Edward Scissorhands (1990)

This wonderful fantasy tale stars Johnny Depp as a not-quite-real teenager who was built by an eccentric inventor. The old man died before he could finish him, so Edward has knife blades where his fingers would be. A well-meaning Avon lady (Diane Wiest) finds him living alone in his crumbling castle, and brings him home to live with her family, which includes daughter Kim (Winona Ryder). Edward is naive and timid, but so sweet and helpful that he soon becomes the darling of the neighborhood. He is smitten with Kim, which angers her bully of a boyfriend (Anthony Michael Hall).

Diane Wiest is perfect as the ditsy and always-cheerful mom. Ryder is convincing as a selfish and spoiled teen. Hall is the villian you love to hate. The star, of course, is Johnny Depp. As Edward, he is painfully shy and lovelorn; his performance is so heart-wrenchingly delicate that you ache for him in every scene. Covered with white make-up and with only a few words of dialogue, Depp proves he is a very talented actor. The wonderful and quite frail Vincent Price, as Edward's loving creator, will surely bring a tear to your eye.

This completely unique film blends comedy, fantasy, and romance to make a sentimental fairy tale that both teens and adults will enjoy. It is a heart-breaker; bring your hankie.

Kona

Every director probably has one movie that he pours part of himself into. For Spielberg, it was ET, Lucas had American Graffiti. Here, Tim Burton poured into the soul of Edward Scissorhands the world of an outsider, a creation of an old inventor (wonderfully played by Vincent Price) who passes on before he can finish Edward(wonderfully played by Johnny Depp). Edward is one day discovered by Peg Boggs, a curious Avon lady, who takes Edward home to suburbia, a community of multi-colored houses that could only come from the mind of Burton and production designer Bo Welch. Danny Elfman delivers probably his most moving score in this picture. The DVD looked like it would be incredile with what was announced, but it would have to lose starts for what I thought: 1)Audio commentary by Burton and Elfman: Both of these guys do not talk all the way through the film, (though it does sound a little better than Devlin and Emmerich on ID4's DVD & Barry Levinson and Tommy LEe Jones on Men In Black, who chatter on like inane movie theater patrons). But most of the time I found myself wondering when they would speak again. Burton probably speaks 12-15 times through most of the movie, but it sounds more like he's having little afterthoughts. Elfman's audio plays after certain music segments are done (his background music plays over the dialogue so we hear outright how it sounds). 2)Tim Burton concept art: after seeing The Tarzan Collector's Edition, this was a letdown, with only about 7 pieces of art (5 concepts of Edward, 1 of the Inventor, and 1 of Edward's place in the mansion's attic). 3)The featurette talking about the film is also a letdown, as there is nothing that was reall notable (I was really looking forward to hearing how Stan Winston Studios made the Scissorhands props). The only cool notable is the interactive menu, made like a pop-up book of the mansion Edward is found in. If you are looking to find a great movie, get this DVD. If you are into those that promise incredible extra features, pass this one up.

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It would be hard for me to be critical about Johnny Depp, or even Tim Burton for that matter. I like just about all their movies. In this flick, Johnny Depp plays a tormented teen that spent all his childhood living in the haunted house on the hill, with an old dude and scissors for hands. Already he has my deepest sympathies. Falls for the girl next door,Wynona Ryder, but dosent get the girl, because the angry mob scares him off, and eddy with his scissorhands the girl next door, decide for his safety they could never be together. Go figure! As usual society wins. But it was good that it didnt end with a cheesy ending cuz that would ruin it. So definetly a must see, thats if you haven't seen it already. or u have the movie sitting with the other many Johnny Depp movies that u made a shrine out of.

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I have a friend who is convinced that `Edward Scissorhands' is a metaphor about the way the media treats celebrities. My mother says that Edward represents anyone who can be considered "different". A lot of people think that the point of the movie is to display the way people will love something one second and hate it the next. I had a teacher once who told me it was about what it's liked to be loved for the things you do but hated as a person. My six-year-old cousin thinks it's about how sad it would be to have scissors for hands.

I honestly have no idea what Tim Burton's masterpiece of a movie is "really" about. It seems to me that it is very open to interpretation, as there is no real basis to say that any of these ideas are just plain wrong (Can you really say that my cousin's observation that it would be sad to have scissors for hands is way off base?); however none of them really feels right to me.

Here is what I have to say about Edward Scissorhands: This movie makes me sob; I mean I just bawl my eyes out every time I watch it. Only God knows why, but for some reason there is nothing sadder than a monstrous looking loner who is misunderstood and taken advantage of. I know it sounds like a specific description, but the idea is just so universally poignant that details and all it has been done numerous times (the most notable being Gaston Leroux's ` The Phantom of the Opera' and of course `Beauty and The Beast').

Then there's the whole other story of Johnny Depp's performance. There are a lot of actors who are considered "good actors" but we never really think about what their limitations are because we only see them in roles that they can play well (which, of course, would be the reason they're playing them). I am fairly confident that not a lot of actors could have successfully played the part of Edward, so when you consider how successfully Depp did play it that says something. One of the interesting things about the movie is that its title character has what seems like two lines in the whole thing, which made Depp's job of doing a decent job even harder he never has a weak moment, not once.

I do not know what Edward Scissorhands is a metaphor for; however, I do know that this movie successfully makes people feel, whatever it is that they feel when watching it, more than any other movie I know of. It is surprising but telling that a movie that seems so strange could succeed in making so many different people care about the same thing: the fate of a lonely misfit who somehow comes across as far less fictional than it seems that such an obviously imagined creature should. Therefore provoking the question: exactly how much of this "fantasy movie" is truly fiction?

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**This is for the collectable tin version**

The DVD content is basically the same from other Edward Scissorhand DVD versions, but this version is dynamite for DVD collectors. This DVD has limited edition tin, 8 Collectable movie stills, and the same features from other versions. If you would like to know:

*Audio Commentary by Tim Burton and Danny Elfman

*Original release Featurette

*Concept Art

*Theatrical Trailer and TV Spots

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Frida (2002)

FRIDA, with Salma Hayek in the title role, is a vibrant celebration of the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), and an unsparing look at her tumultuous, passionate marriage to the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). Another major thread is the involvement of both with the Communist Party. In the latter half of the film, Geoffrey Rush makes an appearance as the exiled Leon Trotsky running from Stalin's death squads.

Hayek's performance is the finest I've seen by an actress so far in 2002. An Oscar nomination is surely in the cards. Though I understand that FRIDA uncovers nothing new about the life of Kahlo not already known by devotees of her work, the film was a total revelation for me who knew nothing about the artist. And Costuming and Make-up built on Hayek's natural appearance to create the spitting image of the real Frida (whose photo I've just seen on the Web).

Visually, the film is a riot of color. I especially liked those scenes where the viewers' eyes are drawn to a brightly costumed Frida set against surroundings colored with contrasting sepia and/or pastel tones.

My only picky-picky complaint about FRIDA is its treatment of Kahlo's physical condition after the horrific 1925 bus accident that left her with multiple fractures of her pelvis, spine, ribs and leg, and which necessitated over 30 follow-up operations in her lifetime. The visual force of her paintings is generated both by her complex emotional life as well as the terrible physical pain she constantly suffered. Yet in the film, between that time she learns to walk again without a crutch and much later when she climbs an Inca pyramid with Trotsky, there's absolutely no hint in Hayek's portrayal that the artist was in any way physically debilitated beyond an inability to bear children. Where was the stiffness of movement, or the inevitable grimaces of pain? At one point, Kahlo is shown dancing with the fluidity of perfect health. As one afflicted with yet only mild arthritis in the lower back, I found this aspect of Salma's characterization perhaps unreal. However, this is a trivial hiccup in an otherwise superb performance.

I have seen Frida five times at the cinemas, and got the DVD as a gift. I must say that this is by far the most visually stunning, inspirational, and emotionally impacting film I have ever seen. Before this movie came out, I went the Vancouver Art Gallery to see some of Frida Kahlo's paintings and saw the documentary of her life. I was very fascinated by several of paintings, but I didn't get to see The Two Fridas or the paintinngs with the monkeys. I was moved to tears by the documentary of her life, and I instantly became a fan. I then bought the novel based on her life, and read it before the movie came out. I was dying to see the movie.

