Yogi Bear (2010)

All these people that are rating this movie as boring, expected, "I knew exactly where the plot is going" SERIOUSLY???? its YOGI BEAR, not a Tarintino movie. I personally LOVED this movie. Sure the jokes were corny, but that's why they were funny. The jokes were always corny on the original Yogi cartoon. I honestly thought I was going to hate this movie because of all the so called bad reviews it got. However, I decided to go see it anyway, at the discount 3d theater, and I laughed from beginning to end. My 9 year old son also was cracking up. It was a nice, clean, goofy family movie. What's so wrong about that? after we watched it at the movies, we went out and bought the blu ray combo and watched it again. I enjoyed it more the second time watching it in the comfort of my home. Don't listen to People's opinions, rent it if you must, but watch it and make up your OWN mind. If you are like any of the people at that theater that day, you will love it.

as for the blu ray dvd, it is beautiful and very clear. On this movie, I did not have enough money to buy the 3d version, but I did borrow it from a friend and it is AWSOME. This movie is BEST VIEWED IN 3D, its just much more fun that way. the regular blu ray is nice but its much more fun in 3D.

Well, I went to an advanced screening of the new Yogi Bear movie and I loved it. It is a very funny film with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I took my 11 year old son with me and he enjoyed it just as much as I did. As we were leaving the cinema, we were both going back and forth over all the lines from the movie. I think the animators did a great job with Yogi and Boo Boo. Dan Ackroyd did a good job with Yogi and Justin Timberlake was fantastic as Boo Boo. Speaking of the little buddy, in the commercials Boo Boo seems a little smarmy but in the film he is the same ol' Boo Boo that we all know and love. The story line is pretty weak but the antics of Yogi and Boo Boo help make up for it.

As a matter of fact, the weakest part is the human actors. Yogi and Boo Boo were always dead on perfect and funny during their scenes. However, Tom Cavanagh is weak as Ranger Smith. Instead of chasing after Yogi and getting all upset at Yogi's antics, Tom took the opposite approach: Yogi will be Yogi and there's nothing I can do about it. Anna Faris is a good love interest for Ranger Smith. The first twenty minutes of the film, when they are setting up the plot, is the slowest part of the film because it is mostly Cavanagh, Faris and the villain, Mr. Mayor. Once the set up is done, though, it is pure antics and hilarity throughout the rest of the film.

I am very biased because I have been a big Huck and Yogi fan all of my life and it is great to see an H-B character in a big budget film that works. After the film, I turned to the guy next to me (not my son) and said, "What did you think?" His reaction was the same as mine that it was a great film and a terrific Yogi Bear movie. Everyone in the theater were laughing uproariously at the film and gave the film a huge applause at the end, so it wasn't just me.

I loathe the three TV films from the 80's (Yogi's Great Escape, Yogi Bear/Spruce Goose and Yogi/Space Bears). They were awful. Yogi's First Christmas is a just a step above these three but not by much. However, this film is probably the best Yogi Bear showing since "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear" and this is no exaggeration. I enjoyed every minute and my hat is off to Warner Brothers Pictures for making a terrific Yogi Bear movie.

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I loved Yogi cartoons when I was a kid, many moons ago. Wasn't sure what they would do to wreck that with an "updated" movie. Fortunately, they pretty much stuck to the original formula and produced and thoroughly predictable but thoroughly enjoyable movie.

We took our grandson and I expected to drift off or spend more time concentrating on the popcorn bucket than the actual movie. However, despite a massive headache at the start of the show, halfway through, I was back to the screen and had a great time. The live actors were a vague mystery to me. I have seen them all somewhere, someplace, but couldn't put my finger on who they were. When I got home and looked them up on IMDB, I had that "aha" moment. Anna Faris was the most recognizable.

I'll have to give Kudos to Dan Aykroyd as he really nailed Yogi's voice. I'll also give A for effort to Justin Timberlake, who did an admirable if slightly off Boo Boo.

I was able to predict virtually every single scene and event well in advance, yet it didn't bother me at all. I think the filmmakers delivered the spirit of the cartoon show from so long ago.

Wasn't perfect, but still not a bad way to pass time while I ate popcorn. All I know is Baby loved it. Highly recommended for kids and young at heart.

Read Best Reviews of Yogi Bear (2010) Here

Comment: I have to laugh when I hear these people reciting bogus information about 3D and the wearing of "goofy" glasses from so called "technical reporters" that formed their opinion based on a brief viewing in a crowded noisy convention, rather than living with a 3D TV in their homes for awhile. These same people will stand in line for hours and spend $18 apiece (not to mention the cast of food) to get in. That same 3D experience (or better) can be had any time they want (with their family) for the cost of one admission. This family movie is a case in point. It is family entertainment on all levels. The jokes are great... the story is "lesson learning"... and the 3D effect is wonderful with the occasional surprise. It is probably a little mild for teenagers and "tweensters" but if it's a wholesome funny politically correct family movie your looking for, this is it... it's "smarter than the average bear... right Boo Boo"?

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I love this movie.

There's something about it, that doesnt get old. I have watched it about 15 times and still feel like I'm watching it for the first time, whenever I watch it again. It's like taking a fun trip to Jellystone over and over again.

What's not to like?

The movie is about forever friendship: Yogi and Boo Boo are charming, a great team, and compliment each other better than Abbott/Costello, Cheech/Chong, Laurel/Hardy, etc, and those were great teams.

The movie is about fun and adventure: Yogi and Boo Boo stop at nothing to swipe a pic-a-nic basket. If they have to fly, they will. If they have to hook up pic-a-nic tables themselves, to a vehicle and get the baskets that way, they'll do it.

They never give up, and there's a good natured lesson to be learned there.

The film is full of scenes of a sunshine filled Jellystone Park, it is a happy movie, a movie meant to entertain and provide fun to the audience and it hits a home run in doing that.

The scene where Yogi and Boo Boo dance and shake their groove things: Cute and Great.

The fireworks scene: Hilarious.

The "limo window challenged" Mayor: A riot.

The so called movie "critics" and less than stellar box office numbers notwithstanding, this is a great movie that the whole family will love.

It brings Yogi and Boo Boo to life like never before, and I love this movie more than the cartoons.

I hope there will be more movies.

Throw in a nerdy but funny Mr. Ranger and a funny, cute "Movie lady" played by the lovable Anna Faris, and what do you have?

A pic-a-nic basket full of goodies, and dreams that come true.

Verdict: Two pic-a-nic baskets up!!

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Blade

Good action vampire stories, whether written, drawn or on film are just plain hard to find. For a while now the 'not quite bad' vampire and even the 'good' vampire have been fashionable. Not that I have anything against Angel or Henry Fitzroy and their ilk, but sometimes you want a story with a clear division between good and evil and a lot of knock them down and stake them action. Enter Blade.

Blade is a half vampire with a very nasty attitude toward his relatives on the dark side. Played by Wesley Snipes, he has all the moves and attitude you could ever want. His partner in his war against the things that did in his mother is Abraham Whistler (Kris Kristofferson). Later, Karen (N'Bushe Wright) a forensic hematologist who has the bad luck to find a vampire on her table, joins them. Opposing this team is Frost (Steven Dorff), a vampire rebel who thinks it is time for the un-people with pointy teeth to come out of the closet. His plan is simple. Take over the vampire council, capture Blade and resurrect La Magra the blood god. Then there will be nothing but vampires and bloodsicles.

'Blade' is an extremely violent film. Almost everyone is a martial arts expert, has access to what the US Congress would consider weapons of mass destruction, or is a victim. Sometimes, they are all three. Toss in a sufficiency of special effects, great settings, and good acting and you have the film. What makes 'Blade' work is its intense focus. It works hard at being exactly what it is an action film with a strong 'wow' factor. Sometimes that is exactly what you need.

Steven Norrington, a director considerable experience in the horror/science fiction genre, has a great sense of what it takes to make comic book characters come to life on the screen. He manages to retain the strong visual impact of the original Marvel Comics series. David Goyer's script manages to capture the essence of comic book dialogue sparse, but not stilted. The overall effect is a film that builds smoothly from start to ending, with very few slow moments.

The extras on the DVD are surprisingly good. Good sized features on the concepts and effects that went into the film, the story of the Blade comic, and an interesting survey of the vampire in human imagination. In addition, there is an extensive running commentary for the film. All of these are intelligently done. I think 'Blade,' despite its violence, will appeal a wide range of viewers as something more than just another Hong Kong fight film wannabe.

I'm giving this Two Stars not because of the film itself but for the following three complaints I have with this disc (I'm a huge fan of the movies, I have all three and have watched them dozens of times):

1. Price: $25.49 is awfully expensive for a movie that's been out for 11 years. Especially considering that much newer movies (e.g. "Watchmen: The Director's Cut", loaded with extras, btw) are going for lower. The aforementioned "Watchmen" is nearly $10 cheaper.

Surely a $35 or $40 boxed set of all three Blade films could have been issued.

2. Quality of Transfer

The transfer is hardly stunning and hardly worth the aforementioned price. Both my Blu-Ray player (a 120GB PS3, the very latest version of Sony's flagship console) and my HD-DVD player (a Toshiba A-30) upscale/up-res standard DVDs and I cannot tell the difference between THIS Blu-Ray transfer and the upscaled SD-DVD. Thus I'm feeling more than a little taken advantage of. Unfortunately, Amazon's policy limits me to a 50% refund, if they give me one at all. This film is still part of the best Vampire franchise out there (so far), in my opinion, but stick to the standard DVD versions. Not only do you get the extras, but since there's no discernible difference in picture quality, you'll also save yourself a good bit of cash.

