Assassins (2011)

This was a very exciting movie. There was action from start to finish. Stallone,the top hit man in the world suddenly finds that he has competition. He battles all over the landscape against his new competitor Antonio Banderas. A woman comes into possesion of an article that the bad guys want. She then becomes a target for Banderas. It falls upon Stallone to defend her. Stallone has to fight for his life against his new younger competition. The battle is ruthless. Stallone and Banderas have a final showdown that is top notch. Be sure to see this movie.It is top of the line. You will not be dissapointed.

When I put this DVD in, and hit play, action started. The whole way through the 2 hour movie, there is action non stop, clear up to the end in the "No Goodbyes" scene. This is a great movie. My favorite part was in the taxi when Robert Rath (Stallone) And Miguel Bain (Banderas) meet.

If youre a fan of either Banderas or Stallone, then I strongly suggest this movie to you.

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A great movie .... has all the desirable features, impressive sound, 1080p picture quality, original audio (which was filmed), and Spanish subtitles. Recommended by 100%.

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Pleased to inform since the release of Laser Disc in mid nineties this is the only worthy transfer. The colours and sound are amazing. Great bargain if you're a Stallone fan.

A good blu ray movie.

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Assassins is a great action thriller starring Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas.

Richard Donner, the director of the Lethal Weapon Films, has done a fantastic job as always, creating a world with characters that you won't forget that easy.

Sylvester Stallone does a good job as a hitman who doesn't wanna kill anymore, but still gets new offers he doesn't wanna refuse. While Stallone's character is on the job, a rivale pops up: Antonio Banderas. Now Banderas is perfectly cast as the triggerhappy killer who only wants one thing: being number 1 in the hitman world. For that he has to kill Stallone's character.

Not the most original story in the world, but that doesn't matter: it's pure entertainment and it gives a lot of thrilling moments and action sequences.

From the moment the two characters meet in some of the most beautiful locations and thrilling situations, the heat is on. Gunfire, explosions, sweat, thrilling conversations between the two: the heat will come out of your tv set! The atmosphere that is hanging around in this film is truely fantastic.

The action has been filmed in a fantastic and professional way and it will keep you on the edge of your seat. There are a few flaws here and there, and a few things that you musn't take to seriously, but because of the fantastic speed and feel of the film, it won't spiol the fun for even one moment!

This film is truely underrated by the media, so my suggestion is: ignore the media and watch this thriller, cause it will entertain you!

If you are a fan of Stallone, Banderas, Richard Donner's work, or just in the mood for some fun action entertainment, I would highly recommend this film!

Good popcorn entertainment with a lot of thrills and chills.

So sit back, relax, put your feet up and enjoy watching this!

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Menace II Society (Director's Cut) (2009)

Menace II Society is the story of Caine (Tyrin Turner) a young man living in Watts, Los Angeles. From the very beginning of the movie we follow Caine with an early flashback to his childhood to start . Caines narrative voice is found all throughout this movie. Things start off violent, and never really stop, from beginning to end there is bloodshed, but theres alot more than just violence in this movie, Caine lives a day to day existence, and its only in the end that he realizes whats important to himRonnie (Jada Pinkett), her son, his family and living. Other main character is Caines best friend 0-Dog (Larenz Tate) who is young, black and doesnt [care], his presence in movie is really a powerful one, and his lack of conscience contrasts with Caines. Movie also stars Vonte Sweet, Samuel L. Jackson and Glenn Plummer. Produced by Darin Scott & the Hughes Brothers. Tyrin Turner a still virtually unknown actor is excellent in this movie, and in my opinion deserves alot more credit than he has gotten.To say this movie is just powerful is an understatment, and to compare it to Boyz N the Hood is wrong too. There are some similarities, but Menace II Society is alot darker, and wasnt made to please the masses. Maybe thats why I like it so much, because the story is realistic and the makers dont play down the violence to get mainstream appeal. Would like to talk about some of key scenes but you dont do that when writing a review for people who havnt seen the movie, all I will say is this movie is definetly worth watching, and if your like me and really enjoy it, its worth having in the collection.

Menace II Society. An odd name for a movie, you think on initial glimpse. Why II, and not to? Who's the menace? You pick up the box. There's a picture of two black kids on the front. OK, you read summary. It doesn't tell you much. So, by this point intrigued, you rent it. Good for you.

Menace starts out in a convience store. There's confrontation, and soon, two people are dead. The gunman is smiling and opening the register. His friend, Kane, screams at him and shivers with panic. We fade, and begin the story of Kane's life.

If you're the average white person living in America, what you hear in rap music and see on the news must be very distant from you.

Allen and Albert Hughes grapple us with their genius storytelling skills, and quickly, show us what we're so secure not to know. The daily living, the blood, the drugs, the not caring. What do these mean? The main character, Kane, is mixed up in all of it.

To himself, he wants outway outof his hoodlum life. Externally however, he wants in. He's never shot anybody, he's the clean one. But he sells drugs. He knows how to kill someone. He's been friends with people who have. Here we see his internal struggle to get out in stunning visual perspective.

The film itself has an expert way about it of opening our eyes to the culture, the environment, the lack of consequences, the police brutalityAll of it, while still maintaining assemblence of structure in where it wants to go.

Most of this movie is painful to watch. Seeing Kane fall down his path of righteousness and commit sins he scoffed his brethren for commiting just days earlier. Seeing innocent lives be torn by misunderstanding. Seeing utterly meanless death. It should hurt to watchthe directors made sure of itthat's why it's so poignant.

The aforementioned sins that Kane commits jump into his future as well. Every time he has a chance to escape, he's pulled right back into the circle by something he himself did. As Kane matures and finds his way, the circle flows into it. It's reminicent of Michael Corleone in The Godfather.

Some other noticible traits of the filmit's incredibly stylistic when it wants to be, but graphically gritty others. Also, it does a good job of displaying ironylike a scene when Kane and friend walk down the street speaking of how the Bible won't help themwith crosses dangling from their necks. The use of fades, especially toward the beginning of the film, is well-timed and welcome.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Menace II Society is a worthless piece of garbage about violence far from home. Maybe we don't need to see it. But that violence is realand it's not so far away. I don't think I'm wrong. I think, that after this movie is finished, you'll be very glad you rented it.

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Dang i remember when i first saw menace II society back in the day.lowriders were the thing having a set of daytons on your ride was the thing.this movie fit in perfect with that culture at the time.so i was so excited when this was released on dvd.what a letdown the most grainy mess i have ever seen and the sound was crappy.then here comes high def and blu-ray! now i finally got to see this movie the way i always wanted to it looks awesome! the soundtrack is rather subtle during dialogue but when called upon the gunfire music and sound effects kick your ass!it seems to me that they bumped up some of the gunfire and stuff on the original soundtrack and it sounds very natural.there seems to be a few video shots that didnt fare so well onto blu-ray but is very subtle and hardly noticable.so if you are a fan of this movie you are definatley in for a treat! the ending scene they really packed a wallop into the soundtrack and it is powerful as ever.you will not forget it.....peace

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A truly groundbreaking film about the harsh realities of life on the streets and hustling in the ghettos, 1993's "Menace II Society" gives us a poignant look at what can happen when wrong choices are made and when redeeming one's self is too late. This film also magnifies the pressures that many young African Americans must deal with on a daily basis.

Meet Caine Lawson (a brilliant performance from Tyrin Turner). As a boy in the Watts, California hood with his heroin addict mother and murdering drug dealer father Tat (Samuel L. Jackson), was it any wonder that Caine would become drawn to a similar lifestyle? When his parents die, Caine is sent to live with his grandparents. Fresh out of high school, Caine hits the streets as a drug hustler trying to make money for expensive cars to attract the ladies and to take care of Ronnie (Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Anthony, the family of his childhood role model Pernell who is in prison. It is a struggling situation between family/role model man, and the lure of the streets for Caine. Despite the preaching from his grandfather, trouble is always around the corner for Caine, especially when he's with his best friend O-Dog (a very convincing performance from (Larenz Tate), who is basically a don't give a f**k ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Besides being involved in a fatal convenience store shooting and being stalked by the police, Caine also struggles to keep himself alive. When his cousin gets killed and he himself gets shot, Caine realizes after talking with Ronnie that he needs to make a fresh start in life before it's too late. Traveling to Atlanta with her and Anthony may be the only thing that would save him. But there's no fighting the lure of street trouble; selling drugs, getting into mischief of O-Dog and the gang, getting back at the guys who killed his cousin and possibly impregnating a woman. But by the time Caine decides to go away with Ronnie and Anthony, his mistakes may have stirred up a hornet's nest that will come back to haunt him in the most tragic of ways. For Caine, it may be too late to redeem himself for good.

This movie is an eye-opener and sends a very harsh and true message about upbringing, lifestyles and choices. Boozing, drugs, shooting, attacking, cruising and all the while trying to survive, get respect and rise above, not to mention being a role model. These are just a few of the things that mirror inner city life. You can run from the streets, but the streets will always be in you. This is what Caine must face. Awesome funky hip-hip soundtrack and some serious intense acting make this movie great. The street-wise lingo, the clothes, the attitude; all this pulls the movie together. Special features include an in-depth interview with the Hughes twins who directed the film, as well as the theatrical trailer, and more. Watch the film, get engrossed and recognize!

