Apocalypto (2006)

Even with all the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson last year (and doesn't it seem as if each new week brings another celebrity meltdown?), I still looked forward to seeing "Apocalypto." Why? If for no other reason--the subject matter, subtitles, and lack of star power made it a bold choice for a major studio release. Films of this nature generally go into limited distribution to develop an audience and critical word of mouth before expanding, if they ever do. But with Gibson at the helm, "Apocalypto" debuted with much fanfare and backing just in time to be considered for 2006's Academy Awards. For some reason, though, I still missed "Apocalypto" at the theaters. I have heard every description imaginable from those that have seen the film--from the "best movie ever" to "excessively violent and disturbing." And while I wouldn't go to either of those extremes, "Apocalypto" is certainly an accomplished adventure picture.

Set in ancient Mayan times, "Apocalypto" is essentially the harrowing journey of one man, a youth named Jaguar Paw (a convincing Rudy Youngblood). Living a simple and isolated existence, his tribe are very at home within the forest. One day, the unthinkable happens. They are attacked by another group with apparent intentions of enslaving whomever they don't kill. Youngblood's wife and son are stranded in an underground well, many others are murdered, and Youngblood is among a dozen or so who are rounded up and marched out in bondage. The subsequent journey leads to a fantastical temple sequence, where it becomes clear that the prisoners are not to become slaves--but sacrifices. The remainder of the film deals with how Youngblood can escape this situation. The temple scenes feature a cast of thousands, ritualistic and brutal slayings, and a mob mania that is terrifying and believable. Racing against the clock to save his wife, Youngblood must escape back through the jungle--where all he has to help him are his cunning and an almost spiritual connection to his surroundings. The action is practically nonstop, it's inventive, and it is beautifully staged. Much of "Apocalypto," therefore, is absolutely riveting and wildly entertaining.

For the purists who will debate the film's historical accuracy, I will neither deny or confirm the legitimacy of the events that transpire within "Apocalypto." While there do seem to be some liberties taken with the historical timeline (as evidenced by a surprise in the ending--which I enjoyed despite its implausibility), I really don't think that this film aspires to be a "historical document." Gibson has made an adventure story using a Mayan backdrop. The feel and look of his picture stay as valid as possible to the timeframe, however, I never interpreted this picture as a "true" story. Guess what? Fictional liberties are taken in every motion picture. Otherwise every motion picture would be a documentary--and even documentaries have an angle or slant which make them less than "true" in many cases. "Apocalypto," at heart, is an effective action picture that makes interesting use of its Mayan setting.

I guess "Apocalypto" is not for the squeamish--however, the violence depicted is by no means unusual by modern film standards. You can see much worse in today's "torture" cinema, those films that pass for horror with current audiences. I suppose what makes "Apocalypto" more vivid is that the violence is in a believable context. There are some beheadings and some hunting scenes, but the brutality is intrinsic to the story "Apocalypto" is telling. I don't believe serious minded filmgoers will be put off by seeing some savagery depicted in a film about ancient Mayan cultures--it's not as if this is a Merchant/Ivory production with tea parties and witty banter.

I do recommend "Apocalypto." Beautifully filmed, the technical merits of the film are beyond reproach. The cinematography, score, and editing all enhance this exciting tale. I imagine these elements really shone bright for those who saw this on the big screen. A great action picture that is for adults--check it out. KGHarris, 03/07.

A welcome change of pace for us who feel Hollywood keeps making the same picture over and over again. The first part of this film is the most unconventional but also hard to endure as only bad things seem to happen to the characters but once Act II arrives and the chase begins, grab on !. I can't remmember the last time a film had my stomach in knotts like this one.

Some people here in Mexico have complained about the film's historical accuracy since by the time the Spanish arrived in America, the Mayan civilization had already been taken over by other groups. In any case, Hollywood films are not the best way to learn about history.

When Braveheart came out over 10 years ago I remmember a friend telling me: "who would have thought Mel Gibson was a real director", 2 films later he keeps surprising me with his directing skills. It's too bad the public has let themselves be convinced by the media that he's the most evil person to ever come out of Hollywood which is absurd. I guess they feel the more they discredit him the more they discredit "The Passion of the Christ".

Great work Mel !

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Apocalypto is a story about a Mayan man's, Jaguar Paw, epic journey. His peaceful, content village is attacked by a superior tribe and his people are slaughtered and enslaved. He escapes and has to deal with great obstacles while trying to race back to save his wife and child.

When I first heard what this was about and saw the trailer I feared that Mr. Gibson was losing his touch. The movie looked plain boring.

I can't remember the last time I have been so wrong.

I work for a production company that made a film with Mr. Gibson in the past and decided to write him to share how I felt about his work. Below is a copy of the letter I sent him:

"Dear Mr. Gibson,

I am writing to tell you how beautiful and powerful I think Apocalypto is. I first saw it one month ago and have seen it four more times since. I believe it is one of the best films ever made.

The story was magnificently crafted with characters and emotions I found I could easily relate to. It triggered emotions within me as I watched. I laughed hard with the characters. And I felt their fear, pain, hatred, love and desire. The gaps (between expectation and reality) were opened wider than in any movie I've seen in a very long time. My mind throbbed with contemplation when the old story teller told his people of how man took until the Earth had nothing left to give. I grew uneasy as I realized the similarities between the Mayan narcissism and that of great civilizations since, especially our (America's) own.

The epic chase was powerful and cerebral. Jaguar Paw's exhaustion and need was palpable. It is the greatest chase ever better than The Fugitive.

The cinematography was bold and vibrant. When combined with the powerful sound and fantastic casting, the story took hold of me from the opening scene right through to the credits.

Mr. Gibson, you have become one of my favorite directors. You now have two films on my short, all-time-favorite-movies list, which includes American Beauty, Braveheart, Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction and RKO 281. Apocalypto not only entertains, it evokes strong emotion and inspires soulful contemplation. Apocalypto is a true masterpiece. You are a master storyteller.

Sincerely,

[Scrutinizing Consumer]"

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Apocalypto `s main merit resides in the original treatment which received this story placed in the Maya era. The film was planned according the classic patterns of a symphony of just three movements. The First one is the warmth Adagio where the viewer realizes the rituals and customs of a pacific tribe, and a casual encounter with a foreign tribe, the second movement has to do with the violent scenes of fight and defeat of the pacific tribe, whose leader: "Jaguar paw" will undertake the epic challenge to survive along the dynamic final movement And through the first two movements everything is OK, but the febrile human chase along the last third of movie is what it deserves the jewel of the crown. Shocking sequences and chilling fact will happen that will hold fixed to your seat. Gibson recreates the hero's journey with absolute realism with some commercial concessions here and there, that don't avoid the spectacular dynamic of the movie.

Go for this one!

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Mel Gibson does it yet again bigger and better!

Whether you love him or hate him, obviously the vast majority rule that Mel Gibson can not only act, but direct movies with the best of them. The tale of the tail tells all.

Hoo-hum Box Office sales, but the lead in DVD sales. That's with no doubt due to his ranting and subsequent arrest. But overlying all of this is the absolute high quality of storytelling and savage beauty he can lend to a film. This is without a doubt one of the best films ever made.

Filled with such raw beauty and savage violence, Gibson is smart enough to balance it with showing the love and caring his characters evoke. Not just rely on great action seqeunces, or special effects. The downfall of many a director.

This movie shines beautifully on my 65-inch HD T.V. Better than the theater. If you don't own a huge HD TV, then you must purchase one to get the full effect of such awesome filmed movies.

A must have for your library.

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Diary of a Mad Black Woman: The Movie (2005)

I went to see this movie the first weekend that it came out, and I wasn't disappointed at all; I saw the original play, and wasn't greatly impressed with it, but seeing the movie, I enjoyed it very well. Kimberly Elise and Shemar Moore gave great performances; Of course, Tyler Perry playing three roles simultaneously was just as good and I applaud him; Cicely Tyson, of course, gave a gem of a performance helping her daughter become more stronger even though she herself has been wronged; I have heard the good and the bad about this movie; I have heard that Madea is just another stereotypical role model that we need to get away from; But let's be honest, how many of us can attest to a Madea in our family? or at least pieces of such a woman? This was one movie that sex and profanity wasn't splashed forward and yet, the critics bashed it; Yet, I found it a good movie, and can all of us who supported Mr Perry opening weekend be wrong? I don't think so; Look forward to the DVD.

I applaud the earlier reviewer, Ramsess Gray from Fayetteville, NC. Thank you for standing up to all the other so-called critics who trashed this movie. I thought this was an excellent movie from beginning to end. In his big-screen debut, Tyler Perry delivered big-time, no questions asked. Darren Grant, Mr. Perry, Kimberly Elise, Shemar Moore and the rest of the cast were second-to-none in my opinion. I loved each of the characters Mr. Perry played himself, especially gun-toting Grandma. She was funny & very entertaining throughout. As far as best picture and/or any awards are concerned, I think Mr. Perry should have as good a chance as anyone to win an award in some category(ies). Also, in my opinion, Kimberly Elise should win something for her role. And for that matter so should Darren Grant & Shemar Moore. But that's only my opinion. The movie was very entertaining and it had all the qualities you could ask for in a movie. It made you laugh. It made you cry. It made you happy. It made you sad & it made you proud, all in about 2 hours time. I'm sure this movie is not and will not be for everyone. We all have different tastes. All I can really say is "watch the movie for what it is", and that's entertainment at it's best.

Larry

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literally rolling in the aisles at time! i had no intention of renting or buying this dvd until my neighbors were raving about it, plus all these grest customer reviews here at amazon.com! finally i said ok, let's have a look. was i ever glad i did too!yhe cast is impeccable, the script hilarious, everything about this film worked out just fine! the film is a complete head trip from start to great finish! all the acting is superb, the dvd transfer is gorgeous, and the gospel score sounded magnificent as well! do treat yourself to this one as it will blow you away. happy 4th to all, and happier 'diary of a mad black woman' viewing pleasure to everyone out there! it really is one fine film.

