Scream 4 (2011)

Now a popular author of a self-help book, Sydney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her hometown Woodsboro for a book tour.Sydney is quickly reunited with her good friends Sheriff Dewey Riley (DavidArquette), and Gail Weather (Courtney Cox) who have now married.When a new Ghost-face killer is on the loose , Gale, who once was a reporter, is given the chance to become a reporter again, but Sheriff Dewey and his loyal Deputy Judy Hicks (Marley Shelton) are sharing as little with her about the case as they possibly can. Since she wants to solve the case with him and find the killer as a team like they used to, but he doesn't want her to get hurt. Desperate for information, Gale teams up with Charlie Walker (Rory Culkin), a film geek that seems to know a lot about scary movies and remakes.

Sydney who is now under police protection due to that the killings started when she returned and since she's always the target of the Ghost-face killer; is basically protecting herself, while protecting her cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and her friends from the new killer. Since Jill and her friends have been getting threatening calls from the killer and are a target as well.

With Scream 4, Director, Wes Craven, and screenwriter, Kevin Williamson, have a great time entertaining as well as scaring their audience. From the start the director and writer duo offer many clever twists and turns that are impossible to see coming. But sometimes the film is too goofy for it's own good as far as the laughs go. For instance, in a surreal and hilarious murder scene where someone takes forever to die, you'll laugh while also thinking "that's pretty stupid." Then in other scenes the movie can be so violent that it's disturbing with innocent teens brutally killed. So the comedy and violence isn't as well balanced as it is in the earlier films.

Still, Scream 4 is one of the best in the series since it will make you jump and a lot of the laughs are pretty clever, especially the ones about horror remakes.

I am a big fan of the Scream trilogy!!! Scream 4 brings back Courtney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette as well as some well known young actors that balance very well throughout the entire movie. If you are a fan of this trilogy, you will definitely love the fourth installment. It gives you what you come to love about the other films of this great trilogy. I could even see them making another installment, Hopefully!!! I really enjoy these films and I know other fans will as well. Can't wait for the dvd!!!

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I am a huge fan of the Scream franchise, so I have to be honest that when they announced this movie, and even as I walked into the theater to see it last night, I had my doubts that it would be any good. I was wrong! At first it seemed cheesy, but there was a reason and it turned out to be awesome! The kills were much more violent and to me that made it more intense than the previous three. The plot was the same as the the others, but they seemed to tackle it with enough action and violence to make it okay, and besides, why do we watch slasher movies? It seems to be that its our way of indulging in violence and mindless murder without actually either being in danger or going to prison. I thought this movie had the PERFECT mix of comedy and intensity that makes a movie like this great. I laughed as much as I was afraid and lets face it, that is how horror movies are today, a mix of comedy and horror and only a few movies ever balance that correctly. This one definitely did! I was surprised to find who the killers were and I think a part of that was due to the lack of character development on the new characters in the film. In the first Scream we had Billy and Stu constantly interacting with each other and in tiny places throughout the movie there were winks toward them as the killers, this film had nothing of the sort and I thought it had that going for it. Character development is important, but not necessarily in a slasher movie, and aside from that we already know who Sid, Gale, and Dewey are. The best things this movie had going for it were its comedic edge, action scenes, the killer was tougher, faster, and more psychotic, and it takes a tongue in cheek approach to today's horror blunders just as the first Scream did with the originals. In my opinion, this is one of the best in the series. I was not that impressed with Scream 2 or 3, but this one brought me back and I'm loving it. It did what Scream set out to do in 1996, make an awesome slasher movie that didn't rely on sex to push its story line along, and Scream and Scream 4 does it perfectly!!

Read Best Reviews of Scream 4 (2011) Here

...and loving it.

I'm sure like many of you when I heard they were doing a fourth movie my first thought was...why?

Let the franchise rest will ya?

I was wrong and I'm REALLY glad I was wrong as this installment is the best one since the first.

Better than two or three easily.

I don't know what it was really.

It felt like an old friend had come back.

It was great to see Campbell and the whole crew back again.

The magic in most franchises simply cannot be recaptured but in this case, it feels like the magic never left.

All the horror, the jumps, the music, the snide humor is all there in all its glory.

I loved it.

I'm so sad to see this isn't doing that well in theaters. I hope positive word of mouth helps keep this movie going for a while.

Everything you wanted another Scream movie to be, this is it.

Highly recommended.

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Upon hearing that Scre4m got the greenlight, I was ecstatic. Scream has been my favorite movie franchise for the past 7 years or so, and needless to say my expectations for Scre4m were incredibly high. I will spare you the simple plot description has so many others have already provided. There will be some light spoilers in this review, but nothing that will ruin the movie for you. Let's start with the opening scene. Brilliant. There are three "acts" to the beginning of the movie and they do not disappoint. At least, the first two "acts" do not. That's not to say the third "act" is necessarily bad, but it's not nearly on par with the first two. I will not spoil the scene but I will say this. There is no way you can ever top the original opening scene to "Scream". The sequel did a good job at putting an interesting twist on it, while the opening scene in the third film failed to impress. The opening scene in this film is most similar to the second film, but with an interesting twist. The commentary that the now famous "opening scene girls" have about the current state of horror movies is not only absolutely hilarious, but incredibly accurate. And I will say that the scene with Kristen Bell and Anna Paquin is one of my favorite in the entire series.

On to the meat of the movie. There is an incredible balance of screen time and importance between the original cast members and the new cast. Courteney Cox is back to her Scream roots, with some excellent "one-liners." David Arquette has never been my favorite part of the series, but he brings back his Dewey charm that the series could not live without. However the real star here is Neve Campbell. Up until the fourth film, I was much more a "Gale supporter" than a "Sidney supporter." That is not to say I had anything against Sidney, but Gale was always the character that I loved to hate. Coming into this film, I was not sure where they could go with Sidney's story, as I thought it was completed nearly perfectly at the end of the original trilogy. However, seeing Sidney as a new strong character who has to deal with these attacks on her life, for the fourth time now is what made this movie. Neve's acting in this film is as perfect as can be, and as viewers, we feel her emotions when sees Ghostface back in action. The look on her face when she sees the masked killer for the first time in 10 years is incredibly heartbreaking. What I love about Sidney in this film is that this time around she is the one chasing after Ghostface. She is sick of the bulls***. I will not spoil any more of Sidney's character arc in this film, but it exceeded my expectations by far.

On to the new cast. Emma Roberts(playing Sidney's cousin Jill Roberts) does a very good job here. I will not say she was perfect, but she did a solid job, better than most thought we would get from Emma. Hayden Panittiere however is clearly the new "fan-favorite." She's funny, she's witty, she's sassy, she's hot. Say what you want about her short hair-cut, but it fits the character perfectly. I will not spoil the scene featured heavily in the previews in which she rattles off a seemingly endless list of nearly every horror remake of the past 10 years, but know this. EPIC. Hands down my favorite scene of the series. The rest of the cast does a fine job as well. My only problem being the character of Judy Hicks, the flirtatious deputy played by Marley Shelton. It has nothing to do with the acting, but everything to do with the writing of this character. Clearly this is a character that Ehren Kruger came up with in re-writes as opposed to Kevin Williamson. However as the film goes on, her dialogue and actions become less exaggerated and annoying. Many people complained about the acting of Kate Roberts(Sidney's Aunt) played by Mary McDonnell, however I thought her to be exceptional, despite the fact that many of her scenes were clearly left on the cutting room floor.

The final 30 minutes of the film are out of control. My jaw was on the floor the entire time. It is comprised of great acting, great dialogue, and an incredibly relevance to today's society. But enough of that.

My ONLY serious qualm with this film is how much was cut out. This is made clear by the fact that half of what we were shown in previews was not in the film. I do think some of the characters could have been a bit more developed with a few more scenes(the infamous cut scene of the new cast around the same fountain as the cast of the original Scream.) Hopefully, on the blu-ray there will be an option to view an "extended" cut of the movie. Overall, I rank this movie as equal to the first film, which both have a slight edge over Scream 2. As for how it compares to Scream 3, well let's just say I try to forget how horrible that movie was.

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The Organizer (Criterion Collection) (1963)

At the end of the 19th century, in Turin, Italy, textile factory workers are sweating out 14 hour days. From the very young to older family members are employed here, and sometimes it looks like the whole town is here. Overly tired and sleepy by days end, one worker carelessly is maimed by machinery. Next day, the workers plan to talk to the manager about the long hours, but they get nowhere.

A few are selected to lead the group and their first attempt is to work one hour less at days end by cutting off the steam to the machinery. Then they think about beginning their day one hour later. When a professor Dr. Sangrillia, comes to town, it is with his expertise that encourages a strike. They plan some benefits to hold themselves during the strike, like stealing coal. Meanwhile, we get the company's reaction to the strike.

