Taken (Two-Disc Extended Cut) (2008)

When I was a soldier stationed in Germany in the 1970s there was a raid on a Turkish-owned bar on the outskirts of Frankfurt A/M. German Polizei and US CID (US Army Criminal Investigation Division) broke up a white slavery ring that had been operating out of the bar for some time. The bar was a way-point in the transportation route of young European girls (preferably blonde) who had been kidnapped throughout Europe and were being smuggled to be sold in the harems and brothels of the Middle and Far East. The police found some twenty girls in the basement of the bar, some from as far away as Denmark and the Netherlands, waiting to be shipped further down the pipeline.

The German police and Interpol had been watching the bar for some time and were hoping to trace the route farther down the track to take down the ringleaders. The white slavers made the mistake of kidnapping the daughter of a US Army colonel whom they thought was a German national. The Colonel learned about the investigation and refused to allow his daughter to be held by the white slavers and victimized so the police could gather intelligence. As it turned out, I learned later, the raid eventually did lead to the disruption of this particular ring because the guys busted talked.

So, when I learned what this film was about I went in with a certain amount of understanding of the subject matter. Let me say here that this film hits the nail on the head in presenting its subject matter and the way young women are victimized by ruthless animals only out to make a buck. (SPOILER) The scenes where they show the young women being made into drug addicts to control them are particularly disturbing to me as I've seen the impact drugs had on young girls working as unlicensed street walkers in Germany (a nation that legalized prostitution to make it "safe"). As disturbing as the film was I am glad I watched it and if I had a daughter (I had all sons) I would make her watch this film when she reached an appropriate age in hopes it would make her more careful in how she behaved when I wasn't around to protect her. This is a film every parent should watch it is a film every teenaged girl and boy should watch. It's sad, but things like what happens to the girls in this movie go on every day.

Having said that, the next question is, is the movie good?

Well, I've never seen Liam Neeson deliver a bad performance. Even if I didn't like the movie (and he's done a couple turkeys) he has always been superb. No exception here. Sadly, most of the negative comments about this film seem to be from people who don't like action movies. But Neeson elevates this even above the typical action movie. This is a story of family. When I watched Neeson's reaction to what happens to his daughter and his response I imagine it is what Natalie Holloway's daddy wishes he could have done, what every father of a child who has been abducted and brutalized wish they could do.

As a professional soldier and former martial arts instructor I find Neeson's action scenes are superbly executed and realistic. Don't look for a superhero leaping tall buildings with a single bound, but watch an expert, who may not be as young as he once was, doing what he knows best for a good cause. The fights are brutal, ruthless, and efficient, pros doing what they do. Even the violence is understated, brutal, but avoids the spectacular many audience have come to expect. What Neeson does is violent but considering the circumstances and motivation, necessary to save his girl. Great stuff.

The alleged coincidences do not strain or insult the intelligence overmuch, this is an action movie for folks who think. Of course, if you thought "The English Patient" deserved the Best Picture Oscar you'll probably hate this film. Otherwise, it is a don't miss. Neeson brings to the revenge flick empathy and gravitas lacking in other such films.

As I watched the film I thought of that Army colonel fighting Interpol and the German police to save his daughter. I hope he was able to see this film, I think he'd approve.

This is a review for the 2 disc version:

Taken blew me away. It's a tight, well written action flick. Luc Besson wrote and produced this and the character building of Bryan (Neeson) reminds me a lot of "The Cleaner" in Leon: The Professional, which was an earlier work of Besson's. The action reminds me of the Bourne series but more satisfying in a way than Bourne. The first 30 minutes is awkward. But a lot of what Besson writes is awkward, but charmingly awkward. The extended cut is the European cut. They decided the American audience couldn't handle some of the scenes. There is NO nudity in this film at all and none in the extended cut.

But what you get on the 2-disc version and not on the 1-disc is the following:

"The Making of 'Taken'" (18:22) a featurette of the making of.

"Avant Premiere" (4:37) video of the premier night in Paris

"Inside Action: Side by Side Comparisons" (11:05) what it says

Plus, two tracks of commentary.

The second disc is nothing but the digital copy which is extremely annoying.

Is the 2-disc worth it? If you are a hardcore fan of Taken, then yes. If not, then buy the 1-disc cause that also has the extended cut. Buying the 2-disc is worth it for the commentary and 18 minute featurette.

Cons:

For me, the let down was the acting by Maggie Grace, but I'm not sure it's her fault. She is in real life a 25 year old woman and here she is unconvincingly playing a 17 year old teenager. I'm not saying she's a bad actor...she just doesn't pull off the age thing right. Her portrayal doesn't kill the film, and at times she nails it but at others it's just weird. They should have gotten an actress closer to 17 in real life. Even the ending was not realistic but I'm not sure it was Grace's fault. But at the same time she only endured the ordeal for less than 96 hours so I guess she might not be as traumatized as one would think she should be.

Taken is a solid popcorn flick. One you can watch and have fun with and it gets the nerves going too.

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This is one of those great action movies where the hero isn't burdened by doubt, ineptitude, or guilt. He knows what he has to do and he does it coolly and ruthlessly! What he does is kill bad guys... Lots and lots of bad guys of all nationalities, races, and creeds who deserve what they get. Very efficient and ecumenical...

I lost count, but Liam Neeson must have killed about 50 bad guys in this one. And they keep on spawning so he has more to kill. I haven't seen one hero take on so many bad guys who keep on reproducing since Steven Segal made "Hard to Kill"...

The action is non-stop and the retribution is very satisfying. There is a lot of violence, but this is not an explicit blood and gore film. Just good old Hollywood movie violence that hits you at the gut level. "Taken" is a nice vicarious vigilante thrill for all the rest of us who must play by the rules. Liam Neeson does an excellent job! Highly recommended for action fans...

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I was skeptical when I heard that this movie would be produced by Luc Besson (The Professional, La Femme Nikita), the go to man or the French Joel Silver of action movies since some of his films have been hit and miss. This turns out to be a hit (it's already grossed $143 million thus far) thanks to the casting of Liam Neesom (Schindler's List; Rob Roy). A physically imposing actor of great presence, Neesom brings this physicality to the role of an retired CIA man brought back into action when his daughter is kidnapped in Paris. What ensues is 97 minutes of breakneck action and Neesom is totally convincing in this role. It may lack the complexity of the Bourne series but if you like your action movies to be lean and mean--this is the flick to see!!

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The US version of this movie is a little different than the one released overseas (I specifically remember two fairly violent scenes that were edited out), but it's still amazing. I remember watching the trailer in the theater and leaning over to my friends with a look of glee and amazement. We all knew we were going to see that movie on opening night.

And we did.

It did not disappoint.

It takes a minute to get rolling, but I think it only felt that way because the movie is so short (I think it's about an hour and a half long). It doesn't feel like very long, though, as, once the action starts, it blows you away. It's quick, gritty camera angles that really make the film come alive. Some of the violence is so out there, yet realistic, that you have to cringe when you watch it.

At it's heart, it's about a man, desperate to find and save his daughter, and willing to employ any means necessary to get her back. As the title of this review suggests, it's a little like 24 okay, a LOT (with one scene ripped straight out of day 5, fans will know what I'm talking about), the man's daughter's name is Kim and she's been kidnapped and he's gotta do crazy bad things to get her. It's enough to hold me over until the real 24 movie is out, BUT, it's good enough in its own right.

I love Liam Neeson in this role, if only because I was surprised that he could pull it off. I kept hearing Aslan as he was making death threats and it was a little disconcerting. But he makes me believe he's Brian Mills in every second of the movie. The only thing I didn't believe was that he and Lenor were ever married. They just didn't click. At all. Maybe it's good that they divorced!

It's definitely worth the rent, but even more so, it's worth the buy. I can't wait until it's released on DVD.

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James Bond 007 -You Only Live Twice Blu-ray (1967)

Ah, it is a tough call, trying to rate a movie as fun as this. Holding such an iconic status as it does, how do you keep your bias in check and look at the movie without those nostalgic rose coloured specs?

As witness for the defence, I would like to call Ken Adams creator of the 1 million dollar volcano set, this action sequence at the end of the movie set a standard for Bond movies for a very long time... so much so that it is recreated in different guises in `The Spy who loved me', and `Moonraker'. It is certainly the most spectacular set and largest scale action sequence in a Bond movie yet.

Next witness Sean Connery yes, he seems a little more weary in the role than he did in Thunderball, but while not at his peak, he is still fit and charming enough to be the definitive James Bond (at least when not wearing insanely unconvincing Japanese prosthetics).

John Barry who produces another great and imaginative score here, one of the last to sound truly original.

And then I call Little Nellie the signature gadget for the film, a weapon loaded gyrocopter, is a great success, not just for the aerial action sequence, but also for getting `Q' out of the office and into the field for a change!

But then comes the witnesses for the prosecution... If I call Blofeld to the stand, then you will find what at first appears to be brilliant casting, turns out to be too little too late in the movie. Donald Pleasance as just the right creepiness for the role, but never truly brings the character to life, and demasking Blofeld only seems to tarnish some of the mythos that had been built up around him.

The same holds true if I call Bond's ladies to the stand. Helga Brandt may have a healthy chest, but is a pale pale imitation of the evil Fiona Volpe from Thunderball. And the Japanese ladies have a novelty value, but never appear to truly have an impact on Bond.

Then there is the screenplay. Roald Dahl is a genius, but somewhere between the story, the screenplay of the story and the screen, some magic has been left out. When I watched this with an audience, a third of them were sleeping through the middle sagging part of the movie.