3. No extras

Unfortunately, I missed the notice, which is just a single line of print, that no extras were included which scotches my reason for returning the disc. Surely this notification should have been bolded or rendered in a different color, something that would catch the eye better.

Although, in general, I am not a big fan of extras (with certain exceptions, they are rarely worth watching), I think a Blu-Ray release should at least contain everything on the original DVD release. After all, there's more than enough room on a BR disc to accommodate everything on a Standard DVD release since all BR videos are 50GB discs. And "Blade" will fit on a 4.7GB DVD (i.e. a single layer disc) WITHOUT the extras. Therefore, there's no reason NOT to include the extras given the huge amount of space the BR gives the studio for extra content.

Thus, if Blade requires 4.7GB of space for its 2 hours in Standard Definition, multiplying it by 6 (since we are constantly reminded that "Blu-Ray has SIX TIMES--!!!--the definition of DVD!"), that still leaves 26GB for extras, more than enough if these are left in standard def (as the majority of extras are).

Finally, as for the difference in aspect ratios: this is not an issue for me. Both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD normally use a 2.40:1 ratio (resulting in slightly smaller black bars bordering the film) and, strictly, speaking, I suppose, the original aspect ratio should have been preserved. However, the increase (?) in aspect ratio does NOT result in a distorted picture so I don't feel this is a drawback.

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This was a great action/horror film, packed with some excellent special effects, an entertaining storyline, and at least a couple of reasonably talented actors (Snipes, Dorff). Kristofferson is terrible as always (a hint to you casting people... Sam Elliott would have been MUCH better as the tough and gritty Whistler).

But you're not really reading this review to hear about the movie -you can get that kind of info anywhere. What you want to know is "Is the DVD worth buying instead of a VHS tape?" Weeeellll...

This movie is undoubtedly THE showcase movie for DVD (the Mummy is another very good choice). The picture quality is fantastic, and the sound is incredible (you gotta listen to it in Dolby Digital 5.1 on a nice home theater system to fully appreciate the sound). But what really sets this format apart from anything else are the SPECIAL FEATURES. A ton of things like information about the different Vampire houses, commentary from the director on the making of the film, and an alternative ending, really show how the DVD format can add to your viewing experience. Many DVDs (too many, in fact) are simply direct transfers from another format to DVD. No extras, limited enhancements on picture and sound... A perfect example of a BAD DVD is Highlander!

The DVD versions of the Bond movies have also shown the industry a thing or two about how to make a truly interesting and worthwhile DVD movie. DVDs like Blade make me happy I purchased a DVD player!

Read Best Reviews of Blade Here

Lets face it. There have been only a handful of great films that were based on Comic Books: Superman, Batman, The X-Men, ect. With all the rest being dismal failures, usually because all involved didn't take their source material seriously enough and went in a completely different direction. Not bothering to really understand why people truly love these characters in the first place. These kinds of people should never be allowed to direct films derived from comic books.

It was the summer of 1998. The hollywood machine was throwing out dozens of entertainment fodder for the masses to engulf. I saw 14 film in the movie theaters that year. Blade was the only one of them I saw twice. Talk about a movie experience! From the opening shots, you are literally sucked in (no pun intended) to the world of the vampires. Wesley Snipes completely embraces the role of the title character and plays him to the hilt, with just a bit of dry cocky humor that is very refreshing.

As we first meet Blade at a Vampire techno club (which uses a great remix of a song called "Confusion" by New Order) we just know he's a force to be reckoned with as he slices, dices, burns & just plains blows up every vampire he gets a hold of (including Traci Lords, in a very memorable cameo). Kris Kristofferson plays Whistler, Blade's mentor and creator of the various weapons at his disposal, including guns & knives, bombs, & more. ("We have a good arrangement. He makes the weapons, I use 'em"). But it's Stephen Dorff as the bloodthirsty Deacon Frost that helps catapult the film from average action fair to the stuff of comic book legend. With most actors, this would be a one or two dimensional performance, but in the hands of Stephen Dorff, he turns the character of Deacon Frost into something much more multilayared. The interaction he has with Blade as well as his other fellow vampires give off this feel of someone we should not underestimate. Because a truly great villain is a huge key to a movie's success.

The whole mythos of vampires in this film moves the genre in a very interesting direction. According to Blade, pure silver, garlic & sunlight are the main tools to combat vampires. ("Crosses don't do d***, so forget about what you've seen in the movies") But the fact that the pure blood vampires are personified as old & disposable, while the nonpure vampires are young and virile, looking to take over and run things, can really be looked at as a depiction of our society, with the old guard being kicked out by the new one, lest anarchy ensue.

But "Blade" is without a doubt one of the best comic book adaptions to hit the big screen in a long time. It is truly up there with Superman & Batman as the best of the best. And New Line Cinema gives you more to praise about with the wonderful DVD Platinum Edition, that includes a nice audio commentary with Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff and others from the production and writing team. The only disappointing thing is that everyone is recorded seperately instead of all together in one big room which is more fun to listen to. Four Featurettes are also included: "La Magra" which discusses the films evolution as well as showing some deleted scenes from the film (Deacon Frost's idea of freezing humans and harvesting them for their blood, plus the original ending of Frost turning into a digital effects blood monster. You'll be so glad it was deleted once you see it.) "Designing Blade" a look at the production designs including interior, exteriors, Blade's arsenal and more! "The Origins of Blade" An indepth discussion with Marvel Comics alum, Stan Lee & others on the genesis of comic books going from kid friendly to more for adults. "The Blood Tide" A very interesting look at Vampire mythology in general beginning from the early 1900's. Plus you get the definitions to most of the glyphs shown in the film, cast & crew bios and film credits, as well as the wonderful original theatrical trailer that still packs a punch all it's own!

Blade A True Comic Book Classic!

"Some [people] are always tryin' to iceskate uphill" Wesley Snipes as Blade

Also, don't miss the incredible sequel, Blade II!

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the original ratio is 1:2,35 = cinemascope also on DVD, But here on Blu-ray is the ratio fu..ing 1:1,78 = 16:9 TV-widescreen) my question is WHY !!!!! don't buy is blu-ray !!!!!

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Grand Hotel (2013)

The Best Picture of 1931-2 "Grand Hotel" deserved it's Oscar and deserves it's place in history as a forerunner of star-studded films to come. The cast alone is worth watching the film for. But the film stands on it's own as well and is smoothly done considering the intertwining stories of various people whose paths (and fates) cross in that posh Berlin establishment. Greta Garbo as a depressed ballerina is one reason to see this but there's John and Lionel Barrymore in great roles, Joan Crawford as an ambitious stenographer with moral issues, Wallace Beery and other recognizable actors in character roles. Warner Bros. has done a good job with the DVD print so this is definitely a collector's item. There are some amazing interior shots inside the hotel with a wonderful art deco look to them. This hotel where "nothing ever happens" is a must for vintage classic film lovers. It's a rare treasure that's been wonderfully preserved for future film lovers to enjoy. See it for a classic look at what going to the movies in the 30's used to be about.

"Grand Hotel" concerns guests staying at Berlin's Grand Hotel. There's the high strung, tempermental ballerina (Greta Garbo), the sassy vamp-like stenographer (Joan Crawford), the boorish industrialist (Wallace Beery), the stricken labourer (Lionel Barrymore)and the devilishly handsome baron (John Barrymore). These seemingly separate lives cross over some happily so, others with tragic circumstances all thoroughly absorbing and brilliantly performed. At the time of its release "Grand Hotel" was the first movie to feature more than one star above the title credits.

TRANSFER: After years of looking as though the camera negative had been fed through a meat grinder, this DVD digital remastering is a considerable improvement. Having said that, a lot of work is still needed to get this one looking up to par. Solid blacks are about the best thing on this DVD. Contrast levels appear too low in many of the scenes. There are a considerable number of age related artifacts and quite a bit of film grain present on this 70 plus year old classic. The audio has been extensively cleaned up but continues to exhibit considerable hiss. Truly, if this is a special edition it's one of the poorest I've seen.

EXTRAS: Some featurettes that round out the history if too briefly, of this classic film.

BOTTOM LINE: "Grand Hotel" is undeniably engrossing and a brilliant Oscar winner that is sure to enthrall for decades to come! For the film and NOT the transfer, this is an absolute must for your film library!!!

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Although the whole cast deserves accolades, it is the work of Lionel Barrymore that I find compelling. He plays Otto Kringelin, the regular working man who finds himself incurably ill. He decides to spend his last days in luxury at the beautiful Grand Hotel. He makes the acquaintance of a baron (his brother, John), acquires a girlfriend (Joan Crawford), and gets a chance to tell off his boss (Wallace Beery). He achieves the dream that many people have, but never realize. His acting throughout is honest and you find yourself cheering for him.

The casting of this movie shows absolute genius. Garbo is beautiful and engimatic as Grusenskaya the dancer, John Barrymore is the suave but impovrished baron masquerading as a jewel thief, Joan Crawford as Flamchen never looked more beautiful (although she appears in yet another of her stenographer roles), and Wallace Beery comes off well as the ruthless businessman. All of the personalities blend together to make this a memorable film.

The quote "Grand Hotel...people come, people go, nothing ever happens" is the opening and closing line of the movie, but don't let that fool you! A lot happens and this movie is well worth the time it takes you to see it.

