sold itself. The supplements are a bit mismanaged and include:

* 4:45 minute making-of. Way too short for what this film took to make, and most of the other extras should have been spliced into this selection.

* 4 deleted scenes totaling 7 minutes. For what this film was they all should have been left in their respective sequences.

* 25 second quip on a storyboard to final rendering analysis on one scene.

* 2:13 minute Animatics picture in picture clip. Shows the animation changes between production levels of the escape sequence.

* 20 slides containing text and and drawing notes of initial production design.

* Pulling the Strings, 1:26 minute low grade animation clip of the director stating his reasons for making this and other films and what he hopes to accomplish.

* Crew commentary, catered to the animation followers.

The menu is eye catching and plays with some decent music. The navigation is too extensive for younger viewers and could have been made much simpler regarding the supplements (combine everything next time). This gets a 5 rating for Lionsgate on a solid picture and sound product. A PG rating with maybe a few scary moments for really young viewers, but presentable to everyone, I think. Have not had any kids run screaming to mom yet while it plays here. Hope you enjoy.

Seldom do animations of this quality and creative imagination also elicit thoughtful and emotional responses from the viewer. But such appears to be the case as many other reviewers have expressed similar thoughts. So! Praise to the director, writers and animation crew for an exceptionally crafted story.

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This movie was great. It was the first 3-D movie I ever went and saw. Due to the horrible job done promoting this movie not many people even saw it. Which is fine because my friend and I had the whole theater to ourselves. A private screening at a public movie theater of one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Most people won't like this movie because it makes us humans out to be the bad guys. The movie was great. Animation for being made with the money it was made for is excellent. The message great. If you are one of the ones who didn't get to see this in theaters, which I'm sure most of you reading this are aside from a few scary moments which may disturb younger viewers this movie truly is a diamond in the rough.

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This is an interesting sci-fi animation. Great for both kids and adults. Has a new twist on alien invasion. Not predictable!

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I picked up the movie at the free video store shelf at Family Video. It is actually worth paying for and not a FREE movie. The story line is good and it keeps your interest Well Done

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Shooter (2007)

After a mission gone awry, Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) now leads a solitary existence in the mountains of Wyoming. When he is called back to assist a covert military group (headed by Danny Glover) in determining how to pull off an assasination attempt, he soon discovers that he's been set up in an elaborate ruse to take the fall. Hell hath no fury like a Marine scorned, and Swagger becomes a PO'ed two-man army (once he hooks up with disgraced FBI agent Michael Pena), determined to bring the real culprits to justice. Directd by Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day"), this high octane conspiracy thriller just doesn't let up and will keep the viewer guessing. Though it's pretty violent it's well worth watching!

My only drawback was having to hear Glover's dialogue was it me or did he have some really ill-fitting dentures that provided him with the most annoying lisp. I was just waiting for them to fall out. Overall though, Glover has not given a more chilling performance since "Witness," and Wahlberg who can also be pretty menacing, proves to be a great action hero.

The DVD extras include a great behind the scenes segment featuring the technical advisor, himself a former military sniper, who provides insight into that occupation as well as the weapons used in the movie.

A veteran double crossed by the government during his early military career is used once again in this fast paced action flick. The unsuspecting soldier is talked into helping 'prevent' the assassination of a president, but things are not what they seem and he's roped into a deep conspiracy. Now he must run for his life while he tries to find a way to reveal the truth. I could slightly guess the formula and where it was leading on this one, but still enjoyed the action packed story.

Chrissy K. McVay Author

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Sometimes I wonder why I wait so long before watching a certain movie, especially one that has received praise from essentially everyone I know that has ever seen it. Such is the case with the military-themed/conspiracy thriller "Shooter" starring Mark Wahlberg ("Four Brothers") and Danny Glover (`Lethal Weapon' series). I was told from so many sources that "Shooter" is a definite must-see of a movie, yet for some unknown reason I never did get around to watching it, until recently that is. Of course, I had plenty of opportunities to watch the movie, due to the fact that I had purchased it several months back even though I hadn't seen it yet (a concept which may seem strange to some of you). Who knows why it took me so long, maybe I need to get my head examined (one of my friends sure thought so when I told him I had yet to see this movie). Whatever the case may be, when all was said and done now that I've finally taken an opportunity to sit down and watch the movie, I enjoyed every single minute of it and wished I would have gotten around to seeing it much sooner.

