Braveheart (Sapphire Series) (1995)

"Braveheart" is quite simply, one of the best and most successful movies ever created and a huge part of that success comes from the efforts extended by Mel Gibson, as he wore three different hats for this masterpiece, those being producer, director and star. The one oddity about this movie for me was that I pretty much wore out my VHS copy of it and had, a couple years ago, purchased the DVD but only just recently took the opportunity to watch it again and no matter how many times you watch this movie, it is still a stunning, compelling and extraordinarily intriguing film that draws you in to the life of William Wallace despite already knowing how it's going to end.

The one thing that drives this movie is the spirit that Mel Gibson puts into his character of William Wallace and it is of no surprise that "Braveheart" won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1995 and Best Director for Mel Gibson. The only true surprise was that he wasn't among the top five nominated for or won the Best Actor award.

High praise also goes to the long list of supporting actors and actresses that starred in this superb film! Most notable was the performance by Sophie Marceau, one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Patrick McGoohan was absolutely incredible in the role of the villain Longshanks, King Edward I, delivering a memorable performance.

One of the most notable performances in this film, among the many, was the work done by James Horner who was responsible for the score. As is normally the case when his name appears in the credits, everything about the score, from the first reel to the last, is incredibly well blended into the movie and serves extremely well in enhancing the experience of the movie.

The Premise:

As the old saying goes, is it Hollywood or History? The truth is, of course it's a bit of history, put together Hollywood style to make one of the best films ever presented to an audience. The truth behind it is that we'll never know as recorded history from this era is circumspect as best. Where a huge portion of the credit for this film lays is in the hands of Randall Wallace, a descendant of William Wallace's.

As this historic film opens, we see a young William Wallace in Scotland as he's learning the harsh lessons of life in his era. After his family is killed in battle he's fortunate enough to have his Uncle Argyle (played brilliantly by Brian Cox) take him under his wing! Several years later he returns home to find that his countrymen are still suffering under the yoke of English oppression but he didn't come home for that, he came home for Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack), seeking her hand in marriage. Unfortunate events unfold from there and William loses the love of his life and goes on a rampage not only to avenge his love but to free his country...

What follows from there is not only one of the best films of the nineties but one of the best films of all times. I highly recommend "Braveheart" to any and all who are interested in seeing what true movie making is about! {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

-2 Theatrical Trailers

-Commentary by Director Mel Gibson

-A Filmmaker's Passion: The Making of Braveheart

In order to maintain the appearence of objectivity, I was going to rate this movie 4 stars. But I just couldn't. It really deserves 5, and it's going to get every one of them. This movie features some of the most stunning cinematography I've ever seen (scenes of particular brilliance include the deer-hunting scene and the slo-mo shots right before Gibson's first rebellion), impeccable acting (I don't know why the British have been hiding their actors from the American film industry every one of the British/Scottish actors in the film was amazing, and Patrick McGoohan (sp) gave an incredible performance as Longshanks, not to mention newcomer Sophie Marceau), a magical musical score, and on and on and on and on. Physical elements alone qualify this work for the title of Best Picture.

Yet, a number of people chastise Gibson and the movie for a number of reasons, primarily its departure from historical accuracy. I do believe these people have missed the point, for I do not believe it is fair to criticise a movie for failing to realize a goal for which it never really strived. I wonder: do these same people criticize Homer's "The Odyssey"? Do historical hardbodies cast aspersions at T.H. White's "Once and Future King" for taking historical liberties with "King" Arthur? (For that manner, any of the hundreds of contributions to the Arthurian legend). What about Robin Hood? Beowulf? Romance of the Three Kingdoms? Why is it copacetic for a book to create a myth around a cultural hero, but when it comes to film we must be expected to be as straightlaced about historical fact as an army bootcamp is about bedmaking and floor cleaning?

I have read a lot of reviews below and a number of criticisers of the film's historical authenticity spit out the word "epic" as if it is a word that the American film industry has abused and transmogrified into a catchphrase for luring in gullible American movie-goers. But I argue that Braveheart, and the historical inaccuracies which it adopts (and it adopts many, which are nicely pointed out elsewhere), fit the same formula for "Epic Fiction" that we use to classify great (and I mean, universally accepted as great) epic works of fiction such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, etc. These works are not about who did what where and when and in what fashion. They are about the myth, the hero, and the way that they have influenced the ideals of the culture (italicize that). Was there really a Grendel, a Cyclops shepherd, a Wizard named Merlin, or Chinese war heroes who could single-handedly take on a small army? No. And yet, these works of fiction (and the mythological heroes that they have created) have had as much if not more of an impact on their respective cultures than any real life historical event. The impact of the epic is therefore not to be underestimated. Does the fact that Gibson portrayed the battle of Sterling Bridge without a Bridge really make that much of a differnce? The end outcome was the same, at least from an idealogical point of view. He rallied his men to victory with brilliant tactics against insurmountable odds. The presence or absence of a bridge, naked men, or twenty foot spears does not change that. The myth survives.

Finally, regarding historical accuracy, there is the fact that although the movie does take a lot of liberties in order to portray a THEME I am intelligent enough to suspend my disbelief during the movie. Furthermore, after the movie is over, (and this is a credit to the movie-maker) I was intrigued enough to go do some research on the subject from an objective historical source to find out what really happened. If a work of art (which is not, I remind you, required to be objective artistic objectivity is almost an oxymoron and film should not be treated differently in this regard than any other form of art) instills in me a desire to learn more about a subject while at the same time portraying well the epic themes it sets out to portray, then in my book it was a successful venture and worthy of all the accolades it receives....Again, this is an epic, and just as a Greek epic might portray the Trojans as ruthless savages and their own members as heroic visionaries, I think it is acceptable for a Scottish epic to do the same to the British. And calling Gibson a homophobic is just ridiculous. Whether or not Edward II was really gay is not important. If he was, then BY THE STANDARDS OF THE DAY, he was an outcast, and would have been perceived, especially by his father, as weak, without potential, and unfit to rule. If he wasn't gay, but was just disinterested in ruling a kingdom (and history is filled to the brim with examples of less than sterling royal progeny), he would have again been seen (especially by his father) as weak, without potential and unfit to rule (because fathers especially kings have expectations of their sons), and questions about his sexuality would have naturally begun to arise among the nobility and commonfolk. What we as viewers of a historical or epic piece of artwork must do is refrain from judging said work by our standards. Today, homosexuality is (for the most part) accepted by society. Back then, it wasn't, and the mere rumor was enough to get you rejected from society (and vice-versa). Therefore, in light of the times in which the movie is set, the portrayal of the weak fop of a prince, EdwardII, as homosexual is both acceptable and indicative of the society that the movie was trying to portray. It wouldn't, for example, have made much sense to portray Edward I as gay. Not because a gay man couldn't be a successful King or military leader, but because a gay man would never have achieved respect as a monarch THEN by the people or his enemy.

In closing, this is an excellent film that deserves its status as a best picture, despite (and perhaps because of) its historical inaccuracies. I encourage anyone with any interest in medieval history to view it, because it might just entice you to look into more historically accurate documents that, while not as entertaining as the movie iteself, will give you a more wholistic picture of what really happened.

Buy Braveheart (Sapphire Series) (1995) Now

On a whole number of levels, this movie shouldn't have worked for me. It takes considerable license with historical facts, not only in order to supplement details that are not part of William Wallace's legend but actually, wherever convenient. ("We stuck to history where we could but hyped it up where the legend let us," actor-director Mel Gibson admits on the DVD's commentary track.) It is graphically and unabashedly violent: from throat cuttings to battle scenes that have film blood literally splashing onto the camera, beheadings, a traitor's head smashed with a

wrecking ball, and fully 15 minutes of Wallace's "purification by pain," it shows some of the most brutal behavior conceivable. It also engages in some of the most blatant gay profiling in recent film history not just in the drastic end administered on the lover of King Edward I. "Longshanks"'s son, but equally in the portrayal of both characters and their relationship as such. Last but not least, Mel Gibson plays a man at least 10 years younger than himself, a choice often enough bordering on the ridiculous. (Gibson insists it was the studio's wish that he not only produce and direct but also star in the title role.)

And yet ...

From the first notes of James Horner's hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and the first sweeping camera shots over the Scottish highlands, blending seamlessly into the pictures of the Scottish riders on their way to the alleged truce talks initiated by Longshanks, and the narrator's, Robert the Bruce's (Angus MacFadyen's) introduction "I shall tell you about William Wallace: Historians from England will call me a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes" there is no mistaking that this is an epic story, taking up the tradition of the likes of "Spartacus" and "Ben Hur." Like those movies, "Braveheart" is a story of heroism and of having the courage of one's convictions; chronicling the life of its hero from first love to loss, betrayal, battles and final confrontation with his arch-enemy's powers. Like both of them, "Braveheart" won multiple Academy Awards, not least for John Toll's outstanding cinematography. Like "Ben Hur," it also won the coveted awards for "Best Picture" and for "Best Director." And maybe I'm just a sucker for that kind of epos ...

To my surprise, I found Mel Gibson to come across very believable as William Wallace; age difference, Scottish brogue and all. Both his acting and his direction are informed by a clear sense of vision for the movie and its title character. Moreover, although full writing credits went to would-be (?) Wallace descendant Randall W., many little details undeniably show Gibson's hand and mannerisms: to name just a few of the more obvious examples, Wallace's marriage proposal to Murron, his grinning greeting of a group of English soldiers trapped below a cliff, and his response to a doubting Scottish soldier's comment at Sterling that he can't really be Wallace because he's not tall enough.

In addition to John Toll's award winning cinematography, the movie benefits from first-rate production design (Tom Sanders), a score which perfectly captures the mood of every single scene, and a cast of outstanding actors; first and foremost Patrick McGoohan as Longshanks, who portrays the king's utter ruthlessness so convincingly that you completely forget his earlier incarnation as the 1960s' "Danger Man," and who delivers monologues and soliloquies worthy of a Shakespearean king. His musing "but whom shall I send" when plotting to send a messenger to Wallace with another insincere offer of truce, and his chilling announcement of the reinstitution the ius primae noctae because "the trouble with Scotland is that it is full of Scots ... If we can't get them out, we'll breed them out" could have been uttered verbatim by anyone of the Bard's most sinister kings. (Screenwriter Randall Wallace does indeed admit to Shakespeare's direct influence on the script, particularly on Wallace's "Sons of Scotland" speech before the battle of Sterling, which is strongly based on the monologues of King Henry V. at Agincourt).

Equally impressive is Ian Bannen in one of his last roles, starring as Robert the Bruce's leprosy-ridden father and evil spirit, whose first reaction to the tales about Wallace is to deride him ("He has courage; so does a dog"), and who expertly plays on his son's ambivalent feelings, until he finally drives Robert into hating his father for having coaxed him into his own game of scheming and betrayal whereupon the elder Bruce drily comments: "At last you have learned what it means to hate. Now you are ready to be a king."

Then-newcomer Catherine McCormack stars as Wallace's childhood love Murron, whose scenes with Wallace provide for much-needed tenderness in the first hour of the movie particularly touching is four year old Murron's gift of a thistle (Scotland's national flower) to orphaned William and contrast sharply with the bloodshed that follows virtually incessantly from her death onwards. Sophie Marceau matures from teenage party queen ("La Boum") to French Princess Isabelle; Brendan Gleeson stars as Wallace's boyhood friend Hamish, David O'Hara as his heaven-conversing, self-appointed Irish guardian Stephen one of the movie's most colorful characters and Brian Cox brings all his extraordinary screen presence to his brief appearance as Wallace's uncle Argyle.

