By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volumes One and Two (The Criterion Collection)

I give thanks from Japan.

A picture of the blue-ray disc is very beautiful.

When I watch a silent film of Mr. Brakhage, I get dark the illumination and get alone at midnight.

This process make me a mysterious impression.

You can probably find ample good reviews of this set online, since this is an early Blu-Ray edition from the essential Criterion Collection, and is a lush and perfect enough package to have received awards. I purchase very few movies on disc, in spite of being a rabid cinephile; and this is one BR set that I bought _without hesitation_. Describing some of the films might sound like parody, insured boredom, or unbearable pretense, but I'm telling you....experiencing the films is something else. Theoretical baggage is posterior to the immediate, sensual experience of the films, as they unfold. Brakhage was a magician of some kind, a sui generis artist.

Listening to music while watching these silent film-paintings (even the ones that are not hand painted, as are his later films) is probably fine, but I'd personally suggest trying (and trying....and trying...) them in silence, the way he intended them to be seen. The effect is, I think, an intensification of the experience, since (if I'm correct) SB intended the films to BE A FORM OF MUSIC, or at least to be very much like music, in its essence. I've done this with friends, sometimes several hours at a time, and the effect is not just in my own head; others concur, and even bring it up afterwards without me prompting them.

The only other thing I might suggest is going out of your way to see these on celluloid if you can, while celluloid and film projectors still exist. And while these particular films still exist, _as_ films, which might not be for terribly much longer. It really is a different experience. I know, I know...isn't it always? But with many of these works, maybe all of them....it's really, really a different experience. It will shake you.

Critic Fred Camper, a sensitive and humble writer on many kinds of film art, has written extensively on Brakhage (including notes in this DVD/BR edition), and his website is a valuable resource. Also amazing is Brakhage's own short-lived radio show, which you can hear on Ubuweb. It is wonderful to hear the man speak! He's a mystic, but not a flake. And not drunk on himself, just honestly intent on, well, breaking through something to something else. How else to say this?

Buy By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volumes One and Two (The Criterion Collection) Now

Stan Brakhage is one of cinema's most unique artists. His films have a (literally) hands-on and human approach that has simply remained unmatched. Highlights include Mothlight, Window Water Baby Moving (surely one of the most beautiful films ever made), Dog Star Man, 23rd Psalm Branch, Night Music and Chinese Series (Brakhage's final work).

Criterion's massive blu-ray release of 56 Brakhage films allows his vision to shine even clearer than ever before. These films look magnificent. While some are limited by their sources, others (particularly his hand-painted films) look immaculate.

The audio is a bit hard to judge, as most of these films completely lack a soundtrack. Those that do have sound come across decent enough, though they are, again, limited by their sources.

The extras are plentiful and all worthwhile. The mulyi-part Brakhage on Brakhage series allows the filmmaker to freely discuss his creative process and influences, as well as share from interesting stories about fellow artists. Several lectures and interviews are also included, as well as For Stan, Marilyn Brakhage's short film dedicated to her husband.

The real treat here are the audio remarks by Brakhage, which detail the making and inspiration behind each individual film. These are only included on the first volume of this collection, however.

By Brakhage is one of Criterion's very finest releases, and thus, one of the greatest home video releases of all time.

Read Best Reviews of By Brakhage: An Anthology, Volumes One and Two (The Criterion Collection) Here

This is a fantastic blu ray for vj's and artists in general, a great update on the Vol. 1 and 2 on DVD. For me it is a great way to pepper my live music with his images. Stunning.

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This video was a requested gift something he had seen and wanted. This particular video was as expected, excellent quality and condition and he is quite satisfied with it.

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In My Sleep (Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

In My Sleep is a fast paced, gripping, edge of your seat thriller that will keep you guessing right up to the very end! The story plays out in an unpredictable and wonderfully spooky, which will keep you on your toes. In many ways this movie reminded me of a new age thriller that is reminiscent of the classics from master filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Truly a great new film from Director/Writer Allen Wolf that I highly recommend for all viewers!

Writer/director Allen Wolf has hit a home run with this indie motion picture in the tradition of Hitchcock. From the opening scene, the viewer is kept guessing with the main character, Marcus, who embarks on a mission to try to discover whether he committed murder and to search within whether he has the capacity for such an act. The plot is highly suspenseful and entertaining, but in the end the movie leaves the viewer thinking about the deep issues that Marcus explored within himself.

The screenplay is tightly written and the movie features strong performances by lead actors Philip Winchester, Lacey Chabert, and Abigail Spencer. Allen Wolf mixes superb humor into this thriller, keeping the audience entertained throughout. "In My Sleep" is truly a unique movie that you will not forget.

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Can you imagine going to bed and waking up with blood on your hands? Not knowing what you've done the night before? In My Sleep asks those questions and many more equally frightening ones, keeping you in suspense throughout, until the last satisfying and surprising revelation. There are even a few chuckles along the way! Worth the wait!

Read Best Reviews of In My Sleep (Special Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Here

I was gripped from the beginning of this film to the end! I'm usually not a lover of thrillers, but this one was smart, well-paced, and had a great cast. By the end of the film, I had gotten so engrossed in it that I had forgotten where I was. That, to me, is a great movie!

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I rarely rave about movies, but without exaggeration it's truly one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time.

The movie is a well-written edge-of-your-seat thriller, interlaced with incredible suspense, Hitchcockian elements, a fantastic plot, great intensity, wonderful musical score, and even humor along the way.

If you like movies like Memento and the Usual Suspects, and appreciate movies with twists and turns that keep you guessing the entire time, you'll love this movie. After I saw this movie, I couldn't stop talking or thinking about it. It's one of those movies that stays in your mind and makes you think through it and ask questions about it for several days. (And one that you'll want to see again once you figure everything out).

Frozen Planet ,Life Exclusive 2 Pack (Blu-ray Disc) (2012)

First and foremost, the blu-ray quality on both of these is amazing. These two blu-ray are probably some of the very best qualities you will ever find. Absolutely amazing. Secondly, David Attenborough version is by far my favorite, but please keep reading.

Life

I own both the David Attenborough and Oprah edition of Life (I already had the David Attenborough edition when somebody bought me the Oprah edition just recently, but I kept them both). There are major differences in narrative quality, but all in all I think Oprah did a pretty good job. I try to stay optimistic and positive about everything, so needless to say, I was pleased.

If you like Oprah and her personality, then I think she brings a little something different to this documentary. David Attenborough, an actual naturalist, has been my favorite narrator since I was a kid so it will always be hard to beat his version of Life. That being said, I can't fairly deduct stars from this review on the sole basis that she did not stack up to David Attenborough expertise. These two Life's do not have identical dialogue. There were times I thought that Oprah's edition could have elaborated on certain scenes, but again, this is basing it off of the detailed paid by David Attenborough's edition. Some reviewers on other sites felt Oprah's edition seemed dumbed down, which to be fair to those reviewers, could come off that way. The narrative when lacking depth, does seem like it misses some true educational platforms.

I have seen a lot of criticism about Oprah's edition, and for true David Attenborough fans this may be warranted. On the other hand, I don't feel that Oprah's edition is bad at all. I think Oprah did really well. I truly believe that if she had narrated it first people would be less critical. It's just unfortunate for Oprah that she had to go toe to toe with one of the greats in the business (considering that this is David Attenborough sole expertise in the industry). In Oprah's defense I bet David Attenborough would not rank as high as Oprah in the afternoon talk show department lol.

Conclusion: If you are a true purist of David Attenborough or the art of detailed documentary then go with David Attenborough edition. If you like Oprah and narrative that is a little more westernized then go with Oprah. I'm not taking anything away from Oprah's edition or even saying her version isn't good. I'm just saying more than anything......it's geared towards a totally different audience. In someways I feel that maybe Oprah's edition might be more suitable for children (PARENT ALERT), while David Attenborough edition is more in depth and sometimes uses words that is not customary to a child's vocabulary (but that may be highly debatable for some).

Frozen Planet

This is David Attenborough version of Frozen Planet so as I've already pointed out, this is automatic gold. David Attenborough as usual brings a personality and expertise that is unmatched in nature documentaries. There is really no need to go into too much depth on this one, but just know that it's fantastic.

Overall this set is a great deal. I got my double feature pack (Life and Frozen Planet) as a gift from Best Buy for $19.99 (the gifter didn't remove the price tag). Amazon has it for $39. Either way it's a great price for almost 14 hours worth of film.

***Disclaimer****

If you buy this edition then know that it clearly says Oprah Winfrey on the cover. It really wouldn't be fair to buy this and then complain that it's not the David Attenborough edition. If you want his edition it is also sold on Amazon. Hope this helps somebody make a decision.

Romancing the Stone / Jewel of the Nile (2012)

If you loved "Romancing The Stone" and can hardly pass the TV without stopping to watch when it's on, then you might want to consider this 2-pack. RTS alone is a five star film on it's own.It is one that is as enjoyable the 50th time you watch as it was the first. Then follow the adventures of Jack, Joan and Ralph to Africa in "Jewel Of The Nile".The only problem is...you'll have a heck of a time trying to decide what genre to put them in. There's something for everybody. Action-Adventure, Comedy, and Romance. It's a Caper and a Cliffhanger.

Here's the story for those that may have missed this gem....

