Frida (2002)

FRIDA, with Salma Hayek in the title role, is a vibrant celebration of the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), and an unsparing look at her tumultuous, passionate marriage to the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). Another major thread is the involvement of both with the Communist Party. In the latter half of the film, Geoffrey Rush makes an appearance as the exiled Leon Trotsky running from Stalin's death squads.

Hayek's performance is the finest I've seen by an actress so far in 2002. An Oscar nomination is surely in the cards. Though I understand that FRIDA uncovers nothing new about the life of Kahlo not already known by devotees of her work, the film was a total revelation for me who knew nothing about the artist. And Costuming and Make-up built on Hayek's natural appearance to create the spitting image of the real Frida (whose photo I've just seen on the Web).

Visually, the film is a riot of color. I especially liked those scenes where the viewers' eyes are drawn to a brightly costumed Frida set against surroundings colored with contrasting sepia and/or pastel tones.

My only picky-picky complaint about FRIDA is its treatment of Kahlo's physical condition after the horrific 1925 bus accident that left her with multiple fractures of her pelvis, spine, ribs and leg, and which necessitated over 30 follow-up operations in her lifetime. The visual force of her paintings is generated both by her complex emotional life as well as the terrible physical pain she constantly suffered. Yet in the film, between that time she learns to walk again without a crutch and much later when she climbs an Inca pyramid with Trotsky, there's absolutely no hint in Hayek's portrayal that the artist was in any way physically debilitated beyond an inability to bear children. Where was the stiffness of movement, or the inevitable grimaces of pain? At one point, Kahlo is shown dancing with the fluidity of perfect health. As one afflicted with yet only mild arthritis in the lower back, I found this aspect of Salma's characterization perhaps unreal. However, this is a trivial hiccup in an otherwise superb performance.

I have seen Frida five times at the cinemas, and got the DVD as a gift. I must say that this is by far the most visually stunning, inspirational, and emotionally impacting film I have ever seen. Before this movie came out, I went the Vancouver Art Gallery to see some of Frida Kahlo's paintings and saw the documentary of her life. I was very fascinated by several of paintings, but I didn't get to see The Two Fridas or the paintinngs with the monkeys. I was moved to tears by the documentary of her life, and I instantly became a fan. I then bought the novel based on her life, and read it before the movie came out. I was dying to see the movie.

This beautiful biopic is directed by the Julie Taymor, whose film Titus was an equally visual feast. It's a dream come true for the Oscar nominated Salma Hayek, who had spent more that seven years trying to get this movie made. It was a good thing that Madonna and Jennifer Lopez didn't get to do it, because they wouldn't be suitable to play Frida. Salma Hayek gave the performance of her career, and she actually hadn't done anything great before this movie, except for In The Times Of The Butterflies, which also costarred Mia Maestro who played her sister in both movies. Even though Salma lost the award to the overrated Nicole Kidman(The Hours), Frida still won two out of the six nominations. The music composed by Elliot Goldenthal trully capture the spirit of Frida and Mexico. Some of the songs are sung by Lila Downs, and Chavela Vargas. Burn It Blue heard at the end of the film is so beatiful. I even bought the soundtrack. Salma Hayek had more than fifty costumes here, designed by Julie Weiss on a shoestring budget. She made Hayek looked stunningly beautiful and striking, especially the photo shoot for the Paris Vogue cover, and the scene when she steps into her painting The Two Fridas.

This movie chronicles the life and times of Frida and Diego Rivera(played by the underrated Alfred Molina), a womanizing fellow artist, mentor, and husband. Frida had endured a great deal of physical, emotional, and spiritual pain, and she survived, because she was strong and self-absorbing, and she transcend her life's most unforgetable moments onto the cavas in the form of surrealism that's autobiographical. From the bus accident that left her crippled for life to her stormy marriage to Rivera, to miscarriage, to international stardom, to heartaches of failed marriage and distant from her parents, to betrayed by her sister....and then there's the self-destructive behaviours(alcohol addiction and promiscuous sex with men and women). Life without Diego was meaningless to her at times. She intensionally had an affair with Leon Trotsky(a Russian Communist in exile played Geoffrey Rush) to provoke or repay Diego for his infidelity. She still loved him even when they were separated for a period of time, leaving her financially and physically devastated, that's when she painted her best work including The Two Fridas, which was one of the high points in the film. The reconcilation and remarriage of Frida and Diego was a heartfelt experience.

The supporting cast are all superb. Alfred Molina was overlooked by the Oscar, he should've been nominated for best supporting actor, even though he doesn't look a whole lot like the actual Diego Rivera. I thought Valeria Golino was very good too. She played Diego's ex-wife, and she stole scene in this movie. Mia Maestro was great as Christina Kahlo, she was seduced by Diego to bed when she posed for his paintings. The affair broke Frida's heart. I also enjoyed Patricia Reyes Spindola's portrayal of Mrs. Kahlo. She was always negative about the choices Frida made in love and career. As for the big-star cameros which including Antonio Banderas(David Siqueiros), Ashley Judd(Tina Modotti), and Salma's ex-boyfriend Edward Norton(Nelson Rockefeller) who co-wrote the screenplay, I loved Judd's performance the most. Her sexy "lesbian" dance number with Salma Hayek was quite a treat.

Salma Hayek gave a mesmerizing and multi-layered performance, and she was in every scene. She trully transformed herself in all aspects of character and showed the world that she's not just a bombshell, but a great actress to be taken seriously. I cried during several scenes including the scene when she got dumped by her first boyfriend(Alejandro/Diego Luna). I was also moved a great deal by the miscarriage, and the scene when she was devastated and started to cut her hair and got very drunk. The most powerful scene was when she was drinking and crying while listening to an old lady(Chavela Vargas) sang a ballad to her, and she went home and stepped into her painting(The Two Fridas).The music, cinematography, acting, art direction, editing, and direction all worked together to achieve a very memorable experience. The special features has some very good materials included, and I really enjoyed the interviews on Julie Taymor, Salma Hayek, and the singers and composers.

I loved this movie and worship Frida. I admired her life's work as an artist, and her endurance of pain and struggles, and ultimately her relentless passion for love and creativity. I also collected the soundtrack, the Frida screenplay with photos of many of the scenes from the film, the postcard book, and a wall fabric drape painted with Frida and the Monkeys.

This movie is definitely a must-see for artist, art lover, fashion lover, music and cultural fans, and of course all Salma Hayek fans too!

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This is the best artist biopic I have seen, and it's a remarkable achievement for Salma Hayek, and director Julie Taymor.

Based ( with certain fictionalizations) on the excellent Hayden Herrera biography, the re-creation of Mexico in the first half of the 20th century is a marvel.

The cast is wonderful. Hayek is perfect as the petite Frida, and Alfred Molina so believable as Rivera. There are small parts filled in by Edward Norton, Ashley Judd, and Antonio Banderas, and with Geoffrey Rush as Trotsky.

I especially like the acclaimed Welsh actor, Roger Rees, as Guillermo, Frida's father, and beautiful Valeria Golino, as Rivera's ex-wife.

The soundtrack by Elliot Goldenthal (Taymor's husband) is terrific, full of traditional Mexican songs that add so much to this film.

The magnificent Lila Downs sings several songs (she is briefly seen in 3 of them), and among them is a signature song for her, "La Llorona"...a second version of this song is sung by the legendary Costa Rican star of years gone by, Chavela Vargas, and another treat is the voice of Caetano Veloso in the final end title song.

Perhaps my favorite part of this film are the "living paintings". Innovative and spectacular, I think Frida would have loved this added dimension to her work. The film ends with the final words from her diary: "I hope the exit is joyful--and I hope never to come back--Frida".

Read Best Reviews of Frida (2002) Here

Wow art within art within art a grand love story, a political commentary, a love letter to an artist, and homage to her vision Julie Taymor and Selma Hayek have done Frida proud in this film. Be sure and get the book about the making of the movie [aisn: 1557045402] to accompany the DVD.

The cinematography is stunning. The performances are flawless. The way the live action is interwoven with adaptations of Kahlo's paintings is inspired. If you've ever been to Mexico, this will have you aching to go back you can taste the fruit and feel the sun and the colors. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars this is the one to get for any lover of art, woman of vision, or for a person who struggles to find meaning in pain or disability.

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Before watching this movie I had no idea who Frida was. I knew that the film was directed by Julie Taymor (Titus), which meant that it would have a striking visual style. I knew that the movie starred Salma Hayek and that she had wanted to play this role for years. I knew that it had been nominated for 6 Academy Awards including a Best Actress nomination for Hayek. But I did not know anything about the subject of the film.

Frida is a biopic focusing on the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek). As much as the movie focuses on the life of Frida, it seemed that the main thrust of picture was on Frida's relationship with her husband, painter Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). The film does cover Frida's life from her childhood right up to her death. We begin the movie when Frida is a young woman aspiring to be a painter. Her father is highly supportive of her dreams. However, she is riding on a trolley one day when it gets into an accident. She has to be in a body cast for some time and it was in doubt whether she would ever walk again. She recovers, but she lives a life of pain. Frida meets the womanizing painter, Diego Rivera and they get married. This does not mean that he changes his ways and naturally this causes problems in their marriage. They remain committed to each other even when they are each sleeping with other people. Over the course of the movie we see Frida painting, but it seems that Frida the artist gets pushed to the side and we see Frida the woman/wife. I don't know enough about Frida Kahlo to know if this is a flaw in the movie or not, but it is just the way the movie is.

The acting in this movie is superb. Nothing feels wrong or forced. But, surpassing even the excellent acting is the visual presentation of Frida. Her artwork appears throughout the movie, but not simply as paintings hanging on the wall. Kahlo's artwork appears first as a painting, but that painting transforms into the scene itself. This also works the opposite way in that a scene will end up as a painting and the transitions between the two are so smooth it is very impressive.

I was very impressed with Frida. I didn't care for Julie Taymos's other film (Titus), so I didn't know what to expect. Everyone (Hayek, Taymor) exceeded my expectations for the movie. This was a very good movie.

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Chinatown (1974)

A remarkable film noir classic, "Chinatown" finally gets the deluxe treatment it deserves on Blu-ray.

