Hidalgo (2004)

Based on the life story of Frank T. Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo, "Hidalgo", from director Joe Johnston, is a compelling, beautiful, and exciting film (even though it stretches its running time to 130 minutes) that interests every moviegoer with suspense, romance, and tales of comraderie.

The year is 1890, and half-American, half-Souix Indian Frank T. Hopkins (Viggo Mortensen), is invited by an Arabic sheik to compete in "The Ocean of Fire", the most prestigious and dangerous long-distance race ever known to man. Usually reserved for the purest bred stallions and the wealthiest and best riders in the world, the 3,000 mile race across the Arabian Desert leaves half of its competetors dead from natural disaster, insanity, or the treachery of fellow riders. After witnessing a tragedy at Wounded Knee Creek, and falling out of his once-claimed title of the best rider in the West, Frank and Hidalgo jump at the opportunity, where they encounter danger in all forms, and must rely on their friendship and strength to pull off the impossible.

Seeing as "Hidalgo" is Viggo Mortensen's first film in which he has been the only-billed star, he handles the pressure well as the quiet and conflicted Frank T. Hopkins. He plays the character with a brilliant subtlely, and gives him an air of understated intelligence and courage. With the right amount of emotion, Mortensen is the modern day Indiana Jones-like action hero; with sex appeal and gripping stunts. Although he lacks charisma in some instances, he is overall perfect and enjoyable in his role. The supporting cast is strong, with the highlights being Louise Lombard as Lady Anne Davenport and a small but memorable performance by Victor Talmadge as Rau Rasmussen. However strange this may sound, the horse Hidalgo gave one of, if not the best, performance in the movie. He made the relationship between himself and Frank heartbreaking and fufilling, and expressed emotions and conveyed certain thoughts across to the audience in simply a look. If there was ever an award for the best animal actor, I would personally award it to Hidalgo.

One of the main highlights of Hidalgo is the beautiful sets and surrounding scenery. Rich in color, there are stunning shots of the Arabian desert, the plains of old America, and snowy forests and rivers, and just the people of each new environment, which make the story overall more enjoyable. The cinematography is jaw-dropping, as the perspectives, running shots of the races, and choice in angles and film speeds are spot on in nearly every scene. The music is also incorporated well, jerking emotions and suspense from the audience.

Although I have heard the contrary, I was thoroughly satisfied with "Hidalgo" as a whole. I loved the way the relationship between Frank and Hidalgo was portrayed, the story was new and exciting, and I was moved, gripped by the suspense, and engrossed in the film from start to finish. Although it runs a little long, ends one too many times, and has some bad dialogue, it will ultimately satisfy moviegoers of most ages due to the content, draw, and overall look of the film.

Unless the Academy opens a new category for "best performance by an animal actor", you won't be hearing of this movie next Oscar season, but that's no reason to miss this movie now. Hidalgo, the horse, and Viggo Mortensen, as Frank T. Hopkins, completely won my heart as well as a place in "Great Couples of the Silver Screen", or at least as great partners in a buddy movie. This wonderful painted mustang plays the serious buddy, making his human tend to business in spite of other inclinations. It is a charming footnote to the movie that Mortensen was so taken with the horse that he bought it after the movie was completed.

Frank T. Hopkins may or may not have lived all the adventures he was famous for recounting, but it is verifiably true that he was instrumental in saving the wild mustang from extermination in North America. For that he is a hero.

This movie version of the 3000 mile race Hidalgo and Hopkins were said to have run across the Arabian desert to keep their title as "greatest long distance race runner" is an old-fashioned popcorn-movie-as-entertainment movie. It should also help the theaters sell quite a bit of bottled water and soda. The film's weaknesses are mostly attributable to the script. The writing (credit is to John Fusco, not-quite-known for writing the screenplay for SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON--an AHA!! moment here) could have been tighter, and left needless plot holes. Also annoying is a slight laxity in editing. However, the story itself is a dramatic one, and the movie is fun to watch. The cinematography does well by the story and the locale.

Omar Sharif, once again as a sheik, comfortable to the core in his role, is a delight. Viggo Mortensen is good to look at, obviously, but made me realize how difficult "laconic" is to play. He manages. Just. Louise Lombard, playing the English seductress Lady Anne, who continually raises her stakes in the race, has the most compelling eyes of any actress I can recall. The original music by James Newton Howard is also well done.

"The Last Samurai" opened on a similar note: Army orders cause a murderous slaughter of Native Americans for which the protagonist feels responsible, explaining his taking refuge in alcohol. Both protagonists have cynical reasons for leaving America, but some prospect of finding their souls again in a very foreign land, a completely unfamiliar culture. "The Last Samurai" has what this film lacks: a psychological examination of the hero's journey. Both films' protagonists and heroines form a prohibited bond, Samurai's developing naturally, this one seemingly more contrived and less deep. But whereas "The Last Samurai" is a war movie, this film ends as "Seabiscuit": a very exciting horse race.

Our audience was completely involved, groaning, cheering, sweating it out for the heroes, the heroine, and even, occasionally, for the also-rans. It is a satisfying ride. B-

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Hidalgo is based upon a true story, so it's no wonder it's thrilling, truth being stranger than fiction and all. Although it's highly doubtful that everything in the movie actually happened, Frank Hopkins was indeed a real life cowboy, master horseman and rider and he did participate in the great Bedouin horse race of the Middle East known as the "Ocean of Fire" in the 1890's.

This wonderfully stylized and lovingly crafted film clocks in at over two hours, yet never bores and your interest should never waver. The international cast is terrific, led by Viggo Mortensen in a low-key, subtle performance which brings depth and a real sense of nobility to the notion of a "cowboy'. We've seen loads of silver screen gun slingers, bandits and marshals from icons like the swaggering John Wayne to the laconic Clint Eastwood, but with Viggo's Frank Hopkins, we may now be witness to one of the most balanced and interesting portrayals of an authentic cowpoke. And it's all the more interesting because Frank Hopkins isn't all cowboy half of him is Native American. This internal duality and cultural division brings character shadings and a unique sense of perspective to Hopkins.

Balancing the tensions of Native Americans with the US Government of the time, the film explores Frank Hopkin's journey between two worlds that of a half Native American with loyal ties to his tribe and his jobs as a pony express rider and performer in Wild Bill Hickcock's show, all while having to live in the White Man's world. When he's invited to participate in the Bedouin Race, Frank soon discovers there's a whole other world out there bound by similar dogmatic traditions, where women must hide their faces behind veils, much like he's chosen to hide his native ancestry to enable him to live an easier life.

Sweeping cinematography beautifully composes authentic locations and the stunt choreography infuses the race and the action set-ups with fun and authenticity. Viggo must have definitely "lived" horses for the film, irregardless of his prior expertise with them. He clearly is at the reigns of the horse most of the time and he's totally capable and always convincing. Hidalgo the horse may qualify for his own sequel or a TV series. This beautiful animal is more expressive than many human actors and it's just one of the many joys and reasons to give this film a chance. Apparently lost by audiences in it's initial theatrical release, Hidalgo should be discovered by every movie lover.

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It is a shame that many people have not read or heard what a terrific big screen adventure film "Hidalgo" is. Hopefully, now that it is out in DVD it will gain a wider audience. Anyway, a friend told me not to miss this flick, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Viggo Mortensen, and I am glad I followed his advice. Yes, the movie is flawed, but overall, if you like horses and cowboys, "Hidalgo" has a certain grace to it that makes it a treat to watch.

"Hidalgo" is the name of a legendary racehorse not a purebred Arabian, Thoroughbred, or Andalusian, but a mixed breed of Arabian, Barb and Andalusian horses called Mustang. The Mustangs, or Paints, ran wild across the North American deserts and plains. Native Americans caught and tamed many of them and they proved to be much better, stronger and faster, than Calvary horses. "Hidalgo," a beautiful paint stallion, was owned by real life long-distance horse racer, and Pony Express courier, Frank T. Hopkins. Half Plains Indian and half Caucasian, Hopkins was a breed like his horse, and they had run and won many races together. He was a noble man, just and kind, who lived during a sad period he witnessed the slaughter of his mother's people at Wounded Knee in 1890. Filled with grief and bitterness at the brutal murder of his family, Hopkins became a drunken drifter, hooking up with Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. Also featured in the traveling show was Hidalgo, who Hopkins claimed was the "world's greatest/fastest endurance race horse." One evening, after a performance, he was approached by the representative of very wealthy Saudi Sheikh Riyadh (Omar Sharif). Hopkins and Hidalgo were challenged to compete in the world's most grueling long distance horse race, against the Sheikh's prize Arabian stallion and many other superb animals and experienced riders. "The Ocean of Fire" was a 3,000 mile long endurance race under the burning desert sun, across the brutal Arabian sands.

Hopkins accepted the challenge and took Hidalgo to the Middle East. He was the first infidel to be invited to participate in this race. The Arabs thought the presumption was ridiculous that a small, hybrid mustang could compete against their pure animals, with long and famous bloodlines. They wager that Hopkins and Hidalgo won't last 24 hours. The movie is about this race. And the rest is history.

There are some interesting minor characters like Sharif, the desert prince, his beautiful daughter, Zuleikha Robinson, (there's gotta be a girl, even in a horse film, right?), the competitors with their rivalries and friendships. But the real star is Hidalgo, (a gorgeous animal), with a good performance by Mortensen. And the desert scenery is beautifully filmed. Certainly worth the rental price.

JANA

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What ever happened to just going to the movie TO WATCH THE MOVIE? Not sit there and pick apart everything thats wrong with it. Just watch it and enjoy it make it worth your money and not so that you regret ever going to see it because it was too "fake", it's supposed to be, its hollywood. And yes this movie i thought was a great movie and i'm buying the DVD.

