The Dark Knight LIMITED EDITION Steelbook Blu-ray / Ultraviolet Includes Sneak Peak of the Trilogy

What has been said about the Dark Knight cannot be elaborated on so I won't. The film is muscling its way into my #1 favorite comic movie adaptation of all time.

The reason for my review is in hopes of saving you some money. This double disc Special Edition doesn't deliver the price you pay for it. There isn't even deleted scenes!!! I would save your very hard earned dollars and buy the single disc version and wait for the inevitable ULTIMATE re-release that will come later on down the road.

But nonetheless, a great film you will not be dissapointed; I just wish the studio would have given a better Special Edition release than what we have here. So enjoy!

Christopher Nolan has a vision. And whether you agree with it or not, he undeniably completes it in "The Dark Knight"--a vicious, engrossing, overwhelming, intelligent eventfilm that re-defines 'comic-book-flicks'. In Nolan's grim, dark-depiction of Gotham-City (the crime-ridden hell protected by legendary superhero Batman), the director strives to make everything real (something he began in the well-received "Batman Begins"). He makes it plausible, possible. And yet there's more to it: just as 'Begins' was a dissection of myth, the nature of symbols and heroes, 'Knight' is the escalation of that notion. It's a biblicalconfrontation of 'good-and-evil', yet as 'good-and-evil' really exist: a conflict of ideals, something that can't be purely-defined but that is relative to a viewpoint. In Nolan's world, the line of villainy and heroism isn't crossed... it's non-existent. The bad-guys don't see themselves as bad-guys, and as such something so unnervingly-real comes across it might fly past some people's minds (no insult to anybody, it's just common that people don't look deep into 'popcorn-flicks'): the battle is a complete ambiguity.

The film runs at nearly 2.5-hours, yet never ceases to lose interest or momentum. It doesn't waste a scene or moment; every event is utilized and necessary. 'The Dark Knight' tells a story worth telling and it takes the proper amount of time to tell it. Action-sequences are frantic, old-school, eye-grabbing stunts (vastly superior to 'Begins') and in their chaotic intensity we see that they serve purpose to the story, yet more interesting are not played for pure entertainment-value: we are meant to watch, petrified, simply hoping that the outcome will go the hero's way. Attention is never lost because we are immersed in a breathtaking, almost completely-unpredictable story (it packs many a shock), that makes us think and more importantly gains our emotional-investment. We come to care for the characters, because they are believable, developed, and personified fully.

Everyone has great-chemistry together. Maggie Gyllenhal is a more mature Rachel Dawes than Katie Holmes. Morgan Freeman provides his authoritative presence to the role of badgadget-inventor/Wayne-Enterprise CEO Lucius Fox, and under anyone else's portrayal, the part would be less-memorable. Gary Oldman underplays his world-wearied lawman with such honest-nobility, you never feel for a second any of its forced-acting. The irreplaceable Michael Caine makes a gentle, reassuring, father-like presence as Alfred, and the movie would surely fail without his strong-presence and interjected-moments of light-humor.

And while everyone (rightfully) pours the praise unto Bale and Ledger, I think most are glancing-over Knight's breakout-performance. As Harvey Dent, Aaron Eckhart does more than hold himself in the company of such a renowned-cast. He makes his presence known, whether he's playing on the easy-going charisma of Gotham's 'White-Knight' or the broken and damaged, twisted-soul of Two-Face. He achieves a full-impact with the tragedy that comes unto his character, and so closely connects with Dent, that he makes his pain tangible for us: we sympathize even as we become terrified. He captures both facets of each personality flawlessly.

Now, some people cite that 'Knight' has a potential fatal-flaw in the supposedly woodenacting of Christian Bale. Admittedly, his development is not as grand as in 'Begins' (yet that film gave us such a good psychoanalysis of Wayne, we hardly need more), yet what Bale pulls off is admirable. Wayne is not an eccentric personality. He is a disillusioned man who can hardly find any joy in having no family, giving up his love-interest and spending his life fighting a battle that may never end. He's dark and conflicted, and Bale plays up on that brooding-mood by making Wayne look as though a thousand dark-things were on his mind. He's not wooden...he's a humorless, quiet individual. Even when Wayne is acting as a frivolous playboy for the public, every now and then Bale offers us a powerful glance that reminds us its all a façade; that deep down, something more disturbed irks him. Occasionally he offers a broken-smile when exchanging banter with Alfred, letting us know that beyond the dour depression of the Caped-Crusader lies a damaged human-being. It is only in the guise of a growling masked-man, that he can unleash his true, ferocious personality.

Finally, who could forget Heath Ledger. Now, when he was first-announced for the part, I was (along with many other people) asking myself: "Why?". Mr. Ledger had proved with 'Brokeback Mountain' he could deliver a potent performance. But he hadn't before. It is only, after seeing this film, that I know the answer to 'why?': I see the significance of his loss.

When Heath appears in this movie, he is completely unrecognizable. His voice is distinctly-altered; a near-whiny, pedophile-like tone that sends shivers down the spine. His face is completely splattered with makeup that renders him both freakishly-nightmarish and strangely-funny. And when you see him, you don't think it's him. In this, his final performance, Ledger proved he was a chameleon. His two iconic performances in this, and 'Brokeback', could not be more different. I am convinced he could have been anything in his career. He commits so intensely to character that the line of actor/portrayal dies. His every tick and gesture only further-enhances his character. Heath never hams the role up or goes for something cheap: he delivers a fully-immersed display of psychotic madness...or do we just label him that to feel safer? The movie writes the character brilliantly; blending terrifying truth into his every social-accusation, and making us question why we laugh at his sick-jokes.

'The Dark Knight' has had an incredible-amount of hype running for it, from the get-go, mounting ever-higher, until Heath Ledger's too-soon death. And the finished-product does more than exceed all of the near-impossible expectations placed on it. It becomes something much richer than a super-hero-franchise-saga. Christopher Nolan has opened a new door in cinema: allowing action-flicks to become more serious, capable of intelligence. He has transformed this into a piece of artwork, full of beauty, terror, moral-conundrums. This movie has changed things...forever.

There's no going back. 10/10

Buy The Dark Knight LIMITED EDITION Steelbook Blu-ray / Ultraviolet Includes Sneak Peak of the Trilogy Now

Ok, the movie is a 5 star, this is a little info on the case and bat pod if anyone is curious about it size. We have it at work and I have already seen it. It is actually VERY small, the case and the bat pod. The bat pod is maybe 4"-5" long, and the case is just a bit larger then the blu rays. I was expecting a bat pod the size of the one available at in the toys at most stores which is 10"-12" long.

AT $50+ dollars, I would get the Bluray 2 disc and the $20 12" bat pod, which s a much better bat pod and value in my opinion.

Read Best Reviews of The Dark Knight LIMITED EDITION Steelbook Blu-ray / Ultraviolet Includes Sneak Peak of the Trilogy Here

First of all, this is a GREAT film, not just a great Batman film.

Others have compared Christopher Nolan's two Batman films to the Tim Burton Batman films, so I won't repeat their observations. Let me simply say that everything about this movie, from the script to the casting to the CGI to the acting and ultimately the directing is superb.

Now to Plato. The meta-message of The Dark Knight is a meditation on the nature of good and evil, the veneer of civilization, the virtues of principle and the necessity and the danger of bending principle in emergencies, the differences between evil for gain or power and evil for mere destruction and chaos, and the tension between public duty and private loyalty. Finally there is the question of the place for facts and the place for "sacred" myth.

(Caution: this review refers to specific scenes and characters.)

The mafia in Gotham is evil for gain and power. They want money and they want influence. They also want order. When the manager of the bank objects to the robbery he complains that the usual rules and courtesies among criminals are being violated. The corrupt police officers are evil for gain as well. They too need general acceptance of rules and procedures.

The Joker is evil for evil's sake. He sows chaos and disorder and wants to expose the thin veneer of civilization. He seeks only to unmask what he sees as contradiction and hypocrisy in human nature and to demonstrate that so-called good citizens are really evil underneath.

Scarecrow, who was featured in Batman Begins and has a minor role in the drug bust scene in The Dark Knight, is a deranged psychiatrist whose evil comes from desire for power over others as he uncovers the weaknesses in the minds of others.

The Mayor is out for power but does not resort to evil. Police Lieutenant James Gordon represents incorruptible good. This is ultimately stressed when Gordon must make a choice between public duty and personal relationship. Batman faces that same dilemma when he must decide whether to rescue Harvey Dent or Rachel Dawes. Likewise, the passengers in the ferries must choose between what they are told will be personal survival and the deaths of others, in another of The Joker's nefarious experiments. When the Wayne Industries accountant is about to reveal the identity of Batman, The Joker announces that the accountant must die, and citizens try to assassinate him. Personal safety trumps adherence to the good sometimes, but not all times.

Batman seems weaker than The Joker because he adheres to rules. The Biblical injunction, "Justice, justice shall you pursue," has been understood as demanding that justice be pursued justly. Evil, especially evil for its own sake, makes no such demand. We see this every time terrorists deliberately target innocents and hide themselves behind children knowing that those in pursuit will not purposely aim at innocent bystanders. This gives evil a huge temporary advantage.

