Grand Canyon (1991)

This movie keeps making me come back to it. It's a simple, unpretentious, film which deals with a profound question: is life a string of unrelated chaotic events or is everything we encounter all a part of a bigger picture? Without spoiling anything, I can tell you that the story is one about inintended epiphanies revealing the latter perspective. In the process, the film makes one think about life and feel satisfied from doing so.

This is a wonderful film....... one everyone should see. It is thought provoking and life affirming. Has a great cast!

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Easily one of my most favorite movies of all time. It's the stories of many characters and one doesn't believe they have anything in common when in fact they do. Very similar to the movie Crash. Beautiful and simple all at the same time. Worth a buy, immediately.

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Spirits of the Dead (Histoires extraordinaires) (1968)

Janus Films participated in the restoration of this film and you would think that that alone would ensure high standards of quality. And for the most part it did. But unmentioned in all the reviews of this DVD is the fact that the best film of the three, Toby Dammit,does not have its English soundtrack included.

Terence Stamp is English and he spoke his part in English.(and what an amazing bit of verbal it was) It just ain't the same thing in dubbed French by another actor. An earlier release of this film delivered the English soundtrack as an option but did not allow you to turn off the English subtitles! (Some of the people that put these things together are really lacking in simple, common sense.) Also the image quality on the previous release is faded and not real sharp. Image quality on this current DVD is excellent. Rich color and very sharp. So the horror of it all is you are left with a very well done restoration with a rather important detail inexplicably left out. The English soundtrack exists and isn't this the whole point of DVD's? I took a chance buying this DVD hoping for an improved version that fixed some of the problems on the earlier release.

The frustrating thing is that it is so close to being there, but a French speaking Terence Stamp is just absurd. Janus Films was also involed in the Criterion Collection new version of Amarcord and they did it perfectly. Everything is there. Wish they used as much care on this one.

As originally conceived by Fellini, the Toby Dammitt segment was, imho, the greatest work he ever committed to film. Taut, lean, stylish and very effective. I saw the film when it was first released and am fortunate enough to have this segment on an old beta tape.

Beyond Terrence Stamp's wonderful delivery, is the crucial element of the english actor being alone and isolated in Italy by his language, slowly pushing him deeper into surrender and madness. All of this is lost in the current French dubbed edition.

(On the other hand, it must be a plus to have the first two segments, overdubbed into English for US release, back to their original French. However, these segments are competent, or somewhat interesting at best, compared to fantastic finale.)

Please let Janus know that they have broken trust by butchering a great artist's masterwork.

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In response to the reviewer's query below concerning the French overdubbing of "Toby Dammit" sorry, this DVD ALSO features a French actor's voice dubbed over that of Terrence Stamp. I, too, was greatly disappointed at this.

I do not know of any other version available that has Stamp's English dialogue, but I remember seeing it on television in the 80s and onscreen at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood in 2004. Maybe if there is enough demand they will remaster it and put out an English version of this delightful foray into subtle, 1960's-style psychological horror? One can hope.

Read Best Reviews of Spirits of the Dead (Histoires extraordinaires) (1968) Here

Spirits of the Dead (Histoires extraordinaires) [Blu-ray]This is a clarification rather than a full review: several reviewers have indicated that only the French dubbed version of Toby Dammit (Fellini's contribution to this anthology) is available on this Blu-Ray disc. That is INCORRECT! The original Italian and English soundtrack is included on this version, and the French dub is also included as another soundtrack option. If you buy this disc, you will in fact have the pleasure of hearing Terence Stamp deliver his lines in all their lunatic, English glory--and my guess is that the reviews listed under this Blu-Ray were originally from some other release of the film that did not have the Italian-English soundtrack for Toby Dammit; either Amazon goofed by using reviews of an older release in their listing of this Blu-Ray, or the reviewers have mistaken this Blu-Ray release for an older release of the film.

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Spirits of the Dead, a handsomely mounted 1967 film that features three segments from three European giants (Vadim, Malle, and Fellini) all based on Edgar Allen Poe short stories. The third segment, Fellini's Toby Dammit, is so incredibly different and dense when compared to the other two that you almost forget you've watched an anthology by the time the film ends. His work here is as good as he's ever been visually, and the world that he creates perfectly represents the inner turmoil of the self-destructive actor Toby Dammit (Terrance Stamp). The director presents his typical circus or parade; whichever you want to call it, and this time it shows the world of the celebrity in modern day Rome. It's obviously been liberally adapted from the original Poe story, and it's only nominally a horror tale (Toby is stalked by a Björk-ish devil figure), but the film transcends any generic or authorial labels: it's purely Fellini's, and at a little over forty minutes long it doesn't burn out the audience in the way that his longer pageants tend to.

The other two segments are certainly solid, even if they might not top Fellini's work with sheer panache. Vadim's piece is the better of the remainder, and it features Jane and Peter Fonda as feuding cousins. This is the most overtly supernatural segment of the trio, and even it feels somewhat subdued when compared to modern ghost stories. Jane Fonda is excellent in her role, and she brings a combination of refinement and haughtiness to the part that vitalizes the character. Like all of the film, this bit of the film is well shot, but Vadim's captured some gorgeous outdoor scenery, whereas the others take place mostly indoors. The tale itself is spooky enough, and the running time feels sufficient. The only real negative mark here is that the film resorts to a slightly jarring voiceover narration here to fill in background details. Malle's segment is likable enough, but it feels somewhat slighter than the other two. Its gambling scene evokes Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (just as the driving sequences in the Fellini segment recall A Clockwork Orange), even if Spirits was made several years earlier, and there is genuine tension aroused at the card table. Throughout the film, there is a relatively low gore quotient, and the acting is uniformly solid. As far as psychological horror goes, the films work well, and that they realize Poe's stories were mainly internalized distortions of the world works to their advantage, even as they approach the material in vastly different ways.

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Katanagatari Volume 2 Premium Edition (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Not really a fan of the big A4 format, but this is really a collector item !

I like the stong artbox, hardcover book with episodes summaries and artworks (not enough to my taste).

Just as expected. Apparently, I need more words here. So... if you don't know what this is, you should go find somewhere to watch it. Then, decide whether or not you like it enough to buy it. I did.

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Brothers (2008)

This ensemble cast delivered the goods and nailed each of their performances.

Tobey and Jake are very believable as brothers and Natalie was the true heart of this story as her beloved husband played by Tobey goes to a very dark place as a result of his experience in the war. All of the cast members were strong and made you really care about what happened to them.

I felt their happiness,pain and sadness.

Jim Sheridan the director is true to his style and storytelling theme about war and its effects on a marriage,family and forgiveness.

There was one scene with he and Natalie that reduced me to tears and that is not an easy thing to do, thus the five star rating which is well earned and deserved!

I am currently deployed in Iraq, first duty and hopefully my last. My significant other came back home from Iraq and totally cam back as a different person. This movie is as real as it gets. Highly recommanded. A truly magificant movie. Oscar winners in my book especially Toby. Left me speechless, he was right on the money.

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I loved this movie. It instantly became one of my top 5 ever. Some of the films most intense moments are some of the most intense I've ever seen. Tobey Maguire deserves an oscar for this. Some critics have been saying that this movie is more of a melodrama than the original, but I would greatly disagreee. Great acting from all involved (including the dad) and terrific writing. After I saw it, I couldn't stop thinking about it the rest of the week. Highly recommended.

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This is one of those times that I wish Amazon let us use half stars as I think this is more 3.5 stars than 4 full ones. I have not seen the Danish film and now I wish I had. This is because I just read here that in the Danish movie, the wife does start an affair with her brother-in-law. This film lost a lot of its punch when the director shied away from letting that happen in the American remake. As a result, it's as if someone punctured the air out of the movie past the halfway point. This should be a very taut, sharp drama throughout , which I suspect he Danish one is. The American one simply cannot sustain the same tension when the guts were removed from the script. The actors are very good, both the brothers and the wife. I think they make the best of what they've got. So the problem must be that director Jim Sheridan was worried about losing audience if he kept the film as stark as the Danish version (that a film is Scandinavian and stark borders on redundancy). This almost always happens in American remakes. We seem to do better when we use our own original source material.

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BROTHERS

STARRING: Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Shepard, Bailee Madison, Taylor Geare, Patrick Flueger, Clifton Collins Jr., Ethan Suplee and Mare Winningham

WRITTEN BY: David Benioff; based on the screenplay Bodre by Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen

DIRECTED BY: Jim Sheridan

Rated: R

Genre: Drama

Release Date: 04 December 2009

I have always wondered if maybe Tobey Maguire had a dark side to him, buried away, deep behind that charming Peter Parker smile. Now that I have seen his disturbing performance in Brothers; I know that he does.

He plays Capt. Sam Hill of the U.S. Marine Corps and he does it miraculously. At first everything seems to be ok with Sam. He has a wonderful wife and two beautiful kids; a strong relationship with his father and he loves and defends his brother. However, all of that is about to change.

We learn early on in the film that he is to be shipped off to Afghanistan. He is proud to be a Marine and is equally proud to go.

Just days before he leaves, his brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is released from prison. We don't know why, but Sam's wife Grace (Natalie Portman) isn't very fond of him.

