TerrorVision / The Video Dead (Bluray/DVD Combo) (1986)

It's about damn time that TerrorVision got the release it deserved. And this is it. Gerrit Graham and Mary Woronov are perfect as the swinging Puttermans, always on the lookout for the newest fad, including a brand new satellite dish that unfortunately picks up not only the local cable channels but a recently disposed creature from space. The hideous creature begins devouring the Puttermans, sometimes creepily taking over their personalities. Can the kids along with a helpful alien save the world? With the outrageous set design, kooky dialogue and other awesome cast members like Better Off Dead's Diane Franklin as the daughter and Bert Remsen as the grandfather, this is real B-movie gold. I was lucky enough to see this one in the theaters! The bonus features are abundant with interviews, commentaries and photos.

The Video Dead is a notch below the wonderful TerrorVision, about an old tv set that brings zombies into this dimension. Although the concept was good, the execution comes off a little shoddy. Overall, it kept my interest but pales next to the colorful and quirky TerrorVision.

A good double feature, but I must admit I bought this for TerrorVision!

I actually got this to get Video Dead, and to my surprise Terror Vision ends up being equally as good if not better! Both are very cheesy and fun to watch. Terror Vision has less horror and plays more like a bizarre Weird Science style film with vibrant colors and extreme stereotype characters. A fairly wealthy swinger couple for parents, a wacky survivalist grandfather, a valley girl punk rock daughter along with her metal head boyfriend and her younger brother who is the most grounded character in the film face-off against an alien "pet" who accidentally gets slingshot to Earth instead of incinerated and beams into their dish and through their TV. Video Dead is a weird Horror film about a couple kids cleaning a newly bought house for their parents only to have this old beat-up TV left in the attic become a gateway for ZOMBIES! A very interesting twist on a zombie film, from the way they act to the way to destroy or get rid of them... not your average zombie movie! The bonus features are very good, especially for Terror Vision and picture quality is pretty good considering. This certainly has been one of, if not the best blu-ray i have bought recently with a high fun factor.

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In my quest (I guess you could call it that) for some cult 1980s horror, I've come across quite a few of the same names over and over (Night of the Creeps, Sleepaway Camp, The Evil Dead, etc.) But, two names have come up very few times: "TerrorVision" and "The Video Dead". I read brief synopses for both movies and wondered why these weren't just a little more popular. They both seemed to have some interesting ideas (both having monsters of some sort being able to come to the real world through television). After seeing both on YouTube (lucky to find them there), I was sold on both of them. Then came my second question: why don't these have a proper release on home video?

This was around the time I started to hear about Shout! Factory's new branch, Scream! Factory. Being curious, I looked up what was to come from them and to my joy, saw that they planned a release of these two movies. Five months later, I was able to sit down and watch these two again, the way they were meant to be seen: on a nice TV with a widescreen transfer. It's nothing less than awesome retro horror and even though the films could very well fit into the "so-bad-they're-good" category, they're well worth the buy. There's a lot of great bonuses as well, and though I don't like blu-rays, the transfer for both movies on that is another welcome bonus.

Highly recommended. Don't miss out.

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I was beyond thrilled to find out that The Video Dead was finally being released and on Blu-ray at that! One of my best friends petitioned for this to be released for a few years and not only did his hard work and dedication payoff but he even got to join the cast of the film to record a commentary track for the film. I had never heard of TerrorVision before but that was quite a treat, I really ended up enjoying it. You get 1 DVD disc with each movie on the same side (Thank you Scream Factory I hate double-sided disc!) and 1 Blu-ray the same way. They both have limited special features but honestly it is way more than I ever thought I would see. Do not hesitate to add this movie to your collection, you will not be disappointed.

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Sorry for the inconveniance, just a review of "Terror Vision" !

I bought the Terror Vision/The Video Dead DVD/Blu-Ray combo mainly for Terror Vision. A b-rated horror/comedy from the 1980's that was a personal favorite of mine as I still have a VHS copy of it.

In a nutshell, the film is about a space monster that is accidently transported to earth via a unsuspecting family's satellite dish. However, the real highlight of the film isn't the monster, but the wacky cast of humans especially the very, disfunctional Putterman family. The swinger parents, gung-ho military grandpa, Cindy Lauper look-a-like valley girl Suzy (played brilliantly by actress, Diane Franklin), Suzy's boyfriend, a heavy metal clad "O.D." (played by John Gries AKA Uncle Rico from "Napolean Dynamite") and the brave, little hero Sherman (played by a very young Chad Allen who later played a sheriff in the "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman" TV series). As I found out from writer/director Ted Nicolaou who stated in his commentary & special features interview, the film was bashed by critics & the general audience on its initial release, but developed sort of a cult following later after its home video release. Simply the type of film that you either love or hate!

Both the Blu-Ray & DVD look fantastic as both feature films are presented in widescreen 1.78:1 anamorphic transfers. Dolby Digital Audio for the DVD & DTS HD audio for the Blu-Ray. Both feature films on each disc (DVD & Blu-Ray). The special features are identical for both the DVD & Blu-Ray. I posted images of my set above.

For Special Features, Terror Vision has a full-feature length commentary with writer/director Ted Nicolaou, actress Diane Franklin (Suzy Putterman) and actor John Greis (O.D.). Besides all three commentators' personal experiences with the film that are discussed, most of the commentary is screen specific as all three participants pretty much talk about each scene as it goes.

A 34-minute behind the scenes & making of featurette is also included as we get the usual director, cast & crew interviews with some behind the scenes stills & video clips. We get current video interviews from writer/director Ted Nicolaou, actresses Diane Franklin (Suzy Putterman) & Mary Woonov (Racquel Putterman), actors John Greis (O.D.) & Chad Allen (Sherman Putterman) and many others. It was interesting to note the following;

Entire film was shot in location just outside of Rome, Italy with a predominately American cast, but predominately Italian film crew.

Chad Allen was only about nine years old in the film, but his concerned, religious parents viewed the set and had mild complaints about the numerous erotic, nude paintings that dominated the interiors of the Putterman household set.

According to the director, Belinda Carlisle was a cast consideration for the role of Suzy Putterman & Harry Shearer for the role of the father, Stanley Putterman, but both were either not interested in the roles or were unavailable.

Frank Zappa was a consideration to score the film's music, but was either unavailable or not interested so Richard Band, scored the film instead & a L.A. rock-band called "The Fibonaccis" performed the "Terror Vision" theme song.

Actress Mary Woonov was originally casted to play the late night TV show vixen "Medusa", but insisted on playing the mother, Racquel Putterman instead.

The special features conclude with a photo gallery consisting about twenty photos of cast/crew shots & multiple Theatrical posters (some international).

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Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa

Having just seen the sneak preview screenings of the english language reversioning of Fullmetal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa, I can say without reservation that it is a thrilling and must-see epilogue/ending capping off what is without question one of the greatest masterpieces of anime. However, DO NOT START your exploration of this story with this movie. Some of the things that make this story so great are its character development, story arc, pacing, and unexpected twists of plot. To be properly appreciated, Fullmetal Alchemist MUST be seen in sequence from episode 1 through episode 51, and THEN this movie. If you try to watch this movie before seeing the series, not only will you find it largely incomprehensible, but knowledge of what happens will SPOIL many of the surprises that await in those 51 episodes. Virtually no backstory is provided; viewers are assumed to have seen the series.

All the charm and wonder of the series is here in this film. All the voice actors from the english reversioning of the series were brought back to voice their characters for the movie. The care and attention to detail shown by both the original creators and the reversioners is remarkable to say the least. I only wished it was longer. The epic story of the Fullmetal Alchemist, in its entirety, will stand for decades as a monument to and inspiration for what can be achieved in this medium. This film is the final coda at the end of all its symphonic glory.

Note: this may contain minor spoilers. That said, the FMA movie brings a close to the storyline left open at the end of episode 51 of the TV series. It has stunning visuals and a superb soundtrack, nicely rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. It picks up three years after the end of the television series and wraps up loose ends surrounding the gate, Hoenheim, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Ed, and Al. Despite the fact that it was written by the same staff who created the series, the movie does have a different "feel" to it (especially since alchemy can't be used for a good portion of the film). If you liked the series, you'll definitely enjoy (at least most of) the movie. Fans who are looking for romantic relationships are going to be disappointed as the staff seemed to focus more on the bond between the two brothers.

For the big fans of the series, this special edition will definitely be a highlight to your collection, as it will contain a hard-bound book, several character "portrait cards", and a bonus DVD with multiple commentaries and interviews with the Japanese cast and crew, as well as the American staff. It also has a nice portrait of Ed on the cover of the box (the same that was used for the Japanese ltd. ed. release).

I would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes Fullmetal Alchemist; despite what I saw as the film's few shortcomings, it was still a good movie overall.

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First off, if you are a fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, this is a must buy. That said...

