Superman Vs the Elite Blu-ray - Limited Edition w/ Figurine (2012)

The ítem it's incredible, I love the Superman Vs Elite movie, for that I buyed this limited edition, and the Figure is beautiful.. i like to much

I haven't seen this movie yet but i've read the reviews and they were pretty good. The reason i'm writing the review is to warn buyers who buy this here when its only $24.99 at Best Buy because its a Best Buy exclusive.

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Billy Madison (1995)

I've read every review of this movie quite thoroughly and I've noticed a common thread in each and every "bad" review given. All of Billy Madison's detractors say that the movie is stupid and childish. I suggest that these people stick to their "The English Patient", and leave this wonderful film alone. The movie's 'stupidity' as critics call it, is actually the essence of it's true genius. Billy Madison is ridiculous, illogical, and downright bizarre, but it is these elements that make this movie the most entertaining film I have ever seen. Sure, there are great, epic, emotional dramas that have the power to move you to tears, and these are exceptional films. Films can also be fun however, and Billy Madison is the most fun you will ever have from simply watching a movie. Doesn't this also make a film great? Why do critics always dismiss films such as these as "immature"? Billy Madison won't make you cry, but Gone With the Wind sure isn't gonna make you laugh either. Both emotions are important, and a film that makes you laugh uncontrollably (which I guarantee this film will) is just as effective as one that makes you weep, or feel warm and fuzzy inside. As far as Sandler's acting chops are concerned, he certainly wouldn't be considered a 'thespian', but his natural appeal is so exceptionally strong that it can carry a movie he is just that likeable. The man speaks pure gibberish and I laugh my fool head off, this is a talent that no other actor can match. I don't recommend that you see Billy Madison, I insist that you buy it, right now, from Amazon.com. The American Film Institute declared Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" as the greatest film of all time? Just one question: where is the imaginary penguin, Mr. Welles? Where is the imaginary penguin? Peace, I'm outta here!

This is still my favorite of all of Adam Sandler's filmefforts. WHY, you ask? Because of it's LACK of a script. This moviedoesn't even try to create substance, character or plot! All it is, is Adam Sandler acting so lovably loopy that you can't help but crack a smile or let out a large guffaw. Sandler's other films (that I DIDN'T like) like "The Waterboy" and "Big Daddy" tried to be sort of serious in some parts and tried to be witty when in fact it wasn't.

"Billy Madison" is all about STUPIDITY. Heck, it's about a 28 year old guy going through grade school! Whatta ya expect, ya know! There are classically hysterical moments:

"O'Doyle rules! " "Shampoo is better! I help clean the hair! Conditioner is better! I make the hair silky and smooth! Oh, really fool! Really! . . .Stop looking at me swan." "No, I will not make out with you! "

And of course, who could forget Steve Buscemi putting on lipstick? Or the late great Chris Farley making out with a penguin. Or those stupid graduation parties! It's so stupid but sooooo funny for some reason. Watch this comedy today. END

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This movie is like -soo riotously funny. No bearing on relity, but you'll laugh your splitting sides off! See Adam Sandler before he became so well known. His comic genius was already showing big time. As an heir with whacky friends, he has to repeat all grades of school in just a few weeks to convince his dad that he's worthy of his inheritance. And he has a riotous good time in the process. He meets a teacher, Veronica Vaughan, played by Bridgette Wilson. This is her only lead role I know of -she's such an underrated actress who should have gone big places. See this underrated gem of a comedy!

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Is there a point to this story? No. Do you care? No. This is, in my humble opinion, Adam Sandler's best movie.

Adam(Billy Madison) plays a drunk, lazy, party going imbecile. His father is the proud owner of a big hotel chain. Billy wants nothing more than to take over this chain of hotels from his father. In order to do so he must graduate grades 1-12 in two weeks. He falls for his third grade teacher Veronica Vaughn. He actually has one of his third grade classmates call up his teacher to see if she likes anyone. That in itself is funny as I'm sure all of us guys and gals have had one of our friends call up someone we had a crush on to see if they liked us when we were younger. Billy, however is 28 years old.

Anyway, Billy Madison isn't for everybody. If you want a rich plot or great acting this is definitely not for you. This movie is for any Adam Sandler fan. It's that stupid, stupid humor that can make anyone crack a smile. If you want a movie to make you laugh see Billy Madison.

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Billy Madison is the most hilariously inane character that Adam Sandler has portrayed, and while I don't consider this one of Sandler's best movies, it is easily one of his funniest. A lot of the comedy seems to have come directly from the set of Saturday Night Live; it was funny there, and it is funny here. Even a few SNL buddies, namely Norm MacDonald and the late Chris Farley, turn up to revel in the infectiously entertaining silliness. Sandler plays Billy Madison (of course), the son of a filthy rich hotel magnate. He spends all of his time lazing around the pool, drinking copious amounts of alcohol, and pawing over nudie mags; his only hobby seems to be lighting bags of poo on fire on the front porch of people he doesn't particularly like. Even after his infantile behavior at a big business meeting, he is shocked to hear his father say he is giving the company to a particularly annoying executive rather than turning it over to him. He swears he will do anything, even go back to school and actually earn the diploma his father bought for him, to make his father change his mind. Monday morning finds him camped out in a first grade classroom, where he actually fits in pretty well. Every two weeks, he is tested and bumped up another grade. Billy really enjoys his time in third grade because he makes some good friends among the children and laps the elixir of knowledge from the fountain of the gorgeous Veronica Vaughn (Bridgette Wilson). As time goes by, Eric starts sweating and sets Billy up for a fall. Only the disciplinarian love of Veronica and the support of his new childhood friends can pick Billy up and get him back in the game.

I think Sandler is a comic genius, and few comedians could make such a silly, silly movie a real success. I mean, Billy does things like chase imaginary giant penguins around the house; that kind of thing just doesn't fly with any other actors. I should point out that there is actually a strong human element to this story as it progresses, though. Once all the alcohol is out of his bloodstream, Billy is a nice, good-hearted fellow, and the reliving of his old school days makes a profound impact on his character. I'm still not exactly sure what Veronica sees in him, but true success pretty much requires a good-looking woman to be there to kiss you at the end. Perhaps I should just say a final word to the parents of teenaged boys: while this movie does provide a strategy guaranteed to make any young man study his heart out, it is probably not something you will want to sanction in your own family life.

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The Dark Mirror (1946)

Although director Robert Siodmak is most closely identified with noir classics such as The Killers, Crisscross, and The Phantom Lady, The Dark Mirror is a fine addition to his portfolio. Expanding on the scope of his creativity, Siodmak relies heavily on the performance that he draws from star actress Olivia De Havilland. The Dark Mirror is a psychological thriller about a murder committed by one of two twin sisters; Ruth and Terry Collins. Playing both sister roles, De Havilland's acting ability and developmental character depth is tested. De Havilland passes admirably. At first the twin sisters seem physically and emotionally similar. Subltle nuances differentiate their personalities and it is De Havilland's fine acting that peels away the layers of emotionalism that define each sister's character traits. De Havilland aided by keen camera work by Siodmak, keeps viewers on edge as she shifts roles within frames that are shared by both sisters. ( I still don't understand how Sidomak achieved thisespecially the scenes when Terry is comforting a terrifed Ruth.) When Terry attempts to drive Ruth insane, thoughts of Gaslight come to mind, but De Havilland's dual performance creates even more interest. Dimitri Tomkin's musical score is also a plus as it serves to accentuate the emotions that heighten the film's climactic expressions shared by the twin sisters. The script by Nunnally Johnson, is sometimes mundane, and it seems that the film's eightyfive minute running time is consciously stretched. The film's ending is a surprise as Terry's wrath and frustration finally surface.

The Dark Mirror is an improbable, yet entertaining suspense story about a detective and a psychiatrist's attempts to determine which one of a pair of twins committed murder. The movie succeeds because of the effective performance by Olivia deHavilland as the twins. Rather than making the twins polar opposites (which is what most actresses whould have done and most twins aren't), she subtlely distinguishes between the two, and her performance at the climax of the movie is very memorable. The special effects to give the illusion of two Olivias are quite good, especially given the time when the film was made. All in all, it's an entertaining movie and I'd recommend it.

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After a doctor is found murdered, the chief suspect is a woman (Olivia De Havilland) identified by several witnesses at the scene. But the detective (Thomas Mitchell) assigned to the case discovers that she has an identical twin sister (also De Havilland) which begs the question ..... which one is the murderess? The director Robert Siodmak (THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE) and De Havilland tip their hand fairly early in the film so that we know who the murderer is so the suspense comes from how will they find out and will they find out before she commits another killing. Siodmak provides the requisite moody atmosphere and De Havilland does an excellent job of differentiating between the two sisters, it's really one of her best performances. Lew Ayres is the psychiatrist who attempts to find out which is the twisted sister through psychological means and ends up falling in love with one of them. The screenplay is by Nunnally Johnson who would return to the subject again nine years later with THREE FACES OF EVE. The effective underscore is by Dimitri Tiomkin. With Richard Long and Ida Moore.

