Executive Decision / Point Break / Swordfish (Triple Feature) (2012)

I have been a skier, skydiver, surfer, fast car driver and more. All of these movies kept my attention and at least got a smile or two out of me. I had seen them all in the past before U purchased these but I figured that since they were decent films I would enjoy watching the again. Three movies for a low price is a great deal.

Point Break seems to be out of place in this collection from my personal point of view as I am not a surfing enthusiast, the Bluray transfers ore good on the 3 separate discs, However if you are a surfer this would certainly be a recommendation

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Three exceptional action thrillers. All three in this package are well worth your time if you enjoy action movies.

Swordfish: You have John Travolta as a rogue agent that takes hostages at a bank to make the government pay him millions in compensation with the assistance of Hugh Jackman and Halle Barry. Lots of twists in this one making it hard to tell who the bad guys are and what they really have in mind.

Point Break: Patrick Swayze and his ex presidents are robbing banks with Keenu Reeves in pursuit for the FBI. Keenu joins them undercover and develops a friendship that will make it hard to take them down.

Executive Decision: Steven Seagal and his team with the aid of Kurt Russell try to regain control of a commercial flight full of terrorist. Kurt actually an analyst, but he gets roped into onsite support that becomes much more than he bargained for. Great support cast in this one.

CA Luster

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Three great movies in one case and all you have to do is get the popcorn ready, soda and candy to eat.

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The Baader Meinhof Complex (2010)

West Germany, 1967: After a disastrous engagement between the federal republic of Germany's left wing student population and parties sympathetic to the visiting Shah of Iran degenerates into street violence and results in the firebombing of a department store and an assassination attempt on the life of socialist firebrand, Rudi Dutschke, a group of increasingly disaffected German students and petty criminals begin to coalesce around the magnetic personalities of malcontent street punk, Andreas Baader, and his girlfriend, Gudrun Ensslin. Amongst those caught in their gravity is middle-class, left-wing journalist and media personality, Ulrike Meinhof. Baader and Ensslin have decided that politely protesting the policies of American and Israeli "Imperialism" with acts of civil disobedience is no longer enough and decide to engage in armed struggle against the constitutional powers of West Germany. Over the next ten years, the result of the alliance between Baader, Esselin and Meinhof, The `Red Army Faction' (aka the Baader-Meinhof Group), was to terrorise not only the FDR, but the governments and populations of countries far beyond it's borders.

Attempting to relate the tale of the rise to prominence of the RAF, much less adapt Stefan Aust's incredibly convoluted door-stopper of a book, was, I suspected, going to be nigh-on impossible but Uli Edel's film achieves this virtually impossible task with aplomb. As well as being one of the most impressive thrillers that I've seen in years, its also one of the most fascinating portraits of the corruption and degeneration of political idealism ever to make its way to screen.

Performances are for the most part excellent and Moritz Bleibtreu perfectly embodies the essence of Aust's rendering of Baader essentially a wayward, misogynistic hooligan who seemed more interested in playing with machine guns than liberating the "oppressed of the world". The yin to Bleibtreu's yang is Martina Gedeck's turn as Ulrike Meinhof: who appears to have been a cosseted champagne socialist who eventually became so misguided and so passionately committed to the struggle against "oppression and imperialism" that she was rather horrifyingly prepared to deliver her own children into a camp for Syrian orphans rather than see them raised under "the yoke of imperialism". There is a telling suggestion that the catalyst which may have precipitated the already fragile Meinhof's fall was the discovery of her husband's infidelity.

From a directorial stance, Edel manages to pull off the difficult trick of observing both sides of the conflict without favouring either. His rendering of the government in the FDR in sixties is anything but nostalgic and seems to suggest that it was inevitable that a group such as the RAF would eventually arise from the formenting crucible of social, political and governmental dissatisfaction that prevailed at the time. On the reverse side of the coin however, it cannot be argued that his sympathies lie with his revolutionary protagonists either, as he is only too willing to clinically dissect their personal failings as well as the raving hypocrisy of their objectives and opinions.

A fascinating portrait of an extreme group of misguided individuals living through the most turbulent period of the late twentieth century, "The Baader Meinhof Complex" is a fascinating study of personal obsession played out through political objectification and one of the best films that I've seen this year.

Highly recommended.

The Baader Meinhof Complex is an at once exhilarating and horrific depiction of the rise and fall of a very prominent left-wing extremist group in '70s Germany, formed from an uneasy alliance between journalist Ulrike Meinhof and the incendiary couple Andreas Baader and his girlfriend Gudrun Ensslin. The film explores the initial motivations for their radicalization, the shift from anger and rebellion to increasingly violent acts of terror, and the dissolution of the group's ideology into seeming incoherence as the personal began to overwhelm the political. While watching I wondered if the casting choices had made the characters more appealing than in real life they were all very striking young men and women but a bit of research shows it to be quite accurate. They did a remarkable job in capturing the likeness of the actual individuals depicted.

It is a complex film, that highlights the allure of the struggle, at the same time as it reveals the individuals behind it to be deeply human and imperfect, at times conflicted and at others resolute, even dogmatic, to the point of becoming what they had initially struggled against these are not the mythological figures that came to be idolized by some and hated by others. A fascinating paradox explored by the film is that in war one side inevitably takes on qualities of its enemy: to fight an underground extremist group, the state must employ its tactics, must become flexible and bend the rule of law and its protection of individual rights such as privacy; to stand up against the force of a powerful regime, the anarchic underground must increasingly become autocratic, must not tolerate dissent.

The film is beautifully shot, and edited for an ideal balance of intensity and clarity. There is the feel of a living situation characters don't have constantly to explain themselves to each other, and you feel the urgency with which they experience their own moments in time and yet, there is enough laid out that even those unfamiliar with the actual history this is based on should be able to catch up quickly and follow along. The decision to incorporate real footage from the era creates a sense of authenticity and even current relevance that is hard to shake off, emphasizing that this film cannot simply be approached as an escapist fantasy. The reception of the film in Germany at the time of its release was telling on the one hand there were those who felt that in taking both sides the film failed to capture the heroism and ideals of the leaders, who are still revered by many; and there were others who felt that the decision to tell most of the story from the point of view of the Baader Meinhof group members had the dangerous potential of creating an identification with them and of making their actions seem too glamorous.

In fact the film manages both to clarify and make vividly real the sense of a holy war or struggle that young people felt at the time, and to show that these extremists were not simply the vicious killers they had been demonized to be; but also to demonstrate that their ideals and imperfections led to horrific actions, that in many cases destroyed lives without having any clear outcome that could possibly motivate or justify such violence. I was very young at the time of these events and only remember vague hints of them, but even now going into the film I knew very little of the details. Definitely worth watching -both as a valuable history lesson, and as a spur to the kinds of discussions that we need to be having about the meaning and motivations of what we call "terrorism." As the German head of police, played in this film by the always excellent Bruno Ganz, suggests: it is easy enough to demonize the "enemy" but there can be no true or lasting victory over extremism and violence without understanding its perpetrators and their perceptions.

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I lived in Germany during the RAF era. As a military brat we were in fear of this group, as both Frankfurt and Ramstein experienced terrorist attacks by this group.

The news clips that were used in this movie are genuine. I remember that old man on the German news. The terror lasted all through the 1970s.

It was therefore haunting to see this movie again. All the actors were so believable as their actual characters they were playing. Watch the 30-minute "Making of the B-M Complex" and you will learn that the director, Uli Edel, used all genuine parts, even using the actual court hall of the prison in which the real terrorists were interviewed (and denied) parole. The prison cells were designed according to old photographs of the real prison cells, down to genuine sinks. The actors spent endless hours studying the mannerisms and speech patterns of their roles. Actor Martina Gedeck almost looks like the younger sister of Gudrun Ensslin, the "brains" behind this group of misfits.

I didn't read the book; my opinions are based on memory. The scenes in this movie are non-stop action and at times overly graphic in their violence, but this is how B-M acted. Even how the group slowly fell apart due to newer generations of this group not being in sinc with the original founders, is quite obvious. The Baader-Meinhof gang was a group of highly intellectual but badly misguided and violent group of extreme-left-leaning students whose guilt of their parents perhaps got the ball rolling.

Say what you may, "This is part of our History" said Edel, and this movie shows this history well. This movie deserved the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film.

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I enjoyed the film immensely, and found it to be an excellent study into radical/extreme leftist politics and how some groups evolved into violent terrorist groups that lost sight of a utopian ideal that perhaps never truly existed. Stefan Aust's recently updated (and well-researched) book from which the movie is based on is captured well, albeit the movie moves as a much faster pace while the book provides excellent background and description of events of the times the RAF existed. I do not think the movie portrays the RAF in a sympathetic light, but aptly demonstrates that while the RAF had a utopian ideal, the simplistic and extremist thinking of the group led them to commit horrible atrocities in the name of a "higher morality," echoing the long quoted phrase "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." While somewhat confusing and unclear at times (such as the transition of introducing the second and third generation of RAF members), it is nonetheless useful to also watch the documentary of the making of the film to clarify certain points. This would be an excellent film to use for a beginning sociology or political science class that examines extremist political groups. Also, I found nothing wrong with the size of the subtitles, unlike some people who posted earlier. Don't let that discourage you from seeing the film.