This movie, it's Italian name I Campagni, is a grainy black and white filmed in 1963, a docudrama effect with a slight comedic edge. It is a sight to see when a trainload of scabs (unemployed men from another town) engage in physical battle with the strikers. Born in 1915, Mario Monicelli is known as one of Italy's finest directors, King of Italian comedy, directed numerous movies, written screenplay, and is an actor. He is known to have a role in the 2003 Under the Tuscan Sun. Not on DVD yet, the video subtitles are not perfected, and at times difficult to read. 130 minutes. There is a certain look to this film that clearly depicts the era. Try this! ........Rizzo

Italy in 1900 was at a stage similar to the United States in 1820. The industrial revolution was beginning. Textile and garment making factories were springing up. Desperate, poor peasants were moving from the fields to factories. This film depicts what this experience was like through the eyes of a boy of about 12. His father has died. He must go out to work to support the family. Without any preachiness, the film has the viewer enter a world where child labor is allowed, where there is no social safety net (no welfare, no unemployment compensation, no survivor's benefits, no sick pay, no medical insurance, no disability benefits). If you don't work, you starve. It's a world where there is no concept of an 8-hour day -from 12 year old boy to old man, workers toil from sunrise to sundown, maybe 12 or 14 hours a day, six days a week. And near the end of that long day, workers in the textile factory are very tired. Without any safety laws, the machines are dangerous and tired workers can get their hands caught on the looms and be maimed. Working hard will not get one a better future (not mentioned in the film as Italians would know this -there were no public schools, no way for a worker to get a mortgage to buy a tiny dwelling). Theirs will only be a life of drudgery.

What was unusual about Italy is who tried to help the workers. The union organizers were not workers but young upper middle class men, most of whom had been educated in France or England. They came back and thought Italy (newly unified) backwards, and in particular, that the peasants and workers were oppressed with no realistic chance of improvement unless they organized. Marcello Mastroianni portrays an idealistic young man, with no experience of the reality of grinding poverty, but who truly wants to help the workers. Although he is from a vastly higher social class, the workers do recognize his honesty and his true concern. There is no happy ending, and the film is brutally honest. There is no whitewashing of what life was like (including a humorous but touching scene where the organizer must hide from the police and the daughter of a worker hides him in her room -she is a prostitute and stoutly defends her choice to do something that will make her enough money to escape from grinding poverty unmaimed). But one does see that the workers, having organized, have won something -a sense of respect for themselves and the realization that if they act together they may be able to improve their future.

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I Compagni is memorable. When we consider why films move us, affect our lives, indeed, create us to some extent, we think of films such as this. This is not just an artistic triumph for all its filmmakers, but also a moving document of humanity. We take measure of Mastroianni not by his range of performance but by his deep involvement. Like France's Charles Aznavour has his heart in his song, Marcello Mastroianni is fully engaged in his performance. As Professor Sinigaglia in I Compagni, Mastroianni is at his best form. The source of his intensity is not his surface emotion, but the depths of his soul.

Read Best Reviews of The Organizer (Criterion Collection) (1963) Here

When there is discussion of the oeuvre of an Italian filmmaker, it is easy to mention the names of legendary directors Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti and Mario Monicelli.

Mario Monicelli is known in Italy as one of the masters of Commedia all'Italiana (Comedy Italian style) and received Oscar nominations for his screenwriting for "The Organizer" (1963) and "Casanova '70' (1965). As well as a Grand Prize of the Festival nomination at the Cannes Film Festival ("Guardie e ladri", 1951) and Palme d'Or nominations for "For Love and Gold" (1966), "Vogliamo i colonnelli" (1973), "An Average Little Man" (1977) and "Le due vite di Mattia Pascal" (1985).

And while he is known outside of Italy for his comedy films such as "I soliti ignoti" ("Big Deal on Madonna Street") and collaborating with talents such as Toto, Vittorio Gassman and Marcello Mastroianni, Mastroianni also directed films that contained humor, but were tragic or futile. One of the most important films Monicelli is known for is "La grande guerra" ("The Great War", 1959), which he was nominated for an Academy Award and considered as his top masterpiece, and also directing "i compagni" ("The Organizer", 1963) and "The Girl with the Pistol" (1968). Both films, he would also receive Academy Award nominations. Fitting films for a Marxist who accepted reality and its failures.

In his lifetime, he won 27 awards worldwide and won an Honorable Mention at the 44th Berlin International Film Festival and a Golden Lion for Career at the 1991 Venice Film Festival. His final film was in 2006 in which the filmmaker directed "The Roses of the Desert" at the age of 91.

A man full who lived life to the fullest, unfortunately his final years with prostate cancer would become too much of a burden on the filmmaker that he committed suicide in 2010 at the age of 95.

While many people are familiar with Monicelli's comedy films such as "Big Deal on Madonna Street", which was released by the Criterion Collection back in 2001. Criterion Collection will be releasing "i Compagni" ("The Organizer"), one of his more serious films ala "tragicomedy" for the first time on Blu-ray and will also be released on DVD in April 2012.

VIDEO:

"The Organizer" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1 aspect ratio). The whites and grays are well-contrast and black levels are very deep. For the most part, I detected no film damage or any white specks, artifacts or banding issues. The quality of the film is very good, doesn't look soft and viewers should be pleased.

According to the Criterion Collection, this new high-definition transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a new 35 mm print. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixel Farm's PFClean, while Image Systems DVNR was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"The Organizer" is presented in LPCM 1.0 monaural Italian with optional English subtitles. Dialogue is crystal clear and I detected no pops or hiss during my viewing of this film.

According to the Criterion Collection, the original stereo soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35 mm optical soundtrack positive. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using Audio Cube's integrated workstation.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"The Organizer The Criterion Collection #610' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Mario Monicelli (10:53) Featuring an interview with director Mario Monicelli recorded by the Criterion Collection in 2006. Monicelli talks about Commedia all'Italiana and his career.

Theatrical trailer -Theatrical trailer for "The Organizer".

EXTRAS:

"The Organizer The Criterion Collection #610' comes with a 4-page (dual sided) fold-out leaflet, featuring the essay "Description of a Struggle" by J. Hoberman.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I simply adore the films by Mario Monicelli and when it comes to "The Organizer", it's rather fascinating because when it comes to films about workers going on strike, in many modern films, the outcome has always been in the employees favor and always positive outcome of how labor laws were changed.

But not so much the case in cinema past, especially films from Europe.

From Sergei Eisenstein's 1925 film "Stachka" (Strike) that showcased Eisenstein's theme of collectivism versus individualism and showcasing how employees work themselves to death while owners and management are wealthy and could care less about their employees, Eisenstein's film was grounded in Lenin belief that, "The strength of the working class is organization. Without organization of the masses, the proletarian is nothing. Organized it is everything. Being organized means unity of action, unity of practical activity".

We fast forward to 1963 and similar to "Strike", Monicelli's film is set during the turn-of-the-twentieth century Turin. As Eisenstein's film preached Leninism, Monicelli believed in Marxism, which literally is a society in which burgeois or idealism do not exist.

In today's world, specifically here in the West, the idea of long work hours, employment of children and literally no breaks can not be fathomed. But yet this mentality still continues in other countries. The reality for some countries today and how things were back then is that people accept their working condition and the fear of the harsh realities of not making any income is enough for one not to stand up and become defiant towards their management. As a collective, not many are willing to do public protests, strike back in the media nor are they in a position financially to do so.

This is the reality today.

And back then, a lot of these individuals had no means to strike back, especially as a collective through media or political means. In Eisenstein's "Strike", the reality of the employees and their organized strike was violence. Violence towards the management, violence towards any other employees who were not able to hold out from the strike and were willing to return to their jobs. And unfortunately, all that is left is tragedy.

Fortunately, Monicelli's "The Organizer" is a film that showcases Monicelli's belief that the reality is what it is, and the employees of Turin need to realize that going on strike may have hurt the management but in the long run, the reality is they have the means to outlast the workers, because they have the money to survive.

And another juxtaposition with Eisenstein's "Strike" is that the people were ready to fight and die for what they believe in. This was the Leninism perspective of working as a collective. Monicelli's "The Organizer" featured a collective that was held on a string, courtesy of Professor Sinigaglia, but it was evident that these workers have families, children that depend on them and while some maybe able to fight, the outcome is much more different, despite their being a tragedy.

Another key difference is the inclusion of comedy. Eisenstein's "Strike" was primarily focused on the strike itself and the differences of lifestyle with the factory workers and the wealthy and how the financial impact was hurting families.

In Monicelli's "The Organizer", times are tough but yet there is humor. May it be a man who tries to flirt with a young woman, the stocky long-time employee Pautasso during his lunch break as he holds a huge circular bread to chow down on, or may it be a young boy who is not afraid to talk back to his elders (and also admonishing his younger brother who is attending school but would rather be an employee at the factory) or the local prostitute who tries to entice Professor Sinigaglia.

There are many of these moments that help the viewer get closer to various characters and see that despite how difficult the times are, they try to make the best of it.