When I left the theater after having witnessed this movie's almost three hours of blood, gore and intense emotions for the first time, I felt as if somebody had given me a fist punch into my stomach. I was so struck that I was almost unable to speak, and dragged my moviegoing companion into the next bar, to revive my spirits with a glass of whiskey. (Scotch, of course). Having seen the film countless times since then, I no longer need that whiskey to overcome its drastic impact but I still get gooseflesh during many of its key scenes and can't watch it without feeling emotionally drained at the end.

Also recommended:

William Wallace

Braveheart

Rob Roy

Spartacus Criterion Collection

Ben-Hur (Four-Disc Collector's Edition)

Read Best Reviews of Braveheart (Sapphire Series) (1995) Here

Before you slaughter me for giving Braveheart only three stars (actually I'd give it three and a half), let me start by putting my review into some kind of perspective. Not only am I Scottish, born and bred but like all Scots I am extremely patriotic and proud of my country's heritage and its history, particularly the likes of William Wallace. I also acknowledge that Braveheart (and Rob Roy) undoubtedly gave our tourism industry a great boost, particularly with the number of American visitors and for this I am truly grateful BUT, not only is Braveheart a historically questionable account of the events surrounding William Wallace's rebellion against the English in defence of Scotland's 'Freedom!', the modern and truly cheesy dialogue totally spoilt this movie for me.

I could give you a very long list of historical inaccuracies to justify why I'd only give Braveheart three stars: First off, there is the fact that Mel Gibson is about a foot shorter than the great big hairy man that was William Wallace (but that doesn't actually interest me). Or the fact that the actual battle that Wallace defeated the English was called the Battle of Stirling Bridge, yet there is no sign of a bridge in Braveheart. Or, what about the fact that the `prima nocta' (legislation allowing English overlords to sleep with Scottish women on their wedding night) just did not exist. Perhaps the most ludicrous suggestion is that Princess Isobelle's child (the future Edward III) was sired by Wallace. Not very likely unless she was impregnated at about the age of four and had a twenty year long pregnancy. Actually there are so many historical inaccuracies I could go on and on BUT I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE HISTORICAL INACCURACIES or the dodgy Scottish accents. I can even forgive the fact that Robert The Bruce (Scotland's greatest ever king and much more famous Scottish hero) is portrayed here as quite a weak, indecisive and possibly even cowardly character. I can also forgive the misguided patriotism that Braveheart has stirred in the uneducated and uncultured part of Scottish society, who didn't even know who Wallace was before Braveheart, and the fact that the councillors of Stirling have erected a horrible tacky dwarf sized statue at the foot of the Wallace monument that closely and embarrassingly resembles Mel Gibson.

What bothers me most, and detracts from my enjoyment of Braveheart, is the truly awful dialogue. I don't think I actually realised just how cheesy it was until I saw it second time around but it really makes me wince. Blame for this lies solely at the feet of Randall Wallace (no relation) who wrote the screenplay. This is the same man who was subsequently responsible for The Man In The Iron Mask (with Leonardo DiCaprio); its dialogue is also far too modern and also extremely corny. It's so bad it's almost on a par with Titanic.

Don't get me wrong BRAVEHEART IS AN ENTERTAINING MOVIE and I'm very glad Mel Gibson made it, but it just isn't culture and it just isn't brilliant. It's a good entertaining movie, better than average and it has a lot of other things going for it. For example, good supporting performances from the likes of Patrick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, Brian Cox, Sophie Marceau and James Cosmo). THE BATTLE SCENES ARE EXTREMELY DRAMATIC, EXCITING, WELL FILMED AND DIRECTED. The music is also excellent, the scenery is beautiful (although some of it was actually filmed in Ireland because it was cheaper). As a patriotic Scotsman, I'd truly love to say this was the greatest movie ever made and I wish I could but unfortunately I just can't get past the truly awful dialogue and personally in terms of Scottish historical movies I'd have to recommend Rob Roy.

***1/2 stars.

Want Braveheart (Sapphire Series) (1995) Discount?

I just got my hands on a early released copy of Braveheart on Blu-ray from my local Blockbuster Video rental store and the film looks and sounds great. Its transfer to HD surpassed any other I have seen on DVD. Using the MPEG-4 AVC video codec, the video imagery is very sharp without the use of any edge enhancement (or least any I could notice) and the colors are very strong but natural looking. It looks pretty good for being an old movie. The 5.1 Dolby True HD audio is powerful and full during the battle sequences and generally good during the rest of the film. I will definitely purchase this movie on Blu-ray disc once it is released. I recommend it.

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The Collector (2010)

"The Collector" was written and directed by Marcus Dunstan with the writing help of Patrick Melton. The two have worked together on the Saw movies installments 4, 5, 6, and the upcoming 7 so that fact that this movie is "Saw" meets "Home Alone" is a very accurate statement. The premise is that a down-on-his-luck father needs some money by midnight and decides to rob an employer while the family is on vacation. Unfortunately, someone else got there first and has set up a series of intricate, deadly booby traps top to bottom in this mansion.

Josh Stewart stars as Arkin, a guy trying to get by on a honest day's pay for an honest day's work yadda yadda yadda, but when put in a crunch proves skilled at robberies in order to save his family from loan sharks. Little does he know that the second he enters this house, the probability of his ever seeing them again plummets dramatically. There is a dagger chandelier, an acid floor, fish hook curtains, boarded up windows rigged with razor blades, and trip wires everywhere. This is one intense journey into torture porn that only the strong can stomach. If you can't get enough "Saw" and wish Kevin had been just a little more naughty than paint cans in "Home Alone", this is your chance to see something spectacular. Cat-lovers, beware.

This house is a maze of stairways, doorways, hallways, and it can get easy to get lost so the director does a great job of showing the audience where our "hero"...er..."hero-ish guy" is by raising the camera over the door frames through the ceiling so you can see where the good guy is and where the bad guy is easily. There is also different lighting throughout the house. Of course, most rooms are very dark but some have bluish tints and the basement has a creepy slimer-glow.

This is one of the best scary movies I've seen in the last couple of years. There is no filler, very little exposition at the beginning, it just jumps right into the thrilling cat-and-mouse game where you keep waiting for the killer to discover someone else is in the house. One more scary note: the killer likes to put people in boxes.

This film also features a quick cameo from Claire's lesbian college friend in "Heroes" and yes, she gets topless so...enjoy that, I guess.

End verdict: go rent this for thrills and chills. Not a movie to eat during. Bring a pillow to shove in front of your face when it gets too freaky.

In an isolated mansion somewhere, a new family moves into a mansion known as the Chases (Michael Reilly Burke, Andrea Roth and Karley Scott Collins) as they believe it is just the right place. However, Arkin (Josh Stewart) was fixing their windows and doors as he is a con-artist that needs more money even for his wife as he decides to play burglar at their house when they aren't home, unfortunately there is another criminal called The Collector (Juan Fernadez) has imprisoned the family with a few other people as he has booby-trapped the house for uninvited guests but can he find a surviving family member and get out alive?

Intense, creepy and gory slasher movie from the writers of Saw IV and V is quite an original and startling shocker. It's been called a Torture movie but there is only a couple but not alot as this is actually a slasher movie in the Home Alone mode where are are booby-traps such as fox-traps on the floors in a hall, acid sticky glue, windows with razors etc and of course the usual stabbing. This one is also quite claustrophobic and brings back the feel of those exploitation slasher era rather than being so-called "Torture Porn".

This Blu-Ray offers brilliant stunning picture with surround sound that is quite chilling even of the screams of victims with extras like trailer, featurette, music video and deleted scenes.

Buy The Collector (2010) Now

I don't know what some of these people are talking about, but this movie is AWESOME. I have to admit, I didn't think it was going to be this much Gore in the movie. I haven't been this creeped out in a Horror movie like this in a long time. I just don't understand why there were so many traps in the house. If anyone is familiar with the Video Game "Deception" you will think this would have made a perfect movie. I really don't like much gore like how some of the Saw movies started off, but I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. The only thing I want to know is if this guy is Human?? I wanted to see his face so bad. If there is a sequel, I'm sure they will go into some of the backstory of who the guy is, but if your ready for a good horror movie, This one is worth a watch.

Read Best Reviews of The Collector (2010) Here

The Collector is like Jigsaw invited Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger over for a cup of tea and some blood-letting. A sub-contractor/thief has staked out his latest rich victim to burgle and this time he needs the money to help his ex-wife escape losing her knee caps to a loan shark. That is the entire story.

The rest of the movie deals with the burglar finding the house is now a house of horror, booby-trapped with trip-wires, bear traps, razors and the master bedroom has the floor entirely covered in glue so the collector can trap the owners of the home like flies on a fly strip. The collector is a silent masked predator and we learn if he likes you, he collects you but if he doesn't want you he kills you. This info is provided by one of the collectibles confined in a large red box.

The problem with the film is, there is no explanation of how the collector was able to booby-trap the house in a short window of time and the movie is mostly a set-up for some ingenious kills including a disembowelment, but the movie comes through with the torture and gore and like Jigsaw, Jason and Freddy before him, the collector will be coming back for more blood and guts.

Want The Collector (2010) Discount?

THE COLLECTOR takes SAW to new levels of torture horror. It's a well made albeit disturbing film. Filled with grotesque traps and pervasive violence, it's not easy to watch. Josh Stewart is intensely effective in his role of the down on his luck jewel thief with good support from Andrea Roth and Michael Reilly Burke. My main problem is the plot holes:

HOW DID THE COLLECTOR HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SET ALL THE TRAPS?

WHY DIDN'T THE GUARD DOG ATTACK THE COLLECTOR?

WHY DIDN'T THE FAMILY GO ON THEIR VACATION?

WAS THE COLLECTOR REALLY AN EXTERMINATOR? HE PEELED THE LOGO OFF HIS VAN AT THE END.

HOW DID HE CHOOSE HIS VICTIMS--AND WHY?

Not for the squeamish, but certainly horrifying.

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WWE: Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century

Like the previously released Greatest Stars of the 80's & 90's sets, here we get mini-biographies of 20 superstars who helped shape the first 10 years of the 21st Century and also a collection of matches featuring some of them, including some never before released on DVD. Its also neat how when each superstar is introduced they show some of their accomplishments, such as title wins, etc.

Disc 1

-Chris Jericho: We see how he evolved from early Y2J, his beoming the first Undisputed champion and how he's won more Intercontinental Titles than anyone in history. His return in '07 is talked about and his heel turn that revived his career.

-Edge: His run with Christian as multi-time tag team champions and winning many ladder matches is talked about, which also saw his comedic side come out. How he evolved into a singles wrestler, winning the first Money In The Bank match and cashing it in on John Cena and how he became the Ultimate Opprotunist, winning numerous WWE and World Championships.

-Triple H: How the McMahon/Helmsley era brought Triple H to new heights, his rehab from his potentially career ending injury, which led him to winning the Undisputed Title at Wrestlemania X8. His run with Evolution and how it helped him and new superstars get established and of course the revival of DX in '06. Also how he earned his spot as the main event in this decade.

-JBL: After the disbanding of the APA, JBL was born and the fans had a new villain to jeer. He quickly won the WWE title from Eddie Guerrero and held it for almost 10 months. Also how he had many controversial moments including even running some illegals from the border. How he had a run as a great commentator and that his attitude in character carried over into the locker room.

-Kane: From the moment he debuted in '97 he dominated and destroyed everyone in his path. His unmasking in '03, which led to many great moments in the coming years including his marriage to Lita and his ruining Edge and Lita's wedding in '05. Also how his in ring character helped him land the role in "See No Evil", which fit him perfectly.

