The Wizard of Gore / The Gore Gore Girls (Blood-Drenched Double Feature) (1972)

I've been a fan of both these films for years and owened them on multiple formats and can honestly say both films have never looked better, as a matter of fact these films shouldn't look this good considering the time period and budget they were filmed for. both still have minimal print damage and cigaret burns, but does not detract from the enjoyment of the films, just gives it that grindhouse feel. both have great commentarys and a H.G. Lewis trailer gallery and poster gallery. getting both these films for under $10 is a steal, highestpossible recomendation. you can throw away your dvd's now.

I love these movies and the blu ray transfer is awesome The Wizard of Gore is my favorite of the two.

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For what it's worth, this is probably the absolute best these films will ever look. If you're searching for reference quality images, you probably don't know anything about Hershell Gordon Lewis or his films and you're better off looking elsewhere

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Fans of the classic drive in genre can rejoice knowing that Image has made the effort to release the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis on blu-ray. That's not to say the movies are spectacular in any way, but fans of H.G. and the films he made will be dancing in the street knowing they're now available in high format quality. Which seems odd since the movies were released on about as low a quality budget as was possible. In any event, the movies are a part of movie history, though at the bottom end.

The first film, WIZARD OF GORE, is the lesser of the two if that's possible. Montag it Magnificent is a magician who performs the standard tricks until the finale of his show. At that time he pulls out all stops and taunts the audience to decide if what they are about to see is real or merely an illusion. His first finale is to saw a woman in half. But this isn't the usual fare. Instead, he does so without placing her in a box but has her entire body in view. Pulling out a chainsaw, he proceeds to saw her open, guts and blood spewing forth in great profusion. Moments later the stunned audience watches on as the girl rises from the table, unharmed. The only problem is that later that night she goes to a restaurant and before she can order she's found on the floor saw in half.

A local talk show host having seen the show the night before with her boyfriend sportswriter sees the body being carted off and it accidentally touches her hand. The next day when she tries to get Montag on her show he declines until the bloodstain appears on her hand, a stain that only he can see. He invites her back that night and she goes this time to witness another grizzly scene, a woman with a spike driven into her skull. She too walks away unharmed only to be found later dead of the same injury seen onstage.

Just who Montag really is and how he's completing these gruesome murders would be the normal movie one would expect to see. Instead we get all sorts of goofy speeches from Montag about illusion and reality and a twist ending that would have seemed half smart had the rest of the film not been so bad. Worst of all is Montag himself, played by . When the term ham actor comes to mind from here on out this is the actor I'll see in my mind's eye. Couple that with some tremendously bad make up that has his hair changing color from white to brown and eyebrows that look like they've had shoe polish brushed over them and you have one really bad movie.

THE GORE GORE GIRLS is the better of the two films. Had this story been done with a bigger budget, better actors and a better script it could have been an A picture. The idea is quite good, it's just the execution that's lacking.

The dancers at the local strip club are being killed off in gory fashion. Heads opened, eyes gouged and more should be a reason to chase people off from visiting the joint but they continue to come to watch the go go girls dance away. The local newspaper hires top private eye to investigate paying him top dollar to do so if he'll give them the scoop. He takes the job and the money and begins tracking down the killer.

Following a trail of clues and suspects he frequents the club where the girls work. This gives viewers plenty of time to see the main reason folks went to see this movie, semi-clad women shaking everything they had with the limited restrictions of the time. For those who don't understand that means pasties and panties are the wardrobe of choice.

Between sleuthing and dancing we witness the killer strike again and again in even more blood and guts scenes than Lewis has done in the past. It was the thing that brought people to see his movies and he delivers the goods.

As I said, this movie at least has a plot that you can follow and that makes sense. It was done, as were most of Lewis' films, on a budget set just below shoestring but the heart and soul that he put into his films is seen on display on screen.

H. G. Lewis may not be a familiar name to the majority of people. He probable will never be honored with an Oscar. But he was a pioneer of the times and did create a genre, the gore film, which has been copied and replicated over and over again. The biggest difference between his films and those being made today (other than budget) was that he was at least attempting to make something different, to offer a story that the gore became a part of rather than the center of.

Movie lovers who remember the days of the drive in will want to pick this one up. It may not be the best that was offered in that locale, but it is something memorable.

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A Clockwork Orange (Two-Disc Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Book Packaging) (2011)

As with most older movies transferred to blu-ray, I'm pretty sure that most people who would be buying this have already seen this great film, and have their own opinions of it.

So, this review is strictly about the quality and extras of the BLU-RAY.

Hands down, this is one of the best transfers I have seen of a movie this old. Most blu-rays seem of older movies seem to be patchy as far as quality goes, but this one is consistently great all the way through.

The extras are what really sets this apart though. Commentary by Malcom McDowell, A documentary about the film, and a making of!

A solid buy for fans of the movie this is a significant upgrade over past DVD's, and for the first time I don't feel ripped off by a repurchase/upgrade.

On a side note, Come on Amazon! Start filtering the product reviews for blu-rays. What is the point of listing ALL of the DVD reviews for the same title? Seems like it could be an easy fix maybe they'll actually do it someday...

In 1964 director/producer Stanley Kubrick created the nuclear war comedic masterpiece "Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb". He followed that with the science fiction masterpiece "2001: A Space Oddysee". Stanley Kubrick would reach his creative peak with his next film. An Adaption of Anothony Burgess'novel "A Clockwork Orange." Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange is one of those films that you will either love or hate. The film centers around the character of Alexander DeLarge (played to perfection by Malcolm McDowell) a 15 year old "droog" who with his friends Pete (Michael Tarn), Georgie (James Marcus), and Dim (Warren Clarke) drink Milk Laced with drugs at the local "Milkbar" and then go out on the town at night, doing horrible things to people. During one incident Alex is captured and taken to prison. He finds out about a treatment that can get him of prison. He goes through with the treatment (which will make him sick when he attempts to commit an act of violence), is released from prison and thrown back into the world, unable to defend himself. Out of all the things that make this movie great, the number one element is the performance of Malcolm McDowell as Alex. The entire movie revolves around him so if McDowell's performance isn't top notch then the movie isn't top notch. McDowell was in his late twenties when he made this movie. In the novel Alex is 15 years old. So although being much older then his character McDowell plays the adventureous youth wonderfully. Suprisingly McDowell was not nominated for an Academy Award. Another really strong element is the music. Never in my life have I seen a movie (non musical) where the music plays such an important role in a film. Gioacchino Rossini's "The Thieving Magpie" during the fight scence against the rival droogs. "The William Tell Overture" played 5 times too fast during the orgy scene and the use of Ludwig Van Beethoven's "Symphony no. 9" are just a few examples of how music plays an important role in this film. As far as things being wrong with the movie. The only real thing is the lack of any real supporting cast. Sure there are a few standout performances. Particularily James Marcus as Georgie and in no means are the rest of the supporting cast bad actors. There just isn't a real supporing cast there. But McDowell's performace makes up for it. This film get's 5 stars because of 3 things. Number one is the performance of Malcolm McDowell. Number two is the use of music in such a different and unique way and number three is the originality of it. This movie came out in 1971 and I haven't seen any movie like it that came out before or since then. A Clockwork Orange was nominated for several Academy Awards including "best picture" and "best director" but it lost in all categories to William Friedkin's "The French Connection"

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In which high government officials are seen as the moral equivalents of street thugs (just better at p.r.), demonstrating that nothing has changed in 35 years.

The HD transfer is spectacular. This is how I remember the movie upon its opening in 1971. Pristine, startling, amazing.

Repeated viewings over the years of worn-out circuit prints, VHS and standard-def DVD had dimmed the movie's capacity to astonish. Now, in High Definition on BluRay disc, the luminous brilliance, texture and color of the images are restored, and the richness of the images makes a tremendous difference to the film's impact. The sound is also excellent -certainly superior to the original theatrical release in the days of optical soundtracks.

In addition to the beauty of the Hi-Def picture, this is worth owning because (at last) it is a close approximation of the original theatrical aspect ratio (screen shape); the theatrical presentation being, after all, the venue for which Kubrick composed his shots. (Ignore those who claim he meant this film to be seen in full-frame 1.33:1, as in all the previous home video releases. He clearly created it to be seen in theaters, and in theaters he had the image matted to 1.66:1, which is very close to the aspect-ratio of this BluRay.

Buy it; watch it on your big-screen 1080 HDTV in a dark room, uninterrupted. Real horrorshow!

This is a 2-disc "Special Edition," with the same extras as the standard-def DVD in the new (2007) boxed set: commentaries, trailer, new interviews with Wm. Friedkin, Sydney Pollack, Malcolm McDowell, Wendy Carlos, Mrs. Kubrick, others.

Then take advantage of the recent (2011) BluRay release of "Barry Lyndon" (1975), Kubrick's underappreciated masterpiece, which also benefits greatly from High-Definition.

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The story is set in a near future society that has unthinkable methods of crime and punishment. Alex ( Malcolm McDowell)is a man that loves to fight, rob, rape, and kill. However, his luck finally runs out and he is captured. While imprisoned, he undergoes treatment to render him " safe" to the world around him, which is refered to as a " Clockwork Orange". While Alex is made to look perfectly normal on the outside, he is crippled by reflex mechanisms beyond his control on the inside. This prevents him from committing any acts of violence whatsoever. After Alex's release, things go from bad to worse however, when his "cure" leaves him defenseless to the revenge of his victims.