Blu-Ray: The Blu-ray looks quite nice. There is grain evident throughout but it isn't obstrusive staying true to the "look" of the original film and films of the time. Detail is quite nice throughout with my only complaint a bit heavy handed DNR on occasion in some scenes but that, again, could be justified if the grain was wildy inconsistent from shot to shot. The transfer walks the fine line of providing us with a sharp looking transfer that doesn't fall into the DNR pit of plastic skin and textures so smooth they rob the film of detail.

It appears that the print used for the previous DVD (and quite possibly the same transfer although I haven't been able to confirm this)was also the source for this edition of the film on Blu-ray. It's also possible this is an older HD transfer (again, I haven't been able to confirm when it was done) which might explain the look of the film for BD. either way, "Chinatown" looks quite good although purists might quibble with the amount of visibile grain and texture at times.

The audio is spectacular for the film.

As near as I can tell all of the extras from the previous special edition have largely been ported over which is good and bad--it would be nice to have some nice extras perhaps something looking at the film within the context of the original proposed trilogy a bit more or with hindsight in relation to the under rated sequelThe Two Jakes (Special Collector's Edition) which seemed to inherent the production trouble that was largely avoided on "Chinatown".

We get the audio commentary with writer Robert Towne being interviewed by film director David Fincher; the feature length documentary "Water and Power" about the inspiration for the film; a half hour documentary "Chinatown: An Appreciation"; "Chinatown: The Beginning", "Chinatown: The Filming" and "Chinatown: The Legacy all addressing the issues surrounding shooting, reception and where it stands in film history and as entertainment. We also get the original theatrical trailer and, although my edition is missing it, reportedly there is a booklet with stills and info on the film.

Bottom Line: Is this worth buying again? It depends on your TV and how good it displays high def and, more importantly, how important THIS film is to you. "Chinatown" has always been one of my Top 10 Films of all time so for me it was a no brainer.

DVD: The latest edition of "Chinatown" has much better contrast, a cleaner, richer looking transfer that more accurately captures a pristine theatrical presentation of the film. The anamorphic transfer has a bit more information on the sides than in the previous edition suggesting that it was cropped slightly differently (and I can't say which is truer to the original this edition or the previous one). Audio features the same 5.1 Dolby Digital mix that was a highlight of the first edition. We also get a cleaned up original mono soundtrack for purists. Both sound very good with the 5.1 featuring a nice dynamic mix.

This new edition is a marked improvement over the previous DVD version(s) and highly recommended.

"Water is the life blood of every community." With this statement, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's website begins its biography of William Mulholland, the real life model of two of this movie's characters, water department chief Hollis Mulwray (an obvious play on words) and water tycoon Noah Cross. And indeed water, the access to it and the wealth it provides, is what drives everything and everybody in this movie set in the ever-thirsty Los Angeles of the first decades of this century, a budding boom town on the brink of victory or decay ... and whether it will be one or th other depends on the city's ongoing access to drinking water.

"Chinatown"'s story is based on William Mulholland's greatest coup; the construction of the Owen Valley aqueduct which provided Los Angeles with a steady source of drinking water but also entailed a lot of controversy. Splitting Mulholland's complex real-life persona into two fictional characters (the noble Mulwray who thinks that water should belong to the people and who refuses to authorize an unsavory new dam construction project and the greedy, unscrupulous Cross who will use *any* means to advance his personal fortune) creates the movie's one necessary black and white conflict ... other than this, the predominant shades are those of gray.

Into the wars raging around L.A.'s water supply, private eye Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is unwittingly thrown when a woman introducing herself as Hollis Mulwray's wife asks him to investigate her husband's alleged infidelity. Before he realizes what is going on he is drawn into a web of treachery and treason, and fatally attracted to the real Mrs. Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), Noah Cross (John Huston)'s daughter. Soon reaching the conclusion that he has been used, he refuses to drop the investigation, and instead decides to dig his way to the source of the scheming he has witnessed the classical film noir setup.

To say that this movie is one of the best examples of the genre ever made is stating the obvious ... actually, it borders on being superfluous. Few other films are as tightly acted, scripted and directed, from Jack Nicholson's dapper-dressed, dogged Jake Gittes, who like any good noir detective is not half as hard boiled as he would have us believe, to Faye Dunaway's seductive and sad Evelyn Mulray, John Huston's cold-blooded and corrupt Noah Cross, Roman Polanski's brooding direction and Robert Towne's award-winning screen play, so full of memorable lines and the classical noir gumshoe dialogue, yet far more than just a well-done copy. And throughout it all, there that idea of Chinatown that place where you do as little as possible, and where if you try to help someone, you're likely going to make double sure they're getting hurt.

"Chinatown" was Roman Polanski's return to Hollywood, five years after his wife (Sharon Tate) had been one of the victims of the Manson gang. Polanski and Towne fought hard whether the movie should have a happy ending or not. Polanski won, studio politics were favorable at the time, and the version we all know was produced. Towne later admitted that Polanski had been right; and in fact, it is hard to imagine what kind of happy ending would have worked with the movie at all too deep-rooted are the conflicts presented, none of which lends itself to an easy solution. Unfortunately, being released the same year as "The Godfather II" robbed "Chinatown" much of the Academy Award attention it would have deserved; of 11 nominations (best movie, best actor Jack Nicholson -, best actress Faye Dunaway -, best director Roman Polanski , best screenplay Robert Towne -, best original score Jerry Goldsmith -, best cinematography, and others), the movie only won the Oscar for Towne's screenplay. Generations of fans, however, have long since recognized that "Chinatown" is a milestone in the history of the film noir and in the professional history of its participants, and one of Hollywood's finest hours.

Also recommended:

William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles

Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America)

Complete Novels: Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, and The Thin Man (Library of America #110)

Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s and 40s: The Postman Always Rings Twice / They Shoot Horses, Don't They? / Thieves Like Us / The Big Clock / Nightmare ... / I Married a Dead Man (Library of America)

The Bogart Collection (Casablanca/The Maltese Falcon/To Have and Have Not/The Big Sleep/The Treasure of the Sierra Madre)

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)

The Postman Always Rings Twice

L.A. Confidential (Two-Disc Special Edition)

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About an hour into "Chinatown", Noah Cross (John Huston) says to Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson), "You may think you know what you're dealing with, but believe me, you don't." Gittes, whose heard this rap before, just smiles. "Why is that funny?" asks Cross. "It's what the D.A. used to tell me about Chinatown." If any exchange defines "Chinatown" the movie then this is it. It's a film where the cliched metaphor of the onion is quite apt: the more layers you peel away, the more layers you find. And the less you're likely to understand. It begins life as a simple detective story, but eventually spins out of control into a web of intrigue (another cliched metaphor) that not only includes the murder of water commissioner Hollis Mulwray, but the entirety of 1930's Los Angeles.

Into this web is sprung Jake Gittes, a man who seems to be a typical film noir detective, but upon closer inspection is much more. Or, as we shall see, much less. I'd argue that Jake is an existential anti-hero, seemingly in control of every situation he enters in to, but ultimately just a pawn on an unfathomable chessboard. Minor notes in the movie confirm this hypothesis. A former client calls Jake on the phone, looking for his discretion. "Are you alone, Mr. Gittes?" she asks. "Isn't everybody?" Jake replies, clowning for his operatives, but saying more than he really intends to. It's not the last time he inadvertently comments on the futility of his existence. "That must really smart," says Yelburton, the deputy water commissioner, regarding Jake's newly bandaged nose. "Only when I breathe," he replies, pointing out the paradox. The bandaged nose also acts like a mask. Whereas Jake starts the movie as a handsome man in a slick suit (this is primetime Nicholson), he is slowly physically destroyed. The bandage is just the icing on the cake; it serves as a mask during the movie's middle third, hiding Jake's face and, at the same time, suppressing his identity. Identity, as an issue, is clouded by the fact that no one he meets can seem to get his name right. Cross, in what may be intentional, keeps calling him "Mr. Gitz" (correctly pronounced, 'Gittes' rhymes with 'kitties'). So not only is he a man with no face, he is a man with no name. Jake Gittes, as he gets deeper and deeper into the mysteries surrounding him, is ceasing to exist.

But that's not to say that he is a cipher of a character. How could he be when played by such a vibrant actor? Nicholson is subdued and cool here, in just the right amounts. He captures Jake's slow decent into near madness perfectly, while always allowing the man some sense of control. Nicholson is always watchable in whatever he does, but this may be his best performance because it asks him to tone down his manic energy, allowing it to bubble over in moments, while alluding to it as subtext in others.

Behind him, the acting is mostly superb. John Huston, in his few brief scenes, makes an indelible mark as the pure face of evil. Huston's deep, gravelly voice and imposing -even at age 68 -frame do a lot at conveying the man's power, while his twinkling eyes draw you to him, even though you know better. Although best known as a legendary director, Huston nearly steals the show here. Not faring as well is Faye Dunaway. She plays her femme fatale role with a bit too much iciness, and, in moments, melodrama. Although she holds her own, and portrays great anguish, in the film's climactic confessional scene, for the most part Dunaway isn't up to snuff.

Roman Polanski, who takes a brief but memorable role as the Man With Knife (that's how he's quite functionally billed), directs with his usual visual flare. Shots are composed as reflections in camera lenses or in a car's side mirror. The opening scene begins with a series of photographs detailing one wife's infidelity. Without saying anything, and without showing the audience the room around them, the scene is set perfectly. It's archetypal of how he shoots the rest of the film: with style and subtlety.

Maybe I put too much stock in what William Goldman has to say, but "Chinatown" has to be a frontrunner when tallying up the best screenplays of all time. A good screenplay will have two things going for it: a strong structure (of vital importance always), and interesting dialogue (useful in supporting the structure and in adding colour to the proceedings). Towne gets full marks on both counts. Structurally, it's a dream, a marvelous example of the micro turning into the macro as the web of intrigue broadens exponentially, while maintaining its power on the smaller scale all along. Add to this the crisp, precise dialogue, and you've got a screenplay that's as much fun to listen to as it is to follow. Jake is full of wisecracks and homespun wisdom. When asked about Mulwray's character, Yelburton denies ever hearing him talk about infidelity: "He never even kids about it." "Maybe he takes it very seriously," says Jake. When Cross asks if Lou Escobar, the investigating officer who's handling the Mulwray murder case, is an honest man, Jakes replies, "Far as it goes... of course he has to swim in the same water we all do." On its own this would be a great line, but in "Chinatown", where the water of L.A. plays a major role in the plot, its damn well genius.

