Heaven (2002)

What is true love? What would we do to keep it, once we find it? Is this what it is like to find a true soulmate? What is wrong and right if we seek redemption, but are dragged down by a lust for justice?

Few filmmakers could address such questions with any kind of depth without relying on schmaltz, but one such was the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, who brought us such beautiful films as the Trois Couleurs Trilogy. But when he died after beginning a new cycle of films, Tom Tykwer stepped in to finish Kieslowski's final work -and the exquisite result is a light-filled hybrid of both their styles.

In Italy, young schoolteacher Phillipa Paccard (Cate Blanchett) sneaks into drug kingpin Vendice's office and plants a bomb in his trash, not knowing that the trash is about to be collected. The resulting explosion kills the cleaning lady, a man and his two children. When Phillipa is arrested and told this, she is aghast. She only intended to kill the kingpin, because his distribution of drugs has been killing her pupils, and killed her husband. She has asked the cabinieri to help, but no one has answered. So she took justice into her own hands.

A young Italian cabinieri, Filippo (Giovanni Ribisi), serves as a translator for Phillipa, and he is struck by her self-recrimination and sorrow. When her evidence is destroyed by a spy in the police, Philipo creates an elaborate escape plan, then helps her kill Vendice. From there, they escape into Tuscany, where their bond grows deeper. The soul mates live in what seems like a paradise, shaving their heads and wearing identical clothes. But Tuscany is not heaven, and they are still not safe.

Tom Tykwer gave the film its focus (lovers in jeopardy) and unearthly direction, but Krzysztof Kieslowski provided the heart and soul of it. In that sense, it is wholly his movie. Themes of guilt and redemption, love and salvation, punishment and forgiveness run deep in "Heaven." Symbolism clings to it like ivy (the white shirts, the bright lights), and there are definite religious tones to it -Phillipa's confession to Filipo in a church, the wistful watching of a wedding, and the ascension into the skies -not the triumph of law, but the triumph of love and forgiveness.

The handling of Phillipa and Filippo is exquisite, such as the scenes where they shave their heads and wear identical clothes, run and walk in unison. He was born on the day of her first communion, and their names are male and female versions of each other's, yin and yang. Not exactly subtle, but convincing. The direction is otherworldly, even in scenes like Phillipa shooting Vendice. In the latter half of the film, this dreaminess pervades everything -the trees, sky, ruined stone churches and the tiny running figures.

The main problems, it seems, would be the ocasional clash between Tykwer and the late Kieslowski's style. Some parts are more Tykwer, some are more Kieslowski, so it seems sometimes that the focus is less on the storyline and more on the lovers (which is more Tykwer). Additionally, when the lovers arrive in Tuscany the tone changes to a less hard-edged, more romantic one. Some viewers may find this disconcerting, but I found it a natural progression as the two grew closer and sought some kind of haven, even if Phillipa doesn't want to go unpunished.

Cate Blanchett is in amazing form here, expressing grief, love, pride, and anger with only a slight change of expression. Giovanni Ribisi is almost as good; he's a little stiff in the beginning, but loosens up and becomes fully believable as a very young man who is very deeply in love. Remo Girone appears in only a few scenes as Filipo's dad, but is heartbreakingly good.

With the best of Tykwer and Kieslowski carefully woven together, "Heaven" is a quietly passionate, deeply romantic movie. An amazing, heartbreaking movie, and not one to be missed.

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Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in

I actually really enjoyed Cinderella III, but Cinderella II is horrible!

Cinderella II is a collection of shorter cartoons, and can't even really be called a movie. The animation is poor, and the story lines are kind of ridiculous, (Cinderella has to have a party, one of the mice wants to be human, and one of the step-sisters wants to date a townsmen.) Alone, Cinderella II would get one-star, and that would be generous.

Cinderella III is an actual full-length movie about what would happen if Cinderella had no magic. It starts on their first anniversary, but then Lady Tremaine, (the wicked step-mother,) gets her hands on the Fairy Godmother's wand, causing them all to go back in time to the morning after the ball, and causing Prince Charming to forget he danced with Cinderella. She remembers, and tries to get him back. It's a good story, and had a strong girl power feel to it. The mice provide great comic relief, and the characters are well developed. The animation isn't that bad for a sequel either. It's nowhere near as good as the original, but it is entertaining enough to watch more then once.

I would suggest looking for a single copy of Cinderella III if it's available at all, but save your time and money with Cinderella II.

I can't remember much about Cinderella II, other than it being the typical sequel movie (if I remember correctly it's about Cinderella trying to fit-in with the palace life). However, the third Cinderella was very interesting. When this movie first came out, it was heavily advertised about what would happen if the glass slipper was taken away--would Cinderella still get her prince. So unless someone purchased it much later on than the original release it could not have been any surprise of what was going to happen. This movie doesn't take away from the first movie--it just adds to the Cinderella story.

Spoiler Alert:

The movie begins after Cinderella is with the Prince and the Wicked Stepmom and daughters are miserable. But then, the wicked step mom discovers the magic Godmother that had helped Cinderella and steals her wand. She used the wand to turn back time before Cinderella was with the prince, but this time there is no magic to help Cinderella and the Prince. I think the movie illustrates that with true love, it will find a way to work out.

Buy Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Now

My daughters have wanted Cinderella 2 for a long time now, but Disney had discontinued it. We have seen Cinderella 3 and really enjoyed the twist, plus a more in depth look into Prince Charming and the king.

These reviews are opinions and while some might not care for C2, others might especially the girls. I suggest that you give this collection a chance I have 3 daughters (ages 2-8) and we enoy watching C2 & C3!

Read Best Reviews of Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Here

My daughter loves Disney's Cinderella movie and these were no exception. She now loves the whole franchise now! Beloved characters and updated story lines.

Want Cinderella II: Dreams Come True & Cinderella III: A Twist In Time (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Discount?

Very good movie, the kids enjoyed it. it's also close captioned, so the deaf adults can enjoy it too. Yes, I would recommend this dvd.

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Werner Herzog: Encounters in the Natural World

This beautifully packaged box set contains three full length documentaries and two shorter features by the great German film director Werner Herzog.

LA SOUFRIÉRE

This short piece concerns a Carribean island which was evacuated after rumblings from a volcano, which threatened to blow with the strength of five or six atomic bombs. Herzog and his crew went there after the evacuation to film absolutely eerie footage of a deserted town, with a sea full of dead snakes. They interview one of the residents who refused to leave. "Where should I go? Death waits forever, it is eternal."

GRIZZLY MAN

This is Werner Herzog's tribute to Timothy Treadwell, the grizzly bear enthusiast who was torn apart and eaten by the creatures he loved in 2003. It consists mainly of footage shot by Treadwell himself in the wilds of Alaska. The film can be very tense to watch, especially the scenes near the start where Treadwell is touching the bears, and you are constantly waiting for them to knock the camera from his hand and decapitate him.

In some ways Treadwell reminds of the late Steve Irwin, both in his manic demenaour, and the fact that he died at the hands of the wildlife he sought to protect. He also reminds slightly in his mannerisms of the comedic actor Jim Carrey, making the footage shot just hours before his death seem all the more eerie.

One friend of Treadwell's has criticised this documentary for portraying Treadwell as a man with a death wish, while not focussing on the fact that he spent 35,000 hours living in direct contact with the bears before he was finally killed an amazing feat. But the film is actually fairly even handed, and interviews both Treadwell's admirers and his unsparing critics (including one man who claims "he got what he was asking for"). Herzog himself defends Treadwell not as an ecologist but as a filmmaker, and truly some of the footage he captured moves into the realm of art.

The difference between Herzog and Treadwell is that Treadwell saw bears as his 'friends', whereas Herzog looks into the bear's eyes and sees "only the vast indifference of nature." Neither is quite right in my opinion. Treadwell was wrong in thinking the bears would ever consider him one of their own, yet Herzog ignores the research showing that cats are capable of friendship, and that magpies lay wreathes for their dead. Konrad Lorenz wrote movingly about swans and geese, who mate for life and show clear signs of mourning when their partner dies.

Although man can never 'return to nature' like Treadwell wished, and although the human and natural world are separate in many ways, they still intersect and interact. Both are necessary. Nature is necessary to man, so that he may know himself. And man himself is necessary to shine the light of consciousness into the dark unconscious that is nature.

ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD

Full of odd questions ("Is there such a thing as insanity in penguins?"), Werner Herzog lands on the ice runway at McMurdo base in Antarctica for five months devoid of night. McMurdo looks like an ugly mining settlement (reminds me a bit of Norwegian Arctic towns like Alta and Hammerfest) but "as banal as it appears, it is filled with professional dreamers"...dreamers whose favourite food, funnily enough, is Frosty Boy Ice Cream.

The scientists see the ice as a dynamic entity, not the static monolithic environment many think when they hear the name 'Antarctica'. There are cracks in the ice that sound like ghostly footsteps, and seal calls which sound like Tangerine Dream. Life forms in the sea are "like science fiction creatures" as one scientist puts it. It is "a horribly, violent world" full of strange, Lovecraftian organisms, some of which seem to possess "borderline intelligence...almost art."