Part of the joy, and also part of the problem is that some of the international flair has been left out of this movie to concentrate on one location Japan. The location is therefore well explored in both culture and geography, but a certain variety and roving nature to Bond's exploits is missing.

I call the effects to the stand... Bond always worked best when the stories were timeless. By using a space age plot, the plot device, effects, and concept are all immediately dated. Bear in mind this movie was conceived long before man walked on the moon.

And then I'd like to call Little Nellie. Yes, the same Little Nellie called by the defence. Is it used craftily integrated into the plot? No, we see a scene where he is attacked predictably by helicopters, and goes through the gadgets one by one until they are all used and he goes home. It's just not as clever as say, the tear gas in the case from `From Russia with Love'.

Critically, there is the myth of Bond himself. Where in previous Bond movies he was a spy who through tradecraft and hard work (and occasionally seducing beautiful women) would find his way to the evil masterminds lair, here it is as if the character stumbles from one situation to the next, rather than driving events. This was to hold true for Bond for many years to come, with the exception of `On Her Majesty's Secret Service'.

The verdict? A hung jury... It is a movie that perhaps tries too hard to go bigger and better in many respects. And so we have a movie with two hats It introduces some fun ideas, such as M and Moneypenny having a mobile office in a submarine the first of many mobile offices for M, and seeing Bond in naval uniform for the first time. But it also fails to achieve the characterisation that had gone before and relies on the goodwill from previous movies a little too hard. Thus, we all love You Only Live Twice, but have to be honest, it is harmless fun, but not a classic. Majority verdict in favour of the defence.

What does the Ultimate Edition have to offer to persuade you to part with your cash? Truth be told, this is where it gets interesting. The picture is flawless, yes, but it is the sound that really becomes 3 dimensional in the dts mix, giving the rockets shooting into space much more realism and depth than the on screen effects do. Even background noises are clearer and dialogue sparkling, thanks to some nifty digital remastering.

All the extras from the Special Edition are present and correct, and everyone should watch the superb (as usual) half hour documentary `Inside You Only Live Twice'. Also included for the first time though are three items. Firstly, some of Ken Adams home video footage of location scouting and then shooting of the movie, which is great fun to watch to see both the construction of the set and Sean Connery clowning around at every opportunity. Then there is a short segment from Whickers World, which is an entertaining period fluff piece promoting the movie while still acknowledging its campness and humour make it an antidote for the times. Finally an oddity, a one hour special `Welcome to Japan, Mr Bond' which uses MoneyPenny and Q in specially shot scenes to frame a selection of clips from the movies to this point. Interesting for fans of Q especially, this purports to be Moneypenny musing over who it can be that James Bond will marry.

All in all, I can only recommend this DVD as a worthwhile watch, while acknowledging it is just not as finely crafted as its predecessors. This Ultimate Edition series once again proves to be the best and most comprehensive way to see the movie.

YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE contained elements of espionage, action, thrills, adventure and science fiction. Looking back it somehow worked loosely when put together yet till this day I can not determine what the cohesive element was. Looking at it closely the film is a real dichotomy of styles. The first hour is excellently filmed and works very well. We get to see James Bond the spy, working with recognition codes, breaking into safes, going under cover and the like. There is an excellently choreographed fight scene between Bond and a sumo wrestler. This is also the first time he developed a good working relationship with a fellow intelligence head, Tiger Tanaka, similar to that of Kerim Bey in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. We also see that "M" has absolute confidence in his man. "This is the big one," he tells Bond knowing that 007 is the only one capable of pulling off this assignment. There is also quite a bit of very witty dialog in the first hour of this film. In the first hour the pace is deliberate, but never boring or unentertaining. It ends with Bond flying "Little Nellie," delivered by "Q," into an aerial dogfight with four helicopters. As it moves into the second hour more of the science fiction and fantasy elements start to take center stage. The film starts to look untidy and meanders along till it gets to the excellently filmed battle between Tanaka's ninjas and Blofeld's private army in his Volcano lair. It's not a bad Bond film, but it should have been a lot better. I think the culprit was the editing. Russian and American manned space capsules were being snatched out of orbit by an "intruder missile." Bond had to find the location and the identity of those responsible before World War III breaks out. The filmmakers decided not to surprise us at the end of the film, but instead show us, not Bond, that this "intruder missile" is in fact owned by SPECTRE and is being launched from Blofeld's Volcano lair in Japan. That comes a little past the hour mark. That being the case there was a good opportunity to develop suspense, as Bond has to locate the launch site. When Bond finally does find the volcano he has very little reaction to his discovery. He in fact seems to have come prepared with suction cup kneepads, which he uses to climb upside down and into the volcano. Tanaka shows up with his men, the battle ensues and Bond saves the day. It just could have been done much better considering how well the first half of the film was handled. The massive sets designed by Ken Adam were highly innovative and stylized and are probably the best of the entire series. M's office aboard the submarine, M-1, was also pretty innovative incorporating furniture and decorations from his office from the Ministry of Defense back in London. John Barry wrote a brilliant score. His music for the "Capsule in Space" was eerily ominous. He also incorporated sections of the "James Bond Theme" very effectively subsequent to Henderson's death and the fight in Osato's office. Barry's "Mountains and Sunset" went beautifully with Freddie Young's Cinematography. This and his score for ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE were the last to contain his best action pieces for the series. These were little snippets here and there written to give the action a little more punch. I thought Sean Connery gave some his best performances as James Bond in this film. Bond's scene with Henderson was very good. His repartee with Moneypenney was one of his best. Sean Connery did return as James Bond in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER but one era had already ended with ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE and a new one would begin with his return.

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I love this picture. The previous reviewers had problems with it. It has everything a Bond picture should have. The scenery is magnificent, the gadgets are up to standard, the production quality is as good as the previous Bond efforts, the villain is a typical jerk, and the title song sung by Nancy Sinatra is the best I've ever heard in a Bond picture.

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After James Bond (Sean Connery) has participated in faking his own murder in Hong Kong, to give him "more elbow room" in the words of his superior, M (Bernard Lee), he is dispatched to Japan to investigate the mysterious disappearance of both American and Soviet space crafts which threatens to spark World War III.

Working together with Japanese secret service leader Tiger Tanaka (Tetsuro Tamba), he meets beautiful Japanese agent Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi), who helps Bond through several close shaves.

Working with a Japanese Secret Service Ninja force, he locates the sabotage to the shadowy organization SPECTRE, led by the sinister Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Donald Pleasence).

After Aki is murdered by SPECTRE agents (She dies after ingesting poison dropped into the bed she shares with Bond), Bond teams up, in a faked marriage with the attractive Kissy Suzuki Mie Hama).

Together with the Ninja force they penetrate Blofeld's massive headquarters, hidden in a volcano, where the final battle ensues.

Before Blofeld tries to kill Bond, he reminds him "You Only Live Twice", referring to his earlier faked death.

The chemistry between Bond and the exquisite Aki is perfect, and in the scene where a marriage is proposed and Bond thinks it is Aki, Aki's face lights up.

No less stunning is Mie Hama as Kissy Suzuki, an expert swimmer and fighter, and one of the sexiest Bond girl ever.

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You can tell when a movie has been influential because of imitation ("The Incredibles")and parody ("Austin Powers")40 plus years AFTER it was released. Although some elements are even less believable 45 years later (Bond passing as a Japanese fisherman? Really?)Roald Dahl's script and the sharp direction of Lewis Gilbert keep "You Only Live Twice" entertaining and the unexpected opening sequence where Bond is assassinated only to be resurrected later adds to the fantasy elements of the film.

Bond travels to Japan to find out who is behind snatching U.S. and Soviet spacecraft in an attempt to cause war between the two superpowers. To investigate this case which Bond believes Blofeld (Donald Pleasence) to be behind, he must appear to be dead so that his enemies won't expect him.

Production designer Ken Adams creates one of his most impressive sets, Dahl's script introduces key elements that will become part of every Bond film in the future (to one degree or another)and director Lewis Gilbert does a nice job setting up the action sequences creating one of the seminal Bond films. Although the Bond films would often go bigger (not much more than this admittedly), I don't think they ever got better. Gilbert is so confident directing the film that he even borrows the "punch" shot from Hitcock's "Strangers on a Train" and "North by Northwest" (where when our hero is hit it appears that WE are a nice use of point-of-view rarely used beyond Hitchcock's films).

In a nice touch Charles Gray who appears as Henderson here appears in "Diamonds are Forever" playing Blofeld (I do find it curious though that EON productions chose not to cast the same actor as Blofeld in more than one film although, at least in the case of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", the character is played by the late bald actor Telly Savalas)in Connery's next-to-last appearance as Bond (his last would be, of course, in the "Thunderball" remake "Never Say Never Again").

The film was so successful that "You Only Live Twice" was used as a template for later Bond movies such as "The Spy Who Loved Me".

"You Only Live Twice" receives a nice looking restoration from Lowry and a very nice HD transfer. The film has nice depth and detail. There are still a few flaws that crop up now and again (for example during a couple of shots of the volcano there's a noticeable line right in the middle of the frame)but, on the whole, "You Only Live Twice".

The sequences that tend to be soft and look the worse for wear are some of the composite shots used in the film which was unavoidable. This also includes the stock footage of the volano erupting at the conclusion of the film.

The DTS lossless audio sounds marvelous highlighting John Barry's marvelous and often melodic score.

The special features have largely been ported over from the previous DVD edition of the film. We get a commentary track that features director Lewis Gilbert (among others)combined with others from the production crew.