"Shooter" is the story of former Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg), who after being betrayed by his superiors, has left the service and is leading a quiet, peaceful existence in a remote cabin somewhere in the mountains. However, as much as Bob Lee has tried to remove himself from the outside world, there are those that still possess the means to find him; led by a high ranking Colonel (Danny Glover), a mysterious group within the U.S. government believes that Bob Lee may be the one person on the planet to help them in preventing an impending assassination attempt on the current President of the United States. Feeling the pressure to once again serve his country, Bob Lee reluctantly agrees to lend his expertise; however, all is not as it seems. On the day of the attempt, Bob Lee is betrayed and wrongfully identified as the shooter by the very people he agreed to help. Now, he's on the run from virtually every government agency in the United States, and as if that weren't enough to contend with, the group that hired him is tracking him across the country to silence the one loose end that could expose their far-reaching conspiracy to the entire nation.

I've got to say that I am becoming more and more impressed by Mark Wahlberg's acting ability with each movie he makes. Not only are his skills as an actor becoming more refined, but his movies just seem to get better and better as well. Mark's performance as Bob Lee Swagger was perfect, he was full of confidence without being arrogant, appeared to be an honorable man who seemed to go out of his way to save lives at all cost, and despite being betrayed by his superiors, he still maintained a strong sense of pride for his country and the military; which was a welcome change in character traits from most of the leading roles featured in today's movies dealing with any facet of the military and/or its soldiers. Michael Pena ("World Trade Center") was solid in his portrayal of an FBI agent that becomes Bob's reluctant partner, and one of the few members of any government agency that believes that he may just be innocent after all, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Kate Mara ("We Are Marshall") plays a widow of one of Bob's military buddies from his time in the service, and becomes an ally and eventual love interest for him, serving as a means for allowing Bob to open up once more to another human being and to begin to heal from the wounds that his life and career have left upon him. Kate wasn't given as much to do in this film dramatically as she had been in "We Are Marshall", but what time she did have on the screen she made the best of, and managed to show that her character was emotionally vulnerable, yet strong enough to stand up for herself if the moment arose; instead of just being the typical damsel in distress that would generally be the female role in a film such as this. Granted she eventually becomes `in distress' so to speak, but not until she's proven to the audience that she has the means with which to protect herself under normal circumstances. Rounding out the cast are veteran actors Danny Glover and Ned Beatty as members of a secret group within the U.S. government that sets Bob up for the assassination attempt. Danny Glover has played villains a few times throughout his rather lengthy career, and each time he brings a depth and realism to each character, never allowing them to be even remotely the same in their presentation. For his character in "Shooter", Danny added a slight lisp to his character's vocal performance, and played him as someone who had at one time possibly been an honorable soldier, but life and/or experiences have jaded him so much that he is essentially nothing more than a soldier for hire to the highest bidder. Portraying the man currently financing Glover's most recent mission is Ned Beatty, in a surprisingly sinister turn as a corrupt U.S. Senator who feels he has the nation's best interests at heart, no matter how misguided he may be, and is willing to do anything to see his goals accomplished.

Critically acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day") delivers movie audiences yet another solid film following up his previous successes, the historical epic "King Arthur", the military thriller "Tears of the Sun", and the film that garnered Denzel Washington his first Best Actor Oscar nod "Training Day". Fuqua deftly captures the frantic action and fast-paced action sequences with the ease of an accomplished action director, utilizing quick edits that have become synonymous with today's action films; yet Fuqua thankfully avoids overusing the hand-held camera approach that has permeated most of the popular action movies of recent years (a technique that was made popular by director Paul Greengrass' massive box office success with "The Bourne Supremacy"). For a director whose early successes were found in music videos, Antoine Fuqua has definitely come a long way in the last ten years since he made his theatrical directorial debut with "The Replacement Killers", and has become yet another one of those directors whose films I greatly anticipate whenever I hear of an impending release, though I don't always rush out to see them as was the case here.

