The Devil's Double (2011)

There are many ways to describe Uday Hussein, Saddam Hussein's oldest son. None of them are positive.

The Devil's Double is a "take no prisoners" film that's as hard to watch as it is entertaining. It follows Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper), an Iraqi soldier from an upper class family, who is plucked from the war to act as Uday's double. Uday (also played by Cooper), remembers the comparisons the two would get when they jointly attended grade school. He asks Yahia to be his double for both political and personal reasons. Like his father, Uday is in a constant state of worry over an assassination attempt. Further, he wants to send Yahia on personal trips that he himself doesn't wish to attend. Yahia, kind and warm, refuses, but is forced to with the threat of harm to his family. Yahia is given cosmetic surgery and dentures to complete the look.

Yahia is thrust into Uday's world. This is a world filled with rape, torture, murder, drugs, sex and money. The lifestyle that the Hussein's live is more than Presidential it is royal. Immediately, Uday claims Yahia as his own property. Uday has grown into a monster, getting whatever he wants and never having to deal with the consequences. Yahia is who he wants. The atrocities he witnesses because of Uday disgust him, but he is stuck in this nightmare. We watch as Uday preys upon young girls walking home from school. We watch as he guts his father's best friend at a party. We watch Yahia struggle with the lifestyle he is forced to live. Uday's fascination with Yahia grows stronger and it enters your mind that Uday may actually be in love with his double. This doesn't necessarily mean in a romantic way, but because his love of himself is so great, that he sees Yahia as apart of himself.

While the rest, as they say, is history, I certainly don't want to spoil the way the rest of the film plays out. This is a movie that you must see for yourself!

The acting in dual roles by Cooper, his first film as lead, is Oscar worthy. He gives both men their own voices, mannerisms and idiosyncrasies, that instantly allow the viewer to tell them apart. Subdued and stoic, Cooper plays Yahia as a guilt ridden man, grappling with the life he has been thrust into. He plays Uday as a manic, hyper madman with a broken smile and a creepy laugh. You literally believe they are two different actors.

Latif is an ordinary man who is thrust into an extraordinary situation. An object of admiration for the President's son, he has no choice but to comply with the excruciating horrors that are put forth before him. Never once, however, do we seem his morals waver.

We know how it ends, but as with life, it's the journey that's important. The Devil's Double is the real life, Middle Eastern Scarface. Powerful, unsettling, thrilling and always entertaining, The Devil's Double, is quite easily one of the best movies of 2011.

From

This is a movie about Uday Hussein (Dominic Cooper) and his double Latif Yahia (Dominic Cooper). Latif is reluctant to act as Uday's double until he is made an offer he can't refuse. Saddam had body doubles so Uday must have one too. Unlike Saddam, Uday's body double is mostly a status symbol who he shows around. The movie highlights the things that Uday did, many to the embarrassment of Saddam. He would kidnap school girls, then when he was done with them, dump their bodies along side of the road. It showed us his drug use, extravagance, and ability to torture...never his good side, like he really knew how to throw a party. Oh wait. It did show that. The movie also interjects actually footage from the era. We also get to hear the Iraqi take on the Kuwait invasion.

Good acting, but we knew the ending. It is my understanding Uday was really hated more than this movie portrayed.

F-bomb, C-word, full frontal nudity, sex, torture,

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I rarely post reviews of movies but I though somebody should present an objective view of Devil's Double. Honestly, while it was a fairly entertaining film and Dominic Cooper's performance was noteworthy, the movie as a whole lacked substance and tried to overcompensate in gratuitous violence. While I'm not doubting the regime of Uday and his family was evil and forced virtually everybody to either placate to their desires or suffer the consequences, this was something we all knew before we watched the movie, and the film doesn't really do anything to dig into the dynamics of the family or the Iraqi dictatorship. It was also extremely predictable and the script left a great bit to be desired. As my rating indicates, I'm not saying this was a bad movie. However, for all the potential it could have and should have been better. Would I recommend watching it one time? Certainly. It is worth spending money on to own? Probably not for most people. See it once, there is little reward in a second viewing unless your looking for a lot of violence and cocaine and you don't own Scarface.

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Good movie. Could not believe it was based on true events. Seemed like Uday Hussein was worse than his father.

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Loved this movie, it was about what I expected it to be. It's too bad it only brought in under 5 mil. I expect this movie will end up with a cult following.

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In the Family

I have been advocating for this film ever since I first saw it in Chicago. When it came back to Chicago, I went to see it again. I am dumbfounded that it wasn't considered for an Academy Award.

Patrick Wang's direction is thoughtful, well-considered, and a pleasant change from traditional Hollywood film making. Scenes in which the action is happening off-camera carry more impact than had the action been filmed.

The film's subject matter -same-sex families, two dads, fighting relatives over child custody, death, loss, homophobia, race, love -could have easily turned this film into a maudlin mess were it not for Wang's skillful screenwriting, directing, and acting. The film also skillfully avoids being overtly political despite the subject matter. I'm writing my own first screenplay and I've learned a lot just from repeatedly watching this film.

I know it sounds like hyperbole, but this is seriously the best film I've seen in years.

Powerful. Subtle. Deliberate. Immersive. Inspirational. Challenging. Groundbreaking.

"In the Family" is not about the knee-jerk morality questions our society regularly pontificates on the surfaces of right and wrong. Rather, it is about multiple layers of meaning behind such words as truth, innocence, justice, empathy, compassion, family, and love as they actually play out in the real, down-to-earth lives that we live together as a human family. This film is no less than an indie-masterpiece.

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The first time I saw this film I thought about it for weeks on end, wishing for another opportunity to see it. The second time, I was able to simply bask in the beauty and power of the film. The Q&As were long, open conversations lasting over an hour. I am looking forward to another opportunity to see In the Family and I can't wait to tear through the additional material that is packaged with it. Worth owning, worth sharing with people that are close to you.

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Many critics could argue, perhaps convincingly, that "In the Family" could be edited from its almost 3 hours to 2 hours, however, the pacing of the film doesn't suffer from its length. And by taking time to develop the almost mundane everyday life of a gay couple raising a young son, the film is actually a bold political statement that speaks directly to every person who thinks being gay is somehow a non-stop sex fest. Because of that, the film makes a very strong point even before the issues at the heart of the movie become front and center. It's a family friendly film where sexual orientation is almost an afterthought of the movie and that is what sets the tone and makes it groundbreaking. That is a long winded way of saying that anyone who thinks the film should fit into a typical 2 hour movie formula, is missing the depth of the story and the emotional impact the pacing creates.

Many Asian-American actors would say they hate doing accents because they are connected with stereotypical roles, but Patrick Wang's southern accent probably wasn't what Asian-American actors had in mind and in this case it is a testament to Patrick's incredible acting abilities. I am one who thinks directors should direct and not also take on the demand of acting in their own films because both can suffer, but Patrick Wang's acting and directing are both amazing. He has embraced this film heart and soul and it's evident in its emotional complexity and perhaps this is a case where it could not have been as successful without Patrick in both roles.

In the film the downward spiral starts with the confrontation between Joey (Patrick Wang) and Chad's sister over the will and is a riveting scene that doesn't leave the viewer rooting for anyone, but actually feeling the pain and the point each is making about the circumstances. But for Joey it is the most devastating because everything in his life is gone overnight; his partner, his child, and his home. The loneliness and destruction of his life is powerfully and beautifully created by Patrick's acting and directing making this a heart wrenching film that shouldn't be missed. And the film's conclusion? Emotionally brilliant.

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This film is certainly not for everyone, at almost 3 hours length, with minimal soundtrack and mostly static shots. But I sat riveted until the end, as did most of the audience in the theater.

The plot sounds melodramatic: a gay Asian man fights for the custody of the son he shared with his deceased lover. But writer/director Patrick Wang, who seems clearly influenced by the understated Yasujiro Ozu and Ang Lee, avoids the easy moral conflicts. Instead, he focuses on the daily lives of mostly average and good hearted people. There are no stereotype villains here. Instead of a Hollywood court battle, we have an almost documentary like deposition meeting that still manages to be dramatic and emotionally true.

The cast is uniformly terrific, especially young Sebastian Banes as Chip and Brian Murray as the lawyer. Certain quietly powerful scenes still stay with me, like the kitchen scene post-funeral and Chip replaying the audiotape of his father's voice calling his name. Patrick Wang will be a talent to follow! This was also a favorite of the late Roger Ebert, a champion of small independent gems.