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Menace II Society was the debut film from the directing duo of the Hughes brothers, released in 1993 at the height of popularity of "hood movies". As most other reviewers have stated the film is an extemely powerful look at growing up in L.A in the early 90's. The movie grabs your attention straight away with the robbery of the liquor store and the controversial shooting of the Korean owners, and the pace never lets up throughout. Caine (Tyrin Turner) is basically a bystander in the opening scene as O-Dog (Larenz Tate) goes on a rampage, and this continues throughout the film, Caine is a good person but very much a victim of his circumstances, whereas O-Dog just "doesn't give a f**k".

Without going into plot details the events in the film all conspire against Caine and it all catches up with him in the inevitable ending. There are also good performances from Jada Pinkett and MC Eiht and a small role at the start from Samuel L Jackson as Caine's father. While the film is very powerful and a sad and realistic take on ghetto life, it is not without it's faults, the main one being the lack of depth of some of the characters. They never really explain Caine's relationship with Parnell, though he regularly refers to him as "like a dad" throughout the film. Also several of the other characters are hard to sympathise with as their background is never really explained (something I felt was done better in Boyz N The Hood),and I find it hard to believe Parnell would be cool with Caine's relationship with his girl. Despite these minor faults the film is still great though and the ending in particular was tragic and inevitable. One of the better hood movies of the early 90's, if your into them you should definetely check this out.

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Max Manus: Man of War (2011)

This movie is based on a true story about a hero who did not want the nazis to take his country Norway. I watched the movie with a person who helped Max Manus escape and who actualy lived this story. He thought this interpretation was very realistic. Even some of the characters looked like the ones he remembers. A fantastic movie about a WWII chapter we rarely hear about.

I'm a fan of WWII films and always in search of new ones from whatever origin. This is the first Norwegian film I ever watched and it is a real outstanding war film.

"Max Manus" (2008) is a big budget World War II movie making good use of every cent invested in producing it. Directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg who had co-directed four films and in a fifth one they were director one and writer the other. In this film they show a steady hand in presenting and solving actions scenes as well as intimate ones.

The story is about Norwegian resistance to German invasion of their country. They start as a small band of youthful friends implementing tiny, yet dangerous, propaganda and sabotage acts.

Then things start to get "warmer" and Max is surprised by the police, he jumps thru a window and afterwards manages to escape from hospital.

The Resistance sends him to Scotland to a special training camp for saboteurs. Back in Norway he leads many daring coup-de-main until the end of the war.

In the way he loses his friends one by one to the hands of the Germans, this erodes his soul and still he never gives up!

Playacting is really very good with Aksel Hennie as Max Manus, Nicolai Cleve Broch as Gregers Gram, Ken Duken as the German Police Chief and Agnes Kittelsen as Tikken. They all perform over par fleshing convincingly their characters.

Photography and musical score are great and period reconstruction is outstanding.

It is a great movie for all those interested in war films and general public too!

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

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I saw "Max Manus" at the Minneapolis-St Paul International Film Festival in April. Actually, my cousin from Norway wrote this movie, so I have been looking for a version with English subtitles. The DVD is just like what we saw at the film festival. It's an excellent film that anyone would love...even people like me who don't like war movies. I love that the end is a documentary about writing and filming the whole thing. It was so popular at that film festival that they showed it two more time in two theaters each time . See it!

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Good movie. Especially interesting since all the events in the movie is based on real time events from the war. All the characters are real and that makes the movie more moving. Also Norway was one of the countries where the resistance was the fiercest.

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If your like me, always searching for some little WWII movie 'gem' you might not have seen yet, you'll be very satisfied with this movie about amazing Norway resistence fighter Max Manus. Manus and a few of his friends volunteer to fight for Finland when they were invaded by Russia then watches his own country do nothing when the Germans invade Norway. He organizes his buddies into getting back at the Germans and the film documents multiple attacks and harrowing escapes he manages to survive all very well done. The story moves along swiftly with Max going to England to become part of a Norwegian company of commandos sent back behind enemy lines to harass the Germans. This is a rich & moving film as we see many of Max's comrades be captured, tortured or killed but he himself always manging to get away. Whatever Max was missing in himself in civilian life, he finds it during the war as he emerges as a tenacious, bold and fearless leader who defeats the Germans over & over. And whatever you do don't miss the special features documentary of the real Max Manus talking about his life and his friends lost to the War. The documentary also features his Wife who he married after the War and she describes Max the kind of Man who only comes along "once in a lifetime", very true.

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Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

First there was Kevin Smith, with his patented brand of hugely over-the-top raunch in CLERKS. As he "matured," he added a level of true feeling behind this work in CHASING AMY. And then he sort of lost his way with a few pretty awful films. Meanwhile, Judd Apatow established himself as the King of Sweet Raunch with 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP, SUPERBAD, etc. In these films, the characters spoke about sex with a level of filthy detail never before heard. They indulged in reckless behavior. They were the kinds of people films had for decades told us were "bad." Yet we recognized people we knew in them, or even ourselves. They were also infused with an innocence and an acknowledgement that behind all the strutting bluster, we all just want to be loved. They acknowledged the weakness in men, and the strength in women who can make these men pull themselves up by their bootstraps and start to take life seriously. This was the Apatow "brand."

Now Kevin Smith has come storming back to reclaim his part of that little mountain. While his ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO doesn't re-establish him as King, it reminds us that Apatow and others owe him a debt...and that he's still capable of out-raunching the raunchiest stuff we've seen. And, as will be no surprise to anyone who has seen the trailers for the film, he mixes in the "sweet" stuff pretty well too.

The presence of Apatow disciple Seth Rogan makes the film seem more like an Apatow film than perhaps it really is. For example, in movies like SUPERBAD, there is actually relatively little sex being had. Characters talk about it, and they sure would like to be indulging in it...but not much happens. In ZACK & MIRI, a great deal of sex is had and shown. It is a far more visually explicit movie than Apatow's (the full frontal male nudity in WALK HARD being a notable exception). I wouldn't want to compare the level of explicit imagery in the dialogue side by side with a SUPERBAD, but I suspect that ZACK & MIRI is also verbally just a smidge more explicit as well.

Zack (Rogan) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been friends since first grade, and now, on the eve of their 10th High School Reunion, they are roommates sharing a rundown rental and one very run down car. They both have dead-end jobs and apparently no ambition. They also have not paid bills in quite awhile. While neither seems exactly HAPPY with life, both are content in the little routines they have to get through the day.

Miri forces Zack to go with her to the reunion, because she's hoping to shamelessly throw herself at the "boy" she crushed on in school (Brandon Routh). Zack, meanwhile, has an interesting conversation with this guys boyfriend (a hilarious Justin Long, as we've never seen him), who apparently is a well-known gay porn actor. Naturally, Miri is crushed to find this guy she intended to sleep with is gay, but the two are more upset to find their hot water and electricity has been turned off. But Zack comes up with the "great" idea to make a pornographic movie in order to pay their bills.

I won't dwell on the specifics anymore, but you can imagine how things might develop. The two hapless friends have no money and no video camera, so they have to turn to friends to underwrite their crazy venture, and an unlikely troupe of filmmakers develops. There are obligatory scenes of auditions and the struggle to come up with the right title for the film. (If this weren't a "family" site, I'd share a few...the one involving a twist on LAWRENCE OF ARABIA just about made me spew soda through my nose)

It's all quite, quite raunchy. While not literally as explicit as a real porn film, not all that much is held back. I can sure see why Smith had to fight to avoid an NC-17 rating. Under absolutely no circumstances to you want to see this film with your kids...no matter how old your kids are!

Will Zack & Miri find out they are right for each other? Will doing porn ruin their discovery? The film holds few plot related surprises, frankly. It is the verbal dazzle that keeps you entertained.

And the performances. Seth Rogan pretty much gives us the same character again...but he does have an ease about his acting that makes him enjoyable. His characters may be insecure, but Rogan is not. But it is Elizabeth Banks who surprises the most. I've seen her in a lot of smaller roles (on "Scrubs", for example) and to be honest, she's struck me as vaguely perky but lightweight. Here, it is frankly a bit startling to see her right in this raunchy mix, her mouth as dirty as anyone else. Smith has empowered her, that's for sure (don't know if that's a good thing for "society" or not). She also finds some true depths in Miri, particularly as the film winds down, that elevate her performance to a special level. It's not Oscar winning stuff, exactly, but it will make people sit up and take notice of her. This, and her praised performance in W., have made it quite a good year for her.

The movie is hilarious. That's what you want to know, isn't it? My wife and I both laughed uproariously many time. It will offend you, too. Smith loses control a few times, with some random scenes that grind the story to a halt. Most revolved around the character played by Jason Mewes (better known as "Jay" in a myrid of Smith's earlier films) a young man who makes it into the film due to some "special talent." He's funny, but his stuff seems out of place...as though Smith stopped his movie to let his old buddy riff on some dirty stuff. There's also some stuff about a constipated actress that devolves into the nastiest couple of seconds you've ever seen, that even so are unbelievable, unlikely, unfunny AND distract from a key moment for the story.

