Big Nothing

This is one of the more enjoyable "bumbling amateur criminals" movies that I've seen.

It's a UK/Canadian production but it's set in the U.S. and it stars David Schwimmer in my favorite movie role of his to date. His lugubrious manner is perfectly complimented by bouncy, James-Cagney-like Simon Pegg, a British comedian donning a perfect American accent. Their screen chemistry is wonderful.

Joining them is another Brit with another perfect American accent plus tremendous sex appeal, Alice Eve, playing a third kooky wheel in this unlikely team of extortionists. I gotta say: the acting by everyone (Brit, American, and Canadian) is top-notch.

The script by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Andrea and American Billy Asher tries to avoid cliches -or at least improve on them -and Andrea's direction gives the film a slightly surreal touch altho the film retains a down-to-earth quality.

That surreal touch plus its dark quality may limit this film's appeal, but those who like terrific acting and fast-paced fun may revel in that appeal.

(To people who have already seen the film: there's a difference of opinion here and at the Amazon UK site about Simon Pegg's accent. I think that those who are familiar with Simon Pegg will be influenced by that familiarity and find his accent strange -while those of us who aren't familiar with him will find his accent perfect, albeit energetic, Midwestern. Can you click on the "comments" link below my review and reveal (1) if you were familiar with Pegg before this movie and (2) how succcessful you thought his accent was? Thanks.)

I loved this film. The first "gothic comedy", I would say! It's very funny, yet surprisingly dark. So you'll go from laughing your head off to jumping in your seat thinking "WTF"? A very original movie based on a classic premise. Pegg rocks, as usual, I'm a huge Spaced fan and wasn't disappointed! Definitely a geeky yet intelligent movie, worth watching a few times. Laughs and shocks guaranteed in equal measure. Awesome soundtrack too, are they going to release it?

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Just a joy for me to watch! I haven't ever been let down yet by Simon Pegg (the guy from Shawn of the Dead) and his wit plays off of Schwimmer's drollitivity(?) perfectly. The chick is dynamite and she mentally kicks the crap out of the two men who are smart enough to acknowledge it with just the right amount of self deprecation. The plot constantly twists and turns and the comedy is all black. That's key for me. Give me laughs couched in morally questionable (or directly sinful) situations and I'm happy as a clam.

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Big Nothing is actually a pleasant surprise to me personally.

I thought it was going to be a really average movie considering who was starring in it. Turns out, not only is the movie interesting, I might even go out on a limb and say it's a classic in some kind of weird way!

The MANY plot twists, the comedy and drama segments combined *perfectly* to keep your attention, and just *every single line* that's delivered by the characters... wow what a film! I'm seriously quite shocked just how good it was. I never would have expected a quality film of this level.

Anyway, the story is about two guys and a woman who come up with this complex plan to take someones money over a pay phone... but many MANY things go wrong along the way, including some murders and trying to cover their tracks and explain themselves to the police, and it's just incredible how exciting the storyline is. I'm by no means a fan of that guy from the hit TV show Friends, but something about his performance here... he totally nails it.

This is the kind of movie I'd like to watch again to catch all the little jokes I may have missed, along with trying to figure out exactly what was going on the entire time (because let's be honest, with so many things happening at once, it's real easy for your mind to get a little bit confused at times!)

And WOW is Alice Eve a hot actress! Watching her in this movie in that "bad girl" role, she was incredibly attractive to me, and fit the part perfectly. Great movie.

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This movie is by far on of my favorite movies! I recomend this movie to anyone! buy this movie!!!

Blu-ray Triple Feature: Cyborg (1989) / Death Warrant (1990) / Double Impact (1991) - Jean-Claude V

Since I like all kinds of movies, I thought I would pick this up, on the cheap, since cable television used to show these all the time. I was a little disappointed by the DVD print that came my way with these three films, as they are somewhat blurry on all three of the films. I don't think I would by a multi-package of films again, due to the blur factor.

Unless you've lived under a rock for the last 20 years, you already know what you are going to get with Jean-Claude, which is not such a bad thing. Cyborg I would probably only watch once, Double Impact & Death Warrant many, many, more times.

Van Dammagisty, indeed.

I love TGG Direct sets. I have the Leviathan, Burnt Offerings and Lifeforce horror triple feature from this same company. I grew up on Van Damme movies and when I saw this I had to get it. These are three really great Van Damme movies and Double Impact is usually considered his best film. All films are 1:85.1 anamorphic widescreen. The picture on all of these is great quality. The movies themselves are great. I love all three of these. I haven't seen any of these in over 15 years so it was a great refresher seeing them again. Collecting all of Van Dammes best movies on DVD is real affordable these days and this is a great place to start. Lots of action and well worth the price.

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jean-claude van damme is the best, and with this collection you'll know what i mean. with movies like these you'll love to buy more of his movies and u might even turn out a van damme fan....like me. jean-claude van damme is the best and always will be. Don't miss out on your chance to have your own JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME COLLECTION

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While the plot, like most action movies, suffers a bit, this movie is still a lot of fun to watch. You get not only Jean Claude's martial arts prowess on display, there are others. The most prominent being Cory Everson who is so sexy as a bad girl it hurts. In fact one of the weaknesses of this movie is the fact that she is not on screen more often. Check out her search of Jean Claude's girlfriend. it's a real turn on.

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Heat Blu-ray SteelBook

This release truly was a gargantuan disappointment. "Heat" is one of my all-time favorites and Michael Mann one of my favorite directors. I actually did not have huge expectations to this first incarnation of Heat on Blu-Ray--knowing the problems that exist on both the original 1999 DVD release (which I might add was pretty ok at the time, but not by today's standards) and the subsequent 2005 "Special Edition" (which had some interesting extras and commentary, but no change to the feature itself.)

But I mean honestly, I am in awe that not only does this disc have basically _the same_ audio track (re-encoded into Dolby TrueHD)--complete with the same muffled audio which for the most part totally lacks any kind of force, and dialogue which in some places is so low it borders on being ridiculous.

I can honestly say that it had no improvement, whatsoever, over the Japanese DTS edition which was released a couple of years back (which also is far from perfect.)

Ok, granted. The audio is not 100%--that I might be able to live with. After all--this is close to being my favorite movie. However, it also has received a *minimal* upgrade on the video side.

No, I am not referring to the inherent film grain. This disc has many scenes which look like they are taken straight off the original DVD and upscaled to 1080p. The lack of detail is most prominent when pausing the movie at certain scenes. Background detail also varies strongly throughout. Yes, it is a Blu-Ray and obviously it will look better than the DVD but I have a quite respectable stack of older movies which completely puts this release in the dust. The bitrate is for the most part around 15-22Mbit/s, peaking at just under 30 in some cases; but seldom reaching this point.

Just to illustrate that minimal care has been given to the video aspect, note that it even has the _exact same_ color-change problem which occurs after Amy Brenneman's character (Eady) hangs up the phone with McCauley / De Niro (at 54:32)

While this is all bad enough, later on I actually notice that some of the dialogue has been *CUT OUT*. (Why haven't other reviewers noticed this?) Specifically where Diane Venora's character (Justine) is talking to Vincent Hanna / Pacino after the office party has ended. From the passage below, the first part ("you sift through the detritus") has been omitted(!). I actually had to rewind to verify this, as this kind of thing is pretty unusual, and not something I've noticed on any of the previous DVD versions:

You sift through the detritus, you read the terrain, you search for signs of passing, for the scent of your prey ... and then you hunt them down. That's the only thing you're committed to. The rest is the mess you leave as you pass through."

Just to make it clear--this was not some one-off problem with my disc or equipment causing it to skip ahead at that particular juncture. No drop-outs to the digital audio signal was witnessed either.

To me, cutting out dialogue (especially something as relevant and beautifully phrased) in such a fashion is completely baffling. I don't know what on earth happened to this release while it was mastered on Blu-Ray, but this just topped it all off and prompted me to eject the disc. I could not bear to see what other flaws or edits it might have been subjected to.

I might add that, never once have I not watched this movie to the end. And I have watched it probably 30 times. But this was truly an abysmal experience. Warner, are you listening? You have plenty of other awe-inspiring releases, and some which are decades older than this one which look (and some which sound) a zillion times better--Superman, North by Northwest, The Road Warrior, Bullitt, The Dirty Dozen--to name a few.

After I submit this review I will create a return request for this item. I urge all others who truly love this movie to do the same; and not put up with what is basically a repackaged & cut version of the original DVD.

What a waste of a truly great disc format.