"A Clockwork Orange" is Stanley Kubrick's best film, and one of my favorite films overall. It is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again, and still be amazed everytime. I have never been as shocked as I was when I saw this film. The first 20 minutes involves two brutal beatings and an extremely graphic rape scene. It only gets more shocking from there on out. The story also offers a hilarious sense of irony. Alex is supposedly cured of all his afflictions, but is thrust back into a world of violence when forced to deal with his victims. The camera work used in this film is amazing, and the music is wonderful. All of the actors do an outstanding job in this film, but Malcom McDowell gives one of the most memorable performances ever as Alex. I have never experienced such a use of my emotions before when dealing with a fictional character. He will make you hate him and shock you with how he acts before he is captured. But then Alex makes you feel almost sorry for him with what he has to go through afterwards.

Stanley Kubrick has made some great movies with "2001: A Space Oddesey", "Full Metal Jacket", "Barry Lyndon", "Paths of Glory", and "Dr. Strangelove...." In my opinion however, " A Clockwork Orange" is his best film. The overall story, acting, music, camera work, and truly shocking scenes set it apart from the rest. It is definately a must own, because it only gets better with repeated viewings. The DVD however, is very mediocre. The quality of the film itself is just above average, and there are no extras at all.

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A lot of people would say that Stanley Kubrick's best work was 2001: A Space Oddyssey or Dr. Strangelove, but Clockwork Orange is his most remarkable film. Combining the best qualities of both 2001 and Strangelove -which are both fantastic films also -never before has Kubrick given audiences such a satirically brilliant movie. For some people, Clockwork will be hard to stomach; the rape scene at the beginning is pretty explicit and there's a lot of nudity. The fighting scenes, though, are for the most part more comical than brutal. Whether you hate it or love it -and there isn't a lot of room for middle ground to be taken with this film -you will certainly remember it because it will most likely have some kind of impact on you. In his first film role, Malcolm McDowell gives an incredible performance as the twisted gang leader Alex, who delights in rape, ultraviolenece, and Beethoven. McDowell is amusing and frightening at the same time and, without a solid, believable performance from the lead, this film would not have worked. The rest of the characters are eccentric, too, although their sole purpose is to reinforce the qualities of Alex. There are two major themes in this film, one of which deals with politicians and the manipulation with which they operate in order to avoid bad publicity. When the operation to reform Alex backfires, causing him terrible trouble as opposed to making him a decent person, the politician who originally championed the controversial operation does a quick clean-up job so that the situation won't seem as bad as it is. He offers Alex a cushy government job, basically an attempt to bribe the criminal so that he won't go to the papers with his horrifying experience. Alex, of course, is too young and unschooled to realize that he has been taken advantage of - both by the people who promoted the operation and by those who opposed it -and he is just happy to be himself again. The other main theme of this film deals with how far we should or shouldn't go in order to reform people who commit heinous crimes. If we ever developed the technology to do such a procedure as was done on Alex, this film gives us a good reason not to go through with it. Besides taking away a person's inborn ability to make his own moral choices, this would also leave the person particularly vulnerable to the revenge of those he's wronged in the past (which is what happens to Alex). The book of the same title, which was authored by Alex Burgess, is even better than the film and deserves more credit as a literary masterpiece. Some people believe that the movie is too soft and doesn't go as far as the book as far as the sexual scenes are concerned, but this movie will offend enough people without Alex taking advantage of two naive, pre-teen girls. Burgess himself was disappointed by the film (he makes this obvious in the newer version of the book) because the book was 21 chapters and the movie ended at the conclusion of the 20th chapter; however, the ending of the movie works better on screen while the ending of the book works better on paper. In each context, the endings work. Besides, the movie was already two and a half hours, and adding the book's ending would have meant at least 30 more minutes. Anyway, A Clockwork Orange is a thrilling experience and should not be missed, whether you like Kubrick or not. This film should have been ranked higher on AFI's Top 100 list.

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U.S. Marshals (2012)

In 1993, Warner Brothers studios released an incredibly successful movie called "The Fugitive" starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, and based on the hit TV series of the same name. 5 years after the success of that film, the WB decided to release a semi-sequel/spin-off to the film focusing on the further exploits of the character of U.S. Marshal, Sam Gerard, played by Tommy Lee Jones. It was surprising that Warner Bros. wanted to explore this supporting character further, in fact it was just as surprising that they felt there could even be any chance of success with having a sequel/spin-off to a movie that was completely self-contained. But, the decision was made and Warner Bros. actually managed to re-sign Tommy Lee Jones, along with the rest of the actors that comprised his original crew of deputy U.S. Marshals, and adding Wesley Snipes and talented, yet troubled actor Robert Downey Jr. to the mix. With the cast all set, the story greenlit, and acclaimed editor turned director Stuart Baird ("Star Trek: Nemesis") helming the picture, it was time to see if Warner Bros.' gamble would pay off with "U.S. Marshals".

"U.S. Marshals" follows U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) as he pursues yet another fugitive on the loose. When a truck driver named Mark Roberts (Wesley Snipes) is involved in a car crash, the police reporting on the scene discover that this truck driver is actually wanted for a double homicide of two federal agents in New York City, and has been living in Chicago under an assumed name for the last several months. During the transfer flight from Chicago to New York, an assassination attempt on Mark's life takes place causing the plane to depressurize and crash into a river. As the police officers, including Sam Gerard who was aboard the plane overseeing the transfer of his latest prisoner, struggle to release the prisoners before they drown, Mark is released and succeeds in escaping without being noticed until the next morning. Now, Sam and his team of deputies are pursuing yet another fugitive, but they will soon find out that this is no ordinary case of murder, as the federal government gets involved by sending in an agent (Robert Downey Jr.) to oversee the pursuit, and it turns out that Mark Roberts is a former agent of the very same agency as that of the two men he is accused of murdering.

Director Stuart Baird really had his work cut out for him with this movie, not only was he tasked with the job of directing a semi-sequel/spin-off to a highly successful movie based on a TV show, but he was also forced to find a way to have Sam Gerard pursue yet another fugitive without the story seeming too much like the previous movie. Surprisingly, he succeeds rather well, there is the glaring similarity in that both fugitives only escape due to an accident (Richard Kimble escaped due to a train wreck and Mark Roberts escapes due to a plane wreck), but this can be overlooked as being a necessary plot device to realistically propel the story into motion. Otherwise, I couldn't complain about the direction of the movie, I felt that for this type of movie Stuart Baird did an overall great job of handling the material, keeping a similar tone to the first film, and yet making this one a standalone movie that doesn't require the audience to have seen or remember any of the events from "The Fugitive".

The cast for the movie was terrific. Tommy Lee Jones was wise to return to the character that won him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor 5 years prior. I believe that ever since this movie, and even "The Fugitive" for that matter, Tommy Lee Jones has essentially played this same character in every other movie he's been in (with the exception of his role of Two-Face in "Batman Forever"), and still manages to entertain audiences with the same exact performance. The supporting actors that comprised the rest of the U.S. Marshals were just as good, if not better than they were the first time around, especially Joe Pantoliano who was given much more screen time and injected several bits of humor to lighten things up throughout the movie, while still delivering some really dramatic scenes with Tommy Lee Jones. The additions of Robert Downey Jr. and Wesley Snipes to the cast were very good choices as both are accomplished actors who handle both drama and action very well. Sometimes in sequels or spin-offs the new cast members tend to stick out a little bit because they are replacing a cast member that didn't return, so their performance seems to be a little too much like the person they are replacing instead of making the characters their own. In this instance though, both new actors do excellent jobs of making their characters their own, and quickly draw the audience in to their aspects of the story.

Even though I felt Warner Bros. had made a mistake in making this film, Stuart Baird and company managed to prove me wrong, and I must say that I completely enjoyed "U.S. Marshals", and that it was a worthy sequel/spin-off to the equally impressive film "The Fugitive".

"U.S. Marshals" is rated PG-13 for violence and language.

They could have named this one the Fugitive II and gotten away with it. There was a slight lack of originality, but the spectacular cast pulls it off. Overall the movie was good. Tommy Lee Jones does a wonderful job and Robert Downey, Jr. was memorable as well. The comic relief was a must and was appreciated as it helped counterract the amazing suspense level present. I think I will add this one to my collection.

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If you're looking for more than cheap thrills and bravado, you may be disappointed as US Marshal drags for about half an hour or so more than it needs to. But it rises above its hackneyed chase routines with Jones' commanding screen presence. Some scenes, such as the opening plane crash, are exemplary cinematography. The soundtrack effectively complements the roller-coaster action sequences. There's a surprise twist in the tale too, but don't read too much lest you should spoil it. Recommended rental, for sure.

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While "U.S. Marshalls" is not really a sequel to "The Fugitive" is a worthwhile followup. This film has crisp action, good pacing, an is well acted by the lead actors. The plane crash in this movie is not as spectacular as the bus-train wreck from "The Fugitive" but it is exciting nontheless. If your looking for 2 hours of solid entertainment give "U.S. Marshalls" a look.