So, for me, "The Organizer" has always been a fascinating film as it is an intriguing juxtaposition when compared to Eisenstein's film. Both have similarities but yet are very different.

Actor Marcelo Mastroianni is often seen playing a suave, charismatic character that always gets the lady and come to think of it, I suppose nothing has changed as the Professor also manages to find a woman but in different circumstances. But Mastroianni does a good job playing Professor Sinigaglia and being the spoken leader for the workers.

But as Marcelo Mastroianni is the lead actor, what I enjoyed most of the film are the workers who attract the viewers through their feebleness, their humor or directive. Renato Salvatori, Gabriella Gieorgelli, Folco Lullu, Bernard Blier, Raffaella Carra and many more, its the supporting cast of the film that makes "The Organizer" come to life. The performances are honest and humorous but also feel realistic and natural, and because of that, it does add to the engaging storyline.

As for the Blu-ray release, the video quality of "The Organizer" is fantastic and the interview with Mario Monicelli included on this Blu-ray was also enjoyable to watch, considering it was shot during a time when he was in good health and a few years before he died. Although I wish there were more special features included, especially audio commentary, I'm still grateful that this interview with Monicelli was included on this Blu-ray release.

Overall, "The Organizer" has always been one of my favorite Monicelli films and I can only hope that with this release, it will pave the way for more Monicelli films such as "La Grande Guerra" ("The Great War"), "The Girl With the Pistol" or "L'armata Brancaleone" ("For Love and Gold") to receive a video release.

"The Organizer" is highly recommended!

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I saw this film when it originally opened in the early 60's. It literally changed my life and my identity. The professor, masterfully underplayed by Mastroianni, moves alone from town to town wherever there are poor exploited factory workers struggling against the brutal working conditions of early industrial Italy, quietly speaking to and organizing and then electrifying his audience into taking action to better their lot. All alone, he is utterly cut off from them because of his education and life experiences, he speaks to no one before returning to sleep in his hovel at night. Awakening to repeat the same routine the next day, and the next... Why does he continue with this lonely, unpaid, and unpraised existence day after day? Not because he covets the praises of the crowd, although he does get his share of that before moving on to the next town to repeat his "performance". But simply because it is the "right thing to do", according to his own conscience. His motivation is purely internal. He is the absolute "inner-directed man". He has stood as the model of how a human being should be ever since I first saw this remarkable film. You must see this!

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The Terminator (1984)

This review refers to the BLU-RAY edition ONLY and NOT to the DVD edition.

Well having The Terminitor series on DVD and loving them and having recently upgraded to a blu-ray player I decided to take the plunge and upgrade my collection to high definition blu-ray format.

Boy, what a mistake that was.

Picture quality is AWFUL well awful for blu-ray anyway. They've taken the same standard definition source as the DVD and upscaled it for blu-ray but it's still standard definition. Only the menu is in High Definition, the movie is not. I tested my DVD version upscaled against the blu-ray edition and found them identical if anything the DVD came out slightly on top.

It also only contains 2 extras the special effects making of and the retrospective nothing else. My DVD edition contains over a dozen extras.

My verdict if you're thinking of buying The Terminator in blu-ray and you have an upscaling DVD/BD player forget it. Stick with the DVD version instead, picture is the same and it has more extras. It's cheaper too.

Maybe one day this wonderful movie will receive the treatment it deserves and be digitally remastered and have it's frames scanned with a high definition camera but until then sit on your DVD's and wait.

This is the fourth release of this film on blu-ray already. There is the 2006 original, a 2009 lenticular cover version, a 2010 blu-ray/DVD combo and now this 2011 blu-ray book. While I won't debate the merits of the film itself, MGM is currently in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings and I assume this is the primary reason for this new release. Unfortunately, they haven't bothered upgrading the original MPEG-2/LPCM 2006 mastering of the film itself; all the versions contain identical disc content. If you don't already own this film and want a fancy book style package for a 5 year old blu-ray master, go ahead and pick this up. Otherwise, you're better off finding a less expensive older version.

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The original "Terminator" is arguably the greatest sci-fi/action film ever, and the Special Edition DVD finally does this classic film justice. Many people look at the sequel as the better of the two, but remember, Cameron was given a huge budget for T2. He was forced to film "The Terminator" for less than $6 million. If you're like me, you could write enough about this movie to fill an encyclopedia, but I'll try to give just a breif plot description for those who have yet to see it.

In the future, SkyNET, the supercomputer in control of all military power, decides that humans must be destroyed and begins a massive nuclear war that destroys most of the population. The survivors form a resistance agains the computer and its mechanical army, and eventually defeat it, thanks to their leader John Connor. In a final effort to win, the computer sends a Terminator back in time to kill John's mother, Sarah, before he is born. The humans send back a lone soilder, Kyle Reese, to protect Sarah from the seemingly unstoppable cyborg.

When the movie was originally filmed, the soundtrack was recorded in mono, which sounded horrible on the original DVD release of the Terminator. But here you can find a newly recorded soundtrack, with the original soundtrack remixed along with new gun and explosion sound effects. Most of the new sounds are very cool (esp. the HK entrance in the first scene), and the new gun effects are good for the most part. Only in a few instances are the new sounds a little weak. Fortunately the DVD also sports the original mono soundtrack for when you want to watch the original verion.

Next to the film itself, the best part of this DVD is the Special Features, most of which were unavailable before. There are two Terminator documentaries, which have cast and crew interviews and behind the scene footage of the original filming of the Terminator, very cool stuff for die hards. Also featured are deleted scenes from the original film, which offer a deeper look into the Terminator mythology, and shows different sides of some characters which you wouldn't see in the original. Also in the special features are all the original storyboards for the film and hundreds more photos of the sets, actors and sketches from the original production. Simply put, for die hard Terminator fans, your wait is over. Terminator: Special Edition is a godsend.

HERE ARE ALSO TWO SECRETS I HAVE FOUND SO FAR ON THE DVD. On side one, under Languages, more to "Francais" so it is highlighted. Now move to the right. A little box on the right side of the screen should now be highlighted. Click on it. This gives access to one of four short, random interviews. The second secret is also on side one. Under special features, click on "DVD Rom Features," then under there move so that the Main Menu shortcut is highlighted. Move to the right again, and another small box should now be highlighted. Click on that. This also gives access to four more interviews. Enjoy!

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James Carmeron's Terminator has been given a state-of-the-art 5.1 stereo remix and also a fantastic hi-definition video transfer following the release of Terminator 2 (Ultimate Edition). This DVD contains over 2.5 hours of bonus material, i.e. documentaries, "terminated" scenes complete with commentary, photo galleries, the script and much more. The first thing you will notice when playing the movie is the superb video and sound quality...All of the sounds have been remixed, some deleted even. Gun shots and explosions now have more atmosphere and depth, and no longer sound like those cheap sound effects from the 1980's. Everything, including the music sounds state-of-the-art. You will not be disappointed unless you like movies to stay true to their original mixing. But I just have to say that this was a job well done....and maybe even one of the best quality DVD movies in my whole collection. If you pick this movie up make sure to pick up its sequel Terminator 2 (Ultimate Edition).

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I just received this DVD today and I went to view the special features and I found out the hard way that this DVD was not the Special Edition as Amazon.com said it was! I bought the Special Edition several years ago and it's all scratched up now so I wanted to buy a new replacement one. I am very disappointed with Amazon.com about this issue!!!!!

The version I got from Amazon has:

1) The feature movie

2) Trailer

3) DVD rom features

Now the Actual Special Edition Version has:

1) The Feature Movie

2) Trailers

3) T.V. Spots

4) Documentaries: "THE TERMINATOR: A RETROSPECTIVE" & "OTHER VOICES"

5) TERMINATED Scenes with commentary

6) Still Galleries

7) Original Treatment

8) DVD ROM Features

So I want to let everyone know that this version is NOT the Special Edition version!!!!! It is just a single release version that you get from Wal-Mart or anywhere for $7.50 or less than what Amazon or the manufacturers are charging!!!!! So don't waste your money!! Just go to Wal-Mart! I hope that I have helped at least one person to make an informed decesion by writing this review. 5 stars for it being The Terminator. 1 star for false advertisement!

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Micmacs (2010)

Amelie and The City of Lost Children belong to those films that, although, you find strange when you sit through it for the very first time, they stay with you forever. I find the director (Jean-Pierre Jeunet) to be Europe's answer to David Lynch only a tad heavier on the regressive images and lighter on the subconscious horrors. So when he had another film out, I was not going to miss it. And, once more, I was glad I did.

A bunch of eccentrics (each with his or hers own quirky character and unusual personal history) come together by life's caprice and end up undertaking an impossible task: try to take down the two largest arms manufacturers in the country. Ingenious ideas, impossible retro gadgets (handmade from salvaged materials), and an unwavering sense of justice. No sacrifice is too big if it means making the villains pay for their crimes.