Joan Wilder(Kathleen Turner)is a romance novelist who's hopes and dreams are to be swept off her feet by a man like Jessie, the hero of her adventurous stories. She's about to have her own adventure though, one that includes a man, well... not quite like Jessie,but a hero in his own way, Jack T. Colton(Michael Douglas). He has dreams too. And he's into "short-cuts" to make them come true.

After coming into possession of a mysterious treasure map, Joan finds herself in the jungles of Columbia. She must use the map to bargain for her kidnapped sister's life. Things are not going smoothly though. All kinds of villains are after the map. Enter Jack to the rescue, but are his intentions to help her or is he also after the treasure at the end of the map?? Find out as things go downhill(literally), they are swinging from vines, fighting off crocodiles, and are all the time being chased by bad cops and bumbling thieves, including the likes of Danny DeVito!

"Jewel Of The Nile" is the sequel to this fun adventure, and although a bit on the predictable side, and maybe not one that you'll watch as often as RTS,(I would probably give it 3 1/2 stars on it's own),it's a chance to see these three great stars back in action again,this time being chased and romancing their way across Africa.

Joan and Jack have been living together on his boat for six months already.Jack wants to take off and see the world, Joan has a bit of a writer's block and wants more from life. Opportunity knocks on her door when a powerful Sheik wants her to write his story. She's wisked off to Africa, leaving a brooding Jack behind, and immediately finds herself in the midst of a mysterious,intriguing and very dangerous situation involving an all powerful "Jewel". But have no fear, Jack is warned of the danger his beloved is in and is off to save her. Ralph(DeVito),who has been lurking about and hears the word "Jewel" is not going to be left out this time, and tags along as well. An added bonus to this one are the fabulous Flying Karamazov Brothers juggling troupe, who jazz up this film a little with their entertaining skills.

Finally available in a packaged deal on DVD, it would be nice if the special features were listed, so fans of theses films could decide if it is worth the upgrade to a "special edition".

Also these two "special edition" are both sold separately. It may be worth the time to check the prices from Amazon and the outside sellers to see which way is the best deal(including shipping costs)

Fun, Romance,Adventure,Great Location shoots, and three great stars to spend action-packed hours with....go for it..and enjoy....Laurie

more fun stuff:

Man With One Red Shoe

The Cowboy Way

Goin South

These 2 films are 2 of the most nostalgic films for me from the mid-1980s. It had been a long time since I watched them, but they remain as delightful today as they did when I first saw them on VHS in the 80s.

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner portray a pair of quasi-lovers thrown into rather unpredictable circumstances. Danny Devito plays a loveable bumbling bad guy who is out to convince himself that he really IS a bad guy.

The DVDs contain special features which interview the stars today and all 3 reminisce about the making of both films. The story about how the set-prop of the F-16 nearly caused an international incident is comical. There was just one downside to the interviews, and that was that Kathleen Turner (who SIZZLED in the 80s!) has not aged well @ all. I would have never recognized her. Sadly, I believe Danny Devito has aged more gracefully than she has.

If you grew up in the 80s, I would highly recommend that you pick up this DVD set to re-discover why we all loved Kathleen & Mike way back then. If you're young enough that you were not alive when the movies came out in the theatre, then you're in for a big treat. These are 2 of the funnest adventure movies ever made!

Buy Romancing the Stone / Jewel of the Nile (2012) Now

This review refers to the "Romancing The Stone/Jewel Of The Nile" 2 pack(VHS).....

If you loved "Romancing The Stone" and can hardly pass the TV without stopping to watch when it's on, then go ahead and splurge on this two-pack. RTS alone is a five star film on it's own and worth the price of admission.It is one that is as enjoyable the 50th time you watch as it was the first. Then follow the adventures of Jack, Joan and Ralph to Africa in "Jewel Of The Nile".The only problem is...you'll have a heck of a time trying to decide what genre to put them in. There's something for everybody. Action-Adventure, Comedy, and Romance. It's a Caper and a Cliffhanger.

Here's the story for those that may have missed this gem....

Joan Wilder(Kathleen Turner)is a romance novelist who's hopes and dreams are to be swept off her feet by a man like Jessie, the hero of her adventurous stories. She's about to have her own adventure though, one that includes a man, well... not quite like Jessie,but a hero in his own way, Jack T. Colton(Michael Douglas). He has dreams too. And he's into "short-cuts" to make them come true.

After coming into possession of a mysterious treasure map, Joan finds herself in the jungles of Columbia. She must use the map to bargain for her kidnapped sister's life. Things are not going smoothly though. All kinds of villains are after the map. Enter Jack to the rescue, but are his intentions to help her or is he also after the treasure at the end of the map?? Find out as things go downhill(literally), they are swinging from vines, fighting off crocodiles, and are all the time being chased by bad cops and bumbling thieves, including the likes of Danny DeVito!

"Jewel Of The Nile" is the sequel to this fun adventure, and although a bit on the predictable side, and maybe not one that you'll watch as often as RTS,(I would probably give it 3 1/2 stars on it's own),it's a chance to see these three great stars back in action again,this time being chased and romancing their way across Africa.

Joan and Jack have been living together on his boat for six months already.Jack wants to take off and see the world, Joan has a bit of a writer's block and wants more from life. Opportunity knocks on her door when a powerful Sheik wants her to write his story. She's wisked off to Africa, leaving a brooding Jack behind, and immediatley finds herself in the midst of a mysterious,intriguing and very dangerous situtation involving an all powerful "Jewel". But have no fear, Jack is warned of the danger his beloved is in and is off to save her. Ralph(DeVito),who has been lurking about and hears the word "Jewel" is not going to be left out this time, and tags along as well. An added bonus to this one are the fabulous Flying Karamazov Brothers juggling troupe, who jazz up this film a little with their entertaining skills.

I did not see this set available yet on DVD(although they are sold seperately),I have a feeling it won't be long though. Amazon is sold out of this 2 pack at this time,but there are some reasonable deals here from the sellers if you are interested in the VHS editions.

Fun, Romance,Adventure,Great Location shoots, and three great stars to spend action-packed hours with....go for it..and enjoy....Laurie

Read Best Reviews of Romancing the Stone / Jewel of the Nile (2012) Here

This film really took me back. My mother took me to see it for the first time in the cinema when I was twelve years old. The last time I saw it was on VHS in the late 80's. When I recently viewed the special edition, a whole lot of old memories came flooding back. The film obviously aimed for the Raiders of the Lost Ark crowd with its high-adventure sequences, (Indiana Jones was one of the hottest properties around at the time) but ended up being its own animal before all was said and done, becoming more a romantic comedy than an action-adventure film. This film is something special because as a twelve-year-old who hated all that kissy-stuff I still loved this movie, and to this day I still don't like romantic comedies, but I still love this movie. The story is about a lonely romance novelist who travels to Columbia to bring a map to two kidnappers who have her sister. Along the way she meets Jack T. Colton, a drifter who agrees to take her to meet the kidnappers for $350 some American. Of course, he manages to convince her she should go after the treasure to which the map points (El Corazon, the said "stone" of the title) and a number of misadventures follow. The sequel is almost as good, but added the element of the supernatural, albeit briefly. The bottom line is this: If you like the Indiana Jones films, you'll probably enjoy this. If you've never seen this movie, give it a try.

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I have loved these two movies since I was a little girl and it is so nice to be able to watch them again and again now that they are on DVD. Thank you so much!!!

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Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale (2006)

I caught this twice on TV and both times was laughing so hard it hurt. I just had to buy it so I could show it to more people. We must watch it at home at least a couple times a month now, and show it to everyone we can. Gaffigan is a genius in this: he is so funny, discusses so many common themes for his jokes (laziness, eating) with only a couple insinuating jokes that might be innappropriate, otherwise very clean-cut and not filled with bad language like so many other comedians. I am so glad I bought this, it has been so worth it and gotten so much time from my DVD player. We are always quoting from this, just so much of it is so true! You will love it and not be sad you spent the small price to buy it. There are some cute special features too, but the routine is the best part.

Jim Gaffigan is one of the best comedians I've seen in a long time. His jokes are great and fun for the whole family.

Jim Gaffigan manages to entertain and produce good quality comedy without resorting to sex jokes and dirty language. That's not to say crude humor can't tickle my funny bone just as well, but it's refreshing to listen to Jim Gaffigan's routine and not worry about offending the folks. =)

The bonus features on this DVD are sub-par, but the actual stand-up is great and well-worth the money. I highly reccomend this to all comedy fans, young and old.

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I didn't see this dvd, but did catch the special on Comedy Central last night. At first I was gonna change the channel, and was so glad I didn't. I loved his stuff about Hot Pockets, funny funny funny!! I absolutely LOVED his Inside Voice... "Hey, I like the IHOP!" "He's a crackhead!" "His pants look dirty." "Baloney hater!" "He better not!" One thing I really appreciated about his act was that it's clean, not vulgar or profane. It's something you can enjoy with your kids or elderly family members and not get embarrassed watching it. Humor in Hot Pockets, who knew?!

Read Best Reviews of Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale (2006) Here

This guy is the best comedian I've ever seen and I've seen 'em all. I drove out to Pittsburgh and listened to his CD for 10 straight hours, then bought the DVD the day I got back and watched it 3 times that week. I just can't get enough. My friends and I are still quoting him non-stop, 2 months later. His 'inner voice' is priceless! I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes to laugh, I've been recommending it to all of my friends as well.