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One of the problems US Marhsals has is that it is suffering a bit of an identity crisis. Is it a sequel or just another insight into Gerard's job? It's a bit of a rehash of The Fugitive while falling short of being as good Gerard's obsession is more of a caricature, despite Tommy Lee Jones' best efforts to salvage it, and sometimes the script lapses into cliche, with a frankly bizarre plot which is sort of something to do with the CIA. Robert Downey Jr comes across well, as does Jones, but Wesley Snipes could have been much better. It's a good hour or so spent if you can't find The Fugitive, but otherwise it's best not to be too critical while watching it.

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Chocolat (2011)

Lasse Hallstrom's film version of the Joanne Harris' novel Chocolat is as delightful a confection as were the heroines' chocolate creations themselves. The plot is intricate and intriguing, carrying the viewer through the emotional transformations of each of the main characters. In a sleepy medieval French town where life has assumed a repressive structure that has created an emotionally frozen and empty life for even the most highly placed members of its society, the heroine Vianne and her daughter arrive to set up a chocolate shop. With her wonderfully concocted sweets she manages to liberate some of the denizens of the town, revealing their potential for greater happiness. The story has a sense of myth, fantasy, and fairytale about it that leaves the viewer with a feeling of personal satisfaction.

This is a film full of strong female performers. Judi Dench is especially wonderful as a curmudgeonly elderly woman estranged from her daughter and forbidden to see her grandson. Juliette Binoche does a fine job as the heroine. She is as fragile and seductive as Monroe in some scenes and as forceful and independent as Bacall in others. Lena Olin is wonderful as the abused wife who rises from the confusion and ashes of her own ruined personality like a phoenix under the influence of the heroine.

This is one of the best movies I've seen in a ling while, and I expect to order and read the book upon which it was based--something I rarely do.

Joanne Harris, the writer of the novel, Chocolat, is apparently a confectionery genius, for this story leaves a wonderful taste in your mouth. Although I have not read the novel, the movie is delightfully rich and creamy.

Vianne (Juliette Binoche) is a "chocolatier extraordinaire," having the best chocolate in all of France and possibly the entire world. She and daughter, Anouk, set up shop in a small French village rife with religious zealots led by the mayor, Comte de Reynaud (Alfred Molina), who is intent on keeping the town chocolate-less. It is the timeless game of religious piety versus sincere brotherly love as portrayed in the lead characters.

Vianne seeks to sweeten the lives of the villagers in town with her secret panacea, especially the religious rejects like Armande Voizin (Judi Dench). She is a crusty old woman, the antipathy of her daughter, forbidden to see her own grandson living in town. Moreover, there is an abused wife (Lena Olin), who finds refuge from her husband, not in the church, but in the chocolate shop. And finally, if this is not enough to drive a group of religious fundamentalists insane, there is Roux (Johnny Depp), a member of the River Rats, a nomadic tribe of gypsies, who develops an interest in Vianne. What will become of this little village? Will chocolate win out in the end, or will the town remain a traditional vanilla?

Binoche is sweeter than chocolate in the lead role, and equally impressive is Molina in his role as the mayor. Judi Dench and Lena Olin put in outstanding performances in their supporting roles as well.

This is a movie with substance, dealing with societal issues; and furthermore, showing the power of human kindness and tolerance for those with differing lifestyles. This one melts in your mouth, not in your hand.

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"Chocolat" tells a fable-like story of a young single mother (played by Juliette Binoche) who, with her young daughter, drifts into a small French village in the mid-20th century. She sets up a chocolate shop, but her efforts to bring some fun to the repressed villagers bring her into conflict with the town's tyrannical mayor (well played by Alfred Molina).

"Chocolat" is beautiful to see and hear. The fanciful sets and the playful score by Rachel Portman enhance the fairy tale atmosphere of the story. Although there are some unsatisfying loose threads in the script, the story as a whole is delightful. And while the film's message--about the importance of tolerance--may be a bit obvious, it's still worth thinking about.

Director Lasse Hallstrom showed his skill at handling a large ensemble cast in "the Cider House Rules," and he does an equally satisfying job here. And what a cast! Juliette Binoche is excellent in the lead role; both elegant and earthy, she is an enthralling screen presence. The great Judi Dench sinks her teeth into a supporting role as a grouchy landlady who has a tender spot for her young grandson. Johnny Depp is charming as Binoche's love interest, and Hugh O'Conor is absolutely delightful as the baby-faced village priest who secretly loves the music of Elvis.

To sum up, "Chocolat" is an appealing comedy-drama with some real touches of magic.

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First big suprise with this film was that it was filmed in English language, not French, so there are no subtitles. I've read that more and more movies are being shot in the English language simply because the potential box office profit is so much huger. Put simply, this is a delightful film which many critics are probably grading downwards because it is "just" a simple story that is simply (but beautifully) told. I am hardly ready to number myself among them! Lasse Hallestrom, who first distinguished himself with the marvelous "My Life As A Dog," knows his way around a film script and with actors and it shows. Playing much like a fable or fairy tale, Juliette Binoche is a woman, Vianne, who wanders from place to place with her daughter, Anouk, setting up shop as a chocolatier. This time she sets up shop in a peaceful French village in the winter of 1959. Delightful as the love story portion is with the river rat, Gypsy-like Johnny Depp, it is the hilarious war waged on Binoche by the town's mayor, played by Alfred Molina, who will reduce you to complete gut-busting laughter. His wife left him and his inability to deal with that fact fuels a lot of his animosity towards Vianne and the general air of sensual repression he wishes to foster in the village. All of the villagers are delightful characters and Binoche is pulled into relationships with them. If you need to brighten up your day, this is the movie to get.

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)This adaptation of Joanne Harris's novel lacks the seductive charm and magic of the original, but it succeeds on its own as a quiet film about a French village rife with personal crises. When the mysterious Vianne (Juliette Binoche) and her daughter Anouk (Victoire Thivisol), dressed in red capes, arrive in town on a day the wind from the North gusts open the church doors, interrupting the sermon on the first day of Lent, something begins to stir. The pious mayor (Alfred Molina) knows it better than anyone. Vianne opens a chocolaterie, serving up exotic confections designed to bring out the best in people, and relationships in the grim town shift. Vianne seems immune to her own magic until a band of gypsies and their leader Roux (Johnny Depp) set up camp on the edge of town.

Director Lasse Hallstrom excels in his evocation of a small French village in 1959 and the people inhabiting it. Despite its Swedish director, British author, and international cast, this film feels authentically French. Its rhythms are mostly gentle, and its focus is on character rather than an intricate plot. Juliette Binoche turns in a fine performance, even though her smile at times seems too vapid and easy for such a complicated character. Judi Dench makes a memorable appearance as Vianne's landlady, a crotchety but spirited old woman who is estranged from her uptight daughter (Carrie-Anne Moss) and her grandson. John Wood and Lena Olin also turn in strong supporting roles.

Art house film addicts will want to see this, but more mainstream viewers may be bored. Recommended for viewers who enjoy the leisurely unfolding of a quiet drama.

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The Darjeeling Limited (The Criterion Collection) (2007)

Wes Anderson is at his best when he explores a small group of people -sometimes family, sometimes not -and explores what makes them tick.

And after the cluttered "The Life Aquatic of Steve Zissou," Anderson returns to those roots with "The Darjeeling Limited." Technically it's an Indian road trip movie, and it's full of his quirky charm... but at heart it's just about three unhapppy brothers with a lot of baggage. Both literally and psychologically.

The forlorn Peter (Adrien Brody) and his luggage barely make it to an Indian train in time to join his brothers, woman-chasing writer Jack (Jason Schwartzman) and bandaged control freak Francis (Owen Wilson). They haven't spoken for a year, and now they're planning to awkwardly bond as they travel to their estranged mother's convent.

But after disasters involving a snake, painkillers and pepper spray, the three brothers find themselves (and their monogrammed suitcases) thrown off the train. As they trek back to civilization, the three men set out on a quest to explore the spiritual, deal with life, death, feathers, man-eating tigers, funerals and their own painful memories... and possibly find their mom.

Nobody in their right mind would expect Wes Anderson to spin up an ordinary good-ol'-boys road trip movie. At least, not the way most directors would. Instead, Anderson crafts this as the baby brother to "The Royal Tenenbaums," exploring a fractured, mildly dysfunctional family with an absent parent.

And the cinematic flavour of "Darjeeling Limited" is much the same as in "Royal Tenenbaums" -bittersweetly funny and arch, with a tinge of poetic melancholy underlying the plot. It would be an endearing movie in any setting, but somehow putting it in the mellow glow of India's dusty roads, bright fields and cluttered shrines makes it even better. The bright, visual richness gives it a sense of whimsy.

For the record, Roman Coppola and Schwartzman helped Anderson out with the script, but there isn't much change. As always, lots of wry, amusingly contemplative dialogue ("I wonder if the three of us would've been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people"), though there is some hilarious comedic scenes of sibling infighting. It even gets slapsticky.

Fortunately, Anderson never puts artificial twists into the story, for any extra drama, comedy or thrills; the closest thing would be a brief detour into a child's funeral. The story simply flows by, because it's all about the brothers -and focusing on anything but their self-imposed journey would just be extra baggage.