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Brothers Bloom (2008)

Whimsical, sentimental, colorful, and both funny and awkward, THE BROTHERS BLOOM is original in its context and characters even if the plot itself is relatively predictable. The tale of two brothers who learn at an early age their skill at pulling off confidence schemes (all in the film's well designed and funny first 10 minutes). They continue to run cons into their early thirties when Bloom (Brody), the younger of the two, is faced with a bit of a quarter-life-crisis and decides to quit conning alongside his older brother Stephen (Mark Ruffalo). Of course he returns on the premise of helping Stephen carry off 'one last job,' the most glaringly cliched element in the entire film. All is forgiven however as the cast of characters unfolds, and director Rian Johnson rolls out more story arc. We meet Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), a semi-mute Asian woman with a penchant for blowing things to pieces and Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), a billionaire heiress & collector of strange hobbies. Weisz is convincingly awkward, funny, intelligent, and ultimately lovable. Weisz, Brody, and Ruffalo give good performances but are still all outclassed by Rinko Kikuchi's portrayal of Bang Bang. She communicates much with few to no words. She is the master of the subtle facial expression and she singlehandedly raised this film from 3 stars to 4 for this viewer.

Rian Johnson's directorial style resembles Wes Anderson's, but with more of a penchant for sweetness. THE BROTHERS BLOOM is littered with sentimental twists, moments, and visuals. Johnson's craft is still developing, with his this, his sophomore effort, falling slightly short of his wonderful first film Brick. The gentle goodnaturedness of the film is surprisingly refreshing in a movie marketplace littered with grit, angst, and cynicism. I think this is why the film scored so poorly with paid reviewers; they were too afraid of seeming soft by liking the movie and being branded as 'sentimental.' The film has a sweetness to it that may turn off some viewers, but to me is was a nice change of pace from the typical Hollywood offering.

As the film progresses it does a decent enough job of not revealing too much and providing the viewer a plausible suspension of disbelief. There are a few moments that don't ring true (the first encounter with Diamond Dog at the bar for example--actually I didn't like the Diamond Dog character at all and thought he was superfluous to the plot and movie as a whole) but they are few and far between. My strongest criticism of the film is that Johnson, Brody, and the rest of the cast know how clever certain elements of the film are, and they let the audience know that they know. Clever is fine, but I don't need to be reminded every ten minutes that the movie is oh so smart. Another confusing plot element is Penelope's seeming inability to drive a sports car--this from a woman who has mastered more than a few difficult hobbies including pinhole photography and martial arts!

Overall this is a very enjoyable movie if you appreciate warmth in film. It's sentimental. It's bright and fun and intelligent. Viewers who prefer their cinema to be dark and brooding should probably skip this one and watch Mystic River or The Dark Knight instead. However, if you loved The Life Aquatic you'll probably love THE BROTHERS BLOOM.

4/5 Stars. Well worth renting or even owning.

For all people who love the beauty of awkwardness and a wonderful dialogue between characters, this movie is for you. The humor and charm of the first half of the film is only made more enjoyable by the heartfelt latter half. Enchanting performances by all particularly the short appearances of The Brothers in their youth, though Brody, Weiss, Ruffalo, and Kikuchi all deserve acclaim.

For some reason movie critics tanked this gem, but the people who went to see it tend toward rave review. Perhaps the critics weren't paid for a positive opinion in a timely manner, or maybe they just can't let themselves enjoy a piece of cinema that isn't some crappy Hollywood remake. See with friends, and I hope you enjoy it as I did.

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This is a fun little film. The idea that a story of control and bigger issues was written around a con is a interesting story line. The movie itself is a cute con with fake endings and lots of fun. It does take on some life issues. Is your life being controlled by someone who loves you or do you enjoy the freedom and pain of writing your own script. The idea that the writer of the script (older controlling brother) having to die to free his brother is intriguing. I am sure deeper stuff is present in this movie and a thoughtful person can have loads of fun just trying to pick up the angles in the picture. It is just a fun movie more than all. The "mark" is well played by a zany Rachel Weiz. Brody and Ruffalo do a great job too.

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Whimsical, sentimental, colorful, and both funny and awkward, THE BROTHERS BLOOM is original in its context and characters even if the plot itself is relatively predictable. The tale of two brothers who learn at an early age their skill at pulling off confidence schemes (all in the film's well designed and funny first 10 minutes). They continue to run cons into their early thirties when Bloom (Brody), the younger of the two, is faced with a bit of a quarter-life-crisis and decides to quit conning alongside his older brother Stephen (Mark Ruffalo). Of course he returns on the premise of helping Stephen carry off 'one last job,' the most glaringly cliched element in the entire film. All is forgiven however as the cast of characters unfolds, and director Rian Johnson rolls out more story arc. We meet Bang Bang (Rinko Kikuchi), a semi-mute Asian woman with a penchant for blowing things to pieces and Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), a billionaire heiress & collector of strange hobbies. Weisz is convincingly awkward, funny, intelligent, and ultimately lovable. Weisz, Brody, and Ruffalo give good performances but are still all outclassed by Rinko Kikuchi's portrayal of Bang Bang. She communicates much with few to no words. She is the master of the subtle facial expression and she singlehandedly raised this film from 3 stars to 4 for this viewer.

Rian Johnson's directorial style resembles Wes Anderson's, but with more of a penchant for sweetness. THE BROTHERS BLOOM is littered with sentimental twists, moments, and visuals. Johnson's craft is still developing, with his this, his sophomore effort, falling slightly short of his wonderful first film Brick. The gentle goodnaturedness of the film is surprisingly refreshing in a movie marketplace littered with grit, angst, and cynicism. I think this is why the film scored so poorly with paid reviewers; they were too afraid of seeming soft by liking the movie and being branded as 'sentimental.' The film has a sweetness to it that may turn off some viewers, but to me is was a nice change of pace from the typical Hollywood offering.

As the film progresses it does a decent enough job of not revealing too much and providing the viewer a plausible suspension of disbelief. There are a few moments that don't ring true (the first encounter with Diamond Dog at the bar for example--actually I didn't like the Diamond Dog character at all and thought he was superfluous to the plot and movie as a whole) but they are few and far between. My strongest criticism of the film is that Johnson, Brody, and the rest of the cast know how clever certain elements of the film are, and they let the audience know that they know. Clever is fine, but I don't need to be reminded every ten minutes that the movie is oh so smart. Another confusing plot element is Penelope's seeming inability to drive a sports car--this from a woman who has mastered more than a few difficult hobbies including pinhole photography and martial arts!

Overall this is a very enjoyable movie if you appreciate warmth in film. It's sentimental. It's bright and fun and intelligent. Viewers who prefer their cinema to be dark and brooding should probably skip this one and watch Mystic River or The Dark Knight instead. However, if you loved The Life Aquatic you'll probably love THE BROTHERS BLOOM.

4/5 Stars. Well worth renting or even owning.

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Rian Johnson created a great modern day noir film (which was also his debut as a director) with Brick that was really enjoyable. When the word about The Brothers Bloom started making its rounds, it immediately reeled me in. Johnson's style in The Brothers Bloom seems to almost mimic Wes Anderson's at times as several scenes (especially the first ten minutes or so) have a similar feel that seem to be shot in the same way you'd see in an Anderson film. The film also has a Kiss Kiss Bang Bang feel to it with how colorful every shot is. The tone was similar in both films as they both had humor as an underlying tone amongst a dramatic adventure revolving around crime. This film is just a real pleasure to look at. The cinematography seems to tell a story all on its own as every shot seems to be done in a unique way and everything is so vividly colorful.

Every factor of the film is strong. The story isn't entirely original as we've all heard con men stories before, but the way the story unfolds and the development of the characters involved makes it a new experience. The dialogue is also top notch. Nothing stuck out as being cheesy or hokey. Every line spoken was either witty, charming, or something you'd expect to hear in everyday conversation. So it was realistic and natural. The entire cast has to be the film's strongest point though. There doesn't really seem to be a character that's wasted or isn't used to their full potential. Rachel Weisz does steal the show though. Her character is so charismatic, outgoing, and eccentric that she just steals every scene she's a part of.

The Brothers Bloom is one of the best films to be released this year, which is a shame since it seems to have a limited release. It offers something for everybody looking for a good time at the movies whether it's an adventure that will take them around the world, romance between two of the central characters, an oddball character that's great comedic relief, the development of both brothers as characters as their crime of swindling people as con men causes drama, and even plenty of explosions to satisfy the action junkie. The conclusion of the film is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as well. The Brothers Bloom will probably be overlooked by the many assured blockbusters coming out this summer, but it comes highly recommended from me and should be on everyone's must see list.

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2011 Tour De France 12 Hour Blu-ray Collector's Edition

This is the first time World Cycling Productions has released the Tour in Blu-ray and the timing couldn't have been better. The intense competition has been magnificently captured with crystal clarity in high definition. If you're a cycling fan like me, you'll enjoy watching all the mountain stages in full in the 12-hour edition. My favorite stage was Number 19 Alpe d'Heuz won by Pierre Rolland, where he rode away in the final 2 km after chasing down Alberto Contador with the help of Sammy Sanchez. No wait, maybe my favorite is Stage 17, won by Edvald Boassan Hagen after he cut through the narrow mountain roads ahead of Phillipe Gilbert, chased furiously by Contador and Sanchez trying the escape the peloton. Or maybe Stage 12 where Sammy Sanchez won on Luz Ardiden after a huge effort. The magnificent French countryside looks stunning in high definition and I love being able to spot the equipment the riders are on.

The only complaint I have is that the critical Stage 20 time trial where Cadel Evans took back 2:30 from Andy Schlek to win the Tour is only very briefly covered. There are a couple of extra-feature segments with Chris Boardman that I did not find interesting and took up unneccessary time away from the competition. Also, the way the Blu-ray menu works is not very convenient. It doesn't resume from where you left off if you stop playing and then want to go back to the same point.

As always, the narration by Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin gives you the full picture of the competiton for all the categories like the overall points leader, the king-of-the-mountain, the green jersey for the sprint, the best-young-rider category and the best team. You are able to follow the strategy of each team as they try to win in the category with the best potential outcome for them. Great job, Phil and Paul!

Nothing beats the Official SBS coverage of the Tour de France 12hrs of the BEST footages from the BEST vantage points.

It's not just about watching the race but also a helicopter tour of the breathtaking french countryside.

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"There are 12 towns in France named Roquefort, but only one that makes the cheese!" Phil Ligget.

I always love Phil Ligget's stream of consciousness style commentary on these DVD's and this one of the best. Great coverage, footage, and commentary. Much more enjoyable that the 2012 sky-train.

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Good product. Exciting race to watch when training indoors. DVDs do have a couple of bad spots where the video gets froze up like it is scratched but it does recover and play again.