The colors are soft and comforting; the imagery is mesmerizing; the music will take you back to a more naive age; and the story will make you laugh, cry and laugh again. All in all, great entertainment!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I managed to see Micmacs and thoroughly loved it. In true Jeunet fashion, characters have their specific quirks and little side-plot elements abound through the movie. A lot of what make movies like Delicatessen, Amelie, and City of Lost Children have this sometimes absurd but magical fantasy about them is present here but not overly gratuitous. Just the right amount and exactly how you'd expect it.

I've likened this movie to Three Stooges meets the A-Team versus Goliath. Really, two Goliaths. The plot is that Bazil's dad get blown up trying to defuse a mine made by a arms company. Later in his life, he is accidentally shot and the bullet is that of another competing arms company. Seeking justice, Bazil tries to confront the companies but is rebuffed quite strongly. He's then adopted by a rag-tag bunch of "orphans" called the Micmacs of the Slide Whistle who then join together to help Bazil take down the arms companies who have destroyed his life.

In true Jeunet fashion, we are introduced to each character who has a special talent that is exploited for the purpose of bringing down the arms companies. The plot, sometimes absurd and hilarious and not intended to be taken so seriously (as one reviewer earlier apparently doesn't get it). It's a comedy first and foremost and has all the hallmarks we've come to know and love from Jeunet. It doesn't move as fast as Amelie or have the sometimes overwhelming fantasy and magic of City of Lost Children but, in its own right, moves at a pace appropriate for the characters. And of course, Dominique Pinon is just over the top and brilliant as usual. Well done.

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MicMacs has a plot that defies summation, characters who each are more fantastic than the next, and the sheer joie de vivre that Jean-Pierre Jeunet brings to all of his delightful works. Here his clowns are up against the true clowns of today's world--vicious, selfish, heartless arms dealers. The boys and girls on Our Side must dive deep into their junkyard to find the tools to defeat these evil beings. And just why are they doing it? Because it's right, that's why! Needless to say, the baddies are defeated, the goodies are triumphant, and the whole flies by like a many-ringed circus performance.

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Like many of the other folks reviewing this, I'm a big Jean-Pierre Jeunet fan. Amelie, City of Children (La cité des enfants perdus), Delicatessen, etc...all exceptional movies and all having those surrealistic, fantastical, whimsical-laden settings and heart-tugging story lines that Jean-Pierre Jeunet does so well. Micmacs seems very much in the same vein of his previous films with a minor exception for me. I just didn't feel the character development was on par with his previous works. That one little ingredient in a Jean-Pierre Jeunet film that usually cements the experience for me is a level of empathetic bonding with the characters. He's phenomenal at portraying and visualizing a character's emotional response in a way that is so easy to relate to, usually in a very child-like and innocent way.

And that's where this movie just didn't quite reach the same bar as the rest of his works (for me anyway). The cinematography and set design were, per usual, incredible. The story line is interesting and entertaining, and the ensemble of characters he's created have that magical element, but I can't say I felt the same level of emotional connection to the characters as I have in his past movies. It seemed like he didn't have enough time to develop the background and pull the viewer in so effortlessly, say like the opening sequence in Amelie (still one of my all-time favorite sequences in a movie).

If you like Jean-Pierre Jeunet films, I expect you'll like this. I did, just not quite as much as his previous works (a couple of which I would probably rate 6 out of 5 stars), but it was still a very enjoyable escape during the hour and 45 minutes it ran. Definitely worth a watch.

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this is simply everything I want in a movie. It's charming, it's whimsical, it's a win for the good guys, it's creating a family out of unrelated, odd people that works (much better than most families that are related work,) it's lovely I felt good when I left the theater and this is the one movie from this year that I'm buying.

Don't get me wrong, I loved "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and "The Girl Who Played With Fire" outstanding movies in every possible way but I'm not going to buy them and watch them again. So, this is not a review by someone who has to have cute and sweet in her movies. But it is a review by a real movie buff, and a movie buff who has some standards as in, if you can't entertain me, I won't watch your movie! Mic Mac's entertained, it entranced, and at the end I left feeling that the world is a place where decent, caring relationships can happen, and that sometimes, just sometimes, the bad guys get theirs. That's a perfectly reasonable, even desirable, way to leave the theater.

I refuse to accept that a requirement for a good movie is that it is full of sturm und drang that's just baloney sixties thinking and also "I'm too cool to like fun stuff that isn't obscene and/or stupid or both" thinking. As an adult I find that it's very difficult to find movies to enjoy. Usually movie makers can't find their way through the maze of amusing bosoms and bottoms or blowing up something every 10 minutes. This movie maker can make a movie. I am grateful whenever I find one who can. I strongly recommend it.

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kimi ni todoke -From Me to You- Volume 2 Premium Edition (2012)

Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) is one of the best romantic comedies out there. Sawako (the main female character)adorable for her kindness and honesty, despite the fact that she has always been feared and looked down upon by her fellow students, who believe that she can see spirits, place curses on people, and that being near her brings bad luck. It's wonderful to see how she grows after she meets Kazehaya, the first person to treat her like a normal person. Anyone who likes romcoms should watch this series!

One thing that threw me off and I wish it was posted up top under dvd format, this is a DVD COMBO!!!! It has two cases with two discs in each, and has a blue ray and a dvd format of the same episodes in each case. I bought this item not knowing that, and freaked out since I don't have a blu-ray player yet. So if any of you out there love this series (it is wonderful and sweet and the artwork is breathtaking!!!), and are like me and still refuse to budge on buying yet another player or gaming system or whatever, this is a combo pack yay!

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Out of allot of Anime I have watched this has to be within the top 20. But the reason it ranks so high out of all of the other more sentimental anime's is because it it does everything it sets out to without taking forever but dos not happen in one or two episodes like other anime it almost completely perfect. Also just to frank every frame looks like it was panted so that's really nice.

art-5

music/sound track-5

story and character Development-5

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Priceless (2008)

"Priceless" (Hors de prix) is a romantic comedy of a sort only the French would make. Jean Simon (Gad Elmaleh) is a bartender at a posh hotel on the French Riviera so conditioned to fulfill the guests' every wish that he can't say "no". Irene Mercier (Audrey Tautou) is an attractive young woman kept by a wealthy older man whom she hopes to marry to secure a life of luxury. When Irene's companion Jacques (Vernon Dobtcheff) falls asleep and spoils her plans for the evening, Irene dejectedly saunters to the hotel bar, where she mistakes Jean for a rich guest. Jean sheepishly accommodates her mistake, and they have a drunken fling. When she returns to the hotel a year later, engaged to Jacques, their mutual attraction threatens her marriage plans, Jean's job, and everyone's equilibrium.

This is a genuinely charming and funny film, but I had to laugh at its effrontery as well as it script. "Priceless" adopts a jaunty, optimistic tone at the point when Jean and Irene begin prostituting themselves to rich patrons. This film would not be made in the Untied States. It accepts the casual exchange of sex for money as an amusing and self-evident aspect of life, and sexual jealousy simply does not exist. Irene couldn't be more charming than when she attempts to educate a smitten Jean on the arts of gold-digging and seduction. Irene and Jean's meal tickets, the wealthy bon vivants that keep them in designer fashions, are interesting and smart people themselves, which helps elevate the film.

And there is always something interesting going on the background. I enjoyed director Pierre Salvadori's peeks behind the scenes at how luxury hotels function. I was impressed by his respect for the support staffs that keep the hotels running, and it enhanced the feeling of grandeur that Irene single-mindedly seeks. "Priceless" was obviously inspired by "Breakfast at Tiffany's", a film that I don't care for. It is not as coy about the lady's profession, however. And Jean and Irene are much more appealing and good-humored leads. "Priceless" is a very good-looking film, a scandalous tale that wisely gives no hint of scandal, with a smart, funny script. There are no bonus features on the First Look 2008 DVD. Subtitles are available in English SDH and Spanish.

I'm going out on a limb and giving this film 5 stars. No it's not epic long lasting cinema, but it's a perfectly enjoyable, wonderfully well made, bit of entertainment. It's in the same vein as Cousin Cousine Cousin, Cousine, or when you read the synopsis, not a movie you would want to watch. However, the French have this ability to make films that take what, to American sensibility, would be an offensive film, and make it charming.

This film is a little charming film. From the start you are drawn in, beautiful scenery, an intriguing bell man (Jean) working hard to make money. Working so hard, Jean actually falls asleep standing up while working. And the counterpart is a young woman (Irene) with an older man. He passes out drunk on her birthday and she ends up with the Jean. You can think long and hard about what Irene does or is, but why? By this time you are hooked on the charm of this film. Just go along, enjoy the ride.

The scenery in and around Nice is wonderful. The people are beautiful. The language gorgeous. The sun, the sea, just enjoy.

We watched this movie on a cold December snowy evening, and enjoyed the full two hours non-stop.