And the three men playing Jack, Francis and Peter are nothing short of brilliant. Brody is vaguely lost and forlorn, while Schwartzman is a quirky rake who is still haunted by his last girlfriend (played by Natalie Portman in the short intro, "Hotel Chevalier"). But there's something almost painfully wounded about Wilson's reckless control freak, which has nothing to do with his bandages.

"The Darjeeling Limited" is a visually astounding, contemplative little comedy, all about three men who have to deal with the past before they can move on. Put it on the shelf next to "Royal Tenenbaums."

Wes Anderson directs this movie about three brothers on a spiritual journey. In true comedy form, we get to see the brotherly love and jealously that siblings often have for each other. I knew this was going to be a wonderful comedy, but what always takes me aback is the soulful humanity that is in Wes Anderson movies. Once again we get to see Owen Wilson, Bill Murray (in a cameo), Jason Schwartzman, and Anjelica Huston. But we also see the great Adrien Brody playing one of the three brothers. While your laughing, you just might be surprised to find tears falling. This is a wonderful film to share with family.

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Synopsis: An ornate and psychedelically colored train known as the Darjeeling Limited transports three estranged brothers; Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) to destinations unknown (actually Francis is attempting to arrange a rendezvous with their constantly disappearing Mother (Anjelica Huston) now living as a nun in Tibet). It has only been a year since their Father's tragic death and each brother carries their own personal heartache over his passing and their Mother's disturbing absence from the funeral.

As one comes to expect when traveling with others, close proximity, annoying behaviors and old wounds eventually surface which must be dealt with as they arise. Add to the mix unforeseen events both aboard the train and at intermittent stopovers along the way and you have the makings of a transformational experience unlike anything the brothers could have anticipated.

Critique: The '07 film `The Darjeeling Limited' begins painfully slow and incomprehensibly weird but if you have the fortitude to survive the first 40 minutes you will eventually find yourself on a delightfully oddball, unpredictable trek across the Indian subcontinent on a spiritual journey in search of physical, emotional and relational healing. Serving as a metaphor for life's journey, one might say that we are all aboard the Darjeeling Limited headed in the same direction to parts unknown. In the final analysis one learns that it's not where you're headed but how much baggage you drag along with you.

There's a lot of food for thought hidden away in this film for those who are willing to put in the effort and watch until the very end. Give it a try if you're in the mood for something obtuse.

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The first disc starts off with "Hotel Chevalier," a short film that acts as a prequel of sorts to The Darjeeling Limited and provides a backstory to Jack. In France, he meets with his ex-girlfriend in his posh hotel room. The usually modest Natalie Portman shows quite a bit of skin in this film and shares quite a sensual moment (especially for an Anderson film) with Jason Schwartzman's character.

Also included is a theatrical trailer.

There is an audio commentary by writer/director Wes Anderson, co-writers Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola. The three of them start off discussing their writing process and how one's subconscious plays a role. They touch upon various aspects of the production, including production design, cinematography, and so on. Interestingly, the three of them were responsible for their own Whitman brother to write for. A lot of the commentary is spent recounting all kinds of filming anecdotes.

The second disc starts off with a "Conversation with James Ivory." He and Anderson talk about the Indian music used in the film. Anderson was influenced by and used several musical cues from Ivory's films. The veteran filmmaker talks about some of his early Indian films with clips illustrating some of the music from it that Anderson used.

There is a visual essay by Matt Zoller Seitz about the film and how it best sums up everything about Anderson's films. Seitz provides fascinating analysis over clips from the film and the short film as well.

Also included is a 40 minute making of documentary by Barry Braverman. It takes a fly-on-the-wall approach to the production with plenty of footage of Anderson and his crew filming on location. The documentary provides some fascinating insight into what it must be like to make a film there and how Anderson adapted his methods there.

"Sriharsh's Audition" features footage of a child Indian actor trying out for the film.

There is a deleted scene and two alternate takes that run just over three minutes. We see Peter Whitman playing cricket with some Indians. There is an alternate take of the three brothers running down a hill and then one of them trying to board an airplane.

Also included is a clever American Express commercial that Anderson shot around the time of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Criterion Collection. In it, the filmmaker slyly parodies the notion of making a film while also paying homage to Francois Truffaut's film Day for Night.

"Oakley Friedberg/Packer Speech" is a slideshow presentation that a boy made while his parents were working on Darjeeling Limited. He and his folks about helped out the locals while they were there.

"Trophy Case" is an amusing little bit about the "awards" that the film won.

"Waris' Diary" is a collection of very brief snippets of behind-the-scenes footage not shown in the documentary. They provide additional insight into the production.

"Stills Galleries" features photographs by on-set photographer James Hamilton and also candid snapshots by Owen Wilson and Adrien Brody's mothers.

Finally, "Sketch by Roman Coppola" is footage of Anderson, Coppola and Schwartzman traveling through India while they were talking about and writing the screenplay for Darjeeling Limited.

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Isn't it the dumbest thing to judge a movie by its title? Well, that's what I had done with this little jewel of a movie. When I looked at the theater schedules, my eyes just skipped this title for whatever reasons. But I should've known better because the famous "never judge a book by its cover" proverb has always been around, hasn't it?

I came across this movie while I was channel surfing and was lucky to catch it just as it was starting. I didn't know anything about it, so it really helped that the initial scene shows no other than Bill Murray riding a cab going furiously fast, through the crowded streets of an Indian city.

Bill Murray's character arrives at the train station and then runs along the platform trying to catch the Darjeeling Limited, a train which is just starting to leave. Then, in a choreographed slow motion shot, we see Peter Whitman (Adrien Brody) catching up with Bill, getting ahead of him, and eventually leaving him behind as he catches the train and boards it through the last car. We won't see Bill's character until a brief scene later in the movie; what we see, instead, is a close-up of Peter lifting his sunglasses and triumphantly looking back at a defeated Bill Murray as he gives up trying to catch the train. This is the beginning of the mesmerizing journey of three brothers, Peter, Francis and Jack Whitman, through interior India, while they look for a reason to be together.

The Whitman brothers share two cabins on the Darjeeling Limited which is loosely based on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a legendary train that runs through West Bengal in northeast India. It's been some time since they saw each other and for some reason Peter and Jack have agreed with Francis to take this trip.

As brothers, they have things in common. They like to smoke cigarettes and they share a taste for over the counter drugs and painkillers. They all carry and share an inherited, expensive, Louis Vuitton-like complete luggage set, which is almost a character in itself; and of course, they all share a past of which, luckily, we get to see a glimpse.

They're brothers, but they are also very different. They all wear suits, but when it's time for bed, Francis wears a "Darjeeling Limited" pajama; Peter wears boxers, a dress shirt and a sleeping mask; and Jack wears the bathrobe he brought from his brief stay with his girlfriend at a luxurious Paris hotel. They sleep in these, but they also fight, pray and confer. Unexpectedly, these outfits tell us much of what these characters have been through.

Owen Wilson is perfect as Francis, the eldest, who spends almost the entire movie with his head wrapped in an odd-looking set of bandages. He recently crashed with his motorcycle and was technically dead for a moment. He is single or perhaps divorced, and takes, or tries to take, the role of leader and organizes the itinerary. He is struggling to be the glue that they need to stay together but goes a little over the top and even orders what Jack and Peter are having for dinner.

Jason Schwartzman is Jack, the youngest, a published writer who has a high maintenance girlfriend. His stories, so he says, are based on "fictional" characters, but those suspiciously mirror exactly what happens to him, his girlfriend and his family. Jack is the most candid and doesn't hesitate to say to Francis and Peter: "I wonder if the three of us would've been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people".

Adrien Brody plays Peter, the soon-to-be dad who likes to wear his father's prescription glasses although these give him a never-ending headache. Perhaps we get to know the least about Peter, but Brody does an excellent job and with his solemn, woebegone expressions he gets Peter to speak a thousand words.

The screenplay by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman is extraordinary. But the absolute beauty of this screenplay resides not in the things the characters get to say, but rather in the ones left unsaid. It is like a fill in the blanks puzzle that Anderson and company have given us to complete. I bet anyone can come up with some interesting theories on what it is that we don't see in this movie. I sure came with mine. Initially, I was trying to think of the most logical plot, one that made sense. However, when I saw this movie a second, and a third time, I stopped trying to connect the dots, forgot about logic, took pleasure in the outstanding performances and enjoyed every moment of it.

This is a tale that can spread over so many things that I'm still overwhelmed. It is a story about faith and fate; trust, relationships, aspirations and frustrations; desperation and death. Conceivably, above all, it is a story about friendship, family and love. I do not deny that the mood you're in definitely affects the way a movie affects you. But in this case, I am sure it must be repeatedly delightful and engaging, regardless of your mood, to witness these three brothers spend a few days together, do good beyond what they initially intended and successfully complete their spiritual quest.

This is a funny, engaging and very well made movie. The cinematography, by Robert Yeoman, is outstanding. Teaming up again with Anderson, Yeoman beautifully shoots it through stunning Indian locations in a yellowish, somber tone, mixes it with some slow motion and every now and then shifts to bright blues, reds and greens. The back and forth through the train cabins and the close-ups of the Whitman brothers give this movie a peculiar and unforgettable feel.

Acting, casting, editing, art direction, production design and specially the music and songs, are all exactly what this film needs. Supporting cast is also vital. Like Bill Murray, Anjelica Houston joins Wes Anderson again, and delivers a solid, key performance. Also, after appearing alongside Jason Schwartzman in "Hotel Chevalier", the 13 minute prelude to the Darjeeling Limited, Natalie Portman can be seen briefly as Jack's girlfriend.