(By the way, I apologize if I've offended anyone with the review...tough to talk much about this film without stretching the boundaries a little. If you find my review offensive...please skip the film.)

Overall, Smith has made a funny and sometimes tender film. If Judd Apatow had never existed, this film would be groundbreaking. Now it is a familiar formula, with the raunchy dial turned to 11. But, if that's something you've enjoyed before, you'll get many big laughs from ZACK & MIRI!

I won't beat around the bush: "Zack and Miri" is easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. It's a laugh riot from beginning to end, and even after the credits role (hint hint).

There is no disguise or misdirection; it's exactly what is expected. It's foul-mouthed concoction of obscenities, smut, juvenile humor, tons of pop-culture references, and a good deal of smart dialogue. It's parody at the pinnacle of the genre, making fun of the 70's and 80's porn industry, when it was in a developmental and transitional phase before today's high-end adult films or so I've heard anyway. Make no mistake; however, there is also a very serious approach taken (which gets a bit sappy), and true devotion and respect is paid to not only porn (which is odd), but also the hilariously crass Smith (Apatow-esque) comedy (which is expected). Smith nails it.

There are countless highlights and laughs throughout. The best scenes, however, are those leading up to filming of the cheesy porn. Selecting the name for the movie, coming up with "Star Whores" (and hilarious names for the rest of the series), while ripping through raunchy variations of several other movies, almost made me convulse from laughter. Some may have a problem believing Seth Rogen as a porn star, thinking the concept as real as the silicone on a typical adult set, but Ron Jeremy pretty much negates that argument. There is no doubt, however, that Elizabeth Banks could easily be a megastar if she were to turn to the dark side. Their onset chemistry is definitely what makes the movie work.

It's definitely not for the easily offended. I'd go so far as to say that it's a fairly smart comedy if one can get around perpetual F-Bombs. It's a witty movie about raunchy intercourse that pushes the socially inhibition and sexually awkward buttons.

The way I see it, there are two groups of people who will watch this movie. One group knows what they are getting into; they're going to see a Kevin Smith flick that is sure to be crude and contain poop humor. The other group will be people who will frown at the profanities and cover their eyes at the vulgarity. To the former I say: You'll absolutely bust a gut watching this movie. I know I did. To the latter I say: What the heck were you expecting? Are you really so dumb as to not know what you were about to watch? It's called "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" for goodness sakes! Go watch a nice chick-flick or a documentary instead.

In closing, this was the best comedy of 2008, and it's not even close. They are so devoted to concept of this movie that there is even a guy on the crew named Buster Pile! I kid you not. Hilarious.

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I had the luxury of seeing this film on the big screen with a friend. Having seen reviews we knew to expect it to be funny, but also that it would be crude. It was that and more.

Be aware that like many of Judd Apatow's films Zack and Miri includes 'bonus' full frontal footage (male, full frontal footage that is) to add to the humor and/or shock value. Expect at least a couple of those type scenes and don't say you weren't forewarned before watching the film.

Once past that issue, viewers should also be aware that there's one scene that isn't for those with a weak stomach. It's quite funny, but also incredibly crude and honestly surprised me that it made it past the MPAA on the way to the R rating that the film carried when it was aired in theatres. You'll likely find it nearly impossible not to laugh, but it's also going to be something you'll want to turn away from. Note that I don't want to spoil the film or the scene, but you'll be able to see what's coming and can probably figure out in advance what I'm referring to so you should also be able to be prepared.

The film itself is not just funny and crude (and lewd as well), it's also, as promised on the quote from Time magazine critic Richard Corliss on the cover art for the Blu-ray disc "Sweet, Funny and Sexy." While writer/director Kevin Smith was obviously going for cheap humor, he opted to wrap it up nicely in a sweet tale of two down on their luck friends. Thanks to a very funny supporting cast, everything works pretty well and makes the end result a film that should crack you up.

What isn't included on the Blu-ray, unfortunately, is a commentary from the director. Smith decided not to do a commentary track for the current release of the film. Whether one will be done in the future likely depends on sales of the film on disc as well as whether or not Smith ever finds time to go back and record it. Even without a commentary track the film includes a substantial load of special features including a making of featurette, a large number of deleted scenes, outtakes and other fun stuff.

The video quality is very good. Not necessarily what technophiles would label as reference quality, but still very good. Kevin Smith's films don't necessarily live or die by their cinematography, but it also couldn't be said that he doesn't care about such things either. Knowing that Smith's films are more about the dialoge and character interactions, you might expect the video to be apparently less important, but that really isn't the case here.

Sound quality on the Blu-ray has raised some concerns for some viewers. I've seen complaints that the audio levels are low requiring some viewers to crank the volume a bit so as not to miss the dialogue. That's very much a your mileage may vary type thing as the results on different sound setups vary. Just be aware you may find yourself cranking the volume a bit more for this disc than you might normally do.

One final complaint that may come up depending upon where you buy your copy of this disc you may find that you get different cover art than you see at other outlets. Some retailers are using different cover art that somewhat censors the packaging. Something about the use of the P word makes some retailers nervous. :-p

Kevin Smith fans probably long ago considered this must buy material. Non-fans may be reading the reviews (like this one) to help make up their mind. Again, I'd caution that you should know going in that it is crude and lewd, but as long as you aren't easily offended you might find it quite funny. For me it's definitely worth the purchase.

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I can't wait for everyone to find out and realize that Seth Rogan actually sucks...........okay, so he can say the 'f' word several times as he improves...........big deal.........he's really not that funny, and he looks/talks like he has chew in his lip.

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I had heard great things about this movie and was excited to watch it. Unfortunately, only the first thirty minutes or so were worth watching. The beginning was hilarious and Justin Long was brilliant! After that, a romance sprang from nowhere and it really made the rest of the movie hard to watch. I felt like I had to sit through the out-of-place romance in order to get to the likeable parts of the movie. On a side note, I also find it hard to believe that the characters of Zack and Miri would be best friends for 20 years and still so awkward around each other. It just made the movie less enjoyable for me. I say watch the first half hour and move on.

Three stars only for Justin Long's excellent performance.

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Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (2013)

The Mad Max films finish their transformation from the edgy, ultra-violent first movie to this kid-friendly adventure picture with slick production values and flawless photography. The violence is toned down and the fantasy elements are played up; unfortunately, this means the post-apocalytpic kick of the second movie (just about one of the greatest action flick -EVER!) has vanished. "Thunderdome" has some fine moments, especially the well-directed scenes with the tribes of children and the haunting images of the coda, as well a couple of good action sequences, such as the face-off in the Thunderdome arena, but it doesn't stay in your memory the way the first two films do. It is still worth seeing if you enjoyed the other movies in the series. Tina Turner's performance is certainly interesting, similar to Grace Jones turn in "Conan the Destroyer," which was made at about the same time.

Of course, if you've never seen a Mad Max films, don't start here. Go back to the first one (available in a great deluxe DVD), then work up to the best of three "Road Warrior" (available in a not so deluxe DVD), then you'll be ready for this finale -and this DVD doesn't have much in the way of extras on it either.

I'm probably one out of only a handful of people that thinks Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is just as good as The Road Warrior, and for different reasons, too. The Road Warrior was a spectacle of frenetically paced action sequences and it would feel like a complete retread if Beyond Thunderdome tried to do the same thing again. Instead, they added new elements, and the result is a very entertaining and imaginitive action/adventure.

Max (Mel Gibson) has just been robbed of all his belongings in the middle of nowhere in Australia. He searches for the thief and this leads to Bartertown, a unique society built upon methane energy dependent on pig manure, no less.

Max's search leads him to Aunty Entity (Tina Turner), Bartertown's lawmaker, who strikes a deal with him. All Max has to do is kill a certain somebody in Thunderdome arena and he'll get provisions in return. Not everything goes according to plan and Max is banished to the desert where he is rescued by a small group of lost children.

For those expecting the action of The Road Warrior you might be disappointed. While there is a good bit of action in Beyond Thunderdome, it's not as much as its predecessor and doesn't have as much energy. However, Beyond Thunderdome should be noted for having what is perhaps one of the best action sequences in American film history with the gladiator fight in Thunderdome arena between Max and the gigantic Blaster. The sequence is undeniably inventive and clever; it involves the two men tied to bungee cords that allow them to spring and leap throughout the arena and grab any weapons placed all around such as a mace, chainsaw, spear, etc.

What makes the film so good, though, are its successful attempts at creating complex societies. Bartertown is a sight to behold and is made all the more interesting by the rituals the "citizens" perform and the laws they obey.

As for the performances, Mel Gibson excels and gives a fine performance as usual. Tina Turner is a real surprise as the villainess; she certainly knows how to act and delivers a fairly good performance. Most of the supporting cast do a decent job with the material they're given. Angry Anderson, in particular, is quite humorous as the henchmen who rarely talks and mostly grunts, screams, and yells in exaggerated tones.

After Brian May's exciting score in The Road Warrior, Maurice Jarre takes over the job and composes a score that is quite poetic and, at times, lush and beautiful.

As with all the final scenes in the Mad Max films, this one ends perfectly. This time, we get the feeling that humanity has hope so long as men like Max are around.