The subtitles / translation is done rather well. The only nit to pick, the name of the film. Hors de Prix is more like outrageously priced, or extremely expensive. It's not necessarily pricelss. With the matercard ads we lean more to priceless meaning, can't be bought for any money. Like Jean, hors de prix, humans can buy these things, they might just have to take out loans to buy them. Priceless things can't be bought.

As was said in another review, the sex bits are very subtle. It's definately a romantic film. This is really a PG-13 film if you used language (the f word is never said or subtitled), nudity (there is none), and violence (somebody gets slapped with no blood) as your gauge (as the MPAA does on American films). However, the topic, well it's probably not going to be interesting to anyone under 15 or 16 anyway.

Very enjoyable film. Charming. A real pleasure to watch. A great cold night watch.

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This gem sparkles like diamonds on display in Tiffany's. Audrey Tautou shows her physical beauty and amazing acting range, pulling off a seemingly impossible character arc from selling her self to the highest bidder to finding true love. Twists along the way let us see the world from all points of view, a rare thing in storytelling. Having it all feel seamless and natural is an amazing tour de force by actors, writers, film crew and the director. "Priceless" is one of the very few romantic comedies that can be watched again without losing an ounce of its punch. And whoever did the costumes for Ms. Tautou deserves an Academy Award.

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Like Nicholas Stoller's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," Pierre Salvadori's "Priceless" could be considered distinctly unsavory if the story weren't so funny and the actors so charming. Both films share a basic theme--sexual hanky-panky in luxurious resort hotels--but whereas "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" concentrates on the sex itself, making it thoroughly American, "Priceless" is very French in concentrating on the dollars-and-cents (or euros-and-cents) calculations of love for a price. "Priceless" redeems itself by having true love triumph over money in the end (and you knew it would going into this movie; this is "Priceless," not "Darling.") Audrey Tautou is alluringly hard-edged as a shameless golddigger who, through a series of mixups, ends up sleeping with a shy barman (Gad Elmaleh) she mistakes for a tycoon. The mixup costs Tautou her current sugar daddy, with nothing and no one to fall back on. When Elmaleh presses his suit, Tautou exacts an expensive revenge which leads to all sorts of repercussions and complications, all set against the opulent backdrops of Biarritz and Monte Carlo captured glowingly by cinematographer Gilles Henry. Tautou is funny and touching as a mercenary woman who gradually melts under the spell of true love, and Elmaleh is a perfect example of the lovable deadpan comedians France excels at producing. The various rich folk whom Tautou and Elmaleh, ahem, bump up against--played to perfection by Marie-Christine Adam, Vernon Dobtcheff, and Jacques Spiesser--become more loathsome with each second of screen time, making the ultimate triumph of love over money all the sweeter. "Priceless" is a prime, and unexpectedly pointed, example of French bedroom farce.

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Hors de Prix (Priceless) stars audrey tatou ("amelie," l'auberge espagnole," "dirty pretty things")as a woman who exists and subsists on the kindness of rich old men but only for a short time: before she gets bored, before he dies, before she realizes that there is another bigger score afoot. tatou plays irene (she is painfully thin in a play i think to replicate the mesmerizing, luminous audrey hepburn of "breakfast at tiffany's") and to add some friction to the mix, director pierre salvadori manipulates a meeting between irene and jean ( gad elmaleh) a poor guy who irene mistakes for her next victim but who meets a rich woman who absurdly wants jean to be her paid escort. Irene takes on the job of transforming jean into a proper french gigolo.

what is refreshing about this film is that director salvadori and his writer are not conflcted in the least about irene and what she does: there is no judgement about these kinds of things in french films. irene's actions are deliberate and goal oriented. irene is a prostitue (a high class one, yes but a prostitute nonetheless), a gold digger, a woman who lives off the kindness of old men who crave her company and her affection.

gold digging as an elevated, something to be strived for activity/way of life: the interplay between jean and irene is witty, fun and thoughtful as irene teaches jean the ropes.

"Priceless" is a frothy bit of film making, made even lighter by Audray Tatou's ethereal Irene and gad elmalah's sad sack Jean.the idea that we americans are going to re-make this film sends shudders up my spine. quelle dommage!

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The Rescuers: 35th Anniversary Edition (The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under) (Thee-Disc Blu-ray/

This review is not about the Blu Ray, which is outstanding in both the picture & sound. Instead, the review is about the packaging of the 2 bonus DVD's. Disney decided to go with a double case instead of a triple case. This resulted in the 2 bonus DVD's being stacked on one spindled on-top of each other, resulting in the top DVD being scratched. Surely Disney could have spent a few more cents & gone with the proper case to accommodate the 2 bonus DVD's & the 1 Blu Ray. A little disappointing for a company that always stood for quality.

WHAT'S MISSING from the original DVDs?

The Rescuers' biggest casualty is the loss of a 15-page Scrapbook holding concept art, character designs, behind-the-scenes production photos, and publicity artwork. Also dropped, and of lesser interest, is "Under the Hat Villains", a 90-second Toon Disney short celebrating the studio's animated villains (including Medusa) with clips and some animator comments. The last omission from the original movie's DVD is "The Ultimate Case" set-top game, which let you sleuth around rooms to find Penny's missing teddy bear (with the Devil's Eye Diamond inside) à la Bernard and Bianca with clues from "Orville."

Lost from The Rescuers Down Under's original Gold Classic Collection DVD are its original theatrical trailer, a virtual DVD storybook, and a 16-question trivia game. And expectedly not resurfacing from inside its case are an Animals of the Outback booklet and chapter insert.

You may want to hold on to your original DVDs and sell off the bare bones DVDs included here.

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The Rescuers was the last feature produced by Walt's legendary team of animators (the nine old men) and is easily their best since Walt's death in 1966. Released in 1977, The Rescuers is a delightful and heartfelt story full of adventure, poignancy and great characters. Both Bernard and Miss Bianca are wonderful creations that compliment each other. Madame Medusa may seem like Cruella De Vil but is not at all forgettable. The voice cast is spot on with Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page and the rest giving memorable performances and bringing unforgettable characters to life. The story of these two mice rescuing a little girl keeps you invested the whole time and you care for them very much. The Rescuers may seem a like a little obscure film but the truth is that is a Disney classic through and through.

Released 13 years later in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under was Disney's first official sequel produced by the main studio (not to be confused with a cheapquel). With high production values and using the CAPS system for the first time, Down Under is a breathtaking adventure. Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor reprised their roles as Bernard and Miss Bianca as they now are headed to Australia to rescue a little boy from an evil poacher. While I like the first film more, the sequel stills has a lot going for it. Again the voice cast is wonderful, the updated animation looks amazing and the flight scenes are absolutely mesmerizing.

Both The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under offer high quality entertainment and they're sure to delight the entire family.

Video & Audio

First, I have to say that The Rescuers DVD was one of the worst DVDs I'd ever owned. That being said, this BD is a very solid upgrade. The picture is clean for the most time although some tiny specs appear from time to time. Detail and clarity are strong and artifacting is nowhere to be found. A nice job done by Disney.

The Rescuers Down Under looks brighter and more striking than its predecessor. Detail and clarity are spot on and colors are bright and bold. It's not a CAPS transfer and some light grain permeates the picture but it gives it a nice filmic quality. A nice transfer all around.

Both films have 5.1 DTS-HD MA and while both get the job done, Down Under has a better use for it than the first film (due of course to inherent limitations). All in all, both are adequate mixes.

Bonus Material

This is the most disappointing part of the set. Being its 35 anniversary and being such a great film, I expected more and more substantial bonus material for The Rescuers. Anyway, this is what was included:

"Peoplitis" is a recently found deleted song from The Rescuers. Introduced by director Ron Clements, the song is nothing extraordinary and it is better that it was cut off.

"Water Birds" is an episode from Walt Disney's famous True-Life Advetures

"Three Blind Mouseketeers" is a silly simphony featuring mice.

"Disney Song Selection"

"The Making of The Rescuers Down Under" is a promotional piece that came around the same time the film was released. It's a very short piece but at least is something.

A DVD copy is included for each film.

Final Thoughts

The Rescuers is an absolute Disney classic. The Rescuers Down Under, while not as good as the first is still highly entertaining. Both films offer nice transfers, good sound and a slim amount bonus material. Anyway, buy this set and you won't be disappointed!!

