Four Lions (2010)

One of those films that took me by complete surprise, `Four Lions' is a pitch perfect `dark comedy' that delivers one laugh after another with an unexpected touch of poignancy that elevates the material to create something special.

`Four Lions' details the haphazard terrorist plot conceived by five dimwitted Jihadi suicide bombers. Mainly focusing on three conflicting personalities (Omar, Waj and Barry), `Four Lions' takes a stab at the root (or roots) of terrorism; exposing the allegiance and trivial stupidity that steeps itself in the act. Omar and Barry butt heads from the start. Both are leaders (self-proclaimed as they may be) and both expect a degree of servitude. Omar is arrogant, considering himself superior in intellect (and most likely he is), while Barry is abrasive and condescending in his own right; using his brutish demeanor to demand a faux respect. Waj is more of a simpleton; completely confused by his own allegiance. He wants to believe in something but he can't commit his heart to their actions. Instead, he becomes a pawn; taken advantage of by the more dominant personalities. By focusing on these three characters, `Four Lions' shows the polar sides of terrorism; the way that influence can overtake both and strong and the weak. As these characters devise their plot against oppression, they struggle to explain themselves and thus struggle to convince themselves that what they are doing is really the right thing to do.

As an intellectual piece, `Four Lions' is far smarter and deeper than one may expect. It is a blatant farce, an unapologetic comedy and yet it is laced with such stark realism. That said, it is the comedic shamelessness that really makes this film so incredible. The script is one of the best I've seen put to use on the big screen in a long while. The sharpness of the dialog is perfectly complimented by the visual antics. The explosions never lack in comedic weight, and the one-liners delivered are side-splittingly hysterical.

"I'm not confused brother! I just took picture of my face, and it's deffo not my confused face."

The repartee between the actors is also borderline genius. Everyone totally gets their respective roles and they go `no holds bar', attacking the characters without hesitation. Best in show props go directly to Nigel Lindsay, who layers Barry's ignorance with such undeniable wit. He's pitch perfect in every scene.

In the end, I can't recommend this movie enough. It is controversial, sure, but it understands how to approach the subject so as not to `cross the line' while simultaneously `crossing it'. Taking jabs at both sides of the `war on terrorism', `Four Lions' feels real and authentic despite the outlandish nature of the whole thing. It's preposterous, but on the other hand it's so crazy it just might be true!

Chris Morris co-wrote and directed a very dark, shockingly wicked, tour de force about four inept British would-be suicide bomber jihadists. This ferocious farce grabbed me immediately. Terrorism can be as much about idiots as ideology. Here's a brilliant film that does not flinch or blink in the face of the horrific reality of our times. Can urgent truth be funny? Yes. Time called it "The blackest, ballsiest political comedy since DR. STRANGELOVE." Can mockery and ridicule dilute hate? Maybe. Maybe not. But laughter sure can. Is Allah laughing?

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Note: Paragraph 2 is a synopsis, and only paragraph 5 that contains spoilers.

Four Lions is a daring little comedy with balls of iron. Using terrorism as a source of comedy maybe one of the hardest methods to make people ponder about this important issue. Especially the way that Director Chris Morris pursues the subject, one often fears that the topic may be used as the butt of jokes, and form a debased comedy. I have no clue how Morris does it, but he never crosses the moral/ethical line of GLORIZING the terror or demeaning the victims.

This comedy is based on a group of extremist Muslims who decide to demonstrate in the face of all this consumerism and corruption of the West, the beauty of their religion by commiting horrible deeds-that in their eyes are nothing but noble. Take note that they are from Sheffield, England. Four of the men are identifiably Muslim, but one stands out like a nerd on the football team. He is a white convert to Islam, and the most radical, impatient, and extreme of the pack-trying to convince them to attack a Mosque. Two members, Omar and Waj, get sent to a terrorist training camp with disastrous result-keep watching after the credits to understand the extent of their tragic contribution. After returning, all five, which includes the new recruit Hassan, decide to find a target to express their rage.

These are not organized or trained newbie terrorists. They act independently on their dogma, and hilarity ensues. They are also quite well rounded, unlike the terrorist picture many of us may imagine: isolated people lacking in friends, and lovable family. Omar, for example, has a son, wife, and quite a large group of friends-many which are British. They have no detailed philosophy besides the idea that this consumer Western society is corrupt, and needs to be punished. There is almost no discussion of Bin Laden, Al Qaeda, or any terrorist organization. However, They strive to be Jihadists, and ascend to Heaven. It's that simple in their eyes. No discussion of their victims ever take place, and for good reason. These characters are simplistic in their desires, so even a superficial thought of their victims innocence may thwart their plans.

Chris Morris reportedly has done years of research for this film, predating the 7/7 London Bombings. Unfortunately, we don't see the fruits of his research directly on screen. If his research finds its way in to the final cut of this film, it must be very subliminal because I could not see any evidence that this was deeply researched. Due to his research which included collecting personal account from countless different sources, it seems that Morris at parts is unable to shed light on the emotional aspects. Truths that are self-evident to him are not necessarily evident to us, and certain aspects require more emotional investment.

Many examples of such emotionally ambivalent scenes are spread throughout the film, however they are most evident during the scenes involving Omar's family. Of Course, Omar's son does not know about his father's true intents, but he is teaching his son the moral reason for his task through Disney's Lion King. After their overseas debacle, he explains to him that Simba must lie for now until he can accomplish his true goal. These intimate scenes are done well, as we begin to realize that these men are not hopeless young teens without futures. One of the most out of place scenes occurs after Omar deserts his fellow brothers, disappointed and depressed about their plans. His wife's word about his plans, and eventual demise, are so cold heartedly encouraging that we suddenly recall this is a piece of fiction. She seems to be actually encouraging and advocating his plan, clearly aware that its execution will leave her without a husband, and her son a father. Before this scene we saw these two adults use a water gun to force a friend out of their house. They may share the same ideas about the "depravity" of Western culture, but they are a loving couple. Morris, in this scene, makes the woman out to be absolutely heartless about her husband, and maybe ready to get rid of him by granting his services to the Lord in Heaven. This scene is made all the more preposterous by the inclusion of their son in this conversation. Another complaint maybe that the wife is simply a foil character with nothing worthwhile to express. As said before, Morris has done much research on this topic, and maybe the families of terrorists are as "open-minded" as this, willing to give up their husbands, and parents in the Lord's service. Even if this is the case, Morris needs to stray from his facts, and show more compassion in these scenes, or progress to this line of though gradually, not spontaneously.

Four Lions also suffers from a smug sense of profundity. It often feels that the film believes besides laughs it is giving us an earnest and deeply insightful view about terrorism. Whenever Morris decides to make his work more insightful, the comedy suffers drastically. True, we are talking about people blowing themselves and others up by explosives, yet a truly comedic tone fits this successful premise well. The film's serious moments are so far and in between that they never make the impact that he desires. A prime example is the concluding scene when Omar wants to make Waj, one of the co-conspirators, to give himself up. When this fails, Omar marches in to a pharmacy completing his mission. This serious scene steals from the comedy of the four men running around for twenty minutes in preposterous costumes ranging from Honey Munster to an ostrich. After this, a somber songs begins that is truly not in the spirit of the film. I believe Morris believed he had made a serious statement, like the one at the beginning and conclusion of American Beauty. Four Lions loses it's touch, and becomes somewhat disjointed from its black comedy elements when it choses to take such a drastically different route.

Despite all this criticism, I found Four Lions to more insightful and original than most current comedies distributed in the last few years. Morris of course does not succeed in all his goals, but miraculously saves himself from much criticism that his Brass Eye series received in the last decade. He looks at the issue at a very specific angle which makes the comedy, despite the subject, extremely funny. His characters are somewhat stupid and carless which are necessary elements for a film on such a bleak subject. If only the bomber's of 7/7, and hijackers of 9/11, were as independent and clueless as these men are, the victims of their actions would be miniscule in number.

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I was mostly bewildered the first time through this film. The Northern English dialects, often intermixed with other non-English foreign accents and naturalistic speech made the movie all but incomprehensible. Parochial cultural references (Not TJ but TK Maxx, Rubber Dinghy Rapids, Mr. Bean), British slang (slags) and a sprinkling of Arabic (kuffars, wasalaam) also hindered understanding until I got around to looking these things up. However you can find the English subtitles on the Web. The subtitles were faithful to the dialogue but you'll probably have to adjust the synchronization. All that extra effort will pay off. FOUR LIONS is very funny and the comedic acting and timing are superb. The two exceptions were Hassan and Omar's wife, who showed in their facial expressions that they were in on the gags.