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The third chapter of the Mad Max films can't possibly outdo the success of The Road Warrior, but it's a worthy successor, an exciting film with a very interesting story.

Mel Gibson's Max is back again and finds himself helping another group of ragtag characters. Max finds his way to a town called Bartertown and is forced to engage in a gladiator battle to the death. After refusing to kill his beaten enemy, he's dragged back out to the wasteland, there he's rescued by a group of tribal children. A small group from Bartertown is looking to escape to "The Promised Land" Max and some of his young rescuers lead the way.

Tina Turner is on hand as the wicked Aunty Entity, ruler of Bartertown. Bookending the film are two excellent songs from her as well. Mad Max "3" is a worthy sequel, while not as intense as the previous two, the story is thought provoking and while a bit slow paced, the ending is more than worthwhile. Maurice Jarre's music score isn't as intense but does create an appropriate epic atmosphere. George Miller and George Ogilvie are the directors and create both a sequel and a film that can stand on it's own.

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Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome receives a great deal of bitterness. This is expected, it is a follow-up to one of the greatest of all action movies, with action scenes that aren't as good. Granted, the action sequences in the movie are quite exciting, but they easily fall short of the grandeur of The Road Warrior.

Indeed, as a follow-up to The Road Warrior, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome does not deserve a 5-Star Rating. But what Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome does manage to do is build upon the fantastic setting that was only hinted at in Mad Max and The Road Warrior. The wastelands depicted in the first two films are not enough to contain the skyhigh ambitions of the world that director George Miller has created. With the addition of Bartertown, characters like Master-Blaster, and the final jarring vision of civilization presented in the film's closing moments, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is still up to par with its much-loved predecessor.

A viewer expecting another Road Warrior will be disappointed; but a viewer that wants to go back to the nameless, post-apocalyptic world of this film's two predecessors will not be.

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George Miller's last installment in the Mad Max Trilogy. Although the film keeps up the apocalyptic setting and theme of The Road Warrior, the plot here's rather far-fetched and seems to undermine the dramatic elements of the film.

Mad Max is now a messiah who seeks to protect a settlement of naive followers against the intrusions of Queen Aunty Entity (Tina Turner), the leader of a hodge-podge city-state named Bartertown. She keeps her subjects entertained by holding gladiatorial contests in the town's Thunderdome; a caged dome in which the contestants lunge at each other with weapons while suspened in the air. Will Mad Max be able to protect his innocent followers from Aunty Entity's evil machinations?

The only fault I find with this film is having Mad Max as some sort of messiah. His followers seemed too naive and ignorant to have been able to develop a sophisticated settlement in the first place. Their virtual muteness accompanied with the silly da-da talk makes them rather unsympathetic characters as well.

This is the worst of the three Mad Max films that is undermined by a rather uneven plot. I would recommend renting this film more than buying it.

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Just Go with It (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2011)

I went to see the movie with modest expectations, especially since some reviews haven't been overly kind to it. However, I as well as the 4 other people who saw it with me found it uproariously funny and sometimes even sweet. I really enjoy Adam Sandler in most of his films, and although this is a comedy, in this role he also displayed his sweet side much like he did in the Wedding Singer. He is actually a very good and expressive actor whose dramatic chops are underrated in many ways. And of course, I am a huge fan of the wonderful Jennifer Aniston, and she did a superb job here. There were also some other surprises....Brooklyn Decker was sweet, likable and relatable even beyond her obvious physical attributes. Nicole Kidman showed up in a character who was a bit over the top, but being a huge fan of her as well, I enjoyed this turn as we don't get to see her do comedy that often. Not every role needs to be deadly serious, after all. She had a lot of fun with this one and she was great to watch. Dave Matthews played her husband, and he was surprisingly good as well...perhaps he has a new career ahead of him in films. The only character that was too over the top and a bit obnoxious was the fellow who played Adam's long-time friend. Nothing about this guy was at all believable or particularly likable and you wanted to just swat him away as he was just downright silly and annoying, and he didn't really add much to the plot except as a necessary diversion device here and there. The Hawaii scenery (a lot of it filmed around and in the Grand Wailea in Maui) was beautiful, of course. I don't really want to get overly picky about this film. It was not meant to be highbrow cinema, but it was consistently funny and very enjoyable, definitely a film I plan to buy when it is released on DVD. Go see it, you'll like it.

This movie is HILARIOUS!!! Easy the best comedy I have seen in a long long time. Everything is really well done, and even though the ending is obvious as anything you just REALLY enjoy the ride. Kind of like life, you know the ending but you gotta know how you get there. If you don't see this movie, then I just pity you. You'd be missing out on something that is just great. I came to Amazon immediately after watching the movie to try to place a preorder...IT'S THAT GOOD!!!!!

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I got a great kick out of this movie. my gut hurt I was laughing so hard. It had a lot of laughs and a few heart warming parts. I love ad-lib and sarcasm and even though it was scripted, the dialog had such a ad-lib feeling hints the title "JUST GO WITH IT". I'd see it again, Ill buy the DVD. ... oh and Dave Matthews!!! great member of the cast.

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From my wife Sarah: If you want to have fun, relax and have some laughs, this very entertaining movie is just the thing. I stayed away from it for quite a while because of the mixed reviews. When we had run out of movies to see in the theater, we chose this as a last resort. It was so enjoyable! Don't wait to see it.

I won't go over the plot as it's already been done by others, but here's what I liked about this movie:

1. It was funny. Okay we didn't laugh non-stop, but that's because there was a real plot, with real character development. Still there were many very fun surprises and big laughs. I smiled through much of the movie.

2. Sandler was great, Jennifer Aniston was great. Not only are they funny, but they can really act. The entire cast was really good. Sandler's goofy friend sidekick was hilarious, the children were dynamic and funny. Kevin Nealon had an absolutely hilariuos bit. Nicole Kidman was perfect as Jennifer's competitive and not so nice friend.

3. The plot was very different and interesting. Although there's a kind of predictable ending, it's still a fun ride to get there.

The only thing I would have liked to see just a bit different was more heat between Sandler and Aniston. While their relationship was really developed and believable, they didn't seem to have that strong chemistry.

Regardless, I strongly recommend this movie for anyone who enjoys comedy as well as romantic comedy.

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Hilarious, funny, feel good, make you laugh kind of movie! Cute love story and comedy! Can't wait til it comes out on DVD so I can watch it again! Jennifer Aniston is beautiful and Adam Sandler is so funny. They are so good together in this movie!

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Stripes (Extended Cut) (1981)

Nope! It's NOT just the same movie simply put:

You haven't actually seen Bill Murray's 'STRIPES' until you obtain this 2005 re-release DVD!

The bonus scenes featured DOES INDEED answer various inquiries we once had re this comedy:

e.g. why are those 2 guys ALONE sitting against the EM-50 in Italy before they take it for a spin?....and when in Germany Russell flat-out refuses to rescue the captured troops with the other three in the EM-50, what made him change his mind? (to mention a few)..

Another one of the deleted scenes is the (talked-about) 7-minute "South America" segment

where we DO see another side of Harold Ramis while Murray is truly hilarious!

A BETTER print with superior STEREO 5.1 dolby sound now vs the previous mono DVD, including a great feature in two parts -"Stars & Stripes" that will leave you dazzled in understanding this entire film: how it was made, rare image stills, and how the actors (a good number of them)

felt in doing the film along with Murray himself, being interviewed from of all places TOKYO!

This new DVD gives you 2 movie options:

1.) the EXTENDED version featuring the deleted scenes-

(with added option of audio commentary from the director and head writer)

2.) the ORIGINAL theatrical version-

*BOTH WS*

There's also the option of seeing all SIX bonus scenes one after the other -

The EXTENDED version does a fine editing job inserting the deleted scenes at the right places,

even indicating (via small permanent text) where these bonus scenes START and END -

-an extremely smooth flow minus any pauses or audio dropouts...

However on this strange ORIGINAL version, there ARE crude pauses/slight audio drops only at the marks where the deleted scenes were MEANT to be placed (or were previously removed),

it's as if they didn't (wouldn't or couldn't) simply EMPLOY the main original print for this DVD -

-unsmooth/choppy at these marks, esp when the guys drive to Germany and meet the girls -

e.g. Murray hugs P.J. Soles with the line: "I Brought The Magic Suitcase"..

That very scene literally disappears thus disappoints on this ORG version -

One Major Blunder:

A bonus scene w/P.J. Soles (there's MORE of her) & Murray in a hotel bedroom from Germany

is in fact the EXACT same bedroom set in a PREVIOUS short scene where she pulls Bill out of the trunk at General Barnacy's house; When you compare the two you'll believe they intended this to be START of the 'Barnacy Bedroom' segment..

But overall (the pauses & blunder notwithstanding), they did a great job

in christening this DVD as: "The ULTIMATE Stripes"

definately worth forking over (at best) a Hamilton and an Abe for...

The mark of a great comedy is that it remains funny after numerous viewings. "Stripes" (the 1981 release that helped make Bill Murray a star) passes this litmus test with flying colors. Now at last there is a DVD release, replete with extras, worthy of this enduring comedy.

Ivan Reitman directed Murray, Harold Ramis (who has subsequently directed many comedies of his own) and a great supporting cast led by John Candy as new recruits in the U.S. Army.