"Chinatown" is much more than your average detective story. It's a narrative dripping in character, intrigue, and history. I'd sure like to see just what it was that happened in Chinatown, back in Jake's days on the police force, which made him the cynical sleuth he's become. It'd make a great prequel. As it stands, the movie we've got is a crackerjack yarn, rich enough to demand multiple viewings.

Read Best Reviews of Chinatown (1974) Here

The Chinatown Blu-ray will be released April 3, 2012 and presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, English Restored Mono Dolby TrueHD, French Mono Dolby Digital, Spanish Mono Dolby Digital and Portuguese Mono Dolby Digital, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

Special features are set to include:

*Commentary with Robert Towne and David Fincher-Towne and Fincher offer unique insights into this classic film.

*Water and Power (HD)-In this three-part documentary, Robert Towne visits sites along the original Los Angeles Aqueduct for the first time. He is informed of the social and environmental impacts and given insight into the major issues around the creation and ongoing operation of the aqueduct.

*The Aqueduct (HD)-The City of Los Angeles completed the 233-mile gravity-fed aqueduct from the Owens Valley in 1913, under the leadership of a self-taught engineer named William Mulholland. L.A. Department of Water and Power representatives along with Catherine Mulholland, granddaughter of the engineer, discuss the development of the aqueduct and its contribution to the growth of the nation's second-largest city.

*The Aftermath (HD)-For decades a large rural community was desiccated under the management of water rights by the City of Los Angeles over a vast area of the Owens Valley. Legal victories beginning in the 1970's lead to successful reductions in environmental damages and the restoration of some natural habitats. Historians, local ranchers and activists discuss the up-to-date impacts of the aqueduct and struggle to maintain a stable environment and community.

*The River & Beyond (HD)-Prior to the building of the first aqueduct a century ago Los Angeles relied solely on its own local water supply: the Los Angeles River and its aquifer. Today the river as a water resource is largely forgotten. Currently there are plans to re-develop the river to reduce L.A.'s dependence on imported water, reducing the environmental impact on distant communities, while creating parks and open spaces for the city.

*Chinatown: An Appreciation-In this featurette, prominent filmmakers express their personal admiration for the film: Steven Soderbergh Director ( Traffic), James Newton Howard Composer ( The Dark Knight), Kimberly Peirce Writer/Director ( Boys Don't Cry), and Roger Deakins Cinematographer ( No Country For Old Men).

*Chinatown: The Beginning and the End

*Chinatown: Filming

*Chinatown: The Legacy

*Theatrical Trailer (HD)

*Cover artwork using the original theatrical poster

*Collectible booklet.

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So, if you own the previous edition is it worth the double dip? Yes and no. If you're a casual fan, then no. If you're devotee of this masterpiece then I would say yes if only for the new transfer and extras.

The original DVD had a decent transfer and a featurette that included interviews with Robert Evans, Roman Polanski, and Robert Towne. While only running 12 minutes, it was a pretty good trip down memory lane. These new extras bring back all three men and Jack Nicholson for brand new interviews. This new disc also has an improved transfer that is a noticeable improvement over the previous edition.

"Chinatown: The Beginning and The End" is a 20-minute retrospective look at the genesis of the film with Evans, Nicholson, Polanski and Towne talking about how they got involved with the project. Towne talks about several things that inspired his script and how his friendship with Nicholson informed the character of Gittes.

"Chinatown: Filming" is a 25-minute examination of the principal photography. Polanski says that Evans gave him complete creative freedom. However, they clashed over the look of the film. Evans wanted it to look like The Godfather films while Polanski wanted it to resemble a Raymond Chandler detective novel. All four men recount some fascinating filming anecdotes.

"Chinatown: Legacy" is a ten-minute look at how the film was initially received by test audiences. Polanski realized that the film's music had to be changed and Jerry Goldsmith was brought in to compose a score in only nine days! The studio felt that the film was "too intellectual" and the critics loved it. Chinatown went on to be nominated for 11 Academy Awards but only won one for Towne's screenplay.

Finally, there is a theatrical trailer.

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Twilight Samurai

This Japanese film, directed by Yoji Yamada, won many awards in Japan. I can certainly understand why. It breaks the mold of films usually associated with Samurai warriors, and instead shows us the human side of a man who lived for his honor and who also wanted to just simply live.

The time period is 19th Century Japan. The strength of the Samurais is fading. And our hero, played by Seibei Iguchi, is a recent widower who is trying to support his two young daughters and aging mother. Yes, he's a Samurai, but of a minor caste. This means he works a day job, the equivalent of bookkeeper, along with a group of other men. He's a sad man, ignoring his personal hygiene, which embarrasses his boss. And he always goes straight home after work, never accepting the invitations of his co-workers to go out for a drink.

His relatives want him to marry again but he rejects the marriage broker who comes to visit. And then a lovely woman does come into his life. She's a childhood friend who has married badly. Because she was so mistreated, she has come home to live with her family. She's beautiful and kind and gentle, ad the sad Samurai's children love her. Later, he shows his valor with some swordplay with her abusive husband.

But as the story continues, and a romance blossoms, the man feels unworthy, even though it is clear that he and this woman would make a good match. And then, suddenly, the head of his Samurai clan calls upon him to commit a murder for the honor of the clan. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, he accepts, understanding that it is likely he will die.

I learned a lot about Samurai life and the details of living in a harsh environment every day. I felt I was right there, in a culture that is indeed different from mine. And, as I absorbed the atmosphere, I also felt the plight of a very troubled human being who had to make a hard choice about what he personally felt was right as compared to what his culture demanded of him.

This is a really fine film. The acting is extraordinary. The directing is flawless. There is romance, action and adventure. There's a serious glimpse in the world of the Samurai. And, most of all, there is a human story that tugged at my heartstrings. Highly recommended.

In "The Twilight Samurai", director Yoji Yamada conceived a more realistic interpretation of life in 19th century Japan than is often seen in "samurai films". The result in a genuine period film that spends time on the daily struggles and family life of its protagonist, Seibei Iguchi, without adrenaline-pumping swordplay. Yamada based the film's screenplay on 3 stories by novelist Shuuhei Fujisawa. The story is told partly from the point of view of Seibei Iguchi's daughter, Ito, who is 5 years old in the film, but provides voiceover narration as a grown woman.

Iguchi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a low-ranking samurai of the Unasaka Clan, living under the Shogunate of mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration. Already the days of the samurai seem numbered, which casts a certain fatalism over the events of the film. Iguchi's wife has recently died after a long and taxing illness, leaving him to care for his two young daughters and senile mother with insufficient income. Iguchi actually enjoys the life of a farmer and watching his daughters grow, but his poverty leaves him without even proper clothing to fulfill his professional responsibilities. His spirits are lifted when he learns that Tomoe (Rie Miyazawa), a woman he has adored since childhood, has received a divorce from her abusive husband. But when his clan's leader dies, the ensuing struggle for power may prove fatal for many samurai.

"The Twilight Samurai"'s success depends upon the performance of Hiroyuki Sanada, who makes Iguchi's humility, heartbreak, and eccentricities convincing. Mutsuo Naganuma's delicate, subtly hued cinematography draws our attention to character development and small gestures. This is a period drama, not a martial arts film. There are only one and a half sword fights, which director Yoji Yamada uses to impress upon the audience that samurai didn't conquer one another with quick fatal cuts, as we so often see in movies, but normally delivered and received many cuts and subsequently bled to death. "The Twilight Samurai" is slow and probably a bit too long at 2 hours and 9 minutes. But it is a lovely film of one man's acceptance of the difficulties his life has brought him. Japanese with English subtitles.

The DVD: Bonus features include interviews with director Yoji Yamada and actor Hiroyuki Sanada and 3 theatrical trailers, one of which is for "The Twilight Samurai". The interview with Yoji Yamada (10 minutes) is dubbed in English. The director explains why he wanted to make a realistic period film, why it was well-received by Japanese audiences, and casting actors Sanada and Min Tanaka, who fight in the movie. Hiroyuki Sanada speaks English in his interview (17 minutes). He talks about the character of Seibei Iguchi, his acting career, and his work on the film "The Last Samurai", in which he had a supporting role. The English subtitles for the movie cannot be turned off.

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Growing up with a first generation Japanese father and a second generation Japanese-American mother, and being very American the Japanese culture is very close and dear to me. Ever since I can remember, films like Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Kwaidan, Ugetsu Monogatari, Sword of Doom and Seppuku [Harakiri] have shaped my view of Japanese cinema. I've also watched more Japanese TV historical drama series than I can remember in the last 35 plus years.

A few weeks ago, I happened upon Tasogare Seibei [Twilight Samurai] very much on accident and can't stop thinking about it. It's affected me that much. And more than anything it has opened my eyes to my ignorance regarding modern Japanese cinema. Sure I've enjoyed movies like Shall We Dance and Ringu, but only because they both had releases in the US. Tasogare Seibei has made me realize that modern samurai era films can be very very good, and don't necessarily need names like Kurosawa, Inagaki, Kobayashi or Okamoto attached to them to be good.

This film reminds me very much of Seppuku in that the central character is a devoted and loving father that makes great sacrifices for his family. Unlike the emotional and explosive battle climax that takes place in Seppuku the duel here is taken on reluctantly by Seibei with a heavy heart, yet equally heroically. This reluctance to violence by Seibei is similar to that of William Munny in Unforgiven. But while both are family men and farmers, they have very different character at their core.

Violence and the understanding of it is not what makes this such a great movie. Devotion to his two daughters and aging mother, undying love for a childhood sweetheart, the daily struggle of supporting loved ones on a measly clerk's salary while balancing massive debt is something most 21st century Americans can relate to. What makes it so easy to like, admire and sympathize with Iguchi Seibei is his humble and self-sacrificing approach to life. Compounded by "giri" [duty and obligation] to his clan this creates almost unbearable responsibility and leads to a heart-wrenching decision.