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The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions (Two-Pack) (2011)

I won't comment on the movies, you likely know what you are getting into. I liked the sequels, but I never got them on blu-ray, content with my dvd versions. Instead I got The Matrix tenth anniversary edition on blu-ray. I loved it!

What this dual movie pack gives is the critic and philosopher commentaries that were only available on the Matrix Trilogy box set for these movies. Both of those are fun to listen to, and can be insightful at the same time. And it's for that reason (along with the great price) I purchased this!

In case you're wondering these movies do not come in separate cases. Both discs are in the same box.

Didn't bother me one bit. I'm happy with the purchase.

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...but the low price and single size blu-ray small packaging almost make it worth having. A wrap-up to what was an extraordiary, ground-breaking flick that should have been left alone in the wake of these.

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I am a big fan of Matrix Trilogy, so I was always going to like this one. I wanted to buy the trilogy special edition, but found out that if I buy this twin pack and then The Matrix separately then it costs only half as much as three together will cost. Most of the special editions will come with a lot of behind the scene footage, interviews, and interactive stuff, but in my experience I end up watching only the movie most of the time and all this other stuff perhaps only once. Since both these movies are loaded with tons of special effects it makes perfect sense to own it on blu-ray.

I recommend.

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Love the Matrix series-especially in Blu ray. Wished it was in 3D. These movies look and feel so real. Get it!

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The Red House (1947)

I first saw this film on the late show back in the 50's when I was a mere child. It scared the pants off me then, and pretty much does the same now. This is what I call staying power. Too bad more people aren't aware of this film. The sad thing about the presentation of this film (I have both the VHS & DVD) is that the sound recording needs definite restorative work. This would really be disturbing if the film itself wasn't so compelling. The production values as well as the production team are all A-List, from the fine direction of Delmer Daves to the outstanding mood-setting score of Max Steiner to the casting of pro stars like Edward G. Robinson & Judith Anderson sharing the screen with teen magazine heart-throbs Rory Calhoun and Julie London. Lon McCallister is fine in what is really the lead role, and a very fine performance by young Allene Roberts (whatever happened to her!). The DVD is pretty much of the bargain-bin variety, though there are a couple of little extras on it...most notably explaining that Robinson's career came to a standstill after this film because of the Hollywood blacklist. The suspense factor is among the highest I can recall (EVER!); the script is literate and clever; characters are well-defined; and the creepy mood is consistant. See this film and tell all your friends; you will NOT be disappointed.

An underrated psychological mood piece directed with great skill by Delmer Daves, it is best watched in the dark with no interruptions so that its full power can be realised. I did not go down in the woods for quite a while after watching this film and gained an added appreciation for the work of Edward G. Robinson and that great actor Judith Anderson (see also Hitchcock's REBECCA). From one of the greatest periods of Hollywood movie making.

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The Blu-Ray is the edition to snag for this fine psychological thriller. There are so many poor public-domain transfers of The Red House out there that it is a relief to finally see the film in a decent presentation. The downside to this purchase is the commentary by William Hare. He may be a fine author (he is listed as having written several film books), but this is undoubtedly the worst film commentary I've ever heard. Hare's commentary is "scene-specific," but he merely restates what is happening on the screen. When I choose to listen to a commentary, I expect to learn something beyond what I've already observed, not to be provided a verbal summary of what is happening on the screen. I found the commentary insulting to the viewer's intelligence and suspect that Mr. Hare simply "didn't do his homework." This is a real shame because there's a lot of meat in this film to dig into. The Miklos Rozsa score alone is a marvel, to say nothing of Edward G's outstanding performance. A real missed opportunity in the commentary department, but certainly worth the purchase for the much-improved image.

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Edward G. Robinson is fantastic as the man with the dark secret, in this excellent thriller! I bought it expecting to be either bored or amused. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised! The Red House is actually pretty creepy. Robinson plays a farmer who is not what he appears to be. There's a red house in the woods where something terrible happened many years earlier. His daughter (Arlene Roberts), and his sister (the magnificent Judith "Mrs. Danvers" Anderson) live with him. A boy comes to help out on the farm and the web of mystery slowly unravels. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves thrillers, chillers, or just plain good movies...

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Many of the reviews I read about this April, 2012 Blu-Ray/DVD combo release were positive regarding the restoration; however, at least one review was negative.

I've been an Amazon purchaser for 10+ years and have bought every DVD of this movie hoping to get a decent copy. Until now, my best copy was from Critic's Choice their DVD copy is far from perfect. Since I have yet to purchase a Blu-Ray player, I've only experienced the DVD disk from this set. I'm amazed at how clear the film is from start to finish this is the video set to own! The only negatives are that the sound, although improved, could be a tad cleaner (perhaps I need a better sound system) and there are slightly faded right and left boarders of some of the frames that were shot in darkness (night scenes): to me these are minor issues. I now can relax and enjoy this movie as I've always wanted to. I sincerely appreciate HD Cinema Classics and those who restored this film for their wonderful work.

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The Little Mermaid (Two-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray / DVD in DVD Packaging) (1989)

One of the most beloved Disney films, "The Little Mermaid" returns on dvd, fully restored and remastered in an all new 2 disc set this October! Rather than talking about the film (c'mon we all know what it is all about and most of are quite familiar with its charm and beauty! Though the first "The Little mermaid" dvd released years ago was just a barebone disc with non-anamorphic transfer, this one will have everything to fulfill every mermaid fan's desire!

Here's what to look forward to in this special 2 disc set:

Fully restored with an all-new Disney Home Theatre 5.1 mix.

Backstage Disney, including an all new commentary.

Treasures Untold: The Making of The Little Mermaid.

The Story Behind The Story.

Deleted Scenes, including Backstage With Sebastian, Sebastian Lost In The Castle, Advice From Sebastian and Fight With Ursula.

Music Video "Kiss The Girl"

Games and Activities inclue The Little Mermaid Under The Sea Adventure: The Virtual Ride, Behind The Ride That Almost Was With Disney Imagineers and DisneyPedia: Life Under The Sea....

....And much more!!

"The Little Mermaid" is surely one of the finest films Disney ever produced and this long awaited platinum edition of this classic would surely be a welcome addition in any dvd collector's shelf!

Walt Disney Studio's 1989 animated adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson's classic tale "The Little Mermaid" is known for being the beginning of the Disney animation renaissance of the 1990s. While no movie collection is complete without this gem of a film, wait for the October 2006 2-Disc Platinum Edition DVD release. Judging from Disney's treatment of their other classic films' transfers to Platinum Editions, Disney will do this movie the justice it deserves AND it will most likely be less expensive buying this new edition with all its extras than it will be to buy the currently available 1-Disc product from a private seller. So, if you can wait a few months for the headstrong Ariel, the charming Sebastian, and the deliciously evil Ursula, it will be more than worth the wait!

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This is no doubt a beautiful and classic disney film.

My advice: Wait for the 2-disc "Platinum Edition" to be released. It will contain the extra bonus features that the "Limited Issue" lacks. Also, if you wait you can probably find it for about 20 dollars, which is much better than buying it second hand right now for a ridiculous price. You will get more for your money if you wait! Also, you should know that Disney has decided to speed up their releases with the Platinum series (from 1 every year to 2 each year). So, Little Mermaid will be out in October of 2006. So, if you can wait a year and a half to get the better version, I would recommend it! Especially if you're into extras and bonus features (because the limited issue has NONE!)

So, if anyone is interested, Cinderella is the next Platinum DVD to come out in October of 2005, followed by Lady and the Tramp in March of 2006, and then (finally!) The Little Mermaid in October of 2006

(For 2007, the March release will be The Jungle Book and then 101 Dalmations in October)

For more information... UltimateDisney.com is a great website!

I hope you found this advice helpful, as my wish is for everyone to be able to enjoy this gorgeous Disney film!

Read Best Reviews of The Little Mermaid (Two-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray / DVD in DVD Packaging) (1989) Here

People need to be VERY cautious when buying Little Mermaid. This DVD has been out of print so long that it is actually quite rare to find a truly new disc. I've actually had the misfortune of buying several Disney DVD's at auction only to find that they are counterfeit discs even though the box is shrinkwrapped. I e-mailed the seller of one of these DVD's and found out that apparently there are a lot of people who separately buy counterfeit DVD's in bulk (usually from Asia) along with packaging materials. They then assemble all the stuff together, shrinkwrap the whole thing (yes, people actually buy shrinkwrapping machines to do this!) and sell it as new on the web. This also explains all those electronic auctions where the seller makes the outrageous claim that their DVD's don't ship in a hard case but instead come in a more protective sleeve (which is BS) or they're trying to save you shipping (that's because they don't have the authentic cases to send you).