The Olive DVD is a nicely rendered B&W transfer in its appropriate 1.33 aspect ratio

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Starring Olivia de Havilland and Olivia de Havilland, THE DARK MIRROR is a fun, psychologically-oriented, murder mystery. It is probably foremost, a super vehicle for Olivia to show her acting chops. She plays twin sisters (Terry and Ruth Collins) convincingly; using the subtlest of nuances to depict both personalities.

It is also a splendid job by Robert Siodmak. Imagine, he also made the superb THE KILLERS in the same year. There is only a single scene, where Terry and Ruth are speaking face to face, that looks the slightest bit artificial: the rest is an amazing technical achievement by any standard.

The Oscar nominated story (Vladimir Pozner), screenwriting (Nunnally Johnson), music (Dimitri Tiomkin) and cinematography (Milton Krasner) are all very fine. And when you find that Olivia de Havilland is supported by the likes of Lew Ayres and Thomas Mitchell; there's nothing left but to sit back and enjoy.

This is definitely a film that deserves a DVD/Blu-ray release.

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I have been waiting for years for this to come out on DVD. One of Olivia's great films and Robert Siodmak at his very best.

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The Big Heat (1953)

In spite of the low profile it got at its initial release in the 50's, in spite of the modest budget and production value, THE BIG HEAT, with his already highly acclaimed M, is Fritz Lang's greatest film, and one of the highest achievement of cinema. The stunning opening sequence, depicting a police officer's suicide and its aftermath, is a great example of efficiency cinematic narrative, so are the 85 minutes that follow. Lang fills this film with powerful shots and speedy editing, never afraid to show heightened violence when the story needs to. Many heated action sequences are handled with impressive masterly. Unlike in the movies in which Lang used famous Hollywood star (and the majority of them could not cope with the severeness of his direction), Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame show powerful, convincing performances fused with emotion. Also featured are Lee Marvin and Janet Nolan, as the "bad guys" and are equally great. But what makes THE BIG HEAT such a great film is the fact that it is a profoundly humanist and moral film. As many of Lang's American films does, THE BIG HEAT depicts the corruption of the modern society. In fact, he never been as good as this in showing the system of how our society functions: a newspaper headline, or even a telephone call may be more powerful than guns and bullets, punches and tortures. The sophisticated syndicate functions not with violence, but with the information of violence. At the same time, Lang chose the protagonist of the film to be a truly good human being, not a perfect super hero, but a cop who is convinced to do an honest job, and ready to fight for this cause in spite of all the corruptions that surround him. At one point of the story, he is almost convinced that he is set alone against the entire world which is corrupted. He comes very close to be obsessed by hatred towards other men. But then he finds out that he can believe in people, that in spite of the harsh reality of the world which obliges them to lie, to play D-and-D, to be corrupted to save their own neck and wealthy life, in most people there are also a desire to be a good human being. THE BIG HEAT marks the almost only occasion that Lang, the master of pessimistic visions of 20th century, is himself not at all a pessimist, but a believer in human kind.

"The Big Heat" is a good-cop-vs-city-corruption story based on a serial by William P. McGivern that ran in the "Saturday Evening Post". Police Sergeant David Bannion (Glenn Ford) becomes suspicious while investigating the suicide of a police officer when the dead man's girlfriend is murdered shortly after she speaks to him. But Bannion is ordered to lay off the dead cop's sinister widow, Bertha Duncan (Jeanette Nolan), and to leave the murder case to another jurisdiction. He pursues the case anyway, confronting a prominent businessman named Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby) who built his fortune on crime and to whom all roads of corruption in this town lead. Lagana's violent reprisal further provokes Bannion into an obsessive campaign to bring down the entire corrupt network of criminals, politicians, and complicitous cops.

Glenn Ford and director Fritz Lang give us a complicated picture of David Bannion, a man who is kind and devoted to his family, but whose obsessive pursuit of justice leaves a trail of death and destruction. The crusading cop who risks his life to combat the violence and corruption that permeate his town is, at the same time, generally unconcerned with the human cost of his pique. Bannion's single-mindedness is understandable considering his circumstances, but this good guy with admirable ambitions has the flaws of a self-righteous crusader. And that's a lot more interesting than a man who's all good.

Gloria Grahame gives a memorable performance as Debby Marsh, the girlfriend of one of Lagana's goons. She is the antithesis of the smart, literate Laurel Gray, whom Grahame portrayed in "In a Lonely Place". Debby is an unsophisticated-but-savvy, happy-go-lucky woman who tries to enjoy life in spite of depending on sadistic gangsters for her livelihood. And she suffers for being caught between the conflicting obsessions of two men: her boyfriend Vince and David Bannion. Debby's childlike voice and chin-up demeanor in the midst of moral chaos really make an impression.

The DVD (The Columbia/ Tristar 2001 release): Bonus features are "Vintage Advertising", which is a slideshow of some posters for the film, and Theatrical Trailers for "The Big Heat", "The Lady from Shanghai", and "Suddenly, Last Summer". Subtitles are available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. Dubbing is available in French.

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Exciting, violent and downright wild for its time, Fritz Lang's THE BIG HEAT kicks off Twilight Time's releases for the month of May, and for film noir fans, this crackerjack thriller never ceases to disappoint.

Glenn Ford plays the dogged (and, at times, almost too determined) cop who, upon investigating the apparent suicide of a fellow police officer, finds out that corruption exists at nearly every level in his county, all of it stemming from a local crime boss named Mike Lagana (Alexander Scourby) calling the shots. Lagana's web extends down to Ford's own bosses, hindering an investigation that takes the family man down a dark path at a personal cost to his own wife (Jocelyn Brando) and the women who aid him in his pursuit of justice, including Gloria Grahame in a fine performance as one of the gangster's molls.

"The Big Heat" is sensationally entertaining for its genre, and also extremely, notably nasty to virtually all of the film's female leads. The ladies in Sydney Boehm's screenplay are burned, scarred, murdered and blown up a litany of body bags that accentuates the horror of the film's villain, who also uses a henchman played by a young Lee Marvin to carry out the unpleasantness. Ford's alternately earnest and tough delivery makes his detective sympathetic to a degree, though his almost fanatical desire to see justice carried out ends up making his misery something of his own personal doing.

Lang's visuals in particular his trademark use of shadows bring the punchy material to life in a film that deservedly ranks among the best of its genre, and it's certainly one of the more memorably violent pictures of the `50s as well.

Twilight Time's Blu-Ray boasts a crisp 1080p AVC encoded transfer layered with fine grain and detail. This is one of those titles you ought to drag out as a demo disc for any friends who don't think there's anything to be gained from watching old black-and-white movies in HD. The full-bodied DTS MA mono audio is effective as well sounding almost stereophonic at times while an isolated score track of Henry Mars' efficient underscoring (credited to Mischa Bakaleinikoff) and a re-issue trailer put the cap on a must-have disc for noir buffs.

Read Best Reviews of The Big Heat (1953) Here

"The Big Heat", Fritz Lang's concise, hard-hitting Noir drama, both defines the genre in it's 'mature' form (with the obligatory black and white, high contrast photography, a short running time, a hero, portrayed by Glenn Ford, who teeters between justice and vengeance, and villains, particularly Lee Marvin, every bit as shaded and complex as Ford), and tosses in, almost casually, a fascinating subtext, that the three central female characters of the film are, in fact, as essential as their male counterparts, and even more interesting! Portrayed by Jocelyn Brando (Marlon's older sister), Jeanette Nolan, and the fabulous Gloria Grahame, they are not only pivital to the plot, but actually become the characters you're most likely to leave the film talking about.

Beginning with the suicide of a cop 'on the take', who leaves a letter exposing the mob's connections with the police and local government, the film first introduces Nolan, as a less-than-grieving widow, who steals the letter, and uses it as leverage to enjoy 'the good life'. An underrated actress, usually cast in sweet-natured supporting 'grandmotherly' roles, Nolan here gets to cut loose, blackmailing the mob while tossing false 'leads' to cop Ford, and adjusting her 'image' to suit whatever situation she faces. Her portrayal, alone, would make this an extraordinary film!