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I was in France in 2011 and was able to see some of the stages. It was great to actually see the places we visited and try to pick us out of the crowd. Since we only got to see a small portion of the tour, this dvd provided us the opportunity to see what we missed.

Deadly Spawn: Millennium Edition (2011)

At long last, Justice has been done! Synapse has spared no expense in bringing the awsome Deadly Spawn out from its dank, dark basement and onto your television in all its fetid glory. Never has the Spawn looked so good. What is nice to see is that the transfer, although sharp has managed to strike a balance between cleaning up the blips and bleeding colours but still retaining the grimy and dark tone of the film. As well, the DVD features some cool extra's including a comic style prequel which was really cool and would make a movie unto itself. Of course, the prequel idea would require a budget, which the original certainly did not have. This makes it all the more amazing Mr Bohus. and gang delivered the film they did on $25,000 measly bucks.

It starts in the woods as two campers on a hill see something fall from the sky. Is it a ping pong ball? Nope, its a meteor carrying its deadly occupant to earth. Of course, they have to investigate and if the spawn was an athiest, he surely grew tired of the one guys repeated invokations of god. He is quickly dispatched, his flesh tearing with all the sound of so much styrofoam. From there, the creature takes up residence in a basement where it becomes an unwelcome uncle Tom, wreaking havoc on the memebers of the house.

This film is a lot of fun, gore and good old fashioned monster goodness rolled into one. The creature is a throwback to the days before CGI ruined the breed.

This is the defintive version of the film the way it should be seen. Fans of monster films no longer have any excuses to keep this one out of their collection.

This is the perfect example of filmmakers who were somehow able to hurdle budgetary restraints and make a very entertaining and likeable film. All things considered, the monster effects are actually quite good, and rather than being merely laughable, the creature(s) feel like a definite threat, resulting in some relatively intense scenes. In addition to this, the film is infused with some great dark humor, especially during a vegetarian ladies' luncheon. I had the opportunity to see this film on the big screen last year, and it was obvious by the audience reaction (and the Q&A afterwards) that the film was well received and is effective after all these years. Now thanks to a this DVD release from Synapse Films, a larger audience will hopefully be able to see this film, looking better than ever. Check it out.

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Do not waste your money on the Blu-Ray! The video quality, is far, FAR below that of the existing DVD! Hazy, blurry, full of noise reduction, aliasing, and other artifacting and barely taking up 9GB of the disc.

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I love this movie and i was so excited about it coming to Blu-ray that i just preordered without even the slightest worry about quality. Well, this is the second Blu-ray i bought by Elite and let me say i am at a point now where before i buy any more i am checking what company released it. This is a failure; the company should be ashamed and basically quit making blu-rays! They are NOT improving or remastering these movies at all. I have owned it on VHS and DVD... the DVD looks better! There are no bonuses over the Synapse DVD that are worth having. The commentary is "ok" but the Synapse commentary is better. DO NOT give Elite any more money until they do us justice I swear, Mill Creek makes better blu-rays than this and they cost $6.00. I cannot say anything good in the least about this release, it is just really sad that companies can do this and get a way with it.

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It is so wonderful that this classic B-film is available in a clear DVD (my old VHS is really showing age). The DVD even comes packed with plenty of extras which include quite a few picture galleries, a comic-book style prequel, audition footage where you not only see people who didn't make it into the film, but you see cast members trying out for different rolls, even an alternate opening. But best of all is the wonderfully clear print of the film.

A meteor crashes near a pair of really bad actors camping in the woods. They investigate and are quickly made into alien chow before the opening credits. The beastie then moves to the basement of a nearby house. Torrential rain may have been a coincidence during filming, but it added nicely. The houses inhabitants include a family of four and a visiting aunt and uncle. The parents try to set out early on a trip. The key people are really the kids. The older science and fact oriented brother, and the younger, monster-obsessed brother. One denies the existence of monsters and aliens even when experienced first hand while the other never believed they could be real but is well equipped for understanding the situation.

But the monster in the basement is not all (and no it doesn't stay down there). The creature is spawning and countless smaller aliens begin to infiltrate the house and the neighborhood looking for treats to eat. Eventually the locals and authorities get involved and work to wipe out the threat (sort of like in the end of Night of the Living Dead). But the ending is one that is unexpected unless you have gone through the extras before watching the film.

Pure grade-B fun with an interesting cast, some fun moments, plenty of obviously-fake gore. All in all it makes for a nicely rewatchable monster film.

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Save the Date (2012)

A real film about how life sort of just happens. very relatable story and characters. The story plays out like events would in life and that was what made this movie so great. if you enjoy stories that are more realistic then this is for yo Lizzy Caplan and Alison Bree are stellar and you will fall in love with them. The dialogue is key in this film so enjoy and pay attention. i will say the last scene wasnt my favorite but the rest of the story makes up for it

Early on in Michael Mohan's keenly observed film -in fact, in the first shot -we see our protagonist Sarah hunched over a table in the bookstore she manages, drawing Save the Date cards for her sister Beth's impending wedding, when the ding of the "Ring Bell for Service" bell pulls her and her attentions up from her sketchbook. More than just slyly introduce the title of the film, this brief scene actually sets up the entire conflict at the heart of Mohan's film, that of the individual juggling the obligations of work, family, and self.

As played by Lizzy Caplan, Sarah is aloof on top and a jumbled bag of conflicting emotions underneath. Despite personal reservations, she is moving in with her boyfriend Kevin (Geoffrey Arend), who is in a band with her sister's fiancé Andrew (Martin Starr). Alison Brie plays Sarah's sister Beth with an air of lightly affected conviction to the superiority of her own judgment; she chalks up Sarah's reticence to immaturity, telling her, "it's time to grow up."

Beth represents two hurdles for Sarah. In addition to being Sarah's sister, with all of the familial obligations entailed therein, she also embodies the straight-world, grown-up deference to consensus that Sarah, as an artist and as an individual, rails so intently against. "This whole thing feels very... practical," she laments about moving in with Kevin, with resignation. Beth, on the other hand, is incapable of seeing "practical" as a pejorative; she is fussy and fastidious with her time, her money, and her emotions. To Brie's credit, Beth never exhibits any malice or indifference -she means well, but has simply allowed the onus of responsibility to rest too strongly upon her. She considers her sacrifices of will a virtue and fails to understand why they're not appreciated.

Sarah, however, has a distinct point at which she will no longer compromise her instincts, and that point is marriage. She is happy for Beth and Andrew, but is adamant in her own distrust and disbelief in the practice. Despite this, Kevin makes the ill-advised decision to propose to Sarah at the first show of their band's upcoming tour. When she runs, mortified, out of the club, Kevin is decimated. She moves out and he goes off on tour, but video of his failed proposal has made it to the internet; the constant reminder of his heartbreak is too much for him to bear, and they cancel the remaining shows.

Sarah, meanwhile, has been starting a tentative relationship with Jonathan (Mark Webber), a frequent patron of her bookstore. Jonathan is not an opportunist, and both are aware of the pitfalls of a rebound relationship, but their chemistry is strong. After dinner at Sarah's apartment, they share a brief first kiss. "I don't know what I'm doing," Sarah confides, to which Jonathan gentlemanly responds, "I know, and for that I'm going to leave."

Beth struggles to see past Sarah's seeming disregard for Kevin's feelings, but Andrew more quickly warms to Jonathan. It is Andrew, in fact, who remains the calm center of the film, and Starr's straightforward, guileless performance anchors the other four performers. He is level-headed and even-tempered, able to read people accurately and willing to do so without letting preconceptions or bias get in the way.

There are two moments in particular in which Beth's silent repentance betrays her reliance upon Andrew for emotional perspective. The first is early in the film, when she chastises him for making coffee when they have to hurry to the post office to drop off their Save the Date cards. Andrew, a few steps behind, approaches Beth, standing tersely at the intersection outside of their house, waiting to cross the road; he hands her one of two travel mugs, at which she smiles ever so slightly. The second comes much later in the film, after the conflict between Beth and Sarah has reached a fever pitch. Climbing into bed, Andrew -uncharacteristically blunt -says, "The girl that you're acting like right now is not the girl that I fell in love with." The look on Beth's face as she stares at him in the darkness could almost be anger, but as it lingers in silence, we see that any anger she may have is directed at herself.

Mohan and his co-writers Egan Reich and the cartoonist Jeffrey Brown wisely never stray too far from the relationship of the sisters, and the veracity of their interactions is possibly the film's greatest asset. The dynamic between Brie and Caplan is perfectly rendered with just the right balance of disdain, obligation, and genuine affection; throughout the film I couldn't help but be reminded of my wife's relationship with her sister and how true these episodes rang to me.

Brutal emotional honesty is actually an asset that the film in general can claim, offering none of the characters easy answers, nor offering the audience a tidy resolution. Over the past decade, critics have been using the term Mumblecore to describe the work of a small group of filmmakers who have turned no-budget filmmaking into a venue for intimate character studies and relationship dramas. As scene progenitors like Joshua Leonard (with the criminally under-seen and under-rated The Lie) and The Duplass Brothers (with the phenomenal one-two punch of Cyrus and Jeff Who Lives at Home) have been successfully transplanting their DIY aesthetic to major studios, many established actors and filmmakers have ben borrowing from the strengths and lessons of this new style of personal filmmaking. Within this growing genre, Save the Date represents the most honest, unadorned look at what it means to commit to another human being, with fine, sympathetic performances all around and an astute screenplay that respects all of its characters as well as their circumstances equally.

[originally published on Considering Film]

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Lizzy Caplan steals your heart as a complex, self gaurded 30something who has love thrown at her when it's the farthest thing she wants. She most choose between the love she has become comfortable with, and the rebound guy turned soulmate. As well as her sister's (Alison Brie) wedding witch she feels obligated to help with. Great performances from Mark Webber, Geoffrey Arend and Martin Starr also.

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Really enjoyed this movie and the dark humor was a nice departure from the standard, cliched romcom. Sad at times and i wish it didn't end where it did (not that i'm always opposed to ambiguous endings), but I'd definitely watch it again! Loved the cast and in particular thought Lizzy Caplan did SUCH a credible job with the role.

