A Monster In Paris (Blu-Ray + 3-D Blu-Ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (2011)

When I first saw clips of this movie on YouTube, including the by-now-famous song "La Siene," I was so impressed that I immediately began scouring the Internet for a US release date for the movie. When I learned there were no plans for a US release, I was rather disappointed, but I wouldn't let that deter me from seeing this movie. In the end, I splurged and purchased two copies of the DVD (one for myself, one for our local library) from Amazon's Canadian store.

Now seeing that there's an upcoming US DVD release, I'm kicking myself for not being more patient, but I don't regret having purchased this. It's a beautiful movie, and while maybe not quite Pixar quality it's adorable and charming in its own right.

"A Monster In Paris" takes place in 1910 Paris, during the flooding of the Siene river, and focuses on a short, shy theater worker named Emile and his eccentric, bombastic friend Raoul, a delivery man who fancies himself an inventor. While dropping off a package at a scientist's home, the two break into his laboratory and accidentally create the titular monster -a seven-foot-tall, anthromorphic flea who can only communicate via singing. Said "monster" is taken in by Lucille, a nightclub singer who names him Francoer and disguises him as a musician, and soon it falls on her, Emile, and Raoul to protect him from a ruthless comissioner who will stop at nothing to rid Paris of the creature.

While the animation of "A Monster In Paris" isn't quite Pixar quality, I would put it on par with a Dreamworks movie, and it's certainly a cut above the animation of "Ice Age" and "Despicable Me." The scenery shots of early 20th century Paris are gorgeous, and I never once saw a lapse in animation quality that was significant enough to jar me out of the story. And the characters, with the exception of the appropriately villainous commissioner, are likable and quirky, with Francoer himself stealing the show -who knew a giant flea could be so adorable? The story of a group of people hiding a not-so-threatening monster from the authorities might not be the most original one in the world, but it doesn't seem old and tired here -the new setting and the characters kept it from feeling stale.

By far the best feature in this movie is the music. I LOVE the music. Renowned French singers Vanessa Paradis and M provide the vocals, and do a magnificent job. It was a song that led me to find and fall in love with this movie, and the music that remains the best part for me.

I watched this movie in the original French, with English subtitles (I always prefer to watch a movie in its original language), so I can't comment on the English dub. I'll leave that for another reviewer. UPDATE AS OF 1/28/13: I recently re-watched this movie, this time in English. The English dub is passable, but I highly prefer the French version. The French voices sound more natural, and M makes a better voice for the monster than Sean Lennon.

Wonderful movie, with gorgeous music and little to no adult humor or innuendo. I would recommend it for children 5 and older (due to some scary scenes) and anyone who loves musicals, animated films, or even lighthearted monster movies.

A Monster In Paris (Un Monstre à Paris) is a 2011 French animated film by former DreamWorks animator Bibo Bergeron (director of Road to El Dorado, and more embarrassingly, SharkTale). Yes, that's right, 2011. The film first released theatrically in France in October 2011, and then in the United Kingdom with the English dub in January 2012.

In April of 2013, OVER 16 MONTHS LATER, the United States is just now receiving an official release.

Which is utterly baffling, considering that even before the film's French release, A Monster In Paris went viral and gathered a cult following on the internet, with a large percentage of these fans American (myself included), due to the film's beautiful animation and music.

The music in this film is by Matthieu Chedid, better known by his stage name -M-. I became a fan of -Mand his music through A Monster In Paris. I now own three of -M-'s albums, having imported the CDs from France.

So you can imagine my disappointment when after over a year of waiting, I finally receive my official American release of A Monster In Paris on Blu-Ray/DVD, only to discover the original French language track is not included.

While I have nothing against the English dub, in fact the English versions of the songs are quite well done, the English songs swap out -Mfor Sean Lennon.

Again, nothing against Sean Lennon, he does a fine job with performing the songs in English, but having become a fan of -M-'s music through this film I want to watch the version with -Mperforming.

I ideally hoped to be able to watch this film in its original French with English subtitles, which I expect is how many others will want to view the film as well. Yet even though including the French language track in addition to the English dub and English subtitles seems like a no-brainer, Shout! Factory's failure to include such a simple but incredibly important feature is not only disappointing, but after a 16 month wait, is also unbelievably frustrating. I will without a doubt be sending in a complaint to Shout! Factory regarding the absence of the French language track, and I advise if you were also expecting to be able to watch the film in its original French with English subtitles, you do the same.

I love A Monster In Paris. It is an absolutely wonderful film that I highly recommend to anyone who loves animation, but because of Shout! Factory's negligence, I can only advise purchasing the American release of the film if you are fine with only the English dub (hence the 3-star rating). While the English dub is alright, I personally believe the ideal experience of this film should be in its original French with English subtitles. Unfortunately, the only way of doing this appears to be through importing the French Blu-Ray/DVD and then downloading English subtitles online, as the French Blu-Ray/DVD does not include English subtitles. Keep in mind however that due to region coding, the French Blu-Ray/DVD WILL NOT PLAY on most American Blu-Ray/DVD players. It will only play on a region free Blu-Ray/DVD player or a computer with region decoding software.

UPDATE: I've been informed that the Canadian DVD is multilingual, containing both the French and English tracks with English subtitles. Since Canadian DVDs are also Region 1, they WILL PLAY on most American DVD players. So importing a Canadian DVD would be a more simple, viable option for those who want to watch the film in its original French with English subtitles. Sadly for those of us who like our animation in high definition, there is no Canadian Blu-Ray, only a DVD. Importing the French Blu-Ray, finding a method of bypassing the region coding and then downloading subtitles still seems to be the only way of watching the film on Blu-Ray in French with subtitles.

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I am a French teacher and I can't wait to use this movie as a culmination of our study of Paris (I teach younger children). Vanessa Paradis has an angelic quality to her singing that fits this role perfectly. I appreciate the innocent storyline, there are no adult references or innuendo as there are in so many Disney movies.

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Why don't more people know about this movie?!? I didn't know what to expect when I first heard about it. A movie about a singing giant flea in Paris? Not exactly a crowd bringer that's for sure. But if Pixar has thought me anything, it's to not underestimate a seemingly ridiculous concept. Plus I love animation and fell in love with the design of the female lead ♥Lucille♥, so I gave it a shot.

The movie is fun to watch and an absolute joy to listen to. The music is phenomenal, mixing both the english and french languages. The animation is on par with anything from Dreamworks or Pixar and the characters, specifically ♥Lucille♥ and Francoeur (the flea) are cute and at times mesmerizing.

If you're hunting for a new animated movie that's very easy on the eyes (and ears), give this one a go.

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The story is good, the animation is good but the Music will melt your heart.

This little movie will make the big studios very jealous. Who knew that the story about a giant singing , guitar playing FLEA would be good. Its not perfect, but by the end of the movie you will be satisfied.

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Twilight Samurai

This Japanese film, directed by Yoji Yamada, won many awards in Japan. I can certainly understand why. It breaks the mold of films usually associated with Samurai warriors, and instead shows us the human side of a man who lived for his honor and who also wanted to just simply live.

The time period is 19th Century Japan. The strength of the Samurais is fading. And our hero, played by Seibei Iguchi, is a recent widower who is trying to support his two young daughters and aging mother. Yes, he's a Samurai, but of a minor caste. This means he works a day job, the equivalent of bookkeeper, along with a group of other men. He's a sad man, ignoring his personal hygiene, which embarrasses his boss. And he always goes straight home after work, never accepting the invitations of his co-workers to go out for a drink.

His relatives want him to marry again but he rejects the marriage broker who comes to visit. And then a lovely woman does come into his life. She's a childhood friend who has married badly. Because she was so mistreated, she has come home to live with her family. She's beautiful and kind and gentle, ad the sad Samurai's children love her. Later, he shows his valor with some swordplay with her abusive husband.

But as the story continues, and a romance blossoms, the man feels unworthy, even though it is clear that he and this woman would make a good match. And then, suddenly, the head of his Samurai clan calls upon him to commit a murder for the honor of the clan. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, he accepts, understanding that it is likely he will die.

I learned a lot about Samurai life and the details of living in a harsh environment every day. I felt I was right there, in a culture that is indeed different from mine. And, as I absorbed the atmosphere, I also felt the plight of a very troubled human being who had to make a hard choice about what he personally felt was right as compared to what his culture demanded of him.

This is a really fine film. The acting is extraordinary. The directing is flawless. There is romance, action and adventure. There's a serious glimpse in the world of the Samurai. And, most of all, there is a human story that tugged at my heartstrings. Highly recommended.

In "The Twilight Samurai", director Yoji Yamada conceived a more realistic interpretation of life in 19th century Japan than is often seen in "samurai films". The result in a genuine period film that spends time on the daily struggles and family life of its protagonist, Seibei Iguchi, without adrenaline-pumping swordplay. Yamada based the film's screenplay on 3 stories by novelist Shuuhei Fujisawa. The story is told partly from the point of view of Seibei Iguchi's daughter, Ito, who is 5 years old in the film, but provides voiceover narration as a grown woman.