Read Best Reviews of Grand Hotel (2013) Here

I have a particular affinity for films from the pre-code era, and "Grand Hotel" is by far my favorite of this genre. After numerous viewings, I began to understand this wonderful film as a portrayal of the tremendous struggle life must have been for Germans of the Weimar period, even for the entrepreneurial and aristocratic classes, especially in this critical year before power was handed over to Hitler. In this movie, everyone is broke except the mousy little clerk played by Lionel Barrymore, and every character is trying in his or her own way to achieve or hold on to the dream-world lifestyle they remembered from the days before the Great War. The hotel decor is very trendy (the bar seats its patrons practically above the heads of standees) and the rooms are large, plush and satiny.

The high point of "Grand Hotel", for me, is the central love scene between John Barrymore and Greta Garbo, which is probably the most gorgeous ever filmed -enchanted, poignant and steeped in doom. The actors were also demonstrably attracted to each other, adding depth and authenticity.

I have to disagree with another reviewer here: I find John Barrymore's performance quite restrained, even staid at times, and Garbo's very mannered (and -listen carefully -she says "I ouant to be alone", not "I vant..."). Barrymore did plenty of "over the top" performances, but this isn't one of them. Compare "Twentieth Century", "Midnight", or his last film, "Playmates". (Actually, "Playmates", an embarrassing stinker made the year before his death, is valuable for an amazing 30-second jewel in its center -a tearful impromptu rendering of as much of the Hamlet "To Be" soliloquy as the poor man can remember, in which he seems to grieve the own slings and arrows of his own life and to beg for release.)

Lionel is absolutely priceless, as skillful a comic actor as he is a dramatic one (it is said that comedy is much more difficult). Young Joan Crawford is breezy and delightful, with no evidence of the harridan she was to become later in her career. Wallace Beery is, as expected, wonderfully gross and heavy-handed, but the director forgot to tell him to lose the thick accent, since his character is supposed to be a native German speaker like everyone else (except, perhaps, Jean Hersholt's).

People say that this movie is dated. Of course it is! So are "It's a Wonderful Life", "Casablanca" and "The Wizard of Oz". Every movie, even a classic, carries the style and ambience -as well as the limited technology -of the era in which it was made. A film's date should not be a criticism but an invitation to a treat for latter-day viewers: time-travel into a universe their own older loved ones may have inhabited.

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MGM's 1932 all-star extravaganza, GRAND HOTEL, was the first of its kind to include several major box-office names in one production. The film utilized a wide range of filming techniques overhead crane shots, moving camera, cross cutting, artistic lighting and long takes to infuse emotion and drama into its premise which takes place entirely at a posh Berlin hotel while overlapping the individual crises of its patrons. It was a novel idea and proved extremely successful, spawning many similarly structured films such as DINNER AT EIGHT (MGM,1933), WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF (MGM,1945), THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY (Warner Brothers,1954), and THE V.I.P.S (MGM, 1963), to name a few.

Based on a novel and play by Vicki Baum, GRAND HOTEL was directed by Edmund Goulding and stars Greta Garbo, John and Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford and Wallace Beery all in roles of equal importance, and each shines in what counts among their best performances. The luminous Garbo is perfect as a tired of life ballerina, her stylized acting captures just the right note of eccentricity. This is the film in which she utters her signature line, "I want (not "vant") to be alone". Crawford is radiant, chic and sensitive as a stenographer assigned to work for boorish business magnate Beery, who, despite his villainous character, manages to generate our sympathy. Beery is the only one to affect a German accent which serves to underscore his menace and alienates him from the other characters. John Barrymore displays his celebrated profile and gives a touching and ultimately tragic portrayal as a thief forced into his trade out of dire need, and Lionel Barrymore is a likeable old fellow who believes he's dying and decides to live it up during his stay at the Grand Hotel.

The hotel itself figures as one of the main characters, and its elaborate art-deco design is showcased to great advantage, consisting of a circular construction and checkered floor tiles, topped off by the main lobby desk and telephone switchboard. Everything was given top-notch treatment, resulting in a film that epitomizes the Hollywood studio system at its very finest. Quality and dignity represented the order of the day in that classical period of filmmaking, and GRAND HOTEL met every expectation both critically and publically, going on to win Best Picture of 1932. To this day it's still regarded as one of the greatest films of its decade, and has been selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".

The newest Blu-ray release of GRAND HOTEL from Warners is quite grand to be sure, with a clarity and density that outdoes the previous DVD. The grain configuration is tantamount to 35mm film, and details in clothing and background elements are readily apparent. This pristine presentation of an 81 year old film makes one appreciate even more the exceptional skill of the cinematographers of that time. Of course, they also had movie stars with the kinds of fabulous faces that the camera could adore. The audio on this release is clear and crisp, with voices registering at a pleasing pitch without any distortion. All in all, it makes viewing this vintage classic a very enjoyable experience.

The extras are all taken from the DVD: "Checking Out" a making-of documentary, the Grauman's Chinese Theater premiere newsreel, "Just a Word of Warning" Theater Announcement, the Vitaphone spoof "Nothing Ever Happens", and trailers for GRAND HOTEL and WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF a 1945 semi remake. The only new feature is a well researched commentary by Jeffrey Vance and Mark Vieira which adds insight and is particularly helplful to viewers who are challenged by older movies.

Highly recommended.

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Godzilla vs. Biollante (2012)

Greetings,

I am still giving this item 5 stars for the honesty and professionalism EBHE has had with the fan community. however there is a caution: from 10/18/12-

"We have to go to manufacture today, and we don't have Miramax/Toho's blessing to include Ed G's commentary yet. We have initiated Plan B, which is releasing the discs without the commentary. I don't have much more for details right now, but I can tell you that if you are dying to buy Godzilla vs Biollante with the Ed G commentary, DO NOT buy it on release day. We have the replication masters ready to manufacture with the commentary included, but we are not allowed to use them until we get approvals. My apologies for getting your hopes up. I kept forging ahead hoping that Toho would get their approval to us at the last minute, but it hasn't happened."

So while this will have other Toho approved extras, it will NOT have the english commentary on release day. If you are planning on purchasing this item soleley for this purpose, please refrain. Many fans appreciate that sicne this item is so inexpensive they will purchase one in each format (waiting on the commentary to get the other). Echo Bridge has assured the fan community that there will be a public announcement made once the commentary has been approved, and a clear indication on the packaging as well (not like the recent MB fiasco with Godzilla vs Megalon).

Godzilla 1985 started a revolution. Evil Godzilla returned! The way he was meant to be. In the next installment of the evil 'zilla series, it is a few hours after Godzilla's deadly attack on Japan. A team of scientists collects some Godzilla cells from a scale found in the rubble. A spy from a terrorist nation tries to steal it. A few confusing moments later, we are thrown 5 years into the future. A scientist who lost his daughter in a lab explosion is experimenting with genetic mutation. He blends the Godzilla cell with a rose-bush cell. The result: A mutated, radioactive plant growing at an alarming rate. Shortly thereafter, Godzilla awakens from the volcano we saw him fall into in Godzilla 1985. When he attacks Tokyo and destroys Biollante, we find that Biollante is not just a monster, but actually holds a closer relationship to the professor than he thinks. Later on toward the end, after Godzilla does his rampaging, Biollante returns, a terrifying sight to behold. Biollante is one of my favorite 'G' enemies, as it is terrifying to look at and is very large and intimidating. The movie tends to drag at times, but the fights are well worth it. And if you are a 'G' fan to begin with, you appreciate these movies no matter what. The soundtrack is also very good. Definitely worth buying for G fans!

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I wish I would have reviewed Godzilla Returns way back when I recieved that one. Now I have a chance to talk about both, sort of.

This is a direct to Japan version of this movie, with no English track or titles. Fortunately there is an option for English subtitles. And for me, that's really enough. This is a well done movie and now that I look at it, one of the best from the Heisei Godzilla series. It has great elements of classic sci-fi as well as a very sincere feel, similar to the origional 1954 Gojira. The scientist father character is compelling with his duel wreckless and wise natures. He's a character who learns from his mistakes, and actually lives long enough to pass this wisdom to others. His is a great, tragic character arc. This is the first movie to use Godzilla's standard Heisei look, and I think it's pulled off quite well here. He's a slow, lumbering character, but the point is, it doesn't matter how slow he is or if you can spot him. Because you can't stop him! Te close ups of his face are fantastic. I really like the detail on the fleshy tongue. And Biolante is one of the great classic, tragic monsters. She's dangerious, deadly, devious, but has the trapped soul of a lovely girl.

As for the DVD itelf, it's pretty basic. There are vew special fetures or options, but as this is the only official DVD release for this film, that automatically makes it the best. The video quality is somewhat lacking too, but nothing you're not used to if you grew up watching these movies on TV as a kid. But I can see this being somewhat of a dissapointment for many, as there is no English dub. Again, that's fine by me, but it is a little harder trying to watch this with friends who refuse to watch a movie with subtitles. But to be honest, the 80s/90s series had some pretty weak English voice talent, and hearing the origional actors is kind of nice. Also there's a bonus special feature at the end, after credits. It's about a 40 minute behind the scenes spot, that shows quite a bit of detail on making the film. This is a rare thing for 80s films in general, so it's kind of nice. Again, it's a little tough going with no English to stand on, but the behind the scenes visuals themselves are nice! I still with whatever studio holds the American distribution rights would hurry up and for this thing over already! Or better yt, give it to Classic Media so they can do what they did with the Godzilla movies they release!