Unfortunately no deleted scenes survived for this Blu-ray edition (unlike "Diamonds Are Forever" for example).

We do get "Welcome to Japan Mr. Bond" a made for TV program to promote the film featuring Moneypenny discussing Bond's various adventures. It's a cool vintage extra for fans of the series and is presented in HD.

We also get excerpts from "Whicker's World" a BBC documentary we also get a brief behind-the-scenes glimpse at the locations narrated by production designer Ken Adam.

"Inside 'You Only Live Twice'" is a well made documentary on the making of the movie. We also get a documentary on the opening titles created by the late Maurice Binder for the Bond films. The two short documentaries are presented in standard definition. We also get the storyboard sequence for the plane crash as well as a brief glimpse at the exotic locations used for the film hosted by Maude Adams.

Also included are theatrical trailers for the film, a TV ad, radio spots and "Image Database" which inclues various stills and promo shots for the film.

It's tough to name a favorite Connery Bond film but when it comes to sheer spectacle "You Only Live Twice" was the biggest and boldest of the Bond adventures with its stunning final assault on the volcano lair of Blofeld influencing an entire generation of Spy films. Although my favorite remains "From Russia with Love" followed by "Goldfinger", "You Only Live Twice" is certainly up there with those two films.

Cherrybomb

If you love Rupert Grint for his fabulous sense of humor in the Harry Potter films, you may be a bit thrown off by his fowl-mouth, his crazy awesome accent and his determination to get a girl who, lets just say, is No Emma Watson. Nonetheless, he is brilliant in this film, and his friend, James Nesbitt isn't so bad either! This movie is like Rupert Grint's Driving Lessons in a sense that it is a coming of age story.

CherryBomb is a really cool movie though. Like nothing I've ever seen. There are many parts where you don't know which character to like, because of all the dirty rotten tricks being tossed around just to get this no good, troublemaking girl. The end is a bit shocking. I can usually predict the endings to most movies I see, but this one threw me for a loop.

Overall, very good film.

Don't let the apparent German disc fool you. The movie can be played in original English language. It should play on all Blu-Ray players as well. It was impossible for me to find this in the USA. Rupert Grint (known as Ron Weasley to most) is sexy as hell...and SHIRTLESS in this tantalizing movie. The movie is exciting and on Blu-Ray the picture is excellent. I highly recommend it!

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As hard as it was to watch Rupert Grint play a kid who is every parents nightmare, I'm glad I did. He's brilliant and has bright future ahead of him given half the chance. The other 2 actors are equally as good. Intense and difficult roles to play but they were all up for the challenge. The movie is about 3 teens growing up. I know doesn't seem like much of a stretch, but these characters couldn't be further from who these people are, as I would imagine, in their real lives. Two of them, Luke and Michele, do not have ideal situations. Luke's brother is a thug and his father is a drug addict. Therefore leaving him on a constant quest for trouble and a reason to act out. Michele's father is banging her 16 year old best friend and an all around nutter. But Malachy (who is played by Grint) it would seem is just in it for the drugs, looking to get laid and an all around good time. Which is sad, because it appears he's in a loving family and one that he loves as much. But he can't see further than his troubled friend and a girl they both just met. Which makes his role complex and even more difficult to figure who this kid really is. The movie is troubling in so many ways and your heart really goes out to Luke because on top of everything else he has to deal with, his friend Malachy lets him know after crashing his fathers car (because of Luke) why Luke is the way he is, the look on his face having his besty just tell him what a loser he is and why no one cares (not Malachy words exactly) about him, makes me sad just thinking about it. Tragic story with even more devastating and unexpected ending. I recommend this movie to any Rupert Grint fan and for your Rupert DVD collection because we have not seen the last of him and if that be the case it would surely be a waste of talent. This is a not a movie for children, especially who are Harry Potter fans, due to foul language, drug use and sexual situations. Grint is at is finest acting to date, besides the last 2 Potters. Cheers!

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I love Rupert Grint which made me watch this movie and even though I live in the US and had to watch it on my laptop I still loved it! It really interprets teenage life and how one mistake can get you in a lot of trouble. 5 stars

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This is perfect if you live in the US and want to see this movie. Just change the language to English, and there's no problem.

Halloween II (30th Anniversary Edition) (1981)

In putting together this sequel, the powers-that-be decided to combine several of the strongest elements from the original film(Michael Myers, Dr. Loomis, the strong Halloween atmosphere)with the standard pace of an early 80's slasher film(people getting killed every 5-10 minutes.) For me, this is the ideal combination. There has not been a slasher movie since that I have liked more than this one.

Dr. Loomis is my favorite horror hero, and Michael Myers my favorite horror villain. They both enjoy some of their finest moments in this installment. I find this version of Myers creepier than the later incarnations, where he has suddenly grown into something resembling an nfl lineman. There is something in the deliberate movements, and the angular figure, that is decidedly inhuman. And Dr. Loomis elevates all of this to a far higher level than it could ever have achieved otherwise.His strength,courage, and iron will make him a hero. So does his moral anguish over seeing innocent people butchered. But there is also something in his personality that makes him the ideal adversary for the Bogeyman.Of course, as a psychiatrist, he feels professional responsibility. But it goes well beyond that. There is some part of his imagination that is obsessed with Myers, and some part of his humanity that is appalled by him. These feelings, taken in concert with his naturally heroic nature, make him the perfect combatant for Myers.

This movie has the ideal pace. The story is divided between Myers stalking people at the hospital, and Dr. Loomis working with the local police to track him down. Slowly, methodically, Michael Myers begins to remove the employees of the hospital, as he makes his way towards Laurie Strode.As always, he operates like a hunter, or sportsman. Several of his victims are given opportunities to save themselves, as they were in the first film. This is what sets Myers apart from typical killers-he is rather like an artist of the macabre. If it's too easy, he almost seems to regard it as beneath him. Of all the killings, my favorite is the nurse in the room with the aquarium. That whole scene is beautifully shot and lit, with the aquarium casting all sorts of reflections across the darkened room, and the cadaverous face of Myers gradually coming into view over the doomed girl's shoulder.The murder of the security guard is effective, as well.

The atmosphere is perfect. The long, winding hallways are ideal for a movie of this sort.There are just so many places where Michael Myers could be. The effect is only intensified as the night wears on and the primary lights are extinguished.The music is great, too. It incorporates the basic Halloween theme, but it has been altered enough to set it apart from any of the other films. It's not really a tangible thing: all of the elements just work for me.The doomed people, congregated in the dark hospital. The Bogeyman, always lurking in the shadows.Dr. Loomis, making his way ever closer to the scene of the slaughter.This is a film I never get tired of watching.

I have seen this film in excess of 300 times-perhaps 400-by now. I mention that for one reason..........namely, that you simply cannot watch something that many times unless you really enjoy the process of watching it. For instance, once you've seen something a half dozen times or so, all pretense of suspense is lost. There is no longer any suspense, because you know exactly what is going to happen. You're not waiting to see how it ends, because you know how it ends. Eventually, you know how each and every SCENE ends.

I reached that point, and surpassed it.........and yet I still kept watching it. For one reason........

Just about EVERY SINGLE SCENE in Halloween 2 is either perfect, or at least very, very good. This is the key. When I watch this, I will sometimes skip the scene where the ambulance driver plays the little prank on his lady friend. Not always, but sometimes.And that's it. There is not another moment in Halloween 2 that I find extraneous, even as many times as I have sat through it.No matter how often I've seen it, I never tire of it. And this holds true for virtually each and every moment in the film.

From the crucial scenes, right down to those that appear trivial, and everything in between...........they just got it right.

I have always felt that this was Donald Pleasence's finest performance as Loomis. He simply commands the screen. There is noone like him. This is also one of the most effective incarnations of Michael Myers. His posture, and mannerisms, are so rigid, so unnatural.........he comes across as the very literal embodiment of Death, itself.(notice that bizarre little pivot he does when he turns to spy on that girl through her window.)Decidedly inhuman.

There are just so many great moments in this film. It has an ambience that is all its own. For example, the part where Laurie Strode finds out exactly who it was who had been after her earlier in the evening. This was a brilliant scene, with the music and the way that the room is lit(with the hospital room darkened, and all that light flooding through the opened door when the nurse enters-very distinctive looking). Note the hushed tones, the lowered voices........much the way that people actually speak when they are in a darkened room. Or where the blonde nurse is seeking her, after she abandons her room in her dread of Myers' return. The dark office with the aquarium, as the unfortunate nurse looks in vain for the doctor........but finds someone else. All those macabre reflections, cast in every direction around the room, make it an unforgettable scene. Or the silent silhouette, lurking just behind that screen, as the nurse and paramedic plot their next move.

Want slasher 101? How about the doomed security guard, going to investigate a strange noise? You just know how that's going to end up.

A hospital is such an ideal locale for a slasher film to take place. The long, winding hallways..........all those rooms and dark corners..........It is dark, and quiet, and isolated. And those people who ARE there are going about their business, completely oblivious to the danger.

And, always on the periphery, the Bogeyman is silently lurking and waiting. While his patience is, as Loomis said, 'not human', you know that when he DOES eventually act, it will be with decisive brutality.

But it is Loomis, more than any other single factor, that serves to differentiate the Halloween series from any other slasher or horror phenomenon. He brings strength, heroism, sincerity, humanity, and a will of iron........as well as an extraordinarily distinctive, melodic manner of delivering his lines. Just imagine some of Loomis' lines in the hands of an average, contemporary actor. They'd be diminished, perhaps to the point of being rendered gibberish.