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Save the Date is a sweet and yet serious indie flick about two sisters who are as different as night and day. Sarah is terrified of commitment (Lizzy Caplan) and Beth (Alison Brie) is happily engaged. Sarah's live-in boyfriend proposes to her in a very public setting and she breaks up with him, and immediately begins a sexual relationship with Jonathan (Mark Webber). Beth is cynical about Sarah's new situation, she feels her sister is just passing time and is afraid to take risks in her safe little world. I thought Lizzy Caplan and Mark Webber have intense and wonderful chemistry, and I also thought Caplan's performance was heartbreaking and electric, this is the best I've ever seen her. Save the Date is a great film, it's not for everyone but if you're a fan of indie flicks then this one is for you. Enjoy!

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Heavy Metal (1981)

I can't believe the number of negative reviews this movie has gotten! I bet these people don't like James Bond movies, either.

To fully appreciate Heavy Metal, one has to understand the era it came out in. At the time, most animation, at least what was seen in the US, was frequently of the "family entertainment" variety seen in Saturday morning cartoons and TV commercials. Apart from Ralph Bakshi, most animators were basically shackled by the need to present something that was "rated G". Heavy Metal took the exact opposite route. It was a liberating experience for the animators working on the film to be allowed to draw things they usually weren't allowed. And they got paid to do it, too!

After the opening Soft Landing sequence, we're introduced to the Loc-Nar, a glowing green orb responsible for all the evil that has plagued the universe (or at least, that which has plagued the human race). The various stories contained in the film are told by the Loc-Nar to a young girl, as examples of it's awesome power.

The stories include the film noir homage Harry Canyon, the male "wish fulfillment fantasy" of Den (which demonstrates the versatility of the late John Candy, who voices both Dan, the science nerd who gets transported into an alternate dimension by the Loc-Nar, as well as Den, the Conan/He-Man-esque beefcake that he is magically transformed into), the highly amusing Captain Sternn (trivia: the voice of the prosecutor is done by John Vernon, the actor who portrayed Dean Wormer in Animal House), the EC-esque B-17 (aka Gremlins, which went through so many script revisions, it's a miracle it got finished at all), the bizarrely hilarious So Beautiful And So Dangerous (ok, maybe there's some truth to the juvenilia charges during this segment, but only a corpse could keep from laughing at this piece), and revenge scenario of Taarna (imagine a tougher, sexier version of Xena, only about a decade and a half earlier).

While there IS some element of juvenilia here, it's no worse than any other movie that's been released by any major studio during the last 25 years. In fact, I bet it's a little more cerebral than most of those other movies. Harry Canyon is a rather crafted film noir homage, while some elements of Taarna are clearly patterned on Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. And while there are a couple sex scenes and a certain amount of excessive violince in Heavy Metal, again, it's nothing compared to some of the garbage that's shown on cable TV these days. I'd certainly rather watch this than Basic Instinct or No Way Out.

This movie is a classic piece of animation. Yeah, some of it's rough around the edges, but that has a lot to do with Columbia's decision to move up the deadline so they could have the original movie out in time for the summer 81 season. One has to consider the scope of the undertaking, and the relatively short time that was at hand to create it.

Look at the "travelling sequence" during Taarna, where she's shown riding her mount (a sort of large bird creature) over a rolling landscape, and consider that it was done WITHOUT the use of any kind of computer generated work. It's explained in the audio commentary on the rough cut of the film, as well as during the documentary how it was done, and why it didn't quite turn out as planned). No one had ever done anything like that, and it had to all be done by hand.

Really, you can't take this movie too seriously. It's a movie that exists soley to entertain. There's no big message or point to the movie. Just put the DVD in the player, turn out the lights, turn up the volume LOUD, and just enjoy the trip.

It should be noted, that this disc also contains some of the best bonus features I've seen on any DVD. Besides the regular movie, you get a full length "rough cut" of the film, consisting of storyboards, pencil tests, and some completed animation. The only audio for this rough cut (besides the optional audio commentary, by Carl Macek, who also does a completely different commentary for the finished movie) is the dialog. There's long stretches of silence, but it's worth watching, as there's lots of bits of dialog that were cut from the final movie (we learn, for instance, that Katharine, like Den, was also transformed when she was transported to this mysterious alternate universe). It's also interesting to note that the stories weren't always in the order that they were in the final movie.

There's also a half hour documentary with interviews from many of the filmmakers involved in making the film. We finally find out why we see a model of a house blowing up at the end (because they didn't have time to finish the animation for that one bit), and also why Cornelius Cole's Neverwhere Land was cut from the movie (either for reasons of length/continuity, or because Cole didn't finish it in time, depending on exactly which version of the story you wish to believe.

You also get a few minutes of deleted scenes, most notably the above mentioned Neverwhere Land, which was originally supposed to link Captain Sternn and B-17. There's also a few minutes that surround an early version of the framing story (in whence the Loc-Nar was actually the power source of a magical merry-go-round, and the various objects on the merry-go-round related in one way to the stories...ie, there's a taxicab, Taarna's mount, etc...each time the girl takes a ride in a different vehicle on the merry-go-round, she experiences a different story).

And finally, you get all Heavy Metal covers up through 1999, plus various bits of production drawings, cels, etc.

In short, this is a classic film that should be viewed by all fans of animation and/or heavy flicks. Prudes and conservatives who get cranky at the very thought of a movie being ruined by a little too much flesh or blood (and really, there isn't THAT much of either in this film) or a little warped humor (ok, there's PLENTY of that here) are advised to keep away. I just wish they had restored Neverwhere Land to it's original place between Captain Sternn and B-17.

Some critics and film historians have labeled 1981's HEAVY METAL as the last film to genuinely reflect the mishmash sensibilities of the post-hippy 1970s counter-culture, and stylistically and thematically this appears to be true. Based on the adult counter-culture cult comic of the same name, HEAVY METAL definitely is a sort of spacey concatenation of disparate visual aesthetics and heterogeneous science-fiction/fantasy narratives. But despite being a hodgepodge as a whole, the film still manages to offer a very entertaining way to kill 90 minutes.

As with the magazine, the film is basically aimed at horny male adolescents, offering plenty of nude, amply bosomed women running around in the midst of stylized violence and gore; lots of rock music (though these ditties from popular metal bands of the late '70s may not appeal to the current generation of horny male adolescents); and references to the drug-oriented sub-culture (definitely not a cartoon for the pre-teen crowd). Each individual segment of HEAVY METAL was scripted and directed independently of the others, which likely accounts for the varying aesthetic and narrative styles. But many of these contributors were (and are now) some of the most talented people in the film industry, including writers Dan O'Bannon, Len Blum, and Daniel Goldberg, and directors John Bruno, John Halas, and Jimmy T. Murikami. (Gerald Potterton, listed in the credits as the film's director, was in reality the overseer for the project as a whole.)

Because the film does not contain a single cohesive plotline, it is best to evaluate each animated segment in its own right. Some of those individual stories are quite thought-provoking or humorous--or both--and even some of the more mediocre segments still offer some fantastic visuals. One of the most intellectually interesting is a story called DEN, in which a young bespectacled geek is transported into a parallel universe and transformed into a handsome, muscled barbarian hero. After falling in love with a curvaceous maiden, he helps her save her people from their draconian Caligula-like dictator. B-17 is probably the most earnest segment, though there seems to be no intrinsic logic to the sparse narrative. In it, the dead crewmembers of a WWII bomber plane are inexplicably resurrected as flesh-eating zombies, subsequently seeking to make a meal of the plane's still-living pilot. Visually, however, this segment is quite stunning, evoking the deliciously gruesome artistic style of the old E.C. comics of the '50s and early '60s. And in the funniest segment--entitled SO BEAUTIFUL, SO DANGEROUS--a gorgeous Pentagon secretary is inadvertently sucked into an alien spaceship that resembles a huge smiley face. After confronting the spaced-out druggie crewmembers, she ultimately becomes the lover of the ship's robot and decides to remain aboard.

After its initial release, HEAVY METAL attained a cult following of sorts and became a favorite of the midnight-movie crowd. Unfortunately, its release to the home-video market was delayed for years due to disputes over copyrights for some of the rock songs used in the soundtrack. Because of this, poorly produced bootlegged copies of the flick were illegally sold (usually at Sci-fi cons) and swapped among fans, and the inferior video quality contributed to the film's unfair reputation for being a mediocre film. But the music disputes were eventually resolved somehow, and the film became commercially available to the home market in the mid 1990s and regained its popularity as a cool cartoon. (Some statistics indicate that it is the most popular film in the Columbia/Tristar home-video catalog.)

Columbia/Tristar's Special-Edition DVD of HEAVY METAL offers a beautiful digital transfer of the film and soundtrack, along with some really cool bounus material. For animation fans, one of the best of the bonus features is a fascinating feature-length pencil-test version of the film (with optional commentary). Columbia/Tristar also offers a version of the HEAVY METAL in their SuperBit collection, but as with their other SuperBit films, the disc space required for the higher bit rate precludes the inclusion of any bonus material. Unless the buyer has a high-definition TV and can appreciate the increased picture quality of the SuperBit disc, the Special-Edition version is the way to go. Either way, HEAVY METAL offers enough entertainment value to make it a worthy addition to the DVD collection of any SF or animation fan.

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This is one of those great DVDs with so many Special Features, you could spend days viewing them all. Most interesting is a feature-length 'rough cut' of the entire film with running commentary throughout. The rough-cut -a combination of rough pencil animation and rare sketches -even contains some deleted scenes. Best of all, there is a Heavy Metal Magazine cover (and back cover) gallery. In addition to being a nice showcase for some beautiful artwork, this section will really bring back memories for anyone who grew up with the magazine in the late 70s and 80s. Of course, the film itself never looked or sounded better than on DVD. The film itself was a nice attempt at capturing the spirit of the magazine -it isn't a complete success, but a very noble effort in animation considering it was released in 1981!

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Back in the 70's a sci-fi/fantasy anthology comic book geared toward adults was published in the United States. This book was called Heavy Metal and it's still going strong today. Most of the stories are science fiction and delve into some pretty strange ideas. The movie was made to in a way showcase the talent that came from the most popular artists and writers of that magazine. There was some up and coming Canadian talent doing the voice work like John Candy and Eugene Levy. While the idea sounds cool enough I think the execution leaves a little bit to be desired. This movie feels like it was a rush job considering some inconsistent production values and even some of the story content. Since it is an anthology of multiple stories I will go down the line so you can get an idea where the quality lies and where it falls short.