Iguchi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is a low-ranking samurai of the Unasaka Clan, living under the Shogunate of mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration. Already the days of the samurai seem numbered, which casts a certain fatalism over the events of the film. Iguchi's wife has recently died after a long and taxing illness, leaving him to care for his two young daughters and senile mother with insufficient income. Iguchi actually enjoys the life of a farmer and watching his daughters grow, but his poverty leaves him without even proper clothing to fulfill his professional responsibilities. His spirits are lifted when he learns that Tomoe (Rie Miyazawa), a woman he has adored since childhood, has received a divorce from her abusive husband. But when his clan's leader dies, the ensuing struggle for power may prove fatal for many samurai.

"The Twilight Samurai"'s success depends upon the performance of Hiroyuki Sanada, who makes Iguchi's humility, heartbreak, and eccentricities convincing. Mutsuo Naganuma's delicate, subtly hued cinematography draws our attention to character development and small gestures. This is a period drama, not a martial arts film. There are only one and a half sword fights, which director Yoji Yamada uses to impress upon the audience that samurai didn't conquer one another with quick fatal cuts, as we so often see in movies, but normally delivered and received many cuts and subsequently bled to death. "The Twilight Samurai" is slow and probably a bit too long at 2 hours and 9 minutes. But it is a lovely film of one man's acceptance of the difficulties his life has brought him. Japanese with English subtitles.

The DVD: Bonus features include interviews with director Yoji Yamada and actor Hiroyuki Sanada and 3 theatrical trailers, one of which is for "The Twilight Samurai". The interview with Yoji Yamada (10 minutes) is dubbed in English. The director explains why he wanted to make a realistic period film, why it was well-received by Japanese audiences, and casting actors Sanada and Min Tanaka, who fight in the movie. Hiroyuki Sanada speaks English in his interview (17 minutes). He talks about the character of Seibei Iguchi, his acting career, and his work on the film "The Last Samurai", in which he had a supporting role. The English subtitles for the movie cannot be turned off.

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Growing up with a first generation Japanese father and a second generation Japanese-American mother, and being very American the Japanese culture is very close and dear to me. Ever since I can remember, films like Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Yojimbo, Kwaidan, Ugetsu Monogatari, Sword of Doom and Seppuku [Harakiri] have shaped my view of Japanese cinema. I've also watched more Japanese TV historical drama series than I can remember in the last 35 plus years.

A few weeks ago, I happened upon Tasogare Seibei [Twilight Samurai] very much on accident and can't stop thinking about it. It's affected me that much. And more than anything it has opened my eyes to my ignorance regarding modern Japanese cinema. Sure I've enjoyed movies like Shall We Dance and Ringu, but only because they both had releases in the US. Tasogare Seibei has made me realize that modern samurai era films can be very very good, and don't necessarily need names like Kurosawa, Inagaki, Kobayashi or Okamoto attached to them to be good.

This film reminds me very much of Seppuku in that the central character is a devoted and loving father that makes great sacrifices for his family. Unlike the emotional and explosive battle climax that takes place in Seppuku the duel here is taken on reluctantly by Seibei with a heavy heart, yet equally heroically. This reluctance to violence by Seibei is similar to that of William Munny in Unforgiven. But while both are family men and farmers, they have very different character at their core.

Violence and the understanding of it is not what makes this such a great movie. Devotion to his two daughters and aging mother, undying love for a childhood sweetheart, the daily struggle of supporting loved ones on a measly clerk's salary while balancing massive debt is something most 21st century Americans can relate to. What makes it so easy to like, admire and sympathize with Iguchi Seibei is his humble and self-sacrificing approach to life. Compounded by "giri" [duty and obligation] to his clan this creates almost unbearable responsibility and leads to a heart-wrenching decision.

Tasogare Seibei is based on several short stories by Fujisawa Shuhei, and until recently I had no idea my father was such a fan of his. Fujisawa's stories focus on the trials of everyday low-ranking samurai living in the strict feudal world of the samurai. It's no surprise the film's director Yamada Yoji known for his long running Tora-san series is also a fan of Fujisawa's.

Growing up I often wondered if non-Japanese could appreciate or see Japanese cinema the way I do. When I read reviews on Amazon.com for Japanese movies, I have no doubt they can, and I'm frequently humbled that their insights are often more Japanese than mine. But that may also prove that cinema has no cultural or language barrier, so that a person in Moscow can see Gone With The Wind as the classic struggle of Russian women, or Twin Peaks can become a cultural phenomena in Japan. And part of what might make foreign films so special is that they present familiar situations in an inherently culturally unique way.

Twilight Samurai does that, and will hopefully help people realize that no matter the place or the time, we are all the same.

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This is absolutely one of my favorite movies. Sanada's performance as the reluctant warrior at the beck and call of lesser men who are his social seniors draws you into his world. This man is a fighter who has no real interest in fighting. He has children whom he loves and he aspires to nothing greater than caring for them. When he gets a second chance at a love life you hope he can pull it off but circumstances seem to work against it...

This isn't an "action" movie per se. It is definitely a love story; between the man and his family, between the man and his childhood sweetheart. But the lack of action filled fight scenes doesn't mean that you aren't aware throughout the film that this man is "special". As a martial artist and swordsman I felt that the two fight scenes that were in the film were really excellent in terms of technique and drama. Every time I watch this film, I enjoy it more and more.

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This is a beautiful film from Japan that was nominated last year for Best Foreign Language Film. It is the story of a poor samurai who takes care of two adorable little girls and a senile mother while facing troubles at his job and the turmoil of his time. The film's emotional force lies in both the nuanced, delicate direction and Hiroyuki Sanada's amazing performance that would undoubtedly be nominated for, or even win the Oscar if the Acadamy members and voting actors were to see the film. It is that good. Apart from Kate Winslet, there has not been a better performance this year (in fact, the two are about tied in that respect). Sanada perfectly and precisely crystallizes every bit of complexity his character has to offer into a sympathetic man we care about and feel for throughout the entirety of the film, which is crucial to its success. There was also a notable performance from Min Tanaka as a dangerous, but deeply sad samurai cornered within a decrepit home. Tanaka managed to key in on the underlying depression and insanity of his dark character. You feel for him, and his presence adds an important sense of gravitas to the conversation both men have before the film's controlled, nerve-wracking climax. This is not your usual samurai film, and proves to be something revelatory, memorable, and, above all, satisfying.

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Thor (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy) (2011)

Thor is Marvel's best superhero movie yet. It is even better than the first Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk films. It is also the most visually stunning of any Marvel film, with gorgeous fantasy settings, great costumes, and spectacular special effects.

In the same way as Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight worked just as well as a crime drama as a superhero movie, Thor works just as well as a standalone fantasy film. Even if I had not known that I was watching a comic book movie, I would have been just as happy with the story. In fact, I would say that you don't actually need to be familiar with the characters or the comic mythology to enjoy the film.

The story is set half in Asgard, the realm of the gods, and half in our world, Earth. Thor, the son of the king of Asgard, the wise Odin, is a proud and arrogant king-in-waiting. He makes a foolish mistake that brings his world to the brink of war and his father exiles him to our world as punishment, and maybe to teach him how to be a better man. On Earth, Thor makes some new friends and even begins to fall in love with a pretty scientist. Meanwhile, in Asgard, his brother Loki begins to put into motion a plot that may threaten Thor's home.

Two things about the film really stood out to me. The first is the absolutely beautiful settings and solid world-building in the movie. Asgard looks amazing, with settings such as the Rainbow Bridge, a crystal structure with colored lights running through it, spanning a sea that flows into a massive waterfall, cascading down into the open cosmos. Also, great costuming really makes the gods stand out, and adds to the film's epic feel. The second thing was the character of Loki, the film's antagonist. Watching the trailers, I expected a greasy, honorless villain (someone like Wormtongue from the Lord of the Rings). Instead I got the story of a hero, told in reverse. Loki's story mirrors his brother Thor's, but where Thor starts out as an arrogant royal brat and through his time on Earth comes to realize what it means to be a hero, Loki begins the story as a mischievous but honorable man, and over the course of the film turns into a really bad guy. As Thor rises, he falls. And when his final plan is revealed at the end of the film, it totally fits his personality and everything you know about him. In other superhero films, we're used to seeing the bad guy go on some kind of mindless rampage at the end of the film. We saw it in The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, the Spider Man movies, the Fantastic Four...but not here. Loki acts like a man with a purpose. Actually he has two purposes, both very personal to him. One is to do commit a terrible act of destruction, partly out of self-loathing and partly out of a twisted sense of honor toward his father. And the other is simply to beat his brother, proving himself Thor's equal. He is easily the deepest villain of any of the Marvel films so far.

The film is directed by Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart!), who handles the epic material perfectly. More than any Marvel film so far, this one focuses on the hero's journey. Even more than a comic book movie, this is a fantasy film about a hero. Expect father-son drama, palace intrigue in the realm of the gods, and an epic confrontation between two brothers who have been become very different people over the course of the story. There is also plenty of humor, with a few real laugh-out-loud moments. And there is a very sweet, almost cute romance woven into the story. It carries an innocent, young-love kind of feeling. It also takes the two characters, one a god more concerned with war and glory, the other a scientist more concerned with solving the mysteries of the universe, and brings them down to earth in their budding love for one another.