Some of the scientists Herzog interviews have a religious sense of awe in the face of their discoveries, while others seem almost braindead. "Yes, it's a truly wonderful moment when you increase the known biodiversity," one tells him, sounding about as excited as if he had just filed a report on the origins of sawdust. But another talks with spiritual and poetic insight of the sub-atomic particles called neutrinos.

The whole film, in fact, is full of surprising insights for instance, that the British empire started to fail only after Shackleton had reached the South Pole. In other words, when no further expansion was possible. Strangely, in a film about uninhabited Antarctica, Herzog delivers a moving defence of the languages that are dying out around the world: "Tree huggers and whale huggers are acceptable, but no one embraces the last speakers of a language."

Herzog gets all apocalytic towards the end of the film, talking about the imminent demise of humanity, but whether or not one shares his pessimism, there is little reason not to watch this stunning documentary.

THE WHITE DIAMOND

Beginning with some great film footage of the early age of flight, including the explosion of the Hindenburg Zeppelin, this documentary then turns to modern day airship fanatic Dr. Graham Dorrington. It gradually emerges that Dorrington's friend Dieter Plage was killed flying a similar airship ten years earlier, and it is clear that Dorrington feels a certain degree of guilt over the death. Despite this, he persists in his quest to fly an airship over remote jungle in Guyana. The airship itself has a bit of a 'steampunk' look about it, and reminds me of Lee Scoresby's balloon in 'The Golden Compass'. With the help of this contraption, Dorrington aims to film the rainforest canopy one the richest biospheres on earth.

The human element in this film is not so intense as with other Herzog documentaries, yet it does contain some amazing cinematography, such as the swifts flying madly into a waterfall, their secret kingdom. Perhaps the film would have been better if cut in length (it's not often you can say that about a Herzog film), or perhaps more footage of the rainforest canopy and less of the crew arguing. It's still worth watching, however.

THE FLYING DOCTORS OF EAST AFRICA

This is a short, straightforward film about doctors in East Africa. It isn't narrated by Herzog, and isn't terribly interesting (unless you find the brutal monotony of African tribal warfare enlightening). If you want to watch something of Herzog's set in Africa, 'Cobra Verde' would be far more worth your while (see my review of that on Amazon).

'La Soufriére' 5 stars

'Grizzly Man' 5 stars

'Encounters at the End of the World' 4 stars

'The White Diamond' 3 stars

'Flying Doctors of East Africa' 2 stars

Herzog on Blu-Ray? Of Course!

While an odd collection of his work, to be sure, this collection does make a little sense. The characters that try, and sometimes succeed, to live beyond the told and tried world are all here. But the landscapes are always the central character. If I were to choose, I would certainly have chosen other films. Scream of Stone or Dark Glow of the Mountains, perhaps. So What? I was surprised to see Grizzly Man so popular when it came out, so what do I know? While some of his newer films have been strangely other than what I am used to, I cannot fault him for doing what he does. He makes me scratch my head often, and I love that. The films presented here are somewhat of a jumble, but they do have a common thread. Timothy (Grizzly Man) tried to do what all Herzog heroes do, to live outside, beyond. White Diamond's protagonist is a dreamer in that same sense. And oh, so tragic, and flawed. Encounters saw some praise, but also was more or less about the people that live that life so far south of the rest of us. There are threads that run through Herzog films that reflect the maker, and all are present here. He is the man with the courage to risk death to film a volcano exploding, and so are the figures he shows us. It is the reflection of our best hopes and fears, or the terror of our impotence and self-destruction. But there is also the inspiration of what we could be, if only we could find our true potential. This is all meager prose, and his films really do speak for themselves. I, myself, am happy to get all these films in the best format possible. I gave my copy of Encounters to a dear friend to share with her kids, now that I have a double. Films should be shared, and Herzog should be shared with the entire world.

Buy Werner Herzog: Encounters in the Natural World Now

This is a majority of Herzog's movies that are currently on Blu-ray. I recommend this set to anyone who like nature films, Werner Herzog or documentaries. I couldn't recommend it more highly in any case. I'm a little biased to be posting a review though.

Read Best Reviews of Werner Herzog: Encounters in the Natural World Here

The main reason I rushed to buy this set was to see La Soufiere and The Flying Doctors of East Africa since they were previously unavailable or hard to find. Unfortunately they don't work! All special features seem to work on all discs except for The White Diamond, clicking on them only returns you to the main menu. I am so pissed off I spent my money on this and waiting with such anticipation and now I have to go through a return process at my own shipping expense. Does anyone have a clue why this is? I see reviews of all titles on here, is it working for anyone else? I want these titles on blu-ray but I'm not going to re-order it if it doesn't work.

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Airplane! (1980)

A clever, funny parody of disaster movies (bad melodramas such as "Zero Hour" and "The High and The Mighty" along with "Airport" were the prime targets here), "Airplane! The `Don't Call Me Shirley' Edition" manages to combine silliness, puns and with topical humor in a style that recalls something out of an alternate off-kilter universe. Filled with melodramatic, over-the-top music, deliberately bad acting and every cliché about plane disasters you can imagine, "Airplane!" aims wildly and accurately most of the time taking the wind out of the sails of bad (and some good ones, too such as "Jaws")movies everywhere. Evidently the writing/directing team of Zucker, Zucker and Abrahams (who wrote "Kentucky Friend Movie" for director John Landis and later went on to crate "The Naked Gun" films) caught "Zero Hour" on TV and realized that this overripe melodrama was just right to be plucked and served up as comedy (something it verged on anyway).

Robert Hays plays Ted Striker(the name of Dana Andrews' character in "Zero Hour!") a former fighter pilot who is now afraid to pilot planes since a disastrous mission years before. Striker books a seat on the flight of his girlfriend Elaine (Julie Hagerty) in hopes of working out their relationship. When the crew and passengers are brought down by food poisoning Ted has to overcome his fears to pilot the plane to safety.

While the film looks very good (and better than its previous edition), I was a bit disappointed by the amount of dirt and debris. I thought that a deluxe edition like this would have a nearly pristine print and that Paramount would have the film digitally cleaned up. Overall the film looks good but could have been tweaked more for this special edition. The soundtrack sounds pretty good overall and is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 with dialogue clear and little distortion.

The extras are where this edition truly shines. "Airplane! The `Don't Call Me Shirley Edition" doesn't have any of the conventional special features you'd expect. There's no "making-of" documentary or featurettes on the film per se. The "Long Haul Version" allow you to watch the film with frequent detours into comments by the actors (Hays is present but Julie Hagerty curiously isn't), writers/directors and other production crew. We also get deleted scenes in the "Long Haul" section that are quite amusing in many instances as well. Included in the "Long Haul" version are clips from the movie that inspired the Zuckers/Abrahams "Zero Hour". We also get the theatrical trailer and a clever menu that presents some of the classic scenes from the film as if you're watching an animated version of those horrible safety/disaster cards they place on airplanes drawn in the same style. This is like watching the movie, deleted scenes and a documentary at the same time. It's a great conceit and works pretty well here. There is also a subtitle track that features trivia about the movie and points out visual mistakes, etc. throughout the movie.

There's a good commentary track featuring the directors sharing stories about the production of the movie. This sounds like the commentary track from the previous edition. The commentary track provides a lot of amusing stories, trivia and background about the movie. Many of the comments are also echoed in the extended branching edition of the movie so listening to the commentary track really can't compare to watching the seamlessly branching edition.

A classic comedy that still works amazingly well, this special edition of "Airplane!" is well worth it for the fans of the movie. Although the image quality could have been cleaned up a little bit more for this presentation, it's a pretty minor issue really as the "special features" make this edition worthwhile for fans of this classic bit of madness.

Anyone who has ever seen one of a host of abysmal 1970's disaster flicks could have predicted that they were ripe for a satire, but I doubt anyone could have predicted that "Airplane" would have set the gold standard for the spoof. In addition, since it appears on TV so often, seeing it on DVD is almost a new experience because all of the scenes that were cut for content seem like new jokes.

I can't imagine anyone is unfamiliar with the plot (such as it is), but by way of a brief summary, a passenger jet is in trouble when the entire flight crew, and many of the passengers, fall ill from the in flight meal. It's up to Ted Striker to bring down the plane safely; but there's just one problem, he hasn't been able to fly since his last abortive raid during "the war". Oh, and his estranged girlfriend is one of the stewardesses. However, where a disaster film would turn this into an overwrought melodrama, absolutely nothing, and I do mean nothing, is taken seriously in "Airplane".

In fact, it is almost remarkable how much is packed into this film. Literally every scene contains a joke or a sight gag or a double entendre. There's so much going on that in spite of dozens of viewings, I still find something new more often than not. Eve the sound effects are a gag, as all of the exterior shots of the plane (which is a model that is so fake it's hilarious) feature the sound of a prop plane even though it is obviously a jet.