Yet sometimes the good must bend and even break the rules. Abraham Lincoln suspended the right of habeas corpus during a critical interval during the Civil War. Batman asks Lucius Fox to preside over such a broken rule to locate and catch The Joker. When and how can we know when good can break rules to catch evil? Batman answers by creating a mechanism to restore the rules as soon as the crisis is over.

Alfred Pennyworth indirectly poses the question, "Knowing that evil, if attacked, will double its efforts and create even more destruction, is it really wise to go after evil?" The bad guys cause huge destruction after Batman and Gordon squeeze the mafia, creating enormous conflict and guilt in Batman. But without disturbing the hornet's nest, evil would prevail anyway. So the battle must be joined in any event.

Harvey Dent is extremely complex. He berates Gordon for compromising his police unit by accepting some corrupt officers to his staff. Gordon answers by claiming that sometimes those who know corruption can be the most effective in fighting it. Dent is identified as the "White Knight" whose public persona will rally the public against evil. But Dent himself participates in an untruthful diversion to help trap The Joker. Even he compromises good for the sake of fighting evil.

When Rachel and Dent are being held in danger Batman and Gordon each race to save them. Batman declares he is going to save Rachel but is tricked into going to Dent's location. Rachel dies and Dent is severely injured. In a brilliant make-up creation the right side of Dent's face remains normal and the left side is severely and dramatically changed. He has physically transformed from a White Knight into his derisive nickname, "Two Face." Reminiscent of Jekyll and Hyde, Dent's nature is now permanently divided.

The death of Rachel has destroyed Dent's belief in good and has dissolved his commitment to the public's welfare. Now he only thinks of his own personal pain and loss. But he is not a creature of pure evil. His hurt and grudge turn him into a near nihilist. The lucky coin with two heads has been transformed. One side is now ruined and becomes for him the oracle of ethics. Life and death depend solely on chance; solely on the flip of a coin.

Furious at Gordon for the actions of the corrupt police officers in Gordon's unit who betrayed Rachel, Dent finds Gordon's wife and children. Recognizing that Gordon's young son is dearest to him, Dent demands that Gordon reassure the son as Dent flips his coin to decide the boy's fate.

Batman, for whom good and evil, life and death, are not decided by chance, intervenes. In their fight Dent and Batman both plunge to the ground from a height. Batman survives and tells Gordon that the myth of Dent's goodness must become the rallying point for the city. Dent remains the White Knight, while Batman allows himself to become The Dark Knight, spurned by the public, identified wrongly but necessarily as the source of evil, who can then secretly work for the good. Only Gordon and his son know the true story behind this myth. Gotham thus gets the hero it deserves.

The Joker is captured but his fate is left hanging, literally and figuratively. We do not even know for certain whether Dent died, or unconscious, has survived his fall. All we know for sure is that the complexity of fighting evil and the compromises permitted for good are unsolved. Civilization continues but only barely. The Joker has destroyed Rachel, transformed Dent, and caused everlasting turmoil and doubt within Batman.

The need to resort to myth over facts after arguing previously for the absolute value of Truth, ends Plato's Republic, with the famous story of the myth of the cave. We too are left in the dark, in the company of The Dark Knight, at the end of this superb film.

We can only wonder what the sequel might have been, with The Joker and Two Face challenging Batman, had Heath Ledger survived.

Speaking of Heath Ledger I want to mention a few things about his performance as The Joker. There is a small pantheon of presentations of psychiatrically deranged individuals in film. Among the best are Olivia Thailand in Snake Pit, Gregory Peck in Spellbound, Jack Nickelson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, and Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Ledger's perhaps surpasses them all.

For those with a psychiatric or medical background like myself, the use of his slight head tics and the seemingly random movement of his tongue suggest that The Joker has been in a psychiatric institution and medicated with drugs that left him with a case of tardive dyskinesia, a rare but serious and irreversible movement disorder that can be a side effect of certain psychotropic medications. This touch, which I believe was meticulously and masterfully added to the portrayal by Ledger, makes The Joker both more convincing and more dangerous.

I am told that Ledger immersed himself in The Joker's state of mind before and during the filming. It is not unknown for an actor to have difficulty extricating himself from such a wrenching and demanding role. Joaquin Phoenix and Faye Dunaway have each spoken about this as they worked to emerge from Johnny Cash and Joan Crawford. If this was so for Ledger then The Joker got an undeserved bitter laugh while we have only tears.

Addendum July 23, 2008: One of The Joker's henchmen must have gotten into my spell checker to change Olivia De Havilland into Olivia Thailand. Sorry for that.

I want to expand on one point distinguishing Batman from Dent. When The Joker reveals the locations of Rachel and Dent, Gordon asks Batman which location he is going to. Batman says Rachel's but I believe he is aware of The Joker's double crosses and switches, and knowingly goes to Dent's location. That Batman expresses no surprise at finding Dent rather than Rachel confirms this view. Bruce Wayne would have rescued Rachel but Batman, a true hero, puts his public duty above his private preferences.

After Rachel is killed Dent loses his sense of public duty and loses faith in goodness. Batman, equally in love with Rachel and equally convinced she will marry him, retains his public duty and goodness, though he is burdened with grief and guilt. Perhaps a White Knight cannot endure crushing disappointment. Perhaps only a Dark Knight, who has already experienced the crushing loss of viewing the murders of his father and mother, and holding himself responsible for that tragedy, can make his way through darkness without losing his way.

A final note, in response to a commenter who took issue with my portrayal of Gordon as incorruptibly good, I agree that Gordon made pragmatic choices, and refer to them in the essay. But as a person he is beyond bribery and never loses sight of his duty to the citizenry. So how about personally incorruptible but one who made some seemingly necessary but ultimately unwise alliances.

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This is just some information regarding the Bat Pod. Please be aware, the Bat Pod and the display stand are 100% plastic. The Bat Pod is also not removable.

In my opinion, they are not worth the extra money.

Get the film, but don't splurge on this plastic toy.

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The Well Digger's Daughter (2011)

"I don't like the corked wine", Pascal said. In the movie it is losely translated as "I don't like the fancy wine" which is not quite the same. This sentence summarizes this movie. The pure mentality of the French villager "à la campagne". He prefers his own wine, (they make and cork their own wine from their own vineyards). He doesn't want to buy somebody else's wine. He doesn't want to be like "les Parisiens". He has contempt for the Parisians. He doesn't want to be part of the city "elite". He wants to live peacefully in the countryside with his family, his rules, and his routine. "Vous savez les impôts moi, on en a marre..."

The movie is about Pascal (Daniel Auteil, a well-digger) father of six daughters living the hard life in the countryside in France, at the start of World War I. He always wanted a son, and he tried and tried, but he got six daughters. His wife died after the last daughter was born. He sent the oldest daughter Patricia (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) to live in Paris when she was young, but after his wife died he called her back to help him raise the other five daughters. She is well educated and he wants her to get married with his friend/assistant Felipe (Kad Merad), a nice simple man but much older than her. Of course she doesn't like him and is falling for Jacques (Nicolas Duvauchelle), a wealthy young pilot just in town for few days, whose parents are rich and own the big grocery store in town. She is impregnated by him just before he is called back into duty. What is going to happen next? Is he going to come back from the war? Is she going to tell her dad about the situation? Are they going to keep the baby? How the villagers and Jacques' parents going to react to these events? Those are some of the questions coming to mind. You will definitely get surprised by the answers and the plot of the movie. It is not what you expect. Hence, Marcel Pagnol's genius...He understands the human mind better than anybody else!

This is another great adaptation of the work of Marcel Pagnol by Daniel Auteil, but this time he is also the director. Twenty five years later Daniel Auteil went back to the source that made him famous. Who forgot Ugolin playing alongside Yves Montand (César) in "Jean de Florette/Manon de source"? Daniel Auteil has the exact same accent, the same movements and same interaction with the camera, just few extra pounds. After I watched this movie I had to watch "Manon de source" again!

This is a fabulous film and Daniel Auteuil takes over with his very poignant acting. He delivers some of the most powerful performance I have ever seen by an actor in several scenes. If you really liked "Jean de Florette/Manon de source" you will definitely appreciate this movie. Is not as intense as the other two movies, has a different plot, but really describes the mentality of the villagers in the countryside in France that is slowly disappearing these days because the people are disappearing. If you want to see and feel the French countryside mentality during the 1900's, then watch the movie!

Five stars all around for everything but mostly for the powerful performances of all actors which are remarkable.

Why awful? Well, unless you understand French or have a TV screen the size of a garage door, you won't understand a thing. The subtitles, if you can even call them that, are so tiny I can only figure the producers of this DVD are mocking those of us who can't understand French. It took me a bit to even realize the titles were turned on.

I turned it off after a minute.

Usually I complain about Granada, Koch, A&E and others who don't bother to put captions for those who are hearing impaired, like my mother is. In this case they should at least include some Pimsleur French lessons. Why even release this in the US?

If anyone out there had a different experience, maybe you got a DVD with real workable subtitles, please let me know in the comments section.

