The Breed / Day of the Dead, The Need to Feed (2011)

Been wanting to get day of the dead on blu ray for awhile now,but didnt want the 3d. One bc of the bad reviews,so when I saw this deal for two movies for the price of one,i jumpd on it.good movies of separate disks.great dts 5.1 sound,and the transfer is pretty good to.highly recommend this blu ray

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A Beautiful Mind (Blu-ray + DVD) (2001)

Russell Crowe and everyone associated with this movie got a standing ovation at the showing I attended. How refreshing it was to see a sensitive, serious drama that not only allows you to leave the theater understanding what happened, but feeling good, actually hopeful, that the hardships life deals you can be overcome with persistence, determination, and the support of family and friends.

This is the true story of John Nash, a Princeton student and brilliant mathematician who is treated for schizophrenia. Crowe is magnificent as he battles his delusions (or are they real?) and has an excellent supporting cast in Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Christopher Plummer, Adam Goldberg and all involved. Bravo to Ron Howard for bringing this most interesting story of the 1994 Nobel Prize winner to the screen.

Dysfunction was never so poignant, empathy so heartfelt as for the beleaguered Nash and his loving wife who made the difficult decision to stand by him through a monumental crisis. Viewers are with the couple every step of the way from their initial meeting and awkward courtship to their often-troubled marriage.

The movie has classic lines such as Nash telling a friend that he is well-balanced because he has a chip on both shoulders. There is much humor to balance the sadness, much hope to combat the seemingly impossible situation.

In the end, it is the theme of battling your demons and overcoming the odds to lead a fulfilling life that makes you leave the theater feeling uplifted as a result of this movie. Definitely, one not to miss.

As I usually try to do, I read the book prior to seeing the movie. The book was much clearer than the movie but I thought the movie was very well done.

The movie is about the Nobel Prize winner in economics, John Nash. It stars Jennifer Connelly and Russell Crowe, John Nash is a Princeton student when he develps Schizophrenia. The movie is very accurate in its portrayal of delusions and hallucinations, though it was sometimes confusing especially the part about whether his roommate really exists.

Both Crowe and Connelly do excellent jobs. The movie goes light on Nash's bi-sexuality, does not go into his having a deadbeat dad, and ignores his relationship with Eleanor Stier. Other than these things, it is pretty true to the book.

Nash does have a beautiful mind. Once he starts losing his mind due to the tragedy of schizophrenia, it is heartwarming to see that he maintains the respect of his Princeton colleagues and students. I applaud this movie for raising peoples' consciousness about schizophrenia.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone who enjoys drama and is interested in mental illness and resilience.

Buy A Beautiful Mind (Blu-ray + DVD) (2001) Now

Russell Crowe plays John Forbes Nash, a brilliant schizophrenic in one of this years best film's. A Beautiful Mind dive's deep within the world of Nash's brain with more twist's than a roller-coaster. After the main secret is revealed, more thing's happen that question's what even you know. It makes the audience feel the lost assuredness of whether what we know is real or fake, and that is one of its many qualities. Ron Howard has always been a stand out with his films. From Apollo 13 to Willow, Ron Howard has developed into a director at the peak of his form.

Though Nash is Socially awkward, he manages to steal the heart of a student who is to become his wife. Played by Jennifer Connelly (yeah, Labyrinth) in a fine and realistic tone, Alisha falls in love with John Nash and hold's him up through his illness.

The Math depicted in A beautiful Mind was actual math, made to resemble the deteriorating illness from its less complicated measures to its chaotic and disoriented forms. Also, the math represent's his relationship's, which was an effort some filmmaker's wouldn't have taken. Leave it to Ron Howard.

In one of the first sequences in the film, there is a 360 degree steady-cam shot of John Nash, decifering codes for the FBI. This shot was done to represent the spinning wheels of Nash's mind. It was also my favorite shot in the movie. It caused an urgency and made an exciting feeling from what could have been just an ordinary scene.

The Math wasn't the only thing created from reality. The Therapy sessions and method's were well researched for authenticity. It was reported when John Nash (now 73) and his wife saw the film with Ron Howard, John couldn't watch these scenes, and his wife had tear's streaming down her face. It was like post trauma for them, and too difficult to see again.

A Beautiful Mind is one of most rewarding movies I've seen in a long time. It is my hope that Hollywood continue's to create project's with as much substance and emotion as A Beautiful Mind. Whether it recieves an Academy Award or not, it doesn't take a society of appointed panelist's, nor a gold-sealed manilla envelope to determine my vote. This will be on my shelf of favorites as soon as it becomes available. ~SAOS~

Read Best Reviews of A Beautiful Mind (Blu-ray + DVD) (2001) Here

I didn't want to watch this movie. The trailers were boring. The write-up on the DVD package lackluster and dull. When my roommate bought a copy I did everything I could to avoid watching. And for several weeks I did just that. Then came the night that I ran out of excuses. I had nothing else to do, and no other movies that I hadn't seen, so A Beautiful Mind when into the machine. And after ten minutes I was hooked. Russell Crowe really lets his acting abilities shine in this film, and Ron Howard's direction is perfect. I sat through the entire film mesmerized, and tears came to my eyes as John Nash fought back from a schizophrenia that would have incapacitated most anyone else. What a triumph! What a hero! What a role model to anyone who feels overwhelmed by their physical or mental limitations! I walked away from the movie knowing that if John Nash could find success despite an illness of that magnitude, I could overcome anything that life throws at me. There are few movies that stay with you the rest of your life, but this is one that I know I will remember forever.

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A Beautiful Mind is one of those rare movies that grace the silver screen once in a lifetime and touch our hearts and our minds in ways that other films which have attempted to replicate with similar material, have yet to achieve. For years movie goers have witnessed the world of mental illness and its horrors from an outside perspective, much like visitors to a zoo, observing life in captivity from the other side of the cage. With faithful attention to detail and a respectful compassion for a world not yet understood in its unending complexities director Ron Howard draws the audience into a world of mystery, deception and intrigue, far removing us from our comfort zones. Then, as suddenly as it all began, the rug is ripped out from under our feet, forcing us to accept the fact that a world into which we have been drawn is not always a world that others can see.

This is the basic technique of filmmaking which Ron Howard skillfully exploits throughout the film to powerfully illustrate the emotional and psychological impact of John F. Nash's schizophrenia, a mental illness that is often characterized by disturbing delusions, hallucinations and bizarre thought patterns. As one who has suffered from mental illness for nearly thirty years I personally recommend this film not merely for its intellectual and artistic delivery of the subject matter but primarily for its overall sensitivity to an issue that has remained a subject of personal controversy in many circles of conversation, even in a century revolutionized by constant scientific discoveries and the evolutionary restructuring of psychiatric treatment.

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Freedom Writers (2007)

**A few spoilers in this review**

Amazon's has it all right in their comments on this underrated, wonderfully acted, and fair treatment of our current education system that all too often gives up on what it considers the "undesirables" present in every school, the teachers who think that they know it all (both villain and heroine in this film), and the kids who believe that they have no reason to even try to prove others wrong.

The dialogue is blisteringly realistic, sensitive, insightful, and painfully honest most of the time. In many ways there are no real villains in this film although there are two specific teachers who attempt to give Swank's character difficulty either because she is attempting to succeed where others have failed, or because she thinks she is better than others or has the key to her students' success if others would just get out of her way. It's easy to see the veteran teachers' resentment for Swank as Gruwell. She is brash, naive, overconfident, obsessive, and appears to want to outshine her colleagues although that really isn't her intent, but one can see how a veteran teacher would see her as a threat to their status which they feel, and rightly so to some degree, have earned. Simply because these older veteran teachers may not be as "on fire" as Gruwell, who is new to the profession, doesn't mean they aren't still dedicated. In their defense, Gruwell really does just dismiss their experience, expertise, and dedication to the education profession because they have become a bit more jaded by their life experiences in this profession. She does come off rather self-righteous at the wrong times such as when she's actually seeking help. Talk about ironic.

As a 17 year veteran teacher myself I understand those veteran teachers in the film, but I also recall being Gruwell's age with all its enthusiasm, shakey confidence, and out to prove something mentality. I have greatly learned to appreciate and love the new teachers that come into my school because they have the opportunity to succeed where I may have failed and the students will benefit from that, but it does have its pains too. I know that that glorious time is somewhat behind me now and passing the torch is hard. It's also hard to see one's own light diminishing while another is being lit. I think younger teachers need to be sensitive to that and Swank's character, Gruwell, is rather harsh and judgmental to those that don't "get" her style. In fact, she is so harsh that her single-minded focus doesn't let her feel others' emotional pain that her success is causing. She appears to only be focused on her mission and her kids and while that can be praiseworthy, it can be narrow-minded and heartless too. Sadly, her obsessive nature causes her marriage to collapse. She NEVER sees that coming and that is all the more sad as it shows how clueless she is regarding her own actions while so easily condeming others. In the end, neither Gruwell or her husband really comes off as the "bad guy" at the end of that relationship although people are bound to take sides. I think he's pretty shallow and weak for not standing up for himself or his marriage more until it hits a point of no return. There is plenty of fault to go around.

