Jet Li's Fearless / Unleashed Double Feature (2005)

I love a good Jet Li movie now and then, and this blu-ray set happens to be 2 really great Jet Li movies! Fearless is probably the better of the two for its epic scale and wonderful set pieces, but Unleashed (AKA Danny the Dog) is also a very good movie that has easily one of the best acting performances of Jet's career in it.

You really can't go wrong with this set. A worthy addition to any martial arts movie fans collection.

this review is on the blu ray disc of the movie -

movie5 / 5

video4.5 / 5

audio5 / 5

this is a great buy for two great movies.

blu in both cases were top notched in both video and audio.

you just can't go wrong with this purchase.

Buy Jet Li's Fearless / Unleashed Double Feature (2005) Now

Jet Li's greatest achievement in making a hero a real down to earth person. Fight scenes unbelievable!!! A must see!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Jet Li's Fearless / Unleashed Double Feature (2005) Here

Subtitles for me make this double feature great for me. Getting both movies for a good price is an added bonus.

Want Jet Li's Fearless / Unleashed Double Feature (2005) Discount?

These two movies are some of my favorites. This is a great bundle pack. I recommend it to everyone. Jet Li and fighting just go hand in hand.

Save 15% Off

Father's Day (Blu-ray) (2011)

One would be wrong to assume this is some sort of sequel to Troma's Mother's Day, even more wrong to assume that it's as heinously terrible as some of the no-budget clunkers this company has recently been known to put out. That being said, this movie was actually written and directed by Canadian film troupe Astron-6, and not Lloyd Kaufman, so the first things you might notice are the above-average production quality and slightly better acting.

The overall grindhouse style isn't too far off from Hobo With A Shotgun, or the early Troma Classics, like Toxic Avenger and Class of Nuke 'Em High. An ex-priest goes on a vengeance-fueled journey to track down the infamous Father's Day Killer. Excessive violence, gross-out humor, and an over-the-top plot make this essential viewing for anyone who likes gritty and absurdly offensive low budget entertainment.

This is Troma's crowning achievement in my opinion. A movie so foul, disgusting and funny that you just cant seem to take your eyes off of it. If your a fan of bad movies, sexual depravity and gratuitous blood & guts then step right up, pop some popcorn, sit back and prepare to have your mind blown.

Buy Father's Day (Blu-ray) (2011) Now

Ahhh, Father's Day...where to begin? The violence. The butt rape. Revenge. Demons. Strippers with chainsaws. Maple syrup. Tasty berries. A sexy priest. A gay prostitute. Did I mention the stripper with the chainsaw?

Father's Day is a wild, violent, sometimes trippy, sometimes old-school, always fun little flick best viewed at night (the film even opens with a commercial telling you you're watching it late at night, a midnight movie so to speak) and with a group of friends who are ready to laugh.

Boy watches father raped and killed, gets eye cut out, grows up, wants revenge, kills wrong person, goes to prison, 10 years later is let out, seeks peace in the woods. That's only the first 5 minutes! What happens next will please fans of other Troma releases, as well as fans of "Hobo With A Shotgun" and "Planet Terror", two other films that are a little more well-known but equally as good.

The film gets even crazier when our group of heroes go to hell, literally.

Good for a few laughs and some over-the-top gore/nudity. Movie: 4/5 stars.

The blu-ray has good video quality, considering the source material was made to look like an old movie much like "Hobo With A Shotgun" and "Planet Terror". Some scenes have a lot of detail to them, while others don't. Video: 4/5 stars.

Audio is okay at best. I wasn't particularly blown away, but it serves the "feel" of the movie well. Audio: 3/5 stars.

There aren't any extras on this one-disk blu-ray edition, though I've heard other editions of the movie come with more disks and some extra content. I own this version, the single disk blu-ray, with only a theatrical trailer. Extras of single-disk blu-ray: 0/5 stars.

Overall: 4/5 stars. I don't find this film as memorable as some of the other crazy films I've mentioned, especially "Planet Terror", but its still good and provides some fun entertainment for fans of this genre. Video is good, Audio is okay. Rent it if you're not sure. Buy it if you enjoy other films in this genre.

Rating: Not Rated, likely NC-17. Language is comical, Nudity is raw and Sexual content tends to be very mature. The violence is over-the-top and extreme, but some of it can be shocking (genital mutilation, for example) and some of the violence mixes in with sexual content, making it possibly uncomfortable for some viewers. Ages 18 and up.

Read Best Reviews of Father's Day (Blu-ray) (2011) Here

Didn't know what to expect with this film at all. To be honest, I have never seen a troma film before this one and after watching it, I get the hang of there crazy ways. This is one of the most hilarious, disturbing and full blown brutal movies I have seen of its kind. Bought off impulse and pretty Damn glad I did. Bloody, sexy, nasty and wrong in many ways (I mean all that in the best possible way of course.) Stay away if your not familiar with this kind of film, but if you enjoy some messed up and dark entertainment than try it out. Gotta get back to my maple tree now, happy fathers day!

Want Father's Day (Blu-ray) (2011) Discount?

This new slice of Troma sleaze is an absolutely out of hand gore fest. Excellent 70's/Grindhouse feel with all the guts you could ever want. I highly recommend this film for anyone who can appreciate the out-of-control low budget sleaze that Astron-6/Troma wear like a badge of honor!

Save 25% Off

WORLD AIRPORTS : Sexy St Maarten (2011)

I almost don't know what to say about this one. The Blu-Ray quality is excellent. They alternate between airport views of takeoffs and landings, and in air footage, which is unique for Just Planes. And, they do what I have wanted them to do for a while in the Blu-Rays, which is take us on whole flights from one angle, instead of cutting in and out. So we fly in Twin Otters from island to island, sometimes in the cockpit view, sometimes hanging outside the aircraft, sometimes in the cabin. All good.

We get every Boeing jet model except early 737 and 777. Lots of 737 variations, 717, 727, 747-400, and 767. Airbus 320, 330, and 340. Brazilian too. Plus many different prop planes including a former Eastern Air DC-7, and a former Western Air as well. All good.

The runway ends at the beach, as in you could throw a shot put from the beach to the runway, the aircraft pass less than 50 feet over the beach on landing, and the jet blast on takeoff literally blows people away.

Try this:

to see a photo of what you'll see. The aircraft landing: good, particularly the KLM 747-400 landings and takeoffs.

On the other hand, we get lame classical music instead of ATC on the cockpit portion of the in flight. And, about half the time the runway video is watching the fools on the beach. Fun the first couple of times, but mostly a waste as the video goes on. Bad.

And the ugly. There are numerous cheap shots of women in and out of bikinis on the beach, and fat guys in speedos. There is actual nudity at least three times, and not of Playboy model cute women, this being a topless beach. There is a gratuitous shot of a bent over woman from behind with small bikini bottoms. You might not want to show this video to your kids. It's at least PG-13 if not R rated.

Queen's Blade Rebellion: Complete Collection

If you thought the original Queen's Blade series could not be topped,you will be delightfully surprised at this,the third "season". Claudette,the Thunder General and the oldest sister,is queen. She has abolished both the nobilities and the Queen's Blade tournaments and declared herself the eternal queen.Rebellions are rising and new heroines are introduced.

There is Yuit,an elf and editor-in-chief of a newspaper and her constant companion,a "female" robotatic warrior named Vante that wears pink panties and has serious real-looking hooters,

Liliana, the bodacious female pirate captain of a flying square-rigger,

Mirim,an innocent,sweet-hearted and hard working teenager that is impressed into servitude by the Iron Strategist for Claudette,

Ymir,who was the Iron Mountain Dwarf in the previous series but is now the Iron Strategist and one of the central characters of this series,

The Ragged Warrior,this series heroine who is the last of the Kreutz nobility;

Elina,the ever-horny incestious youngest sister of Claudette and Liena;

Leina the Wandering Warrior and principle herion of the original series now in a much-reduced role and one that seems to have narcolepsy as she suddenly falls asleep,( for reasons that are probably meant to be discovered in the next season);

the previously defeated queen is now a new bride with amneasia,

The most outrageous new cast memeber is LunaLuna,the Sun/Moon Dancer that would be less provocative wearing nothing at all instead of the "ceremonial" false penis that she uses to good "effect" to open the temple door.As quirky as she is,she adds immeasurably to the story.

Melona,the "pink rabbit" minion of the Swap Witch,makes a late but critical appearance;

The new angel in charge has an orthopedic wing;

Add two dine-and-dash sisters,an Inquistioner that gives a blessing by hoisting her skirt...and an octopus.

There are magic stones when placed on a females "three points" can turn a sweet girl into a unstoppable warrior,and a woman with dragon blood in her veins that is the slave of a gremlin...

Well,you get the picture. This is sheer delight and fun and,quit frankly,more entertaining than the prevous series. Highly recommended for late (17+)teens and adults.

Save 14% Off

The Infidel

Great movie. It jokes around with both Jews and Muslims, but never in a mean-spirited way. Good to see a movie representing moderate Muslims in some way on film Americans need to see more of this. The British sense of humor is very sharp as well.

I saw this movie at the Tribeca FF 2010 and it's great. It's so funny. It takes on a really dangerous subject and makes it hilarious, and, in the later sections, moving. It's a comedy that has something to say. Plus you don't have to be Muslim or Jewish I'm neither to get the great gags!

Buy The Infidel Now

Mahmud's mother passes away, and while cleaning her house, he finds out he was adopted. And it gets better; he was born Solly Shimshillewitz. Oy vey.

A Londoner of Pakistani descent has a enough trouble; his dad past away a while ago and his mom just died, his son is marrying the step-daughter of radical imam, but his wife loves him despite his numerous flaws. Then he finds out he was born Jewish, and it is off to the rodeo as he tries to come to terms with his heritage and upbringing.

The more you know about both Jewish and Islamic culture, the funnier this movie will be. Mahmud nee Solly learning how to shrug properly, and his dream/nightmare sequence are worth the price of admission. It's only a movie, and a comedy at that, but it does hint at interesting dynamics in London Pakistani homelife, and the complexities of both cultures.