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I lived in Germany at this time and it is interesting to see that this group of misfits that held the country in the grip of uneasy fear and paranoia are largely forgotten now. What I like about the film is its depiction of how utterly vapid these "revolutionaries" were, and how much radical terrorism is really a nexus of patchwork politics married to the simple adrenaline thrills of delinquency and crime. Andreas Baader was a punk, pure and simple. His girlfriend Gudren Eisslen seems to be a middle-class brat working out her "daddy issues" through the endless prattle of revolutionary rhetoric. Ulrike Meinhof was a leftist journalist opting out of Fraudom by joining with these losers and becoming their self-justifying voice. None of this would matter, except they murdered real people and were the inspiration for other like-minded malcontents who went on to do the same. They were celebrated by the radical chic crowd of the time, and the myth surrounding them needs to be examined and debunked, as it is to some extent in this film. Then they need to be exiled to a tiny historical footnote and forgotten.

The thing often missed about radicals is that they are insufferable bores. Narrow-minded, egotistical and self-aggrandizing, dysfunctional and generally unhappy and pathetic people they create a romantic fantasy about revolution that is a perfect rationalization for psychopathy. What can you say about people who want to save the world by blowing it up? Well you can say we are living with the ultimate expression of that now with radical Islam, and ain't that fun? This pack of worthless individuals in the Germany of the 1970's were the terrorists of their day. Debated and discussed, exhalted or excoriated in the media, a source of fascination to youths disenchanted with the monotonous bourgeoise success and conformity of post-war Germany. In short, adolescents. And so much of the radicalism of that time was simply adolescent cheap thrills and a way to get laid.

The filmmakers, old leftist themselves who haven't completely come to terms with their own enrapture of that era but middleaged and reflective now, have caught the feeling of the time, and their depiction of the "banality of evil" that is the ultimate pronouncement on the meaning of the Baader-Meinhof Gang is revealing not only of this group at this time, but the current crop of radicals amongst us today. By and large they make a lot of noise, accomplish little, and you would be hard pressed to want to spend an afternoon with any of them. They themselves are forgettable, unfortunately their crimes cannot be for the suffering they inflict is all too real. Anyway, the film-making is excellent and the cast very good, so it is worth seeing.

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Twilight's Last Gleaming (1977)

There are some political thrillers that become "classics" ("The Manchurian Candidate," "Seven Days in May," and "Fail Safe," for example) while others fade into obscurity. "Twilight's Last Gleaming," unfortunately, falls into the latter category, although it deserves wider recognition and viewership.

Burt Lancaster portrays a looney general determined to right a wrong committed by the U.S. government: reveal the real reason behind the War in Vietnam and America's cover-up of this vital information. Commanding three fellow "terrorists" (Burt Young, Paul Winfield, and William Smith), Lancaster takes over a missile silo with the intention of launching it if the government doesn't "fess up" to the American public.

Richard Widmark also portrays a general that must thwart Lancaster's efforts. Charles Dunning is a beleagured President that must decide whether it is essential for the country's future if the information is revealed. His Cabinet is made up of familiar character actors Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Leif Ericson, William Marshall, Charles McGraw, Simon Scott, Joseph Cotten, and Melvin Douglas.

The tension is high in this superior thriller, aided by a stunning Jerry Goldsmith score, split-screen camerawork, and tight direction from Robert Aldrich.

The shocking ending makes this a film deserving of discovery.

I haven't seen this movie since it came out over 30 years ago, but not from lack of trying. There are either legal issues preventing it's re-release or else, as this film itself wants to convince, the powers that be do not want anyone to see it.

Robert Aldrich had already made his great moral parable about the insanity of the Vietnam War with Ulzana's Raid (1972) and now, five years later, he was to team up with Burt Lancaster once again for a full frontal assault. The Lancaster-Aldrich team is right up there with the great actor-director teams of American cinema: Deniro-Scorsese, Lemon-Wilder, Dietrich-Von Sternberg, Scott-Boetticher. This time they add Richard Widmark as Lancaster's nemesis and then get some of the best character actors of the era to contribute some of their finest performances Roscoe Lee Browne, Joseph Cotten, Melvyn Douglas, Richard Jaeckel, Paul Winfield, a very young Burt Young, and especially noteworthy Charles Durning in what might be his best role as that of the very human President Stevens.

The story is totally improbable, the momentum unstoppable and the action breathtaking with the finest use of split screen ever seen in a Hollywoood movie (a technique Aldrich employed to good effect in The Longest Yard a few years earlier.)

I won't say this a a great movie, or even a good movie. I will say this is an important movie to see, made by America's greatest anarchist action filmmaker, and should not be missed, even though it's not possible to find. Call your congressman.

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I saw this picture with my father in the theater. Now I could kick myself for not buying it on video. This picture was probably lumped in with male/ testosterone action flicks and over looked by the public at the box office. The movie is a cat and mouse thriller with Burt Lancaster grabbing the White Houses' attention by controlling a missle silo/bunker complex. As a former Air Force General with high security clearance, he knows how to complete the mission. The film is a study on why a decorated General threatens to start WW III.

On the opposite side of the fence lies the President, played by Charles Durning whose aim is to stop him. The supporting actors are outstanding on all accounts, Richard Widmark, Paul Winfield, Burt Young, Melvin Douglas, to name a few. The actors making up the presidents cabinet are outstanding. The cabinet/advisors must decide is the General a mad man or can he pull off his threat of missle launch. What is his agenda?

The suspense builds thru the picture, can a missle launch be aborted by negotiation, stealth, or brute force. The ending is a shocker, uncompromising, a statement on what happens in a political chess match. The military advisor tells the president, the buck stops here.... you are responsible, even for past transgressions from a previous presidency.

WOULD SOME STUDIO PLEASE RELEASE THIS FILM ON DVD. THOSE IN THE KNOW ARE WAITING.

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I must be one of the few that thoroughly enjoyed this film from 1977. Burt Lancaster leads a team of disgruntled vets (Burt Young, Paul Winfield, and William Smith) on an assault on a missile silo, overcoming the personnel and, eventually, obtaining launch control. With his hands on the trigger of a Titan missile, former (and slightly deranged) General Dell (Lancaster) wants the President (Charles Durning) and his Cabinet to issue a statement admitting negligence in the involvement in the Viet Nam conflict. Such release would be devastating to the nation; thus Durning and company try to devise a plan to satisfy Dell, protect the integrity of the government, and not start a nuclear war.

A tense game of cat-and-mouse erupts between Lancaster, Durning, and Richard Widmark as the general in charge of "taking" Lancaster and friends.

Great performances from the principals abound; the film also features several veteran character actors in small supporting roles: Joseph Cotten, Leif Ericson, Charles McGraw, and William Marshall.

An effective Jerry Goldsmith score adds immensely to the unfolding drama.

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I don't believe it!!! Been waiting for this one for a long, long time.

A fascinating thriller starring Burt Lancaster as renegade General Lawrence Dell who escapes from a military prison and hijacks an ICBM silo with three compatriots played by Burt Young, Paul Winfield and William Smith. Their demands: 10 million dollars, Air Force One, and a hostage, the President.

An exciting political thriller from start to finish. This is a movie you can't miss. Richard Widmark and Charles Durning are just a few others in this stellar cast with great performances all around.

This is the movies first release on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States so hopefully it will be a good transfer. Previous versions have been released in Brazil but quality was equivalent to a VHS tape.

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The Viral Factor (2012)

Following the success of two well-made crime dramas "The Beast Stalker" and "The Stool Pigeon" (both starring Nicholas Tse), director Dante Lam has come back with "The Viral Factor" ("Jik zin"), a more action-oriented movie about two estranged brothers, Man Yeung (Nicholas Tse), a criminal hired by a terrorist group trying to use a mutated smallpox virus as a biological weapon, and Jon (Jay Chou), an International Security Affairs agent who is severely injured in his latest mission to stop them.

In action movies you may ignore a melodramatic story and incredible coincidences and enjoy action set-pieces, but stupid characters are something different. Action sequences themselves (that take place in Jordan, and for the most part, Malaysia) are decent with a fair amount of explosions and gunshots, but slick as it is, none of them is really thrilling, with super-efficient terrorists shooting hopelessly incompetent cops and guards.

I know I should not take the film too seriously, but watching the same person (who should have hired better security guards) kidnapped three times is hardly exciting. Also, if you want to run away from some henchmen, taking a train is not a very good idea.

As I said, the film's stunts are not bad. I also enjoyed the beautifully shot locations, and Nicholas Tse delivers solid performances as always, but all in all "The Viral Factor," overlong and uneven, is a disappointment.

Dante Lam (Sniper, Beast Stalker) helms another commercial action vehicle starring Jay Chou (The Green Hornet) as Jon, a UN escort soldier who was supposed to be accompanying a scientist who'd turned himself in, to Norway, but his team is ambushed and he is shot in the head and left for dead. With doctors' unable to remove the bullet, he decides to spend whatever time he has left with his ill mother until he learns he has a brother, Man Yeung (Nicholas Tse), who is living a life of crime in Malaysia. When Jon heads to Malaysia to bring his brother back to see his mother, both he and Man get caught up with the man who betrayed Jon and his team.