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For those of you interested in the technical reality of this new Blu-ray release... Rest assured, this collection belongs on your movie shelf! I have always thought The Rescuers looked horribly bad on home video, from the VHS tapes to the DVD's, so I was very intrigued to see what this Blu-ray release would turn out. I was absolutely blown away by the level of quality showcased here! Crisp, clear, and beautifully rendered... The opening charcoal paintings in the credits have a real vibrancy to them, almost as if the viewer is looking at the original drawings. Bernard, Bianca, Penny, and the rest of these timeless characters literally jump off the screen, and I have no qualms saying that they have NEVER looked more alive than they do here on this release. I bought this title solely for this movie and I consider my money well spent. On to The Rescuers Down Under! Initially, I was more underwhelmed with this transfer than the original Rescuers. The overall picture looked bland and some scenes are not nearly as crisp as I saw in The Rescuers or other Disney Blu-ray releases. However, after viewing standard def 90s 'documentary' (featured as an extra on this release) on the making of this sequel, I realize what a stark upgrade the high definition transfer gives us! Yes, the palette is mostly in the realm of neutral colors with vibrant hues being a rare occurrence, but I doubt the video quality will ever look better than it does here without a complete overhaul of the original source elements. The worst the film looks is in the first five to ten minutes. Once Bernard and Bianca are on their journey to Australia, the quality most certainly improves. If I were to give out ratings based solely on the visual appearance, The Rescuers gets 5/5 stars and its sequel, 3.5/5 stars. However, fans of either or both movies will not walk away unimpressed! Buy this today because it deserves its home in your Disney Blu-ray collection!

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My kids, who are 3 and 6, like to watch a bunch of goofy movies that I find to be pretty boring. But when I showed them The Rescuers they loved it and I enjoyed watching it too. Lots of action, drama, and humor. A great story line and positive family friendly fun. When we have a chance to watch a movie, I always encourage them to choose The Rescuers! The Rescuers Down Under is okay, but we love the original movie best.

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Santa Fe Trail (1940)

I was encouraged by another reviewer who gave the transfer his blessing and I want to concur. Its nowhere near the stunning work that Universal has done on its Monster collection nor some other transfers of its era on BR....but given that Warner Brothers let the project lapse from its control and what we've been dealing with for years has been very sub standard versions taken from Public Domain ....I was very pleased with the overall presentation and the sound is more robust than most BRs I have.

Now...lets place it in its proper context. This is such a gem of a movie in the classic Michael Curtiz/ Errol Flynn/ Olivia De Havilland series that to have it in even okay shape is a must for any film lover... to have it in at least very acceptable form a delight for me. Of course Van Heflin , Raymond Massey and the ever present Alan Hale Sr add greatly to the mix as does future President Ronald Reagan.

This isn't a cheap BR but if you are a fan of these actors as I am its well worth the 20 dollars... Of course I'd recommend these Errol Flynn sets first The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 1 (Captain Blood / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Sea Hawk / They Died with Their Boots On / Dodge City / The Adventures of Errol Flynn)The Errol Flynn Signature Collection, Vol. 2 (The Charge of the Light Brigade / Gentleman Jim / The Adventures of Don Juan / The Dawn Patrol / Dive Bomber)TCM Spotlight: Errol Flynn Adventures (Desperate Journey / Edge of Darkness 1943 / Northern Pursuit / Uncertain Glory / Objective Burma)Errol Flynn Westerns Collection (Montana / Rocky Mountain / San Antonio / Virginia City) ...if you collect all those then you will be greatly interested in this film.

The quality here is less than a standard studio DVD. To be fair we must note that there has never been a good version of this film released on DVD and this low quality BD is probably the best image to date. If your a big Flynn fan you might justify the price just to have the best but this low quality should be priced at about $10. Every Warner, Flynn DVD, looks much better than this Blu-Ray.

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I bought this in hope this is Remastered and it's sort of; although, not like a really great Blu-ray with great sharpness but it's still good. The audio was pretty good and the video transfer was better than I expected, but don't expect a great job since it's by a company that hasn't done a Blu-ray before. It is in a Full frame mode, but when it's on a widescreen TV the bars are there and the have only two languages which are in English and German with no subtitles. The only special features is a slideshow and the trailer of the movie. The movie stars; Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey, Ronald Reagan, Alan Hale, Van Heflin, plus others and was directed by Michael Curtiz. I'll try to upload a screenshot by a video or camera since I don't have a Blu-ray drive in which I could've gotten a screenshot of the movie. Overall the quality of the Blu-ray is better than some DVDs and I would recommend this.

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It's a great story starring Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey, and Alan Hale. The subplot pitting Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan competing for the affections of Olivia de Havilland is vintage Hollywood. However, even though it's a great movie, please be cautious that this movie is not historically accurate. For example, Longstreet, JEB Stuart, George Armstrong Custer did not all graduate West Point together in the class of 1854. So if you are looking for history, please be aware that only the broad sweeping theme has any resemblance to reality. The writers have taken quite a bit of creative license with history. However, if you can get beyond this, it's a great movie. The scene with the old Indian woman, when she tells their fortunes, is priceless. It's directed by Michael Curtiz who did a number of Flynn-de Havilland movies (Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, Robin Hood). It's terrific vintage 1940 Hollywood.

The video quality is very poor, The Blu-ray is no better then the DVD. It's about the same. In fact, the DVD has an added feature with the biographies of Flynn, Reagan, and de Havilland. Somebody should fully restore this terrific film. The blu-ray and DVD are both very grainny and overexposed. It's a shame. The sound is fine and it is in sync with the video.

I gave this blu-ray 3 stars because of the very poor video quality. Otherwise, I would have rated this 5 stars.

PS: It is interesting to note that in the beginning of the movie, while they are in Kansas, Flynn & Reagan are using Remington Model 1861 Army Revolvers. They did not exist yet. Also, the rifles in the crates marked "Bibles" do not appear to be Sharps Model 1853 Carbines (Beecher's Bibles). They should be. Finally, in the scene where Lee and what should be his Marines, are retaking Harpers Ferry from John Brown, Flynn is using a Colt Single Action Army revolver (which was issued in 1873). The John Brown incident at Harpers Ferry occurred in 1859. The Colt SAA was not even invented yet. For both the Kansas and Harpers Ferry scenes, they shold be using the Colt Model 1851 Navy revolver or even the Colt Dragoon.

By the way, JEB Stuart (Flynn) was graduated from West Point in 1854. George Armstrong Custer (Reagan) was graduated in 1861 (a year early due to the outbreak of the Civil War). James Longstreet was graduated in 1842. Phil Sheridan was graduated in 1853. John Bell Hood was also graduated in 1853. In 1852, Lee was appointed Superintendent of West Point and served in that capacity for three years.

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A movie good to get an escape from the modern world and to get a good laugh at how they interpreted history. Ronald Reagan as George Armstrong Custer?? This movie is not for historical purists

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To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

It's nice to see that there are plenty of fans of this often-overlooked gem from 1985. This has to be one of the best crime movies in a long time, and easily one of the best counterfeiting movies as it shows this dirty business from all angles.

William Friedkin was on top of the world for a brief time in the 1970s. After Cruising (1980), he suffered personal and professional setbacks. This film is proof positive that he is an exceptionally talented director with some of the best technical skills in the biz. Indeed, Rules of Engagement and The Hunted provide recent proof that he can still deliver the goods.

To Live and Die in LA is not your ordinary cops and robber, dirty money, sex and violence tale. The casting and the scripting are excellent; there is a lot up on the screen. The characters are not superhero cops and crooks, but human beings driven by greed, revenge, hubris, and lust for money, power, and violence. William Chance (the excellent William Petersen of current CSI fame) is a Secret Service agent whose partner is murdered by counterfeiter extraordinaire Eric Masters (Willem Dafoe). Chance swears to take down Masters, one way or the other, a promise that sends he and his new partner Vukovitch into a tailspin of cat and mouse where they break the rules and get in over their heads. This is not the old buddy movie formula or the typical Dirty Harry and the new partner scenario by a long shot. Chance is an appropriate name for the hotdog agent who enjoys base jumping in his spare time (note the quick flash to his jump off the Vincent Thomas during the hectic chase). Vukovitch is caught between doing right by his partner and bringing his career and his life crashing down.

This is not your typical LA cop film; Friedkin has gone to great lengths to film LA differently than most directors. Indeed, this is the precursor to Heat and City of Industry, movies that dare to show LA as more than Hollywood and the hills and the downtown

area. The title indicates a `life is cheap' attitude that is reflected in the poor, industrial landscapes of the City of Angels. There's another Friedkin car chase that rivals The French Connection and was not made with any computer generated Matrix help. Wang Chung add an excellent score--no joke! The haunting piano riffs, synthesized screams for help, and loud, pulsing drum machine and sequencer tracks underscore the action without getting out shouted by the sound (like a lot of electronic film music). The disc is in print, though oddly enough their hit 'Dance Hall Days', featured in the film, does not show up. They even work the title of the film into a song(!)

The film is noir-ish quality in its character treatment. Chance shacks up with a hooker who feeds him info, but he's ready to throw her back in the can if she doesn't deliver the goods. There's a sleazy lawyer played by Dean Stockwell. There's a gangly, nervous turncoat played by John Turturro. There's a street hood played by Steve James who distributes 'paper' for Masters. And Vukovitch? I won't dream of giving up the ending here. There's even Ronald Reagan's voice making a cameo in the beginning.

