Better Off Dead (1985)

It's finally here, and although it doesn't cost $2.00, it's better than nothing (if you caught that reference, you're a fan and will buy it now).

I won't go into plot and such you already know about the movie's merits (or can find them online easily). This review will concern the region 1 (USA) DVD release that came out 7/16/02 at long last! retail around $20-25 USD.

One note: I had trouble finding this on release day the local "big box" boys all told me they had "a copy on order or something"... I guess they didn't anticipate a big demand for this wildy funny 1985 cult comedy.

DVD Special Features: Widescreen enhanced for 16:9, English Subtitle Option, Dolby Digital & "English Stereo" (whatever that means). No foreign language tracks, outtakes or even a trailer. No stills of the cast or bios.... nada. Zip. Zero.

Initial Impressions: This DVD is truly a bare-bones production from start to finish. I actually thought the audio track was absent at first, due to the lack of any sound at all until the movie proper starts. And of course you can't skip over the annoying studio splash or the stern warning not to copy it. At least there's no ads or previews in front like some.

Menu Options: The menu page is a static photo with three options Play, Setup and Scene Selection. Setup lets you pick from "Subtitle: English or None". That's it. No other setup options... it looks like you could change Audio Indicator to other foreign languages, but that option does not highlight. Maybe they forgot to add foreign language tracks or the coder forgot to link up to the function.

Video: I played this on two different TV/DVD setups one highend and one old/low end. The Widescreen refused to work on my lowend set, but worked fine on the new DVD player. However, both sets showed the film to be overly bright and rather soft, especially in outdoor scenes. Even inside, there were no good strong blacks to be seen. The print itself seemed rather clean, with no spots or distortions immediately visible. Overall, it looked like a moderate home-transfer job of a videotape via a DVD burner... barely better than my vhs. Such a shame.

Audio: Nothing special, just good old Dolby. Not that surround would do much with this movie, but still.. blah.

Extras: none. I suspect if they could have had "less than none" they would have. Truly a poor showing for this classic comedy.

Summary: Although "gotta have it" fans like myself are happy to have a DVD at last, this shoddy transfer and lack of features makes me a bit ticked at whomever decided to jam it to us fans and charge "normal" dvd prices. It would have been much more accurately priced as a budget dvd in the 12.99 range after all this time... surely the production costs have been paid for many times over.

Other: The VHS (20th Cent.Fox) edition indicates 98 minutes, the DVD says 97 minutes... reason not apparent. Also, the keepcase coverart is truly dreadfulwhomever created this case cover needs some more photoshop lessons pronto!

5 stars for the original movie, 3 stars for this lackluster DVD edition.

As the years go by, I find myself growing more and more convinced that the '80s were the last true golden age for that often-maligned genre, the teen sex comedy. Whereas now Hollywood shells out a small fortune to finance a Britney Spears soundtrack for films starring young men who make Frankie Avalon look complex (and featuring actresses who seem to have copied Annette Funnicello's bust but none of her own admitedly simple charm), the '80s were usually made with low budgets, up-and-coming young actors who at least seemed to be having fun, scripts that were too joyfully crude to ever be considered truly offensive, and directors who seem to have vanished at the decade's in. My own personal favorite amongst these directors was "Savage" Steve Holland (Is that a perfect '80s name or what?) who defined the entire decade with just two films -One Crazy Summer and especially Better Off Dead. Both of these films display Holland's crazed, gloriously strange wit, his penchant for casting Curtis Armstrong as a high school students (despite the fact that Armstrong appeared to be in his 30s at the time), his fondness for the random nonsensical cartoon, and especially his early foresight to make John Cusack his favored star.

In Better Off Dead, Cusack plays a likeable but nerdy high school schlub. Of course, all teen films claim to be about likeable schlubs but Cusack was one of the few actors who was actually believable as being both likeable and socially unpopular. He's dumped by his girlfriend, decides to beat her new boyfriend in a ski competition, attempts suicide a few times -in a bit that everyone seems to hold as their personal favorite -has to deal with a homicidal paper boy who wants his two dollars. Its a crazed plot and Holland doesn't waste much time trying to make it all coherent. Instead, he uses the plot as an excuse to pile on more and more strange sight gags and bizarre characters. In short, rather than pretending his story is some sort of grand artistic statement (like the current crop of youth films), Holland creates his own demented world -a world where high school students are sent into almost religious ecstacy when their math teacer assigns them 200 pages of homework (their sincerely joyful reaction is my own personal favorite of the film's many out-there moments) and even a cartoon comes to life and asks permission to date Cusack's ex. Its a world where one of my favorite, unjustly unknown actresses of that era -the sweetly pretty Diana Franklin -shows up as a French exchange student who offers Cusack a chance at true romance if only he can survive a "fencing" match with an even more nerdy suitor. Its a world where a Japanese exchange student does a perfect imitation of Howard Cosell. In short, its a world that could only have been created in the freedom-loving days of the 1980s and John Cusack becomes the perfect everyman to lead us through that world. There are so many hilarious lines in Better off Dead and it seems everyone has their own personal favorite ("Its a shame people be throwing out a perfectly good white boy like that" comes up a lot though Armstrong shouting "Can you imagine the street value of this" as he snorts up a line of white snow is my own choice). What is truly amazing is that for a film that was dismissed when it originally opened, Better off Dead seems to have become the personal "cult" film of just about everyone who went to high school during the 1980s.

Cusack is one of the best actors working today but, for many of his long-time fans, his recent work has been a bit disappointing. Since renouncing the whole teen film thing, some of Cusack's performances have -on occasion -seemed to be a case of an actor taking himself too seriously. Even if the films did little for his career, Cusack seemed to, at least, be having fun in films like Better off Dead -a quality that sometimes appears to missing from his "mature" work. Of course, everyone in Better Off Dead seems to be having fun. Its a fun, genuinely goon natured film and this is why -despite being dismissed by snobs over the years -it retains such a strong following. Whenever I see a commercial for yet another film featuring Freddie Prinze, Jr. doing his "soulful" thing while the Backstreet Boys parade in the background, I think of Better Off Dead and its missing director. Come back, Savage Steve and -whatever you have to do -bring John Cusack with you. We all deserve to have a little fun again.

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I don't know what people were expecting to see or hear with Better Off Dead on blu-ray. High definition does not translate to a miraculous transformation. It simply allows you to experience more closely what the source elements have to offer. In the case of Better Off Dead, it had a very low budget and was made very quickly. The filmmakers weren't concerned with how great the shots could be artistically, since it's a screwball comedy for teenagers. The low quality 80's film stock that was used wasn't great with detail, depth, or color, and was quite unstable. The film's soundtrack, which was originally in mono, was created with basic sound effects and design, because that's all the budget allowed for. The film will never look amazing no matter how much restoration is done to it and it'll never sound amazing unless an entirely new sound mix with new sound effects is created. It is a product of its low budget source limitations and unless you accept that fact, you will be greatly disappointed.

On the positive side, the print is clean and full of natural film grain. It's the best I've ever seen it look. The sound is exactly as it has always been, thin, lifeless and limited in range, though dialogue is always intelligible. The downside of this release is there are no special features. No retrospective, or appreciation, or commentary. I'm not surprised considering how limited the fan base is for the film.

This is the best presentation of Better Off Dead to date and I'm sure it could never be much better than it is on blu-ray. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

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First off I have seen this movie quiet a few times, and it is a great flick, but when they made the DVD I had to have it. Well I am sorely disappointed in the quality of the sound. It doesn't have either Dolby Digital or DTS. I have movies that have both, ad sound great. This sounds like a muffled person.

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First off, you have to see this movie. Although it would get awards for being extremely cheezy... it's quite humorous. If you want a movie review, read the excellent posts by Jeffrey Ellis or Joshua Lai.

Second, my low rating is based on the actual DVD. I waited, and waited, and waited for this movie to come out on DVD. Considering DVDs have been around more than 5 years already, I'm truly amazed that companies still put out VHS quality works in DVD format. I could have sworn I was watching a videotape (on my HD monitor with progressive scan player). Unless you are a Better Off Dead nut like myself, wait until the studio releases a Collector's edition or Special editor before spending your money on this DVD.

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Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2008)

My wife and I took a chance on this and rented it when we couldn't find anything else. We haven't seen any other Apatow films -they all looked a little too adolescent for our tastes. We had read some good reviews of this, though, so we gave it a shot. It was a real surprise -very clever, well-written, and genuinely funny. Great cast, and all give excellent performances. Lots of real talent went into this. A very enjoyable movie.

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is another smashing success brought to you by Judd Apatow and friends. This time it is Jason Segel's turn to shine and he certainly does not dissapoint with a script that is both laugh out loud funny and emotionally honest.

While one has come to expect Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, and even Segel himself to be on point because of their past turns in other Apatow produced comedies, it is the newcomers that really impress.

Like Christpher Mint-Plaisse as Fogel in "Superbad" it is the ability to find new and original comedic voices that have largely contributed to the success of past Apatow movies like "Superbad", "Knocked up", and even "40 year old virgin".