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i saw the movie version first & so was pleasantly surprised to discover that the two versions were handled SO differently -so much so that they are BOTH worth seeing & (in my opinion) owning. there are some different characters in each & some of the situations are handled differently, but the overall story remains the same &, of course, madea is HYSTERICAL no matter where she goes! :D i also enjoyed the father character in the play version a lot better than the movie version's joe (joe was a little too real-life disgusting for me -i was having flashbacks to someone i know in real life! =:O) & i LOVED the strong-in-the-Lord singing mom, ESPECIALLY when she sings that song about rebuking the devil -you GO girl! i also enjoyed the fact that there seemed to be a little more Jesus in the play version -the movie version seemed to have more of that "sanitized" hollywood feel? i.e. cleansed of explicit references to God, Jesus & the Bible -which i don't blame mr. perry for & i praise God that he's getting his plays made into movies & reaching a wider audience with the Message \o/ -you GO dude!

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I saw the movie before I got this play. If you have seen the movie you need to see this as well. Other than the songs being too long, it was great. Please don't go in with the mind set of it being like the movie because it is not. Some of the characters are different. So of course the outcome is different. Daddy Charles was a good character choice addition to the play. You will laugh. This play if definitely funny.And it gives you something to think about.

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Gran Torino (+ BD-Live) (2008)

Throughout his illustrious acting career, Clint Eastwood has delivered a series of iconic characters, such as The Man with no name, Dirty Harry, Josie Wales, and Will Munny in Unforgiven.

Throughout his illustrious directing career he has delivered outstanding movies such as Unforgiven, Mystic River, and Million Dollar Baby, for which he has won five Academy Awards, for best Picture, Best Director, and including the Irving Thalberg Life Achievement Award.

The actors who have worked with him have been blessed with Oscar: Gene Hackman for Unforgiven, Tim Robbins and Sean Penn for Mystic River, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby.

In Gran Torino he both directs and acts, and delivers an acting performance that will be remembered long after the final credits roll, in its unique way, as memorable as any other character he has created.

Gran Torino is the second best movie I have seen this year. Not just for the acting, not just for the directing, but for the storytelling, and the emotional journey on which it takes you, the laughter, the feeling of being gripped, and its more surprising moments.

In the opening scenes, we have the exposition of the character. We get to know Walt Kowalski, by how people act around him, and his seemingly hateful attitude towards people. More is conveyed through a scowl, and a snarl than with words. When the mischievous grandchildren go through his stuff in the basement, we see the Silver Star he won in Korea. There are three other important symbols in the movie, the lighter, the gun, and the car.

We see a hero with a warrior past, a patriot who fought for a cause greater than himself. Clearly, his bigotry stems from those experiences.

He's not just mean, he's 'get of my lawn' mean. He's Dirty Harry 'Go ahead punk, make my day!,' mean.

His dead wife's priest bugs him to hear his confession, at her request. The priest in a way is his wife's conscience.

When he snarls down the barrel of his rifle, at the neighborhood punk: 'I could blow your head off, and sleep like a baby,' you get the sense that he means it.

So, with all that happens, we see the change in his decision making, from someone reluctant to be involved in his neighbor's affairs, and a story can turn on something as random as looking at an empty beer cooler.

For all his faults, Walt has mature masculine character. Even though he is a difficult father, he has taught his children character. So, when he sees the boy next door lacks character, and a strong male role model, he takes him under his wing, and teaches him how to be a man.

The scenes where the boy practises Walt's high octane ball busting banter, are the funniest in the movie. Through knowing Walt, he makes decisions he never would have made by himself. In so doing, Walt finds meaning and purpose, and a chance for redemption, and the boy becomes a man.

The Academy's actor awards tend to go to actors in two types of role:

1.PsychopathNo Country for Old Men, The Usual Suspects, There Will Be Blood, Training Day, Silence of the Lambs.

2.Mentally Disabled, Social or Physical Handicap, overcomes great adversity or discriminationShine, As Good as It Gets, A Beautiful Mind, Ray, Scent of a Woman, Capote, Philadelphia, The Pianist, A Beautiful Life.

Every rule has an exception. Russell Crowe in Gladiator played a character with thematic similarities to Walt.

For a 78 year old man to direct and be lead actor in a movie of this caliber is an achievement worthy at the very least of being nominated for the highest award for Acting, Directing or both.

I hope you find this review helpful.

People react strongly to "Gran Torino," either embracing its depiction of a flawed but heroic racist old coot, or deriding the movie simply because its apparent political incorrectness makes them nervous. But even if the Academy does not bestow one award on what is probably Clint Eastwood's last movie as an actor, remember this: "Gran Torino" is a more intelligent film on the state of race relations today than "Crash" (a multiple Oscar winner) ever pretended to be.

The story is about Walt Kowalski, a grizzled Korean War vet and widower who spends his time drinking, smoking, and polishing his 1972 Ford Gran Torino, a vintage example of Detroit muscle. Because he installed the car's steering column himself, the car represents not only a classically American fixation on the automobile, but also a blue-collar, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps work ethic, one that Eastwood himself would no doubt agree with. (If for some reason you don't believe me, read his "What I've Learned" interview in the latest issue of Esquire.)

Kowalski mentors an aimless Hmong teenager named Thao, who is being pressured to join his cousin's gang. This is where the "Karate Kid" comparison comes in, which is inaccurate, partly because the characters of "Gran Torino" exhibit considerably greater depth. The boy who plays Thao (and in fact all of the Hmong characters) is not a professional actor, so although his portrayal is sometimes rather wooden, there really isn't any substitute for authenticity. Eastwood came of age in an era when Hollywood produced war movies using, say, a Chinese actor to portray a Japanese soldier. It's clear from the casting of "Gran Torino" (and "Letters from Iwo Jima," for that matter) that Eastwood prefers to do things his own way.

Kowalski makes fun of Thao (calling him "Toad"), but also teaches the boy how to earn an honest living. In the process, he becomes closer to Thao's family than he is to any of his own kin, who have degenerated into a distant, crass, materialistic clan of their own, far removed from the values Kowalski attempted to pass on.

The steady stream of racist epithets in "Gran Torino" will cause some people to laugh uncomfortably, others to laugh with delight, and still another group to glare at those who are laughing. Ultimately, however, this unsettling portrayal of one man's deep prejudices evolves into a different story altogether. It is not possible to show the audience a path away from a racist mentality without showing honestly where that mentality came from--a feat which "Crash," in spite of its heavy-handed moralizing, never came close to pulling off.

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Can Clint Eastwood go wrong? After striking gold a few months ago with the brilliant "Changeling," he releases "Gran Torino," another one of the year's best films. What a masterful storyteller Eastwood is, so focused on creating that perfect balance between story and character. He doesn't disappoint with "Gran Torino," a nearly flawless film that gives us characters we believe in and a story so compelling that it's virtually impossible to not be absorbed by it. What we have here is a cross-generational, cross-cultural story about people who can learn so much from each other despite being different. It's about regret, sadness, redemption, and growth, which isn't to say that it's conventional or archetypal; Eastwood plays a contemporary version of a Wise Old Man, someone who draws on life experience to teach an undeveloped youth. What's unique is that, regardless of what life has taught him, this Wise Old Man still has a lot to learn.

He has a name, of course: retired Ford factory worker Walt Kowalski. As a veteran of the Korean War, Kowalski has seen and done a lot of things he wishes he hadn't. He's bitter, antisocial, and politically incorrect. After his wife's funeral, we discover that he doesn't get along too well with his sons, specifically Mitch (Brian Haley) and his wife, Karen (Geraldine Hughes), who seem to believe that his age automatically makes him codependent and eligible for a spot in a retirement home. His grandchildren don't appreciate him one bit; the granddaughter only wants his stuff, hand-me-downs to take with her to school. They don't make things easy for him, but then again, he doesn't make things easy for them, either. It's a vicious cycle of resentment and miscommunication.

As this is being established, we're introduced to a teenage boy named Thao (Bee Vang), who lives next door to Kowalski with his large Hmong family. He's the black sheep of his deeply traditional family, always doing chores that the women are supposed to do. Having no direction in life, he's pressured by his cousin, nicknamed Spider (Doua Moua), to join his neighborhood gang. As an act of initiation, Thao must sneak into Kowalski's garage and steal his most prized possession: A 1972 Gran Torino. The attempt backfires. Some time later, Spider arrives with his posse and tries to abduct Thao. The resulting scuffle is broken up when Kowalski points his shotgun at the gang members and demand they get off his lawn.

Within no time at all, Kowalski's front steps are covered with tokens of appreciation from Thao's family, none of which go appreciated. But then Kowalski gets to know Thao's sister, Sue (Ahney Her), a remarkably independent young woman. Quick-witted and outgoing, she takes Kowalski's racial slurs in stride, believing that a good man lies behind the disgruntled façade. As he spends more time with Sue and her family, he begins to realize that he has more in common with them that with his own family, which, in all likelihood, scares him more than it brings him comfort.

When Thao formally apologizes for trying to steal Kowalski's Gran Torino, Kowalski puts him to work doing various chores, like repainting a house and fixing gutters. Hardly a scene goes by when he isn't verbally berating Thao, although it's obvious from the start that he's doing it to toughen him up, to make him believe that his life has a purpose and that he should actively be trying to find it. Part of this involves getting Thao to talk like a man. There's a priceless scene in which Kowalski brings Thao to a barber, who has been sharing insults with Kowalski for a number of years. Afterwards, Kowalski arranges for Thao to work at a construction site; the boss, as it turns out, is the perfect man for Thao to test his new vocabulary on. What Kowalski doesn't realize is that he's learning just as much from Thao, especially in matters of caring for other people. Eventually, Kowalski comes to the conclusion that Thao and his family will never be at peace so long as Spider and his gang are around.