I enjoyed it a lot, but a lot of the comedy will pass by folks not familiar with the cultures involved.

E.M. Van Court

Read Best Reviews of The Infidel Here

I'm glad this popped up as an instant play title on a movie rental site I subscribe to. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with a title like "Infidel", with a man dressed in Muslim attire eating a bagel! Well I was pleasantly surprised and entertained this is a movie that pokes fun at two different cultures but does so in an irreverent and funny manner.

Mahmud (comedian Omid Djalili) is a moderate Muslim who may not be fully observant but considers himself a true believer and takes pride in his family (wife, son, and young daughter). His mother's death brings a secret to light Mahmud was adopted, and his birth name was Solly Shimshillewitz! This revelation predictably upsets Mahmud and causes him great confusion. What is he to do? Can he reveal his secret to his wife, children and close friends? Given the strife between the Palestinians and Israelis and the general climate of distrust between Muslims and Jews, how is Mahmud to reconcile his Jewish heritage and his Muslim identity?

Fortunately, Mahmud finds help in Lenny (Richard Schiff). Initially, both men are almost enemies, constantly bickering and fighting, but when Mahmud discovers his Jewish background, he turns to Lenny out of desperation. This results in some truly funny moments Lenny teaching Mahmud how to shrug, how to say "oy vey", and prepares Mahmud for a 'rite of passage', accompanying Lenny to a bar mitzvah! This may all be funny, but there is also a sense of poignancy. Mahmud's efforts at getting in touch with his inner Jew has to do with his attempts to meet his dying Jewish dad who is in a nursing home.

Amidst all this, Mahmud also faces the problem of how to handle his son's impending marriage to the step-daughter of a radical Muslim cleric. The scene where the cleric comes to Mahmud's house to check his family out is one of the funniest in the film. Mahmud can't bear to think what will happen if his secret is found out...what is Mahmud/Solly to do? The acting by Omid Djalili is amazing, and he is able to credibly convey the comedic elements of his character's plight as well as the poignant moments. The portrayal of the Muslim and Jewish cultures is well done and though the movie does poke fun at both cultures, it is a balanced portrayal. The supporting cast is equally brilliant and the result is a farcical comedy that entertains.

Want The Infidel Discount?

I bought this with high hopes after reading the amazon reviews, but unfortunately the reviews don't include a few details that some may find important. First of all, the movie sounds like a lot of fun, but if you are not into the F-word you may have a hard time with it. The dialogue is filled with the F-word, to the point that you begin to wonder if any other single word is used as often. I realize that some people may talk like this (apparently the director does), but it did not seem to really fit the personalities (or the circumstances) of the characters, seeming forced and oddly disconcerting. For me (and the friends I watched it with), it took away from the message of the movie, which I really liked and had high hopes for. I would have liked to share this with family members, again because I think the premise is great, but will not be doing that. In fact I can't imagine watching it again so will probably just toss it. Without the language I'd have given the film 5 stars. Anyway, if you don't mind the overly coarse language you may enjoy this, but you should at least know what you are in for.

Elite Squad (2011)

I loved this movie. It was largely panned by American critics, never even making it to American theaters, except for maybe one or two in NYC (none in LA).

The film provided a valid, complex viewpoint of some of the problems that modern-day Brazil faces. If you look at comments of reviews of this film on major publications' web sites (like NYTimes, LA Times, etc), you will see that the overwhelming majority of comments are from Brazilians who: 1) loved the movie, and 2) stated that the movie got the situation right.

The film shows the point of view of patriotic police officers that want to do right by their country, although they are confounded by their fellow police officers, the well-armed drug dealers, the bought-off constituents of the slums (favelas), as well as the leftist middle class that excoriates the police on the one hand for its heavy handed tactics as well as its corruption while at the same time sustaining the local drug lords by buying their product.

It is the film's viewpoint towards the leftist middle class that I think doomed the film to never get a proper showing in the US. That, and the fact that this "honest" police force feels obligated (and in the eyes of some in the viewing public, justified) to use extra-judicial, heavy handed tactics to get results in fighting crime.

SEE THIS FILM!

Wow, what a great movie! Let me first say that I am extremely picky about movies and have found myself watching fewer and fewer as time goes by, mostly because most movies now seem to be boring and pointless. So when I do, on a rare occassion, enjoy a movie, for me it is unusual. I didn't just enjoy this movie though, I loved it. In fact, I did that rarest of things I watched it twice!

This movie focuses on the efforts of an elite Brazilian police unit in Rio and their efforts to reduce drug-related crimes. It is violent, compelling, entertaining and a first-class movie experience. Why? Because this movie avoids all the stereotypes of other cops versus drug-dealer movies, especially the simplified good guys vs. bad guys Hollywood take. It is also surprising and rewarding to see the drug war through the eyes of Brazilian culture as opposed to an American view.

The movie focuses on two young policemen, their experiences in the corrupt local police force, and their progression into joining the ranks of BOPE, the "Elite Squad" of the movie title. It is narrated by Captain Nascimento, the leader of a BOPE squad who is desperately trying to find a replacement for himself because after ten years in BOPE the stress and tension is causing him severe physical reactions, and he longs to spend time with his wife and newly born son.

This movie is AWESOME for two reasons I believe. One is that the voice of Nascimento is compelling and beautifully haunting; just listening to him speak in Portuguese as the movie plays will send shivers and chills through your body. Do not ever, ever, get a dubbed version of this movie, it would destroy the magic here. The second reason is that the movie is so highly realistic. All the characters are complex, three-dimensional, believable human beings, and their actions, reactions, and motivations are all perfectly in sync with their characters. There are no wrong, silly, or false notes played in this movie, it all rings true. The drug-dealers (trafficants) and believable, the corrupt police force is ultra-believable because the movie shows why they are corrupt, and the BOPE officers, shown through Nascimento, are completely believable as they struggle against both their corrupt peers and the desperate trafficants. This is no silly, Hollywood shoot 'em up, this is the real deal and it is my favorite movie this year. It's going into my top ten movies ever list.

Buy Elite Squad (2011) Now

The movie is quite violent, so it will appeal to action movie fans, but more than that, it is a social movie.

I was born and raised in Rio, close to one of the many favelas in that city.

Years ago, I attended the same university one of the characters in the movie did. The students there are accurately depicted. They are upper middle class students that preach peace and social services, but while doing that, they also smoke pot. When I didn't see any problems at the time, but now, I can see the hypocrisy of preaching peace, but also financing the violence by smoking pot.

I also have a really good high school friend that's a Capitain now in the PM (Military Policy). He's not part of that Elite Squad, but he's an honest cop. So while severly underpaid, there ARE honest cops out there.

Not really a movie review, but a rant, but this movie was quite realistic and nostalgic for me.

Read Best Reviews of Elite Squad (2011) Here

or something roughly translated to that effect is the motto of BOPE, The Brazilian special operations police outfit.

The story 'Tropa De Elite' tells the story of Captain Nascimiento, a captain in a BOPE squad, who because of personal and family issues wishes to relinquish his command and is in search of a worthy successor for his job. The story is a parallel to the life of 2 close friends, Neto and Matias, young and idealistic who join up with the regular police force and quickly learn the murky truth behind the corruption and extent to which it has permeated to the entire echelons of the police force. Frustrated with their role at being mere facilitators of this level of corrupt activities, they decide to take charge and do some good for the society as well as the police force.

I will not get into the specific details for the sake of sounding like a spolier, but during the course of this they come into contact with Captain Nascimiento during a hostile interaction with drug dealers from the favelas and they sign up for BOPE.

The rest of the movie revolves around the completely different personalities of Neto and Matias and how the Captain must decide who has more courage, integrity and dedication among the two friends, for the job of a BOPE captain.

One of the most intense scenes in the movie, is the course of the BOPE training that Neto and Matias have to endure.

Additonally, It also deals in a very humane manner as to the pressures the people in BOPE face and thei families as well, much to the romanticism of the whole concept, their lives are equally under a great deal of stress and issues.

But it conveys a very brutal and realistic truth, as to who actually encourages drugs and their sales and the inevitable violence that accompanies it. In the end, it is the very people that use drugs are the ones who encourage (both indirectly and directly) the whole crime in society, by and large

Its a very powerful and remarkable film, this is going to be a must buy in my collection when it becomes available. I would definitely recommend for you to see it.

Want Elite Squad (2011) Discount?

Tropa de Elite (Elite Squad) shows us the day of a member of BOPE, a urban task force existent in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Inspired by the book 'Elite da Tropa' written by a former Captain of this task force (Capitão Nascimento), Tropa de Elite will give you the inside look on a 'favela', the training of BOPE, their personal problems and, even with all the bad things and the danger of being a member of BOPE, the desire and strength shown by young people who believe in good.

This is definitely, a 5 star movie.

Mademoiselle Chambon (2010)

MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON is a delicate, quiet interlude in the life of a construction worker in a little village whose gentle life is momentarily disrupted by the awakening of feelings of infatuation and the aftermath. Based on the novel by Eric Holder and adapted for the screen by Florence Vignon and director Stéphane Brizé, this little miracle of a movie is what the French do best understated appreciation for passing passion in a world of ordinary days.

Jean (Vincent Lindon) is a construction worker happily married to Anne-Marie (Aure Atika) and adoring father of young son Jérémy (Arthur Le Houérou) and loving son of his retired builder father (Jean-Marc Thibault): he spends his hours away from his work tutoring his son with his wife and bathing his father's feet. Jérémy's new schoolteacher is the very reserved but kind Véronique Chambon (Sandrine Kiberlain, in life the wife of Vincent Lindon!) who requests that Jean speak to her class about his occupation as a builder an assignment Jean is flattered to accept. The presentation goes well and Véronique hesitantly asks Jean to repair a window in her home. Jean accepts the job (Anne-Marie thinks it is such a kind gesture that she asks Jean to invite Véronique to lunch). Jean replaces the window for the quietly reserved and anxious Véronique, and afterward Jean, noticing that Véronique plays the violin, requests she play for him a 'tune'. It is obvious that the peripatetic teacher is lonely, and it is also obvious that Jean is struck by the fact that a woman of education and musical talent would pay attention to a simple construction worker. In a weak moment the two exchange a kiss and that kiss alters the manner in which each of these two gentle people react to life. The results of this chance encounter play out in the conclusion of the story, a story so tender and yet so grounded in the realities of life that it takes the viewer by the heart and doesn't let go.