This was a great ending to the series. Fans who watched the 51 episodes prior to this were likely a bit disappointed with the ending of the series itself. It was rather open-ended, with little in the way of actual character resolutions. The movie, however, fixes this. it's a great ride from start to finish that leaves you satisfied when the end credits start rolling. Without giving anything away, I would suggest that you have at least watched enough of FMA to know the characters, but ideal you should have watched the entire series itself before watching the movie.

As for the video/audio, the movie looks great on Blu-ray. The colors are vibrant and the audio is crisp and clear...though there is a bit of an issue with line consistency, but over all this is a HUGE improvement over the DVD.

Read Best Reviews of Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa Here

I purchased the entire series of FMA on Amazon as well as Conqueror of Shamballa on Blu-Ray. I made sure to watch the series before popping the movie in and was glad I did. I loved the movie. I'm not sure if watching the series is necessary before watching the movie, but I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if I didn't. It's a great addition to the show. The Blu-Ray quality is apparent with some gorgeous visuals. The US actor commentary, talk session, and making of in the special features are pretty good. Overall the movie was solid, same talented voice work, interesting story, and the Full Metal Alchemist vibe in all its high-definition glory. 5 Stars.

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Similar to End of Evangelion, this film is essentially the conclusion to the 51-episode anime show that caught on big with audiences stateside. While it's not a fair comparison, that was my first thought that came to mind, especially since like EoE, Conqueror doesn't end with an "all questions answered" ending. While it's definately cool to see your favorite characters in a fuller context, there's some things that aren't dealt with, mainly with characters, that I wish they concluded. In case you haven't seen the series, I am going to spoil it so consider yourself warned.

At the end of the series, 4 Homunculi had been killed with one being sent through the Gate. Al had been restored to his body with his memory wiped out and Ed was in our world circa the 1920's in Munich, Germany. In this film, Ed rescues a gypsy named Noah who has mind-reading abilities. It also turns out she's being hunted by the Thule Society who wants to reach the world "Shamballa". Back in the series world, Al actually turned out to be a pretty powerful alchemist and has been trying to find Ed while dealing with a new villain.

One of the things that's always fun while watching these movies is seeing one of the old characters show up. I don't want to spoil it but some of them are like "hey! that's him/her!". But like certain movies that have the same back and forth structure, you start to get intrigued by the appearance of characters in one world then you jump back to someone else. It's only a minor nitpick so it isn't as important. But it is great to see the characters again.

Now where I guess the disappointment comes in is the handling of certain characters. There's obviously some romances that are suggested such as Mustang/Hawkeye, Ed and Winry(and even at one point Ed and Rose), Scar and Lust and you'd at least like to see some acknowledgement of one of them actually happen. And the conclusion of the film suggests there will be a sequel since there's obviously stuff that can be resolved. I haven't read a single manga of the show, not that we have it available here anyway, so I have no clue what happens at the end.

It's highly recommended that you watch the series as everything from transmutation circles to Homunculi will be completely lost. Sure you'll understand the basics but all the small details will be completely lost. The film's great so it's not that big of a problem but still, it's a big investment to watch the film so set some time to watch all 51 episodes then come here.

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Escaflowne: Movie (2000)

I noticed an interesting trend in the negative reviews this Movie was getting. By and large, people who found this movie slow or boring did not watch the original series. Well folks...that explains it.

Unlike most Anime movie tie-ins, I.E. Cowboy Bebop or Blue Gender, the Escaflowne movie is really a re-imagination of its progenitor. While in the series the Escaflowne armor was a royal heirloom, in this it is the embodiment of destiny and a living being. And while Hitomi was painfully innocent and upbeat in the series, here she is dark, lonely and suicidal. Best of all, Van is equally dark and has lost the heroic stoicism for apathy and a-moralism. All these things are so different from the series its like watching Alice in Wonderland then playing American Magee's Alice (which, if you haven't seen or played, you should).

I will admit that when I first bought this DVD I too was disappointed. The action was neat and all but the story dealt too much with ethereal Fate and Destiny, thing I really could care less about. But then I watched the series, which brings in these subjects a little less jarringly and I found the whole idea much more edible. And, while I was initially disgusted with the characters of this DVD, namely Hitomi and the cat girl, when I understood the origins of these characters, I loved the change. The basic story you can get from the other reviews, I hate to give stuff away. But while the series focused on Van's travel and growth into a warrior, the Movie focuses on the dark prophecy to which he is chained.

But if you really want an endorsement from me, here it is. Escaflowne the Movie is an awesome experience for the initiate to the series. Escaflowne the Movie is a sub par experience for those who are bereft of the Series. But above all else, Escaflowne the Movie is worth watching for the absolutely amazing music, which really steals the show. If nothing else, then rent this DVD and stick in a system with surround sound. Then turn off the TV and crank the volume...you will not be disappointed.

In 1996, the Sunrise Studios anime television series "The Vision of Escaflowne" aired on television and although not a tremendous hit in Japan, when the series was released on DVD in America, it became a big hit. Not just in the US but worldwide.

Despite being released on Saturday morning television on Fox Kids (albeit heavily edited), the series would receive appreciation and a lot of love by fans for the Escaflowne's characters, it's beautiful artwork and character designs, its story but most of all, it's enchanting music.

With the fanfare strong worldwide, in 2000, Sunrise and Studio BONES began on a reimagining the television series through a 95-minute film titled "Escaflowne: The Movie". The film version is very different from the television series as the film is much more darker and the protagonist, the happy and chirpy Hitomi is anything but that. In fact, she's a person who is depressed and contemplates suicide. While the character of Van, is more reserved and willing to slash and kill anyone in his way.

Needless to say, the film is quite different as it focuses on these two main characters but most importantly, the film is for those who are and aren't familiar with the television series and can enjoy it in the theaters. The film received mixed reviews with diehard fans who had a hard time seeing a different version of their characters and of course, knowing that there is only so much story from the 26-episode anime series that is going to get covered in a 95 minute film.

The film begins with Hitomi, sad and depressed, you learn that she is a person who wants to kill herself and is prepared to say goodbye to her best friend via a letter. Fortunately, her friend discovers her and the letter and tries to convince her that suicide is not a good way to go. But no matter how much she tries to cheer up Hitomi, Hitomi is resigned with herself and with life.

The film then switches to the character of Van. We see Van, who is violently slashing through many soldiers in order to find the behemoth known as Escaflowne and the Winged Goddess which he wants to use towards defeating his brother Lord Folken and his army.

Meanwhile, while Hitomi is alone and wanting to end her life, she sees an image of Lord Folken who calls her the Winged Goddess and wants her to join him. Confused and not sure what is going on, blackness starts to envelop the area and Hitomi is immediately sucked up into darkness and not knowing what is happening, by the time Hitomi awakes, she emerges out of Escaflowne and encounters Prince Van.

Van believes her to be the Winged Goddess but immediately Escaflowne disappears and then believes that she may be a spy and a fake. Because of her more modern school girl clothing, many of Van's friends believe she is the true Winged Goddess despite Van not believing in her and almost wanting to kill her.

On the other side of the battle, we learn that Lord Folken and the Black Dragons are preparing their attack Van's crew and capture Hitomi for his goal to use the power of the Winged Goddess to destroy the world.

Because of the increased attacks and attempts to capture Hitomi, Van is ordered to protect Hitomi at all costs.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"Escaflowne: The Movie" is presented in 1080p High Definition. It's important to note that the film was created in late 1999 and then released in theaters in 2000. Also, the film was produced by Sunrise but animated by Studio BONES and for the most part, a few talented animators took part in the action sequences as well as new character designs for the film. With that being said, when I first reviewed this film when it was first released on DVD, I commented on how gorgeous the film looked. It's very detailed backgrounds but also the film's awesome animation.

Here we are in 2009 and the film now making its HD debut and I still stand by that. The film looks great and although it may not look as digital and clean like today's modern anime, the film still looks incredible for an anime film nearly a decade old. But what is the primary difference between the picture quality from the DVD versus the Blu-ray? There are several segments in the film that I tested out and that was the outdoor sequence (50-54 minutes into the film) and on Blu-ray, the first thing you will notice is how vibrant the outdoor scenes look. The green and blues just pop out, especially during sunset with the red of the sun also popping out. Needless to say, the film looks quite vibrant during the outdoor scenes.

The print is not 100% clear of dust which I think I may have seen a few specs but overall, I didn't see a whole lot, nor did I see any major compression problems throughout the film. Blacks are nice and dark and there is grain present. Again, I'm a person who supports film grain and not supportive of excessive DNR (Digital Noise Reduction), so overall...I was pretty pleased with the picture quality for a film nearly 10 years old.

As for the audio, this is where "Escaflowne: The Movie" shines. One thing that I noticed quickly is how immersive the soundtrack was in utilizing the soundscape of each channel. The film's dialogue is front and center channel driven but sound effects from the whisping as Van flies in the air, the clanging of the swords during battle, the blasts that are being shot and the destruction in the city is well-captured on your surround channels, especially via LFE. I definitely enjoy when anime uses the subwoofer quite a bit, so it was great to hear that LFE usage. And of course, one thing that the film is noted for is the music and the music comes out nice and clear through your system.