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*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE BLU RAY VERSION ***

Five twenty-something lads from Sheffield wanting to be Afghan terrorists on British soil is not exactly an easy sell for a film even for the most liberal minded of viewers. This is the kind of material that walks a thin line between black humour and the need to tell the truth no matter how offensive or uncomfortable it may be. But "Four Lions" 'so' works. Written and Directed by CHRIS MORRIS his debut is an edgy risk-taking movie and absolutely chockers full of laugh-out loud moments and for all the right reasons...

It goes like this the constantly babbling, but worldly naïve Waj is easily influenced by the disillusioned but far more radical Omar (Kayvan Novak and Riz Ahmed). Both 'brothers' want to do 'God's will' which they believe is to become Mujahideen soldiers and start their own Islamic Jihad somewhere in affluent materialistic England. They essentially want to blow something up. Helping them away from Western materialism and Chicken McNuggets is the self-appointed cleric Barry (a fantastically funny turn by a scene-stealing Nigel Lindsay). Barry rabbits on about 'surveillance protocols', eats SIM cards and once planted a 'twin towers' cake in a local mosque to incite the faithful. Rolling under garage doors like an SAS commando and sidling up to people's porches likes he's Jason Bourne Barry is convinced that a passing mother and child is a cop and the American Feds are watching him on satellites in space. Barry is the worst and most boorish of the five. A converted white man and bearded radical, he is full of nice things to say about open-mindedness like "...we've got women talking back bruv! We've got people playing stringed instruments!" Barry orders silver nitrate from Amazon and wants to "Boom! Fast track to final days! Proper war!"

Thrown into this pool of misguided idiots is the slow and permanently bewildered Faisal (Adeel Akhtar) a hapless bomb-maker who stashes thousands of bottles of hair peroxide in his lock-up. Fassal wants to attach detonator devices to crows and fly them into Government buildings (hence the poster). Last but not least is Hassan (Arsher Ali) an on-the-fence believer who wants to go 'proper' Afghan. Hassan talks the lingo about 'a new purpose in life' but Omar suspects that maybe he doesn't have the balls to actually do the dirty deed. None of them do. It's all a big game to the other four and Omar will need to make it 'real' this time. Plots are hatched in the bedsit above the men's shop Bolby Tailoring, rocket launchers go off backwards and Omar's microwave oven gets sacrificed in the name of the 'cause'. And on the mayhem goes to the London Marathon of 2010 where they're dressed as chickens with something more than lean cuisine beneath their feathers. But of course it stops being funny very, very fast when the consequences and repercussions of what they're doing becomes all too real...and they get more than hurt...

How do you deal with extremism humour is one weapon Chaplin knew this. But part of this script's genius is to go deeper into the monster's psyche to show us how 'religion' seriously screws with a person's moral compass especially if that belief system has an 'our way is the only way' core mentality. There is also the lure of power the power of a gun how it gets you noticed even respected. And of course that's amplified if you're prepared to have a bomb strapped to you and seek martyrdom.

The danger in all this is that despite the film's best intentions Muslims are tarred with a terrorist brush but the writing is smart enough to address this and even deal with racism among their own ranks by slagging both off with real skill. Subtle touches include Omar receiving an e-mail at work (he's a security guard) telling that his trip to the Pakistan is in 2 days time (spy talk for a training camp). He tells his boss he's attending a 'shotgun wedding' and if you look real close you'll see that the e-mail address is hilaryclinton055.

Housed in a fetching book package, the BLU RAY picture quality varies from very good on the indoor sequences (bedrooms, cafes and sheds) to crystal clear and superlative on the outdoors shots (Afghanistan hills, London streets). As the dialogue is all Sheffield in Northern England and comes at you fast and furious, the lone ENGLISH SUBTITLE will probably be more than handy for overseas viewers. The extras include DELETED SCENES and 2 featurettes. The deleted scenes are short, but wickedly funny, while the 2 featurettes are unrelated to the film itself, but act as background to the project. First is a real-life documentary called "Lost Boys" which follows 4 Pakistani lads in a car as they drive around their hometown of Nelson in Lancashire. They talk of fights, racism and persecution nothing to do every night. You can just see how they're ripe for recruitment. The 2nd is even stranger an interview with Ahmad who is a white lad accused of Muslim extremism and arrested under the Terrorist Act. He shows paintings that express what he feels about Islam (deeply loves it). Neither feature makes judgements but they do give you insights into why stuff happens...

To sum up with our media and politicians locked into a sort of sickening and stifling political-correctness of late material like "Four Lions" is refreshing to say the least and even a bit brave. And the fact that you're laughing so much for three quarters of the movie, but hurting with sadness at the end is testament to its heart. It elevates "Four Lions" above clever froth into the realm of something that stays with you and makes you think and reassess...

I loved this film. And Film 4, Wild Bunch and Optimum Releasing and all associated with "Four Lions" are to be praised to the nines for it.

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Gojira (1954)

I just got my copy in the mail a day early and have just sat down to watch the American Version with Raymond Burr. I also own the Classic Media version that came out a few years back [The two disc set that's titled "Gojira"]. I have two computers side by side and decided to do a side by side compare of the two versions. My efforts have resulted in this conclusion. Both versions are nice for a film this old. Each has its good points and bad points. The earlier version by Classic Media has better, more balanced lighting. But it does show up more dirt specs and lines. Not a lot more i should add. The Criterion version has less specs and lines and is darker in dark areas and brighter in bright areas. The Criterion version has more contrast, Both films are very watchable. If i had to put a number on it, i would say the Criterion version is at least 20% better looking [video quality] than the older version. And the newer versions sound quality is 50% better than the older version. Here's the big major difference between the two. It appears that the Criterion version is giving us the absolute whole image from side to side and top to bottom. In the older version there are items in the film on the outer edges that are cut off more than the newer version. Its like the older version was mastered slightly zoomed in for whatever reason. If you didn't compare, you really wouldn't notice much difference. I have not watched anything else yet on the two discs, so cant comment on that "yet". Will update more then. In my opinion, this is worth double dipping. Another difference with the new version is the beginning opening titles. This new version has the old original Trans World Release opening. The older version has no opening titles. Also one last thing. The sound in the new version is excellent! Almost no clicks,pops or hiss at all. The sound is a major upgrade. The old version still has the clicks,pops and hiss, but that never bothered me. To me it actually adds to the overall experience. Well this review is not complete yet but it is my hope that this helps those of you who are still on the fence with buying this. Its a nice set to own.

Gojira is a film about the horrors of nuclear war. Japan was still feeling the effects, so to speak, of the nuclear strike on their country and weren't happy with a-bomb testing in the Pacific. What we have here is a giant lizard awoken by a nuclear bomb, destroying the Japanese country side with an anti-nuclear message.

Also included is the American re-working, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. This one is the one starring Raymond Burr. While it isn't a faithful translation and mutes some of the anit-nuclear message, it still manages to be a decent film.

Crirterion has done an amazing job with this release.

Video:

Being a Criterion release, you know this is a good looking transfer. There are some instances of dust, dirt and scratches, but nowhere near what we saw with Classic Media's release. The greytones are more solid and details are clear. This assessment goes for both Gojira and Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

Encoded in AVC with bit rates ranging from about 15-30 Mbps. It looks very, very good.

Audio:

Both movies contain remastered audio (mono only for both) and are free of hiss, pops and clicks. I don't know that either film has ever sounded this good.

Extras:

You have Photographic Effects where the director and effects photographer go into detail behind how some of the visual effects for the film were created. 1080i full screen (both people appear in a pillar and letter boxed format, though the effects are done full screen just as the movie was filmed). About 9 minutes.

Cast and Crew. These are interviews with various staff behind the film speaking about the film. There are 4 interviews total. Akira Takarada, 13 mins. Haruo Nakajima, 10 minutes. Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai, 30 minutes and Akira Ifukube, 50 minutes. All but Ifukube's interviews were done in 2011. Ifukube, has, unfortunately passed away and is obviously unavailable for interviews today.