This is compelling film making and my wife and I talked for hours after viewing this film as she recalls my early days in education and how I am now after years of battling and bowing to belligerent parents who never believe their kid could do any wrong, abusive and manipulative students who know the system is mostly on their side now, condescending administrators who believe they have the answers when they are no longer even in the classroom environment, and demonizing politicians who always see us as the reason for all the ills in society. To add insult to injury after many years of dedication, new young teachers often come in displaying little respect to veterans as they see others not giving us respect. It's sad that they so often don't see their futures in us.

I praise new young teachers like Gruwell and world experienced but new teachers like Jamie Escalante (Stand and Deliver) and all such teachers who battle the odds to make a difference in the lives of their students. If anyone gets anything out of this film, I would hope it's a sense that all deserve respect. Films in this genre all too typically demonize the veteran teachers as has-beens who have just given up, praise the young upstart regardless of their flawed attitude at times, and put students on the same playing field as adults which they are not. This film breaks this genre's stereotypes quite a bit. I felt sincerely sorry for the disenchanted and disrespected veterans even though they were combative and jealous. I felt great respect and empathy for the young new teacher, Gruwell, for trying to make a positive change, but upset with her condescending and self-absorbed, callous attitude at times toward her colleagues and husband. I, lastly, felt great compassion for the students portrayed in this film who all too often society feels are "throwaways."

This is the kind of film that lingers in your mind long after the viewing of it is over. This film is worth renting if not owning. Enjoy.

I don't know about anyone else, but I went through a lot of tissues in this movie. Not because it's sad (although there are a few sad parts here and there), but because it's so moving and heart warming. It took me too long to get around to watching this and I'm sorry for that, but now that I've seen it, it's definately a new favourite of mine and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's based on fact and what a teacher, Erin Gruwell, does to turn around a class of kids who seem helpless. It's far better than Higher Learning or Dangerous Minds. It's got a fantastic cast in it and they all did such a great job. Hillary's character starts out a little niave because she thinks from the start that it's going to be a piece of cake to teach this class English. However, soon after they arrive at the first lesson, she sees it's going to be an uphill battle. A little on in the movie, after she sees a drawing someone drew of a black student, she begins to get them thinking about how these actions can take their toll, by refering to the way Jews were drawn in newspaper cartoons back in the beginning of the Nazi uprise. These kids have never heard of the Holocaust and she overtime, helps them see what Jews faced when the Nazi's took over Germany and other parts of Europe (she takes them to the Simon Weisenthal Museum of Tolorance) and she plays games with them where they divide into two sides of the room and come to the center of the room for each thing they have in common (such as whether they've lost someone they love in gang violence, or whether they have the same music taste). Soon they see that it doesn't matter if they are Black, White, Hispanic or Cambodian they are all so similar in so many ways and they shouldn't let race divide them.

You HAVE to see this brilliant movie. It's so uplifting and moving, that you'll no doubt love it as much as I did. It's such a powerful movie and ALL school kids across the world should be made to watch this in classes at school. I love it.

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We loved this movie, it is a very inspiring story of a young teacher with difficult teenagers, it is very well acted and directed, and by the time it ends we are feeling moved, uplifted and with faith in the future of our children!

Read Best Reviews of Freedom Writers (2007) Here

Hillary Swank plays the part of Erin Gruwell, a new teacher starting out in Long Beach, California teaching a freshman class of students that have suffered many difficulties in life so far. Each of them in the class has already been subjected to violence in school and in their communities and they also confront peer segregation in the form of cliques or `tribes' as described by one student.

Erin Gruwell, new to teaching and on unfamiliar ground, starts out by absorbing the abuse given by her students and eventually finds ways to break down the racial tension and communicate with them. She is able to accomplish this even with the school principal and department head of English are not supporting her methods or acknowledging her successes. On her own, Erin Gruwell works two extra part-time jobs to help pay for school books and other materials that she cannot get from her own administration. So much of her time is spent on bettering her students that even her marriage begins to deteriorate.

Beginning a new class project where everyone is to keep a journal and make daily entries, Erin Gruwell eventually reads the journals, with the approval of her students, and begins to connect with them even more in that she now understands the pain in their lives and hardships they have faced. This also drives her to become even more influential in their education and give them hope and inspiration in becoming what they never thought they could. The students in her class, some being the first in their families to ever graduate high school and then go to college, do just that. They eventually call themselves Freedom Writers and they also put their journal entries together to create the `Freedom Writers Diary' which was published in 1999.

I can remember 2 distinct movies before this that employed similar kinds of themes and they were `To Sir With Love' and `Dangerous Minds'. The formula certainly worked back then and it works this time too, maybe even more so. There is no mistaking that this is a very well made film and it is well acted. The story is inspirational, uplifting and definitely worth watching.

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I read a few reviews of this movie, and I realized something that I thought was pretty well presented in this film: not everyone's reality is the same as mine...you might not see the same movie I saw. First, this is based on a true story. A teacher inspires a class to believe in themselves and change the attitude of a hopeless community. I don't think there is a situation in the film where people feel sorry for each other, they learn to understand and accept each other. Which is probably the worst thing that could happen to the human race as a whole (that's sarcasm). Ummm...this wasn't merely another film from a specific genre, it's based on a true story and dedicated to one of the students from the actual class who was killed in a gang-related crime. Ultimately, the movie is about doing the right thing, and how the people in charge often hide behind a system to prevent change. Now go read all the redneck 1-star reviews, and count how many admit they didn't watch the whole film.

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Life is Beautiful (1998)

Put the children to bed, unplug the phone, get out the tissues and refuse to watch this movie with anybody who likes to talk during a movie. You will be blown away.

Holocaust and comedy. Two words never spoken in the same breath before "Life is Beautiful." To smiply label this movie as such, would do it injustice. Every emotion comes into play during the viewing. You soon begin to empathize with Roberto Benigni as he portrays a father trying to keep the harsh realities of a German concentration camp from his young son. Benigni protects his son with two weapons that the German's could not seize: Humor and Imagination.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and yes I cried. But I also laughed and smiled.

I recommend the Sub-title version of the movie. After five minutes the reading becomes natural and the depth to which you become involved with the movie is well worth it.

I so enjoyed the music in this movie, that I purchased "Tales of Hoffman" by Offenbach. The second playing of this piece in the movie will not allow you to maintain dry eyes.

Okay, a few folks have said they did not like this film. Fair enough, I didn't like Good Will Hunting.

But let's take a look here. If you know what this film is all about, then the first half of it will astound you. I mean, egg on faces? It comes startingly close to Benny Hill for 'want of a laugh track'.

Ahh, but the warmth grows on you, and then...

The second half.

Few scenes are as emotional as when Guido has to reassure his son that the Jews 'aren't going to be made into soap.' The film takes a turn for the harshness and doesn't let up.

Schindler's List was a phenomenal film, showing the utter horror of the holocaust, but it missed one thing: the notion of hope. No one in Spielberg's masterpiece continually believes that 'life is beautiful'. All we see is the horror, the downfall, the pain. And while that makes for a fantastic dramatic punch, it negates any humor or spirit the prisoners may have had to blanket themselves from the harshness, and this humor surely existed.

Guido knows very soon that he is going to die. But, the love for his son outweighs the need to DISPLAY hopelessness. If nothing else, he must protect his son. So he convinces him it's all a game. Simple, buffoonish...

and damn identifiable. Who here can honestly say they wouldn't do anything they could to protect their sons/daughters from knowing the biggest evil on Earth? Guido manages to keep his son involved in 'the game' while he himself knows it will most likely end according to an evil thought.

The end scene, where Guido realizes he is going to be killed, and yet does a goofy march to make his son laugh, is one of the most powerful sights to ever be associated with the trauma the Nazi's inflicted on the world.

If you didn't like this film, fine. But don't say it mocked the Holocaust. If anything, it's a tribute to the flame of life that wouldn't be blown out.

Laughter seeps into any tradegy, if the love for life is there. Anne Frank said something to the effect that 'in spite of all this, I still feel people are good in heart'. She had hope.

She knew life was beautiful.

