Pawn (2013)

Give an actor a good role and he'll do it for "nothing".

That axiom certainly applies to the cast of PAWN, a 2013 thriller, now available in a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack from Anchor Bay Entertainment.

Shot in fifteen days, primarily on a single set and location, PAWN is a low budget tense drama, filled with unexpected plot twists, that features not inexpensive actors like Michael Chiklis, Stephen Lang, Ray Liotta, Nikki Reed, Sean Faris and Forest Whitaker in memorable key roles.

To reveal much about the plot would lead to spoilers, so let's just say that it revolves around the hold-up of an all-night diner that goes terribly wrong. Indeed, just when you think that you've got everything figured out, the scene shifts backward or forward in time, and you are, once again, left wondering. PAWN, directed by David A. Armstrong from Jay Anthony White's well-crafted screenplay, is one of those deliciously plotted movies, like THE USUAL SUSPECTS, that demands a second viewing.

Chiklis, who co-produced the picture, is particularly powerful as the leader of the hold-up crew. Also making a strong impression is Stephen Lang, playing the diner's manager and, in a relatively brief role, Liotta, who has a mesmerizing metaphoric moment.

Suggestion: If you can avoid watching the trailer for PAWN before seeing the movie, do so. Like so many trailers these days, this one reveals too much of the plot and, as previously suggested, that can spoil the enjoyment of the picture itself.

The Blu-Ray/DVD contains a "Making of" featurette.

© Michael B. Druxman

Nothing relaxes me more than curling up on the sofa with an interesting movie. It does not have to be a classic that I will watch over and over again, but it has to be entertaining. This movie definitely fits in the entertaining mode. Now if you want to pick it apart with things like character development etc as have been discussed by so many other reviewers, I will agree that it has some weak spots. However, if you take it for what it is...entertainment...it was very enjoyable.

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I have reviewed a lot of movies in my day and I have to say I find this film "Pawn" a bit difficult to sum up. Why might one ask? Basically I feel the less said about it would be better. This is not to proclaim that this film is poor, quite the opposite actually. I think that if I were to reveal too much of this film it would ruin its charm. Nevertheless I will do my best to shed a little light on this movie.

The film is centered on three men who are in the process of robbing a diner. There are many key players in this film; such as the police, the police negotiator, the owner of the diner, the FBI, the mob, the robbers themselves and the ex-con and this is only the beginning of the list. It is difficult to determine who is good and who is bad. This was the part of the film I found appealing, because I really had no clue what was going to happen next. The story is presented in a bit of a non-linear fashion. In other words, the scenes are shown out of order to enhance the narration of the plot. For example, the opening scene is the middle of the robbery in the diner. As the film continues, the viewer will see what happens before and after this scene.

As for the acting, I found it really good and believable. The performers are people one might has seen before, such as Michael Chiklis, Stephen Lang, Forest Whitaker, Nikki Reed, Ray Liotta and Sean Faris (to list a few). These performers aren't necessarily top marquee actors and actresses but they really deliver very good performances in this movie. I was impressed with Common in this film as the police negotiator. I am not familiar with him, but he was pretty good. I am sometimes dubious of hip-hop artists turned actors, but he did a good job. As for Sean Faris, I still see a young Tom Cruise when I watch him. The prior statement is a compliment since I like Tom Cruise as an actor.

I did find that the movie lagged a bit towards the last fifteen minutes or so. Notwithstanding, this was a good crime/psychological thriller. A word to the wise, this film is gritty, brutal and doesn't pull any punches. I felt it was a refreshing piece of cinema that very much relied on the story and characters to carry it. When I watched this movie I knew nothing about it and really liked it. I believe that is the best way to experience "Pawn".

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The movie opens up as Policeman Will (Forest Whitaker) enters a restaurant. As he looks around he realizes he walked into the middle of a botched robbery with a hostage situation. We don't know what happens next as the movie flash forwards to Ray Liotta speaking to an unseen man in a hospital bed, questioning him about that evening.

The film jumps back to the hostage situation and then has numerous flashbacks within the flashback to show us earlier events of specific individuals. As it turns out this was not a simple robbery, but a story that slowly develops complexity. The focus of the film is on Nick (Sean Faris), a man who just got out of prison and plays an important pawn in this whole scheme. To talk more about the plot would ruin the twist aspect.

The script writing was clever. The acting and directing was cardboard. Forest Whitaker had a relatively minor role. Ray Liotta was unlikeable and I found him irritating. Good story. Mediocre execution. The film doesn't give closure as if it is part of a TV series.

Parental Guide: F-bombs. No sex or nudity.

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Cops and robbers is a genre that almost goes into very familiar territory whenever a film gets released. Director David Armstrong's "Pawn" is really no different, and yet it tries something new with some very familiar twists and turns. It's screenplay starts off very simple as a cop (Forest Whitaker) walks into a 24-hour diner to have his usual cup of joe. What happens is totally unexpected when a gang of thugs led by a "Brit" (Michael Chiklis) have taken over the diner to get the contents of the place's safe. Of course, we all can tell where the plot is about to go, as a stand off between the police and the hostage-takers ensue. But this is not a simple robbery as things are about to get much more complicated for the diner's patrons, this includes an ex-con (Sean Faris) as they are about to discover that there is more at stake here.

First off, "Pawn" is an effective low-budget film. It has its own share of issues, but it manages to keep things together and focused. The twists and turns it presents are enough to engage the viewer as the main characters are developed through the use of occasional flashbacks, revelations were carefully placed within its screenplay, and it does serve up some genuine tension. Cops and robbers almost have a common staple around them; crooked cops, a cover-up, a few wannabe masterminds and a `pawn', and they all serve up to build on suspense and tension. It is a familiar deal, but the direction was wise enough to structure the story with a careful hand in execution.

Low budget films often have several obstacles with the rendition of its production values, and this is an area where I think that the film would've benefited if it had a larger budget. I felt that the production designs felt a little too bland, limited and a even a little shaky at times. There weren't that many elements to really enthrall its viewer, it feels a little too plain. Sure, there were several scenes that stood out, and I liked the way that its premise did not require any use of CGI special effects and for awhile, it managed to generate a feeling of claustrophobia. The effects were done simply with the minimal use of practical effects and one would do well to remember that this is a low-budget flick.

Michael Chiklis (who also co-produces) stood out as the "Brit". His performance was quite good as the main antagonist. Fans of "The Shield" would recognize his familiar swagger and flair, and the man certainly does a great British accent (or is he British?). Sean Faris' performance sadly is a little lukewarm as he severely demonstrates his limited acting skills. Not sure, his `ex-con with a new heart' bit felt a little too easy and I am afraid that he did not sell his role. Common plays Jeff Porter the negotiator and his role felt like a mild convenience to the plot; he lacked the necessary presence to really give his character the weight to drive its emotions. Marton Csokas played a convincing crooked cop but unfortunately, his was a very limited screen time. I also have an issue that Ray Liotta, Forest Whitaker, Stephen Lang and Ronald Guttman weren't well-used into the plot. I mean, these are actors with high caliber and they had such small roles? I think that may have been a bad move.

The film is kind of brisk up to a point, suspenseful at times and the plot had enough strong points that I think fans of the crime genre would find it enjoyable. I think this is a worthy watch even if it really isn't anything special. Chiklis did a fine job as the "Brit", and he is supported with some quality performances from the actors that had limited roles. The script was strong enough to sell its twists and surprises, though admittedly I wished it had a stronger ending. I know it was a story about `changing for the better' but it felt somehow anti-climactic. Still, this would be a good Rental on a lazy evening. It is good as far as low-budget thrillers go.

[3 ½ Out of 5 Stars]

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The Moment of Truth (The Criterion Collection) (1964)

The Moment of Truth follows poor Spanish youth, Miguelin, who finds fame and fortune in the ring fighting.......bulls. Director Francesco Rosi set out to fully depict bull fighting with all of its cruelty, danger, and beauty. He definitely accomplishes that task. Nearly everything in the film is authentic. The main character is an actual matador. The bull fights are real. The gore and accidents are too. There is only one professional actor in the film, an actress actually, who plays an actress. And the cinematography gorgeous inside and outside of the ring--I am particularly reminded of the scene where Miguelin walks through a field of female laborers harvesting grain. As the women fling grain in the air, it all falls like strands of gold in the background.

But The Moment of Truth is not for everyone. If you have any protective feelings toward animals, and you are going to watch this, prepare yourself. Like I said earlier, this is a bloody movie, and every time you see a bull die its gory death, you actually did see a bull die a gory death. So while the beauty of the sport comes through, so does the butchery. Finally, it seemed to me that the story was the second emphasis of the film. That's not to say its poorly acted or even without emotional content. The Moment of Truth clearly points out the nightmarish worlds Miguelin, and others in his position, felt forced to choose between. I just mean that, to me, it seemed like Rosi's main intent was to capture the full scope of bull fighting. While that may make The Moment of Truth the best movie of its kind, it also makes it, at moments, feel more like a documentary than a movie. Think about it.

"The Moment of Truth," new to Blu-ray, is an intriguing look into the life of a famous bullfighter, played by real-life bullfighting legend Miguel Mateo, known as Miguelin. Tracing his career's rise and decline with an unswerving focus on the dangerous sport, the movie is gritty, seldom turning away from its less-than-glamorous aspects.

Several Hollywood pictures have used bullfighting and its milieu ( "Blood and Sand," "The Matador," "The Bullfighter and the Lady"), but none has captured the day-to-day drama as well as "The Moment of Truth." Mateo is a charismatic actor, and his dramatic scenes outside the arena come off convincingly, particularly his romantic scenes with co-star Linda Christian.