I would recommend Thor to any lover of fantasy films, as well as any fans of comic book movies such as Marvel's Avengers lineup. It is solid fantasy fun with a strong sense of the epic and the heroic. And when you see Thor finally wield his hammer and summon the lightning, you'll want to stand up and cheer.

I went to see this with our 9 year old son, honestly not expecting very much. While I have enjoyed Portman and Hopkins in a number of roles, I felt this would be just another comic book hero movie with a bad script, extremely predictable character development, and unoriginal attempts at humor.

I was wrong...

Not only did I AND our 9 year old boy enjoy THOR, our 13 year old daughter, 15 year old goddaughter, and two more of our daughter's friends enjoyed it...ALL 3 TIMES WE SAW IT!!!

That's right...I saw THOR with our kids 3 times. Granted, this is a bit over-killed, but we thoroughly enjoyed the movie every time and plan to purchase it on opening DVD release day. Here's why:

1. I felt it was age appropriate.

2. Was it violent, sure...was it gory, no.

3. It had clear lines of good and bad, treated well with a myriad of complexities that led people to their struggles...so it felt honest.

4. I thought it was a GREAT play into the Avengers movie that is on the way.

5. I felt Branagh did a wonderful job directing...they should consider allowing him to direct the Avengers.

Rent this one...buy it...whatever works for you. It's good entertainment with plenty of action, quick wit, and a sweet redemption in the end. No Oscars here, but a good film nonetheless...thumbs up!

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Comic book fans get a lot of flak for being nerds, dweebs and geeks; or at least they used to. Now comics are en vogue as millions of people attend geekfests like Comic Con; although whether that's to see the movie and television stars in attendance remains to be seen. Comic book characters are our mythology, they rival the super powered beings and gods of ancient Greek, Mesopotamian, and Viking mythology. We as humans have always felt this need to look up to higher powers to sort out our lives, believing that the fate of our race is better left in the hands of someone capable of bending the rules of physics. It's only natural then that eventually the worlds of comics and ancient mythology would collide as it does in the new Marvel movie Thor.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the arrogant first born son of King Odin (Anthony Hopkins) of Asgard, and the rightful heir to the throne. When Thor commits an act that could lead to war between Asgard and the Frostgiants, with whom they have a very shaky truce, Odin strips Thor of his powers and banishes him to Earth until he learns humility. On Earth Thor is found by astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her team (Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings) as they study atmospheric disturbances in New Mexico.

Thor is one of Marvel's lesser known properties, despite having been created by Stan Lee back in 1962. An integral character in Marvel's super powered team The Avengers, the movie version of the comic book was announced not long after the success of Iron Man as part of Marvel Studios attempt to bring The Avengers to the big screen. While Marvel has had great success with the first Iron Man movie and to a lesser extent Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk (which is the closest Marvel Studios has come to failure so far), Thor was a risky proposition with the greatest potential for failure. How does one meld the worlds of the mythical Asgard and Earth seamlessly into a movie that is part of a bigger picture with characters that are based solely in our realm?

Enter Kenneth Branagh. The success of Thor can largely be pinned on having a filmmaker with appropriate gravitas to ground the film. Branagh is a star of stage as well as film (for those of you unfamiliar with the name he played Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). The presence of Branagh alone was somewhat curious considering he's known more for directing acclaimed works like Hamlet (1996) and Henry V (1989) and even as an Irishman the English consider him one of the leaders in Shakespearean theater. It's that knowledge of film and theater that really guides Thor as he borrows as much from Shakespeare's Henry V as he does from modern action films.

Also adding to the weight of Kenneth Branagh's credentials are a list of acclaimed and award winning actors and actresses such as Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard, Rene Russo, and Idris Elba. Not only do they have the opportunity to ground the movie, but they also look like they're having fun. Part of why we enjoy this movie is because we can see that they enjoy the movie. No one ever really feels like they're hamming it up or sleepwalking through their scenes, you get the sense that aside from the emotions they convey for their characters concerning their predicaments they all want to be on this set and that feeling is infectious. Also Tom Hiddleston's Loki is a revelation at a time when I have to admit that Marvel Studio's previous villains have been lacking a certain je ne sais que. Hiddleston plays the character with a secret, and a glimmer behind the eyes that slowly unravels like a ripe onion throughout the film holding on to his deceit with the hope of another day. He's more complex than the previous villains that have come out of Marvel Studios, and I'm looking forward to his return in The Avengers.

The real linchpin for why this all works though is Chris Hemsworth. While having been around here and there in blink and you'll miss it parts, Hemsworth got his first big break in JJ Abrams Star Trek reboot in the pivotal role of George Kirk, father of James T. Kirk. While his place in geekdom had been set in a small yet important role, the question of whether he could pull off the Norse god turned Marvel superhero. In a lot of actor's hands this would have been a one note character bereft of emotion and humor. Hemsworth is a magnetic leading man, though, exuding charisma and confidence. His poise commands respect, and he effortlessly flows from emotion to emotion, arrogance to humility, with a comedic timing that leaves the audience in stitches but still doesn't undermine his character.

As with most, if not all comic book movies, this movie tries hard to give you a lot of plot in a short two hour span (I say short because it leaves you wanting more, the way a good action movie should). Naturally, some things are a little undercooked but don't ruin the movie. In the end, as much as I fell in love with Natalie Portman's character (as I do with almost any character she plays) the romantic connection between Thor and Foster didn't ring true because for most of the film he seemed somewhat disinterested only to find his infatuation with her later in the movie. Thor's progression from arrogant strongman to humble hero also seems to be slightly haphazard as it really feels as though it could have used more time to flesh out. Hemsworth does an admirable job making the audience feel each twist and turn of the character, but each twist and turn feels a little too abrupt to be genuine.

All in all though, this was an excellent film: a piece of escapist entertainment that embraces Shakespeare as much as it embraces modern blockbuster pop-art. On the scales of Marvel I'd rate this just slightly under Iron Man and far above Iron Man 2 and The Incredible Hulk. The fact that they were able to get Thor right gives me hope for The First Avenger: Captain America and The Avengers. If you're a fan of comic book movies, Iron Man, or Marvel I highly recommend that you give this film a try. Not to mention, this is quite possibly the best use of 3D I recall since Avatar. Check it out!

4/5

For more review check out: jasoncwilkerson.blogspot.com

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Thor is a difficult comic hero to bring to the big screen, but director Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet) has pulled it off with ease. What helps though is that Chris Hemsworth is perfectly cast as Thor and Tom Hiddleston is as well cast as his evil brother Loki. Plus, unlike with Iron Man 2, you get plenty of action to please you as well.

Roger Ebert hated Thor and thinks that every Marvel film since Spider-Man 2, just hasn't been as good. However, Thor is the way it should be. What is a good comic adaption according to Ebert anyway, was Thor supposed use his powers to deliver pizza ? Was he supposed to spend half the movie pouring his heart out to Natalie Portman's answering machine as she just stands there listening looking annoyed ?

After Thor loses his powers when he comes to Earth, was he supposed to strut down the street with a smile on his face as the song "rain drops falling on my head" plays ? No! Thor works as a magical and macho fantasy and that's exactly what a Thor movie should be!

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I bought my first Thor comic at age 6 or 7, way back in the 60's! I now have them all from "Journey Into Mystery #83" thru issue 500 or so. I even own some original Kirby art from "Thor". The movie surpassed my expectations!

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Crack in the World (1965)

Every Saturday night @ 11:30, I'd settle down on the couch for 3+ hours of horror and/or sci-fi on TV courtesy of Pittsburgh, Pa's "Chiller Theater" hosted by "Chilly Billy" Cardille. Among my many favorites was "Crack in the World," about a scientist who, through underground testing of some sort, creates a mammoth fissure in the earth that keeps getting bigger and bigger, threatening to tear the earth apart. I've always loved this movie, especially the uncompromising ending, and I'm happy to see it finally being released in DVD. Check it out.

Interesting story about a dying scientist who plans to tap the geothermal energy beneath the Earth's crust, with dire consequences. Andrews, Scott and Moore, as well as Alexander Knox, all give excellent performances. Special effects are superb and very believable. I remember seeing this on TV when I was little, and it scared me to DEATH. Seeing it again as an adult, it is not quite as scary, but is still fast-paced and entertaining.

While the science is now dated, thanks to the discovery of plate tectonics (the Earth's crust is divided into may separate "plates", and therefore already has many "cracks"), the story is still entertaining. The interaction between Dr. Sorenson (Andrews), an aging scientist trying for one last victory; his young wife Maggie (Scott), a scientist in her own right; and Dr. Rampion (Moore), the project's geologist and an old flame of Maggie's to boot; works very well, even if it is a bit formulaic.

All in all it is a fun movie, and definitely worth the time to see it. Especially now that it is finally being released on DVD in its original 1.85:1 widescreen format. A worthy addition to any classic sci-fi film collection.

