For Greater Glory (2012)

This is an excellent film, but read no further if you are concerned about "spoilers"....

As explained by Steven Greydanus,"The 1917 Mexican Constitution included harsh anticlerical provisions that went unenforced until the regime of Plutarco Elías Calles....In 1926, Calles introduced legislation -the 'Calles Law' -specifying penalties for violating the constitutional prohibitions: Clergy could be imprisoned for criticizing the government, fined for wearing clerical garb in public, and so forth. Calles also moved to seize Church property, close Catholic schools, seminaries and monasteries, and deport foreign priests" (National Catholic Register, 5/29/2012).

I particularly enjoy historical films and have grown accustomed to learning that certain characters in these films can be composites or created for dramatic impact. I guessed incorrectly with this film: "At the center of director Dean Wright's sprawling epic stand two remarkable figures: retired but restless military hero Gen. Enrique Gorostieta (Andy Garcia), a religious skeptic who becomes the unlikely commander of those taking up arms in the name of faith, and Jose Luis Sanchez (impressive newcomer Mauricio Kuri), a saintly adolescent volunteer in Gorostieta's forces who, decades later, was beatified for his role in the struggle....Out to defy the government by peaceful means is another real-life character, also since beatified, Anacleto Gonzalez Flores (Eduardo Verastegui). A pacifist lawyer, Gonzalez is sometimes referred to as `the Mexican Gandhi'" (John Muldering, Catholic News Service)

Greydanus speaks to what will be this film's enduring relevance: "Visiting Mexico earlier this year, Pope Benedict XVI highlighted ongoing restrictions on religious freedom in Mexico's Constitution. In the United States, the U.S. bishops have made a top priority the defense of religious freedom against encroaching federal tyranny....The magnitude of the conflict around religious freedom today is something no one could have predicted when production began on For Greater Glory. Some might call the film's timing providential" (National Catholic Register, 5/29/2012).

It was largely because of that "providential" connection that my wife, myself, and two friends chose to respond to a call to see "For Greater Glory" on its opening night. Including ourselves, it was disappointing that there could not have been more than 20 people in the theater of our suburban multiplex (Interestingly, the six middle aged men sitting behind us later confirmed that they themselves were priests.). I will pray that the poor showing does not signal a poor interest in the topic of religious freedom.

I saw the movie in the theater on Saturday, June 2, just after the June 1 release. I have been waiting a long time for this movie to be released. The story of the Cristeros has finally come to the screen. This much forgotten and much ignored part of Mexican history is finally remembered.

I can look at the movie from two perspectives. First, the film has a huge religious, inspirational impact: fidelity to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith, acts of heroism and love, martyrdom under terrible persecution run throughout the entire film. Secondly, as a long time movie fan, the film is incredibly well done with superb actors.

The critics hate this film because it is not PC and it defends principles that myopic, closed minded ideologues will not even discuss.

Many films depict the horrors of the holocaust, and rightly so. The Catholic Church has had many holocausts throughout history. The brutal persecution of the Catholic Church by President Plutarco Calles is just one of them. It is a story that must be told and studied so that it does not happen here.

I found the movie especially moving, because I have lived in Mexico for six years. I have exercised my ministry in many places where the movie takes place. I was particularly moved by the film's superb depiction of the martyrdom of Jose Sanchez del Rio.

Viva Cristo Rey!

Father James Farfaglia

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church

Corpus Christi, TX

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A truly inspiring and deeply moving account of the events and characters struggling for Faith and Freedom in the little known persecution and Christero's War in 1920's Mexico. Superp cast and excellent production values. A must for people who believe that the real "Super Heroes" are not found in comic books but in the Grace, Faith and Courage of ordinary human beings who respond to the assault on their God Given Rights, and live and die for values that transend their mundane needs and desires.

Read Best Reviews of For Greater Glory (2012) Here

I went with my husband to see this movie twice at the theatre! It is based on truth, an action-packed spiritual, uplifting, inspiring, deeply moving historical drama that is A MUST-SEE!!

The acting is impeckable!! Not a flaw throughout. It keeps you interested at every minute, and it is 2 1/2 hours! The story line is very clear, and you know WHO is WHO, because the faces are very distinct from one another and nothing is confusing at any point.

I would recommend this movie of course for everyone (not for young children though).

Please surprise yourself wonderfully by seeing and supporting this most excellent movie!!

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This film is excellent and the fact that it is true makes it even more so. It is interesting to note that all the major networks, NBC, ABC, and CBS, were silent in reviewing this film from the films coming out on June 1st. Perhaps they felt it would be wrong to show the people of Mexico in a good light. Perhaps the attack on the Catholic religion is, at this time, too close to home. The story of the fight to stop people of faith, by a government without faith, not only restores one's beliefs but shows to what extent people will go to to defend their beliefs. Several of my Mexican relatives had no idea of what had happened under the evil rule of Calles. They have been in United States too long and forgotten their Mexican roots. Many of them came across the border to escape the tyrany of a corrupt government. Hopefully they will not encounter such corruption here. This is a film worth seeing.

Richard Fandel

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Stuart Little (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1999)

I was afraid that my 2 year old would run all over the theatre. Boy, I was Wrong. She laughed just like she understood everything. The animation was superb as well as the screen play. The whole family enjoyed and I would watch it more than once.

My kids love this movie and I anticpate I put this on for them while I cook and they will be glued to the tube. As an adult I loved this film The Graphics were great and very realistic. It had drama, it had action and I just loved snowball. You should at least buy this one for the kids.

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Stuart Little is one of those rare films that the entire family can watch and enjoy together. Children will be completely enthralled and adults will alternately laugh uncontrollably and wipe away the odd sentimental tear.

The basic plot revolves around the Little family, who adopt Stuart (a mouse) despite warnings to "adopt within your own species."

The computer-generated animation is flawless, and those with pet cats or rodents will share a knowing smile or two as the watch their pets' various personalities acted out on the screen.

The plot may be silly, sappy and somewhat simplistic, but your entire family will love to watch this film again and again as Stuart and his friends scamper into and sometimes across your heart. A wonderful film for everyone.

Read Best Reviews of Stuart Little (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1999) Here

Though it strays considerably from the classic book, Stuart Little is nonetheless a terrific children's movie, specifically young children between say, 3 and 7 or 8. Slow-moving at times for adults, I admired the filmmakers for deliberately crafting a wonderfully imagined movie that is never TOO scary or TOO loud or TOO disturbing for the youngest viewers in the audience. There are not enough of these movies today, the kind of movies that draw youngsters into the theatre to experience the joy of movie-going with an audience. The familial message is warmly relayed, and the movie's New York City is alternately delightfully whimsical and just scary enough in the nighttime Central Park scenes. The special effects simply amaze you, and the vocal antics of Nathan Lane will make you laugh out loud, regardless of your age.

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First and foremost, this is a show that's meant to be enjoyable, simple and fun and not to invoke deep thinking about why would the parents adopt a mouse when they have a boy.. Hello.. if we are to take things so logically and seriously all the time, why in the first place is this mouse talking? Some times I think a movie does not need to give a reason why-is-what but rather just tell it's story and if it flows well and is enjoyable, we have a winner.

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True Legend (2010)

I watched this movie a few months ago while I was on deployment. A buddy in my shop had a bootleg copy and at the time I had no idea what the movie was called. After googling the plot and some quotes I finally figured out it was True Legend.

Anyway I really enjoyed the movie as a whole. Great fight scenes and interesting story (although the story itself is pretty depressing). The background scenery and cinematography were amazing.

If you're a Yuen Woo-ping fan (The Matrix trilogy, Kill Bill Volumes I and II, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hero, Iron Monkey, Drunken Master) or just like martial arts movies in general then I'd recommend checking out this movie.

I've got this pre-ordered now and I'm really looking forward to watching a legit copy on blu-ray.

I don't know how much of TRUE LEGEND is either `true' or which is more `legend', but I found the end result of Director Yuen Woo Ping's work to present the story as an incomplete parable one where perhaps the viewer can draw inspiration from to seek out answers to questions regarding martial arts history but certainly not a `definitive work.' Or, at least, I wouldn't hope so. I can only suspect that, if this is based on true events, there may be more story here than what made it to the screen this time around. While TRUE LEGEND has moments of great entertainment, it felt only half-baked to me, a somewhat mixed bag of effective acting, tremendous fighting, and excellent choreography. And I couldn't help from wondering what a more accomplished director may've been able to do with the material.

The biggest detraction to TRUE LEGEND is that the end result actually feels more like one, big, sprawling combination of two smaller, incomplete halves. By the conclusion, I found myself wondering if the project had originally started out as two films a first flick with a planned sequel that, for budgetary considerations, were merged together. The first half runs about one hour and ten minutes, and it deals with Su Can's conflict with a vengeful brother, Yuan; the second half runs about forty minutes, and it explores Su Can's nearly-accidental "discovery" of fighting which prompts him to modify his Wushu style combat into `the Drunken Fist' style. I say "nearly-accidental" because that's how, narratively, it's structured, with Su Can happening across a demonstration of this new style.)