10 years after the release of Michael Mann's epic crime tour de force, Heat is still an absolute masterpiece. Originally a screenplay which sat on the shelf for almost twenty years before being greenlit, Heat is the perfect character driven crime drama. Mann pits Al Pacino and Robert De Niro as a dueling cop and crook whose lives bear stunning resemblances to themselves. Vincent (Pacino) becomes obsessed in his case to help escape the reality of his failing marriage, while Neil (De Niro) is a cool, calm, collected and disciplined master thief who, with his skilled team (including Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore) are planning a heist which will change everyone involved forever. This portrait of these people and their failing personal lives sacrificed for their obsessive careers makes Heat the best film to come from Mann, and undoubtadly the best big budget crime drama to come out of the 90's. The face off between Pacino and De Niro is a film buff's dream, and the climactic LA shootout is possibly one of the best action sequences in cinematic history. The rest of the cast, which includes Jon Voight, Diane Venora, Natalie Portman, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Kevin Gage, Denis Haysbert, William Fichtner, Danny Trejo, Henry Rollins, Tom Noonan, and Hank Azaria, does brilliant work. Truly a cinematic masterpiece. This new 2-disc Special Edition from Warner Bros. contains a great commentary from Mann and a few nice featurettes, but the deleted scenes are hardly worth watching and add nothing to the film.

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Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are two of my favorite actors. So when I found out that they would be in a movie together, I was very excited to see it. "Heat" is a crime saga masterpiece that mixes drama and film noir together. Combine all of those elements together and you get one hell of a movie.

Pacino plays a L.A. detective who is obsessed with his job. He has dedicated his life to put away every single criminal in the state. Much so that he has become obsessed with his job. De Niro plays a criminal who loves to go on heists. A professional he is, and he never gets caught. Soon, the two's lives collide with each other and all hell breaks out. Pacino becomes obsessed with catching De Niro. He will not rest until he is locked up.

That is only half of the story. There are many stories in this crime drama that interact with each other. Other great actors in this film include Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Jon Voight, and many more. Every character is unique in his or her way.

The director/writer does an excellent job of making us feel sympathy for the characters, even the bad ones. He has created a very dark and gloomy world in which nothing is certain. Problems lurk around every corner, ready to destroy each person. Don't be mistaken, this isn't an action flick. This is more of a film noir if anything. It's dark, the tone is somber, and it doesn't have the happiest ending. Although there is a bank heist scene in the movie that has to be one of the best action sequences in a long time.

As much as I love Robert De Niro, and he does a great job portraying his character, Pacino steals the show. It's one of his best roles in recent years. He's vulgar, rude, offensive, and short-tempered. But, he also has a heart, and you get to see that as the movie progresses. As serious as his character is supposed to be, he has some of the funniest lines you will ever hear him say. He definitely wins "best actor" in my book.

Again, this isn't an action film. It is very long (almost three hours), and it is very story oriented. The film concentrates on character development the most. This is a great film that realistically portrays these kinds of characters. This is a movie about choices and consequences, and you're not exactly sure how the movie will end. A very good movie that should've received more recognition.

P.S. I haven't had the chance to check out the special features on this DVD. From what I remember, there isn't too many. But that would be because the movie is so long, and it's all on one side.

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I estimate that Director/Writer Michael Mann could have cut about an hour out of "Heat" and still have a pretty good movie, but I am glad he didn't. "Heat" is an outstanding filma tour-de-force duel between an elite crew of bank robbers led by Robert DeNiro and an elite crew of police officers led by Al Pacino. This is a movie you have to savor for each and every scene.

Mann does an outstanding job writing a complex movie. Just about a bank robbery movie? Nope, the heroes and villains are complicated and have their motives. Mann understands that the most interesting hero is one with flaws (Pacino's cop is a workaholic ruining his latest marriage) and the best villains are ones with their own agenda and their own code (DeNiro has a philosophy and a noble goalto do one big score, leave and live the good life).

The acting talent Mann assembles is awesomePacino, DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Natalie Portman, and Mykelti Williamson. All give great performances. Al Pacino is terrific as usual here, but I have the most respect of all for Robert DeNiro. DeNiro may be the best actor alivewho else could play his twisted, creepy psycho in "Cape Fear", his cold gangster roles in "Goodfellas" and "Casino", his funny gangster in "Analyze This", and his action hero mercenary in "Ronin"? And this is only a fraction of the parts he's played! Here he plays the cold, calculating leader of the bank robbers, the worthiest adversary Al Pacino's cop has ever come up against.

Could Michael Mann make a bad movie? I doubt it. "Heat" is a brilliant movie. Brilliant.

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What a superb action film with a great story line. "Heat" got its name because this is how the police are referred to in the movie. A classic quote for the movie is where Robert De Nero(criminal) says to Al Pacino (cop) "Don't have anything you can't walk away from in 5 seconds flat when the heat are around the corner" Don't be put off by the films length thinking you can't possibly sit watching a film of that length. Heat is directed my Michael Mann who also directed the Oscar film "The Insider". The line up of actors Val Kilmer, Al Pacino, Robert De Nero need no introduction they are all superb in the movie. I watched this movie for the first time on DVD and if anything you want it to go on longer seeing Denero "outwhit" Pacino, missing each time when trying to catch him, wondering whether he will catch him or will he get away? The DVD itself for the money is well worth it you have a full length exciting, action packed, great acting film for a very reasonable price! The Dolby 5.1 is awesome, the beginning scene dives straight into the action which gives you the pleasure of listening and watching the quality of the DVD. Don't let the lack of extras put you off a great purchase of the DVD, the film is worth the money on its own.

Mardock Scramble: Second Combustion

Just finished watching this film. Abdolutely loved it as with the first installment. The second installment is focused in two halves, the first runes recovery within a place known as "paradise" with the brief ebcounter of another nut-nut assassin with a penchant for limb cutting. The second half all takes place on a casino. Whe I saw the trailer I had no idea why a casino would play such a large role in the story, (having not read the mang) but, no spoilers, now I see and it was a great way to finish off the film. Coming to that, it ends very VERY abruptly with a simple sentence leaving you wondering just what's going to happen next. Thoroughly enjoyable mature watching and I really can't way for last installment.

I just finished watching The Second Combustion and I was soo happy when i could see the continuation to one of my fave mangas turned anime. It picks up exactly where the 1st film left off and it does for the most part follow the manga almost 100% A few things were left out, like the gambling lessons and how to play the games, but to me that was a good thing. I found that to be very dull in the manga and also they added nudity in this anime as well, as they did in the First Combustion. The manga has no nudity at all, and Balot looks a little different but anyways, back to this work. The story seems to run rather short and kinda ends abruptly, like the first film.

I know this series has maybe 1 maybe 2 more films to finish the story and I wish they wouldn't take so damn long to make it but I did think that both films are good, so its worth the wait. I'm just not very patient so I would like to see the next film soon and also wish the next volume of the manga would drop already. It is odd that they mention a lot of egg jokes in this series. (Dr. Easter, Boiled, Shell...etc.) I guess its an inside joke somewhere but i don't understand it. Overall, if you enjoy the manga i recommend you watch this, and if you enjoy this anime, watch the First Compression if you haven't and I highly recommend the manga to you as well.. ENJOY!

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I just finished reading the book(translated by Viz), which is over 700 pages long and I can tell you that the primary Amazon Editorial Review has totally missed the mark on this one. I have also seen both of the Mardock Scramble disks sold by Amazon. I feel it behooves me to review some of the material that is in the book which either did not make it into the videos, or were so glossed over that people do not know what they are looking at. As such, the rest of this going to be in the vein of spoilers, but they are important so you know what you are looking at. I will avoid telling about anything that will be in the third video.

Spoilers Start Here:

There was a really big war where the army engaged scientists to do human experimentation to make better soldiers. The center of this experimentation was a place called Paradise. There were three main scientist leaders for Paradise. After the war, the countries repudiated Paradise and the leaders would have been executed, but each chose a different path to make themselves acceptable to society. One started the Scramble 09 protocol to solve criminal cases to show their usefulness. One started the October Corporation, to provide amusement & pleasure to the populace. The third isolated himself in Paradise (the head in the birdcage). The October Corporation killed the head of the Scramble 09 group, leaving Dr. Easter.

In the first Mardock Scramble, we meet two creations of this mess, Shell & Boiled. Rune is killed? and brought back by Dr. Easter. The stories in this series are a journey of how a severely damaged young girl is empowered to strike back and how she is repaired psychologically. There are multiple sets of bad guys that need to be brought down, including striking at the October Corp.

The primary reviewer states that the plot in Second Combustion doesn't go much of anywhere -or make much sense, when in actuality what is happening is that it is giving you the back story of the three Paradise scientists. The casino is important since the heroes need to get their hands on the Million Dollar Poker chips that store Shell's memories. Can they do it? Will Shell marry into the October Corp and become a member of their ruling elite?

If the video producers handle it right the end of series (video 3) should have fight scenes in it that are epic. The name of the third section in the book is "The Third Exhaust". Keep an eye out for it. I am looking forward to it.