But in the hands of Donald Pleasence, they become lyrical, darkly poetic, profound.

Dr.Sam Loomis-he elevates this series to something that it NEVER could have approached without him. There is simply nobody like him.

For me, Halloween 2 is the ultimate slasher film. I love it more and more over time. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Buy Halloween II (30th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Now

Halloween II is not as good as the original, that is obvious. Many die hard Halloween fans hate this movie and others love it. I would blame some of the hatred on the fact that John Carpneter opted not to direct. This resulted in the movie's lack of tension and dread that the original seemed to master. Halloween II also ups the violence and bloodshed (and random killing which really bothered me). This movie takes place right after Halloween ends. Halloween II benefits from an excellent, at times a little over the top, preformance from Donald Pleasance. Many complain that Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) sucks in this movie because she is so zoned out. DUH! She is doped up. This adds to the fact that she is helpless. The script may have some problems, but Halloween II is the best sequel. This movie, while not holding a candle to the original, is scary, exciting, and will keep you at the edge of your seat. After a climatic and explosive ending, it is obvious that the series should have stopped right there. But NOO, a string of retarded sequels had to be made. From the Doyle's house to Haddonfield Hospital, Halloween II finishes "the night he came home" very well.

Read Best Reviews of Halloween II (30th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Here

"Halloween II" picks up directly at the end of the original film, and sends survivor Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to the hospital to nurse her wounds. Unfortunately for her and most of the cast, Micheal Myers follows. Donald Pleasence and Nancy Stephens also reprise their roles as well.Directed by Rick Rosenthal and scripted by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, "Halloween II" is a very respectable sequel. There is a lot more blood and gore in this one (which came in the post-"Friday the 13th" era), but unlike some of the later sequels, this one still has that "Halloween" feel about it. The finale is also very tense and wraps up the story pretty well -you could view the original and this one without any of the other sequels and have a complete story.The DVD is presented in 2.35:1 ratio and does not contain any extras aside from some brief production notes. But the movie is good, and its a bargain price, so pick it up and make it a "Halloween" night.

Want Halloween II (30th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Discount?

When I originally viewed this sequel, I can remeber being very impress on how the film turned out. I was weary because Carpenter didn't return to direct, but some of my worries were layed to rest after I saw that he both wrote and produced it. Rick does a very credible job directing the feature and surprisingly makes the film FEEL pretty darn close ot a Carpenter film. What I really liked about this sequel is that it takes place right, I mean RIGHT after the first film. It follows the shape (Michael Myers) as he fillows Jame Lee Curtis (who is blatenly wearing a wig) to a hospital, and then the hospital itself becomes a house of horrors. I was more than pleased with only a few complaints. I didn't like how the hospital was always dark (like the lights were never on) and how michael got two bullets straight in the eyes and continued to come (this fact was forgotten in latter poor sequels). That was a little chessy and over-the-top, but forgiveable. The only thing that could have made this film better is if Carpenter himself directed, but even with him at the helm, it might not have turned out much better than this. The next entry HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH, though has nothing to do with these first two films, is a still a good movie. Fans of Carpenter whould also give it a try but stop their. The sequels after that take their audiences for granted and the continuity errors galore as they try to connect to the first two entires.

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Hotel Transylvania (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

Hotel Transylvania, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky from a screenplay by Peter Baynham and Robert Smigel, is an animated comedy/horror-spoof, mostly for the kids but fast-paced enough and with enough humor to keep everyone entertained for an hour and a half. It's not as smartly written as 2010's Megamind or as sophisticated and dazzling as 2011's Rango, but it is fun to watch and satisfying in a popcorn-movie kind of way. Adult fans of old horror films will like spotting some of the more obscure monsters (Brain From Planet Arous anyone?) and picking up on some references that will sail over the head of younger viewers.

The plot begins in 1895 where we find a very paternal Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) looking after his infant daughter not long after the death of his wife. Determined to keep her safe from "the humans", Dracula comes up with an idea to create a sanctuary, a place where monsters of all kinds can come to relax and be themselves without having to constantly worry about humanity coming after them with torches and pitchforks. He directs his servants to convert an old medieval castle hidden deep in the remotest part of Transylvania into a resort/retreat for monsters from all over the world, and voila! the Hotel Transylvania is born. The hotel is staffed, appropriately, by zombie bellhops, haunted suits of armor, housekeeping witches and talking shrunken heads, with a kitchen overseen by an obsessed lunatic chef Quasimodo (Jon Lovitz) and his pet rat Esmeralda.

Of course the years seem to fly by for a parent, even an immortal one, and before Dracula knows it suddenly it's 2012 and the day of Mavis's 118th birthday (that's 18 in human-growth years). The castle is filled with guests, many of them old friends of the family who've come especially for the occasion, including a very domestic Frankenstein (Kevin James) and his high-bouffant wife Eunice (Fran Drescher), a life-of-the-party mummy named Murray (CeeLo Green), a very frazzled werewolf named Wayne (Steve Buscemi in superb form), his highly-pregnant wife Wanda (Molly Shannon) and their pack of snarling hyper-active wolf kids, and Griffin, the Invisible Man (David Spade) who can't understand why he sucks at playing charades.

But this is also a day Dracula has dreaded as he promised Mavis (Selena Gomez) that on the day she turned 118, she had his permission to go out into the world. Compelled to keep his word but unable to face the prospect of Mavis going off into what he feels is a world too dangerous for her, he concocts a scheme to scare her into wanting to stay at the castle. Which works, somewhat to his surprise. But his scheme turns out to have unintended consequences and before Dracula has time to feel relieved, the unthinkable happens a _human_ suddenly appears at the hotel, a young backpacker named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) who "heard about this cool old castle" and wanted to check it out. Panicking, and fearing for the reputation of his hotel if it were found out that a human was on the premises, Dracula quickly disguises Jonathan as "Johnny-stein", a supposed cousin of Frankenstein (actually just a cousin of Frankenstein's right hand, as it were). But before Dracula can get Jonathan out of the castle and out of his hair, Mavis and Jonathan meet and "zing!" it's love at first sight. The rest of the plot is rather predictable over-protective father wants to keep boy away from his daughter, but daughter and boy keep seeing each other but the pacing is kept fast enough and the humor abundant enough that it keeps things fresh and funny all the way through. Particularly in scenes where Johnny's fun-loving nature livens things up by inadvertently starting a horses-and-riders pool fight, introducing some new music over the grumbling protests of zombie-Beethoven, zombie-Mozart & zombie-Bach, and engages Dracula in a floating-table race, causing the stiff and stuffy Count to unexpectedly rediscover what fun is.

The animation, while not ground-breaking, is well done, with a lot of attention to detail which gives the film a level of texture you wouldn't ordinarily expect in a light comedy. For example, at one point Mavis leads Johnny into a cave, the entrance to which some horror aficionados will recognize is shaped like the face of the Phantom of the Opera. While Genndy Tartakovsky is well known for his work producing several successful TV animated series (Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, The Grimm Adventures of Billy & Mandy, The Powerpuff Girls and Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Hotel Transylvania is his first feature film. Fans of Tartakovsky 's TV work might be expecting something more in the distinctive style he used in those shows, but I don't think they'll be disappointed with his choice to be more traditional here. The production design was done by Marcelo Vignali, who worked on several Disney films including Mulan and Lilo & Stich as well as Cloudy With Chance Of Meatballs, and the art direction was done by Ron Lukas and Noelle Triaureau, both of whom also worked with Vignali on 2007's Surf's Up.

The voice cast is excellent. Adam Sandler, whom I don't usually care for as a rule, is actually quite good as the over-protective fatherly Dracula. Andy Samberg brings out Johnny's guileless but ever-upbeat goofiness in a very winning way, while Selena Gomez brings the perfect touch as Mavis, the teenage vampire cutie who loves her dad and all his old weird friends but just wants to get out there and see the world she's only heard stories about. Kevin James does an affable Frankenstein, and Fran Drescher is perfect as his loud and brassy Franken-wife, Eunice. CeeLo Green's Murray is the liveliest and hippest mummy you've ever heard. As always though, it's Steve Buscemi who gets the best lines (or who makes his lines the best ones by his inimitably wry delivery) as the much put-upon buttoned-down-shirt-and-tie-wearing werewolf Wayne. One of my favorite scenes is where Dracula, Frank and Wayne are trying to track down Johnny. Dracula wants Wayne to follow his scent, and Wayne can only sigh wearily and ask "Do you have _any_ idea what years of changing poopy diapers have done to this nose?"

Recommended as a fun enjoyable film for everyone and in particular for classic horror-film fans.

Hotel Transylvania was a really good cartoon movie. The movie is about a young vampire girl Mavis (Selena Gomez) who wants to go out and explore the world. Her over protective father Dracula (Adam Sandler) does not want his young daughter to go out and mingle with humans. He beleives that humans do not like vampires and will try to hurt her but he did tell her that when she turned 118, she could go. The movie centers around Mavis's 118th birthday and her party. All of her monster friends and relatives come to celebrate and they have an unexpected guest.....a human. Mavis falls for the human and the rest as they say, is history. The movie was cute and age appropriate. I took my 5 year old to see this and did not cringe once. She laughed her little head off. I would see it again anytime. I hope you find your Zing!