Their father Hank (Sam Shepard) agrees with Grace entirely. In his eyes, the two brothers are worlds apart. Sam is the saint and Tommy is the family screw-up. Having been a Marine himself, Hank respects Sam and constantly puts Tommy down for not being more like his brother. There are some very well acted scenes between the three of these Hollywood greats; particularly the first dinner scene when Tommy is released from prison.

It's not a hard sell at all to buy Gyllenhaal and Maguire as brothers. Several people over the years have commented on their similar looks; they have been mistaken for one-another; and at one point Gyllenhaal was rumored to be relieving Maguire in the Spider-Man franchise. Their on-screen chemistry is more than believable, so fans will enjoy their scenes together, as did I.

The plot thickens when Sam's chopper goes down and he and his crew are believed to be dead. We know from the trailers, the opening credits saying Tobey Maguire's name first and just common movie-goer knowledge, that he is not dead. If you haven't seen the trailers, relax; it's revealed to us right away that he is alive.

Himself and another soldier have in fact been captured by the Taliban and are brought to a secret hideout in the Afghan Mountains. Having done a tour of duty there myself, I can tell you that wherever they filmed this sequence is very close to the real deal.

Sam is an officer and his counterpart is an enlisted Private. He constantly reminds him of their differences in rank throughout all of their scenes together.

I found this annoying as I don't think that nine out of 10 soldiers would be that over-zealous about their rank in a situation like this, but there is always that one guy. And it does serve a purpose as Sam is very good at reading people and can see that this particular soldier is weak and will most likely not be able to handle whatever sadistic torture their captors have in store for them.

I found the scenes in Afghanistan to be the most entertaining portion of the film and there are several of them. Tobey Maguire does an amazing job in these scenes and will show you dimensions of himself that you have never seen before. He is driven to do things that a lot of people may say they would never do in that situation; but I don't think any of us ever really know what we are or aren't capable of until we are put into a certain situation. This film will really make you ask yourself what you would do if you were in Sam's shoes.

I'm displeased to report that the rest of the film was a letdown. The only positive thing I really took from the rest of it, were the amazing performances of all the actors. There wasn't a single person in this film that didn't bring every bit of what they had to offer to each and every scene. Even small characters were casted well and delivered excellent performances. I don't know how they got Clifton Collins Jr. to do the two or three tiny scenes that he was in; but they did and he brought an impressive performance with him.

Natalie Portman is as amazing as ever. She plays Grace so effortlessly and has great chemistry with the actors playing her family. In the scene where she receives the news of her husband's death, she goes from smiling to an absolute wreck without so much as a second going by.

I feel Jake Gyllenhaal was cheated out of some screen time in the film. You never really got to know his character as well as you should have. Regardless of this, he still does a knock-out job with it anyway.

The same goes for Sam Shepard. I felt like this character should have had either a bigger part in the story or a smaller one. With an actor like Sam Shepard, the answer better be bigger. We get absolutely no closure from his character's issues in the film.

Scenes seem poorly edited and at times, too glamorized for this film. I feel like a lot of them were too bright and didn't fit well with the dark tones of the film as a whole.

The most disappointing piece of the film was the romance between Tommy and Grace. I kept waiting for there to be this moment where they fall in love for each other and have a secret affair; but it never happens. They have one intimate moment where they share a kiss and both of them seem to regret it instantly and it is never brought up again; because right after it they discover Sam is still alive.

I was expecting this huge love triangle to unfold. I think that based on the trailer and the poster alone, most would agree with me in thinking this is what was going to happen. There was opportunity after opportunity for there to be moments between them. Then when the romance never comes you are left wondering `what was the point of those scenes then?' Take the scene where she leaves in the middle of the night to go and pick Tommy up from the bar; or the idea of him offering to rebuild her kitchen for her. These are classic set-up scenes for a romance to ensue, and there is nothing!

I get the feeling that the filmmakers' intentions were not to have the over-done love triangle, and instead let it all be in Sam's head. For some, this may be a pleasant aspect of the film. I can even appreciate the originality in that; it's just that I kept expecting these other things to happen and when they didn't, I was disappointed.

I thought there would be hot and forbidden sex scenes; followed by the heart-throbbing suspense of them trying to cover it up, as they realize they are still in love even after Sam is back in the picture.

What we get instead is Sam returning and being wacked out of his frigging mind from the trauma he experienced over there. He is deathly thin and this adds a great deal to him being creepy. His children are afraid of him and his wife looks at him as if he is another man altogether.

Rather than the suspense, we just get what I would call annoying drama. Sam flat out confronts Tommy about sleeping with his wife, and Tommy never once denies having done so. Well no wonder the poor guy continues to think that something is going on!

As if that wasn't bad enough, one of Sam's daughters is so distraught that her daddy isn't the same anymore, she screams at him and tells him that her mother and Tommy have sex all the time. She yells this in front of everyone at the dinner table, and neither Grace nor Tommy says anything to comfort Sam by assuring him, this is untrue. Had it happened, this would have been a little bit more tolerable; but it didn't! Nothing happened! So why wouldn't either of them say something to deny it?

As far as I'm concerned, there was no justification for the daughter to act that way in the first place. There wasn't enough suspense of her daddy being frightening and different that would have caused her to do this. It seemed like two or three scenes between the two of them had been deleted and made it play-out wrong.

It's not a bad movie; just not what I had anticipated and looked forward to it being, nor is it what it could have easily been. I'm sure a lot of people will still enjoy it. In the meantime, to hold me over until another film delivers hot steamy romance mixed with suspense and a classic love triangle; I suppose I can watch Pearl Harbor again.

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Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Boyz N the Hood was and still is one of the most powerful movies I've ever seen. Shot entirely in South Central LA to present the movie as realistic as possible. The movie debuted in theater back in 1991 and had an immediate impact on almost everyone who viewed it.

The story about 3 friends growing up in the hood in South Central LA. Each one with their own individual struggle and goals in life. Doughboy (Ice Cube) ,who is a drug dealer, has been in and out of trouble throughout his young life and seems to be happy with his surroundings. Doughboy's brother Ricky (Morris Chestnut) a teenage father with bright hopes and aspirations of becoming an NFL football player ; and Ricky's best friend Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who hopes and dreams of higher education and an escape from the dwelling of the hood. "The Hood" where saying the wrong thing or looking at someone the wrong way can end in death. Tre's father (Larry Fishburne) is a responsible, educated and strict father who makes sure his son stays on the right track in achieving his goals in life. Teaching him about responsibility and keeping your cool in adverse situations in order to make a thoughtful descision. Tre's resolve will be tested when tragedy strikes close to home and revenge and murder seem like the only solution.

Fantastic direction by John Singleton and equally impressive acting by all characters are the reason Boyz N the Hood was such a huge success. It was nominated for two acedemy awards (Direction and Screenplay.) ... You have to see this one for yourself you won't be sorry.

If you ever wanted a great example of pure cinema drama at its finest, "Boyz N the Hood" is it. It didn't take long for me to completely involve myself during the viewing of this film. It's powerful, sad, scary, and filled with heart. This is one of those films that completely takes you by surprise by giving you something that you weren't expecting at all. John Singleton's directorial debut doesn't fail to shine for one second in this human-drama powerhouse.

The film focuses around three friends who live in South Central, Los Angeles; a place where drugs, guns, and violence appears to be around every corner. The three friends are Tre, Ricky, and Doughboy. Tre's father has tried his best to raise Tre into becoming a real man; supplying him with knowledge and wisdom. Ricky has dreams of being a professional football player while his brother, Doughboy, is always getting into some kind of trouble, whether it be with the law or the neighborhood gang-bangers. In the end, the film is about choices and how every action can set off a chain of events.

In the exclusive documentary that's included on this 2-Disc Anniversary Edition DVD, John Singleton says that this was the movie he was born to make, and he's able to show us exactly that and nothing less. Making the movie was taking a pretty big risk, as there was nothing quite like it on the market; however, that didn't stop him from delivering an incredible debut that really stands out from the rest. The main misconception of this movie is that people are willing to automatically assume that the movie is violent and is only about violence (these being people who have never watched the movie) when in actuality, the film focuses more on the aftermath of violent acts rather than the actual acts being carried out. The main focus is always on the characters, and Singleton does a superb job of never losing sight of that. The story is delivered with undeniable care through the great direction of John Singleton.

Another factor that makes the film work the way it does is the superb cast behind it. Cuba Gooding, Jr. gives it his all early on in his career and immediately shows promise of a talented actor. Ice Cube proves that not only can he rap, but he can also act by giving life to his character of "Doughboy." Laurence Fishburne is amazing as Tre's father, as he gives an outstanding performance. Everybody else is great as well. This film really launched many careers of many of the actors that appear in this movie.

The 2-Disc DVD edition really does the movie justice as it's loaded with some very cool extras. The movie looks and sounds great. The DVD offers both widescreen and full screen versions of the film. Extras that are included on this 2-Disc Anniversary Edition are theatrical trailers, commentary by John Singleton, an exclusive documentary, music videos, and deleted scenes. The documentary was fascinating to watch and was extremely informative into what went on during pre and post-production. Plenty of goodies for DVD enthusiasts all around.

"Boyz N the Hood" is a touching and exhilarating drama that plays on all of one's emotions. The characters are very real and are easy to care for, and the story is well-structured and executed. I cannot think of a single flaw that I ran across while watching the film. It definitely has become a new favorite in a short amount of time. There is real power within the film that has a unique effect on us when we watch it, or at least it did on me. Definitely a film to check out if you have not already.