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Just watching the being sequence you feel that it is a little different. Would not recommend for kids since there is nudity. But love how they mix tech into the lives of the character. Sometimes leaves you guessing a little of where this is heading.

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part two of the series, I liked part one enough to purchase part two an watch it. Very serious subject matter, not for kids.

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Slash - Made In Stoke 24/7/11 (2011)

Order this from amazon.co.uk (British Amazon site). Features the full show plus bonus interviews. Is region free and NTSC so will play on regular US players. Great gig in small intimate theatre. Very cool.

This is a fantastic DVD made in his hometown where they never played with GNR. They do both Slash material and GNR material. Myles Kennedy is an excellent singer. Arrived before estimated delivery date. I suggest you pick up this DVD.

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This is the FULL DVD import. All 21 songs from start to finish and a couple of bonus things. Over all worth it if you are a huge fan. :)

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This dvd is an awesome edition to my collection of live dvds and music,the sound in dts is crystal clear and the actual video is good.It has songs from velvet revolver,guns "n" roses and slashes first album with miles along with interviews with slash and miles and for the most part was very well worth the $18 dollars I paid.

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Great show and selection of songs Myles delivers and the whole band rocks hope he does another Dvd of his more recent songs.

9th Company (Collector's Edition) (2005)

As a Marine that went to Vietnam after the French pulled out, I would like to respond to Thomas A. Maguire "TOM FILM"'s one star rating of the movie 9TH COMPANY. I am going to bet he is young, inexperienced with the world, and a bit opinionated about matters he knows nothing about. He states "One of the worst movies ever made.". This is just ludicrous! This film deserves respect for being earthy, honest and making no apologies for anything depicted on the screen. He states, "The dubbing in English makes this almost a comedy.". If he would step away from his video games for a minute he would know that the lip movement in Russian is way different to English and hasn't the same flow and rhythm. That is why the English speech you hear doesn't match the visual lip movement. The artists that added English dialog are to be congratulated. He goes on to say, "No plot, actors are horrible as is everything about the film.". This is a person who definitely didn't watch this film from start to finish and is intolerant to any form of film-making that doesn't fall into his videogame playing values. If this film had been made in the USA, I have no doubt it would easily win Academy Awards. He states evan further, "The highest grossing movie in Soviet history? You've got to be kidding. Filmed in 2005, released in 2010. Whats up?". Again showing his inexperience... he doesn't realize how much time and effort is required to translate the dialog/soundtrack and get permissions/releases from foreign countries. He makes one last statement that I can some-what agree with, "Don't waste the dollar at redbox!". I agree... get this movie on Blue-ray, (or at least DVD) you won't be disappointed. As a last resort use RedBox and enjoy one hard hitting, in your face, earthy imported movie that brings out the horrors of war in a truthful manor. (I have survived just such an encounter!) I would give this movie 10 stars out of 10 if I could. Don't listen to the Thomas A. Maguire's and "Megabee's one star ratings... they haven't a clue what their talking about!

Thank you,

Alex Taylor

I felt that the 9th Company was a very good film and it portrays a none western view of the Soviet Afghan War. The film follows the service of several Soviet VDV(Airborne)troopers from their enlistment up to the end of the films final battle.The film covers events in 1987-88 which was during the final stages of the Soviet Afghan War. The first half of the movie focus on the at times very brutal training that the VDV troopers go through the instructor Warrant Officer Dygalo often resorts to brutal punishment of the men for making mistakes and the actor portraying Dygalo has an outstanding scene where he goes into a rage at the men when he learns that he will not be allowed to return to Afghanistan.Another very interesting scene is at the end of the basic training a VDV commander asks the men if any of them wish not to serve in Afghanistan that they should step forward and they will be assigned elsewhere this scene is notable as many westerners may not know that serving in Afghanistan was voluntary and every Soviet solider asked to serve there.

There are several good scenes when the new troopers arrive in Afghanistan and met the much more experienced men in the unit the 9th company which they have been assigned to.The rest of the movie develops well and you see how the young fresh naive men come to see the chaos of warfare.The battle scenes are very confusing and violent and you rarely see much of the enemy for very long which does a great job keeping you on the edge of your set and feeling out of control of what is happening.

The last 20 or so minutes of the film is the climatic final battle which occurs in early January 1988 and lasts almost three days.The film does take some creative license in this part and portrays the unit as having been forgotten about and not receiving any fire support until the last day.In reality the real 9th Company was not forgotten and had full fire support during the battle.Though the battle and situation shown in the film is a bit different than fact I feel that the director did this to portray the general feelings of the men who severed in the war that they where forgotten and whats worse the nation and ideas that these men where fighting for the Soviet Union no longer existed just a few short years after the Soviets left Afghanistan. Overall a very good film and beyond a doubt far better than any western film about the Soviet Afghan War such as Charlie Wilson's War which is highly idealized far more so than the 9th Company is.

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I'm reaaly happy that I bought this movie on Amazon. I saw many russian movies and I think this movie is the best russian movie in the last five years. Fedor Bondarchyk is the great son of his father who created the best movie of the 20th century "War and Peace".

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I have seen this movie on YouTube and found it very well filmed, after viewing several parts of the movie I decided to make the purchase of this movie. I am happy to add this film into my collection.

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It seems like yesterday when Russia invaded Afghanistan, with the so-called mission of "fulfilling our international duty, by assisting the brotherly people of Afghanistan in repulsing imperialist aggression." Well, we already know that this enterprise was a failure, and "9th Company" is a film that we really need in current times, when history seems to be forgotten very, very fast and repeated in an incredibly stupid manner. It is brutal and honest, a truly penetrating and unforgettable film.

The movie begins in 1988, when a group of Siberians which volunteered to join the army and fight in Afghanistan are about to depart for boot camp. We meet the young men whose life we will follow throughout the film. From Siberia they are transported to Ferghana, Uzbekistan, where they will spend three months of training before going to the front. The men in charge of breaking them in is drill sergeant Dygalo (Mikhail Porechenkov, in a superb performance) and Captain Bystov (Aleksey Kravchenko, in another amazing performance), who informs them that "the most important thing to remember is that Islam is not just another religion. It is another world, with its own laws, a different view of life and death. A true Muslim is not afraid to die in battle killing an infidel is a heroic deed, a stairway to heaven." And off they go to Baghram, Afghanistan, where they are divided into two companies: 4th and 9th. As the name of the picture implies, we follow the 9th Company until the very end, and gradually witness their evolution in the war. This was one of the last companies to leave Afghanistan during the Russian final withdrawal on February 9, 1989, after almost ten years of engagement.

Under the direction of Fyodor Bondarchuk, this film has a lot in common with Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket (1987), in which its two hours are basically divided into two parts. The first hour is about the training and the second one is about the actual war. However, "9th Company" feels more real and visceral with some very funny moments, too --, and we get a clear picture of why the Russians could not defeat the Mujahideen resistance. Not in vain, Captain Bystov also told his men: "In the entire history, no one ever managed to conquer Afghanistan. No one... Never..." Funny enough, the line that keeps popping up all along the movie is, "Your motherland won't forget this." This film was based on real events which took place on January 8, 1989, on Height 3234, in the Khost Province, Afghanistan. Perhaps our men in Washington could leave the comfort in their lives and take a look at this movie. The Blu-Ray edition of the movie includes trailers and English language and subtitles. (Finland, Russia, Ukraine; 2005; color; 140 min plus additional materials).

Reviewed exclusively by Eric Gonzalez for on September 9, 2010.

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A Soldier's Story (1984)

A phenomenal cast brings Charles Fuller's adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play to the big screen. Howard E. Rollins, Jr., is magnetic as the Army Captain sent to investigate the murder of a black Sergeant in Louisiana during World War II; his careful detective work uncovers the complex layers of racism (both externalized and internalized) that led up to the crime. Adolph Caesar gives a superb, Oscar-nominated performance as the (unsympathetic) victim whose story is told through a series of flashbacks. And Larry Riley, David Alan Grier, Robert Townsend, and the always-magnificent Denzel Washington register strongly in important supporting roles. Effective as both a mystery and a social commentary, this worthy nominee for the 1984 Best Picture Oscar is tightly directed by Norman Jewison.

The DVD presentation of this recent screen classic offers an excellent film-to-video transfer, featuring a sharp picture and crisp sound. The disc contains both the widescreen and fullscreen editions, and includes the original theatrical trailer. Also offered is a short but very moving 1999 documentary entitled "March to Freedom", which recounts several astonishing real-life stories of racism in the American armed forces during World War II. All-in-all, this is a highly recommended DVD that deserves a place in your home video library.