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A quarter century ago, Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring transported us to the sun-drenched world of Pagnol's Provence. Five year's later, My Father's Glory/My Mother's Castle brought us there again. What a delight it is to be able to return there two decades later with Auteuil's update of "The Well-Digger's Daughter." For me, it was just what the doctor ordered at the end of a year when Americans have been so exposed to so much violence--both on and off-screen. Even our Christmas releases are filled with blood and death these days. See this film if you enjoy stories with warmth, compassion and humanity.

Read Best Reviews of The Well Digger's Daughter (2011) Here

The playwright, novelist turned filmmaker Marcel Pagnol will be remembered for his 1930′s romantic films such as "The Fanny Trilogy" (which consists of "Marius", "Fanny" and "Cesar").

An award-winning French filmmaker who worked on more than a dozen films, for many who grew up with his work, his work captured France in the early 20th Century. By 1940, Pagnol would go on to direct "La fille du Puisatier" ("The Well-Diggers Daughter"), a film that would would later catch the interest of actor Daniel Auteuil ("36th Precinct", "Cache", "Un Coeur en Hiver", "The Valet"). An actor who also was once directed by Marcel Pagnol long ago for films such as "Jean de Florette" and "Manon of the Spring".

So much that it would lead to Auteuil to write, direct and star in the 2011 remake of the film (Auteuil is currently working on the remake of "The Fanny Trilogy"). In collaboration with cinematographer Jean-Francois Robin ("Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud", "Betty Blue", "Chaos") and composer Alexandre Desplat ("The King's Speech", "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1″), the film was well-received by film critics.

For those who have been waiting for a home video release of this film, "The Well-Digger's Daughter" was released in the U.S. in Dec. 2012 courtesy of Kino Lorber on Blu-ray and DVD.

VIDEO:

"The Well-Digger's Daughter" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1 aspect ratio). The first thing you will notice is how beautiful the scenic shots are. Jean-Francois Robin takes a page from Marcel Pagnol's writings of the countryside and capturing the beauty of the area, the flowers and the look of old France. The film showcases many colors during the outdoors, while the indoors looks amazing because of the amount of detail that can be seen.

Shot in 35 mm, picture quality is incredibly well-detailed. You can see the textures of the clothing, skin details, the film looks magnificent in HD.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"The Well-Digger's Daughter" is presented in French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The film is dialogue-driven but the surround channels provide a good amount of ambiance for its countryside environment. You will hear the birds, during the air show, you can hear crowds. But what sticks out the most is the music. Alexandre Desplat's music is absolutely beautiful and moving.

The film is presented with English subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"The Well-Digger's Daughter" comes with trailers and 16 stills from the film.

JUDGMENT CALL:

I absolutely love Marcel Pagnol films. Its his way of covering romance and family, that is a style that makes me enamored with Yasujiro Ozu's work. They have a unique style of capturing an era of their country that is of the past but relationships that are tied into family tradition and honor.

Sure, "The Well-Digger's Daughter" can seem banal on paper, daughter gets pregnant, must tell parents and must raise child on their own. We've watched films like this, we've seen dramas about this.

But what makes this film so enchanting is how it centers around an old traditional family and how Pascal tries to keep his family's honor by having the man's family acknowledge her pregnancy and the baby. But to see how this loving father get dejected, lose his honor and essentially is forced to cut ties with his own daughter.

We also get to see the distinction of class differences, as Pascal is seen as a well-digger, Mme. Mazel is a woman who does not want her son mixing with poor women, and to why she burned the letter mean for Patricia, was it because she looked poor? Possibly.

But it's that display of one's guilt of getting pregnant before marriage and the inconvenience that was tied into the old traditions. Which may be hard for one to fathom in today's world, of many single parents and where family honor especially in the family name, in most modern cultures, are a thing of the past.

The performances of the film are also quite notable. French actor Daniel Auteuil has starred in many films, but his role as Pascal, he manages to portray the aged, hardworking father with efficacy. Also, you have another talented actor in Jean-Pierre Darroussin as Jacques' father and also actress Sabine Azema (partner of filmmaker Alain Resnais), playing Jacques domineering mother. The film features solid performances by these veteran talents and definitely makes this remake quite enjoyable.

While the film takes place during wartime and showcases an enjoyable romance melodrama, you can't help but watch these films and yearn for the days of old. The storytelling of Marcel Pagnol that is able to fit in the complexities of old traditional values but also make it appealing and enjoyable for today's audiences. While I have not seen the original "La Fille du puisatier" (as only a few Pagnol films have been released in America), for this remake, I absolutely enjoyed it.

Wonderful acting, enjoyable storytelling and beautiful cinematography... What a wonderful remake from Daniel Auteuil and a homage to Marcel Pagnol's work! "The Well-Digger's Daughter" is recommended!

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This would get a five star rating, except there are several scenes and a large block of pertinent scenes that were cut out of this version. Why this was done is shocking and stupid. To keep the film in it's original version would make this film perfect.. I've notices this happens regularly with DVDs, and I deeply resent some inept cretin editing films for some stupid reason. All that aside, this is a fabulous film but it is weakened by stupidity..

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The Coen Brothers Collection - 5-Disc Box Set ( A Serious Man / The Big Lebowski / Burn After Readi

I love their films. In Blu-ray they are even better. This is a wonderful companion collection to an earlier Blu-ray boxed set

The content is 5 plus stars.

The packaging is a little inconvenient, but given the content and pricing that is a small price to pay.

Buy The Coen Brothers Collection - 5-Disc Box Set ( A Serious Man / The Big Lebowski / Burn After Readi Now

The Coen Brothers are remarkably intelligent film makers.

Each film is a jewel of movie making.

If you are at all curious as to what happens to someone who follows the rules of God and man

as best he can then watch a "Serious Man".

If you think going your own way and doing your own thing will lead to happiness

then watch the "Big Lebowski".

If you think you know what is best for the Common Man even if you are not a very

good listener to those around you who could tell you a story or two...and your sharing your wisdom

will lead to happiness then watch "Barton Fink".

If you think being up-to-date on everything that comes you way is the way to happiness

then watch "Burn After Reading".

Finally, if you believe in Pre-Nups and Wedded Bliss, not to mention incredibly white teeth, will

lead to happiness then watch "Intolerable Cruelty".

Each film has its own lessons for life as such each film is worth watching over and over again.

Read Best Reviews of The Coen Brothers Collection - 5-Disc Box Set ( A Serious Man / The Big Lebowski / Burn After Readi Here

Good to get five bluray movies for the price.

Some of the movies are classics and some are not very good, but nice to have collection.

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This set had potential until I decided to watch it. Then the real fun began, first I tried

One and it wouldn't load, tried another I think it was burn after reading the menu's were listed

in chinese then some other asian characters and so on then listing all european langs.

2 pages long. english last and this was only to choose the lang. to play the soundtrack in.

there was no way to know this except to drill down through all this as the primary lang.

was not english. I guess I should have had a clue from the disc labels as although in english

the rating was not the m.p.p.a. that I was used to but ratings warning under 17 etc. from Ireland

and others. only one other disc played same thing obviously made for european Marketplace

all told only 2 of 5 discs would play. BAD SET!!!

Returned this set to Amazon based on unplayability alone and received credit though the return window had passed. DON'T BUY this unless you want what appears to be a collection of discs from several sources

and boxed as a set....

billw.......

Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2013)

"Batman: The Mystery of the Batwoman" is the first new straight-to-DVD Batman animated project since "Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker." It was worth the wait. Even if it doesn't match the manic, violent heights of "The Return of the Joker," it's a welcome, more lightweight adventure that's full of action and drama and also a very enjoyable mystery. There's a slew of villains: The Penguin, Bane, and gangser Rupert Thorne. And there's the fascinating new character of Batwoman herself, with her unique abilities and unusual arsenal of gadgets. It's also quite a sexy, steamy Batman story (but don't worry, parents, not THAT steamy), with a strong romantic subplot that gives Bruce Wayne plenty to do when he's not hunting through the night as Batman. Like all of the animated D.C. Comics projects to come out of Warner Bros. since the early 90s, it's enjoyable, smart entertainment for both children and adults. If it doesn't quite attain the level of some of the previous Batman animated adventures, it nonetheless delivers a fun, exciting time in Gotham city.

Directed by Kurt Geda (who also directed "Return of the Joker") and Tim Maltby, and written by frequent writers of the various D.C. TV shows, Michael Reaves and Alan Burnett, the movie takes us back to the days of "The New Batman Adventures" (which means the look and style of the movie matches the more stylized look of the last few seasons of the show). Batman and Robin (the younger Tim Drake version of Robin) are still together fighting crime, but Batgirl has left Gotham City to go to college (no mention is made of Nightwing, the former Robin). But a new vigilante has suddenly appeared in Gotham: Batwoman (voice of Kyra Sedgewick), who wields bizarre technology and seems to have a grudge against the Penguin and Rupert Thorne's weapons-dealing operation. Batman sets out to find out the truth behind Batwoman and also stop the Penguin, Thorne, and their cronies.