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South Central L.A.: Where murder rates are five times the nationwide average, or in absolute figures, double the entire U.S.'s death rate for breast cancer (L.A. Times, January 1, 2004.) Where "I'll have my brother shoot you" isn't just an empty threat, and guns are passed from one sibling to another when an older brother goes away to "do time." Where owning a gun is a means of self-protection even for those who've always stayed clear of gangs. Where "where ya' from?" is an inquiry about gang membership, not geographic origin, and wearing the wrong colors can cause you to be "hit up;" resulting in violence, and more violence by way of retaliation. Where over the past 15 years the LAPD has accumulated a backlog of 4,400 unsolved homicides roughly 3/4 of the city's total because, as kids learn early, a bullet doesn't come with a name attached; and those who know the killer generally stay mum, either fearing reprisal or preferring to take care of their own, rather than leave justice to a police and a court system they've learned to mistrust. And where crimes like burglary only merit police attention if something actually was stolen, and are quickly sidelined upon the officers' summons to another murder scene.

South Central L.A. is the home of Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.) and his friends, "Doughboy" and Ricky Baker (Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut). We first meet them at age ten, when Tre's mother (Angela Bassett) sends him to live with his father Jason, a/k/a "Furious" (Laurence Fishburne), who seems better equipped to raise a son in a neighborhood like this. When we see them again they're seventeen, Tre and Ricky about to graduate from high school, while Doughboy has already graduated from shoplifting to guns and small-time drug deals. And while Furious guides Tre towards moral choices, responsibility, and (self-)respect, Doughboy and Ricky are raised by a mother who lacks the wherewithal to steer them out of the ghetto. Yet, Ricky in particular is naively, fiercely resolved to make it out of there; with a football scholarship (provided his SAT scores are high enough) or if that fails, by joining the army. And in a poignant, spot-on conclusion it is ultimately Ricky who forces Tre and Doughboy to choose their own paths in life, to either be drawn into the ghetto's spiral of violence, or conquer their inner demons and extricate themselves from that vicious circle.

Upon this movie's 1991 release, several Los Angeles cinemas either refused to show it at all or hired extra security guards: That big, in a city that had recently seen the Rodney King beating, was about to be rocked by the Christopher Commission's scathing indictment of its police department, and was gearing up to the riots that would ravage its inner city the following spring, were fears of the reaction to John Singleton's partly autobiographical film. Yet, while "Boyz N the Hood" paints a starkly accurate picture of inner city life's daily realities, it in no way encourages violence much to the contrary. That it's told from a profoundly "black" perspective is a given; and with that come charges that those of us with a more fortunate childhood often dismiss as the chip on many black people's shoulders e.g., the notion that drugs, liquor and guns in the ghetto are tacitly encouraged by society's white-dominated ruling circles to keep inner-city minorities subdued. But while neither such charges nor their "white" response are the be-all and end-all of the problem, there is no question that drugs, alcoholism and guns *are* major issues in the 'hood, as are teen pregnancies and unemployment; and Singleton intelligently weaves all of these elements into a compelling picture.

Equally well-deserved as the praise for Singleton, who garnered Best Director and Best Screenplay Oscar nominations and several other distinctions, are the kudos to the movie's outstanding actors. Then-23-year-old Cuba Gooding Jr. came practically out of nowhere to give a fully accomplished, emphatic portrayal as Tre, caught between the lessons of ghetto life and those of his father. (Although this wasn't his first movie, he had never before appeared in a remotely as prominent role.) Morris Chestnut's naively determined football-hero-to-be Ricky is similarly compelling; and Laurence Fishburne noticeably didn't have to reach far for his "Furious" Styles: While based on Singleton's father, the role was created specifically with him in mind. So, reportedly, was Ice Cube's Doughboy; and he, too, is a perfect match, giving the teenage trio's most troubled member a depth clearly informed by his own South Central boyhood, although despite his songs' inflammatory lyrics, he himself stayed clear of gangs. Angela Bassett finally is the perfect foil for the movie's male characters, exemplifying a woman who through hard work gets as far out of the ghetto as conceivable and unlike her ex-husband doesn't avoid the moneyed upper-crust, but doesn't forget her origins, either, and is still perfectly capable of talking tough when challenged.

The movie's last words are Ice Cube's, both spoken as Doughboy and rapped in "How to Survive in South Central," underlying the closing credits. "Either they don't know, don't show or don't care what's going on [here]," Doughboy comments on a TV program about exotic faraway places he's seen shortly after experiencing the kind of violence that he knows will haunt him forever. And in his rap song, sarcastically premised on a guided tour to the "concrete Vietnam" South Central L.A. ("Have you witnessed a drive-by? Okay, make sure you have your camcorder ready!"), Ice Cube warns: "Rule number one: get yourself a gun ... 'cause jackers ... love to start [things]. Now, if you're white you can trust the police; but if you're black they ain't nothin but beasts. ... So don't take your life for granted, 'cause it's the craziest place on the planet ... This is Los Angeles." "Boyz N the Hood" was released 13 years ago. It is as topical as ever.

Also recommended:

Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.

G-Dog and the Homeboys: Father Greg Boyle and the Gangs of East Los Angeles

The John Singleton Collection (Boyz N the Hood, Poetic Justice, Higher Learning)

South Central

Menace II Society

Juice

Dangerous Minds

New Jack City (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Read Best Reviews of Boyz n the Hood (1991) Here

Boyz N the Hood was the movie debut of african-amemrican movie director John Singleton.Anyone who've seen this movie can remember the stir it caused around 1991 when it was released, at a time when George Bush was president and ghetto riots occured in LA later in the Rodney King incident.

One can be rather amazed but such such a a stark but accurate portait of the hood and most impotantly what it is living in the projects.

I have rarely seen such as clever and brillant outlook on african-american issues in a movie.John Singleton here doesn't glorify violence or gangs, he address and demonstrates these issues by telling the story of three young black teenagers living in a rather harsh neighborhood : South Central LA.

What struck the most was how accurate this movie actually is.It doesn't portait mens who thrives with gang-violence but rather are trying escaping it, finding a better surrounding.

Not only Boyz N the Hood does a great job in acheiving this but it also manage to tell us meaningful issues such as single-parenthood, fatherhood, sex and education.

A strong duality also did struck me : scopes of imporoving your life and how it can be done.On one hand you've got one child who's got a caring and reponsible father, played amazingly by Lawrence Fishburne and other young mens such as Doughboy who live wihout knowing his father.Clearly Singleton has pointed out brillantly that men that have fathers taking care of them and loving them are more chance to suceed.In the end, Tre choose not to live within the gang-violence framework showing us how crucial a role-model father can be for his child.

Two different paths and two different families, those of Tre and Doughboy, demontrates how single-handly having a father can change their fate : life or death.

The daring finale where Tre choose his fate and doughboy avenge his brother is one of the most touching and emotionnal scenes I have ever encountered.I was emotionnally touched and deeply saddened by this scene (along when Cuba Cooding jr handles the gun to Lawrencne Fishburne).

The fact that Singleton also manage to capture the true essence of South Central LA when football wiz Ricky encounter his death is also one of the most daring scene.The music stops, Ricky runs trying to escape his death, gun's fired, the shooting happens and nobody can stop it : this is the realness of violence.You can't escape it.

More importantly, you are not witnessing the hood YOU ARE LIVING IT.It is truly breathtaking !!!

Such a clever movie should not be overlooked.

It has genius written all over it...

5 stars and tears to your eyes

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In, hollwood we see epics like Ben Hur and The Godfather to Goodfellas.We consider these epic movies because they sweep us into a storyline full of dramatic tones.What makes an epic shine a good storyline and charachters that you can understand and relate to and care for.Is this Boyz N The Hood yes it is and much much more,this movie is a true modern day epic and truly sweeping an incredible storyline that will keep you involved.it's a very realistic masterpeice and frank look into the life of inner city youth and the battleground they must deal with everyday not on a war zone but in there own neighborhoods.

Powerhouse performances by Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ice Cube.This movie tells us what living in this world is today and the battles you must fight not only for yourself but for the ones you love.

A orignal film powerful and very real as well as touching and sad.Admist all the violence ,chaos of a war torn Los Angeles.A heartfelt film and the

unfortunate truth very real.

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The Buddy Holly Story

I'm a huge fan of Gary Busey, who may not be a "star" but is nevertheless a great actor. This is by far his best performance, & I feel he deserved the best actor oscar more than Jon Voight (who won for Coming Home). Few people know that Busey was a musician before he was an actor, so in this awesome musical biography of Buddy Holly we get to see just how talented he is. The film is mostly factual, although some screen characters are actually composites of two or more people. The energy in Busey's performance is what makes this a winner. Not only did he sing, he did it while being filmed live! That's what gives this such a realistic look to it & it's why this stands out among the other musical biographies as one of the best. There was also a lot of unscripted dialogue that makes this even more entertaining. The best thing about the dvd is the hilarious & very informative commentary from the director Steve Rash & Gary Busey, which is almost as good as the film itself! This is an excellent tribute to a lengendary rock & roll icon & it won an oscar for best score adaptation. Do yourself a favor, add this great film to your collection!