A Soldier's Story simply has everything working for it, and the result is a frequently overlooked masterpiece that will add depth to any collection of American film. It works as a murder mystery and it works as an astounding inside look into cultural psychology. Certainly the themes of racism and self-hatred are universal. But this snapshot of southern race relations in 1944, seen in a military context, is also very specific, and more powerful still because of this specificity.

That these able-bodied men are not in Europe says a great deal, that they are baseball players from the Negro League tells us that even the national pastime was not truly national in 1944. When Captain Davenport, played with spellbinding dignity and power by Howard Rollins, arrives to investigate the murder of a hated drill instructor, he is the first black officer most of the men have ever encountered. Capt. Davenport's seriousness and dedication drive a wedge into the status quo, revealing layers of racism in white and black soldiers alike.

One of this movie's rewards is getting to watch familiar actors just starting their ascent, Denzel Washington, Robert Townsend (Hollywood Shuffle), and David Alan Grier to name a few. Even Philly's own chanteuse, Patti LaBelle, lends some characteristically high notes. But the star of this film is Sergeant Waters, the murdered drill instructor, played with smoldering intensity and conviction by Adolph Caesar. Hard to believe he did not receive an Oscar, after being nominated.

In Sgt. Waters, Caesar creates a man of multi-layered psychological complexity, whose hatred of blacks is more vicious than any white man's ever could be, whose assimilation of white culture is more desperate than any white man's ever is. Sgt. Waters believes himself to be a transformational man, a black who has put the embarrassing shuck-and-jive eye rolling behind him, a man who must kill his own blackness to be free. In doing so, he is responsible for the death of the film's most thoroughly innocent and likable character, C.J. Memphis, played admirably by Larry Riley.

By baiting Memphis, Sgt. Waters severs not only his ties to his true self, but to his humanity, in an attempt to further his crackpot philosophy. At this point he is more than doomed, he is damned. A Soldier's Story is not only a masterpiece of craftsmanship, it is a deeply truthful and humanistic story. Engrossing, but more than mere entertainment art.

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"A Soldier's Story" is a truly compelling film that gives the viewer a lot to think about. While this film explores the issue of racism and intra-racial prejudice, it does so without being overwhelming or preachy.

Howard Rollins gives a solid performance in the role of Captain Davenport; a stoic and principled officer who is assigned to solve the murder of a black NCO--Sgt. Vernon Waters--at a military base outside of Tynin, Louisiana. Davenport is determined to solve this murder and he's not going to let the white racist senior officers stand in his way. At the same time, he doesn't let the enlisted black soldiers suck-up to him because he's on a mission and he wants to get at the truth, no matter what.

Adolph Caesar plays the hard-ass, irascible Sgt. Waters. Caesar plays this role for all it's worth and he does a great job of making the viewer feel his contempt for southern blacks and for himself.

Robert Townsend adds a bit of comic relief to this tense drama in his role of the bumbling sycophant Coporal Ellis. For all the fawning attention he gives to Captain Davenport, you, the viewer, can understand and feel Ellis' sense of pride in working with a black officer.

Denzel Washington also gives a convincing performance in the role of Private Peterson. Peterson is the angry young black man who not only resents the white racist society in which he lives but also the blacks who try to keep other black people down. This inner rage is played out in a very tense verbal exchange between Peterson and Waters which ultimately culminates in a fight between the two men.

The only weakness this movie has is its reliance of the flashback throughout the film. At times, this technique comes across as a bit awkward but given the context of the film, this technique is appropriate.

Despite this minor criticism, I'd have to say that this is a first-rate film and I highly recommend it.

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I think the first time I saw this movie, was an edited TV version. I usually don't watch TV because I'm annoyed by commercial interruptions. But, this film captured my interest because of how well it played out as flashbacks being put together to come to a conclusion about a murder. This is a suspenseful story with an unexpected conclusion.

Tynin, Louisiana 1944. A black non-commissioned officer was murdered. Shot to death on a roadside near a bridge, outside of a predominately black army base with only white officers. A black army officer lawyer (Howard Rollins, Jr.) comes from Washington D.C. to Louisiana to investigate the murder. No one has ever seen a black officer before and white officers only heard of the possibility that a black man could be an officer. As you can imagine, this black officer doesn't get much support from the white officers on the base.

This is a powerful film of perseverance, courage, determination, pride, and accomplishment against overwhelming odds. And the cast is fabulous. Howard Rollins, Jr. Adolph Caesar, David Alan Grier, Denzel Washington, Art Evans, David Harris, Larry Riley (as C.J. Memphis), Wings Hauser, and many other stars you know you've seen before. And it even includes Patti Labelle as Big Mary belting out some fabulous Southern Rockin' Blues.

This is my very favorite film that has Denzel Washington, although "Mississippi Masala" is a close second.

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This movie takes a hard look at racism in the military duringthe 1940s ... The plot focuses around the murder of a black officer, and the Rollins character's investigation to find out who really was responsible for his death, in classic whodunit style. Especially worth noting are the performances of Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington and Larry Riley, even though the entire cast is stellar. Patti LaBelle also has a cameo (and yes, she sings!). Riveting all around. Don't hesitate to pick this one up. END

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Un-Go: Complete Collection (2012)

UN-GO is a detective show, something I haven't seen a whole lot of recently,The art and animation are pretty consistently good. This show does also use CGI for vehicles, but most of the time it's not noticeable.

The place where this show really shines is the story. One of the things that really glue to me is how connected this show is. little that is introduced is without purpose. Miss a couple episodes and you'll likely end up confused. Not only that, elements introduced ultimately become an important part of the conclusion. There's generally a sense that the series is going somewhere, and it doesn't disappoint. One of the things that appealed to me was it's cyberpunk tendencies. While a few of the show's core elements are supernatural, there's also a lot of really cool sci-fi concepts involved, and it all works together.

I highly recommend checking this one out

Shinjūrō Yūki is a detective living in a future Japan that suffers from the ravages of a war that ended some years before. He is known as the "Defeated Detective" due to the fact that credit for every case he solves ends up going to Rinroku Kaishō. Despite that, Shinjuro and his very strange assistant, Inga, continue to solve crimes and expose the darkness of their world.

This series is based on the work of Ango Sakaguchi, stories that took place in post WWII era. I don't know why the setting was changed to a futuristic one, but it turned out quite well. At first I wasn't really sure if I liked the series the first few episodes are stand lone stories with strong elements of the darkness in a human heart. But around episode 4 or 5, things start to get interesting. A sort of overall plot starts to form and you begin to wonder about the line between illusion and reality, truth and lies. The ending was fairly satisfying, though most of the big questions about Inga are left unanswered. There is a 45 minute movie released that tells the story of Shinjuro and Inga's first meeting. Sentai licensed it along with the series, but I don't know when it will be released.

All in all, I rather liked the series and I recommend giving it a shot.

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Shinjuro is called the "defeated and detective". No matter now good he has performed, there is someone that's a step ahead. He does have one thing going for him. There is a demon on his side. Inga, is his assistant. She has the power to make people tell the truth. Japan is rebuilding after a war on terrorism. There are strict and corrupt govt policies and officials crushing the freedom of the citizens. Politically motivated murders are a common occurrence. Shinjuro and Inga help to bring these murderers to justice.

This series has a whole lot going for it. The animation, voice actors and soundtrack are all great. The story in this anime is also pretty involved. If you miss 1 episode, it's easy to get lost. I just flat out didn't like it. The first 6 episodes are pretty much unrelated to the main plot. The 3 major reasons I don't like this series are: 1. The mysteries are easy to solve. 5 minutes into the episode, I already knew who the murderer was. I was ready to go on to the next episode while everyone in the show acted completely perplexed for 15 more minutes. 2. The story is very slow moving. Usually, murder mysteries have a bit of suspense and danger. Un-Go doesn't. There is no suspense or sense of danger. When the killers are confronted, they pretty much just admit that they did it, and give up instead of fighting back and trying to escape. 3. Un-Go also suffers greatly from a lack of good characters. There isn't a single interesting character in this series. There are only 5 reoccurring major characters, and none of them are interesting or have any depth.

Like I said, this anime was produced very well. It was obviously well thought out and carefully made. It's just one dimensional and boring as hell. I can't recommend it to anyone. I am amazed at all the 5 star reviews this show got. There is no way this show deserves 5 stars. The production deserves 5, but the story is 1 or 2. I fought sleep very hard to finish this series. If you are wanting to see a good mystery, I recommend Spiral. It may not have a very satisfying ending, but it's way more interesting than this show. If I were you, I would just ignore Un-Go. It has nothing to offer.

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I am an anime fan of many, many shows and this is one of my top 10. I also never write reviews, but I thought this called for one.