"Sarah Marshall" introduces the british Comedian Russell Brand to American audiences as Aldous Snow the ultra-ridiculous british rockstar/new boyfriend of Sarah Marshall. Brand has dynamite comic timing and is certainly willing to do anything for a laugh. His interactions with Jonah Hill whose character is obsessed with him are both creepy and laugh out loud funny.

the other real suprise is Mila Kunis. While I enjoyed her as jackie on "That 70's Show", her work here is truly relevatory. While she is essentially playing the requiste "dream girl" she is able to give the part some real depth while giving the movie a real warmth.

The other standout for me was Bill Hader who is funnier everytime I see him. Most will probably recognize him from his work in Superbad as Seth Rogen's partner and in this he plays segel's step-brother who is not afraid to tell Peter exactly how it is.

I also feel I need to mention Kristen Bell who plays Sarah Marshall. While the role is rather thankless she is quite funny and gives the character real bite. She also nails perhaps the most honest scene I have ever seen in a romantic comedy when she finally tells Peter why it didnt work between them. Both actors shine in the scene, but her work is both honest and heartbreaking and gives her character a depth that I certainly was not expecting.

This one is highly recommended

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Partway through this movie I was tempted to stop it, but I'm glad I didn't. This is a movie that starts good, has a wandering middle section, but a strong, satisfying finish. The story is one most people can relate to a guy gets dumped, tries to forget his ex but can't get away from her, and manages to find someone else. The part where I almost gave up on it was around where Jason Segel's character was breaking down in scenes which were intended to be funny, but at times just felt sad. I enjoy comedies which include their share of drama, but these scenes felt too forced. It seemed like some of those scenes stretched on for too long or borderline-funny gags were repeated too much. The movie does still have its share of funny scenes, like most of Apatow's films.

The scenes with the Dracula puppet musical were quite funny and the ending was rather touching. I will also give the movie credit for being one of the few daring enough to include male frontal nudity. Movies have no problem with having all the violence in the world but shy away from any nudity except graphic sex scenes. Here's an example of where nudity can be used in a story without being gratuitous.

Read Best Reviews of Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2008) Here

The story line of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is nothing completely new or all that complex. The movie starts off with Peter Bretter, played by Jason Segel, who ends up getting broken up by Sarah Marshall, played by Kristen Bell, his celebrity girlfriend of 5 years. I thought that I was going to see a movie that has been done a million times and will laugh at a few dirty jokes. Surprisingly enough, Jason Segel knows his way around writing and acting. For a man who has never played a lead character or written his own screenplay he was very impressive.

One thing that not everyone realizes is that the full frontal nudity scene was not in the movie just for laughs. We have him nude in the beginning because Sarah has completely stripped him of everything and she couldn't accept who he really is, his true nakedness. And if you watch the movie (I don't want to spoil it too much) you will see this motif happen again later in the film. Yes, it is very funny to see Peter standing naked while he is getting dumped, but it also served a purpose.

Throughout the film we get witty and fresh characters that continue to make us laugh. The bar tender from South Central always stirs up laughs and the Christian couple on their honeymoon will have you grabbing your sides. Not to mention the incredible character of Aldous Snow played by Russel Brand. I know many people are not a fan of Brand, but my friends and I just can't get enough of him. His amazing improv throughout the film and ridiculous attitude is all part of his humor.

If some of you are asking how it stands up to the other comedies of the year, I must say FSM trumps all. Tropic Thunder is a close second for me, but the closeness that this will have with people that have gone through difficult breakups will have them laughing a bit more.

Last thing I want to say is the three disc collectors edition is well worth every penny. All the special features are hilarious and definitely worth the view. They share stories of Russel Brand's first audition to how Jason felt watching his nude scenes with his mom and little sister. We also get some insight from Nick Stoller and how he felt directing his first film and being part of the Apatow gang. The best part about this DVD, and should be true about all other Unrated editions, is that you can choose to watch either the unrated or theatrical version. Personally I prefer the theatrical version because it flows better, but give the unrated a view for their extra jokes. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is a film that will not soon be forgotten.

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When you hear the phrase "date movie", most people usually think "chick flick", a movie that's pleasing to the female on the date yet only passable at best for the guy. Something like The Wedding Planner, 27 Dresses or the most recent chick-centric movie to be dubbed "the perfect date movie", Made of Honor.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall blows all those flicks right out of the water. This movie is a rare occurrence. It's a movie that has the right amount of romance for the ladies and an abundance of raunchy jokes for the guys. Kristen Bell is especially good in her role as the title character. She's come a long way since Veronica Mars. She proves that comedy is her real forte.

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King Of New York (1990)

KING OF NEW YORK is, for my money, the most valuable (and the most underrated) film of the last 20 years. It is a homage to the classic American genre the gangster fable with the depth and subtext of a European art-movie. It's a precursor to urban crime thrillers like New Jack City and Menace II Society (Ferrara points out they first used a rap-score in 1982). An ode to drug-culture. A pitchblack satire of capitalism and its grotesque fallout. It's got a cast to die for, and a close-knit crew at the height of their powers.

It's shot across an array of locations including Sing-Sing, Donald Trump's Plaza Hotel, and various crack-lanes; it weaves seamlessly between an original score, and the music of Vivaldi and Schooly D; the film is meticulously colour-coded (as pointed out by Nick Johnstone in his book) to add up to a cold critique of the red WHITE and blue, the all-American war-on-drugs; the tempo is expertly-managed, the movie simmers for a while then explodes into heavy-metal carnage, and then it dies with a sad whimper. The film is spectacularly violent, but think about the handling of the violence. There's a big Peckinpah slo-mo shootout, then the audacious shootout in Chinatown. But in the 2nd half of the movie the deaths are direct, painful to watch, and pitiful in their execution.

And then there's the cast: Walken was never better. He mesmirises you, brilliantly charismatic. And he looks so otherworldy, what with the hair and the deathly complexion, he's like the man who fell to Earth, the oddest looking `hero' you've ever seen. Fishburne reinvented a character imagined for James Russo and the whole movie turns on that transition. Its simply impossible to imagine how it could have worked ½ as well with Russo, or any1 else for that matter. Caruso is a fire-engine red ball of rage. The scene when he rushes from his colleagues funeral is one of the most beautifully played-out expressions of vigilantism ever put on film. Argo as a weary, deflated, pill-poppin' `old man' who has been there and knows the war is unwise and un-win-able.

As far as Im concerned, every sequence, every line of dialogue ("I'm not the problem, I'm just a businessman") is pure gold. Ferrara's is the cult-of-cults, his movies usually too far-out or nihilistic to get much of a following. But this one I bet Tarantino wishes he'd made.

And the DVD package...The documentary is not comprehensive, but it re-enforces what sets Ferrara's films above those of most of his contemporaries, the sheer degree of collaboration involved. Abe's anarchist mentality has freed up guys like Joe Delia (music), Anthony Redman (editor), Charles Lagola (production design) and Ken Kelsch to make exactly the sort of films they want. Kelsch makes the most telling statement towards the end, which might explain why Ferrara hasn't made a film for about five years (after a Woody Allen-esque burst of creativity in the 90s). In fact, as basic as it is, the doco is startlingly honest and revealing about its subject.

Ferrara previously contributed a delirious commentary to The Driller Killer, but this time round you kinda feel sad listening to his hazy lack of insight, having the suspicion that his personal curse has robbed him of both his allies and his inspiration at the moment when he's finally getting his dues. But the commentary track is actually a blast! Abel and his best-mate Frankie crack open a few brews, he makes some funny asides about Walken's hair and the reaction to the film on release. And if you get to the credits, you get to listen to Abel bang out Schooly's title-track on an acoustic guitar with a Dylan drawl.

Check out the title card on the trailer. Under the title it reads (a Ferrara / St. John original), like the credits on the label of a 45" record. Like Mick and Keef, or Scorsese and Schrader, these guys made dynamite 2gether. KONY is their towering achievement, it's one of the great films ever made.

Some way into Abel Ferrara's 'King Of New York', two gangsters conspire in a small cinema showing F.W. Murnau's 1922 horror classic 'Nosferatu'. Playing the scene where the vampire disembarks his corpseand rat-ridden ship docked in England, it has clear reference to Ferrara's protagonist, Frank White (Christopher Walken in one of cinema's great, mercurial performances), a drug-smuggler recently released from a long period in prison, hoping to reassert his local criminal power. White refers to his return as 'coming back from the dead', and Walken's long, haunted figure and dancer's movements have some of the aristocratic grace of a famous screen Dracula, Christopher Lee. Mostly seen at night, he gathers new recruits (fresh blood) around him to 'feed' on. One remarkable shot, after a prolonged sequence of speedy violence, has him lit so his eyes shine like some haunted undead; another has the camera following him through a railway station until it is stopped by bars it can only impotently watch as White glides up the stairs to be swallowed by the night. The film even has as one of his opponents a cop played by future vampire-slayer Wesley Snipes.