So how can you determine whether you disc is authentic or not? Well, from my experience, several things have clued me in to a particular disc being fake. First start with the packaging. Any authentic Disney (or any brand) DVD has tamper-proof stickers that must be torn or removed to get to the disc. There is always a sticker on top, but some titles also have them on the side and bottom too. Almost all (although I have seen some exceptions) Disney DVD's have shrinkwrap that are stamped with a Buena Vista logo so you can tell if the shrinkwrap was put on at the factory or done by someone else. Also, since counterfeiters frequently are putting everything together themselves look for abnormal signs of wear and tear. For example, if you see a scratch or dent on the paper cover artwork, but the case itself is physically fine, you should be suspicious as to how the artwork could have been damaged if it is supposed to be new and the case itself is undamaged. Another sign I've encountered (and rather obvious one) that a DVD is re-packaged is that the DVD itself will have scratches and/or fingerprints on it. When's the last time you picked up a brand new DVD from a store and found the disc to have scratches and/or fingerprints? That's right never.

Now the most important way of determining whether a disc is authentic or not is to check the content on the DVD, specifically the size of all the data on the DVD. For this step you'll need to put the DVD into a computer to find out the size of the DVD. For example, the fake Little Mermaid DVD I got off eBay showed up as having 3.6 GB of data. This immediately raised a flag in my head because the back of the Little Mermaid DVD packaging claims that the disc is in dual-layer format. Dual-layer format DVD's are only used for movies that have more than ~4.5 GB of data. In fact a search on the internet revealed that the authentic Little Mermaid DVD was supposed to have 5 GB of data ( The fact the data of my DVD wasn't more than a single layer's worth meant that the content of my DVD had been compressed and was a counterfeit. Furthermore, it explained why the quality of the movie was so bad. So check if the packaging says that the disc is in dual-layer format, the data takes up more than ~4.5 GB of data, or even better see if you can find the exact size of the disc from an online review.

If Disney cared about the damage these low-quality discs have on their reputation, they should clamp down on the rampant sale of counterfeits of their movies online. BTW, after discovering this new world of Disney fakes, I finally was able to find an authentic, new Little Mermaid DVD. People who are selling authentic discs usually know they are rare & valuable and typically charge more (think ~upper $20's to $40's) than the bootleggers.

BTW, to explain my rating of the DVD I would have given the movie 5 stars for the movie, but knocked off 1 star for the lack of extras. We all know Disney can put out some really high caliber releases which, unfortunately, this being one of the earlier DVD's is not one of them.

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Finally got around to watching this last night. In this review I'm not going to bother to review the movie itself. It's seventeen years old. I'm sure if you are interested in it you've seen it by now. Rather, I'm going to review the technical quality of the film and the extras provided on the DVD. One thing that feel I should point out up front is that the movie HAS been edited, but only in one scene. The infamous 'clergyman sporting an erection' that caused such a stupid flundie flap has been photoshopped. The theatrical poster artwork is not on the cover or anywhere on the disc for a similar reason. You can find out more by going to Snopes and looking in the Disney films section. I personally don't care, but some people do. Now, on to the review.

This version is widescreen, but it's 16:9 widescreen and not theatrical widescreen, but this has been the case in pretty much all the Disney movie DVDs so no surprises there. The Little Mermaid was the next to last movie Disney did using painted cels, and the film has gone through some kind of digital restoration process. There are comparison shots on the back of the DVD box that show the difference. The colors are very vibrant, and I didn't notice any problems with the encoding or animation. There is support for surround sound and audio tracks in English, French, and Spanish.

It's a two disk set. Disc one has the movie, the configuration options (subtitles, commentary, language ect), a music video of the song 'Kiss the Girl' by someone I've never heard of, a bunch of previews that will be outdated in a few months, and a preview of what's on disc 2. On the box it touts something called Fast Play, which basically means when you load it in, after the standard FBI warnings and all that, the disc gives you the option of immediately starting the movie or going to the menu with the stuff I just mentioned. If you choose to start the movie directly, it plays a bunch of previews that you can skip past using chapter forward on your remote, if you go to the menu and pick play movie, it starts right away. You're actually not forced to sit through ten minutes of BS previews with no way to skip them like on some of the previous Disney DVDs. I approve.

The majority of the extras are on disc 2. It's broken up into three major sections: Backstage Disney, Deleted Scenes, and Games. Backstage Disney is the largest section. It has scads of concept art (imagine Ursula as a lionfish or manta ray instead of an octopus), a videos on how the movie was made, and a new animated short, The Little Match Girl. A silent film with a musical background and is amazingly enough, actually true to the story. It's pretty well done, IMHO. Deleted scenes is just that, stuff that was cut. There really isn't much. Only three selections, and two of them are just pieces that were cut from scenes that did make it in. There's an expanded version of the opening song, a very short scene where Triton's daughters tell Sebastian that Ariel isn't at the recital before it starts, and an extra verse in Ursula's song. All of these were cut before the final animation was done, and so as you watch it switches back and forth between storyboard still shots and very rough sketchy animation. The games I didn't even bother with, because has there ever been a DVD player game that hasn't totally sucked? Didn't think so.

Overall, it's going to boil down to how much you like the movie, and how much you hate minor edits. If not seeing Jessica Rabbit with no underwear for three frames bothered you, then this DVD is not for you. Otherwise, it is a comprehensive look at the movie that marked the beginning of Disney's second golden age.

I give it 9 out of 10 voice containing seashells.

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Dog Day Afternoon (2007)

Al Pacino burns up the screen in Dog Day Afternoon which is based on a true story and confirms that fact that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Mr. Pacino plays Sonny who teams up with the dullard Sal (John Cazale) to rob a Brooklyn bank on a sweltering summer afternoon. Sonny was a one-time bank employee, so he knows all the tricks of the trade to thwart bank robbers. Unfortunately for the robbers, the bank virtual has no money do to having made a deposit only hours before the robbery attempt. A shopworker across the street from the bank notices the strange proceedings and calls the cops. Before you know it, the bank is completely surrounded by cops. The cops (led by Charles Durning & James Broderick) start a hostage negotiation with Sonny. Even though Sonny's a crook, he isn't all bad and he, Sal and the hostage bank workers form a strange kinship. The story is shown on TV and a crowd gathers in the streets as well and Sonny becomes something of a cult hero. His scenes on the street outside the bank are scintillating including his famous Attica chant. Sonny is married with kids, but it turns out that he was robbing a bank to pay for a sex change operation for his gay lover, Leon (Chris Sarandon). The movie closes out at night at the airport in dramatic fashion. Sidney Lumet does a fine job translating the heat and humidity of the day and you can feel yourself sweating along with the characters. Mr. Pacino has been more heralded for his Godfather roles, Scarface, Serpico and Scent Of A woman, but in my book, he was never finer than he was in this movie.

Without showing a trace of his icy performance as Michael Corleone in "The Godfather" parts 1 & 2, Al Pacino made a radical departure by playing a bisexual bank robber in "Dog Day Afternoon." Here's a hilarious (but apparently true) story about Sonny (Pacino) who stages a bank robbery to finance his lover's sex change operation. Within minutes, the attempted robbery heads for disaster, as the police and media surround the bank while Sonny holds the employees hostage for the entire day. Even after nearly 30 years, "Dog Day Afternoon" is a marvel to see. This film won a well-deserved 1975 Academy Award for its witty screenplay, and Pacino's performance ranks among his best. Unfortunately, those who are looking for a deluxe-edition DVD will be sorely disappointed with this release. The picture is incredibly grainy, with spots, hairs, and marks. The sound is 1-channel mono, instead of a 5.1 surround remix. But the biggest slap on the face is the virtual lack of features on this DVD: we don't even get a trailer. All we get are production notes. Movie buffs and Pacino diehards will pick this up, but everyone else should hold off, rent the film, and hope that Warner Bros. will release a special edition of this great movie.

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I bought Dog Day Afternoon on DVD completly at random, just based on the actors, and the synopsis. On the back of the case, this movie is branded as a "boisterous comedy" that is "Bitingly Funny". And while the movie certainly has its funny parts, it never has one-liner jokes, or much situational humor. It is more of a comedy as a whole, and just about how the whole bank robbery got screwed up. Accually, it is really quite serious in tone.

So once you get past the aboslutly false statements that this is a comedy, you start to see the magic of this film. It is a very static movie, and the everything takes place in or around the bank throughout the entire movie until the very end. The story isn't driven through action sequences, rather it is driven by the brilliant dialoge between characters.

