Basic Instinct (Unrated Director's Cut) (1992)

Basic Instinct is certainly a film that has not only aged well with time, it makes you wish they could still make a sexy erotic thriller this good today. With so much political correctness going on these days, a film like Basic Instinct would never be made quite the same way, had it been made today. Attacked while it was being filmed for it's quote "negative depictions of the Gay community" as well as a so called "date rape" scene, the film became controversial practically the day it became green lit.

Sharon Stone became an overnight sensation portraying the rich, seductive & powerful Catherine Tramell, a role that seemed tailor made for the actress. But in fact director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Starship Troopers) had to fight hard to prove to both Carolco Pictures and actor Michael Douglas that she was in fact the only person suited for the role. Having worked with Stone on his last picture, Total Recall (1990), Verhoeven knew that Stone had something special to give to the part and he finally got that message through to all those mentioned. I'd go so far to say that with the exception of her Oscar nominated performance in Martin Scorsese's Casino, Catherine Tramell is still Sharon Stone's best performance.

So what's the big deal between the R-rated & Unrated versions of Basic Instinct? Basically a little more violence and a little more sex. There's more stabs with the ice pick in the Unrated version (about 3 or 4), more shots of the victim actually being stabbed (courtesy of a man made puppet designed by Rob Bottin) and that's about it for the violence. The added sex has mainly to do with the first encounter between Michael Douglas's Nick Curran, and Sharon Stone's Catherine Tramell. The added scenes are hot & very well done, but overall, the result is still the same. The only other difference is the Unrated version includes an audio commentary with director Paul Verhoeven and director of photography Jan De Bont. This commentary is not available on the R-rated version. But both versions do include the 2nd commentary by Feminist critic, Camille Paglia, who praises the film as one of her all time favorite movies. Her commentary is quite informative and really gave me a lot of insight into the film that I never noticed before. Those of you who own the Special Edition Laserdisc that came out a few years back should be urged not to get rid of it. It's special features are quite different from those on these DVD versions. Even the Paul Verhoevan Commentary is different from the one on the DVD. Plus the DVD doesn't give you the option of viewing the final shot of the film with the alternate scoring conducted by Jerry Goldmith, although it is shown during the making of documentary. Still worth keeping.

I personally love how much the movie feels like an Alfred Hitchcock film. The dress Sharon wheres for the interrogation scene is very similar to the one Kim Novak wore in Vertigo. There are many references to Vertigo in the film, as well as The Birds, North By Northwest, Rear Window and a few others. This adds a lot of class to the picture that only enhances its creativeness. It may be a long time before another picture comes close to matching it.

Basic Instinct..destined to become a classic!

"I hate rugrats". Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell

Basic Instinct is a guilty pleasure. I love this film, and have had the Unrated Director's Cut on VHS for many years. I bought the so-called Collector's Edition (included the ice pick pen) a while back and returned it because it missed quite a bit of footage. Recently, I tried again---and this time it was ice pick bingo! (Who needs the pen, anyway?) The Unrated Director's Cut is listed on Amazon as an unrated special edition (Special Edition Unrated) which "contains scenes the director was forced to cut." There is no image available. You can identify the DVD as Artisan's release, ASIN B00005N919. Make no mistake, THIS IS THE VERSION TO BUY. I also highly recommend the soundtrack on compact disc. Jerry Goldsmith's music is haunting, and one of the best scores ever composed for film.

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I will dispense with the standard plot synopsis and, for the most part, a review of this movie. 14 years later, most of us looking at a special edition "Basic Instinct" DVD already like it enough to at least show interest in possibly buying this. My question was, is it worth it to replace my old "Basic Instinct" DVD with a new one?

By my count this is the 4th DVD transfer of this film (there was a bare-bones DVD of the theatrical release, then a special edition with extras, then the unrated directors cut special edition with the same extras (that one had the dumb "ice pick box," but was eventually, and is now, available in a standard box whose cover art looks just like all the other releases (including the original VHS release): All white box, torso-and-up shot of Stone and Douglas whith her clawing his back), and now this one that still retains that same image of the stars, but now it is inside the lettering of the title).

I mention this for two reasons.

The first may not matter much to amazon and other on-line shoppers, but here's what happened to me while walking around Best Buy today: I already owned the "bare-bones" version (I picked it up for 5 bucks brand new at least 5 years ago, so this has never been a movie one needed to drop a lot on to own), but I wanted the unrated director's cut I saw advertised in the Best Buy weekend circular. I picked it up off the shelf and saw there was the older '02 special edition release right next to it for $5.99. I was not crazy about spending $15 (not that that is a terrible price, mind you) on a movie I already owned so I decided to go with the '02 version (I'll get to the comparison between the two in a moment that is reason #2). I got home and found out it was the special edition alright, but it was the original theatrical version. It had extras and such, but the point of replacing the thing in the first place was to get the director's cut. So I went back to Best Buy and, sure enough, because the boxes look the same except for a tiny-worded "director's cut" in the bottom corner, I grabbed the wrong one. The director's cut was there and it to was also only $5.99 (and because of some additional sale I was unaware of it rang up as something like $4.40). So BE CAREFULl WHEN SELECTING A VERSION OF THE FILM. The ice-pick box, dumb as it looked on the DVD shelf, seems to be gone so there is no easy way to tell all these apart. You gotta do a little reading. "Special Edition" doesn't automaticly mean "director's cut." (Especially for a DVD that has had as many similar and similar looking releases as this one.)

That's my first point. The second is to inform you that, in comparing this new version "special edition director's cut" with the $5 version I got, the only difference, besides the newly arranged cover art, is that there is an interview and an introduction by Sharon Stone. That's it. Other than that, it has the same bonuses, commentaries, etc. And that is said if that even matters to you in the first place. If you just want the movie, there is no reason to opt for this new, more expensice release; or if you already have the director's cut, replace it with this one unless you really want to hear from Sharon Stone (that's her now, mind you, not 1992 I'm just sayin'...)

So why was this made then? "Basic Instinct 2" hits theatres in a few weeks. I'll reserve judgment on that move until I see it, but I can judge this as a cash grab. I'm not angry though. "Basic Instinct" is hardly the first film to pull this stunt and I almost wish that some of the movies I really loved had just one "special edition" or update from its first DVD incarnation, not to mention 4 or more. I would just hope there would be something that sets them apart from the previous version.

That's not the case here.

* One quick observation I could not resisit mentioning: It is ironic that a movie as notorious for its graphic sex and violence as "Basic Instinct" that the Amazon info lists its rating as simply "Unrated for drug use and laguage." :)

Read Best Reviews of Basic Instinct (Unrated Director's Cut) (1992) Here

Forget the rated version of BASIC INSTINCT. It's white-washed and missing graphic scenes of sex and violence that make the movie what it is. Sharon Stone plays the devil ... yes, Paul Verhoven admits that she is the the devil incarnate as a blonde ice-pick weilding bisexual psychotic who tempts and outsmarts every single person in the cast! Priceless here in DVD land is Camille Paglia's radical feminist take on the movie. She's fast and funny describing BASIC INSTINCT as a movie where women take back their sexual power! Come inside and check out the steamiest erotic thriller ever! Political correctness means it could never be made today. Trashy, yes! But also very well done and stylish. Sharon Stone became a star, and Michael Douglas never quite recovered. See why!

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I doubt that Artisan even bothered to remaster this DVD release -it looks like it was either 1) taken directly from the Laserdisc master or (and most likely) 2) taken from a general release print (not the original print) of the movie. What a shame -Artisan usually produces some great DVD packages, but not this time. Save your . . . money. . . and wait until a better DVD transfer hits the shelves...

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John Steinbeck's The Wayward Bus (1957)

I was concerned that because the release was limited to 3000 copies that the quality of the copy might be poor. The quality of the was excellent. The movie is very good.

Definitely loosely based on the Steinbeck novel but a great film nonetheless.... Mansfield and Collins are terrific hanging around with a cast of great B-movie character actors who hold the whole thing together. The fact that the little bus is named Sweetheart is enough to give the film a "Steinbeck" feel and the b/w 'scope picture is fantastic while the audio works very well on this blu-ray. The overall story is a little thin, but it all works out in the end.... I was surprised that the bus even survived the extra excitement the was thrown in to fill in some of the rough spots in the script, but all in all a great film which should be more known than it is....

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Based on John Steinbeck's novel of the same name, THE WAYWARD BUS (20th Century Fox, 1957) is one of those worthwhile films that gets unjustly overlooked because of its modest production. It's also relatively unknown today because it rarely gets played, even on stations like TCM. This is a shame, as it really is a fine film with an intimate, character driven story, excellent direction, vivid performances and great black and white cinematography. It's also a fitting showcase for the underrated acting talents of the era's other famous blonde bombshell, Jayne Mansfield.