The many varying moments of intimacy, whether those moments are between Jean and his son, Jean and his father, Jean and his wife, and Jean with Mademoiselle Chambon, are photographed like paintings by cinematographer Antoine Héberlé. The entire cast is excellent and the performances by the five leading actors are superb. The musical score consists of original music by Ange Ghinozzi with a generous sampling of music by Sir Edward Elgar and others. This frail bouquet of a film appreciates silence, the unspoken word, and the natural emotions of ordinary people living ordinary lives. It is a multifaceted treasure. Grady Harp, December 10

Movies like Mademoiselle Chambon restores my faith in modern cinema. I had about enough of insipid romance dramas that lack any true emotion and appear contrived. When this movie title popped up as a recommended watch on Netflix, I thought I'd give it a try. This is one of those movies that stay with you long after the credits have rolled. It will appeal to those who appreciate a narrative that unfolds at leisure, taking its time to develop the characters, where there may appear to be too many long scenes of nothing much happening, but everything is done in a manner so as to convey the very real emotions experienced by the main characters.

The story centers on Jean (Vincent Lindon), a happily-married family man whose life is devoted to work (in construction) and his family, consisting of his wife Anne-Marie (Aure Atika), who works in a factory, their young son Jeremy (Arthur Le Houerou), and Jean's aging father. Everything seems to be clicking along fine, though the viewer senses life for Jean has settled into an all too familiar and monotonous rhythm. When Jean goes to pick up his son from school one afternoon, he meets Jeremy's teacher, willowy, sad-looking Veronique Chambon (Sandrine Kiberlain). She asks if Jean would be kind enough to talk to the children about his work, and he hesitantly agrees. During the presentation, one senses some sort of attraction developing between the two, and this attraction develops when Jean agrees to fix Veronique's broken window. It is at her apartment that Jean discovers Veronique's talent for playing the violin, and the haunting strains of her playing, with her back to Jean, cements the strong attraction between the two. Despite the social differences between the two, this developing romance is credible given that Jean senses Veronique's loneliness, and Veronique in turn sees a strong, gentle man in Jean. Both are also connected by their common love of music.

However, these are two decent people, caught in a difficult situation how are they to act on their natural impulses and give in to their undeniable attraction for each other when Jean is married to a kind, loving woman and has a son to provide for? This movie explores not only the theme of forbidden love, but also of the choices individuals make and the consequences they live with. It reminded me of Falling in Lovewith Robert de Niro and Meryl Streep, but this is far superior in its execution.

The two leads are compelling in their portrayal of the quiet Jean and shy Veronique there is a haunting quality to both performances that had me riveted to the screen the entire time. Even mundane scenes, like when Jean is bricking up a wall is significant as it shows Jean's torment and struggle within himself. There are many such scenes in this movie slow, unfolding, tender moments that just stay within your heart and leave indelible impressions on one's mind. The soundtrack is also beautiful the strains on the violin and the mesmerizing voice of the singer at the end went perfectly with the final, memorable scene. A beautiful, lyrical movie that I will not soon forget.

Buy Mademoiselle Chambon (2010) Now

Saw this wonderful film at the City of Lights, City of Angels (COL/COA) French Film Festival in Los Angeles last spring, and I have been waiting until now for it to be available on Blu-Ray. If I can use a metaphor, watching this movie is like enjoying a wonderful French pastry...just sweet enough, with wonderful flavors, where often American romantic films can be compared to a Hostess donut. I am hesitant to give much in terms of description...check IMDB.com for one. I will just say that I was in a theater with hardened cineastes reduced to tears when this wonderful, romantic movie was over. I have been doing missionary work getting all of my friends to see this movie, and now with it coming to DVD and Blu-Ray, my work will be much easier.

Read Best Reviews of Mademoiselle Chambon (2010) Here

I simply loved this touching, beautiful love story. Sandrine Kimberlain is magical in the title role and Vincent Lindon had never reached this level of acting before: so far, his finest acting achievement. Slow-paced, somehow melancholic and very life convincing, the story of "unintentional" infidelity will take your emotions high. By far, one of the 10 best foreign movies to open in Chile in 2011. Don't miss it!

Want Mademoiselle Chambon (2010) Discount?

I loved this movie! I was not familiar with Sandrine Kiberlain prior to this film, but I really enjoyed the way she played the school teacher.

To say understated is not enough. The chemistry between her and Vincent Lindon is excellentI later learned that they were married at one time. Basically, it is the story of Landon and his wife and son who live in a small town in France. Kiberlian is his son's teacher, who invites Lindon to speak to the son's class about his profession(contractor). Later she asks him to repair a window in her apartment, and the attraction starts. You know from the beginning this is a no win situation for all involved, but the director handles it with much sensitivity. This is the type of film that would probably not do well here in the U.S.no car chases, no rock soundtrack or familiar Hollywood stars. Just a well acted, sensitive portrayal of everyday people caught in a real-life situation.

Save 29% Off

Pixar Short Films Collection 2 (2012)

This is the second collection of Pixar Shorts, but the first one that I've seen. I have to admit that I loved the Toy Story films and "UP" was one of my favorites but I've missed "Cars" and it's sequel and the others.

The Bluray at hand contains a dozen shorts, clocking in at 75 minutes. Each can be played with, or without, the Directors' commentaries. (So you get about 2 ½ hours of entertainment in the base package). The other bonus is really neat. It's a selection of seven "Student Films" from the three top Pixar directors: John Lassiter, Andrew Stanton and Pete Doctor. These were made in the late 1980s and each one (they run about six minutes each) is introduced by the Director. Some are just animated line drawings with sound while others are more fully realized and were shown in the Mike and Ike Animation festival. All were new to me and I found them fascinating and fun.

As to the "core dozen", there are both what I'll call "funny" and "serious" shorts and not all use the CGI method of animation. Two are offshoots of the film "UP". The first features Dug, the dog. It's okay. The other "George & AJ" shows that the senior, Carl (Ed Asner) in "Up" was not the only one who wanted to escape the retirement home. I liked that one.

There are two offshoots of "Cars" with the hayseed pickup, Mater, telling "tall tales". Clever.

"Toy Story" has two offshoots too and they are a hoot! "Hawaiian Vacation" does a real job on Barbie and Ken (especially Ken) as they try to leave the toy chest for Hawaii. The other "Small Fry" takes digs at Fast Food "meal deal prizes". Wonder where all those outdated toys from movie tie-ins that failed go? You (and Buzz Lightyear) will find out here.

"Day and Night" is a wordless piece as is "Partly Cloudy" and what I'll call the "serious" ones. This is a case where you'll get more out of it after you hear the commentary track.

While "Small Fry" was close in the "funniest short in the set", the hands-down winner is the opener: "Your Friend The Rat". Two characters from "Ratatouille" present in about seven minutes the "History of the Rat", just like the old Disney Educational cartoons of the 1950s did. Director Jim Capobianco uses 2-D, hand drawn animation as well as other "old school" techniques along with CGI in a short you'll watch a few time just to catch the jokes and clever satire.

As fellow reviewer N. Schoenfeld pointed out in his "review" (actually a "preview" since he had not yet seen the collection) the Bluray set is pricey, but I'm not reviewing price here. The images are sharp even on my 30 year-old standard def TV screen and there is an amazing amount of creativity here. The "Cars" and "Toy Story" shorts will appeal to small children (but they won't get a lot of the "inside" jokes"). They'll probably be bored with the "serious" ones and the less flashy "Student Films" too. But adults who love great animation will find a lot in this set to enjoy!

I hope you found this review both informative and helpful.

Steve Ramm

"Anything Phonographic"

If you like Pixar Shorts and want to watch them all in one place without popping discs in and out this is a great deal.

However, there are two ways this falls short of the first volume:

1) The first volume had some Pixar stuff that had never been collected along with specials/shorts from the various title discs. Everything on this disc is found elsewhere.

2) The first volume had a "Play All" option which was great for just popping the disc in and watching. This volume doesn't seem to have that feature which means you have to keep selecting the next short to watch. My kids love watching these and I frequently popped the first disc in while working in the kitchen or on a drive to occupy them and now this is no longer an option for the second volume.

Buy Pixar Short Films Collection 2 (2012) Now

Anyone who has seen Pixar shorts, knows how wonderful they are. The content on this disc is no exception. But this is a product review, so the value of the product as well as the film itself should be taken into account.

Considering this product is the price of a feature film release, and that there are 40 mins of content here, and 50+ mins of content on volume 1, I don't see the value here. It would be better if all shorts up until now were contained on one set, and with a greater amount of special features. (These special features do exist, but unfortunately you have to buy all of Pixar's feature films, along with their shorts, to get them all). I wouldn't be as critical, but Disney is notorious for releasing something, then re-releasing it, followed by a re-re-release a year later.

Read Best Reviews of Pixar Short Films Collection 2 (2012) Here

If you have volume 1 it is the same with 4 shorts added, 2 are Mater. I was disappointed that I spent 20 for 20 minutes of new film.

Want Pixar Short Films Collection 2 (2012) Discount?

I give the videos 5 stars, but...

They made the disc so that each short has to be selected and started from the menu. In other words, there is no "play all" selection. My kids want this video on all the time, but I can't always be there every 5 minutes (literally) to select/start each short. Even when I am sitting and watching with them, I don't like to have to keep selecting each individual viewing.

Epic Fail for whoever came up with this menu idea.

The first PIXAR shorts disc isn't like this. Come on PIXAR! The shorts are the best thing from PIXAR as of late. Now this? I think quality control is slipping.