Ford, the dedicated, honest homicide detective, has a history of ruffling official feathers to find the truth, and much of his strength comes from the love and support of wife Brando. Not your 'traditional' 50s wife, she 'samples' his drinks and food, hints at her satisfying sex life (remarkable, in itself!), and casually smokes while preparing dinner, sweetly bantering with her husband. In the smallest of the central female roles, it is easy to 'lose' her, between the flashier performances of Nolan and Grahame, but, in fact, she is the catalyst of the plot, whose untimely demise would set the chain of events in motion.

Then there is Gloria Grahame, the 'party girl' mistress of enforcer Lee Marvin...wisecracking, and blissfully ignorant of the risks she takes in verbally 'jabbing' her boyfriend's relationship to mob boss Alexander Scourby, she grabs the screen, each scene she's in, and makes Marvin's performance, as a genial yet psychopathic sadist, even better. When she warms up to Ford, she is rewarded with a pot of scalding coffee in the face, disfiguring her, and providing the hook to blow things wide-open...

Three powerhouse performances, by three terrific actresses!

Fritz Lang's American film work was always remarkable, and "The Big Heat" showcased him at the top of his form.

The film is, deservedly, a classic!

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Basically a tough and compelling police melodrama. Lang adds tension and some scenes have become little gems, but he doesn't capture the atmosphere and essence of 'Noir'. The plot about corruption and greed is very tame by today's standards and time has taken away much of the impact. This will always be remembered as the film where Lee Marvin threw boiling coffee on Gloria Graheme's face. Glenn Ford gives his best performance as the tough-as-nails Bannion. Lee Marvin is also superb as the sadistic Vince. But Gloria Graheme is the one who gives the most memorable performance as Vince's moll who gets horribly disfigured and ultimately saves the day but with tragic conclusions. The final shoot-out sequence is memorable and Graheme's last speech is touching. Works better as a police drama than a definitive 'noir'. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film a 7!

Weekend (The Criterion Collection) (2011)

I always appreciate when a big label like Criterion courts smaller noteworthy offerings that might not ordinarily receive a big distribution. Taking on Andrew Haigh's "Weekend" is certainly one of their more interesting offerings. Some might consider it a niche choice with its homosexual themes and same sex coupling, but "Weekend" has a lot to say about how people (of any gender or orientation) connect or don't connect in the modern world. It is a small film, to be sure, that is graced with both a minimalism and a naturalism that might remind you of Mike Leigh's most organic projects. The narrative takes place over the course of one weekend largely within the confines of an apartment. It is a piece that is bolstered by a thoughtful screenplay and two great performances. If you're looking for a big story, this micro-budgeted indie is NOT the picture for you. But if you enjoy realistic dialogue about the human condition, about life, about love and relationships--there is plenty to be admired here.

Basically, "Weekend" is structured as a brief encounter, a fleeting moment. A relationship in microcosm is played out over a couple of days. The film is completely understated and its quiet effectiveness might sneak up on you. It's a typical enough story, I suppose. Russell (Tom Cullen) heads out to a club looking for some action and as the evening comes to a close, he ends up going home with Glen (Chris New). Neither is under the illusion that this is anything other than a hook-up. In fact, it doesn't appear that the two men share much common ground. What follows is an encounter fueled by drinking, drugs, and sex. But unexpectedly, they also let down their guards and really start to connect. In many ways, "Weekend" is about that moment where two people fall in love. It's not a big or dramatic moment, but a subtle shift of how you view someone else--how you seem to fit. While the film does touch on some issues specific to the homosexual community, its underlying themes are much more universal than you might imagine.

The film played very well on the festival circuit, even picking up two British Independent Film Awards, one for Best Achievement In Production and one for Most Promising Newcomer Tom Cullen. Cullen is quite exceptional. His Russell is more aloof, more introspective, but as he starts to share more of himself--the openness and vulnerability are etched across his face. Chris New is believable and outspoken, cynical and frank, but with a need to connect maybe he doesn't even fully understand. If the thought of two men having sex or sharing intimacy bothers you, this might not be your first choice. But both actors really make this work, giving of themselves both physically and emotionally. In the end, it's bittersweet, real, natural, and unassuming. What it achieves, it does so quietly, unexpectedly and with surprising subtlety. Perhaps this tiny little movie is not for everyone, but for those that appreciate realistic adult drama--this is a weekend trip worth taking. About 4 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 5/12.

The Director approved Hi-Def Criterion Disc extras:

Interviews with the director, producer, and principle cast.

Interview with Haigh on the film's sex scenes

On-set video footage shot by New and others

Cullen and New audition footage

Video essay on the film's set photographers

Two short films by Haigh: Cahuenga Blvd from 2003 and Five Miles Out from 2009

Trailer

Criterion booklet essay from film critic Daniel Lim

This beautiful, understated film captures reality in a way few films ever do. As far as I am concerned, it is one of the best "love stories" ever portrayed on film: the actors are superb and the chemistry between them is true and believable. It takes an artist to produce such a simple, yet effective film. If you haven't viewed it yet, I recommend you do so today, you will not regret it.

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My partner and I saw this movie in NYC at the IFC Theatre a few months ago, and it really moved us. We're not young, not into drug culture, and weren't seeing it hoping for a glimpse of some eye candy. We had read a review in The New York Times, checked it on Rotten Tomatoes and seen what a high rating both critics AND audiences alike had given it, and that was the draw for us. What a raw and beautiful film...!!

The two lead characters in the movie have very little in common, at least in my estimation, except for the fact that they're both gay, young, attractive, and affected by the slings and arrows of surviving in a predominantly straight world. They're very opposite, and therein lies the attraction. Yes, they use recreational drugs like a lot of gay youth. I think the movie does a good job of exploring the demons that cause them to have the kind of low self-worth that drives many gay people to abuse substances. Yet, there is a beauty in the love that develops very quickly between them--despite their self-destructive tendencies. Much bubbles to the surface in their drug fueled time together that might otherwise lie dormant if substances weren't being used, and the crashing down of walls that is the result.

Seldom have I seen a film of such gritty honesty. It is uncomfortable seeing the story unfold. But somehow it manages to crawl under the skin with the precision of a microscope of acuity, revealing so much about what drives us gay humans to the extremes that a marginalized existence sometimes does. I thought it said more about how societal pressures, whether real or imagined, get in the way of gay people being able to just live and love. A must see!

Read Best Reviews of Weekend (The Criterion Collection) (2011) Here

Weekend is a film that can be blatantly described as a Gay/ lesbian film. But the irony of handing it that title is that Weekend itself is a terrific analyzation of the boundaries often placed between the gay community and the straight community. In this film we follow two gay men who have just met: Russell (Tom Cullen): A life Guard who is still a tad insecure about his sexuality, and Glen (Chris New) an outed artist who plans to go to America to flee the boundaries that hold him back in England. The film follows the two over the course of one weekend, the majority spent in Russell's small apartment, where the two men learn about each other, have sex, and have fascinating conversations pertaining to the stigmas placed on homosexuals in a "Straight" world. It is somewhat cliché now to describe a film as having a "documentary feel", but what other way is there to describe Weekend? Here is a film that is so intimate, so realistically acted and full of moments so private that it is impossible to look away. The performances are magnetic and unforgettable while the script is one of immense intelligence.

At its core the film deals with homosexual issues yes, but does that mean it is only for gays and lesbians? Only if you're one of those people who also think Spike Lee films and Roots are only for black people. If anything this is a film that should be viewed more so by straight people. It is a superb document on the humanization of homosexuals. It shows us that we all are pining for the same existential things: Acceptance and love. Those two things might be wrapped in different looking packages between different people, but beneath the exterior the same kind of love is there. For that insightful revelation alone I would recommend Andrew Haigh's Weekend, but there is so much more to it. It is an exceptional film that follows in the footsteps of such great films as Before Sunrise. and like that film it haunts you for days afterward. One of the best films of 2011 no doubt.

Pros: Very well acted, Great script, Kudos to putting John Grant in the Soundtrack.

Cons: None

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This is one of the best films of 2011, but only a few critics (writing in The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, etc.) got it. So it is something of a confirmation that Criterion will be releasing WEEKEND as part of its esteemed blu-ray collection. Highly recommended.

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Sex Drive (Unrated and Cream-filled) (2008)

Heed the director's advice and watch the R-rated theatrical version first. If you enjoy the R-rated cut, you can check out the unrated version. The unrated version is actually a joke, a jab at all those "unrated" comedies on DVD.

The movie itself is pretty funny, and the picture quality on this Blu-ray Disc is very good. Unfortunately, due to having two different versions of the film on one disc, there wasn't enough room to include HD audio.