The plot for "Shooter" was surprisingly more involved and complex than one would expect from most Hollywood action films. The screenplay, written by Jonathan Lemkin ("Lethal Weapon 4") and based on a novel by Stephen Hunter titled "Point of Impact", featured plenty of little twists and turns along the way to keep the suspense ratcheted up, and the audience wondering just what exactly was going to happen next. I really appreciated how the script spent time focusing on each of the main characters to flesh them out a bit more than your standard one-dimensional action film characters generally would be; it was this type of work in a screenplay that propelled "Shooter" far above the average action movie that most action buffs love to see. Truthfully, "Shooter" could almost be considered a "thinking man's action film" so to speak. Who knows, with the success of "Shooter" maybe Hollywood will take notice and begin making more action films with this kind of attention to detail, featuring smart, well-written dialogue, surprising twists (that make sense and don't appear convoluted and convenient), and plenty of suspense and thrills without resorting to excessive violence as their only means of conveyance. If we begin to see this kind of action movie taking place more and more, maybe the action genre could gain a little bit more respect from the critics; instead, of being looked upon as films for the mindless masses that can't stand to see any kind of drama being played out, only guns blazing, fists flying, and mayhem galore, maybe there's hope in the eyes of critics for the action junkies yet.

Every single aspect of "Shooter" was perfectly mixed together, from the acting to the directing to the story; nothing was out of place or off-beat in the least; delivering audiences an incredibly solid action film that boasted plenty of pulse-pounding action, along with a hefty dose of drama, intrigue, and depth to make for a thoroughly entertaining movie experience.

"Shooter" is rated R for violence and language.

Read Best Reviews of Shooter (2007) Here

This movie reminded me of The Bourne films, in a way. Mark Wahlberg played a nearly indestructable ex-military man, who was the most amazing shot in the history of mankind. Very entertaining film, great action sequences, and like my headline suggests, non-stop 2-hour thrills. Highly recommended.

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The film opens with two US troops being abandoned by their commander. They are not in authorized space. When asked why, the commander said something to the effect that the men were well trained and they would find their way home.

We know one of them did, because we see him years later. Bob Lee Swagger (Wahlberg) has nearly gone off the grid. It's just him and his dog living in a remote cabin.

When he's approached by Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) to help foil a plot to kill the US President by determining how the shooter is going to do it, he reluctantly accepts the job.

When the fated day arrives, it's actually the Archbishop of Ethiopia who is shot and the crime's blamed on Swagger. Swagger goes on the run, trying to find out precisely what happened.

"Shooter" is a smart paced and intelligent conspiracy thriller taken from the pen of Stephen Hunter. Excellent acting on the part of the whole crew. This multi-faceted film is well worth owning. You will want to see it again.

Rebecca Kyle, December 2008

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Friday, November 29, 2013

The Secret World of Arrietty (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2012)

This film is a must see for anyone who loves hand drawn animation. This is an experience filmgoers just don't get at the theater anymore and I praise studio Ghibli (and in tandem Disney as far as North America is concerned) for continuing this tradition. I also implore anyone who feels interested in seeing this film at any level go do so and support the studio, I would like to see them around for years to come and I don't think many will be disappointed with the experience.

First of all, no, Miyazaki didn't actually direct this time around. He only penned and planned the story along with other production guidance. So I'm okay with saying this arguably isn't Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, or Howl's Moving Castle, but this is that studio Ghibli magic you love. I feel it closely kindred to Kiki's Delivery Service or My Neighbor Totoro. I personally fail to see how any Studio Ghibli fan could walk away from this film unhappy. For that matter I fail to see how any child at heart could walk away from this film without a smile on their face. Films like this evoke a feeling of childhood and a sense of wonder.