This beautiful biopic is directed by the Julie Taymor, whose film Titus was an equally visual feast. It's a dream come true for the Oscar nominated Salma Hayek, who had spent more that seven years trying to get this movie made. It was a good thing that Madonna and Jennifer Lopez didn't get to do it, because they wouldn't be suitable to play Frida. Salma Hayek gave the performance of her career, and she actually hadn't done anything great before this movie, except for In The Times Of The Butterflies, which also costarred Mia Maestro who played her sister in both movies. Even though Salma lost the award to the overrated Nicole Kidman(The Hours), Frida still won two out of the six nominations. The music composed by Elliot Goldenthal trully capture the spirit of Frida and Mexico. Some of the songs are sung by Lila Downs, and Chavela Vargas. Burn It Blue heard at the end of the film is so beatiful. I even bought the soundtrack. Salma Hayek had more than fifty costumes here, designed by Julie Weiss on a shoestring budget. She made Hayek looked stunningly beautiful and striking, especially the photo shoot for the Paris Vogue cover, and the scene when she steps into her painting The Two Fridas.

This movie chronicles the life and times of Frida and Diego Rivera(played by the underrated Alfred Molina), a womanizing fellow artist, mentor, and husband. Frida had endured a great deal of physical, emotional, and spiritual pain, and she survived, because she was strong and self-absorbing, and she transcend her life's most unforgetable moments onto the cavas in the form of surrealism that's autobiographical. From the bus accident that left her crippled for life to her stormy marriage to Rivera, to miscarriage, to international stardom, to heartaches of failed marriage and distant from her parents, to betrayed by her sister....and then there's the self-destructive behaviours(alcohol addiction and promiscuous sex with men and women). Life without Diego was meaningless to her at times. She intensionally had an affair with Leon Trotsky(a Russian Communist in exile played Geoffrey Rush) to provoke or repay Diego for his infidelity. She still loved him even when they were separated for a period of time, leaving her financially and physically devastated, that's when she painted her best work including The Two Fridas, which was one of the high points in the film. The reconcilation and remarriage of Frida and Diego was a heartfelt experience.

The supporting cast are all superb. Alfred Molina was overlooked by the Oscar, he should've been nominated for best supporting actor, even though he doesn't look a whole lot like the actual Diego Rivera. I thought Valeria Golino was very good too. She played Diego's ex-wife, and she stole scene in this movie. Mia Maestro was great as Christina Kahlo, she was seduced by Diego to bed when she posed for his paintings. The affair broke Frida's heart. I also enjoyed Patricia Reyes Spindola's portrayal of Mrs. Kahlo. She was always negative about the choices Frida made in love and career. As for the big-star cameros which including Antonio Banderas(David Siqueiros), Ashley Judd(Tina Modotti), and Salma's ex-boyfriend Edward Norton(Nelson Rockefeller) who co-wrote the screenplay, I loved Judd's performance the most. Her sexy "lesbian" dance number with Salma Hayek was quite a treat.

Salma Hayek gave a mesmerizing and multi-layered performance, and she was in every scene. She trully transformed herself in all aspects of character and showed the world that she's not just a bombshell, but a great actress to be taken seriously. I cried during several scenes including the scene when she got dumped by her first boyfriend(Alejandro/Diego Luna). I was also moved a great deal by the miscarriage, and the scene when she was devastated and started to cut her hair and got very drunk. The most powerful scene was when she was drinking and crying while listening to an old lady(Chavela Vargas) sang a ballad to her, and she went home and stepped into her painting(The Two Fridas).The music, cinematography, acting, art direction, editing, and direction all worked together to achieve a very memorable experience. The special features has some very good materials included, and I really enjoyed the interviews on Julie Taymor, Salma Hayek, and the singers and composers.

I loved this movie and worship Frida. I admired her life's work as an artist, and her endurance of pain and struggles, and ultimately her relentless passion for love and creativity. I also collected the soundtrack, the Frida screenplay with photos of many of the scenes from the film, the postcard book, and a wall fabric drape painted with Frida and the Monkeys.

This movie is definitely a must-see for artist, art lover, fashion lover, music and cultural fans, and of course all Salma Hayek fans too!

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This is the best artist biopic I have seen, and it's a remarkable achievement for Salma Hayek, and director Julie Taymor.

Based ( with certain fictionalizations) on the excellent Hayden Herrera biography, the re-creation of Mexico in the first half of the 20th century is a marvel.

The cast is wonderful. Hayek is perfect as the petite Frida, and Alfred Molina so believable as Rivera. There are small parts filled in by Edward Norton, Ashley Judd, and Antonio Banderas, and with Geoffrey Rush as Trotsky.

I especially like the acclaimed Welsh actor, Roger Rees, as Guillermo, Frida's father, and beautiful Valeria Golino, as Rivera's ex-wife.

The soundtrack by Elliot Goldenthal (Taymor's husband) is terrific, full of traditional Mexican songs that add so much to this film.

The magnificent Lila Downs sings several songs (she is briefly seen in 3 of them), and among them is a signature song for her, "La Llorona"...a second version of this song is sung by the legendary Costa Rican star of years gone by, Chavela Vargas, and another treat is the voice of Caetano Veloso in the final end title song.

Perhaps my favorite part of this film are the "living paintings". Innovative and spectacular, I think Frida would have loved this added dimension to her work. The film ends with the final words from her diary: "I hope the exit is joyful--and I hope never to come back--Frida".

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Wow art within art within art a grand love story, a political commentary, a love letter to an artist, and homage to her vision Julie Taymor and Selma Hayek have done Frida proud in this film. Be sure and get the book about the making of the movie [aisn: 1557045402] to accompany the DVD.

The cinematography is stunning. The performances are flawless. The way the live action is interwoven with adaptations of Kahlo's paintings is inspired. If you've ever been to Mexico, this will have you aching to go back you can taste the fruit and feel the sun and the colors. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars this is the one to get for any lover of art, woman of vision, or for a person who struggles to find meaning in pain or disability.

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Before watching this movie I had no idea who Frida was. I knew that the film was directed by Julie Taymor (Titus), which meant that it would have a striking visual style. I knew that the movie starred Salma Hayek and that she had wanted to play this role for years. I knew that it had been nominated for 6 Academy Awards including a Best Actress nomination for Hayek. But I did not know anything about the subject of the film.

Frida is a biopic focusing on the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek). As much as the movie focuses on the life of Frida, it seemed that the main thrust of picture was on Frida's relationship with her husband, painter Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). The film does cover Frida's life from her childhood right up to her death. We begin the movie when Frida is a young woman aspiring to be a painter. Her father is highly supportive of her dreams. However, she is riding on a trolley one day when it gets into an accident. She has to be in a body cast for some time and it was in doubt whether she would ever walk again. She recovers, but she lives a life of pain. Frida meets the womanizing painter, Diego Rivera and they get married. This does not mean that he changes his ways and naturally this causes problems in their marriage. They remain committed to each other even when they are each sleeping with other people. Over the course of the movie we see Frida painting, but it seems that Frida the artist gets pushed to the side and we see Frida the woman/wife. I don't know enough about Frida Kahlo to know if this is a flaw in the movie or not, but it is just the way the movie is.

The acting in this movie is superb. Nothing feels wrong or forced. But, surpassing even the excellent acting is the visual presentation of Frida. Her artwork appears throughout the movie, but not simply as paintings hanging on the wall. Kahlo's artwork appears first as a painting, but that painting transforms into the scene itself. This also works the opposite way in that a scene will end up as a painting and the transitions between the two are so smooth it is very impressive.

I was very impressed with Frida. I didn't care for Julie Taymos's other film (Titus), so I didn't know what to expect. Everyone (Hayek, Taymor) exceeded my expectations for the movie. This was a very good movie.