I've always thought that having just up to four stars to rate a movie is like trying to write your full name with just four letters. In this case, "The Darjeeling Limited" gets my highest rating because I could not think of a single flaw in it, nor any way this movie could be better, and most of all, because I really enjoyed it.

"The Darjeeling Limited" might become a "cult" film. Wes Anderson has another couple of "cult" movies to his writing and directing credits: The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I've also skipped those in the past. For sure that, soon, will be corrected. And please, never, ever, judge a movie by its title, poster or trailer!

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Terminal Velocity (1994)

(no, not the Beach Boys song) ... Here I go again (no, not the Whitesnake song) defending certain Hollywood actors ... I *like* Charlie Sheen and I like him in this movie ...

Here Charlie plays his I'm-just-an-ordinary-guy-caught-up-in-this-thing yet again, and while it's not "Platoon", it's midway between that and "Hot Shots". Kinski is good and there's a pristine white Dodge Challenger here that meets an unfortunate end (I *hope* they used a double for the car!) ... Sheen has to "borrow" a beautiful yellow Corvette to catch the bad guys (at least he has style) ... And a Cadillac Allante' that takes flying lessons ...

Sheen is a skydiver down on his luck who accidently lands at what he thinks is a bachelorette party only to find out it's for children ... The Russian mafia wants to steal gold and eliminates anybody in their way ... there's a Chuck-Yeager-lookin' barnstormer pilot who helps Charlie catch the Russians in mid-air ...

The story will keep you guessing for a bit ... and I think Charlie *wants* his character to struggle ... he starts to put it together so he's not a total airhead here ... but he's *supposed* to be confused ... that's part of the story ... ummm, if he figured it out right off the movie would be over in 15 minutes, right? ...

"Drop Zone" is a skydiving flick too, and who can't help but like Yancy Butler? The story is a little more complex there, but it's a bit of a stretch too in places ... I have both movies and I like both movies ... I'd recommend both ...

I last saw this film when it first came out in theatres. It left a powerful impression in my mind that has haunted me for years now. I speak, of course, about the daringly experimental and enigmatic conclusion to this film, which is really the only part I remember. The whole film, the protagonists are trying to stop Russians (the antagonists) from reaching somewhere in a colossal aircraft with bombs or something. At the climax of the movie, they are forced to jump from this aircraft. Through some air craftiness of their own, the protagonists survive to continue fighting on the ground with russians that have, for some reason, parachuted after them. After throwing the bad guys into windmills (yeah you know, the ones that move at about four miles per hour) and watching them be cut to shreds, they give each other five. Then it cuts to the ceremony where they're receiving medals for their bravery in outwitting the Russians. This may sound like a typical hollywood ending but oh do look closer. Because the climactic battle took place on the ground, the commie aircraft was never stopped. Unless the people that parachuted after them were the entire rest of the aircraft'd crew, it arrived safely at its destination. So, upon close inspection, it becomes clear that the award ceremony at the desneumont of the film is ironic. Little do the characters in the film realize that they have, in all actuality, lost the "war" and that they're about to be bombed by russians or something simply because they forgot about the aircraft! As you might expect, this incredibly subtle and powerful satire was over the heads of most viewers. It even somehow escaped Leonard Maltin's review and Leonard Maltin is a particular brilliant man in my opinion. In conclusion, if you've ever felt that film these days is just too straightforward, that ends wrap up a little too tightly, heroes are worshipped too wholeheartedly, and that governments are put together too shabbily, this is the film for you.

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This was a generally fun film that is considered an action movie, and rightly so, but has its share of good comedy, too. Charlie Sheen showed he was well on his way to being successful playing comedic roles, as he's doing on television right now.

Nastassja Kinski plays the typical new young macho-female role that introduced on screen in the past generation in which females beat up males. Give me a break! Anyway, I still liked her. James Gandolfini was the best of the villains, and also demonstrated how he was about ready to hit the big time, which he did on TV with The Sopranos. Christopher McDonald was another villain in here but was stupid, not fun to watch. He was angry all the time and his bleached hair looked ludicrous.

There are a couple of outrageous action scenes in this film, most notably when an automobile with Sheen and Kinski still in it is dropped from an airplane! Yes, to enjoy this film don't take any of it seriously! It's simply fast-paced entertainment. For that, it gets a good rating.

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TERMINAL VELOCITY, released in 1994, is a movie that has aged

extremely well, except maybe for the KGB and end-of-Cold War

mood that was reminiscent of the era after the Berlin Wall

fell, and a new era was unveiled in the former one-party USSR.

The thrill and action aspects of this film, are as good as any

that the best Bond 007 movies had to offer, no doubt.

The 5.1 audio is phenomenal, as are the crisp, crystal clear

digital sequences on the DVD release.

Probably, it will mostly be the below 21 viewers who will

especially appreciate the extensive aerodrome and airplane

settings and sequences, considering that airplanes, even today

in 2007, are still somewhat exotic, as almost nobody has a

pilot's license, or has a parachute jumping training, for that

matter.

For the movie to show Charlie Sheen and Nastassja Kinski at

their best, in those sequences, brings a valuable commodity to

the finished product, which is its entire dream-like

atmosphere. This is what makes believable the otherwise

impossible turn of events, that favor the 2 protagonists against

failure, and against all odds, at each turn and moment during

the course of the movie.

The musical score is also exceptional, for a movie of this

genre, and is a pleasure througout the 90 minutes.

A last note, is the presence of James Gandolfini, early in his

career, presented as a "bad guy" obviously, yet ... this actor,

despite his later similar role in the Sopranos, is perhaps not

that much of a natural as a bad guy this being one person's

opinion.

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I liked this movie. Even though one of the villans was a little over acted. I've seen it several times and enjoyed it a lot. Charlie Sheen is great. Nastassja Kinski is great also and absolute gorgeous. James Gandolfini is excellent.

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Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)

I was annoyed to find that 2/3 of the reviewers (or at least one) who gave this movie one star haven't even seen it; they judged it purely on the ads they saw and automatically assumed that the book was much better. I loved the book dearly, and I actually read it when I was already 14!! I was so tired of all these stories about boys and their dogs, and how a boy needs a dog to have a good childhood; this was different, because I could associate with Opal so much better!

Sure, there are a few minor differences--Opal is a blonde not a red-head, and that dog is anything but ugly. Big deal. It's not as traumatic a change as having Harry Potter be a blonde and have no scar. People made too much an issue out of that, and also complained that AnnaSophia Robb could not act. This I must disagree with. That kid drew every emotion out of me that a filmmaker would want. She almost made me cry (on five occasions), and not just any kid actor can make tear up. She is a good actress in her own right, and I'm glad she'll be in a few other films this year.

The rest of the cast was great as well, even Dave Matthews. I loved seeing Eva Marie Saint in her role (it's been a while for her to be on the big screen!) In fact the only annoying thing in this movie was the cop, thrown in for a few very cheap, very annoying laughs (like the wedgie joke). But he's only in two scenes, thankfully, though the movie would be a lot better on the whole without him.

Overall, this is one of those movies you MUST see before you judge it. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a cynic! "Because of Winn-Dixie" combines a sweet story with good acting, directing, effects, and all that jazz. It can be very entertaining for the entire family, teenagers included (if they'd give it a chance!). Really, you're missing out if you decide to pass over this one.

I'm a 51-year-old guy, and I took my best friends' little 9-year-old girl to see this film (recommended by my own mother!). Previously, we'd seen "Lemony Snickets: A Series of Unfortunate Events," which I enjoyed immensely. Normally, we go see computer animated films. "Robots" is next!

"Because of Winn-Dixie" is a true family film, and that is a genre I usually avoid like the plague. Maybe this film hit me at a time when my heartstrings were ripe for plucking, I don't know. But I began shedding tears almost immediately after it began, and those tears kept pumping, even though I laughed here and there. I might add that my "niece" did not cry, but she liked the film a lot. (She's never owned a dog, but this movie isn't really about the dog, anyway.) I don't know how this film would strike me on a second viewing. It has some obvious flaws, but it's a wonderful film in so many ways that I have to give it 4 stars based on this one viewing. With respect to the young star, AnnaSophia Robb, I found her very adorable (but not cutesy), and, with all due respect to some other negative opinions expressed here, a wonderfully convincing actress. There are a lot of bad child actors out there (the all-time worst had to be the kid who played Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace). But AnnaSophia is NOT one of them. I would recommend this film to any adult who has a big heart, and who hasn't already been jaded by routine family fare.

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The movie "Because of Winn Dixie" has been kept true to the book. I found it to be as charming, heartwarming and even a bit better in some instances in comparison to the printed version. I think it's mainly Cicely Tyson's 'Gloria Dump' that takes it up a notch. She was a perfect choice to play the blind women who teaches India Opal what it means to truly 'see.' I pictured Gloria very differently and was pleasantly surprised by the uncharacteristically scruffy Tyson. Jeff Daniels and Dave Matthews are men who have been hurt but still manage to take the risks needed to keep love flowing to them and from them. "Winn Dixie" is set in an old, rural town in Florida which made me yearn for a simpler time when it was safe for children to ride their bikes around town, explore, and just be kids. In that way, "Because of Winn Dixie" reminds me a lot of "Sandlot."