Buy Hotel Transylvania (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Now

What a fun and heartfelt film Hotel Transylvania was when I recently attended a screening whereby producer Michelle Murdocca (Open Season 2, Stuart Little) explained, "Executive producer and star, Adam Sandler did an amazing job joining this production late in its original inception. It took some 10 years to get this project in theatres," who herself was on the project from the beginning.

Russian born director Genndy Tartakovsky (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) says, "It was a fun an amazing challenge to get this going and it was a real different environment working with a larger studio." His attention to the details made this film work from page to screen.

The story centers around a place where all monsters can go to be themselves. Naturally walking around, celebrating anniversaries, eating as they do, sleeping the way they do, even swimming in pools and enjoying a night of fun and partying. The place (a really creepy castle) was built by Dracula himself (voiced amazingly well by Adam Sandler (Click, Bedtime Stories)) and because of an early accident due to the fear that monsters have toward humans, a tragic accident leaves him to be a single father. Raising and `protecting' his daughter from the outside world.

Mavis, his daughter, who is sharply voiced by Selena Gomez (The Wizards of Waverly Place, Another Cinderella Story) reaches her 118th birthday and decides she needs to see the world because of the sheltered life her father has created for her. Due to a series of mishaps and bad turn of events a `lie' goes very wrong and she soon realizes what she has been hidden from.

In steps a real human, quite by accident, Jonathan, played by Andy Samberg (SNL, That's My Boy), wanders his way into the hotel. Yet another lie, Dracula tries to cover his true human self and pass Jonathan off as a `real' monster. Another thing that Dracula didn't see coming was the moment that Mavis and Jonathan meet and their eyes connect, you guessed it, the real magic of the heart happens.

The screenplay by Peter Baynham (Borat, Bruno) and Robert Smigel (SNL, You Don't Mess With The Zohan) does something that most live-action screenplays try to achieve but never do, it mixes some great fast paced visual gags with a real heart and real believable story. This movie is about a father and daughter relationship as well as misconceptions we all carry with us based on really never checking things out for ourselves.

This film has a great line-up of really hysterical characters including; Frankenstein voiced by Kevin James (King of Queens, Hitch); Mrs. Frankenstein Wanda voiced by Molly Shannon (Superstar, Analyze This); The Wolfman Wayne voiced by Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, Grown-Ups) and his wife Eunice voiced by Fran Drescher (The Nanny, Beautician and the Beast); The Mummy Murray voiced by CeeLo Green (Kung Fu Panda, Kick Ass) and playing the hunchback Quasimodo is the voice of Jon Lovitz (Big, A League of Their Own).

Great for the Halloween theme and in full 3-D, this film was amazingly funny, and full of great classic-style sight gags that you'll probably need to see it more than once to catch them all. "I took a lot of time to make sure this film worked on all levels. From the script to the performances and even the technology in making it," says the director Genndy . And you can really see it on screen!

What makes this animated feature by Columbia Pictures so good, is that it has a very big heart and an extremely relatable story to go with it. The whole family will really enjoy this film!

Read Best Reviews of Hotel Transylvania (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Here

Hotel Transylvania has Dracula (Adam Sandler) as a peaceful monster who just wants a place for him and his monster buddies to have away from humans. So he turns his castle into a hotel. But eventhough Dracula wants to keep everyone inside and safe from angry mobs, his vampire daughter (Selina Gomez) wants to get out and explore the world.

Dracula wants his daughter to think humans are all bad but when a harmless fun loving human (Andy Sanberg) wanders to the castle, Dracula tries to disguise him as a monster and sneak him out quickly. That doesn't go well since he meets Dracula's daughter and they hit it off without her knowing he's a human.

The film may sound more like Hotel Happy Madison, since you have Sandler and his buddies like Kevin James (Frankenstein), Steve Buscemi (The Woofman) and the David Spade (The Invisibleman) doing voice work. However the film is better than most of their live action films and has much more of a plot than Grown-Ups did. I do admit though that it's not laugh out loud funny and that it mostly won me over with it's charm.

Want Hotel Transylvania (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Discount?

there are some good laughs here, but the plot is predictable and full of unnecessary holes, the voice acting is basically a list of cameos from big name comedy with only Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg standing out with any real character.

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Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990)

This 1990 film by writer-director Whit Stillman is wonderfully refreshing and intelligent. It is sure to please audiences with a taste for the avant-garde or those just looking for something a little different.

The story follows a group of upper-crust New York preppies during the Christmas debutante season. These are kids for whom black-tie balls at the Plaza Hotel and charming little soirees in Park Avenue apartments are serious matters. They are the UHB-"urban haute bourgeoisie"-a social circle carrying out traditions so anachronistic as to seem alien; traditions, in fact, which were outdated before these characters were even born.

A middle class outsider and budding socialist named Tom Townsend (Edward Clements) happens into this elite group and briefly livens things up. He shocks them with his leftist rhetoric (he is a devotee of Fourier) and anti-deb outlook, but they nonetheless find themselves drawn to him. Tom finds a kindred spirit in the cynically fatalistic Nick (Christopher Eigeman). Nick is the most self-aware member of the inner circle and he provides comic relief with his devastating ongoing critique of their lives and behavior.

Stillman's characters seem to have everything going for them. They are bright and educated and come from very wealthy families. We learn, though, that privilege is both their blessing and their curse. These children of status are destined to always remain in the shadow of their very successful parents. As one of them puts it, "We're doomed to failure." We come to realize that even though they are well-off in many ways, they still must struggle with the same insecurities and fears as the rest of us.

The characters in "Metropolitan" are the kind of people that F. Scott Fitzgerald knew so well. Indeed, if Fitzgerald had been a director rather than a writer, this is the type of film he might have made. It is intelligent and literate with dialogue that almost crackles with its liveliness and wit. "Metropolitan" gives us a rare glimpse into a world that scarcely exists anymore, if it ever really did. It is a real treasure.

This movie glistens like a piece of old Belleek. Whether in the subtle gold of an off the shoulder evening gown, or in the vast expanse of a deep, plush, ivory colored carpet, nearly every frame shimmers with champagne like iridescence.

And gold is an apt visual metaphor, particularly when juxtaposed against the black satin of a tuxedo lapel or the wintry Manhattan night scape, for a world seemingly vanishing right before our eyes--a world too sleek, too soigné, too genteel to survive the steam roller of galloping blue-jeaned egalitarianism.

That the denizens of this vanishing breed, as depicted in the film, are themselves, insecure late adolescents, make its departure all the more poignant.

"This is probably the last Deb season..." one of them observes resignedly, "...because of the stock market, the economy, Everything..." Yes, everything...the huge smothering subject that hovers all around the plot itself and from which its characters are only temporarily insulated.

In particular, the focus here is on a group of privileged Eastern Seaboard collegians enjoying the Christmas holidays in a series of Park Avenue, "after dance parties," in which they loll about and ruefully anticipate the disappearance of their youth, their success, and their kind.

That they are one at the same time cerebral, immature, literate, prankish, frightened, polished, well educated but vulnerable and inexperienced, puts them well outside the troglodyte teens that inhabit the deconstructionist zoo in most post 1970 films, (with the exception of a unfortunate and mis-placed "strip poker" sequence which violates the picture's otherwise overall mood.)

Indeed, they seem to exist outside their own time, belonging rather to that group Cecil Beaton dubbed "the smart young things" from the 1920's, in his "The Glass of Fashion." Certainly, one imagines them far more comfortable with Ivor Novello than Mick Jagger. And like many "smart sets" they seem rather a closed corporation.

Until that is, into their number unexpectedly arrives a young man of reduced circumstances, Tom Townsend, (Edward Clements) who by virtue of his sincerity and intelligence, is invited to "sup at their table--on a borrowed pass" so to speak. His romantic misadventures with the beguiling Audrey Rouget(Carolyn Farina)forms the cynosure of the charmingly fragile plot.

Audrey and Tom stand out from the pack, in their earnestess and integrity, though it is assuredly Nick, (Christopher Eigeman) their figurehead and chief quip master who is the groups' un-elected leader. As interpreted by Mr. Eigeman, Nick is the embodiment of the cocktail fueled, cigarette wielding bon vivant--trenchant, self absorbed, far from virtuous, and with a ready verbal arrow that never misses its target. He is George Sander's heir presumptive.

Nick's observations are worth the whole price of admission as they say, whether it be bemoaning the Protestant Reformation, the social climbing Surrealists, or the scarcity of detachable collars.

Since the film's short, bouffant,cocktail dresses and automobiles unmistakably place the film in very late modernity--the Reagan era in fact, and long after the Ray Anthony's Orchestra, top hatted milieu it depicts, we cannot fail to miss the film's core observation--the parallel evanescence of the groups' own social connections, as placed against the simultaneous collapse of civilized life as we once knew it.

As the Christmas season ends, so do the nightly gatherings, and each character is forced to come to terms with impermanence--their own and everything else's. In a melancholy bar scene, an older man warns the youngsters of disappointment ahead, "I'm not destitute but...it's all so mediocre."

That Producer/Director Whit Stillman manages to fuse the personal with the sociological in such and intriguing and entrancing way is a testament to the penetration of his vision.

And, lest we miss the point, he includes a cunning shot of a significant book left on bedside table--none other than Spengler's "Decline of the West."