I saw Sex Drive at a sneak preview. It's a seemingly typical teen sex comedy in the vein of Superbad meets Road Trip. Zuckerman plays Ian, a young virgin with no luck with the ladies, a crush on his childhood friend Felicia (Crew), a jerk of an older brother (Marsden), and is best friends with an Austin Powers-esquire Casanova by the name of Lance (Duke). On the internet, he poses as a football player while courting a mysterious girl online. When the girl invites him to go "all the way", he steals his brother's GTO and heads to Knoxville with Felicia and Lance. Ian's character has the usual nerdy teen virgin-in-a-movie problems: falls for the wrong girls, takes few risks, gets caught in embarrassing sexual situations. On the road trip, they run into a series of hilarious, awkward, and weird situations. And on the way, they discover that sex isn't the most important thing, and that true love can be found in both odd and familiar places.

It's not exactly stunningly original, but it's still a hilarious film. The three leads do a pretty good job, Lance being a particularly funny character. Marsden and Green steal the show in all the scenes they're in, and all of the characters in the film are interesting, even if most of them are stock characters. The script is also well-connected, with most of the characters being connected to the larger plot, and combines wit, ribaldry, and straight adult humor well. Every gag sequence gets big laughs, and the comedy never slows down or dies out. The internet cutaways are especially hilarious supplements.

It's refreshing to see a genuinely adult comedy not coming from the Apatow crew or McKay and Ferrell. Although it lacks star leads and filmmakers and will probably drop under the radar, I definitely recommend Sex Drive to anyone looking for a big laughs.

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Plenty to read about regarding this film out in the Internet world. The trailers have been playing in the store for a month now and the buzz has been positive (since no one got to see this in theaters). Analyzing a high budget teen/sex comedy for acting is pointless, so I will stick with the BD quality and extras.

The video and audio look and sound fine, typically the outer channels get used with the LARGE volume of songs played throughout; and some nice GTO throttlings. The special features have roughly 30 minutes of docus reviewing production and self loathing/lampooning of the cast: Marsden Dilemma & Duke of the Internet clips.

The big question: differences between the UR and R. Plenty to list. 20 extra minutes of gratuitous male and female nudity, longer takes of certain scenes (the two confident geeks verbiage, pool party, condom buying fiasco, left-in flubs, changed phrases, sex sounds [sheep, bjs, etc.]), most noticeably CGI-imposed nudity in 20 or so random scenes with a graphic intro by the director/writer about what to expect in the UR version.

Overall, a funny film with plenty of comedian cameos, decent writing, love searching, and sexual awakenings (even in the Amish country). A worthwhile purchase for fans of the film plus they kept it all one on disc (everything is the same as the 2 disc DVD).

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Although I'm still officially a teenager, I've never really been into movies like "American Pie"; that type of humor just struck me as shallow, immature, and to put it blunty, plain stupid. I had never even heard of "Sex Drive" until the day I went to see it with a friend. After watching the preview online, I had rather low expectations. The further the film progressed however, the more I came to like it. The plot is ok, but it's definately the actors that make this movie; I fell in love with the characters! Especially the guy with the glasses. It's a shame this movie didn't do too well at the box office; it surely deserves more attention than it's gotten! You won't be dissapointed with this film!

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I saw this in the theatre and didn't think that I would like it but it was pretty funny, way better than I expected. Typical story plot but with some off the wall humor.

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Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2010)

First things first, it was Not a cut and paste of the books.

It was as funny, as innovative, as lovable, as heartfelt, and as humble as the books.

My favorite part of the books though, was that they were just really fun. I felt a smile on my face while I read it.

The movie version doesn't lose that.

Some characters are far gayer (weird, I expected to see a red line under that word), and some characters are far less.

Some lost face time and others gained, but I can't think of a single Book-to-Movie edit that was a bad call. (considering they had to cut about 75% of all character development/back stories)

It feels inappropriate to use the same old words and phrases to praise a movie that was slathered with completely new things I've never seen in a movie or script. I owe Edgar Wright and Brian Lee O'Malley an attempt though...

-Any one scene from this movie could be viral on YouTube on its own.

-My 'Love the Movie' to 'Hate the Wait til DVD' Ratio is equal at ' : '

-If there'd been a 15 ft tall facebook "Like" button at the end of the movie, I would've thrown my full weight against it.

-There were parts were I wanted to ignore the movie just to have something new to watch when I see it again in a few days.

-I'm dude-pregnant with the movie's baby.

This movie easily makes my Top 10.

If you haven't read the books, you'll only understand about 98% of the plot and 96% of the jokes.

I'll save a spolier-laden critique of the movie for at least a week or two after the movie.

What's important now is that you understand how hard this movie does all the undefinable things it does.

Rating: Awesome

(How many reviews will have that in them? Over/Under: 249.5)

[review taken from ]

I'd never heard of this movie or the book that it was apparently based on, but watched it last night. This movies is a weirdly appealing mishmash of twenty-something angst, a comic book plot, videogame fight sequences and hard-driving punk rock. It's also one of the funniest movies I've ever seen with a huge number of laugh out loud sequences and dialog, example:

Scott, picking up a guitar: "I wrote a song about you."

(plays a tender, haunting song mostly repeating the name Ramona)

Ramona, after song ends: "That was nice, let me know when you've finished it."

Shot of Scott looking perplexed.

Ramona: "Back then I was bi-curious."

Female Evil-ex: "Now I'm BI-FURIOUS!"

I'm not going to get into the plot of the movie, which is mostly irrelevant anyway. This film is just an escapist roller coaster. Forget about anything making sense and enjoy the ride. It's a blast.

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Just got my copy on 7/21/11. To let everyone know, the packaging now says NOTHING about there being a DVD inside (no +DVD on the spine, nor DVD below the Bluray square on the lower left of the back packaging. Rest assured, the DVD is inside the packaging.

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It's unlikely that there has been or will be a movie in recent years as ruggedly ambitious as `Scott Pilgrim VS. The World.' This movie is a thrilling, hyperactive spectacle from start to finish, and although some critics couldn't seem to handle the ride, it was in theaters and is now on DVD one of the most joyful movie events in several years. I would almost dare to say that not since `Rocky Horror Picture Show' was watching a movie in theaters this much sheer fun.

It's a premise many over the age of 25 might crinkle their nose at, but it made for a perfectly functional joyride of a film anyhow: Scott Pilgrim, 22 year-old bass guitarist of the self-stylized band Sex Bob-omb, begins dating 17 year-old Knives Chau, much to his friends' dismay. He soon after becomes infatuated with Ramona Flowers, however, a mysterious young woman he continues to encounter in his dreams. He eventually becomes obsessed with her and is doggedly intent on dating her.

When this finally happens to become a reality, Scott is suddenly forewarned that if he wishes to engage in a relationship with Ramona, he must fight to the death with her seven evil exes, a spunky league of men (plus one girl), each with some form of superpower and a major chip on his or her shoulder. And so the battles ensue, each tougher than the last, as Scott fights relentlessly for the prerogative to love Ramona.

`Scott Pilgrim' is chock-full of very of-the-moment pop culture references, many of them relating to video games, comics, anime and manga. The film features music from The Legend of Zelda, sound bites from the likes of Super Mario Bros. and Seinfeld, explosive visual effects clearly inspired from some of the brightest, most exciting anime scenes and manga panels, and so much more; the exes even explode into coins when they're defeated. What's particularly impressive is that none of it feels like blatant product placement or pointlessly gimmicky-every last facet somehow manages to weave itself artistically into the film's themes. Despite how crazy this all sounds, there are several key factors that make it work.

To begin with, the casting is just about completely seamless; Mary Elizabeth Winstead is deeply emotive as the wistful, bewitching Ramona; the audience is sure to become just as smitten with her as Scott is. Ellen Wong is equally irresistible as the adorably awesome Knives, a character everyone will surely empathize with. Kieran Culkin plays Scott's level-headed, quick-witted gay roommate Wallace; with his hilarious one-liners and general likeability factor, his character is truly one of the greatest pleasures the film has to offer. Other notable castmates are Chris Evans as a hellish he-man evil ex and Anna Kendrick as Scott's sassy sister.

Although the casting of Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim doesn't come as a major surprise, one does have to wonder what could've been if the lead role had been in more capable (and less bland) hands. Michael Cera, a whopping 20 films deep into his career, doesn't seem to be particularly capable of playing anyone other than himself; thankfully, however, his character glides on the movie's momentum and nothing, not even his portrayal of Scott, is ever weighted down. You'll find yourself liking Scott despite his character defects and even his true identity as Michael Cera.

Based on the 6 comic books of the same name, `Scott Pilgrim' has to cram a lot of content into a 112-minute movie, but the general themes of the comics are sustained, and some of the dialogue is in fact direct excerpts. Book-to-movie transitions are never perfect and will always come with naysayers, but the movie stands so strong on its own that few, even devoted fans of the comics, are likely to complain.