Though the setting is Spain, the movie is in Italian with English subtitles. Blu-ray bonus extras include a 2004 interview with director Francesco Rosi, new English subtitles, and a booklet containing a critical essay.

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Every moment in Francesco Rosi's film "The Moment of Truth" is electric with life and sometimes death; and the story of a young matador's from an impoverished area of Spain to fame as a bullfighter is intriguing at every turn. Another first class Criterion edition.

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Just finished watching a neglected jewel by renowned Italian filmaker Francesco Rossi: "Moment of Truth" (1965). It's a beautiful, thrilling and realistic poem to bullfighting, showing underbelly as well. There is more to it than just bullfighting: it begins and ends with Holy Week in Seville. It is telling us something about then fascist Spain probably morphing into something else, but always with the boots of Franco's soldiers marching at the side. But the essence of the film is the predominance of real, beautifully photographed bullfighting scenes. It stars the very great torero Miguel Mateo "Miguelín" who executes all of his own bullfighting scenes, thus the movie providing lasting testimony to his art. I am a fan of real bullfighting, not the bloodless variety. All the bull blood here is real and the bulls fight and suffer like they still do. This is not for the SPCA crowd. But it is a glorious film, and the bull fighting is truly exhilarating. Miguel Mateo died of natural causes in 2003. The film's blu-ray edition from Criterion is exemplary.

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I first saw this film many years ago, then had an opportunity to see Miguelin in Pontevedra, Spain in 1965, Unfortunately he was beyond his prime because he was a truly extraordinary matador.

What I enjoyed so much about seeing it again was the beautiful photography of Semana Santa or Holy Week in Spain, something that my wife and I have enjoyed many many times.

My only regret is that it is in Italian, not Spain.

Morgan Smith

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Super Hybrid (2011)

As you may have guessed from the cover, this is another car gone bad movie. This car not only can repair itself, but can change into another type of vehicle. The low budget aspect of this film only allows us to "see" the morph once. Most of the time we just see it as one car one moment, then when the camera goes back, it is suddenly a different car! Oh the magic of cinema! Unlike Christine this car kills indiscriminately.

When the car was in an accident it is towed to the police garage where the night crew must combat the vehicle. Shannon Beckner stars as Tilda, a female mechanic with a jobless boyfriend, a nephew (Ryan Kennedy) who also works at the garage and their overbearing boss, Ray (Oded Fehr of various Mummy and Resident Evil movies ). We all want to see him die next. He provides the inner conflict within the crew because harmony in battling a man eating car isn't enough drama.

Tilda comes to work in her tank top and puts on a dark blue work shirt. After an incident involving said car, the blue work shirt suddenly disappears and she is back in the tank top. Oh the magic of Anchor Bay movies!

(Plot spoiler?) They manage to get the hood pried open and lo and behold we have the film's meager special effects as we see some sort of creature lives under the hood. They surmise this creature has evolved while living along side of a road, to the point it can change forms for hunting humans. Ray doesn't want any help hunting this creature, and prefers that the garage mechanics do it to the dismay of Tilda. Melanie Papalia, as the secretary is the other eye candy of this film for those who like fish nets.

The acting was good considering the weak plot and being an Anchor Bay movie. No Mercedes were harmed in the making of this film.

No sex. No nudity. I don't recall any F-bombs, but don't hold me to it.

Enjoyable low budget creature feature. A few old cars and a parking garage and voila! a movie. Very surprised by this movie not expecting much but I liked the premise of creatures hunting in the form of cars. If you like monsters get this movie.

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Initially, I thought I was going to hate this movie. It top-loaded itself with far too many irritants than necessary all leveled at the main character (Shannon Beckner). She's up against a lazy boyfriend with back problems too severe to do work yet not bad enough to keep him from pumping iron, a snarky boss (overplayed by Oded Fehr), a snotty secretary with no room to cast disapproval on another woman when she shows up to work wearing fishnet stockings, friends/coworkers more than willing to throw her under the bus by suggesting that all her faculties aren't working on full power. And, as if that wasn't enough, she is the only clear thinker when it comes to battling a man-eating car.

Most of the decisions made during the course of this movie are questionable, like welding shut the only emergency exit because it serves the plot better than the reality of the situation (this would be illegal and since this is a police compound......!). They also get the bright idea to trap the beastie car because it might be worth money (this, after two coworkers have already gone missing, presumed dead). It also didn't help that most of the scenes are shot at night and in an underground garage poorly lit (they even face the impending loss of emergency lighting and are, at one point, literally in the dark). Half of the mayhem was difficult to see (especially the first two killings). I appreciate this was low budget, but that didn't mean they should skimp on ingenuity, there are ways of depicting things without the aid of special effects. In this case, seeing nothing meant nothing.

But. For all that and more, I still really enjoyed this movie; enough to want to keep it for future viewings. It lands in that gray area where, if your expectations are high, you might be disappointed, or, with lower expectations (like mine), it served its purpose on a basic level: entertainment. I grew to like it after a rocky start.

This was an impulse purchase and I'm not sorry I took a chance and bought it.

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You have to admit the premise behind SUPER HYBRID---a killer car that's really a tentacled monster and can transmorph into any kind of car it wants is promising. What could possibly go wrong?

Pretty much everything.

After a pretty neat opening, the movie makes the mistake of shifting the rest of the film to a poorly lit police garage, and basically turning it into a chase movie. Had the car remained on the streets killing random victims, it might have been a winner.

The characters in the garage are stock stereotypes who do stupid things at every opportunity. And of course ever since Sigourney stripped to a tee in ALIEN, 99% of all horror movies make the macho woman the hero/heroine and the males spineless wimps. The ending comes out of nowhere and makes little sense.

SUPER HYBRID is embarrassingly fun to watch, even though the acting is pretty bad, especially Oded Fehr's hammy badass boss.

So, lower your expectations and go along for the ride.

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Because The Car is one of my favorite guilty-pleasure horror movies, the reference to that movie and the plot summary quickly caught my attention. I was also looking forward to seeing the car depicted on the cover.

Unfortunately, the car shown on the cover is not in the movie. Apparently it was just shown due to its resemblance to a futuristic version of the Lincoln in The Car (check out the POV of the cover shot and the grills on both vehicles and draw your own conclusion).

The concept and some of the details (the feel of the vehicle's finish and the theory of how the vehicle became a hunter on wheels) made up for the stupidity of the characters trapped in the garage with this killing machine.

The effects weren't bad for the most part, but some were poor. Also, there was a scene where the first garage mechanic is killed and it isn't really clear (even if you play it back again) where the body landed. Since this location becomes important to the movie, you'd think the establishing shots would have been done better.

The acting was good, even though a few of the characters were a bit cliche.

Like KITT in the recent Knight Rider Season One, the killer vehicle in this one didn't really seem to have any personality. Unlike The Car, none of the characters, stunts or kills are memorable.

So what's my recommendation? Although this movie is not as exciting or interesting as The Car, I have to admit I did enjoy it and I'm sure I'll watch it again. If you like The Car and Christine (Special Edition) order your own Super Hybrid and take it for a test drive. Mileage may vary, but you'll enjoy the ride!

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The Young Victoria (2009)

I thoroughly enjoyed this film! Emily Blunt gave a stunning performance as Victoria, but Rupert Friend totally steals the show as Albert, in many ways a much more challenging role, I think. Albert was a complex, private person and his relationship with Victoria is all the more interesting, because while he dutifully pursued marriage with Victoria as his destined "career", he did not expect to fall in love or to be loved in their marriage. Friend does a marvelous job of portraying a very reserved, rational man suprised by his own powerful feelings, and of showing Albert's very dry but keen sense of humor. Many biographers/historians have suggested that Albert did not love Victoria as she did him, but I think this has much more to do with Albert's reserved, Germanic public persona than any historical reality, as is amply demonstrated in his letters and Victoria's journals. Friend does a marvelous job of revealing an Albert who loved Victoria deeply and was willing to make great sacrifices for her, but who also had the strength to stand up to her strong will and fiery temper, and not be pushed around. Both actors obviously did their homework on Victoria and Albert and I think very much captured the essence of their personalities. I also very much enjoyed Jim Broadbent and Harriet Walter's marvelous, feisty performances as King William and Queen Adelaide.

One aspect of the film I found a bit jarring was the portrayal of Victoria's relationship with King Leopold and Baron Stockmar as being rather distant and hostile. While Victoria was quite determined to live her own life and not be a pawn in their (or anyone else's) political schemes, she actually had a very affectionate relationship with her uncle Leopold both before and after her marriage, and Stockmar was a lifelong friend and confidant of both Victoria and Albert and helped them through many of their early marital difficulties. Their manipulative attitude toward Albert and their obsessive focus on grooming him for marriage to Victoria was historically accurate, and Rupert Friend's portrayal of the young Albert's attitude toward their "training" is one of the funniest parts of the film.

I highly recommend Stanley Weintraub's biographies of both Victoria and Albert for those wanting the real historical background for the film. Sarah Ferguson's book Victoria and Albert: Life at Osborne House is also a well-researched and beautifully illustrated book about their marriage and family life.

There is a bit of minor chronological rearrangement to cram about 5 years of historical material into less than 2 hours, for which I think Julian Fellowes can be easily forgiven, and some slight embellishment of real events for dramatic effect (eg Prince Albert did attempt to shield Victoria in the assassination attempt but was not actually shot, Albert was not present at Victoria's coronation) but I didn't find it detracted from the story. Much of the script is actually verbatim historical record (King William's drunken outburst at the banquet, Conroy's attempt to force Victoria to sign an order making him Regent) and Fellowes included these bits unaltered, to his credit--they are fabulously dramatic, just as they are.