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A Man Escaped (Criterion Collection) (1956)

This is the first Bresson film I ever saw and it stunned me. Since then, I have seen most of his other films and each one is remarkable, though a few stand out: Diary of a Country Priest, Au Hazard Balthaaar, Pickpocket, L'Argent. Still, this film is unique in that it retains the austere, minimalist and ultimately spiritual style of the others, and at the same time is a gripping thriller.

You might say of this film -though Bressonian purists might hate me for saying this -that Bresson uses his anti-Hollywood style to outdo Hollywood style. What I mean is: Bresson is known for revealing only what is absolutely essential, a gesture, an item, two hands engaged in an activity, feet walking. This has the effect of encouraging the viewer to pay attention, but also, because it forces no specific interpretation upon these items, encouraging the viewer to participate in the unfolding of events, and become more than merely a spectator. Hollywood style tends also to eliminate much of what is inessential, but to a much different end: to eliminate moments where the viewer might be distracted and think about something other than the film; the aim is to replace thought with the action on the screen, rather than to stimulate thought. In the case of this film, however, where the subject matter is a prison breakout (standard Hollywood fare) the minimalist style employed by Bresson is able to achieve both a high degree of tension, and a high level of involvement. From the moment the prisoner is in the prison, nothing is shown except what is relevant to the single-minded focus of the prisoner: to escape. In that sense, it is not at the end that the man escapes (as already announced in the title of the film), but from the very beginning he is escaped in the sense that he never accepts the status of imprisonment. The film is able to show this without ever having him discuss the matter with anyone. Remarkable.

This is one of cinema's great achievements, a testament of the combination of elements (subject, visual style, photographic image, movement, sound, background music, character, montage) are perfectly blended into a unique experience. The New Yorker print, however, is the worst copy of this film (16mm, 35mm, television screenings) I have ever seen. This was a copy with a lack of contrast, extra noise on the track, looking like a dub. If only there was a decent attempt to attain anything better would have begun to do the film justice. As it is, enjoy what you're stuck with but know there's something better out there.

Burt Shapiro

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This film is absolutely wonderful but when examined closer, it is merely a simple film and that is the main power. In what it is trying to express, a man who attempts to escape from a Gestapo prison camp, it relates to the existential values at the time. I have never seen a more crisp telling of a drama told in straight forward narrative and easy dialog. What is at the basis of this fabulous Bresson film is man's determinism in the face of imprisonment. Truly recommended.

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It seems strange to me that Robert Bresson referred to himself as a "Christian atheist", because God is very much present in this film. A

Man Escaped is based on the true story of André Devigny, a member of the French Resistance who managed to break out of prison just

hours before he was to be executed by the Germans. The movie begins with the prisoner, here called Fontaine, being driven to jail. The

men beside him are cuffed, but he is not. He tries to get away when the car stops but is recaptured and beaten about the head.

In prison, Fontaine nearly succumbs to despair, fearful that his fellow Resistance fighters will be rounded up too, but then a stranger

intervenes, a prisoner exercising in the courtyard who promises to get a note to them. Relieved of this concern, Fontaine once again sets

his mind to escape. While other men remain bound either physically or mentally, Fontaine develops a detailed plan of escape and

arduously sets about implementing it.

Bresson presents Fontaine's machinations in painstaking detail. He also confines most of the film to Fontaine's cell, so the viewer too

feels like a captive. Seemingly forgotten by the Germans, Fontaine delays his escape attempt. He believes that two people will be

required to make the attempt work, but is unable to convince anyone else to join him. He is himself afraid to take the leap of faith that it

requires, seemingly waiting for a sign that he should go ahead. The sign comes quite suddenly in the form of his death sentence, his

crimes not forgotten after all.

But now, just when everything seems to have fallen into place, another prisoner is placed in the cell with Fontaine, a very young man

whom he has every reason to distrust as a stool pigeon, planted at the last minute by the Germans. His execution scheduled for the next

day, Fontaine has but two choices : kill the boy or include him in the escape. Once again Fontaine has thrust upon him a matter of faith.

His resolution to this problem and the ensuing escape are exciting stuff. The very sparseness of the film and the way Bresson strips it of

emotion, makes the action, as he intended, speak for itself, and it speaks volumes. But there are also big ideas at work here, the most

refreshing of which, particularly coming from a Frenchman in the 1950s, is that faith and hope matter and that we can take some control

of events through our own actions. The most famous image of the French intellectuals' view of life is the example of Sisyphus, as per

Albert Camus. Sisyphus, a Titan sentenced to eternal punishment for rebelling against the Gods, has to push a boulder up a hill all day,

and at the end of the day, just as he arrives at the top, it rolls back down again. Bresson's film is perhaps best understood as a refutation

of this fatalistic and futile worldview; A Man Escaped suggests that indeed we can escape the fates, can create our own destinies, if only

we have faith and make the effort. The impetus remains with us, even if the ultimate outcome remains in the hands of "The Spirit".

GRADE : A+

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I first saw "A Man Escaped" in my Introduction to Cinema Studies course during my freshman year at college. It immediately became one of the greatest films I had ever seen. Over time, my feeling on it has evolved to the point that it is now one of my favorite films as well. The story is told in a sparse, visually narrow style that forces the viewer to imagine as well as simply watch. The prison is never seen as a whole; we are only shown pieces of it--a wall, a doorway, and so on. The German prison guards are more often only heard as footsteps coming to Fontaine's cell door. Rarely do we venture outside of Fontaine's cell once he is imprisoned, and when we do, it is usually to the same place, where he washes himself with the other prisoners. With the exception of the end, the plot of the movie revolves entirely around Fontaine's plan and exeuction of an escape. The magic of the film is that Bresson makes these minutiae indescribably watchable; we are invested in Fontaine's every action through the whole of the film, and we watch with anticipation as he grows closer to his goal with each passing month, day, minute. "A Man Escaped" is a beautifully rendered work of cinema, and it will appeal to everyone who wishes to do more than while away the time seeing a simple 'movie'.

As to the New Yorker DVD listed here, I'm afraid it is severly lacking in quality. The print used is dirty and dark, and the transfer itself suffers from a poor PAL to NTSC conversion that results in 'combing' and 'ghosting' (For those not technically inclined, this basically means that the film runs faster than an American film, but the difference in speed was not properly accounted for, causing a sort of blurriness in some scenes). There are also no special features, save for a few trailers for other Bresson films. As of the date of this review, the New Yorker disc is $26.99, and in my opinion that is simply too much to pay for a DVD that is this mediocre.

My suggestion is this:

A company in the UK called Artificial Eye has just released a new DVD of "A Man Escaped" this April. The picture quality is greatly improved and, because the UK uses the same PAL encoding system, there was no need for a conversion, which eliminates the combing and interlacing problems found on the New Yorker disc. Besides that, there is also a wonderful Dutch documentary (with English subtitles) called "The Road to Bresson" which is almost an hour long and features interviews with Andrei Tarkovsky, Louis Malle, and Paul Schrader amongst others. There is also footage of the notoriously camera-shy director accepting his award for Best Director (for "L'Argent") at the 1983 Cannes film festival. Finally, the documentary includes a delightful surprise at the end which I will not ruin here. On Amazon.co.uk the AE DVD is priced at £11.98, which is actually cheaper than the New Yorker with the current conversion rate. The disc is coded for Region 2 in the UK, so it will not work on a TV or DVD player in the USA unless both the TV and DVD player have multi-region capability and you have a PAL to NTSC converter box. However, the disc can be viewed on any PC by using any of a series of free media players widely available on the internet that circumvent region coding.

In short, if you value this film as much as I do, and want some value for your money, then skip this disappointment from New Yorker and pick up the Artificial Eye release instead.

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Queen's Blade Rebellion: Complete Collection

If you thought the original Queen's Blade series could not be topped,you will be delightfully surprised at this,the third "season". Claudette,the Thunder General and the oldest sister,is queen. She has abolished both the nobilities and the Queen's Blade tournaments and declared herself the eternal queen.Rebellions are rising and new heroines are introduced.