Buy Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990) Now

One editorial review remarks "as the innocent, easily manipulated Audrey..". I seriously doubt it. You really must watch this picture several times before the parts fall into place. Take the opening scene when Tom 'accidentally' runs into Audrey's crowd. As the film later reveals Tom was given the ticket and has been sitting behind Audrey's table all night. He even went to the trouble to rent a tux for the occasion! He went to all this trouble in search of a woman by the name of Serena. The film also makes clear that he has never met anybody in the group. It's Audrey who's been looking him over. When Tom finally meets the woman, Serena, he learns that everybody writes to her and she never keeps any of them. She usually reads the very bad or the very good to her girl friends at the dorm but quickly assures him that his letters were always quite good. In fact her roommate liked them so much that she fell in love with him and kept them. Tom is horrified at this lack of privacy then stunned when he learns that Audrey was the roommate! Audrey wasn't an easily manipulated woman. One can only suspect that she manipulated Tom through the movie with the assistance of friends from time to time. Isn't it interesting that she's reading The Rector of Justin in the tanning scene? Or how she's dressed? Audrey deserves far more study in this film. Tom is far more related to Holly Martins of The Third Man. They are both struggling to learn what's happening around them. This film isn't for the one and done club. It needs more than one viewing to fully appreciate it. It was truly well done.

Read Best Reviews of Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990) Here

Back in 1984, Whit Stillman began work on his screenplay for "Metropolitan", a screenplay that would be completed in 1988. At the time, Stillman ran his own illustration agency but in order to get his screenplay created for the big screen, Stillman sold his apartment in New York for $50,000 and whatever money friends and family could contribute to his project.

"Metropolitan" is loosely based on Stillman's experience while attending his first year at Harvard and while living with his divorced mother during the week of Christmas break. The film focuses on a small group of preps who live in Upper East Side Manhattan and attending the debutante balls during their first year of college. The term "Urban Haute Bourgeoisie" was coined from this film and while many people would consider the film about WASP-students, ironically Stillman's grandfather E. Digby Baltzell was responsible for coining the term WASP.

The film featured intellectual dialogue reminiscent of French New Wave director Eric Rohmer and the film would go on to receive an Academy Award nomination back in 1991 for "Best Original Screenplay", a nomination for Grand Jury Prize (Drama) at the 1990 Sundance Film Festival and winning "Best New Director" at the New York Film Critics Circle Award in 1990.

"Metropolitan" is a film that revolves around a group of Upper East Side Manhattanites who are preparing for a party at Sally Fowler's. Princeton student Tom Townsend (played by Edward Clements) is trying to catch a cab in which the group (known as the Sally Fowler Rat Pack) is also trying to catch. Because Tom allows them to take the cab, Nick Smith (played by Chris Eigeman) invites Tom to join them for their party.

We are introduced to a group of individuals who love to discuss socio-economics, literary discussions, politics and the life of young adults. Tom who is an intellectual himself meets the rat pack leader Nick (who becomes a good friend of Tom and allows him to be part of their circle); the blonde singer Sally Fowler (played by Dylan Hundley); the often-drunk and always sleeping Fred Neff (played by Bryan Leder); the very opinionated Jane Clark (played by Allison Rutledge); the sexy Cynthia McLean (played by Isabel Gillies); the bespectacled and often-opinionated Charlie Black (played by Taylor Nichols) and the sensitive, literary loving Audrey Rouget (played by Carolyn Farina).

After the party is over, it is revealed that unlike his new friends, Tom doesn't live in the Upper East Side. He and his mother try to live with whatever money they have and despite going to a nice college, he tries to conceal his lack of finances by renting tuxedo's and thus he is seen as a man who is skeptical about upper-class values, but even though his new friend Nick figures him out, Nick doesn't mind because of a "severe escort shortage" and that Tom is good in conversations with him and his friends.

Meanwhile, Audrey has fallen for Tom but Tom has always been in love with Serena Slocum (played by Elizabeth Thompson) who is dating a baron named Rick Von Sloneker (played by Will Kempe) who Nick despises.

The film spotlights on the friendship and relationships of Tom and his group of upper-class friends which Charlie has crafted the new name of "Urban Haute Bourgeoisie".

VIDEO:

"Metropolitan THE CRITERION COLLECTION #382' is presented in 1:66:1 color. It's probably one of the few Criterion Collection films that looks its age but considering this was a low budget indie film, I'm not going to be too picky on picture quality. There is a fine layer of grain and I'm guessing noise that can be seen on the print.

According to THE CRITERION COLLECTION, the DVD release is presented in its original Super 16mm. Director Whit Stillman and director of photography John Thomas supervised the new HD transfer, which was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm blow-up interpositive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris and scratches were removed using the MTI Digital Restoration System.

AUDIO:

According to THE CRITERION COLLECTION, the soundtrack for "Metropolitan" was mastered at 24-bit from the 35mm magnetic stems and audio restoration tools were used to reduce clicks, pops, hiss and crackle. The film is Dolby Digital 1.0 and thus is center channel-driven. I chose to set my receiver to stereo on all channels for a more immersive soundtrack.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Metropolitan THE CRITERION COLLECTION #326" comes with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary Audio commentary by writer/director Whit Stillman, actors Christopher Eigeman and Taylor Nichols and editor Christopher Tellefsen. Informative commentary on how certain scenes were filmed, filmmaking with a budget to reasons why some of the cast was stereotyped and unable to find work after "Metropolitan". A pretty entertaining commentary!

* Outtakes (9:23) Outtakes from "Metropolitan".

* Memorial (1:00) Behind-the-scenes footage of line producer Brian Greenbaum who died in 1992.

* Alternate Casting Featuring two alternate castings that were not used in the film. One titled "Record Producer Allen" starring Lloyd Kaufman (2:27) and the other "Nick Smith" (1:52) featuring Will Kempe (who plays Van Sloneker in the film) playing the character of Nick. An optional commentary is included with Whit Stillman discussing why he changed the cast for those roles.

* Original Theatrical Trailer (2:06) The original theatrical trailer.

EXTRAS:

"Metropolitan THE CRITERION COLLECTION #326" comes with a quad-fold insert featuring an essay by Luc Sante titled "After the Ball".

"Metropolitan" is a fantastic, entertaining and highly enjoyable film that many people have probably not heard of.

And after they see the trailer or read a little about it, I wouldn't be surprised if people tend to pass on the film because of its unknown actors and that it is a film that focuses on upper-class WASP students. Correction... as the Charlie would say, "Urban Haute Bourgeoisie" (or "UHB") students which are neither a preppie or a WASP but a member of a group that because of its specific status, has nowhere to go but down.

It's a film that showcases intellectual conversation, engrossing dialogue and for those who are able to follow it and understand the humor within the film and its witty dialogue, you will easily find "Metropolitan" quite entertaining.

It's pretty interesting because I tend to bring up a film such as Eric Rohmer's "My Night at Maud's" or his earlier films in which the conversations were intellectual and engrossing but its what made Rohmer's films so intellectually stimulating. They weren't meant for humor, "Metropolitan" is well-crafted for one to follow it and just laugh of the exchanges between the characters.

I absolutely enjoyed how the screenplay is written and the conversations that Stillman includes in this film. For example, here is a conversation between the literary loving Audrey and the intellectual, Fourier admiring character, Tom.

AUDREY: I read that Lionel Trilling essay that you mentioned. You really like Trilling?

TOM: Yes.

AUDREY: I think he's very strange. He says that nobody can like the heroine of "Mansfield Park". I like her. And then he goes on, and on, about how we modern people of today with our modern attitudes bitterly resentments for the park because its heroine is virtuous. What's wrong with a novel having a virtuous heroine?

TOM: His point is that the novels premise there is something immoral in a group of young people putting on a play is pretty absurd.

AUDREY: You found Fanny Price unlikeable?

TOM: She sounds pretty unbearable but I haven't read the book?

AUDREY: What?

TOM: You don't have to read a book to have an opinion on it. I haven't read the bible either.

AUDREY: What Jane Austen novels have you read?

TOM: None. I don't read novels. I prefer good literary criticism. That way you get both the novelist's ideas as well as the critics thinking. With fiction, I can never forget that none of it ever really happened, that its all just made up by the author.

This is just but one of the few conversations featured in the film.

"Metropolitan" is probably one of those romantic comedies that definitely does its best in showcasing the life of young Manhattan debutantes. And I have read that because Stillman's father was an attorney for President Kennedy (and his parents was divorced), he had the opportunity to see life in both worlds of rich and not rich at all and definitely provided some insight to the (disappearing?) lifestyle of young upperclass students.

I loved the characters of this film. Personally, with the way the film is ostentatiously written, especially how characters (especially Charlie) who has this opprobrium feel to his fellow upperclass friends, he senses doom. In no different of how a conservative views a liberal. I loved the character of Audrey who is the most reminiscent of early Rohmer films with her discussions of literary likes. And as a person who took part in high school book clubs to have these literary discussions, I have found Tom the most interesting of them all. Not just in regards to his comment of not reading novels and following criticism (because even those of us who review films are guilty of reading reviews and essays from Sarris, Kael, Rosenbaum, Agee, etc. of films we may have not seen yet) but it's his take towards the upperclass and not being a fan of the debutante balls but yet hangs out with the UHB's and thus, there is a hypocrisy that begins to be unraveled as he starts to sort out his emotions and the way people around him have started to have an affect on him.

By no means is "Metropolitan" a film that is pedantic nor does it asks its viewer to be an erudite on literary and socio-economic topics. But it does make for an engrossing film for those who know what the characters are talking about and for the most part, this is an independent film that it so well written and for a low budget film that deals with the upperclass, Whit Stillman has done a fantastic job with this film and definitely helped set things up for the writer/director for his next two films "Barcelona" and "The Last Days of Disco". If anything, it has been over a decade since we have seen anything else from Stillman which is a shame because he is fine director and I hope we continue to see more films from the director.