There are plenty of suspects who could be beneath Batwoman's mask: scientist Roxanne "Roxy" Ballantine (voice of Kelly Ripa), mobster Carlton Duquesne's beautiful daughter Kathy (voice of Kimberly Brooks, although the character is clearly modeled on Halle Berry), and police detective Sonia Alcana (voice of Elisa Pensler-Gabrielli). Each one, Batman discovers, has a reason for revenge against the Penguin or Rupert Thorne. Things become more complicated when Bruce Wayne becomes romantically involved with Kathy Duquesne.

The animation is, as usual, fantastic. It's limited by budget, but nonetheless is far ahead of most of what appears on television, and the animators use the minimalist, art-deco look to great advantage. The set-pieces are stunning: Penguin's icy-night club, the truck chase action opening, Batwoman's hyper-kinetic fight with Penguin's female goons, the cruise boat slam-bang finale, and a beautiful sunset romance scene. It's sequences like these that make me wish Warner Bros. would give the animated Batman another shot at the movie theaters. (Only "Mask of the Phantasm" has shown up on movie screens.) The voice work is impeccable: Kevin Conroy is always a terrific Batman, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. is still the perfect Alfred, and Hector Elizondo has fun with villain Bane. All the various female actresses mentioned above do great jobs with their characters. The only disconcerting casting choice is David Ogden-Stiers (a frequent voice-over artist) as the Penguin. He gives a good performance, but it's hard to better Paul Williams in the role, who had played the character throughout the TV series. The jazz-oriented score is also a nice change and adds to the steamier and mysterious aspects of the story.

The DVD contains a number of extras, but the best is a short animated film called "Chase Me." It is done completely in pantomime -no dialogue -as Batman chases Catwoman across Gotham City after she robs a jewelry safe at a ritzy party. It's a stunning piece of animation, and if it had been released in theaters would probably have easily snatched up the Oscar for Best Animated Short. It's one of the best explorations of the strange Batman-Catwoman-Bruce Wayne-Selina Kyle relationship, and the jazz score is hypnotic. It's a great bonus feature to have along with this extremely enjoyable Batman film. Buy this DVD! It will encourage more animated Batman features in the future, and maybe, just maybe, get one of them released to the theaters!

First of all, I think it's unfair to compare this animated movie to the works of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm. They are long gone on other series and this was an attempt to take a new turn of the head in the series. And it succeeds. Certainly, don't want to discourage WB from making more of these movies because I love them a lot.

From a story point of view the plot is obvious. Who is Batwoman? The answer will astound you. I can't say I saw it coming or thought it was the most original thing to do but it was executed perfectly nonetheless. I'm not sure if I'm too fond of the new animation style however, it seems to lack detail where detail is called for and there is an abscence of shadows which gives Batman its dark feel but as I said they're trying to take a new direction.

Probably the thing I hate the MOST has to do nothing with the movie but with the franchise itself. You'd think that they'd actually have Batwoman stay once the mystery is solved but instead she is gone like all the other new characters in short, nothings changed AT ALL and it slowly degrades itself because of its reptitiveness. They should introduce some permanent change that encourages fans to stay interested in the series.

So why 5 stars? Well, the special features were great but watch them last or there won't be any mystery. Also I do like the fact that they are trying to show a lighter side of Bruce and the simple fact that they did make another moive. The script is good, the acting even better. To me it was certainly better than Sub Zero for here the viewer is actually drawn into a mystery rather than an adventure.

Bottom line, its a worthy buy. I recommend anyone to buy it or at least see it for its entertainment value. And a note to WB executives if they happen to read this: make the next movie longer than 75 min.

Buy Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2013) Now

Mystery of the Batwoman is a decidedly average Batman story. It doesn't come close to the writing triumphs of some of the Batman TAS episodes or even the preceding feature-length ones. The jazzy, laid-back music is completely inappropriate and takes a good deal away from many scenes. The art is clean, crisp, and fluid, but not anything like Sub-Zero's top-of-the-line pre-TNBA art (which honestly is the best Batman has ever looked). Of course, the greatest strength (and saving grace) of the film is the awesome voice acting. Kevin Conroy is still a completely believable Batman, and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.'s Alfred is as witty as ever.

This film strays from the dark, moody feel of the Batman cartoon, which is a BAD thing, but it does make up for it a bit with a good deal of humor. There is a "Batman breaking-and-entering to investigate" scene that is absolutely hilarious if you understand it.

Finally, I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that there is a villain in the movie that we all love and is worth watching the film for. I won't say who it is.

Read Best Reviews of Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2013) Here

Mystery of the Batwoman has made quite a bad reputation for itself since its release a decade ago. I'm not really sure why, or if it deserves the fanboy hate, but one thing is for sure it killed the Bruce Timm/Alan Burnett Batman continuity that began with the TV series back in 1992. Kevin Conroy has returned as Batman in a few video games but there has been no proper Batman animated movie since this one (unless you count Public Enemies, where he shares half of the screen time with Superman).

The Penguin is in the midst of setting up an arms deal with Carton Duquesne, Rupert Thorne, and Bane when the sudden appearance of a new crime-fighter in the shape of Batwoman causes them all sorts of grief. Not taking kindly to his image being tainted by an unaffiliated vigilante Batman sets out to discover who she really is.

It's a decent plot, but never feels moody or atmospheric. The gothic pathos of the animated Batman entries that fans are familiar with is strangely absent/muted. However there are some good action scenes and a nice twist half-way through that might seem a little redundant on repeat viewings. The animosity it has gathered since 2003 is a little hard to justify, it's still better than Sub-Zero.

The Blu-ray is a marginal disappointment. It IS a great improvement over the DVD, featuring the movie in the correct 1.78:1 aspect ratio instead of 1.33:1. The picture balance looks much better and the colors frequently pop, but there is a very strange blurriness to a number shots which feature fuzzy, jagged black outlines. It is very odd, like they zoomed-in on the original print and lost resolution as a result. It might be a fault of the animation and not the Blu-ray transfer, though if you are annoyed by such things it will lessen the overall quality of the Blu-ray for you. The 1080p transfer would otherwise be impressive if it were not marred by this unusual anomaly. The DTS HD-MA audio fares much better and sounds great. The extras have been simply ported from the old DVD and dumped with no re-mastering. Even the ads, trailers, and 'Chase Me' short are in nasty standard definition.

Warner could have improved the presentation a bit, and with this exception of the aforementioned picture deficiencies it is a good upgrade on the DVD.

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The climax and eventual end of the original series ends with this movie. Watching the cartoon series chronologically, this one should be watched last. It's a good story but I'm sad to see it end on this movie. They could have gone so much farther than by stopping here. Still a great movie however.

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Run for Cover (1955)

Jimmy Cagney starred in three Westerns during his long acting career---OKLAHOMA KID, TRIBUTE TO A BAD MAN, and RUN FOR COVER. Of these RUN FOR COVER is his best outing as a cowboy. This handsomely-produced, Nicholas Ray-directed film also stars John Derek, with a solid cast of recognizable Western "regulars." The film is shot in spectacular Technicolor, with a solid and tight plot, fine acting, and great production values.

Olive Films has been releasing quality issues of a number of classic 1950s Westerns licensed from Paramount Pictures. In this series are DENVER & RIO GRANDE, SILVER CITY, THE JAYHAWKERS, PONY EXPRESS, THE HANGMAN, and THE NIGHT OF THE GRIZZLY, all of which repay re-viewing. Let's hope Olive will continue this series with such fine films as WARPATH (also with O'Brien, and directed by Bryon Haskin) and FLAMING FEATHER (with Sterling Hayden), and other other films with Charlton Heston, Alan Ladd and John Payne.

In the meantime, this film is highly recommended--it's first class Western entertainment. Thanks Olive!

Olive films Blue Ray of the 1955 Paramount film in Technicolor and Vistavision is an eye popper. Tightly written with contributions by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank who have had a hand in some of the best adapted screenplays ever written. I'm talking about THE LONG HOT SUMMER, THE SOUND AND THE FURY, HUD, HOMBRE THE REIVERS,NORMA RAE, MURPHY'S ROMANCE and THE COWBOYS. The director is something of a legend himself. Nicholas Ray who made this gem between JOHNNY GUITAR & REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE. Cagney gets more than able support from Viveca Lindfors, John Derek & Ernest Borgnine. The tale of an ex-con (cagney) who almost get lynched and ends up sheriff over his former tormentors is riveting. Along with the Tashlin-Lewis Olive releases I purchased recently I now feel secure that there is an alternative for classic film lovers who don't want to be reduced to MOD-R.

Buy Run for Cover (1955) Now

This is just a simple story western!! It is most enjoyable and Mr.Cagney is fabulous as always!! He is a bit more

restrained in this one but its always a joy to watch this Guy!! He was truely one of Our Nations Great Artists!! If U

enjoy Westerns..U will enjoy this as well!! Good Back Up cast of excellent Actors make this work!! ENJOY!!!

Read Best Reviews of Run for Cover (1955) Here

After a long hiatus from doing western films, James Cagney made this film in New Mexico. The film is gorgeous especially on blu-ray. The story is about a mature gunfighter that comes to small ranch and is looking to settle down after having a troubled past. He is confronted by a boneheaded youngman who is played by a young John Derek. He spends the rest of the film trying to save the kid from himself. This is good saddle drama.