-Kurt Angle: Despite his accomplishments I was a little stunned about him being included given his ties to TNA. In his first year in WWE he won the European, Intercontinental and WWE titles. He also had many entertaining moments, though there were a few too many of em like they were in my opinion burying him just a little bit. He had many great matches though including his classic against Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania XIX.

-The Rock: His ability to command a crowd with his persona, how he went Hollywood and became a big success. How his matches against Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania X8 and against Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania XIX were legendary.

-Randy Orton: How he has lived up to being a third generation superstar and how he was elevated by being part of Evolution. Shockingly they showed his winning his first world title, though his Legend Killer gimmick is mentioned more as is the group Legacy. Also how he's evolved over the years as an in ring performer.

-Brock Lesnar: From his debut to winning the King of The Ring crown to becoming the youngest WWE champion in history, all within the first 5 months. How he accomplished more in his 2 yeear run than most do in their careers.

-Decade of the Divas: Footage of Lita, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, Stacy Kiebler is shown along with comments from current divas like Melina, Alicia Fox, Natalia and the Bellas. A good trip down memory lane for sure.

-Jeff Hardy: His transition from being a tag team wrestler to a singles superstar and how his risk taking moves brought him respect from the fans and fellow wrestlers. How his hard work paid off with him winning multiple world championships from late '08-the summer of '09.

-Big Show: How he was able to move very well for his size and how he just commanded the attention of fans and wrestlers alike. He's the only man to win the WCW, ECW and WWE titles. How his sense of humor is very likeable for a man as big as him.

-Eddie Guerrero: His becoming the Latino Heat character shortly into his WWE run and how fans just took to him whether he was a good or bad guy. How the "Lie, Cheat & Steal" gimmick made him even more popular with fans, and his victory over Brock Lesnar at No Way Out '04 made everyone so happy for him to win his only WWE championship. How his sudden death led to him being inducted into the Hall of Fame in '06.

-Shawn Michaels: Coming back from his back injury after 4 years, he beat Triple H in his first match back and won the first ever Elimination Chamber and also the World Title. How he continued to perform at a high level and again the revival of DX in '06 is shown. Also how he proved once again that he was Mr. Wrestlemania in all his matches from this decade.

-Booker T: His debut in WWE and how the crowd did take to him right away. How the King Booker gimmick revived his career and how he captured the World Title from Rey Mysterio shortly after.

-Stone Cold Steve Austin: The age of Austin carried over from the '90's into the early 2000's as he won the Royal Rumble in '01 for the third time then beat the Rock at Wrestlemania X7 to win the WWE title and also turning heel and joining Vince McMahon, much to the shock of the fans. After he retired from the ring he became a re-occuring general manager/hell raiser. His hall of fame induction is also shown in clips.

-Undertaker: How he has continued his undefeated streak at Wrestlemania even to this day, including winning the World Title at Wrestlemania's 23 & 24 and that his character really resonates with the fans.

-Rey Mysterio: After the close of WCW, Rey debuted in July of '02 and instantly wowed all the fans with his arsenal of moves. He also accomplished many things, including the Royal Rumble in '06, along with title wins including winning the WWE Tag Team titles with 4 different partners and the World Championship at Wrestlemania 22.

-Batista: His presence was felt almost immediately after his debut and ran through many superstars including anyone in his way at the Royal Rumble in '05 as he won it and faced his former Evolution friend Triple H to win the world title. How his rivalry with the Undertaker in '07 helped cement him as a main event mainstay. He continued to win big matches and more World titles throughout the decade.

-John Cena: From his debut match against Kurt Angle, to Thuganomics to the Champ Is Here, he has been for better or worse, the main event talent since Wrestlemania 21, beating everyone in his path and winning multiple world and WWE titles. Also how his passion for the business makes him what people tune in for, whether they cheer or boo him. He is basically, this generations Hulk Hogan.

Disc 2

-8/19/01, Summerslam, WCW Championship Match: Booker T (Champion) vs. The Rock: These two had quite the rivalry from the moment Booker T debuted in WWE and this match has a good big match feel to it. There was plenty of back and forth action and also some interference by Shane McMahon, but he gets a Rock Bottom for his troubles. The crowd is also on fire throughout the whole match, Booker does the Spin-a-Roonie but Rock hits a Rock Bottom for the win to become the WCW Champion. 8/10.

-9/16/02, Raw, Intercontinental Championship Match: RVD (Champion) vs. Chris Jericho: This was when both were in their prime shape and having the I.C. title up for grabs added a little spice to this match. RVD used his unique set of kicks, while Jericho worked on RVD's back with backbreakers and a double arm superplex. RVD goes for the frog splash, Triple H runs down and gets a top rope splash to the outside for his trouble. RVD got caught in the Walls of Jericho and tapped out and Jericho becomes the I.C. champion. 8/10.

-6/23/03, Raw, World Heavyweight Championship Match: Triple H (Champion) vs. Kane: This was all about if Kane lost then he would unmask and he did come out full of aggression taking it to "The Game" early on. It was a good main event, though it never seemed like Kane would win the title. Randy Orton hits the ring and nails an RKO, Triple H nails the pedigree to retain his title. 8/10. The aftermath where Evolution beats down Kane, then RVD makes the save. We do end up seeing Kane unmask and he's so enraged he chokeslams RVD, which started one of Kane's best runs in WWE.

-9/18/03, Smackdown, Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship: Kurt Angle (Champion) vs. Brock Lesnar: This was easily one of the best TV main events in wrestling history and should've been the headline match of a PPV. Both of these men left it all in the ring and gave the fans something to remember for a long time. Lesnar used his power and amateur background while Angle used his obvious amateur abilities to counter Brock's moves. At 5-4 falls in favor of Lesnar, Angle has the ankle lock on Brock as the clock ticks down, but he doesn't tap out and becomes the new WWE Champion. 10/10.

-3/18/04, Smackdown, WWE Championship Match: Eddie Guerrero (Champion) vs. Rey Mysterio: These two have always meshed well together and know each other very well. Early on there's good counter wrestling and then things get a little aggressive as the tempers flare up. Eddie works on Rey's shoulder with armbars grounding Mysterio. Rey does take to the air and almost wins the title but Eddie hits a roll-up pin to retain his title. 9/10. General Manager Paul Heyman comes down and runs down both men, The Undertaker makes an appearance and ends up hitting the Tombstone on Heyman.

Disc 3

-12/12/04, Armageddon, Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Championship: JBL (Champion) vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Booker T vs. The Undertaker: This was the sole reason to watch the Armageddon '04 PPV and what a match it is. These 3 men had all faced JBL in the past and his actions in those matches and leading up to this one came back to bite him as each man took a turn beating up JBL early on. The rest of the match is great back and forth action as they kept making everyone wonder who would win. The only thing that brings the match down is near the end Heidenreich makes an appreance and hits a black hold slam on Taker, and pulls him to the outside locking on a cobra clutch. JBL hits the clothesline from hell on Booker for the win to retain the title. 10/10.

-1/30/05, Royal Rumble, Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship Match: JBL (Champion) vs. Kurt Angle vs. The Big Show: This match was very well done and really gave each man a chance to shine. In the opening minutes Show beats up on JBLand Angle even hitting a couple of loud loud chops in the corner. The pace really doesn't slow down, except when Show spears JBL through the barricade. There's interference from JBL's cabinet and Angle's henchmen Mark Jindrak and Luther Reigns, JBL gets rolled back into the ring somehow hits a clothesline from hell on Angle to retain the title. 9/10.

-2/7/05, Raw, World Heavyweight Championship Match: Triple H (Champion) vs. Edge: Taking place in Japan this was quite a good match, as the very beginning was actually wrestling based as both men reversed each others moves and put on a good clinic. Edge works on Triple H's back, while Hunter worked on Edge's shoulder. While the ref is down, Batista hits the ring and nails a spinebuster on Edge, then Triple H hits the pedigree to retain. 8/10. The post match segement where Batista holds up Triple H's hand and looks at the World title and stares down Hunter is total gold.

-9/17/06, Unforgiven, WWE Women's Championship Match: Lita (Champion) vs. Trish Stratus: Trish's final match and it's a good one. Lots of "Thank You Trish" chants. The match itself is a fitting end to Trish's career, good back and forth offense, by both ladies. Trish makes Lita tap out to the Sharpshooter in about 12 minutes. Major league pop for the move and the finish. Good post match with the fans and WWE staff around the ring thanking Trish and her thanking her all of them. 9/10.

-2/5/07, Raw, Triple Threat #1 Contenders Match: Edge vs. Randy Orton vs. Shawn Michaels: A good solid main event that had a good feel to it as Orton and Edge try to take Shawn out early in the match. This was more about Shawn getting his chance to again be in the main event of Wrestlemania and he gets his chance when Edge hits the spear on Orton then Shawn superkicks Edge for the win to become the #1 Contender and thus facing John Cena at Wrestlemania 23. 8/10.

-2/15/07, Raw, Eight Man Tag Team Match: Batista, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker & John Cena vs. Mr. Kennedy, MVP, Edge & Randy Orton: Multi-man matches are hard to pull off but this is an exception as it flows very well and really established the main event title matches for Wrestlemania 23 even more. In the end Shawn hits Sweet Chin Music on Orton for the win. 9/10. The aftermath where Taker and Batista beat up both Shawn and Cena is quite good too.

-4/1/07, Wrestlemania 23, World Heavyweight Championship Match: Batista (Champion) vs. The Undertaker: Wow how this wasn't higher on the PPV card I'll never know but these two delivered big time in a match where the animal gave it his all to end the streak but in the end Taker hits the Tombstone to become the World Champion. 10/10.

Whats on this set is good but WWE dropped the ball big time not including more matches or moments on the first 2 discs, especially when disc 1 only had like 100 minutes of footage. But the matches on here are quite good, nice to see rare ones from Raw and Smackdown, I just wish they had filled up the discs a little more.

The 21st Century (so far) has seen a bunch of changes in the "WWE Universe" from the name "World Wrestling Federation/WWF" not longer existing to WWE not having direct competition from WCW/NWA for the first time in decades but one of the biggest thing is the arrival of new superstars along with the elevations of others which WWE put together what they see as the top superstars in the past decade here. Now this release is no different than their previous DVD sets in this format (Top 50 Superstars, Greatest Stars Of The 80's & 90's) where WWE has a list for the subject at hand with various talents from the past & present commenting on the superstar's careers while showing video packages of their career but this DVD set doesn't have a host & is only narrated by a voice over while showing a list of what their top 3 highlights of the previous decade were before their chapter. It should also be noted that all the interviews & comments on here were taken for this set with none being reused from previous projects as we hear from various people such as Josh Matthews, Santino Marella, Billy Kidman, The Miz, John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingson, Arn Anderson, Matt Striker, Melina, Alex Riley, Alicia Fox, The Bella Twins, Kaityln, Natayla.

Here are some highlights from the profiles on this DVD:

Chris Jericho Becoming the first Undisputed Champion, record breaking reigns as Intercontinental Champion, his heel turn in 2008, being "the best in the world at what he does."

Edge The innovator of the tag team ladder matches, his ability to entertain, the first Money In The Bank winner & becoming the "Ultimate Opportunist", WWE's own "rock star."

Triple H The McMahon/Helmsley Era, his quad injury in 2001, returning from injury to win the Royal Rumble & the Undisputed Championship, his runs in the groups Evolution & D-Generation X

John "Bradshaw" Layfield His ability to be hated as a heel, being the "Wrestling God", being the longest reigning WWE Champion in SmackDown history, becoming a color commentator

Kane His dominance after debuting, his infamous unmasking, being a monster, the "See No Evil" movie.