The DVD doesn't have much to recommend it other than the film, but that's to be expected from an older, relatively low budget movie; and those who have seen it would agree, there can't have been much left on the cutting room floor to make up extra features. The image and sound are fine, if not spectacular, but then neither needs to be. However, having the film in widescreen is nice because some of the wide angle shots now contain people that weren't visible in the fullscreen version familiar to TV viewers.

In the end, "Airplane" may very well be the king of movie satires. From start to finish it is a non-stop joke reel, and the amazing thing is that they are all still funny years after the first viewing. Fans of the movie will find this DVD to be adequate, as the transfer and sound are fine, but don't count on any new material or amazing extras. However, as I said before, I don't think this is a movie that needs a lot of extras, and the film alone is well worth the very reasonable price.

Jake Mohlman.

Buy Airplane! (1980) Now

Like many fans of this movie, I'd waited for this bells & whistles edition then quickly snapped it up on the first day of rerelease. Well....though it's nice to see this film again, it did come with it's lil' bit o' surprises.

The Print: Most rereleases that I've seen tend to have a newer transfer...at least one that outshines the previous and doesn't make us feel we're watching an 'OK' print. This one here has a liveable, but still noticeable amount of scratches and mystery objects that appear in the frame. I was expecting a bit better considering this is the day and age of restoration. Here, they didn't seem to do much of, if anything to the print, so we're left with one that is slightly better than a good TV quality picture. Hardly a 'special edition' copy of this film.

Features: I noticed immediately when I played the film alone, that it stopped or sputtered in the framerate at times. I'd stopped counting at about five, but still managed to finish the movie fine despite these annoyances. Well, I come to find out, as others have pointed out, the ballyhoo'd special features are chopped up and mixed into the movie (you enact this in the setup menu). Well, after looking at where these special features popped up when enacted, then going back to watching the same scene with them off....bingo....the sputtering I was seeing was exactly where these parts would normally come in. My point being....BEWARE......on some players this will cause a jittery film experiance at times if your just trying to watch it straight thru. My Apex & Koss Players refuse to play the film without these jittery spots, but my Playstation 2's both play the film normally. So just be informed, and keep this in yer back pocket. I'd took my first copy back for an exchange thinking it was defective, then got the replacement and it did the same. This is my first film of hundreds that I can only play on the PS2...lol....and the film.... what can I say that hasn't been said....unfortunately packed into a good intentioned, but rather lamely executed DVD Release. Was this an intern's project? Where's the menu for the special features to see them seperately instead of thru that grating pause so the disc can switch layers or dresses or whatever it does. Gaaaah!

But yea....AIRPLANE: 5 stars.....SHIRLEY PRESENTATION: 3

Read Best Reviews of Airplane! (1980) Here

Airplane! was recently called "One of the top ten funniest movies of all time." This is very well deserved. Airplane is a film that keeps throwing gags at us and we all keep laughing so hard that by the time we've finished the movie we have to catch our breath. A absoloutley hilarious joke comes, we laugh, we start to stop laughing, and another one comes that's even funnier than the one before it and we laugh before we can catch our breath! It takes strong comic talent for a movie to keep us laughing like that! Let's explore this classic spoof film.

Flight 209 is heading to Chicago. It's March 5th and Elaine Dickenson (Julie Hagerty) has just run away from her ex-boyfriend Ted Striker (Robert Hays). However, Ted comes home early, finds her note, and speeds to the airport to stop her before she gets on the flight and intends to change her life in Chicago. His attempts to get her back fail, so he follows her on the plane, haunted by flashbacks of his expierience in the war, where he lost most of his squadron while on a foolish attack. Bad luck takes the day when all the pilots become very ill courtesy of food-poisoning in the fish. Even more bad luck comes when passengers start getting sick for the same reason and now it's up to Ted to land the plane with the help of his ex-girlfriend, a doctor (Leslie Nielson), stewardess Randy (Lorna Patterson), a loony air-port controller by the name of McCroskey (Lloyd Bridges), and and old friend (?) from the war, Rex Cramer (Robert Stack).

It may sound serious, but not one thing is meant to be taken seriously in this unbelievably hilarious film. Every shot (yes) has something funny in it, whether it is subtle (the air-plane makes a propellor blade noise) or some very out-in-the-open ones I will not give away. Let's just say, watching this movie may be the most hilarious expierience of your life.

All the actors are right on. Delighfully acting serious amidst all the slap-stick things going on, it's pitch perfect. Robert Hays is swell as paranoid Striker, and Hagerty is good as his ex, but those who deserve special recognition are surely Leslie Nielson (Don't call me Shirley!), Lloyd bridges (Look's like I picked the wrong week to quit smoking), Robert Stack (No, that's just what they'll be expecting us to do!) and Steven Stucker as the clueless Johnny (Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes and curtains in the windows and wheels, and it looks like a big tylenol). But this an excellent cast.

The directing is handled by the now famous Zucker brothers and Abraham, whose only previous film was The Kentucky Fried Movie. The directing is very Zucker, Abrahams, Zucker, which means HILARIOUS. Knowing what they're doing, they're the ones who wrote this beautiful script!

The DVD for the film is a cut above most Paramount features, but still seriously lacking, especially for such a classic film. There's a commentary by the director's that runs out of steam after about half an hour (it's one of those commentaries where they say they're gonna talk about a certain thing and never do). The commentary was a big dissipointment for me, because I expected info on how a lot of gags got thought up. Nothing like that here. A trailer is also included, but it's very long and ruins a lot of the funniest moments by putting them along with stupid music and making the movie look very unfunny.

The presentation quality of the film is actually very good, though. The picture is not bad at all, much brighter than the mushy presentations of previous video and TV incarnations of the film. The grain has been very reduced to a minimum and the quality is very good for a 22 year old movie. The sound is a new remastered 5.1 surround that gets the job done admirably. After videos that would go from LOUD LOUD LOUD to quiet quiet quiet, this new sound is great. Well-balanced and with the music well-placed and the voices clear, you'll love the new sound (why Paramount's Friday The 13th movies are getting treated with Mono soundtracks is beyond me).

However, a complaint I hold against this DVD the most iswhere are those TV scenes? When the movie plays on TV, it includes some cool extra scenes that extend the running time and add some more laughs. They include more scenes with the little kids acting like adults and more scenes with Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Robert Hays and Julie Hagery, as well as Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges. They are nowhere on this DVD. BIG dissipointment. I don't think Paramount quite get the point of DVD. They re supposed to be movies on disks with superior picture and sound quality as well as interesting behind the scenes features and DELETED SCENES. Anyway, that's the big thing missing on this DVD.

Airplane was followed by a sequel, Airplane 2 The Sequel which failed to keep the laughs the original had going and usually recycled stuff from the first film with new actors. Also, it missed a lot of great characters from th original. Leslie Nielson, Robert Stack, Lorna Patterson, a lot of people missing from the sequel. That movie is good fun, there are some good laughs, but the original will always be the best. Period.

Want Airplane! (1980) Discount?

i once owned this film airplane on vhs many years before the "don't call me shirley

edition" was officially released on dvd. with seven to eight minutes of footage

omitted from it(all the DISASTER humor is GONE!). the true original IS 95 minutes

in length! and made in 1980 not 1997 not 2002 not 2004 and not 2007, thats four times in a ten year copyright span. when this film is FINALLY released probably

as a directors cut print and/or as the "true original" i will finally buy a copy.

but let it be known I AM NOT FOOLED Mr. Jerry and David Zucker and Mr. Jim Abrahams

NOT FOR ONE SPLIT SECOND!

Overboard (1987)

This movie is reminiscent of classic comedies of the 60's. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have amazing chemistry, but so many funny moments you will laugh out loud. Goldie learning how to be a homemaker is priceless, and she does the physical comedy so well. This movie flows continuously from beginning to end. It does not lag in any part. It is a keeper, and a good addition to any collection.

No matter how many times I watch this movie (and believe me, I've watched it many, many, many times) it's always enjoyable. Goldie Hawn stars as Joanna Stayton, an incrediblly rich, incredibly bored and incredibly bitchy woman with nothing left to do while her yacht is docked at a small coastal Oregon town called Elk's Cove but to hire a carpenter named Dean Proffitt (Kurt Russell, gotta love him) to remodel her closet. But when the job isn't done to her satisfaction, he winds up overboard along with all his tools. He vows to get revenge on her and the opportunity presents itself when Joanne falls overboard in the middle of the night and is later discovered by a crew of Portuguese men on a garbage barge. But Joanna has amnesia and can't remember who she is. And her husband Grant is all to happy to pretend he doesn't know her and leave her in the hospital. But when Dean sees the "amnesia lady" on the news, he recognizes Joanna and hatches a plan to get revenge and get the money she owes him. But neither one expects to fall in love with the other. Overboard is a fun and funny movie that also teaches us the lesson that money doesn't buy us complete happiness. It can for you though if you buy Overboard because it's worth watching hundreds of times over. I love it! Enjoy!

Buy Overboard (1987) Now

Probably my favorite comedy movie of all time (starring Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell), Overboard has it all!