When watching this movie, you will feel like you are right there, inside this movie. You will progress right along with the main character, Sonny. You watch his attitude change from being very optimistic and hopeful, into a more frustrated, disjointed, and confused character. Al Pacino does a brilliant job showing the many changes that Sonny goes through. You can literally see the preasure on Sonny's face as time is running out, and as his plans keep getting more and more screwed up.

Not only does Al Pacino do a brilliant job, but the other characters are amazingly protrayed as well. Other notable performances are Leon (Sonny's disconnected boyfriend), Sal (Sonn'y partner), and even Detective Moretti. Every character is so believable and real that you will truly feel like you have met them all first hand.

One thing that I have noticed about Dog Day Afternoon is its influences on more modern movies. As I was watching it, I couldn't help but recognize modern movies in it. Two examples that came to mind the most are Mad City, and Airheads. In Mad City, John Travoltra's character is also faced with a media circus as he holds a group of school kids and their teacher hostage in a meauseam. The frenzy of media coverage, the public reaction, and the way that the main character becomes friendly with the hostages all give a very big nod to Dog Day Afternoon. In Airheads, I noticed that the way one of the guys who had taken the radio station hostage would come outside to talk to the cops, and while he was out there, he would incite the crowd and start different chants. In Airheads, one of the hostage takers started the crowd in a "Rodney King" chant, while in Dog Day Afternoon, Al Pacino started the crowed in an "Attica" chant. These sequences are so familiar that I am convinced the screen writers had Dog Day Afternoon in mind when writing them.

Overall, this is a fantastic movie that is full of brilliant performances. But for some, it may seem way to static, and slow moving.

As far as DVD features go, the picture quality is superb, considering that the original film is from the mid 70's. The audio is Dolby Mono tracked, but nothing else is neccesary. There are no sound effects to speak of it is all pretty much dialogue so the mono track is sufficient. As far as extras, if you consider Scene Selections and Interactive Menus to be "extras", then you will be happy, but I would say that this DVD is as bare as they get. I can't stand when DVD Case designers try and pass off these standard 'features' as extras. That is like a CD advertising its ability to change tracks with the touch of a button.

Great movie decent DVD transfer.

Read Best Reviews of Dog Day Afternoon (2007) Here

Sidney Lumet's "Dog Day Afternoon" reminds us that films once upon a time made it a point to properly develop the individuals within their stories. Younger filmgoers who grew up in later eras may not realize it, but cinematic works from decades past actually were inhabited by characters and not caricatures.

Sonny Wortzik (Al Pacino), Sal (John Cazale) and Stevie (Gary Springer) attempt to rob a Brooklyn bank just before closing time. The robbery turns into a debacle as Stevie immediately flees the scene and Sonny and Sal discover that the bank virtually has no money at its location. The police arrive to arrest the would-be robbers but Sonny soon starts to gain the support of the bystanders outside and uses the press at the scene to make the most of his time in the spotlight. Just when it appears matters cannot get any more odd, Sonny's new "wife" (Chris Sarandon) is brought to the scene and the reason for the bank robbery is revealed.

"Dog Day Afternoon" is in a class of its own when one is talking about bank robbery films. There are so many unconventional elements to the story from the clumsily-planned heist to the amusing rapport between the robbers and the hostages to the role Leon Shermer plays in the proceedings that it truly stands alone when compared to other entries in the genre. One might think that it would be easy to lose sight of the fine performances in "Dog Day Afternoon" with all of these elements vying for your attention but the efforts turned in by Pacino, Cazale, Sarandon, Charles Durning, and the rest of the cast is so good that their characters will not promptly fade from memory. Lumet also does an amazing job of creating a specific time and place with his directing. He infuses "Dog Day Afternoon" with such realism that you can literally feel the heat rising from sidewalks. Take out your scorecard and mark down this jewel as one of the essential films of the Seventies.

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"Dog Day Afternoon" still feels fresh to me. Maybe because Lumet packed so much talent and so many unforgettable moments into it. Why should you watch it?

It's the best Pacino has ever been. (I thought the Oscar belonged to him and not to Nicholson that year.) Want to see how far into a character a good actor can delve? Watch his face after he hangs up the phone from talking to his wife (no, not Chris Sarandon -the other wife).

It's not only the late John Cazale in another of his brilliant 70s performances, but it's Pacino and Cazale together again after the two "Godfathers."

It's the quintessential New York location movie.

Sarandon's near-monologue in the barber shop is so convincing, you'll think, "No way was this guy ever married to Susan!"

Sully Boyar's naturalistic approach to his role of the bank manager might have you thinking, if you've never seen him before, that he's not a professional actor.

James Broderick's performance as the FBI agent is a masterpiece of iceberg acting (in which 90% of what's going on is beneath the surface, making the 10% you do see that much more powerful).

Pacino again, this time -well, not to give anything away -let's just say the look on his face the last time he sees the bank staff.

Oh, so much more! I guess I'll quit here with two final words. "Attica! Attica!"

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The Deep (1977)

Before "The Island", "Into the Blue" and "The Beach", there was the 1977 underwater suspenseful thriller known as "The Deep".

Based on the very popular novel by Peter Benchley (who wrote the popular novel "Jaws" and "The Island" which both would receive film adaptions), the suspenseful aquatic film adaption would be directed by Peter Yates ("Krull", "Roommates" and "Bullit") and a screenplay by Benchley and Tracy Keenan Wynn ("The Net", "The Longest Yard" and "The Glass House"). The film would feature the music by John Barry ("Indecent Proposal", "Madagascar", "The Scarlet Letter" and "Dances with Wolves") and cinematography by Christopher Challis ("Force 10 from Navarone", "Two for the Road" and "Top Secret!").

The film would star Robert Shaw ("Force 10 from Navarone", "Jaws" and "The Sting"), Jacqueline Biset ("Nip/Tuck", "Joan of Arc", "Bullit" and "When Time Ran Out"), Nick Nolte ("The Prince of Tides", "Hulk" and "48 Hrs.") and Louis Gossett Jr. ("Iron Eagle", "Diggstown" and "Roots").

The film revolves around a scuba diving couple, David Sanders (Nick Nolte) and Gail Berke (Jacqueline Bisset) who found the wreckage of the Goliath (a ship that sunk during World War II in Bermuda). The two start to look at the artifacts found and discover a medallion from 1714. During the search at the wreckage, something has grabbed Gail and tried to pull her in but she manages to escape.

When the two return from their search, because of the belongings they found, they start to make certain locals suspicious of their actions. With their research into the medallion going nowhere, the group enlist the help of lighthouse-keeper and treasure hunter Romer Treece (Robert Shaw). As Sanders and Treece start to show several people an ampule brought from the wreckage, the local drug kingpin Henri Cloche (Louis Gossett, Jr.) is interested in the Goliath primarily for its morphine cargo.

Cloche kidnaps both Sanders and Treece and looks for the artifacts but fortunately for the couple, they left the belongings with Treece and are eventually let go.

While the couple and Treece have their sites set on the wreckage that the Goliath may have unearthed and finding long lost treasure, Cloche is only interested in getting the morphine from the Goliath and will do whatever it takes to get it.

The film was released in two versions with a 3-hour version featured on television. The film on this Blu-ray is the 124 minute version.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"THE DEEP" makes its way to Blu-ray ala High Definition (2:40:1 aspect ratio) and like many recent Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases on Blu-ray, Sony has elected to keep the film process and feature the grain than using DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) which many people have complained in the past, giving it a soft, lack of detail look.

With the release of "THE DEEP", the transfer definitely showcases the detail of the film and vibrancy of Bermuda island with its greens and brown sand and light blue waters. For a film that was made in 1977, the HD transfer definitely captures the era with its warm color and blacks are nice and deep. And for a film created during its time, how it looks on Blu-ray is well done.

When "THE DEEP" opened in theaters, what caught the attention of many people was the beautiful aquatic cinematography and of course, a certain swimming scene at the beginning featuring Jacqueline Bisset. And this 32-year-old film looks very good on Blu!

As for the audio, audio is presented in English, French, Portuguese Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (and Spanish 5.1). For the most part, the film is front channel driven. There are times that you hear occasional effects and a musical score that come alive at times. But for the most part, I felt the audio was good for a film for its time but for the most part, the lossless track was average. In fact, at times during the film I felt I had to increase the audio to hear the dialog.

Subtitles are presented in English, English SDH, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"THE DEEP" comes with two special features and is BD Live Enabled.