I did notice one thing with the audio though. The Japanese lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sounds awesome but the English DolbyTrue HD 5.1 soundtrack seems a tad lower with the English dialogue. In fact, through the beginning of the film while watching it with the English lossless soundtrack, I felt that I had to increase the volume a little in order to hear the dialogue clearly and when I switched to the Japanese soundtrack, the dialogue was consistent and much louder. By no means are the two lossless soundtracks like night and day (like FUNimation Entertainment's Blu-ray release of "Origin") but overall, sound effects seem to be consistent on both soundtracks. But overall, "Escaflowne: The Movie" does have a wonderful and immersive soundtrack.

Subtitles are in English only.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Escaflowne: The Movie" comes with the following special features (in 480i Standard Definition):

* Trailers: The Girl Who Leaped Through Time and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Solid State Society

* Staff Interviews: (23:00) Featuring staff interviews which include: Director Kazuki Akane/Composer Yoko Anno, Kazuki Akane and Kelly Sheridan (Voice actress for Hitomi), Masahiko Minami (Producer/BONES), Maaya Sakamoto (Voice Actress/Singer), Masuo Ueda (Producer/Sunrise) and a performance by Yoko Kanno, Maaya Sakamoto, Kim Su Jin perform "The Ring"(Escaflowne Ending Song, Special Duet Version).

* Original 2000 Premiere: (7:20) Featuring the following segments: The line at Anime Expo 2000 in Anaheim, CA for the screening of "Escaflowne: The Movie", Minoru Takanashi (Producer/Bandai Visual) speaking to the audience before the movie and the Post-Movie Panel Highlights at Anime Expo 2000.

JUDGMENT CALL:

When it comes to "Escaflowne: The Movie", the film has received different results from fans when it first came out. Diehard fans who were not used to the change, of course, complained. And for those who treated the movie separately from the anime TV series found the film to be enjoyable, creative and musically wonderful. Needless to say, I'm part of the latter. The fact is that many anime series that get a theatrical treatment usually has a story that is not part of the TV series timeline. And there have been quite a few anime films that have been released that either try to take parts from a long series and condense it down to two hours or try to come up with something different.

With "Escaflowne: The Movie", you get something different and it's a reimagining that I was open to and at the time, I was very impressed with the results. The animation was stellar and the music, Yoko Kanno's music and the ending theme by Maaya Sakamoto was just fantastic.

So, needless to say... I was excited to hear that "Escaflowne: The Movie: was receiving its HD treatment and for the most part, I was more curious to see how a film that was created in the late 90's would look on Blu-ray. Already, Bandai Entertainment has proved to us that they can make it happen as evident with the release of "Akira" earlier this year. So, I had no doubt in my mind that Bandai Entertainment was going to release a solid product. What I was more concerned about was the lossless soundtrack. And fortunately, the soundtrack for the most part was immersive and great to hear via lossless.

If you are a fan who owns the Ultimate Edition of the DVD, you may be wondering if it's worth the double dip? Well, for one, you don't want to get rid of that "Ultimate Edition" because you get the awesome CD soundtrack and also there are special features such as the galleries that are not included on the Blu-ray. But to answer the question, yes...it's worth the double dip. This is the best looking and sounding version of the film yet. So, if you loved the film, you will definitely want to pick up this Blu-ray.

Overall, "Escaflowne: The Movie" is a solid Blu-ray release and for those who want to add to their anime on Blu-ray collection, this title is definitely recommended!

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I purchased the Escaflowne Movie (Ultimate Edition), three years ago. The first-edition packaging of this set included a relatively large, and sturdy 6 x 8 x 3 inch folding box. Stored in this box were three disks (two DVDs and one CD), and a miniature art booklet. The outside of the collectors box was a beauty to behold, as the artwork on the back and front sides were done in a glossy finish. Only 10,000 units of the first edition were ever made.

The upcoming second-edition release of this set, will include everything as the original release (except the collectors box). All three disks will be stored in a standard plastic casing.

As for the content of the disks, they are quite enjoyable. There are two DVDs, one containing the movie, and the other containing extras (music videos, cast interviews, etc.). The music CD contains a whopping 25 tracks, and includes some beautiful vocal performances from Maaya Sakamoto, and Shanti Snyder.

The Escaflowne Movie sets a much darker tone, and takes place in an alternate-universe to the TV series. For those who are new to Escaflowne, you will feel welcomed, as the movie is stand-alone from the rest of the series. All in all, the movie is an awesome experience, and I highly recommend it for anyone's anime collection.

Read Best Reviews of Escaflowne: Movie (2000) Here

This is Escaflowne: The Movie Anime Legends edition. The Anime Legends is a line of anime from Bandai Entertainment that is used to re-release older anime in a cheaper package. With this edition, you supposedly get the same 3 discs from the original, more expansive Ultimate Edition but without the fancy collector's packaging. The 3 discs are the movie DVD, an extras DVD and the movie soundtrack CD.

If you don't already have the Ultimate Edition, go ahead and get this one. If you are on the fence about the movie, give this edition a try. At least you get an excellent soundtrack in the event that you don't like the movie.

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...Or were the producers?

As a bit of a disclaimer, I award this production the distinction of two stars (as opposed to one) solely for its music, and partially for its animation (it seemed to fluctuate between brilliant and mediocre, whereas the music was just brilliant).

And another disclaimer: I have no experience in the initial Escaflowne series, so this review will be focused on the movie alone.

That said ...what happened? Where were the characters? Where was the plot? Where were the motives? With all the liberal granting of wings, you'd think they'd taken a pair and flown into obscurity.

Yes, there were characters. Little bits of compiled animation cels, rather. There were two types of actual personalities: Those who had none, and those who were, shall we say, overly dynamic.

Excluding our [extremely abrasive] protagonists, nearly the entire cast falls into the former category little Grecian sculptures granted movement and tongue. Maybe I'm a critic, but I somehow fail to sympathize with a character whose most impassioned line of the entire work is: "I'd hate to spill the blood of a woman".

As for the latter category, for those who received the rare benediction of a somewhat identifiable personality, it seemed as if that benevolence was immediately betrayed. Van is an angst-riddled, introverted, scampering desperado, yes? No wait! No, he isn't! He's a kind-hearted jolly good fellow because the 'evil within [him] has been healed'. It has? Did I miss something? Wait a second ...here it is again! He has a heart of stone! He's instigating Armageddon! Oh, wait! No he isn't! He's just an innocent bystander! No, wait! No he isn't! He's counterattacking his wantonly sadistic brother! No, wait! He isn't! He loves his brother! Don't let his brother get hurt! Why is he bleeding? I love you, brother!

Don't even get me started (well, I've done that myself...) on the perils of creating an evil villain who has no viable cause for devilry other than his baby blue mullet.

Not only were the characters highly flawed, but the plot itself was fraught with cliché. In fact, I couldn't identify one iota of screenplay that in any way struck me as somehow original. Not to mention this, but whoever wrote aforementioned screenplay obviously has no knack for dramatic timing and, more imminently, character development. Give the girl a few harried seconds before she collapses build up some tensions in discourses between characters before they fall in love. Give them a reason to love one another aside from a claim to being 'kindred spirits' we are depressed and lack social capabilities and depth of personality, hence we are undeniably made for each other? Great logic, really. Fits right in.

(A few things that score a few 'good' points: Merle's tail expression, Dilandu's voice, small children of the village that was never identified, the brief 'Hyena race with barrels of gunpowder on their backs', 'forehead magic'.)

I do agree that this movie is well-fit for a good laugh that's what we got out of it, to be sure. (Especially the Mecha battle kind of like angular Pillsbury doughboys). If you enjoy henpecking, I'm sure you'll have an hour well-spent of predictable dialogue, cliched characters, struggles to define a plot which never is, and countless other confections that I have failed to mention in my review. Have a ball.

Otherwise, sample the soundtrack and leave the movie to rot amongst the scattered feathers.

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Kick-Ass Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack w/ Digital Copy (Bilingual) (2010)

What a wacky movie this is. When I first saw the previews, I thought this Kick-Ass was going to be aimed at kids and teens. Boy was I way off, because it earns it's R rating many times over. I really had no intention of seeing this film until I saw the very positive reviews flowing in from the critics. Not that I always agree with them, but in this case I would like to thank them for getting my butt down to the local theater today.

Parts of the movie reminded me of Watchmen. You have everyday people who are sick of bad things happening to good people, decide to put on costumes, have funny hero names, and then beat and cut apart the bad guys in a not so nice way. I actually thought it was rather tame in the gore department, compared to what I read about beforehand, but the violence and language is way too strong for kids.