-CS

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(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)When Roberto Benigni burst onto the Hollywood scene with this acclaimed film and his over-the-top enthusiasm, I couldn't bring myself to watch this film. Instead, I waited for the DVD. However, what I perceived as hype was truly deserved. "Life is Beautiful" is a wonderfully inventive tale that seems fresh even today, years after its first release. Part slapstick, part drama, part romantic comedy, part tragedy this story of an Italian family during the Holocaust defies categorization.

The films opens with Guido (Benigni) and his friend arriving in town on a car with no brakes and being mistaken for facist officials expected for a parade. This slapstick scene ends with Guido catching the future love of his life, Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), as she jumps from a barn window. The clownish Guido sets out to win her heart despite the odds against him. These early scenes set the stage for the rest of the movie: Guido will rely on invention, humor, and persistence to protect his loved ones despite the obstacles he faces. What begins as slapstick becomes heartbreaking later. Like all stories of the Holocaust, this film has its grim side, but Benigni relies heavily on exaggerated humor, running gags, and an early circus-like atmosphere to set up the emotional power of the time's reality. Most of the atrocities are implied, not witnessed, and the viewer's own knowledge of the time period creates an additional layer of tension.

Roberto Benigni is superb as Guido; his antics are hilarious, but during more dire moments, emotions flash across his face, revealing both the depth of his character and the reality of his position. Nicoletta Braschi is also good, and little Giorgio Cantinini as Guido?s son Joshua is adorably spunky, especially as he questions his father's stories.

I always advocate watching foreign films in the original language, with subtitles, but I understand that some viewers may not like "reading" a movie. In this case, however, the dubbed version was distracting, as Benigni provides the English track for his own character while American voices dub the rest of the cast. His Italian accent amid the American accents completely broke the illusion for me. Still, if a dubbed version is the only way you'll watch this movie, please do it.

I highly recommend "Life is Beautiful." Its offbeat approach remains unparalleled in the canon of Holocaust movies. Because of the absence of explicit violence and sex, viewers as young as thirteen should admire this extraordinary film.

Read Best Reviews of Life is Beautiful (1998) Here

First, my impression of the film-I don't think I laughed and cried so much in a long time. Buy it, own it and share it with others!

Now my input on the DVD experience. The disc contains a dubbed version of the film in English. We tried watching this version first, but found the dialogue and story were actually harder to follow than the subtitles! When we started the film over again with the English subtitles "on" we discoved we were missing Roberto's energy and punctuation. Even if you don't understand a word of Italian you need to hear the impact in the actor's voices to appreciate what is being said. Still, if you can't deal with the subtitles you have a choice. Incidently, the sections of the film which feature German dialogue are not dubbed so we still have the same experience as our characters do.

The bonus materials area on the disc features several TV spots (commercials) for the film. No real bonanza here, but there is a brief documentary, "Making Life Beautiful". It features footage from various programs where the film has won awards, etc. It also contains a mini-filmography of other Benigni films and interviews with his various costars. The documentary tone is very promotion oriented spending most of its time patting Benigni and company on the back-deservedly so.

Picture clarity is excellent (what you would expect from a new film) and sound very good as well.

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("THE")This movie is absolutely all it's cracked up to be. Hysterically funny and simultaneously a tear jerker -it's ultimately very uplifting. The cinematography is also fantastic -amazing use of color.

The DVD has dubbed english as an option, but I strongly recommend going with the subtitles instead so you can hear Benigni's amazing acting and passion.

Too bad the DVD doesn't include any deleted scenes. With Benigni, I think it would be particularly fun to see out-takes.



Absolutely a great movie!

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Original Sin (2001)

Though "Original Sin" received coldest reviews from critics, I enjoyed watching it, and really love that film. We got gorgeous Angelina Jolie and sexy Antonio Banderas, and what do we expect more? Yes, the story is ridiculous, I admit, but the classic noir "Double Indenmity" has also a very far-fetched story that would easily match that of this film. Some point out that there already has been a French version of the story in "Mississipi Mermaid" directed by Truffaut, claiming "Original Sin" is just another Hollywood-made trash remake, but Truffaut's one is not among his best works in spite of two French icons Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Belmondo.

Simply put, "Original Sin" is about love. Lots of love. The film is set in the 19th century, Cuba. Antonio made success with coffee trade, and receives a mail-ordered bride, Angelina. They soon marry, and love each other, but she suddenly disappears with all his money. Enraged Antonio traces her to Havana, where he finds out Angelina, now with a different beau. Instead of killing her, he loves her again. No, he makes love much, much, again. But she has a secret, for which she suffers.... Nothing should be said about the latter half of the film (which completely differs from Truffaut's rather somber version) except that the ever winding story goes like Mulholland Drive.

The suspense element is too thin and the whole storyline is too incredible to take seriously, but the film somehow succeeds on one level, that is, descriptions of illogically passionate love between two leads, whose emotions flare up with enough chemistry to convince that they (actors) really mean it. Antonio, first trying to take back money, soon decides to give everything; Angelina, first trying to deceive him, soon gives up herself. I don't know how American audiences reacted to this illogical behaviors -some have said it's stupid, yes, I understand -but I, a Japanese, somehow find myself drawn deeply into their emotional relations. After all, love is what makes people ridiculous, isn't it? If so, they are very credible, I believe.

Everyone would agree that the production design is fine, and costume (of Angelina Jolie, especially) is delightful to look at. (It was actually shot in Mexico; imagine wearing a suit there.) Good photography makes up for perhaps unnecessary plot twist at the end. Campy, you might say. But as a "Woman of Fate" Angelina Jolie is perfect, and I am not the only one who would give everything to her -and you too, Billy Bob?

I loved this picture! In Germany it opened a week after "Tomb Raider" (so Angelina Jolie was one of the reasons I went to see it), and because it was praised as a love story, I took my girlfriend and she also loved it! Jolie (more beautiful than ever in those costumes), Banderas and Thomas Jane ("Thursday") did a good job in their roles, but mostly the erotic and morbid atmosphere of Havanna during carneval was what made the movie so pleasent to watch. The story-twists were good, it was exelently shot only the ending was a bit of a disapointment, simply because the director chose to lighten up the dark theme of the movie with a happy ending, which doesn't really fit into the flow. To sum it all up: This is not popcorn-cinema! It's a dark love story with great atmosphere! I fully recomend it, although it isn't a movie for all audiences...

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This film should be up there on your need to watch list. It's a brilliantly casted and wonderfully scripted story of blind love. When Luis (Bandaras) meets his mail-order-bride Julia (Jolie) he is stunned at her beauty. She is nothing like he expected, yet he marries her immediatly. Luis is the perfect gentleman, and that makes Julia's next move even harder. Once she has gained Luis' trust she leaves him, taking him for every cent. Luis then, with the help of a P.I., decides he will find her, and kill her. The problem is that he still loves her. But does she love him? This film shows the dark side of love, the side that allows you to love someone you don't even know, but can feel, someone you connect with, someone that makes you whole. Jolie and Bandaras are spot on (especially with their clothes off...HOT HOT HOT) and they work wonders with this script. I have watched this film over and over and still can't get enough of it. The unrated version of this film offers a steamier and much more explicet love scene with movement and lots of nudity (no full frontal Bandaras shots though, you'll have to settle for quite a few butt shots) and it includes a few other sex scenes, less explicet, that were cut from the movie entirly. Either way you'll be pleasently pleased. The unrated version doesn't add anything new to the plot and or the flow of the film so pursue only if you're in dire need for a near-porn-like nude scene...otherwise, the theatrical version is just fine (and you still see quite a bit of nudity)...Great acting, great story, great bodies...what can I say but Great movie!

Read Best Reviews of Original Sin (2001) Here

Please don't buy this film if you are a super film critic and wish to tear apart the weaker aspects of Original Sin. Buy this film if you love love and are fans of Antonio Bandaras and Angelina Jolie. It was quite a strech for these two blockbuster actors to do such intimatly nude scenes together, I have never seen either do nudity. They were beautiful together and sizzled the screen with their bedroom and tub love making. It was definatly an afternoon turn on to see these two great actors make love in such a realistic fashion it made me blush. Thomas Jane added more to the film with his bad boy good looks, these three actors were made to take their clothes off, they all had such awesome bodies, it was art on the screen. The plot was set in Havana, and shot in Mexico and you could really get a feel for the Spanish influence Antonio wore elegant panama suits and the wedding scene all the people wore beautiful panama draped white suits it really made you feel you were in Cuba, the shots of the cuban country side were rich with sensual colors and mexican people and planations were beautiful. The plot had many interesting twists to keep you intrigued. When I saw this movie I was extrmemly surprise that it didn't get a better box office review, but I am the kind of person that doesn't always like what everybody else does and this is one film I really loved.