Kurt Angle Wrestling's first Olympic gold medalist, his successful rookie year, the ability to entertain, being a wrestling machine, his WrestleMania matches against Brock Lesnar & Shawn Michaels

The Rock His crossover appeal leading to a Hollywood career, his WrestleMania matches against Hollywood Hogan & Stone Cold, his level of charisma & ability to entertain

Randy Orton A third generation wrestler, his run in Evolution, becoming the "Legend Killer", being the youngest World Champion in history, The Legacy with Ted Dibiase & Cody Rhodes, becoming the new anti-hero as "The Viper"

Brock Lesnar Winning King Of The Ring & the WWE Championship, being "The Next Big Thing", his athleticism with his size & strength

Divas Various highlights & discussion of Trish Stratus, Lita, Torrie Wilson, and Stacy Keibler.

Jeff Hardy The Hardy Boyz tag team, his daredevil in-ring style, unique charisma, winning the WWE/World Championships

Big Show Being a dominate giant, his multiple singles & tag team championships, being the first to hold the WWE & WCW/World & ECW Championships, his humorous side

Eddie Guerrero His "Latino Heat" character, "Lie, Cheat, Steal", multiple championships, winning the WWE Championship, his death, WWE Hall Of Fame

Shawn Michaels His return in 2002, winning the first Elimination Chamber match & becoming World Champion, best in-ring performer, D-Generation X, "Mr. WrestleMania", WWE Hall Of Fame.

Booker T Ending WCW as World Champion, winning King Of The Ring, rebirth as King Booker

Stone Cold His dominance in the 90's, 3 time Royal Rumble winner, WrestleMania X-7 vs. The Rock, his feud with Mr. McMahon, WWE Hall Of Fame

Undertaker Resurrection at WrestleMania XX, winning his first Royal Rumble, the WrestleMania streak, ability to captivate the audience

Rey Mysterio Innovative lucha libre offense, biggest underdog, multiple title reigns including World Championships

Batista His run in Evolution, winning Royal Rumble & World Championship, "The Beast Unleashed", WrestleMania 23 vs. Undertaker

John Cena His "thuganomics" character, facing all the top stars, mixed audience response, his crossover appeal.

Matches Include:

WCW Champion Booker T vs. The Rock This was The Rock's return to PPV since his WrestleMania match months earlier. Both men traded momentum back & forth with Shane McMahon trying to get involved early on only for it to work against Booker as the fight went to to the floor & into the crowd at one point. Booker was able to gain the advantage & kept breaking the momentum whenever Rock tried to build it. Shane kept getting involved which finally caught up to him thanks to some people who's business he got involved in earlier in the night before Rock took care of Shane himself. This was a fun match to watch.

SummerSlam '01

[The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man In Sports Entertainment]

WWE Intercontinental Champion Rob Van Dam vs. Chris Jericho Jericho dominated early before RVD was able to catch him in mid-air with a dropkick & his "vintage" legdrop over the top rope. RVD's back was worked on by Jericho with such moves as the double arm suplex off the top while RVD kept resorting to his kicks. They've had better matches (check out Unforgiven '01) than this one was this was still a nice encounter.

"Raw" Sept. '02

World Champion Triple H vs. Kane Kane was the most dominate that we've seen on him in a very long time here as he had control over Triple H including throwing him into the steps at one point while constantly sitting up from Triple H's offense & even able to fight off interference from Ric Flair as well. This was another case where they've had better matches but this was still a nice match but what happened afterwords is what this match is remembered for more than anything else.

"Raw" June '03

Iron Man Match: WWE Champion Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar Before I get started, it should be noted that this match is completely unedited which means that we get the complete match without the commercial breaks from start to finish. Brock Lesnar made his intentions clear in the first few minutes from attacking Kurt before the bell, faking injuries to get cheap shots in, the way he lost his first fall but gained a heavy advantage throughout the rest of the match because of it that he was going to do anything to regain the championship. Kurt stuck to his gameplan of out-wrestling Brock which we saw early as he kept tossing Brock to the outside only to get him more frustrated each time while during the match & later even going out of his usual playbook with aerial offense such as a missile dropkick from the top. Both men started to get more aggressive with their various moves as the match went on such as Brock using Kurt's own anklelock & Angle Slam while Angle later executed an F-5 of his own into the ringpost, an F-5 on the floor, back to back german suplexes including one release one that flipped Brock inside out, the steel steps coming into play at various times, and Brock's impactful powerbombs & superplex. This was a wrestling clinic & one of the best ironman matches (if not THE BEST) in WWE history.

"SmackDown" Sept. '03

WWE Champion Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio It should be noted that Rey had just finished wrestling two previous matches before getting his title shot against Eddie. Rey was able to use his speed to keep an advantage over Eddie with monkeyflips & head scissors along with an aerial assault of a springboard moonsault to the outside. Eddie focused on Rey's arm with an armbar & various hammerlocks along with other impactful moves like the superplex & tilt-a-wirl backbreaker. This was definitely a great quality match for television but stay tune afterwords as the then-SmackDown General Manager Paul Heyman had some words for the entire roster that didn't set well with one "deadman."

"SmackDown" Mar. '04

[Viva La Raza: The Legacy Of Eddie Guerrero]

WWE Champion J.B.L. vs. Undertaker vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Booker T This was J.B.L.'s worst nightmare as he had to face everyone that he cheated out of the WWE Championship throughout the year as champion at the same time & knowing he was the "odd man out", he tried to avoid everyone early & sneak in when he was able to steal a pin before eventually getting caught & everyone took turns beating on him while Eddie & Booker were working together during the match before one decided to go for pin. This match had it's highlights such as Eddie bringing a ladder into play, Booker side kicking everyone in sight, all four men brawling on the outside, people being put through the announce tables, Eddie's back to back to back frog splashes with the third one being off the ladder, and the appearance of someone who had a big issue with another person in the match. This was a very fun fatal four way match.

Armageddon '04

WWE Champion J.B.L. vs. Big Show vs. Kurt Angle Angle & J.B.L. were both walking into the match sore from competing against each other in a Last Man Standing match on the previous SmackDown and knowing this, Kurt stayed outside early in the match so Show could focus on J.B.L. while Kurt would only get involved when breaking up a pin. Show would eventually get his hands on both men & dominate causing Kurt & Show to resort to other tactics like teaming together & brawling on the outside including putting Big Show through a table and later delivering the biggest angleslam ever seen. This was a good triple threat match that was full of non-stop action.

Royal Rumble '05

World Championship Triple H vs. Edge This was Edge's first World Title shot after turning heel months earlier in what was a rare "heel vs. heel" match during WWE's first RAW from Japan. Triple H worked over Edge's shoulder after throwing it into the post twice followed by an armbar takedown while Edge countered by attacking Triple H's back with a suplex on the floor, backbreaker & a unique submission called the "Edgecator." The pace picked up as the match went on with counters like Triple H countering the spear with his high knee & a chair being brought into the ring before fellow Evolution member Batista came out and taking the chair out of the ring before he became the deciding factor in the match. This was a good quality match here as it's rare that Triple H & Edge meet in a one on one match.

"Raw" Feb. '05

WWE Womens Champion Lita vs. Trish Stratus This was held in Trish's hometown of Toronto & made it clear that this was to be her final match before going into retirement causing the crowd to heavily react to chants of "Thank You Trish." Trish took the fight to Lita right away including doing her vintage Air Canada off the apron to the floor & pulling off her handstand head scissors various times on Lita. There was one point where both women were fighting on the top turnbuckle only to fall with both landing hard on the floor while Trish took another nasty bump to the floor later on with Lita was able to counter the Stratusfaction before Trish ended the match with a move that always sparks a reaction in Canada before Trish ended her career & walked out of WWE as the champion (where have I seen that before?)

Unforgiven '06

Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge This was to determine John Cena's challenger for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 23 while it should also be noted that Shawn & Cena defeated Edge & Orton the week earlier to win the World Tag Team Championships. Orton & Edge, also known as Rated RKO, worked together against Shawn with the only way for Shawn to survive was attempting to divide & conquer with one guy being tossed out of the ring while Shawn fought the other causing moments like Orton to keep being knocked into the announce table. Edge & Orton's alliance eventually fell apart when both men broke up the others pin attempts allowing Shawn to capitalize on it. This was a good TV match for RAW.

"Raw" Feb. '07

John Cena, Batista, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker vs. Rated RKO, Mr. Kennedy, M.V.P. This was an usual setup as the babyface team were opposing tag teams for the main event of the upcoming No Way Out teamed up here...with each member of the tag teams set for the PPV were actually the champion & challenger for the WWE/World title matches at WrestleMania. This was a fun 8 man tag match as there was non-stop action & everyone in the match having their moments to shine but the part to pay attention to was toward the end where the eventual miscommunications between the partners caused "all hell to break lose" after the match.

"Raw" Feb. '07

World Champion Batista vs. Undertaker Taker's Undefeated Streak vs. Batista's Title and I'll be point blank honest, this was the match that should have ended the show. This was Batista's best showing since he returned from his injury as he stepped up his game & didn't show any lack of effort like most of his previous performances. This was a classic "big money" WrestleMania match & the match of the night for me as you saw the crowd off the chain throughout the bout & even moments where it looked like Batista was going to end the streak & one spot to look out for would be Undertaker's big dive onto Batista. It's ironic that this was the 20 year anniversary of WrestleMania 3 but Undertaker walks out of his WM the same way he did 10 years earlier...as a champion.

WrestleMania 23

(Blu-Ray) WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. John Cena vs. Triple H vs. J.B.L. A great main event as I personally like the elimination rule in triple threat/fatal four way matches more than the "first one who gets the pin/submission wins" stipulation. This match started off wild with all four men facing off against each other but after the first two eliminations in Cena & JBL, Triple H & Orton delivered a match that rivals their No Mercy encounters as their best match against each other before the King Of Kings went back on his throne. Moments to look out for here was JBL & Orton trying to "out heel" each other from the opening with Orton & the World Title to when each guy was in a submission hold while the other taunted him.

Backlash '08

(Blu-Ray) World Championship/Scramble Match: Batista vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. J.B.L. vs. Chris Jericho This was really just an average match with everyone getting their typical spots in throughout the match with the only noteworthy performance being Batista's as he stared with J.B.L. & once again showcasing effort into adding to his wrestling style by working on J.B.L.'s knee & even using the figure four. The ending however saw Batista pinning Kane to become the "temporary" champion before he turned his back to counter an attack from Mysterio while Jericho sneaked in a pin over Kane after Batista did all the work & win the title after the time expired. Although some people would say it's stupid for Jericho to win the title right after losing a match because he was knocked out, if you actually watch how the ending happened...it all makes sense.

Unforgiven '08

(Blu-Ray) T.L.C. Match: World Champion Jeff Hardy vs. C.M. Punk This match was very similar to how Edge & Jeff Hardy had their ladder match months earlier in that this wasn't a non-stop spotfest more than a match where they used the weapons to make moves more high impact & trying to tell a story. It's a TLC match so all elements were used as expected along with various moments such as Punk slamming Hardy onto an open chair to the backrest hit his spine, Hardy missing a splash & crashing through a table on the outside, Hardy reversing Punk's running knee kick/bulldog combination into a toss to the outside table, and of course Jeff Hardy being the human highlight reel with the swanton bomb that you have to see to believe...and I still didn't believe I saw it when I was there. This was a great one on one TLC match from both men while what happened to end the show was probably just as shocking as we saw another WWE return & great way to end the show.