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Interesting to see Cagney play a good guy, and the relationship with Lindfors is nicely developed. The same is not as true with Derek's character; it's all too obvious that he and Cagney have to wind up as the antagonists, and the redemption at the end is a little abrupt. TRIBUTE TO A BAD MAN is the better Cagney Western.

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Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986)

Film buffs, DVD collectors, and John Hughes fans beware! The "Bueller...Bueller..." edition DVD does not include the commentary track by writer/producer/director John Hughes which was included on the original 1999/2000 DVD release. It is a great commentary and is sorely missed from this edition.

I first saw "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" in 1991, and I've LOVED it ever since. I was so thrilled to see that Paramount was giving this classic film an upgraded DVD Special Edition. Upon seeing it however, I must say that I'm pretty disappointed. The extras, although enjoyable, are sorely lacking what they could and SHOULD be. Most of the film's major stars (and sometimes even minor ones like Kristy Swanson and Richard Edson) provide some updated interviews that are fun to watch. But, the bonus material and interviews featuring Mia Sara are all from 1986! She obviously CAN'T be that busy these days, so doesn't it make sense that an updated interview with her could have been included?

Also, the shooting script for this movie contains MANY deleted scenes and dialogue, some of which were a GREAT read and are bound to have been filmed. Ferris going through the house looking for money in some STRANGE places (all while the Pink Floyd tune "Money" was playing), as well as Cameron's dad seeing his 1961 Ferarri being driven through Chicago's streets by the two parking garage employees would have been GREAT to see. However, the ONLY deleted scene we get here is a behind-the-scenes version of the waiter at Chez Qui telling the trio that the food they were eating was pancreas (which of course was referred to later by Ferris in the taxi). No true special edition DVD should be without a deleted scenes section. VERY disappointing.

Next, this edition (like the original) does NOT include a theatrical trailer. It's rare for even a bare bones DVD not to include at least one trailer, but nearly UNHEARD of for a special edition! It's bound to still exist, and I can't beleive that it's THAT hard to find that they could not have dug it up for this "special" edition.

Finally, the original DVD, while lacking a trailer, DID include a GREAT feature-length commentary track by writer/director John Hughes. However, that commentary track is NOT included here! That was either a severe oversight or a downright mean move by Paramount. How hard would it have been to reproduce it here? In effect, its omission forces anyone who bought the original DVD and wants to upgrade to the special edition to keep the original instead of selling or trading it, all because they want to retain the commentary. Paramount should have at least made it possible that owning this new DVD would provide the most complete "Ferris" experience presently possible by itself, but without the original's commentary it doesn't.

In summary, if you bought the original DVD, then I advise you to keep it and just rent this new version to give the special features a look. Save the rest of what you would otherwise spend on this to put towards something more worthwhile. If you have NOT bought the original DVD however, then this would be a worthwhile purchase to own the extras that were not present on the original. But, do rent the original to give a listen to that AWESOME commentary track by John Hughes.

Buy Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986) Now

I am a teenager. I still enjoy(?) the joys(?) of high school. And let me say that Ferris Bueller's Day Off is still pertinent, as well as enjoyable.

I've seen the ending numerous times on TV, but this very night I decided to watch the whole thing. I rented it with a friend and loved it. Tomorrow I will go out and buy the DVD.

John Hughes was one of the precursors of such great writer-directors as Kevin Smith, and this film is evidence. It may have different focuses and some might find this difficult to interpret, as some reviews have said.

I say "Bull." This film captures high school. Even if all the teachers aren't as boring, the administration is still spreading the same lies that the principal character does in the film. He tries for authority and only pulls off incompetence.

With humor, light youthful cynicism, and carefree but intelligent views on life, I can attest to Ferris's own accuracy. I may not be as successful, but I see myself as a Buellerist(even if it wasn't intended).

So what if the movie ends seriously? That's what high school is! There're good times, hilarious times. And then there's learning who you are. Coming to terms. I was moved by Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In a world where accuracy often means disgusting, hack films like American Pie, this movie captured school days masterfully. Films that take the act of growing up and make it a sick joke are insulting, in my opinion. American Pie featured the darker side of growing up. People who are self-centered and petty. What a life, to start in such a way. Ferris Bueller is shown to be human and moral as he speaks about his friends, however. His analyses are wonderful, and caring while not being sugar-coated. The film was true but tasteful, succinctly and accurately showing the trials of growing up.

It's over-the-top, but anyone who was interesting in high school(and childhood in general), I'm sure, can attest to memories that seem larger-than-life. While it may be difficult to watch Ferris Bueller run up slides and jump on trampolines all to get home with a serious eye, one must admit that when one looks back at school, some things are like that, even if only in your mind.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off works on levels that only one who is or has been young can appreciate.

Read Best Reviews of Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986) Here

Part 1: The Movie

If the measure of a film's popularity is how many times you've seen it, then Ferris Bueller's Day Off is my favorite movie. I've seen it 16 times: 13 in the theatre during its original run, once on videotape, twice on a recently purchased DVD (once each with and without the director's commentary track).

Plot: One fine day toward the end of his senior year in high school, a young man named Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) ditches school and, with best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Paige Peterson (Mia Sara) heads for the big city seeking adventure. Beneath surface events, Ferris' "day off" is a last ditch rescue mission designed to save Cameron's soul. This is his last chance to help Cameron, because after this school year's over they'll go to separate colleges and, effectively, a friendship that's endured since the fifth grade will be over, Cameron will be beyond Ferris' reach and aid.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off has an elegantly simple, effective story structure, a classic example of separate plotlines that move concurrently, then tie themselves together at the end. There are two plot threads in this movie: (1) The story of what Ferris, Cameron and Paige do during the day off, and how these characters, primarily Cameron, are affected and changed by it. (2) The attempts of Ferris' sister Jean and Dean of Students Edward R. Rooney to expose Ferris. At the end of the movie, the two plotlines converge and resolve each other when Ferris, Jean and Rooney come together at last, and it's Jean, changed by the events of her own "day off," who finally saves Ferris from Rooney.

Matthew Broderick plays Ferris, for all his fast talk and con artist ways, as really the most innocent character in the movie, almost childlike in his belief he can accomplish anything. Ferris Bueller is an ultimate refutation of one of the great archetypes of comedy, The Fool.

The Fool is a person of childlike innocence, who naively believes he can accomplish anything, and our amusement comes from watching him fail. The classic example of The Fool is Charlie Brown. For decades, Lucy Van Pelt said to him, "Come on, Charlie Brown, kick the football, I won't move it." Time after time, he fell for it. When Lucy swiped the ball out of the way at the last moment and he went flying through the air to crash down on his back, we laughed and said to ourselves, "What a moron! I'd never be tricked like that." We felt good about ourselves by contrast. The thing is, our amusement at The Fool is essentially meanspirited and soul-deadening. The Fool says to us, "You can't win. The game is fixed. Any belief in yourself, that you can accomplish wonders, is false and foredoomed to failure." What Ferris Bueller says to us is, "If you believe in yourself....you can accomplish anything." Then he goes ahead and does exactly that, right before our eyes.

I first saw Ferris Bueller's Day Off in 1986 at the Ventura Boulevard Cinema in the San Fernando Valley. It played there for, like, four or five months. It was incredible. People simply didn't get tired of seeing it, thus the long engagement especially by LA standards where movies tend to be there and gone. Though Matthew Broderick's portrayal of Ferris is obviously the linchpin that holds the movie together, what really made the film for me, bringing me back to see it time and again, was Alan Ruck as Cameron Frye. Without getting into a display of emotional scars here, let's just say that while I admired Ferris, I identified strongly with Cameron. Ferris is the kid we all wished we could be. Cameron is the kid so many of us really were. When Cameron explodes all over the Ferrari, he's expressing the rage for all of us.

It's a wonderful fantasy there could be such a friend as Ferris, who could see our (Cameron's) pain, would move heaven and earth to help him, and the person would find the strength to take advantage of it. There's a bit of a messiah complex to Ferris Bueller, a desire to save those he deems worthy of salvation. I'm sure one of the reasons he's been friends with Cameron for so long is that Cameron so obviously needs help. Cameron Frye is a long running personal project for Ferris Bueller, and one of the engines driving Ferris' actions in the movie is the realization he's running out of time, if he wants to effect lasting, positive change in Cameron's life it's got to be NOW. My favorite moment of the film, really THE pivotal moment, is when Cameron says, "No. I'll take the heat." And sitting there in the theatre, I smiled and whispered, "Good for you."

Part 2: Cast and Characters

The four main characters, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck), Paige Peterson (Mia Sara) and Edward R. Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) are perfectly cast. Really, all four actors do such marvelous work it's impossible to imagine anyone else in these roles.

Of Matthew Broderick's portrayal of Ferris Bueller, what can I say? Wonderful. Beyond that, any poor words of mine couldn't do his work here justice. For there it stands, magnificent in its own right. See the movie, you'll know what I mean.