At first, it may seem difficult to follow the plot, but it's not, in fact part of it is not all that different to the plot of 'Mission Impossible 2'. It's also full of holes and, I think, relies way too much on coincidences to be good or coherent. But underneath all the martial arts, flying bullets, explosions and conversations about smallpox, there's actually quite a touching family story running throughout about making mistakes and forgiveness and redemption.

Dante Lam tries to compensate the poor plot with the action and here he does splendidly; hand-to-hand, shooting, car chases, explosions, it is high-octane stuff and Lam handles them competently. Out heroes, Jon and Man, are battered and shot so many times you wonder how the hell they keep getting back up for more.

While Jay Chou handles his role of Jon well, Nicholas Tse brings an intensity to Man, unfortunately he likes to overdo it during the heavy drama, crying scenes that it's almost unintentionally funny.

I think if you're looking for a straight-up action flick, then you can't go wrong with `The Viral Factor' because it does tick all the right boxes. Suitable for a night in of mindless gun fights, fist fights and things going Boom!, can't beat that.

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After failing a mission to protect a copy of the smallpox virus, Jon Man is left with two weeks to live. Through his mother, Jon finds out of his long lost brother, Yeung, and sets out to find himonly to discover his brother is a career criminal. Eventually, Jon is pulled back into a fight to save his brother and niece, and a fight against biological terrorists. The Viral Factor is the definition of an action-packed thrill ride.

The story is very thrilling from beginning to end, and even emotional at times. Its intense close-quarter-combat, suspenseful foot pursuits, edge-of-your-seat car chases, and explosive shootouts are all spectacular and consistent; it rarely takes a breather throughout its 2 hour runtime. The film also uses a distant sibling relationship to create an emotional experience, most notable during its finale. Speaking of the ending, it was a great bittersweet ending. Occasionally, the film did suffer from poor storytelling; it introduces many characters and locations rapidly, especially during the beginning, and it jumps from location to location too often to keep track. I was able to grasp the concept and the story, though. The acting was greatAndy On stood out as a despicable villain. The music was great, although it occasionally felt out of place. Also, for those wondering, the film uses many languages, although I felt the bulk of it was in English.

Overall, The Viral Factor will not disappoint blockbuster action fans. As of 3/23/13, this film is available on Netflix Streaming, a purchase is recommended for action fans, a rental otherwise.

The Viral Factor has strong violence and blood.

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The movie is great. It has a lot of action and the marital arts is very good. The actors are great in here you will love this movie. Buy it.

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Loved Jay! The story is believable and the action is okay. Just waited till the end to see what really is going on. Worth the time to watch a good movie!

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Le Havre (The Criterion Collection) (2011)

In 1992 Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki made his first French movie, "La Vie de Bohème", and now almost 20 years later he returns with a second French-language movie.

"Le Havre" (93 min.) centers around the ordinary lives of people like Marcel Marx (which character incidentally also appears in La Vie de Boheme and where he also was played by André Wilms). Marx tries to get by as a shoe-shiner, but life is hard. The house he and his wife Arletty have is modest at best. Then one day a group of illegal immigrants from Gabon are found in a container waiting to be shipped to London. A teenage boy manages to escape the police and eventually the boy and Marcel Marx link up. I don't want to spoil the plot any further than this, you'll just have to see how it all plays out for yourself.

This is not an "action" movie. Instead, it observes the ordinary lives of ordinary people, and in addition it is a love note of sorts to the city of Le Havre, which, like the characters in this movie, has seen better days but remains resilient. This movie was very well received at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and it is easy to see why. The acting is superb throughout, none better than by lead actor André Wilms. I enjoyed this movie from start to finish, but obviously this is not for anyone in a hurry or looking for the next Harry Potter franchise. Highly recommended!

Director Kaurismäki has created a story that is appealing as you watch it, but whose images and motifs will linger with you for days after you see it. His use of colour and lighting makes this visually alluring and his choices in casting have given him a pallet of wonderful faces to explore in his artistic manner. I had the impression at times of seeing a series of paintings of the Old Masters in an Art Gallery.In addition, there is a gentleness and a timelessness about this film which lifts it beyond the confines of its plot and setting. As other reviewers have stated this is not an action film as its plot is neither frenetic, nor full of the normal thrills many movie goers seek in such films.Another strength of this film is the strong acting from all members of the cast. There is a wonderful French feel about this film and many of the shots of the port city are quite lovely. I highly recommend it to those who are seeking more than simple entertainment and who would like to have a beautiful artistic experience.

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Criterion has done another great job rescuing a little seen gem from Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki. Set on the French coastal port of Le Havre, an aging Marcel (Andre Wilms) ekes out a living on the street as a shoe shiner. He lives in a small apartment in a poor neighborhood with several small markets nearby.

A cargo ship unloads a container ultimately headed for London. Authorities discover it contains 20 or so people from North Africa. One teen age boy (Blondin Miguel) manages to get away and finds his way to Marcel while he is having his lunch. Marcel shelters and feeds the boy even though he worries about the authorities ultimately catching him and deporting him back to Africa. He also has to contend with his wife (Kati Outinen) who is in the hospital for what appears to be stomach cancer. Her prognosis is grim but she hides the probable outcome from Marcel.

Using his sympathetic neighbors and an unlikely police detective (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) for support, Marcel finds out that young Idrissa was enroute to London to reunite with his mother. He manages to get a neighbor and former headliner rock musician Little Bob to hold a fund raiser in order to pay to have the boy smuggled into England. Kaurismaki, who also wrote the script, never plays this too serious. But it's not a comedy either. You really have to think of it more as a fantasy. And a good one it is. The film ends with an unexpected surprise. Check it out.

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This film shows the best of the 'heart' of the French people under the onslaught of African immigration. It is both beautiful in its atmospheric cinematography and classically well-acted as well. A humble man with a very sick wife has the chance to rescue a wonderful young boy. Well...the wife is too sick to know anything about what happens... but in this script her husband is superb in his humanity. This is so different than the 'hip' and 'cynical' French films we are used to admiring! I can't believe how often I plan to use 'superb' in this review. The cinematographyand the sets are as evocative as any Francophile could wish. The characters are 'true to life', not the least because this is a French film for a French audience. The ensemble is beautiful, marvelous and genuinely heart-warming. I have rarely seen a film as worthy of viewing as is this one.

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The story of Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki's latest work takes place in Le Havre, a port city in north-western France. A former Bohemian artist Marcel Marx (Andre Wilms) makes a living as a shoeshine with his Vietnamese assistance Chang (Quoc Dung Nguyen). He may not be rich, but with his loving wife Arletty (Kati Outinen) his life is not bad.

One day Marcel meets Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), a young refugee boy from Gabon running away from the police. While Marcel decides to raise money so that the boy can meet his mother in London, Arletty, ill and now in the hospital, conceals a fact that she knows would shock her husband.

The theme of "Le Havre" overlaps that of a 2009 French film "Welcome," but Kaurismäki's approach is less political, focusing the everyday life of ordinary people, described with Kaurismäki's deadpan humor/sentimentality. Kaurismäki's longtime photographer Timo Salminen's careful use of muted colors is another plus, adding a realistic touch to the modern-day fable.

André Wilms (who 20 years ago played "Marcel," a down-and-out artist in Paris in Kaurismäki's "La Vie de Bohème") turns in quiet and understated performance as the aged shoe shiner determined to do something for the boy. Kati Outinen, the director's muse since the 1980s, is also outstanding as the protagonist's ailing wife, and so is Jean-Pierre Darroussin as Monet, softer version of Inspector Javert trying to catch the boy.

I like the film for its positive, life-affirming message, though I for one prefer such films as "The Man without a Past" and "Ariel," in which darker events happen and characters have to struggle more. Perhaps with an exception of cameo Jean-Pierre Léaud, there is no "villain" in "Le Havre," which marks a new phase in the respected director's long career.

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Big Miracle (Blu-ray & DVD Combo Disc + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012)

My wife and I were living in Barrow back in 1988 when the three California Gray Whales got stuck in the ice near Point Barrow. It was an exciting time and we were eagerly waiting to see the movie --how Hollywood would tell the story. When the whales were first discovered, I had just started working as the newsperson for local radio station KBRW. Got busy very quickly!

It was great to see some places there again, like the Mexican Restaurant ---really named Pepes.

And young Ahmaogak Sweeney in the role of Nathan, who learns about the Inupiat Eskimos and their relationships with whales from his Appa, or Grandfather. Nathan also figures out a way to supplement his allowance when some 200 outside Media folks arrived in Barrow and wanted to get out to the Arctic Ocean ice where the whales were trapped.

He gathers up some cardboard and sells it to the reporters so their feet won't get cold standing on the ice.

I was out there on the ice and don't remember such a thing, but it might have been a good idea.

The movie is listed as "Inspired by a True Story." So we were prepared for Hollywood to stretch and substitute.

Two major ones: It was an Inupiat Eskimo hunter, Roy Ahmaogak, who first discovered the stranded whales, not a newsman.

And second ---the Barrow whalers do not hunt the California Gray Whales. They hunt the larger Bowhead whales.

The movie includes arguments that a quick rescue was needed so the Native crews would not hunt them.

The Whaling captains held their meeting early on, before most media arrived, and said they would do all they could to rescue the whales.

One of the movie's strong points is recreating the whales, barnacles and all. And correctly showing how local people and visitors wanted to touch the whales, and sometimes encourage them to hang on.