But the 'Nosferatu' allusion points to something else Ferrara's strange absorption of silent cinema. In terms of content, 'King' is a gangster film like any other: loud, ugly, violent, brutal, lurid, hysterical. But it has a purity and beauty very different from the stylised melodramas of Martin Scorcese, whose equally bloodthirsty 'Goodfellas' came out in the same year. The first ten minutes is an astonishing, virtually wordless, visual tour-de-force, not simply presenting the main character, his situation and environment, but introducing symbolic motifs that are all the more powerful for being real, a part of Frank's world, and not simply imposed. Bars and grids (in prison, gates, bridges etc.) are the most prominent, signifying initially Frank's literal imprisonment, then his difficulties with the law and fellow criminals, and his frustrated ambitions (including a Guiliani-like zero-tolerance programme to clean up the streets), but eventually, as we might expect from a Ferrara littering his film with religious iconography, something much more metaphysical, outside the confines of genre (hence the references to Melville).

After this, there is a lot of talk noisy, profane, funny, aggressive, threatening but the best sequences retain this silent aesthetic: the night-club double cross leading to a car chase and man-hunt under a bridge; a police funeral in which a limousine hit provokes the scattering of black-clad, bankside mourners; the 'Le Samourai'-like subway confrontation between gangster and cop [although the film's very greatest scene, Larry Fishburne's Jimmy Jump ordering fast food just before being busted for murder, depends for its effect on the conflict between talk and silence, his bluster oblivious to the soundless arrests playing out behind him]. The use of huge, intense close-ups recall the emotional silent era, as does Ferrara's camerawork, more deliberate and heavy than Scorcese's flash pyrotechnics. The staging of set-pieces is as artifical as Murnau's setscapes in 'Sunrise'; the underworld carnival is more Celine than Scorcese. Even the use of blue filter in key scenes is less a signifier of atmosphere or artifice than a nod to the practise of 'colorising' monochrome silents.

By employing this style from a period he clearly loves, Ferrara is able to inject a spirituality and ceremonial gravitas not immediately apparent in the crudity of the genre subject.

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Frank White (Christopher Walken) is a crime boss just released from prison. He rejoins his henchmen, headed up by Jimmy Jump (Laurence Fishburne). No sooner does White step out of prison, that the killing games begin. White is out to finance a local inner city hospital that is on the verge of being closed for lack of funding. He is determined to do this by using the ill gotten gains of drug trafficking, his and that of other drug lords. Since the others apparently will not relinguish the money voluntarily, force is used, quite a bit of it as a matter of fact, to get their money and/or drugs.

Officers Dennis Gilley (David Caruso) and Thomas Flanigan (Wesley Snipes) are part of a team of cops that are looking to stop White. They are outraged that he is on the street and that they are seemingly unable to stop him by fair means. They decide to resort to foul means and end up all the worse for their efforts. Throughout the film, the line is sometimes blurred between the good guys and the bad guys. There is no happy ending here, and justice may or may not be deemed to have been served, depending upon the viewer's own subjective viewpoint.

The performances are good overall, and in particular, Fishburne's manic character, Jimmy Jump, is a good foil for Walker's coolly detached character, Frank White. This is not really a character driven movie, however, but rather a plot driven one. There is a lot of action, a lot of shootings and carnage, and some car chase scenes that will keep the viewer on edge. The violence, when it occurs, is bloody and protracted. Moreover, in addition to being bimbos and sex toys, the women also pack high powered heat and shoot with the best of them. Despite some plot holes, the film entertains, though just how entertaining the viewer will find this film will depend on the viewer's tolerance for violence.

The DVD itself is pretty much no frills, offering pretty standard features, such as widescreen, a theatrical trailer, scene access, and a music video. There is no commentary. The picture, though dark, is clear, as is the sound.

Read Best Reviews of King Of New York (1990) Here

Scarface is the greatest gangster movie ever made. This one is second. King of New York is one of the most underrated movies of all time. To begin with, if you really sit back and look at all of the actors in this movie, there is no way in this day and age you could assemble a greater cast. King of New York features Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, David Caruso, and Wesley Snipes before most of them were truly famous.

This is one of those movies that I found myself watching over and over again, in fact when I was a teenager I watched this film once a day. I now have to limit my viewing to once a year so I do not ruin it and it still remains fresh, although I'm not sure how fresh a movie can be when you have the full dialog memorized.

The story is about a New York drug lord named Frank White (yes, this is the same Frank White that the Notorious BIG and other rappers refer to in their rhymes.) played by Christopher Walken who is let out of prison after serving 5 years. Once out of prison White is determined to make up for lost time and to continue to build his cartel and ultimately use money to fund hospitals and make the city of New York better. He teams up with his former workers led by high strung and insane Jimmy Jump and unforgettable character played by Laurence Fishburne (Larry at the time) who wields to 9 mili's and a sinister laugh when the stuff hits the fan.

David Caruso, Wesley Snipes and highly underrated Victor Argo play cops who are outraged by Whites release from prison and are so determined to get him back in that they will do anything to make sure White and his crew are off the street one way or the other.

This is a highly dramatic, riveting, and action packed film that will blow even the most jaded movie watchers away. I cannot say enough about this film, it is a must own and an all time classic. In its truest form it is a B movie, however it ranks up there with Scarface, the God Father and Goodfellas. Imagine what could have happened if this movie had a true Holly Wood budget! It might just have been the greatest film ever made and it is my all time #1 favorite film. A true masterpiece.

"I'm not your problem, I'm just a business man."

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Christopher Walken plays Frank White, a druglord, murderer, and thief who has just been released from prison. He seems to be a powerful man who is also very well off. He is also on the radar of a gang of close freinds who happen to be police officers. Frank seems to be more at home in the ghetto than he does in his high-rise apartment. That much is clear. What is also clear is that his primary motivation for doing the things he does is to keep dishonest criminals at bay and to make enough money to fund a hospital in an underpriviledged part of town to keep it from closing.

The motivation of the police officers, however, seems to only involve doing their job.

Why I love movies like this is that we've all seen the cops and robbers story a million times. What we don't usually see in movies is that sometimes the line between cop and robber is very thin. In this movie, both groups are portrayed as almost the same type of character. They're all drunk on the power that their lifestyles afford them, and they all use bullets to get their way.

There really isn't much to say about this movie except that it's very realistic to my way of thinking, and it doesn't insult the viewer by portraying a black and white view of the world by favoring one way over the other. Everyone is selfish, and everyone is out to get their way. If anything, I found myself siding with Frank for most of the film.

I like that.

I like that I can watch a character on the screen that I have no realistic attachment to and feel for them. I like that I can look at the "bad guy" and know, if not completely identify with, why he does what he does.

This is not a movie for those of you who get uncomfortable hearing points of view you're not used to.

This is for open-minded viewers only.

Forget about good vs. bad. This is every man for himself, and it's one of my favorite movies of the genre.

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The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD packaging) (1998)

Yeah, I know that this direct-to-video sequel was put out to cash in even more so on the original, which itself grossed over $300 in U.S. box office receipts to become the most successful Disney film ever! However, after watching this a couple of years back and revisiting it today, I know that there was another, much better, reason: four years after THE LION KING, we were all missing the characters...and we were hungry for more. As much as us fans of the original did not want the possibility of having the franchise tainted by an inferior sequel, it seemed to be worth the risk.

And it was. In 1998, Disney got most of the principal voice-over actors back from the original---Matthew Broderick as Simba, Moira Kelly as Nala, Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella as Timon & Pumbaa, respectively, and of course, Robert Guillaume as the hilarious Rafiki---and made THE LION KING II: SIMBA'S PRIDE, which follows our favorite Lion hero (and King) & family as they pick up from where they left off in the first film. Now Simba is the King and his young offspring is a lioness cub named Kiara; he's the worried dad in this one, always fearing for the safety of the young precocious girl, but they're nevertheless a happy family just the same. Of course, danger lurks in the shadows, as Zira (Suzanne Pleshette---yes, *that* Suzanne Pleshette), the villainous ex-mate of Scar, is training her young son Kovu to grow up to avenge Scar's death by killing Simba. However, Rafiki, the silly-acting but nevertheless wise monkey, finds out to his horrified amazement that Kiara and Kovu are destined for each other. Sure enough, Kiara and Kovu meet each other as cubs and take an immediate strong liking to each other. Can true love overcome true evil?

This film, by itself, is very well-written and acted, with excellent production values for the fact that it is a direct-to-video sequel. It has really no flaws of its own, just one obvious inconsistency between it and the first film: Scar's 'ex-mate' Zira (and, by extension, Kovu) simply did not exist in the original THE LION KING! She was obviously made up just to have a sequel. However, this is the only major thing to overlook, and if you can forgive this movie for it, then you should be able to easily enjoy yourself. As I said, this is a good animated movie, and I recommend it for any fan of the original. This sequel isn't quite as dark; however, I still would not recommend showing it to very young kids. Suzanne Pleshette does a surprisingly good job as the evil, scheming, vengeful Zira (basically a female versdion of old Scar himself). Neve Campbell does a solid job as the voice of the adult Kiara, and Jason Marsden does excellently as the conflicted Kovu, who wants to do good, but...he made a promise to his mother...didn't he?!

Listen, THE LION KING II: SIMBA'S PRIDE is not the masterpiece that THE LION KING is...however, it is much better than it perhaps should be. Fans of the original should definitely own it.