Another section is call Tadao Sato. Tadao is a Japanese film critic, thus it was not included in the Cast and Crew interviews. 14 minutes.

The Unluckiest Dragon, 10 minutes. This is a photo based documentary of the fishing boat that was part of what prompted the use of fishing vessels as the start of the Gojira film. The vessel in question was witness of some of the nuclear testing done in the Pacific and of course, most on the ship died or were negatively impacted by the death ash.

Excellent, high quality, top notch extras. Everything was worth watching and was full of all sorts of great information.

Packaging

This one comes in a nice slip cover. Inside is a really cool fold out cardboard case holding the disc. On the fold out is an awesome Godzilla pop up, similar to children's pop up books.

Over all, this is a tremendous release. Many wonder why Criterion would release a film like this, but with how inbred Godzilla is in Japan's culture, and the American culture, it makes perfect sense to me. And they treated it with the respect it deserves.

If you have the Classic Media Blu Ray, double dip. The extras alone make it worth it, plus now you'll have an HD edition of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which was missing from Classic Media's release.

Highly recommended.

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This is the ultimate home video release of Godzilla. Not only has Criterion carefully remastered the original Japanese version of the film, but they've put just as much love and effort into restoring the 1956 American version as well. Most Americans grew up with that version, and even though many film buffs agree that the Japanese version is the definitive one, I'm very happy to that for Criterion's new release the American version was not just an afterthought. Unlike the disappointing Blu-Ray release of "Gojira" by Classic Media a few years back, this Blu-Ray not only gives you both versions of the film looking the best they have since their original theatrical releases, but also a monster-sized helping of supplimental features including new audio commentaries and interviews with the film's crew.

In short, it's a Criterion release through and through, which means you are getting the very best that the Blu-ray format has to offer. Fans of "Big G" would be remiss to not put this edition in their film library.

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This review is for the Blu-ray edition, and I am going to focus on the technical aspects of the release, not the movie itself, the movie is a great classic and should be seen in its Japanese original form, whether through this BD or the previous Classic Media DVD, that's your choice.

First of all, the movie is not 1080p is 1080i, which might be because it's not comming from a direct filmscan, but through an HDCAM tape, since it's a film, not TV, the fields show half and half of the frame and when a projector or the TV does the conversion to progressive you have the original frame, if you have your BD and TV/Projector properly set up you won't see any interlaced images.

The film is not presented in it's original 1.33 aspect ratio, the width is perfect but there is a slight loss in the upper and lower parts of the image (it is clearly seen in the original GODZILLA title, look at the lower right logo), therefore the aspect ratio might be around 1.45, still and improvement from the previous DVD release, it was 1.33 but because it lost both width and height.

There is also another HUGE problem: the Noise Reduction. Since it's a pretty old film, film stocks from the original movie are in pretty bad shape, and CM instead of performing a full restoration (a-la Criterion), simply applied an inmense quantity of automatic Noise Reduction, resulting in lots of jittering and screen tearing. To tell you the truth, when checking the DVD versus the BD, I found hard to decide wich was poorer in Image quality, but I guess that MPEG-2 is quite an old codec now, and the Standard Definition makes everything look slightly blury, so all in all I prefer the BluRay since it's coded in AVC. The sound only includes the original Japanese audio in PCM linear, wich is fine in my book (I hate dubs), and the subs are more than ok.

The extras are the same that on the DVD, nothing new, and they are presented in their original MPEG-2 codification.

I would never recommend this BD to any Godzilla fan if already own the CM DVD, since I truly believe that this movie will eventualy get a proper release. However if you have never seen the original Godzilla, and don't care about the american version... Hey! It's a Blu-Ray and IT'S REGION FREE! (tested on a PS3 region "B")

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This review is mainly concerned with the original, Japanese version of Gojira (not dubbed). I find that inserting Raymond Burr's character and removing some of the original to do so takes a great deal away from this movie and what it represents.

Godzilla rises from his long sleep due to the effects of the hydrogen bomb. With each attack, the creature becomes more bold until Tokyo suffers a devasting attack, and only a miracle can save the country from another tragic visit by this risen giant.

The love affair plays a secondary but important part in the film. Emiko has been promised in marriage to a brilliant young scientist but has fallen in love with another man. It is the old world traditions clashing with modernity. Her father is a paleontologist who is probably the only person sharing empathy with Godzilla, feeling that destroying the beast will be depriving science of its one and only chance to study a creature from the prehistoric past.

What is often overlooked (and not really stressed in the American version) is the terrible dilemma the young scientist faces when he is begged to use his oxygen destroyer weapon against Godzilla. Only the viewing of the destruction and sadness make him realize there is only one course to take. I feel he is the most crucial and yet saddest character in the entire movie. He actually loses on a number of counts--his life's work (he destroys his formula so it could never fall into the wrong hands), his fiancee has decided to wed another, and in true samurai-like tradition, ends his life nobly. The scene of Godzilla's painful death at the same moment that this brave but troubled researcher ends his own is poignant in the extreme.

This film is not just about humans against an ancient monster awakened from the past. It is about the universal emotions of love, dedication and the dangers to which science can lead us. It is also about sacrifice and triumph over impossible odds.

It is important to remember that the original movie was produced not that many years after the devastation wrought on Japan by the atomic bombs. It does not take much of the imagination to see the same destroyed cities, dying and injured people and the heartache produced by an attack, whether monster or man-made, on such a massive scale. The burning buildings, high levels of radioactivity, the melting metal all conjure up the effects of the atomic bomb, and in many ways this movie is an illustration of what Japan experienced, as well as providing a cathartic effect to a nation that suffered perhaps the greatest horror of this century.

The underlying message here is that, like the oxygen destroyer, atomic weapons are the most destructive device ever invented by man. This movie, besides being a very scary monster film (it gave me nightmares when I was a little girl) is an anti-nuclear weapon vehicle which gets its message across through the characters of a enormous beast, a scientist faced with a moral decision, and a people bent on surviving. Godzilla is more then a movie; it is a social statement against any weapon that has the power to alter our world, and the people in it, forever.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the old gentleman who was encased within the Godzilla costume. A very short man playing a huge monster (he was about 5 feet tall), he was nevertheless delighted and surprised that his portrayal of the beast has continued to draw audiences even after all these years. It was an honor to meet him.

My advice is the best way to see this movie is in the original, uncut Japanese version without dubbing. I am not a big fan of dubbing anyway, and feel that since people know the story and what is being said, the language barrier disappears and the emotional impact of the film is felt on a much higher scale.

To me, this is one of the best movies produced and has stood the passing of time. It holds many lessons for those who are open to the warnings and human tragedies, both physical and emotional, that we are forced to face in a world that has advanced to the point of self-annihilation.

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Chocolat (2011)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Amarcord (The Criterion Collection) (1973)

Fellini's theme of coming of age memoir works as a beautiful nostalgic piece. The film resonates from an earlier film of his 8 1/2 showing the director's flashes to his seaside hometown. I've watched this film several times and on every occassion find something new. Here's a tip to enjoy watching a foreign film Do NOT watch the English dubbed version if there is any so much is lost in the film. Fellini's films work with subtitles because they make you forget you're reading them at all and as always, Fellini pleases both eye and ear and subsequently the heart. The musical score by Nino Rota is something one looks forward to in every scene. His music perfectly sets the tempo of each image, and I mean each and every one. What a duo of artistic genius these two men are! Watching the film on its excellent Criterion-restored DVD version, one can only wonder what the cinema world would be without Fellini.

The theme of this story is the compassion that allows close-knit, small-town Italians in the 1930's to lead a meaningful existence in the context of Fascist oppression and economic hardship.

This story is culturally valuable because it shows the beauty of meaningfully existing, unchanged, amid destructive and oppressive forces. When a peacock lands in the snow with its beautiful, vibrant blue and green feathers, it exemplifies beauty, simply existing, within harsh conditions. The point of the story is not that the characters of this small Italian town make any world-altering advances, but rather that they maintain what they already have and admire--their sense of community and individual compassion--despite oppressive odds. Fellini gives his audience mischievous adolescents, oblivious teachers, a "crazy" uncle, a humorous grandfather, an idealistic and extremely feminine beauty, a generous but sickly mother and her easily-angered husband, dissatisfied workers, a story-telling lawyer, a prince, and a lying snack vendor. And none of these characters is ever treated inhumanely, or as being of any less value than any other. The uncle has an episode in which he climbs a tree and throws rocks at people who try to get him down, all the while yelling, "I want a woman!" Hours pass and the doctor who eventually comes to get him down remarks, "He has normal days, and he has not normal days...Just like us." Through the interaction of these characters, Fellini allows his audiences to encounter a town, the families, a community, and the simple life that exists within it. This film is powerful because it is saying that one does not have to defeat oppression to be worthy of being a model, seen and honored. You have only to live, to be yourself--which means to create--to be something powerful and moving.