SummerSlam '09

[Best PPV Matches 2009-2010]

The only feedback I have on the documentary is that the "divas" chapter shouldn't have been limited to just those four girls because you can't deny that females like Victoria & Mickie James & Melina & Beth Phoenix had made their presence felt in the "21st Century" as far as the divas go but past that, it was what you would expect for this type of project & well put together. The other things I was very disappointed with the bonus extras or lack of as normally on a 3 disc set, you get around 8-9 hours total of everything but this presentation only ran for around 6.5 hours which is around the length you would get for a 2 disc set so WWE had plenty of space on this set to add stuff that they didn't do in favor of the Blu-Ray release. Normally we get either bonus footage of interviews or segments but we didn't get any of that here while there were no matches featuring two of the profiled wrestlers in Steve Austin & Jeff Hardy when, again, they had plenty of room to add them (Austin wasn't even added on the Blu-Ray). If you look up the time length for the Blu-Ray presentation, it equals the amount of time you normally get for the 3 disc set. I'm happy we got some rare unreleased matches from free TV with a small amount of repeats from other sets on here but in the end, normally you get a great presentation with the normal DVD release & get more bang for your buck with the Blu-Ray edition but this is a case where it seemed like WWE put more effort into the Blu-Ray than the regular edition so the Blu-Ray is what I would go look for as your getting your money's worth & more.

Buy WWE: Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century Now

Disc 1

Signature Open

Ground Breaking Superstars

Chris Jericho

Edge

Triple H

JBL

Kane

Kurt Angle

The Rock

Randy Orton

Brock Lesnar

Decade of the Divas

Jeff Hardy

Big Show

Eddie Guerrero

Shawn Michaels

Booker T

Stone Cold Steve Austin

The Undertaker

Rey Mysterio

Batista

John Cena

Disc 2

WCW Championship Match

Booker T vs. The Rock

SummerSlam 19th August, 2001

Intercontinental Championship Match

Chris Jericho vs. Rob Van Dam

Raw 16th September, 2002

World Heavyweight Championship Match

Triple H vs. Kane

Raw 23rd June, 2003

60 Minute Iron Man Match for the WWE Championship

Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar

SmackDown! 18th September, 2003

WWE Championship Match

Eddie Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio

SmackDown! 18th March, 2004

Disc 3

Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Championship

JBL vs. The Undertaker vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Booker T

Armageddon 12th December, 2004

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Championship

JBL vs. Big Show vs. Kurt Angle

Royal Rumble 30th January, 2005

World Heavyweight Championship Match

Triple H vs. Edge

Raw 7th February, 2005

Women's Championship Match

Lita vs. Trish Stratus

Unforgiven 17th September, 2006

Triple Threat Match Winner Faces John Cena For The WWE Championship At WrestleMania 23

Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge

Raw 5th February, 2007

8 -Man Tag Team Match

John Cena & Batista & Shawn Michaels & The Undertaker vs. Randy Orton & Edge & Mr. Kennedy & MVP

Raw 15th February, 2007

World Heavyweight Championship Match

Batista vs. The Undertaker

WrestleMania 23 1st April, 2007Great listing! I am excited for this release!

Read Best Reviews of WWE: Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century Here

I enjoyed the 80's and 90's one. but this one is a good one to get if you grew up with the 2000's wrestlers and like to see matches from that time again.

Want WWE: Greatest Superstars of the 21st Century Discount?

This movie is great! :-)

We enjoyed watching it and there were lots of great superstars. The title says it all.

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House (The Criterion Collection)

Criterion is a great company -arguably, the best DVD releasing company in the world. They are known for standards of excellence that aren't traditionally seen in most other companies' releases; not only in their DVD transfers and special features, but for the consistent high quality of the films they release. Most of the films Criterion release are already well-established, traditional, "classic" films. So, it's always nice to see a somewhat more "obscure" film get the Criterion treatment -this film definitely deserves it.

While not completely "obscure" -it's quite well-known in Japan, as well as amongst underground horror and experimental film lovers around the world -it certainly doesn't seem as, dare I say, "important" as many other Criterion releases. But being the underdog works here, since the film only costs $26 brand new (well below most "big" Criterion film's releases) so it will hopefully motivate more people to check out this work of art.

...YES, a work of art. While touted as a "horror" film, this most resembles an art film, one of the more experimental variety, and it is masterfully-shot and -directed. Utilizing all sorts of outrageous effects and downright bizarre editing, this often brings to mind directors like Shuji Terayama (Emperor Tomato Ketchup) and Toshio Matsumoto (Funeral Procession of Roses). While there are some more straightforward "horror" elements -skeletons, an evil kitty -most of them are downright silly, and remind me somewhat of American "classic" b-movie cheesefest Spookies than any serious work of horror. It is NEVER scary, and gets by mainly on absurdity and cheese.

So, why is this film getting 5 stars? Why is it "worthy" of a Criterion release? Well, opinions will differ, but I found this movie absolutely brilliant, one of the most entertaining I have EVER seen, with brilliant scene after brilliant scene of surreal absurdity. This film is downright INSANE, but it's charming. It's one of those films that you'll watch and say, "Okay, I HAVE TO show this to every single one of my friends now!" Infinitely rewatchable (I've probably watched my Japanese copy 20 times in the past 5 years), hilariously madcap, and endlessly inspiring. There is violence here, but it's all so silly... this is about as much a "horror" film as Riki-Oh is a "kung-fu" movie; it has all the "cool" elements of a genre film, but it's really just an excuse to cram as many insane scenes into a film as possible.

Oh, did I mention a piano eats a girl? ... The effects are what really make this film a sight to behold. They're actually surprisingly well-done, and even though I already own this film, I'm going to buy the Criterion edition just to see how they pulled off some of this stuff! Yes, as usual, the Criterion DVD is loaded with great special features, the best of which has to be the 1966 short film "Emotion" -without a doubt one of the greatest short films ever, and definitely my favorite of the "experimental Japanese New Wave" school (along with the aforementioned Matsumoto and Terayama). Honestly, "Emotion" is even better than the main feature -how insane is that? This is just one unbelievably value packed release, one that everyone needs!

So, yes, it is a very unlikely Criterion release, but kudos to them for taking a chance with this one. It is a film that needs to be seen -I can't imagine anyone NOT having a good time with it. And I really hope it sells well, because there just flat-out aren't many DVD companies releasing these kinds of crazy Japanese films anymore, since Tartan folded. Maybe, just maybe, if we're lucky, we'll all be able to see a Pastoral: To Die in the Country (aka "the greatest film ever made") release from Criterion sometime in our lifetimes....? Well, I can dream. But until that day comes, I'll be watching this one about once a month. Order it today!

Every once in a while you read about a film that it's indescribable and like nothing you've ever seen before. Usually that's hyperbole; it's just a bit offbeat. Not in this case. House (made in 1977) is genuinely like no other film I'd ever seen before, and I loved every minute. The closest in vibe to this film that I've seen is Funky Forest: The First Contact but that one's all over the place, and lacks the continuity of a single strange story like House. It's surreal horror, a hallucinatory and often hilarious supernatural thriller about Japanese schoolgirls who spend their school vacation visiting the aging aunt of their classmate. This is the kind of film you want to see in theaters if you have a chance but barring that see it at home, after it's out on dvd, with an open-minded crowd of friends who dig foreign, cult or arthouse films.

Gorgeous, as she's known, is irate that her father has decided to remarry, and so she invites her friends to stay in the aging and empty country house of her aunt rather than go with her father and his fiancee on vacation. We are introduced to each of her friends, all of whom have nicknames that describe their temperament and character: there is the beautiful Gorgeous, there's the apparently dreamy and gullible Fantasy, the brainy Professor, the always hungry Mac, the musical Melody, and so on. Along the way, on a magical train ride in which the animated fantasy background that shines through the windows of the train seems to resemble a film strip, she tells them how her aunt had once loved a man who promised to come for her after the war, but never returned. When they arrive, their aunt seems a bit too eager to see them, and odd remarks lead to inexplicable occurrences, and pretty soon it's over-the-top scary silly supernatural surreal mayhem. The director seems to delight in retro-styled effects and sight gags, using stop motion and many other inventive techniques to create a fantastic realm of visual jokes and horror. Combining live action and animation, the film transcends kitch and schlockiness into a realm of cinematic magic, that draws upon Japanese magical traditions of Yokai and witches and vengeful ghosts, but also evokes the era in which it was made, and appears to be making fun of a certain kind of depiction of youth in cinema. Fun stuff, and exciting to see that Criterion is releasing it (not surprising given that Janus films is supervising the current critically acclaimed theatrical rerelease).

Here's what to expect on the 1-disc Criterion set:

-a new, restored high-definition digital transfer (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)

-a video piece featuring interviews with director Nobuhiko Obayashi, story scenarist and daughter of the director Chigumi Obayashi, and screenwriter Chiho Katsura

-Emotion, a 1966 experimental film by Obayashi

-a new video appreciation by director Ti West (House of the Devil)

-the theatrical trailer

-new and improved English subtitle translation

-and an essay by film critic Chuck Stephens

Buy House (The Criterion Collection) Now

The people who are giving this movie bad reviews need to loosen up. This movie is great. The most amazing 70's visual effects I have seen besides Star Wars... If you are in to the "vintage 70's film look", Michel Gondry, Japanese pop art, 70's horror movies, Phsycedelic art, ect.., you will love this! And NO you do not have to be high to love this, you just have to have good taste.

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Video review by future world famous serial killer Christopher Mackshere.

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House (Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977)

When a movie has me asking "what the hell is THIS?" less than five minutes after I start watching it, I would have to call that movie, on at least some level, a success. In the case of House, the infamous 1977 horror comedy from Nobuhiko Obayashi (who's still making movies well into his seventies, including the recent The Last Snow and Song of Goodbye), it only gets weirder from there. I'm not entirely sure I can call the movie a success as a movie, but it's certainly something.

Plot: Angel (Kimiko Ikegami, currently the star of the long-running TV-movie series Furin Chosain Katayama Yumi) is excited about summer break; she's going to get to spend a lot of time with her father, which she can't do during the school year. They're even planning a trip. But dad springs a surprise on her just before break begins: he's getting married to Ryoko (Haruko Wanibuchi, recently of One Missed Call 2), an ethereally beautiful jewelry designer. It's been years since Angel's mom died, but she still takes the news badly enough that she writes to an aunt (the late Yoko Minamida, who would once again team up with Obayashi for one of her final films, 2004's The Reason) she hasn't seen in a decade and asks if she can spend the summer there instead. The letter she receives back states Auntie would be delighted, and asks Angel to bring all her friends. So, under the sponsorship of one of their teachers (After the Rain's Fumi Dan), Angel and six of her closest friends plan a trip to the countryside. A freak accident with a bucket sidelines the teacher, however, and the girls are on their own in Auntie's house... where they begin disappearing one by one.

It's obvious a great deal of thought went into the girls' nicknames (Melody is a pianist, Kunfuu is a martial artist, Prof is the brain of the bunch, etc.), which kind of makes the question of whether Angel will survive a moot one, even though she's the obvious final girl. But as I intimated in the opening paragraph, House is not a movie that you watch if you're actually looking to watch a movie--you know, a piece of film with plot, characterization, that sort of thing. It's the same kind of weird "how many drugs did these people ingest?" experience you get from, say, Spider Baby or Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome. And for what it is, House is a stunning example of the genre; you're likely to sit there with your jaw on the floor the entire movie. One wag, reviewing the movie at IMDB, says "I kinda want to watch it on drugs, but I value my life too much." Indeed. Still, it's the kind of thing you should definitely see once, simply because it puts such American attempts at psychedelic horror (think Death Bed or the movies of Herschell Gordon Lewis here) into perspective. ***

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Warm Bodies (2013)

Seattle's Isaac Marion (self-published "Where Are They Now") wrote the book on which this goofy (and unconventional) romantic comedy (with ZOMBIES?!) is based. Director Jonathan Levine ("50/50") did the honors at the helm.