As for the DVD, it may not be a release that has the typical CRITERION COLLECTION style of being loaded with bells and whistles, nor may it be one of their better looking films in the collection but for those who are fans of Stillman's work or a person who is craving for humorous but smart, engrossing dialogue will find "Metropolitan" to be to their liking.

Overall, "Metropolitan" is a film that I very much love but by saying that, I know this film is not for everyone. But still "Metropolitan" is definitely a DVD release still worth recommending!

Want Metropolitan (The Criterion Collection) (1990) Discount?

Whit Stillman's "METROPOLITAN" is the brilliant and clever study of late 80s-early 90s youths in Manhattan, living would-be intelligent and affluent lifestyles as they wax philosphical on every topic which lies at their fingertips (ultimately, they just want sex)...

Chris Eigeman is way more charming and funny than he has any right to be as the smarmy and downright obnoxious fraud who one night, by chance ?, befriends a Conan O'Brien look-alike in a baje-colored overcoat.

It's through this meeting that our hero (the carrot top) meets Audrey, a charming and sadly insecure young lady who finds him intriguing, if he would only reciprocate those feelings. Yes, the heartstrings and nerves of these bright young things are very tangled, indeed.

Stillman, who made his fearsome, forceful writing-directorial debut here, has crafted a bittersweet and wonderfully eloquent take on the yuppie lifestyle and the love lives of a particular circle of friends within that strata of society.

The great news: The Criterion Collection, known for their brilliant and astonishing treatments of great films, have wisely decided to release this film for the first time ever on DVD! On 2/14/06, "Metropolitan" will be available to own with, I'm sure, some great extra features! If we could just get another Stillman commentary (like on the "Barcelona" DVD available from Warner Home Video), then we'd be in business. Anything else is just gravy.

This is a masterpiece of ultra-independent cinema, with a young first time writer-director strutting his stuff and leaving an indelible impression of his viewers. This is where Stillman gets a loyal audience. And it won't just be available in the Netherlands anymore!!!

See also: "Barcelona" (1993) and "The Last Days of Disco" (1998), at least while waiting for Stillman to get off his bum and do another film!!!

PLEASE!

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Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode II: Attack of the Clones /

Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]

I'm a first-generation Star Wars fan since 1977, having seen the original versions of the original three films in the theater one time each as a child, then falling in love with them all over again on VHS in 1987. And I've been a huge fan ever since. The Star Wars Saga is the ultimate epic space opera and film series.

This isn't actually a review of the movies most of you reading this will have seen one or more versions of dozens of times, although this review will discuss some of the changes made to the films.

I actually own the six-film Star Wars Saga blu-ray set linked above, and I reviewed that. The movie discs in this product are 3 of the same discs from the larger Saga set, so I thought I would edit that review down to only discuss the prequel trilogy discs themselves and post it here. This is meant to be an overview with personal observations and select commentary thrown in.

DISC PHYSICAL QUALITIES

The discs themselves are heavy-duty, yet smooth and well-coated with scratch resistance the best available in retail products I've seen. The discs themselves do not have any images they are light grey with blue trimmings. The discs have the previously used logos of STAR WARS with the episode subtitle underneath, both on top of the episode number in the form of a large Roman numeral.

THE FILM DISCS

This is as good a place as any to mention that there are two audio commentary tracks for each of the films of blu-ray. There are the same ones from the previous DVD versions of these films, and then new commentaries compiled from "archival interviews with cast and crew". I don't enjoy listening to commentaries while watching adventure films, but I will force myself to listen to the new tracks once (as I did for the original DVD commentaries).

As I have only had one frame of reference for viewing the blu-ray films, I thought I should first specify what that is, in case my experiences are in any way relative to my equipment and viewing conditions. This may mean more to you than it does to me. My blu-ray player is a Sony BDP-S350. My HD TV is a Sony Bravia KDL-40V4100, a flat-screen LCD with a diagonal of a little over a meter. My blu-ray player and TV are both almost 3 years old. My line of vision is exactly 90° to the plane of the TV screen, and my eyes and ears are at a height equal to about 1/3 up from the bottom edge of the screen. I'm sitting such that the distance of my head to the TV screen is a little more than the width of the Death Star's thermal exhaust port.

The Films on Blu-ray

All three films sound and look awesome in HD! Even Revenge of the Sith, which had the least room for improvement, is substantially better. All three films sound and look awesome in HD! I fully appreciate all the effort that had to go into improving the resolution of over 6 hours of high-quality sci-fi entertainment, frame-by-frame. Coruscant from space is breathtakingly gorgeous!

There is one significant exception in the HD upgrade. A very logical and fitting artistic choice was made in the rendering of the holograms of characters. Throughout the all six movies, it looks like the holograms were not upgraded to HD, now looking somewhat pixilated compared to the surrounding "reality" they are projected into. This of course is easily explained in-universe as they are just not high-resolution transmissions, and I feel this actually works to improve the illusion of the entire scene seeming real. The holograms are now an intentional vestige of the analogue age, left behind to honor the origin and evolution of the Star Wars films themselves which began as motion picture projections but have now become the ultra-realistic-looking digital media. A very nice touch. And the hologram effects also seems more unified between the two trilogies now.)

A significant improvement that the HD upgrade also provides is a solution to a common criticism I have ran into since 1999. Over the years I have heard many Star Wars fans express that the addition of GC characters and objects into the films seems unrealistic, in not only the updated versions of the classic trilogy but even the prequels. Ironically, these fans seem to have no trouble accepting the un-reality of rubber muppet characters, but CG is somehow unacceptable in their vision of the Star Wars universe. Well, now muppets, rubber masks, human actors and CG characters can all exist in visual harmony together, thanks to the wonders of HD. The increase in resolution seems to have unified the apparent realities of them all. Now the real-world elements of the scenes have been "raised" to the same level of visual reality of the CG elements, resulting in the CG elements seeming to much more naturally blend in with their surroundings. This adds in a whole new level of visual realism to the films, perhaps being the greatest achievement of these new blu-ray versions of the films.

Now I'll go into more detail about some of the blu-ray enhancements and changes specific to each film.

Episode I: The Phantom Menace

The effect for the Jedi Knights speeding away from the droidekas on the Trade Federation ship has been improved. The original effects error of the two-headed pod race announcer's hand passing through his vest was fixed.

The big change that even the die hard purists don't seem to mind so much is the complete and utter removal of that awful imitation Yoda muppet. The TPM muppet bore a vague resemblance to the original muppet from the sequels, but I thought that the TMP muppet could at most pass for Yoda's crazy spice-addicted brother. I know some fans that feel the CG Yoda model from AotC and RotS was not as good as the original muppet, but even they would agree that the prequel CG model looks a lot more like the original muppet than the TMP muppet did. And in blu-ray the CG Yoda in all 3 prequels looks more realistic now, so I'm very happy with this change.

Episodes II: Attack of the Clones & Episodes II: Revenge of the Sith

These mostly only had minute editorial tweaks like the exact transition between scenes, moving a couple reaction shots and dialogue lines to a slightly different part of a scene. The only really somewhat significant change is adding a line of dialogue in AotC where Anakin is having a nightmare about his mother while staying on Naboo. Shmi Skywalker's voice is now heard pleading for Anakin's help with the echo effect (signifying it is a thought or dream in Anakin's mind). It does accomplish the addition of a little more urgency to the drama of the film.

FINAL WORDS

You may not agree with all the opinions I expressed here, but if you are reading this then you must be a Star Wars fan of some kind on some level. If so, then do yourself a favor and watch all six films on blu-ray at least once, even if you have no intention of ever owning them. You'll see much more than I could possibly ever hope to describe in words. And if you wish to criticize the blu-ray versions after viewing them, at least you'll then have an educated opinion for doing so.

In my first viewing of Star Wars: The Complete Saga, the rich Star Wars multiverse has deepened in a way I couldn't have even imagined before seeing the films on blu-ray. While still not perfect, my favorite films have just gotten an incredible amount better. As impossible as it previously seemed, I'm somehow now even more of a Star Wars fan than I was before. But this blu-ray release has also reminded me that EVERY version of any Star Wars film is awesome!

If you have any questions, please feel free the ask. If you have also seen the blu-rays and want to comment on them with respect to my review, please also feel free. May the Force be with you.

I am baffled by some of these reviewers who are climbing a soapbox about the industry and Lucas. For those of us who are patient, a box set with cost saving and a SPECIAL BONUS!! Slim cases so shelf space is minimized!

EXCELLENT!!

About a rush to market, snatching up media related to STAR WARS as soon as it hits the shelf. If you don't like the movies themselves or the packaging or the recording quality that is one thing. Whining about your own gullibility is quite another. Let me clue you in. If Lucas makes or includes special features, enhancements and the like ... he will not fail to promote that. Investigate the product before you buy. And to those of you who didn't even buy any products but are just looking for places to gripe, this is not the appropriate place.

This is the excellent product that I anticipated to the point of not buying any of the movies when they first released to video. It is as much as it promises to be. (I expect the same to be true of the other volume containing ep. 4-6.) If you like space saving box set bundles without a lot of extra bells and whistles, this is for you.

These sci-fi movie fantasy adventures, though a bit juvenile in their scripts and exhibitions, have become family classic adventure movies that inspire the imagination and adequately entertain a growing audience. A series of perennial favorites well on there way to becoming "timeless" classics.

Buy Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode II: Attack of the Clones / Now

A good opportunity to get all three films at slightly less than buying them separately. There's nothing new here, so it's only good for those who don't own any of the three films already.