Tasogare Seibei is based on several short stories by Fujisawa Shuhei, and until recently I had no idea my father was such a fan of his. Fujisawa's stories focus on the trials of everyday low-ranking samurai living in the strict feudal world of the samurai. It's no surprise the film's director Yamada Yoji known for his long running Tora-san series is also a fan of Fujisawa's.

Growing up I often wondered if non-Japanese could appreciate or see Japanese cinema the way I do. When I read reviews on Amazon.com for Japanese movies, I have no doubt they can, and I'm frequently humbled that their insights are often more Japanese than mine. But that may also prove that cinema has no cultural or language barrier, so that a person in Moscow can see Gone With The Wind as the classic struggle of Russian women, or Twin Peaks can become a cultural phenomena in Japan. And part of what might make foreign films so special is that they present familiar situations in an inherently culturally unique way.

Twilight Samurai does that, and will hopefully help people realize that no matter the place or the time, we are all the same.

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This is absolutely one of my favorite movies. Sanada's performance as the reluctant warrior at the beck and call of lesser men who are his social seniors draws you into his world. This man is a fighter who has no real interest in fighting. He has children whom he loves and he aspires to nothing greater than caring for them. When he gets a second chance at a love life you hope he can pull it off but circumstances seem to work against it...

This isn't an "action" movie per se. It is definitely a love story; between the man and his family, between the man and his childhood sweetheart. But the lack of action filled fight scenes doesn't mean that you aren't aware throughout the film that this man is "special". As a martial artist and swordsman I felt that the two fight scenes that were in the film were really excellent in terms of technique and drama. Every time I watch this film, I enjoy it more and more.

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This is a beautiful film from Japan that was nominated last year for Best Foreign Language Film. It is the story of a poor samurai who takes care of two adorable little girls and a senile mother while facing troubles at his job and the turmoil of his time. The film's emotional force lies in both the nuanced, delicate direction and Hiroyuki Sanada's amazing performance that would undoubtedly be nominated for, or even win the Oscar if the Acadamy members and voting actors were to see the film. It is that good. Apart from Kate Winslet, there has not been a better performance this year (in fact, the two are about tied in that respect). Sanada perfectly and precisely crystallizes every bit of complexity his character has to offer into a sympathetic man we care about and feel for throughout the entirety of the film, which is crucial to its success. There was also a notable performance from Min Tanaka as a dangerous, but deeply sad samurai cornered within a decrepit home. Tanaka managed to key in on the underlying depression and insanity of his dark character. You feel for him, and his presence adds an important sense of gravitas to the conversation both men have before the film's controlled, nerve-wracking climax. This is not your usual samurai film, and proves to be something revelatory, memorable, and, above all, satisfying.

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Monamour (2-Disc Special Edition) (2005)

Tinto Brass' latest US release, 'Monamour', is actually from 2005 (why does it take so long for us to get our sexploitation kicks stateside?), starring Anna Jimskaia, and is a sexual homage to the female form, like many of his films, this time even more so, and Anna is an even greater exhibitionist than any of his other actresses, bless her heart.

The story concerns itself with a newly married couple, Marta and Dario, whose love life seems to have stagnated since they got married only six months ago. Marta chronicles the sordid details in her diary, and Dario is too busy with his work to notice her sexual drifting. While away at a publisher's convention in the beautiful city of Mantua with her husband, Marta meets a Frenchman while looking at ancient frescos in a museum, and he pursues her aggressively and sexually right there. Soon, her adultery, born out of neglect, boredom and frustration, is in full swing, and she's encouraged by a female friend of hers who's also at the convention with her younger lover.

The two women attend a day spa and trade tales of their escapades while being pampered by two Eurovixens employed at the spa, conjuring up all kinds of fantasies for us to ponder over as the women are oiled-up and erotically massaged as though being devoured by their masseuses. Marta is now having sexual dreams and fantasies in addition to her carnal activities, engaging in a variety of increasingly perverse pleasures with Leon, the French lover, and naturally, hubbie Dario finds the diary she explicitly details her affairs in. Now things go from steaming hot to boiling over...it's one of those times when being a perv is a truly wonderful thing.

These are women, not girls, and they flaunt their sexuality proudly, libidinous creatures who have not just been around the block a few times, but have frequented the sewers as well. They are lewd, sometimes vulgar, their appetites voracious and lusts almost limitless. Looking slutty, talking dirty, behaving salaciously what's not to love? Hang on a second, I'm getting weepy... OK, I'm back.

There's nary a 30 second frame within the film when we don't have our heads thrust into the breasts, asses, legs, back or nether regions of some delectable Eurovixen's form this is a voyeur's pastry buffet table, a Lazy Susan of rotating sexual smorgasbords that's guaranteed to delight the demented appetites of undying degenerates everywhere. Tinto Brass knows how to let the camera linger over a woman's form the way Salvador Dali knew surrealism, the way Einstein knew equations, the way Monet knew waterlillies. Uncensored, unflinching, uncut, unyielding, this flick is mandatory viewing for all men who appreciate the female anatomy more than a night of ESPN. Do your self a flavor and savor the juices of 'MonAmour'.

Tinto Brass' latest US release, 'Monamour', is actually from 2005 (why does it take so long for us to get our sexploitation kicks stateside?), starring Anna Jimskaia, and is a sexual homage to the female form, like many of his films, this time even more so, and Anna is an even greater exhibitionist than any of his other actresses, bless her heart.

The story concerns itself with a newly married couple, Marta and Dario, whose love life seems to have stagnated since they got married only six months ago. Marta chronicles the sordid details in her diary, and Dario is too busy with his work to notice her sexual drifting. While away at a publisher's convention in the beautiful city of Mantua with her husband, Marta meets a Frenchman while looking at ancient frescos in a museum, and he pursues her aggressively and sexually right there. Soon, her adultery, born out of neglect, boredom and frustration, is in full swing, and she's encouraged by a female friend of hers who's also at the convention with her younger lover.

The two women attend a day spa and trade tales of their escapades while being pampered by two Eurovixens employed at the spa, conjuring up all kinds of fantasies for us to ponder over as the women are oiled-up and erotically massaged as though being devoured by their masseuses. Marta is now having sexual dreams and fantasies in addition to her carnal activities, engaging in a variety of increasingly perverse pleasures with Leon, the French lover, and naturally, hubbie Dario finds the diary she explicitly details her affairs in. Now things go from steaming hot to boiling over...it's one of those times when being a perv is a truly wonderful thing.

These are women, not girls, and they flaunt their sexuality proudly, libidinous creatures who have not just been around the block a few times, but have frequented the sewers as well. They are lewd, sometimes vulgar, their appetites voracious and lusts almost limitless. Looking slutty, talking dirty, behaving salaciously what's not to love? Hang on a second, I'm getting weepy... OK, I'm back.

There's nary a 30 second frame within the film when we don't have our heads thrust into the breasts, asses, legs, back or nether regions of some delectable Eurovixen's form this is a voyeur's pastry buffet table, a Lazy Susan of rotating sexual smorgasbords that's guaranteed to delight the demented appetites of undying degenerates everywhere. Tinto Brass knows how to let the camera linger over a woman's form the way Salvador Dali knew surrealism, the way Einstein knew equations, the way Monet knew waterlillies. Uncensored, unflinching, uncut, unyielding, this flick is mandatory viewing for all men who appreciate the female anatomy more than a night of ESPN. Do your self a flavor and savor the juices of 'MonAmour'.

The second disc contains the short film 'Kick the Cock' starring Angelita Franco from 2008 (hence the re-release) it's short, but a keeper, and so is she. The 'Spanish Dance' sequence is for viral voyeurs worldwide, and made me want to visit Spain before I die actually, waaay before then. There are two 'making of' featurettes worth a watch also, plus trailers for his other Cult Epic films, but the second disc is the dessert, the real meal here is 'Monamour', IMHO, which truthfully, isn't that humble. Deserving a permanent place in your arthouse exploitation collection for certain. Thank Tinto for having the Brass balls to make these flicks...

Buy Monamour (2-Disc Special Edition) (2005) Now

Tinto Brass (who, I think, has two too many letters in his last name), as he does in all of his films, really just made a feature-length fetish picture here. And there are positives and negatives to that. Here are the only things that keep this from being a five-star production:

1. Body hair. The staggeringly-hot Anna Jimskaia (seriously, one of the hottest women I've ever seen on screen...and I've seen A LOT of them) shaves her legs. Why the heck doesn't she shave under her arms?

2. Way too many scenes on toilets. Actually, one is too many if you asked me, and we get no fewer than six in this movie. Again, obviously a Brass fetish.

3. There's a VERY well-endowed chick in one scene in a restaurant and we never get to see any more of her. Highly disappointing because she's a scene-stealer.

Jimskaia obviously is the big seller here, and she NEVER is fully-clothed in this movie...seriously, not a single time. She's not always fully-nude but she never is fully-clothed either. WOW what a fantastic all-natural body, and she shakes and bounces and gyrates through the entire duration. Now if she'll just groom a little more and stay off of the toilet...

Read Best Reviews of Monamour (2-Disc Special Edition) (2005) Here

From the reveiws I expected it to be very sexy & arousing. It wasn't much of either. It was very boring. It got a two because of the ample nudity. Nothing else of note to say about this movie other than to say when they do an english version of an italian movie it should should not be cut. I think brass thinks americans would not like the full italian version so he does a toned down english version which takes away from the movies. Do not buy english versions of italian movies.

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Judge William Lee, DVD Verdict-Monamour doesn't have the most original storyline ever, but the audience for this film genre can do without the distraction of dense exposition and complex plot twists. Tinto Brass is exceptionally skilled at making his brand of sex romp and this film is a fine example. The movie's brisk pace makes the rather predictable story go by effortlessly. Plot points and story beats are observed long enough to serve their purpose and we're quickly onto another locale or scene. Each new scene is another chance to observe our beautiful heroine in another barely-there costume. If Brass knows how to keep the story details short and to the point, he also knows how to keep the sex scenes concise and fresh. Where lesser directors run their actors through a tiresome rotation of positions in an effort to make such scenes pay off, Brass is able to establish a slightly different mood for each scene and he's comfortable ending the scene before it runs out of steam.