Despite a pretty standard opening with the walking dead lurching through a demolished city looking (and finding!) humans on which to munch, this gradually evolves into a laugh-out-loud comedy and a sweet romance. You'll just have to trust me! (The tag line is: Cold Body, Warm Heart.)

We see:

* Nicholas Hoult ("About a Boy") is R, for lack of a better name; he just can't remember... He seems to have the right instincts (I want to protect her, not eat her), but is extremely confused (How do you talk to a girl?).

* Teresa Palmer ("I Am Number Four") is Julie. Their balcony scene made me wonder if his full name was Romeo. This actress bears an uncanny resemblance to a blonde Kristen Stewart.

* John Malkovich ("RED") is Julie's father, General Grigio, who heads the human defense forces in their walled fortress, fighting zombies and skeletors.

* Dave Franco ("21 Jump Street") is Perry, one of the armed defenders of the besieged humans. Yes, he's James Franco's younger (handsomer) brother.

* Analeigh Tipton ("Crazy, Stupid, Love") is Nora, Julie's friend. She offers her cosmetics when they try to disguise our hero as a human, not a corpse. She says, "I know it's hard to get a boyfriend, what with the apocalypse and all, but..."

* Rob Corddry (Lots of TV) is M, R's best friend, if there even IS such a thing in the zombie world.

All of us were involved in this upbeat comedy from the get-go. We were surprised the first time we laughed because of the dystopian setting, but got the hang of it very quickly.

Expect a circumspect courtship, lots of gunshots and blood, very little vehicular mayhem or profanity and NO blowie uppie stuff.

Just suspend disbelief and have a good time! Amazon will tell me when I can order my DVD.

"What's wrong with me? I just want to connect, why can't I connect with people? Oh, right...it's because I'm dead." R (Hoult) is a zombie, a very depressed zombie looking for meaning in his life. After him and a group out looking for food find a pack of young adults they begin to feast. When R eats someone he sees his memories, then changes his mind and saves his girlfriend Julie (Palmer). The two begin a relationship that may change the world forever. This is a very funny movie that just seemed to run out of steam a little over halfway through. The movie is very much worth watching and actually turns out very sweet, if not a little too perfect. The only real problem is that after awhile I started to lose interest a little and seemed to really drag toward the end. I still recommend this movie but it's not as good as Zombieland or Shaun Of The Dead. Overall, very funny movie but just couldn't maintain the beginning excitement the entire way. I give it a B.

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Wow. And again, wow!! Who would've guessed that there would come a day when someone would create a zombie movie that could be accurately described as sweet and charming??

I loved this movie! And anyone will tell you that I'm not usually a zombie movie kind of gal. I suppose I don't have anything to say that my fellow 5-star reviewers haven't already mentioned, but I just wanted to get my two cents in. Warm Bodies is very compelling, funny, and well-acted. Nicholas Hoult is especially wonderful as "R", totally nailing the sympathetic character, the facial expressions, even the zombie walk!! He and Teresa Palmer have a very sweet chemistry, and their characters' unorthodox love story is certainly the heart of this great film. R and his zombie pals are not the mindless, heartless creatures that you'll find in other zombie flicks, but are very human, with thoughts, feelings, and a sense of humor. The violence isn't overly graphic and the romance is chaste and sweet, leaning more towards a Tim Burton-ish feel than Twilight, in my opinion. However, while this movie is just fine for teenagers, the adult language (several S-words and one F-word) restrains me from deeming it tween-friendly. But don't let that discourage you!! Ultimately, this is an endearing story about the power of love. If you're in the market for a movie with touching romance, clever humor, a great soundtrack and top-notch performances, please do yourself a favor and go see Warm Bodies! It will leave you feeling, well...warm!!

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But seriously, though, this was a really good movie. It's nice to see a good love story come out of the Zombie boom of recent years. The last one was Shaun of the Dead, in my opinion.

It's got all the best things:

-Zombies

-Great Actors

-Humor

-A Love Story That Doesn't Feel Cobbled Together or Forced

-Awesome Tunes

-John Malkovich

And if any of those brilliant sort of bullet points don't make you want to see this film, I don't think you have taste. Or a pulse. (HA HA HA I made a funny!.)

Anyway, what I'm really getting at here is that this is a movie that doesn't let its setting or the fact that the male lead is a zombie inhibit it from being just a fun movie with a good story and a lot of heart.

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Not much to say, I thought it was good fun. It is not for those looking for some critically acclaimed movie to give an in depth analysis in their review. So I will just say it was fun to watch and kept me entertained.

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Bush: Live! (2012)

I was curious about this bluray because the AXS (originally HDNet) broadcast was riddled with Gavin's pre-recorded vocal tracks (used as backing vocals for live performances) being mixed LOUDER than his actual live vocals. It sounded horrible, especially during the chorus'. The first song of the concert, "The Mirror of the Signs" has been omitted from this official bluray release, and if you watched the live broadcast, its easy to tell why -the performance was not very good (it was one of the first times they played it) and Gavin's live vocals were not on 'time' with the pre-recorded backing tracks.

When it comes to live rock bands, Im not into click tracks. Im not into pre-recorded vocals, Im not into sound effects -I want live and raw. Bush's Woodstock 1999 DVD is a better example of this.... BUT, I will say that for THIS release, it was remixed from the live broadcast and the backing vocals have been lowered to make it much more listenable. Visually, the concert is stunning. A+ video. Performance wise, its not Bush at their absolute best but its good to great at times. "Alien" was fantastic.

Plays is 3 USA bluray players I tried. 1 PS3 and 2 different Sony bluray standalones. No worries if you are in the USA purchasing this. Trust me!

BUSH always puts on the best shows, and this one doesn't disappoint.. Loved every second. dont worry about the dvd zones that may be listed, it plays just fin in a US blu ray player.

BUY IT NOW!!!

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Robots (Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) (2011)

As reviewers, it's natural for us to compare an artist's work to his/her previous album, movie, book, etc. In this case, it becomes "natural" to compare "Robots" to the previous animated hit by Fox, "Ice Age". If we do this, "Robots" comes out lacking against its frozen predecessor. It is not as novel in terms of its intent and also the script is not as powerful (perhaps because it's also tougher to relate to inanimate beings such as robots, than it is to relate to animals or humans). But still, it is a funny (though predictable) movie, with touching moments and plenty of excitement all through it. I particularly enjoyed the ride that Rodney is put through when he arrives in Robot City, in order to get to the headquarters of Big Weld, where he dreams of working.

The humor can be argued to be more adult-oriented, but still with proper supervision, I totally see it being fit for children. The fact that our 18-month old was jumping out of his seat halfway through the movie is more the result of him being hyper than the movie not being fit for children. Now I admit this is no "Finding Nemo" (which keeps him entertained all through it, time and again). So, bottom line, while not as good as or innovative as "Ice Age" and without a very powerful storyline and groundbreaking animation as "Nemo" got us used to, "Robots" is still a funny movie worth checking out.

Animation is a hot genre these days, thanks to the phenomenal success of Pixar's multi-million dollar blockbusters "Toy Story," "Monsters, Inc," and "Finding Nemo," and DreamWorks' "Shrek." These studio giants have opened the door for other, smaller companies like Blue Sky Studios to release innovative and high-quality movies, such as their first film, "Ice Age" in 2002, and their new, more ambitious endeavor, "Robots."

Visually, "Robots" is stunning, both in the look of the world and the creativity of its inner workings. The colors are vivid and the setup is ripe with potential for visual gags. The first half hour of the film is especially entertaining, beginning with Rodney's "delivery" as a baby. In the robot world, babies are delivered in boxes and are put together like children's toys at Christmas.

The characters, led by an all-star cast of distinctive voices, are fun too, especially Broadbent's deliciously evil Madame Gasket and Williams's high-energy Fender, though I thought Williams could have been given more screen time and more freedom to improvise.

The film's only weak spot, if you can call it that, is in its overzealousness to please. At times, there are so many visual elements, action sequences and gags going on at once, it feels as though we have no time to breathe. But, I applaud the creators for their passion for the project. I'd much rather see a studio go too far with its enthusiasm than not far enough. The film's storyline, too, could have been a bit more complex, but kids will love it, and parents will appreciate the complexity of the visual world in exchange for what it might be lacking in story. Overall, this film is a joy to watch, primarily because its cup runneth over with creativity and delight. It's obvious the creators put a lot of time and soul into it, and it paid off-in spades.

It's exciting, too, to see this level of animation coming more frequently to the big screen. Pixar sparked a new interest in animation with its release of "Toy Story" in 1995, and has bred an entire generation of animation lovers over the past decade with its subsequent blockbusters. This trend, in turn, has given companies like Blue Sky Studios, Fox, DreamWorks, and others an audience hungry for more of what they have to offer and they are only too happy to deliver.

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I adore Robin Williams in most things he appears in, but this little movie was not up to his usual standards, and that disappoitned me.

In fact, I was expecting to watch a show along the lines of Cars or Monsters, Inc. and this one was nowhere near as good as they were. However, the being said, it IS a good little movie.

One of the things I noticed about it that makes it a bit different from other cartoonish type animation movies out right now is that this one had a lot of adult innuendo that the other movies don't have. While a younger child, of say age 3-9 or 10 might not notice it, my son was 11 when he watched it, and he got a lot of the 'adult' innuendo in the jokes. He was slow on the uptake, but on one scene, he turned around and looked at me and said, "Oooohhhh, I GET it now!"

While I liked the movie, and so did my daughter and son, I found myself diappointed in my expectations of what this movie would be about and what it would be like. If you let go of those expectations and realize that this is NOT Monsters, Inc. or Cars, or a Bug's Life, or any of the others like this, you might be able to enjoy the movie for what it is. Otherwise, you'll probably be disappointed too.

I don't recommend the movie for little kids. The only thing about the movie that will appeal to them is the actual animation. Boys ages 10 and up might enjoy it, and teenagers seem to like it because of the innuendo. I wouldn't show this one to a younger child though. It's just not that kind of movie.

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Don't listen to the lame people saying they thought it was too noisy, or stupid. Personally, I hate how on Amazon, adults, complain how much they despise kid movies. Folks, they're for kids. You're opinion doesn't matter and shouldn't be taken into consideration. This movie is amazing. I am 16, and still considered a kid in most standards, and I thought it was simply mind-boggling. It was funny, heartfelt, and exhilerating. This is the story of Rodney, an inventor, who leaves his beloved parents to go to Robot City to pursue his dreams. There he befriends a delightful cast of miscreants and discovered he must save the greatest robot of all, Big Weld, to save his father and their world. Ewan McGregor and Robin Williams were wonderful as were all the other voice actors. This movie has you laughing every other second. This is the most imaginative movie I've seen in a long while. If you want to inspire your kids to hold onto their dreams and be creative, then this is the movie for you. Believe me, you won't regret spending $7 to spend 90 minutes with Rodney, Fender, and the crew. It's worth every penny.

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The thing I like best about robots is its originality. You keep seeing new computer animated movies coming out and they're either copied ideas from previous ones, or they're just plain not funny. Or both. Shark Tale, to name one. The Incredibles had enough action and stuff in it to make up for the lack of belly-shaking humor, but it still could've been better.