I won't go into the plot, the product description does a fine job of that, except maybe adding a lot more darkness and action then there really is in the first few episodes. I'm more concerned about the $50 price tag. This anime is ELEVEN episodes long in its entirety (eleven great episodes, mind you). I don't understand what about this one-disc DVD makes it $50 bucks. I would pay $20, and that's only because the anime is just that good.

The only reason I can think it's so pricey is because A) it has the dubs, which I've never seen before and B) it might also have the 45 minute prequel movie "Episode 0"? Hopefully? If it does, then my buying price would go up to $35-40 if it had awesome bonus features.

This anime is awesome, but it is really short. Is $50 buck worth eleven episodes?

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this series wass just strange butt manny like it strange. its a typical dectective series but with magic and stuff like that. this wasnt someting for me butt its worth 4 stars it did gett here pretty fast and nothing wrong with it =D.

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Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer (Three-Disc Edition Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Copy) (2011)

I loved this movie and so did my children. The movie was clean I did not have to worry about any nudity, profanity,it was funny, we cant wait for it to come out in dvd.If you can use your imagination and go with the flow,not be criticle,loosen up, and you too will have fun watching it.I took my son (10) and he wants to see it again, so even though it is a girl flick boys will like it too. I took my daughter (7 1/2) another time and she laughed the whole movie. I guess to each his own.What prompted me to write this is the negitative reviews I read and thinking this is a great movie what are they saying. Any way we loved the movie.

Last Saturday, my son graduated from elementary schoolYEAH!. We had an exciting day which included not only the graduation ceremony, but also attending an advance screening of the new kids movie "Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer". This movie is based on the Judy Moody book series by author Megan McDonald.

In the movie, school has just ended and Judy Moody (Jordana Beatty) is determined not to have a boring time this summer like in years past which included trips for her and her younger brother to visit grandma's house. Judy is a force unto herself in that she dresses in crazy colors, wears pajamas to school and never combs her flaming red hair. Now I don't know how many folks out there remember the 1990's TV show "Blossom" staring Mayim Bialik, but Judy Moody could definitely be the new age version of Blossom crazy clothes, mood rings and all.

Judy decides that this summer, she and her friends will have a race to see who can have the best summer ever by doing a series of daring challenges that earn "thrill points". Whoever gets to 100 points first wins the title of having the best summer ever.

When Judy's grandma has an accident, Judy's parents leave her and her brother for the whole summer with their crazy gorilla artist Aunt Opal (Heather Graham) who is a grown up version of Judy. But what Judy does not count on is that all her friends are going away for the summer to exciting places like circus camp and swimming with the whales, that her little brother Stink (Parris Mostelleris) is spending the summer looking for Big Foot in the woods by their neighborhood, that her Aunt Opal has no idea how to drive a car, and that her best friend Frank (Preston Bailey) has an inability to do anything exciting without throwing up. Their adventures make for a summer that the movie audience will definitely not forget.

I have to say that I really enjoyed this movie. It was a total overload of silliness from beginning to end. If you think this is a prissy girly movie, you would be very mistaken. My 11 year son was laughing his head off since this movie contains lots of dumb jokes involving gas passing and animal dung. Even actor Jaleel White (think Urkel) is in the film as Judy's crazy teacher Mr. Todd. This movie is all about kids using their imaginations to have a good time and that made for a totally NOT bummer film.

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This movie was about what I expected. Full of hyper kids trying to have a fun summer. Jordana Beatty was a pretty good choice for Judy. When Judy Moody's friends go away for the summer, she tries her best to have fun with her aunt Opal, and brother Stink. They try to get 'thrill points' by hunting for Bigfoot, riding a rollercoaster, and watching horror movies. If you like silly kids movies, you might like JUDY MOODY AND THE NOT BUMMER SUMMER!!!

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I figured this would be another 90-minute nightmare but found it surprisingly tolerable. If directed towards adults it would not receive 5 stars, but as the father of a 4 and 5-yr-old, I can honestly say I've seen this twenty times over the past month. My young son and daughter absolutely adore this movie and would watch it morning, noon, and night if we allowed it. Remarkably enough, I can tolerate it too.

As a parent, I am in continual search of wholesome entertainment for my children. We don't have cable TV and are very strict as to what we let our children view. I feel I'm more lenient than my wife in this regard, but I want to warn would-be buyers in my situation that there is some material you might find objectionable. A child pukes into another's face, a piece of animal poop is accidentally squished into sandwiches and nearly eaten, and the word "crap" is used a couple of time (although one of the children points out that "crap is a swear"). Personally I had no problem with these portrayals but to each their own.

Overall this is a charmingly colorful family film that won't entirely rot your young ones' minds. I found it harmless and entertaining. And hey, if the kids love it, it can't be all bad.

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Wahoo! It's the last day of school, and summer vacation looms enticingly on the horizon. Judy Moody has big plans for the best summer ever. So, it seems, does everyone else. Her teacher, Mr. Todd, teases his class by announcing he will be doing something special during vacation. He promises a prize for anyone who can find him and gives them a clue: "COLD."

Judy gathers her friends in the T.P. Club tent to declare that they will have the most "NOT bummer summer ever." She has prepared a chart that she claims will be sure to ward off any issues with boredom. It's filled with dares for club members Rocky, Frank, Amy and (of course) Judy. For each dare accomplished, the dare-conqueror will get 10 thrill points, and bonus points are available for really crazy feats. Judy tells the group that if they reach 100 points, they've had the best summer possible.

That's when Judy gets a double whammy of bad news. Rocky won't be around to work on his thrill points because he's headed off to circus camp. Amy won't be at home either, as she and her mother are traveling to Borneo. Although Frank will still be around, Judy is starting to get a bad feeling about summer. Even Stink has an exciting project for the upcoming vacation: he plans to catch Bigfoot. Somehow, her brother's excitement only makes her feel worse.

The following week finds Judy saying goodbye to Rocky and Amy. She warns Rocky that he's sure to shovel tons of stinky elephant poop at circus camp, but she can't dim his enthusiasm. Amy doesn't even let Judy call Borneo "Bored-e-o." After all, Amy's mother is going to write an article on a lost tribe living in the rainforest. Judy has to admit that sounds like the opposite of boring.

The days ahead are just as dull as Judy predicted they would be. While Frank gets to go to an exciting day camp, Judy has nothing much to do. Then she has a glimmer of hope. Mom says she has something to tell her. They won't be visiting Grandma Lou during vacation after all. Instead, her parents plan to fly out to California to help Gramps and Nana move to a retirement community. The bad news is that they're leaving the kids behind. Judy gasps in horror as she realizes that she and Stink will be staying home with Aunt Opal. Opal is Dad's sister, and Judy hasn't seen her since she was a baby. Judy's verdict: "This is the way-worst, double-drat, down-in-the-dumps summer EVER!" She immediately nicknames her unknown aunt "Aunt Awful."

Aunt Opal's visit is off to quite a start when dinner catches on fire just as she arrives. Judy tries to help with her squirt gun, but only manages to hit Aunt Opal between the eyes. That's when Judy notices that her aunt is not at all as she imagined. Opal has long red hair, bright blue boots, and cool bracelets --and she gives Judy a special bracelet, along with the best mood ring Judy has ever seen. And that is just the beginning, as Judy gears up for a summer filled with her aunt (who is likely to strike readers as an adult Judy Moody), Bigfoot trivia, the intriguing mystery about Mr. Todd, a messy ride on the Scream Monster, a dark-of-night stakeout, a dare race, secret art, and much more.

Judy Moody is now a movie star! This book, based on the screenplay for the movie Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer, remains true to the Judy Moody spirit. Judy discovers that, even when a summer doesn't go the way she planned, it can still be filled with plenty of adventure and fun.

--Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

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From Paris with Love (2010)

From Paris With Love was an entertaining ride, with plenty of "edge of your seat" moments, humor, and lots of action. The plot kept twisting and turning, bringing one surprise after the other, which made it really interesting. Travolta was dynamic, fun and believable as a seemingly crazy but very able operative/spy. Jonathan Rhys Meyers was excellent in the role of the newbie operative who was fairly innocent and very inexperienced, but still smart. It was a far cry from the authority and power he exudes as King Henry in the Tudors series, which means to me that he's a capable actor.

There were short periods when the movie seemed to lag a bit, though once things got going, the exciting parts more than made up for anything less than exciting. There was a lot of killing going on with plenty of blood, but despite this, none of it was very graphic or terribly disturbing. Regardless, this is not a movie I'd bring the kids to. It's definitely an adult flick for a mature audience.

I'd recommend this movie for those who enjoy action or spy thrillers. I think it would even be a DVD worth owning.

I confess right here, right now that I loved "From Paris With Love"! John Travolta is the reason why!

For the sake of simplicity, here are my reasons:

1. After the initial, necessarily slow set-up to establish back story with Jonathan Rhys Meyers' character, the action is non-stop!