# The Making of the Deep (48:41) The original 1977 featurette hosted by Robert Shaw. Interviews with the cast and crew, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the experiences of the talent working on the film, how they had to undergo scuba training and become certified divers, how certain aquatic scenes were shot and how the Goliath and the wreckage was created.

# Selected Scenes from the 3-Hour Special Edition The 3-hour film may not be included on the blu-ray but at least certain segments from the 3-hour version are featured on the Blu-ray wich include:

* Prologue The Goliath Sinks (3:06) How the Goliath sunk during World War II

* Romer Treece's Disposition (1:06) both Dan and Gail learn a little about Romer.

* Treece and David Harassed by Cloche's Goons (2:12) While scuba diving, Cloche sends a few of his men to scare both Treece and David.

* Pillow Talk (6:22) A longer, romantic scene between David and Gail.

* Extended Conversation between Cloche and Treece (3:22) The two make an uneasy business proposition to work together.

* Treece's Past Revealed (5:19) Gail tries to learn about what happened to Treece's wife.

There is also a selection to watch trailers and latest releases from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

JUDGMENT CALL:

The 1977 film "THE DEEP" was an interesting film at the time. Considering that the film would showcase the Bermuda islands and the beautiful blue oceans, there was a lot of expectation from fans who were mesmerized by "JAWS" and have had hopes that they would get another equally, terrifying underwater film with "THE DEEP".

For the most part, there were scenes in the film that could be seen as terrifying but for the most part, the film was an adventure film that had equal portions of romantic drama, suspense and even a killer aquatic eel (which unlike "JAWS" is not the main antagonist of the film). But many critics enjoyed the film for its showcasing underwater cinematography and for Jacqueline Bisset fans, the film was almost in a similar context of how male viewers today felt about Jessica Alba for "Into the Blue".

But the overall storyline for "THE DEEP" is not exactly strong and although it does manage to keep enough action and suspense to keep the viewer interested, there are scenes that really go in depth into the characters are featured on the 3-hour version that aired on cable, it's a bit of a disappointment that this version is not on the Blu-ray (selected scenes from the 3-hour version are featured in the special features).

Overall, "THE DEEP" is a film that inspired many similar films thereafter and its box office success did help in the funding for Producer Peter Guber's Academy Award winning film "MIDNIGHT EXPRESS". But the Blu-ray does bring out the beauty of Bermuda and features detail that overshadows the picture quality of the original DVD release. If you are a big fan of this classic film, then definitely give "THE DEEP" a try.

There is a scene in this film wherein Robert Shaw's character, Romer Treece, discovers the body of a friend strung up in a shed, gently lowers it to the floor, and covers the body with his coat. Treece, overcome with grief, then drops to his knees and hugs his friend's lifeless body. On this DVD, the scene ends after Treece covers the body with his coat. The footage that is supposed to follow is missing from both the widescreen and full screen presentations on this disc, so viewers don't get to see a very powerful and emotional moment. Also, this DVD is a no-frills release, with just the widescreen version on one side and the full screen version on the other--no trailers, nothing. Perhaps at some point there might be a special edition or director's cut which will restore the missing footage. I can't recommend this title in its current DVD incarnation.

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An okay transfer of the movie on a bare-bones DVD.

Unfortunately, the makers of this disc decided NOT to include the 53 minutes of additional footage that was shown on the NBC broadcast of this film. This additional 53 minutes shows the sinking of the U-Boat during a storm, along with some additional fighting scenes.

Hoperfully a Special Edition of this film will be released that will feature either an extended cut or offer the deleted scenes seperately.

Read Best Reviews of The Deep (1977) Here

This inexpensive run of "The Deep" is really a no-frills version. There is only the FULL SCREEN presentation here and that is disappointing, since one of the big things this film has going for it is the wonderful underwater photography. The story and plot are actually a good one missing treasure, treasure hunters, bad guys and good guys. I always disagreed with those indicating it was a rip-off of "Jaws". The story isn't close and the only thing in common is that it takes place in the water. This film can really stand on it's own. It's a pity this DVD didn't do it justice. All in all a good movie, a bad presentation.

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2005 remake of the Deep (into the blue) is not bad. But the Deep (1977) is a much better film. The photography is much nicer, and in my humble opinion, even the sexy Jessica Alba is no match to miss Bisset in her prime. And Louis Gosset Jr is one of the best villain of all time in this movie. The treasure hunt story is OK, predictable but quite entertaining. The new budget DVD is presented only in Full Screen which is a big disappointment, find the older release which include both WS and FS Version. Highly recommended and did I mention Bisset's Wet T Shirt. Classic.

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Thats It Thats All DVD & Blu-ray Combo Pack (2008)

Easily the very best snowboard movie produced to date. A mix between "Planet Earth" and the most insane snowboarding I think ever recorded, this really is something to see, whether you like snowboarding or not.

Because I want more. I gave up snowboarding, but like anyone who ever spent there winters obsessed with tearing up the snow, my heart never left the mountain. It is movies like this that both remind me of the awesome talent of todays riders, and the passion shared by all who store a part of there heart on the mountain side. This movie cinematically, sonically, and physically brings me back. Its that good.

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Don't let the reviews on this deter you. This is a good snowboarding movie. Excellent sound track and some great scenes. It's not the movies fault that these retards can't make it work on their PS3...got it to work on mine.

Read Best Reviews of Thats It Thats All DVD & Blu-ray Combo Pack (2008) Here

My six year old and I watch this before every trip up the mountain and usually once during the week. It is epic on all fronts.

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The best snowboard film out there. The only thing comparable is Brain Farm's other film, the Art of Flight. Not only are the riders top notch, the cinematography is unsurpassed. Watch this thing in Blu-Ray and it's almost like you're there. I can't wait for their next production.

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Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection (2009)

Update: This film has one big problem. The third film, A Close Shave is in the 16:9 format on this disc while the original was in 4:3. This means the original film has been cropped to fit a widescreen TV. Pretty upsetting that they wouldn't include the three original videos in their original form. The first two, A Grand Day Out and The Wrong Trousers are in their original 4:3 format.

This is a great collection of the Wallace & Gromit films. The films all look excellent in HD and the behind the scenes features and commentary tracks are wonderful to listen to and really provide a lot of insight into the creation of the films.

For example, the commentary track for A Grand Day Out, the first film, talks about its production over about 6 years and the tricks that Nick used to film each shot. I'm pretty sure that these commentary tracks are taken from the DVD release, so they are nothing new if you have that version. The film also has several behind the scenes features which are also a lot of fun to watch and give good insight into the animation process, Nick Parks career, and the growth of the Wallace & Gromit franchise.

The packaging consists of a standard blu-ray case with a paper sleeve that has the same art as the case. There is no booklet with the film, just the disc.

I think the only thing missing from this collection is the full length feature film, but I think Wallace & Gromit works best in this shorter format.

I would recommend this collection to any Wallace & Gromit fan. The noticeable improvement in quality when viewed in HD and the behind the scenes and commentary tracks make it a joy to re-watch these excellent films and notice all the little details in the sets and animations.

I'll leave for others to talk about Wallace & Gromit themselves and focus here on the Blu-Ray offering.

There are four "movies" included on the disc. Each of these is about 30 minutes long. The first three were previously included on the DVD, "Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures." Also included on the BR disc are the features that were on the DVD. New to this release are the short "A Matter of Loaf and Death," the episode of Shaun the Sheep, "Off the Baa!," and at least one of the short features. A game demo is also included, but you need a BR player on your computer (PCs only) to play it. The first two features are full frame and the second two are widescreen. The features all look great on BR (though I don't know if they were remastered for this release).

The disc doesn't include "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," so one might quibble that it doesn't include all the W&G material, but it does include all the shorts (including the two that won Academy Awards).

Overall, I thought this was a very good presentation for a very funny duo and well worth the price.

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I have always been a fan of the intelligent wit of Wallace and his faithful dog Gromit. I did not expect to see the series on blu-ray, but it is a joy that we now have 4 of their exploits on high definition. I had to travel over 30 miles to find a store (Best Buy) with the item in stock and was able to price match Wal-Mart, making each movie just $5.

I've watched two of the films so far (A Close Shave and A Matter of Loaf and death) and Wallace and Gromit has never looked or sounded better than on blu-ray. I can give a hearty thumbs up on this collection it is well worth owning.

Some items of note: This is a 1 disc blu-ray release, not 4 discs (which would not make any sense). This collection is also not "complete". We are missing Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Curse of the Were Rabbit has to be their best film, so it is sad that it is not included here. The films we do get are great.