This is a movie overflowing with action, excitement, passion, and, shockingly, a great deal of emotion-you'll care about each of these characters, despite the absurdities surrounding them. This is a type of film that strove for a lot of things and achieved all of them-it's very rare that a film can successfully mesh slapstick comedy with action, adventure, drama-and still maintain anything to be taken seriously or sympathize with. `Scott Pilgrim VS. The World' is that film; a surreal fantasy somehow grounded in the real-life hearts and emotions of we human beings. Never before has such a wild, crazy world been so believable.

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I'm sure I wasn't the only person who was disappointed by Scott Pilgrim vs The World's box-office performance. It never quite found an audience outside of gamers, comic book fans, and anyone into that sort of thing but it still managed to be a very fun movie that was also a good adaptation of the Graphic Novel series (with some changes of course). Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead have great chemistry together and that is only the cherry on top of a great cast of both known and lesser known actors (Alison Pill stands out to me the most as Kim Pine). So, when the Blu-Ray was announced, I was more than excited to pick it up. But, how did this cult favorite transfer to Blu-Ray.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World luckily got a pretty darn good Blu-ray release. Not only do you get the movie on Blu-Ray, but you also get a DVD copy and a digital copy. So, if its a movie you'd like to share with friends, its quite easy to do so. Secondly, the Blu-Ray is filled with tons of features from deleted scenes, to multiple commentary tracks. You also get lots of documentaries about the making of the film, a blooper reel, and even a short animation taking place before the events of the film. So you'll be getting your moneys worth.

The movie also sounds very good too. I didn't find any problems with the audio of the film. The video quality is good too, but I do recall it not being as nice as the theater. That isn't to say that it doesn't look good, because it truly does...but I feel like it could have looked much better.

Overall, I was happy with this purchase. If you were a fan of the movie or the graphic novel series, you can't go wrong with this purchase. Also, if you pick it up, let your friends borrow the DVD, and spread the word of this good movie. If you haven't seen this movie, I would still check it out, even if you're not of the above demographic. Its a great movie and it should get a chance to shine.

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The Hangman (1959)

The Hangman was Robert Taylor's first independent film after leaving MGM. In later years, he would describe it as one of his failures. Like many Taylor movies, it's an unusual twist on a familiar subject. Mackenzie Bovard, a Deputy Marshal, is famous for his ability to catch criminals who are later hanged. Bovard is cynical and world weary with a poor opinion of his fellow humans. Pursuing a robbery suspect, he meets the young and lovely Tina Louise. Through his relationship with her Bovard gradually regains his faith in humanity and becomes a much warmer and more likeable person. This is far from a typical western--no fight scenes, no gorgeous scenery, no evil villains. As another reviewer noted, it's a drama set in the old West. It's about responsibility, right and wrong and personal development and growth. Taylor is excellent, as always, in his understated way. Tina Louise is good as a young woman who changes from a drab loser to a confident woman. Mabel Albertson is wonderful as a middle-aged woman who has the hots for Taylor (who can blame her?). Fess Parker, post Davy Crockett is effective as a town Sheriff and his laid back persona makes a good contrast to the driven, more intense Taylor. Perhaps not a classic but definitely worth watching and owning.

In addition to having a fine cast with a fine array of character actors, the script is uttertly marvelous. Tina Louise shows us what she could have done had she not been put into the sexpot roles that ruined her. What's utterly fascinating about the film is that although this is a hunt for justice, there' no 'bad guy,' with the exception of the outlaw jailed in the first minute of the film. A fascinating thing to see in a Western. If Johnny's an outlaw, then he's one we like, so do we really want to see him captured? This one was included in my recent book 'Head `Em Off At the Pass! 94 Westerns You Should Watch.'Head `Em Off At the Pass!: 94 Westerns You Should WatchWhat If Arnold Stang Played the Part?: Recasting 108 Classic MoviesHead `Em Off At the Pass! 94 Westerns You Should Watch

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Had never seen this western before.I was not disappointed.Great story,great cast,great acting.You just cant go wrong with a cast of stars as this movie has.Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez(yes twice),Mickey Shaughnessy,Robert Taylor,Fess Parker,Jack Lord,Gene Evans,Lorne Greene,and the beautiful Tina Louise.87 minutes of western pleasure.....support your favorite atrists.

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loved it it was a great movie, funny and action packed and enjoyed it very much i would recommend it to anyone

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Love the old westerns, thanks for a great movie, I will be buying as they are provided from this source.

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Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985)

Girls Just Want to Have Fun is an 80's classic, representing the time and culture perfectly. If you want to know what it is like try thinking of an 80's version of Center Stage and mixing it with Dirty Dancing. The movie follows Janey Glenn(Sarah Jessica Parker), who has just moved into town, as she tries out for the DanceTV contest to be a regular on the show. But as always in the 80's the parents get in the way and she has to sneak out in order to practice with her elected dance partner Jeff Malene(Lee Montgomery). As romance blossoms so does jealousy for a spoilt brat Natalie Sands(Holly Gagnier) as she tries her hardest to break the two up, to win the guy and the contest, by getting Janey into trouble with her strict folks! But who will win? Well Getting into trouble is easy, but getting out of it is all the fun! Look out for some younger versions of stars of today Helen Hunt(Lynne Stone Janey's new friend), Shannen Doherty(Maggie Malene Jeff's younger "Punk" sister) & Jonathan Silverman(Drew Jeff's annoying friend).

This movie is one of my favorites.. I am a sucker for a cheesy movie with all the ingredients.. I watch this movie whenever I need to just smile and feel good... Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt make an awesome pair in this movie.. I used to watch the movie every night as I was going to bed during my single days:)

Great feel good movie!!!!

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I love this movie! I've watched this countless times since I was 5 years old, and I'm 22... can't imagine NOT watching it. The music, the dancing, the attitudes, and the clothing are everything the 80s are about. I now own it on DVD, and it's still as great as ever. As an avid fan of Sarah Jessica's "S&C"--she still HUGS THE SAME (and is as sweet then as now)!! really-check it out sometime. If you LOVED Dirty Dancing-YOU've got to watch this movie-I think this came out before it and it is so much alike. Definitely recommend watching, buying, owning, and loving this movie... what girl (or even guy) DIDN't want to be on DanceTV???? :) And don't we all just wanna have fun!!!!!

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I saw this movie for the first time when I was probably only 10. It is now my forever favourite movie and I finally found it and bought it this year, after renting it over 20 times for sure.(I can even speak along with it). Get together with a group of your girlfriends and watch this movie! It will make you laugh at the craziness of the 80's and wish you could be friends with Janie(Sarah Jessica Parker)and Lynn(Helen Hunt). It's also really funny to see stars of today when they were just starting out. Still looking for the soundtrack though because it's got awesome music. Anyway, this movie is timeless!

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I really love this movie...the cast is great, the music is

phenominal. It certainly is a totally 80's experience not to

be missed. The Dance contest at the end is the greatest.....

The best part to me is that sexy Lee Montgomery....whoo hoo..what

a body...what a face:) The nice thing about the movie is no sex

and I don't recall any language..so it is family friendly...

Just a all around great movie, but don't take my word...see it

yourself.......

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Stars & Stripes Forever (1952)

This is an amusing little yarn on Sousa and his music. Being only about 90 minutes long the movie does not attempt to be comprehensive with his life, but concentrates instead on creating a portrait of him. Clifton Webb has Sousa's somewhat stiff, yet humorous personality down pretty well. The episodes depicted in the movie are brief vignettes, loosely based on some actual events. The Marine Corps probably did treat their March King in a rather off-hand manner as shown in the movie. Sousa did make the Marine Band from a 3rd rate emsemble into one of the best military bands in the country, and the Marines could not really offer him anymore than what they had already given him.

The truth is Sousa saw an opportunity to market himself to a growing American audience that was starting to become more sophisticated in its musical tastes. He would perfect the band tour concept. Others had done it before him, but Sousa would make himself into a super-star, and truly traveled the world. The movie accurately shows his formation of his own Sousa band after leaving the Marines in 1892. Where the movie strays a bit is with the silly sideline romance. Here we have the typical 1950s guy meets girl thing going on. It's cute, but kind of takes away from the subject matter. Its also hard to say whether this is a musical or not? There is a lot of singing and show numbers presented, based, supposedly on Sousa's music. We do get to hear some good versions of "Semper Fidelis" which is played ad noseum!