The film's most fascinating character is Father Janovich (Christopher Carley), a twenty-seven year old priest who promised Kowalski's wife that he'd look after him upon her death and get him to confess. Initially, Kowalski wants nothing to do with Janovich, who gives sermons on matters of life and death yet has no real idea what it means to face your own mortality. Kowalski knows--he served his country in Korea. "What do you know about life?" Janovich calmly asks. "Well," says Kowalski, "I survived the war. I got married and had a family." There's absolutely no joy in his voice when he says this. Gradually, he begins to appreciate Janovich; he many not have all the answers, but at least he's willing to listen.

The brilliance of this movie comes not from the development of the characters, but from the way the characters interact with one another. Virtually no one is on friendly terms at the start, but by the end, there's an understated feeling that respect has been earned on all sides. Kowalski refers to Thao as his friend only once, and while it was nice to actually hear it, it still didn't come as a surprise given everything that had been leading to that moment. At a certain point, you just knew how Kowalski felt. "Gran Torino" is such a wonderful film, so carefully structured, so perfectly cast, so rewarding for the audience. To make just one great film in a year is the mark of real talent. But to make two great films in the same year, now that's the work of genius.

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Some have criticized "Gran Torino" as being too simple, cliched and hurt by the performances of the film's first-time actors.

But this is one of those rare movies that's bigger than the sum of its parts. In recent years, I have yet to see a film that managed to get both men and women to cry. And that it would provoke such strong emotions is not evident until the last act.

It may seem simple and cliched on the surface, and while I knew that Clint Eastwood's character Walt would eventually warm up to his Hmong neighbors, I didn't expect that the movie would also have me, a guy who doesn't cry at movies, wiping my eyes. And not just once, but the three other times I saw the film at the theater. And I heard other people crying at every viewing.

Each time I viewed it, it was just as powerful, if not more.

Walt is an old, bitter racist, who just about hates everyone, including the young pastor who visits him regularly at the request of Walt's late wife, and his own children and their families.

On paper, the story seems simple, but its power is hard to deny. It's part drama, part comedy, part tale of one man's racist surface, but as the credits roll, you realize that the power of the movie, the emotional buttons it pushes, make this a movie that rises above the acting, above its direction, above its script, to make something deeper and emotionally touching than most would have expected.

There are subtle touches and small scenes that any other director would not have folded into the film. And they do go by like a breeze for the most part. They'll have you laughing, smiling or shaking your head.

And it's good that Eastwood's character does not make a complete (and unrealistic) 360 degree turn, as you see in most American movies.

And given what Eastwood has delivered in most of his movies, most notably as Dirty Harry and his various Westerns, you expect a big showdown to come, and that showdown does come, but not with the ending you expect.

Eastwood has made powerful movies before, but this one really seemed to touch the core of many people, across many age groups, and racial/ethnic designations.

On a side note, Eastwood has also done what so many Hollywood studios and filmmakers choose not to do, which is portray Asian-Americans as regular, everyday people, living in America. That's no small feat, as most Hollywood studios go out of their way to not cast Asian-Americans and not show the lives of Asian-Americans. They rather change the race of the characters, even when they're basing a movie on a real-life story about Asian-American people, or offer easy, ignorant stereotypes.

Eastwood only deserves credit, because it's something that should have been done decades ago.

And while this movie may not get much kudos from the snobby critics in the big film world, it has a emotional pull that even some recent Eastwood movies don't have.

It may not have won any big awards, but it's a movie I plan on watching for years to come.

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With 175 reviews to read you probably won't get around to reading mine. But Gran Torino may just be Clint Eastwood's finest acting, and it certainly one of the best films he's directed. It's both iconic building on Dirty Harry and Unforgiven and subtle. As an actor friend of mine once said back in the late 1970's about Clint: "He's got one look. But boy, is it a good look."

Gran Torino is the embodiment of that statement. When Clint levels his rifle at the scum, and says he could blow their heads off, go in, and sleep like a baby, he's probably the only man on earth you'd believe saying something like that. His eyes, his carriage, his intensity.

Underneath that patented Dirty Harry glare is a performance of such subtlety, minute inflections, and being it's virtuoso. He's like a worn out pair of jeans, a well-oiled and used baseball mitt. Clint Eastwood uses his entire body of work as a back drop to this performance, and builds on it to take us along for the ride.

I'm not going to share the plot as others have so far. It's a film about values and tradition. About accountability. Doing the right thing up to and including making sure his old dog is taken care of. What's masterful about the film is that he takes what could have been a caricature in the hands of another actor and director and makes it believable.

Much has been made of his racist language. At first it's jarring. It's so all encompasing and over the top in the beginning of the film you can't help but concentrate on it. But he takes it from Archie Bunker territory with character development and plot arc to the point where you no longer actually hear the stupid words. You are too focused on the man's character and who he really is. A real racist would never have entered his neighbor's home, and certainly wouldn't have eaten their food. The reviewer who said he's racist because he doesn't know any other way to be is spot-on.

The Hmong cast is outstanding. I especially loved the interaction between Walt and Grandma two peas in a pod. Bee Vang as Tow was solid as the boy who becomes a man. Ahney Her as Sue is the driver of the changes in Walt. If she couldn't hold her own with Clint the film wouldn't have worked. She does, and in the bargain, Gran Torino is a very satisfying, impressive film.

Like Gran Torinos, and Clint Eastwood, they don't make 'em like this anymore.

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Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

I'm not sure we're all seeing the same movie here. One comment I keep hearing is that the actresses did not perform well, and I cannot comprehend it. Ziyi Zhang especially gave one of the best performances I have seen in years, at least. Just look at her physically shaking during her last scene with Ken Watanabe. This complete giving over to the emotion of the character is nearly unsurpassed in anything I've seen in years, and I'm a huge cinemaphile. That's not to mention the flawless way she carried the postures and demeanor of the child star that played her young self through-out, giving a sense of consistency that I have almost never seen done this well. It's early impossible to remember that these two actresses are not really the same person with the way their performances meshed. So, maybe it's the reserved nature of Asian women, and the dualing of this nature with a sense of individuality and self-expression that people are interpreting as "not understanding the character"?

All I can say is, the cinematography and settings are gorgeous, as are the actresses (and what a stellar cast!), the performances are great (maybe the bar has been lowered so much lately that the degree of skill brought to the screen here is more than some people can handle). That's the only reason I can offer for the bad reactions I have heard.

The story is involving, and very realistic in terms of human nature. The romance is wonderful. There are flashes of humor and some of the script is pure poetry (and as a poet you can believe me on that!) I could go on all day, but let me just say this.

The movie is awesome, and the time flew by for me. It is not the over-wrought heart-rending sap that some may want it to be, but it is very true to the way most people behave, and especially in the reserved manner of the Japanese. In my book everyone involved in this deserves a huge round of kudos, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys beautiful things, and incredibly realized films.

Memoirs of a Geisha is a stunning movie. I haven't read the book, but now wish I had. The movie is close to 2 1/2 hours long, but the story and scenery are so captivating, it seems so much quicker. The costumes are fantastic and it's no wonder they are nominated for Oscars.

It tells the story of a little girl called Chiyo who along with her older sister, is sold by their father who has no money. The people who bought her, want to make her a geisha so she goes off to school but brings disgrace to herself and therefore they make her their slave. Upon chance, she meets a kind man who buys her a sweet cherry ice cone. She never forgets him and sees him again by chance some years later. Now she has hope and learns again (in a crash course) how to be a geisha and her new name is Sayuri.

The story that unfolds from there has ups and downs but the ending is so moving that of course I cried my head off. The setting is beautiful and it made me want to go and visit Japan. The music too is lovely and I hope they do get some Oscars next week because it's a very deserving movie. There is also a great performance by an actress called Li Gong who plays 'Queen Bitch' Hatsumomo and look for a small role played by Ted Levine who we normally see in a funny role as Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in Monk.

Beautiful move that you absolutely have to see. (Especially on the big screen if you still can).

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I read the novel this film is based on and loved it, so I was looking forward to the movie when it was released. I was pleased to see that the movie followed the book very closely. The film was absolutely beautiful, with arresting shots of the geisha as they went about their daily tasks and beautiful pans of the gorgeous faces of the actresses. There were also a few nice shots of (what was supposed to be) the Japanese countryside.

The film follws Chiyo (Sayuri), a young girl from the country who grows to become one of the most celebrated geisha in pre-war Japan. I know that there was a big stink when the film came out that some of the actresses cast were Chinese, rather than Japanese, but I say phooey on that. You cast an actor to play a role. I've seen plenty of straight actors turn in wonderfully nuanced performances of gay characters. I've seen plenty of older actors play roles that were younger than they were, and vice versa. So what? The director's job is to find the right actor for the role, and that actor may or may not be the exact nationality referred to in the script. The point is, does this performer tell the story?

And the performers in Memoirs of a Geisha definitely do. Ziyi Zhang (Chiyo/Sayuri), Li Gong (Hatsumomo), and Michelle Yeoh (Mameha) all give their characters a wonderful depth and subtext, and I really enjoyed them. I know that some critics also huffed about the movie being Westernized, with the actors all speaking English, etc. Wha . . . ? The movie is based on a book written by Arthur Golden, a middle-aged white guy from Tennessee. How can you get more Western than that? Anyway, I personally found the film to be a visual jewel with fabulous performances. I recommend it.

Read Best Reviews of Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) Here

I read the book then watched the movie. The book is much more detailed, as they usually are, but the movie measured up to the book at a faster pace, yet still keeping to the story. I thought both were superb. I liked being able to put a face to all the characters, it made it more interesting for me. I thought the dancing in the movie was beautiful, classy, and hypnotic. Both the book and the movie just drew me in and I had a hard time putting down the book and watched the movie alone and with my husband.