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...I have seen this movie soooooooo many times. I havent got around to buying it yet but i do have it in Divx on my computer. I love it!

Wow, I can't believe how many bad reviews this film got all over the internet. I thought it was an absolutly beautiful, beautiful love story. Angelina is wonderful...

Angelina looked stunning. The costumes were oh so perfect. The dresses were beautiful. Antonio was looking mighty fine too.

The sex scenes were romantic, set oh so perfectly with the wonderful score that I adore, it's so beautiful (my favorite is the lovely, but short opening.)

I recommend this movie for any Angelina Jolie fan. She plays quite a different role in this movie compared to Tomb Raider (which was semi-okay, Angelina was the only true good part about it...SHOWER SCENE!) This is one of my favorite movies of all time, as are most the movies she was in like GIA, Mojave Moon, ect.

-Aya

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Splinter (2008)

Admittedly, my expectations when it comes to modern independent horror are pretty limited. For the most part, films go for cheese and splatter with loads of lame humor. I called these films lazy in a recent review, as they trade genuine suspense for a quick chuckle every time. Making an intentionally bad movie must be much easier than attempting something that genuinely draws the audience in. So when I checked out Toby Wilkins' "Splinter" on a lark, I was pleasantly surprised. "Splinter" is a taut, fast-paced and nasty little thriller that works as solid entertainment.

A jolty, kinetic little creature feature--the tone and pacing of "Splinter" recalls other (perhaps more sophisticated films) with its quick and jagged editing, but it works well here. The creature in question is a spiky parasite that kills its prey and then uses the bodies to maneuver around in a grisly spectacle of attack. It's an interesting and unsettling visual to see the carcasses bent, broken, altered, and taken over. The violence and settings are played for "real," with characters you come to know and respect. That, to me, was the real selling point of "Splinter." It set up character types at the beginning, but through nice performances and an attention to dialogue in the script--these individuals break through as real protagonists that you want to see succeed.

This genuine respect for the characters (and thankfully, they're not just idiots) is what brings the suspense to life. The film is short, brutal, sometimes unexpected and it works brilliantly on its own terms. In a world where independent horror can be painful--I felt that this little film was a nice diversion. I may not remember the film several months down the line, but I enjoyed the nasty ride now. With reasonable expectations, "Splinter" just might surprise you too. KGHarris, 11/08.

I was able to check this out as a sneak peak in my own home tonight and I will say 'Splinter' is a pretty solid interesting horror film! The film is a cross breed with touches of The Thing(remake), The Blob and 28 days! Gorehounds will like this film as it pulls no punches when it comes to graphic deaths and dismemberment, but the story will keep old fashioned horror fans interested too!

The film is short and fast paced, but the characters are fairly believable and you care about them....so important to any horror film! The film begins with an attack on a gas station attendant by an unknown "critter" with a lot of spikes(or "Splinters"..if you will)sticking out of it. I don't usually like to tell a whole lot about a film and prefer to let the viewer see things unfold on their own. The best part of the movie is finding out what these critters are or who?! I don't know if you want to spend your money seeing this in the theater as it is only around an hour and 15 minutes long, but I know I will be looking to buy this film when it becomes available on DVD.....when the price in right! ;-b

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I seldom expect much from an indie horror movie so I'm not usually disappointed when it turns out to be so bad it's bad. "Splinter" is one of those very rare exceptions: a good story and even better script, good direction, and excellent acting by people I had never heard of. Shea Wigham is the real standout, as the escaped con with some real humanity and courage. You will actually care about these characters, and what this parasite does to its victims is genuinely horrifying. Too bad it's so short, but until the DVD comes out, I'm settling for watching it on the Sci-Fi Channel every time it runs.

Read Best Reviews of Splinter (2008) Here

I have to say I was surprised at how entertained I was by "Splinter". I was expecting a goofy CGI creature fest, but actually found "Splinter" to be a cut above the usual B-Movie found in the Blockbuster bargain bin.

The basic storyline is that a vacationing couple is taken hostage by a man and woman on the run. Unfortunately, they decide to stop off and get gas where a murderous "thing" has taken up residence.

What really drives "Splinter" are the characters, particularly Jill Wagner's performance as the female hostage Polly. Her character is strong and likable in a way not usually found in this type of film. Instead of over-the-top, she has a realistic toughness that you can't help but cheer for. Shea Whigham's con-on-the-run Dennis Farell is another great character. As the story plays out, you actually see both characters evolve and grow without being forced or played out in a cartoonish manner.

"Splinter" also features some great special effects. The CGI is present, but it's not overwhelming, and the basic effects are still old school latex and red goop, which is a nice change of pace in this day and age.

If you are looking for something a little different, but still want the chills and thrills associated with a good B-Movie creature feature, then give "Splinter" a shot.

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This movie deserves any praise it gets and certainly deserves more recognition than it has received. The characters are well developed and you find yourself actually giving a damn about them which is a rare thing for movies these days let alone horror movies which are usually just blood and guts torture porn with little plot other than the blood splattering the camera lens. The monster was very well done especially considering the budget this movie had to work with which just goes to show that sometimes a little creativity and imagination can meet and even surpass those films with much higher budgets to work with. Also, when it comes to the victims of the monster in this movie the effects were bone chilling.. or actually.. bone snapping and brutal and again surpassed expectations considering the budget. This film is a must have for any fan of horror as so much of it was just done right.

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Moulin Rouge! (2001)

I must admit that when I first went to see Mouln Rouge in the theaters, I was most reluctant. It looked cheesy to me, but I kept hearing good things about it. So finally I went, and was blown away. This movie, from a writing aspect, breaks no new ground, but visually,it is astonishing. The beautiful thing about film is that the same story can be told over and over in different styles. And Baz Luhrman's style is most definitely unique. The movie pulls you in from it's opening moments, and rarely lets go. I did find the movie slightly over-indulgent at times, as though Baz was throwing certain visual effects in for the sake of throwing them in. But the acting all around is incredible, and the music is absolutely genius. Many may have a problem with what could be describe as a 2 hour music video, but I loved it. It is definitely geared towards the MTV generation, but I think it can be enjoyed by all. All in all, it is the best movie I have seen in a long time.

I went into the cinema expecting to be amazed with the costumes and scenery, in awe of the singing, and enthralled in the story. Basically I went into Moulin Rouge with unreachable expectations.

I wasn't disappointed!

The movie was unlike anything I've ever seen. The camera angles, and difficult shots are at times dizzying and overwhelming, but in the fantasy world that Baz Lurhmann has created it all works. The music is beautiful and inspiring and funny all at the same time.

Nicole doesn't have the most powerful or experienced voice, but it only adds to the poignancy of her character. I found that she fit the part far better than I expected. Her rendition of "One Day I'll Fly Away" was especially nice.

As for Ewan, he can *really* sing! His voice was clear and powerful, and the Elephant love melody duet was probably one of my favourite sequences. That last scene (*sniffs)...Wow.

I laughed (never I thought I'd enjoy Madonna's "Like a Virgin" quite so much!) and I cried, and I left the theatre shaking. I haven't felt that way since...I've never felt that way. I sincerly hope this film does well, because it is so unique and beautiful and touching.

I heartily recommend Moulin Rouge to everyone. It's truly a movie lover's movie. It's a movie, and you never once forget it. It's flashy and loud and fake. But the fact that it just doesn't make sense is what makes it make sense. It's a movie and it's art at the same time.

Stop reading already, and go see Moulin Rouge!

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."

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I really don't like writing reviews, but for this blu-ray I just HAVE to.

As a HUGE Moulin Rouge! fan (I've seen it 54 times... yes, I'm a crazy person, hehe) I can tell you that this blu-ray transfer is beyond perfect.

When I bought it I knew it was gonna look great. I mean, this movie was made for blu-ray. But boy! did I underestimated its power?

The image is crystal clear and the colors pop like nothing you've ever seen. All the blues are bright royal blue. The reds look extra passionate. And the blacks are extraordinarily deep. The amount of grain is just perfect. And the image is so sharp you can see everything from the smallest scratch on the floor, to the tiniest crack on the walls, to the pores on the actors skins and even the small veins in Kidman's eyes.

The sound is rich and absolutely delicious. You can hear every.single.whisper in the background. And the music sounds even better.

The extras are the same as those in the DVD Collector's Edition, so they're great and a lot.

And well, I won't even begin to describe the movie itself cause you could get 50 pages or more of me describing how amazing and perfect it is. So I'll just stick to the quality of the transfer and disc.