There is Yuit,an elf and editor-in-chief of a newspaper and her constant companion,a "female" robotatic warrior named Vante that wears pink panties and has serious real-looking hooters,

Liliana, the bodacious female pirate captain of a flying square-rigger,

Mirim,an innocent,sweet-hearted and hard working teenager that is impressed into servitude by the Iron Strategist for Claudette,

Ymir,who was the Iron Mountain Dwarf in the previous series but is now the Iron Strategist and one of the central characters of this series,

The Ragged Warrior,this series heroine who is the last of the Kreutz nobility;

Elina,the ever-horny incestious youngest sister of Claudette and Liena;

Leina the Wandering Warrior and principle herion of the original series now in a much-reduced role and one that seems to have narcolepsy as she suddenly falls asleep,( for reasons that are probably meant to be discovered in the next season);

the previously defeated queen is now a new bride with amneasia,

The most outrageous new cast memeber is LunaLuna,the Sun/Moon Dancer that would be less provocative wearing nothing at all instead of the "ceremonial" false penis that she uses to good "effect" to open the temple door.As quirky as she is,she adds immeasurably to the story.

Melona,the "pink rabbit" minion of the Swap Witch,makes a late but critical appearance;

The new angel in charge has an orthopedic wing;

Add two dine-and-dash sisters,an Inquistioner that gives a blessing by hoisting her skirt...and an octopus.

There are magic stones when placed on a females "three points" can turn a sweet girl into a unstoppable warrior,and a woman with dragon blood in her veins that is the slave of a gremlin...

Well,you get the picture. This is sheer delight and fun and,quit frankly,more entertaining than the prevous series. Highly recommended for late (17+)teens and adults.

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De-Lovely (2004)

Cole Porter, legendary composer and lyricist, met and married American divorcee Linda in Paris. The marriage was unexpected: where Porter was clearly homosexual, Linda was uninterested in physical intimacy. Even so, those who knew them describe them as deeply in love with each other on a purely emotional level. Throughout their long marriage, Porter repeatedly engaged in shallow liaisons with various men while Linda looked the other way--at least as long as Porter was reasonably discreet.

Porter's sense of discretion was not always sufficent for Linda, who left him several times and threatened divorce on at least one occasion. It was, however, enough "to get by" with the vast public, which saw only the glamour of their lives and the great brilliance of Porter's talents. The result was a 1946 film biography that put many of Porter's greatest songs before the camera while casting handsome Cary Grant as the waspish Porter and lovely Alexis Smith as the somewhat icy Linda--a movie that went over well with audiences but which actually had very little basis in reality.

The 2004 DE-LOVELY takes a considerably different tack. It would be hard to say that the film "tells all"--but it tells enough and it offers a host of high-art concepts and truly fine performances in the process. It debuted with tremendous fanfare and then, amazingly, seemed to vanish from the screen within a single night. While most critics liked the film, the public did not, and they were pretty emphatic about it.

Some audiences complained about the "artiness" of the film's concept, which consists of the aging Porter reviewing the major events of his life through the filter of a stage show--an idea that seems to owe a great deal to Bob Fosse's ALL THAT JAZZ without managing to carry it off with the same conviction. Some Porter fans complained that the contemporary pop singers used in the film couldn't carry Porter's music; others complained that the music was never presented in a straight-forward sort of way. Still others were taken aback by the discovery that Porter was gay--and truly one has to wonder where such viewers have been for the past fifty years, that they somehow managed to miss this very widely circulated bit of information.

In truth, the concept works reasonably if not spectacularly well, the singers are acceptable if not always knock-out in their performances, and Porter's sexual habits are made plain without throwing the characters in and out of bed on the screen. The real problem with DE-LOVELY, at least to my mind, is two-fold: it is just ever-so-slightly slow and it is profoundly, and I do mean profoundly, depressing. Each tends to heighten the effect of the other.

On the other hand, the performances are exceptionally good. Kevin Kline is hardly a look-alike for the small, dark Cole Porter, but you believe him in the role. As for Ashley Judd--the role of Linda Porter would seem impossible to play in a believable sort of way, much less in a sympathetic manner, but she carries it flawlessly from start to finish. Together they are brilliant, and that isn't a word I use very often in refence to contemporary film making.

The DVD contains a host of bonuses, including two audio tracks and several behind-the-scenes documentaries, and for once the word "bonus" really is generally applicable. While it will probably prove too dark for most, many will be fascinated by the way DE-LOVELY turns the glitter of Porter's public life into a costume for his often bitter private life--something that was very much the case in reality. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

"When they begin the beguine

It brings back the sound of music so tender,

It brings back a night of tropical splendor,

It brings back a memory ever green."

When "De-Lovely" begins it is October 15, 1964 and Cole Porter (Kevin Kline) is about to die. This requires his life to flash before his eyes, but since we are talking Cole Porter this means there are all sorts of creative decisions involved in this final production. The conceit of the film is that Porter is sitting in the first theater that he visited while growing in Peru, Indiana, with "Gabe" (Jonathan Pryce) at his side. The result is not a musical but rather a musical biography, which is why we do not go back to Porter's childhood but rather to the moment that the gay songwriter met the love of his life, the divorcee Linda Lee (Ashley Judd), who would become his wife.

"And that's why birds do it, bees do it

Even educated fleas do it

Let's do it, let's fall in love."

Cole and Linda marry, equally aware of the strengths as well as the weaknesses of their relationship. Linda was more than a front of respectability for Cole's homosexuality; she was his muse. "De-Lovely" abandons the traditions of a bio-pic in terms of places and dates to focus more on the songs Cole Porter wrote. Kevin Kline is a piano player, and he uses this talent to great affect in the film. Cole is often sitting at the piano composing the music of his life and it compels us to listen again to the familiar lyrics, but this time in the context of his life. The recurring thought is not that he is writing all of these songs to reflect himself, but that there are times when the songs are clearly for her.

"Every time we say goodbye, I die a little,

Every time we say goodbye, I wonder why a little,

Why the Gods above me, who must be in the know.

Think so little of me, they allow you to go."

You can try and tell the story of Cole Porter's life, but it is always going to come back to his music. After all, it is a song that attracts Linda to Cole and teaching someone to sing "Night and Day" that shows Porter at his seductive best. However, when you have Cole Porter's songs being sung by the likes of Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Dianna Krall, Robbie Williams, and Natalie Cole, it is not surprising that those songs once again take the spotlight away from the man who wrote them. I was rather surprised that I recognized every single song played in "De-Lovely," but then that only serves to underscore that Cole Porter is one of the greatest American songwriters.

"You're the Top! You're the colosseum,

You're the Top! You're the louve museum,

You're a melody from a symphony, by Strauss,

You're a Bandle bonnet, a Shakspeare sonnet,

You're Mickey mouse.

You're the Nile, You're the Towr of Pisa,

You're the smile on the Mona Lisa;

Im a worthless check, a total wreck, a flop,

But if Baby, Im the bottom,

You're the top!"

Director Irwin Winkler's 2004 film has the advantage of not only Porter's music but of Kline's performance, although obviously the actor needs to tone down his singing considerably (we get to hear Porter himself singing at the start of the final credits). Judd, who usually refrains from singing in public to avoid comparison to her mother and sister, does a couple of songs as well. You can also throw in the exquisite period costumes courtesy of Armani that help to define Porter as the paradigm of wit and urbane sophistication before the riding accident that crippled him. The film keeps trying to suggest that "Let's Misbehave!" is the de facto Cole Porter theme song, but in the end the man and his music both speak to more optimistic sentiments.

"The world has gone mad today

And good's bad today,

And black's white today,

And day's night today,

When most guys today

That women prize today

Are just silly gigolos

And though I'm not a great romancer

I know that I'm bound to answer

When you propose,

Anything goes."