The film is quite faithful to Steinbeck's novel about a group of travelers on a bus trip from the remote California town of Rebel Corners to San Juan, and the various perils and personal conflicts they encounter along the way. Although it was directed by the virtually inexperienced Victor Vicas, THE WAYWARD BUS looks like it was helmed by a pro who really knows his craft. The composition of people and objects within the frame shows a deft handling of Cinemascope's wide aspect ratio. Despite the low budget, scenes involving a rockslide, a raging storm and a hazardous bridge crossing that combines miniatures, process photography and live action are neatly pulled off.

What keeps the movie riding along is the offbeat, human drama played out by all the characters. Joan Collins, Jayne Mansfield and Dan Dailey share billing above the title, and they deliver solid performances that rank among their very best. The put upon bus driver is well played by newcomer Rick Jason in a role originally intended for Marlon Brando. Collins is Jason's alcoholic wife and owner of a roadside diner, Mansfield is a stripper trying to keep a low profile about what she does for a living, and Dailey is a fast working salesman who is on the make for her. The other passengers include an elderly couple with a nympho daughter, two lovestruck teenagers and a cranky, back-seat driving old man. The film manages to effectively depict themes of moral hypocrisy and the deception of mere appearance all within a tight, 89 minute running time.

I've been wanting to see this elusive movie for years, especially since I heard how good Jayne Mansfield is in it. As a Mansfield collector, when I saw THE WAYWARD BUS was available on Blu-ray I didn't hesitate in purchasing it. I'm happy to say that it was a choice I don't regret. Twilight Time's release is absolutely stunning. The transfer is nothing short of flawless; details jump out with amazing clarity, blacks are deep, whites are vibrant, with creamy grays in between. This is the way to present black and white in HD. The disc is a bit pricey but definitely worth it. Special features include an isolated music track, audio commentary by film historians Alain Silver and James Ursini, the original theatrical trailer and an illustrated booklet with liner notes by Julie Kirgo.

For Mansfield fans, this release of THE WAYWARD BUS is a must own, hands down. For others interested in film adaptations of Steinbeck's work, you won't be disappointed. I would encourage quality conscious collectors to pay attention to Twilight Time they put out an exceptional product.

Highly recommended.

Read Best Reviews of John Steinbeck's The Wayward Bus (1957) Here

I am sorry but I cannot see the movie... The Blue Ray does not run... Never mind...I am looking for a solution.

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The Tin Drum (Criterion Collection) (1979)

I read the book two weeks ago and have just viewed the Criterion Collection DVD. I found the book to be complex, rich, insightful, puzzling, and surreal. I loved it. This film comes as close as any film could to the spirit of the novel and still be under 3 hours long.

Oskar is born to three parents who, like the Gdansk they live in, represent 3 ethnic groups: Pole, Kashubian, and German. He is fully conscious at birth and is presented with two paths for his life one as a shopkeeper and one as a musician. While the people of 1930's Gdansk/Danzig feel forced to choose ethnic sides and mundane occupations, Oskar rejects the "stupid" adult world. He stops growing and learns to assert some control over adults through his drumming and vocal talents.

One of my favorite sections of the book is when he musically subverts a large Nazi rally. Not only was this well done in the movie but was worked into a bonus feature that had Grass reading the book chapter while we watch the corresponding section of the film. The words of the spoken German as well as the subtitled English translation have a lot of power and poetry this feature is a very rare treat.

You also experience in the film something Schl?ndorff confirms in interviews: it is hard to imagine this film existing without David Bennent. His voice and eyes carry so much of this film. The short interview feature with Bennent is delightful.

I thought the bonus feature on the Oklahoma censorship was interesting and somewhat balanced in that it portrayed the zealousness on both sides. However, I would have preferred to see more of Grass or material on the creative efforts of the film.

On a more serious note, I find Oskar's indictment of society very compelling. Something about the way the film brings themes to life (more than the book) makes 1939 Germany frightenly parallel to the US of 2004. In Oskar's world, the people in power make false claims in order to invade other countries, human rights abuses increase and all objections are shouted away with "patriotic" speeches and political rallys. For the most part people remain ignorant or apathetic to the suffering their government officials are causing. (Perhaps we need a few Oskars drumming at the democratic and republican conventions this summer.)

The film stands very well on its own but I would encourage people to read the book first. The book is more complex, covers more years of Oskar's life and it develops some important ideas that are not at first obvious in the film. For example, as Oskar ages he still looks 3 years old and he consciously exploits this by manipulating the adults around him by behaving more childish than he really is. There is also an interesting theme in the book related to Rasputin and Goethe.

It is also worthwhile to do a little browsing on the web for historical material related to Gdansk/Danzig, Kashubia and the large population resettlements after wars in this area. The excellent bonus features also explore the themes of the film and add a lot of value.

Schlondorff brought a superb cast together to tell the story of Oskar, who ceases to grow beyond his three year old size; a symbolic representation of Germany in the twentieth century. Oskar's mother is courted by a German and a Pole. Gunther Grass's allegorical solution to the wrenching of national borders and ethnic shuffling brought about by World War I is to show the mother, unable to choose between her lovers, choosing them both. One becomes the father of Oskar. Which one? Does it matter? Thus Oskar arrives amidst the confusion of the twenties, only to witness the degradation of the homeland by revolution, runaway inflation and finally, the steady growth of National Socialism through the thirties. Oskar mirrors the turmoil of Germany's struggle of the twentieth century, unable to free itself from its own dream of Teutonic superiority, unable to find peace in the national soul. View this work with an eye to the inadequacies of your own country and begin to see Gunter Grass's dilemma with his.

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This movie was fantastic. I read the book first and loved every word of it. The only reason the book is better than the movie is because, sad to say, is that the movie was only half the book. When I first got the movie and watched it, I couldnt wait until the pivetal point in the movie where the main character drastically changes, but when that part came it was the end of the movie. This would have been a GREAT GREAT movie classic if the director made a longer more fuller version or a second film that ended the full story of the book. But I must say the actor who played Oscar, the main character, was exactly as I envisioned. I highly recommend you buy the book first and then the movie, but both are a MUST to anyone who likes a bit of the strange.

Read Best Reviews of The Tin Drum (Criterion Collection) (1979) Here

The Tin Drum is based on Gunther Grass's Nobel winning novel. The whole setting revolves around the most tumultous period in recent German history, spanning from the late 19th century till the end of the second World War, Germany had seen boundaries and name drawn and redrawn numerous times. Not to mention the various follies of wars that had ravaged the country. Oskar, the perpetual 3 year old kid, who refused to grow after observing the immorality that adulthood has to offer. Oskar represented the conscience of the ordinary German of that era. Being impassive, and at the same time bitter and vulnerable and again embittered (especially after the armistice treaty), Oskar presented a whole range of emotions that reflects the public mood of that period.

The DVD presents a beautiful transfer and a Dolby Digital 5:1 audio track. It also comes with an enlightening audio commentary by the director and co-writer, even though at times the commentary may seem bland and screen specific. Nevertheless, it's insightful in the discussion of the production of the film. Another noteworthy extra feature in the 2nd disc is the documentary "Banned in Oklahoma", which chronicled the banning of the film in that state and its ensuing consequences to the country's values of freedom and liberty.

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5 stars to the film and 4 1/2 stars to the DVD transfer! Kino Video did a superb job in producing the DVD version (not perfect but way, way better than most transfers). The DVD is a must have for film buffs. This stunning film is about the family of Oskar in Danzig (Poland/Germany) during the time Nazism was creeping its way through Europe and is seen through the eyes of Oskar, a boy who refuses to grow at the age of 3 and does so by throwing himself off the stairs. Unlike Peter Pan, Oskar does this in protest of the inevitable Third Reich. Beautifully shot in the same location with a haunting musical score by Maurice Jarre and a brilliant performance by David Bennent as Oskar. The story is bizarre enough to keep you glued to your seat and at the same time mesmerizes image after image. A great extra is an audio commentary by Volker Schlondorff, the film's director. One of the best films of its decade rivalling Fellini's Amarcord and Szabo's Mephisto.

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Spy Next Door, The (2010) (2010)

This movie was pretty funny, the kids were cute, and the overarching themes of telling the truth and protecting your loved ones are great points of discussion with children. For those that love Jackie Chan movies, you might be a little disappointed that there is not as much action in this movie and some of the stunts are obviously on wires. But it is a movie for kids/families, so the level and excitement of the stunts seemed appropriate to me. A few things I would want to be aware of as a parent before watching the movie with my child: 1)the female villain often shows a lot of cleavage 2)The 13 year old daughter seems to get away with being very disrespectful to the mom (though it is kind of explained a little later in the movie) 3)there is a little profanity 4)a college age young man hits on the 13 year old daughter (though Jackie doesn't let him get away with it) 5)the young boy in the movie boasts about watching pornography on pay-per view 6)he is also obsessed with getting older girls to show interest in him and receives some tips from Jackie on how to accomplish it.

If you're looking for a decent, fun little movie you can watch with your family in a relatively painless fashion then you've come to the right place.

For some reason many action stars have supplemented their income by appearing in movies with kids. Maybe they are trying to widen their appeal from the hardcore action audience to the family friendly scene. Maybe they're getting too old to keep up with the pace of a full-on action movie. I don't know why they do it, but it's almost becoming mandatory for these guys to take on a kid or three as a side-kick and attempt to blend action and family fare.