This movie is all about heart and it is a perfect family movie, for boys and girls, young and old alike and should be on everyone's pre-order list. I really can't recommend it any higher and I feel it's a must have for everyone, even families without kids. It is THAT good.

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One expects a movie pushed so hard as a 'kid's movie' to be pretty dreadful ... lots of sprinkles, treacle & gooey-goodness.

Thank the gods, this *isn't* 1 of them. The adult stars Jeff Daniels, Eva Marie Saint, Cicely Tyson & [surprise!] Dave Matthews are great, but the true sparkle is Anna Sophia Robb as the lonely daughter of an abandoned preacher in a tiny town w/the church in a convenience store. Enter Win-Dixie, a horse of a mutt [actually a purebred, but he *looks* quite mutty] shines as he helps the child tear down the fences beween people. Every time you expect the film to go into "aww!' fulness, it swerves into a more considered and dare i say it? more adult look at the distance people put between each other ... & how to shorten it into nothingnesss.

Good in a wholesome but *never* icky-poo sweet way, it shows the delight 1 can find in a squalid trailer park, a convenience store-turned-Baptist chapel, & a dusty, small town in the middle of Nowhere FL [actually, LA]. Recommended.

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When I saw the ads for this movie, I was hoping I would be able to avoid having to take my kids to see it. The studio marketed this film like it was another "Beethoven" film with the dog doing all kinds of wacky stuff that only the 10 and under crowd would enjoy, "Racing Stripes" anyone?? So when I got home last night and my wife had rented the dvd of "Winn Dixie" I was less than thrilled. We popped it in, and within 10 minutes I knew this was not a standard kiddie flick. Sure it's kid friendly, and the 10 and younger crowd will love the dog, and goofy deputy, but there is so much more to this film. To be honest the movie really isn't about the dog, it's more of a coming of age tale of the young girl. The characters all come to life and aren't just there for window dressing or to do reaction shots for the dog. The acting is great, the story is wonderful (don't be surprised to find yourself with a lump in your throat on a couple occasions). There is more "To Kill a Mockingbird" to "Winn Dixie" than there is "Beethoven". A really wonderful film.

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The Decoy Bride (2011)

I am a David Tennant fan and now a Kelly MacDonald fan. This is a lovely romantic comedy that focuses on characters caught in a delightful dilemma. This is the type of role that Tennant does with such ease giving depth to his character making it easy to see how two women would fall in love with him. Kelly MacDonald is down to earth and human like the rest of us. Making it even better is the fact that David's fiance is someone you also like in fact there isn't a character to dislike so no stress! Buy it, pop some popcorn, relax and enjoy I've watched it twice already I bought it region 2 from Amazon UK when it was released in England.

I've just watched this movie one and three-fourths times in a row (all D.T. scenes), and then I went back and watched my favorite scenes again, twice. I jumped on the opportunity to see this movie in the US since I'm a die-hard David Tennant fan, and where do we get this much screen time with him lately? This was even better than I expected, and I'd recommend it as a good romp to anyone, fan of David Tennant or no. Best ten bucks ever spent! Enjoy!

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Admittedly, the only reason I got this film was to see David Tennant outside of the DOCTOR WHO realm. My expectations were low and so imagine my utter surprise when I found myself completely drawn in by this wonderful little comedy! The plot is pretty simple, but this film is so much more enjoyable because the writing is great and the actors are far more fun to watch than the standard American romantic comedy leads. Because the dialogue is delivered by actors who inhabit their character as opposed to actresses trying to pose as thespians, this film has a lot of heart going for it. And even though it's somewhat predictable, you cannot help but be entertained. No need to give you any plot points, but if you're a David Tennant fan, then you'll enjoy the film. If you like comedies that are not bombastic in their approach, then you'll be smitten. If you like excellent dialogue and quarky characters, then you might just fall in love with the film. Not the greatest story ever todl, but DECOY BRIDE is a far better film than anything featuring Katherine Hiegel and Jennifer Anniston. These actresses could learn a thing or two about sutbtleness, which is why this film works so well. Can't help it....I'm under the DECOY BRIDE's spell and am most likely going to buy this film on Blu Ray as it's a great film when you need cheering up and want a smile on your face!

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I am admitted David Tennant fangirl, but having said that, the movie was cute and adorable all on it's own. A bit formulaic in parts, but it's a rom-com chick flick. David was great and Kelly was brilliant. I fell in love with both of them. Definitely worth the 10 dollars to watch!!

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I am also a David Tennant fan from the US, and was so excited to see The Decoy Bride available here on Amazon. It was a really cute movie that was a bit quirky at times, laugh at loud funny (at least I did), and enjoyable to watch. David was (as usual) fantastic and Kelly MacDonald was lovely to watch as well. The island was a gorgeous backdrop for the story too. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys chick flickish movies, and/or is a David Tennant fan:)

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Gorgo (1961)

I first saw "Gorgo" as a kid, when it was released theatrically in 1961--in fact, I went to see it several times. To this day, it is one of my favourite "giant monster on the loose" films. I suppose the quickest way to describe "Gorgo"

is to say that this was Britain's answer to Godzilla, Japan's iconic creature of destruction. However, I still find "Gorgo" several cuts above most films of this type.

Two rather unscrupulous divers/salvagers (Bill Travers and William Sylvester) capture a huge, prehistoric beast (it looks like an over-sized, aquatic T-Rex) off the coast of Ireland. Ignoring pleas from the Irish government and scientists who want to study this amazing animal, our two "heroes" are more interested in someone who will "show me the money !" That "someone" is a circus-owner in London, where the creature is put on display for the ticket-buying public. However, when scientists do their homework, they conclude that this "huge" animal is really just a baby ! Could there be a parent somewhere ? You bet ! "Mom" appears--all 200 feet of her--mad as hell, and headed straight for London. Can the Royal Navy stop her ? Fuggedaboutit ! The Airforce ? Just like swatting flies ! The Army ? They might as well use pea-shooters ! "Mom" reaches London--trashes the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Piccadilly Circus etc. before rescuing junior. Memo to Man--don't mess with Mother Nature !

One reason that "Gorgo" is superior to similar films is the cast. Travers and Sylvester are both good actors, although child-star, Vincent Winter, steals every scene he is in. Eagle-eyed film buffs will also spot Nigel Green for about five seconds. For 1961, I would rate the special effects as well above average. While both creatures are "men in suits", careful editing ensures that your sense of belief can still be suspended. The model work is particularly good--the scenes of destruction are very effective for a 45-year old film. The cinematography is top-notch, hardly surprising when you see that Freddie Young was responsible. Angelo Lavagnino's music score is also to be praised.

"Gorgo" was directed by Eugene Lourie, the third of his "giant lizard trilogy". In 1953, Mr. Lourie unleashed the first film in this genre, "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" (with a lot of help from the king of stop-motion animation, Ray Harryhausen), and in 1958 he attacked us with "The Giant Behemoth". "Gorgo", however, was the only one in colour.

The quality of this DVD is excellent--widescreen, nice colour. For years I had to suffer with an awful VHS tape--even two different laserdiscs were not a major improvement. The DVD also includes an interesting behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the film, a photo gallery and several biographies. Kudos to VCI also for the cute menu--I will not spoil it for would-be purchasers--let's just say that the scene of London has been "updated" !

For reasons of personal nostalgia, I would give this DVD 4 1/2 stars. Younger viewers, used to CGI wizardry, may find the title monsters a bit quaint, but this is a handsome film, well acted and the finale is refreshingly different to many such movies. If you like "creature features", "Gorgo" belongs in your collection. Recommended.

I saw Gorgo when it was first released in the movies in 1960 and I'm probably the movie's biggest fan. This 'Destruction Edition' release by VCI is the first serious print of the movie to be sold. The bonfire scene on Nara Island where Gorgo makes his first appearance is restored to visual perfection. It looks like it was actually printed from the negative as do many other scenes in this release. It seems like all the criticism heaped on VCI for releasing the atrocious previous version with its near black scenes paid off. The fans of Gorgo , which are many, deserved and got this restoration. Unfortunately the glee I felt initially with seeing Gorgo finally restored was short lived when the most bizarre thing occurred.

I began to notice the soundtrack was cheaply tampered with in an attempt to guess 'enhance it'. Now mind you I have seen probably ten different video releases of Gorgo all of which had awful print quality but the movie's soundtrack was never ruined or doctored in any way. Now finally we have a decent restoration of the print and what happens some genius at VCI instead of just enhancing the volume of Gorgo which has one of the greatest soundtracks in monster movie history

, they decide instead to do the unthinkable and tamper with it by adding the tinny lifeless roar used in the DVD screensaver and drowning out the masterful original monster sounds in the movie. They also add echoes and assorted sirens and machine gun fire. So you hear machine guns in a scene where three guys are shooting with rifles. These baffling alterations undo much of the great visual restoration VCI made an admirable effort to attain and I have to say ruin the outcome making many key scenes seem to fall out of synch. It's an annoying distraction that sabotages the robust power and flow the movie's sound is known for. A classic is a a classic because of it's special unique qualities that the public loves about them, the best we can do is preserve them not change them. Not to mention the violations of artistic ethics and integrity. Imagine changing King Kong's roar or Fay Wray's scream.