RECOMMENDED, AGES 8 & UP

The Lion King II-Simba's Pride is a better than excellent movie! I really loved it. I watched it at a friend's house a few months ago and we all loved it. Simba is grown up and has mated with his childhood sweetheart Nala. He has a daughter, Kiara, who wanders onto the territory belonging to Scar's mate, Zira. She starts playing with Zira's son, Kovu, but soon Zira finds out and she snarls and all. Simba comes to the rescue and forbids Kiara to go there again. Kovu is sent to Simba's territory to live there and kill him. But, like any Disney movie, Kovu and Kiara fall in love! It's about the relationships between Kiara and Kovu and Simba and Kovu. In the end there is a fight, but I'm not going to tell you who dies or lives! Watch this movie that brings The Lion King back to life!

Buy The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD packaging) (1998) Now

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is by far one of the best, if not the best, Disney sequel produced to date. It has sold more copies than any other Disney sequel, and for good reason -it is a worthy successor to the throne.

The animation is high quality, especially for a direct-to-video sequel. Instead of using hand-drawn characters and computers to color the images, TLK2 was done in traditional cel animation, unlike the original Lion King. This makes the movie even more classic, and easily appreciated not only for its wonderful story, but the artwork involved in creating it.

The story is stunning and picks up basically where TLK left off. Simba and Nala's daughter, Kiara, is being raised to become the future queen. In the meantime, she encounters a cub from a tribe of outsiders named Kovu, and they immediatly become friends. However, both of their families stand in the way of their friendship continuing, and they never see each other again until they are adults and that's where things really get interesting! Zira, the leader of the outsiders and Scar's mate, is trying to kill Simba, and Kovu figures into the plan. In the end, both tribes clash in all out war. You'll just have to watch to see how the story ends.

Definitely a worthy sequel to the first, get a copy if you can.

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Set after Lion King and Lion King 1/2, Simba has defeated Scar and got the throne at last. Simba ( voiced by Matthew Broderick) and Nala now have a daughter named "Kiara" whom is the heir of the pridelands, one day while wondering around the pridelands she meets a mysterious lion cub named " Kovu" and becomes friends with him. Unknown to Kiara, Kovu is a young member of the banished outland pride whom were part of Scar's pride. Now there is a war between the prides lead by the dark Zira ( voiced by Suzanne Pleshette), only Kovu ( Jason Marsden) and Kiara ( voiced by Neve Campbell) with their love can straighten things up between the two prides.

Terrific sequel to both " Lion King" and " Lion King 1/2", it's another sequel that proves not all the disney sequels can stink. What works here is that some of the cast members from the original with a new one ( Robert Guillium, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Andy Dick) come back, the animation is theatrical quality on a good level and the soundtrack to it isn't bad at all.

The 2-Disc special edition is great! there are fine extras like " One By One" an all-new animated short from the makers of "Lion King" and " Lilo and Stitch", Timon and Pumbaa's virtual safari 2.0, fun games, pop-up trivia when you play the movie on pop-up triva mode, featurettes and great Picture & Sound quality.

Highly recommended movie but first watch the original then Lion King 1/2 and then this one, i think the Lion King trilogy is probably the "Star Wars Trilogy" of animated trilogies.

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Personally, I feel that the two Lion King movies are probably the best Disney movies out. It's definitely worth watching if you like movies that have a combination of: tragidy, romance, adventure, and maturing. The songs are pretty cool. This movie definitely is a good sequil, I think that Disney should make a third Lion King movie.

In this movie Simba and Nalla have their kid "Kiara" (a girl). And the boy Kovu who is chosen by Scar to follow in his paw prints, as it's clearly stated in the movie. Kovu is raised by Zira, Scars mate. And like in the first Lion King Kovu grows up with a girl as a child hood friend named Vitanni and a klutz of a brother name Nuka. But the difference between the first and the second Lion King movie is Kovu doesent hook up with his child hood friend. Vitanni plays a main part in the end which helps change the minds of the outsiders and the pridelanders, suprisingly. And that's all I'm going to tell you about the movie, except for it's really worth seeing!!!

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The Muppets Take Manhattan (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1984)

The Muppets Take Manhattan is the third Muppet film and although not the strongest, it's sure to entertain the entire family. The story follows the Muppets on their quest to get their show, "Manhattan Melodies", produced on Broadway. It's a terrific story that hits at the core of what the Muppets are all about, namely putting on a show. Sure the music isn't as memorable as that in the first muppet movie (except "I'm Gonna Always Love You"), but you can't help appreciating the lengths to which the Muppets will go to entertain you. Singing chickens? Got 'em! Frogs with hair? Check! Unbelieveable action sequence? Of course, and it's unbelieveable in more ways than one! A Muppet staple is the cameo and they abound in this film. Everyone from Liza Minelli to Art Carney sets some screen time. Joan Rivers is particularly funny in her over the top make-up scene with Miss Piggy. For all you Trekkers, Gates McFadden even appears as a secretary to a con man!

The film is great entertainment, but this DVD has problems. First of all the digital tranfer isn't that good. Plenty of older films like Fantasia look stunning on DVD, but not this film. There is a graininess to the picture that can be discracting and artifacts abound. Sound is presented in only a mono format. Was the original film released this way? I don't know, but if so some mention should be made on the packaging, otherwise it feels like we're getting ripped off. On a positive note the film is presented in both a formatted and widescreen version. As for the other bonuses, there is a strange feature called "Muppetisms" that I can't really figure out. They are minute, minute and a half long segments featuring one or two muppets just goofing off and benign wacky. Not too sure what it's all about, but it was fun to watch once. By far the best bonus feature is the interview with Jim Henson. He talks a bit about the making of the film, how decisions are made and such. It's an incredible peek into the creation of a Muppet film. There is one glarig problem though the chapter stops are just little minute or so long bits of the interview. To see the whole thing you have to continually stop and start up again. It's a big mistake and makes watching the entire thing quite a chore.

My final word on this edition is buy it for the widescreen version of the movie only. The transfer isn't that good, the bonuses aren't that great, but the film itself is a real treat. Not the strongest Muppet film, but not the weakest either. If you have the video and don't care about widescreen, you can easily (and sadly) pass on this DVD. If not, pick this up for a fun romp around Manhattan that you and your family are sure to enjoy again and again.

I'll be the first to jump in front of a moving truck to ward off Muppet slander, but honestly I don't see how this is a worthwhile purchase. I love this movie, the great music, perfectly timed gags, what's not to enjoy? I'm not writing a review based on the content of the movie, but rather the lack of care this barely passable conversion/ 'upgrade' Sony has given us.

What a disappointment. We've all been waiting hungrily for the Season 4 of the Muppet show that's been dangled in front of us so many times, but then they push this (and Muppets from Space) out the door without any care to the consumer. Just repackaged on a bluray disc.

If you own 'Muppets Take Manhattan' on DVD, then you've got everything this has but with less advertisements that come with BluRay Live. Even down to the Jim Henson interview pieces, nothing on this is any different than the DVD version and that's half the price. No new Pepe interviews, just a reprint but on slightly nicer material. Granted, with Disney owning the Muppet franchise and the release of the new film, why wouldn't it have been quick and painless to add a few more worthwhile featurettes onto this? Fans can only wonder.

The quality is roughly the same with probably some slight adjustments but I don't believe it's remastered in the sense of seeing a night and day difference in the overall video or audio quality. This Jim Henson classic deserves a 5 for content but this product deserves roughly a 2. Thanks Sony for a mediocre product pushed out for Christmas/ Holiday consumption.

Buy The Muppets Take Manhattan (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1984) Now

The Muppets Take Manhattan is the last big-screen Muppet adventure from the late, great Jim Henson. It follows the gang graduating from college and trying to take Broadway by storm with their musical "Manhattan Melodies". After extensive self promotion they soon realise that breaking into showbiz isn't as easy as it might seem.

The third of the Muppet movies sees it's second release on DVD video. This newer release includes a nice interview section with the Muppet mastermind himself, Jim Henson. Apart from the wide-screen picture, the interview section is the best special feature on the disc.

The soundtrack is presented here in mono (did the original cinematical version have a mono soundtrack?) so audio digital remastering wasn't necessary.

Nevertheless, another fine addition to the Muppet DVD collection.

Read Best Reviews of The Muppets Take Manhattan (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (1984) Here

I am totally in love with this movie!! It is my favorite Muppet movie, and one of my just general favorite movies! A fun, energetic and clever movie from start to finish! Fun songs, the incomparable fun characters created by Jim Henson and his team of geniuses! Fans of Broadway and musical theater, take note of this one too! :o) Tons of cameos make this film one you will have to watch over and over and contiunally enjoy! I've never grown tired of watching this one, I love it!

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Hi Ho, Kermit the frog's here and I'm not talking about

"Sesame Street". Join him with his Muppet partners Miss Piggy,

Fozzie Bear, The great Gonzo, Pepe and Rizzo. Kermit the frog

wants to get a show called "Manhattan Melodies" which is about

2 kids who come to New York to get married (which Kermit and

Miss Piggy do). But it does not work, so he tries to get four people to help. They are a restaurant worker named Pete, a girl named Jenny, and a father/son team called Bernard and Ronnie Crawford.

Don't miss the cameos by Art Carney, Brooke Shields, Dabney Coleman, Gregory Hines (whom we give tribute to since he died.