This is not a huge hollywood production with slick lighting and camera work but rather a small production that almost has the feel of a cross between a home movie and a TV movie (in a good way). What this movie does so well is celebrate life, and simply follows a character with passion and drive. It's inspiring to see someone follow their dreams relentlessly and that is what the filmmakers have tapped into here. We all know how Buddy Holly's life ends (so if you don't know don't read on), but the movie never even shows a shot of the plane because that is not what it's about. Top this movie off with Gary Busy's performance which is even more impressive when one learns he did all the singing in this film live (he did not lip sync any of it!).

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I think this is a fantastic movie. Gary Busey did an excellent job portraying Buddy Holly. Though I am aware that not every detail of this movie is 100% factual, it still makes the audience love and care about Buddy and his music. This movie is truly a must for any music fan.

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I think the most important thing about "The Buddy Holly Story" is it captures the essence of it's subject, the time it is depicting, and the burgeoning rock'n'roll movement. The most glaring innacuracy is the names of the other Crickets, Jerry Allison and Joe Mauldin, being changed. That quibble aside, this film is simultaneously important, yet thrilling, because it celebrates the artistry of rock's premiere pioneer(sorry, Elvis). Gary Busey doesn't merely portray Buddy Holly, he is possessed by the spirit of the man. Though he doesn't necessarily duplicate the vocals of Holly, he has the essence of them down pat. Credit too has to go to Don Stroud and Charles Martin Smith as the other Crickets. This trio actually feels like a working band. I read some of the other reviews that take issue with the film for it's inaccuracies. The truth of the matter is alot of the fabrications in the film were the result of legal wrangling and not a deliberate attempt to falsify the facts. The most important thing here is the film celebrates the man, his creative processes, and the music. If this film moves the uninitiated they can seek out the true story. In conclusion,"Hail! Hail! Rock'n'Roll!"(Oh, that's Chuck Berry.)

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You become accustomed to Hollywood taking too many liberties with the actual stories of the famed and infamous alike; in music, you could ask Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and the Dorsey brothers, all of whom had their life stories sentimentalised and bowdlerised to the quick once Hollywood got its mitts on them. Likewise with Buddy Holly. The liberties taken with the Texas rock pioneer's actual story may have made for audience-gripping moviemaking, but history has its claims as well and there was no need whatsoever to gussy up the Holly story, unless someone figured that because he was one of the few early rock stars who could claim a background of reasonable stability and, for the most part, parental support and empathy, Buddy Holly as a film subject would have been as boring as Buddy Holly the musician was exciting.

But there remains one reason to indulge "The Buddy Holly Story" after just over two decades Gary Busey's performance as the long tall Texan with the thick-rimmed glasses, the toothy smile, and the deceptively gripping songs and rippling guitar style remains one of the most unpretentiously electrifying you will ever see given of an actual music star. Busey made a very credible Holly, both when cranking out his versions of Holly's signature music and in portraying the shyly confident young man offstage, and it remains the most earnest and thorough performance of Busey's career; it garnered him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor and he deserved the nomination. He played every facet of Holly the musical confidence, the unprejudiced amiability, the striking romantic (slightly twisted though the scripting is, it is nevertheless true that Buddy Holly really did ask his girl friend's aunt, who'd raised her, for her hand in marriage), the enthusiastic performer with a surety and a thoroughness he's been hard pressed ever since to equal.

Holly himself might have been spinning in his grave over the telling of the story and it only begins with the point that even the uninitiated knew (and know) that the Crickets were a quarter for most of the time they worked with Holly. But Holly might yet have said of Busey that he'd done him justice in spite of what he had to work with, even if he'd wished Busey could have delivered that justice in a more appropriate presentation.

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Black Orpheus (The Criterion Collection)

Do they clean the streets in Rio De Janeiro? Well, of course they do. When this carnival is over.

And if you watch this movie you will see that they do it very near the end of the last reel, as in the morning when the truck comes round spraying water, just one of a thousand little details that director Marcel Camus got right, and one of the most insignificant. But it is from a multiplicity of detail that an edifice of cinematic genius is constructed.

The true brilliance of Black Orpheus lies in the people who live on the side of the cliffs overlooking the harbor at Rio. It is their energy that prevails. Then there is the color, the costumes, the pounding rhythms, the spectacular vitality of life that is depicted as a carnival of dance and song in which we are driven along as on a wave. And yet there is the constant reality of death. And it strikes in ways we cannot comprehend, fatalistically, and we are helpless to do anything about it. And then Orpheus sings, a new Orpheus perhaps, and the sun rises again, and a little girl in white, looking like Eurydice in miniature, begins to dance as the little boy Orpheus plays his guitar, telling us that time has come round again.

Well, that's the plot as adapted by screen writer Jacques Voit from the play by Vinicius d Moraes as divined from the Greek mythology. Supporting this arresting conception is the music by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luis Bonfa. I recall the former as the composer of bossanova who gave us "The Girl from Ipanema" and made the samba international. Starring in the title role as the streetcar conductor who is loved by all is Breno Melo, who might be seen as the natural man and native of paradise. The very pretty Marpessa Dawn plays Eurydice, an innocent from the country who falls in love with Orpheus and his song. Lourdes de Oliveira plays his intended, Mira who is hot blooded, vital and beautifully ordinary. But the actress I recall most vividly from the time I first saw this in the sixties was Léa Garcia who played Serafina. Her exuberance and comedic flair struck me as something completely different from anybody I had ever seen before. And then there are the boys who follow Orpheus around and emulate his every move. With their torn shirts and unflagging optimism, they represent the new day that will dawn.

If you haven't seen this strange and beautiful film, you are in for a singular experience. There is nothing else like it that I know of. And it is as fresh today as when it was made almost half a century ago.

--Dennis Littrell, author of "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!"

A lot of people were surprised when this won for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1959 Academy Awards. It hadn't been widely seen, except for winning at Cannes, it was a French director with a Portuguese-language film, with a black cast. (I've been to Rio and there's no racism, though some class-ism and other political nonsense). I saw this film in the 60's and loved it for its sincerity and profound lesson. I was in high school, and didn't really know much about the Orpheus legend. I was taken in by the narrative presented by Marcel Camus, and never forgot it. I subsequently visited Rio, and watching this film is most interesting, because it's about real people (not what the tourists see), but the exquisite photography not only shows vast vistas of Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches, but vivid colors, as well as how seriously the Cariocas regard "Carnaval". Bruno Mello (Orpheus) was a handsome soccer star, and a fine actor. Marpessa Dawn, as Eurydice, is really excellent (according to liner notes, she was from Pittsburgh). A real natural. An interesting thing to notice is that, even when looking though an open door, there are great shots of the beaches, Rio's finest feature. I also attended a Macumba ceremony while there, and the one depicted in the film let me know that mine wasn't a fake. Then there's the brilliant score by Jobim and Bonfa, which, by now, has become standard/classic. The music truly carries the film, the acting is first-rate, and the use of color by cinematographers Louis Stein & Rene Persin is breath-taking. This is indeed a great film with humor, a few scares, great love story, and just about everything anyone would want. The music alone will entertain; everything else is like a fine sauce over an excellent entree.

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A wonder-filled whirl of color and sound, this movie will provide a boost for the hopeless romantic. The never-ending love story of Orpheus and Eurydice is regenerated in "modern" Rio during Carnival. Beautifully photographed with an excellent sound track, this movie is a must-see for any serious film connoisseur.

Links to the original Greek tragedy will test your knowledge of mythology and the trip to "Hades" with its voodoo incantations will stick in your mind like a fever-induced dream. The beauty and rhythm of this film will make you think of your first true love, and, if you're one of the lucky ones out there, make you glad you never let that person go.

I first saw Black Orpheus in New Orleans. One of my life's fondest memories is viewing this film at a local repertory theater. Whenever there were carnival street scenes, balcony-bound moviegoers would let loose with Mardi Gras beads and doubloons, adding to the carnival atmosphere.

Also, although I have a copy of the subtitled Orpheu Negro, which I would never part with, I have seen a dubbed version, only once and then on television. I would very much like to acquire a dubbed copy. Can anyone out there help? I remember there being much more to the story line revealed with the dubbed version. (For example, when at the pawn shop, as patrons are passing the guitar down to Orpheus, they are saying, "This is for Orpheus. This is for Orpheus." This phrase is transposed from person to person into "This is Orpheus. Here's Orpheus.", giving the guitar mystical properties and seeming to make it the embodiment of the spirit of Orpheus. Inscribed on the guitar are the words "Orpheus is my master."

I would give this film my highest recommendation and would encourage anyone to view it at least one a year.

rmelhorn@aol.com

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The classic film that brought Brazil's bossa nova music to the world outside, this was a wry modernist update of the classical Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridyce, the starcrossed lovers whose passion could not be denied, even by all the powers of Hell. The film is adapted from a bold stage play written by Brazilian poet Vinicius De Moraes, who enlisted a then-unknown Antonio Carlos Jobim to compose the classic bossa tunes that stud the films soundtrack. In this version, Hell is a blend of the futurist modernism that created Brasilia, the sterile and unappealing new capital of Brazil, and the heedless bacchanalia of Carnaval; Vinicius's vision of the lower rings of Hades as a bureaucrat's office is a stroke of pure genius. I first saw this film when I was in high school; viewing it again as an adult steeped in Brazilian popular culture, I certainly got a lot more out of it. Although some Brazilians (prominently, Caetano Veloso) chafe at the fact that this version was directed by a European, director Marcel Camus, I think it's still safe to say that it is a brilliantly made film. Heavy on the textual symbolism and, yes, a bit voyeuristic in its depictation of the happy natives dancing to their catchy samba rhythms, but brilliant nonetheless. It also captures a moment in time -Brazil's transition into a modern nation, and the heady days before the 1964 coup -in a way that is precious and ineffable.