I have enjoyed a large variety of blu-rays which looked absolutely stunning (Kung Fu Panda, Wall-E, Ratatouille, Pirates of The Caribbean, etc.), but I've never seen anything like this.

I have a 46-inch TV so the quality of the image sometimes suffers a tiny bit because of the size, but with this blu-ray I didn't perceive the tiniest flaw.

So, if you really wanna completely enjoy the full capacities of your Full HD TV, this is the disc to buy.

I'm still in awe of how perfect everything looked and sound.

A must-have for any Moulin Rouge! fan, any movie fan, and any HD fan.

Read Best Reviews of Moulin Rouge! (2001) Here

Boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl.

That's basically the plotline of "Moulin Rouge" in a nutshell, but the way Baz Luhrmann interprets this story on screen has to be seen to be believed.

Lots of lavish color, movement, sights and sounds explode on the screen like a Toulouse Lautrec painting on acid.

Baz has captured all the excitement and decadence of 1800s Paris, given it a modern twist and reinvented the classic movie musicals of days gone by. And the result? A truly unique cinematic experience that will be talked about for years to come!

The first frenetic 30 minutes will have you clutching your seat and gasping for breath. It's like a white-knuckle ride at your favorite theme park it's almost too much to take. But what a ride!

"Moulin Rouge" is a movie to be viewed more than once....if only to take in what you missed the first time.

You'll either love or loathe it. But if you choose the latter, quickly take your pulse and check that you're still in the land of the living!

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This is one of those films people either love or hate--so how to tell which group you fit in before you rent or buy Moulin Rouge? Well, this is THEATER, 100% all the time, as one of my colleagues astutely remarked. So, don't expect a costume drama, a realistic, gritty look at life in Montmartre during L'Age D'Or in pre-WWI Paris. No, indeed.

However, if you like over-the-top musicals, music videos and outrageous theater, you may adore Moulin Rouge. My French friends certainly all loved it--"brilliante, merveilleuse" they cooed after it was shown at a Strasbourg film fest last year.

There is, in addition to a lot of computer generated hijinks and music video lightning-fast editing, some wonderful song moments such as burly Jim Broadbent singing "Like a Virgin" (yes, Madonna's anthem.) The finale number is something out of Vegas crossed with an Indian movie spectacular. It's all too much sometimes so you just have sit back and enjoy the ride.

Nicole Kidman is on-screen nearly the entire time and does a fabulous job as Satine, the "Sparkling Diamond." A courtesan (high priced long-term call girl, or kept mistress in modern terms) falls for a penniless writer. Meanwhile, she's being auctioned off to a clueless (or nearly clueless) Duke who is to finance the failing Moulin nightclub. Ewan MacGregor shines as the penniless, lovestruck writer and the rest of the cast is also excellent.

If you loved the film, the DVD is worth having for the music, which is really marvelous. Enjoy.

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Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011)

Long, long, long time Gundam fan here, . I have the honor of being born the same year (actually one week before) the first Gundam series premiered in Japan. I have been a huge fan since I was a wee tyke. I was very impressed with Gundam Seed and Gundam 00 (we won't mention Gundam Seed Destiny which was pretty much a nearly exact repeat of Seed, just with a few new faces). I actually hesitate to give this three stars, because I think that is too high of a rating. But being that it still holds true to the Gundam roots, I'll keep it at 3.

To give a little back story to the production; Seiji Mizushima, the regular director of Gundam 00 and Fullmetal Alchemist was brought in to write and direct this film. Sunrise gave him license to do what he thought best as long as he kept true to the anti-war message of the series and used the characters that were still around at the end of the series. Perhaps Sunrise forgot that Bones let him have free reign for a Fullmetal Alchemist film and we were given the awfulness that was Conqueror of Shamballa.

In this film, a ship from Jupiter is headed towards a crash landing on Earth. The new Earth Federation forces destroy it, but fragments crash to Earth and begin taking over machines, trying to kill anyone who has Quantum brain waves. Ala Maximum Overdrive (terrible 80s flick with killer machines led by Optimus Prime I mean a big, killer 18 wheeler). Then we see a zombie version of an early Innovator (who looks like Ribbons). Then we find out that the fragments actually contained alien life forms from Jupiter. They get pissed and amass a fleet to conquer Earth. First wave is stopped and so a second, meaner fleet comes from Jupiter towards Earth. Since they are seemingly brainless, all they do is kill. But wait, they're misunderstood and all we need is Setsuna to talk with them, then all will be well.

The problem is that this film never really becomes cohesive. One of the brilliant aspects of ANY and EVERY Gundam series is that it comes together nicely in the end. Everything ends up weaving together. The characters end up pivotal to the story. The viewer roots for them. In this film we never really get that feeling of 'everything coming together'. I'll elaborate in a second.

The second main issue, which stems from the first issue is the lack of a central villain. Gundam has ALWAYS featured insanely maniacal and really interesting villains. From Char to Rau Le Creuset (whose family was in the pots and pans business Le Creuset! but j/k). In this series I actually thought Shaman might end up as the 'villain' but alas... instead we have the Borg like metal lifeforms which seem to act as a hive mind and don't really communicate. At least not to the extent to where the viewer gets treated to insane monologues like Rau or Ribbons give as they try to eradicate all life. The lack of entertaining villains is a huge minus for me.

The other issue with the 'villain' from this film is that when your favorite supporting characters start dying, you think "well crap, they outlasted the Innovators and survived against insane villains such as Ali-Al-Saachez but they got owned by unexciting little metal cones". And what's even a greater transgression is when some of these characters show up then get killed right away. It really does lessen the impact of the death of a character you knew for several dozen episodes of the main season. In fact, we hear that over 70% of the fleet is taken out by the midway of the battle. And against little metal aliens. The most interesting part is when the aliens actually start forming Gundam shaped entities to better combat the Federation.

But most of the battles consist of hundreds of CG cones following a Gundam in a row, looking a lot like the line of seagulls from Finding Nemo chasing a fish. When there are multiple mobile suits on screen and hundreds of these aliens, the battles form a mish mash of lasers, streams of aliens, and explosions. I would have preferred the battles to run more like the amazing Zaft vs Earth Forces battles in SEED (like the one where Flay's dad gets it) or the battles between Celestial Being and the A-Laws in 00. Even the finale battle in 00 was watchable, despite the high number of objects.

I won't spoil what happens, but the ending is kind of disappointing, though if you roll through the credits you get the anti-war message. Which is actually printed on screen. Something like "Peace cannot be maintained through force, but only by understanding". I loved the message, I just wish that I had enjoyed getting there a bit more.

The mobile suit designs are hit and miss. Celestial Being's suits are rather lackluster. The idea of the 'rifle bits' for Lockon's new suit was good, but the weird floating wing was odd. Hallelujah's Gundam was interesting with the double cockpit, but it was a boxy version of Kyrios and Arios. Setsuna gets 00 for most of the series, and his new suit looks like a copy of Exia with a small backpack. It seems the more creative suits are being designed for Gundam AGE (though not character design apparently zing!).

The intro song is amazing. I would expect nothing less from UVERworld. Then ending song is... eh. It seems the singer rushes the song to cram in too many syllables. But there is a pretty good insert song near the end of the series. I did enjoy that.

Now it seems I am bashing the film, but I'm not completely. It is still an entertaining film, albeit it deviates from the 'style' of Gundam. It does remind me quite a bit of what the director did with the Fullmetal film, just going off on a weird tangent. Perhaps a plot with dissidents planning to overthrow the Federation government and acquiring a new Gundam (piloted by an evil and maniacal Innovator) would have been interesting. Hell, they could have cloned an evil Aeolia Schenberg and put him in a new Gundam and I would have been more impressed. It was just hard to watch my favorite characters battling a lackluster enemy.

I do also understand that the message was about gaining 'understanding' with beings completely different than humans. But by the end of the film I didn't care anymore. The 'villains' were so lackluster that as a viewer I just wanted them all dead. I didn't want understanding.

Oh, by the way, for the 'misunderstood life form' style anime, Eureka Seven pulls it off PERFECTLY.

All in all a decent Gundam flick with plenty of action but very little plot. As a sequel to Gundam 00 it fails on many levels. It seemed to drag down the high we all had when Celestial Being destroyed Ribbons and the false Innovators. Perhaps this director should stick to directing series and stay out of the feature length animated film segment. I feel that might be best. But if you liked Gundam 00, you might want to watch it. If you would hate to see a few good characters get killed in silly battles then you might not want to watch it.

----

Update: I just read Ender's Game, and this movie seems to have borrowed liberally from that novel. Just sayin!