Costuming is gorgeous and well-researched, the film is a visual treat. A real must-see!

Movie critics seem to brush over the section of movie goers that can't get enough of well done period dramas. The week before I saw YV I watched Avatar. Now, the critics love Avatar--new visual feats, jump scenes, apparent sex and vilification of the political right. What the critics hate is a beautiful well made film with monogamous relationships, real violence and a hero that actual existed. I suppose critics love the imaginative and spur the real, an interesting commentary on our society and its relationship to the beautiful.

This is the best period drama since the 6 hour Pride and Prejudice.

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The delightfully dallying Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, treats us to a beautifully costumed glimpse of the political and power machinations that go on no matter the era behind the palace door in her production of "Young Victoria" directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes.

Flamboyant Ferguson, once married to Prince Andrew of the UK, knows firsthand just how much of an outsider someone married to a royal can be even in his/her own household. Obviously intrigued by her subject matter as illustrated with the elaborate attention to detail, Ferguson uses the outsider theme in her recounting of the story of Victoria Regina (1819-1901) and VR's ascent to the throne of England at eighteen years old in 1837 but also explores `what could have been' for herself and her modern day prince if they had not allowed the politics and manner plays of the realm interfere with their life together.

Living as a virtual prisoner in the home of her mother, the Duchess of Kent and the Duchess's lover/adviser Sir John Conroy, Victoria endures a restrictive childhood with no companionship of her own age; her dog, Dash, albeit an adorable King Charles spaniel does little to promote her experience of the outside world or prepare her for her coming role as queen. Thought of as a pawn to be controlled by either an appointed regent, a husband, or trusted adviser, Victoria must remain focused; understand her weaknesses and work towards a strong independence that will aid her in taking her place as one of Great Britain's greatest monarchs. The film transports the young princess from captivity to competence and sees her growth from unsure and stubborn ingénue to more-in-control young queen, wife and mother.

Ferguson's concept succeeds admirably; "The Young Victoria" is a first rate film in the genre of Masterpiece Theatre, replete with the lush backdrops of the royal British lifestyle (exquisite gardens, Buckingham Palace, and castles, Arundel and Belvoir ) and beautifully recreated 19th century costumes. However, most compelling for this reviewer and her fellow very vocal older audience members was the film's ability to convey the advance and balance of the developing romance between this queen and her consort from the viewpoint of Victoria as unsure insider and Albert as the German prince who most certainly was at first a guest within his own home. What Ferguson did not get right in her own life, she more than adequately conveys here.

Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada (Full Screen Edition), Warrior Queen) plays the young repressed princess with a believable uncertain precision--her role as Victoria contrasts remarkably with the acerbic over anxious assistant to Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wore Prada." Wonderful to look at, Rupert Friend (Cheri, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont) gives Albert, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, male model sexiness that had many of the audience's older women cooing at his earnest smiles and endearing dimples. However, he is not just a pretty face; his ability to personify a steel core within a pleasant persona admirably depicts the dilemma his character faced throughout his twenty years as Victoria's husband.

Secondary players Miranda Richardson as Victoria's mother and Mark Strong as the Snidely Whiplash villain, Conroy, smolder with insecurity and the wrath that ensues when one's orders are not followed to the letter. Almost unrecognizable--a tribute to his chameleonic ability to become any character--is Paul Bettany (Wimbledon, A Beautiful Mind) as Lord Melbourne, the ambitious and politically minded PM.

The combination of worthy players and intriguing plotline keeps the hour and 45 minute playing time a moving feast of period drama, political power and sweet romance that will wow any lover of the Masterpiece Theatre genre. Despite some historical inaccuracies (Albert never took a bullet for Victoria although there were multiple assassination attempts on her life), the interplay between the two leads cannot fail to charm.

Bottom Line? Sarah Ferguson along with Martin Scorsese produces and arrestingly lovely film depicting the first years of Queen Victoria's long reign as monarch of Great Britain. Telling the parallel stories of her romance with her first cousin, the German Prince Albert and her maturation with regard to court politics and her role as the empire's figurehead, "The Young Victoria" provides an intriguing entertainment for the Masterpiece Theatre set who cannot get enough of costumes, elaborate sets and the mannered sensibilities that act as decoy for machinations that do not change with any age. The audience that I viewed the film with commented enthusiastically about the production afterward, repeatedly exclaiming that it was one of the `best films' they had seen in years. Recommended.

Diana Faillace Von Behren

"reneofc"

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As others have mentioned, the costumes and scenery alone are worth watching the movie for. The acting is wonderful, Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend are passionate and emotive.

The problem stems from messy, unresolved plot holes. A lot of relationships are left undeveloped, and as a result I found it hard to emotionally connect to any minor characters enough to care about their plot threads. When you have such an amazing ensemble cast (Miranda Richardson, Mark Strong, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, etc.) not making the most of them seems almost shocking. Their parts came and went without much ado.

I would have liked to see a bit more development in the romance between Victoria and Albert; the film did a great job showing their correspondence and how excited each was when receiving a letter from the other, but failed to include more than one or two little moments together before expecting the audience to believe in their grounded love for one another.

The driving conflict seems to be Victoria finding her footing despite ill advice, youth, and inexperience; her and Albert's common desire to help the disenfranchised is a great strength, but is never mentioned again after Victoria and Albert are married. They are never seen to do the work that seemingly brought them together.

With just a few little moments added, a few strings tied, a few characters given proper send-offs, it COULD have been utterly moving...but I suspect many of the scenes that would have made this film great rather than good are hiding on the cutting room floor. I can only hope for a Director's Cut at some point!

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From the exceptional costuming to the beautiful cinematography, `Young Victoria' is a triumph...a gem of a film that shines thru all the surrounding noise: when I put this DVD in to watch (released earlier in the UK), I was very impressed with the quality of the entire program! Emily Blunt is stellar as Victoria and Rupert Friend as Albert, as well as great performances from the whole supporting cast: one of my only `issues' with this film is that it was just too short: I was hoping for 3 hours & got about half that: other than that, I was so very well pleased with this film!

Content: Young Victoria had very little that was objectionable in content: there was a sensual bedroom scene (not graphic) between a husband & wife, there was a little violence (a man shoots someone), a little language, and some adult themes, but overall, this was a clean film. I would say it is reasonably family-friendly, but that parents should view it before-hand, to decide if it is acceptable for younger children.

I really enjoyed Young Victoria: from the costumes, to the scenery, to the acting, to the locations, it was just a beautiful film all round: a neat, concise telling of Queen Victoria's ascension & early years of rule, with a huge focus on her relationship & marriage to Albert...a true delight of a film!

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Essentials-Champions Blu-ray Presented By Drum Corps International

If you're looking for a primer on what drum corps was in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and now, this is a great collection to track the evolution of the activity. Sound and video-quality wise, it's pretty close to the DVDs, but this particular collection is only available on Blu-Ray.

The Ledge (2011)

"I have to stay up here until noon and then jump, if I don't someone

else is gonna die." Hollis (Howard) job is to talk down suicide

jumpers, after finding out that his kids may not be his he is sent out

to talk to Gavin (Hunnam). But there are always two sides to every

story and Gavin is not on the ledge by choice. This is the type of

movie that you watch because of the cast and end up being blown away.

While the movie is a little slow in parts the message, acting and plot

are great. All four main characters in this movie are all conflicted

and each have their own choice to make in order to move on with their

lives and it is intriguing to watch all of them handle it. At it's core

this is a movie about faith and morals and will leave you questioning

yourself as to what you would do in each position. That is the sign of

a good movie, one that makes you look at yourself in a way you may not

have before. Overall, I highly recommend this movie. More movies should

be like this. I give it a B+.

Would I watch again? I think I would in order to catch everything,

there is so much to take in you may not be able to get it all the first

time.

*Also try Last Night

Gavin (Charlie Hunnam) is a faithless jumper on a ledge. Terrence Howard plays Hollis, a police officer whose job it is to talk him down. The story as to how he got to the ledge is a flashback and the main part of the movie. This is interrupted by scenes of Hollis confronting his wife, which we don't know if these are flashbacks or if this is something he is thinking about doing.

Gavin is a hotel manager. His roommate is a gay Jew and HIV positive. Liv Tyler plays his mousey neighbor married to an unlikable Christian who wants to convert gays and atheists. Liv gets a job working for Gavin, who wants to liberate her from Mr. Joe Christian. I grew weary of the stereotyping of both Christians and atheists before this thing was half over... Catholics burn in hell and atheists are atheists because of some event in their life to make them hate God. Later the movie deviates from the stereotypes. Christians are not always good and atheists are not always bad. They are both human. Ho-hum.

Joe Christian treats his wife like dirt. Liv Tyler tells a far fetched story on how she met Joe, who as it turns out is a bit psychotic. The movie starts out slow and draws you in to where you have to see what happens. It doesn't make any definitive statement about God or atheism.

F-bomb, sex talk, sex, nudity (Liv Tyler)

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Matthew Chapman both wrote and directed this film that relates a fine little suspense thriller along with an ongoing debate between atheism and fundamental evangelical Christianity. As back ground it is of interest to note that Chapman has written two books 'Trials Of The Monkey An Accidental Memoir', an account of the Scopes Trial told in the form of a road trip Chapman took to the town where the trial took place, along with a memoir of his childhood growing up as a descendant of Charles Darwin, and '40 Days and 40 Nights Darwin, Intelligent Design, God, OxyContin, and Other Oddities On Trial in Pennsylvania', that tells the story of a small town ripped apart when fundamentalism and science came in conflict. It is obvious that Chapman is concerned about the dichotomy of faith and belief in God and the polar opposite, atheism: this theme is an important part of the impact of the story of THE LEDGE a title that not only explains the place where the tale takes place but likely also explains the stance of Chapman in the process of deciding his own belief system.