The animation is gorgeous and possibly even more stimulating since we see virtually no hand drawn animation on the silver screen in North America (though so far this year I've been blessed with the Beauty and the Beast re-release and a Fullmetal Alchemist film at my small town theater). As far as Arrietty is concerned the background designers paid great attention to detail while the characters have that streamlined Miyazaki look but move with fluidity and such realism. It's very captivating to see the familiar concept of creatures living between floorboards in such a new inventive way. Seeing what they borrow from the humans and how they use it is part of the charm of the film. I also have to say that this film, like all Ghibli films, does such an excellent job of capturing the majesty of nature. The outdoor scenes here make one long to go for a hike in such an area.

Characterization is also well done. While the characters may not seem as standout or unique as previous Ghibli releases they are all distinct and have formed personalities that are revealed in such refreshingly subtle ways, you don't get a bunch of exposition explaining characters you just see who they are through how they move and act. In this light it was also nice to see traits from the original borrowers material carried over into this representation (the mother being very worrisome, etc.). Arrietty is rightfully the most compelling character, a girl venturing into the larger world for the first time with fear but also curiosity and courage. One note, I would have liked to see more of the other characters, especially Sho/Shawn, but I was very pleased with what I did get to see.

Voice acting is something I really have to give Disney credit for. Dubs are very hard to get right and I've found that they've put good effort into the casting and voice directing of their Ghibli dubs. The voices all sound like they are coming from the characters (with perhaps the debatable exception of David Henrie as Sho/Shawn, who does a great job but sounds a bit deep voiced for the young character), and 99% match the lip flaps. Bridgit Mendler as Arriety does a standout job, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett are charmingly cast as her parents and Carol Burnett is humorous as the house cleaner, Hara. The performances, like the film itself, are understated but very engrossing (for fans of this genre at least). I look forward to being able to listen to the original Japanese dialogue for comparison purposes but I think even those who don't enjoy dubs should give this one a try if it's the only option at your local theater.

Lastly there is the sound. A key component of establishing the reality in any animated film. In Arrietty the sound has been well selected to evoke the feeling of an idyllic summer, especially in outdoor scenes. Sound was also extremely well used to establish Arrietty's unique perspective of the human world. For example, in one scene where Arrietty enters a human kitchen for the first time, the familiar sounds of appliances humming and an empty room at night are used to create a sense of unfamiliarity and vastness. In addition to the excellent sound design I must compliment the score of the film, the music fits well and has a Celtic influence that captures Arrietty's lively spirit.

If there is a fault to be found it is the running time. At 94 minutes this film is one of Ghibli's shortest (only Totoro comes to mind as being shorter). With such an immersing experience at the beginning of the film I would have loved to spend more time in Arrietty's world exploring the day to day of their unique lifestyle. Further, once the story got going I would've loved more twists and turns that a longer running time might have allotted. A positive regarding the length is that the film will be an excellent experience for most children. One more note regarding children, parents should know that there is a discussion about death in the film. It depends on your children and their age but the characters discuss the fact that we all die someday in a brief scene, it is handled much like the circle of life discussion in Lion King so judge for yourselves, I can't see it being a problem.

In conclusion, I suggest everyone take their children to see this film, it's a wonderful re-imagining of a wonderful tale and I dare say this is my favorite adaptation of The Borrowers story yet, and having grown up in Canada with BBC I've seen quite a few. I highly recommend fans of animation see this film and I hope Disney releases this Blu-ray quickly, I eagerly anticipate watching this beautiful animation in HD on my home theater. It's nice to experience a film that puts magic back into the movies.

**I also eagerly anticipate the rest of Ghibli's catalog titles being released on Blu-ray, hopefully sooner than later.

I was lucky to have won tickets to this movie's preview and took my family to see it in NYC this past weekend what a treat! To be specific, we are a family of three with a teenager in high school, and everybody just loved this beautiful new animated movie that's perfect for all groups. As with all the movies Ghibli Studio produces, this is a rich visual masterpiece that you will really get lost in, with very life-like vegetation and insect life serving as a background for a seemingly simple, but very heartfelt story.