This movie wraps up the Gundam 00 anime. If you haven't seen the series, you'll be in the dark with some of the details and a handful of characters who don't get much more than their names mentioned, and some who don't get even that, but you'll get the basics explained to you near the beginning in some flashbacks, off hand comments, and a brief clip from a historical drama-type movie,"Celestial Being". If you have seen the series, you might get annoyed at the overly simplified explanation of events leading up to the movie, but you'll most likely see your favorite characters at least once and probably get a laugh from "Celestial Being".

Musically, it has one of the best scores I've heard in a movie in long time and the fight scenes are amazing, if a few are a tad short, with some of the best mech a design in the series. Unfortunately, if you are expecting anything in the way of bonus features, you will be sadly disappointed, as the disc contains the movie, at about 2 hours long, chapter select, audio options, and a few trailers.

If you watch and enjoyed the series, I fully recommend this movie as a great conclusion to it.

Buy Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011) Now

As of the writing of this review, the Gundam 00 movie is not yet released on bluray, so I will review the movie itself.

I managed to see a copy of the orignal film in english subtitles a few months after it was released in theatres in Japan. This film follows up directly after the 2nd season of the 00 TV series bringing back all the characters you know & love/hate from the TV series to follow a new threat.

This section is spoilers so if you don't want to read, then close this review.

While the first and second seasons of Gundam 00 focused on the efforts of the Gundam Meisters to end all conflict between nations on Earth and unify humanity for the 'dialogues to come' (I put this is quotes because it's referenced several times in the TV series) the film fast forwards a couple years in the future and addresses the true purpose behind these 'dialogues'.

Following the conclusion of the 00 TV series, humanity is starting to manifest it's next stage of evolution, namely the Innovators, of which Setsuna was one of the first. With the human population showing signs of next stage humanity, it attracts the attention of long dormant alien lifeforms of unknown origin and purpose, who seemingly attack humanity for no reason. Dubbed the 'ELS' the unifed Earth Federation forces ready themselves for an upcoming war with these mysterious alien life forms with whom communication seems impossible but the Gundam Meisters, now reunited with the Ptolemias crew seek to combat and find the truth behind the meaning of this new alien presence.

Yes so its a Gundam story that features aliens and long time or even recent fans of the Gundam franchise might get their otaku undies in a bunch because Gundam has always been about people vs people, not people vs space aliens. Still as non-traditional Gundam 00 has been, I thought this was a fine and original direction for the story to go and while the plot is not without it's faults I felt it to be a solid story with more development of existing characters that you know and love and interestingly, minimal introduction of brand new characters. Most interesting I found was the evolution of Graham Acker from loser villian, to masked obsessed rival, to finally a sempai character of sorts especially to Setsuna and it's touching where his character arch leads to.

Animation quality, it's simply gorgeous if lacking in details but that's always been the visual design aesthetic of 00 and consistent with the TV series, just done with a higher budget, so I'll give it a pass. In addition to the cel animation, this film uses extensive CG animation which melds pretty well with the cel

Soundtrack and music was solid befitting a theatrical release.

Introduction of new Gundam mobile suits are done, but frankly these designs just get weirder and more alien with each iteration, so mecha fans maybe a little dissapointed.

Still it's a good story that provides a solid and satisfying conclusion to the Gundam 00 Universe and has a more hopeful and optimistic tone than a lot of Gundam chapters of late. This is a very sci-fi Gundams series and the film captures this tone well.

I'm definitely buying this film once it's released on bluray

For a solid and comprehensive fan review of the Gundam 00 TV series and film, check out the anime mecha podcast Gundam! @ MAHQ with SBR & the Crew, you won't regret it.

Edit: I've now received an advance sale copy of the bluray disc from Bandai Ent at the Anime Expo convention and sat down and watched the disc:

Video: Excellent 1080p video transfer, as expected for such a new film.

Audio: Both Japanese (which I prefer) and English (for those who can't read subtitles) audio tracks and both languages have separate 5.1 ch Dolby True HD and Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks making for a total of 4 selectable audio tracks. Great dynamic range on my home theater system and voices for both languages same cast as the TV series.

BluRay extras: Special annoucement video, Extra Promo video, Theatrical and TV trailers (all japanese with english subs) and the mock trailer for the fake 'Celestial Being' movie shown in the movie (both english and japanese audio tracks).

Overall a great bluray release for a pretty good movie.

Read Best Reviews of Mobile Suit Gundam 00 the Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer (2011) Here

Lets get something out of the way right now this is a review of this product, not the film that is on the product. There are already other reviews of the film, That say great conclusion to Gundam 00, or Gundam and Aliens say it isn't so! What I am reviewing is a Blu-Ray release of Gundam 00 in the US, First off being that this release was the first G00 title for the states to be released in HD by Bandai entertainment I was very excited and extremely skeptical at the same time. I was very cautous because of past Bandai Blu-ray releases in the states where poorly excuted ( cough, Escaflownea, cough ). Thankfully Bandai has learned from there past releases and actually delivered a decent product. The video quality of this release will show high detail and clairty for which HD video was created for, meaning no pixelation or audio flubs. The disc has a fair amount of extras so when you are done with the movie you have extra content to watch. My only real complaint with this product is the cost, apairently Bandai of America Beleaves that it's American audence will gladly fork over the Japanese Blu-Ray price of $40-$50 for a single disc release. Even the current Amazon sale price of $27.99 is a bit much, this title should realy be selling for about $20.00( as Best Buy did during it's intial release, and they sold out of 2 truckfulls at every store). Now other then the over priced cost it is an exelent realease as for the film itself I will some of the other reviews dive into that. Personally I enjoyed the film that gave a conclusion to the series and if you watch the whole series with this film ending it you will see that the film was planned from the very beggening of the series. Bottom line if you can find a good deal on this film for $20.00 or less I would say buy otherwise it is a bit too pricy for time being.

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This is the best gundam movie ever u most buy in blue ray or dvd u most have it its wroth buying it

Skateland (2010)

first there was american graffiti, then there was dazed and confused. i always wondered "why not the 80s, i mean i grew up in the 80s and it was great, they should recreate it , then i was standing at the redbox and there it was Skateland.

the only thing that didnt make much sense to me is a couple of time line things. this apears to be set in the 80s and its set around the death of the roller rink (which i remember happening for the most part

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Goats (2011)

"Goats" tracks its main character Ellis Whitman (Graham Phillips), a 15-year-old Arizonan as he leaves the gorgeous desert compound his addled New Age mother Wendy (Vera Farmiga), has decamped to with her trust fund. Ellis has spent much of his early formative years taking treks and toking down with Goat Man, aka Javier, (David Duchovny) with whom he smokes copious amounts of grass and generally hangs out.

Ellis heads to an equally gorgeous New England prep school his own absent straitlaced rich father Frank (Ty Burrell) once attended. In fact, his dad had roomed there with the current headmaster, and so the bar is set high for Ellis. He smokes his courses (cut off from his cannabis connection), meets up with other potheads at the school, runs cross-country after some coercion from the hip track coach, declines a liaison with local dining-hall staffer Minnie (Dakota Johnson), who spends her time reading and making extra money off the student bodies. Ellis initially runs afoul of his father Frank during a terse, tense Thanksgiving, but later the pair find their peace and bond.

Ellis has to decide where to spend summer break, back in Arizona or with his dad, his step mother, and infant half brother.

Well, the critics pretty much gleefully savaged this Sundance film, citing its meandering plot, lack of action, and hybridized comedy-drama tone and comparing the actors and the plot to goats. Cynics are always ready with barbs, but I have to say, this is a fun movie when you don't want 3D special effects, overbearing soundtracks, mutilation and mayhem, and twisted plot lines. In other words, "Goats" affords one the chance to just kick back, watch a story without any secret message or theme. It's just a twisted tale, not a study in realism, about choices, growing up, and growing out. We have all done it in one way or another, and the point here is that there is always a story, even if it is not a cautionary tale or sex romp.

It is not a classic movie, but it is a classic case of what happens when critics drip spleen and venom without considering maybe the point of the movie is to meander. I don't think the goats care one way or another but I enjoyed watching it on a Saturday evening.

What? I saw this at Sundance, where everyone loved it, then I read a bunch of bad reviews on-line and thought there must be another film called "Goats." I mean, the poster and the DVD cover are kind of cheesy, but the film is really strong.

I watched it again on PPV a few weeks ago and it was as good as I remembered.

Funny and not too boisterous or obvious, this film snuck up on me and the 1500 other people at Sundance, and turned out to be a real charmer. Duchovny is kind of genius as Goat Man, both weird and believable. I liked Justin Kirk a lot, too, and Ty Burrell's nervous restraint is fun to watch.