The film begins with a young man Gavin running up to the top floor of a building to stand on a ledge in order to commit suicide. A policeman is assigned to talk him down: the story is told in flashbacks. Gavin Nichols (Charlie Hunnam) is a likable guy who is in hotel management. Quite by accident he encounters a beautiful but shy Shana (Liv Tyler) on the bus only to discover that Shana is applying for work at this hotel as a housekeeper to make extra money to afford school. There is an attraction but Shana quickly lets Gavin know that she is married: her husband Joe (Patrick Wilson) is a evangelical fundamentalist who orders his and Shana's life according to Bible teachings. By chance Shana and Joe live in the same apartment building and the same corridor as Gavin: Gavin's roommate Chris (Christopher Gorham) is gay and is HIV positive and Gavin has taken him in when his family and friends deserted Chris. Joe and Shana invite Gavin and Chris to dinner where it becomes painfully obvious that Joe, thinking that both men are gay, finds their lifestyle abominably sinful. There is a fiery discussion about Gavin's disbelief in the things Joe believes in. Gavin leaves in disgust but the gentle Chris stays a bit longer until he discovers that Joe wants to convert him so that he can change his life and avoid damnation.

Gavin and Shana have an affair, Joe learns about it, and threatens Gavin that by noon either he will kill Shana or Gavin can jump to his suicide death. We gradually discover Shana's dark background which explains why she stays with Joe and Gavin's equally tortured background which explains why he has lost all semblance of faith and only sees the need to care for his fellowman. And we learn that detective Hollis (Terrance Howard) assigned to talk Gavin down from the ledge has his own personal failure to have faith due to newly discovered challenges to his concept of his home life. It is this struggle among the five characters and the way that destiny has thrown them together that brings a very surprising end to this film.

There is a lot to digest in this tense drama. At times the role of fundamental religion threatens to over take the film (Patrick Wilson plays his role of a reformed sinner to the hilt), but due to the cautious writing of the script combined with the spot on acting skills of each of the five leads the audience is left to draw their own conclusions about the atheism/ fundamentalism debate. Grady Harp, July 11

Read Best Reviews of The Ledge (2011) Here

Writer/director Matthew Chapman had a terrific idea for a complex movie dealing with faith and sacrifice set in a neo-noir framework. I absolutely love the idea of "The Ledge" and its intriguing premise earns it some merit. But if I'm being honest, the themes that Chapman wants to introduce and wrestle with are largely undermined by a screenplay that presents some of the most awkward dialogue and contrived settings that you're likely to encounter in a serious picture with this much talent involved. Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler, Terrence Howard and Charlie Hunnam are all actors that I have connected with in the past. It's easy to see the attraction that this type of movie would have held for them. But aside from one great scene near the end for Wilson, the rest of the cast flounders with the clunky script and overwrought ideology. The film bludgeons you with its many debates on religious notions by forcing characters together that would never expend so much effort in the real world attempting to communicate. Sadly, it's a near fatal flaw.

The plot of "The Ledge" is exceedingly strong. Hunnam starts the movie by climbing out onto a ledge (no big surprise considering the title) with the intent to jump. Howard, as a cop having a bad day, is on the scene to talk him down--but instead is the recipient of a story of why the potential suicide may be more than it seems. Hunnam relates a tale that involves adultery and religious debate with his new neighbors (Wilson and Tyler). Both have had a challenging past, but they've settled into a life as fundamentalist Christians. Their friendship with the atheist Hunnam is an opportunity for basic debate. And while it's always nice to have a movie that is unafraid to tackle religious themes overtly, there is a clumsiness to these scenes that can be difficult to handle. Neither party is particularly likable, have nothing in common, would never develop a relationship more than to say "hi" in the hallway--but the movie consistently puts them together for meaningful dialogue. There is nothing natural about the flow of the film.

I'm not going to discuss more of the plot so as not to give anything away--but it is these central conflicts that eventually drive Hunnam to the aforementioned ledge. The film could easily have been turned into a nifty little thriller with more realistic character development. Hunnam's character is blatantly unprofessional and inappropriate at work. A good actor, here he is stranded in a thoroughly unappealing and unbelievable character. Seriously, his seduction scenes with Tyler made me alternately laugh and cringe with some of the silliest dialogue I've encountered this year. Tyler, for her part, plays one emotion. It's hard to see what is supposed to be so alluring about this expressionless character. Howard is undeveloped. His plot thread is conveniently tacked on to heighten the drama and for him to be the recipient of the piece's deep philosophical lessons. Wilson, one of our most underrated actors, is turned into a zealot--but has one scene that sticks out in a refreshingly riveting way.

It was, ultimately, the characters that left me cold as well as the heavy handed message. For example, Christopher Gorham is on hand as Hunnam's homosexual Jewish roommate. Why? As a plot device, of course, so Wilson can scorn homosexuals and Hunnam can challenge religion (he can quote from the Talmud, naturally). At one point, Gorham is bathing the apartment in blessed Temple water. Really? It's overdone and obvious. With a bit of subtlety, Chapman might have scored a real triumph. I loved the idea, I like the actors--but (for me) little about the movie worked. Good ambition, but lacking in the execution. KGHarris, 9/11.

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Enjoy my video review of this thriller. Here are the highlights:

What I liked: Thought-provoking questions about atheism and Christianity. What happens when the two fight head-to-head? The soundtrack was beautiful.

What could have been improved: The dialogue felt a bit forced. Cinematography left a bit to be desired.

The Ending: I was a bit disappointed by the ending, but it made a profound statement.

All in all, I enjoyed the movie. It opened a pathway of communication between my husband and I about our differing beliefs. (He's a Catholic. I am an atheist.)

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2009)

With the X-Men films becoming too expensive to feature all its stars, it has become more logical to focus on the storyline of each of the main characters. And what best than to feature one of the more popular characters in the Marvel and X-Men universe, Wolverine.

Taking the helm as director is actor, Gavin Hood ("Thug", "The Storekeeper" and "Stas and Nel Adventures"), with a screenplay by David Bennioff ("The Kite Runner", "Troy") and Skip Woods ("Hitman" and "Swordfish"). Joining the men is composer Harry Gregson-Williams ("Deja Vu", "Shrek the Third" and "Gone Baby Gone") and cinematographer Donald McAlpine ("The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", "Peter Pan", "Anger Management" and "Moulin Rouge!").

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine", the Blu-ray Ultimate 2-Disc Edition comes with two discs. The main disc is the Blu-ray, while the second disc is a digital copy.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is presented in 1080p High Definition with an AVC @ 22MBPS. The picture quality is quite solid with the skin pores of both Hugh Jackman and Liev Schrieber coming quite nicely on the HD transfer. The grittiness, the sweat, the grime, the vibrancy is also well-captured in the film. Blacks are nice and deep and with the film being shot outdoors, the areas that Logan visit are quite detailed. I didn't see any compression artifacts or major scratches or dust on the video transfer.

The audio is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (also English, Spanish and Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and French 5.1 DTS). The lossless audio track is absolutely awesome. From Zero's gunfire, Logan's adamantium claws making the "snickt" sound, Wade's swords as it deflects the bullets and Victor's attacks and his growls, it's all captured and sounds incredible. Also, there are plenty of action-scenes that really showcase the surround channels and a good amount of LFE is utilized. From the explosions to the gunfire, home theater owners should be happy with the Blu-ray lossless soundtrack as some scenes sound quite immersive.

As expected, Twentieth Century Fox has done a great job with the video and audio transfer for "X-Men Origins: Wolverine". Subtitles are presented in English SDH, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" comes with the following special features:

* Commentary by Gavin Hood Audio Commentary by the director Gavin Hood. For the most part, Hood does a great job in providing the details to the film. A very informative audio commentary.

* Commentary by Producers Laura Schuler Donner and Ralph Winter There are some interesting details about certain scenes and what went on to create those scenes via the producers perspective. The only problem is that Donner and Winter have too many silent moments in where they are not talking. So, it can be a bit distracting.

* The Roots of Wolverine: A Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wien (16:16) Both Stan Lee and Len Wien discuss the X-Men, Wolverine as a character, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and the history of the character. An informative featurette in regards to the comic books. For some reason, I felt that Stan Lee was not his jovial self.

* Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins (12:02) Interviews with the director, producers, Hugh Jackman in regards to shooting the film, origins of Wolverine, training, making his claws and the set.

* Weapon X Files This segment features each talent in character talking about themselves and then we hear from the director/producer about what they wanted to accomplish with their character and special effects that went into the making of that character. Probably my favorite was the featurette on Kevin Durand's Blob and what went into making the fat suit.

Victor Creed/Sabretooth (7:25)

William Stryker (4:25)

John Wraith (4:15)

Kayla Silverfox (3:26)

Fred Dukes/Blob (7:18)

Bradley (3:18)

Remy Lebeau/Gambit (9:08)

Agent Zero (3:45)

Wade Wilson/Deadpool (7:10)

Emma (Kayla's Sister) (3:25)

* The Thrill of the Chase: The Helicopter Sequence (5:53) The making of the helicopter sequence.

* Ultimate X-Mode While watching the film, viewers can watch the director, producers and cast talking about the film via picture-in-picture.

* Deleted & Alternate Scenes (9:30) With optional commentary by director Gavin Hood, Hood introduces four deleted and alternate scenes which include: Young Storm, Victor at the boxing ring, Alternate Memory Erase Sequence and a Japanese Bar Scene.

* Fox Movie Channel Presents: World Premiere (6:20) The "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" debut in Tempe, Arizona (The contest winners of where the red carpet premiere took place).