For all the talk I've heard over the years of Ferris being "the perfect kid," he's hardly a perfect person. There are aspects to his personality that aren't particularly admirable. He's deceitful and manipulative, probably a compulsive liar. When things don't go his way he becomes aggressive and abusive, shown most extremely when he slaps Cameron. But Ferris does have many good qualities. His lies are frequently in the service of the underdog, his deceptions designed to punish those who really have it coming. While Ferris manipulates those around him in the movie, most notably Cameron, he justifies it by saying it's really for Cameron's own good. From what we see in the film, he's absolutely right.

It's interesting to note that, based on the director's commentary, I've always seen Ferris as being a much nicer person than his creator does. One of Ferris' most impressive qualities is a complete lack of snobbishness. We see from Ferris' home life his parents are solidly middle class. Cameron's family is rich. Paige, by her class and polish, was probably born with a silver spoon in her mouth, too. But Ferris can be friends with a white trash greaser like Garth Volbeck (Charlie Sheen's druggie character) as easily as a rich kid like Cameron. He simply doesn't see any reason he shouldn't. This total absence of classism is one of the things that wins Ferris such admiration among his peers. His friends at school go from the top of the social structure all the way to the bottom. When Grace, Rooney's secretary, lists all the various cliques at school that adore Ferris, and sums up, "They think he's a righteous dude," she's right. He IS a righteous dude. To paraphrase Kipling, all men count with him, but none too much. ["If" by Rudyard Kipling.] That whole "walk with kings nor lose the common touch" thing isn't an unattainable ideal with Ferris. It's who he is.

For all his prevarication, when Ferris realizes he must take responsibility for his actions, or even something not, strictly speaking, his fault, to protect a friend, he'll do it. Something else people admire about him. After the Ferrari goes though the window and into the ravine, this is the only time in the movie Ferris is scared. He knows this is bigtime. This isn't ditching school, it's the destruction of a $200,000 automobile. When he says to Cameron, "We'll tell your father I did it. I'll take the heat," he means it. When push comes to shove, when the rubber meets the road, Ferris is a stand-up guy.

Alan Ruck is amazingly good as Cameron Frye. All four leads seem chosen for their mobile, expressive features, but none more so than Ruck. I'm telling ya, the face of Plastic Man, folks. Ruck's features are so malleable he reminds me of a young Jim Carrey without the goofiness.

Mia Sara, as John Hughes says during the director's commentary, is a perfect Paige Peterson. This role required someone very pretty, very elegant, but also strong enough to tolerate and control Ferris Bueller. I would go further. Not only tolerate enjoy. There's a theory in psychology called relationship balancing, the idea we subconsciously look for a partner who's strong where we're weak. Thus these two people together form in essence one fully functional personality. Paige is stable, and quite up to keeping her cool in the face of Ferris' weirdness. When Ferris asks her, "You want to get married?" I'm sure at least part of the reason is to tweak her, to see how she reacts. She's completely unfazed, just takes it in stride. It makes sense a person with Ferris' chaotic lifestyle would be attracted to someone with her poise. But also, beneath that calm exterior, there's enough of a wild child to Paige she can truly enjoy Ferris, and pitch in wholeheartedly, a willing partner in crime to his schemes. Really, she's perfect for him.

Could anyone else on Earth have portrayed Edward R. Rooney as well as Jeffrey Jones? I think not. It's totally believable that Rooney and Ferris would loathe each other. Rooney is the sort of stupid, pompous, authoritarian control freak that a free spirit like Ferris would instantly, and correctly, recognize as a natural enemy. And vice versa.

These four actors, all arguably doing the best work of their careers, are the heart of this movie.

Part 3: The DVD

There's only one "extra" on the DVD. John Hughes' (writer and director of Ferris Bueller's Day Off) commentary track can be run with the movie. Much more so than many director tracks, there's some really good stuff here. For instance:

* Matthew Broderick and Alan Ruck worked extensively with each other on Broadway before doing Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which helps explain their easy chemistry. It's no stretch to watch these two guys react to each other, and believe they've been friends for years.

* The best bit of commentary, for my money, is when Hughes discusses the sequence set in the Art Institute of Chicago, which was a kind of sanctuary for him when he was in high school. The paintings in this scene are those that were his favorites. Hughes' tone of voice, the emotions he expresses during this scene, are really touching. Prior to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, the interior of this building had never been filmed for a movie, and it was a big deal for Hughes to go back to this place that had been so important to him, and show people how beautiful it is.

* Charlie Sheen was only brought in for one day to play Garth Volbeck during the police station scene. With little or no time to rehearse, he burned up the celluloid anyway. If I can believe the Internet, Charlie stayed awake for 48 hours before shooting to give himself the proper strung-out look. In this scene he looks so much like his Dad at the same age it's eerie.

* The parade sequence was filmed during a real parade in downtown Chicago. This wasn't a situation where the street was cordoned off and filled with extras. The Ferris crew had a float in the actual parade. No one knew who they were. The crowd didn't know, probably the city fathers didn't know. When the music for "Twist and Shout" started blasting, totally of their own accord, people from the surrounding areas were drawn in, started dancing and singing along. All the shots of individual faces from the crowd weren't actors, they were "real people," there because they wanted to be, looking like they were having fun because they were. The construction worker dancing on a scaffold, way up on that half-finished building? A real construction worker. John Hughes saw him dancing, grabbed a cameraman and said, "You've got to get this guy." Then he looked at the street, saw it absolutely packed with thousands of people, all dancing and singing along with "Ferris," totally into it, and said to the guy on the camera crane, "TELL me we got that shot." Because there's no way they could have afforded to stage it, or even imagined something that wild. It just happened. TOO cool.

* There were several sequences actually filmed but cut from the final version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off. In one, Ferris goes on a radio program and talks about wanting to be the first teenager to ride the space shuttle. This was actually included in what would have been the final cut, and a trailer went out with some of that material in it. Unfortunately, the day after the trailer was released the Challenger exploded; the studio pulled the trailer and Hughes had to recut the movie to trim the shuttle stuff. I actually remember that trailer. I saw it during the day or two it was in release. If I remember correctly, a voice asks various people, "What do you think of Ferris Bueller?" and one of the respondents, a high school kid, says, "Ferris Bueller? He's going to be the first teenager to ride the space shuttle."

* Also cut was Ferris' relationship with the Volbecks, the Charlie Sheen character's family. Garth Volbeck's father owns the tow company that hauls away Ed Rooney's car.

* Another excised bit: In the restaurant, when Ferris, Paige and Cameron are brought menus, none of them want to admit they can't read French so they order something, then start eating, having no idea what it is. Then we get to see their reactions when they find out it's pancreas. This is referred to later in the cab scene when Ferris, listing to Cameron the things they've done that day, says, "We ate pancreas."

It would have been nice to have the original trailer, revised trailer, and deleted scenes included on the DVD. While chances of seeing that level of work put into the DVD for a 20 year old movie, no matter how good, are slim (even assuming the chopped footage still exists) I can dream that maybe one day, on a future version of this DVD, it might happen. I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

While we're on the subject of wishes, why oh why was the music from Ferris Bueller's Day Off never released as a soundtrack? A crime, since it's got one of best combination of songs I've ever heard in a movie. Another "I'd buy it in a heartbeat" situation that'll probably never happen at this late date.

The later "Bueller, Bueller" edition of the film does not feature this excellent commentary track.

Want Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller... Bueller... Edition) (1986) Discount?

The 5 stars is only in direct relation to what's ON this 'Bueller...Bueller..." edition and the film ITSELF. Would it have been soooooo difficult to transfer the old commentary from the bare bones edition of the film from 1999? It's a good thing i noticed before i sold it back to my local FYE for credit on the future purchase of what....maybe the THIRD release of FERRIS? Now i have to find a way to put the old dvd in the case with the new edition taking care not to scratch either. Too much time and energy on my part. THAT'S YOUR JOB, PARAMOUNT!!!!!! Where's the notoriously cut scene with the bong hit??? No out-takes?? I find that hard to believe. A great feel good film with some good bonus features leaves me hoping i don't get hit by a bus before they release the 25th anniversary edition in 2011. When PARAMOUNT will 'ONE UP' their usual DOUBLE DIPPING into fans' pockets with the DOUBLE DISC version this film originally deserved....

Okay...if you're a fan...just buy the damn thing because it's a must have for your film library and what IS included is pretty darn good...but there should've been more...and i KNOW there IS more...

C'mon...someone with brains at Paramount...SAVE FARRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its A Disaster (2013)

Amazing what can be conveyed from inside one house the whole movie. Initial tension turns to thought provoking results. One of those movies that stays with you a long time.

A collection of couples get together for their regular couples lunch, and this lunch turns out to be anything but normal. An unexpected calamity has hit, and they are not only dealing with personal issues amongst the group, but dealing with getting information about the disaster, and figuring out how to survive. This quirky black comedy is well-cast and skillfully scripted, enabling it to be quite funny and entertaining. The mostly little known actors are perfectly cast in their roles. The film may be called It's a Disaster, however it is anything but. This is actually a pretty darn good movie.