I enjoyed it. I recommend reading the book first and then watching the movie.

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I am getting rather tired of reading about how the movie is so terrible when compared to the book. I do agree that the book is absolutely amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment while reading it. I do, however, recognize that this is a movie based on a book and therefore when I saw it I was not expecting that it would be identical to the book. I did enjoy this movie it is breathtaking to watch visually and essentially the story is pretty faithful to that of the book. What I find makes the biggest difference is that when watching the movie you lose some of the inner dialogue and description of all the events that are present in the book. Also, being that it is a movie some corners had to be cut in order to keep the length of the film closer to 2 hours as is usually the case. Since I have read the book I know the story quite well and am able to enjoy the movie for what it is. In my opinion I think it is a beautiful compliment to the book and I will enjoy watching it again since it is now a part of my DVD collection.

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Disgrace (2008)

After having read J.M. Coetzee's complex, disturbing, shocking and controversial novel, one could not directly see how this story could be transformed into an appealing screenplay and still less into a convincing movie.

It's heavily charged with all kind of sexual contacts, unforced and forced ones (by someone who is in a dominating position) and even with pure rape. It deals also with the eventual outcome of those contacts, like pregnancy and parental love.

Moreover, the story unfolds against the violent background of open racism in a country known for its apartheid.

Steve Jacobs did a formidable job in turning the harsh and sometimes bitter and terrible realities into a moving, emotional and ultimately sublime movie, which matches the book.

The director was impressively helped by his cast and in the first place by John Malkovich, whose (physical! and mental) interpretation of the very uninviting character of a sexually driven university professor is certainly one of his most memorable. He was superbly seconded by Jessica Haines as his fiercely independent daughter as well as by the rest of the cast.

A must see for all movie lovers and for all admirers J. M. Coetzee's work.

An Academy Award Quality film that generates an exquisite level of emotional impact rarely seen outide of such modern classics as, "American Beauty" and "House of Sand and Fog." Without a doubt, Malkovich is convincing in his nuanced and powerful role as a scoundrel and Lothario--but with none of the histrionics or over-the-top acting for which he is perhaps best known. This is a painfully insightful and politically charged movie that will be much appreciated by discerning viewers.

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Let me begin by saying this film may be one of the best of the past year. The performance by John Malkovich gives us another reason to extend to him a title of superb actor. And, probably no one else could fill his shoes in the film.

The film is taken from the book by Nobel laureate J.M. Coetzee. He won the Booker Prize for this novel. I have not read it and find I must. Coetzee is one of those authors you remember, and as far as I am concerned has not won the acclaim he deserves. The film takes place a few years after Apartheid. There is no longer the legal stigma of socializing or dating among the races. Malkovich is a professor of Romantic Poetry at the U of South Africa. He is arrogant, pig headed even, and thinks of no other except himself and his needs. He has an affair with a young student, and while it is not rape, she obviously does not enjoy it. He is found out and is asked to leave the university. He shows no regret except that he was found out.

Malkovich goes to visit his young daughter, Lucy, in the country. Here, things are simple, she raises dogs, and has a farm of flowers and veggies that Lucy tends. Lucy is a Lesbian and had a sig other who seems to have left. She also has a black man who lives on the farm and helps her out. Malkovich cannot understand this arrangement, the man walks in and watches television whenever he wants. Certainly things have changed. Lucy is very independent, and has her own way and manner of living. A horrible incident occurs and things will never be the same. However, life does go on, and the times and situations change and Malkovich has a new understanding of life such as it is. He asks for forgiveness from the family of the student of whom he had an affair. But, not all has changed and as we see, Malkovich, the Professor, retains his own way. Throughout this film questions keep rising, is this the right thing for Lucy to do. What would I do. What is happening to the Prof, Malkovich. How can things remain the same but be so different?

The acting is superb. Lucy is played by Jessica Haines with such a fine, free base of understanding. Her farm manager is an African named Petrus, played by Eriq Ebouaney. His acting shows us a man who is sure of his place. Other characters are sure footed and superb. In one instance Malkovich, whose job it is to help a vet attendant care for and put down animals that have no home, helps to put down a dog that he has shown great affection. I could not help but shed tears at this scene. Was Malkovich looking for some sort of atonement. The entire film has a feel of moral ambiguity. How do we place ourselves in surroundings and cultures new to us and find a place that is real and OK.

The final scene is perfect, this is just the way things are. Superb, superb, one of the year's best films.

Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-08-10

Being John Malkovich [HD DVD]

Dangerous Liaisons [VHS]

Read Best Reviews of Disgrace (2008) Here

John Malkovich nails the role of a pompous Cape Town literature professor, David Lurie, who glibly spouts Byron and Wordsworth. And he certainly loves the ladies. He uses his status to initiate an affair with an attractive student, who becomes the reluctant recipient of Lurie's affections. She is a young coed; he's fifty-two. When the scandal breaks, Lurie gets booted out of his cushy faculty post and seeks refuge in his daughter Lucy's home.

Lucy lives in a remote region in the East Cape on a small plot of land. She raises dogs and sells flowers to scrape together a modest living. It seems Lurie and his daughter had long been separated; they scarcely know each other when the "disgraced" professor comes knocking. A big part of the film is how their relationship develops.

Turns out Lucy lives in an area that lacks law and order. Hooligans roam without check. This is post-apartheid South Africa at its worst. Horrible things happen in this film. It seems that people must protect themselves in this region; Lurie and his daughter are not good at self protection.

The film is also about how Lucy is trapped by forces beyond her control. She must accept bitter realities in order to survive. She also feels that she has carved out a life and is determined to stay. Perhaps a lot of money would help, but money is scarce, although the ex-professor can afford a trip to Cape Town where he pays a prostitute. So the arrogant Lurie must take a crash course in Life 101, South African style. He must get his hands dirty, in both a literal and figurative sense. He also finds romance in the arms of a woman who is quite a contrast to the aforementioned coed.

Jessica Haines most convincingly portrays Lucy. She acts in a completely natural manner; it's as if she is playing herself. She strikes no poses.

It's a great film, perhaps a bit overlong. The cinematography is stunning, capturing the pretty urban life of the comfortable in Cape Town, the grinding poverty of many South Africans, and the stark beauty of the remote rural area where Lucy lives.

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Based on the novel Disgrace: A Novel by J.M. Coetzee, this movie does a fairly good job of portraying the book. John Malkovich stars as the professor, David, who has serial affairs with women, the latest one being an imprudent one with one of his students. When she reports him to the Capetown university's administration, David pleads guilty and resigns from his position. He travels to a rural area in South Africa to stay with his daughter who is a lesbian and has just broken up with her partner. The movie very deftly shows the palpable awkwardness of the new apartheid and the painful aspects of a woman living alone.

The book more clearly discusses apartheid and its role in events that occur, while in the movie a lot is left up to the viewer's summation or prior knowledge of South African history. Though I think that John Malkovich is an excellent actor, I had a very hard time picturing him in this particular role. He just didn't seem to fit with the character that he portrayed. The woman who played his daughter does an excellent job.

It is difficult to give much of the plot details because of spoilers. However, I found the movie riveting. I recommend reading the novel first so as to have a better understanding of what is happening, and also for background information.

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Best Picture Academy Award Winners: 5 Film Coll (2012)

In a only one package, this selection offers five good movies, and with a price very good too. I think that "Shakespeare in love" is the film that could be think in next editions of this collection.

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Dr. Dolittle (1998)

Just a note to those who were uncomfortable watching this film with their children; movies have ratings for a reason. This movie is rated PG-13, which tells you up front that it has content that is considered inappropriate for young children. In this case, it is crude humor.

What I don't understand is why they made a movie with a story line aimed at a young audience, and then inclduded content that earned it a rating that recommends that a young audience shouldn't see it.

This is a movie I bought first, primarily for the kids because of the reviews. No one ever asked to watch it a second time. I say this because one of my kids was watching the Lion King last night, for the umpteenth time. So yes, I agree that eddie murphy impressed me again with his talent... but it just didn't grab my kids, 3 boys and 2 girls. I had to give it a good rating of 3 rather than a 2 to encourage the making of good movies.

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Based on the children's story and brought to life in a new way, Eddie Murphy in DR DOOLITTLE is a cute kids comedy and a pretty good comedy in general. And there's a lot of funny parts with the animals in this movie and it's very touching as well.

As a kid, John Doolittle (Murphy) didn't have too many friends but the friends he did have were special to hum because he was the only who could understand him. Why? Because they were animals. He could talk to and understand animals. But after he got in trouble for talking with the family dog, he was forced to stop talking to animals. Now as an adult, after an accident where he hit a dog, he realizes that he heard the dog talk to him. Now he realizes that he still has his gift and now it's a question if he can keep his sanity and if he can do the right thing and help everyone that needs him, including the animals.

This one is really cute and kids will love this one. Plus it's pretty funny as well. And of course there are plenty of other celebrities pitching their voices for this movie like Pee Wee Herman, Chris Rock, Norm McDonald, Jenna Elfman, John Leguizamo and Albert Brooks to name a few. The soundtrack to this movie is also very good as well with Aaliyah, All Saints, Wu-Tang's Raekwon and more.

The kids will love this one and this a good comedy for the entire family. It's very clean and there isn't any swearing or any adult themes at all. It's a very fun movie. Check out DR DOOLITTLE and don't forget to check out DR DOOLITTLE 2. Enjoy this family comedy!

Read Best Reviews of Dr. Dolittle (1998) Here

I'm a huge fan of watching a lot of Eddie Murphy films. I've watched them ever since I was old enough to watch television. Dr. Dolittle is the FUNNIEST movie of his I believe I have ever seen! If you like to laugh you'll love this movie!