Save 36% Off

Dead Alive (1992)

As you likely know, if you're reading this, Dead Alive is fairly widely regarded as the goriest movie ever made. Having not seen every movie ever made I'm not prepared to declare it as such, but it's certainly the goriest movie I've ever seen. By far. To give you a bit of perspective, I would say Day of the Dead and Riki-Oh probably come closest of the films I've seen, and Dead Alive has got to be at least 5 times gorier than either of those films.(And that's probably a conservative estimate) This fact alone should make it mandatory viewing for anyone interested in Horror films.(Of course, this isn't actually a horror film; I don't think it genuinely tries to be scary even once. But, the gore-comedy is primarily of interest to horror fans, naturally)

As one would expect, this film has it's roots in Re-Animator and the Evil Dead films, but it manages to find it's own style and tone. Evil Dead II was wildly over-the-top and energetic while Re-Animator was pretty subdued and deadpan much of the time. Dead Alive, directed by the now highly famed and lauded Peter Jackson, is somewhere in between, certainly not as controlled as Re-Animator, but nowhere near as flat out weird and kinetic as Evil Dead II.(at least not from beginning to end.) And yeah it's pretty funny, though perhaps the majority of the non-gore related humor tends to fall flat. It's also more purely good-natured and fun-loving than any of those films.(Perhaps this is related to their New Zealand accents) I don't know if it's necessarily better than any of those films, it's a tough call, but they're all in the same league, and fans of one ought to like the others.

Inspiration is frequently in short supply in the non-zombie related scenes, but their are enough zombie scenes that it doesn't matter too much. The characters are extremely broad caricatures, including the cute, naive love interest, the dorky, buttoned down hero, the evil controlling mother and the conniving, greedy and chauvinistic uncle. Naturally characters don't matter a whole helluva lot in this film, but, for what it's worth, both Paquita and Lionel are reasonably likable as the protagonist. The film ain't much on plot either, as it's pretty much just a series of comic scenes involving Lionel's attempts to keep the zombie outbreak a secret, and then their collective attempts to simply destroy them. Personally, I find this structural format to be perfectly fine. The less plot the better, when it comes to this sort of film.

The gore is so ridiculous and over-the-top that it's hard to imagine how anyone could be offended by it, though it is quite gross at times. The gore itself particularly reminds of the original Evil Dead, as it emphasizes goo and moistness, and the zombies look fairly reminiscent of the demon-possessed individuals from that film. Although the gore isn't nor is it trying to be realistic, the execution is often more professional and well done than I would've anticipated. Going into too many specifics would be terribly time consuming, but their are a few things that demand pointing out. The single best gore effect would have to be towards the beginning of the film, when the nurse gets her head ripped off. (most of the way, anyway) And, the much famed lawnmower massacre towards the end of the film is classic, and has some surprisingly nicely done effects to go along with the sheer over-the-top insanity of the scene.(The effects I'm referring, in specific, to some of the shots of the limbs getting shredded into nothingness) And, the stop-motion animated sumatran rat monkey is quite fun as well.

Yeah, this movie is pretty great. Not quite the all time highpoint in gore, in my mind, however. I think that Riki-Oh is funnier on the gore front, and am more impressed by some more serious films that display more realistic gore. But Dead Alive still does what it does very well.

You might come in with the wrong expectations for this movie, it's primarily reputation is for it's gore. Which is deserved, even in the more widely available slightly-tamed down version that's more commonly available in the US, by the end of the film nearly every inch of the screen is covered in blood and guts. But don't neccesarily expect something frightening because of this, the movie is overall more funny than scary, from the ridiculous premise for the zombies' origin (a cursed Samarian rat-monkey imported to New Zealand) to the myriad bizarre and quirky characters and of course a lot of gross-out humor. At times it almost resembles what would happen if Monty Python made a zombie movie and ran as far with the blood and gore as they possibly could.

You'll enjoy this movie if the following apply to you:

1) the phrases "karate priest", "baby zombie", and "rat-monkey" piqued your interest.

2) You liked Evil Dead II and Army Of Darkness, and are definitely not in the camp that the series went downhill once Sam Raimi started adding in comic elements

3) You're not at all squeamish about blood and relish completely over-the-top bordering on implausible gory death scenes.

4) You have a general taste for cheesy b-movies.

Buy Dead Alive (1992) Now

When you think of blood and gore, movies such as, Hellraiser, From Beyond, Evil Dead and Re-Animator may come to mind. These movies, however, are merely kindergarden class to this blood drenched classic. All the reviews I've read say this is probably the goriest movie in history. I'd have to agree with that sentiment.

The story about a young, shy man named Lionel(Timothy Balme) who takes care of his domineering mother. Lionel meets up with a young woman in a little store named Pakita. She persues Lionel and gets him to accompany her to the zoo. While spying on the couple Lionel's mother is bitten by the Sumatran Rat Monkey. After being infected with the bite she becomes a hideous undead creature. Lionel, however still takes the time to care for her and all of the others that will become infected with this disease.

If your looking for a frightful movie then this movie would not be for you. The storyline is weak but when you have so much blood, gore and guts on the screen do you really care about a story? This is definitely the goriest movie ever made. Scenes include a rib cage being pulled out, plenty of body dismemberment and the best scene, chopping up dozens of zombies with a lawnmower plus much more. This movie splills more blood than the elevator scene in Stephen King's The Shining. Just describing these scenes and talking about the movie gives it no justice in just how gorey it is. You gotta see this movie for yourself. The dazzling special effects are courtesy of Richard Taylor.

Read Best Reviews of Dead Alive (1992) Here

When I first rented "Dead Alive," I got it from a Blockbuster store. A critic on the front of the box was quoted as saying "This is the goriest and funniest film I've ever seen!" I watched the movie, and wondered how anyone could have found the film "gory" OR "funny." To me, it just didn't make sense, and it seemed just plain stupid and boring. Of course, what I didn't know then was that the movie had been cut, and almost 10 minutes of additional gore was missing. If you think about that, that's a LOT of gore (a death scene takes what, 5 seconds?). SO, since I couldn't find the unrated version anywhere, I ordered it and watched it last night. NOW I see what the critic was talking about. Ironically, by taking out all the gore, Blockbuster simply made the movie more disturbing and strange. WITH all the gore, it's nothing short of hysterical. Here's a small comparison between the R and unrated versions:

1) right away, the first man to be bitten is practically mutilated in the unrated version. He right hand and left arm are seen chopped off. In the R version, neither scene is shown, just him screaming.

2) the "lunch" scene is MUCH funnier in the unrated version. Lionel's mother squirts blood into the guests pudding. We watch him eat the pudding. Then her ear falls off into her own pudding, and she eats that, too, sending another guest running to the bathroom. In the R version, we have to imply that she has squirted blood into the pudding, and the ear never falls off (which makes for much confusion later when it's quite apparently missing).

3) when the nurse comes to check on Lionel's mother in the unrated version, the zombie grabs her face. Mother's fingers meld into the nurse's face, and eventually put it backward at a 90 degree angle. This makes for some hysterically disturbing scenes later where she just can't seem to keep her head on straight. In the R version, we see the Mother pop up behind the nurse, but see nothing of the gore. By cutting that violence, though, any future reference to the nurse's head problem is therefore not funny--just confusing.

4) The Party at the end: Where to start? In the R version I saw, the party is a totally confusing, strange, and illogical event. Zombies suddenly pop to life, people run, people fall, and then suddenly Lionel shows up with a lawnmower and everyone dies. In the UNRATED version, I watched in horror and amusement at some of the most grisly, but way over-the-top death scenes I've ever seen. People are beheaded, disembowled, and mutilated. One man's ribs are pulled out while he watches. Another woman is punched so hard from behind that the hand comes through the back of her head and out of her mouth. It's powerful stuff--but much funnier when shown.

Bottom line: UNRATED VERSION: 5 stars R Version: 1 star Stay away from the Rated R version!

Want Dead Alive (1992) Discount?

First, let's get one thing straight: This is not a horror movie, and it's not intended to be a horror movie. It's a comedy, ok? Yes, it is probably the goriest movie ever made, but it's use of blood and violence is so completely over the top, it crosses into the realm of hilarious by fifty Sumarian rat monkeys' heads.

I generally try to avoid overly gorey movies myself (I'm not particularly sensitive or anything, it's just that 99.9% of 'em [... stink]), but "Dead Alive" sort of goes beyond that. If monsters in the basement, kung-fu priests, zombie-babies and alternative uses of lawnmowers seem like your kind of thing, you could do far worse than watching this.

On the other hand, those of you looking for high drama and a thought-provoking plot would be best adviced to search elsewhere. The original title, "Braindead", is a bit more appropriate I think.

Speaking of original, the American unrated version on sale here is not uncut. My copy, subtiteled "Red Edition" (wich speaks for itself, I guess) runs about 10 minutes longer than this version. Probably nothing vital to the plot, but you gore-hounds out there might want to check it out. It was released by a German company called Laser Paradise, and it's plagued by the cheesiest (unskippable) CGI intros I have ever had the misfortune of viewing. Apart from that, it comes highly recommended.

Wings of Desire (The Criterion Collection) (1987)

No movie that I see on a regular basis makes me feel so powerfully the joy of being alive as this one. Although many films and numberless and sappy television shows since 1987 have used angels of one dreadful sort or another, Wim Wenders managed to success while all the others failed. Working from a story by celebrated writer Peter Handke, Wenders takes angels that seem to have more in common with Rilke's Duino Elegies than the Bible or the New Age angels. Their function is to watch and observe and record, and in their own limited fashion, to comfort and commiserate. The trick wasn't to come up with the gimmick of angels being able to listen to the thoughts of humans, but to make those thoughts beautiful and representative of all that is quintessentially human. The trick wasn't to have the angels see in black and white and the humans in color, but in making what was seen, whether two or many toned, beautiful. One has only to see the absolutely appalling CITY OF ANGELS, an English language remake starring Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage, to see that having gimmicks isn't enough; you must have substance as well.

This is not a perfect film. There are some dull moments, and I thoroughly dislike a couple of moments in the film, in particular, Dommartin's speech to Bruno Ganz in the bar near the end of the film. But there are so many magnificent moments, so many moments where they not merely get something right, but produce a moment of almost transcendent beauty, that WINGS OF DESIRE provides more than entertainment, but something akin to a reason to live. The movie becomes in the end a celebration of life, of all the tawdry elements that go into being human. The movie ends in affirming nearly as many things as Walt Whitman does in "Song of Myself."