The wonderful veteran actor Warren Oates, who died shortly after the film's release, is their tough-as-nails drill sergeant. The by-play between Murray and Oates (opposites don't always attract) is priceless.

Suffice it to say that hilarity ensues, with the improbable unit putting on a virtuoso performance at their graduation ceremony ("That's the fact Jack!) sans their injured sergeant. This leads to them being charged with the security of a new super weaponized mobile home (it's called an, "urban assault vehicle") in Europe. Improbable? Absolutely. Hilarious? Most definitely.

Murray and Ramis also each has a lovely MP to accompany him on the duo's escapades as the ribaldry doesn't stop until the closing credits.

You can watch the "Stripes" with deleted scenes included or without.

The obvious highlight of the DVD extras is an hour long documentary on the movie with all principles interviewed (at his insistence, Murray's interview is done in black light). It is one of the better retrospectives of its kind.

And "Stripes" is one of the best comedies of this or any other time.

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Absolutely one of the funniest movies ever made. It would definitely have to be highly ranked, if only for the fact that it is possibly the most quoted movie of all time. Who among us has never said "Lighten up, Francis" or "You can't leave, all the plant are gonna die! ". Bill Murray is at his best, and Harold Ramis is the perfect straight man for him. Add in a supporting cast that includes John Candy, Judge Rheinhold, John Laroquette and Sean Young, and you have something pretty special. Also, gains points for the fact that it doesn't start to fade out at the end, like many comedies do when the decide to get "message-y". It just keeps up the energy and humor right up to (and including) the credits. To this day, the only movie I have ever enjoyed so much that I went right back to see it the very next night.

Read Best Reviews of Stripes (Extended Cut) (1981) Here

Stripes was one of my favorite movies as a kid, and I'm happy to say that I still find it just as funny today. This extended cut adds several deleted scenes, some good, some not-so-good. My personal favorite is one where Harold Ramis' character reaches the breaking point and he and Murray go AWOL, hitching a ride on a cargo plane and parachuting into South America. This scene gives Harold Ramis a chance to shine, and is very funny, but during the commentary track it is mentioned that it was cut from the film (despite being a favorite of the studio execs) because it didn't seem to fit in the film from a pacing aspect (it is suggested it would've gone well over the end credits, but this was before such a thing was common).

Speaking of the commentary track, it isn't mentioned on the packaging, but it's there, and includes director Ivan Reitman and writer/producer Dan Goldberg. And apparently, the extended cut wasn't Reitman's idea -some of the deleted scenes he prefers to not have in the film. The DVD also includes a nice 2-part documentary which includes interviews with the cast.

A great film!

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I'm a bit perplexed by the reviews criticizing this movie because of its unrealistic depiction of the Army. Do these same people complain that "Animal House" doesn't accurately display college life or that "Vacation" isn't what a family trip across the country is really like? (Hey, I live in St. Louis and could easily take exception to the outright offensive inaccuracies in "Vacation", but I still love the movie!) This is a comedy, folks. It's not "Saving Private Ryan" or "Band of Brothers", and it never claims or tries to be. It uses exaggeration and absurdities to make us laugh. It isn't striving for realism, although to its credit, I have heard plenty of people say that this is the best movie they've ever seen at giving you the feel for what its like going into the service, and that their own drill instructor was identical to Sgt Hulka.

The first half of this movie is just about the funniest comedy ever made. Bill Murray and Harold Ramis are the perfect slobs with shiftless lives who try to maintain what's left of their dignity by enlisting in the Army. Their chemistry is wonderful and they truly are believable as out-of-shape but likable losers. Virtually every line and every character is memorable (Psycho, Ox, Cruiser, that lady in the cab, John Laroquette, and of course Russell and Winger), and this has to be the most quotable movie in history. No, John Candy would not have spoken to a superior officer that way when he gets off the bus (or at least not have gotten away with it), but that's what's so funny about it! And speaking of Sgt. Hulka, Warren Oates should have been given an Oscar nomination for this role. He's the high point of the movie for me, and his intense, over the top performance reminds me of Robert Shaw in "Jaws"some actors are so good that they can chew scenery and get away with it. So for the first half of the movie, there's not an unfunny moment. Maybe basic training isn't like this, but the scenes are so well-done that a generation of adolescent guys has grown up thinking that it is and have no doubt gone into the military with this movie in the back of their minds.

The second half of the movie sort of devolves into a bearable but not great action movie, with its contrived plot about the stolen military RV and the rescue mission across the Czech border. Still, the same characters are present and continue to sustain the movie until the end. Great music, tooI don't think this has ever been issued as a soundtrack but it contains one of the most memorable themes ever written for a movie.

The DVD itself is passableno extras, somewhat grainy video, unspectacular sound. But we surived watching it over and over again on basic cable with plenty of edits and subpar picture quality, so I can't complain too much. I suppose someday it will be given a "Special Edition" with a commentary and a retrospective from the stars, but the movie stands on its own without anything fancy.

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Saints & Soldiers / Days of Glory 2-Disc Blu-ray Boxset

It appears that both movies are in english but that is not the case. Days of Glory is in french with english subtitles. It still is not a bad deal since the Saints & Soliders is almost $25.00 by itself and is in english. I have always been happy with the majority of my purchases from amazon and if you don't mind the subtitles you will enjoy this WWII movie package.

Saints & Soldiers is what good movie making is all about! WWII buffs should waste no time ordering this movie. It's the best I have seen since Saving Private Ryan!

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Deeper BD (2010)

I hope that Deeper starts a new trend in shred videos. What makes Deeper unique is that it offers the viewer a chance to see some amazing big mountain riding without having to sit through the usual embarrassing, self-indulgent, 10 minute long slow-mo montages of helicopters filming snowmobiles, helicopters filming other helicopters, etc. that you usually see in the big mountain videos. None of that stuff here. The riders in Deeper earn their turns, hiking and camping deep into the wilderness to get some of the most amazing lines ever captured on video. This video will really appeal to people that have a love for the mountains and enjoy things like mountaineering and backpacking in addition to snowboarding. But it also opens up a whole new world to all snowboarders, and sends an awesome new message to your average shred: you can find and crush epic lines, even right here in the lower 48, without the international flights, chartered helis and sleds that only pro-bros can swing...if you're willing to take on the hard work and research that it takes to get out there.

I don't want to dis anyone that loves to get out on the snow in any fashion. But there are a lot of different kinds of riders out there, and it is nice to see some much needed variety in shred videos to reflect that. It is great to see a big mountain snowboard video that isn't just a Warren Miller rip off, or (worse) a self indulgent fantasy of technology ogling and European alpine luxury to live vicariously through. Those videos are satisfying in their own way, but snowboarding is a diverse culture and we all benefit from there being more options out there. I hope Jeremy Jones is making Deeper 2 as I type, and I hope others will make more "earn your turns in uncharted territory" videos...and many other new styles too.

Classic Jeremy Jones, always bigger and better. This is well worth the money. If you like back country, powder, and EXTREME you will like this.

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If your a fan of skiing, or snowboarding alike, you'll love this movie. Jeremy Jones takes snowboarding to a whole new level in this film. With segments in Utah, Chamonix, and Alaska, this 2 year TGR project is exciting and awe inspiring. The movie has spectacular mountain views and places that have never been seen in a ski film before. You'll be on the edge of your seat from the very beginning. This is not your typical ski movie with Terrain park jumps and Helicopters. Jeremy Jones, Travis Rice, et al. hike every single one of lines, many times with technical mixed climbing gear like ice axes, crampons, and rope. So if your looking for crazy ski lines with un-tracked powder and good music. Definitely buy this DVD/Blue-ray.

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This movie is done in the documentary style of "First Decent ", but does a much better job of holding your attention and respect for the players. The cinematography is quite good as well; though there isn't much difference between BD and standard DVD on this one. Overall, this is definitely worth watching and gives you an appreciation for what Jeremy Jones is trying to accomplish.

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I got this for my boyfriend who is a HUGE snowboarding fanatic. Says this is " the best video ever"! great soundtrack as well

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Stephen King's Thinner (1996)

You might not expect it from a Stephen King novel but the film is realitivly tame by todays standards. The result is a thriller of the best kind. The characters are less-than-desirable and that makes things all the more fun to watch. Robert John Burke stars as a morally corrupt attorney who we can't help but empathizing with, after all most of us are carrying a few extra pounds but he's tipping the scales at 300 lbs. and shows no sign of stopping. That's until he hits an old gypsy woman with his car and finds himself the victim of her father's wrath. You see he's over a hundred years old (the gypsies father that is), though by the looks of the cancer growing on his nose he won't be around much longer. Burke and co. conspired to make the old woman's death look like an accident and thus free him of any and all charges he could face in court. After being touched by the gypsy he finds himself on the role of his life, or so he thinks. He drops pounds like there candy which we get to see him cosume much of. Enter Joe Mantegna in his typical Mafia hitman role. The two fight back and thats when things get really good. In the end nobody's spared there just deserts (excuse the pun). The DVD offers and interesting if incomplete commentary track by it's director Todd Holland, of Larry Sanders fame, and costar Mantegna. The widescreen format keeps Burkes weight in proper perspective, instead of streching the screen like they do in those horrorendous pan and scan discs. And the 5.1 sound is very commendable. It's a Halloween treat that I've grown to appreicate more each year 'round this time.