(PS: *I* wrote that summary listed on the back cover when I was in college! They just added a few extra words. Don't believe me? Look it up on IMDB!!)

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I too am a great fan of this movie. I spent years looking for it, and about 3 months ago, I found a very watchable version at a site when I Googled it. The disc only cost $10....but. About half way through, down in the lower right hand corner the symbol "AMC" popped up and I realized that it was just a good copy made from the American Movie Classic channel.

This version that is now being released should be far superior....and I look forward to it.

If you have not seen this movie, by all means give it a try. There is not a single wasted minute in the whole film. Excellent!

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CRACK IN THE WORLD finally makes its home video debut via this new widescreen DVD from Olive Films. Olive Films is a relatively new enterprise that has leased several Paramount titles for home video release.

I hadn't seen CRACK IN THE WORLD since its initial 1965 theatrical exhibition, and so it was great to be able to revisit it. What seemed like pure fantasy back then now feels all too plausible, given the daily reports about BP and the events on the Gulf coast. It's an engrossing story about scientists who have drilled too far into the earth's core, setting off a cataclysmic chain of events. Stalwart scientist Dana Andrews attempts to reverse the process. The film builds to a nearly apocalyptic finale, aided by some pretty good special effects.

The DVD preserves the film's 1:85-1 aspect ratio. The transfer is very good, although the age of the film elements precludes the movie from looking "as though it was filmed yesterday." I'd guess that the DVD was struck from a very good 35mm print, rather than from the original camera negative. There are no supplements, but the home video debut of CRACK IN THE WORLD is reason enough for celebration. Hopefully, Olive Films will resurrect other titles that have fallen through the cracks of the world of films.

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I haven't seen this film in many years but the new Blu-ray version from Olive films is surprisingly entertaining. Its your basic early 1960s end of the world cautionary tale where messing around with mother earth could destroy the planet. Dana Andrews plays a scientist who plans to exploit the planets subterranean mineral resources by detonating a nuclear bomb miles below the earth. The results of this detonation leads to the films descriptive title and the mad rush to come up with a method to save the planet. The special effects are not bad at all for a low budget 60s film and the dvd transfer, though not Criterion quality, is very good with vivid colors which add to the overall sense of heat since the catastrophic scenes involve lots of fire imagery. Besides Andrews, who fantasy film fans will recognize from Jacque Tourneur's classic 1956 film Curse of the Demon(aka Night of the Demon), there is Janette Scott and Kieron Moore who both appeared in The Day of the Triffids a few years earlier. Sci-fi trivia buffs will also recognize Eugene Lourie's name in the opening credits. Lourie directed three of the 1950/early 60s 'dinosaur on the rampage' films, The Giant Behemoth, Gorgo and most importantly The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Last but not least, the film's ending is quite unique though the science is a little/a lot dubious! If you enjoy this film, you might want to checkout the British film The Day the Earth Caught Fire which was made around the same time but is actually more ominous.

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The Man In The Iron Mask (2011)

I don't know why I did not see the 1998 version of Man in the Iron Mask while it played in theaters. In a way I'm glad I didn't see it then I surely would have embarrassed myself, because it would not have occurred to me that I would need a half-box of Kleenex at the end! I finally watched the movie in my own living room when it came to HBO several years ago, but while I enjoyed the movie at the time, it did not leave me with the urgent desire to see it again. However, I did watch the movie again recently, and now for some unexplainable reason, I can't seem to get enough of it. I have the DVD, and it is the movie I most often reach for on a quiet evening of lousy television.

Those who are expecting a faithful adaptation of the book will come away sorely disappointed, and if that is their measure of the movie, they will do best to avoid this one. However, those who love the characters, who don't mind seeing new adaptations and interesting plot twists, and who love rich costumes and set designs will find this movie wonderfully entertaining. And that is what it is all about, isn't it? Entertainment.

I have read many reviews regarding this movie, and am puzzled, even dismayed at times, by some of the criticisms levied at various aspects of it. Some people have complained about the dialogue in the movie, calling it "flowery", but truthfully I loved the fact that Randall Wallace did not modernize it. So many new films and TV series are "dumbing down" the dialogue of period pieces to make them more compatible with today's manner of speaking. I applaud Mr. Wallace for keeping the dialogue consistent with how it likely would have been spoken in the 17th century.

Still others complained of the unlikelihood of all four Musketeers surviving a volley of musketfire during the final charge. If they had been watching properly, they would have noticed that the young Musketeers were turning their faces away, closing their eyes as they pulled the triggers. And after the first few shots, powder smoke begins to fill the corridor, obscuring their vision. So the lack of accuracy in their volley is adequately explained on more than one count. Moreover, if the critics had been watching more closely, they would have noticed that there are woundings -D'Artagnan is hit in the shoulder, Athos in the thigh. The other two are also limping, and the script confirms that all four are wounded in the barrage.

As for the complaints that the four leads have four different accents, I did not find them distracting or annoying, as some have claimed. I expected it, since this is an International Cast, and with an International Cast, you get International accents.

And speaking of the cast, I must say that in all the Musketeers movies I've seen, this is the strongest cast ever. The primary performers, Jeremy Irons, Gabriel Byrne, Gerard Depardieu, and John Malkovich, all turn in exquisite performances, and Leonardo DiCaprio is, in my opinion, convincing as Louis and Philippe, even though he is upstaged by the other four. Anne Parilloud is simply lovely as the Queen Mother, and the moments she shares with Byrne's D'Artagnan are some of the best in the film. The love scene between them, as brief as it was, is as beautiful as any I've ever seen (this coming from someone who is not a true fan of romance! I was left wanting more!). The music is brilliant and sets the mood perfectly for each scene. The wardrobe is exceptional, especially the black uniforms of the old musketeers.

Particularly nice touches in this movie are the attention to detail: The roses left for the queen speaks as decisively of D'Artagnan's love for her as words ever could (And yes, I really liked the plot twist involving the twins' paternity); Philippe dragging his masked head back and forth over the grating in frustration while in prison; the unmasking of Philippe in a dark blacksmith's forge, his hair wrapped around his neck where, as it grew, it was unable to escape the confines of the mask; Lieutenant Andre's devotion to D'Artagnan throughout the film and the way he looks away when the king orders the volley, unable to watch his captain cut down; the rich, fancy costumes contrast the torn, sweat-stained clothing where appropriate.

The movie is not without its faults, though. The first scene involving Porthos and Aramis, for example, contains some crude language regarding parts of both the male and female anatomy and Porthos's flatulence, both of which seemed out of place, and actually got the film off to a shaky start. The first time I watched it, I almost turned it off at this point. I also could have lived quite happily without ever having seen the bulls-eye glimpses of Porthos' naked rear end. While I'm sure some of Depardieu's fans loved it, the scene did nothing to advance the plot, in my opinion. There is hardly an actor or actress out there these days that has not done a nude, but quite frankly, some things are just better left to the imagination. I'm smiling as I write this, but truly, the scene was unnecessary. Thankfully, there is a "skip" button on my DVD player! And yes, I do use it.

Those few faults are forgivable when surrounded by so many other details that are so elegantly done. For me, it was a very pleasing movie experience, one I enjoy over and over again. Kudos to everyone involved. Now, if I can just convince Randall Wallace to release a director's cut version . . . .

"All for one. One for all!" The familiar oath is heard again in this swashbuckler. Only this time our four heroes are older, as The Musketeers reunite for one last grand stand against injustice.

Aramis(Jeremy Irons),is now a devout priest and prays for the starving people of Paris, Porthos(Gerard Depardieu)is out of shape but still has the will to fight for right(Depardieu is also very much the comic relief in this film),Athos(John Malkovich), retired and has a son who has now gone into the service of the king, and the youngest D'Artagnan(Gabriel Bryne), still in service is now the Captain of the Musketeers, and very loyal to his King. And of course the coldhearted young King Louie XIV(Leonardo DiCaprio).

The King lets his people starve while he lavishes in luxeries. He uses people, especially women with no shred of decency or emotion. Even his mother Queen Anne(Anne Parillaud) is ashamed but still loves him. And Louie has a secret, one that may threaten his reign someday. It is the "Man In The Iron Mask" who he has had imprisoned.

Aramis ,Athos, and Porthos have set a plan into motion to restore decency to the throne. D'Artagnan on the other hand remains loyal to the king and carries with him a secret of his own. They don their old uniforms, and we see them in action once again. Will they be able to set free the man in the mask? Will D'Artagnan reunite with them?

The swordfights,scenery and costumes are all exquiste. The story will move you,there are some very poignant scenes as well as lots of action,adventure, romance and above all loyalties. Loyalties to each other, the King and to France.The actors work extraordinary well together and are impeccable in their roles.Director Randall Wallace really gives us a good look at this time and place in history, and a strong feeling for each character.