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This movie explodes onto the screen in a riot of color, music, dancing and drama so intense that it blows our minds. It's a retelling of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, brilliantly transplanted to the favelas of Rio de Janeiro during Carnival week. The pulsing samba rhythm throughout the movie is so hypnotic that more than once I had to get up and dance while I was watching it at home. And what else could be more hypnotic than Brazil during Carnaval?

"Black Orpheus" brings us a marvelous cast of black actors lead by Breno Mello in the title role and Marpessa Dawn as Eurydice; she is fleeing Death in the form of a sinister stalker and takes refuge with her cousin Serafina, winningly played by Léa Garcia. But Orpheus has a fiancée in the persona of Mira, a sexy bombshell played by Lourdes de Oliveira, who doesn't appreciate Orpheus falling in love with the beautiful and desperate Eurydice. Mira and her friends are the Furies relentlessly hounding Orpheus in the middle of Carnaval, while he tries to protect Eurydice who is being relentlessly stalked by Death. But Death and the Furies are too strong for both of them, and Orpheus can only be reunited with Eurydice in another world.

The marvelous setting in the hills above Rio, the vibrant cinematography, and above all, the brilliant samba music by Luis Bonfa and António Carlos Jobim, all come together to work on our senses until we are totally caught up in the film. This movie is not so much for watching as for experiencing. And even after all the tragedy, we leave the film on a positive note watching the exuberant dancing by three very young children, who remind us that in the midst of death we remain gloriously alive.

Judy Lind

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Alexander Revisited / Troy / 300 (Triple-Feature) (2012)

Just a heads up, Alexander is split on two discs. Disc one has the first two hours of the film, and disc two has the last hour of the film plus extras (see this thread for more info: . You'll have to swap out discs to watch the entire final cut. All three films share one thick case with a slipcover. Each movie has its special features. Picture and audio quality are great for all three films. For under $17, its a great deal, even though Alexander is average at best.

Great Value, Great Picture. Nice Price for 3 great movies! Troy is one of my favorites, it is hard to beat the action and story.

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3 of my favorite war epics all for one low price in high-def. Movies look phenomenal on bluray and the package only cost 14$ with shipping. 300 is an instant, violent classic while Troy keeps you on the edge of your seat. Alexander is a tad slow, but if you pay attention you'll learn to appreciate it. GREAT DEAL

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Bought it for 15$. Worth the money spent. Though i dont like the movie Alexander.. other two movies are my favorite.

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As for me, I thought three blu-rays for this cheap was a steal. I recommend this to any fan of these types of movies.

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Alpha Dog (2007)

The movie is based on the true story of the kidnapping of Zack Mazursky (Yelchin) by "drug dealer" Johnny Truelove(Hirsch) and his "posse". The basics is that they kidnap the 15 year-old kid so that his older brother pays up the 1200 dollars he owes Truelove. But the whole plan goes awry and Zack ends up being killed.

In itself the movie isn't that original. It's themes we've already seen a million times : the disenchanted, bored youth who play drug dealers in California. But what makes this different is that it's a true story, and that fact alone turns the movie into a dark, almost horror, story that ends up haunting you and staying with you long after the end credits. This actually ends up saving the movie from itself, not turning it into another one of those horrible laugh-out-loud movies like "Havoc". What helps is also the opening credits, where when you reach the end you end up asking yourself "how did they get from there to here?"

The acting is average. It's not bad but there aren't that many great performances. The breakout star in all of this would probably have to be Justin Timberlake who shows he can act and gives an emotional level to the story, without which the movie would be doomed. I think most of it has to do with the script though, because you seriously have to wonder if they actually talked like that. Sharon Stone is also fairly decent as Zack's mother, that is until the end. Another honorable mention would have to be Ben Foster who just chews up the script.

But as Bruce Willis' character so insightfully points out, this movie is really about parenting...bad parenting at that. It's another movie that shows what happens when the parents don't give a damn and let their kids run all over the place and do whatever they want. But throughout the movie I also really wanted to slap the kids for taking stupidity to a whole new level, which is frightening considering it's based on a true story.

The only other negative point about the movie is that it runs about 15 minutes too long, with Sharon Stone's last scene that fails to inspire compassion and sadness at the whole situation and ends up being just ridiculous.

On the whole it's a decent movie worth seeing once and that won't leave you indifferent.

Johnny Truelove (Hirsch) is pushing weed to local teenagers and everything seems to be fine in his quiet life till his authority is questioned by a fascist jew(!) Mazursky (Foster) who furthermore is not giving Johnny back $1200 he borrowed. Truelove and his friends then kidnap Mazursky's 15-year-old brother Zack (Yelchin) and hold him as a hostage. Zack is OK with being a hostage parties, booze, weed and girls are definately better than sitting home with wonk parents. Everybody's having a great time, kids fool around and it seems like we observe ordinary teenagers' life, only sometimes captions appear at the sides of the screen calling every new character number next witness. And it makes you feel uneasy. We know the film is based on true events, hence we know something bad will happen, but till the very end I personally refused to believe it actually will.

Alpha Dog is a movie about a crime which was commited not by some malicious intent, but rather by an absolute bluntness and with a total recklessness of the characters involved. These 20-year-olds behave like small kids having commited something bad they are afraid of upcoming punishment and descend deeper into crime. They don't believe themselves they're capable to do something terrible and they can't stop when it's not yet too late. They are just a bunch of silly kids hence the outcome is utterly disturbing although we saw it coming.

Alpha Dog is a remarkable film, but to tell the truth it's overshadowed by such works as The Chumscrubber or Bully. Nick Cassavetes did a great job, but still Larry Clark's movies, for instance, have a greater impact on you. Alpha Dog's impact is based more on the fact that all the ivents shown here really happened some time ago. And I'm sure they still take place in different corners of our world. So it's another flick for you if you want to know what modern youth is. It won't leave you indifferent for sure.

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I stumbled across Alpha Dog the other night on cable and found myself wrapped up in the true life teen gangster story along the lines of Larry Clark's Bully, although lighter and funnier. Dog is filled with young acting talent reminiscent of The Outsiders The Complete Novel (Two-Disc Special Edition) combined with strong seasoned performances by Sharon Stone, Bruce Willis, and Harry Dean Stanton.

Dog, directed by Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook (New Line Platinum Series)), who also played bad guy Packard Walsh in the so bad it's good 80's movie The Wraith. Amazon already does an informative write up, which talks about Cassavetes own run in with the law for his contact with the real life character behind Johnny Truelove, still on the F.B.I's ten most wanted list at the time of the film. I found that interesting. Although I disagree with their interpretation of Foster's character Jake, which I'll address.

The story, based on actual events, follows a group of suburban kids who watch music videos, act tough, drink 40's, smoke cheeba, disrespect people, and talk shiite. The leader of this crew is Johnny Truelove played by Emile Hirsch, who seems to get better with every role, and gives his best performance a year later in Into the Wild. Johnny is a smooth manipulator but gets most of his respect from his family ties, also surrounding himself with idiots doesn't hurt.

In this movie of solid performances it is Ben Foster's Jake Mazursky that steals the spotlight, as he did in similar fashion from Russel Crowe and Christian Bale in the western 3:10 to Yuma (Widescreen Edition) with his portrayal of Charlie Prince. Amazon describes Foster's character Jake as a scum bag drug addict. I disagree. There is no doubt he has a drug problem, and problems in general, but in a time when most just talk trash, Jake actually follows through. In some aspects I saw him as a stand up guy, or would be without drugs, and has a fearlessness that other men can respect, under different circumstances he could have been a leader. Ben Foster does a great job showing rage in this part with words or without. Justin Timberlake also gives a good performance as the mostly obnoxious, with hints of charisma, Frankie Ballenbacher.

The basic plot is Jake owes Johnny Truelove money. Johnny tries to disrespect Jake like he does with his other friends, but Jake isn't his other friends, and it continues to escalate from there. The crew decide to teach Jake a lesson and kidnap his younger brother, whom Jake is close with. This sets a chain of events sometimes fun and entertaining but ultimately tragic.

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ALPHA DOG is a strong film that reminded me of a film called BULLY that was similar, but not given much publicity. ALPHA DOG seemed to me to be a more commercial film that got more publicity and had big stars like Bruce Willis & Sharon Stone giving it clout.

That isn't a bad thing. ALPHA DOG is a frightening film based on a true story and its greatest gift is its closeness to reality and how kids go through life thinking with blinders on. They don't see the big picture. They don't realize the consequences of their actions from minute to minute. Everything we do has an effect and repercussions. Teenagers have an aura of invincibility. In the case of ALPHA DOG, we get to see those aura's exposed.

The only thing that I was disappointed with was the absence of Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster) from the end of the film. He was probably the most interesting character in the film. He walks through the movie with an unabashed intensity that explodes at will. After he walks into a party looking for his missing brother and ends up introducing a slew of party goers to his black belt, he is pretty much gone from the film.

Although I do realize that the movie was based on a true story, so inserting him in the end would have taken away from the truth.