The art direction is so detailed and deliberate that Monamour looks like the most lavish erotic film ever made but that's typical of the quality of Brass's films. The movie uses some impressive locations, interior sets have a dreamy elegance, backgrounds are filled with extras, and the lighting is as good as any first-rate mainstream production. Mirrors play a large part in the set decoration, which not only act as a playful visual motif, they allow cinematographer Andrea Doria to capture some very interesting compositions.

The accomplished cinematography is well represented by the excellent HD transfer of this Blu-ray disc. The 1080p, AVC-encoded image is clean and sharp. Surface textures are nicely rendered in close-ups and detail is retained in the gentle shadows. A handful of darker shots exhibit some video grain in the blacks but these few instances are not distracting. The 5.1 surround audio with Italian dialogue is a good, standard sound mix. The 2.0 stereo option is also fine, the main difference is the dialogue gets a slight boost. The English language dub, mixed in stereo, is a typical lazy translation featuring amateurish voice work and is the least of the audio options.

Extras for Monamour are limited to a trailer and a making-of featurette running about 16 minutes. In the featurette, you see Brass at work with the actors and get to hear his very precise instructions when it comes to filming the sex scenes. It looks like the actors and crew are having a lot of fun and, not surprisingly, Jimskaia describes herself as an exhibitionist.

On the second disc of this set is Tinto Brass's 2008 short film Kick the Cock (The New Maid). Brass fills roles on both sides of the camera, playing a dirty old man on screen. His character smokes a cigar while watching a maid wearing a fetish outfit cook and clean in his kitchen. At a running time of 16 minutes, this piece feels too long for this simple premise, but those who are into this scenario might argue it's not long enough. Andrea Doria is the cinematographer again and every shot seems thoughtfully composed. My only minor complaint is the flashback sequence, which is distinguished by overexposing the exterior backgrounds. While the light level still works for the subjects, I just found this visual trick to be a little harsh on the eyes. Otherwise, the 1.78:1 picture, also presented in 1080p/AVC, looks excellent.

The short film is accompanied by some more extras. Some poor location audio recording mars the making-of featurette but it's an interesting look at the crew at work. Actress/burlesque artist Angelita Franco speaks a bit on how she conceived the idea for the short film. "Spanish Dance by Angelita Franco" is footage from a burlesque strip tease performed in a club. "Comic Strip by Franco Saudelli" observes Franco modeling in a bondage scenario for an artist. There is footage of Tinto Brass at the 2008 Venice Film Festival and a teaser for the short film.

-Full review at

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Easter Parade (2013)

I really like "Easter Parade" and was eagerly anticipating how beautiful it would look as a result of Warner's Ultra Resolution process. This is a method that electronically aligns the elements of the famous 3-strip Technicolor process to deliver greater sharpness and even details that weren't visible when the film was brand new. Unfortunately, this film doesn't look nearly as good as the other films that previously underwent this process: "Singin' in the Rain," "The Adventures of Robin Hood," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "Gone With the Wind." Even "The Harvey Girls" and "Annie Get Your Gun," which were restored without the Ultra Resolution process, look much better than "Easter Parade."

All of these films, although not perfect, look almost like they were filmed yesterday with wonderful sharpness and contrast range, an almost three-dimensional clarity, and beautiful, sparkling colors--rather like a Kodachrome slide. "Easter Parade," on the other hand, looks like a very old movie that's had it colors artificially pumped up--like an old tart that thinks a lot of warpaint will make her look young, but fools no one. This transfer HAS to be several generations removed from the negative. It has a thick, flat, dull look: very little contrast or modeling, flesh tones the color of red clay mud, and colors that look as if they were applied to the film with a spatula--no light or life can get through! When there is some contrast and a bit of brightness, the effect is very garish and detail is washed out. Warner Brothers either shortchanged this film financially in its restoration or it was working with elements that were far removed from the original negative or color separations. Yes, this is the best this film has looked on home video. Yes, it often has decent detail, but it looks everybit like a film from 1948--or even older--rather than the almost brand new look we have come to expect from Warner's other major restoration efforts.

"The Band Wagon," another classic musical that was released in conjunction with "Easter Parade," is better, but still has that rather dull, flat, copy-of-a-copy-of-a-copy look, and reddish brown fleshtones. Compare it with "Singin' In the Rain," released just a year before: the difference is like night and day! We have come to expect better than this from a company that has given classic film fans the best DVD transfers of any company. I am more than disappointed; I am shocked! What happened, Warner Brothers?

Originally intended as a re-teaming of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, EASTER PARADE ran into trouble when Garland's doctors advised against her working under the direction of her husband, director Vincent Minnelli--and no sooner did director Charles Walters take the helm than Gene Kelly broke his leg. Out of such confusion are movie musical miracles born: although a bit old to act as Garland's leading man, Fred Astaire was coaxed out of retirement. He and Garland had tremendous chemistry, EASTER PARADE was a box office smash, and Astaire unexpectedly found himself reborn as an MGM star.

Set in 1900s New York, the film's story line is flimsy but enjoyable. After long-time dance partner Ann Miller abandons the act, Astaire hires chorus girl Garland and attempts to recast her in his former partner's mold--a situation which offers Astaire and Garland considerable comedy and gives Astaire the chance to parody several of his own famous dance of the 1930s. Garland eventually convinces Astaire that she needs to be herself, and once the act is revamped they become a hot ticket--and, once their several romantic complications are resolved, romantic partners as well.

Astaire is every bit as charming here as he was in his Ginger Roger days, and his choreography retains his signature sharpness, wit, and elegance. Although Garland isn't really a dancer, she holds her own with Astaire and she tears strips off a brillant score of Irving Berlin favorites. Both are well supported by Anne Miller, who gives a brilliant turn with 'Shakin' the Blues Away,' and Peter Lawford, who is quite charming as one of Garland's admirers. Although this really isn't as inspired as the truly great MGM musicals of the late 1940s, director Walters keeps it going at a smart pace, and the star power, clever script, memorable score, and those legendary MGM production values elevate it well above the pack. Musical fans will be in for a treat! Recommended.

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Some movies (especially movies from today) are really to me just a waste of time and money. People just don't seem to care about what people see on the screen anymore. And that is one of the reasons I LOVE old movies! Because you can always, almost, well, you can really never go wrong!! And Easter Parade is one of those movies to just treasure. To save for your children and grandchildren. So they can's appreciate the past, and know that there once was a time when people cared about the things they put on that larger than life screen.

Easter Parade begins with the ballroom dancer, Don Hews (Fred Astaire). Who is in love with his goregeous partner (Ann Miller) Oh, what a star!

Those two are a great team that audiences love. But when Nadene, (Miller) becomes hungry for renown, she dumps him for the Zigfield Follies, and Don's best friend, the handsome Johnny Harlow (Peter Lawford).

Angry Don sets off to prove to Nadene that he can dance with anybody and he doesn't need her! So he finds the chorus girl working at a bar, the Lovely Hannah Brown (Judy Garland). Wonderful songs that put a smile on your face. And clever lines that will make you laugh! Easter Parade has it all!! And as Don Hews realizes he's fallen hoplelessly in love with Hannah. And he proves to the narrow minded, jealous, Nadene, he DOESN'T need her, and he CAN dance with anybody.

Clinton Sundberg plays the bar tender where Hannah used to work. And thinks he knows everything. Lines like:

Astaire: I bet you know alot about women.

Sundberg: I should, been single all my life.

Wonderful songs like: Easter Parade, Love the Piano, A Fella With a Umbrella, Michigan, shakin the Blues away, and more!

Ann also does a jaw droppin performance of Shakin your Blues Away. Wonderful!!! This movie is all smiles!! And let me tell you something, this movie DEFINETLEY cannot miss! I'm only practically 14, but my opinion is very decided, I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!

PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR: SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Easter Parade (2013) Here

Hello everyone!

I just thought I'd share with you all that Warner Brothers is in the process of making Corrected Blu-Ray discs for Easter Parade. I got an e-mail today from a Representative at Warner Brothers after I e-mailed them with my concerns regarding the missing "Judy Garland: By Myself" that was advertised and not put on the disc. I was told that they were just made aware of the problem and are in the process of making the correction. They asked me for my address and told me that they would ship it to me as soon as it became available. So, I would e-mail Warner Brothers through their website (warnerbrothers.com) and express the same concerns as I did and someone SHOULD respond to you within a few days and hopefully, ask you for your address so you can get one sent to you. Hope you all didn't run out and buy the 2 Disc Special Edition on DVD just to get this missing extra. :)Easter Parade [Blu-ray]

UPDATE: 3-26-13 Well, I FINALLY got my copy and, as with the rest of you, it was Disc 2 of the DVD 2 Disc Special Edition. I must say, I am rather disapointed that Warner Brothers didn't fix the Blu-Ray version of this Movie and add the missing documentary. I'm sure all they did was tear open a bunch of the 2 Disc sets and take Disc 2 out and throw away the rest of the set; just to satisfy the requests for a fix from me and the rest of you. So, OK. They put a band-aid over the problem. What happens from this point onward?? Are they going to just keep sending out Disc 2 of the DVD collection everytime someone writes or calls to voice their concerns about the missing documentary?? Will they send a bunch of these Disc 2's to Amazon and everyone else selling this movie on Blu-Ray and tell them to include it with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it from them?? Are they EVER going to produce the Blu-Ray with the missing documentary and if so, will they send US a free copy to give us what we should have had all along?? I guess only time will tell.