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What we have here is a film based on but not limited to the adult life of Cole Porter. How to describe it? It's not a biopic nor is it a musical comedy. It resembles All That Jazz (1979) and Evita (1996) when combining fact with contrivance within a series of flashbacks to create dramatic impact. Various devices (e.g. hallucination and reminiscence) enable us to explore various components of Porter's life as well as the various relationships which he developed over a period of several decades. Kevin Kline brilliantly portrays Porter, with an able supporting cast headed by Ashley Judd (Linda Thomas Cole), Jonathan Pryce (Gabe), Kevin McNally (Gerald Murphy), Sandra Nelson (Sara Murphy), and Alan Corduner (Monty Woolley). I guess this could be called a Film Noir/Musical Review. Defining moments in Porter's adult life are coordinated with his greatest Broadway musicals which include Gay Divorcee, Anything Goes, and Kiss Me Kate, later adapted to the screen. As for his most popular songs, several of their titles suggest double meanings when we take into account Porter's bi-sexual love life. For example, "Let's Do It," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "You Do Something to Me," and "Anything Goes." Irwin Winkler pulls all of this together fairly well. Yes, the plot has its lumpy moments and, yes, the make-up isn't always effective (late in life, Kline's Porter resembles Charles Foster Kane) but the musical performances are highly entertaining and I especially appreciate the fact that Kline sings as ineptly as Porter did. I much prefer this version to Night and Day (1946) which Porter enjoyed because he was played by Cary Grant. On balance, De-Lovely is an enjoyable film and I resist the temptation to offer a pun on its title when selecting a title of my own for these brief remarks.

Read Best Reviews of De-Lovely (2004) Here

The musical production numbers are fabulous in this telling of the high and low points in the life of songwriter Cole Porter. He wrote so many tunes, ones I've heard and loved all my life, and those selected for this movie were great---many done with updated renditions by current artists.

The movie begins when an aged Porter is summoned by a director to view the rehearsal for a play based on his life. The story unfolds in a series of theatrical scenes beginning with his love-at-first-sight romance with Linda and his lifelong devotion to her. Also highlighted is his bisexual lifestyle which she accepts amazingly well as long as it doesn't become a public scandal. Kevin Kline is outstanding as the young and dashing Porter as well as the aged and defeated man. Ashley Judd shines as the loving mate who guides his career and his recovery from a horrific accident.

But it is the music that steals the show, the lyrics and melodies that have endured for years and will remain firmly entrenched as pop standards long past the 20th century. Songs such as "De-Lovely," "Let's Misbehave," "Night and Day," "Anything Goes," "You're the Top," and my personal favorite "Every Time We Say Goodbye" are done with the style and grace worthy of Cole Porter and performed by such varied artists as Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morissette, Natalie Cole and others including Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd. One outstanding feature of the DVD is that the scene selection menu makes it easy to just go back and see all the production numbers.

If you like musicals and a toe-tapping good time, this is one you don't want to miss.

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De-Lovely is a major achievement and is remarkable for many reasons, not the least of them being that it was even made in the first place. For every De-Lovely, Hollywood seems to crank out hundreds of shoot-em-up explosion spectaculars, teen sex comedies, star vehicles for gangster rappers, and depressing, nihilistic "independent" films for the intelligentsia.

De-Lovely is everything these films are not. It is a great musical in the "they don't make `em like that any more" sense, a poignantly heartwarming love story with true emotional depth (and a twist), a celebration of life and happiness (as well as a recognition and understanding of life's tragedies), and a star vehicle for two truly talented actor/singers, Kevin Klein and Ashley Judd, plus a plethora of cameo appearances by currently popular singers (including Elvis Costello, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow and Natalie Cole) who obviously are singing their songs more for love (of Cole Porter) than money.

As depicted in De-Lovely, Cole Porter possessed more joie-de-vivre than perhaps any man in history, and he wrote his songs straight from the heart. The first part of the film, corresponding to the first half of Porter's adult life, appears to be all peaches and cream, and I was prepared simply to enjoy an upbeat musical. Porter enters into a nearly perfect (for him) relationship with his wife Linda, that allows him his dalliances and to remain true to his self, but also to, over time, experience the depths of true love with a life's partner. It is the second half of the film, when the Porter's must overcome multiple tragedies, that elevate De-Lovely to a truly noteworthy film, by showing a deep understanding of love and humanity.

Kevin Klein and Ashley Judd give great performances. Klein has the most challenging role, as he must sing, dance, and act through a broad range of emotions, as well as age over the course of 40 or 50 years (by the way, the make-up work which aged the actors is very good it must be amazing for Klein and Judd to see what they may look like in their 60s or 70s). I wouldn't be surprised to see Oscar nominations for Klein (especially) and Judd, if this film reaches a broad enough audience. My quibbles with the film are minor (some abrupt transitions, and some garbled dialogue), and are far outweighed by the many positives.

Surprisingly, the major movie critics have ranged all over the "love/hate" spectrum in their reviews of De-Lovely (check out the metacritic web site to see for yourself). I think the reaction to the film is primarily a function of the state of mind of the reviewer, i.e. subjectivity dominates objectivity. I am flabbergasted that the Village Voice reviewer could call this film "overwhelmingly glum". I wonder what this reviewer thought of "Sid & Nancy", which I would say is the antithesis of De-Lovely?

If modern pop culture has not yet turned you into a complete cynic, if you have any appreciation at all for music of the Jazz Age, big bands, or crooners such as Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, or (today) Harry Connick Jr., if you have a romantic bone in your body, if you enjoy traditional Hollywood or Broadway musicals or a great love story, then I think you will find De-Lovely definitely delightful!

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Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy Gift Set (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) (1993)

In the light of so many negative customer reviews of this set, I decided, before writing this review to do a direct comparison between the DVD version of Jurassic Park vs. the Blu-ray. I made it a point to set my BD player audio compression to wide range and set the volume levels for each version to be approximately at the same level for the spoken dialog to give each version a fair comparison.

I chose four sections to compare:

1. The scene at Sam Neill's dig beginning with the brushing away of sand from a fossil.

2. The helicopter ride into Jurassic Park.

3. The first encounter with the brachiosaurus beginning when the jeeps come to a stop and Sam Neill and Laura Dern first see the creature.

4. The night storm scene with the T-Rex encounter.

All of the above begin at a chapter change of both disc versions, making them quick to locate.

The video: In no instance can the DVD version compare with the Blu-ray.

In scene 1, the sand particles are fully defined in the Blu-ray and are a blur with the DVD. When Sam Neill rises into the frame the landscape is richly defined in the Blu-ray until the camera refocuses onto Neill's face. Later we see the sheen of sweat on Neill's face with the Blu-ray which is not noticeable at all with the DVD. The improvement in facial definition of the people standing behind Neill when he is lecturing them.

In scene 2, the improvement in the definition of the sea water below the helicopter, the facial definition of the passengers, the clear definition of the weave in Sam Neill's hat. Later the foliage clarity as the helicopter (a miniature, I believe) flies through the canyon.

In scene 3, the improved definition of the tree foliage which is a blur with the DVD and outstandingly defined in the Blu-ray. The definition of the details of the creatures they are observing.

In scene 4, the improved details in the night scene, objects really look wet from the rain. The amazing definition of the wet scales of the T-Rex.

The audio: When I first heard the audio of the DVD, I knew that it was shamefully compressed compared with the LD (Laser Disc) issue that I still have. Also missing were the fundamentals in bass sounds which also have been fully restored with the DTS sound track of the Blu-ray.

In scene 1. When the seismic charge in detonated, you can feel it in the floor with the BD. Not there at all with the DVD.

In scene 3. When the brachiosaur rises on its hind legs and howls, it is really loud with the BD, terribly compressed with the DVD.

When it falls back down onto its forelegs, you feel it in your chest. No such thing with the DVD.

In scene 4. The sound of the thunder, the bass elements of the T-Rex growls, the thumps of its footsteps are all very powerful with the BD and missing in the DVD. When the T-Rex howls at the children and they clap their hands over their ears you hear why they are doing it with the Blu-ray.

The DVD doesn't capture this at all.

The above noted audio differences will not be noticeable at all when using standard TV speakers. A decent home audio system is required with the Blu-ray player set to wide range audio (least compression). I recommend monitoring your volume setting carefully at first to safe-guard your speakers.

I can say without reservation that all three of the films in this collection benefit immeasurably with the Blu-ray format in picture and sound.