As two of my friends who were wildlife biologists said, it provided a rare opportunity to see such whales close up.

The movie also shows how the key to the apparent rescue was low-tech ----the Natives cutting out a series of breathing holes with chain saws and then the water circulators from two caring men from Minnesota which kept the beathing holes open. And finally the Russian Icebreaker which breaks through a pressure ridge standing between the whales and open water in leads.

Did the whales actually make it out and all the way down to their feeding areas off of California and Mexico?

The Federal official in charge declared that the survivors did. But they were not fitted with little transmitters. I'd like to think that they did. See the movie for yourself and see what you think

Earl

this is an awesome movie. this movie is based on a true story where three whales two adults and thier baby gets traped in the ice and fights for thier lives. when a news caster descovers that the whales are in trouble he broadcast it all over the news. when people descover how much the whales need help they help them. this was a really good movie and was heartwarming. if you have not seen this movie then i recommend you do

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This movie had a lot of potential, but...just wasn't a home run.

The story line was endearing based loosely on real events. I have to say that as much as we hoped to enjoy this film we were surprised at the general lack of quality acting from a number of the characters.

I think that my favorite characters were the guys from MN who flew to AK to try to help out. At the same time I was generally disappointed by Danson and Barrymore's efforts, and the young woman newscaster was appropriately annoying. I hesitate to be too critical, but my family and I agreed that we were happy that we waited to watch this film on DVD rather than paying to see it in a theater. And, having seen the movie, we all agreed that once was enough. That's from my wife and I and our 13 and 21 yr old daughters.

The special effects used to show the whales were adequate and did not distract.

All in all, 3 stars is all I can manage for this film.

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"In Alaska there are no simple rescues." While filming a story about a kid who can do sno-mobile tricks, reporter Adam (Krasinski) spots a strange sight. When he sends his report of three whales trapped in the ice with only days left to live it becomes national news. Now with the help of his Greenpeace girlfriend Rachel (Barrymore) and a few others the race is on to save the whales. After being totally surprised with how much I liked "Dolphin Tale" my expectations for this one were pretty high. Once again I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this movie. Almost immediately it sucks you in and holds you through all the highs and lows. This is also another movie that is based on events that happened when I was old enough to remember but I knew nothing about this. Not knowing what happened made the movie seem more tense to me and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Much like "Dolphin Tale" this is a great family movie that everyone, not just the kids will love. It is rated PG for language but other then a character saying Hell and bastard I don't remember anything other that that so you won't have to worry about what your kids are hearing. I highly recommend this as a great movie for family night. Overall, one of the best family movies in the last few years. A must see. I give it an A.

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Sometimes it takes a film about the environmental crises to bring to the attention of the entire populace that not only MUST we do something about our bruising of our natural environment, but that when certain people take action it does indeed make a difference. This is a gently made film that gets its point across in a warmly entertaining way and it is a true story!

Thomas Rose' book FREEING THE WHALES forms the basis for this story, adapted for the screen by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler. Ken Kwapis directs. In brief summery (everyone knows this story by now), an animal-loving volunteer and a small-town news reporter are joined by a native Alaskan boy to rally an entire community and eventually rival world superpowers to save a family of majestic gray whales trapped by rapidly forming ice in the Arctic Circle.'

The cast is a large one with some actors only appearing briefly but in roles that show their professional an also their emotional support for placing this subject before the public. In the lead roles are John Krasinski, Drew Barrymore, Ted Danson and Tim Blake Nelson, but the remainder of the cast includes Dermot Mulroney, Kathy Baker, Kristin Bell, James LeGros and a fine supporting cast of Inuit actors and others.

The special effects are credible and deeply moving as the whales are released form their frozen captivity. The film adds much to the understanding of environmental problems and how multinational efforts are necessary to tame the destructive threats to the future of our globe. Grady Harp, January 13

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Forbidden Planet (2010)

Forbidden Planet is an incredible movie and no Sci-Fi fan should be without it. The transfer on the 50th Anniversary and Ultimate Collector's Editions is incredible. I've never seen the film look so bright, crisp and vibrant. The included documentaries and bonus footage are very entertaining and not to be missed.

A word of warning though, the Ultimate Collector's Edition is a bit of a rip off. The included Robby the Robot toy was the main reason I bought this set and it's much smaller (and less detailed) than the images lead you to believe. I haven't opened mine, but it looks like it's not even articulated. Definitely not worth the extra money I had to pay. The lobby card reporductions are nice, as is the tin case, but unless you plan to display these it's hard to justify the added cost.

Be smart, skip the Ultimate Collector's Edition and buy the 50th Anniversary Edition. You'll get just the exact same transfer and bonus material without the cheap toy and lobby cards.

There are now out *four* different versions of the 50th Anniversary edition of "Forbidden Planet": 2 standard (480i) DVD sets and 2 HD-DVD sets. Both formats are available as either a super-deluxe, Ultimate Collector's Edition set offered in a thick, green and red engraved hinged metal box, as well as a standard 2-disc sleeved set. Both come with lots extras, especially the metal Ultimate. I highly recommend them to everyone if you're so inclined toward lavish DVD sets. Being a longtime "Forbidden Planet" fan and collector, I'm planning on buying the other three variant sets, too, because, well, I'm obsessed with FP and by now have lost all sense of proportion when "collecting" this terrific film.

The Ultimate Collector's Edition metal box set is described on its' outer, partial card stock cover--and be careful when removing this as it's tricky and can be easily torn--as being made of a "unique metal alloy." (Hmm. Indestructible Krell metal perhaps???) Frankly, this deluxe set is everything I had hoped it would be, though I do have some quibble(see below). Overall, though, it's a beautiful package. One of the best super-deluxe DVD sets ever produced. It even includes a proper *gunmetal gray* 3.5" Robby (not black, as some supposed "film experts" have asserted for years) and a set of smallish FP lobby card reproductions in a printed sleeve. As an extra bonus for this release, you also get Robby's other 50s science fiction film "The Invisible Boy" and a set of smallish lobby card repros for it, too.

At last this science fiction masterpiece (classic just isn't good enough) has gotten the super-deluxe treatment--and complete digital restoration--it has long deserved. The digital picture and 5.1 sound are a marvel. FP has never looked or sounded this good--ever! I've seen FP on the big CinemaScope screen a half a dozen times in the last 50 years, including a very nice 50th Anniversary revival house print. Plus, I have all the earlier video/laserdisc/DVD releases. I went over to a neighbor's home the evening I purchased this set (11-9-06) and watched a portion of this new digital remastering in 480p (progressive scan) on a 1-year old, 50" plasma display home theatre set-up. It was to die for. *TILT!* Even on my standard ratio 480i home theatre it looks spectacular. I can't imagine that FP could be much better looking in the new HD-DVD format. Let's face it, you can only push the film stock of a 50-year old CinemaScope print just so far, even when reformatting from a fine-grain vault print.

While you can currently order these DVDs cheaper here, at least for the present, I decided to pay $10.00 more locally ($49.95, which included tax) for an early release just so I could have it *Right Now* and also so I could insure getting a pristine, undamaged, set. (I've had shipping/packing damage problems to the sides/edges when ordering other deluxe metal DVD sets through the mail, notably the 1933 "King Kong" and Disney "Tomorrowland" releases).

Of special note on this set are two new documentaries done especially for the 50th Anniversary release: "Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet" and "Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon." They're worth the price of this set alone, IMO. Very nicely done.

My only disappointment--and I consider it a major oversight that the material was left out--is that virtually all of the supplementary material originally included on Criterion's 1989 two-disc (CAV) laserdisc release is not here. Especially MGM's original "Fatal Planet" screen treatment that clearly showed that FP started out as just another B-grade, bottom-of-the-bill programmer and then evolved into to a first-rate A production. However, scenes (and partial scenes) originally edited out of FP (taken from Louis and Bebe Barron's surviving original film score work print) are included in this new set as an extra. In fact, to my eye, it looks like the Criterion masters were used for this DVD transfer. For most this will be the first time these "lost" scenes will be seen. So I'm now planning on having the rest of that important "Making of Forbidden Planet" laserdisc material burned on to a DVD-R and then simply include it my copy of this new release.

Frankly, I wouldn't have missed the extra "The Invisible Boy" feature that's also here, though it's obvious why it was offered in the set; or even the inaccurate 3.5" Robby miniature included--the shape of his head/carapace is wrong (too fat), among other detail problems. But that's just me. I have every confidence that this Ultimate Collector's Eition will receive high marks from both reviewers and fellow "Forbidden Planet" aficionados everywhere.

BTW, for those that might not have seen them, issues #97 and #98 (from 2003 and still available from the publisher) of the long-running film magazine FilmFax contain an authoritative two-part article: "The Making of Forbidden Planet." Both come highly recommended. This two-part article is similar in scope to the famous 20-year old "Forbidden Planet" double-issue of Cinefantastique (CFQ). While it duplicates some of the same material, there's enough new/different material in these two FilmFax issues to make acquiring them worthwhile. All three magazines taken together give an extremely thorough history of FP's creation and production. I would also refer you to another recent issue of FilmFax, #108 (#112 is the current issue out as I post this.) It contains an authoritative article on the restoration of the original Robby the Robot to his original form, done for his owner Bill Malone, by Fred Barton whose company makes a full-sized, fully articulated (and very $$$!) 1-to-1 Robby reproduction. (There's an ad flyer insert for Barton's Robby included with this new FP release.) Both Malone and Barton, with their Robbies, are seen throughout the two DVD documentaries mentioned above.