I love the cast. Bruno Ganz is perfect as Damiel, the central angel of the story. Likewise, Otto Sander's face is the perfect receptacle for all that he witnesses on his silent rounds through Berlin, while Solveig Dommartin is so sympathetic a character, so lovely, that one could imagine an angel or anyone else yearning to be with her. And Peter Falk turns in a remarkably quirky character role, playing himself on location in Berlin. The city itself emerges as a major actor, providing what is certain to stand as the last great visual representation of Berlin in the last couple of years before the Wall fell. Curt Bois was a veteran character actor who was a staple in Hollywood films in the 1930s and 1940s, playing a vast number of waiters and tailors and hotel clerks (he plays the pickpocket at the very beginning of CASABLANCA). In what would be the last role before his death, Bois appropriately plays "Homer," the ancient man remembering all that had occurred in Berlin in the past several decades, playing the role of human witness to counterbalance the angelic witnesses.

This film and UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD, a Wenders film that followed this one in 1991 have to have two of the best soundtracks I have encountered. Subtract either "Six Bells Chime" by Crime and the City Solution or "From Her to Eternity" by Nick Cave, and this would have been far less of a film, and the scene where Solveig Dommartin changes in her trailer while listening to Nick Cave do "The Carny" might be the best scene in the film.

I first saw Wings of Desire in 1988. It is impossible to tell someone what this movie is about. They best way to describe it is to tell that you will learn from it. It shows you what it is to be alive, appreciate life, and to fall in love with the world around you. Bruno Ganz and Otto Sander are gorgeous! They fit very well together. Solveig Dommartin was a joy to watch. Her use of multiple languages to display her thoughts and emotions was very well done. Curt Bois fit into his role 100% and was superb. Peter Falk was a splendid addition to the film and also fit nicely with his use of English and a tiny bit of German. This movie teaches about Cold War Berlin and the wall that divided the city. It teaches you to strive for what you desire in life because you can get it if you really want it. Wim Wenders and Peter Handke were geniuses with fitting all of this together. This movie is totally not Hollywood style. There is no sappy romance or most of the cast getting shot to death in brutal ways. There is no script cast in stone. It pulls at your heart and your mind and never becomes tiresome or boring. It does not tell you step by step the plot. It gives basic ideas and lets you decide in your heart how you will feel the film. Wim Wenders is brilliant! Berlin has changed so much since Wings of Desire was released. Wim Wenders has kind of frozen time and preserved this era of Berlin for us. It does not show Berlin as some beautiful majestic town like a Hollywood film would. It shows how the people are a kind of eclectic group kind of pushed together and pulled apart in this walled off land. Wim Wenders gives a lot of behind the scenes info in the angels among us section of the DVD. Wim Wenders' director's commentary is priceless. He answered questions that have been in my head for the last 15 years. He is very generous with all information and takes a lot of time to explain all. A Hollywood director would never do this! The DVD is like a double feature. The movie (in German) is one part and the film history, historical city data, and personal information (in English) provided by Wim Wenders about Berlin makes a second part.

Wings of Desire is a nice film for German students. Bruno Ganz and Otto Sander speak German beautifully and clear. They use every day vocabulary so it gives good practice with sentence construction.

Do not bother with the American version City of Angels. Maybe it is easier for us in the U.S. since it is in English but it was a complete waste of film. The American version kills, more like savagely butchers, all the Wings of Desire cast worked so hard for.

I would give the DVD 10 stars if I could.

Buy Wings of Desire (The Criterion Collection) (1987) Now

I'll confess that I've had problems in the past getting into some of Wenders' films. Many go too over the deep end on the existential and intellectual elements and result in my ending up feeling alienated. This film, however, leaves one feeling connected to the entire world plus infinity. There is an inspiring romance (in German cinema no less!) between angel turned-to-mortal Bruno Ganz and a beautiful circus performer. Before he becomes a mortal, there are wonderful moments of him and the other angels standing guard over us mortals, listening and watching us. I felt as if I were immersed in an epic poem in those scenes. This film is also beautiful, flowing like a painting and done in a mixture of black & white plus color. There are wonderful acting moments throughout by the entire cast but especially by Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk. I haven't seen Ganz in a role this good since he played the Count in "The Marquise of O" for Fassbinder. I tried watching the American remake of this movie, "City Of Angels" with Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan and couldn't bear watching what we (Americans) had done to this Cannes' award winner. Well worth owning, this film can be watched over and over, just like any great piece of art.

Read Best Reviews of Wings of Desire (The Criterion Collection) (1987) Here

This is a one of a kind cinematic experience, it's like nothing you've ever seen. Inspired, poetic, lyrical, mystical, beautiful, touching, all this and more, and yet the description of this movie is hard to put into words. The premise is excellent; the adventures of angels hovering over Berlin. Beautiful black & white and color imagery. The poetic dialogue is profound and beautiful, the whole cast is priceless especially Bruno Ganz and Peter Falk. Expert direction by Wim Wenders. Beautiful movie about angelic romance and has a way of reminding us of what we have and of being more grateful that we are living, it makes you ask yourself questions, and some are mentioned in the film; "Why am I me, and why not you, why am I here and why not there, where does space end and where does time begin. Truly a one of a king movie. From a scale of 1-10 I give this movie a 10!

Want Wings of Desire (The Criterion Collection) (1987) Discount?

This is a film about angels in Berlin before the wall came down. These are angels that Rilke would have understood. Not sentimental like It's a Wonderful Life, and infinitely more intense than it's wannabe remake as City of Angels.

Peter Falk plays himself in a way in, well, you have to see the movie to understand, but it is one of his best roles, and I don't want to give away any of the incredibly rich plot.

Part of it's charm and intensity are in the conversations between the angels and also how they try to help us on the plane of thoughts and emotions. These angels go everywhere, even to the circus, where some small children even see them and they nod to each other. Oh, yes, and who can ever forget the scene in the library where the angels hover above readers of all ages, listening to their thoughts, wishing for them, it seems....

And listening the the thoughts of the young streetwalker, the man about to commit suicide, anohter whose mother has just died, an old poet in the industrial wasteland, observing a certain shift of light in the afternoon....

In the midst of these conditions, one angel played by Bruno Gans, falls in love and decides to become human, to become mortal, to become vulnerable in all senses.

This and its sequel are two of the great ones of the last twenty five years, maybe in in movie history....

Save 37% Off

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Criterion Collection) (1934)

I have loved this early Hitchcock film since I was a child. Thanks to home video we were able to view it in our homes instead of cruddy looking TV prints. The public domain versions on video didn't look much better, but we could watch it when we wanted to. Criterion started a trend back in the day with immaculate Laserdisc transfers (boy those were costly!) and then DVD and now blu ray. I am so thankful they have survived all these years so they could bring us great transfers like this one into the hi def age. Who would ever think a little film like this would get the respect and care that it has deserved after all these years. So many people know about the American remake Hitch did and know nothing about this great classic. Well its time for the newer generation to catch Hitchcock's earlier British films thanks to Criterion and these awesome restorations. The Lady Vanishes always will be the cleanest and detailed of their restorations, but The Man Who Knew Too Much comes close. I have never seen this old movie look and sound as good. We can finally follow what is going on in the final scene! Images aren't lost in the shadows. This is one striking picture when you come to realize its from 1934. There are still a few soft spots and blemishes, but they are far and few between. I am so amazed how good the video looks, that I haven't even went through the special features (will love to hear the commentary). The movie survives on its own and doesn't need all the bells and whistles that special editions have (it is nice to have them though).

Criterion just keeps proving to me why they are my favorite when it comes to classic films on blu ray. Cannot thank you enough for releasing this great classic on home video (finally).

Bravo!

One of a series of Hitchcock classics made after the Master escaped making junk like "Waltzes from Vienna", "The Man Who Knew Too Much" was, according to Hitch himself the work of a "talented amateur". I would disagree with that assessment. While this version of "Man" may not have been made while Hitch was at the height of his powers as a director (the 1950's through, arguably, 1963), it shows the same attention to detail, brilliantly thought out and staged sequences that we would see in "The 39 Steps". After failed attempts to remake "The Lodger", Hitchcock finally got the chance to remake his own early work with the 1956 version starring James Stewart and Doris Day.

Hitchcock dreamed up the scenerio for "Man" while on his honeymoon but pitched the idea to producer Michael Balcon as an attempt to adapt one of the Bulldog Drummond stories popular at the time.

SPOILERS:

While vacationing in Switzerland Bob (Leslie Banks), Jill (Edna Banks) and daughter Betty (Nova Pilbeam)befriend Louis Bernard (Pierre Fresnay). During dinner the diplomat is murdered but not before giving Jill that will her to learn of an assassination planned in London. To keep Jill and Bob quiet their daughter is kidnapped.

END OF SPOILERS:

Featuring Peter Lorre in his first English speaking role, "Man" demonstrates that Hitchcock had already begun to develop his skills as a director of taunt thrillers.

In its own way, 1934 version of "Man" although less sophisticated and lighter in tone than the 1956 film, this more compact version of the same story displays wit and ingenuity.

Working in collaboration with the British Film Institute, Criterion has done a marvelous job of transferring this nicely done restoration. Most of the film looks exceptionally good with nice contrast, detail and many of the flaws evident in public domain versions of the film not a problem here.

There are, however, a couple of shots here and there that suffer from a soft image. Two shots of Banks in medium shot are extremely soft and I doubt that it was intentional. It's more than likely that these were the best available versions of those shots as the BFI painstakingly assembled the best version they could from the best surviving elements.

We get a thoughtful commentary track by Phillip Kemp as well as a featurette with film director (and author of an exceptional book on Hitchcock)Guillermo del Toro. The 1972 BBC documentary "The Illustrated Hitchcock" has been trimmed down to around fifty minutes for its presentation here giving a concise overview of Hitch's career. We also get an excerpt from Traffaut's early 60's interview with Hitchcock.

As with all of Criterion's releases, we get a booklet essay by Farran Smith Nehme.