Soft Landing This is the opening sequence that comes with the opening credits and it's the only story that connects itself to another story in the movie. The animation is a rough rotoscope technique that has only a wash of paint over real footage. I like how they did it. Very artistic. I have to admit it is a perfect representation of the magazine with its off the wall content and nice design. The hard rock soundtrack feel appropriate in this segment too. It's short, but it sure does make quite a good impression.

Grimaldi This is the story Soft Landing connects itself to and it sets the stage for the theme that supposedly connects the other stories together. It's a weak way to put the anthology together at best. Still it does give the movie something to put the wildly different stories together. The animation is not bad and it can get a little gruesome at times. Again this is a short story since all it does it introduce the Loc Nar. You will see this segment between girl and Loc Nar throughout the movie to help keep the plotline going in the right direction in your mind... if you want to call it a plot.

Harry Canyan This is the story of a New York taxi driver in the year 2031. The script has a classic film noir sense to it that adds some charm to this piece. I hear this story inspired parts of The Fifth Element so that's kind of cool. This story is classic Heavy Metal. The look of the cityscape and stuff reminds me of the graphic novel Hard Boiled as well as work from the artist Moebius. The animation looks like it's at an atrocious 12 frames per second (or less), which kills the coolness of the artwork sometimes. This one probably has the worst soundtrack of all the stories. The rock music just doesn't fit at all. This one is not really bad, but there is plenty to keep it from being really good.

Den This is another classic Heavy Metal type story and it is a funny one. It's a Richard Corben styled story and I guess you can call it every geek boy's fantasy since the star (John Candy) is an 18 yr old nerd who turns into a muscular barbarian hero that always gets the girl. They play that theme up to the hilt with some funny narration by Candy, who is great in this one. This adventure/comedy has a little more story depth than the previous stories but the animation is still choppy. The soundtrack it a good classic fantasy styled piece that works well with this one. Even though the animation (again not the art, which is nice) leaves a lot to be desired the enjoyable story and funny dialog make up for it and make this story one of the better ones.

Captain Sternn This come straight from a character created by Bernie Wrightson that was quite popular in the Heavy Metal magazine. Sternn is an anti-hero in the magazine and in the movie he is now being brought up on charges for his evil deeds (fans of the mag back then must have loved the irony of this). The animation has a more cartoonish feel to it and does't try to make the characters all that realistic like the other short films in this movie. However the animation is LOT cleaner here and I wished the rest of the stories were this polished. The story itself is entertaining as well, but ultimately it's all just one big build up for a wacky yet funny punch line at the end. Amusing enough, but it won't carry the movie.

B-17 This is the scariest of the bunch. A classic horror film created by renowned horror comic artist Mike Ploog. The story lends itself to being scary folklore to frighten WWII pilots or something like that and it pulls it off very well. Artistically it's eerie and has a classic 40's feel to the drawings and the animation seems to be a lot better. Some of the artwork does get limited by the fact it's an animated story, but that only lends more to the style. This is one of the definite shining gems of the movie.

So Beautiful and So Dangerous This can be called Cheech and Chong in space. It's a mix of sophomoric drug humor, interpersonal relationships with robots, and universal perspective. The stoner aliens didn't do it for me at all. Then again that is a certain kind of humor not everybody gets into. The interaction between the Pentagon secretary and robot is pretty funny for adult humor. Again John Candy brings a lot of fun in his role as the robot. What I found interesting was the size comparisons they played with in this short. You have a ship many times larger than the Pentagon controlled by a robot and two half-baked aliens, which docks with an even more massive space station. The animation is on par with the better stuff in this movie, but the soundtrack is yet another hard rock throwaway that doesn't do anything to enhance the story. Ultimately this one is merely okay in my book. Nothing special.

Tarrna This story is the best of the best in this anthology. Nothing compares to it in cinematic execution, which is probably why they saved it for last. The animation is still a relatively low frame rate (by Disney's standards) but there is a lot of rotoscoping done that makes those frames very effective and very beautiful. The soundtrack fits the short film better than any music did on the previous stories. The story is the best of the bunch too. The settings are cool with the futuristic wasteland. The designs are definitely a Moebius influence with some breathtaking landscapes and wild technology scattered about. Of course this story also resolves the plot devised that started the whole movie to begin with so everything is tied up nice and neat. If the other short films (aside from B-17) put this much attention in the execution of their perspective works then you would have a much better movie all around.

Heavy Metal did accomplish what it set out to do in that it showcased the magazine in a time when it was at its highest in popularity. For the non-Heavy Metal Magazine fan it's not as good. Keep in mind the content has lots of blatant animated nudity, sexual situations and graphic violence, Definitely not for the kids. The stories are interesting enough, but that might not be enough for some who expect quality production values all the way through. If you're a fan of the comic book then you probably already seen it and love it. If you are the type of person who jams to classic rock and have that biker rebel streak in you then you might find Heavy Metal refreshing. The rest of you will have to just make a judgment call. It has equal parts good and bad qualities so take that for whatever you see it.

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In looking through the reviews, it seems most (if not all) were written by men, so allow me to add my point of view. I thought the movie was great, regardless of the violence (which I don't think is that much compared to other movies I've seen) and how well-endowed the women were drawn (a rather irrelevant point for me). I agree that it is dated, but as that same person pointed out, there really wasn't much else available in the early 80's. If you keep that in mind as you watch it, the movie's really not that bad. I've always enjoyed animated films and still do and this was the first one or one of the first that wasn't made with only kids in mind. I still enjoy watching it from time to time and probably always will.

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I Spit on Your Grave (2010)

The worst comments I see with regards to this movie come from both sides of the remake debate. Some argue that it should never have been remade because they are fans of the original. Other argue that it shouldn't be remade because of the concept.

If the concept offends you, pick up your opinions, there's the door now leave! Don't turn around, just go! I've had enough of the 'it's bad because it's a rape movie' bull. If it's not your cup of tea, so be it! I probably feel as strongly against 'Sex & The City' but you don't see me shooting those fans down because of taste!

Okay, am I good to continue now?

So you're either a fan of the original, new to this movie, or just interested.

Good!

If you're a fan of the original, then I honestly can't tell if you'll like this movie. I HATED the original. I felt it had a very good premise that was poorly executed and in the end just came across as offensive (by the way, I'm female). I thought the concept was good but the manner in which the protagonist went about her revenge was stupid! If a woman has been raped, the very last thing she'd ever be comfortable doing is stripping off in front of the very men who raped her, no matter what her end objective may be! At this point the original made me angry. There's only so much believability I'm willing to sacrifice when I watch a movie and I'd had enough.

So when I heard this movie was being remade, I was actually quite intrigued. Again, I believed the premise was a good one and I was hoping a new writer and director could do it justice.

They sure did, and some!

The rape scene is brutal and it is hard to watch. However, at the same time, it's not as bad as some make it out to be. I felt it was a perfect balance. It showed enough, without going too far that I felt too uncomfortable to watch any more. There's enough there to shock you and have you empathize with Jennifer when she starts her revenge. It is definitely not as bad as 'Irreversible', a movie I, and many others in the same movie theater, ended up walking out of. When I saw this movie, no one walked out!

I also felt that this movie was never titillating. Nudity is actually kept to a minimum and the only time we see Jennifer completely naked is following her rape where she is in an almost catatonic state, just trying to get away. You'd have to be the sickest of the sick to see anything but the character's fear, humiliation and determination in this scene.

I found the portrayal of the characters to be much more believable this time and the mentally challenged character, Matthew was a million times better than the original. They ditched the dorky glasses (no missing lenses in this film at least) and decided to get someone who could actually act instead! Matthew is played with such childish vulnerability that you find yourself conflicted. He does rape Jennifer, but it was peer pressure and afterwards he feels so guilty that he's effectively torturing himself without Jennifer's help...but, he STILL raped her! It's a tough one!

A great addition to this film is the sheriff. At risk of spoiling the movie, I'll leave it at that but his involvement in this new version was a fantastic move.

When Jennifer's revenge comes into play, you could find yourself often wondering if she's going too far. I never found myself empathizing with the rapists (other than Matthew, to a degree) but I often just wanted her to get it over with already. That enough was enough. It was nice to see such extremes on both sides, to see what people are really capable of. What do the rapists REALLY deserve? How far would YOU go? No one could possibly know unless directly in Jennifer's shoes, so even if you find yourself questioning the extreme nature of her actions, you'll find yourself equally stepping back and thinking well this is her party, who am I to question how extreme she should be?

The best feature of this movie, though, is that it's a smart movie! There's some nice symbolism in there and it's quite clever the way it plays out. What makes it even better, though, is that you don't have to get any of this to 'get' the movie. It was like an added bonus! In the same way adults watch 'The Simpsons' and get the adult humor, the children who don't get those jokes don't dislike the show any less they just don't get the whole picture. I don't want to spoil the movie so I won't go into details but the final death was sheer genius. The reversal of roles determining who's the one pulling the strings now! Loved it!

When you hear the work that went into this independent movie and the amount of pride the people involved have in the outcome, it's only fair that you at least give it a chance. I think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised. The reviews on here are not reminiscent of the reviews out there on the internet, where there's a lot of well placed praise for this movie. Amongst its target audience and horror fans, this movie delivers.

Unfortunately it had a limited release, it didn't even show in the movie theaters where I live (I was lucky enough to visit LA during its run there) but I'm looking forward to the DVD release so my friends can finally see it!

With the resurgence of exploitation films, we've really brought some unpleasantly vicious movies into the mainstream. Some are good, some are not--just like any genre--but what is fascinating to me is how commonplace they now seem. When I was growing up, pictures like the original "I Spit On Your Grave," "Faces of Death" and "Last House on the Left" were considered vile films and they had to be discovered. A largely underground, low budget, and independent film community had to support these controversial, malicious films. In many ways, they represented a rebellion against conventional entertainment. However, by today's standards these films, while certainly grim, are relatively subdued compared to the graphic torture, violence and gore that delight audiences at the local mall.