If you are old enough to remember "Room 222"'s gentle principal in that 1960's TV hit, then you will marvel at Michael Constantine's performance as Tadzu Lempke, the centenarian patriarch of a roving band of gypsies. Considered unsavory nuisances whom the sheriff wants evicted, the gypsies legally lure curious onlookers. One of them, Billy Halleck (Burke), a dangerously overweight lawyer, ogles the nubile gypsy daughter gyrating seductively, but her unexpected vulgarity sets a sinister tone for what follows.

In this 1996 Stephen King thriller, Billy and his wife accidentally run down and kill Lempke's aged wife after she pilfers from a drug store. However, the couple is immediately acquitted as townsfolk "testify" in a stacked courtroom. Enraged, Lempke eerily grazes Billy while murmuring the curse, "Thinner."

Within days, Billy credits his new "diet" for his sudden weight loss which continues at a frightful pace. The sight of him going from obese to "normal" to gaunt are truly frightening, especially as the gypsies mockingly camp nearby. Although other townsfolk are cursed in even more grotesque ways (one commits suicide), Billy realizes all are doomed unless he can reason with Lempke, man-to-man. Still, Billy is continually mocked, and flees with a near-fatal slingshot wound through his right hand.

Now, leveraging the threat of violence against Ms. Slingshot, Billy forces Lempke to reveal that the only "antidote" is to pass the curse to someone else, as deceptively as possible. With a few scores to settle, including that of his unfaithful wife, Billy sets the trap, but forgets one very important detail.

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Let me just start of by saying that I am a huge fan of both stephen kings, and horror movies. This however really isn't scary. However it did have a few scary parts. just be warned: this is not your average stephen king movie...but its still really good.

By the way...why do people give movies bad ratings if they have crappy special features? I don't know about everyone else, but I buy my movies for the movie, not for the extra stuff!

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I just read the book a few days ago and I thought the movie was pretty good. I was a little disappointed with the special effects. He didn't really look bad at all when he was supposed to be 120 lbs, most of the work must have went into making him look 300 lbs. Stephen King does make an appearance in the movie as a pharmacist. Not a waste of time or money!

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I think the thing that surprises me the most about Tom Holland's "Thinner" is that it was released theatrically. Based on the novel by the infamous horror writer Stephen King, this adaptation of one of his better-known books feels more like a direct-to-video release than a big-screen feature, with its low production values and overall cheap appearance. Having said that, the movie itself is entertaining to a point, after which, like many of King's novels (or movies based on them), it just flatlines.

The story centers around attorney Billy Halleck (Robert John Burke), whose string of successes have made him a name in his small town. He has a wife, Heidi (Lucinda Jenney), and a young daughter, both of whom have issues about his serious weight problems. "I can't stop thinking about food," he tells his wife in the car on the way home from a celebration dinner, to which she responds with A) the statement "There's more to life than just food," and B), a timely session of... well, you'll see.

Of course, during the "act," Billy fails to notice the old Gypsy woman crossing the street, and strikes her with his vehicle. Given his status among the townspeople (coupled with the fact that almost everyone we meet in the film is prejudiced against gypsies), Billy receives little more than a slap on the wrist, after which he is greeted by the dead woman's father (her father?), who brushes his cheek and chants the word "thinner."

Now I'm sure I don't have to tell you exactly what happens to Billy, who, despite his efforts to maintain a stable weight ("I'm digesting 12,000 calories a day!" he later tell his wife), loses 40 pounds in no more than two weeks. And the fat grams just keep flying, to the point where Heidi insists he check himself into a nearby male clinic, disbelieving of his theory that he has been cursed by the old gypsy man, whom he later sets out to find with the help of a vigilante he helped set free in a case.

If this all sounds rather hokey to you, that's because it is. The problem is, if my synopsis gives you this notion, then you're much better off leaving your experience with "Thinner" at this exposition, and avoiding the movie at all costs. Even for a Stephen King adaptation, the film is incredibly tough to swallow; the beginning and mid-section fares somewhat nicely, setting us up for a third act that showcases some nifty yet under-imagined make-up tricks (like we really couldn't guess that he was wearing a fat suit from the beginning), but fails in regards to giving us a sturdy conclusion that's worth waiting for.

Aside from the low-budget look of the film, there's not a great deal of commendable acting to be dealt with, either. Burke has some effective moments of biting humor, but he fails to register much in his confrontations with his wife, nor do we ever care much for him as a person wasting away as a result of his wrongdoing. The wife and child are basically stand-ins for those pesky times when the film needs some refreshment from slingshot-wielding gypsies and subplots involving two men who share a similar fate to Billy as a result of letting him go without punishment.

There is an intriguing premise underneath the mess that is "Thinner," but the story and its execution follow a pattern very much akin to its main character's descent from obesity.

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Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

William Butler Yeats:

When You Are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim Soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

That comes from a scene where Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner) is talking to a poet Michael Fitzsimmons (Kevin J. O'Connor) while she is visiting her high school years. The scene is one of my favorite movie scenes ever and I feel that the movie itself is a timeless piece of cinema. Look out for performances from Jim Carrey, Nicholas Cage, Hellen Hunt, and a young Sofia Copola (director of Lost in Translation, Virgin Suicides) as Peggy's bratty kid sister (is there another kind?) Great musical score. And this is the one flick guranteed to make me tear up everytime.

I consider Francis Coppola as one of the five best directors of the last 30 years. Even in his less successful movies, there is still the sparkle of the genius. And ONE FROM THE HEART which was a huge flop, critical and popular, is, in my opinion, a masterpiece, along with APOCALYPSE NOW and THE GODFATHER, part I, II and III.

Now why would Francis Coppola be interested in the screenplay of PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED, a light and nostalgic comedy about life and its disenchantments ? Perhaps the subject touched him because of the recent fall of Zoetrope Studios which, at this time, was falling apart with Coppola's dreams and money. In this perspective, PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED is a formidable statement of a bleeding director : " If I could live again now, knowing what I know, I won't change a thing ! ".

Speaking of perspective, let's observe that there aren't any mirrors in the real world of Peggy Sue, Coppola choosing to shoot the back of another actress when Kathleen Turner faces her mirror. This creates an uneasiness in the audience because we have the impression that Peggy Sue will jump out of the mirror. Great idea of an always innovative director.

You will have understood that PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED is a movie you can watch several times and still discover another little pearl hidden in it. That's cinema. And I like it this way.

A DVD for your library.

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First, I can't believe how shallow, misinformed, obtuse and insensitive Tom Keogh's editorial review is.

"Peggy Sue Got Married" is a wonderful, funny, heartfelt and somewhat haunting story about how the ghosts of high school affect us throughout our lives.

Kathleen Turner's performance, as a woman who time-travels back to her last year of high school, is nothing short of a brilliant. It's a physical marvel the way Turner transforms, through her subtle facial gestures and mannerisms, back into the body of a teenager. Faced with the awesome possibility of being able to relive high school, knowing what she knows now, Peggy Sue behaves like anyone would given the chance. What would you say to your grandmother, now dead? What about the boy you're going to marry, and who you later divorce?

The movie is very touching, and also very funny, and is definitely the last great film that Francis Ford Coppola made. Coppola was, by 1986, in a very tumultuous period in his career wasting his time developing cinematic technology and experimental narratives that derailed his career. With "Peggy Sue Got Married," Coppola had a great story, a great actress, and he simply decided to make a great film.

"Peggy Sue Got Married" is one of the best films of mid-1980s.

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This an excellent film to watch primarily bacause all the cast members, including Coppola's daughter who plays Sue's sister in the movie, did a super job of acting their parts. I understand that Miss Kathleen Turner did not want Mr. Cage to be her co-star; however, Coppola wisely insisted that his nephew play the roll Some reviews are critical of Mr. Cage's performance; on the contrary, he does capture the part of that type of kid. I knew several fellas like him when I went to high school in the 40's. With the exception of one scene in which Miss Turner sexually get's involved with the student poet, the entire family can watch the film without being embarrassed. I feel Peggy Sue Got Married will be appreciated in the future like many of us now appreciate "It Happened One Night" with Cable and Colbert. "It Happened One Night," with Cable and Colbert.

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Peggy Sue is a bored, unhappy middle-aged mother whose marriage to Charlie Bodell, her childhood sweetheart, is on the rocks. At a high school reunion Peggy Sue collapses and wakes to find she has somehow been transported back to her teen years. As she gets over the initial shock she realises she has the chance to relive her life and maybe make some drastic changes. She also realises she can change the lives of those around her, such as when she encourages one class mate to invent panty-hose and encourages others to invest in things she knows will succeed in the future. Of course those around Peggy Sue are confused by her newly serious nature, particularly Charlie who cannot understand why she is so cool toward him.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film stars Nicholas Cage as Charlie and Kathleen Turner as Peggy Sue, and watch out for a very young Jim Carrey as Walter, a friend of the young couple. Although the lead actors play their parts well, and try to be believable as teenagers, the fact that they both look far to old to be teens does detract from the film a little. That aside, this is a heart-warming film with some very witty moments. It will make you laugh and cry in equal amounts and, although it looks a little dated now, it is still worth a look.