He was 57, also starred in films like "Tap" (Tri-Star) and

"White Nights"(Columbia) ), James Coco, Joan Rivers and Linda Lavin. Songs include "Saying Goodbye", "You Cant Take "No" For A

Answer" and "Together Again".

Also Recommended are:

"The Muppet Movie"(1979)

"The Great Muppet Caper"(1981)

"Muppet Treasure Island"(1996)

"The Best Of Kermit On Sesame Street"(1998)

"Muppets From Space"(1999)

This Film Is Dedicated To The Memory Of

Jim Henson

1936-1990

Tri-Star Pictures, Jim Henson Home Entertainment, CBS/Fox Video,

Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, 1984, Rated G.

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Other Son (2012)

As I settled in to watch the heartfelt drama "The Other Son," I was instantly wary of its contrived set-up and principle plot thread. Like a classic soap opera, the center of this well meaning movie revolves around a switched-at-birth incident. This accident, however, is wrought with political and religious significance. One family is Israeli and one is Palestinian. What happens when the mistake is discovered as the two boys approach adulthood? Such a set-up would allow for plenty of intellectual discussion, teaching moments, and heavy handed drama. I could already see where the movie was heading. Remarkably, though, director Lorraine Levy (working with an incredibly nuanced screenplay) doesn't travel down the expected path. Instead, she takes this situation and turns it into a thoughtful, restrained, and pleasingly subtle experience. Truthfully, I loved "The Other Son." It never attempts to preach at its audience, it allows its characters to discover their own way. Once I gave in to the premise, everything else felt absolutely real and relatable.

In Tel Aviv, Joseph (Jules Sitruk) prepares for national service and it is discovered that his blood type does not match those of his parents. This fact throws his folks into a tailspin looking for a rational explanation. It is soon determined that a mix-up might have occurred during a hospital evacuation during the Gulf War eighteen years prior. The other boy, Yacine (Mehdi Dehbi), lives on the West Bank with his Palestinian family. After the initial shock, the two mothers (both super) try to navigate the complex situation and natural curiosity brings the two boys together. "The Other Son" is not really a plot driven endeavor, it is a character study that showcases how all of the principle family members might adjust to such an event. As such, I found the movie to be incredibly successful. Not only are the young stars given much attention, but we see the dynamics evolve within the families as they come to terms with this devastating development.

The revelation has major religious significance, obviously, especially as Joseph is declared no longer Jewish. And a number of political prejudices are confronted as supposed enemies are now united as family. The movie doesn't make bold proclamations on these topics, though, the character wrestle believably with the issues raised and that's where Levy's subtlety is appreciated and invaluable. The impact and the power of the film really snuck up on me and got under my skin. In the end, I felt a true part of this journey toward identity. The entire international cast is top notch and I've found myself thinking about "The Other Son" with some frequency since watching it. A great drama for adults, I give this one my highest recommendation due to its perfectly balanced restraint. KGHarris, 3/13.

Alternately "schmaltzy" and alternately realistic, this film is a subtitled depiction of present-day Middle-East tensions personified by the use of an uncanny family drama. Very good acting and colorful footage of ethnic locales adds to the enjoyment level. There are, however, some elements of the story that seem to stretch rationale belief in their treatment of deep-seated political hatred and religious confrontation. To avoid "spoilers", I won't elaborate. Also be advised that there is some English dialogue, and when it is spoken, the subtitles vanish. Which is a disservice to the hearing impaired.

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Originally saw this it a local Jewish film festival. Great great movie about a Palestinian baby and a Jewish baby accidentally switched during a rocket raid when the nurses were scrambling to the bomb shelter.The fact is discovered 17 years later. Incredible portrait of parents, children, love, conflict, family and a glimpse of the war between Jews and Palestinians. Powerful, moving, disturbing and yet a real soul searcher about what the word "son" means to Mothers. P, Walnut Creek, CA

Read Best Reviews of Other Son (2012) Here

It is a superb film, fascinating and touching.

Wonderfully played and directed.

A beautiful story that touched my heart, really !

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"The Other Son" tells of Tel Aviv resident Joseph (Jules Sitruk) who, as he is preparing to join the Israeli army for his national service, discovers he is not his parents' biological son, and that he was accidentally switched at birth with Yacine (Mehdi Dehbi), the son of a Palestinian family from the West Bank. At the time of the boys' birth, during the first Gulf War, a missile attack forced the hospital's evacuation, and in the confusion, they were sent home with the wrong parents. Now, 18 years later, this revelation turns the lives of the two families upside down, forcing them to reassess their identities, their values, and their beliefs.

Writer/director Lorraine Levy and co-writer Nathalie Saugeon focus on how the young men and their families deal with the situation, with awkward visits among newfound relatives across the border and arguments within the families about years spent haboring an "enemy." Performances are first-rate, particularly those of the two young leads, and the story is compelling.

The film is in French, with English subtitles. Bonus extras include making-of featurette, deleted scenes, and bloopers.

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Transformers / Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Two-Movie Mega Collection) (2009)

This is a great, more financially viable way to get the Transformers series. Buy this set, as it comes with the special features discs for both movies. THE SET WITH ALL THREE MOVIES DOES NOT INCLUDE DISC 2's!

Excellent CGI with a lot of actions. This box set is really convenient to get 2-in-one box. Great value (cheaper than buying individually -at the time). Overall both movies are A+

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I love the Transformers and would recommend anyone looking to see the two movies to get this product. It is a must see package.

Read Best Reviews of Transformers / Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Two-Movie Mega Collection) (2009) Here

I bought this set at WalMart then went back the next day to get the 3rd movie. This set comes with 2 of the best editions of the first 2 films. Excellent movies backed up by great special features. Don't listen to the critics or the haters. The CG animations are perfect. Acting and entertainment is top notch. The only down side is the story is pretty generic. "The Chosen One" story can only be used So many times without becoming pointless. But these movies are PURE entertainment and worth any collection, unless your one of those nit picky people who don't appreciate all forms of film. Movies are not meant to be done a certain way, if they were then they would have 1 group of people making all the movies in the world.

5 Star Product, and overall 5 star movies (The First one is good enough to cancel out the 2nd's 4 star rating.)

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Being a long-time fan of the Transformers franchise (I was a little kid when it first debuted; so I grew up with all variations of Transformers over the years), I would have to say that these are really fun and enjoyable live-action movies. As far as the interpretation of the whole Transformers "essence"... well, I think the first movie did a great job of capturing the essential fundamental elements that made the cartoon a huge success. The second movie, though, was made with a decent effort but ultimately fell short of my expectations as it did with many, many other fans and movie-goers.

Anyway, I don't want to go into too much detail about the movies themselves (most of you have already seen it I'm sure). The blu-ray versions are really well done, in my opinion. Having seen this on a 52in Sony Bravia HDTV and a 55in Viera the video quality is quite amazing. I own the Sony and my friend has the Viera; both movies appeared very clear, crisp, and the color was just beautiful (but then again, my friend and I spent hours researching optimum HDTV/blu-ray settings so that we would get the best picture quality). As well, both discs come packed with special features; and I'm always interested in the 'Making of...' and deleted scenes, outtakes, things like that. I truly enjoyed the 'behind the scenes' features about making the movies, special effects, and especially how they addressed the transformations.

Overall I would definitely recommend adding this set to your collection, whether or not you're a die-hard Transformers fan. If anything, they are really enjoyable action movies with real-life transforming robots beating the crap out of each other. =P

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Black Rock Shooter OVA Limited Edition Set w/ Petit Nendoroids (Blu-Ray & DVD Combo) (2012)

The Black Rock Shooter Limited Edition Set was amazing! Everything was awesome. But what they might want to include is the size of the droids. They were small enough to fit in the palm of your hand... either way they were still very well done and very cute. Everything was brand new and the box itself was very cool, the only problem I had was that my Dead Master figure had one of it's horns broken when I JUST opened the package. But it was an easy fix, all I need was super glue. Other than that, it was amazing! And the anime had subtitles for many languages. In my opinion, it is the best OVA I have ever watched. I would highly recommend buying this item if you love Black Rock Shooter, Huke, or if you are a hard-core anime fan.

I'd like to start by saying that Black Rock Shooter was an idea, a drawing, next was a song by Supercell, and now an OVA of epic proportions. [Burakku*Rokku Shu-ta-] is set in the year 2050 and the heroine is a young girl who became a living weapon and the last hope for mankind. Her weapons range from her fists or hands, black katana, and her black rock cannon, but the story has shots of another world with Mato Kuroi starting junior high school. She makes a great friend named Yomi Takanashi and their lives are good until the outcome of the two worlds collide and start combining before the two girls eyes. The music is awesome in this show because the majority of the tracks are recorded by Ryo who also recorded vocaloid songs for Hatsune Miku and the theme song for BRS is sung by Hatsune Miku. To end this without giving off the story, Black Rock Shooter is my favorite modern action/drama/fantasy animation of this generation and I will enjoy my collector box set and Black Rock Shooter THE GAME on PSP this September. I hope this review was helpful and informative.

If anyone want's further information regarding Black Rock Shooter feel free to ask me and I'll kindly get back to you.