Designed to provoke audiences, one thing is certain--few people will be ambivalent about the new incarnation of "I Spit On Your Grave." I know people who think it's terrific AND I know people who think that it is repellant. Just the latest example of the growing market I like to refer to as "torture cinema," ISOYG will have very few viewers straddling the middle ground. While the original film played to the time it was released--there was almost a female empowerment message in the retribution scenario--this new version eschews a specific societal context. Much more gore oriented than its predecessor, it feels distinctly less real. That is either good or bad depending on your vantage point. The amateurish quality of the original lends it a gritty realism that actually works in the film's favor. Combined with Camille Keaton's surprisingly effective performance, the film had the flavor of something that could actually happen. The new version is decidedly more elaborate and the revenge conceptions are more over-the-top. The enjoyment value, thus, is determined by whether graphic brutality qualifies as entertainment for you.

I haven't said much about the film's plot. I think most people know what happens. A young woman is sexually assaulted by a group of men, brutalized, and left for dead. She reemerges with vengeance on her mind--and the men will rue the day they met her. Sarah Butler as the victim in question has some nice moments, but exists largely to service the plot. For me, she lacked the genuineness of Keaton. The men are slightly more developed in this new vision. While barely more than caricatures in either film, they have more shading here--and the mentally challenged character is conceptualized more fully in this edition. The film remains unrepentantly bleak and disturbing and pushes buttons for the sake of pushing buttons. There is no grand meaning to be had--but, quite frankly, I don't think that's why anyone would be watching in the first place.

Mind you, I'm not claiming either version of "I Spit On Your Grave" is a great movie. I do, however, believe that the original was more relevant in relationship to its time period. But this new film is made with technical prowess and visual flair (however unpleasant). Some may claim these films as a feminist treatise, and some as vile female degradation. In truth, they are actually a bit of both--but I don't think that they necessarily merit a serious philosophical discussion. Either way, this film was meant to assault your senses--and that it does! On it's own merits, it succeeds at what it set out to do. If you like gore, you may well like this. If you don't, by all means, stay far far away! KGHarris, 2/11.

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This remake of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE surprised me. It's actually better than the original! Sarah Butler is outstanding as the pivotal victim-turned-avenger. She is more believable and fierce than her predecessor. Though I was never sympathetic toward her attackers, their various demises did make me wince a couple of times, especially the "garden sheers" and "shotgun" scenes! Yikes! I still despise rape scenes, but at least they're more condensed in this version. As with the reboot of LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, ISOYG 2010 is a fantastic update, and worthy of several viewings...

Read Best Reviews of I Spit on Your Grave (2010) Here

The concept of this movie has been used in classic movies and print over and over again. The fate of those that violate a woman. The difference here, is the woman exacts revenge herself. The brutality in this movie is graphic, and not for the squeamish. But the bad guys do get what they deserve in the end. I thought this movie was very well made and acted. If you like revenge movies that are graphic and relentless, you will dig it too.

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one of the best movies i have seen in a long time, girl gets revenge on pig jackass men in a unique way

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Ghost in the Shell 2.0 (2009)

I'm going to break this review down into two parts.

The movie itself:

This is Ghost In The Shell in HD. It's beautiful, but for a smoother translation into the look of Innocence the greenish colors of the original film have been touched up and made to be more of an amber color like that seen in second film. This isn't really a change that I mind, and it's pulled off fairly well. I assume that several scenes were cleaned up digitally because the line art looks amazingly clean.

Sadly, someone felt it would be appropriate to replace some of the most iconic and stunning animation from the original with CG. A few scenes are done well like those where the CG is only helicopters or buildings, but whenever it replaces characters with crappy looking CG models it becomes stunningly bad. If you watch the making of the original movie you can see that their limited use of computer assisted animation was carefully planned and fit in with the other artwork and improved the film. The CG in 2.0 sticks out like a sore thumb in most cases. The only CG part that I liked was the pan over the cityscape at the end of the film.

If you have a bluray player and haven't seen GitS yet 2.0 isn't a bad way to see it, but fans of the original will probably be disappointed with the lack of any significant changes and the quality of what was changed.

The bluray by Manga:

Somehow Manga Entertainment never ceases to screw something pretty major up on their releases. The box lists a commentary with Oshii, an interview with Oshii and a making of GitS 2.0. None of these features are present on the bluray. You get throw away character profiles, glossary, and the old english trailer. The original making of GitS is here in VHS quality along with the unlisted bonus feature of the original cut of the movie. When I heard that I was pretty excited because in all honesty it's the only version I truly care about, but it looks to be taken from non-HD masters and only includes 2.0 audio tracks. If memory serves me correctly I believe that my GitS DVD looks better upscaled than this version does.

It would have been nice to do a re-dub of the film with the SAC cast, but I guess most of them were in the original anyway and it's a nice dub in it's own right.

This whole release just makes me want the original film untouched in HD. I can't give this less than three stars if only because seeing this movie this way is better than not seeing it at all because it's a one of my favorite films ever, but be aware of the problems with this release before deciding to buy it.

Ahh...Ghost in the Shell. The 1995 movie based on the manga that was called by some the second coming of Akira. I can't help but agree with that. So here we are almost 15 years later and we now have a sequel, a spin-off TV show, with a TV movie and it's influence is seen in movies such as "The Matrix." Now we have GitS 2.0, which is not a sequel (though I can see why people could be misled into thinking that.) but a redone version of the first movie. The colors has been changed and some CG has been brought in to replace the old animation. Its supposed to look more like the sequel, "Innocence," but honestly it looks weird since the original movie was made 9 years before the sequel. But I'm not going to review the movie itself, I'm just going to tell you why you should buy this on Blu-Ray.

The first thing all you purists need to know, the original Ghost in the Shell is included on the disc in HD. It doesn't look that great but it looks better than the DVD for sure. Also, the transfer is not the DVD master from the 2005 re-issue simply upconverted (contrary to popular belief), it is the Blu-ray master from Japan. They didn't really clean up the film but this is pretty much the best it's ever going to look unless Bandai, Manga or Production IG want to put up the money for a full re-master.

Which brings us into the new 2.0 version. This puppy has demo worthy video. The animation has been nicely cleaned-up, the new CG pops, and the re-mixed soundtrack (which I'll get back to in a minute) can bring the house down. This is one of the best animated Blu-rays out there, up there with "Cars," "Wall-E," and "Akira." While consistency is off thanks to the new CG, new colors and old animation, but this is not the fault of the transfer.

The soundtrack for the original Japanese version has actually been thrown out the window completely. Not only are there new sound effects, but the original cast has re-recorded all their lines, with one exception: the Puppet Master. The Puppet Master was originally voiced by a man, and has now been replaced by a woman. Also the song that plays in the background during the market chase with Batou has been removed. It is such a small thing that people probably won't notice (but I brought it up for a reason).

Now, I'm going to be honest, I'm a fan of the English dub of GitS in all of its forms. When this was announced I thought for sure they would re-dub the movie with the new GitS: Stand Alone Complex cast. This is not the case. They used the original dub from 1995 for this version (So Mimi Woods is playing Motoko, not Mary Elizabeth McGlynn from the SAC dub.) with the new sound effects thrown in. Which brings us to a inconsistency because in the 2.0 version the Puppet Master is supposed to be played a female, but instead, is still played by a man, since this is literally the same dub. This isn't the only inconsistency, the song from the marketplace is now back in the movie. There some other small gripes but only the hardcore fan would notice.

Now onto the extras. They consider the old version of the movie as a extra, and it is a pretty cool extra, having both versions in HD. Then we come into a couple of weird quirks. On the box, it says there is a commentary with the director, as well as a making of feature for 2.0. What we get is a making of feature....for the original movie and a theatrical trailer...for the original. Along with come bios and glossary. The features on the box are no where to be found, which is quite a big gaff. Maybe future re-prints will correct this but as of now, the features on the box are not there. To me, it isn't a big deal, but it kind of sucks that we don't get what the box promises.

All in all this is a must buy for every GitS fan. Not only do you get the new version of this movie, you get the original in HD. That way, you get the best of both worlds. Everyone else, give this one a rental, because this is really for the fans.

EDIT: 9/29/11 The included original version of Ghost in the Shell is not the HD master from Japan. It is a laserdisc master, upconverted to 1080i. Also, they've fixed the back cover in later prints to have the correct features on the back. I still recommend this if you're a fan.

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Movie: 4.5/5 Video Quality: 4.5/5 Audio Quality: 5/5 Extras: 2.5/5 Overall: 4.1/5 (rounded down in total star ranking)

This was the second genuine anime film I ever watched, and even after repeated viewings I've been confused and confounded by it. It may be short and it may boast some cool action scenes, but for the most part it is a tight, complex, and highly cerebral thriller. The combination of philosophy, psychology, technology, and politics is often overwhelming in this film.

Only recently have I been able to understand the movie's plot and issues, and I must say that it is a very sublime picture with some very deep issues concerning the human soul, technology, and society. For that matter, each viewing does reveal deeper meaning. On this basis, the movie not only makes for quintessential anime, but it is also an essential (and influential) piece of cyberpunk sci-fi.

The movie's plot and characters may seem muddled, but they have nuances and complexities of their own. I do find that other features in the "Ghost in the Shell" series (namely, "Innocence," "Stand Alone Complex," and "Solid State Society") offer easier storylines and more understandable characters, but they are not quite as original or distinctive as what's in this film. The movie is slowly-paced, but has lots of interesting visuals and some brilliant action scenes. Production design features some very interesting and original sets, props, costumes, vehicles, and weapons. Music is interesting.

For better or for worse, this disc showcases the 2.0 version, which offers enhanced CGI effects to replace certain scenes, as well as an enhanced soundtrack and a new music score. These changes do offer a different color palette than the theatrical cut, and the image overall looks cleaner, sharper, and more detailed. Above all, it is visually and conceptually more compatible with other features in the "Ghost in the Shell" series.

This disc offers decent quality. The video looks very clean, with excellent color and contrast. It is sharp with plenty of details; textures are strong and pencil lines are thin. I saw no signs of visual noise, pixilation, or aliasing. The only issue worth noting is that some scenes may have bright auras, but this is notably less intrusive on Blu-Ray than it is on DVD. A few scenes showed some slight banding as well. Sound quality is excellent (DTS-HD MA 6.1, lossless), and you have a choice between English dubbing and the original Japanese, with optional subtitles. Extras include a making-of feature, character profiles, creator biographies, and a trailer.