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We caught this special on Comedy Central last night we NEVER watch this channel because most of the time comedians can't do an act without interjecting some sort of profanity. But, we were so glad we stopped to hear this truly original and so very funny man! From his bit about the different holidays to the hot pocket joke we laughed so hard we were hurting! Our favorite thing he does is to say out loud what some in the audience might be thinking...he surprises you with it, but always does it in the same voice so you catch on to what he's doing. We thoroughly enjoyed this program...so much I'm here reviewing what others read because I'm planning to purchase it as a gift for my husband!

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Cover Girl (1944)

This musical/comedy is the story about Rusty Parker (Rita Hayworth) who decides to take a chance at becoming a cover girl. But she knows that her boss and boyfriend, Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) believes that the easy way to stardom is not the way to happiness. At first, Rusty goes to audition for being the cover girl but when a jealous friend and co-worker Maurine Martin (Leslie Brooks) tells her to act 'animated', she blows her chance in front of Cornelia 'Stonewall' Jackson (Eve Arden). So when Cornelia and her boss, John Coudair (Otto Kruger), go to 'McGuire's Nightclub' to see Maurine, Coudair immediately takes a fancy to Rusty instead! The reason is because she looks exactly like Coudair's someone long ago whom he loved, Maribelle Hicks (also played by Rita Hayworth). He finds out that Rusty is Maribelle's granddaughter then makes her his cover girl and she is suddenly flung into the world of stardom and fame! But Danny and great friend Genius (Phil Silvers) try to get Rusty back on her feet when she starts getting high and mighty ideas. On the other hand, Coudair and producer Noel Wheaton (Lee Bowman) want to give Rusty all that they think is happiness; money, fame, and stardom. But could Rusty ever be happy without the one most important thing she needs, love?

A truly dynamic movie with terrific dance numbers, hilarious humor, romantic romance, and dramatic drama. Who can't help but hum along when Kelly and Hayworth sing the lovely song, "Long Ago and Far Away", laugh when the three main stars do their 'come on pearls' bit, sigh in happiness whenever Kelly and Hayworth kiss, and be in agony at the part where Hayworth realizes her mistake? If you haven't seen this movie, I can only say that you're missing out on a lot!

My favorite dance/song numbers are:

"Long Ago and Far Away": The romantic dance number with superb Kelly and Rita Hayworth.

"Who's Complaining?": Phil Silvers is just totally hilarious!

"Alter Ego": Gene Kelly is the best! Want proof? Watch this number where he dances with himself!

"Put Me to the Test": Both versions are wonderful. One is with Kelly and Hayworth, the other one is a much funnier version with Kelly and Silvers.

"Tomorrow": And who can forget this number with all three main characters Danny, Rusty, and Genius?

Here are some of my other favorite musicals/comedies which I highly recommend. "Silk Stockings", "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", "Bandwagon", "Tea for Two", "Singin' in the Rain", "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", "The Barkleys of Broadway", the three "That's Entertainment" videos, and "Guys and Dolls". Of course there's plenty more!

If you can get past the zany (and tiresome) antics of Phil Silvers and the corny, cliched script, there's a wonderful Technicolor musical here called "Cover Girl". Gorgeous Rita Hayworth is Rusty Parker, a nite club chorine who becomes the toast of Broadway overnite when she's chosen to be the cover girl of Vanity magazine---albeit to the chagrin of the club's owner Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly) who's her boyfriend and her catty co-workers. Hayworth is absolutely beautiful and dances with the most natural grace and elegance ever captured on screen as far as I'm concerned. Gene Kelly's acting is stiff but HIS dancing is what you're watching here as well. Boy, could he dance! He has a great solo number on an empty street where he dances with his reflection from an empty store window. Absolute artistry in motion. Eve Arden, as a talent scout, brings much needed relief to the tired script with her right-on-the-money delivery of brittle comebacks and one liners. She's also outfitted in the most outre' chic costumes and hats Hollywood ever laid out. All the costumes (by the great Travis Banton) are something to behold. But it's the Technicolor that brings things to life and Hayworth who brings the Technicolor to life. In her Broadway debut, she comes running down a seemingly endless elevated platform in a flowing gold gown like a goddess descending from the heavens---her long red hair cascading behind her. Then, after a dance number with chorus guys, she runs back up the platform through a downpour of shimmering sparkles and into a cloud of pink smoke. Sheer Technicolor movie magic. "Cover Girl" isn't the best musical ever made, but as a showcase for one of the most beautiful actresses ever photographed in Technicolor and a very nice song called "Long Ago and Far Away" it gets 5 stars from me. When you watch this, you can see there was only ONE Rita Hayworth and her grace, talent and beauty are captured in splendor on this DVD print.

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Probably one of Rita Hayworth's most memorable movies. This movie has it all, and was made to showcase Hayworth's multitude of talent. There is humor, amazing well-choreographed dance sequences, and the singing, ohhh the singing! It is hard to choose what is better. Gene Kelley gave a wonder performance as always, but Rita Hayworth shines. I never realized what a phenomenal dancer she was. It is a shame that she never received the recognition she deserved.

Read Best Reviews of Cover Girl (1944) Here

This Columbia musical may be something of an artifact now, but it was designed to showcase Rita Hayworth. It does it so professionally that the movie is still a lot of fun to watch. The story is almost irrelevant to the movie. Rusty Parker (Hayworth) is a talented dancer working at a struggling dinner theater, Danny McGuire's Place, in Brooklyn. Danny (Gene Kelly) and Rusty love each other, and Danny is determined that one of these days his talents as a choreographer, dancer and showman will lead to the big time with Rusty. But Rusty gets noticed by John Coudair (Otto Kruger), a wealthy, high society publisher, and he makes Rusty the cover girl of one of his most popular magazines, Vanity. And the rest is history. Rusty becomes the hit of New York; a theater producer wants her for a show and wants to marry her. And Danny, seeing this happen, reluctantly decides he can't stand in her way. There's another story going on, too. Forty years ago Coudair had fallen hard for a showgirl, Maribelle Hicks. Despite Coudair's riches and position, Maribelle left him at the last minute to marry the poor piano player she really loved. Rusty doesn't know this story...and it turns out she was Maribelle's grand daughter. What will Rusty do? Well, watch the movie if you're in any doubt. The movie, however, is worth watching for several other reasons.

First, is the performance by Rita Hayworth. In fact, just the presence of Hayworth. She really was a beautiful creature with those long legs, red hair and a perfectly natural and friendly personality. She also was a first-rate dancer. Betty Grable once said Hayworth could dance rings around her. Many critics agree that Hayworth was the best dance partner Astaire ever had. Even when doing a fast tap routine, Hayworth could carry it off with great grace and look completely relaxed, as if she were having great fun. Check her out, for instance, in the Shorty George tap routine with Astaire from You Were Never Lovelier. She gives that same feeling of joy in dancing while working with Kelly.

Second, are the songs by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin. Long Ago and Far Away was the big hit, but the entire score is one classy song after another, including Make Way for Tomorrow, Cover Girl, Sure Thing and The Show Must Go On. Long Ago, in fact, was the biggest money earner for Gershwin, bringing in considerably more than any of the songs he wrote with his brother. He said several times that he didn't think the lyric was as good as it could have been. One of the songs, Put Me to the Test, has a lyric that Gershwin originally wrote for a song with his brother. It never went anywhere, so when he had some trouble with the idea he mentioned to Kern that he had a lyric that had already been set to music by George. He said he didn't know whether Kern would be offended, but Kern just laughed and asked to see the words.

Third, are some nice performances by the supporting players. Phil Silvers, as the best friend of both Rusty and Danny, plays comic relief and matchmaker. He does a nice job of it. Otto Kruger as usual plays a smoothie, but he has a few subtle double takes he handles skillfully. He also, of course, does the right thing by Rusty. He manages to show regret and affection. And it is always fun to see Eve Arden, once again as the sardonic, wise-cracking side kick, this time to Coudair. She was so type cast in granite that I always wonder how well she could have managed in a few really serious roles. I don't recall ever seeing her in one.

Fourth, is the glossy, professional, Technicolor sheen of the movie. Everything, the sets, the costumes, the lighting, the makeup is handled with the kind of Hollywood studio perfection that isn't seen anymore. Even when the showgirls are putting on their makeup, they're perfectly made up.

Kelly does a good job, especially with the alter ego dance he does with himself and which is often highlighted in specials about his career. But Cover Girl remains very much Rita Hayworth's movie.

The Dvd transfer is excellent; Technicolor never looked better. There are no extras.

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COVER GIRL'S importance lies not in it's originality as a book (it's the backstage Cinderella story extrordinaire), as much as it does in what happened to each of its stars. Gene Kelly was 'loaned out' to do CG, when MGM boss L.B. Mayer didn't have much use for him at his own studio. His performance in this film, coupled with the ground-breaking 'Alter Ego' dance solo (duo?) was so successful that it made MGM take him seriously at last and allowed him to flourish with the yet-to-come hits of "On The Town," "An American In Paris," etc. (he was never loaned out again). Likewise for Rita Hayworth; Columbia had been grooming her for years, but she had done mostly B-level films (except for the occasional musical). CG showed her off as a lead in glorious Technicolor, and paved the way for GILDA, her signature role. Here she and Kelly make a sweet couple, and are at their most romantic in the "Long Ago and Far Away" duet. Another standout number is the title song, which pays tribute to all the well-known American magazines and their cover models. Hayworth is a siren in a gold dress, running down a curved runway, with her flaming mane billowing. An absolute dream in Technicolor.