On reflection, it's easy to see that the first half has plenty of meat-and-bones, though I'm not entirely certain as to how the film could've been expanded despite the fact that the lovely Michelle Yeoh was tremendously under-used here. Perhaps much of her character was left on the cutting room floor? There's no way to tell. Comparatively, the second half is spent almost entirely with fighting as Su Can finds himself battling (to the death!) China's invaders in scenes vaguely reminiscent of territory already explored spectacularly in IP MAN. Of course, the fight choreography is incredible TRUE LEGEND arguably contains some of the best hand-to-hand contact put to film but the story suffers as a consequence. These two halves are introduced and bridged by graphics which serve to `fill in the gaps' between Su Can's filmed adventures; it's a serviceable technique ... it just isn't all that interesting.

It's worth mentioning that one of the greatest strengths of the film aside from the martial arts, of course is the talent of the actors. As the Su Can, leading man Man Cheuk Chiu brings not only tremendous physical prowess to the role but also he almost exudes a classic `leading man' charisma; when he's onscreen, he owns the screen, and everything accompanying him bends to his obvious charm. As the nefarious Yuan Lie, Andy On snarls his way through scene after scene, doing his best to match Su Can's graciousness with equal parts venom; these two men are brilliantly paired for the respective roles of `good' versus `evil', and the film benefits greatly from their opposing chemistry. Xun Zhou is suitably lovely and demure as Su Can's wife and sister to Yuan Lie; she's photographed beautifully and is clearly seen as the inspiration to these two opposing forces. Like Helen of Troy, it's not hard to see how her loveliness brought these two men into conflict. The remainder of the players all perform suitably, though some feel underused (as was the aforementioned Michelle Yeoh), but they're most inconsequential to the film's narrative focus.

All in all, TRUE LEGEND is entertaining. Throughout, it's smartly photographed, well-staged, and flows gracefully like a martial arts routine from start to finish. It just felt more than a bit incomplete to me. I would rather have enjoyed a greater exploration of these characters perhaps a handful more of the subtle moments explored between husband and wife Su Can and Yuen Ying which may've ended up on the cutting room floor or were deemed unnecessary to the fight pace set by the film. A few other scenes could've pushed the creative envelope, and they could've gone a long way toward honoring the `truth' and `legend' implied by the film's title.

Buy True Legend (2010) Now

This is a pretty strange flick. Part of it is very now and wow while other parts read like director Hark Tsui's "Zu Warrior" or "Once Upon a Time in China."

Here's the scoop. Su Can is a great warrior. He and his brother in law, Yuan Lie, finish a particularly grueling battle and Su wants to hang it up and start a school teaching the Wushu style of fighting. He takes his wife and son and heads off to the big city. Yuan, in the meantime, is starting to fume. He has always felt like a second fiddle to Su so he loads up on venom from various creatures and perfects a way to deliver it via the Five Fingers of Death. He now goes after Su and it leads to a really big mess.

This is a pretty wild ride. The opening battle uses a lot of CGI and looks as though it came from a poor man's version of "The Lord of the Rings." It then shifts to something more like "Zu Warrior" with the over exaggerated wire work, the white haired mystical dude and the "God" who will put Su through the paces to get him back up to speed after losing a fight with Yuan. I don't know where this genre is these days. I don't see enough of these to tell, but seeing a guy kick a big rock into pebbles isn't anything I've seen in "Hero" or "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon."

The story is pretty good but it takes an odd turn. It's two hours long but the first part ends in 90 minutes then veers off to an entirely different chapter where Su becomes an alcoholic and, through a changing socio-political condition in China, begins to develop the "drunken fist" method of fighting. It caught me way off guard.

I liked this movie enough. Good story and direction. Good sets and costumes with a decent score. Michelle Yeow is on hand but has a woefully small, underwritten part. Some of what is portrayed is supposed to be based on fact but the viewer can tell that great liberties were taken in the telling.

It's a fun watch, but if you're not a fan of the genre, you might end up going WTF?!

Read Best Reviews of True Legend (2010) Here

I'm a big martial arts and HK cinema fan, but man was this depressing!! Visually, it looked good and action was good, and the initial bad guy was ok.

SPOILER ALERT!!! ENTIRE PLOT SUMMARIZED HERE please skip if you don't want to spoil the story! Continue on if you want to know specifically why I felt this film was depressing...

Bascially this is the fictional story of Su Can, aka "Beggar Su," who invented drunken boxing. Of course this was preceded by his brother-in-law killing his father and later his wife, the loss of his life as a teacher, his descent into madness (as in "A Beautiful Mind"), and finally his becoming a drunk and homeless father. What a downer!!!

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If you like martial arts movies with lots of action, including wrestling, this is a great movie to watch. It is a legend of the martial art warrior who is forced to abandon his peaceful life of a devoted husband and a father when his evil and vindictive stepbrother decides to destroy him. Michelle Yeoh and David Carradine make guest appearances in this film, but amazingly enough, they have roles that require not fighting. I liked their quiet presence on screen.

In any case, movie goes over the top with fighting scenes. One almost wishes for good old times when Bruce Lee movies were in fashion. I liked wonderful costumes and gentle and graceful depiction of female characters. Great spectacle and entertainment. Do not expect more than that.

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Beautiful Boy (2010)

I must admit that the premise of this film did not excite me terribly at first glance, since I've seen too many made-for-TV movies filled with overly sentimental music and tear-jerking dramatics. Viewing the film, however, was both refreshing and dramatically satisfying.

Bill and Kate are the middle-class parents of college junior Sammy, a young man who has always been quiet and something of a loner. There is a tension beneath their marriage which is not readily apparent to anyone, not even to them. One night their son calls and sounds unusually quiet. The viewer is easily able to spot the sadness and confusion in his face, but Bill and Kate notice nothing over the phone, chatting only about planning the family vacation.

The next morning brings the news that a student has shot dozens of fellow students at Sammy's college. There is a lockdown and no information is coming out of the school. Worried as they are, Bill and Kate convince themselves that Sammy is fine he rarely answers his cell phone anyway, Kate muses until the moment when two detectives appear at their door. Kate screams, "He's dead, isn't he?" and their worst fears are confirmed. But then comes the unthinkable, "There's more" says the Detective, as he informs them that Sammy is the perpetrator who shot himself in the head after murdering so many of his fellow students. "LIAR!" shrieks Kate, "LIAR!" she repeats, as she collapses in disbelief.

They both take to bed, Bill in their room and Kate sprawled across Sammy's in his attic bedroom. After a short while, the reporters appear at their door and the television is endlessly showing Sammy's photo and a seemingly psychopathic video he made shortly before his rampage. Bill and Kate flee to Kate's brother's home, while they try to come to terms with Sammy's inexplicable killing spree.

The first thing that impressed me about this film was the superb acting. Michael Sheen ("David Frost" in FROST NIXON; "Tony Blair" in THE QUEEN) is nothing short of brilliant as the confused and grieving Bill. He's a good man, a good husband and a good father, but the events that unfold make him question if the tragedy could somehow be their fault. Maria Bello (THANK YOU FOR SMOKING) is extremely effective as Kate, believably and quietly wringing all the emotion one could expect out of the situation. But even more than their amazing performances, the tight script, effectively dramatic without any pathos or phony emotion, is as believable as one could want and plunges the viewer directly into the experience of the two shocked parents, as they deal with horribly cruel and judgmental comments on Sammy's Facebook page, childish, sadistic graffiti spray-painted on his tombstone, endless talk-show hosts who condemn them as parents without ever meeting them, and thrill-seeking teens who break into their home to "investigate" all they can about the "Psycho murderer." How many times have we seen headlines like this and thought, "It's the parents fault" without giving any real consideration to who the parents really are and how confused and saddened they must be to lose a child?

Equally impressive is the first-rate direction by Shawn Ku, who restrains the dramatics to the point of sheer plausibility and whose indulgence in hand-held cameras is neither excessive nor obtrusive. The best thing about it, it bears repeating, is the absence of maudlin emotions and tear-wrenching, sappy speeches or music. The scenes are all well thought out, extremely credible and ultimately satisfying. For a while, I thought they had stopped making films like this. The pedestrian premise initially prompted me to give it just four stars, but in the end I was so satisfied by this marvelously well-done, old-fashioned drama that I can't see how it deserves less than five.

Highly recommended.

I'll get this out of the way.

Brilliant acting.

Amazing direction.

Pacing, score, pretty much everything was brilliant.

Definitely worth a watch.

Here's why...

The movie is about your average married couple who's college age kid snaps and goes on a school shooting rampage before taking his own life.

My memories of Columbine and the other various school shootings over the years are still very fresh in my mind.