* X-Men on Blu-ray: Trailers for X-Men Trilogy and "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian".

* BD-Live Lookup With a BD-Live enabled Blu-ray player, viewers can access up-to-date information on actor filmographies, information related to "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" on imdb (The Internet Movie Database).

JUDGMENT CALL:

I literally grew up with the "X-Men" and "Wolverine" comic books when I was younger. During the 80's, you had your American superheroes but Wolverine represented a character that was just exciting, deadly and literally kickass.

Since the release of the three X-Men films, I have no doubt in my mind that Hugh Jackman was the best casting decision made for the character. He embodies the character completely and the amount of discipline he puts in working out and being Logan is just incredible and it shows in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine".

For the most part, the film is full of action and full of characters. The excitement is there, the killer instinct of both Logan and Victor are there and of course, we have pre-Deadpool Wade Wilson in the film as well, along with many other characters that makes this film fun and exciting. And to feature a storyline that revolves around Logan's origin is not easy. After all, having followed the comic books for so long, I think even writers had their challenge of how the Weapon X program would be and even today, just seeing how things have evolved with the program is just staggering. So, before watching the film, I did have my reservations of how muddled the plot could be.

Fortunately, the filmmakers took a different approach and created their own storyline with some aspects of the comic book still part of the storyline. Keeping things simple and for the most part, for those who are not familiar with the comic books, at least exciting enough to understand where Logan came from and why he and Victor have had this dysfunctional relationship.

For the most part, Jackman is just great as Logan/Wolverine and Liev Schreiber can always play the definitive bad ass. Danny Huston as Stryker was quite effective and Lynn Collins as Kayla Silverfox did a great job as well. As for Taylor Kitsch ("Friday Night Lights") as Remy Lebeau/Gambit, that was quite interesting but for the most part, I felt that Kitsch did a good job albeit the thick French accent that Gambit exhibits in the comic books and people are so used to hearing from the X-Men animated series. The others have small roles such as "LOST" and "Lord of the Rings" actor Dominic Monaghan as Bradley and Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am also ventures to the acting world, appearing onscreen (instead of voice as he did in "Madagascar 2'). But one of the exciting parts of this film was seeing the Blob (Kevin Durand) and of course, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds). It was great to see on the Blu-ray of how they came up with the Blob's outfit and of course, having Wade Wilson in the film. It's important to note that if you are a fan of Wade Wilson, make sure you watch through the ending credits.

With all my gushing about how much I enjoy this film, one must wonder if I have any negatives. Well, what I didn't like about the film was the overuse of CG, in which some scenes looked a bit too unrealistic. Also, the tweaking of the Wade Wilson character was a bit too much for my taste. I can understand some hardcore fans who may have a problem with the comic book continuity and how the film has quite a few differences but personally, many super hero films has its differences from its comic book counterpart that its not surprising anymore. As long as the soul of the characters are intact and the storyline is well-presented, it's good enough for me.

As for the Blu-ray release, the film definitely gets a wonderful HD transfer as picture and audio quality is solid. A good number of special features are included, as well as a slipcase and a digital copy of the film.

With that being said, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" is a good superhero film with a lot of action. Was it as deep and entertaining like "The Dark Knight Returns", my answer is no. But I definitely enjoyed it more than the third X-Men film and even the "Hulk" related films. I felt that the storyline focused on Logan/Wolverine, his rivalry with Victor Creed quite well. If anything, it's the CG that tends to be overdone at times that bothered me a bit but for the most part, I did enjoy watching the film.

But after watching the awesome Blu-ray version and seeing the film in High Definition and watching the special features, that actually enhanced my perspective towards the film. A lot went into the making of this film and to see that Hugh Jackman did most of his own stunts, that is incredible.

Overall, if you are a fan of Wolverine and the previous X-Men films, definitely give "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" a try. Definitely worth recommending!

I had read many negative and mediocre reviews of this movie, but finally decided to get it anyway. I was pleasantly surprised. It was actually a very good movie, though my son commented that the scene with Wolverine walking away from an explosion was a bit contrived.

Like the other X-Men movies, it doesn't always follow the comic storyline, and some characters are different from the way they were in the comics. However, taken on its own, this movie tells an interesting story of Wolverine's background, and successfully captures his basically good, decent character, without ignoring some of the things he has had to do in his life (and including the action scenes that are part of why people watch Wolverine). It also gave a good look at Gambit, which finally made me able to see the charm of this character.

There is some timeline continuity problem between this movie and X-Men First Class, and a little with the later movies. At the end of First Class, Xavier is around 30 and still has his hair when he is paralyzed. Near the end of this movie, there is a short scene of a bald Xavier walking. Also, Scott Summers is a minimum of 14 in 1962 in this movie, and seems no older than 30 in X-Men 1, set somewhere in the 1990s (when he should have been at least 44 for continuity to work).

Overlooking these details (after all, the comics contradict each other periodically, too), this is an enjoyable movie and worth getting. I actually liked it better than First Class (which I also enjoyed), though that one has better reviews.

Buy X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2009) Now

I want to get this out first, I love the comics. I think none of these movies are anywhere close to represent the X-men as they are in the comics. That said, I think these movies exist in a different world that has nothing to do with the 616, except for the characters names and most their powers. I have no problems with these movies; X-men 1 and 2 were very entertaining action movies. But even those movies should have been called, "Wolverine 'N Pals", because they didn't focus on the X-men, but on Wolverine's interaction with the other characters. My expectations of this movie were not based on the comics themselves, but on the previous movie storylines. I knew in my heart that Hollywood would somehow find a way to rape the image of one of my favorite characters in the Marvel Universe, Deadpool. So when "Weapool 11" popped up at the end I wasn't even surprised they would do something that silly. I read an interview a long time ago that about X-men 1 that the producers had to fight to have Cyclops wear the visor because the director didn't like it. So, I am not surprised nor bothered by the fact that these Hollywood interpretations don't have a clue about how these characters should be handled. I did like the previous movies (except 3), and understand that this is merely a diferent interpretation of these characters.

Wolverine Origins or, "Wolverine 'N Pals 4; how this mess began", is a very entertaining movie. But it fails to deliver a comprehensible story line. A lot of the story doesn't make any sense. The movie,( as you might be have been clued to know), is about Wolverines origins, its shows you where he came from and how his powers manifested, leading to spending a long part of his life with his half brother Sabertooth, whom we were introduced to in the 1st X-men. After many adventures and wars, the pair ends up joining a military group of people with superpowers led by Stryker. On one of the missions, Wolverine angered by Sabertooth's actions leaves the group to pursue a nicer lifestyle. This is when he falls in love with Silverfox and the pair lives happily for a while. Many years later Sabertooth comes back in a killing rampage taking out some old members of Stryker's group, and Wolverine's love is killed during this. To get his revenge, Wolverine agrees to have done on him an experimental procedure that with give him metal plated bones.

Not bad right? Love, family, betrayal and revenge. All the stuff to make a great story. This is where it doesn't add up. For those of you that don't want "Spoilers" please don't read, as I might give away some plot details.

-After wolverine finds Silverfox dead, Wolverine a veteran of many wars, doesn't check to make sure she is in fact dead? Why did he leave her body there in the field? Couldnt't his enhanced smell detect the fake blood? Was it her manipulation power that convinced him to just move on instead of taking her to a medic.

-If she can manipulate people by touch, how the hell didn't she manipulate Stryker in letting her sister or any of the other kids go? She spends 7 years of her life with Wolvie and doesn't manipulate him, and indestructible man, to kill Stryker? Was she having to much fun maybe?

-After Wolverine has adamantium put on his bones and escapes to visit the "Kents", why on earth would Stryker send Maverick with a rifle to shoot a man that can't die with metal bones? Was he going to shoot through an eyeball from a helicopter? He missed pretty badly by the way, twice. Superman gonna be angry when he goes home to visit.

-Its revealed that Silverfox wasn't killed by Sabertooth yet after Sabertooth saves Wolverine from falling off the cooling tower, Wolverine tells him "this doesn't change anything". Why? She's not dead. She fooled you. He saves you from falling and having your butt kicked but Weapon 11, why the hell are you still mad at him?

-Stryker failed to wipe Wolverine's memories so the solution is to shoot a guy with metal on his skull on his head? How the hell does that work? How did he know it would work?

-Why did the most powerful telepath (Professor X) not control someone inside the 3 mile island release the kids? Why wait 7 years and then help. Why didn't he do that stop time thing from the previous movies so he can save the kids? Where was Magneto? Doesnt he care about abused mutant kids? (One of the restrained kids looked like Quicksilver, who is Magnetos son in the comics)

-How come those kids couldn't get away on their own? What was that chain link fence cage they were in made of? Adamantium?

-Why was Gambit hanging out in a casino, when he knew he was being looked for by Stryker? How was it that Stryker can't find him in a long time and yet Wolverine finds him in a day? Maybe Stryker didn't want him anymore. Maybe they couldn't persuade the Blob to talk?

-Why add the scene in the end where Stryker is going to be arrested for his crimes, when we well know that he was a high ranking military official in X-men 2?

Well these are most of the plot points from the movie that just don't make any sense. It's ok for an action movie to be extremely silly and self referential in that way. For example in Transformers when they have the teen kid take the cube and the alien so they can hide in the populated city, one of the characters mentions how dumb that idea is. They make no excuses in this movie, and just because it's "supposed" to be a dumb action movie, there is no justification for the producers of this movie to assume their viewers are idiots, and won't care about a story plot that doesn't make any sense. Which, apparently they are correct because this movie made a boatload of cash. I will not act like there is nothing wrong with this movie just because it's flashy and has lost of explosions.