One of the special features is the original theatrical cut of the movie. Video quality on the original film in 1080i is notably weaker, for it shows greater pixilation, aliasing, and film artifacts. Colors are also more washed-out, but some colors are notably different than the 2.0 version (more blues and greens in certain scenes). Regardless, it is still a sharp and clean image. Sound quality is good, and it has the same language and subtitle options as the 2.0 feature.

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Let's get one thing clear: I love Ghost in the Shell. I have everything ever released on DVD. As far as Cyberpunk goes, this is it. Plain and simple.

Let's talk about what's wrong with GITS: 2.0

They took the 2008 Japanese Bluray and ran a blur filter over it. Want your DVD to look the same? Turn the sharpness down to about 20%. Ta-da!

Added in new 3d animation that looks like something from a Playstation One or 2 at best. Low rez, crap quality that has artifacting and residue. We're talking Youtube video quality. I'm not impressed. Going from one type of animation type to another in mid movie is really painful.

On top of all that, deciding to change entire color pallets, substituting Amber for Green. Ya that's great. Thanks.

This is worse than what Lucas did to Star Wars. Far worse.

It's crap.

I am very disappointed.

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I picked this up assuming that both 2.0 and 1.0 transfers would be of equal quality -such was not the case. While 2.0 looks great -that is, if you can put up with pretty dated-looking CG -1.0 looks like it's a direct transfer from the original 480p DVD master and looks pretty awful. Buyer beware on this one.

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The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + Digital Copy)

OK to clear up some confusion about the latest incarnation of "The Muppet Movie" this edition is celebrating the fact that Kermit always a bit green around the gills is 50 years old. That said I'm completely unimpressed with this edition of a classic family movie. I'll get to the reasons why in just a bit in the meantime here's a recap of the plot for those of you who have forgotten what its about.

Discovered by a big time agent (Dom DeLuise) playing his banjo among the reeds and lilly pads, Kermit (Jim Henson) moves to Hollywood for fame and fortune. Along the way he hooks up with Miss Piggy (Frank Oz), Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz) and other Muppets who are looking for their road to the big time. Kermit is pursued by Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) who wants to open a chain of fast food frog leg restaurants. He hopes to make Kermit his company mascot. Along the way Kermit and his friends meet a who's who of Hollywood's funniest comedians along the way. Featuring a who's who list of top notch celebrity talent including Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahnm Richard Pryor, Edgar Bergen, Steve Martin and others, "The Muppet Movie" provided the early template for family films that could also be adult friendly as well.

With bright vivid colors "The Muppet Movie" looks solid in this DVD transfer but the film could have used a bit of restoration. Image clarity and sharpness are not what they could have been as well with an occasional softness that surprised me. Granted, this edition looks better than the Tri-Star release of four years ago but the film really needs to be carefully restored improving the overall image and sound quality. The 5.1 Dolby Digital mix presents dialogue with nice clarity but the music score and just about everything else in the movie's soundtrack comes across sounding tightly compressed. Again, an overall disappointment even when compared to the previous edition of this movie from four years ago.

I would have thought that a great movie would deserve great extras. Instead, the best extra from the previous edition (Frawley's test footage) is missing from this edition. Instead of that we get an underwhelming five minute featurette about Kermit. It's a waste of money and space on the DVD. We also get the usual assortment of Disney previews at the beginning although you can skip them. A note to Disney--including a full screen version of the same movie no longer counts as a special feature

About the only good thing about this DVD release are the chapters placed throughout the film. It makes navigating to a particular scene pretty easy overall but that's not saying much in an age where "The Wizard of Oz" gets a deluxe three DVD edition or even the recent "War of the Worlds" a two disc edition. Honestly, it feels like Disney blew it here. I'm not sure they knew what they wanted to put on the disc and this smells suspiciously like a double dip down the line. Considering the deluxe treatment that Disney recently gave "The Muppet Show" on DVD, I'm really surprised at how shabbily they treated this classic film.

A classic that receives truly pedestrian treatment, I'd recommend waiting to see if a deluxe edition of this film is coming out before buying. If you don't have the very good previous edition of this film on DVD and feel you must have it now by all means feel free to pick it up. I have the distinct feeling you'll be kicking yourself later however and suggest renting and then taking a wait and see attitude about buying this feeble "Special Edition". Man talk about being green, watching the treatment this classic received on DVD made me sick to my stomach.

Let's clear up some confusion here....the "grasshopper" comment was on the movie soundtrack ONLY. It was NOT in the film. If you listen to the song "I hope that something better comes along" from the soundtrack recording, MOST of the dialog exchange between Rowlf and Kermit prior to the beginning of the song, is DIFFERENT than the movie (not just the "grasshopper" line). The different dialog on the soundtrack was to help make sense of the scene in which the song takes place, for those who hadn't seen the film.

I have an old VHS tape of The Muppet Movie from 1984, and the "grasshopper" line isn't on that either. Nothing was censored for the DVD.

I agree that the Muppets' 1979 TV special "The Muppets Go Hollywood" (which promoted the film's release), SHOULD have been included on this DVD. I'm deducting one star for that ridiculous omission.

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Mini review of one of my alltime 10 favorite films.

Many people question why this is on my top 10. I think the question is why is it not on theirs? This is pure entertainment for the whole family. It is a movie that works on all levels. The story is enchanting. The music is charming and whimsical. The muppetry is fantastic. It is hard to imagine a better opening to a movie than the rainbow connection sequence.

The movie is a cornucopia of awesome quotes. I think my favorite still remains: If frog's couldn't hop, I'd be gone with the Schwinn.

The cameo roles are excellent as well. Steve Martin excels as a put upon waiter. Dom Delouise is impressive as a hollywood agent adrift in a swamp and Mel Brooks steals the show as a german mad scientist.

Read Best Reviews of The Muppet Movie: The Nearly 35th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) Here

The original classic Muppet Movie has finally arrived on DVD. Unfortunately, it did not get the treatment it deserves. The only special feature of note is "Jim Frawley's camera test" (which I found pretty entertaining). The so-called "Muppetisms" are just a couple of very brief jokes from Kermit and Miss Piggy. The picture, for whatever reason, is very grainy most of the time...but at least the colors are bright and vivid. The sound is low when the characters are talking and louder during musical numbers, requiring frequent volume adjustments. The disc contains the preferred widescreen version of the film on one side, and a completely unnecessary pan-and-scan version on the other. Folks, I ask you, wouldn't you rather have a plethora of special features on that second side? How about 2 or 3 episodes of The Muppet Show? Why not some sort of a commentary on the film? Perhaps a biography of Jim Henson? The Muppets (and Jim Henson) deserve a Special Edition, and this disc is far from it.

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This movie was truly the work of the Genius that Jim Henson and Frank Oz created along with the many Muppet Performers and Writers of this film. However, Columbia/Tri-Star has made a terrible mistake in not giving this DVD the clean up or detail that it truly deserves. I bought this and Tootsie on the same day, and Tootsie looks and sounds beautiful. This film looks like I pulled out an old video. What happened to the art of remastering? There was virtually no audio or video cleanup, and I was truly disappointed. Such a brilliant film deserves more. Yes, I too would like bonuses, but want a cleanup more than anything else. The DVD version was a waste. Movie = 5 Stars! DVD = 1 Star Film Test = 5 stars, but so little in the bonus area. Aren't there more bonuses out there?

I sincerely hope the folks at the DVD company will work with the Folks at Jim Henson Productions on getting a quality product out there, with bonuses it deserves. Here's some: Clean the movie (remaster audio and video) Outtakes? Early short films? Audio commentary by Frank Oz and other Muppet performers? Documentary? Muppet Show episode? Muppets 30th Anniversary TV special (CBS) Muppets Tribute To Jim Henson (NBC Disney)

So many possibilities... Hey JH Productions, let's get the complete Muppet Show DVD collection out there!

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Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

I watched "The Bridge to Terabithia" on a whim with my wife and daughter with little foreknowledge of the plot. I'd never read the Newbery Award-winning book by Katherine Paterson, and I'd seen only one trailer for the film, which left me with the impression it would be a Narnia knock-off. It's not.

I'm not dissing "The Chronicles of Narnia," which in its way was a remarkable film. But "Terabithia" didn't deserve the CGI-laden marketing campaign it received; far from a fantasy blockbuster, this is a deep and thoughtful movie that places substance over sparkle -a rare treat in the sprawling field of youth-oriented theater. It ranks up there with one of my favorites, "The Secret of Roan Inish," which accomplished more with no special effects than most family-friendly movies could with a billion-dollar budget.

But I just can't shake "Terabithia" from my head, a fact owed mostly to the performance of AnnaSophia Robb. As Leslie, a spirited young girl with a fiery imagination and endless good cheer, AnnaSophia captured my heart. She's the kind of person you want to know when you're a child and, as my wife remarked midway through the film, she's the sort of young woman you'd be happy to see your daughter grow up to be.

An outsider despite her youthful good looks and family wealth, she finds her perfect match in Jesse (Joss Hutcherson), another outsider who has withdrawn into his art to escape a chilly home life and his own problems at school. Together, they discover a secret getaway that might seem like a fairly ordinary patch of woods to most people; to them, it's a magical world replete with fantastic creatures, hidden dangers and amazing triumphs. It's here the special effects intrude more than accentuate the film; the story would have benefited from a vaguer sense of Jesse and Leslie's own wonder. We don't need to see CGI creatures to believe that these two children do.

The strength here, besides outstanding performances from the two lead actors, is the impact of a story that knows no amount of fantasy can prevent real-life tragedies from occurring. And the tragedy here -it's hard to write about it without giving it away -slams into unsuspecting viewers like a sudden kick to the gut.