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The Eagle Has Landed

At long last, one of my favourite "fictional" World War II films is finally out on DVD and the transfer is excellent all round. And even better, there is now a "Special Edition" Region 2 release available on the Amazon UK website with an additional 17 minutes of footage, interviews with Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland & Donald Pleasance, theatrical trailers, biographies on cast & crew plus interviews from British news programs !

The 1970's was a decade when war movies were filled with mercenaries, commando's and full guns blazing action....and "The Eagle has Landed" is no exception, but a better told tale than many others !

Director John Sturges ( "The Great Escape", "The Magnificent Seven", "Ice Station Zebra" ) in his final directorial role shows once again why he was one sharpest action / suspense film directors of the 1960/70's with this exciting filming of the best selling Jack Higgins novel. What makes this film so enjoyable, and able to withstand repeated viewings is the talented cast at the centre of this twisting tale of spies and espionage. German officer Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine) is the disgraced leader of a group of crack German paratroopers that have been exiled to operate an MTB boat in the English Channel. Opportuntity comes their way in the form of Colonel Radl (Robert Duvall), with an incredible plot to secretly parachute into England and kidnap Winston Churchill from a country retreat. Donald Pleasance turns in a chilling performance as SS leader, Heinrich Himmler...Donald Sutherland in fine form as the IRA ally, Liam Devlin...Larry Hagman is the pompous and foolhardy Colonel Pitts and Treat Willians (in his first movie role) as the wiser and more wary American Ranger, Captain Clark. Attractive Jenny Agutter contributes the love interest as Molly Prior, and icy Jean Marsh puts in a cold blooded display as the Nazi sympathasier, Joanna Grey.

"The Eagle has Landed" has some great twists and turns and never lets the viewer relax as the story holds a keen balance between action, suspense, romance and tragedy. Highly recommended for those who like intrigue and adventure in their WWII movies !!

A highly entertaining and different WWII film that stands out from the rest.

The Eagle Has Landed a film based on the Jack Higgins novel of the same name is a great film. This is story telling at its best. I read the book when it was published back in the 1970's and enjoyed it immensly. It was a real page turner. And, that is what is great about the film version of this story. The Film holds true to the novel, which in my opinion, is the exception and not the rule in film making.

Director, John Sturges, lays the story out visually, bit by bit, building to a great conclusion. In this age of over the top special effects, and especially the extreme portrayal of the violence of war, we see in many films Sturges gets his point across by painting a picture with a good screen play and great acting. Sturges grabs the viewers attention and does not let go.

The story involves a once hero of the Nazi regime, exiled to suicidal duty for refusing to round up Jews for the SS. I am not giving away too much when I tell you that it involves a German plot to assasinate Winston Churchill, which may have some basis in fact. Michael Caine plays the professional German soldier, but now disgraced in the eyes of the Hitler regime, part of Col. Steiner. What I appreciated about Caine's performance is that he plays this doomed character as the professional soldier he is and avoids the pit falls of a fanatical over the top killing machine. Larry Hagman as the incompetent, politically connected American Colonel, is hilareous. Finally, Donald Sutherland as the Irish Patriot come Nazi spy is chilling. Simply, there is not a bad performance in this film.

The Eagle Has Landed is a great film to watch if you need a break from the over the top realism of more recent films and series about World War II. It is a good action packed story that can be enjoyed by the whole family. This one is a recommended buy for your DVD collection.

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What if you're German, the march to victory has been stalled, D-Day looms, and you're facing a decidedly unfavorable endgame in World War Two? You learn that British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is going to holiday in a secluded village in the north of England. Are times desperate enough to attempt a kidnapping of Churchill and, perhaps, hold him hostage to a negotiated peace?

If you're novelist Jack Higgins, or later director John Sturges, the answer is yes. THE EAGLE HAS LANDED takes that `what if' and, more or less, delivers solid entertainment. The all-star cast is headed by Michael Caine, who plays Col. Kurt Steiner, a maverick leader of a group of seasoned German paratroopers. Robert Duvall is the brains behind the project, eye-patch wearing Col. Max Radl. Donald Sutherland, sporting a shock of red hair and a rolling brogue is Liam Devlin, an Irish Nationalist with a deep and abiding hatred of the British Empire.

There are a lot of things to like about THE EAGLE HAS LANDED. The premise is certainly plausible enough. Action movies on this scale don't reward in-depth character studies, and the all-star cast is able to deliver on those terms. The actors have to indicate rather than explore their character's personality, a shorthand approach that builds sympathy by indication rather than examination. Stars with a capital S seem uniquely able to deliver on these terms, and the three stars don't disappoint. Director John Sturges is even able to accomplish that most difficult of tasks incorporating a love story, of sorts, into the picture between the young and romantically foolish Jenny Agutter and the duplicitous Sutherland character without interfering with or derailing the action.

There are things to dislike about the movie, though. Larry Hagman, as a shrill American colonel, is introduced late in the movie and adds a sour note to things. The Caine character, who the movie goes out of its way in the early goings to establish sympathy for, ends his career in the film on a jarring note as well. I won't give anything away but I didn't buy, at all, his last action.

Still, the acting is good (ignore, if you can, the Cockney accent that Caine seems incapable of burying completely,) the English village is convincing I believed I was in a real English village circa 1943 and the `what if' quality was intriguing enough to keep me involved. A good enough movie for us fans of war stories, endorsed with reservations.

Read Best Reviews of The Eagle Has Landed Here

A war film with heart, that shows fleshed-out characters on both sides of the conflict, instead of one-dimensional, heroes-vs-Colonel Klink stereotypes, this is everything "Where Eagles Dare" was not. It's a drama with a lot of action, or an action film with a lot of drama, depending on how you look at it. Jack Higgins wrote the book, which is supposedly based on a real-life 1943 operation by German intelligence to kidnap Winston Churchill. Robert Duvall (Radl) and Michael Caine (Steiner) are the Germans but not the bad guys in a film that is all the more sad because there are no real bad guys as such -just professionals doing their jobs on each other for their respective countries. Donald Pleasance is cooly briliant as Himmler and Donald Sutherland is alternately clownish, charming, and ruthless as the IRA triggerman Devlin. Treat Williams gives a moving turn as the American ranger who has more respect for his German opponent Steiner than his commanding officer, played with delightful cartoon villainy by Larry Hagman. The battle scenes are long in coming, but worth the wait, and both Caine and Duvall

are first-rate as two equally likable but very different professional soldiers taking on a task both knows is not only ulikely to succeed, but almost certain to get both of them killed. Action movies are almost never antiwar in theme, but "The Eagle Has Landed" makes as good a case as "Saving Private Ryan" of the stupidity and waste inherent in war.

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This is one of the best war movies ever made. The film is based on the Jack Higgins novel were a crack team of German paratroops try to kidnap Winston Churchill why he is staying at a country house in Norfolk. The plot is perhaps a little thin but the action moves along at a fast and furious pace! It also has a great cast which includes Donald Sutherland, Michael Caine and Robert Duvall. If you are a fan of Jack Higgins buy this movie now!

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Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set (2008)

You know you're not watching a formulaic comic book film when one of the highlights is a drunken rendition of "Can't Smile Without You" by Hellboy and Abe Sapien. "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is a more confident, assured outing than the first film and while it does not draw from Mignola's comics for its plot it is perhaps better off for it, lacking the usual burden of comparison and expectations. "The Golden Army" is more fantastical than the first film and is less sci-fi oriented but this is the sort of thing Del Toro does exceptionally well as a writer. He never lets the fantasy become the focus of the film, instead concentrating on characters and delivering action scenes that can only be described as, forgive the crass immaturity, kickass.

As entertaining as many comic book-to-film adaptations are it is a rare event when one can call one of these films a true artistic achievement. I am convinced without a shadow of a doubt that Guillermo Del Toro's entire career has been leading up to this film, particularly regarding his work as screenwriter here. The comedy feels less forced and is worked incredibly well into the script here, so much so that it doesn't feel remotely unnatural when the scene of comic drunken singing leads directly without a break into one of the film's most intensely dramatic sequences. Del Toro's handling of character has never been better, not even with "The Devil's Backbone", which is still my favorite of his films, and his sheer skill and ability when it comes to telling a fairytale-esquire fantasy is astonishing, as proved in the prologue to this film. In short this is Del Toro at the top of his game and providing artistry the likes of which we rarely if ever see in summer blockbusters. It's only fair that an astonishingly brilliant comic like "Hellboy" by an astonishingly brilliant artist like Mike Mignola is adapted this well and by someone as talented at what they do as he is.

How refreshing it is, a week after the release of "Hancock", which to me epitomizes everything wrong with action film-making today, that we get "The Golden Army" which features hands down some of the finest action scenes we have ever seen in this sort of film. Just stunningly beautiful, well-shot, well-crafted, the sort of thing that leaves one wondering how much time and effort went into it and endlessly thankful that some really talented people went to the trouble of making the film.

The film is generally just superb on a technical level. Why am I even saying this? Of course it is. Danny Elfman composing, Guillermo Navarro serving as cinematographer, top-notch editors, fantastic special effects wizards. It's a world-class crew that made this film. I shouldn't be surprised at its quality but "The Golden Army" really just floored and astonished me with how good it is. The cast is also excellent, proving once again that you don't need 'big names' to carry a movie. Just about everyone here is excellent, particularly Perlman with another excellent turn as Hellboy and the underrated Selma Blair as Liz Sherman.

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" provides essentially everything a Del Toro or Mignola fan would want. I imagine it will entertain and charm many outside those circles as well with its fantastic action sequences, engaging characters, and wonderful sense of humor. I would personally go as far as calling "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" one of the top five or so comic book movies ever made.

Guillermo Del Toro has become the new master of dark fantasy -first with the quirky clockpunk "Hellboy," then with the Oscar-winning "Pan's Labyrinth." Not to mention forthcoming travels to Middle-Earth.