In my arrogant opinion, it's a onetime watcher. This is not a boring movie by far, yes, it's a lot of fun and tons of action and the movie's cast was really great. But the story is convoluted and nonsensical, it seems to take the audience for granted. So, if you want to enjoy this mess, just ignore the entire story and watch the shiny stuff happening on screen.

Read Best Reviews of X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2009) Here

I received my Blu-ray copies of the X-Men Trilogy and X-Men Origins: Wolverine yesterday and was immediately disappointed and frustrated by two things.

1.) I cannot get X-Men Origins: Wolverine to play beyond the "If you are having trouble..." screen without turning off the BD-Live functionality on my player (Oppo BD-83). I thought to do this because the other movies in this series all asked if I wanted to download a BD-Live update at that exact point. Maybe it's because the servers are being overwhelmed by a new release, but that shouldn't be the case if proper planning and testing had taken place.

2.) The picture quality of these movies is very poor. Even during the first few scenes of the trilogy movies, there is very noticeable video noise in darker portions of the picture, resembling what you get on a cheap digital still camera with the ISO cranked way up. I know this isn't my player or TV's problem because watching 17 Again, Bolt and S.W.A.T. on the exact same setup yielded SPECTACULAR picture quality. It's almost as if the producers took one of their DVDs and did some cheesey upconversion to create these Blu-ray copies.

I am very tempted to return the whole purchase and just buy them on DVD, saving the extra money I spent to get them on Blu-ray.

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We didn't realize this movie existed. I caught it on some TV channel so I went to Amazon and bought it. We absolutely loved it. Hugh Jackman is a great actor and not hard on the eyes either!

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Titanic (1953)

"Titanic" is (stop me if you've heard this one before), the one about the boat that hits an iceberg and sinks. Whoops! Gave it away. This version stars Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb as a married couple on the cusp of divorce. She can't stand his guts he finds redemption before it all gets too cold and wet. Pure fiction but hey, it's Titanic and its masterfully told.

TRANSFER: Fox is at its usual middle of the road with this transfer quality. Some scenes are nicely balanced with good gray scale. Others seem to suffer from low contrast and black levels. There's ample pixelization, aliasing and shimmering of fine details throughout. The audio's been remixed to feeble stereo. At this point does anybody care?

EXTRAS: Ah, here's the real treat of this DVD. You get "Beyond Titanic" a masterfully told 1 1/2 hr. documentary that really gets to the bottom of things (no pun intended)and covers the full history of both the ship and its many film incarnations.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a worth while DVD for two reasons the documentary and its price tag cheaper than most low budget no-name studio releases. If nothing else, you're buying the documentary and for that reason alone, it's definitely worth it!

One of my all-time 10 favorite movies (along with ALL ABOUT EVE, GONE WITH THE WIND, AUNTIE MAME, Jane Wyman's THE BLUE VEIL, Garland's A STAR IS BORN, CABARET, Lana Turner's career highlight in MADAME X, 1939's THE WOMEN, and 1953's SO BIG) THIS is the only version of TITANIC anyone should want to keep in their collection of classics. This is the one that should have been an Academy Award champion.....and it is a sin that Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck not only didn't win 1953 Oscars, but were not even nominated. Ditto the wonderful performance of the greatest supporting actress in movie history, Thelma Ritter, as the indomitable Unsinkable Molly Brown. I will never forget the hysteria in Barbara Stanwyck's voice as she screamed "Norman! Norman!" when she realized her young son had slipped out of their life-boat to remain with his dad as the ship sank.....nor the tears in Clifton Webb's eyes when he told the boy what pride he felt for him as the end drew near. Please, don't anyone tell me there was an ounce of reality in the blockbuster, phony '97 version.....This simple black & white movie told the REAL story of the very rich and the very poor suddenly equalized in the face of disaster. And I dare you not to smile as millionaire John Jacob Astor reassures his young, pregnant, second wife with the immortal words "My dear, God himself could not sink THIS ship"......and I defy you not to cry when old Mrs. Strauss refuses to board a life-boat, saying "I've been with Mr. Strauss for more than fifty years....I don't intend to leave him now." This is a classic. This is THE classic. And these people, brilliantly portrayed by brilliant actors, become the ones who were really aboard the TITANIC in 1912.

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I enjoyed watching the James Cameron super-production of TITANIC released a few years ago. But after one viewing that was it. It's the l950 version of TITANIC, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb that keeps drawing me back through repeated viewings. These characters are the ones who can really connect with a viewer. Stanwyck brings a fantastic down-to-earth quality that you instantly connect to. Webb is equally good as the dispicable fop who wants his kids to live like royal spoilt brats. My only complaint about this DVD are the two commentaries. Film critic Richard Shickel's has to be heard to be believed for he literally sounds like he's half-asleep. He starts off with: "Uh,and....uh, uh, and, uh, Barbara, uh, uh, Stanwyck, uh (long pause)is a fine, uh, uh, ehhhhhhh, ummmm, good actress." The second one is slightly better because you can hear Audrey Dalton recall those long-gone days on the 20th Century lot making TITANIC. She's witty, interesting, but unfortunately has about ten minutes on the commentary. You're forced to listen to cameraman Michael Lonza's relentless spill about miniatures, special effects and water tanks. Worse, is the "audio essay" by Silvia Stoddard, who tells us such fascinating tidbits that "Titanic was, well, just incredibly big!" Robert Wagner repeats over and over again "how lucky I was to be on a production like TITANIC." We'd all be considered lucky, Robert, but I just wish you could have thrown some more color about individual scenes. Other than these two commentaries, the DVD restoration looks great!

Read Best Reviews of Titanic (1953) Here

Anyone would have to agree that the best FILM ever made about the Titanic is "A Night to Remember" because it tells the blow by blow true story, from sailing to sinking, based on Walter Lord's excellent book of the same name. But if you're looking for a MOVIE, that is, something which is like an historical novel version of the tragedy, then I'd steer you to this one starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck.

Stanwyck has boarded the ship with her son and daughter while running away from her husband Webb. She has lost most of her respect for her sartorially resplendent husband and believes that he is making a snob out of the teenaged daughter. Webb has outwitted her, however, and bought an immigrant's ticket in order to make the passage. He and Stanwyck do an excellent job of portraying a bad marriage gone even worse when, trying to inflict more pain on her husband, Stanwyck makes a startling disclosure that hits Webb just about as hard as the iceberg will the ship.

Lots of other interesting passengers aboard too: The daughter is being courted by college man Robert Wagner, while Richard Basehart is a defrocked priest who finally gets his act together when the presence of a clergyman is needed most. And as real-life passengers, Thelma Ritter as Molly Brown and Brian Aherne as Captain Smith both do a great job.

Best scenes? The aforementioned bombshell Stanwyck delivers to Webb; Captain Smith realizing that the ship is listing to one side as he listens to some college kids singing their alma mater; and finally, Webb's tear-filled eyes as he bids farewell to Stanwyck just before she gets into a lifeboat. This is a "Titanic" with characters who care about each other, and whom we can consequently care about ourselves.

If you're looking for something sudsier than the factual "A Night to Remember", then your ship has come in with this great tearjerker.

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Any film with Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck, and the indomitable Thelma Ritter is worth a "look see." Sure, James Cameron had 200 million bucks and state-of-the-art special effects (along with the camera-friendly Leo and Kate). But, this 1953 film has class in its performances from the principals. Much shorter than the 1997 epic and filmed in black and white, the film holds its own as a good movie. In fact, the B & W adds stark realism to the tragedy. Watch carefully for the stunning announcement Stanwyck makes to husband Webb in their cabin prior to the fateful collision. This was somewhat shocking for the time! I know when I saw this scene upon first viewing, my mouth dropped open!

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Cohen & Tate (1988)

A taut, terrically filmed duel of wits between a little boy and two hired killers who kidnapped him. The film contains strong performances and gripping camerawork and editing. An underseen 80's classic that was completely ripped off by Elmore Leonard in his novel "KILLSHOT." A must see for Roy Schiedler's icy turn as a hired killer with a samurai streak of honor and Baldwin's frightening psychopathic partner. A reliably crack job of directing from Eric Red, of "THE HITCHER," "NEAR DARK" and "BODY PARTS."

i don't care that it's burned (can be backuped easily on a HD), but to see this in Widescreen Anamorphic is SUCH a beautiful Wonder! and it even has the Original Trailer! i could not be happier with this. Thanks!

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For any fan of Adam Baldwin (Firefly fans I'm talking to you), Cohen and Tate is a thrilling romp that follows two mob hitmen as they try to deliver a young witness to their boss. Unfortunately for them, the kid's a conniving little snot who figures out how to play his captors against one another and does so with annoying dexterity.

Adam Baldwin gives a vicious performance as the hot-headed Tate, though a lot of his dialogue is badly dubbed over for content (despite the movie's R rating). Roy Scheider is ice-cold as Cohen, conceivable as a veteran killer suffering from hearing loss.

The movie as a whole isn't the greatest, but it's not so much the plot that drives this movie. The characters of Cohen and Tate, their conflicting natures and constitutions is what makes this movie worth your time. As the tension mounts, you can sense the characters' hatred for one another. When the movie reaches it's climax, you don't really care who gets killed but you really want someone to get it. One day I would love to see this movie released to DVD with Baldwin's original dialogue restored.