The one thing that I always wondered was how the families related to the shooters dealt with what had happened.

I think this movie does an excellent job of showing what these families go through.

When Columbine happened, I like many was the first to point my finger at the parents.

But what I've noticed about a lot of these shooters is that they're almost always late teens to early twenties. That's usually right when schizophrenia symptoms start to manifest in young men.

So no, in a lot of cases I think the parents raise the kids just fine and are just as baffled by what happened as everyone else.

I know it's of little comfort to the victims families but all too often the warning signs of mental illness go unnoticed.

The only thing we can really learn from tragedies like this are to better recognize the symptoms as well as finding better ways to treat people who are mentally ill before things escalate to such violence.

This was a very difficult movie for me to make it through.

If you cry easily, you better have tissue near by.

I did.

A powerful and disturbing movie that I'm glad I saw.

I probably won't ever watch it again it was too depressing.

It definitely left a mark on me.

Very sad.

As I said before I, like many pointed my finger of judgement at the parents.

That wasn't fair of me or anyone else to do.

Sometimes there are answers.

Sometimes there aren't.

Sometimes the answers, like mental illness only become apparent after the fact.

This movie made me think.

It made me cry.

It makes me hope that we find better ways of helping people around us who are in need of it.

An amazing and powerful movie.

Recommended.

Buy Beautiful Boy (2010) Now

The struggling married couple at the heart of "Beautiful Boy" have their lives altered by the most horrific nightmare imaginable involving their son. It is timely and excruciatingly unpleasant, the central tragedy should resonate with anyone concerned about alienation and random violence in the world today. To the movie's advantage, the DVD cover and promotional material has the common sense to NOT reveal the specifics of this incident. For the movie to achieve its maximum power, it is best to allow the content to be unveiled to the viewer as it unfolds to the parents. However, this subtle tactic is undermined by almost every review available on Amazon (including Amazon's own editorial DVD description). It's an unfortunate miscalculation, in my estimation, as it eliminates much tension from the film's earlier scenes and detracts from one of the year's most harrowing moments. Writer/director Shawn Ku takes universal tragedy and shifts the focus in an unexpected and very personal way. By doing so, he has given Michael Sheen and Maria Bello two of the most underrated roles (and performances) of the year.

Sheen and Bello play an affluent, yet struggling, couple on the brink of divorce. As they are making important decisions about their lives together, some crushing news about their college-age son smashes their existence. Suddenly, they are at the center of a public maelstrom. Everything they thought they knew has been stripped away and they are left with nothing but each other. Trying to make sense of what happened and simultaneously trying to move past it, the couple attempt to navigate a powder keg of emotions. And the story is very much about Bello and Sheen and how they cope. Will this incident pull them back together or destroy them forever. Part of the nuance of Ku's screenplay is that it allows that they are each their own person, and their reaction to the event and its aftermath is very separate (even as they are forever intertwined). Filled with regret, recriminations, and humiliation--is it possible to move on? And where does ultimate responsibility lay when unimaginable things occur?

"Beautiful Boy" is a smart and sophisticated piece of work. Despite the opportunity for emotional grandstanding, Bello and Sheen remain remarkably grounded and utterly real. At times, you might wish the movie offered more insight into just who their son is. He is never developed (as a conscious decision), but the enigma of his character lingers all over the movie. I mean if his parents, who by all accounts had a close enough relationship with the boy, are clueless--it's hard for the viewer to contextualize what happens. Still, the movie is sensitively wrought and offers two compelling performances. Sheen, as always, executes in one of his most emotional roles. But it is Bello that has the chance to surprise. I've always liked Bello, but her resume veers all over the place from top tier work to grade-B schlock. This time, she's chosen right and her brittleness has rarely been used to such affect. This is definitely a movie for adults who appreciate serious minded filmmaking. An easy recommendation--its power comes from its understatement. About 4 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 11/11.

Read Best Reviews of Beautiful Boy (2010) Here

The struggling married couple at the heart of "Beautiful Boy" have their lives altered by the most horrific nightmare imaginable involving their son. It is timely and excruciatingly unpleasant, the central tragedy should resonate with anyone concerned about alienation and random violence in the world today. To the movie's advantage, the DVD cover and promotional material has the common sense to NOT reveal the specifics of this incident. For the movie to achieve its maximum power, it is best to allow the content to be unveiled to the viewer as it unfolds to the parents. However, this subtle tactic is undermined by almost every review available on Amazon (including Amazon's own editorial description). It's an unfortunate miscalculation, in my estimation, as it eliminates much tension from the film's earlier scenes and detracts from one of the year's most harrowing moments. Writer/director Shawn Ku takes universal tragedy and shifts the focus in an unexpected and very personal way. By doing so, he has given Michael Sheen and Maria Bello two of the most underrated roles (and performances) of the year.

Sheen and Bello play an affluent, yet struggling, couple on the brink of divorce. As they are making important decisions about their lives together, some crushing news about their college-age son smashes their existence. Suddenly, they are at the center of a public maelstrom. Everything they thought they knew has been stripped away and they are left with nothing but each other. Trying to make sense of what happened and simultaneously trying to move past it, the couple attempt to navigate a powder keg of emotions. And the story is very much about Bello and Sheen and how they cope. Will this incident pull them back together or destroy them forever. Part of the nuance of Ku's screenplay is that it allows that they are each their own person, and their reaction to the event and its aftermath is very separate (even as they are forever intertwined). Filled with regret, recriminations, and humiliation--is it possible to move on? And where does ultimate responsibility lay when unimaginable things occur?

"Beautiful Boy" is a smart and sophisticated piece of work. Despite the opportunity for emotional grandstanding, Bello and Sheen remain remarkably grounded and utterly real. At times, you might wish the movie offered more insight into just who their son is. He is never developed (as a conscious decision), but the enigma of his character lingers all over the movie. I mean if his parents, who by all accounts had a close enough relationship with the boy, are clueless--it's hard for the viewer to contextualize what happens. Still, the movie is sensitively wrought and offers two compelling performances. Sheen, as always, executes in one of his most emotional roles. But it is Bello that has the chance to surprise. I've always liked Bello, but her resume veers all over the place from top tier work to grade-B schlock. This time, she's chosen right and her brittleness has rarely been used to such affect. This is definitely a movie for adults who appreciate serious minded filmmaking. An easy recommendation--its power comes from its understatement. About 4 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 11/11.

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There are movies that entertain and then there are movies that make you think. When a movie can do both at the same time it's an amazing feat. Unfortunately this is a rare occurrence and these movies usually fail. Such is the case with BEAUTIFUL BOY.

The story revolves around a couple on the verge of divorce. Married for some time Bill (Michael Sheen) is in the process of finding a new apartment. Wife Kate (Maria Bello) is planning a family vacation, one last time to go somewhere together with their son Sam (Kyle Gallner). Away at school, Sam seems bothered when he calls his folks one night. Why is apparent the next day.

While at work, Bill's co-workers are watching the news and concerned about him. Someone has opened fire at the college where Sam goes and massacred a number of students there. Kate is told the same by her friend and neighbor whose daughter also attends the same college. Bill comes home to be with Kate and eventually the police show. It's not just to notify the couple that Sam is dead, but to tell them he was the shooter and took his own life.

The rest of the film follows the parents dealing with the guilt and frustration they feel about the event their son has placed them in. Was there something they did wrong? Could they have foreseen what would happen? Why would he do such a thing? Couple this with the press hounding them and they begin to wonder if this all could have been their fault.

Leaving their home where reporters camp out daily, they spend time with Kate's brother and his family. Each deals with the problem in their own way. Bill looks at things from an orderly point of view, making sure they issue a press release and keeping up a strong face while he mourns in private.

Kate is the emotional one, first denying that any of this could have taken place. She insists that their son did nothing, that he couldn't have done something so heinous. When video of him ranting in a recorded message he left behind surfaces she must face the truth. But she still retreats into herself, attempting to subtly take the mother's position in her brother's home.

Eventually the couple leave and hole up in a motel where their various means of dealing with the problem shoots them up and down the emotional scale, one moment arguing with one another and the next falling into each other's arms in love once more only to fight again the next morning. Neither one is prepared for what happened or for what is going on now. They just deal with it themselves in their own way, never completely offering each other the support that each needs at this time. Only time will tell if they come out of this nightmare stronger or defeated.

The film focuses not on the son and his deed but on the aftermath he leaves behind. While the characters are faced with questions about themselves and their family, for the most part they seem more concerned with themselves than with their son, they seem selfish to an extent. How one would deal with this sort of thing is hard to imagine but this couple seems intent on their own feelings and nothing more.

And this makes for a movie that offers two roles where critics and awards type shows will respond with praise but that viewers will watch with a certain amount of boredom. Running just over 2 hours it's hard to sit and watch the pain and the self flagellation that goes on for nearly that entire time. Over and over again we watch them fight and seek someone to blame, more often than not taking the brunt of it all. And that's a weight that anyone would find hard to handle. But that's all the movie focuses on. It never offers any relief or solutions.