Movie: 5.0/5.0

Video: 4.5/5.0

Audio: 4.0/5.0

Extras: 3.0/5.0

Overall: 4.5/5.0

Read Best Reviews of Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection (2009) Here

This looks to be the best collection of Wallace and Gromit short films yet. First off all of the films will have a commentary by Nick Park. This should be a treat for fans. You also get a number of documentaries:

"Amazing Adventures of Wallace & Gromit" featurette

"Inside The Wrong Trousers" featurette

"How It Was Done" featurette

"How They Donut" The Making of A Matter of Loaf and Death featurette

You also get an episode of Shaun the Sheep: "Off The Baa" and all ten of the Cracking Contraptions shorts that aired on the BBC website and AtomFilms back in 2002. Technical aspects include MPEG-4 AVC video in 1080p with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio.

Just a little bad news. It looks like it's confirmed that the short film "A Close Shave" is the altered version that doesn't have the Happy Birthday song in it. Instead of that song another one is dubbed just like in the WB DVD release. Kinda sucks that they won't pony up the royalties to make this disk as true to the original broadcast as possible. Oh well... it's a small detail.

If you like Wallace and Gromit and have any of their previous disks this collection may be worth the double dip.

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Pay no attention to the negative reviews for this movie. Most of them are referring to the DVD version. Three of the movies are in widescreen HD format, and A Grand Day Out is presented in fullscreen. I don't find this to be an issue since this stays true to the original format. Would you expect to watch Casablanca in widescreen?

Seeing these old favorites in HD is simply amazing. It's so clear you can even see the fingerprints in the clay. A great deal of time and effort was put into the visuals for these films, and finally, seeing them on the widescreen can do them justice. The sound is another great attribute. Hearing the sounds of Wallace's lab in surround sound really puts you in the moment. Bottom line, even if you have these movies on DVD, seeing them on Blu-Ray feels like a whole new movie.

The extras on this disc aren't much to brag about (the drawings are kind of lame) but I really enjoy the "Cracking Contraptions" and more so, I'm glad they filled the disc with special features as opposed to just the 4 films.

Chicken Run and The Curse of the Warerabbit were enjoyable, but can't hold a candle to these four movies. Any Wallace and Gromit fan should definitely pick up a copy of this, and those new to Nick Park's work will really enjoy seeing these classics in HD.

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Hurricane Season (2009)

Hello all, well I must say that this movie was REALLY good... WHY you ask well let me tell you...:)

Ok, This movie shows you that people can work through almost anything if not anything... It also shows that some folks pain causes them to to act out in hurtful ways..yet God being God always sends someone to pull you OUT of that pain so you can LIVE again!!!

5 BIG STARS!!!!!!!!!

LOVED IT!!

PS

Its a all star cast.. Alot of nice young actors!!!

Not only did this movie come from a true story, but it was a great story.

And on top of this it was very well told with an all star cast including Forest Whitaker, Isaiah Washington, and others you'll recognize.

The movie shows just enough of Katrina footage to remind us of the travesty of the storm and our handling of the aftermath but it does not over do it. Then it moves on at a perfect pace to the story of rebuilding. It comes with inspiring words balanced with a real glimpse of the dirty and slow process it was in New Orleans.

It's crazy that this never hit the big screen because it was so good, because it was a true story, and because it had an Academy Award Winner and stars like Lil Wayne.

It really should sit on everyone's shelf along side your true story sports classics like The Blind Side, Hoosiers, More than a Game, Glory Road, Miracle, Cinderella Man, Brian's Song, and Remember the Titans.

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This movie should have been seen on the big screen. The story we all know was sad due to the loss of so many lives during Hurricane Katrina. But the story of these students/basketball players and their coaches was inspiring. My sons and I have watched it at least 5 times since it aired on television and another 3 times since we purchased the DVD from Amazon.com

Read Best Reviews of Hurricane Season (2009) Here

I am not a sport's fan. This movie is wonderful. Looked at it today. Forrest Whitaker and the entire cast did a magnificent job. I got goose bumps watching it. At first I thought

it would be depressing because of Katrina. However, it is a great movie, one I would buy, instead of rent. Thanks for making it.

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Very Good movie. Just what I expected.

Will recommend to friends, family, coworkers, other readers and more. Storyline was good and very interesting.

Fast shipping and in good condition. Will order again soon from this vendor.

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Three Stooges (2012)

I just want to give a bit of information to anyone thinking of buying this because the official product description is a bit vague.

While the 3 Stooges did make a few films in 3D in the late '40s, none of them are included here. Instead, it has 4 shorts (Disorder In the Court, Brideless Groom,Sing a Song of Six Pants, Malice In the Palace) that have all been colorized and converted to 3D. The colorization is ok, but I would say that the 3D is actually very good.

If you're looking to expand your 3D library and just want a fun disc for a cheap price, then I would definitely recommend this. If you're a collector hoping to get the Stooges original 3D shorts in HD, then you'll have to keep waiting.

words cant describe how fun this was. amazing 3D depth like i was swept back into the 40s & 50s...worth every cent. they really just shat on the public with the DVD release in anaglyph 3D in the 90's. this makes up for it. Sick-Flix .com is where you can go for a sample of the 3D Bluray. they offer one short called Pardon My Backfire 3D which was actually filmed in stereoscopic 3D. go check it out !!!

Included Shorts in Real 3D & Color !

Disorder In The Court (1936)

Brideless Groom (1947)

Sing A Song Of Six Pants (1947)

Malice In The Palace (1949)

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I own several recent 3D blu-ray movies (Avatar, Avengers, etc), but I must proclaim that this colorized, 3D conversion of the classic "3 Stooges" is a masterpiece!

Reprocessed, from the original 2D, black-and-white videos, from the 1940's, I am simply amazed at the colorization quality, and the 3D rendering...

Moe, Curly, Larry, and Shemp, will live-on, and make us laugh, well into the next century!

:-)

Read Best Reviews of Three Stooges (2012) Here

A great selection. Colour and 3D look great. Gives a new life to some funny short films. Thanks 3D classics.

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I'm not a slapstick comedy fan but a techie....how they convert the original cast to 3D has me baffled. Not even close to a spectacular 3D display but well done for its time. I bought it just out of curiosity how well the 3D would play out. It's definitely (minimal) 3D. Don't expect Dreamworks standard of 3D quality....but it will have you scratching your head how they converted it to 3D. Collectors item.

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Johnny English Reborn (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2011)

Johnny English has been 5 years in retirement in Tibet learning the ways of the master. He is called out of retirement for a mission to China to hunt down "Vortex" an assassination group out to kill the Chinese premier. There are 3 keys, or key parts that must be gathered together to have access to a secret weapon.

The first good joke was the "Toshiba" sponsor sign for MI-7 secret services. The humor is more than just slapstick. Rowan Atkinson combines the sophistication and intellect of James Bond with the zaniness of Peter Sellers. Indeed, for those who loved Peter Sellers would also enjoy Atkinson who doesn't attempt to copy Sellers, but rather create a character in his own style reminiscent of the master. The early scene with the cat had me laughing out loud at the classic style of Atkinson.

English is aided by agent Tucker (Daniel Kaluuya), a sidekick that has his own failings. Excellent use of the sound track. Worth seeing. Simply hilarious.

Good family movie for the older kids. Imagine a good comedy without all that crude humor (okay it has some kicks to the groin). No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.

Rowan Atkinson shows once again why he is widely considered to be one of the top living comics. In lesser hands this film would not have been worth the price of admission. It took me back to the glory days of Peter Sellers and the inimitable Inspector Clouseau. Atkinson is also supported by a strong supporting cast including Gillian Anderson and the very lovely Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day). I can actually remember some James Bond films that I didn't find as entertaining as this movie is. I don't know why it took eight years to get this sequel. I would not mind another outing for Johnny English if it is as much fun as this one. Be sure to watch the end credits for one last scene!!

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This movie is a well written, action packed, dimwitted flick with the characteristic Johnny English intelligence (literally.) His adventures and misadventures alike will leave you chuckling throughout the whole movie. But beware, you have to like the persona of Johnny English if you want to enjoy this movie, otherwise you will just think it is stupid.

Read Best Reviews of Johnny English Reborn (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2011) Here

Just finished watching Rowan Atkinson's (aka Mr. Bean) new movie "JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN"

I must say that this movie is FUNNY AS HELL !!! Best Movie he's done yet and the FUNNIEST Movie to come out in the past few years!!!!

This is for ALL Mr. Bean fans, or for someone who wants a good laugh!!

Oh, and don't forget to watch the ending credits as there is a "Special" Scene that is just Genius!!