A five star cast, hilarious dialogue, great comedic timing, and marvelous chemistry between Hawn & Russell easily adds up to more than five stars worth of fun. Supporting cast members like Roddy McDowell, Katherine Helmond, and Edward Herrmann make more than the most from their roles, and really shine. The actors who portray Mrs. Berberich, the school principal, and Dr. Korman, the psychiatrist, really do their part to add comedic punch as well.

The movie opens with Goldie Hawn as JoAnna Stayton, a bored, pampered, demanding and imperious heiress--husband Grant is an equally shallow and pompous aristocrat. They openly despise each other, treat the help like servants, are enamored with possessions over people, and are proof positive that money does not buy happiness.

Enter Kurt Russell as carpenter Dean Profitt, hired to build a new closet on the Stayton yacht. When petualnt Hawn refuses to pay him for his work and knocks him overboard, Russell vows he will make her pay. He soon gets his chance when JoAnna falls overboard herself and husband Grant is too preoccupied watching Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous (ostensibly to see if he made it onto a list of the top ten yacht owners!) to hear her cries for help and save her.

Once rescued and suffering from amnesia, JoAnna is taken to the mental ward of a local hospital where she terrorizes staff members with her fits and vicious snits. Only too glad to be rid of her, they fall for Dean Profitt's story that this is his missing wife, Annie, and he is permitted to take her "home."

The Profitt "residence" turns out to be a down-and-out homestead reminiscent of the farm from Green Acres, complete with car parts and debris all over the yard, a limping dog in a cast, and four unruly boys demolishing everything in sight. Watching Hawn acclimate to this nightmare is totally hilarious. At one point she sighs..."So, this is my life....I didn't marry very well, did I?" Too, too funny!

By movie's end, Hawn has transformed the unruly household into a happy family home, fallen in love with Russell and his children, and morphed into a real human being. A funny, funny movie with a feel good ending, Overboard is highly underrated. I urge you to watch it and share the humor!

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Among the films I can easily remember growing up as a teen and seeing it played over and over on HBO, it was the 1987 film "Overboard" starring Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. And with a lot of talk about the upcoming remake starring Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith, it doesn't surprise me that the film is now being released on Blu-ray.

"Overboard" is one of Director Gary Marshall's ("Pretty Woman", "Beaches", "Runaway Bride") earlier films, written by Leslie Dixon ("Mrs. Doubtfire", "Hairspray", Limitless") that was a flop in the box office but pretty much became a cult film because of its popularity on cable and even 25-years-later, I still see this film while channel surfing late at night and I have no doubt in my mind that people of today's generation are enjoying this late '80s film.

VIDEO:

"Overboard" is presented in 1080p High Definition (widescreen 1:85:1). First, its important for me to mention that a lot of late '80s and also early '90s films were not shot with great film stock. In fact, more than likely you will noticed certain catalog titles looking its age in HD. For "Overboard", you will notice that there is a good amount of grain but also a lot of noise and also a look that is not exactly the most pristine and shows its age.

With that being possibly the bad news, the good news is that the film looks much better than what one would see on television, on VHS and on DVD. The other good news is that there are many scenes that actually do look good and brings out the detail of the film. While the opening title sequence may look its age, as the film progresses, it actually looks much better. Granted, you will see white speckles from time-to-time but one thing where this film is fortunate is that most of it is shot outdoors and thus the sunlight really makes certain scenes come out vibrant.

So, if you really love this film, Blu-ray is the way to go!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Overboard" is presented in English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish Mono and French Dolby Surround. The soundtrack is front-channel driven. Dialogue and even the '80s synth music comes out quite clear. Overall, it's a good lossless soundtrack but I chose to watch this film with stereo on all channels (set on my receiver) for a more immersive soundscape.

Subtitles are in English, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Overboard" comes with the original theatrical trailer.

JUDGMENT CALL:

One thing that I remember about this film is when I was a teenager was that I felt that Goldie Hawn was a hot actress and with her and Kurt Russell being a real-life couple, that the two had amazing chemistry.

Watching it in 2011, Goldie Hawn looks beautiful in the film and interesting to see how Goldie back then and her daughter Kate Hudson (today) look so much alike and yes, she and Kurt Russell have amazing chemistry and for the most part, despite the film is a popcorn romantic comedy and as many critics have called it an updated "screwball comedy" with a redneck attitude.

Some love it, some hate it but at the time, when one of the younger children spoke like Pee-Wee Herman, maybe today it seems a bit overplayed but heck, even back then...everyone tried to speak and laugh like Pee-Wee Herman. Granted, parents probably may have not liked the stereotypical portrayal of the redneck family, especially with the young kids talking about a woman's bodyparts and looking at nudie magazines but the sex jokes and overall comedy was not for the refined movie-goer.

And probably that is why this film had so much success on cable. At the time, Americans were more in-tune of what was coming out from the more younger crowd ala the Brat Pack talents during the late '80s and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell were not an exciting box office pairing (their previous film "Swing Shift" back in 1984 also didn't do that well). But like many Americans, once this film started showing up on cable TV, it was watched many times.

And the intriguing thing about this film is that if you bypass the critic reviews for this film, you will see so many people who actually gave the film high ratings within the last 25-years. And personally, I don't think this film can be remade it today's society, especially with the kids talk about T&A so freely. It's not going to happen. So, I can only imagine the remake being tailored for modern sensibilities and it'll be interesting to see how far the remake will go.

But most importantly, what made this film work is because both Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have great chemistry and the fact that they were a real life couple, the characters seemed real and convincing. Because these two talents are in love, you can tell on film that the characters that they play are really in love. It's all in the details and the emotions and it made this film quite enjoyable.

For parents who watched the trailer, bare in mind, this is definitely not a family film. Granted, the banality of naughty or misbehaved children has been overdone in movies but in the case of this film alone, these kids like to talk about women's boobs and their butt and read nudie magazines and speak profanity. It was rated PG back in 1987 but wouldn't be surprised if a film like this would receive a rated-R in today's movie rating system (as one or two words of profanity easily gets a film an "R" rating).

As for the Blu-ray release, this is a barebones release and the PQ is not the greatest but its probably the better of any video version that has been released thus far. If you are passionate about the film and still have that old VHS copy, then definitely upgrade to Blu-ray!

Overall, "Overboard" is a romantic comedy with likeable characters, a fun story and a typical happy ending. By no means is it the best when it comes to romantic comedies but it is a cheerful romantic comedy with that '80s style and if you loved the film back then, no doubt you will love the film today!

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Maybe this movie seems better than it actually is because so many other comedies haven't worked and weren't funny. In any case, this one works, and manages to be funny all the way through, when it almost doesn't seem like it should be funny at all. It's light-hearted and low-brow. A poverty-stricken carpenter is determined to get his just payment from a rich and very snobby woman, who is amnesiac after an accident, and installs her in his shabby house as his supposed wife and mother to his large brood of brats. As nasty as she was, we can't help but feel sorry for her, and perhaps we find the story uplifting because although she really does land in an awful situation, she muddles through, right on to a happy ending. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn appear to be having a great time as the mismatched couple, and the story and humour feel fresh.

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The Image

Radley METZGER's THE IMAGE (also known under the more exploitative title THE PUNISHMENT OF ANNE) is without doubt not everybody's cup of tea. Based on an infamous French bestseller this movie is shocking in its relentless depiction of a weird triangle relationship between a mature woman, her submissive young girl friend and a curious author.

Please note: If you feel uneasy when you see graphic sex, humiliation, degradation, bondage, whipping and urination, then do not watch this film. On the other hand, this is no raincoat brigade movie. Instead it is a masterly crafted piece of art with outstanding cinematography, a beautiful score and fine actors (Yes, everybody here can act better than most mainstream academy award winners.)

Regrettably the rough SM scenes could easily distract from or obscure the motivation of the characters.

THE IMAGE has an unusual book-like structure with chapters (no, I'm not refering to the DVD chapters). According to the liner notes the film is very faithful to its literary source. I liked the social setting of the film it takes places among educated, eloquent and wealthy jet set people. And the film makes good use of its nice Paris locations. I found THE IMAGE very compelling viewing. I just didn't like the fitting room scene too much, because it seemed like a rather cliche porn situation to me.

Some words about the DVD: SYNAPSE did a real great job with the transfer. One can't praise the picture quality high enough. The uncut film is presented widescreen.

Unfortunately there aren't too many extras: the director's filmography, an isolated score and five trailers of Radley METZGER movies: SCORE, THE LICKERISH QUARTET, CAMILLE 2000, THERESE AND ISABELLE and CARMEN BABY. Kudos to Stephen R. BISSETTE for his insightful liner notes. I recommend to read it before you watch the movie, because it really enhances your understanding of the film despite some spoilers.

Arguably the finest S/M movie ever made, Radley Metzger's 'The Image'(aka The Punishment of Anne) tells of Jean, a writer who meets an old friend, Claire, at a party and is soon drawn into her world of S/M along with her slave, Anne.