Think Like a Man (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

It's always fun when the tables are turned on connivers! Advertised like a Chick Flick, I was delighted to hear the most uproarious laughter was coming from the many men in the audience. This predictable, crowd-pleasing comedy is based on thrice-married Steve Harvey's best-selling book "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy and Commitment."

After scenes which establish five male stereotypes: Dreamer, Player, Commitment Phobe, Mama's Boy, and Divorcé, we then meet their female counterparts: Career Woman, Twice-burned Single, Wanna-be Wife, Single Mom, and Divorcée. These women discover Mr. Harvey's best seller which gives them insight into how men think. They quickly modify their behavior, which enables them to ensnare their guys. This works fine until the men tumble to the scheme and decide to fight fire with fire.

You should recognize many of these names:

* Steve Harvey ("Madea Goes to Jail") plays himself, a successful self-help author.

* Michael Ealy ("For Colored Girls") is an oft-employed dreamer. He's between jobs right now...

* Taraji P. Henson ("Larry Crowne") is the career woman. She wants a résumé along with long-term goals from any prospective date.

* Romany Malco ("A Little Bit of Heaven") is a smooth operator. It's fun to watch this guy in action.

* Meagan Good ("Jumping the Broom") is ready to try the ninetyday trial period...IF she can last that long!

* Jerry Ferrera ("Entourage") is an overgrown boy. Why give up that old couch and those video games when he has such a nice woman to support him?

* Gabrielle Union ("Good Deeds") has lived with her guy for years; she really wants to get married.

* Terrence Jenkins ("Burlesque") knows his mother will look out for him. She makes sure he doesn't date anyone who might not measure up to HER standards.

* Regina Hall ("Death at a Funeral") already has ONE boy to raise, she doesn't need a second one.

* Kevin Hart ("Exit Strategy") is the divorcé. He knows three rings: An engagement ring, a wedding ring, and suffer ring.

* Wendy Williams (lots of TV) has all three of those rings (see above).

Attractive stars, an intriguing premise and a funny script make for a rollicking PG-13 skirmish in the battle of the sexes. Amazon.com will notify me when it's available on DVD.

A group of men who are all friends are at varying degrees of relationship status with women. They soon find that their ladies are manipulating the men in their lives using a book that was written for women who are having relationship problems. The men then turn the tables on them by using the information in the book to their own advantage. This all may sound devious, but it is in fact quite funny. An attractive cast of actors and actresses make this romantic-comedy well worth seeing, providing a lot of laughs and relationship situations that many of us may be familiar with. The results may be predictable, but the route that takes us there is funny and entertaining.

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The beginning of the film started off a little rocky to me mainly because the trailers showed so many good joking scenes so when they appeared in the film, I didn't really get to enjoy the laugh. Women complained about men. Men complained about women. I LOVE Kevin Hart and Michael Ealy, and I've just gotten more hip to Romany Malco after hearing him on "The Breakfast Club" (saw "40-Year-Old Virgin" but I couldn't have told you his name by heart up until that interview). And as much as I enjoy watching Taraji Henson act (her hair looked GREAT in the film), respect La La Anthony and Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall was who I wanted to see most on the women's side mainly because she was absolutely hilarious in the Style Magazine interview. Her comedic face and timing are way underrated and not taken advantage of in this film. But with that said, this turned out to be a great film for reasons I didn't expect.

1) I had no idea Morris Chestnut was even in the film. (Spoiler alert: I have been on that Morris-Chestnut-date. It is the WORST so I buried my head reliving it while watching this movie.)

2) Michael Ealy and Taraji Henson had some seriously juicy makeout scenes. They weren't as memorable as the one with Halle Berry in "Their Eyes Were Watching God," but there was definitely tongue action involved. Two hot people in a hot scene made for great "Oooh, look at them!" moments.

3) Kevin Hart (If I need to explain anything past his name, you need to do some comedic research. Everything about Kevin Hart in this movie was great.) And my gawd, his wife...I was NOT expecting her to be in the film either, but those two are almost equally nuts.

4) Jerry Ferrara is someone I didn't know before this film and I probably wouldn't have put him and Gabrielle Union together, but those two were too cute on film. I got the impression he was shorter than her, but those two were the second most fun couple to watch.

5) I was really impressed with Terrence J.'s acting. I saw "Stomp the Yard 2" and thought it was terrible, but in this movie, he did a great job. Jenifer Lewis is going to bring out anybody's personality when she's next to him, but Terrence J. held his own all by himself.

6) The guest appearances from some major stars like Kelly Rowland, Chris Brown and Arielle Kebbel were fun to see. Kelly impressed me with her acting. I already knew Chris Brown was a very good actor. And I'm a HUGE "The Vampire Diaries" fan so anything with Arielle Kebbel in it is going to make me happy to see her. You'll also see some pop-up appearances from other popular comedians like Tony Rock, Bruce Bruce and Luenell.

Steve Harvey wasn't kidding when he said some of everybody was in this film. There are cameos everywhere, but they all make sense. People are really playing parts, not just thrown in to say "look, I'm a celeb and I'm in this movie, too." Fellas will go for the comedy and the beautiful women (love Meagan Good's hair, too). Ladies will go to crack up laughing at Kevin Hart and point out which one of the women they are FROM Steve Harvey's book. Or, they'll applaud the guys for making fun of the book (there are two extreme sets of readers for this book). Either way it goes, it's a great film and I like the way it ended, including that Morris Chestnut date that was too close to home (for me).

Read Best Reviews of Think Like a Man (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012) Here

"There is no such thing as a perfect man." Four male friends think they have it made. The all have great girlfriends who make them happy. Four female friends all think that they have the worst relationship. When Steve Harvey writes a book for women about how they should act the tables in the relationship turn. The men think they find an answer, but like most everything we do that backfires. I have to admit that I am not usually a fan of these types of movies. Without sounding racist I am not a fan of the Tyler Perry movies (even though this isn't one) and this just looked way to girly for me. I can't believe how wrong I was. While the movie is formulaic and predictable it is still very funny and really entertaining. There were a few parts in this that I laughed really hard at and when it was over I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. While this is, and should be, considered a chick-flick this is one of the "girl movies" that I liked and I think most men will like it too. Don't base you seeing this or not off of past movies like this. This is much better then I expected. Overall, very funny and much better then I expected. I surprisingly give this an A-...I know.

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I thought the movie was great! I read the book and thought that the acting really brought the book to life. The actors were great and I loved the chemistry between Michael Ealy and Taraji P. Henson. This is a romantic comedy and like all movies in that genre its cheesy and predictable. If you are looking for anything more you will be disappointed. But none the less, I thought it was great. The only thing I disliked about the film is Kevin Hart's character's use of "GD" multiple times. Amazon will notify me when the movie is available and I will be buying it on its release date!! :)

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Stir Crazy (1980)

In my opinion, there has never been a greater comedy duo than Richard Pryor/Gene Wilder. They are two comic geniuses who mesh perfectly when they come together.

In STIR CRAZY, their best film in my opinion, the two play an actor and a playwright from New York who decide to head out west to look for work. However, along the way, their plans are put on hold as they get framed for bank robbery and find themselves in a Texas penitentiary. They then go through a series of adventures attempting to prove their innocence, escape from prison, and stay alive.

The movie does not contain a very original plot, but the viewer can expect many laughs watching two of the greatest comedians of all time at their best!

This movie is a true classic, Pryor and Wilder at their best. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with this one in your collection. Also, we will miss you Richard...my condolences to his family. Rest in Peace.

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This movie is a great representation of the comedic chemistry shared by Pryor and Wilder. My favorite movie by the duo. Don't miss it!

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Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor was a good comedy team of the 1970s, making several hit movies together, this being one of the more memorable.

Viewing this movie recently after a 25-year absence, it was a shock to me to hear the language. I had remembered this strictly as a light-hearted comedy but I can see why it's rated "R." That is solely for the language, especially by Pryor, but he was known for his profane humor.

If you can put up with that, the film is downright funny, even today. I found myself laughing out loud at a few scenes, all of which I remembered vividly from several viewings in the '70s. They are still just as funny today.

Who could forget that mammoth criminal with the long, long name Erland van Lidth de Jeude? He was the guy that scared the heck out of everyone, just by his physical presence. In real life, that man was the opposite of his projected image on screen. He was a graduate of MIT, an accomplished opera singer, an Olympic wrestler, devoted husband and father, writer, etc. The poor man died at the age of 34.

It also was interesting to see such a young looking Craig T Nelson and JoBeth Williams.

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This is one of the best movies i have ever seen it s so interesting how they find out who the real theifs are. I only discovered Richard Pryor a couple of years ago. I first stated watching him in stand up and now he is my favorite. Any way go and rent or buy this DVD.

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The Damned United (2009)

The Damned United is not your typical sports film. It's much more than that. It's a study of contrasting personalities. Set during the 60s and 70s, the movie details the conflict of two very different managers of rival football (soccer) clubs i.e. Brian Clough and Don Revie. Don Revie (played by Colm Meaney) is the manager of the top ranked and virtually unbeatable, Leeds United. They are the Damned United of the title. Brian Clough (played by Michael Sheen) is the very outspoken, but extremely talented manager of a second tier team, Derby County.