Read Best Reviews of Godzilla vs. Biollante (2012) Here

I own all the Godzilla DVD's and consider myself obsessed a tad but Megalon,1985 and Biollante I had on imported DVD's. I was so happy to hear about Biollante being released on DVD it's been way too long. This year has been great for Godzilla fans we finally got Megalon on DVD and it was a very nice transfer it had great video quality and now we will be getting Biollante. Now in terms of quality of the movie it's one of the better Godzilla movies very unique and of course any Big G fan will get it right away. This also means all that's left is Godzilla 1985 to be officially released on DVD lets hope we get that real soon that would be great news for all Godzilla fans.

Update: while I'm very happy to get an official release on DVD the quality is not the best it's probably the worst transfer of any Godzilla on DVD and the sound is horrible it's 1.0 mono for The English Dub. Again I am obsessed and love Godzilla and would recommend it for the collection but the bootlegs are almost better quality.

Want Godzilla vs. Biollante (2012) Discount?

The answer to the title question is Biollante (plant). A dr. creates a giant plant using Godzilla's cells. Like every other Godzilla movie, Godzilla battles Biollante. Biollante battles Godzilla in his Rose form. Godzilla beats Biollante and Biollante seems to die (yeah right). Godzilla does some damage and about thirty minutes later Godzilla battles Biollante final form. They have a pretty good fight, but in the end, Biollante forces Godzilla to retreat from battle. Biollante then turns into cells and they go up into space. It is a direct sequel from Godzilla 1985. I like this movie alot. I wish it were out on DVD.

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Cape Fear (1962) (1962)

This review refers to the "Cape Fear"(1962) Widescreen DVD edition by Universal.....

"Cape Fear" from 1962 is a terrific example of great film noir. Filmed in black and white, director J.Lee Thompson uses shadows and light, and the art of suggestion(the censors were pretty tough back in the 60's), to bring us this bone-chilling and suspenseful classic that over fourty years later, still, has not lost it's draw. Not unlike many of Hitchcock's films, Thompson has the audience on the edge of their seats,our hearts in our throats, and in fear for the hero.

It's good vs. evil, as Greogory Peck and Robert Mitchum, put their immense talents together for this spine tingler. Max Cady(Mitchum) has just been released from 8 long years in prison. From the moment we meet him, we KNOW this is one bad hombre. He is bent on revenge, and Sam Bowden(Peck) is the man who must pay. Sam's young daughter and beautiful wife are the targets of Max's obssession. He is slick and devious and will stop at nothing to get even. Sam does everything in his power legally to try and stop him, but must take matters into his own hands to protect his family.

Mitchum is simply powerful in his performance of this menacing threat, and Peck as always is perfect in his portrayal of the family man whose life has just turned into one big nightmare!

The film is also helped by the wonderful talents of Telly Savalas and Martin Balsam. Polly Bergen and Lori Martin are magnificent as the terrified wife and daughter.The talent doesn't end there though, the haunting music was scored by Bernard Hermann(who worked with Hitch on several films), and Sam Leavitt does a fabulous job with the black and white cinematography.

The transfer to DVD is crisp and sharp. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen(1.85:1)and barely shows it's age. The sound is in Dolby Dig 2.0 Mono. The dialouge as well as the music and background noises are all clear and distguishable.

There is a terrific featurette on the making of the film,production photos, a trailer, and DVD ROM. It may only be viewed in English, but has captions in English and subtitles in Spanish and French for those that may need them.

A thriller that stands the test of time. One that esteemed Director Martin Scorsese chose to pay homage to with a wonderful remake.

Get the popcorn ready and enjoy......Laurie

Prior to his Oscar-winning role as lawyer Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird", Gregory Peck portrayed another attorney in 1962's "Cape Fear", a psychological thriller also starring Robert Mitchum in one of his most despicable roles.

No two actors were better suited than these two. Their characters are a definite study in contrast. Peck's Sam Bowden is a civilized intellectual forced to resort to some underhanded means to protect his family and himself from the treacherous taunts of Mitchum's crude, rude antagonist. Tension builds as the two men make a final confrontation at the location of the film's title.

Polly Bergen and Lorie Martin as Peck's respective wife and daughter are quite good a show a strength of character rare for women in the early 60's. They are not just "screaming Mimi's".

Martin Balsam, Jack Krushen and a pre-Kojak Telly Savalas round out a superlative cast; Barrie Chase is also quite memorable as a woman that runs afoul of the Mitchum's sadistic Max Cady.

Southern locations and crisp cinematography provide a picturesque yet menacing background and look.

To top off the film off is another remarkable score from Bernard Herrmann. Music by the late composer elevates this already superior thriller to a higher level.

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The late great classic acting talents of Robert Mitchum are showcased in this 1962 classic, reproving his ability to play the villain with unsurpassed expertise, as in the former 1955 classic "Night of The Hunter".

Here, Mitchum plays Max Cady, a menacing figure with a perpetual lit cigar and Panama Hat. He has come to town after being released from jail to visit and wreak revenge on the man who put him there, enter Sam, played by Gregory Peck. From their initial reunion in the town parking lot, Cady lets Peck have a peek at what's on his mind. From that moment on, there are grippingly suspenseful encounters between the two men and even worse, threats to his wife played by Polly Bergen, and his daughter, in a rather ineffectual role considering what she goes through when encountering Cady. Particularly amusing is a scene in the beginning of the film. Cady casually watches the family bowl, while harrassing a waitress and having a beer. The expression on Pecks face as his Sam character looks up, and spots those sinister leering eyes peering from a nearby table at his family, is classic.

What needs to be mentioned more than the great direction, pacing and script, is the believabilty of the sociopath depicted, that Mitchum brings to startling low-life on the screen. He is truly mesmerizing in his sleepy-eyed evil countenance. His gaze, cigar in mouth, hat pulled low, will raise your hair as you watch him. He moves toward his victims in a slow and deliberate manner, and speaks his lines with that commanding voice that he was so famous for. When picked up for questioning, he hilariously mocks Pecks' Sam, calling him casually by name, "Why, Say-im..." and then as "counselor" refering to his lawyer status. My favorite Mitchum line here?"You might want to look closer, I've got a few jolts of horse stashed under the collar." as he hands over his shirt to the police. The other great line is to Peck in a bar, as he lets him know that he can't be bought off. When speaking of his dear ex-wife, "Pumped a quart of whiskey in her, tore off her dress, threw away her shoes, and gave her a fair chance to work her way home..." Needless to say, pretty daring for it's time. You will have to find out the rest for yourself, like the scene with the drifter girl Mitchum picks up, and of course, the showdown.

Don't even think that Martin Scorcese's subsequent remake comes close to this classic. The excessively demented southern accent and preponderance of large tattoo's on DeNiro, don't make him more frightening than Mitchums' original take on the Max Cady character. Mitchum's subtle style of menacing, which seems paradoxical, but works, is far more effective at eliciting the viewers rapt attention. Besides, the Scorcese version got mired in outside subjects like infidelity from Nick Noltes version of Sam, what for? Let's face it, the original doesn't need any additional subplots to be entertaining.

"Cape Fear" is a strange title, refering to the very real location of the story, while it also serves as a perfect double entendre for the utter fright Robert Mitchum delivers within, in an unparalleled style. Don't miss this classic.

Read Best Reviews of Cape Fear (1962) (1962) Here

"Counselor, you really stepped on it this time, didn't ya? I don't know what the Bar Association thinks about its members compounding a felony -but I do know what the law thinks about it. You just put the law in my hands! And I'm gonna BREAK YOUR HEART WITH IT!! Ain't nothin' can stop me! You understand that, don't you?!"

The above words were spoken by a bloodied "Max Cady" in the original (1962) version of "Cape Fear", which is a suspense-filled masterpiece that remains one of my favorite movies of this genre. The film, which was known as "The Executioners" during the actual shooting of the picture (the title of the 1957 John D. MacDonald novel on which the movie was based), first appeared on American theater screens on April 12th, 1962.

That Max Cady is one scary dude! No doubt about that. Portrayed to perfection by 44-year-old Robert Mitchum, Cady is presented with full intensity in "Cape". We get the impression, and rightly so, that Mr. Cady is relentless in his pursuit of "Sam Bowden" and his family. Nothing is going to stop him. And Sam (Gregory Peck) knows this too.

Therefore, drastic measures are needed to fight this awesome menace. Watch and see how it suspensefully unfolds. Many memorable scenes await the viewer here -scenes that look all the greater thanks to the handsome Anamorphic Widescreen print of the movie that has been encoded onto this DVD. The black-and-white photography looks solid as a rock on this disc.

As the film opens, we see a cigar-smoking Max Cady walking toward the courthouse to meet his "prey" (Bowden). Cady's self-assured gait and somewhat cocky manner, as we watch him leisurely making his way down the street, give us a good indication as to the kind of man Cady is. He leers lustfully at a couple of women who are leaving the courts building; and he shows us his self-absorbed demeanor when he walks right past a woman on a staircase who has just dropped one of the many books she is carrying (without Cady offering even a cursory glance of care or concern). These silent and subtle initial "Cady touches" in the James Webb screenplay provide the audience with a perfect "introduction" to Cady's character.

Bernard Herrmann composed the magnificent music score for the 1962 version of "Cape Fear"; and Mr. Herrmann's mood-enhancing themes greatly add to the atmosphere of the picture (as is always the case with any of his musical arrangements). Yet another stellar effort by Bernard H.

The 1991 remake of "Cape Fear" (starring Robert DeNiro) is very nearly as good as this 1962 original. The remake features additional layers to the already-competent plot that add to the enjoyment of that picture.