Fabulous DVD!(MGM) The widescreen presentation(standard on the other side if you prefer) really shows off the granduer of the palace grounds, and the surrounding scenery.The picture and colors clear and bright. The 5.1 Surround is outstanding in this action film. You can hear every clip clop of the horses on the stone, every clink of the swords, and every word of the dialouge clearly. The music is also well recieved and is effective. There are several features you may want to check out, there is audio commentary, a really informative look at how they chose and made the mask, and a booklet inside the case.You can also use the English, French or Spanish Subtitles if needed.

Check it out.....Laurie

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I know why I like this movie and it is simply because "The Man in the Iron Mask" does for swordplay movies what "Space Cowboys" did for space movies. It allowed a bunch of older actors to have fun in parts usually reserved for the younger set. I can just imagine John Malkovich's eyes lighting up at the thought of somebody asking him to play one of the Three Musketeers (Athos). The same goes for Jeremy Irons (Aramis), Gerard Depardieu (Porthos) and Gabriel Byrne (D'Artagnan). The key line for me in the movie is when Lieutenant Andre (Edward Atterton) points to D'Artagnan and says "All of my life all I ever wanted to be was HIM." But you can substitute any one of the Musketeers in that statement. I just cannot imagine any Hollywood actor of my age turning down this script. You get to be one of the Three Musketeers!

So I am onboard for the fun. This is a solid "B" movie and I do not care that Leonardo DiCaprio is the big name at the top of the cast list. He is a talent actor, but as in "William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet" he once again shows he does not have a feel for the diction of costume drama; but his Phillippe is a much richer performance than his King Louis. Yes, I can list lots of other problems with this film. Depardieu and Judith Godreche as Christine are the only ones running around with "real" French accents for one thing. But the film is, all things considered, fairly faithful to the Alexandre Dumas novel (by Hollywood standards) until the final act. I actually liked the "twist" by writer-director Randall Wallace and was not bothered that the survival rate of the Musketeer quarter is the exact opposite in the film that it was in the novel.

But above all I liked watching Malkovich, whose ability to provide nuance into underplaying a role is exquisite and it is so much fun watching him draw his swords and have at it. Depardieu has fun as the bawdry brawler of the bunch, although the script relegates him to the comic relief part of the festivities. Irons provides the most panache of the quartet and the twinkle in his eyes as Aramis hatches his master plan to restore the honor of France counterbalances the deadness in the eyes of Athos after the death of his son. Byrne gets to play a pillar of virtue and his character is more a reflection of the good opinion of everybody else. It is only in his affection for Queen Anne (Anne Parillaud in a dignified but heartfelt performance) and his attempts to instruct Louis that his heart comes through. "The Man in the Iron Mask" is, like the novel, not a great story but more of a grand adventure.

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"The Man in the Iron Mask" proves at least two things. The first thing is that it's still possible to make a rousing, entertaining epic with minimal use of digital FX. The second is that action adventure films still work best when they don't take themselves seriously. If you don't believe that, may I remind you that the James Bond series has run for a record 40 years?

In this case DiCaprio gets to play the evil Louis the Fourteenth of France and his all too good twin brother, whom Louis has put in an iron mask and thrown into a truly nasty prison. The two totally different characters are believably played by DiCaprio. There is never any confusion as to which twin is on screen, yet one gets the impression that this is all a piece of cake for the film's young star.

This is the France of 1662. I am not a good student of French history, but the locations, costumes and customs appear to be fairly accurate for that time period. Also the film is reasonable faithful to X's novel. The author took an obscure bit of French history and spun an intricate story from it. For in that year, there actually was a French prisoner who was listed in the prison registry only by a series of numbers followed by the words 'the man in the iron mask'. Since Louis the Fourteenth became king at a very young age, he was quite the brat. As he grew older, he became one of France's greatest rulers. So, who's to say there wasn't a hidden twin?

Even without DiCaprio, this film has a remarkable cast. Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu and Gabriel Byrne play the famous Musketeers. Now retired, they are forced to regroup due to the insane acts committed by Louis. These include having one of their sons killed in the same way King Solomon got rid of Sheba's husband. When he is informed that the peasants of Paris are starving, he dispatches rotting food to them. When they justifiably complain, his suggestion is to shoot them.

One of the cleverest plot devices is to have one of the musketeers the great Gerard Depardieu's character show that time takes its toll on everyone. He is flabby, depressed.... Of course, in true Hollywood style, he makes a big comeback, but until he does, he is uproariously funny.

Anne Parilland plays the Queen Mother with that cutting edge of grace and beauty that is peculiar to the French. Her character is also full of surprises. As the beauty Louis wants so badly that he kills to get her, Judith Goodreche is quite well cast. She is innocence personified.

While not at all original, the musical score by Nick Glenne-Smith is the rich, melodic type one expects in such a film. I was disappointed, however, by one musical aspect. There are some lavishly produced ballroom sequences. The dances are wonderful, but the music is scored for instruments which, for the most part, did not exist in the 17th Century.

"The Man in the Iron Mask" did great business overseas, but was disappointing here. I suspect that this was because DiCaprio became an overnight romantic hero in "Titanic", which was released two months earlier. In this film the only romance happens with the evil Louis. The good twin, as in the book, must spend his time reclaiming his destiny with the help of the Old Musketeers. This left his enormous following of female fans little to bond with. I also suspect that, for the average young American male, the concept of DiCaprio as an action hero is, shall we say, slightly ahead of its time.

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The only reason I rented this video is because the new releases I wanted to see were checked out. To begin with, I'm not a big fan of period pieces featuring performers speaking in an accent appropriate for their role. Even if the performer masters a particular dialect, I still find it a distracting affectation. Also, a little of one accent goes a long way, especially if you're not too fond of a particular accent; I like a french accent well enough, but am still glad the whole cast didn't speak in one. I found it refreshing that the performers in this film weren't required to speak in a foreign accent, or more precisely, an accent foreign to them. I don't think it took anything away from their characters' authenticity; all the actors were very convincing, even moreso, without an affected accent.

Since I'm not a big fan of swashbucking, action type movies or romantic movies, I wasn't attracted to the subject matter of this movie, nor to Leonardo DiCaprio's face on the jacket (although I'm not on the Leonardo-bashing bandwagon; I don't think he deserves all the bashing he gets). I hadn't even heard of Gabriel Byrne or the supporting actresses, but had seen Malkovich, Irons and Depardieu enough to know there would be quality acting in this film. So, having grown bored with browsing, I rented it, having no idea that I was in for such a pleasant surprise which would bring about a few first time experiences for me.

My first "first" was that I wanted to see it again and again & again! I don't ususally want to see a movie again (especially within a short period of time), but this movie more than just impressed me, it enchanted me. I thought every performer in it, even those with bit parts, was outstanding -yes, including Leonardo DiCaprio. Although he lacks the special magic that Gabriel Byrne, John Malkovich and Jeremy Irons bring to a performance, Leonardo DiCaprio still handled his dual role well by effectively conveying the differences in his characters not only in tone & affect, but by the way he could change his eyes from the "sad puppy" eyes of Phillipe to the cold, steely eyes of Louis.

I also found the story interesting (not having read the book first, I wasn't thrown off by the affair) and thought the scenery, costumes, makeup and hair was great (except for D'Artagnon's hair, severely parted way over to the side for some reason, which was a very unflattering style for him).

The music was so appropriate and moving that I even bought the soundtrack, which is also something I've never done as a result of seeing a movie.

And, another first: In all my years, I've never been as captivated, not only by a character (D'Artagnon), but by an actor as I am with Gabriel Byrne. Seeing him for the first time in this movie has prompted me to see more of his work, and I've come to realize that there's something in him, not just his characters, that touches my very soul.

I never expected a video I halfheartedly rented one evening to be one of the best movies I've seen in my life. I wonder why "Titanic" got 11 awards while the people involved with this film didn't get nearly the credit they deserve?

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The Rock (1996)

More than likely, you already know whether you like this movie or not. The

question you may be asking is "If I own the DVD, is it worth upgrading to

the BD version?" I'm happy to report that this is a great transfer, and is

a major upgrade from the DVD version, assuming that you have a audio/video

system that can allow you to see and hear the difference. The picture is

far more detailed than the DVD version, and the uncompressed PCM audio

track is fantastic. Kudos to Disney for doing an excellent job on this one.

Highly recommended.

Buena Vista released The Rock as a movie-only edition back in 1998 and anyone who knows their DVD must have been less-than enthusiastic about the release (this reviewer included), and hoped that someday the film would be revisted with a special edition release. Fortunately, that day has come! This new Criterion DVD release features a 2.35:1 matted widescreen presentation, anamorphically enhanced for 16x9 televisions, something which was sorely missed from the Buena Vista disc. This disc also has a new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix, which is a remixed track of the original 5.1 mix on the Buena Vista disc, which was rather good, this track just improves on it. Criterion, doesn't stop there though, a DTS 5.1 surround mix has been added for your sonic pleasure. And for a film such as this, both audio surround tracks are a welcome addition, especially the DTS track which was newly-remixed and digitally mastered specifically for this Criterion DVD.