The films themselves:

Jurassic Park: Of course the film most people will remember because it made the greatest initial impression. It deserves to be remembered because nothing quite like it had been previously accomplished from a technical standpoint. It's an enormously entertaining and absorbing picture with a fine cast and somehow manages to convince you of the possibilities implied, at least for a while.

The Lost World -Jurassic Park: The most disappointing of the three, especially considering that it was directed by Spielberg. It more resembles a "monster movie" in the class of "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" or some such -one highly improbable crisis after another. There are a few CG errors noticeable even in the DVD version. In the stegosaurus scene, the creature's front foot suddenly unrealistically moves horizontally in the pond water without being lifted, which should have been corrected.

Jurassic Park III: An interesting title considering that there is no film titled Jurassic Park II. Still, a greatly entertaining film in the style of a grand adventure. The search for the missing young boy makes the story more compelling. This film also benefits from a fine cast which the second film generally lacks.

I would have preferred the packaging to be similar to the book form used for the "Star Wars" saga in the interest of saving shelf space but I certainly find the collection to be very entertaining and technically very impressive.

Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster is still the best of the Jurassic trilogy, and the film retains all the amazement and anticipation it had when it was first released.

Taken from Michael Crichton's thrilling novel, Jurassic Park is one Spielberg's most expertly-crafted films. The special effects are from FX maestro Stan Winston, who did the special effects for Aliens (1986) and Terminator 2 (1991). The seamless combination of CGI and robotic creatures creates some truly terrifying action setpieces.

Despite what some critics thought when the film was released, I feel that all the principal actors give good performances, especially Sam Neill as Alan Grant and Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm. But admittedly, the dinosaur creations are the main attraction, and Winston's monsters (which won him another Oscar after Terminator 2) are truly frightning. Great entertainment.

The Lost World is an exciting adventure starring Jeff Goldblum, Vince Vaughn, Julianne Moore and Pete Postlethwaite. The film picks up four years after the incident at Jurassic Park, where a corporate businessman Peter Ludlow (Arliss Howard) plans to take dinosaurs off the second island (Isla Sorna, where dinosaurs have been breeding) and bring them to a theme park in San Diego.

Spielberg knows what the audience wants; the film has more dinosaurs, even better CGI and impressive animatronic dinosaurs from the maestro Stan Winston. The action throughout the film is exciting and while not as astonishing as Jurassic, the effects are first-rate. Although the action is good, the story isn't one of Spielberg's best. That said, the principal cast are fine, especially Goldblum as Malcolm ("Ooh, aah, that's how it always starts, and then later the running and screaming") and Postewaite as Roland Tembo, a game hunter intent on shooting one of the Tyrannosaurs. Silly in parts, it's still an exciting adventure movie, with enough action and light humour to satisfy audiences.

Joe Johnston, taking over the reigns from Spielberg, has created an adventure that starts off quickly and hardly ever lets up. Sam Neill, returning to the role which made him famous in the original, is a stronger presence than in the first Jurassic, and the supporting cast of William H. Macy and Tea Leoni manage not to get lost amidst the barrage of CGI dinosaurs. The special effects are, of course the main stars, with Stan Winston's excellent dinosaurs surpass the ones for the original. And the plot (a bunch of people get stuck on an island with dangerous dinosaurs) provides plenty of great scares (a scene with nasty pterodactyls is the high-point) and fast-paced action to satisfy audiences. Great fun.

The trilogy DVD extras are firstrate, with superb picture and sound for all the discs. The special features are exceptional, with a 50 minute 'making of' of the film. Most interesting, however, is the footage of early pre-production meetings with Spielberg and the FX team discussing how certain shots and effects should be done. Also there are storyboards, production photos and web links.

The extras for The Lost Wolrd are fantastic, with a comprehensive 'making of', deleted scenes, trailers and ton of production info. The highlight on the JP3 Disc is the Commantary from the special effects team of Stan Winston, Michael Lantieri and some of the crew. Also, you get a series of 'making of's and trailers. Best of all is Disc 4 "Beyond Jurassic Park" featuring over two hours of never-before-available bonus material from all three films. Excellent entertainment that is a must-have for Jurassic fans.

Buy Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy Gift Set (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) (1993) Now

Yeah, I know the title of this review is corny, but you have to admit that this is a pretty nice boxed set. It contains all three films from the "Jurassic Park" film series. The first film stands alone as one of the most impressive and progressive films of its time. It featured the best special effects of its time and each film builds on these effects. Let's break each film down:

"Jurassic Park" Five stars

Perhaps the greatest dinosaur film ever made, "Jurassic Park" features brilliant special effects, wonderful acting and a great plotline filled with suspense and horror. With Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough heading up a small cast of characters including Samuel L. Jackson, this film is sure to be a winner in anyone's collection. Briefly, this is the tale of a man who hopes to cash in on genetically bred dinosaurs by creating a sort of theme park that allows the average man to get an up-close-and-personal look at T-Rex, stegosaurus, and those wicked velociraptors. Of course, when a small group arrives to approve the park, things go awry. Highly recommended flick worthy of multiple views.

"The Lost World" Three Stars

The weakest flick in the series. Jeff Goldblum reprises his role from the original flick as he goes to a second island where the dinos from the original film were allowed to grow before being shipped to the park. He's there to help a small group study the dinosaurs in an environment untouched by man. Then a gang of hunters come along in a last ditch effort to save the pocketbooks of the JP stockholders and bring a T-Rex back to San Diego, CA to cash in. Unfortunately, this film was weighed down by eco-terrorism and way too many characters. Though the cast was very good, there just wasn't enough to work with here. Not worthy of many viewings, but it's nice to have in the set.

"Jurassic Park III" Four stars

The best sequel and it saves the saga from the forgettable "Lost World." This film brings back Sam Neill's character who gets conned into going back to the islands and ends up having to save the son of a wealthy and on-the-outs couple(played wittingly by William H. Macy and Tea Leoni). It has a brief but wonderful cameo by Laura Dern and takes a potshot at the purple dino, Barney. This film is the most wide open of the bunch as it ditches the suspense of the original and the morality tale of "Lost World" and goes straight for the action. It's a wonderful popcorn flick that works well for what it is. Definitely worthy of multiple viewings and definitely worth owning.

As a whole, this set is really wonderful to own. You get all three films for less than the price of two of them if you purchased each separately. The packaging is pretty cool since it resembles the opening gates that are so famous from the first film. There are plenty of extras for folks into that kind of stuff and two out of three of these films is worth watching more than once. The original flick is timeless, "JPIII" is a rollercoaster ride, and "The Lost World" is nice to have if you're a completionist. Get this set today if you can't get enough of the dino-action and dino-horror that is the "Jurassic Park Adventure Pack."

Read Best Reviews of Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy Gift Set (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) (1993) Here

When this set came out we decided that we had to have it as our previous versions were on VHS. The bonus with this set of four is the fourth disk with all the wonderful extra features. If you enjoy learning how movies are made the fourth disk, while long, is a great companion to the three movies themselves.

"Jurassic Park" introduced us to digital dinosaurs, and how fearsome they could be with modern computer technology. This movie advanced horror and monsters movie in a method similar to the way "Alien" advanced movies. "Jurassic Park" immediately became an audience favorite and the new standard by which special effects would be judged. Stephen Spielberg effectively combined in-your-face terror with special effects to keep people at the edge of their seats and in awe of the life-like creatures.

"The Lost World" unfortunately did not measure up to "Jurassic Park." Many of the characters were unbelievable and there were too many plot holes that were too readily visible to make the movie enjoyable from beginning to end. While there were several parts of the movie that were well-done, there were at least as many parts where the actions of the characters was unrealistic when considering how people in their positions would normally behave. The bumps in actions of the characters just did not allow me to focus on the plot throughout. Another problem with this movie is that it focused too much on action, and very little on the characters themselves. Thus, the movie comes across as more of a cartoon than a horror movie.