"I don't wanna complain. But, I drove around that revolting block 51 times and my feet are killing me!" :)

UPDATE: 4-2-13 I just contacted Amazon Customer Service to ask them (now that they are begining to sell this as a "2 Disc Version" Blu-Ray) "Would I get 2 Blu-Ray discs or 1 Blu-Ray disc and 1 DVD disc containing the missing Documentary "By Myself" if I purchased this from Amazon"?? Well, I tried 3 different people and got nowhere. One person denied that this movie was ever put on "hold" by Amazon and only available to purchase through Marketplace Sellers. Are they SERIOUS!?!? So, my suggestion is, buy at your own risk! I suspect that Warner Brothers just sent them a bunch of the same DVD's they gave all of us who contacted them regarding the missing Documentary and told Amazon to just throw it in with the Blu-Ray if someone orders it. But, to call this a "2 Disc Version" is misleading to consumers if this truly isn't a 2 Disc Blu-Ray set. Unless Amazon can give us a straight answer, I would hold off on purchasing this. You want to know exactly what you're getting, don't you??

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This film is a joy from start to finish and, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the colour and sound reproduction on the DVD are excellent. On this `special edition' there is also an interesting extra in the making of documentary Easter Parade: On the Avenue in which you get to learn interesting little snippets such as the fact that Anne Miller had to dance her numbers in a surgical corset due to the fact that, shortly prior to shooting the film, her husband had pushed her down the stairs and broken her back! Also, some might not have known that, but for a similar, though not quite so severe injury, Gene Kelly might have been playing the lead. The aspect ratio also means that you get the full screen image rather than it being cut down.

There is so much to enjoy: not least, of course, We're a Couple of Swells, in which Judy had to persuade Fred to `dust on' and go very much against the normally suave, sophisticated and elegant grain! It is in this number that she seems almost always to be teetering on the edge of going overboard but just, somehow manages the restraint necessary to achieve a superb piece of vaudevillian pastiche. And then there is Fred's `Steppin' Out With My Baby', in which he ends the number by dancing in slow motion against a backdrop chorus dancing in real time: sheer brilliance.

In an era in which we are often served up garbage and expected to accord it the status of entertainment; of reality TV and Hello magazine and, seemingly, commonplace `mega stars' it isn't often that we get to witness and appreciate true and sublime genius on show.

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Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection, Vol. 1 (Limited Edition) (2011)

***** the films

***** the discs

This review may seem contradictory, this is a five-star set of cartoons presented in a five-star Blu-ray release, and I have to rate this set on those merits. But there are some things not five-star for those of us who have been collecting the Golden Collections on DVD.

O.K, , you are probably saying "These Looney Tunes Blu-ray titles seem familiar", that is because just about all of them have been released on the DVD Golden, Oscar, & Superstars Collections. Why? Because when they were restored for those Collections they were restored in Hi-Definition 1080p, so Warner had an easy Blu-ray release here with out spending much money for new film transfers.

This means that unlike the "Wow" effect we got when we first saw the Golden Collection DVDs after watching washed out Laserdiscs & VHS tapes, this time we will see the same film transfers with improved restoration in 1080p resolution. I have seen the Blu-ray presentations of "Rabbit Hood" and "I Love to Singa" and they look nice, but you will need a rather large HD-TV to notice any kind of improvement over the Golden Collection DVDs. "I Love to Singa" still looks grainy & has negative dust just like the Golden Collection DVDs.

One BIG improvement is with BABY BOTTLENECK, the original film transfer has undergone further restoration work to reduce the grain seen in the older DVD. There is still grain, but it is a big improvement.

Warner did spend some money to make a few new Hi-Def transfers for titles not previously on DVD:

Disc #1

Lovelorn Leghorn Foghorn Leghorn only available previously on VHS

Disc #2

Hasty Hare Bugs Bunny & Marvin Martian previously available on the Laserdisc "Looney Tunes After Dark"

Hare-way To The Stars Bugs Bunny & Marvin Martian previously available on the Laserdisc "Looney Tunes After Dark"

Bill of Hare Bugs Bunny & Tasmanian Devil previously available on the Laserdisc "Stars of Space Jam"

A Witches Tangled Hare Bugs Bunny & Witch Hazel only available previously on VHS.

Feline Frame-up previously available on the Laserdisc "Assorted Nuts"

Disc #3 (Presented in STANDARD DEFINITION unless noted)

Marvin Martian in the 3rd Dimension (1996) non-anamorphic letterboxed small screen presentation.

Father of the Bird Foghorn Leghorn (1997)

Museum Scream Tweety & Sylvester (2003) High Defenition, anamorphic widescreen

And some Chuck Jones productions:

Hell Bent for Election (1944)

Hitch In time (1955) High defenition

The Door (with Bill Cosby 1968)

It is puzzling, and disappointing that disc #3 is mostly in STANDARD DEFINITION Blu-ray, with noticeable scan lines. It is obviously hobbled together quickly to give this set a third disc. I saw only three Hi-Definition cartoons on disc #3: "A Hitch In Time" (1955), "90 Day Wondering" (1955) and in anamorphic widescreen "Museum Scream" (2003). "Superior Duck" also looks good like it might be in Hi-Definition but it clocks in with the other standard definition cartoons. "Marvin Martian in the 3rd Dimension" (1996) is a real disappointment in standard definition, it is letterboxed and not anamorphic, the picture is really shrunk down. I was also looking forward to seeing "The Dot and The Line" as well as "The Bear That Wasn't" in Hi-definition, but that was not to be here. Maybe if a Chuck Jones MGM Cartoon set comes out in Blu-ray we may see true Di-Definition presentations of those cartoons then.

So if you have all of the DVD Golden Collections, The Oscar Winners & Nominees collection, and the Superstars Collections, you will likely only be buying this for the 6 newly restored cartoons on discs 1 & 2.

I guess a direct re-release of the Golden Collections on Blu-ray would have sold less than a Blu-ray collection featuring 6 new titles not previously on DVD.

Notice that there are only 50 classic cartoons here, the old Golden Collection DVDs had 60 cartoons per set. So it will take more Blu-ray sets to cover the same quantity of cartoons as the old DVD sets.

** If you are trying to decide between the expensive "Ultimate Collector's Edition" and the regular edition, there is really nothing "Ultimate" about the "Ultimate Edition". The Ultimate edition adds a Bugs Bunny shot glass (yes you heard me Bugs Bunny is promoting alcoholic drinking) and a certificate of authenticity (like we are worried about bootleg Blu-rays), a tin with a picture on it and a matted lithograph. I think reproductions of the cartoon lobby cards that appear shrunken in the booklet would have been a better deal.

Save your money & get the basic version, the discs are the same.**

At least something is being released for the animation fans again by Warner Home Video. If you can afford it, lets support this Hi-Def project and keep some new titles coming out.

***UPDATE ABOUT THE DVDS***

The Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Volume 1 release was originally a Blu-ray ONLY release, and this review pertains to the Blu-Ray discs only.

Due to popular request, Warner Home Video later released a standard DVD 2-disc version which did not include the bonus disc #3.

Since each cartoon runs roughly 7 to 8 minutes, that means one disc with 25 cartoons on it runs about 3 hours and 8 minutes which is a maximum for a dual layer DVD before increasing compression artifacting. While I do not have the standard DVDs to tell you if they include the bonus material on the Blu-ray discs #1 & 2, consider that there may not have been room on the discs to include them.

You wouldn't buy or download a CD without knowing what was on it, would you? So why would you buy this DVD collection without knowing its contents?

So first off, its contents. Why Amazon doesn't list this info is beyond me. This is a collection of 50 vintage Warner Brothers cartoons, many of which are classics.

Disc 1

Hare Tonic

Baseball Bugs

Buccaneer Bunny

The Old Grey Hare

Rabbit Hood

8 Ball Bunny

Rabbit of Seville

What's Opera Doc?

The Great Piggy Bank Robbery

A Pest in the House

The Scarlet Pumpernickel

Duck Amuck

Robin Hood Daffy

Baby Bottleneck

Kitty Kornered

Scaredy Cat

Porky Chops

Old Glory

A Tale of Two Kitties

Tweetie Pie

Fast and Furry-ous

Beep, Beep

Lovelorn Leghorn

For Scent-imental Reasons

Speedy Gonzales

Disc 2

One Froggy Evening

Three Little Bops

I Love to Singa

Katnip Kollege

The Dover Boys at Pimento University

Chow Hound

Haredevil Hare

The Hasty Hare

Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century

Hare-Way to the Stars

Mad as a Mars Hare

Devil May Hare

Bedevilled Rabbit

Ducking the Devil

Bill of Hare

Dr. Devil and Mr. Hare

Bewitched Bunny

Broom-Stick Bunny

A Witch's Tangled Hare

A-Haunting We Will Go

Feed the Kitty

Kiss Me Kat

Feline Frame-up

From A to Z-Z-Z-Z

Boyhood Daze

All of your favorite characters are here (Bugs, Marvin, Foghorn, Taz, Wile E. Coyote, Daffy, and so on), and some of the greatest American cartoons ever (Duck Amuck, What's Opera Doc) are here. Of course, when a studio has a library as extensive as Warner Brothers', it seems likely that no single collection is likely to contain all of the classics. Missing from this collection are some unforgettable cartoons like Rabbit Seasoning, Duck! Rabbit, Duck! and A Sheep in the Deep, but all-in all this is an amazing collection of great old cartoons. They're remastered beautifully and are a sight to behold.

If you want your kids to grow up with an appreciation of Chuck Jones and Mel Blanc (that's why I bought this), then you can't do better than this amazing collection.

Buy Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection, Vol. 1 (Limited Edition) (2011) Now

The main draw for me to purchase this set was that it included the complete collection of Marvin the Martian and Taz cartoons, as I already have the 6 Golden Collections and all the Superstars discs. Well after getting it and watching some of the cartoons my mind was blown as to how well the cartoons look on a 1080p set. The colors pop as if they were produced just yesterday. Although in some of the cartoons scratches and dust are more noticeable (one has to remember that these cartoons were made around 60-70 years ago), but it does not detract from the overall experience.

Also included in the collector's set is a certificate of authenticity,a framed lithograph titled "The Looney Tunes March," a tin sign that features Bugs and Daffy, and of all things a Bugs Bunny shot glass. According to the box, only 36,000 of these sets were produced, so for die-hard Looney Tunes collectors this might be right up your alley!

Disc 1 contains a random assortment of goodies from Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and other Looney Tunes stars.