The area where this Criterion version really puts Buena Vista's to shame is in the special features department. Now for people who own the Criterion laserdisc of this film, these extra features might seem familiar. But for first-time viewers of the Criterion release of this film, you'll be very pleased with the extras you get here. Supplements abound on the second disc in this 2-DVD set, you'll have hours of enjoyment sifting through all of the extras presented in this package. The only gripe I have about this disc is the commentary track recorded for the film. Sean Connery is suprisingly absent from it. Which, for me at least is a disappointment. But that's only a minor gripe, this disc is one of the best Criterion has relased for a film on DVD. So throw out your old Buena Vista DVD/VHS/LD copies of The Rock, and get this Criterion DVD. I highly recommend it, especially if your a fan of this film.

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This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

In this director approved Criterion Collection release, we are treated to some excellent materials.

The film follows the story of Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), a retired marine who takes hostages on Alcatraz island. His demand is that the families of soldiers killed in covert operations be given compensation. He treatens to launch VX nerve gas into the city of San Francisco if his demands are not met. A navy SEAL team is sent in to neutralize the threat. Helping out is Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage), a chemical weapons expert, and John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), the only man to have escaped from Alcatraz.

The film has great acting and there are some good laughs in the film also. There are many action packed scenes including a car chase through the streets of San Francisco and the cars are often airborne when they go on the hills.

The Criterion DVD has many special features and is on a deouble disc set.

Disc 1 contains the movie with optional audio commentary by Director Michael Bay, Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Technical advisor Harry Humphries, and actors Nicholas Cage and Ed Harris.

Disc 2 contains a theatrical trailer and TV spots, a video interview with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, a blooper reel, a special about the film's premiere on Alcatraz, scenes from a TV special "Secrets of Alcatraz" that contains interviews with actual former inmates and a history of the island from Native American times to modern times.

There is a special "Dos and Don'ts of Hollywood Gunplay" with the film's technical advisor Harry Humpries and Marshall Teague. This specail contains depictions of errors made in action films regarding the use of guns it emphasises saftey and common mistakes including gun drawing techniques that don't "work" such as the "gangster grab" or the "wyatt earp pull".

There are also 2 features on the films special effects. One is on the dive sequence and the other is on other effects, like the cable car crash. There are also storyboards, production stills and drawings.

This is a must biy for fans of the movie as well a fans of the Criterion Collection.

Read Best Reviews of The Rock (1996) Here

The Rock is one of the greatest of all action films. This is a movie that not only presents some incredible, if not stunning, action sequences, but also a smart plot and intelligent screenplay. This is a film that really works in it's genre to the fullest. Director Michael Bay is a master of this material and adds great style and vision to already excellent material. The screenplay by David Weisberg, Douglas S. Cook and Mark Rosner has a touch of intrigue here, a touch of adrenaline there, a splash of rambo here, and the effect is great on the big screen. "The Rock" never slowes down but never gets dumb either. Elements taken from other films are lovingly polished to a gloss. Nicolas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Harris all give convincing performances that ignite the screen along with everything else. "The Rock" also has some of the best of all action scenes. The chase scene through San Francisco is pure excitement and thrills and amazingly filmed. "The Rock" is intelligent, action-packed, and a wild, thrilling adrenaline-pumped ride that's also wonderfully stylish.

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Hey, Darth-Jeyl here, about to review the Rock-CC (Criterion Collection).

When I first saw the Rock back in 1996, it immediately became one of my favorite action movies of that year. It was for me, so rare to see an action film that was so focused on its story, character development, and at the same time be very entertaining. The story was good, the characters believable, the acting was solid, the soundtrack was powerful, and the directing was excellent. When the film was introduced to DVD for the first time in 1997, it left a lot to be desired. The DVD transfer for the film came straight from the Laser Disc version, and was non-anamorphic (Not enhanced for widescreen TV's). The DVD was also featureless, carrying only the teaser trailer for the film. The only good thing about the DVD was it's 5.1 Dolby Digital surround track. Four years later, when I heard about a Criterion version of the film coming out to DVD, I had low hopes. Why? Let me explain. This is the second time Michael Bay has released one of his films from Criterion. The first movie he launched from Criterion was Armageddon. Though the DVD featured a lot of extras, a 5.1 Dolby surround, and a new digital transfer, the video wasn't Anamorphic. That was a big disappointment, since the other DVD version of the film wasn't anamorphic either. So, when I heard that Michael Bay was re-releasing the Rock as a 2 disc Criterion edition, I thought it was going to be like the Armageddon Criterion Edition. Now that I got the DVD, let's move on to the full review.

Story: When a highly decorated, retired Marine General (Ed Harris) and his army seize a stockpile of chemical weapons, and take over Alcatraz (aka The Rock), he demands Restitution to the families of the soldiers that died in covert operations. If the payment is refused, he will launch the chemical weapons at the heart of San Francisco. As the Pentagon debates on how to handle the situation, they decide to send an elite Navy Seal team to go into Alcatraz, disarm the weapons, and take the island. Since the power of the chemical weapons is extreme, they bring in an FBI Chemical Expert, Stanley Goodspeed(Nicolas Cage) to help them with the disarmament. The problem, how do you get into Alcatraz? Since all known experts on the island are dead, they bring in a former Alcatraz prisoner John Mason(Sean Connery) who once escaped Alcatraz, to assist the team on getting in. Thanks to Mason's knowledge, the team makes it into the island undetected. However, after walking in to an unsuspected trap, everyone on the team except Mason and Goodspeed are killed. Now, it's up to a chemical freak who has never seen combat, and a former prisoner who hasn't seen combat for over 30 years, to carry out the mission alone. Their problem? They've got 20 professionally trained killer marines on the hunt for them, 15 deadly chemical weapons to defuse, the entire population of San Francisco to save, and only 15 hours to complete the mission.

Disc 1-The Movie: The Rock on Disc 1, is presented in it's original aspect ratio 2.35:1 in an anamorphic transfer. Which means it's ENHANCED! Not only that, but it's also got a new digital transfer that looks absolutely gorgeous. There are hardly any signs of grain, the colors look very solid, and the letterbox framing is very accurate. This is one of the best transfers Criterion has ever released for a film. For the audio side, we get 4 audio tracks. A Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround sound tracks, a 2.0 Dolby surround, and a Commentary Track. To sum up the audio for ya, if you have a 5.1 Dolby or DTS setup, it will destroy your home. From the beginning of the film, the surround sound action is nearly constant. If you want to see what the audio is really made of, go to chapter 11(Car Chase), and crank up the audio. The Commentary track for The Rock features Director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, actors Nicolas cage and Ed Harris, and technical advisor (and ex-Navy SEAL) Harry Humphries. Please keep in mind that this is not a group commentary. This is one of those commentaries where each participant recorded their portion separately and were than edited together. I know a lot of people who despise these types of tracks, but for this particular one, it really works. Each participant has something very useful to say about almost every scene in the movie. If you really want to know a lot more about the Rock, check out this track, it's actually the best part of the whole set in my opinion.

Disc 2-The Features: For the second disc, we get an average amount of features that are common on almost every 2 disc set. There is a lengthy interview with Jerry Bruckhimer that I found quite nice, an analysis of the dive sequence which is really cool(All those swimmers were puppets!), a movie magic episode on the film's special effects, a really nice documentary about the dos and don'ts of Hollywood gunplay, a documentary on Alcatraz itself which covers almost every aspect of the island's history, promotional material such as trailers, TV spots, and The Rock world premiere on the Alcatraz island itself, and a bunch of story boards and production drawings.

Final Comments: Well, this disc was a pleasure to get. I can finally watch the Rock as it was originally intended on my 16x9 television. I'm glad Criterion did all the right stuff with this DVD.

Goods: Great movie, good acting, Excellent Transfer, Great sound, wonderful commentary track, nice extras, and ENHANCED!

Bads: Though the second disc has many extras, some of them have almost nothing to do with the movie. Many people might find some of the extras pointless.

Darth-Jeyls rating: 8 out of 10

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Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958)

I feel that "Le Beau Serge" is a very sweet and well thought out film. It tells a story of a young student (Francois Bayon) who returns to his countryside hometown to recuperate. Upon arrival, he runs into a drunkard whom he recognizes to be his childhood friend (Serge). Francois' friend Michel tells him how Serge is on the verge of self-destruction after failing to get his architectural degree. Later, both friends are reunited and have an opportunity to catch up on old times. Francois observes Serge's inconsistent and erratic behavior and tries to help him mend his way. Along the way, Francois meets Serge's wife (Yvonne) and her sister (Marie). Francois has a brief affair with Marie before finding out she is raped by her "father". One night during the village dance, their affair ended with everyone humiliating and ridiculing Francois. Serge, angry with Francois for coming to his life while he's at his lowest point begins to despise beat him up in public. After the incident, Francois realizes that the people in the old village he used to remember are no longer the same. His conversation with the village priests destroyed all the innocent illusions he initially had. While the priest advises him to leave the village, Francois vows to stay on to help Serge and his family mend their lives.