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The Family Man (2000)

In the tradition of the best films that Hollywood ever had to offer comes this refreshingly honest movie that isn't afraid to say that you don't have to be rich, hip and cynical to be successful and happy with your life. "The Family Man," directed by Brett Ratner, stars Nicolas Cage as Jack Campbell, a man who took the "road less traveled," and turned his back on love for a career on Wall Street, and thirteen years later still doesn't realize how empty and shallow his life has become. Then something happens; on Christmas Eve, Jack does a good turn to the right person at the right time. His name is Cash (Don Cheadle), and he just happens to be a guy with, well, connections. And the next thing Jack knows, he's getting a "glimpse" of what his life would have been had he made a different choice all those many years ago. When he wakes up on Christmas morning, he's not in his bed in his penthouse apartment, but in a house in the suburbs, sleeping next to Kate Reynolds (Tea Leoni), the woman he once loved, but abandoned. Wall Street is history; he's now a crackerjack tire salesman at "Big Ed's," and he and Kate have two kids, Annie (Makenzie Vega) and Josh (Jake and Ryan Milkovich).

Needless to say, Jack is confused; and the enigmatic Cash isn't about to let him in on what's going on-that's for Jack to figure out on his own. So Jack has no choice but to go on living his life-even if it's not really "his" life. And it becomes a journey of discovery; not only for Jack, but for the audience, as well. And what follows may be fantasy, but it's fantasy with a message, from some filmmakers who aren't afraid to tell it like it is, and they do it well.

What director Roth presents you with is an examination of what life is really all about, and what-in the final analysis-is really important. And make no mistake, this isn't a film that aims for the head, it aims for the heart, scores a bullseye and doesn't apologize for it. Is it pure, true, realistic, riveting drama? Of course not, and it never pretends to be. What it is, is a film that stays true to what it's all about and says some things that need to be said in this fast-food, cybersaturated world of the here and now. It's a poignant, well made and well acted film that appeals to the universal sensibilities that in one way or another reside within even the most jaded, modernized and "New Aged" individuals. Because it's an entreaty to the most basic of human needs and concerns.

Cage was the perfect choice to play Jack; he's got a natural, sympathetic look that makes him easy to like, and combined with the emotional aspect he brings to the character it makes Jack someone to whom it is so easy to relate. it's a performance that allows you to feel something; and that's really what this movie is all about, capturing that sense of humanity that is so often lacking in people's lives today. Cage makes it work, and he makes it work beautifully, because he lets you share Jack's frustration, his loss, his fears and, most importantly, the hope and the love he ultimately realizes has been missing in his life. It's a challenging role that Cage not only met, but surpassed with just the kind of exacting performance that was needed to put this story across.

Tea Leoni gives an excellent performance, as well, as Kate. It's a sensitive, sympathetic portrayal that serves the character and the story with great effectiveness. Leoni makes something special out of a character that could've been just the "female lead," with the purpose of being nothing more than the means of moving the story of Jack's self-discovery along. Instead, she makes it her story as much as his by making Kate an endearing, truly integral part of the film, and she fairly sparkles on the screen.

The supporting cast includes Jeremy Piven (Arnie), Saul Rubinek (Alan), Josef Sommer (Peter), Lisa Thornhill (Evelyn), Harve Presnell (Big Ed), Mary Beth Hurt (Adelle) and Francine York (Lorraine). There's no doubt that personal experience and frame of reference is going to play a big part in the way "The Family Man" is received by the audience. But Ratner, Cage, Leoni and everyone else connected with this project are to be commended for making an honest, heart-felt film with an important message about life in today's world. It's a film that says success isn't just being the guy at the top of the heap, that it's okay to just "be" whomever or whatever you are, as long as it's what makes you happy and content. It's a bold statement for a filmmaker to make today, and we can only hope that more artists will have the guts to make more movies like this in the future.

If, like me, you find most Hollywood "love" stories about as warm and romantic as a cold sleepless night in Seattle, then you're in for a surprise. Not since Casablanca have I enjoyed a love story as much, and though they both end at the airport, the similarity ends there. This one is about marriage, family, and the connections and sacrifices that make marriage, parenthood and yes, love, worthwhile.

Nicolas Cage plays a harried but driven Wall Street executive playboy who wakes one day to find himself trapped in a life he never wanted, married to the woman he abandoned years ago. It's a living nightmare at first, but the harder he tries to escape it, the more he begins to see that there are values and rewards that he somehow missed in his previous executive penthouse lifestyle. By the end of the movie, he's learned a lesson he will never forget.

An unexplainable fantasy in the tradition of "Groundhog Day", you soon find yourself accepting the unexplainable, even as the protagonist himself realizes there is no easy escape from his new reality, and learns to work within it's framework. After all, life throws all of us some unexpected "curves", and like the protagonist in this modern day Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Suburban Bowling League, we can become better people by accepting and embracing the crazy things life puts us through in the name of love. Chalk one up for old-fashioned family values in a feel-good movie with a message, served up without the sappy cliches.

Put the kids to bed early (The Family Man deals with some adult issues, and much as I enjoyed it, it would need a little editing before I would consider it a family film!), and just the two of you watch this one together with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine you'll be glad you did!

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I saw this movie in the theatre just after Christmas and I have to say it is one of the best romantic drama/fantasy movies I've ever seen. Nicolas Cage proves once again that his acting skills are second to none, and I don't think I've seen Tea Leoni in a better role.

Cage's character, a rich, hard-working businessman with no time for a real relationship comes across his ex-finacee's phone number after he chose to leave her in order to accept a job offer years before.

A 'guardian angel' of sorts gives him the chance to take a glimpse of how his life would be if he didn't get on that plane. And the result is phenomenal. This is a movie for anyone who has ever wondered, "What if I made different choices in life."

Why this movie wasn't nominated for an Oscar is beyond me, but it is indeed a great film which the whole family will surely enjoy.

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This movie borrows from It's a Wonderful Life and the book Replay, where a man can go back and see how his life would be if he made a different choice.

In this movie, Nicholas Cage says goodbye to his girlfriend (Kate) at the airport. He is going to London for a job. We next see him years later as a successful head of a large corporation, unmarried and basically involved in one-night stands. We are later to find out that when Cage went to London, he forgot about Kate and she went her own way, never to be heard from again.

Cage is on the way home from the office during a snow-storm and thwarts a robbery. The audience expects the robber to shoot cage but instead Cage seems to convince the robber that he would be a better man if he didn't shoot Cage. It turns out that the robber is not really a robber but a type of Angel (similar to Clarence in It's a Wonderful Life) who will give Cage a glimpse of what life would be like if he hadn't stayed in London but instead came back and married Kate.

Cage goes to sleep in his luxury apartment and wakes up the next morning in a bed with an older Kate. Cage slowly learns that he is really a married man with a family and instead of a big time corporate president, he is a tire salesman in his father-in-law's store.

There are several hilarious scenes and some very touching ones. His "new" life looks like a nightmare at first turns out to be the life he will eventually prefer (Some of this is reminiscent of Goldie Hawn in Overboard). Only until he realizes this, he will not be returned to his prior life by the Angel.

The director does a great job in giving us an ending that is different than what you seem to expect. I won't say what but I think it was well done.

One thing that is not explored is that when Cage's glimpsed life finishes, he will lose his two children from that glimpsed life. The director never touches on Cage's feelings about that, unlike the novel Replay where the main character is torn apart because a child he had in an alternate life no longer exists when he is in a different reality.

The movie is well cast and Don Cheadle is excellent as the "angel."

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Nicholas Cage is a wall street tycoon that has everything but a real life. As Christmas approaches Cage is busy landing a mega merger deal when an "angel of fate" transports him into what his life could have been like if he would have stayed with his former fiance (Tea Leoni). He finds himself with a wife of thirteen years and two very cute kids. The problem is that he has all the memories of his wall stree existence and no idea how he got where he is. The result is a feel good comedy that makes you wonder "what if".

The plot line is not all that original. It is basically the same film as "Mr. Destiny" except with the reverse circumstances. Also, unlike Jim Belushi, Nicholas Cage CAN act. Cage pulls off this comedy better than most of his previous performances. Tea Leoni is charming and funny in her own right. They mix well on screen and the child actors add that OH SO CUTE factor that seems to be a must have in movies lately.

Overall the movie flows good and holds interest throughout. It plays on human emotion to the point that the viewer really seems to care about the development of the characters and wants to know what happens. The ending is hopeful without being the typical over the top sap. I really enjoyed this movie and recommend it.

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Umberto D. (The Criterion Collection) (1952)

Director Vittorio De Sica, the famous actor and well renown director who was a major proponent to Italian neorealism of filmmaking and introduced the world to films that would take the world by storm. De Sica had many popular films under his belt such as "Miracle in Milan", "The Children Are Watching Us", "Two Women" and many more. But it was the neorealistic films of De Spica that many remember. Films such as "The Bicycle Thief" and "Shoeshine", films that epitomized showcased the poor and working class in Italy. How one deals with poverty and when desperate, the life changing decisions that are made.