2. John Travolta! He plays a commando-type sent on secret mission assignments and allowed to act without protocol! He is the reason for the action.

3. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the spy wannabe, the complete opposite to Travolta--refined, debonair, rule follower, diplomatic assistant.

4. Weapons in cans!

5. Fighting scenes! In fact, these scenes remind me of Matt Damon's films. There's a big difference though: Matt Damon's fights are carefully choreographed with the entire fight (seemingly) shown, whereas Travolta's are shown in snippets. Why? Because John Travolta is too old and over-sized to actually fight. Note: These snippets are in my plus column. Even though he is not actually fighting, the illusion is there (for those who want to see fight scenes) that this old guy is really capable of defeating so many opponents.

6. Bad guys (drug dealers, pimps, and terrorists) are no match for Travolta's character at any time! Hero played Large! (Hero from my point of view as American, potential-victim-of-terrorism, along with delegations from all over the world)

7. The unsuspected terrorist agent!

8. Watching the diplomatic assistant gradually become spy worthy.

10. An action-oriented Big Play Hero who also plays chess!

What I didn't like about the movie:

1.

What a great summer movie, exactly one kind of summer hits: fun, engaging, entertaining, action-filled (nonstop), heroic-but-unconventional characters, violence so unbelievable that the viewer knows it is not real but pretends it is for this movie, and satisfying ending. (Oh, the other kind? Romantic and tame!)

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FROM PARIS WITH LOVE is not without merit because it does have the gift of a great performance by John Travolta who can play Edna in HAIRSPRAY and turn around and play bad mouthed, gonna put a hole in ya' Charlie Wax in FROM PARIS WITH LOVE. It also has constant action, and if you like that sort of thing then you'll be rewarded with a movie that holds your interest.

Yet, when its over, you won't need to watch it again, because it isn't that kind of movie. You can't help but think throughout the movie, that some scenes were missing. Either that or Luc Besson scraped the typical plot of most action movies and decided to focus his screenplay on a subplot.

While the movie is about stopping terrorism, most of the movie is about the relationship between Charlie Wax (Travolta) & James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) & whether or not Reece has it in him to kill. Also, most of the movie is taken up by chasing down a drug ring. Eventually, toward the end of the movie, we discover the true reason why we're watching. A terrorist target.

The movie is 90 minutes of mayhem, bullets and Travolta putting holes in people or just finding creative ways to send people to the hereafter. If you're looking for a story, it is vague and you can't help but wander that Luc Besson intended that. Yet, because of that, it's a movie that is and will be easily forgotten.

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"From Paris with Love" with J.T and J.R.M. is fantastically sophisticated for a fictional spy movie. Finally, a fun, funny, flamboyant and fictionally factual movie where the terrorist bad guys aren't white but the heroes and the white girl (played by Kasia Smutniak) isn't rescued but is a liberal sympathizer for...Islamic terrorists. Oops exposed a plot twist. Now; the only reason I wrote the ethnic thing is because I've read a lot of comments from people who found the movie offensive, down talked it, and gave it one star was because they didn't like that non-white ethnicity were being presented as the bad guys (except for the confused French girl) and getting killed...plus the white male American Ambassador wasn't somehow corrupt and evil while the white female political American dignitary was portrayed as being stupid and arrogant. Boo-hoo. A lot of us are getting tired of Hollywood's typical politically correct social engineering game in movies and not trying to offend anyone except the usual suspects in the current terrorist environment. "From Paris with Love" is a fresh change of pace in contemporary Spy movie making ~ distinct as the "Bourne Identity" series (of which I really enjoyed even though that 3 movie series was far fetch fun fiction). I can't wait for the next installment..."From Bahrain with...

I also really liked watching Spies, Spooks and Special Ops: Life Under Cover in the Special Features of this DVD and listening to former CIA agents speak about their personal experiences and the realities of the Spy war and how dangerous the current counter Islamic terrorism fight is. And just because Bin Laden is dead...thank God, doesn't mean its over and mission complete.

Oh and by the way, there is no logical argument in Islamophobic or Islamophobia just like there is no logical argument for atheists to be Godophobic or have a Godphobia...or is there.

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Travolta MAKES this movie work as an absolute WILD RIDE & I LOVED IT!! Too many spy thrillers and even action flicks get so hung up on "the story" nowadays that you end up missing out on most of the FUN and just going, "Huh???" in the end (e.g. the first Mission Impossible). But don't worry...Except for an anemic first 15 minutes that seemed like it would never end, this movie doesn't simply stop periodically and try and TELL a story. Instead, the convoluted but interesting story DEVELOPS as the movie just shifts into high-gear and keeps moving at break-neck speed with jaw-dropping action alternating with over-the-top humor! It works so well because Travolta plays an off-the-chain near super hero spy with Jonathan Rhys Meyers playing the "straight guy" who also happens to be the wannabe super spy. And become a super spy he does on Travolta's Fast Track Plan!!

There's bodies piling up by the dozens wherever these guys go, a car chase that rivals anything you've ever seen in The Transporter series and gunfights/explosions galore. The tongue-in-cheek humor prevalent throughout the film shows that it never takes itself too seriously. For example, in one scene, Travolta tells his partner to stay a floor down while he goes up a spiral staircase after the bad guys. Every few seconds you hear a couple of muffled silencer shots and the bad guys literally start falling from the sky! Just brilliant and hilarious film-making!! Now, don't laugh too hard...But From Paris With Love reminds me quite a bit of Live Free or Die Hard. There are more than a few similarities: super hero-type playing off an inexperienced newbie; a bald Travolta and a bald Bruce Willis; both duos hunt down terrorists; special effects that look both real and unreal at the same time. But unlike Willis and his ever-present bloody shirt, Travolta's character never gets a scratch. I'm also impressed that he did so many of the stunts in this flick and didn't end up in the hospital! He moves around pretty well for a guy his age...

There's a Special Feature on the DVD where former real spies claim there really are Special Ops guys like Travolta's character in the real world! Too bad there isn't a reality show that follows them around...In fact, this is EXACTLY the kind of movie I wish someone would turn into a weekly TV series! I'd watch it every week...

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The Men (1950)

Fred Zinnemann finally came up with a script that Marlon Brando liked enough to leave the stage and head for Hollywood. And the rest is history. That script turned out to be The Men. Brando is Bud, a parapoliegic shot in WWII and recovering in a veterans hospital. Unfortunatly there is no hope for Bud ever walking again, a fact he refuses to except. This movie is an interesting character study. Brando shows here why he would become the most influential actor of the last half century. He briliantly depicts a man at tremendous odds with himself. The supporting cast of characters, Teresa Wright(Bud's love interest), the doctors, and the men in the hospital, are well cast. Fans of character driven dramas and Brando fans should get a kick out of this film.

This is where it all started...Marlon Brando's one-of-a-kind film legacy...

Marlon's performance in "The Men" demonstrates his natural talent a talent that is now the legacy of the greatest actor of all time. His remarkable performance in "The Men" drew me in immediately. I could not take my eyes off of him. His demeanor, his facial expressions, and the way he spoke reminded me somewhat of his screen test for "Rebel Without A Cause." He is sweet, tender, ambivalent, unassuming, and somewhat emotionally injured much as I believe he was in his life off of the screen as well. There is nobody I have seen on stage or screen who can achieve such a delicate and perfect balance of emotion or elicit the kinds of emotions he does in others through his performances as Marlon did in the roles he has played on stage and screen.

I have 36 Marlon Brando films in my collection, many of which I have watched several times. But, I have never been able to bring myself to watch "The Men" until very recently. I am a nurse and I have seen first hand that which Marlon's character, "Bud," faced after becoming a paraplegic as the result of an injury. In my work, it has weighed on me at times that, although I possess some medical expertise and although I can contribute to helping a person back to optimal health following a tragedy, I am still not able to wave a magic wand and turn his reality into a dream from which he will awaken.

I knew what "The Men" was about and with having become very familiar with Marlon Brando's realistic and poignant portrayals of people on film such as his portrayal in this film, I expected that my insides would be torn asunder. And, they were. Marlon portrayed it as it truly was and is. In the beginning, "Bud" is afraid to live while also being afraid to die. Later in the film, this sentiment is echoed by Jack Webb's character when he recites a piece of Hamlet's soliloquy from "To Be Or Not To Be"..."To die, to sleep...to sleep, perchance to dream...aye, there's the rub...for in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause" the contemplation of suicide, but, at the same time, the fear of what one may face in death should one choose to take his own life due to his circumstances. Which is the most fearful prospect?