However, I think that the original film still outshines the remake. The combination of Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, and Polly Bergen provides this film with a very good trio of actors to build a picture around.

I've always liked Polly Bergen in everything I've ever seen her in -from her always-delightful and witty appearances on TV's "To Tell The Truth" game show, to this role in "Cape Fear", to her comedy roles as well.

Gregory Peck had a good calendar year of 1962. He made "Cape Fear", plus two other big-name films that same year: "How The West Was Won" and the incomparable "To Kill A Mockingbird". Not a bad year's work for any actor.

Keep an eye peeled for some other fine supporting players dotting the cast of "Cape Fear" -like Telly Savalas, Martin Balsam, Edward Platt, and Will Wright. For Wright, who was in literally hundreds of TV shows and feature films, "Cape Fear" would mark his last movie appearance. He died on June 19, 1962, very shortly after this movie was filmed.

This excellent "Cape" DVD presentation comes to us via Universal Studios Home Video. The Region 1 (USA) disc was first streeted by Universal on September 18th, 2001. The '91 version of the film came out on DVD the exact same day, too.

This single-sided DVD isn't a "Special Collector's Edition" by name, but some really good bonus supplements adorn the disc nevertheless, including a satisfying Making-Of program, along with the Theatrical Trailer, a Photo Gallery, DVD-ROM features, plus some Cast-&-Crew text-only information and Production Notes.

The behind-the-scenes featurette ("The Making Of Cape Fear") runs for 28 minutes. This mini-documentary contains film clips and contemporary interviews with star Gregory Peck and the film's Director, J. Lee Thompson. These interview segments with Peck and Thompson must have been recorded just shortly before both of these men passed away. Mr. Thompson died on August 30, 2002; and just ten months later we lost the great talent of Mr. Peck (on June 12, 2003 -which was a terrible month in this regard, with several big-name Hollywood stars slipping away from us during that very same month of June 2003).

The section of the disc labelled "Production Photographs" (the Photo Gallery) is a unique DVD bonus, in that it presents the Photo Gallery in an unusual fashion, with clips from the film mixed in with the still photographs. Portions of the chilling musical score are also utilized as a backdrop to the clips and photos. This "Gallery" of pictures and movie snippets is on a timed track (lasting 4:48), and the remote-control "pause" button has not been locked out, which enables the viewer to freeze any of the images for a longer look at them. Nicely-done bonus.

Some Additional DVD Specs.....................

> Video is 1.85:1 Widescreen (enhanced for 16x9 television monitors).

> Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (English only).

> Subtitles in English and Spanish and French.

> Menus are static, silent, and simple.

> Sub-Menus provided for "Scenes", "Bonus Materials", and "Languages".

> Film length is a tad shy of 106 minutes.

> Paper insert is included, with a Scene Index for the 18 chapters on the DVD.

--------------------------------

"Cape Fear" (1962) should certainly keep any first-time watcher on pins and needles; and towards the end of the movie there will be no need for the bulk of your chair at all -just the "edge" of the seat will be required. The film holds up very nicely the 23rd time it's viewed as well. A 'classic' always does.

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When I first saw J. Lee Thompson's film I was on the edge of my seat. It is a scary thriller without showing buckets of blood, graphic violence, monster make-up, or even using the word "rape".

A bitter, amoral, psychopathic ex-con, Max Cady (the incomparable Robert Mitchum), recently released from an eight-year prison term, is out for revenge against the man who testified against him at his trial, lawyer Sam Bowden (the late, great, Gregory Peck). He infiltrates into Sam's life, stalking his lovely wife, Peggy (Polly Bergen, no shrinking violet), and his pretty, innocent teenage daughter, Nancy (the appropriately sweet Lori Martin). Sam does everything legally possible (for the time, before anti-stalking laws came into place) to protect his family, but he finds he is powerless under the law, and Cady is very intelligent in his planning. It all ends in a showdown on the river Cape Fear.

Let me just say that this movie has an advantage over the 1991 remake. Cady doesn't have to be covered in tattoos or act like Freddy Krueger to be terrifying. The word "rape" doesn't have to be mentioned nor does the offense have to be shown to us graphically (since the censors of the time forbade it) for the viewer to understand and comprehend what is going on. The performances are all right on, and even when Barrie Chase's Diane Taylor is assaulted, we don't have to be told that she was raped, because it's implied and it's written all over her bruised, traumatized face. Her portrayal of this victimized and frightened young woman is impeccable why didn't she have a longer career?

Gregory Peck is compelling, and the scenes where Nancy is pursued by Cady outside her school and she escapes inside, only to fear that he has also followed her in (and she is mistaken) is absolutely nail-biting, as is the final showdown. Cady's devious plan to accost Peggy on the boat in order to "trade" her for Nancy is gut-wrenching and extremely watchable. We now have a names for guys like that rapist, stalker, pedophile, murderer but the first three were either not used or hadn't been made a term yet. A classic, don't accept any substitutions. As I usually give so much away in my comments, I'll leave the plot details at that. Bernard Hermann's score for the film is perfect, and ranks right along with his score for Alfred Hitchcock's "PSYCHO" a masterpiece. And so is the movie. Don't watch it alone or in a dark room!!!!!!!! 10/10.

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Inferno (1980)

This Blu Ray edition of INFERNO is with no doubt the best ever on the market today. Gorgeous colors and accurate ones : it exactly reminded me the movie I had the chance to see in the theaters some years ago which was not the case with the previous DVD. The sound is astonishing as well, giving Keith Emerson's music some grandeur (the final scene).

As for the film, for those who don't know yet the eerie world of INFERNO, just don't pay attention to the narration and logic, as there is few. INFERNO is a variation on fear, You just have to let yourself sweep away by the sounds, colors & flashes of macabre + violence in a very operatic way.

Dario Argento has made some of the most captivating, brilliant horror movies I have ever seen, and I absolutely love and devour horror movies, old and new. "Inferno" is no exception; it holds your attention from start to finish, and if you weren't fascinated by it, you have to be a pretty dull person. So the plot is not crystal clear,who cares? Argento has never specialized in the plot department. But, contrary to what many people think, Argento's movies DO have substance are not just fanciful exercises in style. Argento, more than any horror director I've ever seen, evokes a sense of the marvelous and otherworldly:his films point away from the commonplace, the ordinary, and push us in the direction of the unknown. Half the people who bash this movie probably couldn't take their eyes off it while it was actually playing. True, some of the dialogue is ludicrous and the scene at the end with the 'grim reaper' was absurd, but the sheer magic and intrigue of the movie make its flaws unimportant. Argento is to horror cinema what Lovecraft, Poe or Kafka are to horror literature. I find it hard to believe that the 'fans' who dismiss this movie because of qualms they have over it 'not making sense' or the incomprehensible nature of the plot were Argento fans to begin with: the premise of the movie is neither more nor less ludicrous than the plots of his other movies. Argento's work is not meant to be logically coherent or rational, but to penetrate the mystical, shadowy side of existence. You will never see a more visually stunning or visionary horror movie. Don't just rent this movie, buy it.

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Phenomena hooked me right away, even the momentary twinge I felt when the monkey made its appearance (I hate monkeys, especially monkeys in "horror" movies) was short lived; this monkey is actually a device to move the plot along and never overstayed its welcome. The tension continues to build up, right up to the end, which was a nice surprise. Many elements from prior Argento films make appearances here and everything just works.

Inferno is the third and final chapter of the Deep Red trilogy and the second and, so far, final chapter in the proposed Three Mothers trilogy. Inferno suffers from the "Jan Brady" syndrome. She is beautiful and accomplished in her own right, but she follows an even more beautiful and equally accomplished sister. It is easy to be so dazzled by Suspiria that Inferno is obscured in her shadow. But upon a second viewing, the scales fall and the ears become unplugged and Inferno proves to be her sisters equal. Its simply that Suspiria is a fairy-tale whereas Inferno is a symphony.

Phenomena includes a trailer, a couple of music videos, the first of which is absolutely mesmerizing, and an interview.

Inferno includes an introduction by Dario Argento, that unfortunately comes off as an apology, a trailer, and an interview segment.

This gift set, in fact, all three volumes of the Dario Argento collection, represent a tremendous value. Just compare the price of buying these two DVD's separately. This is now the DVD's golden age. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Read Best Reviews of Inferno (1980) Here

Well as most of you already know, you don't watch Dario Argento's movies for substance. You watch them for style. This movie delivers with bright vibrant colors and imagery, hooded figures, devils, beautiful women, and a really mean hot dog vendor. I find myself drawn to watch this movie over and over again, if only for the neon lit rooms and underwater lairs,Argento has displayed throughout.

The plot, involving a brothers search for his missing sister in a house of evil, is a follow up to Argento's Suspiria(another much lauded film) that follows the tale of the three sisters( a witch cult or something even more sinister-of course never fully explained)

If it's explanation your looking for, go elsewhere, but if your looking to be entertained by vivid kills and unusual set pieces,you might just want to set up shop in the House of Inferno.

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In the wake of "Suspiria", where Dario Argento fully committed to the visual and aesthetic possibilities of the horror genre, narrative took a back seat. Gone were the days of the tightly plotted whodunits such as "Bird with the Crystal Plumage" and "Deep Red". "Inferno" is symptomatic of a cinematic approach in which narrative is subservient to and in service to increasingly grand visual set pieces. "Inferno" more so than any horror film marked the eventual path the genre would take in the 1980's. "Inferno" isn't however devoid of narrative, but making sense of it is not the paramount concern of the spectator. The theme of alchemy acts as an effective metaphor for the film as whole, as Argento throws in tried and tested ingredients to create something that is startlingly dark and baroque. "Inferno's" narrative problems however are not it's undoing, it's as if Argento realises by the very nature of the genre that his major concern is the realisation of another world; in this case a gloomy and gothic netherworld in which the forces of evil are much closer than one expects. Full of spectacular and senseless violence "Inferno" reconstitutes the gothic form (made quaint and redundant by Hammer) and gives it a unique Italian sensibility.