Based on the French novel 'L'image' by Jean de Berg, a nom de guerre for Catherine Robbe-Grillet, this may be Radley (Score!, Therese and Isabelle, The Opening of Misty Beethoven)Metzger's best film. Beautifully filmed and acted and very erotic.

The dvd transfer of the film is absolutely stunning. The picture is pristine and the colors leap out at you. The new stereo mix is great. The original mono track is also included. There is a Metzger filmography and a few trailers for his films included as well. Kudo's to Synapse for releasing this gem of a film and doing such a great job on it!

If your up for some primo euro-erotica at its finest, look no further!

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The Image, also called The Punishment of Anne is widely regarded by people on the Internet as Radley Metzger's best movie. I agree with that assessment. He is an interesting director whose characters are always intelligent people who outwardly lead normal lives in society while privately pursuing out of the ordinary sex lives, such as libertines, S&M, homosexuality, especially lesbianism, prostitution, and so on. If memory serves correctly all of his movies take place in racy locations such as Europe or South America. In other words he isn't doing Desire Under the Elms or something in a sleepy rural community. It's always in a castle, or penthouse, or mansion, or beach house, etc. All of his movies could be considered art movies that are not intended for a general audience. This particular movie involves lesbianism, S&M, humiliation, dominance/submission by well-to-do people in contemporary Paris. It is a VERY faithful adaptation of the book of the same name by Jean de Berg. A thirty something male author attends a party at a socialite's house in Paris where he encounters an old friend, a woman his own age from his upscale social class (she has a Wellesley accent by the way), who is showing off her new pet. Anne, a very beautiful young blonde woman is completely under the older woman's spell and will do anything to prove it. Our hero is then invited into their world for a series of mind games, etc. divided into episodes that take place in different locations, sometimes in public, sometimes behind closed doors over a period of weeks I believe. Like all of Metzger's movies it is very well made and very beautiful. I liked the book and the movie as well. If you are interested in this kind of subject material you'll like this movie.

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THE IMAGE is a disturbing, erotic, scary, elegant movie that probably only Radley Metzger could have made. Most directors of 'erotica' concentrate on gynecological close-ups to the exclusion of all else; Metzger's hallmark has always been to tell a story and explain the characters and their situation without ever resorting to the patronizing smirk, relying as much on the actors' eyes as on the dialogue. The S&M scene is as alien to me as peanut-butter-and-pickle sandwiches (which I am also told some enjoy), but in THE IMAGE I can see the gamesmanship, the role-playing and the unspoken psychological leveraging that makes it all so compellingly complex. Would I show this film to Grandma? Uh-uh. But then, that's just MY grandma, yours may well have a side you never suspected. This film is hot, fascinating, and, in this gorgeous and UNCUT (thank you, thank you!) video transfer, stunningly beautiful as well.

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`The Story of O' directed by Just Jaeckin and `The Image' directed by Radley Metzger are both based on famous and critically well received French erotic novels written, I believe, in the 1960s by Pauline Reage (a pseudonym) and Jean de Berg respectively. In turn, the two movies are both considered masterpieces of erotic moviemaking. Yet the latter is clearly better than the former, in spite of the fact that the two books are, to my mind, roughly equal in quality. I may even believe that `The Story of O' is superior as a novel to de Berg's fiction.

While both are of a very high quality, they approach roughly the same subject in very different ways. In `The Story of O', everything is seen and told through the eyes of the submissive, `O'. In `The Image', everything is seen through the eyes of the bystander become dominant, Jean. That does not mean that `O' can tell us nothing of the dominant psychology or `Image' tell us nothing of the submissive psychology. In fact, it is one of the strengths of `The Image' that it probably tells us more about true psychological submissiveness than the movie, `O'.

The primary problem with `The Story of O' film is that while its source is certainly a very well constructed fantasy, the director does not hide this fact and play it as reality. This may be comparable to our not taking the confrontation between Gandalf and the Balrog at the bridge in the mines of Moria (in `Lord of the Rings') because we know this is all a fantasy. The power of great fantasies is that they allow us to totally suspend disbelief for the course of the experience. In Jaeckin's commentary, he states over and over that this is all a fantasy and was intended as such by author, Reage. But, one of Reage's great skills was to minimize the improbable aspects of the story to sustain the sense that this plot is actually being played out by real people.

The second problem for me with `The Story of O' is the fact that it did not improve on my imagination while I was reading the book. Going back to that other fantasy, `Lord of the Rings', one of its great successes is the fact that at every turn, it improved on the constructs of my imagination. The black riders, the Uruk-hai, and Shelob were all far scarier than what I read, and the reading was pretty scary. At but one scene does the film outdo my imagination.

The third problem, which the movie shares with the book, is the improbability of a woman's so easily moving her affection from one dominant to the next. The book's original ending makes great use of the chasm this reliance on a master opens at the submissive's feet. The movie squanders the great original ending in a muddle of alternatives.

`The Image' easily sidesteps the last problem by being a very simple `menage a trois'. And, while the submissive is asked to perform with outsider, Jean, she is always devoted primarily to dominant Claire. As far as improving on my imagination, I will only say that from what you think you are seeing on the screen, director Metzger is pulling no punches and Mary Mendum playing the submissive is about as convincing as I can imagine in her role, in comparison to `O''s actress, Corinne Clery, who sometimes seems to be simply working through the boredom in some scenes.

Part of the reality of `The Image' is based on the immediacy of all the settings. Like some films by Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese, where New York City is almost as much a character in the movie as the actors on the screen, several locations in Paris are important contributors to the lush, overripe feel of the film. In contrast, `The Story of O' could have as easily been filmed in Quebec or Sidney, and no one would have noticed the difference.

On the other hand, while the two films are of roughly the same lengths, `The Image' spends a lot more time conveying the relationship by showing its fruits rather than by talking about it.

Both movies are easily 1000% better than any other movie on these subjects, but `The Image' is clearly the better of the two in a very small field.

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Where Do We Go Now? (2012)

"Where Do We Go Now?" (2011 release from Lebanon; 100 min.) brings the fictitious story of an isolated village in Lebanon where Christians and Muslims, tired of the endless and senseless killing of/by the Christian and Muslim men, are living together more or less in peace. The opening scenes show the village women, both Christian and Muslim, marching together towards the cemetery where they put down pictures of their fallen husbands, sons and other male family members.

But the peace is threatened at times, not just by petty local events such as the strange disappearance of shoes from the mosque, but more so by watching the news on the one working television in the village, showing increased tension between Muslims and Christians. The women in the village decide that they need to ease the tension by whatever means possible. To say much more of the plot would be to ruin the viewing experience of this movie, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

This is a beautiful and touching movie. Props first of all to Nadine Labaki, the director/co-writer/star of the movie (she plays one of the key women roles). It wasn't until the movie's credits roled that I realized that Labaki was one of the main performers in the movie. While at times there is a light tone to the movie, we are quickly reminded of the absurd nature of the long-held mistrust between people from different religions. I enjoyed this movie from start to finish. If you are looking for a sophisticated yet entertaining foreign movie, by all means check this out. "Where Do We Go Now?" is highly recommended!

One of the best films describing the fundemental problem of the Lebanese society. Nadine Labki has a long standing passion in bringing up the issues and topics that are considered as a "hot potato" topics in Lebanon.

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A very imaginative way of treating the subject of religious differences in a war torn society. It is funny, entertaining, human, makes you cry and makes you laugh at the absurdity of separatism!

Read Best Reviews of Where Do We Go Now? (2012) Here

Where Do We Go Now is several things at once: a drama; a comedy; a musical of sorts; a slice of life in a troubled village and a commentary on life in general, at least in Lebanon and other countries nearby. It succeeds very well! True, once or twice things changed too quickly from drama to comedy or music; but this is a minor quibble. The plot moves along at a good pace and I was glued to the screen to see how everything would play out. The acting is superlative; although the actors are not highly seasoned professionals they give nuanced, convincing and passionate performances. The choreography and the cinematography work well and the musical score enhances the film, too.

When the action starts, we meet quite a few people in a Lebanese village isolated because the only bridge to it is badly damaged and needs repair; traveling too far from the village is also dangerous because of land mines. The villagers are hemmed in. Fortunately, there is peace between the Christian and Muslim members of the community; their houses of worship are almost side by side--there's just one house between the mosque and the church. People are also very excited that a few teenagers found a way to hook up a television; now they can watch programs including the news.

It isn't long, however, before pent up tensions begin to surface. At first it's just a comment here and there; but things deteriorate. Once the villagers see on television is that there is fighting on the outside between Muslims and Christians, the Muslim and Christian men in the village begin to fight and the women oppose the violence. Things begin to spiral out of control after Muslims suspect that Christians put goats in their Mosque and stole their shoes while they were praying inside the mosque; and Christians are appalled and angered when a Muslim man smashes their statue of the Virgin Mary and they discover chicken blood in the font to mock their Communion.