Disc 2 contains the complete Marvin the Martian, the complete Taz the Tasmanian Devil, and the complete Witch Hazel, as well as complete collections for other stars. This disc also features one-hit wonders such as I Love to Singa, The Three Little Bops, and One Froggy Evening.

Disc 3 contains films revolving around one of the greatest animation directors of all time Chuck Jones, and features some of his greatest non-Looney Tunes shorts such as: The Dot and the Line and other rare Chuck Jones oddities. Also included on this disc is 9 bonus cartoons such as: Spaced-Out Bunny, Superior Duck, and From Hare to Eternity.

If you are on the fence about purchasing this, pick this set up now! You will not regret it.

Read Best Reviews of Looney Tunes: Platinum Collection, Vol. 1 (Limited Edition) (2011) Here

I own, and treasure, The Looney Tunes Golden Collection, as imperfect as it is, and I was extremely disappointed to see THAT series so abruptly and unceremoniously terminated after only 6 volumes as if it were being managed by a child who suddenly and capriciously became bored with it.

In my opinion, that was a slap in the face to those of us who had invested in volumes 1 through 6.

So, you'll understand if I have to look askance at the PLATINUM collection because so many of these titles were previously released in The Golden Collection.

For those who may be wondering (and I apologize if someone has already done this exercise) here, in alphabetical order, are the 6 cartoons on this Platinum Volume that I did NOT see among the cartoons on the 6 Volumes of The Looney Tunes Golden Collection:

BEDEVILED RABBIT

BILL OF HARE

DUCKING THE DEVIL

DR. DEVIL AND MR. HARE

FROM A TO Z-Z-Z-Z

A WITCHES TANGLED HARE

I would love to add the above 6 to my collection, but not at the cost of adding 19 duplicate cartoons.

It's bad enough that excellent offerings such as CAPTAIN HAREBLOWER and

RACKETEER RABBIT (a personal favorite) were given short shrift and wound up tucked away as extras on other disks (CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER and PUBLIC ENEMIES: THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE GANGSTER FILM, respectively).

I am VERY disappointed to see what I contend is the continued MIS-handling of this franchise and I won't be rushing out to add the PLATINUMS to my animation library anytime soon.

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This set is a revelation! People who think the DVD is "good enough" are nuts.

I just watched all the Clampetts and the early Jones cartoons on my ten foot screen and every single one had my jaw on the floor. They're beautiful. The overall saturation level is too high and the volume of the cartoons is a bit low, but I turned down the color and turned up the sound and they were perfect... No, beyond perfect. I've seen these cartoons projected theatrically quite a few times, but the colors weren't anywhere as well balanced in theatrical prints as they are here. It isn't like the Disney films where everything is goosed up and shifted to primary colors. These transfers have very sophisticated color schemes with muted colors AND vivid ones. Great Piggy Bank Robbery and especially Kitty Cornered had some of the most amazing color I've ever seen. The lines were sharp, you can see textures and brushstrokes on the backgrounds and every frame is crystal clear with no compression or DVNR artifacting. I've been quite critical of the transfer quality of the Looney Tunes on DVD, but this time, WB got it right.

Don't believe me? Check out this photo I shot off my screen using my iphone...If you think your DVDs look good, pop in One Froggy Evening and skip to the scene where the crowd of people is exiting crossing the scene about 3/4 of the way through the cartoon. Still frame on that crowd. On DVD, it's a macroblocked mess of colored boxes. On bluray, it's pristine. The color balances, digital noise reduction and frame sharpness are MUCH worse on the DVDs. This set is a thousand times better. When I put in the third disk with the standard def documentaries with the old prints, it was like going back to the stone age. They could have totally eliminated the supplements and just given me more cartoons in HD. I want more of these sets.

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Dressed to Kill (2010)

It's very exciting to see DRESSED TO KILL on blu ray and for all fans the question when a blu ray of an older film already owned on dvd comes to blu ray is how does it look? Is it worth it to double or even triple dip? The answer here is a resounding YES the film looks and sounds great on blu ray and is a must have. There has always been much controversy over how good a film DRESSED TO KILL is and as to how original director Brian De Palma actually is. Many critics considered this a Hitchcock rip-off and others thought De Palma used his same standard directiorial mechanics here to results similar to his other films. I myself love this film and like to think any Hitchcockian comparisons are actually done in a respectful bow to Hitchcock. And though I did find some scenes similar to those in De Palma's CARRIE, this film stands on its own as an excellent scary and suspenseful film with a very original story line. We know De Palma loves his shower scenes here and the shots with Angie Dickinson (and the body double for close ups) are legendary.

But what about the bu ray. This is a film from 1980 and overall the video presentation here is superb. Though the picture isn't always fully sharp the clarity is excellent. Close ups are crystal clear with flesh tones very realistic. Colors are vivid and pop. The black/white ratio is overall excellent. Sometimes blacks come across a little shadowy but this most likely has to do with the original film source. There is some graininess but it is again part of the intentional viewing experince. With the blu ray you get an overall clear, exciting and vivid picture with clarity that pulls you in. And the audio is amazing. The DTS HD Master 5.1 track provided has dialogue strong throughout with all the surround speakers used to full effect. In the shower scenes you will hear water from all your speakers. Background noise and the ever effective musical score that highlight this film come out strong and sure from all speakers as well. This film is one that will scare you. From the click of Angie Dickinson's shoes as she walks thru the museum to the swipe of the blade the sounds are all strong and realistic. And the true scare moments just let me say the excellent audio here will have you jumping out of your skin.

Debates aside this film is excellent and definitely a standout thriller from the 80s. The plot is also above your regular thriller. From the opening shower scene with Angie to the film end every scene has a purpose in the plot. This is an adult thriller and I highly recommend the superb blu ray transfer. It will be like watching the film for the first time.

First,about the blu ray. It has an improved picture. Noticeable, especially at the end of the museum scene where there used to be a glitch on the negative on the 2001 dvd. It was filmed in 2:35 widescreen aspect ratio so there will be black bars on your t.v. The DTS sound is great you can hear the music better. It was smart of them to keep the special features from the 2001 dvd. They were well done. Wish the same had been done for the blu ray of "Carrie"('76). I am very pleased with this blu ray and certainly hope they use the special features from the special edition dvd's of "The Fog"('80), "The Howling"('81), and eventually "Carrie"('76).

This original thriller has Hitchcockian touches, but is its own film. Very artistically done with excellent camera work, such as the framing of the shots, use of split screen and split diopter for scenes. Great costumes by Ann Roth and a fine score by Pino Donaggio. It was modern for its time and still is in a lot of ways as far as the look of the film and its complicated adult themes.

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This is one of my favorite De Palma films, next to Blow Out. I absolutely adore his early work (Sisters, Obsession, The Fury, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Body Double), I don't think his thrillers have been matched in style and tension. This is an extremely solid film for it's genre and time. I feel it holds up well. Brief Synopsis to avoid spoilers: A psychiatrist has women patients being stalked and attacked. The son of one of the victims goes into his own investigation to find out who the killer is as well. I know this description is arbitrary...but for other De Palma fans who've seen this, the fun is discovering this film as blindly as possible. Pino Donnagio's music, De Palma's cinematography (the museum scenes anyone?), and his pacing is absolutely seemless and beautiful. It's hard to deny this is an inspired homage to Hitchcock's films, in a great way though.

My gripe with this release? Shame on MGM for releasing such a sub par disc on this beautiful film. The transfer is an improvement, some what. The sound, not so much. There isn't even a menu and the special features are the same features you can see from the DVD release of 2001. Why bother? Understandably...they went all out on the new Scarface release, but why not show the same appreciation and effort to introduce this film to a completely different audience? MGM shouldve sold the rights to Criterion Collection. Criterion wouldve treated this film the way it truly shouldve been. Watch this film! Enjoy...just be aware...it's the lesser of two evils buying this ridiculous excuse for a release. You can buy this at a normal price...or spend an arm and a leg from some turd that knows the DVD is out of print, and is milking it.

Read Best Reviews of Dressed to Kill (2010) Here

DRESSED TO KILL is one of my favorite Brian De Palma films next to Carrie (Special Edition), and so when I found out that it was being released on Blu-Ray, I had to buy it even though I already owned the Dressed to Kill DVD.

The picture quality is excellent! No noise or scratches, particularly during the dark scenes, and the image quality is razor sharp even in the dream sequences and foggy shower scenes.

And the movie still holds up after all these years. It's still a fascinating thriller and I'm always finding new images and hints throughout the movie on repeated viewings, especially on this new Blu-Ray transfer, that I didn't notice on the DVD. Did you know that Bobbi makes an appearance long before the elevator scene?

Anyway, if you're undecided on whether or not the BR version of DRESSED TO KILL is worth it, I'd say yes with a few caveats.

First off, all of the special features that were on the DVD were carried over to the BR except for the "Advertising Photo Gallery" that showed film posters and lobby cards. I don't know why they got rid of this featurette because I really enjoy looking at the various film posters and concept art for them.

Also, the mini-pamphlet that was included with the DVD is not available here. Because of these omissions, I had to deduct one-star.

Another reason for the deduction is that the menu layout is a little confusing when you get to the extra features, and you're not able to bookmark the timeline. Maybe this was an issue with my PS3, but I was not able to put a placeholder, when I had to stop the playback, and it didn't resume playback when I came back to watch the movie, so it was a little annoying to have to start all the way back from the beginning -including disclaimer titles -to get to the scene selection menu and find my way back to where I'd left off.

Here's a run down of the goodies on the Blu-Ray:

***** SPECIAL FEATURES *****

* The Making Of Dressed To Kill * = 43:51-minutes

Featurette from 2001 with De Palma, stars Nancy Allen (Liz Blake), Angie Dickinson (Kate Miller), Keith Gordon (Peter Miller), Dennis Franz (Detective Marino), producer George Litto, and editor Jerry Greenberg, discussing the making of the movie from start to finish.

* Film Comparison * = 05:14-minutes

Comparison between the Unrated, R-rated, and Network versions of the movie including the shower, elevator, psychiatrist office, and nightmare scenes.

* Slashing Dressed To Kill * = 09:50-minutes

Featurette discussing how challenging it was to get past the censors and how many scenes had to be altered. It's a good thing that De Palma shot and preserved the movie as is, which is how we get the "unrated" version today.