The subject matter is topical and something few of us would ever even consider thinking about and yet with the number of mass killings perhaps it's something we should. One would hope that placed in the same circumstances each of us would be able to find some way of dealing with the problem and hopefully better than this couple does.

Watching the film is like placing yourself in the same situation. You feel nothing but sad and depressed. With each passing moment as they fail to find a solution you just keep begging that it will end. Some may think of this as art but for me it's just a way to encourage depression. I'd rather spend my money on something else.

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Executive Decision (2011)

Okay, it's Die-Hard-on-an-airplane the way _Speed_ is Die-Hard-on-a-bus, _Under Siege_ is Die-Hard-on-a-battleship, and _The Rock_ is Die-Hard-at-Alcatraz. But it's a fine action flick and it beats the heck out of _Air Force One_.

I like Kurt Russell; to my mind he's never gotten the credit he deserves as an actor. And if (like me) you're not a big Steven Seagal fan, you'll be gratified to learn (about half an hour into the film) that he's _not_ the hero of the story.

This film probably couldn't have been made today. In the post-9/11 world, every moviemaker is carefully shying away from the 'Arab terrorist' stereotype; the screen adaptation of Tom Clancy's _The Sum of All Fears_ substituted neo-Nazis, and even the Gubernator took the safe route (using Columbian drug lords in _Collateral Damage_). But in fact, this script does a pretty good job of making clear that the head terrorist (David Suchet) is a loon who doesn't represent even the views of his collaborators, let alone those of the larger Arab/Muslim world.

Anyway, if you like a good action-suspense yarn, you'll like this one. Sure, parts of it are implausible, but less so than in lots of other good action films. And Russell makes an excellent hero.

Terrorists hijack a jumbo jet with over 400 passengers. Terrorist expert Dr David Grant (Kurt Russell) believes that the terrorists have nerve gas bombs on board and therefore, they can't let the plane enter US airspace, since the nerve gas could probably destroy the entire Washington DC. And they don't want to shoot them down, since that would lead to a big scandal. Instead, they send up a special military unit, led by Lieutenant Colonel Travis (Steven Seagal), to get on board the jumbo jet and take control over it. This turns out to be even more difficult than they had thought.

This is an action thriller that unfortunately doesn't seem as unrealistic now as it would've done some months ago, and some people would maybe prefer not to watch it because of the recent attacks. On the other hand, it could be interesting to watch because of that. Either way, it's a very good and well made movie. It's not so different from Air Force One and if you liked that one, you'll probably like this one and vice versa.

Steven Seagal's role is actually quite small, he's out of the movie after approximately half an hour, or even less, and you don't miss him. Kurt Russel, Oliver Platt, Halle berry and the other actors are good.

If you like quality action movies, here is one that will keep you at the edge of your seat for a little more than two hours. I really liked it!

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My attention was fixed to the TV like never before the first time I saw this come on cable. We need more films that can generate suspense as well as this did. But did they really have to have Kurt Russell's character get his foot stuck in that..."thing on the wall" near the end of the film? I think the movie producers could have come up with a better (and more believable) way to hinder him for the situation he was in. There goes the 5th star.

But, holy cow, did any movie foretell 9/11 better than this one? Airline security employees should have been made to watch this; maybe at least some of them would have believed an event like 9/11 was more probable and taken their job more seriously, preventing the disaster.

Read Best Reviews of Executive Decision (2011) Here

Even though Executive Decision today would remind the viewing audience of the tragic, if not cowardly attacks made by Islamic terrorists on September 11, 2001 AD, it is still an entertaining and enjoyable action/suspensful/political thriller. I mean, if any film has Steven Segal killed off within the first 40 minutes of the picture (mirroring Roy Thinnes's demise in Airport 1975) and British actor David Suchet playing an excellent heavy, then it has to be worth watching.

Released in 1996 by Warner Brothers, Executive Decision was the directorial debut of British film editor Stuart Baird (Superman The Movie and Outland). With the material he had been given by screenwriters Jim and John Thomas, Baird does an excellent, if not remarkable job in film direction. Especially when it comes to the staging and filming of the action sequences.

The plot of the storyline centers around a group of Islamic Terrorists from the Middle East who hijack a 747 en route from Athens to Washington DC. The Islamic extremists main plan is to force the release of a known terrorist leader, who had been captured and imprisoned by British and American military forces.

Unknown to some of the terrorists, their leader has smuggled a Soviet nerve toxin gas left over from the Cold War. A nerve gas hooked up to a bomb, which is controlled by an al-Queida sleeper agent. The real purpose of the terrorist leader is soon revealed. His plans are to use the 747 as a weapon and detonate the nerve agent over Washington, killing all citizens there and those living along most of the East Coast.

Enter into the picture a group of U.S. Army anti-terrorist commadoes, along with a intelligence analyst/field operative from the Pentagon and an aircraft designer. Their mission is to transfer from a U.S. Air Force stealth fighter onto the 747 in mid-air, locate the nerve toxin, deactivate the bomb, kill all of the terrorists and sleeper agents with extreme prejudice, re-take the plane, and ensure the safety of the passengers and flight crew. Easier said than done. With the help of a courageous flight attendant/stewardess and a U.S. Sky Marshal, it becomes a fight to the death five miles above the Earth, with the fate of the U.S. Capitol and the eastern seaboard hanging in the balance.

Better than Air Force One, The Delta Force, The Die Hard Trilogy, and the Under Siege films, Executive Decision pulls all the punches and the stops when it comes to high flying action and high octane political thrillers. With a cast that consists of Kurt Russell, David Suchet (in a non-Hercule Poirot role), Halle Berry, Whip Hubley, Oliver Platt, B.D.Wong, Joe Morton, John Leguizamo, Andreas Katsulas, the late Charles Hallahan and J.T. Walsh, it is an ultimate winner in explosive action and political thrillers. Even the soundtrack by veteran composer Jerry Goldsmith is explosive and excellent. One of his best soundtracks since the 1968 version of Planet Of the Apes.

If you enjoy films that deal with politics, the U.S. Government's policy of not negotiating with terrorists, and the right-winged, if not the best way, to eliminate Middle Eastern terrorism, then Executive Decision is the film for you. Civilian, veteran, any patriotic citizen who wants to stop terrorism dead in its tracks!

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In "Executive Decision", Kurt Russell stars as a reluctant hero who is charged with saving the country from a airborne terrorist attack on the US that would have unbelievable consequences on the country. Co-starring are Steven Seagal as Col. Austin Travis, the leader of a group of Army Rangers who provide Russell with the backup that he needs during the movie. Halle Berry (before she really became HALLE BERRY) stars as the brave airline attendant, Jean, who provides the Rangers and Russell with help during their counterattack.

The plot revolves around a terrorist group's reaction to the capture of their leader in the Mideast. Their response to the arrest is to take over control of an American airliner and hold the passengers for ransom. Or is that really their plan? Rather than provide the viewer with too many plot details, let me suffice to say that a significant plot twist occurs during the first third of the film that changes the pacing and interest level of the film dramatically.

Viewers who enjoy Kurt Russell's action movies and any of the "Die Hard"/"Lethal Weapon" genre' of films will certainly enjoy "Executive Decision". The action is pretty much non-stop and will keep many viewers on the edge of their seats.

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Hanasaku Iroha ~ Blossoms for Tomorrow DVD/Blu-ray Set 1 Premium Edition (2011)

One of the most endearing and delightful series presently on the market,this is the story of Ohana Matsumae,the never-say-quit 16 year old daughter of a irresponsible single mother who is,in turn,the estranged daughter of a resort owner whom Ohana has never met. When mother decides to go on the lam with her latest boyfriend to escape his creditors,Ohana is sent to stay with her grandmother. After a long train ride and a steep walk up to the top of the hill she is so delighted to see how magnificent the hotel is she immediatly begins to pull the weeds she thinks are cluttering up her view...except they aren't weeds but wild rocamboles,an ingrediant used by the trainee-apprentant to the assistant chef,another 16 year old employee at the spa...and her new room mate. Just as the squabble begins,an old woman from an upper widow calls out for Ohana to hold out her arms. It is her grandmother and instead of getting a warm welcome,Ohana is tossed a bucket and told to get to work. Thus starts a fast-paced and rich story,filled with the arcs of the several major players but mostly that of a delightful and persistenly up-beat girl bent on setting things to right.

The character designs are well above average and some of the background artwork,especially around the train stop,is near-superphoto realistic.

An exceptional and fast paced series,best for teens and young adults and worthy of the highest of recommendations.

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Won't Back Down (2012)

Filmed in Pittsburgh, the new Hollywood of the east, this film is more fictional than fact. It was inspired by a California law for failing schools. Pennsylvania does not have such a law as yet.