So you know he has the skills to pit Mike Mignola's scarlet anti-hero against an army of fairies and elves, and not make it silly. Instead, it's a spectacular dark fantasy full of humor, action, quirky appeal, romance, and some truly astounding special effects. But what really shoves this movie over the top is Del Toro's brilliant direction, and the stunning performance by Ron Perlman.

Decades ago, Professor Broom (William Hurt) told a small Hellboy a yuletide bedtime story about the Elf King Balor and his unstoppable Golden Army, and how the crown that controls the Army was split into thirds and divided among fairies and humans.

Well, you can't really expect that kind of power to never be revived.

Cut to current day. Hellboy (Perlman), Liz (Selma Blair) and Abe (Doug Jones) investigate a strange supernatural attack on an auction house, where the archeological curiosity known as the Crown of Bethmoora was being sold -only to be attacked by savage tooth fairies. Turns out the crown was stolen by Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), a resentful young elf who is determined to take the world back from humanity -using, of course, the Golden Army.

And while Hellboy chafes against strict new commander Johann Krauss (a suit filled with ectoplasm), Abe encounters Nuada's sister, Princess Nuala -who also happens to have the last third of the crown. But Nuada will not allow anyone to oppose him as he searches for the Golden Army's location, and Hellboy and his friends must venture into a strange, ancient kingdom to stop him from destroying all of humanity.

The worst you can say about "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is that it sticks to the formula of the demonic outsider with a dark destiny, and his continuing romantic woes. There's some retreading as Hellboy realizes anew that he'll never fit into the world of humans, because he's big and red and has horns and a tail. Okay, we got it. Next big psychological issue!

Fortunately those flaws are relatively minor ones. Del Toro is still able to spin a dark, twisted story with some truly bizarre creatures (the utterly alien, eye-winged Angel of Death), clockpunk robots, trippy underground goblin markets and a new BPRD agent who is basically ectoplasm in a suit. And for the action scenes, Del Toro does not pull punches when it comes to the smashing action scenes -giant thrashing vines and a one-on-one duel with Nuada are among the highlights.

With all this going on, it would be easy to neglect the characters. But Del Toro packs the script with solid snappy dialogue and some poignantly romantic moments -including some pretty startling actions from dear ol' Abe. And he also adds little moments to this epic story that remind us that these are supposed to be people -such as Hellboy's bickering with Krauss, or Abe and Hellboy getting drunk and having a little Manilow singalong together. It's just so cute.

But what really sets this movie apart is the "children of the Earth." No flitting Victorian sprites -these are creatures that are weird, grotesque, dangerous and immensely powerful, from nasty little tooth fairies up to vast rock monsters and plant gods. There's an alien, bizarre aesthetic to these creatures that feels wholly real, as if Neil Gaiman casually dropped a few sketches onto the drawing board.

But as amazing as the visuals are, Del Toro never neglects the characters. Perlman is perfect for the role of "big Red" -he's gruff, sarcastic, moody, but also endearing and self-deprecatingly likable. There are more hints of his potentially dark future, and he faces some delicately-handed temptations. But Big Red's good heart is still very much in the forefront, no matter how much human beings fear him.

Blair gives a more lively performance here as a spunkier Liz, who also has some surprising developments in store. Jones is pitch-perfect as the fish-man, who experiences the first pangs of young love for Nuala, while Goss gives a chilling, whispery performance as a rebel prince who is willing to do whatever it takes -even kill family -if it helps him restore the fey kingdom. Pretty good villain, since he clearly isn't trying to be bad.

There's also loads of extras in this particular edition of the movie -feature commentary with director Guillermo Del Toro, Jeffrey Tambor, Selma Blair and Luke Goss, as well as some deleted scenes also with commentary with Del Toro, a prologue to the movie, a digital script, image gallery, a "Puppet Theatre" for the opening sequences of the film, concept art, interviews, and other such stuff. Also making-of documentaries -seven mini-documentaries that visit the set, the "Troll Market Tour" in the movie's most memorable "faerie" setting, and the two-hour "Hellboy: In Service Of The Demon." Basically, it turns the film inside-out and lets you examine its guts.

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is a wild, darkly ornate ride through the world of half-forgotten gods and fey. While it has a few flaws, those are far outweighed by the brilliant of Del Toro's vision.

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Fans of dark fantasy movies will definitely like this one. If you take Pan's Labyrinth and add more creatures, and then give it an injection of humor, and sprinkle some Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, some Fantastic Four, and a little Lord of the Rings, and last of all let Neil Gaiman put the finishing touches, you'll probably get Hellboy II or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):

1. Humans and mythical creatures are at it again

2. One crown rules an indestructible golden army

3. Uneasy lies the head that wants to wear the crown

4. All Hellboy breaks loose after a visit from the tooth fairies

5. The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense sends a gasbag to lead the team into the bowels of New York City

6. Hellboy may be red and angry, but it's Liz (Selma Blair) who's the hottie

7. Big fights, big guns and big fun follows

8. `Twas beauty that tamed the beast

When the BPRD agents are called to take on the job of stopping rogue Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) they get a lot more than the main responsibilities listed on their job descriptions. Battling mythical creatures, disobeying direct orders, and generally tearing the place apart, our heroes never let a little adversity get them down on the way to a stellar showdown.

This is a fantasy, an adventure, a battle of good against not-so-good, and a love story, all rolled into one red hot package.

Rated: 4.5 stars

Amanda Richards, July 23, 2008

Read Best Reviews of Hellboy II: The Golden Army Collector's Set (2008) Here

Outside of Ron Perlman's bravo performance as the title character, Hellboy, in the first film, what wowed me the most (as I stated in my previous Amazon review) was the deeply theological and emotional subtexts of that film. As much as I loved Ron Perlman's even more bravo performance in "The Golden Army", it took me a while to clue into the fact that some of the deepest subtexts in this second movie are a bit different than the first film.

I don't wish to indulge in any real spoilers this early in the game, but this new film has exchanged the theological subtext for a psychological one that is just as deep.

In the first film, the question was one of what made Hellboy a truly 'human' character. The answer was the right to choice based on free will. In this new film, the related question is whether or not Hellboy can ever truly fit in and should he even try. "The Golden Army", with the beneficial switch to Universal Pictures, makes a clever connection between Hellboy and Boris Karloff in "Bride of Frankenstein". Mr. Karloff's little cameo appearance as Frankenstein on one of Hellboy's many television sets in a significant scene with Elsa Lanchester as the titular Bride nails that subtext in just a few brief moments of film time in a way that a lot of surface action in the film never could have.

The father/son subtext of the first film is still here, but buried even more deeply as John Hurt's character of Hellboy's adoptive father, Trevor Bruttenholm, was murdered in the first film. We are reminded of his character by a cameo appearance of John Hurt as Trevor 'Broom' in a flashback to Hellboy's younger years; but hasn't anyone ever told Guillermo del Toro that, in the original comics, an eleven-year-old Hellboy would nowhere be as small as the character is portrayed in this flashback. In the original comics, once he get past ten years old, Hellboy is almost full grown physically, if not emotionally mature.

Yet, there is a further connection in the new film to that father/son subtext of the original film. It's too bad that it is one that will probably pass right over the heads of that portion of the audience who haven't see the first movie. In this second movie, both Hellboy and Prince Nuada are the sons of murdered fathers. Where the huge difference lies between these two characters is the identity of the villain who commited the murder.

Once again, we have a film of deep emotional, religious subtexts lurking under a fun, exciting, quip filled surface. Watch out for a drunken scene between Abe and Hellboy. I thought I'd die laughing; but it is those deeper subtexts that make me love Guillermo del Toro's "Hellboy" movies and I can't wait for the third installment.

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It is good to see Mike Mignola's Dark Horse Comics working-class (SUPER) hero character return...along with most of the cast and original director Guillermo del Toro (now a bankable guy, thanks to PAN'S Labyrinth). Hellboy himself, again played by RON PERLMAN (TV's Vincent of "Beauty and the Beast" from back in the day), who has been under latex pretty much is entire career, infact, Hellboy maybe the closer to revealing his actual face than many of his other roles. But thankfully he returns to his greatest achievement to date...the gruff, working man archetype stogie and all. Of course he is nearly invulnerable, although that invulnerability is tested in the Golden Army as he faces plenty of Fairy folk, the supernatural and monsters for the Bureau of Paranormal Reserch and Defense (the bridge between the MIB and the Ghostbusters). RED is still a cat-lover and feeling under appreciated, ready to break into the public arena to receive to much deserved thanks for "savin' the world" on a daily basis. Selma Blair returns as Liz, the girlfriend who happens to be a "firestarter" aka pyrokinetic. Doug Jones returns as Abe Sapien's faceman empathic body (sounds like he is again voiced by David Hyde Pierce who refused on screen credit last time out of respect for Jones' impressive physical portrayal...so I think this is the case this time...) Abe is the smarts in the team and this time gets a love interest in Princess Nuala, which opens for so great scenes with RED giving advice while the pair get drunk and sing Manilow. Genus and worth the price of Ticket, rental or DVD, whichever the case may be. The great Jeff Tamor is back as the BPRD's resident "suit" New to the team is Johann Kraus a German...well poltergeist in a retro containment suit, voice by Seth MacFarlane, the doctor can inhabit objects and he is sent into BPRD HQ to tighted the reigns on HELLBOY who has blown his covert status and is known to the world now...thus the massive TV ad campaign featuring Big RED on with James Lipton and the Ghosthunters (beautiful, youTube it if you missed it).

The story goes like this, back when HELLBOY was a er...Hell Boy...his adopted father (William Hurt) Prof. Broom told he a bedtime tale about an Elf King Balor and his INDESTRUCTABLE ARMY of clockwork machine-men things....the flashback / story time imagery is lovely stop-action-style puppetry...the war against humans was ceased and the Army controlling crown, broken into three parts....never to be reassembled....buuuut....