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It's funny, me being a fan of science fiction and movies in general, why it is that it took me so long to get around to watching Forbidden Planet (1956). Part of it is I feel as if I've already seen the film, as clips from it are usually always shown whenever someone does a documentary on science fiction in film, as it's just such an influential and amazing piece of work. Now, I've heard that this movie is loosely based on Shakespeare's play, The Tempest, but since I've never read it, I can't comment on comparisons between the play and the film. The film stars Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, and Robby the Robot (Yes, the robot gets a screen credit. If you look on the Internet Movie Database, you'll find it's even listed as an actor).

The story is about a spacecraft sent to learn what exactly happened to a previous spacecraft and its' crew, which had been deployed many years prior, and has since not been heard from in some time. This current mission is under the command of Commander John J. Adams (Nielsen), and soon find themselves on approach to the destination planet of the now lost ship. On their arrival, they get an ominous message, from the planet, issued by a member of the original crew, Dr. Edward Morbius (Pidgeon). Despite his warnings, they land and are soon met by a robot named Robby, who escorts them to Morbius' rather posh abode. Here we learn all the members of that fated crew have been killed off, except for Morbius and his daughter (whom Morbius had when he procreated with another member of the original crew), Altaira (Francis), by some unseen, yet completely nasty, force, to which Morbius and his daughter seem immune. Not expecting to find any survivors, Commander Adams now has to change his plans to include trying to contact his superiors and receive further instructions on how to proceed, despite Morbuis' protests that they should leave as soon as possible, leaving him and his daughter behind so that he may continue his research. What is his research? Well, it seems that many hundreds of thousands of years ago, the planet was inhabited by a highly advanced race of being called the Krell, who mysteriously vanished seemingly overnight in comparison to their collective power, intelligence and abilities, and while their cities have long since gone, a great deal of their technology survived underneath the ground, and Morbius has managed to gain some understanding of these beings, even being able to pry bits of information and such in the 20 odd years that he's been here. This amazing discovery is certainly worth writing home about, and so Commander Adams begins having the men disassemble the ship to create a device powerful enough to send a message back to his superiors, and in the meantime, starts making time with Morbius' daughter, who's never seen a man outside of her father, and is uneducated in the ways of woo. Things seem to be progressing until an unseen late night attack on the ship damages some crucial elements needed for communication, so an electrified perimeter is set up to prevent the approach of any more unannounced and unwelcome visitors. We soon find out the fence works, as a huge beastie, normally invisible, now highlighted by the electrical current, tries to attack the ship, killing a few defenders. What exactly is the nature of this beast? Is it somehow connected to the Krell? Does Morbius know more than he's letting on? Will any get off this planet alive? What the heck were these Krell up to anyway?

Forbidden Planet is inspirational, in my opinion, because it presents an well developed and thought out story above and beyond the usual `scary alien' fare we saw in the early 50's. Similar to The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), it brought a level of intelligence to the genre while managing to also entertain. Basically, whatever level you view the film on, it will provide enjoyment. It also hallmarked the first film appearance of Robby the Robot, probably one of the most popular, recognizable, and enduring icons in science fiction film history. Also, it is important to note, this is the first film to utilize an entirely electronically composed musical score. Stereotypical characterizations appear to create the various roles, but since the film was releases a good 14 years before I was even born, I can't help but wonder if the stereotypes started here, given the influence of the film. The production value overall is lavish and indicates little expense was spared in bringing the story to life. The special effects, even by today's standards, look remarkably good, and the realism in the matte painting backgrounds is truly spectacular. The tour of the huge underground Krell facility really stood out in my mind, properly highlighting the enormity and intricacies at the same time. Plot holes? Yeah, I noticed a few of them (like how'd Robby show up at the end despite every circuit being blown? And that self-destruct mechanism at the end...that seemed a bit convenient and lacking proper safeguards one would normally apply as to not accidentally cause it to go off), but these tend to pale in comparison to the overall film. As a whole, I think anyone would be hard pressed not to acknowledge this as one of the more influential films in the genre, and just a lot of fun in general.

Warner Brother's gets points from providing an excellent widescreen print (the DVD is double sided, with fullscreen on the flipside), but loses some in their complete lack of special features other than an original theatrical trailer. I find it pretty sad that this film doesn't rate the special features we so often see on new releases. Normally I'd be happy with a good looking print, but surely certain films deserve some preferential treatment, and this, in my opinion, is one of them. Oh well...

Cookieman108

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It saddens me to write this, as Warners did an awesome job at least in packaging this 50th Anniversary Edition of FORBIDDEN PLANET... it's what is included (and NOT included) that leads me to give this Special Edition only 3 stars at best. I hate to nit-pick, but considering that I and many others have waited since the original 1998 DVD release for a full-blown re-do from Warner Brothers, this new release leaves a lot to be desired.

First off: NO COMMENTARIES! At all! Historian Rudy Behlmer is on hand for the documentary, but no commentary??? Not even with Leslie Nielsen, Anne Francis, or any of the still-living actors seen in the "Amazing" documentary? How about one from at least all the modern-day special effects gurus who are also seen on the documentary? Simply unforgivable.

Second: The main documentary, "Amazing!" is a scant 25-30 minutes long! Haven't I been reading for months that this doc would be "feature-length?" Sorry folks... feature-length, to me, means AT LEAST 70 minutes long. Actors that you could have sworn had long passed, like Richard Anderson, Earl Holliman and Warren Stevens, are given scant face-time, and Anderson literally only gets about 10 seconds!!! This is "Oscar Goldman," for cryin' out loud! Oh sure, the modern-day directors, FX masters and writers fall all over themselves about the special effects and Robby the Robot, but where's the human element in all this? How did the principal actors all get involved in the film in the first place? What were their feelings during the production towards the material? Did they know it was good, or did they think it was cheesy? Did they all get along, or were all the male actors vying for the attention of Anne Francis? How was the director (Fred McLeod Wilcox) to work with... a saint, a jerk, what? This element is SORELY lacking from the proceedings.

Third: Picture quality. Yes, it's marginally clearer than the '98 MGM release, but am I the only one who thinks the picture still looks somewhat washed-out, with the infamous "yellow-layer" seemingly deteriorated? The colors just don't seem to pop right out at you, unlike most other glorious MGM releases, like SINGIN' IN THE RAIN or THE WIZARD OF OZ... reds, yellows and greens seem oddly muted. It just feels like more work could have been done for optimal picture quality. Perhaps there was no master negative to work with? Again, it could have been easily explained had a commentary track been added.

Fourth: Extras. The lobby cards are cool, but the ones for THE INVISIBLE BOY are superfluous... sure, it's neat to have the film included, but that's purely a novelty at this point. Also, the Robby the Robot action figure is a disappointment as well: It's really only a dinky, painted statue; no movable joints, and poor Robby will be dwarfed by Princess Leia if you stick him of the shelf with your other sci-fi trinkets.

All in all, it's still nice to have ANY kind of Special Edition of FORBIDDEN PLANET in your collection, and the packaging that comes with the tin case is suitably retro, colorful and fun to look at, but this new release could have been SO MUCH more. A shame. Guess we'll have to wait until 2016 and the 60th Anniversary Edition for a more substantial, well-rounded release.

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Fifty years after its theatrical release FORBIDDEN PLANET still ranks as one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever created. Of it's contemporaries, only 1951's THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL approaches its intelligence and depth. Not until Stanley Kubrick brought us 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY was another science-fiction film to take such a thought-provoking approach to the human condition.

Much of the credit for the excellence of FORBIDDEN PLANET has to go to its ultimate source material, THE TEMPEST, Shakespeare's last (and arguably greatest) play.

A number of reviewers have mentioned "some Shakespear play" (sic) as the inspiration for this film, and others have admitted, "I haven't read it." I strongly recommend that anyone even mildly interested in FORBIDDEN PLANET read THE TEMPEST, and secondarily, that anyone who speaks English acquaint themselves with the Bard of Avon (that's Shakespeare, in case you didn't know...at the very least spell his name correctly!)

The film stars Walter Pidgeon as Dr. Morbius (Prospero), Anne Francis as his daughter Altaira (Miranda), Robby the Robot as himself (Ariel), and the Invisible Monster From the Id in the Caliban role.

The Forbidden Planet is visited by the crew of the spaceship C-57-D, captained by a very young, very earnest Leslie Nielsen. He is accompanied by his First Officer and Ship's Doctor with whom he trades constant wisecracks (if this all sounds familiar, it's because FORBIDDEN PLANET counts STAR TREK as one of its numerous progeny). FORBIDDEN PLANET's plot also inspired more than one episode of that show.

The Robot of LOST IN SPACE owes his existence to Robby the Robot (who later appeared in other pictures besides FORBIDDEN PLANET, a groundbreaking idea at the time). LOST IN SPACE's Jupiter II is a copy of the C-57-D. STAR TREK and LOST IN SPACE were both produced within a decade of FORBIDDEN PLANET, and their creators have credited the film as seminal.

C-57-D is searching for survivors of a human colony on the planet. As it turns out, the only survivors are the imperious Dr. Morbius, his irresistibly sexy and utterly innocent twentysomething daughter, Altaira, and Robby the Robot.