And these attempts almost always stink.

This one is better. It's still "action-light" but I think it works because of the star, Jackie Chan. His character seems like a genuinely nice guy who wants to get along with the mandatory bratty kids. Chan's light presence matches up with the tone of the movie and makes it seem ....hmm...not as weird and patently unbelievable and maybe even patronizing as other movies of this kind.

Basically Jackie plays Bob Ho, a Chinese secret agent on loan to the CIA. He retires so he can marry Gillian, a divorced single mom who is looking for someone reliable. Her kids don't really cotton to Bob though, so she decides to put her relationship with Bob on hold until they're ok with her marrying Bob. Bob is saddened but resolves to win the kids and his girl friend over.

Then, luckily, hijinx ensue. One of Gillian's kids downloads some top secret stuff off Bob's computer and before you can say Boris and Natasha some evil Russians are in hot pursuit. After a variety of PG style mishaps Bob captures the bad guys and wins the day, the girl friend and the family. And like I said, it works because Jackie Chan doesn't seem shoe-horned into the role.

The action is lighter than most Chan movies but it is inventive and fun. The kids act a little more like real kids than Hollywood Central Casting pods. The youngest kid in particular seems like real 4 year old, goofy and light hearted. When she delivered the line" I don't wanna be a princess, I wanna be a cyboooorg!" I cracked up. I actually laughed more than a few times, which surprised me. As long as you realize going in that this is just very light family entertainment I think you'll be pleased

Buy Spy Next Door, The (2010) (2010) Now

Good natured Spy vs. Kids action flick is a low-cal twinkie even by family film standards. The critics liked to play rough with it; and if you feel snooty about it, better stay away. Cute is its stock in trade and there are no disappointments if expectations remain logical: PG Jackie Chan suburban domestic comedy with mild action. Wacky Russian mobsters and their dominatrix-babe leader wear leathers and generally show bad taste as the foil in the spy plot, which follows Jackie home to his family to be.

Good for kids or adults like me who need a balance from the heavy stuff.

Blu-ray makes the grade for sight and sound.

Read Best Reviews of Spy Next Door, The (2010) (2010) Here

This is one is Jackie Chan's best movie's that he has done, fun, ietertaning, full of action and a great all a round movie.

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Gillian (Amber Valletta) has next a new potential love of her life; it is her next-door neighbor, the sedate pen salesman Bob Ho (Jackie Chan). However, their relationship is doomed as Gillian's children hold a low opinion of Bob. Gillian wants her kids to be safe and happy. What about Bob? He may not be as sedate as Gillian supposes but he intends to for her kids to like him. His opportunity comes when he gets to babysit. However, it looks like his old job may complicate things.

With few exceptions, I am not a Jackie Chan fan. This movie is definitely one of the exceptions. It has over the top acting and stunts. The story is formula and predictable but this people can act and the dialog is hokey to match. You will want to kibitz.

I have only seen the Blu-ray version. Be sure to look at the few DVD extras.

Victor Victoria: 1995 Broadway Production (1995)

Let's get the tough stuff out of the way first: No, the show ain't that great. It is, in a number of significant ways, inferior to the 1982 film. The book has a number of problems, mostly on display in the first act. However, it's pretty easy to overlook most of the show's flaws, because what it gets right it gets right in spades. The cast is impeccable: Julie Andrews, Tony Roberts, Michael Nouri, Rachel York, Gregory Jbara, and everyone else give their all and then some. The show was, for the most part, well directed. The sets are stunning. The costumes are quite good. Just about every song works onstage, and most of the new material fits into the show quite well. Perhaps most importantly, this show is stunningly produced. You really feel like you're in the theater watching the show, and you see everything you need to see, when you need to see it. Whether you like or hate the show, if you like musicals, you need to get Victor/Victoria. It is, perhaps, the best video adaptation of a stage musical ever, at once flawlessly preserving the stage production, while still being a completely "television" experience.

I am thrilled that this production,Julie's first appearance on Broadway in thirty years is now to be captured forever.Filmed at the Marquis Theatre,it boasts the entire original cast,before Julie was first replaced by Liza Minnelli,then by Raquel Welch. This was a steller production and director Blake Edwards brought out all the fun and frolic of the film version all in its gaudy glory.

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***** REVISED/UPDATED REVIEW, May 2011 ******

In my original review I lamented that the sound mix on the Blu-ray is faulty and that the orchestration and audience laughter is so muffled as to be inaudible. I have to correct that: I was watching the Blu-ray with the Blu-ray player hooked to a regular TV using composite audio/video cables. Once I attached the player to a high-def TV and used an HDMI cable, everything played and sounded fine. So the sound is no longer an issue.

But there are other considerations with the Blu-ray version: The performance on this Blu-ray is a different performance than is on the DVD. Same show, different performance. The camera blocking is either different or just edited differently. And there a few quick zooms and jump cuts that look like the show was filmed live but the camera work was not edited before being committed to home video. It plays like this was a live feed (this show was taped for broadcast in Japan -did they air a live performance live on TV and just suffer with some bad camera goof-ups here and there? If so, this is that performance. The DVD version looks much more polished and professionally shot).

The same distributor that released the DVD also released this Blu-ray, but they didn't include all the bonus features from the DVD. In fact, they didn't include ANY of them. I emailed the distributor for a comment on that but got no response.

The picture quality on the Blu-ray is very good, no question. The fact that you get a different performance from the DVD is interesting and a bit confusing (It's probably a rights issue. Maybe that's why the DVD extras weren't ported over).

I'd advise you to stick to the DVD. The Blu-ray picture is great but the performance in the DVD (and the camera work on it) is better and more polished.

Read Best Reviews of Victor Victoria: 1995 Broadway Production (1995) Here

This fantastic DVD sets the standard for all Broadway DVD presentations!

Filmed at the Marquis Theatre, VICTOR/VICTORIA was filmed for Japanese television broadcast by NHK. This remarkable transfer boasts a dynamic 5.1 sound mix and a flawless picture.

Starring the entire original cast led by Julie Andrews, Tony Roberts, Michael Nouri, Rachel York, Gregory Jbara and Tara O'Brien, it is one of the most delightful musicals ever written.

This will probably be Andrews' last musical role; after completing her run and handing over the role to Liza Minnelli, she was admitted to hospital with throat problems. During the run she was frequently out with the flu or vocal problems.

Similarly, Liza Minnelli was frequently out with vocal problems relating to the show. Raquel Welch stepped in and closed with the show. VICTOR/VICTORIA ran for almost three years on Broadway.

This classic, old-fashioned musical will be a God-send to die-hard Broadway and musical theatre fans. Buy it today!

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On December 2, 1995, I was lucky enough to be in New York City and saw "Victor-Victoria" on Broadway. The excitement and anticipation of seeing Julie Andrews on Broadway was so great-I'll never forget that. We would have applauded and cheered like mad if Julie had merely appeared on stage and read from the phone book. Naturally, I was thrilled when the Broadway production was released on video. The show is excellently presented in wide-screen format. I'm still in awe of Robin Wagner's wonderful set designs-one of the production's best assets. Andrews is well supported by Tony Roberts as Toddy. Michael Nouri is super sexy as King Marchan, and Gregory Jhbara is endearingly sweet as his gay bodyguard. Rachael York is extremely funny, but, in retrospect, the best she can do in the role of Norma is give a carbon-copy of Lesley Ann Warren's inspired performance in the 1982 film. Despite what some have said, the Broadway production does flow and move well, with just as much sparkle and bounce as the 1982 film (in some cases, perhaps more). These are professional actors. They know what they're doing, and they give their very best. Let's face it: either you like Julie Andrews (with all her amazing stamina and energy; thankfully captured here before her devastating 1997 throat surgery) and "Victor-Victoria" or you don't. Not much more needs to be said. Having this video in my collection is like having my wonderful night in New York City over and over again. A real treat-if you were "there" or not.

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If.... (The Criterion Collection) (1969)

When I was in high school, we had a tradition where we'd go out and rent bad movies. Gradually, this changed to renting weird movies and eventually segued into renting GREAT movies. One of our favorite actors was Malcolm McDowell, the smirking imp we'd seen in "A Clockwork Orange" and later in "O Lucky Man!", another collaboration with the great British director Lindsay Anderson ("This Sporting Life", "In Celebration", "Britannia Hospital", and, incredibly, "The Whales of August"!) I grew particularly fond of his blend of sarcasm and vulnerability (vainly believing I possessed same; I may have been right) and as a result became quite desperate to see this rare movie, which was actually supposed to be BETTER than "O Lucky Man!" I didn't get to do so until a few weeks ago, fully nine years since I graduated high school. I was not disappointed.