This is a fine restoration by Criterion (at least to my eyes) and the extras are quite nice as well. Is the 1934 "Man" better than the 1956? I'd argue that they are very different films made for different audiences with each one of them having merit.

Buy The Man Who Knew Too Much (Criterion Collection) (1934) Now

Definitely the best this one has ever looked, or ever will....tense but brief, with Hitchcock's future self beginning to show like never before.... Criterion did a great job restoring this incredible film, elevating it miles above those lousy public domain prints we've all seen on tv.... Very different from the 1956 version with Jimmy Stewart--the shootout at the end was not in the later film, but it is welcome here, as it is very well done with a whole lot of lead flying through windows and doors and character actors.... Peter Lorre steals the show as he always seems to do, playing a maniacal bad guy who leads a group of boneheads who attempt to assassinate a political leader at a concert at the Royal Albert Hall during a performance of Storm Cloud cantata (used in the later film as well)....an almost perfect film that sometimes slips off-center from reality, to great effect.... Perfecto....

Read Best Reviews of The Man Who Knew Too Much (Criterion Collection) (1934) Here

Like most, I'm more familiar with the Jimmy Stewart-starring remake than the 1934 original. And by "more familiar with" I mean I didn't know the original existed until a few years ago. Smarter people than I can do a much better job comparing and contrasting the two versions. But I believe it stands up just fine on its own, even while I still prefer the latter version (though an included essay makes a strong argument for the original).

First, though, the restoration. It looks incredible. The film could be average and the restoration job would be worth five stars alone. Similarly, the sound is as clean and crisp as you could want. Criterion has knocked it out of the park again.

As to the film itself, it's immensely enjoyable. It lacks the nuance of the remake and the polish that Hitchcock developed as a director, but it's worth seeing for Peter Lorre's performance alone, his first in English. A performance he delivered, I might add, without knowing quite what he was saying, as he learned his lines phonetically on account of not actually speaking English at the time.

At the end of the day, it's classic Hitchcock presented by Criterion. What's not to like?

Want The Man Who Knew Too Much (Criterion Collection) (1934) Discount?

The original version of Alfred Hitchcock's THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (Gaumont-British, 1934), has often been overshadowed by the director's 1956 remake starring James Stewart and Doris Day. That version always struck me as an overlong movie built around its popular co-stars, whereas the original is all about the story, which gets told deftly in just 75 minutes. The pattern Hitchcock laid down in THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is revisited to varying degrees in films like THE 39 STEPS (Gaumont-British, 1935), THE LADY VANISHES (Gaumont-British, 1937), SABOTEUR (Universal, 1942), and NORTH BY NORTHWEST (MGM, 1959).

A husband and wife (Leslie Banks, Edna Best), vacationing in St. Moritz, come in possession of knowledge regarding an assassination plot, and have their young daughter (Nova Pilbeam) kidnapped in order to force them to co-operate with the assassins. One big advantage the original version has over the remake is the presence of the fascinating Peter Lorre as the arch villain. This was Lorre's first English speaking role, and he gives a performance that's expertly nuanced with oily menace and perverse humor. Lorre's character goes a long way in giving the film its distinctively dark atmosphere. Of course, the suspense is developed intriguingly, climaxing in the well edited Albert Hall sequence. But it doesn't end there; we then get an exciting shootout between the police and the criminals which reaches it's height literally as one of the kidnappers corners the little girl on the edge of a roof, by which time we're at the edge of our seats in pure, Hitchcockian style.

I'm a great admirerer of Hitchcock's British films, and it always frustrated me that THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH was only available in dupey, public domain copies on budget DVD sets. Happily, this is no longer the case. Criterion's fully restored Blu-ray release of this important Hitchcock work is beautiful, with a clarity to the image and audio that's never been available to us before. This commendable restoration, transferred from a 35mm nitrate fine-grain master print, is sure to renew interest in the original MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, and help put it in proper perspective as being superior to the remake.

The extra features will enthrall any Hitchcock fan: A commentary by film historian Philip Kemp, an interview with director Guillermo del Toro, "The Illustrated Hitchcock" interviews with the director conducted by journalist Pia Lindstrom and film historian William K. Everson, audio excerpts from Francois Truffaut's 1962 interview with Hitchcock, and a restoration comparison. There's also an in-depth booklet with an essay by Farran Smith Nehme.

Highly recommended.

Save 38% Off

Reds (25th Anniversary Edition) (1981)

Warren Beatty pulls off a difficult task in "Reds." He's got to juggle several epic stories, including the rise of the American left in the early 20th century, the Russian Revolution, and a personal story of two romantics in a relationship charged by passion both emotional and political.

Any of these story threads presents a difficult task for a filmmaker and Beatty weaves his multilayered tale together with skill. He pays close attention to detail, gives us a multitude of historical characters and events, and mixes his story telling with the words of real people. Beatty buttresses his scenes with deceptively simple "talking heads." These "witnesses" provide a real background to the John Reed/Louise Bryant story of "Reds," giving viewers a good grounding in the passions of the era. The attention to little details (Reed bringing Bryant lilies, the constant phrase "There's a taxi waiting," etc.) provide a rich portrait of two volatile human beings.

Beyond the personal, Beatty knows how to handle epic screen drama. The rousing montage that leads up to the overthrow of Russian government is sumptuous and envigorating. Don't be deceived thought; this is not a "pro-Bolshevik" film by any great stretch of the imagination. Reed's dissillusionment with the Soviet system is portrayed in agonizing detail. Emma Goldman's story, a really great history in and of itself, gives another point of view to the difficulty passionate people have when taking on governing authorities and social mores.

The performances are uniformally excellent. Beatty and Keaton are well matched and there's plenty of gems in the supporting roles. Standouts include Jack Nicholson as Eugene O'Neil, Maureen Stapelton as Emma Goldman, Edward Herrmann as Max Eastman, writer Jerzy Kosinski as Soviet bureaucrat Grigory Zinoviev and Paul Sorvino as Louis Fraina.

I love "Reds." It's one of my favorite films. Be forewarned, however, you could be lost and confused by the myrad of events in this film if you don't know much about political history of the radical left in early 20th Century America or the Bolshevik Revolution and its aftermath. On the other hand, if you're intrigued by the film you'll find yourself up to your eyeballs at the library reading about the true events and real people who inspired this film.

For those of us who appreciate movies that both entertain and educate, Warren Beatty's vastly underrated magnum opus "Reds" is a wonderful example of how well the two can be combined. Although it did not succeed at the box office, this magnificent spectacle concerning the involvement of an American socialist reporter in the Bolshevik revolution is a terrific movie, and also features Warren Beatty in the pivotal role of John Reed, an American journalist covering Soviet affairs for a progressive American socialist journal called "The Masses" who found his way into a series of important roles in the Soviet revolution and the regime that followed. Also found here is a especially memorable performance by Diane Keaton as the companion, love interest and protégé of Reed's who also served in a variety of roles in the new communist regime shortly after the revolution.

This movie is largely based on Reed's moving autobiographical portrait of his personal experiences during the October revolution in his best selling book "Ten Days That Shook The World". The movie opens by exploring Reed's relationship with Keaton's early feminist character, and chronicles their growth and evolution toward a socialist perspective and an eventual commitment to political journalism that took them to the streets of Moscow in the days just preceding the October revolution. Also prominently featured in the movie is Jack Nicholson as Reed's intellectual friend, novelist and playwright Eugene O'Neil. This is a quite entertaining, sophisticated, and historically accurate effort to show America's own flirtation with unionism, socialism and communism and the reaction of more conservative forces within the business and civic community. The exploration of lifestyles and constant questioning of tradition and conformity make this a terrific teaching tool by showing how critically we can look at the lessons of history. Enjoy!

Buy Reds (25th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Now

Some films have a reputation for being overpraised, and as a result paradoxically they become underrated. This is one such film. Who cares that we now know communism failed in Russia? REDS is not meant to be a piece of Soviet apologism. It is about two people who take part in exciting and sweeping historical events. I certainly disagree with the politics of John Reed and Louise Bryant, but it doesn't matter. I envy the romanticism of the times they lived in (even if the romanticism isn't authentic), and that they were able to find, as one of the "witnesses" says at the end of the movie, "things worth living and worth dying for." The second half of the movie where we see the price that must be paid for taking part in history provides good dramatic balance to the more sentimental view of revolutionary politics we see in the first half. The cinematography is outstanding and the love theme by Stephen Sondheim is exquisite. As it is a film that should be seen on the big screen, I'm hoping that REDS will be re-released for its 20th anniversary in 2001.

Read Best Reviews of Reds (25th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Here

Highly, highly recommended for those who enjoy lush, historical biopics, "Reds" skillfully and entertainingly combines intelligent, thoughtful political discourse and sweeping romantic drama, resulting in a movie that flies by despite its three hour-plus length.

Keep an eye out for how the mundane constantly clashes with the epic during the course of the movie: John Reed and Louise Bryant indulge in lofty political discourse on events that are changing the world as Reed is comically burning dinner in the kitchen; soap opera-ish affairs are entered into and abandoned as governments topple and new ones take their place; a critical meeting to assure the future of the socialist movement in the United States is missed because of a sick baby that needs tending. This constant and clever juxtaposition of the personal and the epic humanizes the sweeping events on display, reminding us that real people living real lives were at the heart of these world-shaking events, not just academic and political arguments.

To enjoy "Reds", one doesn't have to be a particular proponent of socialism past or present. I'm certainly not. You simply need to be someone who enjoys intelligent, involving movies that illuminate the people and events at the heart of notable periods of history. And "Reds" is certainly such a movie. Of course, it helps that John Reed and Louise Bryant are generally portrayed as sympathetic people whose motivations are admirable even if one doesn't agree with their politics.

This new, 25th Anniversary Edition DVD of "Reds" is well worth the modest price. The crisp yet warm widescreen visuals are almost startlingly clear; the original theatrical intermission break (in a small but nice touch) is preserved at the end of the first disc; and there are very generous extra features that further illuminate the topics covered in the film.

In short, this one's a keeper.

Want Reds (25th Anniversary Edition) (1981) Discount?