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Like 8 1/2 before it, Amarcord marks an extremely personal film for Fellini. Like his relationship to Guido in 8 1/2, the character of Titta serves as an extension of Fellini on film. Whereas Guido served as an extension of Fellini's state of mind, Titta serves as an extension of Fellini's childhood memories.

Through the retelling of emotional stories that deal with Titta and his family, Amarcord (which translates into "I Remember") presents a cyclical collage of wondrous nostalgia for the Italy of Fellini's childhood. Starting in the spring and ending their one year later with the return of the yearly "puffballs", we are presented with and touched by the many experiences that Titta comes face to face with.

At the same time, the film is much more than a mere visual presentation of Fellini's own nostalgia, for it also questions the true validity of one's own memories. This questioning of memory by Fellini is made apparent in the manner in which single scenes can go from "reality" based to fantasy-like parody back to "reality" based in a manner of moments.

One of the more noteworthy examples of this technique is the scene in which El Duce visits the local town square. In the scene the serious yet joyous procession of El Duce eventually turns into a comedic/fantasy experience in which schoolchildren are shown happily carrying guns in the imagined wedding of two schoolchildren in front of a giant talking Mussolini head. Moments later the film cuts to nightfall, in which the local Fascists soldiers wreak havoc on the town and afterwards interrogate and beat Titta's father. Depending on Fellini's own presentation of the Italian Fascists, (and just as importantly, the view in Italy towards the Fascists at that time) very different interpretations can be read of them. In using such a juxtaposition, Fellini (in his echoing of Arnheim's formalist theory) is purposely trying to express the impossibility of remembering and re-presenting a true account of the past as a result of the individual nature of memory itself.

Another scene that blurs the real and the imagined is Titta's late-night encounter with a large busty Tobacconist (she is given no true name within the film) just as she has closed up her shop. The woman, who Titta has fantasized about at an earlier point in the film, playfully flirts with Titta, a flirtation that eventually ends in a moment of extreme foreplay between the two. But the inexperienced Titta is unable to please the tobacconist, and she soon forces him to stop. At this time she acts as if nothing has happened, she gives him his tobacco and shows him out the store. How much of this was real, and how much of this was imagined both within the film and with regard to Fellini's own experiences? As is the case with many of the other sequences in the film, the answer is left up to the viewer.

Amarcord is thus not so much about reconstructing mirror images of the past, but rather more about how we would like to, and thus do, remember the past through our own distorted points of view. Andrei Tarkovsky deals with very similar themes in his film Mirror, albeit in a manner that is much less entertaining than Amarcord, which was released shortly after Amarcord.

**** (10/10)

Read Best Reviews of Amarcord (The Criterion Collection) (1973) Here

Seriously I'm a huge Fellini fan and Love "Amarcord"! I am so impressed with the treatment Criterion gave this film. It is definitly worth the money for this magnificent package! From the vibrant and warm painted scenes on the box to the incredible bound book that comes in the box! Bravo Criterion seriously the best package I have seen thus far from Criterion. Amazing!

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Federico Fellini, the legendary Italian filmmaker and screenwriter known for cinema masterpieces such as "The White Sheik" (1952), "I Vitelloni" (1953), "La Strada" (1954), "Nights of Cabiria" (1957),"La Dolce Vita" (1960), "8 1/2' (1963), etc.

Fellini's films are known for capturing ethereal storylines, fantasy that binges on desire and his films are among those that have tested viewers but also has provided many cineaste with visual delight from the films that are from his oeuvre. His influence has inspired Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Tim Burton, Pedro Almodovar to name a few and while many think of "La Dolce Vita", "8 1/2', "I Vitelloni" as the top of Fellini's career, there are many who feel that "Amarcord" is one of his most personal. "Amarcord" is also the third film for Fellini that won an Oscar for "Best Foreign Film" but also won multiple awards throughout the world and is perhaps one of his most accessible film for cinema fans worldwide.

The film was the fourth DVD release for The Criterion Collection back in 1999 and received a special re-release featuring more special features in 2006. In 2011, a Blu-ray release of "Amarcord" including the special features from the 2006 DVD release is now available in the U.S.

While not an autobiography, the film mirrors Fellini's life as a child and teenager growing up in Rimini, Italy (a seaside town in the province of Emilia-Romagna) during the time of Fascist Italy.

"Amarcord" is not the easiest film to describe because it's one of those films that must be experienced. The film can be seen as a coming-of-age film but also a film that has your typical villagers that everyone knows their name because of their actions or their body. The carnivalesque film focuses on various people of the village throughout the year during the 1930's and the various episodes that transpire within a year's time.

"Amarcord" (which means "I remember" in Romagnolo) takes place in a village which has welcomed the spring time courtesy of the puffballs that float in the air. Everyone welcomes the end of Winter and a man named Giudizio (played by Aristide Caporale), looks into the camera and recites a poem.

Meanwhile, we are introduced to the beautiful Gradisca (played by Magali Noel). A woman known for her body and clothing that accentuates her posterior which many of the men and even teenage boys from the village have always taken notice.

In this village, we are introduced to characters such as the prostitute and nymphomaniac named Voplina (played by Josiane Tanzilli), the blind accordion player (played by Domenica Pertica), the heavy set and enormously well-endowed tobacconist (played by Maria Antonietta Beluzzi) and the family members of which "Amacord" focuses on, the Biondi family. Aurelio Biondi (played by Armando Brancia) is the hot-headed father who always gets upset with his teenage son Titta Biondi (played by Bruno Zanin).

While Titta gets in trouble most of the time, his mother Miranda (played by Pupella Maggio) is always ready to argue with Aurelio. Other members of the family include Titta's younger brother Oliva (played by Stefano Proietti), his grandfather (played by Giuseppe Ianigro) who may look old but can easily remember the ages when he and others had sex and Miranda's brother Lallo (played by Nando Orfei) and his wife who live at the house. Needless to say, because of Aurelio's hot temper and Titta's mischievous nature, there is never a quiet moment at the house.

When the camera is focused on the teenager Titta, we learn how he and his friends love to get in trouble. From picking on people, to finding ways to upset their teachers and at times, making fun of their own friends during class. But these teenagers have one thing in common and that is the fact they are horny teenagers who love to look at a woman's ass (and also enjoy pleasuring themselves to release their sexual tension). For Titta, he just loves to look at Gradisca's body whenever she is walking by and one day hopes, he can try to make a move on her.

As for Aurelio, he is anti-fascist. Because of his hot-head, his wife Miranda does all she can to prevent him from getting in trouble, this includes locking the gates of their home to keep him inside. He can't help but always argue with Titta who loves to get his father upset. But still, Aurelio takes care of his family.

Gradisca, is the popular single woman in the village. She dreams of having someone to love and someone to love her right back. She embodies confidence and knows that men and boys love to look at her when she and her friends are walking around. And she knows with the fascists coming to town, this is her chance to find a husband.

The film shows us how life is in the village for these characters and everyone around them for the whole year. Featuring many short scenes may it be Titta and his friends going to school, getting in trouble, looking at beautiful women to Gradisca trying to find "Mr. Right", "Amarcord" is a collection of events with no real storyline but experiences from Fellini's life and also his imagination.

VIDEO:

"Amarcord" is presented in color (1:85:1 aspect ratio). I have compared the 2011 Blu-ray release and the 2006 DVD release and the colors are much more vibrant compared to its DVD counterpart. More detail of the walls and surroundings of the city can be seen quite clearly on Blu-ray. As well as the grime on the faces of characters like Volpina, the stained shirts of Titta and the hairy back of Aurelio. These are much more evident on Blu-ray versus watching it on DVD. There is a good amount of grain that can be seen on the Blu-ray release and for the most part, for fans of the film, watching it on HD is definitely worth the upgrade.