Fortunately though, this movie is given its life by Nick Cassavetes' screenplay and direction, a solid young cast (including a solid performance by Justin Timberlake) and a solid veteran cast.

Alpha Dog is a really good film and a lesson in life and its undeniable consequences. Not to mention, should be a wakeup call to all parents who don't know where there kids are at night and the things they could be getting into.

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Recently our cinemas have been packed with high concept "product" that caters to the lowest common denominator of entertainment and to the least discriminating film goer. What this says about our culture is distrubing at best. How thrilled I was then to see Nick Cassavetes brilliant "Alpha Dog." It must have taken guts to make a film this bold and unrelentling. From the opening credits with the late Eva Cassidy's haunting rendition of "Over The Rainbow" to the final denouement I was entertained, laughed, cried and moved beyond imagining. Justin Timberlake was very good as was Anton Yelchin. Ben Foster looked like he was living the part of the drug addled Jake. Robert Fraisse's cinematography was stunning as well. Southern California's sun drenched decadence gleamed like a jewel unable to concel the rot at it's core. This is a movie people will love or hate. All the best ones are like that. Nick Cassavetes is taking an interesting path in his work and I'm looking forward to what he has in store for us next.

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Resident Evil (Blu-ray Steelbook Bonus Disc) (2002)

I recently purchased Resident Evil: Deluxe Edition from Amazon.com. Having never seen this film before, I realized that I played a gamble with this DVD. However, I think I did alright.

For 11.49, you really can't go wrong. This film features non-stop action, suspense, and a semi-decent plot to go with the flow of the film. Mind you, the plot has the structural integrity of a block of swiss cheese. But, bear in mind that Resident Evil is not a film that was made with the intention of getting nominated for an Academy Award.

Movies of this genre require only 2 things:

1) A beautiful female lead who knows martial arts and can manipulate a 9mm with the finesse of a Parisian street artist (that is a compliment).

2) Lots of on-screen death and destruction. Resident Evil is chock-full of "#2". Zombies are shot at, kicked at, punched at, and even head-butted at one point I think.

Grab the popcorn and Coke. Dim the lights, and turn up the sound. For 12 dollars, I do not think you will be disappointed.

5 solid stars. Not for quality, but for pure entertainment value. Do NOT expect deep, thought-provoking dialogue, and thematic material from this film.

DO expect one hell of a ride....and with Milla driving, you'll definitely be in for a treat!

It was really funny when this DVD came out because it is titled "Resident Evil: DELUXE EDITION" and in actuality there are more special features on the original release. The only thing one could label "Deluxe" about this edition is that it has a small about a 2 minute clip from Resident Evil 2.

So, if you are looking to buy Resident Evil, then its a fun movie. But if your looking for "deluxe special features", then this is most definately the wrong place.

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This was a taut, chilling, and surprisingly effective zombie kill fest. The opening with the lethal lock-down of the complex by the super-computer is at once coldly methodical, and deadly. Milla as the heroine has transformed markedly since her Fifth Element days, and does an admirable job as the anesthesia victim. This film really moves along at a great pace, the Marylyn Manson soundtrack kicks it up a notch along w/ the action sequences. A deadly virus is released in an underground research complex, the host computer kills all the scientists rather than risk external exposure of the virus. A security detail is dispatched to ascertain what went wrong, but are themselves targeted by the newly animated dead. One of the better of its breed to be sure, very polished and gritty at the same time. It works, recommended.

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For not being faithful to the game, this movie was suprisingly great. This is the kind of movie where you get SO envolved in it that when it's over, you're just sitting there thinking 'man, that was just...WOW.' I was so shocked that it was so GOOD. I mean, when alot of people go to see a movie based on a game, they basically think 'you just wait, this is gonna be corny with no real plot.' Well, I THINK NOT! Of course, you know there's gonna be alot of critics out there that are going to terribly underrate RESIDENT EVIL. Take my advice, DO NOT LISTEN TO THEIR [comments]. I am so fed up with critics! What do they know? When YOU see a movie, YOU judge if YOU like it or not. EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT TASTES IN WHAT MOVIES THEY LIKE. Ok, enough said about that.

Milla Jovovich's acting alone is worth seeing this movie. She is, without a doubt, an amazing actress. The rest of the cast were really great as well.

The plot couldn't have been better. It's exciting and at the same time enjoyable. It's very hard to loose interest. I didn't mind the cliffhanger ending because I know there's gonna be a sequel.

I do have a warning. I usually don't put warnings in my reviews, but I think I should in this one. Ok, to start off, I saw RESIDENT EVIL on the day it released. I noticed that alot people were bringing in some very young children to see this movie. I'M TALKING ABOUT 5 AND 6 YEARS OLD!!! PLEASE people, use your heads!! OK, I think I got my point across.

WARNING: For people who are not familiar with or have never heard of the game, RESIDENT EVIL has strong scenes of violence and gore (not for the weak stomache). THERE ARE SOME DISTURBING DEATHS and alot of (well, of course) frightning scenes.

Overall, the movie is fantastic. The acting is top-notch, the plot is excellent with a suprising twist and the graphics are great.

So, if you're a fan of the game or horror/thriller movies, see this as soon as you can. I'm definitely gonna see it again. I can't wait till they release it on DVD!

(Oh yeah, one last thing: THE MUSIC ROCKS!)

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This movie is based on a video game that I have never played, so I can't comment on how the movie's plot follows the game. When the movie starts, there is a really cool aspect to it. A naked woman has just regained consciousness in her shower and can't remember anything. The next few minutes are packed with action, and a team of military personnel take them to the Hive (an underground research lab). Slowly each of them get filled in on the details of the mission. What that mission is, you'll have to watch the movie (or e-mail me) for.

The movie goes along great. The plot starts to materialize and things seem all right when all of a sudden the movie got derailed. Right about the point where the first living dead is discovered is when the film started to take a downturn. From then on it starts to resemble one of John Carpenter's films (particularly Ghosts of Mars. They even have the requisite train scene at the end. If you haven't seen this. Don't.) I was disappointed by this.

What I can say is that the lead actress Milla Jovovich gave it a good performance (as far as action flicks go), on top of being HOT. Sure, being the femme fetale and kicking butt is cliche nowadays. But you should see her in action.

LEAP rating (each out of 5):

L (Language) 3 (no unnecessary cursing)

E (Erotica) 3 (2 scenes with close to full body nudity, but tastefully done)

A (Action) 4 (living dead dogs were scarier than the living dead people, but their asses still needed to be kicked)

P (Plot) 3 (plot elements were well explained, no big surprises)

Pariah (2011)

"Pariah" (90 min.) brings the story of Alike (played by Adepero Oduye), a 17 yr. old girl living with her younger sister and her mom and dad. Alike is discovering that she likes girls better than guys. Alike's mom picks up on the fact that Alike is going through a "tomboy" phase, and is urging dad to do something about it. Dad, however, has his own problems (the movie shows a short phone call that one might interpret he has another lady in his world) and besides (as he says) "Alike is always daddy's girl". Needless to say, a lot of tension builds up between mom and dad and Alike. To reveal more from the plot would spoil the pleasure of watching this movie, you'll just have to see how it all plays out.

A lot has been made of the fact that this is a movie about a "black teenage girl coming out". I guess I really don't see at all what the relevance is, if any, of the race or color in this movie. What I saw was an intense family drame, set in contemporary Brooklyn, New York. It's not even so much a "lesbian" movie. I came away impressed by the fact that this is writer-director Dee Rees' debute film, as the movie certainly doesn't feel like the work of a novice.

There are a number of acting performances worth noting, none more so of course than Adepero Oduye in the role of Alike, but also Kim Wayans as Alike's mom and Charles Parnell as Alike's dad. Last but not least, there was plenty of great music featured in the movie (unfortunately the credits went by so quickly I barely had time to register all the music that was featured, although I did notice that Reema Major has 5 or so songs credited). In all, I thought that "Pariah" was well worth it, and I would readily recommend this if you are looking for something good to watch outside the Hollywood commercial mainstream.

Pariah is a powerful first film by an emerging director, Dee Reese, well acted by a wonderful ensemble of actors, and beautifully and evocatively shot by Director of Photography Bradfford Young. Certainly the story is one that is not widely present within contemporary cinematic culture, but the film stands on its own as a powerful piece of work, not merely a sociological footnote. The true brilliance of this movie is the way in which the visual experience wraps itself around the film's narrative. The camera work alone is truly groundbreaking and original, creating a consistently shallow sense of visual space that directs and redirects our attention in ways that allows us to experience the world intimately through the eyes of the young protagonist.

This is a film that should have received a wider screening than it did. That it was critically hailed was well deserved. That it is now available on DVD is truly cause for celebration. Buy this film, and keep your eyes and heart wide open while watching it.

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A nicely written and acted tale of a 17-year-old girl by the name of Alike who goes through the hardships of being a lesbian teen and dealing with her ongoing homelife. As a black lesbian I'm happy to see there is a black film aimed in a serious way on a LGBT-subject without comic relief. Adepero Oduye, an actress I never heard of until this film, challenges her character well in this heartfelt role. Kim Wayans, someone who most of us grew up laughing at thanks to 'In Living Color' also plays the overprotective mother of Alike and also deals with a struggling marriage. Though this is a slow burn movie, the storytelling does a good enough job getting it's point across. I liked it and hoped many will be open in taking a look at Pariah.