Morbius informs them that all is fine on the Forbidden Planet and bades them go on their way. Suspicious for no particular reason, the Captain and his pals decide to overstay their welcome. In recounting the history of the planet, Morbius explains that it was once the home of a superintellectual race called the Krell, and that the Krell were destroyed by some unknown force at the very height of their powers. After having the Captain stick his feet in the fire, Morbius admits that the rest of the colonists died as a result of contact with this unknown force. The words are barely out of Morbius' mouth when the crew of C-57-D reports several mysterious deaths.

Most of the rest of the film revolves around efforts to battle what turns out to be an invisible monster bent on mindless destruction. The origins of the monster cause one to consider the conundrum of the atomic age: whether a mankind bent on technological advancement is better off than a mankind that lived in a simpler time.

FORBIDDEN PLANET never lags. The script is well-honed, and the story moves along at a rapid clip (even for 1956), always keeping the viewer's attention.

The dialogue is furiously funny at times. Besides the ongoing byplay between the Captain and his cronies, Earl Holliman hams it up as the ship's often-inebriated cook, who strikes up a satisfyingly one-sided business relationship with Robby the Robot. Altaira is gently amusing. Never having met any man besides her father, she is wide-eyed and curious about the visitors. After the men lead her in some discussion on the subject, she decides she just MUST practice her kissing, a task for which the dedicated crew volunteers at every available moment thereafter.

The very attractive Anne Francis (TV's HONEY WEST) is fitted out in some criminally short minidresses which are slam-dunk guaranteed to hold the attention of a typical heterosexual male viewer. A few of her dresses were banned by studio censors as being too much (or too little) and were not used in the film. Her wardrobe definitely gave impetus to the female crew uniforms on STAR TREK. The actual costumes in this movie were later used in the less-than-memorable low-budget QUEEN OF OUTER SPACE, starring Zsa Zsa Gabor as a Venusian woman with a Budapest accent (!). A practice kissing sequence also made it into that film.

Miss Francis is the acknowledged original "Space Babe." Though Altaira is essentially a sex kitten role, she manages to imbue the character with dignity and humor, and gives a memorable performance.

The sets are all posh and wonderfully futuristic (in a 1950s Swedish modern sort of way). The special effects were cutting-edge for their time. MGM spared no expense in producing this big-budget color picture and hired Disney Studios to create the effects. (Yes, they look rather dated now, but considering they are fifty years old, they hold up surprisingly well against today's CGI.) The electronic soundtrack is still a definite attention-getter.

With its balanced mix of science fiction, comedy, and classic drama, FORBIDDEN PLANET stands as one of the finest movies ever made.

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The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971)

In the early 70's at Thule Air Base the main activity aside from drinking was going to the movies. A thriller called The Bird With The Crystal Plumage caught my fancy. Then some months later we saw Cat o'Nine Tails. I immediately recognized the director's style but found the movie lacking. My interest in Argento was revived when 4 Flies on Grey Velvet came along.

3 decades later, I've just seen Anchor Bay's stunning reissue of Cat which confirmed my original assessment stylish, funny ... but lacking the element of suspense or surprise to be found in both Bird and Flies. The cast is excellent.. The DVD is superb with an interesting group of extras including an interview with Argento and radio interviews with Franciscus and Malden. I do recommend the DVD but if you're on a budget, wait for a reissue of 4 Flies or run to your local DVD store today and snap up Deep Red.

Incidentally, since I've been acquainted with Argento's films for so many years, I'm surprised all Americans don't know them. Cat o'Nine Tails just lacks the edge to be found in the rest of his works. Certainly if you like giallo flicks, you'll want to see it at least once.

I had read somewhere that Dario himself didn't think highly of this film and Maltin rates it a BOMB. I was sceptical when I rented this one but in the end I was relieved that I did. It's actually quite good and it has a cohesive plot that keeps you guessing 'till the very end. There's no gore here to speak of but Argento keeps things lively from start to finish and the actors here are amazingly good (compared to many other Argento films). Check it out, it certainly doesn't deserve a BOMB rating, and also, it seems that Dario is never entirely satisfied with his old films, apperently he can't even watch them on t.v.

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I had many difficulties to see this movie from Dario Argento because it was not easy to find it in my country, but when I finally saw it, it really surprised me. Like THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE this second film from the Italian Master of Horror is very impressive. Again Dario used a calculating and very complicated plot, even more than in THE BIRD... This time with more colors and a fabulous score from Ennio Morricone. A great thriller even if Dario thinks it is his most disappointing film.

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Cat o' Nine Tails is generally considered second-tier Argento. In fact, Argento himself isn't too jazzed on it. But I find it to be an excellent Hitchcock-inspired suspense film. Yeah, it lacks the stylized, highly imaginative visuals of his later films, but that's not to say it lacks filmmaking verve and invention. Far from it. A must-have if you're an Argento fan, but I suspect it would have more appeal to a general audience than most of his films.

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I received the DVD for Dario Argento's The Cat o' Nine Tails (1971) aka Il Gatto a nove code when I bought a six DVD set from Anchor Bay Entertainment called The Fright Pack: Man's Worst Friends, which also included Parasite (1982), Lucio Fulci's The Black Cat (1989), Slugs: The Movie (1988), Bruno Mattei's Rats: Night of Terror (1984), and Zoltan, Hound of Dracula (1978). After watching the film, it seemed an odd choice for the set which features movies about animals attacking people, as there was no animals whatsoever in the film, only in the title. Actually, this was the second of a trio of giallo films made by Argento featuring animals in the title, the others being The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) and Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971). Written and directed by Dario Argento (Suspiria, Phenomena), the man often referred to at the Italian Hitchcock, this Italia-Franco-German production features Karl Malden (Nevada Smith, Meteor), Catherine Spaak (Murder Is a Murder), Pier Paolo Capponi (Defeat of the Mafia), Horst Frank (The Night of the Askari), Rada Rassimov (Baron Blood), Aldo Reggiani (Young Lucrezia Borgia), Carlo Alighiero (Blade of the Ripper), and James Franciscus (The Valley of Gwangi, Beneath the Planet of the Apes).

Franciscus plays Carlo Giordani, a newspaper reporter who stumbles onto the story of his career (maybe even his life), assisted by an aging blind man, with a penchant for puzzles, named Franco Arnos (Malden) and the man's young niece. It seems prior to a break-in at a genetics research laboratory, Arno and his niece just happened to in the area, and witnessed something with regards to one of the scientists who works in the facility. The next day the very same scientist dies horribly as he's pushed, accidentally on purpose, in front of a commuter train. Giordani, when not making time with the daughter of the man who owns the research facility, learns the company is involved in two secretive, potentially lucrative projects, one involving a miracle drug, and another involving a process for identification of potential criminal tendencies by studying an individual's genetic make-up. The leads keep popping up, but Giordani and Arno just can't seem to catch a break as the someone keeps brutally dispatching the witnesses before the men get a chance to talk to them...whoever's responsible for the original crime, in which it seemed nothing was taken, is going to great lengths to cover their tracks, even if it means killing...eventually the tables are turned on Giordani and Arno as their snooping draws the attention of the homicidal maniac and soon discover they're now targets. So who's this homicidal madman? There's plenty of suspects to choose from...whoever it is, they certainly don't have a problem getting their hands `dirty' with a little manslaughter...

I thought this was a really solid film throughout, with only a couple minor issues. One thing that surprised me was the excellent production values that went into the movie. Looks like most of the film was shot on location, which where chosen well. I thought most all the performers did very well, especially Franciscus and Malden. I don't know what it is about Franciscus, but he just has a real presence on the screen, one you can't help but feel compelled to keep your eyes on...certainly he's a good looking man, but there is another quality, a vigorous, manly man aspect. Watch for the scene near the end where he runs face first into a two by four being held by the killer...ouch! That'll leave a mark...I was impressed with how Argento kept the story moving along as well as he did, given the film is nearly two hours long. Some of it probably could have been excised, like the element of the storyline about the relationship between the owner of the genetic research facility and his daughter, played by Ms. Spaak. I'm really unsure what the point of that was, other than perhaps to overly develop the possibility that either one may be the culprit, along with a whole slew of other suspects, or just to creep people out (which it did for me). The one thing that stood out as the main shortfall involved the revelation of the identity of the maniac killer. There were no real clues within the story that ever pointed towards any one individual, so when the big reveal occurred, it could have been almost anyone who hadn't yet been killed. Oh sure, some additional supporting information was given after the fact, things regarding motive and such, but come on, anyone can do that...it's putting sly clues out their prior to the reveal that make a mystery truly fun and engaging to an audience. This may seem a fairly critical aspect considering this is a mystery, but I felt the majority of the film done well enough to compensate. I dunno, maybe the breadcrumbs were there, but I neglected to follow. As far as the deaths go, some get pretty nasty, particularly the guy pushed in front of the train...there's couple of strangulations, a face slashing, attempted poisoning, and more...I think my favorite sequence was when Franciscus' character was in the barbershop getting a shave with a straightedge razor. The barber is griping about reporters and how the newspapers are speculating that the maniac killer might possibly be a barber, due the proficiency the killer has with a sharp blade. During this time, we see the barber, through close ups, shaving Franciscus' face and throat, and his unease towards the barber's agitated state. Another scene I really liked was when Franciscus and Malden are in the graveyard, looking to dig up one of the recently murdered victims in order to follow up on a clue...the fun never ends with these two, I'll tell you what...all in all, a very stylish, sometimes creepy affair with a few vicious murders and a solid storyline.