I watched "Reds" the other night for the first time. I wondered how I may have perceived it had I seen it when it came out, a decade or so before the fall of the Soviet Union rather a a decade or so after it. I had to make a deal with myself; I was going to watch the movie and appreciate it as a movie rather than debate the merits of glorifying socialism. I must have succeeded in that approach because I gave the movie a 5 star rating. I felt an impressive aspect of "Reds" was the periodic inclusion of on-camera first person recollections. We saw the real witnesses of the persons, times, and events that we were watching. It certainly added credibility to what we were seeing unfold and it also added perspective. "Reds" is first and foremost a love story and the two lovers are (surprize!) Warren Beatty and Diane Keaton. I have to admit that the two of them did very good work. I have to give Beatty a good deal of credit for his role as director for which he, not surprizingly, won an Oscar. I'm sure that his hard work made it difficult to edit the film down to the normal two-hour feature film length. I'll admit that I watched the movie, on tape, over the course of three successive evenings but I don't think that I lost any appreciation of the film. I probably could have told you just what all could have been cut if I had watched it all in one sitting. I'll accept that some movies (and "Dr. Zhivago" comes to mind as a logical comparison) just need more time to tell a more expansive story.

Beatty plays Jack Reed who wrote "Ten Days that Shook the World" which did a lot of shaking of its' own when it came out. In pursuit of a combined socialist/journalist's dream, Reed found himself in Russia on the eve of the October Revolution. The scenes of that and other Russian events are quite impressive in "Reds". Long before we get to that point in time, we see a relationship develop between a class conscious writer and a wannabe class conscious writer. The emergence of love between the fighter of proletarian causes and the fighter of feminist causes makes for a different sort of love story. The expressed opinions don't always match up neatly with the heartfelt opinions. I give Beatty grudging praise for his ability and willingness to bring out this concept in "Reds" as well as his look at an imperfect political solution to a real social problem. While there is plenty of Leftist propaganda to duck, Jack Reed wasn't exactly going to morph into Ronald Reagan by the film's end. Yet Beatty allowed the passion of the Movement to come to life and the seeds of its' own destruction to also come to life in "Reds". The scene towards the end with Maureen Stapleton (another deserving Oscar-winner from "Reds") was brilliantly done with an economy of words that conveyed an abundance of nuance. Through it all is the oft-interrupted romance of Beatty and Keaton who seem to go to extremes in their seperations and reunions. I'm not sure I ever saw a "blockbuster" movie that was ever this passionate. The film's ability to maintain that passion over three houres is its' greatest strength

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

I just finished watching `The Clone Wars' & to be honest it was pretty good. No it's not as good as the movies & it's not as intense as the Samurai Jack-esk `Clone Wars' shorts from 2003 but then again it's not supposed to be like ANY of those. It's like comparing apples to oranges.

ALSO keep in mind that Lucas is trying to broaden his appeal to kids with this movie's style & story telling as well as with the series on CTN so it's going to be, over all, a bit more simple in its execution but no less entertaining. Don't watch this expecting an Oscar performance. It is a CGI cartoon after all, how serious/critical are you supposed to take it? It has more of an Episode 2 feel to it, for me at least, but the action sequences are just as long, intense & still 'edgy' for a CGI cartoon. They flowed well & were non-stop action. Clone troopers got it pretty bad in this movie & the lightsaber duels left me wanting for more(longer duels, that is) but were pretty good for a CGI cartoon. It held my interest the whole time though the plot of helping the huts was a bit odd. The dialogue could have used a little help but what star wars movie couldn't? I wouldn't recommend buying this movie until you see it first but if you keep in mind what this movie is supposed to be/do & you don't take it as seriously as some, then you should have fun & you'll be just fine. Anakin's apprentice is there for the young girls as well as to be the little miss know-it-all pain in the butt for Anakin the way he was to Ben (it's called irony) so she may be a bit annoying for some out there (she's better in the TV series)...and who in this world isn't about money? There is a lot of story that can be told between episodes and he wants to tell it (whether is executed well or not). We all would do it too & you all know it.

`TCW' story line isn't a major one in the Star Wars universe. It feels more like a made for TV movie but it ultimately starts up the TV series so there is a longer broader story to set up here as well.

Simple, aims at a broader audience & still a fun watch, if only once, in my opinion.

I say rent it first, watch it for what it is & go from there.

The Star Wars motion picture saga told the story of one Anakin Skywalker. The Clone Wars is here to tell the stories of other Jedi and of the clones. To a lesser extent, The Clone Wars fills in the gaps and answers some of the many questions the motion pictures failed to explain. As someone who has been a fan of the saga since day one in May 1977, I always wanted more than Lucas was ever able to provide on the big screen.

The focus of The Clone Wars is the clones. This movie, and the 30 minute episodes shown every week on The Cartoon Network, go to great pains to show us the clones are individuals with their own personalities and quirks. They realize they are just Bantha fodder in the great Republic war machine, yet they fight and die without question. If you're hurt, just a bit, every time a clone dies... that was point of this exercise.

Not only do we learn of the clones, but also of the other Master Jedi. The Sith and the Separatists are explored in great detail. The Separatist droids provide the comic relief. You'll recognize Lucas's dated corny-ness in every moronic thing the droids say.

If you don't like it, no big deal. Go watch the original triology on Laser Disc and enjoy. Star Wars is George's story done George's way... not yours, mine or ours to tell. The Clone Wars isn't perfect. Some parts are down right annoying. I've changed a lot since May 1977... and so has Star Wars.

Buy Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Now

I bought this for my 6 year old son who loves Star Wars and the Clone Wars cartoons. He is always asking me to let him watch the Clone Wars on TV but it is on past his bedtime. This helps satisfy his need to see the TV series. He loves it and I think its very imaginative.

Read Best Reviews of Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Here

The people who slammed this kids' film were, guess what? bitter adult Star Wars fans who have refused to recognize the saga has moved onto the next generation. This is not a continuation of the live-action films, it is a computer animated interpretation of Tartakovsky's Clone Wars animated series, hence the super stylized faces and character designs. It's a great way to get young children, like my nephew who has never seen a Star Wars movie interested in the idea. Face it people, this is a kids' show and always will be. If you want the darker, more realistic side of the saga, wait for the live-action TV series to come. Relax, and enjoy the lighter side of Star Wars once in a while.

Want Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Discount?

The characters work, the story is watchable -already it beats 'The Phantom Menance' and 'Attack of the Clones'. Add some genuinely exciting action, a sexy new villianess and some tongue-in-cheek humour and you have a STAR WARS film.

The story follows the typical father/son Lucas path (what is with George and his daddy issues?), this time with Jabba the Hutt losing his slimy newborn. Anakin Skywalker and his new Jedi apprentice are sent to rescue the Huttlet as Obi-Wan Kenobi chats with Jabba.

Some of the dialogue is overdone or badly planned (for example, Obi-Wan assures his droid that "...I'm sure Jabba will be in a good mood" despite the fact that Jabba has recently lost his son!) and some characters remain wooden (Mace Windu badly needs a personality) but there is enough eye-candy and energy to keep viewers interested. Count Dooku finally establishes himself as a half-decent antagonist, but it is his slinky sidekick who steals the show.

Save 25% Off

Halloween (1978)

Halloween. What a perfect title for a Horror movie. It's hard to believe back in 1977 that there had never been any movie, let alone a Horror film, that incorporated that title. And what good usage it got. Written, directed, and even musically scored by John Carpenter (with great assistance by then girlfriend Debra Hill), this was truly a film that brought Horror to it's roots, leaving an impact that only George Romero's Night Of The Living Dead did ten years earlier. Showcasing a deranged killer by the name of Michael Myers who in childhood murdered his sister in cold blood on Halloween night, only to escape his asylum to return to his Illinois home to hunt down babysitter (and eventually known little sister) Jamie Lee Curtis 15 years later, was truly an amazing film that never exploited the genre, keeping the imagination and terror flowing within the viewers mind rather than blatantly on the screen. For it's time it was the number one profitable independent film ever made, and after almost thirty years, it still terrifies and never grows old. A true classic film. Every single DVD collector should own it....

But which one?

Not in the sense of sequels, but rather in which version of the original should you add to your collection. You see, this film has had the DVD distribution rights by Anchor Bay Entertainment (now known as Starz), and they have re-released this classic now a total of six times. So I would like to compare the two most popular versions to see which one should be for you, the "Restored" or the "25th Anniversary"

Starting with the "Restored" version, this DVD was authored way back in 1999. However, it was personally restored by Halloween original cinematographer Dean Cundey, trying to preserve as much of the look of it's original theatrical run. This version has been released a whopping three times. But for the film's "25th (2003) Anniversary", Anchor Bay remastered the film yet again for another release "Halloween 25", this time taking the remastering process in their own hands, something of which Cundey was not happy with. You see, comparing the two's video, you'll notice that each are different. One point is brightness and sharpness. In the Cundey version, overall picture is dark and not as sharp while for 25 the white levels have been raised and it's overall color saturation has been lowered. To me, while the original with it's dark blue hue running throughout looks good, at times it's hard to see certain shots in the dark. The 25th version has fixed that, even going as far as making the film look more natural. As for sharpness, the 25th beats it by far. Audio wise, each film seems on the same level, so a tie there, but it's the video that should be considered when purchasing: the Cundey-more true to the original film/the 25-a sharper, more realistic picture.

Next would be the use of the disc space. Restored is one of those discs that wanted to cater to the early 2000's audiences of giving them both a widescreen and a fullframe on the same disc. Because of this, the bitrate is pretty small for both presentations. However, the 25th is a 2 disc set that only offers on Disc One the Widescreen presentation, and it's Divimax as well. But to be honest, it's bitrate isn't up to say Superbit quality. It's better, but with a total of four audio tracks to choose from, the entire dual layer disc is only used by 75%, and that other 25 could have went to more video bitrate, but alas it's not. But to me, the bitrate still is higher on the 25, not to mention it's compression is four years younger than Restored, so 25 wins again.