"The Men" is about a man who, following a war injury, finds that he has become a paraplegic and that life will never be the same for him again. Throughout the film, he travels through every stage of grief and grieving and, ultimately, comes to terms with his circumstance. I won't give the details of the film away, but I will say that it is definitely a "must see" movie and that, among the many touching scenes throughout, a very moving scene with Bud and his wife takes place at the end and one is left feeling so many emotions.

This is an excellent film, the first film for Marlon Brando, and one whose heart-rending insight into the personal struggles of a man faced with a life-altering situation is exhibited with absolute perfection by Marlon Brando.

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I was impressed with this movie when I fist saw it in the 50's I have been a Brando admirer ever since . Over the past 50 years I have seen all of his movies more than once. The Men has a great message , I recommend it to all my friends .

jack

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Great classic to watch in your home theater.marlon brando was a great actor in his time. Many more great movies to choose from.

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Marlon shines in his first feature film and this is one of my all time favorite Brando movies. An amazing job as a recovering paraplegic.

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The Guardian (2011)

There are many dangers for being a member of the Coast Guard. Taken to the icy waters of the Bering Strait off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska, the possibilities of danger with choppy waves, hypothermia, and broken vessels or rocky caves rise exponentially. Dreadful decisions meet the rescuer at every opportunity to save lives: Who can and should be saved? Who cannot be? As in any lifesaving seminar, the rescuer must stay alive to be able to save others. Hazardous conditions and low pay are part and parcel of the harrowing life of heroes. These factors set up the premise of a promising movie.

'The Guardian' shows us these possibilities with Ben Randall (Kevin Costner), a maverick, but aging senior chief who is still on top of his form. At the beginning we find him challenged by a rescue that runs out the clock and leaves his colleagues in harm's way. The descending rescue 'copter runs into a wave that sends it reeling into the sea where it explodes. The trajectory of the debacle sends Randall's best friend out at sea, but even his best efforts can't save him. Randall recovers, but he remains haunted by the memory of this recent disaster that left him impotent to save the others. His superior reassigns him to train recruits. He resists, but his senior officer is wise enough to know that trauma leaves even the best rescuers tentative until time can heal the inner wounds.

At the training academy, Randall becomes the best asset, throwing away the text book and always throwing his recruits into the thick of training with some grueling situations. Here he comes upon a smug, but promising Ivy League recruit, Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), properly nicknamed "Goldfish" for his smimming prowess and silver spoon sensibilities. The friction between instructor and recruit is not all that different than movies we've seen before, especially 'An Officer and a Gentleman,' but the bond they develop is both strong and very different. They discover they have much in common, including an aptitude to break swimming records and a past that haunts each protagonist in a similar fashion. Tough Randall has some strong words that quickly silence even the most brazen of his potential crew, especially the cocky Fischer. A series of mishaps and Randall's constant browbeating do peel the layers off Fischer's self-centered shell, and we finally see both men's vulnerability. The relationship is the focal point of the movie, for Fischer brings vitality and enthusiasm, but he needs Randall's sage and seasoned experience. The rest of the movie finds them friends, but both have their mettle tested in a series of events that show them as the best they can be... Both, too, are in need of healing and forgiveness, while they try to forge a final bond with the women they love.

As with most adventure movies nowadays, there are able panoramic sea scenes, some of which are reminiscent of 'The Perfect Storm'. The story and the way it weaves through danger, relationships, and training has an emotional undertow that isn't entirely different than 'The Horse Whisperer'. And, though many comparisons can be made to other movies, the sum of 'The Guardian's parts is assembled in a unique way. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher keep the drama afloat with focused performances that create memorable characters. Particularly, Kutcher delivers a genuine performance as a cocky recruit who has great pain and insecurity bubbling below the surface. The dialogue is above most adventure movies with some particularly poignant lines for Costner. 'The Guardian' delivers heroism and inspiration in a film that nearly steered a course into a wreck of sentimentality awash with cliches and stereotypes.

Despite mediocre reviews and having struggled through An Officer and a Gentleman and Top Gun I decided to watch The Guardian with every expectation that I would not make it through the movie... I am glad that I went, one of the best movies I've seen in awhile. It's easy to find fault in any movie and The Guardian is no exception; the rescue scenes are bigger than life which should be expected in a military/disaster movie; but the overconfident and somewhat arrogant trainee (Ashton Kutcher) is believable at his age, and Kevin Costner was at his best since the late 80's (The Untouchables & No Way Out). Despite my surprise when learning that my college age children watched The Guardian, I was even more astonished that they discussed aspects of this movie Service, sacrifice, relationships, and perseverance. In an office where I very rarely see 7 thumbs up; The Guardian got the grade.

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I agree with reviews below that Kevin Costner has definitely matured as an actor and has found that comfortable place of depth and poingancy in his acting while still keeping his Americana charm. But most of his boyish boisterousness is out the window and replaced by steadfast masculine experience. He's much better this way.

Ashton Kutcher does a surprisingly good job in this film and plays his role well and slightly understated. As most military movies typically have that one cocky rogue character, Ashton's Jake Fische is no different. However, his interpretation was by far the most realistic. There's no over the top cockiness, but more of a concerted effort to meet and beat the Senior Chief's expectations and take some more on. What this movie does get right is the very realistic tone between instructor and trainee that you would see in a military training class today. None of that over dramatization of the military. For that I give Costner and Kutcher, two thumbs up.

Lots of interestingly appreciative training scenes of what the students go through in "A" school: training, teamwork exercises, drills, etc.

A movie well done and worth watching. The 2 hours, 20 minutes will fly by.

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As a retired Coast Guardsman, I watched the movie with great anticipation-hoping that they would "get it right" and night just have another hollywood production. After experiencing 30 years of service and seeing a lot of what is portrayed in the movie, I believe they have. Even though others may not think the the intertwined love story is necessary, I believe that it adds a sense of realism and personal sacrifice to the storyline. These are situations that are faced not only by rescue swimmers, who may have the most physically challenging job in the Guard, but by every person in the Coast Guard who has every had to go out in rough seas, board boats, coduct rescues at sea, do drug interdiction or a myriad of other taskings in less than ideal conditions. The movie does an excellent job exposing those who are are unaware to one aspect of the Coast Guard mission. I hope it makes them that much more aware of the sacrifice freely given on a daily basis in the saving of lives and property, the safeguarding of US freedoms and interests, and the effect it has on the personnel involved.

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First, as a movie watcher who rarely likes what hits the screen these days, I truly enjoyed this film. True, it would have been better 15 minutes shorter, but it wasn't so long as to really bother me. I think the love interest for Kutcher was unneccessary. But the movie held my attention and interest and I left the theater thinking, "Man, that was good."

Now, as one of the lucky people that have one of those cool Coast Guard jobs, (a fact that does create some bias) I was suprised by just how close to reality the action stayed. There were plenty of "hollywood" moments, but many of them were necessary. I wont bother to explain them all, but the operations center of most air stations is a desk with a couple of phones. There are video monitors in some of them, but they play movies and football games...no live video feeds from the scene...sorry.

The rescue scenes are very realistic, and the school scenes are not too out-of-line with the actual training. (warning: punch an instructor in the face during an in water test and he will NOT hug you later. Get thrown in jail for being drunk and disorderly and you WILL get kicked out) The story didn't show the sometimes months of boredom between rescues or the excitement of a six hour flare sighting search called in by a drunk on the fourth of july from a hotel room...but who would pay to see that?

All in all, I think many of us in the service are proud of the film and liked it very much.

The extras on the DVD are worth the price alone. Again, I'm biased.

The Guardian is a film worth owning.

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua (BD Live) (2008)

I am writing this after having seen the film, but before the DVD has come out. I know how much cinephiles loathe this film, but, dudes, loosen up! Sure, it is more than a little "sappy", but take some time out to be "sappy and happy" viewing this movie! The adventures of these chihuahuas, other dogs, and assorted animals is a delight, especially for those who have a "tender spot" for the hounds! This movie never was meant to appeal to the viewer's sophistication. On the other hand, it is not any sort of "chihuahua exploitation film", either.

My favourite hounds in this California-Mexico romp are Papí, Chloé's ardent male admirer and very determinedly valient chihuahua, and Delgado, the down-on-his-luck, butch German shepherd who comes to the rescue and various acts of kindness for Chloé, even when he misinterprets the reasons for Chloé's second disappearance. Then, too, who cannot love the thronging hoarde of chihauhuas among the ruins of an ancient indigenous culture? Seeing Chloé try to find the mighty voice of her "inner chihuahua" (as opposed to pampered pet squeaks and whimpering) with the aid of the leader of this pack of chihuahuas is very amusing; I wish that this bit of animal humour had been more extended!

This is a pack of fun, and not just for children! Have a barking good time watching this film, in the theatre or at home!