According to the Criterion Collection, the HD transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm interpositive. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS system and Pixel Farm's PFClean sytem, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Amarcord" is presented in its original Italian uncompressed monaural plus an optional English dubbed soundtrack. Dialogue and music is clear and understandable. I didn't notice any clicks, pops or hiss during the Italian soundtrack. As for the English dubbed soundtrack, while I try to stay away from dubbed soundtracks, I will have to give a nod for those that worked on it as they tried to match the voices with the lips and some of acting of the voice actors were well-done but some of the voice acting was not too my liking. Needless to say, I preferred the original Italian soundtrack much more.

According to the Criterion Collection, the monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from a 35mm magnetic soundtrack. Clicks, thumps, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated audio workstation.

Subtitles are in English SDH.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Amarcord The Criterion Collection #4' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

* Audio Commentary Audio commentary by film scholars Peter Brunette (from Wake Forest) and Frank Burke (from Queen's college, Ontario and author of "Fellini's Films").

* Fellini's Homecoming (44:15) A fantastic 45-minute documentary on the complicated relationship between the celebrated director, his hometown of Remini and his past. Fellini's friends chime in on the characters of "Amarcord" and who they were modeled after.

* Magali Noël (15:11) Video interview with star Magali Noël (who plays Gradisca).

* Fellini's Drawings Federico Fellini's drawings of characters in the film and showcasing the sketches for "Amarcord". Using your remote, you can cycle through the various images.

* Felliniana A presentation of ephemera devoted to "Amarcord" from the collection of Don Young. Featuring stills and radio ads (about 3 minutes). Use your remote to cycle through the stills from the film.

* Gideon Bachman Interviews Archival audio interviews with Fellini and his friends and family, by longtime radio film critic Gideon Bachmann. Audio interview with Fedrico Fellini (30:39), audio interview with friends and family (58:59). Featuring photos of Fellini throughout his life.

* Restoration Demonstration (5:25) The restoration demonstration was included with the 2006 DVD re-release of "Amarcord" and is the same restoration used for the Blu-ray release.

* Deleted scene (3:03) A deleted scene featuring Contessa's distraught after losing a diamond ring down her toilet. Carlini tries to retrieve it.

* Trailer (3:46) The American release trailer.

EXTRAS:

Included is a 66-page booklet featuring "Federico of the Spirits" by Sam Rohdie and "My Rimini" by Fedrico Fellini.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Amarcord" is a film that has so many moments, memories and each of these scenes are full of humor that the film is well-crafted and is able to escape from the contrived, mediocrity or the banality of modern films.

There are so many Fellini films that I have watched in my lifetime and thanks to the Criterion Collection, for us in America, we are fortunate to have access to a good number of his films. But among his masterpieces, there are a few of his films that I tend to rewatch many times and "Amarcord" is one of them.

"Amarcord" is a film that captures everything beautiful, everything ugly, everything about life and what people see day-to-day. And I can imagine for Fellini, although "Amarcord" is not an exact autobiography nor was it intended to be, it is paying homage to what he experienced throughout his younger years and the people he came in contact with.

What makes "Amarcord" so intriguing, and so fun without the cinema banality that one would be used to seeing, is that we are given a taste of episodes of these villagers and the way its put together, you find yourself as a voyeur of these moments in the lives of these individuals that live in a small village. There is no real plot line, but it's a film that features so many of the fun moments that life has to offer that makes "Amarcord" so delightful.

From moments when the Biondi family goes to pick up their Uncle Teo from the mental hospital and the uncle runs up to the tree not wanting to get down and starts screaming of how he wants a woman. Anyone who dares to get him down is pelted with fruit. Another scene features Titta and his friends at a parade and celebration for Benito Mussolini aka "Il Duce" and each have their own daydreams of being with a woman. Or a scene where we watch as Gradisca tries to prepare for a romantic night with a man or when Titta goes to the cinema to pull some of his moves on Gradisca and to see what happens. Or possibly one of the most memorable scenes is when Titta goes to the big but very busty tobacco saleswoman and manages to experience a woman's breast, it's just how its featured on screen, you can't help but laugh as the young character is not sure what to do and all the woman can tell him "Suck, no blow!".

But what also works is how the art direction of the film helps to give us that feeling of carnivalesque characters. Danilo Donati's awesome costume and production design, Giorgio Giovannini's surrealistic art direction is fantastic and of course, the cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno is magnificent. While the writing is not overly polemic, Fellini and Tonino Guerra did a great job of interjecting the sex and politics that are a strong part of the enjoyment of this film.

All the primary characters and supporting characters also add to the enjoyment of the film. To sum it up, "Amarcord" is a true masterpiece from Fellini!

And I can go on and on about the positives of this film but still not be able to describe it because frankly, I don't want to spoil anything for the viewer. Also, as mentioned earlier, this is not one of those films that I can easily describe. It's probably best to say that it's various episodes that happen in a village over a year's time and keep it at that.

Clearly, "Amarcord" is one of those films that a cinema fan must watch and experience. And I have to say that when The Criterion Collection released the 2006 DVD, I felt that this was one of the best DVD's released from the company. The way it was treated and given special features galore, lengthy and enjoyable, but most of all informative. And now this film has been given its HD treatment which I found to be quite a gorgeous upgrade from the original 2006 DVD release. The detail of the village surroundings, the details that are more apparent on the characters, "Amarcord" looks very good on Blu-ray!

And if you haven't owned the 2006 DVD release (or even its original 1999) DVD release, this is one Fellini film (and I can easily vouch for nearly all Fellini films on the Criterion Collection) that is definitely worth owning.

I'm constantly asked if it's like "8 1/2' or "La Strada" and the only thing that I can tell people is forget about those films. Just enjoy this one and experience it!

And then when you are done, watch the documentary "Fellini's Homecoming" afterward as you get to know the true story behind "Amarcord" and the complicated relationship that Fellini had with his hometown of Rimini. And you get plenty of special features which include audio commentary, interviews, radio interviews and also included is a wonderful 66-page booklet (same contents from the 2006 release) which include Fellini's essay "My Rimini", a collection of reminisces from the filmmaker when he was laying in a hospital bed (thinking he was going to die) and was being treated by his doctor from his hometown of Rimini.

This latest release of "Amarcord", aside from being a Fellini masterpiece is literally a grand slam for the Criterion Collection. It's one of the most complete Blu-rays released with special features that matter and definitely enhances ones appreciation for the film.

For those who own the wonderful 2006 Criterion Collection re-release on DVD and wonder if the new Blu-ray is worth the upgrade, my answer is yes! The film looks great on Blu-ray but if you are watching it on a TV that doesn't have 1080p capability and you are used to watching movies on your laptop or TV, then probably not but if you are planning to upgrade your equipment or have the equipment to watch films in HD, then most definitely. There is no major difference in the amount of special features between the 2011 Blu-ray release and the 2006 DVD re-release aside from PQ and AQ differences. So, if you have the equipment to enjoy "Amarcord" in HD, then yes... I highly recommend upgrading from DVD to Blu-ray as this film looks absolutely beautiful in HD.

Overall, "Amarcord" is a vibrant, beautiful, hilarious and marvelous masterpiece from Federico Fellini. The Blu-ray release of "Amarcord" from the Criterion Collection is a must-own for your cinema collection! Highly recommended. A+

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Predator Trilogy (2010)

If you're looking at this item, odds are you already know whether or not you like these movies, so I'm not going to waste time talking about the artistic merit of them. While I enjoy them quite a bit, Predator is essentially 2 hours of Arnold screaming, Predator 2 is Danny Glover and Gary Busey chasing a Predator that's also maybe chasing them and oh man drug wars, and Predators is Adrian Brody trying to be Not Adrian Brody while things die horribly. These movies shouldn't be nearly as enjoyable as they are, really.

Anyways, the picture quality and audio quality is what you would want from a blu-ray collection. Everything looks quite nice, and the sounds, while not superb, do have some high points, such as the sheen of a sharp object being thrown.

My reason for purchasing this was to have a matching set to the Alien Anthology. While it has nothing on that in terms of the sheer volume of content, it is definitely a serviceable companion, albeit one that clearly had next to none of the love that AA had put into it.