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The Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1, 2 & 3 (2013)

It's a cute and funny movie series for all ages. I, a 22-year-old, enjoyed it along with my parents, both over 50, and several of my cousins, ages 5, 9, 11, 13 and 18. The characters are all very relatable. It reminded me of my middle school days.

I ordered this expecting to receive the Blu ray disc set. Instead, upon receiving it I discover it is the blu ray/DVD combo pack for all three. Each film in the set has its own discs and its own case inside the box. This is better than I originally believed when purchasing it.

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This box set is actually pretty hard to find. My little brother loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies and I wanted to get him the set for his Birthday...I was surprised at how hard it was to find. Great price and fast shipping. Thanks!

Read Best Reviews of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid 1, 2 & 3 (2013) Here

My son loved the books, and loves the movies even more. This was a great purchase for us. And the movies are cute enough for adults to enjoy the first couple times as well.

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These are great. First books that my 6 year old has read. He even has read them more than once.

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8 1/2 (The Criterion Collection) (1963)

Frederico Fellini's masterwork 8 ½ is difficult to approach largely because of its reputation. Many critics also state that the film is so complex that it requires multiple viewings to understand, and this is likely to intimidate many viewers. But the truth is that, in spite of its surrealistic flourishes, 8 ½ is more straight-forward than its reputation might lead you to believe.

The storyline itself is very simple. A famous director is preparing a new film, but finds himself suffering from creative block: he is obsessed by, loves, and feels unending frustration with both art and women, and his attention and ambition flies in so many different directions that he is suddenly incapable of focusing on one possibility lest he negate all others. With deadlines approaching the cast and crew descend upon him demanding information about the film-information that the director does not have because he finds himself incapable of making an artistic choice.

What makes the film interesting is the way in which Fellini ultimately transforms the film as a whole into a commentary on the nature of creativity, art, mid-life crisis, and the battle of the sexes. Throughout the film, the director dreams dreams, has fantasies, and recalls his childhood-and this internal life is presented on the screen with the same sense of reality as reality itself. The staging of the various shots is unique; one is seldom aware that the characters have slipped into a dream, fantasy, or memory until one is well into the scene, and as the film progresses the lines between external life and internal thought become increasingly blurred, with Fellini giving as much (if not more) importance to fantasy as to fact.

The performances and the cinematography are key to the film's success. Even when the film becomes surrealistic, fantastic, the actors perform very realistically and the cinematography presents the scene in keeping with what we understand to be the reality of the characters lives and relationships. At the same time, however, the film has a remarkably poetic quality, a visual fluidity and beauty that transforms even the most ordinary events into something slightly tinged by a dream-like quality. Marcello Mastroianni offers a his greatest performance here, a delicate mixture of desperation and ennui, and he is exceptionally well supported by a cast that includes Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee, and a host of other notables.

I would encourage people not to be intimidated by the film's reputation, for its content can be quickly grasped, and when critics state the film requires repeated viewing what they actually seem to mean is that the film holds up extremely well to repeated viewing; each time it is seen, one finds more and more to enjoy and to contemplate. Even so, I would be amiss if I did not point out that people who prefer a cinema of tidy plot lines and who dislike ambiguity or the necessity of interpreting content will probably dislike 8 ½ a great deal; if you are uncertain in your taste on these points you would do well to rent or borrow the film before making a purchase. For all others: strongly, strongly recommended.

**EDIT 10/4/11: ADDED REVIEW OF 2009 CRITERION BLU-RAY**

The most obvious achievement in 8 1/2, Fellini's mind-boggling piece of self-examination, is its audacious mixture of dreams and reality in order to show the protagonist Guido's whimsical mind state. Dream sequences come and go without warning, depicting Guido's pain, yearning, frustration, guilt that can pop up at any instant. The first time we see Guido's face, it is his mirror image, hinting to us the unreality we are about to face. Some of the dream sequences have a Bunuel-like surrealism. Some of them, however, blend almost seamlessly into scenes of reality, intentionally confounding us. Some are nightmarish, yet some are warm and hopeful. Some are brief flights of fancy, and some are lengthy, elaborate, wild visions that reflect Guido's heightened sense of confusion and anxiety. Although the film is often called the best film ever made about a filmmaker, its theme is universal in that it is a vivid picturization of a person's (and by extension, any person's) mind, which is often haunted by the past, tormented by the present, and apprehensive about the future and the unknown...

The Criterion Blu-ray edition duplicates all the content in the bonus features and booklet of the DVD edition, but offers a high-def picture and lossless uncompressed mono track. The 1080p video transfer seems to come from the same high-def source that created the DVD edition (which looks very good itself), so you get the inherent advantage of high-def over standard-def, which is 2-3 times higher resolution horizontally and vertically. The uncompressed audio track is encoded at a bit rate of 1152 kbps, which is 6 times higher than that of the DVD's Dolby Digital mono track. In short, this is the best the film has ever looked and sounded on home video. Of course, the better your audio and video equipments (especially screen size), the better your experience. I viewed mine on a 50" screen. As is usually the case in viewing black-and-white films on Blu-ray, you see more optimal black and white levels than the DVD counterpart. But be sure to calibrate your screen properly, such as with the "color bars" screen that comes with all Criterion discs. Proper calibration is quite important for serious viewing of Blu-rays because of the format's ability to show a lot more subtleties and nuances in the picture than DVDs ever can.

The 52-minute short film "Fellini: A Director's Notebook" in the Blu-ray's bonus feature section actually has better picture quality than that on the DVD edition. It still looks severely battered and scratchy, but the colors are much brighter, whereas on the DVD they look very faded. Criterion has obviously found a different video copy of the film for the Blu-ray, as indicated by the opening logo that does not exist on the DVD.

For my opinions on the quality of the bonus features, please see my original DVD review below.

**BELOW IS MY REVIEW OF THE 2001 CRITERION DVD EDITION, originally posted Dec-05-2001**

The new Criterion DVD of 8 1/2 has a sparkling video transfer. A frame-by-frame cleanup of the picture has been done, so this DVD is significantly better-looking than Criterion's laserdisc version in 1989. There are momentary freeze frames during the opening scene, but since they also appeared on the LD, I assume they are normal. The 1.0 mono audio track is indistinguishable in quality from that on the LD -it is mostly clean and sharp, although loud sound shows some distortion. The image is anamorphic. The disc is region-free. The audio is supported by newly-translated optional English subtitles.

There is one slight discrepancy between the LD and the DVD. The LD contained the American release version of the film in which some scenes, such as the one in which Guido first meets his wife, had altered music cues. The DVD, however, is the original Italian version, retaining all of its original music.

The DVD's audio commentary comprises of scene-specific comments (whose authorship is unclear), and additional comments from critic Gideon Bachmann and NYU professor Antonio Monda. The result is a pretty well-rounded audio essay covering the film's conception, production details, themes, and artistic significance, as well as personal recollections, anecdotes, and abandoned concepts and scenes. Other extras include two 1-hour films on the filmmakers. The first is "Fellini: A Director's Notebook", directed by and starring Fellini himself. It is a sort of Fellini-style DAY FOR NIGHT, a fictional, somewhat humorous account of how the director goes about making a film. The video/audio quality of this piece is poor, and there are no subtitles or closed captioning. The second film is a documentary made by German filmmakers in 1993 titled "Nino Rota: Between Cinema and Concert". It offers an intimate yet enigmatic portrayal of Nino Rota through his personal recordings, film footage of him working with Fellini, clips of some early films scored by Rota, and interviews of his associates and students. One segment is about how Rota recycled his score from the 1957 film FORTUNELLA to create the theme for THE GODFATHER, an act that would cost him the Oscar nomination. The DVD extras also include 3 new interviews. Sandra Milo speaks candidly about her experiences, both personal and professional, with Fellini. Linda Wertmuller lavishes praises on Fellini's genius while offering a fascinating appraisal of Fellini's psychology that figures prominently in 8 1/2. And Vittorio Storaro pays tributes to the achievements of 8 1/2's cinematographer, Gianni di Venanzo. Rounding out the extras are 100 or so still photos from the set of the film, some of which were taken from deleted scenes.

Buy 8 1/2 (The Criterion Collection) (1963) Now

First off, its one of the 10 greatest movies. If you have any interest in the history of cinema, its a must-view. However, the Image Entertainment single disc edition suffers from a decent transfer of a mediocre print, with much distracting dust and emulsion chipping present. The Criterion 2 disc version, while weighed down by a second disc of less interesting documentaries issue appears to have far fewer print defects. IMHO the commentaries and better transfer make the Criterion disc a better purchase.

Read Best Reviews of 8 1/2 (The Criterion Collection) (1963) Here

Semi-autobiographical self-analysis mixed with fantasies in a movie? It worked for Fellini to the point that it yielded him his third Oscar for best foreign film, the other two being La Strada and La Dolce Vita. It's a unique testament to his vision.