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As anyone can tell you, comedies are a tough sell, especially when broaching such subject matter as the end of mankind. Some wouldn't dare find anything close to that a laughing matter, but when it's used merely as a backdrop for broader, more general comedy, it certainly can be a nice filter. That's exactly what writer/director Todd Berger set out to do with IT'S A DISASTER: he combined an end-of-the-world scenario and mashed it up with a twentysomething and thirtysomethings coming-of-age comedy (THE BIG CHILL meets PERFECT SENSE. On many counts, it just doesn't quite work; yet, there's something wonderfully sublime about seeing a bunch of self-centered shallow suburbanites get their comeuppance ... even if that comeuppance is a nerve-gas Apocalypse.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you're accepting of a few modest hints at `things to come,' then read on ...)

Emma (played by the comely Erinn Hayes) and Pete (Blaise Miller) Mandrake throw only the best Sunday brunches. Yet this week's brunch is going to be a disaster. Not only are they in the midst of their own full-blown marital crisis, but also some terrorists are about to detonate a series of nerve gas canisters across the United States, bringing about an end to life as we know it. Will the quiche be too hot? Will everyone like the wine? Will they have to down it all before the end comes? Oh, what's a couple of yuppies to do!

Surprisingly, I thought IT'S A DISASTER missed more than a few of its marks. That isn't to say that it's unfunny in any way, because that would be inaccurate. It's just that, given the premise and the cast including David Cross, Julia Stiles, America Ferrara, and more I think I expected a bit more. Many moments felt like they should've been played a bit bigger a big more obtuse and, instead, they're scaled back almost to the point that one wonders if everyone showed up knowing their lines. Or was this a case of dialogue being manufactured on the set, and the players were only provided with the talking points? It's hard to say, though I'd be remiss if I didn't underscore a bit of disappointment.

There are some truly brilliant pieces in here. Berger himself dons a hazmat suit and shows up uninvited to the dinner party as snooping neighbor, Hal; he's the one that breaks the news about the attacks. Rachel Boston and Kevin M. Brennan are splendid as Lexi and Buck Kivel (respectively), a husband-and-wife team so completely comfortable with their own generous sexuality they want to share it with anyone they can (which almost includes David Cross's Glen in a wacky development). And the occasional still shot of the dead latecomers to the party on the front steps along with an assortment of dead crows is increasingly funny as it's played so wondrously deadpan. I can't help but wonder if IT'S A DISASTER started out as a stage play all of the action takes place inside the house, though spread out across several rooms but I've no doubt thinking that this is exactly the kind of film that when it gets remade will probably find a much bigger and much more appreciative audience.

It's definitely worth a view. Maybe not an owner. But definitely worth a view.

IT'S A DISASTER is produced by Vacationeer Productions, Attainment Media Group, ARM Entertainment (II), Gordon Bijelonic / Datari Turner Films, and Tip-Top Productions. DVD distribution is being handled through Oscilloscope Laboratories. As for the technical specifications, it all looks and sounds very solid, though there were a few instances when recording levels seemed a bit off. Fans will be surprised to find a wealth of special features, including a commentary track and even a Comic-Con Panel appearance. It's a nice assortment for a nice middle-of-the-road comedy.

RECOMMENDED. It's more benign comedy than it is outright farce, and, as a consequence, IT'S A DISASTER misses some of the true laughs because so much of it is underplayed. Still, there's an awful lot of talent in there, so much so that I would've expected better. This may've been the case of a writer/director being too close to the material to see the weaknesses in the performances; it could've used a few more manic highpoints especially given the subject matter and a little less routine shtick of twentysomethings trying to figure out who they are. It's the apocalypse, after all? Laugh it up, people!

Read Best Reviews of Its A Disaster (2013) Here

This is a good movie for anyone who enjoys a nice dark comedy every once in a while. It also has a lot of great lines that I will be quoting for a long time.

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This cast is great, the actors play to their strengths and really create the diversity necessary to make a one setting movie work well. Not only are there some "audience told" quirks about each couple or character, but there are some surprises as the movie progresses. The surprises sort of escalate as the movie moves along so I kept wanting to know who and what next? Did everyone show all their cards or is someone going to do something to top the last one.

Most important It's really funny! And, I can't say more on this, or it will ruin the ending for some, but the ending has a very good irony to it.

Well I hope if you choose to watch this, you enjoy it as much as I did!

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Manilow Live

Can't say that I was a big Manilow fan. Bought this DVD because I enjoy all kinds of music, and the other reviews sounded good. The surprise for me, was how many of the songs I knew, but had forgotten. The quality of the DVD, both sound and video is very good, and Barry Manilow does put on a great show! Almost felt like I was at in Vegas. I recommend this one highly. If you're over 50 you can't go wrong. If you're younger take a listen, and enjoy someone who really does know how to "write the songs that make the whole world sing."

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Apollo 13 (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (1995)

First off, this is easily a five-star film. It's handsome, taut, and thoroughly engaging.

For picture and audio quality, this Blu-ray is obviously superior to prior releases. There is moderate film grain to the transfer, giving it a natural feel. The special effects (i.e. the launch sequence) receive the greatest benefit and the clearest visuals, but on the whole the film is beautifully rendered and, for these benefits, the Blu-ray is worth picking up.

I do concur, however, that this disc has some slight issues. It takes too long to load -I timed it at roughly two minutes on my slim PS3. This is mildly annoying but comparable to other Universal and Disney releases. I was more annoyed that after waiting for the BD-Java to load, selecting "English," waiting for more loading, waiting for the menu to animate, and selecting the film that I was treated to a "social BLU" splash page asking me if I wanted my Facebook status updated. What aggravated me was that this admittedly brief interruption occurred after I had already selected to play the film, and it would seem that it will occur every time I choose to do so; it was an unwanted and, in my opinion, rather lame attempt to add "interactivity," if having your Blu-ray player post that you're watching a film on your Facebook wall can be considered as such. I would rather that this option could be turned off BEFORE I select to watch the film, and that this setting could be saved. Additionally, advertisements for other Universal products pop-up in the background of the menus, presumably for "shopping convenience" but really an irritating marketing gimmick. These so-called bonuses serve to make the general experience of navigating this disc feel very clunky.

Overall, the content in this package (which carries over most of the content from the last two-disc DVD) is fantastic, but the design of the disc's menus and bonuses suffers from baffling and annoying gimmicks that are mildly aggravating but hardly ruin the experience; you'll forget about the hiccups once the film starts and you're engrossed. If you are a fan of the film and have the necessary equipment to benefit from the technical improvements in this release, it is highly recommended.

But, Universal? In the future, either streamline your gimmicks or leave them off the disc. We purchase these to watch the films, not to update our social networks.

EDIT 3/15/12: If possible, disable your player's internet connection when playing this disc. Without streaming trailers and that other crap, this disc loads right up. HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you do so. Makes the experience much less bile-inducing.

Others have remarked well enough on the virtues of _Apollo 13_ as a film. What makes the Special Edition DVD worth its purchase price, however, are the tons of extras that you get. The story of the making of _Apollo 13_ is at least as interesting, if nowhere near as harrowing, as the actual moonshot itself, and this DVD gives you hours of material to walk you through that process.

Anyone who's interested in filmmaking will be riveted by both the Ron Howard running film commentary and the hour-long "Making of" documentary. Perhaps even more intriguing is the Marilyn and Jim Lovell audio track, in which you get to hear how Lovell feels about Howard and Hanks made his movie. This is made all the more interesting and informative for the filmmaking student in that _Apollo 13_ wasn't just the retelling of Lovell's real-life experience, it's also the film version of his book. Getting his perspective both as narrative object and storyteller is fascinating, as are Marilyn's observations on Kathleen Quinlan's Academy-nominated performance.

Combine all this with the superb technical brilliance of the encoding here, and you've got a DVD that's entirely worth the surprisingly modest price.

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"Failure is not an option!". So says mission-control director Gene Kranz, played by Ed Harris, as mission control devises a way to get the astronauts safely home. Although initially viewed as a disaster (explosion in spacecraft which forces cancellation the the moon-landing mission), in reality it is a story of success due to resourcefulness. The astronauts must return to earth and splash down safely with only enough electrical power to run a coffee pot.

Probably the best of director Ron Howard's movies, it is well acted by stars Tom Hanks (as Jim Lovell), Kevin Bacon (Jack Swigert), and Bill Paxton (Fred Haise) as the three space-bound astronauts, Gary Sinise (mission-bumped astronaut Ken Mattingly), Ed Harris (mission control Gene Kranz), and Kathleen Quinlan (Marilyn Lovell). The movie was nominated for 9 Oscars including best picture, writing, supporting actor (Harris), supporting actress (Quinlan), music, and visual effects, and won for editing and for sound.

There are a lot of special effects thoughout the movie, including the entirely-recreated lift-off sequence from a bird's-eye viewpoint. The weightlessness scenes were achieved by filming in a KC-135 airplane that did a series of parabolic climbs and dives, allowing about 25 seconds of filming at a time.

An exciting 220 minute movie about one of the most-watched successful rescues in history, the DVD contains a good "making of" documentary, a commentary by director Ron Howard, and another by Jim and Marilyn Lovell. "Bill Paxton's home movies" were never located, and the "comparison with NASA footage" and the "extensive exploration of special effects" were brief parts of the "making of", not separate items. Text-based production notes and cast/crew blurbs, and a trailer. Undocumented feature is the isolated score which plays in its entirety at the main menu (can skip forward, but not backward, however). The 2.35:1 wide-screen movie has 56 (!) chapters. Highly recommend for fans of any of the actors listed above, the space program, or adventures in general.