Mr. Miyazaki does not disappoint, retelling the original children's story "Borrowers" by Mary Norton and placing it in the present, with the main characters being Shawn, a sickly boy who is sent to live with his great aunt and her maid Hara, where he discovers a secret family of tiny people that includes husband and wife Pod and Homily and Arrietty, their 13-year-old daughter who is just learning to "borrow," something her kind does to survive. As the story unravels, Arrietty's adventures are highlighted by wonderful scenes of the world from a point of view of a 4-inch tall person.

The ending of this movie does not disappoint, and I am definitely planning to see this movie several more times with my nephews, and to buy the DVD when it comes out to add to my Miyazaki collection. I would definitely recommend this movie, especially to a family with young children!

Buy The Secret World of Arrietty (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2012) Now

Studio Ghibli needs no introduction. They took us to the heavens in "Castle in the Sky", sent us into a realm of demons with "Spirited Away", and plunged us into a desperate struggle for protecting the forest in "Princess Mononoke." Arguably, no other anime studio knows how to nail complete immersion into a world, except for places such as Kyoto Animation and Madhouse. When it comes to making us believe every second of a story, Ghibli knows how to hit the sweet spot. With it's only misfire, the absolutely dreadful "Tales of Earthsea", etched into North American audience's memories more recently than 2009's excellent "Ponyo", there was some speculation at whether or not this would be the venerable studio's chance at redemption. Simply put: it is.

"The Secret of Arriety" is a wonderful film, up there with classics such as "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "Spirited Away." Based on the timeless children's story, "The Borrowers", it follows Arriety and her family, who are all Borrowers living inside the house of a disgruntled old woman. A Borrower is a sort of pocket human, a tiny person who goes around and takes things from humans that they wouldn't miss. Examples include a cube of sugar, or a single snack cracker. To the Borrowers, these things are massive hauls that will last them weeks. But their existence is threatened once the old woman who lives the house, Haru, discovers their presence and begins the first of many attempts to entrap them. It's only with the aid of kindly Sho, the woman's sick nephew who lives in the house, do they stand a chance at surviving.

It's instantly clear that, compared to much larger struggles seen in other Ghibli films, this conflict is relatively small-scale. Instead of focusing on an epic struggle between the Borrowers and Haru, "Arriety" simply comes across as a lighthearted cat-and-mouse game between the two parties, with Shaun serving as the mediator between the whole affair. Which isn't to say that's necessarily a bad thing. The last time Ghibli went big, we got "Earthsea", and I applaud them for being able to rein in this film into a tighter, more focused narrative. While there are deeper moments that shine through, such as Arriety's fear for the survival of her race, it's a very light affair compared to their other films, but it works overall.

There are a few components of the film, however, that feel particularly weak. My primary issue is with the character of Spiller, an uncivilized Borrower who lives off of the land and carries a bow and arrow. His role is very scant, and seems to only be there to give Arriety a love interest. Which doesn't really work, considering that he's probably only in the film for a combined time of five minutes. He comes across as forced, as if Miyazaki (who wrote, but not directed, this film) said, "Oh, darn, there needs to be a Borrower boy for Arriety to crush on!", and inserted him into the film. While he does serve as an interesting key into the larger world of surviving Borrowers, his purpose as even that feels a bit unnecessary.

It's hard to fault a single character for a problem that is prevalent throughout the screenplay, however, and thus this brings me to my only gripe about the movie: it's not fleshed out enough. Every aspect of the world, whether it be Sho's sickness, Arriety's history, or Haru's seemingly conniving nature, is never fully explained. Why did Sho's parents divorce? Why would his mother not be with him in his time of need? Why does Arriety's family have to leave once they're seen? Who came up with the established code that all Borrower's apparently live by? These and other questions are never really answered, nor is a key moment of the film where Sho conveniently knows where Haru has entrapped Arriety's mother, despite never finding any clue whatsoever to her place of captivity. This is not Ghibli's deepest work, by any means, nor is it trying to be. However, I do feel an extra 20 minutes of running time might have benefited this film to provide more back story.