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I thought this movie was hilarious.. it had me laughing so hard! If you liked the first movie, you'll love this one!

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Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)

Love Robin Hood? Well, Mel Brooks has made fun of this timeless story in one of the "best ideas since pay toilets." This excellent and witty film has continued Mel Brooks' legacy of wacky, outrageous films such as Blazzing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs and History of the World Part I.

Cary Elwes probably described his own performance best: "Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent!" Cary Elwes brought comedic timing and a wacky calmness to literature's most heroic and stern characters.

Other great performances included Richard Lewis as Prince John who is constantly annoyed by the noise in his castle and his outstanding mobile mole. David Chappelle brings soul to the cast in a midevil attitude sort of way with impersonations of Malcolm X and famous lines such as "awww, white men can't jump!" Roger Rees also brings a wacky interpritation to one of history's greatest villains. Mark Blankfield brings and incredibly funny wacky blindman to life with excellent delivery and fast punchlines. Also, watch out for Little John, "but don't let the name fool you, in real life, he's real big!" played by Eric Kramer. Some other noticible performances were given by Amy Yasbeck, Megan Cavanagh, and Matthew Porretta.

Watch out for many famous stars making brief appearances such as Isaac Hayes, Tracey Ullman, Patrick Stewart, Dom DeLuise, Dick Van Patten, and of course, Mel Brooks.

You'll want to watch this hillarious movie over and over again to catch some of the faster jokes and to pick up on some of the older ones. I have seen this movie many times and I still repeat lines from it on almost a daily basis.

As Mel Brooks would say this movie is "the best thing to come since pay toilets!"

When Mel Brooks is "on," nobody is funnier. "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" is another side-splitting parody from the director, and like his other hits, it has some moments that have me falling out of the chair no matter how many times I see them.

The plot loosely (very, very loosely) follows the Robin Hood saga of yore. Robin, looking a lot like Errol Flynn, is surrounded by his Merry Men. They're merry, alright--they do a singing, dancing number entitled "Men in Tights" after trying to hike up said garments in "Ye Olde Privy."

Robin is lured into a nefarious archery contest concocted by the evil Prince John, with the help of Don Giovanni. This particular "Don" is played to the hilt by Dom DeLuise, doing a perfect imitation of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone. This is one of the aforementioned scenes that has me unable to sit in the chair! It is literally a show-stopper; so funny that it's hard to hear the lines.

When Maid Marion hears of the plot, she rides into the forest to warn her beau--accompanied by her massive Brunhilde of a chaperone (the aside to the audience by the chaperone's horse is another can't-miss piece of hilarity). Robin can't resist showing off his archery talents, however, and rides off to the tournament, knowing he is marked for death.

Need I say it--everything turns out great in the end. Except for the viewer, who has had a heart attack from laughing too hard! This is a must to add to your collection. Another Mel Brooks classic.

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My big question is why we can't find this movie in the States? I figure this movie has enough of a following to warrant putting it out on an acceptable medium opposed to VHS. I really just hope they wise up and put this one out for all of us to enjoy.

Read Best Reviews of Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) Here

"Oh look. It's Cary Elwes."

That was my line to my sister at the video store as she tried to choose between two films. We ended up with this one, and I have to say I could not stop laughing.

Although a sense of humor is appreciated with me, this was the first movie since I can't remember when that I couldn't stop laughing after I started. Usually I can stop when the first joke is over and begin again at the second, but I couldn't hold it back this time. This event took place during the Men in Tights song.

This wasbrace yourselfMY FIRST MEL BROOKS MOVIE. I'm pretty sure it was the first. I must have watched it 6 times in my five day rental period, and I am now addicted to it and Mel Brooks (doesn't that Matthew Broderick/ Nathan Lane version of The Producers look fantastic??). That's pretty good for the movie, considering I only recommended it because the last movie I saw before it was The Princess Bride and I wanted more Cary Elwes.

Rent this movie. It will hit your sense of humor every time.

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151 reviews (152 now) that give it an average of 4.5 stars...people BEGGING for this to be on DVD for years. Region free bootlegs selling on Ebay for $60+ (yipes), heck they didn't even try to capitalize on the fact it's one of Dave Chapelles first performances when he was REALLY being pushed. They've teased a release date several times (unfortunately they teased that it was being released in 1969 LOL) What more do we have to do to say that we want this movie before the studios finally release it? I hate that I can't get the movies I REALLY want to own (Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Mel Brooks' To Be Or Not To Be...heck I'd even like Madhouse,..reminds me of a very scary and unfortunately similar family experience) Meanwhile I can get absolute garbage-a-plenty. You couldn't pay me to take home The Simple Life or any number of Pauly Shore movies....but they're all available in quantity while movies I really want make me want to resort to bootlegs just to own them.

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The Counterfeiters (+ BD Live) (2008)

Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters) deserves its Oscar as the Best Foreign Film of 2007. Based on a true story and singed with horrifying details of the Nazi treatment of 'detainees' (primarily Jews) during WW II, the inner story of this film is one of resilience and survival against near impossible odds and how one man turned his criminal gifts into a system so impressive that he served as a 'provider' of funds to the financially depleted Third Reich war effort. The story is in itself fascinating enough to hold our interest for the duration of the film, but it is the incredibly ingenious and wily character of Salomon 'Sally' Sorowitsch that burns a space in our minds of how one man survived the concentration camps and in his own way helped fellow Jews to likewise survive the Holocaust.

Salomon 'Sally' Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) is a brilliant counterfeiter, a Russian Jew so gifted in his ability to forge documents such as passports that he is able to live the 'good life' money, women, gambling, etc. until he is arrested by the Nazis and placed in a detention camp Sachsenhausen north of Berlin. His facile mind sees his possible extermination and leads him to make a deal with the Nazis to spare his life (and the lives of his elected doomed accomplices) in return for making counterfeit money (British pounds) so desperately needed to fill the coffers of the dwindling Nazi resources. He and his confreres are afforded comfortable living space, good foods, and other amenities in a special sector of the concentration camp, a place where they can spend their time turning out volumes of money for the Nazis. In this way many of these 'selected' men manage to stay alive until the war is over, but the 'hero' character of Sally Sorowitsch remains an enigma of sorts: his cunning ideas are basically self centered and his focus remains on his own survival and ultimate gratification of yet another successful counterfeit business. In other words, his story leaves a feeling of uneasiness with the viewer is this a survivor to admire or is this a 'player' whose sense of compassion is marred by his own selfish goals? The viewer is left to decide.

Though Karl Markovics is very strong in the leading role, the supporting cast of some of Germany's finest actors brings a depth of humanity and perception to the major issue the film addresses both death and survival in the onerous concentration camps of the Nazis. Director/screenwriter Stefan Ruzowitzky deserves kudos for the manner in which he shows both sides of the seminal situation. His cinematographer Benedict Neuenfels manages to capture the lurid light of the confined men and makes the intolerable almost tolerable to watch: the haunting musical score by Marius Ruhland completes the atmosphere. This is a powerful movie on every level, but it is a very disturbing film in many ways. It will make the viewer think and that is most definitely a strong point of this film. In German with English subtitles. Grady Harp, August 08

The New Germany and Austria by extension have been in the process, these past several years, of divesting themselves of National Guilt in regards to the atrocities of World War 2: "Sophie Scholl," "Downfall" and also the superb "Lives of Others" (though set in post WWII East Berlin, it reeks of submission and totalitarianism) speak to the redemptive qualities of confession and penance.

And now we have "The Counterfeiters," the story of Solomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics), a Russian-born Jew who spends his life forging documents thereby attaining the reputation of a master counterfeiter. Ultimately he is arrested and sent to a Camp at which he is given the assignment of forging the British Pound note for The Third Reich. This is 1945 and the disastrous German War effort is in dire need of cash to carry on its war effort.

"Counterfeiters" is all about survival and to what means we, as human beings will do to comply in order to live: anything pretty much sums it up and anything pretty much is the reality of our collective desire to live despite the cicumstances.

Director Stefan Ruzowitzky is walking a slippery slope here as the counterfeiting was done in the Nazi concentration camp at Sachsenhausen and the technicians involved were almost all Jews, "The Counterfeiters" raises some provocative moral dilemmas.

Also, the Sorowitsch of Markovics is no paragon of honor. Instead he is a squirrelly, only thinking for himself, con man. He's happy to do what the Nazi's ask of him in order to get the perks of his "exalted position" in Sachsenhausen: clean clothes, good food, soft bedding, and weekly hot showers. "The Counterfeiters" begins with a post war sequence of Sorowitsch spending thousands of counterfeit British Pounds in Monte Carlo: gambling, grooming himself, dining, dating...basically enjoying the fruits of his labors and those of his fellow counterfeiters.