Jamie Fitzpatrick (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a working single mom with a dyslexic daughter (Emily Alyn Lind) who is not getting the attention she needs at school. Unable to move or pay for her child to go to a better school, Jamie joins with a teacher (Viola Davis) in an attempt to take over the school's charter. It is an uphill battle as she must convince apathetic parents. Teachers must also be convinced to give up their union security so they can eliminate substandard teachers with tenure.

The struggles portrayed in the film were light compared to reality. The film is an emotional roller coaster ride. The movie was well acted. Because of the topic, the film engages in some union bashing while trying not to look too anti-union (remember, actors and screen writers are union too).

Tom Petty's song finally comes in during the credit roll.

This is a great movie that really shows how schools, bureaucracy and unions are failing for our kids. Parents need to be the force of change. Our kids deserve the best.

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It shows how a few people with passion can make a big difference for so many. The school system in this country is failing our kids. We all need too stop accepting failure..

Carrie

NH

Read Best Reviews of Won't Back Down (2012) Here

It's about a moms' struggle changing the school her daughter goes to. Though it's about more than that too.

The perseverance and determination she shows in the movie is exactly what parents should be like if their kids were not doing so well in school. Education is not something to take lightly and she doesn't. She wants more for her daughter, as most parents do, but stays active in making sure she gets a proper education.

I will admit, the hubby wasn't interested in the film. I say, his loss! It was a great movie, though I can see why the men wouldn't be into it.

By the way, have tissues handy... there is a blubbering moment.

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This movie was really good and I felt like these mothers took their kids educations( or lack there of ) into their own hands and made learning so much better for their children. It felt like the world or the system was against them but, they overcame the odds. Although, I did love the movie I felt like it ended too soon and would have like to have seen how much better things were ran at the school after all the changes were made. Overall...I enjoyed it though!

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Sea of Love (1989)

This movie rocks! I was so happy to see Pacino again after a much to long absence. Why is it that we never appreciate a person and their talent when there around more often? Pacino is just incrediable in this movie and his pairing with Ellen Barkin is perfect. They definitely go on that list of dynamic on-screen couples. I also enjoyed Pacino and Goodman as partners, but than again I find that Al Pacino is one of those actors that seems to bring out the best in whomever he's working with. The movie never falters for me from beginning to end. Its intense, exciting, humorous and of course sexy. Everyone involved in making this movie ( especially the director and writer ) should be proud. Sea Of Love is a classic!

Damn, this one keeps you on the edge of your seat. Pacino plays a NYPD detective who falls in love with Ellen Barkin, a woman who's the main suspect in a murder case he's investigating. The mix of suspicion, fear, and sexual arousal is enough to keep the most jaded viewer riveted to the screen, wondering who or what will break first. The chemistry between Pacino and Barkin is intense enough to make the love scenes qualify as some of the hottest of the era.

Super-duper in every way. Wow.

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This is one of those films I lovethe kind that sits on my shelf, I forget about for a while, and when I finally remember it one rainy day and put it on, it seems like new all over again... and I remember why I got it in the first place.

Pacino is Frank Keller, a NYC cop who is a little beat by life, doesn't get all his daily recommended allowance of beauty sleep, and who, on occassion, has a wee problem with the drink. Maybe not the sort of a man you'd be beating down mama's door to show off, but, ya know, a decent kinda guy. He's working on a murder investigation, assisted by the always reliable John Goodman, and due to circumstances and the trouble with 3am, becomes romantically involved with one of the suspects.

Enter Ellen Barkinas the tagline reads, she may be the love of his life... or the end of it. Either way, she is definitely working the celluloid charm that made "The Big Easy" so steamyalthough here it's more edgy and direct than bashful.

The film rolls along at a good pace, never quite spelling anything out for sure so you're thankful that it's on DVD and don't have to throw things at the TV when commercials cut in. Beyond the intensity of his scenes with Barkinand there is some damn fine sizzle to 'emthere are some great moments that really help bring out Pacino's character and make him more humanvulnerable, profane, sore, sweatythan other roles I've seen him in since; when he tells a guy the "Yankee's meet'n'greet" is all booked, and his mutterings when he sees one of the blind dates still at the bar don't have the theatrics of some of the more "Al Pacino movie" characters, and are all the better for it.

Also, the scratchy, tense relationship his Frank Keller has with his co-worker nicely sets off the easy partnership he strikes up with Goodman's Queens detective; their camraderie and somewhat comical difference in stature made for an unexpectedly great part of the film.

Altogether, a terrific watch, and makes you wonder just how the hell Barkin ended up playing a Minnesota beauty queen's mom. Musta been 3am somewhere then.

Read Best Reviews of Sea of Love (1989) Here

I've been looking at purchasing the HD DVD release of 'Sea Of Love', but haven't been overwhelmed by the responses of the big league review sites. The message I'm getting is that 'Sea Of Love' doesn't cut it relative to 'Basic Instinct', and that the transfer to HD DVD is haphazard.

I just want to say I've seen both films several times and my biggest question is whether 'Sea Of Love' looks best in 1.33:1 or 1.85:1 (I have both LD versions) -personally, I prefer the picture composition at 1.33:1 (as originally shot), rather than the masked down widescreen 1.85:1.

More importantly, 'Basic Instinct' is a very slick and hip film with a very slimy underbelly -whereas 'Sea Of Love' has heart and soul and depth of characterization that leaves that other film in the shade. If overt sex, sensuality, and titilation is what you're really interested in, then 'Basic Instinct' delivers in spades -go for it! On the other hand, if you are looking for down to earth characters with real world feelings and a darned good plot, then 'Sea Of Love' is killer -a truly fine film!

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I love this film. I remember seeing this movie a couple of years ago and I instantly fell in love with it. It's kind of like your usual "whodunit?" but it has a twist.

Al Pacino plays a cop who runs into a couple murders that all seem like they are by the same person, but he and his new partner (John Goodman) can't seem to solve the similar murders. About a quarter or so into the film, Pacino has an epiphany and realizes that all of the victims placed ads in the lonely heart section of a certain magazine. They happened to be poetic ads, so Pacino decides to put in his own poetic ad, hoping that it will attract the killer. Many women answer the ad and Pacino falls for one of them and she turns out to be the most likely suspect.

I'll leave it at that. As for the DVD, the picture quality is decent for a late 80's release and the sound is good enough for a mostly-dialogue-driven film. As for the extras, they are better than the previous DVD's extras but they're nothing to brag about.

Overall, it's fit for Friday evening viewing.

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Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990)

Frankenhooker, it just sounds like a good time, doesn't it? I've been waiting for this dvd for a long time now. I saw this film way back when it first came out. Most folks who also saw it back then might remember the cool vhs box that said, "Wanna Date?" when you pressed it. That was a great little gimmick, wasn't it? That kind of thing was never done much, but I do remember the box for the movie The Dead Pit(which sucked by the way, or at least it couldn't live up to it's cool cover) which had the puffed out 3-D zombie on the cover who's eyes would flash green when you squeezed the box. If anyone can remember any more of those cool vhs boxes, let me know. Anyway, I was confident that Frankenhooker would hold up after all these years and it still does. Frankenhooker is the kind of film that Drive-in theaters were made for. As the title suggests, this isn't a movie taking itself seriously. It was directed by Frank Henenlotter, the B movie crusader who brought us Basket case and Brain Damage. If you've seen either of those films and thought they were dumb, you might as well stay away from Frankenhooker coz it's in the same vein. Frankenhooker herself doesn't show up til about an hour into the film, but that's all fine and dandy coz there's enough bare breasts, exploding hookers(and guinea pigs), musclebound pimps, huge crack rocks and head drilling to keep you entertained. Plus the zany, mumbling performance by James Lorinz as the mad doctor really carries the movie along. He's got some pretty damn funny lines, especially in the scene where he's inspecting the hookers. Frankenhooker herself is an amusing parody of Elsa Lanchester's Bride Of Frankenstein performance. For the mostpart her dialogue consists only of lines used by the hookers who's body parts have all gone into constructing her. It doesn't really make sense that she would do this(or that men would explode when touching her), but who the hell is watching this for scientific accuracy? Definitely worth viewing again if you haven't seen it in a while. Also definitely worth viewing if you want a good time. Hell, my wife even liked this movie! Though I must say the price tag on this one's a bit high considering what's on the disc and all(a couple of interviews and a commentary. Nothing THAT special), but I guess it all boils down to how much you want it. It might be worth it if they'd have made the dvd case talk.

A Minor Classic for Cult fans.

Synopsis: After the tragic death of fiancée Elizabeth who died due to a freak lawnmower accident her fiancée Jeffery Franken dreams up a too bring her back to life. He decides to give her new body by taking the best body parts from various prostitutes. After he reassembles Elizabeth he gets more then he bargained for when she takes on the persona of the prostitutes who body parts now make up her body and she goes on a rampage through the streets of New York looking for John's who are looking for a date.