But it was the 1952 film "Umberto D." which De Sica has said is the film which he prefers among all the films that he has made because of its "uncompromising portrayal of the characters and incidents that are genuine and true".

But "Umberto D." was a film that would become noticed now more than when it first screened in theaters in Italy. As Italy tried to move past the neorealism and wanted to show the country as healthy, "Umberto D." continued De Sica's dedication to showcase people living in poverty. According to film critic, Stuart Klawans, "Umberto D." was a film that was despised by the Christian Democratic Part's Giulio Andreotti and it was his party who had control of the government and also the movie production loans and right for pre-censorship over scripts. Andreotti went as far as saying De Sica was guilty of slandering Italy abroad.

Needless to say, the film bombed in the box office in Italy and different parts of Europe despite winning a Bodil Award for "Best European Film". But it appeared that audiences fascination with Italian neorealism was over.

Meanwhile in the US, Americans had a different perspective and gave the film a New York Film Critics Circle Award for "Best Foreign Language Film" and the film was nominated an Oscar for "Best Writing, Motion Picture Story".

Before De Sica's death, if there was one thing about "Umberto D.", its that De Sica has always believed it was his best film because it was a film made the way he wanted without compromises.

"Umberto D. was a film written by Cesare Zavattini (who also wrote "Miracle in Milan" and "The Bicycle Thief"), cinematography by Aldo Graziati ("Miracle in Milan", "Indiscretion") and music by Alessandro Cicognini ("Miracle in Milan", "Tomorrow is Too Late", "Anna of Brooklyn"). And the film would showcase people who have never acted before, with the exception of the trained dog who had appeared in several films prior.

The film was a cineaste favorite when it was released on DVD by the Criterion Collection in 2003, but now De Sica's masterpiece was released on Blu-ray by the Criterion Collection in Sept. 2012.

VIDEO:

"Umberto D." is presented in 1080p High Definition, black and white (1:37:1 aspect ratio). This new transfer on Blu-ray looks incredible compared to its previous Criterion Collection 2003 DVD counterpart. Picture quality is actually very good for a film created back in 1952 courtesy of the restoration done by Cineteca Nazionale-Scuola Nzionale di Cinema in collaboration with Mediaset and the original DVD transfer was quite impressive when I originally reviewed it years ago.

But watching it in HD, the detail of the film is impressive. Whites and grays were were well-contrast and black levels were nice and deep. The picture quality is clean and contrast is stunning. The Blu-ray release of "Umberto D." is fantastic and fans of the film will definitely see the improved transfer to be worth the upgrade from the original DVD to Blu-ray.

According to the Criterion Collection, the high-definition digital transfer was created on a Spirit Datacine from the original nitrate camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS and Pixel Farm's PFClean, while Digital Vision's Phoenix was used for small dirt, grain and noise reduction.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

As for the audio, audio is presented in Italian LPCM Monaural 1.0. Dialogue is clear and I heard no audio problems during my viewing of the film. According to Criterion, the soundtrack was mastered at 24-Bit from a 35 mm optical track print. Pops, crackle, hiss and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD, Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation.

Subtitles are in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Umberto D." comes with the following special features:

That's Life: Vittorio De Sica (54:32) A 2001 documentary directed by Sandro Lai about Vittorio De Sica's career and behind-the-scenes footage from De Sica's past interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and more.

Maria Pia Casilio Interview (12:06) Filmed in 2003, Maria Pia Casilio talks about how a seamstress with no acting ability won the role for "Umberto D." and from that moment, how and why Di Spica gave her an opportunity to be in every film of his.

Trailer The original theatrical trailer for "Umberto D.".

EXTRAS:

"Umberto D. The Criterion Collection #201" comes with an 18-page booklet with the following essays: "Seeing Clearly Through Tears: On the Smart Sentiment of Umberto D." by Stuart Klawans, "De Sica on Umberto D." and "Am I Battisti or Umberto D.?" by Carlo Battsti.

JUDGMENT CALL:

It has been nearly a decade since I have watched "Umberto D.", one of filmmaker Vittorio De Sica's masterpiece and a classic film of Italian neorealism that many will remember long after they have watched it. A film that resonates strongly within a viewer because of its heartfelt story, its circumstance and imagery of its time, but most importantly, a film that event today, many people experience similar situations of homelessness and being too old and relevant to others during a time where world economy is bad and one can only hope for the best.

"Umberto D." is a story about humanity, a story about hope and persevering no matter how bad things are and to protect those who you love or are close to, even when a person is unsure if they can do it or not.

When I originally reviewed this film years ago, it was during at time that I took an interest in De Sica's work. At the time I wrote, "And fortunately, both films are not alike with the exception that you have two older men who contemplate their life as "Ikiru" focused on a man who doesn't have much time to live, while "Umberto D." is about a man who is trying to survive and knowing he has no one to depend on, but yet his dog...his only companion depends on him and several times, Umberto has disappointed his canine friend. His stubbornness and not willing to find shelter but to see if he can prove to his landlord that he will not be kicked of his apartment can be seen as commendable, and that the old man still has enough fight in him. In "Ikiru", we see the value of life. In "Umberto D.", we see an old man's life thrown into despair and not knowing what to do with his life. Nor does he do much to fix it.".

Watching "Umberto D." once again, the relationship between Umberto and canine companion is important because for many older people, one must be inspired to live. For Umberto, the dog is his connection to life, having no family that he can depend on, no friends that he can depend on, it's his dog that needs him, depends on him and it's that relationship that captivates the viewer. We feel sympathy for both but knowing that old age, no job, during a time of despair...you feel as if things continue to be unresolved, hope may seem to far out of reach.

The film has so much relevance because I'm sure even 60-years after this film was released in theaters, I'm quite sure many people have met someone like Umberto. Young adult or elderly, family member or friend... I'm sure that there are times we have been apathetic and also frustrated by such people. This was a time of despair economically and while families had each other, those who were elderly and could not work were not seen as productive but as expendable.

And so, the message of the film was taken to heart by those who have watched it then and now. Interesting enough that the film was criticized because it was seen as a disservice to Italy according to Giulio Andreotti, Undersecretary of Public Entertainment, who wanted to see more healthy and optimistic cinema. But it's understandable as Italy was undergoing a tumultuous time of uncertainty. The government wanted to rebuild Italy to a positive nation and they needed their film industry to change the mood of its people. While De Sica and other filmmakers wanted to bring attention to social injustice and the need for social reform to help the poor.

Needless to say, it was a conflict in Italy's cinematic past and in the end, more people wanted to be entertained than be shown what they know already about their country's political and social problems and sure enough, Italian Neorealism would eventually start to transition into more upbeat films via commedia all'italiana or even neorealismo rosa, which later became more in demand.

Seeing the transition and changes in Vittorio de Sica's career, I look at "Umberto D." as a time capsule to Italy's past and grateful that the filmmaker used cinema to communicate to viewers that the people have the right to voice their displeasure towards their government and ask for social reform.

"Umberto D." and "The Bicycle Thieves" are important films by Vittorio De Sica, because we watch how this filmmaker wanted to see change and what best to use cinema as a powerful voice to communicate to millions.

I mentioned that "hope may seem so far out of reach" for Umberto D., but the ending of the film can be seen by different people with different interpretations. I tend to look at it as man's best friend giving the man a second chance at life. Whether your optimism or pessimism comes into full gear after watching this film, just know that its relevancy then continues to be powerful even now and this classic Italian film should be seen by all cinema fans. I would go as far to say that "Umberto D." is a must-watch film and for cinema fans, it's also a must-own. I believed back then that this film was a keeper and I still hold that belief today.

As far as the Blu-ray is concerned, the transfer to Blu-ray is fantastic. Back in 2003, my review was favorable because of its restoration and clarity on DVD. But watching it on Blu-ray, the clarity, contrast and overall picture quality makes this version the one to own. As for special features, I absolutely enjoyed the documentary about director Vittorio De Sica's life and also hearing from the actress Maria Pia Casilio and hearing how cool of a director De Sica truly was and how he treated her so well. You can only admire what De Sica brought to filmmaking but also when given the opportunity to create a film with no compromises.

Overall, "Umberto D." is a masterpiece. Cinematography was beautiful, the non-professional actors turned actors brought a wonderful performance for the film and Zavattini once again has nailed down a solid screenplay. Sure, "Umberto D." may not tug at your heart or make you cry like Kurosawa's "Ikiru" but the despair of his characters are quite real and relevant today.

It's Italian neorealism at its best and "Umberto D." is definitely a film that I highly recommend!

This is one of the seminal films of the post-World War 2 era.

If you want to break your Heart, this film delivers !

Buy Umberto D. (The Criterion Collection) (1952) Now

Very sad, in a way--happy in others....the life of an old man and his dog....DeSica does an incredible job, as usual--everything is just perfect in this film....the b/w picture looks very good on the blu-ray, and the sound is decent enough for what it is....it is the story and the way it is told that makes it all worth, though....the extras are a little on the light side for Criterion--no matter....one of the very best....

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This is one of those rare movies, that it is a easy movie to watch, aside from it being a great movie technically. The blu-ray is awesome, movie does not feel "dated" in anyway.

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