At the start of the film, Revie has accepted the position of manager for Team England. That leaves the position of Leeds United manager open and the job is offered to Brian Clough. The film traces Brian Clough's rise as Derby County manager and fall as Leeds. Of course, he finds much more success after his tenure at Leeds United. But, that's another movie. Most Americans might ignore a film about English football thinking the subject boring. This is not the case. It's a marvelous character study and a fantastic movie. Michael Sheen's performance as Brian Clough is absolutely riveting. He's a very talented and versatile actor with roles as diverse as David Frost, Tony Blair and even Lucien from Underworld. I found myself fascinated by Clough's obsession with Revie. That obsession is what drives the plot. The adapted script is extremely well done by Peter Morgan. He also wrote the screenplays for Frost/Nixon and the Queen. It's an extremely literate script with sharp dialog.

One thing I will mention is that while Colm Meaney did not have as much screen time as Michael Sheen, he makes his presence felt as Revie. He's a marvelous character actor who has big shoes to fill with this role. All the characters in this film are larger than life. Now, what makes this story interesting is that you eventually learn that Brian Clough's obsession with Revie arose from a perceived slight at a match. Clough says that Revie refused to shake his hand at the end of a game. Is that what has been driving this man ? That obsession is what keeps you glued to your seat. Michael Sheen is just that good at playing Clough. He's a foul mouthed ball of energy.

And this movie isn't just about the conflict between Clough and Revie. It's also a very good portrait of the friendship between Clough and his co-manager, Peter Taylor played by Timothy Spall. These two are also contrasting personalities. Peter Taylor was Brian Clough's anchor. He kept all of Clough's eccentricities in check. He's the sensible one. They were a team and when they had a fall out, that left Clough foundering.

One small detail I found interesting was the accents of the performers. Most Americans are used to hearing the polished accents of BBC English. There's none of that here. The movie is filled with rough Northern accents that may seem jarring at first, but eventually grow on a person.

This is a movie I hope more people will watch because it really is a fascinating subject. Is it true to life ? I'm sure it's a dramatization of the facts. However, that does not detract from the movie. You expect movies to take a certain amount of poetic license. Make time to see this movie, you won't regret it.

"The Damned United" has turned out to be an impulse buy that is paying me back dividends. Michael Sheen plays Derby county/ Leeds United manager Brian Clough, A straight talking egotistical man who, along with this partner Perter Taylor(Timothy Spall), had an uncanny talent for taking sub par teams and turning them into champions. The film bounces around his time line by telling how he became a successful coach by leading Derby County, took over the reins of Leeds United from his arch enemy Don Revey(Clom Meaney)and eventually failed and fell into disgrace. Michael Sheen really shines in his roll as Clough and it was a joy to see him return to a roll that seems tailor suited for him. He had a bad run with this rolls in those lame Vampire/Werewolf flicks. He and Spall are the glue that hold the film together and had great chemistry. I didn't know about Clough's story before I watched this film and it's a truly remarkable one. What he did was like talking the Detroit Lions and making them Super Bowl champions. A virtually impossible task. Clough was one of those iconic "love him or hate him" type of characters that pop up in sports every once in a while. I liked him right away and his cocky way of telling his bosses off, keeping his players in line and his consuming hatred for that bloody Don Revey are a true joy to witness. "The Damned United" is a solid film with a cast made of superb actors. A must see.

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This is a brilliantly filmed, original movie. Based on David Peace's spare, gritty novel, it brings alive the ill fated 44 day managership of Brian Clough at Leeds United, explaining why he was such a controversial choice to manage the club given the long acrimonious history between Leeds and Derby when Don Revie was the manager of football's champions Leeds and Clough was at the helm of young pretenders Derby.

Michael Sheen shows off his brilliant skills in conveying real life characters (he has given similar treatment to Tony Blair, David Frost and Kenneth Williams); and recreates Brian Clough in his own image, a slightly camp, antagonistic manager frequently undermining his own chairman.

The filming recreates many of the tropes of the 1970s ashtrays laid out with half time oranges in the dressing room, Wizard boys comics, psychedelic wallpaper and makes the film a hugely enjoyable piece of ersatz period drama.

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The Damned United looks and smells and sounds like a sports film, but it is ultimately a Shakespearean tragedy imbued with deep romance. That the tragic hero at its center, Brian Clough (Michael Sheen, brilliant), is wearing soccer shorts instead of a crown doesn't minimize the grandeur and pathos, indeed, the epic quality of his fall from grace. That the similarly epic love is between two middle-aged men likewise doesn't diminish it. This is one of the sweetest, most heart-breaking stories of hubris and, ultimately, the redemption of love we have seen in a long while. (Really!)

The setting is 1970s England, where much as it remains today soccer rivalries are fierce, and matches are cause for national celebration or mourning. In this heady world of winners and losers, of glamour and legends, a young, cocky manager, Brian Clough, is newly promoted to Leeds United. Leeds United was, in 1974, the top English team, and Clough has big shoes to fill Leeds' former manager, the beloved Don Revie (Colm Meaney), has left to manage the national English team, and he leaves behind him a wake of trophies and a team of fiercely loyal players. Clough, odiously arrogant, swoops in on the very wrong foot, with complaints about Leeds' weather ("Wish I was still back in Majorca!" he exclaims obnoxiously) and radical rules such as that former manager Revie's name must never be mentioned quickly alienating the players, the owners, and the fans. Clough's tenure at Leeds, indeed, was a complete failure: under him, Leeds lost games, fell to the bottom of the division, and he was quickly sacked after 44 days.

The film underpins this tale of torturous disaster with a flashback to when Brian Clough, together with his partner, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), managed the unknown Division II team, Derby United, to unknown heights of glory. Spurred on by insatiable ambition, as well as his hurt pride at losing to Leeds without even an acknowledgement of a handshake by Revie, Clough drags the team up from the Division II nether regions, eventually catapulting it to the top of the Division I. It is here that England begins to take notice, and Clough's ego begins to swell.

The story is beautifully told. It manages to project this classical weight of tragic flaws and doomed anti-heroes without ever becoming bogged down by it. Some sequences such as Derby United's rematch against Leeds, as experienced privately by Clough, locked in his office are incredibly sweeping. Indeed, it is in scenes like this as well as the media interview Clough gives with Revie where typically "British" filmmaking is used to great effect. That is, by opting for subtlety and the quiet roar, i.e. less is more, the power of these moments in Clough's life is greatly felt. Michael Sheen's acting is likewise brilliant; the look on his face when Revie, on live television, explains why he failed with Leeds was gut-wrenching.

Similarly, the love between Clough and Peter Taylor is palpable from the beginning their shared joy, boyish tackles and Taylor's loyalty and unacknowledged importance are obvious to the viewer, if not to Clough himself. Indeed, as Clough powers ahead on per Taylor's words, and per the usual classical drama his doomed, misguided quest, it becomes more and more obvious how important Taylor is to Clough. There's a great scene when Taylor chastises Clough for being too ambitious, describing it like a sleeping monster that, when awoken, manages to swallow everything up even the beautiful. The later falling out between Clough and Taylor on the sunny shores of Majorca underscores this wonderfully.

By the end of the movie, we were dying to see the two men, the "damned united" of Derby, finally reconciled, and the film for all its wallowing in defeat and destruction and vengeance and tragic flaws does have a slightly more upbeat coda. Overall, an absolute joy.

*Review originally published at The Post-Punk Cinema Club:

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Before giving us Best Picture THE KING'S SPEECH (2010), Tom Hooper made the glorious, British "football" biopic, THE DAMNED UNITED.

You needn't know of Leeds United, 1970's-era English football, or even manager Brian Clough to adore this film. Morgan's screenplay (based on David Peace's novel) creates a most compelling triangulation of adult male friendships and rivalries.

Clough (played to perfection by Michael Sheen) adores his dutiful right-hand man, Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), while despising his rival Don Revie (Colm Meaney). When he takes over for Revie (who leaves Leeds to coach the English national team), Clough's on-the-field failures lead to a falling out with his friend.

UNITED is a joyride of a sports film. There is the thrill of competition and the agony of defeat, of course...made all the more so by the inner turmoil that drives the talented Clough, who is haunted by father-figures from opposite ends of the spectrum.

Sheen's performance here could have been just brash and cold, yet it is his portrayal of Clough's desperation and vulnerability that gives this film a beating heart and a loving soul.

THE DAMED UNITED is classic Tom Hooper in that way; damnable famous men resized to next-door neighbor scale.

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King Lear

Ian McKellan totters into a circle of light and raises his palsied hands to command his court into prostrate submission. McKellan's Lear has a despot's easy authority that effortlessly requires obedience. Aged, infirm and bright-eyed, Lear enjoys humiliating those who doubtless wish him dead so that they may inherit. McKellan's Lear is a sly-suave tyrant reminiscent of Olivier. There are other fine Lears the brutally hostile Ian Holm (the boss from hell), James Earl Jones' as a cranky African tribal chief, or Orson Welles' nightmare fury. All are excellent. Welles, Olivier, and McKellan are more cinematic whereas Jones and Holm are filmed versions of stage productions. Welles and Holm provide a strong dose of Sturm und Drang melodrama the volume is turned up so high, it is hard to tell when catharsis hits. Olivier and McKellan are beautifully acted and nuanced. Jones has an amazing voice and his presence overwhelms the cast except perhaps Raul Julia's wonderful plotting, evil Edmund.

Of the directors, Trevor Nunn is the best and most experienced interpreter of Shakespeare to cinema. He is faithful to the text, (cuts are logical and keep the action moving) but with contemporary Hollywood fit and finish. It helps that Nunn takes care of details that Shakespeare neglects. For example, he shows us exactly how Goneril poisons Regan. When Lear complains that "my poor fool is hang'd," it refers to an earlier scene where the Fool is actually strung up.