As it stands, "If..." isn't only a great Malcolm McDowell film, it's also a great movie about the 60s in both Western society and more specifically Britain in its post-imperial hangover (one of the last British imperial dramas before the Falklands, the conflict in and evacuation of Aden--present-day Yemen--reached completion in 1967, probably while "If..." was filming). The title itself apparently comes from the famous Kipling poem which embodied the highest ideals of imperial Britain. College House, the school attended by Mick Travis--McDowell--and his two friends, is dominated by prefects, or "whips," seniors who control the student body in the name of the weak-willed headmasters and teachers, who represent the 60s radical view of liberal democracy. The coercive actions--cold showers, beatings--administered by the whips to Travis and his fellow rebels prefigure the punishment that would be delivered by the Chicago police, Parisian CRS, and Red Army to student demonstrators and the Czech people in May and August 1968 (in both capitalist and communist regimes the punishments are justified in the name of "society" or "the people").

Travis and his friends, the sarcastic Knightley (David Wood) and the pensive Wallace (Richard Warwick), negotiate their travails with wit and cunning and pick up allies along the way, a waitress from a local coffeeshop (Christine Noonan) and younger student Bobby Phillips (Rupert Webster). These two apparently become lovers of Travis and Wallace, respectively. Interestingly, while Anderson follows the pattern of other 60s "rebel" movies by marginalizing women, the relationship between Wallace and Phillips is sensitively and touchingly handled. This was a rare thing for the macho boys of the New Left, whose radicalism stopped at the closet door and who generally seemed to perceive homosexuality as an aberration of the ruling classes. The film eventually ends with a surreal, bloody battle on school grounds that, while it will probably make post-Columbine viewers understandably squirm, seems, in the movie's moral universe, the only possibly end to the institutionalized oppression Travis and his pals face.

Just as in "O Lucky Man!" there are hilariously surreal touches to the movie, lessening the shock of its end and underscoring the absurdity of life at College House. Fans of Anderson and McDowell won't be disappointed, and any who are interested in the intersections between film and history are definitely recommended to rent or buy this bewitching movie.

When i got out of the Navy and moved to Atlanta in 1972, there was a great hole-in-the-wall cinema (174 seats, one broken) called "The Film Forum". George and Mike Ellis served the best fresh popcorn in town, and ran movies you just didn't see anywhere else in the early 70's -I first saw "The Boys in the Band", "The Ruling Class" and "Phantom of the Paradise" at the Film Forum. I saw so many great films there that i can forgive them for running "Harold & Maude" about every fifth week...

In addition to two shows a night every evening of their regular feature for that week, they also ran a special $1 midnight movie on Fridays and Saturdays. (In later years, "Rocky Horror" became the midnight standard for a couple of years.)

And that is where i saw "...if..." for the first time.

I've been an anglophile most of my life (beginning at a rather tender age with "Swallows & Amazons"), so i had some idea of what English Public (private) School life was likely to be like, and may have understood what was happening here more quickly than some of my firends who saw it with me.

In the context of what starts out as a pretty starightforward-appearing school film, Anderson & MacDowell give us a rather Marxist allegory of modern class struggle, steadily but almost imperceptibly moving from realism to a surreal parable of revolution.

The final sequences, with the little old lady with the submachine gun blazing away screaming "Bastards! Bastards!", the school prefects organising the "good" (loyalist) students to fight the Revolution and pitched battle raging, have stayed with me ever since, even when i wouldn't see the film for years at a time.

MacDowell (in his first real feature role) gives an incredible performance that both foreshadows and (in my opinion) *over*shadows his next role, as Alex in "A Clockwork Orange". "Clockwork" was hailed, pretty much rightly, as a view of a disintegrating society tearing itself to pieces -"..if.." covers much the same ground, and does it better and more memorably in miniature than Kubrick's huge canvas and broad brush strokes.

MacDowell's Mick Travis and his friends are pretty much decent if disaffected characters; but the System, which cannot tolerate any variances, must either grind them down or drive them to rebellion -they choose the latter, and you will never think of school in the same way again after you see their gradual radicalisation and the result.

((Don't believe the stories about not having enough money to print the whole film in colour being the reason for several black&white scenes in the film -the real reason is that for the scenes shot in chapel they were not able to set up lights and had to shoot by natural light, which came in through a big stain-glass window. They tried some test shots on high-speed colour stock, but the results were hopelessly grainy and the colour values shifted constantly as the angle of the sun changed. So they decided to just go ahead and use B&W for those scenes, and, when Anderson saw how the B&W footage cntrasted with the colour, he decided to use B&W at other points to keep the audience off-balance as the film slipped from realism to surrealism.))

Buy If.... (The Criterion Collection) (1969) Now

I've been waiting for a release of If... for a long long time, and it is so good to see it will be given the deluxe treatment with Criterion. Lindsay Anderson created a landmark film which captured the talents of a young Malcolm McDowell at his best. You get the feeling that Wes Anderson took his cue from this film when he made Rushmore, but what sets If... apart is the surrealism that creeps into the movie and eventually takes it over, resulting in its wildly hallucinogenic climax. All the extras will make this anxiously awaited DVD a real treat, as hopefully we will be able to get a peek into the mind that created this film. The addition of Thursday's Children certainly makes this deluxe package worthwhile.

Read Best Reviews of If.... (The Criterion Collection) (1969) Here

"Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting, get understanding." --Proverbs IV:2

The opening quote from Lindsay Anderson's if... is what three sixth formers (one year away from being seniors) named Travis, Knightley, and Wallace strive for, in a revolutionary way. (Note: there are seven forms {grades to us Yanks} in a British school below university level).

This is also the story of Jute, the first former who's nervous in his debut at College House. It's a strange new world, but it's stifling, rigid, full of discipline, conformity, obedience, and an adherence to religion and national pride. Figures--since they lost an empire, now they turn on their own people for their mass state. Mr. Kemp, a professor, tells the first formers: "We are your new family and you must expect the rough and tumble that goes with any family life. We're all here to help each other. Help the House and you'll be helped by the House." Professors, the student whips, and the bishop are the authority figures to be reckoned with. Jute is pressured into learning the names of the seniors and pronouncing school terminology correctly--e.g. local girls are called local tarts. But this is a well-known slice of British culture, the British boarding school. The communal study areas, dining halls, rugby matches, mandatory church attendance, war games,... it's all there. Scenes in b&w at times underline the lifelessness and austerity of the school, but also serve as a moving photograph that mirrors that photos Travis collects in his dorm room.

Speaking of which, the ongoing turmoil is a backdrop in the form of LIFE magazine-style photos of Vietnam, civil strife in African countries, soldiers, predatory animals, portraits of Che Guevara and Mao Tse-tung strewn in Travis and co.'s room. Travis utters his revolutionary credo while reading from a book: "The whole world will end soon--black brittle bodies peeling to ash." "There's no such thing as a wrong war." "Violence and revolution are the purest acts." "War is the last possible creative act."

There are hazings, instructors who are bored, instructors who fondle students, but there's also a headmaster who tries to be understanding, as he does to Travis and company. He tells them that to proclaim individuality is sense of existentialism and that it's the hair rebels that step in the breach. But do society and the establishment really value the rebel, without whom there is no progress?

Various scenes spell out the positive and more refreshing emotions. Release is found in the fencing between the three rebels. The sight of blood is reality. Also, the smell of freedom is expressed when the girl whom Travis and Knightley meet at the coffee shop stands atop their stolen motorcycle, arms outstretched as if in flight, a smile of ecstasy on her face, with choir song "Sanctus" from the Missa Luba playing.

One b&w scene that made an anti-war statement was that of the nude Matron alone in the school while the boys and instructors are out on war games. She walks inside the dorm rooms, handling one of the boys' clothes. It's that maternal instinct of longing for children as well as the simplicity and beauty of her nudity in contrast to the ugliness of war. But it also denotes the contrast of the peaceful interior to the violence going on outside.

Malcolm McDowell (Travis) is wonderful in his starring debut as the leader of the "crusaders." A host of well-known British actors include Graham Crowden as the history professor, (Waiting For God series), Arthur Lowe as Mr. Kemp (Bless Me Father series), and Peter Jeffrey as the headmaster who tries to understand the three rebels.

The final scene generates a lot of debate and controversy but it's an apt denouement of what has been portrayed up to that point. An artfully executed film not to be missed.

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One of the great movies from the 60's -or any other decade. When originally viewed in that time of civil disobedience and resistance to "authority" it was riveting, provocative, and stirring. But that was then, this is now. As great as the ending was during its original release, all who saw it knew that it was still fantasy -an insightful comment on the suffocating strictures of public morality and convention. Now the fantasy has become reality. Columbine, Palestine, and 9/11 have shown us what Travis and his friends already knew -that a single bullet (or act) can change history, and that those unafraid to die are the ones to be feared the most. There was nothing inherently sinister about the boys of College House. They were the children of the establishment. Children of the privileged, unlike the borstal boys of "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner". Travis was not born to violence, he was driven there by things that should not have done so -patriotism, reasonableness, and the "consequences" of resisting authority. Who dares to draw the line between a revolutionary and a terrorist? Do you find the actions of today's ultra-radicals incomprehensible? Try examining the labyrinthine psychological journeys portrayed in this incredible film. Did Anderson realize what he had done here? Sometimes, it seems, the creation acquires insights and takes on a meaning of its own, regardless of the intent of the creator. Pogo was right.