The acting is good from everyone. I liked newcomer Aaron Johnson as Kick-Ass himself. Nicolas Cage turns in one of his better performaces in a long time, though I think he was great in an over-the-top kind of way in The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is still doing his McLovin thing in every movie since Superbad, but it worked again. Mark Strong is kind of one note as the villain, like in Sherlock Holmes, but I think he's a little better in this role. The real star of the show is little 11-year-old, Chloe Moretz, as Hit-Girl. She is clearly the most memorable thing in a movie with a bunch of stuff worth remembering. As the daughter of Cage's Big Daddy hero, she spews out bad language, slices and shoots baddies by the dozens, and loves her daddy. I want one of my own.

Kick-Ass is serious in tone most of the time, but there are some killer comedy bits and lines that had the whole theater erupting with laughter. The music is well placed in key scenes and the director/writer, Matthew Vaughn, did a fine job in creating a comic book film that should please both fans and non-fans of the genre alike.

Even though it looks like Kick-Ass will come in #1 this weekend, it still feels more like a cult film to me. I can easily see this movie being talked about decades from now, much like Army of Darkness, but without the campiness factor. What a breath of fresh air in a genre that has just as many misses as it does hits.

Just like the rest of you, I went into the theater knowing not a whole lot about this movie. I thought it would be lame, cheesy, corny, *insert adjective here*. But, I was DEAD wrong to say the least. Kick-Ass combines action, comedy, and emotion, all at the right times. The movie flows well mainly because the cast jives so well together. I have yet to come out of a movie theater so pumped and wanting more than after I came out of Kick-ass

Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass)I didn't realize he was a British actor until I heard a voice clip from an interview. You sure can't tell from the movie. He plays a great nerdy type kid. But what separates him from actors like Michael Cera is that he actually grew some balls and decided to stand up to crime. He does a great job as the lead actor in the first half of the movie, but quickly gets overshadowed by young dynamo, Chloe Moretz

Nicholas Cage (Big Daddy)In my eyes, he redeemed himself for movies like Ghost Rider and Knowing. He was amazing. His character was totally believable and I sure enjoyed his Adam West mannerisms. He also did his fair share of ass kicking. His relationship with his daughter, Hit-Girl, brought hilarity and the emotion that I mentioned earlier to this movie.

Lyndsey Fonseca (Katie Deauxma)Hadn't seen her in a movie before. She is very beautiful and will be looking forward to seeing her in the sequel.

Chris Mintz-Plasse (Red Mist)As much as I don't want to say it, Chris is out growing his McLovin' character. He, like Kick-Ass, plays a slightly awkward superhero with no powers. He fills his part well and has plenty of laugh out loud lines.

And, the best for last:

Chloe Moretz (Hit-Girl)I honestly don't even know where to start with this girl. I would say she gives the performance of her life, but she was only 11 at the time of filming. She underwent 6 months of combat, acrobatic, and weapons training for her role as Hit-Girl in this movie. It paid off big time. Chloe does all her own stunts (minus 2) in the movie, which is insane. She is foul mouthed and bloodthirsty, but also has her kid moments. I don't understand the controversy with her character. She is very mature and thus should be able to do more mature roles. If you're not planning on seeing this movie, rethink, mainly because of this girl right here. She is incredible and will no doubt be the new Angelina Jolie when her time comes.

Overall, great movie. Great cast, great fight choreography, great soundtrack, and a great setup for a sequel! (Which has been announced)

See this movie, and then tell all your friends! It's totally worth the 2 hours of your time.

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The film is based on a comic book by the same name. The rights to the story were sold before the book was even published (it debuted only eight weeks before the film):

A teenage boy decides to take a stand for justice. He dons a green scuba costume and names himself Kick-Ass. However, not having any actual superpowers, this hero's good intentions quickly land him in an ICU. Eventually though, Kick-Ass crosses paths with a couple of far more effective (a.k.a. deadly) heroes: Big Daddy, a former cop falsely convicted of drug trafficking, and Hit-Girl, his eleven year old daughter. Big Daddy has spent the past six years training his little girl in all forms of mortal combat, hoping she would help him revenge her mother's death and her father's fall from grace, orchestrated by a local Mafia Boss. Enter blood, gore, and plenty of belly laughs...

Let me get straight to the point: yes, the film was funny and highly entertaining. However, initially I felt uneasy laughing at an eleven year old girl determinedly slaughtering a roomful of men, even if they were rotten to the core and disserving of every bullet and of every knife wound. But then, I remembered what I was like at that age: it was the early 80's. My favourite toys were a silver colt revolver and a sword. Depending on my mood, I would pretend to be a cowboy taking on a bunch of wild Indians, or a Jedi disarming (literally) Darth Vader and his evil cohorts. So, if any of you want to believe that little girls' minds are all about sugar and spice, well... good luck with that (by the way, I managed to grow into adulthood WITHOUT slipping into drugs and/or alcohol, and no, I was not a teenage mother). And so, that quick recollection gave me the permission to look at the film as an absurd exercise in fantasy and allowed me to enjoy every minute of it. Yes, the film was well written, directed and edited, but the special mention must go to the actress who portrayed Hit-Girl. Chloe Moretz was indeed eleven at the time of filming, but had the presence of a seasoned performer. I am looking forward to watching her future projects. There is already talk of a sequel. I'd pay to see it!

Laugh and enjoy!

Read Best Reviews of Kick-Ass Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack w/ Digital Copy (Bilingual) (2010) Here

To anyone who hasn't seen the movie but is considering it, you should realize up front that this movie is NOT for the kiddies, as evidenced by the "R" rating. That said, most of the bad reviews here seem to be from either people who had problems with the disc itself (i.e. people who don't understand the concept of a review), or people who let their kids watch the movie. These people made a stupid decision involving the mental well-being of their children based on the fact that they've seen "R-Rated" movies in the past that they don't mind their kids watching. This is not one of those movies!

Ranting aside, this was a pretty awesome movie. If you like action movies, check it out. It's a little darker, a little more violent, and a lot more vulgar than you might expect, but that's part of the movie's brilliance. Hit Girl is one of the coolest characters to grace the big screen in years, the MistMobile is the hottest Mustang manufactured post-70's, and the narrative draws you right into a feeling of camaraderie with the characters almost immediately.

Check it out, this movie rocks!

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First, let me say this movie isn't for the weak hearted. If you don't like violence, this movie isn't for you. I never read the comics or knew anything about it, so when I first watched the movie I was a bit surprised by the violence and blood in it. However, this movie is great from start to finish. Tons of actions mixed in with some laugh out loud moments makes this one of the best movies of 2010.

As many other reviewers discussed, Hit Girl is the obvious star of the movie as she steals every scene she is in. Chloe Moretz (Hit Girl) gives one of the best "child" performances you will ever see. All other actors/actresses hold their own in this movie, especially Nic Cage. I'm not a Nic Cage hater, but I never thought I would say he was absolutely brilliant in any movie. He plays the role of Big Daddy perfectly and shows emotions that you usually don't see from him in other movies.

Possible spoiler...

One scene that I have to talk about is the "unmasking" scene with Kick Ass. The direction, action and emotion of this scene is unreal. The Director nailed this moment in the movie with impressive visual camera work and non-stop action. Really impressive, and is something that you have to see.

Definitely recommend this and you don't have to be a comic book fan to enjoy it.

Katanagatari Volume 2 Premium Edition (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Not really a fan of the big A4 format, but this is really a collector item !

I like the stong artbox, hardcover book with episodes summaries and artworks (not enough to my taste).

Just as expected. Apparently, I need more words here. So... if you don't know what this is, you should go find somewhere to watch it. Then, decide whether or not you like it enough to buy it. I did.

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Sunrise Blu-ray + DVD (1927) 3-Disc & 20-Page Booklet > F.W. Murnau (1927)

In 1927, German film director F.W. Murnau (known for his role in German Expressionism) was invited by William Fox to make an Expressionist film for Hollywood and in return, Murnau created a film that would simply become a true classic and a true masterpiece with "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans".

The film is highly regarded as a masterpiece and is featured in the American Film Institute's "100 Movies List of Great Films" (#82) and the British Film Institute's critic's poll as the seventh best film in motion pictures. The film won an Academy Award for "Unique and Artistic Production" at the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929 (including "Best Actress in a Leading Role" for Janet Gaynor and "Best Cinematography" for Charles Rosher and Karl Struss) and was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Although the film was highly regarded then and now, the film was not a success at the box office because of its creative and artistic interpretation while critics were calling it a true masterpiece.

"Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" was the first film with a soundtrack of music and sound effects utilizing Fox's Movietone souund-on-film system and for its creative and artistic style, the use of groundbreaking cinematography during that time would influence many filmmakers and even has been referred to as the "Citizen Kane" of American silent cinema.

Despite the original negative for the film being destroyed in 1937 due to a major nitrate fire (nearly 80-90% of Hollywood's silent films by Fox Film Corporation's created between 1910-1920's were destroyed) at Fox's storage facility in New Jersey. Fortunately, a 1936 print held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive and the NFTVA were still present (the UCLA print was later destroyed due to advance decomposition in 1992). In 1995, Kevin Brownlow and David Gill of Photoplay Productions prepared a new print for the 1995 London Film Festival using the NFTVA print and in 2002, restoration talks for the film began. A fifth generation 1940 nitrate negative print was found in 2002 and then a 1927 print loaned by the Narodni Filmovy Archv in Prague featured a Czech version of footage not featured in the American release.