This tough, violent film does not pull punches. The world of cops and robbers, dirty lawyers and convicts, police politics and male ego, and above all, dirty money, are all starkly presented. The lines are blurred when the agents will do anything to stop a suave

crook who is more complex than the cops themselves. I love the scene of Masters burning his new painting after completing it.

How has this film been out of print for so long? When a local video store was going out of business (squeezed out by a major), I snatched this tape up in the liquidation sale. Thankfully, the film is FINALLY getting a proper DVD release. Hopefully they'll widescreen it and give us a good print; the VHS version does not do the film any justice.

This is a film with style and substance, a moment in Hollywood where they got it all right. I don't think they can even turn out gems like this anymore. Do not hesitate to buy this.

When I saw "To Live and Die in L.A." in the 1980s, I was struck by its worldliness, its style, its sexual energy, and its shocker of an ending. It was immediately one of my favorite films of the decade. I recently watched the film again to see if it withstood the test of time. And I was a little surprised to find that "To Live and Die in L.A." is still one of the most complex and cynical neo-noir films, 20 years after it was made. The film was based on the novel "To Live and Die in L.A." by former Secret Service agent Gerald Petievich and adapted for the screen by Petievich and director William Friedkin, the creative force behind the previous decade's "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection". At the risk of being blasphemous, I have always found "To Live and Die in L.A." more memorable than "The French Connection", which is why I was tempted to see it again.

When his partner is killed while tracking down a notorious counterfeiter, hotshot Secret Service agent Richard Chance (William Petersen) vows to nail the killer at any cost. The counterfeiter is Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe), a promising abstract expressionist painter and cunning criminal. Together with his new straight-arrow but spineless partner John Vukovich (John Pankow), Chance tries surveillance, extortion, and subterfuge to incriminate Masters, but Masters is always one step ahead of him. Chance resorts to stealing funds for an undercover operation, and even the corrupt interplay of cops and criminals begins to unravel.

Director William Friedkin wanted a cast of virtual unknowns, and maybe that's why "To Live and Die in L.A."'s box office receipts didn't reflect its quality. More likely, the world of 1985 wasn't in the mood for a film in which everything is counterfeit: the money, the relationships, the cops, the criminals. Nothing is what it pretends to be. But Friedkin can hardly be faulted for choosing an excellent cast. This was William Petersen's first major film role, and I can't help but think that, together with 1986's "Manhunter", it would have made him a big star had it been made a few years later. Both films were ahead of their time. Not because they were better than other films being made in the mid-1980s -although it happens that they werebut that their themes were simply not timed to coincide with what audiences wanted at that moment. In any case, Petersen gets credit for generating the energy that keeps this story moving. John Pankow gets credit for being the human expression of a world falling apart, through whom we sense the chaos. William Friedkin gets credit for the fantastic counterfeiting sequence and the creative decisions in story, music, and cinematography -including the gutsy endingthat make "To Live and Die in L.A." exceptional. This is a must-see for fans of neo-noir.

The DVD (2004 Special Edition from MGM): There is a nice package of bonus features on the Special Edition disc, including a making-of documentary, an alternate ending, a deleted scene, a photo gallery, and an audio commentary. "Counterfeit World" (30 minutes) is a documentary about making the film that features modern interviews with director William Friedkin, the film's cast, and some principle crew, as well as a bit of on-set footage. Definitely worth seeing if you like the film. You can see the Alternate Ending (5 minutes) and Deleted Scene (4 minutes) with or without introductory featurettes. I recommend viewing the featurettes, so you'll understand what you're watching. The alternate ending was made at the request of the producers and is truly horrible. The "Stills Gallery" is a slideshow of stills and on-set photos. The audio commentary by director William Friedkin is worthwhile. It's not a scene-by-scene analysis, but comments on filming, story, casting, music, cinematography, and various interesting tidbits. Subtitles are available for the film in English, French, and Spanish. Dubbing is available in French and Spanish.

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Richard Chance ( William Petersen), is a member of the Secret Service who loves to live on the edge, and play by his own rules. Eric Masters ( Willem Dafoe) is a master at creating counterfiet cash, and is at the top of the agency's most wanted list for killing Chance's long time partner. Now Chance is willing to do whatever it takes to take Masters down, and the line between cop and criminal is starting to run thin. Both Chance and Masters waver on both sides of the law, as they take us on a cat and mouse chase through the streets of L.A. that is extremely suspenseful and never lets up!

"To Live and Die in L.A.", has to be one of the most suspenseful and action packed crime films that I have ever seen. Director William Friedkin is best known for the films "French Connection" and "The Exorcist". However, this has to be his best film. This is the first crime film that I have ever seen, that deals solely with the Secret Service, and NOT the FBI, CIA, or the police. That alone, makes it original. Not to mention the fact, that this is the only crime film, where the hero of the story has traits of a villan and is vulnerable. Some of Petersen's actions are actually questionable. William Petersen is an outstanding actor , and I have enjoyed all of his films. Secret Serive Agent Richard Chance, is one of his best characters by far because he loves to live on the edge, and plays by his own rules. Willem Dafoe is amazing in everything he does, and Eric Masters is one of his best roles. Masters is the story's villan, who is cold, calculating, highly intelligent, charming, and extremely ruthless! You don't know whether to like the guy, or hate the guy. John Turturo and Dean Stockwell are also both outstanding in their roles. This film also has one of the most surprising and disturbing endings that I have ever seen. The soundtrack is also amazing. It is basically a Wang Chung's Greatest Hits CD. Wang Chung is one of the best 80's groups of all time. Every song used is perfect, and really drives each scene.

In my opinion, it will be extremely difficult to find a crime film better than this one. Everything about it is perfect. The story is EXTREMELY original, the acting is phenomenal, the overall suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the soundtrack is amazing. All I can say, is that it about time that this film was released on DVD. An absolute must buy!!

Read Best Reviews of To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) Here

If you're reading this, you've probably seen the movie--I'm not sensing a lot of people here who searched for this film.

So to the point: this movie will always remain in my mind for, first and foremost, its ending. Never before in a film had I seen the story line go the way this one did (those of you who've seen it know what I'm talking about). I was literally slack-jawed when all that went down... I just couldn't believe it.

Anyway, to the point, DVD owners: what's cool about owning it on DVD? First and foremost, the movie holds up. The Wang Chung soundtrack doesn't sound dated--it sounds like they created it in their own little timeless universe. Nobody really sounded like them anyway, and they didn't sound like anybody.

The story is a blast and what a rush to see before-they-were-famous performances from Petersen, Dafoe and John Turturro. They're all household names now, but at this point they were literally unknown.

The sound and the print are great; and the car chase is an all-time classic. Somebody here dissed it in comparison to the Matrix Reloaded--which is bunk, because 70% of that chase (although it's awesome) was CGI. This was actually done for real.

But what really makes the DVD awesome are the extras--the making-of short is a must-see, and it's a kick to see interviews with the original cast members, who obviously enjoyed being in this movie. There's a present-day CSI William Petersen reflecting fondly on the shoot, along with Willem Dafoe.

But the biggest kick of all is the alternate ending shot for the film, when the studio balked at the original (and final) ending--OMG, how ridiculous. The actors literally seem to be smirking through the scene, knowing how absurd it is. Thank the Lord the director never took it seriously.

Friedkin's commentary is very entertaining, if sometimes rambling. He doesn't necessarily dissect the movie scene-by-scene, but rather offers a general, overall philosophy of film making. What's also interesting in retrospect is that apparently this film didn't do to well at the box office; to me it's an easy Top 10, but on the other hand it would be hard to market a film which is not easily explainable in 25 words or less.

To own or not to own on DVD? The answer is: yes.

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To Live and Die in LA is a movie that I MUST watch at least 2-3 times a year. It is one of my all time favorites. How this movie slipped under the radar of moviegoers and critics alike..I have no clue. It is awesome that the movie finally gets its due with a release on DVD.

The filming is beautiful. The acting of Petersen as a hell-bent on revenge secret service agent, and Dafoe as a twisted genius criminal is top notch. Dafoe's character of Rick Masters is one of the all time great villains. The action is quick, and suspense builds throughout the movie. The ending is shocking.

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Chesty Morgan's Bosom Buddies (1975)

Doris Wishman's Deadly Weapons (1973) and Double Agent 73 (1974), both starring 73FF(!)-32-36 Chesty Morgan, makes for a bizarre double feature, and a bizarre Something Weird Blu-ray release. This set (entitled "Chesty Morgan's Bosom Buddies") also includes a third feature The Immoral Three (1975), which does not include Morgan (who had, remarkably, taken the star bit between her teeth and was promptly sacked by Wishman). We focus on the first two features starring Chesty.

John Waters had the incomparable Divine. Wishman had the incomparable Chesty Morgan. The big difference is that Divine could actually act. Morgan, an exploitation freak of nature, was the energizer bunny rabbit to Wishman's directorial enthusiasm.