This is more of a snapshot type of movie, one that captures a certain moment in time and fills every detail of that moment with rich and fulfilling description. In place of this description is top-notch animation from Ghibli, on par with their fantastic work in "Ponyo." The true scale of the real world through the eyes of the Borrowers is one of the strongest suits of "Arriety." Kitchens become mountains, and meadows become forests. In order to fill their tiny cups with a beverage, they drip in a single drop, which fills them to the brim. They mash crackers into wheat, and use postage stamps as ornamental paintings. Every aspect of this film's artistic vision is fully realized, and that alone makes up for the somewhat lacking plot. It's rare that a film possesses a convincing enough world that will let you drift away in it for a while, but "Arriety" has it down.

Another aid to making this world believable is the voice acting, which is some of the best I've ever seen in a Disney localization of a Ghibli film. Bridgit Mendler, who hails from the Disney Channel stable of young actors, is completely convincing as Arriety, giving her a childish sense of whimsy coupled with believable pathos and fears for her own kind's existence. Amy Poehler and Will Arnett, respectively playing Arriety's mother and father, are splendid as well. Poehler plays the role of Homily with the panicked urgency of the one of the worse worriers imaginable, while Arnett turns Pod into a gruff man with a dull voice and a consistent sense of seriousness. Both of these approaches are fantastic, making them two of the film's most memorable characters. However, my personal favorite voice had to be Haru's, who is voiced by the legendary Carol Burnett. She seems to be having the most fun out of all the actors, milking the aunt's every little tick and vocal outburst to create a character who is one nudge away from going truly and utterly insane. Even her smaller moments are hysterical, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a current celebrity who puts this much effort into making voice work come across as zany and enjoyable. However, other characters such as Sho and Spiller are a bit bland, especially the former, whose performance sounds chronically tired and bored. Disney should have reached outside of it's Disney Channel stable for these two roles, because they're certainly the weakest in the film.

Every complaint I have about Arriety, though, is far outweighed by the sheer elation I felt while watching it. It certainly doesn't reach the level of my personal favorite Ghibli work, "Castle in the Sky", but it's not necessarily trying to outdo any previous films. Instead, it take the simpler route of storytelling, focusing on a fully realized world and the bond between Sho and Arriety which is built throughout the movie. It's Miyazaki at his most accessible, and also at his most sincere and heartfelt. There's an air of sweetness and innocence that permeates through the whole experience, one that anybody watching it immediately catches wind of. By the ending credits, you will care about Arriety and Sho, even if they aren't the deepest characters in the world. You will feel something tugging at your heartstrings, a feeling of warmth that no other movie could give of. It is because of this feeling, coupled with the excellent scenery, music and voice acting, that I say that "The Secret World of Arriety" is more than worth seeing. Rarely does a movie leave you feeling completely fulfilled and happy, but this is one of those movies. Don't pass up the chance to be happy.

Plot: B

Animation: A+

Voice Acting (EN): A-

Music: A+

Overall: B+

Read Best Reviews of The Secret World of Arrietty (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2012) Here

I have to admit, we skipped Arrietty when it came to a local theater because I hadn't seen much promotion for it, and based on the poster, it seemed like it might be a movie that was supposed to be for video but released in a smaller scale (or something). I was SO completely wrong.

I really, really regret not taking my family to see this in the theater. This is a lush, beautiful filmthe entire time I watched it, I was breathless from it's beauty and just the sheer simple pleasure of watching it.

The story is simpleArrietty is a "borrower"she and her mom and dad live in the floorboards of a country house, and in order to sustain their life, they "borrow" things from the humans who live above them. They only take what they need and what won't be missed, and do so in complete secret because once they are seen by human eyes, they are in extreme danger and must immediately find a new place to live. And since a few feet to a human is miles for a "borrower", it's of the utmost importance that their existence and activities NOT be discovered.

As you can guess, Arrietty is discovered, by young Shawn. Shawn is the nephew of the human woman who owns the country house, and is there to prepare and rest up for dangerous heart surgery. He's unusually kind and sensitive, and his gentle nature convinces a reluctant Arrietty to trust him.