Buy Black Rock Shooter OVA Limited Edition Set w/ Petit Nendoroids (Blu-Ray & DVD Combo) (2012) Now

The film is great, original animation and art and story. The plot makes you wonder where everything is going but it slowly but surely leads to the inevitable.

The story is basically: Mato is a high schooler who befriends the new girl Yomi. They become close friends but one day something happens to Yomi. From the start, as this is going on, two characters in an alternate dimension are fighting. The fighters look an awful lot like Mato and Yomi and the connection between the two worlds is the mystery.

This collection also comes with storyboards, two chibi Nendoroids of Black Rock Shooter and Dead Master, and some promo stuff.

Read Best Reviews of Black Rock Shooter OVA Limited Edition Set w/ Petit Nendoroids (Blu-Ray & DVD Combo) (2012) Here

This was a Christmas gift for my son and he absolutely loved it. It was shipped very quickly and packaged very nicely. Overall a great product.

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The "Black Rock Shooter OVA Limited Edition Set w/ Petit Nendoroids (Blu-Ray & DVD Combo)" is an amazing movie that beats record. I ordered it by the company "AOYAMA&CO. / bring JAPAN close to you!" and even received it 22 days before the estimate receive date! :)

Box including:

*Black Rock Shooter Nendoroid Petit

*Dead Master nendoroid Petit

*DVD n Blue Ray of the movie (7 language Sub)

*Frame Book of the movie (Japanese only)

I'm glade to have it and listening it over and over again.

the nendoroid petit are awesome, pretty a nice add to get those limited edition! ^^

the Nendoroid are pretty small but really cute too!

I know that it have Mato and Yomi Nendoroid Petit, so for those that want to continue the collection, it also have an other Black Rock and Dead Master Nendoroid Petit from the same compagny.

(little clue for completing a collection)

It also have the "Frame Book" of the movie in the box, but sadly I don't understand Japanese so... stuck at that point...

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The Missing Lynx (2008)

The family watched The Missing Lynx tonight and overall it was only pretty good. The story is about a group of animals being sought by a sinister hunter working for a mysterious boss collecting pairs of animals for his nefarious plans. The animation wasn't very smooth and the overall artistic quality certainly isn't as rich as Pixar or Disney offerings (not surprising given the film's origins from a smaller Spanish studio), but the characters were cute and overall the film is likable. The dialogue and writing weren't strong and the unfolding of the narrative was a bit clumsy, especially early on. My 5 year old son enjoyed the movie just fine but it wasn't nearly as entertaining for dad as recent releases like Despicable Me or Toy Story 3. A passable flick for the kids to enjoy and worth a rental, but not one we're likely to re-visit often.

I think the original dialog for this movie may have been in Spanish and lost something in the English translation. This movie would be a good example of what-not-to-do when creating multi-lingual audio tracks. Idioms must be specific to the spoken language of the target audience otherwise the dialog comes out flat...if that makes sense. It sounds as if Antonio Banderas himself (no offense) had translated the Spanish dialog to English and it did not work as well as it could have. I have noticed this in some other movies with multi-lingual or dubbed audio tracks. Otherwise, it has a good story, good video and audio quality.

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My 11-yr old daughter and I watched this together. She liked it and I thought it was only OK. This film was apparently originally made in Spanish, but is available in English as well.

The animation uses the now mainstream method made popular by Pixar films, though this film's animation is a step down from that you see in Pixar's productions.

The basic story line is that endangered species are rapidly disappearing. So, whenever an endangered or threatened animal is injured or is ill, it is taken to a reserve where it can heal and recover. But, an unknown organization is stealing endangered animals, and it isn't until later in the show that we find out why...so you'll just have to wait, too.

Anyway, the story centers around a pair of lynx and the organization's efforts to capture them. The characters are OK, the voice actors are also, um, OK.

I was happy to watch this once with my daughter, but, frankly, it isn't good enough that I ever have to see it again. In fact, I'd rank this show even below Jimmy Neutron.

Read Best Reviews of The Missing Lynx (2008) Here

This is a decent enough film, although both writing and animation-wise it is not nearly at the level of the major studio releases. It's about a group of animal friends that are held captive and escape, only to discover there is an even bigger threat outside the facility they were in someone is capturing endangered species for some presumably nefarious purpose. They have to work together to save each other and figure out exactly who are the bad guys and who are the good guys. The dialogue serves its purpose, but it's a little ponderous not much humor. The animation is about the same the animals are cute enough, but backgrounds and details are light, as is usually the case with straight-to-DVD/instant releases. So bottom line if you are looking for some quick entertainment for young kids, this fits the bill as an Instant release, but not sure it would hold up to multiple watchings in terms of buying a DVD.

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A great story about friendship and working together. Excellent voice characterization in the English version. The voices of Felix and Newman were very good. The character's physical forms were very good. Its easy to see that the main artist was from Disney. The animation was OK, but that's probably because we've become accustomed to Dream Works quality.

Its one of the few movies that I don't mind watching over and over again with my granddaughter.

I'm looking forward to more productions from Kandor Moon!

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Maximum Conviction (2012)

steven segal and steve austin are fantastic. they are both older but they still get the job done. i always enjoy seing good and tough guys get rid of the bad guys. but a movie is never very good unless the bad guys seem to be invinsible. there are a lot of twist and turns the kept me on the edge of my seat. just when i thought there were no more good movies at the the theatres or on dvd. this one came out along with many others.

Cross (Steven Seagal) is an operational genius. His partner Manning (Steve Austin) is a weapons expert. They are ex-special forces who work as black ops contractors. Their current job is to decommission a black ops prison, one that doesn't officially exist and is located in Oregon (seriously?). For some reason our "operational genius" decides to shut down the prison while it still has prisoners in it.

During this period there are men dressed as Federal Marshals attempting a "high risk extraction" of two female prisoners to prevent them from going to a civilian prison. The film consists of Seagal/Austin and crew fighting in a prison maze against the bad guys. Seagal doesn't know if the women are in league with the bad guys or if the bad guys want them dead. It isn't hard for us to figure it out from their faces which show expressions. (Take note Steven, it's called acting!)

Early in the film Steven Seagal laughs, something I don't recall him doing in another movie. It made me laugh to watch it.

The plot is simple as most Seagal productions. There is plenty of killing, fighting, and blood. The picture appears to have been written more with Seagal in mind than Austin. I had expected more. Austin has done better films, and with Seagal it is hard to tell. This could have been one of his better productions. They need to write a part for Danny Trejo and make him the perennial bad guy. I smell sequel.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, no sex, no nudity.

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I had even expectations for this film. On one hand, this was not only one of the rare filmic team-ups between Steven Seagal and a fellow action hero of similar caliber, but it was also the longest time the former had taken to make a movie in almost ten years something I hoped was the result of more effort being made in the production. On the other hand, it was directed by Keoni Waxman, the filmmaker who's now officially worked with Steven Seagal more times than any other but whose vehicles are among my least favorite of Seagal's filmography. Then again, I liked Waxman's outing with Steve Austin well enough, so I considered that perhaps "Maximum Conviction" here could achieve some kind of acceptable balance. I was right: the movie is acceptable, but far from great. It doesn't make all it could have of the collaboration between Seagal and Austin, but is still an okay-enough DTV action outing.

The story: two private security contractors (Seagal and Austin) are caught up in a deadly situation when the two prisoners they had delivered to a secret prison are targeted by a lethal team of mercenaries led by an ex-CIA mastermind (Michael Pare, Streets of Fire).

It needs to be said: however good they may look on paper, Steven Seagal and Steve Austin do not make very exciting partners. Of course, one factor is the limited screentime they share, but even when they're both in the same scene, they seem relatively apathetic to eachother and don't display any discernible chemistry. On their own, they do alright, with Austin as definitely the more charismatic of the two but Seagal getting more fight scenes. They have equal amounts of screentime. The co-stars do fine but are sort of wasted: B-movie staple performer Michael Pare clomps his way through a boring role, and even though Steph Song (Dim Sum Funeral) one of the aforementioned prisoners has a good deal of award nominations to her name, she's given no strong acting scenes and her role could've been played by most anybody. Yes, the script by True Justice-regular Richard Beattie is pretty passive, highlighted only by a couple particularly mean-spirited deaths and the occasional funny line by Austin ("Which one of you [jerks] killed my future ex-wife?").

The action is predominantly composed of shootouts, but there's nothing special to these. Seagal's stunt doubles are hidden relatively well, but at the expense of the editing, which is once again pretty choppy during his fight scenes not as much as it has been in the past, but it's still pretty annoying. With that said, Seagal still gets the occasional cool move in, and the final brawl though painfully one-sided is fun to watch in a guilty way. Steve Austin only has one real fight, but prior to this he gets entertainingly innovative in the prison kitchen, turning a gas tank into a missile and attacking a mercenary with a pot of boiling water. The best fight in the movie doesn't belong to either of them, though: martial artist Bren Foster (Fight Science), despite being stifled by the same editing present in Seagal's fights, brings an energy to his single brawl that the other encounters were sorely lacking. Overall, I deem the action content on the low side of passable.