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This is quite a different atmosphere for a coming of age story through and around ... Goats? Yes. Christopher Neil directs this film with charming style and abundant laughs. I was trepidatious about renting this one. While this may not be to everybody's liking, it works all the way around for me.

This movie is really about 15 year old Ellis (Graham Phillips) who is surrounded by a most 'colorful' family. He is ready to go his own way from Tucson to Gates Prep School on the East Coast: the same school his father, Frank (Ty Burrell), went to before him and the area where he has been living now.

His mother, whom he calls Wendy by name, (Vera Farmiga, who shines once again in this) is a mix of the spiritual and New Age philosophies floating around in her own self-absorbed reality. If you can rope in Wendy's personality in a couple of sentences you are far better spoken than I.

'Goat Man' (David Duchovny), or Javier, take your pick, is a 'botanist' and an experienced goat-trekker, that is hired by Wendy to keep up the place along with her. He resides in the pool house, tends to his ever growing garden and ... goats. These two have raised Ellis in an offbeat style, along with a huge amount love. Once you do get to know them, they quickly are very genuine.

Quite simply, Ellis leaves for school and is greeted with an alternate way of life that he easily learns to excel in. While there, he meets up with his father for the first time in years of absence; he has been avoiding his ex-wife Wendy.

Frank is re-married to Judy (Keri Russell) now, with a baby brother on the way. Their lifestyle is easily recognizable as affluent. While Ellis' father may first appear emotionally vacant, Judy (being much younger) is right on target with Ellis, readily able to befriend him and bridge the gap between father and son.

Wendy stays behind with Goat Man and takes up with a new jealous lover Bennett (Justin Kirk perfect in this). He screens every call and doesn't give Ellis' messages to Wendy, he wouldn't being the convincingly arrogant prig that he is. They lose touch because of his interference and Wendy loses control and goes more into her spiritual side, well, her altogether self (?)

In this film, watch a Thanksgiving dinner (ala Wendy) take on new meaning with Goat Man, Bennett and several others present. Ellis chooses to go to Frank's home. Well, Wendy didn't get that phone call either.

*Also a nice cameo appearance with Minnie Driver if you catch it.

This indie film plays out as one set-up after another onto some depth and hilarity, in a much more subtle way than hysterical. Like the other reviewers, I agree with the 'sit back and enjoy' theme of Ellis' journey to find himself. This movie is one that you wouldn't need to overthink, analyze or anything ... but laugh.

As far as Goat Man ... "He knows the desert well and he'll be fine"

{If there is any questioning of the Minnie Driver cameo, while streaming you can catch a great shot of her at 01:34:05}

Read Best Reviews of Goats (2011) Here

Great film, acting was amazing. Nice to see David Duchoveny again. Vera Formiga and the young boy were equally excellent.

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With some nice kid acting. This is not great, not anything to make you change your mind about life, but a very fine portrait of a badly parented young man trying hard to navigate between selfish and self-absorbed people and somehow manage to grow up. How he manages to realize whom he can trust and whom he cannot is well done.

Life is confusing, with multiple temptations. Realizing that it may be best to avoid what looks delightful is an essential part of growing to adulthood. Most of the "adults" in here have not learned that. Even the ones that look "cool." And it avoids a couple of clichés I thought it was illegal to not include.

A solid 3.5. We enjoyed it and don't regret watching at all.

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The Bible: In the Beginning (2011)

Legendary director John Huston's "The Bible...In the Beginning" is something of a mixed bag. Though undeniably reverent and generally (though not totally) faithful to the original Scriptures, Huston's film is ultimately epic in scope but too often cold and unmoving. There are certainly some fine scenes, particularly in the Creation , the story of the Garden of Eden (Adam and Eve's storm-shrouded exile from Paradise is perhaps the most powerful moment in the whole film), Cain and Abel, and an especially moving interlude between Abraham and only son Isaac in the ruins of sinful Sodom. But Huston fails to make the movie emotionally appealing on a consistent basis, so that what should have been an enthralling picture is merely adequate--which, after all, is not so bad. The cast is very powerful, featuring Richard Harris, Ava Gardner, George C. Scott, Peter O'Toole, and Huston himself as an endearing Noah. If only Huston had let his performers live a little on camera, this might have rivaled The Ten Commandments. As it is, the whole is respectable but flawed, too passionless and slow-paced to match The Ten Commandment's grandeur. Even so, "The Bible" does bring the opening chapters of Scripture to life, and if this movie is not thrilling, it is nonetheless enlightening.

This film is entertaining on many levels, and if you appreciate good art direction, you'll enjoy this film.

The cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno, and the classical score by Toshiro Mayuzumi are also superb.

Outstanding are the first 15 minutes, with director Huston narrating a mix of verses from Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 (KJV), and I have a special fondness for the sprawling "Tree of Knowledge", with its strange looking white leaves.

Other favorite sections:

The great Richard Harris, fabulous in a highly choreographed telling of the Cain and Abel story.

The animals going into Noah's Ark, with its wonderful music, is a delight for kids of all ages.

The Tower of Babel, as an awesome ziggurat, with Stephen Boyd looking simply stunning in exotic makeup.

Peter O'Toole as the Angel, always a fascinating actor, and even in a small part, a scene stealer.

Yes, it's abysmally slow in parts, especially in the final Abraham section, which could have used some serious editing. A half an hour could easily have been cut from this portion, and also, this is where most of the stilted dialogue can be found...but nevertheless, even though it dwindles as the film progresses, this telling of the first 22 chapters of Genesis is one I've seen numerous times, and am sure to view again.

My tape is unfortunately, on the dark side, but still a visual treat at its best.

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1966: Huston's film covers the first twenty chapters of Genesisfrom the Creation, the Flood to Isaac's near sacrifice. With lush cinematography, fine acting and superb music. Richard Harris, Ava Gardner, George C. Scott and Peter O'Toole are among the cast. In the 60's, and in fact years before in the 50's, the bible dramas were quite popular and appealed to many audiences who had undergone war and conflict from homeit was the turbulent 60's after all. The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur were transcendent films only a couple of years before.

Making a film about the first book in the Bible, the most mysterious and most alluring, Genesis, must not have been an easy task for director John Huston, nor was it easy enough for actors portraying biblical characters. But this film is exquisite, well-done with fine performances by the actors, most notably Richard Harris as Noah and George C. Scott as Abraham. The actor and actress playing Adam and Eve are just as most of us imagine them to be gorgeous in the nude, walking around a beautiful, semi-tropical garden and being seduced by the apple in a tree which a treacherous snake deceived them into eating.

The film goes on to describe the biblical scenario established before the Flood, of humankind's lechery and vice in Sodom and Gomorrah, and God's wrath resulting in destruction. Very powerful imagery and very fine interpretation. It is not just a Christian or Catholic film, it is a film worth watching just for the moving drama. After all, life is but a drama, a film of which we all take part of. The music to this film is also very inspiring, although subtle and haunting. "The Bible.. In The Beginning" (as this film is often called) makes a great assignment to watch in a college or high school in which students read the Bible as a form of literature and work of human history, mainly that of the ancient Hebrews.

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First, "The Bible," another one of those very underrated epics of the mid-60's. Dino de Laurentiis and John Huston went against the Hollywood grain of rich spectacle and created a minimalist design for the first 22 chapters of Genesis. As with most films that are based strictly on the Bible accounts, the story obviously has no surprises, therefore any suspense is always missing. But the unique, spare, simple design, beautiful photography and excellent music score by Toshiro Mayuzumi place this film in a different category than most biblical epics. The audacity to make such a film is something that is rarely seen in today's moviemaking. Sadly, the DVD does not contain anything other than a trailer. Most of the people involved with the film have passed away.

Second, "The Robe," the first film in CinemaScope. As being the first film in CinemaScope, the first single camera widescreen process, it already stakes a claim in film history. But the film is much better than an exploitation of a technical process. Based on the novel by Lloyd Douglas, its' centerpiece is the Oscar-nominated bravura performance by Richard Burton. He single-handedly raises the film out of its tendency to become too cloying at times and turns it into the intense psychological drama it really is. He is very ably assisted by Victor Mature, another under-rated excellent actor, as his slave, Demetrius. And of course, you have the incredibly famous, over-the-top, but oddly fitting, performance by Jay Robinson as the deranged emperor. This film does have one of those magic moments in motion pictures which raises goosebumps, when everything comes together perfectly in an incredible combination of story, performance, art direction and photography. It is at times like these when you become aware of the power of motion pictures. I do not need to tell you the actual scene. You will know it. Again, sadly, no extras are on this DVD other than a trailer. It would have been great to have a documentary on the invention of CinemaScope and the making of the film. But for those of you interested in collector items, the DVD box has a major blooper: the picture on the back of the box in the upper right corner is not a picture from "The Robe" but from "The Egyptian," which also starred Victor Mature (another DVD we are waiting for).