I believe "Le Beau Serge" was Chabrol's first feature film. He later went on to make another feature "Les Cousins" which might be intended to complement "Le Beau Serge". Chabrol engaged actors Jean-Claude Brialy and Gerald Blain for both films with their roles and situations reversed. I first saw "Les Cousins" before "Le Beau Serge". Jean-Claude Brialy, being a brilliant actor that he was, gave out a stellar performance in both films. He's so good that I could not identify him as Jean-Claude Brialy anymore. Instead, I was so taken in by his acting ability that he became a sly, cunning snake whom I hated so much (Paul) in "Les Cousins" or a gentle, sensitive and wonderful young man whom I fell in love with (Francois) in "Le Beau Serge".

You have to watch both films to appreciate a surreal, mocking quality and ironic effects that Chabrol wanted to create. I love both films very much. Chabrol has an amazing eyes for details (scenes, storyline) as well as depth for the films' dialogues, story lines and plots. If I have a choice, I think the title of this film should be changed to "Le Beau Francois" instead :P Once again "Le Beau Serge" is a beautiful film that deserves many stars.

When discussion is brought up among cinema peers of nouvelle vague (The French New Wave), its easy to think of names such as Francois Truffau, Jean-Luc Goard, Eric Rohmer, Jacques Rivette. Individuals, colleagues and contemporaries who each worked for Cahiers du cinema before they became filmmakers.

But there is one man that was a colleague who may have not received the prestige as his contemporaries but is respected for his contribution towards cinema with his thrillers but also years of cinema as part of his oeuvre. The man I am talking about is Claude Chabrol.

While debated of which film kicked off the French New Wave, many regard Chabrol's 1958 film "Le Beau Serge" (Handsome Serge) as the film that began the Nouvelle Vague. Feature films created by contemporaries of Cahiers du Cinema that went on to become filmmakers.

In fact, Francois Truffaut had given Chabrol the biggest compliment in 1958 for his directorial debut on "Le Beau Serge" saying, "Technically the film is as masterful as if Chabrol had been directing for ten years, though this is his first contact with the camera. Here is an unusual and courageous film that will raise the level of French cinema".

If there is one thing that can be said about Chabrol, although his name is not as well known as Truffaut or Godard in America, and while "Le Beau Serge" is a long awaited release for a Chabrol film from the Criterion Collection, he still remains the most prolific filmmaker among his contemporaries who nearly has released a film every year since 1958 starting with "Le Beau Serge" and ending in 2009 with "Bellamy", a year before Chabrol passed away.

For cinema fans, many have been wanting the Criterion Collection release of a Claude Chabrol film on DVD for a very long time but finally, the Criterion Collection will be releasing two Chabrol films, "Le Beau Serge" (1958) and "Les Cousins (1959) on Blu-ray and DVD in Sept. 2011.

"Le Beau Serge" is written and directed by Claude Chabrol and would star Jean-Claude Brialy ("A Woman is a Woman", "The Phantom of Liberty", "Elevator to the Gallows") and Gerard Blain ("Hatari", "Les Cousins", "Le Mistons"). The film would also feature the beautiful cinematography of Henri Decae ("The 400 Blows", "Le Samourai", "Elevator to the Gallows") and long-time Chabrol editor Jacques Gaillard.

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"Le Beau Serge" is presented in black and white (1:33:1 aspect ratio) and immediately upon watching this film, you start to realize how beautiful this film looks, from the symmetry of objects to the chose angles and shots of the characters as they walk towards the camera, away from the camera or trying to incorporate the city into the film.

And as Henri Decae had shown in the 1956 film "Bob le Flambeur", his cinematic style can be seen the following year through "Le Beau Serge", "Elevator to the Gallows" and "The Lovers". Beautiful cinematography and following the direction of Claude Chabrol who wanted to capture the look and feel of the city of Sardent in his film.

The film is over 50-years-old and on Blu-ray, the Criterion Collection did a wonderful job in making the film look absolutely beautiful. Black levels are nice and deep, contrast and showcasing the whites and blacks are beautiful and for the most part, "Le Beau Serge" doesn't have any artifacts, edge enhancement nor did I detect anything negative in terms of overall picture quality. The film looks fantastic on Blu-ray!

According to the Criterion Collection, the new digital transfer was created in 2K resolution on an ARRISCAN film scanner from the original camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using Revival Flame, and Smoke, while Digital Vision's DVNR system was used for small, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Le Beau Serge" is presented in monaural French with English subtitles. Dialogue is clear, subtitles were easy to read and for the most part, the vocals were cleared and detected no hiss or crackle during my viewing of the film. If anything, I really enjoyed how Emile Delpierre incorporated music to this film, especially the quick music cuts whenever Serge or Glomaud are shown on screen.

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

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Le Beau Serge The Criterion Collection #580' on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:

Audio Commentary Featuring a wonderful and in-depth commentary on Chabrol's career and his work on "Le Beau Serge" by Guy Austin, author of "Claude Chabrol".

Claude Chabrol: Mon premier film (51:36) A 2003 documentary by Francis Girod on the making of "Le Beau Serge" featuring interviews with Chabrol and Jean-Claude Brialy.

"L'invite du dimanche" (10:00) Segment from a 1969 episode of the French TV series in which Claude Chabrol revisits the town of Sardent, where "Le Beau Serge" was filmed and the village where he grew up in.

Original theatrical trailer (2:54) The original theatrical trailer for "Le Beau Serge".

EXTRAS:

"Le Beau Serge The Criterion Collection #580' comes with an 16-page booklet, which includes the following essay "Homecomings" by Terrence Rafferty.

JUDGMENT CALL:

Hauntingly beautiful. These are the two words that I describe Claude Chabrol's debut film "Le Beau Serge".

An incredible feat. for the Cahiers du Cinema critic who produced, wrote and directed the film and I don't know if I can categorize the film as a psychological drama.

The late Francois Truffaut described the film as a chess game and perhaps if you see the film in that perspective, it does make sense. You have Francois (Brialy) who once lived in a small village now from a big city who comes back into town. Francois is actually a nice man, non-intrusive nor does he flaunt to anyone that he is better than them because he lives in the city.

But for the villagers, it's a preconceived notion that because he was able to move away from the village, he thinks he is better than they are.

I put myself in the shoes of Francois, also coming from a small town and having lived in the city and I know there are moments when I was younger in which I have flaunted to friends in town about the fact that the city is fun for its close proximity to shopping, beaches and as a young man, there were a lot of women. But looking back at it now, it was so trivial, so much of commodity fetishism in boosting one's ego of the have's to the have nots.

But I look at the situation that is presented in "Le Beau Serge", he doesn't flaunt but his presence in the village, wearing his nice clothing in front of those who are barely surviving and not so happy with life but have accepted their life in the village as final.

This is where I identify with Francois because when you go back, you want to help your friends, especially those you feel have so much potential to be something bigger. In the case of Serge, he is a man that had so many dreams, wanted to leave the village like Francois but got a young woman pregnant and found himself married and stuck in the village he desperately wanted to leave. He has kept this burden of having his first child dead at birth but knowing that the right thing to do is stick by your wife and living life to provide for one's family but in his case, drowning all the sorrows away through drinking heavily.

I've known to many people like Serge in my life who live their life as is...miserable and unhappy inside but are traditional. While Francois had left the city and his big advice to Serge, "to leave his wife". It may seem quite harsh but it is logical that if a man is unhappy with his marriage, you leave.

But with Serge, he knows with a baby along the way...he can't leave.

But it's the return of Francois that enhances Serge's negative and jealous emotions. You would think that there would be an ebullient sense of emotion but with each meeting between both Francois and Serge, you feel this ominous feeling that things are not right.

We see a scene with Serge wanting to tell Francoise of why he became a drunk. Why he lives this lifestyle. Why he is so miserable but if Francois only solution is for Serge to leave his pregnant wife, it's unacceptable.

And for Francois, he had forgotten how things were in his village and many who see potential within him want him to leave because he is better off than being back at home where many men do not aspire to be bigger, they just live life as is, even if its a life of effete, a lack of vitality that one can not escape. Life is what it is...you just live it, repeat it.

And of course, Francois seeing this...he wants to make a difference. But can he?

"Le Beau Serge" is a magnificent feat. for Claude Chabrol as his debut film. While his future in cinema may not have been as lucrative nor historic in comparison to his other contemporaries, the fact is Chabrol is a filmmaker who did things his way, his style and he continued to create films in 1958 with "Le Beau Serge" through 2009, a year before he died.

"Le Beau Serge" is a film that is mature but perhaps is also a film that brings Claude Chabrol back to his village of Sardent and is in someway a self-discovery of his present life and his past. The film is not autobiographical but it's a film that Chabrol was proactive in making sure the village of Sardent, what he saw in terms of life was captured onscreen. And of course, the cinematography is quite beautiful and it helps to have one of the best cinematographer's in French cinema at the time, Henri Decaë.

The film also has elements of Chabrol's life as he also wanted to become a priest at one time and help people. The film was raw in the way that Chabrol created a film with a small cast and worked in familiar territory, his hometown with a potential of many extras alongside him.