Anchor Bay Entertainment provides an excellent, `re-mastered, uncut, uncensored', sharp-looking print of the film, in widescreen (2.35:1) anamorphic, on this DVD, along with a decent Dolby Surround 2.0 audio track. Special features include a featurette titled `Tales of the Cat: interviews with director Dario Argento, writer Dardano Sacchetti, and musical composer Ennio Morricone (14 minutes), two trailers, two TV spots, radio interviews with both Franciscus and Malden (8 minutes each), a poster and still gallery, talent bios, and a 5X7 reproduction of original poster art on an insert in the DVD case, the flipside featuring the chapter stops. One thing potential buyers should keep in mind is that there are numerous DVD releases of this film out there, and while I have yet to see them, I've rarely been disappointed with the quality on Anchor Bay releases, so even though it may cost a little more, it's probably worth it, in this case, to make sure which release you're thinking of purchasing.

Cookieman108

By the way, if I learned anything from this film, it's never to drink from a leaky carton of milk left on my doorstep, especially if a sadistic killer is out to get me...

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Grumpy Old Men (2009)

This review refers to the Warner Bros VHS of "Grumpy Old Men"..

One "Putz", one "Moron", and an eternal Sex Kitten, melt the Minnesota snows as well as your heart in this too fun flick that reunites the late great comedy team of, Jack Lemmon(the"Putz") and Walter Matthau(the "Moron").

They are neighbors John Gustafson and Max Goldman who have been taking swipes and snipes at each other for over 50 years. The gags and gaglines will have you rolling with laughter, as the curmudgeons' feud heats up snowed-in Minnesota, when the beautiful, free-spirited widowed Ariel(Ann Margret) moves in across the street.They'll do whatever it takes to outdo the other for her affections, but when near tragedy strikes, there is no question of their affection for each other.

Joining in the fun is Burgess Meredith, as the hysterically lecherous father of Lemmon(cover the kids ears when he's in the scene), Darryl Hannah and Kevin Pollack, their kids, who may also realize the feelings they've had for each other since the third grade, the wonderful Ozzie Davis, and the always brillant Buck Henry. It was directed by Donald Petrie, with music by Alan Silvestri.

The laughs don't end here though..as there is an equally funny sequel "Grumpier Old Men", with much of the same cast and the addition of the legendary and gorgeous Sophia Loren.

The VHS has a nice clear picture and is recorded in hi-fi. There's a great soundtrack including a wonderful rendition of "We're Having A Heat Wave" by Ella Fitzgerald. It is in a standard format. I did not see it avaiable with the choice of the theatrical release form, which would have been nice with all that snowy scenery(My only reason for four stars). This a memorable Lemmon/Matthau film and you'll love it in any format though.

We'll always have their wonderful films to make us laugh..have fun with this one....Laurie....P.S. Don't miss the laugh out loud outakes during the credits, stay till the very end!

more fun stuff recommended:

Northern Exposure Seasons 1 4 DVD Bundle

Goin' South

Captain Jack

Being a thirty-something woman, I thought, how could I possibly find a movie about two grumpy old men funny? Turns out, VERY EASILY! If I could give this movie TEN STARS, I would! This has to be my all-time, favorite comedy. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are at it again; creating that perfect "odd-couple" chemistry. This time, the story is set in snowy Minnesota, with Lemmon and Matthau, (two old-time rivals), competing for the attentions of the refreshingly eccentric, yet extremely attractive widow, who has just moved into their neighborhood. The writing in this film is excellent; the actor's comedic timing is pure genius, and the zingers never seem to stop! This movie is a classic! Don't be a putz buy it today!

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Just picked it up today and couldn't wait to view...

The bad news first..

no bonus features...just a trailer. The good news? It is FINALLY in widescreen!! Now...the picture quality is what I was really wondering about. Its tough to judge because I don't know the source material but I think this is as good as they could do and frankly given the age of the actors , too sharp much of the time! I should say that its mostly available light looking and mostly drab and overcast so I think its pretty good as blu-rays go. I paid a bit over $10 and I'm delighted...sure I'd have been happy for some PR interviews the actors did as bonus items but for a crisp and finally Widescreen version of this movie I'm happy. Oh..I didn't bother to review the movie its been done enough....with Lemmon, Matthau, Meredith, Davis and Buck Henry ,not to mention nice support from Hannah and Pollak...at least a minor classic.

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In 1993 Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau played their best roles in this movie together. This movie, "Grumpy Old Men" is a MASTERPIECE! It's funny, joyfull, and heartwarming. These two were the perfect match for an EXCELLENT movie like this. The plot of the movie is great. The setting of cold and snowy Wabasha, MN was a the perfect setting.

The movie starts out on a snowy morning with two rivaling neighbors John Gustufson (Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Matthau). These two have been at each other's throats since they were kids. They always insult each other like calling each other a putz, a moron, or even a schmuck and other rude names. Whatever the two do they compete against each other to be better. One of those things they compete against is they both ice fish everyday and Max always ends up with more fish than John. So one day after they finish fishing, Max has half a dozen fish and John only has two. So Max of course picks on him and John throws one of his dead fishes into Max's car which causes a terrible stench.

That night John is watching the lottery and Max has the same T.V. remote so while John's watching the numbers Max over in the next window switches the channel. Then John switches it back then Max does it again and again. Finally John finds out it's Max and Max's son Jake (Pollak) opens the window to make him apologize and when Max goes to the window, John sprays his garden hose at him. Will these two ever stop fighting?

Then the rivalry takes another step up when a beautiful new neighbor Ariel (Ann-Margret) moves in and catches the attention of Max and John. Ariel is a lovely, warm-hearted, spirited woman who Max and John start fighting over. Max takes her ice fishing where she catches a 3-foot fish that she actually THROWS BACK before Max can take a picture of it. Then John and Ariel have dinner together and then go snowmobiling together and eventually sleep together. MAX IS FURIOUS!!!

Now Max and John are out fishing and Max is thinking of how to seek revenge. So John is in his shanty when it starts moving. He looks out the window and Max is moving it with his car heading straight for THIN ICE. John jumps out and his shanty is sunk. Of course Max is in his car chanting, "Yeah!" The two finally have a brawl and John is convinced that Max deserves Ariel more than he does because John can't support her because his house is about to be taken away from the IRS.

Will John get her or will Max? This movie is a great comedy everyone can enjoy. It's very touching and loving and is full of laughs. Your comedy collection is not complete without "Grumpy Old Men." This is a 5-Star MASTERPIECE!

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Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau rank among the greatest on-screen duos of all time, and this movie is a great example of their brilliant chemistry. They're both very capable dramatic actors, and each has an Academy Award as proof, but their signature trademark will always be their comedic ability.

In this movie, Lemmon and Matthau play the roles of John and Max, respectively. John and Max have been next-door neighbors their whole lives, and though they have an extremely hostile love/hate relationship, they remain each other's best friend. Their hostility stems from decades before when John wound up marrying the girl they both loved. Both are now widowers who live alone in their separate houses, and a woman named Ariel (Ann-Margret) moves into the house across the street. Both men are immediately smitten by Ariel, and it leads to a rehashing of the same hostile feelings they once held for each other in their youth.

While the plot may seem like heavy material, it really isn't. The story is presented in a extremely touching yet light-hearted way. Both John and Max are extremely loveable, and the audience is made to feel sorry for them because both are lonely in their old age. The only flaw in this movie is in the plausability of Ariel actually having romantic feelings for either of these two men. She's a relatively young woman and energetic woman, and the fact that she has these two old men fighting for her attention doesn't seem quite believable.

Regardless, this is an excellent movie that I definitely recommend.

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Subspecies: The Blu Ray Collection Volume 1 (2013)

Ah, vampire B-movie schlock. Not big blockbusters starring Anne Rice vamps or Stephenie Meyer sparklepires, but lower-budget affairs splattered with blood.

One of the best examples of the genre is "Subspecies," a movie series with a genuinely creepy villain and lots of atmosphere. "Subspecies: The Awakening / Bloodstone: Subspecies II / Bloodlust: Subspecies III" brings together the first three volumes of the series, following the vampire Radu's pursuit of a pretty but utterly useless American girl.

"Subspecies: The Awakening" (I don't know why it's called that instead of just "Subspecies") involves three grad students writing their theses in a Romanian village. Their investigations bring them to a ruined castle where vampires were once said to dwell, as well as an encounter with the broodingly handsome Stefan (Michael Watson). Guess what Stefan is!

But it turns out there is still vampiric stuff afoot: the evil, ghoulish Radu (Anders Hove) has returned to the castle, and has murdered his own dad to steal the Bloodstone (which supposedly drips the blood of saints). And he's decided to make all three girls his consorts -meaning that only Stefan and an elderly Romanian man can save the day!

In "Subspecies II: Bloodstone," Radu is returned to life and immediately kills his brother, only for Michelle (Denise Duff) to immediately escape with the Bloodstone. Her sister Becky (Melanie Shatner) arrives in Romania to try to help her sister, but she has little idea that Michelle has become one of the undead -and that Radu is determined to find her.