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Cover Girl (1944)

This musical/comedy is the story about Rusty Parker (Rita Hayworth) who decides to take a chance at becoming a cover girl. But she knows that her boss and boyfriend, Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) believes that the easy way to stardom is not the way to happiness. At first, Rusty goes to audition for being the cover girl but when a jealous friend and co-worker Maurine Martin (Leslie Brooks) tells her to act 'animated', she blows her chance in front of Cornelia 'Stonewall' Jackson (Eve Arden). So when Cornelia and her boss, John Coudair (Otto Kruger), go to 'McGuire's Nightclub' to see Maurine, Coudair immediately takes a fancy to Rusty instead! The reason is because she looks exactly like Coudair's someone long ago whom he loved, Maribelle Hicks (also played by Rita Hayworth). He finds out that Rusty is Maribelle's granddaughter then makes her his cover girl and she is suddenly flung into the world of stardom and fame! But Danny and great friend Genius (Phil Silvers) try to get Rusty back on her feet when she starts getting high and mighty ideas. On the other hand, Coudair and producer Noel Wheaton (Lee Bowman) want to give Rusty all that they think is happiness; money, fame, and stardom. But could Rusty ever be happy without the one most important thing she needs, love?

A truly dynamic movie with terrific dance numbers, hilarious humor, romantic romance, and dramatic drama. Who can't help but hum along when Kelly and Hayworth sing the lovely song, "Long Ago and Far Away", laugh when the three main stars do their 'come on pearls' bit, sigh in happiness whenever Kelly and Hayworth kiss, and be in agony at the part where Hayworth realizes her mistake? If you haven't seen this movie, I can only say that you're missing out on a lot!

My favorite dance/song numbers are:

"Long Ago and Far Away": The romantic dance number with superb Kelly and Rita Hayworth.

"Who's Complaining?": Phil Silvers is just totally hilarious!

"Alter Ego": Gene Kelly is the best! Want proof? Watch this number where he dances with himself!

"Put Me to the Test": Both versions are wonderful. One is with Kelly and Hayworth, the other one is a much funnier version with Kelly and Silvers.

"Tomorrow": And who can forget this number with all three main characters Danny, Rusty, and Genius?

Here are some of my other favorite musicals/comedies which I highly recommend. "Silk Stockings", "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", "Bandwagon", "Tea for Two", "Singin' in the Rain", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "The Barkleys of Broadway", the three "That's Entertainment" videos, and "Guys and Dolls". Of course there's plenty more!

If you can get past the zany (and tiresome) antics of Phil Silvers and the corny, cliched script, there's a wonderful Technicolor musical here called "Cover Girl". Gorgeous Rita Hayworth is Rusty Parker, a nite club chorine who becomes the toast of Broadway overnite when she's chosen to be the cover girl of Vanity magazine---albeit to the chagrin of the club's owner Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) who's her boyfriend and her catty co-workers. Hayworth is absolutely beautiful and dances with the most natural grace and elegance ever captured on screen as far as I'm concerned. Gene Kelly's acting is stiff but HIS dancing is what you're watching here as well. Boy, could he dance! He has a great solo number on an empty street where he dances with his reflection from an empty store window. Absolute artistry in motion. Eve Arden, as a talent scout, brings much needed relief to the tired script with her right-on-the-money delivery of brittle comebacks and one liners. She's also outfitted in the most outre' chic costumes and hats Hollywood ever laid out. All the costumes (by the great Travis Banton) are something to behold. But it's the Technicolor that brings things to life and Hayworth who brings the Technicolor to life. In her Broadway debut, she comes running down a seemingly endless elevated platform in a flowing gold gown like a goddess descending from the heavens---her long red hair cascading behind her. Then, after a dance number with chorus guys, she runs back up the platform through a downpour of shimmering sparkles and into a cloud of pink smoke. Sheer Technicolor movie magic. "Cover Girl" isn't the best musical ever made, but as a showcase for one of the most beautiful actresses ever photographed in Technicolor and a very nice song called "Long Ago and Far Away" it gets 5 stars from me. When you watch this, you can see there was only ONE Rita Hayworth and her grace, talent and beauty are captured in splendor on this DVD print.

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Probably one of Rita Hayworth's most memorable movies. This movie has it all, and was made to showcase Hayworth's multitude of talent. There is humor, amazing well-choreographed dance sequences, and the singing, ohhh the singing! It is hard to choose what is better. Gene Kelley gave a wonder performance as always, but Rita Hayworth shines. I never realized what a phenomenal dancer she was. It is a shame that she never received the recognition she deserved.

Read Best Reviews of Cover Girl (1944) Here

This Columbia musical may be something of an artifact now, but it was designed to showcase Rita Hayworth. It does it so professionally that the movie is still a lot of fun to watch. The story is almost irrelevant to the movie. Rusty Parker (Hayworth) is a talented dancer working at a struggling dinner theater, Danny McGuire's Place, in Brooklyn. Danny (Gene Kelly) and Rusty love each other, and Danny is determined that one of these days his talents as a choreographer, dancer and showman will lead to the big time with Rusty. But Rusty gets noticed by John Coudair (Otto Kruger), a wealthy, high society publisher, and he makes Rusty the cover girl of one of his most popular magazines, Vanity. And the rest is history. Rusty becomes the hit of New York; a theater producer wants her for a show and wants to marry her. And Danny, seeing this happen, reluctantly decides he can't stand in her way. There's another story going on, too. Forty years ago Coudair had fallen hard for a showgirl, Maribelle Hicks. Despite Coudair's riches and position, Maribelle left him at the last minute to marry the poor piano player she really loved. Rusty doesn't know this story...and it turns out she was Maribelle's grand daughter. What will Rusty do? Well, watch the movie if you're in any doubt. The movie, however, is worth watching for several other reasons.

First, is the performance by Rita Hayworth. In fact, just the presence of Hayworth. She really was a beautiful creature with those long legs, red hair and a perfectly natural and friendly personality. She also was a first-rate dancer. Betty Grable once said Hayworth could dance rings around her. Many critics agree that Hayworth was the best dance partner Astaire ever had. Even when doing a fast tap routine, Hayworth could carry it off with great grace and look completely relaxed, as if she were having great fun. Check her out, for instance, in the Shorty George tap routine with Astaire from You Were Never Lovelier. She gives that same feeling of joy in dancing while working with Kelly.

Second, are the songs by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin. Long Ago and Far Away was the big hit, but the entire score is one classy song after another, including Make Way for Tomorrow, Cover Girl, Sure Thing and The Show Must Go On. Long Ago, in fact, was the biggest money earner for Gershwin, bringing in considerably more than any of the songs he wrote with his brother. He said several times that he didn't think the lyric was as good as it could have been. One of the songs, Put Me to the Test, has a lyric that Gershwin originally wrote for a song with his brother. It never went anywhere, so when he had some trouble with the idea he mentioned to Kern that he had a lyric that had already been set to music by George. He said he didn't know whether Kern would be offended, but Kern just laughed and asked to see the words.

Third, are some nice performances by the supporting players. Phil Silvers, as the best friend of both Rusty and Danny, plays comic relief and matchmaker. He does a nice job of it. Otto Kruger as usual plays a smoothie, but he has a few subtle double takes he handles skillfully. He also, of course, does the right thing by Rusty. He manages to show regret and affection. And it is always fun to see Eve Arden, once again as the sardonic, wise-cracking side kick, this time to Coudair. She was so type cast in granite that I always wonder how well she could have managed in a few really serious roles. I don't recall ever seeing her in one.

Fourth, is the glossy, professional, Technicolor sheen of the movie. Everything, the sets, the costumes, the lighting, the makeup is handled with the kind of Hollywood studio perfection that isn't seen anymore. Even when the showgirls are putting on their makeup, they're perfectly made up.

Kelly does a good job, especially with the alter ego dance he does with himself and which is often highlighted in specials about his career. But Cover Girl remains very much Rita Hayworth's movie.

The Dvd transfer is excellent; Technicolor never looked better. There are no extras.

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COVER GIRL'S importance lies not in it's originality as a book (it's the backstage Cinderella story extrordinaire), as much as it does in what happened to each of its stars. Gene Kelly was 'loaned out' to do CG, when MGM boss L.B. Mayer didn't have much use for him at his own studio. His performance in this film, coupled with the ground-breaking 'Alter Ego' dance solo (duo?) was so successful that it made MGM take him seriously at last and allowed him to flourish with the yet-to-come hits of "On The Town," "An American In Paris," etc. (he was never loaned out again). Likewise for Rita Hayworth; Columbia had been grooming her for years, but she had done mostly B-level films (except for the occasional musical). CG showed her off as a lead in glorious Technicolor, and paved the way for GILDA, her signature role. Here she and Kelly make a sweet couple, and are at their most romantic in the "Long Ago and Far Away" duet. Another standout number is the title song, which pays tribute to all the well-known American magazines and their cover models. Hayworth is a siren in a gold dress, running down a curved runway, with her flaming mane billowing. An absolute dream in Technicolor.