Of course, nothing is simpleShawn isn't the only one who knows about Arrietty and her family.

Regardless, this is a QUIET film. It's just beautifully compelling. The animation is SO beautiful and impressionistic. I felt a deep sense of peace and awe as we watched, but the plot was still exciting enough that I was stuck in my seat, watching every bit of action.

I can't recommend this film enough, whether you have kids or not. I have reluctantly become a fan of kids movies since we have a six year old daughter and we LOVE going to the movies, and Arrietty makes me *so* grateful that I have been introduced to this whole new world of cinema. I can't imagine having missed this beautiful, awe-inspiring little film, kids or not.

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The story told in "The Secret World of Arietty" is a familiar one, an adaptation of Mary Norton's "The Borrowers." A young boy, Sho, travels to the countryside to stay in the house his mother grew up in while he attempts to recoup from a severe illness.

From the first frame we are greeted with the classic, unchanged animation of Studio Ghibli. Character designs are reused and landscapes sometimes look vaguely familiar, but even the most seasoned Ghibli fan cannot help but be excited to enter a new world.

As always, "Arietty" is a film grown on gorgeous, minute details that will hold a child's attention when the plot gets slow, and will reward the diligent adult eye. Not only do these little gems shine on their own, but they evoke an overall sense of commitment from filmmakers--the same way films like "The Expendables 2" or "The Bourne Legacy" amount to little more than retreads of their own previous installments.

An early scene featuring Arietty racing under a porch alongside crickets twice her size and ascending the massive steps of an old brick pile is wonderfully drawn, a smile-inducing scene if there ever was one.

Like "My Neighbor Totoro" (sadly more than a few comparisons can be made between these two!), "Arietty" has a calming pace, untroubled by mainstream plot conventions...shots linger for several frames longer than audiences are used to, allowing a character to blink a couple times or sip from a cup of coffee as a conversation ends. The effect is gorgeous and meditative every time.

The concepts of movement and stillness are much more prevalent in a hand drawn film when compared to its ornate, Pixar/Dream Works cousins; a particular scene shows wind rushing through tree leaves in the middle-ground, clouds slowly sailing through the background, and Arietty nearly motionless in the foreground. Perhaps there's no better way to describe Ghibli's magic than with such a sequence--it is normal, old hat, commonplace for Ghibli, and yet it is magic curiously missing from nearly all other films and studios.

Alas, the magic of "The Secret World of Arietty" mostly ends here. The plotline of little people fearing big people is tiresome. While humans have plenty of history to be ashamed of, there is a huge capacity in us for good, and I'd like to think we could learn from another sentient species, especially one that speaks our language. I realize that thought might be lost on children, but I couldn't find myself to engaged in Arietty and her family's fear of the humans, especially in such a peaceful Ghibli setting.

The lack of conflict between characters does further disservice to the film; Arietty's father (serviceably voiced by Will Arnett) is exceedingly wary of humans, while his daughter maintains a growing interest--and still the two never find themselves at odds (a trite conflict perhaps, but conflict nonetheless).

Likewise, there is little growth. Arietty and Sho's relationship is shallow, uncomfortable and untraceable. SPOILER SPOILER In one scene Sho destroys much of the borrower's home in attempts to install a new kitchen, nearly scaring Arietty's mother half to death; the scene is hardly mentioned again by any character, despite the mass-destruction caused and hysteria induced END OF SPOILER

While not enough can be said about the beautiful animation, which will likely seem genius compared to the 3D cash-ins that pass as animation these days (with several exceptions of course), most of Ghibli's previous works surpass it in every category.

Despite the lack of plot and originality, at just over ninety minutes, "Arietty" is definitely worth watching. In one scene the animator's masterfully render an ordinary kitchen enormous and threatening. Before that, we see an extended sequence of Arietty and her father traversing the insides of an ordinary home's walls. As Arietty says to her father, "Borrowing is so much fun."

BEST: Animation, pacing, attention to detail

WORST: Soundtrack, character movement, original plot

SCORE: 7/10

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