As for the negatives, the digital copies that are included of all three films are troublesome. For one, they're practically advertised to you even though you've already purchased the product. Half of the back cover for each individual case is dedicated to the digital copy, and each case contains a second disc. Make sure you are strapped in, folks, because this might just blow your mind.

If you put the second disc into your computer, a window opens that lets you enter in the serial code for that films digital copy.

Of the 6 discs in this set, 3 of them are simply another layer of DRM. On the plus side, you now have three discs you can try to make a Predator Disc out of once you've redeemed all your digital copies.

The larger issue with the digital copy is that most people are going to try to redeem it through iTunes. Well, unless you live in the UK or Ireland, where this is originally sold, you can't. The discs are region free, but your codes won't be region free if you use them with iTunes. I went through Fox customer service and they were actually pretty easy about the whole thing. My suggestion is to redeem the code for the Windows Media Player copy, which IS region free, and use a program of your choice to convert it to a format that plays on your device of choice.

To be clear, this review is for the white set with the cover art depicting the sideshot of a Predator mask.

Must have for any sci-fi/predator fans. Great price! The product arrived on time with no defects. Purchase this product today!!

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I bought this set mainly because i had just purchased the Alien Anthology(import). I had seen Alien Vs Predator also but still did not see the first 2 Predator films. I stumbled across this trilogy and it had a beautiful price so i decided to pick it up. The first movie Predator staring Arnold Schwartzenegger was a pretty fun movie. Arnold leads his team of elite soldiers into a jungle for a rescue mission. needless to say it does not go as planned. The second Film was not nearly as fun in my opinion. Don't get me wrong though there is plenty of shooting and lots of awesome predator kills. however it turns out all the action in this movie didn't make it as desirable as the previous film. The third film is the second best watch although to some it may be the best one. full of great actors. but the story has something to be desired. If you read other reviews you may see that people are having problems with the Digital copies of these movies. This particular feature does not really do anything for me since i never watch movies in my laptop because its a piece of junk, if you are somebody who uses digital copies often when they are provided then you may want to skip this set. If you are someone like me and only watches their movies on a TV then i would highly suggest getting this. Overall the movies score a 4/5 the cover art is very cool and the digital copies don't really carry any weight to make me drop my overall score.

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Skip 2, someone should be punished.

This euro set plays great on my PS3 and other Sony Blue Ray player.

Great extra features, def a great set.

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AWESOMENESS!!!!!!!!! Best Blu Ray DVD I have bought in a while! Satisfied fully with this purchase! Thanks a lot y'all!

Genevieve (1953)

VCI Entertainment and The Rank Collection presents "GENEVIEVE" [Blu-ray] (1953) (86 min/Color) -Starring: Dinah Sheridan, John Gregson, Kay Kendall, Kenneth More, Geoffrey Keen, Reginald Beckwith, Arthur Wontner Guest Artistes: Joyce Grenfell, Leslie Mitchell

Directed by: Henry Cornelius

Another great film from the British Invasion VCI has restored and brought from their vaults

Light hearted comedy about an antique car rally and the competitive relationship between two friends. Gregson is especially good as the bewildered husband who loves his old car--called Genevieve, baited by his larger than life friend Kenneth More, accepts a bet on who will return to London first.

Sheridan is also sharp as the loving wife who wants a different weekend but who gets into the spirit of things. Kendall sparkling as an upper class fashion model with an unexpected capacity for trumpet playing and heavy drinking almost steals the film.

Joyce Grenfell is funny as the hotel clerk. When giving the rules of the hotel to

Dinah Sheridan and John Gregson, in dismay can't believe what they're hearing. Just then

another tenant walks by and hears them, she then replies to Grenfell "Are they Americans?"

Also the clock across the square that tolls the hour and the inner workings of the clock that

is a bit distracting.

A splendid film of a long forgotten era of English film making, no film of this type has even come close.

I had tears of laughter and totally kept recalling various scenes with a joyful chuckle.

A catchy harmonica soundtrack by Larry Adler, keeps the tempo and spirits high on this very lively film from the Brits.

For product description and editorial review check this out on the Amazon site above my review

** Awards for Genevieve (1953)

1. Oscar Nominated Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Larry Adler) & Best Writing, Story and Screenplay (William Rose)

2. Won BAFTA Film Award Best British Film

3. Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best British Actor (Kenneth More) and Best Film from any Source

4. Won Golden Globe Best Foreign Film UK.

BIOS:

1. Henry Cornelius [aka: Owen Henry Cornelius] (Director)

Date of Birth: 18 August 1913 Capetown, South Africa

Date of Death: 2 May 1958 London, England, UK

2. Dinah Sheridan [aka: Dinah Nadyejda Ginsburg]

Date of Birth: 17 September 1920 Hampstead, London, England, UK

Date of Death: Unknown

3. John Gregson [aka: Harold John Gregson]

Date of Birth: 15 March 1919, Liverpool, England, UK

Date of Death: 8 January 1975, Porlock Weir, Somerset, England, UK

4. Kay Kendall [aka: Justine Kay Kendall-McCarthy]

Date of Birth: 21 May 1926 Withernsea, Yorkshire, England, UK

Date of Death: 6 September 1959 London, England, UK

5. Kenneth More [aka: Kenneth Gilbert More]

Date of Birth: 20 September 1914, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Date of Death: 12 July 1982, Fulham, London, England, UK

SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES:

1. Documentary "A Profile of Genevieve" (30 minutes): An amusing look at the madcap motoring movie

2. Includes interviews with Dinah Sheridan (starring actress), Larry Adler (Composer),

Clive Donner (Film Editor) and Christopher Challis (Director of Photography)

& featuring the veteran cars themselves!

3. Photo & Poster Gallery!

4. Trailers: CAMPBELL'S KINGDOM (Blu-ray) & AGENT 8 3/4 aka HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE (Blu-ray)

Mr. Jim's Ratings:

Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars

Performance: 5 Stars

Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars

Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 86 min on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment #9006 ~ (September 6, 2011)

Genevieve is one of those wonderful 1950's British comedies that prove that if you have a smart script and good actors, you are three quarters of the way home. Combine that with an atmospheric soundtrack on the mouth organ by Larry Adler that transports you to a magically nostalgic world of 50's Britain.

The film is about two friends who are veteran car nuts and the long suffering women in their lives. They are entered in the two-day London to Brighton Veteran Car Run and the film follows the trials and tribulations the two couples have getting their cars the 58 miles there and back again. The film may not provoke huge laughter or be terribly deep, but it is endlessly watchable, largely due to the great chemistry all the actors have with each other. Gregson, More, Sheridan and Kendall are all on top form, helped no end by playing fully rounded out, believable characters. The same can be said for all the lesser roles too. Joyce Grenfell has a wonderful cameo as the concierge of the abjectly awful hotel Alan and Wendy (Gregson and Sheridan) are forced to stay in when they finally arrive in Brighton.

Image quality on the blu ray is a little soft and a little red shifted on occasions (understandable given that the film is nearly 60 years old) but otherwise is easily the best version of the movie available.

It is a little light on extras, a good documentary on the making of the film and a gallery of images.

If you like the Ealing style of British comedies, then you are going to enjoy this one no end. Just sit back and marvel at the seeming effortless of a near perfect movie.

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"Genevieve," (1953). This Oscar-nominated classic British comedy comes down the years not only in full color, most unusual for the time, but in lastingly saturated color of the green English countryside. The early road picture, directed by Henry Cornelius, follows two couples entered in the London-to-Brighton classic car rally. Their friendly rivalry heats up when during a quarrel, Alan McKim ,(John Gregson), wagers more than he can afford, that he and his wife Wendy, (Dinah Sheridan), in their antique car Genevieve, will win the race. Thereby beating Ambrose Claverhouse (Kenneth More) and his fashion model date Rosalind Peters (Kay Kendall) to their destination. They pull various dirty tricks which escalate to acts of sabotage as the two teams race back toward London's Westminster Bridge. Ambrose's date Rosalind must endure her wet and dirty maiden voyage on the rally; Wendy McKim, on the other hand, knows the drill, and has packed extra clothes. This fondly remembered movie has been hard to find for years; it is now available with subtitles, how helpful!--though not so many extras on the disk.