Oh well,maybe this will set up the release of a VCI corrected version. We'll buy it.

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I remember this film showing on TV in NY, well, it seemed like every Saturday when I was a kid. It came with one of the funniest typical TV Guide blurbs I remember from those days, something like: "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring that prehistoric monster back to London. Now its mother is coming looking for it." And that was it. And that IS it. That's the plot. Ambitious get-rich-quick guys find monster, bring it back to London over the objections of local boy who is wiser than all the adults in the picture, put it on display a la King Kong or Mighty Joe Young, and find something two or three times larger marching up the Thames Estuary soon after looking for its offspring. Plenty of mayhem ensues, of course. This is not quite up there with the classic Japanese monster films, but it will entertain you. The extras on the DVD are good too.

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England's answer to KING KONG (RKO,1933) and GODZILLA (Toho,1954) was the independently produced GORGO, which was released by MGM in 1961. Although lacking the iconic stature of its two cinematic precursors, GORGO is nonetheless a thoughtful, well mounted monster on the loose tale that's still largely underrated.

The story concerns the discovery and capture of a prehistoric creature off the coast of Ireland, which is then transported to London where it becomes the star attraction in a circus. The exhibition comes to an abrupt end when the creature's gargantuan mother arrives to claim her offspring and levels London in the process.

Directed by dino-film veteran Eugene Lourie, GORGO features good performances from its two leads, Bill Travers and William Sylvester, as the sea divers who capture Gorgo and then begin to differ over the morality of the venture. The heart of the film resides in young Vincent Winter's sensitive, intelligent portrayal of the orphaned boy who empathizes with the baby behemoth and its mother. John Loring and Maurice King's screenplay is made interesting by its setting, and cinematographer F. A. Young was able to get some excellent footage along Ireland's fishing coastal region. GORGO's special effects were provided by Tom Howard, and the climactic destruction of London is an impressively staged/executed sequence combining an actor in a monster suit, miniatures, full scale sets, travelling mattes and a large number of fleeing extras. There's an organic, solid quality to these kinds of effects that's infinitely more satisfying to me than the most sophisticated CGI. When those buildings are smashed to smithereens they collapse spontaneously, not in some digitally controlled manner. GORGO's depiction of chaos and devastation is still convincing even after 50 years. What also serves the film well is Angelo Lavagnino's atmospheric music score, which gives it a delicate tone that conveys the parent/child relationship theme while contrasting with the powerful crescendos heard during the rampage scenes.

VCI Entertainment has upgraded their previous DVD of GORGO with a spectacular looking Blu-ray edition that helps us appreciate even more what a well made film this is. Prints of GORGO have always been problematic, with either brownish or washed out color. While the Blu-ray finally corrects this issue, the original process photography and composite optical printing techniques compromised the final result in many scenes, and this needs to be appreciated when watching the film in HD. In the final analysis, GORGO now looks the best it's likely to look, and fans are encouraged to pick up this eye-filling release.

Besides offering a great looking transfer of the movie, VCI has packed in a plethora of extras to sink your teeth into including a making of documentary, two full length comic book adaptations, a lobby card and poster gallery, photo gallery, a toys and collectibles gallery, production notes, original trailer, pressbook gallery, optional music and effects track, and a before/after restoration video. It all adds up to a long awaited, well deserved presentation of one of the best giant monster movies of all time.

Highly recommended.

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The first thing you should know about VCI's "Gorgo-Widescreen Destruction Edition" is that it is missing about 2 or 3 minutes of footage, confirmed by the fact that its running time has been reduced to 73 minutes, although the box lists the full 76 minute version. The first problem you will encounter when watching the films is during Angelo Lavagnino's excellent opening score when there seems to be an echo effect, as if the stereo tracks where out of sync with each other, resulting in the music becoming a garbled mess. Such audio problems occur throughout the feature. Strangely, there seems to have been some additional sound effects added over the original soundtrack. Except for the missing footage, the MGM Technicolor print used for the transfer is in excellent condidtion. As a bonus there is a "behnd the scenes" documentary that, although it runs only about 10 minutes, it is very authoritative and informative. The label on the container is an excellent reproduction of MGM's original poster art. This is one of the worst DVD releases I have yet encounted. It makes me wonder if anyone at VCI bothered to insure that a complete print was being used and that picture and sound are transfered properly. Someone at the company should have at least watched one of the discs before they started shipping them out. Save your money and wait for a better release.

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Battle of the Warriors (2006)

I started watching this one expecting a historical military drama. 'Battle of the Warriors' delivered that beautifully. It centers on the mysterious stranger who arrives just as the city is about to be over-run, and rallies a defense against a marauding army tens of times their size a trope that works as well in classical China as in the American Wild West. Starting there, it offers exciting battles, humble heroism, intrigue, and all the rest that makes for quality entertainment of this kind. All of that comes through in sets and costuming with historical credibility, even though I can't vouch for literal accuracy. This isn't in the "flying swordsmen" genre, but a brilliant one of its kind.

This movie's pleasant surprise comes its major premise, an actual bit of Chinese history that many Westerners might not know. The mysterious stranger is a Mozi a follower of Mo Di, an actual philosopher and leader from the Warring States period. His school centered their beliefs on universal brotherly love, something subversive in a Confucian society with rigid hierarchies of loyalty and affiliation. Rather than simply preach this doctrine, Moists fought for it. Their armies defended weaker city-states against unjust invasions by others in a policy of militant pacifism that might be unique in history. I know of no other movie that mentions Mo at all, so this one performs the worthwhile service of bringing this sage to Western attention.

If you want costume drama with plains darkened by swarming armies, with dramatic sieges and flaming attacks, with effete rulers undermining the commanders in the trenches, and with a near-subliminal hint of romantic interest, give this one a shot. But, while you're at it, remember that Mo was real even if this story's events weren't, and is well worth knowing.

-wiredweird

I like some of the more recent warfare/martial arts foreign movies as much for the cinematography as I do for a good storyline. After all, it's nice to experience the imagery and action of a beautiful film to go along with processing the information of the story from the English subtitles. (Note: As a rule, I don't watch foreign movies with the English overdub turned on. I prefer to read the subtitles.) Movies that come to mind are Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon, House of Flying Daggers, Hero and The Warrior. This movie, Battle of the Warriors looked really good from the stills that I had seen and the story concept of countering a siege with wits and savvy appealed to me. In it's basic essence, thats what this movie is about, a kind of thinking-man's warfare from the point of view of both the beseiged and the invaders. Additionally, there are a few subplots involving 1) choosing to love, 2) the high human cost of war and 3) the ignorance/arrogance of the ruling class.

And at the end of the movie, I was very pleased with the story, probably even more than the cinematography. Don't expect non-stop action as there are several interludes that deal with setting up the armies/defenses and the strategies involved. Also, this movie isn't over-the-top in it's brutality, despite the eventual battle scenes. Overall, my opinion is that this is pretty solid movie and I would recommend it to intelligent audiences.

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If you're into Oriental art flicks, I would recommend a DVD called "Battle of the Warriers"

"Battle" certainly ranks, in my opinion, right up there with "Ran" or any of Kurosawa's or Ichikawa's films. Although lacking Kurosawa's camera work, I would have mistaken it for his if it had been in black & white. It's made in Hong Kong but much more western in style (more Japanese??) than most of the stuff coming out of Hong Kong or Beijing.

The movie is in Chinese but subtitled in English.

The story takes place in China 2300 years ago & is about a city that is the way of a large advancing army. The Army must take the city in order to proceed. The city hasn't much in defense & asks a clan of defense specialists, the Mozi, for help. They send one little guy. This guy, Ge Li, puts a whole new spin on being an army of one. Not because he's a killer but because he's a professional, knows what he's doing, & understands all of the consequences. If we had this guy in Afganistan, the war would have been over long ago.

The story is taken from a video game. Probably the only good conversion of a video game to full blown movie I've ever seen. The first half is battle and the preparations for them. The 2nd half has as much action but gets pretty heavy into the philosophy of war as well. One of those "Gotcha" movies that makes ya stop & think later about what was said.

This movie is excellent at all levels and would be enjoyable for just about every one although the violence might be a bit much for the younger kids. But not overboard with the blood & guts as so many movies are these days.

I recommend this movie enough I'm gonna buy a copy & add it to my collect. Well worth a watch.

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A martial arts movie that is more battle epic than hand-to-hand combat, Battle of the Warriors takes place in China almost 2500 years ago. My Chinese history is a bit er dusty, but the movie does a great job of laying out the background. This is a wartorn time, and the city of Liang is about to be besieged by an army that has to steamroll through it to get to their real military target. Raw deal.

Enter Ge Li (the amazing Andy Lau), a Mozi that the slimy king of Liang has begged to come protect the city. How can one man defend a city against an army? With brains, strategy, and cunning psychology. While there are plenty of battles in this movie, the real core of Battle of the Warriors is the planning the game of chess that takes place between the invaders and Li as each side plots their next move or parries that of the opponent. I've never seen a war movie that is so much about the tactical planning of war, and it was fascinating. Of course this focus means the movie is a little slow at times, but I was never not interested. The battle scenes are really creative and the tactics devised by each side to attain their objectives are amazing. I even recognized tenets I remember reading in The Art of War surface in Ge Li and his adversaries' thinking, which was awesome!