The religious leaders want peace but it is the women who really struggle to make it happen. The women hire Ukrainian belly dancers to distract the men and put hashish in baked goods to make the men mellow! There's more, too, including a huge plot twist at the end of the film that left quite an impression on me.

Look for superb performances by director Nadine Labaki who plays Amale, a Christian woman in love with Muslim Rabih (Julian Farhat); Kevin Abboud as Nassim; Petra Saghbini as Rita; Caroline Labaki as Aïda; Yvonne Maalouf as Yvonne; Claude Baz Moussawbaa as Takla; Ali Haidar as Roukoz; Oxana Chihane as Katia and Leyla Hakim as Afaf. As I mentioned above, the others give wonderful performances, too.

Where Do We Go Now is a poignant look at life in a troubled Lebanese village and how it can be so hard to achieve peace between warring groups, in this case Christians and Muslims. I highly recommend this film for people who like drama with cultural, social and political themes with a side dish of comedy and even some music to lighten things up. Moreover, people who appreciate the work of Nadine Labaki will not be disappointed.

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This is one of my favorite movies. Nadine Labaki portrays a very interesting story about sectarianism and reconciliation and that is something almost the whole MENA region is going through, especially with the current developments aka Arab Spring. The actors in the movie were being themselves, hence, no over-acting which added up to the movie being awesome. I heard Nadine picked the amature actors based on their personality and that the real life personality is similar to the one in the story and in which the actors portrayed the characters beautifully.

The setting is great and so is the production. Oh, I should mention the music as well. Khaled's compositions are just so delightful to the ears. Just watch the goddamn movie, okay?

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The Cable Guy (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996)

Too, too bad that this marvelously wicked comedy didn't get the respect it deserves when it was originally released. Ben Stiller captured a unique modern nightmare: having the strained small talk we exchange with the cable guy, plumber or repairman inadvertantly turn into an invitation for a full-fledged friendship. Jim Carey's performance is a tour de force that works on multiple levels. Carey's notrious and spectacular over-the-top antics are beautifully combined with subtle emotional nuances. One moment it's so funny that you cry; the next it's so sad that you laugh. Carey conveys much more depth here than you've seen in his other roles without moderating his comic genius. Matthew Broderick plays the perfect straight man. Frequently the funniest moments are his horrified reactions to Carey's outrageousness. Look for hilarious cameos by Owen Wilson and the guy from "High Fidelity."

"The Cable Guy," as most know by now, was a major departure for Jim Carrey. The rubber-faced goofball of hits like "Dumb And Dumber" and "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" was still present, but he was appearing in a radically different form. With Carrey playing a cable installer fixated on an unsuspecting customer, "The Cable Guy" is easily his darkest movie. However, I've got a soft spot for a good black comedy, and this one is about as black (and as good) as they come.

Although goofy behavior had been Carrey's trademark since his "In Living Color" days (remember Fire Marshal Bill?), "The Cable Guy" was the first movie in which his madcap antics hinted at something dark beneath the surface. Indeed, by playing such a twisted character, Carrey was finally able to let loose and reveal the full range of his comedic gifts (aren't bad guys always more fun?). In contrast to the likes of "Ace Ventura" and "Dumb And Dumber," which were basically just live-action cartoons (albeit amusing ones), "The Cable Guy" provides Carrey with a creepy, unsettling vehicle where he gets to show some real malevolence. When Carrey plays basketball prison-style while Filter's "Hey Man Nice Shot" plays in the background, it's both hilarious and disturbing at the same time. And even when Carrey hams it up, as when he does a vibrato-heavy rendition of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody To Love" while a group of freaky friends dances around him, there's an undercurrent of the surreal.

In an equally dramatic departure from Carrey's norm, "The Cable Guy" even had a message mixed in with all its weirdness. It turns out Carrey's nameless cable installer, who gets his pseudonyms from old TV shows, was left by his mother to be raised by the TV, and has attachment issues stemming from his inability to relate to others. The plot is set against the backdrop of a former child star's trial for killing his twin brother, and director Ben Stiller (who also plays the murderous brother) takes several opportunities for pointed satire of our TV-addled culture. It's not until the end that the subject is addressed at length, but the pernicious effects of TV are a prominent theme of the movie. When the cable guy laments in his closing monologue that he learned about the facts of life from watching "The Facts Of Life," it's strangely poignant.

And how about a hand for Matthew Broderick as Steven Kovacs, the unfortunate object of Carrey's fixation? It's hard to believe this guy almost faded into obscurity in the five years or so after "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." If not for his classic turn in "Election," I'd say Steven was the role Broderick was born to play. At first Steven just regards the cable guy as a nuisance, but his annoyance over his new friend's increasingly creepy behavior grows as the film wears on until it turns to outright fear and desperation, and Broderick captures it perfectly. Few, if any actors, make a better hapless guy than Broderick, which is especially ironic given that he became a star playing the uber-cool Ferris Bueller.

Watching this movie, it's hard to believe it was such a letdown at the box office. I firmly believe entertainers should be rewarded for taking risks, but apparently Carrey's fans weren't quite ready for him to play such a troubled character in such a dark movie. That's too bad, because those who haven't seen this movie are really missing out. "The Cable Guy" doesn't go down as easy as Carrey's other comedies, but it's a lot more rewarding in the end.

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I'm with most other Amazon reviewers -I don't know why this movie got such a bum rap from most critics. I think it's because Carrey wasn't doing his usual Ace Ventura shtick which I personally don't care for (was not able to sit through either of the Ace Ventura movies). This movie was very funny, good dialogue, good characterization -the Stephen character was very real and so was the Cable Guy even though he was nutty. My least favorite scene was the one where he beats up Robin's date. Not because it was violent but because it was pretty pointless, didn't contribute anything to the plot, just not very funny IMO (though I see that some other people disagree). I also thought the karaoke scene dragged on a bit. But the whole Medieval Times episode was a scream! Ditto for the Porno Password scene and the basketball game and the scene where the Cable Guy visits Steve in jail, as well as the Menendez brothers-like trial subplot with Ben Stiller. The way the Cable Guy kept modeling everything in his life on TV shows and movies was an inspired touch -it may not be terribly profound or original social commentary but it was an interesting way of making the point. Finally, I thought the ending was just perfect. The Cable Guy is being airlifted to the hospital and the paramedic in the chopper says "Hang in there, buddy!." The Cable Guy asks, his eyes lighting up, "Hey! Am I really your buddy?" "Sure you are," replies the unsuspecting paramedic ... and we see the Cable Guy's face dissolve into a demented grin. Wow!

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Directed by Ben Stiller, "The Cable Guy" is an underrated film with many layers. Matthew Broderick's cable-challenged character Steven, and his crazy friend Rick, played by Jack Black, are trying solve his problematic relationship with his girlfriend. Jim Carrey stars as Chip the not so mentally stable Cable Guy, who puts in one of the most incredible, gut-wrenching performances of his entire career. His uncanny performance of "Somebody To Love" is like watching John Belushi's SNL duet with Joe Cocker.

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Jim Carrey is "The Cable Guy" in this dark comedy from director Ben Stiller. In one of his best (and underrated) performances, Carrey stars as a lonely, pathetic and very disturbed individual desperately in need of friendship and some very serious psychiatric care. Neglected by his mother as a child, and left in the care of the "babysitter" (the television) for nurturing, he has grown into adulthood as a man orbiting somewhere along the fringes of reality. Even his name is an enigma; using various aliases from the sitcoms he grew up with, he is "Chip Douglas" (My Three Sons) when he happens into the life of the unsuspecting Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick). Steven is coping with problems of his own; when he proposes to his girlfriend, Robin (Leslie Mann), she responds by kicking him out of their apartment. Steven rents a new place and, of course, has to get the cable hooked up. Enter the Cable Guy. Acting on the advice of his friend, Rick (Jack Black), Steven approaches Chip with the idea of setting him up with free movie channels for a fifty dollar gratuity. "Ever hear of anything like that?" he inquires. Chip responds with a feigned admonition about "Illegal cable," then readily agrees to "Juice him up." Unwittingly, Steven thereby forms a bond with Chip, who he later learns can be "His best friend, or his worst enemy." For comedy to work, it must be taken seriously; real laughs come from playing it straight, and Stiller is a master of this technic (As both actor and director). He is to be commended here for extracting a tempered performance from Carrey by reining in his natural tendency toward over exuberance (which has worked for him in other projects, but would have been detrimental here). There are some hilarious moments in this film: Chip throwing a Karaoke party for Steven; a scene that takes place at a Medieval Times restaurant (with a terrific cameo by Janeane Garofalo as their waitress); and a bit with ongoing news coverage of a murder trial in which Stiller plays twin brothers Stan and Sam Sweet. But there are just as many uncomfortable moments, which tend to leave the viewer somewhat uneasy, such as the scene in which Chip dupes Steven's family into playing "Porno Password." We feel Steven's discomfort as well as his frustration with his own inability to control what ultimately becomes an ugly situation. Or when Chip confronts Robin's date (Owen Wilson) in the restroom of a restaurant. There is an edgy humor to these scenes, but the underlying hostility has an unnerving effect. With a supporting cast that includes George Segal and Diane Baker (as Steven's parents), Andy Dick (as the Medieval Host), and Eric Roberts (as himself), "The Cable Guy" is a tense and entertaining film. Some Jim Carrey fans may be a bit put off by this one, though, for it is not the typical Carrey offering. This is a glimpse at the effects of a deranged mind. It is a dark and somewhat disturbing movie, and in the end, issues are left unresolved; but addressing Chip's psychoses was never intended here. This film was made, not to enlighten, but to entertain; and in that, it succeeds. If it is just laughs and light fare you're looking for, however, be advised: this is definitely not where you want to go.