The part of Lear demands a strong actor who can easily dominate a production. Only Olivier and Nunn balance the King with a strong supporting cast. Appearing opposite Olivier are John Hurt as the brilliantly sarcastic Fool, Leo McKern (Rumpole of the Bailey) as a pompously lecherous Glouster, and Diana Rigg as the blindingly beautiful Regan.

Trevor Nunn's outstanding cast boasts Romola Gerai as a sensual Cordelia upswept hair, wearing a strapless, white satin, wedding gown, and a simple gold chain necklace, that accents her flawless profile, neck, shoulders, and decolletage. Nunn's inspiration for Cordelia is a mystery, but to me she looks like Sargent's sensational painting of Madame X, with the black dress changed to white. She speaks from the heart, clear-eyed, like a child, rejecting Lear's incestuous demand that his daughters love only him and pays a price for her honesty. Sylvester McCoy's amazing performance as the bitter fool -who alone speaks truth to power without punishment rivals John Hurt's. Where Hurt practices wicked satire as a sport, McCoy is a disappointed romantic, his cynicism mixed with sadness.

Once again, Trevor Nunn has created an excellent film version of Shakespeare. If only more of his works were available for north american viewers.

I had the privilege of seeing this production performed live in LA. It was an incredible experience slightly marred by the fact that the concert hall was clearly a larger space than these actors were used to filling with their voices, and for those of us stuck under the balcony, it was not always possible to hear everything over the ambient noises around us. So I was thrilled when I heard that they were taking the production into the studio to trap it for posterity, and I immediately bought the (region free) Blu-Ray edition from the UK.

I don't regret the purchase, but I was somewhat disappointed. Outdoor scenes are all filmed against a blue screen that poorly simulates sky, giving all the outdoor scenes a certain cheese factor. On a stage we suspend our disbelief the lighting changes and we believe we are now out of doors, but on a screen we expect a little more realism.

Likewise, I found the sets of the stage performance more effective as well. They had a grandeur and later in the play, a decay that was really missing from the sets used in the studio. I understand that the studio was aiming for more realism, so you wouldn't have the same backdrop for a whole act when the scenes shift and so on. But they didn't manage to replace the missing set with anything more effective dramatically.

Furthermore, the cinematography was very heavy handed in terms of constantly flashing from one actor's face to another to make sure no reaction is missed. It was at times very jarring. On a stage, one of the interesting dynamics is that each audience member can choose where to focus attention, and so each person walks away with a different experience. Here in an attempt to capture the richness of each scene, the camera tried to show everything, and the result wasn't pleasant. O.K. The camera didn't show EVERYTHING. The infamous scene were Lear strips down is trimmed by the frame of the camera for modesty. So if such things as male nudity bother you, this is a production you can watch with your kids.

But if you get over the cheese factor of the camera work and sets, this is still Trevor Nunn, Ian McKellan and the Royal Shakespeare Company doing their thing. You'll hear Shakespeare's words interpreted and performed with great skill.

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This is a superb but ultimately disappointing production of Shakespeare's greatest play. How can it be both? It is superb for several reasons. Ian McKellen is one of the great Shakespearean actors of his generation, and he here delivers a masterful Lear, moving and credible and utterly faithful to the character in the text; if there are a few too many of the familiar McKellen mannerisms, who's to complain--they work as well here as elsewhere. The rest of the acting is at a very high level indeed; there is not a single performance I would fault, and I couldn't say that of any other video "Lear". The dialog has been intelligently edited, and clearly and audibly recorded; for once in a production of Lear there are no "What did he just say?" moments, not even with the Fool's dialog. Logic and clarity are equally evidenced in Trevor Nunn's direction. A small example: in this production, the disappearance of the Fool midway through the play is explained dramatically, as we witness his hanging by forces pursuing Lear, something not in the stage directions and only vaguely supported by the text. It's dramatically satisfying; we need not ask "What happened to him?" Another example: the poisoning of Regan by Goneril occurs on stage, and is thereby made genuinely horrifying instead of being a bit of off-stage melodrama. The initial displeasing of Lear by Cordelia and his instant, irrevocable rage, which are hard to make credible in performance because of the compressed stage-time, are easier to believe in here; they come off as (perhaps) some good-natured teasing gone horribly awry (though I'm not sure that's what was intended, and if so that it is faithful to the text). So why is the production nevertheless disappointing? When a great actor takes on a great character of Shakespeare, we want to come away with something new and great--some new understanding, some new emotion, some new experience of the play which will change forever our relationship to the text. Here, alas, there is nothing new. No new sense of Lear as an individual, as in the Olivier video, or of his relation to his daughters, as in Ian Holm's version. Just a very straightforward, highly competent rendition. Superb, but disappointing.

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Not surprisingly from a Royal Shakespeare Company production, the emphasis in this rendering of King Lear is placed on acting. Potential viewers should therefore not expect a filmed theatrical performance with the energy it entails from the interaction with the public nor a truly cinematographic piece with sophisticated sets, sound and lighting à la Kenneth Branagh.

There are no subtitles to make the text easier to follow and given the movie's very considerable length, close to three hours, a significant effort is required from the watcher, despite the actors' undeniable talent.

Accordingly, this work is recommended to Shakespeare cognoscenti who are already familiar with the play and willing to explore acting subtleties.

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I don't know of a perfect film adaptation of "King Lear"; perhaps there's no such thing. In my mind's theater I amalgamate elements from different productions: the spectacle of Kurosawa's "Ran," the performances of Diana Rigg (Regan), Leo McKern (Gloucester), and John Hurt (Fool) in Olivier's version. Other reviewers have astutely pointed up the values in different modern interpretations of the play's leading figure. On balance I'd say that McKellan's Lear is as fine as any we may expect in this generation. He's a soldier, bully, a bastard (not in the Edmundian sense), a fool, a maniac, and finally a very pathetic man who cannot comprehend, any more than we can, the scope of the tragedy that has overtaken him. Lear is a role that tempts the ham in even the best actors (see Olivier); McKellan is not once porcine. The actors surrounding him are uniformly fine; in particular, the three sisters are sharply delineated (and sexed up in ways that, while not gratuitous here, are often missing in the play's production). Trevor Nunn's staging remains on an interior set, as was Olivier's, though Nunn's are better interiors, with less cheesy production values. (The "Howl, wind" scene rains such buckets that you wonder how the studio was ever drained.) Nevertheless, this is not a filmed version of a play; the camera is used intelligently for close-ups. The disc's single special feature is a delightful interview of McKellan, who speaks very insightfully about the challenges presented by Shakespeare's masterpiece.

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Parental Guidance (2013)

Being an avid fan of Billy Crystal, I eagerly awaited his return to the silver screen. I was not disappointed. Coupled with another veteran actress in Bette Midler (his doting wife), they made we 'older' parents appear archaic with their 'tough love' approach (didn't all Baby Boomers experience this as children?). The story goes on to explain how they are 'the only' set of grandparents available, to care for their 3 grandchildren, 12, 8 and 5, much to their daughter's reluctance. Their daughter (played by Marissa Tomei) is all about 'new age' parenting and frowns heavily upon any strayings from her teachings. Therefore laying down her set of rules and opening the door to laughter.

Naturally, things are going to go wrong, as Billy and Bette strive to keep the peace and understand their charges. As not only do the 'Oldies' react to each situation in an uninitiated new age-old age way causing havoc, but are also victims to a completely automated house which initially sees them as intruders, much to their grandies delight. PARENTIAL GUIDANCE is a movie worth taking a look at and taking your grandkids to. It's a feel good movie. And without giving away the plot, Billy Crystal plays his usual affable self, who belts out an unexpected Acapella duet with Bette, along with some great co-stars of all ages, who end up loving him in spite of his mistakes.

I saw it the other day, and it was so funny, I laughed so much. It really hit home, about being grand parents. I just loved it.

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***This review may contain spoilers***

The trailers advertising "Parental Guidance" (hereafter PG) were not only unpromising, but borderline appalling. It emphasized the tired, painful slapstick and saccharine sentiment of so many other formulaic family comedies, that I was determined to avoid it. But, visiting my mother and deciding to take in a movie before lunch at Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, we decided upon PG because it was the only movie that had subject matter my Mom (not particularly keen on hobbits, 40-somethings, or even Lincoln) was interested in. After seeing it, we were pleasantly (if surprisingly) entertained, despite the dilapidated old "Clash of the Generations" plot. Our amusement was largely due to those reliably schticky comedy workhorses Billy Crystal and Bette Midler.

Crystal and Midler play fairly (but not completely) old-fashioned Artie and Diane Decker, parents to Type-A, harried upper-class daughter Alice Decker Simmons (Marisa Tomei). Alice is married to Phil Simmons (Tom Everett Scott) a basically easygoing engineer who, like Rick Moranis's Wayne Szalinski in the "Honey, I.." movies has converted their home into a technological, computerized, self-sustaining "house of tomorrow". Their children are Harper (Bailee Madison), who is as neurotically driven as her mother, Turner (Joshua Rush) her more levelheaded, technologically savvy brother who has a stuttering problem, and certainly not least, the mischievous, irreverent, red-haired Barker (Kyle Harrison Breitkopf) whose best friend is an invisible kangaroo named Carl (not Harvey).