"With all due respect, sir, I believe this will be our finest hour" Gene Kranz

Read Best Reviews of Apollo 13 (Universal's 100th Anniversary) (1995) Here

This disc is the most anti-consumer user-hostile Blu-Ray (or DVD, for that matter) I have ever encountered. People should not have to skip through not 1, not 2, not 3 but FOUR(!!) previews to watch the movie they paid for. Not only that, but by the time you get to the main menu you'll be treated to you guessed it MORE ADVERTISING!!! What makes a bad situation even worse is all the other crap that you have to wade through to get to the movie. Here's what happens after you load the disc into your player:

*Progress (loading) indicator (For BD Live?)

*Animated Universal Pictures logo

*Notification that your player is "Loading a fresh preview from the internet"

*Preview 1

*Preview 2

*Preview 3

*Preview 4

*Menu asking you to select your language

*FBI Anti-piracy warning

*Disclaimer: "The views and opinions expressed in the interviews and/or commentaries are solely of the individuals..."

*MPAA rating

*Disclaimer: "Availability of network-related features subject to change..."

*Animated BD logo

*Apollo 13 Main menu (displaying ads for other Universal BD movies, the "ticker")

This is the kind of consumer-hostile design which turns people to download movies from the internet. When I load a movie into my player, I want to be taken directly to the main menu with a minimum of fuss. I paid for convenience and I didn't get it. Had I known this disc was authored this way, I would not have purchased it. Help discourage this kind of behavior by NOT purchasing this disc.

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Everyone knows that Apollo 13 is a well written and directed movie (Ronny Howard). What everyone may not know is that the DTS audio track transfer from the Video master to the DVD is excellent. With nice speakers and a subwoofer, DTS makes this movie worth the price. AC-3, having to compress the audio more than DTS on the DVD disc, the Dolby Digital just doesn't sound as good. Period. The rumbles of the lift-off are clean and tight they are not just a low "buzz" or vibration. The high's in the dialog are much crisper and give the audience the sense they are sitting right there next to Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon. DTS does a much better job with the surround channels as well. What moves around the rear with AC-3 Dolby Digital, REALLY moves around the room with DTS. Transitions are smoother and the sound "flows" around you. The one problem? The cheapest DTS decoder (needed to watch DTS DVD's) is a Technics for 300 bucks. I say that the DTS decoder and the DTS movies by Amazon are well worth the money for even the small home theater guru.

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Stomp the Yard (2007)

STOMP THE YARD comes as a pleasant surprise to those of us who have yet to be introduced to 'stepping' a sport/dance form that is not break dancing, not hip-hop, not modern dance, not clogging, not ballet, but instead is an exhilarating display of rhythm, physical dexterity, and creative choreography that makes this little film well worth watching.

The story is minimal and hackneyed and serves basically as an outline for the dance performances. DJ (the enormously talented dancer/actor Columbus Short) is sent from Los Angeles to Atlanta's Truth University after his conviction for street brawling, a fight in which his brother (Chris Brown) was killed. Once on campus DJ is works for his uncle as a gardener and is soon courted for his step dance skills by two rival fraternities. One fraternity gains DJ's attention and he pledges. Of course there is the requisite love conflict (the beautiful Meagan Good as April), who just happens to be the girlfriend of the rival fraternity step leader (Darrin Henson), and the usual undercurrent of familial dichotomies between DJ's humble background and April's influential father bring the tension to the front: the result is DJ's triumphant performance in the annual stepping competition between the two fraternities. The ending is predictable but sensitive and with a message.

The real star of the film is the magnificently choreographed and executed dancing, performed by the actual cast members. Director Sylvain White and his choreographers center their attention on the big sequences and the result is very fine entertainment. In addition to the gifted Columbus Short and Darrin Henson the cast includes such fine actor/dancers as Brian J. White, Ne-Yo, Laz Alonzo, Oliver Ryan Best, Richmond Duain Martyn, Justin Hires, and many others. It is difficult to resist the excitement of the commitment of this fine cast to the introduction of step dancing to the public at large. So much talent! Grady Harp, May 07

Say what you want about the storyline, the acting, whatever... you know you cheered for the under dog. To manage making a black movie with no sex, moderate violence, promoting higher education, unity and brotherhood, come on, you got to love it, especially in these days and times.

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If you don't like urban movies,urban hip hop slang or hip hop dancing then don't watch or try to rate this movie because you won't understand the essence of it. This movie is for the true hip hopper's and urban movie fans who like sick(hip hop slang for incredible)dance moves. No this movie isn't golden globes or oscar material nor do I think it was meant to be. It's shear entertainment with talented actors and gifted dancers. There is no way you can watch this movie and not see the skill it takes to pull off some of these dance moves. My only regret is that the director makes the mistake of not showing the dance moves in real time. If he had shown the moves the way they really went down it would shut some of these haters up. These dancers worked too hard to have there talent be minimized by some none dancin' haters. The movie could have come off real corny but these actors have such skill that there acting made the movie worthwhile. Great job on the casting!

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The story might be predictable...but the stomping is amazing. The big standout in the film is of course Columbus Short as a lead actor. Though he has many dancing and television credits on his resume, this film marks his first turn in a lead film role--and it is the perfect opportunity. Short is an above-average talent who possesses the kind of charm and screen presence that could make him a leading man for his generation. He plays the part of D.J., a teen-age dancer who battles competitively in Los Angeles until tragedy strikes. Eventually, he is sent by his mother to live in Atlanta with his uncle and aunt, who have helped him enroll in the historically Black Truth University. While D.J. takes classes and works at Truth, he is drawn to the culture of stepping at Black fraternities. He soon finds a way to mesh his talents with his new environment, while also pursuing a new love interest, April (Meagan Goode). Against the odds, D.J.--young, talented and arrogant-is drawn into the competition of his life.

After watching this you will come to fine out that some musicians such as Ne-Yo and Chris Brown can be actors too. They both provided some comical relief and some pretty good acting I thought that "Stomp the Yard" was a good movie. Very entertaining, and the dancing was remarkable, but it had a deep inner message to go with it... for young and old alike! There is so much talent in our young African Americans but at times directed in the wrong direction. What was also likable and quite inspiring, is a scene in which the main character visits an honorary hall, filled with various pictures of national African-American figures affiliated with many well-known fraternities. Some of the people shown? Esther Rolle, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, and Martin Luther King, to name a few. This scene really gave me a sense of pride when I saw it, and a respect for the leaders of the past.

Though the electric dance routines give this movie its vibrant energy. It may not be representative of what happens on Black campuses or inside Black fraternities but it offers nuance about the campus stepping culture--new school versus old school, traditional versus styles influenced by hip hop and break dancing. I appreciate "Stomp the Yard" for trying to show a well-known culture in a respected community, but it might not go as deep as you might expect it to be other than that it's a good movie.

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It's a terrible experience when someone close to you passes and it's even rougher when it's your baby brother. After dancing in a battle and winning a hat full of money Dj "Columbus Short", his brother "Chris Brown" and his team beat the wrong team this time. While walking home in a dark alley the other team jumped them to get their money back but bad turns to worst and DJ's brother is shot and killed. DJ is sent to live with his Uncle and aunt in Atlanta and is expected to go to college. When he arrives on campus he sees some things he's never seen before like fraternities and stepping and it's all downhill from there. During this film DJ learns things that boys need to learn to become men especially love and even gets to do what he loves most while he's there. He ends up becoming a major key to one frat in dieing need of something fresh.

The first time I saw the preview for "Stomp the Yard" I automatically thought, "Wow, the stepping version of Drumline" but at the same time I felt it would be pretty good. Though this movie does resemble Drumline the story differs a bit. The first being "Darrin Henson" (Soul Food the series) who is a good actor but a dancer and choreographer first and I would say a better choreographer than actor since he probably makes more money off of it. Of course the others being "Chris Brown" and "Columbus Short", most of the cast are dancers acting unlike "Drumline" where Nick Cannon was an actor who had to learn how to play the drums. Even the two frats remind you of "Drumline" one frat has an old school style and hasn't won in 7 years and the other has a grimey aggressive new shchool that never loses.

Darrin played his character well and though Chris Brown wasn't in there that long he did ok but Columbus Short danced better than he acted and it took a little from the movie. He didn't show the same feeling and emotion in his acting as he did in his dancing. You can see this in the film when he loosens up when he dances and then starts to get really tight when he goes back to acting. There was only one big problem I had with "Stomp the Yard", the first being how the story is told. In the middle of the movie when DJ is pledging to get into a fraternity his pledging is basically skipped and he's in.

The stepping and overall choreography is amazing and gets better towards the end of the film. The acting was cool as well as the story but still the dancing outshines them. The history told in this movie makes me proud and gives the movie that extra something. It would've been really cool though if they shined a little more light on where stepping came from and why it's so important in black colleges today. Overall this is a very good movie that was made very well but I have to say that I think women will enjoy this more than guys, when you see it you'll know what I mean.

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