I would have liked this movie a lot more if it had been a little more serious and showcased some more of Sousa's music. He really did write more than just 10 marches you know! Plus countless classical transcriptions, overtures, songs, novely items and arrangements of old American folk music. Sousa was our most prolific composer, his music typifies an era that is no more in this country. The Sousa band didn't march as much as shown in the movie. The band was intended as a symphonic ensemble. Sousa had enough marching from his Marine days! His band was certainly accomplished, and had some very fine players in it. To say as Americans often do that it was the best in the world is a bit of Yankee over-statement. Compared to most bands in the US, yes, the Sousa band was among the best. Abroad in Europe there were many fine military bands that were just as good. Sousa knew this, and he was careful not to over-step his bounds. He received many fine praise from European audiences, and this must have pleased him very much indeed. Sousa knew that the Coldstream Guards in London, The Garde Du Corps in Berlin and many others were just as good, lacking only the showmanship and Sousa's ability to market himself and his band and music.

The movie shows the warm relationship Sousa had with his wife, who always supported him and his music. "Stars and Stripes" came into Sousa's mind whilst returning from abroad after he had learned that his manager had died in the States. The movie cleverly marches us into the Sousa legend at the end which is probably just as good an ending as any. This is an old style movie with a lot of cute touches in it. It provides a musical fastasy of Sousa and his times. You can get an idea of who the March King was by watching it, but in order to get a truer picture I would suggust Paul E. Bierly's biography "John Philip Sousa: American Phenomenon"

Wonderful portraying by Clifton Webb. No other American musical comes close to "Stars and Stripes Forever." If you've watched this film and enjoyed it, you'll love "The Music Man". No musical holds a candle to these two! If you're proud to be an American, like me, you'll be entertained by this movie every time you see it. The way the marches are played in this film is extraordinarily exuberant. Treat yourself to a outstanding biography that is Americana at its best!

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Anyone fond of marching band music will be thrilled with this account of the life of John Phillip Sousa. It is very well acted and very well made. There is comedy, tragedy, and gives you a feel of how life was in those times. But, best of all, there's the music. I watch this video every chance I get. It's especially good over the fourth of July, but trust me, you will enjoy it anytime!!! For a real treat, treat yourself to this great show!!!!

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This movie is an all time great and is particularly needed in this time of war and trial of the national soul. Surely Hollywood politics is not keeping this from the public, is it?

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This is the kind of movie that stirs my deepest emotions for this country,when you hear these marches being played,I get goose pimples(honestly),and can't help it but to start singing along,the story is very true of the man that composed them,now more than ever we should remember to sing them once in a while,to remind us of how great our country is,in an era in which some people are trying to divide us whether to do our duty or not as the defenders of democracy,it is always good to remember that in past wars our soldiers marched to the battlefield to the tune of these songs,and many of them offered the ultimate sacrifice,if we would have laid back then,and let our enemies overtake us,today we probably would be speaking a different language.

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The Great Dictator (The Criterion Collection) (1940)

Without a doubt, Charlie Chaplin is the reigning king of silent comedy. His impeccibly limber gesturing, sense of timing and evocative facial features have made him a landmark artist, a masterful film maker and one of the greatest talents to ever grace the silver screen. What more can be said; does it get any better than the little tramp?!? And now, Warner Home Video proves that it does, indeed get better; a lot, lot better. Having had to contend with poorly transferred, badly worn VHS and primative bootlegged DVD copies for years, the home video audience at last gets to witness Charlie in his best video incarnation ever! This box set features four classics from the Chaplin legacy; Modern Times, The Gold Rush, The Great Dictator and Limelight. In each case, Chaplin illustrates the art of making movies as no one before or since. Great fun!

THE TRANSFER: No expense has been spared in making each film sparkle as never before. The gray scale is incredibly rich and beautifully balanced. Blacks are deep. Contrast levels show off Charlie's make up. Fine detail is gloriously realized. Minor edge enhancement and some pixelization do occur but nothing to distract or even hint that anything but absolute care has been taken to make these films look as good as they possibly can. Almost all age related artifacts are gone. Truly, I can't say enough to recommend these transfers. The audio is mono and nicely balanced.

EXTRAS: Each disc comes with a brief featurette on Chaplin's legacy and some interesting supplimental extras including outtakes in some cases and interviews in others.

BOTTOM LINE: No more to be said: don't walk RUN to your nearest video retailer and make the Chaplin Collection a part of your home video library!

Say what you like about this film: it's too preachy, it's not focused, it's this, it's that, say whatever you like.

The facts, however, say it all.

This film was made at a time when most of America was anti-semitic, when no one wanted to think of getting involved with Europe's affairs, and when Chaplin's own art of pantomime had been lost in the onslaught of 'talkies'.

And for Chaplin to choose *this* premise for his farewell to the little Tramp-turning his Tramp into a Jew and turning himself into Adolf Hitler-well, it's nothing short of daring.

For those that prefer Charlie as just the funny little fellow, and not his serious side, there's enough slapstick in this film to satisfy even them: the comedic highs are the moments when no words are needed-the misplaced grenade, the dance with the globe, or the shaving scene to Brahm's Hungarian Dance. But the film IS at its best when Chaplin's Adenoid Hynkel is shown as a stark raving madman, and he with Jack Oakie's 'Napaloni' expose the true ridiculousness and lunacy of it all.

Cynics have been known to call this film 'preachy', but as far as I'm concerned, it was awful gutsy of Chaplin to speak out on the issue-and not just speak out, but to point a finger right in the face of Fascism and to charge it as a 'blunder' of humanity. For him to be *successful* in making us laugh on a subject that, in its essence, is not funny in the least really is a testimony to his abilities as an actor.

His other films may be better than this one, and it's not my personal favorite of his work, BUT: **this** is the film that made Charlie a hero in my eyes. And that sort of passion for speaking out in what you believe deserves Five stars anyday!

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One of the greatest satires ever filmed and Chaplin's most fully realized comedy. A beautiful blend of the usual Chaplin slapstick and pathos along with a very effective social and political commentary. Charlie is Adenoid Hynckle, dictator of an only slightly fictional country of Tomania. He also plays a Jewish ghetto barber. Both are played with such impeccable accuracy that to distinguish between them is extremely easy.Names are changed but this film is still the most effective film of Nazi Germany and Hitler's thankfully aborted attempt to take over the world. Chaplin's script never gets too preachy at least without an equal dose of satire. His approach is to make people laugh while teaching them at the same time. Nowhere is this more apparent than in his final monologue. After a predictable mistaken identity episode, Chaplin as the unnamed Jewish barber speaks of the horrors of Nazism. This climazes what may be the greatest performance in the history of comedy films. The greatest because it does more than simply make us laugh-it makes us think. The film earned Chaplin well deserved Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Screenplay and Actor. This is a film you must see.

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My grandfather, as big a Chaplin fan as they came, never got over the narrated version of The Gold Rush. It wasn't the narration that bothered him as much as the way that "they had to change the ending." A romantic at heart, he missed the original's softer closing. Every time the film aired on television or was re-released at the theater, he looked for the silent version with the original ending. He never found it. The re-release seemed to be a constant thorn in his side. Sort of like the 1940's version of Greedo shooting first. I hope my grandpa is looking down from above, because the original version of the film is included in this standout DVD collection. If you liked Charlie's light-hearted narration, that version's here too (I think both versions are great). And so are four beautifully restored Charlie Chaplin films. The hilarious Modern Times. The controversial The Great Dictator (Chaplin's first "talkie"). The oftentimes overlooked -and underrated -Limelight. And quite possibly the most well-liked film of Chaplin's career, The Gold Rush. There aren't as many outtakes as a Chaplin fan would want, but that's because most were lost or destroyed. The outtakes that are included are as fun as the "little fellow" himself. I'm guessing the films look nearly as good as they did when they were first projected onto the gigantic movie house screens of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. This collection takes you back to the early days of film and reminds you that when most were taking baby steps, Mr. Chaplin was moving cinematic storytelling ahead by leaps and bounds. My grandfather would be proud.

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When Chaplin began planning his next film in 1937, criticizing the rise of fascism in Europe and condemning the treatment of the Jewish people under Adolf Hitler were controversial ideas, although they would become more accepted by the time of the film's eventual release in 1940. Chaplin stated in later years that he would not -could not -have joked about conditions in Germany had he known the full extent of the Holocaust. But this was an important film to be made. When the world was hemming and hawing over what to do about this great evil, Chaplin didn't back down. Maybe not all of the comedy is as successful as it could have been, but the movie's heart is definitely in the right place.