Frankenhooker is like a cross between Mary Shelly's Frankenstein and the film Weird Science. Who hasn't dreamed of or wouldn't want to put together a perfect woman. Unlike these other films that explore a similar idea the plot for Frankenhooker sees Jeffrey Franken who wants to bring his dead girlfriend because he misses her and not to advance science. It is also amusing how he wants to give her the perfect body when while she was alive she battled a weight problem.

One of the films strongest assets is its special effects which while at times not perfect they still get the job done. The most memorable scene is when a group of prostitutes start smoking the super crack Jeffery Franken made and then they all start to explode. The most colorful and charismatic character in the film is a pimp named Zorro who brands his ladies with a Z that he burns into their arms. Patty Mullen (Doom Asylum) is also really good especially once she takes on the persona of Frankenhooker. She also gets some of the more memorable lines in the film. James Lorinz (The Sweet Life) is wonderful as the prototype mad scientist Jeffrey Franken and his enthusiasm for his work is infectious.

Part of Frankenhooker's charm is that the film never takes itself seriously. Fans of director Frank Henenlotter who go into the film expecting the gore and violence to be on the same level as his previous films Basket Case and Brain Damage might feel under whelmed since this film relies more on comedy on less on these two things. Overall Frankenhooker is a biting satire that cleverly pays homage to the Frankenstein legacy.

The BluRay:

Frankenhooker comes on a 50 GB dual layer BluRay. The film is presented in a 1080 progressive anamorphic widescreen. For this release Synapse Films have created a brand new 2K high definition transfer from original vault elements. Colors and flesh tones look accurate, black and contrast levels look consistently good and details look sharp throughout. There are no problems with compression and DNR is never an issue.

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround mix in English and a DTS-HD MA Stereo mix in English. Both audio mixes sound great, with the differences between the two being minimal. Dialog always comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced and the more ambient aspects of the soundtrack are well represented.

When compared to the Unearthed Films DVD release, the audio / video presentation for this new release from Synapse Films is a substantial upgrade.

Frankenhooker was originally released on DVD in 2006 by Unearthed Films and all of the extras pertaining to the film have been carried over for this release. Extras include a theatrical trailer for the film (1 minute 33 seconds anamorphic widescreen), three interviews, the first interview with actress Patty Mullen (8 minutes 53 seconds 4:3 full frame), the second interview with actress Jennifer Delora (19 minutes 32 seconds anamorphic widescreen) and the third interview with special effects advisor Gabe Bartalos (21 minutes 4:3 full frame) and a image gallery titled `Jennifer Delora's Frankenhooker photo scrapbook' and a audio commentary with director Frank Henenlotter and Gabe Bartalos. The interviews with Patty Mullen and Jennifer Delora, both ladies are candid as they recall in great detail working with director Frank Henenlotter and their experiences making Frankenhooker, while the interview with Gabe Bartalos covers the make-up effects and this segment is filled with a lot of cool behind the scenes footage. Topics covered in the audio commentary track with Frank Henenlotter and Gabe Bartalos include technical aspect of making the film like the special effects, casting and other behind the scenes stories. Also included with this release is reversible cover art. Overall Synapse Films gives Frankenhooker its best audio / video presentation to date.

Written by: Michael Den Boer with Thanks to Michael.

Buy Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990) Now

I experienced the joy of getting this HD release a bit early. Don May and Synapse Films have delivered the goods yet again.

The picture quality is of the highest class with a very filmic look. It's Blu-rays like this that make me wish I had the space (and the money) for a proper home theater room with projector. There's a very fine layer of grain present that looks natural but unobtrusive, the remainder of the image very detailed and representative of its film roots. There are some emulsion scratches here and there, but nothing that will take away one's enjoyment. A little more scratch cleanup would have been appreciated in this case, but it's not a problem.

Most of the extras from the Unearthed Films DVD have been carried over, save for a short five-minute photo gallery and some trailers for other films. The exciting trailer for "Frankenhooker" is thankfully in HD; I wish more companies would follow Synapse's example and offer HD trailers of the films, particularly when it comes to these cult classics.

The film itself, if you haven't seen it, is a riot--very quirky humor with a bit of a twisted side. I can't imagine anybody not laughing at the exploding hookers scene, or the female body part monsters toward the end (including what special effects artist Gabe Bartalos named "the Titty Twister"--you'd have to see it to get it). The special effects in these scenes are well-made and with high comical effect. No gore here, just hokey fun. It's difficult to really call this a horror film; whereas Henenlotter's other films--the "Basket Case" series, "Brain Damage", and "Bad Biology"--all exhibit rather horrific subject matter and scenes fused with the humor, "Frankenhooker" is straight-up comedy.

The performances all around are entertaining with James Lorinz (a.k.a. "the Doorman from 'Street Trash' ") and Patty Mullen (vivacious Penthouse Pet) leading the show exceptionally well. You'll adore Lorinz' mad scientist depravity, drilling holes into his head to help him think, and Mullen's jittery head movements, face spasms, and snippy dialog.

I suck at writing film reviews, but there it is! Thought I'd talk about the film in addition to the video quality for once.

This is a highly recommended Blu-ray Disc. If you're a fan of the film, ditch the DVD and pick this up; and if you've never seen it before and can laugh at the stranger things in life, buy it and show it to all your friends. Then congratulate Don May for a job well done and pick up every one of Synapse's other Blu-ray Discs (and spam him--lovingly, of course--with requests for "Street Trash" and the remainder of the Coffin Joe trilogy to come out soon on the format).

Read Best Reviews of Frankenhooker (Blu-ray) (1990) Here

The copy I rented had a quote on the back credited to Bill Murray that read: "If you see one movie this year, see Frankenhooker." It turns out that the statement was most likely made with only mild sarcasm. Frankenhooker is damned funny. I thought it might be cute, but I had no idea it would be this good. This is what good, low-budget schlock is all about. It's smart, it's funny, and most of all, it's FUN.

I almost gave it 5 stars but I try to be extremely selective with that rating. If you're like me and have thought about checking out Frankenhooker before but then thought again, think thrice and rent the damn thing. You might decide you want to own it.

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...wasn't this supposed to be UNRATED? The only version of this available on DVD on Region 1 is R-rated ... Granted, from what I understand, the difference is just a matter of a little more nudity. But still, aren't DVDs supposed to be more definitive than this? Not to mention the disappointing lack of any real extras on this disc. Oh well. There's supposedly an unrated PAL DVD out there, which is nice if you happen to have a PAL-compatible player. Maybe someday a DVD company that actually knows what it's doing will release this in its full uncut glory, with some extras to talk about.

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Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007)

My husband and I enjoyed this film very much and we both agreed that Perry done a great job with this film. Though he continues to put out films with an obvious "stagey" feel to them that don't work as well as they should even though they do work better than one would expect. In his second feature film without the Madea character, Perry again brings one of his stage plays to the big screen with "Why Did I Get Married," a film that works because of the heart and soul of the cast even when it feels like Perry's over-the-top preachiness is about to cave everything in. The film centers around four couples who gather each year at a Rocky Mountain retreat for your basic "save our marriage" therapeutic weekend. Being a Perry production, the weekend will be filled with lots of laughs, lots of tears, lots of revelations, a few heartbreaks and a solid Christian center that without the preachiness that often accompanies such a central core.

Janet Jackson leads the cast as the relationship expert who guides the weekend supported by her husband (Malik Yoba). There's a power couple (Tyler Perry and Sharon Leal), a drinkin'/fightin' couple (Michael Jai White and Tasha Smith), and an obviously abusive couple (Jill Scott and Richard T. Jones). Before the weekend is over, in typical Perry fashion, secrets will be revealed and lives will be changed for the good and the bad. The ensemble cast is solid throughout, most notably a well-padded Jill Scott as a gentle, sweet woman trying to deal with a cheating hubby, and Tasha Smith, who's blessed with the film's best lines and she nails every one of them.

While it's certainly easy to knock Perry's inability to produce anything approaching subtlety, it seems almost pointless to do so. Perhaps because of his lack of subtlety, Perry's films inevitably say things that most of today's filmmakers don't have the balls to say and it's rather refreshing to have a filmmaker actively speak out on issues. The scenes between Jill Scott and Richard T. Jones, for example, are almost achingly painful in their honesty and brought vividly to mind the utter shock of Blair Underwood's domestic abuse scenes in "Madea's Family Reunion."

Other solid performances are turned in by Janet Jackson and Perry himself, who proves he needn't be dressed in drag to be an accomplished actor. Toyomichi Kurita's cinematography is solid given the film's inherent staged feeling and that all of Perry's films continue to be modestly budgeted productions. Aaron Zigman's original music complements the scenes nicely, and, while the production design doesn't quite tear us away from the staged feeling, it nonetheless fits the proceedings well.