Parents of younger viewers should be prepared to have a long and serious talk with their children after this movie, but that's not a recommendation to avoid it. "Terabithia" deserves to be seen, discussed and seen again. (Although use some discretion; very young children should wait before seeing this.) My thanks to director Gabor Csupo, as well as writer Paterson, for giving kids something honest and real rather than another serving of high-energy fluff.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(n e t) editor

I read the original book The Bridge to Terabithia when I was a kid. I don't remember very much from the book, but I remembered the general premise and the ending. When I originally read it, I really liked the book. So, obviously, when hearing that they were making it into a movie, I was very skeptical. Most good books don't translate into good movies. Then I saw the previews for the movie, and I was even more skeptical. This was not a book about fantasy lands and magical beings. This is no Chronicles of Narnia. I think it's much better, but it's certainly different.

This movie is about friendship, and imagination. It's the story of two fifth-graders, Jesse and Leslie, next-door neighbors, who are both outcasts. They aren't readily accepted in school, and aren't in love with their home lives, either. They grow a fast friendship where they "travel" to an imaginary land, Terabithia. In reality, it's just the woods behind their houses. All of the CGI that you see advertised is simply their imagination, and there's really very little of it. Just about every CGI-animated scene in the movie is shown in the previews. That is NOT what this movie is about, although that's what Disney would have you believe. It's about imagination and creativity, and how children should be encouraged to use that imagination.

I have a problem with all of the parents giving this movie terrible reviews because they say it's not child-appropriate. I don't have an opinion as to whether or not it's appropriate for children, that's for each individual parent to decide. Some kids can handle it, some can't. It doesn't take much research, however, to find out that this is not the happiest of stories. Any parent who really cares about what their kids see is going to research the movie BEFORE allowing their kids to see it. That involves either looking it up online, asking friends who have already seen it (or read the book), or watching it themselves FIRST to screen what their children see. I will not ruin the story by saying what happens, but if you really want to know, spend five minutes doing some research. Read the other reviews on this page, for crying out loud. But if you bring your kids to a movie that you haven't researched at all and it's not what you expect, don't blame the movie for your lack of effort. I understand Disney falsely advertised this movie, of course they did. Advertising it as another Chronicles of Narnia is certainly going to bring more sales in. But this movie is VERY GOOD. One reviewer said you have to be masochistic to enjoy a movie like this. I don't believe that's true. You simply have to appreciate a well-told story. Sometimes life sucks, and sometimes really terrible things happen. That's what the book was about, and this movie is faithful to that story.

I'm in my mid-twenties. When I went to see this, I went with a few friends of mine, all of us adults. Every one of us loved it. The two main actors (the two kids) are REALLY good. Jesse is the introvert and Leslie is the extrovert. You really buy into their friendship as you watch them learn to know one another. You want Jesse to punch the bully in the face; you want Leslie to stand up to the eighth-grader.

By the end, you could hear plenty of sniffles throughout the audience, including coming from my friends. Heck, I knew the story beforehand, and I still teared up. It's difficult to watch, but I believe the story was handled with very much care by Disney. Overall, this is an excellent movie, if not with reservations. If you're concerned with what your children see, then spend some time and find out what's in the plotline. But this movie is really good.

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I know absolutely nothing about the young adult novel that this film, "Bridge to Terabithia," is based on. For this reason, I will only review this film for its contents and not on how well it translates the book to the screen. With that said, I can claim that "Bridge to Terabithia" is just one more wonderful film that's been produced as of late for youngsters that's based on a book or book series. Produced by Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures, this film tells the story of Jesse Aarons (Josh Hutcherson of "Zathura"), a boy who lives in poverty but escapes from reality through drawing fantastical creatures and worlds. When a new neighbor moves in who marches to the beat of a different drum, the two of them combine their imaginations to create the kingdom of Terabithia. The neighbor is Leslie Burke, and she's played by the likeable and enthusiastic AnnaSophia Robb ("Because of Winn-Dixie," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"). She and Jesse take their personal miseries from school and at home and turn them into trolls, evil squirrels, grenade-like pinecones and a whole slew of other creatures. All of the bad people of Terabithia are lead by the Dark Master, a smoky, phantom-like creature.

As the story unfolds, Jesse and Leslie form a strong friendship both in reality and in fantasy. When Jesse is asked to go to the museum by his music teacher (the excellent Zooey Deschanel), he intentionally leaves Leslie behind. Why? Because like any most boys in middle school he happens to have a crush on his music teacher (It's Zooey Deschanel, who wouldn't?). When a tragedy occurs, Jesse's worlds, real and fantasy, experience dramatic changes.

"Bridge to Terabithia" is essentially a coming-of-age tale where kids who aren't quite children but haven't yet reached adulthood come to feel the consequences of reality. Jesse and Leslie love their fantasy world, but each day brings more reality with it. The cast is headed up by Hutcherson, Robb, and young Bailee Madison (Jesse's cute little sister, May Belle). The supporting cast includes Deschanel, the always reliably gruff Robert Patrick ("Terminator 2") and Lauren Clinton. While the adults play key roles in this film, it's really all about the kids.

The special effects are very good, though most pre-teens will pick up on their limitations. However, the special effects take a backseat to the story, which is always refreshing to see these days.

Parents with younger children should know that the tragedy aforemetioned may be very tough for youngsters to take. I won't go into details, but just know that it's one of the gravest tragedies that can occur in anyone's life. There are also two instances of strong language. The "d" word is used repetively in both of them. One occurs in the back of a truck after church and the other happens in the greenhouse at Jesse's home when he loses his father's keys. Other than that, there isn't anything in the film that you really need to look out for.

As a fantasy tale, "Terabithia" works well. It works better as a film about a young boy and his friend who come to terms with reality. I highly recommend this film for families, just be prepared to do some heavy explaining with younger children (under eight) when reality really, really hits home. Fans of this movie may also enjoy "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe," the "Harry Potter" films (although as Harry gets older, the movies and books become geared more towards older children), and "The Neverending Story." Also, even though I haven't read this particular book, I have read plenty of other young adult books in my day. Pick up "A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, any of the "Harry Potter" books, or any other wonderful child and pre-teen fantasy for your children to read if they enjoy this film.

Highly recommended.

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Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia YA 1977 novel is a classic. One I never read when I was a kid, but I understand it's quite beloved and indeed sacred to some -not the least of which is Paterson's son David, for whom the book was written and who also shares a screenwriting credit on the film. So, everything had to be just right: from the human-being casting, to the use of special effects which help bring the fantasy kingdom of Terabithia to life.

When the movie came out on the big screen earlier this year every trailer, TV spot and preview showed trolls, ogres, and magical, spontaneously self-buildings bridges springing up. It looked like Lord of Rings on kiddie-safe steroids. But the movie itself isn't about all that, which understandably wrought a bit of a backlash from those not familiar with the novel's very real, grounded themes about regular kids and their very normal day-to-day struggles.

The story follows Jesse (Josh Hutcherson), a fifth-grader who's not terribly popular. There is nothing wrong with him, but there's nothing "right" either. He's not outgoing, rich or popular, but he is something of an athlete -that is, until the new student in his class, a slip of a girl named Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb) beats him in a footrace. At first, he holds a grudge but before long the two dreamy, artistic kids become best friends, and allies against the school's bully brigade. Their secret refuge is a tree-house in the woods, a place Leslie calls Terabithia. The children imagine all sorts of wondrous and scary things there, in an attempt to free their minds from their otherwise troubled lives (Jesse's parents are struggling financially, while only-child Leslie feels neglected by her busy dad and mom).

Since Disney optioned this book, you can bet there's some tears to be jerked -but it's an ultimately uplifting, beautiful and honest portrayal of life-lessons learnt in childhood. Hutcherson and Robb are very well-cast and their acting is pretty much flawless (none of the "cutesy" or "obnoxious" child-actor antics here). Real kudos go to director Gabor Csupo, who not only grasped (as best as I can tell) the source material, but added cinematic dimension to it for those who are not familiar with the novel. (I'm looking forward to seeing what he does with his next project, The Moon Princess -based on a book I did read, and loved!, as a child: The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge).

The DVD offers an array of extras (and nice supplements, such as closed captions for the hearing-impaired), my favorite of which was a solid featurette on Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia novel. It offers interviews not only with the author herself, but insight from teachers who've assigned the book to their classes over the years, plus excerpts from the text and illustrations.

Over all, Bridge to Terabithia is a definite must-buy DVD for kids and Disney-weaned adults alike.

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I must admit I did not discover the book until the early 1990s as part of a children's Lit class. Even so, the haunting tale of Jess and Leslie stayed with me ever since, and I was both concerned and delighted when I heard of the Disney version's coming release. Someone earlier said the trailers were misleading, and they were but intentionally so. Anyone who had read the book prior to seeing this tale KNOWS it's not about the special effects. So where does that leave us? With a slew of unbelieveable performances.

I knew of Robert Patrick mainly through the Terminator 2 and X-Files, so I wondered if he could pull off a role like this. The man is magnificent as Jess' father. Rough, rugged, and tough, he looks like a man who's fought with the devil and spit in his eye...yet he is tender and caring towards his son when tragedy strikes...and not one scene of it feels false or fake.

What is there to say about Zooey Deschanel (sp?) except that the woman is an immense, and so far, undertapped talent. Discovered in Will Farrell's "Elf", she once again shines as the school's music teacher.

The film, however, belongs to Jess and Leslie, and the supporting actors obviously knew and understood this. There is not a single adult that gives a heavy-handed performance. From the girls who play Jess' teenage sisters, all the way to his initially mean-spirited teacher at the beginnings of the film, each one shines in his or her own right. Their performances are moving and just right.

The stars are magnificent: Josh and AnnaSophia are perfectly cast. I know several people thought Miss Robb was a little too "modern" or "perfect-looking" for the role of Leslie, but I would strongly disagree. She is the perfect tomboy....note the scene in which she wears a beautiful dress to church, along with combat boots. It is her spark, her zest for life, that helps make the last half of the movie what it is. Josh is fantastic as Jess as he slowly suspends belief in order to join Leslie in the world of Terabithia...and no young man has ever dealt with such harsh tragedy on screen better than he. Oh, and the musical score is superb. This is truly the first flawless film of 2007.

You are forewarned...boxes of kleenex are strongly recommended for viewing of this film if you've not seen it. I have seen it 3 times and every time I have spent the last half hour in tears. This is Disney magic at it's best, reminiscient of their work in the 1970s (Old Yeller, etc.). You will laugh, and unless you have a heart of stone, you WILL cry...but most of all, you will find a message of the heart that will stand for eternity.

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