Rating 3.5/5

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This movie was so good it had parts of my life in here, helk anyone who is in the lgbtq community knows someone or has been through that type situation. I hope to see more films that show "our" life all the actors did great and I will def be buying the dvd. :)

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This movie has surely captured my soul. It is a miracle of a movie in a way that it highlighted the raw life and struggles of Alike. Immediately it reminded me of the book Dying To Be Straight! in the way that it showed the pain of the main character Alike as she struggles and gripes with the issues of Lesbianism through the eyes of a mother who is super religious. Rarely have I seen such a movie that not only brings to light a complex social issue such as homosexuality, but a movie that goes into the heart of a situation that is rarely spoken of in Black America. The only recent movie that I could compare that deals with the social crisis of Pariah has to be Precious.

There was bad lighting in a few parts of the movie on the production end. But as far as the screen play itself, the screen play was superb, it's surely worth renting or purchasing this movie.

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The 39 Steps (The Criterion Collection) (1935)

I just ordered the Criterion Hitchcock "set" which includes "The 39 Steps", a movie I've watched many times over the last 20 years, but NEVER in a form this crisp and well-transfered; it's been restored beautifully, and as with all the films("My Man Godfrey" and "The Lady Vanishes", to name two)that have been kicking around with duped, grainy, fuzzy prints for the last 60-some years that were FINALLY restored-it's almost like watching a new movie-even if you'd thought you'd memorized all the dialogue and action! There's just so much that's missed in a bad print. Here, we have Hitch at his finest....there just isn't a dull second in this film. It's really as sure-fire as any movie ever made, in terms of entertainment. I believe this too was Hitchcock's first huge breakout international hit, although happily for us, he didn't "go Hollywood" for another 3 years or so(and gave us the later "Lady Vanishes"-another Criterion must-have).

One caveat: if you're like me(hopeless film buff), you often get these Criterions for not only the fantastic quality of the print but for the often illuminating audio tracks, usually provided by experts of one type or another; I've never quibbled with any of them before, but I have to say, don't expect Marion Keane's wall-to-wall droning to be worth it. There's generally two kinds of film "discussion"(not counting the sort where the actual director or actors gab, which we get with new films): the sort that's superb, like Rudy Behlmer's on "Adventures of Robin Hood"-an amalgam of film history, film technique, on-the-fly biographies of the actors you're watching, tidbits about the production locations, etc.etc.-nd then there's the OTHER kind:

film "semiotics". In other words, a commentator turns a smashing, hugely exciting and entertaining movie into a dull excercise in psychoanalysis. Virtually NOTHING is said about any of the particulars of "The 39 Steps" that isn't a parsing of the symbolism, the framing, that sort of thing. That stuff's there, of course, and I'll hand it to her that the speaker *does* mention Robert Donat's acting several times(it's excellent, of course!)-but you know, for all her blather about the poignancy of the scene of the Crofter's wife, you'd think that she might bother to tell us the actress' name(Peggy Ashcroft), the fact that this was one of her few films, that she was a huge stage star eventually, etc. The sort of thing that other audio tracks do so well.

If you don't get the Criterion Edition, you will be getting an inferior transfer of this film: fuzzy images, fuzzier sound...yuck! The "bad" transfers include the one that Tony Curtis introduces.

Again, look for the Criterion Edition.

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A stylish blend of mystery, romance and light humor, "The 39 Steps" is one of Alfred Hitchcock's finest achievements. Unfortunately, the public-domain status of this 1935 classic has resulted in plenty of inferior video copies at cheap prices. Avoid them! You're better off purchasing the Criterion release, which features a stunning 35mm print and some nice bonuses. "The 39 Steps" represents the highpoint of Hitchcock's British period and should be seen in the best possible quality. In terms of value for money, the Criterion version remains second to none.

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One of his masterpieces! From 1935.. "The Thirty Nine Steps" has Hitch's trademark style all through it.An innocent man gets involved with spies and counter spies. He is at the music hall, watching a "Memory Act"(which is quite a scene in itself),there's a gun shot, panic erupts and everyone runs out. A mysterious woman attaches herself to him and comes home with him. She reveals she is spy and others are after her. She mentions the mysterious "Thirty Nine Steps", and the next morning he finds her dead. He goes on the run for fear he will be implicated in the murder and in order to prove his innocence he must uncover this spy ring on his own. His path is fraught with danger, suspense and of course a beautiful woman. It stars Robert Donat,Madeline Carroll(you know how Hitch loved those beautiful cool blondes!), and Lucie Mannheim(as Annabela the spy).Also look for his trademark staircase scene.

Looking for Hitch: Less than 10 minutes in, you'll spy him. What a litter bug!

A must have to add to any Hitch collection...enjoy...Laurie

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Five stars in all might make me sound like an easy-to-please viewer, but I don't see how this DVD could be better. Criterion never disappoints, so if you're buying this film it's worth paying extra for this one. I believe the transfer is way superior and the extras go on longer than an awards night.

The documentary focuses on Hitchcock's British films, which aren't as widely seen these days and also a complete radio broadcast from 1937. Talk about diggin' up some material! I also enjoyed the commentary and that press book stuff. I'm not even sure I've seen it all. Actually, I'm still not sure what The 39 Steps really is exactly, but who cares? I pity people who don't watch certain movies because they're old and black & white. The reason people should see this film is because no one can make a film like this anymore. This is a great film, don't miss it.

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Joyful Noise (+UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

This movie was so inspiring that I went out and bought the soundtrack and told all my friends and acquaintances about it. We need more movies like this !! The message was inspiring and the music awesome!! If you love gospel music , you'll love this movie. It brought back memories of when I used to sing in a choir and made me want to join again.

Dolly Parton made her first film in 20 years in "Joyful Noise", a movie filled with music, love, young romance and a great on-screen war between two of music's most beloved singers Dolly and Queen Latifah.

The film opened in January, 2012 and became a box office hit making nearly $31,000,000 as of March 7, 2012. Critics and fans of both Dolly and Queen Latifah have enjoyed the movie tremendously. The film comes to BluRay and DVD formats on May 1, 2012.

The story deals with a woman named G.G. Sparrow whose husband (played by Kris Kristofferson) recently dies. Upon his death G.G. believes she will lead the Church's Choir until she is told the congregation has decided that Vi Rose Hill (Queen Latifah) would be better suited for the job. That is when the war starts between these two dames with insults, name-calling and a fabulous food fight scene which takes place in a restaurant that took two days to film.

There is also a young romance brimming between G.G.'s grandson and Vi's daughter that is both emotional and touching.

The music to the film is produced by none other than Mervyn Warren who did the music for the "Sister Act" movies as well as "The Preacher's Wife". Both Dolly and Queen Latifah show off their vocal prowess and the young leads played by Jeremy Jordon and Keke Palmer are first-rate singers. The soundtrack became a certified hit and the music is simply outstanding. Dolly herself wrote three songs including the beautiful "From Here To The Moon And Back", a song she wrote for her real-life husband.

The Blu Ray will have a slew of bonus features including the featurettes "Spotlight on a Song: Dolly Parton's 'From Here To The Moon And Back'", "Inspiration of Joyful Noise", "Make Some Noise", "Leading Ladies", extended songs and a digital version of the movie for download.

In March, 2012 Dolly Parton talked with a Singapore newspaper about how she and others involved with "Joyful Noise" were disappointed with the film's box office performance. Dolly stated, "The movie was not as big as we hoped it would be. But you go into every project hoping it's going to be a hit. Of course, not everything is. Sometimes your shocked, sometimes your surprised, sometimes things that you don't think will be that big turn out to be a big hit. And it was a joyful time for me."

Special features include interviews with the cast and crew.

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This movie was awesome! I enjoyed every minute of it! I loved the music, the story line, and Dolly's and Queen Latifah's feud during the movie! It has a cute, sweet ending and it had me wanting more! I immediately went out and bought the soundtrack and it hasn't left my car! I can't wait till the Blue Ray/DVD release so I can add it too my collection! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!

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I won't repeat the plot because the other reviewers have done an excellent job of that. But I would like to add that this movie is very uplifting and joyful.

I was impressed by one scene in particular. Queen Latifah's son has a medical condition that he was born with. He asks his mother if she loved him why doesn't she hate God -who made him this way. Her answer was definitely spot on.

The music is great although most of it is secular music transferred to a gospel choir, much like Sister Act. I thoroughly enjoyed the music!

I enjoyed this movie immensely and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good family movie with great music. :)

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Despite the excellent music, I found this movie extremely disappointing. I have admired both Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah for some time, and looked forward to seeing them mix their moxies. But the shallowness of characters the wrongness of the behaviors just left me embarrassed for everyone involved. The bad boy becomes the hero only because he can choreograph good music, not because he's had a change of heart. We're supposed to just forget about the fact that he stalked and kidnapped the heroine. The ruthlessness of the competition for music designed to praise God is disturbing. And the sexual double entendres in the gospel songs was downright embarrassing. I left this movie depressed at the thought that Americans may have forgotten how to preserve the sacred in anything.