The opening scene itself is memorable. In it, Guido Anselmi is inside a car surrounded by traffic. He tries to get out but can't, frantically rapping on the window, unable to breathe. The occupants of the other cars stare expressionlessly at him. It's a brilliant symbol of the oppression of society and conformity. The allegory continues with him soaring into the sky and being a human kite, after which authority orders him to be brought back down to earth instead of being in the clouds. How repressive!

Guido is a film director in his stride who's onto a rough start with his current project. Yet his collaborator Daumier finds several flaws. There is no fundamental guiding principle, no philosophical premise, and ambiguous intention. One thing that Guido wants for sure is an angelic woman dressed in white, symbolizing innocence, purity, and salvation. Ironically, in the end, it is she identifies his problem for him. The reason why there isn't a coherent project going on is that the movie is more scenes from Guido's childhood, and many of those are played throughout the film. He wants to make a film that is honest, helpful to everyone, and that will bury everything dead in everyone. But does he really have anything to say? In the meantime, he is hounded by his producer to stick to schedule, hire actors, and start shooting.

He also has a mistress Carla, who's extravagant, sexy, a bit loquacious, being at an impasse in his marriage to Luisa. But it's the fantasy-world and the past that he retreats to in times of stress that's the real wonder here. We learn of his encounter with the hefty and sensuous Saraghina, who lives on the beach and who teaches the local Catholic school kids forbidden dances. The scene of having his own harem, full of the women whom he has encountered, is nothing more than a big booster shot to his male ego. I need to daydream something like that more often.

In the scene between Guido and the Catholic cardinal, I found a line there that reminded me why I quit going to church. Guido complains of not being happy. The cardinal replies, "Why should you be happy? That is not your task in life. Who said we were put on Earth to be happy?" He then quotes from Origenes: "There is no salvation outside the Church."

A question from Guido to Claudia, the stunning actress tapped to play his pure angel is also one to us all: "Could you choose one single thing and be faithful to it? Could you make it the one thing that gives your life meaning, just because you believe in it?"

Marcello Mastroianni is well-placed as Guido, as is Sandra Milo as Carla and Anouk Aimee as Luisa. Barbara Steele plays someone usually out-of-character compared to the horror films she did during this time, as Gloria, the poetic young fiancee of Guido's friend Mario. She has a wonderful line: "The cruel bees have sucked the life from these poor flowers."

This movie was called 8-1/2 because Fellini had done seven films plus three collaborations in which he shot a short segment for an anthology, counting each collaboration as half, so he decided this film would be his 8-1/2th. One of those movies in a league by itself.

Want 8 1/2 (The Criterion Collection) (1963) Discount?

One of my top five films of all time. I won't speak much about the film itself, under the assumption most readers have already seen it. You can be guaranteed a fantastic film if you haven't seen this yet.

As far as the BD itself, the transfer is absolutely fantastic! The DVD version itself already had a pretty pristine transfer, but of course with the BD upgrade the resolution and detail is so much better, and of course comes loaded with extras and an accompanying booklet that is actually quite thorough and should be considered an item in itself, and not just a supplement to the disc.

I haven't watched them all, but the extras that are bundled with the film are plentiful and quite informative. Often times with extras you feel as though it is just filler and fodder (let's be honest, it usually is) but at least Criterion makes a conscious effort to make it interesting. I'd say the extras are worthwhile, and also an upgrade from the DVD version.

The biggest difference I noticed from my first viewing is that the subtitles are slightly changed from the DVD version, and also theatrically. There are probably lots of different translations, but it IS different from the DVD but not drastically. The same point is made, but just using a different delivery. Not sure how I feel about some of the changes, but I probably just got used to the previous translation.

I'm not sure where some of these discrepancies or complaints are coming from that have surfaced recently, but my copy was packaged in the special made Criterion jewel cases, NOT the cardboard ones, and of course not the actual blue ones. For a while, with some of the earlier releases, Criterion was releasing its BDs in cardboard slip case and digi-pack format which angered a lot of customers who spoke their voice and got them to upgrade to the now standard jewel cases. A good move in my opinion, but now I'm stuck with Third Man and 400 Blows in cardboard. Reportedly, you can send in the old cases to get upgraded to new ones, but it'll cost you 5 bucks each, so... I think I can live with it.

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Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)

Another strip-down medicore presentation from Artisan....

This is a landmark brilliant film of perhaps Eugene O'Neill's great play. The directing by Sidney Lumet and the acting by Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson, Jason Robards, and Dean Stockwell is nothing less than amazing. This has got to be one of the 3 all-time greatest performaces from the late Ms. Hepburn!

Simply one of the most amazing films of the 1960's.

This should have been issued on Criteron. We should have gotten a first-rate restoration job with either a good documentary/back story on the making of the film, or a commentary by the two survivors of the film, Dean Stockwell and Sidney Lumet.

Instead we get a nearly public-domain quality release.

I'm so happy to finally get this important film on DVD...but I'm utterly disappointed at the slap-dash quality one has come to expect from Artisan.

I agree with the reviews, the performances are absolutely stunning, especially Katharine Hepburn's, possibly the best of her career if not one of the best ever captured on film.

HOWEVER, this DVD release is atrocious. This is close to a three-hour film and they crammed on to one disc. That wouldn't be so bad had they done a new transfer, but this looks like the same one used for the VHS tape. Cropped for the TV screen like the video release, (this was definitely shot in widescreen, according to imdb.com), it's got the same gritty, low-res quality. You could tape this movie off of TCM or Bravo and get better quality. Rent it, tape it, but hold off on buying this until it's given a proper DVD release (if anyone from the Criterion Collection's listening, please license this movie!)

Buy Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962) Now

This is a powerful film that's making its long-awaited DVD debut and what do we get -a scratchy print scaled down from widescreen to a 4X3 aspect ratio, essentially the same as its VHS presentation. The price is cheap for good reason ...this is a beauty that's been somewhat stripped of its grandeur.

Read Best Reviews of Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962) Here

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)This is likely Katharine Hepburn's greatest screen performance in a career that spanned over six decades. Tackling Eugene O'Neill's morphine-addicted Mary Tyrone must have been daunting at the time, but this 1962 film version of the playwright's autobiographical masterwork is a blazing showcase for not only her formidable talent but her male co-stars as well. Set right after the turn of the last century, it follows a summer day in the life of the Tyrones, as dysfunctional a family as one could possibly imagine. Ex-actor James Tyrone Sr. is the titular head of the family, a miserly alcoholic actor whose sanctimonious attitude has his family unable to cope with their feelings in constructive ways. His wife Mary is a faded beauty defiantly denying both her condition and that of her youngest son Edmund. Edmund has just returned from a few years on the seas but has contracted tuberculosis. Older son Jamie is a failed actor, a wastrel who has become an alcoholic and resentful of his father's stinginess in not being able to send Edmund to a good sanitarium.

The movie is really a series of confrontations and long recollections. As the story progresses, we learn that each of the family members, instead of bonding over Edmund's illness, is gradually retreating into private hellish worlds and that the inability to peacefully cohabitate stems from an inability to move on from events long passed. Even though they are all obviously intelligent people, they refuse to get past their disappointments, and we are left to witness the repercussions of how their choices have affected their relationships and most tragically, how their relationships have informed their choices. What makes spending three hours with this quartet worthwhile is the fact that O'Neill transcends the melodramatic aspects by honing in mercilessly on each one's strengths and frailties. He avoids the talkiness of a stage play by imbuing a sublimely lyrical use of language that captures a profound sense of beauty amid the overwhelming tragedy.

Director Sidney Lumet remains faithful to the text and emphasizes the play's substantial dramatic force by focusing very specifically on the four actors. Hepburn's head-shaking was beginning around this time, and it actually feeds effectively into the character's constant sense of loss and paranoia. She has several great moments, such as Mary's giggly remembrance of her first encounter with James and the demented stupor she displays near the end as she carries her old wedding dress around. A somewhat rigid Ralph Richardson plays James Sr. with appropriate stentorian fervor, though honestly I would have liked to have seen either Fredric March, who originated the role on Broadway, or ironically Spencer Tracy play this role, especially as the play deals heavily with Irish Catholic guilt. Jason Robards has been so inextricably connected with O'Neill in the intervening years that it is no surprise to see him superbly interpret the role of Jamie with alternate flashes of fury and poignancy. As Edmund, Dean Stockwell is a revelation as the O'Neill doppelganger, the emotional core of the play who takes the family's one positive step of forgiving his father and brother for their faults in the climax. Additional credit needs to be given to cinematographer Boris Kaufman whose fluid work here makes the camera an integral part of the experience by lending depth and range to the scenes that could not have been captured onstage. True, it can be an emotionally draining film for the uninitiated, but it is more importantly, a powerful realization of one of the undisputed classics of the American stage.

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Eugene O'Neill finished writing "Long Day's Journey Into Night" in 1940, but when he died in 1951 his will specifically stated the play was not to be produced until at least 25-years after his death. Because his widow relented and gave her permission for this "play of old sorrow written in tears and blood" we are left with this 1962 film and Katharine Hepburn's greatest acting performance. I first stumbled upon this film on late night television twenty years ago and I still remember staying up and crying throughout the emotionally devastating conclusion with the camera slowly pulling back from the family sitting around the table before a stunning series of emotional close ups of the doomed Tyrones.

This painfully autobiographical play is set on the long day and night in 1912 when the Tyrone family deals the news that young Edmund (Dean Stockwell) has tuberculosis. The tragedy is compounded by the rest of the family: a father (Ralph Richardson) who is a miser, a brother (Jason Robards, Jr., repeating his stage performance) who finds solace in drink, and a mother who retreats into her addiction to morphine before the night is over. Writing about his own family, O'Neill not only changed their last names to Tyrone but also switched Eugene with Edmund, the name of the infant brother who died. After watching this heartbreakingly painful story you know why the playwright wanted it tucked away until he was long gone.