That also counts as my synopsis for the movie in general. Amateurish post-production inserts can be found here and there but are otherwise restrained, and Steven Seagal is doing his own voiceovers again, but these plus points are deflated a bit by the lackluster story and ho-hum pacing of the film. While it's a good deal better than the previous Born to Raise Hell and therefore a general step up for Seagal (I'm not as well-versed in Austin's output, so I can't speak for him), it's not nearly all I was hoping for during the year-and-a-half spent waiting for it. Consider it a rental.

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With Steven Seagal and Steve Austin you can't go wrong. Bad guys break into a secret government maximum-security prison but they're going to be sorry they did. Even the female prisoners who aren't supposed to be there are tough, one more so than the other and take down a burly prisoner who wants a piece. Steven Seagal is so practiced at beating up bad guys I don't think he bleeds at all. It's action with special ops backup who are a step ahead and don't make a habit of making wrong moves. Of course for the bad guys it's all about money, which they lose out on, Steven winds up with, shares with his partner and the good-guy female prisoner after all she's been through. Now where can I find a guy like that?

It's entertainment. If you've had a bad day at the office plug Maximum Conviction in and let Steven Seagal and Steve Austin beat up the bad guys for you. You'll feel better.

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Way cool to see Austin and Seagal do an action movie together it'd be awesome to see them do a more high budget film where the characters can have more dimensionality and the stakes could be something a bit more grounded and high pitched!

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Fargo (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) (1996)

Of all the Cohen Brother's tremendously entertaining movies, this is the best. This is the one that they will be remembered for. William H. Macy plays Jerry Lundegaard, a man in a spot. He's a used car salesman that has been securing loans for cars that are not really in his lot. The bank is calling in the loans, threatening legal action, and he needs money fast. He forms a plan to have his own wife kidnapped, thereby splitting the ransom money between himself and the kidnappers.

It's a terrible plan, and it quickly unravels into a bloody mess of murder and betrayal. When bodies begin to mount, a local police officer, Marge Gunderson, is called in. Frances McDormand plays Marge Gunderson, and she makes the movie magical.

McDormand won an Oscar for the role, and this is one instance when the recipient deserved the award. She plays "Margie" with a huge dose of humanity. She is a character that sneaks up on you. When she is introduced, you wonder if perhaps she is just a small town officer in way over her head. She is pregnant, speaks in small town (Minnesota) idioms, and throws up from morning sickness when investigating the first brutal murders. She seems more like a nice, Minnesotan housewife than a cop. But early you get the feeling that there is something special about her.

The killings involve a traffic cop that was killed while issuing a ticket for a missing plate. In his log book, he was written DLR. When Marge's fellow officer says that he has run a search for all tags starting with DLR, Marge says gently, "I'm not sure I agree with you 100 percent on your police work there, Irv." She explains to Irv that DLR means that it was a new car, a dealer's car. "Oooh" says Irv, staring into space. Then Marge tells Irv a joke about the guy that couldn't afford a vanity license plate, so he changed his name to FGS1135. "That's a good one," says Irv, but it is clear Marge's wit has gone over his head.

The brilliance of the scene is that Marge is never cruel or condescending to Irv, never thinks less of him, and is not making fun of him. She is simply enjoying her own intelligence, and we can see the very private sparkle in her eyes.

Marge also has a core of steel. Watch the scene where she gets information from a menacing suspect by reminding him, with almost motherly concern, about all the trouble he has been in with the law, and the fact that he is actually in violation of his parole. She cracks him like an egg without ever loosing her smile.

All actors concerned give great performances. Steve Buscemi brings his pitch-perfect snide larceny to the table, playing one of the kidnappers; and Peter Stormare (who once played Hamlet in an Igmar Bergman production) utters perhaps 15 words in a terrifying performance as the other kidnapper. And, of cource, William H. Macey couldn't have played it Better. His Jerry Lundegaard is so full of stress and fear, you can't watch him without squirming.

I have read where this film has been criticized for making fun of the people of Minnesota, poking fun at their accents and manners. This is not true. The Coen Brothers grew up in Minneapolis, and this is their homage to their own people. The folks in Minnesota may talk funny to the reviewers watching movies in New York and Los Angeles, but this film in no way makes fun of them. At the end of the day, Marge and her husband are happily going to sleep in their bed, in love with one another and content with their shared life. How many other couples portrayed in a Coen Brother's film can make this claim?

How anyone can watch Marge Gunderson in action and think the Coen's were making fun of her is beyond me. Like Marge, they are simply enjoying their own intelligence.

Having owned Fargo both on laserdisc and DVD, watching the Blu-ray transfer projected onto a 200 inch screen is like experiencing the film for the first time at the cinema. If not reference quality (this was a low-budget, independant production), the picture and detail are vastly improved compared to any previous home video presentation the blood really gushes out of the screen. One can now actually see all the unsavoury goings-on in all the murky interior scenes. There is a lot of film grain visible, so thankfully little or no digital noise reduction applied here. The aspect ratio and framing are correct and the sound and dialogue are much clearer than on the very thin-sounding DVD. There are minor edge-enhancement gripes, as other reviewers have pointed out: halos around black objects placed against white backgrounds (see the opening titles, or the lamp posts in Gunderson's car lot) but this shouldn't prevent any film fanatic from shredding the DVD in the wood-chipper and upgrading to this version.

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Whenever I rave about a movie I've recently seen, there's the inevitable question "What's it about?" With regard to this film, I recall responding that it's about a pregnant police chief who eventually solves a series of brutal murders somewhere in the Upper Midwest. (Brainerd, Minnesota? Fargo, North Dakota?) It is always a pleasure to observe Frances McDormand's performance in a role for which she received an Academy Award for best actress in 1996. The film was directed by Joel Coen who co-wrote the screenplay with brother Ethan. This film effectively combines some of the most dead-on (albeit affectionate) cultural satire of Scandinavian Americans in "Small Town U.S.A." with severe physical violence as when one victim is stuffed upside-down in a wood chip machine. (When I first observed "Margie" methodically gathering information, I was reminded of Colombo whose keen mind is also underestimated.) The basic story involves Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a desperate swindler. After his wealthy father-in-law Wade Gustafson (played by Harve Presnell whom I did not recognize) refuses to become involved in a real estate project, Lundegaard hires Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear Grimstad (Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife Jean (Kristin Rudrud) so that he can use most of the ransom to cover his debts and thereby conceal his crimes. Of course, his plan fails and several lose their lives as a result. As the film ends, the camera focuses on Chief Gunderson as drives her police sedan across the bleak winter landscape (think of the surface of the moon beneath three feet of snow and ice), with one of the two kidnappers in custody. She claims not to understand how anyone could behave badly in such a "beautiful" world.

Yes, this is a nasty film...at times severely violent. It also has a number of delightful comic moments, notably during Chief Gunderson's conversations with her husband Norm (John Carroll Lynch) as well as with Lundegaard. The acting by all members of the cast is consistently brilliant under Coen's crisp direction. After numerous viewings, what I still enjoy most in this film is McDormand's performance. Chief Gunderson may have a trusting heart but also a remarkably sharp mind. She wants so much to believe in goodness, to think the best of others, but she is by no means naive. As played by McDormand, she invests this film a warmth which is all the more remarkable, given the physical setting and time of the year.

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I can't believe how many reviewers neglected the fact that part of the genius of this movie is the way it is passed off as a true story. Even the rumor that the cop was really a man just fuels the belief, although it is pure fiction. The acting is great all around, but Macy steals the show as the complex, pathetic Lundegaard, a spineless, wimpy guy who married the overbearing, egotistical boss's ditzy, innocent daughter. We never really find out why Jerry needs the money, although schemes involving a parking lot investment, insurance fraud, and a phony kidnapping are all backfiring as the plot unfolds. Perhaps he simply needs the money from the kidnapping and/or the investment to cover the auto insurance fraud screw-up when they call his loan back. It is never really explained, and to good effect. The impetus for the capers is irrelevant.

Macy's lies (very realistic for a used car salesman), private temper tantrums and loss of control, and lack of authority over his father in-law are perfectly played. The police interview scene in his office with Frances McDormand is pure genius, from the acting to the writing to the filming. This is movie making artistry.

Buscemi and Stormare are perfect as the not-quite-competent thieves hired for the project, with Stormare a cold-blooded and obvious sociopath and Buscemi an almost likeable lost soul.

This is a fairly realistic movie, other than the scene where Stormare fires a single perfect shot at over 100 feet into the back of a fleeing crime witness, who is running in deep snow and illuminated only by car headlights. It's nice to actually see a character in serious pain after getting shot, with lasting wounds, such as Buscemi's Carl Showalter suffers.

Not for the faint of heart, I recommend this movie 100%.

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Fargo is one of the best films of the 1990's. It revolves around a bizzarre kidnapping scheme that unexpectedly leads to murder. Filled with cold settings, quirky characters, and excellent performances, Fargo is an excellent film.

The central characters of the film are an overextended car salesman (William H. Macy), a pregnant police chief (Frances McDormand), and two kidnappers (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare). William H. Macy's character is not a good person, but Macy's excellent performance is able to make us feel his pain. Frances McDormand's character is well mannered, and strong willed, which is great to see in a female character. She definately deserved her oscar for her performance.