Robots has some hilarious sequences in it. Namely, Rodney and Fenders armpit moment, in which everyone in the house joins in *most memorable line* "Aunt Fanny, we were using our ARMS!!!" Another sequence that made me split was Fender's dance moment. The idea of Robin William's robot wearing a small skirt and dancing is funny enough; combine it with Britney Spears' hit Baby One More Time and you've got serious funniness.

All in all, robots rates right up there with Shrek and Finding Nemo. Every family should own it.

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The Spirit Is Willing (1967)

This is not a movie for small children but for teens and up it's good, solid family entertainment. Sid Caesar and Vera Miles have ghost problems and their son Steve (Barry Gordon) is right in the middle playing straight man to a bunch of ghosts and taking all the hits for things going wrong.

Those who stumble upon this picture will never get to know just how funny Sid Caesar was when he was served by the likes of Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and the rest of the Dream Team of writers who helped create one of the funniest shows ever put on television. On the other hand, it gives us a chance to see a bevy of comedy actors who were capable of producing High Hilarity in other hands than those of William Castle. Oh, yes, note Barry Gordon, who, among many comedy roles, following his stint in law school, became the longest running head of the Screen Actors Guild, the performing artists union (beating out the earlier Presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Charlton Heston by a year). The film has some laughs, if you are in the right mood, and never is really bad, so that it is watchable and, for some or many, as the case may be, can be a moderately enjoyable vehicle. In other hands, this cast was capable of giving us a laugh-riot. If you haven't seen it, take a shot, if you do not have to pay premium prices to do so.

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"The Spirit Is Willing" only lacks a laugh track to qualify as a sitcom, because that is the style of humor it contains. It is not among William Castle's best but it is still enjoyable. No big belly laughs but it is good for a tub of popcorn and a few chuckles.

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I saw this move when I was about 8 yrs old. Dad, Mom, my sister and I saw it

at the drive-in. It brought back some wonderful childhood memories.

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I remember going to the show with my brother when we were about 10 years old to see another movie and this was the first movie they showed before the one we went to see and we both agreed this movie was great I have been looking for this movie for years and my 16 year old Grandson watched this with me and he liked it too These kind of movies are funnier than any of this crap they call funny today with all of the foul language and nude scenes...........

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Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM (Sometimes Happiness, Sometimes Sorrow) boasts as sparkling a dream cast as Bollywood can ever hope of putting together. Director Karan Johar reunites with his three stars from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukerji) and then, for extra flavor, tacks on Amitabh Bachchan, his wife Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor. In India, brother, that translates to some megahuge star power. That cast alone is enough to guarantee a killing in the box office (which is in fact what happened). And, as predictable as the sun rising in the east, Kajol and Shahrukh Khan's chemistry retains its potency.

When you tune in to a Bollywood flick, brace yourself for tears and laughter, get ready to drown in vivid colors and over-the-top musical numbers. Chances are, you may even scoff at the sheer overwroughtness of the story. KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM, coming out in 2001, offers the quintessential Bollywood experience. There's nothing so new about this story, which revolves around a younger son's vow to return his long vanished brother back to the fold, after a decade of estrangement. The film follows the expected beats and clobbers you over the head with maudlin family histrionics. What makes it work are the terrific performances of the actors.

Caste and breeding matter to Yashvardhan "Yash" Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan), the proud, unbending patriarch of the powerful Raichand family. So the whatsis hits the fan when Yash's marriage plans for his adopted son Rahul go awry, because Rahul (Shahrukh Khan) has already fallen in love with Anjali (Kajol), the daughter of a lowly sweetmeat shop owner. That Anjali is vivacious and captivating means diddly squat to Yash, who just can't get past the notion that her station in life falls so far beneath expectations. When Anjali's father dies unexpectedly, leaving her and her younger sister Pooja orphaned and alone, Rahul decides to marry Anjali on the spot. This, as expected, enrages Yash all to bits. He and Rahul exchange words, the result of which is that Rahul is disowned. He bitterly departs, never to return. Ten years pass.

Even though Hrithik Roshan is featured in the framing segments of the film's first half (which is mostly a long flashback to what happened ten years ago), his presence is really felt in the second half. It's pretty funny, to look at this good-looking, all-muscly dude, that the character he plays, during childhood, used to be called Fatty. Fatty's real name is Rohan, Rahul's obese younger brother. Present day finds Rohan the best player in his cricket team, and I'm guessing he's implemented a good, good diet. Rohan, having been so young when Rahul left, has never gotten a full recounting of the rift between his brother and his father. When, on visiting his grandmothers, he finally learns the truth, he promises to find and bring Rahul and Anjali home to reconcile them with their father. His search leads him to London.

Not for one nanosecond do I think that KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM improves in any way on KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI, which is one of my favorite Bollywood films ever. But KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM has got its moments. First of all, the lush cinematography dazzles the bejeesus out of you, offering many stunning images and striking compositions and instantly assuring the audience that everyone involved in making this film spared no expenses and effort. There are ten songs here, some of which are impressively lavish productions, with "You Are My Soniya" and "Bole Chudiyan" showcasing Hrithik's dancing mojo. And, of course, there's that sweeping and evocative theme song. Although, I do vaguely resent that in "Suraj Hua Maddham" (the number set in Egypt) one could hear the strains of the theme song from KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI (Is it a rip-off or an homage?). Note too that the names of the lovers in both KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM are Rahul and Anjali (and that, in these two movies, they're played by Shahrukh and Kajol). Coincidence?

The film's second half mostly takes place in London and focuses much on Hrithik Roshan as he begins his subterfuge and ingratiates himself to an unwitting Rahul and Anjali, having passed himself off as the brother of Pooja's friend (Pooja, remember, is Anjali's younger sister, with whom Rohan has come clean and asked for help). Pooja is played by Kareena Kapoor, so it's no wonder that she's grown up smoking hot. Kareena does her shallow, perky bit, and it's a bit annoying, but this film's not really about her. Hrithik, on the other hand, is very good, especially when called on to produce unshed tears, an acting conceit which Shahrukh had long ago perfected.

I don't think I'll go into how very good each actor here is (okay, Kareena Kapoor doesn't totally suck). As usual, what was initially meant to be some quick comments have diarrhead into this lengthy thing. I'll say this: the actors do earn their paychecks and all that good adulation, and Kajol remains the most incandescent star in Bollywood (sorry, Aishwarya Rai). And, here, Kajol is also very funny. KABHI KHUSHI KABHIE GHAM has flaws which critics can gleefully pick at, it's true. It's certainly hammy enough. But one of the best things I admire in Bollywood is that its films aren't afraid to show unabashed emotion. No romance is so romantic, no heartache so torturous as when expressed in Bollywood. This film features two love stories, that of Rahul and Anjali and that of Rohan and Pooja (which really isn't as well developed). But, at its heart, this film means to demonstrate the significance of family, of one's roots and ties, at least in Hindi culture. Or as Director Karan Johar's introductory quote goes: "It's all about loving your parents." While I enjoyed Rahul and Anjali's interactions, I found it almost as absorbing that Anjali so desperately longs for the blessings of her father-in-law. I do wish that Kajol and Amitabh Bachchan had more scenes together. As far as the scenes between Amitabh and Shahrukh, brother, they are intense, intense stuff.

Speaking of Hindi culture, there's one neat scene in which Kajol's character, exiled to England and often prone to nationalistic moods, is gratified to hear her young son singing the Indian national anthem at a school function. Just one of the standout moments in this film, which, by the way, is three and a half hours long. So you're gonna need a whole mess of hankies.

Note: Hindi with English subtitles.

Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan) adopted son of a wealthy Indian family is disowned by his Father (Amitabh Bachchan) for refusing his arranged marriage and marrying Anjali (Kajol) a poor local girl. Brokenhearted, Rahul not only leaves the family estate, but leaves India altogether taking up residence in London, England.

Ten years later his younger brother Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) goes in search of Rahul in hopes of mending the breach between father and son and restore family unity. Rohan was only a small boy when Rahul left, so when they meet again in London Rahul has no idea who he is. Rohan introduces himself saying, "Ash, my name is Ash," using his Father's name to stir his older brother's memories of home.

So begins the deception. Pretending to be a college student named Yash in search of lodging he is taken in by Rahul's family. With his disguise firmly in place Rohan begins to work on Rahul's emotions and love for family and Mother India in an attempt to breakthrough the bitterness of the past.

'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' is one of three fantastic Indian films produced in the last couple of years. While the other two, 'Lagaan' and 'Pinjar' are not normative Indian films, this one takes advantage of all the usual Bollywood formulas. However it does it so perfectly you don't care.

The sets and costumes are sumptuous beyond belief, while the music and dancing sways back and forth between mindboggling frenzy and sweet melancholy touching every human emotion imaginable. It doesn't get any better than this in Bollywood, or anywhere else for that matter!

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I was told this film got poo poohed when it hit theatres, but I really can't figure out why! All the big names save a very few were there, and they were all great. The movie is a touch epic and crazy sweet, a tale about pride, honor and what you must do for love. Most of the songs are danceable fun, and the rest are at least entertaining.

Bottom line, if you like bollywood or have even the tiniest fan crush on anyone in the cast, you will enjoy this movie.

PS, I loooove you Kajol!

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This is the first Bollywood movie I have ever watched, so I do not have a basis of comparison with other Bollywood movies. I believe this is a good thing, because watching it, I was not caught saying, "Well, this wasn't as good as Asoka", or, "This is a rip-off of such-and-such". I saw it for what it was--a fun 3 act musical that keeps you glued. The music is infecting (I just bought the soundtrack because of it), the storyline, while predictable, is enjoyable, and once you realized it was a musical the song and dance numbers didn't feel as strange. If you hate musicals, you will hate this film, but for everyone else, you really should watch it.

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My introduction to Hindi cinema came through Netflix and I am hooked! The first film I ever saw was Jodhaa Akbar and obsession quickly took hold. Bollywood has a certain reputation that isn't entirely undeserved; however, it also has something that the vast majority of western films have been steadily losing for decades... true soul! Find a good Bollywood film (and it isn't as hard as the aforementioned reputation suggests) and you find something truly special. Kahbi Khushi Kahbie Gham is my first actual purchase and it truly is something special.

As far as production values go, it's first class all the way. Amazing locations, sets, cinematography, musical numbers, costumes, and even amazing cars! Visually the only issues that truly irk me are how the make-up artist was so heavy handed with Kareena Kapoor-Khan (she just married Bollywood mega-star Saif Ali Khan), but it suited the character. The other is overuse of the bloody wind machine indoors. Nobody's hair no matter how obscenely healthy blows like that inside!

The music is extremely good, especially in the second half because it didn't take me long to get a feel for the words and start singing along. The dancing is outstanding of course, and I loved how the choreography played to each actor's individual strengths. That way, everyone shines brightly. That's incredibly hard to do when you have other men dancing with Mr. Roshan.

Nevertheless, don't be fooled despite the lavishness of the settings and the glamorous world this story takes place in this is a very simple movie and like with anything simple, from boiling an egg to changing a light bulb, if you do it wrong it's a disaster. I say this as someone who's wrecked boiled eggs and screwed up changing light bulbs! Fortunately, I think that everyone involved with this movie knows that, and this movie succeeds because of it. Karan Johar's direction is outstanding, obviously, this was a passion project for him and it shows. However, even with that this movie hinges on one thing and really one thing only... the cast!