Sorowitsch is one who feels that: "Only by surviving can we defeat them."

"The Counterfeiters" is a difficult film to like but ultimately it speaks to something in all of us: the drive, the desperate need to survive despite the circumstances in which we might find ourselves. Sorowitsch is flawed, a nasty piece of work actually but he's intelligent, crafty and grudgingly and ultimately deserving of our respect.

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Oscar-winning (Best Foreign Language Film) "The Counterfeiters" is inspired by true events during World War II. Some of the main characters of the Austrian/German film are based on real persons and one of them Adolf Burger, a Slovak typographer, wrote a memoir "The Devil's Workshop" which became the basis of the film. Burger's book is about "Operation Bernhard," Nazi's secret plans of forging English and American currency. Against the background of one of the largest counterfeiting schemes in history, Director Stefan Ruzowitzky (best known for his medical suspense "Anatomy" starring Franka Potente) has successfully created a tense thriller with powerful moments.

The film centers on Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics), forger of documents. After being arrested in pre-war Berlin, a Russian Jew Solomon Sorowitsch is sent to a concentration camp. We discover though Salomon is not a heroic figure, he is clever. He learns to survive the horrible conditions of life there by drawing portraits of Nazi officers.

But more drastic change awaits him when he is later put in charge of one secret mission conducted by Nazis code-named "Operation Bernhard" Salomon and other inmates (mostly Jewish prisoners) are confined in an inner section at Sachsenhausen concentration camp and are ordered to forge British bank notes.

One thing is certain. They must succeed. They also know Nazi officers would not wait long. But to succeed means to prolong the war and some of the fellow counterfeiters are aware of that too. This is where Adolf Burger (brilliant August Diehl) steps in, insisting on sabotage even though the delay could mean their death.

"The Counterfeiters" is not only a gripping thriller; it also poses some questions about what we would and should do in most extreme situation. I only add that in his interview Adolf Burger said (he visited Japan in November 2007) that the episodes about the inmates playing ping pong and singing songs before the Nazi officers are both true.

Perhaps this moral dilemma of Salomon represented by Salomon and Adolf could have been explored more. Some scenes of the film are obviously the results of fictionalizing process on the side of filmmakers who wanted more dramatic moments. The film is certainly flawed, but, supported by unanimously great acting (Karl Markovics as Salomon Sorowitsch is stunning), "The Counterfeiters" is a gripping and fascinating thriller and drama.

Read Best Reviews of The Counterfeiters (+ BD Live) (2008) Here

This 2007 Austrian film won an Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film of the year. I can well understand why. Startling, somber and disturbingly haunting, it is based on the true story of a Jewish criminal counterfeiter who was imprisoned by the Nazis. The film is brilliantly directed by Stefan Ruzowitz, who manages to humanize both the prisoners and the Nazis.

Karl Markovics is cast as Salomon Sorowich. We first meet him after the war, visiting an upscale Monte Carlo casino with a briefcase full of American money. There is then a flashback to 1936, when we see him as a successful counterfeiter who, for a fee, specializes in providing foreign passports for those who are trying to get out of Germany. He is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. He manages to survive in awful conditions by drawing flattering portraits of the concentration camp guards. He is so good at it that he is provided with the materials to do portraits of the guards and their families.

This privileged status in the camps comes to an end, however, when he is taken to another concentration camp where he and a select group of prisoners, which includes printers and graphic artists, are forced to produce counterfeit English pounds and American dollars for the Nazis. Here, they are given privileges unknown to other inmates. Their food is good, they sleep on beds with sheets and blankets, and their work conditions mirror those of a real print shop in the outside world. Salomon Sorowich thrives in this atmosphere. However, Aldoph Berger, played by August Diehl, another prisoner who believes in Communist ideals, accuses Sorowich of "selling his soul" and does everything in his power to sabotage the effort. Somehow, the English pound is produced, but the counterfeiting of the American dollar project lags behind. The prisoners all want to stay alive and would like to kill the Communist because no matter how luxurious their treatment, they all know they can be shot at any time. How this all plays out is stuff that high drama is made of. It kept be on the edge of my seat the whole time.

I did some research on this film which was adapted from a memoir of the Communist who, after the war, suffered periods of depression and later committed suicide. Salomon Sorowich, however, escaped to Argentina where he continued his counterfeiting lifestyle by forging works of art.

This is not a film for everyone. It is sad and disturbing. But I do highly recommend it because it is a fine film with great acting, a well-paced storyline, and an extremely thought provoking theme.

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"The Counterfeiters" is a deliberately-paced, affecting personal drama about how thorny ethical dilemmas are in real life, and won a deserved Best Foreign Language Film award at the Oscars in 2008. The main character is Salomon Sorowitsch, a Russian Jew who is arrested for counterfeiting in 1939 and sent to a concentration camp. His artistic skill is quickly picked up, however, and he is eventually used in a counterfeiting operation known as Operation Bernhard, a plan to de-stabilize the British economy by flooding it with counterfeit currency. Since Sorowitsch is such a master at counterfeiting, he is able to pull off a perfect re-production of Bank of England notes that pass the inspection of even the highest inspectors. So the SS now turn their counterfeiting operation to the Dollar. Another inmate involved in the counterfeiting operation, Adolf Burger, realizes that they are effectively financing the Nazi war effort, and believes that a massive printing of counterfeit dollars could make a serious difference in the war. Burger begins destroying the negatives, and wants Sorowitsch to sabatoge the whole operation. This puts Sorowitsch in a dilemmaif the Nazis find out about the sabatoge, then all the counterfeiting inmates, who enjoy a comparatively privileged and comfortable life, will be sent to the death camps. If they continue with the operation, they will help the Nazis.

Which is more importantensuring your own survival, or fighting for a just cause at the possible cost of your life? "The Counterfeiters" shows that such a dilemma is very difficult to resolve in one's day-to-day struggles, especially when great duress and oppression is present. The moral complexity of the movie is stunning. Whether the counterfeiters delaying tactics were what led to the Nazis' downfall or not, they did a very brave thing, and this movie does a great service in bringing their story to the public.

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Kandahar Break (2010)

This is a captivating movie offering some insight in the Taliban-ruled Afghan society and containing fascinating views on the Afghan landscape. The hero who tries to abduct his love from a sinister place is certainly an old literary pattern, but it still works.

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Meant to Be (2012)

Someone gave the movie one star and suggested that it was "not a real movie because it was religious propaganda." EVERY movie has a message this just happens to be a message THEY did not like. There are PLENTY of movies out there that propagate anti-Christian values. Are people not allowed to exercise their free speech and moral values if they believe strongly AGAINST abortion? I think this was a good balance of being pro-life AND being forgiving toward those who made the choice to abort and are now traveling a road much harder than most of us can fathom. They need our love and forgiveness. It was well written and fabulously acted. One thing I did NOT like was the overuse of background music but would still highly recommend this movie.

Many people may have different opinions on this movie. Personally, I could identify with it to a T. Many can blow off that you have a choice. But when it comes down to it, you will live with the regret, heartbreak, guilt, and always wonder, what if?

I was surprized when I began to realize what the true meaning was behind the movie and it's characters. I had lived with the knowing God and my child forgave me, but found it much harder to forgive myself. Abortion is not something to take lightly. There is a heart beat & you make that decision to stop it from beating! Plain & simple! Maybe some people should consider the fact, "What if your mother aborted you"? You would have had no say in your own life. Thank you for this movie! I miss my daughter!

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Since somebody gave it a one star review without seeing it, I'm going to review the trailer, which was awesome. I can't wait to see the movie.

Read Best Reviews of Meant to Be (2012) Here

This is a touching but sad fantasy about a young man on a quest to find his birth mother. The story captures the imagination of the viewer and introduces occasional mysterious touches which are explained at the end of the film.

It has a powerful message which will likely polarize those who watch; some will heartily agree while others will strongly disagree on the validity of the message.

One might say the film is a celebration of life; all life, regardless of status has a value and a place and deserves an opportunity to express the potential contained in that life. While the film may leave some questions unanswered, it does address the major premise of the film with clarity; life deserves a chance.

The acting is generally effective and convincing and developed in me a concern for the characters; I felt involved in their hopes and fears and sympathetic to their situations.

This is not light entertainment but worthwhile viewing if one loves life.

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I must say I was truly surprised with this story, not once did I sense where this movie was going. Get it and watch it you won't be sorry.

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