X-MEN FIRST CLASS (2011)

The X-Men films are kind of a huge letdown as a whole, aren't they? The first two are pretty good, but everything good they had going for them was completely destroyed once The Last Stand came to fruition. Thank you, Brett Ratner. And X-Men Origins: Wolverine just drove the franchise even further into the ground; kudos, Gavin Hood. So there probably isn't any reason to get excited over a new X-Men film even if it is a prequel to the X-Men films people actually enjoy. Why would we want to see another comic book movie with limitless potential only to drop the ball yet again? Not only does X-Men: First Class take that ball and run with it but it uses it in all the right ways and reminds you why you loved the X-Men in the first place.

The cast is way better than it has any right to be. Everyone fits their character incredibly well and works fantastically as a cohesive unit. Kevin Bacon seems like a bit of an odd choice for Sebastian Shaw at first, but any doubt you may have is washed away once you finally see him absorb energy. His role as the main villain may be significantly smaller than you may imagine, but his more than qualified acting chops make nearly every scene he's a part of memorable (nothing really tops his first scene with young Magneto though). James McAvoy does an excellent job handling Charles Xavier. He's gentle, kind, and really seems to care about helping his fellow mutants. Michael Fassbender as Magneto manages to have the strongest on-screen presence. He's intense, powerful, and emotional; the best-rounded character of the film.

It was gratifying to see McAvoy and Fassbender make the roles of Professor X and Magneto their own without completely rehashing what Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan established the first time around. That is often a problem when it comes to prequels; these younger actors wind up focusing on mimicking the older version of who they're meant to portray without putting their own spin on it. Luckily, that wasn't an issue here.

No expense was made when it comes to the special effects either; Azazel is a perfect example. By the end of the film, you still won't know anything about the character other than the fact that he can teleport like Nightcrawler and is a master swordsman. His teleporting ability is just as fun to watch as Nightcrawler's was in X2 and his fight sequences (especially the one with a particular blue mutant) are always quite engaging. Most of Magneto's scenes involve some pretty hefty CG and it's pulled off rather well. The metal fillings scene is a personal favorite along with the Argentina bar scene (pay particular attention to the slow building yet unnerving music used during that scene along with the weapon used at the table). Then there's the obvious scene of Magneto reversing the missles that's being shown in nearly every advertisement these days. Beast is probably a high point of the special effects. Nicholas Hoult portrays Hank McCoy rather flawlessly (other than one scene that I won't spoil); brainy, shy, not sure of himself, and ashamed of his mutation. Beast's transformation is one of the best scenes in the film though. It gave me flashes of An American Werewolf in London. It's a shame we didn't get to see more of him as Beast because the one good long scene we see of him is really impressive.

One of the things that make X-Men: First Class so good is that we get to see how these characters grow into the superheroes and super villains that we know and love today. And again, while the film loosely follows the comics it still manages to blossom and mature into something exceptional on its own while also planting the appropriate seeds to line up with the Bryan Singer X-Men films.

So by now you have an idea of how good the film is, but is there anything bad about it? Some characters feel really underdeveloped; Riptide, Darwin, and Angel come to mind, but the biggest disappointment is Havok. There are no connections that he's actually the brother of Cyclops and many will be upset about that. Plus his character doesn't really feel very useful in comparison to both Beast and Banshee who at least put their powers to good use on several occasions throughout the film. Other than a few minor gripes about certain characters, which could surely be rectified in future installments; there really isn't much to complain about with X-Men: First Class.

Do not let other 20th Century Fox comic book related films put you off, X-Men: First Class deserves to be held in the highest regard right next to Marvel's best. The cast is practically overflowing with talent, the storyline is both sharp and absorbing, the special effects are probably the best they've ever been in any X-Men film, and the appropriate connections are made to the best parts of the original films. X-Men: First Class should be the standard for all X-Men films from here on out. It's intelligent, engrossing, and spectacular. It's easily the best X-Men film yet.

For those of you who don't know, this edition of X-Men: First Class is not available at all stores, thus why the price is more expensive. I was fortunate enough to get this edition at Target, and they have a ton of them there, so if you live near a Target store, check there and get yourself a copy!

Anyways, for those of you who aren't aware, the normal Blu-Ray release of this film does not include a DVD copy of the film, which may be an inconvenience to some. However, this release does, as well as the Blu-Ray disc and Digital Copy Disc from the normal release. Unless you need a DVD copy of the film, you don't need to get this release. However, I think that this should have just been the original release, because it is convenient to get a DVD copy of the film. The film itself is fantastic, one of the best comic books ever made along with The Dark Knight, and it is presented in beautiful 1080P HD, with one of the best transfers released this year. The audio quality is also fantastic and will shake the walls with it's fantastic mixing and volume levels. As for the special features, they are solid if not a little underwhelming. The features on the disc are great, such as the X marks the spot viewing mode that has X's placed in specific parts of the movie to show a behind the scenes feature (kind of like on The Dark Knight release), a documentary on mutants, and some stunt work stuff. It was overall solid, but I wish there was more. Still, it is worth the price if you are an X-Men fan or enjoyed the film.

Again, I don't know why the original release didn't come with a DVD copy of the film, I think that it is somewhat ridiculous. And if you are buying this product online, don't even bother because you will most likely feel ripped off. However, if you have a Target store nearby with copies of this edition in stock, it is worth picking up. It's the same price as the other release and includes a DVD copy of the film. If, however, you don't have one near you or any copies in stock, the normal release should be just fine.

Buy X-MEN FIRST CLASS (2011) Now

What drew me to check out X-Men: First Class was not any particular love of comic books nor any particular fondness of the previous films. What drew me to this film was the presence of actor Michael Fassbender, whose increasingly eclectic work has continued to impress me more and more with each new film he appears in. I recall little about the first three X-Men films, besides that I found them enjoyable and I admit that I haven't even bothered to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I figured it was only a matter of time before Fox rebooted the X-Men series after the lackluster reception of the last two X-Men films. Bringing in director Matthew Vaughn, the director of 2010's cult hit Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class is a summer blockbuster that delivers on all fronts, while reinventing and re-energizing the series.

The film opens with the same scene that opened the first film, introducing us to Erik Lehnsherr as he's separated from his mother at a Nazi prison camp. These first scenes, particularly Erik meeting his mortal enemy Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), are surprisingly effective. Several years later, the film sets itself up against the backdrop of the 1960s Cuban Missile Crisis as Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) is recruited by CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) to assemble a team of mutants for the purpose of stopping Shaw from triggering World War III. Charles forms a partnership with the vengeful Erik (Fassbender) to help him assemble the team, which already consists of Charles' adopted sister Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), and the film leads us through the events that culminate in Charles, Erik, and Raven becoming Professor X, Magneto, and Mystique, respectively.

The story and screenplay give credit to six people total and the key to the success of this movie may be that one of those six people is Bryan Singer, the director of the first two X-Men films whose absence may have been what guided the last two films into mediocrity. His involvement, Vaughn as the director, and the changing of the time period all have significant impact on the film's success. The material seems much more at home in the 60s time period, while also helping to establish a different atmosphere and tone that separates it from the other films in the series.Vaughn emphasizes a steely, gray palette, an atmospheric visual aesthetic that gives the film a much bleaker tone than it's predecessors. He's assisted in establishing this effective atmosphere by the ominous musical score by Henry Jackman that lends to the atmosphere and builds the suspense.

There is some great talent in front of the camera. Lawrence, a recent Oscar nominee is a perfect fit for the young Mystique and Kevin Bacon gives a diabolical performance as the antagonist, but it is Michael Fassbender whom I believe will walk away from this film a star. It's sad that with so many great roles behind him in the last few years Fassbender has to play Magneto to finally get the recognition he deserves. With that said, Fassbender's performance as Magneto is fascinating to watch and brings a new level of depth to the character. His charismatic performance shows Erik as a tortured soul, but also a (forgive me for not being more eloquent, but no term I can think of is better) bada**. Furthermore, he shares remarkably strong chemistry with McAvoy and these two work well enough together to carry more films in this series.

What really elevates the material beyond it's predecessors and, for that matter, most superhero movies, is the level of drama and genuine humanity it contains. It's a complete success as a summer action film, but it's much more than that; it's a genuinely good, well-made film. In addition to that, it's almost unbearably entertaining. I found it riveting for it's entire 132-minute running time, while marveling at how it's so insanely entertaining without relying on contrived, repetitive, action sequences to guide its entertainment value. There are some negative elements; Mystique's makeup looks much cheaper than it did in previous incarnations and there is the occasional cheesy line of dialogue, but none of this was substantial enough to negatively impact my view of the film.

X-Men: First Class is exactly what it's title implies; first class. Backed by a script that is both entertaining and intelligent, guided by great direction, and brought to life by a tremendous cast, I have no reservations calling this the best X-Men film yet. It has all the things you could want from a summer blockbuster; action, adventure, intelligence, soul, Magneto exacting revenge on Nazi's, great performances, and one of the funniest cameos I've seen in a long time. It's not a masterpiece, as it sticks a little too close to the summer-film template but, be that as it may, the heart must rule the head and I have no qualms admitting that I loved it.