"Jurassic Park III" simplified the plot, added new dinosaurs, and allowed the characters to develop more than "The Lost World." The short length of the movie forced the movie to be more simple than the previous movie, and that simplicity makes for a good movie. The best new dinosaur in this movie had to be the pteranodons, though the spinosaur was great also. The characters in this movie generally acted as I would expect them to, and there were fewer outright acts of stupidity. Even the theft of a raptor egg was done in ignorance. So while it was a convenient plot device, you would expect something like that by someone with only minimal knowledge of dinosaurs. I was very happy to see Sam Neill returning in the role of Dr. Alan Grant. His character particularly is very believable.

If you have yet to buy all these movies, and you thought they were all at least good, if not great, this set is an excellent addition to a home video library.

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I bought this new release with some concern regarging the negative reviews (by some) of the blu-ray transfer quality. I viewed this on a new panasonic LCD TV and a new panasonic disc player. The quality of the image was not a problem. I'm a very critical viewer who has sensitive eyes and has to turn off the back light function for all viewing during day and evening. This lack of back light can be compensated for by turning up the brightness. That being said, I was impressed with my viewing of disc 1 "Jurassic Park." The image was sharp and clear. I've noticed that scenes in dark, low contrast conditions tend to be less so with Blu-ray, in general. Using the back light function will compensate for this, but I choose not do so to avoid the eyestrain that will result. Jurasic park was better than the other movies I've seen in this regard. In fact it was almost not noticable in comparison to other Blu-ray films I have seen. Overall I was very impressed with the quality of the viewing image. I suspect that those who had problems with the quality may have had a disc player that needed some updating.

My only complaint with the film is after a few minutes on pause, the image is lost to a Universal screen logo, and you can't get back into the film by pressing "play." This is a result of the "timeline" bookmark feature that comes up whenever you press the pause button. Just press the green button on the remote and the feature will resume where you left off (whether you originally chose to bookmark the pause or not). If you don't do this you will find yourself in the main menu starting the film from the beginning if you press other buttons trying to get back into the film.

Overall, the image is quite good and anyone who is a fan of this film will enjoy it immensly in this format and will probably not even notice or care about what some of the negative reviewers have chosen to focus (no pun intended) on.

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Spy Next Door, The (2010) (2010)

This movie was pretty funny, the kids were cute, and the overarching themes of telling the truth and protecting your loved ones are great points of discussion with children. For those that love Jackie Chan movies, you might be a little disappointed that there is not as much action in this movie and some of the stunts are obviously on wires. But it is a movie for kids/families, so the level and excitement of the stunts seemed appropriate to me. A few things I would want to be aware of as a parent before watching the movie with my child: 1)the female villain often shows a lot of cleavage 2)The 13 year old daughter seems to get away with being very disrespectful to the mom (though it is kind of explained a little later in the movie) 3)there is a little profanity 4)a college age young man hits on the 13 year old daughter (though Jackie doesn't let him get away with it) 5)the young boy in the movie boasts about watching pornography on pay-per view 6)he is also obsessed with getting older girls to show interest in him and receives some tips from Jackie on how to accomplish it.

If you're looking for a decent, fun little movie you can watch with your family in a relatively painless fashion then you've come to the right place.

For some reason many action stars have supplemented their income by appearing in movies with kids. Maybe they are trying to widen their appeal from the hardcore action audience to the family friendly scene. Maybe they're getting too old to keep up with the pace of a full-on action movie. I don't know why they do it, but it's almost becoming mandatory for these guys to take on a kid or three as a side-kick and attempt to blend action and family fare.

And these attempts almost always stink.

This one is better. It's still "action-light" but I think it works because of the star, Jackie Chan. His character seems like a genuinely nice guy who wants to get along with the mandatory bratty kids. Chan's light presence matches up with the tone of the movie and makes it seem ....hmm...not as weird and patently unbelievable and maybe even patronizing as other movies of this kind.

Basically Jackie plays Bob Ho, a Chinese secret agent on loan to the CIA. He retires so he can marry Gillian, a divorced single mom who is looking for someone reliable. Her kids don't really cotton to Bob though, so she decides to put her relationship with Bob on hold until they're ok with her marrying Bob. Bob is saddened but resolves to win the kids and his girl friend over.

Then, luckily, hijinx ensue. One of Gillian's kids downloads some top secret stuff off Bob's computer and before you can say Boris and Natasha some evil Russians are in hot pursuit. After a variety of PG style mishaps Bob captures the bad guys and wins the day, the girl friend and the family. And like I said, it works because Jackie Chan doesn't seem shoe-horned into the role.

The action is lighter than most Chan movies but it is inventive and fun. The kids act a little more like real kids than Hollywood Central Casting pods. The youngest kid in particular seems like real 4 year old, goofy and light hearted. When she delivered the line" I don't wanna be a princess, I wanna be a cyboooorg!" I cracked up. I actually laughed more than a few times, which surprised me. As long as you realize going in that this is just very light family entertainment I think you'll be pleased

Buy Spy Next Door, The (2010) (2010) Now

Good natured Spy vs. Kids action flick is a low-cal twinkie even by family film standards. The critics liked to play rough with it; and if you feel snooty about it, better stay away. Cute is its stock in trade and there are no disappointments if expectations remain logical: PG Jackie Chan suburban domestic comedy with mild action. Wacky Russian mobsters and their dominatrix-babe leader wear leathers and generally show bad taste as the foil in the spy plot, which follows Jackie home to his family to be.

Good for kids or adults like me who need a balance from the heavy stuff.

Blu-ray makes the grade for sight and sound.

Read Best Reviews of Spy Next Door, The (2010) (2010) Here

This is one is Jackie Chan's best movie's that he has done, fun, ietertaning, full of action and a great all a round movie.

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Gillian (Amber Valletta) has next a new potential love of her life; it is her next-door neighbor, the sedate pen salesman Bob Ho (Jackie Chan). However, their relationship is doomed as Gillian's children hold a low opinion of Bob. Gillian wants her kids to be safe and happy. What about Bob? He may not be as sedate as Gillian supposes but he intends to for her kids to like him. His opportunity comes when he gets to babysit. However, it looks like his old job may complicate things.

With few exceptions, I am not a Jackie Chan fan. This movie is definitely one of the exceptions. It has over the top acting and stunts. The story is formula and predictable but this people can act and the dialog is hokey to match. You will want to kibitz.

I have only seen the Blu-ray version. Be sure to look at the few DVD extras.

Weekend (The Criterion Collection) (2011)

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

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

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

The Director approved Hi-Def Criterion Disc extras:

Interviews with the director, producer, and principle cast.

Interview with Haigh on the film's sex scenes

On-set video footage shot by New and others

Cullen and New audition footage

Video essay on the film's set photographers

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

Trailer

Criterion booklet essay from film critic Daniel Lim

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

Buy Weekend (The Criterion Collection) (2011) Now

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cons: None

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

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Open Season 2 (2009)

I had high hopes for this one as animation can look so pristine in BD, but I was in for a shock. Sony Animation was behind this, but it had the whole Cartoon Network look to it instead. The main voice talents from the first film did not come over,nor did any of the writing/production staff (and it shows).

The story is just ok, entailing friends helping and rescuing each other with plenty of adventure and rabbit abuse. One of the main characters is a dachshund so apparently the "wiener" humor is what passes for hilarity these days. While it has been playing in the store kids of all ages are entranced by it but the parents haven't been thrilled with the parts they have seen. The "..that lady pulled my wiener.." and "..my beautiful rack.." lines raise a few parent's eyebrows so it hasn't exactly been a hit like I had hoped.

The BD supplements are painful, including "deleted scenes" which were hand sketched and not worth the time. The "Weenie Arcade" has a horribly spliced "Who Let the Dogs Out" video by the Baha Men, a how to draw the animals tutorial, and a featurette about the faces behind the voices.

I loved Hoodwinked, even with that style of animation, and OS2 looks similar in nature (no pun meant) but is much less of a quality film. I have read where people say this an ideal family film, which nothing really offends me so I would watch it with my kids, but needless to say I lost a few rentals playing it in the store. And for a BD, not one of the memorable ones.

Aside from the trite story line and really cheap animation the real reason for watching this animation was going to be it's anticipated hilarious humor. So here's the humor count: Half chuckle 10 minutes into movie; another half chuckle around 23 and again 45 minutes. Fell asleep between 23 and 45 so there may be more. Story was resolved at about 65 minutes and the final 20 minutes was pointless filler. Suggestion: Stop at Open Season 1 if you want to be left with fond memories.