The film is divided roughly in half, with Chaplin playing the starring role in each segment (I've never understood the opening disclaimer stating that the resemblance of the dictator and the Jewish barber is entirely coincidental; the final portion of the film depends precisely on their similarity). The first role is the most obvious, given Chaplin's familiar mustache and general appearance. He plays Adenoid Hynkel, a very thinly veiled impersonation of Adolf Hitler. Chaplin's motivation appears to make Hitler look like a goofball -the target of ridicule. He falls down stairs, he flies into a rage when his office supplies don't function correctly, and he plays a childish game of one-upmanship with his "brother dictator", Benzino Napaloni of Bacteria. In one of the film's most memorable sequences, he performs a dance with a globe of the Earth, happily gazing at all which he hopes to conquer. It's a bizarrely wonderful moment -funny, frightening and beautifully directed. And it surely can't be by chance that in the first shot of the globe itself, the Western Hemisphere -the United States of America -is what is pointed at the camera.

The other part of the film is ultimately the most moving, especially from a modern day perspective. Chaplin's tramp had always been the everyman -the little guy up against the world. Surely there had not been a more beloved character in the history of film than the diminutive beggar with his ill-fitting costume. Gaining sympathy for his cause is simplicity itself; take this adored tramp who has entertained millions and turn him into a Jewish barber living in central Europe. Seeing this wonderful and charming character thrown into the horrors of a ghetto in Germany during WWII is shocking. It's almost inconceivable to imagine the fictional tramp existing in the same world as the horrors of Nazi Germany. In earlier films, we never really feared for the tramp's safety; we always knew he'd figure some way out of trouble. But here, he's powerless. He must run away. He can't simply kick the policeman in the butt and scamper to victory. It's a subtle but important difference from his other films. His adversaries until now had been easily defeated heavies. But now he's up against something horrible and real. He's dragged across a street, beaten and almost hanged by stormtroopers. The word "Jew" is painted on the front of his shop. His home is burnt to the ground. He retains his humor, his hope and his will to fight, but he needs the world's help -which is one of the movie's messages.

Chaplin's final speech, where he breaks character and vehemently decries fascism, hate and bigotry, has been called overwrought and schmaltzy. I disagree. I get goose bumps every time I hear it. As one of the interviewees on the DVD documentary states, "He said what had to be said." It's fascinating from a historical point of view. There are plenty of propaganda films from WWII (which is what this basically is when you boil down to it), but how many of them appeal to basic human decency instead of blunt patriotism?

One of the DVD extras is a documentary, THE TRAMP AND THE DICTATOR, produced by Turner Classic Movies. This is actually really good. Showing footage from the movie next to newsreels of Hitler just goes to demonstrate how spot-on Chaplin's impersonation was. Fascinating is the inclusion of excerpts from one of the worst Nazi propaganda films ("The Eternal Jew" -a hateful piece of appalling racism) which features Chaplin's 1931 visit to Berlin and denouncing him in a series of racial epitaphs. The discussion as to the appropriateness of laughing about something evil as Hitler is touched on and the topic is worthy of debate.

Also included is some recently discovered color footage shot on the set of the film by Charlie's brother, Sydney. It's also included in its entirety as an extra, but it works better when excerpts are seen in the documentary. The footage by itself is relatively boring for most of the time; the documentary uses the most interesting material. On the other hand, I was amused by Sydney Chaplin's focusing in on seemingly every woman present during the filming of the ballroom dance scene.

The movie does have its weak points. The WWI portions are more silly than genuinely funny (though I've mellowed to the upside-down airplane gag the more times I've seen it). And although Jack Oakie's performance as a Mussolini-clone was inspired, one feels that the movie is biting off more than it can chew by including both dictators. As a result, some portions dealing with their relationship drags. So too does the whole Commander Schultz subplot. Additionally, a lot of the humor seems somewhat stuck between being silent and being talkie. But for all of the flaws, this is still an excellent movie that I appreciate it a little more on each viewing. Perhaps not the best Chaplin film, but it definitely has something to say.

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A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures (2010)

This movie doesn't get enough credit. So glad we gave it a chance. It's right there with disney/pixar or dream works. The graphics are beautiful and the music is wonderful as well. My 3 year old loves it. The cover of this movie just doesn't do it justice. I wish they'd make more animal movies like this and stay away from those weird animated movies.

The story follows an actual sea turtle's life. Of course there are liberties taken, such as the turtle's best friend and love interest. But overall the story is based on true life events of a tracked sea turtle. There are some big names in this movie including: Melanie Griffith, Kathy Griffin, and Tim Curry. (I heart Tim Curry, by the way.) Our main character, Sammy, goes through a lot in the fifty years from when he was born, including dealing with both man made and natural obstaclesbut through it all he keeps his head up and his thoughts on his lady turtle friend from birth, Shelly. There are strong tones of environmentalism in this film, so be ready for some questions in regard to this.

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This was a pleasant surprise, as I had not heard much about it, and my three kids ages 5 7 1/2 really liked it. It centers on a young turtle's adventures in the ocean, from the moment he emerges from his egg tiny and scared, to his return to the same beach many years later as an adult. He finds and loses (and finds again) love, friendship, and adventure. There are some environmental messages thrown in, when he encounters damaging pollution, but it never gets too preachy, and he encounters helpful, caring humans too. The animation and writing are cute, although not on the same level as the megahits Pixar and Dreamworks put out. It's also safe for young kids nothing overly scary or inappropriate, although it doesn't skew too young my almost 8-year old going on 15 liked it too.

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What a great way to share Earth Day 2012 with your children. Travel with Sammy the cutest sea hatchling who along the way teaches children about the life of a sea turtle. As Sammy struggles to survive in the vast ocean he finds a friend and they head off on a mission. As they swim thought the beautiful ocean they come across environmental pollution, natural predators and Sammy learns the true meaning of love and friendship.

Featuring voices by such stars as Tim Curry, Melanie Griffith, Kathy Griffin, Stacy Keaton, Anthony Anderson and Jenny McCarthy, A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventure is the story of a turtle hatchling born on a California Beach in 1959. Over the next 50 years this cute little turtle has numerous adventures that take him around the world. Along the way he is befriended by hippies and encounters natural predators, pollution and Japanese whalers.

I like how the environmental scenarios in this film were kept light and are not overbearing for young children. Teaching very young children about the importance of protecting our oceans without scaring them. This along with the film being a short 88 minutes makes it an ideal film for very young children who have a short attention span. Yet the film is fun to watch and I recommend it for all ages. I found myself rooting for Sammy to catch up with and find his life-mate. The music was fun and had us all singing along with The Mamas & The Papas to California Dreaming and other songs.

Our family loved this film and my 10 year old raved about it, which left me surprised. As a family we gave this movie 4 stars. I would of liked to have given it 5 stars, but as a family we thought the graphics could have used some improvement.

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This was bought for a seven year old who has just had an operation and was confined to her home for a time. She loves turtles so this was an obvious choice for her and it has not been off her TV screen since she got it. Thank you

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Fear and Desire (1953)

Stanley Kubrick, one of America's legendary filmmakers responsible for films such as "Paths of Glory" (1957), "Spartacus" (1960), "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" (1964), "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "A Clockwork Orange" (1971), "The Shining" (1980), "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), to name a few.

But all filmmakers have their beginnings and for Stanley Kubrick, his first feature film would be the 1953 film "Fear and Desire".

Having created two documentaries ("Day of the Fight", "Flying Padre: An RKO-Pathe Screenliner") in 1951 and employed at "LOOK" Magazine, Kubrick quite his job to create his first feature film.

Using funds that were raised by his family and friends, Kubrick and a classmate from his old high school, Howard Sackler, would go on to create "Fear and Desire".

While not a box office hit, the film captured the attention of film critics, who took notice of Kubrick's talent.

But among the Kubrick films available, "Fear and Desire" has only been screened at very few places since it's release. One of those screenings were at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. back in 1993. The film also has not been released commercially and even was downplayed by Kubrick, when he was alive, calling the film a "bumbling amateur film exercise".

But in 2010, Turner Classic Movies aired a restored print courtesy of the George Eastman House and now, Kino Lorber will be releasing the film on Blu-ray and DVD in October 2012. The version of "Fear and Desire" presented was mastered in HD from archival 35mm elements newly restored by the Library of Congress.

The Blu-ray and DVD release will also include "The Seafarers, a short film created in 1953, a film which Kubrick took on in behalf of the Seafarers International Union in order to raise money for his next film "Killer's Kiss" (1954).

"Fear and Desire" revolves around four soldiers who have crash landed in enemy territory.

Lt. Corby (portrayed by Kenneth Harp), Sgt. Mac (portrayed by Frank Silvera), Pvt. Fletcher (portrayed by Stephen Coit) and Pvt. Sidney (portrayed by Paul Mazursky) are six miles away from where they should be and know they must cross a river in order to survive.

So, the four led by Lt. Corby, must evade enemy forces and create a raft and during nighttime, try to escape.

But while building the raft, they are afraid they may have been spotted by a plane flying above them, so the four leave the raft and try to see what is out there in the surrounding area.