GRADE: A-

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From reviews I expected a pretty decent movie. Surprisingly, it was even better than I expected. I liked all 3 original movies, btw, and I really have to say this was a much better quality movie still. Good casting and acting. Good story. Great introduction to characters and tie-ins to the comic book universe. Also didn't do anything to upset the time line with the original movies, which I appreciated. It was also neat to see actors I didn't even know would be in this movie, plus a ton of good actors who are somewhat recognizable but not enough that I could tell you who they were. Some things in the story didn't fit 100% with the comics, but just pretty insignificant things, and I really didn't mind at all. For instance, it would appear that Scott Summers' brother Alex was older than him? Aah, that's alright, Havoc was never that big a deal anyway. And I have to say I liked Banshee in the movie much more than I ever did in the comic. Not that he really had any lines, it was just really fun seeing him fly and do his scream thing...it always seemed a little lame in the comics.

UPDATE: Just wanted to add that it's been almost a year since this was released and it's now continually playing on cable and I find myself getting stuck watching it every time I flip by it. I really don't think this movie, the story, the casting and acting, all of it, could have been done any better.

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Wildly entertaining "X-Men: First Class" works amazingly well as both a prequel to the trilogy (there are inconsistencies between this film and the third one but it's also been suggested by the makers of this that it is a reboot since Professor Xavier and Magneto are working together in the third film and Professor X can walk in the third film and "Wolverine")and on its own even if you haven't seen the other films. It's refreshing particularly after "X-Men: The Last Stand" which had some major dramatic flaws.

I'm going to skip the plot of the film because that's been well covered elsewhere except suffice to say that this is where Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender)first meet and try to stop Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon)a mutant determined to wipe out humanity.

Evidently "X-Men: First Class" doesn't play on all Blu-ray players (most notably some of the 3D players and Samsung)so be aware that until they develop firmware updates it will be a problem for some players. I'd suggest shutting off your BD Live if it is Playstation related as that sometimes will also slow down the loading of the BD.

The image quality for "X-Men: First Class" is top notch with a brilliant, sharp and colorful presentation.

The Blu-ray features a number of cool extras including "Cerebro: Mutant Tracker" allowing you to track your favorite mutants and see exclusive videos, profiles, etc.

"Children of the Atom" a multi-part documentary on the making of the film focusing on the origin of the story and the obvious James Bond influence on many sequences of the film. We also get deleted and extended scenes (some of which if director Matthew Vaughn had been allowed to add them back in would have worked quite well for home video)and an isolated score by composer Henry Jackman.

There's also an "X Marks the Spot" enhanced viewing mode allowing one of eight featurettes to pop up as you're watching the film.

The film also comes with BD-Live enabled content including exclusive "proof of concept" footage of the aerial dogfight between Angel and Banshee, a digital copy of the film for PC's. You can also access 10 free X-Men comics in digital format online but you do have to register with Marvel.com.

Over all "X-Men: First Class" is a top notch film with a heck of a lot of plot packed into it's 2 hour and 12 minute running time. Part of the success of the film certainly can be attributed to director Mathew Vaughn's (who, interestingly, was originally to direct "X Men: The Last Stand" after Bryan Singer departed but before Brett Ratner stepped in) unique take on the material as well as Bryan Singer's involvement again (and let's not forget the producers and the scriptwriters, the original comic book creators, etc.)with the series.

The film manages to be both entertaining while also having a conscience a rare thing in a big Hollywood production these days.

After "X2" this is the finest of the series of films.

Highly recommended.

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011)

This is not the first time that this story has been unfolded on the silver screen. In fact, the producers did not want any of the viewers to assume that it was indeed some ground breaking plot that they had thought of, which is why they actually announced the plot through the very title of the movie.

So if it is NOT a new idea then what is good about it? First, the presence of Katrina and Imran adds such dignity and charm of eras gone by as makes the viewer part of the goings on. Katrina is not only a goddess in the looks department but also her spontaneity with comedy and her ability to emote make her a true deserver of the global success and adulation she enjoys. Imran Khan is evolving a certain style of acting which not many leading actors have had underplaying and underacting. On celluloid, underacting is a very powerful style of acting as was proved for decades by Dilip Kumar. I also like the boy's "sharifness" and wish that he becomes the role model for today's rambunctious and arrogant youth and helps mellow them down. The movie is charming and entertaining and the pace never slackens. The music is not great but a few numbers are surely foot tapping. Had at least one song been a maga chartbuster this movie would have raked in a lot more mullah for its producers. Ali Zafar with a Punjabi lilt to his diction is a natural comedian. He has in some scenes expressions which are typical of a stand-up comedian who has broken into movies (I do not know if he ever was a stand up comedian) but that is not necessarily (at least for me) a bad thing. The three of them, it is clear from the way they look and act on screen, must have had a ball while shooting for the movie, which is what the audiences always sense and admire. It is a charming movie about normal people of our generation who have fun filled and happy lives.

This movie will remind you of "While You Were Sleeping." The brother isn't in a coma but the younger brother falling for his older brother's "girl" is the same. This brother also is too interested in another woman and thinks very highly of himself. The younger brother keeps praising the older as in "While You Were Sleeping." The marriage preparations get farther along in the movie, but all turns out well in the end.

There are a few references to other Bollywood figures (SRK) and movies. However this would be a good intro to Bollywood movies. It's age appropriate for teens and up. Dimple, the female lead, gives sleeping pills, a lot of them, to one character. That might be hard to explain to younger children. Also there's some drinking, including a binge fest. There's also minor smoking.

If you liked "While You Were Sleeping" check this movie out.

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Those of you who love the filmi dialogues and acting that a good Bollywood flick provide will enjoy this film. Imran shines as the chocolate hero Khush to the free-spirited and loveable Katrina Dimple. While the premise of boy meets girl while searching for a bride for his brother and then falls in love with her is formulaic, the film is anything but. Sure there is some of the typical Bollywood twists and turns, but the film continually surprises by throwing a creative solution to a problem. The music numbers are catchy and fun, and the cinematography is fresh. You won't be disappointed!

Read Best Reviews of Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011) Here

One of the first few bollywood movies I've watched. I first saw it on netflix, I thought the story was funny, it really entertained me and I ended up really liking it, even the song and dance numbers. So I brought the movie on Amazon like a month later. Now it's one of my favorite comedy films. Only thing I didn't like was It's a little long for this type of story, other than that, I've already recommended and watched with a few friends, that also liked it.

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I got this movie in about a week. I loved this movie and it was packaged alright. Quality of the movie is legit and no fake copy like some other sellers I know that sold it to me. Overall I love everything!!

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World Without Sun

Of the three Cousteau movies readily available, this is the best. The Silent World has too much animal cruelty and Voyage to the Edge of the World is kinda dull and sad. Although Cousteau gives his trademark dry narration, he is hardly seen in this one (and no Calypso!), instead we follow Albert Falco and the Oceanauts. There is some interesting and beautiful wildlife footage, but what really carries this is the novelty of an underwater laboratory and its old school charm (underwater smoking, color coded diving suits, lame attempts at staged humor, etc.)

The picture and sound quality are good and its original full frame aspect ratio is preserved. If you're like me, you were wondering if this product is legit. It is. It was released by A&E and works just fine, but there are no special features.

Super. What is most amazing is the quality of the videography and a view of how beautiful the coral reefs used to be like. I am a dive video nut and this is a keeper. I am so glad it was produced in Blu-Ray.

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Not what I expected but what the hec. I finally got through it. JC was so far ahead of his time.

Read Best Reviews of World Without Sun Here

As I wrote for another of the three Cousteau films converted to Blu-Ray discs, I wish more of Cousteau's work were available. I would purchase them all.

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Breathless (The Criterion Collection) (1960)

François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, Jacques Rivette and Eric Rohmer were film connoisseurs, who all worked as movie critics for the same magazine. Between the years 1958 to 1964, this group transitioned into filmmaking, and, along with other directors, such as Agnés Varda, Jean-Pierre Melville and Louis Malle, ushered in the French New Wave Movement, (Nouvelle Vague). Their background in film theory and criticism was a major factor in motivating these artists to create a bold new cinema.

Jean-Luc Godard's first feature, "Breathless," was released in 1960, introducing the New Wave and changing cinema forever. Godard used jump cuts, handheld cameras, zoom lenses and a new editing style to take the viewer places never ventured before. No artificial, glossy stage sets in this movie. Along with the protagonists, we travel up and down small side streets, into local bars and sidewalk cafes, across boulevards and, for inconsequential moments, brush the lives of passers-by, who have nothing to do with the screenplay, but always play a role in our daily comings and goings. The fragmented rhythm of modern life is translated here. Godard used sound in the same way, adding street noises, bits of conversations and music to add to the movie's authenticity and pace. This was indeed innovative at the time. And it still holds up. Watching "Breathless" forty-five years after its debut, 21st century technology does not detract from its dynamism or relevance in the slightest. In fact, with each viewing, I find the film every bit as exciting and poignant as I did the first time.