Buy Open Season 2 (2009) Now

1. Doesn't have Martin Lawrence or Ashton Kutcher

2. Lots of sexual innuendos

3. Lame story

4. Dissapointing looking character models/animation (doesnt come close to the first)

dont waste your money.

Read Best Reviews of Open Season 2 (2009) Here

I didn't have any expectations for this movie, but I liked the first one and wanted to buy this one as well. I was a bit disappointed in the story line and more disappointed that the original cast did not do the voices for this one. It has it's funny parts though. Not as good as Madagascar 2 but I'll keep it.

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Boog and Elliot and the cast of Open Season are back for another crazy adventure. In this one, Elliot plans to marry Giselle but the plans are cut short when he see Mr. Weenie get kidnapped. Boog, Elliot, McSquizzy, Buddy, Giselle and the rest of the gang launch a rescue mission to save their friend, only to find themselves in a war with pets.

Take heart, though, fellow Open Seasoners...there's been some changes made this time around. Gone are Martin Lawrence & Ashton Kutcher, in are Mike Epps & Joel McHale. Personally, I think they did a decent job at capturing Boog & Elliot's essence for this movie. Although, I missed Martin and Ashton's presence. They seemed to have a chemistry that showed in the original.

While I love this movie and recommend it to you, wholeheartedly; it still lacks that certain something to me that made the original so great. I'm going to be honest with you, above all, concerning my feelings for the movie. It's not a bad movie by any means. Everyone gives stellar performances. It's just something didn't click. Maybe that is why the movie was released straight to DVD and not theatrically.

At any rate, would I recommend you buy it still and add it to your collection? Most definitely.

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Dino King (2013)

i just watched this on youtube and i am very impressed! I love dinosaurs in general and this is one of THE best dinosaur movies i have ever seen. well worth purchasing!

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Bullitt (2007)

Arguably the best crime film of 1968, and certainly one of the most influential films of the genre...."Bullitt" established new directions in the mood and style of crime thrillers, and firmly established McQueen as one of the key anti-hero stars of the 60's. Based on the gritty novel "Mute Witness" by Robert L. Pike, this was the first, and only, time McQueen portrayed a police officer (albeit a maverick one) in his movie career. In 1968 Steve was then riding high on the success of his previous heist film, "The Thomas Crown Affair", and "Bullitt" just propelled his star even higher into the cinematic heavens !

The plot is tight, economical and well crafted....taciturn, moody Detective Frank Bullitt (McQueen) is charged with the protection of a key witness vital to an upcoming trial involving Mafia connections. Whilst hidden away in a supposed secure location, the witness and his police guard are brutally gunned down by unknown assailants. The heat is turned up on Bullitt by his tough Captain (Simon Oakland) and the manipulative, opportunistic politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) to come up with the right answers fast ! Between the draining investigation, Bullitt struggles to maintain his relationship with his cultured, sensitive girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset)

Primarily coming from a TV series background, Englishman Peter Yates (directing his fourth movie) did a commendable job as director on "Bullitt"...producing a complex, intense crime thriller with a unique style that would ultimately influence many other films. Yates would later to go onto direct tough guy Robert Mitchum in the excellent 1973 "sleeper" crime film "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" !

And of course "Bullitt" is reknowned for it's now legendary car chase between Frank Bullitt's 390 GT Mustang and the two hitmen in their black, Dodge Charger 440 Magnum barrelling through the city streets and highways of San Francisco....just don't pay too much attention to how many times they pass that slow-moving, green VW Beetle !!

The DVD transfer is excellent in both sound and picture quality, and the Limited Edition Collectors Set with the additional goodies (Single sheet poster, shooting draft, lobby cards etc.) is a real bonus for keen film fans !!

One of my favourite cop thrillers....McQueen sizzles on screen !!

I have read GQ and other men's fashion magazines for the last 20 years. No single person is mentioned as a men's style icon more often than Steve McQueen, and this movie defines his style most clearly. What I think that is not often understood, is why his style is so beloved. It is minimalist, yes, but also, this is someone not playing the middle class America game.

1) He lives in a small apartment. The furniture is ordinary, with a few hip 60's touches. (Watch for the picture over his bed, his paisley bathrobe, the cool paper hanging lampshade, and a couple of hippie style items on the walls). You get the impression he owns about six pairs of clothes at most. He eats cheap frozen dinners (except for the occasional date at the cool San Fran Restaurant). He is not wasting this time and life keeping up with the Jones's.

2.) He is not climbing the career ladder. On this case, he doesn't give a thought to politics. He is not chasing the American ideal of success.

3.) Look closely and you will see his car, the most famous in any movie ever, is a olive drab color. Not candy apple bright red. It is a Mustang, a symbol of blue collar America. It is dusty, and he parks it in the street, not a garage. He does not inspect it for door dings every time he goes out to it. It has dents in it. You get the impression he doesn't spend his free time polishing and waxing it.

4.) He doesn't spend his time chasing money. He spends it on his job, trying to do what he thinks is right, not what is good for office politics and promotion.

5.) His clothes are 60's pre-hippie fashion perfection (look for the extremely tapered legs, the suede loafers, and of course the famous tweed blazer and blue turtleneck).

In summary, I think it is funny that people idolize McQueen's personal style in this movie and yet they don't realize why. It is not just the stoicism, or minimalism. It is the old fashion American values (think Old West). Just something to think about as you watch one of my favorite movies of all time.

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Few people who see this movie for the first time understand the profound impact it had when it came out. While modern day crime dramas are filled with gratuitous, numbing violence, the reality of this movie was a real breakthrough. The famous car chase may be the thiing that brings people back to "Bullitt" but the gritty realism is what makes this a classic. The only movie of that time which matched it for realism may have been "The Detectives". This movie really changed filmmaking. When I saw this movie in 1968, five people fainted in the theatre during the scene where the killers broke into the hotel room to murder the potential witness. There is also the fine performance of Robert Vaughn as a politician whose murdered star witness was his mealticket. Vaughn is noted as the consummate Hollywood liberal, and his portrayal of this self-serving scumbag is perfect.

Read Best Reviews of Bullitt (2007) Here

Better view than the DVD. But only worth renting, or if it can be purchased used or on mark down at $5 or less.

A great film with very problematic picture and sound quality on Blu-Ray. The source transfer for "Bullit" has obviously not been re-done for Blu-Ray, and appears to be the same source transfer used for the older DVD edition of this film. Although the superior medium and capabilities of a 1080p Blu-Ray disc make this an upgraded way to view this material, the limitations of an aging source transfer abound and call attention to themselves. Detail is OK in well lit scenes, much less so on indirectly lit surfaces and shadows. Blacks are unstable and milky, and there is motion judder and blur of in motion detail in shadows. Skin tone and texture show the waxy effect of DNR (digital noise reduction). Surface detail is mediocre at best. Sharpening is obvious and annoying. All in all a better view than the DVD version. But only worth renting, or if it can be purchased used or on mark down at $5 or less.

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The car chase in Bullitt may seem a bit less impressive than it once did because filmmakers have been trying to top it for the best part of four decades. More of a cat-and-mouse game than a demolition derby, its overshadowed by the film's other action setpieces a murder in a safe house, a tense chase in a hospital and a great airport finale that Michael Mann ripped off wholesale in Heat. A beautifully constructed star vehicle for Steve McQueen at his best, it's pretty much the prototype for every Hollywood cop movie that followed, but benefits from good casting (Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Simon Oakland, Robert Duvall), better characterisation than the norm and a low key approach from director Peter Yates that makes the highs seem a lot more effective than they should. The plot's not bad either, with Lalo Schifrin contributing a cool score and Pablo Ferra a terrific main title sequence.

The 2-disc set certainly boasts an improved transfer over the original single-disc release, but aside from Yates audio commentary, a vintage making of featurette and the trailer, the extras aren't that film specific a good feature-length documentary on film editing and another on McQueen.

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