Read Best Reviews of Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode II: Attack of the Clones / Here

For all the flaws that the Prequels may have, they're still highly enjoyable films, with just as many memorable scenes and quotes as the Original Trilogy. I think it's great that they're keeping the movies out there for any new generation to purchase (not that DVDs are that hard to come by of course), and really it's nice to have a convenient box set. So it's a good deal, if, you don't have the movies already. Otherwise, it's just another stepping stone in the journey towards the much wanted "Ultimate" box set with all six films. We can only hope!

Want Star Wars: The Prequel Trilogy (Episode I: The Phantom Menace / Episode II: Attack of the Clones / Discount?

I really just want to take a few paragraphs to let you know what this product is.

Basically, each of these movies got a 2-disc release when they were released on DVD. This box set has taken those 2-disc sets, and packaged them into a smaller case so in order to minimize shelf space. The "Original Trilogy" (Episodes 4-6) slimset is a debatable purchase, because it doesn't include the bonus disc that came with an earlier deluxe set. But this "Prequel Trilogy" is a better deal if you're planning to buy these movies.

As for the extras:

* I love "The Phantom Menace" content, especially the 90-minute making-of documentary that shows everything from cast readings to sandstorm carnage to special effects meetings to George Lucas quietly beginning his "Episode II" writing. And say what you will about the quality of the movie, but Fox and LucasFilm did an excellent job of advertising this movie. Even its promotional extras are worth watching.

* "Attack of the Clones" is another solid batch of extras. They mostly focus on the special effects, but there are some good interviews and behind-the-scenes stuff with the cast. Another all-around strong package.

* I'm slightly disappointed with the "Revenge of the Sith" extras. The main documentary is producer Rick McCallum going through the different departments of the cast & crew. He even talks about the caterers! Now, this is a fascinating way to explore the making of a movie, but the problem is most of the content (especially the special effects clips) focuses on the Mustafar sequences. I would've loved to see more on the opening space battle, not to mention Kyshhykk (sp?) or General Grievious. The bonus disc is good enough, but a huge stepdown from the other two prequels' material.

So, if you want to buy the "Prequel Trilogy", this is the way to go. Sure, you can probably find some cheaper copies of the original releases, but why bother?

Oh by the way, "YES! I LIKE THE PREQUEL TRILOGY. I PREFER EPISODES 4-6, BUT 1-3 WERE QUITE ENTERTAINING FOR ME.

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The Broken / The Butterfly Effect 3 (Double Feature) (2011)

i am very pleased with this movie. i only wanted 1 movie but got 2 for the price of 1. and i didnt have to wait long to receive them either. thnnk you

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Ransom (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996)

RANSOM is probably Ron Howard's most fully realized film to date. Howard helms a tense, literate script, without letting its potential maudlin come through. Mel Gibson, who has "ruined" his career with the 350 million dollar+ gross of THE PASSION OF CHRIST (Notice tongue in cheek, folks) shows us what a powerfully commanding actor he can be. His role as the tortured, yet committed, father is beautifully performed. Mel doesn't parlay his looks into establishing his popularity. The Australian is a very good actor, and in some ways, has never been recognized for the fact. Rene Russo is amazing, too. Starting off in a cool, I've got things under control aura, she melts into a desperate, crazed, and passionate woman who loves her husband dearly, but can't believe he's risking their son's life. Gary Sinise once again brings a mercurial sense of villainy to his role as the mastermind behind the kidnapping, and his coldhearted murders only enforce his psychosis; Delroy Lindo as the head FBI agent gives a sturdy, tense and compassionate portrayal; Lili Taylor is devastating to watch as she crumbles under the pressure of her part in the kidnapping, but her cold hearted willignness to kill the little boy is frightening; Liv Schrieber and Donnie Wahlberg as the brothers are convincing, in view of their relatively little time on screen.

I liked this film a lot because it touched my emotions in the way a thriller of this type should. Nail bitingly good, it's one of Gibson and Howard's best works.

While I think the movie is great, I thought everyone should be warned that this is the exact same non-anamorphic transfer as the previous release. Amazon's technical details are in error. The back is absent of any 16x9 markings. Popping the movie in confirmed this. Stay away if you're looking to upgrade from the first disc.

Buy Ransom (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996) Now

Although this is actually a remake of a 1940s film in which the protagonist turns the tables unexpectedly on his child's kidnappers, this very well produced film directed by Ron Howard is quite contemporary and sophisticated. Mel Gibson shines as the controversial developer who has had shady dealings with union reps on his way to fantastic wealth, and is pursued unsuccessfully by the FBI even while they are suddenly called in to help on his son's kidnapping. When things go from bad to worst, Gibson takes control of the negotiation, and suddenly all hell breaks loose.

This is an entertaining and quite suspenseful film, wth a terrific supporting cast that includes Rene Russo as Gibson's wife, Gary Senise as a duplicitous local cop, and Mark Wahlberg as one of the kidnappers. The plot takes some interesting twists and turns, and although it is nt predictable, all works out quite well in the end. Or does it. In order to see, you'll just have to watch this very well made suspense thriller for yourself. Enjoy!

Read Best Reviews of Ransom (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996) Here

This movie isn't like most Hollywood flicks about ransom, it's actually completely different! The entire cast and supporting cast does a surpurb acting job. RANSOM is about an extremely wealthy, multi-millionaire, Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson). Tom is an airline owner, and his top priority in life is his family that includes his wife, Kate Mullen (Rene Russo), and one son, Sean Mullen (Brawley Nolte). Soon, an enemy of Tom Mullen and his gang are after Tom's money. To get what they want, which is about a million dollars, they kidnapp Tom's son, Sean, while the family is at a district science fair in their hometown of New York City. Tom and Kate are so desparate to find Sean and bring him back home that they will do just about anything in their power to bring Sean back alive and safe. All throughout the film, the guy who kidnapps Sean (I forget his name), tries to give Tom clues on how he can get his son back and where he is. The ending of this film may surprise some people, because it's definitely not the usual ending of a Hollywood suspense film. A must-see for any Mel Gibson fan and is very well-worth watching even if you don't like Mel Gibson. I very much enjoyed it!

Want Ransom (15th Anniversary Edition) (1996) Discount?

Of course the movie deserves 4 stars, however I wish I could say the same for the DVD. What does it take for DVD company to release each DVD enhanced for 16x9 TVs? Nothing!

Recently I bought a SONY BRAVIA 32 INCH display and I have a collection of over 600 Dvds. I learned now about "Enhanced for 16x9 TVs" and how important it is, I did not care about it or even know about it since I own a standard TV, however all my Dvds are Region 1 and in widescreen, I never buy fullscreen Dvds. So I did an inventory on my collection and realized the following:

Out of 600+ Dvds, 42 are NOT enhanced for 16x9 TVs and they really look horrible when I played them on my PC. Anyway, according to my inventory.

THE FOLLOWING MOVIES / COMPANY HAVE FAILED TO PRODUCE ANAMORPHIC OR 16X9 WIDESCREEN and I hope that these company will release them in the near future so that we can enjoy them on our TVs.

MGM:

Runaway Train

Graduate

No Way Out

Prizzi's Honor

FX

Shallow Grave

Thief

House Of Games

Dead Man Walking

Misery

The Eye Of The Needle

Overboard

PARAMOUNT:

Private Parts

48 Hrs

Coming To America

Primal Fear

The Ghost And The Darkness

Breakdown

UNIVERSAL:

Day Of The Jackal

Psycho (AVAILABLE IN THE RECENT HITCHCOCK'S BOXSET AS ANAMORPHIC)

Vertigo (AVAILABLE IN THE RECENT HITCHCOCK'S BOXSET AS ANAMORPHIC)

The Game

FOX:

Abyss (I WAS SHOCKED TO LEARN THAT MY 2-DISC IS NOT ANAMORPHIC, NOR IS THE LATEST DIGIPACK EDITION)

Raising Arizona

The Edge

Great Expectations

Rising Sun

The Ref

Romancing The Stone

The Jewel Of The Nile

ARTISAN:

House Of The Spirits

The Last Seduction

The Last Emperor

The Eagle Has Landed

Bound

PS: PLEASE ARTISAN, INSTEAD OF RELEASING 'BASIC INSTINCT' FOR THE 4TH TIME, WHICH MOST HAVE ALMOST THE SAME SPECIFICATIONS, CONSIDER RELEASING SOME MORE INTERESTING MOVIES WITH PROPER ATTENTION SUCH AS THOSE MENTIONED ABOVE.

TOUCHSTONE / WALT DISNEY:

Ransom

What About Bob?

PS: IT IS A GREAT NEWS THAT TOUCHSTONE ARE RELEASING 'ENEMY OF THE STATE', CRIMSON TIDE' AND 'CON AIR' IN EXTENDED UNRATED EDITIONS ON MAY 16. I WISH THOUGH THEY DID THE SAME WITH 'RANSOM'

WARNER:

91/2 Weeks

Presumed Innocent

NOTE THAT WARNER STUDIO IS RELEASING ONE OF THE BEST 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION SUCH AS 'SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION', 'HEAT', 'MALCOLM X', 'DOG DAY AFTERNOON', 'ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN' AND MANY MANY MORE.

The reason why they don't release every DVD in widescreen enhanced for 16x9 is beyond me since soon Widescreen Tvs will replace standard ones.

IT IS A RELIEF THAT AMAZON IS NOW STATING WHETHER THE DVD IS ANAMORPHIC OR LETTERBOXED.

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