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Blu-ray SteelBook

No extended cut, no 6.1 audio, no point ! Nothing "Ultimate" here. Way to drop the ball Warner Bros.

Like many of you who purchased the first two ultimate editions at a pretty penny, i was expecting extended editions of movies 3 and 4. What a disappointment! Were the big wigs at WB thinking that their fans would triple dip editions when they bring out all films in one super ultimate collection? I already owned all of the HP on Blu, but sold them when i started buying the Ultimate editions. I will NOT be purchasing 3 and 4. Very poor on WB's part to say its ultimate, and include 8 hours of bonus materials, but not the few extra scenes that regularly show on TV. Very poor indeed.

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Unlike the first two potter films released in "Ultimate Edition" form, the second two versions do not include their extended editions. This might not be a legitimate complaint if these versions of the films didn't already exist. In the US, they are aired quite regularly on ABC Family, and are quite good.

These extended editions of the film make the price point of the first two versions palatable, but their absence makes you wonder what exactly you're paying for with both this and the ultimate edition of PoA.

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****SPOILER ALERT****

Okay...the GoF book is 734 pages, and the movie adaptation is a little over 2.5 hours. Of course a lot of stuff was going to be cut. Some of the cuts I was able to deal with (e.g., Hermione and S.P.E.W.). Unfortunately, many of the characters (especially the other Triwizard champions) were severely underdeveloped as a result.

Giving Viktor Krum only two lines in the entire movie was inexcusable. So was cutting out the entire Quidditch World Cup match. The viewer isn't given enough reason to care about Krum, or why he became a potential love interest for Hermione. He simply comes across as a dumb jock. The movie should have shown a couple minutes of the World Cup match to show off his prowess, and little scene here and there of him interacting with Hermione (I was actually quite peeved that the didn't show her teaching Viktor how to pronounce her name).

The other champions were likewise poorly developed. You learn practically nothing about Cedric or Fleur Delacour (who got the least screentime out of the four champions). Fleur was simply another pretty face; they even cut the part about her being a quarter-veela (which was why the boys were swooning over her in the book). And if I didn't read the book, I probably wouldn't have cared too much about Cedric's death near the end of the movie.

Even Ron and Hermione were mainly relegated to the background. They didn't even use any kind of magic for the entire film! It would've been nice to show how exactly Hermione was helping Harry (like with the Accio spell), instead of just having her simper and worry. Ron seemed to be purely comic relief.

My other quibble was that the first task was WAY too long. The dragon chasing Harry around Hogwarts was ridiculous. They could've easily shaved off a good five minutes, and instead use that time for the World Cup match they DIDN'T show (can you tell that I was mad about that being cut out?)

Don't get me wrong. I still enjoyed the movie; it did capture the spirit of the book pretty well. And I was VERY happy to see the ferret scene (YES!)

Overall impression: Good entertainment, but read the book first. That'll help fill in the blanks. Three out of five stars.

3/16/06 UPDATE: I received the Special Edition DVD set last week. I liked the interview with the Golden Trio, but it would've been nice if they had other cast member interviews, like in the PoA DVD. The reflection of the fourth movie (which included sharing from other cast members) was a nice touch, but again, I wish they had more in-depth interviews with them. As for the deleted scenes, they weren't worth it. I'm not giving away all of the deleted scenes, but I'll just say that there was NO footage whatsoever of the Quidditch World Cup Match!

I'm also slightly puzzled at why there was a *seperate* Special Edition DVD this time around. I'm sure that confused a few people.

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Warner Bros. has shown us the dark side of the entertainment business by releasing this "Ultimate Edition" without the extended version. It's unfortunate they will still make money on these flawed editions from people who were pleased with the year one and year two sets(as was I), which included both the theatrical and extended films, who will feel compelled to keep this incomplete set (I will be returning mine). I encourage everyone who feels the same to write about it. Whether it's in these reviews, a blog or emails directly to Warner Bros., letting the powers that be know that their customers are dissatisfied is the only way they'll even consider terminating these shady business practices. The following link is to Warner Bros. Studios' online customer service:

9 (2009)

You need to know before going into this movie that this is NOT a movie for kids. It was strange watching it at first (how often do you see a dead body in an animated film in the first scene?), but once you get past the fact that this is an animated film for ADULTS, it's a very good movie.

~SPOILER ALERT~

For those of you who don't understand the movie, you weren't paying much attention. There were visual cues throughout as to where the machines come from (the BRAIN creates them) and also for where the characters 1-9 get their soul/s (they each get a *piece* of the scientist's soul). 9 gets the last piece of the scientist's soul, which is why the scientist died. Each character epitomizes various aspects of humanity: fear, survival, strength, courage, endurance, memory, self-sacrifice, etc.

The movie is rich with allusions and symbols that are drawn from human tendencies and survival instincts. I think it's one of those movies that you can watch over and over and find different meanings each time (if you're open to it). You could even go so far as to argue that the movie is religious in a way. The scientist gave his life to save humanity/life on earth. You could also say that the souls who are taken by the BRAIN are in a state similar to Limbo.

Also, one of the rag dolls is a female; what could be said about the fact that her soul came from a male scientist? Etc.

Very thought provoking and conversation starting movie. I loved every minute of it, and will watch it again.

Tim Burton has once again proven his subtle twisted genius as a storyteller. Like many, I saw previews for 9 in the movie theatre but missed seeing it on the big screen. I read the other reviews before renting this film & 2 out of the 3 rightfully praised the animation but sadly all 3 misunderstood the story. I hate spoilers but I feel it necessary to share a bit regarding the plot in hopes to inspire others to discover this wonderful film.

The 9 refer to 9 elements of the human soul which the Inventor never placed in his original creation and which were the only hope for a second chance for life on the planet. One reviewer mentioned that they were left with questions such as why are the 9 beings the only hope for humans when no humans were left on the planet. The answer is in the rain, which that reviewer must have missed. Rain/Water is a symbol of life universally.

Too often modern writers and directors spoon feed audiences everything so that it seems more and more modern audiences are hard pressed to add their own imagination/understanding to the story. Tim Burton has done a magnificent job of weaving ancient folk lore into a magical tale. I highly recommend this film to individuals & families alike. It is completely worth it!

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"9" is an animated film based on the 2005 Academy Award nominated short film of the same name (which is included on the DVD). The film is the work of animator Shane Acker and was co-produced by Tim Burton, who got involved with the project after seeing Acker's short film. Although Burton did not write or direct "9," the film is very consistent with his past animated work such as "Corpse Bride." Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the movie focuses on a rag doll robot (!) named 9 who suddenly becomes sentient. As he explores his world, he discovers that the only other inhabitants are other, similarly numbered rag doll robots as well as a strange cat-like machine who hunts them. He befriends the other robots and changes their world drastically.

The world created in this film is fascinating and unlike any other animated film I've seen. I particularly loved the use of contrasts, including having the robots made of burlap and other unexpected materials (Acker has referred to the bots as "stitchpunks"). The "look" of "9" is by far its main draw, though, because unfortunately the plot is a rather drab and predictable affair with the robots fighting the cat-like machine (and then other machines). I found myself getting irritated by the repetitious battles and wanted to see more of this intriguing world. Likewise, I wanted to see more of the adorable "stitchpunks," especially the "cataloguing" scholars 3 and 4. Unfortunately, as soon as the robots are introduced they almost immediately start chasing the machines.

As with other Tim Burton produced animated films, "9" is not targeted toward children (it's rated PG-13); however, the plot was too juvenile to keep me interested. I actually strongly preferred the short film, which I watched after the feature-length movie. Indeed, the short film packs a real emotional wallop that is sadly missing in the full-length version. "9" is a noble failure (well semi-failure), and I applaud what Acker and Burton have tried to accomplish with this terrific looking film. I just wish that the plot had been worthy of the animation.

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Just a heads up for those who prefer a lot of extras with their blu-ray purchase, this one does not come with the second bonus disc that comes with most blu-rays nowadays. No DVD copy and no portable copy.