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Roy Scheider (as Cohen) and Adam Baldwin (as Tate) are bickering mob hit men who kidnap a 9-year old kid who witnessed a mob-related killing. They also kill his parents. Cohen is older and more logical, Tate is a violet hot-head who wants nothing more than to kill the little boy. Pretty much all of this film takes place over a few hours one night on the road, as the trio head back to the city. It's very tense, clever, and well-written, and delivers an unconventional, powerful ending. The kid is never annoying, only cries once, and is portrayed as calm and cunning without being ridiculously precocious. The only downfall is Adam Baldwin's amateurish, too-obvious, over-the-top performance, and that unfortunately prevents this from being a classic. Also, Baldwin spews expletives left and right, however many of them are badly dubbed over as "sucker" or "freakin." That doesn't really make sense. But, at least Baldwin constantly threats the kid, hits him, and points giant guns in his face. That's fun. I really loved this film; you can get it cheap on VHS in a cut-out bin near you.

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This is one cool thriller that takes place in the course of one night, Roy Scheider & Adam Baldwin are two hitman who are to bring back a kid who may have witnessed somthing he shouldn't have, it is clear from the start that the two men don't like each other & the kid plays on this to his advantage in the hopes of escaping, Baldwin is the younger of the two & is a hothead with a short temper, Scheider is a veteran who is all business & knows that being careful is better than being over the top, this puts the men at odds with each other, what makes this one fun to watch is seeing the kid play the two men against each other, there isn't much I can say without giving away a few surprises, but this is one neat road thriller that got very little attention when released in 1989, it was defiantely shot on a real road & is a cool suspense thrllier with a satisfying ending, if you like road thrills, this is one to get.

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Street Kings (+ Digital Copy) (2008)

Keanu Reeves has come a long way as an actor. If you watch his early films you can see how he struggles to make his emotions authentic, without always succeeding. I think this was a break-through film for him. He is very believable as Tom Ludlow the soused "street fighter" cop who bends and breaks rules to get the job done. Whether he is romancing his gal, grieving over a dead cop, or exploding with rage the emotions feel "real". And he is even more handsome than he was in his youth.

This was an exciting film from start to finish. There is not one dull moment where your mind begins to wander. The soundtrack was excellenta menacing heartbeat that always forewarns us of dangers to come. The beautifully done cinematography included vivid colors, wrenching close-ups and sweeping panoramas of L.A. Great work! I think it is too bad that so many movie critics gave this one luke-warm reviews because "Street Kings" is a good film worth seeing. I know I will be eagerly awaiting the dvd release.

"Street Kings"--James Ellroy--deepest corruption, unrelenting violence, hidden acts, provocative coverups--this is a world that Joe and Julia Citizen will never see. The average citizen might assume corruption in police departments, but will never ever guess its extent as "Street Kings" shows.

Governmental and military black ops are kept secret with no written records in efforts to make a dent on destroying evil (philosophically speaking) in the large world. "Street Kings," through the pen of James Ellroy and the direction of David Ayer, exposes a layer of police work that parallels that of black ops. Written records are required in this case but highly filtered and altered.

Keanu Reeves is a surprising choice as Tom Ludlow, police op extraordinaire, but quite convincing as the take-no-prisoners kind of guy--one of the Street Kings of the police underworld. However, his work eliminating evil is protected by his boss, played his usual soft-spoken way by Forest Whitaker, the king of the Street Kings. Perhaps not playing his role viciously took the onus off his character's ultimate revelation.

Once the first scene rolled with its explicit violence and the take-down by death of vicious thugs, the tone of the film is set. Tom Ludlow shows his mettle and his job--ridding the world of dark evils. At a group gathering of police ops for ritual drinks, Ludlow again shows his nature--roiling underneath a seemingly calm exterior, willing to act NOW, and barely containable by his boss, Whitaker's character.

On the other hand, Whitaker shows his hail-fellow-well-met persona, appreciative of Ludlow's work to enhance his own political inside clawing to the top. By movie's end, we see just what Whitaker's character truly wants.

The plot becomes quite complex with the addition of two men--Hugh Laurie as Internal Affairs and Ludlow's former partner who decides to go to IA. More murder, more mayhem. Through it all, believe it or not, Ludlow remains true to himself and to his necessary role in the police underworld.

The film's conclusion is a shocker. I never guessed the depth of the police underworld and what our guardians of the streets would do for public safety and their own protection. Is this just a movie based on a book for entertainment value, or does the movie show truth filtered through fiction?

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I was intrigued when I heard that writer James Ellroy, of LA Confidential fame, was attached to this movie. Street Kings plays like a modern version of LA Confidential, albeit much darker and more cynical.

You have similar parallels to the original LA Confidential. Chris Evans of Fantastic Four fame, plays Detective Paul Diskant, more akin to the idealistic Guy Pearce. Keanu Reeves, no introduction needed, plays the bruiser type with an honest heartmore along the lines of Russell Crowe's Bud White. Lastly, Forrest Whittaker gives an entertaining performance as the politically savvy and corrupt vice squad captain, much like James Cromwell's Captain Dudley Smith.

Keanu put on some weight for the movie, I found his performance fine. He's often criticized for being too wooden, but I didn't notice anything that detracted from his performance. It's a genre movie, so certain plot points are predictable, yet I was also pleasantly surprised by a few twists.

If you liked LA Confidential, and are looking for the modern update, then look no further.

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STREET KINGS is the latest police thriller by director David Ayer, responsible for other police thrillers such as "Training Day" and "Dark Blue". Police corruption has been the main theme for most police dramas, and this film is no different. The screenplay by James Elroy is full of intrigue and bleakness that delves into the dark side of the LAPD.

Tom Ludlow (Keanu Reeves) is a cop on the edge, an alcoholic and would stoop to the most extreme measures to solve a crime; usually his suspects turn out dead. He does get the job done though, and is favored by his commanding officer, Captain Jack Wander (Forest Whitaker). As a result, Tom's past sins have been covered up for years, he works tightly in a special unit and his existence is a melting pot of violence and death. One day, his former partner (Terry Crews) becomes an informant for Internal Affairs, is killed in a convenience store shooting. The incident had awakened some "intestinal fortitude" in Tom, and now he must find those responsible along with a young detective (Chris Evans). Little do they know that they are opening up a huge can of worms.

"Street Kings" does have all the elements I like in a cop film; it's gritty, very violent and fast-paced. The film isn't going to be recognized for originality, it has all the usual formulas we've all seen before; corrupt authority figures and the hunger for money and power. The film does do one thing right and it does convince the audience that it is worth watching. The heavy and mean dialogue combined with gunfights which are quite bloody and full of intensity, it has all the qualities of a film that any male movie fan would love. The director understands what he has set out to do, and he has structured the film to move as pure adrenaline as it goes through the insides and outs of the LAPD. The film is full of detail as to how and why the corruption is inherent in the "cop system".

The screenplay plays a bit like a morality play as hotshot cop; Tom Ludlow goes through the workings of evidence tampering and cover ups. Tom's character is a man who barely sees injustice due to the things he has seen; his phrase "Bad creates more Bad" actually sums up his bleak view of his world. The script is full of "bad language" that it sometimes makes Tom's use of complex terms a little out of place. Keanu Reeves is a decent actor in my book, but I did somehow see his limits with this role.

The film does have a complex plot and is quite intense, and this is where the problems begin. The film needed to breathe at times and relax and let all its complexities settle in. The unraveling of its main twist in the third act seemed a little too `cardboard' that seemed to fail its maze of intrigue and controversy in the film's set up. The film made a compelling point when it made the darkness of the police system come full circle, with a lot of paranoia and mistrust that suggested a strong clever resolution to all the mayhem. I expected something more than a climax full of cliché that is quite familiar in action films. Forest Whitaker's final speech seemed a little too melodramatic that the film's primary set up just didn't match up.

It would be really difficult to express as to why I would say "Street Kings" is a good film because honestly, it did have a lot of faults. Some parts of the investigation seemed a little too convenient and too easy, while the final act seemed to lose much of its forward momentum when it proved less than stimulating as I've hoped for. However, I did enjoy "STREET KINGS"; it's full of attitude and the sharp-tongued dialogue did convince me to look beyond its holes. Director Ayer knew the film's limits and knew exactly what he needed to do in order to hide its flaws. It does provide an exciting ride while seeing through the eyes of a burned-out cop. The film is cleverly paced, and its action and grittiness will definitely see you enjoying its tough-guy thrills with a lot of bloodshed and body count.

Recommended! [3 ½ Stars]

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If you like the genre, this product won't disappoint you.

The plot is convoluted enough for me to try to give you an idea. It bears some resemblance to Ellroy's "LA Confidential" of course, but SK is more messy.

I laughed on how "American values" this film is. They show Detective Tom drinking so often one has to think "he's an alcoholic". His chief, who knows he kills lawlessly, criticizes him for this "vice". But we saw Ludlow rescuing those underage hostages. Then "he's good". How come, is he bad or good? Can he be both? And they pay script writers for this "moral dilemma" ... :).

I would have liked Naomie Harris to play the "female beauty". Martha Hilgareda is OK anyway.

I expected some great lines like in Training day. I know this by heart: "Jake Hoyt: Its not so fun when the rabbit has a gun. Or Alonzo Harris: It's not what you know, it's what you can prove". Or the best: "Alonzo: You gotta see the streets. You gotta feel it. You gotta smell it, you gotta taste the streets. How's your Espanol?"

Slang is all around anyway. Hard to twig if English is not your mother language, but anyway, you get the meaning . Overall, I liked this movie. It may not last in your memory more than weed, but ...

PS: Real time cop Daryl Gates' presence steals the show.

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The Boondock Saints (Truth & Justice Edition) (1999)

It seems like the only way anyone hears about this movie, its either from fanatic word of mouth or from seeing it sitting in Blockbusters. Thats a shame, because this first outing by director Troy Duffy is an extremely cool film that deserves all the attention it can get.

Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus play two good ole Irish Catholic boys in Boston, who one day get sick of the corruption in the city and begin a bloody crusade to wipe it out. Willem DaFoe plays the FBI agent hot on their trail, who is torn between bringing the mysterious vigilantes to justice, or joining their crusade.

The film is, simply put, cool. Its one of the only movies that actually make going to church look cool. Don't be fooled by the description, however; this is not an action movie. Do not expect blazing gun battles with crazy angles and MTV like editing. This is a film about morality, doing what one thinks is right, and having codes of honour. It's about all those things, and how close they may sometimes get to walking the edge between good and evil.

The two actors who play the Irish vigilantes are great in their roles, playing the boys not as superheroes, but as regular joes with a huge chip on their shoulder. A nice twist in the film is DaFoe's portrayel of the FBI agent, who also happens to be gay. He plays him as a great character without being tempted to dip into stereotypes. Great job by the versatile actor.

This is definately a movie not to be missed. If you are fortunate to see this in your video store, take it out and enjoy.

I love the Boondock Saints. It's funny and action packed all at once. Naturally, when the special edition came out I jumped right on it. But, upon viewing it I realized the only thing extended in the "unrated" edition were the fight scenes. I figured they'd put in all the "deleted scenes" from the special features. I was very disappointed in that. I can't see a glaring difference between the rated/unrated editions. I'm just as happy with my first version, the only thing they seem to make better is the box the dvd comes in.

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It only takes a few minutes to draw a comparison between Troy Duffy's "The Boondock Saints" and almost any Quentin Tarentino film. As I watched this breathtaking movie, I snickered to myself over realizing this little fact. I figured few others would make the connection. Boy, was I wrong! It seems that anyone who has seen "Boondock Saints" immediately thinks of "Pulp Fiction" or "Reservoir Dogs." Moreover, a lot of people do not like the idea of Duffy ripping off such a noble American icon. Perhaps they have forgotten that Tarentino has based his entire career on borrowing or outright ripping off ideas from 1960s and 1970s cinema. I could care less whether Duffy imitated "Pulp Fiction" or whether he arrived at this idea on his own. Hollywood routinely begs, borrows, and steals in an effort to make a buck. The recent trend of remaking older films is only one aspect of this philosophy, so complaining about some filmmaker copying a specific style is a moot point. "The Boondock Saints" is an enormously entertaining way to spend a couple of hours and, despite a few flaws, may attain a cult status rivaling anything made by Quentin Tarentino. This is how it should be.

Connor and Murphy MacManus (Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus respectively) are two Irish brothers who spend their days drinking at the local pub and working in a local meatpacking plant. They don't do much with their free time outside of lounging around their filthy loft and hanging around with unbalanced people like their friend David Rocco, a minor criminal who longs to join the local branch of the mafia. Trouble rears its ugly head when some Russian gangsters move into the neighborhood and threaten to close down the neighborhood bar. After a fistfight leads to a couple of killings in an alley, the boys realize they may be in a spot of trouble with local law enforcement. Actually, they are in more trouble than they realize at first when an FBI agent by the name of Paul Smecker arrives on the scene. The inept local cops stand around throwing out all sorts of weird, implausible theories about these corpses in the alleyway, but Smecker moves in and figures it all out in an enormously hilarious and ingenious way. By slapping on some headphones pumping out classical music and prancing around the scene checking things out, Smecker tells the cops what happened, when it happened, and who probably did it. Sure enough, the MacManus boys sheepishly arrive at the local cop shop, bloodied and bandaged from their tussle with the Russkies, and confess to the crime.

Fortunately for Connor and Murphy, Agent Smecker takes a real shine to these gregarious youngsters and releases them from jail. After all, the whole incident was merely a case of self-defense gone horribly bloody. But something strange happens to the MacManus brothers after this incident; they suddenly think they receive a calling from God to rid the streets of criminals. Checking in at the local armory of the Irish Republican Army (this is Boston, after all) and arming themselves to the teeth, Connor and Murphy use information gleaned from their encounter with the low-level mafia goons to stage a mission against the bosses of the Russian Mob. Other jobs soon follow, all apparently sanctioned and sanctified by the Almighty. The boys are so successful they soon draw in the assistance of David Rocco, who, with his vast knowledge of Boston's underworld, provides a list of criminals who deserve to die. As the body count rises, Smecker comes closer to learning the identities of these homegrown vigilantes. The fact that the FBI agent undergoes a crisis of conscience over the crimes--he quickly realizes these murders are the work of citizens fed up with crime--leads him to secretly help the men responsible for the killings. Throw in a bunch of Mafia thugs, adult film star Ron Jeremy as a doomed hoodlum, a vicious, mystical killer named "Il Duce" (played by Billy Connolly, still atoning for "Head of the Class"), stylish gunplay, and an exploding cat and you have all the makings of this marvelous movie.

"The Boondock Saints" is a film about vigilantism and whether that activity is ever justifiable, although that theme seems to disappear for most of the movie. The conclusion, too, ends up being just a little too implausible, but getting there is a boatload of fun. The best things about Duffy's film are the whipsaw quick dialogue, the hilarious running gags, and Willem Dafoe as Agent Paul Smecker. Dafoe especially deserves accolades for his portrayal of a conflicted FBI agent whose sympathies eventually turn to the MacManus brothers. His way of solving crimes, especially the shootout between Il Duce and the two vigilantes, is not only brilliantly executed but a wonder to watch. Moreover, Smecker's interactions with the local Irish cops provide endless opportunities for great dialogue and hilarious jokes.

Regrettably, a bit of overacting at certain points of the film quickly annoys, as does the failure to provide anything more than lip service to vigilantism and how it pertains to our ultra violent world, but "The Boondock Saints" is so much fun despite these flaws that you will hardly notice them. The DVD includes many extras, such as important deleted scenes, a commentary by Troy Duffy, and a widescreen presentation. There's even talk of an impending sequel, although the absence of the Willem Dafoe character, if the reports are true, could cause significant problems. There is not any other way to say it: if you have not seen "The Boondock Saints," run, do not walk, to the local video store and buy or rent a copy today.

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Connor ( Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy ( Norman Redus) McManus are two fraternal twin brothers that are highly religious and are basically thought of as saints. However, thou shall not kill is the only commandment that they cannot keep. When a sadistic Russian mob starts to force its way into their South Irish Boston neighborhood, they know what they have to do. They set out to rid the streets of every gangster, criminal, and lowlife. In their eyes they are serving God's vengenance. As the bodycount rises, they become local heroes to the world around them. Paul Smecker( Willem Dafoe) is a gay FBI agent who is assigned to the case. While he agrees with the McManus brothers are doing, Paul is forced to do his job. He must now use his extremely unorthodox and brilliant methods of investigation to bring the Mcmanus brothers down.

Before I watched this film, I was very skeptical because the movie came straight to video. However, "Boondock Saints" turned out to be one of the best films I have ever seen. If I had to describe the film, I would classify it as a modern day morality tale that is driven by vengenance and determination. The film features an outstanding mix of comedy and intense action. There are moments in the film when you will be laughing your head off. The dialogue in this film is first rate. There are other moments in the film however, where you will be shocked at the countless violence. The shoot out scenes are extremely well done. Perhaps one of the best things about the film, is the creativity that the McManus brothers use for some of their kills. The performances given in this film are suprisingly good!! Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus are outstanding as the McManus brothers. However, the best performance of the movie hands down goes to Willem Dafoe as Paul Smecker. It is the best performance of his career in my opinion. Watching Paul work is very entertaining. His methods are unorthodox, intelligent, and entertaining!

Overall, "Boondock Saints" is a great film. It features an excellent mix of comedy and action, the gunplay in this film is first rate, and the performances given from the actors involved could not have been better. The DVD is very affordable and has commentary by writer and director Troy Duffy, deleted scenes, and outtakes. The presentation of the film is also excellent and delivers top notch picture and sound quality.

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There are movies that when they are initially released are underground successes that suddenly and without warning become iconic when they reach the mainstream audience once they are released on VHS/DVD. Can Boondock Saints be considered one of these rare films? Definitely!

The titular Saints are two Irish brothers, Connor and Murphy McManus (Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus) who find themselves turned from ordinary citizens in their Irish neighborhood in South Boston into vigilante heroes on a self-ordained mission of God to rid their neighborhood of the Russian Mob.

It starts when they get into a fistfight in their local bar and nearly end up getting killed by the mobsters who visited the bar, but instead end up killing the mobsters in the most inventive way imaginable. However, the duo believe that they are messengers of God's vengeance and go on a violent seek and destroy mission to get the head boss, teaming up with one of their closest friends (David Della Rocco).

Meanwhile, as the body count begins to rise, an FBI agent (Willem Dafoe) with a few eccentricities is assigned to the case and uses his unique way of reconstructing what happened at the crime scenes (which we vividly see in the flashbacks) in such a way that makes the team of CSI look more like grade school rookies.

As the two sides converge on the ultimate climax in the final battle to take down the boss, a third unexpected variable is thrown into the mix when (via flashback)a mysterious gunman with some tie to the Saints (I won't give it away)appears at one ot the crime scenes.

The film is definitely an amazing debut for director Troy Duffy, using actors who really make you feel the story and relationships (especailly Flannery and Reedus) as it progresses to the end and characters that (at times unintentionally) make you laugh out loud. And there are some scenes that are violent yet stylish and fun and one scene involving a cat and a gun that might stun some and make others bust a gut, and I know from personal experience when I saw this scene for the first time.

There are some rumors that a possible Boondock Saints 2 is in the works, and if so I'm definitely in to see it but hopefully it will be released to a much wider base than the original. But if you like a little vigilantism with a touch of dark humor, then you definitely have to get the Boondock Saints.

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