* Appreciation By Keith Gordon * = 06:06-minutes

The actor who plays "Peter Miller," Angie Dickinson's son in the movie, critically discusses the genius of De Palma's filming techniques. This was interesting to watch because if gives you little nuggets of things to watch for in the movie.

* Animated Photo Gallery *

So, if you're a fan of DRESSED TO KILL, I highly recommend the Blu-Ray version for the pristine picture quality on HD. If high definition isn't that much of a factor for you and you own the DVD then I'd say you don't really need to upgrade it. Again, there's nothing extra on the Blu-Ray that isn't on the DVD, in fact, you'll get one less feature.

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I saw this one time as a suggestion on Blockbuster's version of Netflix, and thought I'd check it out. Especially being a huge Hitchcock fan and there being tons of reviews saying this is a huge homage to the director.

It starts off a bit odd. You don't know quite what it is this movie is going to be about, then-SLAM! You're in the middle of a murder mystery. If you really wanted to enjoy this-AVOID ALL REVIEWS!! I had no idea what was coming.

Really enjoyed it and suggest it for any thriller/mystery film fan.

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Minority Report (2002)

This is a review of the BD version of the film. I am sure most reading know the atory, so I won't get into all of that, though it must be said it is a chliing. exciting, and brilliant vision of the future down to its details. I have seen a couple of reviews that note the issue of "grain" on the image. Here's the deal with that...the grain is supposed to be there. The most common misconception about bluray is that it offers a more enhanced and retouched version of a film. High Definition lets you see the film as it was intended by the filmmakers. Mostb SD DVD has been treated with something called Digital Noise Reduction (DNR). This wipes the image so that it is smooth and waxy. It also distorts the colors, textures, and the original artistic vision. Bluray provides deeper colors, blacks, eliminates edge enhancement, halos, and other issues. Minority Report is intended and was shot to have a gritty feel, hence the grain. This is how the film is supposed to look. It has a kind of washed out, skip bleached look with lots of swirling film grain. This creates an emotional impact that informs the story and the characters. This movie looks fabulous. The grain renders the fine details and textures much harder to see in 480i. 1080p allows us to see it as it looked in the editing bay. Colors are fully accurate and resolved. Blacks are inky and detail is gorgeous, making the special effects all the more dazzling. This transfer was closely supervised and approved by Spielberg. It is the best this film will ever look and the HD DTS soundtrack is tight, robust and exciting. This is one of the films I have been waiting to see in this format and it exceeded my expectations.

I probably would have waited until Minority Report hit the rental stands if it weren't for all the five-star ratings critics have been giving this movie. After being digitally assaulted by the current crop of high-budget special effects films like Spiderman and Attack of the Clones, I was already weary of acting and storyline taking a backseat to gee-whiz computer graphics. I underestimated Spielberg's ability.

So what is the plot exactly? Well, dear reader, take comfort in knowing I will not spoil the movie for you. In the year 2054, Americans are subjected to Gap clothing stores (that scan your retina and hard-sell khakis by your name) as well as USA Today newspapers with animated front page covers that update in real-time. Tom Cruise is John Anderton, Washington D.C.'s top-cop in the experimental pre-crime unit that seeks out and eliminates would-be murderers through the use of precognitive beings that are able to sense murders shortly before they happen. The premise sounds wonderful until John discovers he's about to murder someone he has never met. This is the story on the surface yet it is not the story. I fear many will avoid this movie because this is all they will expect. I will stump for this movie because it's not just an action-thriller and it's not just a thinking-man's science-fiction movie. What lies beneath the story is much deeper and darker.

You see, even in knowing the future, Mr. Anderton is confronted with an awful dilemma. How can he prevent himself from killing the person he is supposed to murder if he has never seen the person he is supposed to kill or the location the murder is supposed to take place? Is the future preordained or does man create his own destiny? As Anderton uncovers the answers to these questions, viewers will find that this is not the underlying story either.

Minority Report is a dark and disturbing vision of the future made believable with Cruise's much more human characterization of Anderton than his previous Mission Impossible persona. Samantha Morton, Colin Farrell, and the incomparable Max von Sydow all serve to effectively help and hinder Anderton's quest. Are there flaws in the movie? Perhaps. The action scenes are impressive and appropriate, but one particular scene in the LEXUS factory contained so much eyeball-jarring camera manipulation that I felt I was hit by a "sick stick." And speaking of brand-names, reviewers complain of the blatant commercialization of the movie. Without question, an obscene amount of advertising permeates almost every frame. Did Spielberg sell out to the highest bidder or is he making a statement about the not-so-distant future, or even the present? I'll let you decide. Finally, the fact this movie received a PG-13 rating is a statement in itself. I remember all the controversy generated by parent-groups when Poltergeist received a PG rating. It seems so long ago...

Yet credit must go to Steven Spielberg as there was much of this movie that could've been done ineffectively. After the disappointing box-office numbers of A.I., many (including myself) were expecting a dumbed-down formulaic hack to swing alongside the rest of the massives. Instead, Spielberg shows he's master of the technology as the impressive display of visuals serve to add to, not overwhelm the story. By the time the movie ends, you may find yourself pondering the kind of questions only philosophers argued over.

Buy Minority Report (2002) Now

This is a movie that I was unfortunately unable to see at the theaters and regretted it then and even more so now, seeing how great a movie it is. You can normally expect a Steven Spielberg film to contain; stunning imagery, intense suspense and an overly enthralling film, which he delivers perfectly in this film. Minority Report is an absolutely riveting film that will have you going from the moment the film starts to the very last second. Tom Cruise's more recent films really haven't really lived up to expectations, not so in this film. He seems to be completely in his stride with this role. He performs brilliantly in this film. Nods to Max Von Sydow as well. If you're into action/mystery films with a good dose of Science Fiction tossed in for good measure, this is your film. Minority Report is a must for your DVD collection!

The premise:

It is the year 2054 and the film takes place in Washington D. C. For the past several years, murder is all but a thing of the past. With the advent of the Pre Crime division, where three pre-cogs, see a murder before it happens. Tom Cruise plays the chief of the Pre Crimes division, leading the troops in the apprehension of these criminals who haven't, yet are about to commit murder. His character is plagued by the murder of his son, six years prior and is suffering the emotional damage from that murder. The pre-cogs, foretell a murder and as Tom Cruise is working his amazing futuristic computer to discover who the murderer is, he finds that it is he who is the murderer. And so goes the film as he makes his way out of the Pre Crime building and starts on his quest to figure out who has set him up.

Read Best Reviews of Minority Report (2002) Here

The latest from the master of film, Steven Spielberg, Minority Report is a very entertaining film. Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell and others, is about a man in the future, who is being hunted for a Pre-Crime he does not believe he will commit. He has a certain amount of time before the pre-crime is supposed to take place, and tries to search for answers before it is too late. (This is a very, extremely, dumbed down version of the synopsis)

Spielberg tried to draw on the film noir genre to make the film, and doing this definitely gave the film a much more dark feeling overall. There was a certain sense of mystery to the whole movie, and while it is fairly predictable who the villain is,(there are only a limited amount of main characters in the movie, which is why it is predictable) the ride to get to that point where the movie reveals the villain is altogether thrilling, and visually astonishing.

As much as others have said the movie is loaded with action, I have to disagree. The movie has a couple nice action sequences, yes, but in reality, considering the movie's long running time, there weren't that many. The reason why the movie seemed action filled from beginning to end was really because Spielberg truly was able to convey a sense of excitement and intrigue through the dialogue. It reminds me of what the movie "The Beach" wanted to be -a thriller without the action, but where "The Beach" failed, Minority Report has succeeded.

That is not to say there aren't some nice scenes with action of course. The one I loved the most was the sequence where John Anderton (Tom Cruise) has to jump from one car to another, while all the cars are going down a literally vertical highway (the futuristic highways remind me of rollercoasters).

Many felt that the ending to this was way too drawn out, and similar to Spielberg's last movie AI, should have cut out the last 20 minutes or so. I disagree, as I felt the last part of the movie gave it that finishing touch that makes it even more film noir like.

Spielberg has also revealed a darker and more morbid sense of humor that may have come from his tangle with Kubrick in AI. One of the scenes that perfectly illustrates this new Kubrickan Spielberg is one where a man in the movie has to chase after his own eyeballs, bouncing down a hallway -something that is sickeningly funny, and definitely a type of scene that was previously not part of Spielberg's film vocab.

Overall, Minority Report is a thoughtful thriller that definitely warrants at least one viewing.

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Minority Report is a spectacular science fiction masterpiece directed by the great Steven Spielberg and loosely adapted from a short story by Philip K. Dick, one of the fathers of the cyberpunk genre. The movie shows us a world filled with dazzling technology but tells a personal story of a man who is betrayed by the system he worked for. There's plenty of action throughout the film but there's also some philosophy to make you think for hours after the end.

Minority Report is set in Washington, in the year 2054 and it's a great time to live in. The world has changed considerably and advanced technology pervades every aspect of life. Moving pictures draw your attention to every ad and poster. Holograms enable you to live out your wildest fantasies. Mag-lev vehicles ensure that 'car accidents' are a thing of the past. Retinal scanners are everywhere and the cops have jetpacks so the potential criminal has nowhere to run. In fact there hasn't been a single murder in Washington for six years thanks to a group of psychics who see every murder that's going to happen in the future. The police arrest these would-be criminals and place them in suspended animation. It's a good thing the system can't be tampered with and the precogs are never wrong.

At least that's what John Anderton the chief of police thinks until the precogs show him killing someone he doesn't even know. He must use all of his skills to escape and outwit the now-hostile system and find out the truth about the precogs, the conspiracies and his own destiny. All the actors give great performances, especially Tom Cruise and Samantha Morton.

Can we make choices that change our destiny or is the future inevitable. Is it fair to imprison someone for a crime they didn't commit...yet? Is this a worthy price to pay to maintain a murder-free society? Minority Report will give you a lot to think about and its engrossing mystery will keep you engaged until the very end. However, it is not a happy movie and some scenes are very heartbreaking so stay away if you don't like that sort of thing.

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