Eureka! via "The Masters of Cinema" has released "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" featuring both Movietone and Czech films on the Blu-ray release and with a choice of the monaural Movietone score and the stereo Olympic Chamber Orchestra score.

VIDEO:

"Sunrise: A Song for Two Humans" were shot with two cameras thus one has the aspect ration of 1:20:1 and the other with 1:37:1 According to Eureka!, the Blu-ray version of the films were encoded with both HD masters in 1080p AVC format on BD50. Eureka! decided against HD-DVNR, MTI or other forms of digital restoration or grain removal after tests revealed noticeable disruptions of the film's "Sfumato" qualities in many scenes. And thus, their hands off approach was their respect to the filmmaker and the patina of the image. The level of damage still present is exactly what you would see if the film was projected via 35mm theatrically.

Having not seen any previously DVD or VHS release of "Sunrise: A song of Two Humans", I can tell you that from what I saw... despite it having some scratches and dust, I was very impressed with the picture quality of the film on Blu-ray considering the film is over 80-years-old. According to my associates who have compared this film to the previous standard definition releases from Fox and Eureka!, this HD release of the film is absolutely fantastic!

I will say that the Czech version is a bit much more difficult to watch because it's missing frames and thus I prefer the Movietone version.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

Eureka! via "The Masters of Cinema" has released "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" featuring both Movietone and Czech films on the Blu-ray release and with a choice of the monaural Movietone score and the stereo Olympic Chamber Orchestra score by Timothy Brock. According to Eureka!, the absence of any surviving soundtrack for the Czech version led Fox to roughly approximate the Movietone score to it in 2008.

Original English intertitles on the Movietone version are featured and optional English subtitles on the silent Czech version.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans The Masters of Cinema Series #1" comes with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary Full-length audio commentary by ASC cinematographer John Bailey on the Movietone version. Interesting to hear Bailey's comments, especially on the camerawork and effects used.

* Outtakes (9:57) Outtakes with optional John Bailey commentary. It's amazing that a film of this age has any outtakes. So, I was surprised to see this on the Blu-ray.

* Murnau's 4 Devils: Traces of a Lost Film (40:55) Janet Bergstrom's updated 40-minute documentary about the lost Murnau film "4 Devils" featuring still pictures, art and details of scenes from the film.

* Original Theatrical Trailer (1:50) The original silent theatrical trailer.

* Original `photoplay' script The original "photoplay" script by Carl Mayer with Murnau's handwritten annotations (150 pages in pdf format). You can download these from the Masters of Cinema website as well.

* 20-Page booklet Illustrated booklet with film restoration and DVD/Blu-ray transfer information, along with a comparison between the two versions.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I have wanted to see "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" for such a long time. I've waited with heavy anticipation for UK-based entertainment company Eureka! to release this film via Blu-ray courtesy of their Masters of Cinema series and I am so grateful that they decided to release this film with no region encoding, so anyone from all over the world that has a Blu-ray player can enjoy this film.

After watching the film, I can't help but gush about how fantastic this film is. From the crowded streets in the city to the innovative camerawork and editing, I was simply amazed of what was accomplished back then. The film is literally gripping as the film has its share of action and drama and literally from beginning to end, "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" manages to captivate you courtesy of George O'Brien and Janet Gaynor.

O'Brien plays the man from the country with such a great presence as Gaynor transforms from this sad housewife to this vibrant woman, especially in one scene with the crowd ask the two to dance. But the camera work and artistic presentation was just phenomenal. The whole city sequence created on the Fox back lot with hundreds of extras and cars from that era in a traffic jam to the man and wife attending a fair. I don't know how much was spent on this film but everything on camera just worked. I was overwhelmed by how magnificent this film was but then watching the special features that came on the Blu-ray release, especially the slight differences from the Movietone and Czech version was quite interesting to see, especially to know that we will never be known of what was the final cut that Murnau had wanted due to the original print being destroyed in the Fox Warehouse and many other prints out there suffering from major deterioration.

But what we are able to see on this Blu-ray release, again...I'm grateful for Eureka! for releasing this Blu-ray via non-region but most importantly, choosing a silent film for its first major release on Blu-ray. If anything, I am more inclined to purchase the Murnau DVD box sets out right now and look forward to watching the Master of Cinema's next Murnau Blu-ray release "City Girl".

Overall, "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans" is simply magnificent and this Blu-ray release is just outstanding! If I had to give this film a rating, then definitely an... A+!

Pure visual poetry. No serious movie-lover or historian should be without this disc. It is Region Free and so will play anywhere. It is also a new scan, since MoC felt that the 2005 scan wouldn't be good enough for a 2009 Blu-ray release (hear that, Criterion?), and it's gorgeous. The only real digital work that has been done is to stabilize the frame and even out the flicker, something that nearly drove me mad about the 2005 DVD release (but only after repeated viewings). Everything else is here, scratches, an occassional missing frame or two, film grain (thank god!) so the result is like watching a screening of a very good print. Sunrise, like Murnau's other monumental classic, Nosferatu, suffered a fragile and dangerous history, but has survived nonetheless. In typical Murnau fashion, the first half of the story is a brooding thriller, then it moves, quite logically, into a romantic comedy, then turns to tragedy. Murnau liked to cover the whole spectrum in his films, mixing laughter with tears.

A beautiful, mesmerizing visual poem. Get it, and help bring this kind of filmmaking back to life.

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From the press release:

This new 2009 reissue of Sunrise (for the first time anywhere in the world in 1080p HD on Blu-ray, in addition to a newly mastered 2 x DVD set) contains two versions of the film: the previously released Movietone version, and an alternate silent version of the film recently discovered in the Czech Republic, which is of a higher visual quality than any other known source. The Blu-ray edition includes both versions in 1080p HD. Czech archive of a higher visual quality than any other known source. Supplements include:

1. Restored high-definition transfers of two different versions: the American Movietone version, and the silent Czech version Original English intertitles on the Movietone version, and optional English subtitles on the silent Czech version

2. Original Movietone score (mono) and alternate Olympic Chamber Orchestra score (stereo)

3. Full-length audio commentary by ASC cinematographer John Bailey on the Movietone version

4. Outtakes with either John Bailey commentary or intertitles

5. Murnau's 4 Devils: Traces of a Lost Film Janet Bergstrom's updated 40 minute documentary about the lost Murnau film

6. Original theatrical trailer

7. Original 'photoplay' script by Carl Mayer with Murnau's handwritten annotations (150 pages in pdf format)

8. 68 page illustrated booklet with numerous essays including a new reprint of a piece by Dudley Andrew

End of press release.

There is nothing special about the story behind this movie. A farmer (George O'Brien) is attracted by a vamp from the City (Margaret Livingston) who seduces him and has gradually had him selling his farm off piece by piece to provide presents for her. She finally suggests that he leave his failing farm altogether and return with her to the City. However, to complete the plan, he will need to drown his country wife(Janet Gaynor). A few days later, the farmer takes his wife for a trip to the city. As he rows his wife across the lake that is between their village and the trolley, he comes close to doing away with her. However, always a reluctant partner in this plan, he recoils in horror and rows the boat to the shore, his wife unharmed. The wife, having seen the murder in her husband's eyes, jumps onto the trolley to the city with her husband in hot pursuit. Once in the city, he reassures her that he would not harm her, and he begins to feel real remorse for his previous actions. They slip into a church and watch a wedding ceremony going on, and in doing so begin to reconnect to one another. By the end of the day, they've fallen in love again; the man remembering why it was he married his wife in the first place. However, when a storm breaks out on their way back across the lake, the wife falls out of the boat. The farmer goes for help and the entire village looks for her, hoping she has not been drowned in the storm. This rather simple story could easily have been transformed into a hackneyed melodrama. What makes Sunrise a great film, though, is the majesty and tenderness F.W. Murnau managed to give it without the benefit of audible conversation.

Particularly intriguing is the set of the unnamed "City". If the traffic patterns shown in this movie are indicative of traffic laws in the 1920's it's a wonder anybody made it to or from work alive. Early autos, horse-drawn carriages, and people all chaotically race through the streets without rhyme or reason. Also wondrous are the night shots of the Coney Island-style amusement park where the farmer and his wife go for some fun before returning home as well as the view of the trolley ride and and the glide following the farmer through the moonlit marsh. This truly was the "Best Artistic Picture" of the year.

A little known fact is that Sunrise was one of the first feature films to use sound-on-film techniques, in which Fox was a pioneer. There were fully synchronized sounds of automobiles, church bells, crowds, and other effects. Unfortunately, "The Jazz Singer" was released shortly after Sunrise, and Sunrise failed at the box office. Time, however, has had a different judgement. Today, "The Jazz Singer" is mainly remembered for ushering in the age of the talkie. Likewise, "Wings" which won the first Best Picture "Oscar", is largely remembered for its aerial stunts, for which it also won an engineering award. Sunrise, however, is still appreciated as a whole motion picture experience, not just a temporary technical triumph that has faded as other technical triumphs take its place.