Wishman's influence on John Waters cannot be underestimated. Her films are a visual smorgasbord of bad taste with attentive detail. Wishman's nonsensical lens focus is so mercurial it brings to mind Harry Langdon`s frozen camera in Three's A Crowd (1927). Repeated, dumbfounded concentration on queer inanimate objects disrupts the narrative flow and coats Wishman's films in loving disjointedness. Cut-away shots of hedges, a repellently hued yellow-ochre telephone, the most beautifully ghastly wallpaper ever captured on celluloid, and nonsensical extreme close-ups of Morgan's 73 fleshbags creates a visually surreal train wreck of a movie.

Morgan's voice is dubbed in both films. Apparently, her polish accent was so thick as to be indecipherable. Unfortunately, her acting range is nowhere near as mammoth as her breasts. Morgan begins with leathery boredom and ends with celluloid sleep walking. Now, dress this big breasted zombie up in bad wigs and garish clothing to enact a zany plot!

Well, yes, there is a plot of sorts to Deadly Weapons. It has something to do with Morgan as an office manager (!) wearing 8-inch platform heels and a blouse at least two sizes too small. She has a mobster boyfriend with sideburns that probably smell like mildew. Perhaps this is why Morgan acts like all of her co-stars have poison ivy. Regardless, she gets mauled by pornstar Harry Reems.

Morgan turns into a revenge-seeking 007 type; only, Morgan's weapon is her killer cleavage, rather than a loaded pistol. Yes, you guessed it: she suffocates her victims with her "DEADLY WEAPONS." Morgan also has some issues with Daddy, but that's veering too close to spoiler territory, and God knows that we all watch these wacky Doris Wishman/Chesty Morgan movies for the well-constructed, sophisticated plotting.

Double Agent 73 is, possibly, even more of a live action, softcore looney-tune than the previous film! Wishman's love of the medium is, again, on display, and again her talents do not make for a film as orthodox storytelling medium. But then, film does not have to be a repeater of well-worn narrative formats.

Endless shots of a cookie-cutter house and pimp shoes walking across cheaply tiled floors collide with stock footage of flowers, a jet plane, and nudist volleyball. The nasty ochre telephone from the previous film has been replaced with a tasty peach-colored one. And there's even a lovely shot of a dixie cup, and of a door that looks like it might have been stolen out of a Target warehouse.

Morgan is so comatose that she often looks like she is literally on the verge of falling asleep. Her platform shoes have, amazingly, grown about six inches and now are screaming red. It is no wonder Morgan removes them more than once, because she clearly has trouble in walking them (later, she trades them in for some cant-colored yellow pumps which shave about two inches off her height). Oh, and Chesty is a secret agent with a hidden camera surgically implanted in her mammaries. In addition to being assigned to bust up a heroin ring, Morgan is instructed to take pictures of everyone she kills (!?!), which gives her plenty of reason to remove her top. There's even nearly full-blown full-frontal nudity (whether we want to see it or not).

Morgan, with her license to kill, surprisingly, uses a variety of weapons, although choking someone to death with an ice cube may not qualify as a conventional murder scene. There is less plot in Double Agent 73 and, depending on one's perspective, this may be all for the better. If Wishman was naively channeling the dreaminess of Buñuel and Kafka in Bad Girls Go To Hell, here she lives up to her deserved reputation as the godmother of grindhouse, and parallels John Waters' early body of work. For that reason, I probably have more pronounced affection for her later films.

Deadly Weapons and Double Agent 73 are stuck in a 1970s dream style at its best/worst, and are tailor made for the Something Weird catalog.

* my review originally appeared at 366 weird movies.

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Mercury Rising (1998)

This is an action film with a lot of emotion behind it. It has a real heart felt story that questions plausibility and true credibility at times but it really hits home as it evokes genuine sentiment and feeling through a brutal world we now live in. This to date is the last great action film staring Bruce Willis. His performance of the dedicated civil servant doing what is right against all odds is admirable. His adversary Alec Baldwin stands for all that is wrong with a system that is supposed to protect our way of life and liberties while sacrificing the innocent trying to protect it at the enrichment of his own ego. At the center is a small autistic boy who supposedly can compromise Baldwin's plans who is being protected by FBI agent Willis who has fallen from grace. In simplest terms it is a film of right and goodness against greed and evil. On that level this film works. This film contains one of John Barry's last great scores as it gives credence to the story by bringing our most tearfully compassionate emotions to the surface while driving the narrative with an impassioned purpose. I like this film a lot I think because it takes the hardened tough good guy hero image and on an emotional level shows what drives him and what's really makes his heart tick.

I happen to be a fan of most Bruce Willis' movies. That said most people would be hard pressed not to find at least one of these three movies they didn't enjoy. Considering the low cost of the three if you enjoy all three as I do then you really make out well.

12 Monkeys is a SciFi with Bruce travelling in time to stop an epidemic that will wipe out mankind. Masterfully directed it has a surreal feel to it but you find yourelf drawn into it. Includes great parts by Madeline Stowe and Brad Pitt.

Mercury Rising has Bruce protecting an autistic child that solves a code in a puzzle from a company that will stop at nothing to ensure it is kept unsolvable.

The Jackal has Bruce playing an assassin that is planning to take out a prominent American politician. It has an outstanding cast including Jack Black, Sidney Poitier, and Richard Gere.

Good quality DVDs with great replayability. If you enjoyed these catch "Hostage" and "Striking Distance".

CA Luster

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This is a Bruce Willis "best of" 3-DVD compilation which includes 3 of this most action-packed movies of the '90s:

12 MONKEYS (1995) special edition

Rated-R / 2 hours & 10 mins.

This is a fascinating sci-fi movie with lots of twists and turns. It almost reminds me of "The Outer Limits." The movie is very complex and almost haunting in it's surrealism. Bruce Willis gave one of his best dramatic performances ever as James Cole, a man sent back in time to save the world. I enjoyed the character of Kathryn Railly (played by b-movie queen, Madeleine Stowe) very much, as well, because she added both a sense of realism and continuity. Brad Pitt as the resident kook, Jeffrey Goines, was just all over the place. The guy was a little nutty but it was pretty hot when he pulled his pants down. "12 Monkeys" is the type of movie that will invoke thought and discussion. I don't want to give it away but this is also not the type of movie that is all tied up once you finish it. The 2005 DVD includes the original trailer as well as a featurette.

MERCURY RISING (1998) collector's edition

Rated-R / 1 hour & 52 mins.

The film starts out with Art (Bruce) as an undercover FBI agent inside a bank trying to negotiate with the criminals. He was close to getting the entire bank free of harms way, but when the place is stormed and there is bloodshed Art totally loses his cool and clocks the guy in charge. So much for diplomacy. After being demoted, Art is put in charge of investigating the mysterious disappearance of Simon Lynch (played the Miko Hughes, the smartass from "Full House.")

THE JACKAL (1997) collector's edition

Rated-R / 2 hours & 5 mins.

Even though Bruce plays such a violet criminal there is still something fascinating and almost endearing about him. Maybe it's because this is the very first Bruce Willis movie that I saw in which he played a horrible villain. In "The Jackal" Bruce plays the title character, a ruthless assassin who will not let anyone or anything get in his way. This movie is also notable for featuring Bruce Willis' only same-sex kiss. This was totally unexpected and kinda hot because this is not in line with his character's persona at all. The film starts out somewhat slow-moving but it sure picks up pace once the Jackal goes to work. Besides Bruce, I also especially enjoyed Diane Venora as a Russian major who is almost as smart as the Jackal. What's also memorable about this movie is all of the different looks that Bruce goes as the Jackal commits his crimes. My favorite look was the one he had for the shortest period, with the scruffy facial hair and mustache and short dark hair and cowboy boots. Like a fine violinist, Bruce plays this role with precision and art because he is constantly able to keep the viewers captivated.

Read Best Reviews of Mercury Rising (1998) Here

Bruce Willis is an outcast FBI agent who is assigned to protect a 9 year old autistic boy who is the target for assassins after cracking a top secret government code. This moves at a breakneck speed building tension along the way as various covert types try to put a bullet in Willis and companies collective head. "Mercury Rising" is a very entertaining and solid thriller.

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As the mother of an autistic child, I was intrigued by this movie when I found it while channel surfing. I choose not to comment on the believability or likeability of the plot, but will say instead that the actor who played Simon, the young autistic boy, did an OUTSTANDING job. The writers, apparently, also did some research on the condition. The use of the cards Simon kept pinned to his belt was right on the money. Autistic children comprehend so much better visually, and through the printed word, than they do through listening to people speak. The scene where Simon is spinning wheels on a toy car is also very realistic. My only other comment is on the irony that, in 1998, before anybody figured out or suggested that mercury causes autism (this is a theory first posed in 1999 and gaining more and more credibility every day),the producers had the foresight to name their movie about an autistic boy "Mercury Rising."

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