Unlike the paternal grandparents, Artie and Diane have not seen their grandchildren in months, if not years. They are "the other grandparents". But they get a chance to bond with the tykes when Alice and Phil leave for a week for a scientific convention and, somewhat reluctantly, call on the "out-of-it" folks to baby-sit. As they say, hilarity (amazingly) ensues.

Artie and Diane, although sharp and game, have their work cut out for them. Besides the aformentioned baggage (and yuppified names!) each grandchild carries, and the mechanized Jetson-like home, Artie and Diane have to contend with the permissive parenting their charges are used to and their high-maintenance demands (e.g., each kid gets his own meal at suppertime, and Barker doesn't like his food touching other food). Furthermore, Artie is despondent over his firing from his minor league baseball announcer job, and he fears telling Alice. All sorts of slapstick hijicks, misadventures, and misunderstandings ensue. Examples, Artie has to bribe the bratty Barker to do anything, Artie's advice to Turner to stand up to the bullies making fun of his speech impediment gets the kid a shiner from the bully's sister, the kids get an amped-up "sugar high" from some forbidden birthday cake, Artie protests at a little league baseball game that has no strikes, timeouts, or scoring and gets a bat in the crotch for his troubles, Barker gets indelible day-glo paint on Artie's face just before Harper's violin recital, and of course Artie sneaks off with Barker to an X-Games announcer's interview where Barker's escape and urination ruins an X-games skateboard stunt (and is broadcast nationally) as well as Artie's job prospects. Diane has a confrontation with Harper's demanding, martinet East European violin instructor, calling her "comrade". The comedy of errors keeps on coming.

In the hands of inexperienced actors, PG would be a groan-fest. But in Crystal's and Midler's capable, vaudevillian, borscht-belt hands, they are surprisingly funny. Crystal's cynical comments and one-liners wryly commenting on the insanity of their grandkids' lives, even more than the predictable slapstick, keep the laughs coming, because we agree with their disapproval of the grandkids' overwrought, permissive, but also perfectionist lifestyle. Even so, they love their grandkids and incrementally not only get to know them better, but also to overcome their handicaps and neuroses. At first shocked at Artie's and Diane's interference, Alice gradually gets reconciled to their ways of doing things, and to them as general. In unrealistic but satisfying sitcom fashion, everyone's issues get resolved and everybody's happy.

Yes, PG is unsophisticated and predictable and even a bit low-brow. But Crystal's and Midler's tried-and-true comic personae wring out the laughs and make you feel reasonably good.

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We were so pleasantly surprised to see how clean and funny this movie was! I don't even know if there was one cuss word in it! We loved it so much we saw it twice at the theater! And just yesterday, when my husband saw it was still there he said, "We could go see Parental Guidance again." Haha! For those who choose movies that are clean and moral, this was one of them! A definite rarity in today's entertainment industry!

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PARENTAL GUIDANCE seems to have it all with a great cast that includes Billy Crystal, the lively Bette Midler and the gorgeous Marisa Tomei. Unfortunately, these three great talents are lost in a very cliche and predictable script. This story has been done over and over and there is nothing new to make PARENTAL GUIDANCE anything more than a cute little movie without much purpose.

Alice and Phil Simmons have a chance to attend a conference and finally have some alone time away from their three kids. Alice's parents Artie and Diane (Crystal and Midler), are hesitantly asked to fly into town to stay with the three young Simmons kids. It's not clear why Alice has distanced herself from her parents and why babysitting duty seems like a bad idea. Who would love feisty Bette Midler as a grandparent?

The Simmons household is a modern one. They live in a voice-activated home that caters to their every wishes. Inter personal communication is a thing of the past. It's sort of cute for all of 5 minutes and then it just becomes annoying. Phil and Alice are modern parents who live in a world where baseball games are always a draw. There can be no winners and no losers. A kid at bat stays at bat until he makes a hit. No one ever strikes out.

Artie and Diane are old school parents who rebel against this modern parenting.

The predictability is strong that we know what is going to happen when Artie and Diane are told the kids cannot have sugar and cannot watch scary movies. Anyone knows what will happen next along with Artie telling the middle son how to handle a bully. There just is no middle point here. Anyone could guess how this movie will play out so in the end the question is, "what is the point?"

Midler does light up the screen and it seems like she is working hard to shine in a bland script. Cystral just seems tired throughout the film. Even Tomei seems like she would rather be somewhere else. PARENTAL GUIDANCE is pleasant but just so disappointingly predictable. It's not a bad film. It's just not a good film.

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Three Outlaw Samurai (The Criterion Collection) (1964)

Shiba (Tetsuro Tanba) is a wandering samurai who's seen it all. He stumbles onto some peasants who have taken the magistrate's daughter hostage in hopes of ending the corruptive leadership that plagues their land. What begins as a spectator sport and a roof over his head for Shiba turns into him fully supporting the peasants and their cause. Two other samurai; Sakura (Isamu Nagato) another wanderer with a guilty conscience and Kikyo (Mikijiro Hira) a samurai who milks the magistrate for all he's worth eventually join up with Shiba. An epic duel to the death lies ahead for the three samurai as the magistrate will stop at nothing to get revenge.

Three Outlaw Samurai begins in simple yet extravagant fashion. We see Shiba take a few steps in the mud followed by an extremely loud music cue and the title card written in Japanese Kanji. Six seconds into this chanbara film and I already know I'm going to love it. The film buys its time though as the first half of the film is mostly very talkative and swords are drawn only briefly before lengthy discussions begin once again. The storytelling is a high point as loyalty and the overall cause for all of this mayhem are always both relevant to the events taking place on screen. The cinematography is also brilliant, especially since this is the debut of Hideo Gosha. The well-choreographed and intense swordplay sequences are always captured with the most precise camera placement.

Lighting and shadows also play a big part in how the film is presented visually. The one-shot sword fight in the two-story whore house is the best example of this. Right down to the drastic lighting on Kikyo's eyes before everything goes to hell, Three Outlaw Samurai is the type of film fans of samurai, foreign, and great cinema in general dream of. There's something completely gratifying about blood presented in black and white, as well. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the Crazy 88 fight The Bride has at the tea house in Kill Bill, but the crimson liquid almost seems more gratifying in grayscale at least when it comes to older and more legendary motion pictures.

The best exchange of dialogue comes when Sakura is running across a field to support Kikyo and Shiba in the final battle. Sakura yells, "Hey Shiba! I've done you wrong! I deserve to die! Kill Me!" In the heat of battle, Shiba merely replies, "I'm busy at the moment."

While Three Outlaw Samurai may seem a bit slow at first, your patience will be rewarded. You'll become attached to the characters of Sakon Shiba, Kyojuro Sakura, and Einosuke Kikyo, get absorbed in their cause, and understand their decisions. As the swordplay and action becomes more frequent, you'll realize how truly amazing this film really is. Three Outlaw Samurai is a beautiful, well-written, and just a fantastic experience overall that is for fans of Seven Samurai, Shogun Assassin, and The Last Samurai.

Despite how fantastic Three Outlaw Samurai looks and sounds, it literally has no special features. This is a bit unusual since nearly every Criterion Collection release I've come across is usually loaded with goodies. All that's included is the theatrical trailer and a booklet with an essay by film critic Bilge Ebiri. So hopefully you weren't looking forward to this release for the special features alone.

Three Outlaw Samurai is a black and white film that's unrated and presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. It's approximately 93 minutes long, has a new English subtitle translation, and features high definition digital restoration. The film is now available on both Criterion Collection DVD and Blu-ray at most retail outlets and online stores.

In my collection of samurai movies this is number one. Once in a while a movie achieves that balance between action and story. This is it. It's not to high brow, not over action. All in beautiful black and white. I had hoped Criterion Collection would catch notice of this movie and they have. Can't go wrong with this one.

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Caught this movie on either IFC or the Sundance channels "Samurai Saturdays" where they would show subtitled Japanese samurai movies at 5am in the morning. As a fan of Samurai movies like Yojimbo and The Lone Wolf & Cub movies I was shocked I had never heard of the film before it aired on the channel. After seeing it I payed way too much for a Japan region version of the film online and enjoyed it ever since.

So glad this film is getting a Criterion release and will hopefully finally get its deserved recognition by samurai movie fans in the west.

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When it comes to Japanese cinema during the '50s and '60s, there were many samurai films produced but with "Sambiki no Samurai" (Three Outlaw Samurai), it was a national sensation on television.

Airing on Japan's Fuji TV from 1963 through 1969, the drama series achieved a high rating of 42%. In Japan, anything over 25% is fantastic and not only did the studio Shochiku have a hot series, the three actors Tetsuro Tanba, Isamu Nagato and Mikijiro Hira became the most popular actors because of the TV series.

And with the success of the first season, Shochiku decided to create a jidaigeki film based on the characters of the TV series and "Sambiki no Samurai" (Three Outlaw Samurai) and give Hideo Gosha the opportunity to direct his first film.

And in 1964, "Three Outlaw Samurai" was released in theaters and would become a classic samurai film in Japan which would later inspire a manga series and TV sequels that would air on TV Asahi last from 1987 through 1995 (featuring newer characters) and a final "goodbye" drama series which aired from Oct.-Dec. 1999 which would feature the return of original actor, Tetsuro Tanba.

And now, "Three Outlaw Samurai" makes its first Blu-ray and DVD appearance in North America courtesy of the Criterion Collection.

The film is the second Gosha film to be released by the Criterion Collection, the first release on DVD was Gosha's second film (and his most popular film in the west), "Sword of the Beast" (1965).