But through its visual beauty and its complex characters but accessible storyline, "Le Beau Serge" is a film that started the Nouvelle Vague era of film critics of Cahiers du Cinema taking up the mantle of becoming filmmakers. He inspired his contemporaries because he was able to go through his own filmmaking route and create this film with his own personal vision without having to follow any big studio or producer. It was his film, no ifs, ands or buts.

Surprisingly, "Le Beau Serge" while adored by film critics, it was delayed to the point that when it was released in theaters, his second film "Les Cousins" would be released a month later and it was his second film that would actually become the commercial hit.

While "Le Beau Serge" doesn't break any new ground, nor is it remembered as a non-traditional film when compared to Truffaut's "The 400 Blows" and Godard's "Breathless", in 1958, it's the fact that he was a man who had creative freedom to do what he wanted and capture the raw feel of his village onscreen with beautiful lighting and awesome performances by Brialy and Blain that make "Le Beau Serge" worth watching.

Once again, I applaud the Criterion Collection for bringing Claude Chabrol films to their collection but also giving both "Le Beau Serge" and "Les cousins" the Blu-ray treatment. The Blu-ray release looks fantastic and the addition of the documentary of Chabrol returning back to Sardent and watching these classic interviews is priceless!

Overall, if you are a Chabrol fan, a cinema fan or brand new to cinema and want important films in your cinema collection, then "Le Beau Serge", the first film of the French New Wave is definitely recommended!

Buy Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958) Now

Credited as the first feature of the French New Wave, Claude Chabrol's first film as writer/director has little of the controlled tension that defines his best work. This study of a village which witnesses the return of Francois, who left 12 years ago to seek a future in Paris, has Chabrol's customary exploration of the class divisions in French society, with the prodigal son the bourgeoisie, and the villagers the pagan primal proletariat. Francois is determined to "help" his friend Serge and the lifestyle Francois clearly disapproves of. However the idea that these people need help is a sign of superiority and impertinent presumption, signified by Serge's wife's claim that Serge wasn't disatisfied with his life until Francois returned and pointed out that he should be. Chabrol makes Serge's wife pregnant, with her first child born mongoloid and dead, so that the condition of the unborn child symbolises the future, at least as seen through Francois. Chabrol's dialogue has occasional lapses into exposition which betray him as a novice storyteller and odd bursts of melodramatic music, and the only New Wave touch is the use of a torch to light one scene, where it points straight into the camera. Chabrol presents the bleakness of the village with Serge walking drunkenly through the cemetary, a lone dog walking the streets, and a gang of school children travelling to and from their school. His scenes of violence have an immediacy compared to the exchanges between Francois and Serge. and a romance between Francois and Serge's half-sister, and Chabrol provides memorable images an overlap of Francois' face and falling snow, an ominous slow closing of a door, a long closeup of a woman crying, and cutting from Serge's wife in labour to Francois falling and Serge being dragged along the ground. There is also an interesting dance sequence, which shows the villagers in a more sophisticated environment, and also featuring two women dancing together for one to interpret as you may.

Read Best Reviews of Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958) Here

Having seen several films by Claude Chabrol (-IE"Les Biches", "Le Boucher", "La Rupture", "La Cérémonie", "Merci Pour Le Chocolat") before having viewed this one -"Le Beau Serge" seems like the work of another filmmaker. Technically this was the first film of the French New Wave. As such, it features (1) some very good black and white cinematography (the snowy scenes towards the end of the picture are especially beautiful); (2) crude and quirky provincial characters that are well delineated; and (3) an excellent score by Émile Delpierre; Chabrol cleverly and effectively used the orchestrations of this score to highlight dramatic moments and character appearances via musical punctuation. Yet in spite of everything I like about this picture -Its style is not yet Chabrol to me. Although there is an innocence about this film that is refreshing -Especially in contrast to the sinister direction Chabrol would take to create his unique murder-mystery-thriller-type genre (albeit always tinged with humour).

Secondly -This picture seems like a companion piece / bookend to Chabrol's second feature, "Les Cousins", in which Gérard Blain and Jean-Claude Brialy are once again cast as the leads. However -"Les Cousins" exhibits a big leap forward in Chabrol's style -It offers up some verve in terms of its sophistication and polish. It is obvious that Chabrol learned a lot from "Le Beau Serge" and applied that knowledge to "Les Cousins". In closing: Besides the leads in "Le Beau Serge"-Brialy (François Bayon) and Blain (Serge), both of whom are well-cast and outstanding in their roles -There are other excellent performances in this film; notably Bernadette Lafont as Marie, the coquettish, seductive "stepdaughter" of Glomaud; and Edmond Beauchamp, a genuine character actor, who plays the "stepfather" Glomaud with serio-comic aplomb.

Stephen C. Bird, author of "Catastrophically Consequential"

Want Le Beau Serge (The Criterion Collection) (1958) Discount?

Monsieur Chabrol's first feature film is entirely impressive.

His early directorial genius is lucky enough to have utilized the dazzling, acting abilities of the handsome Blain and Brialy in their primes. In an interview, the actor Brialy comments that in this story the relationship of the two friends is ambiguous-and I quite agree. There's more than just plain, innocent friendship between the two. I see a double meaning in their interactions, sensing some homosexual undertone. Maybe there has been no actual physical intimacies

but solely emotional or pyschological. I have seen a few Chabrols and admire this director's capacity to challenge me such as the magnificent movie--Le Beau Serge--which I recommend to everyone who truly loves cinema.

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Emperor (2012)

"Emperor" (2013 release; 98 min.) brings the true story of how General/Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces MacArthur (played here by Tommy Lee Jones) was sent to Japan following Japan's surrender to end WWII, to assess which top ranking officials from Japan, including possibly Emperor Hirohito, should be brought to justice and stand trial. MacArthur enlistens the help of General Fellers (played by Matthew Fox) for the actual investigations, focusing on the Emperor, the Prime Minister and a few other top Ministers. The problem is that Washington demands a conclusion in only 10 days. The movie's script (based on the book 'His Majesty's Salvation' by Shiro Okamoto) intertwines the political and military aspects with a romantic involvement by Fellers with a Japanese woman whom he gets to know in the 1930s in the US, but who eventually returns to Japan without telling Fellers. Fellers is determined to find her now that he is back in Japan. Will Fellers find his former flame? Will Fellers and MacArthur conclude that the Emperor of Japan must stand trial? To tell you more would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Several thoughts: director Peter Webber (best known for directing "Girl With a Pearl Earring") does a nice job in bringing the necessary historical background and further perspective, so as to appreciate the task at hand for Fellers and MacArthur. Even though Tokyo was not hit by the atomic bomb, it nevertheless was severely shelled and bombed, and we get a glimpse of what that must've felt like. Tommy Lee Jones does the most with the choice role of MacArthur, including adding some much needed occasional humor. The meeting between MacArthur and the Emperor towards the movie's end is by far THE highlight of the movie. Kudo also to Alex Heffes for scoring a beautiful soundtrack for this movie. Last but not least, at the very end of the movie, we get to see several still pictures of the actual events, which really add to the poignancy of the movie.

The screening I saw this at in my local art-house theatre here in Cincinnati a few months ago was (to my surprise) very well attended and tilting heavily towards the seniors, so this movie might have some legs on DVD (it played quite some weeks in the theatre), not unlike that other recent historical movie "Hyde Park on Hudson". Bottom line: if you like historical drama, you will be well served by "Emperor".

At the conclusion of the War in the Pacific ("V J Day," for those of us old enough to remember), the Allied forces had a dilemma: Should the Emperor of Japan (the Emperor of the Chrysanthemum Throne) be tried (and hung) for war crimes? Few of us gave it a moment's consideration at the time, but here is a thought-provoking drama that examines the issue.

It stars:

* Tommy Lee Jones ("Lincoln") as General Douglas MacArthur, tasked with reconstructing Japan, writing a constitution and restoring the economy. (Plus MacArthur really wants to run for President of the United States.) Is Jones getting all the good parts lately, or does he just make his parts seem that good?

* Matthew Fox ("Alex Cross") as General Bonner Fellers, the guy who understands that if Emperor Hirohito is hung, an insurrection will be inevitable and the war will NOT be over. Fox does great suppressed rage. Watch for it!

* Eriko Hatsune ("Norwegian Wood") as Aya, the sweetheart Fellers met in college where she was an exchange student, but now long missing in the tumult of war.

The political issues are clearly stated, the situation is engrossing, the PG-13 dialogue is realistic, and a key statement in Japanese, by a Japanese official, has very legible captions in English. I'm sure the DVD from Amazon will have everything with captions. Whew!

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I saw emperor shortly after it was released. I went to see it not only because I am interested in Japanese culture and history, but because I wanted to see the renowned Japanese actor and singer Masatoshi Nakamura in one of his rare appearances in an, American movie. He had a small part in it, but in my opinion he did a wonderful job. He had about a 5 minute speech which was quite powerful and moving. Mr. Nakamura has a long list of accomplishments and is very well known in Japan, so I am very happy that he had the opportunity to play an important role in an American movie.

Overall I think the movie was very well done. I would recommend it to anyone especially those who are interested in American and/or Japanese history.

Read Best Reviews of Emperor (2012) Here