Jean-Paul Belmondo plays the feckless, foul-mouthed car thief, anti-hero and Humphrey Bogart fan, Michel Poiccard. Just a few minutes after the opening credits conclude, Michel's status changes from small-time hood to cop killer. His life's plans alter drastically as he becomes a hunted fugitive. Michel remains cool enough, however, to visit an old girlfriend and steal some money. Bogart would have been proud not of the theft, but of the style. Michel spots gamine-like American, Patricia Franchini, (the lovely Jean Seberg), selling copies of the Herald Tribune on the Champs-Elysees, and pursues her, with roguish smiles and moody pouts. He curses her and moves off fast, though, when she gives him a hard time. He likes his women more enthusiastic. Instead of getting out of town fast, Michel hangs with fellow thugs and steals more cars.

Patricia is an enigmatic character, who occasionally startles with her observations and revelations. Twenty years-old, with the naive face of an angel, she seems to have no direction or goals in life. She studies at the Sorbonne and says she wants to write, but is oddly detached. She shuns commitment. She does occasional odd jobs for the newspaper, but appears to live in a dream world. Of course Patricia winds up with Michel and together they gallivant around the gorgeous streets of Paris, as if they haven't a care in the world. Patricia does have at least one problem, however she might be pregnant. Together the couple attempts to collect on a debt to raise enough cash to escape to Italy.

Godard captures incredibly intimate moments between the two lovers, particularly in one lengthy, extremely realistic bedroom episode, filled with small talk, tenderness, petty cruelties, eroticism, mind games, childhood memories shared and loneliness. At the scene's end we have a better understanding of the self destructive individuals who make-up this twosome. A sense of burgeoning doom, which has hovered in the background all along, begins to increase here. Michel's bravado also escalates with the level of danger and, to his credit, he remains true to his idol, Bogart, to the end. The conclusion boggles the mind, at least it has always impacted me emotionally in a major way.

Belmondo is brilliant as the restless thief, in this, his first film role. He reminds me of a French James Dean. Seberg is convincing and fresh. This is a dynamic film, witty, fast-paced, romantic and disturbing. It has long been a favorite of mine.

JANA

Numerous reviews, essays, and books have dedicated much thought and contemplative work on Jean-Luc Godard's film Breathless. So where does one begin this review knowing that many have already dissected his film? Perhaps, we should try to understand why this film has received so much commotion.

Contemplating the society when Breathless was shot and comparing it with our current society might not be the best approach. It is also silly to think that a young audience will get all the references to older films, which Breathless intends to shove aside with a refreshing style. For example, jump cuts are something that today's youth have seen millions of times. If people watch MTV or any other television channel they will see the infamous jump cut in action in both recorded and live format. So why bother watching Breathless? Well, to fully appreciate Breathless the audience should watch films from France and the rest of the world that were made before, let's say in 1955. In this way the audience will build an idea of how stiff and structured films were without much visual surprise, which big production companies still depend on occasionally as they use them as a safety net in fear of having a bomb at the box office. 

Breathless is actually a refreshing breath of a new wave that hit the world of the cinema in the 1960s. This fresh idea helped develop film and cinema into what it is today, and this is why Breathless is such an important film. The film broke the cinematic rules that were in use by the production companies. For example, Godard wrote his shooting script during his morning coffee while probably inhaling his nicotine fumes, scenes where not rehearsed and the idea of how to frame a shot came though the motion and the making of the film. Cinematography used handheld cameras a long time before it became common through lightweight cameras. Contempt was expressed in regards to meticulous lighting. The filmmakers tossed the old ways out through the window and began to create a new form of visual expression, which was only a natural progress for cinema just as art has advanced through history.

Breathless takes place in Paris where Michel Poiccard (Jean-Paul Belmondo) seeks refuge in the masses after having killed a traffic policeman in a moment of fear. Wanted and hunted Michel takes short cuts to find money by stealing money from old girlfriends and trying to get back old debts, money Michel needs in order to leave the country. However, he has also made new acquaintance in Paris that infatuate him, the beautiful American Patricia Franchini, a Iowan girl by the name of Jean Seberg who sought refuge in France after a couple of box office bombs in United States. Michel seeks Patricia as a means to find shelter and possibly affection.

The chemistry between the Michel and Patricia generates a certain mystique, as Patricia always seems to be full of astonishing revelations. For example, she tells out of the blue that she is pregnant and that she requires her freedom. Michel on the other hand is an uncomplicated guy with a tough façade that he seems to borrow through his hero Humphrey Bogart--style he mimics by having a constant cigarette that is hanging of either one lip or squeezed in between. The character's differences could maybe be a result of the individual styles of acting, but also on Godard's rejuvenating style of directing. This mystique keeps lingering in the air through the cinematography and the performances of the actors.

Regardless of how the mystique is generated, the film provides a wonderful cinematic experience, as it is full of surprises and leaves the audience in a breathtaking, yet quirky visual journey. This further evolves on how Godard makes the film a little more interesting in a cerebral way in regards to cinema. For example, Godard efficiently uses the director Jean-Pierre Melville, to perform as a famous writer that Patricia interviews while Michel uses one of Melville's films, Bob le Flambeur (1955), as a reference of who would pay a debt. Ultimately, the audience has experienced an interesting cinematic expedition through Breathless, especially in a historical perspective. The story is not intricate, yet it is the simplicity that Godard employs that makes this film so wonderful.

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Godard's "Breathless" (or "Out of Breath," the correct translation fo the title) still feels fresh and alive, especially when viewed in the dreary context of contemporary Hollywood cinema. It offers a sparklingly original alternative at every turn, from the pacing of its story to the engine that drives its loopy, intentionally sloppy plot. This is a picture that is alive on screen as you watch it, forcing you to draw yourself into the action rather than lay back and passively absorb it.

The film is one of the finest examples of New Wave cinema, from its jump cuts, its depiction of Parisian life, its incredibly sustained sequences of pure converstaion and dialogue, all of which dominate what is essentially a simple chase picture.

Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg are a perfect mix of classic and contemporary, both remaining timeless. Their relationship really unfolds in the film's central sequence, a near 25-minute conversation in Seberg's bedroom, in which such subjects as Faulkner and fornication are explored aptly. And that is what the film is known for----when was the last time a thriller contained the audacity to feel free to explore areas residing outside the genre?

Like "Pulp Fiction," one of its distant relatives, this is a film where plot and story are present but removed far into the background, while character, dialogue and visual texture are placed in the foreground. In its pristine black-and-white cinematography, its innovative use of camera movement and position, its raw, defined performances, and its tireless style and visual invention, "Breathless" is a great film and belongs in any serious film lover's video library.

Read Best Reviews of Breathless (The Criterion Collection) (1960) Here

First off, if you consider yourself any kind of film buff and if you haven't seen Breathless, shame on you. Not only is it #1 on my personal favorite films life, but i also consider it one of the 5 most important films ever made in cinema history. In short, it is a film worth owning on DVD.

I had been petitioning for Criterion to release this title in their collection for years and it finally happened-Breathless has been done justice. And I must say that my expectations for this Criterion release were greatly surpassed; it is by far the best Criterion DVD i own.

Amazon seems to agree with the release's quality as it has ranked this edition of Breathless as 94 in their Essential 100 DVD's.

Here's what makes this release so good:

+ The new transfer. beautiful. it is clear and the image has excellent contrast. i noticed details in the film that i had never noticed before in my crusty Fox-Lorber edition. Same goes for the sound transfer.

+ Packaging. I love the box are and packaging. the 2-disc set comes with a pretty thick book of essays and interviews that are all very informative and examine the film from a number of perspectives.

+ Special Features. I dont know of any other dvd release of a classic film that has such comprehensive special features. i had considered myself somewhat of an authority on breathless... that is until i watched every available feature on this edition and realized that there was so much i didnt know! although all of the features are great, the best one was the documentary, Chambre 12, Hotel de Suede, an 80 minute piece that if probably the most comprehensive body of info on the film that ive ever come across.

I highly recommend this new release. In my opinion, you cant go wrong with this film, or with this definitive DVD release.

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This is hands-down one of the best movies ever made. Just the opening seconds of Jean-Paul Belmondo smoking announces a whole new attitude towards youth and life that hits with the freshness of the Beatles. "Breathless" creates a world of love and motion and danger and art that's single-handedly responsible for at least half the clichés you have in your head this second about Paris. Truffaut's script is excellent, nearly every shot is original and revelatory, but what I loved most about the movie was the apparently random, documentary feel Godard gave to so many of the scenes: Belmondo with one lens missing from his glasses, the faces he and Jean Seberg make in the mirror, the Air France clerk sticking her tongue out at her boss, etc. How did Godard manage to be so stylish and truthful at the same time? This is a movie that never lets you forget it's a movie, telling a story in a way no novel or play ever could. "Citizen Kane" is the only other film I can think of that does so much with the medium. One for the ages.

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