Steve Buscemi is great as always. His character is a criminal, but is somewhat likeable. Peter Stormare's character is underrated. His character is a psychopath who hardly ever says anything. His actions show his aggresiveness without even needing to say anything. I would rank his character as one of the best psychopaths, up there with Frank Booth from Blue Velvet and Tommy DeVito from Goodfellas.

The plot is pretty simple, but you still need to pay attention in order to understand it. Part of what I really liked about this movie is how the plot is simple, but the Coen Brothers managed to create a story of kidnapping gone wrong and murder without having an overly complex plot.

The score is very affective. It has a celtic feel to it and expresses the mood of the midwest perfectly.

The way the film is shot resembles Stanley Kubrick's style, as every shot is like a perfectly drawn picture.

I recommend Fargo at all costs. It has a wintry feeling that stays with you hours after you've seen it.

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Rio Grande (1950)

'Rio Grande', the last of director John Ford's 'unofficial' Cavalry Trilogy, has often been unfairly judged the 'weakest' of the three westerns. Certainly, it lacks the poetic quality of 'She Wore a Yellow Ribbon', or the revisionist view of a thinly-disguised reworking of the events surrounding the death of George Armstrong Custer ('Fort Apache'), but for richness of detail, a sense of the camaraderie of cavalrymen, an 'adult' (in the best sense of the word) love story, and a symbolic 'rejoining' of North and South conclusion that may have you tapping your toe, 'Rio Grande' is hard to beat!

It is remarkable that 'Rio Grande' ever got to the screen; Ford hadn't planned to make it, but in order to get Republic Pictures to agree to his demands for 'The Quiet Man' (he wanted the film to be shot on location in Ireland, and in color), he had to agree to do a 'quickie' western that would turn a quick profit for the usually cash-strapped studio. This is, perhaps, a reason why the film is held in less esteem than it deserves. 'Rio Grande' may have not been born with high expectations, but with John Ford in the director's chair, and John Wayne and the Ford 'family' in the cast and crew, the potential for something 'special' was ALWAYS present!

A few bits of trivia to enhance your viewing pleasure: Yes, that IS Ken Curtis, singing with The Sons of the Pioneers, in the film...while uncredited, he made a favorable impression with Ford, and soon became a part of his 'family'...Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr, and Claude Jarman, Jr, actually did their own stunts while performing the 'Roman Style' riding sequence (Carey said in interviews that they were all young, and didn't think about the danger of it; a production would lose their insurance if they 'allowed' three major performers to do something as risky, today!)...Did you know that O'Hara, playing Jarman's 'mother', was barely 14 years older than her 'son', and was only 29 at the time of the filming?...Harry Carey barely had any lines in the script; most of what you see in the film was ad-libbed!...the popular ditty, 'San Antoine', sung by Jarman, Carey, Johnson, and Curtis, was, in fact, written by Mrs. Roy Rogers, herself, Dale Evans!

Whether you're viewing 'Rio Grande' for the first time, or have sat through many viewings, the film has a richness and sense of nostalgia for a West that 'may never have existed, but SHOULD have'. It would be a proud addition to any collector's library!

This is the third of Ford's films which focus on the U.S. Cavalry and its violent encounters with the Apache. Wayne's role in each is quite different. He is a subordinate officer in Fort Apache, a commanding officer about to retire in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and again a commanding officer in this film but estranged from his wife Kathleen (Maureen O'Hara), and son Jeff (Claude Jarman, Jr.) among the men he commands. Lieutenant Kirby Yorke (Wayne) resembles Woodrow F. Call in Lonesome Dove (played by Tommy Lee Jones) who refuses to show any favoritism or even affection whatsoever to his son. (In fact, Call denies his fatherhood.) Of course, Ford ensures that husband and wife are reunited by the end of the film; also, that father and son become close after Trooper Yorke plays a key role in helping to rescue children captured by the Apache and thereby earns his commanding officer's (and father's) respect. A similar relationship exists in Red River except that the conflict is resolved without a brawl. Personally, I would have preferred less reliance on Irish ballads, the focus on Yorke's marital conflicts, and what I view as the macho element of which Ford was so fond. Nonetheless, Wayne's performance is outstanding and the sequence by which the children is rescued is brilliantly portrayed. In additional to much improved sound and image, this DVD version also offers several excellent supplementary features which include a scene-specific commentary with Maureen O'Hara, a mini-documentary "Along the Rio Grande with Maureen O'Hara," and "The Making of Rio Grande" hosted by Leonard Maltin.

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Rio Grande is a 1950 western film and the third installment of John Ford's "cavalry trilogy", following two RKO Pictures releases: Fort Apache (1948) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949).

John Wayne stars in all three films, as Captain Kirby Yorke in Fort Apache, then as Captain of Cavalry Nathan Cutting Brittles in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and finally as a promoted Lieutenant Colonel Kirby Yorke in Rio Grande (the York/Yorke character's last name was spelled slightly differently in Fort Apache and Rio Grande).

The film is based on a short story "Mission With No Record" by James Warner Bellah, that appeared in the The Saturday Evening Post on September 27, 1947, and the screenplay was written by James Kevin McGuinness.[1][2]Ford wanted to make The Quiet Man first, but Republic Pictures studio president Herbert Yates, insisted that Ford make Rio Grande first, using the same combination of Wayne and Maureen O'Hara; Yates did not feel that the script of The Quiet Man was very good, and wanted Rio Grande to be released first to pay for The Quiet Man. (To Yates's surprise The Quiet Man, on its eventual release in 1952, would become Republic's number one film in terms of box office receipts

The film was shot in Monument Valley, and other locations in southeastern Utah around the town of Moab and along the Colorado River.[3]

In Rio Grande, Colonel Yorke is posted on the frontier to defend settlers against hostile Apaches. Col. Yorke is under considerable stress between the Apaches and the young-raw recruits sent to the post-in numbers far inadequate to the needs of his command.

Tension is added when Yorke's son (whom he hasn't seen in fifteen years), Trooper Jeff Yorke (Claude Jarman Jr.), is posted to the fort. Not wanting the other men to think he is favoring his son, he ends up being harder on him. Jeff is watched over by a pair of more seasoned troopers, Tyree (Ben Johnson) and Boone (Harry Carey Jr.).

With the arrival of the estranged Mrs. Kathleen Yorke (Maureen O'Hara) who has come to take the under-age Yorke home with her, even more tension is added. The Colonel and Mrs. Yorke figure out it would be best to let young Jeff grow up and make the decision whether to stay or leave for himself; he chooses to stay. The tension brought about in the fight for their son rekindles the love they once had for each other.

Yorke is visited by his former Civil War commander, Philip Sheridan (J. Carrol Naish), now Chief General of Army. Sheridan has decided to order Yorke to cross the Rio Grande into Mexico, an action with grave political problems since it could well be seen as an act of war against Mexico.

If Yorke fails in his mission to destroy the Apache threat he faces the threat of court-martial. Sheridan, in a quiet act of acknowledgment of what he is asking Yorke to risk, promises that the members of the court will be men who rode with Yorke through the Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. Yorke accepts the mission. Now Col. Yorke must fight to save, and put back together, his family and his honor.

Some aspects of the story, notably the regiment's crossing into Mexico, and undertaking a campaign there, loosely resemble the expedition conducted by the 4th Cavalry Regiment (United States) under Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie in 1873.

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This film marks the first of five films that John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara made together. Once John Ford got a somewhat reluctant Republic mogul Herbert Yates to agree to produce his long-time dream "The Quiet Man" Yates added a "condition." That condition was that the same team, Maureen O'Hara, Duke Wayne, do a western film first, to make up for the money he anticipated 'losing' on "The Quiet Man."

Yates must have had to eat a lot of crow because not only was "Rio Grande" a box office success, but "The Quiet Man" went on to become an all-time classic masterpiece. "Rio Grande" is an exceptionally wonderful film, and I feel is equal to "The Quiet Man" in it's own genre (Calvalry/western). It is romantic, sensitive, full of action, and everything you would expect from hero John Wayne...and his lovely lady, Maureen O'Hara plus a happy ending.

This is a subject close to my heart because I maintain a website on Ms. O'Hara and have interviewed her, as well as many of her peers, including Harry Carey, Jr., Anna Lee and John Agar. The chemistry of O'Hara and Wayne in itself is an interesting study and long underrated by Hollywood historians....

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I love this movie Maureen O'Hara never looked prettier and John Wayne is his outstanding macho self. Wayne had to complete The Quiet Man in Ireland in order to do this film and John 'Pappy' Ford made exceptionally effective use of the Monument Valley locations. The added bonus is the music of Stan Jones and the Sons of the Pioneers, the number one western music group of all time. Stan (who wrote the classic "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky") wrote almost all the music, also has a speaking role, as does Ken Curtis, the Pioneers' lead singer and who later became "Festus" on Gunsmoke. The story is a classic a mother's love for her only son along with the anger of a spoiled southern aristocrat caught in the ravages of the Civil War, the former husband whose pledge of Duty, Honor, and Country of the career military man broke up their marriage, and the realization and acceptance by both of that pledge is as integral to the man as were her ties to the South. This should be in the top five of John Wayne movies for collectors great music, acting, scenery, photography, and message.

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