Finally is Extras, Restored has a 30 minute documentary called Halloween Unmasked 2000, narrated by Twisted Sister's Dee Snider. Why is he on here than just being a popular fan, beats me. But on 25's second disc is a whopping 87 minute documentary called A Cut Above The Rest which expands on the original and gives much greater detail on the film. 25 also includes another ten minute featurette called On Location, going back to view all the houses and such that were used in the film that Restored does not include either. And if that wasn't enough, 25 has the original Laserdisc commentary by John Carpenter with additional vocals with Jamie Lee Curtis and Debra Hill. This might be the best extra 25 has over Restored, because it's got to be one of the most personal commentaries I've ever heard. Carpenter doesn't hold anything back, a must listen. And sure, both have the same trailers, TV Spots, and such, but again to me 25th Anniversary wins this one too.

But the main reason why I'm writing all this is because back in 2007, Anchor Bay decided to stop releasing the 25th Anniversary and instead re-issue the Restored version. Why, I'm not sure. Dean Cundey was never happy with 25, and maybe his name on the back of Restored's box was a selling-point, I don't know. Maybe the 25's cover was confusing buyers because it looks a little like sequel H20's version? But I do know for your money, the 25th Anniversary is still the best way to go. What's sad is to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the classic film, Anchor Bay is yet again double-dipping it's audience by releasing a six disc collection featuring Parts 1, 4, 5, the NBC-TV edit, the 25 Years Of Terror special and a Blu-Ray version of the original. But again, both the DVD and Blu-Ray (BD version rumored to be a video-hybrid of both) are from the 1999 Cundey master (but the Blu does have the Cut Above special and commentary too). It would have been nice if the DVD was the 25 so fans could have both versions, but no, 25th Anniversary seems lost now.

In conclusion, if you want the best overall 1978 Halloween package, go with the 2003 25th Anniversary Edition. More extras, a more realistic picture, and a commentary to die for. Ratings-wise then from me is:

Restored: (8.5/10)

25th Anniversary: (9.5/10)

Thanks for reading,

RedSabbath

This new, Extended version of Halloween is something no fan should be without! 12 minutes of additional footage (4 scenes) has been put into the original version, and the result is awesome. These scenes were not deleted. They were really shot in 1980, when the film was released on cut TV. The scenes were shot using the cast and crew of Halloween II (another must see!) and directed by John Carpenter, himself. These scenes include:

#1 A very well made scene where Dr. Loomis (Doneld Pleasance) has an intense conversation with two sanitarium officials. He begs that they move Myers to a maximum security ward, saying that the boy is dangerous and has an instinctive forsce within him. The officials are unimpressed by what Loomis says, and simply keep Myers in the minimum security ward.

#2 A scene directly following the previous added scene. Loomis walks into young Michael's cell. For about 1 minute he simply stares at the boy, who stares out the window. Loomis then says "You've fooled them, haven't you Michael? But not me!"

#3 This scene is after Myers escape. Loomis walks with a nurse into Michael's room, which is completely trashed. The nurse shows him that the word "Sister" is carved in the door. (If you've seen Halloween II, then you know what this means).

#4 This final additional scene is my personal favorite. In this scene we get a bit more of Jamie Lee Curtis, a bit more of PJ Soles, and a bit more of Nancy Kyes/Loomis. Lynda (Soles) comes over to Laurie's (Curtis) house, and they have some girl chat. Then, Annie (Kyes/Loomis) calls and asks (unsuccesfully) if she can borrow some of Laurie's clothes.

I really love this new version of Halloween. It just feels more complete. I know that these scenes WERE NOT in the original version, but it's way better off with them in there. John Carpenter has said he hates these scenes (as some other reviewers may tell you) but that is HIS opinioun. I love these scenes. They make the movie make a bit more sense. For example, the scene wher Loomis fights with the officials really shows how hard he tried to get them to move Michael. Later on he talks about how much he tried to get them to move him, and this added scene shows you how right he is. The scene with "Sister" really helped connect this to the 2nd (making a great double feature). And the scene with Lynda, Annie and Laurie shows a bit more of their personal lives. Awesome. This version was only available on either the two tape Special VHS editions (where they were AFTER the movie) and on the THX Two Disk Anchor Bay Limited Edition (which is 150 bucks to buy on Amazon used!). I tried really hard to find that two disk limited edition, but I was to late. So this here DVD is like a dream come true. Thank you Anchor Bay! I suggest (unless you have the two disk version) that you buy one now, before it, too, goes out of stock!

Halloween is Rated R for Small Violence, Brief Nudity, and brief Language. The new scenes contain nothing to offend parents who were OK with their kids watching the other version.

If you found my review helpful, be sure and give me a vote! Thank you!

Buy Halloween (1978) Now

The original Halloween is one of the greatest horror movies of all time and my personal favorite. Even though I've seen it numerous times I can't get enough. On Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his sister in the small town of Haddonfield Illinois. Now, 15 years later, he has escaped from a mental institution to reek havoc amongst the trick or treaters. Jaime Lee Curtis stars in her first role as Laurie Strode and is pursued by Michael Myers throughout the entire movie. Donald Pleasance plays Dr. Sam Loomis (Michael Myers doctor) and warns Haddonfield Police of Michael's return. Hesitant to believe the wild accusation Dr. Loomis must hunt Michael down before he can do anymore harm. Halloween will scare and delight you at the same time. The music score for Halloween is still creepy almost 25 years later and is synonymous with the movie. If you only see one horror movie in your lifetime, see this absolute classic, Halloween.

Read Best Reviews of Halloween (1978) Here

On October 14th Anchor Bay/Starz Entertainment will release a Halloween 30th anniversary edition of the film. I, for one, being a longtime Halloween enthusiast, haven't been this dissapointed since Rob Zombie got to cash in on and destroy this classic film with one of the worst renditions ever made.

Again, and in typical Anchor Bay fashion, consumers are being offered the same Halloween product in a new package. Look closely, every single DVD disc included in this set has been a prior release from Anchor Bay.

Even the Blu-Ray disc has been out for months. This is disgraceful and Halloween fans deserve better.

The original Halloween was released thirty years ago, so why is Anchor Bay releasing Halloween 4 and 5 with this set? They were filmed in the late 80's. The answer is greed and laziness. Anchor Bay is jumbling every Halloween release they've ever produced into one pathetic boxset in order to cash in yet again.

This has to be the laziest attempt at a Halloween special edition ever. Thirty years of triumph deserves so much better and this company is just slapping together a lame Halloween boxset at the last minute and calling it a thirty year editon.

Even the Micael Myers mask included in this set is cheap and has been available for years at any local Spencer's gift shop. It has no resemblance to the original mask what-so-ever. Nothing in this boxset is worth spending money on.

This was the perfect opportunity for Anchor Bay to release some of the "lost Halloween footage" found a few years ago burried in boxes. All of John Carpenter's Halloween footage that was not used in the movie was found and Halloween fans have been long awaiting to see just a few frames from this holy grail of unused film stock.

Will any of this footage be available on this boxset? Nope. Just the same tired releases from a company that doesn't know how to show this classic film the proper respect it deserves.

Want Halloween (1978) Discount?

Another milestone or anniversary, another re-packaged film. One wonders how many more times this 1978 classic will be released onto the public. If they keep making the DVD treatment with great special features like this one, then more the merrier. What could they possibly do with another re-issue?. Outdo themselves. That's what. This is a great 25th anniversary edition of the film with special features that every hardcore fan will devour. As a fan who has three different versions of this film, I can't wait for this. This edition features the film looking and sounding incredible, but what really makes it is the extras. As usual, there are radio spots, trailers, bios, and a still gallery. What makes it fantastic is that there is audio commentary from writer/director John Carpenter, Jamie Lee Curtis, and producer/writer Debra Hill. There is an all new 87 minute documentary with interviews with Carpenter, Curtis, Hill, and dozens more. There is also a 10 minute special with Hill and actress P.J. Soles(Lynda) re-visiting the original Myers house used in the film. Plus there is a 16 page booklet!!. How can any fan refuse?!. You can't. Apparently, the one star review below doesn't know what's going on. I've seen the TV version and it definitley wasn't 104 minutes. 13 extra minutes?. I doubt if the deleted scenes totaled 10 minutes. Anyways, this is a great set with plenty of new stuff to offer. The story takes place in a quaint little town of Haddonfield, Illinois. 6 year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his sister in 1963, and was then sent to a mental institution. While there, he was observed by Dr. Sam Loomis(Donald Pleasence). 15 years later, in 1978, Michael manages to escape the place and head back to his hometown to reak terror and vengeance upon the unknowing little town. Loomis, with the help of the town sheriff, Sheriff Brackett(Charles Cyphers), tries to track down the cold blooded killer before a body count happens. Enter virginal Laurie Strode(Jamie Lee Curtis). She is the unlucky target, as Michael stalks her and two friends Annie(Nancy Loomis), and Lynda(P.J. Soles), while they are babysitting across the street from each other on Halloween night. This was supposed to be a creepy, scary, suspenseful film, and that's exactly what it is. No gore or blood and guts. It's a very simple, basic movie that tells a very simple, basic story, and is done in a very basic, simple way. If only future sequels were made that way. What makes it even more chilling is how real it is. It takes place in a nice little town, in a charming, family type neighborhood. It shows that this kind of thing can happen to anyone anywhere. The realisticness of the film and characters lost some credibility in later films, but this one is what's out there in the real world. Scary to think. Curtis is wonderful as Laurie. She gets the shy, awkward, gawky thing down pat. She makes Laurie a real fleshed out person, instead of just another pretty face actress trying to seem innocent and pure when we know she isn't. Pleasence is teriffic. Loomis is a classic screen character that gets even madder as the films go on. Carpenter knows how to scare us. What's so amazing about it is how easy it is to do it, and how easy it was for him to accomplish it. While other films try too hard and create ridiculous circumstances with gore and effects to try to scare you, this one just relies on what is real. What could be outside your door, or under your bed. This is one of the scariest movies ever. The theme, also done by Carpenter, is another classic. All in all, "Halloween" is a monumental film classic that should be cherished by all. This special new edition is chalked full of nothing but goodies and every fan should rush out to get it when it is available. Happy trick or treating.

Save 51% Off