The cast is literally the "who's who" of Bollywood both when the movie was first released and now. You've got Mr. and Mrs. Bachchan, two living legends. Mr. Khan, who if not now will be a living legend in Indian cinema soon enough. Mr. Roshan, if he ever go attempts world domination will have nearly every living person on earth eating out of his hand. Kajol, (no prefixes just Kajol) who can't help making a splash the second she comes on screen. Ms. Kapoor-Khan is actually the weakest link here but extremely good. That's only the leads... one must give hearty praise to three vitally important women but still minor characters... Achala Sachdev and Sushma Seth, play the respective grandmothers to our heroes, and Farida Jalal as DJ the beloved nanny, are simply exquisite in their tiny but memorable roles. Each lovely lady leaves you desperately wanting more!

I'm a sucker for character so I have to break these down one by one... first up is Mr. Bachchan. He's known as Big B. in India and it fits. Everything about him is massive, physically he's a skyscraper, his intelligence shoots out of his eyes like laser beams, his charisma and charm is overwhelming. This is a man who clearly loves life and *everything* about it. Mix all of the qualities in the man with an amazing talent, and a simple truth immerges. That truth is simply this, if anyone else had played Yash Raichand, you'd hate him. Yash Raichand is an Autocrat in the best and worse sense. His actions would have been completely unforgivable if he'd been played as a villain. Mr. Johar and Mr. Bachchan were very savvy making Yash a complicated man, even a hero in many ways. He's a literal and figurative giant, but one with feet of clay. Throughout the film, you watch as Yash's stubborn pride continues to eat away at his loved ones, yet you never once will feel he is a bad or malicious man. With good reason, he's a good man, even a great one. You never forget that despite the weaknesses and the lies he tells himself, he loves his family more than life. The truth is, the person most hurt by Yash Raichand, IS Yash Raichand. Kudos to Mr. Bachchan for creating a character you can be completely furious with, but still root for.

Behind every great man is a greater woman! Yeah it's a massive cliché, and not a little feminist, but in this case absolutely true! Just as nobody else but Mr. Bachchan can play Yash, nobody but Mrs. Bachchan can play Nandini Raichand. This character could easily be disliked if handled improperly, but no such thing happens. Thanks to skill, talent, and, a spine made out of pure titanium Mrs. Bachchan deftly creates a character who personifies a nearly mystical maternal love, a devoted wife, and broken woman. Not only that but if the moment calls for it, she grabs a scene from the charismatic men surrounding her and keeps it all for herself using only two lines. Then in another moment, she can take her giant of a husband and cut him down to nearly an afterthought. Don't believe me? See the movie, she can and does! I'm convinced that only a real-life wife can be capable of such a feat.

Mr. Khan I think by nature is a scene-stealer. Put a camera on the man and he does not like to let it go! For me personally, his acting style can get overwhelming. I only mention this because I have seen him act with more restraint in several films and enjoyed him more. That said, he is nothing less then brilliant in this film. He is the favorite son, he is the center of his parent's world. The family revolves around Rahul Raichand and he plays the part accordingly. During the first half, he's cocky, charming, spoiled, kind, but absolutely clueless! This is basically the character Mr. Khan perfected and patented in India as his own. During the second half, he's still cocky, charming, less spoiled, kind, and only slightly clueless. What makes his part unique here is that he isn't the hero. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say his character is the equivalent to the 'damsel in distress.' In retrospect, it takes guts to do it. I mean, this guy is referred to as "The king of Bollywood, and The king of romance" he's an icon! Rahul Raichand is in desperate need of rescuing! He makes good of every tool in his acting repertoire here. There's nothing new but sometimes it's enough just to do something incredibly well and he does. Still, in order to act with a man like Mr. Khan you cannot be a shrinking violet.

This brings me to Kajol! Thank God, they cast her as Anjali. Today in western films, the closest thing to true pairings in films I can think of is Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci. Back in the golden age of Hollywood, studios would pair stars together in many films. Astaire and Rogers, Powell and Loy, Flynn and De Havilland... such things were routine. Now, something like that almost never happens. In Bollywood, they're keeping the tradition alive and well! Kajol and Mr. Kahn have done six films together to date, this one was number five. I'll confess right now I've only seen one other, the iconic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, (if you haven't seen it, SEE IT) and I think their magic together approaches Tracy and Hepburn territory. While Mr. Khan might be a scene-stealer who can't help it, Kajol works with it. There's no confusion about who to look at here, it's simple you look at both of them looking at each other. They're completely natural as a couple or as they say in Hindi, a jodi. From the moment their eyes meet, you find yourself thinking there might be something to that kismet idea.

As I've hinted before, Rahul is a little-over-the-top. Believe me he's got nothing on Anjali! To say she's a firecracker, is putting it mildly. Tempestuous is a more apt description, but it still feels wrong. Anjali is Rahul's equal for histrionics and then some. There is nothing about the woman that isn't passionate. Restraint is not a word in her lexicon period; it doesn't matter if the lexicon is Punjabi, Hindi, or English. Kajol bites into Anjali and any surrounding scenery with gusto, even the few moments when she's calm, she's full of passion. Although her character is like a really fast roller coaster, this is a good thing. Rahul is someone easily bored, and Anjali is anything but boring! In fact, he sums her up perfectly, "she's slightly insane, actually she's completely insane." Yes she is! She also walks a pretty fine line regarding bigotry here, but Kajol and Karan Johar smartly never cross it. Kajol manages to take anything approaching offensiveness and infuse it with such a deep feeling of homesickness, that you feel like Anjali would actually get along well with everyone if she weren't hurting so bad.

In the spirit of total honesty, I probably wouldn't buy a movie just because Kajol is in it, but there's no denying she played this part to the hilt, and she did a fantastic job. She's an icon in her own right, and you've got to respect a woman who panics over the amount of Punjabi lines, a language she does not speak, nails it, and steals a scene from Mr. Bachchan!

Warning! The following will probably read like a love letter to Mr. Roshan but I am *trying* to be objective here. I can say with certainty that despite my admiration I am sticking to the facts... Rohan Raichand is the hero of this film, that's not me talking that's Karan Johar. Mr. Roshan gets 5th billing here, he's the "new guy" compared to the rest of the cast, but he's a full-fledged superstar in his own right, even at this early point. But he's up against legends and icons, and he's responsible for holding the movie together. Without Rohan there is no plot. So it isn't like there's any pressure here right?

To put it in perspective, imagine a young actor wildly popular say like... Robert Pattinson, (I've never seen any of his movies, but he's the most popular young'n I can think of) being put in a movie with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Same principle here, only with a lot of musical numbers. Mr. Roshan never puts a foot or a tear wrong. I've watched this movie a dozen times since I got it, and every time I'm blown away by him. Rohan is a simple guy, he loves his family. That's it in a nutshell, simple right? Wrong! While the character may be simple the balancing act required by this performance would make a seasoned tight-rope walker cringe.

The thing I appreciated most about Mr. Roshan's acting is that in a movie filled with people who chew scenes he never once tries to be the center of attention. He's focusing on everyone else and that makes the audience focus with him. Oh yes, he's easily the best looking person on film and I would be lying if I said that it wasn't taken advantage of, but even with that, when the issue comes up he focuses on the other actor. I can't tell you how, that would be giving it away. The entire performance was refreshingly ego free, (I like Mr. Khan but he does have an ego) and because of that, you root for him.

You can't talk about a Hrithik Roshan performance and not spend a little time mentioning the dancing. The man might be the best dancer of his generation on film. I'm talking about in the movies here not all dancers everywhere, but even then he's still near the top. He defies the laws of physics, and he's the best dancer in the cast. Still, he never uses that to upstage anyone. During the last musical number when he's not center stage he adapts so that the group dance is in-synch. He never out-dances Ms. Kapoor-Khan and does his best to make her look sublime. It's entrancing to watch.

Some actors, are actors who can dance, others are dancers who get into acting, Mr. Roshan is neither of those. One skill isn't better than the other, both are superlative. It's so easy to fixate on his looks, I've often seen him refered to as "the Greek god of Bollywood" and frankly I'd bet he outshines the Mythical Apollo. But to write him off as just a hunk is a tragic mistake. This man still battles the stammering that's plagued him as a child yet in this film he speaks eloquent dialogue and a tongue-twister that would set my hair on fire!

He was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 21 and told that dancing well enough for movies wasn't possible. He can use swords, ride horses, and sing (check out Jodhaa Akbar for the first two, check out Kites, and Guzaarish for the singing) the man can do it all! Oh and he works hard for that perfect body, the face and eyes God and genetics took care of.

Last but not least we come to the newly wedded Ms. Kapoor-Khan! For the record she's not now related to the Mr. Khan in this film. Pooja is a wannabe "mean girl" who's really bad at it. I think Karan Johar might have watched Clueless one too many times. I swear, the first fifteen minutes with her in the movie is almost exactly like it, only they're speaking Hindi of course. My problem with that is this, while it works in a high school setting, I find it a little implausible for someone in college. Hey, I knew some rich idiots in college, none like 'Poo.' (What was Johar thinking when it came to that nickname?)

Like Mr. Khan, Ms. Kapoor-Khan practically made a brand for herself playing a type. In her case, various shallow, high glamour girls, with a secret heart of gold. But don't let that fool you into thinking she can't act. She is definitely capable of doing more tricks and the fact that she does these sweet but vain girl so well is kind of the proof. For other demonstrations of her talent, try Tashan and Mrs. Khanna (she's even more beautiful in both because she's got beautiful makeup).

She isn't a great dancer. She's certainly good, but not great, what sells it for me is that she knows she's nowhere near Mr. Roshan's level so she works hard and amps up the fun. Filming dance numbers is a torturous, grueling, undertaking so if an actor can convince you they're having a blast, it can make all the difference and she does. She has great chemistry with all the players, and her banter with Mr. Roshan is very funny. Despite being the week link in the cast, she does a good job.

Still, even with her talent and beauty I wish Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan was in the role! Why? Because, just like Mr. Khan and Kajol are the perfect on-screen jodi, Mr. Roshan and Ms. Rai Bachchan transcend great acting into something more. Oh well, if wishes were horses...

Special acknowledgement has to go to the kiddies in this movie. Young Rahul, was played by Mr. Khan's actual son Aryan! He was adorable. All of the kids do great jobs but I admit to some annoyance with Young Rohan and Young Pooja.

Young Rohan AKA Fatty is played by Kavish Majmudar. He certainly must have been everything they wanted, but the poor kid had the most annoying voice on the planet! I don't know if his voice was changing or if he was told to whine every line he had. Either way, the poor thing does tend to get on my nerves. He's a fine actor though, (would it have killed him to wear green contact lenses?)

Young Pooja played by, Malvika Raaj really didn't have anything to do but spout that wickedly sadistic tongue twister, but she deserves an award just for that! Unfortunately it was the only time she registered any charisma at all. But then again how could she in a role so small?

Ladies and Gentlemen the star of the kids, Jibraan Khan! I have no clue if he's related to any other Bollywood Khan's. He plays Krishi Raichand, Anajali and Rahul's son. This kid is AWESOME! But he's not a kid anymore, now. Out of a cast of scene-stealers he takes every one he's in! Unfortunately I can't find the name of the little girl who played Annette the little English girl next door, but she was a gem!

Finally, I can't wrap this up without saying something about Rani Mukerji! She has a special appearance and she's magnificent! She gets to show off her true dancing talent, she looks incredible, and she got a raw deal! In my fantasy world, someone played by Aamir Khan sweeps her off her feet, and makes her forget all about Rahul! Sorry for the spoiler but that one can't be helped.

The DVD itself is very good quality, especially considering the extremely reasonable price. If I had to complain about something it would be the lack of deleted scenes. I wanted to see Rohan interact more with Anjali and Krishi. Still I am NEVER lending this movie to ANYONE! It's mine, mine, mine! I'm so glad I bought it.

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