I would have rated this five stars if some documentaries were on these disks. Still, these are two great religious epics with diametrically opposed visual styles: "The Robe" with the traditional rich spectacle and "The Bible" with a minimalist artistic approach.

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This was indeed a monumental project, but not perfectly handled. Of course, John Huston was an atheist, and this needs to be taken into consideration. He did soften parts of this to portray more typically human reactions, especially with the scenes between Abraham and his son Isaac, than the Bible portrays.

The portrayal of God seems accurate enough. But to portray the devoutness of the human characters would take a more devout director. The result is a lack of conviction in some scenes.

This lack of conviction therefore will disturb many drawn to the movie who will see that this isn't truly filmed as a portrayal of actual history. It comes across more as a dramatization of myth, and the viewer's reaction therefore will depend on that viewer's perspective.

As spectacle, it avoids the DeMille type excess. As acting, Huston himself does take the spotlight with his portrayal of Noah.

Seen without great expectations, one will find it suitably reverant and still entertaining.

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Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy (1985)

This 2005 release, "Lowest Price Ever" on the front package contains the corrected Widescreen versions of Part II and Part III. The original release in 2002 with an oval sticker on the package contains the defective versions of Part II and Part III.

The framing was so bad on Part II and III, you actually missed visual jokes! In Part II when Marty sizes the jacket in the future, the framing cut off Marty's hand when he presses the button to size the jacket. In Part III, when Marty and Doc are in the Drive-In to leave for 1885, Doc makes the joke about Marty's tennis shoes because the boots don't fit, but the framing cut off Marty's feet. When Doc tries alcohol in the Delorean and blows the fuel injection manifold, the majority of the explosion is cut out of the frame.

Part II DVD will have the marking, "V2" on the outer edge next to the copyright. Part III DVD does not have any new markings, but the Widescreen framing has been corrected in this 2005 re-release.

I was reading through the reviews and felt compelled to point out some misconceptions, especially in the review by the "Viewer from Wilmington". These movies were shot in Super 35, as some directors (Cameron) perfer to do. This method shoots a large, square area, with the idea that it will be matted when shown at a theatre. The director frames out what is SUPPOSED to be shown in each shot, whether it be 1.85:1 or 2:35.1. The point of widescreen is not to have more image shown, but to present the movie as it was shown at the theatre. The error for parts 2 and 3 is not that they are presenting a fake and deceptive letterbox image, but that when the engineer was matting a few scenes, the matted image was placed too high in the picture, therefore ommitting important information at the bottom.

So to sum up, the full frame version is all the actual visual information shot by the camera, while the widescreen version is the matted information that was intended by the director as all you should be seeing and is what was shown originally at the theatre. You can certainly prefer and buy whichever version you want, but you should at least have a correct understanding of what the choices are.

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If there's only one thing DVD's should be applauded for, it's for giving old classics a new lease of life, and this particular title was destined for digital before anyone even knew what digital was. The Back to the Future Trilogy will, in most of us, invoke the same feeling of overwhelming nostalgia as when veiwing the original Star Wars trilogy.

It's been such a long time since I've viewed the original and wow, why did I wait so long before re-stepping back into the familiar DeLorean and riding through one of the most cleverly scripted and tightly paced films in history. I was blown away all over again by what the makers achieved in terms of, pretty much, everything. The performances are every bit as convincing and funny as you will remember and the sight of the DeLorean taking hair spin turns and breaking the time barrier only serve to ingrain this film deeply in your subconscious. It's simply what it set out to be, a thrill ride of honest intensity and adrenaline populated by sincere and truthful human characters that you generally care about.

The second part is, in more ways, even more successful. The plot is so tightly woven and controlled that you can't help but gasp at how much detail is included, from the Mc Fly family history to the correct way to turn on lights in the future. And for visual candy, you cannot beat the beauty of the flying DeLorean.

How much you enjoy the third will ultimately depend on how much you like westerns. While obviously retaining the style, wit and bravado of the BTTF legacy, it is alot more digestable in terms of plot and even set pieces. Though as a film by itself, it is a wonderful achievement in entertainment, viewing the installments in order may lead you to feeling ever so slightly let down by a conclusion to the one of the most twisted and brilliant trilogies ever to take place outside of a galaxy far, far away.

Keeping in tradition to the BTTF stamp of excellence, the extras on the DVD hit eighty eight miles per hour from the get go and rarely let up. Embarrassing other lesser DVD boxsets with it's desire to leave no stone unturned, we get 'on location' and retrospective documentaries examining the aspects and realities that the film makers endured in order to bring this adventurous tale to the silver screen. Cast and crew remincese fondly about how everyone involved was so excited about the potential of the script and the freshness that Michael J. Fox brought to the production. The star himself even sits in for a few interviews, giving himself wholeheartedly to talk about the movies that made him a household name.

While a frankly shocking reason is given to explaining Crispin Glover's absence in BTTF part 2 and therefore, all the extras thereafter, it is the absence of Doc Emmett Brown himself, Christopher Lloyd, that resonates most of all. Why he was not included in this celebration of the trilogy goes unexplained and therefore, unforgiven.

This minor gripe aside, this box set is for everyone who managed to hop onboard the DeLorean first time around. For others, this is the perfect medium and compliation to catch up with the time travelling duo as they were meant to be seen. It's astonishing how well the films have aged, and how much better than recent films they remain to be. A knockout!!!

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The picture quality of these dvds is really pristine, and the extras are quite nice, though I would have liked to see more interviews with supporting cast members.

As many people have noted, parts 2 and 3 seem to have been matted too high on the open matte original print, so stuff tends to get cut off the bottom of the screen, like Marty's jacket and hoverboard in part 2. Plus there's too much headroom on many of the shots as a result. I just called the Universal DVD return hotline and they are offering a free replacement of those 2 wrongly matted dvds. You need to send in the 2 dvds (without the packaging they came in) to:

Back to the Future DVD Returns

PO Box 224468

Dallas, TX 75260

You need to include your name and full mailing address, along with your daytime phone number and reason for exchange.

I also noticed that on Part 1 when I try to watch the commentary with Michael J. Fox that it cuts out and takes me back to the menu screen around chapter 8 or so. Not a big deal but I do think it's a glitch that occurs in some dvd players.

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Well, after too much Internet gossip and anticipation, we can finally enjoy the DVD version of this great trilogy. Actually, nothing needs to be said about the story or the fantastic crew that made it happen, everybody knows it (and if not, you're a caveman amongst other cavemen...or cave-women...). The DVDs have many extras you'll enjoy and then some...

Probably the most-talked about issue of this release is the product's interpretation of the soft matted original cut. If you dig deep enough in Internet sources, you'll read a mixture of positive and negative responses. Fact is, on this 1.85:1 version, you will see less picture information in height, and more in width than the 4:3 version. This movie was shot in soft-matted format, which basically means that the original prints were in a kind of '4:3' format, where in the upper and lower regions there is information that needs to be covered (the microfone syndrome...), and was not intended to be part of the screening of the film. This is done in theaters, and again with every video/ld/dvd release. This in contrast to 2.35:1 movies, or otherwise matted films and formats, in which case the widescreen format is 'directly' converted to DVD, and will give a much more complete film than the 4:3 viewing. But that's not the case here.

What all this means is that with the Back To The Future DVDs, a new matting has been applied that has converted the original soft-matted material to a new 1.85:1 format. This means that, like I stated earlier, when you compare the 4:3 VHS (that everybody knows) to this release, the 4:3 has some extra film top and bottom, and this DVD has some extra film left and right. This is what the 'confusion' on the Internet is all about. Some people, rightfully, indicate that they are missing peaces of the film (Marty's sci-fi jacked is f.i. not fully displayed in the DVD whereas it was on ld and VHS), but other information is added on the DVD (the hard matted special effects sequences). Thus, some people are inclined to say that this is not the original movie version. Actually, being a soft matted presentation in theaters in the mid '80's and later, it probably differed each time it was presented, with a different projector setting each time, resulting in a different matting and screening each time. This DVD version is just another interpretation of matting. And everybody has something to say about this one!

To make a long story short, please enjoy this classic and its many extra features, with or without the knowledge that in every different media format, there is a different viewing of this wonderful peace of family entertainment.