The Prince, twin son of King Balor had other ideas....Hellboy and the team must stop him from regaining the crown and sending the Golden Army to destroy man. Beginning at an art auction where the Prince unleashes disturbing swarms of "tooth fairies" to regain part of the crown.

Like it's predecessor Hellboy 2, isn't heavy with computer monster...most of the creatures are amazing costumes and make-up, (overcoming the major flaw in many superhero movies...) The outsider protagonist motif carries well in this one and suits the theme with RED coming terms with what he wants his place in the world to be... while this film is unlikely to win director Guillermo del Toro another 3 Oscars, it is fun and visiually pushes the boundaries of what is the mainstream Superhero genre....much more than you would expect and I am not nearly as worried about Guillermo del Toro's upcoming HOBBIT production...if HB 2 is any indication it is in good hands and I think we may expect a 3rd Hellboy, too.

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American Pie (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1999)

First off I would like to say that this was the funniest movie of the year! I watched it in theaters 5 times and I laughed as hard the 5th time as I did the the 1st time. As for the unrated version there is about less than a minute more that was added here than the orginal version. If you had a choice of chooseing the rated or unrated, you cant go wrong with either of them. As for the rest of the DVD, its awesome. It has access of the greatest quotes and songs that were played in the movie. Plus, they have the video for "You Wanted More" by Tonic which I was extremely happy to see because it didn't get enough airtime on the music channels. Overall, I would say this is DVD is a good example of one of those DVDs that show what you can put on a DVD. Plus, having the trailer for Man On The Moon was a major plus!

Ok, so when are the people at Universal going to release their final versions of DVD releases first? I don't see why they make us buy one version one year then a better version the next. I love this film and enjoyed the extras on the first printing, but please...Universal, stop with the dual prints! If you print one collector's, make it a collector's edition. Not a preview to a better version of the same disc.

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For years we have endured movies that follow a recipe of non offense. American Pie decided to serve dessert instead of appetizers. Offering glimpses of more realistic high school hijinx. This story makes it easy to put yourself into those embarrassing situations you may have been through or had a friend go through. American Pie is without a doubt a hilarious roast. As far as the difference between unrated and rated, unrated just gives us a more front row view to a couple scenes. If you don't own it buy the unrated version. If you already own the rated version, buying the unrated version is not necessary. American Pie, either version, is a must own DVD for any collection.

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If you bought the original DVD version that came out then you pretty much already have this "ultimate" edition. The deleted scenes, which there are only a handful, are the only real additions to the original disc. Save the twenty-two dollars and use it to go see "American Pie 2" if you already have the original. Don't let Universal milk you for twenty-two more dollars. If you don't have "American Pie" on DVD, then definitely buy this because the extras are great, just not that different from the first DVD of the movie.

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While I found this movie hilarious when I saw it, first in theaters, and then on this "unrated special edition", I thought that the release was lacking. The producers try to push this unrated version on the consumer by advertising a plethora of bonus materials. Scenes originally deleted from the theatrical release, and a Widescreen presentation among other things. As far as I could tell however, the only thing changed from the original release is one scene, and that being a fairly minor change. The rest of the movie was exactly how I remembered it. For this, I find it rather audacious of Universal to release two different versions of the DVD, one theatrical and one unrated one, when they could have just as easily included that single cut out scene as a bonus feature in one dvd. Furthermore, the box says that the movie is presented in a widescreen 1.85:1 ratio. Not true. The movie is in a fullscreen format, which is incredibly annoying to most true movie fans. Despite these misinformities, American Pie is still a great movie and deserves to be seen. And for any die hard fan that is considering buying both the rated and unrated versions, don't. One is good, but anything else would be a waste of your time and money.

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Red Dragon (2002)

When I first saw Michael Mann's adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon", I was blown away; I'd never encountered a character as evil and wiley as Hannibal Lector (Played by Brian Cox.)....Years later, I read Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs back to back, and was blown away again. Especially by Red DragonThe end of the book was SO powerful and dark that upon finishing the book, I sat in stunned silence for the rest of the train ride home. How could they have NOT used that end in Manhunter???

Well, here's more of the same....Red Dragon is perfect in nearly every way, except for the ending, which, while retaining the same setting, opts for a more "Crowd-pleasing" finale...and loses that punched-in-the-gut feeling that the novel gives.

The cast is top-notch, as one would expect from actors the caliber of Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman (Especially good as the loathsome Freddie Lounds..), etc. Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, and Anthony Hopkins are all spellbinding in their respective roles as Fed, Serial Killer, and Imprisoned Cannibal, and the actual depiction of the capture of Lector, as well as his infamous dinner party is a real treat. I just couldn't get past that ending, though. Ever since Hannibal came out, I've been looking forward to the promised "Faithful" adaptation of Red Dragon. This isn't it. It's a well-made thriller with a cop-out ending. See the movie, by all means; If you liked the previous Hannibal films, you'll like this. But then do yourself a favor and read the book, to see the TRUE finale to the Will Graham/Tooth Fairy saga.

Based upon the wonderful, well-written novel "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris, this is a superior and chilling thriller. Grim and gripping, it features Edward Norton in the role of troubled, retired FBI agent, Will Graham, who is called back to service in order to track down a bizarre serial killer, known as the "Tooth Fairy". It appears that Graham has the uncanny ability to get into a killer's mindset and figure out what his next move might be. It is as if he and the killer become one. In his preparation for this, Graham even consults the imprisoned Hannibal Lecter (yes, THE Hannibal Lecter), deliciously played by Anthony Hopkins. Unfortunately for Graham, Hannibal has not forgotten that Graham was responsible for his changed circumstances.

It is Hannibal Lecter, after all, who was the catalyst for Will Graham's retirement. The viewer is treated to scenes of Lecter's life, before he was revealed to be Hannibal the Cannibal, one of the sickest serial killers ever to strike. The viewer sees the renowned psychiatrist in his milieu as an erudite, cultured, and wealthy patron of the arts. A noted gourmand, Dr. Lecter liked nothing better than to give intimate dinner parties for the favored few. Of course, some of the ingredients used for his dinners were best left unsaid. It was nice to see the always excellent John Rubenstein in the small role of a dinner guest, heaping accolades upon Hannibal for his dinner parties.

The movie is compelling and, at all times, gripping. Anthony Hopkins reprises his career defining role and steals the show (Really, Hannibal Lecter has become all but a cottage industry for him!). With a twinkle in his eye, he is, in his low key way, deliciously malevolent. Edward Norton, one of the best young actors around, gives a decent and sensitive portrayal of Will Graham, the angst ridden former FBI agent and profiler, but lacks the grittiness and hard-edged veneer that the role really demands. He also simply looks too young and soft for the role. Ralph Fiennes gives a fine performance as the tormented Francis Dolarhyde, but his portrayal is hampered by the fact that too little is revealed in the film about what makes him tick.

Emily Watson affectingly plays a blind woman who becomes romantically involved with Francis Dolarhyde. It is her involvement with him that helps bring the film to its stunning conclusion. Moreover, Ms. Watson is a wonderfully talented British actress who manages to get her American accent down pat. Good performances by Harvey Keitel, as Graham's former boss, and Mary Louise Parker, as Graham's wife, round out this fine, ensemble cast.

This film is a taut, unnerving psychological thriller that is subject to comparison to its 1986 predecessor "Manhunter". Having seen both, I call it a draw. This current version had a bigger budget, so obviously it has better production values. Also, the opening scenes in the current version are more interesting than those in the 1986 one. Music, however, was used to much better effect in the earlier version. Moreover, the final scenes in the earlier version were much better than in this later version, as they were much more suspenseful. Both films, however, are well worth watching. Do yourself a favor and view both. Then, judge for yourself.

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The debate has raged long and hard as to which of the adaptations of Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon is superior with most people plumping for whichever version they saw first. For this is the problem with remakes (or watching a movie having already enjoyed the novel) and particularly with thrillers, where it's the twists and turns that dictate just how much viewing pleasure and excitement there is for the audience. So at the end of the day being objective about which movie is better and how to rate each one is very difficult (and perhaps all that serves to prove is the pointlessness of the debate) but for what it's worth here goes...

In a third outing as the world's favourite cannibal Anthony Hopkins returns in this prequel to "The Silence of The Lambs", complete with a ponytail in a new and very clever opening sequence that pits Hannibal Lecter against the FBI's special agent Will Graham (Edward Norton). Directed by Brett Ratner, (a surprise choice given that his last two outings were The Family Man and Rush Hour 2), Red Dragon sets out to recapture the tension of Jonathan Demme's multi-oscar winning "Silence of The Lambs" and to this end the sets of Hannibal Lecter's prison cell have been expertly recreated. Anthony Heald makes a return as the disgustingly sleazy asylum boss, Dr Chilton and Anthony Hopkin's part is inflated from both the novel of its origin and Manhunter. For make no mistake, this is (unlike Ridley Scott's Hannibal) not a Hannibal Lecter film, just as it was never a Hannibal Lecter novel. Instead the focus of Red Dragon is actually Will Graham's showdown with his own inner demon's and another serial killer, Francis Dollarhyde, christened the Tooth Fairy by the movie's tabloid press and played expertly by the ever excellent Ralph Fiennes, complete with a body toned by months of lifting weights and an enormous tattoo, (present in the novel but absent from the book) of the eponymous Red Dragon, covering his entire back.