Tyler Perry doesn't really need film critics. While his first turn away from Madea, "Daddy's Little Girls," was a box-office disappointment, Perry's modestly budgeted films continue to successfully reach Perry's targeted urban markets and, with a typical box-office in the $50 million range, Perry's future as a filmmaker continues to be on solid ground.

This was only my third movie I'd seen of Tylers (behind Diary Of A Mad Black Woman and Daddy's Little Girls) but I'd heard so many positive reviews about this, that I bought it and I'm so glad I did. I truly enjoyed it.

It is a story blending four married couples who each have their problems. They go away on a couples weekend in the mountains and various senarios take place. It was good to see a plus-sized character in here (Jill Scott who played Sheila), but the verbal and emotional abuse she took from her husband was extreme. He was an outright pig of a man (although he's cute and played very well by Richard T Jones) who bought to this couples weekend, his 'bit on the side'. During the course of a dinner one night, accusations go flying about each of the couples relationships or infidelities etc and it gets pretty ugly. There are break ups and make ups and it is done really well. I thought one of the best actors in this movie was actually Janet Jackson. I thought she was very very good in here and I thought Jill Scott was only average. She isn't the best of actresses, yet she did make us really feel for her and her issues with her husband and her weight.

Yes the movie is a little long, but it is very enjoyable and overall it's well acted out and interesting and a new favourite of mine. I really loved this and glad I bought my own copy so I can re-watch it every now and then. It's great.

Buy Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007) Now

I almost always enjoy a Tyler Perry movie. However, there are moments in his movies where the goings-ons seem a bit too far-fetched or too sappy/mushy. When considering the casting, cinematography, and story line, this is easily one of his best films. He gives Madea a rest and we are enabled to see him play a serious role, and have a leading role. My favorite entertainer, Janet Jackson, stars in it, so I can write a very accurate synopsis of this film because I've seen it a number of times (smile).

We are introduced to four married couples, all with problems, some apparent and some harbored. Sheila and Mike, Diane and Terry, Angela and Marcus, and Patricia and Gavin. Mike isn't physically attracted to Sheila anymore, so he decides to date her friend, right before her eyes. Sheila and Mike are supposed to be traveling to meet their friends at a resort, but he tells her she has to drive at the last minute. As the film progresses, we feel and see Sheila's pain. Jill Scott did a marvelous job; she had the folks in the theatre cheering for her. Diane and Terry are at odds about many things; having children and schedule conflicts being chief among their marital issues. Marcus and Angela are easily the most entertaining couple of the bunch. Angela cannot seem to stay sober and her husband despises her behavior as a drunk. Also, he has children by another woman and, of course, that causes strain on their relationship. Gavin and Patricia have the best relationship of the bunch, or so it seems. As the film progresses, they endure their share of hardships that were previously unmentioned. There is a lot of comedy in this movie, but also many serious issues are addressed.

This movie is a bit lengthy, but you most likely won't have a problem watching it all the way through, especially those seeing it for the first time. I enjoy it every time I watch it, and you probably know why (Janet!) 4 stars. Great movie!

Read Best Reviews of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (2007) Here

This is the best movie Tyler Perry ever made. Definitely add this one to your collection

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With all the personal things going on in my life right now with that a side this is a good movie. The 80/20 rule is so true but this movie is fun to watch with friends and also when you are going through one of those things in your marriage it kinda up lifts you, it did for me and i am only speaking for me. BUT good movie

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Becoming Jane (2007)

The only portrait I ever saw of Jane Austen appears on countless spines of the Modern Library edition of "Pride and Prejudice." Drawn by her sister Cassandra, Jane looks, well, like one would expect the witty Miss Austen to look: poised, civilized, reflective and intelligent. With some imagination and forgiveness with regard to the talent of the artist, she could even be conceived as pretty with her large dark eyes and ringlet fringe peeking out from the typical gentlewoman's cap of that time period. How ingenious for Hollywood to cast the sumptuous Anne Hathaway with her silky brown hair, curvaceous figure, deer-in-the-headlights eyes and perfect lips as the young burgeoning author? Let's face it---no one wants to be a plain Jane and plain she is not--she's pretty much got it all: not only is she innocently stunning, she's independent, wants to work, exhibits impeccable manners, loves her family, acts upon noble ideals all of which along with her cricket skills results in attracting and snaring the deliciously boyish James McAvoy ( Last King of Scotland) as supposed ill-fated lover, Tom Lefroy.

As a film, all of this romanticism works wonderfully. The verdant countryside shimmers in the sunshine. The period clothing---all empire waists, beribboned hair, top hats and velvet frockcoats----sway and rustle delightfully as the couples dance and speak in clever well-mannered innuendo as expectant matchmaking parents play chaperone and contemplate lucrative alliances that will set their children up for life. The dialogue sufficiently reflects that Austenian repartee which the educated audience delights in as it makes them feel they are on an even keel with one of the greatest satirists in the English language. The notion of Austin's relationship with Lefroy as presented first in Jon Spence's biography from which the film gets its name, suggests that many of Austin's dream partnerships as presented in her novels were based on actual, personal and emotional incidents that although painful, gave her characters so much flesh and blood poignancy, we still discuss them today.

Whether or not any of this is actually true matters naught. The film seduces with the same charming intensity of McAvoy's blue-eyed stare as he quite openly undresses Hathaway in his mind. Is Lefroy the basis for Mr. Darcy? This is difficult to say, but I wouldn't mind bumping into this film's Tom Lefroy while I was taking my daily constitutional. Of course, I'd have to go back in time to become a few years younger---or perhaps not as flirty cousin Eliza de Feuillide certainly does have her way with Jane's rakish brother, Henry Austen (Joe Anderson)---oh, what money can buy!

With that in mind, leave the historical authenticity to the Austen scholars and enjoy the film for its performances and its visual delights. Secondary players congregate to form a veritable Austen menagerie of characters that for the most part plays a bit too conveniently to reflect reality. But take it all in fun ---the film leads one to believe that Austen needed little imagination to conceptualize her personalities; rather they were all there under her nose, just waiting to be captured on paper. Nevertheless, Maggie Smith as the formidable Lady Gresham never fails to elicit a chuckle as does her fictional counterpart Lady Catherine de Bourgh from "Pride and Prejudice." Julie Walters and James Cromwell as Jane's parents seem the perfect Mr. and Mrs Bennett clones while Laurence Fox, as Mr. Wisley (Mr. Collins again from "Pride and Prejudice") interjects just the right 21st century computer geek persona to the mix to act the perfect foil for the more glamorous but definitely shallower Tom Lefroy character.

Bottom line: After countless Masterpiece Theatre adaptations of all six of Jane Austen's novels as well as a herd of popular films set to popular music (Bride and Prejudice was one Bollywood version) it is not surprising that the author herself has come into scrutiny in this charming albeit fictionalized biopic. If you are not tired of yet another Darcy/Bennett rendition, you will most likely find "Becoming Jane" two hours worth of Jane Austen's world lovingly preserved. Recommended.

Diana Faillace Von Behren

"reneofc"

The DVD for this movie will be coming out Feb 12, 2008 and will feature deleted scenes, commentary with director Julian Jarrold, writer Kevin Hood and producer Robert Bernstein, becoming Jane Pop-Up Facts & Footnotes(ok, this is enough to make me want to buy it)and a Discovering the Real Jane Austen featurette

The actors were wonderful in this movie and it was well staged. The movie is supposed to be based on a few months of Jane's life when she was 20. H Some scenes were added to make her life more dramatic. There isn't very many facts known about Jane so any biographical movie about her will contain fiction, but I think what most people criticized about this film is it borrows too much from Pride & Prejudice.

The facts about Jane are she was a witty and lively person. We know this from her letters and her writings. She was sort of a tomboy when she was young and played baseball and cricket. She had a handsome and adventurous brother named Henry who helped publish two of her novels after her death. He did marry their cousin. Tom Lefroy was a person she knew and she did flirt with him when she was 20. Many years later he said he did love Jane but it was a "boyish love". His first daughter was named Jane. When she was 27 she was proposed to by a weathly but awkward man named Harry Bigg-Whithers, who she at first accepted but changed her mind the next day.

For people with children, there is some brief nudity (male backsides), some women that appear to be prostitutes, fist fighting and some suggestive language.

Other people have criticized this movie because they see it as another way to cash in on Jane Austen's popularity. I feel that the film does try to shed a little light on her real personality.

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My new all-time favorite movie. Some people may not like it because "it's not 100% true to Jane Austen's life"... Can you say that with 100% certainty though? No. Even if you can, just enjoy the movie for what it is, a beautiful love story! James McAvoy is so convincing as Mr. LeFroy, you can't help but fall in love with him! I already have the Region 2 UK DVD (because I simply couldn't wait forever for the movie to come out on DVD in the US), but it only plays on my laptop, so I intend on buying this DVD when it's released. :) It's worth it!