Read Best Reviews of Sunrise Blu-ray + DVD (1927) 3-Disc & 20-Page Booklet > F.W. Murnau (1927) Here

Amazon has many versions of Sunrise, I was looking at the imported Korean version because it came up with my search for it in Blu-ray. It even had reviews that referred to a Blu-ray version.

But upon a more thorough investigation, I found out that the imported Korean version is only the regular DVD Version not the Blu-ray. If I had purchased it, I would have been very, very displeased.

This is something that Amazon has been doing a lot of lately mismatching reviews one has to be careful.

my two cents.

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I watched this movie on TCM thinking it would be another interesting silent film that eventually gets boring enough to fast forward to the more interesting parts with DVR. Instead I was mesmerized by the emotion and magnificent scenery. This is a must see for anyone who can relate to the dilemma of a good person tempted by love and lust to dispose of his wife and family. It is honest and very realistic with a refreshing sense of story telling above and beyond most twenty-first century talkies! I am fortunate enough to have seen a few clips of this movie on Blu Ray. It's a must own with fine acting as a bonus!

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Funny Guy Collection (Napoleon Dynamite / Office Space / Young Frankenstein) (2009)

I got this collection because it is pretty cheap for three silly flicks and for only $39.49.

All three movies are hilarious and all looked and sounded amazing on Blu-ray. Office Space in particular looked very very good. Napoleon Dynamite also looked decent for a lower budget film. Young Frankenstein looked pretty good too, but the fact that it is in black and white and sort of was intended to be a little fuzzy.

I think FOX did a great job bringing all of these films to Blu-ray.

All in all, it is well worth it if you're like me and pretty much have a great collection of action Blu-rays an need a chuckle.

My main criteria for buying movies is, "will I want to watch it again?".

Office Space is close to if not my favorite movie of all time; Napolean Dynamite is unique & memorable in it's own right; and Young Frankenstein is a classic.

If you liked one of these movies, chances are you'll like all three. Which is a rarity for these blu-ray collections from what I've seen.

Two thumbs up.

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I'm sick of Blu-Ray sets where there is only one or two great movies in them. For Example, The Holiday Favorites Collection has Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone, and Jingle All the Way. Why would anyone who likes Miracle on 34th Street also want to see the slapstick comedy of the other two movies? I mean, maybe Home Alone, but definitely not Jingle. The Funny Guy Collection, however, has three movies I would actually buy separately for one low price. They need to make more collection sets like this and I would buy more.

Read Best Reviews of Funny Guy Collection (Napoleon Dynamite / Office Space / Young Frankenstein) (2009) Here

These are my three all-time favorite comedies. Well, maybe not "all time," but I do love them! And for the price, you really can't go wrong. [Insert quote from each movie as witty ending to this review] NOT!!

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I got a great price on this boxed set buying it on sale. I bought it mainly for Office Space, although I have always liked Young Frankenstein. I had never seen Napoleon Dynamite before purchasing this, and although it is not at the level of the other two movies it isn't bad. Overall 1 great comedy (Office Space), 1 really good comedy (Young Frankenstein) and one pretty good comedy.

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Little Fugitive (1953)

In 1953 I started school at PS 188 on Neptune Avenue in Coney Island. Each year, The Little Fugitive would be shown in the auditorium ...and every year I loved it as much as I had the year before ... I never forgot the movie and whenever anyone would ask my favorite film, even as an adult I would always mention it ... Several years ago when visiting NYC with my own children, after spending a day in Coney Island, eating at Nathans and going on the Cyclone, we wandered into a Manhatten video store and I was astounded to see it on a shelf. We immediately rented it and it was as wonderful in 1998 as it had been in the 1950s. My children loved it and continue to mention scenes from it today in 2003! A wonderfully charming film that goes right to the heart of childhood.

Though this film is certainly not for all tastes, I have to say that it's definitely one of my all time favorites. I strongly recall watching it on PBS late at night as a child, and was overjoyed to rediscover it as an adult. It doesn't hurt at all, either, that I'm a HUGE fan of Coney Island history, and that this film is chock-full of 1953 footage of the park, back in the good ol' days.

The plot is incredibly simple a young boy is tricked by his older brother and latter's unkind friends, into believing that he's committed murder. The boy runs off to Coney Island to take it on the lam, and, while there, learns a whole lot about the world. From finding out about the glory of 5-cent deposits, to (finally) riding a real pony, we see what's important in his little life, and see how he ekes out a survival for himself during his day and night away from home.

There is hardly any dialogue once he's in the park, and it's refreshing, really almost a sensory experience through the eyes of a little boy. We are treated to a more innocent time with very little effort, one can smell the odors of the boardwalk, taste the sweetness of a watermelon slice, and feel the sand beneath the feet. I haven't seen another film quite like this it's truly magical.

For the Coney Island enthusiasts out there, the footage from the park is fantastic. It stands as a wonderful record of the past the parachute jump, batting cages, food stands, a marvelous carousel, souvenir booths...it's all here, and it's incredible. If you haven't seen this film, you're missing out, and then some.

Overall, I can admit that this film isn't for all folks it's slow-moving, quiet, and can drag along a bit if you don't surrender to it, and take it at it's own pace. Once you've done so, however, you'll see how great a film it really is.

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When you first start watching this movie, you think the director has a budget of $10. But what you discover is a pioneer of the indendent film. This little gem is a whisical tale of 7 year old Joey Norton, who's dooped by friends into thinking he's shot and killed his older brother, Richie. Upon believing this, Joey exiles himself to Coney Island, with Richie in hot pursuit. The film does a wonderful job of catching the innocence of the 50's. If you can get them away from the computer, video games and Sponge Bob, I truly believe that even kids today would enjoy this little piece of "Americana"

Read Best Reviews of Little Fugitive (1953) Here

This movie takes the viewer back to the childhood in all of us. Whether you are from Iowa or Brooklyn, NY, you will be taken back to the time of your innocence, when the world was good and life was sweet. Powerful and so well done, this film looks as if it were a documentary following a child into another world. You feel it in your gut. It's also a lot of fun as well. As a personal manager repping children, exclusively I can honestly say that this film and these actors are the reason that keep me hopeful. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

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This is an amazing film, having seen it on Turner, BUT the manufacture of this DVD makes it junk. The DVD will not play beyond the initial screen (play,features, etc). I have ordered this DVD from four different vendors and EVERY ONE IS DEFECTIVE IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY. Amazon was the most expensive but having bought from Amazon many times, I had hopes for a good product, but I was wrong.

KINO has a defective master and is churning out defective copies of this great little movie.

It is a shame.

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The Turin Horse (2012)

Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr's latest, and likely last, film begins by recounting an anecdote from the life of Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher and philologist who taught that life is nothing more than will to power, and that the task for us is to face up to this without despair and resentment, without insisting that where there are no absolutes there can be nothing worth while, that without the security of certainties there can only be emptiness. I don't think Tarr wants to resolve that question, but certainly aims to provide a setting that provokes it. I don't know if there's an ultimate moral or message here, but there's certainly room for meditation on the differences between men and beasts, between life and the land it depends on, and on the kind of carrying on it takes to elevate a life towards something like dignity and meaning. It's a profoundly moving film, that's so beautifully shot, with the subtlety of its lighting and the intelligence with which the camera moves, that it's hard to look away. Still, with a film like this you have to be patient. In classical Hollywood style, every shot aims to convey a very specific bit of information and as soon as that information has been delivered it's time for the camera to move or cut. With a style like that of Bela Tarr, the camera moves very deliberately, but slowly and cutting is kept to a minimum and that means that either you'll be bored waiting for the next cut and the next bit of info or you are forced to slow down, and register as important details you might otherwise overlook, such as the intensity of focus with which the father attends to his daughter as she helps him with his buttons, since he has minimal use in one arm. Or the sounds, or the lighting, or the subtle variations of mood that barely register on the largely impassive faces of the man, his daughter and their horse.

The anecdote the film begins with is that late in life Nietzsche was living in Turin, and he witnessed a peasant beating his horse. Devastated by the sight, and in an apparent effort to stop the beating, Nietzsche threw himself upon the horse's neck and wept; he had to be led home and after that was silent for the remaining years of his life. We know nothing of what happened to the horse, and so this film imagines what may have taken place. The peasant farmer drives the horse along a weary road, the wind whipping the dust into his face; he is met at home by his daughter, who helps him lead the horse and cart into the barn, and draws water from the well. She assists him in taking off his jacket and boots and he lies down while she prepares a couple of boiled potatoes for a hurried and unsatisfying meal, that he eats with a painful urgency, burning his lips and fingers. They sit and look out of the window at the wind swept hills, and there is nothing more, and the next day, if they're lucky, it will start all over all the same and won't at least get any worse. It seems a simple life, and the film does confront us with lives stripped to the essentials, what we all face but forget by way of distractions, that enable us to look away from these essentials of toil and trouble, taking care of basic needs to eat, to sleep, to find a bit of solace in the company of another person. These two have lost the capacity to laugh, to show more than a casual care for one another in ways that seem like habit, as when he calls to her that there is no more to be done and she should go to bed. All through, the howling of the wind never ceases. Still, they go to bed expecting the next day to be much the same as this one.