The group spots a cabin where two enemy soldiers are eating. Seeing their weapons and food, the four knows they must take the soldiers out and so, they devise a plan and are able to kill the two soldiers including one enemy soldier returning to the cabin.

But Pvt. Sidney begins to crack after he sees the dead mean staring at him.

As the four begin to work on their raft and see what is ahead of them near the river, a woman is seen catching fish with other women in the river. While going home, she hears a noise (made by the soldiers hiding behind a bush). The soldiers take her, bind her and try to interrogate her, but she does not speak any English. So, the three continue their reconnaissance and leave the unstable Pvt. Sidney to watch over her.

But with Pvt. Sidney's mind becoming more unstable, can the soldiers trust him to watch the woman?

VIDEO:

"Fear and Desire" is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:33:1, black and white) and features the rare George Eastman House print that is mastered in HD from archival 35 mm elements newly restored by the Library of Congress. For the most part, picture quality for this film is very good considering its age. I detected no film warping, excessive blurring or a lot of scratches. There are nicks and dust that can be seen but by no means, does it prevent you from enjoying the film. Whites and grays were well-contrast, black levels were inky and dark. Overall, picture quality of "Fear and Desire" on Blu-ray is not pristine but the film looks great!

As for "The Seafarers", the film is presented in color but definitely looks its age. While in HD, it does have that feeling of early '50s documentary shorts.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Fear and Desire" is presented in monaural LPCM 2.0. I detected no major hissing or pops during my viewing of "Fear and Desire". Audio was clear and dialogue can be heard clearly with no problems whatsoever. It's important to remember that this low-budget film was shot without sound and dialogue and effects were added during post production.

There are no subtitles included on this Blu-ray release.

SPECIAL FEATURES

"Fear and Desire" comes with Kubrick's 1953 short "The Seafarers" which was preserved by the Museum of Modern Art. The Seafarers is a industrial documentary promoting the Seafarers International Union.

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Fear and Desire", the first film by Stanley Kubrick that he never wanted people to see.

Who can blame Kubrick? Having a remarkable list of films in his oeuvre, his first film was seen by him as amateurish and low-budget. And as a filmmaker, one can easily criticize their earliest work and would rather have people remember the popular films that he's known for, not his first film that he created at 24.

But for cinema fans, "Fear and Desire" is fascinating American cinema for the fact that it shows that Stanley Kubrick was a filmmaker and writer that was ahead of his time.

"Fear and Desire" is cleverly written to poke at America's continuing involvement in war. And while "Fear and Desire" is not about the United States but people of an unknown country, Kubrick tries to relate one's feeling towards war, the futility of the actions of government and like its title, our soldiers that are sent to fight in a war instead of live for their families, are in fear of their lives being taken and their desire to survive another day.

For Kubrick's first film, the use of cinematography and clever editing worked to the film's efficacy. From the facial expressions and the eyes of the soldiers, the sight of a dead person as he grasps the food to show signs of life until no movement can be seen. Also, closeups showcasing the sight of death or insanity for a character to wide angle shots showcasing the river and the wilderness. Kubrick's cinematography was amazing to see at his young age and once again, showing how he was ahead of his time.

Also, intriguing was the use of two characters playing the enemy. Actors Kenneth Harp who plays Lt. Corby also plays the enemy general and Stephen Coit plays Pvt. Fletcher and the enemy captain.

Kubrick utilizes each character effectively. From the young woman (portrayed by Virginia Leith) with fear on her face as the unstable Pvt. Sidney starts to go insane and rubs his face all over her. While a seen between Kenneth Harp's two characters who encounter each other is quite a memorable sight.

For the most part, Stanely Kubrick was able to craft an intelligent film that pokes on society during that era on war. Something he focuses a lot decades later in his film "Full Metal Jacket".

As for the Blu-ray release of "Fear and Desire", the fact that many people were exposed to bootlegs, because the film was never released should be happy that the 35 mm elements was restored and that Kubrick fans finally get their wish for an official video release. Not only is the film restored but the film looks great on Blu-ray!

As for the inclusion of "The Seafarers", it's more of an industrial documentary promoting the Seafarers International Union but for Kubrick fans, the short gives people a chance to see how a young Kubrick was able to pay the bill sand eventually finance his next film, and that was taking on these type of jobs to earn money.

So, you get the 1953 film and his short made that same year in this one Blu-ray release! Just to get this rare gem, restored and presented on Blu-ray is fantastic!

Overall, while Stanley Kubrick has many films in his oeuvre that will be forever known and loved by cinema fans, "Fear and Desire" is the legendary filmmaker's first feature film that provides an insightful look at a young Kubrick at work and how his work was ahead for its time. Highly recommended!

Director Stanley Kubrick's first film was made available for purchase late 2012. Finally Kubrick fans, like me, were able to view the debut of a cinematic legend. There are some items worthy of praise here namely the cinematography and the inventive editing. The story itself follows a group of soldiers trapped behind enemy lines trying to march back undetected to friendly territory. Unfortunately, the lack of character depth sinks the movie. All the characters feel like thin cut-outs rather than living breathing men. It doesn't help that the audio overdubs are poorly done and just scream low-budget production. Be warned this war drama doesn't offer much for anyone outside of Kubrick devotees. All in all, "Fear And Desire" shows promise from a visual standpoint, but is lacking in every other department.

For blu-ray fans, this release is pretty much bare-bones with the exception of an early Kubrick documentary short called "The Seafarers" (1953). The audio and video are of good quality on this disc from KINO Classics. That said, this blu-ray is really for the most devoted Kubrick fans.

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Finally the long forgotten first film by the legendary director Stanley Kubrick has been released on a home video format for the first time and it is truly a sight to behold.

There was believe it or not a time when Stanley Kubrick wasn't one of the biggest names in film history, Yes, that's right, Stanley Kubrick, a man who's Career in the industry has no equal started out as a nobody who had to raise funds from family and friends to start production on what would be his first full motion picture, and like most directorial debuts, it was a box office failure, even after having been given high praise by some notable critics at the time, audiences just didn't care for it.

It's been said many times that Kubrick was before his time, and the same can be said about this film. At a mere 60 minute's, it is by far Kubrick's shortest movie, and lest polished, but contained in it's short run time are the ideas that gave birth to the style of film making that Kubrick continued to used and hone throughout the remainder of his career.

My personal thought's about the film the first time i watched it(this was many years ago) were that of the audiences, i didn't see anything of the man that Hollywood considered one of it's best. Now Many years latter and after several reviewing's i've realized that i was so so wrong. It's easily understandable for a person to say that a older low budget film like this sucks when they've seen films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, you have to look at this film a little more deeply to see the true skill of it's creator at work.

Throughout the rest of his life Kubrick shunned this film, was embarrassed by it, he even tried buying up as many original film prints as he could find, with the plan of preventing it from ever being seen again. Thankfully he didn't get them all, and now it has been beautifully restored in high definition and released for the world to enjoy and to see first hand how one of the greatest directors of all time got his start. If you are a Stanley Kubrick fan then you must own this film, cherish it, and be happy it still exists.

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I just watched the Blu-ray of Kubrick's first feature Fear and Desire. It's taken me 40 years to finally see this movie (which Kubrick himself had suppressed) and I have to say it was an interesting experience. It certainly has its flaws, but it is still a fascinating piece of work and definitely ranks as a Kubrick film. Believe it or not, it's kind of a mash up of The Thin Red Line and a Twilight Zone episode! Much of the dialogue (which was looped) is stilted and the dramatic structure is clumsy, but as a first time effort from a 24-year old, it is quite ballsy. The cinematography is stunning, which is really Kubrick's strength here. The characters are ciphers for the most part, and the acting is a mixed bag. Frank Silvera (who would later play the villainous gangster boss in Kubrick's next film, Killer's Kiss) does the best work, while Paul Mazursky is the weakest playing a nutjob. Kubrick certainly got better with actors and scriptwriting (a mere ten years later he was doing Lolita and Dr. Strangelove!), but this first film is very much a flawed gem. Perhaps strangest of all is that the film has a couple of optical wipes, which I believe are unique to the Kubrick canon. I'm guessing he had to use these to get out of an editing jam. There are no extras to speak of (a pity), unless you count the inclusion of The Seafarers. Too bad they didn't get Mazursky to do a commentary! Curiously, his character recites material from Shakespeare's The Tempest, which the actor-turned-director went on to make as a film himself 30 years later. Not sure what to make of that! All in all, a satisfying experience. I wasn't disappointed.

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Not his best, thought not his worst either. God knows he wanted to keep this from public viewing. It only serves to school young up & coming filmmakers that even maestros had to start somewhere. Worth watching.

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