And in "Subspecies III: Bloodlust," Radu's "mummy" returns him to live with Michelle's blood. The three of them immediately teleport back to the Transylvanian castle, where Radu begins educating Michelle in the ways of the vampire -and falls in love with her. Meanwhile, Becky arranges a small-scale infiltration of Radu's castle, so she can rescue her sister.

"Subspecies" is a pretty cheesy piece of work -lots of naked boobs, goopy blood and hilarious death scenes (head-stab!) permeate the series. And the main character is a vampire who looks like a ghoul and has fingers he can snap off to form little stop-motion demons that... well, they occasionally fetch things for him. Like I said, cheesy.

However, it's a fun kind of cheesy. It's the kind of cheesy that you want to get popcorn for, rather than scoffing at -and it's definitely more hardcore than "Twilight." Some parts (the middles of "Bloodstone" and "Bloodlust") are rather slow-moving, but we also get charming Romanian villages, picturesquely decayed castles and plenty of vampire attacks.

The characters, however, are a mixed bag. Anders Hove is a deliciously disgusting villain, with his stringy fingers, ghoulish face and drooling mouth. But he also manages to inject some pathos into Radu in "Bloodlust," where we see the vampire starting to grow sad. And Becky Shatner does a really good as a strong, independent heroine who just wants to rescue her sister.

Sadly, Denise Duff's Michelle does little other than cry, scamper around whining, and hang around Bucharest clubs in increasing gothic clothing. You'll get tired of her fast; the character is much better when played by Laura Tate. Stefan is possibly the wimpiest vampire in existence (he's immobilized by a NET), and "Mummy" may actually be a mummy that someone dug up and put on puppet strings.

"Subspecies: The Awakening / Bloodstone: Subspecies II / Bloodlust: Subspecies III" brings together the first three -and three best -Subspecies movies. Watch these, and avoid the fourth one.

Its great there releasing blu ray movkes. Subspecies. Castle freak. Pit and pendlum. Hopefully they release trancers on blu and dark angel and arcade etc. Thanx charles from a loooooong time buyer/renter of ur movies:)

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This is my second favorite series from Full Moon, Radu is the ultimate villian. He is creepy looking and has a cool voice. If you like vampire movies check these out...

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Great trilogy box set...except its FOUR films. Why Subspecies 4 is not part of this box set is inexplicable. There isn't a 5th film or even a 6th film. The series is over or stalled at 4. So why not release it as the Subspecies collection with the fourth film? Weird.

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Jerry Maguire (+ BD Live) (1996)

Well, I'm incredibly late to the Jerry Maguire party, but I'm glad I finally made it. I thought this was just a comedy, but I should have known better because laughs alone usually don't generate the kind of success this movie enjoyed. This is a wonderful, feel-good movie with a surprisingly effective emotional payoff. Tom Cruise is great, Cuba Gooding, Jr., steals every scene he's in, and that Renee Zellweger is nothing short of perfect. They even threw in a clip of McGarrett on Hawaii Five-O and sent me away with Bob Dylan singing over the credits in my book, that's going above and beyond the call of duty. And I never tire of seeing someone break away from the cynicism of big business and actually put some heart back into an increasingly heartless way of life.

Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is, of course, a bigshot sports agent who has it all then loses it all. For some inexplicable reason, he develops a conscience late one night, puts together this huge "mission statement" all about reducing the number of clients and giving those remaining the genuine personal touch, and sends it to everyone in the company. With a schlep of a boss like Bob Sugar (the always annoying Jay Mohr), his days with the company are, not surprisingly, numbered. He vows to start his own company, desperately trying to hold on to the clients he has been representing but all he ends up taking with him are outrageous Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) and Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), an accountant who was truly inspired by what he had written. It doesn't seem like much, but he really has all he will ever need he just doesn't realize it until the end of the movie.

Life on his own is quite a struggle, especially after he breaks up with his vicious fiancée (Kelly Preston), and I know it must be truly demoralizing to be defeated time and time again by Jay Mohr. Rod Tidwell, a great player who doesn't get the notice (or money) he thinks he deserves, stays loyal to him, though, for rather inexplicable reasons even after Maguire fails to get him the kind of big money he is looking for in a new contract. Dorothy also stays with him, and Maguire grows increasingly close to her and her little boy Ray (Jonathan Lipnicki). There's love in the air, and Maguire's famous problem with emotional intimacy makes what should be the simplest thing in the world immensely complicated. We see a lot of Maguire at his worst double-crossed, drunk, beaten up, wallowing in self-pity. He never gives up, though, and that's what's important. I find it a little problematic that he did not apply the principles of his "mission statement" to the way he lived his life, but in his defense guys tend to be pretty dense about this kind of thing (and would that we all had a Dorothy to help us see the light).

There's a wonderful cast on display here, with uncommonly meaningful secondary characters: there's little Ray, of course, but Dorothy's bitter yet loving sister Laurel (Bonnie Hunt) and Rod Tidwell's wife Marcee (Regina King) really do lay claim to a commanding presence in the story. You can also make a little game of spotting all of the sports personalities that make cameos (usually silent ones, thankfully) in the film.

This isn't a comedy; it's a serious story that just happens to feature a lot of laughs. It's a commentary on the depersonalization of business, a complicated yet wonderfully sweet love story, and a movie with a surprisingly big heart. And I love Renee Zellweger. As far as I'm concerned, she not Tom Cruise was the star of this film.

This is probably one of the best performances I have seen by Tom Cruise. He portrays Jerry McGuire, a sought after sports agent, that gets a wake up call causing him to reevaluates his priorities in life. Renee Zellweger is cast as his partner and wife. She is delightful and always a joy to watch. Cuba Gooding Jr. commands attention in every scene he is in. He was very impressive in this film. Who couldn't be in love with little Jonathan Lipnicki!

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This film is definitely what I would call a feel good movie. I came away from it feeling that there are decent people in this world and that we are not all disappearing into the obscurity of just a name on a piece of paper.

The story follows Jerry Maguire, played by Tom Cruise, falling from grace working for a sports star agency when he has a flash of inspiration and takes the moral high ground on the way people should be treat within the company. His eventual rise to becoming a better person is aided from the love of woman and her son and the realization that everyone who he represents should be treated with the same respect.

The person that stole the show for me was Cuba Gooding Jr. Every scene he was in made me laugh. This was the first movie I had seen him in and thought he was a terrific actor, deserved of the Oscar he won for Best Supporting Actor. The "Show Me The Money" scene will have you in stitches.

This is not a DVD that is to be bought for it's technical qualities or abundance of extras. All you get is a static menu with no trailer, character biographies or other extras. In this day and age of DVD's like "Contact" and "The Matrix" I would have expected a bit more from a quality movie like this. The picture quality is good, as is the sound but it certainly won't tax your Dolby Digital amplifier, but then again it is not expected to.

Jerry Maguire is a film to cuddle up to your partner with and watch on a cold rainy night. It is funny, poignant and thought provoking. Worth watching at least once.

Steve.

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this movie is about love. The hard thing in life is to simply love, not to mete out your love in a miserly fashion, but to love hard. To love with a visceral intensity that keeps getting stronger. "I refuse to not love" is the moral of this film.

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This film spoke to me in so many ways. It was almost as if "Jerry Maguire" had been written with me in mind. From Jerry's epiphany at the start of the story through his struggle and eventual triumph over his fear of intimacy, it all seemed to be drawn from my experiences. These are the things that concern me every day.

Tom Cruise was beautiful. He showed perfect acting the whole time. It is perhaps, the finest work so far in his career. You could see every flicker of doubt and insincerity cross his face. I was laughing out loud, then crying and then so tightly happy that I forgot to breath. All of the other cast members seemed perfect as well. I particularly liked the doubting, divorced but totally caring sister Laurel. And let's not forget Dorothy's son Ray, what a little charmer.

The basic story is a simple one and yet it is fresh all the same. One of the slogans that the promoters used was, "A legend that became a man". For me, that is not a bad summary of the plot. Jerry is a highly successful sports agent who has an attack of conscience which gets him fired. He manages this rather early on in the film by writing a new mission statement entitled, "The things we think and do not say", which harks back in time to simpler days where a man's word was his bond. As one of his work mates says, "I give him a week". Sure enough, Jerry was doing a Lone Ranger in seven days. And as happens to so many of us, this disaster turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to him.

In the hectic moments as he tries tries to keep all his clients he is tied up by one rather loud and demanding footballer. In the end it is this one man who fills Jerry's client roster. Not to be daunted, Jerry strides out into the land of cubicles and coffee machines and firmly asks who would like to join him in exile.

Of course he is less than overwhelmed by the response. Just as it looks like his only colleague will be a gold fish, a young accounting clerk named Dorothy, who was inspired by Jerry's mission statement, pipes up and falteringly joins the crusade. Unfortunately she has a very young son named Ray and no other means of support. This puts Jerry under a little more pressure than he needed which is well illustrated when, before they even get out of the building's elevator, Dorothy starts enquiring about her health plan.

But in the end Jerry finds a strength he didn't know he had, an empathy he has never needed before, an integrity that used to be a handicap and finally he finds the love of his life. If you dream about finding any of these things in your own life I suggest you could do a lot worse than following Jerry's example.

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