One might think this repetition, day in, day out, offers a practical example of what's at the heart of Nietzsche's most famous image that of the eternal recurrence of the same. He considers this to be his hardest teaching that one can count a life as worth living only if one could want it to recur in exactly the same way for all eternity. There's a kind of fantasy element to the teaching as it is normally presented, but the real weight of the doctrine can be felt only when it's clear that in a certain sense, when you strip them bare of inessentials such as the fact that every day we have something different to eat and watch a different set of mindless television shows, and hear different stories on the news that are in all essentials the same, most lives in fact do amount to a kind of endlessly recurring set of habitual practices, and you could think of this film as depicting the life of everyone, who has to get up and eat and get to work and deal with some kind of incessant blowing of something or other. Then the question would be: seeing life in that way, what exactly does it take to want it to keep on going on as always?

Bela Tarr has said he considers the face to be a kind of landscape, and it's also true that his landscapes exhibit a kind of face. He is a master of setting, and this film is set in a landscape that is more unforgiving and stark than almost anything he's depicted elsewhere, where the wind blows incessantly and refuses to offer any sign of letting up. Yet it seems that these characters are incapable of letting go. They carry on, day after day, and at some point it no longer seems possible and there's nothing to be done but to continue. One might consider this film a sustained reflection on the very will to live; but then the horse refuses, and his refusal to eat, to drink, to move on command appears here also as both stubborn and heroic, the act of a noble animal who refuses any longer to live merely for the sake of servitude, and stands in contrast with the almost empty gestures of day to day carrying on on the part of the farmer and his daughter, not out of any deep sense of care for their own existence but a sense of habit. A neighbor stops by to borrow whisky and delivers a monologue that seems to come straight out of a secondhand Nietzsche, an effort to give some explanation, even a depressing one, to the desolation they all feel, and the farmer dismisses it as all rubbish. One senses a resistance on the part of Tarr to explain anything or accept explanations whether optimistic or pessimistic there is just life and there are the conditions in which a life goes on and in the face of conditions that make life almost impossible, there is the simple determination to go on or to refuse that we can witness on the faces of the peasant farmer, his daughter and the Turin horse.

Note that this review is based upon seeing the film at a festival; as I understand it the dvd and Blu-Ray release comes with a new essay on the film by J. Hoberman, and a commentary track by Jonathan Rosenbaum. Definitely one to see from a Blu-Ray.

In the thirty shots which comprised the entire 154 minute running time of the movie, "The Turin Horse" portrayed the decay of an already sterile relationship between a man and his daughter living a solitary life on endlessly windswept plains, their only lifeline to the world being their horse. As the horse refuses to eat and slowly approaches death, so progresses the lives of its owners. It's a stunning work that compares favorably with the best of early Bergman. Using a palette of stark black and white images and a deliberate sense of pace that echoes the work of Tarkovsky, "The Turin Horse" transports the viewer into the existence of its protagonists with such immediacy and emotional power that its lingering effect never leaves you. From its opening shot of the horse fighting fierce winds to pull a cart over miles of desolate plains to its closing image, which devastatingly portrayed the resignation of all hope, the film is a tour-de-force of all the possibilities that cinema offers. And from the standpoint of technical achievement, I am at a loss to explain how some of those seven minute-plus takes were done, traveling inside and outside the house into gale-force winds with immaculate steadiness and impeccable composition, rotating 360 degrees and immersing the viewer completely in its world. There is not a single shot that feels like it's "showing off"; every impressive tableau is so rooted into the fabric of the characters' lives that it becomes an inseparable part of the experience.

It is not an easy film to view for audiences accustomed to more traditional narrative structure. Indeed, there is nothing that even resembles a conversation in the film until well over an hour and fifteen minutes into its running time. Upon hearing a few of the comments during a screening I saw, I was reminded of how difficult it was for Antonioni's "L'avventura" to be adequately appreciated for its stunning originality at the time of its premiere at Cannes. It has subsequently been recognized as a milestone in cinema, as I believe "The Turin Horse" will be. It was a richly rewarding experience for those of us who plugged into what it was trying to say and embraced how it went about saying it. It is daring in its approach and bold in its objectives. I consider it to be a masterpiece.

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Before you skip on to the next review (or movie), read this. If you appreciate artistic subtlety, the nuance of the unsaid, and beautiful black and white imagery, you should watch this film. I saw it at Telluride Film Festival, and to be honest it was difficult to watch, but I couldn't stop watching. Beautifully done, luxurious in its sparse storytelling, this film haunts me today after one viewing.

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"Do you remember, Milan Kundera wrote this book about the lightness of the being? We just wanted to show you the heaviness of the being," this is what Bella Tarr said in an interview with the New York Times referring to his masterpiece The Turin Horse.

That comment by the extraordinary Hungarian filmmaker neatly sums up this magnificent, if challenging, film. As with all filmmakers of Mr. Tarr's caliber, the film works in many different levels and has many different layers of meaning.

However, and taking Mr. Tarr's comments as an illuminating starting point, rarely, maybe never before, has the cinema focused so intensely on the harrowing, soul crushing, involuntarily heroic aspects of physical work, and in this case, physical work connected to actual survival.

In an isolated farm, an old man, his daughter and a horse face the elements, starvation, and what for viewers would definitely be a soul crushing routine. And yet in facing this apparently dreary existence Tarr's character achieve a sense of grace, including the aforementioned horse, who simply can not move anymore; they are not heroic, we don't know if they are spiritual, we just know that for them life has always been this way and will continue to be this way, if they make it to the next day.

In this sense, this film has a touch of the eternal in it, and while watching it is impossible not to think of the hundreds of millions of lives which have been lived like this throughout history in all the world, and some which continue to be lived this way. It is striking that the lives of the father and the daughter are in some ways identical in their barreness to that of the horse, with the primary goal being survival.

That is why the film has the power and force of revelation, and why, after wathcing it, you feel you have seen one of the greatest movies ever made.

In a year in which "The Artist" was hailed as a hommage to silent cinema, it is Tarr's film which really has all the artfulness and brilliance of the greatest silent filmmakers. And it is also true that this will make the film forbidding for many, along with its more than 3 hours running time, almost any lack of dialogue, and the endless repetition of the daily routines of father and daughter.

In this sense, the film is a monumental achievement, akin to a ritual or sacred experience, and it deserves to be seen in as biggest a screen as possible.

"You are doing always the same thing every day, but every day is a little bit different, and the life is just getting weaker and weaker, and, by the end, disappears" Mr. Tarr said in the aforementioned Times interview, and then went on to emphasize the dignity in the face of adversity of the father and daughter in the film. And this struggle, in Mr. Tarr's hands, has produced a thunderous masterpiece.

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You won't be able to get them out of your mind: the eerie howl of the wind; the desolation; staring through the window at an isolated tree; the daily, repetitive, struggle; the entrapment both in the cabin and within each person; the rough hewn texture of both the cabin and the people; the layers of clothing nine layers plus two more for the trudge outside for water; the weight of the water (or was it their existence); the grayness, the bleak, purgatory landscape; the eating utensils consisting of two wooden plates and fingers for smashing and eating the potato.

Who is trapped? The horse or the people? Sisyphus analogy except their tasks seem to get harder with time. The music and changing camera angles added to the sense of isolation. If only the wind, landscape and cabin were real that would have been really impressive. Acting, directing superb. Reminded me of "Le Quattro Volte".

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Step Up 2: The Streets (Dance-Off Edition) (2008)

The fellow below me is, in all aspects, correct. If what you look for in a dance movie is to be highly distracted by a shabby plot. Me, I loved Step Up 2 for this very reason...

Most dance movies aim too high: they want killer dance scenes -withan excellent plot. What do most wind up with? Trite, familiar plots they still try to execute even though we've seen them before (so we know well enough to follow along) while still delivering a sliver or two of dance sequences... but nowhere near the amount the usual viewer wants to see.

Now, Step Up 2 says a big "yeah right" to that entire idea.

There is next to NO plot. Yeah, it's there, barely. Enough to pretend that it's not one long music video. But, it really IS like one long music video--and that's wicked awesome. The dance scenes are long and intricate, the music is great, and it delivers on everything I want to see in a dance movie: less talking and more dancing.

So if you're into these sorts of movies for the chick flick value, it might be a skip or a rent. But if you're into it for, well, the dancing--I give it 5 stars.