I believe it was an accepted principle of comedy that a production should be filtered through the sensibilities of `normal' people. Thus we have the McKims, as played by Dinah Sheridan (who gets top billing), and John Gregson, given more screen time and higher star billings. But I can claim no knowledge of either of them. Much better known today are the comic actor Kenneth More, (The 39 Steps) as Claverhouse. And, outstandingly, though she left us shockingly young, Kay Kendall (Les Girls, The Reluctant Debutante ) as Rosalind Peters. Kendall, a Golden Globe winner who was married to outstanding British actor Rex Harrison, died at 33, in London, of leukemia, cutting off what might well have been a brilliant comic career. She came from an English music hall family background, which may well have had something to do with her most famous scene in the film the film's most famous, show-stopping scene--in which she drunkenly stands up in a nightclub and plays the trumpet (voiced by Kenny Baker). Popular comic actress Joyce Grenfell (The Belles of St. Trinian's ) has a funny cameo as a Brighton hotel proprietress. Other comic favorites such as Reginald Beckwith and Geoffrey Keen round out the cast. The joyous harmonica theme is by Larry Adler, who, when blacklisted by Hollywood, simply took up his career on the other side of the pond.

In reading other reviewers, I can see that they often say this movie was a favorite of their Mom's or Dad's. But I am older than most other reviewers, and this movie was a great favorite of mine. It was the first British movie I ever saw, as a young child, and left some lasting impressions. I was stunned that a woman could get up in public and play a raucous trumpet. And I desperately wanted to live in a cute little mews house, as the McKims did, presumably because it was cheap. Unfortunately I was much too young to be buying mews houses then, could only beg for doll houses, and, as an adult, never could afford a mews house::they became terribly chic and expensive. I remember the film as a laugh a minute, of course, but after seeing it again after a very long wait, find it a bit of a slo-go; and actually rather genteel and restrained through most of the race. And it clearly demonstrates the era's rather demeaning attitude toward women. Never mind, back then I grew to love the dinner gong logo of the J. Arthur Rank Organisation, and to salivate the moment I saw and heard it, in the expectation of a delicious entertainment to come. This one is still tasty, colorful and flavorful.

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first saw this movie when i was 16 (1953) and drove to a small movie theater that showed foreign movies enjoyed it very much especially Kay Kendall's role it really put her on the map she later married Rex Harrison and they made a good couple even now i can see just why it got all those nominations and awards including the Golden Globe what prompted my to get this movie was the recent passing of its star, Dinah Sheridan found the movie to be a pleasant surprise all the way to the end very funny flick thank you for having it paul

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This is one of the comedic classics. If you have an interest in movie comedies watch this film. If you don't laugh at this you are too far gone.

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Being There (2009)

This is my favorite movie of all time. And I don't particularly like Peter Sellers!

It's a slow starter. First time I saw it, I remember being somewhat puzzled by the opening, where Chance is revealed as a very retarded middle-aged man, trained as a gardener, who apparantly has reached his full--and extremely limited--potential. He loses his livelihood and his sheltered place to live when "the old man"--his mysterious benefactor--dies, and the lawyers in charge of the estate evict him.

My first chuckle came soon after, when he tried using his TV remote on a mugger, trying to change the experience into something more pleasant; it wasn't until this point in the film that things began to make sense to me.

Throughout the rest of the movie, scene after scene shows 'Chauncy Gardener' as a complete misfit--and highlights how we human beings, in all our frailty, create ourselves and our world through what we decide to believe. When Chancy speaks, his words are mysterious because they are short and puzzling--when those around him try to make sense of them, they take what he says as metaphors, and read wildly profound meanings in his words.

(This leads to Jerzy Kosinski's purpose for writing the novel, to highlight the foolish way people blindly swallow whatever tripe the media--and our politicians--serve up. IMO director Hal Ashby caught Jerzy's intention with this movie even better than the book did.)

At the same time that people read wisdom into his simple words, Chauncy is fully present and honest in the moment, and the other characters--to whom this is foreign--treasure that, even while they completely miss that Chance is totally clueless as to what's really going on (with one notable exception).

The irony is that those people closest to Chauncy are led by the meanings they insert to personal growth and transformation--even, in a performance that won Melvyn Douglas a well-deserved Oscar, acceptance of approaching death, as just another season in the eternal cycle of life.

Other reviews I've read on Amazon villify the walking-on-water scene, at the end of the movie; I believe they completely miss the point.

Chance has, by chance, walked out on a stone quay in the lake, and doesn't even know that he should be drowning. He slowly bends over, inserting his umbrella into the water, and looks at it with some puzzlement; he is once again demonstrating that his total innocence is protected--and he gives the audience the experience that the characters in the movie have, namely, to read into this enigma of a film whatever meaning they choose to see.

"Being There" is one of my favorite movies of all time, starring Peter Sellers in his last major film role. How Sellers was cheated out of an Oscar is still a mystery to me, as this has to be one of the greatest performances by an actor in the last 40 years. Maybe voters for the Academy Award weren't in the mood for a black comedy, which this show is, or maybe they didn't like its political overtones? Or, maybe they just couldn't give such a serious award to someone who'd played Inspector Clouseau? In any case, this movie was way before its time in style and substance; Academy voters missed the boat. Among other things, they should have asked themselves if anyone else could have played this part so well? Could anyone else have done the blank, languid stares so convincingly? Could anyone else have delivered the dead-pan lines so flawlessly? The answers would have been a resounding, No.

The movie tells the story of a half-retarded gardener, Chance, whom one supposes is the illegitimate son of a prominent business man in Washington, D. C. This occurs in 1979, when the Carter Administration was in its last stages of faded glory. Chance, played by Peter Sellers, is left homeless when the old man dies. He then wanders the streets of the big city in search of his new life. Whatever he has learned has come from watching TV and he uses his remote control to change channels. While roaming the streets of Washington, Chance even tries his clicker in real life situations, which is very funny.

Chance then stumbles upon one of the main power brokers in D. C., a gravely-ill Ben Rand. He is played by Melvyn Douglas who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in this portrayal. Rand's wife Eve, played by Shirley MacLane, falls for Chance and a tawdry affair (on her side) ensues. Later on, Chance becomes a media sensation, of sorts, and appears on late-night TV to present his simplistic views. They're all couched in terms of keeping a garden prosperous which rings a responsive chord with all concerned. Almost everyone takes Chance for a modern day genius when he really is just the opposite. Various private and government security agencies do research on Chance's background and can find nothing. He wears expensive clothes and underwear, dating from the 1930's, that apparently are hand-me-downs from the old man. It's as if Chance suddenly dropped out of the sky, which he practically has.

At Mr. Rand's funeral, the surviving power brokers talk of making Chance the next U. S. President. The closing scene shows Chance stepping out onto a lake appearing to walk on water. Maybe this is to serve as final proof that he deserves the #1 job? As far as I know, no one has ever explained the significance of the scene which is as it should be. As with the best art, it's up to the viewer to decide its meaning.

To me the movie shows the power of television and other forms of mass media in shaping the public mind. Taken to the extreme, a total idiot might be foisted off on the public to hold the highest political office if only he has the right handlers and avoids any whiff of scandal. The biting sarcasm and irony of "Being There" would not appeal to everyone's taste but most thinking adults should be captivated by the story and by Sellers' amazing performance.

Before buying the DVD, I tried to find out either on websites or on the outside of the package, if the hilarious out-takes appear on this recording. These were superimposed over the closing credits in the original version shown in theaters but often do not appear when the film is shown on TV. To my relief, the out-takes are there are and just as hilarious as I remember them.

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I don't intend to question the movie, which is excellent indeed. My rating is based on the fact, that this so-called "Deluxe Edition" is only a hoax, a bluff package.

The only bonus material are the recollections of Melvyn Douglas' granddaughter (16 minutes runtime, intercut with scenes from the movie) and the trailer.

Sorry, that's not luxurious, but simply ridiculous. Thanks Warner Bros. for another rip-off.

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This is a wonderful film that I saw theatrically some 30 years ago. This blu-ray is sharp and film like, with muted colors appropriate to the story, but still very nice to finally watch in hi def. Don't expect it to look like a modern day film. I saw several subtle things I hadn't noticed before, because of the sharp resolution.