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I didn't know what to expect from this movie. I don't even remember it coming out in theaters. It was recommended for me on Netflix and I saw that Tim Burton was a producer so I thought I would give it a try. I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked this movie. Not even taking the story line into account (it is kind of convoluted), the movie is worth watching solely for the creativity and attention to detail. I watched this in Blu-ray, but I'm sure it would be impressive on DVD as well. I love movies like this because they suck you in to another world. You forget you are watching something created by a computer. The characters movements and expressions are so realistic, even though they look like Little Big Planet characters on acid, you will be amazed. I'm not going to get into the plot, that isn't why I gave this movie 4 stars, although I might have given it 5 if it wasn't so desultory. I gave the movie 4 stars purely for the enjoyment of the aesthetics of this movie. It is visually brilliant. And it is rated PG-13 for a reason. It is scary as hell. I am surprised I didn't have nightmares, and I am a horror movie fanatic. Definitely not for young children, unless you want to scare the crap out of them!

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Tom Cruise Blu-ray Collection (Collateral / Days of Thunder / Minority Report / Top Gun / War of th

This is nothing more than a re-packaging of 5 blu-ray movies, all of which have been released individually. If you don't own any of these movies already, this is a very good deal, and these are all movies worth owning on blu-ray.

Unfortunately, there is one problem with this set: "Minority Report" was originally a 2-Disc release, but in this collection the studio has only included Disc One. This means that none of the bonus features for that particular movie are included in this collection. And that's a shame, because the "Minority Report" bonus features are really good in my opinion.

If you only care about the movies, then this is a great set. If you do like to see some of the behind-the-scenes goodies, it's still a pretty good deal the other four movies will all have bonus material... but just be aware that you're missing out on the "Minority Report" extras.

VIDEO QUALITY:

++ "Collateral", "Minority Report", and "War of the Worlds" are well worth the upgrade to blu-ray, and look incredible.

- "Days of Thunder" and "Top Gun" are a bit disappointing, although I believe this is still the best-looking version currently available.

AUDIO SPECS:

"Collateral" DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

"Days of Thunder" Dolby TrueHD 5.1

"Minority Report" DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

"Top Gun" DTS-HD 6.1 & Dolby TrueHD 5.1

"War of the Worlds" DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

For those who already own some of these movies and want to complete your collection, here are the links to the individual releases:

Collateral [Blu-ray]

Minority Report [Blu-ray]

War of the Worlds [Blu-ray]

Days of Thunder [Blu-ray]

Top Gun (Blu-ray + Digital Copy)

**There was talk at one point (caused by a Wal-Mart error) that this set also included "The Firm". However, "The Firm" is NOT included in this set.

I was a bit disappointed to see the quality of these movies. Thinking the producers would have done a little extra to bring out these titles. They were grainy and seem to be just a flat copy over from DVD. True the picture had

more pop and more vibrant color but that is expected of all bluray transfers because of the higher bit rate. Sound was good though and due to this I felt keeping them was justifiable else I would have just kept my DVD's Top Gun and days of thunder. War Of The Worlds and Collateral is still decent flicks as well if the cost is worth it. As you can see I'm clearly mixed with this package.

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I wanted a great movie for my surround sound system. Oh Yeah! Did I know what I was ordering? Yeah!

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Cant say these are great quality bluray discs. Quite grainy.Looks like good quality DVD. You get what you pay for i guess. The good thing is that it was delivered to the Philippines by Amazon global shipping in just a month.

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I bought this as a gift to a TC SuperFan. He loved it. The whole package is great and I got a great deal for a Christmas present.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011)

Chloe and Papi get married and have a litter of puppies. The dogs enter a dog show to try to win money to save a house from foreclosure, and then solve a bank robbery. Delgado, the German Shephard, makes an appearance.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 is cute, but the plot is not nearly as good as Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Also, #2 would have been better if the original actors were in this movie too.

Overall, cute, but not great. Beverly Hills Chihuahua was much better. You should rent it before you buy it. Even my kids didn't want me to buy it, after watching it.

This one is 'For the Dogs' folks. It's a Disney 'Direct to DVD' attempt to cash in on it's successful 'Beverly Hills Chihuahua'. Didn't Disney announce that they wouldn't do 'Direct to DVD' anymore...you know, quality, not quantity? Think 'Mulan 2' and 'Stitch: The Movie'. Get the (insert gagging sounds here) picture? Only George Lopez returns as the voice of 'Papi', probably because of a contractual agreement? I hope he didn't need the cash that bad. Anyways, if you must see this franchise killer, rent it, don't buy it. I wish I would have. I've already tried hitting the DVD with a rolled up newspaper, and that didn't help it any. Now I'll probably have to pawn this 'Dog' off on my in-laws as a birthday or Christmas gift.

Buy Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011) Now

If you saw the first Beverly Hills Chihuahua movie, you'll have a good idea what to expect in this straight to DVD sequel. Cute dogs, silly antics, an outrageous plot, and did we mention cute dogs? Lead pooches Papi and Chloe have just gotten married and soon have a brood of five little pups to keep them on their toenails. Dad Papi (voiced perfectly once again by George Lopez) takes it all in stride and every night, with the best of intentions, tells his little ones stories of the Chihuahua warriors of long ago. The only problem is the puppies take the stories literally and get into all sorts of mischief. Poor Papi ends up in the dog house more than once for filling the puppies' heads with grand ideas.

But it's not the dogs that need saving this time around. The parents of Papi's owner Sam are about to be evicted from their beloved home. After several attempts to make things right with the bank, it's not looking good. But when a pack of determined Chihuahuas is on your side, how can you lose?

With the original grossing almost 95 million in 2008, it was at first surprising to see the sequel going straight to DVD. But with little of the same star power attached, it makes sense. At least Papi kept his original voice. Chloe and Delgado did not, though it's not too distracting as their new voices are similar enough. However, it was disappointing to see no human actors reprise their roles from the first film. Susan Blakely takes over for Jamie Lee Curtis as Aunt Viv, but she only appears briefly in one or two scenes. Most of the human acting was actually rather wooden, but there were a few supporting characters who made things interesting, namely Elaine Hendrix as the owner of a snotty French Poodle and the cat loving bank clerk. Also, Morgan Fairchild does justice to a dog show commentator alongside French Stewart.

The best part of the movie was seeing cool German Shepherd Delgado again. The subplot involving his two estranged police dog sons was a nod to every melodramatic father/son movie ever made, but it actually worked here and was a touching addition.

All in all, if you enjoyed the first installment you'll probably enjoy Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, especially if you're a dog lover or a kid. It's clean entertainment with a good message about love and family. Just don't expect too much, and you'll have an enjoyable family movie night.

--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for TitleTrakk

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If you're like me, you want to have as little interaction with your children as possible and mostly just want them to be quiet and not bother you so you can drink wine and book vacations without them and eat dinner in peace. This movie will definitely help you!!

In reality, my kids LOVE this movie! We have probably 100 or so kids movies, and they have about 5 "go-to" movies; "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2" or "Cats vs. Dogs 2:The Revenge of Kitty Galore." They don't watch part one as much as this one for whatever reason. The dogs in this movie ARE cute and I'm not sure if there is a story or plot, but talking cute dogs are a HUGE attraction to children. It's not too annoying either to have on in the background as the kids watch it. The 6 year old boy loves it the most. Always gets a laugh at the cute talking chihuahuas!

In summary, if you would like a movie that your kids will watch endless ammounts of times over and over and over and over, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2" is a great one! Highly recommended for kids who like animals. And regular kids too. And parents who want to slip off while their kids are watching talking chihuahuas.

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I bought this after buying Beverly Hills Chihuahua and was so disappointed. The film was really bad, the acting and screenplay was awful and they completely rewrote the characters! The charm of the first movie is gone, because Chloe and Papi got hitched (a big mistake in my opinion). Chloe is now a nagging mommy and Papi is a doting irresponsible husband. The children just add to the bad quality of the film because they have a scrappy-do annoying quality that hogs the screen during key moments.

What I enjoyed about the first film was Chloe. (Sorry, never a Papi fan). Chloe was the star, and her `fish out of water' antics in Mexico were cute. She was a spoiled little dog, but fun to watch. All that has changed now. Chloe is the `bad guy' in the relationship playing the responsible one, to Papi's befuddled dad routine.. That has been done to death in Hollywood. Think Homer simpson.

The acting was very flat as well. The actors just seemed to `go through the motions,' with very little convincing emotional realism. Terrible. I miss the old Chloe, who didn't have a passel of bratty Chihuahua kids and Papi to ride herd on.

Worse, the message was pretty bad. I'm sorry, but when you are a parent, you don't get to do what your heart tells you to do, and `love' doesn't solve all you problems. Parenting is a job, as is marriage and LOVE is wonderful and necessary, but there is more to it than that. There is hard work involved, planning, and mutual commitment. I get it is a film for kids, but the adults in the room were rolling their eyes during the discussion of parenting, and how all you need is love to make a marriage work. Sorry.

I lost interest during the slapstick moments where Chloe and Papi were terrorizing the poor bank people who were just trying to do their job. I just don't see Chloe and Papi tripping people, and making them fall off ladders. Not funny and not safe.

I liked the film to be more about dogs, than people. Having so much people interaction, changes into the casting, and the poor screenwriting ruined this film. Too bad. The first was adorable. This was a made for tv quality dud.

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