Everything about this film FAR exceeds the first in the series. First of all, the actors are way more talented, in both their dancing and acting skills. Where Channig Tatum was practically robotic in the original, Rob Hoffman is charming and funny. Brianna also adds a good element, because where Nora was the goody two shoes, Brianna's more tough, and fights for what she wants. And the dance sequences will absolutely blow you away. Rather than looking overly rehearsed, the moves come across as smooth and amazing. The plot as a whole seems to be less cliche-y as well.

I think that this is a movie that anyone can enjoy, but it seems that people are split on which is better. Some think the first is better, while others prefer this newer, more hip version. Either way, this movie is DEFINITELY worth checking out!

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This movie was definitely better than the first one. The dancing, acting, and plot line were all much more interesting and convincing. I liked how they tied it into the first film while introducing a completely new cast. I saw this movie three times in the theater and cannot wait for it to come out on DVD!

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Okay, so these new wave dance flicks are a dime a dozen, and half of them are just mediocre offerings with one impossible dance move after the next. When `Step Up' came out I really expected nothing from it, but I got a sensational and really, really great movie that had enough heart and chemistry to make it stand out amongst the onslaught of trashy teen dance movies. Really, you need to see it! So, I was excited about the prospects of `Step Up 2: The Streets', but after seeing the trailer I was afraid it was going to be nothing more than a rehash of the same story with different actors.

So I waited.

I am happy (so happy) to say that `Step Up 2: The Streets' does not have the same story, even though it is slightly similar. It does lack the chemistry that made the original so charming, but the lead actress, Briana Evigan, carries enough saucy charm to make up for Robert Hoffman's lack of everything (the guy is kind of gross creepy here).

Andie is a teen with no real purpose. Her mother dies when she was young and she's been living with her mother's best friend. She finds herself at a crossroads when her ties with the infamous 410 (a dance crew) leave her with two options; a prestigious dance school or Texas. Now, I live in Texas, so I understand why she opted for the school. She doesn't fit in (of course) but she finds herself flirting with even more danger when the school legend Chase Collins takes a liking to Andie, and her dance style, and convinces her to join forces with him, and a slew of talented yet overlooked students, in order to take on a street dancing competition. Love develops, feelings are trampled, rivalries are started...and dancing HAPPENS!

Like I said, Evigan is great. She is sensual with a kick of edge that keeps her interesting; and that smoker's voice is just, UGH, so Scarlett Johansson...me loves it! Robert Hoffman is the opposite. He is supposed to be all charming and sweet and lovable but he comes across creepy. The rest of the cast is really just a collection of moving bodies, and they all work well in that respect. Miss Ventura is stunning to look at whether she's moving or standing still, I'll give her that. Black Thomas (yes, that is his name) is respectable as the token gangster (very cliché, but whatever) and Danielle Polanco is quite engaging as the street-smart and genuinely sweet Missy.

But this is not about acting, believe me.

The dancing is insane here, and the final dance scene, in the rain, is just UGH, WOW...that was hot! Yes, I said hot, and I meant that in like every possible way. I did want to mention Adam G. Sevani (who looks like `Year One' version Michael Cera) who is your typical `nerdy kid who befriends outcast' here. The reason I mention him is because his Michael Jackson inspired dace sequence at the end is phenomenal and easily the most memorable part of the entire movie.

So, if you want a fun and entertaining film with lots of dancing then this is the one for you. It doesn't have the `everything' factor that the original had, but it makes up for it in other areas.

See them both.

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It seems many people were disappointed in this movie due to the lack of plot or, at best, a very simple one, and the sub-par acting. In fact, I was so convinced after reading all the reviews that I would not like it as much as I thought I originally would. Regardless, I saw it used and decided to give it a shot and, I have to say, I am keeping this one.

Yes, the acting is not the best and the plot was the way to keep it together, so they could call it a "movie" and not a "music video," but I have absolutely no complaints or problems with that at all. If you search for any of the main "actors" their first occupation is not acting, it is dancing or choreography and, Sarah, the guardian, used to be a slam poet and Cassie (the source of conflict) is a professional singer and dancer by trade. Needless to say, they are not actors and it shows, but I wouldn't call their acting horrible, it was decent. Yet, the thing is, I don't think this movie would be half as good if they cast actors and tried to teach them how to dance, (they have reality shows for that) what really made this movie great was the dancing and you can tell that these guys are professionals in that respect, because I have never seen such phenomenal dancing in my life. Between the catchy and upbeat music and the amazing "popping," "Krumping" and raw street dancing this movie is definitely one I will watch again and again. In fact, I cannot stop watching the final dances in the street, especially Adam Sevani (Moose) with that awesome routine to Timbaland's "Bounce."

Anyway, despite what people are saying, if you like watching people dance to upbeat, high-energy music then definitely do yourself a favor and check this movie out.

Lastly, to comment briefly on the Blu Ray version. The picture quality is amazing, so much so, you can read what is on the shirts of those in the crowd and the sound is phenomenal. I can't tell you the exact specs, but what I can tell you is the picture is clear and vibrant and when they kick up the water during the dance scene in the rain, you truly feel as though you are going to get hit by the splash :) And, the sound is very clear, I have a 7.1 system set up but this DVD only does 5.1, but it makes up for it by giving me TrueHD.

All in all, if you are not concerned about a weak plot and poor acting, but really like watching phenomenal dancing, this is the movie for you. It definitely is for me.

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Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle / Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Double Feature) (201

The only thing that could've made it better would be a 3pk bundle with A Very Harold & Kumar Xmas. If you're a true stoner or just a Roldy & Kumar fan buy this...buy it right now! Do it. (Insert water bong bubbling sound)

This single one sided DVD features both Harold(John Cho)and Kumar(Kal Penn)films together, "...at the White Castle"(released July/04)and "...Escape from Guantanamo Bay"(released April/08).They are a little above average films in the college-frat-type humour category.Both are staunchly un-politically correct and poke fun at a number of stereotypical situations.

The first film introduces us to the pair who live together;Harold has a dead end job at an accounting firm and Kumar,who cake walked through doctors college,puts off,again and again,following in his fathers footsteps and prefers the good times.One night they get stoned(again)and have a giant craving for some White Castle food.The films' flimsy plot is what most of the movie entails;that is the guys efforts to find a White Castle eatery in which to satisfy their cravings.They go from hang gliding to bumping into Neil Patrick Harris(Doogie Howser)to getting stoned and riding a cheetah(you have top see it to believe it!)and so many more scenarios;some funnier than others.In the end and after a huge amount of grief they finally get their men,er burgers.

The next film finds the two starting where the first film left off.Harold pined throughout the first movie for his sexy apartment neighbour that he had never the courage to ask out.She flew off to Amsterdam and Harold,with Kumar's chiding,decide to fly there in this film to meet up with her unannounced.On the flight Kumar smuggles on some weed and while in the washroom with a home made bong,an elderly lady sees him and thinks its a bomb and yells out "terrorist".In short order both are taken down and shipped to the holding center in Guantanamo Bay,Cuba.While there some real terrorists make an escape attempt which gives the guys their opportunity also.They boat back to the States with some Cuban refugees and land Florida.From here they seek out an old college bud who loans them his car and they head to Texas.It is in Texas where Kumar's old girlfriend,and the one who originally made a stoner out of him,is getting married.Her husband to be got Harold his job so he feels quite respectful of him but Kumar thinks he's less than dirt and wants to bust up the marriage and get his girl back.In the end that is exactly what happens and Kumar and Harold finally seemed bound for a happy ending in life.

Both film feature a nice cameo role by Neil Patrick Harris who plays an over-sexed,drugged up,weird moral-less kind of character.Also both films feature sequences where they run into some strange backwoods couple who help them out along their twisted journey which gives out with some nice humour.The chemistry between these two actors is tremendous which spills out through the camera to us the audience,which in turn boosts ones liking of what transpires on screen;as slim as these plots are.The first film I must say was the flimsiest of the two with little more than a mission to eat as its' main theme,whereas the second added a bit more meat to the bones.Both however are just excuses to throw in numerous sexual/frat like humourous situations.While at times it can get a little been there,done that,the films throw enough of their own original feel in it to make things work.

Technically speaking the films have been transferred nicely and look clear and crisp.They are in their original a/r of 1:78:1,but there are no desserts here people,just the meat and potatoes.

I recommend these two films as they put their own spin on the whole frat humour dynamic.Helping to achieve this are the two characters themselves Kumar and Harold who are very likable and with which we can easily empathize with;which is 90% of the battle in any film.

Buy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle / Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Double Feature) (201 Now

both of these movies for one low price,brand new in blu ray!fn awesome!love these movies.good for a cold winter day to get blazed and watch a movie,lol

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It's cheech and chong antics for my generation. It's Harold and Kumar, a great 2 disc unrated capability on one disc. 1st side is Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle unrated then flip over for Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay unrated... but no special features on Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo bay. The original unrated disc menus are also included in look and feel.

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Wow, it came this close to being x-rated, but a lot of it was really funny. A gross version of the Felix and Oscar. Not a prude, but the sex stuff went over the top at times. The gross stuff was hilarious.

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