The extras are nice, but brief. One short scene and one 'extension' plus the alternate (original) ending. Also, there's a promo piece for distributors with Peter and Hal Ashby. Nice to have these, but I'm wondering what happened to all those hours of videotapes of alternates of the whole film that I read about before. Were they poor quality or impossible to find? I heard some crumbled into dust when played back so perhaps they're gone for good.

The making of only has Illana Douglas (granddaughter of Melvyn)who was on set as a youngster. (Where is Shirley Maclaine? Most of the others are, of course, no longer with us.)

A no brainer buy for fans and if you haven't seen it rent it!

A great performance from Peter Sellers and all involved.

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This is a comedy classic. It is arguably the best film about television ever made. And it is clearly the best film about "the suit makes the man" to the extreme.

And it looks better than it ever has before.

But it could look better. Black levels are poor, with murky grays everywhere, and noise reduction has been over-used. One professional review notes: "the studio applied some aggressive Digital Noise Reduction. The problem is quite severe in some scenes, especially the opening. Film grain freezes in place while the action of the scene moves around it. Detail is mushy, and objects smear when in motion."

The sound is good. You really get the clear-but-clanky presentation of the TV shows that form the backgroun or foreground of many scenes. But beware, for some bizarre reason, the default soundtrack is not the lossless track, but the DD1.0 track. Whose silly idea was that?

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Penguindrum Collection 2

I really, really loved this anime. The animation and the voice dubbing is top notch! The storyline is pretty original as well and it's not something you can just have on in the background you have to pay attention or you may not quite get it.

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Newsies: 20th Anniversary Edition (1992)

From the looks of it, I MAY be the only male reviewer posting positive for this movie, but of course I only read the first several reviews, not all 300 plus. I saw Newsies when it first came out in the movies. I believe it was a double feature, with Aladdin or something, can't remember which. I guess I was around 17. I've always been a loyal Disney fan, and I do love many musicals. This was an instant classic for me, sort of a male version of Annie, which came out a decade or so before, and is also excellent. And I seem to recall that Annie and Popeye, two faves of mine, sort of marked the end of live-action musicals. A real shame. Newsies proves that great musicals can still be made, but it also proves that it can take some time for most modern people to admit they like it. The story is about the 1899 strike of the New York paperboys. The central characters are Jack Kelly, a streetwise orphan played by Christian Bale(the main reason most females love this movie), and David Jacobs, a kid from a more stable, family lifestyle. Through the course of the strike they put on, the two boys become unlikely best friends, and with the other Newsies, learn about loyalty, friendship, and believing that they can work together to fight for a better life. The songs and music are beautiful. I'm particular about that stuff too. Don't trust professional reviewers like Leonard Maltin, whose reviews are inconsistent at best. Just when you think he's got good taste from reading one review, you lose all faith in him by reading another. Judge this movie for yourself. If you don't like musicals, don't bother. You have to love musicals to enjoy this even a little bit. And I don't mean just stuff like Oklahoma or Dr. Dolittle. If you loved Annie, this might be a good one for you. A little more adult than that, but not much. Don't expect to see many female characters though. Ann Margaret has a small part as one of the kids' few adult friends, and there's the character of David's sister, purely there to present a love interest for Christian Bale, just so someone would have a love interest. She's not spectacular, but she IS cute. Bill Pullman does a great job as a reporter trying to help the Newsies get some publicity. This was the first time I ever saw Bill since Space Balls, though I wasn't really keeping track of his career. I'm so glad to hear this will be on DVD soon. And I hope they release more of Disney's late 80's, early 90's stuff on DVD. Like Dick Tracy! A visual masterpiece! And my favorite movie of all time, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, is badly in need of a Special Edition DVD! Such a spectacular film and we didn't even get the movie trailer promised on the box! Anyway, as for Newsies, get the soundtrack too! Great music! I bought the soundtrack back when the movie came out! Unfortunately it was on tape. Gotta replace that with a CD too!

The world was not ready for a return to the days of the movie-musical when "Newsies" was released in 1992. A box-office flop, it has quickly risen to cult classic status with fans everywhere. Newsies is based on the true story of the New York newsboys' strike of 1899. Granted, Disney is guilty of "improving the truth a little", but doesn't any musical, where people break out in spontaneous song and dance, require one to put reality aside for a while? This film tells the tale of the newsies, led by tough, street-smart Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) and intelligent, reasonable David Jacobs (David Moscow), who form a union when Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) ups the price of newspapers from fifty to sixty cents a hundred. The street children with names like Racetrack (Max Casella), a compulsive gambler who steals many scenes with his wisecracks are aided by a newspaper reporter named Brian Denton (Bill Pullman). Together the unlikely company endures many troubles, including run-ins with the police and their leader's betrayal, throughout the strike. The actors are believable as poor orphans and runaways during the turn of the century, and one look at any of them shows that they've poured their heart and soul into this movie. The lack of depth in some characters especially Sarah (Ele Keats) and Medda Larkson (Ann-Margret), roles that serve no discernable purpose other than sex appeal is my only qualm with the film. Looking past that and the many continuity errors (some of which are actually quite amusing), this is a highly enjoyable movie for the entire family to share. Not a masterpiece, but plenty of entertainment!

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I am offended by the professional critics slamming this movie. My two teenage daughters and all their friends absolutely love it! It has incredible dancing, cute guys, and the above-mentioned females are constantly quoting the songs and lines out of this movie. It has a solid plot and actually holds the characters up to noble ideals...honesty, integrity, loyalty, love of family and criticizes things that I want my kids to hate: greed, breaking promises, etc. There is a touch of romance, but no sex! Yeah!

The fact that it is based (I believe somewhat loosely) in historical fact also pleases me as it has given my kids a taste of that portion of US history and a desire to learn more. We have managed to purchase a piano/flute book of the songs so my kids have also been challenged to improve in another area.

This is a great movie for girls from 11 years and up. (I say this only because my 10 year old is not ready to obsess over this movie yet.)

Newsies has inspired both of my older girls to write stories based on the characters.

The reference to "kiddie humor" is particularly annoying. I, for one, am tired of watching movies geared towards kids that feature "potty humor" such as farting and boys getting hit in the crotch. I can't think of anything in Newsies that is that ignorant.

As you can see, I think this is a great movie. Why do the professionals always dislike the decent movies?

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Newsies is one of those movies that grows on you, like some of the songs in it. The first time it seemd too corny (a bunch of boys singing, dancing, and behaving like the East Side Kids), but I liked it more with each viewing.

In early 20th century New York, Christian Bale (Batman Begins, Empire of the Sun) leads underpaid paperboys in a musical strike against publishers Pulitzer and Hearst. Bill Pullman (Sleepless in Seattle, Casper) plays a Sun reporter who takes up their cause.

Robert Duvall (To Kill A Mockingbird, Second Hand Lions) gives an interesting interpretation of Pulitzer, and Ann-Margaret (Bye Bye Birdie, Pocketful of Miracles) has a few scenes as a dancing girl. But the best performance, in my opinion, is Kevin Tighe (Emergency, What's Eating Gilbert Grape) as a sinister reformatory warden. He's mastered a patiently mean, calmly austere look that could send chills up your spine.

There are at least a couple very memorable songs: King of New York and Seize The Day. The dancing and choreography attempts to rise to the level of classic movie musicals like Singin' In The Rain, doesn't quite reach that quality, but they've made a noble effort that's entertaining in most of the numbers.

On the whole the movie can be quite effective if you can get past the corniness and get into it.

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This is a fun musical! Why it was pulled from the theaters so soon after its original release and why Disney back-burnered this visually exciting live-action film is a mystery to me. But they've made their amends. This DVD has TWO featurettes about the making of Newsies and ANOTHER about the real turn-of-the-century newsboy's strike that the movie is based on. Also, it has director's commentary and sing-along lyrics. Some of the plot turns are predictable and Robert Duval's performance as publisher Joseph Pulitzer is a tad embarrassing. Ann-Margaret's as the dancehall performer, Medda, "the Swedish meadowlark" is not (though she inexplicably evaporates from the movie half way through). But the young cast is diverse and energetic. Dance sequences are tightly edited, but not in the annoying and disorienting way MTV videos are. You can appreciate the flow of the movements...and the dances and music in general support the story line and help define the different characters. If for no other reason, Newsies is worth the purchase price just for the opportunity to see Welsh actor Christian Bale (An American Psycho) sing, dance, and speak in a Bowery boy accent.

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