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Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) (1954)

"Demetrius and the Gladiators", is often relegated to the shadows of its illustrious and far better known parent "The Robe",which was the first lavish effort in Cinemascope. This sequel takes up where the original story ends and uses some of the same cast and many of the original films sets in it's continuation of the saga dealing with the search for Christ's robe. In many ways however is a much more enjoyable and lively effort and focusing on life at the Roman Court features some of the most stunning gladiator scenes ever included in a film. Based on characters drawn from the biblical novel "The Robe", by Llyod C. Douglas this effort focuses on the freed Greek slave Demetrius (Victor Mature), and his ongoing battle between his Christian beliefs and the lure of a decadent Rome under the mad emperor Caligula (Jay Robinson). While the original movie was a very respectful effort centred around Christ's crucifixion "Demetrius and the Gladiators", focuses more on the viciousness of Imperial Rome and the bloody sport of Gladiator combat where innocent men fought to the death for the Roman mob's amusement. For its amazingly accurate depiction of the "sport", of gladiator combat it far surpasses more recent efforts in showing the training, equipment, and life of Gladiators in Imperial Rome. Blessed with some memorable performances, in particular Jay Robinson's amazingly wild performance as the deranged Caligula this film captures beautifully all that was unique about this period in Rome's history while still including the conventional love story element.

After the executions of the earlier heroes Marcellus and Diana at the hands of Caligula Demetrius is entrusted with Christ's sacred robe which the Romans believe works miracles. The insane Caligula meanwhile has had himself declared a living God and strikes terror into everyone including his uncle Claudius (Barry Jones), and his much younger seductive wife Messalina (Susan Hayward). Caligula orders an immediate search for the robe which is still in Rome and when the house where Demetrius is staying is searched the simple peasant girl Lucia (Debra Paget), is attacked by the soldiers trying to conceal the robes whereabouts. When Demetrius comes to her aid he is arrested and sentenced to train as a gladiator in one of the Imperial schools run by Claudius. Refusing to fight because of his christian beliefs Demetrius becomes an unwelcome focus of interest for the dangerous and deadly Messalina who uses people fo rhe rown amusement. When Lucia attempts to visit Demetrius at the school prior to his debut in the arena she is molested by another gladiator Dardanius (Richard Egan)and suffers a crippling shock. Disillusioned by the cruelty of the men and the lack of a sign that his christian beliefs tell him will come to those who are decent Demetrius forsakes his religion and becomes the most successful fighter in Rome. Breaking with the christians Demetrius becomes the lover of Messalina. Sent by Caligula to retrieve the robe Demetrius comes into conflict with Peter (Michael Rennie)who reminds him of how he has abandoned Jesus's teaching and given himself over to the immoral values of Caligula's court. He nevertheless gives Christ's Robe to Demetrius who passes it onto Caligula who in a deranged moment kills a prisoner and tries to raise him from the dead. When he fails Demetrius is sent back to the arena as a gladiator again. Caligula now sets out to deliberately destroy Demetrius in the arena however he doesn't take into account his own changing popularity with the all powerful Praetorian Guard who fed up with his threats against them oppose his plan to remove Demetrius and murder Caligula in the arena. The placid Claudius is nominated as the new Emperor and in his first speech gives christians the right to worship as they see fit. The conclusion sees Demetrius reunited with Peter who leave together to begin a new life as practising christians spreading the word of the teachings of Jesus free of Caesar's tyranny.

"Demetrius and the Gladiators", exemplifies all that is typical of these lavish 1950's epics. Beautiful colour photography, a rousing musical score courtesy of Franz Waxman, lavish sets and opulent eye filling costumes and extensive historical research into all matters related to gladiators all combine to make this film a sumptous viewing experience. The talent on display here is perhaps even more extensive than that in "The Robe". Victor Mature as the questioning and very human Demetrius had one of his best roles here and once again displays his ideal suitability for these epic type of productions. Susan Hayward, an extremely talented dramatic actress perhaps at times appears too modern for the role of the seductive Messalina but she very capably makes the most of her scenes in playing one of Ancient Rome's most infamous ladies. Jay Robinson of course towers over this whole production with his larger than life portrayal of the insane Caligula and captures very well the deadly and depraved mind that the emperor according to historical sources possessed. The supporting players are first rate with Michael Rennie repeating his pivotal role of the calm and assured Peter from "The Robe", Barry Jones making good work of what could have been the potentially uninteresting character of Claudius, and especially William Marshall who really excels in his part as Glycon, the African gladiator who is converted to christianity and provides Demetrius with a focus and a conscience. The recreation of the deadly Roman sports in the arena in "Demetrius and the Gladiators", are first rate and really keep the action moving. So well staged are they that at times it really looks like Victor Mature is actually fighting with real tigers during the famous scene here he confronts a group of them in the arena.

Being a real fan of the biblical epics of the 50's I feel that this film gets over its sincere message while still providing first class rousing entertainemnt of the old school of filmmaking. Often dismissed as "hokey", or "camp" mainly because of the performance of Jay Robinson, "Demetrius and the Gladiators", perhaps has those elements present but it also offers far more and is one of the most elaborate of these types of films. Intrigue, romance, tragedy, and danger are all combined in an eye filling package that is sure to win over all lovers of Roman history and of epic biblical productions in particular. Enjoy!

Demetrius and the Gladiators is an enjoyable film (see other reviewers for details) but the film quality on the DVD sucks! No effort was made to restore the film and it shows in it's very fuzzy quality. What a shame, and a ripoff to the consumer. No extras either.

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I love this corny old movie(and it rates 4 stars). I love it for being a sequel to "The Robe", I love it for Victor Mature's hammy Demetrius (and he was so restrained in the same role in "The Robe"), I love it for Susan Hayward's traditional portrayal of an amoral temptress (something she did wonderfully well), I love it for Jay Robinson's way over-the-top(-and-over-the-rainbow) Caligula, I love it for its use of CinemaScope and I love it for Franz Waxman's music score.

This DVD looks great, but the first time I viewed it, years ago, I couldn't watch it all the way through because I wanted to HEAR it. I wrote on these pages that to hear this film presentation I had to crank the volume way, way up....to the point where I had to endure hiss along with dialogue and special effects.

The fact of the matter is, I was taking the word of the folks who sold me my receiver, DVD player and surround speakers that the optical hookups converted audio signals for both DTS and 5.1CH. And the 5.1, for years, was a very undesirable sound for me -and I couldn't understand why folks liked it.

Now I know why. My receiver does not convert to 5.1 via the optical cables. (And that's why both the receiver and DVD have separate input panels for 5.1CH hookups).

Now that the hookups are completed, I have to say the sound on this DVD is A-W-E-S-O-M-E for a 1954 4-track stereo film.

I apologize to Fox Video for criticizing the sound quality. I'd have loved for there to have been more bonus features on this, but the film is splendid on its own.

The packaging remains lacking, IMO. The film is vivid and colorful and the DVD cover is drab.

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The sequel "Demetrius and the Gladiators" was put into production before the first-ever Cinemascope spectacular, "The Robe," was even released. At 100 minutes, the film is about a half-hour shorter than its statelier and more "reverent" predecessor, finding Victor Mature's Demetrius sparring with the crazed Emperor Caligula (an over the top, and highly amusing, Jay Robinson) who's still trying to track down the elusive robe, and the temptations of the sensuous, Isis-worshipping Messalina (top-billed Susan Hayward), wife of Caligula's decidedly less flamboyant uncle Cladius (Barry Jones). Soon Demetrius finds himself falling back on his pre-Christian lifestyle, telling Messalina that they don't need any God and going against his non-violent stance by battling in the gladiator's arena after a young Christian woman (Debra Paget) is attacked in front of him.

With Cinemascope splendor, action, sex, a wide range of performances (including early turns from Ernest Borgnine, future "Blacula" William Marshall and Anne Bancroft), and a regal Franz Waxman score (incorporating some of Alfred Newman's themes from "The Robe"), "Demetrius and the Gladiators" reworks the more satisfying elements of its predecessor while being, if anything, livelier. Michael Rennie was one of several "Robe" veterans including writer Philip Dunne who returned to reprise their roles in "Demetrius," yet this picture also owes a debt to director Delmer Davies, whose pacing results in an exciting widescreen epic from Fox's Golden Age that's ultimately more fun than the film that preceded it.

Twilight Time's Blu-Ray houses a 1080p AVC encoded transfer from the best-available elements that exist in the Fox vaults. Certain online pundits have complained about the movie's appearance, yet there are no faults to be found in the transfer. The obviously-aged elements, however, are nowhere near the pristine condition that "The Robe" was in, so viewers anticipating that kind of HD clarity will be disappointed. That being said, the film is still an appreciable upgrade in every way over its DVD counterpart, and Blu-Ray owners with larger screens will see an immediate, and obvious, enhancement in the presentation. The movie's four-channel stereo sound, meanwhile, is in more robust condition thanks to a DTS MA track (also isolated) that does wonders for Waxman's scoring. The original trailer and Julie Kirgo's insightful notes, which chronicle the film's unusual production, complete a package that any fan of the picture is urged to pick up.

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Victor Mature makes a better gladiator than Russell Crowe in this sequal to "the Robe."

Join Demetrius in his journey as he battles gladiators, tigers, Caligula, and most dangerous his feelings for the wiley and seductive Susan Haywood. What makes this movie so entertaining is the moral dilemma he faces, and his fall and redemption. This is a real man facing real temptations in an immoral world, much like we are in today.

Jay Robinson makes a welcome return as the emperor Caligula, chewing up the scenary with his wonderful performance.

This is like gladiator with heart.