I (a middle-aged woman) got talked into seeing this movie with a couple of friends and will admit I wasn't really looking forward to it. But as soon as the action moved to Mexico, I found myself totally caught up in the characters and the story. The animals were very well trained, the "talking" animation was great, the voice-overs were handled very well by the cast, and the story was involving, funny, and ultimately even moving. I'm completely happy that I gave this one a try!

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"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" raises the bar on the cute quotient! I can't remember the last time I walked out of a movie theater grinning. I laughed through several parts of the film and the happy ending was just right.

I'm definitely getting this movie for my parents. They are an older couple who seldom go to movies because they cannot stomach the language and content of most films; so "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" is perfect for them. Although the movie was about a lost dog, it wasn't so sad or overly dramatic that I would be afraid to take a young child to see it. There are absolutely zero swear words, and the movie is just plain fun, whether you are 6 or 60.

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I was waiting for this movie to come out because we own a Chihuahua but was wondering if it was going to be really good or really bad?

I loved it! It was funny, happy, good teaching lessons for my kids and it even had a little romance.

We are buying this DVD for sure. It needs to go in our Disney collection.

Take the time to watch it, it is worth it.

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The trailer for this film was a spectacular Busby Berkeley-style musical number that looked mighty fun, but has little to do with the final film. Personally, I thought this film was going to be a turkey, but it turned out to be a very well-done and fun family film.

Here's the story: Vivian (Jamie Lee Curtis) is a wealthy Beverly Hills businesswoman who practically worships Chloe (voice of Drew Barrymore), her chihuahua, dressing it in designer outfits and giving it an over-the-top real diamond collar. When Chloe has to go out of town, her flakey niece Rachel (Piper Perabo) is left in charge. Rachel goes south of the border to Mexico to party with her friends and Chloe gets dog-napped while there. Chloe is rescued from the Mexico City dog fights by a German Shephard, Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia), who becomes her "bodyguard." The dognappers learn of Chloe's/Vivian's wealth and they want her back at all costs. Rachel also desperately wants Chloe back and teams up with Viv's landscaper handsome Sam (Manolo Cardona). Predictably, the journey is about Chloe losing her Beverly Hills snobbery (and Chanel No. 5 scent) and Rachel maturing; this helps pave the way for Chloe and Rachel to find true love with mates they would have previously not thought worthy. Sam's chihuahua Papí (voice of George Lopez) pursues Chloe during the entire movie and helps Sam & Rachel find her. Naturally, the motivation of the movie is to find and return Chloe before Viv returns from her trip.

Is the plot predictable? Sure...but boy is it fun to watch. Barrymore, Garcia, and Lopez have great chemistry, and the special effects/stunt work for the dogs is amazing. You actually believe they are talking after awhile, it's that good. There are a few semi-scary scenes that the younger ones might be a little freaked by, but nothing having an adult nearby wouldn't take care of. Although a dialogue-driven film, the lively music and some of the sound effects will give your speakers a more than ample workout.

DVD & Blu-ray Extras:

* Legend of the Chihuahua: An all-new animated short that is very fun; very reminiscent of the Disney classic cartoon "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" in its style and storytelling.

* Blooper Scooper: Blooper reel that shows a little of the difficulty in getting the dogs to do what they were supposed to do.

* 3 Deleted scenes with intros by Director Raja Gosnell: These are fun, but not essential to the plot and were wisely removed. They are shown at various stages of development, as the animation (for the dogs to speak) is missing in many of these. Scenes are:

1. Chihuahua Nation

2. Chloe's Vision Quest (would have really dragged the plot down)

3. Mi Corazón: Chloe and Papi's Duet

* Audio commentary (widescreen version only) by Director Raja Gosnell. Interestingly enough, Gosnell had the voice talent dub together, so that ad-libbing could be used and that they could play off each other. It works, as the chemistry in this film between the dogs really is apparent.

Blu-ray Exclusive Extras:

* Pet Pals: The Voices Behind the Dogs

* Hitting the Bark: On set with the dogs of "Beverly Hills Chihuahua"

* Additional deleted scenes

* BD-Live (US Only)

Specs:

Audio-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, French & Spanish Language Tracks (Dolby Digital 2.0), French & Spanish Subtitles * Video: Widescreen (2.40:1) or Full Screen (1.33:1)

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ESPN 30 for 30 Collector's Set Blu Ray (2011)

I purchased this box set after catching a few of these films on TV on ESPN and was taken back by how great these documentaries were. It tells 30 of the most compelling, controversial and tragic stories in all of sports. I've seen about 4 on TV and I'm excited to catch the other 26. This is a perfect gift to give any and all sports fans and for more than 30 hours of great sports history the price is great. A must have.

Alright, just a quick bit of background as to why I purchased this. Long story short: I was seeking the perfect Father's Day gift. This was it! Actually, I had been eyeing this set for quite some time, but then when I discovered it came packaged with a hat, it was a "no brainer." For those of you wondering, yes, the hat is of nice quality and it is comprised of a rich black color, with the "ESPN" logo in vibrant red color. It is excellent to wear around at sporting events, bars, or anywhere to be quite honest.

As for the documentaries offered in the set, both volumes are included here (films 1-30) and packaged quite nicely I might add. Naturally I haven't been able to watch them all yet, but my father and I have sat down and looked at a good deal of them, and all I have to say is that each-and-every film is extremely well done. Now, I might add, I hadn't seen any of these when they aired on television before purchasing this, but I knew of them, and many of my friends swore they were amazing. Well they were absolutely right, because these videos are filled to the brim with both entertainment and informative learning. There were many times where I found myself stunned at just how much unseen and/or rare footage was used within a great deal of the films (and I still have plenty more to look through). Also, for the older generation, a sense of nostalgia or "I remember when that happened," can definitely be felt when viewing these. It's nice to know that one can easily tell some form of "thought" was put into the production, research, and presentation of these documentaries, and because of that, they truly stand out.

Let's say you were on the fence about purchasing this set though due to consideration of the Blu-Ray set (like I was). Now in case you don't know, these films (all 30) are bundled up in a single volume in Blu-Ray format at Best Buy, and at a cheaper price I might add (which actually shocked me somewhat). I put in quite some thought as to whether to purchase that over this, but two key components led me to this DVD set. First off, the fact that not everyone has a Blu-Ray player these days, and if I wanted to show one of these films at a friend's house or something of that nature, I would be better off not taking the gamble and simply sticking with the DVD format. Also, my laptop doesn't have a Blu-Ray drive (though if yours does, as many do these days, feel free to reconsider), and so I wouldn't be able to watch these films "on the go" on my laptop. The other reason was the hat! I couldn't resist the wonders of the hat! Well in all honesty, while the hat is very nice, in my particular case my father needed a hat, so the inclusion of this was like "two birds with one stone."

Anyway, if you haven't seen these films (like I had not) prior to purchasing, and just don't know if it's worth the cash to invest in this set, I would strongly urge that you just "cave in" and buy this! Any person who considers themselves to be a sports fan will truly appreciate this, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed! :)

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This was a birthday gift from my girlfriend. I have watched most of the movies but missed a couple. I am excited to sit down and watch the ones I missed. So far my favorite is probably "The Two Escobars". I am still amazed with some of the footage and interviews ESPN was able to get for some of these films. Looks like I have about 30 things to do this summer.

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I've caught a couple of these when they aired and just purchased the full set. These in-depth stories are "required reading" for big sports buffs and I can't wait to catch the ones I missed. A perfect gift for the sports lover in your family or for yourself, you can't go wrong with these.

Update: Now that I've watched more of the series, it's amazing how far in-depth some of the stories go. As a Baltimore Ravens fan I knew the story of the Colts leaving in the middle of the night and the band, but exactly how the band was able to keep their uniforms and the details of the story are amazing. Also seeing some of the raw emotion that still lingers is just amazing. Hands down, these are the best documentaries I've ever watched.

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First, let me say that I'm a guy that doesn't really like sports. I mean I almost never sit down and watch any kind of game on TV, or go to a sporting event, or know what other guys are talking about when the subject of baseball, football, or basketball comes up. I could name a couple of players in every sport, the ones that everyone else knows, but that is it. So that said, I think this set is nothing short of great. I love documentaries that are well made and take you into a world that you don't know about in a way that makes it fascinating. I've watched documentaries on scrabble, spelling bees, or competitive crossword puzzles and loved them. Most stories have taken an aspect of some sport and told a story that has drawn me in almost immediately. Usually it is an interesting part of a much larger picture. For instance, I know who Wayne Gretzky, the hockey player, is and I have a vague recollection of him coming to the US, but I never knew the story of how it affected the people of Edmonton and all of the drama behind it. Also very interesting to hear him talk about it now. So in summary, I would recommend this set to anyone, man or woman, in the knowledge that they would enjoy it as much as me once they got started. If you are any kind of a real sports fan, you should already have this.

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