VIDEO:

"Three Outlaw Samurai" is presented in black and white (2:35:1 aspect ratio). This 1964 film looks absolutely fantastic on Blu-ray. Not only is there a good amount of grain, there is also a good amount of detail. May it be the dirty floors of the mill or its wooden surroundings.

Closeups of the character show the sweat, grime and dirt on their faces, contrast is excellent, black levels are deep and white and gray levels are also very good. I don't think I've seen any sort of video problems or damage while watching this film, maybe a few instances of softness but other than that, this film looks fantastic. No banding, no artifacts, no problems that stuck out.

According to the Criterion Collection, the new high-definition transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35 mm print struck from the original negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS and Pixel Farm's PFClean, while Omage Systems DVNR was used for a small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Three Outlaw Samurai" is presented in Japanese monaural LPCM 1.0. The dialogue is clear and I heard no hissing, crackles or any audio problems during my viewing.

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

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Three Outlaw Samurai The Criterion Collection #596' on Blu-ray comes with a trailer.

EXTRAS:

"Three Outlaw Samurai The Criterion Collection #596' comes with an 18-page booklet with the essay "The Disloyal Bunch" by New York Magazine writer Bilge Ebiri.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Having watched many jidageki/chambara films and dramas from Japan, this was my first time watching Hideo Gosha's "Three Outlaw Samurai". And I absolutely loved it!

Sure, there is a banality when it comes to ronin who come into help the poor from evil bandits or warlords, but what I enjoyed about this film was its enjoyable story, its characters and also its swordfighting action!

For one, you have your calm, cool and collected samurai Sakon Shiba (starring legendary actor Tetsuro Tanba) and then you have someone different with Isamu Nagato's Kyojuro Sakura, a man who can fight but also a man with a conscience. A man who helps bring humor to the film because of his demeanor. And then you have the playboy swordsman Einosuke Kikyo (played by Mikijiro Hira), doesn't want to sully his sword with the blood with peasants but yet has no qualms about having sexual encounters with a local prostitute.

While the film is quite simple when compared to Akira Kurosawa's jidaigeki films, bare in mind that "Three Outlaw Samurai" is Hideo Gosha's filmmaking debut. He obviously had magnificent company with three amazing actors who were extremely popular from the TV show, the benefit of having good writers, cinematographer and a crew. May it be the swordfight choreography, the actors performances to its sociopolitical storyline, it's a fantastic debut for Hideo Gosha and an important film that would help ignite a career with many fantastic films in his oeuvre.

As for the Blu-ray release, "Three Outlaw Samurai" looks fantastic on Blu! Wonderful contrast, picture quality looked amazing with no blemishes or problematic scenes. If anything, I wish there were more special features outside of the included trailer. I suppose that I have been spoiled by Criterion Collection releases that I tend to expect a lot in terms of special feature content but it does explain why the price is cheaper compared to other Criterion Blu-ray and DVD's.

Overall, if you are in the mood for a wonderful samurai film that isn't too deep, easily accessible and has a lot of swordfighting action, definitely give "Three Outlaw Samurai" a a chance. Definitely recommended!

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I've become a huge Samurai film fan. Some of my favorites are Yojimbo, Sanjuro, Ran, Seven Samurai...well, you get the picture. Since this recently came out on Criterion blu ray, I thought I'd buy it and give it a go. Well, I wasn't prepared for how well this film was made. Certainly right up there with the best, if not THE best Samurai film I've seen thus far. The storyline is great, the acting is great, the setup is great from the very beginning. Being a film buff, this truly has become one of my favorite films of all time. Hideo Gosha is certainly a master filmmaker. He doesn't skimp on storyline or action. This film is definitely worth your time, whether you're a samurai film fan or not. It's just plain great filmmaking.

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Lock Up (2010)

Ok, so the guy who did the Amazon.com Editorial review calls the people who enjoy this movie demented, drunk, or having really low standards. Who says you have to take the movie seriously...just enjoy it; I think we all realize that what happens in this movie would never happen in real life, and that's what makes it so cool. I say Lock Up is one of Stallone's more memorable movies for me although it is one of his lesser known roles. This movie probably wouldn't be good if it were played by anyone other than Stallone, but it isn't so it's great. Stallone plays Frank Leone, a man serving a short and normal prison sentence, when he is suddenly and inexplicably sent to Gateway, a hell-hole of a prison, with the evil Warden Drumgoole in charge, played very well by Donald Sutherland. Drumgoole employs a bully named Chink, (played by Sonny Landham) to make sure Leone's time at Gateway is as unpleasant as possible. The most memorable moment in the film for me is when Leone goes after Chink when he crosses the line. On the front of the DVD one critic states, "A surprisingly human film." I must agree. You really start to feel for Frank Leone after he is given such a hard time, and you want to see him exact his revenge like only Stallone can.

Stallone just has a certain aura about him, ya know? Like he's almost not human, with larger-than-life characters like Rocky and Rambo in his name, but something more...maybe I am just, demented...but I think a lot of Stallone fans know exactly what I mean.

Let me start by saying that I'm not demented, I don't drink, and I have fairly stringent standards when it comes to what I watch. That being said, I wish all the critics and haters out there would give Stallone a break, especially concerning this movie. Granted , my entire family, being from Philly, is unabashedly pro-Stallone. Even so, I can say without bias that he does a great job here, mixing prison drama with hard action. Also, you have a triumvirate of great character actors: Donald Sutherland (creepy as usual), Tom Sizemore (hyper as ever), and John Amos, who plays James Evans playing a prison guard ("Junior, you betta put a lock-down on yo' lips!") It won't win the critics' award for Best Film of the 90's, but who cares? Just watch it.

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"Lock Up" features a strong cast with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos, Tom Sizemore and Sonny Landham. Stallone portrays Frank Leone, who must serve the remaining six months of his sentence at a minimum security correctional facility. Leone's cell is ransacked in the middle of the night and is taken into custody against his will by security guards from a maximum security prison, where Leone is escorted and is promptly given the guided tour of hell. The viewer, as well as Leone, is then given an explanation of Leone's transfer, courtesy of one evil Warden Drumgoole, played by Sutherland. The tone of the movie is set upon Drumgoole's intense greeting: "Welcome to Gateway, Leone". It's payback time, according to the warden, whose administration was publicly humiliated by Leone, whom Warden Drumgoole makes sure never has another pleasureable moment during Leone's sentence. Leone's stay isn't entirely unbearable, for there are a few bright spots here, as our beloved convict-hero makes some fast friends in the prison autobody shop, with the likes of Eclipse (Frank McRae), Dallas (Tom Sizemore) and First Base (Larry Romano). It is here where these individuals share a common bond of friendship, including their love of cars, which is one of "Lock Up's" few tender moments. Ah, but there can't be friends without enemies, can there? Frank finds his enemy at a prison football game, where he is brutally roughhoused by one Chink Weber (Sonny Landham). Things don't get any easier for Leone, as he is constantly belittled and brutally assaulted by Drumgoole's staff. Overall, this is a strong film, with some believable characters, although the plot in certain spots is somewhat weak and unbelievable. For instance, I find it hard to believe that a prison autobody shop, such as this, displays little or no security, as well as a large maximum security prison, like this one, being overseen by just one warden, who, out of hundreds and hundreds of inmates, is so obsessed with just one of them. I'm sure the warden has other responsibilities to be concerned about, which I'm sure are many. But, the one good thing about watching a film of this caliber is that the warden's obsession with one man builds an intense climax that leaves the viewer on the edge of his/her seat the entire length of the movie, thus craving more substantial thrills and dialog. "Lock Up" contains all of the above, and is one film you're sure to come back to time and again. Plus, no other actor can bring more to an action-thriller quite like Sly Stallone, although "Lock Up" probably isn't his best role. That honor would have to go to his Rambo and Rocky roles. When viewing "Lock Up", make sure you have a spare key (and some refreshments) handy at all times, because you never know how long your stay of execution will last!

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Okay, not a great movie... but if you like Stallone, it's worth checking out. Without Stallone, this thing probably wouldn't have made it to the theaters; it has the feel of a straight-to-cable flick. Definitely not a classic prison escape movie.

Actually, Tom Sizemore is worth seeing here too, if you're a fan of his. He has some nice moments as the deceptively helpful inmate that befriends Stallone.

The DVD is pretty inexpensive, but does include a couple modest special features. Usually, these low-priced DVDs are 'movie only' editions, but "Lock Up" has two short featurettes. One is a 7 minute 'making of' promo, and the other-not listed on the case-is entitled "Sylvester Stallone" and is a 3 minute piece featuring more interview clips with Stallone. Pretty cool that the DVD producers added that. Also included is the theatrical trailer and decent cast/crew/production notes.

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Lock Up is the best Sly Stallone film ever! If you want to watch a prison film which is emotional. This is it! OR even if you just want to watch a film. Frank Leone meets the infamous Drumgoole again and is put in a 'hell-hole' prison. A real prison actually, one of the worst in the world. Leone becomes friends with other people who have made mistakes in the past. There's a football match in the mud. Trivia: Stallone nearly broke his leg in the match. It was a rough game. The hardest shot in the film. The film is packed. Truly great and at the top of my list. Get the DVD, it even makes the film better! The picture quality and sound quality are great! I don't know what the DVD reviewer was watching when they rated this. Evryting is good. I love the Bill Conti music which is emotional. And Ever Since The World Began by Jimi Jamison.

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