Read Best Reviews of Becoming Jane (2007) Here

Becoming Jane is the fictionalized account of Jane Austen's (a luminous Anne Hathaway) early years and supposed romance with Thomas Langlois Lefroy (James McAvoy, The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition), Rory O'Shea Was Here). The screenplay was based on real events from the book Becoming Jane Austen by Jon Spence, who also served as historical consultant to the film.

Jane is the younger daughter of Reverend Austen, and the family is in dire financial straits. Jane's older sister Cassandra has just been engaged, and Jane's family desperately wants to find a husband for her due to the family's financial circumstances. However, Jane is headstrong and turns down numerous offers, including Mr. Wisely, the nephew of the demanding Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith). When young Irish lawyer-in-training Thomas Lefroy is sent to Hampshire from London due to his "unseeming" conduct, Thomas and Jane begin a flirtatious battle of wit even as Jane struggles to escape the attentions of Wisely. Her first impression is one of Lefroy's arrogance. Throughout this period, Jane continues to work on novels, including Pride and Prejudice (Lefroy was the inspiration for Mr. Darcy).

Jane's sister Cassandra suffers a terrible blow, and Jane herself must reassess her chances at future happiness due to the fact that a woman being able to support herself based on writing was virtually unheard-of at the time. Her mother gives her a heartbreaking lecture on marriage that displays how fragile the relationship between marrying for affection (desirable) and marrying for financial solvency (indispensable). Her brother Henry is actively courting a widowed cousin who was married to a French count executed during the French Revolution. Another brother, George, is a deaf-mute (historical records show that Jane mentioned that the two talked using sign language), although he plays a very small role in the story, and I had to research him online since there is no explanation of who he is.

My impression of the film was one of disjointedness. One fact that bothered me was the inclusion of a none-too-necessary nude scene featuring Lefroy and Henry stripping down after a cricket game and jumping into the river. Also, several of the subplots could have benefitted from trimming (like the blink-and-you'll-miss-it inclusion of George). The casting was generally quite strong, but I found that McAvoy's Irish accent (which was convincing in Inside I'm Dancing) was fairly eclipsed by a nondescript British one. Many Austenites found fault with the casting of Hathaway, and more specifically, her now you hear it, now you don't English accent. However, her luminous beauty was set off wonderfully by the period costumes, and she lives and breathes the constricting customs of Jane's era with a poised, confident grace. Yes, the accent does falter from time to time, but not enough to be a constant distraction. Maggie Smith is wonderful as the frigid interfering aunt who feels that Jane's family is below her, James Cromwell brought a weathered dignity to his role as Jane's father, and Ian Richardson (who recently passed away) is utterly captivating as the sour uncle on whom Thomas's large family depends.

Special mention goes to the cinematography, filmed on location in Ireland, the period costumes by Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, and the lush period soundtrack (Becoming Jane) by Adrian Johnston. The DVD contains several deleted scenes, a featurette on Discovering the Real Jane Austen, and pop-up facts and footnotes. Final verdict: although the film is wonderful to look at, it is ultimately a depressing look at Jane's first romantic attraction and of her subsequent fate in life. If you're looking for a feel-good Jane Austen movie, you're better off renting Ang Lee's Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition).

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"Becoming Jane" is an unexpected cinematic treasure, and one which deserves attention not only from Jane Austen fans, but from a wider audience as well. Much to my amazement, this film is remarkably true to Jane Austen's spirit, portraying her as a thoughtful, willful, almost modern, woman. I wasn't expecting a tour de force performance from Anne Hathaway, but she's absolutely perfect as Jane Austen, having successfully immersed herself in this role; perhaps her finest bit of film acting to date. James McAvoy has garnered some well-earned critical acclaim for his fine performances in "The Last King of Scotland" and "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe". His portrayal of the young Irish barrister Tom Lefroy, who befriends Jane, is also right on the mark, that's a very compelling portrayal of someone who could have been Jane's intellectual and romantic soul mate for a brief time in the late 1790s. While Hathaway's and McAvoy's performances are the best reasons to see "Becoming Jane", there's also excellent acting from the rest of the cast, most notably James Cromwell's Reverend Austen, Jane's father. If you're at all curious wondering why Jane Austen's fiction has endured, then "Becoming Jane" might offer some tantalizing cinematic answers.

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George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya

don't ask how an item not for sale can be reviewed...this aired on HBO and I've watched it a half dozen times.

Like George's last DVD (HBO Special) Life is Worth Losing, It's Bad For Ya will scare and offend many. For those wanting the hippy dippy weatherman or A Place for my Stuff or Baseball/football type of humour light, this will feel like a sledgehammer. For those of us who have grown over the years with George and appreciated his loud wake up calls ...from his dissing George Bush 1 and the gulf war on....this is more vintage Lion in Winter George. Lambasting the child worship culture,the fraudulant SELF ESTEEM movement, pointing out that unlike his father , Governor bush, hasn't truly been elected president in the traditional way, and our dead relatives aren't hoovering above us guiding us through our daily duties. There is much more to the set..and while I slightly prefer the previous Life is Worth Losing due to its in your face wake up approach..there is much to enjoy here and take note of ....George claims that we are soft and easily placated with cellphones that make us pancake and rub our balls! ...and he's right. Oh...and he suggestes if you really believe you have RIGHTS? Google Japanese Americans 1942 and find out about your precious RIGHTS!

RIP George Carlin...he never took the easy way...he never flinched from the truth and he always kept growing...14 of these specials over the years ....what a treasure!!!

UPDATE: I just got an early copy of the DVD...the bonus 7 minute performance (in color) from the Jackie Gleason show in 1969 is a riot!!! very cool to see George in a suit/tie short hair...doing a normal non-confrontational stand up...

and..the 32 minute bonus "Too Hip For The Room"...which I believe was pulled from a 3 hour tribute to George...is a WONDERFUL bonus feature...I wish they would have all 3 hours but this 32 minutes is sensational...the value of this package just went up up up...

enjoy

I was fortunate enough to be in the audience the night this last HBO Special was taped at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, CA. The DVD taping was done the night before the live show on HBO, but George was in fine form, even though it was becoming more apparent that he was not well. I am so anxious for the release of this DVD so I can see it again but we all loved the show the night he performed it. A true comic genius has left us and will be missed. I am just glad I got to see him one more time in person before his sad death.

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Being a lifelong fan of Georgie boy (50 years),and already possessing all the other HBO specials ( All My Stuff ),and enjoying this last one before we even knew it'd be the last...sigh...and checking daily for a pre-order page...well, I understand " reviewing before releasing."

We'll never see the likes of Georgie boy again...

Read Best Reviews of George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya Here

First, in the interest of complete transparency, G.C was my comedic muse and I think the man was a genius (that's why I cryogenically un-froze him and made him Secretary of education in one of my novels!) As for this DVD, I am thrilled that this, his last special before his death, was as profane and unapologetic as it was intelligent and insightful. This is nuclear grade stuff. Carlin was clearly the comedic anomaly in that he got sharper, more erudite, meaner (and funnier!) as he got older. Like many of the good things in life, this show is "Bad For Ya," but you'll love it too much to leave it alone. The rant on "Who really owns this country" is nothing short of brilliant and alone is worth the price of admission.

Want George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya Discount?

Like George's last DVD (HBO Special) Life is Worth Losing, It's Bad For Ya will scare and offend many. For those wanting the hippy dippy weatherman or A Place for my Stuff or Baseball/football type of humour light, this will feel like a sledgehammer. For those of us who have grown over the years with George and appreciated his loud wake up calls ...from his dissing George Bush 1 and the gulf war on....this is more vintage Lion in Winter George. Lambasting the child worship culture,the fraudulant SELF ESTEEM movement, pointing out that unlike his father , Governor bush, hasn't truly been elected president in the traditional way, and our dead relatives aren't hoovering above us guiding us through our daily duties. There is much more to the set..and while I slightly prefer the previous Life is Worth Losing due to its in your face wake up approach..there is much to enjoy here and take note of ....George claims that we are soft and easily placated with cellphones that make us pancakes and rub our balls! ...and he's right. Oh...and he suggestes if you really believe you have RIGHTS? Google Japanese Americans 1942 and find out about your precious RIGHTS!

RIP George Carlin...he never took the easy way...he never flinched from the truth and he always kept growing...14 of these specials over the years ....what a treasure!!!

BONUS FEATURES: ..the bonus 7 minute performance (in color) from the Jackie Gleason show in 1969 is a riot!!! very cool to see George in a suit/tie short hair...doing a normal non-confrontational stand up...

and..the 32 minute bonus "Too Hip For The Room"...which I believe was pulled from a 3 hour tribute to George...is a WONDERFUL bonus feature...I wish they would have all 3 hours but this 32 minutes is sensational...the value of this package just went up up up...

enjoy

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