Hepburn received her ninth Oscar nomination for her role as Mary Tyrone (the award went to Anne Bancroft for "The Miracle Worker"), and the four actors shared the acting award for the Cannes Film Festival along with the principals of "A Taste of Hone" (no clue how they came to that strange pairing). The almost 3-hour film is the complete O'Neill script (the key selling point for Hepburn in taking the role) and was shot by director Sidney Lumet in sequence in 37 days after the cast rehearsed for three weeks. The music score is by Andre Previn and Boris Kaufman was the cinematographer of this black and white film. O'Neill is enjoying something of a revival thanks to Kevin Spacey in "The Iceman Cometh" on Broadway, but when it comes to film this is far and away the best representation of his work. Given that he wrote extremely long plays about the early part of the last century, it is likely we will never see a greater film version of O'Neill than "Long Day's Journey Into Night."

Interesting background tidbit: Hepburn tried to talk Spencer Tracy into taking the role of the father. Tracy, who was already in failing health, turned it down, claiming it was a question of salary (Hepburn received only $25,000 for her part). Some of Tracy's biographers, wondering how one of the greatest actors of the century would have done with one of the greatest plays, have suggested that Tracy was intimidated by the role. Still, it is hard not to fantasize about the "Long Day's Journey Into Night" as a Tracy-Hepburn vehicle.

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Sleepers (2011)

SLEEPERS

(USA 1996)

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1 (Super 35)

Theatrical soundtracks: Dolby Digital / DTS / SDDS

By virtue of its all-star cast, handsome production values and solemn subject matter, Barry Levinson's SLEEPERS was clearly intended as a Major Motion Picture from the outset. Based on the harrowing true-life bestseller by journalist Lorenzo Carcaterra first published in 1995 book and film describe the appalling fate of four Hell's Kitchen kids (played as children by Joe Perrino, Brad Renfro, Geoffrey Wigdor and Jonathan Tucker) who, in 1967, were sentenced to confinement in the 'Wilkinson Home for Boys' following a near-fatal accident involving a hot dog vending machine which they had stolen as a prank. Inside the reformatory, all four boys are sexually and emotionally abused by a group of sadistic guards led by the sinister Nokes (Kevin Bacon at his slimiest). More than a decade later, traumatized by their experiences, two of the now grown-up boys (Ron Eldard and Billy Crudup) corner Nokes unexpectedly in a local diner and murder him in cold blood. The other members of the group one a prosecuting attorney (Brad Pitt), the other an aspiring writer and journalist (Jason Patric) formulate a daring plan to have their friends acquitted, expiose the reformatory's dark secrets, and take revenge on their abusers...

Such an extraordinary tale was always going to be controversial, and so it proved. Upon release, book and film drew immediate fire from critics who accused author and filmmakers of embellishment and exaggeration, since no records could be found to prove that the trial depicted in the film ever took place within the Manhattan district, or that the Wilkinson Home for Boys ever existed even though Carcaterra's book (and Levinson's script) makes it clear that most of the names, dates and locations have been changed or fictionalized to protect those involved, and that the records of all children held in institutions like Wilkinson are routinely deleted after seven years. Further scandal ensued when the movie ignited protests from those who believed the story drew unfortunate parallels between pedophilia and homosexuality, thereby reinforcing the worst kind of homophobic stereotype. The point is certainly valid, given Hollywood's shameful mistreatment of gay themes and characters over the years, but SLEEPERS doesn't seek to draw any kind of parallels, unconsciously or otherwise, merely to recreate events described in Carcaterra's book. Besides, monsters are monsters, whoever their victims may be.

As a movie, SLEEPERS is competent, briskly paced, and beautifully acted by a dream cast of old pro's (including Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman in key roles) and a new generation of rising stars. It's an ensemble piece, and the lack of grandstanding in favor of narrative momentum is admirable. But while the film is consistently intelligent and engaging, it's drawbacks are significant: The kids are terrific, especially Perrino, but the adults are burdened by the gravity of the subject matter, and Patric's sombre narration seems a little too laidback at times, lacking warmth or even genuine emotion, while John Williams' rambling score clashes resolutely with the film's epic visual sweep. Also, for obvious reasons, the moviemakers were unable to depict the kind of sexual atrocities outlined in the original book, with unfortunate consequences: Here, Nokes' murder seems more like the result of a petulant outburst by a couple of thugs, rather than the inevitable outcome of horrendous physical abuse. And during the subsequent trial, it defies belief that the prosecution's key witness a former guard at Wilkinson would incriminate himself so readily on the stand, as depicted here. That said, however, the movie is still a worthwhile entry, but the book is better.

This is a film that will stick in the mind of anyone who see's it. Jason Patric gives an excelent performance as Lorenzo, the main character and narrator, and Brad Pitt shows his usual class as Michael, the brains behind the manipulation of the law. Robert De Niro's flawless portrayal of Father Bobby is simply brilliant, and is one of the key's to this film's excellence. The young actors are every bit as good as their adult counterparts, with gripping performances from Joseph Perrino, Brad Renfro, Geoffrey Wigdor, and Jonathan Tucker. This film will shock you with its insight of boys' institution's amd the horror that these young boys were subjected too. If this story is indeed true, which we will never know for sure, then it shows us the brutality hiden deep in the concience of the guards, and in the fear of the victims. The story revolves around four friends from the town of Hells Kitchen, who pull a prank on a street vendor which goes wrong and they end up killing a man. The four are sentenced to time in "The Wilkinson Home For Boys" where they are subjected to routine sexual assaults by the very people supposed to look after them (Kevin Bacon, Terry Kinney). Two of the boys become hardened criminals, and upon seein 'Nokes'(Bacon) in their local bar they shoot him dead. From here the film becomes a legal drama, whereby the other two of the boys work to help their friends get away with their act of revenge. This hardhitting drama is one which you will not forget, and will want to watch again and again.

Buy Sleepers (2011) Now

With a gripping story, augmented by the moral and ethical dilemmas of a lawyer, a journalist, and a priest, Barry Levinson's SLEEPERS is heart-pounding drama at its finest. Set in New York's Hell's Kitchen--with all of its subsequent turbulence and socioeconomic dysfunction--this film tells the story of four boys, four lifelong pals, who are sadistically brutalized in a reform school and carry the scars into their adult lives.

It comes as no surprise that two of the four embark on a problematic life of crime; it comes as even less of a surprise that when a former reform school guard is seen eating in a diner the two men extract a brutal and bloody revenge.

At this point SLEEPERS embarks on a breathless course of twists and turns, with one underlying, consistent theme: the unbroken bond of friendship. With their friends on trial for murder, the other two men, a prosecuting attorney (Brad Pitt) and a journalist (Jason Patric) put their careers and reputations on the line to exonerate the defendants--who are indeed guilty of murder--and to malign the former guard who was killed. The stage is set for courtroom drama that is literally spellbinding.

Kevin Bacon, Jason Patric, Brad Pitt, and Minnie Driver are exceptional in this film, but the cast is trumped by two "oldtimers," Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro. Hoffman plays an alcoholic defense attorney in over his head for the trial, while De Niro--as a loving priest who has been a father figure to all four of the boys--faces a titanic decision as he is called to testify as an important witness. The acting is compelling and absorbing, and so is the story. SLEEPERS is about as good as a drama can get.

--D. Mikels

Read Best Reviews of Sleepers (2011) Here

I'm not going to go into the details of this movie much. From reading the reviews on this site, you either like it, or you don't. Frankly, I very seldom like any movie made in the last 20 years or so...but this one really grabbed me and kept my attention. All of the actors came across as very believable characters...something sorely lacking in most movies. The boys, especially, played their parts wonderfully.

The transfer of the film was great...clear, with little grain or other problems. About my only complaint in this area would be the inconsistent sound level. Some sound effects, such as the screaming subway train, would be speaker-rattling with the volume at the proper level for the dialogue.

The worst problem with this DVD, however, is the fact that it is a "flipper". For a movie of only 2-1/2 hours, this is inexcusable. Not only that, the transitions for the end of one side and the beginning of the other are extremely abrupt. Though I can't remember from seeing the movie in the theatre, it certainly appears something was truncated.

4 stars for the movie, 4 for the transfer, 1 for the DVD.

Want Sleepers (2011) Discount?

Rare is a movie that completely holds your attention for 2 1/2 hours but Sleepers is that movie. Played out by an exceptional ensemble cast (Brad Pitt, Jason Patric, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Renfro), it tells the tale of four young Hell's Kitchen boys who after pulling a seamingly harmless prank, are sent to a juvenile facility where they face unspeakable horrors at the hands of ther wardens. This trauma follows 2 of the boys into adulthood where they enter a life of crime. When they take their revenge on a particularly sadistic guard, it's up to the other boys, along with a childhood gal pal and a loving priest to save them. Every performance in this movie makes an indelible impression but the standouts are Deniro as Father Bobby, Frank Medrano as neighborhhod shopowner Fatman, Minnie Driver as Carol and Geoffrey Wigdor as young John. I watch this movie every November(it feels like a Fall time movie) and it never fails to amaze me. It is tense, heartwrenching, touching and at times funny. However the final 5 minutes always hit me where it hurts. When I think of how those kids were robbed of a normal life it sickens me. Sleepers is a phenomenal film that will leave a deep impression.

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