But is it any good? Well, I genuinely believe that how much you enjoy this movie wholly depends on whether or not you have previously seen and enjoyed Michael Mann's original cult movie of the same novel, because for the most part both movies follow the same path and in places the same script. Being objective, and trying to put aside the baggage of having both seen and enjoyed Manhunter (I own it on VHS), I have to admit that this is by Hollywood standards a superior thriller with an excellent cast. As previously mentioned, to my mind Ralph Fiennes is both the star and strength of this movie. However, despite being an enormous fan of Edward Norton's previous work (Primal Fear, American History X, Fight Club, The Score etc.), I would have to say that he was miscast as special agent Will Graham in that his appearance is too preppy and his portrayal seems to lack the inward depth of a man tortured by his own thoughts and the mental scars of his previous (mental and physical) duel with Dr Lecter. Don't get me wrong Edward Norton's performance is fine but it just lacks that spark and charisma of his other roles, which I cant help but feel is partly as a result of being miscast and partly as the result of some uninspired by the numbers direction by Brett Ratner. As for Anthony Hopkin's, he is surprisingly forgettable. His part is little more than a cameo, where he only just steers clear of hamming it up and fails to chill in the same way as he did in his Oscar winning performance back in 1991's Silence of The Lambs. Harvey Keitel meanwhile is as reliable as ever as Graham's FBI boss Jack Crawford but although fine (scant praise for such fine actors) Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Emily Watson are only required to sleepwalk through their parts on cruise control. This is perhaps because they have small and undemanding roles with not enough character development or screen time to get their teeth into the parts. That aside there is also much to recommend Red Dragon, other than Ralph Fiennes excellent performance. The pre-credits sequence for example and the finale are both very thrilling and very enjoyable and there are several other scenes throughout the movie, particularly those featuring Francis Dollarhyde's character development, that were absent in Manhunter but more prevelant in the novel, which positively add to the viewing experience.

The debate will no doubt rage long and hard but in the end which one is better is a pointless argument and a moot point. The best way to watch either movie is with an open mind but once you have seen either version its probably best to avoid the other, as your perceptions of the plot, the characters and their appearance will in all likelihood be indelibly set, thus spoiling your enjoyment of any other version. I'm scoring this one a draw, four stars ****.

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The movie going public is obviously well acquainted with the most famous serial killer, cannibal, in cinematic history, Hannibal Lecter. In 2002's 'RED DRAGON,' Hannibal is back with force and vengeance, thanks to the brilliant portrayal of Sir Anthony Hopkins and inspired writing of screenwriter Ted Tally. He's got some of the best lines in the business. 'RED DRAGON,' for the most part is a remake of Michael Mann's 1986 'Manhunter.' Obviously there isn't a lot of variation between the two since they are both adaptations of Thomas Harris' book 'RED DRAGON.' But that is were the simularity ends. Sure, some scenes are structed the same, but to be fair this latest installment is closer and more true to the novel. For those that read the book or saw 'Manhunter,' it's no surprise that Hannibal had a rather small role. Ted Tally took some license and beefed up the character for some crucial scenes, adding a very interesting and inventive twist. From the onset, we see the capture of Hannibal by FBI Agent Will Graham, played flawlessly this time around by Edward Norton. We are also privy to a rather more intense Lecter, anger and resentment for being caught and put away. Hopkins doesn't need to do much to convey his distaste for Graham, the true talent of an excellent actor. Lecter is not over the top as many say he was in the third film 'HANNIBAL.' But this is really not a Lecter story. It is focused more on Graham and the new killer on the block, Francis Dolarhyde (played to an eeriely perfection by Ralph Fiennes). One not of advisement, if 'The Silence Of The Lambs', or 'Hannibal,' gave you nightmares, you may not be prepared for 'Dragon.' It is absolutely brutal in it's visuals and psychological mind games. Dolarhyde, aka the 'Tooth Fairy' is a brutal serial killer who has killed two families and may be on the hunt for a third. It is this that brings Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) on the quest to seek out a retired Graham. Reluctantly, Graham decides to help with the investigation. Graham does possess a certain gift, he can think like the killer. But it does cause a dilemma. The one person that could really give our detective the insight he needs is the one man who tried to kill him, Lector. As Clarice in 'Silence' Graham must once again delve into Lecter's world of the asylum. Frederick Chilton is back as the head of the asylum, again played by Anthony Heald

(the 'old friend for dinner' guy). Heald is an absolute delight in a awkward sort of way. He's definetly a one off. Basically, he's not nearly as smart as he thinks he is. Possibly the most disturbing character of the film is played by Fiennes. He is essentially a sympathetic killer, and yet you really want to see this guy go down. Fiennes is stunning in this role and adds his own spark to the role. Emily Watson plays Fiennes uninformed love interest who happens to be blind, lucky for her. Philip Seymour Hoffman is the sleazy tabloid reporter who in time is destined to get his comupance. It is really unfortunate that the Academy Awards does not hand out status to ensemble casts. If they did, 'RED DRAGON,' would probably be the only nomination in the catagory. There hasn't been a cast like this in many years. There is an equal balance between the three main characters, Lecter, Graham, and Dolarhyde. Lecter was in it just enough to keep it constantly fresh and on edge. Dolarhyde takes it over the edge and Graham brings it subtly back. Brett Ratner as the director did an excellent job in setting the scenes, the creepy atmosphere, and letting the actors do what they do best. This film is a winner all the way around. If any thriller were put up against 'Silence,' this may be the one that could surpass it in regards to thrills, chills and just plain excellent storytelling. Though the 4 movies are destined to be lumped together, 'Manhunter,' 'The Silence Of The Lambs,' 'Hannibal,' and now 'The Red Dragon,' which is completely understandable, 'Dragon' stands on it's own. And does so extremely well. This movie is obviously not for everyone. There is graphic violence that is disturbing. Yet in this vehicle it is not overplayed as say, your average slasher movie. If you're going to plunk down your hard earned cash for a movie, 'Red Dragon,' is the one. It is a good solid interesting movie that never lets go. Once it's got you, it's got you. And that ride starts as the lights in the theater go down. There's not too many movies that can boast that.

Tina Mrazik

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If you close your eyes and simply listen, the first precise five minutes of Red Dragon are divine. Rattner tells you what the rest of the film is going to be like instantly with a few credits and then with out any fading or build up, throwing you onto the stage of the Baltimore Orchestra House, with the Philharmonic (actually the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra) playing a beautiful rendition of Mendelssohn's Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Ratner makes the shots of the musicians last slightly longer than you would like so as to make you wonder exactly why your watching this, but then the camera begins to float up to the conductor, past him, towards the stage lights and slowly down into an audience full of heads. And there, slightly more well lit than the other members of the audience sits one of the most infamous killers in cinema history, hanging on every note of the ill fated flautist, Benjamin Raspail. The opening scene featuring Edward Norton capturing Anthony Hopkins' Lecter is amazing, especially as it was completely up to Ted Tally to come up with it, given Thomas Harris never really created an appropriate scene. The opening titles, accompanied by Elfman's dark and sickening score is incredibly useful and fulfilling, showing a series of newspaper clippings charting the capture of Dr Lecter up until his trial and life imprisonment.

The films low point is clearly after this, the initial set up and the dialogue between Kietel and Norton. The scenes of Norton wandering around the victims homes is very nerve-racking and tense, always having you on the edge of your seat and some of the scenes are disturbing, especially Norton's flashes of the female victims.

As an avid fan of Thomas Harris' greatest creation, it is great to see Hopkins return to portray Hannibal Lecter for what is presumably and hopefully, for the sake of not ruining a great trilogy, the last time. The only thing disappointing is Ratner has made such an effort to make Fiennes scenes and any other scenes not featuring Hopkins so serious and violent that whenever Hannibal Lecter is on screen, the audience just laugh at every line he says. An audience watching The Silence of the Lambs (1991) eleven years ago would have been silent during every word he says but unfortunately, due to his lack of boundaries during Hannibal (2001), Lecter has become a sort of caricature and is now considered a somewhat humorous figure.

The story picks up pace the moment the note from Fiennes is discovered in Lecter's cell, and the scenes in particular especially between Dolarhyde & Reba and also Dolarhyde and Lounds are incredibly tense and frightening. The twist at the end, sticking to Harris novel much more, is hard to see coming unless you have read the book and are familiar with the general story. The final showdown between Norton and Fiennes is also just as good as any other scene in the film, although the additional finale with Hopkins is the perfect send off if this really is Lecter's final big screen adventure.

Ratner and Tally have broken several rules however and one scene in particular which annoyed me is the part in which Lecter is cooked a gourmet meal in his cell as this just ruins the mood and atmosphere. The fact that Lecter gets to walk around the exercise room once a week goes against Silence of the Lambs (1991) when he tells Clarice Starling that he has been in the same room for eight years and he will never be let out. And also one of the final scenes shows beautiful sunlight in Lecter's cell, which obviously destroys the romance of the one thing Lecter longs for, a window.

It is not worth people trying to compare Red Dragon to any other films. It is not worth trying to compare it to Manhunter, because it is not in affect a remake, it is a second adaptation of Harris's novel. It can be compared to Silence, but this film doesn't make an attempt to scare you mentally, it is about using sudden cuts and Elfman's demented score to make you literally jump in your seat and make your heart skip a few beats. The only time you feel scared by Lecter is when he is being carted back to his cell and he sees the forensic gloves in the cleaners pockets.

If you must compare however, it would be completely wrong to make your comparisons against Hannibal (2001) because it is a completely different set up, the previous films are not about Hannibal, especially Red Dragon. Hannibal, hence the title, is about Hannibal and is about culture, romance and freedom, and seeing as the

Timing is not particularly important to Ratner. The film begins in 1980 and the subitle following Hannibal's capture reads "Several years later. Red Dragon takes place over about three weeks and it ends directly with a link to Clarice waiting upstairs. When he speaks to Clarice in Silence of the Lambs (1991) he tells her he has been incarcerated for 8 years and it should be 1991. Which should mean the subtitle reading "Several" should be "10 years later".

As an avid fan of Lecter, Hopkins, Bach, and Harris this film is brilliant.

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