In addition to masterful battle scenes, Battle of the Warriors also has tremendous cinematography, wonderful acting, and great costumes and sets. There's even a tragic love story thrown in. As affecting as the love story was, I'm glad they kept it at the subplot level. I generally find it a weakness when a martial arts film lets a love story get too front and center; this one is kept on the backburner where it belongs and it adds spice rather than getting in the way of what the movie is really about.

The main theme of the film is how war only creates more and deeper conflict, a sentiment Andy Lau's Li actually verbalizes in one of the final scenes. This theme is illustrated very effectively in the way different characters become mistrustful, turn on one another, and backstab or even destroy each other (sometimes unintentionally) as a result of the conflict they are trying to win. This theme is also given life by the fact that Ge Li is a Mohist/Mozi. Of course, this piece of the story will be a bit unclear for some viewers. For example, about half way through the movie a character accuses Ge Li of always talking about 'universal love'. Huh? The guy never said a word about it up to that point! As far as I recall, anyway.

This piece of the movie relies on a bit of historical backstory that is probably obvious to Chinese audiences. I had to look it up. The Mohists apparently were militant pacifists during this wartorn time. They were master strategists who defended people from large armies as a means of thwarting military ambitions, and there's some religious/philosophical underpinnings to their beliefs that are generally distasteful to anyone in a position of power. As such, to defend the city Li does not launch attacks. His work is all defensive, yet very much aimed at prevailing. In this case, the goal is outlasting an army that can't afford the effort and losses of a long siege. Li's defenses are cunning, powerful, and deadly enough to daunt even a battle-hardened army. In short, he's not the kind of pacifist who gets his way by sticking flowers in the barrels of guns. He's someone you do NOT want to be stuck attacking!

I enjoyed Battle of the Warriors, and I'd recommend it to martial arts buffs who are okay with no hand-to-hand combat epic flicks and will have some patience for the few times the plot demands it. And thanks to Dragon Dynasty for bringing another great martial arts movie to US audiences!

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BATTLE OF THE WARRIORS

I have always been a fan of the epic battle movies from medieval times to the classic Asian battles like the one in this film. This film now called "Battle of Warriors" is one really good movie, it has all any one could want in a film. The epic battles and fights, romance, political thriller, and strong characters are all wrapped into one. The movie originally titled "Battle of Wits" is based on a novel of the same name, and a Manga series, which had been based on the novel. Starring the ever great Andy Lau and directed by Jacob Cheung this equals out to be one good flick.

In 370 B.C. China was in turmoil being split into seven nations and such, also known as China's Warring States Period. One of the smaller states is being attacked and that is Liang, The nation of Zhao is trying to invade them with an overwhelming amount of solider, classic outnumbered Alamo like story. Faced with this impossible task Liang decides to send for the help of a Mozi or Mohist [look em up]. Known for their defensive and tactical skills one man is sent and his name was Ge Li [Lau], at first the King of Liang is upset that only one man was sent but soon he realizes that this one man is more than worthy of the job.

Has the battle draws closer Ge Li not only is given full control of the military but he starts to win over the people. Of course in doing this he is only doing his job but the King starts to think otherwise. Someone gets in his ear and lets the King know that the people are putting all their faith into Ge Li, taking influence away from the King. What is a King to do when he is falsely lead to think one thing over the other, take action of course.

Andy Lau leads an excellent cast in this wonderful film with a great performance, not only does he make the man more than likable but he also makes you believe that this character can win a war. Fan Bingbing plays his romantic interest in the film and does a great job as well. Siu Ho Chin is great here as well as a general that takes Li's side over the King, the King of course is played wonderfully by Zhiwen Wang. Si Won Choi [also a Korean pop star] plays the King's son in this film and does a great job. Of course from the other side is the invading Zhao commander Xiang Yan-zhong played perfectly by Sung-kee Ahn. I love the chess match here in this film between his and Lau's characters, the meeting was a favorite moment of mine.

Director Jacob Cheung and DP Yoshitaka Sakamoto did a great job with this film as the camera keeps moving and the shots are excellent. The story is great and full of actual characters and the battles are fun as one would expect. As I am sure you can tell that I enjoyed this film, I always have. I always loved the film and then Dragon Dynasty released here in the states in a special edition, I love it even more. The making of feature is excellent and shows a lot of behind the scenes and as always the commentary from Bey Logan is really insightful.

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American History X (2009)

How terrifying is it while listening to some of Edward Norton's rants in this movie....that you actually begin to understand his point of view on things? That's a very important aspect of this film. The hatred spewing from his mouth along with statistical evidence and insightful rhetoric places the viewer amist what seems to be an actual white supremicist rally. It becomes easy to see how so many fall into crowds like this with characters like the fictional Derrick Vinyard preaching to the masses. Many people don't like the way the world around them is. They're looking for a change. People like Vinyard offer a path to that change.

But this story is mainly about redemption. The redemption of the character in question, Derrick Vinyard. Only after he loses everything can he begin to see the horrible path that he has beaten for his younger brother who is speedily chasing after him. The unlikely friendship with a black prison inmate and the tutalage of his former principle are what helps him return to his humanity. The simple yet distanced solution to all the hatred and anger that he's felt most of his life comes like an epiphany: "It's just not worth it." A point that he vehemently drives into those around him.

Be forwarned, this is not a happy story. The ending is tragic yet depressingly real. Hatred becomes a vicious circle.

This is one of the movies that touched me more than any others have in quite a long time. It puts a human face on skinheads, not glorifying them yet showing how a young person can be warped by a racist father and what racism can do to a family. Derek Vinyard had to learn the truth about racism the hard way by being betrayed in prison and he began to question his beliefs after a black man is the only person who befriends him. He begins to understand how futile and destructive hatred is only to pay for his mistakes in the end. At times this movies is difficult to watch but I think it is important for everyone to see. Ed Norton definitely deserved the oscar for this film and was cheated. Anyone who watches this will see how racism only destroys families, hurts others and destroys one's self in the end. It is brutal yet honest and it is what good filmmaking is all about it. I would give it ten stars if I could. Simply brilliant.

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Stunningly powerful movie which left me and my friends in a state of quiet and thoughtful contemplation even as the titles were concluding. A cautionary tale I guess set in Venice Beach,California about hate and prejudice.Two common human traits of which none of us are innocent.

A talented cast led by those two Edwardians,Norton and Furlong of a story about a young neo nazi who is jailed for three years after the cold blooded killing of a black man attempting to steal his car.This flashback scene is not for the faint-hearted.He is unremorseful at first but eventually finds his epiphany within the stark reality of the prison walls.Enough said.

Despite the controversial nature of the film it does cut to the core hard and fast.I especially liked the flashbacks in black&white.An often used device which works well here,as does the quote by Abraham Lincoln towards the end,"...we must not be enemies but friends..." Many critics have been scathing of the one dimensional supporting characters and they may be right in that respect,Nortons exceptional performance not withstanding but this still does not devalue it from being one of the most critical and memorable films to come out of hollywood for a long time.One of my top ten for this last decade of the millenium and well deserved.

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American History is chilling story about a skinhead Derek (Norton) who is sent to prison for killing two blank gang members. During his incarceration he is subjected to the brutal ways of prison society. In the prison laundry Derek meets a fellow black inmate who has no ill-feeling towards Derek's racist beliefs and helps Derek change his attitudes towards other people. Overtime, Derek begins too see the damage racism has brought to himself and his family. Unfortunately Derek's younger brother is heading towards the same path Derek took. Derek is determined too stop his brother and faces his former gang and mentor.

American History should be shown to all high school kids because the movie has such a strong message. The part of the movie that struck me was Derek's family. His family was emotionally and morally bankrupt by the past racism inflicted by Derek's deceased father and Derek himself. Ed Norton's portrayal as a young racist was chilling and convincing. You could feel his rage and hatred towards society and minorities in general. I thought Ed Norton deserved an Oscar, however the academy gets weak knees about issues such as racism. I would recommend this movie...

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Wow...I wasn't too keen on watching this film based on its premise, but it is truly one of the best films I've ever seen. Not many films would dare to peer into the cancer that is white supremacy, yet show that there can be a redemption of sorts. The most thought-provoking scenes occur during Derek's (Edward Norton) transformation in prison. Here, he finds that everything is not as he thought it was, and that some injustices are very real. He eventually befriends a black inmate who unconditionally treats him as an equal (despite clearly knowing Derek's racist views), and soon learns that his friend is serving 6 years for a mere theft that has been trumped up to "assault of a police officer", while his own sentence for murdering two black men is lesser. And yet this does not come off as some preachy statement on the injustices faced by blacks who commit crimes versus whites. The film levels the playing field quite admirably. Avery Brooks does a fine job as the Sweeney, a black teacher who recognizes the blind hatred in Derek and consequently in his younger brother Daniel (Edward Furlong), who is swiftly following in his brothers footsteps. Sweeney, reflecting on his own youth, sheds light on reverse-racism in growing up black. Both Edwards (Norton and Furlong) deliver intensely real performances.

This film, like no other I have seen in recent years, so well conveys the concept that the only real enemy is not to be found in another person, but in the blind, untempered hatred within us fueled by our fears, insecurities and misunderstandings.

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